Turn Blue by The Black Keys free essay sample

The Black Keys have always posed an interesting conundrum for critics. On one hand, this is a band made up of two guys who went from riding around in a rust-bucket El Camino and earning dough performing in local country barrooms to churning out hockey stadium anthems and playing on â€Å"SNL.† On the other hand, it has never been clear just how seriously we are supposed to take their music. Most critics have been slightly dismissive of the Black Keys tendency to work within such a limited – and somewhat dated – aesthetic sphere as rock n roll blues. On their eighth studio LP, â€Å"Turn Blue,† drummer Patrick Carney and vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach have one clear message: We are meant to be taken seriously. The opening song, â€Å"Weight of Love,† is an unpredictable seven-minute roller-coaster that jolts us back and forth between searing guitar lines and a spacey, ethereal backdrop. It sounds like modern Pink Floyd. We will write a custom essay sample on Turn Blue by The Black Keys or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page â€Å"Turn Blue,† the title track, is a bluesy, synth-driven night anthem perfect for falling asleep to. It sounds like something the Rolling Stones would have done had they only owned a laptop. And this is just what the album does so well – it unites the future with the past, taking on a new style but paying homage to classic rock greats along the way. The album is not without personal references – the bitter aftertaste of Auerbachs recent divorce conspicuously underscores the 11 tracks. By the grand finale, â€Å"Gotta Get Away,† in which Auerbach sings, â€Å"I went from San Perdue to Kalamazoo / just to get away from you,† the whole thing can start to feel, at least lyrically, like one big hard-boiled kiss-off; some form of revenge was clearly on his mind during the songwriting. This is blues rock, however, and the Black Keys are not a group to expect much from lyrically. The duo prefers to let the music speak for itself. At a time when most big rock reinventions are beginning to feel like clunky diversions into electronics and music without substance, â€Å"Turn Blue† provides a refreshing listen, in large part because no one really expected the Black Keys to deliver such a powerful punch after 2012s immensely popular â€Å"El Camino.† And while it may not be as catchy or radio-friendly as its predecessor, the Danger Mouse-produced treatise nonetheless proves a challenging but rewarding listen.

Free Essays on B.F. Skinner

Is it possible for psychologists to ever understand the human condition well enough to create a utopia by "engineering" human behavior? This is the challenge thrown out by behavioral psychologist, B.F. Skinner in his novel, Walden Two (1948). Well written and entertaining, Walden Two is directed to the layman rather than to the professional psychologist. It concerns a fictitious intentional community of 1,000 started by one Frazier (no first name or title ever mentioned) who applies the tools of behavioral modification to make of Walden Two the best of all possible worlds. Skinner's technique as a propagandist is to show us Walden Two through the eyes of various outsiders who possess varying degrees of skepticism and enthusiasm for the community. The reader can identify with one or another of these visitors depending on his own inclinations. Skinner/Frazier is provocative in his claims, deliberately so, in my opinion, as another technique in breaking down resistance. The more we resist an idea, the more power it draws from our very resistance. He begins with teasers, ideas which have interest and merit on their own but which are fairly trivial and extrinsic to his central thesis. The reader and the skeptical visitors sense he is trying to soften them up and stiffen their backs all the more. A philosophy professor named Castle is the main bearer of resistance. Skinner looks down upon philosophy as a form of navel gazing and Castle is made an easy target. More serious reservations come from the narrator, a psychology professor named Burris. However, Burr is also serves as a voice for Skinner and much conversation between him and Frazier is like an internal dialogue within Skinner, himself. The party is completed by two young men and their girlfriends. The guys and one of the girls are the enthusiasts of the group while the other girl resists by avoidance. She never engages any of Frazier's ideas and remains untouched by them throughout t... Free Essays on B.F. Skinner Free Essays on B.F. Skinner Is it possible for psychologists to ever understand the human condition well enough to create a utopia by "engineering" human behavior? This is the challenge thrown out by behavioral psychologist, B.F. Skinner in his novel, Walden Two (1948). Well written and entertaining, Walden Two is directed to the layman rather than to the professional psychologist. It concerns a fictitious intentional community of 1,000 started by one Frazier (no first name or title ever mentioned) who applies the tools of behavioral modification to make of Walden Two the best of all possible worlds. Skinner's technique as a propagandist is to show us Walden Two through the eyes of various outsiders who possess varying degrees of skepticism and enthusiasm for the community. The reader can identify with one or another of these visitors depending on his own inclinations. Skinner/Frazier is provocative in his claims, deliberately so, in my opinion, as another technique in breaking down resistance. The more we resist an idea, the more power it draws from our very resistance. He begins with teasers, ideas which have interest and merit on their own but which are fairly trivial and extrinsic to his central thesis. The reader and the skeptical visitors sense he is trying to soften them up and stiffen their backs all the more. A philosophy professor named Castle is the main bearer of resistance. Skinner looks down upon philosophy as a form of navel gazing and Castle is made an easy target. More serious reservations come from the narrator, a psychology professor named Burris. However, Burr is also serves as a voice for Skinner and much conversation between him and Frazier is like an internal dialogue within Skinner, himself. The party is completed by two young men and their girlfriends. The guys and one of the girls are the enthusiasts of the group while the other girl resists by avoidance. She never engages any of Frazier's ideas and remains untouched by them throughout t...

Marketing Mix being used for the 2012 Olympic Games in London Coursework

Marketing Mix being used for the 2012 Olympic Games in London - Coursework Example Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction ................................................................................................. 4 2.0 Discussion ................................................................................................... 4 2.1 Marketing Mix ........................................................................................... 4 2.1.1 Product ................................................................................................... 4 2.1.2 Price ....................................................................................................... 5 2.1.3 Place ......................................................................................................... 5 2.1.4 Promotion ................................................................................................. ... fact that London’s successful and ambitious bid for the 2012 Olympics was to a great extent dependant on the commitment of hosting inspiring as well as spectacular Olympics for both London and the world. The pivotal objective of the organizers of these games is to connect the young people and varied social segments in the UK with the inspirational potential of sports (The London Organizing Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympics Games Ltd 2010). The other paramount objective of the organizing committee is to retain the commercial and emotive appeal of the Olympic 2012 brand, which is so central to the objective of funding these games (London 2012: Online). 2.0 Discussion It goes without saying that the organizers of London 2012 are affiliating to a successful and effective set of marketing tools to give way to just the right marketing mix required to achieve the marketing objectives envisaged by them in the context of the target market (Kotler 2003, p. 15). 2.1 Marketin g Mix 2.1.1 Product The organizers of London 2012 are to a great extent relying on the established brand appeal of Olympic Games to cash on its popularity amongst the youth sans race, gender and social affiliations. A plethora of related brand building activities like parading the 2012 mascots Wenlock and Mandeville across UK, hosting the London 2012 Festival featuring artists from around the world, actively involving the young people and children across communities in the actual management and casting of games and organizing the London Prepares Series hosting world class athletes at the brand new and already existing Olympic venues are already under way to stimulate the excitement about London 2012 amongst the target segments that are young people from diverse racial and social segments in the