Tag: The Concordian

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Opinions

Hot take: It’s ok to “ghost” people

Before you cancel me, hear me out – ghosting is not that deep

I hear and understand you – ghosting sucks, and it hurts. But I’m here to tell you not to take it personally.

Full disclosure, my intentions are good. I’m not trying to gaslight you or invalidate your feelings. As someone who used to take ghosting really badly, I assure you that it’s not a big deal.

As the term implies, ghosting means to act like a ghost and vanish from someone’s life, abruptly cutting off all communication with a person you’re seeing or dating with zero warning or notice. Oftentimes, when people ghost, they leave the other person on either “delivered” or “seen” on all social media.

On an Instagram poll I created last week asking my followers whether they think ghosting is ok, 54 people voted yes, and 18 people responded it wasn’t.

“People don’t owe you anything. Sometimes getting ghosted is better than having your questions answered,” said 22-year-old Oliver Ocampo.

“I think being okay and used to [being] ghosted builds character and allows you to keep in mind that people are meant to come and go,” Ocampo added.

Some may argue that leaving the person high and dry with no explanation or warning is a lack of maturity. A recurring answer from my followers is the principle of mutual respect.

“It’s not a question of owing people. It’s a question of human decency. Imagine if everyone lived their lives on the basis of ‘I don’t owe them anything.’ The world would be a toxic place,” said Dean Dadidis, a third-year biology major at Concordia University.

I’ve had my fair share of ghosting stories. I’ve been ghosted, and I’ve also ghosted.

I do believe, though, it depends on the context and the person in question. If it’s someone you don’t really know who you’ve gone on a few dates with or occasionally talked to here and there, then I think it’s fine!

From my experience, the people I’ve ghosted were guys I didn’t particularly know well or care enough to reject them formally.

The way I see it, ghosting is still a rejection. I guess it’s a more “subtle” way of letting someone know you’re uninterested.

Personally, I don’t mind either way of rejection, whether it’s the formal message or being left on “read.” Both hurt the same, and I moved on. However, I do understand some people might need closure.

“It depends on the situation, but it’s always best to say something to close the chapter,” said Laura Matheuszik, a student at Dawson College.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that if you’re in a situation where you’re being ghosted, take it with a grain of salt.

I agree and stand with Ocampo — honestly, I don’t think it’s that terrible.

Sometimes people have their own issues and can’t be bothered to let the other person know. Others are just not good at confrontation. That’s ok. That’s their problem, not yours. I’ve learned not to let it affect my self esteem or question my self-worth.

Whether or not you agree with my opinion, I hope you understand where us “ghosters” are coming from. Hence, do not let the act of being ghosted affect the way you view yourself!

Now, the question of the hour – should we normalize ghosting?

Graphic by Madeline Schmidt

Part of the wolf pack

A look into one of the only wolfdog sanctuaries in North America

Over March break, I visited Banff, Alberta. During my time there, I went to an interesting place called the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary.

Over the past summer, I had been seeing a lot of friends of mine travel to Banff and it was always at the back of my mind. So, I proposed we go there and Anthony, my boyfriend, was completely on board with the idea.

During my research for activities to do in Banff, I came across the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary visit, a center where you can learn exactly what wolfdogs are and what the sanctuary does. This trip was the first one I’ve ever planned on my own and I wanted to use it as a learning experience.

I was immediately enticed and bought two tickets for our first full day in Banff.

We left for our trip on Feb. 26, and waking up to our first day in Banff the day after was amazing; I was so excited to be there. It was a beautiful sunny day in the Canadian Rockies.

Upon arrival we were greeted by a scenic sanctuary entrance, accented by these huge gates that have outlines of wolfdogs on them. Wolfdogs, in a nutshell, are the result of mixing canine and wolf breeds together.

Alyx Harris, the operations manager at Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary, explained the sanctuary was started by founder Georgina De Caigny back in 2011. Harris said, “Essentially she got inspiration when she got a wolfdog of her own and she saw how challenging they are.”

According to the Yamnuska website, when De Caigny noticed a rise in wolfdog breeding, she felt the need to make a safe place for the wolfdogs to have a forever home.

In the intro tour, we were introduced to one of the packs. It featured a sibling trio: Grizz, Aspen, and Quinn.

The tour guide began to explain that the packs in the sanctuary are usually composed of two wolfdogs, or three at the most.

“The wolfdogs tend to have a lot of same-sex aggression and territorial behaviors. It is easiest for us to pair a male and a female together. Once we have that male and female pair it is very unlikely that we will have a new member join that pack,” Harris said.

An interesting fact that the tour guide told us was the three different types of wolfdogs that you can find living at the sanctuary.

“When we discuss wolfdogs, we always say it depends on the wolf content. […] So essentially, a low content, a mid content, and a high content wolfdog,”  Harris explained.

What these categories mean in a nutshell is how much wolf there is in a wolfdog. A high content wolfdog has more wolf characteristics than a dog, while a low content wolfdog has a higher percentage of canine characteristics than their higher wolf content counterparts.

After our very informative intro tour, we were free to walk around the sanctuary and visit the different wolfdog enclosures. It got me thinking: where exactly do all of these wolfdogs come from?

