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The Game Documentary 2
a, Arts & Entertainment

Album Review: Documentary 2 – The Game

by Saif Cheval on

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2015 has, thus far, been a ridiculously good year for hip-hop. Almost every current popular artist—looking at you, Kanye—has put out some kind of project within the past 10 months, and there is still more to come. There has been such a flood of stellar music that projects like Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp a Butterfly and Drake’s If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late seem to have dropped a lifetime ago. The bar was set high early this year, but many artists have managed to deliver.

The Game’s Documentary 2—the sequel to his debut album—falls just short of this trend. In a year where hip-hop became increasingly introspective, where Drake can wonder on a diss track if he was in the wrong, where 2-Chainz can imagine how terrible of a father figure he would be, and where Dr. Dre can tell us he keeps a ‘diary,’ The Game’s album seems a little out of place. An entire song concerning how a “bitch ain’t shit” seems a little tired. Additionally, aside from Dre in Compton, “slut” hasn’t been used in a rap for a while, and that’s a good thing. Much of the album is either classic braggadocio—Game is hard, Game used to bang, and Game might just “fuck your bitch”—or Game dealing with a difficult relationship in a stereotypically masculine way: “This bitch always flipping pushing buttons like a sidekick / That's when I hop in my Jeep and pull it out the toxic.” Only the later parts of the album—“New York, New York” and“Just Another Day”—see him let up his own reflections on life in his city and the rap game.

Documentary 2 is not at all short on positives, though: The production on all tracks is incredible, capturing all eras of the West Coast sound. “On Me,” featuring Kendrick, turns the To Pimp a Butterfly sound into something you can ride to. “100” is a big hit, as any track Drake hops on tends to be. In fact, the features (from Ice-Cube to Yeezus himself) provide some of the best moments on the album. The breaks from Game’s overwhelming persona of a Blood-turned-MC, with a flow now more consistent than ever, are very welcome. Not to say that it isn’t particularly fun to listen to The Game spit about how real he is—there’s just been too much of that, and 2015 has called for rap to explore alternative meanings to “keeping it 100.”

city and colour if i should go before you
a, Arts & Entertainment

Album Review: If I Should Go Before You – City and Colour

by Sophie van Bastelaer on

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City and Colour’s fifth album, If I Should Go Before You (IISGBY), signifies the return of the band after its two-year musical hiatus, and is naturally accompanied by a heightened level of expectant anticipation and excitement. City and Colour has previously provided two types of songs: Indie acoustic gems like the band’s popular singles “The Girl” and “Northern Wind,” as well as more grungy indie rock hits like “Comin’ Home.” Unfortunately on this album, the group is unable to fully satisfy its potential, coming off as both frustratingly unreliable and wildly predictable.

Singer-songwriter Dallas Green’s lyrical work in IISGBY is less than stellar, and his creativity is hindered by an incessant amount of musical repetition, which, rather than making tracks sound cohesive, instead evokes a sense of déjà vu. That said, Green manages to conjure up a few poignant key moments that redeem the album from boredom and disappointment.

Aerosmith-inspired rock characterizes the first song, “Woman,” which is one of IISGBY’s saving graces. It’s a transcendent nine minute number that marries rawness and sensuality; however, this level of nuance is short lived. The album dips into four or five songs of electric-guitar-solo-laden mediocrity, and although each song has its individual—if not very subtle—distinctions, the tracks are indistinguishable from each other when listened to back-to-back.

The title track, “If I Should Go Before You,” holds its own. Green’s preoccupation with sadness manifests itself in his gorgeous falsetto and a new romantic and waltz-y vibe that departs from the rock/blues ‘love lost’ ballad theme characterizing an uncomfortable chunk of songs.

The genre of the album undergoes a nervous reversal halfway through—Green’s attempt to create a louder and more aggressive sound doesn’t effectively pair with his more classically recognized style. The second half of the record switches abruptly into an acoustic, stripped-down, and wistful sound that, while more in tune with Green’s earlier work, is a dissonant and confusing departure from the first half of the album while also being unoriginal and unremarkable.

