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Party Of 3: Introducing Drive-In

Middle school is usually a time that most of us like to forget about, but not for Lars Erik Ljungholm ‘20 because that was when he first met his friends Cameron and Cole Tessier. The brothers met Lars in their church’s youth group, and the three of them played on the church’s worship team quite frequently. It wasn’t long before the three decided to pursue producing their own music, forming the band we now know today as Drive-In.

All three are producers and songwriters, and the roles they play in the group are mostly shared among all three. When they play live, though, Cam acts as lead singer and keyboard, Cole does background vocals and synth and drum pad, Lars plays guitar and synth as well. “There’s so much in our music,” said Lars, “There’s too much for just three people to make with real instruments so we would have to use backtracks.” Even though nowadays they’re separated because of college, they maintain their work through Facetime calls and a lot of sharing files on Google Drive. Cam and Cole will send an idea for a track, Lars will make his tweaks and adjustments before sending it back, and then the process repeats. It’s back-and-forth until they decide it’s perfect. Although they haven’t played any shows together as a full band yet, they’re working on booking shows for the near future. Lars also recently played in a coffeehouse and asked a few friends to assist him, although the performance was more stripped-back without Cam and Cole.

Coming to Houghton has helped Lars grow as an artist; may it be through his Visual Communication major or his Music Industry minor. When asked about the influence the college and the classes here have had on him musically, he said, “I was just surrounded by music all the time [during my Music Industry classes]. You just get a ton of ideas. Going to Houghton has impacted me so much through the people I’ve met here. I’ve picked up a ton of unique production techniques and met many people who I believe are going to have great success in the music industry.” Not only has his work in the Music Industry program given him opportunities for making valuable connections and great friends, taking Visual Comm classes has really allowed him to think about his music in different creative forms; he has even had the chance to implement his own musical work in his class projects.

When Lars defined the genre of his music, he labeled it as “alternative pop,” admitting though that it is a fairly broad genre and difficult to pinpoint. He mentioned artists such as The 1975, LANY, and M83 as some of the biggest musical sources for inspiration for Drive-In. When Lars writes music, he draws from the work of many other artists that he listens to; he will pick out what he really likes in certain songs and what inspired those certain parts. May it be a melody or a something more specific like a beat of a snare – then he’ll create his own track based on the inspiration. Lars said in an interview that, “The music [of Drive-In] is a culmination of everything you’ve ever heard – ever. So, like, in some of the songs you can hear every day noises; like a pen on a desk. Everything is an influence.” Listeners will find that each song individually tells its own story, but the songs on the EP blend more sonically by the way they sound and the way they feel.

All of Drive-In’s EP’s were completed over the summer, and two have already been released (“1996” and “Glass”) but be on the lookout for more music from the band: the third installment from their EP series is set to release on New Year’s Day. Before that though, Lars mentioned some other fun projects that might find their way to your favorite streaming services. Make sure to follow Drive-In on Instagram (@driveinmusic) for updates! And for your listening pleasure, head over to Spotify or Apple Music to stream the available EP’s and singles.

 

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Humor Shines in Thor: Ragnarok

If you are a fan of Chris Hemsworth’s long, golden locks, then his newest movie might be a little bit of a disappointment for you.

You probably already know from the trailers that the mighty Thor loses his hair for a new ‘do, but Thor also loses something else from his past Avengers and standalone movies: his painful seriousness. Thor: Ragnarok is refreshing for movie-goers, providing many comedic quips as well as exciting action. Marvel seems to be learning from its funniest blockbuster, Guardians of the Galaxy, and letting Hemsworth’s humor shine through on the big screen.

After the dramatic reveal at the end of Thor: The Dark World, audiences might have expected Loki (Tom Hiddleston) to pose more of a threat as Odin—but this conflict was resolved relatively quickly. Thor and Loki spend little time on Earth in this film; they only stick around to have a quick chat with Doctor Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch), as revealed in the end credit scene in Cumberbatch’s own feature film, and then to meet the real Odin (Anthony Hopkins). Soon, the action really starts to pick up when the Goddess of Death, Hela (Cate Blanchett), shows up on the scene and throws Thor and Loki off to a strange catch-all of a world, after managing to destroy Thor’s iconic hammer.

