6 - Tuesday, February 18, 2014
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Consistent Curren$y Anticipated shows of 2014
New mix tape
drives right into
our hearts
By JOSH FRAZIER
DailyArts Writer
Consistency from musicians is
a valuable trait, and Curren$y's
latest release The Drive In The-
atre show-
cases the New A
Orleans rap-
per's depend- The Drive In
ability. Over
a luxurious The Theater
soundscape, Curren$y
one of rap's
best storytell- Jet Set
ers depicts an
expensive life-
style filled with money, orga-
nized crime and weed. These
familiar tropes are not new to
Curren$y's music; the Jet Life
Recordings rapper has spent
years perfecting his laid-back
aesthetic. TheDrive In Theatre is
one of his strongest releases yet.
Curren$y gives his best Martin
Scorsese impression, directing
a modern-day urban crime film
through clever wordplay and
a well-organized score. "The
Godfather" samples sprinkled
in amidst the elegant production
make Curren$y's latest mixtape
true to its name, a cinematic
experience.
Curren$y picks up where he
left off following a prolific 2013
in which he released four mix-
tapes and an EP with fellow
stoner Wiz Khalifa. The Drive In
Theatrereboots SpittaAndretti's
trademark flow, which manages
to sound both intricate and lazy
at the same time. His complex
rhyme scheme makes rapping
seem effortless, and this new-
est mixtape bolsters Curren$y's
reputation as one of the stron-
gest lyricists in rap today.
Incredibly detailed lyrics
make the usual boasts about
wealth feel fresh, a difficult
feat to accomplish in rap's often
repetitive landscape. Curren$y
sets the scene for his rhymes
with visual lyrics, giving the
mixtape a . movie-like feel.
Album stantlout "E.T." opens
with the line "Fresh paint on
the park bench / Shining in the
JET SET
"Now I know you're bringing me some ribs"
sunlight of the morning / Under
the shade of the trees taking it
all in." The visceral track also
features Cypress Hill's B-Real,
who spits his best verse in
years, inspired by Curren$y's
engaging lyrics and magnetic
personality. Other can't-miss
tracks include the lead single,
"Godfather Four," and the hyp-
notic "Hi Top Whites," which
demonstrates just how cool
Curren$y can be.
If Curren$y is the director of
The Drive In Theatre, its undeni-
able star is the lavish produc-
tion. The mesmerizing beats
weave seamlessly from song to
song, complementing his rivet-
ing voice. Equal parts laid-back
and complicated, production
on the mixtape is handled by
the usual cast of characters.
Weed rap favorites like Cardo,
Sledgren and Thelonious Mar-
tin are all behind the boards
to craft a sophisticated movie
score that allows Curren$y and
friends like Action Bronson,
Freddie Gibbs and members of
the Jet Life crew to go to work.
It's refreshing to see a musi-
cian release one quality project
after another, and The Drive In
Theatre's biggest flaw is that
Curren$y makes it look too easy.
This mixtape is an extension
of his traditional style, sure to
please longtime fans with its
cohesive lyrics, well-curated
beats and selective guests, but
its familiar style likely won't
win Spitta Andretti any new
fans. Although it's easy to dis-
miss him as a one-dimensional
artist, Curren$y has carefully
developed his aesthetic and is
very good at what he does.
The Drive-In Theatre plays
like a soundtrack to Curren$y's
life, perfect to accompany
his favorite activities, which
include cruising in classic cars,
lounging in sweatpants and, of
course, smoking. There is no
better music for a lazy day spent
watching old movies or driving
around town, and Curren$y's
latest release shows that he
hasn't lost a step in the booth,
and will continue to be effort-
lessly cool behind the mic.
By DREW MARON
Daily Arts Writer
2013 was a hell of a year for
television, but for those of you
who are worried that TV's gold-
en age might be on its way out,
here's a couple of new shows
coming out this year that might
just change your mind.
"The Leftovers"
Network: HBO
Premiere: Summer 2014
HBO and Damon Linde-
lof ("Lost") are teaming with
acclaimed writer Tom Perotta
("Election") to adapt his novel
about those left behind dur-
ing the biblical Rapture. I'm a
huge fan of Lindelof and think
he gets way too much unde-
served heat for the finale of his
last religious-allegory/science-
fiction mystery show (and no,
not "Nash Bridges"). This time
the material looks perfect for
Lindelof, whose work always
bridges the gap between faith
and fantasy.