A few other tracks are unique and aesthetically-pleasing. The album recovers from its rut in its last two numbers, “Friends” and “Blood,” which are both familiar and fresh. The songs draw on the happy medium between the indie rock and folk/country Green is known for while retaining silky new lyrics and pleasant unpredictability.These tracks are fantastic bookends for an otherwise disappointingly unfulfilled, non-cohesive album that seems to struggle to live up to its own expectations—much less listeners’.

Al

Martlet soccer
a, Martlets, Sports

Soccer: Coughlan comes through in the clutch to sink Concordia

by Elie Waitzer on

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McGill Martlets
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Concordia Stingers
1

 

 

 

 

 

 

I

t has become routine, almost inevitable. She slips through defenders like a spectre, haunting the opposing 18-yard-box with her presence. Concordia ties the game up at 1-1 with just 15 minutes to play, but you know that time isn’t an issue. Sure enough, there she is: Audrey-Ann Coughlan, sophomore striker, handling a perfect pass from senior forward Rebecca Green and firing the game-winner into the net at the 85th minute. It’s her second goal of the game. 

“She’s a clutch player,” Head Coach Jose-Luis Valdes said of Coughlan. “From the start of this season, she’s been on fire; and right now […] we know we can count on her to change the game at any point.”

The late goal gave McGill (6-2-2) a thrilling 2-1 victory over Concordia (3-6-1) on Friday night, running the Martlets’ undefeated streak to four straight contests. Sitting at 3-2-1 in late September, it looked as if the Martlets were headed towards another underwhelming season. Since then, however, the team has hit its stride, going 3-0-1 since its last loss. This squad is firing on all cylinders, and it’s out to prove that it belongs with Laval (8-0-0) and Sherbrooke (7-1-2) at the top of the RSEQ. 

“We have a sense of urgency,” Valdes said. “When we need to get something done, we make it happen. Last year we would’ve finished this game with a tie, or maybe even a loss. This year we’ve shown that when things are close, we hold on. The girls are strong mentally. They train hard throughout every practice, and it shows.”

Coughlan’s first strike came on a corner kick in the 33rd minute. The arcing shot curved over the heads of the players bunched in front of the net and collided directly into Stingers goalie Maria Kaperonis. The crowd barely had time to let out a sigh of disappointment before they realized that the ball had bounced out of Kaperonis’ hands and was rolling past the goal line. 

McGill dominated possession of the ball for the entirety of the game, mounting attack after attack in the Stingers’ territory. Concordia’s only real threats came on corners and free kicks, and all were turned away by junior goalie Sarah  Dubois, whose record improves to a perfect 4-0 when she starts over veteran keeper Cassandra Fafalios. 

Valdes attributed the team’s superb defensive effort to the return of captain Zoe Fasoulakis, who had missed several games due to a concussion. 

“[It was] great to have that maturity in the [backfield],” Valdes said of Fasoulakis. “The girls always refer to her to get information, and she always has an answer. The experience shows on the field. It’s calm in the back, there’s no risk, [and] there’s never really a feeling that we’re in trouble. She keeps things under control.”

The Martlets stretched their undefeated streak to five games on Sunday with a 1-1 draw against second-place Sherbrooke. With a playoff spot all but secured, they  will get a chance to make up ground next week in the race for home-field advantage against weaker competition in UQÀM (3-6-1) and Bishop’s (0-8-2). 

Sound Bites

“[Daphnée’s] been out for three weeks now. [She] had a great start to her season, probably her best season in four years, so it’s unfortunate.” –Coach Valdes on the lingering concussion that has kept veteran forward Daphnée Morency-Roussin out of the lineup.

Play of the game

Coughlan’s game-winner in the 85th minute sealed the deal for the Martlets.

Stat of the game

With her second multi-game effort of the season, Coughlan now accounts for 10 of the 18 goals the Martlets have scored all year.

Jose Bautista
a, Baseball, Sports

Looking back at a wild ALDS for the Toronto Blue Jays

by Eyal Wilk on

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On Wednesday night the Toronto Blue Jays beat the Texas Rangers in Game 5 of the ALDS, becoming just the third team in MLB history to come back from two games down in the first round of the playoffs. The tumultuous conclusion to the series, capped by Jose Bautista’s spine-tingling three run home run, is one that will be remembered by baseball fans around the country for years to come. Yet, even without that historic seventh inning there was still plenty to take away from the series: 

Youth rises

The Blue Jays’ bullpen featured both the oldest (LaTroy Hawkins) and youngest (Roberto Osuna) pitchers in the league. As he has done all season, Manager John Gibbons never hesitated to put his faith in youth over experience. The trio of Marcus Stroman, 24, Aaron Sanchez, 22, and Osuna, 20, didn’t disappoint, combining to record 48 per cent of all outs for the Blue Jays during the ALDS.

