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131 years in print Vol. CXXXI Issue XXXxII

THURSDAY | MARCH 3 | 2011

EBB AND FLOW LOSING STREAK

sports | 5

SNAPPED

Natural born musician parts waves in CCM.

spotlight | 2 COLLEGE–CONSERVATORY OF MUSIC

Budget cuts may lower admissions SCOTT WINFIELD | Senior Reporter

If next year’s budget cuts increase, the University of Cincinnati’s CollegeConservatory of Music might face recruitment issues and struggle to remain one of the nation’s top performing arts institute. UC’s budget cuts could climb upward of 20 percent, which in turn could mean a restriction on funds available for student recruitment for CCM. Michele Kay, chair of the Department of Theater Design and Production and an associate professor of stage management, and Stirling Shelton, an associate professor in CCM’s Technical Direction program, both voiced their opinions on the coming cutbacks. Kay attributes much of CCM’s production-budget funding to funds acquired through donations and through box office ticket Photo Provided by curt whitacre

MONEY PROBLEMS ABOUND Pending cuts at CCM might affect future recruitment for the renowned performing arts program.

sales, but shows concern for those funds as budget cuts inch closer. “We don’t know how [budget cuts] are going to affect us overall,” Kay said. “The one thing that is kind of nice is that our production budgets are sponsored by donors and our box office pays for our production budgets. So, hopefully that will remain untouched.” Most of CCM’s donations come from endowment offered by the Corbett Foundation. This endowment is then divided evenly among the various departments within CCM, and each recruiter must work within their limits to attract prospects while maintaining a balanced budget. “You get this amount of money, and I might get three or four thousand dollars this year to get four or five students,” Kay said. “Each student might get a thousand bucks, so it’s like here is some book money or here, this might be a meal plan for half a quarter.” The real concern for CCM recruiters is whether or not these incentives will be enough to attract the most talented prospects to CCM as it competes with other leading performing arts institutes around the country. CCM could also aim to retain funds for

recruitment by promoting its strengths and by cutting operations where necessary. “When you’re forced to budget in an earn-income environment, as much as you don’t want to think this way, you have to be colored a little bit in that you think, ‘I need to do shows that are going to put butts in seats,’ ” Shelton said. “We need to do shows that have casts that we have the diversity of talent to fill.” Shelton went on to cite examples of such instances. “Particularly with opera, if we have a whole group of tenors, then we pick operas that have a lot of tenors in them,” Shelton said. “If we don’t have a counter baritone, then we probably don’t do that opera.” Shelton also used metaphor to explain some of the changes CCM may need to make in operations in order to remain efficient. “We’re all going to have to deal with a little less global support for this kind of thing so maybe the floor only gets mopped once a week instead of twice a week,” Shelton said. “Are we OK with that? I think we’re going to have to be. That’s the belt-tightening that we’re going to see.”

PHOTOs BY ELIZABETH Odum | TNR Contributor

SB5 TOWN HALL

Trustee, SG talk transit Jason Hoffman | Senior Reporter

HEARING VOTERS’ VOICES Ohio Sen. Kearney, Rep. Driehaus, Rep. Pillich and Councilman Young stated their opposition to Senate Bill 5, answered questions from the audience and allowed those in attendance to make statements concerning the legislation.

Emergency town hall meeting called at UC “We are very concerned about this at UC,” McNay said. “We think it damages our ervor concerning Ohio ability to maintain this great university. The AAUP was founded on principles of Senate Bill 5 came to the Tangeman University Center’s Great Hall at the academic freedom and shared governance and we think these are under attack by this University of Cincinnati Tuesday as state legislation. These are important things to legislators hosted a town hall meeting to maintain the quality of a university.” discuss the controversial bill. As the oldest and largest chapter of the Many in the audience were firmly AAUP in Ohio, McNay said the AAUP will be against the bill. leading the way in defending those rights. “I was very pleased that the Republicans Although less visible, those who supported called and asked me what’s wrong with the the bill were vocal of their views as well. bill, out of the blue,” said James O’Reilly, a “This needs to be a wakeup call,” said law professor at UC. “What I told them is the Tea Party member John Fitch. “We don’t alternative of not having collective bargaining have enough money, and the government — having individual grievances, having the is spending too much money … we need to potential for strikes, having a lot of conflict uphold constitutional — does not work.” law, know our true Dan Labotz, a former history and principles Socialist congressional and have discussions candidate, sees SB5 as on those instead an aggressive attack. of [SB5].” “We are in a war to In its current form, destroy the American Senate Bill 5 revokes labor movement,” the rights of public Labotz said. “Today —john mcnay employees to strike. there are more public president of UC’S aaup These include members employees in unions chapter of police or fire than there are private department, member sector employees in unions, and that is why the far right, backed by the big corporations of the state highway patrol, sheriff deputies, with billions of dollars, is financing this dispatchers, nurses units, employees of state schools for the blind and deaf, guards at attack on the unions. This is a war … the mental institutions, youth leaders employed big battle is in Wisconsin. We are with at juvenile correctional facilities and Wisconsin.” psychiatric attendants employed at mental President of UC’s AAUP chapter John health facilities. McNay agrees.

