6 AQUINAS THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2009 7 Arts & Life Editor Joe Wolfe Brand New’s darker “Daisy” VMAs still full Campus Comment COMMentarY BY Arts Life Nicholas Chinman Dervela O’BRIEN of surprises & Staff Writer In the aftermath of the West Fans of the alternative-rock COMMentarY BY incident, Swift stunned the audi- band, Brand New, are anxiously TIM SIMpsON ence with her live performance. Download awaiting the release of the band’s Staff Writer She sang her award winning “9” just short of a perfect 10 fourth album entitled “Daisy,” single “You Belong with Me” in a which is scheduled to be released On September 13, the 2009 crowded New York City subway of the September 22. After almost three MTV Video Music Awards took COMMentarY BY with fans providing the back- years of touring and writing new place at Radio City Music Hall ground vocals to her tune. She JEREMY Evans material since their well-received in New York City. For the sec- week glowed with enthusiasm while Staff Writer “The Devil and God Are Raging ond consecutive year, the event spinning around in circles, danc- Inside Me,” the Long Island native was hosted by comedian Russell ing on the seats and involving In 2005, Shane Acker created band has worked hard to put to- Brand. several members of the crowd an animated short as a student “Pale Blue gether their latest album, which is The night began with a heart- in her upbeat performance. Af- project. He crafted a fascinating sure to surprise its listeners. felt speech delivered by Madon- ter leaving the subway, she and world, one which caught the at- “Daisy” follows many of the na in honor of her late friend Mi- PHOTO BY BRAND NEW MYSPACE PAGE her fans ran to the front of Radio tention of many in the film-mak- Eyes” same dark philosophical themes chael Jackson. Several of Jackson’s BRAND NEW exhibits their deeper and darker side on “Daisy.” City Music Hall where Swift con- ing business. The short was nomi- presented within their past two most recognizable songs such as cluded by dancing on a car above nated for an Academy Award for albums, “Deja Entendu” and “The shows the band’s new spin on concludes with “Noro,” a song that “Thriller,” “Smooth Criminal” and -The Velvet her screaming fans. best animated short film, but lost Devil and God Are Raging Inside conveying their characteristic raw neatly ties the album together, re- “Bad” were played alongside a Another exciting performance out to “The Moon and the Son: An Me,” however its unique sound re- emotions of anger and desponden- peating the same hymn-like sing- choreographed number to com- occurred when Lady Gaga took Imagined Conversation.” How- veals the band’s evident maturity cy. Right from the onset, the band ing that opens the album. memorate the “King of Pop’s” Undeground the stage. The highly anticipat- ever, this short caught the eye of over the past decade. Brand New sets the stage of what’s in store for In one of his rare interviews achievements. Janet Jackson also ed performance began with her film maker Tim Burton, who was released the record’s first single “At the rest of the album. featured in the United Kingdom’s made a special guest appearance smash hit, “Poker Face,” until it impressed by Acker’s work and the Bottom” at the end of August, In songs like “You Stole” and music magazine “Kerrang!,” lead to perform her hit song “Scream,” There are not too many quickly shifted to her latest hit wished to see the short become which captures the band’s appar- “At the Bottom,” listeners get a singer Jesse Lacey admits, “we a song that she and Michael re- bands that consistently show “Paparazzi.” Her performance a feature length film. While call- ent innovativeness. The creation glimpse at the band’s new ap- were thinking a lot more about corded together in 1995. Jackson’s up in other bands’ “greatest included bizarre movements ing “9” a feature length film is a of new album allowed the band to proach at folk/alternative music what we’d want to play when we life and career as a groundbreak- and even more eccentric cloth- stretch - 80 minutes long is well influnces” lists as much as further experiment with their con- mirroring that of the indie-rock were up onstage” and offers that er in the music industry was ing choices. Gaga then caused shy of the average length of two The Velvet Underground. tinually changing sound, combin- band, Modest Mouse. the new album is “quite dense.” honored throughout the entire PHOTO BY MCTCAMPUS the entire music hall to gasp in hours for feature films - viewers ing deep lyrics, melodic verses and Despite their attempt at an orig- Though it shares many of the ceremony. SHANE ACKER excites audiences