Arts & Entertainment

Jack Johnson played to a sold out crowd Saturday at the Jenny Craig Pavilion at the University of San Diego. Glen Phillips, the former lead singer of Toad The Wet Sprocket, opened the show for Jack with an energetic solo acoustic set. Tyler Huff Guardian Johnson, who grew up on the North Shore of Hawaii, has been making award-winning surf films for years, but has only recently been recognized for his musical talent. Four months ago, Jack opened for Ben Harper at a Memorial Day show at RIMAC field. Since then, Johnson has successfully headlined numerous shows. The night included a screening of Johnson’s latest surf film project, “”The September Sessions.”” The award-winning film played in between Phillips’ and Johnson’s performances. Johnson, who was joined by Merlo on the bass and Adam Topol on the drums, played an unforgettable set with the audience singing and dancing for much of the show. ...

Jay-Z The Blueprint Roc-A-Fella Records After five albums and much success, Jay-Z the rapper has managed to do what some of the best artists do when they hit the top: improve. The album is short for rap with only 13 songs, but it comes with little help: Eminem raps on one song. “”Blueprint”” features a few of the songs that comprise rap these days. “”Izzo”” is the radio song — the one you’ll hear at stoplights and clubs or chirping from a third-story dorm window. “”Girls, Girls, Girls”” is reminiscent of Too Short’s “”Freaky Tales,”” only more modern. Jay-Z lists off the women he’s been with, and though it must interest some, it just seems a bit tired at this point. There is usually a song with an annoying chorus that gets repeated often. In this case, it’s “”Hola Hovito,”” in which the final chorus is carried for a couple beats longer than necessary. Any complaints are minuscule and minimal. The album has a consistent sound with deep beats — at times with a metallic feel, at others, African. Jay-Z’s lyrics are liquid, and although he occasionally drops into superficiality — a seemingly inherent rapper quality — throughout the album he dishes out lines that will either make you laugh or make you reach for the rewind button. Examples include “”Don’t only talk it, walk like it/From the bricks to the booth I could predict the future like Cleo the Psychic”” and “”We can get paper longer than Pippen’s arms.”” The notable songs are “”Heart of the City”” and “”Renagade.”” The soulful chorus, Jay-Z’s flows and the beat mix well enough to get “”Heart of the City”” into your head. And, despite any previous feelings about Eminem’s content, his two verses on “”Renagade”” are packed with enough talent to raise eyebrows. It’s one of those songs that allows rappers to throw out strings of words without breaking, so the entire thing — beats and lyrics — seems like one. In that regard, it’s like audio sex. This one’s a must. — Eric Dean, Contributing Writer Various Artists WWF Tough Enough Dreamworks Finally, an album for people who divide their time between watching MTV, WWF and lifting weights. Dreamworks put every heavy metal song that has been played on MTV in the last 12 months on “”Tough Enough”” and threw on “”Smooth Criminal”” to capture the attention of people who do not fall into the aforementioned niche market. What really makes this album interesting is that it features 13 different bands that span the hard rock genre and, well, they all sound the same. One thing that becomes glaringly apparent after listening to the entire album is that one screaming male voice is indistinguishable from another. Standout performances on the album come from the Deftones with “”Digital Bath.”” As the only ballad on the album, “”Digital Bath”” offers a refreshing break from the otherwise entirely hard rock album with smooth driving percussion and guitar that doesn’t scream, but yells between whispers. Another breakaway from the too-hard rock album came from Halfcocked in “”Drive Away.”” The song still features hard guitar but is complemented by vocals from Sarah Reitkopp, whose voice flies effortlessly over the guitar. Halfcocked should be a great addition to what is otherwise a pretty weak female hard rock genre. Pressure 4-5 has an interestingly catchy offering, “”Beat the World.”” Is this a bad song with really good parts or a good song with really bad