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8 thursday, January 24,2008 ‘Films of R/Swift’ gives life to electronic music BY BRYAN REED DIVERSIONS EDITOR The very name. Instruments of Science and Technology, carries the perfect mix of enigmatic sci-fi nerdity to act as the moniker for popsmith Richard Swift’s eerily propulsive electronic project. The title carries an evocation of distance and coldness, almost ste reotypical of electronic music. But with Music from the Films of R/Swift, Swift’s music is given room to breathe, becoming some thing akin to human, despite the notable absence of truly human elements in the arrangements. Swift declares his intentions boldly with the pulsing, dance ready “INST," in which a robotic voice declares again and again, “We are the instruments of science and technology.' as a metronomic, four-on-the-floor snare beat but tresses the song against a whirring onslaught of electronic tones and insistent waves of bass. The rest of the album, however, takes a decidedlv more atmo ‘Savages’ saved by acting, not plot BY RACHEL BRODY STAFF WRITER “The Savages" has raw acting and ironic, brutal humor, but its plot loses power and ultimately proves too tame. Writer and director Tamara Jenkins tries to present a story that avoids melodramatic break throughs and instead functions in the subtle neuroses of her char acters. Unfortunately, this refusal to dwell in the past hurts the film, making it hard to understand the motivation for much of the char acters' dysfunction. When their aging father Lenny (Philip Bosco) begins to suffer from dementia and is kicked out of his comfortable assisted-living condo, the brother-sister team of Jon and Wendy (Philip Seymour Hoffman and Laura Linney) are called upon c 7 Oi; j College Night Everything half off! s W c* J Discount at Door with UNC Student ID ulc* -CitSO $2 Coors Light Bottles $6 Holy Grail Must be 18 to hang out and 21 to drink {http://www.myspdce.cbm/playerschapeihtl!} \ Always available for private parties 929-0101 Your*Ticket to China Teach English & Study Mandarin in Shenzhen Spend a year teaching English and learning Chinese in Shenzhen. This large, well-established, government sponsored program is now in its 11 th year. Shenzhen is a Mandarin-speaking city. It is the only program of its kind. Preparatory training in China includes the TEFL in China Certificate. Teach English September-June 15 in Shenzhen public school or college, and study Mandarin (4 levels available) in our own courses, taught by Shenzhen University faculty. • Salary, housing, and contract bonus • Housing & tours during the training • On-Site Coordinators • Airline tickets reimbursed • Paid 3-week vacation ian/Feb Requirements: College degree (by July 2006) and native speaker of English Teaching experience is not required. All majors are welcome. Prior study of Chinese is not required. For information and an application: www.chinaprogram.org E-mail: china.programOgmail.com Center for Teaching A learning in OWm. 7592 W famwngton, Ste 145. Germantown. TH Ml M am = * ss It MVSIQ REVIEW INSTRUMENTS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY MUSIC FROM THE FILMS OF R/SWIFT EIKTMNK spheric approach, layering tones and alternating driving rhythms with stretches of glassy calm to create unsettling harmonic disso nances that would sound at home as the score to some apocalyptic thriller. And like a good thriller ought MOVIE REVIEW THE SAVAGES as caregivers. But neither sibling is anxious to abandon their lives in order to help their father, who they haven’t spoken with in years. It is clear that both Savage chil dren have an estranged relationship with their father, but the audience is left wondering why that is. Any details of their father’s abandonment and/or abuse are barely implied. Wendy, a struggling playwright, wonders if her semi-autobiograph ical work is mere middle-class whining, and with little rationale for the characters’ behavior, the film encroaches on being just Diversions to, the album raises questions about what exactly it means to