MOVE 04.05.13 VOLUME 11 ISSUE 23
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AMERICA'S NEXT TOP POET? MU SENIOR JUSTIN MCCAIN PREPARES FOR THE FUTURE OF HIS SUPER RAD SPOKEN WORD CAREER FEY FAIL MOVIE COLUMNIST HANNAH BEDENKOP ON THE UNFORTUNATELY DISAPPOINTING 'ADMISSION'
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THE KEY TO YOUR ENTERTAINMENT
LOUD MINDED WILL SCHMITT
on communications from Planet Sonnymoon
The music you didn't know you loved The color blue often evokes emotional responses by mellowing the mind and eliminating jitters from the breath. Simply looking at a shade of indigo or navy slows the heart rate and acts as a milder form of rubbing the temples. My editor told me to branch out from rap and, dutiful little lab rat that I am, that’s exactly what I’ll do. Climbing the hip-hop family tree is a path laded with jewels and scratched soul records. At the roots lie the music we call the blues. I was going to use this space to profile blues legends Skip James and Robert Johnson, but I realized I don’t know nearly enough about them. Instead, I’ll look at Sonnymoon, a group that evokes the same feelings of wanderlust, melancholy and solitary reflection as its angsty ancestor, the blues genre. Singer Anna Wise and producer Dane Orr combine vocals that are pure without being emotionally flat with instrumentals that are intriguing without being distracting. The experimental indie-rock group’s first release, Golden Age, dropped at the tail end of 2009, and it instantly captured my attention with tracks like “Run Away” and “Gills or Wings.” The initial choppiness of “Run Away” gives way to a rollicking ballad, riding the musical scale up and down like a Sunday driver. Wise’s words sound playfully sad, and the contrast is like watching a sepia film of children playing in a sandbox while “Lux Aeterna” plays softly. It’s as though Wise wrote these in a confusing whirlwind state, with her tears dripping onto her notebook in the shape of a hopeful smile. Last year, Sonnymoon built on the promises of their first album with a self-titled sequel. Here they veered toward a free jazz feel, with more experimentation on Orr’s part being the most noticeable difference. Take a song like “Kali” – hi-hat cymbals fill the silence in between Wise’s plaintive musings as rain drops gently clatter onto the surface of a loose snare drum. Wise has a really beautiful voice and layers it really nicely on a cover of Drake’s “Houstatlantavegas.” Because she can rise to the occasion and provide a dark, low coo as well as a light, airy whisper, Orr has the freedom to experiment with his percussion arrangements and basslines. Although Anna Wise is the frontwoman here and undeniably has more fame than her buddy behind the boards, Dane Orr shows a lot of talent with his production and can go from contemplative to zany in the span of a few seconds. While Orr seems content to work solely in the context of the group, Wise has appeared on a handful of hip-hop songs. In fact, I discovered Sonnymoon after she collaborated with southern hip-hop trio CunninLynguists on two songs for their 2011 album Oneirology. It’s fitting that a girl with such a reverie-inducing voice appears on an album named after the study of dreams. She worked with CunninLynguists’ producer Kno on one more track and then made her way out to Los Angeles to work with Black Hippy members Ab-Soul and Kendrick Lamar for their respective 2012 albums Control System and good kid, m.A.A.d. city. Sonnymoon isn’t a traditional band; they haven’t toured much, and they built buzz for their music seemingly exclusively via Internet presence. Recently, they’ve taken the path most traveled by adding Joe Welch to contribute his drumming talents and Tyler Randall for guitar, bass and additional programming. Besides expanding the sounds they can create, the group can now go on the road and play as a four-piece ensemble with the sound of a traditional band. Doing so represents a step outward from Boston and will increase their sphere of influence; no doubt the influences they come across on their travels will translate into future music as well. If you think you would like music similar to Sonnymoon — with a beautiful female voice over a trippy, synthy orchestra — check out like-minded groups Phantogram and Child Actor. Thanks for reading.
Around the Wo
Just because you're stuck in mid-Mo doesn't meant you can't e this weekend and try out one of these taste-tested dishes, all o
Try Mediterranean at... lauren rutherford | staff writer
Oasis Cafe 2609 E Broadway
Hours: Monday - Saturday: 10 a.m. - 8 p.m.
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Eat this: Chicken shawarma with hummus Pay this: $6 Oasis Café wasn’t my favorite. Mediterranean food tends to be an acquired taste. Given that I’ve had this kind of fare before, Oasis’ cuisine was okay. It just didn’t have a wow factor. The chicken shawarma was cooked in various spices, and ginger was the only one I could pick out as a specific taste. Oasis’s hummus was really smooth and didn’t have a distinct spice or flavor that stuck out. It went well with the complimentary warm pita. Overall, I found the menu to be limited in comparison to other restaurants of this type. Most of the dishes included chicken shawarma or gyro with surprisingly few falafel options. On the bright side, the service was good, and the restaurant was tidy.
