Artsweek

February 1, 2006

Beth Orton | Comfort of Strangers | Astralwerks

By Bradley Vargas

It's difficult to classify Beth Orton. When she began her singer/songwriter career a decade ago with her debut Trailer Park she sang over electronic beats, combining folk sensibilities with danceable beats.

February 1, 2006

The Hairbrain Scheme | You’re A Nation | Fank You! Records

By Rebecca Riley

There are not many bands that can meld the sound of pigs screaming while being slaughtered behind a layer of lush, chorused pop vocals.

February 1, 2006

Flipsyde | We the People | Cherry Tree/Interscope Records

By Sheyla Molho

Coming out with politically charged lyrics along with melodic tunes is no easy task for musicians. Most artists these days would rather stick to club bangers, which all sound the same and contribute very little to our ea...

January 26, 2006

Never Underestimate the Power of a Finely Tailored Suit

By Aly Comingore

Hailing from sunny, star-studded Los Angeles it's no wonder the buoyant pop rock hooks of the 88 found their way to television so easily. But outside their re-occurring role on Fox's "The O.C.," singer Keith Slettedahl a...

January 26, 2006

Ball Hog vs. The Behemoth Experience at Biko

By Rebecca Riley

I had been spending the majority of last Saturday locked in my room listening to Devo's "Freedom of Choice" on repeat, hiding under my covers and stroking an autographed 8x10 glossy of Mark Mothersbaugh before I learned ...

January 26, 2006

“Munich”

By Robert Rische

Throughout his career, Steven Spielberg has managed to successfully portray many significant historical events from unique and intriguing perspectives that work to make his films insightful as well as entertaining. With ...

January 26, 2006

“The New World” | One For the History Books

By system

Question: What do you expect when you go see a movie about Pocahontas? If you answered cuddly forest creatures in a song and dance musical spectacle, then be prepared to be disappointed by "The New World." On the other h...

January 26, 2006

“The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of The Politics of Fear”

By Rebecca Riley

Adam Curtis' BBC documentary, titled "The Power of Nightmares: The Rise of the Politics of Fear," played at Campbell Hall this Monday to a sizeable audience ready to revel in what promised to be a Bush-bashing free-for-a...

January 26, 2006

Belle & Sebastian | The Life Pursuit | Rough Trade

By Adrian Castaneda

Saying you dislike Belle and Sebastian is a lot like saying you don't like that quiet guy in your Comp Lit section because he understands the reading better than you do - you'll just come off as frustrated and envious be...

January 26, 2006

Cat Power | The Greatest | Matador Records

By Matt Cappiello

When I first listened to Cat Power's latest, The Greatest, I didn't get it. There were no hit singles, nothing to satisfy my short attention span.

January 19, 2006

Stand by Your Man

By Aly Comingore

If you're looking to indulge yourself in a full sensory experience that is just slightly left of center, may we suggest to you Santa Barbara's own Contemporary Arts Forum (CAF).

January 19, 2006

Mrs. Henderson Presents | Doin’ the Blitzkrieg Bop

By Anna Trumbo

Mrs. Henderson, an upper-class woman living in London in the 1930s, is well into her 70s when she loses her husband and consequentially finds herself at loose ends. At the suggestion of one of her friends, she decides to...

January 19, 2006

Syriana | Reality Check

By Anna Trumbo

In the corporate world of oil and politics, the real power lies behind and beneath the government. In the impoverished Middle East, where young men and women are lured from their seemingly inescapable circumstances into ...

January 19, 2006

Movie Reivew: The Producers | Break a Leg

By Gina Pollack

"Under the right circumstances, a producer could make more money with a flop than with a hit!" With this unthinkable declaration, Leo Bloom (Matthew Broderick), the socially awkward accountant with suppressed ambitions (...

January 19, 2006

Last Holiday | Holiday Fit For a Queen

By Harrison Coltun

When playing chess, if you have lost your queen, you can change a pawn that moves all the way across the board back into that queen. This allegory obviously brings us to singer/actress Queen Latifah. In her own respect, ...

January 19, 2006

Jenny Lewis and the Watson Twins | Rabbit Fur Coat | Team Love Records

By Aly Comingore

With Rabbit Fur Coat, Rilo Kiley frontwoman Jenny Lewis sets out to secure herself a spot alongside the Patsy Clines and Tammy Wynettes of decades past. The startling part of such a bold venture is that Lewis succeeds wi...