Vampire Weekend may be stuck in a perpetually losing battle to live up to those infamous first impressions left by their self–titled debut. Modern Vampires of the City is more of a confusing journey than an album. Right from the start, the first track, “Obvious Bicycle,” seems intent on lulling… Read more »

Tony Stark and friends light up the big screen both figuratively and literally in “Iron Man 3.” Director Shane Black has made the Marvel films everything a superhero movie can and should be.  The newest “Iron Man” deals with a popular theme that has hit the entertainment business: terrorism. Some… Read more »

Phoenix rises again with the release of their latest album, Bankrupt! And, luckily for fans of indie genres alike, the band offers a mature and well-refined follow up to the critically acclaimed Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.For those who may be out of the loop, Phoenix is a multidimensional, alternative indie rock band from… Read more »

Thinking about the future is just as natural as sleeping and eating for young adults, who live in limbo between childhood and “real” adulthood. Those thoughts include wondering how everyone from a group of friends is going to turn out, such as who is going to achieve stardom, wealth… Read more »

Last Friday, Netflix released its third original series “Hemlock Grove.”  Based on the book by Brian McGreevy, this supernatural thriller centers on the gruesome murder of a high school cheerleader and the attempts of two young men to solve the mystery. In a day where movies are stuffed with angels… Read more »

“The Place Beyond the Pines” is the last film from actor Ryan Gosling (“Gangster Squad”) for the foreseeable future. Having earned recognition throughout the years with impeccable acting skills in a variety of roles, Gosling recently announced it is time he takes a break from acting. Despite an emotional plot,… Read more »

Since his launch in the hip hop scene, Kid Cudi has proven to be as unique as they come. Dubbed the “Lonely Stoner” early on, Kid Cudi made a name for himself and built a loyal fan base centered on his psychologically complex content and diverse track production. Coming out… Read more »

During a quiet month at the box office, Jackie Robinson baseball biopic “42” brought in a surprising $27.2 million this past weekend. As baseball season starts to kick off, the film’s inspirational story was released just in time for Jackie Robinson Day on April 15.  In reflecting on some… Read more »

Faithful Alterra Coffee goers who are familiar with the Milwaukee-area cafés will be pleased to see that the new Madison location on King Street displays a similar ambiance. The smell of strong coffee grounds and organic foods dances through the air after entering the building. Songs with solid beats that may… Read more »

Old school hip-hop has been reincarnated and University of Wisconsin students had the rare opportunity to glimpse its revival last Friday. The revival comes in the form of 18-year-old Brooklyn native Joey Bada$$. His rap collective is The Progressive Era (Pro Era for short), and they, along with fellow Brooklyn-based… Read more »

Ah, springtime! That most glorious time of the year! Yes, it is finally here, bringing with it that most beautiful unpredictability of weather patterns. One day, it is sunny and the birds chirp loudly. The next, raindrops fall angrily from the sky and soak the shoes of those who wade… Read more »

For the majority of the public, paintings can be a tricky art to follow, often disappearing behind a veil of elitism and abstraction. A new exhibit at the Chazen Museum of Art seeks to break down these barriers, focusing on the intricacies of the medium itself. “Drawings from the Joseph… Read more »

Hayley Williams’ fire-bright hair is back with Paramore’s self-titled fourth album. After a nearly four-year break from releasing albums and without two original band members (lead guitarist and backing vocalist Josh Farro as well as his drummer brother Zac), Paramore changes their sound and takes music lovers by storm, experimenting… Read more »

Foodies, rejoice! Cloudy, a dining and hospitality app, wants to know what you have to say about your favorite restaurants. Cloudy makes it easy to search for restaurants, bars, coffee and tea shops based on location and allows users to see reviews from friends. It is an interactive app that… Read more »

Nothing sounds worse and more repetitive than yet another movie about aliens conquering the planet and humans having to hide out and live in fear as friendships grow and romances blossom. However, the story of “The Host,” based on the novel of the same name by Stephenie Meyer, is quite… Read more »

Tyler the Creator is the Antichrist to pop music. Known for pushing and completely ignoring boundaries with regard to subject matter, his recently released album Wolf does not fail to shock fans and critics alike. Since bursting on to the scene with his hip-hop collective Odd Future, Tyler has launched… Read more »

Ever wonder what would happen if the United States were to be attacked by North Korean terrorists? The highly anticipated film “Olympus Has Fallen” gives an idea of the amount of power our government has and how closely guarded it must remain. Director Antoine Fuqua created this far-fetched but suspenseful… Read more »

Beer. Every Wisconsinite is familiar with this most delicious of beverages. However, since 1979 and the rebirth of Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco, a subculture of more selective beer drinkers have been rebelling against the monopoly of such brewing giants as Anheuser-Busch (now owned by the even larger conglomerate InBev),… Read more »

Love him or hate him, Lil Wayne is back with his 10th studio album, I Am Not a Human Being II. His angsty rap styling clashes with the various genres of background music creating a conflicting experience for listeners throughout the album’s entirety. Lil Wayne returns in I Am Not… Read more »

Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 Sallie Ford led her band onstage last night at the Majestic Theatre. She was dressed like Forrest Gump’s mother: cat eye glasses and a somewhat unflattering sweater-dress with leggings underneath. Her hair, just above her slumped shoulders, curled tight right… Read more »

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Everyone recovering all right from spring break hangovers? Good. Want to relive the memories after blacking out? Probably not. Well, have no fear of director/writer Harmony Korine’s “Spring Breakers.” Chances are the film’s version of spring break is nothing like any Badger had to deal with. The film starts with… Read more »

“Occasionally interesting hodgepodge” is an accurate way to describe this year’s student art show. The 85th Annual Juried Student Art Show, presented by the Wisconsin Union Directorate Art Committee, features a wide assortment of paintings, sculptures and mediums submitted by University of Wisconsin students. WUD’s mission with this show is… Read more »

Justin Timberlake is back. Seven years after FutureSex/LoveSound’s release, Timberlake delivers with an album demonstrating the maturity and sophistication he’s gained throughout all this time. The 20/20 Experience is sexy, not in the brazen, eager, carnal way FutureSex/LoveSounds is, but in the confident manner of an artist artfully demonstrating his prowess. Timberlake may… Read more »

96 Normal 0 false false false EN-US JA X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-parent:”“; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:Calibri;} College is the time for two childhood pastimes to make a comeback: nap time and the near-universal love for… Read more »

Poetry readings can be both emotional and educational. This was definitely the case Saturday at the Rainbow Bookstore Cooperative, when two local poets shared their works, demonstrating the depth and variety found in poetry and discussing different uses of poetic elements. Poets Ari Banias, currently the Halls Poetry Fellow at… Read more »

“Space Voyage: The Musical Frontier” brings out the inner geek in audience members of the Bartell Theater. Writers and co-stars Nicholas Connors and Quinn Elmer have been working on the musical together since high school. This alone is impressive, but the fact the musical is shockingly good is altogether out… Read more »

