Arts & Culture

Diehard Decemberists fans will be more than pleased to hear the familiar voice of lead singer Colin Meloy and even more pleased to hear the old-indie-metalish-folk sound that we all know and have come to expect from this Portland band.

With traffic and car lights beaming brightly,a serene shade of blue sky andweather slowly cooling down,last Thursday night’s indie folk show at the John Natsoulas Gallery presented a great opportunity to enjoy the sounds of downtown Davis while soaking up the summer atmosphere. Local artist Ally Hasche performed at the John Natsoulas Gallery (located on the corner of First and E Street) with a set featuring various covers and some new music from her upcoming EP.Later,Scott Bartenhagen followed with a mellow folk set featuring new music from his own upcoming album,10Songs,10Men.

Experimental rock is probably the biggest umbrella a band canhide under to avoid criticism.Blunt genrelabeling ishurtful,so embracing the avant-garde approach to songwriting is an easy method for success in the underground world. Animal Collective’s brand ofexperimentation takes a broad approach to music creation.On the first listen one might think there’s way too much going on,and on the second and thirdspins the listener mightnot change his mind.Animal Collective piles on layers and layers of electronic sounds to what sounds like an electronic/rock equivalent of a beginning band’s warm-up routine.

West Ryder Pauper Lunatic Asylum is the third release from English electro-indie group Kasabian. If their second release Empire disappointed fans of their first self-titled release, WRPLA steps back to solidify the band’s foundation as a solid and electric rock group – perfect as a soundtrack for speeding (on your bike, of course).

In recent months, artists from around the world have been inclined to use synthesizers, talk boxes, auto-tune, pitch shifts and other various electronic devices, causing a gravitational shift toward glitzy electro pop in multiple other genres.

Dream Theater released Black Clouds and Silver Linings last June, achieving what just about anyone would consider successful acclaim after the album debuted at number six in the Billboard Top 200. This is even more of a success for a band that churns out 16-minute epics on a regular basis – effectively bringing progressive metal within the ranks of Lady GaGa and Hannah Montana.

We’re officially eight weeks into summer break and whether you’re taking summer sessions, busy working for some extra money or just kicking back and enjoying your freedom from academia, surely you’re wondering what there is to do on these quiet Davis nights. Memorizing every frozen yogurt flavor at Yolo Berry, Swirl and Yogurt Shack may take a week or two depending on skill, but what’s next?

MUSE spoke to artist Julia Elsas,a graduating student in the UC Davis MFA program.Elsas and four other graduating students – Crystal Haueter,Cynthia Horn,Evie Leder and Josh Short – present their work at the2009MFA Exhibition,currently on display at the Nelson Gallery in the Art Building.

MUSIC Multimedia Ensemble Today,8p.m.,free Technocultural Studies Building (formerly the Art Annex) Silent films are like a blank slate for musicians,and the UC Davis Multimedia Ensemble definitely cultivated a new idea when they scored Yasujiro Ozu‘s1934silent filmA Story of Floating Weeds.Led by music department lecturer Sam Nichols,the film is sure to provide an avant-garde and experimental version of one of film‘s early forms. Ian McFeron Band,Shannon Harney Today,10p.m.,$3,21 Sophia‘s Thai Kitchen Any band named after its lead is suspicious,and often terrible (well at least one well-known one is).But the Seattle-based Ian McFeron band shouldn‘t be feared,with their laid-back fiddle,slide guitar,Dylan-esque vocals and major-key strumming.Davisstudent Shannon Harney will perform as well.

Since the release of their tantalizing indie-pop EP,Chunk of Change,Passion Pit has been gaining popularity among hipsters all over the world. The six-track-long anthology was a Valentine’s Day gift for lead singer Michael Angelakos‘ girlfriend at the time and eventually circulated around Emerson College,where Angelakos was attending school. Soon after the mid-September release ofChunk of Change,Passion Pit’s music has been slowly introduced to the world by corporations such as PlayStation,MTV,Pitchfork and BBC’s Sound of2009.

Alas,here we reach the end,good readers.A good28weeks of you putting up with my Thursday antics really have gone by quickly,now haven’t they? And with my graduation coming up,it’s an especially vulnerable time for me to get all gooey on you.But the only tears that will be shed will be the ones from my right eye as it heals from a corneal ulcer,because I plan to leave on a contemplative yet light-hearted note.

An imprisoned princess,a plotting stepbrother,forbidden love and a bet.That Shakespeare suredid know how to write a story. This Friday and Saturday at7:30p.m.,the Integrated Studies8B:Playing Shakespeare class will perform Shakespeare’sCymbeline in Wyatt Theatre.The event is sponsored by the University Writing Programand the performance is free. The Playing Shakespeare class is offered every spring quarter and is taught by Dr.Eric Schroeder.Schroeder is known for wanting to study and perform each of Shakespeare’s plays in the class first,before repeating any.AsCymbeline is not one of Shakespeare’s most popular plays,this production will be full of surprises.