4B - Thursday, November 6, 2008 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com 4 4 MUSIC NOTEBOOK For the love of nu-metal Apparently not everyone embraced the peace, love and flower power of the '60s. ComplCated' Men Rich characters push heady drama over the top By Trina Mannino I Daily Arts Writer By JACK PORTER Daily Arts Writer I don't like the idea of "guilty pleasures" when it comes to art. If someone likes a song, that per- son probably has a good reason for it, despite the biases of his or her peers. Perhaps these biases just obscure those reasons and could be uncovered with some careful investigation. In my case, I want to salvage an entire musical genre from ridicule: Nu-Metal. Unfortunately, some barriers prevent listeners from under- standing Nu-Metal bands apart from the identity that genre label has given them - picture a bone- headed suburban white kid sport- ing a backwards baseball cap. What used to be a descriptor for a specific strain of alternative metal turned into aghetto for every band that a) plays extremely heavy yet radio-friendly music and b) sucks. Because the genre came to be definedby its lack of quality, many "serious" music fans have missed out on what it has to offer. Some auditory hallmarks of Nu-Metal are seven-string gui- tars (meaning lower notes than usual), horror-film inspired atmo- spherics, funk bass-playing and hip-hop drumming. Lyrics often deal with emotional issues in a direct and conversational tone, avoiding hidden meanings or pre- tentious turns of phrase. Subject matter includes feelings of inferi- ority, abandonment, jealousy and paranoia. This lyrical intimacy, coupled with primal rhythms and spooky ambiance, gives rage a powerful musical vehicle. Korn, the pioneer of the genre, crafted dozens of enthralling songs, among them "B.B.K." The bass guitar has been mixed to sound like rattling bones, nearly devoid of mid-range tones. Mean- while, the atonal guitar line is contrasted with blasts of white noise, making for an unsettling soundscape colored with terror and loss. Sonic juxtapositions map trajectories of emotional turmoil, sudden and lurching. Frontman Jonathon Davis sings, "Life some- times pisses me off / It's never a good trip for me / Every time I reach for love / It's taken away." The lyrics are raw and elemental, like pages from a diary. Some- times, a straightforward approach can better servea bitter tirade. Influenced in equal. part by Korn and the death metal genre, Mudvayne sought a middle ground between "nu" and "old" metal. In their breakout single "Dig," the bass takes center stage over the guitar grind, popping chords that sound like the chimes of a possessed grandfather clock. Here the lyrics take the rage route, decrying the music indus- try: "I struggle in violated space / Sell out motherfuckers in the biz that try to fuck me / Hang from their T's rated P.G. insight /I ain't sellin' my soul when there's noth- ing to buy." Frantic and explosive, the instrumental mayhem adds unique textural dimension to his rant. In a less-serious vein, Limp Bizkit used the nu-metal sound as a way to spin testosterone fueled fantasies into snarky white-boy rap. Oddly, audiences took front- man Fred Durst more seriously than he wanted, failing to see the intentional silliness in many of his songs."Break Stuff"was the prime example, a tall tale about a bad day made better with wanton destruc- tion. Using a tight hip-hop beat and the bare minimum of power chords necessary to get the mes- sage across, its simplicity serves the joke well. If anything proves the tongue-in-cheek nature of the song, it's the bridge, where Durst Limp Bizkit, Mudvayne and Korn: more than just '90s noise. claims to "pack a chainsaw." Both parody and accidental archetype, "Break Stuff" became the blue- print for countless inferior (and deadly serious) songs like Linkin Park's "One Step Closer" Korn or Limp Bizkit weren't musical geniuses. They merely found an aesthetic that was per- fect for adolescent catharsis. Their utter lack of pretension was taken as stupidity rather than clarity of expression. The problem is that this faux-movement got co-opted by less creative bands and turned into soulless schlock. Even so, we shouldn't abandon the sounds that were created within. Mixing hip hop with rock doesn't have to be tacky; seven-string guitars can world well in any genre; and anger is an emotion we all need to cope with. Daring musicians should repurpose these sounds and ideas rather than banishing them to obscurity. Nu-metal may have died, but it doesn't have to be a lost cause. i The days when business- men had three-martini lunches, chain-smoked on planes and kept women out of the boardroom may be long gone. But yesteryear can be remembered - and, for some, seen for the first time - on "Mad Men." Unlike many shows on cable and network TV, the Emmy-winning series takes cues from dramas that push the envelope. The mystique of "Mad Men" is driven by its flawed and complex characters. By the design of cre- ator, writer and producer Mat- thew Weiner - also known for his work on "The Sopranos" - the characters make mistakes and have less-than-noble intentions. And like their counterpoints on "The Sopranos," "Weeds" and "Six Feet Under," they aren't virtuous or kind. Though most people won't personally relate to a 300-pound mob bogs or a mom who deals pot, the characters' flaws as well as their honorable intentions are relatable. Shows like "Mad Men" offer uniquesto- rylines and characters without relying on cliches or redundan- cies. Their flawed characters and social commentaries speak to all people because the issues are prevalent in daily life. "Mad Men" 's flawed protago- nist,DonDraper(JonHamm,TV's "What About Brian"), has dabbled in countless extramarital affairs while simultaneously acting as a doting father, husband and hard worker at the fictional Sterling Cooper advertising firm. At first glance, Don's actions and secrets are despicable and off-putting, but when he realizes the impact of his mistakes on his family, it's hard not to sympathize with him. Throughout the two elapsed sea- sons, Don's past has been slowly revealed, offering a glimpse of the driving