For those who love eclectic albums, new local artist Brett Tyler is on the rise. In his freshman album Bittersweet, The Minneapolis native creates a journey through love in which each original song has its own specific flavor. He does not stick to one particular genre, and in his music one can find a country twang, a touch of pop, and more than a hint of Midwestern style.

Tyler starts with a simple idea, and surrounds it with music and gives it heart. In our interview he mentioned the variety of music he's influenced by.

"I can create a song from as many different styles and genres that you can think of, If I hear a good melody, I hear a good melody," Tyler said.

It's obvious that he draws his inspiration from diverse influential bands, one of which is The Beatles. At the very start of his song "Something", which the title in itself echoes a Beatles classic, a mellotron sounds just like The Beatles' song "Strawberry Fields Forever." Although there are other big names that have influenced Tyler, there are also smaller, more local bands that had a large impact on him. Some of these Midwestern heroes include The Jayhawks and Wilco. According to Tyler there is "something you can't get anywhere else that you can get in the Midwest."

This is probably why Tyler's first album, according to his myspace page, "is a collective of love songs that have been written in the past five years". One song in particular, "Here's My Heart," stands out. The lyrics in the second verse are "There is no good reason I have travelled all this way/ just to see you from a distance and not know what to say/ still I wander carelessly into this place/ wrestle with the courage just to see your face."

"[The song is] for a girl I liked but was too shy to do anything about," Tyler said. In an honest moment, this song says "this is where my heart is at" by a young man who was a little too shy to say it in any way but a song, a sentiment many can identify with.

Most recently, Tyler played at the Fine Line Music Caf� in Minneapolis where he played with a full band. He also has played at the Ritz Theater (also in Minneapolis) where a fellow musician was having a CD release party as well. He said of his shows that "everybody can feel comfortable and feel like they are friends" and there is a "cool family community feel, we laugh and joke around a lot."

"I'm aspiring to write the best songs possible. If they like them that's great. I just want people to like it," Tyler said.

It's hard to pinpoint exactly when social commentary became a prerequisite in horror cinema, a thin glaze of redemption above the gorefest the industry has become. Luckily, while Western filmmakers flounder at this faux-morality, such unabashed fright-fests as 2003's "A Tale of Two Sisters" verify Asia's commitment to quality horror; how unfortunate that it sees the release of "Death Bell," a film that is firmly rooted in the tired Hollywood traditions of torture porn and dead teenagers despite its unique Korean setting.

Recently shown as s UW Film Committee feature at Memorial Union last Saturday, Nov. 21, "Death Bell" witnesses a class of elite prep-school students under the tutelage of Hwang Chan-wook (Lee Beom-soo, "Descendants of Hon Gild Dong") as they fall prey to mysterious ghosts, who then challenge them with - get this - arithmetic problems in order to save their classmates from various deathtraps. Presumably, this is an allegory for the extreme pressure and competition that defines Asian academics, but beyond this social commentary "Death Bell" succumbs heavily to genre conventions: victims that continually wander into darkness alone, protagonists that repeatedly solve riddles moments too late, and pale, long-haired girls that enjoy materializing behind people's backs. Even the deathtraps themselves needlessly crib from the "Saw" series, eventually turning each murder into simple torture montages amidst the central plot. For an industry that pioneered modern horror, it's sad to witness such lack of creative ambition.

And yet, for its clich� mechanics, the film's attempts at character development are somewhat more successful, thanks to the strong casting. Beom-soo, despite his comedy background, shows no hint of mirth in his ruthless persona, easily dominating the latter half of the film with manic and violent outbursts more frightening than any of the antagonists the film conjures; Nam Gyu-Ri's heroine, though less memorable, similarly displays at least some amount of individuality (compared to the throng of damsels-in-distress that comprise a bulk of the class).

"Death Bell," despite its premise, fails to impress any viewer even remotely familiar with the "Saw" franchise, and its attempts to rationalize its hour-long massacre of schoolchildren falls hopelessly flat. For most audiences overseas, it can provide low-rent (in this case, free) entertainment for less discriminating tastes, but for fans of the genre, surely there is more tasteful fare elsewhere.

For information on other films and UW Film Committee-sponsored events, click here

2 1/2 out of 5 stars

Midwest hip hop fans come together. Give me an A! Give me an L! Give me an I! Now take out that calendar and leave a big block open from 5 to 6:30 on Thursday, Nov. 19 Using a sharpened, number two pencil, write your destination: The Exclusive Co. on State St. for a free in-store signing with none other than Brother Ali.

