The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
Arts
Friday, February 14, 2020 — 5A
Valentine’s Day has some claim on sentimentality. It launches love into
the spotlight, or at least into your peripheral; it pits love and loneliness
against each other, these umbrella terms used as placeholders to describe
the diversity of feeling that actually overcomes us. These albums claim
that sentimentality back. They let your love, heartbreak, or anything in
between be yours, be more than just a refined, courtly love. We hope in
these albums you find that indistinguishable, overwhelming feeling, the
one you thought no one else could feel or put into words and sounds. Stick
with us on these albums, in all their glorious contradictions, and hopefully
they seep and settle into your 2020 Valentine’s Day.
Sam Cantie — Daily Music Editor
For Love:
Caroline Polachek, Pang
Caroline Polachek’s voice sounds like a hallucination. Watching the
musician perform her debut album live — even in video — feels alien,
like the high and acrobatic vocals integrated into each song aren’t really
coming out of her mouth at all. Polachek, best known as the lead vocalist
of electronic duo Chairlift, has a particular talent for creating music that
makes a listener feel like they are walking on air. Her most recent release,
Pang, is a record full of these moments, capturing the emotional confusion
and ecstasy of new love with every arc of her uniquely flexible voice.
From tongue-in-cheek dance anthem “So Hot You’re Hurting My
Feelings” to raw ballad “Insomnia,” Polachek envelops the listener in a
world where the simultaneous excitement and fear of losing yourself in
love is made clear. Her songs are not typical love songs, but they are some
of the truest presentations of real love that one could listen to — sometimes
it’s fun, sometimes it’s hard, but giving yourself to another person wholly
often feels like you’re entering a kaleidoscope of emotion. Polachek
doesn’t try to navigate it, but rather embraces the frenzy of that state with
every lyric and riff, making Pang a unique yet effective Valentine’s Day
soundtrack.
Clara Scott — Daily Arts Writer
Rex Orange County, Apricot Princess
You and your significant other are looking for a song to call “our song.”
A song to send to one another when you’re happy or sad. A song for every
heartfelt playlist, every long car ride together and to think of when you’re
near or far.
Draw from a hat with every track on Apricot Princess and you’ve found
your love song.
Rex Orange County captures the magic of a love that’s just beginning
to blossom. Many a lover can relate to the life-changing chemistry of a
new-found relationship as told on “Nothing”: “When we first spent the
night / Nothing else would ever feel that way / In my room it all changed.”
The excitement and butterflies of making the first steps together is
encapsulated by “Television / So Far So Good”: “What about you and me
together? / Something that can really last forever.” All this over smooth,
sexy and sometimes somber instrumentation full of soft twinkles and
piano keys. Apricot Princess is creative, full of sounds that always feel
fresh, making for a goldmine of love songs that stand the test of time.
Maybe the most relatable sentiment is expressed on title track “Apricot
Princess,” where Rex speaks on the doubt that so many relationships
must withstand from faithless friends and family. “I wanna show them
/ That this ain’t a fantasy, she’s my best fucking friend,” he sings. I can
immediately think of my own “them” that Rex refers to — the people in
my life whose thoughts and feelings I value, but who don’t have faith in my
relationship’s longevity. Everyone has their own “them.” Every new lover
comes with doubt from someone close, whether it’s well hidden or openly
expressed. Weathering that doubt brings two lovers closer. Rex reassures
us that real love is not just a fantasy.
Dylan Yono — Daily Arts Writer
Devin the Dude, Just Tryin’ ta Live
People tend to think that interpersonal love is the most important kind
of love. It’s not. Everyone is obsessed with finding a partner they can live
with, grow with and laugh with, but they forget who the most important
person actually is. The true most important kind of love is self-love. It takes
work, but not much; you already know yourself, you just need to own who
you are and take care of yourself accordingly.
If anyone knows that, it’s Devin the Dude. The oddball rapper was signed
to Houston’s Rap-A-Lot Records (a pioneer for gangsta and southern rap)
in the late ‘90s and 2000s. Despite Rap-A-Lot’s bad boy reputation, Devin
was different. He’s insular, reserved and cautious, but he still knows how
to have fun. In 2002, he released his magnum opus Just Tryin’ ta Live. It
proved that rappers could be themselves and do the things that make them
happy without maintaining any sort of image.
