Rock On with Blink-182

 

After taking an “indefinite hiatus” since 2005, alternative band Blink-182 released its sixth album, Neighborhoods, on Sept. 27.

Blink-182 is best known for songs such as “What’s My Age Again?” and “All the Small Things.”

The 14-track album featured a wider range of music than usual, and was more mature, in regards to both sound and lyrics, than the band’s past albums.

About half of the songs stayed mostly true to Blink-182’s typical upbeat, punk-like sound. These songs were “Ghost on the Dancefloor,” “Natives,” “Up All Night,” “Hearts All Gone,” “Kaleidoscope,” “Mh 4.18.2011” and “Even if She Falls.”

The other half was what stood out the most in the album. These songs are mostly responsible for the album’s maturity.

“After Midnight,” was the slowest, most romantic song in the album. This song was also the most popular in the album, according to iTunes.

“Heart’s All Gone (Interlude),” as well as “This Is Home” and “Love Is Dangerous” were a little somber and slow as well. All four of these songs were more about the serious aspects of love, such as the pain of breaking up.

However, the most different songs of the entire album were “Snake Charmer” and “Fighting the Gravity.” “Snake Charmer” was darker than the typical Blink-182 song and had a slight flavor of metal music to it. “Fighting the Gravity” sounded dreamy and ambient, and was probably the most experimental song on the album as well.

All in all, this album was significantly different from previous Blink-182 albums. The most obvious difference was that only half of the songs even sounded like typical Blink-182 songs.

Songs that did not fall into this category were generally more slow and serious. Two hardly even sounded like Blink-182 music at all.

The album was also lyrically different from those in the past. One fan, John E., said “Almost every song here mentions death in [one] way or another, but because of the generally poppy feel to the music, it falls lightly enough to not send the listener into a whirl of depression.”

This was a great album because of the musical variety and maturity of the songs. It was certainly worth the five-year wait to allow the band members, and their music, to grow and progress.

All You Need is Love

With songs, dances, and a few touching stories, the ITS Concert for Love on October 6 left the audience with much to think about. The Presentation ITS club did a fabulous job addressing the topic of bullying.

Mr.Houle started the night off by sharing a personal bully story from when he was in high school which set the tone for the rest of the show. The Presentation Dance team then followed with a dance done to the song “Born This Way,” by Lady Gaga. It was the perfect way to use lyrics to make a point.

Speeches were next, including a PowerPoint with shocking statistics on bullying, many of which seemed too cruel to be real. It made the unrecognized issue a reality.

An original speech, given by senior Demi Pace, was a plea for love. It was strong and powerful enough to bring tears to some of the crowd’s eyes. The speech brought attention to the way society acts and how horrible we, as humans, can act towards each other. It certainly left the audience thinking.

The songs performed by Pres students truly showed their talent. Songs were performed a cappella, with instruments, solo, or with a group of friends. No matter the way it was performed, each song was done beautifully. It was gratifying to see how much hidden talent exists in our school.

One powerful performance was the song “Beautiful,” featuring junoirs Haley Henson, Marisa Peckham, Julia Salisbury and Gaby Capiton. With Julia playing the piano and the other three singing in perfect harmony, the song was incredible.

Demi Pace and Emily Griffith performed an original skit. It was an extremely personal story that brought attention to the hardships of teenagers in high school, who are treated a little differently. It showed the audience that bullying is not a joke—it is a serious issue that can cause any person a great deal of harm. A well-deserved standing ovation followed their performance.

Another touching story of bullying was shared by Katcy Stephan. Her story was a relatable one–a story about feeling like an outcast. However, her story got better. She pointed out that Presentation was the change she needed in her life, because when she came here, the bullying stopped. This gave hope to the audience that even though bullying exists, it can be prevented.

A performance of “There is no difference,” featuring most of the cast topped off the night perfectly. It was sung beautifully by a great number of students which is why it got a standing ovation.

To lighten the mood, Eric Buell, Tim Case, and former teacher Chris Cozort performed a skit for the upcoming play, “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” a TADA show that will appear in January. It was hilarious and wonderful to see the current and old teachers of Pres make a fool of themselves as they pretended to be Snoopy on stage. At one point, Mr. Buell poked fun at Mr. Case’s height, which got the whole crowd laughing hysterically.

