Leisure

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

Leisure

Critical Voices: Cardi B’s Invasion of Privacy

Cardi B opens her premier album with an emotional three minutes of solo bars backed by a simple piano line and soft air horns. After the fun and free-flowing “Finesse”... Read more

By May 1, 2018

Leisure

Empty Houses and the Stories Inside: Evicted Confronts an American Tragedy

A home is a source of safety, success, and livelihood, and yet so many Americans must consistently live without one. Evicted tells their story. Based on sociologist Matthew Desmond’s book... Read more

By April 29, 2018

Leisure

Critical Voices: Bishop Briggs, Church of Scars

Provocative and resounding, Bishop Briggs’ Church of Scars comes with refreshing verve in every track, as high-energy, magnetic bass lines amplify Briggs’ powerful vocals. The rising indie artist released her... Read more

By April 29, 2018

Leisure

Critical Voices: J. Cole, KOD

Cole has always been the fire-and-brimstone preacher in the church of rap. From his breakout single “Lights Please,” a caution against the temptations of sex, to “Fire Squad,” his critically-lauded... Read more

By April 29, 2018

Leisure

Concert Preview: Modest Mouse, April 30, The Anthem

Getting their start in the musical hub of Seattle in the 1990s, Modest Mouse brings a unique sound to the alternative world. Led by Isaac Brock on vocals and guitar,... Read more

By April 29, 2018

Leisure

Rampage Blames Humans for Overgrown, Destructive Animals

Shockingly, Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson plays an strapping, resourceful good guy in Rampage. This time, though, he’s a bit under the height requirement. In this unlikely, formulaic tale, three genetically-modified... Read more

By April 24, 2018

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Concert Preview: Beck, April 26, The Anthem

For over 20 years, the singer-songwriter Beck has been releasing music inspired by styles and genres from hip-hop to folk, and fusing them to create a trademark sound that has... Read more

By April 24, 2018

Leisure

Mask and Bauble’s Footloose is an Unpretentious Good Time

It’s pretty safe to say that there are few who are unfamiliar with the general storyline of Footloose. Whether it’s the original film with a young Kevin Bacon or the... Read more

By April 19, 2018

Leisure

Tucci’s The Final Portrait is Brooding Yet Boring

Stanley Tucci’s The Final Portrait explores the trope of the tortured artist through its vignette of painter and sculptor, Alberto Giacometti, as he creates one of his last great works.... Read more

By April 17, 2018

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The Miracle Season is Average, But in a Good Way

There is a genre of film, often based on true stories, that is characterized by its coupling of heart-wrenching tragedies with inspirational tales of hope and redemption. The Miracle Season... Read more

By April 13, 2018

Leisure

A Quiet Place is a Parent’s Worst Nightmare

A Quiet Place begins in the middle of a story: Without speaking, a mother and her children search a disordered, abandoned store. As the older daughter walks around the space,... Read more

By April 13, 2018

Leisure

She Kills Monsters is Bursting with Friendship, Foes, and Fantasy

Blood. Humor. Geeks. Nomadic Theatre’s spring production, Qui Nguyen’s She Kills Monsters, is a comedic, action-packed, and down-to-earth narrative that is easy to enjoy. A heartfelt story about the fraught... Read more

By April 13, 2018

Leisure

Two Trains Running Meanders to a Comfort Food Finish at Arena Stage

The agitation that shook the 1960s doesn’t rattle Memphis Lee’s diner, or any on-stage portion of Two Trains Running, yet there’s a sense that change is approaching at breakneck speed.... Read more

By April 13, 2018

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Concert Review: Cigarettes After Sex Knows Its Niche, But Fails to Impress at the 9:30 Club

Everything about Cigarettes After Sex is on brand: their album artwork, their stage lighting, their outfits, and even their salt-and-pepper hair reflect their subdued, grayscale aesthetic. At their show on... Read more

By April 6, 2018

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Concert Review: Coast Modern, March 19, 9:30 Club

“We’re gonna get weird tonight!” Singer Coleman Trapp of Coast Modern proclaimed such after performing the first track of the band’s 9:30 Club setlist: “Tiny Umbrella,” a beachy tongue-in-cheek tune... Read more

By April 3, 2018

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Critical Voices: George Ezra, Staying at Tamara’s

It’s not widely remembered that George Ezra was 2014’s third best-selling artist, only behind Ed Sheeran and Sam Smith. At 19, he burst onto the scene with his hit release... Read more

By April 2, 2018

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Concert Preview: Yo La Tengo, April 4, 9:30 Club

Yo La Tengo, whose music ranges from chaotic noise rock to nostalgic indie, is playing at the 9:30 club on Wednesday, April 4. The band was formed in 1984 in... Read more

By March 30, 2018

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Concert Preview: Cigarettes After Sex, April 2, 9:30 Club

Through the clamor of the news, our work, and other demands of college, one finds it increasingly easy to get distracted, forgetting to take the time to slow down and... Read more

By March 29, 2018

Leisure

Tomb Raider Was All Action, and That’s Not a Bad Thing

The new Tomb Raider movie is a feminist Indiana Jones. Starring Alicia Vikander as Lara Croft, the rough-edged adventurer who is on a quest to find her missing father, Tomb... Read more

By March 26, 2018

Leisure

Charismatic Performances from a Talented Cast Elevate The Winter’s Tale Into a Memorable Experience

Plays are a fascinating medium through which to tell a story. Not only does the audience see the action unfold in front of them as it happens but, depending on... Read more

By March 23, 2018