Once again, UCLA Radio is giving you the chance to go to an advanced screening! This time, it’s to see In the Land of Blood and Honey, Angelina Jolie’s directorial debut! The screening is taking place on December 15 at the ArcLight Sherman Oaks. Head over to our Facebook page to find out how to enter.

Set against the backdrop of the Bosnian War that tore the Balkan region apart in the 1990s, In the Land of Blood and Honey tells the story of Danijel (Goran Kostić) and Ajla (pronounced Ayla) (Zana Marjanović), two Bosnians from different sides of a brutal ethnic conflict. Danijel, a Bosnian Serb police officer, and Ajla, a Bosnian Muslim artist, are together before the war, but their relationship is changed as violence engulfs the country. Months later, Danijel is serving under his father, General Nebojsa Vukojevich (Rade Šerbedžija), as an officer in the Bosnian Serb Army. He and Ajla come face to face again when she is taken from the apartment she shares with her sister, Lejla (Vanesa Glodjo), and Lejla’s infant child by troops under Danijel’s command. As the conflict takes hold of their lives, their relationship changes, their motives and connection to one another become ambiguous and their allegiances grow uncertain. In the Land of Blood and Honey portrays the incredible emotional, moral and physical toll that the war takes on individuals as well as the consequences that stem from the lack of political will to intervene in a society stricken with conflict.

Check out the trailer here and don’t miss it when the film hits theaters on December 23rd!

2011 marked another year in music ruled by women. Looking back at this phenomenal year, we can think of the biggest hits and notice one major similarity–they had female voices singing them!) Their massive releases ruled radio waves and iPod playlists for the greater majority of the world’s music lovers. What was notable were the releases by five female juggernauts–Beyonce, Adele, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears & Rihanna. In retrospect, which of the DIVA5 (see what I did there?!) fared best? Whose album is ranked dead last? Let’s proceed…

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“The Year of Hibernation” is the name of Youth Lagoon’s debut album on Fat Possum records. 22-year-old Trevor Powers (Youth Lagoon’s real name) could not have named his album more appropriately, mainly because it is the perfect album to fall asleep to. That is not necessarily a good thing, though. The album starts out enjoyably, with vibrating synths, relaxing bell-like whistles, and subtle percussion, and then continues to be just enjoyable throughout the rest of the 8 tracks. The album’s quick plateau becomes its weakness; it never climaxes or grows beyond a constant point of complacent pulsation. The record does well in being consistent, but it becomes so consistent that it eventually becomes boring; this entire album could actually just be an 8-part song.
Sometimes, minimalist songs are effective in highlighting an artist’s vocals and lyrics. But the filtered vocals that make the lyrics indecipherable throughout each track don’t really help or add much to these songs.
On its own, however “Daydream” (#5) is a stand-out track, a perfect capture of soothing synth pop. And Trevor Powers does deserve some credit for recording a full length LP in his bedroom and quitting his job at Urban Outfitters, where these songs are very likely to be put into shopper-friendly rotation.

Stand-out tracks: “Daydream,” “Montana,” “The Hunt.”

Grade: C+

I might have been insane to go to a show the day before a final, but honestly, I don’t regret it one bit. Girls played an incredible show at the Music Box this past Tuesday, December 6th and I left the show happier than I was this entire finals week.

We had a bit of trouble with traffic, so I only caught the last song of the first opener, Melted Toys.  The San Francisco based band had a dream pop-esque sound to their music.  I enjoyed what I heard, but unfortunately I wasn’t there for enough of their set. I think they’ve got a lot of potential in their music and are a band to keep an eye out for.

And on a completely random note, the guy from Steel Train and Cullen Omori from the Smith Westerns were both there mingling and hanging out, separately though. It was interesting turning around and seeing the lead singer from bands you’ve seen before just hanging out.

Regardless, The Tyde came on next, and they had an eight or nine piece band on stage.  The Echo Park based band played a solid set, with a distinctive indie rock vibe to their sound.  Employing a tambourine orchestra (not really though. They had two full time tambourine players and vocalists on stage, which was amusing), the Tyde performed for about a half full Music Box.  Although they played well and are a talented band, the crowd was waiting for the set to end so that Girls could go on.

