Pulse Editor
Jacquelyn Lewis
jacquelynlewis@dailyemerald.com
Oregon Daily Emerald
On Tuesday
Pulse takes
a field trip
downtown
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Thursday, February 20,2003
Joe Millionaire:
resolves conflict,
tackles romance,
nets Mason beer
Mason West
Movies/Music/TV Columnist
Little did I know six weeks ago when I wrote about “Joe Mil
lionaire” that it would contend with Michael Jackson for the
top spot in cultural buzz. I expected even less that I would
count myself among the drooling fans.
I have pulled an about-face from my previous jaded position and
attentively watched every episode. On Monday, Evan made the fi
nal choice between Sarah and Zora and ex
posed the lie of his false #50 million inheri
tance. The rage from last week’s cliffhanger
slowly turned to anticipation, and by Mon
day I was as giddy as a dog with a doorbell.
I had grown deeply attached to Zora
throughout the series. She was so good and
nice and Disney. The show’s editing played
an important role in my view (there was a
hilarious scene where the woodland crea
tures practically burst into song), but she
also had some inner glow — like the filling
that you know lies inside a Twinkie.
But then there was Sarah, whose “rocket
body” (actual Evan quote) and smoochability were blinding
Evan to Zora’s reserved approach. Evan’s fixation on the femi
nine figure made me worry he would opt for Sarah’s quick fix.
Such a blaring dichotomy demands a wager. Lucky for me,
Sports Editor Peter Hockaday is also an avid fan. The terms were
set: Peter had Sarah’s back. Zora was my horse ... um, girl.
Beer never tastes as sweet as when bought by a defeated
peer. For that beer is no longer just a delicious malt beverage,
my friends. It is liquid victory.
While drinking that sweet ambrosia, I will reflect on the
fond memories beautifully edited together in the final episode.
Mojo’s pogo-brows bouncing up and down like kids after too
much candy. Melissa’s heavenly “Oh my god!” chorus deliv
ered in textbook ditz-speak. Sigh.
I have to confess, I always hated that Melissa. She seemed so
pretentious. I was sad she didn’t go sooner. And then on Monday,
she came back to console the rejected Sarah — because nothing
fills the cracks of broken heart like tar and nicotine.
Through the disappointment and spite, I believe Sarah was
genuinely hurt Evan didn’t pick her. Many of the interviews with
Turn to West, page 7
Mason
West
Selling out
On a live wire
Several Internet music sites
have replaced Napster, offering
downloads not otherwise
accessible to listeners
Aaron Shakra
Pulse Reporter
Web review
Since the fall of Napster and contin
ued dispute over radio broadcasting
fees, consumers might perceive the
words “music” and “Internet” with
hesitancy. However, there are a thriv
ing number of interesting sites, many
offering music listeners wouldn’t oth
erwise find.
MP3.com is a logical first destina
tion. Music on the site is organized in
different ways. Most of the downloads
are free, and basically anyone can put
his or her music online. Best of all, the
artists can be grouped locally. The song
most downloaded in the Eugene
Springfield area is “While the Trees
Sleep,” by David Nevue. A link from a
friend’s Web site had me downloading
tracks from “Anti-Social Music, Inc.” a
New York-based nonprofit organiza
tion of composers and performers.
Amazon.com is a well-known destina
tion for Internet commerce, but it does
n’t necessarily have to be used as a shop
ping tool. The “music” tab on the Web
site leads to extensive information about
many recording artists, including a
chronology of releases and reviews from
both Amazon.com and customers. In
addition, Amazon.com has music avail
able for download.
Salon.com, one of the few major
Internet-only news publications, has
a great audio section and it’s not just
limited to music. Here you can find
anything from a full cast dramatiza
tion of “The Two Towers,” by J.R.R.
Tolkien to poets reading their own
Jeremy Forrest Emerald
Since the shutdown of Napster, various Web sites and services such as Kazaa have been
created for file sharing and the downloading of different types of music
work to streaming songs from The
Roots new album.
