Mount Hood

Music from the unknown

Darien Campo | Designer

As an insufferable music snob, my hunt for even more obscure artists to listen to never ends. Over the years I’ve padded my iPod collection with a large collection of albums from unsigned and little-known bands. From indie artists to solo bedroom producers: here, I’ve collected some of my favorite albums that deserve much more attention than they get.

“You and I, Animals” – Black and White Envelope

Black and White Envelope is a solo artist from Connecticut, recording music in his own bedroom studio. “You and I, Animals” is a fun-filled record of bright pop-rock and catchy-as-hell tunes. His music sounds so much like a collection of lost Vampire Weekend tracks, a comparison he gladly boasts on social media. The upbeat rhythms, angular melodies and bright instrumentation make every track fun composition. So, if you’re looking for more Vampire Weekend-style Baroque pop, Black and White Envelope is there for you.

Recommended track: “Conversation Aviation”

Photo by: Blackandwhiteenvelope.bandcamp.com

“Anywhere That’s Wild” – Adventure Galley

The Portland-based group Adventure Galley bring an energetic mix of synth-pop and dance-rock to the table. “Anywhere That’s Wild” perfectly mixes the best parts of upbeat rock music and cool synthesizers. With a cutting punk edge to the lyrics and vocal delivery, Adventure Galley is what the Arctic Monkeys would sound like if Alex Turner had grown up listening to nothing but synth-pop. The powerful dance beats and enormous harmonies are sure to get anybody moving.

Recommended track: “Diane”

Photo by: Adventuregalley.bandcamp.com

“The Coast is Never Clear” – Beulah

Though Beulah is no longer together, they are one of my all-time favorite bands and there’s no way I could leave them off a list like this. The Elephant Six rock group brings punk eclecticism along with dense orchestration, poetic lyricism and infectiously catchy choruses. Where most bands use orchestral instruments as flavoring for their track, Beulah has an almost cinema-like quality in their use of brass and strings that makes their music feel totally massive. “The Coast is Never Clear” is an album of winners, with not a single filler track to be found.

Recommended track: “A Good Man is Easy to Kill”

Photo by: www.beulahmania.com

“Nostalgia” – Wren

Photographer and poet Cody Weber’s side project, Wren, has released some great experimental music over the years, but, for me, “Nostalgia” is his most powerful record. “Nostalgia” makes use of a bizarre twist on alternative hip-hop and trance that feels utterly unique. The samples are strange and otherworldly, the synthesizers are gritty and warped and the beats pound you in the chest with every hit. I completely credit this record with opening my mind up in high school to more experimental and electronic music. “Nostalgia” is uncompromising and powerfully personal.

Recommended track: “The Shakes”

Photo by: Iamwren.bandcamp.com

“Sincerely, Future Pollution” – Timbre Timbre

Canadian freak folk group Timbre Timbre released their newest album “Sincerely, Future Pollution” in the spring of 2017, and it’s a great starting point to their haunting, groovy sound. Timbre Timbre sound like a scary twist on Bowie-like pop with a great focus on atmosphere. Filthy instrumentation, drenched in reverb, with hauntingly beautiful atmosphere to wash over it all – Timbre Timbre is worth a listen if you’re looking for a stranger, slower burn of a record to explore.

Recommended track: “Grifting”

Photo by: Timbertimbre.bandcamp.com

“Tsunawatari” – Hako Yamasaki

Hako Yamasaki’s 1976 record “Tsunawatari” is a strange journey through a world of psychedelic folk-pop. Yamasaki channels the singer-songwriter power of artists like Bob Dylan on this album, with gorgeous acoustic ballads that give way to oddly textured folk tracks. Even as a native English speaker, I can still feel the strength in Yamasaki’s soaring vocal hooks and skillful lyrical rhythms. “Tsunawatari” is a subtle record that invites you to intimately explore it’s musical complexities.

Recommended track: “Himawari”

Photo by: www.albumoftheyear.org

 

“Dialects” – SNOWMINE

Brooklyn five-piece SNOWMINE have their own take on what pop music should sound like; they strike a perfect balance between electronic soundscapes and soaring orchestral strings. Singer Grayson Sanders’s smoky tenor deftly handles the complex poetry of SNOWMINE’s lyrical content, leading to music that is sometimes hard to sing along to, but always easy to get stuck in your head. “Dialects” is SNOWMINE’s sophomore effort, and an incredible triumph for such a young band.

Recommended track: “Plans”

 

Contact the author at dcampo13@wou.edu

LGBTQ+ activist encourages honesty and bravery

Sam Dunaway | News Editor

“Find something that scares you just a little tiny bit, do that thing, and then repeat steps one and two. And pretty soon you’ll find yourself doing extraordinary things.” This advice was just a small portion of the empowering and genuine speech given by LGBTQ+ rights activist and founder of United Equality Consulting, Shannon Scott.

