Mount Hood

A Moon Shaped Pool

By: Darien Campo
Staff Writer

Sunday, May 8 finally brought us the release of Radiohead’s long-anticipated ninth studio album “A Moon Shaped Pool.” In only 11 tracks this 25-year-old band shows us that not only can they still write music to rival their greatest works, but they’ve only gotten better at it.

The album is 11 tracks long, a few of which are songs fans have been waiting to hear on a studio release for years. “Identikit” was first played live in 2012, “Burn the Witch” has been teased since 2003, and “True Love Waits” has been a concert-exclusive fan favorite since 1994. These are only three of the fantastic songs brought by Radiohead’s newest release.

This album makes prominent use of the London Contemporary Orchestra under multi-instrumentalist Jonny Greenwood’s composition. In fact, the instrumentation in this album hearkens back to earlier eras of Radiohead’s discography. For the fans who have been concerned the band has moved too far into electronic, looping music, you’ll be happy to hear that AMSP features many songs that make full use of all five band members on their classic instruments. Songs like “Decks Dark” and “Identikit” lovingly combine their old five-piece rock sound with the electronic influence of Radiohead’s later career.

We can compare Radiohead’s albums all day and try to rank which release is the best, but AMSP is above that. “A Moon Shaped Pool” shows us that Radiohead has grown. This album is mature, it is strong, and it is the accumulation of years of experience from five insanely talented musicians. Though the album doesn’t drive you to dance, it sure does beckon you with a wink and a nod, asking you to come out and join it on the floor. The album moves you physically, as well as emotionally. Every member of Radiohead gets their chance to show off what they’ve learned over 25 years and nine albums, and together they flex and flaunt their musical prowess. “A Moon Shaped Pool” is emotionally draining, sonically astounding, physically grooving, and compositionally spectacular.

Once again, Radiohead has shown the world that they are some of the most powerful musicians alive today. You don’t even have to like them to appreciate the artistry of this album. “A Moon Shaped Pool” will be a monolithic feat in the history modern rock, trust me when I say you do not want to miss this one.

Contact the author at dcampo13@wou.edu

THE EDITOR SMILES WARMLY TOWARD

Unique YouTube channels that you oughta subscribe to.

“Grand Illusions” is the YouTube channel of Tim the Toyman, an old British fella with a MASSIVE collection of toys and novelty items. His videos range from about 45 seconds to 20 minutes (!), and center around a single item or a category of them, be it playing cards, unconventional lighters, strange bottles, toys that look like fish, or one of his most recent: brushes! There are all kinds of toy collection channels on YouTube, but Tim is one of the only people that never talks about the value of the toys or the brand or anything like that. He is just a funny old man with a deep, abiding appreciation for toy design, mechanisms, and how they function; and “Grand Illusions” is his way of sharing his life’s work with the world. His charming persona, dry wit, and clear passion for these “funny little contraptions” keeps me coming back. Quite extraordinary.

She said … I don’t know where I discovered the channel of “Shopdogsam,” but I’m glad I did. He’s a hippie grandpa with a thick Tennessee accent, a love of engines and Hostess cupcakes, a stuffed parrot, long white hair, and a longer white beard, and most of his videos are stream-of-consciousness monologues about … well, it’s kind of hard to say. But he’s oddly fascinating, talking into the void of YouTube-land as if it were an old, trusted friend, as he rolls an industrial spool around or eats ice cream and cupcakes with chopsticks. He’s an oddball for sure, but again … it’s all super compelling. And that’s all I’m gonna say about that.

Theodore Cottingham recently deleted his YouTube channel, but he still has a large collection of material on Vimeo. He runs a coffee shop in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and has released just a shade fewer than five hundred videos of … I guess I’ll let ol’ Theo himself explain: “I am Christ, Christing the Christ, teaching all who will to become it also, through my words. These recordings are me speaking the first person words of God I am for you to learn to do also, where you record it, study it, learn from it, surrendering daily to the process of The New Covenant so you experience the transformation of Christ to become it in your two shoes becoming a new creation person of leadership in your country.” And if that doesn’t at least intrigue you, you are a lost cause.

“And we back:” Chance the Rapper’s latest shines

By: Declan Hertel
Entertainment Editor

I gotta cut right to the chase: Chance the Rapper’s third and most recent release, “Coloring Book” (also known to fans as “Chance 3”), is really good. Like, really, Screen Shot 2016-05-23 at 7.42.36 PMreally good.

I heard his 2013 mixtape, “Acid Rap,” for the first time about two years after it came out, and I really dug it, but I didn’t really start to pay attention to Chance until his just-about-perfect verse on Kanye West’s “Ultralight Beam,” the opening track on “The Life of Pablo” (review at wou.edu/westernjournal).

His verse caught my attention like no other, and I soon after went back to “Acid Rap.” Before I had dug it, but now I felt like I got it. Chance is different, in a way he states perfectly in the first verse of CB’s “Blessings:” “I don’t make songs for free, I make ‘em for freedom / don’t believe in kings, believe in the kingdom.”