Performers often release material on
the Internet that wouldn’t otherwise see
the light of day. James Whiton — whose
“Rhythm & Motion” album I reviewed
last year—has 13 additional MP3s from
the recording sessions available on his
Web site, www.jameswhiton.com. David
Byrne’s “Buttercup Blossom,” a track he
recorded with his daughter for “The
Powerpuff Girls” movie soundtrack but
was not included on the disc, has re
cently been released on his Luaka Bop
Records Web site.
Internet radio stations broadcast
music far beyond a local station s trans
mitter range. The syndicated music
show “World Cafe” — featuring an
eclectic mix of music every day of the
week— cannot be heard in Eugene be
cause no local station broadcasts the
program. Therefore, the only option is
to listen to the show over the Internet
through its Web site, www.worldcafe.org.
There are a great number of Internet ra
dio stations specializing in particular
Turn to Music, page 8
Cat Power release swirls melancholia,
pop for luminous, cathartic experience
CD review
Helen Schumacher
Pulse Reporter
When Chan Marshall opens her mouth, it’s impossible
not to take notice. There is something ancient and pretty
and aching that resonates when she sings. She writes sad
songs, and even when Marshall covers upbeat tunes, like
The Rolling Stones’ “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” she
turns them into sorrowful ballads.
Chan Marshall is Cat Power. Cat Power is more than hip
ster folk music; her new album, “You Are Free” blows every
thing else out of the water. And it isn’t even as good as her
1998 release “Moon Pix.”
On earlier albums, her songs creep slowly, as if before
each breath, before each note, Marshall has to gather her
courage and pull herself together before allowing any sound
to escape. This album is more eager, more confident and —
gasp!—evenpoppier.
However, the lyrics are anything but bubble gum fodder.
On the track “Names,” she laments, “His name was Perry /
He had a learning difficulty / His father was a very mean
man / His father burned his skin / His father sent him to his
death / He was 10 years old.”
Fans can expect the same bare bones sound — guitar and
Courtesy
drums, austere piano — keys struck with hands bearing the
weight of the world.
Rockers Eddie Vedder and Dave Grohl contribute on
Turn to Cat Power, page 6
Entertainment brief
Dance workshop sets feel free
Feet all over Eugene are tired of being confined to sweaty
shoes all winter, and this weekend’s Fourth Annual Eugene
Dance Festival offers locals a chance to set them free. The cele
bration — which includes University teachers and student per
formers — caters to all ages and levels. “Dance Into Diversity,”
taking place at WOW Hall, located at 291 W. Eighth Ave., will
include workshops and performances in many movement gen
res, from ballet to tango to breakdancing.
Scheduled events kick off Saturday at 10 a.m. Saturday’s
workshops include a DanceAbility class at noon, designed to
help people of all ages and levels explore their bodies’ move
ment potential, a theater session for children ages 10 and over,
adults and seniors at 2:15 p.m. and Argentine Tango at 4 p.m.
Participants can dance through the evening with a salsa class
followed by performances from local dancers.
Dance Theatre of Oregon company directors Marc Siegel and
Pamela Lehan-Siegel will teach “Dance Kaleidoscope” Sunday
at 11:15 a.m. The workshop will explore a plethora of disci
plines, including ballet, disco, jazz and modern. Graduate
dance student Sara Ebert will teach a hip-hop class at 1 p.m.,
followed immediately by Darryl Shaft’s breakdancing work
shop. More breakdance is in store for the day as well.
In addition to dance, the WOW Hall lobby will host a clay
workshop and the Gallery boasts its new display, “Dancing on
the Walls.”
Tickets are #5 to #10 on a sliding scale, plus #4 for Saturday
night’s festivities. Weekend passes are #25 to #50. For a com
plete schedule, call 342-3273.
— Jacquelyn Lewis