OPINION

A Restaurant to Call His Own: Fred Mero and the New La Rosetta

Now you may not have heard of La Rosetta, but Fred Mero’s name has been synonymous with many great food establishments, such as the four seasons and the boathouse in the New York City scene over the past 20 years. Now he has gone off on his own with Vincenzo Roberto to open up La Rosetta.

One thing that was clear throughout the meal was the attention to detail. They cook with a “process well worth it.” I came in on a cold afternoon and asked the chef to take his pick and cook for me what he would want.

Hydro Arugula Salad: Muscat raisins, shaved Parmiggiano, Marcona almonds, Vin cotto

Mero’s process was clearly evident in the Arugula salad. What seems like a simple salad was taken to the next level with its details. The salad was a Hydro Arugula Salad with Muscat raisins, shaved aged Parmiggiano, Marcona almonds with a Vin cotto dressing. I was amazed at how much I enjoyed this salad, because I am not a huge fan of raisins. They just don’t tend to be my thing, but these were homemade raisins and where we can see that “process well worth it.” Chef Mero takes the Muscat grapes and roasts them over night in a very low temperature oven. This process pulls all of the flavor into the raisin and creates a texture that is far more pleasing in a salad than your typical raisin, plus they do not stick to your teeth. There is a creaminess the raisin that compliments that pure and beautiful Marcona Almonds and rich Vin cotto dressing with the bitter greens. This is a salad that I would not have ordered on my own; but I was more than happy enjoying every bite of the delicate salad.

Next course; Seafood Risotto. Risotto is a fickle thing. Everyone has their perspective and way of doing it. Some want it soupier, some like it drier. I like a good texture and toasting on my rice. That was the one thing missing for the beautiful bowl. That warm toasted texture would have put this stick to the ribs dish over the top. The lobster was cooked to perfection. Fresh large chunks of that delicious white and red meat danced in the lemon parsley with grace. The calamari and muscles were absolutely perfectly cooked. All of the seafood was incredible fresh and clean, pure white and shinny (right where it should be). The jumbo shrimp were delicious and served with the heads on. So if you’re adventurous you can enjoy sucking the briny head and popping a little post Halloween eyeball into your mouth (no joke they happen to be delicious).

With fresh berries, mint and cookie — Banana Ice Cream with Lemon Sorbet, fresh berries, mint and cookie

To close out the meal, I requested something very light. Next thing I knew there was a beautiful bowl presented to me with banana ice cream, fresh berries, a light cookie, a beautiful classic lemon sorbet and a small sprig of mint. At first I wondered banana and lemon, really is that a flavor combo you really want; but it sure is. I loved it. The cookie added a nice texture, but the extra crumb did not actually add enough texture to be noted. Once again the freshness of the ingredients was clear with the berries. The lemon sorbet cleaned my palate and re-energized me to get started on my way.

All and all I truly enjoyed La Rosetta. I have no need to wonder why Ruth Reichl had called Fred Mero’s cooking perfect in the past. Here he is at La Rosetta without the support of a big name working to develop his very own passionate organic and sustainable version of foodie nirvana.

But if you don’t believe me, please check out any of these reviews… CBS, Zagat’s and Manhattan Sideways.

Theater Review: “After Midnight”

by Ryan Leeds

The cast of "After Midnight" Photo courtesy of Matthew Murphy — The cast of “After Midnight” Photo courtesy of Matthew Murphy

To those who read their playbill before a show begins, I am not disclosing any spoiler alerts here. The second to last musical number in Broadway’s After Midnight is called “Freeze and Melt”. It is a boisterous song and dance number in which this hugely talented cast strikes choreographed poses that are either frozen in place or fluid and sexy. The song could also summarize your feelings to what has occurred in the previous eighty-five minutes at Broadway’s newest musical offering.

