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(02/21/17 8:14am)
By Thomas Infante
Arts & Entertainment Editor
An esteemed criminologist spoke in the Library Auditorium on Wednesday, Feb. 15, about the increase in incarcerations, racism in criminal justice and the decrease in crime in a presentation entitled “The Changing Environment for Criminal Justice Reform.”
Marc Mauer, the executive director of the Sentencing Project — a Washington D.C.-based research center that advocates for criminal justice reform — began his presentation with an overview of mass incarceration, which looks at the rise of incarcerated people in America over time.
According to Mauer, there are currently about 1.6 million people in either state or federal penitentiaries. The U.S. is the world leader in incarceration rate by a significant margin — for every 100,000 people, nearly 700 will end up in prison.
“Most of this change happened within the last 40 years,” Mauer said. “It all happened seemingly overnight through change of policy and legislature, not a change in the crime rate.”
Much of this change in policy came about during the war on drugs that began in the early 1980s, which brought record numbers of arrests in the U.S. These policies caused police in the inner cities to crack down harder on drug offenders and impose additional mandatory sentencing guidelines on them, resulting in offenders often receiving lifetime imprisonment for their crimes.
In 2014, there were more people incarcerated for drug-related crimes than there were total prisoners in 1980.
“There are diminishing returns on stopping low-level drug crimes,” Mauer said. “When an 18-year-old kid gets arrested for selling pot on the corner, another will take his place almost immediately. Just because someone was sent to prison does not mean it will improve our public safety.”
Mauer’s statistics also showed a racial bias in the current criminal justice system. For example, until the passage of the Fair Sentencing Act in 2010, there were very different penalties toward possession of powder cocaine and crack cocaine. Possession of crack held a minimum 5-year prison sentence, while the laws regarding powder cocaine were more lenient.
Since more Black people are caught possessing crack and more White people with powder, this caused a disproportionate amount of arrests between Blacks and Whites for two similar drugs.
“Crime rates have actually been declining for 20 years,” Mauer told the audience. “But arrests have hardly slowed.”
According to Mauer, at the current rate of decline, it would take 88 years for America’s imprisonment rates to be as low as they were in 1980.
“We need to be more open about discussing research about rehabilitating drug users rather than legislators competing to be tougher on these crimes,” Mauer said.
In addition to the mass amounts of people in prison, the length of their sentences are far longer than those in most other countries. Prisons are now filled with people who will never leave. Approximately one out of nine prisoners is in for life.
“In many Western European countries, it is extremely unusual to be imprisoned for over 20 years for a non-violent crime,” Mauer said. “Young people are also more likely to commit crimes, which means that there are many people who will spend their entire lives in prison with no hope of release.”
Although positive change in policy is happening gradually, there is still a long way to go, according to Mauer.
“We’ve gotten used to this,” Mauer said. “Many prosecutors tell me that they like mandatory minimum sentencing because it makes their jobs easier.”
He also advocated for the use of drug courts, which aim to keep drug offenders out of jail and get them treatment. Although these courts exist in the U.S., they are rarely used compared to the number of incarcerated drug offenders.
There are also conditions for prisoners to be released for health reasons, but this, too, is rare, usually only when the inmate is at death’s door.
Mauer told the audience that significant change would likely be seen at a state level before federal.
“Some states are managing their crime well,” Mauer said. “ New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island and California have all seen a 20 to 30 percent drop in crime rates in recent years with no loss to public safety.”
Recently, California lawmakers approved Proposition 47, which reduced felony drug charges to misdemeanors — a significant step in a state where three felonies will automatically get you life in prison. New York also made progress by repealing the mandatory minimum sentencing guidelines of the Rockefeller drug laws in 2009.
For all of the staggering statistics, Mauer remains hopeful that in time, the way in which legislators think of crime will become more practical.
“We need to treat all kids like they’re our kids,” Mauer said. “Half the rise in the incarceration rate is due to increased prosecution. The other half from longer and mandatory sentences.”
The American criminal justice system should focus on rehabilitation and re-entry into society instead of relegating them to a new maximum-security home for the rest of their lives, Mauer said.
(02/15/17 3:52am)
This week, WTSR Assistant Music Director Nelson Kelly highlights some of the best new albums that the College’s own radio station, 91.3 FM WTSR, puts into its weekly rotation.
Name: Matthew Squires
Album Name: Tambaleo
Release Number: 6th
Hailing From: Austin, TX
Genre: Poppy Indie Folk Rock
Label: Already Dead Tapes
Singer-songwriter Matthew Squires returns for his sixth album, and he’s
just as quirky and unique as ever. Combine the psychedelia of the
Flaming Lips with the rampant all-over-the-place-ness of Dr. Dog and
you get "Tambaleo." This album is laid back yet optimistic at the same
time. Unlike so many writers today, Squires focuses on joy and
positivity, kind of like a non-depressed aka Andrew Jackson Jihad.
Must Hear:
2. Welcome
3. Shining
4. Hosanna (Devotional #3)
5. Grace’s Drum
12. Shape of Your Heart
Band Name: WYLDLIFE
Album Name: Out on Your Block
Release Number: 3rd
Hailing From: New York, NY
Genre: Upbeat Power Pop
Label: Wicked Cool
Out on Your Block was recorded in Atlanta on a shoestring budget but
marks a big sonic leap forward for the group, never compromising its
charmingly ragged aesthetic. WYLDLIFE’s bright and brash rock and roll
attitude updates 70s punk, glam and garage rock for the modern age in
this record. Singer Dave Feldman notes that "Out on Your Block" is about
"wanting to move through life at the speed of sound, at any cost" and
these ten new songs speak to the themes of eternal youth: love, sex,
partying and rock and roll.
Must Hear:
2. Teenage Heart
4. Deadbeat
10. Get Loud
(02/15/17 3:16am)
By Thomas Infante
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Students and faculty from the College gathered in the Mayo Concert Hall on Friday, Feb. 10, for the second Brown Bag discussion of the semester.
Entitled “Social Justice, Music and Education,” the presentation centered on the recent efforts of Assistant Professors of music Colleen Sears, coordinator of music education, and David Vickerman, director of bands, to raise awareness for social issues within the context of musical compositions.
Sears and Vickerman believe that most music education curriculums are largely ignoring the social and historical context of the music being performed. Without that knowledge, the students feel less connected to the music and their education.
Alongside the Institute for Social Justice in the Arts, they began to integrate their ideals into the College’s music programs. In March 2015, they organized a performance of Ted Hearne’s “Katrina Ballads,” which Hearne described as “portraying the experience of seeing it unfold from a distanced position, as an American.”
They also developed a performance called “New Morning for the World” with the College’s wind ensemble, which contains excerpts of famous speeches by prominent civil rights leaders.
Recently, they have been working with the wind ensemble on a composition called “Of Violence and Peace,” which, according to Sears, “includes music written as statements on the horrific, violent events in the Civil Rights Era, Nazi Germany and the tragic mass shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.”
The College’s wind ensemble will perform this composition in Kendall Hall on Feb. 24 at 8 p.m.
“We feel like we have to address these painful issues, but we don’t have to give up hope,” Vickerman said. “Music has the power to bring forth social change.”
After finding success with their efforts at the College, Sears and Vickerman believed their programs would also work within a high school setting. They began to reach out to local high schools, hoping that one of them would be interested. Eventually, they partnered with Montgomery High School.
“We were fortunate to have support from the teachers and administration of the school,” Vickerman said. According to Vickerman and Sears, many high school administrations were reluctant to include any politicized material in their music curriculum.
“We have the privilege of location in higher education,” Sears said. “K-12 teachers are very hesitant to include material that may overtly challenge political or social beliefs.”
Evidently, the focus on social justice hit somewhat close to home at Montgomery High School. Within the past year, there had been two incidents of hate speech at the school, including one in which racial slurs were spray painted on the band room wall.
While working with the school’s band director, Adam Warshafsky, Vickerman and Sears wanted to choose a piece with historical significance that is still easy enough for a high school band to play. They chose “Walking into History,” a piece based on a group of people known as the Clinton 12: the first black students in Tennessee to attend the previously all-white Clinton High School after the decision of Brown v. Board of Education in 1954.
To educate the students about the historical and social significance of the piece, Sears and Vickerman led four hourlong discussions that aimed to meaningfully connect the music to the students’ lives.
In the first discussion, they presented them with a famous quote from Leonard Bernstein, which reads, “This will be our reply to violence: to make music more intensely, more beautifully, more devotedly than ever before.”
The students were asked to discuss the quote, and they concluded that there has to be a better way to respond to violence, Sears said.
In the second discussion, the professors showed the students pieces of a Clinton 12 documentary and found that the students were able to easily relate to their situation.
“The students acknowledged the bravery that it must have taken for the Clinton 12,” Vickerman said. “In the same situation, many of our students said that they would be extremely hesitant to change schools.”
For their third discussion, Sears and Vickerman set up a video chat with JoAnn Boyce, one of the Clinton 12 students. The students asked her questions, especially in regard to the societal parallels between Boyce’s adolescence and the present day.
Boyce acknowledged similarities between racial tensions in the past and present, and she said much of it is due to the hateful rhetoric used in modern politics.
“I hope that young people recognize these issues and are willing to address them,” Boyce said. “I hope that they can be the shoulders that we can stand on moving forward.”
In the final discussion, the students were asked to connect racial issues to their own lives.
“One Indian student said that when she was in South Carolina, people were yelling at her to ‘Go back to your country,’” Sears said.
They spent the remaining time rehearsing the musical piece and found that they were better able to connect with the piece because they now understood its historical context.
Afterwards, the professors had the students creatively reflect on the project by putting together essays, poems, art pieces and music.
“I have never had such a hands-on lesson in any other class in high school,” one student wrote. “This composition is the first that I have felt truly connected with after eight years in band.”
According to Sears and Vickerman, not all of the feedback they received was positive. One community member wrote to the school that he was “subjected to a politically motivated, one-way presentation” when he was just there to see his kid perform.