As if Thor weren’t already at an all-time low, he’s then pitted against his “friend from work” the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in a colosseum run by the Grandmaster, an eccentric dictator whose mannerisms are nailed perfectly by Jeff Goldblum.  Thor needs to get back home to Asgard to prevent complete annihilation of the world— which is the actual definition of the Norse word “ragnarok”—so he gathers his limited crew of Loki, the Hulk, and dangerous Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson) to tussle with Hela before she grows too powerful.

Director Taika Waititi, a New Zealand native, had only tackled smaller indie films before he took the gig for Ragnarok back in 2015. Waititi is used to being a funny guy, especially considering that most of his previous works were highly based in comedy. So when Marvel reached out to him with the Ragnarok offer, he was initially a little hesitant. After all, this set would be significantly larger than anything he was used to—and there was this grey cloud hanging over the Thor franchise after less successful attempts at standalone movies.

“In a lot of my films,” Waititi said, “the biggest theme is family, making families out of those around you.” This mindset fits well into the Marvel cinematic universe, as many recent films also highlight this theme. Not only was Waititi on-theme for Marvel, but he was also fully capable of bringing a sense of fun back to the God of Thunder. Waititi managed to cultivatea comfortable and humorous atmosphere on his set, and his lighthearted efforts shine through into the film. Overall, Thor: Ragnarok may have been the end for Asgard, but it also represents the rebirth and redemption for the character of Thor and his franchise.

Thor: Ragnarok is rated PG-13 for intense sequences of sci-fi violence and action and brief suggestive material. It runs 130 minutes.

 

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Facing Forward, Looking Back

If you’re anything like me, you hear the name of Miley Cyrus and cringe a little bit. When her name is invoked in public, there are often looks of scorn and flashbacks to a Spandex-clad, hammer-licking past that none of us wish to relive (including, it seems, Miley herself). So I’m sure you can imagine my surprise when I got a notification from Spotify telling me that Miley had a new album out. I was apprehensive. Still, as a college student who is always looking for ways to procrastinate, I clicked the play button. Wow, am I glad I did.

If I could describe her new album “Younger Now” in one word, it would be “mature.” It’s miles and miles ahead of Miley’s older songs, all dripping with pop star dreams and the monster that fame makes of us all. In her new album, Miley revisits her roots in the Memphis country music scene, borrowing from influences like Elvis, Dolly Parton (who makes an appearance in the track “Rainbowland”), and her father, Billy Ray Cyrus. The album has the reflectiveness that is often evident in these kinds of songs.

It’s not hard to see why, either. This album is a statement from Miley herself that she isn’t the same person she was. The album’s title track, “Younger Now,” is a ballad to both the past and the future. She explains that, while she is a completely different person now, she doesn’t necessarily regret where she’s been. As a junior in college, it is easy to relate to her sentiment: I’m both the same person and a completely different person than I was two years ago.

Other tracks on the album deal with topics in a similarly mature way. “Malibu,” which has risen to the top as one of the most popular tracks on the album, has a soft guitar riff that lulls the listener to consider their significant other under the lens of the California sky. “Rainbowland,” in which Dolly Parton makes a guest appearance, sings about unity and harmony in the homey, grassroots style that Parton herself is known so well for. “Week Without You” borrows its style from Elvis, with its opening electric guitar rhythm that is meant to get our hips swinging and our thoughts rolling.

Then there are other songs where Miley’s individual voice comes out, which further proves how mature she has become. “Bad Mood” is a rock and roll ballad that anyone who has ever “woken up in a bad mood” can relate to. “Inspired,” the final track on the album, describes her songwriting process, and where she draws her inspiration from.

