By Robert Rossi, Assoc. Culture Editor -

Damon Albarn just might be the most underappreciated pop musician in the United States. Everyone who’s ever been to a sporting event and/or turned on a radio knows the guy’s music, but I’d bet my Blur album collection that if you ask the next four people you see to tell you why I’d start a review of a Gorillaz CD with his name, at least three wouldn’t know. Damon Albarn, for the uninformed, is the lead singer of the Britpop band Blur (of “Song 2” AKA “Woohoo!” fame) and the musical mastermind behind, you guessed it, Gorillaz.

Gorillaz is a collaboration between Albarn, comic book artist/designer Jamie Hewlett, and whatever guest musicians Albarn invites into the recording studio for each track. The band’s listed members are 2D (vocals and keyboard), Murdoc Niccals (bass), Russel Hobbs (drums), and Noodle (guitar and vocals), but really Albarn is doing all the work except for the drums, which are typically outsourced to a machine, and the countless guest appearances. The band has a long and intricate back story that can be found on their web site and is very entertaining for anyone looking for distractions from their English essay (www.Gorillaz.com), but none of it is really necessary for appreciating the music.

Plastic Beach is somewhat of a concept album about the environment, but you wouldn’t know it without having the lyrics printed in front of you or reading it somewhere else because Albarn’s lyrics are, for the most part, unintelligible. Ignorance of the subject matter of each song is often bliss, however, as most of these tracks are dance tunes that are so well structured that they can be enjoyed even without understanding whatever eco-message Albarn is trying to send.

The album starts off with an orchestral intro, followed by a “welcome to the plastic beach” from my personal favorite guest artist on the album, solely because his appearance is so unexpected. If you haven’t already looked at the track listing, don’t ruin the surprise. “White Flag” follows, and serves as the first full-fledged song on the album. It definitely sounds as though it belongs on the beach, melding a Mario Kart-ish beat with Jamaican-accented raps. The presence of the Lebanese National Orchestra for Oriental Arabic Music would therefore seem strange, but trust me, it’s not. That being said, the track is uninspired by Albarn’s standards.

Plastic Beach hits its stride with tracks four and five. Fans of “19-2000” and “DARE” will definitely love “Rhinestone Eyes”, a synth-driven love song that you need to dance to for your own well-being. The main synth line grabs your head and shakes it until the rest of your body follows suit. Props go to Albarn as well for the great imagery in the title. “Rhinestone Eyes” battles it out with the next song, “Stylo”, for best track on the album. What “Rhinestone” is to dancing, “Stylo” is to swagger. The bass line is violently direct and the synths are icy metallic cool. The vocals tattoo the word “overload” onto the brain, and if this is the last song you listen to before turning off your iPod, good luck getting it out of your head. Even though it isn’t included with purchase of the CD, the “Stylo” video, starring Bruce Willis, may be the best of 2010 so far.

The rest of the album can for the most part be divided into songs resembling “White Flag,” “Rhinestone Eyes,” or “Stylo.” Those in the vein of “White Flag”, while not necessarily as suited to a Nintendo game, are bouncy, energetic and cheery. The next two slated singles (“Stylo” being the first) both fall into this category. They are the less-than-spectacular “Superfast Jellyfish” and the ironically-smile-inducing “On Melancholy Hill.” “Empire Ants,” superior to both forthcoming singles, most nearly matches the danceability of “Rhinestone Eyes,” while still capturing some of the swagger of “Stylo.”

“Sweepstakes” deserves special mention. It features Mos Def flowing over a beat made up of beeps and bloops, only to be joined halfway through by the Hypnotic Brass Ensemble, completely altering the feel of the track and building to a satisfying, if somewhat bizarre climax. Next is the title track, the last great track on the album. “Plastic Beach” features Mick Jones and Paul Simonon of seminal British punk band The Clash (one of whom, Simonon, worked with Albarn on The Good, The Bad & The Queen). Don’t expect a foray into distorted guitars and fast drums, as “Plastic Beach” continues the dance grooves put forth on the first twelve tracks.

Sadly, Plastic Beach loses steam on the last three tracks. “To Binge” sounds like something that was left off Blur’s Parklife back in 1994, and “Cloud of Unknowing” is a bit of a snoozer; some may find it beautiful, I didn’t. “Pirate Jet” has the potential to be a great track, but it ends too soon, ending the album on a bit of an anticlimactic note. Regardless, the album as a whole still stands as a diverse, satisfying, and noteworthy disc. It is not Albarn’s finest (that would be either Parklife or Demon Days), but it still deserves to garner him the American attention that he probably won’t get.