The Minneapolis native will be making a stop in Madison on his Fresh Air tour, and will pay an early visit to The Exclusive Co. (near the corner of State and Gilman) to sign autographs and talk to you, the fans.

The Exclusive Co. expects a turnout of up to 150 people, which would make for a very crowded shop. Get your posters, CDs and scraps of paper together and come early or prepare to wait outside.

By the way, tickets are still available for his Thurs. night show at the Barrymore. Tickets are $15 advance, $18 day of show, but the signing is free.

Nowadays, it is more common for a musical group to claim numerous labels than sticking to just one genre. Vagabond Opera, a group that certainly fits in the former camp, has been lumped in with cabaret, swing, neo-classical, jazz, folk/punk, and many other equally diverse categories. Describing themselves as "opera, liberated and reinvented for everyone," Portland, Oregon-based Vagabond Opera is playing at Madison's own Brink Lounge tonight at 8. They will perform alongside Mad Toast Live, a radio show which features a variety of musical guests and calls for audience participation.

A six piece group, Vagabond Opera is comprised of Eric Stern (operatic tenor/accordion), Robin Jackson (tenor saxophone/vocals), Jason Flores (standup bass), Mark Burdon (percussion), and Skip Von Kuske (cello). As hard as it is to classify the group based on their overall sound, the difficulty of labeling them based on their influences is that much harder - on their Facebook page, the group counts Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Beriut, Edith Piaf, Dresden Dolls, and the Sound of Music among their influences. Their tastes don't just end there, however; Vagabond Opera also lists Danny Elfman, Tom Waits, Marlene Dietrich, Duke Ellington, and Squirrel Nut Zippers as some of their favorite musical geniuses.

If you can't imagine what they sound like yet, you are not alone - with every song, Vagabond Opera seems to transform itself into something new. The beauty of their sound is its flexibility and originality, especially when compared to bland mainstream music of today. Whether you enjoy the environment of a cabaret in Europe, or an opera house in Oregon, you will have an entirely wonderful time opening yourself to the novelty of Vagabond Opera at its finest.

Vagabond Opera performs on November 17 at the Brink Lounge at 8 pm.

Dropping on the Majestic this Thursday, Nov. 19 are the frenetic beats of Two Fresh, a duo out of Nashville that combines elements of all sorts of musical styles into electronic, bass-centric instrumentals.

If the scores of digital beatmakers could be compared to classical composers (which, for the purposes of this blog, they will be), it's hard to say where Two Fresh would fit in. Samplers like Girl Talk and Milkman are more or less analogous to Chopin, for their ex-ploration of new artistic borders as a result of developments in musical technology. Basement Jaxx could be Beethoven for reasons of pure heaviness, and Benny Benassi might as well be compared to Rossini (very bombastic, and Italians love him).

Two Fresh, however, is hard to put a finger on, tenuous analogies aside. The thirteen tracks off Baker's Dozen, released online in September, exhibit strong variety; some-times fast and sometimes slow, atonal in certain sequences while at others tremen-dously consonant, briefly sampling Ol' Dirty Bastard only to come back with a barrage of original bass. Numerous tracks off Baker's Dozen could be described as chopped and screwed versions of old Super Nintendo themes, and equally as many combine music you'd find on the Weather Channel with hard-hitting bass loops.

As is the case for any DJ, the live performance is the best way to experience a group like Two Fresh. The live venue affords the attendee not only the opportunity to enjoy the music alongside hundreds of others who came to party, but also the chance to see the call-and-response technics of live spinning. Don't forget your glowsticks.

With the debut of her newest single "Bad Romance" off of her sophomore album The Fame Monster hitting stores November 23, the leading lady of the pop music world Lady Gaga delivers an original yet catchy track and equally unforgettable music video.

The video brings us to the "Bath Haus of Gaga" where it is safe to say that minimal bathing occurs. In the video Lady Gaga seems to play a prostitute that leaves her clients feeling hot in a more flammable than physical way. Complete with a modernist take on Max's footie pajamas from Where the Wild Things Are and Alexander McQueen's much-discussed McQueenadillo heels (think 10-inch ballet slipper) from his spring 2010 collection, Lady Gaga once again serves up a hot plate of shock value.

