Sara Custer

Jonathan Safran Foer (01/19/2011)

brittany — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 20:00:00 +0000

London, England

Jonathan Safran Foer spoke about the issues in his most recent book Eating Animals to a packed house at the London School of Economics. I haven’t read the book yet, or either one of his other two titles Everything Is Illuminated and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, so I went bracing for a preachy rally full of vegetarian dogma.

For those of you who have read the book, you probably know that I had no reason to fear. I’m a vegetarian, but both vegetarian activists and passionate meat eaters alike bother me. I tire of vegetarian propagandists shoving violent pictures of animal cruelty in people’s faces in an attempt to convert the nonconvertible. Just the same, I grow weary of telling people I’m a vegetarian and fielding questions like “No meat? What the hell do you eat?!” “Why? It’s natural to eat meat, y’know” or my favorite, “Ok, but jamon you eat, right?”

Thankfully, there were no leaflets handed out for either cause. Rather, I was captivated by Safran Foer’s social and environmental observations gained from the three years of research he put into the project. Safran points out that at this point in society’s development, everyone can recognize that eating meat is an “issue”, something we care about. However, voices from both sides are overly judgmental.

Safran Foer says vegetarian activists have helped create this strict dichotomy between meat eaters and non-meat eaters so much so that people do not see the benefits of just cutting down on meat consumption. “They have created a framework in discussing this so that they feel there are only two options: you’re a vegetarian or you’re a carnivore. And, most people cannot condition themselves to become a vegetarian… I think most people can condition themselves to eat less meat.” According to Safran Foer, if Americans can attempt to not eat meat for just one meal every week, the influence on the environment would be the same as taking five million cars off the road.

Vegetarians are often teased that they have canine teeth because humans are meant to eat meat naturally. Perhaps that was true during times when food was simply putting calories in our bodies. But Safran Foer points out that the huge social discourse surrounding the meat industry and the great lengths they take to create an idealistic picture of factory farms plays a much larger part in what we eat than we realize. According to Safran Foer, the animals in factory farms in the U.S. consume eight times more antibiotics than humans. Safran Foer asks “Is it natural to eat these kinds of animals that are raised in these ways? What’s natural about eating an animal that cannot survive without antibiotics? What’s natural about eating food that most nutritionists biologist and doctors I’ve spoken with say is probably the reason why girls are going through puberty at ages nine and ten?”

The system in which meat is produced is so distanced from consumers that we aren’t conscious of the externalized costs to the environment. Safran Foer says fast food “is presented as the cheapest food that’s ever been produced, when in fact it’s the most expensive food that’s ever been produced.” Indeed, the cost rung up at the supermarket does not include the destruction done to the environment. Safran Foer says the Global South has paid a huge price for this. Africa, South America, as well as parts of Eastern Europe all export food that they grow themselves but don’t eat to American and European companies. Their natural environments are destroyed in the process. Safran Foer asks “For what? Only for burgers. Not to solve the healthcare problem. Not to create peace in the Middle East. It’s for cheap burgers that make us fat.” Safran Foer also found that ninety-nine percent of the world’s soy crop is fed to animals concluding that, “No one eats tofu like meat eaters.”

Safran Foer claims that Eating Animals exists to begin a discussion about how people eat meat. He was not trying to create a book to persuade readers to become vegetarians, which is why he approached it journalistically, relying on the industry’s statistics and using two fact checkers. Even if you’re a die hard carnivore who scoffs at anything coming from the Kingdom Plantae or if you’re a vegan who refuses to swat a malaria carrying mosquito or somewhere in between, you should read Safran Foer’s book, if for no other reason than to learn about the affect the foods you choose to eat have on the rest of the world.

Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.

An mp3 recording of the event can be accessed here.

Written by: Sara Custer, February 9th 2011

Launch of StopWatch (10/18/2010)

mandy — Mon, 01 Nov 2010 08:00:00 +0000

King’s College

London, England

Recent studies show that in England and Wales Black people are stopped and searched seven times more than Caucasians; and Asians at twice the Caucasian rate. Jesse Jackson has formed a new coalition of NGO’s and academic societies to combat racial profiling and power abuse in UK policing. The organization, StopWatch, was launched at King’s College in London with an address from Reverend Jesse Jackson followed by a panel discussion.