Anthony Orozco | NEWS EDITOR

F

We think [Senate Bill 5] damages our ability to maintain this great university.

STUDENTS SPEAK OUT UC students attended the town hall meeting, many of whom where outspokenly against SB5. A 99-page amendment to the bill was revealed Tuesday that would remove the right to strike for all public employees and replace binding arbitration with a system giving a legislative body authority to vote on public contracts. Along with the prohibition the right to collectively bargain with their employers, the SB5 also would limit teachers to bargaining only on their wages. The right to bargain for benefits, the time they work or how many kids are in a classroom would be stricken. Dispute resolution would be ended as well. The town hall meeting was a joint effort between the offices of Sen. Kearney, Rep. Driehaus, Rep. Pillich Rep. Dale Malory and Rep. Alice Reece.

Panel discussion analyses Libya Sean peters | Chief Reporter As tensions begin to rise in Tripoli, Libya.The University of Cincinnati’s history department presented “Revolution and Human Rights in Libya: Intervention or Not?” Wednesday in the Max Kade German Cultural Center. Panelists discussed a broad range of issues relating to the current social upheaval in Libya. Elizabeth Frierson, associate professor of history, spoke first and analyzed the demographic and motivation of the protesters, along with speculating the potential future leaders of a post-Gaddafi Libya. Assistant professor of history Ethan Katz followed with a dissection of Libyan/African affairs paired with American/Libyan foreign relations. Noting the reversal of Libya’s state system due to the “quasi imperialism” of the United Kingdom and United States in Eamon Queeney | PHOTO editor

EVALUATING THE UNREST Mohamed Banoun spoke at a panel discussion on recent Middle East protests hosted in the Max Kade German Cultural Center Wednesday night.

Student Government hosted its weekly proceedings Wednesday, where a new senator was elected and UC trustee Robert E. Richardson Jr. spoke about the possibility of the streetcar in Cincinnati’s future. Richardson, UC alumnus and former SGA president, discussed his reasoning for a rail car connecting uptown and downtown. “Looking at a city like Portland, the return on investment in a rail system is 3-to-1,” Robinson said in response to concerns about funding. The senate will discuss possible SGA involvement in the rail debate next week. Loren Willson, a first-year engineering student, was elected to an at-large senate seat via a majority vote. Willson presented a platform including increased SGA/student interaction via a web application and installation of Red Box video rental machines in Tangeman University Center. SGA President Drew Smith also announced that Homecoming was scheduled for Oct. 15, following the UC football game against Louisville.

the 20th century, Katz hypothesized on the challenges facing Libya in the next few years. Having just returned from Libya in January, speaker Mohamed Banoun gave a firsthand account of the current social atmosphere in Libya. Born and raised in Tripoli, Banoun’s speech offered a personal perspective as opposed to a scholarly view. Banoun lost his uncle, Mahmoud Banoun, to Gaddafi’s regime after speaking out against the government, which had been imprisoning and killing political dissidents. “When I came here in 1973, I knew [Gaddafi] was no good,” Banoun said. “He appointed only the people who agreed with his ideology to government positions.” After Banoun, assistant professor of history Stephen Porter spoke on what Libya may expect next. Porter discussed the diplomatic, economic and military responses Libya should prepare for in the coming months. After exploring the region’s role in establishing international human rights, he asked “How does the Middle East define human rights?” After the panelists spoke, the floor was opened to a Q&A session with the audience.

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Eamon Queeney | PHOTO Editor

DRUMMING UP SUPPORT UC Trustee Robert Richardson speaks to SG concerning the streetcar. INSIDE

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Weekend Edition March 3 | 2011 NEWSRECORD.ORG

SPOTLIGHT PHOTOs BY anna bentley | senior photographer

A BORN MUSICIAN Earl Rivers has been a CCM faculty member for more than three decades. He is the ensembles and conducting division head.

EBB AND F L OW Natural born musician parts music waves in CCM gin A. ANdo | editor-in-chief Earl Rivers is a man whose back very well may be more recognizable than his front. He is the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music ensembles and conducting division head. He is a director. He is also a prophet.

VISIONS OF MUSIC Rivers admits that music does not rule his life, and he is sometimes aggravated by it. He doesn’t want to be forced to listen to background music.

Rivers hears messages. The way things can be. The potential a particular musical score can achieve. Three different conductors performing a single piece may rearrange accents, volumes and stress different syllables that, ultimately, result in three singular versions. Rivers does that. He hears what sounds melodic and what is discordant. He is responsible for every word that comes out of every singer’s mouth. And he does it, back turned to the audience, with an intense grace that makes it hard to watch anything else. But if there is anything about Rivers’ front that is immediately noticeable, it is his eyes. Like wellset 10-carat pale blue topaz gems, Rivers’ eyes shine with a brilliance that makes eye contact effortless. Staring into them, even through his rimless glasses, is hard to not do. He is thin, but his clothes do not hang off his body. He moves with a dexterous elegance that makes it seem as though he would be more suitable to glide than utilize the gauche gait of a regular person. Even as he took my coat, there was a sense of regality in the way he moved. He knows how to tie a Windsor knot, I am certain. As we speak, he brushes off microscopic specks from his desk. Conducting, like his desk, is about keeping the foundation spotless and somehow rearranging the “papers” into organized stacks that augment the foundation. Rivers organizes dozens of people, dozens of voices and dozens of personalities into “stacks” on a spotless score. As a conductor, however, instead of just making sure the corners of documents are aligned, Rivers and his baton align waves of sound until each drop crests and falls in perfect synchronization. Crashing waves is a beautiful thing to hear, sure. But Rivers dams and releases each ebb and flow until it is a masterpiece. Everything about him is precise. From the way the collars of his shirt is tucked into his sweater to the way his shirt stays tucked in, impeccably so, as he

