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Mount Hood

Up and coming artist: girl in red

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Bedroom pop —  what is it? According to the Urban Dictionary, it is “a genre (of) DIY indie music, bedroom pop is characterized by its lo-fi quality and often contemplative lyrics. Guitars and vocals often feature heavy use of reverb or delay.”

This genre is similar to other styles such as shoegaze, dream pop, jangle pop and emo.

For those that typically listen to this kind of music, they’ll want to check out up-and-coming bedroom pop artist “girl in red.”

Marie Ulven is only 20 years old and has slowly risen to fame since her debut in her home country of Sweden in 2017. Her first song released, “i wanna be your girlfriend,” was unapologetic and unique. Ulven frames a lot of her music on love, as do most pop artists, but she makes it clear that she is not straight and not ashamed.

Her songs can also touch on darker subjects such as depression and death, and despite the somewhat sinister lyrics like, “Summer depression, so much time to question my life,” from her song “summer depression” I still find myself singing along with a smile.

Her most recent album, “chapter 2” released on Sept. 6 contains only five songs, but each one is catchy and a must-listen. The first song on this album, “watch you sleep.” is quite slower than her other songs, and stars her voice without the intense guitar and drums that normally accompany her music.

I was lucky enough to see Ulven perform in Portland at the Holocene club on Sep. 22. The stage was small as well as the venue itself — there was no more than about 150 people there — and despite Ulven being such a young artist, her fan base was quite diverse.

Ulven danced on stage like nobody was watching, and even though she played a guitar the whole show she had no problem jumping along with the audience. At one point she crowd surfed, despite her manager initially saying no — she convinced him while standing on stage — excitedly throwing herself into the crowd and singing all the while.

An interesting quality about Ulven that I noticed is her personality, perhaps it’s because she is still a relatively small artist, but she made sure to talk to audience members before, after and during the show. Joking around about relatable things such as procrastination and having a caffeine addiction.

Her quirky and fun-loving attitude resonated differently than her angsty and dark music.

Ulvan has been featured on several up and coming artists to look out for lists, including Ones to Watch, praised for her ethereal voice and modest behavior.

The style of bedroom pop has been on the rise with famous artists such as Clairo, Foxes of Fiction and King Princess. They all feature similar music of complex or poetic lyrics accompanied by heavy-lidded artists who sing alongside intense guitar and drums.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photos courtesy of worldinred.com

Art on campus: Bellamy Hall and a Self-Reflection Progression

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Walking on the main street of campus, it might not be apparent that Bellamy Hall holds a series of three sculptures meant to encourage self-reflection.

The first piece: Created by Colin Lambert and Peter Adams in 2009, titled “Self-Reflection Progression: Line Drawing” is placed on the wall outside of Bellamy, facing towards the science building on the ground level. The sculpture features a human face made of mild steel and seems composed of only one single line.

The plaque below this piece reads, “The first of three portraits that make up Self-Reflection Progression, map the development of an individual’s personal humanity, from a linear outline to a fully dimensional ‘colossus’ peering back through a polished brass mirror.”

The second piece: Inside the south entrance of Bellamy Hall, the second piece in this collection titled, “Self-Reflection Progression: Portrait,” presents a more formed version of the face outside. Rather than simple line work, it has dimensions using faux limestones and brass.

The plaque below this piece is far longer, but the most important part of what is shared is, “The work alludes to the potentiality for an ever increasing depth and dimensionality of our humanity.”

This artwork carries a deeper meaning than one may originally assume, as it tries to make people reflect on who they are and how they develop over time.

The third piece: The last piece for this collection is “Self-Reflection Progression: Tonal Torrazzo.” It’s made of stainless steel and, rather than protruding like the second piece, it is one dimensional like the first piece, but with much more detail for the image.

The plaque beneath says essentially the same as the first, and yet the meaning is still valuable, to take time to reflect on who you are and how you got there.

For those who have a little free time on campus, swing by Bellamy Hall and take the time to look at an artist’s reflection, and maybe join in as well.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photos by Caity Healy

The Cascadia Chamber Opera: A group more focused on the art than the money

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

I should start by saying, I have never been to an opera before. Whenever this artform was mentioned before, I pictured a huge theater, an audience full of wealthy people with little binoculars and people on stage yelling so loudly that they could shatter a glass. On Oct. 6, my mind was changed: The Cascadia Chamber Opera surprised me entirely with their stunning performance.

