Album Review: Business Casual

Alt-rockers We Are Scientists have slipped under the radar until recently. The Berkeley, Calif. duo is well known for its unique blend of great acoustic rock and frenetic guitar jams that channel bands like The Strokes. Remember the movie Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist? The We Are Scientists track “After Hours,” included on the soundtrack, propelled the group much further into the spotlight. Unfortunately, the band put out one more album afterward and then went on a temporary hiatus. The band’s recent release of two EPs, one being Business Casual, signals the underappreciated and very talented group’s return.

The EP begins with “Dumb Luck,” a hectic track centered on some crazy guitar work. The song has great harmony and a wonderful old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll sound. The melody is well crafted and the song sounds almost like Queens of the Stone Age. It’s a rip rolling song to start off the EP and contains all the parts necessary to make it an ideal new jam that stands alone.

“Return the Favor” is most definitely the most typical-sounding We Are Scientists track from the EP, but in no way does that make the track lacking. The song has a wonderfully pleasing chorus and great layering on all accounts. The instrumentation is lush and bombastic, and the singing is melodic and catchy. The guitar is down and dirty, but the song somehow sounds clean as a whistle. It’s a great song to chill to and is definitely another must-listen.

“Good Answer” keeps the ball rolling. It’s a solid track to be sure, and the opening riff immediately catches you. You can definitely see this one being in a movie soundtrack. The chorus itself doesn’t do much in the way of catchiness, but the song holds itself well in light of the clean guitars and the repeating riff. The piano adds a nice soft texture to the track as well.

“Courage” is definitely the most interesting track on the EP. It’s also the most simple, with just guitar and vocals. It seems really honest, though, which is something to be said in itself.

“Courage” has a folky feel to it – a very singer-songwriter vibe. It certainly seems like a way for the band to present itself in a more stripped-down manner, considering the production of the rest of the EP is quite nice and big sounding. In contrast to the lush textures of the other tracks, “Courage” is a nice respite and presents another side to this evolving group.

The EP closes with “Take My Breath Away,” a cover of a ballad by ‘80s group Berlin. The band’s rendition has a country kind of twang, which is certainly evident in the slide guitars that persist throughout, but overall, the band does a great job on adding its own spin to the song. It’s big, it’s powerful and it doesn’t feel out of place.

I like to think of this EP as a sampler platter of sorts: a taste of the many talents of We Are Scientists and what they have in store for the future. There’s a song on this EP for everyone, and its sound is just plain enjoyable. This is a band that is not unsure of where it’s going – musicians that know they can do whatever they set their minds to. This EP is just letting the rest of the world know.

A cappella concert harmonizes student talent

Newton Hall filled with harmonious tunes, as Geneseo’s a cappella groups came together to perform for the “Fall 2013 A Cappella Concert” on Saturday Nov. 2. The night was off to a good start before the show even began, with a huge audience filing into the lecture hall. With such an overflow of people, some audience members sat in the aisles or placed couches in the back of the room.

This show was the first a cappella concert at Geneseo to have emcees. Seniors Phil Romano and Chris McLauchlin kept the audience laughing between performances with their comical banter. They left the event without a dull moment.

Southside Boys, Exit 8, Hips ‘n’ Harmony and Between the Lines each performed two sets during the concert.

Southside Boys was the first group up. The all-male group made the audience swoon with its sprightly dancing, animated expressions and great singing. One of the best songs they performed was “Iscariot.”

Exit 8 also performed two hit mashups, one of John Mayer’s “Waiting on the World to Change” and “Same Love” by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis, the other mixing up “Radioactive” by Imagine Dragons. The most breathtaking part of their performance was senior Ben Durland performing his senior song, “Hold the Ones You Love Close” by The Apathy Eulogy.

Hips ‘n’ Harmony drove the crowd wild with its rendition of Queen’s “Somebody to Love.” The group’s all-female arrangement of Cher Lloyd’s “Want U Back” and Taylor Swift’s “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” proved to be both empowering and hilarious, with comical sounds and other elements interspersed throughout the song.

One of the most popular songs of the night was Between the Lines’ rendition of “Superstition” by Stevie Wonder. This classic song closed out the night, and the room erupted into thunderous applause.