Just in time for fall, with everything around us starting to change, Miley’s newest album rings true to the adult in us all. Just like this is a season for reflection on where we’ve been, and looking forward to where we’re going, Younger Now is an anthem for those who are in a different place than they were before. As college students, we look at our middle and high school photos and feel the things she’s feeling. Even those of us who are juniors and seniors can look back to our freshman selves and realize just how far we’ve come. After listening, I am reflective and optimistic, looking forward to what else Miley has in store for us.

 

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In Review // Ten Songs Turn Ten

Life is moving fast, so fast we are forgetting how much time has elapsed. That’s why it’s always fun to look back and see just how long ago everything happened. One of the things that make us all scream at how old we are is the ever changing music scene. Remember Britney’s black hair? How about when Timbaland was relevant? These songs do and I bet you didn’t realize they are now ten years old.

  1. Umbrella by Rhianna

This song was a classic back in the day. This comes from Rhianna’s third studio album and what amounted to her breakout album. She already had some great singles from her two previous albums, but this was the one that cemented her staying power and began her transition from cute and poppy to something a little edgier.

  1. Crank That by Soulja Boy

This one hit wonder—and dance craze—was contagious back in the day. Every white frat boy and pompous bad boy thought he could “crank it.” However, we all knew that Soulja Boy was the only one who really knew what he was doing.

  1. Beautiful Girls by Sean Kingston

This seemingly cute, but also somewhat dark song, has a poppy and bright tune to go with lyrics that had a darker edge. Of course, we all loved the music video that hearkened to a former era and the way Kingston serenaded us made us all feel a little warmer inside.

  1. Party Like a Rock Star by Shop Boyz

This song made everyone realize they enjoyed a little hip-hop in their lives. The chorus that was a slow yet steady anthem to “party like a rock star” was on everyone’s lips at parties and now that we’ve all forgotten about it, it’s time to remind you that yes, this was all over the radio just a decade ago.  

  1. Paralyzer by Finger Eleven

While 2007 clearly was inundated with mainstream pop, there were still good alternative options available. “Paralyzer” was the song on every rock playlist for every angsty teenager—but even the jocks enjoyed blasting it during their workout routine. The addictive hook and the gravelly vocals give it a fantastic sound that ages quite well.

  1. Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne

Which tween girl wasn’t belting this song every Friday night with their best friends? Everyone who was obsessed with Hannah Montana and Jesse McCartney could indulge their edgy side with the punk-inspired Lavigne’s anthem. It even made us feel like we could relate, even though we clearly had zero experience. This was also probably the last time Avril Lavigne was relevant for something other than a pregnancy inquiry or death hoax.

  1. Stronger by Kanye West

Back when Kanye was making some great rap and was probably at the height of his game, he released the song “Stronger.” With its slick beats and fresh lyrical stylings, this was easily one of the best rap albums of the year. However, this seems like eons ago now that we have the unstable, confusing, and egotistical rapper or arguably personality, we know today. Today’s kids probably call him Kim K’s husband, but we all knew him as Kanye West.

  1. No One by Alicia Keys

This R&B ballad was incredible and still is. Keys’ vocals are amazing and we all caught the feels with this one. Even better is Keys’ continues to kill it and we all love seeing what she’ll do next.

  1. Bubbly by Colbie Caillat

This sweet and simple song made us all happy on a summer day. Caillat’s relaxing and happy vocals made everyone feel like quitting their jobs, kicking back, and moving to the beach—and who could blame them? This song was an instant feel-good favorite for all those easy listening folks and beyond.

  1. Icky Thump by The White Stripes

This song, coming from the last album Jack White did as part of “The White Stripes” was amazing from start to finish. With political overtones, fantastic guitar thanks to Mr. White and those Bob Dylan-esque vocals that mixed in with the pounding beat made every rocker swoon. We could not ask for anything more from Jack White and that’s why this wraps up the list.

