The Blackout

Radiohead

Page 5

Music

True Grit ReviewPage 11

Film

Campus Style Examines UCD Fashion Page 8

Fashion

College Tribune Entertainment Supplement

22.02.2011

The Siren 22.02.11Music2

Ever wondered exactly why Journey’s “Don’t

Stop Believing” is such a wholeheartedly

guilty pleasure that it is reserved for the

drunken final tunes of weddings, over-the-

top birthday celebrations and 80s-themed

dive bars? Or why The Cure can often seem

like the aural equivalent of hoovering up

seven Easter eggs in one sitting?

It may be because the fingertips you’ve

shredded, struggling up the sheer rock-face

of life, are set at ease, while your feet start

jiving unconsciously, and the contents of

your brain ease to one side a little, sending

into a curiously demented tail-spinning

dance. It could be. But most likely, it’s the

delicious synthesizer rush.

Saccharine, indulgent, releasing more

serotonin than sex with a saucepan of

mashed potatoes rifled with chocolate chips

- synthesizers create a cacophony of blissful,

mind-numbing sound that is embarrassing

even in the sole company of yourself.

Fortunately, facing the mirrors to the wall

and partaking in the company of a bottle of

Tesco’s cheapest, solves this issue easily. I’m

pretty sure that’s what Robert Smith did,

although I can’t be certain about how he

coped without Tesco.

While it’s safe to say that I feel similarly

about synthesizers as Sir Mix-A-Lot does

about the female derriere – “I like ‘em

round and big and when I’m throwin’ a gig

I just can’t help myself” – this fascination

is not limited to personal opinion. Since

the development of Moog synthesizers

in the sixties, this potent machine has

been utilized across a range of rock and

pop genres. Although perhaps never more

popular than in the eighties, during which

the disarmingly modest-looking keyboards

formed a cornerstone of Generation X

culture, synth use continues to evolve,

excite and make money with the likes of

LCD Soundsystem, The Killers, Passion Pit,

and Crystal Castles.

The idea was a long time in development

before Moog’s easy access incarnation. From

the ‘Electromusical Telegraph’ to the ‘Singing

Arc’, not to mention accompaniments

to early films and TV shows, like “Gone

With The Wind” and “The Twilight Zone”,

there were many visions of how the many

pleasures of synthesized music could

be achieved, but none were particularly

successful. The Moog and mini-Moog,

being much cheaper and more user-

friendly than its predecessors, hurtled

through the barriers damming the floods

of synth-psychedelia and electro, facilitating

some major changes in the course of pop

music. Other companies soon hopped the

wagon of course, but Moog still garners a

lot of respect and uses names which force

your mouth into funny shapes, like the

Moogerfooger.

The change in the tides of music production

can be attributed to The Monkees and The

Doors, who garnered substantial audience

appreciation when they experimented

with synthesizers in ’67. Even the

imaginative Jim Morrison probably had

difficulty envisioning the incredible range

of achievements possible with technology

at that time. In fact, it’s likely that many

who utilized the instrument in its early

years of popularity shied away from the

more unconventional creations possible,

due to the sheer incredulity of the

sound arrangements. This potential was

particularly suited to psychedelic rock and

acted as booster fuel to the creativity of this

genre. Some gorgeous nerve-tingling gems

of this sort can be found on Pink Floyd’s

“Brain Damage/Eclipse” and “And You And

I” by Yes.

The instrument arguably came into its

own in the ingenious hands of Kraftwerk

in the seventies. Put simply, what they

produced sounded like nothing else, except

perhaps a mind-crumbling hallucination.

This was music which could not have

been composed without the synthesizer.

It challenges our preconceptions of music,

even of ‘enjoyable’, at times. Electro and

synth-pop were the earlier fruits of the

synthesizer’s courageous exploration of the

Electrical Stormby Tracey O’ Connor

ability to invoke soundscapes and intensity

of emotion far beyond the regular bounds

of reality. With the development and rising

popularity of other electronic instruments

sequencers, drum machines, samplers and

PCs, other genres were spawned – to the

benefit or detriment of the musical world,

depending on your tolerance for house and

trance.

There is little argument that as technology

develops further, the contribution of the

synthesizer to music will swell, probably

beyond what we can currently envisage.

As exciting as that may be, I cannot foresee

this craving for another decadent slice of

The Motor’s “Airport” being satisfied by

anything other than indulgence.

This week for the Specialist, I’ve got

something gentle and rather sweet for you.

No, it’s not my tender embrace, but rather

the quiet, soothing sounds of Freelance

Whales. There was a time I would have

snickered at their hipster image and mocked

their indie sensibilities, but having listened

to their debut album Weathervanes on a

loop for the past two or three weeks I find I

can no longer do so. Also I now buy all my

clothes at thrift stores, because Oxfam’s too

mainstream.

Snarky banter aside, the band’s sound is

rather wonderfully eclectic, featuring a

banjo, harmonium, synthesizer, guitars, and

various percussion items amongst their

instrumentation, often making use of group

vocals. Now bear with me for a moment,

because I know that with the current

attention to Mumford & Sons and their

ilk, you’ve probably had your fill of quirky

indie bands with banjos, but these guys are

of another branch of the indie family tree.

They perfected their oddball electronic

indie pop playing in subway stations in

New York. Some videos of this time can

be found on the web, which definitely bear

checking out even if only to see the looks

that commuters give the skinny kids with

the bass drum, harmonium and xylophone.

The band formed in 2008, having

connected through that eminent source of

helpful people, Craigslist. Weathervanes was

largely written on the subject of childhood

memories and half-remembered visions

scribbled in dream journals, which explains

much of the album’s sound.

Though still relatively little-known outside

the States, some of their music has been

featured on a Twitter video and also on

season 5 of Skins.

The first track on Weathervanes, ‘Generator

First Floor’, has an instant catchiness and

universal appeal in its choir-like refrains

and wistful lyrics, and later gets a callback

in ‘Generator Second Floor’, a song which

appears to be about a dying man reminiscing

happily on his past. In fact, this dreamlike,

nostalgic quality persists throughout the

album, with the possible exception of one

or two more obviously “pop” tracks like

the undeniably likeable ‘Kilojoules’, which

comes off like a somewhat unusual take on

the love song. I say “comes off like” because

Judah Dadone on lead vocals delights in

metaphors, enigmas and generally being a

clever smartypants.