After Midnight, which opened at the Brooks Atkinson Theater on Sunday night, is a reconcieved version of Cotton Club Parade, a hugely successful revue which played briefly at City Center Encores a few seasons ago. Led by the debonair Dule Hill (TV’s Psych and The West Wing), After Midnight is a tribute to jazz legend Duke Ellington, whose fifty year career included four years at New York’s famed Cotton Club, the central setting for the piece. Hill serves as the narrator and recites the poetry of Langston Hughes between generally familiar American standards.

From the start,this revue experiences a frozen moment. What should be a rousing, full throttle introduction to the ensemble and the night that awaits is instead only a competent and functional opening number (“Daybreak Express”). For a song structured like a locomotive picking up steam, this version lacks vigor and vitality. Moments later however, when an elegant trio of ladies (Carmen Ruby Floyd, Rosena M. Hill Jackson, and Bryonha Marie Parham) cozy to the microphone and provide a smokin’ version of “Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea”, we have no choice but to swoon and melt. Luckily, we are treated to more of these moments including American Idol’s Fantasia whose renditions of “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” and “Stormy Weather” infuse a new, livelier breath into already solid classics.

Other vignettes in the show seem a bit shoddy. As our leading man, Hill (an accomplished actor with less accomplished vocal skills) begins to sing, “I’ve Got the World On A String”, he grasps a red balloon. Soon he is surrounded by ensemble members who join in his “balloon-ography”. What could be modest and charming staging instead has the earmarks of a show with cheesy production values.

Tony Award winner Adriane Lenox raises the thermostat and brings two winning moments to the show. In “Women Be Wise”, she offers boozy, but sage wisdom to ladies who might want to show off their men. In “Go Back Where You Stayed Last Night”, Lenox is a woman scorn, but delivers it with a lighthearted, tongue in cheek fashion.

There is much to admire in After Midnight, the first of which is the predominantly marvelous choreography by Warren Carlyle (who also directed). The cast delivers first rate dancing with seamless flair. Vocally however, there is little to applaud aside from the previously mentioned female trio and Ms. Barrino.

Without a doubt, the best part of After Midnight is the brassy, classy, phenomenal sound of the the orchestra. This seventeen piece band, hand picked by jazz great Wynton Marsalis, remains onstage during the show and accomplishes for the American songbook what Steve Jobs accomplished for computers. They alone make staying up late well worth it.

“After Midnight” at the Brooks Atkinson theatre (256 W. 47th between Broadway and 8th Avenue). Tickets available at the box office, online at www.telecharge.com or by phone at 1-800-745-3000. In the “guest star” role, Fantasia is featured through February. k.d. Lang succeeds her, and Toni Braxton will appear with “Babyface” in March.

Album Review: Sky Ferreira – Night Time, My Time

by Rio Toro

Sky Ferreira: Night Time, My Time

Similar Artists: Dum Dum Girls, Miley Cyrus, Katy Perry

Genre: Pop

Label: Capitol

Pop music has both come very far and remained the same throughout the last few decades. It’s a genre that cleverly disguises itself in new layers of muck every few months, but the elements that shine through — sticky choruses, alluring production, impressive vocal hooks — vary only marginally with the passage of time. What I mean by this is, our tastes as a nation aren’t changing the way they appear to be, and most of all, if a pop song is really good, it should always remain that way.

Sky Ferreira is one who you can tell has some mixed feelings with being labeled as a pop star; at least in the traditional sense. Adopted by a major label around the age of 15 (7 years ago now), she succeeded in preventing her advisors from turning her into the next Britney Spears, but years of wasted demos and aggravation was ensued in the process. Last year’s Ghost EP — and more importantly, “Everything Is Embarrassing”, the single that came from it — proved to be a new starting point for the artist, as it seemed she had finally found that adventurous sweet spot she was craving for.

Since that EP, most of the news relating to Sky Ferreira has not been positive, as she was arrested in September with boyfriend Zachary Cole Smith (DIIV) for heroin possession, and cancelled numerous shows as well. Despite sidetracking her role as a teen pop star, the media has remained at the center of her life, and she must really hate it. She’s shown herself to be an artist in a constant state of turmoil, and those themes are the defining roots of her thank-god-it’s-finally-here debut album, Night Time, My Time.

