The Back Room MUSIC
REVIEWS
by Editors
Do you remember the early 2000s? Back then, open imitation wasn't frowned upon — it was considered near-revolutionary. Critics loved Interpol because they adopted the look (Kraftwerk) and sound (Joy Division) of a forgotten age, when ties were skinny and times were good. Honesty and integrity were never called into question. Besides, few people had ever listened to Closer, and Interpol wrote great songs.
U. K. band, Editors, continue in this tradition, but owe more to the knock-offs than the real thing. Throughout The Back Room, the group's debut album, vocalist Tom Smith plagiarizes Paul Banks' deadpan delivery while the rest of the crew churns out a predictable mix of darting guitars and rapid-fire drum fills. Inexplicably, the album was recently nominated for Britain's prestigious Mercury Prize (though it should be noted that country once sent a cell phone ring tone to #1). Few of the 11 tracks are noteworthy and most are indistinguishable from the others. The
opening bombast of lead single "Bullets" raises high hopes, but once the guitars bottom out, Smith is left alone to observe "If something has to change then it always does."Listening to The Back Room, I knew exactly what he meant; I put on a better album.
Dave Ruigh
Bottoms of Barrels MUSIC by Tilly and the Wall
Tap dancing. Sing-alongs. Upbeat music.No, it's not the weekly meeting of your church youth group,it's Tilly and The Wall.
On its second album,Tilly and The Wall continues its signature sound of upbeat music mixed with tap dancing and makes one of the best albums of the summer.From its upbeat "Rainbows In The Dark" to the moving closer "Coughing Colors",Bottoms of Barrels is a nearly perfect album.
Improvement between albums is a quality that makes a good band. Nickelback has yet to figure this out, but luckily Tilly and The Wall has mastered it. The band's last album lacked variety, but Bottoms of Barrels has a little bit of everything. A little 60s rock on "Urgency", breezy electronic pop on "The Freest Man" and the ultimate sing along song
(appropriately titled,"Sing Songs Along", all make for a nice album.
So if you are looking for a little folk mixed with Mates of State style sing-alongs, then maybe this is the album for you.
Chris Brower
Step Up MOVIE
Ever since Baby stepped out of the corner and onto the stage with Johnny Castle, dance + romance movies have given throngs of guys a reason to groan while being dragged to the theatre. And really, can you blame them? I love a dance practice montage as much as the next girl, but these films are pretty formulaic. Girl meets boy. One of them can't dance or lacks professional training. They dance.
They fall in love. One of them quits.
And finally, they come together for one a rousing final dance scene.
"Step Up" is the latest dance flick to follow this predictable path. Relative newcomers Channing Tatum (Tyler) and Jenna Dewan (Nora) are mismatched partners brought together by Tyler's disregard for private property. More than a few community service hours later, rough-around-the-edges, but
highly flexible Tyler ends up filling in for Nora's injured dance partner. He adds the hip-hop factor to Nora's prissy dance routine for her senior showcase, and soon they become more than practice buddies.
Urban stereotypes abound in "Step Up," something that takes away from the best part of the movie — the dancing. Unfortunately, there's not enough of it to make up for cheesy dialogue and a run of
the mill storyline. Tatum and Dewan have palpable chemistry and the moves and music are hot.Hot, that is, up until the requisite final dance that pales in comparison to Baby and Johnny's last dirty dance in the Catskills.
★★
Melissa Byrd
ALL RATINGS ARE OUT OF A POSSIBLE FIVE STARS.★★★★★
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