Stroman, who suffered a not-so-season-ending injury during spring training, ended up starting Games 2 and 5 for the Jays. The 24-year-old gave up just five earned runs while striking out nine over 13 dominant innings,

After Brett Cecil suffered a ‘season ending’ calf tear in Game 2, the weight of the Blue Jays bullpen duties fell squarely on the shoulders of Sanchez and Osuna. The two stepped up big, bringing a level of confidence well beyond their years to the mound. The Sanchez-Osuna combo threw 11 near-perfect, shutout innings of baseball with 11 strikeouts and a WHIP of 0.273.

In the crucial Game 5, the three 20-somethings were the only Jays pitchers to enter the game. Stroman pitched six strong innings, holding the Rangers to two runs and striking out four. Sanchez would earn the win after shepherding his team through the rowdiest seventh inning ever played on the Rogers Centre’s shoddy turf. Roberto Osuna would record the save in epic fashion, striking out four of the five batters he faced.

Moving into the ALCS with a struggling David Price and an injured Cecil, how the Jays young pitchers fair against the Kansas City Royals may very well be the defining factor in the series.

Gibby’s gut

They say that playoff games often end up becoming a chess match between opposing managers, and while Gibbons isn’t necessarily known as a tactician. his managerial decisions—and indecisions—had a tremendous impact on the course of the series.

In the second must-win game of the series, Gibby announced that Jays ace David Price would be the first out of the bullpen should starter R.A. Dickey run into any trouble. After just four and two-thirds innings, with Dickey staked to a six run lead, Gibbons called on Price to lock things down. The ace would struggle over three innings, giving up six hits and three earned runs, and would have to be relieved by Aaron Sanchez in the eighth inning. Toronto would end up winning the game 8-4, but the damage was done. Price would throw 50 pitches, all but guaranteeing that he wouldn’t be available out of the bullpen in a winner-take-all Game 5.

Even though the Jays ended up winning the series, Gibbons needs to allocate his pitching resources more responsibly to give his team a chance to matchup against the Royals’ fearsome bullpen in the ALCS. With Price likely gone to the highest bidder the moment the season ends, Gibbons’ only worry should be figuring out how to squeeze every last drop of value out of his ace.

Home sweet home

The first four games in this bizarre series were won by the road team, with Texas silencing the crowd at the Rogers Centre in Games 1 and 2 and Toronto answering back by taking Games 3 and 4 in Arlington. In many ways, the home team seemed to be at a disadvantage during all but the final game of this series. The majority of the Jays’ players were experiencing the post-season for the first time, and they were under tremendous pressure to perform before their fans. Trailing early in Game 1 and giving up a lead late in Game 2 seemed to take the home crowd out of the game in a dramatic fashion. The silent, disappointed tone set in the Rogers Centre added yet another element that the Jays had to overcome. During the games in Arlington, a Texan silence did exactly the opposite for Toronto, it signified defiance and resilience. Every big hit that shut the crowd up just added fuel for the Jays and motivated them to return home.

In Game 5, however, the home field advantage likely made all the difference for Toronto. While the Rangers have a reputation for choking in the post-season, committing three consecutive errors in the seventh inning of a sudden-death game is not something you can chalk up to reputation, or to divine retribution from the ‘baseball gods.’ It’s something maybe Johnny Cueto could explain, but even he hasn’t had the experience of trying to field a groundball on a notoriously tricky turf with the concentrated roar of 50,000 Canadians bouncing off a closed dome and straight into your eardrums. Though it wasn’t scored as an error, there’s no way Roughned Odor would have misplayed  Josh Donaldson’s game-tying pop-up on home soil.

Since they finished two games behind the Royals during the regular season, the Jays will play up to four away games in the best-of-seven ALCS. Hopefully they can bring their home field momentum from a historic Game 5 to Kauffman Stadium with them.  