What makes this incredibly long gestation period even more laughable is that Night Time, My Time was actually recorded and produced in no time at all; in a matter of weeks even. It’s anything but rough around the edges though, thanks to Ariel Rechtshaid’s befitting production work that is gushingly lo-fi without being too overblown. This is a different Sky Ferreira than we have heard before, and her sound benefits from the more focused sessions these tracks were culled from. The tracks range from 80’s synth pop — songs that wouldn’t be out of place on a John Hughes film — and more 90’s influenced grunge/fuzz-pop. She pulls off both styles exceedingly well; especially because she wasn’t alive for any of the 80’s, and was a toddler for a good portion of the 90’s. She decorates these tracks with her fantastic, radio-play worthy vocals, (you’ll be reminded of Katy Perry more than once) and an untamed ferociousness sorely lacking in pop.

Sky has always given off the impression that she is intellectually years beyond her age, and she rightfully is, but that’s not what makes Night Time, My Time such a success. In fact, these are songs that you would expect a 21 year old to come up with, and they’re better for it too. While the subtexts will reveal her inner turmoil, on the surface these are songs about direct things: finding the right boy, broken hearts, Christmas (although that last one seems to be more in the vein of a weird sexual innuendo). The whole album seems to revolve around “I Blame Myself” though. It’s the most accessible of the tracks, and also the most personal, as Sky navigates us into her world as she acknowledges her view within the public’s eye.

Again, Sky doesn’t feel completely comfortable with her pop roots, and she will try to escape them with an angrier, more distorted track every once in a while — such as the Suicide homage “Omanko” (check out the horns) or the morbidly depressed title track relatable to Cat Power. She happens to pull,these sounds off quite well, too. Still, these are the exceptions to the album’s enlightened mood and energetic pulse. As such, Night Time, My Time is perhaps a sore title for an album that is overall more reminiscent of pink sunsets and sandy beaches than lonely nights and cruel isolation. This disconnect between what Sky seems to want her music to be, and what it is to everyone else, is perhaps the reason for her struggling career. As far as I’m concerned though, there’s nothing wrong with simple pop music, and this happens to be some of the most enjoyable I’ve heard this year.

Track Listing:

1.) Boys*

2.) Ain’t Your Right

3.) 24 Hours*

4.) Nobody Asked Me (If I Was Ok)

5.) I Blame Myself*

6.) Omanko

7.) You’re Not The One*

8.) Heavy Metal Heart

9.) Love In Stereo*

10.) Night Time, My Time

Album Highlight-*

Album Review: Arcade Fire – Reflektor

by Rio Toro

Arcade Fire: Reflektor

Similar Artists: Radiohead, The Beatles, Talking Heads, Brian Eno, David Bowie

Genre: Art/Rock

Label: Merge

Regardless of your personal beliefs about the band (or their heavily disputed new record), there should be no more denying of Arcade Fire’s importance. If there was a moment to dismiss the Montreal indie rockers, that moment has no footing in 2013, and along with their 2010 Grammy win for The Suburbs, they too have passed into a radically undefinable period of their career. The altered state we see them in now is one that contains only faint glimmers of their previous selves. Their DNA has been altered and mixed with the influence of extraterrestrial sources, and they have abandoned the previous shrine they were masters of.

Sure, much of this is to be expected, as after all, Arcade Fire are in the big leagues now — they’re what many would call superstars — and are consequently playing for a much wider audience this time around. Still, one of the reasons the band has proved to be so relevant throughout their decade long career stems from how they have remained so human and interconnected throughout their multiple successes. On previous LP’s, they have backed up every declaration of epic sprawl with an intimate acoustic ballad to balance the mood (ex: Neighborhood #1-4), so it’s shocking that they have largely diverted from that method here.

