Scene

The Evolution of The Head and the Heart

If you're like me and are super-bummed about Mumford and Sons' "indefinite break," have no fear because The Head and the Heart is here to fill the M&S-sized hole in your heart. With their new album set to come out Oct. 15, the so-called "Recession rock" band is poised to expand upon the indie folk tones of their first album. The Head and the Heart first hit the music scene in 2009 after meeting each other at various open mic nights around their native Seattle. The six band members created an album and self-released it before being signed by Sub Pop in 2010. The band's acoustic folk sound will appeal to fans of Mumford and Sons while The Head and the Heart's contemplative reflection on the world will ring true to countless other listeners. If their self-titled first album seemed too idealistic in its view of the world, "Let's Be Still" represents a step back from that view. Still hopeful for the state of the future, the music now lends more credence to the necessary setbacks of life. "There are sacrifices, you know? We're doing what we love, but we're still gone all the time. You know, like having a girlfriend, you have to balance your relationship. Something is lost and sacrificed for you to be able to do what you're doing," vocalist Josiah Johnson said in an interview with Mother Jones' Maggie Caldwell. The first single off the album, "Another Story," represents this shift. According to Matthew Perpetua at BuzzFeed, the song was vocalist and guitarist Jonathan Russell's reflection on the Newtown shootings. "Another Story" laments a situation where no comfort is possible, crooning, "Can we go on as like it once was?" It seems the album presents a sort of wistfulness for the optimism of their first album. Where "Coeur d'Alene" from the first album gives the heart-warming sentiment of "My mind's made up/I'm doing this with you," the second album's "Summertime" comes back with "I am wholly devoted to the woman I adore/But in the summertime she'll be gone." If the first represents a refusal to lose those you love, the second shows that sometimes it is inevitable. The state of balancing the optimism necessary to chase their dreams and the realism to deal with the necessary sacrifices defines the evolution of the band in the four years since their last album. The band has three main vocalists, Johnson, Russell and Charity Rose Thielen. Johnson and Russell both add guitar and percussion while Thielen plays the violin. They are joined by Chris Zasche on bass, Kenny Hensley on piano and Tyler Williams on drums. The trio of vocalists allow for three-part harmonies while the range of musicians creates a diverse backdrop similar to The Lumineers and Mumford and Sons. "Let's Be Still" has 13 tracks, two of which have been released. While "Another Story" may represent possible thematic shifts, "Shake" highlights new musical techniques from the traditionally folk band. The tempo is a bit faster than any songs in the previous album and adds more of a dance beat to the mix. This new sound adds variety to a group that already had a solid musical foundation. The new album promises many new, exciting changes to the core sound of The Head and the Heart that made its debut so great. So if you're longing for some new music in the vein of Mumford and Sons, I suggest trying The Head and the Heart. Their new album should bring them back into the spotlight that has wandered since their first release. Contact Caelin Miltko at cmoriari@nd.edu

