Los Campesinos!: Hello Sadness

Los Campesinos!- Hello Sadness

The seven member collective known as Los Campesinos! have certainly been busy over the past few years. They have released four full length albums over the past four years, as well as managed their own website on a very personal level allowing members of their fan club to email them directly with questions about merchandise, records, and other purchases making their fans feel like they are standing at a merch table after a show. Their most recent album, Hello Sadness, is reflective of this personal mentality and stark openness, per usual of Campesino clan, however this time in a slightly more morose fashion.

Hello Sadness opens in normal Campesino style with the first single "By Your Hand" which maintains the group's indie pop, upbeat tempo and instrumentation. The next few songs follow suit true to Campesino style with heavy pop rock elements that make their music so catchy and wonderful, however after that it becomes more and more saturnine, no longer masked by the jubilant, exuberant music behind the painful lyrics. The tempo slows down and the melody of the instruments is deeper which causes a darker tone to the songs. This is not the first time they have delved into a gloomier sound, the single "The Sea is a Good Place to Think about the Future" off of their third album, Romance is Boring, saw the band approach a divergence from their tried and true sound, which they handled splendidly. Hello Sadness is no different.

Thematically Hello Sadness seems to be more complete than their previous works. While the subject matter of the songs, usually some sort of failed relationship, and the painfully open lyrics written and sung in each of their songs are not new adventures for the band, they have incorporated it into making a more whole album that fits together cohesively. As it progresses through the songs, the listener goes from a genuine sanguine feeling to a more acrimonious one. The opening track on the album “By Your Hand,” casts lead singer, Gareth, into somewhat of a heroic role as a new relationship begins with a “cruel mistress girl,” presumably a metaphor to symbolize “fate”, who then proceeds to vomit on him after inviting him back to her house. As the chorus comes around Gareth proclaims “By your hand is the only end that I foresee,” which shows the outlook of every budding, new relationship, especially one in the hands of a hopeless romantic, dark humorist, which Gareth can be seen as. And in Gareth’s ode to the English national soccer team “Every Defeat a Divorce (Three Lions)” while he is singing about a faltering soccer club in which losses come as no surprise it always feels as if there is some other sort of pain behind the words as he laments “you can lead a horse to water but it won’t drown itself.”

In today’s music world, where everyone is trying to be the topic of conversation, there is something to be said for consistency. This young band has released four albums, all of which have been very strong and have maintained the same style of music and songwriting. It is really an anomaly that this can still happen in today’s industry, but Los Campesinos! continue to embody an old-school-indie way of making music and dealing with their fans which remains a testament to their commitment to their work. And while they have not had a true breakthrough moment yet one is certainly on the horizon for this wonderful young Welch band.

8.5 out of 10

-Michi Oshima

Throwback Thursday: The Blueprint

Jay-Z was already an established emcee by the time he released the 2001 smash The Blueprint, but proceeded to change the hip-hop world with this groundbreaking album.

From his historical feud with Nas and Mobb Deep to the more sensitive side expressed on “Song Cry,” the subject matter on The Blueprint is as diverse as the beats themselves and the rhymes are just as encompassing. On the opening track “The Ruler’s Back” the listener is hit immediately introduced to the new soulful sound that Jay has decided to take throughout most of the album. However this sound is sidelined for the second track, legendary diss song “The Takeover,” but thankfully picked right back up with the Jackson 5 sampling classic “Izzo.” The trend is then continued for the rest of the album even seeing a departure of Timbaland from his signature style to fit more with the theme of the album. The Blueprint, in production alone, completely shifted the style of mainstream hip-hop, introducing the world to the Kanye West soulful style of production. The album remains a meter for other hip-hop albums to be compared to, and quite frankly very few come close. Not only did it change the style of the music but it was also instrumental in bringing about a widespread idealistic change in the genre. At the time of the release there was a stark feud between the mainstream rappers and the underground emcees but this album brought about one of the greatest crossover collaborations in the history of hip-hop, the MTV Unplugged Session of Jay-Z with The Roots which is just as critically lauded as The Blueprint itself.