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Sure to have your head bobbin’, feet in motion, and your whole body groovin’, El Camino is the epitome of why we all love The Black Keys. The duo’s newest album dropped on Monday and remains true to their garage, grunge-rock roots, and although all the tracks sound pretty similar, at least you know what you’re going to get. And, you know you’re going to love it. This album’s slightly dark-pop hint makes you want to get up and dance with your limbs flying free as the band belts out that long-hair-don’t-care attitude…even though neither of the studlies Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney sport flowing locks. And because of that, listening to this on your iPod will make you wanna strut with the demeanor to mirror the power The Black Keys put into this rock album.

Another reason why The Black Keys are awesome? It’s the same band you know and love even in the face of their rising (or already risen) popularity. No sell-outs here, just more great lyrics and incredible tunes for all.

Must check out: “Money Maker”, “Dead and Gone”, scratch that – listen to em all

The Fest 10

About a month ago I was able to trek my way towards the quiet college town known as Gainesville, Florida. What I was doing across the country during midterms seemed inexplicable until I finally made into the three day music festival known as The Fest. Not too many people have heard of The Fest, but anyone who is an avid fan of the punk/hardcore genres and all the subgenres that come with it should become very acquainted with it. The adventure had to have been one of the most enjoyable and absolutely fun weekends I’ve ever had in my life.

This year, The Fest was celebrating 10 years of awesomeness and Tony Weinberg, promoter of the Fest, wanted to make sure show-goers had something to remember. Huge acts such as Against Me!, Hot Water Music, Bouncing Souls, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists, Kid Dynamite, Dead to Me, Youth Brigade, Dillinger Four, Paint it Black, Samiam, Small Brown Bike, and many, many more performed sets throughout the various venues in Gainesville. The exceptional line up brought 1,500 fans from all over the globe (literally) to the sold-out festival.  At The Fest, I was able to meet many new friends from places like Germany, Spain, Argentina, Chile, Canada, England, along with people from all over the country. Distance was not a sufficient factor to stop tradition of the decade long festival.

I arrived in Gainesville a night before the festival started. A local resident by the name of Phil opened his backyard to travelers for the festival in exchanged for packs of beer that is not found in Florida. The backyard was filled with 16 tents all packed with fellow Festers anxiously awaiting the fun to begin. Read the rest of this entry »

I first saw the band, Kitten when they opened for a Young the Giant concert I attended last year and was struck with the vivaciousness of their lead singer Chloe Chaidez. The young woman flung her hair like she had something to prove, and often sang through a curtain of glossy black hair completely obscuring her face. She frantically ran around stage, jumping off things and practically rolling on the ground while somehow also managing to sing. Her bandmates cheerfully rocked out with her and they made no effort to hide their enjoyment in performing. The overt enthusiasm of this young band really added a layer to their alternative sound. After the show I bought their EP Sunday School enjoyed their energetic and youthful sound. When I briefly met them for a signing, they seemed like a down to Earth group of teens, and when I mentioned that I’d loved their show, one of the band members responded by writing “I LOVE YOU MEGAN” above their signatures.

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Recently, I got to see Feist perform at the Wiltern theater in Los Angeles. Feist blew up about 4 years ago when her hit single “1234” was featured in a colorful iPod commercial. Since then, she has helped children and adults alike count on the Sesame Street and even had a cameo in the new Muppets movie. Needless to say, my expectations were pretty high.

And met.

After a hilarious opening set by her best friend (and recent Guinness World Record holder), Gonzalez, Feist opened with “Undiscovered First,” a song that seems to know no bounds in its growth. Over the course of the night, she managed to play the album in its entirety. “1234” was noticeably absent from the set, but she did do a few old songs. The standout amongst these was

“Mushaboom,” a once-lightweight song that was transformed into a dark, cynical satire about settling down.
In the middle of the show, Feist pulled out a conch shell (a large sea shell that doubles as a horn) and decided to pick one lucky person out of the audience to come onstage and play. That lucky person ended up being no one other but me. Except, when I went on stage to play the horn, I couldn’t get any sound to come out of it. So she picked a second person to come on stage and play. Don’t pity me, though – we both got to sit on stage and watch the rest of the show.

