Sigur R

On March 29, Beck released his sixth major record label album, titled Guero. Guero is a Spanish term that means, “white boy.”Despite having leaked onto the Internet months ago and receiving so-so reviews for the leaked copy, the album debuted at number two on the charts, behind 50 Cent. For this album, Beck pulls out some very spunky and original beats. The whole album has a groovy summer feel to it, which mixes Beck’s smooth vocals and off-colored lyrics surprisingly well.In Guero, Beck resurrects some of the upbeat feeling and funky delivery from his most popular album to date, Odelay. As he does in that earlier album, Beck lays down some more laid-back jams.The first single from the album, “E-Pro” is a fast-paced, radio-friendly Beck concoction with a catchy refrain, which matches the mood of the beginning tracks of the album, such as the Spanish-influenced rap tune “Que Onda Guero,” and the light pop song “Girl.” In true Beck fashion, these songs have some interesting lyrics. In “Que Onda Guero,” he raps about a vegetable man and a vegetable van (his words, not mine), while in the song “Girl” he matches dark lyrics (Walking crooked down the beach/ she spits on the sand where their bones are bleaching) to the upbeat music. This isn’t to say that the whole album has this upbeat pop feel, however. Later in the album, Beck moves into more bluesy songs such as “Scarecrow” and “Go It Alone.” Also, Beck incorporates some slower beats and darker songs such as “Broken Drum” and “Farewell Ride,” which feature more distortion and a dreamy flow of music and lyrics. The faster and lighter songs return at the end of the album, in the song “Rental Car,” which would suit a summer drive on the Interstate and the progessive last song of the album, “Emergency Exit.” Guero differs greatly from Beck’s melancholy last release, Sea Change. The new album supplies a variety of moods and beats, which show Beck’s versatility and growth as an artist, while still retaining some of his trademark sounds. Beck fans should not be disappointed by this release.

The SDSU Student Film Festival will be held on Wednesday, April 20. The festival, hosted by the SDSU Film Society, will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the South Dakota Art Museum. This is the first year for both the Student Film Festival and the SDSU Film Society.

The purpose of the festival, according to Jeff Heinle, advisor to the Film Society, is to give students an opportunity to showcase the work they’ve done in and out of class, and provide them with an audience for their work while providing them with some feedback from viewers. Having an audience and receiving feedback, he says, are very important elements in learning and perfecting the skills of mass communication.

The festival will show works of many genres, including music videos, public service announcements, commercials and parodies. Jason Fuccello, Film Society president, says the term “movie” means “any combination of pictures and sound. It can tell a story, but it doesn’t have to. It can make sense, but doesn’t have to.”

Most films were class assignments, but a few outside films may be shown as well. A small committee from the Film Society screened the films.

The Film Society hopes to continue to hold this Student Film Festival annually, and in the future, award prizes for outstanding films.

The Film Society is also looking to bring in the South Dakota State Film Commissioner to speak this semester or next fall.

Students from every major are welcome. More information is available on the Film Society’s Student Film festival at www.freewebs.com/sdsufilmfestival.

Each year, different departments throughout SDSU are required to go through reaccreditation. Some students may not understand the importance of this process.

Being accredited means that the university and departments must commit to and comply with certain guidelines set by a commission or group of professionals and educators in education or a specific field of study. This is done to ensure that the accredited department is maintaining the standards of education set by the accrediting commission or group.

SDSU as a whole is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission and holds institutional membership in many other educational associations as well. This means that the university must be evaluated about every 10 years in order to ensure that it meets certain criteria in order to hold its accreditation from this commission.

The university must fill out its own evaluation papers, followed by an evaluation by a group of educators and professionals who visit campus and complete an additional evaluation. These evaluations are then taken to a board that decides whether the university should be reaccredited or not.

This process takes much preparation. In fact, for the university’s reaccreditation in 2000-2001, Vice President of Academic Affairs Carol Peterson, who has taken SDSU through three cycles of reaccreditation, began preparing for the process three years earlier, in 1997.