“We do have wolfdogs from essentially all around North America. The wolfdogs come from different situations. Most of the time, the owners surrender them, they come from transfers from other organizations, and sometimes cruelty situations like backyard breeding,” said Harris.

According to the International Wolf Center, people that own hybrids [wolfdogs] often have a difficult time caring for them. Due to their genetic composition, it leads to their behavior to be more inconsitent.

Visiting this sanctuary was one of the highlights of my trip and it was very surreal for me while I was there. There was a moment when all the wolves in the sanctuary started to howl and you could hear the howling sweeping through the sanctuary.

With the wolfdogs coming from all kinds of backgrounds, the sanctuary has future goals of becoming a resource for the conservation of wolves in the wild. I recommend visiting the Yamnuska Wolfdog Sanctuary if you are in the Cochrane, Alberta area.

 

Photo by Dalia Nardolillo

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Music

On Repeat

Our music editors share what they have been listening to lately.

Guillaume Laberge, Music Editor

“OPEN A WINDOW” (feat. Tyler, The Creator) – Rex Orange County

This simple and harmless track should put a smile on everyone’s face. The strings are infectious, the singing is very heartwarming and Tyler, The Creator’s verse is as good as it gets.

“10 More Commandments” (feat. Diddy) – Benny The Butcher

This song is a follow up to “Ten Crack Commandments” by The Notorious B.I.G. In this new version, Benny The Butcher dives into the basic rules of what it takes to be a good crack cocaine dealer. If you’re looking for a career pivot, start taking some notes of what he is saying here.

“CANDY” – ROSALÍA

This new cut off the latest ROSALÍA album sees the Spanish artist mix her angelic voice with a dreamy instrumental to create a sweet and catchy tune that will make your head bop.

Saro Hartounian, Assistant Music Editor 

“Pumpin’” – Joe Satriani

Mr. Satch Boogie is back with his signature Ibanez guitar tone. The guitar virtuoso has carefully made sure that his song sounds like the title with the pumpin’ organ and guitar rhythms.  

“Shotgun” – Soccer Mommy

Ever wanted to hear what a bastard song by the Cocteau Twins and Silversun Pickups would sound like? Look no more with Soccer Mommy’s distinct dissonant undertones, shoegaze-y feedback, and effects exploring the topic of backseat intimacy.  

“Initiation” – ✝️✝️✝️ (Crosses)

Deftones frontrunner Chino Moreno lets his bubbly, choral voice loose in this twisted Fiona Apple-esque piece. The heavy use of synths make the overall gloomy song sound like it would be perfect in a Tim Burton score.    

 

Graphic by Lily Cowper

 

[spotifyplaybutton play=”https://open.spotify.com/playlist/50Er1FUahMKLEEoVRurQ1J?si=836ffaf24be7460e”]
Categories
Music

Cynically ranking the 2022 Oscars Best Original Song nominees

 It’s the same thing every year. The best original songs aren’t ever original and the winners never deserve their plaudits. What will the Oscars have the Twitter finger warriors mad about this year?

When springtime creeps up, one event captivates audiences like no other. It’s the talk of the town and dominates the internet — it even turns the common people who usually have no interest in films into armchair experts. The Oscars, otherwise known as a party for the most important people on Earth, is set to take place this month on March 27.

As we know, the Oscars are historically racist, historically sexist, and historically full of controversy. In 2015, the award show was embroiled in the #OscarsSoWhite controversy because of its lack of inclusivity. In 2016, all 20 of the nominated actors were white and just two years ago, no female directors were nominated for best director despite their outstanding work. I haven’t even mentioned the pay gap in the industry yet either. People are fed up and if we’re being honest, did anybody even watch last year’s event? Who won best original song? 

Gone are the days of Barbra Streisand and Lionel Richie, and in are the Gagas and H.E.R.s of the world. If this was high school, they’d probably win prom king and queen everytime. Now, I’m not saying that all of this year’s scores are terrible or even that the quality of music has regressed. That wouldn’t be fair; but the Oscars have never been about who won an award but rather, who beat who in the process.

Although the Oscars are a predominantly film-centered award show, music and film go hand in hand. I personally find this year’s best original song nominees particularly disappointing. “Be Alive” from King Richard, “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto, “Down To Joy” from Belfast, “No Time To Die” from No Time to Die and “Somehow You Do” from Four Good Days are the songs. Here are my honest opinions on each one, ranked from least to most deserving to win in ascending order. 

5. “Somehow You Do” from Four Good Days 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r_sSxlIjDzE

“Somehow You Do,” written by Diane Warren and sung by Reba McEntire, speaks about drug addiction, abandonment and the hardships of a seemingly unwinnable battle. Beautifully produced and classic in its slow acoustic progression, Warren, for whom this is her 13th Oscar nomination in this category, knocks the feel of this song out of the park: solitude and uncertainty. That being said, what the song has in vibe, it loses in an overly repetitive chorus and cheesy lyrics. It’s always best to avoid sayings a five year old can come up with. Phrases such as “When you think that the mountain’s too high / And the ocean’s too wide, you’ll never get through / Somehow you do,” are just so incredibly cheesy and unoriginal. It’s like saying that the sun is too bright or the fog is too thick. Thank you Captain Obvious. “Somehow You Do” is a song that reminds me of a new job. The first day is amazing, the first week is great and by the end of the month, you want to get the hell out of there. For a four-minute song about coping with drugs, I would have loved to hear an explosive climax. A moment of triumph, a cry in C5, a moment where we can all let out our anguish and let the music consume us. Without it, this song just doesn’t have enough to be in winning conversations.  

