Gallery X’s ‘Public Hanging’

Story and photos by Lance Gagnon

William Gonsalves’ photo illustration “SoHo shopping.”

Gallery X, a cooperative art gallery in downtown New Bedford, is holding its 18th annual Public Hanging. Artists from the New Bedford area community are exhibiting their work in the gallery until September 23.

Works featured include paintings, photography, sculpture and found art, most of which are for sale to the public. Prices range from as low as $35 to as high as $1,500, but admission to see the works on display is free.

Gallery X is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is located at 169 William St. in the former First Universalist Church.

A mixed media representation of Charles Hauck’s “Orpheum Theater Proposal.”

Victor daSilva, Jr.’s “Untitled #12", an oil/acrylic/stain/poly fusion.

More photos of this gallery can be seen in the print version of this week's Torch.

‘Forbidden City’ conveys cultural messages

By Melanie Correia

Husband and wife Lily Yang and Honglei Li have combined their efforts to create what events coordinator, Jarrad Nunes, calls a “stunning fusion of painting, film and music.”

The CVPA’s first exhibition of the year, Forbidden City, opened September 17 and will run through October 4 in the Campus Gallery.

Husband and wife Lily Yang and Honglei Li have combined their efforts to create what events coordinator, Jarrad Nunes, calls a “stunning fusion of painting, film and music.” Honglei Li, a graduate of the MFA (Master of Fine Arts) program in Painting and his wife, Lily, who has been in the MFA program in Digital Media since 2006, come together in this multimedia event.

Lily quotes, “Our works stress multi-cultural research and interdisciplinary approaches. Traditional painting, drawing skills and digital imaging processes play significant roles in our work. We are aware that new media enables us to create a more compelling multi-sensory experience in exhibition spaces, while conveying cultural messages more effectively.”

Honglei creates large oil paintings and then animates them with the use of digital animation programs. Lily uses her skills in hand drawing in the ancient Chinese art format and then applying varied digital techniques. This fusion allows for a live story-board effect, relating the story through the number of filmed artworks.

The artists believe that “Artists are responsible for provoking thinking in history and reality with their insightful work, and making commentary on critical cultural issues.” They put this mindset to work in their five short films being exhibited at the Gallery. Two by Honglei Li, “Ash” and “Peacock Flying to the Southeast” (title borrowed from an ancient Chinese poem) and the remaining three by Lily Yang: “A Dream of Red Mansions,” “Forbidden City” and “At the Gate of Heavenly Peace.”

Both artists, native to Beijing, China, hope “to share our ceaseless artists’ journey in the communication universe with our friends, teachers and students to achieve more interaction with our environment.” They have previously exhibited at the Artworks! Gallery in New Bedford, former CVPA exhibitions, and Honglei exhibited during the MFA Thesis Exhibition in 2007.

The artists’ reception will be tonight, Thursday, September 20, at 5:30 p.m. Regular gallery hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., or by appointment. The exhibition and its reception are free of charge and open to the public. For more information, contact Jarrad Nunes at (508) 999-8010.

Kanye’s arrogance makes him the ‘Champion’

By Sarah Mulvey

Genre-spanning collaborations, refreshingly real and different lyrical concepts and his signature beats have created a strong front for Kanye West to use in his battle for the number one spot with his new album, “Graduation.”

Through a much publicized challenge of 50 Cent and his new disc “Curtis,” West is taking on his biggest rival in hip-hop. With the release of “Graduation,” he is out to prove why he, West, is the man you should be listening to, instead of all of the formulated club hip-hop that’s becoming the norm.

The third installation from Mr. West, released on September 11, is another step up in style and technicality. Intricate beats and unique lyrical flow mix up the formula and make his tracks worth listening to carefully.

The album makes good on everything fans have come to expect from West, with quick one-liners that catch you off guard and arrogance so obvious and frequent you almost can’t stand him for it.