jerks his arms above his head when he wants his ensemble to peak in intensity. “I was a born musician,” Rivers says. A faculty member for more than three decades, Rivers is a professor of music and director of choral studies. He teaches. He conducts. He does most anything involving vocal music at CCM. But his ability to flourish, he says, is also indebted to the environment he is in. “The resources [at CCM] are incredible,” he says in his office, which has a sleek black Steinway piano in the corner. “World-class faculty bring in worldclass students. The facilities are the most important.” And, undoubtedly, one of CCM’s renowned facilities is the Corbett Auditorium. Inside the wooded walls, Rivers stands atop a platform during a rehearsal. The time has come for vocalists on both sides of the stage to stand. Directly centered between these two walls of sound waves, Rivers stands alone with his arms outstretched. And, in an instant, visceral moment, Rivers’ baton was a staff. The singers were two walls of the Red Sea’s water and their voices arose to a height that filled the hall. But then, the waves evaporated. Atop the voices, the pianos and the percussion, what visually seemed like Rivers gently tapping his baton against the stand in front of him was audibly like sharp, consecutive cracks of thunder amid a rainstorm that drowns all other noises out. Despite hammers striking the strings in the piano, despite the countless notes being bellowed out by the singers and despite drums, cymbals and xylophone, someone — not some people, but someone — was off key. And Rivers heard it. He heard it, and he halted the rehearsal. After a swift correction, he moved on. Moved on to conquer every other misplaced droplet of water in his perfectly parted waves of music. That isn’t saying he is a doctrinaire, though. Rivers recognizes his position and the authority, which should be readily interchangeable with obligation in his particular case, he possesses. His passion, which he says is cultivated at CCM, lies in his ability for change: Alterations, new ideas and rethinking established methods are things as a conductor he says should be constant. Making the constants inconstant constantly. “When you know [a piece], you realize you don’t know,” says, eyeing the line of hardcover books filling the shelves. “A conductor lives with his scores for life. It’s like a lifeblood for us.” The scores themselves, though, are subject to the inconstancy Rivers adheres to. The basic structure of the music remains — it isn’t chopped up to the point of being unidentifiable — but the things that can change may be changed. Perhaps the tempo is faster. Perhaps a portion of the score is quieter. Perhaps, instead of playing with an upstroke on the viola, it should be a downstroke to transition to the next note easier. Rivers works for more than just performing a piece correctly. To him, it’s about the possibilities. “[Conductors] choose the pace,” he says. “Where do you move forward? What do you want to bring out? You work your parts for life.” While the changes may be hard to discern for a person unknowing to the attention each bar and note of Rivers’ scores receive, he says it is well worth the work. “I can feel the difference,” he says. Within the pages of his books of scores — many of them with yellowing pages and worn not due to

FEEL THE DIFFERENCE Earl Rivers hears messages other people don’t hear. He can hear each person in an orchestra of voices and hear who is off pitch. He hears a thousand different possibilities in just one chord.

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neglect but by revision and use — are markings. Hand-written notes in English seems like a different language. Time signatures are slashed. Sentences above certain sections. They are various passages written in different colored pens throughout the years. And they change. In the score he’s working on currently (Stravinsky’s “Les Noces”) sticky notes poke up from the tops of the pages marking areas of particular interest and those perhaps needing an update or revision. There are so many notes that it looks as though the top of the book extends half an inch. They are the result of just one weekend reading over the music — music of a score Rivers heard and conducted before. Notes for a new rethinking and new possibilities. “When you get to a written or oral exam [in class], there is no right and wrong answer,” he says. “What you’re getting training in is being rigorously trained in your art. It isn’t ‘This is the way to do it,’ no. It’s, ‘This is the possibility. ‘ ”

WORLD-CLASS FACULTY A professor of music and director of choral studies, Rivers teaches anything involving vocal music in one of CCM’s renowned facilities — Patricia Corbett Auditorium.

And although he is a man who has visions of music, he isn’t ruled by it. There is no soundtrack forever playing in his mind. Actually, he finds music to be aggravating at times. “I can turn it off,” he says about thinking of music. “It’s annoying to go to a restaurant with background music unless it’s something fun like a jazz trio or something. I don’t want to be forced to listen.” But, when he’s on, he is indeed on. As he explains to me the differences in a score’s tempo, his fingers drumming onto the table, he is concentrating. As he explains the ability to change how a violist bows the instrument in unique ways, I’m almost certain he can hear the different sounds. I can only imagine what he can hear in his mind as he went over the notes in “Les Noces” with me. As Rivers walked me out of CCM’s Dieterle Vocal Arts Center, we walked by a door with a little glass window. Inside was a man tuning his voice while pushing a piano key. I don’t know what key it was. I am sure Earl Rivers did. And I am sure, at that moment, he could have told me a thousand different ways to play it.

