REVIEWS

Cult Creates A Self-Averting Prophecy

Cult: Tuesdays 9pm Eastern on the CW

It only makes sense that in a television season in which we have an over-the-top new show about a cult (The Following) and an over-the-top new show about a conspiracy (Zero Hour) that the CW would attempt to create a show that is about both a cult and a conspiracy and ignore the part about being over-the-top.

Cult follows disgraced journalist Jeff Dean Sefton (Matthew Davis) and over-inquisitive production assistant Skye Yarrow (Jessica Lucas) as they try to chase down Jeff’s brother Nate whom have been kidnapped by a group of overzealous fans of the CW (don’t worry they won’t let you forget the conceit that a CW show is popular no matter how far fetched that may seem) show Cult whom are committing copycat crimes for those that they’ve seen on the show.

The show within a show (for the purposes of avoiding confusion from here on out will be referred to as Cult’) is a supernatural thriller that involves police detective Kelly Collins (Alona Tal) chasing down the Manson-esque cult figure Billy Grimm (Prison Break’s Robert Knepper), whose followers are responsible for the kidnapping of Kelly’s sister Meadow and her family.

Cult’s main conceit comes from the way these two worlds interact, especially when viewed through the lens of it’s reclusive creator Stephen Rae. When a lecherous network executive (whose only two notes as a character are trying to force the show to have mass appeal and staring at Skye’s butt) tries to contact Mr. Rae, it has seemingly dire consequences. Meanwhile, much of the show’s symbolism crosses between the shows two universes whether its the older Orange sedan used for kidnappings, the two color 3-D glasses that Nate hands Jeff, the cult symbols that populate characters in both universes, or the rampant cosplay that exists in the Cult’ community.
While all of this intricate groundwork has room to spark potential interest, the show fails because it fails to resonate emotionally on any level. It’s hard to buy Cult’ inspiring any killers because it gives off the vibe of a show that’s not too far removed from former WB mainstays Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Charmed. Similarly the show’s twists seem more confusing than shocking (including two key twists at the end that I will not divulge in order to prevent spoiling the show should you wish to watch it). Finally, there is nothing less emotionally inspiring for Cult‘s mystery solving mantra of “watch TV, save the world.”

Similarly, in those rare moments where the show does try to give off some emotional resonance, it’s plagued by wooden acting, particularly on the part of Matthew Davis, whose sole expression throughout the entire 44 minutes is one of puzzlement devoid of any real empathy (even when he sees what he thinks is a pool of his brother’s blood). Knepper does a solid job as big bad Grimm, but Grimm is not written to be as compelling as Joe Carroll nor seems as threatening as White Vincent, the two villains of the two other shows that tackle similar subject matter.

The Final Verdict: It’s never a good sign when a fake show pulls someone in better than the real show surrounding it. Cult’ is a wacky goofy supernatural mystery that looks like the sort of thing that would fit perfectly on SyFy. Unfortunately, the show surrounding it, Cult, is devoid of real tension, a coherent story line or even a reason to care (with one protagonist who is pretty unlikable and another who isn’t well developed). As a result, we never really have to worry about fans going crazy and performing copycat crimes with this show, because I can’t really see people putting the mental investment required to figure out a show that doesn’t look to payoff the emotional investment required to watch it. Save yourself the hour and watch The Following or a rerun of The X-Files if you’re looking for a supernatural thrill, because there’s none to be found here.

Album Review: Tim McGraw – “Two Lanes of Freedom”

by Pamela Gordon

Courtesy of "www.billboard.com" — Courtesy of “www.billboard.com”

Tim McGraw’s newly released album “Two Lanes of Freedom,” has still truckin’ got it! The new album, his first on Big Machine Records, is indicative of its title. After a legal battle with previous label “Curb Records,” he truly sounds like he is free to express his musical talent and kicked the last label to, well, the curb.

The title track, which is the first song on the album, serves as an invigorating introduction to the album. It embodies the heart of country, with lyrics describing, “Now honey, how fast you wanna go, NASCAR driving Miss Daisy” and “God made old country roads for driving and dreaming.”

