Artsweek

On This Day: “The New Abnormal” By The Strokes

April 10, 2021 by

The emphasis on love, timely issues in the world and feelings of despair can be summed up in its title. “The New Abnormal” is just a reminder of the legacy The Strokes will forever carry.
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SBIFF 2021: Carey Mulligan Wins The Cinema Vanguard Award At The Santa Barbara International Film Festival

April 7, 2021 by

The tribute, which honors actors who have “the tenacity to forge new ground in their craft,” was in recognition of Mulligan’s electrifying performance in “Promising Young Woman."
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SBIFF 2021: On Opening Night, “Invisible Valley” Treads Familiar Ground in Unfamiliar Territory

April 4, 2021 by

The film follows the lives of those in the Coachella Valley over the course of four seasons, from the farmworkers toiling in the fields to the revelers at the music festival.
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On This Day: “Carrie & Lowell” By Sufjan Stevens

March 31, 2021 by

Despite having only a 43-minute runtime, the album covers a lifetime of the complicated relationship between Stevens and his mother, along with the sadness that follows the death of a loved one.
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On This Day: The Weeknd’s Drearily Hedonistic Debut Project, “House of Balloons”

March 21, 2021 by and

The project has become a landmark in 2010s R&B — a dynamic showcase of The Weeknd’s insecurities about love and coping dive into the maximums of hedonism.
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In Review: Tash Sultana’s “Terra Firma” Flares Up Worldwide

March 9, 2021 by

On this multiple-listens-through type of record, something beyond the songs themselves will linger in your thoughts.
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Record Recap: 50th Anniversary Of “Tago Mago” by CAN

March 4, 2021 by

The widespread influence of “Tago Mago” is reflected in the subsequent records of musicians who were inspired by the record’s creative exploration.
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“Waiting on Host”: UCSB Filmmakers on Shooting During the Pandemic

February 27, 2021 by

The film is about Jennifer, a professional dancer who lands an audition for a coveted role only to find out that her grandmother has tested positive for COVID-19.
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In Review: Chloé Zhao’s Quiet, Contemplative “Nomadland” Has a Different Vision for the American Dream

February 26, 2021 by

To save us from this reality comes Chloé Zhao’s “Nomadland,” a tale of freedom, empathy and hope — and one that might just be one of this year’s best films. 
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Record Recap: In Memoriam of Chick Corea, Trailblazer of Jazz Fusion

February 23, 2021 by and

Corea was a highly lauded pioneer of jazz fusion — a genre that reinterprets jazz music by using alternative inspirations like rock, metal or Latin music.
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In Review: Lee Isaac Chung’s “Minari” Confronts the Reality of the American Dream

February 22, 2021 by

Though the Golden Globes wrongly classifies it as a foreign language film, “Minari” is one of the truest contributions to the American storytelling tradition.
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UCSB MCC Presents: “Understanding the Sacred: Listening to Indigenous People and Land”

February 21, 2021 by

Native elders and Indigenous activists came together to discuss the significance of sacred land to Indigenous cultures as well as the UC’s role in funding the Thirty Meter Telescope on Mauna Kea. 
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In Review: “For the first time” By Black Country, New Road

February 18, 2021 by

Black Country, New Road has established itself as one of the most exciting new British exports, frequently drawing comparisons to the American post-hardcore band Slint. 
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Record Recap: In Memoriam of SOPHIE, Pop Pioneer and Barrier Breaker

February 18, 2021 by

While the loss of such an icon is insurmountably hard to grasp, SOPHIE’s lasting impact on the industry will be felt for years to come.
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The Six Best Films from Sundance Film Festival 2021

February 16, 2021 by

The (virtual) 2021 Sundance Film Festival showcased the immense talent and uncompromising vision of some of the best independent filmmakers working today.
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