"Believe"
Network: NBC
Premiere: March 16
Alfonso Cuar6n is co-creator
and director of the pilot, which
is more than enough reason
to tune in. The show follows a
wrongly convicted death-row
inmate who is broken out of
prison and tasked with protect-
ing a mysterious girl who also
happens to have really awe-
some superpowers. Network
sci-fi has been a bit soft since
the dearly departed "Fringe"
and with "Marvel's Agents of
S.H.I.E.L.D." turning out to
be more procedural than cre-
ative, "Believe" could reconnect
broad appeal with intelligent
writing and bring back the early
days of shows like "Lost" and
"Heroes."
"The Strain"
Network: FX
Premiere Date: July
FX might very well be the
most underrated network on
television. Hopefully, Carlton
Cuse ("Bates Motel") and the
show's primary creator who will
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WHAT IS YOURfavorite?
BREAKFAST VOTE TODAY
BEST OF ANN ARBOR 2014
Breaking ribs
also direct the pilot, Guillermo
Del Toro ("Pan's Labyrinth")
can change that. "The Strain"
could prove to be the "Walk-
ing Dead"-sized hit FX is look-
ing for. Corey Stoll, best known
for his fantastic but short-lived
role as Peter Russo in "House
of Cards," leads the cast in this
apocalyptic sci-fi drama about
a virus that ravages the Earth,
turning people into vampires.
And in case the word "vampire"
brought Bella and Edward to
mind, I'd like to point out that
this project is coming from the
bizarre mind of Guillermo Del
Toro, the man behind some of
the most terrifying monsters
in movie history (the Thin Man
AMC
list isn't just the pedigree, it's
the potential. Legal dramas are
a dime a dozen, but unlike most,
"Saul" follows the sleazy, mor-
ally questionable defense law-
yer the "heroic" attorneys of
"Law and Order" would prob-
ably be facing on a daily basis.
And with the recent announce-
ment that Jonathan Banks is
returning to the "Breaking Bad"
universe as beloved aging gun-
slinger Mike Ehrmantraut, it's
safe to say fans have plenty to
be excited about.
"Penny Dreadful"
Network: Showtime
Premiere: May 11
from
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ing as
losing
phingi
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metapl
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be
fol
"Pan's Labyrinth" still The pitch alone was enough:
me nightmares). And see- a dark, sexy horror show that
the vampires "turn" by chronicles the stories of Fran-
their genitals and mor- kenstein, Dorian Grey, Drac-
into violent bloodsucking ula and other classic literary
rosities, I think it's safe monsters in Victorian London.
we might finally have the It's "Once Upon A Time" plus
horic nail in the coffin of "American Horror Story" on
:xy vampire" clichd. Showtime. But, it's the talent
behind the camera that really
gives me confidence in this
14 looking to one. "Penny Dreadful" comes
.L from the team of John Logan
a greatiyear and Sam Mendes, the same pair
J1c behind the awesome "Skyfall,"
r innovative with Logan ("The Aviator") as
the series showrunner. Logan is
a veteran screenwriter making
his official crossover into televi-
sion while Mendes ("American
Beauty") is one of the most tal-
ented and critically acclaimed
"Better Call Saul" filmmakers on the planet.
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RELEASE DATE-Tuesday, February 18, 2014
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
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Network: AMC
Premiere: November
OK, so this was destined to
be on the list and you knew it.
The "Breaking Bad" spin-off
comes from series creator Vince
Gilligan and "Bad" alum Peter
Gould. Now, a "Breaking Bad"
spinoff was always likely given
the show's monstrous success.
Yet, what gets this show on the
With television getting all the
attention once reserved for mov-
ies, it's no surprise that film-
makers like Mendes, Del Toro
and Cuar6n are moving to the
small-screen. I'm curious to see
exactly how much input they're
going to have as the series move
forward but regardless, it's a
good time to be watching televi-
sion.
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PRAGMATISM??
DO YOU KNOW HOW TO
WRIGHT??
DID YOU GET ANY OF THOSE
REFERENCES??
IF YES,
email akse@umich.edu
for a Daily Arts application
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