The New Paltz Oracle, Volume 83 Issue 22

Page 21

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Arts & Entertainment

The  New  Paltz  Oracle

MUSICIAN OF THE WEEK: CHRIS MANOHARAN

YEAR: Fourth j MAJOR: Classical Guitar Performance, 3+272 &2857(6< 2) BLOGSPOT

Music History & Literature

Celebrating Their Youth NOISE-PUNK BAND DELIVERS EXPLOSIVE SECOND ALBUM By  Andrew  Wyrich (GLWRU LQ &KLHI _ Andrew.wyrich63@hawkmail.newpaltz.edu

Japandroids Celebration Rock

Want  to  be  overcome  with  a  feeling  of  pure,  musically-­induced  invincibility?  If  you  do,  look  no  further  than  Japandroids’  newest  al-­ bum  Celebration  Rock. My  friend  happened  upon  the  not-­yet-­released  album  â€”  which  is  scheduled  to  infect  the  ears  of  the  entire  noise-­punk  genre  on  June  5  â€”  and  let  me  listen  to  it.  Upon  its  completion,  I  instantly  decided  that  it  ZRXOG EH WKH DOEXP WKDW GHÂż QHV P\ VXPPHU Put  simply,  Celebration  Rock  is  an  album  about  youth.  Japan-­ droids’  premier  album  Post-­Nothing  was  saturated  with  the  theme  of  unbridled  youthfulness  that  made  you  want  to  break  out  a  bottle  of  alcohol  and  sneak  into  the  dead  of  night.  Each  song  on  Post-­Nothing  reminded  you  to  resist  society’s  desire  for  you  to  grow  up  and  evolve  from  your  teenage  debauchery  through  loud  chants  and  grizzly  guitar  riffs,  and  Celebration  Rock  spins  that  feeling  into  a  mature  fashion.  Instead  of  thrusting  against  your  inevitable  turning  of  the  calen-­ dar,  Celebration  Rock  preaches  a  sober  acceptance   â€”  albeit  an  un-­ wanted  one  â€”  of  your  coming-­of-­age.  The  band’s  unguided  energy  has  no  limit  in  its  ability  to  make  you  GDQFH DQG VFUHDP ZKLFK LV HYLGHQW LQ WKH Âż UVW VRQJ RI WKH DOEXP Âł7KH Nights  of  Wine  and  Roses,â€?  throws  the  listener  into  a  state  of  euphoria  I  can  only  imagine  would  force  you  to  slap  on  a  pair  of  aviators,  light  up  a  cigarette  and  just  drive  for  hours  into  the  distance.  The  album  continues  to  storm  forward  with  fantastic  middle Â

