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