Seussical the Musical

Transcription

Seussical the Musical
Seussical the
Musical
p.4
Reggae in
TSU Pub
p.6
Student talks on
his Aspirations
p.5
Employee of the
Month a Mindless
Watch
p.6
10.12.06 p.2
03
04
contents
Inside Buzz
Seussical is Musical
Student Guitarist Profiled
05 Chris Murray Plays Reggae
Buzz Fashion
Buzz Travel
06 Employee of the Month Reviewed
Buzz Book Review
07 Classics at the Movies at Meng
Buzz CD Review: The Killers
COVER:
Dr. Suess gets musical in
Seussical, the new play
starting tomorrow in
CSUF’s Little Theatre.
...........................................
Weekly Web Poll
Log on to www.myspace.com/dailytitanbuzz to vote
The question: “Who is the best reality show host?” Is it Survivor’s Jeff Probst? Amazing Race’s
Phil Keoghan? Someone Else? You tell us! www.myspace.com/dailytitanbuzz
Editor’s
Letter
Hi everyone, thank you for
reading The Buzz this week.
I have some sad news ... our male
turtle, Lox, passed away last week.
We don’t know what happened.
One day he was sick, the next day
he was gone.
Bagles is healthy, though, so we’re
just hoping she stays that way.
I am done with midterms, finally.
After studying way too much for
my final midterm, which was
Tuesday night, I realized as soon
as I got the test, it was a lot easier
than I had expected, and I ditched
my class earlier that day to study for
no reason. I’m not upset about it
though, just very surprised.
I’m going to Houston, Texas this
weekend for my mom’s birthday.
After I graduated from high
school, my parents moved to
Florida. While they were there, my
dad started working in Alaska, then
Tennessee and finally, Laguna, right
down the freeway – flying to Florida
every few weeks to relax.
During this time, they decided
to get a house in Texas because the
price is so good, and because it’s
closer to California, where my sister
and I live.
My dad will be in Orange County
until the end of December, then
he will join my mom in Texas and
probably sell the condo in Florida.
It’s all very complicated but the
point is, I’m going to Texas this
weekend, and I’ll be coming back
with a cowboy hat on.
– Kirsten Alto
Lox Turtle
??/06-10/06
p.4
Photos by Ian Hamilton
ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
Kirsten Alto
on Saturday, September 23rd, enjoy
Starting this
Oktoberfest in Orange County without the jetlag!
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Julie Anne Ines
DIRECTOR OF ADVERTISING
Emily Alford
BUZZ AD MANAGER
Lesley Wu
PRODUCTION
Kirsten Alto
ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES
Layla Hahka, Kathleen Cisneros, Stefanie Binditt,
Sarah Oak, Beth Stirnaman
The Daily Titan 714.278.3373
The Buzz Editorial 714.278.5426 thebuzz@dailytitan.com
Editorial Fax 714.278.4473
The Buzz Advertising 714.278.3373 ads@dailytitan.com
Advertising Fax 714.278.2702
The Buzz , a student publication, is a supplemental insert for the Cal State Fullerton Daily Titan. It is printed every Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently of Associated Students, College of Communications, CSUF administration and the CSU system. The Daily Titan has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by
commercial activities or ventures identified in the advertisements themselves and not by the university. Such printing
is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, endorsement or investigation of such commercial enterprises.
copyright ©2006 Daily Titan
2
8
12
13
CONCERT CALENDAR:
october
........................................... p.3
14
15
16
17
18
19
Inside
Thursday
Electric Six
Galaxy Theatre
Santa Ana
Friday
Def Leppard/
Journey
Hollywood Bowl
Los Angeles
Saturday
Adema
Knitting Factory
Los Angeles
Apparently Donald Trump
loathes Angelina Jolie ... which
he should, that homewrecker.
Speaking of which, Lindsay
Lohan’s mother said she’d like to
see her daughter star in an action
movie like Angelina Jolie ... did
she see Just my Luck? Was that not
enough proof that Lohan can’t act?
Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie are
reportedly friends again ... yippee.
The two twenty-something creators
of Youtube.com just sold the
website to Google for $1.65 billion
dollars .. why couldn’t I think of
something like that? K-Fed is going
to be on CSI in his acting debut
today ... be sure to tune in for that,
folks. John Mayer loves to blog
and has recently discovered that
according to MyHeritage.com, he
only has a 62 percent resemblance
to John Mayer. ... I wonder who
I resemble. And we can’t forget
to mention actual news that may
have an effect on all of us, even
the celebrities ... North Korea
announced the successful testing of
nuclear weapons. So what’s the plan
now? I’m thinking a nuclear war is
coming.