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Weekend Edition March 3 | 2011 NEWSRECORD.ORG

TOP TEN

Mark your calendars for March Things are looking good for the month of March; the sun has finally decided to make an appearance, the air isn’t quite so frigid and spring break no longer seems so discouragingly distant. All this excitement calls for celebration, and The News Record has some suggestions for how to do just that. 1. Get your game on at Roxx Electrocafe 2.0: The new arcade/café on Calhoun Street kicked the month off right by opening its doors to gamers everywhere March 1. 2. Rock out countrystyle with Corey Smith at Bogart’s: The selfdescribed progressive country artist will be performing at Bogart’s Friday to promote his upcoming album “The Broken Record.” Smith’s universally heartfelt lyrics and fun, easygoing musical style make for an ideal concert for music fans looking to kick off their weekends right.

ENTERTAINMENT “Drive Angry”proves wreckless adam kuhn | staff reporter “Drive Angry” makes for a fun night of entertainment but should certainly come with a warning beforehand: If you are looking for highbrow cinema, look elsewhere. With its ridiculous violence and implausible plot, “Drive Angry” is as lowbrow as it gets. The film stars Nicolas Cage in the lead role as John Milton, a mysterious“traveler”in pursuit of the man who killed his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter. That man happens to be Jonah King (Billy Burke), the leader of an underground satanic cult who plans to use Milton’s granddaughter as a sacrifice. Milton is exactly the type of character that Cage has been playing recently: one that delivers a quick paycheck. An Academy Award-winning actor with the chops to give a great performance, Cage is also famous for accepting terrible roles. This film also has a completely irrational plot. In addition to the kidnapping and manhunting aspect of the film, Milton, along the way, picks up a sidekick, Piper (Amber Heard). Piper has recently caught her fiancé

5. Get some (cinematic) action: The latest asskicking adventure film “Battle: Los Angeles” opens in theaters nationwide March 11. The movie, starring Aaron Eckhart and Michelle Rodriguez, follows a group of Marines as they defend Los Angeles against an alien attack. 6. Savor your weekend at “Springin’ to OTR at The Drinkery”: Far-I-Rome Productions is, once again, bringing attention to local musicians and artists with an event aimed to celebrate Cincinnati’s creativity and talent March 12 at 8 p.m. The Drinkery, located at 1150 Main St., will host live music from The Pinstripes, The Ohms, Buckra, Majestic Man and Branden Meade. Artists Spencer van der Zee and Andrey Kozakov will also have their art on display. The event will serve as a preview for what’s to come at the Clifton Heights Music Festival in April. 7. Catch Simon Pegg and Seth Rogen teaming up in “Paul”: Nick Frost, Jason Batemen and Sigourney Weaver also star in this upcoming film set for theatrical release March 18. The movie follows Paul (voiced by Rogen), an alien who breaks free from his government captors and hitches a ride with two science fiction fanatics (Pegg and Frost). This crosscultural comedic partnership makes for a promising comedy impossible to pass up. 8. Dance the night away with Ra Ra Riot and The Pomegranates: Cincinnati locals the Pomegranates will be performing with nationally acclaimed indie rockers Ra Ra Riot at the Mad Hatter at 8 p.m. March 19. The combination is sure to make for an energetic, upbeat night of dancing and instrumentally dazzling musical marvel. 9. Revisit the magic of childhood with CCM’s “The Last Dragon of Camelot”: Alyn Cardarelli and Steve Goers adapted the original musical script for young actors. The cast consists of 50 students ages 8-14 from the CCM Prep Department. They will perform at the Particia Corbett Theatre March 18 through 20 thanks to an ArtsWave grant. 10. Celebrate a decade of Dashboard: That’s right — Dashboard Confessional front man Chris Carrabba will be making a solo concert appearance in Cincinnati March 30 at Bogart’s for the 10th anniversary of the Dashboard’s debut album, “Swiss Army Romance.”

courtesy of epk.tv

SEARCHING FOR MEANING Nicolas Cage (right) achieves B-movie status in “Drive Angry.” only way to view the film in theaters. Oddly, most theaters are not even offering the film in 2-D. However, for all of the great “bad” scenes in the film, it did not go far enough to become so bad that it was good. The fault falls on the screenwriting team, which seemed to run out of imagination at times, leaving the film feeling flat and conventional when it should have been exciting and absurd.

FIREFIGHT! People Can Fly’s “Bulletstorm” and Guerilla Games’ “Killzone 3” are two of the biggest first-person shooters recently released for major video game systems. Their resemblances end there. “Bulletstorm” is a raucous ride through a mutant-infested planet and “Killzone 3” is an intense, cover-based shooter set in a dystopian future.

