Volume 2.
Issue 11.
The Falcon
A Keen Eye For News
IN THIS
ISSUE CROSS
CAMPUS
Concert Choir April 9, 7:30pm – 8:30pm St. Thomas the Apostle Catholic Church
Everything fit to digitally print
Jazz Ensemble with UM Chamber Singers April 11, 7:30pm–8:30pm Palmer Auditorium Montevallo Literary Festival Apr 12, 2013 Intramural Kickball Tournament April 13, 10am – 6pm Intramural Fields
Spectrum Meeting April 15, 7pm – 8pm Morgan 203
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News Women are literally throwing themselves at Vladimir Putin page 3
Arts & Culture Caveman pays Bottletree a visit page 4
“The Iron Lady” passes at 87 ANDREW MECHUM
Associate Editor | @amechum
Zombie Marathon April 10, 3:30pm – 5:30pm
thefalconat.tumblr.com
Monday, April 8th, 2013
M a rg a r e t Thatcher, Great Britain’s first, and so far only, female prime minister passed away this morning of an apparent stroke at age 87. She suffered several smaller strokes over the past few years and most recently underwent surgery for a bladder growth in Dec. 2012 according to The Associated Press. Thatcher, portrayed by Meryl Streep in the 2011 film “The Iron Lady”, was the leader of the British Conservative Party from 1975 to 1990. She earned her moniker, Iron Lady, from the Soviet press after a 1976 speech in which she denounced the world aspirations of the communist country. She became
fast friends with then President Ronald Reagan thanks in part to their mutual distrust of the Soviet Union. Both fiscal conservatives, they were unlikely candidates for their parties. Reagan was a Hollywood actor, a bastion of liberalism, while Thatcher was a grocer’s daughter leading a party more identified with big names like Winston Churchill. Thatcher put in place several economic programs that mirrored Reagan’s “Reaganomics”, though in the UK they are referred to as “Thatcherism”. A staunch advocate against socialism, Thatcher famously said in a 1975 television interview, “…socialist governments traditionally do make a financial mess. They always run out of other people's money.” In her 11 years as prime minister, Thatcher went to war with Argentina over the disputed Falkland Islands, survived a 1984 bombing by the IRA (Irish Republican Army) and spoke well
Margaret Thatcher, Britain’s first female Prime Minister of Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev saying, “I like Mr. Gorbachev. We can do business together.” Thatcher is heralded as being instrumental in the collapse of the Soviet Union along with Reagan and Gorbachev.
According to reports from The Guardian, Thatcher will not receive a state funeral, but will be honored with a ceremonial funeral complete with military honors. A ceremonial funeral is a notch
below a state funeral. The ceremony will take place at St. Paul’s Cathedral in London. A date and further details will be announced in the following days.
First U.S. diplomat killed since Benghazi attack JAKE SMITH Staff Writer|
On Saturday, April 6, 2013, Anne Smedinghoff, a 25 yearold American diplomat stationed in Kabul, Afghanistan, was killed along with five others who remain unnamed when a suicide bomber attacked their convoy. According to her superiors, she was on her way to deliver supplies to a small school in the Afghan countryside. This comes on the heels of a United Nations statement which claimed that attacks on civilians have increased this year all throughout the world. This has been especially prevalent in Afghanistan where a power struggle continues to rage. Of even more
imminent concern is the relation between Smedinghoff’s death and the 2012 attack on the American Consulate in Benghazi, Libya which took the lives of several Americans including ambassador Chris Stevens. Once again, the safety of American diplomats has been called into question. Regarding the attack, Secretary of State John Kerry said “It’s a grim reminder to all of us, though we didn’t need any reminders, of how important and also how risky carrying the future is with people who want to resist,” while on a diplomatic visit to Istanbul, Turkey. Although he did not directly link the two attacks, Kerry clearly expressed the connec-
Anne Smedinghoff killed by suicide bomber
tion with his remarks. No course of action has yet been outlined for increasing the protection of American
diplomats. However, it is important to note that diplomatic security has already received several major overhauls since
the Benghazi attack and the more recent embassy bombing attempt in Ankara, Turkey several months ago. Stick with
The Falcon for continued coverage on foreign security and developing details of this attack.
