APRIL 2012
YOUR introduction Who knew any college student would love living on-campus so much? The mice in the Little Building, suitemates who enter and leave loudly at all hours of the night, and the strict RA that lives in the room next door are part of the home we made for ourselves in the Emerson dorms. When the class of 2013 realized that they were no longer guaranteed on-campus housing at this time last year… well, most of hell broke loose. But, it saved a little bit of itself to pass on to the 2014ers. If you battled for a spot on campus and then realized it was time to go apartment shopping, we know why you’re upset. So let us remind you what those living-on-campus perks are:
letter from
the editors Olivia Moravec Editor-in-Chief
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Kilian Webster Assistant Editor
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1. EC Wireless. Comcast is a close second, but I’m still getting used to how reliable it is. 2. Being able to share a room with someone because it was ‘assigned’ to you. We know you’re still scared of the dark, and when you ask someone to share a room with you off-campus…. Well, they’re going to figure SOMEthing out. 3. Fire drills. No, wait, I heard it went off because someone was smoking marijuana on the 4th floor. Is there actually a fire? No, it’s definitely a drill. It’s 2 AM on a Tuesday. Why would this be a drill? 4. Seeing the person you live down the hall from, who you accidentally hooked up with during orientation week, everyday in the elevator. Then at Em Café. Then in your 10 AM class. Then at… WHY ARE THEY STILL STALKING ME? IT’S BEEN A YEAR AND A HALF. 5. Really getting to step back from school and take a break sometimes. Well, I guess that can get interrupted by the video your roommate is filming in the common room. And, maybe your MT suitemate is practicing her high notes, but none of those things make you feel like you’re at Emerson at all, right? Wait. Maybe living off-campus is a gift sent from the heavens. Oh, and say hi to your cute neighbors from all the other colleges in the area. It’s been hard to meet anyone outside of Emerson since I moved back to campus. Securitas!
YOUR introduction
Featured
Articles
6 22 34 44
MANEATER CONFESSIONAL
Article by Madeleine Andrews, Photos by Rebecca Roche
SINGING IN THE RAIN Photos by Brian Annis
RIBBONS ON THE RUNWAY
Article by Taylor Smith, Photos by Hope Kauffman
RECORD STORE DAY 2012: A PRIMER Article by Nick Johnston
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YOUR introduction Editor-In-Chief / Founder Olivia Moravec Assistant editor-in-chief Kilian Webster
managing editor Krista Firkins
head copy editor Rachael Moore
creative director Pete Ivanecky
head STYLIST Valeria Navarro
BLOG editor Lorena Mora Photo director Hope Kauffman
romance editor Madeleine Andrews
fashion editor Emily Tannenbaum
features editor Beata Rybka
a&e editor Nick Johnston
romance Writers Matthew Grossbart Caitlin Anders Frankie Olito Danielle Barker Kierston Rusden Grace Gibson
Fashion Writers Elijah Clark-Ginsberg Haile Lidow Valeria Navarro Olivia Hoffman Andrew Favorito Adriana Herdan
feature Writers Kiera Murray Christina Jedra Taylor Smith Liz Mantey Cheyenne Boccia Beth Treffeisen Nancy Valev Emily Labes
a&e Writers Jen Prince Molly O’Connor Lorena Mora Matt Merksamer Marc Hecht Charis Talcott Steve Selnick Ian Clayton Eric Gaudette Roxy Ashiru Talia Steff
Photographers Kevin Sweeney Alex Fierro-Clarke Hannah Wallace Rebecca Roche Nick Hayes Brian Annis Mimi Vechionne
STYLISTS Lacey Russell Bonnie Ong Jenna Losavio Amanda Gomez Audrey Geiger Emily Lacroix Victoria Soto
WEB Writers Raymond Bellinger Madeleine Andrews Claudia Mak Amanda Gomez Silvia Stantcheva Kaela Holmes Norma Torrey Emily Lacroix Hilary Donoghue Victoria Soto Shannon Dwyer Adrian Adamo Micaeli Rourke
Layout design Katie Lohman Claudia Mak Danielle Barker Claire Reinganum Elise Mesa Jacqueline Thomas
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Copy editors Madeleine Andrews Katelyn O’Brien Devan Norman Eric Gaudette Caitlyn Budnick Claudia Mak Olivia Jacobini Hilary Donoghue Emily Labes
YOUR introduction
Table of Contents ROMANCE
6 Maneater Confessional 8 An Emersonian’s Guide to Confronting Creeps 9 Monthly Date Ideas 10 Major Compatibility 11 The Do’s and Don’ts of Helping Your Heartbroken Friend
Madeleine Andrews Danielle Barker Frankie Olito Kierston Rusden Caitlin Anders
Rebecca Roche Alex Crowder Madeleine Andrews
12 EC Spotted 14 BIRDS OF PARADISE 18 Dressing for the Week 20 All About Accessories 21 April Showers: How to Stay Chic in the Rain 22 SINGING IN THE RAIN 28 Marvelous Men’s Trends 29 A Love Letter to the Oxford and Loafers
Selbi Taganova
Daniel Heijl Rebecca Roche Nick Hayes
30 Tea Time 31 How to Live Like the British 32 Purely Prague 34 Ribbons on the Runway 36 Next Stop: BU Central 37 KONY 2012 38 Future Tails
Beth Treffeisen Cheyenne Boccia Emily Labes Taylor Smith Liz Mantey Christina Jedra Nancy Valev
39 Happy Birthday, Monsieur Gainsbourg 40 Cult Classic of the Month: Kill Bill 41 The Arena: Burlesque 42 The Music of Mad Men 43 Perfume Genius and Chamber Pop 44 A Record Store Day 2012 Primer 46 Revolution Girl Style Now! 48 Craig Finn: Boston’s Barroom Hero
A&E Staff Matt Merksamer Roxy Ashiru Eric Gaudette Talia Steif Nick Johnston Charis Talcott Ian Clayton
FASHION
Valeria Navarro Olivia Hoffman
Alex Clarke
Adriana Herdan Brian Annis Andrew Favorito Elijah Clark-Ginsberg
FEATURES
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
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Pete Ivanecky ““ Emily Labes Hope Kauffman Kilian Webster
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YOUR romance
MANEATER CONFESSIONAL
Text // Madeleine Andrews Model // Claudia Mak Photos // Rebecca Roche
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YOUR romance
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Hall & Oates’ issued a warning with their 1986 hit single “Maneater.” In 2006, Nelly Furtado released a single of the same name and though both songs are about a woman who uses men to her advantage, Furtado’s is unapologetic. When she sings, “She’s a maneater/ make you buy cars/ make you cut cards/ wish you never ever met her at all!” she does it with a confident smile. The “double-standard” of dating culture is nothing new—guys are exalted for juggling multiple love interests while women who do the same are made to feel shameful. Today, we are seeing more and more women who refuse to feel shameful about dating around and instead embrace the term “maneater.” I talked to a few of them to gain some insight on their dating habits. Meet a few of Emerson’s self-proclaimed maneaters: Esmeralda*, senior Marketing major, Julia*, senior Journalism and Marketing double major, and Alison*, junior Communications major.
What does the term “Maneater” mean to you?
Esmeralda: I think a maneater is someone who can juggle multiple love interests without getting attached. It’s not something I do with a malicious intent. Alison: To me, it defines a girl who uses guys to get what she wants. Whether it is sex, status, money, shopping sprees.... etc. I would, without a doubt, define myself as a maneater. Julia: Being a maneater is mostly about getting guys to fall for you harder than you plan on falling for the guy. Maneaters usually aren’t looking for a relationship, and probably use this tactic as a way not to get hurt (subconsciously or consciously.) I’m a maneater. A lot of guys fall for me, or want to date me, but most of the time I’m not interested. It’s really easy to use someone who is attractive and fun to be around to pass the time, but they usually end up as a casualty.
How many guys do you tend to see at once?
Esmeralda: There were four but right now there are three. I’m open to more. Alison: I generally keep between three and five guys at my disposal. I keep them in order of value. There is the number one dude, who has money, is attractive, and takes me out in the social scene. I may not enjoy this guy’s personality as much, but he buys my dinner and drinks at nice restaurants. He may take me shopping... and he definitely drives a nice car. My number two dude is usually the guy who has an awesome personality. He is fun, charismatic, and decently attractive, but he probably works at a bar, or a snowboard shop. He’s more the stoner type. I enjoy being around him, and I have the most fun with him, but he doesn’t have the status to be number one. Any guy I keep number three or below is probably in my social group of friends, he is attractive enough to be used as arm candy when I need someone to open my door and be paired with in a social setting. But I probably don’t have any interest in this guy at all. This system of having multiple guys at my disposal is practical, and works well. However, all of these poor gentlemen tend to be head-over-heels in love with me and honestly think they have a chance of scoring me as their loving, reliable, trustworthy girlfriend. HA. Don’t get me wrong, I am very capable of being the perfect girlfriend, but I choose not to be. Julia: I feel like my average number of guys I’m seeing at once is about three. If I’m sleeping with or seeing someone, I tend to have a few other guys on the back burner just in case they break things off, are busy when I’m bored, or I get bored with them.
Are guys aware of your status as a maneater?
Esmeralda: No! I think they would be immediately put off and never talk to me again. It’s kind of tricky because there are no rules established but you just don’t ever want to know. Alison: I don’t flaunt what I do, and these guys will never meet each other under any circumstance. Julia: I absolutely never tell them I’m a maneater. I think that’s more of a respect thing. It’s an absolute turn off when someone I’m on a date with or am sleeping with talks about exes or other girls they’ve seen lately. If I’m not planning on being in a relationship with them, I don’t want to know about it. So if they aren’t asking me to be their girlfriend, I keep it on the DL. I don’t think many guys see the difference between being a maneater and a slut.
What do other women think of your dating habits?
Esmeralda: My friend’s are really accepting of it, but some people can’t quite wrap their heads around it. I get a lot of, “Another one?” Alison: All of my girlfriends know to just roll with the flow no matter who shows up as my arm candy for the night. It’s just what I do.
Ready, set… Confess!
Esmeralda: I just recently went down to my local bar with a guy I’d just started seeing and one of my favorite other guys was there. He bought me and my new guy drinks and we all hung out and I ended up having a great time but I felt awful when my favorite pulled me close and tried to kiss me as I was about to leave with my new guy! Whoops! I’m still seeing both though. Alison: Let me tell you about Ken. This poor guy thinks I am a goddess walking this earth, he thinks I am an angel in a woman’s body. He cannot resist me. He was also married.... So he was number two guy for me. He was a lot of fun and I genuinely enjoyed being with him. But I did keep my distance because I do have morals and I knew he had a wife at home. I guess things changed when he took me on a trip to Vegas with him. By this time he had been buying me all sorts of things and begging to see me every day. So I let him. Long story short he divorced his wife in hopes of making me his new beautiful bride... and I had no desire to even date him. The most maneater thing I have ever done is ruin a marriage, and his emotional sanity. He is now seeing a therapist. As much as I felt bad for this guy, I remembered that I never called this guy my boyfriend, I never told him I love him, and I never dis-
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cussed anything involving “our future” with him. Julia: I met two guys on one night. At the time I had also been talking to another guy. That night I saw two options: a really cute guy, and another really cute guy with tattoos. Because it didn’t feel like the guy I had been talking to was going to go absolutely anywhere, I didn’t feel bad for exploring other options. I went home with the really cute guy with tattoos. The next day, I was asked to dinner by both of the guys. I chose the tattooed one that I had gone home with because I had a really great time. The third one who it was going nowhere with came into my room and kissed me after I had been asked out by the other two. At that point the other options looked better, and the kiss wasn’t very good. I kept going on dates with the guy with tattoos, and actually started dating him exclusively. But when that had gone as far as it could, we broke up. That’s when I remembered the other cute guy from the same night. He and I ended up in a serious relationship for 8 or 9 months. Talking with these three ladies lead me to identify them as three distinct types of “maneater.” There’s the Romantic-in-Disguise Maneater, Esmeralda. She constantly questions whether what she is doing is moral though she always comes to decide that it is. Though she’s been let down by a slew of men, she doesn’t date around in hopes of inflicting a similar pain. She does so in hopes that she’ll find someone man enough to give her the confidence to rid herself of all the others on the back burner. There’s the Unapologetic Maneater, Alison. She’ll eat your heart, and she’s not sorry. It’s not her fault men find her irresistible, nor is it her fault that they don’t listen when she makes it clear she has no intentions being in a serious relationship. She’s fiercely loyal when she finds someone she’s actually interested in, but that’s not often. In the meantime, she’s out to enjoy what an array of men have to offer. Then there’s Julia, the Options-Open Maneater. She’s more of a man-sampler, testing out as many different flavors and varieties as she can while she’s young. She doesn’t act with malicious intent. She’s on top of her game because she acts in her own best interest—something of immeasurable importance during this time in our lives. Perhaps she put it best: “I feel like it isn’t necessarily about seeing as many guys at once as possible, but about exploring all the options to get what you want from things, and if that happens to be more men, bon appetite.” Whatever their styles of man-eating, these three women refuse to apply conventional dating standards to their own lives and for that, I commend them. *Names have been changed to protect privacy.
