Skip to Content, Navigation, or Footer.
The Observer
Friday, Dec. 19, 2025
Support The Observer
Observer Store Subscribe
The Observer

Scene

The Observer

Ugh, Gym Music

By The Observer · Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013

Maybe it's because I'm not terribly athletic, maybe it's because I come off as a bit of a klutz or maybe it's just my obsession with pizza. No matter what it is, I can assure you that no one would ever look at me and think, "That girl definitely likes to work out!" But guess what, everyone? I enjoy exercise most of the time. Maybe I don't do it enough (okay, I definitely don't do it enough), but I have nothing against going for a run or hitting the gym, even upon learning in P.E. freshman year that free weights aren't exactly my thing. So, now that it's clear that I do not hate exercise, I will confess to you there is something about "getting swoll" that I do absolutely despise (besides the phrase "getting swoll"). No, it's not the fact that everyone stares at themselves in the mirror all the time. It's not even that extremely traumatic moment when you're running and your ear bud gets ripped out of your ear. It's the music. I hate gym music. Maybe this is just my experience, but music played at gyms always seems to be a blend of top 40 hits, bad house music and old Katy Perry songs. Also, I think it might be against the law in the state of Indiana to teach a fitness class and not include at least one Ke$ha and two Pitbull songs. I don't know who is responsible for picking tracks at fitness centers or passing those speculated laws - my theory is that it's all Richard Simmons - but I have given up hope in thinking that I'll ever hear something quality while exercising. Sometimes I tell myself that these awful, awful song choices are actually a good thing - bad music can fuel a hate-fire within and motivate you to do more. A bad song can inspire you to hate-run another mile, hate-lift another rep or hate-dance your heart out to that one really bad Zumba song you've never liked. Another upside is that if a workout is particularly excruciating, at least it won't forever be associated with a great song. It's never fun to force a tune into early retirement because you experience phantom muscle aches and painful flashbacks every time it comes up on shuffle. Still, occasionally, I just want to hear some songs I like while working out. Because of this, like almost everyone, I've taken the exercise playlist into my own hands. But as an avid fan of slow, weird alternative music, it's not always easy to track down the right songs that will get you pumped for a workout. I learned, for example, that no matter how you try to get a good pace running to Fleet Foxes, it's never going to happen. If you're like me and need a little help finding something upbeat, the internet has come to our rescue. Running music websites like jog.fm exemplify the wonders of modern technology by giving its users the tools to customize any run, ride or workout playlist to fit any and all music needs. The site lists exclusively upbeat songs you can work out to and organizes tracks by beats per minute. This way, you make a playlist with a consistent tempo or even preset an overly ambitious mile time for your run that you'll later regret! Best of all, you can filter by genre or look through premade playlists to discover the best workout music you've never heard. Contact Allie Tollaksen at atollaks@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.  

