RTS 14 I TUESDAY, Oct. 5, 2010 L) Ail REVIEW `Something About Sunshine' Reviewed by Chris Zook COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER With 40,000 students on this campus, it takes a lot to stand out. But Anna Jepson manages to do so. Jepson's (senior integrative arts) debut EP "Something About Sunshine" incorpo rates some of the best elements of country and folk music. She's got a solid Steph Witt/Collegian singing voice and some impressive guitar skills, two factors that basically make her an improved version of Taylor Swift, only with a Penn State focus. But this comparison has a downside, too. While Jepson's voice is phenomenal and has an impressive range, the lyrics of her four-song EP are predictable. One of Swift's criticisms is that her lyrics pertain almost exclusively to and don't move past the drama of high school relationships. Jepson's lyrics are actually more tolerable and enjoyable, though her EP is mostly about rela tionship issues and Swift-esque perceptions of love. In this regard, Jepson's debut lacks a degree of depth in some of her songs. Then again, comparing Jepson to already accomplished musicians is admittedly unfair. But the reason it's possible (and appropriate) is because this student singer-songwriter sounds like she's been in the business for years. And just because the subjects of the songs are typical and predictable doesn't mean Jepson doesn't put her own spin on the music. And, to be honest, it is the vocal melodies and instrumenta tion that makes the song not the words. But in songs like "Tonight I'll Dream," just the opposite is true: The lyrics are imaginative and impressive, and the acoustic background is a per fect complement. Jepson breaks away from the Swift comparison and becomes comparable instead to the folk trio Nickel Creek. The EP opens up with "Tall Dark & Handsome," a rock-folk song about, as the title implies, a woman pursuing a man. The same is true for the EP's ender, "Superman." Probably the best thing about Jepson is that she's young. She has a lot of life, practice and performance left to hone her lyrical prowess, and that can only lead to the bigger and better. Unless she suddenly decides not to keep mov ing forward, Jepson's name will one day be in lights or on a billboard. Or in lights on a billboard Anna Jepson, don't change a thing. Grade: A Download: "More Than I Used To" and "Superman" To e-mail reporter: cdzsooB@psu.edu `Halcyon Digest' Reviewed by Josh Bollinger COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER Deerhunter's fifth album "Halcyon Digest" is raw and simple, but it packs memorable melodies and toe-tapping beats. nitely be the wrong move Its indie status is a cliché that makes the band all the more captivating. If Deerhunter gets caught up in the mainstream scene, it might ruin the artistic originality and integrity. "Halcyon Digest" sounds like what a Beatles album would sound if it were released in 2010. The album's creepy tone, established with use of reverb, is set right from the beginning with the first song, "Earthquake." It starts in quiet lull and the music slowly builds up in intensity and ambience only to be brought back down to a valley so low it tricks you into thinking the song's over when it's not. The second song, "Don't Cry" is the first of the album's songs that sound like they could have been released 40 years ago, and it left me feeling nostalgic. Upon listening to "Don't Cry" I imag ined the song being played at a 19505-style carhop restaurant while the band was completely decked out with the wardrobe from the television show "Happy Days." The band doesn't necessarily show off virtuoso musicianship in fact it sounds like they're far from that level. Most of the albums' guitar and bass tracks sound like someone could play them after only a couple of lessons. What upset me about "Halcyon Digest" is that a lot of the songs sound a tad depressed and drained of any and all energy. I found myself yawning and nearly falling asleep to "Sailing" from the moment the song began. Then all of a sudden I woke up a few hours later to a dead MP3 player and head phones still uncomfortably lodged in my ears. "Halcyon Digest" sounds like a manic-depres sive with a knack for creating superbly melodious music wrote it because the mood of the album shifts constantly. One song that dishes out plenty of energy, and my personal favorite on the album, is "Revival." It's short, sweet and clocks in at just over two minutes long with a groovy bass line and a clur rus that'll make you wish you knew the words so you can sing along. Grade: B+ Download: "Revival• To e-mail reporter gbs267opsu.edu It's rare that indie bands man age to make as much noise as Deerhunter. It could go big-time and get a major record label deal if it want ed to, but that would defi- Well, count EA Sports in the long list of people and groups that have made me look stupid. "FIFA Soccer 11," the lat est development in EAs soccer franchise, has taken ,everything"FlFA 10" and is 50 sports game of the year awards did and improved upon it. With this year's "FIFA," it's the minor things that count. For the first time, "FIFA" game players will be able to feel the difference in indi vidual soccerpLayers with the new "Personality+" fea ture. Real Madrid's brilliant Kaka plays like Kaka, with great touch, deft passing and h tremendous shot..PhiladelPhia Union Center back Danny Calif playslike Danny ouT of Position, slow and fly ing into every slide tackle with his spikes ug