"Hello Clarice"

The velvet touch, the subtle intricacies, and slow revealing of nothing less than the larger portrait, Doctor Hannibal Lecter himself, could not resist the masterpiece that is “The Silence of the Lambs.” Amongst other horror films such as “Friday the 13th,” “Halloween,” and “A Nightmare on Elm Street,” Hannibal Lecter licks the bones clean compared to these mediocre, one scare horror films. “The Silence of the Lambs” not only tenses you up through viewing the movie, it leaves you with a haunting feeling in your skin that Lecter could be just as real as you and me. When first learning that Lecter is a cannibal, you get the idea that that is his only purpose. When you watch him interact with the characters in the movie, you realize that his purpose is to not only taste the flesh of them, but that he loves to rot them from the inside out. He enjoys prying deep into memories and tasting the tears and fears of their past. That is what this movie does to its viewers to make them cringe at the sight of Lecter.

Anthony Hopkins portrays Hannibal Lecter with a severed, iron fist. If his voice does not get you, then place your hands over your ears and focus on his eyes. If you were to stare long enough, you would get the disturbing feeling of Lecter digging deep into your most horrible memories. You do not get any other of Hopkins’ characters mixed into this film. Hopkins gives One-Hundred percent Hannibal Lecter. It is always a mess when you are able to tell what actor is playing that part. But when you acknowledge the actor as their character, that is when you know it is gold. His performance really influences the performance of Clarice Starling.

Jodie Foster plays Clarice Starling, a motivated FBI academy student that is delegated the task to infiltrate the mind of Hannibal Lecter, prying at what a serial killers intentions may be, with the hope of getting closer to Buffalo Bill, a serial killer on the loose with the same qualities as Lecter. Foster does an excellent job creating a sense of confidence in her when she is given the task. It make the audiences feel that she will complete her task with no problem. As the movie progresses, you feel uneasy with Foster’s performance in a good way. As Lecter pries into memories, Foster’s vibe on screen comes out and disturbs its audience.

Through-out the entire film you are given an uneasy feeling. The first time Clarice enters the cell block of Lecter, foreshadows that of Buffalo Bill’s basement. Clarice’s surroundings really throw viewers into how uncomfortable you should actually be feeling. The sound design brings the sets to life from beginning to end. Camera angles chosen give eye sights they are straight on Clarice so the feeling is taken onto the viewers. It is as if the director wanted to take you out of your seat, and put you right in the sweet, velvet skin of the clever and confident Clarice.

What I Got surely wasn't this.

Any band that characterizes themselves above everyone and everything else physical or spiritual, does not deserve a record label let alone an album named after themselves. Sublime is a term defined as so; “of outstanding spiritual, intellectual, or moral worth.” The self-titled album “Sublime” does not live up to Merriam-Webster’s straightforward definition. 

This album is in no way comparable to their first album “40 Oz to Freedom.” With songs like “Badfish”, “Rivers of Babylon”, and of course “40 Oz to Freedom”, their self-titled album seems just like an attempt to sell out.

Their hit of the 90s, “Santeria,” does not make up for the rest of the album. It does keep their laid back ska/reggae true like their previous albums. Its beautiful melody and captivating lyrics provide the listener with a sense of what Sublime once was. The lyrics creating a story that any listener can relate to. That is the job of the artist to provide their fans a relationship between them and the lyrics. “Santeria” being nearly towards the middle of the album, it provides Sublime with a peaking point, but still cannot save the album. 

Sublime appeared as a grimy, gritty album that only seemed to reach its listeners by polluting their ears with immense amounts of derogatory lyrics. “Caress Me Down,” has a catchy beat, but the burden of the song is the lyrics and story that the song explains. It begins with the bands founder, Bradley, explaining how he is getting pleasure from, Mixie, who we can assume is someone’s daughter. Later in the song, in spanish, Bradley sings “don’t be afraid, I’m your daddy.” The lyrics are not the only thing that bring the album down.

Although Sublime provides you with an almost full Compact Disc of seventeen tracks, you still get robbed by songs that sound like complete chaos. The vocals and the guitar clash on “Paddle Out.” From the beginning when vocalist’s mouth opens, it sounds like a twenty car pile up. The guitar is so abrupt. It overpowers the lyrics which, in this case, may not be that big of a problem.

Of course the album would supply you with the same song twice. One “acoustic” and one with a little more push. Put these songs side by side, although there is are differences between both versions, they are very minimal. The original has more of a hip-hop sound while the acoustic version eases up with the force.

As provided earlier, the definition of sublime does not even graze the dirty case that holds the album. There is nothing above and beyond about the self-titled album. In its sad attempts to cross their music with a more hip-hop sound, leaving behind the unique reggae once beheld on “40 Oz to Freedom,” it becomes obvious that some bands just cannot live up to their own original. With the attempt failed, it should motivate the listener to go to their refrigerator, grab a brew, toss “Sublime” to the side and previous album. Sit back and let the past heal the pain.

This Cake served with ice cream.

“Showroom of Compassion,” the seventh and latest to the discography of rock band CAKE. This album rewards those who purchased their last album released in 2007, “B-Sides and Rarities,” which was a compilation of numerous cover songs spanning from Frank Sinatra all the way to the Muppets “Mahna, Mahna.” Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” made a stylish appearance on the album reaching to a new demographic for the band.

“Showroom of Compassion” takes a different turn from their earlier albums with the lyrics still holding true to the bands environmental activism. The hit song on the album, “Sick of You” that took number one on the Billboard 200 for one week, speaks how everything that ends up owning us, will soon cease to exist or in reality does not increase the pleasure in our life.

Their instrumental techno/classical mash-up “Teenage Pregnancy” takes more of a bleak turn on the album. With a beautiful opening from founding band member John McCrea on piano, it makes this the strongest track on the album, giving the audience complete freedom to create the story, just as music originated.

Each of their previous albums all had their own unique style, and “Showroom of Compassion” does not fail at it’s own. Their first album “Motorcade of Generosity” of course set the bar for them and their style of funk and rock. “Fashion Nugget” sounds like a compilation like a movie soundtrack. “Prolonging the Magic” having a more upbeat tone than the previous albums. “Comfort Eagle” taking bit of a techno turn for the band. And “Pressure Chief” bring out more of the pop of the band, there was no doubt that “Showroom of Compassion” would have it’s own unique sound that would not leave their fans not only wanting more, but also asking what flavor was next.