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Toy piano band mixes odd sounds

Posted by :jprokop On : December 7, 2011
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Category: Culture

Quirky electronic artist Twink, The Toy Piano Band released its newest album “Itsy Bits & Bubbles” on Dec. 1. This album is unlike anything you may have ever heard and is certainly worth a listen for those with an open mind.

Twink is Mike Langlie’s sixth album of eclectic mash-ups. All the songs that he creates are an instrumental partnership of toy instruments, old school video game tones, various electrical creations and whatever else he can get to produce an abnormal sound.

“Twink” was born from a trip that Langlie made to a thrift store where he came across a toy piano. Since then he has had a fascination with the nontraditional boundaries of musical opportunity.

I’m sure many of us can think back to our childhood and captivating moments of jamming with our toy instruments. Langlie never let this go. The whimsical tracks that he has created are a collaboration of our youth.

The incredibly unique experience that each track provides will have you listening to music in a way you have never expected.  Something about the off-kilter flow takes your mind to places beyond the extraordinary.

One moment you may feel like you’re walking down a carnival midway and the next you’re lost in the circuits of Pac Man or Space Invaders.

Selecting a track is like choosing from an abundance of mysterious flavors in an ice cream parlor. Each one is unusual in a distinct way. However, they all provide an unworldly experience.

Turn up any of the songs and you will touch unknown corners of your senses’ surroundings. “Peppermint Bee” will take you back to your Super Mario Brother days, while you climb through billows of cotton candy and paisley with “Jellybean Tree.”

Maybe it’s Dubstep for children. However you may classify this album, it will unanimously be agreed that it is bizarre.

Langlie’s work has been used by MTV, Nickelodeon and Comedy Central. The concept is so obscure and every note so unusual that it is worth taking the time to investigate.

Put on your headphones and drift to a paranormal world of harmonious cacophony.

Tune into KSLC 90.3 FM to check out Twink’s “Itsy Bits & Bubbles.” You can also listen online at www.linfield.edu/kslcfm or stream the station on iTunes.

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Brinn Hovde/KSLC music director
Brinn Hovde can be reached at kslcmusic@gmail.com.

 

I’m in love with ‘Crazy, Stupid, Love’

Posted by :jprokop On : December 7, 2011
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Category: Culture

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“Crazy, Stupid, Love” is an outstanding movie. I mentioned it earlier this year as my favorite movie of the summer but didn’t get to do much of a review for it.

“Crazy, Stupid, Love” is the story of Cal and Emily Weaver (played by Steve Carell  and Julianne Moore) and their unfortunate divorce after 25 years of marriage when Emily admits to sleeping with her co-worker (played by Kevin Bacon).

Cal then falls into a deep hole and spends most of his time at a local bar talking to anyone who will listen about the situation. A club regular and player, Jacob, (played by Ryan Gosling) gets tired of hearing about the sob story and offers to teach Cal how to “get his manhood back.”

After accepting the offer, Cal learns from the ladies’ man, Jacob, and begins to move on with his life.

Later, Jacob claims he has found the woman for him, Hannah (played by Emma Stone) and leaves the club scene.

Eventually, Cal realizes that he still loves and misses Emily and wants to go home. This is where all of the fun starts!

Through the beginning of the movie, it was hard to tell exactly what path this movie was going to take. Eventually, it finds its footing and takes off.

“Crazy, Stupid, Love” was clever, emotional, and above all, real. It features at least five different love stories that are all awkwardly connected.

The cast really highlighted this movie. Carell, Moore, Gosling, Stone and even Bacon were incredibly believable. Gosling has really grown on me, and he didn’t disappoint.

Carell was a toned-down version of his usual character, which I thought was one of his best movie roles yet. I also recommend “Dan in Real Life. “

Overall, the humor level was at about a B+, although there was one scene toward the end of the movie where it got bumped up to an A+.

If you’re looking for a solid movie with a mixed up love story that is well-developed and powerful, I highly recommend it.

I give “Crazy, Stupid, Love:” 9.5/10

Once again, this was Hayden from haydensmovies.com bringing you the latest and greatest in movie news and reviews.

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Hayden Mace/For the Review
Hayden Mace can be reached at linfieldreviewculture@gmail.com.

Weathering the holiday season together

Posted by :jprokop On : December 7, 2011
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Category: Culture

The holidays can be a stressful time, especially for new couples. There’s a lot for two people to navigate through, such as dealing with one’s own family and adding the other person’s, gift giving and receiving.