“One of Those Nights,” the first single released off of the album, has a pretty slow tempo; it’s not as slow as a ballad but not quite there to be considered upbeat. It’s a good track, don’t get me wrong, but I feel that the title track would have been a better single to release first. It’s romantic and sweet and encompasses all that is a ballad except the tempo, explaining a night out with a lover, while being proud and enamored with the one they are with.

The other tracks are just as notable though, and bitterly honest. “Friend of a Friend,” is about a past love who just won’t get the hint to go away, with “Nashville Without You” giving tribute to the town and those who have made it the place it is today such as Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, while “Number 37405” chronicles an individual who drank under the influence and took a life, ultimately serving 15 years of prison, all while life kept moving on with out him.

But the most fun track is “Truck Yeah.” It’s a little cliché, but it’s loud, it’s proud and it’s sexy. It shows that country can be trendy and prominent even here in Long Island where it is so easy to say, “I listen to everything except country.” With the raw guitar riffs, relatable content and easy to sing along chorus, “Truck Yeah” invites the listener to sing along and shake it out.

The other tracks are great as well, don’t forget to listen to “Southern Girl,” “Book of John,” “Tinted Windows,” and my personal favorite, “It’s Your World.” You can skip over “Mexicoma” though, it’s a bit juvenile for my taste, but I’ll give McGraw a pass for this one. There’s also a collaboration that is beautiful with Taylor Swift and Keith Urban, “Highway Don’t Care,” that shows off the talent that all three have together.

The album is superb, and has set McGraw free of himself (and his old label for that matter). He is changing with the times, but still embodying his country spirit, gathering a greater and more diversified listening pool. There are too many great tracks on this album to pass this up and miss out on what I consider a heartfelt and fun album by the great artist Tim McGraw.

-Pamela Erin Gordon

Album Review: Actress – Silver Cloud EP

by Rio Toro

Actress: Silver cloud EP

Score: 6.8/10

Similar Artists: Terrence Dixon, Autechre

Genre Detroit Techno, Unclassifiable

Darren Cunningham is one of the few geniuses in crafting abstract techno. His last two full lengths, Splazsh and R.I.P have proved to be masterpieces, holding up through hundreds of listens. If you aren’t aware already, Actress crafts sullen, often monotonous (but not in a bad way) grayscale techno with a Detroit edge. However, such a plethora of different names and phrases have been used in attempt to describe his genre that it is better to refer to his style as unclassifiable. His use of jagged edges and bleak tone invoke dark cities of towering skyscrapers and endless subway systems, but in a much different light than Burial. Where Burial’s music uses club culture aesthetics, you would never hear this music in a dance environment unless the owner wanted to get everyone out of the building. These songs represent urban decay rather than urban sprawl.

This 3 track EP is yet another puzzle in Actress’ Discography. “Silver Cloud” is his first release since R.I.P and is in preparation for his next full length “Ghettoville”, which is due out later this year. He certainly hasn’t gotten any more accessible during his time off, as this is without a doubt his most difficult release yet. While Actress’ output could never be called fruitful, Silver Cloud is based on endlessly repeating structures and underlying themes that don’t present themselves for countless listens. It’s hazier and more opaque even than he was on his appropriately titled debut “Hazyville”.

“Voodoo Posse Chronic Illusion” starts with a disgruntled keyboard melody and an ultra lo-fi drum pattern that both seem disabled to the point where they would never be able to carry on for an entire song (no less a 12 minute one). Of course, they manage to, and once the pieces come into correspondence with each other, the song could easily last a whole lot longer. One person in a message board joked that these songs should all go on for at least an hour, joking aside, there is truth in this statement. Once the elegiac harp progression is introduced at the three minute mark, the song enters a state of perpetual continuity. Out of all the tracks here, this is the one you could imagine putting in a loop and listening to for a whole day, almost like a Wolfgang Voigt or William Basinski track.

