Leisure

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

Leisure

Critical Voices: Prophets of Rage, Prophets of Rage

Acoustic artists and soft strumming are the usual ingredients of protest music, as evidenced by artists like Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Pete Seeger who sought peace, free speech, and... Read more

By September 25, 2017

Leisure

Critical Voices: Thomas Rhett, Life Changes

Life Changes is country pop act Thomas Rhett’s third studio album since his 2013 debut. It is reminiscent of the transition seen in Taylor Swift’s Red, with the sound caught... Read more

By September 22, 2017

Leisure

mother! Lives Up To Its Peculiar Reputation

In mother!, Darren Aronofsky flaunts his aptitude for making controversial films that leave some people fascinated and others irritated. The leading actors Jennifer Lawrence and Javier Bardem have already sparked... Read more

By September 20, 2017

Leisure

Concert Review: The Weeknd, Sept. 15, Capital One Arena

In line with the 80’s sci-fi themes of his latest album Starboy, Abel Tesfaye, better known as the Weeknd, opened his show at Capital One Arena on Sept. 15 amidst... Read more

By September 19, 2017

Leisure

A Recluse Revealed in Rebel in the Rye

Few people left high school without reading J.D. Salinger’s famed literary classic The Catcher in the Rye. Widely regarded as one of the first American novels to truly capture the... Read more

By September 19, 2017

Leisure

Good Things Come in Threes at Touchstone Gallery

At Touchstone Gallery in downtown D.C., three separate collections will be running until Oct. 1. The collections, “About Face: Reversals and Undoings,” “Physiognomy,” and “Ordered Complexities,” are all intricate explorations... Read more

By September 19, 2017

Leisure

Critical Voices: The Script, Freedom Child

Known for popular songs “Breakeven” and “Hall of Fame,” The Script released their fifth album, Freedom Child, on Sept 1. The band debuted at number one on the UK charts, marking... Read more

By September 18, 2017

Leisure

Conner Youngblood on Finding Inspiration and Navigating the Music Industry

Texas-native Conner Youngblood first started playing clarinet in his middle school band at the age of 12, but can now play anywhere from 15-20 different instruments. At 27 years old,... Read more

By September 18, 2017

Leisure

Concert Preview: Broken Social Scene, September 20, 9:30 Club

With the release of their fifth studio album, Hug of Thunder, indie-rock band Broken Social Scene continues its international tour at the 9:30 Club in Washington, D.C. on September 20.... Read more

By September 16, 2017

Leisure

Critical Voices: Alvvays, Antisocialites

After spending most of her time on tour for the last few years, Molly Rankin, frontwoman of indie band Alvvays, decided to escape to Toronto Island. There, she found inspiration... Read more

By September 15, 2017

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Critical Voices: Neil Young, Hitchhiker

Throughout his long and storied career, Neil Young has distinguished himself as one the most influential and unique voices in folk rock. Young cut to the fore of the genre... Read more

By September 15, 2017

Leisure

It Captivates with both Scares and Laughs

Adapting a Stephen King novel is never an easy task. Most directors have struggled with walking a fine line between creative liberty and adherence to the source material. When filmmakers... Read more

By September 15, 2017

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Concert Preview: Young the Giant, September 16, Merriweather Post Pavilion

Young the Giant has long graced the alternative world with their soft and positive energy, but they recently have taken a social stance by commenting directly on the disparity between... Read more

By September 11, 2017

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Concert Preview: BADBADNOTGOOD, September 17, 9:30 Club

Jazz has a long history of persevering as other genres eclipse its popularity and adapting itself to fit alongside the dominant cultural trend. With rap’s recent move to be the... Read more

By September 11, 2017

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Concert Preview: Nick Murphy, September 11, 9:30 Club

Under the moniker of Chet Faker, Nick Murphy forged a bold path in indie pop with his EP Thinking In Textures (2012) and debut album Built on Glass (2014). Balancing... Read more

By September 5, 2017

Leisure

Critical Voices: Pinact, The Part That No One Knows

Marking their first work as a newly minted trio, The Part That No One Knows is Pinact’s second album under the Brooklyn-based record company Kanine Records. With the addition of... Read more

By September 4, 2017

Leisure

REVIVAL: A Spectacle of the Unsettling

What does it mean to bring to life the suppressed truths of human nature and force them to the forefront of perception? The effect is unsettling, inspiring. The 16 female... Read more

By August 30, 2017

Leisure

Despite Strong Lead, Patti Cake$ is Nothing New

Fluorescent green light cuts through billowing smoke as producer O-Z (Sahr Ngaujah) introduces Patti (Danielle MacDonald) — Killa P — onstage. The crowd roars with approval as Patti ambles onstage.... Read more

By August 30, 2017

Leisure

Concert Preview: The Districts, August 18, 9:30 Club

Fresh off the release of their third studio album, Popular Manipulations, the Districts are headed to the 9:30 club for a show on Friday, August 18. The Philadelphia-based rock band’s... Read more

By August 16, 2017

Leisure

Critical Voices: Arcade Fire, Everything Now

During the past few months, there were indications that Arcade Fire was nearing the brink of a 2007-Britney-Spears style meltdown. In addition to developing a tendency to refer to their... Read more

By August 14, 2017