This is a fresh, honest look at a familiar sort of neighborhood, but without familiar commentary of tragedy or hope or injustice. The young men who narrate the story use the banal to tell a story, explain a history, capture the present, and speculate on the future.
These kids are smart. And they're funny. And they're frank. They show an impressive journalistic knack, having the sort of detached objectivity that lets the pathos of the situation express itself unforced. Even at very personal points, they simply let the situation unfold, let the interviewees tell their own stories in their own way.
It's certainly worth more than one listen: once for the main audio, once for the background noise, and once to let it all come together to create true depth.
This was nice. Amazing how strong the story remains after all these years. I, too, would like to hear a follow up. I like the music interludes, the use of nat sound. Mostly, the LeAlan and Lloyd were quite engaging and conducted some very nice interviews.
Comments for Ghetto Life 101
Produced by Dave Isay
Other pieces by Sound Portraits
Rating Summary
2 comments
Jennifer Oladipo
Posted on November 10, 2004 at 05:29 PM | Permalink
Review of Ghetto Life 101
This is a fresh, honest look at a familiar sort of neighborhood, but without familiar commentary of tragedy or hope or injustice. The young men who narrate the story use the banal to tell a story, explain a history, capture the present, and speculate on the future.
These kids are smart. And they're funny. And they're frank. They show an impressive journalistic knack, having the sort of detached objectivity that lets the pathos of the situation express itself unforced. Even at very personal points, they simply let the situation unfold, let the interviewees tell their own stories in their own way.
It's certainly worth more than one listen: once for the main audio, once for the background noise, and once to let it all come together to create true depth.
kim fox
Posted on September 25, 2009 at 04:03 PM | Permalink
Timeless
This was nice. Amazing how strong the story remains after all these years. I, too, would like to hear a follow up. I like the music interludes, the use of nat sound. Mostly, the LeAlan and Lloyd were quite engaging and conducted some very nice interviews.