By: Patrick Maloney

Friday

K.N.E.W Youth Poetry Slam Finals

In the Heart of the Beast Theatre, 1500 E. Lake St., Minneapolis

7 p.m.

$3 for youth; $5 for adults

While most high schoolers are hanging out at shopping malls and playing Xbox, there’s a handful of Minnesota youth that are busy writing and performing poetry. Friday marks the finals of the K.N.E.W Youth Poetry Slam, in which a group of young poets will be selected to represent Minnesota at the national competition, Brave New Voices. Judges are volunteers from the audience, so make sure to come if you feel like crushing some high schoolers’ dreams.

Saturday

KaBaam!!, Splendid Things, Ferrari McSpeedy and The Mess

HUGE Improv Theater

3037 S. Lyndale Ave., Minneapolis

8 p.m.

$10

Every night of the week, HUGE, a nonprofit theater in Uptown, puts on a few hours’ worth of improvisational comedy shows. On Saturdays, 10 bucks will get you in all night, a total of four-and-a-half hours. The first show, KaBlam!!, is super-hero themed, so come armed with your best suggestions for strange superpowers and villains. If things get awkward, as they are wont to do at improv shows, you can at least hit up their reasonably priced bar and drink until it’s funny.

Sunday

Cracked Walnut Literary Reading

The Coffee Grounds

1579 Hamline Ave., St. Paul

6:30 p.m.

Free

Whether Easter Sunday means brunch with the family or sleeping in and watching Netflix, you’ll probably be getting a little antsy come six o’clock. Head over to Midway for an installment of Cracked Walnut, a month-long literary festival happening in different coffee shops throughout the Twin Cities. Sunday’s event will feature local novelist Keith Hollihan and poets Chasity Gunn and Joanne Esser. If you’re left feeling inspired, perform in the Barbaric Yawp open mic immediately following the event.

CULTURE TO CONSUME

Back this: “Veronica Mars” movie Kickstarter

It was a sad day when “Veronica Mars” was canceled, not only because it was a good show or because it had one of the few female protagonists on TV, but because it was replaced by a show about the Pussycat Dolls. Now, a campaign to fund a “Veronica Mars” movie has become one of the biggest Kickstarter campaigns of all time. The sweet spot looks to be $35, at which you can get a T-shirt, a digital copy of the film and the script. Most of the biggest and best rewards were swooped up within hours of the launch, but if you hurry and have $400 to drop, you might still be able to get Kristen Bell to follow you on Twitter.

Listen to this: “Turn Around” by the Postal Service

Ten years ago next week, Death Cab for Cutie’s lead singer and an electronic music producer teamed up and put out a record under the name Postal Service. To commemorate the anniversary, the group has put out a few new songs, including last week’s “Turn Around.” In typical Postal Service fashion, the song puts catchy indie-pop melodies over danceable electronic beats. Hearing Ben Gibbard croon “You gotta know that this will turn around” over and over again is a sure-fire cure for any bad day.

Follow this: @pentametron

You probably thought that you’d never hear iambic pentameter — Shakespeare’s preferred poetic form — outside of an English class. Turns out, people accidently use it all the time. Pentametron is an automated Twitter account that finds tweets that fit the poetic form and retweets them in rhyming pairs. The couplets aren’t screened for coherency, leading to bits of wisdom like “Bon Iver will forever be a god / keep calm and walk a puppy on the quad” and “That Dunkin Donuts really hit the spot / enjoying ‘Frankenstein’ in English #not.”

By: Joe Kleinschmidt

“Starbuck”

Where: Landmark Edina

Rated: R

Directed by: Ken Scott

Starring: Patrick Huard, Julie LeBreton, Antoine Bertrand

Opens: Friday

The opening scene of “Starbuck” finds its hero furiously masturbating, trying to produce enough sperm to fill a plastic vial. He flips through several pornographic magazines until he finally grunts, just one of David Wozniak’s (Patrick Huard) 533 sperm donations.