parts? Either way, it outdoes the majority of the album. The good thing about this album is that someone who is not into hard rock music can get almost every hard rock song they have heard on one album. The problem is that 10 songs on the album are indistinguishable from one another even after multiple listens. Tough Enough? Maybe a little overdone and hard to swallow. — David Bynum, Contributing Writer Jamiroquai A Funk Odyssey Epic Jamiroquai has definitely been on an odyssey of funk. He appeared on the British club scene in 1992 with funky house rhythms and many influences from ’70s disco and soul. His debut album, “”Emergency on Planet Earth,”” was released in 1993 and exploded in the United Kingdom, hitting No. 1 and going platinum. “”The Return of the Space Cowboy”” also had great commercial success. “”Travelling Without Moving”” is the album Americans are most familiar with. “”Virtual Insanity”” was a huge success, receiving much radio and MTV play. Songs such as “”Cosmic Girl”” have been known to induce much ass-shaking. Jamiroquai’s album, “”A Funk Odyssey,”” will also get you started with some feet tappin’ that’ll inevitably give way to letting loose and dancing. The strings, guitars and vocals are definite nods to the disco era of the `70s, but the harder beats and a thick bassline give the album a modern house feel. The first three tracks are great dance songs, but then the album settles into a groovy Brazilian tune called “”Corner of the Earth.”” The background vocals and the Latin guitar sound fit together to produce a very Antonio Carlos Jobim sound, complete with lyrics about nature. The nostalgic “”Picture of My Life”” is also reminiscent of some older bassa nova grooves and closes out the album in a beautiful, sunset-like fashion. Jamiroquai’s funk roots shine in “”Love Foolsophy”” with a slap bass. He shifts to a darker sound with a fuzz bass and darker breakbeats in “”Stop Don’t Panic”” and “”Twenty Zero One.”” Jamiroquai’s true talents lie in the funky house tunes found in “”Feel So Good,”” “”Little L”” and “”Main Vein.”” His 1999 release, “”Synkronized,”” failed to capture the magic of his previous albums and was met with some criticism. However, “”A Funk Odyssey”” shows that he is ready to get the dance floors groovin’ once again. — Joseph Lee, Hiatus Editor ...

Thursday 10/11/01 JOHN MAYER, formerly of Eddie’s Attic, will be making an appearance at the Belly Up Tavern. He recently signed a record deal with a major label and has started to play larger venues across the country. His acoustic guitar-playing is accompanied by a full band, giving JOHN MAYER a Dave Matthews sort of feel. He will perform at 8:30 p.m. and tickets are $10. Friday 10/12/01 Coors Amphitheater hosts LLOYD’S BLUES MUSIC FESTIVAL WITH B.B. KING at 6 p.m. No introduction is necessary for the master of the blues. Even at 75 years old, B.B. KING averages over 250 shows every year. He has released over 50 albums and has received eight Grammy Awards. In 1987, KING was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. He is also a businessman and owns nightclubs in Los Angeles, New York, and Memphis, Tenn. Tickets start at $17.50. DIRECTIONS IN MUSIC presents an all-star cast at the East County Performing Arts Center to pay tribute to JOHN COLTRANE and MILES DAVIS. Their influence on jazz music has been widespread and timeless. Pianist Herbie Hancock performed with Miles Davis in the early days and he will be accompanied by Michael Brecker on tenor sax, Roy Hargrove on trumpet, Brian Blade on the drums and bassist John Patitucci. Tickets start at $40 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Smooth harmonies and feel-good tunes are what you should expect from the TEMPTATIONS. They will perform at Humphrey’s By the Bay with hits like “”The Way You Do the Things You Do”” and “”My Girl.”” Tickets start at $45. THE YOUNG DUBLINERS actually live in Los Angeles, but their traditional Celtic rhythms and melodies are distinctively Irish. They have been compared to U2 and even the Chieftains. They are supporting their recent album, “”Alive Alive O.”” THE YOUNG DUBLINERS will be at the Belly Up Tavern at 9:15 p.m. as well as the following night at the same time. Tickets are $15. Saturday 10/13/01 The SEAN CURRAN COMPANY will perform at Mandeville Auditorium. Curran