Justin Hunter Scott

Leisure

Critical Voices: Shins, Wincing the Night Away, Transgressive

James Mercer and the Shins had it good. Their surprisingly deep first album, Oh, Inverted World, took off in the wake of Zach Braff’s decision to include two of its strongest songs on the soundtrack to Garden State. Their sophomore release, Chutes Too Narrow, was a worthy successor, eliminating most of their psychedelia in favor of more traditional pop. With their newest release, Wincing the Night Away, however, the Shins are merely ‘good’, and stacked up against their first two albums, it just isn’t enough.

By January 25, 2007

Leisure

Apocalypto a simple, brutal romp

Apocalypto, Mel Gibson’s latest film, comes at perhaps the most tumultuous, contentious moment of his career. You wouldn’t know it from the movie’s posters and advertisements, though, where it is prominently referred to as “Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto.”

By December 7, 2006

Leisure

Fountain spews chemical brilliance

If you’ve seen either of Darren Aronofsky’s first two movies—1999’s Pi and 2001’s Requiem for a Dream—you should take everything you thought you knew about the man and throw it out the window. The Fountain bears little resemblance to either of those films and is ultimately much better than either of them.

By November 16, 2006

Leisure

Joanna Newsom: Ys

It is difficult to write a review, in the conventional sense of the word, of Joanna Newsom’s sophomore release, Ys, because it’s unlike any other record you’ll hear this year, this decade, or perhaps even your life. At least until Ms. Newsom releases her third album, that is.

By November 9, 2006

Leisure

Critical Voices: Beach House and Califone

Displaying a strong use of texture and restraint, Beach House is one of the most impressive debuts of the year.

By October 19, 2006