Jan 1-7, 2014

Jan 1-7, 2014 / Vol. 27 / No. 45

Cover Story

The best and worst of 2013

In this week’s issue, our writers take a look at 2013’s best and worst movies, albums, books, news events and more. * A N.C. news quiz * The best books of 2013 * Fun is back in Charlotte’s food scene * Inside cinema 2013 * Music’s highs, lows Our cover this week was inspired by…

CL Staff

CD Review: B.o.B’s Underground Luxury

Off the heels of his 2012 release, Strange Clouds, B.o.B offers hip-hop yet another unique look into what some might consider down-South rap. Underground Luxury is a flex of style and courage touching crossover status while maintaining B.o.B.’s ability to remain in the street hip-hop vein. It’s a balance of bad-ass lyrics, vocal prowess and…

Boris 'Bluz' Rogers

CD review: Hectorina’s A Thousand Jackals

Dylan Gilbert’s progression as a singer-songwriter, from incessantly touring, energetic solo act to leader of egalitarian, experimental pop band Hectorina, has been fairly linear, but his songs are anything but. Hectorina’s greatest strength is perhaps its polyglotism, mining psychedelia, surf and garage-rock to buoy Gilbert’s folk- and pop-oriented indie rock. Jackals is nominally a breather…

Patrick Wall

What to expect when you’re divorcing

You can exhale. Publicly placed P.A. speakers have stopped blasting holiday music, which means you can silence your internal debate over which Christmas song you hate more, “Little Drummer Boy” or “Baby, It’s Cold Outside.” People will stop making food with egg nog in it — thank God, because egg nog is disgusting, especially when…

Abby White

Elliott Murphy’s suburbian escape

When you’re a rebellious, torn-jeans-and-Chuck Taylor-clad teen, the suburbs are about as exciting as getting the Jim Nabors Boxset for Christmas. I certainly felt that way about the tame town where I grew up. The sort of place, where, if a teacher grew a beard over the summer, rumors flew that he’d become a communist.…

Peter Gerstenzang

Affluenza strikes North Carolina

There is a serious affliction sweeping through our country. It’s called affluenza. Perhaps you heard of it last month, when it was used to defend Ethan Couch, a 16-year-old with rich parents who got drunk and plowed his dad’s F-350 into a group of people, killing four and injuring nine. His attorneys and psychologist described…

Erin Tracy-Blackwood

Year in Review: Inside cinema 2013

It ain’t over till the fat lady — or Llewyn Davis — sings. It’s no secret that Hollywood studios tend to hold most of their top-tier titles until the end of the year, when they’ll remain fresher in the minds of Oscar voters. But usually, they sprinkle enough seeds of quality cinema throughout the year…

Matt Brunson

Annual Horoscope, Part I

The year 2014 is the third of five years in which we have the upheaving series of seven Uranus/Pluto squares. The archetypal battle in the sky is among power versus social justice versus the sovereign rights of the individual. Pluto represents Plutocrats, governments and any other major powers, e.g., the economy and global weather. Two…

Vivian Carol

Year in Review: Fun is back in Charlotte’s food scene

The year 2013 was the best of times and the better of times for the Queen City. Good times were had by food and beverage aficionados, as many restaurateurs finally exhaled after holding their collective breath since 2008. Nationally, the unemployment rate fell under the 7-percent mark, and recent news of the Federal Reserve’s optimistic…

Tricia Childress

Year in Review: The best books of 2013

Book critics routinely lament not having enough time to read all the acclaimed books of a given year. I’m no exception, so in addition to the following list of my nine favorite books of 2013, I’m adding books whose reviews made me want to read them, although I couldn’t find the time. If you wish,…

John Grooms

Year in Review: A N.C. news quiz

It was a tumultuous, angry year in North Carolina politics. Charlotte’s mayor left for D.C. and a new mayor was elected; local GOP lawmakers led a now-stalled charge to turn Charlotte’s airport over to the state; county manager Harry Jones was finally given the boot; 500,000 people were left without health insurance when Raleigh refused…

John Grooms

Upcoming demolition of NoDa’s Newco complex leaves artists in the dust

Steve is packing up his eight-color screen-printing press, disconnecting the conveyor heater and boxing up the ink … again. Tina is fighting with the steel bolts that secure photo-developing equipment to the concrete floor. Jesse and Nate are planning one last party for the bands. From behind my drum kit, I’m watching my friends and…

Evan Plante

Recent

See all

Gift this article