Scott visited Western to discuss topics including her own personal life story, actions individuals can take to create a more trans-affirming space and her struggles and triumphs in life as a transgender woman.

Born and raised on a ranch in Montana, Scott struggled throughout her teenage years and near 12 years in the United States military with her gender identity. She noted that once she decided to take the first step in being honest with herself about her identity, she was moving in a direction of authenticity.

“For each terrifying step I took, I felt a little bit more complete,” Scott explained. “After years of lying to the world around me about who I was, I was able to finally set down that burden of lies and replace it with the ease of honesty.”

Scott began her work in human rights advocacy after moving to Portland in 2011. She started volunteering with the Human Rights Campaign, the “largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer civil rights organization” according to hrc.org. Now as a member of the Board of Governors, Scott is responsible for planning Human Rights Campaign activities in Portland. Additionally, Scott founded United Equity Consulting, an organization that provides LGTBQ+ education and training for companies and their employees.

Three pieces of advice were given by Scott to support the LGBTQ+ community in schools and workplaces: first, she advised everyone to add their pronouns to the signature line of their email, as this demonstrates personal and organizational support of diversity and inclusion; second, Scott noted the importance of having a safe location where everybody can go to the bathroom, emphasizing inclusion for all, not only transgender-identifying individuals; and, third, she advised that students and employees find out if there’s a written transgender inclusion policy at their school, work, or other organizations that the student is involved in.

Sam Fennell, Stonewall Center coordinator on Western’s campus, described the importance of having Scott tell her story for students.

“Shannon Scott was a crucial person to bring to campus because of the representation she brought,” Fennell explained. “Her story is one of hundreds of stories of transgender people who have faced discrimination because of their identities …  For a lot of people struggling with their identity and how to overcome similar obstacles, seeing someone who has accomplished so much gives them the drive and support to continue being their true authentic selves.”

Scott closed the speech with a request from the audience of students: “I want you to see yourself and everybody in here as exactly what you are,” she encouraged. “You are the leaders of equality. You are the agents of change. And together, you will lead this organization into the future.”

Contact the author at journalnews@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

 

Western’s intramural sports shine

Simson Garcia | Sports Editor

The quick-paced and game-to-game action in Western Oregon’s intramural soccer and basketball recreational leagues concluded in championship triumph on Feb. 28 and March 1.

IM playoffs in women’s indoor basketball were played on Feb. 28, while the men’s basketball and indoor soccer culminated the very next day on March 1.  

Tournament play in indoor soccer was scheduled throughout the day and an anticipated first round matchup between We Like It Messi and The Republic started things off. The two squared off a month earlier, on Feb. 1 as We Like it Messi one-upped The Republic in their full-throttled first meeting, 5-4.

In bad timing, We Like It Messi, named after professional soccer athlete Lionel Messi, forfeited for the second time because of an inadequate number of players with three. The Republic didn’t budge for their opponents misfortune and optioned to advance. Every indoor soccer team must have four players in play or they’re disqualified.

“They were scared,” said We Like It Messi’s junior striker Hatim Alhamdin, commenting after The Republic’s decision.

A fourth player arrived later, but The Republic had already made their decision. Nonetheless, the fact that The Republic advanced was due to its togetherness all season.

“The strong point of our season was that we were real supportive of each other,” said senior goalie Keegan McMurry.

But The Republic’s team play wasn’t enough to outdo No. 1 in the division Unreal Madrid — a name in reference to the professional soccer club Real Madrid — who awaited them in the final. Unreal Madrid had not been conquered once, and waited in the final after earning a bye round in the semi-final. Madrid scored the most points on the season and showed for it, and won in penalty shots, 5-4.

Intramural basketball championships in the women’s and men’s competitive leagues were also finalized on Feb. 28 and March. 1.  

On Feb. 28, Cool Name won the title in the women’s competitive field after defeating The Bouncemasters, in a revenge match, 42-21. The two met twice before and split the meetings, 45-33 and then 48-37. Both also had significant point differentials against their foes as Cool Name owned a 72 point difference while the bouncemasters totaled 49. But the 5-2 bouncemasters couldn’t bounce 6-1 Cool Name in the final grudge match.
In men’s competitive, two teams came into the finals with 5-0 records. Both Strong to the Hole and FreeBallers, had significant margins over their competition. But there’s a reason Strong to the Hole inched ahead of the Freeballers in the final, 71-70, and that’s from the scoring output versus their opponents. Strong to the Hole outscored their counterparts all season by nearly 25 points per game, and won only one game by a single digit outcome. That more than doubled the Freeballers’s 11 ppg margin.

IM title games in co-rec soccer and basketball, as well as men’s regular recreational basketball, finish up on March 7.