To lower the stress for both people, each person needs to be aware of what the other person is going through and be willing to offer help and support, especially with families from both sides.

Families gather together during this time of year and it’s easy to introduce a boyfriend or girlfriend to everyone and see if they get along.

This Thanksgiving, I met my boyfriend’s family for the first time and he met mine.

My side consisted of 10 people, not including the two of us. He met half of them right away and the other half as they gradually showed up.

After a couple of hours there, we left to join his family. I was more nervous than I had ever been before in this type of situation.

In the past, if I spent Thanksgiving with a boyfriend’s family they were small groups and I had met them all before the holiday.

That was not the case this time. His family’s Thanksgiving was much larger because it included his extended family, and I was going to meet all of them. I met his mother as soon as we walked in to the house.

Immediately afterward, I was swarmed by other adult family members when we joined them in the dining room. There were many more people than at my sister’s house and it was much louder.

I was introduced to people quickly and asked many questions from all them. It was very stressful for me, but it turned out well.

Then there’s the gift season. For some, picking something to get the other person can be daunting. For me, it was getting the gift that I didn’t look forward to.

I have dated guys who would begin asking me what I wanted two weeks before Christmas, and I would tell them a few things.

One would go out the night before Christmas and pick up something that I hadn’t mentioned and didn’t really want or need. That felt like he was just getting me anything so I would have a gift from him.

A simple solution was for us to make a list for each other after I had a friend suggest it. I think it lowered the stress for him, and I know it helped me.

And sexy gifts are always fun, just make sure they’re given in private!

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Bailey can be reached at linfieldreviewbailey@gmail.com.

Exhibition displays array of student work

Posted by :jprokop On : December 7, 2011
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Category: Culture

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Every type of art from paintings, to sculptures to video was presented in Linfield’s Gallery on Dec. 3 for Linfield’s 2011 Annual Juried Exhibition.

The event displayed students’ works and included three guest jurors: Liz Obert, associate professor of art; Avantika Bawa, an assistant professor at Washington State in Vancouver; and Susan Agre-Kippenhan, dean of faculty and vice president for Academic Affairs.

It was up to the three jurors to deliberate and decide which art pieces would be selected and placed into the gallery. Pieces that were not chosen were placed in the 2011 Annual Salon des Refuses in the Linfield Studio Gallery.

Many factors go into choosing pieces to place in the gallery.

“I look at what appeals to me, how well it’s put together and the content of what I think it’s about,” Obert said. “There’s a lot of subjectivity with three jurors.”

The judges had many different pieces to choose from, making it difficult to pick which pieces would be selected and which would not, as well as which pieces deserved first, second or third place and honorable mentions.

First through third place were awarded cash prizes and trophies, and honorable mentions received blue ribbons.

“The show as a whole was a great group of artwork,” Cristopher Moss, gallery director and curator, said. The event contained “every spectrum of the art,” which gave the gallery a more diverse look throughout the event.

“[The event] brings community together,” Moss said, which was shown by the broad spectrum of students which entered their artwork.

The honorable mention went to artist Amy Hardy, a senior enrolled in Linfield’s nursing program at the Portland campus. Hardy emailed Moss explaining she wished to enter the contest, however, was unable to drive down and enter her work. Moss drove to Portland and picked up her paintings for her, explaining that it was a “great opportunity” to be involved in.

Out of the 22 selected artists, first place winner was junior Ziyun Liang, who won $175, second place winner was senior Emily Anderson, who won $75, and third place winner was freshman Hoi Ling Cheng, who won $35.

Honorable mentions were awarded to senior Amy Hardy and sophomore Julie Sadino, while the gallery choice that Moss was able to choose went to senior Alison Pate.

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Samantha Sigler/News editor
Samantha Sigler can be reached at linfieldreviewnews@gmail.com.

 

Improv Club keeps crowd in stitches

Posted by :jprokop On : December 7, 2011
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Category: Culture

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Junior Daphne Dossett, senior Amanda Wolf and freshman Whitney Weber adlib during the Linfield Improv Club’s performance Dec. 2 in the Fred Meyer Lounge. Joel Ray/Photo editor

Linfield’s Improv Club put on an enthusiastic performance that kept the crowd laughing the entire night. Each member of the group brought their own comical personality quirks to the stage Dec. 2.

From turning a classic movie like “Titanic” into adlibbed jokes to an 11-second version of “Jack and the Beanstalk,” the comedians showcased their talent.