The two “filler” tracks, ‘Vessels’ and ‘Danse

Flat’ - while initially grating in their subtle

disguise as songs - serve admirably to add

to the ethereal quality of the album when

listened to as a cohesive whole. They also do

a good job of giving a little breather between

standout tracks like ‘Hannah’, ‘The Great

Estates’, and the slightly mournful ‘Broken

Horse’, which is surely what autumn would

sound like if a season could make a sound,

with its relaxed acoustic sound and pensive

lyrics (“October’s got those orange eyes/

But somehow I still lost sight”).

With their notably otherworldly and

delicate vocal sound, comparisons with

Ben Gibbard, of Death Cab for Cutie

and The Postal Service fame, are perhaps

inevitable, and in fact probably quite

justified. One would be hard pushed to

argue that Freelance Whales have never

heard of Gibbard’s work, but that’s not to

say it’s derivative. Freelance Whales’ take on

electronic dream-pop is distinctive enough

to stand on its own merit, while perhaps

taking inspiration from The Postal Service

et al. Indeed, if you happen to have a lazy

morning coming up when you don’t plan

on getting out of bed, I recommend simply

throwing on the album and listening to it

straight through.

You won’t be disappointed.

There’s no word of a follow-up album right

now, but it’s early days yet, and frankly the

The SpecialistBy Dan Binchy

band hits all the right buttons for their

demographic, so I wouldn’t doubt the

possibility of it coming within the next

year or two. Even if you’re not of an indie

bent I highly recommend giving these guys

a look - although if the idea of an album

based around a dream journal makes you

ill with the perceived pretentions, I can

hardly blame you. Just saying though, you’re

missing out.

The Siren 22.02.11 Music 3

The ScoopJedward – Lipstick

Having conquered the hearts of many an eight year old through their X Factor appearances and slots on just about any TV show that’ll have them, the terrifically terrible twosome have their eyes set on Eurovision glory. With a song this awful they might even win.

Toro Y Moi – New Beat

The one man ‘Chillwave’ juggernaut has gone and done a 180. On previous releases Toro Y Moi, real name Chaz Bundick, made tunes for a blissed out sunny day spent on a beach somewhere in California, but this is pure dancefloor. Sounds a bit like Prince, before he was really awful.

Adele – Someone Like You

It was very hard to pick a favourite song on Adele’s most recent album, but this might be the standout. Having stolen the show at the Brit awards with this astounding break-up ballad, she has gone and proven a very important point. Pop music can still be brilliant.

Cults – Go Outside

Having released this song for free early last year, Cults have jumped from music blog obscurity to major label upstarts, and now you’re being asked to pay for this song. You really should, it’s very cheery and very good.

Kanye West – All Of The Lights

With more contributors than this writer has writing space, the latest single from Kanye West can only be described as epic. Rather than being a messy affair, this is probably the finest production on any hip-hop single for years. I hope to God this gets the airplay it deserves, because I will never get sick of it.

by Aonghus McGarry

playlistBright Eyes - The Peoples Key3 out of 10. By Joseph Conroy

Conor Oberst offers his eighth and final album under the Bright Eyes moniker. Like all previous Bright Eyes releases, the album begins with

a spoken word snippet. These generally tend to offer a pretty good indication as to what type of record is about to follow. In this case it’s

an American preacher type, ranting about the Sumerian Tablets, slavery, reptile people, Hitler, and alternate dimensions. Unlike other Bright

Eyes albums, this time the voice keeps popping up rather annoyingly here and there on the album, talking about psyche energy, fascists and

far off cosmoses.

The basis of Bright Eyes’ success has been Oberst’s lyricism. For an artist who has been called an emo-folkster, many of the tracks on The

People’s Key are overwhelmingly joyous and positive, and sung over major chord progressions. The lyrics tend to veer towards some love and

positive energy mumbo-jumbo. Good to know Conor’s feeling the love, but his writing seems to be suffering for it.

Many of the songs on this album feature a spacey rock sound. This both distracts from the lyrics and plasters over the cracks in them. The tracks with the broadest instrumentations have the

weakest lyrics. It is when Oberst strips things back that the record gets decidedly more interesting, on songs like Approximate Sunlight, and particularly the penultimate track, Ladder Song.

The record plays like a coda to the Bright Eyes project, rather than a band looking to go out with a bang. Elements of the entire back catalogue are present on the album, but it fails to go

really go anywhere. The album adds little to the Bright Eyes catalogue. Those unfamiliar with Oberst would be much better served by checking out one of the early Bright Eyes records,

or Oberst’s more recent Monsters of Folk project.

Jamie XX/Gil Scott-Heron - We’re New Here8 out of 10. By Aonghus McGarry

It would be reasonable to consider Gil Scott-Heron the comeback king of 2010. Not only was he responsible for one of the most soulful

records released of last year, he also had a considerable role in the making of the most high-profile album of the year, Kanye West’s ‘My

Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy’. To pair Jamie Smith, of The XX fame, with a man of such high standing makes much more sense than one

would think. Smith was the man responsible for the distinctly broody, intimate sound of the The XX’s eponymous debut and through a

fistful of excellent remixes, and the first great mix of 2011 for the BBC’s Benji B, has become a cornerstone of post-dubstep’s evolution. To

take the work of Heron and give it an electronic twist could not be in safer hands. Lead single NY Is Killing Me is a fantastic reimagining of

the original. With one hand, Smith transforms it into perfect dance floor material, and with the other keeps Heron’s spoken cracked vocals

at the forefront of all the frantic action. Smith’s production ability is reinforced perfectly by the different ends of the spectrum hit with the

instrumentals, ‘My Cloud’, though on the more mellow side of things, being one of the album’s highlights. Arguably the album’s strongest

track, and hardest to categorise, is album closer ‘I’ll Take Care of U’, which is nothing short of euphoric. As of late, the work of Smith has been compared with budding stars James Blake

and Jamie Woon. While his work with The XX may bear similarities with the work of Blake in terms of space and silence within their music, a much more pertinent comparison would be

the glitchy electronics of the less well known but talented DJ’s Falty DL and Ramadanman. Fans of both Gil Scott-Heron and Jamie Smith approach ‘We’re New Here’ with trepidation.