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An
mersonian’s Guide to Confronting Creeps
Everyone has been in that situation where you find yourself saying (or slurring) “yes” to a date with a person you actually don’t like at all—perhaps they even creep you out a bit. Or you’re in a situation where you’re trying to avoid being in the awkward presence of a stereotypical “creeper.”
Text // Danielle Barker Art // Alex Crowder
As a service to my fellow Emersonians, I’ve compiled a list of creative excuses to remove yourself from the creep who wants to spend “alone time” with you. First, there are the perverts. They’re the easy category to identify. For example, if this person has eye-sex with you every time you run into them, whether at a party or at CVS, they fall into this category. If this person whistles at you, winks excessively or makes inappropriate gestures at you and their crotch, they’re a pervert. They’re not all bad, but it’s better to avoid them altogether. Senior WLP major Alex Crowder shared his unsettling encounter with an upper-level pervert, usually identifiable as an old man in a trench coat. “I was in 7/11 and a dude asked me out on a date. He was forty, was there buying condoms, and had a beard like a foot long. I didn’t want to date him because I’m straight, but even if I weren’t he was weird as hell. I told him that I was there buying stuff for a nonexistent girlfriend,” Crowder said. I’d say this is the second-best approach. As a female, if this were to happen to me, I would leave immediately and take shelter in a densely populated area. Then, there are the “never-take-a-hint” creeps. You went on a first date, which was awful, but you’re a trooper and you managed, and now this person won’t stop calling you. Or texting you. Or chatting you via Facebook. At first you answered the texts politely, saying that you met someone recently and it wouldn’t feel right. But this type of creepy has no intentions of leaving you alone. They’re in it for the long haul, and at whatever uncomfortable cost to you. Freshmen WLP major Sydnie Lopolito was recently contacted by a middle school ex on Facebook with escalating degrees of creepiness. He even asked to meet up with her in Boston. Lopolito says, “I turned him down really nicely and said I was already seeing someone up here. I’m really non-confrontational so I don’t like shutting people down hardcore. But this approach always seems to work if you sound really sorry that you already have someone.” Creeps like this do not understand subtlety or that you don’t have any romantic interest in them. And they won’t. Ever. Stop answering their texts. Stop trying to hint, and try being as blunt as possible before they become your next stalker. Then there’s the person met and liked as an acquaintance, until they made you squirm by confessing their love to you when you’ve barely gotten to know them. This type of creepy is mild and isn’t necessarily intentional, which makes your counter-excuse even harder to generate. Be polite but firm, maybe something along the lines of: “I like you as a friend, but I’m not interested in developing a relationship with you.” It would also be helpful to mention that the way they courted you is not romantic, but in fact, creepy. The simplest way to repel a creeper, regardless of their level of creepiness, is to remove yourself from the “single-scene” by referencing a significant other, non-existent or otherwise. My advice would be to try to make your pretend-relationship as plausible as possible, while saying this with feigned sincerity. Personally, I’ve also had some success in avoiding creeps by proclaiming that my sexual preference is whatever gender they are not. Be wary of this, however, because males tend to like lesbians just as much (if not more) than they like straight girls. If the creep poses a more significant threat to you or your well-being, don’t respond to their advances and physically remove yourself from them. Or, if the creep in question is slowly evolving into your stalker, stop dropping hints and start being forward with them in terms of how their attention makes you feel uncomfortable. If nothing else, use your common sense and your intuition.
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MONTHLY DATE Ideas Text // Frankie Olito Photos // Madeleine Andrews
Well folks, it’s April. You know what they say, “April showers bring May flowers.” So, this month’s date ideas take refuge from the storms in hip, unique places. Romantic strolls through the park or an expensive dinner are so last season. This month treat your date to a real entertaining night; experience the culture and true enjoyment that the youthful city of Boston has to offer.
Put a Bit of Flare in Your Relationship at Ryles Jazz Club Sick of a sitting at an unappealing restaurant, talking about uninteresting topics? Then, go to Ryles Jazz Club in Cambridge to put a new twist on your date—literally. At this unique date spot, you and your date can Salsa, Cha-Cha and Meringue dance to the best Latin music in Boston. For $10, you can get close to your partner in the most sensual way.
Put a Bit of Party in Your Relationship at The Middle East Music is something everyone loves, so connect to your date on that level at The Middle East by Central Square to sing and dance to some great musical guests. With four performance spaces, you are sure to party in a great way. $15 will buy you a night of rock ‘n roll—maybe in more ways than one.fdg
Put a Bit of Intelligence in Your Relationship at the Cantab Maybe you’re too uncoordinated for salsa dancing or musically challenged for a concert. Then have no fear, the poets are here! Every Wednesday night at the Cantab in Cambridge, there is an open mic where poets can perform their works to the public. You and your date can listen to some great writing as you share a romantic, intellectual chitchat. If you are a braver lover, then you can perform and confess your true feelings to your date (just don’t take this one too far.)
Put a Bit of Sport in Your Relationship at Lucky Strike Lane
Are you and your date a bit more athletic and fit? Well, a game of tackle football wouldn’t be the right way to go, but a relaxed game of bowling at Lucky Strike Lane will satisfy any competitive player. Near Fenway Park, you and your date could enjoy some friendly competition and snack on some childhood goodies like “Mac & Cheese Bites” as you get to know each other.
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y t i l i b i ompat
MAJOR C
Ability and personality are the two main contributing factors in job and intimate relationship satisfaction. John L. Holland, Hopkins University professor, believes all people fall into one or more personality type: realistic, investigative, artistic, social, enterprising and conventional. Therefore, we choose our career paths based on whether that job interests us and suits our abilities and personalities. Similarly, a person chooses an intimate partner based on whether their significant other is interesting and compatible to their own abilities and personality. Emersonians know what we like and don’t like. The trick is unveiling our core interests to put ourselves in a more suitable environment for happiness. Each personality type Holland defines is arranged into a hexagon based on a person’s preference for working with different stimuli: people, data, things, and ideas. If you have a different personality type than another person, you’ll most likely prefer working with different stimuli. The career choice most in order with those stimuli is likely the most satisfying choice. The same goes for relationships. Based on Holland’s research, I’ve attempted to sort Emerson’s majors into Holland’s hexagon. Remember, though, that this is just a model - it certainly will not work for every relationship. (R) Realistic - Communication Studies, Political Communications, Post-Production Realistic people are the “doers.” They deal with things. Holland describes these people as practical, straightforward, thrifty, curious, stable, self-controlled, independent, ambitious, and persistent. (I) Investigative - Journalism, Animation and Motion Media, Cinematography/Videography, Documentary Production, Interactive Media Investigative people are the “thinkers.” They deal with things and ideas. They are inquisitive, intellectual, observant, precise, self-confident, introspective, broad-minded, independent, logical, complex, and attentive. (A) Artistic - Writing, Literature and Publishing, Writing for Film and Television, Acting, Musical Theater Performance, Directing Narrative Fiction, Experimental Media Production, Film We’re certainly all artistic at Emerson, but according to Holland, artistic people are “creators” who deal with ideas and people. They are creative, innovative, emotional, independent, expressive, impulsive, sensitive, coura-
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Text // Kierston Rudsen
geous, complicated, and idealistic. (S) Social - Communication Sciences and Disorders Social people are the “helpers.” They deal with people. They are inspiring, friendly, helpful, understanding, generous, responsible, patient, empathic, kind, and insightful. (E) Enterprising - Marketing Communications, Theater Education, Producing, Studio Television Production, Radio These are the “persuaders.” Enterprising people deal with data and people. They are self-confident, sociable, persuasive, enthusiastic, adventurous, impulsive, ambitious, agreeable, extroverted, and optimistic. (C) Conventional - Design/Technology, Stage and Production Management, Theater Studies, Media Studies, Sound Design/Audio These are considered the “organizers.” They are accurate, careful, efficient, practical, self-controlled, obedient, determined, competent, and professional. So now that the majors are sorted, which personality types are most compatible? It’s simple. “R”s are most compatible with “I”s and “C”s, because where “R”s deal with things, “I”s and “C”s deal with ideas and data. “I”s are most compatible with “R”s and “A”s, because where “I”s deal with things and ideas, “R”s and “A”s deal with things, ideas, and people. “A”s are most compatible with “I”s and “S”s, because where “A”s deal with ideas and people, “I”s and “S”s deal with things, ideas, and people. “S”s are most compatible with “A”s and “E”s, because “S”s deal with ideas and people, where “A”s and “E”s deal with ideas, people, and data. “E”s are most compatible with “S”s and “C”s because all 3 deal with data and people. “C”s are compatible with “E”s and “R”s, because “C”s deal with data, where “E”s and “R”s data, people, and ideas. The stimuli complement.
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Here are some real life couples that prove compatible using this model: James Harness (I - Journalism, 2013) and Mitchell Canfield (A - Musical Theater, 2013) James Harness: “I come up with the ideas and he executes. He’s definitely creative and able to create (two different things), where as I feel more innovative in the sense that I have a vision for what I want to see and how to manipulate the tools I have to get me there. We definitely compliment each other in the ‘ism’ department, too. Mitchell is idealistic where as I am realistic. I’m quite the day dreamer and have a good gauge on what’s ‘new, or up and coming.’ I’m very aware of what makes what what. It’s a nice balance. On the whole we’re both complex people. Take my preciseness/observatory skills and perfectionist tendencies and mix in his impulsive, emotional, creativity: you’ve got our relationship! If you can open yourself to the areas in which you lack and your partner is strong, and use that to both of your advantage, that’s the ticket. You’ve gotta see past the differences.” Eliza Florendo (I - Journalism, 2014) and Mark Woit (R - Digital Post Production, 2014) Eliza Florendo: “As a journalism major, I’m always asked to think, be curious, and observe everything around me to answer a questions. Mark, who’s in post-production, is definitely a doer. I think we’re compatible because we’re both curious, but in different ways. Mark is much more reserved than me, he’s self-controlled in what he says and sometimes deals with things on his own. Me, on the other hand, I’m much louder and out there, and that’s why journalism is a great major for me. I always ask a billion questions and you can’t be shy while doing that. If we were both loud and out there all the time, then it would almost be like we’re competing. Our personalities complement each other because he can quiet me down when needed, and I can bring him out of his shell when needed as well.”
