The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com

Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - 5A

Music to
love by
like music. I like sex. I love
combining the two, and I like
to thinkI know what I'm doing
- at least with the music part. But
playing bedroom DJ is a lot differ-
ent from spinning at a frat party or
hosting a radio show on WCBN-FM,
soI conducted some very scientific
"research" with my girlfriend, fol-
lowedby asking her roommates
some very personal questions. What
I found out may titillate you, may
shock you and just might come in
handy the next time the lights are
dimmed and you're hurriedly trying
to find something_
to throw on before1
you lose the mood.I
Before I getcto
that, I want to get
one thingcleared
up. Some I talked
to claimed they -
didn't like music LLOYD H.
during sex. This CARGO
is ridiculous, and
we're going to ignore that entire line
of thinking. I'll chalk that one up to
unfortunate experiences and ques-
tionable taste. Of course sex is better
withmusic. All of your senses are
heightened by arousal - you don't
have to take it from me, because I'm
sure some doctor somewhere on the
'Let's Get It On'
is obvious -
but it works.
Internet agrees with me. And if you
find music "distracting," then you're
beyond my help.
So what's the best music tomuffle
moans? It depends. What it doesn't
depend on, though, is the kind of
music you like. Throw it out the win-
dow. While you're at it, forgetcwhat
kind of music your partner likes.
Doesn't matter. You're goingto have
to trust me on this one.
Keepingthat in mind, the big-
gesthing Ineed to emphasize is
the indisputable rule that goes like
this: R&B is the sexiest music in the
world. Tlais is not up for debate. I
don't think it's any huge revelation
tp all you lovers out there, but some-
times the obvious isn't as obvious
as I assume. Furthermore, the more
over the top the singer is the bet-
ter. You might think Barry White is
for old people, Luther Vandross is
cheesy or, God forbid, Al Green is too
predictable, but you'd be wrong.
Put on some Al Green, preferably
on vinyl (flipping the record every
20 minutes will make it last longer!),
and I absolutely, positively guarantee
it won't be the lastclovemaking ses-
sion you and your partner share to
his sweet soul songs. Sure, everyone
inyour house will know what's hap-
peningbehind your door, but that's
kind of sexy, too, right?
Subtlety should not be a concern.
The songs should be straight-up
dirty. Marvin Gaye's "You Sure Love,
to Ball" or, more famously, "Let's '
Get It On" might sound cheesy when'
you're driving around in your car,
but when you're between the sheets
and the music is pumping, those lyr-

ics go from laughable to lascivious
pretty damn quick.
But you don't always have to listen
to sex jams. My girlfriend would like
to point out that it's OK to show a
more sensitive side once in a while,
which is why I would recommend
cuing up Jens Lekman or a Wes'
Anderson soundtrack before R. Kelly
on your playlists. Indie rock is dicey,
though, and the over-the-top rule
does not apply: raunchy lyrics sung
by a skinny dude with moppy hair
and tight jeans just sound silly.
Instrumental music can also
be used quite effectively. While
normally I love it, stay away from
jazz or classical music in sweaty
situations. Miles Davis made some
damn sexy music, but that kind of
weaponry ought to only be used by
professionals. Pick somethingelse
with atime signature you can groove
to and thathas a steadily building
intensity. King Curtis or Godspeed
You Black Emperor! are but two of
your many erotic options. A word to
the wise: stay away from European
dance music unless it's Justice. Oh,
and absolutelyno hip hop or reggae
under any circumstances unless both
of you are really, really stoned.
Keep in mind, I'm talking about ,
fucking, not the bizarre ritual of get-
tingsomeone into your bed in the
first place. For that, you're on your
own. a
- E-mail your kinkiest musical taste
to Cargo at Ihcargo~dumich.edu.