The Falcon
news
Monday, April 8th, 2013
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“Most of us probably feel we couldn’t be free without newspapers, and that is the real reason we want newspapers to be free.” -Edward R. Murrow
The Best Korea Report:
This is madness, no, this is Korea KYLE JONES
The Editor’s Desk:
The president and the gray dress ANDREW MECHUM
Editor-In-Chief | @TheUMFalcon
Associate Editor | @amechum
What exactly does Kim Jong Un have up his sleeve? On April 5 the British and Russian embassies located in North Korea’s capital, Pyongyang, received communication from North Korean officials advising them to evacuate before April 10 in the event of conflict between the DPRK and the U.S. and it’s ally South Korea. To recap the madness thus far, the Hermit Kingdom has thrown out the Korean War armistice, put plans into motion to restart a plutonium reactor, moved missile launchers in range of Guam and Okinawa and sent out two Aegis ships with radar equipment to each of it’s coast. The trouble the world faces now is deciphering whether these actions are a legitimate cause for concern or the proposed idea that this is all to establish Kim Jong Un as a man of serious business to his people. What quicker way to let the world know you mean business than to showcase your German Shepherds tearing apart an effigy with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Kwan-Jin’s face on it. The almost two minute video, that can be seen here, shows these attack dogs jumping over barriers, leaping through windows on fire and then unceremoniously tearing “Kim Kwan-
Jin” a new one. This either means the “Best” Korean’s are ready for war or an exclusive look at Animal Planet’s most terrifying new series. To put the cherry on the crazy sundae, the video ends with "As you all know, it is not a matter of WHETHER we will have a war or not but whether it will take place today or tomorrow”, directly followed by another soldier blowing up “Kim Kwan-Jin” with an RPG. Surely North Korea can’t be all that bad? Three American travellers have just returned from a vacation in the “Tourist” Kingdom, instead of thousands of soldiers goose stepping in Kim-Il Sung square what they found was rollerbladers...the activity is apparently very popular at the moment. Joseph Ferris, one of the three travellers who acted as a guide, says they were treated like V.I.P.s by senior North Korean officers as they toured the frontlines. Of course the tourists were only allowed to see what their minders wanted them to see but Ferris says people may be surprised to find out that the DPRK isn’t as crazy as it seems. This doesn’t sound like the “Best Korea” we know and love, but I’m willing to be pleasantly surprised, The Falcon will be accepting donations so that we can get to the bottom of this.
Established 2012 An Independant Student Newspaper EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Kyle Jones ASSOCIATE EDITOR Andrew Mechum ARTS&CULTURE EDITOR Reed Strength STAFF WRITERS Neal Embry Mandy Steadman Jake Smith Teddie Taylor Matthew Lord Clarke Stackhouse Connor Bucy CONTACT US AT: thefalconeditor@gmail.com
President Obama told us who the nation’s best-looking attorney general is and Target found itself on the defensive for a sea cow inspired dress. These two stories made the rounds last week and highlighted the growing political correctness movement in the United States. The question you have to ask yourself: Is it really that big of a deal?
is there such a fuss in the media that he is somehow sexist or wolfish? Has the feminist movement’s desire to be treated as equals swelled to the point where men can’t even pay compliments anymore? Or is all the fuss because Obama somehow slighted the other female attorney generals? For my part, Harris is certainly deserving of being called
same color were called “dark heather gray”. Suffice it to say, the political correctness police were up in arms at the perceived insult to the fatties among us. In much the same way blacks are “allowed” to use “The N Word”, I can say fatty without fear of reprisal because for most of my life I was the fat kid. And as a semi-reformed fat kid I have but one
I will be the first to admit that I have never been a fan of President Obama. I don’t like his policies, I abhor the fact that he campaigns more than he governs and please don’t bring up the outrageous amount of vacationing he and his family have done. However, concerning his remarks about California Attorney General Kamala Harris, I find myself defending the president. After complimenting Harris on being intelligent, dedicated to her work and generally being the best person for the job Obama said that Harris, “also happens to be by far the best-looking attorney general in the country.” “The gall!” “The sheer nerve that a man would compliment a woman’s looks!” “How dare he!” This sums up the general reaction to Obama’s remarks, the reaction of the media that is. A poll conducted by CNN shows that nearly three quarters of respondents didn’t find the president’s remarks inappropriate. So why
good looking, but Florida’s attorney general, Pam Bondi, gives Harris a run for her money. Had Obama used genuinely sexist language like “toots” or “honey” I could rally behind the cause. However, he said she was, “the best-looking attorney general in the country.” Period. There was no mention of gender. For all intents and purposes the president declared she was the best looking attorney general, male or female. More importantly he complimented her accomplishments before her appearance. We have come to a point when men are expected to lie when asked, “Does this make me look fat?” so as not to offend yet we mustn’t go so far as to say a woman looks good. Try and wrap your head around that logic, because I can’t. Target on the other hand found itself in hot water when it was discovered that certain plus-size dresses were labeled as “manatee gray” whereas the regular sizes of the
piece of advice for the festively plump citizens outraged by Target’s color creation department: Put the fork down and exercise fatty! You don’t need to make a fuss about a “manatee gray” dress. Instead you need to make a fuss about buying a treadmill and a membership to Weight Watchers. Chances are, if you’re fat, you did it to yourself. Only a small percentage of the nation can claim medical or genetic reasons for their obesity. The rest of you shoveled copious amounts of food into your stomach and became walking embodiments of gluttony. Please, do not expect the rest of us to walk on eggshells concerning your weight when it is something that can be corrected. Both of these stories bring into stark light the state of affairs within America. We have succeeded in creating a culture that espouses a right to freedom of speech – but we’re only free so long as we don’t ruffle any feathers.
