Mount Hood

Beyoncé takes on country

Escrito por: Libby Thoma | Redactora

Beyoncé has announced the second part of her “Renaissance” album, which is a three-act installment. However, this album takes a different approach than her previous ones because it classifies as country; it is said to come out on March 29. Fans are referring to the album as “Renaissance Act II” or “Act II,” although the name of the album remains unknown.

The news was dropped during the Super Bowl halftime show and confirmed to be country. Beyoncé also starred in a Super Bowl commercial with Tony Hail by acting as ‘firsts,’ such as the first female president. The commercial ended with a voiceover stating, “ok, they ready, drop the new music.” Later on the same Super Bowl Sunday, the songs “Texas Hold ‘Em’” and “Act II,” both country, were released and posted to her Instagram.  

However, Beyoncé’s new country album did not come without controversy. A country station, KYKC 100.1, refused to play Beyoncé’s new country music on their station, and Roger Harris, the owner of the station, stated they get a high volume of calls to play Beyoncé’s new songs, which on other stations, played up to eight times a week. 

The release of “Texas Hold ‘Em’” and “Act II” has been met with backlash from country listeners who don’t consider her music ‘real country.’ This has led to many stations facing the problem of receiving hundreds of calls or sticking to more traditional country music. 

Bobby Bone, along with many other Beyoncé fanatics, finds it interesting that there has not been much controversy surrounding Post Malone’s upcoming country album despite the two artists delving into the genre for the first time simultaneously. Fans think that an artist can tackle multiple genres of music. Along with creating attention for Beyoncé, the singer-songwriter has also generated attention for country music. Some say that country music is being more widely talked about now that there is this controversy, and that either way, the controversy is good for the genre. 

It is unknown where the new album will be available for streaming, but the two songs that were released became available on Tidal before Spotify or Apple Music. 

Beyoncé’s new music has country listeners and Beyoncé fans divided. Although there is this divide, attention is being brought both to the genre and the artist herself. 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en ethoma23@mail.wou.edu

Spicy book recs for the single and the curious couples

Escrito por: Jaylin Hardin | Sports Editor, Salyna Woods | Freelancer

This selection of romance and smut books was created for those who may be lonely or for couples looking for new things to try in the bedroom.

Fluff — plot oriented, light spice

“Ice Breaker,” “Maple Hills Series” Book One by Hannah Grace — When the hockey and figure skating teams at Maple Hills University are forced to share the same rink — and Anastasia Allen’s skating partner gets hurt in the aftermath — hockey player Nathan Hills finds himself trading his stick for tights.

“The Deal,” “Off-Campus Series” Book One by Elle Kennedy — Hannah Wells would do anything to get her crush’s attention — even tutor the cocky captain of the hockey team in exchange for a pretend date. All Garret Graham wants to do is play professional hockey, but his dropping GPA is threatening everything. If fake dating a girl to help make some guy jealous will help him secure a position on the team, so be it. 

Spicy — less plot oriented, medium spice

“Twisted Love,” “Twisted Series” Book One by Anna Huang — Alex Volkov is a devil blessed with the face of an angel and a cursed past; Ava Chen is a free spirit trapped by nightmares of a childhood she can’t remember. Their love is one that was never supposed to happen, but when it does, it unleashes secrets that could destroy them both and everything they love.

“Things I Wanted to Say But Never Did,” “The Lancaster Prep Series” Book One by Monica Murphy — Whit Lancaster is a menace on campus, but his primary target is Summer Savage. When she finds him one night, broken and bloody, she sneaks him to her room and cleans him up, then falls for his lies. When he leaves, he takes her journal and promises to let her secrets out. Summer strikes a deal with the Devil — and lets him ruin her behind closed doors.

Spicier — hardly any plot, heavy spice, mature audiences only

“Priest,” “Priest Series” Book One by Sierra Simone — There are many rules a priest can’t break: he cannot marry, abandon his flock or forsake his God. Father Tyler Bell has always been good at following the rules set for him, but six months ago he broke his vow of celibacy on the altar of his own church. And God help him, he’d do it again.

“Neon Gods,” “Dark Olympus Series’” Book One by Katee Robert — Persephone Dimitriou plans to flee the glittering socialite life in the City of Olympus, but when her mother ambushes her with an engagement to Zeus, she is forced to flee to the undercity. There, she makes a devil’s bargain with a man she had originally thought was a myth. Hades never intended to step into the spotlight, but he finds that Persephone can offer the revenge he’s been craving. Every night they spend together has given Hades a taste for Persephone, and he’ll go to war to keep her close to him.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en howlsports@wou.edu

Upcoming Frankenstein films

Escrito por: Lili Minato | Autónomo

Advertencia sobre el contenido: this article contains mentions of suicide

The iconic story of “Frankenstein” has been retold upwards of 114 times through the artistic media of film, the first recorded example being a movie by the same name made in 1910. Now, there are two new “Frankenstein” adaptations coming to the big screen in the upcoming year and a “Frankenstein”-inspired film that is up for an Academy Award. 

These three movies all follow the general themes and plot of “Frankenstein,” while also bringing their own original ideas to the table. From original stories to stylistic elements and cinematography, the classic story continues to spark new life in these adaptations. 