Cut to Wozniak, now a middle-aged single slacker, as he receives notice that 142 of his progeny want to know the identity of their father. With a class action lawsuit, the masturbating hero must ward off the collective’s queries in trial or face public embarrassment.

The 2011 Quebec-made comedy-drama relies so much on the audience’s connection to its principle character that the outlandish premise soon falls apart. “Starbuck” starts with Wozniak choking the chicken to comically reveal his laziness and set up a familiar male archetype. He’s a meat delivery driver and a true slacker, the kind of guy at home among Judd Apatow’s band of chums.

After such a crudely original premise, “Starbuck” becomes drenched in sentimentality. A pudgy Wozniak sets out on a quest to track down several of his children anonymously while trying to prove to his girlfriend that he can rear her newborn.

As entertaining as Wozniak’s crusade becomes, “Starbuck” insists on reassuring the viewer of its main character’s heroic ideal. Within the string of 20-something children he randomly selects from his class action file, Wozniak saves a daughter from a heroin overdose and helps a son land an acting gig.

Wozniak realizes he cannot possibly connect with each of his 142 children at this moment. The movie seems to make the same realization midway through when the children of “Starbuck” act more as a faceless multitude. The jokes land less after this as “Starbuck” strives to yield a clean ending.

Even though “Starbuck” strives for a schmaltzy wrap-up, Quebec’s highest-grossing movie of 2011 also scores laughs thanks to Huard’s banter with his character’s friend and attorney, played by Antoine Bertrand. The comedy pairing makes up for most of the standard rom-com happening in the foreground of the movie.

Wozniak’s alias and the movie’s title come from a Canadian bull that produced hundreds of thousands of progeny in the 1980s and 1990s thanks to artificial insemination. “Starbuck” the movie shares a similar trait — Vince Vaughn will star as the male lead for this year’s American remake.

“Starbuck” blows its load with the amount of faith required to accept the fact that 142 kids immediately accept their dad. The male-in-arrested-development character might be fertile ground for comedy movies these days, but “Starbuck” can’t get by with an easy ending as unsatisfying as one of Wozniak’s hasty orgasms.

Two-and-a-half out of four stars.

By: Spencer Doar

Ivory-tickler Ignacio “Nachito” Herrera came to the Twin Cities in 2001 from Cuba when opportunities to play, teach and conduct proved too good to pass up.

Upon learning that his visa would not be reissued if he returned home, Herrera decided to stay and fight for a chance to remain with the aid of immigration attorneys.

“Two years after I decided to stay, I was able to bring my family over from Cuba,” Herrera said. “Obviously that was based on a mutual agreement after talking to my wife. It was a hard decision.”

But the Dakota Jazz Club and Artists’ Quarter regular has never been one to shy away from obstacles to his musical career.

When not on the road, Herrera practices eight to nine hours a day — three hours on technique, three hours on improvisation skills and the remainder on whatever is topically relevant.

He was raised by two piano players and was playing simple melodies by the age of 4.

By 7, he was taking lessons in Havana. By 12, he had wowed crowds with a performance of Rachmaninoff’s “Piano Concerto No. 2” — a piece of astounding difficulty that resulted in Herrera being lauded as a prodigy. By 15, he was learning Cuban styles from Rubén González of Buena Vista Social Club fame.

Herrera melds classical training with the rhythms and styles of his native land. His fiery performances, almost attacking his instrument of choice, have entertained audiences for years. Perhaps his early interest in the drums aided in his ferocity.

“I never save energy for my next performance,” Herrera said. “The audience is there for you in that time, that day and you need to give them 100 percent.”

His current project with the National Symphony Orchestra of Cuba saw him out of the country in recent weeks.

“We are working on different classical pieces for piano and turning them into different styles,” Herrera said. “You can play the same part in another style without changing anything.”

It’s an intriguing possibility that illustrates Herrera’s hybrid love of classical music, Latin jazz and the various national styles of Cuba.

His passion can leave him repeating his thoughts and reiterating his feelings while caught up in his vortex of ardor.