Jackson didn’t mince words as he began his speech by saying that Britain and the U.S. are cut from the same cloth culturally, but also in their inequality of civil rights. He observed that Britain is seen as an "enlightened" society with high culture districts and universities, but that racial discrimination is alive and well there. He continued his speech saying English police are just as bad as, if not worse than, the U.S. when it comes to abusing their powers, and he warned England to clean up their act before London hosts the 2012 Olympics by saying “don’t let this ugly behaviour blemish your reputation with the whole world watching.”

Similarly, Barron Victor Adebowale expressed concern about the current rise in racial profiling in Britain. He said he has a “horrible fear of déjà vu” from when the south of England was hit with race riots in the 1980s. He warned, “If we don’t discuss this in a civilized, planned, and appropriate way then it will arise; it will bite society in the way it did in the '80s in the riots of Brixton and throughout this country.”

Karen Chouhan, Director of Equanomics, an organization fighting racial inequalities through economics, spoke out against the principle of policing by consent. She said, “I don’t recall consenting to my son being stopped eleven times in eleven months and then being denied a record of the event.” Chouhan went on to say, “What worries me most is when it is normalized that the civil rights of our young people are eroded.”

StopWatch brings together academics and activists in order to research racial discrimination by the police, inform the public about police abuse, and offer alternatives. Their solutions to stopping searches are to establish integrated police cars, by both race and sex, to place cameras in police vehicles; provide mass education to young people about their rights; train police to use different tactics; and encourage community intelligence on the matter.

Throughout the conference, the speakers encouraged community organization not only amongst activists but also in choosing which officers should police which neighborhoods. Jackson argued for a form of Affirmative Action saying, “unless the police reflect the population they are policing they are an archetypal force.” Adebowale candidly responded that Affirmative Action in England in the next five years was as probable as his grandmother landing a UFO on the end of his nose. He credits this lack of policy making to the current conservative party’s control of the UK government. However, he ended on an optimistic note by concluding that the current administration’s focus on a self-sufficient society could lead to more freedom as the activist leaders involved in groups like StopWatch will also step up to lead in their own communities.

Written by: Sara Custer, November 1st 2010

A l’Est avec Sonia Wieder-Atherton

admin — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 20:00:00 +0000

Directed by Chantal Ackerman

AMIP

Chantal Ackerman’s projects over the past forty years have secured her place in the international vanguard of film directors both male and female. Her films are widely known for experimenting with time and images while questioning their relationship to a film’s narrative. It’s no surprise that her film A l’Est avec Sonia Wieder-Atherton showed at the Barcelona International Woman’s Film Festival in June. In fifty-one minutes Ackerman attempts to show the power of music and the passion of the musician through images. It is her second film with world renowned cellist Sonia Wieder-Atherton as her subject, and weather or not Ackerman achieves her goal is up to you.

Wieder-Atherton is Ackerman’s go-to musician and has been the music director in many of her previous films including D’Eest, which is where the repertoire of music for this documentary originates. Viewers expecting the typical dialogue-heavy documentary film of a musician will be disappointed, as Wieder-Atherton speaks for only a brief moment after the opening scene of her playing in what appears to be a concert hall. She describes how her passion for the cello and violin cello began developing from a very early age, and how inspiring her maestro was. The remainder of the film is Wieder-Atherton using her instrument to explain her passion.

Ackerman chose to shoot Wieder-Atherton playing the eastern European compositions accompanied by only a piano or sometimes two other cellists. Ackerman uses various visual tactics so as not to distract from her true subject: the music. For example, the full color film never extends beyond a softly illuminated neutral gray, black, and white color palate. Wieder-Atherton herself alternates between two black and white silk blouses with grand billowing sleeves that appear to oscillate like wings as she pulls, teases, and coaxes the notes from her cello’s strings. Alternating shots between close ups of Wieder-Atherton’s hands and the whole ensemble paired with scenes that begin and end with fades creates a fluidity to the images that reflects the melody of the music. Composition titles as well as composers are provided for a short time at the bottom of the screen to indicate the beginning of another piece.