Paris Hilton's New Song is Really Bad

I've written and rewritten three opening sentences to this column so far. 1. "The word 'atrocious' comes from the Latin 'atrox,' meaning savage or cruel; the Romans had clearly never heard Paris Hilton sing or we'd have been handed down a much more severe word." 2. "If a tree falls in the forest and no one's around to hear it, is it still a more appealing series of noises than Paris Hilton's new song?" 3. "Some people say the greatest trick the Devil ever pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist, but I know he exists because I've heard Paris Hilton's new single, so what the hell is his greatest trick now?" I wasn't satisfied with any of the three leads, but I decided to give up, and for once, it wasn't because I was lazy and just picked one. No, as unsatisfying and halfheartedly humorous as those three attempts might be, I came to the conclusion that spending more than 15 minutes trying to come up with an opening that truly captured the disastrous assault on the human race that is Paris Hilton's new single, "Good Time," would hurt my brain too much and I wouldn't be able to get through the rest of the column. I honestly didn't even want to write about this; I knew that I would hate the song, and it's (usually) no fun for me if I feel like I could probably write the column without actually listening to the song or seeing the movie or whatever it is. After some prodding, I actually listened to the song, and I've got to say - in some sick, twisted way, I was impressed. I expected to hate it, but even with my bias and expectations, it somehow, someway managed to be so, so much worse than I thought it would be. For comparison: In "Die Hard," John McClane isn't super pumped to go to Los Angeles for Christmas. He hates flying, he and his wife aren't on the greatest of terms and he just isn't that big of a fan of California. What he expects to be a rough trip, however, turns into him having to save a whole host of hostages and blow up a skyscraper. In other words, Paris Hilton's new single is, "Not looking forward to fighting with your wife but ending up having to kill Hans Gruber and blow up the Nakatomi building" bad. The lyrics are mind-numbingly bad. The hook goes, "Wo-oh, let's party/Yeah, let's party, and have a good time/Wo-oh, let's party/Yeah, let's party, and have a good time." Paris - the Black Eyed Peas called, and they want to sell you a thesaurus. Her two verses, which consist of a total of nine lines, all sound like Ke$ha lyrics, if Ke$ha's songs were all written by fourth graders writing Ke$ha fan fiction who'd only ever heard music by Ke$ha. For example, "Good times are here, and you know they're here to stay." Go home, fourth grade Ke$ha fan-fiction songwriters. And now here's the real kicker; the song features Lil Wayne. Paris Hilton featuring Lil Wayne would have been mildly surprising, though still humorous, eight years ago when she was almost famous and he was still pretty legitimate as a rapper. Now, though, the pairing is crushingly, depressingly not shocking in any way. Of course those two made a song together. I can't believe it took this long. And whereas Hilton is a bad singer and musician, and that's why her performance is so jarring, Lil Wayne is intentionally profane to the max. In an otherwise mostly tame party pop song, the rapper's trademark nastiness is as out of place as ever. It's like if you took one scene of "Low Winter Sun" and dropped it into the third act of an episode of "Two and a Half Men." Yes, both are ridiculously bad, but the fact that they're so bad in such different ways makes the combination unimaginably worse. This is a really, really bad song, but I'm guessing Paris Hilton doesn't care. She's worth over $100 million, and nothing I can say will change that. She can just keep pumping out this garbage for as long as she wants and nobody can stop her. Hey, I think I might've found an answer for that whole "greatest trick the Devil ever pulled" question. Contact Kevin Noonan at knoonan2@nd.edu  The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.

Love it or hate it, 'Bangerz' a hit

No matter whether you love her or love to hate her, there is no doubt Miley Cyrus is one of the most successful artists in the current music scene.  Starting with the mega-million franchise that was Hannah Montana, moving on to actress, singer and fashion icon combined into one and finally ending up as a controversial topic in nearly every publication, Miley has had taken advantage of the media every step of the way.  Her new music has been wildly successful, not necessarily because people like it, but because it catches their attention.  Her edgy, provocative new look has turned her into one of the most talked about stars in the past few months -  the perfect way to publicize an upcoming album.   

Electronic music's breath of fresh air

Every music aficionado remembers "the good old days." For some, it's the 60s, the era of Rock and Roll, when the pop music scene boasted groups that were constantly innovating and sending messages through their lyrics. For others it's the early 2000s, when a spree of classic indie rock records spanning Modest Mouse's "The Moon and Antarctica" to Arcade Fire's "Funeral" were released upon the world. In some rare instances, we get to live through days that we know will be "the good old days" - as my friend and band member Gray Whisnant once said, "We're fortunate to be alive when Kanye West is still releasing music."

Worst thing ever: cheese and snobbery

While filling our cart with the usual yogurt, granola bars and Keurig cups on a trip to a nearby grocery store, my friend experienced a sudden burst of inspiration. 

Gravity' Reaches New Heights

WARNING: This article contains serious spoilers.

Five-Foot-Nothing

When the stadium janitor in every Notre Dame student's favorite movie tells Rudy Ruettiger he's five-foot-nothing, I can relate.

Red Jumpsuit Apparatus Falls Short

Recently, Notre Dame students have been treated to shows after show by our favorite artists during the embarrassing, pre-teen years of our lives. 

The Kickback: Vic Mensa

Way back in April, I wrote that Chance the Rapper's "Acid Rap" was the best listen of the year - fluid, thorough, fun, witty, with a hint of jazz. On one of "Acid Rap's" hit songs "Cocoa Butter Kisses" raps one of Chance's biggest competitors and best friends Vic Mensa.