He became particularly animated when asked about the current funding difficulties and uncertain future of the Twin Cities’ orchestras.

“I am completely disappointed with what is happening. It is not good for the music, not good for the people,” Herrera said. “Music has always been something to keep people out of trouble.”

His concern for the future is genuine and personal. He wants to motivate the next generation to keep being musically active.

His son plays trumpet, and his daughter plays the violin; she used to accompany her father vocally during performances.  

“I believe [music] is in the blood,” Herrera said. “We can’t live without music.”

By: Lucy Nieboer

What: Lianne La Havas

When: 8 p.m., Sunday

Where: Varsity Theater, 1308 Fourth St. SE, Minneapolis

Cost: $18-$20

Age: 18+

The past year has been a whirlwind for Lianne La Havas. Between her impeccable guitar playing, funky girlish style and sweet British lilt, she crooned her way into the hearts of soul fans everywhere with her debut album, “Is Your Love Big Enough.”

This young musician’s debut wove a delicate fusion of folk and soul with a smoky voice, evocative lyrics and complicated rhythms. Now, the U.K. native is singing her way across the country in her first American tour. A&E caught up with La Havas on the road as she made her way from one venue to the next.

You were just at SXSW. How was that?

That was cool — kind of crazy, but it was really fun. I played two shows, but then I lost my voice so I couldn’t play the rest of the shows for the next day. Then I had a couple of days of not talking, and then I was able to re-adapt with my voice there. The time I was there was really fun. I had never been to Austin before, so it was really cool. I did bump into a lot of my old friends like Paloma Faith, and I heard about Prince’s show, which is cool because we’re close.

You’ve been to Minneapolis before to visit Prince?

He invited me. It was a year ago now, and he just invited me to come and meet him and jam, essentially.

We didn’t make anything new, but I think he just wanted to meet me, which is great because I’ve always wanted to meet him.

Did he have any good advice for you?

He just said keep being myself and carry on doing what I’m doing. He was very encouraging and supportive.

What music do you listen to to get inspired?

All kinds of things really. I just like when new music comes to you and moves you. Growing up I was listening to Lauryn Hill and Mary J. Blige and Michael Jackson and that kind of stuff.

Did you always know that music was something you wanted to pursue?

It was a dream my whole life. It wasn’t until I was about 18 or 19 that I decided to try for real to see if I could do something with it professionally.

What made you make the switch from college to performing?

I was at art college. I was working as a backing singer. So really I was working in a bar as a backing singer. At the same time I had started a band. It was just me and another guy. It was a way of expressing ourselves for the first time I suppose. For me it was a big thing because I had never been in a band before. So seeing how music relates with all things and at the same time seeing how it follows you, I decided that I much preferred music. From then on I decided that I was going to write my own music for myself. It just happened from there.

You were a backup singer for Paloma Faith for a while?

Yeah, for about 18 months.

How was that different from being in the spotlight yourself?

It was just as fun. It was great to be in her band to see what moved. She’s a great friend, and everyone in the band was friends, so going to work was a lot of fun. I enjoyed watching her do her thing, and she was very supportive of me doing my thing when the right time came to move on. I just think right now I’m a lot more busy. Doing my own thing takes a lot of time.

What’s ahead for you after the tour?

Lots after the tour. Apart from beginning the writing process and recording for the second album I shall be performing at a number of festivals in the U.K., Europe and the U.S.A. I love festivals. Then I’m going to be performing and recording and writing I suppose. So there’s all that to look forward to. I really love festivals.

Any festival that’s your favorite?

Yes. I mean I like all of them like I said. I’m going to be playing North Sea Jazz Festival, which I’ve always loved, and all my favorite artists ever have played there. It’s in Rotterdam, Holland. It will be my second year playing, but this year I’m going to be one of the main acts. I’m so excited.

By: Patrick Maloney

Spring break is long over, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop celebrating.

You’ve passed the age limit for most local egg hunts, and you might be a little too big for pictures with shopping center Easter bunnies, but there’s still plenty to do this Sunday around the Twin Cities.