It is clear that Ackerman wants to distance herself and her images as far from the music as possible in order to create a truly musical experience. The audience at the Barcelona festival was, indeed, lulled into this entranced state of visual listening; however, Ackerman’s objective became lost as eyelids grew heavy and heads began to bob. Toward the end, awake once again, people began to shift impatiently in their seats.

It should be noted that although this film is reflective of Ackerman’s style it is not the more evocative of her influential talent. Audiences familiar with Ackerman’s previous work might expect a more challenging film, and novel viewers might find it a bit tedious and trying in the end. Without a doubt, the power of the music interpreted by Wieder-Atherton is transmitted, but it’s the viewer’s responsibility to be an active receiver.

Written by: Sara Custer, August 5th 2010

Roman Candle

admin — Tue, 06 Jul 2010 00:00:00 +0000

By Elliott Smith

Kill Rock Stars

Some might think this is another round of Elliott Smith’s posthumous work but it’s actually his first album. Kill Rock Stars has re-released and remastered Roman Candle, which was originally released in 1994 on the Cavity Search label. It’s self-recorded and Smith played all the instruments. The album is short, only thirty minutes, but in these eight songs you can see how Smith’s great career started. Smith’s soft melancholy tone is present in the lyrics as one would expect, and the fact that it is a completely self made album doesn’t take away from the quiet fury of his music. The album doesn’t sound like a first album, but rather like a bold, bar-setting collection of fine folk songs.

Contrary to its name, the album doesn’t offer nine individual explosions of balls-of-fire-songs. Each one has spark, but the album as a whole has more of a combined, melded flow. The title track is the most upbeat and maintains its quick layered guitar rhythm throughout its three minutes and thirty-seven seconds. It’s by far the most ball-of-fire of all the songs but creates a nice opening to the album. The rest of the disc follows the classic Smith alternative folk style of beautifully harmonized vocals laid over ear soothing guitar-driven melodies.

Some tracks are delicate ballads like “No Name #3,” a dark lullaby with words like “Watched the dying day blushing in the sky/ Everyone is uptight, so come on night/ Everyone is gone, home to oblivion.” But the fragility melts away in the penultimate and longest track “Last Call” where Smith turns up the amp and adds some grit to his guitars as he sings: “You’re a tongue less talker, you don’t care what you say/ You’re a jaywalker, and you just, just walk away/ that’s all you do.”

This first album is particularly special because it marks the beginning of Smith’s incredible, and unfortunately, short career. Lucky for us, he made five more after Roman Candle, each marking Smith’s evolution as an artist. Roman Candle holds its own in the Smith canon as a first testament to his talent, and his will and need to express himself with music.

Written by: Sara Custer, July 5th 2010

Societies of Peace: Matriarchies Past, Present and Future

admin — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 08:00:00 +0000

Edited by Heide Goettner-Abendroth

Inanna Publications

In a time when it seems we have lost our sense of humane, egalitarian living Societies Of Peace stands out as a guide to what we can learn from matriarchies in order to save ourselves from self-destruction. This book is a collection of the presentations from the two World Congresses on Matriarchial studies. The lecturers spoke about matriarchal theory and politics and the origins of patriarchy, and profiled historical and present day matriarchs who vary ideologically from patriarchs in four main societal sectors.

Politically, matriarchies are free of power structures. Everyone in the clan has one vote and decisions are based on consensus. Hence, the society is egalitarian. This structure allows for a balanced economy, the second variance from patriarchies.

Most of these economies are agriculturally based, which makes wealth hoarding impossible, and without the ability to accumulate wealth, there is very little conflict or war. Hospitality and compassion for those less fortunate is also valued in these societies.

Becoming a woman, being pregnant, giving birth, and becoming a grandmother are sacred foundations of matriarchies, and the mother is the center of society. Clans live together in the same house and family lineage is marked through the maternal bloodline. Daughters do not leave their homes; rather, husbands join their wives’ clans. Spirituality is based on an omnipotent goddess, the creator of all that is manifested in every living person, plant, and animal. From daily worship to festivals, spirituality an integral part of the society.