I don’t even know where to begin talking about this mixtape, so the beginning will work: I don’t want to proclaim a trend too early—two is hardly a pattern—but with “The Life of Pablo” and “Coloring Book,” hip-hop and gospel music have found themselves very, very happy together. But unlike Yeezy’s latest, which uses its gospel influence as a plea to God to help a troubled sinner, “Coloring Book” uses gospel to proclaim and share the glory with all who hear it.

He is a man blessed with unbelievable success, including getting to work closely with Kanye West, the man who inspired him to become a rapper, and who provides the hook on “All We Got,” the first cut on “Coloring Book.” The record has all kinds of high profile features (Lil Wayne, Justin Bieber, and T-Pain, to name a few), with several songs underscored with triumphant horns and choirs. Throughout the 14 tracks, Chance is not only celebrating his success, but is eternally grateful for it, and wants to share it.

What makes Chance and “Coloring Book” great is his ultimately positive message. He’s not glamorizing a destructive lifestyle or constantly firing off shots at other artists: his music is all about making the best of everything, counting your blessings, and always being humble and grateful. From touching laments about growing apart like “Same Drugs” to honestly talking about how hard it is to find success in “All We Got,” Chance ultimately lays out a message that says if you stay strong and determined you can accomplish what you want and get through what’s got you down. Even as he raps about his problems, there’s nothing underneath but love and a forward looking attitude.

Unfortunately, it seems that “Coloring Book” has been removed from DatPiff.com, where it was originally released as a free download. But if you’ve got Apple Music you can listen to it there, and since he released it for free, if you want to torrent it or just listen on YouTube, you ought to do that guilt free.

Contact the author at dhertel11@wou.edu or on Twitter @JournalFunTimes

Disney announces nine new live action classic movies

By: Ashton Newton

Disney is a smart studio and they generally get things very right. They have Marvel and Lucasfilm under their belt, which have been getting huge amounts of praise and attention, but following the success of “The Jungle Book,” Disney has announced that they are going back to some of their classics.

Disney has announced live-action versions of nine classic tales, and while no official dates have been tied to the films, Disney says the earliest release would be July 2017.

First on Disney’s list is a live-action movie based off of Cruella Deville, simply titled “Cruella” with Emma Stone set to star.

Angelina Jolie is reprising her role as Maleficent in a sequel and Jon Favreau will be returning to direct “The Jungle Book 2.” A “Jungle Book” sequel may get dicey though, with Andy Serkis and Warner Bros. planning a darker version of the film to release next year.

Director Tim Burton is making his return to Disney with a new “Dumbo” film with “Transformers” writer Ehren Kruger penning the script.

Reese Witherspoon will be starring as Tinkerbell in a Tink-centered film, written by “Finding Dory” writer Victoria Strouse.

“A Wrinkle in Time” and “The Nutcracker” films are also being made.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will star in “Jungle Cruise,” a film based off of the popular Disneyland ride. “Pirates of the Caribbean” also started off as a Disneyland ride, which inspired the film series.

Emily Blunt is going take on the iconic role of Mary Poppins for a sequel to the 1964 classic.

This lineup of movies is on top of the huge lineup of Marvel films on the way, including “Captain America: Civil War,” which released May 6, and the six “Star Wars” films Disney hopes to release by 2020.

Lastly, “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” is in development, with Johnny Depp, Orlando Bloom, and Keira Knightly all returning. The film is set to release May 2017.

It’s safe to say that Disney knows that they’re doing and have a long-term plan for their films, with both classics and fresh content.

Contact the author at anewton15@wou.edu

You should be watching for “”Overwatch””

By: Ashton Newton
Staff Writer

In the modern world of video games, the studio Blizzard stands out for some of the most memorable games around. Games like “World of Warcraft” and “Diablo” are some of the most popular in recent years, so when Blizzard comes out with something new, it’s going to be big.

“Overwatch” is just that. Announced at BlizzCon 2014, “Overwatch” excited first person shooters and Blizzard fans alike with a stunning cinematic trailer.

“Overwatch” is a team-based competitive first person shooter. The game features 21 playable heroes with all different abilities and play styles. Characters break down into four broad categories: offense, defense, support, and tank.

Cooperation is highly encouraged. Players can switch heroes during the game, so it’s advised to switch things up often and find a perfect balance of offense, defense, and support to have an advantage over the opposing team.

Each character can be individually customized with voices, emotes, and skins, unlocked with level ups and coins won in game. This gives players a chance to express themselves in game and look way cooler than everyone else. Luckily, all customizations are purely cosmetic, so no player has an unbalanced advantage.

“Overwatch” has three objective based game modes, instead of the standard “team deathmatch” style modes. This forces players to work together in order to complete objectives like capturing control points and escorting vehicles across the map.

Game developer Chris Metzan said that “Overwatch” “promotes teamwork and relationship and having fun with your friends.”