Not only was the album groundbreaking, it also remains as an all-around great album. The album really succeeds in showcasing Hov's lyrical diversity. He manages to transfer seamlessly from the flagrant, vicious lyrics of "The Takeover" to something softer like in "Never Change" and right back to classic Jay in "Heart of the City." Through all of these transitions he effectively remains the Young Hov that he embodied on his previous albums while creating a whole new sound and aura about him.

When the 10th anniversary of The Blueprint came around, a special edition, double LP, blue vinyl pressing was released in correlation to the date. After weeks of anticipation my copy finally arrived on my front step and I am happy to report that Jay sounds better than ever. The beats and the words seemingly flow off of the vinyl so fluidly that any other form seems pointless. The cool blue coloring of the vinyl is hypnotic as it spins on the turntable entrancing me, once again, in the classic music of Jay-Z.

9.4 out of 10

-Michi Oshima

The Tree of LIfe

Terrence Malick's most recent film certainly lives up to the attention surrounding it. After hearing about the no refund policy following The Tree of Life from theater to theater I had to see what all the fuss was about. The film is directed wonderfully but viewers need to take heed of that warning posted at the theaters. The story is very complex and the nonlinear time-line only makes it more difficult to grasp. The cuts from the 1950's to modern day then to the beginning of the world makes it intriguing but the lack of dialogue in much of the film makes the film very slow moving. It took me two sittings to make it through the film. On the first try I wasn't sure of what to expect from the film. I had heard so much about it, it's win at Cannes and the controversy surrounding it, and yet knew so little about it. I had to take multiple breaks while watching it before finally giving up on it for the night and deciding to try again the next day. Once in the right mindset to watch the movie I was able to focus more thoroughly on the film which allowed for a slightly more enjoyable viewing experience, however it was not much better the second time around. Making it through the film was an accomplishment in and of itself.

Do not confuse me though, this film is great if you are able to sit down and watch it in one sitting. The story is strong, complex, and very deep rooted in family values and the delicate relationship between parents and their children. The segmented time-line implemented in the film demonstrates the strong writing and direction of the film. There is little dialogue in the film which makes sense thematically within the family as there are obvious communication issues between the members of the O'Brien family, however this slows down the progression of the film and causes it to drag on making thirty minutes seem like an hour and a half. The acting is also extremely strong. Brad Pitt and Sean Penn do terrific jobs in the film, but for me the stand out was Jessica Chastain who played the family matriarch, the warm and comforting Mrs. O'Brien who stands in stark contrast to Brad Pitt's hardened Mr. O'Brien. These familial moments are sidetracked during the film to show the life of adult son Jack O'Brien (Sean Penn) and his struggles to cope with his difficult childhood. In Jack O'Brien, Penn found one of his strongest performances to date. He gives a very real performance and is able to effectively ground his character in emotion. While these character driven scenes are extremely powerful, they are put in perfect juxtaposition to the scenes depicting the beginning of the earth and early animal life on the planet.

The Tree of Life is an all-around strong, albeit a sometimes tedious, film. From the heart-wrenching scenes of grief in the opening moments of the movie to the stunning visual effects (legendary Douglas Trumbull's return to Hollywood after a thirty year hiatus) The Tree of Life is a surefire Academy Award Nominee in multiple categories.

7.5 out of 10

Michi Oshima

Throwback Thurdays: The Original Pokemon Games

Not only did these games define the videogame experience for the majority of my generation, but it launched the Pokemon epidemic that caused millions of kids to dive into its universe. This was the beginning, which makes these games (on top of the gameplay) that much more monumental.

First released on the Gameboy Color, Red Version and Blue Version came out first, then Yellow Version followed up. There is a slight difference between Red and Blue - coloration varies in the two and also the Pokemon that can be caught differs slightly. In order to "Catch em all", players need to pair up with another gamer who has the opposite version and trade via link cables. In Yellow Version, you start out with Pikachu instead of only having the option of picking between the three classic Pokemon - Charmander, Bulbasaur, or Squirtle. What makes these games so entertaining, besides from catching and training Pokemon to take on the Elite 4, is the simplicity of the plot. It is the classic "rags to riches story" about a boy who grew up in a small town in the Kanto region who gets his first Pokemon from a local Pokemon Professor and trains to be the best. Along the way, he runs into a Pokemon gang known as "Team Rocket" who use Pokemon for all the wrong reasons.

