Volume 2.
Issue 4.
The Falcon
A Keen Eye For News
IN THIS
ISSUE
thefalconat.tumblr.com
Monday, February 4th, 2012
College Night Yeah!
News
Arts & Culture
Iran Jails IranianAmerican Pastor
Giants and Toys rocks Eclipse
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page 5
Don’t call it a comeback CAMPUS
CROSS College Night Shows Begin Feb 6-9, 2013
Resonate Worship (BCM) February 5, 8pm – 9pm BCM
UPC Relaxation Day February 6, 11am–1pm Anna Irvin
College Night No classes Feb 8, 2013
Board of Trustees Mtg. February 8, 1:45pm–1:45pm Merrill Rm College Night Men’s B-Ball February 9 2pm Myrick Gym
Submit announcements facebook.com/ thefalconmontevallo
by Neal Embry Staff Writer It took all 60 minutes, but the Baltimore Ravens survived a furious second-half rally by the San Francisco 49ers and sent future Hall of Fame linebacker Ray Lewis out on a win in Super Bowl XLVII. The Ravens jumped out to an early lead, as quarterback Joe Flacco hit Anquan Boldin for the first touchdown of the game. At halftime, Flacco had completed nearly 70 percent of his passes and the Ravens had a 21-6 lead. The 49ers had their fair share of chances in the first half, but couldn’t seem to take advantage. A drive stalled after Colin Kaepernick, the explosive quarterback for San Francisco, was sacked on third down, forcing a David Akers field goal.
A few minutes later, Arthur Jones of the Ravens recovered a fumble in the midst of a goodlooking 49ers drive. Kaepernick also had a first half interception when his pass intended for Randy Moss, a future Hall of Famer, fell in the hands of another future Hall of Famer, Ravens safety Ed Reed. Reed’s ninth career postseason interception tied the NFL record. After Jacoby Jones returned the second half kickoff 108 yards for a touchdown, it seemed as though the 49ers had lost all hope. But just as all light for the 49ers seemed to fade, all the light in the stadium went out. The power outage lasted for 34 minutes, and gave both teams plenty of time to rest. It was the 49ers, however, that took advantage of the extra time. Kaepernick hit Michael Crabtree for a touchdown to cut the Ravens lead to 15. After Ahmad Brooks sacked Joe
Flacco, the Ravens were forced to punt. Sam Koch shanked the punt, giving the 49ers great field position. Frank Gore capitalized for the 49ers, running it in on first and goal. Soon after, news broke that Haloti Ngata, star defensive lineman for Baltimore, would not return to the game after an injury. Everything seemed to be turning for San Francisco. Ravens running back Ray Rice fumbled, adding another twist to a wild third quarter. David Akers would add a field goal to cut the
Ravens lead to eight. After a Justin Tucker field goal made it a 31-23 game with most of the fourth quarter left to play, the stage seemed set for the 49ers to complete their epic comeback. Kaepernick took the helm and marched San Francisco down the field. Randy Moss added a huge catch and Frank Gore had a stiff-arm filled run to move the 49ers into the red zone. The 49ers eventually crossed the goal line on a 15-yard touchdown run by Kaepernick. However, the
two-point conversion attempt was incomplete. After the Ravens held the ball for five minutes, Tucker hit another field goal to extend the lead to five. The 49ers had a chance to take the lead for the first time all night on the ensuing drive. Frank Gore busted a 33-yard run, putting the 49ers in the red zone with less than three minutes left. The 49ers came to a fourth and goal with less than two minutes left. They had used two of their three timeouts, putting all continued page 3
At least two killed in Ankara suicide bombing
by Jake Smith Staff Writer At approximately 1:15 p.m. local time, 6:15 a.m. EST, on February 1, 2013, a suicide bomber detonated a bomb outside of the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey killing at least two people, including the bomber, and injuring several others. The bomber, identified afterwards as Ecevit Sanli, made it to the first of several X-Ray security checkpoints before detonating the bomb and killing the Turkish guard standing nearby. Sanli, who has been linked to attacks
made on a police station and military training facility in Istanbul in 1997, was known to have been a member of the Turkish Revolutionary People’s Liberation Party-Front, or DHKPC. However, it is unclear whether or not the DHKPC was involved in the planning and execution of this attack. Since the 1970s, the DHKPC has been known to plot against and target U.S. and NATO installations which puts the group high on the list of suspicious parties. This bombing comes on the heels of the highly publicized assault on the U.S. Consulate in Benghazi, Libya where the protection and general safety of American diplomats was brought into the national spotlight. The em-
bassy in Ankara, which is known to have been plotted against before, was one of many U.S. embassies that were assigned a date for a security overhaul following the Benghazi attacks. Jay Carney, White House spokesman, issued a statement
the day of the bombing saying “The attack itself was clearly an act of terror.” The White House also acknowledged that they have no clear answer on who was responsible for the bombing. According to the State Department, the U.S.
will cooperate with the Turkish investigators as they try to figure out the details of this attack. The State Department also issued an emergency statement on Friday saying that Americans were “advised not to visit the Consulates in Istan-
bul, Adana or the embassy in Ankara until further notice.” This announcement comes after increasing violence in Turkish urban centers that reached a boiling point in Friday’s attack. More details will be reported as they are revealed.
