Les Chappell

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Experience the life of a Sudanese refugee through the words of Dave Eggers

Albums to Die For

1. Rubber Soul and Revolver 

Patti Smith lackluster on cover album

For an artist's songs to be covered by another artist is typically a badge of honor, a sign that they've written something worth the attention of others. If the cover is better it can breathe new life into the track, and if the artist is more '

‘Rant’ or rave over Palahniuk

Chuck Palahniuk may well be the most divisive writer in contemporary fiction—in fact, calling him a nouveau William S. Burroughs would not be inappropriate. The minimalist style and social commentary of his novels ""Fight Club"" and ""Choke"" has inspired a legion of young writers, while the gruesome language typified in his story collection ""Haunted"" has sent audiences at his readings scampering to the door. 

‘Blades’ sharper than expected

At first glance, ""Blades of Glory"" looks like the film where Will Ferrell's shtick finally collapses under the weight of its own self-confident arrogance. Teaming the men who played Ricky Bobby and Napoleon Dynamite as a pair of male figure skaters, forcing them into leotards with enough rhinestones to rival the Cirque du Soleil—its mere concept seems doomed to degenerate into gay jokes and physical comedy too painful to watch. 

EITS’s latest effort great for ‘Everyone’

For a band that doesn't use any lyrics—save one song which reproduces a war movie—Explosions in the Sky has a lot to say. Entering the music world in 1999, the Texas-based group built a style of post-rock instrumental pieces that practically induce a meditative state. It's a skill that has carried them through four studio albums and an original film soundtrack (Friday Night Lights) and has now matured for their entrancing yet depressingly-titled effort All Of A Sudden I Miss Everyone. 

Prequel to Hannibal franchise does not ‘rise’ to the occasion

Playing him for less than 20 minutes earned Anthony Hopkins an Academy Award. He topped the American Film Institute's list of film villains. He has served as a model for serial killers both real and fictional, and made it impossible to order Chianti without a sinister hiss.  

Brooks redefines the zombie genre in WWZ

\It's the same story in most every zombie film. Walking dead appear and begin to sweep across the world, joined by their freshly gnawed victims to form an unstoppable army,"" writes Les Chappell.'

Call of the wild

Sled dog racing is an incredibly competitive sport. Many races are held throughout the winter with opportunities to either watch or volunteer.'

‘The Road’ goes ever on for Cale, Clapton

There are a lot of famous partnerships in the rock music world—Lennon and McCartney, Jagger and Richards, Dylan and the Band—but there's also a lot of partnerships that tend to slip under the public's radar. Artists write songs for each other, pitch in on an album here and there, listen to each other's playing and modify their style in response.