While everyones won, the Battle is lost

Battle Born’ review

By Sophie Isbister, Contributor

pon first hearing Battle Born (released September 18), it would

seem that Brandon Flowers and those other dudes from

The Killers were heavily influenced by George R.R. Martin’s sweeping fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. The first track, “Flesh

and Bone,” is appropriately

epic, with doom-filled soundscapes and soaring vocals. Unfortunately, the

pace falters, and by the time

you reach the title track at the end of the album, you might already have been lulled to sleep.

Overall, the fourth effort from the Nevada blah-rock quartet is a numbingly predictable ode to relationships, nostalgia, and a new genre that I’ve dubbed “narrative rock.” Stay tuned! Soon I'll be

rock lyric generator and then anyone can write songs about driving their motorcycle/car/Segway to the bowling alley / dance club/ abattoir and falling in love with a guy/gal/ embalmed horse.

All jokes aside, if you like The Killers you'll like this album, including standout tracks like the album’s first single, “Runaway,” and the surprisingly good “Miss Atomic Bomb.”

releasing an online narrative

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Meet me at Mirage Rock

= By Sophie Isbister,

~ Contributor

OOOO

irage Rock, the

fourth album from sometimes-rock, sometimes-alt country group Band of Horses, hits shelves on September 18, and the album opens with | abang. Actually, it opens with a “WOOHOOO!” on unabashedly rock n’ roll opening track “Knock Knock.”

Despite it feeling like a

bit of a mixed bag, I really

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enjoyed the album. There’s a bit of twang (with lyrics like “Guess what? I’ve lost my job. It’s just my luck” on second track “How To Live”), a bit of crooning (most notable on track 10, “Long Vows,” where Ben

Bridwell’s vocals are so reminiscent of Neil Young that I actually thought for a moment I was listening to the wrong album), and a hefty helping of solid lyricism (especially on the clean-sounding ode to

Mirage Rock has something for everyone, provided everyone likes either rock or alt country.

freedom, “Electric Music”). Then you have tracks like “Dumpster World,” which has you thinking it’s a country ballad until it completely switches directions 30 seconds in. Mirage Rock has

something for everyone, provided everyone likes either rock or alt country. And isn’t that how it should be? I know I'll be playing “Heartbreak 101” on repeat as I cry into my red wine tonight.

Get comfortable with

By Lauren Paulsen, Contributor

R= Murphy’s got a number of hit shows under his belt, but he

is perhaps best known

for creating the popular dramedy Glee. The latest show Murphy’s added to his creative resume is a new comedy entitled The New Normal, which had its

6

Ryan Murphy

premiere last Monday. The New Normal stars

Andrew Rannells and Justin

‘The New

Bartha as Bryan and David, a gay couple that wishes to have a baby of their own. In comes Goldie (played by Georgia King), a single mother who had her first born at the young age of 15. After finding her husband in bed with another man, Goldie decides to change her and her child’s life for the better, which of course requires some money.

She decides to become a surrogate, and thus meets Bryan and David. Add in

Normal’

Goldie’s not-so-secretly homophobic ‘nanny from hell,’ Jane (played by Ellen Barkin), and you’ve got an

interesting cast of characters.

The idea behind The New Normal is definitely an intriguing one, and I’m already interested in seeing where the plot goes. Some of the pilot fell flat in its writing, and there were several moments where it felt as though the camera was shooting the series like a reality show, but the pilot

remained solid throughout. A show like this has of course received controversy from conservative groups, such as One Million Moms, but what can you do; there will always be people trying to rain on your parade. Regardless, I think The New Normal’s view on the troubles gay couples encounter is an interesting topic, and I will be keeping my eye on this one to see how it turns out.