However, specific departments must also regularly undergo reaccreditation. This happens for the individual departments more often then the university, about every three to four years. The process begins for individual departments usually a year or two in advance and usually additional funds are needed for the department for the preparation. Between two and three departments undergo reaccredidation each year. The university currently holds accreditation in fifteen different departments.

The journalism department is one department on campus that is currently preparing for reaccreditation. This department is accredited through the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications, and has held accreditation since accrediting began almost 60 years ago.

Bob Dylan, considered the spokesman of a generation, didn’t like to do much talking – at least not about himself. His love and talent for folk music escalated him to great fame during a time when America was in protest, and his songs were considered the expression of restless American youth. This is the version of Bob Dylan that is widely accepted in our culture. Bob Dylan the cultural icon, however, differs greatly from Bob Dylan the man, and Dylan introduces readers to his personal self in his autobiography Chronicles: Volume One.

Although Dylan’s music was most popular before many of today’s college students were born, his music remains popular among young and older listeners alike. With his music, he painted pictures of the world around him, telling the stories of everyday people.

Like his music, his writing invites audience to see life the way he did. He adds an interesting perspective to the events that happened in his life. What he considered the highlights of his life and career are not the same events that were hyped up in the media or what one might expect to see in any other book about Bob Dylan. He instead focuses on points in his life where he had small and great epiphanies, and parts of his life that shaped his music and ideas. He also mentions some of his greatest musical influences and some of his songwriting methods, and describes his love of music as a way to tell stories and express ideas.

Dylan’s writing is very accessible and engaging. He insists that he is a simple family man from Minnesota who simply loved folk music. A large portion of his career, he writes, was spent trying to shake his image as the spokesman of his generation. He cringed when one announcer said, “Take him, he’s yours” while he was being introduced.

Dylan does a great job in this autobiography, as in his music, of bringing characters to life and telling their stories as well. The book is not written in chronological order, but instead printed in five different sections, each representing one part of his life or career. This causes the book to focus on individual events rather than his entire life at once.

Bob Dylan’s Chronicles: Volume One is the first in a series of self-penned books about his life. Volume One is supposed to be the most autobiographical of them all and the rest focus on different aspects of his music, life and his career.

Spring Break – with no classes, few demands and ignored homework for an entire week – it can be the highlight of a college student’s second semester.

Many students spend spring break with family, at work lounging in front of the TV. However, the blissful break of the spring semester can also be a college student’s (and MTV’s) wild dream.

Traditionally, tropical destinations, such as Cancun and Mazatlan, are favorite escapes for students, especially in these northern states. However, many students opt for a city getaway in places such as New York, Seattle or the City of Sin itself, Las Vegas.

Europe is also emerging as a popular destination, because packages are becoming more affordable to college students.

Amsterdam has become a popular European destinatiopn because it is well- known for its well-organized club circuit and many historical attractions, like the Anne Frank Museum.

Of course travel package prices vary depending on how far one intends to travel and how nice your accommodations are. For example, a trip to Amsterdam may cost between $976 and just over $1600.

Wherever one might choose to escape, there are certain things to keep in mind. It is a good idea to investigate whether the locals speak English. Also try to find out if an ATM, debit or PIN card will work at the location. Sometimes traveler’s checks are the best option. It is also important to investigate where dollars can be exchanged for local currency.

If your trip is part of a package check that the company sponsoring the trip is valid. Often, college students are ripped off on spring break trips.

You should choose a dependable travel agency that you trust. Also keep in mind whether tips are included in restaurant, hotel, and taxi bills or if further tipping is customary.

Because weather in some climates may change rapidly, investigate the weather forecast for your destination and pack accordingly.

Finally, be flexible. Don’t panic if your trip is not “perfect.” Relax and have fun. After all, that is the point of spring break.