has trained with the Bill T. Jones and Arnie Zane Dance Company. Curran was also an original member of the off Broadway percussion extravaganza “”STOMP!”” The performance starts at 7:30 p.m. and tickets are $15 for students. Call the UCSD Box Office for more information at (858) 534-TIXS. Look in the next issue of hiatus for a complete review of the show. GORDON LIGHTFOOT was part of a folk foursome performing music that dominated the 1970s folk music world. LIGHTFOOT, along with Jim Croce, James Taylor and Harry Chapin, all created hits for the times. It may seem that LIGHTFOOT has disappeared for a while, but he has still been performing and writing songs. LIGHTFOOT will be at Humphrey’s By the Bay. Tickets start at $35 and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. Monday 10/15/01 THE PHARCYDE released “”Bizarre Ride II the Pharcyde”” and it went Gold in the early 1990s. In 1995, they released “”Labcabincalifornia”” to much praise. Then they disappeared only to return with “”Plain Rap,”” which had straight-ahead rap grooves with a West Coast flavor. They will perform at ‘Canes Bar & Grill at 9 p.m. Tickets are $22. Wednesday 10/17/01 BOB DYLAN is a timeless traveler in the world of music. This time he lands at RIMAC Arena. The show starts at 8 p.m. Call the UCSD Box Office for more information at (858) 534-4559. Tickets are $25 for UCSD students. Thursday 10/18/01 Indie punk-rockers the SUICIDE MACHINES will be at ‘Canes Bar & Grill at 7 p.m. Their debut in 1996, “”Destruction by Definition,”” had positive reviews from fans and critics. Their show starts at 7 p.m. and tickets are $12. — Compiled by Joseph Lee, Hiatus Editor ...

Before the 11th annual San Diego Music Awards got underway Tuesday night, nominees and guests schmoozed around Humphrey’s by the Bay, drinks in hand. The seats were still largely empty as people clustered around the bar or local TV crews’ cameras, and the stage was host only to the occasional engineer adjusting mics and cords. Tyler Huff Guardian But above the stage, two screens displayed a sequence of snippets of local music history: music videos from San Diego artists. Some of them were quaint and amateurish, VHS gems filmed in high school gymnasiums or montages of readily recognizable SD streetscapes. Wedged among these do-it-yourself classics were videos pulled straight from MTV, like Jewel’s “”Who Will Save Your Soul?,”” Blink-182’s “”All the Small Things”” and Sprung Monkey’s “”Get ‘Em Outta Here.”” These videos’ polish and production and the fame of the artists they showcase were glitzy reminders of the essential conundrum of the San Diego scene. Namely, local acts always have their eyes on the prize of national recognition, but try to remain true to their SD vibe. The award ceremony played up the latter aspect, but it was clear that every musician and industry member in the house was keenly aware of the distance from San Diego to Los Angeles. For some, it’s a mere hop, skip and a jump. For others, those 200 might as well be 2,000. Tyler Huff Guardian There is no shortage of local bands with the talent and drive to make it big. Tuesday night was a smorgasbord of musicians on the cusp. It was also an excuse for a tight-knit community of cross-pollinating, props-giving groups to chat each other up, jam the night away and show the love. Switchfoot opened the show with their bright, Christian-influenced pop. Their floating harmonies mixed with just enough of an electronic kick to launch the night into high gear. One of those rare bands with success and humility, Switchfoot seemed dazzled by the crowd. “”It’s good to be here,”” frontman Jon Foreman said bashfully. “”This is probably the only chance we’ll get to play Humphrey’s.”” His modesty was unjustified. Switchfoot have already had a TV movie appearance and their songs have been featured four times on “”Dawson’s Creek.”” That night, they were also honored with the Best Pop Album award for “”Learning to Breathe.”” “”This goes out to every artist that’s better than us that didn’t win,”” Foreman said. While the category is traditionally highly competitive as the San Diego pop scene is rich and active, Switchfoot was a cut above, avoiding the darling musical cliches that often plague contemporary pop music. Artists throughout the night gave it up to the less