0 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Monday, March 21, 2011 - 7A
Seven albums A
Iremember
ou could call these
albums that "changed"
me, but that would be
a comforting lie. You could
call them "meaningful," but
that sounds
awfully pre-
cious. You
couldn't
call them
"perfect."
You couldn't
call them all
"classics" JOE
either. What- DIMUZIO
ever they are
to me doesn't
need scare-quotes and changes
every minute. So here's a snap-
shot of seven, meaningless,
flawed, non-affecting memories,
in no particular order.
Linkin Park
Meteora
This is the first CD I ever
bought, played extensively on
a new, blue Sony CD Walkman
and identified with in ways I
can't remember. A friend in sixth
grade tipped me to Reanimation
and I'd heard "Crawling," feeling
aimless and angry at nothing.
Rapping and safely headbanging
Park became my band. I once
played it for my mom and sister
on the way to church and they
weren't annoyed or angered,
just bored. The very first time I
clacked it and put on my head-
phones, my Uncle Rich was
in the car and he rattled, "Oh
you've got your own little music
player there?" I mumbled yes, sat
glass-eyed to "Don't Stay" and
realized three minutes later that
he was still talking to me. I wish
I had listened to him.
Various Artists
MTV2Neadbangers Ball Vol. 2
At some point in seventh
grade I decided I was "lonely,"
maybe even "edgy," and the
hard-rocking bits of Linkin
' Park were important. Without
any research or recommenda-
tion, I somehow decided that
the logical next step for me was
MTV2's Headbanger's Ball Vol. 2.
I dropped 12 dollars at F.Y.E. (a
pretty cool place, I thought) and
realized everything that I was
not. I couldn't tell you a single
thing about the whole set except
for my response to it, which was
shame, regret and selling it to a
kid who liked Cradle of Filth a
lot. I'm still nursing my "metal"
wounds with Sabbath and Sleep.
Aretha Franklin
Young, Gifted andBlack
Aretha is one of a stable of
established artists in American
pop whose reputation has been
reduced to vague canoniza-
tion. Ask any 20-something
why Aretha's great and you're
not getting much of an answer.
Young, Gifted and Black is one
of many reasons. Coasting away
from her early smashes with
Atlantic, the '60s crumbled and
1972's Black flirts with opulence,
funking harder than Motown
ever could. It features Aretha
doing what she does best, which
on this album, is just about every
damn thing. Wailing, piano-
playing, song-writing ... if you're
making a case for emotion as
authenticity, then give this or
Amazing Grace - an album
so converted it will make the
secular believe -10 spins. These
albums make me vulnerable to
things.
William Basinski
The Disintegration Loops I-IV
(but mostly I)
When ambient's too busy
and found-sound's too dull, The
Disintegration Loops are my
bedtime records of choice. The
backstory on these is irresistible.
Basinski transferred some old
seconds-long tape loops to digi-
tal, realizing that as they spun,
the magnetic strip that kept
them alive fell off. As recorded,
the loops begin and fade into
ether, some over the course of
10 minutes, others over an hour.
After finishingthe project,
Basinski claims he just happened
to listen to it with his friends on
his Brooklyn roof on a certain
second Tuesday in September
of 2001. Even if that story isn't
true, these loops have a hell of a
lot more to say than ferrite fall-
ing off a plastic tape.
Various Artists
A Tom Moulton Mix Vol.1 and2
This is the beginning of a
never-end for me. The document
that taught me the joys of the
extended cut and the power of a
producer who can makea great
song transcendent by under-
standing everything that ever
made it good. Disco at the hands
of Tom Moulton is like day-old
chili made with hundred-year
old wine - the longer it sits the
better, and it ages beautifully.
From Linkin
Park to Prince
and in between.
The man turns Eddie Kend-
ricks's "Keep On Truckin"' into
a reflection of life and death, B.T.
Express's "Peace Pipe" from a
bumper-sticker peace slogan into
hippie fury and Grace Jones's
"La Vie En Rose" coldness to
bleeding-heart freezer-burn.
And hey, you can dance to it all.
Prince
Sign 'o the Times
My ex used to tell me that my
singing in the car was endearing.
Sign 'o the Times is the album
that would strip that lie. Seeing
Purple Rain in high school con-
verted me to his monarchy and
Sign is the moment he entered
my bloodstream. I have iton
cassette, vinyl and CD. I need it
wherever I go. It is a drugthat I
will never quit, even if my family
and friends don't understand. I
need it to live.