The Falcon
news Washington wants to track you
by Andrew Mechum Associate Editor The future isn’t on the horizon; it’s already upon us. Biometric identification cards are big in Washington D.C. right now. So big in fact that Senators John McCain (R-Ariz.) and Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) have put aside their party differences and come together in support of the idea. It has been proposed that one method of speeding along immigration reform, President Obama’s new topic of choice, is issuing “super” Social Security cards. These cards would at the least include a fingerprint but could also house information such as iris scans and even DNA. The purpose of a new biometric ID would be to shore up the faulty E-verify system now used by employers. According to Schumer EVerify, “has too many false negatives and false positives,” that inadvertently places the wrong people into authorized or unauthorized categories to work legally. The fear of course by some, including civil liberties advocates, is that these moves will only further the federal ability to catalogue its citizenry. Attempts have been made in the past for some sort of national ID, but have always met with stiff resistance. One example is the Real ID Act,
which forwarded the idea that states should come up with universal, standardized drivers’ licenses. The act was quickly shot down. And there’s a profit to be had as well. Should every American be required to update their existing Social Security cards the profits for the biometric and ID card industries would be in the billions. As the cards are issued by a government agency the cost of issuing them would fall on the shoulders of the taxpayers. Let us not mention the fact that we all hate having to wait at the DMV to renew our driver licenses. Should we all have to renew our Social Security cards, or worse yet have to get all new forms of ID, the lines across the country could all but shut down work. The presidency is behind biometric tracking. Obama met with both Cain and Schumer on January 31 to discuss the matter and Obama said in his immigration reform that he wants a “fraudresistant, tamper-resistant” card available with “new methods to authenticate identity.” The ability to forge documents and create or steal identities is at the heart the renewed biometric kick. Coupled with the need for sweeping immigration reform, politicians see now as the time to make a national ID a reality.
got an idea? E-mail us at thefalconeditor@gmail.com
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Monday, February 4th, 2012
“There are certain words which are nearer and dearer to a man than any others” -Nikolai Gogol
Iranian-American Pastor sentenced to prison by Neal Embry Staff Writer
Pastor Saeed Abedini, an IranianAmerican Christian pastor, has been sentenced to eight years in an Iranian prison. Abedini, a naturalized American citizen, has been held in an Iranian prison since September 2012. He was convicted of disturbing national security by helping plant house churches throughout the country. The State Department, White House and the American Center for Law and Justice all denounced the sentence. Before the sentencing hearing, ACLJ Director Jordan Sekulow said Iran had showed its “true colors” again: “We have a U.S. citizen, who has been beaten and tortured since his imprisonment last fall, now facing eight years in Evin Prison, one of the most brutal prisons in Iran. A harsh sentence in a notorious prison—likely facing lifethreatening torture and abuse at the hands of the Iranian regime. Simply because of his Christian faith,” Sekulow said. Abedini’s wife, who lives in Idaho with their children, spoke out against the Iranian government, claiming they lied about his release: “The promise of his release was a lie. We
should not trust the empty words or promises put out by the Iranian government,” she said. The official religion of Iran is Islam, and apostasy by a Muslim is punishable by death, according to their laws. However, the Constitution of Iran also states that “the investigation of individuals’ beliefs is forbidden,” and mandates that no one be punished for his or her beliefs. In simple terms, a non-Muslim cannot be punished for his or her faith, according to the laws on the books. But the enforcement of these laws has been neglected. The United Nations has ruled that Iran is no longer abiding by the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and International Covenants on Human Rights. Since 1979, the Iranian government has killed more than 200 Baha’is. The Baha’i faith started as a sect of Islam, and now has a major mi-
nority in the country. In the 2006-2012 case of Christian pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, who was sentenced to death for his faith, Iran was accused of false charges. He was originally charged with apostasy, for leaving Islam for Christianity. However, the government then allegedly trumped up charges to include rape and extortion, for which evidence was neither found nor offered in court. The Iranian Supreme Court then offered leniency if Nadarkhani recanted his Christian faith. He refused, leading the court to put him back in prison to await execution. In September 2012, Nadarkhani was acquitted of apostasy, but found guilty of evangelizing Muslims. Because he had served most of his sentence while going back and forth between trials, he was released from prison.