fortunate nominees in their categories. Candye Kane, who is based both in L.A. and S.D. and whose national visibility relies upon her brassy personality and voice and her former work in the sex industry, was tearful in accepting the Best Blues award. “”There are so many other artists in this category who better represent San Diego music,”” she said. The classiest move of the night came from Ghoulspoon. Taking the prize for Best Hard Rock or Metal (and also, perhaps, stupidest band name of the year), they invited all the other nominees onto the stage. Once the stage was crowded with dread-locked, tattooed, big-haired rockers with beer cups in hand, Ghoulspoon lead singer Zach Goode explained. “”This is what the San Diego music scene is all about,”” he said. “”It’s about the bands supporting each other.”” Of course, the underlying tension of potential fame was omnipresent. The Incredible Moses Leroy took the stage a little more than halfway through the ceremony. Suddenly, the few, sporadic bursts of photographers were replaced by a frenzy of flashbulbs and crowding cameras. Since their incessantly catchy single “”Fuzzy”” exploded into heavy rotation and lead singer Ron Fountenberry appeared in a GAP commercial, this band has been pegged The Next Big Thing. And of course, everyone knew it. Fountenberry himself was honored with Artist of the Year. In his surprisingly childlike voice, he thanked “”all the people we stepped on to get here.”” But more overpowering than the shadow of those who are on the verge of greatness is San Diego’s current claim to musical fame: Blink-182. While it’s hard to consider Blink local when 12-year-old girls in Minnesota gaze dreamily at life-sized posters every night after brushing their teeth, the punk heroes were nominated for a smattering of awards. They won for Best Punk Album (“”Take Off Your Pants and Jacket””) and Group of the Year. The crowd and presenters were surprised to see Blink’s Tom DeLonge shifting down the aisle and onto the stage to accept the awards. His comments at the podium were genuine and graceful. “”Keep it big, keep playing, and give awards to somebody else, ’cause there’s so many better bands than us,”” he advised the audience. The penultimate performer was Convoy. Their classic brand of rock recalls Lenny Kravitz, the Rolling Stones and Aerosmith, whoConvoy toured with recently. After bringing down the house, they were awarded Album of the Year for “”Black Licorice.”” The band was fresh from a prolonged and highly successful road trip. Lead singer Jason Hill was effusive about his love of San Diego. He told the crowd, “”It’s always good to be home, and we’re glad to be home.”” Complete list of winners: Artist of the Year — Ron Fountenberry of Incredible Moses Leroy Group of the Year — Blink-182 Song of the Year — P.O.D., “”Alive”” Album of the Year — Convoy, “”Black Licorice”” Lifetime Achievement Award — Jack Costanzo Best Adult Alternative Album — Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash, “”Walk Alone”” Best Alternative Album — Blackheart Procession, “”Three”” Best Blues Album — Buddy Blue, “”Pretend It’s Okay”” Best Dance or Funk Album — d*fRost, “”Digital Dustbowl”” Best Hard Rock or Metal Album — Life Hates Me, “”Imperfections”” Best Jazz or Blues Album — Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, “”Dance Lesson #2″” Best Local Recording — Via Satellite, “”Wake Up Heavy”” Best Pop Album — Switchfoot, “”Learning to Breathe”” Best Punk Album — Blink-182, “”Take Off Your Pants and Jacket”” Best R&B, Hip-Hop, or Rap Album — Icons, “”Capture the Flag”” Best Rock Album — Convoy, “”Black Licorice”” Best Acoustic — Steve Poltz Best Adult Alternative — Eve Selis Best Alternative — Jack’s Broken Heart Best Bar Band — ’80s All-Stars Best Blues — Candye Kane Best Country — Nickel Creek Best Dance or Funk — d*fRost Best Dixieland or Big Band — Big Time Operator Best Electronic — Square Circle Best Hard Rock or Metal — Ghoulspoon Best Latin Jazz — B-Side Players Best Mainstream Jazz — Gilbert Castellanos Best Pop Jazz — Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Best Pop — Switchfoot Best Punk — Dogwood Best R&B, Hip-Hop, or Rap — Downlow Best Rock — Sprung Monkey Best Roots, Rockabilly, or Swing — Billy Midnight Best World — Common Sense Best New Artist — Rochelle, Rochelle ...