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Try Vietnamese at… lizzie tontz | reporter
Saigon Bistro 912 E. Broadway
Hours: Monday-Thursday: 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.; FridaySaturday: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Eat this: Pho ga Pay this: $7.50 Located in the heart of downtown Columbia, Saigon Bistro serves up the sexiest bowl of noodles you’ll ever eat for $7.50. Pho ga (Pho is pronounced like the first syllable of fudge) is Vietnamese chicken noodle soup, plus magic and love. Saigon Bistro’s version uses long rice noodles in chicken-based broth, plus chopped green onions and onion flakes. To add crunch, a side garnish of basil, cilantro and raw bean sprouts is provided along with hoisin and chili sauce for those who like it hot. Although the chicken itself is somewhat flavorless, a mix of the right amount of sauce and herbs make the broth and noodles delicious.
Try Polish at… zack nolan | reporter
/cover PHOTO/Shannon elliott design/Brendan Wray & Lauren Rutherford EDITOR/DELIA CAI Photo editor/Lauren Kastner
You like us in print, might as well like us on Facebook. 2 MOV E • 04.05.13
Cafe Poland 807 Locust St.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Eat this: Pierogi Pay this: $6-10
There is no comfort food quite like the pierogi. A pierogi is no ordina a dumpling sent down to us mere mortals from whatever the Polish equ Olympus is. Unleavened dough is stuffed with ground meat or mashed potat is then fried, and typically served with onions and sour cream. Yes, feel free to it is essentially pasta stuffed with mashed potatoes. Café Poland serves up so pierogies as well as any other food you’d need to satisfy your eastern Europe also have espresso and a pretty sweet turntable (serious hipster enclave poten
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enjoy a little intercontinental cuisine. Ditch the usual takeout pizza of which are $10 or less. Feeling worldly and cultured yet?
Try Thai at… zack nolan | reporter
Chim’s Thai Kitchen 01 N. Tenth St.
Hours: Sunday - Thursday 11 a.m. - 9 .m.; Friday - Saturday 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Eat this: Pad Thai Pay this: $9
Chim’s Thai Kitchen does not screw around when it comes to Pad Thai. Their ke on the classic Thai dish is pretty formidable in the size department. The dish ade up of traditional pho noodles, eggs, tofu (or any other meat choice), peanut d Thai chilies will most likely be the size of your entire head. Eating an entire pad hai in one sitting might seem tough, but Chim’s dish is so good that it’s almost possible not to consume the entire thing. If you’re feeling hardcore, order it with vel ten spices and learn what it feels like to have your brain melt.
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Try Cajun at… lizzie tontz | reporter
Jazz 217 N. Stadium Blvd.
Hours: Sunday-Monday: 11 a.m. - 9:30 p.m.; Tuesday-Thursday: 11 a.m. - 10 p.m.; FridaySaturday: 11 a.m. midnight Eat this: Gumbo Pay this: $3.99 This Louisiana kitchen is tucked away near the Columbia Mall. Try a cup of their gumbo, the official state cuisine of Louisiana. It’s a traditional soup that combines African, European and Native American influences. Jazz’s version is made with fish, potato, rice, onion and peppers in a thick, savory roux (a broth base of flour and butter). The result is a spicy party in your mouth that will leave you licking the spoon for every last drop.
Try Mexican at...