More shocking than her elaborate costumes and uncomfortable shoes are the few shots in which Lady Gaga looks not so, for lack of a better description, Lady Gaga-like and more natural, clean-faced and pretty. While part of her charm may be her love of deliciously wacky headdresses and sunglasses that appear to offer less than sufficient UV protection, it is refreshing to see her bare the natural look and rock it too.

Comparing "Bad Romance" and its fashion forwardness, clean-cut choreography and beautifully-crafted images within each scene to Lady Gaga's first music video "Just Dance" shows the magnificent transformation of the artist from a generic singer and dancer to a modern music icon constantly trying to expand her creative boundaries. What's next from the wild and twisted mind of Lady Gaga? That's definitely only something the Lady herself knows.

If hip-hop trends swing on a pendulum between the extremes of popularity and authenticity, perhaps Attention Deficit, Wale's much anticipated solo album, represents a momentum shift towards what's really real.

You won't find any autotune or samples from '80s pop hits on Attention Deficit, but instead it is a welcome throwback to the emcee mechanics of original beats and lyrics. Wale (pronounced WAH-lay, as he reminds you several times throughout the album) came to prominence for his mixtapes released online, and has been compared to the likes of DJ Kool. But don't get too liberal with other comparisons to the D.C. native, as he uses much of the album to proclaim his originality. On "Mirrors," his chorus implores, "Mirror mirror on the wall, who the realest of them all?"

That isn't to say, however, that Attention Deficit isn't without its freshman flaws. "Mirrors" also features a verse from seasoned veteran Bun B, which steals the track away from Wale. The beats don't vary too much from track to track, which makes the fourteen tracks feel repetitive. Wale also seems to only be able to rap at one speed, as if he's just jamming as many lines into each song as possible just to prove that he can.

More importantly, though, is the statement Attention Deficit seeks to make. Wale uses the album first and foremost to announce his jump off from online mixtapes into mainstream hip-hop recording. Despite the frequency of the typical lyrical chest-pounding, there are glimpses of maturity on the album. "90210" is a surprisingly confident take on fame and celebrity, and the very refined "Beautiful Bliss" craftily features Melanie Fiona and J. Cole.

Throughout Attention Deficit, Wale doesn't pretend to be on top of the rap world, but he is confident and self-assured. He does not want to be seen as popular, but he does want to show that he's the real deal. Even if Wale still a little rough around the edges, Attention Deficit is a noble start from D.C.'s newest contribution to the industry.

On Monday Nov. 9, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra, or TSO, performed their annual show at the Kohl Center. For those of you who don't know TSO, prepare to be enlightened, and maybe a little jealous.

TSO is an orchestra that was formed in 1996 by Paul O'Neil and some of his close friends. The Orchestra has the sound of harder rock or symphonic metal, and has played mostly holiday and classical tunes. TSO is most well known for their song "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24," a catchy rendition of the classic "Carol of the Bells," from the album Christmas Eve and Other Stories. Their performances are known for their high energy, light shows and pyrotechnics. This year, it was no different and they most certainly did not disappoint.

The first half of the show was the story and songs from Christmas Eve and Other Stories. They followed the album fairly well, and only left out a few songs. Among the songs played were "O Come All Ye Faithful/O Holy Night," "A Mad Russian's Christmas," and of course "Christmas Eve/Sarajevo 12/24." The next half of the show, after introductions of the orchestra members, was a mix of songs from the albums Beethoven's Last Night, The Lost Christmas Eve, and the recently released Night Castle. Among the songs performed in that half were "Mozart," a version of "O Fortuna," "Toccata-Carpimus Noctem," and "Wizards in Winter."

The performances were fantastic, not lacking at all from the studio albums. The singers belted out in an amazing way, while the instrumentalists rocked out in a hardcore way that one might only see in a metal band. One reason that TSO is so unique is the combination of this sound and style of music, and they pull it off splendidly.

The energy from the members of TSO was incredible, most of them able to head-bang while playing incredibly well, and running and dancing around the stage for some. It was amazing that the female lead violinist didn't get her hair caught while she was playing, because her hair was flying around more than an 80s hair band. The light show was phenomenal, with it's laser lights and synchronization with the music it was a welcome addition to the already glorious sound. The pyrotechnics were great too, and it was interesting to see fire synchronized with the music in the same way as the lights, popping up with each note in a different place. The visuals were stunning and the sheer awesomeness of it all was enough to render anyone speechless. The sights and sounds combined in this concert were a perfect example of why people will see TSO multiple times, and sometimes every year.