4. “No Time To Die” from No Time to Die

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BboMpayJomw

“No Time To Die” is a song many people think would’ve won last year, had the Bond movie been released on time. So it must be surprising that I have it this low. In all honesty, this isn’t a bad song. But it isn’t amazing and it isn’t something we’ve never heard before. Sorry Billie, but many of your songs kind of sound the same. Again, the vibe is immaculate and while I just hated Billie’s voice, she makes a damn good Bond song. I would have just liked for another four-minute song to have more of a climax; one carried by the vocals rather than by the sounds. A faster tempo and a more intricate bass riff would have helped too. A beautiful glimpse of that can be heard at around the 3:30 mark but that’s it. It’s incomparable to past winner “Skyfall” in my opinion. 

3.”Down to Joy” from Belfast

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6R_flCWidw

Belfast is a movie heavily inspired by the childhood of the director Kenneth Branagh during the times of the Troubles in Ireland. Without getting too historical, in many facets, this film and this song can be seen as an anti-war cry. The relevance is undeniable to the current political situation in Ukraine right now. Despite having a sad background, “Down to Joy” is upbeat, youthful, carefree, and bittersweet. Sadly, it is also a song I can plug into the background of about thirty different end credit sequences. It sounds like an all purpose cleanser for my face, body, hair and mouth. A jack of all trades but a master of none.  For a song about facing immense struggles, fighting for your lives, “Down to Joy” lacks what The Cranberries did when they came out with “Zombie.”  A song like that was just what the world needed. This is purely my bias but we can’t even compare the two.

2. “Dos Oruguitas” from Encanto

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUGtyj5QlEM

“Dos Oruguitas” roughly translates to “Two Caterpillars.” Listening to this song is like listening to a movie, or reading a book through hearing. Disney songs are always catchy and this song is the definition of an earworm. Singer Sebastián Yatras does an incredible job manipulating his voice. We go from anxiety and sadness to defiance and pride. This rollercoaster of a song takes some getting used to. The first listen is like “ok,” the second listen is “this is kinda good,” and after the third listen, you’re crying your eyes out. The progression, the pre-chorus are all just leading up to what in the end feels like a big hug after a tough day. If it weren’t for the first song on the list, “Dos Oruguitas” would have been my pick for number one. 

1.“Be Alive” from King Richard

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4wYdZi3tFJ4

King Richard is the story of Venus and Serena Williams and their father Richard Williams. From a struggling neighborhood in California, with willpower and determination, Williams single-handedly pushed and clawed his daughters to stardom. “Be Alive,” performed by Beyoncé, is an anthem for all of those who take inspiration from their story and all those struggling within their own dreams. The voice, powerful. The lyrics, powerful. The imagery, powerful. Beyoncé starts us off with a big slap in the face. Her tone and the projection of her vocals takes us on a journey like only she can. The song is perfect for when you’re in the gym working out or just in need of some acknowledgement. What I take from this song is that no matter what happens, I’m doing great. There’s somebody out there who believes in me and that all my hard work will eventually pay off. The song really lives up to its name. After listening, you really do feel so grateful to be alive. 

In the end, this list is subjective and by no way is this even an accurate attempt at projecting the eventual winners. All the artists did an amazing job and their passion really shone through. Something beautiful happens when movies and music combine and it’s a match made in heaven. 

Always take everything written here with a grain of salt. If I write a book and a hundred people read it, it’s as if I wrote one hundred different books. Everyone has a different opinion and is going to feel a different way. This goes without saying for literature, art, and especially music. Your opinions are valid. These are just mine. 

 

Graphic by Taylor Reddam

 

[spotifyplaybutton play=”https://open.spotify.com/track/1RI4YQVFh7onQD07QuL8ND?si=fb92bf1faa1c458e”]
Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS – Impera By Ghost

Ghost plays it safe with their new hard rock LP  

RATS! A new album from the infamous Ghost arrived last week. The Swedish rock band released its fifth studio album LP Impera following a four-year break from their previous album Prequelle. It features 12 songs that won’t freak you out, don’t worry. Ghost is not that scary once you listen to their music.  

Going over the album multiple times, it doesn’t sound like there is a conceptual idea for the album itself. However, in an interview with Loudwire’s Graham Hartmann, singer and frontrunner of Ghost Tobias Forge stated that the theme of the LP heavily falls on the rise and inevitable fall of empires. “We have distanced ourselves from the actual circularity of things and the cyclic nature of everything. […] The circularity I’ve been trying to talk about just happens to coincide now with what eventually will fall… the empire [Russia] that will fall because of this, I think, and hope,” said Forge.  

