eleventh.transmission
REVIEWS
Music
Yo La Tengo
I Am Not Afraid Of You And
I Will Beat Your Ass
(album review)
by Derek Gour
Yo La Tengo is as popular as an indie band gets without selling their souls to top-forty radio. Formed in 1984
by Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, the band has earned a devoted following during its twenty-year history. I
Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass is Yo La Tengo’s first album in three years, and incidentally,
could be the best album name in history. It is an eclectic, seventy-seven minute journey through the wide
expanses of Yo La Tengo’s musical abilities. Often meandering and self-indulgent, but occasionally brilliant,
this album is difficult to rate or categorize without over-generalizing.
Three of the songs combine for an epic, thirty-one minutes of playtime, none of which would be missed if they
were omitted from the album. I still haven’t been able to listen to the first of these tracks, “Pass The Hatchet, I
Think I’m Goodkind,” in its entirety; I get so completely bored by the eighth minute, that I feel compelled to skip
to the next track. “Daphnia” offers a haunting piano and guitar duet, with what sounds like a campfire in the
background, but unfortunately the song just meanders and never capitalizes on its potential. The third epic
song, and the last track on the album is “The Story of Yo La Tengo.” At nearly twelve minutes, it’s almost like
the band is challenging listeners, testing their loyalty by asking them to endure this entire song. Maybe if you
listen all the way to the end, they’ll send you an award, or a cookie. I’ll never know.
Aside from those three songs, the album offers an enjoyable listening experience. “Mr. Tough” is easily the
best track. With its cartoonish piano melody and upbeat vocals, it stays within the confines of indie sound, but
offers new listeners an accessible introduction to the band. It was an obvious choice for the album’s single
release. About one minute into the track, when the horns first blare, is the moment “Mr. Tough” becomes a
great song. In this age of computer-created music, it’s refreshing to hear musicians using real instruments
once in a while. The fierce bongo-driven bass line of “The Room Got Heavy” makes it the album’s second
stand-out song, and “Sometimes I Don’t Get You,” with its pseudo-ballad sound, attended by a creative piano
mel-ody, rounds out the best of the album.
“Beanbag Chair” and “I Feel Like Going Home” get honorable mention as solid tracks that deserve a place on
this album. “Black Flowers,” which sounds like it belongs on a coming-of-age film score, shows promise but
ultimately fails to deliver. As the tracks push deeper into the double-digits, the album starts to drag, offering
songs that either try too hard or fail to offer anything new.
This could have been a solid offering if it had been cut down to forty-five minutes. As it stands, if you’re not a
longtime fan of Yo La Tengo, I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass only offers a handful of tracks
worth purchasing.
Scissor Sisters
Ta-Dah
(album review)
by Derek Gour
The Scissor Sister’s second album, Ta-Dah, is an entertaining mixture of electronica, homosexuals, funk,
transvestites, morbidity, and country twang. It’s like playing the banjo while singing about the drag queen you
found passed-out on the toilet at the gay bar. This group from New York, whose name is slang for a lesbian
sex act, shot to fame in 2003 with their cover of Pink Floyd’s "Comfortably Numb". They were already well
established at home thanks to their theatrical live performances that drew heavily from gay culture, burlesque,
drag, and performance art. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they caught on better in the U.K. and Europe than they did
in North America.
While their debut album had a disco-infused, electronic sound, this release mixes the disco-sensibility with a
campy cowboy twang. Once again, they get full points for originality, creating their own distinct sound, a rare
achievement these days. Even though the best tracks don’t shine as brightly as their counterparts did on the
debut album, this is the creative, danceable album Scissor Sister fans were hoping for.
The first single from Ta-Dah, "I Don’t Feel Like Dancing", is the closest link to their previous work. It’s an
accessible, ironic dance track, whose disco sound - complete with cheesy laser blasts - begs you to get on
your feet, while the singer complains that he doesn’t feel like dancing. "She’s My Man" follows with a western-
rock sound that you could imagine doing a line dance to. "I Can’t Decide" is the guilty pleasure of the album,
its feel-good twang coupled with menacing lyrics like “I can’t decide / Whether you should live or die”, and “I
could throw you in the lake / Or feed you poisoned birthday cake”. The entire album is sprinkled with clever
and fun word play, such as: “Spare this child your sideways smile ... Some blue broad will spoil your rod”.
"Paul McCartney" is a fast-paced funk riff, reminiscent of Controversy-era Prince. "Land of a Thousand Words"
and "Transistor" are the weakest tracks of the album. Their heavy, slow pacing just drags down an otherwise
light-hearted fifty minutes.
The energy level of the music drops noticeably towards the end of the album. Maybe that’s fitting for such a
dance-friendly musical experience. By the end, it could be three in the morning, last call is long forgotten, the
sexy people have left, and the remaining revelers are sifting through the leftovers for someone to take home.
