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Mount Hood

Spoken word poetry by WOU Alum is entertaining and educational

Smash through boredom with spoken word poetry, “Smash the Lense”

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor 

Big waves have been made in the community with Ty Brack’s latest work, a spoken word album titled, “Smash the Lense.” Brack, a current poet, educator and youth organizer, is also a proud Western alum, gaining his bachelor’s degree in 2007 and his master’s degree in 2013. Brack is used to being immersed in the local creative scene, with experience as the former editor of The Northwest Passage and a former sports writer for The Western Howl. 

Using his artistic talents and experiences, “Smash the Lense” consists of 13 spoken word pieces that manage to artistically capture the current reality of our world. With relevant and expressive titles like, “Liesol Protest,” “Covid-19 Dream” and “Letter from Lockdown,” folks can dive into the smooth synths mixed with meaningful cultural messages. Absorb it any time with exclusive online access on Bandcamp under “Ty.Brack.”

Along with spreading art and the message of unity during tough times, all of the proceeds brought in from “Smash the Lense” will be donated to Talking Ownership PDX — a non-profit organization dedicated to renovating and reviving Black-owned homes in Portland and combating the continuous gentrification in the area. The overall goal is to raise awareness and funds for the community with the help of passionate volunteers and advocates. They aim to raise $500 for Taking Ownership PDX, which equates to 85 full album buys; with the albums priced at only $7 each, anyone can check out this exclusive online album and soak it in. To find updates on the fundraising efforts for Taking Ownership PDX, check out @ty.brack.poetry on Instagram.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu 

 

See what Dexter has been up to in the latest upcoming season

Get ready for Dexter’s dangerous comeback in 2021

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor 

Showtime surprised fans of the well-loved show “Dexter” with an announcement that the series will come back on air for 10 episodes, with the confirmed returning cast of Michael C. Hall and showrunner Clyde Phillips. Although the rest of the cast cannot be listed quite yet and people are still speculating on where the storyline will go, it’s been reported that production will begin early 2021 and the  tentative premiere date is next fall. 

Showtime originally aired “Dexter” in 2006, receiving many Emmy nominations and a Peabody Award throughout the years. In 2010, lead actor Hall received a Golden Globe for his role of Dexter.

During the eight seasons of the show ⏤ totaling 96 thrilling episodes ⏤ fans lost a lot of favorite characters and quite a few of the characters they loved to hate. This upcoming season comes as a pleasant surprise, since the last season left fans bewildered and out in the cold.

Although there’s still a decent amount of time until the newest season is released, one can bet that this series revival will most likely hold even more twists and turns. Hopefully, we can find out what the former Miami blood-spatter analyst has been up to, and see what damage has occurred since the show ended in 2013.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Review: “The Best of Me”

David Sedaris’ newest novel ranked second on Amazon charts

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor

There’s no doubt a seemingly endless amount of new media is constantly being released; it can be hard to sift through all the latest content to find something meaningful. Plenty of worthwhile messages can be found in David Sedaris’ latest nonfiction book, “The Best of Me,” which gives the reader a peek into the years of Sedaris’ life and career, and his sense of humor.

These collections of stories and essays are arranged as selected by the author and cover various complex situations — the realities of wild family dynamics, encounters while traveling, losing a parent and his sister and how to heal from further hurt and loss. He utilizes his vivid, confessional style of writing to immerse the reader into these experiences, handling hard situations with a sense of humor and compassion. Within the first few chapters, Sedaris at one point quips, “If you read an essay in the Esquire and don’t like it, there could be something wrong with the essay. If it’s in The New Yorker, on the other hand, and you don’t like it, there’s something wrong with you.” 

Through the humor and hearty topics displayed in “The Best of Me,” and countless other popular works, like “Calypso” and “When You Are Engulfed In Flames,” Sedaris constantly displays his unique voice on topics that a lot of readers can relate to. 

Originally published on Sept. 29, the hardcover has been available on Amazon since Nov. 3, and ranked number two on Amazon Charts for “The Top 20 Most Sold & Most Read of the Week” the week of Nov. 8. 

The price of the book ranges from $16 to $26 on Amazon depending on the version bought. Other price points and ways to find his book are available on his website. To keep up with Sedaris and his latest adventures, visit his official site at davidsedarisbooks.com for more information. 

Overall Rating: 8/10, it made me laugh and cry at the same time. I would totally recommend the book to anyone who enjoys hearty, make-your-eyes-tear-up nonfiction and quick-witted, dark humor.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu 

Review: “Terra”

Review of the digital-only album from Eric Alexandrakis

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor 

A new digital-only album from Grammy-nominated musician, Eric Alexandrakis, is hitting the mainstream. “Terra” has been described by producer, Minoan Music, takes heavy influence from the 1960s psychedelic pop and new wave music. They also build off pop-styles from the late ‘70s and ‘80s. Take all this and mix it with a decent amount of Pink Floyd vibes, and there’s “Terra,” an alternative album that can be enjoyed by many. 