The album starts off with an instrumental track called “Imperium,” which is a fresh start to kick off the rest of the songs. Unfortunately, there were some songs that took heavy inspiration (read: ripped off) from other ones. “Kaisarion” sounds like “We Built This City” by Starship. The “Civilization” theme is also present in said Ghost track, given the lyrics “We’re building our empire from the ashes of an old.” I can see the resemblance with the lyrics, but why take the hook from Starship? The third track “Spillways” is even worse because the beginning literally sounds like the “Pokémon Theme” sung by Jason Paige. “Respite On The Spitalfields” has Def Leppard clean chords cutting through the mix, and “Hunter’s Moon” is screaming “Diary of a Madman” by Ozzy Osbourne. Last but not least, the guitar solo in “Watcher In The Sky” is heavily influenced by Avenged Sevenfold, with their “Hail to the King”-esque licks.           

The seventh track of the album, “Dominion” takes the album divider role. As a divider, the instrumental song showcases the separation between the lighter part of the album which the listener just experienced, and the heavier which is just to come. Following “Dominion,” is the heaviest song on the album: “Twenties.” This song starts off with fanfare which is pursued by a heavy oriental beat, similar to an Armenian style rhythm. Although the lyrical melody has a very bouncy feel to it (explicit as their verses are), the instruments don a Children of Bodom style chug which creates a heavy yet melodic song.  

When it comes to Ghost in general, they have their textbook way of writing lyrics. When it comes to the verses, they tell very grandiose stories which sound epic, like in the song “Watcher In The Sky” where the first verse reads “Evolutionary, the optics for us to get answers as to why, we signal to another dimension, that we stand here ready for reply.” On the other hand, their process of writing their choruses includes taking the title and rehashing it, like “Searchlights, looking for the watcher in the sky, searchlights, looking for the watcher in the sky.” This writing process makes for easy listening to songs rather than straining to understand complex lyrics. While it works in creating catchy tunes, maybe it would benefit if their songs didn’t sound a bit lighthearted, after all, they look like they burn churches.   

 In all sincerity, I feel that this album could have amounted to more than just blatant rip-offs and cheesy ‘80s inspired themes. While I did enjoy the main melodies and the theme of the album, it could have done better with more original and less processed-sounding ideas.     

 

Trial track: “Twenties”

Rating: 6.5/10

 

[spotifyplaybutton play=”https://open.spotify.com/track/53cMnrQfpipSePnw9SZroB?si=ad96b22f2a144730″]
Categories
Music

Crooked spin can’t come to rest — A 25 year reflection on Elliott Smith’s most acclaimed album Either/Or

A look back at the impact he has on modern music, almost 20 years after Smith’s death

A hauntingly beautiful follow up to Elliott Smith’s first solo Roman Candle (1994) and subsequent self-titled album (1995), 1997’s Either/Or represented Smith’s true debut as a solo artist with his band, Heitmiser, having broken up the year prior. While the album kept the same raw emotionality of his earlier solo-works, like the aforementioned Roman Candle, it expanded upon his innate pop sensibilities, making for a masterful work of art which somehow managed to achieve cult-classic status while also propelling songs like “Say Yes,” “Between the Bars” and “Angeles” to mainstream recognition. 

Smith was often dubbed by the public as “Mr. Misery,” a play on one of his most acclaimed songs “Miss Misery” and the overall melancholic properties of his music. While a large part of Smith’s discography can accurately be described as gloomy, the artist was so much bigger than the moniker implies. Smith was a prolific musician, poet, and lyricist. A songwriter who was able to cover difficult topics such as depression, addiction, religion, death, love and loss with haunting vulnerability and beautiful simplicity. Even the raw and simplistic properties of a good deal of his discography can be misleading, as much of Smith’s instrumentalism is complicated at best. Tracks like “Angeles” incorporate finger-picking techniques which are extremely difficult to master, even before adding the vocal line. And yet, to see Smith perform the song with such ease would lead most to forget the technical complexity of his craft. 

Smith’s Either/Or integrates his well-documented love of The Beatles with Beatles-esque tracks (such as the romantic albeit sad “Say Yes”) while still managing to remain distinctly his own. The first track of the album, “Speed Trials,” is one of the most distinct from the collection in that regard. His whisper-like vocals accompanied by suspenseful instrumentalism give the song a haunting quality, which has been emulated by the likes of Phoebe Bridgers, Sufjan Stevens, Jessica Pratt and more. The album’s impact is immeasurable, and many of the present leading artists within his genres (singer/songwriter, alternative/folk rock, etc.), including the aforementioned Bridgers, continue to name him as primary influence. 

Beyond that, his music continues to provide comfort to listeners worldwide, with almost 2 million monthly listeners a month on Spotify alone. Three of the songs off of Either/Or, “Between the Bars,” “Angeles,” and  “Say Yes” are also consistently among the top five of his most listened to tracks. As a Smith fan myself, listening to “Angeles” for the first time left a permanent mark on me, and I have been coming back to his music consistently ever since. Although Smith’s musical genius can’t be described in a few sentences, his signature chord progressions and vocal/instrumental layering alongside the poignant vulnerability of his lyricism combine to form a body of work that won’t soon be forgotten. 

There have not been many artists as sincere as Smith and that sincerity is what continues to captivate listeners, such as myself, almost 20 years since his passing. Give Either/Or a listen, it’ll be worth your while. 

Categories
Opinions

Do famous namesakes take the cake?

James Fay

The varying implications of being named after someone famous

What belongs to you, but everybody else uses it?