 

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Review // Film Festival 2017

Our annual Film Fest is a time to grab your best friends, put on something your parents won’t let you wear to church, and celebrate the diligence and craft of our peers as each new film flashes across the wall. Kudos to C.A.B. of course for choosing professor Gaerte and Steve Dunmire to host. Both performed their duties amicably over the course of the night.

As far as the films were concerned, I will say that I was impressed. After a relatively lackluster showing from last year, and the departure of Film Fest giants like Olivia Graziano ‘16 and Derek Booker ‘16, I had relatively low expectations as far as quality was concerned. But thanks to a fresh crop of talented newcomers my concerns have greatly diminished.

The Drama category was definitely dramatic so we’re off to a good start. The winner, Between Two Pines directed by and starring Meredith Guffey ‘17 follows its director through a mystical wood as she searches for a better cell phone signal. I was personally more of a fan of Jakin Rintelman 17’s Lotted, which tracks the emotional and psychological toll that the guilt of losing a significant other has on its protagonist. Both had great bits of editing, but I do think that Lotted succeeded in telling a more cohesive and engaging story even if the theme of death has been way overdone. To all future Houghton filmmakers, people do not have to die for there to be drama in a story. Death can certainly be done well, but I’ve been going to Film Fest for four years and in every single one there has been at least one film about the death of a girlfriend. I’m used to dogs dying in movies, #letthegirlfriendslive.

The Sorrow Estate deservingly won the Best Music award for the video of their song “Faces and Places” featuring everyone’s favorite vocalist who we wish hadn’t transferred out, Laura Johnson ‘17, and filmed by Jonan Pilet ‘17. Though the lip-syncing didn’t always match the singing in the video it was beautifully shot and struck a nice tonal balance between the music and lyrics.

Next came Best Animation, one of my favorite categories just because of the pure creativity behind each project. And while Robert Kuchar 17’s minimal absurdist project A Day in the Life of Ian brought me all kinds of joy, I agree with the Academy’s decision to honor Emma Carpenter 18’s The Kite War as the superior film. It had a great aesthetic and style to it. The colors were vibrant and the story was really cute; sort of like Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree if the tree was a little bit creepier.

Best Comedy went quite deservingly to Dreamemes. If you haven’t seen it, you owe it to yourself to drop some acid and give it a watch. Any lover of memes and frantic editing should love Benny Munkittrick 18’s short film. I laughed the hardest at his, but the other two entries, The Note and The League of Extraordinary Shentlemen are both great in their own rights. This might have been the strongest category. Don’t actually do acid, please.

Lars Ljungolm ‘20 walked away with a few awards on the night, one for Best Cinematography rightly going to Show Reel and one for Best Short. I’m biased in my admiration for Lars’ work, but I am confident that as of right now he is the best videographer on campus. His style is distinct and his composition of shots is unmatched, so I look forward to seeing how he matures as an artist over his next three years, even if I may not be around personally to see him at Film Fest.

If there were any snubs, I’d say that Judith Marklin ‘17 was one of them. To Be Nepal and I Caught This Morning specifically; these two films were gorgeous. The latter, I Caught This Morning had some of my favorite shots of the whole night. The diversity in locations, in lighting, in subjects; it was a mood, a special feeling that it evoked. I wish Judith had won something because considering the entirety of her body of work, it would be her films and their internationally transcendent subject matter that most closely embody the pinnacle of filmmaking that Houghton has to offer.

I wish I could describe the rest of the films in greater detail and credit the other artists for their contributions, (Melissa Maclean ‘17, Melissa Maclean, Melissa Maclean) but to see every film for yourself you can watch them on the Houghton College Film Fest page on YouTube.

