Thursday, May 15, 2014
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
6
Thursday, May 15, 2014
The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
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essful sound with Where an older Black Keys
album, such as Thickfreakness
new album tended to open with the audi-
tory equivalent of a bottle of Jack
By NICK BOYD Daniels and a cigarette, Turn Blue
Daily Arts Writer opens with an LSD-infused Wood-
stock-vision quest in the form of
Black Keys, Ohio rock 'n' "Weight of Love." Dan Auerbach
Dan Auerbach and Pat- adopts an eerie guitar tone that
ney, may have achieved too persists throughout the album, and
degree of bass is given a new level of promi-
eam pop- nence previously untested by the
to still be Black Keys. Ghostly bells and synth
red hip. The Black tones debut on this track, which
se more K can probably be attributed to the
ed with band increasing collaboration with
gevity of Turn Blue producer Danger Mouse (No, that's
music not Anthony Weiner's new alias).
han their Nonesuch Danger Mouse also works closely
ness, this with other acts such as Portugal.
be cause for celebration. The Man, Beck, and Broken Bells
.e release of El Camino in - all of which are trippy in their
er of 2011, the Black Keys own right. It's no surprise Danger
their transition from a Mouse's signature touch is now
m band with a cult follow- surfacing in the Black Keys' work.
more diversified sound and The sixth track off the album,
ead fame. At the time, crit- "Bullet in the Brain," reinforc-
quick to heap praise on the es the dreamy trajectory of the
eys, in a we've-been-fans- album. The verses transport you
Ie-time sort of way. How- to the Atlanta Pop Festival circa
hat's the only thing cooler 1970 while the choruses are remi-
world of music criticism niscent of a hard-driving Tame
Ting a band out of relative Impala. Synthesizer, bells (look-
y? Tearing an established ing at you, Danger Mouse), bass,
wn for regressing to-"nor- and Auerbach's riffs harmonize
The Black Keys released seamlessly.
west album, Turn Blue, on "Turn Blue," the track for which
2014. The immediate criti- the album is named, is a blues
tion was less than positive song - but in a different style than
eneral consensus was that the Black Keys usually produce.
k Keys had somehow aban- A muddied bass line and rasping
heir original sound in favor chord changes create a more dis-
hing less honest. sociated, ethereal tone than a tra-
ened to the new album, ditional blues jam. "In Our Prime"
ss what? The Black Keys marks a further deviation from
st their original sound - the Black Keys norm with a piano
od thing that they have! intro and keyboard solo. The vari-
d that maintains the same ety of instrumentation is one of
goals for twelve years the best parts of the album and
ht albums is a really bor- much credit has to be given to the
d. The Black Keys are not refreshing touch Danger Mouse
Artistic experimentation has lent the duo.
m of growth rather than The Black Keys are not the
sty. The innovative deci- same band that released "The Big
at went into the album's Come Up," in 2003. If they were,
ion render Turn Blue it would be an artistic failure. A
within the context of the band needs to evolve not only to
eys' greater work. As such, maintain the interest of its audi-
e a few growing pains, but ence, but also to keep things inter-
cesses far outnumber the esting for themselves. Turn Blue
atches. With their latest marked an artistic challenge for
the Black Keys may have Auerbach and Carney, and with
nued their traditional the help of Danger Mouse, they
but they have definitely pulled it off to great effect.
,,
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Intelligent'Neighbors'
both witty and raunchy
PHOTOSTORY BY ADAM GLANZMAN
Irene Butter is more than a Holocaust survivor. As a
former University professor, she often visits classrooms to
teach about her experiences and to educate school children
and college students alike about the importance of never
being a bystander. In addition to her work in schools,
Butter stays active by exercising, planting in her garden,
and volunteering at a local food pantry. She is one of the
founding members of a group of women who call themselves
Zeitouna, an Arabic word for olive tree and a symbol of
peace. Zeitouna hosts dialogue groups between six Jewish
women and six Arabic women. They discuss topics in their
meetings ranging from the conflict in the Middle East to
the meaning of identity, loss, displacement, and forgiveness.