Your name of course!

Through your groans from my abominable dad joke, you’ve hopefully started to think about the notions of names and naming, and perhaps how strange it is that you identify and respond to a certain mixture of sounds that your parents chose a little while back.

I’ve always found names fascinating, and I’ve been known to wonder what makes people pick certain ones over others, or how names impact the people they correspond to.

I know why my name was chosen — my first name, Talia, is a name my parents loved and was inspired by my late great-grandmother, Tilly. My middle name, Regan, is a modern take on Regina, my other late great-grandmother’s name. Both were strong and kind women who also happened to be seamstresses (a skill that is not transferable by name, let me and my embarrassing mending jobs tell you…).

My name gives me a legacy to live up to, and it made me wonder how other people feel about theirs if they’ve been named after another person.

In particular, I became curious about those who are named after celebrities or movie characters. Do they feel an urge to measure up to them? Do they become a model for their aspirations? What happens if the celebrities do something wrong?

As usual, I took to my trusty Instagram story to see what I could find.

Liza Shahin is named after Liza Minnelli, the American actress, singer, dancer and choreographer.

“They wanted a name with an L because [of] my great grandmother,” she said of her parents, who wanted to commemorate their late relative. Shahin continued on to say that her mom was the one really set on the name Liza. “She really loves [Minnelli] as an artist, and she loves Cabaret and stuff like that.”

“I would say I know more [about Minelli] than the average person our age because of my name,” Shahin said, noting that about 50 per cent of the time she introduces herself, she gets asked if she was named after the superstar.

Shahin explained that she’s never felt that there was expectation to live up to Minnelli (thankfully, since that would be a pretty tall order), but she loves that she’s named after her.

“Based on performances, she’s kind of bubbly and I can be kind of bubbly,” said Shahin when asked whether they have similar qualities. “But that’s really about it. I don’t think I’m musical, really, and that’s what she’s known for.”

“She has a song called ‘Liza with a “Z”’ and it’s all about how everybody mispronounces her name,” said Shahin. “So that is the most I feel connected to her.”

Liza Minnelli is a pretty safe celebrity to be named after, but Shahin wonders what it would be like to be named after someone more problematic. “I feel like it’s easy to be named after someone, and then, like, they do something bad,” she said.

That being said, she posits that this problem of namesakes and “cancel culture” will probably become more of an issue as we get older and name our children after celebrities, since our generation is the one that tends to do the “cancelling.”

Sam Novack has a middle name straight from the Temple of Doom, and gives some perspective on what it’s like to be named after a fictional character.

If you haven’t already guessed, Novack’s middle name is Indiana, after Indiana Jones, a fictional archaeology professor and the hero of four movies to date.

“He probably just really liked Indiana Jones,” said Novack, referring to his father and explaining that his dad got to choose a “random” name because his mom got to choose one for his sister.

“Growing up, I watched the movies with my dad and we had them all on DVD,” he said. “I really never felt so much of an attachment to it.”

Despite the lack of profound effect from having this awesome middle name, Novack explained that he did “used to really want the same kind of hat as him,” which to me is as profound as it gets.

While Alexa Toguri-Laurin isn’t named after a celebrity, she explained that she does share a name with the Amazon cloud-based voice service, which has brought up similar issues that come from celebrity namesakes.

“Some girls have either funny experiences or really disheartening experiences,” said Toguri-Laurin. “For me, I kind of get annoyed with the joke, but I kind of got used to it.”

Toguri-Laurin stressed that her attitude towards all the Alexa jokes is not the case for everyone. She mentioned a recent BBC article about parents calling on Amazon to change their product’s name because their daughters were being bullied for sharing a name with the voice service.

Amazon so thoughtfully responded by apologizing and informing the public that there are options to change the settings on their products to respond to a different name than Alexa, but that they wouldn’t abolish Alexa entirely.

While there’s no straight formula to choosing a good namesake, it’s safe to say that names are powerful — they have the ability to inspire, commemorate, and even cause pain. Personally, I’d stick to people who have already passed or fictional characters that can’t surprise you with awful actions, but that’s just me. Just please steer clear from politicians — you’ll thank me later.

Graphic by James Fay

Categories
Music

Concert review: Tame Impala at Place Bell, Laval

Photo by Faustine Chonavel-Weakley
Photo by Faustine Chonavel-Weakley

The Australian band’s divine performance even made some people faint

The cold Laval air was filled with the sounds of police sirens and fans chattering about the upcoming Tame Impala show. Standing in line, it was evident that an infectious energy was spreading. 

The opening act went by the name of Junglepussy. She was an oddball choice as an opener by Tame Impala frontman Kevin Parker, since she is a hip/hop artist and Tame Impala is a psychedelic alternative band. Her performance was a bit underwhelming on account of her half-hearted dance moves, but the highlight of her show were the visuals, which elevated the senses for each one of the songs. Her most memorable songs were “Trader Joe” for the hilarious pop culture quips which left the crowd reeling with laughter, and “Nah,” which sounded like a Nas-influenced beat.  

