FEBRUARY 16, 2012 • VOL. 30 NO. 1
INSIDEBEAT THE WEEKLY ENTERTAINMENT MAGAZINE OF THE DAILY TARGUM
How I Learned to Drive Time for a driving lesson!
• OF M I AM ZOZO
CCARTN M L U A P • S A• TOWER B M O B A L REPORT• E R U T U O C ONTREAL •
EY
Page 2 • Inside Beat
COURTESY OF ALLMOVIEPHOTO.COM
February 16, 2012
EDITOR’S RANT & ART
ON THE ORIGIN OF STAR WARS ONLINE EDITOR
A little bit longer ago, in a galaxy about the same distance away, Darth Vader was a naïve brat and interstellar politics took center stage. At least, that’s the way some would describe the beginning of the Star Wars saga. While many often deride the Star Wars prequels for various reasons (chief among them Jar Jar), I’ve always
held them in a place of high regard, a space right next to the original trilogy. I’ve always found it interesting how fans so dedicated to a storied franchise could so easily disregard 50 percent of it. In fact, it’s usually the most hardcore supporters of the series who so vehemently disparage the prequels while extolling the virtues of the originals. To me, this has always seemed like a contradictory viewpoint. For
the record, I’m not saying that Episodes I-III are on par with the original trilogy, but they’re definitely better than they’re given credit for. I believe therein lies the basis for the ubiquitous prequelbashing. Because people have such a strong affection for IV-VI, and due to the fact that the prequels are admittedly a bit lacking in certain areas, the de facto stance has been to shun the latter while embracing the former.
EDITORIAL BOARD Z OË S ZATHMARY .................................................... EDITOR RYAN SURUJNATH.....................................................ASSOCIATE ASHLEY PARK...................................................ASSISTANT
EDITOR EDITOR
FREDDIE MORGAN............................................................................TV EDITOR EMILY GABRIELE.......................................................................MUSIC EDITOR HEATHER TEDESCO................................................................THEATER EDITOR ZOË SZATHMARY....................................................................FASHION EDITOR SASKIA KUSNECOV...........................................................................ART EDITOR JILLIAN PASON..........................................................................COPY EDITOR NOAH WHITTENBURG.................................................................PHOTO EDITOR ALEX NATANZON............................................................................FILM EDITOR JASON PEARL...............................................................................ONLINE EDITOR RYAN SURUJNATH...........................................................VIDEO GAMES EDITOR
THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS TO INSIDE BEAT : Spence Blazak Diana Cholankeril Jessica Espinosa Shama Huq Ashley Lagzial Rebecca Makulowich Cover Photo Courtesy of Heather Tedesco
So what do the prequels offer that makes them laudable? For one, they offer the same epic sense of scale and significance, with the fate of an entire galaxy hinging on the actions of the main characters. In addition, the grand spectacle of events like Attack’s Battle of Geonosis is easily comparable to Empire’s Battle of Hoth. The best contributions of the prequels, however, are its fantastic new characters. With no prequel trilogy there
would be no Jango Fett, Qui-Gon Jinn, General Grievous, Mace Windu, Darth Maul — the list goes on. Where would the world be today without podracing and double-bladed lightsabers? Chances are you’d agree that all of those things are worthy extensions of the Star Wars lore. So while many worship only at the altar of the original trilogy, I make sure to pay deference to prequels as well. I find your lack of faith … disturbing.
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FEMALE SURREALISTS
COURTESY OF LACMA.COM
BY JASON PEARL
BY SASKIA KUSNECOV ART EDITOR
The Los Angeles County Museum of Art illuminates a crucial development in the history of art in their newest exhibit, “In Wonderland: The Surrealist Adventures of Women Artists in Mexico and the United States.” North America was once a place where artists could free themselves from the European artistic traditions, especially for surrealists from the US, Mexico and Europe itself. These female artists were able to explore their own subconscious and depict images from their imagination, as opposed to simply posing as models, as was typically the custom in the male-dominated European art scene. Their art became a matter of identity and featured different takes on traditional portraiture, such as double portraits and masquerades. The freedom to paint as they wish helped artists like Frida Kahlo, Lee Miller, Remedios Varo and Dorothea Tanning – who are all featured in the exhibit – move away from being the dream to creating it.