3. Watch local bands duke it out at the Mad Hatter: The Greater Cincinnati Band Challenge Finals this Saturday will feature A Better Life, CGS, Chasing Aislin, Hell Scorched Earth, No Chance, Winterhymn and Of Abysmal Descent as they compete for the ultimate prize: $2,500, three days to record at Moonlight Studios, a sponsorship from Zip Zoo Apparel and the opportunity to open for a national headliner. 4. Enjoy free operetta admission: The CollegeConservatory of Music’s Studio Opera Series presents “The Island of Tulipatan,” March 4 and 5 at the Cohen Family Studio Theater. While admission is free, reservations are required, call the CCM box office at (513) 5564183 for arrangements.

with another woman. Milton comes to her aid and takes care of business as they make off with his vintage muscle car, with vanity tags that read, “DRVAGRY.” She has nothing invested in Milton’s manhunt, but tags along for the fun of it. The Accountant, on the other hand, played by William Fichtner, brings color to the story. The supposed FBI agent is looking for Milton for reasons we do not know and is interesting because of his disregard for human life and his classic one-liners. Fichtner’s delivery is dead on every time. If readers haven’t already guessed, this is a wide release with B-movie written all over it. The film is chock full of unnecessary violence and sex, sometimes thrown together at the same time. Throw in a satanic cult, and you have a B-movie trifecta. This type of film can be hit or miss by its very nature. Often, it depends on whether the filmmakers realize what they are making. In this case, all of the actors were in on the joke and give great over-the-top-performances. Director Patrick Lussier had the right idea too, especially when using 3-D, which, for the most part, is the

Nick Grever | senior reporter

3 e n o z l Kil T

he third “Killzone” installment adds little to the formula, choosing instead to make minor tweaks and present a visceral experience in the vein of its predecessors. “Killzone 3” starts immediately where “Killzone 2” ended. Scolar Visari is dead and the ISA is being overrun by the renewed Helghast forces. The story is an unoriginal war tale with plenty of beautiful cut scenes. The environments have seen massive improvements, ranging from snow-covered

oil rigs to sweltering, alien forests. Much of the game is full of broken down cityscapes, but additional locations help break up the monotony. Players familiar with the previous “Killzones” will know what to expect from the gameplay in “Killzone 3.” Players move from cover to cover, blasting away Helghast in overwhelming numbers. These enemies are tenacious. They’ll flank, provide covering fire for their allies and shoot with big and bad weaponry. Even the easy setting is a challenge.

These enemies are tenacious. They’ll flank, provide covering fire for their allies and shoot with big and bad weaponry. Luckily, some small changes to the game make the task a bit easier. Allies can now sometimes revive players, and characters can carry a “heavy” weapon in addition to a rifle and pistol. Many weapons’ iron sights have

also been replaced with a more accurate scope, and players can slide into cover from a sprint, making mad dashes to cover more survivable. Expect to have to play with the control scheme a bit to make it work, though. The default sucks. “Killzone 3” is essentially more of the same. If you enjoyed the previous games, you’ll enjoy “Killzone 3.” While there is nothing Earth shattering in this installment, it’s a solid game with a wonderful presentation, making it worthy of shooter fans’ time.

Bulletstorm

“B

ulletstorm” is a rollercoaster of a video game. The action is constant and in your face, and it’s over before you know it. The game centers on a group of space pirates gunning for revenge against a former military commander who tricked them into killing innocents. The plot is weak, but it keeps the main characters moving. The action ­— the game’s real draw — is delivered in spades. The game’s combat revolves around skillshots: inventive and brutal kills that earn the player points for upgrades and ammo. Making most of the skillshots possible is the main character’s ability to slide into enemies, kick them away and leash them forward. When you combine these

actions with the inventive weapons, the game’s complexity skyrockets. For example, you could simply use your fourbarreled shotgun to shoot an enemy, but you’ll earn more points if you slide into an enemy and shoot him with the shotgun, earning the “Torpedo” skillshot. Add in super tight controls, and you’ve got a rewarding and challenging experience. Much of the game’s difficulty is self-imposed. Trying your best to earn diverse skillshots as often as possible makes “Bulletstorm” hard. The enemies are plentiful, but not exactly varied or dangerous. All of the widespread death occurs in the beautiful, former resort world of Stygia. It’s a welcome change from the dark, depressing environments most shooters have.

art courtesy of mct campus

SHOOT TO KILL “Bulletstorm” delivers a boot-full of variety and originality to the stagnating first-person shooter genre. “Bulletstorm” is a funny game. It’s certainly juvenile humor, but entertaining nonetheless. This creates a hilarious, ridiculous shooting

playground that manages to add new elements to a very popular genre while keeping the quality of play at a level that’s above average.

Final Bright Eyes album disappoints benjamin kitchen | tnr contributor Bright Eyes’ lead singer Conor Oberst has been the voice of tortured indie-folk musings for the past decade, so fans were naturally disappointed when he wanted to “retire” the Bright Eyes moniker after one final release. The new album, “The People’s Key,” finds itself hovering somewhere between electronic and modern rock music. It is reminiscent of the synthesized sound of Bright Eyes’ 2005 album “Digital Ash in a Digital Urn” and the rock band Desaparecidos, a side project of Oberst’s. The sound seems intentionally lo-fi, muffled and unclear, perhaps to compliment the vague lyrics. Following Bright Eyes’ previous album, 2007’s“Cassadaga,”Oberst continues to abandon his introspective, gloomy lyrics for a more conscious, otherworldly approach. A sciencefiction author could have written the lyrics.