as he brings them into an unknown and magical world full of Although “The Velvet Un- shock when she started gushing will certainly get their money’s heavy screaming. inal sound, songs like “Gasoline” same aggressive attributes as their There are several moments stunning visuals. derground & Nico” is their blood from her chest. Naturally, worth. The new record calmly com- and “Bought a Bride,” include the previous works, “Daisy” is sure to during this year’s VMAs that claim to fame, their album it was planned and her perfor- With Tim Burton as producer, it’s amazing to think the short was pect of the film couldn’t quite live lowing the audience to familiarize mences with a piano accompa- post-hardcore choruses of emo- gain much praise and attention caused quite a bit of controversy. mance ended on a rather morbid Acker succeeded in putting to- done merely as a student project. up to the animation. So much at- themselves with them. The film’s “The Velvet Underground” is nied hymn-like tune in the open- tion-filled screaming that longtime from its audience after the first For example, Taylor Swift was note when she dangled above gether a stellar cast that does not What Acker managed to do with tention went into creating and short runtime could easily have equal in quality. ing track “Vices.” The vintage yet fans love and associate with Brand few listens. Be sure to check out the winner in the “Best Female her dancers, bleeding out of her disappoint. Voice talents include his limited technology and budget animating the characters and the been extended twenty or thirty elegant sounding female vocals New. Other tracks, including “Sink” Brand New this fall, when they will Video” category with her music This is most evident in the eyes. Elijah Wood, Christopher Plum- was simply astounding. However, world that they inhabit that the minutes to give all the characters are unexpectedly juxtaposed with and “Daisy,” reflect the band’s pre- be promoting “Daisy” on tour with video for “You Belong with Me.” track, “Pale Blue Eyes,” as The night also included a sneak mer, Jennifer Connelly and John as gorgeous as the short was, the characters and plot do come off a little more depth. heavy instrumentals and post- vious efforts, nevertheless have a an assortment of bands including She was awestruck because it Lou Reed exhibits his calm- peek at the final trailer for “The C. Reilly. All of them perform well feature length film blows it out as somewhat flat. The title char- That said, “9” is definitely a film hardcore screaming. The sudden much more mature and well-artic- Thrice, Glassjaw, The Dear Hunter was her first “moonman” win. Twilight Saga: New Moon.” in their respective roles. All actors of the water. The visuals have acter, named 9, a sapient rag doll, worth seeing. Fans of Tim Burton ing vocals, layered with in- change in style and dynamics ulated sound to them. The album and Manchester Orchestra. Swift began her acceptance do a wonderful job in bringing a haunting beauty to them that wakes up in a post apocalyptic will not be disappointed. As for strumentals, that rock the speech discussing how she never A final memorable moment their characters to life. In par- seems right at place among Tim future and discovers others of his Burton, he may have found his suc- thought she could win a “moon- brought Swift back out on stage listener to sleep. to continue her acceptance ticular, Elijah Wood, a veteran of Burton movies. Acker’s attention kind as they hide from a mechani- cessor in Shane Acker. Without a “Pale Blue Eyes” is the man” as a country singer. She the “Lord of the Rings” franchise, to detail every step of the way is cal creature known as the Beast. doubt, Acker brought to the screen was then interrupted by rapper speech that egocentric West cut was certainly no stranger to epic commendable - never at any point Much of the movie simply con- an engaging and eerily bewitching perfect first track for any- Parachute lands in Scranton Kanye West, who appeared on short. While Beyoncé accepted tales of dangerous journeys and does the animation falter. The ani- cerns long (though extremely well world. It’s simply a shame that all one trying to familiarize stage for what seemed like a pre- the “moonman” for “Video of the John C. Reilly, although a bit out of mation style may be off-putting to choreographed and beautifully the attention that went into this themselves with The Velvet REBECCA SCHMAELING they both attended. with Secondhand Serenade, and rehearsed “stunt” that MTV is Year” she told the audience that she too was nervous and excited his usual comedy style, turns in a some, but the meticulous way that animated) action sequences.