Monday February 7, 2005 arts.michigandaily.com. artspage@rmichigandaily. com ART s 5A 5A Indie rockers debut as " headliners in Detroit 'U' alum recounts childhood memoirs By Aaron Kaczander Daily Arts Writer In a miraculous turn of events at the Magic Stick on Thursday night, the colliding worlds of hippie jamsters and alt-rock snobs were brought together in a mish-mash of The Secret musical styles. The Machines Secret Machines The Magic Stick brought their brand of distant space rock to this diverse crowd for a night of arena-sized fuzz. The band took the stage quietly after a disco-charged set by L.A. dance-punkers Moving Units. The Secret Machines' set ran through most of their debut record, Now Here Is Nowhere, with a few new songs from their developing sophomore album. Bathed in a sea of blue and pink light, wearing dark suits and perfectly unkempt hair, the boys barely spoke a single word to the crowd. They opted instead to let their dizzying guitar effects and syncopated drumbeats do the talking. The trio faced each other in an intimate triangle setup, while surrounded by a giant techno-bubble of stacks, amps, lighting fixtures and strategically placed strobes. Bassist and keyboardist Brandon Curtis shared singing duties with his brother and guitar noodler Ben. The two remained mysterious, standing in dark shadows as they delivered awkwardly titled tunes with a harmony that was more monotonous than pitch perfect. At times, especially during their more distant, weightier songs, the stage possessed a strange and disconcerting ambience, like being underwater. The aquatic feeling was comforting, but also tiresome through their slower paced songs. Luckily, this feeling was lifted for crowd pleasers like the sing-along chorus of "The Road Leads Where It's Led" and MTV2 staple "Nowhere Again." The sold-out crowd was com- prised of a diversified mix of aging and neohippies and their arch-nemeses - 20-something indie elitists. This combo was quite puzzling, but ulti- mately revealed The Secret Machines' eclectic appeal to both genres of fans. This attraction allows them to bask in the college-rock limelight for long By Bernie Nguyen Daily Books Editor As a rule, childhood is one of the most taboo topics of conversation. Its show- sypocrit"e ma pouffy white dres :zattA: r ^"--hakyoku, 0 Lo 3£i4 '' rts " or "'p"""e case of immature dreams, accidents and memories is too easily remem- bered with a blush of humiliation. But "Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress," by Susan Jane Gilman, han- dles childhood and "We need hair cuts." Hypocrite in a Pouffy White Dress By Susan Jane Gilman Warner Books adolescence with enough to secure spots in both Bonn- aroo and Coachella, two of the year's most sought after rock festivals. How did they manage to impress promot- ers of both coveted galas? Probably the same way they entice their diversified fanbase, who are usually at each other's bearded/skinny throats. Their appealing mix of ambient, My Bloody Valentine- esque swirling guitars with Zeppelin- fused riffing somehow captivated the attention of the clashing crowd. Though sleepers like "You Are Chains" caused uncomfortable shift- ing and uneasiness among the spec- tators during the hour-long set, The Secret Machines still managed to stun visually and provide wall-to-wall gui- tar and keyboard riffs for their first headline visit to Detroit. Their hom- age to heavy-hitting 1970s influences and late-'90s indie stalwarts was a hit with the numerous older fans in atten- dance, as well as the younger neohip- pies and psych-rockers. While their atmospheric musicianship may not have been the most innovative arrival to the music scene last year, the Secret Machines conjured enough inter- est to bring different types of music fans together peacefully for a night of underwater bliss. verve and vivacity as she traces her life from childhood to maturity through short stories highlighting the most humorous and most painful experiences of her life. Gilman, a graduate of the University's ."