Just Tryin’ ta Live is an album about just that: living for yourself and not
giving a fuck. It kicks off with “Zeldar,” a goofy weed anthem that finds
Devin rapping like an alien who just smoked for the first time. It’s a strange
track, for sure, but Devin stays true to his weirdo roots and he owns it. The
same goes for “R & B,” short for reefer and beer. It’s a track about drinking
and smoking in an attempt to “Sit back and recline and try to relax [his]
mind.” Devin knows what he needs, and he’s willing
to go to lengths to get it. Album crown gem “Doobie
Ashtray” is a testament to what happens when you
forget about yourself and focus on others first, rapping
on the hook: “What you gonna do when the people go
home / And you wanna smoke weed but the reefer’s
all gone / And somebody had the nerve / To take the
herb / Up out the doobie ashtray / Why they do me that
way?”
Just Tryin’ ta Live, as a whole, is an album devoted to
self-love, and Devin the Dude explains exactly who the
most vital relationship is with — yourself. That’s all anyone really needs.
Jim Wilson — Daily Arts Writer
The Walters, Songs for Dads
The Walters 2014 EP Songs for Dads is not an overtly happy EP. In fact,
several of the featured tracks focus on heartbreak, not joyful romance.
Songs for Dads, however, is not an angst-fueled breakup album. Rather,
this EP functions like a make-shift anthology series: Each song spotlights
a different kind of love, from platonic to romantic, from painful to hopeful.
Songs for Dads is on this list because it eyes the bigger picture. It elbows in
some much-deserved room for all the other kinds of love we encounter in
our lives.
The Walters EP is full of opposites, too –– each song acts unexpectedly.
Lover’s laments are matched with a bouncy-beat and touch of lightness;
sadness is turned on its head, and ushered out the door. Perhaps the best
example of this is “I Love You So,” a song about struggling to let go of toxic
relationships despite still being in love. Yet, the repetitive chant of the
chorus “But I love you so” is hypnotizing and encompassing. These words
echo loudly, obscuring the rest of the lyrics –– a fitting parallel to the
turmoil of the moment. The song is bittersweet, like the rest of the album.
Bittersweet may seem strange for a Valentine’s day album, but isn’t that
how love is? Even at its best, no love is perfect, whether it be for lovers,
family or friends. Songs for Dads adds a touch of realism, then. Maybe we
don’t need another reminder of love’s imperfections. That’s okay –– like I
said, The Walters don’t do “sad” very well anyway.
Madeleine Virginia Gannon — Daily Arts Writer
For Heartbreak:
Spiritualized, Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space
What are all the emotions that one experiences after a breakup? After
getting dumped by Kate Radley, Jason Pierce of Spiritualized decided
to write Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space, an album that
answers that very question.
1. Nostalgia
Ladies and Gentlemen We Are Floating in Space begins with Pierce
feeling a deeply nostalgic love. It is powerful, but also temporary.
2. Withdrawal
The next emotion is withdrawal. There is a brutal comparison made
between infatuation and drug addiction. The statement ‘love is like a
drug’ could not be more true for Pierce, who acknowledges he has since
switched to heroin.
3. Cynicism
As a result, Pierce becomes cynical. His cynicism makes him think love
is nothing more than a primitive reaction akin to hunger.
4. Obsession
After this is obsession. At first it’s a romantic obsession, one that
lacks real agency and only provides a wistful memory. Then it becomes
dangerous. Like driving a car too fast or as Pierce puts it, “playin’ with fire.”
5. Frustration
Later, there’s frustration. Frustration from his lack of productivity,
from his inability to stop drinking. All of this because he can’t get her off
his mind. This love is like a ringing in the ears that just won’t go away.
6. Acceptance
Then comes acceptance, but in a rather pitiful fashion. Pierce
understands and accepts that she doesn’t love him anymore. He just begs
for it to be a gradual process. But at the time he wrote this, he knew what
happened was the polar opposite.
7. Collapse
He ends the album not able to get over her. The feeling of a burden
lifted that was supposed to arrive with time hasn’t come yet. This leads
him into a deeper cycle of drug abuse. Love is cruel.
Pierce knows this more than most, because he had to
record the entire record alongside his band member,
keyboardist and prior lover: Kate Radley.
