Death Cab for Cutie released their eighth studio album, ‘Kintsugi,’ on March 31. | Courtesy of Atlantic Records

In the four years since Death Cab for Cutie released “Codes and Keys,” I’ve been waiting (somewhat impatiently) for the next great album, one that would undoubtedly be marked by the emotional aftermath of lead singer Ben Gibbard’s divorce from actress Zooey Deschanel in 2011. Sad as I was to hear that the indie couple had split, I anticipated a break-up record that would set a new level of soul-moving melodies for the band.

Just before promotion for their newest album, “Kintsugi,” began, an unexpected bomb dropped — guitarist, producer and co-founding member Chris Walla announced in August that he would be leaving the band. Vague about his reasons, he expressed love and support for his former bandmates going forward.

“Kintsugi” is the final album featuring Walla and the first one he didn’t produce. I was heartbroken already, but it didn’t take long after I downloaded the album on March 31, plugged in my headphones and reacquainted myself with my long-time favorite band that my emotions took an even more depressing turn.

While most Death Cab albums aren’t uplifting, “Kintsugi” is pointed in its subject matter: the dissolution of a relatively short but passionate marriage, failures of past relationships and lifelong pursuit of one nameless woman who could make it all right, despite past experiences proving the futility of such a search.

One track that sticks out and make me feel like I’m actually listening to Death Cab for Cutie is “No Room In Frame,” a deceptively upbeat tune with a swinging beat that’s impossible to listen to without picturing Deschanel and wondering if you should catch the next episode of “New Girl.” Gibbard describes feeling out of place in his ex-wife’s stardom life, singing, “Was I in your way when the cameras turned to face you?” Walla’s guitar in this song drives home the bitterness and regret of Gibbard’s reflections.

“Little Wanderer” continues the long-distance relationship theme of “Transatlanticism,” capturing the frustration of wanting to be happy for a partner traveling abroad in Paris and Tokyo while missing them terribly.

“Doing the math to the time zone you’re at is an unseen part of the plan,” Gibbard writes, revealing that he hadn’t considered the difficulties that come with marrying an A-list actress like Deschanel.

The above tracks and others like “Black Sun” and “Everything’s A Ceiling” are great in that old Death Cab way, a perfect blend of poignant lyrics, simple guitar refrains and a good beat. Other tracks on “Kintsugi,” however, remind me of the occasional out-of-place song on past albums.

The problem with this album is that there’s considerably more of those out-of-place songs.

“Hold No Guns,” for instance, showcases Gibbard singing almost acapella over a quiet acoustic guitar, repeating the same two or three melodies over pointed lyrics. It’s a hard song to listen to because it doesn’t give the listener much to resonate with, but along with other tracks like “The Ghosts of Beverley Drive,” these songs seem to be functioning in a cathartic way for Gibbard as a musician.

The album is named after the Japanese art of fixing cracked ceramics with precious metals, a good metaphor for the band as it forms a new identity for itself without Walla.

I wanted to love “Kintsugi,” but it has too many elements of my least favorite Death Cab album, “Narrow Stairs.” It’s probably hard as a band to live up to masterpiece albums like “Transatlanticism” and “Plans,” but those albums are what took them from being a nobody band on an indie label to signing with Atlantic Records and becoming one of the biggest alternative rock bands around today.

I’m still excited to see them live in Tulsa later this month, but here’s hoping they stick more to their classics than some of the painfully bitter songs “Kintsugi” offers.

arts@thedailycougar.com

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“Album Review: Death Cab for Cutie’s ‘Kintsugi’ wanders too far to resonate” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

The actor will receive over $100,000 for speaking at UH commencement. | Courtesy of UH Media Relations

The University announced today that Matthew McConaughey will be paid $135,000 for speaking at UH’s spring commencement ceremony, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The actor will reportedly donate his earnings to his charity, j.k. livin foundation, which provides at-risk high school students with the tools and resources to prepare them for graduation and adult life.

The announcement comes on the heels of the University citing a confidentiality clause after the amount promised to the actor was requested by the Houston Chronicle. The University will also pay McConaughey’s booking agency, Celebrity Talent International, $20,250 for booking him.

The actor will speak at 7 p.m. May 15 in TDECU Stadium. Students will not walk at the University commencement, but will cross the stage at separate ceremonies for each college.

