M83 blows the doors off with their newest effort, and it delivers a solid sense of optimism and epic scale in its sound. Consequently I now have the overwhelming urge to don a cape and fight crime, or pole vault over the Great Wall of China, but I digress. The layering of each of its 15 tracks is masterful...
I first listened to The Lumineers’ self-titled debut back in the height of their popularity in early 2013. The catchy piano and acoustic instrumentals combined with the comforting vocals of lead singer Wesley Schultz gave way for some of the feel-good cheerful melodies the band would be soon known for. It quickly became a favorite of mine that year....
She’s a lovelorn, quirky girl. He’s the other half who conveniently matches up to her eccentricity. Together, their personalities mesh into the seemingly appropriate recipe for a perfect unconventional couple. A story deviating from the orthodox standards of relationship? Interesting, I thought. What could go wrong? Well, it turns out that there could sometimes be too much dependency on...
It’s hard for me to pick out a single bad aspect of “The Boss” because everything about it was just terrible. I know that’s a pretty general statement to begin with, but then again, the purpose of the movie itself was vague and quite possibly nonexistent. Everything — from the one-dimensional protagonist Michelle Darnell (Melissa McCarthy) to the face-palmable...
Andrew Bird’s 13th studio album, “Are You Serious,” brings back Bird’s distinctive harmonies, lush instrumentation and brilliant lyrics to create a tapestry of Americana sounds flush with a touch of whimsy. Since the early 2000s, Bird has brought a completely unique sensibility to Americana, bringing together complex harmonies and radical song progressions while working within a classic bluegrass or...
Lazy Camper subverted my expectations. When I heard Alex Le’s stage name, I figured I would be interviewing another singer-songwriter guy with a guitar and a pocket of love songs. What I instead found while browsing his bandcamp was a blend of trip-hop and chillwave, intermixed with samples and handmade piano and guitar grooves. Speaking candidly, I explained how...
At the Highlander, we consistently review and analyze music by more famous artists. However, there are many musicians who receive less attention so here is the first of our series on artists that are flying a little “under the radar.”
Julien Baker - “Sprained Ankle”
I found Julien Baker while listening to NPR. The first line from her titular “Sprained Ankle”...
“Hardcore Henry” is about as fun as watching someone else play a video game. And not a particularly good one. Now, before you Let’s Play fans start whining so loud that your mom has to come into the room to check on you, this isn’t what I’m referring to. There’s no humorous commentary, no levity and no fun to...
The Department of Theatre, Film and Digital Production’s annual short film festival was held in a small arts screening room this year; the room itself only allows a 78-person occupancy. Perhaps for this reason, or because of the rain that had viewers rushing to the entrance in search of a warm place and not just an entertaining series of...
This week’s RADAR Sessions moved away from the more traditional notion of a university musician as someone with a guitar and a great voice. In exploring the talent at Riverside we have come to find musicians who work within all genres. For this week’s Sessions we had Clayton Pangelinan in the office. Also known as Illin Mic, Pangelinan has...