Saturday’s On the Media — an NPR news program that discusses media — focused on the rise of hate groups in the United States. It featured Mark Potok of the Southern Poverty Law Center, who (about halfway through the discussion) talked about, among many other things, how right-wing media figures and politicians are mainstreaming hate speech [...]

This week, soul and jazz singer Erykah Badu made headlines for her controversial new music video for the song “Window Seat.” The video depicts Badu walking around JFK’s assassination site, gradually removing her clothing. Eventually, she ends up completely naked (though censored on YouTube), and [spoiler alert] gets shot. You can view the video here. [...]

What surprises me so much about Desert Noises self-titled EP is just how kinetic it is. Knowing that it was released by local label Northplatte Records, I expected on my first listen to hear a well polished—and emotionally rich—work, with roots in folk music. And I did. But the record also isn’t merely a gentle [...]

In honor of the Winter Olympics currently going down in Vancouver, this week’s Video Dose features Canadian native sons (and daughter) Arcade Fire. Admittedly, Arcade Fire is from Montreal, which is a long way from Vancouver. Still, they’re one of the most talented and successful bands in their genre to emerge recently from the Great [...]

Dear Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, This year is a momentous one for the Oscars, primarily because you’ve nominated ten movies for best picture. Bravo. When I saw which movies had made the cut I was especially surprised. Up in the Air and The Hurt Locker I was expecting, but District 9? Hell [...]

A few months ago, some friends from out of town came to visit and, as we drove past the still-unfinished Zion’s Bank building, they wondered aloud why such a quaint town would erect such a large eyesore. Though I got defensive (we need the jobs, I thought — and besides, they were outsiders), the underlying [...]

Though I don’t exactly remember the first time I saw Neon Trees, I’ll never forget how I felt. It was a few years ago when Provo seemed to have more rock bands, but I still hadn’t seen anything quite like the them (with the important exception of Midwives Crisis, who were also amazing). Though I’m [...]

It seems nearly every review I’ve read of local band Shark Speed compares them to the Seattle-based indie group Minus the Bear. And for the most part, it’s a comparison I get. I hear the strong similarities, for example, between Shark Speed vocalist Thayne Fagg and Jake Snider of Minus the Bear. Both bands also [...]

In my last Video Dose, I argued that most modern videos are indebted to Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” in one way or another. About the same time that article was being posted I also realized that every video I had highlighted had been from the 80s. So, in order to change things up and simultaneously point [...]

This year, don’t blow it. Instead, do yourself a favor and attend the Sundance Film Festival. As one of the country’s best know film galas it has great movies, celebrities and wild parties — and if you happen to be living along the Wasatch Front, it’s virtually in your backyard. That said, navigating Sundance can [...]