“Floating in Ecstasy” is more menacing in tone due to its gun cock percussive element and ambience that resembles heavy breathing. Later in the song, a dread induced vocal sample comes into play that seems to be repeating “go away mean zombie”. It’s one of the darkest works in this artist’s discography for sure, and I can’t imagine what sort of schizoid mood I would have to be in to understand its true meaning. Final track, “Silver Cloud Dream Come True” is similarly infuriating. With obsessively repeating drum programming, samples of breaking glass and an ethereal bell chime, Darren creates a mood somewhere between serenity and nothingness, leaning towards the latter.

This release ends up being a particularly murky representative of Actress’ style. The production shows off Darren’s skills as a producer, but we were already aware of his supremacy in craft. All these songs are covered with such a dusty coat of paint that even through repeated listens, it can be difficult to grasp what truly is going on. Through full lengths, Darren Cunningham has been able to convey moods of vibrancy and excitement; it is a cliche, but his past albums have felt like journeys. This EP emits no such feeling, and its destination is ultimately nowhere. Actress is way ahead of the curve in electronic music, but getting to know this release on a personal level feels like a chore.

Track Listing:

1.) Voodoo Posse Chronic Illusion*

2.) Floating in Ecstasy

3.) Silver Cloud Dream Come True

*- Track Highlight

Album Review: Darkstar – News From Nowhere

by Rio Toro

Darkstar: News From Nowhere

Score: 7.7

Similar Artists: Radiohead, Animal Collective, Matthew Dear, John Talabot, Sigur Ros

Genre: Experimental Pop

When I first heard Darkstar’s single “Aidy’s Girl Is a Computer” in 2009, it immediately became one of my favorite tracks from the unstoppable Hyperdub label. The glitchy robotic vocal samples and mutilated synth chords (which predetermined my obsession with co-Londoner James Blake), stood out as unique and intelligent compared to other so-called dubstep acts. I hesitate to say this group ever was dubstep, as within a few years they have progressed their sound to a point where calling them dub-anything would be absurd. Although I sure wouldn’t have minded it, this was a band that surely didn’t want to follow the success of their “Aidy’s Girl” single with another like minded track.

For their debut album “North”, which was released in 2010, the duo became a trio with vocalist James Buttery added to the mix. They focused on composing gloomy synth pop and learned to embrace more traditional pop song structures. It turned out they were damned good at it too, and it proved the group to be multi-talented. However, I kept waiting for them to jump off the deep end, so to speak, as they were absolutely capable of chartering uncovered terrain.

It seems my prayers have been answered because on “News from Nowhere”, their first album for Warp Records, Darkstar have dived in head first. The album is an eclectic overhaul to their previous sound that calls to mind some of the world’s best experimental pop acts. It now seems clear that “North” was a transitional album for this behemoth of sensory overload. Through the album you will be reminded of landmark acts such as Radiohead and Animal Collective, but the closest peer is pop-deconstructivist Matthew Dear, who also adapts new musical styles with the changes in the direction of the wind.

For a hint of the band’s eclecticism, the album goes from the blissfully ambient to the sublimely chill, to the paranoidly eccentric. “-“ is a take on King of Limbs era Radiohead and “A Day’s Pay for a Day’s Work”, has a chorus that is straight up Beach Boys in its a-capella vocal harmony. It’s all a technical marvel, especially on instances where the foreground pushes and pulls to cause tension before imploding into bits of crystalline fragments.

I previously mentioned Matthew Dear as a very like minded artist, and the match certainly fits. That artists’ last album ended with “Temptation”, which was a track that took his songwriting abilities to an unforeseen peak. The last track on this album, “Hold Me Down”, is similar in the fresh escapist pleasure in invokes. It is the perfect album closer that signifies there is much more to be heard from this act.