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November 26, 2011. While most of the Bruin population was over at the LA Coliseum watching the USC v UCLA game, I was instead next door at the Shrine Auditorium waiting for Morrissey to croon and serenade me.  Good choice, right? Morrissey even poked fun at this fact by saying midway between his set, “Now are you sure wouldn’t rather be down the street with the Chicago Bears or whoever?” No thanks, Moz, I’m comfortable with where I’m at.

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When the bowl lineup was announced this past Sunday, there was the usual onslaught of complains about how the BCS is run. I’m not a big BCS supporter by any stretch of the imagination, but what gets lost in all of the controversy is a pretty good lineup of bowl games set to take place in about a month. Here are my picks for the 3 most exciting bowl games this season (Spoiler Alert- these games will all have a LOT of offensive production…)

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In the past years, 3D has been the latest gimmick from Hollywood that in turn has the industry charging us, the movie goers, more per ticket to watch what at times are their sub par movies, which at times are not a real 3D films. Oh, by the way, a movie in 3D is not a new idea!!  What’s next? ‘I Love Lucy’, the original sitcom, re-released in primetime on a major network. Actually, with some of the stuff that is on tv, it doesn’t sound like a bad idea. Don’t take that one from me FOX, but I digress.  Since the 1950s, films have experimented with the 3D format, which became commercially successful in the 1970s and 1980s. The revival of 3D in the 2000s has not been about the experience of some new form of technology. It wasn’t brought back to be the latest “movie enhancer”.  Many believe that this is Hollywood’s newest tactic to bring audiences to the movie theater, simultaneously charging a premium. However, this latest ploy was indeed popular in the beginning and peeking at the time when the movie Avatar was released in 2009.

This is not about boycotting 3D films. This is simply to remind us of what a real 3D experience is suppose to be. There is a  way to distinguish the difference. Three-dimensional movies should not be the standard that still goes to 2D traditional film. Many critics have criticized films that have not properly used the 3D technology and have imply converted their digital film format into 3D. All this does is dramatically reduce the effect of 3D. For example, the film “Avatar” was filmed using the whole detailed process of using the detailed equipment needed in making a 3D film. The process in summary begins before the words “ and action” are shrieked across the set.  It begins with planning, and then it continues to the storyboard, followed by use of a 3D camera. There are many 3D enthusiasts who seek for the discrepancies in 3D films and have been the authority on 3D film viewing. If you ever have an inkling, search it on Google and you will be bombarded with guides and tips on all 3D.   So, next time you see advertisement for the latest film that features 3D make sure you do your homework and don’t get duped into watching a 3D film that in reality is just a computerize version. If you want to be sure to get the full 3D experience then see it IMAX 3D.

Looks like the eccentric Lady Gaga has done it again! Her new video for “Marry the Night”  off of her Born this Way album has already racked up almost 4.5 million views in its first day online. Rumor has it that it’s aiming to beat Eminem’s “Love the Way You Lie,” which had 6.5 million views on it’s first day.

Personally, I like Lady Gaga. She has dedicated herself to her performance more than any other performer I know. She puts her identity aside and makes her whole life about her music and persona. When I first heard her, I never guessed that she was accepted to Juliard at age 11, but went to Catholic school instead.  She wrote her first piano ballad at 13, and at 17 was one of only 20 people in the world to be admitted to New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts early admittance. She ended up leaving to pursue a music career, but was not immediately successful. Lady Gaga took various jobs, including being a gogo dancer for a while, to make ends meet. She performed at bars and venues around New York before being hired as a songwriter for Interscope Records. Akon “discovered” her while she was performing one night, and she was signed to the record. Her debut album, The Fame, was a huge success, and her first hit “Just Dance” reached #1 on the mainstream pop charts in 2009. Her song “Poker Face” was even more of a success, and launched her into her current fame.

This new music video truly epitomizes Gaga’s interesting artistic choices and really displays her dedication to her performances.