“Mary Poppins” delighted audiences of all ages Tuesday night at the Overture Center. The show was different from the Disney film, adding scenes  viewers might have been unfamiliar with but were nonetheless enjoyable. The audience was filled with a plethora of adorable young girls decked out in Mary Poppins costumes,… Read more »

“Fee, fie, foe, fum, when will this movie ever be done,” is the phrase that will persist in the minds of some audience members within the first 15 minutes of being subjected to the overly dramatized, action-packed fairy tale remake “Jack the Giant Slayer.” The most recent film from director Bryan… Read more »

Superior Webbs has established themselves as one of Wisconsin’s top rap duos with the release of The Last Dollar. Listening to the mixtape is like drinking coconut milk on a cloud of parrot feathers: It’s icy smooth and makes everything in the past seem unworthy of praise. Both members of… Read more »

Somewhere between Hell and humanity, Carlos Fragoso’s paintings must live a very real existence. The Brazilian artist, now nearly 60 years old, opened an exhibition last Friday at Gallery 1308 in Union South. The exhibition titled, “The Age of Foolishness,” will be on display until April 9.The collection of paintings… Read more »

The Minnesota band Cloud Cult released its new album Love earlier this week, capturing both new listeners and loyal fans with its inspiring and uplifting take on today’s indie rock sound. Today many songwriters and artists are focusing on more mellow beats, showcasing slow guitar intros and whispery harmonic solos.… Read more »

In David Fincher’s 2010 film “The Social Network,” Mark Zuckerberg and his cronies attend a Caribbean night party at a Harvard fraternity. A few people dance awkwardly. Small groups of people cluster together. A loop of Niagara Falls plays on a giant screen. A DJ and a man playing steel… Read more »

The Road to Paid Dues tour graced the Majestic Theatre with its presence Sunday night. The night was marked by hours of quality lyrical hip-hop while artists spared no expense in laughing and clowning with the crowd. For any night of the week, this was a wild show. The opening… Read more »

Jayne Jones and Alicia Long spare no juicy details in their latest novel “Capitol Hell.” Jones and Long open a window on Washington, D.C. and reveal all the chaos and absurdity that goes on behind politicians’ closed doors. “Capitol Hell” follows new college graduate Alison Amundson in her D.C. staffer… Read more »

Cesar Millan, otherwise known as the Dog Whisperer, wowed a crowd at the Overture Center for the Arts Friday night with his extensive knowledge of dog training. He began his talk with his life story, saying he told his mother when he was 13 years old he wanted to be… Read more »

Earlier this year, the highly anticipated “Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch” was released in North America exclusively for the PlayStation 3. Created by  Level-5, the developers of the popular “Professor Layton” games, “Ni no Kuni” employs many familiar elements from other popular franchises. It employs a battle system with… Read more »

Tower defense games make me anxious. The combination of Tetris-like time limits and impending doom brings out feelings of childhood inadequacy, and the multitasking becomes overwhelming. As soon as I opened “Ivory Tower Defenders,” however, I laughed at the start menu’s satirization of academia. The levity of the game’s premise… Read more »

Over the years, Radiohead has always proven its ability to take whatever music its members are listening to and turn those influences into something entirely new. On OK Computer, the band blended the sounds of the krautrock genre, composer Krzysztof Penderecki and other musical elements. What resulted is an entirely… Read more »

Tegan and Sara performed Sunday at Madison’s Orpheum Theater, showcasing their signature harmonies and poppy alternative beats. The Canadian sisters put on an energizing show that kept the audience screaming. The Orpheum was the near-perfect setting for a Sunday night concert, with standing room for those wanting to get up close… Read more »

Chicago Afrobeat Project’s fourth studio album, Nyash Up!, will leave listeners with no other choice than to bob their heads and tap their toes to a combination of jazzy notes and unique rock beats. Ten years after Chicago Afrobeat Project debuted, the eight-member group has climbed its way to help… Read more »

This weekend marked the final performance dates of the UW-Madison Department of Dance’s annual faculty concert, “Pillars.” The show took place in the Margaret H’Doubler Performance Space, a quaint yet elegant setting perfect for the event. Because of its movie theater setup, every member of the audience had the perfect… Read more »

The Great Depression and New Deal occupy a special place in the American historical canon. For one, they mark one of the greatest periods of hardship in American history, and the beginning of a process that would end with the United States becoming the most powerful economic force in the… Read more »

Sometimes it’s easy to predict who will win Oscar gold. Daniel Day-Lewis will most likely win Best Actor for his portrayal of Abraham Lincoln this year, and Anne Hathaway’s performance in “Les Misérables” outshines everyone else in the category for Best Actress in a Supporting Role. But there are many… Read more »

To tide fans over until the release of his highly-anticipated new album, J. Cole put out “Truly Yours” last week, an honest, soul-baring mixtape. “Born Sinner,” J. Cole’s next full-length album, was originally slotted for release Jan. 28. But after pushing the deadline back in early January, there has been… Read more »

A story of romance between a widower and a mysterious woman new to town is what many audience members might expect from the movie adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ book, “Safe Haven.” But this movie, well-timed for Valentine’s Day, is definitely not your typical love story. The opening scene shows Julianne… Read more »

Bow down, TV lovers: “Community” has returned for a fourth season. The surprise hit show with a cult following seemed on the brink of cancellation, but, at least for now, “Community” will continue with a 13-episode season. “Community’s” ensemble cast of community college misfits normally gives the show an edge,… Read more »

The Generation Wild Tour, consisting of EDM DJ’s Deniz Koyu, Danny Avila, dBerrie and Mikael Weermets, came to Madison’s Majestic Theatre Tuesday. They’ve been on tour in the U.S. for 12 days and have played eight shows so far, hitting up colleges such as Penn State and performing with Dayglow.… Read more »

Since the late 1990s, the music game genre has slowly grown to be incredibly prominent in the gaming world. It expanded all the way from the arcade to school curricula - it has become an inspiration for fitness games to be a part of education while maintaining its strong fan… Read more »

The year’s worst-reviewed movie so far is now in theaters. But no one should have expected “Movie 43” it to be anything but crap. The A-list celebrity cast ensemble may have heightened expectations from audiences and critics alike, but actors can’t save something that is fundamentally meant to suck. “Movie 43”… Read more »

On Saturday, every rock music aficionado with Internet access let out a yelp followed by a few uncontrollable drops of urine. My Bloody Valentine had just released an album. Titled m b v, the album is a nine-song collection 22 years in the making. It is the follow-up to the… Read more »

The newest film to take a stab at reinventing the zombie genre, “Warm Bodies,” is certainly a soulful romance. Adapted from the book of the same name by Isaac Marion, this film bridges the gap between “Twilight” haters and lovers by showing audiences the earth-shattering agony of adolescent love… Read more »

Seven albums. 2,845,300,514 YouTube video views. 50,885,948 Facebook fans. 33,940,784 Twitter followers. 4.7 million total album sales. 22 minutes to sell out Madison Square Garden.  18-year-old Justin Bieber has already accomplished more in his young life than most musicians who have been in the industry for half a decade. Bieber… Read more »