arry Levinson’s latest flick is a hit-and-miss romantic comedy that follows the story of two bank robbers and the woman they love as they make their way through Oregon and California, leaving a trail of money, stolen cars and an adoring public in their wake. “”Bandits”” follows Joe Blake (Bruce Willis) and Terry Collins (Billy Bob Thornton) from a daring prison escape in Oregon all the way down the West Coast. The duo brings a unique approach to robbing banks that proves to be very efficient. The two fugitives quickly recruit Harvey Pollard (Troy Garity), Blake’s dimwitted cousin and an aspiring stuntman, as their wheelman. Things are going well for the crew until Collins has a run-in with Kate Wheeler (Cate Blanchett). Wheeler joins the team, adding controversy and an interesting love story on the side. She must choose between Blake, the irresistible tough guy, and Collins, the sweet and sensitive type. The movie’s comedic element kicks into overdrive as the two fight for her affection. Levinson is a proven director who has an Academy Award to prove it. He won the award for Best Director for “”Rainman”” in 1988. He is also no stranger to comedy. Levinson won critical acclaim with his direction of “”Good Morning, Vietnam.”” His comedic style is unique in that it focuses on a sense of reality and relies on the humor of the actual moment instead of relying on the actor overplaying it for laughs. That approach is followed in this movie and works very well. Thornton’s performance as a neurotic hypochondriac is the saving grace of this movie. His comedic timing is very good; he saves a script that is slow at times and very predictable. It is a very solid role for him. Willis is simply average as the tough guy with a heart. He has his funny moments, but they are few in number. Blanchett does a nice job in her role as the bored housewife looking for adventure. She also has a few funny moments in the movie. Garity is surprisingly funny as the village idiot. His character is the only one who really shoots for overt comedy, with the exception of a few scenes from Thornton. The cinematography is above average in this movie. There are some beautiful shots that capture some of the brilliant scenery in which the film was shot. Two-time Academy Award nominee Dante Spinotti (“”L.A. Confidential,”” “”The Insider””) was in charge of the cinematography. “”Bandits”” is a fun movie, but poorly written. It drags at times, but is saved by some solid performances and definite comedy. For those simply looking for a good laugh and some relaxing entertainment, this movie is one that should be on the list. However, if those looking for a solid plot and Oscar-worthy performances should really look elsewhere. ...

hris Kattan doing an improvisation to Britney Spears’ “”Oops … I did it Again”” as an audition to perform with the wannabe diva herself: hilarious. Chris Kattan pestering a member of *NSync at the Teen Choice Awards: a good laugh. Chris Kattan as a veterinarian assistant turned FBI special agent for his new film “”Corky Romano””: ehhh. In his solo film debut, Kattan is the overzealous Corky Romano, whose life revolves around his snazzy yellow Miata and patching up canaries. That is, until he’s called out of the vet business to infiltrate the FBI in order to retrieve incriminating evidence against his father, mafioso “”Pops”” Romano. Soon after Corky joins the brotherhood, the plot becomes as spastic as Kattan himself. Assigned to a special task force in search of serial killer “”Night Vulture,”” who has a flair for cracking nuts, Corky becomes caught between family and FBI loyalty — an interesting dilemma. As the search for the villainous “”Night Vulture”” continues and the swipe-card to the evidence room gives Kattan trouble, we begin to wonder if we should even care. The fundamental problem of “”Corky Romano”” is that it’s too much at once. It seems as though Kattan knew he had more than two minutes to exercise our funny bones, so he decided to hit us with everything in the comedic book, from the cheesy love story to giving CPR to a dog to straining to pass gas just for the fart gag. And in case that wasn’t enough, we also get a car chase, a fight with a vertically challenged bouncer a la “”Matrix”” and a shocking experience with some neo-Nazi heroin addicts, all of which give Kattan an opportunity to talk to his crotch (don’t ask). But please, Kattan is no Jim Carrey. Instead of at least adopting a slicing verbal wit, he relies on a flashy smile. Great, so he’s a nice guy. Yet regardless of any good intentions, his constant pastel-shaded aura and his ability to turn the FBI into the “”groovy tie squad”” is just irritating. However, Kattan redeems himself in a sequence involving a bag of cocaine, a police dog and a room of wide-eyed school kids. Yet for the rest of the movie, we have to be content with spotting the original Shaft (Richard Roundtree), who seems to have gone institutionally legit as the FBI director. Vincent Pastore, better known as Big Pussy on HBO’s hit series “”The Sopranos,”” provides us with the only true Mafia moment as Corky’s replacement in the vet clinic. All in all, “”Corky Romano”” is probably only worth the time it’ll take to download it off the Internet. ...