Christmas Day, 2012: Youcef Nadarkhani is arrested in his home while celebrating Christmas with his family. He is forced back to prison to serve the remainder of his sentence. Nadarkhani was released from prison on January 7, 2013. The hope of an eventual release remains for Saeed Abedini, whose lawyer has stated that the sentence is not final, and there remains the potential for an early release. His loved ones will stop at nothing to see that happen. “We must now pursue every effort, turn every rock, and not stop until Saeed is back on American soil,” Abedini’s wife said. For more information on the persecuted Christian church, visit persecution.org. For more information on the ACLJ, visit their website at aclj.org.
Obama shows off his boomstick by Andrew Mechum Associate Editor
On Saturday the White House released a photograph said to be from August 4 depicting the president skeet shooting. The picture comes after critics cried foul over Obama’s interview to The New Republic where he stated, “Yes, in fact, up at Camp David, we do skeet shooting all the time.” The picture has done little to quiet critics and has lead some on the Internet to come up with creative variations on the official picture. Despite the hilarity of some of the photoshopped pictures, one thing skeet shooters should take note of: Who shoots skeet parallel to the ground? Whether you believe Obama is truly a gun enthusiast or more in line with his 2008 speech where he derided Midwesterners for clinging to their guns and religion, the pictures are amusing.
The Falcon
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Monday, February 4th, 2012
Put a Super Bowl ring on it by Teddie Taylor Contributing Writer Following Jennifer Hudson’s breathtaking “America the Beautiful” duet with a choir from Sandy Hook elementary school and Alicia Keys’ astounding version of “The Star Spangled Banner” there was girl power in the air of the New Orleans Superdome on Super Bowl Sunday. Two quarters prior to the Baltimore Ravens defeating the San Francisco 49ers Beyoncé performed a halftime show that included many hits from her solo career and her years with Destiny’s Child. With a Vince Lombardi voiceover playing and pyrotechnics blazing Sasha Fierce appeared beneath a fiery female silhouette
clad in a leather and lace bodysuit to open the show with a snippet of her song “Love on Top.” An all-girl band and dozens of backup dancers behind her the diva blasted through “Crazy in Love” with as much energy as she displayed in the original music video. The song, originally released in May of 2003, featured additional vocals from Jay-Z; though, present at the event, he did not perform or appear onstage Sunday night with his wife. Rumors of a Destiny’s Child reunion were confirmed when Kelly Rowland and Michelle Williams appeared onstage to perform their song “Independent Women” from the 2000 Charlie’s Angels soundtrack. Though the group is comprised
of three women it was obvious that Beyoncé had the louder microphone and was the true focus of the night. Rowland and Williams further assisted Beyoncé in singing her well-known “Single Ladies (Put a Ring on It).” The mo-
Iphone 5 Regains Sales Rep from Galaxy S3
by Mandy Steadman Staff Writer For the past four months there has been a long-standing competition between Apple’s Iphone 5 and Samsung’s Galaxy S3. Both are extremely powerful and innovative smartphones and attract huge amounts of customers. But which is the better phone? Best Buy cellular phone representative, Sera Oglesby, said she has received numerous calls from customers asking about the Galaxy S3. Oglesby said she has an easier time explaining to customers how to work the Galaxy S3 compared to the Iphone 5, but some people are uneasy about the Galaxy’s bigger screen. Most customers come in confused about which would be the better phone for what they need and want.
The Verizon Wireless website says that the Galaxy S3 is $100 cheaper than the Iphone 5 in retail price, but the Iphone 5 has a slightly higher rating. Bailey Gaskin, a University of Montevallo student, was shocked that the Iphone isn’t the most popular smartphone.“I love my new iphone. When I got my iphone it changed my life. It is convenient and easy. It does not take a lot of great brain power,” said Gaskin. Gaskin’s friend, Sydney Fant, felt differently about the Iphone. “I think [the Galaxy] is better than the iphone because the iphone has too many glitches, it’s slow, and it randomly cuts off. The apps are not worth paying for and I feel like the Galaxy has better choices and it basically can do everything that an iphone can do,” said Fant. The Samsung Galaxy S3 has won the hearts of many University of Montevallo students. Seven out of 10 students have claimed to like the Galaxy S3 more than the Iphone.
