There’s no better place to keep a finger on the pulse of arts and entertainment happenings than Los Angeles. The A&E world is alive – it’s always buzzing, sometimes ready to implode with a hint of a surprise album or a celebrity’s controversial statement. Each week, the Daily Bruin A&E editors will discuss their views on recent topics and trends in pop culture.
Pope Francis: Spiritual leader turned rock star
His Holiness Pope Francis might be the first leader of the Catholic Church to have his speeches accompanied by a rock band.
Last Friday, Pitchfork announced that the Pope will release an album titled “Wake Up!”, to be released on Nov. 27. The record is a collection of 11 pieces made by overlaying many of his speeches onto rock or pop beats.
He’s already released a single, too – “Wake Up! Go! Go! Forward!” features a speech in English, followed by his singing voice, over rock tunes. The song is sweet and certainly reflects a compassionate facet of the Pope’s personality, but it’s strange nonetheless.
I certainly wasn’t expecting the synthesized background music to accompany phrases like “The Lord speaks of a responsibility that the Lord gives you / It is a duty to be vigilant.” To be honest, the progressive rock feel of the song distracted me from the message he was trying to impart.
I’m not saying the album’s a bad thing. I love the idea of a modern Pope imparting words of wisdom and spirituality in a form easy to appreciate by the masses.
I just wish the background music toned down on the synths.
– Shreya Aiyar
Stoked for The Strokes
The Strokes are way past their prime, but that doesn’t mean they have to stop making music.
At a concert Monday, frontman Julian Casablancas announced the band’s return to the studio to record the follow-up to their 2013 album “Comedown Machine.”
With its angst-ridden and lo-fi tunes, the band’s first two albums soundtracked my high school days. “Is This It” and “Room On Fire” have been regarded as classics, and I wholeheartedly agree – they have just enough edge to make them endlessly interesting and just enough pop to make them endlessly listenable.
Indeed, everybody’s been singing “Someday” from “Is This It” for 10 years, because the band’s subsequent albums, “First Impressions of Earth,” “Angles” and “Comedown Machine,” pale in comparison to their previous discography. In its last three albums, the band lacked the spirit and ingenuity it once had.
The Strokes has naturally evolved, trying out different strokes. Still, “Is This It” and “Room On Fire” transcend time.
It is unlikely that the group will top those albums. My only hope is that their new music will contain the same amount of fun and heart as the music they made in their prime.
Regardless, there is room for more music from a band that, despite their age, is still so effortlessly and classically cool.
– Gail Acosta
Justin Bieber’s affinity for Jesus
I’ve never been a fan of Justin Bieber. After hearing about spitting, graffiti, assault, Ferrari speeding and egg throwing, I knew he was an immature artist I could never again respect.
That’s why I was shocked when Bieber said he wants to “live like Jesus.” His new album is due out Nov. 13 – and I’m curious to see how his newfound love for Jesus and his collaboration with Kanye West will both influence his tunes.
Going from heartthrob to bad boy was a change enough, but I can’t fathom how an artist with a criminal record like Bieber’s can suddenly offer such profound advice as “You don’t need to go to church to be a Christian. If you go to Taco Bell, that doesn’t make you a taco.”
Though he said Jesus was his salvation, Bieber simultaneously declares he is not religious. I was further confused when he said his faith makes him feel invincible just as his rebellious phase did.
It’s not that I believe people can’t change from criminal to pious. I just want to know if or how Bieber’s sudden love for God will affect his upcoming music. Maybe he will continue to produce lyrics like “Swag swag swag, on you / Chillin’ by the fire while we eatin’ fondue.”
– Lindsay Weinberg
James Corden and Matt Damon hunt for good will
When I say the name James Corden, most people still don’t know who I’m talking about.
In March, Corden replaced Craig Ferguson as host of “The Late Late Show” on CBS. However, Corden certainly hasn’t yet installed himself as a household name in the perilous world of late night television. This is not for lack of trying.
It seems either Corden or his bosses have decided the best way for him to make an impact is to build a YouTube fanbase. His show’s channel reached one million subscribers last week in just four months, and yesterday he released a video with Matt Damon in which the pair recreate Damon’s entire career in eight minutes.
This impressive rate is mostly down to his hit series “Carpool Karaoke” in which Corden is accompanied on his drive to work by a different A-list musician each time. These include Justin Bieber, Iggy Azalea and Stevie Wonder. He starts the episode by switching on the radio and every time, coincidentally, the star’s greatest hits begin playing. Corden and his guest sing gleefully along, interspersing the karaoke with personal questions about getting married, how they stay fit or what it’s like to have their level of fame.
– William Thorne
How could Lindsay Weinburg question a persons Christianity based on her perception of their criminality? I thought Jesus died on a cross with thieves where he promised them salvation based on forgiveness. I am glad that Bieber has announced his desire to follow the path of Jesus Christ, and although he might have been a little overzealous in saying he wanted to “live” like Jesus I think Weinburg needs to temper her critique of a person who announces their religious affinity. She is certainly supposing that one cannot sin, or backslide and still have a centering belief in Jesus Christ, which is incorrect and inaccurate. Forgiveness nearly hinges on making mistakes, and Christianity is a faith based on forgiveness and belief in Jesus Christ. Questioning Biebers belief in Jesus is offensive and I cannot believe the Daily Bruin would run such an article. I hardly believe they would run a similar article about Jewish or Muslim celebrities belief in their religious figures.