After a 15-minute intermission, Tame Impala started off with a luscious intro involving lunar visuals moving around (among other spherical objects). The setlist was comprised of the band’s greatest hits like “New Person, Same Old Mistakes” and “Borderline.” The third song, “Nangs,’” had the Currents album artwork as visuals, which seemed to almost breathe, contracting and expanding and flowing in a “current.” They then dedicated “Breathe Deeper” to Junglepussy, thanking her for opening for the band, which was kind on Parker’s part. 

After bantering with the crowd, Tame Impala played their song “On Track.” Before playing, Parker said that it was the first time the band had performed it live in front of an audience. I really appreciated that the group took the time to mention this little tidbit, because normally bands will say things like “You guys are the loudest city we’ve been to!” just for the sake of riling up the energy of their fans. However, here Parker showed a genuine excitement towards sharing this previously-unperformed song with the audience, creating a memorable experience.

At one point in between songs, Parker said “That stuff smells nice, Montreal weed is good!” The conversations that he had with the crowd were lively and personal too, especially after a member of the crowd gave him a bouquet of flowers.    

The seizure-inducing light show seemed divine, and for each song the visuals were stunning, putting on a psychedelic show which felt like an LSD trip, at least to those who indulged in said practices. During “Breathe Deeper,” two fans fainted. Clearly, they did not pay attention to the song’s title. Understandably, the light show was so overwhelming with the face-melting visuals that surely a lot of other fans felt like they were going to faint as well.

One of the most memorable songs was of course “Elephant.” The sheer monolithic sound of the guitar and bass overpowered most people’s ears but thankfully it was not too overwhelming! Another song that shared this frequency was “Let It Happen.” In my opinion, “Eventually” happened to be my favourite song from the setlist.  

During “Runway Houses City Clouds,” a fan was injured just as the band started to play. Parker stopped playing the song to make sure they were okay. Once everything was cleared up, they restarted the song and all was well. The real-time generated visuals induced a psychedelic fever dream that gave off Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas vibes. Their encores were “The Less I Know The Better” and “One More Hour,” which was the perfect send-off for the band.

Memorable songs: “Elephant,” “Breathe Deeper,” “On Track,” “Eventually,” “Runway Houses City Clouds”

Total times confetti thrown: 3 

Word of the concert: Divine

Photo by Faustine Chonavel-Weakley

Categories
Music Quickspins

QUICKSPINS: Luna Li – Duality

 Luna Li’s solid debut record shows a wider audience that she should certainly be on your radar

After hitting a stride of virality on the internet in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Toronto-born and raised artist Hannah Bussiere Kim, also known as Luna Li, was launched into a much larger audience than she had ever reached before. This stride of internet clout brought Luna Li’s name into similar circles of artists such as Phoebe Bridgers, beabadoobee, and Japanese Breakfast; the latter of which went on to bring Luna Li on tour as support for a number of performances through America in the summer of 2021.  

Though Duality is only her first record, Luna Li’s auditory identity is very self-realized and fleshed out. This is largely in part from her academic background in classical music (specifically string performance), as well as working alongside and being a part of several performing and recording groups in the Toronto music scene for years. Though the moniker Luna Li is new to her, she is more than familiar with her field of work after being so heavily involved in Toronto’s indie rock sphere.

Lush harps, keys, and warm bass lines are found on every track of the record, providing a nice sonic cohesion and groundwork for the album. Kickoff track “Cherry Pit” smashes you in the face with a blast of distorted guitars and boomy drums before disappearing into a bedroom pop soundstage. The track does not waste any time displaying the range of textures you will find across the album’s 41-minute runtime.

Luna Li’s music videos and social media output on the surface exudes a bedroom pop princess-like energy, which is present in her music but in smaller doses than anticipated. Angular guitar solos littered with overdrive and distortion come through a number of tracks on this project, such as “Alone But Not Lonely.” The song kicks off with a sultry Portishead-like string section, contrasted by some sweet vintage casio style keys, capped off with a cute and simple drum machine that sounds like it could be run through the filters and effects section of a Roland SP-404. As she repeats the title of the song about a dozen times in not even two minutes, the song evolves through numerous colours of indie pop and arena rock that comes together in a delightful little package of surprises, without Luna Li biting off more than she can chew. 

“Silver into Rain” is yet again more glorious art pop, with a dreamy feature from beabadoobee who in her own right is a scene mainstay for the bedroom popheads. The cut is a recipe for a hit, much in line with the rest of the record keeping you on your toes, unsure of what might be around the next corner. 

Luna Li’s distinct palette and twist on the current pop sound, tied with her whimsical songwriting, make for an enjoyable full-length that will surely leave a lasting impression on those who listen. With tours to come and more music down the line, Luna Li has the potential to build a loyal following and garner plenty of excitement and fans. 

 

Score : 7.5/10

Trial track: “Silver Into Rain”

 

[spotifyplaybutton play=”https://open.spotify.com/track/7tOJr0Vl4xcxhPYqUfjwVX?si=5190fbc83cdc414d”]

 

Categories
Music

Listening to a new album a day for a month recap: how such a laborious challenge helped me grow as a music enthusiast

Photo of Guillaume by Catherine Reynolds, Edited by Lily Cowper

While extremely fun to do, this undertaking truly gave me a hard time

For the second year in a row, I decided to attempt a challenge that requires an extreme thirst and curiosity for discovering new music, a keen sense of attention to detail, and a lot of free time. It consists of listening to an album you’ve never heard before every day, for a whole month. Fortunately for me, the month of February is the shortest month of the year. While it still might sound like a lot considering albums are usually between 30 to 75 minutes long, trust me, it’s not just a lot — it’s way more than that.

