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FEATURES

RES deserves recognition for How I Do

by MARK HICKS For The State News RES is not a typical artist. A genre-crossing talent, RES (pronounced Reese) has produced a bold, daring, but pleasing first effort with “How I Do,” a record that has been overlooked by critics since its release last year. This album proves she deserves some mainstream recognition. She refuses to conform to one genre, blending hip-hop, soul, R&B, folk, organic pop, rock, drum ’n’ bass and electronica to create an adventurous, unique and refreshing sound miles above any typical R&B record - if it can be categorized as that. The disc opens with the lounge-y, drum ’n’ bass-styled “Golden Boys,” a social commentary of sorts in which RES admonishes the illusions created by “a prince in all of the magazines.” The orchestra-like instrumentals fuse with her fierce vocals to create an atmospheric, innovative cut that will leave listeners entranced. The best song is “They-Say Vision,” a pure pop/rock masterpiece awash with moody, sonorous guitars and infectious, thought-provoking hooks.

FEATURES

Aja stinks with Before the Beginning

The cliché “never judge a book by its cover” fits this record to a tee. At first glance, the misperception is that this is another trend artist trudging through the well-established footprints of “neo-soul-soothing-goodness.” Nope. Actually, Aja mingles with the “I want to be Alanis Morissette” crowd - and poorly at that.

FEATURES

Latest Lampoons misses mark

Drew Harmon
April 9, 2002

As someone who is soon graduating from college, I look back fondly on my time here. On losing my virginity (no, it wasn’t last week), on getting drunk a lot in the dorms, or that time my friends and I horribly beat a hobo and hid his body in a Dumpster. Well, maybe not the last one.

FEATURES

Judd obnoxious in empty, B-class High Crimes

Drew Harmon
April 9, 2002

Man, where to begin? I have so much bile to spew forth regarding the new Ashley Judd vehicle, “High Crimes,” that it may all come out as one long sentence, full of hate and rage for all the time I wasted watching this stinker. It’s a Lifetime movie with a bigger budget.

FEATURES

Hash Bash lights up Ann Arbor with pro-marijuana message

Leslie Escobar
April 8, 2002

Ann Arbor - Amidst the watchful eyes of police officers, visitors to the 31st annual Hash Bash still managed to hit the hookah. The line to smoke the flavored tobacco from the pipe was just one of the attractions of the pro-marijuana event, which was kicked off with a rally on the Diag of the University of Michigan’s campus. Cheers of “Marijuana, marijuana, hey, hey, hey, get high,” were sung over and over again as signs proclaiming “Hemp: It’s food, not drugs” and “Legalize freedom” were held up by protesters on the Diag. “I think it went real well and I think it was a good crowd,” said Hash Bash organizer Adam Brook.

FEATURES

Sesame Street brings friendship message to Breslin

Tanee Elston
April 5, 2002

“Sesame Street Live” visits Breslin Center today and Saturday with its production of “Let’s Be Friends!” Marketing manager Tara Peplowski said everyone can enjoy the humorous “Sesame Street Live.” “‘Sesame Street Live’ is a family program that comes to the Breslin every year,” Peplowski said.

FEATURES

Rap team performs tonight

Dan Julian
April 5, 2002

The Common Grounds Coffeehouse, in the basement of Akers Hall, is again the best bet for this weekend, presenting Ann Arbor’s Athletic Mic League tonight. Described as a rap group with smooth flow, the seven-member team mixes rap, jazz and funk together into an irresistible sound that will please any hip-hop guru. Selfsez, Wandering Image and Third Degree will open the show. Hiphopinfinity.com called one of Athletic Mic League’s first albums, “The Thrill is Gone,” released in 2000, “one of the Midwest’s best albums of the year, and one of the best-produced LPs in all of underground hip-hop.” Songs can be sampled at its Web site, www.athleticmicleague.com. Tickets are $5 for MSU students with ID and $6 for everyone else.