The Observer

Mechanical Bull' Rocks Out

By The Observer · Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013

Before I get into the nitty-gritty of this review, I must personally say that I have been fanboying over "Mechanical Bull" since it was first announced back in June. Even though Kings of Leon's previous release, "Come Around Sundown" was dull at best, I have had extremely high hopes for this sixth studio album. The band has had some rather emotional experiences over the past two years, and a mechanical bull seems to be a near perfect way to describe it. On a deeper level though, the title represents the group's intentions to shake things up with this album and move forward with their sound. These intentions are made obvious with the leadoff track and the first single from the album, "Supersoaker." The song captures the raw feral energy the band possessed in its first few records, while also emulating the smooth, refined choruses of "Only By the Night." While "Only By The Night" did push Kings of Leon into the international spotlight with the hits "Use Somebody" and the infamous "Sex on Fire," a good majority of the album lacked intensity and energy. With "Mechanical Bull," Kings of Leon has combined all of their best elements to produce a record with an eclectic mix of songs that not only have a fun energy about them, but also reflect the band's experience. Part of the fun of listening to this album is the swinging, bluesy throwback sound that the Kings invoke in songs like "Family Tree" and "Rock City," which isn't about Los Angeles, Detroit, or New York, but the band's hometown of Nashville. Kings of Leon really rock the southern sound, mixing the influence of bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd and the Allman Brothers Band to give all their songs on this album an upbeat driving force. One of my personal favorites off this album is "Temple," a rocking arena anthem that has a bouncy rhythm and fun guitar hooks. But even the slower stuff on "Mechanical Bull" is very solid and great to listen to. Specifically, "Tonight" is a passionate song which draws upon the darker sounds of "Only By the Night" but feels fresher and more polished. The best song from "Mechanical Bull" by far is the ambitious "Comeback Story," which is a neat little reflection of the band's shakeup since lead singer Caleb Followill's alcoholic breakdown in the middle of a show in 2011. The song makes good use of darker tones, a jamming guitar, and an echoing whistling chorus to create a terrific sound. It also gives rise to the clever couplet "I walk a mile in your shoes/ now I'm a mile away and I've got your shoes". At this point, I've basically praised almost every song on the album. And honestly, this is an album that deserves the acclaim. This is the most fun, energetic, well-produced record the Kings have had since "Aha Shake Heartbreak" way back in 2004. The band creatively blends two guitars to make some sick riffs to push their music forward into new territories. Caleb's vocal work is superb as usual, but it seems as the focus of the music has shifted from featuring his voice toward highlighting the overall harmony of the band, which is a great change and makes everything more special. Simply put, this album is awesome and is definitely worth a listen. Contact Jimmy Kemper at jkemper2@nd.edu  

The Observer

Bringing Dante to Life

By The Observer · Tuesday, Sept. 24, 2013

Certain literary pieces were intended to be heard, not read. For many, the works of William Shakespeare are nearly impossible to fully comprehend until brought to life on stage. Similarly, the words of Dante's "Divine Comedy" deepen in meaning when read aloud to an audience. This is the idea behind the Italian Studies Department's "Dante Now!" event happening this Friday all around campus. "Dante Now!" features Italian language students (and anyone else who wants to join) performing pieces of Dante's "Divine Comedy" in Italian from 2:00-3:00 pm. "From a linguistics point of view, it helps students get used to talking in the formal, standard language that was based on Dante," said Anne Leone, Italian Studies Research Assistant Professor and one of the organizers of the event. The students have a chance to practice their language skills while indulging in one of the most important aspects of Italian culture. Dante is to the Italians in some ways what Shakespeare is to the British. Just as the British annually recreate the Shakespeare plays, there is a group in Florence, Italy, that publicly performs Dante every year. It was these Florentines who inspired the project here at Notre Dame. "It has such a foundational place in Italian culture. Maybe it's so much a part of their culture that they don't think about it," Leone said. Performing the "Divine Comedy" builds a community within the Italian Studies department, as they are able to bring to life something so integral to the culture. "The Dante Now! Program is important precisely because it brings the Notre Dame community and the local and visiting communities together and in communion with each other, with Dante, and the beauty of the Italian language," senior Christian Coppa said. Performing Dante in this way makes it into an artistic exhibition that allows even inexperienced speakers to join in. "People can hear the musicality of it even if they don't know the language," Italian Studies graduate student Xiaoyi Zhang said. Last year, the event certainly caught the attention of spectators. "One guy saw us at the KnuteRockne statue and said he'd never seen anything like this before and joined in with us and started following the group," Ph.D. student Courtney Smotherman said. The performances end when all nine performance groups meet at the Grotto to say the Prayer to the Virgin from the end of Dante's "Paradiso." For Leone, Zhang and Coppa, this was the most memorable part of the event. "It was a powerful instance, for me, of what makes poetry, and Dante's poem in particular, so special," Coppa said of the final recitation. "Seeing how students alike not only relished in the beauty of the poetry, but in some cases prayed the poem, opened up new meaning for me personally." Bringing the performance to end in what is arguably one of the most important communal parts of Notre Dame's campus reinforces the community aspect of the event. According to Leone, performing the "Divine Comedy" as a group reflects the message of the story itself. The poem begins as Dante's individual crisis, where another person saves him. The poem is his attempt to save the souls of other people. Similarly, in the reading aloud of Dante, the story comes alive not only for the reader but the audience as well. "It makes you want to Wikipedia Dante," Zhang said. The event closes with an illustrated lecture on Dante's "Inferno" at the Snite Museum of Art given by two Notre Dame professors and one visiting professor, which helps the students and audience members visualize the scenes they've been hearing. Dante Now! begins at 2:00 p.m at various locations around campus. Each performance takes about seven minutes and the performers will move locations every 20 minutes. Many of the performers will be wearing red Dante hats with golden laurels, so don't be afraid to stop by and listen. Contact Caelin Miltko at cmoriari@nd.edu 

