March 21, 2006
arts. michigandaily. com
artspage@michigandaily.com
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Coke and cameraphones *
Courtesy of Mute
We swear
these guys
aren't The
Doors.
LIARS' LATEST ALBUM A TRIUMPH OF NOISE AND MELODY
By Chris Gaerig
Associate Magazine Editor
To know where you are, you've got to know where
you've been.
When the Liars released their sophomore effort They'
Were Wrong So We Drowned, it received drastically
mixed reviews - Spin called it
"unlistenable," while webzines Liars
like Stylus Magazine praised the Drum's Not Dead
album's barrage of brutal noise.
Coming off of the group's raw, Mute
rock-inspired freak-out They
Threw Us All In a Trench and Stuck a Monument On
Top, these mixed feelings were anticipated - albeit
not as severe as they ultimately were. Going from the
stripped sound of Trench to the feedback-riddled tracks
on Drowned, fans and critics alike were taken aback by
the change. But despite the negative press, the album
fared well within the indie community.
This left the New York trio in an especially difficult
predicament. On their third proper release, would they
return to the structured experimentation of their first
album or try to perfect their new sound and cement a
place in the growing noise-rock scene? On Drum's Not
Dead, the Liars are able to accomplish what few groups
have been able to: seamlessly blend two drastically dif-
ferent sounds to create an album catergorically better
than what either could produce alone.
When indie-rock darlings Modest Mouse infused
a pop framework into Good News For People Who
Love Bad News, they were chastised by fans for sell-
ing out and not being "indie enough," but praised by
mainstream radio. The Liars have faced similar criti-
cism. Trench drew comparisons to The Strokes while
Drowned invoked the likes of Wolf Eyes and Black Dice.
The parallels continue with Drum's Not Dead - the
album's closest cousin is the recent work of freak-folk
powerhouse Animal Collective (on steroids, anyway).
Name-dropping aside, Drum's Not Dead speaks
bounds about the Liars' abilities both as composers and
producers. One of the most impressive - and obvi-
ous - feats of the album is its continuity. Tracks flow
together effortlessly. Each song has its own, distinct
personality that blends with both tracks surrounding it.
This cohesiveness gives the album an improvised feel.
While many jam sessions seem uncoordinated and
disjointed, the Liars are clearly and precisely locating
every note and maladjusted croon.
Another sign of the group's impressive growth
in the studio is the tension created between tracks.
Drum's Not Dead is like a third-grader who can't sit
still in class - in a good way. The record travels from
aggressive, percussion-driven cuts ("A Visit From
Drum") to airy vocals and astral guitars ("Drum Gets
a Glimpse"). The Liars even combine these drasti-
cally different sounds on "It Fit When I Was a Kid"
The rising and falling of the record, combined with
its internal cohesiveness, is something that few, if any,
contemporary groups have accomplished.
Not only does the album work well as a whole, but
each individual track is gorgeously constructed. The
ominous lull of the guitars and wood-block clicks
on "The Wrong Coat For You Mt. Heart Attack" is
amplified by the eerie, muted and borderline nonsen-
sical cries: "They will discover you / Drawing in the
living room / Time will abandon you." In contrast,
the sheer power of the reverberating percussion on
"Drum and the Uncomfortable Can" explodes before
the soaring feedback has a chance to sear through the
song. Disorienting, syncopated mumblings only add
to the track's intensity.
So how do you end an album this eclectic without
completely abandoning it or changing the mood? "The
Other Side of Mt. Heart Attack." After "To Hold You,
Drum" begrudgingly fades away, soft guitars ride the
relative calm before the storm. Their staccato bounce is
accompanied by a gentle chorus and comforting vocals:
"I won't run far / I can always be found / If you need
me / I can always be found:" Without previously estab-
lishing the album's sine-wave flow, "The Other Side of
Mt. Heart Attack" might have been horribly out of place
and confusing. Luckily, the Liars told us it was coming
throughout the record.
Where can the Liars go from here? If Drowned
truly is unlistenable - which, for the record, it isn't
- the bar wasn't very high for Drum's Not Dead. So
coming off of this masterpiece, a totally unexpected
one at that, will be difficult, if not damn near impos-
sible. But as we've just seen, the Liars do their best
work rising from the ashes.
i ts been more than a month
since my last recap of celebrity
"news" (sorry, I'm lazy), and
sadly, the big stars haven't brought
anything new to fill celebrity tab-
loids and websites. Britney Spears
is still regressing into her white-
trash youth while attempting to reel
in her freeloading husband. Tom
Cruise is still preparing for inter-
galactic war and is ready to eat any
"heathens" (children especially -
they're our future) who
speak disapprovingly of
Scientology. And Brad:
Pitt and Angelina Jolie
have yet to exchange
blood in a public cer-
emony or spawn the
beautiful child Us
Weekly will likely refer
to as our savior.