FEATURES

Lord of the Rings still a must-see

Drew Harmon
April 5, 2002

We are truly in a nerd paradise, folks. No other time has ever held so many opportunities for people to ignore hygiene and indulge in our favorites: Superheroes, science fiction and most of all, “Lord of the Rings.” This weekend, why not indulge that “Rings” fascination one more time?

FEATURES

Strip dreams

Leslie Escobar
April 5, 2002

Royal Oak - With a foosball table and entertainment center adorned with beer bottles complementing a pair of skis in the corner, Adam Miller’s apartment has that laid-back college, bachelor pad feel. But Miller, a 1998 MSU graduate, is no longer a college student - he’s an engineer in Royal Oak grappling with his transition into the working world. Sitting in the living room after a long day of work, he seemed wistful for his college days but noted his beer posters, often standard college decor, had been replaced by a few paintings and other kinds of artwork. When Miller, 27, was a student, he studied engineering arts.

FEATURES

Weekend guide

Friday • P.T. O’Malley’s will donate a portion of the cover charge on Friday to the American Cancer Society’s Relay For Life event at MSU, the 24-hour team event to fight cancer is being held April 20-21 at Jenison Field House.

FEATURES

Play brings commitment-phobia to stage

Tanee Elston
April 4, 2002

Commitment frightens so many, and a production performed by the Lansing Civic Players, called “Company” by Stephen Sondheim, raises the issue of settling down. Director Tom Klunzinger said it’s a musical comedy that was first presented in 1970. “It’s musical comedy about married couples and relationships in New York,” Klunzinger said.

FEATURES

India.Arie: Neo-soul artist returns to roots for MSU performance

Dan Julian
April 4, 2002

Ernestine McMullen remembers when her daughter, Joyce Simpson, called her in 2000 to tell her some great news - that Simpson’s daughter, India.Arie, found an agent to help her distribute her music after a performance at the Lillith Fair in Nashville, Tenn. That agent was Reen Malli, a talent scout for Universal Music Group.

FEATURES

Disc features rare, live tracks

Dan Julian
April 3, 2002

It’s about time this record be released. Perhaps the most influential forerunner of the early punk rock movement, Richard Hell co-founded, penned, sang and played bass in numerous New York-based punk rock bands beginning in the early ’70s. The double album is full of studio material, mostly unreleased, while the second disc features ragged live recordings from his numerous projects, including the Voidoids and the Heartbreakers, among others. The first few tunes on the first disc sound like they were recorded in a barren garage with one mic hanging from the rafters, but they encompass the overall feeling of D.I.Y (do it yourself) in the best way. I’m sure during the years those tracks might have been scuffed a bit, but the imperfect sound quality of each song makes the album that much better. Tracks like “I’m Your Man” come across nicely, even featuring an almost doo-wop harmonization from backup vocalists - parts of it are even reminiscent of a Pixies track - while “Crack of Dawn” is high-pitched guitar oozing to the max. The title track is one of the album’s best, while “I Can Only Give You Everything” staggers along with a guitar riff that current artist Beck borrowed on his single “Devil’s Haircut.” Other tracks, which feature horns, could be played at Marty McFly’s “Enchantment Under the Sea Dance” in the movie “Back to the Future.” The sound quality of the live disc is less than favorable, but it’s a nice addition to the package, and the liner notes feature a book’s worth of photos and stories about the band. This release is an effective and concise portrait of one of the greatest pioneers of punk rock that should have been released years ago.

FEATURES

Custom manages to fail Fast

Dan Julian
April 3, 2002

After a first listen, it’s easy to dismiss Custom as another Everlast or Staind rip-off. Better yet, just a one-hit wonder with the popular “Hey Mister,” the controversial song about pedophilia. After a second listen, those feelings intensify. In “Mess,” Custom rambles on about how his parents made a huge mistake with him, while “Streets” is the worst song released by an artist, any artist, since everything in Limp Bizkit’s catalogue (except “Break Stuff,” it’s possible to hate Fred Durst but like that tune, right?). “Morning Spank” is a Sugar Ray song that carries the message that “there is no piece of ass worth a friendship.” But there are some tasty nuggets in this otherwise undercooked pile of unwanted chicken parts.