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There's been some differing opinions on the British-folk hurricane that is Mumford & Sons. Pitchfork wrote a scathing review of their debut album Sigh No More. "It's a shallow cry of authenticity, this West London quartet really does sound more like a business than a band, supplying value-added products at discount prices," said Pitchfork's Stephen Duesner. However, most of the world seems to think otherwise. My personal impression is this band is the last thing from a business. Rather one of the most authentic artists touring today. After watching numerous shows, it is obvious these men simply enjoy what they do - with every fibre of their beings. You won't find more passion or enjoyment elsewhere. They have no qualms about throwing themselves out into the world, and in return, a considerable amount of the world has embraced them. It's human nature to adore the explorers; the brave ones who take the leapt. Above is a video of Mumford & Sons' new, unreleased track 'Lovers Eyes.'

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Sidra Zimmerman is a music and art enthusiast and writer for Youth With A Mission. You can follow her travels and thoughts at her personal blog.

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West Side Story

photo by Joan Marcus

Very few stories have achieved the renown and universal acclaim as that of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliett. Perhaps fewer "adaptations" are able to separate themselves from the original material and still be recognized as one of the best stage plays ever produced as is West Side Story. It is with no great hesitation that I accepted the invitation to go see the broadway production in Pittsburgh with friends. Given the fact that I only became familiar with the story in the last year (a terrible omission from my childhood, I believe.) I went in as a relatively new fan.

Most of the attendees probably saw one of the original broadway productions when they were kids. I don't think I could match the nostalgia in the room, but I was pretty excited to be experiencing something that had endured the tests of time. From the first finger snaps to the final dirge of the orchestra, I was caught up in the energy that emanated from the stage.

In the original conception of "East Side Story" the plot centered around a Italian Roman Catholic & a Jewish family in lower east manhattan. It wasn't until the popularity of gangs arose in the late 1940's that the shows creators imagined a different and less religiously motivated plot line. Why does West Side Story work? It cuts through our prejudices so quickly with the universal language of love. There could probably be no better influence on society. No better parable than a tragic love story to expose our souls to renewed thinking and apreciation for disparity & diversity in each other.

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Shepherd Ahlers is a filmmaker who writes occasionally about things he likes. You can follow him on tumblr.

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Tortured for Poetry

Ayat al-Gormezi stood up and read a poem in front of fellow countrymen in Bahrain. That simple act wouldn't be such an issue. It became an issue because the poem was about freedom. 

After Ayat boldly read a poem calling for the topple of the regime that is struggling to keep her country from rising against them, she became a target. The 20-year old student said that police came and held her four brothers at gun-point, threatening to shoot them if she didn't turn herself in.

Ayat's mother has talked to her daughter once on the phone. All she learned from that conversation is that Ayat was forced to sign a fake confession to be read against her in a military tribunal next week.

Her mother later found out that her daughter was in a military hospital somewhere with torture wounds. 

Stories like this are so eye-opening to me. While I can walk around saying, reading and listening to whatever I want there are other people my age who are being tortured for similar subject matter. From here I can say "down with the government!" and my brothers will sleep peacefully. But in Bahrain and many other countries, that is not the case.

Please take pause, while enjoying your freedom to express yourself and give a thought to those who are dying for that right. What are you doing with your freedom? How are you using it? It's a precious gift, please don't waste it.

Michele Hop is studying Journalism at Indiana University SE, communication and adventure are her main pursuits.  Get to know her on her blog.

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Global warming. Though I do believe we ought to take care of our earth (it is a gift to us afterall), global warming does not scare me for multiple scientific reasons I won't name name. This is a culture blog, not a science blog. So you may be asking why I've posted the environmentalist propaganda film, Polar Bear Man. The answer is quite simple: it's a beautifully done short film. It's poignant, and despite not personally agreeing with the entire message, I was touched. It's tight, not a shot wasted. Each part having a purpose and a point - every song, every line, every nuance. Lee Pace's adept acting also hits home. When you don't agree with the film's basic assumptions (e.g. - man is equal to animal, the polar ice caps are going to melt, etc.), and it still manages to win you over anyway - well, my friends, that is a good film indeed.