The Observer

Nothing Was The Same' fails to deliver

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 23, 2013

After listening to Drake's hotly anticipated new album, "Nothing Was The Same," I sat at my desk feeling duped. Like a 19th century company claiming its cigarettes could cure asthma, or a Pizza Ranch convincing people its food doesn't cause cardiac arrest or spontaneous combustion, Cash Money Records snared me in the sticky web of false advertising. Drake's new album should not be named "Nothing Was The Same." It should be titled, "Nothing Was Above Average."

The Observer

#WeirdEmmys

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 23, 2013

There's no way of getting around it. The 65th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards, which aired Sunday night, got really weird. Perhaps Neil Patrick Harris put it best when he announced, "This just in: No one in America is winning their office Emmy pool."

The Observer

CHVRCHES produces epic pop

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 23, 2013

You're sitting there, in life. You're reading and blinking and breathing and yawning. The world around you is a giant parking lot of normalness.

The Observer

The world still needs superheroes

By The Observer · Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013

To anyone paying attention to the comic book industry's recent success in the box office, it should be immediately apparent that Marvel is the top dog in comic book hero films as of late.  It seems that there is an unrelenting slew of Marvel movies in theaters, each better than the last. Of course, the climax of their recently established successful franchises was the Avengers movie released last summer, however, more important than the monetary success that this film no doubt achieved was the fact that Marvel clearly showcased the brute strength it has accrued in recent years.

The Observer

Aaron Carter at Fever

By The Observer · Sunday, Sept. 22, 2013

I hear "Aaron Carter" and the name resurrects memories of my eight-year-old self hooked into a Walkman, listening to the then-13-year-old pop star with the bleached blond hair, bopping around stage, swearing he was "tellin' me the facts" in his chart-topping hit "That's How I Beat Shaq." The album "Aaron's Party (Come Get It)" had a couple more gems, including that unforgettably profound refrain "I want candy" in the song with the same title. Back then, I assumed it referred only to the junk-food aisle at the supermarket and not anything romantic, but I found it moving nonetheless. Carter is slotted to perform at South Bend's Club Fever at 6 p.m. tonight as part of his comeback tour after eight years off. In a phone interview Friday, he promised fans would hear "all the good old songs," including his personal favorite hit "Aaron's Party." Which, coincidentally, still has a place in my iTunes library. "Of course I'll play the old stuff, oh yeah, absolutely," Carter said. "Yeah, that's a given. I can't not do that. The show will be a little bit of cover music, a little bit of old music and a bit of new stuff as well." The eight years that have passed since he first smack-talked NBA legends changed his performing style (and the pitch of his voice), but Carter said he's back on tour with one main goal - reconnecting with his fans after the hiatus. "That's what brings me all over right now on my tours," he said. "You know, I haven't been on tour in, like, eight years, so I'm just trying to get back into it and see everybody." He wouldn't say he's spent the past eight years off the radar, though. He and his brothers starred in the 2006 E! Network reality show "House of Carters" and in 2009, he took fifth place in "Dancing with the Stars." From Oct. 2011 until Feb. 2013, he starred in the off-Broadway play "The Fantasticks" in New York City. "I did 'The Fantasticks' for, like, over 400 performances," Carter said. "I was the lead and it was a love story. It was awesome; it was fun doing it. It was definitely challenging, but it strengthened my vocals and helped me as a performer overall." Performing in a theater is "a much different world" than the pop concert venue, he said. "In Broadway plays, people go in and they sit down and they clap for you, you know? It's not, like, screaming and throwing stuff on stage," he said. "It was definitely something to adapt to, but I didn't really want to become completely acclimated to it because I like performing for screaming girls too." Carter said he "hopped right on tour" after his run with "The Fantasticks" ended so his fans could have the chance to see him as he is now instead of maintaining that image of him performing as a child star. "I don't want my fans to expect me to be 12 anymore, because that's not the case, you know?" he said. "I'm not 12, I'm not 15 anymore. I'm going to be 26 at the end of the year. "Fortunately, I've always been able to transition with my fans because a lot of them grew up with me too. I started performing when I was six, and then I did two albums in my teenage years and now it's time to make a transition in my adulthood." Carter at his peak was a child star at the level of Lindsay Lohan and Hilary Duff (both of whom he dated, coincidentally), the predecessor of today's Justin Biebers and Miley Cyruses. He listed songs by Daft Punk, Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" and Bruno Mars' "Treasure" as some of his favorite current music and said he "couldn't wait" to perform in South Bend tonight. Ironically, although some might say I'm "too old" to be an AC fan, I'm still too young to be allowed into Club Fever for the concert. I'll have to live vicariously through the minions that will undoubtedly pack thetclub, so if nothing else, just go because you know your eight-year-old self would have. Doors open tonight at Club Fever in South Bend at 6 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com or at the door tomorrow for $15. Contact Ann Marie Jakubowski at ajakubo1@nd.edu The views expressed in this column are those of the author and not necessarily those of The Observer.  

