8 - Tuesday, January 25, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.cam 8 - Tuesday, January 25, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom FILM REVIEW Say no to 'Strings' Death glare of a lite-brite. Beam Iron & Wine's new release diversifies its gentle sound By CHLOE STACHOWIAK Daily Arts Writer Samuel Beam is a man with a raw, soulful voice, sporting hearty facial hair and surround- ed by some mixed opin- ions regard- ing his sleepy Iron &Wine southern music. Known by the Kiss Each stage name Other Clean Iron & Wine, the South Caro- WanerBros. lina native has been applauded by some for the humble power that radiates from his acoustic guitar. Many listen- ers fall under the bearded man's folksy spell with his soft, simple strumming and the personal lyr- ics he whispers sweetly into their ears. To others, however, the songsmith's rustic, understated brings style "justboring. With the release of his new- est album, Kiss Each Other Clean, the negative press surrounding Beam's down-to-earth vibes may be extinguished. The album amps up Iron & Wine's traditionally mellow tunes with sounds and instruments rarely heard from the musician in his past endeav- ors. From retro saxophones to rhythmic synthesizers, the tracks seethe with experimentation and energy. From the first eruption of digi- tally enhanced vocals in opener "Walking Far From Home," it's clear Kiss Each Other Clean is a dramatic turn from previous Iron & Wine. The track moves with the musician's usual' smooth- ness, but it's matched with a twinkling keyboard, harmoniz- ing vocals, percussion, piano and electronic effects - all building on one another in a surprising crescendo. Though this flurry of instruments is atypical of the musical minimalist, the lyrics are as honest and haunting as any other Iron & Wine song. He beard, funk counteracts sweet images of love with brutal ideas, like "a car crash in the country where prayers run like weeds along the road." The track is different, but not overtly so, as it slowly eases the listener into the changes that lie ahead in the album. "Me and Lazarus" is where Beam's typical style really dete- riorates. Second on the album, the song is thick with a'70s funk vibe, making use of a cool, laid- back bass line, slick vocals and a swanky saxophone. It's a bold but catchy shift from the softer album opener and is almost trancelike in its grooviness. While "Big Burned Hand" and "Your Fake Name Is Good Enough for Me" bounce with a similar funky feel, other tracks are infused with their own styles. "Monkeys Uptown" is one of these standout numbers, relying on the deep tones of the marimba and bass for its smooth sound. These darker notes are lifted by the rhythmic shak- ers and percussion in the back- ground, blendingto create a rich, dynamic song that diversifies the album. As bold and interesting as these instrumentals are, the changes might inspire pangs of nostalgia in longtime Iron & Wine fans: The songs may be energetic and upbeat, but they don't sound nearly as personal as his past acoustic music. "Glad Man Singing" and "Half Moon" may help satisfy these folksy souls - these tracks sound the closest to earlier albums like Our Endless Numbered Days - but with pianos and female vocal- ists in the background, it's still a hard comparison to make. When Samuel Beam spoke of his experimental freedom on the Warner Bros. label, he wasn't bluffing. Kiss Each Other Clean is a storm of new instruments and genres, linking together elements of folk and funk in a single daring album. It's difficult to pinpoint the direction of his future music, but as Beam moves away from his typical mellowness, an inevitable question arises: Will the beard be the next to go? ByBEN VERDI DailyArts Writer With Valentine's Day fast approaching, significant others everywhere will soon be scram- bling to find ways to express their love for their part- NoStrings ners. But if any Attad couple's Valen- tine's Day plans At Quaity16 include seeing and Rave "No Strings Attached," Paramount odds are that couple won't make it past St. Pat- rick's Day - no man could possi- bly enjoy this movie. A presumptuous statement, yes. As presumptuous as saying that the Earth rotates around the Sun. "No Strings Attached" was written by an uncreative woman for even less-creative women. It's got period jokes. It's got girls- eat-when-they're-upset jokes. It's even got an ill conceived dig at Lil' Wayne for the one black woman the producers thought would accidentally wander into a movie about Ashton Kutcher ("Killers") and Natalie Portman ("Black Swan"). Despite how scandalous this moviethinksitis, it's essentiallya horribly thought-out, poorly cast and even more poorly modern- ized "When Harry Met Sally." Kutcher plays a promiscuous douchebag who inherited his money and sense of entitlement from his father, and - totally coincidentally - attended the University of Michigan, where he was a member of a fraternity. Portman plays his love interest - an over-protected, innocent bal- lerina who ominously descends into madness as it becomes clear she might not be as innocent ... wait,justkidding, she plays atotal slut. For a movie whose trailers and general storyline promised sex, sex and more sex, this film surprisingly underwhelms in that area (if any horny fresh- man was still planning on seeing this movie, hopefully that last sentence turned him or her off). Seriously though, despite the alarming number of people on Facebook who think this film is called "Sex Friends," there real- ly isn't that much sex. At least, there isn't any more than one would expect from a movie fea- turing Kutcher. Beside its lack of sex, "No Strings Attached" honestly wants us to believe that the relational dilemmas produced when people have sex without commitment are new and previously unex- plored. It also wants us to believe that Kutcher is funny doing any- thing but smoking pot in a base- ment on "That'70s Show." The biggest mistake made by the creators of this filmis assum- ing that our generation thinks of relationships as having the same pitfalls that films like "When Harry Met Sally" detailed so well for previous generations. The concept of "No Strings Attached" just isn't a funny or accurate way to depict a contemporary rela- tionship. There's no sex attached, either. , That's not to say that we know any more about love or sex than our parents did, it's just that by now - one would 4 hope - humans understand that monogamy and promiscu- ity are two different things. And while people our age still get caught between wanting both at once, we've suffered through enough outdated jokes, enough video footage of Woodstock and enough chick flicks to know that, in the end, sex and love are not the same. ~qP =J ERNST &YOUNG Quality In Everything We Do Day one and we're in this together Bring your experience and ideas. Day one is waiting and so is your team. At Ernst & Young, you'll find an open and diverse environment. You'll tap into your life experiences. Give fresh perspective to your clients and your colleagues. And you'll learn from others who share your goals and aspirations. Explore your career options in assurance, tax, transaction or advisory services. Want to learn more with a chance to win an iPad? Download your OR code reader by texting EYQUIZ to 22333. Then snap a pic of the code and take our quiz. e5 NIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 0 WHAT DO IHODES/MARSHALUMITCHEJL SCHOLARS' DO AFTER THEIR STUDIES Well, this guy became president. - What will you do? Anything you want. You've written your own game plan so far in life. Why not take. it one step further and become a Rhodes, Marshall, or Mitchell Scholar? 0 the United States of America, 1992-2000 Come to a Rhodes/Marshall/Mitchell Orientation Session: Monday, January 24, 2011 9 5:00-6:00pm Koessler Room, Michigan League, 3rd Floor Thursday, January 27, 2011 " 5:00-6:00pm Pendleton Room, Michigan Union, 2nd Floor Tuesday, February 1, 2011 " 5:00-6:00pm Pierpont Commons, East Room SPECIAL SESSION: How to Write a Rhodes, Marshall, or Mitchell Essay Monday, March 14, 2011 + 5:00-7:30pm Vandenberg Room, Michigan League, 2nd Floor To learn more, please contact the Provost's Council on Student Honors at 734-763-8123 or visit the website at www.provost.umich.edu/scholars/ 0