Politics can be a messy business. Backstabbing, media wars and blackmail are just a few of the common tricks of political intrigue, at least according to the world of Hollywood. Yet, as of late, these ways of Washington have gotten old. The spotlight of quality hasn’t shined on political thrillers… Read more »

It was an immensely frigid night Thursday as Madison’s Barrymore Theatre’s marquee shined over its dingy surroundings. A sign of shelter, warmth and entertainment, a large group of people chatted while waiting casually outside the theatre’s main entrance. The sight was reminiscent of a line for an amusement park roller… Read more »

Madison hip-hop takes another step forward with the release of Tef Man’s Feel Good Music. Tef’s powerful and contemplated vocals are accompanied by excellent production and an array of local talent in this 16-track project. This multi-faceted rapper has been heading up his own independent record label, Top of the… Read more »

It didn’t take long after the first episode of “Sex and the City” in 1998 for the television show to become a household name. Women all over the country could relate to Sarah Jessica Parker (“New Year’s Eve”) as Carrie Bradshaw: the single, Manhattan-based, sex columnist gal who strived for… Read more »

Following the recent announcement of their reunion, Destiny’s Child dropped Love Songs, their first album in years, last week. Though all but one of the tracks was selected from previous works, chances are only the diehard fans will recognize many of them. Love Songs is comprised of slower, more romantic tracks… Read more »

Local Natives’ sophomore album, Hummingbird, introduces their slightly despairing content with “You & I.” Powerful vocals accompanied by marching drums guide the audience into the album with a chauvinistic entrance. The content delivered from this band’s lyrics pull at the emotional heartstrings yet still contain that shining hope, yearning for resolve. The marching… Read more »

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art could not have chosen a better way to bring in the new year. The retrospective print collection of Ellsworth Kelly is refreshingly strong. Some works in the show date back to his early success of the 1960s, while others are as recent as 2005.… Read more »

Many garage indie bands dream of simply getting out of their parents’ basement. For Madison-based indie band Wook, they’re already well past that stage, having just released their ambitious first album: Glowstick Sidewalks, a culmination of years of work and practice.”Glowstick Sidewalks has been in the studio for nearly three months,”… Read more »

Since their surprise performance together during the 81st Academy Awards, when it was confirmed Hugh Jackman (“Butter”) and Anne Hathaway (“The Dark Knight Rises”) would sing together in the cinematic adaptation of “Les Miserables,” audiences anxiously awaited the release of the musical on Christmas Day. Released in theatres during a… Read more »

It’s easy to criticize ASAP Rocky. His oftentimes superficial lyrics, pretty boy image and rapid rise to fame — from unknown Harlem rapper to YouTube sensation to rap royalty with a $3 million deal with RCA Records — leads one to question his current stature: Is Rocky truly a great… Read more »

With Oscar gold under her belt after the success of “The Hurt Locker,” director Kathryn Bigelow set her sights on retelling the story of finding Osama bin Laden after his capture in May 2011. Many moviegoers anticipated “The Hurt Locker’s” intense focus on military action to carry over, making “Zero… Read more »

The lights on the ceiling of the Barrymore twinkled like stars over the flannel-decked crowd Saturday night. Spirits were warm as anxious showgoers waited to immerse themselves in authentic rock and roll, something Band of Horses would not fail to provide in this sold-out show. The relaxed vibe was cut… Read more »

Macklemore’s second visit to the Madison area in this up and coming rapper’s relatively short career proved a true reflection of how far he has come. Though he has been recording and performing for some time, Macklemore’s popularity has been on the rise since the viral popularity of his music… Read more »

David O. Russell’s “Silver Linings Playbook” unites comedy, drama and romance all into one to create what may be one of the most memorable movies of the year. In short, Russell has crafted an incredible film. Bradley Cooper (“The Hangover Part II”), as Pat Solitano, plays a unique, somewhat troubled… Read more »

Forming an eclectic trio of sounds, Dakotas and Little Legend opened for Turbo Fruits Sunday night. When Dakotas started its set, there were fewer than a few dozen people at the High Noon Saloon, many of them members of Little Legend and Turbo Fruits. Dakotas is a four piece group… Read more »

The world’s favorite MI6 agent, James Bond (Daniel Craig, “The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo”), returns for a third installment in the most recent Bond cycle. “Skyfall” finally breaks the series away from the odd continuation between “Casino Royale” and “Quantum of Solace” to tell a fresh Bond story. But a… Read more »

Milwaukee’s own Field Report is a band with a lot to prove. Rarely, though, can a group make its stand as effortlessly as this one did on at Madison’s High Noon Saloon Saturday night.  The group has been out on the road in support of its self-titled album, a record… Read more »

With the force of an F5 tornado from the deep south, the boys from Old Crow Medicine Show swept into Madison Thursday night. In a nearly two-hour set, they managed to turn the Overture Center’s Capitol Theater into a northern Grand Ole Opry. The band, armed with banjos, fiddles, guitars and… Read more »

After stopping at venues up and down the East Coast, touring in lower-central Canada and the Midwest, Richie Hawtin’s CNTRL: Beyond EDM tour finally made its much-anticipated stop in Madison Saturday to what was a particularly welcoming audience. Interestingly, Hawtin held a panel at the Madison Media Institute prior to… Read more »

University Theater brought a controversial musical to life in its production of “The Cradle Will Rock,” written by Marc Blitzstein and directed by Norma Saldivar. The story is about how standing together creates a force too strong to bring down. Although the music was slightly strange — definitely nothing catchy,… Read more »

For Derek Vincent Smith, sharing is caring. Better known as Pretty Lights, the Colorado-based artist freely distributes his unique blend of electro hip-hop soul music over the Internet for fans to download as they please. Although his Thursday night performance at the Alliant Energy Center’s Exhibition Hall was not exactly… Read more »

Flynt Flossy promised “an experience” in his interview with The Badger Herald, and, man, did he deliver. Four members of Turquoise Jeep performed last night, each bringing full booty-popping power to the stage. Everyone in the varied, eclectic crowd was laughing and jamming each minute of the hour-long set. Openers… Read more »

State Radio, a Boston-based alt-rock trio led by Chad Stokes Urmston of Dispatch, brought head-banging political jams and activism to the Majestic Theatre this weekend. Following the light acoustic tunes of opener Sarah Jaffe, State Radio took the stage and fired up the crowd with heavier rock jams. Opening with… Read more »

Promoting their debut album, Milo Greene came to Madison for their second time at the High Noon Saloon Saturday night. The five-piece pair played with opener Bahamas. Bahamas is more of a one-man show. The four piece set of guitar, drums and two backup singers provides a spotlight for Afie… Read more »

Imagine a mysterious disease striking mass amounts of people in the community without warning. There is no knowledge of how it is spreading or who it will hit next. Imagine the chaos, the confusion, the unavoidable sense of loss and helplessness. This is where you’d find yourself in the plot… Read more »