be human. Man can create a synthetic arti fice of himself, but at what point does this creation begin to take on a life of its own? As the music swells and recedes into dissonance and melody, into rhythmic pulses or extended metallic tones, it begins to become something apart from Instruments of Science and Technology, as if the band has not created music, but given birth to it. The music claims its own life its own kind-of-human exis tence in the realm of speakers and headphones. It’s a life complete with moments of harshness, confu sion and sublime clarity, all play ing against each other to create a collection of sounds, that when taken as a whole, becomes an affecting entity. Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu that. But the sometimes brilliant nuances are not lost on Hoffman and linney. Both actors own their characters and bring forward the incredible depth that the plot lacks. Linney’s neurotic outburts paired with Hoffman's egotistical detachment allow' for the film's dark humor, as well as powerful dialogues. Much of the first half thrives in bitterly ironic moments, such as the scene of a stoic Hoffman carrying an “I Love You" balloon awkwardly around his father’s hospital room. Linney and Hoffman powerful ly deliver their empty, narcissistic characters until the end. But the end for “The Savages" is a clumsy meditation on family and loss. Contact the Diversions Editor at dive@unc.edu NEW movie listings sent to your phone every Friday! txt QuickFlix to E 3578 UNC CAMPUS & CARRBORO 919-929-0246 412 E. Main St., Carrboro Delivery charges may apply. hßAfl———————r Home Alone ! ! any way I 1 Small 1-Topptng * a2ooz I I YOU WANT IT Bottle of Coca-Cola* I I .... a.AA ii Medium Pizza || |[ with up to4of | M . your favorite toppings , | 1 HeOham l-Tooolnp Pizza a2 - .1 nssii I" kssss 111 I raiin • • One l-Topp<ng Pizza each II * 2 Liter Coca-Cola * !l !j |i *999 *n9? f -Topping Pizzas I| , Medium Larpa I *“-> .j! !i' $ 122? Ilsaas. } Resolving to shake my booty A couple of weeks ago when I went to cover a show by Chapel Hill garage-blues duo The Moaners at the Local 506,1 got a different experience than I bargained for. 1 expected it to be a fairly low key event where I could just stand there, hands in pockets, soaking in the music. However, Robosapien. the infectiously dance-happy party rap group that hit the stage first, had different plans. The group turned the 506 into a regular dance club, rapping quirkily over flashy beats and demanding that the audience get up and shake it. And the audience failed to dis appoint them, shaking, gyrating and cavorting with fervor. As 1 stood there, hands firmly in pockets, observing the affair, 1 couldn't help wishing 1 was having as much fun as the ones dancing. I’ve never been one to dance. In fact, I typically avoid it as though it is an incurable disease. And when I think about it now. I’m not sure why. Perhaps it’s because I grew up with the hard-rock machismo idea that dancing somehow makes a man more feminine being drilled in my head. Perhaps it’s because my friends can’t seem to stop laughing when- SIkRSYSTEM ★ POOR ★★ FAIR ★★★ GOOD ★★★★ EXCELLENT ★★★★★ CLASSIC DIVESMFF Bryan Reed. Editor 843-45291 dive@unc.edu Jamie Williams, Assistant Editor David Bemgartt, Rachel Brody, Melissa Brown. Jordan Lawrence. Rachael Oehring, Luis Torres, Cathenne Williams, staff writers Abby Jeffers. Design Editor Cover Design Jilliar Nadeß Melissa Withom I • JORDAN LAWRENCE ITS ELECTRIC I BOOGIE WOOGIE WOOGIEI ever I find the courage (or, more correctly, the desire to make a fool of myself) and start moving to the music. Whatever the reason, it doesn’t really matter to me now. When I look back on all the proms, all the nights out with friends and all the fun I’ve let slip through my fingers, all I can do is wish I had danced. Every time I actually let all my insecurities go and do it I feel alive in way I can find through no other vehicle. DIVE RECOMMENDS Album From the Vaults Ozzy Osbourne Blizzard of Ozz: The 1980 LP solidified Ozzy's status as heavy metal's