Lake Havasu Rock Fest, Oct. 6
Sunday
Samiam
Troubadour
Hollywood
Monday
Method Man
House of Blues
Anaheim
Tuesday
Ziggy Marley
House of Blues
Anaheim
WEdnesday
Less Than Jake
House of Blues
Anaheim
THURSDAY
Bo Bice
Ventura Theatre
Ventura
Photo by Carlos Delgado/for The Daily Titan
Lake Havasu City, Ariz.: Fans in the front row reach out as the band Cheap Trick performs.
LISTEN ONLINE
IF YOU SEE ME, GO TO
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/
DAILYTITANBUZZ
CHECK ONLINE
IF YOU SEE ME, GO TO
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/
DAILYTITANBUZZ
20
Friday
She Wants Revenge
Greek Theatre
Los Angeles
CHECK ONLINE
IF YOU SEE ME, GO TO
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/
DAILYTITANBUZZ
WATCH ONLINE
IF YOU SEE ME, GO TO
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/
DAILYTITANBUZZ
10.12.06
...........................................
The Cat in the Hat is Musical in Seussical
10.12.06 p.4
By JULIANNA CRISALLI
Daily Titan Staff Writer
thebuzz@Dailytitan.com
While the stage is covered with
people in black, checking the sound
in the front and the back, bright
colored costumes hang on racks
long and tall, preparing for actors as
they wiz down the hall.
For the past six weeks, theater
students have been singing and
reciting their way through the works
of Dr. Seuss in preparation for the
opening of Seussical: The Musical
tomorrow.
“I am interested to see the
audience’s response because of the
show’s history,” said William Lett,
co-choreographer for the production
and Cal State Fullerton professor.
“The show had an unexpected
life outside Broadway. It actually
became more popular.”
The Cat in the Hat acts as a guide
throughout the show introducing
the audience to some of the most
famous characters of Dr. Seuss,
including Morton the Elephant and
the Whos of Whoville. Tuffy, the
Titan mascot, is even given a guest
mention in one of the songs.
The majority of the production
crew is students. The show’s director,
Patrick Pearson, is a graduate
student at CSUF and has directed
campus productions before, but he
said this is by far the biggest.
“This wasn’t completely foreign
territory for me, but there were so
many new elements to work with,”
Pearson said.
Lett said Pearson adapted to the
position with professionalism.
“He is clearly not a student; he is
clearly a director,” Lett said.
Students are directing the
costumes, makeup, hair, scenery,
music and choreography.
“This allows the students to take
on an authoritative position. When
the students leave here, they have
had the opportunity to design a
show,” Pearson said.
During the past week, all the
elements of the production have
come together. Ryan Nearhoff, who
plays the Cat in the Hat, said that
working with the live orchestra and
wearing the costumes gives the actors
a boost after a tiring six weeks.
“It has been a roller-coaster ride. It
has been fun, exciting and tedious,”
Nearhoff said. “This is an exciting
week when it all comes together.”
With the correct lighting and
scenery in place, Lett said some of
the dancing had to be “fine-tuned.”
One scene involves the actors on
roller skates, and if the choreography
is off, they could end up in the
orchestra pit, Lett said.
“When all the elements start
coming together, then everyday
there is a new obstacle,” he said.
Lett said the final week of a
production always has its ups and
downs, but they will be ready by
show time.
Seussical: The Musical runs until
Oct. 29 in the Little Theatre.
Wearing a Familiar Hat
By Erin Tobin
For The Daily Titan
thebuzz@Dailytitan.com
Photo by Ian Hamilton
In high school, Ryan Nearhoff
wanted to be a rock star.
This Friday he will take the stage,
not as a drummer, but as one of
the most well-known characters in
children’s literature, the Cat in the
Hat in Seussical: the Musical.
Last April, Nearhoff won the
Williamstown Theater Festival
Apprenticeship, and he considers
the win quite a gift.
“It was an amazing glimpse at
professional life,” Nearhoff said. “I
feel like I really matured there.”
One moment that really struck
him during the apprenticeship
was when actress Kathleen Turner
instructed to the master class that
Photo by Ian Hamilton
The Whos of Whoville introduce themselves through a song in the production.
one important thing to do was to
buy yourself one treat a week to
remind yourself you’re special.
“It was something you didn’t
expect her to say,” Nearhoff said.
