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(09/22/10 4:00am)
As anyone who pays attention to the music scene can tell you, album releases aren't what they used to be. Back in the day, when the release date for a new album was announced, music fans had to wait weeks on end for it to come out, before lining up outside the record store when the magical day arrived.
(09/17/10 4:00am)
Baird Point was packed to the brim on Wednesday night with thousands of energized music fans. This year's Fall Fest, presented by the Student Association, featured a diverse lineup that appealed to multiple musical tastes.
(09/15/10 4:00am)
2010 has been the single worst year in the history of pop music.
(09/10/10 4:00am)
Artist: Goo Goo Dolls
(09/08/10 4:00am)
Artist: Sara Bareilles
(09/03/10 4:00am)
If you've been reading the plethora of football preview magazines that populate the newsstands every summer, you're probably feeling pessimistic about the Bills' chances for a playoff run in 2010.
(09/03/10 4:00am)
If you've been reading the plethora of football preview magazines that populate the newsstands every summer, you're probably feeling pessimistic about the Bills' chances for a playoff run in 2010.
(07/07/10 4:00am)
The summer season tends to be an ideal time for great music. Record labels and artists want to have that signature summer hit that can be heard at every beach party and backyard barbeque. As a result, elite artists release their new albums during this time of year.
(04/26/10 4:00am)
Grade: A-
(04/26/10 4:00am)
Grade: A
(04/26/10 4:00am)
Let's face it – MP3s are here to stay. Just about everyone has an iPod at this point, and it's become clear that downloading music has supplanted buying albums as the most popular means of obtaining music in this country.
(04/16/10 4:00am)
In my nearly 20 years on this planet, I have watched a lot of television. I've spent a lot of time trying to find the next great sitcom when I should have been focusing on my homework. When I was younger, needless to say, it caused some arguments with my mother.
(04/06/10 4:00am)
As an aspiring journalist, I am very grateful for the rights guaranteed to me by the First Amendment. If I want to write a column criticizing President Simpson, President Obama, or anyone else, I know that I can do so without fear of being arrested. I am proud to live in a country that offers me that right.
At the same time, I am glad that there are certain limitations on free speech in this country. For example, if one of my colleagues wanted to write a column claiming that I like to kill and eat puppies, I could sue that person for libel. We are prevented from making unfounded accusations at each other. I am glad this rule is in effect, because without it, anyone could make any crazy claim and we simply can't have that.
Unfortunately, issues involving free speech aren't always black and white. There are certain instances where it's a bit more difficult to decide if someone is merely exercising their right to free speech, or if they are crossing the line. When these instances occur, we have to interpret the First Amendment in ways that could have unknown effects on our rights. This is never easy to do.
Once such instance came a few weeks ago, when our friends at the Westboro Baptist Church were at it again. If you don't know, they are a church that strongly opposes homosexuality and pickets funerals of U.S. soldiers, claiming that God killed them to punish America for tolerating homosexuals. In other words, they're not the sunniest people around.
Naturally, this angers the families of soldiers whose funerals they picket. One angry military father took them to court, claiming they were harassing his family by protesting. The initial court ruling sided with the father, but the higher court overturned it, stating that the First Amendment protected the Church's actions.
This is where the issue gets a little bit tricky. Obviously, people should be allowed to be protest. One of the things that make America great is that people can freely state their opinion and that they can rise up and proclaim their dissent with whatever issue they choose.
As much as mainstream America might loathe the WBC, and their ultra right-wing views, their claim to protest is just as valid as anyone else's. We can't forget that.
That being said, protesting in the middle of someone's funeral is an entirely different issue. Its one thing to gather together to protest something, it's quite another to disrupt a personal affair, and tell the family of a fallen soldier that their loved one is rotting in hell because America isn't willing to exterminate homosexuals.
That goes far beyond the right of free speech. That is harassment in the clearest sense, and our courts shouldn't have stood for it.
The reason I disagreed with the court's ruling so much here is that they missed what was at stake. It's not the WBC's right to protest that is the problem, it's where they choose to do it. If they were forced to stay a respectable distance from the funeral itself, but still allowed protesting, that would be a happy medium. It would allow the group to keep their free speech, and let the family mourn in peace.
