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Review: "Hardwired to Self-Destruct" by Metallica

Hardwired to Self-Destruct lacks the biting edgy-ness Metallica once had back in their Kill 'Em All, Ride the Lightning, and Master of Puppets days. Where those albums screamed garage band tones and angry, drunk teenagers, Hardwired is more digitalized and mellow. Since the release of St. Anger and Garage Inc., it seems that Metallica wasn't quite able to return to the old 80's thrash metal sound. Some of the songs from Hardwired actually sound like Death Magnetic's album with an attempt to recycle old songs and rhythm from Ride the Lightning and Kill 'Em All. As someone who has a father who grew up listening to Metallica and is a hardcore fan, it seems that I've also inherited this affinity for metal. Although most of the songs didn't really conjure up the old spirit of Metallica, "Moth Into Flame," "Confusion," and "Revenge" still have some of hardcore James Hetfield down picking riffs in them. The songs are still ca
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Review: "Make the Best of It" by Have Mercy

Have Mercy does it again. Sensitivity, sentimentality, the brittleness of human emotions. All personified and demystified in their "Make the Best of It" album. Even the album cover reveals a sense of intimacy and quiet time. It is no surprise that they decided to release the new album on 4/20. Is the guy on the cover pressing a cigarette or a joint to his lips? Perhaps a state of cynical stonage was required to write this album. Since the release of their last two albums The Earth Pushed Back and A Place of Our Own, lead singer Brian Swindle writes us lyrics that destroy our feelings. Songs that doubt of god and faith, mourn lost lovers and friends--continuously explored as Have Mercy continues to write new songs. "Coexist" and "Good Christian Man" are two essentials from Make the Best of It.  These guys are classified as pop-punk or emo, but none of their songs embody the upbeat, overly distorted guitar tones found in Blink-182 or Neck Deep. They
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South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami

"Who was your crush?" When asked this question, we often times recall a memory from grade school. After all, the term "crush," was pretty much coined by little grade schoolers who experienced a short-lived period of attraction towards the opposite sex. Unknowing yet knowing of the feeling of love, a crush is a distant memory washed up and faded away as the years go on. We recall these feelings in momentary lapses, which eventually become washed up and forgotten as we transition from adolescence. But what if this love has become rooted in the back of your mind, weaving itself into every crevice of your brain, searching for fragments of memories to feed on? What if it aches like a cavity when sugar coats your tooth? Can a starved love feast once more? Haruki Murakami's South of the Border, West of the Sun  illustrates this notion of an unforgettable post-war Japan grade school romance lived by Hajime, an only child. With everyone else around him having
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Intro

Hello, my name is Priscilla. I'm an English major studying at the University of San Francisco trying to figure out my existence through sleepless nights, long classroom lectures, and a room-mate. Let's talk.
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