Through hip hop, a
different Palestine

Filmmaker Jackie
Salloum goes outside of
mainstream news to
portray Palestine
By MICHELE YANKSON
Daily Arts Writer
No one, it seems, can really claim hip
hop. There is the story
of urban malaise: Afri-
can-American rap art- Palestine
istsusingthe realities of Through
inner-city strife to cre-
ate lyrics that resonate Today1at 8 p.m.
and inspire, provoke At the Hussey
and challenge. But with Room in the
these elements - that Michigan League
is, the translation of a Fr
bleak reality into pow-Free
erful art - hip hop has
the capacity to reach past the boundaries
of a single race, culture or country.
In efforts to familiarize the student
community with a different perspective
of the Arab-Israeli conflict, Students
Allies for Freedom and Equality (SAFE)
will present "Palestine through Art"
at the Michigan League Hussey Room
tonight at 8 p.m. The event will showcase
art, film and a little-know genre of music,
Palestinian hip hop, as a way to enter and

expand the minds of its audience.
"We want to show the facts about
what's going on in Palestine from a Pal-
estinian perspective, "said Hena Ashraf,
a SAFE member and LSA senior. "It goes
into essence of what hip hop is about,
representing your life and struggles how
they really are."
Detroit-based rapper Invincible will
appear at the event. Her lyrics, deliv-
ered in a bold tenor, are influenced by
her experience as a Palestinian living
in America. Her music, over tracks that
infuse steady hip-hop beats with Arabic
vocals and instruments, is a testament to
hip hop's increasing universality.
The event's centerpiece is a preview
by the filmmaker and multimedia art-
ist Jackie Salloum of excerpts from her
upcoming documentary "SlingShot
HipHop." The film focuses on the music,
lives and sentiments of several Palestin-
ian hip-hop artists living in Palestine.
Much of the West's relationship with
Palestine ostensibly comes through dense
news coverage and political debate. Sal-
loum, a Farmington Hills native of Pales-
tinian descent, seeks to challenge these
purported truths with those untouched
by the media's often-distorting lens.
"What triggered my work on Palestine
was the killings in Jenin," Salloum said.
"I heard a Palestinian rap song (about the
killings) on a radio station in New York
and realized the strength of hip hop as a

COU~T~rE""OF"R
Dam, a Palestinian hip hop group, is one of several such groups seen in Jackie Salloum's upcoming
documentary "Slingshot HipHnop."

way to cross boundaries and inform, as
everyone can understand it."
Subjects like Jenin - a refugee camp
which, in 2002, was the site of a disput-
ed number of Palestinian deaths - are
potentially dangerous territory to align
one's art with. Salloum, however, isn't
detracted by possible dissent.
"When I first showed my art in class,
(my peers) said it was too politically
charged and biased," said Salloum, who
attended New York University for her
graduate studies. "I would always say,
'It's art. It's supposed tobe biased!' "
Salloum focuses much of her work on
politicized topics with an unconvention-
al approach. Her website (jsalloum.org)
showcases many of her multimedia piec-
es, including her "toys," creations that
juxtapose the kitschy with the intense.
"Gumball Machine" holds tiny figurines
of "Palestinian refugees" with the man-

tra "Collect All 5 million!" Her "Catero-
pillar" is a tiny bulldozer in a yellow
plastic package that warns "Harmful to
Palestinian life" in the lower left corner.
Whatever Salloum's bias, there is much
to be said for the tenacity of the hip-hop
artists she features in her film. Musicians
who went from virtually having no pro-
duction resources - for example, having
to download tracks from the Internet to
rap over - to performing to crowds of
thousands in Jordan
"I see their music as a powerful form
of resistance," Salloum said.
"Palestine through Art" was conceived
with the hope to transform Palestinian
hip hop from a little-known genre to a
lasting art with an indelible message. At
its core is the using of one's voice to alter
an attitude, expand a mind. In that right,
the only claim belongs to the one with the
mic.

Boyhood cartoonist turned novelist in A2

By NORA FELDHUSEN
Daily Arts Writer
Adrian Tomine started out like
any other comic strip artist and
graphic novelist. A self-admitted
fanatic of "terrible 1970s super-
hero crap," Tomine religiously
bought the newest Marvel comic
book every week until he was 12.
His first
works were imi- Adn
tations, of what
he saw in trashy, Tomine
action-based Tonight at
comic books. 7p.m.
But early in his
career, Tomine At Shaman Drum
reached a "satu- Free
ration point" at
which he was no
longer satisfied with mainstream
comics, instead turning to under-
ground forms where he found
inspiration for the witty, satirical
and poignant work he produces.
Tomine - who will be at Sha-
man Drum Bookshop for a read-
ing and signing of his new book,
"Shortcomings," tonight at 7 p.m.
- is more than a cartoonist. He
started his firstcomicbook, "Optic
Nerve," at 16, and it remains one
of the most popular sellers for his
publisher, Drawn & Quarterly.
Like all of Tomine's work, "Optic
Nerve" is based on both personal
experiences and intuitive social
observations.
Throughout the years, Tomine

