The H-SC Tiger » Student Reviews

Music Reviews

admin — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:36:48 +0000

Drake-Take Care

Rating: B+ (4.5)

In his second album Drake proves that he deserves to be among the best rap artists making music today. Take Care is solid work from start to finish. The album opens with “Over My Dead Body,” a mellow tune that has Drake quasi-singing over a soft piano melody about how despite the money, he hopes not to change. Resisting the temptations of money is the main theme of the entire album, along with his reactions to an ever-changing environment and his hope to remain true to who he is. The theme continues with the second track on the album, “Take a Shot for Me,” a mournful tune lamenting the loss of his past girl. The next track “Headlines” is one of the best songs on the album and really shows what Drake can be at his peak. He raps fast and well and throws in his signature Drake style all over an up-tempo beat. The album slows down a bit here with soft songs like “Take Care” (featuring Rihanna) and “Marvin’s Room,” two of the best songs from the album and songs that show Drake’s versatility. Further flexing his musical muscles, Drake returns to his days of “Over” and “Forever” with “HYFR,” a collaboration with fellow Young Money rapper Lil’ Wayne. The album falls short however on the tracks that Drake tries too hard on. He seems determined to prove that a rapper can be tender and soft yet still have credibility. He does this well on a few tracks (namely, “Marvin’s Room” and “Headlines”), but he does not capture the magic from those two tracks over the course of the entire album.

Coldplay- Mylo Xyloto

Rating: B (4)

The fifth studio album from arguably the biggest band on the planet right now does not disappoint. Despite taking a different direction from their grandiose album Viva La Vida Or Death and All His Friends, this album is still very good. The band stated that Mylo Xyloto is a concept album focusing on a love story with a happy ending. The band originally set out to release an acoustic and stripped down album, but through the course of recording it came out with a more electronic feel. Despite the “concept” label, the album still has slow piano filled jams that echo “The Scientist” and “Fix You” that Coldplay fans have come to know and love; Most notably is “Hurts Like Heaven.” But where this album really shines is in the more fast-paced songs such as “Every Teardrop Is a Waterfall,” and, in my opinion, the best song on the album “Paradise.” Both songs are filled with lead singer Chris Martin’s soaring vocals. Coldplay also spreads their wings into more of a pop theme with the song “Princess of China” which features vocals from megastar Rihanna. The song doesn’t live up to the rest of the album but there is potential for more of the same nature. All in all, Coldplay still has a lot left in them and Mylo Xyloto serves as a holdover while hardcore Coldplay fans wait for the next Viva La Vida or A Rush Of Blood to The Head.

The Black Keys- El Camino

Rating: A (5)

The Black Keys bring a garage band/blues style to modern rock, and they do it well. This album is the duo’s seventh and, perhaps, their best. The band moves away from their traditional blues style and delves into a broader range of rock and roll styles. Despite the album only clocking in at 37:42, it is great from start to finish. Most of the songs on the album were recorded in one to two takes, which gives it a raw edge that really pushes it over the top. El Camino kicks off with the high-energy jam “Lonely Boy” with a heavy guitar riff and haphazard, yet perfectly timed, drums. The energy keeps coming with “Dead and Gone” and the also brilliant is “Gold on the Ceiling,” which is one of the more blues-rooted songs on the album. Think of the White Stripes… except better. The hits keep on coming with the two more excellent tracks: “Little Black Submarines” and “Sister.” If you ever want to get a party going or need some good beats to frat jam to, this is your album. I cannot say enough good things about this album. I highly recommend it.

Movie Reviews

admin — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 02:14:11 +0000

Lion King 3D

Enjoyable to watch: 5

Invigorating to the mind: 3

Chance it makes a good date: 5

Script: 5

Cinematography: 5

Overall average: 4.6

Lion King 3D brings forth a new viewing of a modern classic. The film will be shown in select theatres for two weeks. Before going to the theatre, one knows that the 3-D effect is not required for a film that has the memorable cast of James Earl Jones, Jeremy Irons, Jonathan Taylor Thomas, and Nathan Lane, well-composed songs and a story tried and true. This is different from other 3-d films such as James Cameron’s Avatar, which demands the effect. The extra dimension does enhance a few of the scenes and makes the artwork realized better. The best part of this remake is that it stays so true to the original. Unlike other remasterings such as those in the Star Wars franchise, the changes made to Lion King 3D are more subtle like the audio remastering, for example, or the included 3D effect itself. These modifications come under guidance of Disney Pixar Producer/director John Lassetter (Toy Story, Bugs Life, Monster’s Inc.). This film certainly creates the want for more theatre re-releases by Disney.