J
Tumor Raider REED STRENGTH Arts&Culture Editor | @ReedStrength
A new tumor eradicating drug is about to undergo human testing. This questionable cure blocks a certain protein in cancer cells, CD47, that in high doses renders the immune system useless. With this unnamed prototype cure applied, CD47 syn-
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thesis is blocked and the body’s natural defenses can actually fight back against the disease. Stanford University professor Irving Weissman began this research almost 10 years ago when studying Leukemia cells. He noticed that cancer ridden cells produced more CD47 than normal types, and began to experiment with blocking their effects. The main evidence for the drug’s effectiveness have been the results from tests on mice. The subjects were exposed to cancer cells
On a plant far, far away
and then injected with the drug. So far ovary, breast, colon, bladder, brain, liver and prostate cancer cells were either greatly diminished or destroyed by the drug’s effects . While healthy cells are also attacked, the numbers destroyed are negligible compared to the damage done to cancer cells . So far, the effects have ranged from complete eradication of the tumor to the paralysis of the disease from spreading to other parts of the body. The next step is to test the experi-
mental medication on cancer afflicted people. These tests will show if the drug can successfully combat organic cancer, not just synthetic implantation. As Science Magazine notes, additional testing on mixing this possible solution with other cancer treatment methods is needed as well. “Using antiCD47 in addition to chemotherapy, for example, could be counterproductive if the stress from chemotherapy causes normal cells to produce more CD47 than usual.” The procedures
A close up of CD47 will be paid for with a cine. Meanwhile, mil$20 million grant from lions of cancer patients the California Institute and the medical world of Regenerative Medi- eagerly await the results.
Donglegate: How a joke led to all-out web war
CONNOR BUCY Staff Writer |
It’s official. An analysis by NASA’s latest Mars rover Curiosity shows that Mars could have at one time supported microscopic life. Scientists found substances such as hydrogen, sulfur, nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorus and carbon- some key ingredients for the existence of life- in a powdered rock sample that Curiosity drilled out of rock near an ancient streambed in the Red Planet’s Gale Crater. The streambed also contained minerals that likely formed in the presence of fresh water. “A fundamental question for this mission is whether Mars could have supported a habitable environment,” says Michael Meyer, lead scientist for NASA’s Mars Exploration Program. “From what we know now, the answer is yes.” The finding comes from an area of Mars called the Yellowknife Bay, where Curiosity drilled into the planet’s signature red
surface and uncovered grey-ish soil which differed from the heavilyoxidized ground on top. The sample was then analyzed onboard the rover using its Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) and Chemistry and Mineralogy (CheMin) instruments. This announcement comes just after Curiosity has had a bit of a rough time; a malfunction in the rover’s main computer forced Curiosity into “safe mode”. The hiccup doesn’t seem to have hindered the machine too much, and NASA is confident about its future explorations. Scientists plan to keep Curiosity in the Yellowknife Bay area for several more weeks before beginning the long drive toward Gale Crater’s central mound, called Mount Sharp. Investigating the layers of exposed rock there may add information about the possible types of habitable conditions and how long they existed.
