Welcome back to This Week in Black Twitter, your weekly digest of the happenings on Black Twitter and cultural conversations on the web. Topics will span the gamut with pop culture, politics, sports, lifestyles and everything in between. This week: Those hoping justice would be served in favor of Freddie Gray come to terms with case"s outcome, Bill O"Reilly downplays slavery and#ArthurMemes take over.
1. In a surprising decision to some and expected for others,all charges against all officers were dropped in the Freddie Gray case on Wednesday.
The announcement by State"s Attorney Marilyn Mosby came a day after the Democratic National Convention featured onstage #MothersoftheMovement, such as Sybrina Fulton, the mother of Trayvon Martin;Lesley McSpadden, the mother of Mike Brown; Gwen Carr, the mother of Eric Garner; and several others.
ActivistBrittany Packnett wrote for The Guardian about how it felt to hear the news after witnessing that moment at the convention.
"And in the wake of acquittal after acquittal, the message continues to be clear: not only do black lives, hearts and spines not matter to a system that continually kills us, but the only people who seem to be guilty of our deaths are ourselves," she explained. "When we die, our homicides are ruled suicides. When we die, there must have been some act, some moment, some single bad decision that caused it. When we die, we must have done something to deserve it."
In a series of tweets, activist/actor Jesse Williams spoke out about the dismissals and questioned the point of the Constitution,beginning with a quote from anarchist Max Stirner.
Others online shared his sentiments.
But not everyone. Some felt the officers never should have been charged.
2. According to Bill O"Reilly, the slaves who built the White House were "well-fed."
It all started Monday when first lady Michelle Obama gave an impassioned speech at the DNC, saying: I wake up every morning in a house that was built by slaves, and I watch my daughters two beautiful, intelligent, black young women playing with their dogs on the White House lawn."
On his Fox show "The O"Reilly Factor,"O"Reilly said that those slaves were "well-fed and had decent lodgings provided by the government." He also took the time to point out that slaves weren"t the only ones working on the structure.
O"Reilly downplayed a system that sold humans like cattle and slaves" role in creating the important complex, critics contended.
Late-night TV host James Corden called out O"Reilly"s remarks.
"If you"re a privileged, older white man, maybe you should not be pointing out thepositive aspects of slavery," Corden said as his audience erupted in laughter and applause.
3. Don"t ask why. Don"t ask how. Just enjoy the#ArthurMemes from a favorite childhood show.
Making fun of Birdman"s meltdown on "The Breakfast Club."
If you haven"t seen the angry Apple store lady vine, then do yourself a favor and watch it.
Don"t y"all start with "Little Bill." Some TV shows are sacred.
Rumours have been flying on social media following an ominous statement from a North Korean diplomat regarding US relations on Thursday.
Han Song Ryol, director-general of US affairs department at the countrys Foreign Ministry, said the American governments decision to include Kim Jong Un on a list of sanctioned individuals amounted to a declaration of war.
The United States has crossed the red line in our showdown, Han said. We regard this thrice-cursed crime as a declaration of war.
By doing these kinds of vicious and hostile acts toward the DPRK, the US has already declared war against the DPRK. So it is our self-defensive right and justifiable action to respond in a very hard way.
Some interpreted Hans words as the secretive states declaration of war with the US, and the rumours soon spun out of control on social media.
Despite what appeared to be an imminent threat from a country with hordes of nuclear weapons, the people of Twitter were remarkably chilled about it, responding with streams of memes.
Thatll show em.
This was all sparked when North Koreas Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un was placed on a list of 11 people personally barred from conducting business with US citizensin connection with alleged human rights abuses, documented by the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
Days later, North Korea cut off communications with the White House and said all dealings between the two nations should be conducted under war law.
Despite regular sanctions against the DPRK, this is the first time the USA has personally placed restrictions on Kim Jong Un.
Shining city on a hill? No. Thats just another cartoon. America is a real place, a real nation, full of a diverse peoples, contrasting ideas, and no single concept ofthe American dream.
But there are also real heroesreal people whose stories so rise above the noise that they cant help but speak to all those people.
Thursday night, a couple stood on stage at the Democratic National Convention to tell the story of their son, of their family, and of their deep commitment to America. It was one of the most moving moments, not just of this convention, but in the history of public speech in America. This was a defining speech for an America thats not a one-size-fits-all cartoon, but can still light up the world.