forces behind his poor and selfish decisions. Though it's dif- ficult to forget his slip-ups, Don's actions become somewhat under- standable in the context of his marred past. Don's stand-offish demeanor and his success in advertising rub off on his unlikely protege, Peggy Olson (Elisabeth Moss, "Girl, Interrupted"). Like her myste- rious boss, Peggy has her own secrets to keep. Many of her co- workers think of her as a prude goody two-shoes, but she actu- ally has shocking skeletons in her closet. In season one, while work- ing as a secretary at Sterling Coo- per, Peggy showed that she has a strong work ethic and more balls than the men she works during the first few months on the job. While she is a savvy individual, Peggy seemed like an unlikely candi- date to rise in the company simply because she is a woman. To the surprise of many, however, Peggy was promoted from an unimport- ant secretary to a junior copy- writer with her own office space. At the conclusion of the second season, it's clear that Peggy and Don are more alike than initially perceived. "Mad Men" 's characters are more realistic and multi-dimen- sional than most others on TV. For example, the ongoing romance in ABC's "Grey's Anatomy" between characters Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd (McDreamy) is self-indulgent, wildly unre- alistic in a hospital setting and, at this point, downright annoy- ing. In addition to melodramas like "Grey's Anatomy," numerous crime dramas - like the "CSI" franchise - largely depict cops and agents as heroes in pursuit of stereotypical criminals. Unlike melodramas and crime shows, "Mad Men" gives voice to charac- ters inspired by real people who make both good and bad choices without always facing conse- quences or receiving rewards. In addition to the show's authentic characters, "Mad Men" integrates social and political issues into the storyline, like the roles of women in the workforce and the Cuban Missile Crisis. Incorporating historical events and issues allows the show to elu- cidate how these events affected Americans. "Mad Men" doesn't feel like another boring history lesson; instead, these events pro- vide a realistic perspective on what actually happened during that time. For example, watching both the male and female employ- ees of Sterling Cooper grieve Mar- ilyn Monroe's death shows how much of an impact the icon had on everyday people. Unlike many films and TV shows depicted in the early '60s, "Mad Men" sheds a dark light on an era that is often regarded as perfect. Through Don's dysfunc- tional relationship with his family and the male characters' patroniz- ing interactions with their female associates show that the early '60s was far from perfect. "Mad Men" reveals that its characters and today's families and professionals experience similar challenges. Although it may not draw as many viewers as network dramas, the show refuses to imitate the style of popular television pro- grams. Instead, it follows the foot- steps of groundbreaking shows. like "The Sopranos" in terms of depicting unconventional char- acters and storylines. "Mad Men" refuses tonormalize its characters and makes a compellingstatement about personal and professional life in the early '60s. I SEXY RADIO From Page 1B the different experiences of each DJ enable them to share all kinds of stories and answer all kinds of questions. Their lack of expertise, though, is actually refreshing: it might be intimidating to bring awkward questions to a therapist, or even to a friend. But under the veil of anonymity and with a touch of good humor, "Shagnet" presents itself as a safe and comfortable place, one that doesn't judge. "This show is only semi-serious; we don't take ourselves too serious- ly," Linn said. "But we definitely try to offer honest, frank advice sjmilar to what you might get from a friend. Basically, we're the friend you can talk to, but you don't have to say your real name." And like any sex show, "Shag- net" receives a collage of joke questions from people with fake names and barely stifled snicker- ing. Yet the voices of "Shagnet" put them on the air and run with them, crafting clever answers without so much as a hint of hesi- tation. Part of the charm of the show is this sense of ridiculous- ness, with listeners unsure as to whether or not the questions are fabricated or real. Does Dirk, a film student from North Campus, really want to know what to call his tawdry new film project? Does it matter? In any case, it allows the resident "sexperts" of "Shag- net" to brainstorm such gems as "Pancake Pornucopia" and "Mr. Dick's Opus." This blurring of fact and fiction pervades the show and adds to its charm. Maybe the dynamic group didn't actually host the show naked three weeks ago. Maybe Kueser wasn't actually engaging in bondage during the Hallow- een episode. But again, maybe the facts are irrelevant: Although there may be some embellishment for the purpose of entertainment, the show's objective is to inform, talk openly about taboo subjects and serve as a welcoming place for those who may have uncom- fortable questions. There's also atouch of self-dep- recation: shout-outs to listeners are often accompanied by quali- fications like "if anyone is listen- ing." But it seems people are. For all the silly questions, there are serious, earnest ones, too, ques- tions from people who worry about being self-conscious during sex, or people who are question- ing their sexuality. From queries WCBN's light-hearted sex radio for students. about how to meet other lesbians to how to tell if someone likes you back, these are questions that many people have, and the hosts do their best to respond to them. "A lot of people stress out about sex problems too much," Linn said. "If you take sort of a light- hearted approach, it makes the issues more approachable and more manageable." The majority of the humorous anecdotes are there for exactly that purpose. They are instances of people using their own experi- ences, embarrassing or otherwise, to help others. And most of them are genuine. Except maybe one of them, at least. "I have to level with you, I did not have sex with Satan," Linn said. What arelief. A 4 I A