Scene

Michael Oher's Football Fame Chronicled in Original Book

Sandra Bullock's role as the no-nonsense Memphis housewife who takes in a poor black teenager in the film  "The Blind Side" has already won her a Golden Globe. In her acceptance speech last Sunday night, she thanked several people very profusely, but left out one important person: Michael Lewis, who wrote the book "The Blind Side" in 2006. 

The Top 50 Films of the Decade Part Two

Over the five-day week, The Observer will count down all of the movies that made us laugh, cry, reflect and sit on the edge of our seats — all of the best films of the decade. These 50 films all share an essence of filmmaking genius that were exceptional amongst the thousands of films released in the last 10 years, and some of them will one day be viewed as "classics" in film history. So here they are, the best films of the decade. 40. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father (2008) A cold-blooded murder is what made this heart-wrenching documentary not only possible, but upon watching Kurt Kuenne's homage to his lifelong friend, David Bagby, frankly necessary. It plays a bit slow at first, which is its sole blemish. As a whole though, "Dear Zachary" is one of the most enraging documentaries to ever be made, but at its innermost core, it's a postcard … it's a letter … it's an homage … it's a chronicling of a good man who the justice system so terribly failed, whose son, growing up without a father, can one day watch and find out who was the man he never got to play catch with. But what sets this documentary apart from the rest is its climax, and a twist that will at once shock you, then break you. 39. The Dark Knight (2008) With 2008's summer blockbuster of all blockbusters, director Christopher Nolan achieved a rare balance of film genius that pleases the critics and the masses alike. It's Heath Ledger though that overshadows all else with his stunning, career-defining performance as Batman's greatest nemesis, the Joker. 38. Pan's Labyrinth (2006) Guillermo Del Toro's largely original, almost-deserving-of-being-called-groundbreaking fan favorite redefined both the realm of fantasy filmmaking as well as the all-too-cliché and overdone genre of war films. Caught in the crosshairs of the bloody Spanish revolution, Ofelia, a young girl, dreams up a far land where she is a princess and there is no war, and it's that child-like quality that not only gives this film its backbone but also its brilliance. 37. Capote (2005) Philip Seymour Hoffman is captivating in one of the best lead performances in recent memory as famous American author, Truman Capote. He is writing a new book, "In Cold Blood," about the gruesome murder of a Kansas family at the hands of two petty thieves and death row inmates, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith. But upon interviewing Smith, Capote grows a strange attachment to him and finds it increasingly difficult to see him die for the crime, yet his book needs an ending. And therein lies the great struggle of Capote's crippled life: the struggle between one's work, one's conscience and the desire for companionship and understanding pinned against the greed and callousness inherent in us all.   36. Zodiac (2007) There have been many attempts at chronicling the paradoxical, murderous events that transpired in San Francisco during the 60s, but none, and I mean absolutely none, have so much as even touched David Fincher's psychological dive into the mystery and terror that was the Zodiac killer. This film is shot through tense veins pumped full of misleading plot threads and dialogue that seems to suggest what never happens, making an incredibly tantalizing, engaging mystery out of what is already one of the great wonders in criminal history. 35. Inglourious Basterds (2009) Quentin Tarantino's history-bending, tongue-in-cheek WWII flick about a band of blood-thirsty Jewish Americans known only as "The Basterds" is nearly pitch-perfect. It loses some of its gusto towards it harrowing end, and it often borders on offensive, but Tarantino and his cast led by Sunday's Golden-Globe winning Christopher Waltz and a brilliant Brad Pitt "might just make this his masterpiece." Or, since we're speaking about Tarantino — just another masterpiece to put on his ever-growing mantel. 34. Control (2007) The single best rock-n-roll film in a long, long time tells the tragic story of Ian Curtis, lead singer of the 1970s punk rock band Joy Division. Told with incredible closeness and shot through passionate, understanding eyes, his life, his psyche and his downward spiral towards suicide are explored with a beauty that, once discovered by a wider audience, will finally give this exceptional film its just deserts. It doesn't take a fan of Joy Division to appreciate this film, but after watching it, if you weren't already a believer in Joy Division, you certainly will be. 33. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Charlie Kaufman is … odd. To say the least, that is. His screenplays, like 2004's acid-trip of a film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," are wildly imaginative spectacles that lie way out there beyond what is even considered "out there," and as such tend to divide audiences. Brilliant? Or just crazy? It seems there's no middle ground. As for "Eternal Sunshine," well, it's just that — a ray of sunshine in what often times feels like an industry of the all too predictable. 32. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) Wes Anderson puts a stamp on his films like none other, for his style and quirky-bordering-on-downright-strange brand of humor are his alone. While "The Royal Tenenbaums," a film about a "dysfunctional family," or perhaps just "Wes Anderson family," is laugh-out-loud hilarious and clever as a sly fox, it's no "Rushmore." That being said, some of the scenes in this film,                                      such as Anderson's perfectly patented music montages, are delectable.  Add to that the cherry-on-top performances by many of his regulars, and some new faces as well. 31. Punch Drunk Love (2002) Adam Sandler's finest film, helmed by the brilliant Paul Thomas Anderson, glows with a sense of curiosity and mind-bending confusion that make this Ussain Bolt-paced film engrossing to the point that turning away, if only for a second, becomes a near sin. Confusing, yes, but a diamond in the rough no less.  