It would've been nice if the court had thought this way, but instead they chose to ignore the needs of a grieving family, and allow a violent, hateful group to do whatever they want. It's one thing to not want to infringe on free speech, it's quite another to enable a group of hate-mongering troublemakers. Sadly, our courts chose the latter. For shame.
E-mail: jhugar@buffalo.edu
(04/01/10 4:00am)
Grade: A-
For the Barenaked Ladies, the last few years have been transitional, to say the least. In 2008, they experimented with children's music on the critically acclaimed album Snack Time.
It could've given the band a wide new audience, but that plan was halted quickly when front man Steven Page was arrested for allegedly possessing cocaine. Six months afterward, Page split from the group. They were truly in a state of disarray.
Luckily, the wacky Canadian rockers have come out on top with their wonderful new album, All in Good Time, their first since the departure of Page. The ex-front man is replaced on vocal duties by guitarist Ed Robertson, who is more than up to the task.
Not only is Robertson a worthy successor to Page, but he actually bests the original singer in key categories. Specifically, his vocals add a more serious tone to the songs, whereas Page preferred to be lighthearted and goofy.
Robertson's weightier style of singing fits this album nicely. It is by far the most serious record the band has ever made. Where previous albums featured novelty numbers like "One Week", or "If I Had $1,000,000", this album mainly presents emotional, reflective pop.
This new direction is felt immediately on opener "You Run Away", a memorable number about someone who is emotionally distant. This track makes it clear that the boys who gave us "One Week" have grown up quite a bit.
Indeed, this is a somewhat dark album, as many of the songs appear to be about the departure of Page. Numbers like "Another Heartbreak" and "I Have Learned" seem to be about the pain his departure caused the group and how they have grown since he left.
This album could've been awkward, or even disastrous, but the Barenaked Ladies are better at being serious than was expected. This is a mature, intelligent record from a band that suffered a lot of losses and came out smelling like roses. It just might be their best yet.
E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com
(04/01/10 4:00am)
In Monday's issue of The Spectrum, pro-Palestine activist Ilan Pappe was quoted as saying, "I don't think you can support the state of Israel and be a decent person."
This came as a shock to me. I always thought being a decent person was based on your character and your actions, but if you take Pappe's word for it, all that counts is whether you agree with him.
Of course, divisive quotes like this shouldn't be much of a surprise. I don't know if you've noticed, but the political discourse in this country has been a bit lacking lately.
For evidence of this, all you had to do was turn to CNN, MSNBC, or Fox News to watch coverage of the health care debates. The argument was split into two camps: either you supported health care and you were a socialist, or you were against it and you were just another right-wing nut job.
That's the state of political discourse in America right now. Either you agree with me and you're righteous, or you are against me and you're evil. There doesn't seem to be much of a middle ground.
Granted, this isn't an entirely new development. It's how issues have been divided for decades. Abortion is a fine example of this.
If you're pro-choice, you're called a "baby killer," and if you're anti-abortion, you're accused of being sexist and wanting the government to control women's bodies. Neither side of the abortion debate understands the other, nor do they want to. It's more fun to just lob insults at each other.
The debate over gay marriage isn't much better. Anyone who opposes it publicly is automatically called a bigot and worse. Just ask Carrie Prejean, who faced vicious attacks from Perez Hilton for stating an opinion the opposite of his own.
On the opposite side, the religious right continues to sling arrows at the homosexual community by calling them sinners and sodomites. There's actually a Web site called godhatesfags.com. If that doesn't show how divisive this issue is, I don't know what does.
This problem had been stirring for a while in America, but the volcano of divisive politics didn't truly erupt until Obama became president. Of course, it's not his fault. He's tried mightily to create bipartisanship, but to no avail. We're far too aggressive to listen lately.
The rise of the Tea Party movement was the first indication that things were getting out of hand. Droves of right-wing protestors appeared, calling the president everything from a communist to Hitler to the anti-Christ – all because he wanted to pass a universal health care bill. This is a little extreme, to say the least.
Unfortunately, the liberal response wasn't any better. On Countdown with Keith Olbermann, comedian Janeane Garofalo stated that the Tea Party protesters were there because they hated the idea of a black president. This was a nasty blanket statement, to say the least. In Garofalo's world, Obama is too magical to criticize, so if you don't like him, you probably just hate black people.