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“McConaughey to be paid $135,000 for commencement speech” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

Psychology freshman Pamela Arguelles attended Frontier Fiesta for the first time this year and said she enjoyed experiencing new music and great food. | Courtesy of Pamela Arguelles

Psychology freshman Pamela Arguelles had no interest in attending Frontier Fiesta.

“I was literally dragged there,” Arguelles said. “I didn’t even know what Frontier Fiesta was.”

Her friends coerced her through the wire gates, and although she was originally confused by the presence of security guards and the tall, wooden structures that housed rambunctious students, Arguelles quickly caught scent of something that changed her mood completely.

“The smell of the food was so alluring,” Arguelles said. “I couldn’t stop buying it.”

Soon, she had immersed herself in the aroma of the nearest concession stand. She and her friends bought soft, greasy pretzels and hot popcorn and strolled through the rest of the festivities, wandering over to watch the pie-throwing.

“I would have loved to throw pie at some people,” Arguelles said.

Walking into TDECU stadium, she heard unfamiliar music. Arguelles said she has never heard of any of the artists that came to the University this week. That didn’t deter her from enjoying the concerts; in fact, she cherished the opportunity to expand her musical tastes.

“I usually listen to mariachi. I feel like it’s an adventure to listen to other types of music like those,” Arguelles said.

Arguelles was most impressed by ScHoolboy Q, who excels in a genre with which she has no experience.

“I was totally digging that bass,” Arguelles said.

Computer engineering senior Edgar Tamez (left) and his friends, Rashid Alhomaidi and Jorge Cuevas, hung out at one of the many private parties at Frontier Fiesta this year, which he says is the only way to enjoy the event. | Courtesy of Edgar Tamez

For computer engineering senior Edgar Tamez, a Frontier Fiesta veteran, the event has consistently improved over the years — especially with the introduction of the event to TDECU stadium.

“The concerts were everything I hoped for, and I really liked the stadium layout,” Tamez said. “ScHoolboy Q was definitely my favorite moment.”

Tamez said he felt distanced from the bulk of last year’s festival, so this year, he made sure to gain access to one of the private parties. He stressed that this seems to be the best way to enjoy the event.

“I had access to food and drinks and… there were music and games at the private party,” Tamez said. “So, I had a better time because of that compared to last year.”

“Frontier Fiesta is definitely improving, but I definitely feel there should be more events that the general public can enjoy without being part of a private party,” Tamez said. “Many students were bored because they weren’t part of a tent. The organization that plans this event should take elements from similar events, such as the carnival at the Rodeo, to bring in a larger crowd, even if it means charging a small entry fee to non-students to raise money to pay for it.”

Although Tamez still “thinks there’s room for improvement,” he has high hopes for the Frontier Fiestas of the future.

“I would definitely come back after graduation, so I hope it continues improving,” Tamez said. “Frontier Fiesta is something unique to UH, so I hope the University invests more into it.”

arts@thedailycougar.com

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“Frontier to the Fiesta: Freshman, senior experience UH’s biggest party of the year” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

A historic weekend for Frontier Fiesta wrapped up this Saturday. Artists performed in the new football stadium and welcomed hundreds of students to see PJ open for Los Angeles up-and-comer ScHoolboy Q, best known for his singles “Collard Greens” and “Studio.” Head coach Tom Herman also participated in the inaugural Student Appreciation Football Practice that coincided with Frontier Fiesta, where students were able to watch players on the field at spring practice and interact with Herman throughout.

arts@thedailycougar.com

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The second night of concerts at Frontier Fiesta on March 27 included VerseCity, a Houston-based pop-rock group, and headliner Cher Lloyd, an English songwriter who rose to fame in 2010 by finishing fourth on the British music competition show, The X-Factor.

arts@thedailycougar.com

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“GALLERY: VerseCity, Cher Lloyd take the stage at Frontier Fiesta” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

Whether or not the allegations against Sigma Chi are true, it’s time to talk about whether today’s fraternities can rid themselves of a murky history. | File photo/The Cougar

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“Letter from the Editor: Hazing or no hazing, is there a place for fraternities on today’s campuses?” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

Houston’s historic influence on Southern rap often overshadows the city’s contributions to indie alternative and EDM. In part, it’s for good reason — the introduction of chopped and screwed in the ’90s happened in The H, and it’s since had a prolific influence on hip hop and rap across the nation.

But despite the long list of Bayou City rappers performing at this year’s South by Southwest festival, including Trae tha Truth, Slim Thug and Riff Raff, Houston’s lesser-known indie acts left a mark on the international music festival.