The Observer

The KickBack: "From Here to Now to You"

By The Observer · Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013

If I ask you to associate the words "kick back" with a single musician, survey says Jack Johnson would come back 75 percent of the time. No matter the song, album or venue, Jack Johnson plays the tunes of a kick back. 

The Observer

The Show Must Go On

By The Observer · Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2013

With the loss of several fan favorite comedians and the transition of Seth Meyers from the Weekend Update to NBC's "Late Night" show, Saturday Night Live is set to be revamped with some of the biggest changes in its almost four-decade long history. 

The Observer

Delorean chills out with "Apar"

By The Observer · Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013

You know that kid who starts all the parties and dances on the tables and orders everyone pizza and sings along to all your favorite songs with you? That was Delorean's last album, "Subiza" - a joyful kid bursting with energy. "Subiza" boasted enough tropical dancefloor anthems to last you and your friends through the night and into the morning. Two insanely catchy singles from the album, "Stay Close" and "Real Love", got enough blog love to catapult Delorean out of their local Spanish club scene and onto the international stage. Since then, they've toured across America and played at Pitchfork music fest. Their combination of high-energy dance music and smooth harmonies has drawn comparisons to Animal Collective, M83 and Cut Copy. They've made a name - and a good one. It's been three years since "Subiza". But now that kid who started all the parties, who ordered all those pizzas, who sang along to all those songs - he's zoned out in the corner, sunken into an armchair, chilling out. Because Delorean's new album, "Apar," doesn't even try to reach the heights of its predecessor. The explosive energy has been replaced with laid-back atmosphere and soft hooks. The punchy drums and riffs are gone, replaced by soft synths and reverb-laden guitars. There are no dance floor anthems here, just 80's-esque stargazing jams and chilled grooves. Sure, the pulsing drumbeats are there, and in many ways it still feels like a dance album, but try dancing to it and you'll soon find there's just not much energy there. That's not to say it's a completely bad record. It's great hangout, adventuring sort of music - think Rusted Root's song in Ice Age that goes, "Send me on my way," and just kind of grooves along. "Apar" is a smiling friend putting a hand on your shoulder. Most of the tracks, smooth and cheerful, have an uncanny ability to lull a listener into a good mood. On "Unhold" and "Your Face", beautiful female vocals paired with flowing hooks take the album to a few unexpected heights. If nothing else, "Apar" sports many friendly atmospheres just waiting to complete sunny days. In the end, "Apar" is still a slight disappointment - a step in a safe direction for a band that seemed to burst with excitement and potential. Delorean now falls closer to the likes of chillwave artists like Wild Nothing, and Washed Out, and to be honest, those two bands have already done what "Apar" attempts to do, and they've done it better. But Delorean's still a young band - this is only their second release. They could go anywhere from here. For now we just bob our heads, smile and hope the next path leads somewhere new and exciting. Contact John Darr at jdarr@nd.edu 