The Do’s and Don’ts of Helping Your Heartbroken Friend
YOUR romance
Text // Caitlin Anders Photos // Alex Clarke
It’s the end of long day of papers and commitments, and you’re just getting ready to indulge in that elusive thing called sleep when you hear her enter your common room. There is your beautiful friend, makeup running, barely forming words between sobs. Even without her cries making sense, you know what she’s trying to tell you. When a friend is suddenly single and devastated by the break up, we’re the ones left trying to figure out what to say and how to help. It can be a difficult thing to navigate, and we obviously can’t fix things completely, but there are things we can do to lessen the pain. When she first flies frantically through the door in tears, the best thing to do in that moment is to just listen and let her cry. Whether she was the dumper or the dumpee, when it first happens she probably isn’t looking for advice because she doesn’t even want to think about it; she just wants to vent or cry, or both. The best thing that you, as a friend, can do is be there for her. If she wants someone there with her, be there. If she wants to be alone, let her have that but reassure her that you’re just a text away. Giving her the reassurance that, even though her relationship just ended, she still isn’t alone is one of the best, and only, things you can do for her initially. Once the initial shock has worn off and all of the Ben and Jerry’s available at the C Store has been consumed, she may want to actually talk about what happened. As friends, our primary job in this situation is to listen. Ask clarifying questions if you need to, but don’t offer too much of your own advice or opinion unless asked for it. Asking leading questions can be
helpful, too, so that she can figure out on her own how she’s feeling without having someone else put ideas into her head. Talking about yourself and constantly bringing it back to you isn’t what your friend needs in that moment; she needs it to be all about her. In a situation where she feels like she’s lost all control, let her take some of it back by deciding what she needs from you. Let her know what you can do for her as well. If she’s afraid she’ll text him, make sure she knows she can always text or call you instead. Knowing she doesn’t have to do it all alone will be one of the biggest comforts to her. Despite the things she says, though, try not to bad mouth her now ex-significant-other too much, because you don’t know how the situation will play out. If you reveal that you never liked them anyway and then a week later they’re back together it may cause a riff in your relationship with one or both of them. If, after all the crying and cursing, they end up back together, support your friend’s decision the best you can. Maybe it will seem like all the drama was for nothing, but in the end it’s her decision, not yours. Even if the break up doesn’t last the best thing you can do is still support her, no matter what. Questioning her decision or getting mad at her will just make her feel like you were only helping her through the break up because you disliked her significant other in the first place, even if it’s not true. Dealing with a break up is never fun, and even if it’s not your own, it can be a lot to go through because we tend to take on our friends’ pain as well as our own. Knowing when to swallow your words and just listen while offering your support, however, will be your best tool in combating all of the emotions that come when a relationship ends.
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YOUR fashion
ecspotted this month Text//Selbi Taganova Photos//Daniel Hejl
Dagny Blomster Marketing ‘14 Spotted across from Boloco
Jacket-Madewell; Hat, Top, Bag, Rings-LF; Shoes-Stella
Cody Jue Marketing ‘12 Spotted at the Boston Commons
Jacket-Element; Sweater, Watch-Asos; ShirtForever 21; Jeans-ZARA; Shoes-All Saints; Umbrella-American Apparel; Bag-Grafea
Crystal Yuen Communication Studies ’14 Spotted across from Boloco
Jacket-Ragged Priest; Kimono, Jewelry-LF; Shoes-Jeffrey Campbell; Shirt-H&M; Jeans-Zara; Bag-Alexander Wang; Watch-Michael Kors; BeltMossimo; Headphones-Skull Candy
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Kate Hillenbrand Media Studies ‘15 Spotted at the Little Building
Jacket – Barbour; Shirt – Uniqlo; Jeans – Citizens for Humanity; Boots – Miu Miu; Bag – Marc Jacobs; Necklace, Ring – Forever 21; Watch – Swatch
Dana Nurse WLP ‘15 Spotted at the Little Building
Jacket – Express; Shirt – H&M; Hat – Forever 21; Jeans – H&M; Shoes – Aldo; Bag – NYX boutique
Srda Vasiljevic Theater Studies/Directing ‘14 Spotted at Boston Commons
Sweater – Urban Outfitters; Jeans – ZARA; Shirt – H&M; Shoes – All Saints; Necklace – Raygun
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Birds of Paradise Photos // Rebecca Roche
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Models // Sydney Kirsten, Celine Allende, Molly Pietroski and Luisa Abbo
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HOLIDAY: Ring Horn $48 LIT: Batzuing Top $86 Two Tone Skirt $39
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HOLIDAY: Collar Necklace $48 LIT: Purple Pleated High Low Dress $136
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HOLIDAY: Ribbon Bracelet $38 Collar Necklace $48 LIT: Peach Bradshaw $120 Ricci Hot Belt $32
HOLIDAY: Green Francis Dress $238 Green Gold Earrings $30 LIT: Ricci Hot Belt $32 Green Back Petal $55
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A WEEK IN
Outfits
What to wear, where to wear it, and how to wear it OUTFIT #1
Where to wear it: Classes What to wear: Pink pants, purple shiny top, black flats, and a diamond chain necklace. How to wear it: Let’s start off the week by looking fabulous and fresh. Since spring is almost here, I opted for pink colored pants, a purple shiny top (there could never be enough sparkles in an outfit!), and a cute necklace to finish the look off.
OUTFIT #2
Where to wear it: Meetings What to wear: Floral skirt, green longsleeve blouse, and a black blazer. How to wear it: Whenever I have a meeting I like to look professional, but still fashionable and young. A must-have item that instantly adds a professional touch to an outfit is a blazer. You can wear blazers with almost anything, and it won’t fail to impress your peers.
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OUTFIT #3
Where to wear it: Coffee What to wear: Black pants, black top, oxford shoes, and a colorful necklace. How to wear it: In the midst of meetings and classes, we all need our coffee break. This time, I opted for an entirely black outfit and a bright necklace to add a touch of color. The key of this look the classic oxford shoes that never go out of style.
OUTFIT #4
Where to wear it: Date Night What to wear: Fitted jeans, black Peter Pan collar top, and a teal eyelet top How to wear it: The outfit will depend on where you and your beau are going for your romantic stroll. A safe, yet cute, option is a fitted jean with a cute top to bring up the outfit. Dates are all about being yourself and feeling comfortable with who you are. 19
OUTFIT #5
Where to wear it: Girls’ Night Out What to wear: Black fitted skirt, colorful crop top, and a long chain necklace. How to wear it: It’s the end of the week, which means it’s time to go out with the girls and have some fun. Fitted skirts, jeans, or anything that emphasizes your body is good for a night out. It’s all about having fun and embracing your feminine side.
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YOUR fashion
All About ACCESSORIES Text//Olivia Hoffman
Must Haves for Spring and Summer
Accessories for this spring and summer are slowly making their way onto the shelf. This season, every shade of yellow is going to be big, especially yellow handbags and clutches. I, myself, own a mustard yellow leather turn lock bag that I can’t wait to wear to the beach. Also, reptile-hide bags, which I thought I’d never ever be into, are becoming popular this season, specifically crocodile and python. My dream bag for summer is a Marc by Marc Jacobs leather turn lock python purse. It is bright yellow-lime colored with a faint snake print texture that shines in the sun. The inside of the bag is a metallic python print which is quite cool looking. Cross body bags and messenger bags have started to pop up in the midst of my online shopping addiction, as well. Multi-pocketed messenger bags are too cute and go really well with springy/summery floral dresses. And of course, the forever-popular mini tote bags are great in the spring and summer.
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We talked bags, now let’s talk jewelry, sunglasses, and hats. Baby blue earrings (studs and dangling ones) are going to be popular this spring. Fluorescent green stud earrings will be as well. I love the pastel bangle watches for spring, especially the new bright yellow Kate Spade ‘carousel’ watch. In terms of sunglasses, my two favorites are the RayBan cat’s eye retro sunglasses and the round-framed baby pink or tortoise sunglasses. Metal aviators are also popular, but I’ve never been a huge fan of aviators. And last but not least, hats. I’m partial to the sunny straw bucket hats. They’re absolutely adorable! My favorite hat, and one that I just purchased during spring break, is a big black sunhat with an oversized floppy brim. Just thinking about the spring and summer makes me so excited for a new season of warm weather with tan skin, outdoor seating, and, of course, bright, colorful fashion.
APRIL SHOWERS Believe it or not, spring has sprung. This piece of news brings along a lot of happiness for the residents of Boston; it means the disgusting winter is finally over, and summer is only a few months away. The downside of spring is that the weather changes a lot and we are visited by my personal enemy: rain. But April showers don’t necessarily have to dampen your mood; you can make a splash in all the cute rain gear that’s popular this year
YOUR fashion Text // Adriana Herdan
How to Stay Chic in the Rain
My recommended list of rainy day must haves is:
Rain boots: Yes they may make you look like a gardener but let’s face it, they’re the only shoes that won’t get ruined when puddle hoping.
Boot liners: To keep your feet warm inside those rain boots. Umbrellas: Since this season is all about pastel colors, your umbrella should be no exception. Take cover under a baby pink umbrella that instantly adds sweetness to any look. Trench coat: We all go through the constant spring dilemma where it’s not cold enough to wear a coat, yet not warm enough to leave the house without something on. This is where trench coats come in handy, since they’re the perfect solution for when it’s too warm for a coat and too cold for a light jacket. You can opt for a more classic model or take advantage of the fact that this season’s collections are full of color and buy a bright colored one or one with a funky print. Hairy situation: Let’s face it, rainy days and good hair is impossible to achieve. If you see its drizzling outside it probably means frizz for your locks. The best solution or prevention method to avoid Diana Ross hair is to wear it up. Now a lot of people are completely opposed to wearing their hair up because it makes them feel less feminine, but celebrities such as Blake Lively, who constantly wears her hair in high ponytails and experiments with braids, has made wearing your hair up an effortless way to look glamorous. And as Pablo Picasso said: “it is when a girl wears her hair up that you can tell if she is truly beautiful.”
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SINGING in the rain
Photos // Brian Annis - Models // Rachel Agnir, Erin Mahoney and Nicholas de la Canal - Clothes // Artifaktori
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MARVELOUS MEN’S TRENDS
Text // Andrew Favorito Spring is in full force everywhere these days; whether it’s the temperature outside, our mindset towards schoolwork or the fact that every store I step into is pushing their “it-items” for the season in my face. Now that this lack of a New England winter is no longer, it’s time to embrace what’s really important – feeling good and looking fabulous for the coming months. “Where do I begin?” you may be asking yourself, but don’t fear – transitioning to spring is going to be easier than squeezing into last year’s bathing suit. So, here’s what you’ll need: Color, my dears, is EVERYWHERE this spring. Forget about drab safari colors like khaki and olive green - they’re a snooze. No one is going to believe that you’re headed for an expedition in the African Serengeti as you sit in the EmCafe. Instead, break out those primary colors and disregard the innocent pastels they’re advertising for women – we’re better than that. Go for strong, bold, in-your-face colors that are enough to empower the most delicate of men; and they don’t have to be expensive enough to empty your bank account. At H&M alone, there are plenty of affordable options in the forms of fluorescent button downs ($19.95) to divinely trendy swim trunks (17.95). Even Ray-Ban, the purveyor of all-American classic eyewear, is making their signature Wayfarers and aviator frames in a slew of colors that are absolutely right-now. Still, are you feeling, as P’trique says in the “Sh*t Fashion Girls Say” videos, spendy? Head to Barneys, where I’ve been lusting over a pair of fabulous Gant Rugger neon-green cargo pants, and you’ll be all set. The price for those babies? $235. Worth. Every. Penny. The next thing you’ll need is simple – a classic shoe. Don’t worry about the style, whether it’s a boat shoe, a loafer, a lace-up oxford, or even a pair of sneakers. Don’t let the word “classic” fool you, they’re as amazing now as they were when they were first launched. J.Crew has teamed up with New Balance this season for a redone version of their original running shoe, and the color palette isn’t anything close to being dated. Colette, the French boutique of amazingness, has recreated the Nike Air Tailwind sneaker in a color combination they’ve dubbed “disco,” and at Saks they’re selling Tod’s classic suede loafers in a whole range of colors. Plus, Sperry has done up their Authentic Original boat shoe with a bold new concept – a colored sole (the pair with the black leather upper and neon yellow sole is currently sitting in my online shopping cart). For only $90, the investment in a timeless shoe is well justified.
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A Love Letter
YOUR fashion
to Two American
Classics
If you’re a regular reader of my column (hi mom), you should be acquainted with the love affair that I’m having with the oxford cotton button-down (colloquially known as the OCBD). Second only to that particular dalliance is that which I have with the good old-fashioned penny loafer. Together they form the bedrock of my sartorial canon and, along with a great pair of raw denim, they make up my desert island outfit (and my uniform for the warmer months). So, what’s so great about these two American classics? Well, it has a lot to do with the fact that they are, indeed, classics. Button-down shirts (meaning shirts with buttoned-down collars, not just any shirt with a button front) were introduced at the end of the 19th century by the esteemed and distinctly American haberdasher Brooks Brothers. In the 1950s, the OCBD became a standard among the Ivy League crowd. It’s a piece that has stood the test of time. If you walked down Newbury Street today, you’d see them offered by everyone from H&M to Ralph Lauren to Thom Browne (and yes, of course, Brooks Brothers).
