Leisure

Reviews and think pieces on music, movies, art, and theater.

Leisure

Critical Voices: Toro y Moi, Causers of This

Plenty of words have been written about chillwave, but for Toro y Moi, I don’t mind adding some more. The band’s newest album, Causers of This, stands out in the midst of a chillwave hangover—or, given the saccharine hooks of Neon Indian, perhaps “despite all of my chillwave cavities” is a better metaphor.

By February 18, 2010

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Critical Voices: Local Natives, Gorilla Manor

The first instinct upon listening to a new band is to draw comparisons to established artists on the scene—to see if it fits into your canon, justify your love or indifference, or even just satisfy the nagging suspicion that you’ve heard the arrangement before. Indie newcomers Local Natives make that practice frustrating, if not impossible, with their first full release, Gorilla Manor.

By February 18, 2010

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Rub Some Dirt On It: Alternative energy sources

Years ago, the most unwholesome beverage a kid could buy at a convenience store counter was a sugar-laden can of Coke, and the only option available to sleep-deprived college students was an extra large cup of coffee.

By February 18, 2010

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Bottoms Up: A guide to open bar crashing

It was Booker T. Washington who said, “Nothing ever comes to one, that is worth having, except as a result of hard work.” Washington, master orator that he was, apparently never attended an open bar reception.

By February 18, 2010

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Daniel Tosh on sex changes, dead parents

Daniel Tosh, comedian and host of Comedy Central’s Tosh.0, talked to the Voice’s Leigh Finnegan and other college newspapers this week about the new season of his show and the response he gets for his scathing brand of humor.

By February 11, 2010

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No Haneke panky in The White Ribbon

Michael Haneke must hate Sherlock Holmes. His newest movie, The White Ribbon, is a whodunit without a who—there’s no butler with a grudge, spurned lover, or jealous colleague lurking in the shadows.

By February 11, 2010

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Nicklen’s picklens of arctic animals at Nat Geo museum

The Arctic is a place of contradictions. The tranquil beauty of the white tundra and the cool blue waters belies the harshness of the conditions.

By February 11, 2010

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Pizza, “il” advised

Upperclassmen will fondly remember 1063 31st Street NW as the location of The Alamo, a terrible Mexican-ish restaurant that did not card, where freshmen without fake IDs could order expensive margaritas and run into hallmates from Darnall who were drunk on Coronas and stuffed with mediocre tortilla chips.

By February 11, 2010

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Critical Voices: Hot Chip, One Life Stand

Hot Chip, a five-piece electronic outfit from London, has put out three middling albums with monster singles tucked neatly away inside each one.

By February 11, 2010

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Critical Voices: Yeasayer, Odd Blood

Yeasayer’s Odd Blood cover may be the most hideous thing I’ve seen since Tubgirl, but there couldn’t be a better visual complement to this group’s sound.

By February 11, 2010

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Yr Blues: Let’s talk about sex … and music

Feburary 14 is upon us, so it’s time to set the mood. You know what I’m saying—maybe it’s a nice bouquet, a little bit of chocolate, or a thoughtful card that will get the evening in motion.

By February 11, 2010

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Suffer for Fashion: A rich man’s Olympic wear?

With the Winter Olympic games just around the corner, there’s quite a bit of talk on the Internet about what the team uniforms for the parade of athletes at opening ceremonies will look like.

By February 11, 2010

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O’Keeffe blooms at the Phillips

The Georgia O’Keeffe: Abstraction exhibition opening this week at the Phillips Collection will radically redefine the way people view the iconic artist. O’Keeffe becomes youthful, revolutionary, and full of contradictions.

By February 4, 2010

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DeLillo gets to the Point

If you read reviews of any of Don DeLillo’s last four novels, you are certain to find the critical buzzword “post-Underworld.”

By February 4, 2010

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Mel versus mobsters

A disclaimer: Edge of Darkness is not a rock opera based around Bruce Springsteen’s fourth album, Darkness on the Edge of Town.

By February 4, 2010

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D.C. band bangs out beats

It’s dark at the Rock and Roll Hotel—a grungy H St. club in the heart of the Atlas District and Rob Pierangeli, the front man of Casper Bangs, is urging the crowd to come closer to the stage.

By February 4, 2010

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Q&A: Demetri Martin

Comedian Demetri Martin spoke to the Voice earlier this week about his joke-creation process, comedy, and the upcoming second season of his Comedy Central show, Important Things with Demetri Martin.

By the February 4, 2010

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Critical Voices: Lil Wayne, Rebirth

Pushed back 10 months from its original April 7 release, Lil Wayne’s Rebirth is finally here. We waited for it, knowing pretty well what was coming our way.

By February 4, 2010

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Critical Voices: Beach House, Teen Dreams

Following the release of Beach House’s second album, Devotion, in 2006, lead singer Victoria Legrand retreated

By February 4, 2010

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Bottoms Up: Take one down, pass it around

In 1980, sixteen men were pulled from the North Sea an hour and a half after their fishing vessel had sunk. The frozen fishermen headed below deck

By February 4, 2010