to draw needless ypllow,cahls. Yes, Maior League Soccer,is in this gam, and no, the klnited State's suc cess in the World Cap has noel the domestic, lefigtic,The first game -• throdthivith the UMon, it took untfithe 60th tifinute for one , of the!'csiktile mid fielders torn good run. If you'r,e expeqting .good `Social' film Reviewed by Joshua Glossner COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER At first, I was skeptical about seeing "The Social Network" because Hollywood's version of real-life events can be overly fictionalized. But director David Fincher proved me wrong. . Fuicher did a fantastic job bringing the audience into the story behind how Facebook or - thefacebook" as it was called first started. Jesse Eisenberg stars as Harvard undergrad Mark Zuckerberg, co founder of Facebook. Early in the movie, Mark is one of those characters you want to hate but then again, maybe he just wants to belong. Mark starts making enemies after his girlfriend breaks up with him and he blogs about her. Inspired late one night to start a new website called "Facemash," Mark hacks into Harvard's servers to find pictures of female students. Visitors compare these girls side by-side to decide which one is more attractive. Facemash leads to Mark getting in huge trouble with Harvard authori ties. `FIFA better than ever Reviewed by Andrew Robinson COLLEGIAN STAFF WRITER There really doesn't seem to be a lot of things a devel oper could change in a game about soccer. Soccer's a simple game with easy enough rules to understand. keeps his cool with sarcastic humor that lightens the situation. Cameron and Tyler Wmklevoss, wealthy Harvard twin brothers played by Annie Hammer with body double Josh Pence, approach Mark after the incident with an idea that would lead to the multi-billion dollar social net working site. They wanted to make a site similar to MySpace or Friendster that would allow Harvard students to meet each other and Mark was the perfect programmer to help them. But Mark comes out with his own version of the website, which of course leads to trouble with the twins. They try to find ways to claim Mark stole the idea of Facebook. The first half-hour of the movie may be confusing. The movie has a series of flash backs during the two lawsuits Mark is involved in one with the Winklevoss twins and another with Mark's college best friend Eduardo Saverin, another co-founder of Facebook. The scenes of flashbacks and the lawsuits blend in with each other, so the viewers may not catch the concept until later on in the movie. But the actors made the characters relatable, er cially for collt stu- MICEI hFs' soaxn runs in general, you may want to go play soccer out side instead:lU game'S notverfeet, and vvhilethe AI has greatly imprbvat, it stilttakes a bicof kick to bave a striker or winger cut i;iside for a good run. This problem is easily solvedby passing to the wing and making the run yourself. I , IIA is well known for having &huge selectioo of teams to Choose from, and milling's clanged from last year. Whilq_a planer can go from the top flight, ungiet-s sally recognized squads", like Barcelona and kifanchksfer— United, 4 , they ban also.go todow-A, level leagues like As England's nitniire,r Chwußionship League-24, Itabr't Serie B andthe , But the friliernatienei croup still Lapin :some, 7„ coupieslhat haiefifee7n over the last few - yoars, most , or Mirpt, thWorldr "ft aLwiew ' . • •:".".."' - , : 55 : 5- "r ' : ' 5‘3 54- - 5 - • 7ifir' Oscar-worthy Cup and those vuvuzuelas, j a real soccer match fea tures 90-plus minutes of non-stopthanting and song. For the first time, FIFA users on XBox can go ouliue and download the * trademark chants of their preferred club team. Again, it may seem like a small thing, but playing a Liverpool match at Anfield with the•Knp chasing abOut Steven.Gerwd adds a level of fealistnyou can't get in any other soccer game. The t arnelas also upped the ante on creation, allow ing Custom chants and " french": - noletr ith • THE DAILY COLLEGIAN $ ~z~ Jr r; y.~; F~ 7A ~: p.. ". played by Andrew Garfield, is one of the most likeable characters because he displays the most relatable emo tions. Eduardo ends up getting the cold shoulder from Mark after Napster creator Sean Parker, played by Justin Timberlake, steps into the picture, naturally creating drama within the ranks. Sean is another potentially hateable character when he tries to split up Mark and Eduardo's partnership. Eduardo is the sympathetic charac ter most of the time. As the movie progresses, similari ties between Mark and Sean in their motives for creating their web sites and how they get into legal trou ble are revealed. "The Social Network" gives Facebook lovers the chance to learn about how it got started in 2003. It also allows those who love Justin Timberlake to see him finally come out the cave he's been hiding in for the past months. I have to agree with Rolling Stone when it said " 'The Social Network' is the movie of the year." I can see this movie getting nomina tions for next year's Oscars. Grade: A 10's four and gives the 'option to experience it as a player,, player-maniger or manager. Overall, FIFA Soeier 11 is a step-up from last year's game without sacrificing' . anything that made FIFA 10 so great. While some of the fea tures may need,: a little tweaking, there's more than enough to keep gamers playing ued scoring world-clase goals. Grade: A To e-mail repoiter adrso799lpsu.edu
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