However, it did take me a while to see this album’s true potential, and it has some flaws that prevent it from being truly exceptional. For one, the vocals are superb in craft, but we hear far too much of them, and what James Buttery is singing about never truly shines through. On “Amplified Ease” I actually told him to stop singing (as if he could hear me). The top layers in general in this music are far less interesting than what lies beneath. Some of the best moments on the record are when the music has a chance to breathe, and we can hear just how much exquisite detail has been put into the production. The tracks where the vocals are used as an instrument, such as the final two, tend to be the most effective. Darkstar have the ability to wisk us away to far away worlds, but they often make it hard for us to get there as we have to sift through a layer of muck.

This is an album disguised as something it is not, or rather, it is disguised as something it is much more than. After a while, it is not the songs themselves that continue to grab our attention, but little snippets that are scattered throughout them. This is fine by me, because I have surely garnered a fair amount of pleasure from this album, but it makes me wonder if I would prefer an album from them that was entirely made up of the subtleties I adore finding in the crevices. For now, I am certainly on my toes as to what they will do next; I always seem to be with Darkstar.

Track Listing:

1.)Light Body Clock Starter

2.) Timeaway

3.) Armonica

4.) –

5.) A Day’s Pay for a Day’s Work

6.) Young Heart’s

7.) Amplified Ease

8.) You Don’t Need a Weatherman

9.) Bed Music – North View

10.) Hold Me Down

Zero Hour Is So Bad It’s Almost Good

by Michael Tyminski

Zero Hour: 8 P.M. Thursdays, ABC

Normally when I’m reviewing a new show, if I find that the show is uneven, or even if I’m displeased with it, I can find a reason that a show could grow into a solid sustainable B-tier show. This is one of those rare occasions where I wonder how exactly this pilot made it to television (especially since the show that it replaced, Last Resort seemed pretty decent).

Zero Hour follows a magazine editor named Hank Galliston (as played by Anthony Edwards of ER Fame) whose wife is kidnapped by international terrorist “White Vincent”. Laila was kidnapped because she bought a clock with an ancient treasure map hidden inside, but inexplicably when she’s kidnapped she has already left the clock in a different location. Everything changes when an FBI agent who lost a close family member due to the actions of White Vincent shows up and starts pestering Hank, leading Hank to believe that he is wrapped up in something way beyond the kidnapping of his wife.

The show is full of confusing incongruities. The introductory sequence sets us in 1938, and sets us up by not exposing anything about either the treasure or any of the characters in the story, only that clocks exist, they’re the closest thing to god, the Nazis created a devil baby, that there’s something buried in Germany that could bring about the apocalypse. 40 minutes later, we finally learn that the 12 new men were meant to be the apostles and stop the end of the world after two young journalists inexplicably acquire the funds to go to Germany to talk to the maker of these clocks.

The acting as a whole is hammy and overdone. Whether it’s the priest whose advocating baiting out a terrorist by giving him what he wants, Anthony Edwards desperately trying to convince you that his wife is not young enough to be his daughter, or the FBI agents’ rush talking, almost everything in the show seems well past the point of belief. They use heavy accents in monologues but a scene in Germany is full of characters who speak in perfect American and British accents. Even star Anthony Edwards is not immune to this, as he plays Hank as hyper-rational, even in the face of the events that have just occurred.

The writing seems excessively convoluted and contrived. Hank is written to be as smart as if not smarter than the FBI. The terrorist “White Vincent” is written to be omniscient since we are meant to believe that a sole actor can divert Hank across Brooklyn, while tracking down a diamond smaller than an earring hidden covertly in an Altoids Case while remaining two steps ahead of the federal government who is crawling all over Brooklyn looking for him. Similarly, we are led to believe that Laila is kidnapped from a clock shop, when she dropped the clock off at her house? Why follow Laila to a second spot when he could have just broken into the house and taken the clock after she left?

Zero Hour seems to want to take a lot from the The Da Vinci Code, but unlike the movie, at no point do you feel like the dots are connected as you lead to a big reveal. Instead Zero Hour expects to take wild leaps of faith in order to appreciate it’s mythos of clocks, crazy terrorists, devil babies, young journalists with never ending pocketbooks (spoiler: the day I can get $5,000 out of the Manhattan Digest budget to fly to Germany to chase down someone who seems old enough to be dead and browbeat him for information, I totally will), FBI agents who don’t look 40 taking 40 year old incidents personally, and omniscient terrorists who can do more to avoid triangulation with Skype than most hackers, and the possibility that Hank is a reincarnated version of himself from Nazi-era Germany.