This is unnecessary. This record has bucked the trend of most remix albums, sitting comfortably with both the illustrious past of Heron and the promising future of Jamie Smith.

Radiohead - The King of Limbs8 out of 10. By Joseph Conroy

While Radiohead’s sound has altered dramatically over the last 20 odd years, each album has still shown a clear sense of progression. Each

successive release has retained strong elements of its predecessor. The King of Limbs is an album which still possesses much of In Rainbows’

more direct approach, particularly on the first half of the record, while the second half deviates to places that recall elements of a less muddled

Hail to the Thief and a less obtuse Amnesiac. The overall effect is something distinctly different.

The key achievement of this album is perhaps the cohesion of its blending of natural and digital sounds. Nigel Godrich’s production

is luscious. It’s often hard to identify exactly which instruments are making which noises. The most modern of digital beats and voice

manipulation sit neatly beside acoustic tones. Traces of acts like Four Tet and Flying Lotus, who have also pushed this mixing of natural and

electronic sounds, can be heard echoing throughout the album, but the album’s sound always remains Radiohead’s own. Yorke’s handclaps on

Lotus Flower, and the backtracked digital fluttering bird noises at the end of Give Up the Ghost, are some of the most obvious examples of

this blending of natural and digital sounds. One of the key features of In Rainbows was its sparseness; The King of Limbs operates on a much grander scale. Each track features meticulously

arranged layers of heavily reverberated noises. The album’s sound is clearly established in its opening track, Bloom. Its droning piano riff, its off kilter bass line and its broken beats and

glitches swell into an avant-garde lumbering brass and strings driven movement which opens up the full scale of the album’s sound. All the way from the stuttering guitar-driven Morning

Mister Magpie to the Pyramid Song-esque Codex, the whole album operates within the soundscape established by Bloom. Their experimentation with this sound reaches its high point

on the largely instrumental mid-album track Feral. The King of Limbs is an extremely tight package. At 8 tracks spread over 37 minutes, it is Radiohead’s shortest album to date. It is the

type of album where the songs that sound the weakest on the first listen come to sound the strongest by the tenth. Anyone who has enjoyed any of Radiohead’s post-OK Computer output

will certainly find a lot to like on The King Of Limbs.

Yuck - Yuck9 out of 10. By Daniel Nolan

Yuck founders Daniel Blumberg and Max Bloom have come a long way since their time as part of generic NME favourites, Cajun Dance

Party. There’s been much made of their current band’s debt to bands such as Dinosaur Jr. and Pavement - their fondness for feedback and

reverb are particularly reminiscent - but there’s also a refreshingly original energy to a lot of Yuck’s debut album. Lead single ‘Holing Out’

bears the most obvious Dinosaur Jr. influence, riding in on a big riff that doesn’t bother with any kind of subtlety. As the song progresses

though, it develops into something a lot more elegant and interesting, which is relatively reflective of Yuck’s general sound. Good as it is, it

doesn’t measure up to its B-side, ‘Coconut Bible,’ which has weirdly been left off the album despite being one of Yuck’s strongest songs to

date. The other single, ‘Rubber,’ with its slow, heavy progression and distant vocals sounds more indebted to a different style of 90’s guitar

band, such as Galaxie 500. While Yuck are highly derivative and open about their influences, it’s the touches or originality that spring up

throughout the album that set it apart from other 90s revivalist bands. Touches like the ragged harmonies on ‘Georgia’, the album’s most

direct cut, insure that Yuck are never weighed down by their influences. Bloomberg’s lyrics occasionally let him down. He tends to be at his best as a lyricist when he keeps it simple and

direct, rather than over-complicating things such as on ‘Suck’, where he over-reaches slightly. This is never off-putting enough to seriously distract from the quality of the songs though.

‘Suicide Policeman’ is perhaps the record’s most original track. It starts out as a simple acoustic jangle, but winds up sounding slightly like Burt Bacharach with added feedback. It’s a

surprisingly effective combination, and gives the impression that Yuck will be capable of branching out their sound on future records. For now, their debut is a pretty effective start.

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The Siren 22.02.11 Music 5

In the ever fragmenting music industry, it

is harder than ever to turn a record launch

into a global event. Perhaps the last attempt

at such a launch was U2’s No Line On the

Horizon. They went old school, blanket

media coverage, a week-long residency

on The Late Show with David Letterman

and the BBC dedicated a night to the

band on the day of the launch (later ruled

to be in breach of the BBC’s commercial

endorsement guidelines, such was the

coverage). But, ultimately, the album sales

were far below what was forecasted. This

was deemed a flop. The old system had

failed.

In the tail end of 2010 Kanye West tackled

this problem by leaking songs from his My

Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy in the

weeks coming up to the release through

his Twitter account. He also released the

audacious MTV-backed 35 minute long

Runaway preview video on YouTube before

the launch. This approach was effective, but

still this drip-feed of material meant that

the impact of the whole body of work was

somewhat diluted by the time the album

was actually released.

Enter Radiohead. Last Monday they

unleashed Project Valentine announcing

that their new album would be available

the following Saturday only via digital

download, only off of their own website and

on their own label. All that was released was

the title, The King Of Limbs, and Stanley

Donwood’s cover art.

A scramble for information ensued.

Radiohead fan site atease.web made the

announcement that the album would

feature 8 tracks. This information was

enough to attract so much traffic to the

website that its server crashed.

Fake torrents were placed on prominent

pirate music websites on Tuesday. These

files were downloaded by thousands, but

they only contained a mix of Madonna and

Green Day tracks.

Also on Tuesday, Vice Magazine cemented

their position as the hippest hipsters on

the internet with their über-ironic parody

exclusive first review of a non-existent

Radiohead record.

In the middle on the night on Thursday,

a tweet appeared on Radiohead’s official

Twitter account in Japanese. The message

translates to “Hachiko Square Shibuya,

59 minutes Friday at 18” referring to the

square in downtown Tokyo. This sparked

wild speculation that there would be a

performance by the band in Hachiko

Square at 18.59 on Friday, 09.59 GMT.

This event was promptly cancelled due

to security concerns. What was meant to

happen remains unclear. Thousands still

showed up at Hachiko Square, but 18.59

came and went and nothing happened.