The Infamous Stringdusters made another stop in Madison at the Majestic this past Friday with guests Horseshoes and Hand Grenades. Their performance continued a circuit of bluegrass bands touring regularly through Madison, with the most recognizable being Yonder Mountain String Band. Just last year, The Infamous Stringdusters opened for Yonder… Read more »

Saturday marked another night of the annual craziness that is Freakfest. Starting at 7 P.M., thousands upon thousands of costumed “freaks” thronged through State Street on their way to listen to the live music performed by artists like Big Gigantic and Mac Miller, or, for those who were of age,… Read more »

“You know, everywhere we go we like to turn places into little road houses,” Ryan Bingham said during the first of a two-night stand at the Majestic Theatre. He lived up to his promise. Bingham, of west Texas, is known for mixing classic country with folk, as evidenced by his Grammy-winning… Read more »

There is garbage on the walls of the gallery. A series of card table-sized prints are screwed along the walls of Union South’s “Gallery 1308.” Desaturated and achromatic, they bring to mind old newspapers matted in a gutter with fall leaves steeping in their orange tea. Galen Gibson-Cornell, a second… Read more »

The moonlit setting in Olin Park overlooking Lake Monona is creepy enough, but then add a haunted house and you’ve got the makings for a spooktacular way to spend the Halloween weekend. If you’re looking for fun, but don’t want to get too scared out of your wits — Horror… Read more »

Stephen Chbosky’s film “The Perks of Being a Wallflower” touchingly portrays the lives of less-than-ordinary high schoolers struggling with serious issues in a truly unforgettable manner.The main character Charlie (Logan Lerman) is a quiet, bookworm who begins his transition into high school with little more than hope to find new… Read more »

By the time Dinosaur Jr. bassist Lou Barlow returned to the stage to inform a waiting audience there would be no encore, this reviewer was more than ready for the night to be over. “Our drummer’s throwing up,” said Barlow, referring to Murph, the bald-headed slugger who, if ill, did… Read more »

Here at the arts department, we occasionally get sent a package suspiciously shaped like a square Frisbee. Inside these packages are those lovely relics of music’s past: real CDs. Some are from local artists, some come in fancy packaging and some of them never get listened to. Cue Mix Bag… Read more »

Timeflies when you’re having fun — at least that’s what hundreds of short skirt wearin’ fans thought during the group’s appearance on campus this week. This Timeflies Tuesday night, girls dressed their best to hear Cal and Rez rev up the crowd with their eclectic beats. There was no shortage… Read more »

Ben Affleck (“The Town”) released his third directorial film, plunging those old enough to remember into nostalgia, while edifying others on the feuding nations and realities of the Iran Hostage Crisis during the Cold War. Affleck stars as Tony Mendez, a disheveled CIA agent with a shaggy haircut and a… Read more »

Lights! Purple! Lasers! Pink! Paint explosion! Bass drop! Alcohol! Uninhibited libido! Dancing robot! More alcohol! Trampolines! Neon acrobats! Bigger paint explosion! D-d-d-d-d-drop the bass! The subjects of those short, fragmented sentences are what keep EDM devotees going. Mention to a dubstep-head the words “lasers” and “bass drop” in the same… Read more »

The list of undisputed stand-up comedy royalty is a short one. Names like Richard Pryor, Woody Allen, George Carlin and Bob Hope will always ring true for comedy fans. Of course, this impressive list should also be augmented with some of the newer greats such as Louis C.K., Chris Rock,… Read more »

If you happened to be at the High Noon Saloon at 8 p.m. on Wednesday night, you may or may not have expected several things. Swinging guitars? Yes. Chest-thumping drums? Most definitely. Bass so sick it hums the floor? Why not? Electric tunes that you can feel in the very… Read more »

Just more than five years ago, famed British author J.K. Rowling printed the final book of the Harry Potter series, and last summer the series’ final film came out on the big screen. On Sept. 27, Rowling published her first novel since the series, “The Casual Vacancy,” which also marked… Read more »

Genius or insane? There is a fine line to draw between the two, one that artists have towed since the dawn of self-expression. Yoni Wolf, front man and songwriter for Why?, isn’t helping make any distinctions. Wolf comes off as a literary savant in his writing and delivery with wordplay… Read more »

Crowds at hip-hop concerts are notoriously unenergetic. Oftentimes regardless of an artist’s onstage energy, the crowd will simply bob their heads, carefully avoiding any hip motions or movements that could be perceived as “dancing.” This lack of energy could inherently stem from the genre itself: Rappers often focus on exuding… Read more »

Next week, Lifetime will premiere “Prank My Mom,” the newest reality prank show to exploit innocent victims at the hands of a network and bitter yet good-humored offspring. As the title makes explicitly clear, the victims are the mothers of said pranksters. In a sketch format, three mother-and-child pairs hash… Read more »

The comedy scene has exploded in Madison in recent years, and this Saturday, Madison welcomed one of stand-up’s rising stars to the stage at Barrymore Theater. Hannibal Buress, named one of Variety’s “10 Comics to Watch in 2010,” has continued to rise in the comic ranks achieving success after writing… Read more »

On Saturday night, an army wearing flannel shirts, unkempt beards, designer glasses and skinny jeans invaded the Majestic Theater to welcome an event some hipsters may declare as more important than their weddings: The Dirty Projectors were playing. The general public probably couldn’t care less, but they most likely haven’t… Read more »

With the release of their fourth studio album, Battle Born, The Killers have moved into a new stage in the band’s lifetime — middle age. But they’ve averted crisis this time; it’s the same old Brandon Flowers and company delivering anthems, ballads and powerful guitar movements. Battle Born is somewhat… Read more »

Running a restaurant can be a balancing act between trying to put out the best food possible and keeping prices low to attract customers. DLux, Food Fight Restaurant Group’s latest venture, manages to keep its prices low while putting out some seriously good food. DLux is located on Martin Luther… Read more »

On a chilly, quiet Sunday evening, Madisonians patiently awaited folk rock lord Conor Oberst to roll into town. Good-hearted, flannel wearing folksters of the Midwest gathered at Capitol Theater where the Overture Center for the Arts hosted the beloved, all-American singer-song writer for a night of nostalgic reflection spanning a… Read more »

The “French film” genre is ubiquitous in our minds as the quintessential “art house” film — screened in tiny theaters for a tiny audience, meant to be seen in smoky rooms and accompanied, of course, by wine, cheese and a healthy dose of elitism. What many people don’t realize, though,… Read more »

The cover of The xx’s sophomore album, Coexist, flaunts a brilliant “X.” This letter frames a beautiful, multicolored oil sheen, the result of two similar but fundamentally different liquids — oil and water — mixing into a whole but flawed assemblage doomed to never fully coalesce. Coexist isn’t quite a breakup… Read more »

It takes a talented director and strong cast to produce an exceptional opera filled with a hailstorm of popular culture, both from the past and the present. Such was Saturday’s performance of “The Good, The Bad and the Divas” by Madison’s Fresco Opera Theatre. With Fresco Opera Theatre, it’s all… Read more »