The following seven parts of the book provide examples of the differences in practice in matriarchies gained from individual community studies and are divided by global region. In “Matriarchal Principles for Economies and Societies of Today,” Veronica Bennholdt-Thompson describes what the patriarchal Western economy can learn from the Isthmus-Zapotec community of southern Mexico. The market prices fluctuate depending in the customers’ loyalty to the vendor, which encourages a close-knit, community-based economy. Bennholdt-Thompson comments that Western woman finding salvation in wage working is alienating and unnatural and that since women are inherently linked to creation, not realizing one's role as a giver of life is a betrayal of one's female existence.

Malika Grasshoff (Makilam) describes the influence of modern Islam on the ancient spiritual practices of the Berber people of modern day Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco. The Berber language is only spoken, not written, and is passed down by elders who are considered to be living holy books. Accordingly, older tribal spiritual practices still have modern-day influence. These spoken word histories are called taqbaylit, which is also the same word for “woman.” Despite French colonization of the region and widespread conversion to Islam, the traditions of this society still remain a stronghold.

The last remaining sections of the book offer theories of the origins of patriarchies. In “Saharasi: The Origins of Patriarchal Authoritarian Culture in Ancient Desertification,” James Demeo credits droughts, starvation, and malnutrition for the fall of matriarchies in central Africa. The human body, when put under such circumstances, has less emotional and sexual energy, which puts a strain on the ultimate foundation of the creation-based matriarchies: reproduction.

Societies Of Peace is truly fascinating on an anthropological level. It is also as a call to action to create egalitarian and peaceful societies.

Written by: Sara Custer, April 3rd 2010

Infectious Ideas: U.S. Political Responses to the AIDS Crisis

admin — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 01:00:00 +0000

By Jennifer Brier

The University of North Carolina Press

From the early appearance of AIDS as deviant in conservative America in the early 1980s to a full blown global battle in the 2000s, Infectious Ideas charts the activism behind the disease and how it never once wasn’t a political problem. What readers will learn with this book is that knowledge of the disease evolved alongside activist work. The origin, treatment, and likely victims of AIDS were all unknown in the early ‘80s when gay men and Haitian immigrants began to contract HIV. As a result societal scapegoating occurred and the government all but ignored the problem. Despite this, Brier shows how gay men unified to change habits, start dialogues about safe sex, and change public health policy.

With little or no experience in the health field, many early activist groups looked to the gay liberation movement of the 1970s for inspiration. As a result, racial and class discrepancies appeared as activist researchers began to realize that the highest at-risk groups were poor men of color who didn’t necessarily identify with the gay and lesbian community. San Fransisco activists worked to overcome what Brier calls “imperialism of expertise” by changing their campaigns to appeal to Latino and Black communities. Altering their way of thinking of how AIDS affects people proved vital for the moment and future efforts of global activists.

While modifying their approaches, American activists were also fighting another battle. Until the late 1980s they were essentially doing what the federal government should have been doing: informing people, promoting healthy prevention habits and working towards a treatment. However, ideological differences with the Reagan administration kept them from gaining governmental support. Instead of listening to activists with four years experience fighting the disease, the government was persuaded by internal politicians who didn’t condone condoms but rather (shockingly) chastity, fidelity and sex within marriage.

Brier positively notes that the lack of governmental support allowed for other groups to grow in more innovative arenas. She credits the Ford Foundation with raising awareness that AIDS was not simply a disease affecting gay and immigrants populations, but one that affected impoverished women in developing countries. During the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Ford Foundation focused on efforts in Brazil, Haiti, Thailand and Africa. They maintained a clear mission to “make woman’s rights human rights”. Three of the four countries that received the most funding saw significant drops in the number of new cases of AIDS.

The foundation's work strengthened the relationship between the Northern, developed world and the Southern, impoverished one. It also showed that attention to women’s rights, fighting poverty, and facing health issues overall is the most effective approach to prevent the spread of AIDS. As research continued to find medication to treat the disease, activists in the United States began to fight large pharmaceutical companies for affordable access to treatment, most notably through the work of ACT UP. Eventually disbanding due to internal problems, the group had five short but potent years which completely changed the U.S. response to drug testing and availability of medication.

Brier provides a unique account of the initial social response to AIDS in the 1980s and how it often preceded any political answers—a trend that continued into the early 1990s and today. Her book shows how we have arrived to where we are today in the fight against AIDS and what we can learn from the battles of the past.