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TV Review // Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life

When the television series Gilmore Girls appeared in its entirety on Netflix in October 2014, fans new and old were prompted to binge watch the WB classic. For seven seasons, the show followed former teen mom Lorelai Gilmore (Lauren Graham) and her teenage daughter and best friend Rory (Alexis Bledel) as they built a relationship with Lorelai’s parents Emily (Kelly Bishop) and Richard (Edward Herrmann), supported Rory’s journey from prep school Chilton to Yale University, managed their extremely flawed romantic relationships, and made their home in the small, quirky town of Stars Hollow, Connecticut. In the late 90’s and early 2000’s, the series was known for its Sorkin-esque fast-talking characters, numerous pop culture references, and entitled, yet endearing leading ladies. When the show found a new home on the popular online streaming website, it also found a renewed place in pop culture, turning up in Buzzfeed lists and quizzes, Tumblr posts, and even the podcast “Gilmore Guys” in which two twenty-something men recap every episode.

The cultural revival of the show hit its apex when an actual revival was announced earlier this year by Netflix. Finally, fans could revisit all of their favourite Stars Hollow characters, learn where Rory’s journalism career had taken her, and, most importantly, hear the final four words of the show that creator and executive producer Amy Sherman-Palladino had promised them a decade ago. The full main cast was slated to return, aside from the late Herrmann, and Melissa McCarthy who played Lorelai’s best friend Sookie St. James. Sherman-Palladino and her husband, executive producer Daniel Palladino, who were absent for last season of the show, were both on board. Expectations, unsurprisingly, were high.

Rather than filming a full new season of the show, Netflix announced that the revival would be a mini-series of hour and a half long episodes featuring four seasons in the lives of the Gilmores, appropriately titled Gilmore Girls: A Year in the Life. All four episodes were released on November 25, coaxing fans away from the mall on Black Friday to sit in front of their computers and finally see what became of their beloved Gilmores.

A Year in the Life opens with iconic quotes from the original show’s seven seasons, immediately identifying itself as a show intended for fans of the original series. Some scenes that long-time fans will find exciting, like Kirk’s second short film, or the Life and Death Brigade’s homage to Across the Universe, will be just plain confusing to new viewers. That’s not to say that there isn’t plenty in this series for non-fans and Gilmore Girls fans (or, as I prefer to call us, “Gillies”) alike to be enjoy. From Paris Geller’s (Liza Weil) freak out in a Chilton bathroom, to Lorelai’s decision to do Wild (the book, not the movie), the series is as clever in its humor as the original. Even McCarthy makes a brief comic appearance in the fourth episode.

The show generally maintains a balance of witty comedy and emotional drama, including the kind of mother-daughter (namely Lorelai versus Emily and Lorelai versus Rory) shouting matches that are never overdone, but hit just the right note. All of the familial arguments are earned, as are their resolutions, after a thoughtful set-up and resolution by Sherman-Palladino. Most impressive is how Sherman-Palladino handles Herrmann’s death. He isn’t forgotten, in fact the Gilmore patriarch has an immense presence in the new show, mostly in the form of wall-sized portrait hanging in Emily’s house. We are shown scenes from his funeral in the first episode, but he isn’t seen until the final episode, in which Rory walks through her grandparents’ house and imagines him still with her. While the scene could have been trite, it fits the show’s ending well, giving viewers closure with Richard’s character.

Providing closure to character arcs is one element that Sherman-Palladino has a difficult time with in this iteration of the series. She has stayed true to the original characters in the revival, and provides rich arcs for both Emily and Lorelai. But Rory does not seem to have grown up between the ages of 22 and 32. While her morals were always somewhat loose (Rory loses her virginity to her married ex-boyfriend and there’s that one time she steals a yacht), it surprised me to find her in an ongoing affair with an engaged ex-boyfriend while she also cheats on her “forgettable” boyfriend.

Instead of the hard-working Rory who once made articles on boring subjects for her high school newspaper shine with creativity, we are introduced to a Rory with only a few published articles under her belt, who spends her free time jetting between London and Connecticut to carry on her affair. The formerly tenacious character thinks it’s beneath her to write for online media and gives up an opportunity writing a piece for Condé Nast after one day. The privilege that has followed her from Chilton to Yale to her first reporting job has obviously come to an end. Even in the last episode when she decides to write a book, she does not appear to have grown at all. And then there’s the final four words.

