DIVE Oscar picks 2012
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It’s apt that the first song on Gross Ghost’s Brer Rabbit is titled “Architect,” because after a few spins of this record, that term seems to describe the band members themselves. Enter exhibits A through J — rather, see these ten well-crafted, structurally sound tracks and marvel at how masterfully the group can throw together a pop song.
There are noises, sights and smells that are stickier than fly paper. The sound of waves slapping sand, the scent of a magnolia, the taste of a madeleine cake dipped in tea (if you’re Proust, that is) — these are the sensory equivalent of psychotropic drugs, instantly evoking memories and emotions that might otherwise take some coaxing. The noises on a record are no different, and on Alpha Cop’s debut, This One’s For Luck, every track is charged with a similar sense of effusive, evocative sound.
Syl Johnson steers a conversation as he pleases. His answers are evasive, wavering between the literal and the metaphoric, and he’ll insert a simple “yes” or “no” where other musicians would wax poetic. Perhaps this comes with the territory of being a mythical merchant of soul, one whose legacy began to surface only recently and whose background is peppered with legend and lore.
It’s easy to meld a band’s image with its music. For Megafaun, it’s almost effortless — ask what the trio sounds like and you might hear “bearded.” Ask what it looks like and someone might respond with some variation of the word “folk.”
If Wesley Wolfe is sad, at least he’s honest. Painfully, unnervingly honest. Like Camus’ absurd hero — the Sisyphus type who has resigned himself to the way things are — there’s something respectable about the defeat that peppers “Cynics Need Love Too”.
There’s the music, there’s your expectation of what the music will sound like, and then there’s that space in-between the reality and your prediction — sometimes a reservoir, sometimes a stream. But for Katharine Whalen & Her Fascinators’ Madly Love, the gap between the expected and the actual was a gulf, one that reveals Whalen’s breadth and distinguishes her latest from her past work with the Squirrel Nut Zippers.
Here’s a fact with which we’re all well-acquainted: Chapel Hill is no New York City. Sometimes, that’s a good thing. Other times, it feels smaller than the clothes you outgrew in middle school.
Record Store Day is one of the few days worth waking up at the crack of dawn. For musically minded folks, it’s like Christmas — special releases, in-stores and a gaggle of fellow audiophiles. Here’s Dive’s guide for this year’s local festivities.
Whether you’re heading off to a job or a few months mowing your parents’ lawn, summer is still that time when things slow down to a beautiful, molasses pace. Daylight is longer, the air is heavy and there is time to sneak into a cool place for a few hours of escape — namely, a movie theater. Here are the flicks Dive is most excited to see this summer, in order of release date.
Kurt Vile is not the first man to write pensive lyrics or a hypnotic riff — far from it. The troubadour is a concept that stretches back in the depths of history, before the Dylans of the world made rock ‘n’ roll the voice of generations.
Many of Hammer No More the Fingers’ songs on Black Shark start the same way.
There are some bands whose heartache and triumphs transmit like whispered confessions. Even with a fast tempo, meaning is veiled in metaphor, shrouded in reverent angst and symbolism.
The Nightlight has never been afraid to get weird. A glimpse at the beloved local venue’s website proves just as much — scattered between touring acts and local pop and rock favorites, you’ll find dance installations, home-brewed beer festivals and area noise showcases.
Two years. That’s all it took for ALS, a disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, to rob Greensboro’s Tim LaFollette of his ability to speak, walk and use most of his muscles.
It’s hard to describe The Forms. Just look at the band’s reviews — critics’ descriptions range from math rock to post-hardcore.
Spring break can be a mixed bag. On the one hand, there’s that posse of friends who are Bahamas-bound. Then again, there are plenty of folks stuck in town or at home, wallowing with roommates or parents. Whether you’re voyaging or wanderlusting, Dive’s got some tips on how to maximize your break, be it the best traveling records or easy day-trip or weekend destinations. So don’t be blue if there are no exotic beaches in your future. Even Chapel Hill can feel tropical when there aren’t midterms clouding your outlook.
ONCE UPON A TIME, a greeting card company wanted to make more money off of lovelorn suckers, and thus, Valentine’s Day was born. Or so the folklore goes. But don’t let our sarcasm get you down — whether you’re a dour cynic or a sugar-coated, candy heart romantic, this week’s Dive is your guide to suffering or smooching through this controversial holiday. If you’re catching a flick with the object of your affection or drowning your sorrows in a box of drug store chocolates, check out our picks for dates, movies and songs and wallow or swoon to your heart’s content. Single or taken, the month of February has its fair share of cringe-inducing cuteness, so read on for a much-needed reprieve.
I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but it’s February, and that means one terrifying thing: It will be Valentine’s Day soon.
As a noun, “noise” carries with it a connotation of cacophony. When something is branded as “noisy,” it’s often the lawn mower that wakes you up on Saturday mornings or the neighbor’s obnoxious dog.