EATS

Windows on Minnesota Easter Brunch

Basil’s Restaurant, 710 Marquette Ave., Minneapolis

10 a.m.–2 p.m., Sunday

$39

If you need a good place to blow your tax return, look no further. The price is steep, but your money will get you far — the 50th floor of the IDS Center.

Hot Club Easter Brunch

Dakota Jazz Club, 1010 Nicollet Ave., Minneapolis

10:30 a.m.-3 p.m., Sunday

$26.95-41.95

The Dakota’s brunch will feature music from Twin Cities Hot Club. The acoustic jazz group draws heavily on upbeat, gypsy-style music and violin-driven licks.

Easter Peeps

Angel Food Bakery & Coffee Bar, 86 S. Ninth St., Minneapolis

As an alternative to the mass-produced marshmallow treat, Angel Food is offering hand-made, all natural Peeps for 75 cents apiece.

EVENTS

David O. Brown Annual Easter Bonnet Parade and Contest

Eagle Bolt Bar, 515 S. Washington Ave., Minneapolis

3 p.m., Sunday

Craft yourself an outrageous Easter bonnet, and head over to the Eagle for their sixth annual contest. After crowning the guest with the best bonnet, all the contestants take a short parade around the block.

Easter Sunday Rise ‘n’ Shine 5K

Como Lake, 1360 N. Lexington Parkway, St. Paul

9 a.m., Sunday

$33 pre-registration ends Thursday night, $40 day of the event

Work up an appetite for brunch with a race around Como Lake. All proceeds will be donated to Charities Challenge.

FLICKS

“The Host”

AMC Rosedale

Hate it or love it, Stephanie Meyer’s work is back on the big screen. “The Host” swaps out the vampires and werewolves for aliens, but with the source material being from such a polarizing author, the plot probably isn’t too important.

“G.I. Joe: Retaliation”

AMC Rosedale

Sometimes you just want to see a ninja deflect a bullet with a sword. If you find yourself craving fantastical hyper-violence on Easter, the new 3D                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           G.I. Joe movie has your back. You’ll see plenty of gunfire, transforming motorcycles and London being destroyed by a single missile. Starring professional action heroes Channing Tatum, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson and Bruce Willis.

By: Shannon Ryan

What: Wavves

When: 7 p.m., Friday

Where: 7th St. Entry, 701 N. First Ave., Minneapolis

Cost: $16 advance, $18 door (Sold out)

Age: 18+

With the release of their album “Afraid of Heights” and a tour of sold-out shows across the country, the boys of the indie surf-punk band Wavves are makin’ ripples in 2013.

Frontman Nathan Williams and bassist Stephen Pope threw A&E some bones to chew on before they play 7th St. Entry on Friday night.

Wavves started as a solo project in 2008 — what made you change from solo to group recordings?

Nathan:

I just don’t have any friends, so I’m paying people to be my friends.

Since that inception, you’ve lost three different members. What are your relationships like with those people — Ryan Ulsh, Zach Hill and Billy Hayes?

Stephen:

There aren’t any bad relationships between anybody who has left the band. We just played a show with Billy in February with our old band, The Barbaras. Alex [Gates], who plays guitar [for Wavves], is in that band, too.

What was Billy’s reason for leaving?

Stephen:

I think he really did not like being on tour. It wasn’t like a personal thing. He liked being at home.

The music you make centers on adolescent concerns — smoking weed, playing video games, skateboarding — that’s the band’s charm. Where do you think that music will turn when those are no longer concerns? Will you still have a product?

Stephen:

Well, a lot of the people who have heard [“Afraid of Heights”] think it’s a lot darker than previous albums, less teenage. I don’t know where that came from; I guess life has just gotten harder as we’ve gotten older. We were locked away in a dark room for 15 hours a day for a whole year when we were making that album. It’s kind of hard not to get depressed and stir crazy. I didn’t see anybody else aside from the producer and Nathan for an entire year.

Who produced this record?

Stephen:

John Hill. He’s been more of a pop producer, but he and Nathan worked together for a little bit writing songs for other people, and they had a good working relationship. He was willing to take on an album where he wasn’t really going to make money, because we didn’t have a label at the time.

What was it like working with him?

Stephen:

Overall it was pretty good. He can get pretty mean sometimes. He liked to carry around this coffee cup and fill it up with Don Julio, so whenever the coffee cup came out you knew he was going to start being mean. He also liked to get beat up in the morning — he does street fighting.

Would you record with him again?

Stephen:

Yeah, I’d definitely record with him again. It hopefully will take less than a year next time.

Nathan, you’ve taken a lot of backlash from your drug-fueled meltdown in Barcelona in 2009 and general affinity for marijuana. What do you have to say about people who oppose the illegal use of substances?

Nathan:

I think that it’s very stupid, but everybody has an opinion.

You’ve been known to deliver albums with indistinguishably varied sounds. How is “Afraid of Heights” different from 2010’s “King of the Beach?”

Nathan:

I think the main difference is just the amount of time we got to spend on it. We got to try lots of new stuff that we haven’t been able to try in the past. Also we were 100 percent more involved in the production of this one.

Where did the creative energy come from this time opposed to “King of the Beach?”

Nathan:

I don’t know; I really didn’t think about it like that. It just became what it was over a year. We were writing songs up until the very end. Some of the songs were written like three months ago, and some of them were written when I was 19 or 20.

What can I tell Minneapolitans to expect from your show at 7th St. Entry on April 29?

Nathan:

Stephen loves to get naked so you will see him with at least his shirt off.

By: Patrick Maloney

What: Clairy Browne & Bangin’ Rackettes with Toussaint Morrison

When: 7:30 p.m., Sunday

Where: The Nether Bar at Mill City Nights, 111 Fifth N. St. , Minneapolis

Cost: $10

Age: 18+

Toussaint Morrison doesn’t work very well in “the system.” After taking an extra year or two to graduate from the University of Minnesota, getting fired from his job and being overlooked in the Minneapolis rap scene, the self-described “Rhymesayer without the label” is doing things his own way.

“I write from the perspective of neglect … what happens when the media neglects the thoughts and speech of certain human beings,” Morrison said. “How do we get a voice? And even beyond that, what can we do that’s even more than being heard?”

For Morrison, that involved turning to Kickstarter to fund his projects, cutting out the traditional music industry and going directly to his audience. Out of that campaign is a trilogy of free mix tapes, the first of which came out last year.

On that release, “Toussaint Morrison Is Not My Boyfriend”, Morrison raps and sings Motown melodies over songs by indie staples like Radiohead, Weezer and The xx, weaving stories of bad romance, racial disparity and nine-to-five jobs.

One of the mix tape’s standout tracks, “Working Class Boyfriend,” involves a character rapping about burning down the restaurant where he works.

Morrison recently set one of his jobs on fire, metaphorically. He was hired by Roosevelt High School, a Minneapolis public school, to run a hip-hop theater, and in an attempt to boost attendance of the group’s meetings, he performed a controversial poem for the students that very frankly outlined the racial disparities in Minneapolis classrooms.

That poem boosted attendance in his class but got him fired quickly afterward.

“If what you have to say is important, just say it,” Morrison said, “Even if you’re going to lose money on it, even if some ignorant principal is going to fire you for it.”

Out of the ashes of Toussaint’s fling with Roosevelt is the rapper’s upcoming mix tape: “Fast Times at Trillmont High.” It’s a concept album of sorts, set in a fictional high school of Milwaukee.

On each song, Morrison takes on the persona of the students in the school and tackles issues of racial disparity, gentrification and a few more light-hearted subjects, all on top of ’80s pop and rock beats.

“Imagine if ‘Saved by the Bell’ made a mix tape,” Morrison said. “But the entire cast was kids of color, and it’s an entirely different situation.”

After Morrison completes the trilogy promised by his Kickstarter campaign, he plans on going right back and starting a second fundraiser, this time for his debut solo album.

