Word: songfulness
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...Vassanji's The Assassin's Song is a more complex but ultimately less satisfying examination of similar turf. The central character, Karsan, is destined to be the latest in a centuries-long familial line to inherit the Shrine of the Wanderer, an important place of Sufi worship in India's Gujarat state. But as a young man he falls out with his father and loses his faith, escaping to North America instead. When he returns, after the riots that ripped apart Gujarat in 2002, Karsan is forced to re-examine his beliefs, his family and himself...
...longer of the two books, The Assassin's Song jumps between the late 13th century and the past half-century, and while the technique adds some emotional heft and spiritual context to the story, it ultimately distracts from the central plot. Vassanji captures important moments in Indian history - the war with China in 1962 and the 2002 riots - in wonderful detail that links to the personal tale at the center of the novel. But the undoubtedly painstaking research can also grow too heavy and sometimes leaves one wanting more story and less history lesson...
...commands that pampered rock stars let him photograph them crawling naked along a riverbank (Iggy Pop), cross-dressing (Dave Grohl) or in a loincloth (David Bowie). They turn to him even in the full knowledge that he is liable to ignore their lyrics and make a video reinterpreting their song with his own narrative. "All my ideas come from the sound rather than the lyrics," says Corbijn. Rather than capturing stars in clichéd poses, Corbijn has always gone to great lengths to tell the story he sees...
...over the place. It’s a one-trick pony for sure, but those dancing pastel colors are a perfect accompaniment to Kanye’s squeaky, heart-warming beat. “Good Life” makes me feel better about shameless materialism than any song since “Juicy.” When Kanye raps, “I always had a passion for flashin’ / Before I had it I closed my eyes and imagined,” it’s the inclusive, face-pressed-to-the-glass side of consumerism that takes...
...Superman that ho” is the phrase that launched a thousand urbandictionary.com searches. What’s not to love? Grade: A Rihanna – “Umbrella” Live-sounding drums and a Jay-Z pop-in are the two things this song has mildly going for it, but they can’t overcome the central problem: regardless of how many syllables are added to the titular phrase, it’s boring. Rihanna has a decent voice and an enormous marketing machine, but zero personality. “Pon de Replay?...