Special Features

In Defense of Grimes

Whatever you think she is, you’re wrong. Claire Boucher, known professionally as Grimes, is controversial, to say the least. Previously an indie darling after her major-label debut Visions and 2015’s…

The Latinx Lens: Y La Bamba

If you haven’t heard of Portland-based indie folk pop band Y La Bamba yet, I’m jealous; from the first listen, it’s a hypnosis by Luz Elena Mendoza’s infectious Spanish/English vocals and a percussion setup that’s bound to get you dancing – all while reflecting on your place in the world.

WRVU Interview: Twin Peaks Guitarist & Vocalist, Clay Frankel

Photo by Dylan Depriest.

Gleams of sunlight patterned the back patio of The Basement East as WRVU chatted with Clay Frankel of Chicago-based rock band, Twin Peaks, the evening before their sold-out show. In between wisps of a cigarette, Clay shared his insights on tour life, the writing process, musical influences, his album artwork drawings, along with answers to various questions from WRVU’s DJ-created Question Bucket Hat.

The Album Cover as a Lens

Recently, I’ve been trying to open my eyes to the way we interact with, and are influenced by, the man-made environment. Whether it’s a public park, a door handle, or an album cover, I believe every detail of objects and spaces can act as an important tool for shaping our perception, whether or not it was the intention of the creator of that object to do so.

When one considers the implications of art as an interaction, we can see the power of this tool. The real beauty of art, in my opinion, is that the artist only has so much control over how the work is perceived, while the viewer/user/audience must do much of the heavy lifting. I believe modern art provides many great examples of this interaction.