Nirvana emerged as one of the most famous rock bands of the 1990s, propelled by the fast-selling album Nevermind and later, the famous suicide of Kurt Cobain, the voice and main songwriter of the band. Since Cobain’s death, interest in Nirvana and Cobain himself has grown steadily; dozens of books were written on Nirvana and Cobain, posthumous record sales remain steady and the band still receives sporadic radio play.

With the Lights Out, a final compilation of some of Kurt Cobain’s early demos and unreleased Nirvana songs, as well as numerous live recordings and radio appearances, was set to be released on the 10-year anniversary of Nervermind’s debut. However, the release was set back to 2004 due to legal discrepancies.

The boxed set, named after an almost indecipherable famous line of their most popular song, “Smells Like Teen Spirit” (With the lights out/ It’s less dangerous), contains some of the most raw and unapologetically grungy music currently being released. The first disk, filled with Nirvana’s earliest material is raw and boisterous at times, and some of the production is poor enough to make the material almost unlistenable-almost.

The second disk is filled with versions of some of the bands best-known songs, including Nirvana’s first live performance of the super hit “Smells Like Teen Spirit.” Cobain also delivers great solo acoustic renditions of “Where Did You Sleep Last Night,” “Lithium” and “Dumb.”

The third audio disk contains Nirvana’s latest material, kicking off the set with two different versions of the emotionally charged song “Rape Me.” The first half of the disk continues in this manner, serving up more rough, although poignant, rock songs such as “Heart-Shaped Box,” “Milk It” and “I Hate Myself and Want to Die.” But as the disk plays on, Cobain’s solo acoustic recordings are once again some of the greatest parts. The solo acoustic version of “You Know You’re Right” is a deeply emotional and engaging piece of work, and is one of the biggest moments of the entire boxed set.

The fourth and final disk is a DVD filled with live footage of Nirvana’s early rehearsals and performances. For most of the early rehearsal footage, Cobain sings into a microphone against the wall, so the early part of the DVD doesn’t boast much visual entertainment. However, the later live performances are a bit more explosive, and the “In Bloom” video that is featured is rather enjoyable and features Nirvana’s pre- Dave Grohl drummer, Chad Channing. The crowning moment of the DVD, and the set itself, is the final footage of the band singing a rendition of the ’70s pop song, “Seasons in the Sun,” with Cobain playing the drums and singing. The song is a fitting choice for the end of the collection, as it is a song of a man saying his final goodbyes to the world and his loved ones, as Cobain would soon do not long after the footage was shot.

Overall, this set is a very interesting collection of music from one of our times’ greatest bands and songwriters. I recommend it to anyone who is a modern rock music fan. The appeal of these songs is broad, as they range from blues to punk rock, and is well worth the price.

Starting this week, you might want to hold onto your shorts. SDSU’s theatre department is putting on The Underpants, a satirical comedy written by Carl Sternheim and adapted by Steve Martin. The story kicks off with a bit of a “wardrobe malfunction” when main character Louise Maske’s underpants accidentally fall down during a parade in the king’s honor. Her husband is furious, convinced that the incident would turn them both into social outcasts. However, this does not prove to be the case and instead turns Louise into a short-term celebrity.

This production, director JD Ackman points out, will not be like any other productions students may have seen. This production is designed to resemble a cartoon, with a colorful set designed by Cory Shelsta, part of the SDSU theatre faculty, and cartoon-ish sound effects and music.

The play stars Valerie Falken as Louise, and Jason Pratt as her husband. Other members of the cast are: Ryan Siebrasse, Carrie Brinker, Michael Christensen, Tommy Wedge, and Gavin Nachtigau.

The play opens at 8 p.m. Feb. 16 and goes until Feb. 19, then again from Feb. 23 through Feb. 26. A matinee will also be held on Feb. 19 at 2 p.m. All performances will be held at the Performing Arts Center’s Fishback Studio Theatre. Admission is free for SDSU students with valid student ID.

#1.885344:1407701215.jpg:underpants.jpg:Michael Christensen acts astonished at one of the last Underpants rehearsals before the show´s premiere.: