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THEY SAID IT “The great thing in this world is not^e much where you stand, as in what direction you are moving.” i OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES Wednesday, April 20, 2005 author and physician CD REVIEW Brothers commit hardcore ‘Crimes' L _ "CRIMES” Blood Brothers ★★★ out of ☆☆☆☆☆ By PATRICK A. AUGUSTINE FOR THE GAMECOCK The old saying goes that a bad economy makes for good art, but mix in contentious politics of morality and you’ve got a recipe for napalm. Seattle-based Blood Brothers prove you don’t have to be a whiny guitar picking folkie to unleash social commentary on the masses with the group’s fourth full-length offering, “Crimes.” A five-piece, bass-heavy hardcore punk outfit, Blood Brothers nonetheless manage to layer tuneful guitar work under razor-wire scream delivery and sometimes-Blonde Redhead vocal inflections hiding extremely well-written lyrics. n l r* I 1 I juiiu. pwupic uiiu udiu^uiv. an tAcujv for poor instrumentation, arranging and recording, and find it undermines any attempt at lyricism. But “Crimes” wins over even stogy critics brought up on folk with hardcore sensibilities moderated by tunefulness. True hardcore fans will find “Crimes” easy to dismiss for these reasons, or simply after between 2003’s critically acclaimed “Burn Piano Island, Burn,” the Blood Brothers signed to UK label V2. However, criticism that they mellowed out by signing to a major . couldn’t be more from the truth — on the record’s 1 Oth track they exhort their hoard of death’s horsemen to “Prance into the halls of Congress, vomit in the speaker’s lap.” This less-than-two-minute pipe bomb of a song underlines that Blood Brothers aren’t for everybody, but know how to use their medium to make a statement instead of simply declaring their coolness to disaffected kids in black. “Crimes” is a coup d’etat in its careful crafting of the Blood Brother’s obvious influences — early ‘90s dance-punk, screamo and the art-rock of Sonic Youth and producer John Goodmanson’s band Blonde Redhead. Using subde laptop work, keyboards, and a dual vocal delivery that is probably the most notable aspect of the band, Blood Brothers Jordan Blilie and Johnny Whitney combine falsetto screams with Droopy Dog meets Joey Ramone. Listen to the album’s closer “Devastator” to get a sense of the vocal pairing’s capabilities, with a Guns N’ Roses-meets-T urkish-chorus wandering all over the upper register. The Blood Brothers admit they’re pissed off by Ws reascendence, and the anger bleeds through on the second track and college-radio single “Trash Flavored Trash,” where they declare that “I know my addition: guns plus guns equals bang bang bang.” t w ii i r . i 1 lUVYtVtl, Ult UUl LAdlliptW V_U U1V.U work and the influences of Goodmaiison is on “Love Rhymes with Hideous Car Wreck.” An anthem based around discarded love and accidents, the band moans knowingly that “love rhymes with pity now.” Fans of middle-America dance punk like The Faint will eat up “Crimes” like the bloody postcard from the grave that it is. Just don’t forget to bring your own concertina wire. -. Comments on this story? E-mail gamecoclfeatures@gwm.se. edu ■ Comedies, special effects, thrillers to hit the silver screen this summer By MARJORIE RIDDLE tORTHFXiAMFX. K k : Summers are l known for their hot weather, skimpy clothes and beach vacations.’ But for film enthusiasts, summer means ione thing — This summer's films include big namc actors and acufifces, some hoping for performances worthy of Oscar gold, others looking to create massive box Kicking off the summer season a bit early, the final “Stars Wars! installment makes its way to theaters hilly 19. “Star Wars: Episode HI — Revenge of the Sidf picks up where “Episode 11” left off, with Anakin Skywalker mirried to Padme Amidala and fighting as a Jedi knight. As “Star Wars” huffs know, Skywalker becomes Darth Vader, and die film shows Skywalker takes his final “Revenge of the Sith” looks to he Possibly trying to emulate the boxing success of “Million; Dollar Baby,” director Ron Howard’s “Cinderella Man” opens June 3. Starring Academy Award winners Russell Crowe and Renee Zellweger, “Cinderella Man” tells the story of boxer Jim Braddock who, in the desperate economic downtimes of the Depression, tries ' to make his comeback. Braddock has to fight a vicious opponent who actually killed a man in a previous fight. ! The previews for “Cinderella Man” promise a moving film with plenty of ringside action but also romantic scenes between Crowe as the brave Braddock and Zellweger as his supportive wife. The movie looks similar “A Beautiful Mind” the other Cfowe/Howard collaboration, and fans of this film as well as starving sports farjs might find “Cinderella Man” a knockout punch. Regardless of the tabloid controversy surrounding “Mr. and Mrs. Smith,” the film hits theaters June 10 with Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie starring as married assassins hired, unbeknownst to them, to kill each other. Classified as spy, romance and kthrillcr, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” could ■are well if it is anything hke director Hgoug Liman’s i other - spy/romance/thriller “The Bourne Identity.” Pitt’s talent can sometimes go unnoticed because of pis good looks, but “Mr. and Mrs .j Smith” could deliver. j „ Perhaps vying for j biggest summer blockbuster is the newest Batman installment, “Batman Begins,” which flies into theaters June 17. A star studded cast includes Christian Bale as Batman, Michael Caine, Morgan Freeman, Liam Neeson and Katie Holmes. I “Batman Begins” shows how Bruce Wayne first becofihes Batman at 25, after the villainous Scarecrow threatens Gotham City. Cojnic-book addicts and Batman fans should enjoy the much anticipated return to Gotham City. “Bewitched” brings classic television to the big screen June 24 with Will Ferrell, Nicole Kidman, Shirley MacLaine, Mifchael Caine, Heather Burns and David Alan Grier. Created from the concept of the 1964 TV show by the same name, the movie features Kidman as Isabel Bigelow, an actual witch who, rebelling against her father, decides to live an average life. After leaving her hometown, she meets Ferrell’s Jack/Wyatt, who is making the “Bewitched ”/ TV show into a movie. ' r n Wyatt casts Bigelow in his movie, not knowing she’s a witch. Viewers should expect great comedy with Ferrell in the leading role. For a few guaranteed laughs, audiences won’t want to miss “Bewitched.” Possibly the most highly-anticipated film of the summer is “War of the Worlds” directed by Steven Spielberg and starring Tom Cruise. The which opens June 29, is an of H.G. Wells’ book about aliens to take over the earth. Cruise Ferrier who has to save his the impending doom of the invasion. Previews look i Spielberg’s reputation, with Cruise should be Other films to “The Longest Yard Sandler on May 27; the Traveling Water” and “ and “Charlie Factory” “The ' Owen July 15 _I Smart packing can ease move-out woes By JENNIFER FREEMAN THE MIX EDITOR As the stress of finals builds up and the prospects of summer gleam on the horizon, students have one more thing to worry about before they can wave goodbye to USC for three months — moving out. This process might not seem very important, but if left to the last minute, moving out can become a huge hassle that can easily be avoided. Residence halls close at 10 a.m. May 7, so all packing must be completed and rooms emptied out and checked before then. r\i A ■. J_L _ I_1_^1_L vyiuv.1 JIUUC1UJ *YUU UOYV UCVll UUWU^ll the process have good advice for freshman. “There’s so much stuff that you had spread out over the whole semester, and trying to get it back together and ready to go is probably the toughest part. Try to remember the things you use everyday,” said Mike Ester, a third-year management and marketing student. “Just make sure you know what you need and what you’re going to have to take with you.” Some first-year students are already planning a quick move-out. Stephanie Williams, a first-year pharmacy student, is “trying to get all my stuff in the least amount of trips possible.” PHOTO SPECIAL TO THE GAMECOCK Materials such as cinder blocks, loft wood and carpets can be recycled through the Take It or Leave It program. Drop-off sites are found outside residence halls. Moving companies like Two Men and a Truck on Rockland Road and storage facilities like Shurgard on Assembly Street sell cardboard boxes and other packing supplies that can make the packing-up-and-moving-out process easier. “People often make the mistake of thinking used boxes and anything else they can get their hands on is cheaper and therefore better,” said Roger Boyer, operator of the Two Men and a Truck moving company branch in Columbia. “It’s very important that you don’t set yourself up for a failure,” Boyer said. “Moving is hard work. It’s going to be a lot tougher on you and your parents if you’ve waited until the last minute and if your containers break on the way to the car.” To help get you and your belongings through move-out day safely, here are some tips from the professional movers at Two Men and a Truck: ♦ Get started early. You aren’t going to be very happy the last day in your place if you still haven’t collected boxes and moving supplies. Start packing items you know you aren’t going to need now. ♦ Try to condense. Go through the stuff piling up under the bed and decide if you really need that magazine from October of last year. ♦ Get the right supplies. Don’t be fooled into thinking old shopping bags, topless boxes and pillowcases are good places to stuff your belongings. Not only could items get tossed around in the move, but if loose items fall out, you could get hurt. ♦ Don’t over-pack boxes. The heavier the item, the smaller the box. ♦ Clearly label boxes. It will save time later. ♦ Make sure you seal boxes with three strips of tape. Remember corrugated cardboard is one of the few things duct tape doesn’t stick to — use packing tape. Don’t interlock the top of boxes. Some students remember the stress of moving out is worth it in the end. “I enjoy moving week cause I know I’m done with my exams, and it’s good to get your stuff together and you know you get to go home and relax and not have to worry about studying or writing papers,” Ester said. If you have too much stuff to take home, but don’t want to throw it all away, University Housing sponsors the ♦ MOVING, page 11