Emotional Mugger is creative and unorthodox in a way that’s wholly unpredictable and not particularly welcoming. On “The Magazine,” rapid rhythmic clapping comes out of nowhere to overwhelm the melody, which simultaneously collapses into nothing more than record scratching and atonal vocals. The track “W.U.O.T.W.S.” goes from weird distorted murmurs[Read More…]
Arts & Entertainment
Keep up to date on local art, new albums, and everything entertainment-related.
Pop Rhetoric: Drop the cynicism and get excited for LCD Soundsystem’s return
Remember when the reunion rumour was solely in the domain of the great fossils of rock’s mesozoic era? When the ravenous rumour mill of music journalism (read: Rolling Stone Magazine) was content to feast on reports of fabricated Zeppelin tours and that time that Pink Floyd got back together for[Read More…]
Flashback: London Calling by The Clash (1979)
London, 1979. It has been a decade of rebellious confrontation, slashed jeans, and protests against mainstream society. To sum it all up: Loud. However, this active time of musical production, pioneered by individuals who desired to create and say something, should not be confused with ‘noise.’ The raging guitar riffs[Read More…]
The 5th Wave more one singular wave of disappointment
Stop me if this sounds familiar: In a post-apocalyptic nation, one spunky hero sparks a trilogy-long revolution against a corrupt government, as the fate of the world rests upon their shoulders. The 5th Wave proves to be a lacklustre addition to the current trend of young-adult (YA), dystopian thrillers, which includes[Read More…]
Tarantino adds some sauce to the classic spaghetti western in “The Hateful Eight”
When you walk into a Quentin Tarantino film, you can expect three things: Lots of blood, an intricately layered storyline, and Samuel L. Jackson. If you’ve seen The Hateful Eight, you’ll recognize that Tarantino meets those expectations, and then quickly surpasses them. Granted, this movie is not for everyone. It[Read More…]
Past vs. Present: Paradise Lost (1667) vs. Ex Machina (2015)
Warning: This piece contains spoilers from the film Ex Machina. Alex Garland’s 2015 film Ex Machina is, in fairly obvious ways, a creation story for the modern age. Nathan (Oscar Isaac)—who strikes the balance between charm and egomania with uncanny precision—is the film’s self-styled deity. Nathan is Narcissus equipped with[Read More…]
Album Review: Anderson .Paak — Malibu
Anderson .Paak represents a new wave of artists that don’t fit neatly into one genre. Rather, he stands in the hazy divide between them. Featured on Dr Dre’s Compton, The Game’s The Documentary 2.5, and Goldlink’s And After that, We Didn’t Talk, .Paak seemed to be everywhere in 2015, primed[Read More…]
21st century challenges: Centre Phi’s virtual reality exhibit brings you closer to the news than ever
Artistic mediums are generally defined or even created by the technologies that facilitate them. Virtual Reality (VR) stands as the next ‘big thing’ to fundamentally alter the way humans visually interact with almost everything. Taking a stroll through your favourite tourist destination, watching movies that unfold around you, or even[Read More…]
Conspiracy! is about more than just theories
History is a black box where nobody in the present can ever really know what happened in the past. Lies become truth through force of attrition, and truths are lost forever to the erosion of records. This unsteady ground is the foundation of Chocolate Moose Theatre Company’s production of Conspiracy!,[Read More…]
Growing up is hard to do: Welcome to F.L.
From unrequited love to acne to peer pressure, adolescence isn’t always particularly easy-going. Geneviève Dulude-De Celles’ new documentary, Welcome to F.L., follows a group of Québécois high schoolers tasked with photographing each other to decorate the dull, grey exterior of their school. The film alternates between talking head interviews and[Read More…]