CONNOR BUCY Staff Writer |
An incident at the annual Python developer’s conference, Pycon, developed into accusations of sexism, the firings of two people, and an internet flame war so hot that it almost started nuclear fusion. The madness began when developer evangelist for e-mail vendor SendGrid, Adria Richards, overheard two developers sitting behind her in a session telling jokes amongst themselves. The jokes were sexual in nature, according to Richards, who proceeded to snap a picture of the developers and tweet it to her thousands of followers and called for PyCon organizers to discipline them. While using Twitter to publicly complain and call out two people certainly seems excessive already, the chain of reaction and overreaction doesn’t end there. According to
Richards’ tweets and a blog post titled “Forking and Dongle Jokes Don’t Belong at Tech Conferences,” Richards overheard the men in question making “jokes about forking repos in a sexual way and ‘big’ dongles.” Richards, comparing herself to Joan of Arc in another tweet, decided that social justice was in order after seeing a young girl speaking on stage. Richards wrote that she realized she had to do something; otherwise the young girl would “never have the chance to learn and love programming because the ass clowns sitting behind me would make it impossible for her to do so.” On her personal blog, Richards declared “Yesterday, the future of programming was on the line and I made myself heard.” PyCon allegedly spoke to the two developers privately, and that was that. At least it should have been. On March 21st, PlayHaven- the em-
ployer of one of the two men photographed- announced that it had fired one of the developers attending. Soon after, a poster identifying himself as the developer posted an apology to Richards while claiming that she had also taken his words out of context and that “no sexual jokes were made about forking.” Very soon after, the flames began. While Richards initially received a great deal of support as well as calm criticism, she was now the target of wave after wave of hateful remarks, including but not limited to racial and sexual slurs and threats of rape and violence. Both Richards’ personal blog and SendGrid’s website were taken offline by distributed denial of service attacks. Shortly after the attacks, SendGrid reported that it had fired Richards, citing that while they supported her right to report inappropriate behavior, they did not support her
methods of doing so. So, as a result of the tweet heard ‘round the world, the casualties stack up to two lost jobs and an internet community that once again proves that it can’t learn from its mistakes. While Richards was certainly out of line in publicly shaming the two men on Twitter for the most overplayed joke in IT, reacting with sexist and racist remarks only affirms her supporters that the tech industry is full of woman-hating neckbeards. The entire situation is a giant mess of should haves and 20/20 hindsight. Richards should have simply spoken to the developers and told them to pipe down, the developers probably shouldn’t have made the jokes, and the internet shouldn’t have gone totally insane. What began as nothing went full butterfly effect and became a flaming hurricane that never should have happened at all.
Putin causes another pussy riot
KYLE JONES
Editor-In-Chief | @TheUMFalcon
While visiting a trade fair in Hanover, Germany Russian president Vladimir Putin and German Prime Minister Angela Merkel were confronted by three topless women. The women were part of the women’s rights group Femen, a group which has also protested the sex industry and religious institutions. The Ukrainian women had obscene slogans written on their back in
cyrillic as they shouted phrases denouncing Putin as a dictator. The protest comes in response to the detention of feminist group and punk band Pussy Riot, who were jailed last year for protesting the government and President Putin in a Moscow church. During a press conference held afterward, Putin said “As for the protest, I liked it. In principle, we knew that such a protest was being prepared.”
Birds of a Feather: REED STRENGTH & JAKE SMITH
Arts & Culture Editor| Staff Writer
Ask a passerby to mimic what the current popular music sounds like, and the results could be interesting. A slew of bad rap attempts and punny “wub-wubs”, in addition to spirited, if not soulful, takes on smooth R&B are possible outcomes. A brief look through the Top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100 reveals a steady diet of synthetic pop on the radio airwaves and album selling charts. Beat and synth based music that wraps around the croon of a smooth singer or gut-busting rapper. However, there stands a group of currently popular artists that seems to take a more naturalistic approach to music. Instead of synths and a myriad of “features” and producers, we see a strong use of rustic instrumentation. Intensely plucked banjos and the small booms of tiny kickdrums, in addition to un-autotuned group sung anthems of “whoah-oh-ohs” and declarative “HEY!”s. These specific bands favor stories of blue collar life mixed with spiritual rumina-
tions and the trials of adulthood. Instead of “drops” or even traditional guitar solos, vigorously strummed climaxes suffice as a “big rock ending”. Perhaps the most obvious and easily most successful example of this movement is London’s import of American folk, Mumford & Sons. Debuting with 2009’s “Sigh No More,” the band paraded across the airwaves with invigorated single after single. From the lovelorn ruminations of “The Cave” to the grinning self-examination of “Little Lion Man”, this band was certainly a bearded alternative to the electronic dance jams of Lady GaGa and The Black Eyed Peas. Reaching one million sales figures by 2011, the album received a Metacritic score of 68, marking “generally favorable reviews”. While “Sigh No More” gave the band a Mercury Prize nomination, the follow-up would only reach even more impressive heights. Last year’s “Babel” reached sales figures of a million in six weeks. It was also awarded multiple