Every year, 1.5 million art enthusiasts travel to Florence, Italy, to explore one of the world’s most renowned and oldest art museums, the Uffizi Gallery. The Madison community can now enjoy this international experience at the Chazen Art Museum with the opening of its latest exhibit, “Offering of the Angels: Painting… Read more »

Careening through dense fog under a full moon in the rural, mountainous region of Southeastern Minnesota had all the makings of a horror movie. Rough gravel roads and cornfields broken up only by a cemetery and dilapidated barns made the trip all the more nerve-wracking. Finally, a hairpin turn leading… Read more »

Ask anyone who has seen a Flaming Lips show to describe it, and you’re bound to hear something along the lines of incredible, indescribable, or completely and utterly weird. Their performance Friday at Warner Park for the inaugural Pondamonium was no exception. Before their set, a peek behind the stage revealed… Read more »

The Zac Brown Band has many reasons to be excited. The American country band has been up for dozens of nominations for numerous music awards and has won a few along the way, including Best New Artist at the Grammys in 2010, followed by another Grammy in 2011. Most recently, the band… Read more »

“She hates a lot of things that I do but she’s my woman, boy. My woman, and do you know why? Because she needs a man, a real man — not some gutless boy” — “Mudhoney” (1965). Recalling the conflict between an abusive husband and his wife in the film… Read more »

Eric Hutchinson was absolutely electric at the Majestic Theater Tuesday night. Fresh out of Chicago from a show the night before, he took the stage at about 9:30 p.m. after his opening act, Anya Marina, blew the crowd away with her raspy vocals and unleveled rocker charm. The sold-out show… Read more »

Jack White’s first solo album is basically what longtime followers would expect. But don’t let that turn you away from said effort, titled Blunderbuss. On it, White continues to expand his sound from its stripped-down roots in garage rock to a more rounded style of music. Blunderbuss kicks off with… Read more »

The Wisconsin Union Theater is not the typical place for mosh pits, especially at a Sara Bareilles concert. So it was no surprise that although everyone seemed excited for a great show, there was a relatively low-key atmosphere at the venue Saturday while people patiently waited in line to be… Read more »

Bare-chested and stone-faced, Nick Offerman strode onto the Union Theater stage Wednesday night declaring, “Minor nudity was advertised; minor nudity … achieved.” Offerman is most famous for his role on NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” as the mustached, government-hating parks department director Ron Swanson. Offerman’s stop in Madison was part of… Read more »

“Keyhole” opens with a bullet-ridden credit sequence that suggests an intense story, but it never quite shows. The experimental film noir is Canadian director Guy Maddin’s first story in five years, but most audience members will struggle to find any clear narrative structure throughout the movie’s 93 minutes. While the film… Read more »

It’s somewhat rare when a horror movie can appease both horror lovers and haters. But somehow, “Cabin in the Woods” manages to perfectly blend gore, camp and comedy in an unprecedented effort to critique and reflect upon its genre. The film has every single ingredient in the stereotypical horror movie… Read more »

Fourthmeal adherents still bruised from the aftershocks of allegedly diminished meat content in Taco Bell’s beef offerings received a transfusion on March 8 with what the firm described as the largest product launch in its history. In an attempt to revive sluggish sales, the Shangri-la of late-night food plunked down… Read more »

Films featuring LGBT lead characters have been portraying coming-out stories for a long time. With recent attention through campaigns like the It Gets Better Project being paid to those choosing to end their lives to escape social stigma, it’s more important than ever to express the struggles the queer-identified must… Read more »

White Rabbits came through Madison once this school year already, playing on a crowded Memorial Union Terrace. This time, they came through the High Noon Saloon, touring with Gull and guest Coo Woo. While the venues are quite different, White Rabbits put on a good show for both. Opening act… Read more »

Just after 11 p.m. on Sunday night, a steady stream of sweaty bodies poured out of Miami’s Bayfront Park, some dragging their dirty furry boot-clad feet, others still dancing shirtless to the beat that played on in their heads. Roughly 165,000 electronic music fans clogged Biscayne Boulevard for the last… Read more »

“The ‘Queen’ is back, the ‘Queen’ is back!” Since the February release of Madonna (Madonna Louise Ciccone)’s first single “Give Me All Your Luvin,’” Madonna fans have been plastering the internet with this proclamation. But the biggest question is “Since when was Madonna ever ‘gone?’” Today marks the release of… Read more »

Fans of “The Hunger Games,” originally a book series by Suzanne Collins, have anxiously awaited the release of the film since the trailer took audiences by storm last fall. In its final issue of the year, Entertainment Weekly called the preview the best three minutes of film in 2011. To… Read more »

Before the show began Thursday night at the Alliant Energy Center, I overheard the woman to my right say to her friend, “I saw my first concert here, Sonny and Cher.” It was then that I realized that I would be in the minority as a 20-year-old at an Elton… Read more »

One gets the feeling that The Shins were trying for a grand statement on their latest album, Port of Morrow. From the album’s arc — morose to uplifted and back again — to the coy title that seems right at home on a list of euphemisms with “the great beyond”… Read more »

Boy meets girl. Boy and girl make friends. One time boy and girl have sex and make a baby. And if Hollywood has anything to say about it, naturally, boy and girl are soul mates. That’s the basic gist behind “Friends with Kids,” an indie comedy directed by Jennifer Westfeldt… Read more »

After months of hard work, the staff of MODA magazine and their co-sponsor Wisconsin Union Directorate Music successfully put together the University of Wisconsin’s first-ever Fashion Week and ended it with a big bang at Union South this past Friday. The Sett at Union South helped wrap up the week… Read more »

With laid-back beats and a slow methodical sense of rhyming, Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All (a.k.a. Odd Future), has released an album titled The Odd Future Tape Vol. 2. The rap group from L.A. has been recently placed on the mainstream map since the group’s leader, Tyler, The Creator,… Read more »

If someone were to wander around the University of Wisconsin grounds asking students about the one thing they remember from their childhood, chances are many of the responses would include books like “The Cat in the Hat,” “Fox in Socks” and “Green Eggs and Ham.” The timeless books by Dr.… Read more »

Upon searching through the archives of The Badger Herald, one will find that the child abduction and child army atrocities in Uganda have had a decent amount of coverage; on average, they’re covered once a year, as they certainly should be. Obviously, there are many problems throughout the world that… Read more »

Andrew Bird is nearly 40 and has been a professional musician for almost 20 years. His career has not been riddled with hiatuses, endless side projects or significant drama of any kind. He has never gone more than three years without releasing an album. With every release he pushes his… Read more »

Everyone knows a pessimist — a lamenter of everyday life that can’t find the bright side of a desk lamp and then asks you to turn it off so it doesn’t hurt his eyes. Generally they are a guaranteed buzz-kill and the last person you want to listen to. Pessimist… Read more »

They are young. They are obscure. And they have a lot more composing to do before they’re widely recognized. But at the rate they are moving, they are likely to exceed expectations. Just who are “they”? Three French musicians who call themselves Juveniles. In the year they’ve been working together,… Read more »