The Final Verdict: Any show like this requires some degree of suspension of disbelief, and when a show manages to shake my ability to suspend disbelief not even 90 seconds into a show, that’s a bad sign. What then occurs over the next 40 minutes involves the most ridiculous and ludicrous set of plot twists that one can find. It might be worth a watch if you want to see how a B-movie conspiracy film makes it to TV, but otherwise you’re probably better off watching Community or Parks and Recreation in that 8 p.m. Thursday time slot. I can’t see this one going much longer than 13 episodes, if only because nothing here makes sense and it doesn’t bottom out enough to make it watchable if only for the train wreck factor.

Sweat Sweet: Soffe.com

by Ryan Shea

Since putting on some extra pounds I’ve found my home away from home, these days, is the gym. And as much as everyone likes to say “it’s a gym, not a fashion show,” us ladies know better. Throwing on oversized sweat pants and an extra large T-shirt seems like the logical idea, until you pass the mirror and realize what a bum you look like. Not to mention, it is extremely hard to feel good when the exterior looks lousy. I’ve tried throwing on a pair of leggings and a cute tank top and all that leads to is wedgies and sweat stains, eww! But today I came across an awesome site that sells cute work out gear, www.soffe.com! So, if you’ve read my previous articles, you know how much I LOVE to shop online, and when I saw the fabulous fitness wear on Soffe.com I knew I had to spread the word. They have everything from shorts, to straight leg pants, tee shirts, and tank tops. Everything is so stylish and comfy. Best part, awesome deals! Now don’t get me wrong, the clothes are affordable regardless, but who doesn’t love a sweet deal (pardon the V-day pun)? So for Valentine’s Day they have 25% off some really cute clothes. SOme of my faves are;

The Printed Authentic Soffe Shorts (the prints I’m showing are just 2 of my tops but they have 37 choices!!)

Soffe Shorts Reptile — Printed Authentic Soffe Shorts – Painted Reptile

I am obsessed with these funky shorts and am having ADD trying to pick my favorite one!

Ok, so in the past, I don’t know, 4 years I have completely given up any kind of bell bottom. I love that straight legs are in and I really like how they look on me. That being said, I can never find straight leg sweats, not leggings, but FINALLY I’ve found them !

Soffe Nu-Wave Skinny Sweats

So these bad boys come in Gun Metal (as shown) or black and only $26 bucks…Love it!

And if you are into the legging thing they have them too … Only these are made for movement and won’t ride up when you are on the elliptical or treadmill.

Soffe.com has so many awesome items and the 25% off Valentines Day bunch are gorg! There is so much if I kept writing you’d be here till tomorrow, so I will start to wrap it up.

This site has everything from yoga pants to pool shorts, tennis skirts to tiny shorts, and tank tops to tee shirts. And don’t fret boys there is just as much options for you, but I’m not really an expert on men’s wear. But I will tell you this, I’m not mad at the selection. I could only hope some of the boys that I see at the gym grunting and grinning will see this article and step their gym gear up!

This site is an exercise junkie’s dream, a cheerleader’s heaven, and for those of us who have a love hate relationship with physical activity, a way to look sweet while sweating! Check them out and let me know what you think!

