8 - Tuesday, December 9, 2008 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com Filmmaker delves into federal debt By HANS YADAV tions of the national debt because Daily Arts Writer of all the financial jargon associ- ated with the topic. However, Change seems to be in demand this is an area where "I.O.U.S.A." these days. But the adjustment shines. The film does a great job in the White explainingallthe terminologyin a House is only way that pretty much anyone can half the battle. understand. And for even greater The next big- LO.U.S.A. clarification, the explanations are gest issue is the supplementedby an array of help- American econ- At the ful visual aids. omy, soit seems Michigan But like many other documen- only appropri- Theater taries focusing on sociopolitical ate to release Roadhouse issues, "I.O.U.S.A." attempts to a weighty film scare the piss out of you. With like "I.O.U.S.A." details like the fact that the Unit- in the wake of an emotional ed States is over $8 trillion in debt, and groundbreaking storm a good majority of which is held like the presidential campaign. by foreign governments (who can "I.O.U.S.A." is an eye-opening use it to gain leverage over us), documentary about our economy the scare tactics work. Again, the that's meant to shock its viewers, movie is structured very logically and above all, explain how fucked so that none of the predictions we are in the near future. seem farfetched. To add weight The movie is about the United to the facts, the movie includes States' national debt. The premise interviews with some of the most is simple: The debt isgrowing, and powerful men in the country, like at its current rate, children today investment guru Warren Buffett, will be left with nothing in the former Secretary of State Robert Rubinand formerFederalReserve Chairmen Paul Volcker and Alan Greenspan. Shocking truths The one problem with the documentary is that after shock- encourage ing the audience with the alarm- Americans to ing truth, hardly any time is devoted to proposing solutions to w ake up the problems. Out of roughly the 90 minute running time, only a fraction is devoted to figuring out how the United States is supposed future. The movie makes it very to dig itself out of its own mess. explicit that the luxuries of today But one can surmise that maybe are being paid for using our gener- there is no way out, and we're all ation's money. While the problem inevitably doomed because of the seems very simple - Americans unsustainable lifestyle Americans are spending more than they're enjoy. saving - the documentary care- On the other hand, by not fully explains that in reality, the establishing any real solutions, situation is compounded by a the movie may be trying to number of factors. yank viewers from their com- The national debt is a subject fort zones. After all, if we know manydumbAmericansdon'tknow something is already being done a whole lot about, a fact the movie to fix a very serious problem, demonstrates with interviews of why should we change the way several ordinary people. And to we live? Either way, the prob- some degree, it makes sense. The lem is very real, and hopefully average person isn't inclined to Americans will finally wake up learn about the various complica- and do something about it. "The world is so deep, man." oldplay is one of the most polarizing bands in the business. Matching boy- , ish charm with hollow wit, and Coldplay mature instru- mentation with Prospekt's stadium-ready March EP anthems and Capitol chart-topping success, there is much to love and hate about Cold- play.But for every argument against their sound or meager attempts at musical grandeur, there's another one heralding the fair London lads as the saviors of rock music. With 2008's Viva La Vida, Coldplay employed famed Brit- ish producer Brian Eno to give its arena-rock a more vivid and pur- poseful texture. As a result, the band ended up with its most eclec- tic - albeit inconsistent - album to date. Companion EP Prospekt's March provides eight tracks that follow the logical progression laid out in Viva, with very similar results. Beginning with "Life in Techni- color II," areworkingofthe instru- mental Viva opener complete with lyrics and glimmering choruses, Prospekt's March includes four new songs, a remix, a single mix of "Lovers in Japan" and a brief 48-second piano interlude titled "Postcards from Far Away." Cold- play is at its best under the ornate string arrangements in "Rainy Day," where a more youthful and playful Chris Martin croons, "I love it when you come over to my house." "Glass of Water" begins with locomotive guitars and a frantic beat courtesy of drummer Will Champion, and launches into a heavy-hitting chorus with more firepower than nearly anything in the Coldplay canon. But Mar- tin's shallow philosophizing is once again evident as he warns, "Son don't ask / Neither how full nor empty is your glass." The EP's title track offers a more organic take on the newer Coldplay sound, with a slow crescendo of organ and strings insulating a delicate, acoustic