“In education, there is a tendency to silo certain subjects from one another,” Vickerman said. “In many music curriculums, the historical context and the focus on instrumental proficiency are separated, but the discussion of these topics fuels the performance of the piece.”
Sears and Vickerman are proud that they were able to achieve what they called “proof of concept” with their curriculum’s efficacy.
“The students we worked with were very respectful of one another,” Sears said. “Many were relieved to be having this type of discussion.”
(02/07/17 4:22am)
By Thomas Infante
Arts & Entertainment Editor
In between raving like a madman and saying blunt, uncomfortable statements, comedian Eric Andre spotted junior communication studies major Nick Wodeshick sitting in the front row, wearing a Bob Saget shirt. After complementing the shirt, Andre commanded Wodeshick to take it off in front of the audience.
“I felt pretty excited and starstruck when he noticed the shirt,” Wodeshick said. “I didn’t expect him to ask me to take it off. It went from ‘Wow, Eric Andre noticed me’ to ‘Wow, I’m stripping for Eric Andre.’”
Although Wodeshick was wearing an undershirt, Andre immediately started talking about his love of large nipples after Wodeshick sat down.
Kendall Hall was packed on Friday, Feb. 3, for the College Union Board’s Welcome Back Comedy Show. Comedian Jordan Carlos, best known for his appearance on the MTV2 show “Guy Code,” opened for Andre.
Carlos, who could have been Andre’s twin, covered a variety of topics with a more laid-back approach. He incorporated impressions and personal stories into his jokes about race, relationships and New Jersey.
Andre took the stage after Carlos, telling the audience to “spread your legs and get comfortable.” His presence radiated a manic energy throughout the audience members, many of whom were familiar with his show, “The Eric Andre Show.”
On his show, Andre conducts outlandish interviews with a litany of guests, often shocking them with uncomfortable and strange questions.
“This is a nice place,” he said looking around the Kendall theater. “Let’s tear it down!” Wearing bright red Nike sneakers, he kicked the microphone stand over and proceeded to do the same to every object on the stage.
Andre interspersed personal details about his life throughout the madness. A proficient double-bass player, Andre graduated from the Berklee College of Music in 2005, which he called “bullshit.”
He also referred to himself as “Blewish,” a combination of Black and Jewish.
“It’s cool, lots of famous people are Black and Jewish, like Drake and Jesus,” Andre said. “It’s crazy how parents that look like Arthur Ashe and Howard Stern can have a kid that looks like Macy Gray.”
Several of his jokes were one-liners that were more absurd than clever. The result was hilarious, as the audience struggled to keep pace with Andre’s frenzied mind.
“Last week, I saw Precious in 3D while on salvia,” Andre said to an audience in disbelief. Musings like this were expressed without context and warning, adding a level of surprise to already ludicrous statements like “I want to invent a beer helmet, but for cocaine.”
"A lot of comedians stay on their bits for a long time, but Eric jumps from topic to topic,” Wodeshick said. “His energy and unpredictability are great.”
There were some topics that he stayed on for a bit longer, including abnormal and sometimes depraved aspects of sex. He told the audience about a sexual practice that is apparently common among Mormon teens.
“These Mormon teens aren’t allowed to have premarital sex, so they do this thing called ‘soaking,’” Andre said. “The guy puts his penis all the way inside the girl and then they just stay there. He lets it marinate inside. I guess the idea is that if they don’t move then God won’t catch them.”
His material is often inherently offensive, which showed on the faces of some audience members. One student sitting near the front row even got up to leave during the set, which Andre refused to let go unnoticed.
“Where the fuck are you going?” Andre yelled at the bewildered student. Andre then flipped his four-legged stool upside down and told the student to “get three friends and come sit on the stool.”
Just when he seemed too crazy, Andre would ease up the subject matter of his material. He told the audience a story of his membership in a rap-metal band called “Ill Minded Prophet” when he was a teenager.
“One time we were playing a gig in a burrito shop at 2:30 in the afternoon,” Andre said. “Our singer, who looked like a fat Criss Angel, steps up to the microphone and says, ‘This song is for my dad…wherever he is.’ Then his dad who was inside the store raised his hand and said, ‘I’m right here, son.’”
Andre then shared a list of potential band names with the audience, including “Dry T-shirt Contest,” “Sister Restrictions” and “Alien vs. Predator vs. Brown vs. Board of Education.”
After his set, Andre asked for volunteers from the audience to be interviewed onstage. He chose sophomore interactive multimedia major Steve DiBlasi.
“Would you rather fuck your mom or dad?” Andre asked him. When DiBlasi refused to answer, Andre said, “If you don’t pick one, you have to fuck both.”
He then asked DiBlasi to freestyle rap for the audience. While DiBlasi tried to think of lyrics with his back to Andre, the comedian dropped his pants and underwear, tucking his genitals between his legs. He then crept up behind DiBlasi and began to hump him while the audience cheered.
Andre ended his performance after a question he posed to the audience: “Who here likes ranch?” He picked two volunteers to come onstage and gave them each a bottle of ranch dressing to chug.
One student took a few sips before giving up. The other wore a shirt that read “Ranch Me Brotendo” and held the bottle almost vertically to his mouth as he downed it.
Andre’s performance ended as abruptly as his train of thought. After listening to his bizarre humor, it took some time adjust to people saying normal things.
(01/29/17 7:02pm)
By Thomas Infante
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Nearly half a million people marched through the streets of our nation’s capital on Jan. 21 to protest President Donald Trump. The women’s march in Washington D.C. had one of the most impressive turnouts in recent history, and the College was not without representation.
The feeling of unity was omnipresent as around 100 members of the College community, including faculty and students, attended the march.
The idea to transport students to the demonstration began soon after the election, according to Cecilia Colbeth, the program coordinator of the Women’s and Gender Studies Department.
“Myself and six other students were attending a National Women's Studies Association conference in Canada the day after the election,” Colbeth said. “We felt as if we needed to speak up about the rights of women and other minority groups. We asked ourselves ‘What can we do?’”
Soon after, the plan to attend the march developed. Colbeth worked with Jane Wong, the dean of the School of Humanities, to fund the trip. Other departments also contributed, including the American Federation of Teachers Union and Women In Learning and Leadership.
The activists began their day at 6 a.m., as they boarded two large buses bound for the nation’s capital. According to Colbeth, transportation was a concern from the beginning.
“It was very difficult to find buses to rent because so many were being used by others for the same purpose,” she said. “We finally found two, and within two days, we had filled the seats.”
This was the first march that Colbeth, as well as many of the students, took part. Immediately upon arrival, she was struck with a feeling of camaraderie and warmth from the other participants.
“We started at RFK Stadium and walked about 13 miles through Washington D.C.,” Colbeth said. “There were people of all ages and backgrounds banding together to make their voices heard. It was unbelievable how supportive and good-natured the crowd was. It was a great opportunity to voice our concerns and introduce the students to peaceful activism.”
Matthew Cathell, a professor of Technological Studies and an activist at the march, agreed.
“All along the way, people cheered us on… crossing guards, police officers, armed service members,” he said. “Folks leaned out windows and came onto their yards and porches with their children, holding up signs saying, ‘Welcome’ and ‘Thank You.’”
Cathell described the enormous crowd at the event.
“I don't know if there was ever a bigger collection of pink hats anywhere, anytime,” he said. “The hats were worn by women, men and children of every color, every age and every description.”
Cathell described the exuberance of the crowd as the march began.
“People burst into spontaneous chanting as they waved their signs. Signs that were uplifting, hilarious, witty, angry, pleading, profane, hopeful and, sometimes, beyond any classification,” he said. “People were laughing, starting conversations with strangers, beating drums, taking photographs and, of course, marching.”
Among these like-minded citizens stood many students from the College, who had much to say about why they participated.
“I marched to be counted and to bare witness. I marched because peaceful assembly is American and it is patriotic. I marched for the women next to me, who came before me, and those future feminists in the making,” said Rachel Smith, a freshman women, gender and sexuality studies and communication studies double major.
“I marched for my momma and all the women who wanted to be there, but couldn't,” she added.
Numerous demonstrators acknowledged a need for unity as a cause for their participation.
Rosie Driscoll, a junior women, gender and sexuality studies and history double major, said that the march is about “those I love and about those who I'll never meet, but who don't deserve to be treated as second-class Americans. To me, the march was a way for many people to unite and say, ‘Do not forget us, or we will hold you accountable’ and a way to engage more people in activist work.”
Some students who participated felt the need to march in order to defend their religious beliefs.
“As an American-Muslim, I feared the next four years after hearing offensive rhetoric throughout the presidential campaign,” said Zahra Memon, a sophomore deaf education and iSTEM double major. “However, yesterday proved otherwise. The march was an impactful movement filled with kindness, love and hope from a diverse group of people.”
Zainab Rizvi, a junior women, gender and sexuality studies and elementary education double major, marched because of the disrespect that she feels minorities have been subjected to by Trump.
“I marched to proudly hold my position in the country that my parents fought so hard to be a part of,” Rizvi said. “I marched along fellow women of all backgrounds, races and religions fighting a similar battle.”
Ann Marie Nicolosi, an associate professor of women, gender and sexuality studies, said that the experience filled her with pride.
“The students realized that they were part of a bigger community,” she said. “Even I didn’t expect such a warm welcome. I knew it would be peaceful, but the environment was very loving.”
Nicolosi, who has participated in several peaceful marches, is thankful for an administration committed to social justice and empowering students to share their voice.
“Activism and gender studies are definitely correlated just because of the nature of what is being studied,” she said.
When asked if the department plans to march again next year, Nicolosi responded, “I think it’ll be much sooner than a year from now.”
(01/23/17 4:53pm)
By Thomas Infante
Arts & Entertainment Editor
Based on the original play written in 1983 by August Wilson, “Fences” is the definition of a modern classic. The play won a Pulitzer Prize for drama and enjoyed a run on Broadway, where it won several Tony Awards, including the award for best play in 1987. While James Earl Jones played the original leading man, later productions featured Denzel Washington as Troy Maxson.
After a successful revival of the play, Washington announced his plans to direct and star in a film adaptation of “Fences,” which was released in December 2016.