The Trans-Siberian Orchestra did not hold back and delivered their music and overall atmosphere flawlessly. It was the perfect way to give Madison an early welcome to the holidays.

Sex Tip: Nipples are the best! Don't forget to kiss, lick, nibble and suck the next time things get hot and heavy, for both girls and boys.

Season four opens with Jack welcoming us back. Right off the bat we are reminded of Lemon's relationship with food as she sings a popular jingle to "Cheesy-Blasters." This familiar relationship shows up in all of the first three episodes, including an accidental run-in with some "chuckle" as well as when Liz explains her world view, which is food based, of course. Other familiarities appear, ranging from more examples of Kenneth's strange southern charm to Jack's overall bad character. At one point he looks at a picture of Jesus, asking for guidance, only to pull a photo of Nixon out from behind it. There are plenty of examples of Jenna and Tracy's eccentricities as well.

Viewers also find out that there may be a new cast member added as Jack requests Pete and Liz to find a new addition for the show. Jenna and Tracy become dramatically upset over the news and torment Liz with sleepovers, Icelandic werewolves, adopted dogs, and pornographic remakes. Jack desires a cast member that is a "real American" which threads a theme of Americanism into the first three episodes. In the third episode there is a hint that the new cast member may be Jeff Denham, the comedian that performs with puppets, but by the end of it, viewers are no closer to knowing who it may be.

Devin Banks, Will Arnett, Jack's arch nemesis, makes a return, terrorizing Jack yet again, which leads to reinventing the microwave. The scene is reminiscent of the "Fun Cooker" episode, and in the end they create a car, the Pontiac Aztec, which plays off a joke earlier in the episode. And, as always, many guest appearances are made as well as yet "another successful interaction with a man" for Liz Lemon. And who would want to miss the awesome gay-dude party?

There is sure to more awkward moments for Liz and power-hungry Jack episodes, along with plenty of freak-outs from Tracy and Jenna. It is also safe to say that the search for the new addition will continue, possibly taking Liz around the country some more. It will definitely be interesting to see how the new member interacts with everyone and fits into the special family that is 30 Rock.

Update:

When Kenneth accidently shows Jenna an information sheet about the casting call TGS is hosting, it's spread around the building. The episode centers around this as Jenna and Tracy flip out, driving around New York looking for people unfit to audition, DotCom throws his name in the hat, and Brian Williams shows up donning a horrible Brooklyn accent, sounding something like Hugh Grant in Mickey Blue Eyes, hoping to score a role on TGS. Jayden Michael Tyler has a guest appearance as well, begging the question, is he the new cast member? There are some great Christopher Walken impressions, and our favorite awkward character Kathy Guice reappears, poking some fun at Susan Boyle, possibly the best bit of this episode. Aside from the casting call, Jack gets bedbugs and is reduced to a lowly commoner, and even Kenneth won't show him some love. There is a food-based bit with Liz, of course, and some horribly shameless plugs for the Winter Olympics airing on NBC. We're also beaten over the head with an endorsement for Cisco, but its purposefully obvious and turns out hilarious. We're left wondering if Jack's discovered a new actor when he announces he's found someone who's left an impression on him, literally.

What would happen if every science fiction clich� imaginable were shoved into one hour of prime time entertainment?

The outcome would be something along the lines of "V," ABC's new sci-fi thriller about the impending takeover of planet earth by a reptilian alien species disguised as humans. The pilot, which aired Tuesday, Nov. 3, lacks little in excitement, but takes itself a little too seriously.

The story begins with Anna, (Morena Baccarin, "Medium") the leader of "The Visitors" as they call themselves, projecting her face on a huge jumbotron-type screen occupying the sky. Her calm, clean and confident demeanor emits the foreboding sense that trickery and deceit are hiding behind her eyes as she convinces the citizens of the earth not to fret over The Visitors' presence.

The humans have mixed reactions though. FBI agent Erica Evans, (a convincing Elizabeth Mitchell, "Lost") and her teenage son Tyler (Logan Huffman, "America.") While Tyler embraces The Visitors, Erica remains suspicious of their intentions. Meanwhile, Ryan Nichols (Morris Chestnut, "Not Easily Broken") struggles between being managing his life with his fianc�, Valerie (Lourdes Benedicto,"Numb3rs") and the fact that he is secretly one of The Visitors (but a good one.)