guitar-clad Martin. "Lost+," a remix of Viva's "Lost" with a verse by Jay-Z, is the odd man out on an otherwise cohesive collection of songs. Had it been a Jay-Z song from the start, with Martin only offering the chorus, it might have worked. But the rap- per's addition sounds forced and out of place, and a song about los- ing doesn't seem too appropriate for someone like Jay-Z in the first place. Expounding on the lyrical themes from "Life in Techni- color II," album closer "Now My Feet Won't Touch the Ground" is another one of Martin's humble folk songs, enlisting a surpris- ingly modest horn section at the song's climax that shows taste- ful restraint instead of Coldplay's usual penchant for overblown bal- ladry. U2 comparisons aside, Cold- play's most consistent criticisms concern Martin's tired lyrics. Pair- ing clever couplets around wide- eyed melodies, it's a rare occasion when he actually has much to say. Lines like "Just because I'm los- ing / Doesn't mean I'm lost" and "Gravity release me / And don't ever hold me down / Now my feet won't touch the ground" are trite and recycled without much sub- stance behind the quips. Luck- ily, the musical arrangements and production flourish with Eno man- ning the helm, nearly drowning out all of Martin's stale musings. Though Prospekt's March has redeeming qualities in its pristine production and shimmeringsound, it's more of an appendix to Viva La Vida than anything else, destined to become little more than a sea- sonal stocking stuffer. Araving Christmas By SARAH CHAVEY DailyArts Writer Christmas albums have a bad reputation, and it's probably a well-deserved one. Aside from the classics, holi- day songs tend Th to be cheesy and devoid of any RaveonetteS real redeeming Wishing qualities. That's You a Rave especially true Christmas for those rush- released albums Vice by contemporary artists to garner a few bucks from the consumer's often misguided holiday purchasing. Last year, The Raveonettes released "The Christ- mas Song," a single that proved an unexpected hit among their fans. An emo's Christmas. COURTESY OF VICE This year's EP, Wishing You a Rave Christmas, is a similarly pleasant a hard-hitting beat, it sets the tone Melody" - begins the song and surprise that puts other holiday for the energetic EP. The verses continues throughout, accompa- howls to shame. Although only are filled with loud electronic nied by a more minor composition. four songs deep, the disc includes embellishments that periodically Wagner's vocals lag behind the both covers and original tracks, give way to welcomed relieves as beat, emphasizing his melancholy and provides a new and refreshing Foo sighs a sultry chorus against a pleading: "The whitest of snow take on the Christmas collection. sparse backdrop of bass and bells. can turn black /But when I'm with On Wishing You, the Danish duo If it weren't for the lyrics, it could you, that's all I need / Oh baby, sticks to its time-tested formula of pass for a top-40 pop song. don't leave me tonight / Pretty amped-up electronics and simple "Come on Santa" is more obvi- baby, the stars all sparkle in your chord progressions. Like previous eyes / Oh baby, the snow turns this work by The Raveonettes, the songs night into a dream." follow the basic melodic structures A ,k1i ' ' rThe EP finishes with a more and steady beats of classic 1950s C A- 'R streamlined sound on "Christ- and '60s rock'n'roll. It's this tactic album omas in Cleveland." The keyboard that lends the tracks a feeling of mimics the vocal melody, floating ease as members Sune Rose Wag- alltoo soon. octaves above the rest of the mix ner and Sharin Foo effortlessly and - while spending the holidays whisper their way through chorus- in Ohio sounds like an even worse es. The simple foundation is juxta- idea than making a Christmas posed with hard-edged electronic ously a holiday track. When the album - the song sings the city instrumentation and overlaid with words "Santa" and "Christmas" into a fantastical world of snowy layers of frilly electronica. If the are in every other line, it's harder white lights. Everly Brothers grew up in the 21st to hide the theme. Adding to the Clocking in at just under 20 century, had an electric guitar, fre- seasonal sound is the intro of tin- minutes, the brevity of Wishing quented euro-raves - and one of kling bells. The song's more bla- You A Rave Christmas affords themwas agirl-they would sound tantly carol-based approach allows just a taste of festivity. It's sweet, a lot like The Raveonettes. for playfulness and buoyancy. but not too sweet. Jingle bells and "Christmas (Baby Please Come The antidote to this jaunty seasonal lyrics are present but not Home)" starts the album off with jingle comes with "Christmas prominent, and it would make a an inimitable cover of Darlene Ghosts," a tribute to the sadder great stocking stuffer for those Lane's holiday standard. Opening side of season's greetings. A sweet seeking a touch of offbeat musical with fleshed-out major chords and piano arpeggio - a la "Unchained merry-making. *0 0