Washington’s experience portraying Troy is evident in his emotive acting. As a middle-aged black man living in 1950s Philadelphia, Troy works tirelessly as a garbage man in order to support his family. Years earlier, Troy was a star baseball player in the Negro League, but was too old to play professionally by the time baseball became fully integrated.
His bitterness about this strongly influences his philosophy, especially toward his teenage son Cory (Jovan Adepo). Cory is a good football player and hopes to use his abilities to get a college scholarship. Troy considers it a waste of time because of his past experiences and refuses to accept that his son may have better opportunities than he had at his age.
Caught in the middle of this conflict is Rose (Viola Davis), Troy’s wife and Cory’s mother. Davis recently won a Golden Globe for best supporting actress for her performance as Rose, who is a dutiful wife and mother constantly trying to maintain peace in a household with several strong personalities. She listens to Troy yammer on about how he could play baseball better than Jackie Robinson, while trying to support Cory’s decision to play football.
There are other frequent visitors to the Maxson household who add depth to Troy’s situation. His friend and drinking buddy Bono (Stephen Henderson) provides Troy with moral guidance.
There is also Gabe (Mykelti Williamson), Troy’s brother, who suffered a head injury while fighting in World War II and now believes he is the angel Gabriel. Gabe carries around a broken trumpet and regularly causes a ruckus when he hallucinates “fighting off hellhounds” that he sees in the street. Troy, who often acts as Gabe’s caretaker, is deeply affected by Gabe’s condition and resists committing him to an institution because he feels that his brother deserves his freedom after serving his country.
The setting, like the characters, is very realistic. Troy lives in a small house in a low-class neighborhood, yet there is a vibrant sense of community. Kids cheerfully play stickball in the street while adults — too poor to afford a car — walk jauntily to and from work while discussing their lives.
Troy spends much of his free time in his small backyard where he is gradually building a fence around his property. Troy’s larger-than-life personality is only accentuated by the meagerness of his physical possessions. We constantly hear Troy recount fanciful tales of his abusive father, his time in prison and his heroic athletic feats, but the only goal he has left is to finish the fence around his 50 square feet of yard.
“Fences” is a character drama like no other. Special effects in this film are practically nonexistent — the focus is largely on the characters themselves. The plot is conveyed by dialogue between the characters who all have motivations and emotions realistic enough to be relatable. When the usually proud Troy admits to his wife, “I’ve been standing in the same spot for 18 years,” you can hear the pain and disappointment in his voice.
Troy, while deeply flawed, tries to do what he considers to be the right thing for his family — even if they don’t always agree with him. Washington did an excellent job both starring and directing “Fences,” and the result is a film that is both faithful to the original play and realistically compelling in its own right.
(12/07/16 5:57pm)
By Thomas Infante
Reviews Editor
When you’re young, you often feel invincible. Those who are fortunate enough to be in good health often shrug off risky behavior with no further reasoning than “Nothing bad will happen to me.” Scott Fried had the same thought the first time that he had unsafe sex with another man. As he would later find out, he was wrong.
“Nothing bad ever happens the first time, right?" Fried asked the audience in the Physics Building. Unbeknownst to him at the time, Fried’s partner was HIV positive, and the encounter would change Fried’s life forever.
Fried has been HIV positive for 29 years and travels around the country to educate people about the virus. A proud Jewish-American with a youthful smile, Fried combatted his positive diagnosis with an even more positive attitude. In honor of World AIDS Day on Thursday, Dec. 1, PRISM hosted Fried as he shared tender and humorous anecdotes.
Fried opened the event with some kind words to the audience.
"You are a beautiful generation,” Fried told the audience. “Each and every one of you are beautiful and deserves to be alive.”
Fried believes most of our problems come from the part inside us that feels unloved or insecure. By appealing to this side of people, Fried hopes they will feel strong enough to not be pressured into unsafe sex.
As a gay man, Fried has been subject to discrimination throughout his life. The first standout was in 1981, when Fried was at George Washington University. He was having a great time for the first few weeks until, one day, he found a picture taped to his door.
“It was a picture of a muscular guy in a G-string,” Fried said. “In black ink someone wrote, ‘Hey Scott, this picture is for you. I love you, fag.’”
The anonymous message shook Fried to his core, and he transferred to New York University soon after to study dance. By the time he graduated, the AIDS epidemic throughout the U.S. was in full swing. Many groups were being blamed for the spreading of the virus, including homosexuals.
Still, Fried told himself, “It won’t happen to me.”
By 1987, Fried was working a starting position on an off-Broadway show set. One day, the carpenter on the set approached him out of nowhere and said, “I know your secret. You should call me sometime” and gave Fried his phone number. Fried was both taken aback and intrigued.
“It was such a new feeling,” he said. “He seemed dangerous and attractive. It was exciting. Do you ever go to a restaurant and the waitress tells you, ‘Don’t touch that plate. It’s hot.’ How many of you touch the plate anyway?" he asked and most of the audience members raised their hands.
He eventually called the man and a few days later, Fried found himself going to his apartment. Inside, the man sat down at a keyboard and played a song he said he wrote for Fried.
“The song sucked,” Fried said. "And I knew he was lying. He didn’t write that song for me, but when he asked me if I liked it, I told him it was great. Our first interaction was predicated on lies.”
Fried asked the man if he had ever been tested for HIV, and the man told him that he had been tested six weeks prior. He didn’t ask what the results of the test were, and even if he did, a six-week-old test could have been totally irrelevant if he had unprotected sex since then. In addition, neither of them had a condom.
“I didn’t even care what the results of the test were,” Fried said. “I was willing to go so far for someone that knew my secret just to feel comfortable again. I was at the intersection of risk and need, and I didn’t know how to say, ‘No.’”
A few weeks later, Fried began developing sores on his stomach and feeling ill. He went to get tested for HIV among other diseases, and his partner was upset that he did so.
“He told me that if I ever told someone that he infected me with AIDS he would kill me,” Fried said.
“Then he moved to (Los Angeles), and I never saw him again.”
When Fried’s HIV test came back positive, he asked himself if he was finally ready to accept who he was.
“I got infected with HIV because I didn’t know if I was enough,” Fried said. “No one ever came to my school to tell me that I’m beautiful.”
Fried is thankful to live in an age in which one with HIV can live with few inhibitions. Thanks to daily medication, his HIV count is so low that the virus is unable to replicate. He is classified as "positive and undetectable.” Fried said if he stopped taking his medicine tomorrow, the virus would kill him in about six months.
He spoke highly of post-exposure prophylaxis pills that act as a preventative measure for those who fear that they may have been infected. When taken within 48 hours of having unsafe sex, it can be extremely effective in stopping the transmission of HIV. He also advocated for clean needle exchange programs that would curb the rising HIV rates in areas with rampant drug addiction problems.
Fried closed the evening with a slideshow of his friends who have died from AIDS.
“The moments we create with each other are eternal,” Fried said. “I know some of you may have felt awkward hearing these things. My friends wished for more time to do things like this. All the awkwardness leads to healing.”
Few have witnessed as much healing firsthand as Fried, who said Jonathan Larson, author of the play “Rent,” used to sit in on their HIV group therapy sessions. It was there that one of Fried’s friends said, “I’m not afraid of dying. I’m afraid of losing my dignity.”
Now, Fried is making sure that America’s youth will never have to face that fear again.
(11/28/16 11:45pm)
By Thomas Infante
Reviews Editor
On the evening of Tuesday, Nov. 15, the College’s Entrepreneurship Club hosted a guest speaker, alumnus Alex Sauickie (’93), in the Education Building.
Sauickie currently works as the chief operating officer of Scivantage, a company that specializes in developing software to analyze financial data. Sauickie spoke about his career in business since graduating from the College, and offered advice to those in the audience who hoped to start their own business one day.
Sauickie graduated from the College in December 1993, back when it was still called Trenton State. Sauickie said it took him an extra semester to graduate because he “had too much fun as an underclassman.” He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration with a focus on marketing.
Upon graduating, he received a part-time offer from Merrill-Lynch, a large brokerage firm that has since been acquired by Bank of America. He turned it down, in the hopes that he would be offered a full-time position. Luckily, his employer was also an alumnus of the College and so he was given the position he wanted.
Throughout the next six years he spent at the firm, he was promoted seven times, saying that he always “looked ahead to what was next” and never got too comfortable.
“My manager at the time always forced his employees to work outside of their comfort zones,” Sauickie said. “Although I was hired to a position that involved client services, my manager moved me into positions that were focused in areas like operations and finance.”
Being introduced to different areas made him a more savvy businessperson.
“It’s not always best to rise straight up,” he said.
Although he could have continued to work within Merrill-Lynch, Sauickie was eager to branch out further and left to form a startup company that failed after 16 months. After that, he moved to Manhattan to work for Island ECN, an online stock trading company that was a main competitor of NASDAQ at the time. The company was eventually bought by a larger firm called Instinet for more than $500 million. After that, he spent eight years working at yet another startup that was acquired for more than six times its initial value.
Now that Sauickie has extensive experience in many areas of business, he is often offered jobs solely based on that experience.
“Many companies hire me when they are losing a lot of money,” Sauickie said. “My job is to turn the company around, build it back up and sell it at a high enough premium to repay the investors in the company.”
Through years of hard work and many different jobs, Sauickie has become an independent and successful businessperson, and had several points of advice to offer those who are also interested in creating a startup company.
His first piece of advice: persistence.
“You should always go after what you want, be it a job or a relationship,” Sauickie said. “If you get too comfortable, you’ll lose your drive for success.”
His also stressed the importance of networking in the modern business world.
“I use LinkedIn much more (than) I use Facebook,” Sauickie said. “Blogging on your profile helps potential employers see it and could be the difference in getting hired to a competitive position.”
Sauickie also emphasized the importance of public speaking in a professional environment.
“It’s something that everyone should learn because of how often you’ll have to speak in front of a group,” Sauickie said. “When I was a kid, I hated practicing public speaking, but as I got better, it became natural.”