NFL Fantasy Football
a, Football, Sports

Fantasy Football: Week 5 takeaways

by Josh Blatt on

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Week 5 in the NFL produced some electrifying games that came down to the wire, with comeback victories for the Chicago Bears, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, New York Giants, and Pittsburgh Steelers. Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown threw for 457 yards in a stunning overtime win against the Baltimore Ravens, while Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers’ streak without an interception at Lambeau Field came to an end after 1,043 days and 586 passes. Here’s your fantasy football takeaways for Week 5:

Chiefs’ arrowhead pointing down

Week 5 could not have gone any worse for the Kansas City Chiefs. Not only did the team blow a 17-3 lead over the Bears, but they also lost superstar running back Jamaal Charles to a non-contact injury in third quarter of the game. An MRI revealed a torn right ACL for the fantasy stud, which immediately sent him to Injured Reserve. Backup running back Charcandrick West is now in line for the bulk of the carries after leapfrogging Knile Davis on the depth chart. West will be the top waiver wire add this week and can be slotted in as a viable second running back. If West is out of reach, make sure to scoop up Knile Davis as a bench stash in hope that he reclaims the job down the line.

The lone star state

The Houston Texans have had a tough start to the season: They currently stand at 1-4 and lack any semblance of an identity. Despite this, wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins hasn’t been slowed at all by the team’s woes—he is on pace for an implausible 1,850 yards and 10 touchdowns on 240 targets. Even with the Texans playing musical chairs at quarterback on a weekly basis, the blossoming wide receiver nevertheless gets open at will and reels in whatever is thrown his way. With the Jacksonville Jaguars, Miami Dolphins, and Tennessee Titans on deck, expect Hopkins to continue his string of monstrous games. Start him and reap the benefits.

Tight ends wanted

Other than the superhuman Rob Gronkowski of the New England Patriots, the tight end position is in a state of disarray this season. To the despair of many, Jimmy Graham, in his first year as a Seattle Seahawk, has only posted one game above 60 yards and found the end zone just twice. Similarly, Kansas City’s Travis Kelce has been quiet since his Week 1 two-touchdown performance. For those in desperate need of a new tight end, help has arrived in the form of Gary Barnidge. Currently ranked third in scoring at the position, the Browns tight end has emerged as a weekly difference maker. This past Sunday, Barnidge hauled in eight catches for 139 yards and an improbable catch-between-the-legs touchdown. He is a must-add and should start every week for your team.

Muscle hamster keeps churning

Following disappointing campaigns in 2013 and 2014, this year was set to be a make-or-break season for Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Doug Martin.. With the Bucs reportedly losing patience with their fourth-year back, the Muscle Hamster amassed an underwhelming 176 rush yards through three weeks, splitting snaps almost evenly with third-down back, Charles Sims. In the two weeks that have followed, however, Martin has posted over 300 all-purpose yards and four touchdowns. Leave him in your lineups as long as he’s hot, but be warned that his usage rates will be heavily dependent upon the Bucs’ in-game situation.

The Lions’ den is caving in

Falling to 0-5, the Detroit Lions put up another unwatchable performance against the Arizona Cardinals in an embarrassing 42-17 loss. Offensive line protection issues, coupled with ill-advised throws led to quarterback Matt Stafford’s benching after an awful three-interception performance. Not all the blame, however, could be placed on Stafford’s drooping shoulders; the Lions have been ineffective in the run game and future Hall of Fame wide receiver Calvin Johnson looks like he has lost a step—he has no 100-yard games and just one touchdown up to this point. The Lions’ season is all but over and Stafford cannot be trusted as anything more than a bottom-of-the-barrel second quarterback, whereas Johnson is a nice buy-low target as a number two wide receiver.

Star Wars
a, Arts & Entertainment, Film and TV

Five movie trailers that really packed a punch

by Demaris Oxman on

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The best movie trailers are the ones that grab your attention, whether it’s with a stunning shot, dramatic action, or a witty line of dialogue. They’re the ones that spark your curiosity rather than satisfying it. They show off the movie’s good points, but don’t give away any of the best scenes. Below are five examples from the past two decades that packed a punch and left the audience dying to see more.

Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

Panning across the surface of the world has become a trademark of fantasy film trailers—it draws the audience into the alternate universe. That’s how this exciting trailer begins, and how it draws viewers’ attention: With a sweeping shot of a dark forest, both beautiful and menacing, perfectly setting the tone of the film. The clips are visually stunning and give the audience just enough background to develop an interest in the plot and the characters without revealing too much of the story. There’s plenty to pique the viewer’s curiosity, but the most magnificent scenes are saved for the film itself.

Spider-Man (2002)

This film marked the dawn of a new age of superhero movies, and its trailer became a model for other films of the genre. Within those two short minutes, viewers see all the ingredients of a classic comic-book film: The hero, his secret powers, the love interest, and the villain. The scenes of Spider-Man swooping along the city skyline highlights the movie’s special effects, while the titular character’s narration draws audiences in, making them invested in the characters before even seeing the movie.

Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)

It’s a bit early to say how the trailer will match up to the movie, but the preview itself is fantastic. The teaser offers only a brief glimpse of the new film, but Star Wars fans see everything they could want ranging from stormtroopers to spaceships. A great trailer for a sequel, it incorporates the most iconic pieces of the original films—the blast of the fanfare is enough to make any nerd jump out of their seat with excitement. The teaser is full of action and adventure scenes in a style faithful to the original trilogy—now all that’s left is for the film to deliver.

The Blair Witch Project (1999)

While the movie itself isn’t for everyone, there’s no denying that the trailer is a fantastic hook for this horror film. The preview perfectly reflects the ‘found-footage’ style of the film itself, and the terror of the filmmaker characters is palpable even in the brief clips. Glimpses of the ‘footage’ are shown just enough to illustrate the premise, but nothing is given away. This is a spine-tingling trailer, promising a movie that will be a nail biter.

Super 8 (2011)

The score is what makes this trailer, especially in the beginning. Even in those scenes of small-town life, the music sets an eerie tone, culminating in an incredible explosion. The scenes build action with paranormal phenomena, along with the brief glimpses into the characters in this town that catch the audience’s attention. It’s hard not to want to know what’s on that train, and yet, while some amazing clips are shown, nothing is given away. Getting inside the characters’ heads, discovering the source of the supernatural chaos—you have to see the movie for all the best bits.

Dial M For Murder
a, Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

Players’ Theatre makes a killing with Dial M for Murder

by Miray Eroglu on

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Dial M For Murder, written by Frederick Knott and directed by Ali Aasim, is a sensational start to the Players’ Theatre’s 2015-2016 season. Filled with moments of suspense and meaningful dialogue, the show keeps the audience guessing right until the final moment.

Set in New York City during the 1950’s, Dial M For Murder opens with Sheila Wendice (Eleonore Lamothe) and her lover, TV screenwriter Max Halliday (Jordan Pollock) discussing the elements that make up a good murder story. According to Max, the most important factor is motive, which usually arises from fear, jealousy, revenge or in order to protect someone you love. This gives the play its thematic framework, and throughout it, the desire for the truth gets wrapped up with discrepancies between fact and fiction. 

Pollock’s consistent moments of comic relief balance out the classiness of the Grace Kelly-inspired performance of Lamothe, and when the story is complicated by the arrival of Sheila’s husband, Tony Wendice (Oskar Flemer), the actor shifts between the amiable and sinister sides of Tony with ease. Each character has a hidden agenda, and spends the duration of the show attempting to cover up something from their past or what they know about the other. Dial M For Murder brings to light the inconsistencies between the face that is shown to the world, and the truth that remains hidden behind the facade.

Throughout the show, these secrets fail to remain hidden, despite their keepers’ best intentions. Tony becomes aware of Sheila’s affair with Max, and, jealous of their illicit relationship and greed for Sheila’s money, plans to murder Sheila. Tony is a master at manipulating the people around him and regards crime as a hobby. He calls his old friend from university, Captain Lesgate (Alastair Pitts) with the false pretense that he wants to purchase a car. Tony then promises Lesgate $1,000 to carry out the murder, as long as Lesgate will do it exactly according to Tony’s plan. 