By Andrew Schofield, Special Projects Editor -

Every year, the Oscars celebrate accomplishments in film. While it’s great to be even nomnated, it’s even better to win. The following are the films and actors The Gavel believes should take home the trophy:

Best Picture

Nominees: Avatar, The Blind Side, District 9, An Education, The Hurt Locker, Inglorious Basterds, Precious, A Serious Man, Up, Up in the Air

Our Pick: The Hurt Locker

In the largest field of Best Picture nominees in recent memory, The Hurt Locker sepa¬rates itself from the rest of the pack as the best film of the year with its stunning storyline and great script. The Hurt Locker, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, tells the story of a US Army bomb squad and its trials during the Iraq War. With strong performances by Jeremy Renner and Anthony Mackie, the film illustrates the full impact of the Iraq War on the American solider. Up in the Air and Inglorious Basterds deserve honorable mentions, but in the end, The Hurt Locker wins out.

Best Actor

Nominees: Jeff Bridges (Crazy Heart), George Clooney (Up in the Air), Colin Firth (A Single Man), Morgan Freeman(Invictus), Jeremy Renner (The Hurt Locker)

Our Pick: Jeff Bridges, Crazy Heart

Jeff Bridges has been nominated five times for an Academy Award, yet has zero Oscars to show for it. His role in Crazy Heart gives him his best chance so far for the honor. In the film, based on a novel by Thomas Cobb, Jeff Bridges plays Bad Blake, a down-and-out country singer who tries to turn his life around after meeting a young journalist (Maggie Gyllenhall). Jeff Bridges shines in his role, which is based on a combination of several country singers including Merle Haggard. Honorable mention goes out to George Clooney for his striking portrayal of a corporate downsizer.

Best Actress

Nominees: Sandra Bullock (The Blind Side), Helen Mirren (The Last Station), Carey Mulligan (An Education), Gabourey Sidibe (Precious), Meryl Streep (Julie & Julia)

Our Pick: Meryl Streep, Julie & Julia

Having been nominated a record sixteen times and having won two Oscars earlier in her career, Meryl Streep is no stranger to the Academy Award limelight. Julia & Julia contrasts the life of Julia Child and her rise to stardom, and the life of Julie Powell and her attempt to cook all 524 recipes from Child’s Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Meryl Streep shines as Julia Child, balancing the hilarious, yet dramatic portions of Child’s life as portrayed in the film. Honorable mention goes to Sandra Bullock who impressed with her role as Leigh Anne Tuohy in The Blind Side, which follows the turbulent life of football star Michael Oher and his relationship with the Tuohy family.

Best Director

Nominees: Kathryn Bigelow (The Hurt Locker), James Cameron (Avatar), Lee Daniels (Precious), Jason Reitman (Up in the Air), Quentin Tarantino (Inglorious Basterds)

Our Pick: Kathryn Bigelow, The Hurt Locker

Historically, Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director tend to be given together and don’t expect that trend to be broken here. As one of only four women to ever be nominated for Best Director by the Academy, Kathryn Bigelow could potentially become the first woman to ever win the highest individual prize for a director. Described by New York Times’s film critic A.O. Scott as the best American film on the war in Iraq yet, The Hurt Locker benefits from Bigelow’s fantastic direction as the story flows seamlessly and clearly. Surprisingly enough, her main competition may be from her ex-husband, James Cameron, director of the box office hit Avatar, who is looking to follow up on his success at the Golden Globes where he won Best Director and Best Picture. However, despite the success of Avatar at the box office, no director is more deserving of the Oscar than Kathryn Bigelow.

By Lea Freeman, Asst. Culture Editor -

The Threepenny Opera, by Bertolt Brecht, will debut in Robsham Theater at the end of April. Directed by Boston College Theater Professor Stuart Hecht and with set design by fellow Professor Crystal Tiala, The Threepenny Opera examines the darker side of civilization. Set in a world where corruption is the norm, the musical’s lead character is a master-criminal and an antihero.

Hecht’s rendition sets itself apart from other earlier interpretations with a major change in setting. I Instead of occuring in 19th century England as originally written, this version takes place in a post-modern, abstract world. The entire set is designed to retain the mood and spirit of the original production minus the period and realism.