Branching out in a big way like this was undoubtedly a risky move for the band (one that’s bound to emit highly polarizing reactions), but thankfully, despite their newly infused aura, Arcade Fire’s hearts and souls have remained intact through this formidable transformation. Win, Regine, Tim, Richard, William, and the many other artists who took part in this project are all real people, and they continue to present themselves in an unadulterated fashion. Underneath all the gloss they’re still the striving artists we fell in love with on Funeral. So yes, despite its fractured appearance, and storytelling, and mood, and track sequencing, on Reflektor, all emotions have stayed the same — the catharsis is here, even if just about everything else isn’t.

This artistic progression is more than just a few expensively arranged bells and whistles being added to a pre-established sound. With the help of lead producer James Murphy, Arcade Fire has shifted many of the defining traits of their music, and has come out with a mega opus that can be likened to the band’s journey through a wormhole, a ride on an alternate timeline, or a break in the space time continuum. They’re no longer music’s eternal adolescents, no longer the restless youths trapped within the space between childhood and adulthood, and their aims are no longer to mourn the time as it passes by. This is Arcade Fire reflecting on the here and now, taking their part in the grand struggles of our era. Above all else, Reflektor represents an accurate account of 2013 as the jumbled, glorified mess that it is.

With its emphasis on dance rhythms and infiltrating electronic production, Arcade Fire have taken a step away from stadium-ready rock-dom, but they are simultaneously reinvigorating 70’s and 80’s art rock, among other bled together genres. The 13 songs here have all been composed from a separate cloth, and on first impression, they appear to fit together quite sorely. Similarly, Reflektor initially feels like a double album built out of the members infatuation with making one, but as the pieces shift together you will soon learn there is more necessity built into it than that.

Each half of the record plays its own part in this nighttime obsessed, nearly vampiric vision that Arcade Fire has assembled. Side 1 is rooted in playful, hard-edged, semi-ironic rock, while side 2 is more sprawling and ambitious. The odd stylistic musings start to play off of each other through subsequent playthroughs, and a fascinating world soon comes into grasp. With the exception of “Reflektor”, “Afterlife” and possibly “Porno”, these songs aren’t singles, and will prove to be disappointing when listened to in isolated instances. No one is going to love every track on this album as an individual entity, but there’s also no track here that deserves to be cut; that would be like slicing off a piece of the Orpheus and Eurydice sculpture depicted on the cover art. While every song isn’t perfect, taken as a whole they add up to be more than the sum of their parts, and form a statement that is utterly unmovable.

If their output from Funeral to Neon Bible to The Suburbs represented a logical story arc, Reflektor represents a time neither before nor after. Instead, it travels on its own distinct wavelength, and in doing so is but an outside reflection of their previous work. It’s a glance at Arcade Fire from a stinted angle, a view of their sound if it was never their sound to begin with, the rebirth of their souls upon another canvas, but most of all, a complete success.

Track Listing:

1.) Reflektor*

2.) We Exist*

3.) Flashbulb Eyes

4.) Here Comes The Night Time*

5.) Normal Person

6.) You Already Know

7.) Joan Of Arc

8.) Here Comes The Night Time II

9.) Awful Sound (Oh Eurydice)*

10.) It’s Never Over (Oh Orpheus)*

11.) Porno*

12.) Afterlife*

13.) Supersymmetry

Album Highlight – *

Official Site.

North Dakota Woman Will Give Out Anti-Obesity Flyers to Trick-Or-Treaters

by Blair Kaplan

Some unsuspecting children in Fargo, North Dakota will be receiving an evil “trick” this Halloween!

A woman named Cheryl, called into a Fargo radio station WRIG this week to discuss her plan that will undoubtedly terrorize some trick-or-treaters in all of the wrong ways.

Cheryl elaborated that she plans to hand out letters to children she finds to be “moderately obese” in the hope of forcing parents to get in on the effort to end unhealthy eating habits.

“I just want to send a message to the parents of kids that are really overweight…I think it’s just really irresponsible of parents to send them out looking for free candy just ‘cause all the other kids are doing it,” the woman said.