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Sidra Zimmerman is a music and art enthusiast and writer for Youth With A Mission. You can follow her travels and thoughts at her personal blog.

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Toronto-born Katie Stelmanis was trained to be an opera singer. It was all she did in high school. It was all she did in college. She had even gone so far as to sign with an opera company in Canada, when she decided she wanted to create something which defied the classical, yet did not destroy it. Thus Austra was born. Stelmanis' voicals are now carried by synths and electronic beats which causes this band close the enormous gap between the dyads of opera and pop. The band is an unfortunate hipster mess. But I know a good song when I hear it. If you close your eyes and block out the mismatched apparel, alarming undulating motions, and gone-wrong body glitter, you can truly appreciate the mastery of their work. Austra's debut LP was released a few days ago and is now available for purchase.

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Sidra Zimmerman is a music and art enthusiast and writer for Youth With A Mission. You can follow her travels and thoughts at her personal blog.

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There is another planet in the universe exactly like ours. There is another you on that planet. And today that planet has come into orbit with earth. It sounds like something more fitting of an episode of Doctor Who than of a serious indie drama, but that is the plot of ANOTHER EARTH. When someone first pitched the plot to me I was quick to write it off, but since seeing the trailer I have changed my position. I will be seeing this film, and maybe even like it.

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Shepherd Ahlers is a filmmaker who writes occasionally about things he likes. You can follow him on tumblr.

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In a video of one They Shoot Music sessions, an Austrian man stood at the edge of Horse Feather's stage-table. The moment they began to play, his entire face lit up. Eyes wide, pupils dilated, slight grin tugged at the corners of his mouth, head bobbing gently. And while he could never communicate the emotion in English, all music lovers know the sign of appreciation when they see it. It's hard to look otherwise when listen to Horse Feathers. Believe me, I've tried. Horse Feathers' album Thistled Spring was released in April of last year and is currently available.

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Sidra Zimmerman is a music and art enthusiast and writer for Youth With A Mission. You can follow her travels and thoughts at her personal blog.

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  True Loves by Hooray For Earth

Once in a while a music video comes along that takes you places few other kinds of films can. This one will take you to a strange earth like planet where clouds are a transport mechanism and women (and riders) are not as they seem. I liken the imagery to that of "The Fall" & "The Fountain" The art department rocked this one, and so did the band when recording the underlying track "true loves". I highly recommend checking out more from Hooray For Earth. Pray with me that they don't end up selling this song to a tv commercial anytime soon.

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Shepherd Ahlers is a filmmaker who writes occasionally about things he likes. You can follow him on tumblr.

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Concert Review: The Decemberists

       "You ready for the Trail of Tears up to the amphitheater?" I asked a Decemberists fan as he, Michele Hop (fellow Culture Blog writer), and I walked side-by-side up the wet street into the park. He laughed and shot back with a grin, "We were lame to park so far away, especially when there's a tornado warning tonight." We experienced The Decemberists live for the first time that evening. Under a towering canopy of spring-green trees, wrapped in our cardigans, with the threat of a tornado constantly looming over us. The wet wind caused the lead singer's guitar to go out of tune quite often, but it didn't dampen the show. The Decemberists began the set with the a song they wrote early in their career. It was an apology to their friend Stephen for getting his bike stolen when the band had gone for a ride in the park. After the song ended, we continued to laugh throughout the evening as the quick, clever lead singer, Colin Meloy, surprised with his wit and proved his vocabulary was just as large in real life as it was in his song writing. They played a selection songs ranging from albums Picaresque to Hazards of Love to their newest release, The King is Dead. Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek fame was also touring with the band as an extra special treat. Unfortunately, I am now forever ruined. I have only ever once seen such a perfect, flawless performance such as this one - and that was Lisa Hannigan back in 2009. Without a nary note or a plunk misplaced, they had the entire crowd smiling and singing along. Never again will their recorded songs be enough. Our thunderous applause brought the band back for two encores. The first of which was an unforgettable rendition of The Mariner's Revenge Song. Meloy enticed the audience into doing a chorus of screams as we pretended to be the crew eaten by the whale in the folk-song story. With our yelling and screeching, being "all chewed alive," the entire band collapsed on stage - standing up just in time to sway in unison and dance to the end of the song. All of us clapping, hollering, and foot stopping the entire way. As Michele and I made our long trek back to our car through the chilly, rain-washed trees, we decided it was a concert worth being caught in a tornado for. Set List - April 26th - Iroquois Amphitheater - Louisville, KY:

Apology Song Down by the Water Calamity Song ...Rise to Me We Both Go Down Together The Bagman's Gambit July, July! The Soldiering Life The Rake's Song The Wanting Comes in Waves/Repaid Don't Carry It All All Arise! 16 Military Wives This Is Why We Fight -- Red Right Ankle The Mariner's Revenge Song -- June Hymn Photography (c) Sidra Zimmerman 2011. Please ask permission before use.

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Sidra Zimmerman is a music and art enthusiast and writer for Youth With A Mission. You can follow her travels and thoughts at her personal blog.

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You may have seen the music video for The Suberbs last year and heard the buzz surrounding the film it is taken from. Finally the public has a trailer to further excite us about the Spike Jonze directed project! The film has been making rounds at festivals including Toronto and SXSW, and according to most sources this one is worth the hype. We are all Spike Jonze fans here at The Culture Blog and can't wait to see this film, both for the lush cinematography and coming of age after the apocalypse type story. And of course, I nearly forgot, Arcade Fire's music.

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Shepherd Ahlers is a filmmaker who writes occasionally about things he likes. You can follow him on tumblr.

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Fleet Foxes: Philosophers of Folk

            Fleet Foxes' unexpected arrival onto the music scene three years ago caused quite a stir. Their traditional folk and harmonizations reached outside the realms of indie music and earned them fans beyond their expected audience. Well composed music, no matter what genre, tends to break down walls. The band has followed up with a record that will not disappoint devotees of first. Helplessness Blues is described by the members as struggling with "the weariness of life." Road worn, dog tired, and strung out from the rigorous journey of life, Fleet Foxes sing out their grief in complex, yet unlaboured compositions. Based heavily in poetry of W.B. Yeats, the album reasons through the harsh edges of life in a way which never comes across as bitter, but rather as a yearning for something more. In the title track, they gently wrestle, "I was raised up believing I was somehow unique, like a snowflake distinct among snowflakes. Unique in each way you can see. And now after some thinking, I'd say I'd rather be a functioning cog in some great machinery serving something beyond me." There is an undoubted longing for belonging and purpose within each of us that is more prominent than our need to be unique. The individualism of our culture is rarely critiqued, but Fleet Foxes presents what each of us are truly aching for. Overall, I have a feeling this record will be playing on my stereo for quite sometime. I'm a sucker for philosophy, and Fleet Foxes never once let up from their quiet ponderings. I think I shall enjoy pushing play, laying on hardwood floor, and joining them in questioning the rugged paths of life. Helplessness Blues is due out on May 3rd. Until then, you can listen to the entire album for free on NPR.

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Sidra Zimmerman is a music and art enthusiast and writer for Youth With A Mission. You can follow her travels and thoughts at her personal blog.

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Somewhere between the bright stars of science fiction fantasy; Stanley Kubrick's "2001", Darren Aaronofsky's "The Fountain", and Andrew Niccols "Gattaca" lies a segment directed by Michael Radford called "Addicted To The Stars".

I have found the genre of sci-fi fantasy increasingly fascinating since recently working on a short film featuring many of the same themes. While the most prominent science-fiction films primarily feature aliens and galaxies far, far away, these films deal with the human desire for exploration of self & escape from self using "the heavens" as a striking spiritual metaphor.

"Addicted To The Stars" features the ever stoic Daniel Craig as an astronaut returning to earth after a long journey. Tying in with the theme of the other segments in the series it is taken from (The Cello) the character is only 10 minutes older after his journey. And seeing as 10 minutes is the length of the film; that's all the older you will be too.

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Shepherd Ahlers is a filmmaker who writes occasionally about things he likes. You can follow him on tumblr.