Written by: Sara Custer, February 9th 2010

The Impostor’s Daughter: A True Memoir

admin — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 09:00:00 +0000

By Laurie Sandell

Little Brown and Company

The disenchantment of our parents, when we realize they’re humans too, is an unpleasant event of growing up. We all handle it differently. For Laurie Sandell, she put it into a graphic novel, The Impostor’s Daughter: A True Memoir. In a little less than 250 beautifully painted pages, Sandell shamelessly shows each and every skeleton in her closet—starting from childhood and ending as her young adult self—and the battles she fights to expose the lies about her larger-than-life father and form a new identity in that truth.

Growing up on the east coast, Sandell was the eldest of three daughters, and her father’s favorite. She spent her childhood idolizing him and forming her identity in his stories of historical and academic greatness. He had a Ph.D. from Columbia University, earned a Purple Heart and Bronze Star in Vietnam, and corresponded with a not-yet-christened Pope John Paul II. Doubt enters Laurie’s mind when she discovers in college that her father had taken out many credit cards in her name, unbeknownst to her. With over two hundred thousand dollars in debt and a father who couldn’t give a proper explanation, Laurie hits the road. She traveled for four years, a time when she says: “I was willing to be anything, try anything, as long as it didn’t resemble the life I was living before.”

The heaviest ball drops when Sandell returns from her escape. After an evening of sharing anecdotes with a friend in publishing, Sandell agrees to write an article about her father’s adventures. Routine fact checking revealed that her father wasn’t as extraordinary as he claimed to be. She proceeds with the article against her family’s wishes, exposes the lies he told, and becomes estranged from her father. However, Laurie doesn’t get the satisfaction she expected: “Nothing had changed: my family continued to be insistently blind to the truth. I remained the lone voice of protest.”

Things begin to look up for her when she lands an admirable job interviewing celebrities. However, she continues to be haunted by her father’s deceit. She battles with an addiction to sleeping pills mixed with red wine and drastic weight loss. She explains to the rehabilitation center she eventually enters: “My alcohol use? Not much—two or three glasses a day. Of course I drink alone: I’m single.” Without fear or lack of comic relief, she shows the inside of rehab, confrontations with her parents and the ultimate serenity she finds within herself. After more than ten years of searching for peace in her relationship with her father, Laurie simply says: “I gave up.”

The strength of this book is the way in which Sandell presents her story. In a more classic format, the experience of The Impostor’s Daughter would be lost. The ability to evoke emotions (light and heavy) subconsciously through images makes this book unforgettable. She possesses a humble and often comic tone in her writing. Both voices work harmoniously to neutralize the series of traumatic events in her life. The Impostor’s Daughter is a cathartic work that will make you reflect on your own relationship with your parents. It shows us the painful, scary, and frustrating process of going from gullible and impressionable children of our parents to self-defining confident women—something we can all appreciate and laugh about sooner or later.

Written by: Sara Custer, December 6th 2009

Balf Quarry

admin — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 08:23:00 +0000

By Magik Markers

Drag City

Magik Markers will never have the fame to reflect their talent, which is a shame and says more about the music industry than their ability to create fine music. One could classify Magik Markers’ sound as noise rock, but only a few tracks on their latest album Balf Quarry would live up to that label.

Influence from Sonic Youth and other No Wave bands are apparent on tracks like “Risperdal” and “State Numbers,” where it sounds more like spoken word poetry over a cornucopia of sounds created both instrumentally and experimentally. Other tracks, however, show that the duo doesn’t limit themselves to such abstractness, but rather have the ability to create complex melodies, some more apparent than others. “Don’t Talk in Your Sleep,” for example, pairs hearty blues chords, drum machine beats and a slight echoing funk vamp all working together to accompany strong female vocals delivering a warning to all potential cheaters out there. Later in the album, as Elisa Ambrogio’s voice softens from the beginning of the album’s more raucous tracks, a downright twang can be detected in the guitars in “Ohio R./Live/Hoosier.”

The album is nicely capped off with “Shells,” a ten minute strain of dark yet harmoniously hymnal-like sounds eventually evolving into lyric support after the four minute mark. What follows is a true testament to Ambrogio’s vocal ability perfectly paired with Pete Nolan’s mastery of making experimental sounds pleasing to the ear. The track is an adequate representation of the album because of its sonar spectrum. Many songs lack traditional structure, making listening more of a challenge, but one thing Magik Markers have is the power to keep you engaged.