The trip marked a huge change
from someone who wasn’t happy
about theater at first.
Nearhoff said he wasn’t thrilled
when his mother enrolled both him
and his sister in theater at age 15,
but, eventually, he found his niche.
“I always liked to sing and
perform,” he said.
The balance between singing,
dancing and acting at CSUF is one
Nearhoff says he admires.
“They
really
care
about
professionalism,” he said, “It is not
quite just doing it because its fun. It
is more about the art.”
During his time at CSUF, he has
had both dramatic and comedic
parts, but he said he honestly doesn’t
have a least-favorite role.
“Everything has been a great
experience,” Nearhoff said.
Nearhoff said he didn’t expect to
get the role of the Cat in the Hat
but now it’s one of his favorites.
“There’s no holding back,” he
said. “I get to be a child.”
Jim Voltz, a professor in the
theater department, said The Cat in
the Hat could very well be Nearhoff’s
best performance at CSUF so far.
By Karen Aman
Daily Titan Staff Writer
TheBuzz@Dailytitan.com
Daniel Ramirez was 10 years old
when he and his father drove by a
music store.
“I saw a green guitar, and at that
time [green] was my favorite color,”
Ramirez, 23, said. “So I just asked
him to buy me a green guitar.”
Ramirez’ father took him into the
music store and signed him up for
guitar lessons.
“I never really found any interest
in playing until I saw that guitar,”
Ramirez said.
As Ramirez held his first guitar,
though not the green one, his
thoughts were, “Wow, I’m going to
play music.”
He’s been playing ever since.
Ramirez sits outside the
performing arts building at CSUF
strumming a beautiful ballad.
“It’s hard to portray those
emotions out to the public,” he
said. “I’m so nervous because I have
to play just by myself and be able to
support myself musically.”
Ramirez would like to teach
guitar and perform at weddings,
parties and whatever gig he can find
after he graduates.
He said no matter what happens,
it’s going to be a hard road.
“I’m already in a couple bands,”
he said. “I have a hip-hop band that
I’m doing, a cover band, and a trio
group.”
Ramirez’ hip-hop band is called
Illagan. The name is derived from
the television show “Gilligan’s
Island.” And the cover band is for
parties and weddings, Ramirez said.
“The rock band is just for fun-we’re
still looking for singers,” he said.
The song Ramirez enjoys playing
the most is “Figueroaa,” a song that
his rock band wrote.
“It’s about living in L.A. and the
people that are used to that kind
of life,” Ramirez said. “Everyone
has their own little things that set
them apart and make them special
or different.”
Ramirez said guitar is his first
love, and what he likes about it is
the reaction he gets.
“It’s become such a part of me, it
feels just like a natural thing now,”
he said. “I like to play in front of
people.”
“When it comes down to it, I
don’t really like attention, but it’s
just fun when people really like
what you’re performing or what you
Photo by Karen Aman
CSUF Student Guitarist Dreams of Touring Country
are trying to experience.”
Ramirez’ wildest ambition is
touring.
“Playing music, going out,
actually touring three months
around the country, ” Ramirez said.
“Just traveling and just doing it.”
Ramirez said he would be happy
just being the guitarist in some band
where the public knows only the
singers.
“My dream is not to become
famous,” he said. “I’d be happy
doing something and not making as
much. As long as I’m happy, that’s
what I care about.”
And, if you’re curious, Ramirez
never did play that green guitar.
........................................... p.5
10.12.06
By jonathan saavedra
Daily Titan Staff Writer
alevy@dailytitan.com
Chris Murray has hopped from
continent to continent, including
Europe, Asia and South America,
playing different shows throughout
his music career.
Last Thursday, he found
himself at Cal State Fullerton’s
TSU Underground Pub where
he performed some Jamaicaninfluenced ska and reggae in a lax,
campfireesque atmosphere mixed
with some students ordering their
lunches and leaving the show early
to get to class.
“I understood more or less what
the situation would be, and I’ve
played this kind of show before
where I’m playing in an eating
area, and people are having lunch,
coming in and coming out,” Murray
said. “But it’s really a healthy thing
to play to people who may have
not heard reggae before, so I really
welcome that kind of opportunity.”
Prior to becoming a solo artist
based in Los Angeles, Murray
was a part of now-defunct,
influential Canadian ska band King
Apparatus.
What drew the Canadian singer/
songwriter to Los Angeles was the
fact that the bands in the area played
a more authentic style of reggae,
rocksteady and ska, he said.
“When I saw what was happening
out here, that got me really excited,”
Murray said.