The Surprise Hit: Wrestlers

Houston’s chill-wave quartet Wrestlers gave a bombastic performance to an all-too small audience on Wednesday night at SXSW. | Cara Smith/The Cougar

The surprising part of Wrestlers’ stellar set at SXSW wasn’t that it was unprecedented — the Houston-based dance-rockers have played the likes of Lollapalooza and Free Press Summer Fest (admittedly, that last booking makes some sense). The real shock came from the fact that their crowd was undeservingly small, with only forty or fifty people scattered across the East Sixth Street bar during the band’s set. Despite the lackluster turnout, the band formerly known as Bagheera delivered an energetic, ’70s-influenced set that highlighted their proclivity for chill-wave remixes and groovy, original house tracks.

The Mystic: Night Drive

When Rodney Connell left the stage for the audience, the emotion of his performance became palpable. | Cara Smith/The Cougar

Right off the bat, Night Drive brought an entrancing, almost uncomfortably intimate performance. Lead vocalist Rodney Connell opted to take advantage of the small space by singing much of the set off the stage, walking around the standing audience and singling out members of it. If Night Drive’s dark, surprisingly sensual electro-pop wasn’t heavy enough, the emotional investment of Connell in his music was palpable when he sang (literally) right in your face, refusing to break eye contact. It was uncomfortable, refreshingly memorable and arguably the best performance of the day. And that’s saying something, considering that Night Drive took the stage before one of Houston’s larger namesakes, The Tontons.

The Hometown Favorite: The Tontons 

The Tontons, one of Houston’s well-known indie acts, gave an expectedly energetic performance at SXSW. | Cara Smith/The Cougar

These guys (and gal) are well-known for a reason — they’re consistent and catchy, and they’ve been making waves in the indie-rock pop scene since 2007. They’ve got a big following and have received even larger praise, with The New York Times calling their singles “smart and hookie” and Houston’s own Bun-B calling them “the best band in Houston.” So it was no surprise that The Tontons gave one of the day’s best performances in terms of sound quality and comfortability stage — they’ve been on hundreds of them, and they knew how to work an audience. But there was something uniquely impressive by Night Drive’s vocalist wearing his heart on his sleeve and shoving it in the face of an unsuspecting audience, or Wrestlers dominating the stage despite a lackluster turnout. Sure, The Tontons were great. But they didn’t defy expectation.

arts@thedailycougar.com 

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“Houston rocks oft-forgotten alternative scene at South by Southwest” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

AUSTIN — Celebrating the culture of experimentation and musical discovery during college, the 2015 mtvU Woodie Awards stole some of the South by Southwest music festival crowd during its Friday night taping on South Congress Boulevard in Austin.

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“GALLERY: mtvU Woodies highlight biggest acts among college students” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

With hazing, racist chants and drug deals leading the conversation about fraternities, a member of Sigma Chi at UH feels the fraternity has been unnecessarily lumped into the discussion.

After fraternities at Penn State, Oklahoma and Maryland were suspended, at UH, hazing allegations preceded suspensions of five students and the entire fraternity.

Sigma Chi helped create some of the University’s traditions and has members in several student organizations, but until an investigation concludes it will cease to have a public impact on campus. The suspensions of both the fraternity and five students was publicly announced by President Renu Khator in a letter to the UH community last week.

“I think people are quick to assume and that was a factor in how quickly the University responded… I think if not for this climate they would have been a little bit more diligent in getting the facts,” said a high ranking member of the fraternity who was not among the five suspended students.

The source, who said he has been a member of Sigma Chi since 2012, said he hasn’t seen hazing involving alcohol or of any other form since joining the chapter. He said the fraternity has not been notified of specifics of what they’re being accused.

With Greek Life facing a higher level of scrutiny nationally, the source said he understands the position the University is in and that the fraternity is cooperating with the investigation.

However, he said it is unfair to punish students during an ongoing investigation.

“It’s important in this climate for the University to show some restraint. It’s really easy to assume and act without thinking about how this will affect the student. Every situation is different,” the source said.

“How will the University work to make sure if found innocent it doesn’t impact their grades?”

The suspended students have not yet faced a University Hearing Board or Disciplinary Conference, the two due process options for students accused of violating the Student Code of Conduct, the source said. They were placed on interim suspension until the conclusion of the case. The Dean of Students has the right to place a student who poses “a significant risk of substantial harm to the safety or security of any member of the University community or to property” on interim suspension, according to the Student Code of Conduct.

