The Founder Volume 5 Issue 4

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16 The Founder | Thursday 4 November 2010 E X T R A Music Review: Sufjan Stevens The Age of Adz Andrew Hutchinson “It’s been a long long time since I memorised your face”. Never to me has an opening line seemed more fitting. ‘The Age of Adz’ is Sufjan Stevens’ first full length album since his well-received ‘Illinois’ of 2005, and it has been a long long time indeed. Stevens’ fans have had to make do with a mix of unreleased material from previous albums, ninety-two Christmas songs and recent EP, ‘All Delighted People’, over the past five years to get their fix. Much has changed since 2005. The years passed and Stevens abandoned his supposed plans to release an album for all of the fifty American states, eventually confessing that the whole “states” project was a promotional gimmick he never intended to finish. I for one was enthralled and excited by the somewhat unrealistic plans of a marathon project; to me Sufjan seemed a man who was writing his dream-like melodies and orchestral arrangements in his sleep. How could I question a man with such ambitions? The idea of using each American-state as a platform for exploring faith, family and location, with such deep heart-felt lyrics, had me and many others hooked. So what did the much-adored, dorkily sincere Detroit singer tackle next? The only subject matter you really could after trying to tackle America; the apocalypse. Inspired by the outsider artist Royal Robinson, whose art adorns the cover, ‘The Age of Adz’ comes across as a combination of his previous dabbling in electronica, his 2001 album ‘Enjoy Your Rabbit’, and the aforementioned ‘Illinois’. He opens ‘The Age of Adz’ with ‘Futile Devices’, very similar to the Sufjan fans warmed to in his previous “State” works. Much of the same soothing tones and orchestral arrangements grace the track, causing me to question what all the fuss was about and ponder what has changed. But ending the track with “words are futile devices” signals his intentions to move away from his marathon project, and to strive to be remembered more for his music than his ambition. Track two, ‘Too much’, sets the tone for the remainder of the album, stepping away from the banjo, trumpet and guitar, which he himself had grown tired of, and stepping into the realms of experimental electronica. Whether or not this will isolate his loyal fanbase, we’ll see, but it’s certainly a step away from the masses, taking a bold move using an array of hip hop beats, synths and broken glitches. The rest of the album follows much in the same vein; a series of layered electronic beats and his trademark orchestra, all mixed with sentimental melodies. Some tracks work magnificently, with ‘Now that I’m Older’ and ‘I Walked’ reminding us all of Stevens ability to create a melody that captures and emotes his audience. However, with tracks ‘Bad Communication’ and ‘I Want to be Well’ it can feel like Sufjan’s characteristic ability to connect with his audience is lost; overcomplicating beats and hiding his vocals behind one too many electronic beats and glitch soundscapes. Lucky Shiner - Gold Panda Ben Parfitt It is the summer of 2010. A crowd gathers in a little tent at a small weekend festival. The tent resembles a downscaled version of a circus marquee – capacity one hundred or so. The previous act has just finished and a rather clunky transition is taking place. The growing audience wait tentatively as a laptop is placed on a desk. Out steps a man; 20-odd in age, slight build, greasy hair and furry in the face. He pops the hood of his shiny Topman jacket over his head and proclaims: “I am Gold Panda from Chelmsford, Essex.” Judgment at that point is reserved, but as soon as he starts tapping about, twisting knobs and pushing sliders, the man garners respect. The sound generated weaves in and out, it rises and falls, it chops and it changes – all to the headbopping bassline that holds the rhythm to bring the whole song, set and crowd together as one. It is although the hooded head of this bear from East of London acts as a metronome, moving back and forth throughout at the required pace for the entire set. This is the embodiment of music. It’s a tricky job trying to pin Gold The ending track, ‘Impossible Soul’, to me epitomises the album, with moments of brilliance and connection mixed with baffling effects and somewhat cluttered background tracks. When I first caught ear of the 25 minute crescendo to this album before actually listening to the LP, I expected the flutes, violins, choirs, and a triumphant sense of hugeness we’ve come to expect from Sufjan. In practice, the listener is left with a series of harrowing lyrics and breathtaking melodies (many worthy of a track of their own), all over near-perfectly orchestrated tracks, deep bass and hip-hop beats, topped off with a sequence of autotune/vocoder effects Panda down to a genre. The official NME verdict is that he “lies somewhere between minimal house, ethno techno, eclectic turntablism and spun-silver electronica.” If that makes the slightest bit of sense then give yourself well a deserved pat on the back. Gold Panda’s own claim is to be part of the ‘Bedroom electro’ crowd. Those familiar with the work of Gold Panda, real name Derwin, will recall ‘Quitters Rag’ as his big breakthrough single. This album continues the tradition of mishmashing sounds drawn from the East. One must state that Derwin that would make T-Pain himself proud. ‘The Age of Adz’ is a bold step away from the self-created safezone of Surfjan’s “Fifty Sates” project, producing his most baffling and mysterious piece of work yet, but no matter how many boundaries of the rock/pop divides are crossed and how distant his words seem at times, there’s still his unique way with a melody sweetly coating it all. And once you’ve taken it all in, this stands alone as more of a unique piece of art to admire than a chronicle of all fifty American states could ever be. ain’t your stereotypical Essex lad. After studying at SOAS, he headed off to tour in the land of the rising sun. Be it this cultural exploration or some other influence, this album has an eclecticism rarely displayed elsewhere. It may take a while to get into this sometimes disorientating collection of ins and outs, but stick with it and you shall be duly rewarded. This really is an album worth the investment that will have you nodding away like there’s no tomorrow. If all else fails, go and see him live for it is his intimate performances that bring the music to life.