Harry Nilsson
Nilsson Schmilsson
I asked my father if he was a
Nilsson fan and the night ended
with me realizing he knew Nils-
son Schmilsson, back-to-front,
better than I did. Thirty-five
minutes and 17 seconds in heav-
en, that night, this album.
Dimuzio is seeking "Sign 'o the
Times"on grammophone. Help him
by e-mailing shonenjo@umich.edu.
Mem
CivilA
on No
By DA
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For mar
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Center on
understand
similar tol
notions oft:
that typical
'Rally' around Bentley
)rabilia from and South. These extrapolations Matthew Adair to curate docu- in some major Civil War battles,
are put to the test at the Bent- ments on the topic. In addition, including Gettysburg. As a result,
War showing ley Historical Library's exhibit Adair is working on an online there has been strong interest in
"Rally Round the Flag," which database for this project so that the topic, which has led to the
)rth Campus runs through June 30. these documents can be eas- growing of the library's supplies
Tucked at the very tip of North ily viewed even after the exhibit - now comprising more than
&NIEL CARLIN Campus rests the Bentley Histor- ends. 400 collections of documents
ilyArts Writer ical Library, which contains the "I don't want to single out and artifacts recalling Michigan's
official archives of the University Michigan of having some sort involvement in the war.
niversity's vastness and documents about the history of pivotal role because all of the While exploring these collec-
o be a multifaceted of the state of Michigan. The states provided soldiers," Adair tions, Matthew Adair was most
onjures various types library has an impressive collec- said. "But Michigan played a sig- interested in the life for the low-
ry. tion specifically on the state's ties nificant role in the war." ranking average solider.
ny,Rally Around to the Civil War - a shift from the Adair was quite ambitious "Everyone forgets about the
- R y d more frequently reported states when collecting materials for the average soldier during the Civil
the Flag on the Atlantic coast. exhibit as he examined the many War," Adair said.
When the call to "Rally 'round facets of Michigan's involvement Adair's exhibit uses famil-
us Through June30 the flag boys" was originally in the Civil War. iar objects such as newspapers,
ig Bentley Historical issued, the state of Michigan sent "I tried to do a little bit of high- journals and photographs to cre-
he Library almost 90,000 military-affiliated flying, I guess, from exploring ate the stories of individuals at
ad, Free people - both men and women brief and significant causes of the war. These objects also convey a
ag - to battle for the Union. Tens of war to the actual breaking out of sense of humanity and a remind-
an, say, the Walgreen thousands of those brave ladies war and what was happening in er that war often produces per-
nter or Duderstadt and gentlemen never made it back Michigan," Adair said. "(I looked) sonal anecdotes that are close
North Campus. This to the Midwest. a little bit at solider life and what to home. University students
able generalization is In commemoration of the Civil it was like training for war." should be able to connect to the
people's preconceived War's sesquicentennial this year, Karen Jania, the division head idiosyncratic messages from this
he Civil War, a conflict the Bentley Library asked School of reference at Bentley, explained war and how each person's story
fly features the North of Information graduate student that Michigan soldiers fought matters.
Re-released 'Evil' is beyond good
By Shin Hieftje I Daily Arts Writer
A re-release usually doesn't
mark anything important. It's
typically a piece of entertainment
that many have
seen before, ****
so "who real-
ly cares?" is Beyond Good
the general and Evil HD
response. Yet
"Beyond Good XBox Live
and Evil HD," Arcade
a high-defini-
tion remake of Ubisoft
a 2003 game,
feels notable for a number of rea-
sons. For one, it's a game that very
few people played or were aware
of at the time of its release, so it
will feel totally new for many. Sec-
ondly - and perhaps this shows
how risk-adverse today's indus-
try is - "Beyond Good and Evil
HD" incorporates many different
gameplaytypes in a way that can't
be found in other moderngames.
Players take the role of Jade,
a female photojournalist living
on the once-peaceful planet of
Hillys. An alien threat has slowly
been abducting citizens to a lunar
base, and Jade finds out that the
local military is aiding the aliens
in human trafficking rather than
fighting them off. The rest of the
game focuses on exposing this
conspiracy.
There are numerous facets to
the gameplay, but the basic ele-
ments are structured in a very
"Legend of Zelda"-type fashion.