The Mutually Assured Destruction of Late Night Television

By the time a feud in the entertainment industry devolves into "teams," I've normally lost any interest I may have had in the subject. I would assume that it's because these teams are populated almost exclusively by giggly middle school girls and lonely middle-age women.

The Top 50 Films of the Decade Part Two

Over the five-day week, The Observer will count down all of the movies that made us laugh, cry, reflect and sit on the edge of our seats — all of the best films of the decade. These 50 films all share an essence of filmmaking genius that were exceptional amongst the thousands of films released in the last 10 years, and some of them will one day be viewed as "classics" in film history. So here they are, the best films of the decade. 40. Dear Zachary: A Letter to a Son about His Father (2008) A cold-blooded murder is what made this heart-wrenching documentary not only possible, but upon watching Kurt Kuenne's homage to his lifelong friend, David Bagby, frankly necessary. It plays a bit slow at first, which is its sole blemish. As a whole though, "Dear Zachary" is one of the most enraging documentaries to ever be made, but at its innermost core, it's a postcard … it's a letter … it's an homage … it's a chronicling of a good man who the justice system so terribly failed, whose son, growing up without a father, can one day watch and find out who was the man he never got to play catch with. But what sets this documentary apart from the rest is its climax, and a twist that will at once shock you, then break you. 39. The Dark Knight (2008) With 2008's summer blockbuster of all blockbusters, director Christopher Nolan achieved a rare balance of film genius that pleases the critics and the masses alike. It's Heath Ledger though that overshadows all else with his stunning, career-defining performance as Batman's greatest nemesis, the Joker. 38. Pan's Labyrinth (2006) Guillermo Del Toro's largely original, almost-deserving-of-being-called-groundbreaking fan favorite redefined both the realm of fantasy filmmaking as well as the all-too-cliché and overdone genre of war films. Caught in the crosshairs of the bloody Spanish revolution, Ofelia, a young girl, dreams up a far land where she is a princess and there is no war, and it's that child-like quality that not only gives this film its backbone but also its brilliance. 37. Capote (2005) Philip Seymour Hoffman is captivating in one of the best lead performances in recent memory as famous American author, Truman Capote. He is writing a new book, "In Cold Blood," about the gruesome murder of a Kansas family at the hands of two petty thieves and death row inmates, Richard Hickock and Perry Smith. But upon interviewing Smith, Capote grows a strange attachment to him and finds it increasingly difficult to see him die for the crime, yet his book needs an ending. And therein lies the great struggle of Capote's crippled life: the struggle between one's work, one's conscience and the desire for companionship and understanding pinned against the greed and callousness inherent in us all.   36. Zodiac (2007) There have been many attempts at chronicling the paradoxical, murderous events that transpired in San Francisco during the 60s, but none, and I mean absolutely none, have so much as even touched David Fincher's psychological dive into the mystery and terror that was the Zodiac killer. This film is shot through tense veins pumped full of misleading plot threads and dialogue that seems to suggest what never happens, making an incredibly tantalizing, engaging mystery out of what is already one of the great wonders in criminal history. 35. Inglourious Basterds (2009) Quentin Tarantino's history-bending, tongue-in-cheek WWII flick about a band of blood-thirsty Jewish Americans known only as "The Basterds" is nearly pitch-perfect. It loses some of its gusto towards it harrowing end, and it often borders on offensive, but Tarantino and his cast led by Sunday's Golden-Globe winning Christopher Waltz and a brilliant Brad Pitt "might just make this his masterpiece." Or, since we're speaking about Tarantino — just another masterpiece to put on his ever-growing mantel. 34. Control (2007) The single best rock-n-roll film in a long, long time tells the tragic story of Ian Curtis, lead singer of the 1970s punk rock band Joy Division. Told with incredible closeness and shot through passionate, understanding eyes, his life, his psyche and his downward spiral towards suicide are explored with a beauty that, once discovered by a wider audience, will finally give this exceptional film its just deserts. It doesn't take a fan of Joy Division to appreciate this film, but after watching it, if you weren't already a believer in Joy Division, you certainly will be. 33. Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004) Charlie Kaufman is … odd. To say the least, that is. His screenplays, like 2004's acid-trip of a film "Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind," are wildly imaginative spectacles that lie way out there beyond what is even considered "out there," and as such tend to divide audiences. Brilliant? Or just crazy? It seems there's no middle ground. As for "Eternal Sunshine," well, it's just that — a ray of sunshine in what often times feels like an industry of the all too predictable. 32. The Royal Tenenbaums (2001) Wes Anderson puts a stamp on his films like none other, for his style and quirky-bordering-on-downright-strange brand of humor are his alone. While "The Royal Tenenbaums," a film about a "dysfunctional family," or perhaps just "Wes Anderson family," is laugh-out-loud hilarious and clever as a sly fox, it's no "Rushmore." That being said, some of the scenes in this film,                                      such as Anderson's perfectly patented music montages, are delectable.  Add to that the cherry-on-top performances by many of his regulars, and some new faces as well. 31. Punch Drunk Love (2002) Adam Sandler's finest film, helmed by the brilliant Paul Thomas Anderson, glows with a sense of curiosity and mind-bending confusion that make this Ussain Bolt-paced film engrossing to the point that turning away, if only for a second, becomes a near sin. Confusing, yes, but a diamond in the rough no less.  