This isn’t an album to play while you’re cleaning the bathroom. You’d be ruining a perfect opportunity to give the album the attention it demands. Rather, put it on, sit down, and let yourself be guided. Balf Quarry is a fully complete album demonstrating that sometimes good music is hard to listen to, but the reward at the end is twice as much. It turns listening from passive to active in one tickle of the distortion key.

Written by: Sara Custer, October 7th 2009

At Home We Are Tourists

admin — Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:07:00 +0000

By Settle

Epitaph

At Home We Are Tourists is the first full length album from this eastern Pennsylvania band. These four guys have been together for a while though and have a fair amount of experience, including winning MTVU’s “Best Band on Campus” competition in 2006. From the opening track of this album Settle establishes themselves as a band with a knack for creating fun, danceable pop tunes.

A quick look at Settle’s MySpace page reveals a die hard fan base, which isn’t too surprising as their music has that “my favorite little garage band” feel. Pop-punk influences like Alkaline Trio or Jimmy Eat World are clear in their music, but Settle’s sound manages to set them apart from the other dozens of bands that fall into this genre. Indeed, the combination of clear musical talent on their strings and percussion with solid vocals (yes layered, but layered well) creates a tight sound normally earned by more seasoned musicians who have been playing together for years. Some songs even boast their willingness to play with more electronic sounds, most obviously in “ISO: 49yr old M W/ Kids seeks 26 yr old F W/O Kids.”

Settle also escapes the often trite adolescent tones that one might expect from the first album from a band with such obvious pop punk sounds. The lyrics and themes are curiously insightful. In one of two slower songs on the album, “Sunday, Morning After,” lead singer Dave Goletz’s deep, full voice appropriately croaks “I used to think I’d have to stay a while, but I don’t think you know who I am.” A nice whistling accompaniment follows and completes the nonchalant sentiments of the morning after a one night stand: emotions relatable and not often discussed in music without heavy brokenheartedness.

One can also catch glimpses of softer, echoed vocals more associated with good '80s pop in “On the Prowl,” and they dabble with noise rock chaos in the track “Dance Rock is the New Pasture” just to shake off, or beat off, any accusations of easy pop melodies. Check out their MySpace page to get a better sample of the songs from their current album, which establishes them as a band whose ability to write good pop songs matches their clear musical talent.

Written by: Sara Custer, October 5th 2009

Lower Bounds

admin — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 10:20:00 +0000

By Only Thunder

Bermuda Mohawk

The band Only Thunder consists of a lot of rumble and electricity. Generalized stylistic terms like “post-punk,” “mall punk,” and “emo-punk” get thrown around a lot and can often be harmful to an album if applied. Though, I must say, all of those labels can apply to the sounds of Only Thunder and have probably been applied to them in the past. But don’t let that discourage you from giving the band a listen. It’s evident from listening to their tunes that Only Thunder is greatly influenced by the likes of Hot Water Music and Black Flag. However, unlike many other followers of these punk staples, Only Thunder actually does some justice to their predecessors.

Lower Bounds sounds strangely self-assured for a debut album. Their stylistic aim is clear from the opening song, "Tapestries, Candles, Zima," and is executed by their hardcore guitar riffs and doubled drums throughout. It’s a classic punk equation with simple repeated chords and varied rhythm. The drums are dry and fast. It’s not too polished, but approachable enough for all types of music fans. Layered vocals round out their sound and could arguably be the weakest part of their music.

Their broken heart blues are nothing new and Only Thunder doesn’t give it a different spin either. Despite that, one can appreciate that the words aren’t delivered in a nasally self-entitled whine or a meek whimper. Rather, the lyrics are presented in a strong, solid and, most appropriately, loud way that makes you feel apart of the music‘s emotions.

All in all, Only Thunder is the kind of music that makes me imagine a band that might play in the basement of a rundown bowling alley in Cleveland. The ceiling is water-stained, the stage is small, and the air is thick with smoke. The dance floor is full of dudes sweating, pushing, jumping and not missing one word. And if you remember closely, you can even see a few chicks getting into the storm as well.