And whenKhizr Khan brought out his pocket version of the Constitution, you knew it wasnt just something he carries as ashibbolethof patriotism. Its a well worn, well read, well loved document.
Khizr Khans speech didnt go unnoticed, especially by those whountil that moment had been sitting on the sidelines, maybe feeling that they werent part of the story. Because along with the tears and pride, heres what else happened withKhizr Khan told his story.
Wedding Photos of Chelsea Clinton and Marc Mezvinsky Marc Mezvinsky is the husband of Chelsea Clinton and father to her two children. Mezvinsky is a former investment banker and the co-founder of the hedge fund Eaglevale Partners, which recently closed its Greece focused Hellenic Opportunity fund. Both of Mezvinsky"s parents were members of Congress Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky and Edward Mezvinsky, and was raised in a conservative, Jewish home. Mezvinsky"s parents were friends with the Clintons over the years and their children (Marc and Chelsea) met at a retreat. While attending Stanford University, Mezvinsky and Chelsea Clinton remained friends, but the couple didn"t start dating until 2005. They became engaged around Thanksgiving in 2009 and, in 2010, the couple married in an interfaith ceremony in New York. Unfortunately, Mezvinsky"s father was not at the wedding because his relationship with his family was very strained due to acts of fraud. Edward Mezvinsky served five years in prison after being convicted of 31 charges of felony fraud in 2001. According to Politico, former President Bill Clinton once had the opportunity to pardon Edward Mezvinsky, but there was no pardon. Wife Marjorie is reported to have pleaded for her husband to be saved from prison. Click here to read Edward Mezvinsky"s request for leniency from the President at the time. Bill Clinton served as President until January 20, 2001.Marc Mezvinsky has two children with wife Chelsea Clinton - a daughter named Charlotte and son named Aidan. Many try to find photos of Mezvinsky and Clinton online, but haven"t been able to locate Instagram accounts, so we"ve collected their best photos together. Click through our gallery to see the happy couple, even featuring photos from their wedding. (Getty) Next Image: Chelsea Clinton Marries Marc Mezvinsky In Rhinebeck, New York
Rumours have been flying on social media following an ominous statement from a North Korean diplomat regarding US relations on Thursday.
Han Song Ryol, director-general of US affairs department at the countrys Foreign Ministry, said the American governments decision to include Kim Jong Un on a list of sanctioned individuals amounted to a declaration of war.
The United States has crossed the red line in our showdown, Han said. We regard this thrice-cursed crime as a declaration of war.
By doing these kinds of vicious and hostile acts toward the DPRK, the US has already declared war against the DPRK. So it is our self-defensive right and justifiable action to respond in a very hard way.
Some interpreted Hans words as the secretive states declaration of war with the US, and the rumours soon spun out of control on social media.
Despite what appeared to be an imminent threat from a country with hordes of nuclear weapons, the people of Twitter were remarkably chilled about it, responding with streams of memes.
Thatll show em.
This was all sparked when North Koreas Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un was placed on a list of 11 people personally barred from conducting business with US citizensin connection with alleged human rights abuses, documented by the United Nations Human Rights Commission.
Days later, North Korea cut off communications with the White House and said all dealings between the two nations should be conducted under war law.
Despite regular sanctions against the DPRK, this is the first time the USA has personally placed restrictions on Kim Jong Un.
As the Democratic National Convention wrapped up Thursday in Philadelphia, Malia Obama was spotted at the Cashmere Cat set at Lollapalooza. Social media users photographed and filmed Obama, 18, in the crowd watching the Norwegian producer.
A White House spokesperson declined to comment. This is not Obama"s first visit to Chicago"s largest music festival. She caused a stir in 2014 when she was spotted at Chance the Rapper"s set.
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Best style at Lollapalooza 2016
Covering Lollapalooza every year since the festival decided to call Chicago home in 2005, Tribune critic Greg Kot picks his top five shows from the last decade.
(Chicago Tribune)
Tribune critic Greg Kot remembers the times in Lollapalooza"s history when the festival was anything but drama-free.