The Observer

Arctic Monkeys start strong, flame out

By The Observer · Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013

Oftentimes, when people hear that a band is classified as "indie rock," they either flee in terror or lock themselves in a bomb shelter with a copy of Ronald Reagan's autobiography. Have no fear. "AM," the fifth studio album released by the Arctic Monkeys, may fall under the heading of indie rock, but it packs a punch that makes it well worth a listen for fans of all musical tastes. Believe me when I say that 'AM' is not just for beret enthusiasts to listen to on their Zunes while long boarding to the nearest vegetable co-op.  For those unfamiliar, the Arctic Monkeys are a highly talented five-man band hailing from Sheffield, United Kingdom. Their unique sound and fast paced tempo, layered with the thick English accent of lead singer Alex Turner, have vaulted them to fame around the world. In fact, the Arctic Monkeys are the first band signed to an independent label to record five consecutive No. 1 albums. 'AM' definitely sounds like a chart-topping album during its first few tracks. "Do I Wanna Know?" and "R U Mine?" are rewarding listens that will have your head nodding and your feet stomping in no time. Just make sure your friends aren't around to laugh and pelt you with garbage when it happens. "One for the Road," the album's third track, is yet another solid offering. Its pulsing drums and synthesized guitar riffs are strongly reminiscent of The Black Keys, another popular "indie" band that hails not from England but from the city of lights, city of angels and capital of the free world: Akron, Ohio. "AM" explodes out of the gate, even if the word "explode" may be too "edgy" and "Republican" for many people who listen to indie rock. However, the album grows disconcertingly thin in musical content after its fifth track has come and gone. If 'AM' starts as the Boston Red Sox, it ends as the Houston Astros. If it starts as the Miami Heat, it ends as WNBA's 10-win powerhouse, the Connecticut Sun. So, I guess my main criticism of "AM" is that it slows down and grows stale at times. A rolling stone gathers no moss, but "AM's" second half jams up the album just long enough for a slight layer of mediocrity to accumulate. What I used to love about the Arctic Monkeys, what made me buy their earlier albums and become a fan of theirs in the first place, was the frenetic style and energy they packed into seemingly every song. Their music used to be loud and crazy, used to make you want to do something rebellious or stupid, which at Notre Dame can be defined as holding your girlfriend's hand in broad daylight, skipping Mass to do homework or entering the first floor men's bathroom in DeBartolo Hall without a gas mask. It's the absence of that fun, fast-paced style that drops "AM" from a great to a good album in my eyes. Don't get me wrong, "AM" is definitely worth a listen and a download. However, for those new to the Arctic Monkeys, I would suggest starting with one of their earlier albums, specifically "Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not," before giving "AM" a try. Although not the Arctic Monkey's best effort to date, "AM" shows us once again that everything Britain lacks in dental hygiene and the ability to win revolutionary wars, it makes up in producing unique, groundbreaking rock music that people of all tastes can enjoy. Contact Dan Brombach at dbrombac@nd.edu 

The Observer

UNCOOL!