Oberst elaborates on apocalyptic and mystical ideas, as well as covering topics ranging from New Age spirituality to Rastafarianism. Denny Brewer, a Texan musician, frames many of the songs with peculiar sermons about enlightenment, extraterrestrial life and time. Every time he speaks, Jeff Bridges immediately comes to mind. The use of Brewer’s speeches, in which he rambles on about nonsensical theories, is ineffective and almost jarring. The album’s opening track “Firewall” builds slowly with stuttering drumbeats, a repetitive bass and hazy guitar. The song is by no means bad, but much like the rest of the record, it fails to truly capture the listener’s attention like the Omaha-based band has done so successfully for the past fifteen years. One of the few highlights of the album is “Shell Games,” previously available as a free single by Bright Eyes before the record’s

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release. The song is an upbeat anthem, recalling Bright Eyes’ better days. “A Machine Spiritual (In the People’s Key)” and the melancholy “Ladder Song” also stand out. Unfortunately, the album fails to live up to the wounded melodrama of 2002’s “Lifted or The Story Is in the Soil, Keep Your Ear to the Ground,” where epic backing tracks were wedded to Oberst’s angst-ridden wailing. Nor does the new album compare to the indiefolk of 2005’s “I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning” — arguably Bright Eyes’ most famous work and magnum opus. Oberst recently said he was “over” that “rootsy Americana shit,” in a Billboard.com article. In theory, “The People’s Key” should capture the essence of Bright Eyes — gripping, honest and poignant. For someone who was once heralded as “the new Bob Dylan,” the new Bright Eyes material is, sadly, a disappointment.

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Weekend Edition March 3 | 2011 NEWSRECORD.ORG

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EFFICIENCIES, 1-BEDROOM, 2-BEDROOM, 3-BEDROOM in HYDE PARK for rent in excellent condition. New appliances including dishwashers, A/C. HEAT and WATER paid. Balcony, pool use, 10 minutes from UC. New kitchens and bathrooms. Laundry, off-street parking/garage. Starting at $545 per month. Contact us at 513-477-2920 or pgspropertiesincincinnati@gmail. com. Nice three bedroom apartment. Available September 1. 513-3787919 or visit our site www.qcr4rent. com.

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Clifton 4 bedroom house. Walk to UC, hospitals. Driveway, equipped kitchen. Basement, yard, deck. New remodeled bath and furnace. Immediately available now through August 2011. $1095. Call 513631-5058, 513-484-0960. 412 Ada Street. 1 bedroom for rent/sublet in a 5 bedroom house, beginning May 20th. Corner of Klotter and Ravine. Newly remodeled. Tenants are UC students. Deck with great view of Cincinnati. $300/month. Call 940-867-2581 or

FOR RENT email dimuziap@mail.uc.edu. Now renting. Quality studio/1 to 5 bedrooms, apartments and houses. Call 513-307-6510 or www.egepropertyrental.com. Looking for an apartment? www. ucapartments.com. Now leasing for September. 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments and houses. 513-281-7159 www. ucapartments.com. 5 Bedroom House for Rent. Great Location on quiet street; 2 Blocks from Campus. New windows, doors, furnace, and deck. Many custom built-ins. 2547 Vestry Ave (one block behind Deaconess Hospital) Available for September 1 school year. Always rents quick. Call 508-4001, 309-3032 One bedroom $395. Call 513-3829000. Large, updated 4/5 bedroom house on Ohio Avenue. 2 blocks to campus, equipped kitchen, laundry, parking. Call 513-307-6510, egepropertyrental.com Efficiency $375. Call 513-382-9000. UNITS FOR RENT: Nice 1-5 bedrooms, near UC, available for Sept. Call 513-403-2678 or 513721-1778 Now renting for September 1st. 1 to 5 bedrooms. Visit our website uc4rent.com for a virtual tour. Call 513-621-7032. Large 5 bedroom available

FOR RENT September 1st. Call 513-505-4147. uc4rent.com

EMPLOYMENT Bartenders needed. Earn up to $250 per day. No experience required, will train. FT/PT. Call now 877-405-1078 EXT. 3503 Cleaning, painting $7.50-$9.00. Call 513-221-5555. BARTENDING. $250/DAY POTENTIAL. No experience necessary, training provided. Call 1-800-965-6520 ext. 225. SALES PROS DREAM JOB 100k+ with easy 5 minute sale! No Travel! Complete Training! Big Paychecks! Product Sells itself. Call 513-6785252 for more information. Leave message 24/7 ATTENTION: Current Ecstasy or Molly Users!! Paid (up to $160) brain imaging and genetics study. NEED: 18-25 year olds, right-handed, no braces/body metal. CONFIDENTIAL University of Cincinnati study, CALL: 556-5524 Part-time help wanted $8/hr. High volume liquor and wine store in Covington, KY. Only 5 minutes from campus. Call Greg at 859-743-9831.