Other characters include Chad Decker (Scott Wolf, "CSI:NY") an up and coming televisions news anchor trying to make a name for himself by getting the low-down on The Visitors. Also, there is Father Jack Landry (Joel Gretsch, "United States of Tara) who poses questions regarding science and religion.

While it is difficult for the science fiction genre to navigate around certain clich�s, "V" seems as though it did not even bother. A trembling glass of water on a table followed by curious and frightened looks? Check. A mysterious alien spacecraft hovering over a crowd of gasping, crying, screaming citizens in a major metropolitan area? Check. A mother screaming at law enforcement to let her through the barrier to find her son, or God-only-knows-what-will-happen? Check. Oh, and don't forget, there's also the alien who just wants to help the humans, and then there's the trusted human who turns out to be an alien!

Despite "V" resting on too many clich�s, and wandering into a familiar thematic and stylistic territory reminiscent of "Lost" and "True Blood." With their respective plots revolving around two distinct groups arguing over trust and manipulation, the show does bring up relevant themes. The changing roles of religion, politics, and mass media in society are all touched upon. Furthermore, current debates such as the fervent one about universal healthcare is made reference to, as The Visitors promise to bestow this upon all humans.

The visuals of the show follow the usual course of sci-fi spectacles - explosions and special effects are aplenty. The writing could use some work, as many exchanges between characters produce cringeworthy moments as when journalist Chad Decker comments to Anna, "You all seem to be what we consider attractive," and she replies with a coy smile, "Thank you. You're not so bad yourself." The awkward alien-human sexual tension is already heating up!

Although "V" is held back by its clich�s, that is not to say the premise of the show does not have potential. The buildup leaves a strong desire to see what happens next and leaves the viewer wondering about The Visitors' true intentions and how those will carry out.

In the world of hip-hop, nothing good can come about from an established celebrity attempting a rap debut, particularly one with a name in stand-up comedy and film cameos - which makes funnyman Mike Epps' ("The Hangover") premier comedy/rap album Funny Bidness * Da Album somewhat of a pleasant surprise.

Though rife with the gratuitous obscenities and needless collaborations characteristic of most all amateur emcees, the album never ceases to amuse, primarily by trading the traditional gangster vocabulary of glamorized violence for songs erring towards less flattering depictions of "thug life" (tracks like "The Bitch Won't Leave Me Alone" or "Youth Prison Program" readily come to mind).

Despite big-name cameos from Flo Rida and Snoop Dogg, Epps' mellow personality remains the star of the show; indeed, in his definitive single "Trying To Be A Gangsta," Epps epitomizes a satire of the gangster image that the entire album represents, "I wanna be a bruthah, but a got a good heart / Thuggin' in the mirror, gang signs in the dark / Runnin' down the shower in my Sunday shoes / Tryin' to see my face on the ten o'clock news..." Capitalizing on his status as an outsider to the hip-hop scene, Epps exposes its inherent silliness with the same deadpan brusque as his stand-up material. Every plausible flaw in his musical abilities is used to full comedic effect, from raspy Snoop Dogg crooning in "Domestic Dispute" to rapid faux-freestyling in "No Dial Tone" - all over omnipresent R&B instrumentals.

These instances of quality humor, however, are often broken up by the heavy use of backup vocals, often just repeating the name of the song ad nauseum. It's at times like these that Epps' roots in stand-up are exposed, as many tracks feel more like monologues broken up with prerecorded loops.

And yet, Epps does not abandon those roots, as the album also contains several short skits that draw similarly from his mockery of popular culture ("Jail Call" possibly being one of the best improvisations of his career), suggesting that, despite its quality, Funny Bidness is nothing more than a diversion from his prolific open-mic career. When asked in one sketch whether it marks the beginning of a future musical career, however, Epps simply replies, "I don't give a fuck." Of Mike Epps, who could expect less?

4 stars out of 5

While their animal namesake is often the protagonist of classic fairy tales, Los Lobos' style could not be further from that of the Big Bad Wolf. After a three-year hiatus, the Grammy winning band returns with a new album, Los Lobos Goes Disney. It is a Latin remake of lovable Disney Classics that fans will not hear on the radio, but may be able to share with their children.