Inside Beat • Page 3
February 16, 2012
ART, THEATER & FASHION
Painting La Bomba BY SASKIA KUSNECOV ART EDITOR
The ancient Greek term mimesis refers to the imitation of life. Aristotle called poetr y a form of mimesis in his treatise Poetics, arguing that art is an imitation of that which is around us. Magda Luccioni Baez’s vibrant, brilliant artwork is living proof that it is not just the literar y arts that seek to mimic the joys and tragedies of daily life, but also visual arts. The Center for Latino Arts and Culture hosted an event titled “Images of Loss and Memor y,” displaying Magda’s paintings, as well performing as the rhythmic inspiration that helped
to create them: the music of la bomba. “I hadn’t painted for 30 years,” Luccioni admits. “Between work and kids, I just didn’t have the energy. But then I heard my husband’s drums. Suddenly, I was inspired again.” In la bomba, she said, the drum is playing to you. La bomba is typically played with two drummers; as it was performed at the event by Luccioni’s husband and a University faculty member, the drums were accompanied by a strong group of female singers, filling the room with resounding movement that brought the whole room to their feet. “In la bomba,” Luccioni said, “the music is playing to you. It
makes you dance.” A similar wild, uncontrolled, vibrant nature is seen in Luccioni’s paintings, done in bright acrylic paint. Her style is reminiscent of Diego Rivera’s lively frescoes and Frida Kahlo’s surrealist paintings. The images in the paintings depict spirits and mythical gods from her home countr y of Puerto Rico, as well as loved ones she has lost along the way. The most emotionally evocative piece for Luccioni was “Ebo de Chango.” Chango is the god of fire, thunder, power and sensuality from the Caribbean; in the painting, he wears a crown and a stern, powerful expression on his face. Luccioni said she encountered a
great shock while in the process of painting Chango. “I woke up one morning at three o’clock — because I paint at night — to find a face in the cloud I had painted,” Luccioni said. In the right corner of the painting is a cloud, and if the viewer looks at it from the right direction, they can perceive a face in the white. Afterwards, she called her sister to share her discovery. Luccioni’s sister told her that it was a message from Chango and that she should leave it, so it stayed. “I’m a very spiritual person,” Luccioni explained. Another emotionally wrought painting was Nancy, a fiery yet melodic piece dedicated to her friend of the same name,
who was diagnosed with cancer during its production and later died. Luccioni choked up as she described the relationship between the bomba dancer in the painting and Nancy’s spirit. The most compelling aspect of Luccioni’s artwork is the integration of her visual art and the music of her homeland. Because she uses acrylic paint, she is also able to paint works on tambourines, one of which she uses personally when she dances and performs la bomba. She moves beyond mimesis in this way, making her muse also her medium. Luccioni’s artwork is on display until March 30 in the Center for Latino Arts and Culture.
RED
COURTESY OF GEORGESTREETPLAYHOUSE.COM
George Street Playhouse | A BY REBECCA MAKULOWICH STAFF WRITER
A performance based primarily on dialogue, John Logan’s Red captivates the audience from the very start of the play. Red, a story of self discovery and partnership set in late 1950s New York City, is a biodrama of the life of Mark Rothko, the celebrated American painter. Having premiered at the Donmar Warehouse Theatre in London back in 2009, Red has a four-week run at the George Street Playhouse under the direction of Anders Cato, a George Street Playhouse native. Cato has directed a number of plays including Souvenir, Doubt and The Seafarer. Red centers on Mark Rothko — a tortured artist, portrayed by Bob Ari — who is wrapped up in showing the tragedy of art and his life. Bob Ari (Frost/Nixon) is accompanied by Randy Harrison, who plays Rothko’s assistant Ken
H AUTE C OUTURE H EADLINES BY ZOË SZATHMARY INSIDE BEAT EDITOR
Haute couture is not for the faint of heart — the handmade, often avant-garde garments are extremely expensive and generally only available for purchase via special permission of a designer’s atelier. While the customer base for haute couture is constantly dwindling, its beauty is no less startling. At Paris this year, Karl Lagerfeld once again tweaked the classic designs of Coco Chanel — his tweed skirts were given peplum silhouettes and extra-cropped blazers. Giorgio Armani maintained the image of ladylike grooming, but with tailored, androgynous suits and Asian elements. Models walked down the runway with
origami-inspired headdresses and silk-print clutches. Not ever yone maintained demure collections, however; Iris van Herpen and Giambattista Valli whipped up space age concoctions. Dresses and coats were cut in swirling geometric shapes, wrapping around the body. Accessories and bold makeup, including black lipstick, lent an “alien” presence to the models. Alexander Vauthier avoided the wacky silhouettes, but fully embraced the color red — he used it in practically every piece of clothing in his collection. And of course, fashion’s enfant terrible, Jean-Paul Gaultier, managed to produce something along the lines of sumptuous loungewear for Vegas showgirls. At Paris, the options were endless.