The Cascadia Chamber Opera was founded in 2009, compiled by a group of local and regional musicians presenting opera in a concert format rather than a full performance. A concert format is a more laid back version; the singers are dressed nice, but not in costumes, and they only have a pianist accompanying them, rather than a chorus and full band. They performed songs from different pieces, creating a more diverse performance.

This format allows the group to travel, which is far different from most opera houses that typically stay stagnant due to their large stage props. 

The Cascadia Chamber Opera is a unique group that aims to disrupt misconceptions about opera — such as the idea that it is an elitist artform. They keep all of their tickets low in cost, and often free for students to reinforce their motto of accessibility. 

“Our mission is to bring opera to more people, accessibility is key,” said Bernie Robe, a board member for the group.

This was apparent from the start, with their low prices: $8 for general public, $5 for seniors and students, and completely free for Western students. They are an all English opera group, which they decided to do to make their performances feel less intimidating for people who don’t have experience with opera.

Their performance was from the works of Gilbert and Sullivan, victorian composers who based much of their music on mocking British society, according to the artistic director Bereniece Jones-Centeno. Jones-Centeno guided the performance at Western, introducing the plot before each song that way anyone could enjoy, regardless of their previous knowledge of that piece.

With the guidance from the artistic director, I was able to sit back and enjoy the lively performance by the singers. While there were no costumes, nor set pieces, the artists delivered with their spectacular voices and expressive faces.

Each new character that was introduced was properly conveyed from the way the singer would interact with the audience, winking or scowling while belting notes with perceived ease. 

While there were around 20 songs sung, stopping at around nine for intermission, the show felt fast paced and engaging—  never a dull moment with the playful lyrics and energetic performances from the singers.

Before their performance I interviewed Jones-Centeno who discussed the importance of opera.

“The main idea with opera is that it is all encompassing, using the expression of the human voice, opening it up and telling a story through singing it… telling the human story,” Jones-Centeno said.

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photos by Never Retallack

A comparison of Batman’s arch nemesis: The Joker

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

“Have you ever danced with the Devil in the pale moonlight?” This quote from “Batman” (1989)  will ring true with the Joker, a character from the DC Franchise first introduced into the Batman comics in 1975 as a supervillain. His character is quite complex and has been interpreted many different ways throughout time. I will analyze each Joker that has been represented in film from as early as the 1960s.

“Batman” (1966): In this classic Batman TV series, Cesar Romero plays the devious Joker. The way this Joker was portrayed was quite comical; Romero was dressed in the typical makeup and green hair, but his evil plots often failed and he couldn’t even beat Alfred, Batman’s butler.

“Batman:The Killing Joke”(1988): This animated movie was based off of the comic of the same name, and starred Mark Hamill as the voice of the Joker.

This was a darker version of the character, shooting and paralyzing Batgirl before stripping her naked and taking pictures of her. Joker also says something that insuates he went as far to rape her afterwards as well. This appalling behavior was the first hint that the Joker wasn’t just a simple trickster. The writer, Alan Moore, says he regrets writing the comic, as the public outcry over this behavior towards Batgirl caused a large backlash for him.

“Batman” (1989): Jack Nicholson was known for his crazed character in “The Shining” (1980), and this equally crazed portrayal of the Joker followed the comics quite closely. The villain starts off as a normal man— that is until he falls into a vaut of chemicals — transforming him into a ruthless and cunning criminal. Nicholson’s Joker was unnerving but still followed a twisted humor, yet was not quite intimidating.

“The Dark Knight” (2008): As stated by the LA Times, this film is a turning point for the Joker, with Heath Ledger’s twisted performance of an unhinged villain who wreaks chaos and terror on the city of Gotham. Ledger’s Joker hinted at a sign of mental illness, never revealing his backstory in this film, but hinting at the terrors he’s faced throughout his life. The past Jokers were portrayed as silly and angry characters, resenting Batman and the wealthy, but Ledger’s often slipped into a crazed madness —  not quite angry, but seemingly calm in his destruction.

“Suicide Squad” (2016): Jared Leto’s interpretation of the Joker led to a lot of backlash when first released; this modern day gangster version was bizarre in the world of Joker. Leto also received criticism due to his method acting, even going as far as to send used condoms and dead rats to his castmates. This showed the mentality of this Joker; a twisted man who enjoyed to cause discomfort, and that is what was delivered in “Suicided Squad.”

“The Joker” (2019): This film has received some concerns similar to the movie, “Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile” that showed the notorious killer Ted Bundy as a family man —  a character to sympathize with. There was similar concern with “The Joker,” starring Joaquin Phoenix, as it led audience members to try and sympathize with the classic villain and even view Thomas Wayne (Batman’s father) as the antagonist. 