Songs like “The Glory,” “Champion,” and “Barry Bonds” are so weighed down with conceit, yet they are some of the highlights of the track list.

The track “I Wonder” is an interesting point in the album. Squeezed between two club-worthy tracks, the song features an entire string section playing over the bridge, piano and a unique flow rhythm that showcases West’s skill at wordplay.

The album’s party track, “Good Life” features T-Pain, and West’s haughtiness actually makes you smile because he does it so well.

The self-assured attitude is completed when Kanye quotes his rival 50 Cent in the pre-chorus of “Good Life,” stating “50 told me go ahead/ mix the style up/ and if they hatin’ let ‘em hate/ and watch the money pile up.” It’s such an appropriate and fitting line that you wonder if perhaps the same release dates and all the hype were Kanye’s plan the whole time.

The album hits a slow point on the track “Drunk and Hot Girls,” which only sold itself after hearing ‘Ye say “have a little sippy-sippy” during the outro, along with “Flashing Lights” which has a really cool 70’s discotheque sound, but a storyline that’s hard to follow.

The album closes with a funky collaboration with Coldplay front man Chris Martin accompanying on piano and vocals for the final track “Big Brother.” This song is the only one on the entire album where Kanye turns off the sarcasm and arrogance to just come out and directly say how he feels.

The track’s subject is of course, West’s label owner and mentor, Jay-Z. West’s earnest lyrics, minus his entire ego, are a clear look into West’s genuine talent and ability with word play.

As the album ends, it is addictive to go right back to the beginning to listen through it again. With a second listen, you catch more of the subtle touches that you know West obsessed over.

The samples he chose span many different genres, including show tunes, Steely Dan and Elton John. With so many simple beat-box rhythms coming up on Top 40 radio, Kanye’s intricate music is a refreshing break from the monotony.

West’s lyrics are smart and real, even if most of them relate back to his favorite subject eventually; which is of course, himself. The world will have to deal with the 50/West feud for just a week or so more, until the album sales of the last week are announced on September 19. Let’s see if “Graduation” makes valedictorian.

50 Cent flows about the same old gangsta lifestyle

By Desiree Leger

The feuding of two popular rap stars gains more worldwide attention than most other occurrences ever would. When rappers like Kanye West and Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson both release their new albums on the same day (September 11) though, it is nothing less than a phenomenon.

In a rather friendly CD sales showdown, there’s been a lot of talk about trying new ideas, revolutionizing album sounds, and generally “owning” the other with their musical prowess. With their similar status of musical superstardom and each with a strong fan base, does our man 50 Cent’s self-proclaimed album “Curtis” live up to his own hype?

The first thing one might notice is the CD’s packaging, with credits and some smooth, glossy photos. While aesthetically pleasing, “Curtis” does not shock or enthrall with 50’s usual photographic depictions of thug life, guns, the delight of aforementioned guns and a lewd and mostly naked woman in various stages of molestation. It’s not a promising foreshadowing of new and fresh music to come.

When it comes to the musical styling of this new album, “Fitty” seems to fall back on his old methods, choosing to flow about the same topics that helped him get as far as he is today: “life in the hood, violence, hustlin’ and the honorable ladies that clamor for his attention.”

In such tracks such as “I’ll Still Kill,” “My Gun Go Off,” “Fully Loaded Clip” and “Man Down,” we see an interesting pattern: “Curtis” seems overly eager, to affirm himself as ruthlessly violent and streetwise “general.”

The rest of the track list isn’t exactly a reprieve from this repetition, populated by references to his vast stores of wealth, his luxurious and elite lifestyle, and those sexy, faceless and nameless girls that are ever parading in and out of his bedroom (though from the tone of the track titled “Come and Go,” they do a lot more going than coming, because if they “ain’t freakin’” they “ain’t speakin’”). For the constant speak of fresh and novel songs and concepts, “Curtis’” choice of topic feels a bit reused.