Written by: Sara Custer, April 26th 2009

Phratry EP

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:51:00 +0000

By LKN (Lauren K. Newman)

Phratry Records

Most people can’t play an instrument, but Lauren K. Newman (also known as LKN) can play at least five. And she plays them all on the same album. This one-woman band has released her fourth album through Greyday Productions. Her most recent, Postulate II, was also reissued on vinyl by Phratry Records complete with a bonus eight track EP to the first two-hundred lucky buyers.

LKN stays true to her punk roots on Phratry EP by reflecting the sounds of her four previous albums. The popular music scene always seem to be lacking in strong women that rock as hard as boy bands do. LKN chalks-up a point for the ladies’ because her self-made hardcore music is experimental and edgy. Highlights include the piano dominated final track appropriately titled “Piano” as well as the more feedback heavy “Premonition,” which is worthy to be on the list of the selections for the first edition of Guitar Heroine if it ever comes out.

However, LKN still has some room to grow. Luckily, what she lacks in scope she makes up for with talent and ambition. A quick search for her on the internet yields a lot of information and reviews about her. This is a good sign that she’s hungry and putting herself out there as much as possible. She gives concerts frequently and when she takes the stage, she calls herself LKN and dubs her playing as both solo and with accompaniment. Let’s hope her progress is as aggressive as her sound.

Written by: Sara Custer, April 15th 2009

Seconds from Sunrise

admin — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 00:03:00 +0000

By Soundside

Mystery Sound Records

Soundside is a group of four high school friends from Long Island. They’ve had mild success on the east coast since they teamed up in 2004. Seconds from Sunrise is their third full-length album and it appears that they are continuing on the track of commercial success.

Overall, Soundside has mastered harmonious vocals by belting out melodious pop songs that all tend to blend together for anyone who’s not of fan of the genre. Having already had some radio air time, it’s easy to see how they would fit into a set-list quite nicely between music like Nickelback and Better Than Ezra.

However, one aspect of their music that makes them stand out from the rest of these other alt-rock groups is their extension into the Latin market. The Spanish traces on Seconds from Sunrise can be heard in their synchronized melodies. Thankfully, we won’t have to wait too long to see how they take their music in that direction because their first bilingual album is set to come out soon. It will be interesting to hear how their new path will progress their sounds stylistically and drive possible variations into their otherwise generic tunes. One can see from [Seconds from Sunrise](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001MG3EKY?ie=UTF8&tag=feminrevie-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B001MG3EKY) that Soundside has the ability to write pleasing pop songs that range from the more drum and bass tracks like “Driving on Empty” to the piano accompanied ballad “Right to Your Insides” isn’t lacking in style. Unfortunately, at this time, they’re not really doing anything we haven’t heard from other bands many times before. This group seems fated for stadium-sized shows or doomed to be a forgettable opening act. Sometimes luck has more value than talent in the music industry.

Written by: Sara Custer, April 14th 2009

From the Heart

admin — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 10:29:00 +0000

By Etta James

Legacy Recordings

Discovering new music from a classic artist makes you feel like you’re getting to know an old friend a little bit better. The picture of them in your mind feels more complete and well-rounded. By compiling fifteen tracks of previously recorded songs in From the Heart, Legacy Recordings introduces us to new a new side of one of our old favorites, Etta James.

Unlike other recordings, this album exposes her more soulful R&B talents that are rarely associated with her. Legacy proves that there’s more to this expressive diva than her famous cover of “At Last.” This is most evident in her cover of “I’ve Been Loving You Too Long” and “Try a Little Tenderness.” James’ classic brassy baritone oozes over the smooth beats and creates sounds that are entirely different from her well-known jazz croon.

Don’t worry though, Legacy doesn’t skimp on the old stand-bys. Listeners will get their James jazz-fill with tracks like “My Man” and “My Funny Valentine.” Etta James is currently experiencing a second wind in the media spotlight because of the film Cadillac Records and a new, svelte figure. This album serves as just another reminder of how talented and versatile she is as an artist. Like a surprise phone call from an old friend, James is letting us know that she’s still here and remains one of the greatest female jazz and blues artists of her time.