OK Go Shows Maturity, Versatility with 'Of The Blue Colour of the Sky'

The Los Angeles-based band OK Go credits YouTube for much of their recent success, with their intricate, one-take music videos for "A Million Ways" and the ever-popular "Here It Goes Again" (The Treadmill Dance) receiving tens of millions of views. Their latest effort, "Of the Blue Colour of the Sky," certainly wanders from the band's arena-rock, nerd-pop style of their previous albums, but they don't forfeit the charm of their music videos. The CD was produced by Dave Fridmann, most famous for his work with the Flaming Lips, and his influence is certainly present. The first single, "WTF?" is a stylistic bridge between OK Go's old identity and the new, mellowed persona of the band. The airy track contrasts characteristic OK Go features like stop-time, falsetto background vocals and miscellaneous percussion against a scratchy bass, funk guitar lines and spastic guitar solos, all over a 5/4 time. The result is a track that tries to offer the best of both worlds and satisfies in neither — but not without offering a satisfying exposition into the album. The music video for "WTF?" reinforces its role as a stylistically transitional track by maintaining the typical one-take shot of the band members dancing, but the use of stop-imagery adds a psychedelic nature to their personality. The band also appears much more relaxed, strolling on stage, even playing with beach balls on set, as opposed to hustling to positions in their previous dance videos. Just as the listener gets oriented in the album's new direction, it heads back to classic arena rock mode with "This Too Shall Pass." In true OK Go fashion, the sound is huge with massive depths surrounding the focal parts — the similarly pitched toy piano and lead vocals. The song dances between intensities, alternating between heavy head banging and drum and "ooh" breaks, before settling down for the bridge. It ends with both materials overlapped, resulting in a chorus of equal parts joy and power. The music video for this track is certainly worth a view, which features the track reworked for accordion, xylophone, a children's chorus and the Notre Dame Marching Band, outfitted in generic marching band outfits and gilly suits. The video is charming and, of course, in one take, but more importantly, the Band's timbre and vigor compliment the style of the piece so much that this alternate version might be superior to the CD take. The middle tracks of the album return to the sound founded in "WTF?" with more sound droning and vocal reverberation than catchy and clean guitar licks and downbeats. The fourth track, "Needing/Getting" is the culmination of these instrumental motives, featuring masterful guitar and drum work. The song exemplifies the result of the synchronization of Fridmann's influence with OK Go's sound, especially the background sampling of "It's A Disaster," off of their last full album, "Oh No" (at 4:22 for the audiophile Easter-egg hunters). The last tracks deserving mention are "Before the Earth was Round" and "Last Leaf," which I place together because of their differences rather than their similarities. The two songs, appearing in the ninth and 10th positions, display the versatility of the band's new direction. First, a heavily syncopated and synthesized track, anthropomorphizing the sky as an entity confused about itself, followed by a simple, but equally beautiful acoustic love song using the Earth and the seasons as metaphor. The result — a band with unfounded versatility. With this latest release I was hoping for another album like "Oh No," filled with arena-rock riffs and memorable lyrics, and at first I was disappointed. But with a second listen, "Of the Blue Colour of the Sky," proved to be the showcase of the stylistic range of a maturing rock quartet.  