His final piece of advice to those with an idea for a startup was simple: Do it now.
“Don’t wait on your good ideas,” Sauickie said. “When I was in college, I had the same idea to make a social media platform just like Facebook before it even existed. You don’t want to regret not developing a great concept.”
Like any successful businessperson, Sauickie is familiar with the concept of risk and told the audience that risk can be justified depending on what exactly one is trying to achieve.
“I left Merrill-Lynch because the passion I had for having a top position at a startup company was worth more to me than a decent job,” Sauickie said. “There was a trade off of ownership/equity and benefits/stability.”
Sauickie told the audience to take it easy once in awhile and find hobbies or activities to relieve stress outside of work.
“For the first 10 years of my career I worked brutal hours,” Sauickie said. “It was unhealthy. I was overweight and sleep-deprived. But just like my career, I set goals for myself, and in July of this year (I) finished my first Ironman race.”
Although Sauickie has had his share of business failures, he said he regrets none of the choices he made throughout his career.
“Even if a company fails, you still gain valuable experience in running it,” Sauickie said. “That’s worth more than anything else.”
(11/15/16 11:40pm)
By Thomas Infante
Reviews Editor
This has been a polarizing year in rap music. On one hand, we have mainstream artists such as Chance The Rapper, Kanye West and Kendrick Lamar releasing some of the most experimental hip-hop projects in years. On the other hand, commercial juggernauts like Drake, Travis Scott and Future have all enjoyed enormous success with recent releases, as well. As a genre, hip-hop is more sonically diverse than ever before. The artists listed above have released some of the best-selling albums this year, yet none of those albums were as interesting as Isaiah Rashad’s debut full-length, “The Sun’s Tirade.”
Rashad is not a name that is immediately recognizable to most. Hailing from Chattanooga, Tenn., 25-year-old Isaiah Rashad McClain has been on the verge of rap stardom since the release of his debut EP “Cilvia” in March 2014. The buzz from the EP even earned him a spot in the 2014 XXL magazine’s “freshman class” of the best up and coming rappers.
Since then, Rashad has been crafting “The Sun’s Tirade,” which was released on Friday, Sept. 2, and may have been the most overlooked release of this year. With a little help from fellow Top Dawg Entertainment artists Lamar and Jay Rock, Rashad covers a range of topics and moods, all while rapping over relatively mellow, jazzy beats and providing lyrical depth for those who listen closely.
Rashad has listed ’90s giants such as Nas, OutKast and Snoop Dogg as his main influences, along with soul artists like James Brown and Smokey Robinson. This is reflected through his music, which is reminiscent of his influences without sounding forced or ripped-off.
Nearly every beat on the album features melodic elements from a real, or at least real-sounding, instrument, like guitar, bass or piano, which accompany the typical 808 drums and heavy bass that is standard to rap music. While they are not particularly complex, they all exude emotional energy and complement Rashad’s overall performance.
The album’s lead single “Free Lunch” showcases Rashad rapping over a mellow guitar and bass-driven beat. Eerie synthesizers chime in the background, syncopated over a drum groove that keeps the song from getting sleepy. The title and chorus of the song reference the free meal that Rashad would get at school as a child growing up in poor economic conditions.
The album boasts many songs that are laid-back and low tempo, but they all sound distinct enough that they don’t get boring. One such track is the opener, “4r Da Squaw,” which features a beat driven by dreamy keyboards and a minimal drum pattern. Rashad’s vocal delivery is fragmented and lethargic.
Another down-tempo song is “Park,” which has one of the most minimal beats on the album. Rashad rightly chooses this song to turn up the energy in his vocal delivery as he raps, “I’m not a savage, I don’t do shit just to do it / This going precise as we planned it / I’m just a bandit / Plus I’m as sharp as a tack or a guillotine right at your family.”
While most of the slower songs on the album are still topically positive, the track “Stuck in the Mud” offers a much more somber performance from Rashad, featuring vocals from SZA on the chorus. The lyrics deal with depression and substance abuse, while the chorus shows how death and depression cannot be avoided, no matter who you are or how much money you have.
“Hoes, dreamers, stuck in the mud / Look at what the reaper got stuck in the mud / Range, Beamers, stuck in the mud / Two 10’s on the inside, stuck in the mud,” the two artists sing over a dark, heavy beat.
Rashad further showcases his range on up-tempo songs, like “Wat’s Wrong” featuring Lamar. The beat is composed of a funky guitar riff, a soulful female background voice and crisp, precise drums. Rashad’s verses showcase his rapping ability and provide more insight into the way he thinks and feels. Lamar’s verse comes between Rashad’s, which makes the song flow like a philosophical conversation that the still rising Rashad is having with an older, more established artist.
For a debut album, “The Sun’s Tirade” perfectly introduces us to Rashad, who will hopefully be making music for many years to come. This album serves as an excellent introduction to his preferred style of production, as well as his versatility as a rapper and lyricist.
(11/07/16 7:52pm)
By Thomas Infante
Reviews Editor
He had hardly heard of Matt and Kim until the indie pop duo came to the College on Friday, Nov. 4. Midway through the concert, however, the student found himself in the center of the crowd, being tossed around a mosh pit while waving an inflatable naked doll that was thrown into the pit by the high-energy, hyper-sexual artists onstage.
The student, Corey Alicea, a junior communication studies major, told The Signal simply: “It was pretty badass!”
The College Union Board’s (CUB) 2016 Fall Concert was exhilarating and featured pounding bass with lively electronic beats from headliners Matt and Kim. Matt Johnson and Kim Schifino have been making music as Matt and Kim since 2004 and have five albums, including April 2015’s “New Glow.” The duo — known for exciting, lively performances — performed in the Recreation Center under multicolored spotlights after indie rock bands Smallpools and Bad Suns opened the show and set the stage for a night of catchy, danceable tunes.
Matt and Kim stood side-by-side onstage and jammed on a keyboard and drums, respectively. The duo’s performance began with a series of heavy brass notes before a recorded voice yelled, “Get the fuck up!” The music transitioned into “It’s Alright,” during which Matt threw water onto an ecstatic audience. With a giant Venn diagram combined with imagery of explosions projected behind him, Matt and Kim had the audience’s undivided attention.
After a quick-fix technical difficulty, the show was underway.
“Lately, all of our shows have had some kind of issue,” Kim said to the audience. “Some piece of technology always fucks up, but it just makes the show even crazier.”
The duo launched into “Block After Block,” during which Kim stood atop her bass drum while she pounded on it.
After the song, Matt shared a personal story about the College.
“Not only did my mom graduate from TCNJ, but my grandparents also met at this school,” Matt said. “So by my reasoning, if it weren’t for this college, I wouldn’t exist.”
He told the audience that in order to properly dance to the next song, they would need to use “the bounce that comes from deep within your crotch.” The raunchiness would only escalate as the concert progressed.
During “Cameras,” Matt threw balloons into the audience and instructed the students to inflate them and throw them into the air. The result was oddly captivating — the duo transitioned to the song “Now” while hundreds of balloons filled the air and colorful lights pulsated to the beat of the music.
As well as original music, Matt and Kim frequently broke into melodies of popular songs, but rearranged it to better fit the duo’s indie pop, electronic style. Examples included “Umbrella” by Rihanna, “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC and “Jump” by Van Halen. The samples added some musical diversity to the performance, which kept the audience on their toes — literally and figuratively.
After a bass-heavy performance of “Get It,” Matt handed a large parachute out to cover the audience before the duo continued into “Make a Mess.”
“There are no rules under the parachute,” Kim yelled to the crowd. The parachute covered a large majority of the audience, and those crammed underneath had to use their phones to find their way in the mass of dancing bodies.
Later, the band played “Please No More” — the fastest song of the night, according to Matt.
“Now is the time to get rid of all your frustration,” he said to the eager audience. Once the song began, some students formed a circular mosh pit, into which Matt threw several inflatable naked dolls.
“The crowd shifted from lighthearted fun to really hardcore and intense,” Alicea said as he recalled how he shoved his way into the center of the crowd to throw himself in the pit. “It was like controlled chaos. Everyone was cool, no one was getting violent. It was just a bunch of people tossing each other around right in front of the stage.”
After the moshing ceased, Matt and Kim instructed the audience to form a bridge with the palms of their hands. Kim proceeded to walk out onto the crowd and twerk on top of them, but not before warning the audience that any phones she saw would be dropped down her pants.
She kept her promise. As she danced above them, Kim stole a student’s phone and put it down the front of her pants while the crowd screamed in delight. The student got their phone back, though.
During the finale, “Daylight,” the audience united to sing the entire song, as students danced, jumped and flailed around while a beach ball bigger than a car bounced overhead.
After “Daylight,” Matt and Kim thanked the College “for being awesome” and dropped “Prison Riot” by Flosstradamus. Another mosh pit ensued.
Before Matt and Kim took the stage, indie pop rock band Smallpools opened. The group has been extensively touring since the release of its debut album “LOVETAP” in March 2015.
The band comprises vocalist and keyboardist Sean Scanlon, guitarist Mike Kamerman, bassist Joseph Intile and drummer Beau Kuther. Together, they brought a charismatic and engaging performance to the College.
“This guy’s from your state!” Scanlon shouted while pointing at Kamerman, who briefly stopped playing his crimson Les Paul to wave to the audience. Kamerman hails from Marlboro, N.J., but the rest of the band grew up in other states.
In a pre-show interview with The Signal, Smallpools discussed its origins.
“We met while we were playing in two separate bands that kind of crashed and burned at the same time,” Scanlon said of himself and Kamerman. “We moved to L.A. to take advantage of the music scene there.”
From there, they met West Coast natives Intile and Kuther, and by 2013, the band had a hit with the release of “Dreaming,” which grew immensely in popularity after New York EDM duo The Chainsmokers remixed the song.
The Smallpools setlist featured highlights from the band’s relatively small catalog of songs, but the musicianship was powerful and enthusiastic, with upbeat songs such as “Over and Over,” “Mason Jar” and “American Love” dominating the set. In the middle of the concert, the band left Kuther onstage alone, who smiled from ear to ear as he pounded a furious drum solo over the Jack Ü (Skrillex and Diplo) and Justin Bieber collaboration, “Where Are Ü Now.”