With all eyes on Tokyo, a surprise email was

sent out by XL Records at 10.15 in the UK

announcing that the new Radiohead album

will be released 24 hours early and will be

available to download shortly.

A promo video then appeared on YouTube

for a track off of the album, Lotus Flower.

The bizarre video is filmed in black and

white and features a 42 year-old Thom

Yorke wearing a bowler hat and doing a

manic interpretive dance to the new track.

By evening the video had gone viral, as well

as sparking a host of parodies, such as Mr.

Yorke dancing to both Beyonce’s Single

Ladies and Shakira’s Loca.

The Siren received word from Radiohead’s

Irish distributors, confirming that the

record was available to download at 10.45

on Friday morning, and the album began to

be downloaded on computers all over the

world.

Radiohead have remained at odds with

both the record industry and the press.

Thom Yorke has particularly expressed his

frustration at the way in which, once the

first reviews of a new albums are released,

other journalists tend to converge to the

ideas in these reviews, rather than really

listening to new records and developing

their own opinions.

In many ways, what was seen on Friday

morning was a face-off between blogs, social

networking websites, and the traditional

media. Newspapers and music magazines

scrambled to get the first reviews in.

Each of these reviews were largely positive,

but with big ‘buts’. To the NME it was “a

record to admire more than truly love”,

the Telegraph said Radiohead had got

too complacent with the sound they had

developed from Amnesiac onwards, while

The Irish Times were perhaps the most

positive but still think it lags in the middle.

On the other end of the media spectrum,

indie music blog Stereogum opened a

“Comment Party”, inviting readers to give

their initial reactions to the record. The

website is well known for its “Premature

Evaluation” feature, which reviews leaked

How to Make an Album Launch a Global Event in the 21st Centuryby Joseph Conroy

albums before the established media is

allowed to, but on this case they reserved

their judgment.

About one third of the comments were

something along the lines of “OMG

RADIOHEAD ARE GODS”, while

another third were along the lines of

“ugh… I prefer the earlier stuff”. The in-

between initially fell into two camps. Some

thought it started well and lost its way,

others thought the first half was a bit bland,

and loved the second half. These opinions

changed throughout the day. As people

listened more, they seemed to come to

like the album more and more as a whole.

Codex, Feral, Lotus Flower and Separator

seem to be early fan favorites.

By the evening almost all media outlets

had track-by-track reviews live on

their websites. The Telegraph has no less

than three different reviews of the album.

The difference of opinion, particularly

in terms of how they describe the actual

music, was renarkable. For instance, the

NME likened Morning Mister Magpie

to “‘Unforgettable Fire’-era U2”, while

Rolling Stone called the same track

“clattering, hyperactive, pencil-neck

funk”. Rolling Stone also described Feral

as “abstract, loopy, throbbing”, while the

Telegraph said it sounded like “late night

post-dubstep ambient intimacy blended

with a light almost jazz-African percussive

groove”.

Through the shotgun release of the record,

Radiohead managed to create a global

listening experience for the 21st century,

in which everyone received

the music at the same time, miraculously

without even a single track being leaked

from it, and could listen to it together with

no preconceptions. It will be interesting

to see how the industry responds to this

experience.

About one third of

the comments were

something along

the lines of “OMG

RADIOHEAD ARE GODS”,

while another third

were along the lines

of “ugh… I prefer the

earlier stuff”. The

in-between initially

fell into two camps.

The Siren 22.02.11Music6

The Best in Town?Graham Luby meets Welsh rockers and Kerrang favourites The Blackout

want is another grilling. Now

aiming to get in and out while

creating as little friction as

possible, I frantically leaf through

my notepad for my pre-prepared

questions and shoot a sly glance

into the room at the dark figures

milling around. Too quick for

me to look away, the group’s

balding guitarist James Davies

catches my eye.

Situated between vacant dirt lots

and unfinished concrete shells in

the city’s Docklands, the Gibson

is one of Dublin’s better cheap

hotels. Resplendent in granite,

indoor flora and floor-to-ceiling

glass walls, the punk-rock

artwork is the only indication

that this is one of the hubs of

Dublin’s entertainment business.

When an act retires to the Four

Seasons after headlining the

O2, their support bands usually

slink out the back door and

across the Luas tracks to the

Gibson. In The Blackout’s hotel

suite the afternoon, following a

triumphant supporting slot in

the O2, trying to appear invisible

amongst fist-bumps and yelping

PR men, this reporter senses

that something is wrong. The

place is spotless. While a hole

kicked in the wall a la Robert

Plant would be too much to ask,

not even a suitcase or a lone hi-

top sneaker litters the earth-tone

shag pile carpet.

The door to the band’s inner

sanctum opens. Out of the

corner of my eye while fumbling

with my borrowed Dictaphone,

a bespectacled hobbit from

one of UCD’s other media

factions emerges and, without

any fanfare, slinks out into the

corridor and away. His oversized

backpack is the last thing to

bounce comically off the door

frame before he disappears,

unnoticed. Seeing this, it appears

that the last thing The Blackout

“Oh sorry, are you waiting on

us? Come on in.”

Slinking into the room, my

previous trepidation melts away.

Drummer Gareth “Snoz” Davies

emerges from behind a wall and

greets me with a handshake that

could grind bones to dust. “Sit

down over there if you like. We

had thought about doing this on

the bed, hah!” Davies bounces

off the freshly changed king-

size and into the circle of chairs

facing me, joining Davies and

one of the group’s two vocalists,

the immaculately coiffured Sean

Smith.

The Blackout are currently in

Dublin supporting My Chemical

Romance on the World

Contamination tour, promoting

their new single “Higher And

Higher”. This precedes three

Irish dates as part of an extensive

UK headline tour in April to

coincide with the release of

their upcoming fourth album,

“Hope”. Following up on their

last album, 2009’s “The Best In

Town”, is not going to be an

easy task due to its five K rating

(the highest rating the rock bible

The Blackouts are currently in Dublin, supporting My Chemical Romance on the World Contamination Tour, promoting their new single “Higher & Higher”

Music 7

and with the album following

on April 4th, are they worried

about how it will be received

next to “The Best In Town”?