Now you may be asking, “Guillaume, why are you doing this? What are you gaining from committing to such a time consuming challenge?” Well, there’s a lot to gain from this experience. The main reason I did this was to expand my music tastes and knowledge. I find that by forcing myself to listen to a full body of work every day that is completely different from the last, it helps me appreciate what every genre has to offer and what makes them stand out compared to others. I see this challenge as I would see a Christmas advent calendar, where every day you open a door to get a different chocolate or treat — in this case you “open the door” to discover a new album and experience it for the first time. During the challenge, you will also most definitely discover a new artist or album you’ll love, which makes it exciting.

The albums that were selected for the challenge had to fit two important criteria. First of all, I wanted to include as much variety as possible. From jazz to metal and from the early 60’s to the late 2010’s, I wanted to cover as much musical ground as I could. Despite being all so different stylistically from one another, they all share a point in common, which is my second rule: all of these albums had to be considered classics by the music community within their respective genres and eras. During such a tough challenge like this, I was a lot more thrilled and motivated to complete it by listening to respected classics rather than listening to more obscure material, mostly because I know what I’m getting into.

With that said, here are the list of albums I listened to during the past month, in this exact order:

Paranoid by Black Sabbath

LP1 by FKA twigs

One in a Million by Aaliyah

Elliott Smith by Elliott Smith

Meliora by Ghost

The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest

Siamese Dream by The Smashing Pumpkins

Pieces of a Man by Gil Scott-Heron

Funeral by Arcade Fire

Bury Me At Makeout Creek by Mitski

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane by Duke Ellington and John Coltrane

Rust In Peace by Megadeth

Lord Willin’ by Clipse

Paramore by Paramore

Gets Next to You by Al Green

Doolittle by Pixies

Pure Comedy by Father John Misty

Selected Ambient Works 85-92 by Aphex Twin

Contra by Vampire Weekend

Schlagenheim by black midi

You’re Dead! by Flying Lotus

Even In The Quietest Moments by Supertramp

Yes Lawd! by NxWorries

Age of Consent by New Order

Hounds of Love by Kate Bush

Third Eye Blind by Third Eye Blind

Homogenic by Björk

The Glow, Pt.2 by The Microphones

I can’t say this challenge was a breeze for me, because it is never easy to incorporate such a time consuming activity into my already busy schedule, but what I can say is that I was definitely successful in my quest to become a bigger music nerd. I won’t lie, some days were harder than others and I did a lot of catching up, especially towards the end of the challenge, but my struggles were mostly attributed to the fact that some days, I simply didn’t have the time. On top of that, while I was doing my challenge, artists were still releasing new music (how inconsiderate of them). The new Beach House, Big Thief, and Conway the Machine albums all made it hard to focus on the older records I had to listen to for the challenge. 

My top five favorite albums of the month consists of the following (this list is in no particular order) :

Paranoid by Black Sabbath

This album is a pioneer in the hard rock and metal realm, the riffs and drumming fills are way ahead of their time and Ozzy Osbourne’s songwriting is in top form on this one.

The Low End Theory by A Tribe Called Quest

This is such a chill and laid back jazz rap album, it’s definitely for the vibers. This record is perfect to listen to while taking a walk outside.

Funeral by Arcade Fire

This album is so grandiose and powerful, it makes you feel like you could take over the world. Just an epic alternative rock experience.

Duke Ellington & John Coltrane by Duke Ellington and John Coltrane

A record that sees two of the greatest jazz musicians of all time come together for an incredibly smooth 34 minutes. It’s a meeting of the minds for the ages.

Third Eye Blind by Third Eye Blind

This pop-rock record offers anything you would want from a 90’s album in the genre: infectious hooks, angsty lyrics, and banging instrumentals.

While this challenge might seem scary at first, if you put in the time and effort, I guarantee you that the exposure to a large number of records in a short amount of time will most definitely expand your horizons and sharpen your curiosity as a music listener.

Visual by Catherine Reynolds and Lily Cowper

Categories
Ar(t)chives

Do StudyTok hacks really help?

Too much time on TikTok can actually have productivity benefits

 

I know I spend too much time on TikTok. I tell myself that it’s mainly for journalistic research, which is at least partially true, considering that this article, as well as many others of mine, are inspired by videos I see while scrolling through my TikTok feed.

While the majority of my For You Page is riddled with Taylor Swift conspiracy theories, cute thrifted outfits, and cool new restaurants to try, a study hack sometimes slips into the mix (maybe that’s the algorithm telling me something…).

Because I have a pretty intense week of schoolwork coming up, I decided that this would be a perfect time to test out some of the tricks that I’ve saved over time and see if they actually work for me.

Textbook heaven

The first one I tried is a true game changer. Maybe I’ve just been living under a rock, but I was completely excited to see that something like this exists.

