Wednesday March 31, 2004 arts.michigandaily.com artseditor@michigandaily.com ATusMOa 5 EVEN-STEVENS INSTRUMENTATION TAKES CENTER STAGE By Andrew Horowitz Daily Arts Writer Music REVIEW * Less than a year after establishing himself with Greetings from Michigan: The Great Lakes State, Sufjan Stevens returns with the introspective Seven Swans. Produced by Daniel Smith of the Danielson Famile, Seven Swans is a much barer effort, showcasing Stevens without any of his usual Sufjan exorbitance (on Michigan, Stevens is credited with play- ing nearly 20 instruments). Seven Swans This pared-down approach is Sounds Familyre a welcome change, bringing greater lucidity to Stevens's spiritually centered lyrics. Seven Swans, tender from start to finish, reinforces the honest voice of a first-rate talent. The album is so honest, in fact, that it's easy to ignore the fact that this release isn't just Sufjan and his banjo. As on Nick Drake's Pink Moon, there's a certain vulnerability in Stevens' bare- bones approach. The vocals are delivered with a nonchalance and sincerity strong enough to solidi- fy an instant listener rapport. And like Pink Moon, the sound is so captivating that it creates an entire world in which all other sounds exist unnoticed. Album opener "All the Trees of the Field Will Clap Their Hands" is as poetic as its title implies. The repeated banjo motif is layered with simple melody and a single-note pianodfigure, and it builds with minimal drums and doubled female vocal harmonies. After climaxing, the sound immediately fades into "The Dress Looks Nice on You." Similarly, this tune begins with just Stevens and his guitar and crescendos to a peak. Stevens enjoys taking unadorned backdrops - usually banjo or guitar - and building complex polyrhythmic structures. This compositional approach works on each individual song and on the album as a whole. Each song is crafted to gen- tly expand on an initial concept, and many times Stevens chooses to muse on certain phrases. By the album's conclusion - the quirky, elevating "The Transfiguration" - something intangible has happened. Stevens's vocal presence seems all the more present, even with intensified symphon- ic texturing. Thematically, Stevens draws inspiration from various sources. The Flannery O'Connor- inspired "A Good Man is Hard to Find" reveals a dark unease inspired by the story of the same name. The biblically referenced "Abraham" pon- ders the Hebrew patriarch and his test of faith. Religion takes a backseat to faith, and this, when it comes down to it, keeps the album from isolat- ing listeners. This music has the power to transcend and inspire. It's honest, affirming, truthful, hurtful and beautiful. Stevens has created a testament of faith so breathtaking in its simplicity that we're stuck wondering: What's more to say? THE HOTTEST PICKS IN ENTERTAINMENT FROM A DAILY ARTS WRITER "Reno 911!" and "The Apprentice" - "Reno 911!" is pure bril- liance and it airs during dinner, which is a definite plus. "The Apprentice" ... well, admit it: Reality TV is addicting. Someone needs to make it stop. The Federal Communications Commission - Thank God some- one's putting a stop to nipples, deplorable violence, naughty curse words, Howard Stern and everything else that's wrong with our country. For fuck's sake, it's about time. 3 "Songs of Innocence and Experience" - Pulitzer Prize winner and Music Prof. William Bolcom is one week away from having his New Yorks Times-labeled "masterpiece" return to Hill Auditorium for the first time since its U.S. premiere in 1984. The roughly 450 musicians required to pull off the William Blake song cycle include a full chorus, orchestra, reggae band, rock group, multiple soloists, maestro Leonard Slatkin and hell knows what else. It doesn't get much bigger than this. 2 Remember that scene In "Deliverance?" Shakespeare's first drama 'Titus' performed at 'U' Arthur Miller on campus - How often is it that one of the greatest living playwrights attends his alma mater to speak during "An Arthur Miller Celebration?" Jon Brion - With his recent score for "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," an upcoming album from Fiona Apple, an experimental rock group,and a follow-up to the pop masterpiece Mean- ingless, producer/compos- er/musician-extraordinaire Jon Brion will continue to conquer the world. By Rachel Berry Daily Arts Writer ful is to be noble and one doesn't always have to substitute one hand for another. With this play she hopes to send the message that, "In the post-9- 11 world there is another way besides Senior Megan Marod will con- clude her directing career at the Uni- versity with William Shakespeare's first tragedy, "Titus Andronicus," and an equally powerful political message. Notorious for its morbidity, psychological games and characters pushed to emotional limits, "Titus Andronicus" deals with the conse- quences of violence. The play begins and ends with the words "Noble pity." Marod believes Shakespeare is saying that to be piti- violence." Poet Ben Jon- son once said that Shakespeare "was not of a time, but for all time." Marod hopes that the audience will see that "people have been having the same problems Titus Andron icus Thursday - Saturday at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 11 p.m. Free At the Arena Theater for basically all "Titus Andronicus" prove especially timely in today's world. By taking the classical works that aren't about Iraq, but that deal with the issues of "war, media, politicians and violence and the loss of loved ones ... by presenting the message in a more allegorical way, hopefully the message becomes an even more powerful one and reaches a larger audience," Marod said. Consequently, she has eliminated a distinct time period in order to accen- tuate the timelessness of the story's themes. The cast will be outfitted in mainly Roman togas, and the females will be wearing Elizabethan dresses to represent the influence of the Shake- spearian era on the story. The audience can see how the Roman story inter- sects with modern life and is flavored by Shakespeare. Marod's advice to perspective audi- ence members is to pay special atten- tion to the "dinner scene, where Tamara is fed a pie with her two sons baked in it, and to Marcus's monologue to Livinia after her hands and tongue have been cut off." These exemplify the power struggle in the play and are among two of her favorite scenes. "It is important to do this play right now because it lets us see the conse- quences of the morbidity," Marod said. "It also shows how as people push past the violence, they create these amazing bonds." Courtesy of International Creative Management eternity and maybe we can find better solutions." The issues and message of - 1 21- wk../ DANCE MARATHON strives to engage and empower the campus and community by building support and raising funds for children in need of pediatric rehabilitation programs. For more information please visit us at: www.umdm.org Dance Marathon 2004 would like to Thank Our Generous Sponsors! Congratulationsto the 2004 DANCERS! 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