This album is worth your ten dollars.
Books
Malcolm Gladwell
The Tipping Point
and
Blink
(book reviews)
by Marta Nelson
I used to think that I was always the last to hear about things. This goes for pretty much everything: movies,
books, family events, and gossip. However, I have recently discovered that what actually happens is this: I
hear something interesting and then promptly forget. This appears to have been the case with author Malcolm
Gladwell. I do recall hearing about The Tipping Point back in 2000, the early years of university, but that was it
until this past summer. I am somewhat embarrassed that I came to his work so late, but I’m just thankful I
made it at all. I also realize that this is ridiculously after the fact, almost akin to saying, “Hey, did you hear
about that book, Da Vinci or something?” But I digress.
Gladwell, as those familiar with his work will know, is a staffer on The New Yorker and has written previously
for The Washington Post. I have no doubt that his work/books have been embraced by all pseudo-
intellectuals (myself included) and that admitting to recently discovering him warrants a raised eyebrow or
sneer. But this isn’t the issue. The issue is the work. And it’s work well worth your precious time. Due to a very
short attention span, non-fiction has the dubious challenge of holding my focus and it rarely wins. I chewed
through Blink and The Tipping Point in a few days, never once opting for a chapter of fiction here or there. The
content, paired with Gladwell’s writing style, makes for a fascinating sociological read.
The Tipping Point concerns itself with epidemics of all kinds: viral, social, and commercial. In presenting his
arguments, Gladwell gives us interesting and relevant examples of epidemics and the factors involved, such
as how a small-time novel becomes a raging bestseller and why Paul Revere’s ride was so effective. Blink is
similar in that it discusses how the unconscious mind is able to correctly judge a situation before the
conscious mind understands what’s going on, and how less information can produce more accurate
judgments.
When nearing the end of both books, I found myself unable to grasp exactly how all the information, while
fascinating, could be useful on a personal level. Patience is the key, and the answer becomes clear in the
final pages. Not to bring Gladwell to the level of your dime store self-help drivel, but both books present a
formula for more effective and meaningful interactions and provide suggestions for coping in times when the
information available is at a frightening overload and rarely valid. The Tipping Point and Blink can help us
understand how to make the most of this Information Age in which we find ourselves.
Music
Yo La Tengo
I Am Not Afraid Of You And
I Will Beat Your Ass
(album review)
by Derek Gour
Yo La Tengo is as popular as an indie band gets without selling their souls to top-forty radio. Formed in 1984
by Ira Kaplan and Georgia Hubley, the band has earned a devoted following during its twenty-year history. I
Am Not Afraid of You and I Will Beat Your Ass is Yo La Tengo’s first album in three years, and incidentally,
could be the best album name in history. It is an eclectic, seventy-seven minute journey through the wide
expanses of Yo La Tengo’s musical abilities. Often meandering and self-indulgent, but occasionally brilliant,
this album is difficult to rate or categorize without over-generalizing.
Three of the songs combine for an epic, thirty-one minutes of playtime, none of which would be missed if they
were omitted from the album. I still haven’t been able to listen to the first of these tracks, “Pass The Hatchet, I
Think I’m Goodkind,” in its entirety; I get so completely bored by the eighth minute, that I feel compelled to skip
to the next track. “Daphnia” offers a haunting piano and guitar duet, with what sounds like a campfire in the
background, but unfortunately the song just meanders and never capitalizes on its potential. The third epic
song, and the last track on the album is “The Story of Yo La Tengo.” At nearly twelve minutes, it’s almost like
the band is challenging listeners, testing their loyalty by asking them to endure this entire song. Maybe if you
listen all the way to the end, they’ll send you an award, or a cookie. I’ll never know.
Aside from those three songs, the album offers an enjoyable listening experience. “Mr. Tough” is easily the
best track. With its cartoonish piano melody and upbeat vocals, it stays within the confines of indie sound, but
offers new listeners an accessible introduction to the band. It was an obvious choice for the album’s single
release. About one minute into the track, when the horns first blare, is the moment “Mr. Tough” becomes a
great song. In this age of computer-created music, it’s refreshing to hear musicians using real instruments
once in a while. The fierce bongo-driven bass line of “The Room Got Heavy” makes it the album’s second
stand-out song, and “Sometimes I Don’t Get You,” with its pseudo-ballad sound, attended by a creative piano
mel-ody, rounds out the best of the album.
“Beanbag Chair” and “I Feel Like Going Home” get honorable mention as solid tracks that deserve a place on
this album. “Black Flowers,” which sounds like it belongs on a coming-of-age film score, shows promise but
ultimately fails to deliver. As the tracks push deeper into the double-digits, the album starts to drag, offering
songs that either try too hard or fail to offer anything new.