Phoenix played the saddest version of the Joker: losing his access to medication, living with his ill mother, being mugged several times and being ridiculed for his dream of being a stand-up comedian. This doesn’t take away from the horrendous crimes he commits, although the audience is left wondering whether what they see is reality or all part of his delusion. 

“The Joker” was not for the faint of heart, containing far more graphic scenes than ever used before, often leaving audience members gasping in horror and watching with mouths agape.

 

Overall, the classic villain, the Joker, has been a prominent member of the Batman franchise, and he has been portrayed in a variety of different ways since the 1960s. His origin story was based off the comics for several of the earlier Batman films, where a struggling crook frustrated with society falls into a vat of chemicals and becomes a disfigured and devious monster. 

Ledger and Phoenix’s portrayal were outliers among all the films released; Ledger’s Joker was shrouded in mystery, never revealing his origin story, while Phoenix’s was void of a chemical influence. Both of these Jokers were more twisted than the others, showing unmistakable signs of mental illness, and rather than the comedic Romero or cruel Nicholson, they were shown as sad men driven to madness.  

 

Contact the author at howlentertainment@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of dccomics.com

Review: “Creepshow” hits the macabre-mark with Shudder’s new collection

Caity Healy | Managing Editor

I remember when I was little — probably far, far too little — I sat down with my dad and watched “Creepshow.” I remember being enthralled by the collection of short 15-minute stories, which were just the right length for my adolescent brain to focus on; the eeriness to each tale had me glued to the screen. Of course, I had to watch the sequel, “Creepshow 2,” which had me just as intrigued. 

Now that I’m older, it’s easy to understand why I was so mesmerized by these films. It was Stephen King’s screenwriting debut, which pretty much explains everything — I love his work. It’s clear to see how his childhood of watching B-list horror movies and reading countless scary stories, as he explains in his memoir “On Writing,” had an impact on the way these films were written. It was also directed by George A. Romero, the director of “Night of the Living Dead” — another clear reason I fell in love. And, lastly, the special effects makeup was done by Tom Savini, one of my current-day horror-makeup idols. Oh — and Ted Danson is in it, so that’s probably what really drew me in. 

Having loved this 1982 horror-comedy anthology film for so long, I was both elated and nervous when I heard that Shudder, a horror-only streaming service designed for scary flick-fanatics with its several subgenres of horror, was creating a 12-part series with the same title. So when it was finally released on Sept. 26, I sat down to watch with a myriad of expectations and nerves, and began the first episode.

Episode 1 was comprised of two stories, “Gray Matter,” which was directed by Greg Nicotero and was a direct homage to the short story by the same name written by Stephen King, and “The House of the Head,” which was directed by John Harrison. But before either could begin, the much-loved creature from the original, The Creep, sat down to introduce the story the viewers would soon witness. Full of all the campiness of the original, and the practical effects to match, I immediately fell in love.

“Gray Matter” began with too many Stephen King references to count — everything from the announcement of the missing Grady twins from “The Shining” to a missing dog poster for “Cujo” and a missing cat poster for Church from “Pet Sematary” could be noticed. Diving into the story, everything about it felt nostalgic; it was truly like the original. However, nothing compared to Part II. 

The second story, “The House of the Head,” involved a dollhouse. That was enough to terrify me. But wait — the dolls move on their own. And to top it off, there’s a demonic head of an evil doll that haunts the dollhouse family. Without giving too much away, I’d say this one replicated the comedic-horror that the first film captured so flawlessly. It had me creeped out, laughing and genuinely enchanted by the story. 

Overall Rating: I highly recommend this series to anyone who, like me, loved the original, or loves the feel of practical effects and ‘80s nostalgia.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo courtesy of Shudder

Get to know Associate Professor Cynthia Gutierrez-Garner and learn about her beliefs on social justice in relation to dance

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Can you tell me your name and your position here at Western?

Cynthia Gutierrez-Garner, and I’m an associate professor of Dance here in the Theater and Dance Program.

Can you tell me a little bit about your dance background?

I was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, so my initial dance training was in Ballet Folklorico which is Mexican folk dance. So that really established for me a sense of not only a deeper understanding of my cultural background as a Mexican American, but also in a sense that dance can create a real experience of community. It was a real family experience; it had a major impact on me. Once I got to a studio I started studying the typical things: ballet, jazz, tap. It wasn’t really until in college getting my undergrad that I studied modern dance.

