Anthropologists studying post-Katrina New Orleans ask why some communities survived, and others washed away
THE NEW ISSUE of America's flagship journal of anthropology, the American Anthropologist, is devoted to Hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. One article offers an overview and presents the familiar, numbing statistics: 90,000 square miles flooded, 350,000 homes destroyed, more than 1,700 dead.
Yet that same article also points to some lesser-known numbers. Did you realize that, while New Orleans was 3 percent Latino in August 2005, since then some 80 percent of debris-removal jobs in the city have been filled by Latino laborers? The new, smaller New Orleans, whatever shape it takes, will probably be less black than it was -- a much-discussed demographic shift -- but that doesn't necessarily mean it will be whiter.
Latinos, particularly from Central America, represent a growing New Orleans community. But there are vanishing ones as well. According to the anthropologist Thomas McGuire of the University of Arizona, the subculture of oysterers, who since the early 1900s have leased oyster beds from the state and sold their bounty locally, may not make a comeback. Before the storm hit, a long legal battle over the oyster beds had strained relations between the oysterers and gulf residents, and that lost social capital may be what prevents this industry -- once vital to the city's identify -- from reviving.
New Orleans, as portrayed in these anthropological studies, emerges as an even more complicated place than you thought, though its predicament remains no less grim. American Anthropologist editor Benjamin Blount, who teaches at the University of Texas at San Antonio, says the project was conceived because so much of the public discussion of New Orleans was broad-brush: about the death of a city, not of smaller groups and their social milieus.
"Anthropology, if it does anything well at all, is able to understand communities -- the key values and concepts that hold them together and make them persist over time," Blount said in an interview. In this instance, it helps us understand what leads certain groups to survive -- and others to be washed away [Read the full article]
Music
Mandy Moore admits to making terrible pop music
Mandy Moore: "I feel bad that people wasted their money on such trite, blah pop music," says Moore about her earlier music. Read the article here.
More Terrible Music
It's always interesting what you discover when you're listening to music that you normally wouldn't ever consider listening to, which was the case Saturday when I watched AFI perform on Saturday Night Live, or today, when I heard My Chemical Romance on Y-Rock on XPN.
I discovered Saturday while watching Saturday Night Live that I really don't like AFI. In fact, their performance Saturday might have been one of the worst performances I've ever seen on television, not to mention their guitarist looked like a blonde skunk. It totally surprised me that AFI was that terrible because I've heard a lot of really good things about their music in the past. I even used to have a few downloaded and I remember that they used to rock pretty hard. Well, used to. Whatever kind of crap that was they played Saturday would not make me a fan of theirs today, tomorrow, or ever.
They reminded me of a less-dramatic and more poorly produced My Chemical Romance. Sure, My Chemical Romance is terrible in their own way (the lyrics for "Famous Last Words" are a testament to that), but at least their music can be somewhat catchy and fun when you look past the blatent Hollywoodization of rock that they represent. I mean, when you walk into a Hot Topic, chances are you're going to have to decide between which black tshirt to buy, My Chemical Romance's or AFI's, so they're really equally as terrible in the long run.
As for me, I'll take the Misfits skull tshirt anyday.
The Never Announce Spring '07 US Tour
Chapel Hill, NC band The Never are pleased to announce their Spring US Tour in support of their newest release Antarctica (Trekky Records). They will be driving across the country in a bus that runs entirely off of vegetable oil. Bluegrass and strings players will also be joining the core of the band on the road in order to recreate the experience of their album . Tour dates and info below.
Antarctica is not just the latest album by Chapel Hill indie rock group The Never, it’s also a 50-page storybook written and illustrated by band member Noah Smith. Inspired by the record/books of your childhood it combines music, visual art, and storytelling into an intricate concept album. The story of Antarctica follows Paul, a young country boy who stumbles upon a nuclear bomb. Not knowing what he’s found, he vows to return it to its rightful owner. As you might imagine, an adventurous journey ensues. The story subtly deals with themes of globalization and violence as it asks the world to appreciate the colors of life. You can experience the story by listening to the album, reading the book or even doing both simultaneously, as the book indicates when to turn the page based on audio cues. Each of the parts of the project can stand alone as a complete and separate work, and be appreciated without the other.