Written by: Sara Custer, April 13th 2009

Going Dutch in Beijing: How to Behave Properly When Far Away from Home

admin — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 19:51:00 +0000

By Mark McCrum

Henry Holt

Anyone who’s ever had a formal meal with a native Beijingian will know that it is socially taboo to offer any contributions when the bill comes. In Going Dutch in Beijing, Mark McCrum thoroughly informs his readers of everything local concerning greetings, table manners, and wedding and funeral customs. He expresses intent on preventing offensive behavior for his traveling readers, but thoughtfully goes beyond his purpose. While still informing readers of do’s and don’ts, this book also elicits just how many differences exist between every culture, a variance that is precious in an ever-shrinking global community.

McCrum’s cultural scope varies throughout each chapter; it’s a book that borders on travel guide and intercultural study. Readers will find “pocket-guide” practical information when he dutifully reports the meaning and interpretations of greetings and gestures across the globe (complete with illustrations). However, sometimes his study is so extensive it’s easy to get lost in the details, losing focus on the country in which it’s unacceptable to cross your fingers or how many kisses you’re expected to give when meeting someone. Fortunately, McCrum also provides more clearly organized lists of behavior that will most definitely win you death stares if you’re lucky, and perhaps something far worse if you’re not. For example, he urges readers to never ask for Turkish coffee when they’re visiting Greece and to always make use of the cloakroom at Russian theatres and concerts.

Even though you might never find yourself in a situation where business cards are as much of an extension of yourself as your familial history, McCrum’s information for the business traveler reflects the deeper customs of a culture. The priority of friendly relations before business deals in counties across the Atlantic and the border reveal the importance of family and social time in the lives of most Latin countries. Similarly, the American adage of “if you’re not five minutes early, you’re ten minutes late” is non-existent in many non-English speaking countries where arriving about an hour after the specified time is more expected. Understanding these differences will not only help business travelers in creating a rapport with clients, but can also give folks whose casual Friday is every day clues about the cultural core of a country

While McCrum dutifully reports customs from every nation near and far, Western readers might find the less familiar traditions more entertaining for arm chair travel. For example, don’t ignore beggars in the streets of the Philippines or Arab countries where the greater the benevolence the grander the person and the stronger the faith. Or, if you find yourself in Madagascar during a festival, don’t be surprised if you see the corpse of someone’s relative dancing along with the parade in his or her brand new shroud. McCrum devotedly offers hints for conscious travel on six of the seven continents. It’s a perfect book for the reader who is more interested in proper behavior at a dinner party in Tokyo than where to find the best deal on sushi.

Written by: Sara Custer, June 2nd 2008

Boo Human

admin — Sun, 01 Jun 2008 17:12:00 +0000

By Joan of Arc

Polyvinyl

Chicago-based Joan of Arc, and the family Kinsella, return with their second Polyvinyl release Boo Human. This time they have arrived with 14 musicians in tow to create a more complex and thorough album.

Staying true to their quirky indie rock roots, Boo Human starts of with a medley of sounds and styles. The initial track lolls with layered guitars and fuzzy vocals like an introduction to the sounds to come. The second track, “Laughter Reflected Back,” is more in line with the indie rock beats you would expect from this group; it’s experimental while still being approachable and has a drum line that seems to be taking two steps forward and one step back.

“Just Pack or Unpack” follows this track in the same vein, but with less exciting drums and a bass melody that is easier to follow for the five minutes of its existence. A melancholic and poetic drop of strings breaks up the rock stream with "9/11 2," but nicely leads into “A Tell-Tale Penis,” a track where the collaboration of all those musicians really shines, as the piano collaborates with the percussion to compliment the simple guitar melodies.

The album slowly and evolves into a cohesive four-song block, part surreal prog rock and part orchestrated jam with bits of pop, each track smoothly leading into the next creating a seamless and earnest stream that shows the bands maturity. With the exception of the final track, the album isn’t held together by lyrics and riffs, but rather each song establishes its own unique sound. Indeed, the last song, “So-and-So,” is the humble story of how sometimes we’re doomed to end up ex-so and so’s. Boo Human isn’t as ambiguous, but rather a wholly diverse experience from another impressive Chicago band.

Written by: Sara Custer, June 1st 2008