“There’s a large community of
people who are very arts, music,
entertainment oriented, so it’s a nice
place to be as a musician because
there’s a lot to do, a lot of places to
play, and a lot of people who are
really talented that have come here
or were here originally.”
Los Angeles can also a very
competitive place to be a musician.
“Of course it’s competitive
because so many people come
here, any band who tours will
come here, but I think it’s a healthy
competition,” he said.
Another thing that separates Los
Angeles from other parts of the
world is the audience.
“People here have been exposed
to the best, so it’s hard to impress
people,” Murray said.
“You have to be really good to
win a crowd because they’ve just
been exposed to everything, and if
you’re kind of in the middle, they’re
not that interested.”
Whether Murray is performing
in a club in Los Angeles, a pub at
CSUF or a venue in a different time
zone on the other side of the world,
there is one thing that is always
there – music.
“I think music is just one of those
Buzz Travel
Walk Like the Egyptians
A one point during the two-hour long camel ride to
the pyramids, the guide stops and all three of the
great Egyptian pyramids are in view.
Photo Courtesy Angie El Sherif
By Angie El Sherif
Daily Titan Staff Writer
TheBuzz@Dailytitan.com
Only one of the ancient Seven
Wonders of the World still stands
today: the pyramids of Egypt.
Built on the west bank of the
Nile River in Giza during the fourth
dynasty, they are also the oldest of
the seven wonders.
It’s one thing to see countless
pictures of the pyramids, but it’s
another to stand at the foot of one.
They’re simply stunning up close.
There are three great pyramids:
Khufu, Khafre and Menkaure. The
largest of the pyramids is that of
King Khufu, which is sometimes
called the Great Pyramid.
It covers an area of over 12
acres, and, according to the Greek
historian Herodotus, 10 years and
100 thousand laborers were required
to prepare the site.
The trip to the Giza Pyramids
takes about six hours and no more
than $13 per person.
When you first arrive at the
pyramids, it’s best to go straight to
one of the horse stables and rent a
horse or camel.
During the horseback or camel
ride, a man guides you for about
two hours to the best site-seeing
spots on the Giza Plateau.
The guide will, in the best
English he can, tell tourists little
details about the history of the area.
On the way inside the pyramids,
there is a long, narrow walkway that
leads to the tomb of the king.
The walkways are also short, so
you walk crouched over for about
10 minutes. Not to mention, the
air inside is hot and stuffy.
For those who can stand the heat
and contracted walkways, it’s quite
an adventure to walk in the footsteps
of the ancient Egyptians.
The Giza Plateau is home to a
number of other important early
tombs and other structures that are
almost always bypassed.
There are two boats placed in
a building about 100 yards from
the pyramids. They were made
to carry the pharaoh’s body to the
pyramid – the Nile flooded to the
foot of his tomb in those days. To
help preserve them, they make
tourists wear dust-free booties.
The famous Sphinx of Egypt on
the Giza Plaeau also must be visited.
With the head of a king and the
body of a lion, this colossus is carved
out of the very bedrock in which it
sits. You can get so close to it that
you can even see between the paws.
In Egypt, the pyramids are the
one stop tourists can’t miss.
Visiting Egypt without seeing
them is like going to Disneyland
without seeing Mickey Mouse.
Photo Courtesy Chris Murray
Traveled Artist Performs Reggae in TSU Pub
things that connects with people in
any kind of setting,” Murray said.
“It could be in a backyard or on a
stage in a big, formal production.
But really what connects music and
people is the same, whatever scenario
you’re in, and I think that is, for an
Buzz
artist or musician, the thing that
really gives you the momentum to
keep going and going.”
LISTEN ONLINE
TO CHRIS MURRAY AT
WWW.MYSPACE.COM/
DAILYTITANBUZZ
Fashion
The CSUF Dos and Don’ts
By alicia david
For The Daily Titan
TheBuzz@Dailytitan.com
DO support Cal State Fullerton
by wearing CSUF apparel.
DON’T wear Ugg Boots
when it’s over 60 degrees out.
When we know your feet are
sweating up the shoes, they just
aren’t as cute anymore.
CHECK ONLINE
FOR MORE DOS AND
DON’TS AT WWW.
MYSPACE.COM/
DAILYTITANBUZZ
DON’T wear legwarmers
and flip flops. it’s confusing and
you’re contradicting yourself.
DO get fun-patterned purses/
bookbags to match your outfit.
10.12.06 p.6
...........................................