Grammy awards for 2013, most notably the distinguished “Album of the Year”. A Metacritic score of 63 indicates tougher critical opinion, but nevertheless, Mumford remain the biggest band in the world. Several other bands of woodsy intent have seemingly begun to spring from Mumford’s wake. The LL Cool J labeled “indie success story” of The Lumineers is based on the moderately impressive sales figures of their self-titled debut album and their smash single “Ho Hey” brought them to the 2013 Grammy’s as well. During the performance of “Ho Hey”, a familiar miniature kick drum is utilized, in addition to a group-yelped verse break of the two words that make up the title. This performance detail specifically brings to mind an old but successful band that seems to have mixed in with all of these “folks”: Montreal’s indie powerhouse Arcade Fire. This Canadian band surpasses even Mumford by five years, and their 2011 “Album of the Year” win further cements their influence
A Caveman with no bathing culture REED STRENGTH Arts&Culture Editor | @ReedStrength
A thin crowd dotted the normally full floor at Bottletree Cafe on Thursday night. The acts playing were up and coming underground artists, i.e. bands relegated to the normally skipped third or fourth slot on daily review lists. Pure Bathing Culture opened, and despite the fresh appeal of the name, owed every bit of their sound to dream pop kings Beach House. Sonically, everything from the synthetic beats to the reverb sheen of guitarist Daniel Hindman was a shameless copy from the Sub Pop band. Singer and keyboardist Sarah Versprille’s voice was the group’s saving grace. She belted her songs of cheated love with a detectable passion utterly removed from the music around her. The set hit its bottom when Versprille allowed
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Hindman time for an extended guitar “jam” to close out a song. Instead of taking the time to really wow the audience with technical ability, Hindman repeated the same blustery notes over and over. The small crowd, while overly warm for what the band offered, was content to gaze at the dull glow of cell phone screens during this particular coda of indie elevator music. Brooklyn’s Caveman just released their self titled sophomore effort on April 2nd. While the name alone brings to mind images of a 70’s cockrock obsessed band sweating profusely while honoring rock legend gold, the thin ties and heavy blazers correctly signify an entirely different musical approach. The only “tribal” or even “heavy” aspect of this band is singer Matthew Iwanusa’s whack happy and invogorated beating of a single tom drum. Its
not just for gimmicks either. One of Caveman’s strengths is its impressive rhythm section. Bassist Jeff Berral lays a hypnotic groundwork, while drummer Stefan Marolachakis colors the idea with climactic rides and
The ‘Folkilization’ of Pop
New this week James Blake Overgrown Electronica A&M Records Paramore Paramore Alternative Rock Fueled By Ramen Fall Out Boy Save Rock and Roll Alternative Rock Island Records
on these new ragtags. Even the minor details match up: songs that favor rustic instruments, attire that resists the 21st century, and even “indie success”. The powerful “whoa-oh-oh” chorus of “Wake Up” and quick strummed acoustic guitar of “Keep the Car Running” seem like blueprints to the anthemic sonic details of “Ho Hey” and “I Will Wait” respectively. Influence is one thing, but direct copycatting is another. Of Monsters & Men, an Icelandic band, have made ripples on their airwaves with the recent single “Little Talks”. The song begins with horns and a rousingly repeated ”Hey!”. A “Hey!” that in tone and placement
The Lumineers
mirrors the many found in Arcade Fire’s 2006 single “No Cars Go”. The female- and malesung vocals of Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir and Ragnar Þórhallsson mimic those of Win Butler and Régine Chassagne to a tee. Of course Arcade Fire aren’t the only influences these three artists have; folk has been on the verge of a breakthrough for some time now in the form of artists like The Decemberists, Fleet Foxes and The Avett Brothers. These artists, though, have had middling success at best in the mainstream until very recently. The correlation between folk and pop seems to become visible right around 2009 just as
Brad Paisley Wheelhouse Country Arista Nashville The Knife Shaking the Habitual Synthpop Rabid Records Major Lazer Free the Universe Electronica Mad Decent Mumford was releasing their debut. Shortly after this, the Avetts dropped their enormously successful “I and Love and You”, Arcade Fire released “The Suburbs” to massive critical acclaim, and The Decemberists released their sixth LP and first number one record, “The King Is Dead”. continued page 6
Caveman live at Bottletree in Birmingham,Al
crashes. Iwanusa adds sharp, booming smacks and taps to give their mid tempo indie rock a world music flavor. This strong sense of rhythm is crucial for what the band tries to achieve: a wide eyed, harmony
led shimmery brand of postpunk. Striking a line somewhere between New York greats Grizzly Bear and the Walkmen, these five veteran players sound confident if not a little repetitive. The band’s debut, “CoCo Beware”,
