If We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed was Los Campesinos! dimming the lights, then Romance Is Boring is them living in the dark. Billed by the band as “a record about the death and decay of the human body, sex, lost love, mental breakdown, football, and, ultimately, that there probably isn’t a light at the end of the tunnel,” RIB is not the Campesinos! of their Hold On Now, Youngster… debut.
Arts & Entertainment
Keep up to date on local art, new albums, and everything entertainment-related.
CD REVIEWS: Martha and the Muffins: Delicate
Delicate is Martha and the Muffins’ first album after an 18-year dry spell. The band – considered a top dog in the Canadian New Wave scene during the 1980s – is known for their debut album’s hit single “Echo Beach,” which became an international chart-topper.
CD REVIEWS: Vampire Weekend: Contra
With their new album, Contra, Vampire Weekend had big shoes to fill: their own. The huge popularity and cult following amongst university students has raised expectations to almost unmatchable heights. With their self-titled debut album, Vampire Weekend came out with a unique style of music that was upbeat, cheery, and appealing to virtually everyone under 30.
Players’ Eurydice puts a modern twist on a classic myth
Eurydice, written by Sarah Ruhl and directed by Rachel Paul, modernizes Greek mythology by setting the story of Eurydice in contemporary times. As risky as it sounds, Paul manages to pull it off. According to Greek mythology, Orpheus (played by Marko Djurdjic) has a great musical gift and is known as the “chief among poets and musicians.
POP RHETORIC: The late wars
I’ve never liked Conan O’Brien. I always thought his jokes were mediocre and even though he made me smile on occasion, I thought his humour was more reliant on monkey-esque moves than on actual comedy. However, this past week I’ve been hurting myself laughing as his role as The Tonight Show host seems to be nearing its end.
Bridges strikes sweet chords
Crazy Heart mixes country charm with a feel-good storyline that stands out from many of Jeff Bridges’ other performances (yes, even in the Coen brothers’ The Big Lebowski). As an unlikely and enchanting anti-hero, there is no doubt that Bridges is deserving of his recent Golden Globe win for Best Actor in a Motion Picture Drama.
POP RHETORIC: Tyra’s people
If I could do a case study on some of the alarming hypocrisy that characterizes media today, I would centre it on supermodel-turned-media mogul Tyra Banks. She truly embodies the modern rule of television: anyone willing to forego dignity, self-awareness, and all ironic detachments can potentially earn about $30 million a year.
Radio CKUT launches monthly showcase for McGill artists
Getting your band heard when you’re first starting out is rarely an easy feat, even in a musical city like Montreal. Getting your band heard by your peers at McGill can be even harder, which is why Radio CKUT is launching Thursdays (A)Live, a free showcase of McGill bands playing every third Thursday of the month at Gert’s.
Pop Rhetoric: NOT PRO-BONO
I don’t know what I’m more annoyed with: the fact that Bono’s recent op-ed column was even considered for publication in the New York Times; the fact that in said column, Bono advocates for a new age of paternalistic Internet service providers; or the fact that U2 hasn’t released a decent album since 1991.
Cabaret: song and dance lighten up Nazi-ruled Germany
Wilkomen, bienvenue, welcome! These opening words were never more sincerely spoken than at the Arts Undergraduate Theatre Society’s (AUTS) latest production, Cabaret. The show transports you straight to the Kit Kat Club, where inside all is fun and games while the outside world is crumbling.