In classical 50 Cent style, the album features a sparkling cast of musical cameos, ranging from gangsta-fabulous celebrities Dr. Dre and Eminem to startlingly smooth vocal additions by Robin Thicke and Mary J. Blige.

Unfortunately, the guest appearances have a stronger role in 50’s album than 50 himself. Mary J. Blige’s powerful voice dominates the half-serious and half-silly “got me feelin’ like a fiend on crack” love ballad titled “All of Me.”

Similarly, Justin Timberlake’s chorus in “Ayo Technology” is far more prevailing and memorable than 50’s rapping.

While the guest appearances certainly add a flavor and strength to Fitty’s songs, it is rather lamentable that it isn’t Curtis himself who saves his own album.

In all fairness, the album is still a solid one. Fans of “The Massacre” and “Get Rich or Die Tryin’” will not be disappointed. It features classic 50 Cent dance-club style hooks, and catchy beats.

Likewise, the lyricism in “Curtis” continues to feature his trademark wit alone with his sharp, biting style. Listeners might also find a fair amount of humor in this album, however unintentional it may be.

From photos of 50 Cent blatantly chewing on his gun, to the robotic laughter in “Straight to the Bank” (Ha-ha-hahaha, ha ha hahaha!) and of course, his own amusing rap lines (too offensive to write examples in), 50 Cent hasn’t lost what his fans love about him; he has just failed to provide his fans with anything new.

Altogether, “Curtis” is just more of the same 50 Cent music. Although lacking a lot of the flow and strength from his last endeavors, 50’s stagnancy with its sturdy guest performances makes up for it.

While still entertaining and a solid 50 Cent installment, listeners are waiting for new and evolving music with new concepts to capture their interest, a fact 50 Cent seems to neglect by returning stubbornly to his tried-and-true musical formula.

THE BEER BARON

Cabot Street Wheat helps beat the heat

By Gary Albert

September isn’t over yet, and as far as I’m concerned, it’s still time for summer brews, and this is one that everyone should try. From Paper City Brewery on Cabot Street in Holyoke, MA, a brewery that is merely 12 years old, here is a great Hefeweizen that everyone can truly enjoy without making a trip out to Germany.

At some point in the near future I hope to visit their brewery. I’d also like to mention that I’ll definitely be trying more Paper City Brews, because of how impressed I was with this beer, so you might see one or two more reviews of their other beers in the upcoming months.

Wheat beer is a traditional summer selection, and most summer seasonal offerings are a wheat style beer. This beer is not seasonal, but is excellent for the summer.

First off, you have to be careful when tasting Cabot Street Wheat or you won’t notice the subtleness of some of the flavors. Ignore the sulfuric, “light-struck” smell that comes straight from the bottle as you open it, that’s how a Hefe is supposed to smell — sniff for the banana instead.

It pours a very cloudy, pale yellow (swirl the bottle before pouring that last bit) into my brand new Hefeweizen glass, with very light lacing and a strong medium head that quickly dissipates and leaves a light lacing along the glass as a reminder that there was a head to this beer.

The sulfur smell wanes a bit once the beer is in the glass, and the banana takes over. A light spice smell is also noticeable below the strong banana. The first sip is a dry, strong wheat-yeast taste.

According to the Paper City Brewery, the Cabot Street Wheat is made with 50% German wheat, and German yeast. The goal of this is to make it as genuine of a Hefeweizen as possible without brewing it in Germany.

The dry, tangy carbonated-water-like mouthfeel makes Cabot Street Wheat very easy to drink, but the beauty of this beer is the change in taste as the glass gets lower. Each sip is never quite the same.

Starting off with strong wheat and yeast overtones, with an undertone of light banana, the strong flavors of the beer quickly change as the glass goes down. The carbonic acid aftertaste (the aftertaste you get in soda-water) is strong, but not negative at all. I am really in awe of it. The lower the glass gets, the stronger the light lemon-citrus on the back of your tongue stands out, but the banana is still right there.