The Sigma Chi International Fraternity said it received word of possible inappropriate behavior on Jan. 20 and suspended the UH chapter the next day, pending an investigation. The investigation was then turned over to UHPD on Feb. 19 after the national chapter became aware local authorities were launching a full investigation.

“Hazing, in all of its ugly forms, will be eliminated from Sigma Chi,” Sigma Chi Fraternity International President Michael Greenberg said in the statement.

“Those who engage in this vile tactic will be held accountable.”

Classified as a Class B misdemeanor in Texas, an individual charged with hazing faces up to six months in prison. If serious bodily injury occurs as a result of hazing, the sentence can double. Death from hazing raises charges to a state jail felony and a maximum of two years in prison.

The district attorney has instructed the University of Houston Police Department to further investigate the possible criminal hazing, according to the Houston Chronicle.

The suspended students are barred from the University and all UH related events. If the allegations are proven, the students face disciplinary action up to and including expulsion from UH.

News@thedailycougar.com

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“Sigma Chi member says UH moved too quickly with suspensions” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar

Spotify hopes to capture college-aged people with its house at South by Southwest. | Cara Smith/the Cougar

There’s free Kale chips and Pop Chips, and the supply of Deep Eddy’s Vodka and Miller Lite is seemingly bottomless. A crowd of a couple hundred twenty-somethings has formed around a single food truck that’s giving away Thai chicken Kara-agé fried in cilantro and fresh Thai basil. The house’s sole air-conditioned room is expectedly packed to capacity, where people are charging their smartphones, playing music trivia and taking selfies that are then projected on a 6 foot tall mock-iPhone screen.

It’s all courtesy of Spotify and their partners, vendors and chefs from around the nation. The hundreds of companies and brands at the festival are hoping to capitalize on South by Southwest’s growing audience of college-aged youths and young professionals, and the streaming giant has established its Spotify House as one of the festival’s most premiere venues.

Why South by Southwest? In 2013, SXSW’s economic impact on Austin made it the highest revenue-producing event for the city’s economy, bringing in $218 million in business. And despite the services of Spotify and other vendors being offered free of charge, marketing at SXSW is a natural way to integrate a brand with one of the most memorable week’s of most college student’s year.

Marketing at SXSW is a bold but necessary for Spotify, as it’s looking to shed the label of being a “music” brand in favor of becoming an “interactive” brand, said a Spotify spokesperson. Fans that visited the Spotify House last year experienced some vast changes, most of which are based on the company’s insights into what most college students use it’s software for — creating workout playlists.

During SXSW, there’s morning Soul Cycle rides at the house, where around 50 people have been able to workout at the venue before the shows start. The free Thai food, as well as vegetarian-friendly fried Brussels sprouts, is the result of Spotify recruiting chefs from New York City to cater the daily “parties,” which feature a lineup of around 10 up-and-coming artists that often later partner with the streaming company to produce live, Spotify-exclusive tracks.

One of the small businesses capitalizing on the festival and it’s collegiate market is Nada Moo, an Austin-based ice cream company. Representatives were at the House from morning until 6 p.m. handing out free scoops of the coconut milk-based dessert to hundreds of attendees.

Emily Watkins, a University of Texas alum and native of Cypress, said that the company’s second-largest consumer base is college-aged males and females. The festival makes sense for the company to market at, she said, due to SXSW’s popularity among her product’s target market and the mass-appeal that the 100 percent vegan, dairy free ice cream has on college student seeking out healthy alternatives.

“We see engagement (at SXSW) on social media and Instagram,” said Watkins. “We do a lot in Austin since we’re all UT alums… and we’re always reaching out to students.”

But some of the efforts to revamp the Spotify House with trendy brands and free swag may be going unnoticed by the festival’s major market. Emma Whatley, a sophomore at St. Edwards University, attended the Spotify House at last year’s SXSW festival. She said that if anything, the crowd here is diverse but “a little older,” and the music lineup doesn’t reflect who she listens to on a daily basis.

“I don’t know that it’s catered more to younger people… I almost feel like it’s catered more to an older crowd,” Whatley said. “I don’t really think the house has changed much since last year.”

South by Southwest Music will continue through Sunday, March 22 in Austin.

arts@thedailycougar.com

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“Spotify, small businesses hope to capitalize on South by Southwest’s college market” was originally posted on The Daily Cougar