I won’t spoil them for you, but I will say that they make it clear that Rory has a lot more growing to do. Does this mean more episodes? Opinions differ, after all, these were the intended final four words of the show. Personally, I think a return would not only be the best way to flesh out Rory’s character arc, but it would be great for television in general. Despite Rory’s lack of redemption at the finale, she, Lorelai and Emily remain three of the most complex and nuanced female characters written for television in the 2000s, and I would welcome a return. Where they lead, I will follow.

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Review // PersonA Reveals New Persona for Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros

With the departure of one of their lead singers, Jade Castrinos, in 2014, the sound and image of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros dramatically changed. The band has always been perceived as a kind of hippie-folk outfit, half band and half travelling commune, but with the loss of one of their charismatic lead singers, they had to undergo a serious image-change.

PersonA is the result of that image-change. It is a mix between their old freak-folk style, and a new, more together style which conjures images of The Beatles and the ‘60’s folk movement. It’s not necessarily a bad change, as frontman Alex Ebert said, that the guy-girl style that had characterized the band allowed them to be creatively lazy. With the change of image, came a change of personality, the persona of Edward Sharpe starting to merge more with the person of Alexander Ebert, hence the album name and the album artwork.

It seems that Ebert put a lot of work into the identity change, as the new album is a powerhouse. With folk melodies such as “Somewhere” and “No Love Like Yours,” it is likely to appeal both to long-time fans, and newcomers to the Edward Sharpe experience. Several songs seem to mark a time of change for the band, like the song “Free Stuff,” which mocks the folk music industry for overusing “hos and heys,” a musical addition which Ebert believes he was the first to use in folk music. The song represents his frustration with the music industry for “stealing his hos,” and also the band’s departure from that type of folk.

The song which stands out the most to many who review the album, and which Ebert says might be one of the best the band has ever written seems to be a bit overrated. “Wake Up the Sun” is a classic, anti-organized-religion song, in the vein of “Love is my Religion” by Ziggy Marley, and John Lennon’s “Imagine.” It doesn’t quite have the power that Ebert seems to think it does, as it proclaims “no religion, love, my religion is love.” A potentially powerful message lost perhaps in the overly-used falsetto vocals, and repetitive, unoriginal lyrics representing popular opinion in an attempt to be rebellious.

Besides this possibly overrated song, the album does have a powerful lineup. Ranging in genre from the traditional freak-folk the band is known for, to a bluesy kind of folk-rock, as characterized by the song “Uncomfortable.”

The song, which may well be the best song on the album, is the hippie-folk anthem “No Love Like Yours,” which conjures images of The Incredible String Band and The Beatles like no other song on the album. It represents the band’s ability to bridge old sounds with new folk movements, and to create a persona for themselves that may just be the best persona they have ever had.

From fans of their older music to folk-music junkies, this is an album that can appeal to just about anyone in the folk-music world. For anyone who doesn’t want to commit to a full listen, definitely check out “Somewhere” and “No Love Like Yours,” but for anyone who is in the mood for a musical experience, give it a listen all the way through. It will not disappoint.

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Review // SPOT (Mostly) On

Fall SPOT is as much a part of Houghton culture as are lanky white boys playing the acoustic guitar, so naturally this year’s show was hyped to be the perfect sendoff for Homecoming 2016. Having experienced six of these during my tenure as a student, as both performer and audience-member – overall, I’d call this one a success, though sure, there may have been a number of missteps over the near-ninety-minute running time.

puple-and-goldHosts, Sarah Duttweiler ‘17 and Travis Trotman ‘17, exuded a palpable energy onstage, doubling down on their peppy “Purple vs. Gold” theme. They did the whole “shoot a video of the hosts frantically racing to SPOT, making it to the chapel, and then entering through the aisle doors as the video ends” thing, and as overdone of a concept as that may be, I couldn’t help but smile watching the two of them shimmy up to the stage in all of their wavy-armed, leg-flailing enthusiasm. Their overall contributions to the show were minimal as far as skits were concerned, but they did handle the job with a whimsical nonchalance.