Text//Elijah Clark-Ginsberg
As if being a pair of enduring classics wasn’t enough, I love the oxford and loafer combo because it’s so damn comfy and easy. Slipping on a pair of loafers and throwing on an OCBD isn’t much more demanding than slumming it in man-Uggs and a baggy sweatshirt. However, the results are infinitely better. The soft washed cotton of an oxford and the broken-in leather of a wellloved pair of loafers is as comfy as you can hope to get while looking that put-together. Ye of little faith may be thinking “Classic? So I’ll look like my dad?” The solution, as it usually is, is fit. Forget big, billowy oxfords and opt for a slimmed down model with high armholes. Gitman Vintage (available at Stel’s and Barney’s) makes a fantastic slimmed down OCBD or, for the true original, try the Brooks Brothers extra-slim fit. Pair the shirt with some slim denim or chinos and you needn’t worry about being mistaken for a soccer (or tennis) dad. That said, if your dad has a pair of old loafers in your size kicking around, by all means snap those up. You can also start your own legacy with a pair from Alden, Rancourt, or Oak Street Bootmakers. And, of course, Bass’s Weejun line is still a great source for affordable loafers.
I love the oxford and loafer combo because it’s so damn comfy and easy
The penny loafer comes to us by way of the Norwegians, who wore them in the 1930s for dairy farming and, presumably, listening to black metal. G.H. Bass added the distinctive cutout strap in 1934, putting the penny in penny loafer, and named them Weejuns, after their homeland.
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“Tea Time”
“If you are cold, tea will warm you, if you are too heated, it will cool you; if you are depressed, it will cheer you; if you are excited, it will calm you.” --Gladstone (1865) Victorian Prime Minister of Britain
Text//Beth Treffeisen
In a world that is generally too busy to sit down and sip a cup of tea, one may wonder what is so special about teatime. Not only is it a place where you can sit down and relax after a hard day, but also, it’s a way to rejuvenate, reflect upon your day, and socialize with those around you. Teatime in America today may be becoming a lost art, but it wasn’t always that way. Colonists used to drink a lot of tea, and when the British government harshly taxed tea, they revolted against them resulting in the Boston Tea Party incident. Ever since, Americans seem to have moved towards coffee as their significant drink. Even though America is mostly viewed as a coffee drinking nation, tea drinking is on the increase and its sales are growing around the nation. According to The State of the U.S. Tea Industry by Joseph P. Simrany, the President of the Tea Association, the tea industry has survived a lot better than other industries during the recession, and the U.S. has actually seen a dramatic increase in tea imports. Versus last year, the estimated increased has been roughly of 10%, creating a new record of 274 million pounds of tea being imported into America. Now, where is all this tea going if Americans drink coffee? Well, if you take a trip down to your nearby grocery store you might notice more products have tea as an ingredient. These products include soft beverages that are easy to drink on the go, medicines that include tea products, an increased availability of exotic teas, and now, even coffee shops are offering tea. People are learning about the health benefits of tea and are moving back to drinking it for these benefits. Tea contains a lot of antioxidants that kill off free radicals within your body. Free radicals are free floating in your body and can cause your body to become weaker, making you more prone to sickness. Brian, the store manager at Teavana a nearby teashop said, “Loose leaf tea is healthier than tea bagged and people realize that.” Loose-leaf tea is better because of the size of the leaves, according to Loose Tea Vs. Tea Bags by Sean Paajanen. Tea leaves contain chemicals and essential oils, and when they are broken up, such as in a tea bag, many of the oils can evaporate leaving the tea drinker with a dull and less beneficial cup of tea. Many who do go for the loose-leaf tend to stay with hot tea because it is easier to make. “It’s all about instant gratification,” said Brian, who had to keep his last name anonymous. People just don’t have time anymore to sit down and have a good cup of tea. In fact, many of the historic hotels in Boston no longer have a designated teatime. “The restaurant got rid of it around August or September because of change in ownership,” said Carlos Wilson, an employee of the catering service at the Boston Park Hotel. “It was one of the things they decided under the new direction.” The same thing happened at the Ritz-Carlton on the Boston Common. They changed management and the restaurant decided to eliminate teatime. Izan Gonzalev a worker at the hotel’s restaurant said, “We still serve tea, just without the pastries and stuff.” The hotels in the area that do still have tea time only serve it on the weekends and require reservations to get in. The Four Seasons Hotel has teatime from 3:15 to 4:15 and the Lounge at Taj Boston also has teatime, but only on the weekends from 2:00 to 4:00.
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In both places teatime is very popular and can tend to be a bit pricy for the average college student. At the Lounge at Taj Boston, the price of teatime is 37 dollars. As well, most people today no longer follow the designated times to drink tea. In Britain there are two times a day where you can potentially have tea. There is afternoon teatime at around three to five that is served with small scones and other sweet pastries. There is also high tea time that is served with dinner and has heavier foods served along with it. If you’re living on a budget like most college students are and still want to enjoy teatime, YourMag is hosting a cotillion that will include a tea party and dance. This will include etiquette lessons and dinner sometime in early April. But if going to an expensive hotel is not for you, and you seem to always be in a rush, tea is always a to-go option at nearby coffee shops. If you bring your own tea bag to the EmCafe, they will give you free hot water to put in your mug. Before you grab that next cup of Joe why don’t you think about trying a nice hot cup of tea instead.
Illustration // Pete Ivanecky
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How To:
Live Like the British
Text//Cheyenne Boccia
It would seem that the USA is country of anglophiles. British emulation might as well be a national pastime. It could be the appeal of their style, edgy cities, or irresistible accents, but many Americans would gladly give their last quid for just a smidge of that famous Brit je ne se quoi. Virtually anyone would give up their fish and chips for effortlessly edgy style and a perfectly cheeky Brit attitude. It’s just so Brit and that’s enough to make any American jump on the copy cat train. The question remains: How to be Brit without looking like a total wanker. Just read on down the list and give it a welly. See just how Brit you can be.
1. Drink Tea
It’s a bit stereotypical, but Brits love their tea. Get fancy with it! “With tea, a lot of people will sit on the lawn and have tea and biscuits in the afternoon. That would definitely be something that would make you more British,” said real-life Brit, Stephanie Brandbury, a sophomore journalism major. Have a gourmet selection of good tea. No Lipton English Breakfast; you’re way more Brit than that. Add cream, sugar lumps, and cute little teacups with a matching saucer. Sip slowly and make the afternoon complete with some Brit Pop and a good novel, preferably one featuring a handsome English hero with a killer accent.
2. Wear Perfume
Like French women, British women seem to have their own signature scent. “Women wear so much perfume there. It smells good, but damn!” noted senior WLP major Gina Bowen, on a recent trip across the pond. Perfume is seen as a sign of class, elegance, and grace. Combine that with those accents and adorable little hats and even a lady of the evening would appear to be the Queen.
3. Cover Up Your Top
Part of the charm of British style is its underlying sex appeal. Women don’t show as much skin, but still look effortless and beautiful. Try buttoning up just one more button or, better yet, wear a turtleneck to keep out that soggy English chill. For inspiration, check out actually British retailers like Top Shop or Jack Wills.
4. Show Some Skin on the Bottom
No need to cover up completely. Balance out a modest top with some leg. Try a button-up top with some short-shorts or a chunky sweater with a sequin skirt. It’s all about creating a one-of-a-kind look with balance.
5. Live in the Moment
Carpe Diem, seize the day. “I’d also say [they are] more laid back. British women our age don’t seem as concerned with the future as American women to me,” commented Bowen. This could be where their effortlessness seems to come from. They live in the moment more, thus they enjoy their time more. What American girl wouldn’t want a chance to slow down a bit?
So there it is, a handy dandy checklist of simple tops to turn any Rosie the Riveter into Queen Elizabeth. After all, aren’t we all the same on the inside? What really separates those fabulous Brits from us Americans? It’s got to be those accents.
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Purely Prague
Text & Photos//Emily Labes
Having never been to Europe, I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I arrived at the Prague International Airport. What I didn’t expect were two members of airport personnel in matching Lycra capri pants, rollerblading around the baggage claim area. For a moment, I thought that perhaps what I was seeing was merely a hallucination induced by sixteen hours of travel (including a grueling 7.5 hour layover in London), but I ultimately decided to chalk it up to culture shock, rather than my potential insanity. When I passed through security, I was anxiously greeted by Renée Hoskin; a close friend, fellow Emersonian, and the reason for my trip. This semester, Renée is taking a leave of absence from Emerson so that she can participate in NYU’s semester-long journalism program in Prague. After a lot of hugging and – I’m not ashamed to admit it – a few happy tears, we exchanged my American money for Czech korun (singular: koruna), and caught a cab. The first thing I noticed was that because of the exchange rate, I had walked away with several thousand korun in my wallet. This is because one koruna is worth roughly .05 American dollars. Overall, Prague is a much less expensive city to live in than Boston; in fact, Renée said that she spends less money in a month in Prague than she does in a week in America. Renée also mentioned that while the cabs at the airport are typically safe, under any other circumstances, one should call a cab rather than hail one on the street. Apparently, quite a few American students have drunkenly hailed cabs after a long night out and inevitably ended up beaten, mugged, and left in the middle of nowhere. However, Renée assured me that the city is incredibly safe, as long as you’re aware of your surroundings and are cautious. After about a half hour in the cab, we arrived at Osadni, Renée’s dorm. That particular NYU dorm is located in Praha 7, a short tram ride and an even shorter metro ride from downtown. As I would later discover though, the walk to town is quite pleasant. But because I was tired from a long day of traveling, we decided to rest and gear up for one of the best weeks of my life.
CUISINE:
Prague is a Mecca for meat-and-potato lovers. Old Town is filled with food carts, many of which sell assortments of smoked sausages. In addition, the more touristy areas of the city feature restaurants of a variety of international cuisines. However, the local food is more than satisfactory. A typical Czech restaurant has a few floors adjoined by winding staircases with friendly and speedy service, and outlandish décor. My favorite spot here, Pêt Pênez, is a Czech hole-in-the-wall located in Praha 7, just a few blocks from the hostel where we were staying. If you order a grilled cheese, you will be presented with a plate containing a melty wedge of Brie served over homemade cranberry sauce with four pieces of toast to dip in the concoction.
ACCOMMODATIONS:
While there are more than enough hotels in Prague, hostels are a less expensive and equally as viable of an option – assuming you can secure a private room. Because Renée and I were being met by friends, we decided to rent a private room for the week in a hostel called Plus Prague, a few streets away from Renée’s dorm in Praha 7. The rooms were fairly clean and spacious. A four-person private room in the hostel will cost roughly $9 per person per night.
FASHION:
The Prague fashion scene has developed a great deal in recent years. Renée, who interns for Czech InStyle, says that the featured trends each month are variations of the trends featured in American and British InStyle the month before. However, because much of the city is paved with bricks and cobblestones, women tend not to bother as much with heels. This season, asymmetrical hems, bright colors, and crazy patterns are especially popular.
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LANGUAGE:
As a language where “no,” literally means, “yes,” (which caused a great deal of confusion at restaurants, convenient stores, and bars) Czech can be a very difficult language to understand. In fact, until my third or fourth day here, it was almost impossible for me to even distinguish when the Czech language was being spoken around me. Fortunately though, almost everyone you will encounter in Prague knows at least a little English. The few phrases every American tourist should know are, “Dobry den,” which means “good day,” and “Nemluvím anglicky,” which means “I don’t speak English.”