 

Why do you think dance is important?

I think dance is important because it allows the participant —  whether they’re just doing it for fun, or whether they’re pursuing it more professionally — the connection of the mind, body and spirit. Dance really is a vehicle for more exploration, for emotional expression, creative expression and just using your imagination. Connection to other humans makes my life so rich, and dance allows that to happen. Dance can also be used as a form of social justice and is more than just entertainment. It also opens other doors of opportunity, dance will never be a waste of a degree, do what you love and make it count.

Are you working on anything else outside of Western right now?

Yeah, so I have a company based in Eugene. It’s called Company Movimiento, and we had our debut concert last summer. We have a show coming up Oct. 18 and 19 at the Oregon Contemporary Theater, and it is called LatinX Voices, and it is work centered around themes of cultural identity and social justice issues. Some of the pieces are responses to headlines, things that are happening in the world right now, and others are more personal things from my own life. It will include both modern and jazz dance, and I have a cast of about 16, and some of them are current (Western) students, and some of them are (Western) alumni and some are professional dancers in Eugene. 

Why do you direct?

As a person of color you are always aware if you are the only person of color in a room, and as an artist that becomes even more highlighted because there is privilege in art and privilege in dance if you are able to take classes and continue training, and I was always the only one that looked like me in the room. And there wasn’t a problem with that, but I always wondered, why isn’t there more diversity? It’s 2019 and it’s still a problem, so producing for me also feels like I’m doing my part to contribute to that representation, because it’s bigger than me.

 

If you have any questions for Professor Gutierrez-Garner, her phone number is (503) 838-9513, her email is garnerc@wou.edu and her office is located in OPE room 210.

 

Contact the author at Howlentertainment@wou.edu 

Photo courtesy of  V. Paul Virtucio (Head Shot)

Photo courtesy of Jennifer James- Long (group shot)

Hobo Johnson’s newest album breaking barriers for typical rap

Never Retallack  | Entertainment Editor

Leave behind any expectations of what music should be — Hobo Johnson’s album “The Fall of Hobo Johnson,” released on Sep. 13, delivers unique songs that go against the idea of what musicians should create. 

Johnson is often perceived as a rapper, despite saying in his song “Peach Scone” on his previous album “The Rise of Hobo Johnson” that, “people like to say I’m a rapper, I’m actually not.”

The thing about Johnson is that his music is so different from what is popular that people struggle to define who he is — I’d argue that his music is essentially spoken poetry with back up vocals and instruments. 

In his new album, Johnson cleverly incorporates a broad scheme of themes into his songs, from jabbing at the shallowness of media, the vicious cycle of mankind, an anthem of how ugly he is and even a song all about the Subaru Crosstrek XV.

Beginning his album with “Typical Story” was a shock to many fans, myself included, as it was a lot different than the music he had previously released. It felt almost too put together to relate to his usually chaotic music.

His album transitions into a more humorous and chaotic style. His song “You & the Cockroach” essentially picks apart how humans are scared of dying and that leads to problematic solutions, and he even discusses — without naming names — that President Donald Trump will cause Supreme Leader Kim Jung-Un to launch missiles.

His song “Ode to Justin Bieber,” featuring Jmsey and Jack Shoot, took a stab at how superficial the world is, and his frustrations with not being as popular as Bieber, saying that it doesn’t make sense how horribly Bieber can treat others and still thrive in society.

Johnson’s last song on the 12 song album, “I Want a Dog,” is an interesting play on the American Dream of wanting a happy family, but also the unrealistic expectation for every aspect of life to be exceptional. He sings that he just wants a dog and a family, but that he also wishes his dog could talk and his son would be a prodigy.

 

An interesting detail arose when comparing his two albums. Johnson’s 2017 album cover for “The Rise of Hobo Johnson” features a drawing of him looking upwards, but in black and white. His 2019 album cover, “The Fall of Hobo Johnson” depicts him staring down, but he is awash in blues and his hair is sprouting colorful flowers. I am unsure if this was meant to contradict the name of his albums, because the cover for his second album somehow speaks of a more positive idea, while his first album cover seems devoid of emotion and empty.

Overall rating: Johnson’s new album was a rollercoaster of emotion; it did not simply keep one tone throughout. Instead, it switched tones from upbeat to humorous to introspective, all delivered with interesting beats and passionate spoken word. I highly recommend this album to anyone needing pump up music and craving music that’s a little different.

Contact the author at Howlentertainment@wou.edu 

Photo courtesy of Warner Records Press

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