The acts were a mixed bag, as has come to be expected. It is surely no easy task to cobble an act together in the three weeks between the first day of classes and the week of auditions, much less one that is original, funny, and well-orchestrated all at the same time. While several acts managed, only two of those conditions there were certainly a handful of acts that had me gasping for air between fits of laughter.

The way that Michael Carpenter declaimed “Smack it” again and again, reading Beyoncé’s 7/11, with equal parts drama and articulation had me absolutely rolling, regardless of the fact that I’d already basically seen the act several times before (and once again that night, strangely enough). The Impractical Shen Men skit was something I’d hoped to someday see in SPOT, and it did not disappoint. I’d love to see it again a few more times, next time maybe outside of Houghton or at another college campus (Roberts, let’s go). But my favorite act of the night had to be Bad Anniversary Presents, its success resting squarely on the shoulders of Ian Smith and Luke Duttweiler. Their originality, wit, and delivery easily made it the highlight of the show. Ian Smith, if you’re reading this, I would happily watch an act of you reading ingredients off the side of a cereal box. Kudos to you, sir.

Comedic acts aside, while Laura Johnson’s voice may have been noticeably absent from this fall’s SPOT there was certainly no lack of singers to fill the void. The pipes on some of these people, my word. Their voices were beacons of hope. Their voices were islands I wanted to live on. They were lighthouses I wanted to swim to. They were silverback gorillas in the Cincinnati Zoo and I wanted to protect them. All who sang, bless you. Now… there were a lot of you and variety is the spice of life, but there was admittedly an overabundance of singing acts, and some did fall a bit flat as a result.

Some acts, unfortunately, fell inordinately flat. Watching swing dancing is like watching the Presidential debates. When everything’s going well it’s a decent watch, but more often than not we spend the whole time waiting to see if something terrible is going to happen. It’s stressful. My favorite part of the Hannah Montana skit was watching a gangly freshman dancing up in front of the stage trying to cut a jig. And then there was THAT act. Yeah. That one. All I’m saying is that it would be great to stifle too much further tongue on tongue action moving forward to Spring SPOT, Snow Patrol notwithstanding (Just kidding guys, congrats on the new relationship).

Overall, it was fine, to me, a net positive. Inoffensive hosts, some hilarious skits, some amazing performances, and another fabulous turn by the SPOT band (Never stop, SPOT Band), were enough to balance out some of the cringier moments sprinkled throughout. It was a good night as far as good nights in Houghton are concerned, and for that I’d call it a success.

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Where Antelope Roam // A Book Reviewed and an Author Revered

A book review ought to start, more than likely, with the book. But my review can’t begin there. It begins with the man. The man who wrote the book, who gathered days and moments, adventures and seasons, who recalled and reminisced and turned memories to words, to pages, to chapters, to book: a collection of short stories bound in Where Antelope Roam.

Photo Courtesy of: Amazon.com
Photo Courtesy of: Amazon.com

I cannot separate the book from the man; but then, I don’t need to. This is autobiography—what makes the book worth reading is the man who lives a life worth reading. I vouch for the value of both.

I begin, however, with the author. An author I first knew as a professor.

With an energy and eagerness (either endearing or embarrassing) of my college freshman self, I sat in his Cultural Anthropology classroom. Before the end of his two hour class, I remember clearly thinking “I want to do what he does.” Now this, I’m coming to learn, has less to do with the specifics of doing—with mimicking job or education or, not to give too much away, the handling of horned vipers—but the being. And this is harder to articulate and harder to enact.

