REVIEW
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MUSIC REVIEW // OF MONTREAL - 'FALSE PRIEST'
> KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption.
(POLYVINYL)
Kevin Barnes is at it again with more infectious psych pop on Of Montreal's latest effort. Fans of the group's last album will smile when the tambourine kicks off the funky opener, "I Feel Ya Strutter."
Barnes, the band's mastermind and chief songwriter, has supposedly chosen to return to more traditional, acoustic instrumentation like live pianos, drums and strings. The result is a cheery blend of funk, dance and psychedelia-infused pop gems — a departure from the synthetic tunes of 2008's Skeletal Lamping. With a preference for what I think of as Barnes' golden-age sound (think Satanic Panic in the Attic and Sunlandic Twins), I have to say that this is much more appealing than the band's sound as of late.
The lyrics are equally poignant and off-the-wall. On "Cocquet Coquette" Barnes eerily pleads, "I don't wanna catch you with some other guy's face under your eyelids," and then on "Godly Intersex" his deadpan mutter describes a strange scene: "A zombie's licking your window for black body radiation."
and fluctuating fuzzes that dazzle the ears, especially with headphones.
My immediate reaction was to connect it to the second half of 2007's Hissing Fauna, Are You the Destroyer?, which features a few dance-synth numbers that laid the groundwork for the schizophrenic mania of Skeletal Lamping. Janelle Monae's soothing croon accompanies Barnes on "Our Riotous Defects" and "Enemy Gene," cementing the album's vague R&B/soul feel.
Lyrics aside, False Priest is somewhat of a studio wonder. There are marvelous flutters
Of Montreal has come a long way since 1997's Cherry Peel, but with False Priest Barnes retains the voyeuristic and masochistic tone that many have come to love so much: "I want somebody to frisk me, I want this night to destroy me."
(WARP)
ALEX TRETBAR
RESTAURANT REVIEW // BIGG'S BARBEQUE
> The taste of the town, one meal at a time.
For quality Midwest meat and potatoes, surrounded with TVs and a sports bar feel, Bigg's Barbeque, 2429 Iowa St., is a great place to round up your guy friends and watch the game.
Favorites at Bigg's include pulled pork, ribs and Italian sausage, all for under $10. For those not wild about barbeque, the restaurant offers chicken fingers, burgers, soups and vegetarian-friendly items like hearty salads and veggie burgers.
I started with fried pickles, one of my favorites at Bigg's. The pickles were warm and juicy on the inside and fried to perfection, going perfectly with barbeque ranch. Then I had a side salad and topped it off with chicken fingers. Sampling a friend's pulled pork, I was pleasantly surprised at how juicy the meat was.
Even though I'm not a big barbeque fan, I was impressed with Bigg's Barbeque, though the chicken strips were a little dry. The restaurant has daily food or drink specials and also offers catering and family-style items. I will definitely go back for the fried pickles and a great atmosphere to watch the KU games.
BRITTANY NELSON
MUSIC REVIEW //!!! - 'STRANGE WEATHER, ISN'
> KJHK's weekly guide to sonic consumption.
Super funky dance punk. That's the simplest way to describe this fifth realease by !!! (Chk, Chk, Chk). Fans of bands like Ghostland Observatory, Passion Pit, or LCD Soundsystem will truly dig the vibes that Strange Weather, Isn't It? blows through your speakers. One thing I love about this album is that it seems very free and unconstrained, both looking to the past for guidance yet blazing a new trail for electronic music. III looks to the past with their track "The Hammer," which is made for the dance floor and only contains the lyrics "Don't stop / come on / don't stop / Ow!" which clearly visualizes the band's intentions when composing the song.
★★★ | ZACK MARSH
funk, catchy riffs, sarcastic lyrics will all find new favorite tracks in this album.
The single "Am/Fm" is one of the funkiest electronic songs I've ever heard and fits nicely as the album opener because it immediately makes you beg for more. This album also surprised me with how good it was because even though Warp Records is one of my favorite music labels, no previous !!! album has come close to exciting me.
This album may disappoint hardcore electronic fans for being too soft but fans of
MOVIE REVIEW // GET LOW
> Hollywood hits, indie flicks and everything in between.
The tagline for *Get Low* reads, "A True Tall Tale." And yet, despite its strong performances and interesting premise, it doesn't quite live up to its own expectations.