25% Off Valentine's Day Sale — 25% Off Valentine’s Day Sale

Album Review: Grouper – The Man Who Died in his Boat

by Rio Toro

Grouper: The Man Who Died In His Boat

Score: 7.9/10

Similar Artists: Tiny Vipers, Mirroring

Genre: ambient, singer-songwriter

The best way to describe Liz Harris’ output as Grouper would be to reference one of her lyrics, in which she claims to be an “Alien observer in a world that isn’t mine”. This disconnect of environment comes up often in the music of Grouper, and is harrowing in its evocation of aloneness. A certain humane element is lacking in the music as the voices we hear are all lost ones, who are desperately seeking attachment to a like being. She creates this often horrifying mood through the tone of her voice, the strum of her guitar, effects pedals and little else. The minimalistic aesthetic gives the songs a raw feel that enhances the believability of the artist’s sorrowful anguish. There is no anger within these songs, as Liz Harris’ cry is not one of exasperation, but one of remorseful contemplation. Through her work, Liz Harris recollects her tainted childhood memories, and the crucial moments which shaped her views upon the world.

“The Man Who Died in His Boat”, Grouper’s 8^th full length, was inspired by an event experienced by Liz at a young age where she peered inside a boat that washed up near her home. She found it brimming with trinkets and belongings, yet the owner had vanished never to reappear. Although the abandonment in this case was of an inanimate object, it is the kind of experience that becomes trapped within the confines of our conscious mind, and allows for endless provocation. Much like this memory, the subject matter in Grouper’s music is all highly personal, and much of the lyrics are un-decodable in meaning. Liz has stated in interviews of her fear towards enabling the listener to grasp too much of a song’s identity, and in turn revealing too much of her own. This is the reason her voice is so hidden on the majority of her releases. Despite her enigmatic personality, it can be discerned that these releases represent mournful memoirs from her life.

This album is a return to the style developed on her revelatory 2008 LP, “Dragging a Dead Deer up a Hill”. The comparisons are not in album title alone as this is, for better or for worse, a carbon copy of that album. Both albums were actually written and recorded during the same time period, but Liz has waited all these years to actually release it; perhaps in fear of it being too personal. These are her, for lack of a better word, folk records. Unlike some of Grouper’s other releases, of which there are many, these could actually be considered songs. With the album’s prominent use of acoustic guitar, Liz walks the line of being called a singer songwriter at certain moments.

There is certainly a new found accessibility that has been issued to her music in the last few years and “The Man Who Died…” is most representative of this. Up until now, “Heavy Water/I’d Rather Be Sleeping” on her previously mentioned 2008 album, was the closest we got to peering inside Liz’s heart. While it could be argued that none of the songs here match the sheer beauty of that song, many follow it in theme. “Towers” and “Living Room” both stand out in a way that is unusual for an artist who is so non-attention seeking, and there are even some bright spots to be found if you look deep enough. Thankfully, the atmosphere is not entirely opaque, and there is the occasional glimmer of hope. Whether it stems from a brighter guitar chord or a tenderly sung lyric, we are hinted at some ray of light that is guiding the protagonist towards a nestled home.

Listening to Grouper for hours on end becomes a heartache. Grouper’s music had never really sunk in with me before, but after now challenging myself with dissecting one of her albums I realize it is because I didn’t let it. The music can become disturbing in its subtleties to the point where listening to it on repeat is painful. This is especially true when going to sleep or other reflective moments in the day. She has crafted a sound that is audacious, but not always listenable. So in terms of emotional effectiveness this album gets top honors, but personally I think I am going to let it collect some dust on the shelf for a while, and save it for a day where I am feeling particularly masochistic.

Track Listing:

1.) 6

2.) Vital*

3.) Cloud in Places

4.) Being her Shadow

5.) Cover the Long Way

6.) Difference (Voices)

7.) Vanishing Point

8.) The Man Who Died In His Boat*

9.) Towers*

10.) STS

11.) Living Room*

* – Album Highlight

Country Class from the 2013 Grammy Country Nominees

by Pamela Gordon

Sunday night was a night that I was proud to be representing the country genre on Manhattan Digest as America noticed the Country Class exuding from the 2013 Grammy Country Nominees. From the wardrobe choices, to the performances, the individuals and groups were able to hold their heads high. My predictions were almost spot on, and every winner truly deserved their Grammy.

Move over Beyonce and Jay-Z, because Tim McGraw and Faith Hill stole that red carpet spotlight. Tim looked so dapper in his classy cowboy hat, while Faith was stunning in her sleek black dress. They were not only polite and friendly, but were seemingly genuine and happy to be attending the ceremony.

