Departure
The May 18th graduation date is looming over Antonia Green’s head. When the Swedish senior turns her tassel on Commencement day, she’ll cut her ties from the United States.
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The May 18th graduation date is looming over Antonia Green’s head. When the Swedish senior turns her tassel on Commencement day, she’ll cut her ties from the United States.
One of the perks of studying at an urban campus is that there's a plethora of options to occupy your free–time. You can attend gallery openings, concerts, film screenings and so much more. As a bright–eyed, enthusiastic freshman, I thought Philadelphia had so much to offer. Nonetheless, I quickly found myself only getting to know the city past midnight—I succumbed to the “sceney” Thursday schedule—a BYO at La Fontana and then heading out to Rumor or Whisper—all dolled up in lipstick, bandage skirts and 5 inch heels. After two years of this weekly routine, I realized that to grow as an adult (and upperclassman), I had to abandon these superficialities that have only left me exhausted, hungover and unstimulated.
"Everyone smokes and everyone knows that everyone smokes,” says a Penn sophomore and Philly native over breakfast at Metro. Whatever you want to call it—marijuana, weed, pot, dope, MJ, ganj—Penn students are doing it. In a 2014 Street survey of over 650 students, 39% of respondents admitted to smoking regularly. For the past four years, possession of up to an ounce of marijuana has been considered a criminal offense in Philly, punishable with a fine of up to $500, a record of the arrest and the possibility of 30 days in jail. For everyone concerned, there’s good news. Starting October 20th, decriminalization will make the possession of up to one ounce of marijuana subject to a $25 ticket—with no arrest or criminal record. Sounds dank, right?
While on tour with The Weeknd in 2013, LA–based songstress Banks earned attention for her sensual dark–pop music, which is a perfect complement to The Weeknd’s provocative lyrics and diaphanous vocals. Her hypnotic voice and reverberating beats have inspired remixes by producers such as Ta–ku, Kaytranada and Snakehips. In her debut album “Goddess,” Banks showcases her seductive sound and offers a promising launch to her career. Her sound has a twinge of vulnerability and sadness, but more than anything, it’s sexy—like a bedroom whisper heard past midnight. In the title track “Goddess,” she belts out “fucking with a goddess and you get a little colder” in her soulful falsetto over a throbbing electronic beat. The album is a complete repertoire, fully exceeding any expectations. Don’t miss her at Union Transfer on September 27th.
What does the year hold?
Few will forget 2007’s “The Battle of the Album Sales” in which 50 Cent lost to Kanye West in a bet saying he would retire. Yet, two years later, he released “Before I Self-Destruct”. His real hiatus has been the last 5 years and, in case you’re wondering, Fiddy says he’s still “rich as a motherfucker and ain't much changed” in “Hold On”, the opening track of his new album, “Animal Ambition.” As suggested by the title (subtitled: “untamed desire to win”), 50 Cent’s subject matter remains the same: money (“Chase the Paper”), fame (“Winner’s Circle”) and drugs (“Smoke”). Bringing up old beef, 50 Cent takes a stab at Kanye’s fashion domain in “Hustler”. Throughout the album, the music maintains an unfettered pretentiousness, but, as evident after a couple listens, there’s actually insecurity in how hard he’s trying. Track after track, “Animal Ambition” begs the question—has Fiddy still got it? While it’s hard to tell if he’s back for good, it’s in the overlooked tracks such as “Twisted” and “Winner’s Circle” that his talent comes to light. Download: “Hold On” Sound best when: strutting into LAVO on a Thursday night Grade: C+
Rocking black is not just for Theta. All while seeming effortless, a black color palette is sleek, flattering and edgy. In its simplicity, an all–black ensemble allows you to experiment with different cuts and proportions. Here are some ways to pull off noir without looking outdated.
Replace “Timber ft. Ke$ha” by Pitbull: Because we’re tired of Pitbull’s “DALE” and Ke$ha’s sparkles.
“Are you a freshman?” I slurred through a vodka cranberry haze as I flirted with the first hot guy I met during NSO this semester. With a disgusted look, my almost–hookup hissed “senior in the house” before disappearing into the crowd. Excuse my lack of judgment, hot Beta boy. I apologize. I really do. You were pretty cute.
1. Take a shot if TAYLOR SWIFT drops one of her dozens of Grammy awards a la 2010.
Aside from breakout singles “Cough Syrup” and “My Body,” Young the Giant’s 2010 debut album was far from noteworthy. The commercial indie sound had its spotlight on the radio but failed to impress elsewhere. In their sophomore album, “Mind Over Matter,” the Southern Californian band finally seems to have found its voice. If you’re looking for a follow–up to radio–friendly “My Body,” you might not be satisfied. No more predictable song progressions or catchy choruses. While standout track “Crystallized” is both pleasant and accessible, the album's true merit is in its more intimate moments, like in “Camera.” With jazz influences and introspective lyrics, “Mind Over Matter” brings singer Sameer Ghadia’s silvery vocals to the forefront. The album’s shift to more synth driven sound and varied musical structures attests to the band’s maturation.