When things do not go as easily as he hoped they would, Tony finds himself relying on his wit alone as his master plan unravels. Ultimately, Tony’s dark side dominates as he tries to fool the law, resorting to blackmail and deception. Inspector Hubbard (Cain Humeniuk) is responsible for piecing together the elaborate puzzle, which he does with a sense of humour. The play culminates with a satisfying reveal of who knows what as the balance of power between criminal and victim is altered. Overall, however, it would have added more depth to the performance to see some variation to Lamothe’s portrayal of Sheila. While at times when she was reactive to what was happening, there were moments where the audience seemed to be rooting for Sheila; hoping that she would stand up for her version of the truth.

Dial M For Murder observes the relationship between greed, luck, love, and the ultimate price people have to pay in order to get what they want. It is a psychological discourse on individuals and the motives behind their actions.

In essence, Dial M For Murder provides a commentary on how to get away with murder, filled with suspense and ironies framed by the essential query on how one would write the perfect murder. The story comes full circle as the coincidences in life allow events to take an unexpected turn, revealing how sometimes the truth is indeed unbelievable.

 Dial M For Murder is showing from Oct. 21-24 at 8 p.m. at Players’ Theatre (3600 rue McTavish) located on the third floor of the SSMU Building. Student tickets cost $6.

Wavves V
a, Arts & Entertainment

Album Review: V – Wavves

by Sarah Leinwand on

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With it’s reminiscently ’90s punk vibe, Wavves’s new album V presents everything listeners hate to love about angsty rock. The album opens with “Heavy Metal Detox,” which includes classic dissonant, yet upbeat chords that are vaguely reminiscent of MTV’s Daria theme song. The song sets a hopeful tone for the album with the lyrics “I believe we’re not alone,” creating a sense of community between those also living in an angst-filled, dream-like hellscape. The strong instrumentals and vocals tie together nicely and set the album off to a strong start. The harsh sound of the electric guitar is prominent throughout the album, but the finesse in the percussion section is really brought out in the song “Pony,” where drum hits punctuate key moments and tambourine shakes fill silence.

Wavves’ familiar punk sounds persist until the song “My Head Hurts” rolls around, when an unexpectedly harsh guitar interlude interrupts the song. This interlude introduces a tonal switch in the album from upbeat angst to more scratchy guitar solos and scratchy vocals. The next song, “Redlead,” leads right into this new tone. In a clever bonding of lyrics and style, the line “broken and inane” is repeated, making the listener anxious in the anticipation of when the repetition will end. The protagonist seems to have lost himself, ending this song—and the rest of the songs in the album—with discombobulated fade outs, contrasting the previous strong endings.

The next few songs, “Heart Attack,” “Flamezesz,” and “Wait,” blend together in generic wavves of angst and sadness. The disappointing lull finally comes to an end when the album’s original tone comes back with a bang in the album’s penultimate song, “Tarantula.” The album’s finale creeps up behind “Tarantula” with a slower intro, but it slowly meshes into a complete reiteration of the entire album smashed into one song. There is a combination of dreaminess, screaming, edgy guitar riffs, and dissonant sounds that is suggestive of the resolving montage at the end of a movie.

DeafHeaven
a, Arts & Entertainment

Album Review: New Bermuda – Deafheaven

by Ian Rodgers on

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On New Bermuda, Deafheaven maintains the uniqueness of their sound but loses some of the intensity of their previous album, Sunbather. Deafheaven has always existed in an interesting limbo, combining the extremity of black metal with softer shoegaze and post rock sounds. This limbo angered diehard fans but excited many others, launching them into mainstream success uncommon in the metal scene. That success clearly brought conflicted emotions, reflected lyrically in songs like “Luna,” where lead singer George Clarke seems to have found the “Dream House” he searched for in Sunbather, but has been left “sitting quietly in scorching reimagined suburbia.”

New Bermuda mixes the vocals more distinctly than its predecessor, giving Clarke’s poetry more musical immediacy. In general, New Bermuda feels tighter but less ambitious than its predecessor. The album makes excellent use of a variety of effects, with flange sounds contributing to the atmospheric aspect of its softer moments. Interlude tracks are removed and placed within songs, making the contrast between loud and soft somewhat less distinct.

“Luna” is the high point of the album, keeping a balance between the many elements of the band and holding on to its momentum consistently throughout the song. This dynamic balance between hammering intensity and respite is the key to their sound, and by “Baby Blue” the album seems to lose their grip on it. This track opens with interesting guitar leads reminiscent of Explosions in the Sky, but spends far too much time on its outro and gives too much space to some slow, chugging rhythm guitar. There is an interesting wah-pedal heavy guitar solo which expands their sound, but it’s not enough to redeem it.

