The Pitt News Summer Guide: A & E Staff Pop Culture Picks

Concert, Kenny Chesney feat. Sugarland and Montgomery Gentry, June 6

Ah, country concerts at Heinz Field. The stadium gets packed with both refined city-slickers who appreciate talented vocalists like Sugarland’s Jennifer Nettles and tailgating shirtless people covered with American flag and bald eagle tattoos. This show, however, was mainly the latter. Nonetheless, with their endless sets of party anthems and drinking songs, Kenny Chesney and company rocked Heinz Field like the Pitt football team can only dream of doing. But the concert was only half as entertaining as watching people react to finding out the cost of a Heinz Field beer.

-Tony Jovenitti, Staff Writer

Rapper, Soulja Boy Tell’em

The lazy days, the ice cream cones, the way that hottie from the beach puts your sunscreen on all the right places. Summer is indeed sweet. But whose summer road trip — friends packed in compact cars, the remains of fast-food packaging strewn about the car — could ever be complete without a new jam cranked out by none other than that infamous Superman-er himself. That’s right — it’s Soulja Boy, and this summer, I have thanked my lucky stars that he was always there to remind me, through the ups and the downs, that no matter what happened, somewhere out there his swag was turned on high. I knew that if I just followed suit and turned my swag on, as well, somehow, everything would be OK. So thank you, Soulja Boy — you have inspired me to hop up out of my bed, look in the mirror and say, “What’s up?”

-Jordan Streussnig, Staff Writer

Album, Esser’s Braveface

My friend and I knew the mix of laid-back existential irony and super-fresh electro-pop beats of Esser’s music was special the first time we saw him play last spring at a London club. In the year that followed, we watched Esser rise with a Lollapalooza set, a mini-tour of the United States and the release of his first album this summer. Singing in a thick (fake) Cockney accent, Esser’s hypnotic hooks and insightful, tongue-in-cheek lyrics (“Love can be draining / Like internal bleeding”) make his take on pop music one of the most exciting of the year.

-Kathryn Beaty, Staff Writer

Album, Grizzly Bear’s Veckatimest

Unfortunately for the band, but fortunate for its listeners, Grizzly Bear’s latest album, Veckatimest, leaked months before its May 26 release date. What I found in this leaked version of the album forced me go out and buy the hard copy the day it was released. With this 12-song disc, Grizzly Bear managed to take its already celebrated sound and bring it to a level so intricate and exciting, true appreciation involves numerous listening sessions. And it did it just in time to play for sold-out audiences throughout the summer.

-Colleen Counihan, Staff Writer

Television, “True Blood”

Leave it to Alan Ball to take something great and make it better. Season two of “True Blood” is perfect summer fare. It’s got Southern heat — a steamy cast with no shortage of shirtless buff men and girls in short shorts. But most of all, it’s got blood. There’s gore to spare as vampires rip the hell out of people and quench their thirsts with fang-filled smiles. “True Blood” writers excel at punctuating horror scenes with laughs, romance and social commentary. Need one say more than, “Do I have blood in my hair?” Oh, Eric.

-Alison Smyth, Staff Writer

Book, “The Book Thief” by Mark Zusak

On the heavier side of the summer reading list is this gem about World War II in Germany. In a not-so-typical WWII-era novel, Death — the narrator — is fascinated by a seemingly normal German girl, Leisel. Surrounded by an exquisitely written cast of characters, word-obsessed Leisel’s wide-eyed observances catch not just the obvious trials of the war, but also the humor and heartbreak of family and love. Expect a fresh twist on the idea of WWII, but don’t plan on finishing with a pair of dry eyes.

-Natalie Bell, Staff Writer

Trailer, “Where the Wild Things Are”

Never underestimate the power of a trailer. When Potter fans flocked to theaters this summer to see “Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince,” they caught a glimpse of what had already become an Internet sensation — the preview for Spike Jonze’s “Where the Wild Things Are.” Featuring awe-inspiring backdrops, cuddly creatures and a college-friendly The Arcade Fire track, this trailer — and posters for the movie — were probably popping up left and right on your friend’s Facebook pages by the time summer arrived. Be warned, though: This could be one of those horrible, deceitful movies (“Miami Vice”) that collapses under its own trailer’s hype.

-Andy Tybout, Staff Writer

Song, “Knock You Down”

This romantic duet by Keri Hilson accompanied by Grammy nominee Ne-Yo and featuring the divine intervention of Kanye West is the strongest candidate for 2009’s song of the summer. It has the catchy lyrics of 2008’s “I Kissed a Girl” and the romance and smirk-inducing melody of 2007’s Justin Timberlake anthem “Summer Love.” It only peaked at No. 3 on the billboard, but in the cold of winter, this song is sure to remind us all of that summer fling we left at home.

-Jared Spears, Staff Writer

Television, “Make It or Break It”

Did they teach gymnasts to act or teach actresses not to be upset that 80 percent of their screen time is being occupied by their stunt doubles? Either way, the motley crew of teen Olympic-hopefuls battles their way to being the best in Colorado amid half-hearted acting, sub-par screenwriting, hilariously cliche circumstances and kick-a** gymnastics. And really, could you want anything more out of a summer television show? My cats and I could not.

-Sarah Simkin, Staff Writer

Film, “Up”

Somehow Pixar had to make its new movie match the levels of depth and enjoyment that “Wall-E” hit last summer. But luckily, Pixar’s family-based films are easy to love. With wonderful characters and bountiful laughs, “Up” took audiences high with the flying house and touched many hearts, including mine, in theaters. Definitely a Christmas wish list hit.

-Larissa Gula, Staff Writer

Style trend, hair flowers

Flowers — for summer? Groundbreaking. Sure, hippies have been rocking this look for decades, but I’m a late bloomer — so to speak — and didn’t start until this year. I’ve been pinning them into my hair on a daily basis, mostly because I’m horrible at seasonal dressing and they give a much-needed dose of summer to my ensembles. Also, it’s really fun when people ask if you’ve recently returned from Hawaii — as if my stark white complexion wasn’t answer enough — and when bees begin to follow you like you were some buzzing Pied Piper.

-Samantha Stahl, Staff Writer

Television, “Nurse Jackie”

Edie Falco (“The Sopranos”) defects from HBO to play the titular character in Showtime’s newest drama series. A far cry from “House” — and the formulism and predictability inherent within — “Nurse Jackie” leans heavily on Falco’s brilliant portrayal of a painkiller-snorting New York nurse attempting to balance her traditional family life with the starkness of the urban hospital where she works. The show also offers one of the most realistic portrayals of gay characters — not just one, but two, and they’re not in a relationship with each other — on TV today. “Nurse Jackie” is the perfect draught to quench your TV thirst during the seemingly endless summer TV drought.

-Andres Miguel, Staff Writer

Song, “Heavy Cross” by The Gossip

Led by large-and-proud-of-it vocalist Beth Ditto, British import The Gossip finally released a major label record this summer (Music For Men), and the lead single is a racing, thumping display of the band’s edgy disco-pop and Ditto’s captivating warble. Alternating between a simple synth beat punctuated by staccato sung notes and a pulsating, danceable series of verses and choruses, the song added just a bit more glam to the summer, and that’s always a good thing.

-Kieran Layton, A & E Editor