Drew Gadbois — Daily Arts Writer
Soccer Mommy, Clean
Sophie Allison, better known as Soccer Mommy,
released her studio album Clean in 2018, following her
rise on platforms like Bandcamp (a rise propelled by
grungy love songs). Clean’s sound is no different from
her older music in terms of its discordant style and soft sighs of vocals,
but the variety of heartbreak songs on the album is ingenious. Allison
goes from “Your Dog,” a bitter, angry anthem about not wanting to be
treated like a “fucking dog,” to “Blossom (Wasting All My Time),” a heart-
wrenching, vulnerable track that’s simple yet personal. The record is an
all-encompassing breakup album; it’s great for feeling angry and powerful
after having your heart broken, but also for burying your face into a pillow
and sobbing. Arguably the best breakup song of all time is “Still Clean,” the
first track on the album. I cannot reasonably guess the number of times
I’ve cried to that song, both when I’ve been actually sad and when I had
no reason to be sad at all — just for a good cry. Clean came to me when I
was going through my first real breakup and I truly believe it was a match
made in heaven. I don’t think any other album will ever carry me through
heartbreak the way this one did. And for that, Sophie Allison, I thank you.
Gigi Ciulla — Daily Arts Writer
Taylor Swift, 1989
I’ll admit it, the day I found out Taylor was breaking up with country
music, I shed a few tears. And it wasn’t until months later, pacing my room
as I hit play on my favorite artist’s first pop album, that I was finally set at
ease. I loved it. Of course, 1989 is a breakup album in the more traditional
sense as well. Almost every track finds Taylor peering behind her, trying
to figure out how a past relationship with a certain boy band member
turned sour. The upbeat, ‘80s synth production just barely manages to
coat over her heartbreak. But that’s the magic of it. Somewhere in the
hours of Taylor footage seared into my brain, I can see her saying, “Just
because something is over, doesn’t mean it wasn’t special.” 1989 captures
that. Songs like “Out of the Woods” and “Wildest Dreams” aren’t meant to
diminish a failed relationship, but remember it for what it was in all of its
heart-racing, mind-boggling, ill-fated glory.
Taylor chopped her signature curls, moved to the big city and took the
biggest risk of her career — and was rewarded for it. Listening to 1989, you
get the feeling that you can start all over again too, then come back better
than ever.
Katie Beekman — Daily Arts Writer
Fleetwood Mac, Rumours
Rumours was Fleetwood Mac at their most successful, yet their most
unstable. The thematic cohesion of this spiteful album evolved from a
uniform distaste among the band members for each other; Rumours is the
bitter aftermath of fractures and splits within Fleetwood Mac.
For love and heartbreak: Music for your Valentine’s Day
VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL EDITION: MUSIC NOTEBOOK
DAILY MUSIC WRITERS
For The Daily
Picture yourself on a date. You’re all dolled up and
looking fine for that special someone. It’s late at night and
hopefully, you’re snuggling with your crush under layers
of blankets and pillows. If you’re lucky, the two of you
have made a dent in that bottle of wine. The lights are low
and in the background you hear the soothing sounds of …
button mashing. Yes, the clicking of game controllers is the
soundtrack to your romance because this date isn’t your
usual date. Tonight is game night. The modern dating
scene is tricky, with intimacy being as hard to come by
as a good match on Tinder. With people devoting more
and more time to their screens it has become completely
normalized to share a screen and “Netflix and Chill” with
your partner. However, instead of falling into a millennial
cliche, young bachelors and bachelorettes can all benefit
from switching it up and geeking out with a quality video
game. You two still share a screen, the mood is still light-
hearted and best of all you actually talk. Video games
require cooperation, communication and trust — the
foundation of all healthy relationships. Regardless of your
skill level, here are three great games for date night.
“Overcooked”
Since nothing is sexier than swooning over your
partner’s tasty home cooked dinner, why not test
the waters digitally before you waste a bunch of
groceries? “Overcooked” is perfect for casual fun. This
frantic cooking game will have you and your partner
controlling friendly woodland animals dressed as
chefs who need to perform simple cooking tasks within
3-minute rounds. Though every individual action is
simple, the frying, chopping, plating and transport
of a single burger will have you and your partner
communicating at every second. Couple this with a
plethora of maps that are designed to intentionally
inhibit your workflow and “Overcooked“ becomes a
game of cooperative finesse. Yet there is never a need
to stress out. The absence of harsh punishments and
antagonists keep “Overcooked” an adorable experience
that will have you and your date laughing over your
blunders and celebrating each little achievement.
“Lovers in a Dangerous Space-Time”
A game that seems like it was made for date night,
“Lovers in a Dangerous Space-Time” is an astro-trip
into a universe of galactic neon cuties fighting to save
the forces of love from the ever-encroaching evils of
anti-love. The 2D retro aesthetic is amazing and looks
like neon signs in motion. With a slightly higher barrier
of entry, “LDST” is still easy enough for beginners but
also a good challenge if you or your partner happens
to be a veteran. The core gameplay consists of you
and your date controlling a space ship equipped with
thrusters, blasters and a shield. Only one station can be
manned at a time, so when your partner is blasting the
bad guys, it’s your job to make sure the ship moves in
the right direction. This makes trust and cooperation
necessary and will have you and your date bonding
over your hatred of fun-ruining monsters and your love
of space-faring (and maybe each other).