Gabriela's Double Dog Dare

Last week I accepted a dare that I was actually very excited to undertake.

Keep Your Summer Setlist

While everyone else is excited about the coming of October, I can't help but get a little choked up. No, I'm not crying over how excited I am to wear scarves, how much I love pumpkin spice lattes or how I "just can't wait to go on a hay ride!" The reason I've been constantly on the verge of tears this week is that fall came far too quickly this year. 

Anthony Jeselnik Brings the Dark to Indiana

Britney Gets the People Going

Editors note: In the wake of Britney Spears' new single and Kanye West's recent outbursts (not to mention all of Miley's antics), the Scene Staff simply couldn't find a way to deal with the pop-culture chaos. While the rest of the staff sat paralyzed, anxiously awaiting the premiere of Britney's new music video and still processing Kanye's"Yeezus" publicity tour sound bites, two brave Scene writers rolled the superstars into one big, brave (and, it must be noted, satirical and fictional) column. During an attack on a snoopy paparazzo last weekend, Kanye West reportedly yelled that "'Work B**ch' has done more for America than you or your family will dream of doing." Today, we brought him into the studio to explain why he thinks "Work B**ch," Britney Spears' new single, is the song the nation needs right now. "Well, it's more than a song," he told us. "It's a statement of a generation tired of unemployment, tired of obesity, tired of bad music. Britney's struggled with all of that, really, and here she's trying to help the people out. Like my mother once said, you can't get enough plastic surgery if you believe in a better you." We asked him what he thought about the new Britney vs. the old Britney and what direction she's moving in artistically with her latest release. "It's obvious that what almost killed her has made her stronger," Kanye said. "I mean, take what 'Work B**ch' has to offer musically. Will.i.am. in the studio. Anthony Preston in the studio. Sebastian Ingrosso and Otto Knows. These guys came together and tore down dance music and built it up again - there's bass on every beat. We're talking one, maybe two chords here. Synthesizers. It's insanity. "And the lyrics. I can't have written this. It's too great, too relevant. It's the statement of our generation. Like the messages. If you want something, you have to work for it. Mind-blowing. And get this - obscure references even I didn't know. Like, what is a Bugatti? What is a France? Thank god for Urban Dictionary. Apparently, it's in Paris. It's what you know." But what about the violent language? The curse words? Should kids be exposed to this monster of a song? "Sometimes you have to force these things even if America isn't ready. Look at 'Breaking Bad,' bringing excessive violence and language into family rooms and dentists' offices nationwide. And 'Game of Thrones,' excessive nudity. America needs this, man. Nobody likes watching these shows, and no reasonable person would accept them as 'appropriate' or 'constructive,' but it's our duty, man. We have to be soldiers of knowledge, and it's The Crusades. "That's what Britney is saying. You're fat? You're probably a b**ch. Don't have a Maserati? B**ch. Don't live in France? Imma not go there, even. That's embarrassing. Like, you should work like I have and build an empire from the earth, and until then, you just have to watch me sit on my throne." Kanye West has asked that all complaints about statements made in the interview be mailed to Stetson Furnaces in New York, where they will be incinerated. His newest album, "Yeezus," is available in most stores where music is sold. Contact Daniel Barabasi at dbaraba1@nd.edu and John Darr at jdarr@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.  

Danny Brown Grows Up with 'Old'

