Arts & Culture - The Daily Tar Heel

Children Entertain With Rollicking Folk

By Harmony Johnson | Oct. 25, 2001

Jump Little Children Thursday, October 11 3 Stars If Jump, Little Children's latest album was an emotional roller coaster ride through the ups and downs of love, then the band took its audience on the same unpredictable journey at the Cat's Cradle. Playing before a sold-out crowd at the Cradle, the acoustic-funk popsters alternated between tracks from Vertigo and older material, mixing high-energy tunes with introspective ballads for a show that seemed to leave the audience in a carnival-esque feeling of dizzy exhilaration.

Redford Climbs 'Castle' Walls

By Nick Parker | Oct. 25, 2001

"The Last Castle" 4 stars Basically a prison movie, "The Last Castle" is exceptional because it doesn't act like one. "The Last Castle" is the story of one heavily ornamented General Irwin (Robert Redford) who is arrested and dishonorably imprisoned in a military hold known as "The Castle." The battle for power between him and the corrupt warden, Colonel Winter (James Gandolfini), creates a conflict that turns criminals into heroes.

Where Are They Now?

By Staff Editor | Oct. 25, 2001

Susan Sarandon The actress who got her start in a deodorant commercial has gone on to give some truly notable performances in big-time Hollywood. Since appearing in "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" as Janet Weiss, Sarandon has starred in films such as 1986's "Bull Durham," 1991's "Thelma & Louise" and 1998's "Stepmom." In 1996, she took home an Academy Award for Best Actress for her portrayal of Sister Helen Prejean in the previous year's "Dead Man Walking." Sarandon most recently starred in this year's "Baby's In Black." Barry Bostwick

Dive Recommends

By Brian Millikin | Oct. 25, 2001

-Guided by Voices I don't think a much better or tighter rock band is out there today. Front man Robert Pollard used to teach fourth-grade English, and now he drinks himself off the stage every night. They have it all in spades: the lo-fi indie stage and the Cheap Trick-Weezer-Beatles phase. - In the Aeroplane Over the Sea, Neutral Milk Hotel One of the very best albums of the last few years and definitely the best psych-folk record ever produced. It's twisted and seductive. There's just no beating fuzzy bass and theromin.

Stomach-Turning `From Hell' Falls Flat

By Michelle Jarboe | Oct. 25, 2001

"From Hell" 2 stars It takes two actors as beautiful as Johnny Depp and Heather Graham to keep the filmgoer from blanching in reaction to the gore of "From Hell." This Hughes brothers film focuses upon one particular explanation for the Jack the Ripper killings in 19th century England. The theory espoused in the film is directly based on the heavily researched, extensive graphic novel "From Hell."

Being Rocky Horror

By James Russ | Oct. 25, 2001

Some people find release in sports or artwork. But for veteran actor/audience member Scott Dirl, Friday night's "Rocky Horror Picture Show" is his own personal brand of escape. A bald, middle-aged man dressed in a white tuxedo with a priest's collar, Dirl stands out like a sore thumb among the mainly black clad twenty-somethings in the Rialto Theater's audience. But once "Rocky Horror" begins, he breaks from his reserved demeanor and becomes another voice in the chorus of remarks being yelled at the on-screen actors.

Kojak Struggles Through Monoton

By Brooks Firth | Oct. 25, 2001

New Wet Kojak No.4 EP 3 Stars Let's call No. 4 EP the concept album that should have been. New Wet Kojak recorded the five tracks of No. 4 EP in five days. The result sounds strangely like a five day workweek. Each track on this, their fourth album, struggles slowly from Monday to Friday, using the same old tricks again and again. With this album, the New York-based group seems to be aiming for experimental sonic art. But the tracks are so formulaic that No. 4 EP is pushed into that dreaded category of music you can put on and then ignore.

Nectarine Gets Lost In Maelstrom of Sound

By Jeremy Fisher | Oct. 25, 2001

The Nectarine No. 9 Received Transgressed & Transmitted 3 Stars Ever since musical pioneers like Captain Beefheart and Frank Zappa gave the rock community permission to be as weird as they wanted to be, countless bands have tried to follow in their wake. Received Transgressed & Transmitted, the latest album by British group The Nectarine No. 9, fights like hell to equal the bizarre innovation of Beefheart and Zappa, and, to the band's credit, they almost get it right.

Strokes Have Solid Debut; Bush Matures

By Staff Editor | Oct. 25, 2001

Bush Golden State 5 Stars Raw and powerful, Bush's fourth album, Golden State, makes great strides while thankfully digressing to real rock. Returning to the classic grunge style reminiscent of Nirvana and its own Sixteen Stone, Bush has matured quite a bit. The result is an aggressive mix that makes you feel pumped yet complacent. Gavin Rossdale's plaintive voice now boost lyrics confronting more mature issues like love and personal growth. The band has moved past its youthful angst to find a beautiful yet energetic voice.