has illustrated his ability to
relate to all types of characters.
His shorter strips have depicted
angst-ridden teenagers, lonely old
people, criminals and dreamers.
Without preaching, he express-
es emotions at their core, using
comic strips and graphic illustra-
tions to make stories more acces-
sible.
Tomine's first fullnovel,"Short-
comings," tells the story of gradu-
ate school dropout Ben Tanaka
and his relationship problems.
It comes at an integral time in
Tomine's career. Feeling compla-
cent in his work, he saw the novel
as a challenge and a wayto extract
himself from the shadows of men-
tors like Jaime Hernandez and
Daniel Clowes. After signing on
with Drawn & Quarterly, Tomine
felt a professional expectation to
talk about heavier issues.
This isn't to say that deep and
challenging issues aren't includ-
ed in his shorter strips. He has a
knack for fluidly incorporating
political and social issues into
individual narratives and inter-
personal relationships. The mere
girth of this novel, though, has
pushed him to explore issues of
race and the 20-something gen-
eration. Many reviews label the
novel a critique, yet Tomine calls
it more "a celebration" of this age
group.
What's so refreshing about
Tomine, and what has probably

W !77Y ouT1M
' L L t'h U,3 i!'

i
I

Tomine wll be at Shaman Drum tonight at 7 p.m. Don't miss it.

fueled
his her
ters. "1
tui
of five
and Ti
to adm
anythi

his increased popularity, is "Most of all I wanted to cre-
sitance to judge his charac- ate an interesting, fictional story
Shortcomings" is the result with characters who come to life
and seem real," Tomine said in a
phone interview.
iiartoonist With a success like "Shortcom-
ings," Tomine could probably ride
rmed serious this wave out. The novel's story
left room for a continuation, but
novelist. he's not interested in creating
some soap opera-esque epic. After
five years with these characters,
he's excited about different small-
years at the drawing board, er projects. Right now he seems
omine is more than happy to be a work in progress him-
nit he didn't set out "to say self, attempting to pinpoint what
ng." exactly he learned from writing

COURTESY OF ADRIAN TOMINE
the novel as well as breaking out
of its confines to work on smaller
pieces for magazines and antholo-
gies.
Tomine recognizes the
increased popularity of graphic
novels and ascribes this interest
to the large number of authors
and publicists working in the
medium. "Shortcomings" and
Tomine's national tour are a sig-
nificant chapter in this move-
ment. He may have started out as
a kid imitating his favorite artists,
but it's likely that today there are
13-year-olds finding inspiration in
each new copy of "Optic Nerve."

TELEVISION IN BRIEF

Leaving little to
the imagination
"Phenomenon"
Wednesdays at 8 p.m.
NBC
Whatever you want to call
them - "illusionists," "men-
talists" - the majority of the
competitors on NBC's "Phe-
nomenon" are no different
than your average bar-mitz-
vah magician: insistently
annoying and basically tal-
entless. Each week contes-
tants perform one "trick" on
live television, and we decide
who'svoted off the show.
For the most part, the con-
testants' illusions come up
short, but the show's judges,
Criss Angel ("Criss Angel
Mindfreak") and mystery
man Uri Geller, give it some
credibility. While the two
legendary magicians aren't
adequate TV judges - it
seemed as if Angel wanted
to be somewhere else during
the pilot - their names alone
should draw viewers to the
show.

If you find yourself laugh-
ing hysterically while people
tmbarrass themselves on
shows like "American Idol,"
don't expect a similar result
with "Phenomenon."Botched
magic tricks aren't funny.
They just suck. It might be
better to just wait until the
shitty magicians are gone and
then watch the legit contes-
tants do battle io the finale. CoRTY
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