NIGHT LIFE:
Prague is home to some of the hottest nightclubs in all of central Europe. One such club, Karlovy Lazne, has five floors, each with a dance floor and a different theme. However, due to its fame, it is a bit pricier than other popular clubs, and it is primarily populated by tourists. The Czech citizens themselves are more likely to gravitate to clubs that are further out of downtown, like Sa Sa Zu, which is located in a compound also in Praha 7. The club features numerous bars that line the walls, high ceilings, and one huge central dance floor. On Wednesday night, some of Renée’s classmates suggested we go to the club for a Purim party that had been advertised. Because Purim is the equivalent of Jewish Halloween, they assumed that the event was merely an excuse for a costume party. However, once we arrived, it became clear that the party was far more ethnic than we anticipated. A giant curtain had been pulled down the center of the dance floor to separate men and women, and the club was primarily populated by middleaged and elderly Hasidic Jewish men. There were also traditional Jewish folk songs mixed in with the typical techno music (not unlike “club music” in the states). Renée’s friends promised me that this was not a typical night at Sa Sa Zu, and we left after a half hour in favor of Cross Club, a favorite haunt of the NYU Prague students. Before leaving though, we got to witness a Michael Jackson impersonator and some of Renée’s male friends breaking it down with the Hasids.
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THE SIGHTS:
As anyone who has ever visited Prague will tell you it is truly a beautiful city. The architecture is fascinating and diverse with buildings of almost every notable style. You want Gothic? Visit Prague Castle. You want Baroque? Visit The Church of Our Lady Victorious. Of course, no American should miss Wenceslas Square, The Charles Bridge, and my personal favorite, The John Lennon Wall. When Lennon was killed, students graffitied the wall in his honor every night, and every day it would be covered by the authorities. But the students persisted – not only to commemorate Lennon, but also in protest of the communist regime. I don’t think I’ll ever see anything quite as beautiful as the view of the entire city at sunset from the top of a hill in Little Town that we ventured to on my first full day there. I think that’s when it first hit me that I was actually in Prague. In a town with so much culture and history, it’s simply impossible to see everything. But for one moment on top of that hill, I really got to see it all.
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YOUR features
Ribbons on theFashion Runway: & Funds Text//Taylor Smith
Photography// Hope Kauffman
A night filled with glamour for a good cause. What could be better than that? On March 25th, Alpha Epsilon Phi held its annual charity fashion show and charity auction, Ribbons on the Runway. At 6 P.M. a crowd congregated at the Bill Bordy Theater to participate in this charitable event. Tickets were $10 for general audience and only $5 for students. The fashionable night began with a mocktail hour, hors d’evours, and socializing while guests gazed upon the silent auction. There were a vast array of products available for bidding, including a two night stay in the Liberty Hotel valued at over $1500, a basketball signed by the Celtics, a ski vacation in Vermont, and numerous themed baskets and restaurant gift cards. After the auction, the event transitioned into a fullscale runway show. Students wore renowned designers such as Betsey Johnson, LF Boston, Enamour Clothing, Kokoon, Lipstick Botique, and Jack Wills. The runway event itself lasted about an hour, and the silent auction winners were announced afterwards. Last year the event managed to raise $5,000 for Sharsheret, the national nonprofit organization run by cancer survivors dedicated to helping Jewish women before, during, and after diagnosis of breast or ovarian cancer. The gene mutation that is connected with breast and ovarian cancer is ten times more prevalent in Jewish women than any other ethnicity. This makes them genetically more susceptible to both diseases. Sharsheret’s goal is to create a support system of young cancer survivors for women to contact and to promote the message that it’s possible to beat cancer. AEPhi received outstanding support at last year’s Ribbons on the Runway from the Emerson community as well as designers and stylists,
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many of whom have reconnected with the project this year. The event has helped the sorority gain a great amount of credibility. This year, the sisters are aiming to pass $8,000 with their larger budget and new additions to the event. Ribbons on the Runway was started eight years ago by an AEPhi sister as an Independent Study Project. Her mother had been diagnosed with breast cancer, and the sorority found a way to support her. It started off simply, with student designers and a small silent auction. “In its eight year run, the event has become nearly unrecognizable from its inception, but we have striven to remain true to the original intent of Ribbons on the Runway. No matter how glamorous the affair becomes, in the end it is still about helping people and supporting a cause that we, as a sorority, fervently believe in,” explains Mykah Murphy, Fashion Show Coordinator. Murphy and Hope Kauffman are in charge of the sorority’s nationally recognized philanthropy. They are hoping to see the event expand even further in the future. There have been discussions about possiblly relocating off campus to a banquet hall or a hotel to provide more of a high-fashion feel. AEPhi hopes to make Ribbons less of a college event, and more open to the general public. Moving off campus would increase the guest list, because the Bill Bordy Theater’s capacity is limited. “This year has been huge for us in that we’ve been able to collaborate with renowned designers such as Betsey Johnson and Jack Wills. We’d like to see that go further, until this becomes an event that the entire Boston community can look forward to much in the same way as Boston Fashion Week,” says Murphy.
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Next Stop Green Line: BU Central Text// Liz Mantey
Photos// Kilian Webster
Next time you find yourself on a weekend with nothing to do before you head out for the night, try heading out to Boston University. Boston University has three T-stops: Central, West, and East. Taking the T to the Central stop leaves you the perfect spot for exploring. As Emersonians, we love a good thrifting trip. Goodwill is not far from the BU central T-stop. Most of the tops, shirts, and blouses can all be purchased for under $5. The friendly atmosphere and clean, open space sets you in the right frame of mind. Though you may have to search for that special top, it will be all worth it when you find a deal. One time I found a Chanel blouse for only ten dollars. It is a definite must on a good thrifter’s list. Ever wish that you could get a good look at the stars but the city fog and buildings are blocking your view? Plan a trip to the Public Open Night at the Observatory. It is a chance to observe the night sky and learn some astronomy. It takes place on Wednesday nights throughout the year. Starting times begin at 8:30 this spring and summer. And the best part: it’s free. Boston University is full of great, unique eateries ranging in all types of cuisine. If you want coffee, head to Lollicup, Although there are many individually-owned bubble tea stores around the city, Lollicup is the largest bubble tea chain in the world. Currently, the chain’s featured drinks are the new tea lattes and brown sugar lattes which are great for the approaching hot weather! For a quick wrap at a great price, check out the Boston University Campus Trolley located at 665 Commonwealth Ave Boston, MA 02215. The Campus Trolley provides affordable, quick food for the students of BU and you! Fitting in with the BU kids requires a stop at Che-Chi's for a meal of delicious sausage and peppers. Che-Chi's is a food stand located by Fenway park, and the best part is it’s open until 2 a.m. If you want a taste of Boston University without actually traveling there, check out the Asian-inspired cuisine at Noodle Street. The menu is extensive, including everything from pad tai to any other Asian food you could crave. For some new experiences, new food, and a new set of college students to meet, make sure to make your Next Stop Green line, the BU Central T-Stop.
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Text // Christina Jedra On the night of Friday, April 20, Americans will take to the streets of their hometowns and cover every possible surface with posters, signs, stickers, and anything else that bears the message “KONY 2012.” Thousands have already committed their attendance for “Cover the Night” in Facebook events devoted to the decoration of cities and consequently, a boost in awareness of a situation that has plagued Africa for over two decades: Joseph Kony’s army of abducted children. On March 5, 2012, Invisible Children premiered the film KONY 2012 on their website and on YouTube. The film quickly became viral; it had approximately 84 million YouTube views at press time. Though it wasn’t the organization’s first film – Invisible Children “roadies” tour the United States regularly showing their films – KONY 2012 has certainly garnered the most attention of all. The most obvious reason for the organization’s surge in popularity is their heavy use of social media marketing and their partnership with twenty well-known celebrities and twelve notable political leaders. However, the film and its campaign have received both positive and negative reactions. According to the video description on YouTube, the film “aims to make Joseph Kony famous, not to celebrate him, but to raise support for his arrest and set a precedent for international justice.” In the movie, filmmaker and Invisible Children co-founder Jason Russell tells the story of this war criminal’s crusade to take children from their parents, forcing them into a life of violence in his rebel army, the Lord’s Resistance Army. From there, the girls become “sex slaves” and the boys must act as “child soldiers.” “I personally support and have supported the mission of Invisible Children since its founding,” says sophomore Dylan Manderlink, president of Emerson Peace and Social Justice, in an online interview. “KONY 2012 is only their most recent campaign, but they have been an established non-profit for years and have done a lot of work that many of the recent supporters and advocates of KONY 2012 don’t know about.” However, there has been a negative response as well, most surprisingly from the Ugandan people themselves. According to the National Post, an audience threw rocks at the makeshift projection screen at a showing of KONY 2012 two weeks ago. Future screenings in the country have been can-
celed. According to the article, the people were insulted for multiple reasons; they felt that the worst of this problem was felt in the early 2000’s, they contested the movie’s claim that the LRA is largely unknown, and they were confused by the frequent mention of the filmmaker’s young son, Gavin. “I think it was appropriate that the filmmaker’s son was so overused because the film approaches the issue from the juvenile perspective of ‘We’re the good guys fighting the bad guys,’” says Ian Stewart, a freshman Theatre Studies major. “Of course, Kony is undeniably a bad guy, but the solution is not to bring another war to Africa. I will give Invisible Children credit for shedding light on the issue, but they’re not doing it in a rational or moral way.” According to the LA Times, on Thursday, March 15, Russell was taken into custody by San Diego police and then to a mental health facility after he displayed irrational behavior including “pounding his fists on the sidewalk and shouting incoherently” while naked. In a statement by his wife and family, the incident was attributed to the negative feedback: “... Because of how personal the film is, many of the attacks against it were also very personal and Jason took them very hard.” According to an article in the Chicago Sun Times, Russell has not been charged with any crime. Nonetheless, the film continues to garner massive publicity in the United States. In the past few weeks, the word “KONY” keeps popping up everywhere, from friend’s Facebook statuses and celebrity Twitter updates to stranger’s comments on YouTube videos that have nothing to do with the cause whatsoever. It seems that the 30 minute film, which is so clearly targeted toward a young audience, is getting its intended reaction and beyond. Watching it seems strikes a chord with viewers, and some people are more than willing to promote this cause in any possible way. There has been some further criticism of the campaign for this very reason. One can feel instant gratification from liking a Kony-related Facebook status or tweeting something related to the Invisible Children cause. But some argue that these actions are no more effective in creating change in Africa than promoting any other trending topics, and more energy should be put toward enacting legitimate, influential social activism. One meme reads: “One does not simply destabilize a
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Ugandan warlord by liking a status.” The movie itself does call for further action though. In the film, Russell declares that the movie will “expire” on December 31, 2012, and therefore, urgency is required. What he proposes is that viewers do everything possible to spread the word, whether that is contacting one of the twelve chosen policy makers, donating money through their TRI campaign, buying and using an “action kit,” or all of the above. The action kit, which costs thirty dollars, includes a T-shirt, a uniquely coded KONY bracelet, an action guide, stickers, a button, and posters. However, it seems more people are ordering than was expected. The kit was sold out on the Invisible Children website at press time. Bracelets can be purchased individually for $10, although the site states that they “cannot guarantee” delivery by April 20. Cities across the nation are already set to use some action kits on April 20. Over 40,000 people have already RSVP-ed to a Facebook event to garnish their cities in KONY 2012 propaganda. Emerson itself is also getting involved. Invisible Children “roadies” will visit campus for the third time on April 1 at 7 p.m. in the Bill Bordy for a screening of KONY 2012 sponsored by EPSJ. “I think it’s important for the Emerson community to come to this screening,” says Manderlink, who is majoring in investigative theater for social change. “If anyone has any questions, concerns, or confusion concerning the non-profit, this screening will be a great place to voice that because the roadies will be there, including any members of EPSJ who have been involved with the non-profit.” Also at the event, students can purchase action kits and sign up for the TRI Campaign, which involves a $3 weekly donation in exchange for “exclusive products and updates.” Manderlink emphasizes that promoting this cause will take a lot more than simply sharing a video online. “Social activism doesn’t stop here. It’s a continuous process [of] dedicated action that takes a long time. Social change doesn’t happen overnight, as much as we may want it to.”