COMMUNITY Get in shape with UC tennis classes all levels starting on March 13th. http://www.uc.edu/ce/commu. Call 556-6932.

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Weekend Edition March 3 | 2011 NEWSRECORD.ORG

SPORTS

Guards make amends in 67-60 win Sam Elliott | sports Editor Cincinnati head coach Mick Cronin criticized guards Cashmere Wright and Dion Dixon following the Bearcats’ 67-59 home loss to Connecticut Sunday after the pair combined for just 10 points on 3-of-12 shooting. The duo responded to total 27 points at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee Wednesday, helping Cincinnati (23-7, 10-7 Big East) reach a 67-60 win against Marquette to all but ensure an NCAA tournament berth. “I love Dion Dixon and Cashmere Wright,” Cronin said. “For the rest of their life, I’ll do anything for those guys. It’s just a simple fact: we’re not going to win if they don’t play well.” Wright scored a team-high 15 points, Dixon and Ibrahima Thomas added 12 apiece, and Yancy Gates reached his sixth double-double of the season with 11 points and game-high 11 rebounds. In his final home game at Marquette, senior forward Jimmy Butler scored a career-high 30 points, 15 from the free-throw line. Darius Johnson-Odom

chipped in 15 points, but no other Golden Eagle totaled more than four. “We didn’t take away Jimmy Butler tonight,” Cronin said, “but what we did was try to eliminate all their other guys as much as possible.” Marquette (18-12, 9-8) got six-straight points from Butler as part of a 9-0 run to build their largest lead of the night: a six-point advantage with just more than eight and a half minutes to play before halftime. The Bearcats responded later in the first half with an 8-0 run, capped by a Dixon dunk following Wright’s steal and Marquette’s ninth turnover of the opening 20 minutes. “Our press really, really got us going in the first half,” Cronin said. “We had steals and some big points off turnovers in the first half. I think it rattled Marquette and it got our confidence going.” UC shot better than 57 percent in the first half on its way to a 37-31 halftime lead. After going without a field goal against UConn, Wright reached 10 points in the first half Wednesday, finished with 6-of-9 shooting from the field and a game-high five assists. “When you’ve got a leader out there

and a guy running your team, playing with confidence [and] playing quarterback the way he played it tonight, you’ve got a real basketball team,” Cronin said. The Golden Eagles began the second half with a 7-2 run to pull to within one point of the lead three minutes in. Four different Bearcats responded with baskets as part of a 9-0 rebuttal to give Cincinnati a double-digit lead with more than 12 minutes to play. Marquette cut its deficit to five points later in the frame, but the Bearcats kept Butler scoreless through the final six minutes en route to their fourth-straight road win and seventh of the season. Cincinnati wraps up its regular season schedule with a 2 p.m. tip-off against No. 17 Georgetown Saturday on Senior Day at Fifth Third Arena. sam greene | online editor

WRIGHT ON TRACK Cashmere Wright scored a team-high 15 points and added a game-high five assists Wednesday in Cincinnati’s 67-60 win against Marquette in Milwaukee.

SENIOR NIGHT SURPRISE UC Bearcats upset No. 20/23 Marquette Sam weinberg | sports editor

sam greene | online editor

FIFTH THIRD FINALE In Cincinnati’s final 2010-11 regular season game, seniors Shareese Ulis and Shelly Bellman scored 20 and 12 points, respectively, in the Bearcats 65-62 win against Marquette Monday.

The Cincinnati women’s basketball team closed its regular season with a 65-62 upset of No. 20/23 Marquette at Fifth Third Arena Monday and ended their 13-game losing streak in the process. “We can’t stop smiling,” said senior guard Shareese Ulis. “It’s been a long season. We had games where we came out and competed against teams that are ranked, and we had games where we came out and lost by 20 or 30 points. We know we can compete. It’s just a matter of putting everything together and playing a complete 40-minute game.” On their Senior Night and in their final home game as Bearcats, Ulis and fellow senior Shelly Bellman were key factors in the Cincinnati victory. Ulis scored a game-high 20 points

Ulis, Bellman say goodbye Sam weinberg | sPORTS EDITOR Cincinnati’s win against Marquette Monday marked the end of the Bearcats’ losing streak and capped the careers of seniors Shareese Ulis and Shelly Bellman at Fifth Third Arena. Ulis and Bellman’s contributions to the team were honored in a Senior Night ceremony prior to tip-off. “This was their night,” said Cincinnati head coach Jamelle Elliott. “My pregame speech was, ‘Look, play as hard as you can for the two guys who play their last game on this floor tonight.’ I had them look around the room because next time we sit in that environment before a game, those two important guys will not be a part of our locker room.” In her tenure as a Bearcat, Bellman — who sat out for two seasons due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament and a torn patella tendon — netted 369 of her 959 points from long range. She currently ranks second in school history in 3-point field goal percentage at 33 percent from beyond the arc. In her two seasons at UC, Ulis has been one of the team’s top scorers, averaging 11.4 points per game her junior year. Currently, she averages a team-high 13.9 through 28 games in the 2010-11 season. In addition to scoring, Ulis added a team-high 97 assists her junior year and currently has a team-best 78 this season. “Shareese especially has made my first two years as a coach easier just by having her