“A Way Out”
If it’s not the first date and you’re looking to impress
your sweetheart with a more artistic and emotional
experience then you should try “A Way Out.” The
most serious of these three, “A Way Out” is a cinematic
adventure akin to playing a Martin Scorsese film. Set in
the 1970’s, you and your crush will inhabit two convicts
conspiring to break out of prison and exact revenge on
those who put you there. “A Way Out” is completely
plot-driven, meaning you and your partner will have
the same story but play a different narrative depending
on which of the two convicts you each choose. This
difference in character arcs personalizes the game
while still making it feel like a shared experience.
Trust and cooperation are always needed, but choice
also takes a crucial role in the gameplay. Since the two
characters have different personalities and therefore
different approaches to certain situations, deciding
who will do what can alter a specific outcome. The
length of “A Way Out” will span several hours so plan
on multiple dates almost as if you were going to watch
a whole season of your favorite TV show with your
crush. In the end, the payoff is worth it and hopefully,
the seriousness of “A Way Out” will allow you to learn
something deeper about your partner.
Three video games for
you and your valentine
ELI LUSTIG
Daily Arts Writer
The rehearsal studio in the Power Center for the
Performing Arts for We the PROUD’s “What Was +
May Be” is strikingly simple. Several black stage blocks
dot the gleaming polished floor, a rope rests coiled on
the ground and four students sit chatting in a circle.
Two people are dressed in minimal costume pieces
and two have laptops balanced on their laps.
They are Music, Theatre & Dance junior Alyxandra
Ciale Charfouros and Rackham student Michael
Yuchen Tong. In addition
to conceiving “What Was
+ May Be,” Charfourous
and Tong star as well in the
story depicting their own
relationship. While they met
in high school, the pair have
been apart for five years,
and are just now reuniting.
The show will include their
own experiences, as well as
stories from other couples in
long distance relationships
they have interviewed. Also present in the rehearsal
room are Music, Theatre & Dance senior Amanda Kuo
as the director and Music, Theatre & Dance and Art &
Design sophomore Nicole (Niki) Denise White as the
art designer.
Charfouros explained a bit of the plot of the show.
“This is our story of being in a long distance
relationship and now coming together after five years,”
Charfouros said. “It’s kind of a memory play and it’s a
devised piece.”
She described the challenges of both writing and
performing, detailing how the creation of this show has
required her to trust both her “expression and story.”
“I wrote this story, and I’m performing in it so
it’s really new and challenging to trust it from a
bunch of different perspectives: as a playwright, as a
performer, and as a producer,” Charfouros said. “We
talk about wearing a lot of hats ... I want to be able to
just wear my expression throughout different roles and
responsibilities.”
Another aspect of “What Was + May Be” is the fact
that it showcases only Asian American performers.
Charfouros mentioned how she questioned whether
this fact causes this show to be an Asian American
play, or if maybe it is a part of a larger genre of Asian
American theatre. There seems to be a greater question
of what it means to represent an identity in an art form
such as this.
“There are two Asian Americans onstage and that
in and of itself is breaking the boundaries of what is
mainstream,” Charfouros said.
Not only is this an
original show, but it’s also
the first piece of theatre
from
the
new
student
production company, We
the People Representing our
Unifying Diversity (or We
the PROUD) Polycultural
Productions. The reasoning
behind the creation of this
organization was to “make
space
for
marginalized
voices,”
said
director
Amanda Kuo.
“We have all these amazing resources and tools and
training from the University of Michigan, but we were
kind of not really loving the stories that we were given
to be told,” Kuo said.
Kuo echoed Charfouros’ sentiments that this show
is an example of how representation can be as simple
as featuring people with different racial or ethnic
identities. She also added that diversity in the theatrical
world does not have to stop at performers.
“It’s one of the few places I’ve been where some
days only Asian-Americans are in the room creating
theatre,” Kuo said. “It feels really safe and it’s all
original.”
‘What Was + May Be’ is just
in time for Valentine’s Day
“What Was +
May Be”
Friday, February 14, 2020
7:30PM
Duderstadt Video Studeio
DIGITAL CULTURE NOTEBOOK
TV REVIEW
Read more at
MichiganDaily.com
COMMUNITY CULTURE PREVIEW
CAROLINE ATKINSON
For The Daily
Read more at
MichiganDaily.com