INTERSECTIONS: Film Review – ‘Lost Child – Sayon’s Journey’

By RISHI KANERIYA
Staff Writer

How much do we really know about the Cambodian genocide of the 1970s? We know of the Khmer Rouge, the communist guerrilla organization responsible for the deaths of over two million Cambodian lives. We know of Pol Pot, the party’s cruel leader. But we know very little about how that tragedy is still affecting Cambodians today. How do former child soldiers in the Khmer Rouge cope with the experiences of their past?

Princeton-area filmmaker Janet Gardner explores this hidden side of history in her new documentary film entitled Lost Child – Sayon’s Journey, co-produced by Sopheap Theam. Hit the jump for a full review of the film. 

INTERSECTIONS: Interview – Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

By JARRED MIHALIK
Senior Writer

B.O.B., Far East Movement, Wiz Khalifa…Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros?  USG has certainly taken a bold step with this year’s selection for the Lawnparties headliner, breaking its steady tradition of hiring rising rap and/or electronic artists in favor of an established indie presence.  This choice was sure to cause some sort of reaction – responses on my Facebook newsfeed ranged from elated to horrified, with many expressing confusion at the selection of a band whose catalog doesn’t quite fit the definition of “pump up music.”  Nevertheless, I’m excited for a breath of fresh air—I believe it’s quite possible to have a great time listening to music that you don’t have to jump up and down to—but we’ll see how the set turns out.  I interviewed Christian Letts, a guitarist and vocalist in the (decidedly large) group about how the group is preparing for Sunday, and what they feel their music is about.  You can catch Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros at Quad at 2:30 on Sunday.

INTERSECTIONS: Terrace Preview – Miracles of Modern Science

By RACHEL KLEBANOV
Staff Writer

Miracles of Modern Science—name sound familiar? Probably! This band of Princeton alums–Evan Younger ’08, Josh Hirshfeld ’08, Kieran Ledwidge ’08, Geoff McDonald ’07, Tyler Pines ’09–formed in 2005 at our very own Princeton U with modest beginnings: playing at open mic nights, Café Viv, and of course, Terrace. And to Terrace they return to grace us with their outstanding musical presence once again.

I hadn’t heard much of MOMS until now, but I gotta say, I absolutely love their sound. It is bursting with energy, something that string instruments don’t always bring to the table. (They might be the male, indie-rock, less hair-whipping version of Bond). Hit the jump for more - 

INTERSECTIONS: Writers’ Series – Rachel Klebanov

By RACHEL KLEBANOV
Staff Writer

What’s up Intersections?! My name is Rachel Klebanov and I hail from our very own Princeton, New Jersey, born and raised.  I am a prospective Psychology major, interested in examining visual arts and art history through a psychological/neuroscience lens. Current life status includes singing bass-line with the Princeton University Wildcats, dealing with books at Technical Services, learning Russian, and taking long walks with my iPod in tow. As for Intersections, I like to make playlists and do Terrace Previews. Hit the jump to learn more about my take on music and check out some personal playlists. 

INTERSECTIONS: TV – ‘Arrested Development’ Season 4 Preview

By KAREN JIN
Staff Writer

If you haven’t watched Arrested Development, you’ve made a huge mistake. The critically acclaimed series was cancelled after its third season in 2006 but is making a glorious return on May 26. Fifteen new episodes will debut on Netflix on that day, and in the meantime the first three seasons are available on Netflix for your viewing pleasure. Hit the jump to find out why it’s worth your time to get stoked for its imminent return.

INTERSECTIONS: Music – How to Get Into Beirut

By JARRED MIHALIK
Senior Writer

We’ve all heard the stories about the bold risk-takers who drop out of college to create something fantastic, usually earning billions along the way.  Zach Condon decided to go further, dropping out of Santa Fe High School at the age of 17 and then traveling to Europe with his older brother in a move that most people would consider chancy to say the least.  But as Condon sings on “Payne’s Bay” off his new album The Rip Tide , he has the tendency to be very headstrong.  After hearing his music, I would have to agree.  Condon has a created singular sound in his band Beirut by combining the gorgeous and foreign melodies of world music with his own gift for instrumentation.  Hit the jump to hear some songs that should convince you to enter Beirut’s “Scenic World.”

INTERSECTIONS: Album Review: Justin Timberlake – ‘The 20/20 Experience’

By JEFF LIU
Contributing Writer

I grew up despising pop music. In middle school, during my (shameful) metalhead phase, I hung out with my wallflower friends in the bathroom of the school gym during dances uncomfortably chaperoned by homeroom teachers ridiculing the music coming from the speakers of the incompetent student “DJ”. One of the worst offenders was “SexyBack” off Justin Timberlake’s FutureSex/LoveSounds: its grating, repetitive simplicity violating my ears and those of my fellow rebellious youth. But as time progressed and my music taste along with it, my insistence on listening to music that no one else liked began to fade. I gave up on the notion that artistic music had to have complex, finger-tapping riffs and surrendered my sensibilities to pop hooks and pounding beats. Soon, I realized that even Justin Timberlake could be art, and in his latest effort The 20/20 Experience, this fact is more evident than ever. 

INTERSECTIONS: Terrace Preview – MORRI$

By RACHEL KLEBANOV
Staff Writer

MORRI$, a producer from Lawrence, Kansas whose real name is Philesciono Canty, is a fresh face in the instrumental hip hop scene. If you head over to his SoundCloud, expect a blend of Washed Out, Flying Lotus, and TNGHT. There’s that ambient, chill-wave sound that swoops over you, countered by a thundering pulsating bass. It’s trap meets intelligent dance music. Genius, right? Luckily for you, MORRI$ is gracing our very own Terrace Club with his sick beats tonight. Don’t miss it.

INTERSECTIONS: Album Review: Trevor Moss & Hannah-Lou – ‘La Ferme de Fontenaille’

If I ever decided to leave premature spinsterhood, I would live the love story of Trevor Moss and Hannah-Lou. They went to art school. They started the band Indigo Moss. They fell in love. Indigo Moss fell apart. They got married. And they decided to just duet and tour about the English countryside in candlelit churches. Bliss.

Other cool things they have done include but are not limited to: opening their own label, The Anglophone Recording Company, with which they also produce cute, documentary-esque videos; starting their own radio show, “The Lantern Society Radio Hour”; and touring by canal boat. 

INTERSECTIONS: Album Review: The Strokes – ‘Comedown Machine’

By JARRED MIHALIK
Senior Writer

So the new Strokes’ album is finally here.  Aside from mbv, it is arguably the most anticipated album of the year so far—and the media outlets have reacted unfortunately predictably.  They have dusted their old opinions off, and reaffirmed the blandly uniform view held toward The Strokes since the release of 2007’s First Impressions of Earth. Inevitably, it seems that The Strokes’ work will be overwhelmingly seen in the light of their previous work, and while that’s not a bad thing usually, in this case I believe it has gone too far.  Thus I’ve made the decision to review this album by focusing on primarily the album (hint: It’s not called Is This It).  Hit the jump to see how Comedown Machine fits in with the trajectory of The Strokes.