(Wicked), a studying artist with a tortured past. The two form a stellar partnership, complimenting each other’s styles. On the outside, Red appears to be a story of student and teacher, but has a much deeper meaning. With this circular plot, the simple question of “What do you see?” is a recurring theme. Rothko asks this simple question that carries the play, delving into the deeper and darker side of color … for which the play is named. Movement, he claims, is the key to his work – throughout the performance Rothko searches for the movement of the painting, often speaking about the art as if it had feelings and thoughts of its own. Ken, a younger artist with still much to learn, thinks Rothko is crazy and arrogant in his lack of an open mind. Ken thinks of Rothko as a dying artist, calling him out on his blatant diminishing values. The student-teacher/ employer-employee
relationship very soon begins to shift as the two begin to teach each other, as they begin to open their eyes to possibilities in art that may have been lost along the way. In a time of change with the emergence of pop art, Red illustrates the struggles of artist Rothko and his assistant Ken as they strive to attain a true understanding and strong moral compass. In many ways Red is a play of discovery and truth. Throughout the show each character struggles a great deal. Their struggles range from conflict between past and future, fighting for success and the difficulty in remaining true to oneself in one’s art. Rothko and Ken challenge the morality of their 1950s world, including everything from art to high life society. Based on the true story and questionable personal and professional decisions of Rothko, Red questions the motives of this preeminent Abstract Expressionist. COURTESY OF PASCAL LE SEGRETAIN
Hanging Out W How I Learn
The actor’s process is one that can be very stressful and cause a lot Drive. This cast, though, knows how to have fun. Inside Beat went about their personal processes and all the things they l PHOTOS COURTESY OF HEATHER TEDESCO
Inside Beat: What do you like about acting?
Mark Mills: Among many things, I really enjoy the role of the actor in the colla ates an overarching theme and adds his or her interpretation to the playwright’s m ate an entire universe behind their character, which can often be much more fasc their thoughts and emotions, but their behaviors and reactions to other characters terwoven with the other actors and the director during collaboration, and this can BORIS VAN DER REE SENIOR, THEATER ARTS AND COMMUNICATION
Taylor McKay: I love that I always take away something from the characters I p at least a small part of you? I learn something different from every role I play, and IB: What other aspects of theater do you enjoy?
Amanda Padro: I respect every occupation found within theater — theater is of theater is significant to the body of the production. Directing is amazing to me — can often see things that the actors can’t. It’s certainly a position of great responsi spective while the director adds the macro perspective. Scenic design is also wond to create a world for characters to reside in is a job I’d love to have. IB: What is your acting process? Boris Van Der Ree: For this particular show, I used a mask technique. Each I can specifically portray the emotional connection that the main character Lil' Bit
STEPHANIE VAN HUSS SOPHOMORE, ENGLISH AND THEATER
Stephanie Van Huss: Using the script as a springboard to delve farther into th fun. I have to ask a million questions about the character and make sure that I have acter “tick” in order to justly portray them. I am also a huge believer in the effort o the process is working together and trusting one another. IB: Do you plan to pursue acting outside of college?
Taylor McKay: I would love to pursue acting outside of college. I probably wil arating about a live audience that I think I’ve become addicted to. Every audience i seeing a different reaction every night.
Amanda Padro: Theater is not my primar y goal at the moment; however, I in a Broadway show. At this point of my life, I’ll work hard and take opportunitie of the liberal arts. That’s what I want to be ... I want to explore this world and u I’ll genuinely and sincerely grow. IB: What has your acting experience been in the past?