“I loved that no matter what was said or done, they just went with it. It didn’t matter if someone said something completely out of the ordinary or did something ridiculous, they just made it work,” freshman Laura Lichti said. “I thought that was not only really professional on their part, but also really funny.”

Audience members provided the group with ridiculous scenarios, lines, places, ideas and people to add a wide variety of talent and quick-thinking to the routine.

The audience seemed to enjoy the group’s last and second-to-last performances above all the rest.

For the second-to-last performance, the group had to act out “Jack and the Beanstalk” in seven minutes. When they were done, they had a member sit out and cut the time in half. The group continued this until there was one performer left trying to act it out in 11 seconds.

For the last performance, group members had the audience write whatever came to mind on slips of paper and the performers had to adlib the lines into their act, making sentences like, “I don’t have crabs, I have full blown lobsters,” and “Can I touch your oh dang girl?” a part of any conversation they were having at the time.

Another performance the crowd seemed to enjoy was one with two members having a conversation in a grocery store checkout line. One was the store clerk and the other was the customer. Whenever a selected audience member rang a bell, the performer that was talking had to change what they were saying to something completely different. Their scene quickly took a turn to sexual innuendos and ridiculous accusations from buying condoms.

“The scene with the bell was definitely my favorite. Each time the bell rang they got funnier and the conversation just got even more awkward as it progressed,” freshman Caitlynn Fahlgren said.

“They were absolutely hysterical and all so enthusiastic,” freshman Zooey Glassman said.

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Breanna Bittick/Staff writer
Breanna Bittick can be reached at linfieldreviewculture@gmail.com.

Senior ends college, vocal career on good note

Posted by :jprokop On : December 7, 2011
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Category: Culture

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A soprano vocalist showcased her talents with a variety of languages and musical styles during her senior recital, receiving a standing ovation when she finished.

Senior Kayla Wilkens sang with what audience members described as grace and power Dec. 4. In an elegant, red dress, she stood on stage with confidence and kept the audience focused on her.

Wilkens sang various songs in French, German, English and Hebrew. The content ranged from music from the classical era to the twentieth century. Styles she performed included a tango-influenced piece and love poems.

“The Hebrew songs are quite lovely and very poignant, and I knew I wanted to share a moment like that at my senior recital—it’s a very special set of songs. I’d heard “Animal Passion” at a vocal conference two summers ago and it’s very memorable. It’s a little bit naughty, but really fun to sing and it seemed like a great piece to end with.”

Music majors are required to complete a senior project in order to graduate. One of the choices for the project is a senior recital that demonstrates competency and the accomplishments of the student’s time studying at Linfield.

“I think a senior recital is an extremely nerve wracking experience, and Kayla managed it with the grace and beauty that I would expect from her,” junior Jenaveve Linabary said.

The preparation process for the recital was an extensive one, Wilkens said.

“When I returned from France for Spring Term, my voice teacher and I sat down and mapped out what type of a recital I wanted to have, and we chose to pull one song from sophomore year and then we assigned a few songs from the program to work on for that semester,” she said. “Over the summer I met with her a few times to go over the rest of the songs that I was learning, and by the time I came back to school this fall, I was mostly working on memorization and details.”

Wilkens glided effortlessly through her recital, hitting every note with accuracy and precision.

“She is amazing. She hits those high notes and the audience is just captivated by it,” sophomore Anna LaBeaume said.

Wilkens was joined on stage by piano accompanist Debra Huddleston. Student musicians played alongside her as well, providing her with a fuller sound.

“It’s been great to see how far she has come since she was a freshman,” junior Jeremy Moll said.

Wilkens has performed many times with the Linfield Chamber Orchestra and with the Oregon Symphony in 2008. She has appeared as Adina in scenes from “The Eilxir of Love” and Violetta in “La Traviata” with the Linfield Opera Theatre. Wilkens performed with the LCO  in a performance of “The Marriage of Figaro.” She portrayed Belle in the Albany Civic Theater’s production of “Beauty and the Beast.”

She is looking into vocal performance graduate programs. She says she plans on pursuing a vocal career whether that be Broadway or opera.

Wilkens brought the audience to their feet with her passion and talent, as her family, friends and everyone else congratulated her on her progress and success with applause.

“I’d actually expected to feel a bit more nervous, but I was honestly just really excited to share the material that I’ve been working on,” Wilkens said. “I really loved every song in my program and so it was a fun way to share what I’m studying here.”

