Leisure

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

Leisure

Singer-Suckwriters

Of all the stupid labels that the music industry uses to describe its product, there are few more pigeonholing than “singer-songwriter.” As far as labels go, it’s descriptive enough. I mean, people called “singer-songwriters” generally both write songs and sing.

By the November 15, 2001

Leisure

Jewel’s back. Why? O God, Why?

It’s been five years since Jewel foisted herself upon the cultural consciousness of this great nation with her breakout album, Pieces of You. The mega-success of “Who Will Save Your Soul? and “You Were Meant for Me” soon led to a spoken-word album, a plethora of softly-lit black-and-white photo shoots and a strange nationwide awareness of the fact she slept in her car while working her way to the top.

By the November 15, 2001

Leisure

Paul McCartney drives home

Paul McCartney has one of the most easily-recognizable voices in rock ‘n’ roll. We’ve grown up hearing his voice crooning to us over the radio, and any new McCartney album’s vocals will have the familiarity of an old friend. In his new release, Driving Rain, McCarney’s natural compositions and his simple, beautiful lyrics feel like home.

By the November 15, 2001

Leisure

Philosophers? Sorcerers? It’s all Harry Potter

While directed by an American and produced by a Hollywood studio, the new Harry Potter movie is unmistakably British. To be more precise, it is a British movie with lots and lots of money and special effects, which makes it some strange L.A.-London amalgam.

By the November 15, 2001

Leisure

Michael Jackson: over the hill?

Michael is back, and he’s weirder than ever. It has been 10 years since Jackson’s last full-length album, Dangerous, and unfortunately that time apparently wasn’t spent on perfecting songs for his latest release, Invincible. Granted, for most artists Invincible would be a decent album, about half the songs are good or even great.

By the November 15, 2001

Leisure

David Sedaris At GW

Have you ever sat near someone on the subway or on a park bench who was laughing out loud at something he or she was reading? Did you change subway cars or move to a different bench thinking they were crazy? If you have, you don’t know David Sedaris. Sedaris wields amazing power with his words.

By the November 15, 2001

Leisure

Regrettable live Radiohead

The diehard among you are probably interested in acquiring Radiohead’s latest release, this week’s I Might Be Wrong … The Live Recordings. This isn’t a horrible idea?the record’s last track, “True Love Waits,” is quite good. Written during the OK Computer sessions, this lost accoustic number beautifully uses the structure and chord changes so typical of Radiohead’s sound at the time.

By the November 15, 2001

Leisure

Mice and Men squeaks by

Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck’s 1937 book, which he later adapted for the stage, paints the portrait of the dusty and disenfranchised migrant farm workers who roamed across California during the Depression. The Arena Stage’s production of Of Mice and Men, directed by Liz Diamond, captures that bleakness of atmosphere in the physical realities of the stage and set: when the actors make contact, little clouds of dust billow into the air.

By the November 15, 2001

Leisure

Funny things not happening at Poulton

In its second production of the season, Mask and Bauble offers its audience a campy and slapstick musical performance that will at least entertain the actors’ friends. A Funny Thing... Read more

By the November 8, 2001

Leisure

Riding in Cars a success

Upon discovering the undeniable fact of her pregnancy, a 15-year-old Beverly D’Onofrio repeatedly launches herself down the carpeted stairs of her Wallingford, Conn. home. The result? A hysterical feat of... Read more

By the November 8, 2001

Leisure

Conservation at the Corcoran

If you are one of those people who think landscape photography is best reserved for postcards and family vacation albums, you may want to do yourself a favor and make... Read more

By the November 8, 2001

Leisure

West Winging it

The West Wing has had nothing short of a religious viewership since its debut in 1999, with sharp writing and enjoyable policy debates. The show has also managed to narrow... Read more

By the November 8, 2001

Leisure

Fun for the whole family

Despite recent offerings in the indie-rock arena, I have been finding myself somewhat dismayed by the selection of concert-outings during the past few weeks. My recollections of last year, my... Read more

By the November 8, 2001

Leisure

After the show, they just go home: an interview with Death Cab for Cutie

Death Cab for Cutie, a Seattle-based band that formed in 1997, has released three albums for Barsuk Records: Something About Airplanes (1999), We Have the Facts and We’re Voting Yes... Read more

By the November 8, 2001

Leisure

The Man Who Wasn’t There

Fall has definitely arrived. There have been more quality films in the past two weeks than in the whole of two abysmal summers, with the newest addition to that list... Read more

By the November 1, 2001

Leisure

Playerhating Andre the Giant

Tucked below M Street at 31st Street is the Museum of Contemporary Art, a small gallery which is currently living up to its name with an exhibit featuring some of... Read more

By the November 1, 2001

Leisure

Vegans and root beer

Twenty years ago, in April 1981, the Wilson Center, a community space at 15th and Irving streets N.W., opened its doors for the first time to the burgeoning D.C. hardcore... Read more

By the November 1, 2001

Leisure

Sex and violence

Among the many terms of popular music discourse, “mainstream” is probably one of the most appropriately applied terms. Given, what may be classified as mainstream may very well be hard... Read more

By the November 1, 2001

Leisure

A very special holiday feature

Voice Leisure presents … A very special holiday feature Top 10 Halloween costumes involving health and beauty products, prominent enlightenment figures, or neither of the above: Giant can of shaving... Read more

By the November 1, 2001

Leisure

Throbbing play from Nomadic

Nomadic Theater kicks off its 20th-anniversary season this weekend with Paula Vogel’s Hot ‘N’ Throbbing, a play that explores those oft-equated concepts, sex and violence. Charlene, a single mother, struggles... Read more

By the October 25, 2001