issue 25 // vol 44 An eloquent, well- structured indie debut > ‘Epidemic Suggestion’ album review Caroline Ho Arts Editor kek 'pidemic Suggestion, the debut album by Dilemma Season, is a solid 42 minutes of poetically-woven tunes with a strong sense of flow from track to track. Dilemma Season is the studio project of Vancouver-based, self-taught musician Scott Hardy. On his website, Hardy lists a wide range of musical influences, from Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen to Pavement, Yo La Tengo, and many other musical acts old and new. Dilemma Season’s songs meld a classic folk-rock solidity with an original indie spirit carried through fresh-feeling tonal progressions and expressive lyrics. Epidemic Suggestion shines with its cohesiveness and track ordering. Each of the 10 songs transition smoothly into the next without melding indistinguishably, and the more rambunctious, country- infused tracks are bordered by softer counterparts, with every song opening fluidly on the heels of the last. The album kicks off with “The Antagonist,” which immediately sounds more upbeat and lively than its title might suggest. Steady, rhythmic guitars, bass, and percussion back Hardy’s heartfelt yet well-tempered vocals about the enemies within oneself and one’s past. The song is also an introductory display of some clever lyrical composition that plays with rhyme and rhythm, such as the line “The fall and rise, a revised history of my own demise.” My vote for highlight of the album definitely goes to the third track, “Train of Thought.” Musically and thematically, it’s a beautifully assembled blend of mood and message. Right from the opening pulses of drumbeat, the track fully evokes the feeling of riding the rails through a rustic countryside, an impression bolstered by agile guitar accompaniment as Hardy sings impassionedly of the illusive, empty appeal of capitalistic and media-driven lifestyles. Just like a train rumbling on relentlessly, the song builds momentum with each verse and chorus through layers of instrumentation and an increasing sense of being fed up with so many aspects of the modern world. However, keeping to form, the next track “Reign of Fire” flows from the previous seamlessly, maintaining its lively swinging spirit while bringing in a stronger country flair—without any Phe Rw AA CO of the overblown cheesiness that I associate with country music. Hardy’s skill with lyricism and imagery is evident again in the gentler, lilting “Broken Bridge.” The lyrics aren't overtly, overbearingly picturesque, but the unassuming percussion and instrumentation— including jaunty touches of mandolin— effectively convey the wistfulness of “Sitting alone on a broken bridge/ waiting in vain to see me again.” Dilemma Season’s local flavour reveals itself in “The Queens of Dundarave,” its title naming the West Vancouver neighbourhood. This one’s a rollicking tune with boisterous, classic rock ‘r’ roll spirit, one that sounds almost like it could have skipped right off a ’50s or 60s record. “Not My Aim” is another track with a controlled balance of emotional intensity underlaid with staid resolve. Hardy’s vocals in the pre-chorus hint at rawness without being burdened by angst A dramatic cultural exchange > ‘Oh Lucy!’ film review Jerrison Oracion Senior Columnist kwekk h Lucy! is the opposite of a usual North American going-on-a- trip film because, instead of the main character visiting another country, the protagonist travels from another country to a place on our continent and learns about our culture. Our story begins in Tokyo where Setsuko Kawashima (Shinobu Terajima) is waiting in the subway station on her way to her office job, which she does not enjoy. She witnesses a man run onto the tracks and commit suicide as the subway arrives. Shortly after that incident, Setsuko’s niece, Mika (Shiori Kutsuna), tells her to take her place in an English class that she has been attending for six months in a language school near the café where Mika works. Setsuko goes to the class and gets along with her teacher named John (Josh Hartnett). The following week, John unexpectedly disappears, and when Setsuko receives a postcard from Mika revealing that she is in California with John, Setsuko, and her sister, Mika’s mother Ayako (Kaho Minami), travel to Los Angeles to find Mika—a trip that does not go as planned. I became interested in this film because Will Ferrell and Adam McKay produced it. Before watching it, I was expecting to see a romantic comedy with a few serious scenes and a pleasant ending. However, it is pretty much a drama because the film surprisingly talks about suicide. The first scene will cause you to think that something will happen to Setsuko, or something similar will occur in a later scene. The film is the type that looks lighthearted but is actually more serious, similar to films like Arthur (the version with Russell Brand) and Seeking a Friend for the End of the World. As the film progresses, it gets darker and darker, with comedy noticeably absent in the second half. Everyone who watches Oh Lucy!, no matter who you are, will learn something about American and Japanese culture. In one scene, when Setsuko, Ayako, and John are in a diner and ordering lunch, Setsuko calls French fries “potato fry.” At another point, John tells Setsuko that another student in his class named Takeshi (Koji Yakusho) wanted to learn English because he wanted to watch American films without reading the subtitles. We also see the formalities of an office in Japan and the inside of a maid café. If you have not seen a maid café before, you will see why they are interesting when you watch the moive. The English class scenes show Americans as more relaxed, while Cover of ‘Epidemic Suggestion’ and heaviness, a balance he achieves again in the following song “Harm.” The album ends with “Roots,” which is a strong choice as a closer. It’s a softer, sombre, utterly soulful track that prompts a deep contemplation of one’s past and one’s roots. The track’s moderately-paced five-minute length, with about a minute and a half of primarily instrumental denouement, makes it a fitting wind down to a keenly-assembled album. Epidemic Suggestion is available for streaming on Spotify and can also be streamed and purchased through Dilemma Season’s website, www.dilemmaseason.com, where you can also find out more about Hardy and his creative endeavours. Promotional still for ‘Oh Lucy!’ the Japanese appear more formal. We see funny moments from Terajima and Hartnett, with a lot of hugs. Josh Hartnett has not been in a film in avery long time, but he is great in this film, and perhaps he will be in many other movies again. While Oh Lucy! talks about a serious topic, it also shows cultures interacting with each other. The screenings of the film in the Vancity Theater were almost sold out, so they might add additional screenings. If they do, this is a film worth watching, although if you are not comfortable seeing a film about suicide, perhaps avoid this one.