This article was originally published as part of the joke issue on 12.5.2013
Leave it to electronic music duo The Knocks to surprise you with an unexpected twist. "Girls", by British band the 1975, is an 80's punk influenced song with youthful pop lyrics. It comes in 3rd or 4th place off their self-titled album released earlier this year. With The Knocks' golden touch, however, the song is transformed into a dance floor hit. The upbeat tempo makes the British accent even more distinguishable and the progressive build up culminates when a deep house voice intonates, "cause she can't be what you need," before lead singer, Matt Healy, sings the catchy chorus "Cause they're just girls breaking hearts/ eyes bright, uptight, just girls." Most notably, the added nu-disco beats and synth melodies make the song even more infectious.
Penn’s recently opened Krishna P. Singh Center for Nanotechnology, designed by Marion Weiss and Michael Manfredi, is an impressive structure. Standing on Walnut Street between 33rd and 32nd Streets, the building’s curtain wall glass facade beautifully reflects sunlight during the day and has an orange glow at night as it filters out UV light. The building’s deconstructivist shape resembles light boxes stacked in an L–formation. Its architectural sophistication is most evident in the floating cantilever facing Walnut Street, which seems to defy gravity, supported without the need for columns.
Street: How did you first get started in music? Julie Kathryn: I grew up in upstate New York, and I’ve always been really musical, but I was really shy about performing for a long time. I sang every day on my way to school, and my dad taught me to sing and I took piano lessons. I taught myself how to play guitar when I was a teenager. But I was really scared to play for people. I went to college. I went to Cornell, and I studied psychology. I really became involved in helping people. That’s what I did for the next couple of years. I worked as a social worker. I was still playing music, but I didn’t do it constantly. I was more concerned with helping people. Kind of what happened was, I realized doing that kind of work that: if I could do that, I could play my songs for people, too, so I kind of realized I could do it by believing in myself. So that’s kind of what happened.
Bob Marley Let’s take a wild guess: this person travels with eye drops in her pocket at all times and you’ve been welcomed into a typical Radian apartment with a very particular aroma. All this hook up is trying to do is get naked and smoke a little ganj. Or she just like reggae. It’s probably the first one, though. Radio Head It might be a good idea to head out the door—you’ve stumbled into the bed of a serious music snob. Expect criticisms on form and technique and a specially–tailored playlist of “legitimate” music (i.e. “Kid A” or “In Rainbows”) to soundtrack your tryst. Things will get weird. Beatles Congratulations—you’ve met the most generic dude at Smoke’s. When you tell this story to your friends the next day, adjectives like “nice” and “harmless” will come out of your mouth when describing the guy who treated you to a night that was basically just five minutes of missionary. Rihanna This potential hookup is explicitly trying to get your pants off—for darker purposes than usual. Idolizing the queen of S&M and quasi–naked Instagrams suggests an especially experimental attitude between the sheets of his twin XL. AC/DC So. Hardcore. That’s what whoever has this poster wants you to think. She's taken you home to “bang.” No “making love” is going on here tonight. Expect a belligerent “oooh yeah!” at the end of your sexcapade.
Cage the Elephant’s third studio album, ironically titled “Melophobia” (meaning the fear of music), is a ten–track musical cacophony that makes for thrilling listening. Bringing back the garage punk that brought them acclaim, the Kentucky natives infiltrate their acoustics with a wide gamut of sounds and retro nostalgia, reminiscent of classic ’60s punk. Standout track “Come a Little Closer” features the bluesy vocals of The Kills’ Alison Mosshart, which bring a somber “Eleanor Rigby” tone. While “Melophobia” is much more mellow than the band's last release, the former oscillates electrically between upbeat songs, such as “Spiderhead” and tracks with an introspective darker tone, like “Telescope". Cage the Elephant realizes its full potential as “Melophobia” unfolds with a more acoustically polished sound and Matt Shultz’s thrillingly paranoid lyrics.
I take it as fact that whenever I unintentionally see a musician or band live, I will become obsessed with them. By obsessed I mean I’ll subsequently stalk them on facebook/twitter/youtube with the hopes of becoming their number one fan. I unintentionally saw Grouplove as an opening act for Two Door Cinema Club a couple of years ago and the rest is history.
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