Although Cheryl appears to believe in the age old notion that “it takes a village,” I wonder if she was ever taught that “if [she] has nothing nice to say, [she] shouldn’t say anything at all.” It is one thing to discuss her feelings on obesity with parents (although it is arguably none of her business how they choose to raise their kids), but seeing as how many trick-or-treaters can and will read these letters, she is not aiding the “village of Fargo,” but rather shaming children into feeling very poorly about themselves; something that the rest of society will also have to attempt to fix.

Shame on her for making what should be a fun and positive experience for these kids into an embarrassing, shameful memory. In her quest to combat childhood obesity, she is doing more harm than good. If she wants to help bring an end to the consumption of sugar and sweets by children, why not simply refuse to give out candy altogether? As far as I’m concerned, considering the selectivity and sensitivity with which Cheryl has decided to refrain from giving out candy, she might as well choose who gets candy based on race, gender, and sexual orientation. She is sending the wrong message to our youth; there are more positive ways to go about her mission.

Let’s hope that someone casts a spell on Cheryl’s bad behavior and maybe for Halloween next year she can forgo the tin-man costume and dress up as someone with a heart.

Album Review: Kelela – CUT 4 ME

by Rio Toro

Kelela: CUT 4 ME

Similar Artists: Solange, Aaliyah

Genre: Modern R&B

Label: Fade to Mind

Kelela isn’t as typical an artist as many listeners will initially think. Her hotly anticipated debut album, CUT 4 ME — which is cleverly disguised as a mixtape — stands far apart from the lot of female sung R&B currently in existence. While her voice, at times, may evoke previous R&B greats like Aaliyah or even Brandy, what makes this album unique is the fact that it actually has little to do with vocals at all. Instead, Kelela has built her sound around the production styles of her many collaborators. She does this in a way, however, that still keeps her persona at the center of our attention. Despite the amount of collaborators, this is her show, and she doesn’t let us forget that for a second.

As it turns out, Kelela is following somewhat popular trends in the bass music scene, while simultaneously churning them with her own oddly fashioned R&B to make an impressive and daringly accessible whole. It’s a pairing that works to her advantage, as her voice is not yet a completely grasping element in its own right, and it allows for the seductive productions to always be in full effect. This element of vocal restraint makes CUT 4 ME a completely different experience than say, Janelle Monae’s The Electric Lady; and as good as that record was, I don’t think I’m alone in saying we didn’t need another one like it quite just yet.

The production — which is predominantly handled by artists within the Fade to Mind and Night Slugs congregation — is a striking blend of icy synths, plummeting bass, ominous undertones, and the occasional metallic freakout. It’s an R&B album that will appeal to fans of Jam City’s Classical Curves more than fans of Rihanna. Opening track, “Guns and Synths” does a good job of setting the dark and desperate tone, and the Nguzunguzu produced second track, “Enemy”, expands upon it in a very hostile way.

However, while these two tracks contain what is arguably the most engaging music on the album, they don’t showcase just how eerie CUT 4 ME can be as a whole. It’s an album enriched with devious wordplay and an unusual sexual energy; yet another example of why Kelela — who grew up as a second generation Ethiopian immigrant — is not your every day woman. Take the title track for example — what exactly is the phrase “cut for me” supposed to mean? — is it supposed to be the artist’s way of symbolizing her permanent mark on a lover, or merely a violent play on a woman asking a man to “cum for me”. Either way, Kelela stands as a persona intent on devouring traditional views of male and female relationships. Later, on the excellent Jam City produced closing track, “Cherry Coffee”, she sings “It’s a Twisted Cycle/ That You’ve infused with love” , and that essence of lust over love seems to be the dominant lyrical theme throughout the album. Although this is her first release, Kelela just turned 30, and her mature stance on life comes out in subtle ways.

