Arts & Culture

After playing a series of nine shows at the 2009 SXSW Festival, Los Angeles-based Local Natives soon gathered a flurry of positive reviews, briefly toured in England with the help of NME and landed themselves on the endearing indie label Frenchkiss Records (The Dodos, Antlers, Passion Pit) in late November. The alternative rock quintet, previously known as Cavil at Rest, released their debut LP Gorilla Manor earlier that month on UK’s Infectious Records and look forward to the official US release of Gorilla Manor in mid-February.

Miike Snow, a Swedish band formed in 2007, is a great listen for the indie electro-pop fan. Their music is marked by interesting fusions of instrumentals with electronically altered sounds, and subject matter that compares the singers to elements of the natural world. By reducing himself to his animalistic basics in songs such as “Animal” and “Plastic Jungle” (“I fucked a gorilla / I change shapes just to hide in this place but I’m still an animal”), lead singer Andrew Wyatt intensifies the trance-like mood common in most of the band’s music. Each song’s use of synthesizers always seems fresh and innovative rather than repetitive. Toe-tapping beats, varying subject matter and the impressive vocal range of this group keep the album interesting and refreshing.

After releasing a handful of popular singles on Kitsuné, Modular and R&S over the past year, Manchester’s trendy dance-rock quartet Delphic released their much anticipated debut LP Acolyte on Tuesday. The band currently holds third place on the BBC Sound of Music 2010.

The laid-back king of cool, Snoop Dogg, presents his own vision of Alice in Wonderland in his latest album, an amusing homage to the rapper’s own world. Each track is done in the traditional Snoop style, with straightforward beats and calm, confident raps. It’s unfortunate that, given Snoop’s distinctive star quality, nearly every track features another artist. While the inclusion of such artists as R. Kelly, Soulja Boy and Brandy provides nice variation, the album is not really a solo effort.

For most of today’s music listeners, the words “classical” and “guitar” probably do not sound like they belong in the same sentence.

Indecisiveness is frustrating.

UC Davis art students should feel honored. David Humphrey, a New York artist, has agreed to lecture and hold a book signing at the Technocultural Studies Building today from 4:30 to 6 p.m.

Most objects in the world function to organize and simplify our daily tasks. Without these tools, humans would be operating much more inefficiently. However, it is also often suggested that the appearance of an object may be of equal importance to its function, as form and function are often intertwined. Thus the goal of any designer is essentially to create a useful and aesthetically pleasing product.

The end of every UC Davis fall quarter is often marked by excitement for the break and the anticipation for what the new year will bring. We’re officially two weeks into winter quarter and with midterms just around the corner, it’s time to check out the Mondavi Center for the Performing Arts’ 2009-2010 season lineup before the quarter kicks up and tickets sell out.

AT THE MOVIES

Although Davis is reputable for its small town ambiance, the spirit and inspiration of its residents have greatly impacted the overall attitude and conventions of thinking in the art world. Robert Arneson was one of these individuals.

Ah, the budget cuts. Where else can we put all the pain and misery other than channeling it through a little artwork?