4B - Thursday, January 12, 2012 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com MUSIC NOTEBOOK 'Watch the Throne'is not the king of 2011 ByANDREW ECKHOUS Daily Arts Writer When the media's tectonic plates form mountains of hype and awards are handed out pre- maturely, there looms the possi- bility that expectations won't be met. We can look at the 2011-12 Philadelphia Eagles as a caution- ary tale. Dubbed the "Dream Team" by trigger-happy writers and players prior to the season, they finished at a-a, missing the playoffs and inspiring pure, spring water fresh schaden- freude among haters. Watch the Throne was granted the same "Dream Team" treat- ment from the moment of its conception. Honestly, I drank the Kool-Aid. I was sure that Watch the Throne would beam rap into another galaxy and begin a renaissance. I expected the explosions of "Armaged- don" mixed with Hitchcock creativity. Unfortunately, what I got was Michael Bay direct- ing "Avatar." Kanye and Jay-Z didn't change the game so much as they just rubber-stamped what 2011 gave them. You like dubstep? They've got dubstep. You like Frank Ocean and Lex Luger beats? Look no further! I'm not trying to completely discredit WtT as an album. The flashy lyrics are quality and the bombastic production comple- ments Ye-Z's penthouse boasts nicely. But I just can't brood silently as WtT earns album of the year accolades over and over and over again. It's a well-made album, but lacks the innovation that both artists are known for. Kanye's rap-opera, My Beauti- ful Dark Twisted Fantasy, had an artistic vision rarely seen, and Jay-Z is a legend, in musical prowess and business acumen, meaning they should be held to a higher standard. The gold- plated album cover is appropri- ate, but more apt might have been a picture of them patting each other on the back. GOLDBERG From Page 3B was Charlie Sheen has faded, it's time he admits his faults Students get hands-on experience casting molds for exhibitions at the University of Michigan Natural History Museum. Mak ng museums "I wear my sunglasses at night. But really. Ma' I kno parad WtT,8 the hi Jay at the lu alty, i Y e 1 about wearit They and in a...) fa once t cow re is an been a "N***o straigI is a d like "N liant, t examp sion of Kanye in the they s: ybe I'm just bitter because level excellence. Being an 8 is an w they can do better. I unbelievable accomplishment, oxically love and hate but they traded "best of all acknowledging it as both time" (in a Kanye West voice) gh and low point of rap. lists for "best of 2011" lists. nd Ye penned an ode to I know I shouldn't penal- xurious life of rap roy- ize Watch the Throne for not n which you can rhyme meeting my Mt. Everest-level '_ _ expectations, but did people congratulate the - Miami Heat e-Z's hailed for making it to the NBA finals? No. A pairing of the (debat- roduction is ably) best in the game should be judged on a separate scale, and Xpected, not for me, Watch the Throne fell under "could've been better." Innovative. Greatness comes easy to Ye-Z. There's more creativity on any one of their albums than most rappers have in their entire cata- life in the hood while log, but Watch the Throne is not ng Louis Vuitton socks. fully developed. We get it, you know they're the kings, guys live lives that Russian bil- true DGAF (don't give lionaires envy, but get past that. ashion, stopped working No denying that WtT was a top hey knew they had a cash album of 2012 - I listened to corded. Watch the Throne "H.A.M." about 100 times - but 8, but it could've easily that top spot should be reserved 110. Watching Kanye rap for musicians who are currently as in Paris" nine times innovating, not just doing what's ht while wearing a kilt expected of them. In a rap vac- ecadent thrill, and songs uum, WtT might be the album Why I Love You" a-e bril- of the year. But when factoring but the entire album is an in my mammoth expectations, le of a contradictory ver- artists like A$AP Rocky and f complacency. Jay-Z and Big K.R.I.T stand higher on the have become complacent podium. ir greatness, and on WtT I hate to hate, but someone's imply don't strive for top- gotta do it. 'U' course allows students to design original exhibits By EDITH FREYER DailyArts Writer Most students don't normally find themselves in laboratories painting faux toads and casting molds of vegetables for credit, but the story is different for stu- dents in an increasingly popu- lar museum methods course. In addition to reproducing objects like these, students get to learn about broader exhibit design and even practice writing dis- play labels. Museum Methods 406, titled "Special Problems in Museum Methods," is a class more than a quarter of a century old that has become a University favor- ite of many University students, from freshmen anthropology majors to postdoctoral students. Whether participants are inter- ested in museum work as a potential career or just taking the class for filler credits, the course is popular as a means of understanding a distinct art-sci- ence hybrid. John Klausmeyer, the senior exhibit preparator for the Uni- versity of Michigan Museum of Natural History, has been the course's instructor since 1986. Though he initially planned to be a medical illustrator, after taking the original museum methods course himself he decided to pur- sue museum work. "(Museum work is) a mix of using art to teach science. And medical illustration is kind of the same; you're using art to teach telling, and then working with medicine," Klausmeyer said in a the faculty and curators who are phone