Literary Quotation No. 4

"I learned never to empty the well of my writing, but always to stop when there was still something there in the deep part of the well, and let it refill at night from the springs that fed it."

-- Ernest Hemingway

Original Album Review: Devil

When indie rock group Lydia took a hiatus in 2010 following backing vocalist Mindy White’s decision to go a different direction with her career, it looked like the end was near. Now, just three years after scheduling farewell tours, Lydia has already released two new albums, including Devil in March 2013.

Long-time fans that yearn to hear White’s voice again may be reluctant to hear the band’s new material, but rest assured, frontman Leighton Antelman has only progressed as a vocalist. Combine that and the fact that the band’s lyrics are still hauntingly beautiful, and you have an album of the year candidate on the indie level.

Devil begins with “The Exit,” the perfect title for a group that nearly found themselves on the way out just a few years ago. An up-tempo song with catchy lyrics, “The Exit” could very well follow in the footsteps of “Knee Deep,” the album’s first single.

Compared to their two previous albums, Paint It Golden and Illuminate, Devil moves further away from the slow five- and six-minute songs while focusing more on the rock aspect of their genre. No song on their newest release even reaches the four-minute mark, a unique dynamic that speaks to the timeless boundaries of Lydia’s music.

As with past Lydia albums, the tracks flow well together and some of the album’s golden tracks are left for last. “Take Your Time” effectively combines more intense drumming and phenomenal guitar riffs, all in coordination with Antelman blurting out “I never wanna go, never wanna leave here. So darling take your time, yeah take your time” to start the track. Arguably, “Take Your Time” is the best on the record and is a prime example of the passion that Antelman has for the lyrics he writes.

“From A Tire Swing,” the song’s closing track, casts the image of young love, but also of a love that is mature and willing to stand the test of time. The soothing chorus of “We just stared at the sky from a tire swing, with some water and whiskey” is just another great example of the magic that Lydia is capable of.

Other standout tracks include “Back To Bed” and “Holidays,” but there isn’t a song on the album worth skipping over. Devil is a new direction for Lydia, but the quality of music has not suffered at all; if anything, it is truly the best album to date for this group.

Three-Minute Voicemail

Hey Rich, are you still free tonight? I was hoping to get dinner with some of the guys before it gets too late. You’re welcome to join us, but my car is in the shop so you might need to drive. Sorry about that. Yeah, I don’t know what happened – the Civic just started to… well, it’s not important

Anyway, we were thinking burgers, or maybe pizza for a change. I know things are tight since the restaurant cut your hours, but I can chip in what I can. Not that you couldn’t buy your own dinner or anything, but sometimes friends buy friends dinners when friends can’t… but you’re fine, man. Buy yourself whatever you’d like – I’m sure things will return to normal, and once they do, your folks won’t have to keep bailing you out. Pat will definitely be with us tonight, so it’ll be nice to catch up.

I’m currently walking down Skippack now, so I’ll let you know what’s going on. I’m thinking around 7:00 or so we can all meet up at Pat’s apartment. Yeah, I don’t know if you’ve been around these parts lately, but all the shops from high school are long gone. The grocery store I used to work at is closed too. Just looking around, you can tell this place is going downhill. Damn.

I’m a few blocks away from Pat’s, so I’ll let you go and hopefully you’ll be able to… join... can you still hear me? Sorry, I can’t tell where that noise is coming from. I was just about to hang up – hope you can join us later, my friend. Wouldn’t… wait, that car over there. That’s what it is – three guys are trying to break into a BMW across the street. Man, I’d be a wreck if that were my car. Rich, it’s just like you always see – two young kids doing the work and one guy on watch. Strange looking guy, he’s kind of looking in my direction, but nothing to worry about – they’re just some thugs. They’re too busy to notice a scrawny guy… like… me.

Holy shit. Rich, where are you right now? I know this sounds crazy, but I’m pretty sure that strange-looking guy is your clone. Wait, that didn’t sound right. He’s wearing the same style of clothes, the same haircut, he’s the guy on watch. Rich, pick up your phone. I, I can’t believe what I’m seeing right now. Forget dinner – are you seriously doing what I think you are right now? I mean, after all we’ve been through, you’re stealing from other people. Wow. And I know I’m yelling right now, but I thought you were a better friend than… oh, now you hear me.

*Holds phone away from ear*

Hey Rich, are you having a nice Friday night?!? Why don’t you come over here? I know you see me, let’s have a talk about this before the police show up. I can’t believe you would do this. Well, are you going to say something or are you just going to stand there with that crowbar in your hand? I mean seriously… Rich? Rich?!