Contact the author at journalsports@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

Alternatives to single use plastic

Emily Wanous | Freelancer

Ever since I can remember, the environment has always been something that I worried about. It wasn’t until I came across a fact that slapped me in the face with raw truth that I really recognized the reality: every piece of plastic ever created is still on this earth today — every single one. Of course, this was something that I could have connected, but I had never even considered it until I read that fact.

Adding on to this grim realization, I found that in Oregon, major recycling centers do not recycle most common forms of plastic, such as plastic coffee lids, plastic grocery bags and more. This is mind-boggling, because not only will it stay on this earth, it won’t be used again in another form. With all of this in mind, I took it upon myself to switch to plastic alternatives for daily items. For your convenience, here are some of the alternatives that I’ve found beneficial.

The first item I chose to switch to was QOGiR Reusable Sandwich bags. They have super cute designs, and they are non-toxic and stain-resistant. On top of this, they are washable and inexpensive.

Second, I switched to Bee’s Wrap Reusable Food Wraps. These are washable, and can easily morph around both food and containers, to assure that your food is being saved well. Admittedly, they are a bit more work than traditional plastic wrap, but you get the benefit of knowing that aren’t using single-use plastic.

Third, I now use Wowe Organic Natural Bamboo toothbrushes. Toothbrushes may not even be something you consider when trying to reduce plastic usage. This specific brand is charcoal infused, and has BPA-free bristles. As a bonus, there’s no plastic packaging.

Fourth, I recommend using Earth Junky Mesh Produce Bags. Many of us do choose to use reusable grocery bags, which is a great start. However, imagine the number of times you buy fruits and veggies and use the plastic produce bags — this will allow you to cut those out entirely.

Fifth, I love using Mason jars. I use them for all my drinks throughout the day. Whether it be coffee, tea, water or anything else — these jars work great. If you buy coffee at Western coffee shops, among other places, they will gladly fill your cup instead of a one time use cup. And on campus, doing so will give you a 25 cent discount.

My sixth recommended product Unni 100% Compostable Trash Bags. I should note that these may be a bit less durable than traditional plastic bags, but they still work great and get the job done.

Seventh, I use resealable plastic bags. These may not be a special product, but what makes them helpful is that I do reuse them. It’s inevitable that you will buy plastic containers or bags at the store. When this happens, reuse the container as much as possible before throwing it in the trash.

The eighth and final product I’ve switched to is Nellie’s All-Natural Laundry Soda. It cleans everything thoroughly, and the packaging is tin rather than plastic. The best part: it’s inexpensive.

As Monmouth is a small town without a lot of shopping diversity, all of these products can be bought online. To find all of the plastic alternatives listed, head to Amazon. There, you’ll find everything listed and it may even spark a new idea of other ways you can rid yourself of plastic.

Contact the author at ewanous15@wou.edu

Photo by: Ecomaniaccompany.com

Wolves to host West Regional after picking of GNAC Championship Tourney victory

Morgan Swaim | Staff Writer

Nationally ranked number three, the Wolves travelled to Alaska this past weekend, from March 2-3, to take care of business. After a strong regular season performance, it wasn’t a surprise to see Western win the Men’s GNAC Basketball Championships. After the team collected two wins in the two nights, to secure a conference championship, the Wolves have put away 22 straight opponents.
Last Friday, March 2, the team was able to defeat Seattle Pacific in the second round of the GNAC Championships, 93-70. Seniors Tanner Omlid and Vince Boumann were highly efficient, combining for 40 points; Omlid lead the way with 23, Boumann — who collected tournament MVP honors, scored 17 points.
During the game on Saturday, March 3, against national tournament bound St. Martin’s, the team was able to secure their second GNAC Championship win in three years. In a defensive battle, the Wolves pulled away with a 65-55 win.
After the wins, the team was informed that they would be hosting the West Region Championship for the second time in three years.
Heading into the regional tournament, the Wolves earned the ability to play at home after receiving a number one seed. The team’s record currently stands at 29-1 as the postseason begins.
They will be looking to continue the winning streak through a possible three game stretch this following week. The first tournament game is March 9, at 7:30 p.m. against eighth seeded Point Loma.
If the team continues to progress throughout the weekend, they will play for an Elite 8 bid on March 12, Monday, at 7:00 p.m in the final regional game. All these games would be played at home.
In other team-related news, Omlid was announced as the GNAC Player of the Year after an impressive season; he averaged 13.6 points per game, finished first in steals and had the second most blocks in the conference.

Those who’d like to attend can purchase either a three-day tournament pass or a single ticket. Tournament passes are $30, while a single game ticket is $5 for students and $10 for seniors.
All games will also be streamed live on gnac.tv.

