The Avenue - The Independent Florida Alligator

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Album review: Jenny Lewis - "Acid Tongue"

By ROBERT HILSON Avenue Writer | Oct. 8, 2008

Innocence is like a dollar bill in a busted vending machine: Once it's gone, you aren't getting it back. So Jenny Lewis, whose up-until-now enduring image was that of a blue polka-dotted Southern belle, might as well kiss her Dorothy-esque appeal goodbye. "Acid Tongue" gets its title from the line, "I've been down to Dixie and dropped acid on my tongue." A thousand clean-cut boys in Middle America have just lost their princess. Freed from the burden of virtue, the prodigal daughter blossoms in this den of foot-tapping hell-fire. In "The Next Messiah," her sultry voice slithers atop bluesy guitars when a male voice chimes in: "I'm gonna give my love to you on a day you gotta bring it back." Our little girl is a full-grown tramp.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Album review: Ben Folds - "Way To Normal"

By ROBERT HILSON Avenue Writer | Oct. 8, 2008

"Oh, that stupid bitch is mine." Now before you make any snap judgments, know that this line comes from a song called "Errant Dog." Get it? It's funny - or at least Ben Folds thinks so. On "Way To Normal," Nashville's longest-running jokester walks the fine line between kitschy fun and tasteless humor with twelve politically incorrect songs designed to challenge the gag reflex. "The Frown Song" and "Dr. Yang" play like dumbed-down, cheesed-up New Pornographers outtakes - frenetic, hyper-pop of the most hummable order. "Bitch Went Nuts" uses the phrase in a more conventional sense and adds a shot of gratuitous profanity for good measure. Call it a guilty pleasure if you'd like - the track has more hooks than a fishing charter. Get it? Hooks? Fishing charter? Ben would think it's funny.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Sarah Silverman Q&A

By CARLY FAIN | Oct. 8, 2008

In a national phone conference, comedian Sarah Silverman schleped over to a phone to discuss the season two premiere of "The Sarah Silverman Program" on Comedy Central and her voting campaign called "The Great Schlep," which favors Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama. For more information, check out sarahsilverman.comedycentral.com and thegreatschlep.com.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Airing out smelly, dirty habits not easy

By ERIK VOSS | Oct. 8, 2008

I'm a clean guy with dirty habits.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Why you should love the '90s

By DEVIN CULCLASURE | Oct. 8, 2008

Whether it's another commercial-free '70s rock block on the radio or '80s night at XS, people love to celebrate decades past, and I can dig that.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Walking and rocking to a different beat

By MEGAN HERON | Oct. 1, 2008

Indie rock group The Walkmen somewhat defy their so-called "indie" branding. With with heavy influences from Bob Dylan and The Kinks, The Walkmen combine emotional lyrics with a throwback to classic rock roots, which doesn't exactly fit into the "indie rock" box - especially since the band crosses genres with songs featured films such as "Spider-Man 3" and television cult classic "The O.C."

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Against Me! Q&A

By ROBERT HILSON | Oct. 1, 2008

The three greatest things to possibly come out of Gainesville: Emmitt Smith, Gatorade and Against Me! It might be surprising to learn that the resident punk heroes eat at The Top, listen to The Streets and are playing a benefit show for the Civic Media Center this Sunday at Common Grounds. Yeah - not very anarchist of them. But lead singer/songwriter Tom Gabel also does interviews while dodging traffic. Now that's more like it.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Funkatron

By MEGAN HERON | Oct. 1, 2008

Reggae-hip-hop band Funkatron defines its name as "the musical creation and expression of five individuals' hearts and souls."

THE AVENUE | NIGHTLIFE

Where everyone could know your name

By GABRIELLE FALCONEIRI | Oct. 1, 2008

Balancing responsibility and still managing to go out is one of the biggest problems facing college students. Between classes and bills, it sometimes seems as though fun takes a backseat.

THE AVENUE | FASHION

A diplomatic wardrobe

By REGINA STUZIN | Oct. 1, 2008

If you ask my friends, they'll be the first to tell you that I'm definitely not a politically active person. My knowledge of the presidential candidates is shallower than a kiddie pool, but with the shambles our nation is in, I thought it would behoove me to catch Friday night's debates. After all, what better way to learn about our potential future presidents than watching them civilly duke it out on national television?

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Give this biker a brake

By ERIK VOSS | Oct. 1, 2008

I'm an optimist when I look at transportation: If it's faster than walking, it's good enough for me. Stopping never comes to mind.