Stephanie van Huss: Honestly, I’m still pretty new to it. I was in several plays i elaborate. The different projects have been very versatile, which is a blessing, but
Mark Mills: I got involved with acting later in life, around sophomore year in c a few plays, but two years later How I Learned to Drive will be my 12th production MARC MILLS SENIOR, THEATER ARTS AND PSYCHOLOGY
IB: Talk about your favorite acting role. Why was it your favorite?
Mark Mills: Although I have a bunch of serious and challenging roles that I h that my favorite roles are the ones that were just a lot of fun. My all-time-favorite h tering from the ceiling in a heavy duty scissor lift, sliding down poles and spiral stair and overall outrageousness was simply an incredibly fun experience. But my favor Drive you would never guess that that was me.
Boris Van Der Ree: I started acting with the serious intention of making it a life Ado About Nothing — because of this I have a strong love for classical drama. In f where we lip-synced all the songs and my shtick was that I inappropriately hiccupp
AMANDA PADRO SENIOR, ENGLISH AND COMPARATIVE LITERATURE
Amanda Padro: In the past, I’ve been very blessed when it comes to acting. I and experiencing different aspects of their lives. I started theater very late in life. It wasn’t until my first year in college that I began to pursue theater faithfully. Sinc that time, I've worked with some amazingly talented directors, artistic directors, m four years I’ve been a college student — lessons that reverberate so much farther to live so many lives. It’s a rewarding profession. So, a really good cast becomes a f be through hardship or happiness, the actor grows more as a person — it is a prof How I Learned to Drive opens February 17th at Cabaret Theater.
TAYLOR MCKAY SENIOR, ENGLISH AND HISTORY
With the Cast of ned to Drive
t of frustration, especially with a serious show like How I Learned to backstage with the cast of How I Learned to Drive and learned all ove about theater. - By Heather Tedesco, Theater Editor
aborative process. The playwright sets his or her ideas onto paper, and the director cremessage (as well as inserts his/her own separate message). But the actor gets to crecinating than the relatively few words spoken during the play, which dictates not only as well, since the actor brings the character to life on stage. This work all becomes inbe an incredible experience.
play; when you act you become the character, so why would the character not become I think that’s the beauty of acting.
s, in many respects, a collaboration of artistic minds. In this way, every particular part — good directors are truly compelling; their perspective is on a grander scale, and they ibility and an irreplaceable one to the performance. The actors provide the micro perderful! I love to paint and draw and creating a set is a daunting and rewarding task —
of my characters has a distinct set of expressions and habits — a mask. By doing this has to the memory of that person.
he details of a character’s life. The process can be long, sometimes arduous, but always strong answers from the character’s perspective. I have to know what makes the charof a team, your fellow cast mates can make or break your performance. A huge part of
ll try to stay within live theater though instead of film; there’s just something so exhilis different every night; they laugh at different things, respond to different lines. I love
I do like to entertain dreams of joining a prestigious MFA program and being cast es where I see them. Someone once said that a true actor, a true artist, is a student understand more of it before I seek to portray it truthfully on stage — that is how
in high school and performed at Cabaret Theatre last season, but my résumé isn’t that I’ve only been a performer in five shows — I have a lot more to learn and experience!
college, but I have been barreling through ever since. I have done mostly musicals and n at Rutgers University.
hold dear since they were stimulating and made me a better actor, I would have to say has to be playing Frank-N-Furter this fall in The Rocky Horror Picture Show. From enrcases, to entering the world of Frank’s over-the-top drag queen clothes, voice, makeup rite thing about roles like Frank-N-Furter is that when you come to see How I Learned
e choice in high school where my first real part was as Leonato in Shakespeare's Much fifth grade I played a cowboy in a Western-themed musical called Wagon Wheels West ped at comic intervals. It’s still the most fun I’ve ever had in a show.
I’ve had the pleasure and privilege of portraying some wonderful characters on stage I did a few shows in high school, but I never considered it as something I truly loved. ce then, I’ve been cast [as a] lead in almost every show I’ve been in, which is nice. In musical directors, stage crew and, of course, cast members. I’ve learned so much in the than the stage. The thing about theater is that it’s a true portrayal of life — actors get family and instructs one another, through compassion and care, about life. Whether it fession of the soul. I hope to do it for the rest of my life.