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YOUR arts&entertainment
FUTURE TAILS
Meet Twip, the rumbustious little squirrel trying to survive the attacks of a giant evil robot in a far-intothe-future world. A world where humans have long vanished from existence, destroyed by the machines that are now striking again. This is just a glimpse of Part I of what Sean Gilroy and Jody Steel have been collaborating on, a graphic novel with the working title, “Future Tail”, as the two are timidly stepping into the graphic novel world. “I’ve never worked on a graphic novel in my life,” says Gilroy, a sophomore film production major. “It's very intimidating to me sometimes, coming from a background of no literary publishing experience.” Actually, he stumbled upon this venture on accident. It all started with some doodling. Among his many other doodles in the back of his class notebook, Gilroy started repeatedly drawing a squirrel. For some reason, he could not stop drawing this one particular squirrel. Eventually, Gilroy gave his little friend a blind rattlesnake best friend. He then let loose his imagination and began writing them off on little adventures. After a few months, it had reached the point at which most of the characters were well developed in both sketches and the storyline was slowly taking form into a comic book series. It just so happened that one day at work, a stranger came across some of these comics and told Gilroy that he ought to turn them into a graphic novel. And that is exactly what he did. About six months into his work, however, Gilroy realized he needed an illustrator. As time progressed, this project became more long-term and serious. Something that his eighth-grade-level drawings wouldn’t quite match. Yet how do you find someone who you can trust enough to share all of your ideas with, has the artistic ability to capture your imaginative eye, and all the while master the illustrations? It’s certainly not easy. His rescue call came to him by broomstick. It was through Quidditch where Gilroy met his prospective partner, Jody Steel, a freshman film production major. As Gilroy got to know the fiery redhead, her work was essentially what blew him away. Sifting through some of her past sketches, the wheels in Gilroy’s head began turning. He had to first put her to the test just to be sure. He had her draw some of his characters in various fighting scenarios until he was convinced that she was the one. He then asked her to illustrate the entire novel.
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“It was an honor to be chosen as the illustrator. His ideas are brilliant,” Steel said. While she is also new with working in the graphic novel sphere, Steel has been an avid comic book reader. She affirms that this novel is really like no other she has read. Steel views the ideas as fresh with no trace of clichés, which is something that is rare to find in the graphic novel market. While there are many comics that delve into plots of post apocalyptic worlds, this novel is original in that it details the role reversal of humans and animals. Because humans are wiped from the planet at the mechanical hands of these machines, the animals are all that are left. They are now treated like the humans as the evil robots experiment on them. The plot centers around the adventures that Twip the squirrel and his bizarre friends have in battling these robots. Gilroy does not see the graphic novel industry as something difficult to break into. “So far I keep hearing and reading that there's never been a better time to enter the graphic novel market, or the book market in general for that matter. If you have an idea that can sell to at least some people, you can most
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Text//Nancy Valev
likely get something published if you put in the effort,” Gilroy explains. He remains optimistic and keeps various back up options in mind such as the idea of self-publishing. At this point, Gilroy has been working on the novel for well over a year. He has already outlined all four of the books and has high hopes to finish the first before he graduates in 2014. Steel has brighter approximations and sees the two finishing the draft before the summer and having it published as early as next year. Gilroy is far from being idealistic, however, and says that even if it is not completed by then or by the time he graduates, he will actively continue working on it for however long it takes. While pitching the novel to a specific publishing company is nowhere near Gilroy’s radar, Steel has other thoughts. “I don't think pitching the novel should be very hard. Sean is really good at talking in front of people. His enthusiasm will definitely be a key point in selling it,” she explains of her co-worker. Both Gilroy and Steel describe the process of putting a graphic novel together as something of an organized, masterful mess. It begins with an idea. Something you are passionate about and fall in love with. A sort of addiction, if you will, that your mind continues reeling around. Then come the hours of writing and rewriting. After several months time of that, you take a step back and see if you still care. If so, you’re in the go to start writing and drafting. This means days, weeks, and months of writing, rewriting, researching, working, and getting feedback on your work. To approach this, Gilroy says, “You need to be able to think like a movie director, write like a screenwriter, and draw like a fiend.” Steel acknowledges that the process is a slow one and further adds that the drafting process is the longest. Right now in their progress, a lot of the drawings are completed before the dialogue. Their story is concrete, but what has to be tailored is the phrasing of certain lines. Though she likes working alone, Steel says she could not have asked for a better co-worker. She says the two turned out to be a perfect match for each other; they both put their equal enthusiasm and integrity in their work to collaborate on the creative project. “While the characters are his ideas, I pretty much bring them to life. Together we intend on making the world of ‘Future Tail’ a reality,” Steele says.
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Happy Birthday,
Monsieur G insbourg text // A&E Staff
On April 2nd, 1928, one of the most legendary figures of French pop music was born in Paris. Serge Gainsbourg’s influence on modern pop music continues to grow each year. Let’s not forget that the man lived an absolutely crazy life as well- he lost his virginity on Salvador Dali’s floor, dated Brigette Bardot and Jane Birkin (and gave them both careers in music), bought the original copy of La Marseilles to prove a point, and sang a duet with his daughter, Charlotte, entitled “Lemon Incest” (this explains her being in Antichrist)- before passing away twentyone years ago last month. A good amount of your favorite artists have not only paid tribute to him by covering his work, but have let his influence creep into their music. Here’s a list of some our favorites, both cover songs, songs obviously influenced by him, parodying and generally celebrating the man’s work. So pour yourself a tall cup of coffee, grab a beret and light a Gitane, and let the master’s music wash over you like a mighty stream. As always, it’ll be available for your listening pleasure on our Grooveshark page. Bonne chance!
1. “Bonnie and Clyde”- Serge Gainsbourg and Bridgette Bardot 2. “Chick Habit”- April March 3. “Disco 2000”- Pulp 4. “A Kiss is Not a Contract”- Flight of the Conchords 5. “The Dark of the Matinee”- Franz Ferdinand 6. “La Javenese”- Beirut 7. “Poupee de cire”- Arcade Fire 8. “No Looking”- The Raincoats 9. “Nightclubbing”- Iggy Pop 10. “Sensitized”- Kylie Minogue
11. “Ballade de Melodie Nelson”- Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis 12. “Le chat du cafe des artistes”- Charlotte Gainsbourg 13. “I Call it Art”- The Kills 14. “I Thought You Were My Boyfriend”- The Magnetic Fields 15. “Requiem for Anna”- Portishead 16. “Downtown”- Petula Clark 17. “I Know it’s Gonna Happen Someday”- Morrissey 18. “Venus”- Air 19. “Not Over Till the Fat Lady Plays the Demo”- De La Soul 20. “Cellphone is Dead”- Beck 21. “Je Suis Venu Te Dire Que Je M’en Vais”- Rufus Wainwright 22. “My Moon My Man”- Feist 23. “Ford Mustang”- Mike Patton
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Cult Classic of the Month: Text // Matt Merksamer Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill is many things, but I think the best way to concisely summarize it is to say that it is a playful and loving example of genre deconstruction. Genre deconstruction doesn’t just entail a genre movie. It’s a process that takes the structure of a certain genre and flips it on its ear. It plays with the structure and the tropes of that genre in an overly sincere or extreme way. To make such a movie, the director must know what makes an action movie an action movie or a horror movie a horror movie. He or she has to be able to replicate that and have a sense of humor about it as well. What better genres are there for Tarantino to tackle than B-movies and Kung Fu movies with a little bit of Westerns thrown in?
I don’t think it would surprise anyone to find out that Tarantino loves B-movies. He’s already basically made two of his own, in Jackie Brown and Death Proof, one of which was phenomenal (Jackie Brown shouldn’t be entirely considered a B-movie, but that’s an argument for another day). He continues to display his love for Bmovies and many other genres in Kill Bill. He successfully creates a blend of genres into a whole work through differing techniques. His directing style, music, and sound choices switch depending on which genre he is depicting. Take, for example, the first fight scene of Kill Bill: Volume One in which Beatrixe Kiddo (Uma Thurman) fights
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KILL BILL
Copperhead (Vivica A. Fox). Fight scenes in movies generally come with sound that only seems realistic in movies. Bullets in real life don’t make the same “zing” noise they do in movies, nor do swords make such a pronounced swiping noise when swung through the air. However, if movies did not have such sounds, we (as an audience) would find it oddly lacking. Continuing the overt play on genre tropes, Tarantino greatly exaggerates the sounds in this scene. Every punch sounds like two wooden boards being hit against one another, every flailing limb makes a loud “woosh.” Later, in the Crazy 88 fight scene, all the splattering blood sounds like a malfunctioning fountain. He also uses that very distinct ringing sound, the one that almost sounds like a siren throughout. This trick is straight out of old Kung Fu movies. It’s paired with a quick zoom in, which I find to be pretty cheesy in modern movies. That cheesiness is exactly why the combination works. Tarantino, like all good directors, understands that music is a vital part in purveying an emotional tone. At times, he uses music like the greats did whether it through be a musical score, the instrumentals from the opening song “Bang, Bang,” the Tomoyasu Hotei “Battle Without Honor or Humanity” track or something taken from an old Japanese movie. Yet, at other times he uses music to play with the audience’s expectations. When Kiddo is wheeling herself out of the hospital in search of Buck’s “Pussy Wagon” there is very fast-paced music that anticipates a daring escape of some sort. This is quickly undercut by a few minutes of her sitting in her car staring at her atrophied feet ( because no Tarantino movie is complete without at least a couple close ups of feet). He prevents movies from getting stagnant by incorporating a lot of fun, jazzy, or poppy music here and there. The director’s influence on his mov-
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ies can probably be most felt in the unique choices of music, especially in the second movie of the trilogy. In Kill Bill: Volume 2, he uses modern music in a few scenes, which is the only deviation from the genre he is depicting in all other aspects. Tarantino gives himself the difficult task of mixing his own visual style with the standard cinematic styles of Westerns, Kung Fu movies, and B-movies. Somehow, he accomplishes it well. You can clearly see the influence of Sergio Leone and even Orson Welles, specifically in the lengthy single take in the House of Blue Leaves (which is straight out of The Magnificent Ambersons, just not quite as good). There is an obvious influence from old martial arts movies as well. The connection to these old movies doesn’t just end at the visuals, however. It is present in the dialogue, sound and music as well. Tarantino uses all of these to his advantage, resulting in a couple movies that are an homage to an outdated (or some would say, underappreciated) style of filmmaking. His reinterpretation is an analysis of what makes those movies so unique and great, while at the same time leaving his own stamp.
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Text // Roxy Ashiru I know people have slammed Burlesque for its mediocre acting and its lack of originality but it really isn’t that bad. Maybe if we stopped to take a look at it again and analyze it from start to finish then audiences and critics alike will see that there actually are some good moments in the film. First, the film is a tamer PG-rated not that horrible and classier version of Showgirls. Just for a recap it’s the story of a small town girl, Ali (Christina Ag, with big dreams. She decides to move to Los Angeles to follow her dreams of stardom and lands in a place called The Burlesque Lounge, Tess, a retired dancer and owner of the venue, is struggling to keep the place from falling apart completely. She decides to hire Ali as a waitress. Ali escapes a hollow past and quickly falls in love with the art of burlesque. She eventually manages to fulfill her dreams of being on stage. Things take a dramatic turn, though, when Ali’s big voice makes her become the main attraction of the revue. And, of course, she falls in love. This storyline seems all too familiar. It’s always the story of a small town girl going to chase her big dreams in the city where she eventually falls in love. It’s understandable that Hollywood is getting lazy, but you’ve got to admit it’s better than watching a remake of a remake or a sequel of a prequel. It almost always never works when you place a singer in a starring role of a film, (anyone remember Glitter?). However, Aguilera looks gorgeous and sings pretty well like she always does, and she does have some commendable moments with her acting. True 70% of the time her acting is hardly believable and sometimes you just want her to stop with the whole ‘I’m so innocent and naïve’ act but she did make an effort for her first try. Sometimes she actually is convincing. The star studded ensemble brings a little bit of life into the film, for instance the chemistry between Cher’s and Stanley Tucci’s characters is adorable in some moments. The scene where Cher seems to be singing her heart out in an empty bar room is cliché but quite touching. In terms of the costumes and makeup, they do a pretty
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damn good job. Everyone looks absolutely gorgeous and coordinated and it reminds me a little of the Chicago performances (except these ladies weren’t in jail). What I love the most about it is the originality of the music. The music is pretty good and works well with the dance and the costume and I think this is what the movie mainly focuses on. Everyone seems to be having an awesome time while performing with the choreographed dancing. There is a lot of sex appeal that they show with the characters while they are performing, and they don’t get too trashy with it. Everything is well coordinated and if people focused more on that then they would see that the film in itself is not that bad. Forget the average-ish acting and the cliché storyline, the music is catchy and the last number is almost memorable. It’s one of those films that could be transformed into a spectacular Broadway show just because of its costumes, lights and pizzazz. It’s understandable that most critics and a few viewers have panned the storyline and Christina’s acting chops, but you still have to give her props for trying. Eric Dane playing the bad boy that wants to buy out the lounge is a good input in the film and creates a minuscule love triangle between him, Aguilera’s character, and the bartender. Christina’s acting is maybe hardly ever believable and the storyline is the ultimate cliché of plots but we have to give them credit for the lavish costumes, the makeup, dance, and the amount of effort they put in to create a feel good movie where everything works out in the end and the main character falls in love with the cute bartender she shacked up with. Burlesque is a film that I feel should be reevaluated and taken into more consideration, fine it is not original but it isn’t trashy either if you need something to put you in a good mood, this film is definitely what you should watch. Burlesque is a huge form of escapism for a person that has had a crappy ass day.