Reports from Thursday, day one at Lollapalooza in Grant Park, from Greg Kot (GK), Kevin Williams (KM) and Tracy Swartz (TS):
12:15 p.m.: The newly expanded Lollapalooza got off to a slow start Thursday as gates opened about 40 minutes late. Organizers tweeted that they were watching the weather at Grant Park. Light rain fell on the restless crowd waiting outside the main gate, which was scheduled to open at 11 a.m. Just after 11:30 a.m., some of the crowd began to chant "let us in." Security officials obliged a few minutes later. (TS)
Noon: Canadian electronic duoTennyson is a brother-sister act, Luke Tennyson Pretty and Tessa Rain Pretty, that specialize in the sorts of genteel little bleeps and burbles that slide innocuously past the ear. Boring? That"s a strong value statement for music that aspires to precious little. "For You" oozed along pretty much like "With You." She slays at playing the drums, metallic, basic beats, while he hops around behind a couple of laptops. This isn"t EDM enough for Perry"s, part of the trend we"re seeing more of -- humanizing EDM with a few organic touches, such as voice or percussion. It rarely works, and certainly doesn"t here. But still, there is guilt: It"s almost unfair beating on these two, like kicking puppies or something. This legit adorable sibling duo even have the right last name: Pretty. But it"s ambient stuff that Brian Eno was doing eons ago, way before it was cool, in a vastly more interesting manner. Now, in a festival setting, it"s suitable for nap time. There are hints of funk, but mostly a childlike trilling that betrays the still-forming tastes and creative urges of the brother/sister tandem. They might become something interesting later. The nuclei of cool music is here. Keep an eye on Tennyson. (KM)
1 p.m.: That massive thud you heard around this time was a whole bunch of folks, falling hard for Frances. This young lady took the stage at a rock festival, armed with nothing more than a piano, great songs and a bared heart. And it was glorious. Tribune critic Greg Kot called Sophie Frances Cooke "fast rising." And then some. Great songs don"t need a band, but rather for someone to get out of the way. Frances got her exquisite "Grow" out of the way, four songs in. Yes, the song that blew up the web last year. It wasn"t even the best song of a set that rocked. Hard. Rock in this case isn"t noise, but attitude. Frances is a singer. It feels like she can do it all, buttressed by an absolutely beautiful voice that manages to couple vulnerability and power at the same time. Like Adele, in the live setting her voice loses some of the luster that it has after some studio sheen has been applied. But that sometimes quavering vulnerability adds a looser, competely human quality that made her gushed "Thank you!" feel heartfelt. The piano work is rudimentary, a setting for tunes about love, empowerment and life. In the hands of another, a lyric such as "You"re putting my heart in your hands" would be insufferably cheesy. From Frances, you were ready to kick the person"s b**t who dared damage said heart. The crowd of young ladies didn"t have phones out, they weren"t chattering or doing the "Lolla Yell." They were transfixed. "Don"t Worry About Me" starts a cappella, and she introduced it with a story about her chickening out the first few times she did it. Frances needn"t have worried. It was the moment of her set. She knows the range of her voice, and uses that knowledge to poke and prod at those limits. The crowd was right there with her. "And if I rise/We"ll rise together." That"s exactly what happened, and it was wonderful. Set of the day? A tough call at 1 in the afternoon, but she"ll be in the mix. (KM)
1:35 p.m.: Lucy Dacus saves the best for last in a set that richly rewards early arrivals. The Richmond, Va., singer-songwriter delivers "Pillar of Truth," a song about family and mortality that is part hymn, part catharsis. Dacus" voice cracks as the music surges behind her. Till that moment, the singer"s voice remains unperturbed as she delivers lyrics that veer from self-deprecating to cutting over combustible rhythms. She describes how four years ago she attended the same festival as a fan, and now finds it "surreal and weird" that she"s performing at it. But rather than be overwhelmed by the moment, she crushes it. (GK)
2:15 p.m.: Wonder if this is what Daniel Burnham had in mind? The old merch stands of Woodstocks past just can"t compare to the Lolla Shop, which resembles a mini box store abutting the lakefront. As festivalgoers line up outside to gain access to the roofed, air-conditioned retail outlet, the place inside is packed like Forever 21 on a Saturday afternoon at a suburban shopping mall. Who needs music? (GK)