What I sensed in that classroom, and what I sense in the pages of this book, is this fullness of life. A character and a being, a posturing, that is wonderful—that is, really, full of wonder. It is this unwavering joy in life—a firm confidence in the value of here: this place, this person, this landscape and moment before me. It is this seeking and spotting of goodness that is wholly refreshing and inspiring. It is wise. In being lost, in carrying out difficult work in a sometimes difficult climate and context, in childhood and career and aging, in adventure and misadventure, there is a lightheartedness and there is always learning.

This is an incredible life and these are incredible stories about a person and a place, beloved. Africa, a continent so often stereotyped or skewed, is given life and image through Arensen’s stories: it is spectacularly beautiful and complex. much like the people that we are, like the lives we live, and the countries and continents we inhabit. This is a life and a continent that cannot be painted with a broad stroke. And it isn’t. Arensen’s stories, instead, are threaded with themes of humour, culture, spirituality, sorrow, knowledge, and wisdom.

This anthology, these stories, provides snippets and snapshots of a patchwork life, colourful, pieces unique and wonderful, each with a pattern and shade of their own.

My sophomore self, with a slightly more subtle enthusiasm, did end up doing what he did (or at least one of the things he did—it was a start). I signed up for his study-abroad program, a program he founded and directed for many years, in Tanzania. And on our first full day, he shared with his cohort of students this Anglican catechism: “What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and enjoy Him forever.” This is something Arensen, and his book, embodies. And it is this I hope to do—and be.

This is a book you ought to read, and a man you ought to know.

Rachel Woodworth is a Class of 2015 Houghton Alum.

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Reviews Stories In Focus

Music Review: The Heart Speaks in Whispers by Corinne Bailey Rae

After the untimely death of her husband and scaling back on writing music for a while, Corinne Bailey Rae has come back with the highly anticipated album The Heart Speaks in Whispers. In this newest affair, Bailey Rae has found a way to integrate the vintage style of R&B with a modernized Synthpop. While this album is much more instrumentally heavier than her last, she finds a way to still let her full-bodied, yet silky voice sound relaxing and effortless while doing so. She is not as lyrically raw in this venture, much more akin to her first album, and her vocals are much more soulful, allowing listeners to hear her more unrefined and powerful voice. We get to hear a range of her abilities, from her edgier, more bluesy efforts, her classic smooth R&B sound, and in this effort she experiments more on the very 80’s, Prince styled, pop sound that listeners experienced on her last EP Is This Love.

The Heart Speaks in Whispers is easily her most eccentric work to date. We get tastes of how unique she could be with previous songs like “The Blackest Lily” and her cover of Belly’s “Low Red Moon.” Her latest venture starts out with the biggest sound and most instrumentally diverse track that she has ever attempted with “The Skies Will Break”. It suits her well and allows Bailey Rae to venture away from her usual sound that generally tends to be more of an urbanized version of easy listening.

 

She eventually fills the album with a mixture of 80’s inspired Synthpop styled songs such as “Been to the Moon,” “Horse Print Dress,” and soulful R&B such as “Green Aphrodisiac” (the album’s biggest hit) and “Hey, I Won’t Break Your Heart.”  The lowest point is “Stop Where You Are” a surprisingly cookie cutter song similar to what Jason Mraz or Sara Bareilles have made popular. Eventually, the album mellows out to her attractive and typical strings heavy, blues tinged love songs. This album’s biggest strength and overall theme is experimenting with what Corinne Bailey Rae’s voice can do, along with a more diverse and full instrumentation than she has previously attempted.

The album, for Bailey Rae, is a step in the right direction to what she wants to be as an artist. Each of her albums has a unique air, but this one ventures into new territory for the singer and also allows her to show off her instrumental tastes, something she is shy to do in her first two albums. It’s also simply a good album for music listeners. Some may find it a tad too eccentric or not quite their style, but no one would really go away feeling like they had listened to a bad album. The album itself is beautiful. It’s rich and quirky, while still maintaining the quirky chic vibe that is Corinne Bailey Rae. It should satisfy fans of hers and draw a few more in.