Throughout the concert, each group introduced its new members to the audience, who the audience received with excited shouts and applauses. Not only were new members a part of the fall concert, but so too were some alumni.

During Southside Boys’ first set, the group invited alumni sitting in the audience to help them perform their first song, “Good Old A Cappella.” All of the groups recognized former members who came to the show.

The concert should be deemed a success, with proud parents finding the best angle to film their talented children and students and Geneseo residents alike coming out to show their support for campus a cappella.

Alumna explores cultural identities with one woman play

“Five great things happened the year I was born,” Qurrat Ann Kadwani ‘02 said as she took the stage on Nov. 1 in Sturges Auditorium to perform her autobiographical, one-woman play “They Call Me Q.” With undeniable talent and seamless transitions and transformations, Kadwani brings 13 unique characters to center stage. Her “post-immigrant story” tells of her coming of age as an Indian immigrant as she grows up in the Bronx and eventually attends Geneseo.

Q first identifies with the dominant Latin population in the Bronx, donning big, gold earrings, gold rings and a fake accent as she tries to establish her identity.

“This is an identity piece … I address it from a cultural perspective,” Kadwani said.

The audience watches Q grow from a disobedient Latin-influenced preteen, to an independent college student, to the Indian woman who returns home in search of answers regarding her culture.

Although the characters are based on people in Kadwani’s life, they are just representations.

“The mother character is a representation of my mother; the audience sees things she said and didn’t say, things she did and didn’t do,” Kadwani said.

Kadwani takes advantage of the play’s overarching theme of identity by attacking it at different angles.

“Each character is developed with different things in mind: how they see themselves, how others see them, what actions they take, what actions others take toward them and what they say about themselves,” Kadwani said.

Each section of the play is formed based on a specific mood. As the first section of “They Call Me Q” concludes, Kadwani noticeably explores identity and tradition-oriented themes, and then one of her close friends commits suicide. The twist provides a shocking dark turn that gives Kadwani time to catch her breath.

After having lost her friend, Q travels to Geneseo – six hours from home, her mother and the city – a relatable idea for audience members. In this sequence, she calls home while trying to make her mother’s most basic recipe. Kadwani personifies family traditions in the form of cultural food.

The final section of the play begins after Kadwani graduates from college. She takes a pink Indian bandhani scarf and wears it in differing fashions: around her waist, on her head and over her shoulders to portray “strong Indian women” who have different understandings and perceptions of independence and happiness.

The last character, a friend who stayed in India, speaks a monologue that leaves the audience in a philosophical state, questioning personal independence.

“People identify themselves by comparing themselves to others; if you think she is repressed, but she thinks she is independent because she decides to stay in India, what are you? Are you independent?” Kadwani said of the character.

Q closes the play by breaking the subtle tension she created in the beginning of the show when she introduced her unique, life-changing name without giving us its beautiful meaning: the coolness of the eye.

Spotlight On: Luke Martin

Senior Luke Martin wasn’t really an improvisational actor until he came to Geneseo, gaining most of his interest when he auditioned for and joined improv comedy troupe No Laugh Track Required during his freshman year. Martin said he was inspired to pursue improv by his high school theater director, a member of an improv troupe based in Albany, who started each of Martin’s high school musical rehearsals with an improv warm-up. Martin is now an avid improv actor, having found it to be his real passion.

Martin even started up an improv group in Albany, his hometown, with fellow No Laugh Track Required member senior Spencer Herrmann. The troupe has been out of commission since their sophomore year, but Martin said they are planning to rekindle the improv this Thanksgiving.

Martin specializes in long-form improv, or creating a lengthy comedy theme based on audience participation.

“Getting a long-form to come together in the end, to perform a successful play out of it, is really one of the greatest feelings in the world,” he said.

As far as actual techniques go, Martin simply likes to “let the craziness out,” he said.

“Improv sort of comes naturally to me,” Martin said. “My favorite way to practice is by having an all-out exchange with random strangers that I meet at parties and stuff. It’s a lot of fun and pretty beneficial to yell at each other and break into character with friends and strangers.”

His major influences include Tim and Eric, the comedy duo behind the “Tim and Eric Awesome Show, Great Job!” and the Upright Citizens Brigade show “ASSSSCAT.”