The Top 50 Films of the Decade: Part One

Over the five day week, "The Observer" will count down all of the movies that made us laugh, cry, reflect and sit on the edge of our seats — all of the best films of the decade. These 50 films all share an essence of filmmaking genius that were exceptional amongst the thousands of films released in the last 10 years, and some of them will one day be viewed as "classics" in film history. So here they are, the best films of the decade. 50. The Aviator (2004) — One of the few biopics to crack this list, "The Aviator" does so because it is just that, a biopic — one that plays by the rules, but goes one step further into the man that was aviation tycoon Harold Hughes than most biopics dare to go. The mind behind the man is on full display here, and there are few better able than Leonardo DiCaprio, in a brilliant turn yet again, at handling the task of playing the troubled, eccentric, womanizing, power-hungry genius that Hughes was. 49. Maria Full of Grace (2004) — Lead actress Catalina Sandino Moreno is mesmerizing as a poor Colombian woman caught in a web of murder as a drug mule sent to New York City with bags of heroin inside her stomach. Caught within the frames here are the sense of being lost and utter fear felt by someone with no human connection and no way of understanding what is going on in her surroundings. And the way in which that feeling is caught is the true triumph here. Her feeling is dually felt by the audience, which makes this eye-opening film all the more powerful. 48. Monsters Inc. (2001) — Pixar struck gold with this hilarious, wildly imaginative and altogether unforgettable little charmer about monsters whose job is to scare sleeping children in order to generate energy for their own world. It's all about the energy at the company, Monster Inc., and with the film "Monsters Inc.", it's also all about the energy — the boundless creative energy that results in a film audiences of all ages can love. 47. Almost Famous (2000) — Tasked with the dream job of interviewing a new hot rock band during their cross-country tour, a high schooler (Patrick Fugit) discovers love, the true essence of rock music and even himself along the way. The real showstopper here is Kate Hudson, the band's groupie, who steals the show as a free-loving drug-addict caught between innocence and that point in life where we all just have to grow up. Simply put, it'll have you air-guitaring ‘til your fingers just can't strum anymore. 46. The Hurt Locker (2009) — Director Kathryn Bigelow's muscle-flexing, full-throttle portrayal of a special unit of bomb disarming soldiers in Iraq, "The Hurt Locker" stands as a king among men in the small but growing group of Iraq War films. What's different here is that the movie is neither action-driven nor overly story driven, and it avoids what has thus far been a pitfall in trying to pass itself off as a psychological analysis of soldiers in the heat of the current war. Instead, "The Hurt Locker" is a beautiful marriage of a bare bones portrayal of human nature when the line between life and death is so thin and momentary and a classic tension-ridden portrayal of the heat of combat. 45. Elephant (2003) — In the wake of the tragic Columbine shootings, director Gus Van Sant creates an affecting, stunningly shot and somehow blissfully paced account of a school shooting that takes the lives of dozens of unsuspecting students. It plays like a still-image cast against the backdrop of a clear sky, which makes it bearable, yet all the more powerful nonetheless. 44. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) — 2006's little engine that could is like a cute and cuddly stuffed animal. Yet it has a way of making you cry. And then laugh. And then cry again. Then stand up and cheer, wide-eyed with an ear-to-ear grin across the face. Made with starry-eyed beauty and injected with a sense of enjoyment shared by the audience, "Little Miss Sunshine" is a true crowd pleaser. 43. Letter From Iwo Jima (2006) — Director Clint Eastwood packs a visceral punch in the form of a beautifully shot, ferocious yet delicate letter from the doomed Japanese abandoned on Iwo Jima. Upon its release, this was the best American war film since "Saving Private Ryan". 42. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) — The first film in the trilogy was groundbreaking and made the success of the next two installments inevitable. Perhaps the most faithful adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy, Peter Jackson's first foray into Middle Earth is the most Shire-like of the three films, and what a refreshing two and a half hours at the Shire it is. 41. Donnie Darko (2001) — I cannot for the life of me explain why I'm drawn to this film, but there's just something about it, some inexplicable quality that grabs and never lets go. A "cult classic" if there ever was one, "Donnie Darko" is like a roller coaster ride of confusion, Smurf sexology, and most central of all, let's just throw in the theory behind time travel. It just gets in your mind and stays there, for better or for worse.

Contra' Takes On West Coast Aesthetic

Vampire Weekend's 2008 self-titled debut came as quite a surprise, with four Columbia University grads with a clean Afro-pop-influenced indie rock sound making it big in the mainstream. It was definitely college rock at its finest, something one might be inclined to listen to at Cape Cod with a glass of champagne in hand and a chandelier in view somewhere in the background. But somehow, the mainstream caught on, and it became a favorite in dorm rooms, TV commercials and Top 40 radio stations alike. The indie rock quartet did it with style, originality and hints of ennui. But they were anything but apathetic, as their songs all had a clear sense of energy and incorporated cleverness and Afro-pop with lyrics about collegiate struggles and trust funds. The debut album even made NME's "Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade" list, ranking as no. 42. And now, they've done it again with their sophomore effort, "Contra," an album that brings the creativity up a notch with a fuller, more frenetic sound and more mixing of genres from synth pop to hip-hop to reggae and even electronic accents. The indie rock band also seems to move away from their Northeast roots and takes on a West Coast aesthetic for the new album. It begins with "Horchata," a song with excellent African beats and the clever yet silly lyrics, "In December drinking horchata / I'd look psychotic in a balaclava."  "White Sky" then demonstrates lead singer Ezra Koenig's clear ability to reach a high-pitched falsetto and portrays the band's mixture of genres with a good use of instrumentation. "Holiday" has a summery California feel, and if you need a break from the bleak South Bend winter cold, just give this song a listen. "Holiday" has hints of an orchestral sound reminiscent of Grizzly Bear, while "California English" is more fast-paced and frenetic, much like the nonsensical chaos of "Oxford Comma" but to an even greater degree, with lyrics, "Sweet carob rice cake / She don't care how the sweets taste / Fake Philly cheese steak / But she use real toothpaste," which beg the question, Vampire Weekend, what are you talking about? "Taxi Cab" is more slow-paced with a classical sounding piano instrumentation that makes the song sound like it could be a soundtrack to Masterpiece Theatre. Koenig's trebling falsetto is heard throughout the electronic-influenced "Run," but it is the African-inflected synth that truly carries the frantic song. "Cousins," the leading single off the album, is repetitive and uses many of the same guitar riffs as M79 off their first album, but the catchy chorus, new surf-influenced riffs and bells make the single interesting. "Giving Up the Gun" is also strong on the bells with a synthy arena rock sound, but the lyrics are not quite as original as we would expect from Vampire Weekend on the chorus, "And though it's been a long time / You're right back where you started from." A personal favorite, "Diplomat's Son" brings in the trebling violins and high-pitched back-up vocals. It's much more mellow than the rest of the album and seems like a cool mix between classic rock and an M.I.A. single, as it includes sample from the controversial rapper. "I Think Ur a Contra" takes it from mellow to more mellow with a quiet orchestral sound and shows that Vampire Weekend has soul as well as genius with the emotional lyrics, "You wanted good schools and friends with pools / … / But I just wanted you." Overall, "Contra" proves that Vampire Weekend can succeed even when they move away from their Ivy League schooling and Northeast roots. The album certainly takes on a West Coast aesthetic but also has undertones of reggae, electronic, and Afro-pop. Whether the mainstream will catch onto this sophomore masterpiece is yet to be seen.