“Nah,” quips Smith, to the

amusement of his band mates.

“When we made this album, I

don’t remember once thinking

like that. We literally just went

in and wrote the album we

wanted to write.” “Instinct was

to go, ‘Well OK, we wrote a

good album, surely we can write

a better one’... it wasn’t like ‘It

MUST be better’, but we were

moving on as a band. How can

we beat nine K’s anyway?”

The answer was the best sound

bite this reporter could have

hoped for.

“TEN K’s, that’s how!”

Kerrang! can bestow), but as I

gather immediately, Sean Smith

is more than up to the task.

“We actually got nine Ks! One

week they gave us four Ks, and

the week afterwards they did

a reprint saying ‘Actually we

counted up the Ks wrong, we

meant to give them five!’ So we

were the first band ever to get a

nine K album! That’s more than

Metallica ever got!”

I ask how The Blackout have

found touring with one of

alternative music’s biggest bands,

and how they landed their

coveted support slot.

“I did an interview [with

Kerrang!] recently, and they

asked me who was left that

we had always wanted to tour

with,” recounts Davies. “We had

just toured with Limp Bizkit in

Europe and that was a dream

come true, but I said that I had

always wanted to tour with My

Chemical Romance. And then

this came about afterwards,

which is insane!”

“We didn’t even know we were

doing it until - what, a week

beforehand?” admits Smith,

cracking a grin. “We were doing

a photo shoot on a cold hill in

Guildford, and I got a phone

call saying we had got the MCR

tour, but I was too cold to care!”

“But the best thing about it, I

think, for us, was that they chose

us to do it,” Lawrence interjects.

“Same thing with Limp Bizkit

- when we played with Limp

Bizkit, they chose us as well.”

Once upon a time, The Blackout

played Cardiff ’s Barfly venue to

approximately no people, save

for the bar staff. Today, as they

bounce around in a chrome

hotel suite, still buzzing from

the previous night’s rapturous

response from the audience of

a band that wanted them on

the bill, the days of living hand-

to-mouth in a van seem like a

distant memory. By rights, they

should be on top of the world.

However, “Hope” presents a

much darker vibe than their

last album, 2009’s swaggeringly-

titled “The Best In Town”.

“It’s, like, personal experience

over the last two years,” shrugs

Davies. “Since the last album,

we’ve had ups and downs.

Several of the songs are quite

cheery as well, but I think we’ve

just seen people kind of come

and go, and kind of turn their

backs on us and stuff as well, so

that’s where the darker element

kind of comes from.”

Even being the best in town,

the hard knocks of life as a band

help to keep them grounded, as

Smith goes on to reveal. “It’s just,

like, seeing some bands and pop

stars that are a load of shit come

from nowhere and do really well,

and then there’s us with a nine-K

album and we’re NOT massive!”

Their experience on the Vans

Warped Tour (punk’s infamous

annual travelling circus) during

the last album’s touring cycle

gave them a first-hand view into

the injustices of the music scene:

“A lot of bands who are getting

a lot more attention have a lot

of trance bits, vocoders and stuff

like that, but the thing is, you’re

a band. Be. A. Band.” Lawrence

snaps. “I saw BrokenCYDE

play. They’ve got a rapper and a

screamer, but I’m sure that the

screamer was miming.”

But however they are received

by the public, who might choose

glitter over substance, it is clear

that The Blackout are in this

business for themselves. “Higher

And Higher”, the first single

from “Hope”, has become one

of the most hyped tracks in the

UK since its release last week,

But however they are received by the public, who might choose glitter over substance, it is clear that The Blackout are in this business for themselves. “Higher And Higher”, the first single from “Hope”, has become one of the most hyped tracks in the UK since its release last week.

The Siren 22.02.11fashion8

If there’s one beauty treatment to indulge in this spring, it’s grooming your nails. A perfectly painted set of nails gives an elegant, classy look, and you can experiment with different nail art designs for a more decorative look. Here are some tips on how to keep your nails looking well-trimmed and in top shape.If you’re going to invest in a good quality nail varnish, the infamous cult brand OPI sell a wide variety of colours. Their website, opi.com, shows the full range of colours available. Other top brands include China Glaze, Lancôme and Chanel.Use cuticle sticks to push back the cuticles on your nails. This is more effective if done after a shower or bath, or after soaking nails in warm water for 5 minutes. To do a French manicure, apply a clear base coat of varnish, followed by a light pink neutral shade. Wait to dry, and then apply some white nail varnish to the tips of each nail. Seal with a top coat

OPI and Barry M have released nail polishes which can be applied as a top coat to produce a “shatter” effect. Konad Ireland supply special sets for nail care and nail art. The pack comes with a stainless steel disc with various nail art designs which you apply ink to, transfer to a stamp, and then transfer to the nail. Their products are available for purchase through their website, www.konad.ie.Sally Hansen and The Nail Doctor sell a wide variety of nail varnishes for specific types of nails, whether you have dry, damaged or weak nails, or even nails that won’t grow. Both brands are available from Boots stores. Dark colours will make nails look shorter, whereas shimmery, metallic colours will make nails appear longer. For a more glam look, try gluing rhinestones or diamantés to the nails after applying nail varnish. Seal with a top coat to secure.Lemon juice is a commonly used remedy

to strengthen weak nails. It also helps remove dark stains on the nails.Avoid using metal nail files as they damage the nail. Instead, opt for an emery board which will work just as well without causing any damage to the nails. To whiten the tips of your nails, use a white nail pencil to colour in under the nail.When choosing fake nails, it’s important to consider the many types available. Look at their advantages and disadvantages, then choose which ones are right for you. The most commonly used forms are gel and acrylic. Gel nails produce a more natural effect, but are not as durable as acrylic nails. However, gel nails are less damaging than acrylic ones.Whatever your sense of style, be sure to give your nails some TLC this spring. You deserve it!

Style

Nail It!Laura McNally has the inside track on how to care for your nails this spring.