redg is lost somewhere on campus loop. Apparently no one told them where they’re playing or how to get there. “”We’re on North Torrey Pines,”” their manager John tells me. “”I’m passing the Muir apartment buildings.”” I tell him he is going the right way. They are trying to find the Price Center, where they’re scheduled to play the daytime portion of FallFest. As I try to guide them via cell phone around campus loop, I pray that they eventually reach an information booth. When their caravan does pull up, out walks the band. I apologize for my failed attempt as a tour guide while they introduce themselves: “”Mark,”” “”Dino,”” “”Gavin”” and “”Drew,”” in a fashion very reminiscent of The Doors getting out of their airplane. Formed in Los Gatos, Calif., the Dredg story is not unlike that of most bands. Four high school friends who grew up listening to the Misfits and Sepultura, among other things, loved playing together and eventually got a record deal. However, in listening to Dredg’s album, “”Leitmotif,”” you will realize they are not like every other band. When you pop in their album, you won’t hear the same hard rock that has been coming out of your speakers for the last four years. Hints of Radiohead and Pink Floyd are there, but the best way to describe Dredg’s sound is to say that it sounds like Dredg. You should just get the album. When you open up the CD jacket you will not find pictures of the band or song lyrics, but rather the story of a person’s journey. “”There’s a character who travels and [the album] follows his travels,”” Mark says. At the band’s Web site, http://www.dredg.com, you won’t find publicity photos but rather a collection of Drew’s paintings. “”Its just not really in our people to go out and pose for pictures,”” explains lead singer Gavin. Not since Nirvana has a band deviated from the tried-and-true formula of the record industry publicity machine. Most musicians might tell you they’re “”all for the nookie,”” but Dredg appears to really care about music as an art form. “”We just like doing music — we never really thought about the lifestyle as an influence to make music,”” said Dino. A recent Hollywood Reporter article pegged them as the new young guns of progressive rock — a title they shun. “”Labels are labels,”” Mark says. “”I think the only reason that the label is put on there is because we don’t follow normal structures.”” The independently recorded album “”Leitmotif,”” which has been re-released by Interscope, certainly did not follow the normal structure. Their upcoming major label release, due in early 2002, will definitely be one to watch for. ...

Most of us know Bob Dylan through black and white 1960s camera footage as a harmonica-toting, bushy-haired youngster with a drone to his voice. We also know that he became one of the most distinctive and poetic forces in the history of American popular music. His 1963 debut album, “”The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,”” containing famous folk anthems such as “”Blowin’ in the Wind”” and “”A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall,”” broke new ground in the music industry. He then released his 1965 album, “”Bring It All Back Home,”” daring to introduce the electric guitar into the folk music realm. However, this transition from folk troubador to rock connoisseur was not a smooth one. Dylan was famously booed off stage when he performed with the Paul Butterfield Blues Band at the 1965 New Port Folk Festival. Dylan capped off the ’60s with the album “”Highway 61 Revisited,”” which included the famous “”Like a Rolling Stone.”” The 1970s proved more turbulent as he battled a floundering marriage and was involved in a near-fatal motorcycle accident. After the crash, he retired to his home in Woodstock, N.Y. and later released “”Nashville Skyline,”” which was a far cry from the material he had released a decade earlier. In the late 1970s, he tried his hand at film and released one of the most covered songs in the history of rock ‘n roll: “”Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door.”” Then in 1983, he released “”Infidels,”” co-produced by Dire Straits’ frontman Mark Knopfler, which proved to be a success with Knopfler’s graceful guitar tracks. In 1997, while on tour in Europe to promote his album “”Time Out of Mind,”” he literally knocked on heaven’s door. On the eve of the tour he was hospitalized with histoplasmosis, a potentially fatal infection that causes swelling in the sac surrounding the heart. Luckily, he was able to continue touring after a few months and even played in Rome upon Pope John Paul II’s request. In 1998, he became one of five recipients of the Kennedy Center Honors, this country’s highest award for artistic excellence. Now he comes to us with his new release, “”Love and Theft,”” looking like the leader of a ’30s band with a pin-line mustache. He is also currently working on an autobiography titled “”Chronicle”” and launching a tour for “”Love and Theft.”” ...