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Free Music from Sigur Rós and Jónsi

               Sigur Rós is and always will be one of my favourite groups. And many share this sentiment. However, there are still many living in privation without the knowledge of this awe inspiring quartet. Now it's easier than ever to introduce your friends to Sigur Rós - legally. The Icelandic band has free downloads of over twenty live and studio recorded tracks on their website, including songs like Starálfur and Olsen Olsen. And for those of you who have already invested in the complete discography of Sigur Rós, you can get a free download of Jónsi's new untitled song from his website.

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Sidra Zimmerman is a music and art enthusiast and writer for Youth With A Mission. You can follow her travels and thoughts at her personal blog.

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I would love to give you the complete run-down of von Thord and their musical ventures. The wall keeping me from doing so is Swedish - the language of the band's website. And the fact I can't read it. Hailing from Västra Götalands, Sweden, Johannes Bergion (cello) and David Werthén (double bass) bring their stringed instruments to a modern level. Their twinging, plucking, and strumming is not contained by genre. The duet ranges from anything from blues to a more avant garde classical. With the sound of a full band, Bergion and Werthén will take you on a bass based journey. Revealing the elegance, sophistication, and passion behind two normally underrated instruments, von Thord takes an interesting step in music. One which should not be missed. von Thord's Woodbeat EP was released on iTunes March 21st. And if you can read Swedish, be sure to stop off at their website.

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Sidra Zimmerman is a music and art enthusiast and writer for Youth With A Mission. You can follow her travels and thoughts at her personal blog.

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A band makes a movie that isn't about the band at all but rather about an astronaut trapped in the space station? The trailer makes it look to be one of the must see films of the year? Sign me up!

Driven by the music of ANGELS & AIRWAVES, “LOVE” explores the fundamental human need for connection and the limitless power of hope…

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Curated for The Culture Blog by Shepherd Ahlers

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Eyes Like the Moon

Persian poetry captivates my imagination, here is a favorite of mine by the poet Hafiz.

Admit something: Everyone you see, you say to them, "Love me."

Of course you do not do this out loud, otherwise someone would call the cops.

Still though, think about this, this great pull in us to connect. Why not become the one who lives with a full moon in each eye that is always saying, with that sweet moon language, What every other eye in this world is dying to hear?

-Hafiz

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Bright Eyes — The People's Key

The near pop hooks that permeate the new, and perhaps final-as-Bright Eyes album by the prolific and often politically charged singer-songwriter, Conor Oberst, are all over the map. But I digress. This album is coherent and unified in its diverse complexity. Since I have been listening to it on and off for the last 3 weeks, you would think I might have something decisive to say about it. Perhaps a simple yay or nay would suffice. I don't know. I've loved Bright Eyes from the moment I heard the stripped down energy of "Waste Of Paint," but I never put my hopes in him like many did, hailed as though he was a prophet for this generation of disenchanted souls. With The People's Key he seems to have noticed what we all said about him and offers a "real" prophet in the beginning, middle, and end of the album. A heady spiritualist named Denny Brewer spouts incredible nonsense about the sci-fi origins of Satan, Hitler, and time travel in a rich and convincing tone of voice. I won't presume to know why he was included in this party, but I theorize the addition of his rants is Coner's way of throwing the title back at us. Reminding us that perhaps the enlightened among us really are as bright as the village idiot.

That said, he will probably retain the title in most of our star struck eyes. The lyrics continue the trend of near Dylan brilliance with truthful observations and insights dripping with cunning and wit. I found myself laughing at the wordplay of lines like "my private life is an inside joke" and feeling the pain of the death of a friend as he sings in "Ladder Song":

"No one knows where the ladder goes,

You're gonna lose what you love the most.

You're not alone in anything, you're not unique in dying."

In the end if you liked Bright Eyes before you will listen to this album anyway. If you have never given him a try, I recommend starting with an earlier release. This one will be around for a while. You have time to catch up to the rest of us emo kids.

  Shepherd Ahlers is a filmmaker who writes occasionally about things he likes. You can follow him on tumblr.