Presentation students and faculty showed true talent that will not go unrecognized. All in all, ITS’ Concert For Love was a night to remember. It was personal, relatable, entertaining, and a wonderful way to address the serious topic of bullying.

 

 

The Best of the Pasta Market

Out of all of these options, the most famous item sold at the food service is by far the ‘Pres bread.’ When potential Pres students shadow, hostesses are constantly asking, “Have you tried the Pres bread yet?”, making it a famous food item to students outside of Presentation. Although the bread contains many calories, we don’t seem to mind, because at the end of the day, there is not one bag of bread left in the cafeteria.

Even better, the food service is always willing to go the extra mile for students. Perez has been known to make birthday cakes and chicken noodle soups for students who are feeling sick. He also makes reward cookies and desserts for students who have gotten good grades and ‘pick me up’ meals for girls with boy problems.

The food service is also much healthier than it was last year.  According to Perez, the food service has made three significant changes in order to contribute to a healthier and more nutritious menu.

First, the food service no longer serves any items that are fried; instead, baking is used. This means that french fries, egg rolls, mozzarella sticks and fried zucchini sticks have been eliminated and replaced by more wholesome foods. Second, food is served in smaller portions. Although smaller portions means a lower calorie intake for students, Pres girls aren’t always so delighted to pay the same (or higher) price for less food. “I noticed the portions are a lot smaller and more expensive, so I don’t get food from the cafeteria as much as I used to,” said junior Ali Walkley.

And lastly, Perez comments, “There is less cheese in everything, especially the pizza.”

Perez and the food service continue to consistently produce delicious food, but they are also always coming up with new ways to spice up the menu. Popular new items are the pizzietta, which is a healthier version of a pizza; bruschetta; molletes (Mexican bruschetta); new salads; and some soups. “I go to restaurants a lot, and I get a fancy salad with fruits and think to myself, ‘I can do this,’” said Perez. He also gets his ideas from experimenting with food, watching the cooking channel and learning from his mom.

Obviously, Perez’s new menu choices were well-received here at Pres because students rave about them. “I like how there is more of a variety of salads, and the fruit is delicious,” said junior Lauren Musselman.

Movie Review: Eat, Pray, Love

As a Pres girl, this week you have probably already eaten Apollo’s bread or cookies, prayed during Monday morning prayer, and loved the teacher that postponed your test. Among the many new movies that just came out, what better way to intrigue a Pres girl to come to the theater than a movie named Eat, Pray, Love.

This title, coincidentally an exact summary of our lives at Pres, actually reflects the journey of protagonist Liz Gilbert as she travels the world. In search of a change and an opportunity to find herself, Liz spends a year traveling to Italy to eat, India to pray, and Bali to love. As you follow her through these different cultures, you meet a variety of people, spiritual leaders, lovers and friends, who assist her in her quest for self-discovery.

We meet Liz, played by Oscar-winning actress Julia Roberts, as a bored and depressed career woman, looking to get out of a marriage and make a change. After her marriage with Stephen (Billy Crudup) deteriorates, she begins a relationship with an actor named David Picollo. David, played by Golden Globe Winner James Franco, periodically meditates to an Indian guru. Again this relationship fails and Liz decides enough is enough. She has kept a box of places around the world she wishes to visit for as long as she can remember, which gives her the inspiration to finally travel. Her love for the Italian language, David’s guru, and a fortune received by a spiritual leader in Bali lead her to choose to live in Italy, India and Bali for one year.

Starting with four months in Italy, Liz is fascinated with speaking Italian. She strives to master the language, but has another goal in mind as well: to enjoy Italian cuisine. Unlike her day to day routine, she throws calories out the window and accepts the process of buying new jeans. The many pizzas and pastas she indulges in look delicious and make you leave hungry, even after too much movie theater popcorn and candy.

She spends the next four months in India, praying to David’s guru. There, she meets Richard from Texas. He pokes fun at her, giving her nicknames and mocking her prayer. But he also teaches her the lesson of forgiving herself. Oscar nominated actor, Richard Jenkins, portrayed a believable and intimate character, providing the most heart wrenching scene in the movie. Richard’s personal story emphasizes the lesson of forgiveness, and strengthens the relationship between him and Liz.