From Left:

Rachel Heavey (Age 20)2nd Law & PhilosophyFavorite Shop: T.K. MaxxStyle Icon: My sisters, Suzanne & Jessie

Marcus Brennan (Age 19)1st ArtsFavorite Shop: Penney’sStyle Icon: 90’s boybands

Ciara Cafferkey (Age 19)1st FinanceFavorite Shop: American ApparelStyle Icon: My friends

Campus

The Siren 22.02.11 9fashion

Chic

Eek

by Kate Brady

Pro-Fur Fur is one of the most beautiful and

sumptuous fabrics, it can change one’s

mood completely. It’s not necessarily to do

with making you look good either. My fur

coat is huge, old, bought second-hand, and

the furthest it’s travelled from my house is to

the corner shop, as I’m terrified of it getting

damaged. It’s a comforting fabric, the feel

and warmth of which is unlike any other.

While I am pro-fur, I am also pro-animal

welfare, not pro-animal rights. There is a

huge difference between the

two concepts. Animal welfare

philosophy is formed around the

idea of the responsible treatment

of animals to obtain animal

products, such as meat, milk, fur,

and leather. Animal rights are the

ideas of Ingrid Newkirk, founder

of PETA, People for the Ethical

Treatment of Animals. Animal

rights groups view all animals and

humans as equal, and condemn

the use of any animals for human

benefit. They are against pest

control, medical research on

animals, and oddly, pets. While

PETA’s heart may be in the right

place, their demonstrations and

protests use the fear of being

attacked or humiliated to force

people into not wearing fur or

farming animals. To me this reeks

of hypocrisy, as it impinges upon

the rights of people, in order to

protect the rights of animals.

Real fur is an exclusive, expensive

symbol of glamour and status. It

is not a material that is readily

available to the masses, and this is

the main reason why fur invokes

so much more controversy than

leather. An important point to

make here is that, if you wear

or use leather in any way, then

it’s hypocritical to claim to be

against fur. They amount to the

same thing, and it’s incorrect to

have opposing views on these

two materials. Cows and animals

used for fur are both products

of factory farming, live under

similar conditions, and the by-

products of both kinds of animals are used

in their entirety. The difference between the

two is cows’ skins are by-products, while

with animals farmed for fur, everything else

is a by-product of the production of skins.

Environmentally, real fur is a far superior

product to fake fur. The materials used

in the processing of animal pelts are salts,

sawdust, acids, soda ash, cornstarch, and de-

greasers. Blends of acrylic and modacrylic

polymers are used in the production of fake

fur. These materials can take generations to

break down, and are composed of coal and

petroleum. Faux fur is also not as warm as

real fur. Some people claim that fake fur can

replica the texture and appearance or the

real thing - however I believe that just as

with meat or leather, there is not a good

enough substitute. More proof of this is the

fact that designers like Donna Karan more

often than not choose to use real fur, and

given the outrage, anger, and controversy

that this can sometimes provoke, they would

not do so if their was an aesthetic equivalent

available to them.

Almost 65% of the world’s fur comes from

Europe, and European farms are strictly

regulated and controlled by both national

and European veterinary authorities.

Chinese fur farms are the least regulated,

and it was difficult to find much detailed

information on the laws on fur farming

there. I believe regulations on the labelling

of fur need to be improved so people can

see where the fur originated. This is one of

the biggest faults within the industry.

I adore fur, but sometimes I do find it

difficult to justify it to myself. I love it

because it is incredibly beautiful and feels

better than anything else. I’m never going

to stop wearing it but I don’t think it’s

completely ethical. A warning to those

who are against fur, don’t ever try it on, it’s

incredibly addictive.

Against furThere has been a long standing debate

within fashion for years, and many designers,

models and fashion addicts alike have been

faced with the question; Fur or against?

There is only one answer, and that is against.

Once upon a hundred years ago, fur was

viewed as a way of showing society just

how special and wealthy you were. It was

glamorous and made an impact when worn.

Today, instead of wearing a real fur coat to

make an impact, all we need is an iPhone 4,

or a Blackberry.

Society today is moving at an alarming

rate. We have new innovations in science,

medicine, fashion and art. The last thing

we need to do is continue on the route of

real fur. Fashion is at a place where faux

fur is just as aesthetically pleasing as the

real stuff, but animals had to be skinned

in the process. Faux fur is everywhere you

look. Celebrity designer and animal rights

devotee Stella McCartney drapes it over her

catwalk models. From H&M to Next, Zara

to Accessorize, there’s hardly a high street

store that hasn’t heard the news. Fake fur,

whether it is a coat with a funky collar, a

trendy tippet, or a cute pair of cuffs, fake fur

is fun to wear.

“Every time we buy or wear clothing

without real fur, we reduce the animal

suffering in the world,” says international

charity the Fund for Animals.

But, if you are one those pretentious

fashion heads, who are deluded to the fact

that owning and wearing real fur gives you

access to some elite fashion group, who

pride themselves in only wearing “the

best”, then I feel sorry for you. Being able

to purchase real fur is not directionally

proportional to show off how wealthy you

are. The majority of those who

purchase real fur do not know

the origin of their coat or item

of clothing.

Many animals are caught within

the wild. Animals caught in a

hidden steel jaw trap suffer a

slow, excruciating death. The trap

snaps down on the limb of an

unsuspecting animal, sometimes

breaking the limb. The trapped

animals often freeze to death, or

are attacked by predators from

which they cannot flee. Many

frantically chew off their own

legs to escape the agonizing

pain. If they are still alive when

the trapper returns to the scene,

they are bludgeoned or strangled

to death.

Animals raised on ranches are

kept in cramped confinement

and deprived of anything

resembling a natural life, until

finally they are killed, often

by crude and painful means.

Methods used include gassing,

suffocation, or electrocution

through the mouth and anus so

that the “product”—the pelt—

is not singed or stained with

blood. Far from being “humane,”

fur ranching is characterized

by barren wire-mesh cages,

isolation, and environmental

deprivation so intense that

animals often go insane, as

animals used to roaming 15

miles each day go crazy from

life in a cage. Animals are forced

to endure all weather extremes,

and veterinary care is typically

non-existent, since it is not cost effective to

treat an animal whose fate is to be turned

into a coat. Animals that are naturally

solitary are caged together, often resulting

in cannibalism, and animals are often left to

decompose in cages with live animals.

This is the real price to pay for the expensive

fur coat.

Kim Kardashian has said she will continue to

wear real fur and was recently photographed

sporting an entire ensemble. The correlation

between wearing real fur for vanity and

intelligence is now obvious. If you have any

ounce of it, you won’t wear it.