According to Butter, "just because you grow up thinking
someone has to be your enemy doesn't mean it has to be that
way."
These photos give a very brief look into the expansive and
remarkable life of Irene Butter.
By NATALIE GADBOIS
Senior Arts Editor
When the credits began to roll
at the end of "Neighbors," Nick
Stoller's ("The Five-Year Engage-
ment") ribald but surprisingly
sharp satire on college Greek life,
the college boy sitting next to me
(I would say bro but I've been told
I use that term
too derogatorily)
guffawed to his
friends, "Yo, this Neighbors
movie got me
inspired. Let's get At Rave and
crazy tonight!" Qualityl6
I don't think he Universal Pictures
entirely under-
stood the point of
the film: a penis-
laden, crass, over-the-top, but
ultimately smart send-up of the
value placed on wild youth.
Mac (Seth Rogen, "This Is the
End") and Kelly (Rose Byrne,
"Insidious: Chapter 2") are the
archetypal young modern couple:
he works in an office while still
slipping out for an occasional
joint, she stays at home with their
baby daughter, feeling under-
whelmed with the role life has
handed her. They move into a
pretty, colonial house in a pretty,
colonial neighborhood, envision-
ing a Pleasantville-esque future.
That's when the Delta Psi broth-
ers, led by their seemingly affable
President Teddy (Zac Efron, "That
Awkward Moment") begin mov-
ing their bongs in next door. In
typical s
the film
Kelly's i
their "c
kids, bef
wage wa
in the n
schedule
to prove
those wi
The fi
done se
micks (C
has a ma
Si
friend is
him!), bi
from th
of the c
is const
unique s
Byrne w
viding t
furious d
cal plots.
calls out
seems to
Mac of c
the wom
one, to n
adulthoo
goofy, i
in his w
seen a K
refreshir
lapstick comedy fashion, the overdone "hot, supportive
then follows Mac and girl and funny but dumpy guy"
nitial attempts to prove pairing, and this kind of thinking
oolness" to the college rings throughout the script. Even
ore they decide to instead Efron, while aptly (and "ab"ly)
r on the frat - supposedly portraying the chant-leading,
ame of their baby's sleep shirtless-grilling alpha male ste-
, but really in an attempt reotype of a frat boy, lends Teddy
they aren't missing out on more complexity - he knows he's
ild days. already peaking in life, but throws
ilm trudges through over- parties to avoid engaging with
cups and revenge gim- that knowledge. As he attends a
Thristopher Mintz-Plasse job fair, where the more ambitious
assive penis! Teddy's girl- Delta Psi vice-President (Dave
Franco, "Now You See Me") is
successfully schmoozing with
urprisingly the best, he realizes that his cul-
tivated talents don't stretch far
complex beyond throwing weed-themed
ragers and selling homemade dil-
dos.
"Neighbors" knows it's audi-
tricked into cheating on ence, and seems to often toe the
ut the real laughs come line between outlandish humor
e surprising frankness and outright offense, but all
haracters. While Rogen the moving pieces are smarter
antly barking with his than the eventual combination.
toner-schlub bravado, it's Certain minor characters steal
-ho steals the show, pro- scenes, like Lisa Kudrow as the
he brains and most of the PR-obsessed university dean,
rive behind their diaboli- or little Stella, the most ador-
. In a sharp move, the pair able baby to ever grace the sil-
the very trope the movie ver screen (not an exaggeration),
buy into: Kelly accuses but unlike many comedies the
constantly expecting her, film isn't outpaced by cameos or
an, to be the responsible diversions. Anchored by Byrne,
ot resent their inevitable "Neighbors" nearly hits that
d, while he gets to be sticky spot between farce and
mmature, irrational - meaning - the center between
'ords, "Haven't you ever immature frat boy antics and the
{evin James movie?" It's steady realization that growing
ng to see a film recognize up isn't so bad.