As the band’s set neared its close, Scanlon recalled a story regarding the origin of their song “Killer Whale.”
“We used to search our band’s name on the internet to see what people were saying about us,” Scanlon said. “We would find these posts on internet forums about how horrible it is to keep killer whales captive in small pools.” During the performance of the song, Smallpools threw a giant inflatable whale into the crowd, which attempted to keep it afloat. The band ended the set, of course, with “Dreaming.”
The first band to take the stage was Bad Suns, a California-based band comprising vocalist and rhythm guitarist Christo Bowen, bassist Gavin Bennett, lead guitarist Ray Libby and drummer Miles Morris. Bad Suns sounded tight and focused, and most songs proved to be as good live as they are in recordings.
The quartet, with matching jet-black hair, played a collection of songs from its album “Disappear Here,” as well as the band’s 2014 debut release, “Language & Perspective.” Their set was full of bright guitar riffs and groovy percussion. The band ended the setlist with the breakout hit “Cardiac Arrest.”
(11/01/16 1:06am)
By Thomas Infante
Reviews Editor
Those who pass by Loser Hall can see a large wooden billboard that has “Free Expression” painted across the top. Throughout the multitude of messages, one was written much larger than the others, stretching across the entire board in all capital letters: “BUILD THAT WALL.”
The 2016 presidential election has been a contentious one and is the first presidential election in which current students at the College are able to vote. However, many are simply too bewildered to even form a real opinion about the candidates.
According to a Wall Street Journal poll in April 2016, Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton are the most unpopular presidential candidates in history. More than 50 percent of registered voters have a negative view of both candidates, with Trump only marginally more unlikeable than Clinton.
“It’s a disgrace that they are the face of our nation,” sophomore finance major Sam Doyle said. “Neither of them did a good job of projecting a positive image.”
Views like these are frequent among students, a demographic that often seems too jaded to care about the election. Sophomore psychology major Matt Baginski said he does not plan to vote in the upcoming election.
“I don’t feel good enough about either candidate to vote for them,” Baginski said. “I watched the debates and neither of them have any charisma that connects with me. I’d rather not be involved at all.”
When asked about their favorite presidents of all time, both Doyle and Baginski listed John F. Kennedy, mostly due to his outgoing and personable character, they said.
In past elections, it was rare to have one candidate that was largely disliked, let alone two.
“Trump is intolerable,” sophomore finance major Kate Galgano said. “He represents the opposite of all the progress we have made in society. He constantly contradicts himself when he talks. The president shouldn’t be lying all the time.”
The media has heavily criticized Trump throughout his presidential campaign, which usually results from his remarks that tend to alienate certain groups of people. Meanwhile, Clinton’s political controversies ruined many voters perception of her before the election even began.
“She seems overtly corrupt,” said Tom Munnia, a sophomore business law major. “She wants to be president because she craves power, not because she represents the people.”
Many students with liberal values find themselves sorely missing Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, who found strong support among college students before losing in the Democratic Primary.
When asked about him, the most common adjective students used to describe him was “genuine.”
“It felt like he was really looking out for us,” Galgano said. “He would have been a better choice, but really, I would be happy with anybody but the actual candidates.”
Despite the poor outlook on both candidates, students had equally little faith in third party candidates.
“Gary Johnson means well, but he can’t garner enough support to bother voting for him,” said Christopher Shaffer, a sophomore management and philosophy double major. “Right now, third parties are just novelties, but I would be willing to vote for a better third party candidate when the political landscape is ready for change.”
Either Trump or Clinton will be the next president of the United States, which may be comforting comforting to some, but not to others.
“I don’t think you can reasonably criticize someone for choosing not to vote this time around,” said Malcolm Luck, a sophomore marketing major. “Both candidates are just so bad.”
Despite the overwhelming despondence felt about this election, some students are optimistic that our nation is strong enough to withstand any potential president. Of those optimistic people is Ryan Jones, president of the College Republicans and a senior Spanish and political science double major.
The College Republicans is committed to promoting conservative political values, and Jones expressed little interest in his party’s candidate.
“I knew from the beginning that he would go far,” Jones said. “He’s vocal and very good at getting attention from the media. He billed himself as a champion of the Republican party opposing the Democrats.”
Jones himself does not consider Trump to be the voice of the Republican Party.
“Our voices are the ones that truly do matter,” Jones said. “Politics is all a conversation, and it’s important that we are all represented in that conversation. It’s important to express how we feel about what’s going on in the U.S. and how we should move forward.”
The current Republican party is less unified in ideology than it has been in the past, as there are several schools of thought with varying priorities, like libertarianism.
“There is definitely discord within the party of how specifically to move forward from here,” Jones said. “Before the primary, the entire spectrum of conservatism was represented in the potential nominees. Even in our club there was no clear favorite.”
Even after such a volatile election season, Jones remains eager to participate in such an extraordinary time in American history.
“It’s exciting to take part in such a crazy election,” Jones said. “Both parties have had their share of controversy. The rhetoric being used now is much different than ever before — very little is kept secret. No one will be 100 percent satisfied with this election. What’s important is that we learn from it.”
Jones hopes that this election is a wake up call for people to become more involved in government, even at a local level.
Dillon McNamara, vice president of the College Democrats and a junior political science major, shared similar sentiments.
“It’s important that we spread political awareness, especially on campus,” McNamara said. “Many college students feel disenfranchised by the current system and, as a result, they don’t care.”
McNamara and Jones both emphasized the symbiotic relationship that exists between the College’s Republican and Democratic clubs. Although each organization promotes its respective values, their main goal is to spread awareness and increase political involvement.
“About 75 percent of students on campus are registered to vote,” McNamara said. “But we don’t know how many actually go out and do it on Election Day.”
According to McNamara, the College Democrats support was divided between Clinton and Sanders before the primary. Although McNamara is confident in Clinton as a president, he is concerned with her public perception.
“I never bought into the ‘evil’ narrative that some like to portrayal of her,” McNamara said. “She’s had her share of lapses in judgment, but she’s not horrible. You don’t have to like 100 percent of a candidate to see the long-term value in voting for them.”
With a similar view of Clinton, Sam Fogelgaren, a senior history and urban studies double major, is president of TCNJ Political Union, which works toward helping people register to vote and becoming politically engaged.
“Being politically engaged opens up a lot of doors, in terms of how your country works,” Fogelgaren said. “It’s the most important thing one can do to actually make a difference.”
Fogelgaren said the current political landscape contributes to our general indifference toward politics.
“Hyper-partisanship has fully bloomed in recent years,” Fogelgaren said. “The divide seems more intense than ever before.”
Fogelgaren cites a multitude of factors that contribute to this divide.
“This election is testing our idea of truth,” he said. “When you have a candidate that invents his own truths, the media is unsure how to proceed. In addition, many people trust poor sources of news and often spread false information from those sources through social media, where it continues to spread.”
According to Daniel Bowen, a professor of political science, this divergence only worsens as hyper-partisanship spreads.
“One of the causes of polarization is the discouragement of moderate candidates,” Bowen said. “Now more than ever, there are larger gaps between red and blue states. We as voters need to allow our politicians to compromise and support moderate candidates.”
Bowen said he is more concerned about the precedent being set by this election than the candidates themselves.
“The reality of the situation is scary,” Bowen said. “I worry about the norms being broken by this election. There is so much hostility and distrust, and all the talk about a rigged election is damaging to our democracy.”
Despite the conflicting opinions, many people believe their vote matters.
“Your vote matters both on principle and in actuality,” Fogelgaren said. “It’s not just about winning, but how much one wins by. Winning by a larger margin will cause one to govern with more confidence.”
Although his view of both main candidates is largely negative, Luck sees a silver lining to the situation.
“This election has broken the stigma that presidents have to be perfect,” Luck said. “Now that both of them are so flawed, it might set a new precedent for how we judge candidates in the future.”
(10/25/16 3:20am)
By Thomas Infante
Reviews Editor
I’m amazed at how my dad interacts with computers.
He still has a standard LG flip phone and uses its small screen to justify his unwillingness to answer texts. He types on a keyboard using only his index fingers. Worst of all, he types his Facebook statuses in all capital letters. When I try to teach him about the interface, he is always too impatient and, instead, resists making any technological progress.
If I behaved this way, I would fail out of school. My generation differs from my father’s simply because of the timing of our respective upbringings. As millennials grew up, computer technology was advancing so quickly that we had no choice but to adapt. If someone else my age had that much trouble using a computer, it would be difficult to get through an average day at the College.
Whether we like it or not, technology is deeply ingrained in our education. The most overt example are online components of textbooks that are common in many college courses. These online components are usually poorly designed and have problems running on certain internet browsers for seemingly no reason. Although these are very common, they are usually frustrating and by far the least helpful when it comes to actual instruction.
The way technology has truly enhanced education is through the collective resources that are accessible through the internet. Some take the form of online educators, such as Khan Academy, which produces math instructional videos that taught me algebra better than my high school teachers. Other resources, like Google Translate and Wolfram Alpha, act as super-advanced calculators and have all but trivialized certain academic subjects.
Although these resources can be used through a smartphone or computer practically anytime and anywhere, it is not at all necessary to use any of them. You don’t have to use Google to translate your entire Spanish assignment, but it makes it much easier for those who are too lazy to actually learn the material. What this means is that students who are computer savvy have an inherent advantage over those who are not.
The widespread use of such resources actively discourages most students from taking the time to do the assigned work. After all, why would you spend 20 minutes doing a complicated math problem when a computer could do it for you in a few seconds?
As computers become further involved in education, fewer students will actually fully absorb the information they are supposed to learn. This is not to suggest that students nowadays are dumber or lazier because of the internet. Rather, it has made many people very cynical regarding the methods in which they learn, especially in Liberal Learning classes that aren’t essential to their future careers.
Students have always found ways to take shortcuts in their academic careers, but the shortcuts available now are so advanced that students can circumvent much of their work and still pass the class.