Everyone in Roane County, Tenn. has something to say about Felix Bush (Robert Duvall), the local hermit, urban legend and surprisingly spry curmudgeon. One day, Bush rides into town looking to buy himself a funeral and wants anyone with a story to tell about him to attend. The twist? Bush wants to be there himself, alive.
Funeral directors Frank Quinn (Bill Murray) and Buddy Robinson (Lucas Black) agree to throw the "funeral party" and throw out all the stops to ensure a big turn out. However, it quickly becomes clear that Bush is no old fool, and might have a story of his own to tell.
The acting in the film is wonderful, most notably Duvall, who so naturally embodies
Get Low is beautifully shot by cinematographer David Boyd, and when combined with Jan A.P. Kaczmarek's folksy score, it truly feels like the audience has been dropped right in the Depression-era Midwest.
Bush that you forget it's an act. Yet, despite being the central character, it's Bill Murray who steals the show. The film as a whole sports a very sly wit, but Murray leads the pack with his legendary languid deadpan.
Unfortunately, for as strong as the film's performances are, the story itself begins to unravel about halfway through. The first half spends its time building the great mystery that is Felix Bush's past and then fails to provide anything particularly noteworthy.
B. S. HADLAND
IN
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CONTRIBUTED PHOTOS
had tried a veg-
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Burger Brown, said it for veg.
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Abby Davenport
--night at the Kansas Union and yesterday morning at the Hall Center for Humanities.
Laptops and bad posture can lead to 'laptop-itis'
Tara Arikwe, a sophomore from Cape Girardeau, Mo., uses her laptop in front of the Kansas Union on Tuesday afternoon. Many students like Arikwe use their laptops on a frequent basis and consequently may develop negative health effects later in life.
Sandra Bowman, physical therapy supervisor at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said adjusting your posture isn't hard. You basically do the opposite of what you've been doing, she said.
HOW TO AVOID LAPTOP-ITIS
— If you are using your laptop while lying in bed, make sure your head and back are supported.
— Be aware of your posture. Your head should be positioned so your ears line up with your shoulders.
— If possible, sit at a table or desk.
— Take frequent breaks. Consider setting a timer.
BY KELLY STRODA kstroda@kansan.com
"Laptop-itis" is a term coined by Kevin Carneiro, assistant professor of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill School of Medicine.
A new medical condition is lurking on campus, in coffee shops and even in your own bedroom. Chances are, you're not immune either.
Laptop-itis stems from poor posture and includes neck pain, headaches, back pain and tingling fingers.
The University does not track personal devices, so it isn't possible to know how many students own laptops.
Sandra Bowman, physical therapy supervisor at Watkins Memorial Health Center, said students are already at risk for poor posture because of sustained sitting from class and studying. She also said
However, according to EDUCAUSE, a group that researches information technology at universities, about 75 percent of college students owned laptops in 2007.
brian Sitek, a sopnomore from
SEE LAPTOPS ON PAGE 3A
Anthologist speaks of inspiration for change
BY GARTH SEARS
gsears@kansan.com
"The Heath Anthology of American Literature" has certainly changed how American literature is taught at the University of Kansas and may have affected the course of American literature on a much larger scale.
LITERATURE
Paul Lauter, the general editor of the anthology, spoke about the changing academics in American literature Wednesday
Lauter said his experiences with social movements in
other anthologies to follow suit.
"We widened the definition of what is called literature to include texts like blues lyrics, letters, nonfictional prose generally seen as marginal to literary study." Lauter said during his lecture yesterday.
More than 20 years after its initial publication, the anthology is used for American Literature I and II, and it has changed the way both students and professors approach the class.
"It's forced me to reevaluate
"It's forced me to reevaluate what we call good writing."
SUSAN HARRIS Hall distinguished professor of American literature
the 60s led him to envision a new kind of anthology — one that included the voices of minorities and women. In becoming a success, the anthology forced
what we call good writing," said Susan Harris, the Hall distinguished professor of American literature and culture.
index
Stephanie Lanning,
a senior
from Shawnee in an American literature class, attended Lauter's
SEE LAUTER ON PAGE 3A
Classifieds...6A Opinion...5A
Crossword...4A Sports...1B
Cryptoquips...4A Sudoku...4A
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