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Features

FEATURES

Eminem, Norah Jones top this year's list of nominees

I'd like to thank the academy - no seriously, thanks a lot. Thanks for another year of firework stage shows, Britney and Justin after-party gossip and a post and pre-show red carpet walk with that hot babe, Kurt Loder. Thanks for recognizing those "artists" who bring in millions for their record companies, then disappear from the planet three years later. But before I throw popcorn at the television and complain about who won and who should have won, we've gotta look at the nominees and make the best of it. What would the Grammies be without him?

FEATURES

'Lifted' leaves listeners feeling everything but

Joey Guillen
January 7, 2003

Bright Eyes' "Lifted or The Story is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground" is a hard album to categorize; if I had to, I'd file it under 'Emo for losers.' If you can get past the first whiny, lyrically challenged track, "The Big Picture," you might be a fan - but don't go publicly admitting that. After nearly two minutes of background noise, Conor Oberst cries about "trying to find your way out of that maze of memories," whatever that means.

FEATURES

Kresge brings pieces of Russian culture to 'U'

Megan Frye
January 7, 2003

In a city where the sun appears only about 65 days during the year, where weeks of little sleep stem from never-ending summer daylight, where the rate of alcoholism is among the highest in the world - the art is bound to be interesting and diverse.Religious confusion, scratched-out faces and demonic creatures make up part of this winter's "The Brotherhood of Free Culture: Recent Art from St.

FEATURES

Gallery opens new exhibit

Ben Landes
January 7, 2003

Otherwise Gallery opened its new exhibit, "Waking the Slumber: Otherwise Originals," last weekend for a reception and an awards presentation."We had a really good showing; we had over 75 people here and the place was packed," said Alison Alfredson, program director for the gallery, 1207 Turner St.

FEATURES

Sponge triumphs with new release

Elysia A. Smith
January 7, 2003

What does it take to make an honest album? Or better yet, what does it take just to make it? With two successful albums under its belt, the Motor City's Sponge turned local ripples into national waves.

FEATURES

New releases

A wide variety of "best of" albums are lining shelves everywhere today.The much awaited remastered collection of classic songs from the late Eazy-E, "Eternal E: Best Of," will be a great addition to any hip--hop fan's record collection.

FEATURES

Kubrick's political, military satire proves truly timeless

Although its original intent was to satirize politics and military policy during the Cold War, "Dr. Strangelove or: How I learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb" packs a wallop of a punch that can easily be applied to our current dilemma with international relations.

FEATURES

Music download sites broaden horizons, save budgets

My car has more than 102,000 miles on it and is due for some much needed repairs. They won't happen anytime soon, however, since I'm about $18,000 in debt and I still owe my brother a birthday gift from August. This with only a few hundred dollars to my name.

FEATURES

Mraz lights fire in 'U' at first Michigan gig

Ben Landes
December 6, 2002

Jason Mraz walked on stage with a red mesh baseball cap tilted slightly to the right, an acoustic guitar and a baggy gray MSU sweatshirt.The sweatshirt, however, quickly came off."It's hot as shit in here," Mraz said, flustered from the rising temperature because of the almost-packed Union Ballroom on Wednesday night.

FEATURES

Semester in film filled with good, bad and much worse

Casey Mcnenly
December 6, 2002

After 300 miles in the white wagon, 2,850 minutes of film and $150 in ticket stubs and even more in free passes, this film reporter is prepared to give a few parting shots to the industry that gave him so little and took so much. In fact, the entire entertainment industry is on the hook. And through 30 films, I was reduced to a pawn in the entertainment world.

FEATURES

Domestic Problems to play last show

Ben Landes
December 6, 2002

After 10 years of touring and five solid albums, Domestic Problems will perform its final show in its hometown of Grand Rapids, at the Intersection on New Year's Eve. "We're just stopping, that's what we're calling it," said frontman and primary songwriter Andy Holtgreive.

FEATURES

'Extreme Ops' an extreme flop

Casey Mcnenly
December 5, 2002

Throw in a group of skiers, stunt performers and camera crew trying to shoot an extreme commercial with the Austrian Alps and a war criminal and you're bound to get a confusing film. "Extreme Ops" is just that. The distinction between the actor and characters is blurred by the separate goals of the film and its characters. The production crew discovers an unfinished ski resort at the top of a range dividing the former Yugoslavia and Austria.