THE AVENUE | MOVIES AND TV

Michael Cera and Kat Dennings Q&A

By JORDANA FYNE | Oct. 1, 2008

Michael Cera and Kat Dennings keep it cute and awkward as two teens getting to know each other in "Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist," a one-night, feel-good frolic through New York City. In between tickling and throwing things at each other, Cera and Dennings chatted in a national phone conference about their new movie, which opens Friday.

THE AVENUE | MOVIES AND TV

Film may or may not leave you choked up

By DAVID STUZIN | Oct. 1, 2008

A fantastical view of the world's sleazier characters, "Choke" is a surreal softcore porn movie where the story is better - and more appealing - than the sex but just as graphic. Self-proclaimed sex addict and medical school dropout Victor Mancini (Sam Rockwell), cons people into loving him by pretending to choke at restaurants and having others save him. He then uses these people for money to keep his dying mother, Ida Mancini (Anjelica Huston), in "nice" hospital facilities. Content in this wayward lifestyle, he meets his mother's new doctor, Paige Marshall (Kelly Macdonald), who, with an almost angelic demeanor, manages to turn Mancini's life upside down by telling him he might be Jesus's half clone forged from the ancient holy foreskin. It's pretty mind-boggling.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Former "Dispatch" guitarist forms new band

By HENRY TASKIER | Oct. 1, 2008

For Chadwick Stokes, former guitarist of the acoustic-rock group Dispatch, anti-war songs like "The General" weren't enough. Stokes wanted something sharper when it came to political issues. He found this edge in bassist Chuck Fay and drummer Mike Najarian. The three formed the politically charged reggae-rock band State Radio.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Reggae–metal band The Expendables not so disposable anymore

By HENRY TASKIER | Sep. 24, 2008

In their formative high school years, members of the California reggae-metal band The Expendables claimed they sucked so much as musicians that they labeled themselves "expendable," said Geoff Weers, singer and guitarist for the band. A few years and four albums later on the band's national tour, the name stuck.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Band’s album more catchy than kitschy

By ROBERT HILSON | Sep. 24, 2008

As the classic saying goes, incinerate your ride once, shame on the lighter. Incinerate your ride twice, shame on The Pink Spiders. The Nashville power-poppers have a way with flames, but such is the combustible nature of a touring band on the brink. After accidentally torching an equipment trailer between gigs a few years back, they decided to one-up themselves by setting ablaze an entire school bus. The Spiders traveled Partridge Family-style, at least until the tires melted. It does make a great story, so score it a Pyrrhic victory on the road to the top.

THE AVENUE | SEX

Gay men make good girlfriends, cock–blockers

By STEPHANIE DUNN | Sep. 24, 2008

Let me introduce myself. I'm Stephanie, and I'm a fag hag. But let me make a few things clear before your mind conjures up the image of that outspoken MAC makeup artist who so perfectly embodies the stereotype of the textbook fruit fly. I'm not a pudgy hanger-on, and my self-esteem is nowhere near lacking. I don't cling to gay men because otherwise, I'd never get within three feet of a penis. I'm definitely not the kind of girl who thinks that she alone can turn any Britney-squealing, homosexual man into a burly football fanatic. I don't brandish my gay friends like accessories, nor do I harbor any "Sex and the City" fantasies of being a cosmopolitan surrounded by sophisticated sodomites. Somehow, I just always found myself surrounded by gay guys and never thought much of it until everybody started asking me why.

THE AVENUE | MUSIC

Band mixes moods and grooves for eclectic sound

By ZACH SEYMOUR | Sep. 24, 2008

Members of Gainesville band Moodhosa said their sound is hard to explain - even for them. There's a backdrop of gutty, gritty Delta blues, hints of funk, undercurrents of reggae and a smattering of good, old-fashioned rock 'n' roll. What shapes Moodhosa's groove is exactly what makes rock music great: a respect for the classics, an acknowledgment of contemporaries and a personal touch.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

Going green is new trend

By JORDANA FYNE | Sep. 24, 2008

The green movement is spreading through America like a forest fire. Even in the celebrity world, green seems to be the new pink.

THE AVENUE | LIFESTYLE

A 21st birthday bash: lose the sign

By GABRIELLE FALCONEIR | Sep. 24, 2008

One of the most iconic figures in the Gainesville bar scene is the "21st birthday girl." She usually comes in with a gaggle of girls who are borderline overdressed for the bar or club, and she has always already had too much to drink.