A major inspiration for the set was the Jewish Museum Berlin in Germany, designed by architect Daniel Libeskind and notable for its unique use of angles. Many of its walls and doorways do not intersect at right angles. The unexpected lines created by this design help to imply an unconventional and unfriendly world that doesn’t follow standard norms of right and wrong. Tiala attempts to create a strong sense of dehumanization with the set. By setting the play in a disconnected jumble of lines, shapes, and angles she hopes to create a world where humanity appears completely broken apart.

Set Designer Tiala attempts to create this world visually with a number of tricks, including the use of a projector. Employing a projector is a relatively new addition to theatre, but BC recently hired a projection designer, which allowed for the use of this dramatic device. The Threepenny Opera specifically uses the projector to add commentary, almost like a news report. Because the rest of the set is so abstract, the projector is very useful in announc¬ing changes in scenes and locations. The projector serves a dual pur¬pose; it both adds to the progression of the show and helps the audience see the world differently.

The Threepenny Opera is a slightly larger production than BC is used to. There are 27 cast members, about 50 workers in various shops, 10 members of the running crew and eight designers. Collaboration is an important aspect of theater, and there are certainly a lot of people involved and various visions to put together. Just deciding to change the setting from the 1830s was a huge step. Tiala first had to fully understand the director’s focus and then add her own visual aesthetic. Everyone is trying to take blank space and create their own world. Hecht provided Tiala with words and phrases such as “discom¬fort,” “disoriented,” “confusing,” “ugly city,” “uncomfortable,” and “unsafe” to help her understand the intended mood of the production.

“Once I know I’m right,” Tiala says, “the rest of the show comes together.” There are so many aspects of a play that have to come together to create a great production. The set designer has to work with light designers, costume designers, and sound designers to make sure to create the same world. The creative development of The Threepenny Opera started as far back as October.

“It’s important to have a visual direction and to know what the set is going to look like so the actors can know how to move through space,” Tiala says.

Tiala said she feels lucky to get to work with set design. “It’s the best job in the world. I get to design. I get to teach design. What could be better?”

Tiala has been working at BC for 11 years and has worked on approximately 35 different productions.

“They’re all my favorites,” she says. “Each production is completely unique and takes on a life of its own.”

The Threepenny Opera opens at the end of April on the main stage of Robsham.

By Daniel Monan, Culture Editor -

The Magicians, by Lev Grossman, is many things. It is a blatant parody of the Harry Potter and Narnia series. Yet, while other books have attempted to hop on the boy-wizard-bandwagon (to say nothing of the growing hoard of teen vampire rip-offs) it uses its associations with the previously mentioned series to its advantage, ultimately becoming something wholly different than anything seen before. Basic plot similarities aside, The Magicians possesses a dark and brooding quality that, while sometimes bordering on angst, neither J.K. Rowling nor C.S. Lewis would ever attempt. For this reason and many others, this is no children’s story. It is a remarkable book to be valued for its flaws as well as for its triumphs, and is certainly well worth a look.

The Magicians tells the story of Quinton, a disaffected teen looking for meaning in life. Quinton has spent his childhood reading and rereading a series of books set in “Fillory,” a magical land visited by a group of English schoolchildren, and an undisguised allusion to the Narnia books. He dreams of the kind of contentment it seems only magic can achieve. Predictably, Quinton soon learns that magic is real and that he has been accepted into the premiere school for magicians.

Grossman makes no attempt to hide the similarities to Harry Potter and makes ruthless use of those expectations. The Magicians is a novel written for those who grew up on Harry Potter and Narnia, not a copy of the same. Brilliant, often arrogant, and always insecure, Quinton is not Harry, nor are his friends the steadfast companions Harry has at Hogwarts. One would be hard pressed to say any of the characters are particularly likable, but they are undeniably entertaining. The lack of effort put into making them pleasant goes a long way towards making them believable characters.

Unlike other hero-protagonists with their inborn importance, Quinton is not a “chosen one.” He has no destiny or direction, and this becomes the chief focus of the novel. He and his friends occupy their time with the standard college pursuits of alcohol, sex, drug-use and occasional studying, throughout which Quinton faces a subtle but near constant existential crisis as he realizes magic gives no more meaning to his life than life in the ordinary world.

Eventually, it is revealed that Fillory, the Narnia-esque world from the stories of his youth, is a real place. Desperate for an escape from his despondent state, Quinton leaps at the chance to go. He and his friends embark on a sort of “quest to find a quest,” seeking some adventure that will end the despondency they feel. This journey will cost them more than any of them realize.