What happens when two die-hard Manhattanites are transplanted into unfamiliar territory with hippies, drugs and nudists? “Wanderlust” reinterprets the classic tale of city dwellers adjusting to a different environment through the medium of raunch comedy. George (Paul Rudd, “Our Idiot Brother”) and Linda (Jennifer Aniston, “Horrible Bosses”) are a married… Read more »

Last Friday night, the guiltiest of pleasures and the darkest of humors graced downtown Madison as comedy troupe The Whitest Kids U’ Know stepped to center stage at the Majestic Theatre. The darling group took the stage just after 8 p.m. to a sold out crowd and started with a… Read more »

“Blame the government.” It’s a mantra we hear time and time again — when taxes go up, when we get parking tickets, when we get Norovirus. But blaming the government for the deaths that occurred on Sept. 11, 2001 is not an idea that most people are comfortable with confronting.… Read more »

Sleigh Bells did not arrive on the indie music scene quietly. From the first pounding rift on its 2010 debut Treats, the band thrust a defiant fist — or middle finger — in the air, demanding attention with a unique brand of rock that prided itself on being loud. On… Read more »

Datsik Although the Orpheum’s sound system may have been ill-equipped to handle the heavy dose of bass Datsik’s signature grimy wobbles threw at it, from the moment the baseball-capped Canadian dubstep DJ climbed up behind his booth it was clear he was going to do his damnedest to ensure the… Read more »

A year-and-a-half in the making, the much-anticipated Some Nights hit shelves and the iTunes store Tuesday. Fun. fans everywhere were more than ready. This new album from the boys of fun. — Nate Ruess, Jack Antonoff and Andrew Dost — has been generating buzz since the band’s first single “We… Read more »

British movie maker Steve McQueen had to make a choice. In order to have his latest film, “Shame,” taken seriously for awards this season, he would have had to cut many sexually explicit scenes just to appease sensitive viewers. However, removing so many plot-essential moments would have severely compromised the… Read more »

Greeted by the roaring applause of laughter-hungry college students, Demetri Martin took the stage for a second time at the Barrymore Friday night. After his 8 p.m. show sold out at incredible speeds, a second show at the theater was added to his “Telling Jokes in Cold Places” tour. This… Read more »

“The Woman in Black,” a shadowy supernatural tale of a ghost who haunts and terrorizes a small English town, doesn’t scream Oscar material, but does make for some face-hiding, seat-squirming fun. Daniel Radcliffe (“Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part II”) plays the more mature role of Arthur Kipps, a… Read more »

Late 19th century Dublin is a place of hardships; fear of typhoid and poverty grip citizens as they go about their daily lives in a struggle to survive. Albert Nobbs (Glenn Close, “Damages”) is among the lucky few employed as a waiter in an upscale hotel, making enough money to… Read more »

In 1964, the Beatles made their American debut after the massive success of the song “I Want to Hold Your Hand.” Forty-eight years to the week after the British Invasion, the two surviving members of one of the most famous bands in history, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, have released… Read more »

For probably the first time in entertainment history, executing a project conceived by Steven Spielberg (“War Horse”) was a risk. The notoriously successful director created the television show “Smash,” which is about the world of Broadway and those who inhabit it. While a musical show like “Glee” (Lea Michele) is… Read more »

Just a day before Lana del Rey performed her now-infamous two-song set on Saturday Night Live, I sat down with my roommates to watch “That Thing You Do,” the 1996 film about a 1960s one-hit-wonder called “The Oneders.” Their story seems oddly parallel to del Rey’s quick rise and her… Read more »

Wolves are back, but it’s not another “Twilight” sequel. This winter, there is “The Grey,” an existential man-versus-beast flick with more violence than sense and more fun than substance. “The Grey” is rated R, presumably to keep out immature viewers. But its pudgy, cartoonish wolf monsters would barely convince a… Read more »

Since beginning its act 20 years ago, Blue Man Group’s distinctive performance has become a global entertainment giant. The cast of blue men has grown from the three founders to an army of nearly 90 painted performers. Despite its globally franchised success, Blue Man Group made last week’s performances at… Read more »

AJ Bombers exploded to the front of the culinary scene in Milwaukee shortly after their opening in 2009. Although things like their WW2 bomb-inspired peanut delivery system made it an exciting place to visit, it was their award-winning burgers that first brought AJ Bombers, and their co-owner Joe Sorge, into… Read more »

“Tonight’s show involves bright flashing/strobe lights during the performance. If you are susceptible to seizures, do not enter the show.” That was the message show-goers found on the door of the Majestic on Thursday night as they geared up to see Colorado-based Paper Diamond. That is, once they made it… Read more »

Meryl Streep does what she can with a poorly constructed overview of the highlights of Margaret Thatcher’s career as the first female prime minister of the United Kingdom in director Phyllida Lloyd’s “The Iron Lady.” Margaret Thatcher (Streep, “It’s Complicated”) is losing her mind to dementia. Her dead husband (Jim… Read more »

On the heels of the successful American version of “The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo,” Hollywood shows once again that damsels aren’t always in distress. Some cause it. In “Haywire,” the latest thriller from director Steven Soderbergh (“Contagion”), a highly skilled operative (Gina Carano, “Blood and Bone”) seeks revenge after… Read more »

Earlier this month Gary Lightbody and the members of Snow Patrol released Fallen Empires, their sixth studio album. With so much prior international attention surrounding the Irish band, it’s accomplished nearly everything a band sets out to do. The group has won awards like Best British Band and Best Irish… Read more »

Any attempt to categorize Bombay Bicycle Club is now utterly futile with the release of its third album, A Different Kind of Fix. Although not as jarring of a shift as the band’s strictly acoustic second album, Flaws, BBC still managed to surprise fans by expanding beyond the guitar-centered… Read more »

The silent movie genre has long been considered extinct, but French writer/director Michel Hazanavicius revives the format in the film he calls his love letter to cinema, “The Artist.” In 1927, Hollywood’s most beloved silent film star is George Valentin (Jean Dujardin, “A View of Love”), a handsome, dashing heartthrob… Read more »

There’s something amusingly obscure about a roomful of prints by Mexican artists mostly done in the first half of the 20th century. It’s a collection that sounds like it belongs in a long, dry conversation with an uncle who heads up an independent tax firm but really had a passion… Read more »

Morning bun — $2.50 By most accounts, the morning bun was actually created right here in Madison at the long-closed and long-missed Ovens of Brittany. In its original form, the morning bun is croissant dough rolled in brown sugar and cinnamon and twisted up a la cinnamon roll. 4 &… Read more »

“New Year’s Eve” was created by director Garry Marshall, best known for “Pretty Woman,” who produced “Valentine’s Day” with the same team last year. The entire movie is basically just a montage of eight (yes, eight) very cliché New Year’s Eve stories, pitching New York as the ultimate place to… Read more »