By The Observer · Tuesday, Sept. 17, 2013

I'm not a cool guy. I buy music on iTunes sometimes. I've asked three different people to explain to me what Molly is in the last six months and I still don't totally get it. I use the word dope a lot. Like, way too much. You get the point. I preface this column with that for two reasons. First, Scene had a story fall through at the last minute on Wednesday night and I don't have enough time or energy to come up with a cleverer preface. Wow, what an insightful, Aaron Sorkin-esque behind-the-scenes look at the life of the editor of the least read section of a daily college newspaper; where's my money HBO? The second reason I share this is simple; it takes one to know one. I'm not cool, and as a result I find I sometimes have an almost clairvoyant sense of the otherwise elusive concept of the uncool. Any frat star with a pastel popped collar polo and rainbow colored croakies to hold up their sunglasses can tell you that cargo shorts aren't cool. But can that same future attendee of his company's mandated intolerance in the workplace seminar (I made this guy up, not you, gosh darn it; he can do darn well whatever I say he does) tell you the same beat up Jeep on which he recently spent $750 to upgrade the speaker system will no longer be cool in the very near future? Bet not. But take my word for it. In his not so distant, likely underemployed future ⎯ souped up Jeeps, not cool; gas efficient yet structurally dope (told you) cars, much cooler. All of this is leading me into the meat of this column ⎯ a list of things that I've contemplated for varying degrees of time and have determined to be uncool. You might agree, you might disagree; doesn't shake me much either way. Here we go. *** 1. Parody Twitter Accounts Will Ferrell does not have a twitter account. I don't think he ever has. And I don't know the man personally, but based on what I've seen and heard from him, I doubt he would ever tweet, "Just because I can't sing doesn't mean I won't sing," which is one of the many tweets sent out Wednesday from the twitter account @itsWillyFerrell, which has 1,472,081 followers as of Wednesday evening. Not only do the tweets not sound like him, the account goes by the name "Not Will Ferrell" and identifies itself as a parody account. The same goes for any number of other celebrities or film and television characters, and none of them are funny or interesting or at all unique. And even if they only existed and people followed them, fine, whatever. But the next person I see retweet an "inspirational" quote from Alan Garner, @WolfpackAlan, about alcohol or hangovers or life will get a sharp and swift kick to the unfollow pile.

The Observer

MGMT's new album falls flat

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 16, 2013

Even at their most accessible, namely, 2007's standout debut album "Oracular Spectacular," MGMT have always been pretty weird guys - just take another look at that title or the title of any of their other releases. On "Oracular," the duo of lead singer and guitarist Andrew VanWyngarden and sampler and synth player Ben Goldwasser pushed the envelope of modern electronic pop, and mainstream musicians have been striving to emulate this sound since. Meanwhile, MGMT have not stuck around to reap the now easy success of rehashing the music captured on that LP but instead continue to test the boundaries of their art. Check 2010's "Oracular" follow up, "Congratulations," for the band delving into more guitar-based progressive psych and creating a blend of psychedelic pop and crisp surf rock while experimenting with unique song structures.

The Observer

Avicii a hit with "True"

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 16, 2013

Five years ago, Tim Bergling was just beginning his foray into sound mixology in his basement in Stockholm. Today, the now 24-year-old, better known by his stage name, Avicii, has successfully combined elements from a wide variety of genres to produce his first full-length album, called "True," and has already topped the charts in more than 65 countries with his lead single from the album, "Wake Me Up." 

The Observer

Othello comes to life from the London stage

By The Observer · Monday, Sept. 16, 2013

"My bloody thoughts with violent pace shall ne'er look back, ne'er ebb to humble love till that a capable and wide revenge swallow them up," actor Jude Akuwudike growled, emphasizing with power each vengeance-soaked word given to him by William Shakespeare in "Othello." 

The Observer

blink-182 Headlines Riot Fest

By The Observer · Sunday, Sept. 15, 2013

As the skyscrapers towered over us from the Chicago skyline, there we were: five Notre Dame students singing the iconic lyrics to the chorus of "I Miss You" by blink-182. We all made a point of pronouncing the word "head" as "yead" from the line "you're already the voice inside my head" (a reference that will immediately be recognized by even the most casual blink fans). However, this moment of friendship and entertainment was not at the Riot Fest festival we attended at Humboldt Park just miles from the Chicago loop; it occurred during our drive to the concert before we had even entered the venue. 

Trending