“I like the way it works … if you don’t get that thing funded, it sits online as failed forever. You can see a graveyard of Kickstarters,” Morrison said. “It’s all or nothing.”

By: Shannon Ryan

We admire them on and off the big screen, away from the stage and aside from their Photoshop figures. Acknowledging that celebrities are mere mortals like you, me and the guy workin’ late nights at Santana’s makes those individuals in the spotlight easier to identify with.

In terms of style, we’re drawn to those with similar outward appearances to our own, and we tend to reflect the tastes of celebrities with a corresponding fashion palette. Who are you most like?   

Question 1:

What makes your outfit complete?

A. Dangle earrings

B. Fresh kicks

C. A bowler hat

D. Patterned tights

Question 2:

If you’re feeling chilly, which type of cover-up are you most likely to grab?

A. Varsity jacket

B. Blazer

C. Cardigan

D. Tuxedo jacket

Question 3:

Which spring trend are you most looking forward to rocking?

A. Bermuda shorts

B. Black and white patterns

C. Unexpected cutouts

D. Lace frocks

Question 4:

When painting your nails, what color is your standard?

1. Vibrant red
2. Pale pink
3. Pitch black
4. Dark gray

Question 5:

What online shopping site do you visit most frequently?

A. Nasty Gal

B. Topshop

C. Zara

D. ModCloth

Question 6:

Which type of dress silhouette are you most likely to wear?

A. Shirt dress

B. A-line

C. Shift dress

D. Bodycon

Key:

1. A. 2; B. 4; C. 3; D. 1
2. A. 4; B. 1; C. 1; D. 3
3. A. 2; B. 1; C. 3; D. 0
4. A. 2; B. 1; C. 3; D. 2
5. A. 3; B. 2; C. 1; D. 0
6. A. 2; B. 1; C. 2; D. 3

6 points or less: Zooey Deschanel

You’re drawn to feminine silhouettes with quirky details. Stripes and florals and mixing patterns are nothing new to you. A sweet eccentricity is noteworthy to your style — and whether that be the addition of a polka dot headband or a vibrant cardigan, it’s signature to you.

7-11 points: Jessica Alba

Classic, tailored and feminine silhouettes draw you in like a sale draws in a shopping addict. You flock less toward trends and more toward style staples, which will ultimately enhance your wardrobe. In 10 years you’ll have a closet of a ripe age and sharp pieces from the decade.

12-15 points: Kate Bosworth

A minimalist approach to your wardrobe is signature to your style. You take basics from street to chic with the addition of a polished jacket and a pair of heels, maintaining an effortless model-off-duty appeal. You garner major eyes of approval from passersby for your queen-of-street style pairings, offering those that gaze a 3-D taste of fashion deemed blogable.

16-20 points: Rita Ora

Girl likes to party. You’re known for imparting a creative spin on the humdrum routines of life with your flavor and panache. Clothes tend to be prints on prints on prints with at least one splash of neon per outfit. Playing with the trends of each season is your forte, and you do it well.

By: Shannon Ryan

We admire them on and off the big screen, away from the stage and aside from their Photoshop figures. Acknowledging that celebrities are mere mortals like you, me and the guy workin’ late nights at Santana’s makes those individuals in the spotlight easier to identify with.

In terms of style, we’re drawn to those with similar outward appearances to our own, and we tend to reflect the tastes of celebrities with a corresponding fashion palette. Who are you most like?   

Question 1:

What makes your outfit complete?

A. Dangle earrings

B. Fresh kicks

C. A bowler hat

D. Patterned tights

Question 2:

If you’re feeling chilly, which type of cover-up are you most likely to grab?

A. Varsity jacket

B. Blazer

C. Cardigan

D. Tuxedo jacket

Question 3:

Which spring trend are you most looking forward to rocking?

A. Bermuda shorts

B. Black and white patterns

C. Unexpected cutouts

D. Lace frocks

Question 4:

When painting your nails, what color is your standard?