-n ila .:t,.,t is y~fa creative writing program, said her book is "meant to entertain people, to make them feel less alone." The collec- tion encompasses battles with neigh- borhood toughs, Susan Jane Gilman At Shaman Drum Today at 7 p.m. Wretched EP makes poor foray for new band By Chris Gaerig Daily Arts Writer Post-punk and synth-pop were two of the more influential genres of the past few years. Following the path of The Killers, Elk- land are attempting to recre- ate the energy and charisma of post-punk from the late 1970s and '80s. However, Elkland arrive at the party egregious- ly late. Their EP, Apart, is an Elkland Apart Columbia World melodies and pseudo to-fi recording. Apart is completely devoid of choruses and hooks. On "Salvation," the lack of a solid chorus leads to embarrassing lyrical catastrophes such as "Salvation, salvation, salvation is great." Unin- spired lines like these clearly show the band's basic inability to write a catchy phrase or chorus. Not only are the melodies and lyrics sub par, but the subject matter rarely changes throughout the album. In the grand post-punk tradition, Elkland clings to morbid and dark subject matter but fail to say anything original or interesting. Three of the five tracks on this disc - and the fifth being a remix of the EP's opener - are stereotypical pop songs identifiable through the titles: "Apart," "I Think I Hate Her" and "Everytime You Tell Me That You Love Me." In addition to the archetypal song titles, the keyboard riffs and mundane melo- dies solidify Elkland's pop-trash status. Apart is a monotonous, unimaginative release from an up-and-coming band. In a genre with liv- ing, touring legends, there is no need for mediocre her rebelliously psychedelic adolescence and the painful experience of her par- ents' divorce. The chronological thread of the stories allows the reader to view Gilman's character from all angles as she tumbles through growth and experience. The stories were compiled as "a sculptor would look at different objects and try to make something out of them," Gil- man remarked. "I didn't write (the book) because I think I am so fascinating and everyone has to read about my life ... I just stepped back and they seemed like funny stories." The book's easy coupling of humor and emotion is one of its strongest points. The author's remarkably human voice creates intimacy and a sense of confi- dence between character and reader. Little Susie's childhood scrapes and teen- age embarrassments become secrets told between friends. Gilman's personal tone puts the book almost on the level of a diary or a journal. Fortunately, she doesn't shy away from emotional insight or candor when it comes to sensitive issues such as injustice and sex. "Not everyone has had my experiences, but ... everyone's been humiliated, everyone's been overconfi- dent at times, everybody if they're lucky has been through all of that and all the drama," she said. "I wanted it to be funny ... while tapping into a vein." Gilman has found her niche with the familiar, warm languagethat both endears her life to the reader and allows her to write from the standpoint of an active participant. Her words, like lines on a map, are significant in and of them- selves while leading to a greater desti- nation. Description and development abound, each character and story is cohe- sive and full, exposing a treasure trove of experiences. It is clear that these memo- ries, while painful at times, are cherished and loved. With a light touch and a keen eye for humor, Gilman adeptly shows the rites of passage that everyone must undergo. Her book is well written, honestly up front and sometimes startling funny while it chronicles the process of maturity. It is growing up at its most painfully poi- gnant. "This book I really wrote ... out of a sense that the world is a very scary and difficult place, particularly now, and I sort of wanted to make people laugh and give them comfort and feel like they had another friend in their life." attempt to piggyback on the synth-pop revivalist movement poorly led by The Killers. While the group boasts its love for synth-pop, its vintage equipment and labored hooks fail to reproduce an iota of the quality created by their idols. The band believes if its equipment is old, its music will mature accordingly. However, they play garden-variety pop - a coalescence of Jimmy Eat releases and lackluster bands reputation and cult following. to taint post-punk's INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMS looking Sor a iummer internvhip? Work as a Display Advertising Account Executive For The Michigan Daily!! AUSTRALIA Sydney CHINA Beijing ENGLAND London FRANCE Grenoble Paris IRELAD ITALY Padova PERU Ayacucho & Lima . Positions available during Spring, Summer, and Fall semesters - Start building your resume: " Sell Advertising to local and national businesses - Manage your own account territory " Earn money working with a student-run organization - Flexible hours that work around your class schedule " Management opportunities available Masu *eeting: uedneiday reb. 9 at 5pm Student Publications building (420 Maynard) This is B.U. This could be you. STUDY ABROAD SUMMER 2005 INTERNSHIPS LANGUAGE r