enjoyed a strong showing of cuts. Highlights like the contemplative “A Country’s King of Dreams” and the bright “My Time” were given extra stomp due to the band’s live volume continued page 6
The Falcon
Our two cents
Page Five
Monday, April 8th, 2013 ELUVEITIE The Early Years
THE FALCON STAFF “Music Journalist”
SKA-P Todo Ska-P
I’ve always wanted to be a part of a Spanish ska band. Seriously, ever since I was a kid, I told Mom that if the whole writing thing tanked, I’d move to Mexico and become a maraca shaker/ backup dancer for a ska band. I’ve finally found my opportunity with the band Ska-P. After hearing the first song of the album, “Cannabis,” I was hooked. Not on cannabis, mind you, but on the fun that is Ska-P. Trends I noticed in this album: Guitar solos that have nothing to do with the song, a piano being hit as hard as possible, random shouts of “Arriba!!!” and an uncanny ability to change speed and sound in less than a second. There are songs about a cat named Lopez, weed and Uncle Sam. Also, they joyfully shout “Sex, Religion and Freedom!” Beat that, Justin Bieber. Someone tell these gentlemen how much America needs a band like them. Viva la Mexico!!
JIM JAMES Regions of Light and Sound of God
“I’ve never heard a frontman for an artsy Southern indie folk rock group make a good solo album that ends with a tribute to Martin Luther King Jr.” is a sentence you can no longer say after hearing the latest from My Morning Jacket’s Jim James. Sorry to ruin your day; now you can go back to reading Pitchfork.
CAVEMAN Self-Titled Imagine an ancient battlefield if you will. On one side are the fierce Scots, descended from the Picts (a people so barbaric the Romans built a wall across England to keep them out!!) On the other side you have the Norse Vikings, a people famed for their raping and plunder of Europe. Listen to this album and you will soon realize that Eluveitie aren’t musicians so much as time travelers. Surely it must be that this group of Swiss metal heads crafted a soundtrack for the battles they witnessed on their travels with Marty and Doc Brown.
M83 Oblivion OST
An imagined conversation between two production executives: Producer #1- Hey, friend! Who are we going to get to score that new movie, Oblivion? Producer #2- How about John Williams? Producer #1- Nah! That’s so unoriginal these days. Producer #2- Hans Zimmer? Producer #1- But he does EVERYTHING! Pick again. Producer #2- Good lord, Producer #1! We might as well get that crazy French guy who wrote that one song from the Victoria’s Secret commercial! How would you like that?! Producer #1- Brilliant! I’ll make the call. Somehow this worked out well.
Album Review: “The Terror” by The Flaming Lips
JAKE SMITH Staff Writer |
I now know what it feels like to die slowly and alone. Apparently so do the Oklahomabased Flaming Lips who communicate this feeling and not much else over the course of their 54-minute lucky thirteenth album, “The Terror”. Indeed, an album title has not been this poignant in a very long time as the Lips’ newest finds itself constantly journeying farther and farther into the darkest corners of the human mind without so much as a passing glance at the hopeful bliss that has characterized their earlier records. The change of tone is welcome if not a bit unexpected. Just last year this band was heard rocking out with party girl Ke$ha among others, yet now they’ve found a sound murkier and more haunting than anything they have ever created before. What caused this tonal shift is a complete mystery to nearly everyone including, perhaps, eclectic frontman Wayne Coyne. Supposedly giv-
ing a voice to unspoken feelings of doubt and hopelessness, the band starts the record with the gloomy “Look... The Sun is Rising” which talks of a feeling of dread at a new day dawning as schizophrenic synths and odd rhythms jitter underneath Coyne’s very un-jubilant croon. This sound characterizes not only the opening track but also nearly everything else that is to come on the album. “Turning Violent”, for example, creates its hazy atmosphere with a strange keyboard effect that also serves as the tune’s rhythm section. All the while, Coyne continues his ruminations on the frailty of life. While this darkness is most definitely thought-provoking, its sheer magnitude tends to become overwhelming after a while. This occurs with particular strength after the 13-minute long “You Lust” which floats around in a feedbacklayered bog for almost half of its runtime. Although the band’s experimentation and its bold new leap into uncharted territory is thrilling, it could also afford to be quite a bit tighter. There is also the matter of the listener’s emotional state
after sitting through nearly an hour of constant darkness. It simply isn’t feasible or desirable to listen to this album more than maybe once over the course of a week; after a couple listens, it just starts to wear down on you. The band should, of course, be commended for achieving their prospective emotional outcome, but enjoyment is something you will almost certainly not derive from this record. After the last seconds of the mournful closer, “Always There, In Our Hearts” fade into a muddled conversation, the reflection begins, and herein lies the album’s greatest strength. It truly makes you think about the nature of not only human emotions but also of music itself. How is it that something so ephemeral creates such true feelings of sorrow and hopelessness? Why is it not just good but important to engage in all spheres of emotion with our music? When all is said and done, “The Terror” might leave you questioning the point of living, but the payoff in terms of emotional and mental engagement makes it an experience worth having. The Falcon gives The Flaming Lips’ “The Terror” a 7 out of 10.
