Leisure

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

Leisure

Beirut, The Rip Tide, Pompeii

Considering that Beirut’s Zach Condon once described himself as a musician in search of an “epic melody,” it might seem odd that his band’s third album, The Rip Tide, clocks in at a decidedly non-epic 33 minutes. But despite its brevity, the album once again showcases Condon’s continuing development as a songwriter and the brooding, lyrical instrumentation that has been the band’s hallmark.

By August 26, 2011

Leisure

Critical Voices: Fucked Up, David’s Town

In a little over a month, Fucked Up will release David Comes to Life, the much-anticipated follow-up to the Toronto-based hardcore group’s Polaris Prize-winning Chemistry of Common Life, which promises to have an even broader appeal than that album’s hardcore crossover: more complex melodies, more ornate arrangements, and more guest appearances. And it’s a rock opera.

By April 28, 2011

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Critical Voices: Thao and Mirah, Thao and Mirah

When two solo artists come together for an album, the result usually falls short of the lofty artistic goals they strive for, but Thao and Mirah, a joint effort from Thao Nguyen, founder of San Francisco alt-folk group Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, and singer-songwriter Mirah is the rare collaboration that truly impresses. The synthesis between the two women’s styles is remarkable, with each track exploring new layers of unity as the vocally-driven artists push each other to greater and greater heights.

By April 28, 2011

Leisure

Throwback Jack: Senior Week Shenanigans

In a few short weeks, the graduating seniors of the Class of 2011 will happily abandon campus in pursuit of exciting summer plans, relinquishing all of their Georgetown territory to the rising senior class. But before they leave, they’ll spend their last days on campus drinking, dancing, and partying their way through one last University-sanctioned event—Senior Week.

By April 28, 2011

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Idiot Box: Baked and Wire-d

During pre-registration a few weeks ago, I was hell-bent on taking one specific philosophy class. It seems odd, considering that I’m not a philosophy major, and generally find the subject to be a pointless, theoretical pain in the ass. But the title of this class alone was enough to make me, and, my guess is, a good chunk of the television-watching population of Georgetown, slide it all the way at the top of my pre-reg list—“Philosophy and The Wire”.

By April 28, 2011

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Lincoln-themed restaurant loses the nibble war

Lincoln. Often hailed as the greatest American, the name carries connotations of freedom, perseverance, liberation, and food. Wait, food? Some might assume that Honest Abe’s slim figure was the result of his relentless dedication to performing the duties of leadership leaving little time for peripheral activities such as eating. But that’s where they’re wrong.

By April 28, 2011

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Landscapes fails to illuminate

Human life is carried out on diverse backdrops. However, in the drama and hustle of it all, rarely do we get the chance to step back and appreciate these landscapes. A stroll over to the Illuminated Landscapes exhibit at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery on 8th and G Streets allows one to do just that for free.

By April 28, 2011

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Freshman rapper Dreams big with mixtape

It’s no secret that Tate Tucker (SFS ’14) loves the west coast. From his lucky San Diego Chargers hat to tracks like “West Coast Girls” and “L.A. Sunrise,” the freshman rapper is constantly California dreaming. In fact, Tucker is so eager to get back to Los Angeles that he cancelled a performance at Dartmouth College scheduled in May after his last exam.

By April 28, 2011

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Nomadic gets Hot in Walsh Black Box

As its racy title suggests, Jose Rivera’s References to Salvador Dali Make Me Hot abounds with passion, sex, and allusions to everyone’s favorite mustachioed surrealist. But while advertising those elements may pique the audience’s interest, the play, which Nomadic Theater chose for their final production of the season, achieves far more than sexy overtones. It explores the complexity of human relationships and the pertinence of political tensions with Nomadic Theater’s fiercely talented cast executing witty, impassioned dialogue, and the play succeeds in both entertaining and touching its audience.

By April 13, 2011

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Don’t believe your health teacher: Rubber is not safe

A few years back, panic abounded when Firestone tires began spontaneously exploding, causing severe injuries to drivers. To most people, this is the extent to which tires can be seen as frightening, life-threatening entities. But most people are not director Quentin Dupieux, who apparently thinks that the malice of tires goes far beyond some technical malfunction. Rather, he takes a bold, completely absurd look at the killing possibilities of this common piece of auto equipment—he makes a villain out of a cold-blooded, murderous rubber tire.

By April 13, 2011

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Meet Metsu at Nat’l Gallery

Gabriel Metsu was a dog person. Sure, he was other things too—a prodigy, a technical master, a champion of capturing human emotion with a paintbrush, and, despite not even living to 40, one of the most prolific of the impressive band of seventeenth-century Dutch painters. But looking at the paintings in Gabriel Metsu, a new exhibition on display in the National Gallery of Art’s East Building, it’s clear that the artist really loved man’s best friend.

By April 13, 2011

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Critical Voices: Battles, Gloss Drop

Flash back to 2007. Radiohead released their blandest album to date, M.I.A. went from agent provocateur to pop auteur, and Feist’s “1234” was synonymous with “alternative.” That is to say: the underground needed a kick in the pants. And Battles gladly provided, with a blend of math rock, prog, and jazz hard enough to sound fresh but whimsical enough to avoid the standard critiques of R-A-W-K rock. It’s 2011 and not much has changed. Radiohead is still peddling coffee house electronica, M.I.A.’s best work sounds more like Britney than Missy, and, well, at least we’ve all forgotten Feist.

