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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
The Cavalier Daily
Bend it like Beckett Candace Carter Senior Writer
If there’s one thingcollege students across the nation need, it’s hope. We hope that we didn’t do as horribly as we think we did on that final. We hope for a miraculous explosion of motivation so we can complete all of our readings. We hope that Runk dining hall will serve something other than hamburgers for dinner. Hope is central to our lives here at U.Va., which is the message that former The Academy Is… frontman William Beckett brought to the University this past Sunday. His performance served as a fundraiser for the University chapters of To Write Love on Her Arms and STEP UP!, two on-Grounds organizations that work to support community members dealing with mental illness, addiction or
abuse of any form. Both University chapters have expanded their membership and outreach efforts in recent years, factors which greatly contributed to their ability to have such a large-scale fundraiser. Beckett has worked with TWLOHA at various levels extensively in the past, including appearing in the national organization’s tent at the popular summer music festival Vans Warped Tour several times. He credits his interest in groups such as these to a relatively bumpy childhood. “Being the new kid every year or two was tough,” he said, referencing his family’s frequent moves from place to place. His sister also found the instability quite difficult to manage — she dealt with depression and anxiety for a time. After witnessing her struggles, Beckett sees participation in events
like the University fundraiser as a way of “supporting what I believe in.” Beckett said he looked forward to performing in Charlottesville, mentioning how special a show can be for the performer and audience members alike when there is an atmosphere of shared experience, feeling and emotional investment. Beckett also emphasized the specialopportunity provided by more intimate shows like Sunday’s, where is able to perform as a solo artist. In the past several years, his “perspective has widened quite a bit,” and these individual performances allow him “to continue to grow” as an artist. “I’m just honest,” Beckett said when asked about the process of infusing his feeling and emotion into the music. “I don’t really think about it as persona strategy.”
Matthew Leon Staff Writer
Wigged out? Former Pavement frontman unloads solid, unspectacular solo album
Courtesy Wikimedia Commons
Stephen Malkmus, former lead singer and guitarist of Pavement, is at it again with his new album “Wig Out At Jagbags.” Frequently cited as one of the most influential indie bands of the ‘90s, Pavement was formed by three University graduates in the early 1990s and went on to release five incredible albums. Since Pavement’s disbandment in 1999, Malkmus has released six albums with his solo vessel, The Jicks. Though Malkmus’ work with The Jicks sounds quite different than the sound found on his noise-laden lo-fi Pavement masterpieces “Slanted and Enchanted” and “Crooked Rain, Crooked Rain,” Malkmus
has consistently been able to churn out indie-rock gems without the rest of Pavement. “Wig Out at Jagbags” kicks off immediately with a fuzzy, relentless groove on “Planetary Motion.” Layered, harmonizing guitars weave in and out of each other in overlapping solos, creating a psychedelic jam that lives up to Malkmus’ sparkling reputation in the indie rock community. Every song has a perfect balance of distortion and sweet harmony. The album is filled with catchy pop tunes paired with Malkmus’ distinct sardonic voice, trippy psychedelic jams and horn sections. Many of the songs seem like they could have been recorded on later Pavement albums like “Terror Twilight,” but still have a distinctly different taste than the typical Pavement sound. As soon
Courtesy deviantart.com
Courtesy altpress.com
as one of his tracks gets a tiny bit monotonous or boring, he adds an attention-grabbing turn or riff to jerk the listener back into a state of musical bliss. His sarcastic but sharp lyrics make clever puns about punk rock on “Rumble at the Rainbo.” But even as each songs hits the perfect mix of catchy and interesting to listen to, they are nowhere near as innovative or groundbreaking as his work with Pavement. No, what makes this album stand out from the rest of the indie-pop jargon around these days is Malkmus’ witty lyricism and urge to always add some weird twist to his songs. As different as Malkmus is, however, he and listeners alike realize he’ll never change the music landscape. But, then again, why change something that works?