Leisure

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

Leisure

Concert Preview: CHVRCHES, 10/17 & 10/18 Echostage

Following the release of their sophomore album, Every Open Eye, Scottish synth-pop band CHVRCHES has been on a nonstop tour. For over a year, the band has visited sites all... Read more

By October 13, 2016

Leisure

Critical Voices: Joyce Manor, Cody

In the five years since they burst onto the emo revival scene with their 2011 self-titled album, Joyce Manor has spit out three unapologetically fast-paced albums. Cody, their fifth and... Read more

By October 13, 2016

Leisure

The First American Style, for Better or for Worse

Fashion has an ability to reflect shifting cultural norms and focuses. While America’s break from Great Britain in the late 18th century was a pivotal moment in world history, the... Read more

By October 13, 2016

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Critical Voices: Phantogram, Three

Since their start in 2007, Phantogram has been known for producing dance hits and incorporating unique sampling into their music. Their work has attracted attention from many well known names,... Read more

By October 12, 2016

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Pink Bows and Broken Barriers: The Eagle Huntress Soars

The picture is captivating: a young girl stands on a rock formation, the Mongolian mountain skyline providing a dramatic backdrop while a massive golden eagle perches on her outstretched arm.... Read more

By October 10, 2016

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Critical Voices: Mick Jenkins, The Healing Component

Joining the ranks of reborn Christian rappers including Chance the Rapper, Kanye West, and Kendrick Lamar, Mick Jenkins paints a bold picture of himself in his debut studio album, The... Read more

By October 10, 2016

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Critical Voices: Bon Iver, 22, A Million

Five years after the release of their last album, Bon Iver has taken an experimental, manipulated approach to music in their extraordinary third full-length album 22, A Million. While it seemingly... Read more

By October 8, 2016

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The Girl on the Train is Subtle, Bone-Chilling

Psychological thrillers earn praise when executed well. Their mind-boggling plot schemes cue existential crisis along the lines of reality versus figments of imagination, but because of that very tendency, films... Read more

By October 6, 2016

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Critical Voices: Danny Brown, Atrocity Exhibition

When music reviewers talk about genre-blending, they most often mean the seamless incorporation of one genre into another.  Projects like Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly from last year exemplify... Read more

By October 6, 2016

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A Shock to the Electronic Genre: Bob Moses at the 9:30 Club, 9/29

Like Robert Moses, the New York architect that the Canadian band Bob Moses is named for, Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance are on their way to becoming architects of a... Read more

By October 5, 2016

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Critical Voices: Florida Georgia Line, Dig Your Roots

Florida Georgia Line lead singers Tyler Hubbard and Brian Kelley said prior to the release of Dig Your Roots that their third album would cover more mature topics than those... Read more

By October 5, 2016

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Necessary Evils: The Birth of a Nation Finds Beauty in Hate, Hope in Atrocities

Having been both coronated and condemned in the months preceding its release, The Birth of Nation arrives as one of the most complicated pieces of cinema in recent memory. Adored... Read more

By October 4, 2016

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No Mastermind Behind This Film: Masterminds Proves Itself Unworthy of Cast

Director Jared Hess used to win hearts with his endearingly awkward oddball films, but those days seem to be behind him. Based on the 1997 Loomis Fargo Bank Robbery, his... Read more

By October 3, 2016

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Critical Voices: Shawn Mendes, Illuminate

When Shawn Mendes first broke out onto the scene in 2014, he was fresh-faced and stealing teen hearts everywhere. It’s 2016 and his new album, Illuminate, plays with a more... Read more

By October 3, 2016

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Miss Peregrine’s is Dark but Unspectacular

On a tiny grey island in Wales, there is a colorful home for children. These children are peculiar; they have unique qualities that make it hard for them to live... Read more

By September 30, 2016

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Culture and Identity in the Modern Era: Visions and Revisions at the Renwick Gallery

Art is a constant struggle to balance culture and a sense of personal identity. Often artists must walk a fine line, expressing their own outlook on society while still creating... Read more

By September 30, 2016

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Life Put To Film: Moonlight is an Impressive Exercise in Storytelling

Moonlight is unlike any other film you’ll likely see in a mainstream theater. Amid a sea of sequels and remakes, its screenplay is thrillingly original. The 110-minute film explores masculinity... Read more

By September 29, 2016

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Critical Voices: Bruce Springsteen, Chapter and Verse

On September 23rd, Bruce Springsteen celebrated his 67th birthday with the release of his new album, Chapter and Verse. His new book, Born to Run, will also be available this... Read more

By September 28, 2016

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A Pleasant Derivative: The Magnificent Seven Evokes Happy Nostalgia

After an undoubtedly underwhelming summer at the cinemas, The Magnificent Seven rides into theaters to allay the summer blues. Antoine Fuqua’s remake of the 1960 Western classic starring Yul Brynner... Read more

By September 28, 2016

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The Weird and the Whimsical: Glass Animals at Echostage, 9/25

  The British indie rock group Glass Animals performed at Echostage on September 25th. Featuring many tracks from their latest album How to Be a Human Being and a few... Read more

By September 28, 2016