12
the Seahawk I LIFESTYLES | October 28, 2004
For your convenience: The Seahawk tells you what is good
Seahawk Staff
Each week, your Seahawk staff will choose three albums that are necessary additions to any respectable collection. The
editors of the Life section, in addition to a randomly chosen staff member (aka, whoever didnt run 3way) will pick a
favorite that falls outside of the mainstream. As always, e-mail your suggestions to lsh6408@uncw.edu. li they are good,
we might write about them. If they are awfiil, we will laugh at you at the next editor s meeting.
K’s Choice -
Almost Happy
Joseph Arthur -
Redemption's Son
Lifestyles Editor LinnieSarah Helpern
Let me be the first to say it; the singer-song-
writer genre is getting played out. I believe
that John Mayer is to blame for this over-satu-
ration of moody “me” music (and realistically,
what can’t be blamed on John Mayer?) There
are only five songwriters worth paying atten
tion to (the rest will be mentioned eventually),
one of which is little-known Peter Gabriel
protege, Joseph Arthur. His 2002 release.
Redemption’s Son, is perhaps one of the best
fusions of avant-garde song styles and extro
verted lyrics to come along in years. Even if
you are disgusted with the genre as a whole,
check out Redemption’s Son; it will really give
those JM albums a run for their money.
Staff Writer Brian Tucker
K’s Choice are not well known in America
save for a spot on Lilith Fair and the song “Not
an Addict” featured in the film Wild Things.
There is an intoxicating quality to their sound,
especially that of lead singer Sara Bettens,
whose raspy, yet honey soaked, vocals can
sooth and haunt you simultaneously. Almost
Happy (2002) is their most recent release and
manages to make songs about depression,
longing, femily and relationships sound jar
ringly beautiful. Almost Happy is their most
mature album to date, exchanging alterna
tive sounding rock and acoustic songs for
mood and melody whose focal point is clearly
Bettens vocals. Almost H^py will remain
active in your CD collection, the type of
album you fmd yourself listening to over and
over. Ahnost Happy also comes with a second
CD compiling 15 live tracks.
Planes Mistaken For Stars
- Knife In The Marathon
Assistant Lifestyles Editor Brad Holland
A few years ago, there was this band called
Pacific R^dio Fire, who will undoubtedly
go down in history as the mightiest band to
ever come out of North Carolina. This guy
Matt that played guitar for them was always
talking about this band and how wicked awe
some they were. Since he was in the mightiest
band to ever come out of North Carolina, I
naturally had to believe everything he said.
Boy howdy, did that ever pay off! This is one
of the dirtiest, smelliest, raunchiest records 1
have ever heard, and it’s fantastic. Be sure to
stick around after the last song for the super
top-secret Unbroken cover.
'House of Sand and Fog' is worth arguing over
Lauren Scarpa
Staff Writer
“House of Sand and Fog,” directed by
Vadim Perelman, is a dark and dreary film in
which no action takes place except for various
arguments (both in Enghsh, as well as Iranian)
over a house in San Francisco. With no special
effects, suspense or violence, “House of Sand
and Fog” is a good film to just sit back and
watch to see what is going to happen next.
The movie begins with Kathy (played by
Jennifer Connelly, who was nominated for a
best actress Oscar for this role) being evicted
frpm her home because she owes business
taxes on a business that she never owned.
With nowhere to go, she ends up in a motel
and her possessions are locked up in storage.
Meanwhile, Behrani, (Ben Kingsley who
was also nominated for an Oscar for best
actor for this role) sees an ad for the auction
ing of the house. Behrani wants to purchase
the house to be reminded of his home back in
Iran. Behrani and his family were driven from
their home by his own army, forcing him and
his family to flee to America.
The bulk of the movie is spent focusing on
a battle of wills between Kathy and Behrani as
she goes back to the house to try and persuade
/,* . «•-
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them to turn it back
over to her What
makes “House of
Sand and Fog” so
timely is that while
the main characters
come from drasti
cally different
backgrounds, they
still want the same
thing; a home that
reminds them of
their past
Their desire was
so great even, that
both of their new
lives seemed to
parallel one anoth-
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£thy ITmg Tn ff'^^Conaelly received an Oscar nomination for her role in "House of
her car Behranf ha.s ? have a
TreSrt to wTilcb^ reminds you of the better things in life.
mroadconstructionjusttomakeendsmeet. excellent film with a'shockmg ending that
The beauty of this movie is that it shows
the desire that everyone experiences to have
a place that reminds them of how good life
can be.
Perelman’s lyrical masterpiece was an
made the whole experience completely per
fect. Anyone interested in learning how even
the most different of nations share the same
ideals should definitely rent “House of Sand
and Fog,” available on DVD.
TheOC
addicts unite!
courtesy of ocie8.ca)n
Obsessive OC fans can now re-live their fa
vorite show ad nauseam with the first seasoD
on DVD. With the seven-disc collection in
hand, there is no reason to leave the house.
LinnieSarah Helpern
Lifestyles Editor
“Welcome to the O.C., bitch. This is how
it’s done in Orange County.” With those
immortal words, thus began what would
end up being one the biggest television phe
nomenon of 2003; Fox’s smash nighttime
soap The OC. Just in time for the upcom
ing hohday shopping season, the produces
have released the first season of the show
on DVD.
The OC found a mass audience when it
premiered as a mid-season replacement in
2003. What exactly was it that appealed to
teens, as well as aduhs, across the country?
Was it the story of a good kid from the
wrong side of the tracks suddenly finding
the love of a family? Was it the smart yet
adorable geek and his seeming unattainable
love interest? Or was it all of the drama that
seems to come along with wealth, power,
looks, fancy cars, good schools.. .ah, you get
the point. You be the judge. But whatever the
reason. The OC has become the most popu
lar, and admit it, addictive, show in years.
Bucking the typical 100 episodes and
a year in syndication trend most television
shows implement when hitting the DVD
shelves, producers of The OC know a good
thing when they see it. Loaded with extras,
the entire first season of the show hit shelves
early this week. Included in the seven-disk
set are a collection of deleted scenes, a
music guide for the first six episodes, audio
commentary, and a look at the real Orange
County in California.
For those out there that can’t go a day
without listening to Seth Cohen music (you
know who you are) or can’t sleep at night
without looking at your Mischa Barton
poster, the fu^t season of The OC on DVD
should be at the top of those holiday lists.