Fur & AgainstRóisín Sweeney & Kellie Nwaorkie argue the two cases

Golf UmbrellasWindy spring showers and inside out embarrassing umbrella situations can easily be avoided without being strictly argyle-patterned. Invest in a larger, more sophisticated umbrella that will go with most spring outfits.

Summer BlousesLighten up your wardrobe with blouses, both pastel and colour, that can be easily tucked in to shorts, jeans and skirts and smartened up with belts and tights.

ShadesThe mornings are getting blindingly brighter, and hiding late-night bags under the eyes is made easy with the help of last summer’s polished aviators, Ray-Bans, or big framed shades.

Duvet Attire on non-duvet daysBig baggy tracksuit bottoms, man hood-ies and Uggs - unless it’s miserable out, this shapeless ensemble can look both lazy and unflattering.

Cher Lloyd bandanasThe X-Factor’s long over. Turn your swag off please.

The Siren 22.02.1110

We all know the feeling: your

shoes are scuffed; your coat has

gone bally, you’re missing several

buttons off your cardigan and

your favourite winter dress feels

outdated. But, before you run after

the rubbish truck with a pile of

clothes to fire into the back of it,

consider the small tweaks which

can make an item feel as good as

new again

Add a new collar onto a coat or

jacket which you have tired of.

Pieces of real and faux fur can be

purchased in material shops. Old

leather jackets can be given a new

lease of life with the addition of a

sheepskin collar, these jackets new

would set you back up to 200 euro

on the high street. Search charity

shops for coats and jackets which

you could take the collar off, most

of which will only cost 10-20 euro.

Pin on the new collar and sew in

the right position. Changing the

buttons of a coat or jacket is always

a great way of updating it.

The Woollen Mills has a lovely

selection, with many military styles

too. Old trousers can be chopped

into shorts, a nice fresh look for

spring.

Jeans and cords can be cut to your

desired length, leave the ends

frayed or hem them up. These

can be worn with blouses or t-

shirts tucked in, over tights with

ankle boots during the colder

months, and bare legged when it

gets warmer. Most haberdasheries

sell single studs too, which can be

added to pockets and seams for a

more punk feel.

If you’ve gotten bored of a

dress which you once loved and

probably dished out a small fortune

for, don’t bin it just yet. Shoulder

pads can be added easily to give it

a more futuristic twist; these can be

purchased in different sizes from the

Woollen Mills. Pieces of material

can be made into peter pan collars,

which are both sweet and all over

the high street at the moment. Lace

can be bought in material shops.

Rubenesque, in the Powerscourt

town house, stocks designer lace

and silk pieces. American Apparel

and Zara also sell separate collars to

add onto clothes. Drab long dresses

can be taken up easily, making

them feel like new.

Shoulder pads can also be added

to woolly jumpers, to modernise

them. Even elbow pads look great

on certain jumpers and cardis-

channelling the geek chic vibe. A

long jumper which feels dowdy

and dated can be cut down the

front and turned into a cardigan.

You can add a belt to close it over,

or add on buttons and holes if

you’re confidant at sewing. Moth

holes or damage to wool can be

covered over with patches or pieces

of embroidery in the same colour,

many of which can be picked up

at haberdasheries. If a wool pieces

has become bally, you can shave

it gently with a razor to remove

excess balls.

Before storing away pieces which

are out of season, make sure they

are in good shape so you can

make use of them when you take

them out of storage. Always polish

your boots and shoes and check

the heels to see if it needs to be

replaced. If they are worn at the

heels, shoe menders will replace

them for about ten euro. Dry clean

winter coats before packing them

away. Meaning you won’t have to

fork out another hundred euro, or

so, the next time a cold snap arises.

Always put moth balls in with

wools when storing them away and

if possible place them

in vacuum packed bags.

All these tips are small adjustments

D.I.Y. or dieAoifa Smyth guides you through looking after and adjusting pieces in your wardrobe.

Charvet, the high end French tailor, is

a lone remnant of the one-time many

quality shirtmakers of Paris. Founded

in 1838, the brand is synonymous with

kings, sultans and princes.

Other customers have included John

Galliano, Kate Moss and Coco Chanel.

Amongst the extensive list of the rich

and famous, former Taoiseach Charles

Haughey notoriously became one

of the Paris boutique’s most valued

customers.

Political campaigns are all about first

impressions. Haughey revolutionised

perceptions of Ireland in other EU

member states. Back in the 1980s, TDs

wore more or less the same clothes

as they did when on their farms or

everyday pursuits; Kerry TD Jackie

Healy Rae still does. Haughey, however,

spent tens of thousands of pounds on

shirts alone in the space of three years,

during the midst of thsi country’s

last recession.

Whilst the source of this money

has always been controversial, he

maintained a certain image of Ireland

abroad when the economy was in dire

straits, leading to foreign investment

that memorably led to the development

of the IFSC.

20 years on and here we are again; with

hundreds of thousands unemployed,

and all of Europe thinking we are

eating our pets to survive, or worse.

Another story for another time. Let’s

briefly examine three candidates

seeking election this month, and

speculate about how their general attire

could affect Ireland’s image abroad.

This month, use your vote wisely, and

elect those who will maintain an image

of a modern, successful and fashionable

Ireland. Policies are important, but

nobody is going to deal with Irish

representatives who don’t present

Suits You, Sir! With the all important election happening this week, Alex Fingleton talks style in politics.talks style in politics.

themselves as successful and capable.

Search YouTube for “Brian Cowen

Lost in Europe” for an example.

Let’s just hope that this time, our

politicians don’t have to steal the

money to afford this successful image

- or was it just resting in your account,

Charles?

which could save you a little or a lot

of money and give you more wear

out of your purchases. Whether

you shop in Pennies, Principles or

Prada, love and attention to your

clothes will benefit you and make

sure pieces last longer.

During the Troubles, the IRA carried out vigilante policing in Catholic areas & punished crimes made against the community. They missed Gerry for his crime against the community - those awful jumpers he always wears.

The Green Party TD, now infamous due to his disgraceful “F*ck You Deputy Stagg!” outburst, appears to own only one suit. By no means does it fit him either. This can only lead to the impression that it’s his dad’s, or, in the Green Party spirit, he’s recycling clothes.