2:37 p.m.: Instagram favorite Kehlani is the first buzz act of the day, with fans rushing from the entrance gates across the park to catch her set. The big field on the south end of the park is about half full -- a rarity for an artist performing this early on a weekday afternoon at Lolla. The singer splits the difference between R&B and hip-hop, a mix of street savvy and round-the-way-girl sweetness. She bumps and grinds with two dancers in "We are not Disposable" T-shirts, and sings in a voice that mingles sincerity and just enough brassiness. But her set list becomes a little redundant, a parade of midtempo ballads that never quite builds enough momentum to command the big stage. (GK)
2:50 p.m.: My heavens, Bob Moses is awful. It"s the kind of music that can make you mad if you let it. As in angry. Because a Lolla ticket costs a lotta cash, and people should be hearing better than this insipid, droning thud. The "music, not EDM" trend continues, and people are eating it up. There are guitars, mostly for stage adornment. There"s the obligatory electrics and a drummer. But it"s all like when a rock band invites a string quartet to sit in -- they don"t really do anything with it. This was a poor EDM set with a synth providing live chorus assist. But it sure was loud. And don"t the kids like that. New York/Canadian duo Tom Howie and Jimmy Vallance bore not entirely because of the mostly monotone vocals, drab electronic textures and guitar fills, though that certainly has a lot to do with it. This isn"t a show. It"s a few guys, standing around while beats pulsate. It could be at Perry"s. The songs are all the same: atmospheric beats, repetitive and a primal, thumping beat. When the beat stops, there is just atmospheric drone. The rain intensified during this set, like the upstairs neighbor stomping on the floor to make it stop. To no avail. After the soaring high of Frances, this is a low. (KM)
2:55 p.m.: Melissa Stratton, a spokeswoman for the Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications, said the opening of Lollapalooza gates were delayed by about 40 minutes Thursday because organizers were "watching a storm cell to the west that had potential for lightning. Event organizers and the city felt it was safer to temporarily delay the opening while we verified the direction of the weather." (TS)
3:20 p.m.: Mellanie Martinez continued the string of acts that shouldn"t be at Lollapalooza. If you"re wondering where you"ve heard this name before, you have betrayed yourself as a devotee of "The Voice." Ha! Sucka! Martinez didn"t last all that long on the show, but quickly decided that her almost was good enough. And now look, she"s at Lollapalooza with a keening sorta semi-rap that spends as much time talking as singing. It"s a safe bet she wouldn"t last all that long on the current version of "The Voice" either, her nominal degree of fame notwithstanding. The ambition is that sort of pop-infused, big beat jamming backed by female voice that we"re hearing a lot of these days. The reality, in the case of Martinez, is more high school talent show than rock fest performer. There is no vocal range, no emotion, no real quality, wrapped around insipid songs. "Training Wheels" opened with a music box sample, which raised the curtain on what she called a love song, but was in fact the same song at a different tempo. This was, essentially, a female version of the tripe that Bob Moses was ladling out earlier. But instead of thud/drone/moan, it was thud/drone/chirp. (KM)
4:01 p.m.: Rainfall at Lollapalooza tends to bring attention to the condition of Grant Park. Festival organizers were billed $236,000 for park repairs after last year"s festival, which was marked by periods of rain. In an amendment to its multi-year festival agreement, Chicago Park District superintendent and CEO Michael Kelly and Lollapalooza promoter C3 Presents agreed to "use commercially reasonable and good faith efforts to develop a long-term strategy to enhance drainage at the venue." A Park District spokeswoman said this week no plan has been finalized. (TS)
4:02: Yeasayer"s Chris Keating can"t help himself. He"s fallen for another woman, hard. "I"m in love with a special Chicago lady ... her name is Michelle Obama." Pandering aside, Keating is clearly all wound up about the upcoming election, as he pauses between songs to speak his mind about the candidates. Fortunately, there"s also music, and in this case, the third time"s the charm. Keating recalls how he was so nervous when Yeasayer played Lolla several years ago he threw up on stage. On the band"s third trip to the festival, it clearly has mastered how to make its music translate on a big outdoor stage. Its skewed art-pop songs suggest the legacy of David Bowie and Talking Heads, with touches of funk, hip-hop and Bollywood movie soundtracks. "Ambling Alp" and "O.N.E." become extended pieces that energize the set, and Anand Wilder"s guitar playing splits the difference between scratchy funk rhythms and psychedelic textures. (GK)