University of Montevallo student Diana Douglas, said, “The Iphone probably started decreasing in quality probably about two years ago because their updates really started not improving. The longer it went on the worse it became user wise. There was more we couldn’t do with the iphone. The Galaxy fed the people’s needs to personalize almost everything about the phone.” The Galaxy S3 won the award for best Smartphone of 2012, but the Iphone 5 is starting to snag that title away from Samsung and is starting to sell more in one day than the Galaxy S3. It is a newer model and has updated to an IOS 6.2 system, which has won over consumers. As the Iphone 5 regains its sales reputation, the newest question among cellphone retailers is will the release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 win the battle against the Iphone 5? We shall see when the new “top of the line” phones are released this Summer.
ment was truly nostalgic for those who grew up watching the trio’s videos on MTV. One could have mistaken the singer for a Bond girl due to the James Bond-esque digital effects displaying multiple versions of Knowles across the
stage while she powered through the remainder of the twelve minute set. Closing with “Halo” the singer set the somewhat somber tone for the soon to come power outage that affected half of the Superdome and resulted in a 34-minute delay.
SUPER BOWL
Good for us, Greg Ginn is back
continued
the pressure on their young quarterback. The pass was lofted up in the end zone, but fell incomplete on a controversial no-call by the referees. There appeared to be some holding on the part of the Ravens secondary, but the side judge didn’t throw a flag, giving the Ravens the ball. The 49ers would get one last chance on a punt return by Ted Ginn, Jr. with four seconds left. The Ravens, however, had no intention of losing this one. They tackled Ginn and sealed the 34-31 victory. Ray Lewis, the 17-year veteran, played his last game for Baltimore, the team he has been with since he was drafted back in 1996. His last game wasn’t his most memorable; he ended up with only seven tackles, but his team was more than ready to win this one last game for their captain. Meanwhile, Joe Flacco turned in a fine performance, finishing with 287 yards and three touchdowns, in lieu of a non-existent Ravens rushing attack. He was named Super Bowl MVP. Colin Kaepernick finished with 302 yards, one touchdown and one interception on the night. Frank Gore added 110 yards for the 49ers, who drop to 5-1 all time in Super Bowls. What did you think of the game? Tweet us @TheUMFalcon or check us out on Facebook.
by Kyle Jones Editor-in-Chief Legendary guitarist and one of the many godfathers of American hardcore, Greg Ginn and his record label SST Records, which was started in 1978, is set to release a new album on Feb 26. Greg Ginn was the founder, guitarist and driving force behind legendary punk rock band Black Flag as well as the founder of SST Records. In the 80s Greg Ginn defined west coast punk rock and was a proud proponent of the DIY(Do it Yourself) ethos. What makes this album different is due to who will be appearing on the album with him. Professional skateboarder and musician Mike Vallely will contribute the vocals on the hardcore album Life is Too Short to Not Hold a Grudge by Good For You. Mike V was discovered and signed by industry legend Stacy Peralta in 1986 and 1987 respectively due to his skateboarding prowess. Mike V is no stranger to punk
Regarding rumors of lip syncing, as she did at President Obama’s inauguration on January 21, the artist stated, “I will absolutely be singing live. This is what I was born to do.” And sing she did.
rock music either, long time vocalist for Mike V and The Rats as well as Revolution Mother. Mike V also joined Greg Ginn and various other former Black Flag members in 2003 for a reunion show. After Mike V received multiple tracks from Ginn in February of 2012, V spent months writing lyrics to accompany the music and Good For You was born. The album, which was recorded in Ginn’s Casa Destroy Studios in Taylor, Texas, will feature “11 uniquely distinct high-energy rock songs blistered with themes of betrayal, regret, disillusionment, resolve, determination and independence propelled by Ginn’s distinctive, stun-gun guitar,” a press release says. Greg Ginn and his Black Flag compatriots will also be performing at various festivals this summer in two different incarnations featuring various former members, as well as recording a new Black Flag album set to release later this year.