"Start acting your age." It's something we've all heard at some point. On the great road to adulthood, we find ourselves running into as many limits as new opportunities. When I turned 10, my mom finally let me chew gum more than, say, once per year. But I couldn't pull it out of my mouth and wrap it around my finger anymore or I'd lose it. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. For a while it seemed like Danny Brown would never start acting his age. The 32-year-old rapper's ridiculous energy, eccentric haircut, and crazy gap tooth grin echoes his teenage contemporaries (think Odd Future) rather than those his age. His rap voice skirts the edge of maniacal laughter; most of his raps are best described as hysterical, taunting rants. His rhymes are clever, defiant, and boast enough drug references to make three new seasons of "Breaking Bad." His breakout album "XXX," released when Brown was 30, sounded as if some prodigious child rapper and some prodigious child producer had teamed up to make a record during their stay in a mental hospital. That youthful energy fit perfectly in today's concert culture, where many people attend concerts hoping to get crazy in the safest way possible. With the release of "XXX," Brown ascended from an obscure oddity into an indie-rap sensation. The album earned Danny an album-of-the-year award from "SPIN Magazine," a spot at Coachella Music Festival, and over a hundred thousand fans on Facebook. Danny Brown's "forever young" persona earned him immense success. As a matter of course, many fans assumed that Danny Brown would be forever young - forever. In December 2012, Danny announced that his new album would be titled "Old." At the time, the implications of the title were unclear. Was Danny being ironic? Was he hinting at a concept album built around his then-recently released single "Grown Up?" Or did it indicate that Danny was changing his sound completely? It turns out that "Old" is a bit of everything. The beats on "Old" are toned down from his previous record, consistently cleaner and more focused. Danny's rap voice is more diverse and sometimes veers into unrecognizably calm territory. On tracks like "Torture" and "Clean Up," Danny becomes almost unrecognizable as he raps about his difficult childhood. The Danny that we used to know who only rapped sex and drugs spits lines like "Gunshots outside was sorta like fireworks/we know they ain't fireworks, it's December 21st" and "I'm tired of seein' my family ****** up and hungry." Thankfully, Danny doesn't give up his old style completely. He's still full of brilliantly ridiculous lines, most memorably "Like Lieutenant Dan, I'm rollin'" on "Dip." The beats on "Old" still veer away from standard boom-bap, filled with mischievously goofy synth lines and monstrous drum beats. Additionally, "Old" features array of artists from rappers like A$AP Rocky and SchoolboyQ to indie-pop phenoms Purity Ring and Charli XCX that diversify the album's sound without breaking its cohesion. At the end of the day, "Old" is a strong record with a host of interesting beats headed by a talented lyricist. Danny's exploring new territory; his efforts aren't quite as exciting as before but they are more focused. He's changing and coming to terms with his age and it will be a while before he really grows into it. Overall, "Old" may be a new Danny, but it's still Danny, and that's a relief. Contact John Darr at jdarr@nd.edu  

Britney gets the people going

Editors note: In the wake of Britney Spears' new single and Kanye West's recent outbursts (not to mention all of Miley's antics), the Scene Staff simply couldn't find a way to deal with the pop-culture chaos. While the rest of the staff sat paralyzed, anxiously awaiting the premiere of Britney's new music video and still processing Kanye's"Yeezus" publicity tour sound bites, two brave Scene writers rolled the superstars into one big, brave (and, it must be noted, satirical and fictional) column. 

Bidding goodbye to 'Breaking Bad'