1. Vibrant red
2. Pale pink
3. Pitch black
4. Dark gray

Question 5:

What online shopping site do you visit most frequently?

A. Nasty Gal

B. Topshop

C. Zara

D. ModCloth

Question 6:

Which type of dress silhouette are you most likely to wear?

A. Shirt dress

B. A-line

C. Shift dress

D. Bodycon

Key:

1. A. 2; B. 4; C. 3; D. 1
2. A. 4; B. 1; C. 1; D. 3
3. A. 2; B. 1; C. 3; D. 0
4. A. 2; B. 1; C. 3; D. 2
5. A. 3; B. 2; C. 1; D. 0
6. A. 2; B. 1; C. 2; D. 3

6 points or less: Zooey Deschanel

You’re drawn to feminine silhouettes with quirky details. Stripes and florals and mixing patterns are nothing new to you. A sweet eccentricity is noteworthy to your style — and whether that be the addition of a polka dot headband or a vibrant cardigan, it’s signature to you.

7-11 points: Jessica Alba

Classic, tailored and feminine silhouettes draw you in like a sale draws in a shopping addict. You flock less toward trends and more toward style staples, which will ultimately enhance your wardrobe. In 10 years you’ll have a closet of a ripe age and sharp pieces from the decade.

12-15 points: Kate Bosworth

A minimalist approach to your wardrobe is signature to your style. You take basics from street to chic with the addition of a polished jacket and a pair of heels, maintaining an effortless model-off-duty appeal. You garner major eyes of approval from passersby for your queen-of-street style pairings, offering those that gaze a 3-D taste of fashion deemed blogable.

16-20 points: Rita Ora

Girl likes to party. You’re known for imparting a creative spin on the humdrum routines of life with your flavor and panache. Clothes tend to be prints on prints on prints with at least one splash of neon per outfit. Playing with the trends of each season is your forte, and you do it well.

By: Spencer Doar

With a screech of escalating guitar, the Strokes announce the arrival of their fifth studio album, “Comedown Machine.”

A departure from their previous album, “Angles,” the Strokes strike out in multiple directions.

The tight riffs of “Tap Out” with funky undertones are a fitting opening track for a record that offers a bit of everything.

Their slightly single-minded formula for indie hits was not forgotten. Their success as a group depends on their togetherness, their ability to get deep in the cut and sit confidently on a groove — something well-illustrated on the early part of the album.

On the second track, “All the Time,” drummer Fabrizio Moretti continues his thumping tendencies, laying four on the floor with the same vim and vigor as when he dated Drew Barrymore.

It’s a perfect example of the Strokes’ enthusiasm but lack of guru status on their respective instruments.

The third and fourth tracks continue what is a stellar, if predictable, first dozen minutes of head bobbing.

The weakness lies in their slower numbers on the album. Bouncy. Jumpy tunes are their forte — they ought to know this by now.

The titular track, “80’s Comedown Machine,” is a slower-tempo, melancholy piece that highlights the normally fitting wailing of lead-singer Julian Casablancas.

That’s not a good thing. Normally his voice is offset by the tenacity of their beats; when the instrumentals don’t do this, the song suffers. Worst of all, his vocals are so wispy at times that his lyrics are almost indecipherable.

“80’s Comedown Machine” does serve to notify listeners that the album is influenced by ’80s radio and popular music.

However, for a track the band deemed important enough to lend its name to the album, it falls flat and is one of the biggest detractors.

“Call It Fate, Call It Karma” is another song that sticks out like a sore hitchhiker’s thumb. As the last track, it leaves a funny taste in your mouth. It’s a piano-bar track befitting a slow weekday night at some local watering hole in a depressing ghost town.

As a whole, the album is still a positive sign for the Strokes. They are trying newer things while maintaining their obvious “Strokiness” — picking up this album, there is little doubt as to the performers in question.

The Strokes have realized that altering their sound while maintaining their core is the key to staying viable. Unfortunately, they haven’t quite yet figured out the best way to do this.

2 out of 4 stars