Mountain Views News          Saturday, November 17, 2012

11

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 Mountain Views News Saturday, November 17, 2012 

SEAN’S SHAMELESS 

REVIEWS: 


JASMINE’S CORNER

Book Reviews by Jasmine Kelsey Williams 

Review By Sean Kayden

MOTORAMA

SAY YOU’RE ONE OF THEM By Uwem Akpan

As the holiday season approaches, the selection for your booklist may take a more festive direction 
or one that requires you to curl up in your favorite comfy chair and relax. This next choice 
by Uwem Akpan will satisfy both ends and also require the reader to have a stronger sense 
of sympathy and insight for this book. ‘Say You’re One of Them’ focuses on several different 
characters in five superbly written short stories, each story giving notice to the children who 
are the focal point of each one and their courage, bravery, and resilience of the horrors each of 
them experience. Each child is given not just a different story but also a completely different 
experience as individuals and the unique ways that they find their strengths will immediately 
speak volumes to the reader. The first story “An Ex-Mas Feast” weaves a tale of a family living 
in Kenya and each member’s attempt to find a Christmas present for the holidays, while the 
next story, “Fattening for Gabon” takes a darker route in 
the form of a brother and sister trying to help each other 
cope when their uncle attempts to sell them into slavery. 
Another sharp story is “My Parents’ Bedroom”, in which a 
young girl plays up the façade of normality even through 
experiences of horrific and unspeakable acts. “Luxurious 
Hearses” and “What Language is That?” both really 
hit home for the reader at this point as both explain the 
experience of having a different religion for young children. 
Akpan is not afraid of fleshing out the details to 
the reader and rather creates the atmosphere of wanting 
to be invited into the lives of each character and wanting 
to connect with them on deeper levels of understanding. 
Copyrighted in 2008 and selected to Oprah’s Book Club 
selection in 2009, ‘Say You’re One of Them’ is a bittersweet 
and compelling selection, one that will not just keep the 
reader engaged, but suspenseful, wondering if there will 
be a positive outcome. To give this selection even more 
credit is that Uwem Akpan has received critical acclaim 
for ‘Say You’re One of Them’ and his short story “My Parents’ 
Bedroom” was chosen as a finalist for the Caine Prize 
for African Writing.

It’s not everyday where you come across a musical group that absolutely blows you 
away. Granted, there are many acts one may enjoy, but I’m talking about hearing a 
song (and eventually the entire album) that makes you feel like your listening to 
music for the very first time in your life. I strongly believe this moment of sheer 
enlightenment or bliss or whatever you want to call it happened to me. I present, 
Motorama, a band hailing from Rostov-on-Don (Southern river port), Russia. 

 

Their sound is considered to be post-punk rock, but you’ll unmistakably notice the ‘80s new wave style 
blended into their unique style. However, to lump them into any genre isn’t fair. Their music speaks 
louder and means more than the confinements to any specific type of category. The strange thing is the 
band’s lyrics are all in English. They’re completely unknown stateside and are signed to a French label. 

As far similarities go, the band’s music evokes the sounds of The National, Interpol, and Joy Division 
with a dash of chillwave sprinkled on top. These obligatory comparisons are drawn on the basis of the 
singer’s strong vocal resemblance to the lead singers of these bands. The vocals are stark, deep, and carry 
much emotional weight. However, what really stood out to me were the wondrous arrangements that are 
dreamy, light, and float effortlessly in each and every 
song. Like I previously mentioned, Motorama will 
completely surprise you on every track. Their sound 
is sweet and while it gallops fluently, it will draw you 
in like a strong vortex. 

“Calendar” features ten remarkable tracks. The 
consistency of the album is astounding. That’s not 
to say the band plays anything too safe because they 
hardly ever do. Their talent of crafting soothing and peaceful melodies is rather astonishing. Rarely can 
a group put you in a perpetual reverie state like the way this five-piece band does. There is no denying 
how their sound induces a strong presence, one that needs not to be ignored or freely dismissed. If you’re 
looking for some of the best music offered in any country, look no further than Motorama. These guys 
will shock you on how great they are. Of course everything is subjective, but I’m telling you, if you’re 
a fan of any kind of rock music, Motorama is your next favorite band. Listening to their sophomore 
album, “Calendar” is like heading to unknown terrain. You don’t know what you’ll discover, but when 
you do find that something, you’ll realize it’s exactly that very thing you’ve been missing all along. 
Motorama is the band absent from your car’s CD player, your computer’s hard drive, and your mp3 
player’s playlist. Don’t go another day without listening to this exceptionally unmatched band. 