Page 6 • Inside Beat
February 16, 2012
FILM
EYE ON... TOWERS COURTESY OF NJFILMFEST.COM
COURTESY OF NJFILMFEST.COM
I Am ZoZo BY ALEX NATANZON FILM EDITOR
BY ALEX NATANZON FILM EDITOR
The world is dealt a harsh blow that quickly drives the human population into mass extinction. The main culprit behind this annihilation, however, is not a nuclear holocaust but good ol’ cell phones and the towers that transmit their waves. Jet Wintzer’s Towers is a take on the classic, post-apocalyptic future film with a trippy twist. A few years after the disaster strikes the world, a young woman named Pedal is living alone in a house deep in the woods. Each day, her morale drops as depression and loneliness strengthen their hold on her. One fateful day, a mysterious girl named Jane radios in on Pedal’s CB. The two instantly hit it off. They share their survival experiences, discuss life and indulge in the abundant cocktail of drugs that Jane possesses. Jane de-
cides to break Pedal out of her rut by taking her on a cross country road trip to the East Coast in search of the only radio DJ on the planet, the mysterious “Spectacle.” Towers has the unique feel of an acid rock-meets-indie music video. Backed up by a catchy soundtrack and intertwined with intoxicating camera effects, director Jet Wintzer gives the movie the feel of “seeing the end of the world through a counterculture perspective.” The journey of self-discovery that the two main characters embark on is montaged in indie music video fashion. Beautiful, scenic shots of lush natural landscapes coupled with those of rundown houses and desolate locales provide for a very distinctive tone. While the apocalypse story line could be elaborated upon, the ultimate message of the movie is about the importance of love and camaraderie between people.
Who knew that board games were so dangerous? I Am ZoZo tells the chilling tale of a group of friends who get together on Halloween to celebrate the weekend at a lake house. When they decide to have some innocent fun playing with a Ouija board, they unintentionally summon the infamous demon, ZoZo. Inside Beat was able to get the inside scoop on the film from producer Zack Coffman and director Scott Di Lalla. Inside Beat: What drew you to the topic of Ouija boards and the lore of ZoZo? Scott Di Lalla: A hobby of mine is to just surf the net for interesting true stories of the unknown and unexplained. Specifically, I love reading about Ouija board stories and came across a few that seemed strikingly similar. These were stories about people coming across the demon ZoZo while playing with the Ouija board. These were the creepiest stories I have ever read and thought this would make a great movie. When it comes to a good horror movie story, it is very important that it is based in reality. Inside Beat: What were some of the biggest challenges you encountered when making this movie? Scott Di Lalla: The biggest challenge was shooting a feature length film on Super 8mm with a 30-year-old camera. To add to the challenges, we'd never shot on film before. The main disadvantages lie in the fact that Super 8mm was basically always intended to be a consumer-grade format so the cameras may not have all the flexibility of a pro-level 16mm or 35mm setup. Testing and preparation was key. We tested the camera under many different conditions until we found its sweet spot. After extensive testing and research I knew what fstop was ideal and which one wasn't. In regards to the small gauge format, too much light coming into the camera is not ideal. Most of the film was shot in low light, so to achieve my fstop we had to painstakingly light for it. Zack Cof fman: Yeah the sound was an issue we didn't quite respect enough, but a friend introduced us to a crackerjack sound guy (Mike Fox) who had been the dialogue editor on The Grudge and he
worked many late nights removing the camera sound from the dialogue. Strangely enough we found that the sound was almost too clean so we actually had Mike go back in and add a ver y soft continuous layer of camera sound to the whole movie which gives it a real vintage Seventies horror feel matching the Super 8 look. IB: Why did you decide to shoot the film in 8mm? SD: The decision to shoot the film in 8mm came after days and days of searching for the right look. There are a lot of ingredients in the recipe of making any given film, so when it came time to decide what I wanted to shoot the horror film on, I knew the look was as important as all the other components. At first, I was researching cool looks I could get from a digital medium, but I was never truly satisfied; it just wasn't matching the look I had in my head. I really wanted it to look like film, but I also knew film was very expensive. Then I started wondering, if I shot it on film what would be the cheapest way to do that? The only obvious answer was the smallest gauge film available — 8mm. After a few more hours of researching I came across an amazing music video, “Fake Empire,” by The National, shot entirely on Super 8mm. After I saw that video, I basically fell out of my chair. This was it! This was the look I was after! IB: Why did you decide to use a lakeside cabin retreat as the setting of the film? SD: We didn’t have a big budget for the film, so where we would shoot it became very important. I wanted to have a gloomy setting, so the Seattle area was perfect. After Zack told me about the beautiful islands surrounding Seattle, we felt it would be a perfect balance of gloom and beauty. The island and its surroundings not only looked fantastic on film; it helped raise the production value of the project. ZC: The isolated setting really helped create a creepy vibe in the film. The owner of the home actually is a huge film buff and had a dream of someday being involved in a film so he was very generous with the rental of his home for the shoot. To save money we had the whole cast and crew bunk there together for the shoot and it created such a wonderful spirit of camaraderie and helped the ac-
tors really develop their characters on site. IB: Who/what inspired you to become a filmmaker? SD: I’ve asked myself this once, and I couldn’t come up with a definitive answer. It feels like I have carried this desire from some past life. I was a bit of a dreamer and I was very fortunate to have parents that allowed me to believe that my dreams could come true. Not long after I learned how to talk I started expressing both how much I wanted a motorcycle and how much I wanted to entertain people. My parents weren’t in the entertainment industry nor did they ride motorcycles, but it did make them very curious. When I was seven, they gave me a tape recorder and I spent most of my time recording myself playing different characters in some fictional story I would make up. I also started riding motorcycles as soon as I was able. When Zack and I formed One World Studios Ltd. back in 2001, our first feature film was a motorcycle documentary called Choppertown that developed a real cult following around the world and allowed our company to be self-sufficient ever since. ZC: My dad is a writer and even went to film school back in the ’60s, so I guess it kind of makes weird sense that I ended up doing this, although I never really thought I'd be making films professionally until one thing led to another and I fell into the business while living abroad in Korea. After cutting my chops out there I started to feel that it was going to be a real career for me. Scott and I had been friends since our college days and one day we finally just said, “Hey, let's make a film company!” IB: Have you previously worked on other projects with any of the other members of the cast or production team before? SD: Zack and I made five documentaries before this one, but it was our first time working with everyone else involved. IB: Is this your first time submitting a movie to a film festival and how do you feel about it? SD: This is not the first time, but the acceptance of every new film into a film festival is as exciting as the first time. ZC: Three of our docs were accepted into festivals, and even won some awards, but having our first narrative film accepted into festivals is a dream come true.
Inside Beat • Page 7
February 16, 2012
MUSIC
T H E F R AY COURTESY OF THEFRAY.COM
Scars and Stories | B
BY SHAMA HUQ STAFF WRITER
COURTESY OF OFMONTREAL.NET
OF MONTREAL Paralytic Stalks | C+
BY DIANA CHOLANKERIL STAFF WRITER
It is hard to think about the indie pop confection Of Montreal without consulting past musical releases such as Satanic Panic in the Attic and Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer? With such fun and frightening, yet enticing, titles like those, the group can hardly be considered forgettable. They are entertaining combinations of jittery, orgasmic funk-pop songs. Unfortunately, listeners may come to Paralytic Stalks and feel a little empty-handed. Since the 2004 Satanic Panic in the Attic release, Kevin Barnes has been the lead songwriter for all of
the group’s songs. With past hits such as “Lysergic” and “Your Magic Is Working,” it’s a surprise to pay Paralytic Stalks a listen; you feel as if you’ve come up musically empty. The most unfortunate aspect of the album is that there seems to be a lack of life and individuality behind the music. Barnes often treats songwriting as his own personal therapy session and lets his emotions flow along the musical bars of his compositions, which can often lead to great musical works of art. But just like with albums, therapy sessions aren’t always revelatory periods of self-cleansing; sometimes they’re just devoid of any real purpose and are a bit mindless. Siphon off this
emotional dribble, and you have Paralytic Stalks. That’s not to say that the album doesn’t have its good notes. The song “Spiteful Intervention” opens with a funky psychedelic melody, but then quickly dissipates into a melancholy drone. That’s often the problem with this album — some songs have potential to be solid pieces of music, but then they taper off into more down-tempo beats without any real hook. But give Paralytic Stalks a chance. It has its worthy listens. For the first-time listeners who want to see Of Montreal at their best they may want to give the past, more arrant albums, a better listen. Paralytic Stalks does not do the band justice.