Talking with Tyler

Saturday night at Legends singer Tyler Hilton rocked out to a big crowd of girls. Hilton, who has just finished writing and recording for his new album, played a mixture of old favorites and new songs. In an interview prior to the show, Hilton talked about his new album. It has been six years since his last, and Hilton is grateful that fans stuck by him over the years. His first new single will be released in a few weeks on his Web site and hopefully it will hit the radio airwaves in April. When asked to characterize his new album he described it as "rock/pop music." However, it will be different than his 2004 work "The Tracks of Tyler Hilton" in that it will have more rock guitars, keyboards and overall a bigger sound. "A lot of my [new] songs are songs I've been playing for two or three years but they haven't been recorded." Hilton said. "So many people can get the [acoustic] versions online and have that and I don't want to give them the same version again clean. There's got to be something cool to make that song even better." While Hilton has over 20 songs written and recorded, those that will make it to the album have yet to be chosen. However, his personal favorite is one entitled "Say it Like a Lie". Hilton, who is also an actor, is also known for his recurring role on the CW drama "One Tree Hill" as the arrogant musician Chris Keller. When asked about his experience on the show, Hilton described it as "killer." Even though he was "the new kid in school," he was welcomed with open arms by the then small tight-knit cast. This was the main reason he kept coming back to the show. Many of the cast members went on the road with Hilton over the years, and he still remains close with them. What is the one possession Hilton must have on the road? A good book. Hilton loves to read, which is part of the reason for his charity, "T.H. Books for Kids." He came up with the idea for the organization about four years ago when talking to his high school English teacher. "I really like reading [and] I wish[ed] there was a charity that could empower people to help them with the first step they need to figure out problems on their own." Hilton said. "If we could really help child literacy, or give kids books, I feel like books are such a tool into critical thinking and gives you ideas and expands your world." His teacher's daughter now runs the organization, and Hilton gives all the credit to her and the board of directors. Each year, he holds at least one charity concert, and the organization works to provide books where there is a great need. During Hurricane Katrina, they were able to completely replenish an elementary school library that was flooded. Hilton has already begun throwing ideas around with the board about Haiti, since he knows the need there will be significant after more immediate matters are dealt with. With no truly new publicized songs in years, Hilton appreciates his fans' dedication. He is amazed that they keep coming back to his website to watch his videos and read his blog. "The reason it wasn't a phase […] was because everyone loved it," Hilton said. He initially began with videos on the road and blogging for fun, but the fans responded so positively that he could not stop. Hilton has even had a cooking show on YouTube which he calls "Cooking with Tyler." He exclusively revealed that he is bringing the show back and plans to start cooking fan recipes, and will hopefully put together a cookbook. "I watch it and I can't believe that people like this because I'm in my kitchen cooking, but somebody from my label said I should do that again and I'm like, really? Okay!" Hilton said of the show. Hilton played about 15 songs on Saturday. The concertgoers really seemed to enjoy singing along to Hilton's older songs, and were not too shy to shout out requests. But every now and then Hilton would interject with a new song. When the audience asked Hilton to sing "When the Stars Go Blue" a duet he performed on "One Tree Hill" with Bethany Joy Galeotti, he obliged — but only if someone would come up on stage and help him out. One willing fan did, and she did an excellent job. The show was a total success, and the openers were also fantastic. Look for Hilton's new album this year. In the meantime, check out his recent EP "Better on Beachwood" on iTunes now.

OK Go Shows Maturity, Versatility with 'Of The Blue Colour of the Sky'