figurehead but, more importantly, served as a stunning swan song for guitar god Randy Rhoads (1956-1982). Movie Rental Pick: "10 Things I Hate About You": Julia Stiles is OK as the film's "shrew." but the real star here is Heath Ledger (1979-2008) at his heart-throbbing-est (save, of course, for "A Knight’s Tate"). Something Random: Chess: Play the game of kings as a loving tribute to Bobby Fischer (1943-2008) Events: Today Max Indian/Jeff Crawford Local 506 | Pop rock, in a classic Beatles-y sense, makes a comeback at the 506 tonight 9:30 p.m. S6 Friday The Bronzed Chorus Jack Sprat | Greensboro's Bronzed Chorus bring expansive, dynamic post rock to the campus-side of Franklin. 11 p.m. Cantwell Gomez & Jordan/Calabi Yau Nightlight | It's a mighty fine night for skronky math rock, with Durham's CGJ and Charlotte's Calabi Yau colliding into the same bill. It's almost too grand to handle. 10 p.m. Simple/Prabir & The Substitutes The Cave | Laid-back indie pop from some of the region's most delightful 10:30 p.m. 21 and up. Transportation Cat's Cradle | Transportation plays power trio rock 'n' roll with an infectious sense of irony-free fun The band lends its power-balladry to support a benefit for momma chain We Know Bikes www.thebicyclechain.com ■ Sales, Service, Rentals ■ Certified Mechanics ■ Lifetime Free Service ■ Trade In Program ■ Price Match Guarantee CHAPEL HILL: 210 W. Franklin St. 919-929-0213 Open 7 days a week SPECIALIZED TREK AVEDA INSTITUTE chapel hill Indulge your Valentine - Feel the Aveda Difference For Her & Him: “A Day At The Spa” sk> /value $, 74 For Her & Him: “Spa Experience” $75 /value $lO4 For Hen “Long Lunch Date” $75 /value $lO4 For Him: “Ultimate Relaxation” $75 /value $124 For Yourself: “Date Night” SSO /va ,ue $72 73 Call today for more details! 919.9604769 •Specials are not vaik) with other discounts A\/ C Pi A and offers. No refunds. Valid until s/16/08 |tf l CJL^AV Shr Daily oar Hrrl And whenever I find myself in a place where people are dancing. I envy those who have enough confidence to join in. I know it’s a bit late at this point to declare a New Year's reso lution, but I’m going to go ahead and make this one anyway: When I get the opportunity to let go, have fun and just let the music take me over. I’m going to go ahead and dance. No matter how bad I might be. So, if you see me at a show where everyone else is dancing, please pull my awkward, pro testing figure out of the corner and shove me onto the dance floor. I might fight you at first. But I promise I’ll thank you later. Contact Jordan Unrrence at bjorda n @ email, u nc.edu apartment fire recovery. With DirtysThirty. Time TBA. Price TBA Saturday Caltrop/Fin Fang Foom The Cave | Volume will not be in short supply, and Caltrop's lead-heavy low end meets Fin Fang Foom's brooding cre scendoes 10:30 p.m 21 and up Red Collar/IWTDI/Megafaun Local 506 | A triple bill with unending awesomeness, this show features some of the best jams Durham (or any city, really) has to offer Expect an epiphany 10 p.m. $6 111 Eagle/Bells Nightlight | 111 Eagle is the solo project of Mtlemarker sAI Bunan Bells is the ambi ent-leaning laptop+gurtar project of Sweater Weather's Jon Mackey 9:30 p.m. Sunday Ships/The Nothing Noise Local 5061 Two promising and exciting young indie-rock bands hone their home made sounds down at 506 W Franklin St 9:30 p.m. FREE! Kimya Dawson/Midtown Dickens BCHQ, Durham | If you liked the music from "Juno," then you'll love this show, since Kimya Dawson. like, made the music from ‘Juno’ mostly all by herself 7 p.m. Movies in the Union: "The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford" topped quite a few critics' lists at the end of 'O7. Friday. 7 p.m.; Saturday, 9:30 p.m. "Tyler Perry's Why Did I Get Married?" I have no idea But the movie stars Janet Jackson Friday, 10 p.m.: Saturday. 7 p.m Contact the Diversions Editor at dwe@unc.edu
Daily Tar Heel (Chapel Hill, N.C.)
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Jan. 24, 2008, edition 1
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