Employee of the Month Weak, Predictable, Mindless
By christina martinez
Daily Titan Staff Writer
TheBuzz@dailytitan.com
In an attempt to re-create an
Office Space-type of movie, Employee
of the Month falls short, but does
have some comedic high points.
The movie’s main character
Zack (Dane Cook), is a
30-something slacker who lives with
his grandmother and works as a
box-boy at a Costco-like superstore.
Zack has given up on responsibility
and cares more about his daily poker
game in his secret clubhouse at work
than he does about his job.
Throughout the movie, Zack is
on a quest to become the employee
of the month to impress a new
cashier of few words, Amy (Jessica
Simpson). Rumor is that Amy has a
thing for employees of the month.
However, Zack’s co-worker and
nemesis, the egotistical Vince, (Dax
Shepard), is an overachieving cashier
who’s been employee of the month
for many months running.
He has the “fastest hands in the
southwest” and is also vying for
Amy’s attention.
In the beginning, there is an
immediate awkwardness between
Zack and Amy but, for some
reason, it’s portrayed as chemistry.
Apparently, they have so much in
common.
The relationship between Vince
and his box-boy Jorge (Napoleon
Dynamite alum Efren Ramirez) is a
little hard to watch.
The chemistry is weird and didn’t
hold my attention.
Amy doesn’t really talk throughout
the movie except when she tells
Zack she has dinner plans with
Vince. She is just there as a “prize
to be won” for Zack and Vince.
The move is funny if you’ve ever
worked in retail or had overexcited
bosses who live off of customer
satisfaction and inventory numbers.
Zack’s friends make the movie
entertaining as well, especially Lon
(Andy Dick). This optometrist
specialist is almost blind himself.
His one liners and physical
comedy due to his eyesight trouble
makes parts of the movie really
amusing.
However, if it wasn’t for the
Book
Photo by: John Johnson / Courtesy of Lions Gate Films
Russell (Harland Williams) and Lon (Andy Dick) in a Greg Coolidge comedy,“Employee of the Month.”
jokes and the characters that
deliver them, Employee of the Month
wouldn’t have held my attention.
The story line is weak,
Review
Drew Karpyshyn’s “Darth
Bane: Path of Destruction”
By Aaron Holtsclaw
Daily Titan Staff Writer
TheBuzz@dailytitan.com
In May of 1999, Star Wars fans
were granted little information
about the Sith they would not fully
understand until now.
“Always two there are. No more,
no less. A master and an apprentice,”
Master Yoda said at the end of The
Phantom Menace.
Where did the rule of two come
from?
This question has been speculated
over for the last seven years, and
now the answer is here.
Drew Karpyshyn’s new novel
“Darth Bane: Path of Destruction”
takes us into the mind of the Sith
Lord that created the rule of two
from the chaos which was the
original Sith order.
Karpyshyn unfolds the journey
of Dessel, the future Sith Lord,
starting from a mining colony
where his drunken father called him
the “bane” of his existence, to his
life in the Sith army and then to his
ascendance to become a master of
the dark side of the Force.
As lead writer of the successful
“Knights of the Old Republic” video
game, Karpyshyn learned about the
Sith and was respected enough to be
called upon to write a book about
the most famous dark force user the
world doesn’t know about.
The book explores a character
that most people would despise, but
tells his story in a way so the one can
understand why he chose the path
he did.
While perhaps unable to
sympathize with Darth Bane, one
can empathize with the decisions he
made to cope with the life he was
dealt.
The book explains that using
the dark side in and of itself is not
evil, but the motivations of the
user dictate the good or evil of the act.
Fans of science fiction or the Star
Wars universe will want to pick up
this book to see the history behind
the dark side of the force, and read
a good story.
Karpyshyn will be answering
questions from fans and signing his
book tonight at Barnes and Noble
in Huntington Beach at 7 p.m.
uninteresting and predictable.
Everyone watching knows who
is going to win in the big finale
finish.
However, if you’re in for a
mindless piece of entertainment that
has some good moments, Employee
of the Month is the movie to see.
........................................... p.7
Meng Hosts Orchestral Classics
By Kevin cole
Daily Titan Staff Writer
TheBuzz@dailytitan.com
It was Classics at the Movies at
Cal State Fullerton’s Meng Concert
Hall.
The idea for the theme was
arrived at after discussions between
the conductor and the chair of the
music department.
The performance was sold out in
the 800-seat hall, which can be tuned
by moving the acoustic canopy up
and down in addition to the curtains
on the side, chair of the music
department Marc Dickey said.