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Monday, February 4th, 2012
campus
WoW what a wing challenge
by Reed Strength Arts & Culture Editor The World of Wings wingery located in Farmer Hall, held its first annual wing eating contest on Thursday night. Seventeen contestants took part in the 30 minute contest with three emerging victorious after a weigh in of their chicken bones. The contestants started off with four pounds of wings to start with. After finishing those four pounds, they would request additional wings by the pound until the end of the competition. The only disqualifier was throwing up. The Falcon was there to monitor the action. Freshman Jacob Robertson had been planning to win since the contest was announced. He shared his strategy before the showdown, stating he wanted to eat a wing a minute and claimed the heat wouldn’t bother him. Dark horse contestant and Montage editorin-chief Chris Holder decided his entry into the contest an hour or so before it started. Before the contest started, he promised to “endeavor to triumph in every shape, capacity and
form of mastication.” UM students weren’t the only University demographic to compete. Chef Botto, the head chef of the Anna Irvin Dining Hall, also competed along with Professors Forrester and Patton. Patton, from behind a pair of sunglasses, stated that slow and steady wins the race and promised to leave his chicken bones, “bleached like the sun.” Perhaps the contestant who made the biggest noise of the night was the American flag wearing Sammy Schiffman. Falcon Editor in Chief Kyle Jones acted as Schiffman’s “manager” during the night, barking out trash talk to intimidate the other contestants. Schiffman stood the entire time, perhaps unwisely bouncing up and down as he awaited the wings. The contest was scheduled to begin at 6, but with much chagrin from the audience, started about thirty minutes late. Once all of the contestants were supplied with wings and the contest was finally set to begin Dr. Stewart, the president of the University, was asked to say a few words. Stewart noted that he witnessed many solemn occasions during the course of the school year, but claimed the first annual WOW Wing Eating Challenge could be the most solemn of
them all. As the contestants cracked open their milks to begin, freshman Alex Galvez was asked what she expected to witness from the wing challenge. “I expect it to be barbaric,” she said with a glint in her eye. The contestants were then off, furiously cramming wing meat into their faces. The sauce on the wings was specially made for the contest and was dubbed “This Falcon’s On Fire”. One contestant’s reaction seemed to confirm the namesake. Her eyes bulged as she cried out after consuming a few of the fiery wings. Schiffman was perhaps off to the most stellar start. He remained standing, both hands lifting wing after wing to his awaiting bearded maw. His face and beard were covered with sauce in no time. Schiffman’s fellow brothers of Lambda Chi Alpha cheered him on in a large group from behind. While Schiffman’s star power gave him a lot of attention, Jacob Robertson was steadily matching his pace. Robertson kept focus, only cursing slightly to alleviate the massive amounts of food going into his body. Dr. Patton was keen on Robertson’s strategy, naming him an early threat into the contest. As timed wore on, contestants began to drop out of the race. Schiff-
man was the first to ask for more wings, as a chorus of the “Star Spangled Banner” emanated behind him. Other contestants, such as Quinton Collins, played a much quieter game. Collins was never called out, but he kept his pace steady and tight. He wore a comfortable grin for most of the contest. He later confessed that he didn’t enjoy the wings he was eating. It was all competitive drive that kept him going. Eventually, Schiffman’s furious pace got
the best of him. His manager held a white bucket aloft, as the star spangled contestant upchucked several ounces of wings into it. Where supporters once shouted “U.S.A!” in honor of Schiffman, murmurs of “Puke S.A.” could be heard throughout the crowd. Schiffman was later disqualified. Despite this, Schiffman managed to consume 40 ounces of wings. Robertson emerged victorious, eating 24 ounces. Quiet candidate Col-
lins made it to second place with 21.9 ounces, and Dr. Stefan Forrestor was allotted third with 15.8 ounces. Robertson promised free wings to all of his “great supporters”, but noted that he felt terrible. Dr. Forrestor felt proud that he and Dr. Patton, both graduates of New York universities, could represent the birthplace of buffalo wings during the contest. As athlete Zach Walsh noted at the end of contest, “Nothing like some fun competition.”
U Review: The Strokes-”One Way Trigger”
by Reed Strength & Jake Smith
New York rock band The Strokes are set to release their fifth studio album “Comedown Machine” on March 26. The first single from the album, “All the Time”, was given to Seattle radio station 107.7 The End for preview. The second single from the album, “One Way Trigger”, was released for free via the band’s website five days before “Comedown Machine” was announced. The Falcon set out around campus to get a student perspective on the new single. I. Emma Schlesinger-Freshman 1. What did you think of the song? Liked it. “It has a British pop feel to it 2. Would you recommend it to your friends? Yes. II. Nicole Lambertson-Freshman 1. What did you think of the song? Liked. “Sounds like an Urban Outfitters song” 2. What was your least favorite part? “The weird voice.” III. Lindsey Bennett-Sophomore 1. What was your favorite part about it? It was “nice and upbeat.” 2. Would you recommend it to your friends? Yes. IV. Pablo Urbina-Freshman 1. What did you think of the song? “Overall I liked the song.” 2. What was your least favorite part? “My only concern is the vocals.” V. Stephanie Howe-Freshman 1. What was your favorite about it? The drum parts 2. Would you recommend it to your friends? Yes. VI. Liza Schwieterman-Freshman 1. What did you think of the song? “Really liked it.” Gorillaz “Plastic Beach” feel. 2. What was your favorite part about it? The beat, the tone and the pitch. VII. Dr. Tiffany Wang-Professor of Communication
Studies 1. What was your favorite part about it? “The middle, instrumental section.” 2. What was your least favorite part? The ending was abrupt. Left hanging at the end. VIII. Mat Frank-Freshman 1. What was your favorite part about it? “Something I can vibe to.” 2. Would you recommend it to your friends? Yes IX. Xavier Johnson-Sophmore 1. What was your least favorite part about it? “The vocal parts didn’t do it for me.” 2. Would you recommend it to your friends? No. X. Mason Webber-Freshman 1. What did you think of the song? “I didn’t think I liked The Strokes until I heard that song.” 2. What was your least favorite part about it? “I couldn’t understand the lyrics.” When all was said and done, it seemed like there was a general consensus on most aspects of the single. While many praised the catchy synth melodies and exciting beat, there was also a lot of disdain for Julian Casablancas’ falsetto vocals. The Falcon would like to thank everyone who supplied their opinions for the very first U Review of 2013, and be sure to check out “Comedown Machine” when it is released on March 26.