Somewhere between the earnest pop of The Zombies, the rock flare of Bowie, the bluegrass twang of Bill Monroe, and the cinematic arrangements of ELO, The Never finds a surprisingly consistent medium. They’ve created an album that has a very wide textural scope without it becoming a novelty. Woven throughout the music are thick vocal arrangements, which highlight all four band members. Noah Smith and Ari Picker started their musical collaboration at an arts conservatory high school. For Smith’s thesis visual arts project they created the band The B-sides. Jonny and Joah Tunnell played in a group called Vibrant Green. Vibrant Green and The B-sides shared many bills in the Chapel Hill area before they got together to start The Never. Since then, they’ve played shows with bands such as Rilo Kiley, REM, Ben Folds, and Ash. The band also had two of their songs featured recently on MTV's The Real World (reportedly during a lovers quarrel in a hot tub and the makeup the morning after).
"There's something instantly endearing about a band that intentionally bucks trends. The inherent bravery required to step apart from the pack can be irresistible, especially when the music by the band in question is top-shelf quality."-Billboard
"The blend of indie rock and chamber pop on The Never's concept album Antarctica is always grand but never grandiose: Every note is deployed in the interest of making the melodies as unforgettable as possible."-The Independent
The Never Tour Dates:
1.26 Columbia, SC (art) garage
1.27 Charlotte, NC - Evening Muse
1.28 Asheville, NC - Ragtime Vintage
1.29 Rocky Mount, VA - Franklin County HS Auditorium
1.30 Roanoke, VA - Roanoke College
1.31 Cleveland, OH - Case Western Reserve University
2.1 Mt. Pleasant, MI - Rubbles
2.2 Albion, MI - Albion College
2.3 Ann Arbor, MI - Neutral Zone
2.5 Oberlin, OH - Cat in the Cream
2.6 Pittsburgh, PA - Mr Roboto
2.7 Columbus, OH - Otterbein College
2.8 Harrisonburg, VA - JMU Festival Conference/Student Center
2.11 Thomas, WV - Purple Fiddle
2.15 Norfolk VA - Relative Theory Records
2.16 Richmond, VA - Atlee High School
2.20 Bloomington, IN - Art Hospital
2.21 Chicago, IL - Beat Kitchen
2.23 Milwaukee, WI - Stonefly Brewery
2.24 Kalamazoo, MI - Kraftbrau Brewery
2.25 Lansing, MI - Mac's Bar
2.26 Urbana, IL - Iron Post
2.27 Upland, IN Taylor Univ.
3.6 Richmond, VA - Hyperlink Cafe
3.11 Washington, DC - Red and the Black
3.22 Wilmington, NC - Soapbox (Upstairs)
The Never - "Cavity"
Stream more of The Never at Myspace
Tonight was the first time I've got to listen to The Never, but I'm really glad I did. They've got great, clear, crisp harmonious vocals wrapped around something that sounds like a mix between Final Fantasy and Wilco. I'm actually really digging this, and along with The North Atlantic, this might be my new favorite breakout band of the year.
Featured Band: The Photo Atlas
The Photo Atlast is yet another band that I only was first introduced to tonight via press releases. I love the energy in the track available for download, and I for one can't wait to hear more from the band. Check them out on tour if you get the chance.
PHOTO ATLAS TOUR
Feb 2 Burt’s Tiki Lounge – Odgen, UT
Feb 3 The Element - Colorado , CO
Feb 4 Alex Bar – Long Beach, CA
Feb 5 Knitting Factory – Los Angeles, CA
Feb 7 University Theatre – Las Vegas, NV
Feb 11 The Sets - Tempe, AZ w/ Young Love, Moros Eros
Feb 13 The Parish - Austin, TX w/ Young Love, Moros Eros
Feb 14 Gypsy Tea Room - Dallas, TX w/ Young Love, Moros Eros
Feb 15 Walters on Washington - Houston, TX w/ Young Love, Moros Eros
Feb 17 Orpheum - Tampa, FL w/ Young Love, Moros Eros
Feb 18 Backbooth - Orlando, FL w/ Young Love, Moros Eros
Feb 19 Vinyl Lucy - Atlanta, GA w/ Young Love, Moros Eros
Feb 21 Off Broadway -St. Louis, MO w/ Young Love, Moros Eros
The Photo Atlas - "Handshake Heart Attack"
Featured Artist: Radars to the Sky
L.A. band Radars to the Sky transmit their curious indie rock sound to your speakers in a sound reminiscent of Built to Spill and Archers of Loaf.
Radars to the Sky - "Long Walk Home"