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Kelsey Sutton/Copy chief
Kelsey Sutton can be reached at linfieldreviewcopy@gmail.com.

Artist weaves tradition and baskets together

Posted by :jprokop On : December 7, 2011
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Category: Culture

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Participants admire one of the baskets that guest Stephanie Wood showed during the cultural workshop Nov. 30 in Withnell Commons. Joel Ray/Photo editor

The room was full of upbeat conversation and the smell of cedar at the cultural workshop Nov. 30. Linfield students and staff gathered in Withnell Commons for guest Stephanie Wood’s presentation about Native American basket-weaving techniques with a hands-on activity.

Wood passed around examples of baskets that she had made, and she identified the materials that she used while talking about the traditions of basket weaving. She also showed examples of the grasses and sedges she used.

She showed the workshop participants how to crack a strip of cedar bark and peel the outer bark away from the inner bark. Next, she demonstrated how to fold and twist the strips into the shape of roses.

“My favorite part was when my rose turned out pretty,” German teaching assistant Manuela Faschang said. “I was proud when I saw I could do it.”

Wood also showed the participants how to twist thin strands of Alaskan yellow cedar into rope.

“The workshop was really new and interesting,” French teaching assistant Esse Dabla said. “I really did not know what this would be about, so I was curious. I want to take chances and use opportunities. The whole thing was authentic and simple.”

Wood said that she comes from a family of basket weavers, but today, only she and one of her cousins continue to weave.

“I enjoy passing on and continuing traditions,” she said.

Throughout the workshop, Wood seemed to enjoy showing the workshop participants how to make the folds that would twist the cedar strips into roses.

“You can tell it’s really important to her life,” Faschang said. “Sometimes when you see things like this, it’s because people want to make money. [Wood] tries to keep it alive. It’s not just to make money.”

Wood is a member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. She is an alumna of the University of Oregon, where she completed her degree in cultural anthropology with an emphasis on Northwest Native American Cultures.

She has worked with several museum collections of Native American baskets to help identify the baskets’ origins and their creators.

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Sharon Gollery/Culture editor
Sharon Gollery can be reached at linfieldreviewculture@gmail.com.

Looks don’t determine ability

Posted by :jprokop On : December 6, 2011
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Category: Opinion

We are the generation of body modifications. Piercings, tattoos and other forms of body modification are not modern innovations, but seem to have gained popularity in the last two decades. Society’s reaction to body mods is largely disapproving, especially in the workplace, and I think that needs to change.

Body modification is changing or altering your body from its natural or “normal” state to fit how you want it to look. Changes can range from simple things such as a nose piercing or a tattoo, to more noticeable things like dreadlocks. Some people do even more extreme things like get reconstructive surgery.

Changes like these are a personal decision.

Some view these modifications as a form of self-expression and a way to be different. While some may not think it is a good reason to permanently alter your body, it is still a personal decision—one that does not affect how one performs in the workplace or at school. It also does not change a person’s worth or make them a bad person.

Body mods are becoming so popular that many employers don’t have a problem with them anymore. But there are still some places that refuse workers based solely on a few tattoos or piercings. I know someone who was fired because she had dreadlocks and her employer viewed them as “dirty.”

Ignorance is a large reason for this problem. Dreadlocks aren’t dirty. There is a lot of maintenance that goes into the hairstyle. Piercings and stretched ears don’t make someone a bad person. The individual simply likes the way he or she looks.

People shouldn’t be denied a job that they are qualified for just because they look a little different. There is nothing wrong with standing out. The skills someone possesses might be indispensable, and to deny them based on something shallow is an unwise decision.

I myself enjoy piercings, stretched ears and tattoos. I got these modifications because I like them and I think they look good. It doesn’t change the fact that I’m going somewhere with my career and that I’ll make a great mother one day. It simply means I’ll look a little different. Yes, some are permanent, and I’m prepared to deal with those consequences. But I don’t think I’ll regret it. I don’t want to be afraid that my future is jeopardized because of something I find artistic.

While it is becoming increasingly more acceptable to have modifications, people who are pierced, tattooed and physically altered are still being discriminated against and denied equal opportunity.

A person’s ability to work and perform is not taken away by these changes and the judgment needs to stop.

 

Kelsey Sutton/Copy chief

linfieldreviewcopy@gmail.com

Factory farms ruin environment and torture animals

Posted by :jprokop On : December 6, 2011
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Category: The Rest

Most people don’t think about how the hamburger on their plate got there. They simply eat it without considering what they are consuming.