4:30 p.m.: Wild Child is neither, but is kinda fun in controlled doses. This group is from Texas, and revs up folky-sounding country with rock slam. Twang and bang combine for an engaging presentation, the complexity being that the potentially interesting instrumentation (cello, trumpet, trombone) gets lost in the need to compete with the surrounding din. Yes, you"ve heard it before, but stop being a snob. You"ve heard everything before. This Bjork-goes-to-a-hootenanny approach works because it"s different enough to be charming, but not so different that people get scared. In many ways that describes the pop music template in the here and now. And they"re from Austin, so they got a head start. Because everything that comes from Austin is cool, right? Problem is after that controlled dose wears off, the stultifying sameness sets in. And frontwoman Kelsey Wilson flung panties into the audience. Yes, panties. Why? Lord only knows. Told you Wild Child was a party. You never listen. (KM)
5:30 p.m.: Elena Tonra"s Daughter project first caught the ear in 2013 via one of those NPR Tiny Desk concerts. The music was almost impossibly beautiful, basic arrangements buttressing Tonra"s fragile voice wrapping its high-toned self around introspective lyrics: "Most of us are bitter over someone." The band has grown since then, looping in the oh-so-trendy electronic textures that everyone"s doing now. It has lost something in the grab at full maturity, but man, that voice. There"s still that voice. Always that voice. It"s smooth and elegant, it quakes with vulnerability, digging deep into a song to convey beauty and subtlety. The shame is that in swinging for the Lolla fences with volume and fury, it"s hard to get Tonra"s luster. It"s like she"s a background singer in the band that she fronts. Would but that the noisy, droning arrangements were as interesting as her voice. "Alone/With You," a haunting, almost dirge-like number, came closest of any to making clear what makes this band so worth your time. Tonra leaned in close to the mic as if afraid a word would escape. But even this song was, eventually, sabotaged by the great thud. It"s the dilemma of a lovely band. Guitarist Igor Haefeli said "We"re going to try a quiet song," tossing off an aside about the "rave going on over there." Perry"s. Always Perry"s. (KM)
5:52 p.m.: Towkio"s cameo-filled 2015 mix tape, "Wav Theory," should"ve provided a few hints. His set is equally loaded with guests. Typical of the Chicago music community, he likes to share, and the MC brings out Joey Purp, keyboardist Peter Cottontale and finally Vic Mensa to share his limelight. With rain spilling, the fans maintain their enthusiasm from the get-go, but Towkio takes his time finding his stride. His delivery of "Reflection" finally connects, and the gospel-stoked surge of "Heaven Only Knows" ratchets things to the next level. How to top that? Why bring out a cast of dozens, including Mensa, for a closing Save Money crew celebration on "G W M (Gang With Me)," that"s how. So-so start, strong finish. (GK)
6:30 p.m.: "I got it all / I"m young, rich and handsome." Presumably that list doesn"t include flow, because that is something G-Eazy doesn"t have as his raps battle against the beats -- courtesy of drummer and DJ -- rather than working with them. That said, G-Eazy has solved the dilemma of how to make live rap work, with an almost feral stage presence that relies heavily on his charisma. Lots of pauses for effect, even a nod to a truly international audience by translating "B---- You Got Me F----- Up" into about a dozen languages. Working the stage edge to edge, sweating like a field worker, he leaned heavily on his hook-rich, anthemic choruses that are tailor-made for a full-throated sing-a-long. There"s a connection. He did shout-outs to individual audience members, as well, an exceptional touch that"s different from too many self-absorbed rappers. He"s a very intelligent performer, whose fame is clear to comprehend, even if you aren"t a fan. Would but that all live rap sets had this kind of life. With some serious flow, G-Eazy might rule the world ... well, the rap world, anyway. P.S. There was fire. Because, yeah. Every scene needs fire. And speaking of hot, G-Eazy knocked off a little ditty called "F--- Donald Trump." As a contemporary protest song, it was simple, effective and there was that chorus. (KM)
6:40 p.m.: Kurt Vile drawls his lyrics like he just rolled off the hammock after smoking a freshly rolled spliff, and his lyrics often feel just as dazed and confused. He can load a line as simple as "I"m already gone" with multiple meanings simply because of his ultra-casual delivery, but at other moments he can"t seem to be bothered. The hook in one of his better recent songs, "Wakin on a Pretty Daze," consists of the word "yeah" repeated several times. But the guitar playing, that"s something else. Switching among acoustic and electric guitars and banjo, he trips wildly but expressively across the strings. His hair tumbling across his face like a veil, he at times resembles J. Mascis in the way he seems to lose himself inside the storm his finger tips create. (GK)