Killer Elite

Enjoyable to watch: 4

Invigorating to the mind: 2

Chance it makes a good date: 2

Script: 2

Cinematography: 3

Overall average: 2.4

Jason Statham and Robert De Niro meet in the Gary McKendry film Killer Elite. The film follows a retired assassin (Statham) as he is brought back to action to kill British Special Forces for a Middle Eastern millionaire in order to save his father (De Niro). The film has high potential, but it just never reaches it. The dialogue is unentertaining, the cinematography, while good in action sequences, feels choppy in less action-filled scenes. Though De Niro gives a good performance, his character is disappointingly never given any room to truly develop. This is an action movie, but it falls short in comparison to so many great films that have combined a good story with a lot of action such as the Daniel Craig James Bond films. The true failure of the film is that it does not live up to its promise. Instead of being a Statham and De Niro film, it comes across as merely a Statham film with De Niro in it, and even there it fails.

Moneyball

Enjoyable to watch: 5

Invigorating to the mind: 4

Chance it makes a good date: 5

Script: 5

Cinematography: 5

Overall average: 4.8

Audiences have been asking for a good sports film for a while, and their prayers have been answered with Bennet Miller’s Moneyball. The film follows Oakland A’s general manager Billy Beane (Pitt) in the 2002 season, and it truly has it all: a well constructed script that balances comedy and seriousness, an all-star cast including Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill, and Phillip Seymour Hoffman; a cinematography that is well thought out. It is no surprise that Pitt’s performance is already developing an Oscar buzz. The true strength of the film comes not from its cast or the dialogue but how it presents an often overlooked aspect of the game: the business aspect. Moneyball shows how the ways of the deal impacts the game on the field while at the same time showing how undervalued players can be brought out if one just has the right way of seeing them. Moneyball is a compliment to the game of baseball.

Sigh No More, Mumford & Sons

admin — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 21:34:43 +0000

Hailing from London, England, Mumford and Sons comes on the indie folk scene singing loud and proud. Their deep-rooted love for country, folk, and bluegrass is completely clear in their debut album Sigh No More. Though the CD was released in February of this year, I feel that it’s worth a review. Besides, the band is definitely worth getting the word out about – in fact, Mumford and Sons would be a choice of mine for a future Greek Week band in the concert put on by the CAC. Mumford and Sons is one of the few folk bands that I know of from London who has made their way over to the USA. Not only have they made it across the pond, but with their signing to Island Records, they’ve made it to 127th on the US charts.

The CD is full of folk anthems and vocal harmonies that you just want to sing at the top of your lungs with the rest of the band when you’re driving in your car with all the windows down. Yet, at the same time, the CD has its fair share of mellow songs. While the whole band does sing on the record, Marcus Mumford is the one who does the heavy lifting in that respect. Many of the songs on the record can be easily compared to a lot of Fleet Foxes work with the layers of country-sounding vocal harmonies and slow finger-picking on acoustic guitars and mandolins. While at the same time, the band pulls of some more foot-stompin’ songs to the likes of Bon Iver. This folksy blend of upbeat and sometimes slow and dark songs makes a perfect blend for “Sigh No More.”

To begin the CD, the band opens with “Sigh No More,” which opens with a slow acoustic guitar and vocals, which are covered in layered harmonies. The band has a tendency to start and song out slow and then pick it up in double-time thumping a bass drum on every beat of the measure. Next on the CD we have “The Cave” and “Roll Away Your Stone” with the relaxing trumpet filled melodies of “Winter Winds” smartly placed between the two songs previously mentioned. “The Cave” is certainly one for the ladies with its mellow intro slowly moving into another foot-stomper. “White Blank Page” and “I Gave You All” both are a little more relaxing than the rest of the CD and are great place to slow down in the middle of the CD. These are also some of the darker, more emotional songs on the CD. Finally we come to the bands biggest anthem-bearing song, “Little Lion Man.” This is also the bands first single off of the CD and might be the best song they’ve done. The rest of the CD, consisting of 5 more songs, is much like the beginning, but with more of a country, swaying feel to it, and then concludes with a very laid back song, “After the Storm.”

Mumford and Sons is the next big thing. Their CD can be purchased on most major online CD stores such as iTunes and Amazon or you can pick it up at Best Buy. I don’t care how you get Sigh No More, but I do care that you get it. Again, continue the search for good independent music!