This 28-track album is jam-packed with plenty of alternative songs for anyone who wants to explore new music. The concept for “Terra,” as described by the artist, is inspired by his adventures while traveling and manages to weave in a compelling and poignant narrative of the artist’s life. Compared to his other albums, “Terra” has more of a unique feel with Alexandrakis’ use of an ancient 16-track machine. 

Along with this, the tracks are crafted with the help of bass player John Taylor of Duran Duran. In these multi-layered songs, Alexandrakis takes the listener on an emotional journey with his artistic lyricism — “Terra” will take you for a wild ride from start to finish. 

To follow some of the older stories Alexandrakis has produced, other albums like, “I.V. CATATONIA: 20 Years As a Two-Time Cancer Survivor” and “Hell On Earth” can be found on Apple Music. 

Overall Rating: 7/10, for the musical journey I went on. I would recommend this to people that enjoy exploring innovative music.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Find some cheesy and spooky entertainment on Netflix

Get thrilled and chilled with the latest season of “American Horror Story”

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor

To the delight of “American Horror Story” fans, Netflix released the ninth season,, “1984,” on Nov. 13. Although FX released this series back in September of 2019, only now have the episodes been added to Netflix ⏤ just in time to provide some final screams for the fall season.

This latest spookfest pays homage to past horror movies like “Friday the 13th,” which are chock-full of slasher tropes; but like always, the show brings its classic twists. 

Over the course of nine episodes in this season of “AHS: 1984,” the audience follows a group of young adults from Los Angeles who have been tasked with spreading camp cheer as counselors at Camp Redwood — a location that was shut down after a grotesque murder spree in 1970. Over a decade later, after the camp has been reopened, the killer is set on returning to the scene of the crime. These five scrappy youths quickly learn that they must find a way to stay alive or face a grizzly ending. 

Among the twists and turns, people can expect to see some familiar faces in the returning cast ⏤ including Emma Roberts, Leslie Grossman and Billie Lourd. So, fire up the laptop, get some snacks and get those final fall thrills in.

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

Horror podcasts to scare and entertain

Tune into these scary podcasts just in time for spooky season

Rylie Horrall | Managing Editor

Podcasts come in many different genres, such as true crime, lifestyle or business, to name a few. One specific genre that becomes popular during fall is horror storytelling — both fiction and nonfiction. In preparation for the spooky season, here are some horror podcasts to tune into.

“Lore” is a podcast that runs bi-weekly and covers historical stories with a dark theme. Each episode features pieces of history that involve tragic events, unusual circumstances and events, strange places and even mysterious creatures. Not only is it a podcast, but it also has a TV show and book series to go with it.

For those who prefer scary stories that aren’t based on real events, “The NoSleep Podcast” provides hundreds of episodes of eerie tales with accompanying atmospheric music. The podcast’s website provides a list of “sampler episodes” for new listeners to check out before delving into the rest of the episodes, and also issues a disclaimer that the stories are not for the faint of heart.

A first-hand account of a journalist’s search for the truth, the podcast “The Black Tapes” covers the mysterious past of her subject and delves into the “literal and figurative ghosts that haunt them both,” according to the show description.

“Spooked” is a seasonal podcast presented by “Snap Judgement,” a podcast that occurs year round. It features real-life accounts of supernatural events told by those who experienced them, following the theme of “Snap Judgement” but with a spooky twist of ghosts and the paranormal added to the mix.

For more true scary stories, “Radio Rental” provides another outlet for people to share their accounts of bizarre and startling events from their lives. The episode list isn’t very long, due to the creators taking a hiatus after only 6 episodes, but is now back to updating regularly.

Many of the podcasts listed have their own websites for viewers to tune into; however, there are a few apps where people can listen to for free or with a subscription, such as Spotify, Stitcher, Apple Podcasts or Google Podcasts.

Contact the author at rhorrall17@wou.edu

Find a well-loved book at Second Chance Books

Local second-hand bookstore with cozy charm has a book for every reader 

Natalie Dean | Entertainment Editor

To get out of the house and escape the cloudy weather that’s been filling the skies, head on over to Second Chance Books, a local second-hand book store that’s been in downtown Independence since 2005. They’ve accumulated an impressively large amount of books through the years, ranging across a dozen and a half genres available at various affordable prices. It’s not uncommon to end up leaving with a book or three, especially since they often have deals on oversized books. 

In the times I’ve visited the store in the past, I enjoyed exploring the packed bookshelves and getting some really unique finds. Plus, taking a few minutes to check out stores in the area can occasionally provide a much-needed distraction from the busy and long days — which I’m sure a lot of people are trying to balance right now as we head to the end of the year.

Although the pandemic has been a difficult time for many communities and local businesses, there are plenty of new and returning customers who come in for some book recommendations or to just roam the cozy stacked shelves — all while safely social distancing and soaking in the strangely comforting smell that only books have. 

Second Chance Books accepts book donations during their business hours, which are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday to Saturday, and 12 to 4 p.m. on Sundays. They are located at 307 S. Main St. in Independence, and if there are any questions for their team, they can be reached at (503) 838-5279 or check out their website. 

Contact the author at ndean17@wou.edu

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