Martin does dramatic acting as well. He played Romeo in Geneseo’s production of “Romeo and Juliet,” also performing in “Spring Awakening,” “Dog Sees God,” the upcoming production of “The Pillowman” and various musicals in his high school days.

“What I do is take a lot of the stuff I learn in improv and bring it to the dramatic scenes that I do,” he said. “It helps you stay in the moment. So for me there’s sort of a bridge between dramatic acting and improv.”

There is a challenge that comes with drama, however, and Martin does run into obstacles of his own.

“Coming from an improv background, I’m pretty good at staying in the moment,” Martin said. “But it’s when I have to dive into a role and let loose the emotions of my character that I have some trouble. I actually did months of Shakespearean research while preparing for my role as Romeo, because it’s so tough to open yourself like that.”

Martin intends to save up some money for a year after graduating before moving to New York City to pursue a career in acting and perhaps take some classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade.

He is not a cynic when it comes to advice for those interested in such work.

“If you really want to act, I’d say to not let the fear of getting up there and opening up yourself to an audience stand in the way,” Martin said. “It goes away quickly, especially in improv when you’re basically just having fun with your buddies on stage. If it sucks, then you can have a good laugh over it afterwards.”

Orchesis performs 'cornucopia' of genres at fall showcase

Combining a classic passion for dance with a comprehensive range of music, Orchesis presented its Dance Cornucopia Fall Showcase Sunday Nov. 3 in Wadsworth Auditorium. As the largest student-run organization on campus with over 300 members, Orchesis allows students of both genders and all skill levels to sign up for dances in preparation for its shows. Those interested can be cast in any dance that appeals to them as long as they attend practices, which are usually once or twice a week for two hours each week. All the dances are student-choreographed and taught.

The first five acts of the afternoon fused remixes of contemporary singles with diverse dance moves, ranging from hip-hop to ballet. The sixth performance, titled “Reel,” choreographed by junior Meghan Hayes and senior Kellie Moran, mixed things up with Irish step alongside traditional Irish music. During the set, dancers sparkled across the stage in shiny blue skirts and embraced timeless movements with their focused smiles.

One of the most creative performances of the afternoon, danced to “Dare You to Move” by Switchfoot, followed immediately afterward. In reviving the 2000s chart-topper, dancers flowed on stage with sunflowers in their hair. They wore shirts with words on them such as “dare,” “hope” and “love,” arousing these inspirational sentiments even more with their grace and teamwork on stage. For most of the piece, one dancer bore no term on her black shirt. At the end, however, senior Cassandra Saroli’s choreographic inventiveness shone through, as the sole dancer without a word removed her top shirt to reveal the word “live.”

Evan Goldberg/Asst. Photo Editor

Right after a brief intermission, “Royals” by Lorde suffused the auditorium with its dark ambient sound. Senior Bianca Pedulla’s dance to the modern hit mixed finesse with sass. Throughout the song, the dancers skillfully executed high kicks, and then switched to faster movements, snaps and shoulder shrugs.

In a 60-year rewind, “Give Me Your Telephone Number,” choreographed by senior Emily Gall, combined cutesy gestures with giddy, upbeat dance moves. The ladies wore white and red dresses, skirts, shoes and ribbons to convey a ‘50s feel.

Later on in the performance, a group did a funky rendition of Beyoncé’s classic song “Crazy in Love.” The dancers wore pink feathers in their hair and were one of the only groups to showcase their tap-dancing skills. Junior Elizabeth LiPuma and sophomore Victoria LiPuma’s choreography brilliantly employed this style to have dancers accentuate the brass band remix of the popular tune with the tapping of their shoes.

The final act, preceded by more contemporary hits such as Justin Timberlake’s “Suit & Tie” and Coldplay’s “Fix You,” concluded the show with a seasonal flair. “Halloween Hoopla,” choreographed and performed by the Orchesis officers, revealed dancers hopping on stage with costumes, face paint and capes. Along with an enjoyable mashup of songs including “I Put A Spell On You” from Disney’s Hocus Pocus and “Thriller” by Michael Jackson, the dancers mixed energetic silliness with skill. After all members of Orchesis came on stage to celebrate the show’s finale, one officer even brilliantly executed Jackson’s famous moonwalk dance.

Through various acts, Dance Cornucopia exhibited more than dancing talent; it showed that student choreographers can create art and work with other student dancers to make it beautiful and available to all.