Instead, it's been
some of the smaller and Pu
newer names in enter- MA2
tainment who've kept us
busy in the checkout line.
Pete Wentz, of perennial emo-
rock favorite Fall Out Boy, made
news for pulling a Paris Hilton
recently when incriminating pic-
tures he took of himself using
his Sidekick phone ended up on
the Internet. For Wentz and his
embarrassing asymmetrical haircut
(worthy of the finest anime), the
incident fortunately didn't gain as
much attention as Hilton's snaps
outside of a legion of Hot Topic-
clad teens taking a break from
discussing their favorite "Napoleon
Dynamite" quotes before sullenly
returning to their LiveJournals.
In other revealing news, Victoria's
Secret model/goddess Adriana
Lima said in an interview with GQ
Magazine that "sex is for after mar-
riage," and that any men she had
dated before had to respect her strict
Catholic beliefs or the relationship
wouldn't work. The voluptuous
Brazilian counts New York Yankee
Derek Jeter as one of the former
flames who wasn't able to swipe her
V-card. Somewhere, I'm sure Alex
Rodriguez is breathing a sigh of
relief. That A-Rod's a jealous one.
N
TT
Lima should instead look over to
her fashion counterpart, Kate Moss,
for lessons on proper model behavior.
First rule: Coke is your only food
group. Second rule: Lesbian sex with
other models is a must. Third rule:
Don't listen to ugly people.
Moss's former agent revealed
in the U.K.'s Sun newspaper that
she stashed cocaine, ecstasy and
the date-rape drug Rohypnol in a
$100,000 Faberg6 egg while on a
charity visit to South Afri-
ca for Nelson Mandela's
Children's Fund in 1998.
Moss followed up the
charity event by retreating
to her suite, and in a coke-
fueled haze, spent the
night with crazed super-
model Naomi Campbell.
Ah, nothing says
"think of the children"
IT like a story worthy of its
own late-night Cinemax
0 film.
Hollywood's biggest annual
party, the Oscars, didn't feature
some of the usual antics of previous
years. But with gatecrasher Three
6 Mafia ready to celebrate an upset
win for the ages, you knew they
would make some news.
And who better revel in the vic-
tory with than Hilton. Videos
obtained by burgeoning celebrity
website TMZ.com show the socialite
dancing onstage with Juicy J in that
awkward, embarrassing way only
tall, anorexic white girls can.
Three 6's celebrations didn't
only include Hilton, though. Famed
author and infidel Salman Rush-
die spent the evening discussing
the group's surprising victory and
revealing that he had wanted them
to win. The pairing might seem
odd: Amoral Southern rap kingpins
and an award-winning author tar-
geted with death threats for insult-
ing Islam. But as Rushdie can tell
you, there's nothing harder for a
pimp than a price on his head.
- Mattoo is running out
of decent gossip. Tip him
off at mattoop@umich.edu.
Not really
the 'Man'
By Sarah Schwartz
Daily Arts Writer
Yeahs craft
modest album
By Matt Emery
Daily Arts Writer
"She's the Man" opens on a beach filled
with beautiful people and Viola (Amanda
Bynes, "What a Girl
Wants") playing soc-
cer in a bikini. Then
there's Duke (Chan-
ning Tatum, "Coach
Carter"), her very
attractive love inter-
est who's convenient-
She's the
Man
At the Showcase
and Quality 16
DreamWorks
Courtesy of DreamWorks
ly shirtless for most of the film. Any doubt
as to what this movie is or where it's going
flies out the window after minute three.
And considering the creative forces
behind the movie, "She's the Man" is a
letdown. Written by the team who suc-
cessfully updated William Shakespeare's
"The Taming of the Shrew" into "10
Things I Hate About You," the film
attempts a similar modernization of his
gender-bending "Twelfth Night." But
while it keeps the gender-conflict quo-
tient, it lacks the wit and sexual frankness
that made "10 Things" a far better movie.
That's not to say that "She's the Man" isn't
fun to watch (shirtless Duke is the fantasy
of most 12-year-old girls), but any hope
for a movie about social awareness or gen-
der issues is gone.
Some "girl power" does come into play
when Viola's school soccer team dissolves
for lack of interest. Undeterred, Viola turns
to the boy's team, but is told that girls can't
play because they are not fast or good
"0MG! Facial hair!"
enough. Eager to prove them wrong, Viola
pretends to be her twin brother Sebastian
(James Kirk, "X2: X-Men United) and
signs up for the team of a rival school. Will
Viola be good enough to get on first string?
Will she be able to pass for a guy? Will
Duke ever put on a shirt?
Complicating matters are the grow-
ing feelings of "Sebastian's" new friend
Olivia (Laura Ramsey, "Lords of Dog-
town") for "Sebastian," while Viola's own
feelings blossom for her new roommate
Duke. While Olivia presents an obstacle,
the audience is less likely to hate her
than simply wonder as to why she feels
so strongly for the wiry and effeminate
"Sebastian" in the first place. True, "he"
knows what to say to a girl, but Bynes's
gender transformation culminates in what
appears to be a pre-pubescent 12-year-
old. A wig and sideburns can't disguise
her perkiness, her "guy voice" changes in
every scene and her repeated greetings of
"bro" are cringe-worthy.