The Fray’s third studio album, Scars and Stories, finds the Colorado band tackling much of the same subject matter it has previously explored, often touching upon themes of love, loss, hope and redemption. Despite the familiarity of the subject material, frontman Isaac Slade has a talent for bringing lyrics to life that are still refreshing and filled with honesty and inspiration. The Fray is able to truly connect with its audience, in large part due to Slade’s dynamic vocals, which are instantly recognizable and expressive. However, the group has branched out stylistically with its latest offering, taking a break from its piano-driven songs. Here The Fray’s members are found experimenting with a more guitar-based sound and other instrumentation, such as the strings section on “Munich” and a pleasantly surprising funk-tinged bass line on “Turn Me On.” This is a band comfortable in its own skin,
LOCAL CORNER BY ASHLEY LAGZIAL STAFF WRITER
There’s nothing quite like the enchanted feeling that resonates while lying in the grass during a warm summer evening watching a sunset. New Jersey’s own indie folk band, Lightning Jar, captures this moment via song. Coming out with the debut studio album So Long Traveler on March 24, the band hopes to bring its vision of “a folkloric childhood summer image” to life. Hailing from Morristown, N.J., these four high school friends reconnected several years after graduation with a new passion for creating music. Lightning Jar, consisting of Jason Pomeroy, Sean Marshall, Nate Maier and Jason Reynolds came together in “a natural progression of things” to form an official band in the summer of 2010. Giving new vitality to the Asbury Park music
yet willing to take a few risks without compromising the depth and raw emotion which has cultivated many fans since the 2005 debut release of debut release How to Save a Life. Listeners who have enjoyed The Fray will most likely enjoy this album, as the members have stayed true to themselves even while evolving and making changes. The result is beautiful and engaging when they are at their best. This album can also serve as an alluring introduction for listeners who have not previously heard The Fray’s music. The only real critique here is in the unfulfilled potential that still remains. This may not be the group’s absolute best offering – a bit more piano scattered throughout would have been more than welcome — but they’ve certainly made a fine effort. It’s a testament to their abilities as musicians that The Fray’s members have not lost any of the poignancy or the subtle charm that has come to define them, all the while not being afraid to let go a little and grow. COURTESY OF JOHN NOLL
scene, the band can usually be found playing venues such as Trinity and The Pope and The Saint. They opened for such acts as The Devil Makes Three, Dangermuffin and Nicole Atkins but aspire to one day share the stage with artists such as Gillian Welch, a fellow folk singer, and Wilco. Sean Marshall prides his bandmates on their amazing “attention to detail in all of our songs” and urges listeners to take the time to sit down with the record and absorb it. The band feels it could not have asked for more out of its debut album. With the first record soon to be released and a constant flow of new songs being developed, Lightning Jar’s future seems to be glowing as bright as the group’s name. The next goal for the band is to widen its audience by playing surrounding cities, so keep your eyes peeled for a chance to see this inspiring band at a venue near you!
A RTIST P ROFILE : L IGHTNING
Find them on the web: lightningjar.org Follow them on Twitter: @lightningjar
JAR
COURTESY OF FACEBOOK.COM
PAUL MCCARTNEY Kisses on the Bottom | B
BY SPENCE BLAZAK STAFF WRITER
After being in the undisputed best band of all time and having one of the most successful solo careers of the 20th century, Paul McCartney knows what he is doing, and at age 69, he isn’t about to take many risks … but is that a bad thing? On his newest album, Kisses on the Bottom, McCartney shows his jazz side and covers some 20th century standards.
Accompanied by Diana Krall on piano, McCartney takes the easy listening genre to a new level by giving it some substance. Jazz guitar and a McCartney that is staying away from any high notes add up to create a “comfort food” type of album. It is also of note that he does not pull a Rod Stewart and merely offer covers of all the popular old songs like “My Way” and “Mack the Knife,” but instead he finds a group of songs with which audiences aren’t quite as familiar.
While fans will have to wait a little longer for a McCartney rap album, Kisses on the Bottom should tide them over for a little while. The album isn’t made to be dissected note for note like Radiohead’s Ok Computer, but it’s merely meant to play in the background while you play Scrabble with your pals from the office. Does every song kind of sound the same? Yes, but as far as jazzy lounge music goes, it gets the job done just fine.