Seemingly uncharacteristic of the band, this is not the first time that Los Lobos has worked with Disney, and not the first time that the band has put out a children's album.

Los Lobos Goes Disney is not a horrific album. The Latin twist and Tejano inspired instrumentation give the songs a fresh sound. "The Tiki, Tiki, Tiki Room" is a naturally upbeat song, but is further enhanced by the mariachi influences and wide percussion section.

While some songs benefit from the Latin stylings of Los Lobos, others lose their original flavor. One such example is, "Grim Grinning Ghosts," from the film "The Haunted Mansion." The song attempts to use the same ghostly special effects and piano synthesizing, but ends up sounding hokey. The original version was not necessarily scary, but it was creepy enough to spook young children. Unfortunately, Los Lobos' adaptation sounds hollow and fake.

Surprisingly, the band's instrumental version of "When You Wish Upon A Star/It's A Small World" is a sweet Spanish melody that highlights the charming nature of the original, but also inserts a complimentary modern ethnic harmony.

Los Lobos is no stranger to remakes. One of their most famous hits, "La Bamba," is based off of a 1958 recreation of a traditional Mexican folk song. Twenty years later, Los Lobos' version of "La Bamba" is still heard and recognized. And while many Disney songs have stood the test of time, it is not likely that the Los Lobos versions will. There are plenty of other remakes for Disney afficionados to gorge on.

The band's established reputation and 36 plus year career has allowed them the luxury to explore projects that they may not have had time to pursue in the past. Los Lobos Goes Disney may very well be one of those projects.

Steve Berlin, the band's saxophone and flute player, stated that "We're all really happy with it. The kids record doesn't sound like a kids record. It just sounds like Los Lobos playing funky old songs, so I imagine over time we'll probably be integrating some of those songs into our set."

Los Lobos Goes Disney stays true to the band's unique mixture of genres, but when stripped down to the bones--it's Disney music. Most Lobos fans don't want to jam out to "Zip-A-Dee-Doo-Dah."

In most cases, Los Lobos appropriately balanced classic with Latino infusion, but the album does not speak to their fan base as previous albums have. The wolf will survive this compilation album, but the album itself will likely be forgotten and overshadowed by the next Disney remake C.D. by another Disney alum.

2 1/2 stars out of 5

When flannel shirts collide with twangy pedal steel harmonies, it can only mean one thing. There's a folk and/or indie show about. Robert Francisalong with Noah and the Whale, brought their plaid pre-requisites to the Majestic on Wednesday, Oct. 28 and performed precisely the show one might expect.

It's not that Robert Francis is untalented or unentertaining. In fact, he has a powerful genre voice with ample range, not to mention some deeply captivating melodies. While he easily performs at skill level with the headliners, Robert Francis is capable, but unoriginal. Wanderlust indie/folk/country bands are a dime a dozen, and Francis makes 13. He sounds like any Fleet Foxes, but without the unique beauty that is Robin Pecknold's voice.

That being said, his emotion is heavy and well played on stage. Francis holds a demanding, albeit clich�d, presence with his furry lumberjack hat and jerky chord strikes. He certainly feels what he sings. Lyrical authorship is evident in his generic, predictable lyrics, but also in the fierce passion with which he belts them.

A few inspired gems padded stock songs about love, mountains and being a simple man. His sincerity is evident, although sincerity alone is not enough to credit him as a top-notch poet. He flirts with the idea though, and hopefully the audience could feel it. Noah and the Whale may have generated the crowd and applause, but Francis may have performed well enough to snatch a few more fans for himself.

From across the Atlantic, London's Noah and the Whale followed Francis' set with more of the same swaying, western plaid-rock.

It appears at first that Noah and the Whale could learn a thing or two from 22 year-old Francis. The opening song starts out with a drawn out "Blue Skies," which transitions into an interesting pick-me-up. That style permeates the set: tired folk jams interrupted by blunt, uptempo originality. Unfortunately, the spots of originality rarely transfer over to a lyrical dimension. "This is a song for/ anyone/ with a broken heart/...I'll do anything to be happy." Oh, thanks for letting us know. The rest aren't?

Singer/guitarist Charlie Fink's voice obeyed a similar up and down rule. A British croak that is at times tragic and beautiful, at other times laughable, can't seem to decide if it supports the music or not. It takes a few songs for him to get warmed up, but once he does, it usually meshes agreeably with the music. At the very least, it makes for a unique fusion of a London accent embedded in Americana flows.

