Music is in many respects the best way to internalize the feel of a new country. From political lyrics to local videos, consider music to be your most reliable guide. Starting off Tabula Rasa’s new series, titled “Your New XXX Playlist”, this first installment is an overview of some prime Israeli bands. Do you want…
Be Our Guest: “Beauty and the Beast” (2017)
Following the current trend of Disney live-action remakes, the latest edition has now hit theaters all over the world: “Beauty and the Beast” (2017). A tale as old as time, song as old as rhyme, the film follows the all-too familiar love story of the beautiful and adventurous Belle and the cursed Beast. Set in a…
In search of “diverse” literature
While “diversity” is in many ways a subjective concept, it is difficult to argue that there are an infinitely wide variety of unique human experiences. As our collective interconnected worldview expands, so does our awareness of the existence of people other than ourselves. With a focus on race, origin, sexuality, 2017 has so far shown…
UCR Musicians #4 – Thomas Hitchcock
My name is Thomas Hitchcock. I mainly play piano, the accordion, and I compose. What is your earliest music-related memory? When I was five, this kid, he was eight, showed me how to play Smoke on the Water. I thought he was really cool, being eight, and I was practicing those three or four notes…
UCR Musicians #3 – Anne van Roozendaal
My name is Anne van Roozendaal. I mainly play the guitar, I sing, and I play a little bit of both the piano and the ukulele. What is your earliest music-related memory? My parents did a sort of experiment with me, when I was not even born yet. They played Street Spirit – Fade Out…
UCR Musicians #2: Sam Max
My name is Sam Max. I play drums and percussion. What is your earliest music-related memory? I’ve played music for almost longer than I can remember, so it’s difficult to think back to when I started. I do remember playing drums in the attic when I was three, playing along to the Beatles. I was…
UCR Musicians #1: Hannah Davita Ludikhuijze
My name is Hannah Davita Ludikhuijze, and I play the cello. What is your earliest music-related memory? Music was always very central in the house where I was growing up, it was always playing in the background. Music was and is very much my idea of home. Apparently, when I was just learning to walk,…
Synopsis of Two Recent Voices
Much of today’s music works in tune with the 21st century vogue, celebrating the ego and promoting dull highs of living. This can especially be seen in the tracks that surface in the charts, centering on the semantics of dance-floors, mood-pushers and libido. At the top of the chain stand some aloof mega-stars fishing in…
RAW Talent
UCR’s Review of Arts and Writing (RAW) magazine has long prided itself on its ability to provide a well-curated, high quality product showcasing our community’s creative abilities. The current board does not disappoint – the Fall 2016 RAW edition was ripe with experimental art and visually pleasing photo pieces. Amidst the busy preparations already underway…
Degrees of literality
Proposal for a 5-degree indexation for the literality of written text With the rise of digital communication, most notably that via textual conversation, comes an increased uncertainty surrounding the nuanced interpretation of written text. One of the particular sources of unclarity that is exacerbated in digital communication in comparison to direct conversation, is the matter of literality….
My Shameless Obsession with Lana Del Rey
The notion of “guilty pleasures” bugs me, especially when talking about music. People often associate certain musicians with this categorisation – ABBA, Backstreet Boys, Britney Spears, etc. – but really, there is no guilt in listening to music that makes you go wild and scream out the lyrics. So when I say I like Lana…
Updike’s In the Beauty of the Lilies – A Reader’s Review
John Updike’s In the Beauty of the Lilies (1996) may not be new, but this has in no way infringed on its ability to ring true. Through the format of a multi-generational saga, Updike tells the story of a changing America. While an accurate historical timeline of events is interspersed throughout the text, the dramas…
“Abstract”: A Realist Insight Into Design
By Yonna Kuipers There are two things that unite a nation more than anything: sports, and a new (Netflix) hit series. So if your country is not playing in the Six Nations, you might as well get behind this new documentary: Abstract (2017). It is an eight-part documentary focusing on different aspects of design. From…
Stukafest Middelburg 2017 – A Festival Review
On a grim Tuesday night every year in February, artists from all over the world find their way towards the student dorms of Middelburg. For one night only, the entire town transforms into the vibrant festival heart of Stukafest, a national initiative organizing performances in student dorm rooms. The performances are spread throughout the town…
A Penny-Pinching Student’s Guide to Buying Art
In the process of glitzing up your space, two main factors come into play – taste, and budget. You: a sense of style classier than Buckingham palace, your budget: little to nonexistent. Nonetheless, with a few creative solutions, you can get your abode up and running. Now if only you could figure out where that…
La La Leaks: An Honest Review
Admittedly, the husky voice of the minor key song that is so prominent in the trailer had me whistling to the movies; but much to my regret, the melody flattened out along with its melancholia throughout the screen performance. By the time the film had ended, I knew that all these mourning tones and gaudy…
Get your Stuka-feest on!
By now you have probably heard of Stukafest, or at least seen that logo with the two stinky socks on it. Here’s the spiel one last time: on the evening of February 21st, you’ll be able to listen to bands, enjoy theater, and view performance art in cosy living rooms across Middelburg. Too cultured in…
Back to black: 2017 Oscar themes, first-evers, surprises, and snubs
On Tuesday 24 January, the full list of the 2017 Oscar Nominees was published. In past years, the list of Oscar Nominees has spawned a lot of buzz, and this year is no different. This year’s list of nominees includes some notable themes, some first-evers, surprises, and snubs. Grab the popcorn, sit down, and strap…
Adiga’s Selection Day – A Reader’s Review
Aravind Adiga’s Selection Day (2016) takes on the challenge of expressing an entire culture through literature, and it does so admirably. The novel, which is set primarily in Mumbai, explores social identity, family relations, and individuality through the medium of cricket. Adiga, who has previously been awarded the Man Booker prize for his lauded 2008…
From Horror To History: 5 Tips For IFFR 2017
Are you in need of some relaxation and distraction after your first week back at UCR? Are you craving art, culture, and the slightly artificial taste of cinema popcorn? Then jump on that train to Rotterdam this weekend, as it is your last chance to visit the International Film Festival Rotterdam 2017! This Saturday is…