interview. involved in that." Inthe mid-'80s, he was offered The course also grants su- the chance to take over the dents behind-the-scenes access instruction of the course and to the inner workings of the jumped at the opportunity. He Museum of Natural History. said his diverse training helps Even as a docent, Lewandowski him connect with the many dif- was enlightened by the inside ferent kinds of students who take view that the course offered. the class. "It was really cool - so we got "My background in biology, to see all these specimens of birds anatomy and design really has and fish and mammals, and it was come into use here," Klausmeyer really extraordinary. I had no said. idea that all that stuff was there," Naomi Lewandowski, a 2011 Lewandowski said. graduate of the Ecology and Evo- To ensure a high level of indi- lutionary Biology program and vidual attention from Klausmey- former student of Klausmeyer, er, the popular class is capped at described the course's structure. 12 students, making it somewhat "There are two major com- difficult to get into. In addition, ponents of the class, and one is there are no prerequisites for the the projects that we did, and the course, so the range of student other is just learning about how makeup is vast. museums work and what they "I think that's one of the rea- involve," Lewandowski said in a sons why it's popular - it's a phone interview. chance for people that are fresh- Lewandowski discovered the men and sophomores to meet course through her work as a grad students in a situation docent at the Museum of Natural where they're on the same level," History, and was grouped with a Klausmeyer said. wide variety of students. Lewandowski said she isn't "There were a few other surprised bythe popularityofthe docents, and then some random course. kids, mostly people who are inter- "Bringing things to life that ested in museums - (anthro- you normally wouldn't get to see pology) majors or people with in front of you, getting a more in- museum studies minors and MFA depth view of that, is something students," Lewandowski said, that would appeal to a lot of peo- One of the notable elements ple," Lewandowski said. of the course is the high level of Since the class is meant to suit hands-on activity, a wide variety of skill sets, the "A lot of the class is just the projects are structured so that a basics in doing molding and cast- large range of students can suc- ing of the kind of objects you ceed. might have in a natural history "Very often, we'll have people exhibit," Klausmeyer said. in the class who have never paint- "It took us weeks to get it per- ed before, and they do really, real- fectly right. It totally opened my ly well," Klausmeyer said. eyes to how much work these He noted that one of the most guys actually put into the stuff in rewarding components of the the museum," Lewandowski said. class is witnessing the progress Klausmeyer explained that the of those students who are less hands-on work is imperative to familiar with the coursework to understanding a typical career in begin with. the field. "They always start out very "We do a cast of a fossil ver- unsure of themselves, and watch- tebrate, and I have them do a ing them get excited as the fruit or a vegetable just to get semester goes by, that makes it experience using fresh biologi- worth it for me. The ones who are cal materials," Klausmeyer said. shaky at first, but then get better "There's also a paper they write and better - that makes my day on aspects of educational design when that happens." theory, and with that, they work Students who do well in the with our person here who's in class leave with some of the charge of the educational pro- portfolio pieces necessary for grams." pursuing museum work. Klaus- In relation to exhibit design,. meyer noted that undergradu- Klausmeyer explained that the ate students who want to pursue most important aspect involves museum studies further are now deciding the specific story that able to do so thanks to the minor is being conveyed to visitors. program, which was established "With ;us, that's very much in 2009. determined through being the "I would say, maybe if not public face of U of M science, every year, every other year, at especially as it relates to natural least one person from the class history." Klausmeyer said. "But gets into museum work as a mostly, it's what's the story we're career," Klausmeyer said. and the madness he portrayed in 2011. If Sheen can recreate himself as crazy in one year, let's hope he can reverse his tarnished image in 2012. Hope- fully, Sheen can see from 2011 that "winning" has never been such a loss. Goldberg is writing all of the headlines for 2012. To help her, e-mail hsgold@umich.edu. Get going -Get N Go or No Go (" N ") is ihe new tun App on the acebook platform. We're looking for 10 15 enthusiastic tid nts to work on the wek (ong U ot M Ann Artbo campi s l nch nimpaign occurring betwe en March 12-30.11f you want to round up your floor or Greek house to Join he N army, that works toot The pay Is most excellent) or N 0Send your resumse and contdct in ormation to: Inf ~etgong.comn the one click citc by January 31. AppicatIons with particularly eative ideas about spreading the woid about the NO App wil go to the head of the line. It is anticipated tThat successful candidates wiM be flown In mid-February for two days to a secret undisclosed location tor the ifitiat U. launch You wil be able ti) watelh the tirst N army is action. ALLISON KRUSKE/Daily LSA senior Vicki Moses works on a frog sculpture for Museum Methods 406.