l 1 Thursday, July 11, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
Ciara finds her voice on fifth LP
Thursday, July 11, 2013
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
13
Former Borders Books building
to welcome many new tenants
Self-titled album
finds R&B star at her
shimmering best
By KAYLA UPADHYAYA
Managing Arts Editor
For some reason, Ciara has
never received .the commercial
success her talent warrants -
whether from
mismanage- -
ment, poor tim-
ing, adverse pop 1"a
trends or, most Ciara
likely, all of the
fucking above. Epic
But through it
all, Ciara's self-confidence has
always been the cornerstone of
her music.
Clara's latest eponymous
release - her most concise and
coherent album to date - oozes
with the confidence that has
yielded some of her best work. A
three-word review of Clara might
look something like: "Needs.
More. Ballads." "Body Party"
- the best R&B slow-jam since
Usher's "Climax" - is the obvious
crowning jewel, and it's hard not
to crave more of the trickling,
electro-backed ballads we fell in
love with back in 2006 when CiCi
gave us "Promise."
But still, it's hard to complain
about an album so full of intoxi-
cating spunk. CiCi's at her best
when she's at her most self-pos-
sessed, and on Clara, she knows
exactly who she is. She occasionally
shows her more tender side, as on
the shimmering lead single "Body
Party." Other tracks explode with
her ferocity, and sometimes both
sides collide. On the super-layered
"Super Turnt Up," synths trill
and steely beats pound, and Ciara
throws smooth, swaying vocals on
top of it all, only to transition three
minutes in to a snarling rap that'll
have you gettingyour stank face on.
Ciara's self-assurance gives
way to girl-power anthems, like
in the male-gaze rejection "Keep
On Lookin"' or "Read My Lips,"
a buoyant summer jam entirely
dedicated entirely to cunnilingus
(!!!). CiCi enters full HBIC-mode
on the swagger-filled revenge ode
Several restaurants
to occupy vacated
Liberty St. corner
By WILL GREENBERG
Daily StaffReporter
Though the building that
housed Borders Books on East
Liberty Street now features
boarded-up windows and ongoing
construction, the space will soon
be home to several new restaurants
and offices.
Five new restaurants will move
into the first floor, while Prime
Research and the University's
School of Information will occupy
the second floor.
The 44,000 square-foot building
is currently undergoing extensive
interior and exterior renovations
to accommodate the new tenants,
including the addition of an
entrance on Maynard Street and
walls to divide the newbusinesses.
Brendan Cavender of Colliers
International - the company
representing the building owner
- said construction would be
completed in time for tenants to
move in September.
5,296 square-feet of the
property have been leased to
Takashi Yagihashi, a chef who
fuses Japanese and French cuisine
and has owned and run multiple
restaurants across the country.
Yagihashi, who spent nine years
in Ann Arbor, will open another
location of the Slurping Turtle, a
sit-down ramen restaurantbased in
Chicago.
Joining the Slurping Turtle will
be Knight's Steakhouse, which
is opening its second Ann Arbor
location. Owner and manager Don
Knight said he looks forward to
sharing the space with Yagihashi
and other restaurants within the
complex.
"(It's) a win-win for both of us,"
he said. "Think of the car industry:
they put everything right next
to each other and people tend to
flock to places where there's more
options."
The last three restaurants that
will join Knight's Steakhouse and
the Slurping Turtle have yet to be
named.
Prime Research, a strategic
communication research firm, will
take 20,000 square-feet on the
second floor. Cavender said the area
has become a popular location for
technology companies as they are
able to find a large pool of young
talentcomingoutof the University.
Despite Prime Research
predominantly operating remotely
through the Internet and news,
Julie Beach, senior accounting and
human resources manager, said
Ann Arbor was chosen as a strategic
location for the business.
"Here at Prime Research, having
a good education is important and
so. obviously having our business
in a town that is located nearby the
University of Michigan was one of
the big pushes for us to originally
choose Ann Arbor for our North
American operation," Beach said.
East Liberty Street has seen 10
businesses close in the last two
years, raising the question of the
viability of openingabusiness there.
Cavender said he is not worried
about these new businesses seeing
success, as many of the recent
closures were due to factors besides
location.
"We track volumes of sales
figures of all the other restaurants
down there and all of them are very
healthy," Cavender said. "It was
easx to blame Borders when they
closed for the decline but in my
opinion that's not what closed these
otherbusinesses."
Don Knight said he was
enthusiastic about the location, as
the area has been making a come
back.
"More people are getting up
there," Knight said. "They don't just
stick to Main Street anymore."
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"I'm Out," which thumps with her
signature brand of feisty female
empowerment. The track features
a thrilling, punchy verse from
Nicki Minaj. Say what you will
about her own music, but Minaj's
dynamic guest spots often have
the power to make a song some-
times even to steal it. Her techni-
cally tantalizing rapping perfectly
complements CiCi's sexy bangers.
But it's the second Minaj-
backed track "Livin' It Up" that
offers the album's emotional
Goodies.
highlight, as Nicki spends half
her verse praising her partner in
a moment of sisterly solidarity: "I
told CiCi I was getting her / I told
the bitches can't see her, no retina
/ I told her if you go in there's no
letting up / See they could kick
you while you're down but you're
getting up."
EPIC
"Cause this one is for the girls
making progress," Nicki spits.
Ciara undeniably'fits under this
category, with her latest release
asserting more than ever she
doesn't need to stand on anyone
else's shoulders. From the self title
to the unwavering lyrics, she has
her voice figured out.
i i i i rw ir i i ii
I.UBOJO WMO
H0--
SWUMBO. YOU WUMBO.
HE, SHE, WE WUMBO.
DAILY ARTS WUMBOES.
SHOUTOUT PATRICK STAR.
a Joseph Haydn's
CREATI ON
July 23, 2013
Hill Auditorium
Blue Lake International Choir
Alumni Choir and Youth Symphony
Mon, July 22 Wed, July 23
Blue Lake International Blue Lake International
Choir' Youth Symphony
Blue Lake International Beethoven No. 5
Jazz Orchestra
All Concerts Begin at 7:30 p.m.
More information at bluelake.org/ebl
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