The theme constantly plays through the music as well, as heard on the narcotized beats and synths on “Do It Again” — which to me enacts visions of dominatrixes dominating their male slaves. Unfortunately, all of Cut 4 ME isn’t some weird psycho sexual drama. There are quite a few mellow tracks that don’t fully keep a hold on our attention through multiple playthroughs. This can be seen as a fault in Kelela’s vocal performance, as it rarely will kick the listener with a lasting oomph. “Bank Head” is the exception to this, and in addition to Kingdom’s perfect production, it shows Kelela can sing some devastatingly beautiful vocal lines when she wants to. It’s the best track on the album, even if there are quite a few second runners, and it will be interesting to see where she takes her vocal delivery from here. Still, from her work with Teengirl Fantasy and onward, we were given hint after hint that Kelela was an upcoming talent to look forward to. We may have had to wait quite a while for it, but CUT 4 ME proves that there is most certainly a place for Kelela in modern R&B.

Track Listing:

1.) Guns and Synths*

2.) Enemy*

3.) Floor Show

4.) Do It Again*

5.) Go All Night

6.) Bank Head*

7.) Cut 4 Me*

8.) Keep it Cool

9.) Send Me Out

10.) Go All Night

11.) Something Else

12.) A Lie

13.) Cherry Coffee*

It’s Clear: Gamefreak Has Reignited Pokemon’s Flame

by Tim Morris

Let me get something out of the way before I get into the meat of this article:

I have not played Pokemon X or Y yet.

I know, I know, it’s sacrilege for me to say that. However, my retail job and general lack of hours there prevent me from getting a 3DS or 2DS and the game. Simply not enough money to go around. Anyway, having talked to friends and family members about the recent installments in the Pokemon franchise it’s obvious to me that the buzz that surrounded the games way back in 1998 has finally returned 15 years later.

Everything I’ve heard about the general storyline of X and Y seems like typical Pokemon fare; you’re a new trainer embarking on your journey to become a Pokemon master, there’s an evil team wanting to change the world in some form for their benefit, you take on gym leaders and the Elite Four, and there are many legendary Pokemon, whether related to the story or not, to capture. The standard endgame is there, with more challenging battles to take on and side quests to complete. However, that’s where the similarities to the last three generations end.

The features that Gamefreak has added to X and Y are things that match the spirit of the game perfectly. Gamefreak has finally added full character customization, allowing you to buy outfits and change your trainer’s hair with in-game currency. You can now use the game’s Wonder Trade function to instantly send one of your Pokemon to another trainer anywhere in the world. While you have no control over the Pokemon you receive in return, it’s perfect for those who don’t have friends to play and trade with. You can also use the Player Search System to battle other trainers worldwide. For the hardcore gamers, you can now “Super Train” your Pokemon to max their EVs (effort values) quicker, gaining bigger stat boosts in a short period of time. The new Pokemon-Amie (pictured below) allows you to develop stronger bonds with your Pokemon, using the bottom touchscreen to pet, feed, and play with them. You can benefit in battle by raising your Pokemon’s affection, as another new feature involves your Pokemon trying harder in battle for you. They can gain a higher critical-hit ratio, dodge attacks, and gain more experience. Gamefreak even added a chance that your Pokemon will shake off status ailments or endure attacks that would otherwise knock them out because they don’t want to disappoint you. As someone who always ends up developing emotional bonds with his team, I can say that for me, these features are very much welcome.

These changes are a breath of fresh air that has been sorely needed as the last few generations of games have felt flat, in my opinion. I recently played through Pokemon Black 2 and felt that there was no challenge to the game at all; I played from start to finish without losing a single battle. Also, the new Pokemon introduced ranged from somewhat refreshing to completely moronic in terms of design. There were new Pokemon in that generation based on ice cream and piles of garbage; the mark of a company that had run out of ideas. This time around, I’m glad that the lion’s share of the effort went to adding cogs and gears as opposed to flashy new Pokemon. Pokemon X and Y marks the fewest additions to the series in terms of number of Pokemon, with only 69 newbies bringing the overall total to 718 species of catchable allies.

I’m sure that come Christmas time, I’ll be able to get my hands on this game, and I can safely say that this is the first time I’ve badly wanted a Pokemon game since Pokemon Crystal came out in 2001. Until then, I’ll be forced to listen to my friends proclaim that this new batch of Pokemon games is the best in a long time, and wind up jealous of them as a result. However, one thing is clear: this franchise is back, and it’s back in a big way. Gamefreak has proven that you can indeed catch lightning in a bottle twice with the same IP.