The Los Angeles-based band OK Go credits YouTube for much of their recent success, with their intricate, one-take music videos for "A Million Ways" and the ever-popular "Here It Goes Again" (The Treadmill Dance) receiving tens of millions of views. Their latest effort, "Of the Blue Colour of the Sky," certainly wanders from the band's arena-rock, nerd-pop style of their previous albums, but they don't forfeit the charm of their music videos. The CD was produced by Dave Fridmann, most famous for his work with the Flaming Lips, and his influence is certainly present. The first single, "WTF?" is a stylistic bridge between OK Go's old identity and the new, mellowed persona of the band. The airy track contrasts characteristic OK Go features like stop-time, falsetto background vocals and miscellaneous percussion against a scratchy bass, funk guitar lines and spastic guitar solos, all over a 5/4 time. The result is a track that tries to offer the best of both worlds and satisfies in neither — but not without offering a satisfying exposition into the album. The music video for "WTF?" reinforces its role as a stylistically transitional track by maintaining the typical one-take shot of the band members dancing, but the use of stop-imagery adds a psychedelic nature to their personality. The band also appears much more relaxed, strolling on stage, even playing with beach balls on set, as opposed to hustling to positions in their previous dance videos. Just as the listener gets oriented in the album's new direction, it heads back to classic arena rock mode with "This Too Shall Pass." In true OK Go fashion, the sound is huge with massive depths surrounding the focal parts — the similarly pitched toy piano and lead vocals. The song dances between intensities, alternating between heavy head banging and drum and "ooh" breaks, before settling down for the bridge. It ends with both materials overlapped, resulting in a chorus of equal parts joy and power. The music video for this track is certainly worth a view, which features the track reworked for accordion, xylophone, a children's chorus and the Notre Dame Marching Band, outfitted in generic marching band outfits and gilly suits. The video is charming and, of course, in one take, but more importantly, the Band's timbre and vigor compliment the style of the piece so much that this alternate version might be superior to the CD take. The middle tracks of the album return to the sound founded in "WTF?" with more sound droning and vocal reverberation than catchy and clean guitar licks and downbeats. The fourth track, "Needing/Getting" is the culmination of these instrumental motives, featuring masterful guitar and drum work. The song exemplifies the result of the synchronization of Fridmann's influence with OK Go's sound, especially the background sampling of "It's A Disaster," off of their last full album, "Oh No" (at 4:22 for the audiophile Easter-egg hunters). The last tracks deserving mention are "Before the Earth was Round" and "Last Leaf," which I place together because of their differences rather than their similarities. The two songs, appearing in the ninth and 10th positions, display the versatility of the band's new direction. First, a heavily syncopated and synthesized track, anthropomorphizing the sky as an entity confused about itself, followed by a simple, but equally beautiful acoustic love song using the Earth and the seasons as metaphor. The result — a band with unfounded versatility. With this latest release I was hoping for another album like "Oh No," filled with arena-rock riffs and memorable lyrics, and at first I was disappointed. But with a second listen, "Of the Blue Colour of the Sky," proved to be the showcase of the stylistic range of a maturing rock quartet.  

Contra' Takes On West Coast Aesthetic

Vampire Weekend's 2008 self-titled debut came as quite a surprise, with four Columbia University grads with a clean Afro-pop-influenced indie rock sound making it big in the mainstream. It was definitely college rock at its finest, something one might be inclined to listen to at Cape Cod with a glass of champagne in hand and a chandelier in view somewhere in the background. But somehow, the mainstream caught on, and it became a favorite in dorm rooms, TV commercials and Top 40 radio stations alike. The indie rock quartet did it with style, originality and hints of ennui. But they were anything but apathetic, as their songs all had a clear sense of energy and incorporated cleverness and Afro-pop with lyrics about collegiate struggles and trust funds. The debut album even made NME's "Top 100 Greatest Albums of the Decade" list, ranking as no. 42. And now, they've done it again with their sophomore effort, "Contra," an album that brings the creativity up a notch with a fuller, more frenetic sound and more mixing of genres from synth pop to hip-hop to reggae and even electronic accents. The indie rock band also seems to move away from their Northeast roots and takes on a West Coast aesthetic for the new album. It begins with "Horchata," a song with excellent African beats and the clever yet silly lyrics, "In December drinking horchata / I'd look psychotic in a balaclava."  "White Sky" then demonstrates lead singer Ezra Koenig's clear ability to reach a high-pitched falsetto and portrays the band's mixture of genres with a good use of instrumentation. "Holiday" has a summery California feel, and if you need a break from the bleak South Bend winter cold, just give this song a listen. "Holiday" has hints of an orchestral sound reminiscent of Grizzly Bear, while "California English" is more fast-paced and frenetic, much like the nonsensical chaos of "Oxford Comma" but to an even greater degree, with lyrics, "Sweet carob rice cake / She don't care how the sweets taste / Fake Philly cheese steak / But she use real toothpaste," which beg the question, Vampire Weekend, what are you talking about? "Taxi Cab" is more slow-paced with a classical sounding piano instrumentation that makes the song sound like it could be a soundtrack to Masterpiece Theatre. Koenig's trebling falsetto is heard throughout the electronic-influenced "Run," but it is the African-inflected synth that truly carries the frantic song. "Cousins," the leading single off the album, is repetitive and uses many of the same guitar riffs as M79 off their first album, but the catchy chorus, new surf-influenced riffs and bells make the single interesting. "Giving Up the Gun" is also strong on the bells with a synthy arena rock sound, but the lyrics are not quite as original as we would expect from Vampire Weekend on the chorus, "And though it's been a long time / You're right back where you started from." A personal favorite, "Diplomat's Son" brings in the trebling violins and high-pitched back-up vocals. It's much more mellow than the rest of the album and seems like a cool mix between classic rock and an M.I.A. single, as it includes sample from the controversial rapper. "I Think Ur a Contra" takes it from mellow to more mellow with a quiet orchestral sound and shows that Vampire Weekend has soul as well as genius with the emotional lyrics, "You wanted good schools and friends with pools / … / But I just wanted you." Overall, "Contra" proves that Vampire Weekend can succeed even when they move away from their Ivy League schooling and Northeast roots. The album certainly takes on a West Coast aesthetic but also has undertones of reggae, electronic, and Afro-pop. Whether the mainstream will catch onto this sophomore masterpiece is yet to be seen.