The Falcon
&culture
arts
Page Five
Monday, February 4th, 2012
Looksy ma! giants!
by Reed Strength Arts & Culture Editor
Two extremely solid bands played at Eclipse Coffee and Books on Thursday night. Tuscaloosa band Looksy opened up for Montevallo veterans Giants and Toys in what turned out to be one hell of a show. A Raconteurs and White Stripes sticker were proudly stuck on some of Looksy’s equipment. In the middle of their show singer Daniel Ingram noted that the band’s lack of set list was deemed acceptable by Jack White’s standards. The reference point for the band’s influence was no mystery. The Jack White adoration was especially evident in their music. The band played a very loud and tight strand of blooze rock. The group loved to pogo between stately intros and jackhammer loud choruses during their songs. The band was led by frontman Daniel Ingram. Ingram was a serious and intimidating performer. By the end of his band’s set, his light blue denim shirt was a Jackson Pollock done in sweat. Drummer John Laing seemed content only
to smack the hell out of his drums. His face was in a constant flux of tense tightening and open mouthed release. Rhythm guitarist Rob Keating and bassist Kyle Posten seemed content to stay out of the way of Ingram and Laing throughout the show. As the songs’ reached their tipping point after a minute or two of build, Ingram would rocket away from the microphone. He would leap back and forth as he pushed riff after skull crushing riff from his guitar. As Keating and Posten added their string power to the mix Laing would lose himself in causing chaos on his kit. The ruckus and energy the band created was impressive for a band with a mere 110 likes on Facebook. Despite the sound and the fury these dudes brought, the beings that bore them were in close attendance monitoring them. As Ingram noted some of the prettiest mothers ever were in the audience. The band moms supported their kids from the safety of a table close to the performance space. Their cameras flashed as they
hooped and hollered individual names. Giants and Toys, despite their home advantage, had big shoes to fill after Looksy’s set. Not only were Looksy mothers in attendance, but other Tuscaloosa natives were among the crowd that night. For the most part, Giants and Toys brought their A-game. The band has obviously played well together for a long time now. While it would be a stretch to call their shows effortless the band is almost certain to put on a killer performance. The band kicked things off with “This Town”, an oldie from their first album. The “woah-oh!” chorus the tune relies so heavily on for momentum was treated with shoddy vocal performance from the band members that contribute to the harmony. A cover of Led Zeppelin’s “Over the Hills and Far Away” was also a little lackluster, the tune’s odd guitar riff perhaps a bit too difficult for the band to pull of smoothly Despite these small kinks, Giants and Toys remain a welloiled rock n’ roll ma-
chine. Cuts from the “Strand” EP were stellar as always, with “Disco (Only Love)” and “Blue Cars” remaining crowd favorites. The band performed two covers that featured crowd heavy participation. The Arctic Monkeys’ “From the Ritz to the Rubble” and The White Stripes’ “Fell in Love With a Girl” were supplied with enthusiastic singing from the crowd. The band explained in an Alabamian article that they wished
Photos: Reed Strength for more shows out- fans of the band piped side of Montevallo. It’s up for one more song obvious from Thurs- the rest of the crowd day’s performance was content to back off why they seem set on and thin out. Was this expanding outward. a possible confirmation These guys are of over playing that the professional. All of their band seems so wary of? gear is emblazoned with Giants and Toys their simple but effec- are trying to move on to tive logo and the band bigger and better things. plays a healthy bal- For those in ance of difficult, multi this area who haven’t part songs and simple caught the band at free crowd friendly rave ups. rates and small shows, The encore they you may want to watch played was great, but out for their next show. was perhaps a little un- Hopefully, they’ll be warranted from the rest getting giant elsewhere. of the crowd. While
Album Review: “Heartthrob” by Tegan and Sara by Jake Smith Staff Writer
I have to say one thing about Tegan and Sara’s seventh album, “Heartthrob” before I can tell you anything else. These lyrics are abysmal. They make Taylor Swift look like Robert Frost. I am not lying to you, and I am hardly exaggerating. For example, “I wasn’t the hero, but that doesn’t mean that I wasn’t brave”, “Why don’t you want to show me off?” and, “This love will make us worthy” are among the fine pieces of poetry that you
can look forward to if you pick up this album. However, it speaks very highly of the music on display here that, even in the midst of these confounding lyrics, I came away with a highly positive opinion of this album. The strength of this album lies not in the things the duo are singing but rather in the style with which they’re singing it. The album opens with the first single, “Closer”, which begins with a smooth synth lick before tran-