One minute you’re staring at a blank wall. The next you’re ant-sized, looking up at flowers that seem to loom feet above your head, trying to brush away blades of grass that are dangerously close to your face. Of course, your hands go through the blades; they hit only air,… Read more »

Colin Clark (Eddie Redmayne, “Black Death”) gazes upon Marilyn Monroe (Michelle Williams, “Blue Valentine”) almost every Thursday in his academic town’s news theater near London. Despite the disapproval of his family, he dreams of becoming a movie director and pushes his way into a job on the set of “The… Read more »

Imagine being handed a magazine already open to the best, most interesting page. Anyone’s interest would be immediately engaged, piqued, and that person would probably be tempted to give the rest of the magazine a shot. There might even be some residual nostalgia as the rest of the pages flipped… Read more »

Late last week, Philadelphia neo-soul band The Roots breathed a sigh of relief. The group feared it would be released from its ongoing two-year gig as house band for “Late Night with Jimmy Fallon” after a live TV stunt involving 2012 presidential candidate-hopeful Michele Bachmann and the song “Lyin’ Ass… Read more »

For the first time in seven years, I was denied admission to a movie because it was sold out. With the increase in ticket prices and decrease in audience attendance recently, I was understandably surprised. So I bought tickets for the next show time of “The Muppets” and resisted George… Read more »

Director Alexander Payne (“Sideways”) seems to be gearing up for another Oscar with the combination of a brilliant script and bold acting from George Clooney (“Up in the Air”) in his new film “The Descendants.”Matt King (Clooney) is forced to pull himself away from his job as a lawyer in Honolulu… Read more »

This week marks the release of recording artist Rihanna (Robyn Rihanna Fenty)’s sixth studio album, Talk That Talk. Originally from Barbados, the 23-year-old has won four Grammys and sold over 20 million albums in just seven years. Her successes have placed her in the arena of superstars like Madonna and… Read more »

It seems no review of Joan Didion’s work can avoid extolling her as “America’s most celebrated essayist.” With that in mind, Joan Didion, America’s most celebrated essayist, recently published her latest memoirs, “Blue Nights.” The book is a rumination on the personal tragedies that have assailed Didion in the past… Read more »

Fans everywhere have been listening to Drake’s new album, Take Care, after it was leaked on the internet just over a week before its official Nov. 15 release date. Take Care is Drake’s second album; his first album, which debuted in 2010, was titled Thank Me Later. Though Drake is… Read more »

In the multi-year hip hop calendar, 2011 is the Year of Self-Conscious, Ironic Regurgitation of Themes. The brooding musings of Tyler the Creator and Drake’s continuous omphaloskepsis are fun, but with the release of Childish Gambino’s first commercially produced album Camp, listeners should question if this new crop of artists… Read more »

Compelling and emotional, “J. Edgar” will captivate audiences. Director Clint Eastwood (“Hereafter”) and writer Dustin Lance Black (“Milk”) outdid themselves in recounting the remarkable life of the late J. Edgar Hoover, who served nearly 50 years as the face of law enforcement in America. Leonardo DiCaprio plays the difficult role… Read more »

The most recent, visually stunning film from Danish director Lars von Trier, “Melancholia,” is without question the masterpiece of his career. Tackling the staggering subject of the apocalypse, von Trier has managed to present the end of days as both heart-wrenching and beautiful. He begins with an eight-minute prologue similar in… Read more »

The most recent album by indie band Los Campesinos!, called Hello Sadness, is defined by its gloominess. Los Campesinos! members belt out song after song filled with a depressing compilation of words. In “Life is a Long Time,” one of 10 tracks debuting on the band’s new album, Los Campesinos!… Read more »

Known for his twisted, unfathomable cinematic creations among film buffs, David Lynch came out with a musical project this week that can have no effect but to astound listeners. The album, aptly titled Crazy Clown Time, is not Lynch’s first project outside film, but for some might pose a surprising… Read more »

Florence + the Machine truly is a machine at creating great albums. Florence Welch’s voice shines especially in the band’s newest album, Ceremonials, which came out Tuesday. The lead single from the album, “Shake It Out,” is catchy and inspirational. It is a feel-good song that audiences of all types will… Read more »

The king has been resurrected quite successfully. The Portland-based Indie folk rock band The Decemberists have produced a mostly acoustic six-track EP titled Long Live the King, due out today on Capitol Records. As the title indicates, Long Live the King was recorded around the same time as the group’s… Read more »

At 12:20 on Sunday morning, a cheer swelled from the crowd of sweaty, costumed coeds at Segredo. The ghosts, teenage mutant ninja turtles, slutty fill-in-the-blanks, kandi kids and club-goers stopped churning for a moment and looked up: Wolfgang Gartner had finally arrived. The Top 100 DJ opened his set with… Read more »

“There’s a thin veneer between the dream and the reality. You wake ‘em up and people might ask for their money back.” These cynical words come from a weary editor who cautions journalist Frank Kemp (Johnny Depp, “Pirates of the Carribean: On Stranger Tides”), from reporting on hard-hitting issues that… Read more »

Since its debut Cross hit clubs and mixes across the planet in 2007, Justice has slowly been losing its previously constant place on college party playlists. The French electro duo’s infectious single “D.A.N.C.E.” had listeners humming for days after its first release. But will its second LP, Audio, Video, Disco,… Read more »

Jane’s Addiction has never really been comfortable with its place in music. Emerging in the late ’80s, its style never fit the “grunge” label. Embraced by hipsters and critics, the group released two albums before band infighting tore its members apart. Intermittent reunions over the next decade eventually led to… Read more »

It’s hard to imagine that anything new, interesting or exciting could possibly happen in the “Paranormal Activity” series’ third attempt at a decently scary film. The biggest shock in the theater this year wasn’t the overused demon motif or the cheesy, superficial acting. The surprise was the large crowd that… Read more »

Today marked the opening of the Chazen Museum of Art’s other half. For the past two years, students have walked by another construction site. But today we welcome a new member to the university and Madison. The Chazen has doubled its size through an 86,000 square-foot extension. The project cost… Read more »

Occasionally, an album seems to come of nowhere at just the right time. Real Estate’s Days certainly didn’t come out of nowhere; the meticulous song structures attest to that, along with the fact that it’s been a year or so since their last LP. But as for timing, a few… Read more »

There’s no reason that a logical flaw should be central to an evaluation of a movie about shape-shifting aliens in Antarctica. It’s a premise so absurd that stepping into the theater signals a sort of implicit contract between viewer and filmmakers to suspend disbelief for an hour and a half… Read more »

When Kurt Cobain died of a drug overdose in 1994, the music world was almost immediately given a new savior in Noel Gallagher. He and his brother, Liam, brought music directly inspired by the nihilistic energy of grunge and the psychedelic elements of the Beatles into the world. They had… Read more »

State Street does not need another coffee shop. It baffles most that the plethora that exist generally manage to stay in business and that they’re usually full. The area around this part of Madison clearly seems to house the café-going type, however, which keeps the businesses afloat. Perhaps State Street… Read more »