*Phone falls to the ground* 

Literary Quotation No. 3

“Write the kind of story you would like to read. People will give you all sorts of advice about writing, but if you are not writing something you like, no one else will like it either.” 

-- Meg Cabot

Literary Quotation No. 2

“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” 

-- Stephen King

Spoken Word Poetry: Winning

Where do I begin?

On the same quest, but tired of the mess

People don’t understand the lies they create

Or the second-hand hate that they constantly equate with being too kind

High school, middle school, office cubicles

Not understanding the notion or emotions

Of the potion that is love

Fuel for our souls, goals for our next moves

But the mirror is your critic

The critic that never lies, never shows you the right light

So you spend days and days

Discovering an identity

Bracing for change

Bracing yourself for love

Oh, I wanted love

But I’m here to say that I don’t believe in failure

Because it all starts over, starts where it begins

With the bullies and the athletes

The gym class winners and the marathon sprinters

The irrational coach, the random stranger on the street

The one who would approach, but laugh and leave

Trying to deceive

I knew they could fight, but I would never believe

That nice guys finished last

So I gave it my all

No matter if I was right or wrong

Forget the rules and stop holding doors

And stay away from being eager

Quit now, you haven’t even seen her

But do I want to conform?

Keep your head up and your eyes wide

Standing side by side, never even try to hide

Until you’re holding her hand

And maybe you can’t understand it now

But I have just won

Favorite Spoken Word Piece

Phil Kaye - "She Asks Me"

Original Film Review: Four Brothers

There are few things in life stronger than the love between a mother and her children. In director John Singleton’s action thriller Four Brothers, that bond is prematurely ended when Evelyn Mercer is killed in a convenience store robbery. Upon hearing of her death, her four children return to Detroit to search for answers.

Without having any significant clues about the murder, Bobby (Mark Wahlberg), Angel (Tyrese Gibson), Jeremiah (Andre Benjamin), and Jack (Garrett Hedlund) take the search for justice into their own hands. Sometimes overly aggressive and careless in their actions, the brothers stop at nothing to question the people that they think were behind the hit put out for their mother. This even stretches so far as to witness Bobby hold up a gymnasium full of people at gunpoint, just so he can ask everyone a few questions about the crime.

Singleton (who also directed the well-known films Boyz n the Hood and 2 Fast 2 Furious) had a vision for a film full of both conflict and a rash of violence, and that vision is captured during a number of scenes in Four Brothers. Whether taking an interrogation to the extreme or being ambushed at their home, the weapon-yielding brothers do not back down from bloodshed. Through it all, their brotherhood remains in tact and nearly immortal, until an attack from antagonist Victor Sweet’s gang changes everything.

Despite the beatings the men take, nothing ever separates them from the path to finding out who was behind Evelyn’s murder. Not even related by birth, their brotherhood is a real one, and it’s a direct result of the lives that Evelyn granted them. With violence often comes tragedy, but with the brothers, violence only allows them to see clearer into the frazzled minds of those that they hunt.

As one progresses through the movie, it is evident that Four Brothers has more to share than just fistfights. It is a film that takes away innocence from so many, yet it is also one that manages to put the guilty in their rightful place. One could argue that the brothers themselves are true criminals, but others could provide insight into the fact that they are actually avengers – they’re the guys you want to root for.

Singleton’s cast of characters is often reckless, but they are always acting out to defend the honor of Evelyn Mercer. Just like the bond between Evelyn and her sons, brotherhood can never be taken away.

Literary Quotation No. 1

"Literature adds to reality, it does not simply describe it. It enriches the necessary competencies that daily life requires and provides; and in this respect, it irigates the deserts that our lives have already become."

-- C.S. Lewis

Film Review: Skyfall

In her review of Skyfall, Washington Post film critic Ann Hornaday succeeds in writing a review that is both captivating and full of detail. After beginning with a view into the mind of director Sam Mendes, Hornaday breaks down the elements that are necessary for a successful James Bond movie.

The review succeeds in giving readers information about the film's plot and visual language. The writing, such as the excerpt below, is carefully crafted and full of strong descriptive words.

"To succeed, of course, a James Bond movie must traffic in equal parts sophistication and pure preposterousness, a winking willingness not to take itself so very seriously, but with writing, acting and production values of the highest order."

The full review can be found here.

Film Review: Django Unchained

When searching for a film review, I found that newspapers like The New York Times and The Washington Post provided a number of detailed and in-depth reviews of recent films.

One of the most compelling reviews I found was for the recently released film Django Unchained. Written by critic Ann Hornaday, the review featured an extensive history on Quentin Tarantino's background as a director as well as a brief plot summary and key information about the movie's main characters.

The full review can be found here.