Jun 01, 2008 By Matt Fink Summer 2008 - The Protest Issue

Given that the prospect of describing music is an inherently abstract process—entrusting words or images to capture the infinite permutations of rhythms, tones, and textures—it only makes sense that some artists who work in the sound medium would perceive these qualities differently than the rest of us. In technical terms, such folks are said to have “narrow band synesthesia,” a phenomenon where certain sounds or instruments consistently evoke a particular visual essence, and ideas for songs might only be intelligible as collages of color. In this case, A Thousand Shark’s Teeth is a shadowy landscape of grays and dark blues, graceful and brooding, an album created by someone who saw it all in her head. More

Jun 01, 2008 By Frank Valish Summer 2008 - The Protest Issue

For the better part of the last three decades, Michael Stipe has passionately melded his rock and roll with his activism. From R.E.M.’s early days as Athens, GA indie-rockers through their big ’90s hits and the subtler explorations of their later work, Stipe and company have always had their hands in politics, whether teaming with Rock the Vote in the early ’90s, playing the Vote for Change tour in 2004, or supporting causes from hunger relief to women’s rights and Greenpeace. More

Jun 01, 2008 By Chris Tinkham Summer 2008 - The Protest Issue

In 2002, when indie kids in the U.S. looked to Sweden as a hotbed for new music upon the emergence of bands such as The Hives, 16-year-old Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson was devising her escape from Stockholm. More

Jun 01, 2008 By Laura Ferreiro Summer 2008 - The Protest Issue

Given all the obstacles Elbow has faced over the past three years, it’s quite an accomplishment that the veteran Manchester, England, quintet were able to write an album at all, let alone one that is arguably the best of their decade-long career. The sinking of their long-time record label, V2, and ensuing legal battles left Elbow doubting the fate of their fourth album and contemplating getting day jobs in order to survive. More

Jun 01, 2008 By Frank Valish Summer 2008 - The Protest Issue

"In the kind of world where everything is readily available to everyone, information-wise, I think there’s something nice about a little bit of mystery,” says Conor Oberst, describing the hype or lack thereof surrounding his new, eponymous solo album.  
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Jun 01, 2008 By Chris Tinkham Web Exclusive

Although 21-year-old Spanish actress Manuela Vellés dreamed of starring in films while growing up in Madrid, she could not have anticipated the unique demands and challenges of her screen debut as the title character of Julio Médem’s latest film Chaotic Ana (Caótica Ana). More

Jun 01, 2008 By Matt Fink Summer 2008 - The Protest Issue

Jason Pierce was in a good mood until I asked him about the Coachella festival. It’s only three days after he played the finale in a succession of “acoustic mainlines” shows, the widely acclaimed concert series where Pierce reinvented the Spiritualized canon with a string section and backing vocalists, and he’s still frustrated over how badly the set went. More

May 01, 2008 By Chris Tinkham Web Exclusive

27-year-old French writer-director Céline Sciamma treaded familiar cinematic territory in conceptualizing her debut film Water Lilies, an achingly lyrical examination of teenage social structuring, friendship and desire. More

May 01, 2008 By Chris Tinkham Web Exclusive

There appears to be a perpetual gleam in the eye of Norwegian director Joachim Trier. Although he remains politely soft-spoken and composed when discussing his directorial feature debut Reprise, his enthusiasm is nonetheless contagious as he gushes about the influence of artists as disparate as Alain Resnais and Bad Brains, whose work he both describes as punk. More