Noun: 1) a broad label for several species of homo-sapien; often depicted as burly, slightly disfigured and unintelligent. 2) a hip breed of Brooklynite that thinks its cool to combine the sounds of hitting shit together with walls of guitar fuzz. 3) a similar breed of Brooklynite, but focuses more on clearer vocals and brighter synths than definition (2. see: “In The City”, “Ankles”, “Shut You Down” 4) the name given to prepubescent boys who tape small strips of carpet to their chests in an attempt to attract the opposite sex with false signs of maturity.
GOOD FOR YOU Life Is Too Short Not to Hold a Grudge
Hello 16 year-old self, got some good news and some bad news, in 2013 there are going to be two Black Flag reunion lineups, the bad news, Greg Ginn makes a record with Mike V, I know it sounds awesome but do not listen to this! It’s ok younger me, punk kids cry sometimes too.
The Evil Dead has risen
MANDY STEADMAN Staff Writer |
The “Evil Dead” films have captured the minds of horror movie lovers since the first release in 1981. Now “Evil Dead” fans can enjoy the newest remake in theaters nationwide. Opening April 5, 2013, “Evil Dead” hit the box office at number one selling 26 million dollars in tickets its first weekend in theaters. Many fans of the “Evil Dead” films feared this new movie would not meet the high expectations that the first film (1981) had set. Bruce Campbell, renowned director, actor, producer and writer, is the mastermind behind all of these films, including performing as the producer of this newest film. The first “Evil Dead” movie is a true horror film filled with suspense and intense music to enhance the effects of each scene. The second film is creepy, but it has a lot more humor than pure horror. This new remake, in summary,is a combination of the first and second installments of the “Evil Dead” movies. The new “Evil Dead” is about five friends meeting at a cabin in the woods. They find an evil book in the basement of the cabin. When
one of the friends reads an incantation from the book, an extremely evil demon is released and it seeks to eat five souls in order to raise the evil dead from Hell. First of all, the music of this film is absolutely amazing and truly adds an extra element to each scene, accentuating the suspense and thrill of the main events of the movie. Director, Fede Alvarez, also made some great choices using silence to build the suspense and prepare the audience for something demonic or emotional. This movie is really creative in balancing humor and violence. The type of humor in this film is very cliche and blunt, but it is nonetheless entertaining and a great relief from all of the violence and darkness of the film. The actors are also so creative in movement and character development. Each character has a backstory and a specific personality. They are also each very excellent in portraying being possessed. The actors who become possessed by the demon are equally creepy and disgusting with their sharp yet fluid movements.
The actress that stands out the most is Jane Levy, who plays Mia. Mia is the main host for the demon’s soul to take over. Levy really shines because she is connected with her character and her performance is so realistic it leaves every audience member at the edge of their seats. The makeup and special effects for this movie are absolutely amazing. The edginess to each possessed character and the depth of their discolored eyes really allows the dark and twisted personality of the demon to radiate on screen. For those who are fans of the original “Evil Dead” movies, you will either love it for the collaboration of the humor and horror or you will hate it for not being as scary as the first film. This film is recommended to those who enjoy really good slaughter stories with twisted endings and great cinematography. Also, as a tip for Bruce Campbell fans, watch the film all the way to the very end of the credits. Campbell has a special surprise in store for you. The Falcon gives this thrilling film a 9.5/10.