A new entrant into politics, Dylan appears to be very popular with the youth of Dublin, whom he has been working with for years. From his hairstyle and suit choices, Dylan appears to have gone for a smooth, sleek Gordon Gekko-style look, in tribute to the Michael Douglas character from the original Wall Street movie. Cool, but didn’t he steal millions through insider trading?

The Siren 22.02.11

Arts

11

The Coen brothers’ latest work is an

adaptation of the Charles Portis novel and

John Wayne film of the same name, but it

comes vigorously different in many ways to

the original adaption.

True Grit follows the path back to the

original Charles Portis novel to spin the

tale of 14-year-old Mattie Ross (Hailee

Steinfeld), a pig-tailed child of vengeance

and ferocity, hellbent on finding the man

who robbed and killed her father. Given

the choice of three US marshals to hire,

Mattie promptly opts for “the meanest”: a

cantankerous yet hilarious cyclops called

Reuben “Rooster” Cogburn (Jeff Bridges).

Also joining her on this mission is LaBoeuf

(Matt Damon),who plays a Texas ranger far

from home. Rooster and LaBoeuf plan to

ditch the girl and split the reward between

them.

But Mattie will not be deterred and pursues

them across the river and into the trees.

Up ahead lies Chocktaw country, where

the snow whirls and the rule of law no

longer applies. This is a land prowled

not by dragons, but bears, brigands and

rattlesnakes.

The story itself is not as interesting as the

characters that populate it. With the use

of eccentric character development and

witty conversation, True Grit keeps the

audience in tune with the ever present

dilemma and hardship that plagues

many of the characters. The landscape,

beautifully rendered by Roger Deakins’s

cinematography, is drenched in a fantastic

yet realistic consciousness of punishment

and reward: retribution awaits for every

man and woman. Jeff Bridges gives a stellar

performance along with notable acting

from a young Hailee Steinfeld, who remains

watchable through the film. Beautiful to

watch, with a soothing yet Coen-esque

soundtrack, makes this film one for fans of

the Coen brothers and a healthy addition

to their ever growing list of achievements.

True Grit Film Review4/5 Starsby Ryan Cullen

Scéim Chónaithe Ghaeilge Bhord na Gaeilge UCD 2011/2012

Tuilleadh eolais

Clár Ní Bhuachalla, Oifigeach Gaeilge,

Bord na Gaeilge UCD, L508,

Foirgneamh na Leabharlainne, An Coláiste Ollscoile,

Baile Átha Cliath, Belfield, Baile Átha Cliath 4

Scoláireachtaí ar fáil do 24 mac léinn don bhliain 2011-2012

Comórtas oscailte do mhic léinn as gach cúrsa de chuid na hOllscoile

Foirm iarratais ar fáil ar: www.ucd.ie/bnag

29 Aibreán an dáta deiridh d'iarratais

Guthán: 01-716-7387

Ríomhphost: oifigeach.gaeilge@ucd.ie

Idirlíon: www.ucd.ie/bnag

Bronnfar scoláireachtaí ar fiú 40% den chíos iad, ar iarrthóirí a bhfuil ríspéis acu i gcur chun cinn na teanga

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The Siren 22.02.1112

Huge crowds gathered in the

O’Reilly Hall last week for this

year’s UCD Community Musical,

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast.

With support from the Vice

President for Students, Dr Martin

Butler, UCD Students Union, the

Musical Society, and a cast and crew

of nearly 100 staff, students and

alumni, it was the most successful

Community Musical to date.

Under the direction of Emily

Leonard and producer Aileen

Ryan, backed by assistant

producers Keith Siew and Aifric

Nugent, this tale of love was

brought to life for enthralled

audiences for a run of six shows.

English and Drama student, Megan

Cassidy, as leading lady Belle, gave a

fantastic performance of the show-

stopping numbers “Home” and “A

Change in Me”, and engaged the

audience’s attention throughout.

Alumnus Alec Ward played the

Beast, particularly impressing

with his rendition of “If I Can’t

Love Her”, which brought Act I

to a close. Villain Gaston, played

by Stuart Pollock, was superb in

his performance, while first year

Medicine student Paddy Cooper

brought the comical character of

Lefou.

More comedy was provided by

3rd year Business and Law student

Denis Grindel and History and

Geography student Diarmuid

Browne, as Lumiere and Cogsworth

respectively. Both seemed to have

been born for their roles, and the

French accents were perfected to

a tee! Mrs Potts, played by Vickey

Howell, gave a wonderful rendition

of the signature tune “Beauty and

the Beast”, and left some members

of the audience reaching for tissues

to wipe away their tears. Her on-

stage son Chip was played by

7-year-old Rian Middleton, who

endeared himself to the whole

audience, such was his stellar

performance and the calibre of his

Full House Sees the Community Musical Put on a Showby Peadar Ó Lamhna

acting.

The set of the musical was one

of the finest ever seen in a UCD

production. Complete with

moving wings, firework–exploding

champagne bottles, and a

wonderful castle scene, the tale was

really brought to life before our

eyes. Computer projections added

to the spectacle. The live orchestra,

under the baton of Bronagh

MacManus, helped to give a sense

of atmosphere, and were a huge

addition to the overall grandeur of

the piece.

Front of House was also

magnificent. The conservatory

of the O’Reilly Hall transformed

into a grand hall, complete with

burgundy and white drapes and

candelabras, under the direction

of Front of House manager Trisha

Ryan. It truly set the scene and

ambience for what was to be a

fantastic show.

With many people disappointed

that they hadn’t bought a ticket

sooner, the cast played to packed

houses each night and received

numerous standing ovations

throughout the run. Alas, when

the curtain finally fell on Saturday

night, the months of work came to

a end and the set was packed up

and transported to its next location,

while the cast and crew return to

their normal lives.

The UCD Community Musical

really demonstrates the community

spirit within UCD. Crew members

from every part of the college

come together and showcase the

talent that UCD has to offer, not

only through singing and acting,

but in staging, lighting and design.

The unfortunate result for the rest

of us is that we must wait until next

year for another production from

this talented group - but there is

no doubt that whatever the choice

on offer, it is sure to be another

successful musical.

Photos: Stephen Murray