Our amazing entertainment picks of the week
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Lauren Robeson Managing Editor
Television: One show on the CW convinces me that good television is out there, if only you have an open mind and good taste.
This would be the San Diego-set "Veronica Mars."
At its barest bones, it's a detective show – at its start two years ago, its title character was an ostracized teenager working with her investigator dad to figure out who murdered her best friend. Last season, the show attempted far too much but was still one of the best hours of TV each week.
With its new main mystery of a rapist on campus who shaves his victim's head after each attack, "Veronica Mars" is entering new, collegiate territory as its heroine enters the fictional Hearst University. It's not all just gruesome mystery, however; the series explores relationships in honest ways, and the writing and characters are among the best on TV. This series is truly the one that none of you are watching – but everyone should undoubtedly start tuning in.
"Veronica Mars" can be seen on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on the CW (KTLA Channel 5). The seasons are on DVD as well.
Richard Barkinskiy Online Editor
Television: The Colbert Report, pronounced The Colbert Repor?, featuring the ironic political pundit Stephen Colbert airs after the well-established Daily Show weekly at 10:30 p.m. Colbert tackles the big issues using his keen powers of gut-perception to make swift judgments of the threat of bears, acknowledging right-wing politicians under criticism to quickly justify their lewd behavior, and tips his hat and wags his finger at prominent corporations and politicians. He puts a spin on controversy.
Music: "Tiga" is a synthpop-slash-techno artist who comes to us from Canada. His debut album "Sexor" features songs that are analogous to the greats such as Depeche Mode and New Order. He's covered and remixed classic synthpop hits standing out from the flood of wannabe mixers with his infamous 'Sunglasses At Night' cover. Finally he dropped his debut album, Sexor, in January of this year. Definitely worth checking out if you're an in-the-closet 80's nut.
Victor Flores Sports Editor
Music: Since his first mainstream release "Back For The First Time" back in 2000, Ludacris has yet to disappoint. His latest album "Release Therapy" is no different.
Ludacris seems to have matured more and it seems apparent in this album. Taking a different approach from his usual club-banger filled tracks, he filled Release Therapy with more of a serious tone. Not entirely abandoning himself from his past albums, he still features guest appearances and catchy lyrics and hooks.
Television: The second season of Supernatural just premiered and the only thing wrong with this television show is it's featured night. Airing on Thursdays and having to compete with Grey's Anatomy and CSI is not ideal. If you get a chance to watch, I highly recommend you check it out. It features everything from urban legend situations to vampires and demons. Every episode features a new theme while following one reoccurring storyline that carries over from episode to episode.
Joseph Wilson A ' E Editor
Music: The follow-up to The Killers multi-platinum album Hot Fuss follows a different path than the first album. Choosing to take a page out of Bruce Springsteen's song book and create an album of lush melodies and bombastic lyrics makes Sam's Town an arena worthy album. The Killer's have created one of the best albums of 2006. Ridiculous
Movie: "The Departed" is arguably the best movie of 2006. Martin Scorsese has created a movie with the impact of a gut-shot or a crowbar to the back of the head. Scorsese pulls together an all-star cast of actors headed up by Jack Nicholson, at his maniacal best, with Matt Damon and Leonardo Di Caprio rounding out the leading actor and has superb supporting cast. This movie is everything you would want from a crime drama. The film is Scorsese's best film in years. It belongs up there with "Goodfellas," "Casino," Michael Mann's "Heat," and "Donnie Brasco."
Johan Mengesha Features Editor
Music: The say that sometimes a dominant gene can skip a generation, but that was not the case with Bob Marley's musical genius. His second born son, Stephen Marley, inherited enough of his father's talents to put reggae music back on the mainstream music radar.
Stephen Marley has been around for quite some time now, but only people who move in dedicated reggae circles have been familiar with his work, until now. For those people who have been living under rocks for the past year and not heard Damian "Jr. Gong" Marley's "Welcome to Jamrock" CD, which Stephen produced several tracks for, listen to it and you will discover a talented producer that you will definitely want to keep an eye out for.
Until the much anticipated new CD "Mind Control" is released, which hopefully will be soon, some songs to listen to that will give you a taste of what he can do as a musician are "Hey Baby," "Master Blaster," "Mind Control" and "Traffic Jam."
Oscar Areliz City Editor
Television: There are a number of good shows out there, but there is one that still makes me laugh all the time. No comedy can compare to "South Park." The season premiere was last week and it was one of the funniest episodes ever, poking fun at devoted fan of the PC game, the "World of Warcraft." The show continues to deliver laughs after so long, and it shows no sign of slowing down this season. I can't wait to see what social issues the gang of "South Park" will tackle this season.
Music: I must say that I just can't get the new album, "Black Holes and Revelations," out of my car stereo. If you listen to KROQ 106.7, then you must have heard their single, "Knights of Cydonia." The album has great a range of dark and melodic songs to fast-driven pop songs. The music is not your typical rock. The band is not afraid to take a bold step and incorporate some electronic sound. The band from the UK has people already comparing them to Radiohead. While Radiohead is one of the greatest bands out there, Muse should not be far behind them in people's list.
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