Here’s another slew of Top 5s that’ll blow your mind. Some will make you think, “”What the hell?”” And others will make you think, “”Why didn’t I think of that?”” Agree? Disagree? Please submit your Top 5 Favorite Albums to: [email protected] Subject: Top Five. — Joseph Lee ANDREW QUADRI Copy Editor 1. “”In Person”” – Vince Guaraldi 2. “”Debut”” – Bjork 3. “”Gordon”” – Barenaked Ladies 4. “”Kind of Blue”” – Miles Davis 5. “”Pet Sounds”” – The Beach Boys JENNIFER SPOSITO Opinion Editor 1. “”Urban Hymns”” – The Verve 2. “”Ray of Light”” – Madonna 3. “”Remedy”” – Basement Jaxx 4. “”Ferment”” – Catherine Wheel 5. “”Nude Dimensions vol. 2 – mixed by Mauricio Aviles”” – various artists CLAIRE J. VANNETTE Features Editor 1. “”Little Earthquakes”” – Tori Amos 2. “”The John Doe Sessions”” – Gregory Page 3. “”Immortal Beloved Soundtrack”” – various artists 4. “”Arkansas Traveler”” – Michelle Shocked 5. “”S&M”” – Metallica ...

Two estranged brothers driving cross-country in a 1971 Chrysler Newport making prank calls on a CB radio sounds like a surefire comedy hit, doesn’t it? The recipe to turn this comedy into a teenage thriller calls for one psychotic truck driver and one hot college girl. Playing the two estranged brothers are Paul Walker (who most of you will remember as the injured all-state quarterback from “”Varsity Blues””) and the ever-hilarious Steve Zahn (“”Saving Silverman,”” “”That Thing You Do””). The majority of the film is interplay between Walker and Zahn. This creates a bit of a problem, because Walker is about a year of intensive acting lessons away from being able to stumble through a film without annoying whatever part of the audience that isn’t overcome by his dimples. Until those lessons are paid for, he’s stuck with competing against Freddie Prinze Jr. for all of the worthless young-male-actor roles in Hollywood. Leelee Sobieski plays the lead female character, Venna. She describes Venna as “”the girl with the boobs and the butt who does go to college.”” Unfortunately, Venna is that and nothing more. The young actress does the best she can, considering her character’s only purpose is to keep the audience from getting tired of Zahn’s attempts to get Walker into trouble with trite and over-used exclamations such as “”Come on, man!”” and “”Dude, this is awesome.”” Zahn’s comic styling is this film’s only saving grace. He plays the typical, comic-relief smartass, but Zahn makes the character all his with his trademark facial and vocal expressions. His hijinks are refreshing and at the same time oddly misplaced in this teen thriller. Zahn has fewer and fewer opportunities to let his comic genius shine as the movie goes on because this film only gets more and more intense. The fact that the film’s single greatest attribute gets weaned out over time leaves the audience to watch nothing more than blood fly all over the screen. Since this thriller has so few redeeming qualities and is rated R, I imagine you are wondering at this point about the nudity factor. Leelee Sobieski fans (if such a thing exists) will be disappointed to know that there is no female nudity anywhere in this film. Partial male nudity occurs at one point, but the R rating comes mostly as a result of violence. Unfortunately, this joyride is for Steve Zahn fans only. ...