As said before, Grossman borrows shamelessly from the themes of Harry Potter and Narnia to complete his novel, but none of this is a bad thing. It is easy to believe in Quinton, terribly envious of the ready-made destinies and purposes that are so common in books. The success of The Magicians hinges on Grossman’s subtle but constant argument that, despite all of the hardships characters in stories face, none can compete with the apathy inherent in magically having every¬thing one could possibly want.

Putting aside the plot similarities, the writing of The Magicians is clean and precise, with a wonderful economy to the detail and description of the surrounding world. There are several indications that Grossman still has maturing to do as a writer. For example, he introduces secondary characters who vanish never to be seen again and there are points where the pace drags a bit, but none of this particularly hinders the book’s purpose from realization. Without revealing too much, the ending is not one that everyone will enjoy but still feels right in the context of the book. It is at the end where Grossman’s rather cynical philosophy comes out most strongly, forcing the reader to be paradoxically satisfied with a certain level of dissatisfaction.

The Magicians is Grossman’s third book, making him still a relatively early arrival to the writing scene. Hopefully, his next work will overcome some of the issues that affect The Magicians, but until then, The Magicians is still very much worth the time of anyone who has ever been left cold by the too-perfect fantasy worlds they visited in their youth.

By Sean Meehan, Video Editor – (Photo courtesy of famousmonstersoffilmland.com)

Unless you were lucky enough to catch Shine a Light, the film world has heard very little from Martin Scorsese since 2006. That would be the year that he brought us The Departed, which is considered to be a sort of classic for any Boston-area college student. So, aside from his documentary on the Rolling Stones and a few short films, where’s Marty now? Continue Reading

By Robert Rossi, Assoc. Culture Editor – (Photo courtesy of blog.mercurynews.com)

“Long live the W,” Method Man proclaims on “John 3:16”, the seventh track off Return of the Wu and Friends, and 17 years after the release of the group’s seminal debut, rap’s greatest dynasty remains as relevant as ever. 2009 saw the release of six Wu-Tang-affiliated albums, the most successful of which were Method Man and Redman’s Blackout 2 and Raekwon’s Only Built 4 Cuban Linx… Pt. II, both of which debuted in the top ten of Billboard’s Hot 100. Return marks the first release of 2010 for the Wu-Tang Clan.

Continue Reading

By Matthew Gavin, Assoc. Video Editor – (Photo Courtesy of the McMullen Museum)

Hailed as “the little museum that could” by the Wall Street Journal in 1999, the McMullen Museum of Art at Boston College will continue its mission to provide innovative, interdisciplinary exhibitions to the public as the exclusive traveling venue for Asian Journeys: Collecting Art in Post-war America. Continue Reading

By Robert Rossi, Editorial Assistant -

For those who haven’t heard, the United States has been in a recession for a little while. Americans have been losing jobs at alarming rates, and John Wells took it upon himself to direct, co-produce, and write a film exploring the painful effects. Continue Reading

By Michelle Martínez, Asst. News Editor -

O’Neill Library has undergone many changes this year. Not only was a new entrance added, but also a new way to express creativity in the form of the Living Wall.

This public sketchbook, located in the bottom floor of O’Neill, consists of a significant display space where student artists can place drawings, paintings, poetry, or any other form of creative expression that can be physically tacked up on the cork wall. In hopes of achieving a larger presence of the arts on campus, the Boston College Art Club started approaching several university administrators since last year to push for this goal. According to Margaret Mansfield, vice president of the BC Art Club, in one of their meetings with University Librarian Thomas Wall, they learned that Kevin Tringale, a librarian in O’Neill, was also working on getting more art displayed on campus. By working in conjunction with Tringale, they began to discuss the different space possibilities within the library, finally deciding upon the walls of an open study room on first floor of O’Neill.

In creating the Living Wall, their intention was to create a “real life blog that could frequently get updated by any student,” Mansfield said. But unlike a blog, it would finally be a step away from the virtual world that essentially dominates students’ interactions these days. “The hope was that people would put down their laptops, look away from their blackberries, iPods, cell phones, etc. and communicate with one another in a creative way,” Mansfield said.

By Rebeca Cardoso, Contributing Writer -

Boston is an exciting place to spend the holiday season. Whether you’re looking for a good place to watch traditional performances, get in touch with the religious aspects of the holidays, shop or just get out and about, the city is bound to have something to satisfy your needs. Continue Reading