Even when people do stop to think about what the food put on their plate once was, they most likely don’t have an accurate idea of what really happens to the animals most people regularly consume.

When I was a kid, I always thought that farm animals lived a happy life, roaming relatively free in big green fields until they died and became our food.

I could not have been more wrong. Most farm animals live a miserable existence in cramped quarters until they are slaughtered for our consumption.

Poultry are perhaps the most mistreated, being fed tons of fattening food, but with no room to move around. Many chickens become so overweight that their legs break from the pressure.

How can we justify this kind of cruelty? Animals can feel pain and certainly don’t deserve to live such miserable lives just so people can eat their Big Macs and chicken nuggets at McDonalds.

Most Americans would be outraged if dogs or cats were treated this way, but little consideration is given to pigs, animals that are more intelligent than dogs.

According to ABC News, IQ research at the Babraham Institute in Cambridge, England  has proven that farm animals are smarter than most people give them credit for.

Something needs to be done to change the way farm animals are treated. Factory farming is not only bad for the animals, but it’s also bad for the environment.

Instead of harvesting grain to be consumed by people, the majority of grain is harvested to feed farm animals, which are slaughtered to be eaten by humans. Because farmers feed their animals so much grain, wildlife habitats are destroyed to accommodate farmers’ needs.

While getting rid of factory farms is a huge task, there are simple ways for everyone to take a stand against this torture. The most obvious way to protest is to simply stop eating meat altogether. For many people, this is too radical of a change. However, that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other ways to help.

Reducing the amount of meat and eggs you eat can make a difference. Also, buying free-range meat and eggs can help. Free-range means that the animals are allowed more space to roam. This is a small step in the right direction for farming practices.

By not supporting the business of factory farms, you are helping to not support the torture of animals and the destruction of our environment. If everyone changes their eating habits, factory farms will be forced to realize that people no longer want what they have to offer.

Farming should be done the way it is portrayed in children’s books: cows and pigs roaming across green fields, free to graze the grass already provided by nature, instead of trapped in cramped quarters and being fed harvested grain.

 

Meghan O’Rourke/Opinion editor

linfieldreviewopinion@gmail.com

 

Don’t let consumerism overtake the holidays

Posted by :jprokop On : December 6, 2011
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Category: Opinion

It’s been a long, hard semester, and now the end is so close I can almost taste it. Only this week and finals lie between us and the holidays, whatever holidays you may celebrate.

It’s definitely showing in the realm of advertising, too. I’ve lost count of how many Christmas sale commercials I’ve heard on my Pandora radio station. So many stores are urging us to buy their stuff that you can practically hear them tripping and shoving each other to be first in line. And it’s alarming how many people are the same way—frantic to get the best deals and the most things.

Between Black Friday and the holidays, this time of year isn’t so much the season to be jolly as the season to show American consumerism at its finest. I get the feeling that too many people focus on the giving and receiving aspect of Christmas, making it a holiday centered around the all-important stuff. As nice as it is to give and receive presents, this should not be the focus of our holidays.

Now, if you asked an average person what the holidays were all about, you would probably get an answer about joy and love and being with family. Nobody likes to admit to being materialistic. However, the fact remains that the way consumerist America shows its joy and love is to give and receive presents, making the presents the most important aspect of the holiday.

I would urge everyone not to let the consumerist aspect of the holiday season get in the way of the things that truly make this time of year special. For some people, that might be drinking eggnog, or watching old Christmas movies with their grandparents. For others it could be caroling with their friends or baking a special cake.

Spending money on whatever deals mega-stores throw at us is hardly the reason to celebrate.

I’m not saying that you should boycott big stores and buy nothing. The holidays would be pretty dreary without people exchanging gifts, and it’s true that a lot of stores offer deals on items that would otherwise be out of a lot of people’s price range.

There are also a lot of organizations that give donated toys or food to children who wouldn’t otherwise get anything, and that is a wonderful kind of charity.

Giving gifts is not the only focus of the holidays, nor is it the main one. I doubt that any of the religious celebrations that happen around this time of year place much of an emphasis on getting stuff as part of the festivities.

As we head off on our break, we should anticipate the things that actually make the holidays special, not the prospect of acquiring more things.

 

Sharon Gollery/Culture editor

linfieldreviewculture@gmail.com