sitioning into its danceinducing chorus. With its strong production, excellent vocals and general accessibility, this one is sure to be on the radio for months to come. This is definitely a good thing. Elsewhere on the album, the duo further explores the boundaries on synth-based dance pop as well as the kind of 21st century balladry directed at emotionally fragile 15-year old girls. Songs like the peppy “Drove Me Wild” and the more bittersweet “I Couldn’t Be Your Friend” find their niche in their earworm hooks and their potential to ring as Gospel truth to the aforementioned teenage girls. Still, some mistakes are found over the course of the album. “How Come You Don’t Want Me” has cheap sounding electronics and a vocal that suddenly drops in quality compared to everything that had come before. Its lack of subtleties
keeps it from being as strong as the other tunes on display here. There is also a problem with the balance of the mix on several tracks. For example, there were several times I caught on to a catchy guitar line only to have it immediately drowned out by the drums and synths. These lines brought a new flavor to songs like “I’m Not Your Hero” and “Shock to Your System” only to be squandered by poor decisions in the mixing room. Regardless of these quips I find it difficult to lay into this album too intensely. It was clearly made without a jaded music cynic in mind. Instead, this is a record created for love-struck teens who are struggling to understand new feelings like love and heartbreak. When all is said and done, the album ultimately leaves its listener with a smile on their face and a sense of satisfaction. Even if
they might not be spouting out poetry, Tegan and Sara have managed to create one of the most classy and fun to listen
to pop albums in recent memory, and that alone deserves praise. The Falcon gives Tegan and Sara’s “Heartthrob” a 7 out of 10.
The Falcon Playlist
Monday, February 4th, 2012
The Falcon
Page Six
“Romero Rule” broken by Warm Bodies
by Mandy Steadman Staff Writer The zombie trend continues with the release of the new film, “Warm Bodies.” This movie is different, though, than most zombie movies. The main difference is that it breaks a key Romero Rule. George Romero is widely considered a godfather of all horror films. His specialty is zombie apocalyptic themes. He has been writing and directing zombie movies since the 1960s. His most famous films include “Night of the Living Dead” and “The Crazies.” He has his own set of rules most zombie filmmakers follow called “The Romero Rules.” The set of zombie rules includes zombies walking slowly, zombies eating human flesh, and zombies infecting humans with the disease by biting or scratching. This recent film, though, has gone against one of the ma-
jor “Romero Rules”: A zombie cannot be turned back to life. "Warm Bodies" is the newest zombie film in theaters and is based on a novel by Isaac Marion. It centers on a zombie who falls in love with a human and starts to change back into a human. This relationship also has an effect on the other zombies and adds a whole new level to the zombie apocalypse because love is the “cure.” This is by no means a typical zombie movie. However, it does stay true to most of the “Romero Rules” including the slow movement of zombies, their uncontrollable urge to eat living flesh, and some zombies still performing their routine duties they had when alive. Such as, a janitor zombie mopping the floor or an airport security guard scanning a person for metal. An interesting twist that Marion includes is how a zombie will eventually whither away and become an unfeeling and relentless creature called a bony. A bony looks like a black, decaying skeleton that moves extremely fast and will eat
anything with a pulse. The bonies, however, are not what Romero had in mind for zombies to eventually become. The “Romero Rules” state that eventually a zombie is suppose to decay to the point of falling apart within 1012 years after turning. The director, Jonathan Levine, addresses the breaking of zombie trend by introducing this theme in a subtle and impacting way. He allows the audience to see the progression of this "cure" in the main character zombie named R. The characters also do not freak out when they see a zombie save their life. They just acknowledge it and accept it in a way that it does not take twothirds of the film to explain. It also is not cliche’ or over-the-top with the whole zombie-human romance. It is no surprise that this film is already beating box office records at $19.5 million on Fandango. com. This tops the $9.2 million that the film “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters” earned. The new twists on the zombie genre is recommended to ]
The sound of Sound City