Theater Review “Becoming Dr. Ruth”

by Ryan Leeds

For 36 years, a world famous personality has lived in the same Washington Heights apartment. But now she is moving, and you are invited to watch. Typically, when friends and relatives solicit help with packing, you’re likely to find better excuses like getting the dog groomed or scheduling an appointment with your periodontist. Yet there are exceptions to the rule, and this spitfire makes a strong case for clearing your calendar and dropping in on her cluttered stash of cardboard boxes and knickknacks. Don’t worry, you won’t have to pack any dishes or lift any heavy objects. Instead you can sit back, relax, and be mesmerized by a true story of humility and chutzpah, vulnerability and ultimate victory. It is a tale told by Karola Siegel, known to the world as sex therapist Dr. Ruth Westheimer.

Debra Jo Rupp, most recognizable for her role as Kitty Forman on TV’s That 70s show is the perfect embodiment of the petite powerhouse in the new Off Broadway solo play “Becoming Dr. Ruth”. In one hundred swift, intermission-less minutes, Rupp holds the audience in the palm of her hands and sheds a whole new light on a beloved figure that, until now, has mainly been viewed only as a seasoned maven of sexual matters.

Without divulging too many of the intimate details, Westheimer has suffered some of life’s darkest atrocities. She has confronted the fragility and eventual dissolve of two marriages. As a single parent, she found employment at a job which would inspire her to pursue higher education and later mold her to into the famous “Dr. Ruth”.

Mark St. Germain’s script is generally tight and frames Westheimer’s story in a unique fashion. Many of the items left in the apartment serve to trigger memories, which propel the story in a simple, but effective manner. At times the writing teeters on the brink of over-sentimentality, but this is easily overlooked by the incredible depth and human quality shared by this fascinating woman, Solo shows may well be one the most difficult feats to accomplish in the theater, but Rupp handles it with boundless energy and confidence. It is my hope that voters from various awards organizations (Drama League, OBIE, etc.) will take notice. “Becoming Dr. Ruth” in a nutshell, is excellent.

“Becoming Dr. Ruth” now at the Westside Theatre 407 W. 43rd Street (between 9th and 10th ave.) For tickets: 212-239-6200, online at www.telecharge.com, or at the box office.

The Governor’s Wife is A Bland Mess

by Michael Tyminski

The Governor’s Wife: Sunday at 10 Eastern on A&E

I spend a lot (probably too much) time discussing the notion that many reality TV shows often feel over-scripted, and much of that is the result of many cable reality shows looking to scripted TV as a source of inspiration: The Real Housewives cashed in on the unexpected success of Desperate Housewives, for example. However, there are many times where the borrowing from scripted series’ instead comes in a much subtler form– often by working off of classic tropes or cliches that often fuel a wave of similar shows (such as the dysfunctional family comedies that ruled the roost in the 90’s, or the failed man-pocalypse that led to a number of failed comedies two years ago).

The Governor’s Wife takes the dysfunctional family trope to the extreme. In this, our patriarch and rock of the family is 85 year-old former governor of Louisiana Edwin Edwards (who served a little over 8 years in prison for charges related to political corruption). While in prison, he met his current wife, Trina, a 35 year old blonde bombshell. If the difference in age of our central couple seems wide, it’s even further exaggerated when you meet their respective children as Edwin’s two daughters are in their sixties while Trina’s kids are high school aged. Toss in accusations of gold digging, the desire for another child and the Southern society they are a part of and you have a recipe for some drama.

This show feels painfully scripted (with some very bad line reading during the voice-overs to go with it). While it’s pretty clear that this is the current state of affairs in reality TV, almost everything about The Governor’s Wife seems to be deprived of even the spontaneity that typically comes from one’s reaction to a situation. Trina is particularly plastic in this regard, awkwardly breaking out into tears at the notion of her 85 year old husband eventually dying (one would assume either no tears, or the tears occurring at the initial thought, not saying it with a straight face and then breaking a sentence later).