Dierks Bentley and Miranda Lambert’s duet of “Home” and “Over You” was a medley not to be reckoned with. The composition was a hybrid of southern belle meets southern comfort with Lambert’s bedazzled white cocktail dress and sweet lyrics, while Bentley’s performance was heartfelt yet edgy.

Lets not forget Hunter Hayes’ interlude of “Wanted”. Although short, he demonstrated his vocal and musical talents in this minute and a half introduction. He managed to shine and woo the audience right before introducing the women of the night.

From the moment she stepped foot onto the carpet, to her exceptional performance, Carrie Underwood glistened throughout the night. She wowed the red carpet without even having to bear any excess skin in a sleek black Roberto Cavalli dress. During her acceptance speech for best Solo Performance, she not only seemed surprised but also humbled, a sight rarely seen. Lastly, her performance of “Blown Away,” literally did what the title says. As spectacular as the light show was, my attention was not taken away from her powerful vocals. She has a command over her voice that should be praised and elegance to her performance that was not gaudy but impressive and creative.

Country has a reason to be proud; embodying class, style and talent at an evening where musicians come together to have their night to shine. If I hadn’t convinced you in my first article to check out some of these talented artists, hopefully now with the show stopping performances, you take a look into what country really has to offer the music industry.

Pamela Erin Gordon

Boobs or Snooze; The 2013 Grammy Awards

by Ryan Shea

This year’s Grammy awards brought out an array of fashion. Despite CBS’s comical dress code, the stars still looked hot this year. CBS sent a notice that the attendees of the Grammy awards should not wear anything revealing; no plunging necklines, side boobs, or butt views. Although CBS tried to control the fashion, many artists clearly disregarded the networks warnings. This is the 2013 Grammy Fashion review.

One artist who visibly paid no attention to the dress code was Katy Perry. Perry’s revealing mint green Gucci dress was skin tight and the peep hole at her chest was anything but censored. Her cleavage was fully exposed! The dress was unattractive and Katy Perry looked a little undone. Not her best.

Another artist who ignored the no “bare skin’ rule was Kelly Rowland in Georges Chakra. The fitted black gown was beautiful and had many, many revealing lines. If she moved the wrong way all of her naughty parts would have been on display. Thankfully there were no slips, but it was obvious Rowland was unfazed by the clothing regulations this year.

Kelly Rowland Grammys — Kelly Rowland at the 2013 Grammy’s

I have to admit I was slightly let down by the fashion at the Grammy’s this year. Nothing really astounded me. That being said, there were a few celebrities whose choice of dress was beautiful and warrants mentioning.

My best dressed this year goes to; Rihanna!

Rihanna Grammy's — Rihanna at the 2013 Grammy’s

I must admit I fully expected Rihanna to completely go against the dress code and shock us all, but she decided to keep it tasteful. The singer rocked a dazzling red Azzedine Alaia gown, sheer panels’ criss-crossed over the chest and haltered on the neck. The skirt was full and flowing chiffon. She looked elegant and still made a statement.

Carrie Underwood looked striking last night. She was put together from head to toe. The strapless Roberto Cavalli gown hugged her curves and accentuated her toned arms. The pattern on the dress was elegant and the beading on the skirt was breath taking.

Carrie Underwood Grammy's — Carrie Underwood at the 2013 Grammy awards

Faith Hill really surprised me this year. The knee length frock she wore fit her perfectly and the sheer, embroidered top was lovely. The lace jacquard on the skirt was so subtle you could barely see it. This J. Mendel dress looked stunning on Faith Hill.

And now for my favorite part of the Grammy’s… the WORST DRESSED. The Grammy’s always brings out some of the most outrageously heinous fashions. And, oh, they did not disappoint me this year! I’ll try and narrow it down to my top 5 this year.

#5 – Jennifer Lopez

Jennifer Lopez Grammy — Jennifer Lopez at the Grammy’s

J.Lo’s dress looked like a hefty bag. The cut out for her leg to stick through made no sense!