Trudging through a set list of strange arrangements and alternating audience opinions (between boredom and head bobbing), they still managed to create a thick atmosphere full of ditties about love that keep the crowd nodding along. Their weak lyrics leave plenty of room for full, rich music, which Noah and the Whale deliver. Tom Hobden's violin melodies certainly add to the ambience the other four members start.

The encore brings another shift in style. They return with two upbeat, nearly poppy songs that generate more audience energy than the entire set. It is good to finish strong, and while it may as well have been a different band onstage, they leave the crowd feeling satisfied with a second wind after a long night of basking in sound.

Horror films from the late '80s and early '90s were predominantly focused on the more realistic aspects of the horror genre, which can be even more horrifying than the imaginary. People realized just how frightening it was that humans themselves were capable of such dastardly deeds. In fact, some of the most gruesome films were inspired by real life murderers. Here are three of those films, and the individuals who each horrifically served as muse:

Rob Zombie's 2003 film House of 1000 Corpses is a cult classic of mass proportions, dealing with everything from necrophilia to incest to cannibalism. Revolving around a redneck family of mass murderers, stumbled upon by a group of teenagers, the film is gory to the nth degree. As far-fetched as it is to imagine these events ever taking place, this film did indeed draw from reality in some aspects - notably, the necrophilia of Jeffrey Dahmer.

Born in West Allis, Wisconsin, Dahmer was known to bring home animals and dissect them for fun. Repeatedly arrested for indecent exposure, he began to molest young boys and soon graduated to murder. By the time 1991 rolled around, his average rate was one person per week! At this point he was sodomizing, killing, and then eating his victims one by one, sometimes saving body parts in the fridge. Dahmer began to change his method of killing, drilling holes into their skulls, into which he poured hydrochloric acid in an attempt to "reanimate" his victims. At the end of his life, he had killed over 15 people. He was eventually caught in 1992, and was killed in prison by a fellow inmate two years later. Perhaps to his dismay, Dahmer was not eaten afterwards...

1991's Silence of the Lambs is quite famous for its portrayal of Ed Gein, another Wisconsinite who demonstrated a taste for human flesh - if only in terms of fashion sense. The film revolves around a fictional serial killer named Hannibal Lector, who helps an FBI agent catch a murderer loosely based on Ed Gein himself. The character in question, nicknamed "Buffalo Bill," cut the skin from women he had killed, then fashioned - and wore - clothing out of this gruesome, but innovative, material.

Ed Gein, the inspiration for Buffalo Bill's character, had a definite fascination with the female anatomy. Born in Plainfield, Wisconsin, Gein was known to visit graveyards to quench his thirst for female flesh - he allegedly defiled the bodies, violating them and cutting off body parts and sewing the skin into clothing or furniture. Interestingly enough, he was found guilty of murdering only two people in his lifetime, despite the vast quantities of human flesh he possessed in his house. Gein, one of the most notorious and terrifying murderers in the history of the American Midwest, had only two victims under his belt! With that said, the belt in question was most likely made out of human flesh.

The film IT, based on a book written by Stephen King, dealt with a clown that could change shape and terrorize children. Pennywise the clown played off of people's fears, kidnapping and eventually devouring his victims. Not unlike Pennywise, real life serial killer John Wayne Gacy dressed up as a clown to lure young children into his clutches. However, while Pennywise was a figment of Stephen King's imagination (one can hope), Gacy was part of the real world - a reality that includes serial killers.

With a total body count of 33 people, John Wayne Gacy was arguably the worst of all three. Born in 1942, he had an overprotective mother and an alcoholic father. Gacy made an attempt to give back to society by volunteering as Pogo the clown at parties and other events. Despite this attempt at normalcy, Gacy could not suppress certain urges. He began to kidnap young teens - drugging, sodomizing, and killing them. In 1978, he lured a 27 year old into his house to "smoke pot," but instead raped and drugged him, eventually leaving him in a park. The victim went to the police, but was unable to remember events clearly enough to prosecute. In 1978, a young boy disappeared after meeting with Gacy, and the police got suspicious and searched the place, finding 28 victims total. He admitted to having killed five more, and was executed in May of 1994. Even to Gacy, who enjoyed a good laugh, this fate was not a laughing matter.

Whichever film you choose to watch as you continue the season of fright and terror, make sure you remember just how much is imagined...and just how much is real!