After college, many students, including myself, will be thousands of dollars in debt, which they must pay off for the foreseeable future. However, many of us treat a college education like a minimum wage job to be toiled through as opposed to a privilege.
Neither of my parents attended college, so I never had a realistic idea of what it was like before I started at the College. It’s unfortunate that the prevailing attitude toward learning seems to be indifference and annoyance.
What we gain through online convenience comes at the cost of a memorable learning experience. With computers, it is easier than ever to communicate with our professors. However, for some students, actually listening to what they have to say has become a thing of the past.
(09/26/16 10:39pm)
By Thomas Infante
Review Editor
Students gathered in the Library Auditorium on Thursday, Sept. 22, and waited quietly for someone to begin speaking. The solemn atmosphere matched the similarly serious subject matter that would be discussed during the night. The presentation, titled “Five Thousand Miles,” by Rob Shearon, told the story of how he drove from Colorado to Alaska on a scooter in an effort to find peace after years of struggling with addiction.
However, before Shearon told his story, the audience was introduced to a 21-year-old man who only identified himself as “Mark A.” Mark didn’t have an extraordinary trans-continental journey to talk about — he was simply another man in recovery doing his best to better himself and those around him.
“Addiction is often stigmatized, especially because so many believe that it really doesn’t affect college students,” Mark said. “But obviously, that’s not true.”
Mark was born in Greenwich, Conn., to loving parents and siblings. He described his own family as “perfect.” At 5 years old, Mark developed Tourette’s syndrome, which seriously affected his day-to-day life for years to come.
“I felt like I didn’t fit in. I would isolate myself from kids at school to avoid rejection. It was the only time I felt at peace,” Mark said.
Mark’s struggle with addiction began at a private school when he was a teenager. He turned to alcohol and drugs to pass the time, since he had a difficult time making friends. His substance abuse escalated further upon his enrollment in college. Mark rarely went to class. He opted instead to use drugs and party whenever possible.
“I knew I had a problem,” Mark said. “The social component in a way was much more stressful than my actual education.”
The following year, Mark began to take Xanax frequently, often in combination with other drugs or alcohol. After a month, Mark began to have seizures as a result of his drug abuse. He recalled a text message that he sent to his friend immediately after being treated for his seizures: “I’m out of the hospital, let’s go get fucked up.”
“I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been in an ambulance this past year,” Mark said.
Mark soon dropped out of school and continued this lifestyle for some time. A few days after he turned 21, Mark suffered an overdose after mixing alcohol, marijuana, Xanax and cocaine. The doctors who treated Mark told his parents that he had about a 50 percent chance of survival and that even if he lived, he would likely be in a vegetative state.
“I remember waking up in the hospital two days after the overdose,” Mark said. “The doctor asked me who the president of the U.S. was, and when I answered right, my family was cheering because they were so thankful.”
Mark is now 84 days sober and attends Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings every day. He credits his continued success with being able to share his story with others.
After Mark told his story, Shearon got up to tell his, which began similarly to Mark’s. Shearon was born in Colorado. The oldest of four siblings, he enjoyed skiing and playing sports with his friends.
“My mom made me go to Catholic school until high school, but all of my friends went to public school,” Shearon said. “I used to hear stories about all the cool stuff that the public school kids would do and I felt like I was missing out.”
After starting high school, Shearon met his best friends who taught him to “steal and drink.” His grades soon started to slip, and Shearon began to feel inadequate as a result.
“I felt like I was letting my younger brother and sisters down,” he said.
After high school, Shearon began to attend University of Colorado Boulder. This did little to ease his addiction problems.
“I woke up in detox back-to-back weekends and I still didn’t think I had a problem,” Shearon said.
Shearon’s life soon began to go off the rails, and one day he called his best friend from childhood for advice.
“My friend told me that I had to get sober if it was really affecting my life so severely,” Shearon said. “I quit drugs for three days and I felt horrible. I couldn’t sleep at all, but I was too stubborn to go to detox.”
It was then that Shearon learned about the new Collegiate Recovery Center on his campus. He began to observe the people that would come in and ask for help, and one day, he saw his former drug dealer.
“I was like, ‘Really, you?’” Shearon said, laughing. “He had been sober for three years. He took me to a 12-step meeting, but I didn’t open up much.”
Soon after, one of Shearon’s closest friends named Tony died in an avalanche while skiing. The duo’s dream was to someday move to Alaska, and so Shearon decided to take the trip solo to “find himself.” Using only a black Honda scooter with a top speed of about 25 mph, Shearon was going to ride 2,500 miles north from Colorado to Alaska. He even set up a scholarship though his college’s recovery center so he could raise money through his trip.
“It took 22 days and 16 of them it, rained,” Shearon said. “And camping in the rain sucks.”
Once he made it as far north as Canada, Shearon began to feel extremely lonely. By the time he made it to his destination of Haines, Alaska, he was on the verge of suicide.
“I called the director of the recovery center,” Shearon said. “I was crying. I told him ‘I’m living my dream and I want to die.’”
The director told him to go to a local AA meeting, where he met a man named Joe that offered to go through the 12 steps with Shearon. He agreed, and soon his outlook on life began to change.
“I met a couple on a hike, and one of them was a former addict, too,” Shearon said. “They were so supportive. I had no idea there were so many people who struggled with the same issues that I did. Things started to make sense. I wanted to be helping other people. It gave me a new sense of purpose.”
Now, Shearon is a real estate agent in New York. When asked what recovery has given him, Shearon simply answered, “Everything.”
(09/18/16 11:22pm)
By Thomas Infante
Review Editor
Travis Scott is one of the most in-demand artists in rap music today. Since the release of his 2015 album “Rodeo,” he has enjoyed enormous success both with his original music and through his collaborations with other artists.
Scott is known for his distinctive singing and rapping style, as well as shouting catchphrases at the end of his sentences, like, “It’s lit!” His production often combines rousing trap percussion with redundantly melodic instrumentation. It’s catchy and fun, and fans have been awaiting a follow-up album that could match the energy of “Rodeo.”
Scott’s second studio album, “Birds in the Trap Sing McKnight,” is primarily driven by some great performances from featured artists. The album starts off with the song “the ends,” which showcases Scott singing and rapping over a heavy percussion and a dark, muddy bass line. His singing is decent, while his rapping is alert and peppy, even if what he’s talking about isn’t very meaningful. Rapper André 3000 delivers a strong verse afterwards, keeping the song varied and lively until the end.
Some songs boast a much heavier emphasis on the featured artist, such as “through the late night” with rapper Kid Cudi. Scott previously cited Cudi as one of his favorite artists, stating in an interview with Complex on Friday, Sept. 7, “Cudi should be considered a top-tier artist… I think he fathered a lot of this style of music.”
The two artists are stylistically similar, both in their singing and overall tones of their production. On their track together, Cudi sings the chorus and a verse, in addition to a long, moaning vocal melody that is reminiscent of his early music. It’s the most memorable Cudi performance in years, so much so that Scott’s presence on this song seems underwhelming.
Scott finds a good balance with his featured singer The Weeknd on their collaboration “wonderful.” The two trade verses as they rap about going to the club and their lavish lifestyles. The beat is simplistic, but the variety in styles between their different vocals keeps the song from becoming too monotonous.
Another strong collaboration comes between Scott and Young Thug on “pick up the phone.” You can almost sing along to this song, since Young Thug sounds much more alert than he usually does when he’s rapping. His words are as close to coherent as they’ve ever been.
“Never will I cheat on you, never will I commit treason,” Young Thug raps on the chorus, as he pleads to his girlfriend who will not answer his late night phone calls. The beat revolves around a bouncy synth melody. The title of the album also comes from this song, when featured rapper Quavo (from Migos) says, “Birds in the trap sing Brian McKnight.” In an interview with Billboard on Sunday, Sept. 2, Scott said the album, in fact, has nothing to do with R&B singer McKnight.
Continuing with the trend of strange track titles is the song “beibs in the trap,” which prominently features rapper Nav, who uses Justin Bieber as a euphemism for cocaine.
“I just poured eight in a liter, I got a white bitch sniffing on Bieber,” raps Nav, who dedicates most of his time on the microphone to rapping about drugs and promiscuous women. Aside from the bizarre title, this song is largely forgettable, with no distinctive production or impressive lyricism to warrant a close listen.
There are several mediocre tracks on “McKnight,” like “sweet sweet” and “first take.” However, the good songs considerably outnumber the bad. “McKnight” is not an album that shows tremendous artistic growth or maturation in Scott’s music. It is an album that delivers music that is familiar enough as not to be risky, but different enough as not to be totally boring.
As his mentor Cudi has shown us, experimentation may not always turn out well, but it is better than being pigeonholed into one genre forever. Scott should eventually move beyond trap music, but in the meantime he’ll continue to be “lit.”
(09/13/16 3:17am)
By Thomas Infante
Review Editor
Kendall Hall was buzzing with excitement on Wednesday, Sept. 7, for keynote speaker Will Allen. Many of the students who attended the event were familiar with his book “The Good Food Revolution,” which is being used as a textbook in certain history classes at the College and was the summer reading for the freshman class.
In his keynote presentation, Allen outlined his vision of an agricultural revolution, with the goal that “every person on Earth should have access to healthy food.”
The United States is one of the largest and most affluent countries in the world and it can be hard to believe that there are over 22 million people who live without access to fresh food. These areas, called “food deserts,” are often situated in impoverished urban areas. Residents of food deserts often find themselves and their families eating from convenience stores and fast food restaurants on a daily basis, and their health suffers as a result.
Enter Allen, chief executive officer and founder of Growing Power. He was born in rural Rockville, Md., to parents from farming families. After finishing high school, he accepted a basketball scholarship at the University of Miami, hoping to go on to play professionally. In 1993, he retired from basketball at age 28 and moved to Milwaukee, where he eventually purchased the only remaining Milwaukee farm. From those measly three acres of largely infertile land, Allen started a movement that would go on to feed thousands of people, and build virtuous community values.