Warning: Full spoilers

Breaking Bad's' R.J. Mitte talks disability, bullying and hope

Before R.J. Mitte's Q&A session even ended, a line already stretched out of the Washington Hall theatre, down the stairs and almost out of the building, with everyone waiting for an opportunity to shake Mitte's hand. Best known for his role as Walter Jr. (or Flynn) of the Emmy-award-winning show "Breaking Bad," Mitte came to campus Tuesday evening to discuss the effects of bullying as well as to advocate against cruelty toward the fellow man last night courtesy of SUB. Mitte expressed to students and all in attendance the true capability of humanity, of how he - as a man living with cerebral palsy - has fought to attain and remain in a position that few, disabled or otherwise, could ever hope to have. Mitte talked about the popular series, which concluded Sunday evening, in addition to his anti-bullying message. "I loved the finale. I thought it couldn't have been any better. I really couldn't ... I think it ended perfectly. It ended the way it needed to end," Mitte said. However, anyone who watched the show knows that does not necessarily mean a series finale filled with a picture-perfect ending, where everyone lives a decent, modest life of simple happiness and innocence. "This show was never going to have a happy ending. When you live in a world of violence, you come out to a world of violence. Once you start going down that slope, once you start getting in bed with these people, they won't let you leave," Mitte said. Mitte is no stranger to violence. A victim of bullying ever since he was young, he had to endure the pain of having his feet stomped on and hand broken because of his cerebral palsy. Mitte insists that there are countless forms of bullying - be it physical, emotional, cyber, verbal or even the types that people will never see or hear about. "When they do happen," Mitte said, "people don't realize the damaging effects - the long term effects - bullying has on people. Bullying only adds to what they're dealing with on a daily basis. Eventually they're going to retaliate. They're not going to retaliate at the bully. They're going to retaliate at the people they care about the most," Mitte said. However, Mitte understands that this is not an impossible problem to solve - people are available to help. Mitte considers himself lucky for having family and friends to go to battle with these bullying-victims. People are around that want to get involved. Unfortunately, as Mitte says, for as many people who do want to get involved, there seem to be an alarmingly large number of people who will just watch. "I remember, I was about 14 years old, and we were at a farmer's market. This older woman, she fell, and these people were literally stepping over [her]. They wouldn't help her out. She wasn't asking for help, but she was lying down on the ground." Mitte said. Mitte was the lone person in the entire vicinity to take initiative; it was then, he says, that he realized that that was the world we lived in - where people will step over each other. People will not think about each other. And Mitte understands that this may be what people are inclined to do, to not do. Yet Mitte encourages people to be involved. Even if it may not be the easiest choice, Mitte implores people to get involved and offer their help. "You see someone who's getting picked on, that's when you get involved," Mitte said. However, Mitte did not come to simply talk about sensitivity to those who may seem disabled; he also offered his wisdom on the capabilities of men and women, whether or not they are able-bodied. Mitte's own battle has - and will continue to be - a life-long journey. "I was 3 when I was diagnosed with my disability. I grew up dealing with OT (Occupational Therapy), speech therapy, all different types. Dealt with bullies, dealt with people telling me I wouldn't amount to much - even my own father - and I've shown them. And at the end of the day, there's one thing to remember; there's another one. One more day, one more person trying to stop you, one more person trying to take what you have. The trick is to fight for what you believe in, to fight for what you have, to fight for who you surround yourself with," Mitte said. Mitte has fought hard, putting himself in a position to succeed, and cites his own drive and ambition as a reason for his success - a drive that is, according to him, characteristic of anyone with disabilities. "People want to stand on their own two feet. It's even more so with a disability. They've had so many people cutting them down, saying, 'You can't do this. Someone without a disability should be capable of 10 times more than someone with a disability. But the thing is, you see more people with a disability with lower options fighting for a better future. They actually are fighting to get what they need. Most people are not willing to fight for what they need," Mitte said. Mitte, however, has been fighting a continually long fight - for equality. "Equality is the biggest fight. Disability, race, religion, no matter what it is: at the end of the day, equality is the biggest fight. Once you understand equality, once you have equality, there shouldn't be any doubt. It's one of those things that one problem can fix many," Mitte said. Mitte knows his fight isn't going to end anytime soon, but he said it's a fight worth fighting for, and it's not one he's going to give up on. "Equality means respect. Respect is equality. When you have respect for people around you, without labeling, without seeing them as 'the minority': that's equality. We all bleed the same blood. I've never seen a baby push someone away ... Equality has been a fight for thousands of years. It will not be fixed over night. It will not be fixed by one voice. It will be fixed by thousands of voices. It will be fixed by multiple ideals, multiple people, multiple belief systems. That's when we'll have equality," Mitte said. As Mitte talked about these ideas and his hopes for the future - no matter how distant - a certain look in his eyes betrayed a wisdom and patient determination beyond his 21 years. No matter how long, no matter how distant - Mitte is willing to fight everyday. Contact Miko Malabute at mmalabut@nd.edu 

Timberlake's follow-up falls flat

As I write this review, my room is flooded, thanks to quality North Quad plumbing, but I would honestly rather deal with that mess than listen to Justin Timberlake's "The 20/20 Experience - 2 of 2" again. There are definitely a few gems on the album, but all together it is exhaustingly long and loses its appeal rather quickly, failing to leave any lasting impact on listeners. 

On The Verge to Glory

The Observer sat down with senior film, theater and television major and director Renee Roden to discuss her student-produced play "On the Verge," by Eric Overmyer, her first production through the Department of Theater at Notre Dame. 

Frosh-OMG!

Dear Diary,