Unfortunately, the producers’ heavy hand on the show doesn’t actually help the show flow better. There is an overabundance of cut-away shots and voice-overs that almost come off as if you were watching a director’s commentary of a reality show instead of the show itself. Much of this issue derives from a sick obsession with pushing it’s one liners on the audience, as many exchanges on the show follow a flow where the cutaways and voice work is there to either sell or deliver a tepid punch line.

While the show is clearly built to be viewed through Trina’s lens, the generally myopic focus on her makes for an incredibly boring show. Aside from not being the most eloquent person, the truth is Trina’s presence in every storyline often reduces everyone else to a one note caricature. Nowhere is this worse than with Edwin’s younger daughter Victoria, whom with a pale face and strikingly dark makeup resembles the witch that the show makes her out to be (her main argument against Edwin and Trina having a baby involves her inheritance and a seemingly irrational hatred of Trina that’s never explained).

The Final Verdict: I’ve reviewed shows that have made me feel more viscerally bad than The Governor’s Wife. However, the show instead grinds at you with a different sort of badness that comes with being a monotonously boring affair built around the notion that people want a glimpse into the low-conflict life of a minor celebrity’s spouse. Skip this one, you’ll do better by watching basically any other reality show about rich people running around being rich.

Grammy Predictions 2014: Best New Artist

by Ryan Shea

As award season has truly kicked into gear, many of us entertainment fans await with baited breath to see who is going to be nominated for each award show. The one that I particularly look forward to every year is The Grammy’s, which is set to take place in early February. This happens to be the biggest social networking event of the year, besting other award shows and even The Super Bowl.

Now with nominations expected to be announced on December 6th, I wanted to share with you my predictions on who is most likely to be nominated at next years ceremony. My first category is Best New Artist, an award that has gone to Adele, Maroon 5 and most recently Fun! (Something I truly don’t agree with). Here is who I think will be the 5 up for the big award this year.

Lorde- talk about a late in the game entry. The 16 year old New Zealand native blasted onto the scene in the late summer of 2013 with her hit “Royals” which has been at the top of the alternative charts as well as dethroning the current cockroach of pop Miley Cyrus’ song “Wrecking Ball”. Lorde has a great deep falsetto and is reminiscent of everyone from Etta James to Amy Winehouse. A good contender in my books.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis- The Grammys tend to nominate people who aren’t necessarily new in this category, yet if these two are eligible they are a shoo in to be nominated and I believe win. This will be their night unless JT has something to say. “The Heist” is an incredible effort by these two, churning out hits like “Same Love”, “Can’t Hold Us” and hrs pivotal “Thrift Shop”. Expect these two to take home Grammy gold that night.

Florida Georgia Line- the perennial country nominee but won’t win, they never do. FGL had quite the year with their platinum selling album “Here’s To The Good Times” which features their huge hit “Cruise”. The song became even bigger with the help from Grammy winning hip hop artist Nelly, whom in my opinion made the song that much better. Expect at least a win in the country portion for this song, but they are the long shot for this one. Sorry guys.

Imagine Dragons- Alternative is slowly making it’s way back into the mainstream thing, and this band has done a pretty great job in aiding that. Fueled by the biggest alternative song of the year “Radioactive” from the almost double platinum selling “Night Visions”, these guys plan on making a name for themselves on Grammy night. Expect “Radioactive” to be a huge contended in Record and Song of the year categories as well.

Kendrick Lamar- usually in the BNA category there is only one hip hop nominee, yet if they don’t nominate Kendrick they are fools. Dude is the best thing to happen to hip hop in a long freaking time and he deserves credit on Grammy night. “Good Kid M.A.A.D. City” is one of the best hip hop albums in a long time and I am really hoping that the nomination committee recognizes him in this category and many more.

Honorable Mentions-
Kacey Musgraves
Avicii
Ellie Goulding
Emeli Sande
Capital Cities

Who do you think will be nominated this year? Voice your thoughts and check out the official Grammy site for more info.

OPINION

Footer