Contact the author at mswaim16@wou.edu

Photo by: wouwolves.com

Upgrade your Girl Scout Cookies

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

‘Tis the season for a $5 box of the fan-favorite cookies. That’s right, Girl Scout season is in full swing, and with it is box on top of box of their mouthwatering baked-goods. And, yes, I must admit that I did buy a whopping $50 worth. While they’re perfect to snack on as they are, and likewise perfect for eating an entire sleeve- or box- of, they also can be altered to make some delectable desserts. So, go support your local Girl Scout troop, purchase some cookies and get started on these recipes.

 

Thin Mint Truffles

Crush one sleeve of Thin Mints until fine. There can be some bigger pieces, but it should mostly be crumby. Set aside 1 tablespoon of the cookies for later, then combine the rest with 8 ounces of softened cream cheese — which is equivalent to one package. You can let it soften by having it sit out until it gets close to room temperature. Mix until well combined, then form small balls of the mixture. Let cool in the freezer until they’re slightly hardened. Melt 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, then submerge the truffles into the chocolate. Top by sprinkling the set-aside crushed cookie, and let cool completely in the freezer.

 

Samoa Cheesecake Cupcakes

Take one sleeve of Trefoil cookies and crush until it’s very fine. Mix with 6 tablespoons of melted butter until well combined. Press these into the bottom of cupcake tins, and bake at 350 until golden brown, about five to six minutes. In a medium mixing bowl, combine 16 ounces of softened cream cheese, ½ cup of sour cream, ¼ cup of sugar, 2 eggs and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Then, take a sleeve of Samoas and crush it up well. Take half, and combine it with the cheesecake mixture. Fill the cupcake tins almost to the top with the mixture. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the cakes are set. Then, let cool for about 20 minutes in the refrigerator, and top with the remaining crushed Samoas.

 

Tagalong Milkshake

In a blender, combine about two cups of chocolate ice cream. You can also opt for vanilla and add chocolate syrup, if you’d rather do that. Add one cup of milk. Toss in about ⅓ cup of peanut butter. And finally, crush up about ¼ cup of Tagalongs and add that in. Blend and add more ice cream or milk until you reached your desired consistency. Top it off with whip cream and more crushed Tagalong.

 

Do-si-dos Creme Brulee

Crush roughly ½ cup of Do-si-dos and combine with 4 tablespoons of melted butter. Once well combined, form a crust on the inside of a small ramekin — or any dish that would work for a creme brulee. Bake for about four minutes at 350 degrees. While that’s cooking, heat 1/2 cup of heavy cream with 2 tablespoons of sugar until it starts bubbling, then remove from heat. In a separate bowl, whisk one egg yolk with ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract. Slowly add the cream mixture until it’s well-combined. Pour into your ramekin. Place the ramekin in a baking dish and surround the ramekin with enough water to reach about halfway up the side. Bake at 300 degrees for 40 minutes, then let cool. Cover the ramekin with plastic wrap and cool in the fridge for three to four hours. When ready to serve, sprinkle about 1 tablespoon of very fine sugar over the top, and broil just until it gets golden brown and caramelized. Make sure the rack is very close to the top of the oven, as you’re trying to mimic a torch with the broiler.

 

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo by: Caity Healy

How to shop The Find

Caity Healy | Lifestyle Editor

If you’ve ever taken a stroll down Main Street, you’ve likely noticed an elegantly decorated shop: The Find. Perhaps you’ve looked at the appearance and assumed it was expensive, or even looked at one price tag and turned the other way. The truth is, though, there are a lot of great items I’ve bought from there that have not hurt my wallet.

This store sells a lot more than it may seem at first glance; decor, clothing, jewelry, shoes, antiques and more are sold within this small shop. While the options of items obviously vary, the surprising part is that the prices do as well.

“Our stuff is mostly new,” commented employee Teresa Hutchinson. “But we also have hand picked consignment from people that the owner chooses.”

The store is layed out in a fashion where the newer items are more towards the front, and at the back of the store, you find the lower priced, used items. The used items vary anywhere between clothing, shoes, decor and even jewelry.

From the back of the store, I’ve found many of my favorite items. I found a high quality mini dress that has quickly become my favorite, and it cost me only $14. This is less than you’d pay at most other stores, and the quality is better. On top of that, I’ve also found my favorite cropped hoodie and a cute jean shirt — all of which were $25 or less. So, once again, about the same price or less than you’d pay at other stores.

While this store does offer some cheap prices, there are also some pieces that can get pretty spendy. For instance, I was looking at a jacket that I was interested in, and the price tag read “$128” — however, that is the highest price I’ve seen yet.

Overall, the biggest takeaway is that the boutique really does offer more college-friendly prices than I originally realized. All it takes is a little bit of digging and a good eye. They call it The Find for a reason, so go take a look around and see what you can discover.

Contact the author at chealy16@wou.edu

Photo by: Paul F. Davis

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