I have never heard anything remotely like William Shatner’s music. I’ve listened to opera, metal, dub, spoken word and everything in between. Until a few days ago, I considered myself very musically literate. But this was until I heard Shatner’s latest album, Seeking Major Tom. The album is enthralling, and… Read more »

4 out of 5 stars For an album named after a theory that claims humans have an instinctive bond to other organisms, Biophilia is surprisingly tied to modern technology. Rather than focusing on organic means of musical construction, Bjork’s eighth album was recorded partly with the use of an iPad… Read more »

When Roger Ebert was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2002, the disease and the surgeries it would require hindered his ability to drink, eat and speak. However, the cancer would not prevent the Pulitzer Prize-distinguished film critic from having a voice through his written words. Through an online blog, Ebert… Read more »

In 1985, Russell Carter initially rejected the Indigo Girls’ (Amy Ray and Emily Saliers) request for him to be their manager. He thought these female folk-rocking guitarists from the suburbs of Atlanta were unlikely to get a record deal. The reason? He thought that their lyrics were “immature.” Now,… Read more »

It has been more than 50 years since Paul McCartney, the mop-haired boy with the puppy-dog eyes, emerged as a part of The Beatles. Today he still reigns as an iconic piece of the pop music world. Since his solo debut in 1970, McCartney has grown to achieve even more… Read more »

Star rating: 3.5 out of 5 The old cliché is “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” Many artists are weary of changing their sound because they are afraid of losing their audience. But like the daring few, singer/songwriter Leslie Feist believes just because something is crocheted into a pillow… Read more »

In 1984, pioneering punk band Black Flag released their third album, Family Man. Its A-side consisted of nothing but spoken word pieces, while its B-side covered the usual hard-and-fast punk that the band was known for. Twenty-five years later, Michigan based quintet La Dispute has combined the two styles of… Read more »

Adam (Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “Inception”) seemingly has it all — a hot girlfriend, a solid job, a loyal friend and a supportive mom — until he goes to his doctor to get what he thinks is just irritating back pain checked out. It turns out he has neurofibroma sarcoma schwannoma —… Read more »

American singer and songwriter Tori Amos does not waste time when it comes to producing music. The musician has released 11 albums since the premiere of her first, Little Earthquakes, in 1992. She has been nominated for 10 Grammy Awards and has provided music for the scores of films such… Read more »

3 Stars out of 5 Clap Your Hands Say Yeah’s best music evokes its band name. It’s exuberant and hyper and attention-commanding and doesn’t pause for commas. After becoming darlings of the indie rock world with its self-released, self-titled debut, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah released the muddled, experimental Some Loud Thunder… Read more »

“Drive,” based on the book by James Sallis and directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, is a well put-together film that keeps viewers on their toes throughout the entire wild ride. Driver (Ryan Gosling, “Crazy, Stupid, Love”) is a Los Angeles movie stunt driver by day, and a for-hire getaway driver… Read more »

Die-hard fans who can mentally trace the route Heems and Kool A.D. follow to find their trusty hypeman Dap in the “Who’s That? Brooown!” music video surely couldn’t “Relax” waiting for the latest from Das Racist to drop. But for many, the jury’s still out. Some relegate the Brooklyn trio… Read more »

Let’s first be clear about one thing: chillwave — at least in its musical construction — is not a new invention. The futuristic-sounding effects, the vocals on top of keyboard on top of keyboard on top of drum machine composition and the constant modulation between major and minor keys and… Read more »

Upon hearing the title of the recently released “Apollo 18” movie, one might say, “But I already saw ‘Apollo 13!’” Beyond similar titles, however, these films have little in common. Straying far from the heroism, courage and teamwork on display in “Apollo 13,” director Gonzalo López-Gallego (“El Rey de la… Read more »

In almost any classic fairytale, behind the sugary-sweet characters lies a deeper, darker theme to the story. From its cover to its content, Princess Chelsea’s debut album, Lil’ Golden Book, appears to be just the same as a classic fairytale, starting with the image of a cherubic princess and her fluffy… Read more »

It has been some time since the American rock band Red Hot Chili Peppers has seen the spotlight. Its last album, Stadium Arcadium, was released in 2006, and after its world tour for the album concluded in 2007, the group decided to take a break. Anthony Kiedis, along with co-founding… Read more »

Rap fans need not wait any longer; Tha Carter IV is here. Lil Wayne’s newly released album has been a long time coming. After the success of his previous album Tha Carter III, which featured such hits as “A Milli” and “Lollipop,” Lil Wayne began work on Tha Carter IV.… Read more »

Unfortunately, nice guys don’t always finish first. That’s the case for Ned (Paul Rudd) in “Our Idiot Brother,” whose unrelenting honesty and good-natured attitude gets him into trouble. After being tricked by a uniformed police officer who wanted to buy pot from him (Ned tries to give it to him… Read more »

An obvious creation of the French screen-writer and producer Luc Besson (“The Fifth Element”) and self-dubbed director Olivier Megaton (“Transporter 3”), “Colombiana” is an action packed, revenge-centric B-movie starring the gorgeous Zoe Saldana (“Takers”). The film begins in Bogotá with young schoolgirl Cataleya (Amandla Stenberg in her debut feature film)… Read more »

Around any corner in the brand new HotelRED, there lies an equal chance of seeing traditional painted drywall as there is rough, gray concrete, complete with indentations where structural beams run through. In another context, exposed concrete walls might make an interior look hastily put together, under-planned or unfinished.  HotelRED… Read more »

“History is written by the victors,” according to Winston Churchill. Churchill’s quote underscores the human element of bias woven into the retelling of history through text or its representation through art. The Loaded Image: Printmaking as Persuasion exhibition curated in the Oscar F. and Louise Greiner Mayer Gallery at the… Read more »

There’s a fine line between jingoism and national pride, just as there’s a fine line between cynicism and seeing things for how they really are. America is comfortably wealthy, yes, and has a system of government that generally responds to the voice of its people. But is it also, in… Read more »

Since the release of their album, For Emma, Forever Ago, American indie folk group Bon Iver has done quite well for themselves. The single “Skinny Love” was featured on a number of television programs including “Chuck” and “Grey’s Anatomy.” Other songs from the album were used throughout the entertainment industry,… Read more »

Great bands such as ABBA, Ace of Base and The Hives have all come from Sweden. Now Sweden brings three men dressed like teddy bears into the music scene. This is not only an interesting sight, but also makes for interesting music. The Teddybears were previously known as Teddybears STHLM… Read more »

Tina Fey is a boss in the truest sense of the word. Witty, honest and sardonic, Fey epitomizes the role perfectly in her memoir, “Bossypants.” When beloved comedy icons like Fey announce they’re writing a memoir, unjustified fears that the book will be drenched in self-promotion or worse, take a… Read more »

“I. Love. Nuts.” With these words, the Forward Theater Company let us know that they won’t be shoving all the same old cliches down our throats (for the most part) in this, their homage to love in all its variant forms: “The Love That Changed My Life.” The show had… Read more »