Bringing justice to Team Rocket, earning badges by overcoming the various Pokemon gyms, and battling your way to the top are the motives of the main character - an incredibly simple plot that allows the trio to supersede any other game of its time. Also, the groundbreaking free roam feature allowed the character to go anywhere he wished at any time. Although certain geographical obstacles tend to hinder the character in certain areas from moving on, you are free to roam once you solve all the puzzles to region has to offer.

The plot, the gameplay, the groundbreaking features of catching any Pokemon the player wants and nurture it to be a necessary asset in his Pokemon arsenal all combine to create a simple yet monumental game for its time. Instead of destroying an antagonist, or fighting against some out of this world evil, the games are just about a kid fulfilling his dreams to be the best. Like no one ever was.

9.6 out of 10

Richard Voltz

Batman: Arkham City Video Game Review

Let me preface this review by saying that I have not achieved 100% completion on Arkham City, yet I have completed the main storyline and multiple side quests leaving me at 35% completion. This is a testament to the incredible depth and length of Arkham City as I am currently at 15 hours of gameplay with much more to go.

One of my favorite superhero video games, Spiderman 2, was one of the earliest sandbox/free-roam superhero games. Batman: Arkham City is somewhat reminiscent of Spiderman 2 as Batman navigates a vast city by either swinging from the rooftops using his grappling hook, or dive gliding from great heights. In the beginning, the player is put right in the middle of Arkham City with the ultimate freedom of where to go and what to do. There is never a shortage of stuff to do in Arkham City, whether it be solving one of the Riddler's numerous puzzles, searching for the lair of your favorite villain (not all of who you can find immediately), or just pounding on random convicts who happen to cross your path. Like in Spiderman 2, the city often presents a brief challenge or quick obstacle for Batman, such as rescuing a political prisoner from the more violent convicts. These challenges come in infinite supply and are simply an optional change of pace from the regular exploring. The controls of exploration and combat are superb, as there is little to no learning curve for both aspects of the game. While combat can essentially be done with two buttons, one can also employ more elaborate combat moves with other buttons based on the player's current hit combo number, which rewards the player for fluid combat. Batman's arsenal of technology is also extremely elaborate, making combat variety and large combinations easier. Detective mode returns from Arkham Asylum, but the player does not have to rely on it as much, which is definitely an improvement. Detective mode is still awesome as Batman can immediately assess any situation with information ranging from the number of bad guys to the individual heart beats per minute and type of weapons present. Arkham City is also stacked with villains ranging from the obvious Joker to the more obscure villains such as Deadshot. The player can also play a separate campaign as Catwoman, which I will discuss later. The game also has immense replay value with allowing the player to not only play the campaign again with all the earned gadgets and skills after beating it the first time, but also the inclusion of the Riddler challenges. These challenges vary in length, but allow the player to hone their skills as Batman while also taking on fresh new gameplay.

Batman: Arkham City doesn't have many negatives so these complaints are essentially just nitpicking. The Catwoman campaign is available to all who buy the game new. However, many copies of the game do not provide the full code, or provide codes that simply do not work. No official announcement has been made in regards to fixing the issue, but if rocksteady games does not amend the problem in some way it will be very disappointing. In terms of the actual game, Arkham City itself isn't that large and the length of the city can be easily crossed in three to five short minutes. Boss fights in the game are also somewhat easy in terms of the game as a whole which is actually somewhat difficult (even on the Normal setting).

Overall, Batman: Arkham City is probably the best superhero game to date. The game is immersive and elaborate, and will appeal to nearly all audiences. This game is definitely worth the buy, just don't fully expect the Catwoman campaign to work if the code is provided with your new copy.