During the end of the year, Liz lives on the beautiful island of Bali. She decides to end her trip there because a few years earlier, Ketut Liyer, a spiritual leader in Bali, told her to come back. She spends most of her time learning from him and copying down prayer books until she meets Felipe, played by Oscar winning actor Javier Bardem. Felipe quickly becomes more than a friend. Both divorced, their relationship is special as they confide in one another. Bardem creates a relatable character, with a warm demeanor and understanding attitude. Although tentative at first, with his support and companionship, Liz learns to love again.

The movie, based on the bestselling novel, challenges viewers to look inside themselves to relate to Liz’s story. Roberts never leaves the screen, not even for one scene. However, it does not seem like it as her emotional connection to the character is very real. Through her portrayal, it was easy to sympathize with Liz’s struggles. Unlike its trailer, the movie is not focused on leaving you with an uplifting feeling, but on understanding one woman’s voyage. To feel enlightened by Liz’s journey, you must enter the theater prepared to listen and analyze the lessons she learns. Though it is not the happy-go -lucky movie it has been previewed to be, it is an interesting look at how one person challenges herself, and makes you think how you can do the same.

Alice in Wonderland

March 5 was the must-see release of Walt Disney’s Alice in Wonderland in stunning 3D. Tim Burton directed this film as a delicious combination of over-the-top acting with lively animation. This movie was well worth the wait, and excited fans all over the world christened their budding spring season with this little guilty pleasure of madness in March. Without a doubt, Tim Burton’s quirky take on Alice is one that is sure to please.

The movie was inspired by Lewis Carroll’s children’s stories Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (1865) and Through the Looking-Glass (1871). In the books, Alice is a child who wandered away from a history lesson and into Wonderland, a world all her own. Fans may be disappointed by this movie because it doesn’t follow the exact sequence of events in the books, and it also doesn’t follow the beloved Disney cartoon version of the stories. However, the movie does provide an interesting spin on a child’s everlasting quest to find out who we really are and fulfill our life’s destiny.

In this fantastical adventure, 19-year-old Alice (played by Mia Wasikowska) arrives in the English countryside at her would-be secret engagement party only to find herself torn between the conflicting societal expectations of a young woman and her own childish desires to chase after a much more interesting white rabbit with a pocket-watch and a waistcoat. She begins living her wildest childhood dreams after she falls down the rabbit hole and into Underland, a magical place she remembers from the imaginative slumber of her 6-year-old self.

From the moment Alice steps into Underland, everyone has been out searching for her. She is reunited with her childhood friends Tweedledee and Tweedledum, the Caterpillar, the Cheshire Cat, the White Rabbit, the Doormouse, and the March Hare. The actors play their characters as if they had just popped out of the storybook and onto the screen. Their flamboyant costumes fit perfectly in a setting that combines elements of an English chessboard and circus animals with just the perfect color of topsy-turvy madness. Wasikowska plays a curious, daydreaming Alice with a sense of recondite wonder that matches that of wide-eyed Luna Lovegood in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

As her journey progresses, she runs into a zany Mad Hatter, who is an endearingly peculiar character played by none other than the entertaining wild card, Johnny Depp. The story unfolds with Alice’s internal struggle between her aversion to harming living creatures and her predestined path to slay the monstrous dragon, the Jabberwocky, on Frabjous Day. Sooner or later, Alice meets up with the big-headed Red Queen, played by Helena Bonham Carter, who gives an incredible performance as the tartly, demanding, loud-mouthed villain.

As Alice’s adventures began in Underland, the plot unwinds all too quickly in a torrent of random animals and color, but the story becomes much more interesting and easy to follow once the action gets rolling. The special effects are brilliant, the colors vibrant, and the actors are talented and quick-witted. But even as Alice struggles with her fate, the predestined ending in Underland is certainly no surprise. It is “off with its head!” as Alice fulfills her destiny and beheads the monster, just like we all knew she will. The story may have been more impressive if Alice’s fate wasn’t revealed multiple times throughout the movie, but then again, who would be happy with a surprise ending if Alice failed? Still, the real story comes from Alice’s self-realization and discovery of the great, big world in which she finds herself. It’s the same story that all children (and those of us who are children-at-heart) must face sometime in their lives.

With new insight in the world and her great sense of self-knowledge, Alice decides it is now her time to return to the world she had left behind. She boldly refuses the proposal of marriage and takes her place on a trade ship headed to China. Alice discovers that she is no longer a misfit in her own life in Victorian England. With a guilty smile, she takes pride in being bonkers and reminds us that it’s okay since “all the best people are.”