7:45 p.m.: Cashmere Cat is late. Once Magnus August Haiberg arrives, he does little to dispel notions that DJs should be heard and not seen. What makes this suitable for Pepsi and not Perry"s? That"s the million-dollar question, and one that separates electronica from EDM. These are beats that are elegant and almost comtemplative, danceable but with layers, intriguing textures that make the constructions hit the ear as complete soundscapes. The point, in other words, isn"t as much booty shaking as immersion. The Perry"s refugees didn"t quite know what to do with these elegant structures, until the beat got big. Then up went the hands, even if you sort of got the sense that Haiberg would rather people took the journey with him. The enduring issue is also what does the beat manipulator do? Haiberg mostly bopped along in an introspective semi-trance, working as diligently to make his epics as a guitarist would at a particularly daunting solo. That these were, however, more than beats was evident by the difficulties folks at the Pepsi stage were having in going full Perry"s. The trips were at times metallic and grimy, working vocals in flawlessly as part of the complex rhythms. Was this a satisfying electronica set? Sure was, even if it was like watching paint dry as a shaggy dude stood there and twiddled knobs. (KM)
7:58 p.m.: The Undisputed Truth revival starts now, thanks to the Arcs, who drop a cover of the Motown group"s 1971 hit "Smiling Faces Sometimes" into its set. The Arcs are led by Dan Auerbach, the singer-guitarist who can"t seem to take any time off. When not playing in his longtime band with drummer Patrick Carney, the Black Keys, he"s producing albums by the likes of Dr. John and Lana Del Rey, who"s headlining tonight at the opposite end of Grant Park. The Arcs are his latest musical detour, a big band that approximates the soul-rock template of such "60s ensembles as Delaney and Bonnie and Joe Cocker"s Mad Dogs and Englishmen road show. With two drummers and three back-up singers plus bass and keyboards, Auerbach swings through ambitious arrangements with heavy gospel and soul overtones, raucous harmonies and winding guitar solos. It"s not a particularly new idea, but Auerbach looks like he"s having a ball and the mood informs the boisterous arrangements. (GK)
8:30 p.m.: Grant Park was almost ready to tilt to the south as J. Cole drew an immense crowd for his headlining set. Clad in a Chicago Bulls 45 jersey (hipster cred, right?), J. Cole came with his A-game early, before falling into the usual live rap pitfalls. Did the incendiary G-Eazy set on the same stage have something to do with his hot early start? Possibly. Because J. Cole stomped the terra like a mastodon, full of energy and flow, each song shooing its predecessor aside almost as if he was impatient. The momentum loss began, oddly enough, when J. Cole engaged in what he self-hyped as a "dazzling lyrical display." It wasn"t, and things got messy from there. This is exhortation rap, creating its energy from vehemence as much as flow. When J. Cole settled down to rap he was convincing, particularly when he leaned on the rolling, fat beats from his "2014 Forest Hills Drive" album. But it was also here that the set continued to go off the rails. Is a rapper a party MC or a singer? The songs became increasingly disjointed as J. Cole stopped rapping to let the crowd sing along. But instead of ego gratification, it sounded like one of those YouTube versions of a J. Cole song with the naughty words zapped. After a while things degenerated into a dude just stalking the stage, screaming intermittently into a mic. And the old quandary returns, one answered by the people leaving his set in droves: At what point is it just as much fun to stay home and play the album really loudly? Armed with backup singers, the obligatory live drummer, etc, the trappings of a real concert were there, but J. Cole never fully integrated with his band, so it never felt like a concert. And after the first 10 minutes, it stopped being convincing, or all that interesting. (KM)
9:15 p.m.: Lana del Rey brings her headlining set to a dead stop to descend into the pit separating the stage from the front row, and greets her fans. She poses for selfies and signs autographs. The reaction is over-the-top, and one expects nothing less from a singer who has turned that much-derided wooden performance on "Saturday Night Live" a few years ago into a kind of anti-charisma that cannot be easily dismissed. Even when she slips her left hand under her right arm pit in the most blase of poses, her fans continue to shout the lyrics of her songs back at her. While a keyboardist summons dramatic chords and a guitarist conjures waves of Grand Canyon reverb, Del Rey sings of drugs, decay, regret and vixen-as-victim love affairs gone horribly wrong. The songs move slowly, but there"s an undeniable creepiness -- if the Weeknd ever wants to record a duets album of his twisted love songs, del Rey should be first on the list of candidates. In a lineup filled with strong female artists, del Rey stands apart. There"s something undeniably fascinating about that -- and more than a little disturbing. (GK)