on the floor and in the locker room,” Elliott said. “But I’m going to miss them both.” Despite both being plagued by knee injuries throughout their careers, Ulis and Bellman averaged 35 and 29 minutes per game, respectively — something Elliott plans to use as motivation for her future squads. “Next year when my players are banged up and hurting, I’m going to say, ‘Look back to the two seniors last year. They probably have 200-year-old knees between the two of them, and they’re still playing 30 minutes a game,’ ” Elliott said. The Bearcats return to action at 6 p.m. Friday against West Virginia in the first round of the Big East Tournament in Hartford, Conn. “The only difference now for our seniors is that next time we lose, they’re not going to put on a Cincinnati Bearcats uniform anymore,” Elliott said. “Those are going to be two guys that we’re obviously going to miss next year. they bring a lot to the table.”

shooting 42 percent, including a careerhigh six 3-pointers.The Bearcats (9-19, 2-14 Big East) totaled 13 baskets from beyond the arc Monday — their most in one game since February 2008. “Shareese Ulis refused to let us lose the game tonight,” said head coach Jamelle Elliott, who earned her first win against a ranked opponent in her two years at UC. “She made 3-pointers and got the ball to open guys to the point where they put their best defender on her in the second half. But she was still able to break free and get some shots at the basket.” Bellman’s status was uncertain entering Monday’s matchup with the Golden Eagles (22-7, 10-6) after she sustained a shoulder injury Feb. 22, but the forward responded with eight rebounds, a career-high eight assists and 12 points — including two free throws to give the Bearcats a three-point lead with six seconds remaining. “How fun was it for Shelly Bellman to be on the floor?” Elliott said. “She went from not probably playing to almost having a triple double. Today she played like she was healthy, like she was 100 percent. I’m so happy for her.” Following their first win since Jan. 5, the Bearcats will return to action at 6 p.m. Friday at the Big East Tournament in Hartford, Conn. The Bearcats are slated as the No. 15 seed and will play No. 10 seed West Virginia in the first round. In the schools’ regular season meeting, the Mountaineers won a 72-44 decision in Morgantown, W. Va. But following their win against Marquette, the Bearcats will be rolling into Hartford on all cylinders. “Hopefully tonight was a turning point for us,” Elliott said.”We made up some ground against a really good basketball team coming off a huge win against DePaul a couple days ago — and now going into the tournament. That’s the good thing about March: Anything can happen.”

sam greene | online editor

GIRL GOT GAME Shareese Ulis has netted a basket from long range in 30 consecutive games, including a career-high six baskets from behind the arc Monday against Marquette.

Welcome home, Cats: Cincy set for opener hunter tickel | senior reporter

file art | the news record

HOME-OPENING SERIES The Bearcats baseball team will play its first home game of the 2011 season Friday at 4 p.m. against Youngstown State at Marge Schott Stadium.

After six out-of-state games, the University of Cincinnati baseball team opens its 2011 home season Friday at Marge Schott Stadium. First pitch against Youngstown State is set for 4 p.m., and head coach Brian Cleary said the Bearcats are anxious to break in the field. “Being able to play at Marge Schott — it’s a special place,” Cleary said. “The guys like playing here. It continues to evolve into a fun atmosphere.” After beginning the season 2-4 traveling to Florida and South Carolina, Cleary said staying in Clifton allows his squad to iron out early-season kinks. “One of the other benefits I think people don’t realize is, as we get back home, what we can do here in our facilities in terms of practice,” Cleary said.“Without having to travel, we have

extra days where we can work on some things that we’re not good at yet.” First-year outfielder Justin Glass has been a standout in the early season, leading the team along with sophomore infielder Jake Proctor, who connected on 11 hits in 24 at-bats. “[Glass] is a very talented player,” Cleary said. “He’s got a chance to be a special hitter. A really fun guy to watch. He doesn’t stand in the box like a freshman. He likes to hit [and] he’s got a lot of really good qualities. I think people are really going to enjoy watching him play.” Glass will likely be UC’s designated hitter for the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury limiting his action on defense. On the mound, the Bearcats are holding opponents to a .376 batting average and have walked as many batters as they have struck out: 27. “We’ve got to pitch better,” Cleary said. “It’s really a function with our

SPORTS.NEWSRECORD@GMAIL.COM | 513.556.5909

pitchers of some little things. We’ve got to command our fastballs better, be ahead of the count more. We’ve walked too many guys. But the ability from our pitchers I’ve liked.” The four hitters at the top of Cincinnati’s order, however, are hitting better than .300. “We got to continue to be aggressive with the bats throughout the lineup,” Cleary said. UC has fallen behind early in three of its four losses and had to come from behind in both wins. The team needs to focus on execution for the entirety of the match, Cleary said. “The guys are getting a feel for playing with great effort for nine innings,” Cleary said. “It’s something that we all expect, but it’s not easy to do.” Cincinnati continues its home series with the Youngstown State Penguins at 4 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.