“We are at a very critical stage in our food production system,” Allen said during his talk. “We all need to think about the future.” Projected behind him were pictures of his various greenhouses, filled to the brim with bright greenery and lush produce.
“Our food system is not on the agenda for the ‘talking heads,’” Allen said. “Low income communities often become food deserts, but everyone’s got to eat.”
Allen uses agricultural techniques that are simple and compact in order to operate within an urban environment with limited space. One of the largest issues is the severe lack of nutrients in our soil. Allen developed his system of what he calls “growing soil,” or intensive, large-scale composting. By creating his own healthy soil, he is able to grow much more nutritious crops than he could with local soil. Allen told the audience that in the last year, Growing Power utilized 40 million pounds of waste in its composting program — waste that otherwise would have ended up in a landfill.
Allen also showed the audience pictures of the many worms that are crucial to Growing Power’s composting system. The worms consume the food waste and release nutrient-rich worm castings, which fertilize the soil.
“It’s also always fun to hand an unsuspecting kid some worms and watch his reaction.” Allen said to a laughing audience.
Since the inception of Growing Power, Allen has allowed local children and adolescents to learn practical farming and life skills. In Milwaukee, a city plagued by poverty, there are few healthy outlets for children.
“When I first started working with kids, I was surprised how many of them couldn’t read or write,” Allen said. He also uses Growing Power to reach out to the homeless and the drug-addicted, who otherwise would not be able to hold a job and build work experience.
“We had to make special accommodations to allow them to work,” Allen said. “The only way to end poverty is to give people jobs.”
Allen aims to improve his community by implementing what he calls “flower explosions” in which he and his assistants plant a garden of vivid flowers on an otherwise dingy street corner.
“We like to do these on corners where drug dealers or gangs hang out because more people look at them and it makes them uncomfortable, so they leave,” Allen said.
He is an agricultural visionary with an important message, but it is a message that is too often ignored. Malnutrition within the U.S. is underreported, and many people who live with access to fresh food are unaware of the severity of the situation.
“I had no idea how many people were affected,” said Sophie Cohen, a sophomore elementary education and math double major.
Cohen agreed with Allen’s message and admired his character.
“He seems like he’s genuinely trying to make a difference,” she said. “It’s empowering. It kind of makes me want to be a farmer.”
Allen began Growing Power because he wanted to grow healthy food where none existed. In the process, he found that his local community needed more growth than any plant could.how to fix the problems facing the world.
(08/31/16 2:25am)
By Thomas Infante
Review Editor
Frank Ocean has become somewhat of an enigma of the music industry. His first album, 2012’s “Channel Orange,” received rave reviews, earning Ocean a Grammy Award and several nominations. While Ocean has never conformed to a single genre, his music so far has been best categorized as a blend of hip-hop and R&B. But with the release of his latest album, “Blonde,” Ocean experiments further with his music, while finding inspiration in introspection.
Ocean’s instrumentals have always sounded clean and pretty, which compliments his sentimental lyrics. He takes this sound quality a step further on “Blonde,” as many of the songs on this album have an ethereal quality to them — instruments and background vocals are wrapped in effects or distortion.
At times, such layers of music are a jarring departure from Ocean’s previous R&B-centric style. However, a majority of the album is catchy, and both Ocean’s singing and rapping are passionate and unfailing.
The track “Ivy” features Ocean singing over dreamy, aquatic guitars sounds. His lyrics reflect on a failed relationship from his adolescent years. “I ain’t a kid no more / We’ll never be those kids again.” His lyrics are mature, and he ends the chorus by saying, “It’s quite all right to hate me now / but we both know that deep down, the feeling still deep down is good.”
Rather than bitterly regret the end of the relationship, he is glad he was able to experience something so beautiful during such important, formative years of his life.
The track “Solo” is similar in tone. Musically, it is very simple, with only a droning synthesizer to compliment Ocean’s vocals. It is minimalist to the point that it can sound like background music if it wasn’t for Ocean’s captivating singing and clever lyricism. He alternates between saying “solo” — as in single — and “so low,” as if he needs to get high. He also references his use of drugs like marijuana to escape the difficulties of life: “It’s hell on Earth and the city’s on fire / Inhale, in hell there’s heaven,” he sings on the track.
There are also several short skits on the album that drive home Ocean’s overall message in “Blonde.” The first is titled “Be Yourself,” and it features a spoken word recording of Frank’s mother advising against using drugs just to fit in with others. At first, this seems odd and out of place, since Ocean himself has frequently referenced drug usage in his own music. However, it fits into the more mature attitude that Ocean now retains, as he was able to recognize what his mother said about peer-pressure holds merit, even though he hasn’t always taken her advice.
Another one of these skits is titled “Facebook Story” in which a man talks about how his girlfriend thought he was cheating on her because he didn’t accept her Facebook friend request, despite spending time together in person every day. It is a poignant 21st century anecdote and shows how easily one can become obsessed with the imaginary and intangible world wide web, causing one to lose sight of what is truly important in the process.
A highlight from the album is the song titled “Solo (Reprise),” which features a terrifically powerful verse from rapper André 3000, who has one of the few prominent guest appearances on the entire album. His performance is thought-provoking and his lyrics criticize society, which fits nicely into the theme of the album. “I can admit / When I hear that another kid is shot by the popo it ain’t an event no more,” he raps, echoing the sentiment shared by many other Americans whose ideas about police violence have grown jaded and pessimistic.
Most of the other collaborations are very subtle, such as Beyoncé’s accompanying vocals on the orchestral “Pink and White.” On many modern hip-hop albums, rappers often have a multitude of featured artists on each song. With “Blonde,” however, Ocean did quite the opposite, focusing the album on himself. Even the instrumentals, while often beautiful and melodic, serve as only a backdrop to Ocean’s singing, rapping and lyricism.
Perhaps Ocean’s best song on the album is “Nights,” which begins with an upbeat celebration of hedonism. Ocean raps, “If I get my money right, you know I won’t need you / I’m fuckin’, no I’m fucked up / Spend it when I get that.” Halfway through the song, the beat, along with Ocean’s singing, transitions to be much softer and contemplative. He sings, “Every night fucks every day up / Every day patches the night up,” as he reflects on his exhausting and destructive lifestyle.
Ocean’s approach to “Blonde” shows his focus and maturity over all else. Within a culture and genre of music that has so heavily been reliant on trends and recognizable production, Ocean delivered a refreshing and touching project that truly inspires hope for what his music can achieve in the future.
(05/03/16 9:03pm)
By Thomas Infante
Staff Writer
It can be difficult to think of the rock band Weezer without remembering the band’s poor track record of previous releases. Weezer’s 1994 debut self-titled album — often referred to as “The Blue Album” — has since been lauded by critics and fans as their favorite, featuring many of the band’s signature songs. The debut album was a huge success, but was followed by the controversial “Pinkerton” two years later. Frontman Rivers Cuomo wrote “Pinkerton” lyrics with much more emotion, making the lyrics very personal, but many critics were put off by the change in style.
Since the disputed album, Cuomo and the band have been trying to find a more mainstream sound with varying degrees of success. After years of steadily declining commercial and critical prominence throughout the 2000s, the band thought the time had arrived to return to its musical roots. Hoping to evoke the same feelings it captured in 1994, Weezer’s 2014 album “Everything Will Be Alright in the End” was a step in the right direction. The band seemed to be continuing down this nostalgic path with its newest self-titled album, nicknamed “The White Album,” with a correspondingly stark white album cover.
To facilitate the band’s sentimental change, producer Jake Sinclair was instrumental in the recent career revivals of bands Fall Out Boy and Panic! at the Disco. The result was a tight, clean and accessible alternative rock record without compromising the band’s existing charm and personality. In a Rolling Stone interview from Wednesday, Feb. 24, Cuomo said that he “started watching young surfers at Venice Beach in hopes of finding lyrical inspiration. He even signed up for Tinder – for purely platonic purposes. ‘My wife’s cool with it,’ Cuomo says with a shrug.”
There were times throughout the album when it was evident how much time has passed since Weezer’s golden age, but the 45-year-old Cuomo can sound immature singing the same love-struck, angst-filled lyrics about love and loss that he was singing during his 20s. The lyrical content on this record is more nonsensical and bizarre than any previous album by the band. On the lead single, “Thank God for Girls,” Cuomo sings about his love for women, but the feminine qualities he appreciates are far from traditional, as he sings, “When you come home, she will be there waiting for you with a fire in her eyes and a big, fat cannoli to shove in your mouth.”
Musically, the album was lively, upbeat and refreshingly fun. Songs like “(Girl We Got A) Good Thing” and “King of the World” are empowering and euphoric, with electrifying guitar solos and positive lyrics delivered with more energy than Cuomo has had in years. Another great song is “Jacked Up,” which provides a much more somber tone than the rest of the record, featuring emotional piano against Cuomo’s strained falsetto. In a Pitchfork interview from Thursday, Jan. 14, Cuomo stated that the sound of the Beach Boys was a huge influence on this album, which explains the carefree vibe that most of the tracks possess.
Some songs sound very similar to others from Weezer’s first two albums. Songs like “L.A. Girlz” and “Do You Wanna Get High?” are remarkably reminiscent of “Pinkerton” songs, such as “Pink Triangle” and “El Scorcho.” Similarly, the acoustic ballad “Endless Bummer” sounds like the song “Butterfly.” These songs reused similar vocal melodies and chord progressions. While they are still catchy 20 years later, they lack the freshness that a band’s new material should have.
The notable self-plagiarism of some songs made it difficult to stand out against Weezer’s earlier material, which was the album’s biggest letdown for hardcore fans. “The White Album,” however, proved to be a great record for those who are not too familiar with the band’s earlier work. The music was upbeat and fun, which will satisfy both casual listeners and longtime fans of Weezer.
White was the perfect color for this album — it’s consistent with the color’s association with purity and renewal. Weezer seemed to have abandoned its sterile body of work that has plagued the band for so many years and fans can only hope that the band takes advantage of this clean slate until the 2000s era Weezer will be nothing but a distant memory.