Talking with Tyler

Saturday night at Legends singer Tyler Hilton rocked out to a big crowd of girls. Hilton, who has just finished writing and recording for his new album, played a mixture of old favorites and new songs. In an interview prior to the show, Hilton talked about his new album. It has been six years since his last, and Hilton is grateful that fans stuck by him over the years. His first new single will be released in a few weeks on his Web site and hopefully it will hit the radio airwaves in April. When asked to characterize his new album he described it as "rock/pop music." However, it will be different than his 2004 work "The Tracks of Tyler Hilton" in that it will have more rock guitars, keyboards and overall a bigger sound. "A lot of my [new] songs are songs I've been playing for two or three years but they haven't been recorded." Hilton said. "So many people can get the [acoustic] versions online and have that and I don't want to give them the same version again clean. There's got to be something cool to make that song even better." While Hilton has over 20 songs written and recorded, those that will make it to the album have yet to be chosen. However, his personal favorite is one entitled "Say it Like a Lie". Hilton, who is also an actor, is also known for his recurring role on the CW drama "One Tree Hill" as the arrogant musician Chris Keller. When asked about his experience on the show, Hilton described it as "killer." Even though he was "the new kid in school," he was welcomed with open arms by the then small tight-knit cast. This was the main reason he kept coming back to the show. Many of the cast members went on the road with Hilton over the years, and he still remains close with them. What is the one possession Hilton must have on the road? A good book. Hilton loves to read, which is part of the reason for his charity, "T.H. Books for Kids." He came up with the idea for the organization about four years ago when talking to his high school English teacher. "I really like reading [and] I wish[ed] there was a charity that could empower people to help them with the first step they need to figure out problems on their own." Hilton said. "If we could really help child literacy, or give kids books, I feel like books are such a tool into critical thinking and gives you ideas and expands your world." His teacher's daughter now runs the organization, and Hilton gives all the credit to her and the board of directors. Each year, he holds at least one charity concert, and the organization works to provide books where there is a great need. During Hurricane Katrina, they were able to completely replenish an elementary school library that was flooded. Hilton has already begun throwing ideas around with the board about Haiti, since he knows the need there will be significant after more immediate matters are dealt with. With no truly new publicized songs in years, Hilton appreciates his fans' dedication. He is amazed that they keep coming back to his website to watch his videos and read his blog. "The reason it wasn't a phase […] was because everyone loved it," Hilton said. He initially began with videos on the road and blogging for fun, but the fans responded so positively that he could not stop. Hilton has even had a cooking show on YouTube which he calls "Cooking with Tyler." He exclusively revealed that he is bringing the show back and plans to start cooking fan recipes, and will hopefully put together a cookbook. "I watch it and I can't believe that people like this because I'm in my kitchen cooking, but somebody from my label said I should do that again and I'm like, really? Okay!" Hilton said of the show. Hilton played about 15 songs on Saturday. The concertgoers really seemed to enjoy singing along to Hilton's older songs, and were not too shy to shout out requests. But every now and then Hilton would interject with a new song. When the audience asked Hilton to sing "When the Stars Go Blue" a duet he performed on "One Tree Hill" with Bethany Joy Galeotti, he obliged — but only if someone would come up on stage and help him out. One willing fan did, and she did an excellent job. The show was a total success, and the openers were also fantastic. Look for Hilton's new album this year. In the meantime, check out his recent EP "Better on Beachwood" on iTunes now.