Rating: 9.2/10

Real Estate: Days

On their sophomore full length release, Real Estate has joined my list of “Favorite New Jersey Bands” (along with Titus Andronicus and River City Extension) with their follow up to the successful self titled debut.

This album, Days, is the epitome of the word “follow-up.” They maintain the same sound on this album as before but improve where needed making the record a cleaner, crisper, more refined released. Their self titled debut was a collection of songs that had been recorded at different times and yet remained surprisingly cohesive in substance which showed much promise for future projects. Now that they recorded an album in a proper session we see that they certainly are able to create a sense of togetherness with the music.

The album itself does not try to do too much. The band clearly understands what they do best and have decided to stick to that formula, which pays off in bounds. The simply titled Days is the perfect name for this album. It reflects the simple nature of the record and, thematically speaking, hits the nail on the head. In the opening track, “Easy,” lead singer Martin Courtney sings of the daily routine being a musician in a small town, writing simple songs in the summer time. The name itself, “Easy” is a great opening track title as it describes the album fittingly, easy, simple, soft, just plain easy. All of their other songs follow much of the same pattern throughout the record. A basic, simple rhythm with simple and relatable lyrics such as in my favorite track “It’s Real” where Courtney says “I don’t know who’s behind the wheel, sometimes I feel like that I don’t know the deal.”

Much like their debut, Real Estate does not shy away from showing off who their influences are. Likenesses can be drawn between a wide range of diverse bands. From The Strokes to Wilco even comparable to the recent indie standout Kurt Vile, their sound is diverse yet incredibly simple and familiar. When listening to the record I found myself struggling to find a band that matches their sound because of its variety. At the same time I was kicking myself because of the simplicity and familiarity of the melodies and overall sound. Days is clearly not a “game-changer” or a “groundbreaker” by any means, but that is perfectly fine. The band knows what they sound like and are willing to stick with that for now. Hopefully they do not make the same mistake as some of those who came before them, i.e. The Strokes, who felt like they needed a drastic change in their sound to maintain relevancy. But for now we can sit and listen to the soothing sounds of Days and bask in its glorious simplicity.

8.8 out of 10

-Michi Oshima

T.V. Review: The Walking Dead: Season 1

There is something enticing about the concept of a survival scenario in the midst of a zombie apocalypse, slaughtering mindless creatures roaming around before they eat you. many video games and past movies have been based off of an outbreak of zombies, but the gore and action overwhelm leaving no room for characterization or plot development. With providing the best of both worlds, AMC's play off the graphic novel The Walking Dead provides in depth characterization and plot development, both covered in blood and guts.

The main character, Rick Grimes (Andrew Lincoln), was a deputy sheriff before the outbreak so there is no shortage of ammunition around his belt. After being hospitalized for getting shot in the side on a chase, he wakes up in the same hospital, yet a totally different environment. Disoriented, he runs through the post-apocalyptic world to find that his wife and son are missing and through a lead from another survivor, he heads to Atlanta which is supposed to be a refuge center, but upon arrival, it is quite the opposite. Throughout the season, Rick makes allies, makes enemies, finds safezones, and fights to defend these safe areas. The main characters include Rick, His wife, his friend, his son, and a handful of survivors he stays with. The series dives deep (and will continue to dive) into these individual's lives in order to make a connection with the viewers that is in fact quite personal. This is what separates this series from any other zombie-centered show or movie. You begin to empathize and draw towards one certain character simply because the group of survivors is so eclectic. Try doing that with Dawn of The Dead

But not to worry, the blood and gore is ever present throughout. The undead (walkers) shuffle around with missing jaws, limbs, and sometimes, missing torsos. through biting and clawing (like any zombie movement), they convert the living. To compensate, the survivors use tools such as axes, screwdrivers, machetes, and of course guns to thrive and survive against, which allows gore to be at its maximum. and by using grainy film techniques, the show encompasses the essence of a cheap old horror film, except for the fact that it is anything but.

With combining depth and gore, The Walking Dead succeeds at being a plot and character driven series with just enough brains and blood to make viewers cringe, the perfect recipe. I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series has in store.

9.5 out of 10

-Richard Voltz