WUDFNV OLNH Âł(YLOÂśV :D\´ DQG Âł$GUHQDOLQH 1LJKWVKLIW ´ FRPSOHWH ZLWK strained  vocals  and  choruses  that  demand  every  inch  of  energy  you  FRXOG SRVVLEO\ H[HUW EHIRUH OHDGLQJ WKH OLVWHQHU LQWR WKH WKLUG DQG Âż QDO act  of  Celebration  Rock  that  is  an  explosion  of  revolts,  chants  and  un-­ checked,  well....celebration.  ³<RXQJHU 8V ´ ZKLFK ZDV UHOHDVHG SULRU WR Celebration  Rock,  discusses  exactly  what  you  would  expect  â€”  the  desire  to  relieve  the  PRPHQWV RI \RXWK \RX ZLOO QHYHU IRUJHW :LWK OLQHV OLNH ÂłUHPHPEHU saying  things  like  we’ll  sleep  when  we’re  dead  and  thinking  this  feel-­ ing  was  never  gonna  end  /  remember  that  night  you  were  already  in  bed  /  said  â€˜fuck  it’  and  got  up  to  drink  with  me  insteadâ€?  how  can  you  not  yearn  to  relate  with  their  youthful  exuberance?  The  song  shows  that  the  band  has  accepted  their  coming  of  age,  just  not  as  happily  as  you  might  expect.  7KH DOEXPÂśV ODVW WZR WUDFNV Âł7KH +RXVH 7KDW +HDYHQ %XLOW´ DQG Âł&RQWLQXRXV 7KXQGHU´ DFW DV SHUIHFW ERRNHQGV WR Celebration  Rock,  offering  not  only  an  anthemic  rock  that  could  inject  energy  into  even  WKH PRVW SDVVLYH RI OLVWHQHUV EXW D MX[WDSRVLQJ Âż QDO VRQJ WKDW VXPV XS the  album  entirely.  ³7KH +RXVH 7KDW +HDYHQ %XLOW´ KDV PRUH ÂłRKÂśV ´ LQ LW WKDQ DQ\ song  I’ve  ever  heard  â€”  and  it’s  perfect.  The  song  makes  you  want  to  lash  out  and  scream  against  the  walls  caving  in  around  you  and  live  the  OLIH \RX ZDQW :KHQ WKH GXR RI %ULDQ .LQJ DQG 'DYLG 3URZVH VFUHDP ÂłZKHQ WKH\ ORYH \RX DQG WKH\ ZLOO 7HOO WKHP WKH\ FDQ DOO ORYH LQ P\ shadow  /  and  if  they  try  to  slow  you  down  /  tell  them  all  to  â€˜go  to  hell,’â€?  how  can  you  not  be  overcome  with  a  revolution-­like  feeling  of  power?  ³&RQWLQXRXV 7KXQGHU´ LV WKH VRPEHU Âż QDOH RI Celebration  Rock,  complete  with  repeated  guitar  slamming  and  soft-­spoken  lyrics  that  seem  to  question  whether  anyone  out  there  feels  the  same  way  the  EDQG GRHV DERXW WKHLU DJH 7KH VRQJ HQGV ZLWK Âż UHZRUNV EORZLQJ XS LQ WKH GLVWDQFH EXW KRQHVWO\ ZKR QHHGV Âż UHZRUNV ZKHQ \RX FDQ MXVW KLW repeat  and  listen  to  Celebration  Rock  again?

Thursday,  May  10,  2012

MINOR: Anthropology HOMETOWN: Yonkers, N.Y.

WHAT’S  YOUR  INSTRUMENT  OF  CHOICE  AND  WHY? It  changes  depending  on  my  mood.  Sometimes  I’m  in  the  mood  to  play  classical  guitar,  violin  or  sing  songs.  At  the  end  of  the  day,  it’s  classical  guitar.  There’s  some-­ thing  about  being  your  own  ensemble  that’s  really  satisfying. WHAT  ARE  YOU  INVOLVED  WITH  MUSICALLY? Right  now,  I’m  trying  to  build  my  profes-­ sional  career  with  a  website  and  getting  gigs.  I  also  teach  and  am  trying  to  get  more  VWXGHQWV ,ÂśP WU\LQJ WR Âż QG SHRSOH WR SOD\ LQ a  Turkish  band. WHO  ARE  YOUR  BIGGEST  INFLUENCES? David  Russell.  John  Williams.  Stephane  Grappelli. WHO  HAVE  YOU  BEEN  LISTENING  TO  LATELY? Al  Green.  Marvin  Gaye.  The  Righteous  Brothers.  Billy  Joel.  Cee  Lo  Green. WHAT’S  YOUR  PLAN  FOR  THE  FUTURE? Long  term,  I  want  to  be  a  college  professor  teaching  musicology,  anthropology  and  gui-­ tar.  I  want  to  have  a  professional  classical  guitar  career.  For  the  immediate  future,  I  want  to  travel  the  world. ANY  ADVICE  FOR  ASPIRING  MUSICIANS? 5HDOO\ WU\ WR Âż JXUH RXW ZK\ \RXÂśUH GRLQJ music.  I  look  at  myself  as  a  philosopher.  I’m  looking  for  truth  and  music  is  my  language.

CHECK Â OUT Â CHRIS Â MANOHARAN PERFORMING Â BY Â SCANNING Â THIS Â CODE Â WITH Â ANY Â SMARTPHONE! Â

DO          YOU     WANT  TO  HEAR... THE ORACLE’S FAVORITE MUSICIAN? &KHFN RXW Zan  Strumfeld  at   zanstrumfeld.bandcamp.com Â

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