(04/19/16 3:49pm)
By Thomas Infante
Staff Writer
The most recent trend in hip-hop is one that has nothing to do with the actual music. Nowadays, the actual album release has become completely skewed. While some artists, like Kanye West, spend millions to generate media coverage for their album’s release, others, like Drake, opt to release albums with no promotion at all, to great success.
Kendrick Lamar has taken the most radical approach to this latter idea with his latest release, “Untitled Unmastered.” The eight-track collection consists mainly of leftover tracks from his 2015 Grammy-winning album, “To Pimp A Butterfly.” Each track is listed solely as “Untitled,” differentiated only by a track number and the date it was recorded.
For most artists, this could be a catastrophic, career-ending move. For Lamar, it’s just another innovation.
The downplayed release of the album reflects its unfinished and fragmented nature. Each song is a separate idea, rather than it tying into an overall theme as Lamar has done on previous albums. The only uniting factor is how unrefined they all sound. The album’s production is stripped bare and the result is remarkable. Sounwave, one of Lamar’s frequent producers, stated in an interview with Complex that Lamar “wanted it to feel 100 percent authentic.”
The instrumentation is similar to that of his previous album, with influences from funk and jazz music being the most evident. Bassist Thundercat plays on six of the tracks and contributes to the surreal feeling of the album. His bassline on “Untitled 05” is particularly noteworthy, with a driving and fluctuating melody that gives energy to the song. It also features interesting saxophone work from producer Terrace Martin.
After a while, the line between jazz and hip-hop begins to blur in the album. Much of the music creates a dreamy and sometimes-chaotic atmosphere. The opening track begins with dialogue of singer Bilal talking to a woman with whom he is having sex. It is uncomfortably overt and leaves the listener with no idea what to expect for the rest of the album.
The lyrics are engaging and thought-provoking. Lamar’s unfiltered thoughts continuously flow out with undeniable conviction. His style varies from rapping to singing, relying less on vocal production and more on his own ability. His voice and delivery are often determining factors of the music’s mood. In “Untitled 01,” the feeling is created by an aggressive stream of consciousness. In “Untitled 02,” it’s a haunting moan of nightmarish visions. In “Untitled 06,” it’s lighthearted and playful. In “Untitled 07,” it’s inebriated and repetitive.
The content is equally perplexing. In “Untitled 03,” Lamar raps about the concept of success from the perspectives of different ethnic groups. One of his verses explores white greed in America through Lamar’s relationship with the record industry. Lamar raps, “Telling me that he selling me just for $10.99 / If I go platinum from rapping, I do the company fine / What if I compromise? He said it don’t even matter / You make a million or more, you living better than average.”
He is frustrated that record executives would force artists to make profitable music, even at the expense of the artist’s core audience. The very existence of this album is proof that Lamar is right — even something as alienating and understated as “Untitled Unmastered” can be successful when executed correctly.
In “Untitled 04,” Lamar and company repeatedly sing the phrase “head is the answer,” over a minimal backing guitar riff. It seems purposely cryptic — it could be a sexual reference in connection with “Untitled 01,” or perhaps it refers to intelligence or peace of mind in connection with the Asian perception of success mentioned in “Untitled 04.” Maybe it’s a reference to Lamar’s suicidal thoughts discussed on track five when he raps, “Somebody said you bumped your head and bled the floor / Jumped into a pit of flames and burned to coal.”
It could be a reference to any, all or none of these and that is what is so appealing about the album.
A sprawling exploration of Lamar’s conscience, “Untitled Unmastered” is an original and introspective collection of songs that an artist concerned with profitability could never have publicly released. In the first track on the album, Lamar raps, “I made ‘To Pimp A Butterfly’ for you.”
If “Butterfly” was for his fans, then “Untitled” is for himself. It’s an outlet for his inner demons.
(03/29/16 4:01pm)
By Thomas Infante
Staff Writer
The new HBO series “Vinyl” is an entertaining character-drama set in the 1970s during the height and popularity of classic rock culture. With Martin Scorsese and Mick Jagger as creators and executive producers, the show gained attention from music fans who hoped to get an insider perspective about one of the best eras in music history. While the references to popular music and musicians are plentiful, most of them don’t add much to the overall story of the show, which focuses heavily on the hectic lives of the protagonists.
Our flawed hero is Richie Finestra (Bobby Cannavale), a record executive with a weakness for cocaine and self-indulgence. At the show’s beginning, we see Richie as the fulfilled family man and proceed to watch him destroy his happy life with drugs and selfishness. When Richie and his wife, Devon (Olivia Wilde), married, they made a pact to quit using drugs, knowing how dangerously prevalent substances are in the record business. After Richie’s relapse, Devon begins to seek fulfillment outside of her family, turning to her old friends that are a part of Andy Warhol’s Factory scene, a popular hangout spot for artists and stars.
The acting is consistently passionate and believable, especially from Cannavale. Spending most his time in a drug-induced stupor, it’s an absolute joy to watch Richie scream and fight his way through any situation that faces him. Although he is intimidating to most of the other characters, there are times when Richie shows a more sensitive side as well, and the credibility of his emotional range can be attributed mainly to Cannavale’s acting prowess.
Wilde’s character is often portrayed as a free-spirited and caring individual who has a difficult time dealing with Richie’s drug binges. She is a very strong woman, especially considering the time in which the show is set.
The supporting cast spends most of the show picking up the pieces after Richie’s many questionable decisions. Richie’s business partner, Zak (Ray Romano), is usually the first to question his leadership, but rarely can influence his decisions. Kip Stevens (James Jagger) sings in a punk band called “The Nasty Bits,” which is signed to Richie’s record label. Kip’s sarcastic humor and indifferent attitude towards life clashes with Richie’s passion for the music business and Kip is forced to adapt to Richie’s orders.
Richie does have great taste in music, which is one of the show’s strong points. Classic rock music fills the majority of the show’s soundtrack and almost all of it is exceptional. Some of the featured music includes work by David Bowie, The Who, The Velvet Underground, The Rolling Stones and many more.
Usually about once per episode, there is a performance from a doppelganger of a famous rock star. Actors portraying The New York Dolls perform “Personality Crisis” in the first episode and the performance is more than just a cover of the song — it is explosive and we can see the audience wildly cheering and dancing at the show. “Vinyl” does an excellent job at creating these performances that make you feel as if you truly are watching a documentary about the band or artist performing.
Many classic rock icons make fictionalized appearances in the show. Robert Plant, Lou Reed and Alice Cooper all show up, portrayed by various actors. The appearances of these musicians showcase the fantastic costume design. All of these rock icons are immediately recognizable to the viewer, which makes the show a much more immersive period piece.
Although the show can seem ridiculous at times, it is fairly historically accurate in its depictions of landmark classic rock events. In the first episode, Richie goes to see The New York Dolls perform and the venue collapses on top of the audience. As unbelievable as this seems, this event actually occurred in real life at the Mercer Arts Center in 1973, although there was no performance happening during the collapse. Another example is a flashback to Richie’s past when he first meets his wife at a Velvet Underground show in New York’s East Village club, a show that occurred at the same approximate time and place in real life.
All of these details help “Vinyl” rise above the status of a typical drama series. The characters are fun and interesting and Cannavale’s acting is particularly exhilarating to watch. Although many of the rock references amount to little overall plot significance, the variety of famous characters help the show stay interesting and watchable, just in case you want to watch something other than Richie snorting as much cocaine as he can within a 60-minute time slot.
(03/08/16 5:29pm)
By Thomas Infante
Staff Writer
The 2016 Academy Awards were remarkable for several reasons, including a fevered controversy regarding the lack of diversity among the nominated films. Amid the storm of public outcry, many viewers’ main concern remained not with social justice, but with actor Leonardo DiCaprio, who was nominated for best actor for his performance in “The Revenant.” DiCaprio’s frequent nominations in this category without once winning had become a running joke of sorts, which left many wondering what role would finally win him the award. His portrayal of fur-trapper Hugh Glass, as it turned out, was that role.
Throughout “The Revenant,” Glass is forced through one instance of horrible physical pain after another. Based somewhat on a true story, the film follows Glass’s journey after he is viciously mauled by a bear and subsequently left for dead by his cohort, John Fitzgerald (Tom Hardy). Before leaving, Fitzgerald murders Glass’s son in front of him, fueling Glass’s intense desire for vengeance, which keeps him alive throughout his adventure.
DiCaprio’s performance is outstanding — every bit of pain is reflected in his expressions and vocalizations. Much of the film shows Glass alone in the wilderness attempting to survive, and it is here that we can truly admire his prowess as an actor. Engaging an audience with almost no dialogue can be extremely difficult, but effective if done correctly. When Glass struggles to make a fire or climbs inside a hollowed out horse carcass to stay warm, it leaves the viewer truly unsure whether he will live or die.
The strong acting is complimented by exceptional cinematography and great direction, which earned the film several other Academy Awards, as well. Emmanuel Lubezki, who previously worked on films like “Gravity” and “Birdman,” handled the cinematography for “The Revenant.” The film takes place in the early 1800s in the frontier territory that would later become North Dakota and South Dakota. The sweeping, undisturbed landscape is the focus of many beautiful shots, which only emphasizes Glass’s plight while stranded in the wilderness.
Alejandro González Iñárritu, who just last year won several Academy Awards for writing and directing “Birdman,” is the director of the film. The constant stream of violence and suffering gives the film a raw and intense atmosphere that is not often achieved in cinema. The film’s focus on Glass’s survival against overwhelming odds through sheer force of will keeps the viewer interested and in suspense.
Another subplot has Glass seeing repeated visions of his deceased Native American wife, which haunt him throughout his journey. These visions make the entire trip seem even more surreal, adding to the already unbelievable tale. Although there are points in the movie during which Glass’s survival seems ridiculous given the circumstances, it is never absurd enough to disengage the viewer, so long as one can suspend their disbelief.
A truly great film is one that leaves the viewer stirring with emotions long after the credits have rolled. Thanks to a remarkable performance by DiCaprio, beautiful cinematography and strong direction, “The Revenant” is an extremely compelling ride that will leave any viewer stunned.