#4 – Nicole Kidman

Nicole Kidman Grammy's — Nicole Kidman at the 55th annual Grammy awards

Her dress aged her and the muted colors washed her out.

#3 – Adele

Adele Grammy's — Singer Adele at the 55th annual Grammy’s

I feel wretched naming Adele as one of my worst dressed, but the pregnant Grammy winner looked like she was wearing curtains!

#2 – Solange Knowles

Solange Knowles Grammy's — Beyonce’s little sister Solange

Beyonce’s younger sister looked like a cracked out Diana Ross. The sparkly green dress was cheap looking and the orange heels were horrible.

#1 – Ashanti

Ashanti Grammy — Ashanti at the 2013 Grammy Awards

Ashanti’s floral dress was too revealing and looked cheap.

Lastly, I want to shout out a few of the men who rocked it last night…

Country cutie Hunter Hayes looked handsome in his Hugo Boss black suit.

Justin Timberlake rocked his Tom Ford suit and had all of us ladies swooning.

The fashion at the Grammy’s this year was toned down compared to previous years. No one really amazed me. I remember tuning into the Grammy’s and being dazzled by the unique costumes the musicians would adorn. I look forward to the outrageous red carpet and can only hope that next year will be more eventful.

Album Review: Four Tet – 0181

by Rio Toro

Four Tet: 0181

Score: 6.0/10

Similar Artists: Bibio, Mum, Jon Hopkins

Genre: Folktronica, Trip-Hop, 2-Step

When first hearing that Four Tet had released a free to download album, and seeing the album consisted of one 38 minute track, I was under the impression that “0181” was one of the artist’s live DJ sets similar to that of his live Fabric mix (perhaps from one of his nights at The Boiler Room). As it turns out, this is a rarities/b-sides collection from tracks made around the time of Dialogue and Pause; Kieran’s first two albums as Four Tet. Those two albums, dating from 1999 to 2001 respectively, remain excellent representations of electronic music at the turn of the millennia, and should definitely be checked out if you only started following Four Tet after his sorta breakout album “Rounds” in 2003. This was a particularly crucial time period for the artist as his focus was shifted from his fading post-rock band “Fridge” to working on solo productions which turned out to be much more representative of his talent.

In comparison to his first two LP’s though, 0181 is less engaging and less than essential, standing more as an easy listening experience to play a few times and then forget about. Then again, it is a very generous offering for Kieran to be releasing this album completely free of charge, so if you have enjoyed his material in the past, you will want to hit the download button anyway; it just might not dominate memory on your iPod the way his other albums surely do.

Most of this “new” material could be lumped into the Folktronica genre which Kieran has moved passed with 2010’s mesmerizing “There is Love in You” and last year’s ultra modern single collection “Pink”. I say “most” because variety exists through traces of cool jazz, trip hop, robotic funk and 2-step. Describing this music as traces or sketches would be accurate because despite Kieran’s decision to release this as 1 long track, this is not a continuously flowing piece. There are pauses, and some sections feel unfinished, which gives an abrupt feeling to the music. This disjointedness clashes with the lively production to leave us with an album that lacks the artist’s trademark personality. However, the production work itself is still impressive, and certainly has aged gracefully in the often rapidly moving genre of electronica. One particularly memorable section samples bird chirps and softly toned guitars to delightful effect; another casts a piano interlude that recalls Brian Eno’s early ambient works. Every so often a section appears that sounds unique and not so easily comparable to his other work, but these sections never last long enough to leave an impression. If nothing else, this is a great reminder of how sleek Four Tet’s productions were so early on, but it could have been a showcase for how much untapped potential was left for future releases.

While this is an enjoyable album to listen to, in the end it leaves me wanting to revisit Four Tet’s other, more focused releases. Still, this doesn’t hurt his reputation in any way; he did release this for free after all. I applaud Kieran for being so incredible to his fans. I certainly remain a devoted one.

Track Listing:

1.) 0181

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