Author Archives: Michelle Castillo

!!! “Myth Takes” Warp Records 3.5 Paws Out Of 5 Get ready to groove to the beat. The octet known as !!! (commonly pronounced “chk chk chk”) are still making songs to dance to, but the band’s dance-punk influences have taken a backseat to funkier rhythms on their latest album “Myth Takes.” While there are […]

Whether it is the two-tone melodies of the Atari home systems or the digital harmonies of the Xbox 360, video game music has not only shaped the way we play the games, but also how we view our lives. The haunting theme music of “Silent Hill” still strikes fear into hearts; the wave of nostalgia […]

Paul Emerson is, honestly, all about the music. The lead singer of pop-rock group Mayday! Mayday! decided to start a band of his own after he saw a live performance by Australian rockers The Living End. They’ve since toured as much as they can, including playing a show with the band that inspired them. Despite […]

(+44) “When Your Heart Stops Beating” INTERSCOPE RECORDS Calling all pop-punkers: (+44) has arrived to make its statement on the musical world. If you haven’t heard, the band ““ named after the international calling code for the United Kingdom ““ is the second musical project to emerge from the blink-182 breakup. However, if you’re purchasing […]

Despite the benefits of absorbing a culture other than one’s own, it’s hard to find the money and time to visit another country. Fortunately, the UCLA ethnomusicology department is attempting to bring the musical experience of the Middle East to Westwood. “Alast: An Evening of Traditional Persian Music,” which will take place Saturday in the […]

My Chemical Romance "The Black Parade” REPRISE RECORDS All goth-looking bands with emotionally driven lyrics tend to be lumped together as average bands hiding behind facades of makeup. However, with its third album, “The Black Parade,” My Chemical Romance proves that sometimes there is musical genius behind the powder and eye shadow. Rated as one […]

Most people would never draw a connection between Mexican gangsta rap and the corrido, a type of song that has its origins in medieval ballads. However, writer, musician and visiting UCLA professor Elijah Wald tends to think otherwise. Wald will share his views with the UCLA community today at 5 p.m. in the Green Room […]