The dry mouthfeel also gets a lot lighter and less noticeable as the height of the beer in the glass drops. Towards the end, the citrus is nearly overpowering but at the same time not overbearing, and the beer is as refreshing and easy to drink as it was at the beginning.

The alcohol content of Cabot Street Wheat seems average, but there’s no way to know for sure without calling or visiting the brewery. This is definitely the near-perfect summer brew, and I’m disappointed that I haven’t had the opportunity to try it in the past.

Appearance: 4.5/5

Smell: 4/5 (smell matches type, although I didn’t prefer it)

Mouthfeel: 4/5

Drinkability: 4.75/5

Taste: 4/5

Overall: 4.25/5

Recommended for anyone, this is an excellent wheat beer, and I’m glad that it’s from a local brewery. Have a recommendation for a beer for me to review (anything goes), want to comment on or criticize my review, or just have questions regarding beer? Send me an e-mail at UMDBeerBaron@gmail.com.

MATT'S UNKNOWN MUSIC CORNER

‘Dungeons and Dragons’ rocks metal world

By Matt Meylikhov

Do you like metal? And by metal, I mean bands like Metallica, Iron Maiden and Dio, ‘80s metal staples? Do you like epic music? And do you like Lord of the Rings? Well, I have just the band for you.

Last week I discussed Moving Mountains, a very ethereal band that I absolutely love. But this time, I discuss Rhapsody (or Rhapsody of Fire as they are now known), an Italian metal band who literally define everything that goes into a modern day epic.

Formed in 1993 in Italy, Rhapsody (who later had to legally change their name to Rhapsody of Fire) began to rock the metal scene over seas. And they didn’t take a normal route about it either.

In metal, a running joke underlying the music in some bands has always been dark forces, specifically Satan, his army of beasts and demons, and how they channel through the metal music.

Tenacious D’s metal jokes always include something about dragons. Rhapsody takes all that and focuses on it.

Combining their talent for playing metal, they also include a 70 -piece orchestra and choir on their albums to play along with them and help narrate their tales of adventure, wizards, warriors, dragons, and dark lords.

Here is a list of random song titles by Rhapsody to give you an idea of what I am talking about: “Dargor, Shadowlord of the Black Mountain,” “Holy Thunderforce,” “Gargoyles, Angels of Darkness,” “Beyond the Gates of Infinity,” “Flames of Revenge,” and “The Mystic Prophecy of the Demon Knight.”

This is a chorus to one of those songs: “So we’ll fight against the wind for the glory of the kings/to defeat the evil enemies/And we’ll ride with our lord for the power and the throne/in the name of holy thunderforce.”

Are you starting to get the picture?

Don’t write this band off yet. You might not be into the whole “Dungeons and Dragons” scene, but if you liked Metallica’s S&M album, imagine that on six different albums.

These guys really know how to play and how to write epic metal. The solos they have on their songs are all worthy of any Guitar Hero videogame to absolutely destroy you on expert.

They show they know a lot about music in their songs combining classical and medieval melodies on their albums, along with the use of instruments like lutes and the harpsichord.

The albums also tell a story. I don’t know how many of you are used to concept albums, but this is probably the most straightforward concept you will ever hear. Not only that, but all the stories are explained in the liner notes.

The first story is split in five parts over the band’s first four CDs and an EP, known as “The Emerald Sword Saga,” which tells the story of a hero known as the Warrior of Ice who sets out on a quest to find the legendary Emerald Sword with which he can defeat the Dark Lord Akron.

This is then followed by the bands’ latest epic, “The Dark Secret Saga,” which is narrated by Christopher Lee (Saruman in LOTR), which has two parts to it so far.

My personal favorite album is “Power of the Dragonflame,” the last part of the “Emerald Sword Saga,” because it is so chock full of awesome riffs, solos and talented instrumentation that I keep going back to this album to listen to it over and over again. The last track, which is almost 20 minutes in length and split into three parts, starts out with some amazing classical guitar playing, which lasts two minutes before being translated into a metal part and riffed to death and beyond.