To identify which songs precisely are a highlight from the album is not an easy task because every song 
is simply marvelous. The opening track, “Image,” is an excellent example of how the record will sound 
throughout. With it’s danceable, jangly like rhythm, you’ll get easily lost within the music. Despite how 
an individual song may open up sounding, Motorama always switches gears and shifts their resonance 
into something quite heavenly. “Rose In The Vase” is completely stunning. This masterpiece has an 
exquisite rhythmic sound and a deeply melancholic tone. “Calendar” brings you an arsenal of pensively 
twee pop tunes. There’s no lack of warmth, heart, or soul. Everything found on the album was unexpected 
pleasure matched with unparalleled beauty. With some of the best sounding arrangements I’ve ever 
heard, Motorama’s follow-up album, “Calendar,” is an extraordinary accomplishment on all levels of 
production. This isn’t just the best album of the year, but one of the greatest albums in quite sometime. 

Grade: 9.7 out of 10 

Key Tracks: “Rose In The Vase”, “In Your Arms”, “Young River”, “Sometimes”


Artist: Motorama

Album: Calendar 

Label: Talitres 

Release Date: November 6th, 2012


The Late Bloomers Present:

“IDOLS AND INFLUENCES” 

An Homage to the great singer-
songwriters of our generation and 
a celebration of our own original 
tunes they inspired.

Coffee Gallery Backstage

Sunday, November 18, 2012 

7:00 pm

2029 N. Lake, Altadena, CA 91001

(www.coffeegallery.com)

Reservations and Information:

(626) 798-6236

A participation musical! 
The Sierra Madre PlayhouSe . 87 W. Sierra Madre Blvd., Sierra Madre, Ca 91024auSd does not endorse or promote this program. Participation is voluntary and at the discretion of parents.
VBaCK By PoPular deMaNd!
SaTurdayS 11:00amNov. 24, dec. 1, 8, 15, 22Special aSl performance dec. 15th 
TiCKeTS: $18.00Children 12 and under $12.00Call for special performances or group rates.
reSerVaTioNS: (626) 355-4318CrediT Card SaleS 
www.sierramadreplayhouse.orgCinderella’S 
CHRISTMASJune Chandler’s Fairy Tale TheaTre
HEALTH & FITNESS

THE JOY OF YOGA

THE BALANCING ACT

ene
The day hasn’t started yet and you’re already thinking about all the things you 
need to do to make it through. It seems like such a long list, how are you going 
to make it all happen? The day hasn’t started, and you’re already feeling 
overwhelmed. Well, it doesn’t have to be that way.

Life is a balancing act. There are poses in your yoga practice designed to help 
you find balance. The secret is core, located in the abdominal region of the body, the literal center of our 
strength. By “core” we mean building a strong foundation that will sustain you through a challenging 
pose or situation. 

One such pose is Vriksasana - Tree pose. Basically, you’re standing on one leg, the other leg bent at 
the knee with the foot resting on the inner thigh of the standing leg, arms stretching upwards. Sounds 
rather improbable, right? But with a strong core, this particular pose becomes surprisingly easy. 

So it goes with everything. Find balance, in your body, in your life. Next time you’re facing a challenge 
- big or small - picture yourself in tree pose. Why? Because a tree has roots deep in the earth and they 
help it grow tall and stand up straight with branches and leaves extending to the skies. Imagine yourself 
as that tree. A graceful tree, maybe a bit swaying in the wind, but firmly planted in the ground. Reach 
your arms up, lift your head, look up... all of a sudden, you realize you’re doing the balancing act just 
fine... Enjoy the day ahead!

Namasté, René