Film Soundtrack Still Fascinates After 26 Years

By Russ Lane | Oct. 25, 2001

While the whole idea of "Don't dream it/Be it" appeals to everyone on some level, there are ultimately two types of "Rocky Horror Picture Show" aficionados. The first appreciate the film for the shameless glee it exudes. For these, "Rocky Horror" is good, not-so-clean fun, and it's not unlike the naughty expression on Marilyn Monroe's face when her pure white dress blew upward in in the breeze.

New Order Revitalizes '80s Synth-Pop Groove

By Michelle Jarboe | Oct. 25, 2001

New Order Get Ready 4 Stars New Order's new album is like a very comfortable piece of clothing that you bought in the '80s but are not embarrassed to wear out in public today. Get Ready showcases New Order's impressive ability to preserve the past without reliving it. Although the album has sounds like your cookie-cutter '80s synth-pop band, it lacks the repackaged feeling too common with established bands who have found their style and refuse to change.

Playmakers' Season Opens With Anti-Hate Message

By Michelle Jarboe | Oct. 23, 2001

PlayMakers Repertory Company opened its new season Saturday by focusing on the aftermath of hate crime victim Matthew Shepard's death. But while some would expect "The Laramie Project" to promote gay rights, the play chose to condemn the hatefulness prompting Shepard's murder.

Exhibit Showcases Cohesion

By Nick Parker | Oct. 23, 2001

While recent events test the cohesiveness of American communities, the N.C. Museum of Art's latest exhibit asserts that they are indeed "Indivisible." Taking its name from the Pledge of Allegiance, "Indivisible: Stories of American Community" examines American strength and vitality through 12 diverse communities. With more than 150 photographs and more than an hour of total audio clips from the communities, the exhibit shows how people can all come together to accomplish a single goal.

Family Influential Part Of Stacey Earle's Music

By Michael Abernethy | Oct. 17, 2001

Singer/songwriter Stacey Earle might be raking in critical acclaim for her unique blend of country, pop and folk, but she hasn't forgotten her roots. Earle, who will be performing Sunday at the Carrboro ArtsCenter at 300-G E. Main St., has always relied on her close-knit family for help and support. And she is the first to admit that her family ties have had much to do with her success as a solo artist. Her husband, Mark Stuart, is not only her partner in life but also her partner in music.

Artist Uses Music, Metaphor

By Michelle Jarboe | Oct. 16, 2001

Singer/songwriter Cris Williamson has a habit of speaking in metaphor. When she discusses the recent end of a 20-year relationship with her personal and musical partner, Tret Fure, the Joni Mitchell-esque singer/songwriter uses the imagery of the phoenix rising from the ashes. "The bird willingly sets itself on fire -- I did not want this change to occur, but I took the path willingly," Williamson said.

'Vanek Plays' Loses Steam by Third Act

By Jeremy Fisher | Oct. 15, 2001

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Thorton, Blanchett Make Off Like "Bandits" With Solid Performances

By Allison Rost | Oct. 11, 2001

Bandits 3 1/2 stars Usually, people don't like having the metaphorical wool pulled over their eyes. But it's a guarantee you'll never enjoy it as much as you do in "Bandits." The first five minutes of the film establishes that Terry Collins (Billy Bob Thornton) and Joe Blake (Bruce Willis), otherwise known as the Sleepover Bandits, have been killed while holding up a bank in Los Angeles after their mutual girlfriend, Kate Wheeler (Cate Blanchett), turned them in.

Navarro Talks About Life After Jane's

By Elliott Dube | Oct. 11, 2001

Dave Navarro always has been considered a sideman. But now with the release of his first solo album, Trust No One, Navarro is back on the road and drawing his own crowds. Delving into Navarro's somewhat sordid history, Trust No One is a dense, complex album that not only challenged Navarro as an artist, but also as an individual. "It's broadened my creative parameters, I suppose. I'm just grateful to still be able to make music and still be motivated to do it," he said.

B-sides Celebrate Quirks, New Release With Cradle Show

By Brooks Firth | Oct. 11, 2001

the b-sides Cat's Cradle Tuesday, Oct. 2 4 Stars The stage was set up like a living room, a sagging couch at the back of the stage lit by a Tiffany lamp. A poster of James Dean hung crookedly on the back wall. The b-sides definitely made themselves at home at the Cat's Cradle, and then they had a house party.

Opening Act Upstaged Unremarkable Athenaeum

By Elliott Dube | Oct. 11, 2001

Athenaeum Cat's Cradle October 6, 2001 3 Stars Athenaeum fed the Cat's Cradle crowd some very meaty music, but they would have done better to serve some more filler. The Greensboro rock band, which has been attracting a small legion of fans for several years, is known for its 1998 hit "What I Didn't Know" and has recently re-released its self-titled debut.