The Top 50 Films of the Decade: Part One

Over the five day week, "The Observer" will count down all of the movies that made us laugh, cry, reflect and sit on the edge of our seats — all of the best films of the decade. These 50 films all share an essence of filmmaking genius that were exceptional amongst the thousands of films released in the last 10 years, and some of them will one day be viewed as "classics" in film history. So here they are, the best films of the decade. 50. The Aviator (2004) — One of the few biopics to crack this list, "The Aviator" does so because it is just that, a biopic — one that plays by the rules, but goes one step further into the man that was aviation tycoon Harold Hughes than most biopics dare to go. The mind behind the man is on full display here, and there are few better able than Leonardo DiCaprio, in a brilliant turn yet again, at handling the task of playing the troubled, eccentric, womanizing, power-hungry genius that Hughes was. 49. Maria Full of Grace (2004) — Lead actress Catalina Sandino Moreno is mesmerizing as a poor Colombian woman caught in a web of murder as a drug mule sent to New York City with bags of heroin inside her stomach. Caught within the frames here are the sense of being lost and utter fear felt by someone with no human connection and no way of understanding what is going on in her surroundings. And the way in which that feeling is caught is the true triumph here. Her feeling is dually felt by the audience, which makes this eye-opening film all the more powerful. 48. Monsters Inc. (2001) — Pixar struck gold with this hilarious, wildly imaginative and altogether unforgettable little charmer about monsters whose job is to scare sleeping children in order to generate energy for their own world. It's all about the energy at the company, Monster Inc., and with the film "Monsters Inc.", it's also all about the energy — the boundless creative energy that results in a film audiences of all ages can love. 47. Almost Famous (2000) — Tasked with the dream job of interviewing a new hot rock band during their cross-country tour, a high schooler (Patrick Fugit) discovers love, the true essence of rock music and even himself along the way. The real showstopper here is Kate Hudson, the band's groupie, who steals the show as a free-loving drug-addict caught between innocence and that point in life where we all just have to grow up. Simply put, it'll have you air-guitaring ‘til your fingers just can't strum anymore. 46. The Hurt Locker (2009) — Director Kathryn Bigelow's muscle-flexing, full-throttle portrayal of a special unit of bomb disarming soldiers in Iraq, "The Hurt Locker" stands as a king among men in the small but growing group of Iraq War films. What's different here is that the movie is neither action-driven nor overly story driven, and it avoids what has thus far been a pitfall in trying to pass itself off as a psychological analysis of soldiers in the heat of the current war. Instead, "The Hurt Locker" is a beautiful marriage of a bare bones portrayal of human nature when the line between life and death is so thin and momentary and a classic tension-ridden portrayal of the heat of combat. 45. Elephant (2003) — In the wake of the tragic Columbine shootings, director Gus Van Sant creates an affecting, stunningly shot and somehow blissfully paced account of a school shooting that takes the lives of dozens of unsuspecting students. It plays like a still-image cast against the backdrop of a clear sky, which makes it bearable, yet all the more powerful nonetheless. 44. Little Miss Sunshine (2006) — 2006's little engine that could is like a cute and cuddly stuffed animal. Yet it has a way of making you cry. And then laugh. And then cry again. Then stand up and cheer, wide-eyed with an ear-to-ear grin across the face. Made with starry-eyed beauty and injected with a sense of enjoyment shared by the audience, "Little Miss Sunshine" is a true crowd pleaser. 43. Letter From Iwo Jima (2006) — Director Clint Eastwood packs a visceral punch in the form of a beautifully shot, ferocious yet delicate letter from the doomed Japanese abandoned on Iwo Jima. Upon its release, this was the best American war film since "Saving Private Ryan". 42. Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001) — The first film in the trilogy was groundbreaking and made the success of the next two installments inevitable. Perhaps the most faithful adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien's trilogy, Peter Jackson's first foray into Middle Earth is the most Shire-like of the three films, and what a refreshing two and a half hours at the Shire it is. 41. Donnie Darko (2001) — I cannot for the life of me explain why I'm drawn to this film, but there's just something about it, some inexplicable quality that grabs and never lets go. A "cult classic" if there ever was one, "Donnie Darko" is like a roller coaster ride of confusion, Smurf sexology, and most central of all, let's just throw in the theory behind time travel. It just gets in your mind and stays there, for better or for worse.

Determined Dad Defies Odds in "Extraordinary Measures"

Art imitated real life last night at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center where the film "Extraordinary Measures" premiered a week early to audiences. The film centers on the story of John Crowley and his fight against a rare illness known as Pompe Disease. Crowley, who graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 1992, worked together with Dr. Robert Stonehill to discover a cure and save his two youngest children.  

Tyler Hilton Takes Legends

Saturday night at 10 p.m. at Legends, singer/songwriter Tyler Hilton will perform an hour-long acoustic set. You may recognize Hilton from his recurring role on "One Tree Hill," the small part of Elvis in "Walk the Line," or even as Taylor Swift's love interest Drew in the music video "Teardrops on my Guitar." But Hilton ought to best be known for his husky voice and memorable lyrics. His musical style is difficult to label, but has sometimes been called indie pop/rock with folk influences.  

Tyler Hilton Takes Legends

Saturday night at 10 p.m. at Legends, singer/songwriter Tyler Hilton will perform an hour-long acoustic set. You may recognize Hilton from his recurring role on "One Tree Hill," the small part of Elvis in "Walk the Line," or even as Taylor Swift's love interest Drew in the music video "Teardrops on my Guitar." But Hilton ought to best be known for his husky voice and memorable lyrics. His musical style is difficult to label, but has sometimes been called indie pop/rock with folk influences.  

Determined Dad Defies Odds in "Extraordinary Measures"

Art imitated real life last night at the DeBartolo Performing Arts Center where the film "Extraordinary Measures" premiered a week early to audiences. The film centers on the story of John Crowley and his fight against a rare illness known as Pompe Disease. Crowley, who graduated from Notre Dame Law School in 1992, worked together with Dr. Robert Stonehill to discover a cure and save his two youngest children.  

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The Kooky, Ooky, Spooky Addams Family Musical

They're creepy and their kooky, mysterious and spooky, they're all together ooky, the Addams Family! And so it goes for the new Broadway-bound musical, which just finished its preview run in Chicago, based on the infamous kooky, spooky and ooky family first created in comic strips by Charles Addams. "The Addams Family," with music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa ("The Wild Party") and a book by Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice ("Jersey Boys"), takes those original cartoon characters to craft a new story about Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester and the rest of the gang. Anjelica Huston (star of the 1990s films) and John Astin (Gomez in the original television series) are long gone, but have been fondly replaced with a group of seasoned Broadway veterans and a few promising newcomers.

Girl Talk rings in the New Year with mash-ups on steroids