The leaves are drifting, the stickiness of humidity is fading and the crispy silence of fall is starting to wash over the night. This means one thing for devoted festival lovers: the fifth annual Bear Creek Music and Arts Festival (BCMF) is swiftly approaching! BCMF is a place where thousands of people gather together for a weekend of costumes, glow sticks, fire-throwing, s’more making, hula-hooping and appreciation of pure artistry. The event is held at the magical Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida and spans over a three day period, Friday November 11th through Saturday, November 13th, with “pre-party” passes starting on Wednesday and Thursday. This year is extra special as the festival falls on 11/11/11 and shimmering full moon, as well as the three-day weekend in honor of Veteran’s Day!

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The internet has made it easier than ever for those first few fans to spread the word, with blogs and indie rags humming about it for weeks before anything substantial appears. Enter Cults, the New York indie pop duo that perfectly encapsulates this point.

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Strolling into the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park is like a time-warp back into the days of flower power and free love. The trees are tall, leaves were changing reds and yellows to welcome the fall, and multi-colored streamers waved in the breeze. Acres of forest served as the camping grounds for thousands of festi-diehards and growing jam-tastic sounds filled the air from five separate stages. Swaying women in lizard costumes, cardboard robots with neon flashing lights and the cast of Sesame Street raving with glow sticks crowded around in musical harmony for the 4th Annual Bear Creek Music Festival.

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Iron & Wine is an act that is familiar to many FSU students. The sole member, Sam Beam, was a graduate of FSU’s MFA film program and returns to play in Tallahassee on a pretty regular basis; his latest appearance in Tallahassee being back in November.  Kiss Each Other Clean is the latest

Iron & Wine - Kiss Each Other Clean

album from Iron & Wine and from the very beginning avid fans of his music will notice a drastic difference in style.

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On September 7, Interpol, an Indie rock band from New York, released a self-titled fourth album.

The album begins with “Success,” which is powered by a succession of steady cymbal beats that establishes a mellow crescendo through to the end of the song. Their previously released single, “Lights,” appears at number four, followed by “Barricade,” which stands out as the most powerful song and has a sound similar to their first album, Turn on the Bright Lights.

The album acts as a narrative of one man’s emotional journey from happiness to despair. Repetitive chord progressions, heavy bars and the distinct voice of Paul Banks push along the album’s story.

The piano backdrop during “Always Malaise (The Man I Am)” is a refreshing highlight to the otherwise indistinct composition. It is accompanied by echoes of emotionally resilient song lyrics and a speedy snare beat. “The Undoing,” the final song on the album, evokes loose, free feelings by using Spanish dialogue. This finale leaves the listener with an unfinished, lingering feeling of rueful closure.

In a word, Interpol is adequate.  From a technical aspect, it is well constructed.  Artistically, it weaves the intended narrative.  However, the album is missing a certain individuality that would make it stand out from other albums of its genre. If Interpol has any hope of rebounding from this less than spectacular release, their next album will have to do a better job of engaging its audience and provoking emotion.