By April 13, 2011

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Critical Voices: TV on the Radio, Nine Types of Light

When trying to woo a woman, every man has a different game plan. There’s the flowers-and-candy set, the outside-her-window-with-a-stereo tactic, and, of course, the ever-popular love song. Although they don’t specify exactly whom they’re attempting to snag, on Nine Types of Light, TV on the Radio is apparently opting for this last approach. But before you think that everyone’s favorite Brooklyn experimental outfit has gone soft, be warned that this isn’t your typical acoustic-guitar love-rock—TV remains true to itself the whole way through, blasting their lamenting and lovelorn lyrics with explosions of carefully structured chaos that no indie-loving girl could resist.

By April 13, 2011

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Fade to Black: Fifth time’s a charm

Most football players, once they’ve reached a certain age and reputation, decide that despite offers to keep playing, they should end their careers and settle into their spots in NFL history. Then there’s Brett Favre. Past his prime, and even after a self-proclaimed retirement—no, make that two—he insisted on continuing his career after catching the scent of a hefty paycheck. Hollywood has a nasty tendency of embracing spent characters too, because even as movie series go into their third and fourth installments, they continue to profit from their predecessors’ success

By April 13, 2011

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Amuse-bouche: Please drink irresponsibly

Day drinking is awesome. I don’t need to tell you that. You’ve experienced Georgetown Day, or you’re eagerly looking forward to your first. You’ve turned any old weekend afternoon into the most idyllic afternoon you can remember with nothing but a loaded Nalgene, two friends, and a portable speaker set. Maybe you did it on Monday, when all of Georgetown spilled onto Healy Lawn like it was covered in candy.

By April 13, 2011

Leisure

Lez’hur Ledger: International Pillow Fight Day: It’s going “down”

I arrived on the scene expecting a ruckus. After all, it was the spot for D.C.’s celebration of International Pillow Fight Day, right on the Mall directly adjacent to the Capitol Fountain. Given the Mall’s wide, open space, I expected a genuine melee to ensue. The Facebook description gave the impression that the event was deliciously unsanctioned. We were supposed to keep our pillows discreetly stowed away, until, upon some secretive cue, we broke out into a spontaneous spree of bedding-based combat. I had high hopes for participating in some boisterous mayhem, perhaps with the threat of pillow-on-riot-shield action looming over our heads.

By April 7, 2011

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Hanna: Like Kill Bill, with a teenager

There’s one thing you should know about Hanna—she’s got pierced ears. This girl, who snaps necks and sheds blood like it’s her job, who was raised by her father (Eric Bana) in a remote cabin just below the Arctic Circle, who was trained by dear old dad in God knows how many languages and fighting styles but has never seen a television, heard music, or used the Internet, apparently found time to throw on a pair of earrings in between hunting elk and outrunning a ruthless bunch of assassins led by CIA handler Marissa Wiegler (Cate Blanchett).

By April 7, 2011

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O burger, where “art” thou?

The location of HERE, Rosslyn’s newest restaurant, feels as organic as its menu’s hand-cut fries. Nestled naturally into the main floor of urban art center Artisphere, its tables spread out from the bar opposite the venue’s ballroom. The idea of integrating a restaurant into Artisphere was one that excited Mike Tuson, HERE’s head chef. “[The surrounding galleries] really centered the space,” he said. Yet for the art center, HERE’s opening has created quite the opposite effect—though exhibitions may frame the restaurant, HERE has finally anchored Artisphere. Where the ballroom, theatre and galleries once orbited around an awkward space cluttered with empty couches, they now have a gravitational center.

By April 7, 2011

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Let’s get it poppin’

The popsicle is the epitome of childhood summertime nostalgia. From Push-pops to flavored ice, nothing captures those lazy days when summer meant neighborhood games and swimming pools rather than internships quite like a good old-fashioned popsicle. In effort to recapture those days of minimal responsibility, Pleasant Pops, a company that has reinvented popsicles for the adult palette, is sponsoring the Popapalooza this Saturday, Apr. 9. This spring kickoff event will feature Pleasant Pop’s highly sought-after popsicles, performances by local musicians, and free face painting and magic shows. Through its co-sponsorship with the Mount Pleasant Business Association, Popapalooza is being held at Lamont Park in Mount Pleasant.

By April 7, 2011

Leisure

Critical Voices: Jamie Woon, Mirrorwriting

It’s rarely fair to directly compare one musician to another, but Jamie Woon will likely find himself pinned next to James Blake on the reg with the release of Mirrorwriting. Which is a bit ironic—Woon’s first single was released more than two years before the hot-shot London producer appeared on the scene. But the pair’s combination of blue-eyed soul and dubstep—two of Britain’s biggest contemporary musical currents—landed them both in the BBC “Sound of 2011” poll, just months before each would release his full-length debut.

By April 7, 2011