Massive structures, like a slaugh-
terhouse in which the victims
are being shipped to space, serve
as dungeons would in "Legend
of Zelda," in which players often
enter a room and have to solve an
environmental puzzle or defeat
enemies in order to proceed. In
"Beyond Good and Evil HD" solv-
ing puzzles requires astute obser-
vations of the surrounding area,
critical thinking and sometimes
some platforming. Fighting ene-
mies involves simple one-button
melee combat with Jade's wood-
en staff. There's also a projectile
"Do you smell... bacon?"
weapo
at long
switch
Phot
role in
ingly e
these f
Ph
sa
es whe
place,
to take
the cri
Jade is
to be i
a lot o
game,
by po
nately,
comes
n useful for hitting enemies in games was in vogue and so
range or hitting a far away it incorporates a lot of it. While
in a puzzle. there's nothing inherently broken
tography also plays a major in the stealth system, it requires a
the game, and is surpris- lot of trial and error, and just isn't
ngaging. While exploring particularly fun most of the time.
actories and slaughterhous- The camera can also be unwieldy
and finicky, which can exacerbate
the problem.
ctojournalist Luckily, all the variety in the
.I ougameplay lessens the tediousness
ves the day of the stealth. There are hover-
' craft races, elements of explora-
tion, minigames and more. Near
the end of the game there is even
re illicit activity is taking space combat, as Jade gains access
players use Jade's camera to a spaceship to pilot to the lunar
photographic evidence of base. The most impressive part of
mes being committed. As "Beyond Good and Evil" is that
s obviously not supposed while none of the multitude of
in these places, there are gameplay styles offered are par-
& stealth sequences in the ticularly outstanding, they are all
which involve sneaking well done and feel cohesive within
werful guards. Unfortu- the narrative.
"Beyond Good and Evil" - Though originally released in
from a time when stealth 2003, "Beyond Good and Evil"
looks pretty damn good in HD.
Obviously the textures are not as
detailed as moderngames, but the
colors are rich and vibrant and the
game has a nice, clean presenta-
tion. The sound design is average,
but the music, especially late in
the game, provides an appropriate
amount of dramatic tension for
the gravitas of the situation.
"Beyond Good and Evil HD" is
essentially a full retail experience
for 10 dollars. The campaign runs
about 12 hours, perhaps shorter if
players don't take part in any of
the side missions. While it is a re-
release, somehow this re-release
feels unique in a field of modern
games that stick to safe, tried-
and-true gameplay formulas. It's
clear that a lot of care went into
creating the story and gameplay
elements to work in tandem.
Those looking for a well-crafted
(albeit dated) game should defi-
nitely check it out.
for more information call 734/615-6449
The University of Michigan College of Literature, Science,
and the Arts presents a public lecture and reception
The 2010 Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act
Susan Meredith Smith Professor of Actuarial Sciences
States React.
Courts Consider. What's~Next?
Coverage Expands.
Monday, March 21, 2011
4:00-5:30 p.m.
Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy
1110 Weill Hall, 735 S. State Street
Ann Arbor, MI
Free and open to the pubhlic.
Info:(734)647-4091.
C L S U www.cosu p.umich.edu
Center for Local, State, and Urban Pocy Suppori also
Un vrrkoyknInGradRwrxh OlfPUbICPoky provided by the Ford
Schools Gilbert S.
Omenn and Martha
Gerald R. Ford A. Darling Healrh
School of Public Policy Policy Fund.
The 201oAffordable care Act(ACA) was enacted as a
potential salve for the ailing U.S. health care system.It
has quickly become a grear challengefor statesreacting
to its provisions, and a target for legal objections likely
to reach the Supreme court. Join us as members of
an expert panel share their viewson logistic and legal
realitiesof the ACA and answeryourquestions.
PANELISTS: Nicholas Bagley(Assistant Professor of Law,
University of Michigan Law School), Genevieve Kenneyi(Senior
Fellow,UrbaninstituteHealthPolicyCenter), ChrisPriest
(Director, Bureau of Medicaid Policy and Actuarial Services,
Michigan Department of Community Health)
MODERATOR: Thomas Buchmueller (Professorof Business
Economics and Public PolicyUniversityofMichigan Stephen M.
Ross School of Business and School of Public Health)
LSA
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
Alumni Center, Founders Room
4:10 PM
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