Last week, “Overwatch” had an open beta test for players to jump in and get a feel for the game before its May 24 release.

I got a chance to play the beta for a few hours and I found it to be an outrageously fun experience. The game played smooth and people were cooperative and sincere.

Blizzard has also been releasing mini comics and animated shorts to immerse players into the world of “Overwatch” before release. These can be found on the “Overwatch” website, as well as YouTube.

The general plot of “Overwatch” is that an “Omnic” artificial intelligence crisis led to an uprising of robots around the globe in a near future Earth. Because of this, the UN creates a task force to protect Earth called “Overwatch.”

“Overwatch” also has its own Reddit community where players can share tips, strategies, and original artwork, all while sharing the excitement of the game.

“Overwatch” releases May 24 for Playstation 4, Xbox One, and PC. No Mac release is planned. Blizzard has talked about adding cross play between platforms, so all players could play together, much like the game “Rocket League.”

Contact the author at anewton15@wou.edu

Winter has arrived

By: Conner Williams
Editor-in-Chief

Screen Shot 2016-05-01 at 8.42.15 PMWarning: This article contains spoilers. Read on if you’ve already seen the premiere, or if you’re some sort of savage that reads spoilers.

April has come, and that means winter has finally come with it. Well, you know, Westerosi winter.

For those faithful readers of Martin’s beloved series, unlike me (I’ve got all the books, I just need to dedicate about a decade of my life to read them), season six comes as an annoying reminder that the TV series is now separate from the books. I’ve been told by a reader of the books that it’s been that way for a while, but now the series is actually ahead of what has happened in the written timeline.

Despite this, about 10.7 million people tuned in to watch the premiere, with about 3 million of those in the form of online streaming, reports TV.com. Compared to “The Walking Dead’s” season six finale that had about 14.2 million viewers, “Game of Thrones” didn’t quite live up, but that could be due, in part, to it being on a premium channel instead of basic cable.

The main question that’s been floating around in everyone’s mind is whether or not Jon Snow is really dead. I hate to break it to you, but this episode didn’t do much to reverse the dozen stab wounds that he was so graciously awarded “for the Watch.” However, those that give faith to the Lord of Light still remain hopeful at the presence of the Red Woman at Castle Black.

Across the Narrow Sea, Arya Stark battles with her new gift the Faceless God has bestowed upon her in full-on Daredevil style; Cersei Lannister faces the reality of losing another child as the deformed Mountain guards her in her King’s Landing keep; Tyrion and Varys come to terms with the fact that they won’t be leaving Meereen anytime soon; Jorah Mormont and Daario Naharis continue their search for the fleeing Khaleesi; the Sand Snakes of Dorne betray their prince; Sansa Stark finally meets her mother’s former protector; and Melisandre shows her true form much to the dismay of eyeballs everywhere.

You can watch the episodes on HBO with a purchased subscription through your cable provider or stream them on the HBO Now app, which is currently offering a free month for new users. New episodes premiere every Sunday at 9 p.m. PST.

Contact the author at journaleditor@wou.edu or on Twitter @journalEIC

Good Music is Good

By: Darien Campo
Staff Writer

In high school, my Facebook page proudly proclaimed that I liked “all music except rap and country.” Of course, this wasn’t true at all; I couldn’t have given you the name of one Vaporwave track, I hadn’t heard a single Gregorian chant in my life. Which is a little embarrassing for someone who likes “all music” (except rap and country). What I really meant was that I really liked classic rock and heavy metal, and pretty much nothing else.

Somewhere around my junior year I began to frequent bandcamp.com, a website I still use to find artists. By chance, I happened to run across the album “Nostalgia” by a trip-hop band called Wren. This album opened my eyes (and ears). After I first heard those gorgeous beats and beautifully sampled vocals, I realized that I had spent my life ignoring an entire world of music I should have given a chance. After Wren, I learned to withhold my judgement on new music, and instead open up and let myself explore new ideas and sounds.

It’s very easy to find a genre that’s comfortable for you and stick to it, but I’m telling you to be careful not to fall into this trap. It always saddens me to hear someone who “only listens to rock” or “only listens to rap.” Just the same as someone who refuses to listen to an entire genre based on the merit of a single band, or because of how obnoxious the fans are. Sure, Radiohead fans are crazy and we need to shut up about our conspiracy theories, but have you HEARD “In Rainbows”? I mean, yeah, Neutral Milk Hotel fans can be really pretentious, but there’s a REASON “In the Aeroplane Over the Sea” is so revered.

My high school band teacher shared this Miles Davis quote with us: “Good music is good no matter what kind of music it is.” I try to remember this quote every time I’m exploring for new artists. I can guarantee that if you don’t like hip hop, there is still a hip hop artist out there for you. The same goes for any other genre. If you love music, you do yourself no favors by closing any doors. Open your ears and scour the internet and record stores around you, there is beautiful music around every stereo; be sure you don’t miss any of it.

Contact the author at dcampo13@wou.edu.

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