The Falcon
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Monday, April 8th, 2013
FOLK
continued So the question begs to be asked: What happened to make folk so popular? There are many theories floating around, but perhaps the most compelling of them relates the popularity spike to a simultaneous boom in the electronic dance pop genre. To illustrate, Mumford and Sons were not the biggest artists in 2009. That honor goes to Lady GaGa who released “The Fame” along with its chart-dominating singles that same year. Shortly after GaGa got her big break, everyone was doing what she did. Artists like Ke$ha and LMFAO emerged to create the “party rock” subgenre while older acts like Britney Spears and Rihanna were forced to reinvent themselves to subscribe to GaGa’s new brand of dance pop. Mumford’s success would then start to pour in as 2009 came to a close and 2010 began. “The Cave”, “Little Lion Man” and “Winter Winds” stormed the charts and became the hot new thing. As
CAVEMAN continued
2011 began, the band even managed to upstage Bob Dylan at the Grammy’s. Why? It is almost certainly Mumford’s earnestness and humanity. GaGa’s pop was a product; hell, it was practically a drug for many. Mumford, though, as well as their former indie darling influences and peers, had something that felt real and relatable. Essentially, where GaGa was a fantasy, Mumford and friends became a source of grounding. The band’s lyrics spoke of spiritual doubt, simple love and happy times with no pretense. This almost certainly appealed to that giant slice of the music pie who had been sucking down GaGa pop’s hedonistic revelry and impersonal sex anthems. Interestingly, as 2013 continues to roll along, the folk trend seems to have reversed its position as the comforting alternative to the overbearing GODFATHER of popular music. GaGa’s “Born This Way” tanked and Ke$ha’s
“Warrior” went almost completely ignored, but “Babel” took “Album of the Year”. Mumford and Sons even scored their own copycat with the aforementioned Lumineers while Of Monsters and Men robbed liberally from Arcade Fire’s bag of tricks. Rustic folk is now king. If history is any indication, though, it won’t be for long. Just as this new folk became popular as an alternative to the dance pop of the day, a new breed of R&B now seems to be rocketing up the charts in response to Mumford’s influence. Artists like Frank Ocean and the newly remade Justin Timberlake seem to be taking over as cultural icons and critics are loving it. Ocean’s “Channel Orange” has a Metacritic score of 92 and Timberlake’s recently released “The 20/20 Experience” has a strong 74. Just as many critics gushed over “Sigh No More” and “The Suburbs”, now they are adoring these soulful newcomers. The cycle continues.
bands to focus on: Mumford & Sons The Lumineers Of Monsters & Men Phillip Phillips
these bands sound like/influenced by: The Decemberists Arcade Fire Bright Eyes Fleet Foxes Avett Brothers
Pure Bathing Culture at Bottletree
New form of bird flu strikes China
level and synchronized playing. Lead guitarist Jimmy Carbonetti’s rush strummed hazy melodies sound great up close, just as on record. Unfortunately, the curtain is lifted when viewing his playing in person to reveal a repetitive and uninteresting bag of tricks. Iwanusa’s small pockets of guitar were never really heard over Carbonetti. Even keyboardist Sam Hopkins, extremely audible on the studio takes from the band’s newest effort, was drowned out from the thick washes of reverb. Caveman was never boring. The band may be at the tail end of its tour in support
of the new album, but clearly haven’t quite lost the detectable rush of a new band conquering a stage. Despite audience encouragement, the men rushed to the merch table to greet fans with grins of a show well played. Check out the Falcon playlist to hear the songs referenced in this article, in addition to smatterings of the other music discussed and reviewed in this issue.
officials have ordered the slaughter of poultry across the country. The primary fear surrounding H7N9 is that it may be able to infect humans from birds more readily than H5N1, the strain of bird flu that has been around for nearly a decade now. However, despite this fact, no cases of human-to-human infection have been reported. The CDC warns on its website, “influenza viruses constantly change and it’s possible this virus could gain,” the ability to transmit between people. This represents the greatest fear as H7N9 could prove to be just as lethal
as H5N1. A full 60% of those infected by H5N1 died from the virus. The CDC is currently working to develop test kits to identify the new strain as well as reviewing data collected to better understand the risks posed by the new virus. No known cases of H7N9 have appeared outside of China, however health organizations stress that you take preventative measures to protect yourself. Helpful tips and advice can be found on the CDC website.
ANDREW MECHUM
Associate Editor | @amechum
A new strain of avian flu, called H7N9, is cropping up in China. This new deadly strain is believed to be responsible for six deaths across the nation. So far 21 confirmed cases of H7N9 infecting humans have been reported. All those who contracted the rare flu strain worked in close proximity to birds. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) this is the first time H7N9 has been found in people and no cases outside of China have been reported as yet. In an effort to halt the spread of the virus Chinese
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Monday, April 8th, 2013
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