So if you’re into “Dungeons and Dragons,” or if you just love metal, go to their Myspace site, myspace.com/rhapsodyoffireband and give them a shot.

I recommend the song “Triumph or Agony,” the title track off their latest album. I honestly believe that, despite the subject matter of their music that might turn some people off, any honest to God fan of metal will enjoy this. Heck, even my own father enjoys this band, and he’s a big metal fan.

As always, feel free to send me an e-mail (mmrylikhov@umassd.edu) with any band you feel is not talked about enough and a place for me to listen, and I’ll consider them for this column.

ASK MISS CHERRY

Contraceptive implications and oral sensations

Dear Miss Cherry,

What’s the deal with this morning-after pill that I’ve been hearing so much about? Is it used as an abortion pill? — Birth Control Curious

Dear Curious,

The morning-after pill, also called Plan-B, is actually a form of emergency contraception, not for use as a form of abortion. It only prevents pregnancy; it doesn’t end it if you are already pregnant.

According to The Access Project, Plan-B reduces a woman’s chance of becoming pregnant by 75-95%. It should only be taken in emergencies such as condom breaks, assaults, or any unprotected sex. It is not intended to be a regular form of birth control.

Plan-B is actually a higher, single dosage of regular daily oral birth control pills. The two pills are taken at one time. The morning-after pill can be taken later than the day after the encounter by up to 5 days, but is more effective if taken sooner.

Plan-B is now available to all women without a prescription through any pharmacy. It costs on average between $20 and $40. For more information, check out their website at www.not-2-late.com.

---

Dear Miss Cherry,

I’m kind of a newbie to oral sex. I haven’t had much experience giving it and my boyfriend has been asking me to perform it on him. I was wondering if you had any tips and tricks to make him squirm. — Tongue Tied

Dear Tongue Tied,

There are many different techniques to make your boy tingle. First, don’t limit yourself to just your mouth. Your two hands make great accomplices. Use them to explore every inch of his body below the belt.

Gently massage his testicles as you orally pleasure him. Then simultaneously use your hands and mouth on his penis.

Next, try moving to his pelvis and use your tongue to tickle his hipbone. Also, try incorporating other materials like whipped cream or chocolate sauce to drizzle on the head, then slowly licking it off.

Another more sensual approach is to apply a dab of mint flavored toothpaste to the underside of his shaft, then spread it around with your tongue. This gives a cool, tingly sensation for both you and him.

Use your imagination to surprise him with new techniques. Also, go to your man and have a little chat to see what makes him hot. He might have a sensitive spot you never knew about or an oral fantasy he wants to try out.

POETIC PERFECTION

A Million Faces in a Wave

By E.J.C.

A million faces in a wave,
Ever flowing, ever changing.
Spine arching, stretching, shaking;
Stomach swells.

Fingers reaching, groping, racing;
Grasping the sand from beneath my feet.
Tugging and pulling,
It slips away.

Sizzling nothingness,
Deeper and deeper my toes appear,
Washed through a time
And a limitless place.

Standing in this spot,
Breathless, momentless; before or after.
Presently. Always moving, rolling, morphing,
Never stops.

Scarred

By S.M.S.

It’s cold here,
beneath the admitting of my fears;
maybe not publicly, but personally,
spoken aloud so I don’t drown
in the lake of these silent tears.

I can’t tell them

It’s freezing here,
as I hear the revelation of my biggest fear.
hiding quietly behind subtle cries of self-pity, I
am consumed by the darkness of the midnight sky.
no one can spy on my fragility. waiting to die.

they won’t believe me

It’s white here,
like winter is always near, reflecting my biggest fear.
the towering trees cover me completely,
as I lay below, wearing nothing, so hollow.
bruised and broken, unable to breathe and swallow.

they’ll claim... “you were asking for it...”

If you’d like to submit any poetry, send it by email to ssarnelli@umassd.edu. All poetry is welcome!