It's really shameful the way both sides have been attacking each other lately. The days of intelligent political discussion and agreeing to disagree have gone right out the window. But we need not hate each other just because we hold opposing views. As Dave Mason once sang, "There ain't no good guys, there ain't no bad guys. There's only you and me and we just disagree."
If America can adopt an attitude like that, there's no telling how much progress we can make. If not, we may be stuck in the political gutter for decades to come.
E-mail: jhugar@buffalo.edu
(03/28/10 4:00am)
Grade: A
(03/28/10 4:00am)
Grade: A
She & Him, the folk-pop collaboration between alt-country troubadour M. Ward and indie actress Zooey Deschanel, had one of the strongest debuts of 2008.
The album's combination of bright '70s AM pop and early '60s folk was a smash success and found a wide audience. Naturally, expectations were very high for the follow-up.
Luckily, the duo was more than up for the challenge. Their second album, Volume Two, features the same bright, infectious tunes that made the first album so beloved. This album is just so happy and optimistic that it's impossible to feel sad while listening to it. It's just too much fun.
This is especially true on "Ridin' In My Car," a duet between Ward and Deschanel. It has a pastoral feel that seems to evoke the memory of a summer long ago spent with a long lost love. It has a strong nostalgic feel, which makes it very emotionally resonant.
Equally as contagious is "Lingering Still," a beautiful romantic ballad. The song is so warm and heartfelt it seems like it might be a long lost radio hit from a bygone era, but it's just another home run by this incredible team.
In many ways, this album feels like a continuation of the first album. The lead single, "In the Sun," is the perfect sequel to "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here" off the previous album. Their cover of Skeeter Davis' "Gotta Get Along Without You" seems analogous to their rendition of The Beatles' "I Should've Known Better".
The pair's ability to craft memorable, emotional music is truly a marvel. They have chemistry unlike any other. It's amazing how well their vocal and songwriting skills gel together.
This is simply a stupendous record. The pair manages to carry on the vibe of their first album, without having it grow stale. It's nothing short of a triumph.
E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com
(03/03/10 5:00am)
Grade: B
(03/01/10 5:00am)
With the U.S. Olympic Hockey team advancing to the gold medal game, it was hard not to feel a little patriotic on Friday. Even the most hardened cynic had to be brimming with just a bit of American pride.
(02/24/10 5:00am)
Grade: B+
The '60s may be long gone, but the decade's inspirational soul lives on.
Daniel Merriweather exploded onto the music scene in 2007 with his soulful cover of The Smiths' 'Stop Me If You Think You've Heard This One Before.' The song was the standout track on Mark Ronson's Version album.
The song received acclaim from everyone, including Morrissey, and made music fans curious whether he could deliver an entire original album that lived up to the promise of the esteemed cover.
Now that the album has arrived, it's safe to say Merriweather has justified the hype. His debut album Love & War is a great start for the up-and-coming artist. It is a strong, worthwhile effort, and Merriweather's beautiful voice carries 11 tracks of classic '60s inspired soul.
The ceremonies begin with 'For Your Money,' an epic ballad in which Merriweather details his disillusionment with New York City. It's an emotionally resonant tail of a foreigner discovering that the land of fame and fortune isn't all it's cracked up to be, and it serves as one of the strongest tracks.
Equally appealing is 'Red,' a soulful number about heartbreak that became a top-five hit in his native England. With Merriweather's lyrics, it's easy to see when it became so popular; when he lets his powerful vocals shine through, it's impossible to not feel his pain. The song leaves a lasting effect on the listener.
Unfortunately, this album is not without its share of flaws. Many of the songs are mere generic soul ballads that simply do not carry the weight of the album's stronger tracks. Merriweather's excellent voice prevents any of the numbers from being unlistenable, but the strong benchmark set early in the album doesn't quite hold up in the later tracks.
Still, this is a very strong album from a singer with unlimited potential. There are few – if any – male singers with better singing abilities than Merriweather, and he seems to have a knack for writing quality tunes. If he can keep it up for a whole album, he'd have a masterpiece on his hands.
E-mail: arts@ubspectrum.com