The acoustics are designed to have
the hall sound the same no matter
how many seats are filled.
The sellout crowd first heard the
overture from the Marriage of Figaro
by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart.
Among the movies it was used
were 1983’s Trading Places, and
1993’s Last Action Hero.
It’s also a very good study of
Mozart’s work, concert master
Daniel Noh said.
“It helps us to get involved
musically and technically,” he said.
Noh was the first chair among
the violinists.
By his side for the next piece,
Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini,
Op. 43 by Sergei Rachmaninoff was
Rob Watson, professor of music and
keyboard area coordinator.
The work was used in 1953’s The
Three Loves and 40 years later in
Groundhog Day.
It took 90 days to practice and
memorize the piece, Watson said.
He selected it after a discussion
with Kimo Furumoto, music
director and conductor.
“Rachmaninoff himself was a
superb pianist, and he actually had
recordings of it as well, which were
excellent. I enjoy hearing those,”
Watson said.
Noh said the orchestra never gets
bored with what he described as a
great piece all by itself.
“I don’t think there was one
moment when you lost the crowd,
it was just so intense, and I think it
was a lot of fun, very musical stuff,”
Noh said.
Fun and valuable experience
was what the conductor and music
department chair thought the
orchestra would gain from playing
with a pipe organ.
Dickey said he plays the organ at
the First Congregational Church in
Long Beach.
The organ part of the Symphony
No. three in C minor Op. 78 by
Camille Saint-Saens was played by
Dickey.
It was adapted and used in 1995’s
film Babe.
While it’s not a big solo piece,
it plays a prominent role in the
symphony as one more instrument
in the orchestra, and that’s why it’s
called the organ symphony, he said.
It was a wonderful experience
for the students to play with a pipe
organ, Dickey said.
Furumoto said though he’s a
violinist himself, his focus is on the
entire orchestra.
“I am always interested in the
full orchestral color and fabric. [...]
I love the violin part, but I also
like to hear the harp, clarinet and
trombone solos. I am interested
in all of those colors, not just the
violin,” Furumoto said.
The next musical performance at
the Meng Concert Hall will be A
Celebration of the Piano with Rob
Watson, Alison Edwards & Sergey
Martinchuk on Oct. 28.
Killers Sam’s Town Strays
from Hot Fuss neo-’80s
By Paolo Andres
Daily Titan Staff Writer
TheBuzz@dailytitan.com
If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
The Killers’ new album, Sam’s
Town, has deviated so much from
their original sound that their music
just becomes a faint pigment of the
neo-’80s pop that made their first
album, Hot Fuss, a multiplatinum
hit.
Technically, the band seems
grown up with new elements
derived from musical giants U2 and
Bruce Springsteen.
But, unfortunately, the band has
deviated so much from Hot Fuss that
their new album is really more of a
Killers-esque sound than a genuine
Killers flair.
The album, by itself, is not badly
made. It’s actually far from it.
Lyrically, the album is quite superb
with tracks that highlight vocalist
Brandon Flower’s poetic capability
with lyrics like “They say the devil’s
water, it ain’t so sweet / you don’t
have to drink right now / but you
can dip your feet / every once in a
little while” in “When You Were
Young.”
Many of the songs are actually
quite catchy and are full of impact
and energy, reminiscent of the same
brilliant, up-tempo tunes from Hot
Fuss.
With elements from the music
giants emanating from each rift and
chord, some of the songs, though
different, can be quite appealing
and catchy. The track “Why do I
Keep Counting,” for example, has
a rock-opera feel that is akin to
Queen’s glam-rock style.
Sadly, this same inspiration can
be quite detrimental since the band
incorporates some of the more
outdated styles of past bands.
Though Hot Fuss also integrated
an old school sense to it, their ’80spop feel actually mixed well because
of the country’s recent appeal to the
’80s culture.
This time though, the band has
gone even further back with their
use of Springsteen-style melodies.
Unfortunately, the Killers have
missed their mark on this one since
it seems that people are not yet
ready to head that far back in the
musical timeline.
All-in-all, their new album is a
hit-or-miss kind of affair that will
both titillate and frustrate new and
old fans alike.
LISTEN ONLINE
NEW KILLERS @ WWW.
MYSPACE.COM/DAILYTITANBUZZ
10.12.06
TSU Pub Serenaded Oct. 4
Photo by Suzanne Sullivan
Marcus Johnson drums durng Serenade Me Cadence’s Becker Ampitheatre performance at CSUF
while Trevor Ford plays guitar in front of him.