Arts

Arts

Two of today's stars dust off old-school Southwestern twang, with a string section

March 30

When actress Zooey Deschanel and singer-songwriter M. Ward worked two years ago on the film "The Go-Getter" (2007), an indie film about a young man's soul-searching journey, not much more than they were met with glowing reviews at Sundance. But when Deschanel, who starred, and Ward, who wrote the score, collaborated on a song for the movie's soundtrack, they planted the seed for a promising side project. Deschanel and Ward harmonized on Richard and Linda Thompson's "When I Get to the Border," and she eventually confided to him that she was a closeted songstress who secretly recorded original compositions on her computer. They parted after the brief movie collaboration, but Deschanel sent Ward a demo that impressed him so much he invited her to his Portland, Ore. studio, and the duo "She and Him" was born.

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Arts

The Matches burn the genre barrier with 'A Band in Hope'

March 26

It's not every day that a band manages to title an album in such a way that captures with precision not only a striking duality of themes on their record, but also the band's current position in their career. The title of The Matches' third studio album, "A Band in Hope," accomplishes this feat with the punk rock irreverence that their fans have come to expect.

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Arts

Liliana Porter uses figurines, toys and humor to examine complicated human emotions

March 25

Almost every Tufts student has at one time or another taken a stroll down Newbury Street, but not many have taken the opportunity to enjoy the relaxing effects of Newbury's one and only free activity: gallery viewing. Located at 10 Newbury St., right next to Juicy Couture, is a non-descript door that leads to one of the true gems for viewing contemporary art in Boston: the Barbara Krakow Gallery. Located on the fifth floor (don't worry, there is an elevator) is this simple, well-organized space that makes up for its lack of size in the quality of its contents, which are both intellectually stimulating and cheerful, for the most part.

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Arts

Boston MFA's 'Islands of Isolation' exhibit freezes

March 24

Through the Boston Museum of Fine Arts' (MFA) affiliation with the School of the Museum of Fine Arts (SMFA), the museum often takes opportunities to show student work. These are usually not the largest shows, nor are they the most impressive, but they contribute a glimpse of the absolute present of art-making.

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Arts

'Goodbye Blues' changes rockers' sound with new additions

March 24

"Goodbye Blues," the newest release by The Hush Sound, was named one of the "Most Anticipated Albums of 2008" by the Alternative Press. This record may lack the band's characteristic innocence, but the maturity of the band shines through in both its spunky-rock sound and interpretation of the gritty world of adult relationships.

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Arts

Amanda Church explores movement at Julie Chae Gallery

March 17

This month, the Julie Chae Gallery is hosting "Travelling Without Moving," a collection of paintings by Amanda Church. The exhibition features recent works by the painter, all of which explore the ideas of place, movement and time through abstract forms. The paintings are all oil on canvas, displaying fanciful forms in soft colors.

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Arts

Murder By Death's latest album dusts off its boots and spurs for a lesson in Americana

March 11

Four-piece indie rock band Murder By Death released its fourth studio album "Red of Tooth and Claw" last Tuesday on its new label, Vagrant Records. The band, which is named after a Peter Sellers whodunit mystery movie, is known for its wide range of musical styles, including fast-paced punk rock, alternative indie and a little bit of country.

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Arts

Flogging Molly sticks to its formula in its latest release

March 10

To say that Flogging Molly's songs all sound the same is essentially correct, for better or worse. But is that same-ness necessarily a bad thing? On their latest album, "Float," the Celtic punk rockers try something slightly new, but their call for change goes unanswered.

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Arts

Black Crowes' latest harkens back to the good ol' days

March 9

The Black Crowes, a name that is strangely familiar to nearly everyone these days, have been one of the biggest names in post-Allman Brothers Southern rock for some time now, having released seven albums (and seven live albums) over their 20-year career. The band's future was in serious jeopardy in 2001 when lead singer Chris Robinson and his guitarist brother Rich Robinson butted heads (?  la the Gallagher brothers of Oasis) and, for the sake of their sanity, decided to take a break.