“Come Back” features some heavy black metal segments and some outstanding riffs, but then spends far too much time on its slow conclusion. The outro feels like it is anticipating some sort of climax for four minutes, and then the song ends.The album closer “Gifts for the Earth” is somewhat similar, although it makes better use of contrast in its outro, incorporating sounds that surprisingly recall Wilco. Overall, the album seems to be Deafheaven trying to figure out a way to proceed, both musically and personally, but in the process it loses some of the triumphant power that made Sunbather so fantastic. Taken on its own, it is a great listen, but unfortunately its context makes it somewhat disappointing.

Grey Gardens
a, Arts & Entertainment, Theatre

Beyond the lens: Grey Gardens places audience within 1975 documentary

by Luka Ciklovan on

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Tuesday Night Café ’s (TNC) inaugural play of the season, Grey Gardens, concerns a little-known facet of American history. In the aftermath of the assassination of U.S. president John F. Kennedy in 1963, it is easy to forget the role that his wife—first lady Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis—came to play for the American public. Easier yet is forgetting the bizarrely tragic tale of Jacqueline’s aunt Edith Ewing Bouvier Beale (Big Edie), and cousin Edith Bouvier Beale (Little Edie) who were both brought to the cultural fore by Albert and David Maysles’ 1975 documentary Grey Gardens. The film highlights the social aftermath of the Beales’ transition from fame to famine, and portrays these once wealthy New York socialites living in the now-dilapidated estate of Grey Gardens, facing conditions of ever increasing squalor and isolation. This central tension is augmented by the direct filming style of the Maysles brothers. Directed by Grace Jackson, TNC’s version successfully sets out to adapt this directness from the screen to the stage, and doesn’t lose out on any post-aristocratic insanity in doing so.

Grey Gardens brilliantly puts the audience into the position of the Maysles brothers as the two are brought face to face with the good, bad, and ugly, found of manor. Jackson uses most of the same lines from the original documentary, mixes in actual scenes from the film via projector, and follows the same general narrative of the documentary. In this way Jackson draws a clear line from her production to the source material, and cements her work as a theatrical adaptation. In setting up the same conditions found in the film, however, the audience is more directly in contact with the awkwardness, sadness, and occasional mirth captured in the film. Having the two Edies’ engage in direct eye contact with the audience, actually feeding the audience with what little scraps of food they had, and posing for pictures that audiences are prone to take, successfully blur the line between spectator and performer in a powerful way that the medium of film simply cannot recreate.

Augmenting this solid directing was equally strong acting. Big Edie‘s (Rachel Stone) culturally aloof and determined persona was portrayed effectivelye by Stone—she rarely acknowledged the audience nor camera, and always shrilly defending her life choices with big vocal crescendos. Stone is noticeably contrasted by Little Edie (Connor Spencer) who had almost constant energetic interaction with the audience. Stone and Spencer—although their accents faltered at times—worked off of each other’s opposing energies brilliantly. The result was an unnerving mixture of intense fighting and brief moments of happiness that made the duo appear simultaneously insane and somehow approachable and charismatic. Jerry (Oren Lefkowitz), the handyman of the estate, is portrayed in a monotonous, ogling manner, and this only adds to the eeriness of the scenes.

The Grey Gardens estate itself, which is central to the show, was designed and acted on in a way that conveyed the squalor that defined it. TNC Stage Managers Holly Hilts and Karlo Trost arranged the stage as a clutter of random objects tossed about, which constantly impeded actors’ movements. As such, the Beales’ poverty is highlighted despite the fact that a large pallet of bright colours sometimes gave off the impression of wealth. When coupled with the long, backstage routes the actors were directed to take to move about the house, it spectacularly demonstrated the inconvenience that the manor itself posed.

By successfully exploring the tragic story of the Beales while offering a powerful translation of one medium into another, TNC’s production of Grey Gardens proved itself as a strong piece and an excellent opener.

Grey Gardens runs at TNC, (Morrice Hall, 3485 Rue McTavish) Wednesday to Saturday, October 21-24.  Performances begin at 8 p.m., with doors at 7:45. Tickets are $6 for students and seniors and $10 

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