Film Review: The Great Gatsby

June 11, 2013

The camera doesn’t stop for a moment, always gyrating around millionaire Jay Gatsby (DiCaprio) and his confidante Nick Carraway (Maguire), the less than humble narrator, as the veil of the mysterious life of the great Gatsby slowly tears, revealing his true intentions behind the most extravagant parties ever seen. Which are truly a spectacle akin to Cirque Du Soleil on crack. Luhrmann brings to the table much of what made Moulin Rouge such a visual delight.

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Vandaveer Speaks About Their New Album and the History of Murder Ballads

June 7, 2013

Vandaveer treats the album with regard for the world the songs came out of. Heidinger’s spirited vocals and strong arrangements never shy far from the roots of the music, but without a doubt, Vandaveer’s take on these traditional songs is fresh and enjoyable. It is backing vocalist Rose Guerin who gives the songs a sense of their past as she gives a passionate and motherly voice to the female characters who are in most of the songs the victim of the violence.

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Greeley Blues Kicks Off 9th Year

June 5, 2013

On June 7th at Island Grove, the Greeley Blues Jam will be showcasing legendary British blues musician John Mayall who will be headlining the event. The ninth year of the festival, the Blues Jam has become an event that draws people in across the nation and provides an outlet for appreciation of the blues here in Colorado. It’s in no small part thanks to Greeley residents Pam Bricker and her husband, Al.

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Film Review: Star Trek Into Darkness

June 4, 2013

It’s difficult being a film buff in this era. On one hand, if you’ve always wished Hollywood would adapt your favorite comic book tales into well-made films that did more than sell toys to kids, it’s a great time to be a lover of film and all things geek. On the other hand, the monetary success that geek-friendly properties have achieved over the past decade, alongside the other successful blockbusters of The Aughts, has lead to Hollywood developing a fixation on only stories with built-in audiences, i.e. existing franchises instead of new, unproven films. If you wanted something truly unique or at least emotionally satisfying, your options are limited.

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Album Review: Yellowbirds

Songs from the Vanished Frontier is an album that is immediately attractive to the ear. “Stop Tonight” is a spacey, bubbling opening act for Vanished Frontier that leads to eight more pleasant tunes. In one of the singles from the new album “Young Men of Promise,” Cohen sings “Leaving you was like a car crash / I’m a river, you’re a raging sea.” The lyrics are delightful with a simple honesty that makes it one of the best tracks on Vanished Frontier.

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