This could have been a solid offering if it had been cut down to forty-five minutes. As it stands, if you’re not a
longtime fan of Yo La Tengo, I Am Not Afraid Of You And I Will Beat Your Ass only offers a handful of tracks
worth purchasing.
Scissor Sisters
Ta-Dah
(album review)
by Derek Gour
The Scissor Sister’s second album, Ta-Dah, is an entertaining mixture of electronica, homosexuals, funk,
transvestites, morbidity, and country twang. It’s like playing the banjo while singing about the drag queen you
found passed-out on the toilet at the gay bar. This group from New York, whose name is slang for a lesbian
sex act, shot to fame in 2003 with their cover of Pink Floyd’s "Comfortably Numb". They were already well
established at home thanks to their theatrical live performances that drew heavily from gay culture, burlesque,
drag, and performance art. Perhaps unsurprisingly, they caught on better in the U.K. and Europe than they did
in North America.
While their debut album had a disco-infused, electronic sound, this release mixes the disco-sensibility with a
campy cowboy twang. Once again, they get full points for originality, creating their own distinct sound, a rare
achievement these days. Even though the best tracks don’t shine as brightly as their counterparts did on the
debut album, this is the creative, danceable album Scissor Sister fans were hoping for.
The first single from Ta-Dah, "I Don’t Feel Like Dancing", is the closest link to their previous work. It’s an
accessible, ironic dance track, whose disco sound - complete with cheesy laser blasts - begs you to get on
your feet, while the singer complains that he doesn’t feel like dancing. "She’s My Man" follows with a western-
rock sound that you could imagine doing a line dance to. "I Can’t Decide" is the guilty pleasure of the album,
its feel-good twang coupled with menacing lyrics like “I can’t decide / Whether you should live or die”, and “I
could throw you in the lake / Or feed you poisoned birthday cake”. The entire album is sprinkled with clever
and fun word play, such as: “Spare this child your sideways smile ... Some blue broad will spoil your rod”.
"Paul McCartney" is a fast-paced funk riff, reminiscent of Controversy-era Prince. "Land of a Thousand Words"
and "Transistor" are the weakest tracks of the album. Their heavy, slow pacing just drags down an otherwise
light-hearted fifty minutes.
The energy level of the music drops noticeably towards the end of the album. Maybe that’s fitting for such a
dance-friendly musical experience. By the end, it could be three in the morning, last call is long forgotten, the
sexy people have left, and the remaining revelers are sifting through the leftovers for someone to take home.
This album is worth your ten dollars.
Books
Malcolm Gladwell
The Tipping Point
and
Blink
(book reviews)
by Marta Nelson
I used to think that I was always the last to hear about things. This goes for pretty much everything: movies,
books, family events, and gossip. However, I have recently discovered that what actually happens is this: I
hear something interesting and then promptly forget. This appears to have been the case with author Malcolm
Gladwell. I do recall hearing about The Tipping Point back in 2000, the early years of university, but that was it
until this past summer. I am somewhat embarrassed that I came to his work so late, but I’m just thankful I
made it at all. I also realize that this is ridiculously after the fact, almost akin to saying, “Hey, did you hear
about that book, Da Vinci or something?” But I digress.
Gladwell, as those familiar with his work will know, is a staffer on The New Yorker and has written previously
for The Washington Post. I have no doubt that his work/books have been embraced by all pseudo-
intellectuals (myself included) and that admitting to recently discovering him warrants a raised eyebrow or
sneer. But this isn’t the issue. The issue is the work. And it’s work well worth your precious time. Due to a very
short attention span, non-fiction has the dubious challenge of holding my focus and it rarely wins. I chewed
through Blink and The Tipping Point in a few days, never once opting for a chapter of fiction here or there. The
content, paired with Gladwell’s writing style, makes for a fascinating sociological read.
The Tipping Point concerns itself with epidemics of all kinds: viral, social, and commercial. In presenting his
arguments, Gladwell gives us interesting and relevant examples of epidemics and the factors involved, such
as how a small-time novel becomes a raging bestseller and why Paul Revere’s ride was so effective. Blink is
similar in that it discusses how the unconscious mind is able to correctly judge a situation before the
conscious mind understands what’s going on, and how less information can produce more accurate
judgments.
When nearing the end of both books, I found myself unable to grasp exactly how all the information, while
fascinating, could be useful on a personal level. Patience is the key, and the answer becomes clear in the
final pages. Not to bring Gladwell to the level of your dime store self-help drivel, but both books present a
formula for more effective and meaningful interactions and provide suggestions for coping in times when the
information available is at a frightening overload and rarely valid. The Tipping Point and Blink can help us
understand how to make the most of this Information Age in which we find ourselves.
Arts, Culture, Media, Activism
| November 2006 - Issue 8 |