the viewing room HANNAH BEDENKOP
on the far-reaching dramatic rom-com that was just OK
‘Admission’ barely admissable Tina Fey. How do I even begin to explain Tina Fey? She’s an intellectual and a trailblazer and well on her way to becoming a comedy legend. It’s Tina’s world, and we’re all just living in it. However, the fact that Tina Fey is the modern day queen of comedy is pretty much the only reason “Admission” was passable. It had a terribly interesting premise, but in the end, the storyline failed to inject any kind of energy into the movie. “Admission” is about Princeton University admissions officer Portia Nathan (Fey) who makes a visit to a progressive school run by John Pressman (the adorable Paul Rudd), only to discover that one of the students there, Jeremiah (Nat Wolff), might be the son she gave up for adoption years ago. And of course, the university that Jeremiah wants to go to more than anything in the whole wide world? Princeton. See? There’s an interesting moral dilemma there. How can Portia go about treating her potential son’s application as just another application? Will she ever be able to come clean to him? What kinds of complications are going to arise? Really, there was a lot to be explored there. But “Admission” sort of dropped the ball on that. Overall, it just wasn’t engaging enough to make up for all the times the movie went off the rails. It was certainly funny in places, as movies containing Tina Fey are known to be. But the rest of the time, I was pretty bored. It was plodding and rather graceless, and Fey’s brand of dry humor was only able to offset those flaws 1/3 of the time. The acting was decent, but nothing to write home about. I’ll be honest, I absolutely love Tina Fey. I think she’s one of the best things about the entertainment industry nowadays. But she’s not a dramatic actress -- not yet at least -- and this movie could have used one from time to time. Paul Rudd always puts on a solid performance, and this was no different. Lily Tomlin had a pretty good supporting role as Portia’s distant mother, although their relationship could not have been more trite. Nat Wolff, also known as one of the naked brothers in The Naked Brothers Band, left no impression whatsoever on me. I literally just Googled him because I couldn’t remember what he looked like. Then there was the love story. The pairing of Tina Fey and Paul Rudd sounds brilliant on paper, but it didn’t translate. Their connection felt forced, and I think I spent the majority of their scenes together staring at the toe of my shoe, wishing it would end. The ending was pretty flat, much like the rest of the movie, so I suppose I could praise “Admission” for at least being consistent in its mediocrity. Another thing, and this complaint may be very specific to a certain age group, but this movie stressed me out. “Admission” opens with a bunch of high school kids discussing the perfect application on a Princeton tour, and I was transported back to a time where I spent every waking minute panicking about my common application. A solid 20 minutes of the movie are spent in the admissions office with the officers reading out application after application, each one more impressive than the last, and they still freaking rejected all of them. I was not emotionally ready for that scene. I have never in my life been so sure of two things: One, I am so glad I did not see this as a high school senior, and two, I will never work in admissions. Ever. I would accept every single applicant for fear of hurting their feelings, and I know that now. Thank you “Admission” for the unintentional career advice. Simply put, “Admission” didn’t make me feel anything other than stress. So other than the occasional laugh and a few tears shed for college applicants everywhere (I didn’t actually cry), there’s just not much to get out of this movie. I’m going to give it 2.5 of 5 rejection letters. I didn’t hate myself for seeing it or anything, but it was nothing special. Hopefully Tina’s next film will be a full-on comedy.
lauren rutherford | staff writer
Taqueria El Rodeo 805 E Nifong Blvd.
Hours: Open for breakfast, if that tells ya anything Eat this: Enchiladas verdes Pay this: $7.99 Taqueria is one of Columbia’s hidden gems. Its dive-like atmosphere contrasts the tastily authentic Mexican food. I usually order chicken enchiladas with queso sauce on top (BEWARE: the ranchero a.k.a. red sauce is really spicy). This time, I went for the enchiladas verdes: tortillas filled with chicken and topped with green sauce. As usual, the food was excellent. The main course is always delicious, but the refried beans are my favorite part. There’s something about them that sets them apart from all other beans. As far as service goes, keep in mind that you’re at a traditional Mexican food establishment. Patience and a little Spanglish are virtues that make the food worth waiting for. 04.05.13 • MOV E
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Tongue in chic MADISON FELLER
on finding spring style from coast to coast
Party in the USA It’s always a bit of a culture shock to travel from the Midwest back to my hometown of Philadelphia. Sometimes it feels like I’m not only entering a new time zone but an entirely new world. The people are a little sassier, the streets are a little hillier and life is just a bit quicker. But for my fashion-focused eye, the thing that really gets me is the difference in dress. This spring break, all of my friends migrated back to Philly for the weekend, and seeing how everyone’s style has adapted to their new college city, whether New York City or Tuscaloosa, was quite the experience. And it reminded me how easy it is to get inspired just from the people around you. So, with the semester winding down and the schoolwork piling up, I figure we could all use a little spring fashion motivation from around the country. Because Midwest is only a state of mind, right? If you’re interested in channeling a laid-back, bohemian look this spring, take a peek at those spending their time over at the west coast. Arizona State University freshman Morgan Lesage says that many of the ASU students look to the trends coming from the Los Angeles area. Another ASU freshman, Sarah Finley, notes that the west coast has a casual, beachy vibe that isn’t usually found in the Northeast. To obtain this easy, breezy look, consider investing in a high-low skirt this spring. Pick one up in a light fabric and make sure the hemline isn’t too dramatic. Add a cute fedora and gladiator sandals, and you’ll be looking like you just stepped off the beaches of SoCal. While it’s nice to throw your hair up into a topknot, slip on your sunnies and pretend you're lounging in 80-degree weather, the spring can also be the perfect time to channel your inner Southern belle. University of Alabama freshman Rachel Paikoff says that a preppy style reigns down South. She says normal footwear includes Hunter rain boots for girls and classic cowboy boots for both men and women. But even if you’re not ready to slip on your own set of cowboy boots this spring, there are other simple ways you can indulge in some Southern prep. Try rocking a striped boat-neck tee with a pair of coordinating chinos. This classic look will leave you feeling fresh and polished, and if you’re really feeling girly, throw on a strand of faux pearls and some neon ballet flats. And remember, a little class and SEC spirit never hurt anyone. Now coming from someone who spent a good portion of her childhood in cities like Philly and NYC, I can say with absolute certainty that if you want your spring outfits to have a Northeast flair, all you have to do is one thing: be bold. No matter what style you’re going for — prep, hipster, artsy or laidback — go for it 100 percent. Feel like rocking a badass, punk look? Grab some fishnet tights, jean shorts and a muscle tank … and then throw on five-inch heeled boots. Up for welcoming spring, hippie style? Throw on a beautiful maxi dress and also make sure to adorn your hair with flowers and your wrists with enough arm candy to last a lifetime. Looking to perfect that New England nautical vibe? Go all out with an anchor-printed shift dress and an adorable pair of kitten heels. If there’s one thing I’ve learned from the Northeast, is that it doesn’t matter how you dress, as long as you commit to it wholeheartedly. So this spring, put away your fashion magazines and exit out of Tumblr for a bit and instead try looking to your peers to get inspired. With all the different personalities and backgrounds on campus, you’ll never know what sort of style you might find.
