Word: young
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This yearning to be an individual is certainly not unusual, but the social and intellectual conditions at Harvard intensify it. We’re exposed to some of the smartest, some of the most talented, some of the wealthiest (but perhaps not some of the best-looking) young people in the country. Somehow in the struggle to cope with all the talent and prestige, with the sliding scale of relative happiness in constant flux, we criticize. We cling to the thing about ourselves we find distinctive. We fear so passionately that somebody might have everything—brains, looks, social...
...coca plantations. In the latest spate of politically-motivated violence, some citizens are murdered while others—probably including Ismael’s wife, though it’s never made clear—are kidnapped. Once content to drink coffee in the plaza and daydream about beautiful young women, Ismael is suddenly stricken by his wife’s disappearance and sets out to look...
...sumptuousness of Ismael’s garden as he describes it—where oranges grow fat and succulent in the blazing sunshine—echoes in his descriptions of the attractive young family living next door. The object of his desire is Geraldina, a wife and mother of two, whom he admires from his vantage point atop a ladder while picking oranges. His wife, Otilia, notes and censures his voyeurism, but Ismael’s desire is compulsive and extends to every young female character we meet. Each is subjected to his scopophilia, described in terms that evoke...
...Young Blood” also stands out as an example of a successful experiment; Jones balances heavier electronics with a simple drumbeat. The powerful melody, hearkening back to the best of U2 or Coldplay, is refreshing for a jazz vocalist, but it’s hard not to wonder if Jones could do the song better in her own acoustic way. The same goes for “Light as a Feather,” which comes off as a compelling tune with a worrying background whine...
...first seem unsettling to those accustomed to Mayer’s usually relaxed tone, violent imagery is quite pervasive on “Battle Studies,” signaling a new direction for the popular singer-songwriter. On earlier releases, Mayer sounds confused but contented, extolling the virtues of young adulthood while simultaneously wallowing in the pitfalls of a quarter-life crisis. On his newest effort, Mayer sounds far more heartsick and forlorn than in his earlier career; however, he spins his grief into melodic gold, putting forth excellent songwriting and poignant lyrics that result in his best album since...