by Teddie Taylor Contributing Writer In October 2012 Dave Grohl, drummer of Nirvana and vocalist/guitarist of the Foo Fighters, announced that his latter band was taking an indefinite break. However, as fans can attest, Grohl always has another project hidden in his red flannel shirt sleeves. The multi-talented musician has directed and produced Sound City, a documentary focused on the history of legendary Sound City Studios. From the earliest days of recording Fleetwood Mac with the revered Neve soundboard to Nirvana’s Nevermind saving the studio from an inevitable closing, the film covers decades of magical music being made in a typical rock and roll studio. With Pro Tools and digital recording leaving analog and live recording behind, Sound City closed in 2011; however, Dave Grohl salvaged perhaps the most integral piece of Sound City—the Neve. Custom built and truly vintage, the Neve soundboard was the tool behind the gripping sound of albums such as Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours, the Grateful Dead’s Terrapin Station, Tool’s
Undertow, and Metallica’s Death Magnetic. The album accompanying the film, Sound City – Real to Reel, was recorded at the Foo Fighters’ Studio 606 using the Neve and featuring many musicians who, as they admit in the film, owe their careers to Sound City. The Sound City Players, which includes Corey Taylor of Slipknot, Krist Novoselic of Nirvana, Brad Wilk of Rage Against the Machine, Alain Johannes of Queens of the Stone Age, Stevie Nicks, John Fogerty and eleven other notable musicians, not only recorded the album for the film but are also touring. The only single to be released on iTunes from the album is “Cut Me Some Slack.” The song features Paul McCartney on vocals, Pat Smear on guitar, Krist Novoselic on bass and Grohl on drums. First performed at the 12/12/12 Concert for Relief following Hurricane Sandy, “Cut Me Some Slack” is as incredible as expected. With McCartney recalling his Beatles vocal power from “Helter Skelter” and the instrumentals of former Nirvana members echoing the raw talent of MTV Unplugged in New
York, the track is nothing short of explosive. Corey Taylor’s recording can be heard on the Sound City YouTube channel. “From Can To Can’t” exhibits Taylor’s Stone Sour vocals more so than his slightly aggressive Slipknot style. With Scott Reeder of Kyuss on bass and Rick Nielsen of Cheap Trick on guitar, the instrumentals are as melodramatic as the lyrics. While “Cut Me Some Slack” is upbeat and consistently explosive, ‘From Can To Can’t” takes longer to evolve into the emotionally satisfying track that it is. With limited release in the United States as of February 1, Sound City can be downloaded for $12.99 at buy. soundcitymovie.com. The album, Sound City -- Real to Reel, is not expected until March 12 but is available for preorder on iTunes.
zombie and non-zombie fans alike. It is filled with humor, excitement and romance with a dash of gore and brains. This film will not fail to entertain you in
any way, shape or form. If you want to know more about the “Romero Rules” go onto www.zombie. wikia.com/wiki/Romero_zombies. To know
more about “Warm Bodies” visit www.Fandango.com for a synopsis and movie times.
Breezy and Ocean at it again
Chris Brown and Frank Ocean continue feud by Teddie Taylor Contributing Writer On January 28 Grammy nominated R&B crooner Frank Ocean was involved in an altercation with infamous brawler Chris Brown. According to TMZ Brown was attempting to leave Westlake Studio in Los Angeles when he was blocked from exiting his parking space by Ocean. Sources have reported that neither celebrity initiated the brawl, rather a friend of Ocean attacked Brown, thus causing the singers to begin fighting.
Following the incident Ocean tweeted, “got jumped by chris and a couple guys. lol. I only wish Everest was there.” Everest is Ocean’s Bernese Mountain Dog. Brown has yet to react to the event on social networking sites; however, he did post a photo of himself with friends inside of the studio from earlier in the night, adding the caption, “Working on my album. Not working on negativity. Focus on feeding ya family. Bull**** will forever be in the shadows.” On February 2 Ocean said via his Tum-
blr page, “as a child i thought if someone jumped me it would result in me murdering or mutilating a man. but as a man i am not a killer. i’m an artist and a modern person. i’ll choose sanity. no criminal charges. no civil lawsuit. forgiveness, albeit difficult, is wisdom. peace, albeit trite, is what i want in my life. peace.” If all goes as Ocean expects there will be no lawyers involved. Brown, who left the scene before authorizes arrived, will be questioned regarding the event before any further actions are taken.
The Falcon
next year’s issue
Monday, February 4th, 2012
the staff
Page Seven
Editors Editor-In-Chief: Kyle Jones Associate Editor: Andrew Mechum
- College Night Review -The Falcon Guide to Music Festivals -Billy Elliot at BJCC -Midland City Stand Off -Music -Politics -Happiness
Art & Culture Editor: Reed Strength
Staff Writers
Mandy Steadman Neal Embry Matthew Lord Clarke Stackhouse Jake Smith
Contributing Writers
and more... February 11th, 2013
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is accepting articles and applications for staff positions contact us at thefalconeditor@gmail.com
Tedie Taylor