The Founder | Thursday 4 November 2010 E X T R A 17 Film Jackson to return to Bag End once more as The Hobbit receives the green light Review: The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud Jo-Anne East Corinne Dale Through the fog of rumours hanging over the Hobbit films it seems a ray of light has finally emerged: the green light has been given for their production and the man to portray Bilbo Baggins has been chosen. More fireworks have exploded during the planning stages of the films than Gandalf could ever have hoped to set off at Bilbo’s one-hundred-and-eleventh birthday party. Since the announcement long, long ago that two films were being made, Guillermo Del Toro has left his role as director, major issues have been raised and settled with MGM, and disputes with Equity - the actors’ union - have erupted. All in all, the journey to make The Hobbit has been just as perilous as Bilbo’s own journey to find the treasure under the mountain. But now, at long last, producers have announced that filming will begin in February and that British actor Martin Freeman will be donning the hairy hobbit feet. Freeman is an excellent choice for the role. Ironically, I had already drafted an article for The Founder on the green-lighting of the Hobbit movies, expressing excitement at the prospect of the Sherlock star playing our curly-haired hero, whilst acknowledging nail-biting concerns about scheduling clashes. Thus, despite the prospect of re-drafting, tidings of Freeman’s participation in the project made me more chuffed than Sam Gamgee finding a Snickers in his pocket. Many big names were bandied around the fan-bases when casting rumours were rife – Tobey Maguire and James McAvoy were popular ones – but, as recent reports have revealed, Freeman was always Peter Jackson’s first choice. “There has only ever been one Bilbo Baggins for us,” the director said in a recent statement. Having been impressed by Freeman’s portrayal of Dr. Watson, where he gave a bygone hero a compelling mixture of humour and warmth, I really can’t imagine anyone better suited to the role. He certainly has the Bilbo look: I can see his hobbit-esque face framed by a wavy wig already. As a character, Bilbo is a funny old stick, sometimes irritable, often bumbling and flappable, yet resourceful and, on the whole, quite brave: Freeman, I don’t doubt, will balance the humorous and serious aspects of his nature very well, and may even give our hero a slightly modern edge. It is widely accepted (those as yet officially unconfirmed) that both Sir Ian McKellen and Andy Serkis will return as Gandalf and Gollum respectively and I look forward to seeing what sort of chemistry will be created between the two actors and Freeman himself. Several of the dwarfs have also been cast, most prominently Richard Armitage (BBC’s Robin Hood) as their leader Thorin Oakenshield. However, with no women featuring at all in Tolkien’s fantasy epic, it will be interesting to see whether any significant female roles will be written in and, if so, who will play them. There has been no indication yet but, considering the (relatively) substantial roles Arwen and Galadriel played in The Lord of the Rings trilogy, it will not be surprising if a glamorous elf floats into The Hobbit films somewhere. Time to start another rumour… Romantic, emotional and beautiful, the film looked perfect. There was only one problem: Zac Efron. Not the kind of star name that sells the promise of a seriously crafted, moving film. Named the ‘poster boy for tweenyboppers’ by Rolling Stone, Zac Efron is the epitome of teenage dreams, singing his way through high school and into the hearts of little girls worldwide. His soul ensnared in the Disney Channel from a young age, Efron is the all-singing all-annoying cliché of a young girl’s fantasy. His hope of redemption in the 2009 flick 17 Again was met with the desperate giddy screams of his pre-teen fangirls as he came on screen, while the more serious Me and Orson Wells pushed the boundaries between intriguing and painfully tedious. Expectations for The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud were, therefore, admittedly limited. Armed with galaxy minstrels and a trusty pack of kleenex, the girls and I were proven perfectly wrong. Mr. Efron has grown up. Tears were quickly glistening as a blaze of headlights, a shattering of glass and an impenetrable darkness tore across the screen, stealing the precious little brother of Charlie St. Cloud. The twenty-three year old ex-‘Wildcat’ delivers a surprisingly passionate performance, convincingly retelling the story of a boy lost and thrown into the perils of love, sacrificing his dreams to fulfill an impossible promise. His performance is sophisticated and mature, as he handles a character torn between the illusions of life and death, often leaving the audience in question of which is the reality, and which is the dream. And he doesn’t sing! Instead, Efron delves deeply into the emotional and psychological torment of losing one that is close to you, battling with the **** agonies of guilt and the despair of lost chances. The film itself is beautifully shot, as life and death are played out against candlelit graveyards and sunset-filled seas. From dancing with the shadows of death in the moonlight to rushing along the torrent rivers of a raging thunder storm, the film is indeed visually very pleasing. Inescapably romantic, as well as heartbreaking, the narrative is a spiral of emotions. Within all the death and sorrow, the film offers beauty and hope. After all, as we are constantly reminded throughout, there is no such a thing as a lost cause. However, the entrancing story was unable to escape the fault of predictability. With his divine forget-me-not blue eyes that fill with pain, Efron shines in the responsible role of Charlie, despite the stiff competition that he faces from the sparkling performance given by his undeniably adorable twelve year old co-star, Charlie Tahan. Efron convincingly delivers the strong bond that he shares with his brother, successfully conveying that their love will stand the test of time, even if the film does not. As Charlie heroically races to the rescue, diving beneath the troubled waves, every girl in the cinema will fall (willingly or not) under his inescapable charms. Tall, golden and handsome, in The Death and Life of Charlie St. Cloud Zac has finally thrown off the sickening high school cliché image to become a dashing young man with the ability to act seriously, and at last show off his talent. So perhaps, ladies, it has finally become acceptable for a twenty year old to swoon hopelessly at the mercy of Zac Efron. Do take tissues. Please recycle this newspaper when you are finished Recycling bins are located at: Arts Building, The Hub, Gowar and Wedderburn Halls, Tommy’s
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