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YOUR arts&entertainment
THE MUSIC OF Text // Eric Gaudette
Mad Men practically defines period drama. Everything is early sixties. Everyone has at least six bottles of liquor in his office, cigarettes and a lighter on their person, and their secretaries are all called “sweetheart” and “honey.” So, naturally, the show sounds like the sixties, with each episode having a different song from that era. The job of picking these songs goes to the show’s composer, David Carbonara. You might be wondering “why would Mad Men need a composer? I can’t recall any music in it.” Well, believe it or not, there is music in it: in the first episode, there’s a classy instrumental piece when Campbell and everyone else is at the strip club, and there’s a jazzy tune in the season three finale when all of the partners are collaborating to start their new agency. But, on the other hand, Mad Men is not like Glee; the music is mostly just fitting background noise. Carbonara said in an interview that the music “is very organic to the scene. You don’t even remember the music you just remember how powerful the scene was.” However, unlike the music on the show, the songs that are featured in the ending credits are the focus of attention, since the only other thing to pay attention to are, in fact, the credits (which I stop paying attention to after I see “EXECUTIVE PRODUCERMATTHEW WEINER”) The songs are what make the credits watchable, even if only for a second.
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The songs that play at the end are carefully chosen by Carbonara in order to fit the tone of the episode that we just watched, and allow us to reflect on it. For example, the last episode of season one ends with the song “Don’t Think Twice, it’s Alright” by Bob Dylan, which is about a man leaving his wife, but assuring her that it’ll be alright. And what was the episode about? Harry Crane pleads his wife to forgive him after cheating on her, Pete threatens to expose Don’s identity, Peggy has her baby (which she didn’t know she had) which she then gives up. To top it all off, in the final scene, Don has a change of heart, and wants to spend more time with his family, only to find out that he came home too late, and his family left without him. That final shot of him realizing this is when the song plays. All of these situations are tied together by the theme of unplanned events, and how if these events were thought through, the outcome might have been different. However, everything is done: nothing can be changed. But for some reason, everything will be okay, because that’s what we all like to believe, even in ways we can’t explain. The season three finale had the song “Shahadaroba,” which is about looking to the future, after a dream dies, just like how Sterling Cooper essentially dies, and the founding members, along with Draper and Pryce, create a new agency. The season four episode “Chinese Wall” has the song “Welcome to My World,” which reflects how everyone in the show is introduced to a secret: everyone finds out that Lucky Strike is firing Sterling Cooper, which Roger has known for a while, and how Don is letting Faye into his life, the first person since Anne. What really makes this soundtrack great is the fact that none of them seem anachronistic: the songs were all written during the time Mad Men takes place. The setting is never compromised for a modern song that might fit better. Well, except for that time when they played a Decemberists song- that was a little painful. But, it was a long time ago, and Carbonara hasn’t done it since, so it’s not that big of a deal. Mad Men has always been a top-notch show in every aspect, even in the music department. From the subtle instrumentals composed by Carbonara to the fitting thematic songs at the end of the show, it is brilliantly executed and placed. Season five is finally on the air right now on AMC, and previous seasons are streaming on Netflix
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PERFUME GENIUS and CHAMBER POP
Contrary to images that the album title might evoke, listening to Perfume Genius’ second album, Put Your Back N 2 It, is an intimate experience. It feels as if you are trespassing on the music, as if the album was made for only one person to hear and anyone else who might hear it is eavesdropping on a private conversation. If you haven’t heard of Perfume Genius yet, it is Mike Hadreas’s singer-songwriter solo act based out of Seattle, Washington. In many ways his second album is quite similar to his first. Both albums are composed of what many have described as “fragile” songs with ambient background instrumentals that have a fitting lo-fi quality. But it’s clear that Hadreas has upped the recording quality on his second record and has allowed his voice to not be overpowered by the instrumentals, a slight problem on his debut effort. So much of Perfume Genius’ appeal, what separates him from thousands of lo-fi acts, is the breadth of emotion he offers to the listener (this emotion paired with his delicate compositions is why others have applied the description “fragile” to his music). And his honest emotions come across even better when his voice takes center stage. Croaky but clear, strong even when in falsetto and when whispering, Hadreas has a distinctive voice that is so sweet it might put you to sleep even though you’ll struggle to stay awake and listen. In this album there is a definite sadness that gradually becomes comforting as the songs progress. At about the halfway mark, the track entitled “Dirge” expresses this profound sadness
Text // Talia Steif
most clearly, as Hadreas urges the listener to “do your weeping now.” Perhaps to compliment the melancholia, the tracks are slowly paced. Despite this, the album moves along quickly due to short song lengths, the longest one clocking in at just 3:16. Perfume Genius can be considered chamber pop, in the same vein as Belle and Sebastian and Antony and the Johnsons. The chamber pop aspect can best be seen through the oftenclassical piano arrangements. The title track is a perfect example: unadulterated piano subtly accompanied by soft strings brings to mind an almost ambient orchestra. As a track, “Put Your Back N 2 It” pushes the album in the direction of chamber pop and represents how Hadreas has grown as an artist since his first album, Learning. But other songs don’t mesh so well with the chamber pop label. “Normal Song” (a song with an extremely apt title) hits the basics of singer-songwriter material, but doesn’t reach a point of orchestral instrumentation. Simple, repetitive guitar strums along with a few piano notes are the only instrumentation that accompanies Hadreas’s voice. Even though this song doesn’t qualify as chamber pop, it still possesses the same element of comfort that pervades the rest of the album. Labels aside, Hadreas has crafted an elegant and soothing album that flows along easy.
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Record Store Day 2012: A Primer Text // Nick Johnston I’m going to confess something. In terms of holidays, only a few ever get me super-excited, and the majority of ones where we don’t get class off or don’t give gifts on are completely irrelevant to my daily life. Thing is though, my favorite one isn’t Thanksgiving or Christmas or even federally endorsed. What could it be, you ask? Being a doorman at a rock club spoiled St. Patty’s Day and New Year’s Eve for me. Steak and blowjob day? My woman’s a feminist. International Free Pancake Day? Always too busy at the Harvard Square IHOP. No, my favorite holiday is Record Store Day (on April 21st this year), a gift bestowed upon us by the counter geeks of Valhalla’s record store. It’s where labels and independent record stores get together to support each other, and tons of incredible exclusives are sent to each store. It’s rare in this day and age that dorks like myself will stand in line for hours on end for anything other than a superhero movie or a show, but it’s essential for the health of these almost-mythical places. The record store environment, to music geeks like myself, is better for our education than any college classroom. Our turntables mean about as much to us as our significant others, although our turntables don’t help us with the rent. Hell, if you’re into romance, you can meet a bunch of nerdy music girls there and they might like you, especially if you don’t “accidentally” punch them while trying to get that limited-edition Pet Shop Boys 7-inch. As put by a man much smarter than myself, Wayne Coyne of the Flaming Lips, “[Record Stores are] where you can talk to people who are like you. They look like you, think like you and, most tellingly like the same music as you - the only comparable experience these days would probably be an art museum - an actual place where you can stand and simply be surrounded by your heroes.” But it’s also about music, and I happen to love it because it celebrates the act of listening, either by yourself or with friends. Sure, some assholes are there to snatch up every exclusive and then sell it on the internet for way too much money, but the majority are there because they’re excited about the music being released. Everybody’s happy and courteous, and even in crazy mob situations like the ones at Newbury Comics, there will always be non-employees in front of the racks of exclusives handing them back to others, just out of a sense of selfWhich Record Stores control. Here’s a list of places that are a part of this year’s Record Store Day and Should I Go To? some of the exclusives. Happy hunting, my fellow dorks. I’ll see you in line at 9 AM sharp.
Newbury Comics- Seriously, if
you want to get all of the exclusives, you should probably go to one of these stores in order to pick them up. They’re Massachusetts-owned and operated, and every year that I’ve done a daylong pick, I’ve always started here. The line is fun, and they normally have an in-store performance after the crowds die down. Last year’s had TV on the Radio performing and signing, and I expect some similar kick-ass stuff this year.
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Weirdo Records- Like avant-garde
noise-pop? Blaxploitation soundtracks? Is your artist boyfriend/girlfriend/ gender-queer-significant-other a big fan of Charles Manson’s music? This is your Mecca. Located in Central Square, this small shop is home to a ton of odd and forgotten music, and is definitely worth your time if you happen to stop by. Feel free to test anything out on one of their turntables, and make sure you find out about the performances that are happening later in the month.
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Armageddon Shop- Do you not have any gods or masters? Have you ever considered hopping freight to go to a crust punk festival? Do most of the shows you attend happen in basements in Allston? Well, save your quarters and take a shower, because this kick-ass shop in Harvard Square will knock your gauges out. They have an incredible selection of punk, garage, metal and indie records, and their prices are absolutely insane- you can easily find a ton of fantastic records in their $3 racks.
YOUR arts&entertainment Which Exclusives Should I Get? Destroyer, Destroyer’s Rubies LP: This is
one of the many gems (har har) of the list of LPs that are coming out this year. For my money, I think it’s Dan Bejar’s best record, and Merge Records is finally giving it the vinyl release it deserves. It’s 2 discs, with a new, long track on the fourth side. Oh, did I mention it’s on ruby red vinyl? BUY IT.
Morrissey, Suedehead 10-inch: If you know
me personally, you know I’m absolutely in love with the Pope of Mope, and this release should be awesome. “Suedehead” is one of my favorite singles of his, and the fact that Sparks has remixed it is fantastic. Plus, the B-sides are unreleased live recordings from a 1995 BBC performance (“We’ll Let You Know” and “Now My Heart Is Full”). Buy it, and cry while you listen to it.
St. Vincent, Krocodil/Grot 7-inch: So, it looks like Annie Clark is continuing her descent into Steve Albini-produced hell, and this single will be, if not great, interesting. Pressed on red vinyl, it will look awesome, and probably be as sweet and deadly as the Russian drug the A-side’s named after. Buy it, and then either rejoice or complain about it to your friends on Facebook. Uncle Tupelo, No Depression LP: It turns out that all of Uncle Tupelo’s releases are finally being released on vinyl this year, and are getting the treatment that they deserve. These records are important if you’re a fan of indie music in any way- not only did they help found the alt-country genre, but they also introduced Jeff Tweedy (now of Wilco fame) to the music world at large. Buy their fantastic debut, No Depression, and listen to all of them especially if you’re not a fan of country music. This may change your mind. Otis Redding/Aretha Franklin, Respect split 7-inch: So, you’ve got two of the greatest soul singers singing one of the best songs of the 1960’s. Where can you go wrong with this? It’s like getting two of the best flavors of ice cream ever for the same low price. Also, it’s on gold vinyl. Buy if you like being alive.