UP Word
carleigh cavender | staff writer
MU student Justin McCain isn’t your typical overachieving senior. Sure, he may have gotten a gig voicing his poetry on a CW special and traveled to St. Louis and Kansas City to perform his scholarshipwinning poetry for live audiences, but he also nonchalantly describes himself as “laid-back” and “bubbly.” This English major's upbeat, can-do attitude is maybe even alarmingly chill. During our phone conversation, he mumbled apologetically about adjusting his phone, then matter-of-factly mentioned he was driving a stick shift through hail on his trip home to St. Louis. McCain is a spoken word artist, or a performance-based poet, who reads his material aloud and uses mannerisms, facial expressions and hand or body gestures to portray the meaning of his written words. He has been writing poetry since he was 14, but didn’t begin performing in front of audiences until he was 17. Soon after, McCain began receiving scholarship for his poetry. As a freshman and sophomore, McCain set out to establish himself in the small spoken word community here at the university, performing at every gig or open mic session he could get. All the while, McCain remained an active member of the fraternity Kappa Alpha Psi, managed a lucrative business selling Greek life apparel and was a full-time student. By junior year, he began to look beyond the confines of Columbia and started traveling three or four times a month
In honor of National Poetry Month, meet spoken word artist Justin McCain.
to open mic cafés in St. Louis and Kansas City. McCain says part of the reason for moving beyond Columbia was to make room for fellow artists. “Those sophomores and juniors who I’m working with directly, and editing their work and mentoring them — I want to give them the chance to really stand out in the community,” McCain says. “I want to see those other artists succeed.” One of those fellow spoken word poets that McCain mentors is MU junior Devin Chavers, who is the president of INDIE P.O.E.T.S., the only spoken word poetry organization on campus. “(McCain) was very supportive, and encouraged me to move forward with my vision and idea,” Chavers says. “He is very wise.” Right now, McCain is focusing on building up his arsenal of spoken word audio projects and intends to continue on with poetry competitions after graduation — all while running his apparel business and studying for the LSATs. Nbd.
Gramatik explores a new sound The latest release doesn't quite meet the DJ's usual standards. sarah leituala | staff writer To promote the idea of freeing music, DJ Gramatik released his album #DigitalFreedom last year and made it available for free. The Slovenian artist is known for mashing early childhood musical influences into his electronic mixes, but this last release marked a departure from his eclectic sound. In earlier releases like Beatz & Pieces Vol.1, there is an abundance of different music genres including jazz, blues, soul, funk and an occasional sound bite from some of his film influences, such as Alfred Hitchcock and Samuel L. Jackson. Those pieces set him apart from the crowd as he transformed an older generation sound into the new electronic beat. #DigitalFreedom stands for a great purpose, but the music is equivalent to the talent of any other wanna-be DJ. The beat and rhythm is repetitive throughout all six tracks, and the synths just do not correlate, giving it a cheesy sound effect. Just when the same beat does not seem to go on for long enough, Gramatik tries to add the element of surprise, but in all honestly, the techniques he uses in this album have already been done before time and time again.
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PHOTO COURTESY OF JUSTIN MCCAIN
PHOTO COURTESY OF MAGNUM PR
The track “23 Flavors” has subtle pieces of Gramatik's original quality as it incorporates sound bites of James-Brown-like yelps near the end. “Talkbox Intended” is not all that fantastic since it sounds like a remixed version of the type of music played at roller rinks back in the 90s, but it does have a unique old-school funk technique dominating the overall style. Fresh off an overseas tour, Gramatik is currently embarking on his Age of Reason tour throughout the U.S. while working on yet another album. HeRobust and Cherub will join Gramatik at The Blue Note on Wednesday night. Look for our Q&A with Gramatik online at move.themaneater.com/music.
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