Any person who’s even heard of the band Black Flag or know anything about Henry Rollins, loud, raw and abrasive come to mind. Last week, I had the chance to see Henry Rollins host a show with performers like Scott Ian of Anthrax, Mike Watt from the Minutemen, Dave Lambardo of Slayer, Corey Taylor, members of White Zombie, and Dave Navarro perform and help fundraise for an NGO that serves to help bring clean water to children in Uganda and Sudan. It was amazing to see not only these performers give it their all playing Black Sabbath and Judas Priest tribute, but progressive electronic sounds by Dave Lambardo left audience members breathless with the intensity of their sound and raw energy. The spirit of what this show was about showed some genuine  sincerity and love for not only helping others, but making sure that music could help bring a greater awareness to the world at large. This show had a lot of heart and showed a lot of truly committed performers willing to go out of their way to help a charitable cause and also throw down some amazing music. I’m certain that if more performers stood up to help in this way, then the very world of the music industry would be changed as we know it.

This year at WREX the Halls, hosted by 91X radio in San Diego, there will be a two day concert event held at the Valley View Casino Center. The lineups are packed with huge acts that are sure to make for a fantastic weekend of music. The alternative rock night of the 2-day event on Saturday, December 10th includes Florence + The Machine, Death Cab for Cutie, The Airborne Toxic Event, Cage The Elephant, The Naked and Famous, and Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. The second night on Sunday, December 11th includes Social Distortion, Blink 182, MUTEMATH, Everlast, Switchfoot, DMC, and Pennywise.

I will be attending the first night of the show, so I thought I’d give a brief overview of the bands playing that night. Florence + The Machine will be playing songs off of her new album, Ceremonials, with singles including “No Light, No Light” and “Shake It Out”. She is best known for her song “Dogs Days are Over” off of her first album, Lungs (which was nominated for a Grammy last year), but she is far from a one-hit-wonder and is sure to be a stand-out act at night one. Death Cab For Cutie are an indie band from Washington whose discography includes 7 albums, with their album Transatlanticism receiving a Grammy Award Nomination for Best Alternative Album of 2005. The Airborne Toxic Event is an alternative band that originates here in Los Angeles, and they are most popular for their song “Sometime Around Midnight” of of their self-titled first album. Other popular tracks include “Changing” and “All I ever Wanted” off of their most recent album, All At Once.

Cage The Elephant are a Kentucky-based band who are known for their energetic live shows; frontman Matt Schultz often jumps into the crowd and stage-dives off of speakers at concerts. Their song “Ain’t No Rest For The Wicked” on their first album is what helped them achieve popularity, as it topped many alternative charts, and their follow-up album Thank You Happy Birthday has also made it onto the charts. The Naked and Famous are a band from New Zealand whose tracks “Young Blood” and “Punching In A Dream” off of their only album Passive Me, Aggressive You have been featured trailers and commercials. Their dance party-like live shows have made them a popular act here in the States, and they played two shows at The Music Box in Hollywood earlier this year. Noel Gallagher, previously a member of Oasis, is touring with his own band – but he still plays renditions of popular Oasis tracks such as “Wonderwall” live.

Video mash-ups of the lineups for both days can be seen here:
91X Wrex the Halls 2011 | Day One
91X Wrex the Halls 2011 | Day Two

You can buy tickets for Day 1 HERE and Day 2 HERE.

El Camino, The Black Keys newest album comes out this Tuesday, December 6th. The album’s first single, “Lonely Boy”, was released on October 28th and is currently ranked number 6 on the iTunes alternative rock chart. This is the follow-up record to the Grammy-winning Brothers, the band’s 6th and most popular album that was released in 2010. The duo, consisting of singer/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney, are known for their blues’y style and entertaining live performances. They will be playing alongside bands such as Florence + The Machine, Death Cab For Cutie, and Foster The People this upcoming Sunday, December 11th at the Gibson Amphitheatre for the annual KROQ Almost Acoustic Christmas.

Track-listing:
1. Lonely Boy
2. Dead and Gone
3. Gold on the Ceiling
4. Little Black Submarines
5. Money Maker
6. Run Right Back
7. Sister
8. Hell of a Season
9. Stop Stop
10. Nova Baby
11. Mind Eraser

The music video for “Lonely Boy” can be seen here: The Black Keys – Lonely Boy

You can also hear five tracks off the new album by subscribing to the band’s email list at this link: http://www.theblackkeys.com/elcamino/

You can preorder the album HERE in CD/digital/vinyl format and receive an instant download of the first album single, “Lonely Boy”.