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Arts

Not everyone is welcome in Erykah Badu's latest album, 'New AmErykah'

March 6

Erykah Badu has always defied conventions. From her eye-catching hairstyles, which shift between various tying and dying patterns, to her ability to cross genres, Badu has created quite the niche for herself as a writer and producer, but it is her talent as a vocalist that has earned her fame. Her Billie Holiday-esque voice first reached listeners in 1997 on her triple platinum debut album, "Baduizm," followed the same year by "Live," a compilation of her concert performances that currently holds double platinum status.

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Arts

ICA performance art exhibit makes sure everyone is included

March 6

Walking into the new exhibit at the Institute for Contemporary Art (ICA), visitors are immediately confronted with an enormous, canary-yellow structure. Large loops of fiberglass support rows of arena seating that extend to a few inches below the gallery's ceiling. People sit among the first three rows of these oversized bleachers, watching individuals and being watched in return. Rita McBride's "Arena" (1997) is a fitting opening to "The World as a Stage," on view at the ICA until April 27.

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Arts

Goodman's photography show observations of life

March 4

In our busy lives, there is almost no time to sit back and watch the trees blossom. We are continually rushing to and fro between classes, errands and if there's time, our social lives. Every piece of technology produced helps to hurry time, so one can cram even more activities into a short 24-hour block. Sometimes, it is just necessary to step back from the melee of life and observe the rush.

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Arts

Raveonettes revel in quiet jams and distortion

March 3

"Lust Lust Lust," the newest album by the Raveonettes, stays true to the "noise pop" genre but provides the listener with a complex sound and enough emotion-filled static to make your speakers cry.

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Arts

Variety of messages and subjects explored in BU's provocative student photography exhibit

March 1

A cupcake-eating bulldog and a father's surgical scars are only two of the topics on display at the Photographic Resource Center's 2008 Student Exhibition. Eighteen schools and institutions are participating in this show at the Photographic Resource Center at Boston University.

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Arts

Every Avenue leads to mainstream success for Michigan band

February 26

Michigan's "happy" pop-punkers Every Avenue released their first major studio album last week, entitled "Shh. Just Go With It." It has only been five months since the group released their EP "Ah!" on Fearless Records to much praise and comparisons to bands like The Ataris and The Starting Line. The band wants to be known as a group that just makes music to have fun. This approach just may be the reason they will be able to find their place in the mess of other hopeless pop-punk imitators.

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Arts

The Used use up their creativity on 'Shallow Believer' EP

February 26

The Used are back, and they've got something to prove. Unfortunately, the only message that comes across from their newest EP, "Shallow Believer," is just how much a band can change from its old style to a smoothed-over, effects-laden mess.

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Arts

'British Prints' exhibit highlights the overarching dynamism of artists from the World War I era

February 25

"British Prints: Rhythms of Modern Life" collects a selection of prints from a specific era, 1914 to 1939, and a specific country, Great Britain. This simple statement is an easy one to take for granted: The medium of the print is often overlooked in museum exhibitions.

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Arts

Rachel Perry Welty takes the first steps toward a unique style

February 20

In viewing conceptual art, it is often difficult to separate awe at the sheer meticulousness of the execution from an overall assessment of artistic merit. One can get swept away by the sheer force of precision such that it overpowers any inherent originality, leaving one with, say, a stack of incredibly detailed miniature Brillo pad boxes that add up to a whole bunch of derivative drivel.

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Arts

Simple Plan sells its soul to trendiness

February 18

It has become far too easy these days to jump all over Simple Plan for being too poppy, or too mainstream and therefore utterly unlikable (at least in most social situations). The pensive music aficionado, before listening to Simple Plan's latest self-titled release, should take time to distance himself from the social stigma that has unfortunately been branded upon these pop-punk princesses and try to listen like he'd never heard of them before.

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Arts

ICA exhibit experiments with memory foam

February 13

The room is barely lit with unadorned light bulbs. Rows of beds are lined up in a crowded, spartan room. Cheap foam pads showcase the weighty voids of sleeping figures, yet the occupants themselves are disconcertingly missing. This is hardly the typical dorm room. You had better believe that this is high art.

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