Mastodon/Feist, A Commotion/Black Tongue split 7-inch: Well, aside from this being
the best collaboration since John Denver sat down at a campfire with the Muppets, this split sounds like a whole lot of fun. I would have preferred to hear Mastodon’s take on “1234”, though. Buy it if you have a heart of gold under that black t-shirt. For a full list of releases, go to www.recordstoreday.com/specialreleases.
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REVOLUTION GIRL Style Now! Interview // Charis Talcott
Rhonda Simmonds is known in various guises as the front woman of Origami, a former member of the Melbourne, Australia-based band ninetynine, and part of a new project called Fantasy + Iron. Her early music in San Francisco and the Pacific Northwest in the ‘90s came to be associated with the Riot Grrrl scene—a movement that grew organically out of girls playing music they way they wanted. Rhonda was kind enough to sit down and give me a window into how it all developed. CT: Having read about Riot Grrrl and loving the music, I’ve felt “empowered-by-proxy” by all of the goings-on in the ‘90s leading up until now. How did you start working with so many talented women? RS: The funny thing was that back in the early ‘90s when we were all doing this, none of us knew what we were doing. We didn’t realize there was some sort of movement that was being created. A lot of us worked in the music industry. There’d be myself, Maggie Vail, who now runs Kill Rock Stars, which back then was owned by Slim Moon. Ruth Schwartz, who ran Mordam Records. She was a distributor for a lot of punk labels, like Lookout! Records, which Green Day used to be on, and Kill Rock Stars, which was Bikini Kill and,
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prior to Sleater-Kinney, Heavens to Betsy, Excuse 17, which were the early projects of Corin [Tucker] and Carrie [Brownstein]. So, here we all were, working in the music industry. We all were guitarists, drummers, singers, this ‘n that, and we were all like “Hey, we’re gonna start playing in our own bands, putting out our own records through our friends.” And that’s what it was back then. It was book your own tour, set up your own interviews through magazines like Maximumrocknroll, Punk Planet… it was a lot more do-it-yourself. Of course, as our bands got bigger, that changed through the years. Management came on board-- people who were on bigger labels, so you didn’t have to do so much of your own thing. [But] it’s a little bit like
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that still, in the sense that there are some indies that are still around. Maggie Vail, who was in the band Bangs, she still plays in a band called Grass Widow. They’re opening for a band called the Raincoats, which were one of the first allfemale bands in the UK, and a huge inspiration to pretty much everyone I’ve just named, including myself. CT: I definitely hear a 60s influence in your music—do you owe any debts to girl groups who came before? RS: Love the Shangri-La’s, huge on all of the female vocal harmonies that come from there. There are so many women in music who’ve been doing it way long ago, way before their time. As a matter of fact, I picked a male drummer who had to
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fill in when I was on tour in Europe, and one of the main reasons he got the gig was because he was wearing a Shangri La’s shirt. Not only was he a great drummer, but… CT: The extra element! RS: I was like, yeah, you’re gonna work [laughs]. Like, I like your shirt and you’re a good drummer, so that’s gonna work. CT: I’m so curious about what makes a movement, and maybe not even realizing that you are part of this larger force of female empowerment that you then come to identify with. RS: None of us ever thought, “Oh, they’re gonna write textbooks about what we’re singing about” because it’s like “What? Are you kidding me?” You know, if you speak to people like Kathleen Hanna [of Bikini Kill], “role model” is not something that was ever on her agenda. And now, obviously, she is extremely outspoken. So nobody ever planned on any of it. It was just us being us, and so it became what it became just out of sheer coincidence and people being inspired about it. And it’s still to me, surprising, when I’ve taken some time off, with hiatus here and there, and I still have girls say to me like “Oh please, do something, I’m really inspired!” Even to me, with everything I’ve done, that’s still
super flattering, not anything that I thought would ever happen, and awesome! Because I remember being a younger girl who would go into the record stores, and 80 percent of all of the bands were boys. But I’d search out X-Ray Spex and the Raincoats, and be like “Yeah, this is awesome! Why can’t we do things like this?” There were so many great women around playing music, it’s like, why can’t we just do our own thing? So, I hope that girls are still doing that. And they are. They’re great bands that are fronted by girls, if not completely all girls. The last all-girl tour I was on was Le Tigre, Electrelane, and Origami, and the great thing about that tour was, here it was a big national tour, completely sold-out shows across America, and it was all women. I mean everything:the management, the whole nine yards. So that of course was a great thing to be a part of, and that isn’t the way it always is for women who play music. I’d like to probably see more of that allgirl situation. And of course there’s a big stigma, and a big fear, from doing that. Sometimes people are scared of that idea, and I guess we kind of never were [laughs]. We were the opposite, we were like “No, we want to play with all girls, we don’t care if there’s a boy who’s a better drummer, like, this girl’s a great drummer.” Which is how I ended up with Laura Macfarlane from Sleater-Kinney. I was like “She’s a great drummer, she’s amazing. I don’t wanna play with anybody else, I want her to be my drummer.”
had a lot to say, there’s no doubt about that. So, using our music as a vehicle was totally the way to go. We wanted to make some changes, but we were doing it for ourselves, for our friends, for our community, and then all of a sudden it became a movement. Sometimes you don’t go in with a loaded agenda. Sometimes you just go in with your ideas and your ambitions and it turns into a movement, and I think that’s where probably all of the good ideas come from—Somebody’s drive, somebody’s ambition to make a change and not really care. And that was the thing. We didn’t care if the boys were like “Ohh yeah, it’s a bunch of chicks! This sucks!” But then we started getting backings. Like Bikini Kill. The Beastie Boys would start coming to their shows, and all of a sudden it was cool in the boy groups to be into girls in music. It’s ironic how a lot of that spun off, because then you got boys being driven by their icons to say “Hey, it’s OK to actually go and dig girls who play music ‘cause they’re actually really good at it.” You can find Origami’s music, including their 2008 release Lovers in America through iTunes, Shock Records, and at myspace.com/ origamitheband. Ninetynine’s music can be found through Chapter Music, Ape Records, and Endearing Records. Keep an eye out for Fantasy + Iron’s first record to be released by early 2013, featuring Matthew Woodward, Erin Arthofer, Rhonda Simmonds, Bonnie Mercer, and Natalie White.
CT: That’s so awesome. So, tell me more about the relationship of your feminism to your music. RS: I think that, again, the idea of going to a record store and seeing that everything was very male-dominated… I think all of us were very aware of that. We knew what we were against, and we all
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CRAIG
FINN BOSTON’S
BARROOM HERO Text // Ian Clayton Craig Finn is a storyteller, and a storyteller is an artist. Born Bostonian and former front man of Lifter Puller and, better known, The Hold Steady, Finn has taken a new turn in his career and embarked on a solo project. After a five month break from his band, he released the album Clear Heart Full Eyes and took it on the road. I caught wind of a show that Finn was playing in Boston and made sure I’d be there to see what Finn could do without his former band to hold him steady. Great Scott, a bar in Allston, has made a name for itself with the consistency of its shows. It caters to a Boston crowd interested in seeing their favorite musicians and discovering new ones. The concert night was chilly. Inside, the warm brick and dark wood paneling made for a relaxed atmosphere. The walls were painted a burnt maroon to match the bar stools. I posted up at a small table to await the first sound check. With the crowds yet to arrive, the place smelled like a home heated by a wood fire. Craig Finn got on stage for a sound check. Dressed in jeans, rectangle frames, and a blue button-up, he looked at ease in front of the microphone. His guitar fit the aesthetic with a dark sunburst finish on an old acoustic that could have been plucked from a cowboy’s saddle bag. The most interesting auxiliary instrument on stage was a lap steel. The lead guitarist checked its levels with a quick solo, sliding across the strings with zip and twang. After locking in a couple quick harmonies to check the microphones, Finn stepped off stage. The opening act of the night was Marcellus Hall. The front man for Railroad Jerk started this new project and gave it his own name. They worked hard for the rustic Craig Finn look. The bass guitar was made of bare wood with prominent grain and Hall’s acoustic had the finish worn off in all the
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right places. He even had a harmonica around his neck for a sonic compliment to the female fiddle player. The band’s look was cowboy boots, dark-wash denim, and black button ups. With a bone dry snare snapping a metronome rhythm, they were off. Hall started tapping his boot heel and the keyboardist began the melody. The lead guitarist had a small metal tube on one finger—a half-slide—to help him draw out some connected legato notes, keeping his tone clean and naked. The smooth sound complimented the warm hum of the fiddle. Hall’s vocals were clear and in key, but lacked definition. He sounded almost southern at times. With no grit in his voice, he didn’t stand out against the rest of the band. The bass guitar did most of the melodic work, laying the foundation for a good sound that the other musicians played around on top of. Most, if not all, songs were in one of two similar keys with predictable change-ups giving the performance a flatness that wasn’t alleviated by Hall’s limited energy level. The drummer kept a healthy beat. Most of the band’s invention came in the bass guitar. The slowly growing audience had one ear to Marcellus Hall and their mind behind the bar. By the time Craig Finn got on stage, the house was packed. The sound guy stood protected in an alcove of small red and green LED lights that had one foot in the seating area and one foot on the dance floor. After a quick mic check, Finn started in. His performance was casual to start and humble throughout. He played with a capo clamped on his acoustic guitar to give it the high end it needed to rise above the rest of the band. The drums were bass-heavy and the bassist played with a pick to keep the low end clean and sharp. The lead guitarist was, unsurprisingly, the flashy one
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with a red guitar and rock star length hair. Finn is a lyrical storyteller. His songs cover a range of topics from perceptions of friends and unrequited friendship to finding a friend in Jesus. Some of his lyrics come off easily poetic, like in “When No One’s Watching” when he sings about “feasting on the weakness of the women who are thinking you might be held to half the things you’ve told them.” He strings themes throughout songs and gives each one the power of a narrative to stand apart from the instrumentation. Other times, like in “No Future,” his songs border on the cliché and melodrama when he’s “pretty sure we’re all gonna die … I suppose you thought I’d be gushing blood. Not true, I only died on the inside.” Finn works well with narrative within his songs. Many times there are characters or locations introduced that recur and give the listener a sense of place that grounds them in the world that Finn creates. Some songs transport those who listen to lyrics. Others fall flat with repetition and show a lack of attention to narrative or poetic detail, such as in “New Friend Jesus”: “everybody is saying it’s too warm but I am feeling chill. Got a new friend and my new friend’s name is Jesus. When all those creeps came after me I haven’t paid all my bills. Got a new friend and my new friend’s name” you get the picture. Craig Finn is a performer to be admired. He had the crowd hooked with his upper-body energy and earnest emotions. Passion poured from his voice as he seemed to sing for no one but himself, captivating his listeners before lightening the mood with a joke or two in between songs. Most of his emotion seemed channeled through his voice; I wanted him to pass the rhythm guitar off to another band member, as it often seemed like a prop. Finn’s guitar work was
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largely forgettable with most songs in the key of G and little invention in his rhythms or chord voicings. Finn is first and foremost a singer/songwriter. He plays this role well, with lyrics that generally work, a defined style, and vitality in his voice. Rhythm guitar is an often misused instrument, taking the role of auxiliary mid-range or aesthetic backup instead of the powerhouse of groove that it could be in competent hands. This is why, at the end, when Finn dropped the band and stood solo, bathed in red light, I felt the energy dip. He still had the audience—possibly drew them in further with the intimate ending—but with only his hands holding down the instrumentation (and receiving only half his focus) the sound was incomplete and unremarkable. Finn stayed casual, though, making a gracious exit after thanking the audience, who returned his thanks with raucous applause. Finn declined an interview and I was too broke to buy a CD, but his debut solo album Clear Heart Full Eyes is available online for any Finn fans interested. I hopped on the mailing list as this was a performance I hoped to see again. Finn tells tales worth recounting, and what he lacks in technical ability, he makes up for in performance. Anyone who gets behind his message—anyone who’s felt failed aspirations in the big city or a lonely longing for friendship—should be on the lookout for Finn’s next show.
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APRIL 2012