Z-lib.org is a free textbook library that gives you easy access to textbooks and research material, which is particularly helpful when the university libraries don’t have what you’re looking for or when you want to save some cash. I was writing a paper and needed a specific book that was already signed out from the university library. To my pleasant surprise, it was on z-lib and I didn’t even have to go in to get a copy!

Too good to be true

The next tip was definitely too good to be true. I saw a TikTok boasting about the “TLDR” Chrome extension that summarizes long readings into bullet points to save time. I have an absurd amount of reading to do this week, so I was stoked to try it.

I probably should have known that it wouldn’t actually work, but I was still quite disappointed when it spewed out gibberish that honestly confused me more than the reading itself. There were two settings: short/concise and detailed/section-wise, but they both came up with the same useless summaries. I also tried with another academic article in case the one I had was the reason it wasn’t working — spoiler alert: it didn’t. I still had to read a million pages on top of the wasted time trying to figure out how to use the extension. Serves me right for believing in things.

Racing to the finish line

I must say that I was very apprehensive about listening to the Mario Kart soundtrack while writing an assignment. Still, I’d seen tons of TikToks claiming that it helps give you a sense of urgency (as if the looming deadlines aren’t enough), so I figured that I needed to be open-minded and give it a try. I also don’t generally listen to music while writing, unless it’s a dark academia classical Spotify playlist to calm myself down when I have tight deadlines. They also help me convince myself I’m much smarter than I actually am.

I was pretty sure that the Mario Kart wouldn’t really have the same effect, but, after listening for a little while, it’s safe to say that working with these tunes was much easier than trying to stay on Rainbow Road. At first, the fast-paced tunes were stressing me out, but after a few minutes, the words were flowing from my hands almost faster than my brain could keep up. My assignment was done within the hour — I highly recommend it.

Tomato timers

Though not an exclusive TikTok hack, I definitely saw some videos preaching the Pomodoro method, which consists of allotting yourself specific amounts of study and break time to increase productivity. The most common time frame is 25 minutes of work to every five-minute break, a pattern that you repeat until you’ve finished your tasks.

I did two cycles of the Pomorodo method and found that it didn’t really work for my way of studying. Setting the timer definitely helped me actually start writing, which is often the most challenging part for me, and I appreciated knowing that I would get a break after 25 minutes. Once the 25 minutes was up, however, I was in a flow state and didn’t want to stop at that moment. For the sake of the article, I continued with the method (you’re welcome), and then took the five-minute break, which definitely didn’t feel long enough. But, I had the same challenges after the second cycle as well.

That’s not to say that the Pomodoro method, or any other study hack mentioned in this article or on TikTok won’t work for you (though if you do figure out the reading summarizer extension PLEASE message me). Everyone has different ways of learning and aspects of doing school work that are more challenging for them — that’s why it’s so important to personalize your habits to what works for you.

Overall, TikTok seems like a great place to look if you’re trying to figure out the best way to get through your schoolwork. Just be weary of “hacks” that are simply too good to be true. And plagiarism. All my homies hate plagiarism. Happy(?) studying!

 

Visuals by James Fay

Categories
Music

On Repeat: Toro y Moi, Pusha T & Alanis Morissette

Our music editors share what they have been listening to lately

 

Guillaume Laberge, Music Editor

While I was mostly busy listening to a new album a day for the past month for another piece, I still managed to find the time to listen to the hot singles that were being released. With that said, here are three songs that have been “On Repeat” for me.

STRESSED: CONWAY THE MACHINE

This might be Conway”s most personal track to date, as he drops bar after bar about some of the most gut-wrenching events of his life, like the suicide of his cousin, or the death of his son. A truly captivating listen.

THE LOOP: TORO Y MOI

This song feels like having a jam session with your friends. The smooth vocals mixed with this incredibly catchy bassline and the guitar solos at the end all make for such a feel-good experience.

HEAR ME CLEARLY (WITH NIGO): PUSHA T

This aggressive cut from cokerap king Pusha T sees the MC in his bag with his usual cocaine references and luxurious one-liners over a killer instrumental.

Saro Hartounian, Assistant Music Editor

Lately, I have been finding myself going back to artists that I would listen to and see live back in 2019 — damn that was three years ago… Anyway, here are some singles that could fit your weekend vibe, courtesy of me!

THE DRIPPING TAP: KING GIZZARD & THE LIZARD WIZARD

Have you ever wanted to listen to an 18-minute song from a critically-acclaimed stoner acid band? This jammy single will make you melt into whatever you’re sitting on (maybe) with its bubbly, mellow vocals and outback-esque rhythm. Uluru eat your heart out!

FOREVER: STEREOPHONICS

This song will take Stereophonics’ loyal fans back to their Performance And Cocktails album. Kelly Jones’ rough voice pierces through the song’s brit-pop guitar riff, reassuring listeners that they haven’t changed their style, and have rather merely adapted through the years.

OLIVE BRANCH: ALANIS MORISSETTE

Looking to reconcile with a friend or loved one to “reach out and make amends?” Well, look no further because the ’90s national treasure’s latest single will have you feeling like doing just that. A stripped song with just piano, strings, and the infamous Jagged Little Pill voice.

Listen to this week’s “On Repeat” playlist here:

[spotifyplaybutton play=”https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3yQZtwlPg1X6m4SCa0UpIq?si=97c532c26dd64570″]
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