Awkwardness pretty much sums up the
interaction between most of the characters,
as Viola's inability to stay in guy mode
long enough lends itself to wince-induc-
ing moments. Even Duke falls prey to the
movie's discomfort. He becomes tongue-
tied when talking to Olivia, he's self-con-
scious when around others and spouts
inspirational quotes at odd moments -
like quoting Shakespeare right before the
game-winning goal.
Yes, this is a parallel universe where
jocks have hearts, and dreadlock-donned
soccer stars fall in love with geeky lab
partners and the hysterical David Cross
(TV's "Arrested Development") gets to be
a principal and sing a song. This is also
a world of the pretty people; it would be
a damn shame if they didn't all live hap-
pily ever after. So maybe "She's the Man"
attempts to combine girl power and ball-
gowns into a single character. And maybe
no one in the film ever notices that Olivia
had feelings for a girl and Duke may have
felt something for a boy. In the end, no
audience will be looking for gender poli-
tics when the bikinis come out and the
soccer shirts come off.
When the Yeah Yeah Yeahs announced their follow- kIRS.
up to 2003's Fever to Tell was going to be a concept
album pivoting around lead singer .
Karen O's cat Coco, critics and fans Yeah Yeah<x
were intrigued and horrified. There Yeahs .
were eventually sighs of relief when
it was revealed that the New York Show Your Bones and Karen shouts as Fever, and the track pushes the
City-based punks were pulling a interscope boundary with acoustic guitar strumming and breezy
naughty little joke on MTV, Pitch- electric hooks. "Cheated Hearts" remains surprisingly
fork and the other news-hungry music outlets and that tame and subdued both lyrically and musically, until
their new album would be much more standard, a sim- the hard-rock side of heartbreak appears near the three-
ple follow-up titled Show Your Bones. and-a-half-minute mark.
On their website, the YYYs described Bones as "what "Warrior" is the true transformation of the New
happens when you put your finger in a light socket. Yorkers. The sub-four-minute beauty starts with light
Maybe there is some of that electric current flowing and peaceful vocals backed by soft instrumentation and
through the tracks of our album ... or not." transforms into an ethereal, alternative-country shape
Well, though many of the songs are charged with a before the track begins a climb toward stress and dis-
voltage we've come to expect from the trio, many are order. Guitar riffs and vocal wails echo Jack White's
more like putting your hand in a cookie jar - daring heartland confrontations before the song ends on a sub-
and rewarding. dued country-esque note.
Bones builds on all the right things the Yeah Yeah Punk fans need not worry: The YYYs of old still
Yeahs started with Fever to Tell. The most noticeable know how to grind and drill. "Fancy" and "Phenom-
difference between 2003's effort and 2006's is the ena" both play with the hard-guitar riffs and jam-outs
marked maturation of the band's sound. For the first reminiscent of their older style. Psychedelic voice ele-
time, the New York rockers inject an acoustic restraint ments also create an alluring, airy hug amid the guitar
into their tracks. mashing.
"Gold Lion," the first single, might not be as com- As one of the most anticipated releases of early 2006,
mercially acceptable as "Maps," but it clearly shows Show Your Bones is torn between a punk image and a
that the YYYs have created a new musical image. Many newfound, mature sound.
of the corrosive sounds from Fever are left behind in The Yeah Yeah Yeahs strike hard with a record that
favor of a lighter, more comfortable listen. They don't may not make your hair stand on end, but will still send
have as much to prove this time around; they've relaxed electricity throughout the music world.
more than a little bit. Hell, maybe next time they should make an album
"Way Out" encompasses the same sort of guitar hooks about Coco. Or not.
j Diesel-led mob film stilted
By Caroline stitted
0
Headaches?
Michigan HeadePain & Neurological Institute is
conducting an in-clinic research study evaluating an
investigational medication for migraine.
Participants must be 18 to 65 years old and suffer 2 to
6 headaches per month. A total of three clinic visits
' . ' ar rnuire. Visit 2 is a four- to five-hour treatment
Daily Arts Writer
There's a reason Vin Diesel gets cast in
testosterone-laden action hits, and it's not
his down-to-earth,
everyman charm. Find Me
Diesel became a Guilty
household name after AttheSho
appearing in "The owcase
tions who faces a new slate of charges
alongside 20 other family members.
Rather than following the lead of the
others on trial, Jackie decides to defend
himself with little legal expertise beyond
his years of jail time.
But despite this serviceable launching
pad, a mediocre script co-written by the
film's legendary director Lumet ("Dog
Day Afternoon") only takes the film so
far. Attempts at genuine sentimental-
ity fall disappointingly flat. One of the