“Poor Things” is an artistic blockbuster that premiered in December of 2023. The story, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, follows a suicidal pregnant woman — played by Emma Stone — who is resurrected with her brain switched with the underdeveloped brain of her unborn child. She then goes on to explore the world through those new set of eyes. 

While not technically a publicized reproduction of the original story, it takes many elements from the stereotypical depictions of “Frankenstein” — a mad scientist and the resurrection of a new organic creature as well as the exploration and the understanding of society by said creature. The connections to the original Mary Shelley novel are abundant. 

The upcoming film, “Lisa Frankenstein,” takes a different approach to the generic recurring plot points of past “Frankenstein” adaptations. Described as a “coming of rage love story” by IMDb, the plot consists of a teenager in the 80s bringing a corpse — who happens to be her crush — back from the dead. They go on a joint mission to find missing body parts which results in murder, love and possibly happiness.

Even though this isn’t a completely original retelling of the novel, the film seems to be taking on something new with a campy and gothic style that will be loved by younger and older audiences alike. 

Guillermo del Toro’s “Frankenstein,” is a remake of the 1931 classic by the same name. From what the public knows, this film doesn’t seem to stray as far from the original story compared to the other two films mentioned. 

However, audiences shouldn’t expect another repetitive “Frankenstein” movie — del Toro’s past films should inspire viewers to still expect an elevated level of beautiful, stylistic work. Combined with the acting skills of Oscar Issac, Mia Goth and Jacob Elordi, fans of del Toro and “Frankenstein” should anticipate creativity and beauty from this upcoming film.

Contact the author at lminato22@mail.wou.edu

Prime’s newest project: Hazbin Hotel

Jaylin Hardin | Redactor de deportes

Advertencia sobre el contenido: this article contains spoilers, mentions of sexual assault, abuse, drug and alcohol use and violence 

Amazon Prime is no stranger to streaming shows based around angels, demons and the redemption of sordid characters. When Neil Gaiman’s “Good Omens” premiered on the company’s streaming service, Prime Video, it quickly gained notoriety among subscribers. Prime’s newest show, “Hazbin Hotel,” has been met with similar excitement since its release.

In its early days, “Hazbin Hotel” was first posted on a YouTube channel run by the show’s creator, Vivienne Medrano, who went by the handle @vivziepop. Since its initial release on Oct. 28, 2019, the pilot has garnered over 97.1 million views. In 2020, film studio A24 earned the rights to fund and produce the series, but it did not find a home company until Prime Video picked it up for partnership. 

“Hazbin Hotel” follows Charlie Morningstar — played by Elsie Lovelock — as she attempts to rehabilitate sinners in her hotel. Working at the hotel with her is the enigmatic Radio Demon, Alastor, bubbly one-eyed Nifty and alcoholic Husk, who act as the hotel’s business partner, housekeeper and bartender respectively. 

Together, they work to better the souls of p**n star and addict, Angel Dust, and the loveable loser, Sir Pentious. While attempting this, the hotel residents must prepare to face the coming exorcism, led by none other than the first man himself, Adam, or “the original d**k” as he calls himself. 

The show’s first season runs eight episodes, with a runtime of 25 minutes and two songs per episode. It also boasts a well-known cast of Broadway stars, including Alex Brightman, who performed in “Beetlejuice: The Musical,” Stephanie Beatriz, known for Disney’s “Encanto” and “Centaur World” and Keith David, who stars in Disney’s “Princess and the Frog” and “Coraline.”

On the surface, “Hazbin Hotel” may seem like a raunchy, adult comedy with flashy animation and rock-style musical numbers; however, it goes much deeper than what meets the eye. 

A primary example lies beneath the surface of character, Angel Dust, played by Blake Roman. At face value, he is flirtatious, constantly intoxicated and hides his insecurities under aloofness, but, in his song “Poison,” the audience is given a glimpse into Angel Dust’s inner monologue, as well as his abusive and controlling relationship with demon overlord, Valentino. In episode five, “Masquerade,” viewers see Angel — in flashbacks — assaulted and beaten by Valentino, as well as being forced to star in adult videos, usually with violent premises.

“It’s not an act! It’s who I need to be! And this, this is my escape. Where I can forget about it all and how much I hate everything. A place where I can get high and not have to think about how much it hurts. And maybe if I can ruin myself enough in the process, if I end up broken, I won’t be his favorite toy anymore, and maybe he’ll let me go,” Angel says. 

“Hazbin Hotel” also explores strained father-daughter relationships, with Charlie and her father, Lucifer — played by Jeremy Jordan, who is known for “Newsies” and “Tangled the Series.” In episode five, “Dad Beat Dad,” Lucifer comes to the hotel to help Charlie in her enterprise, and ultimately repairs his relationship with Charlie in a song titled “More Than Everything.”

The hashtag “hazbinhotel” has garnered over 1.1 million posts on TikTok and 767 thousand on Instagram — skyrocketing the show into popularity in the wake of the finale. Edits and clips of the show have taken over the for you pages of many TikTok users, as well as some users on the platform, gaining overnight fame due to their cosplays of characters and usage of dialogue or songs from the show. 

“It definitely deserves the hype it’s getting,” said sophomore, Faith Woolsey. “The plot is amazing and the animation is so good.”

However, there has been some bible-thumping, Ned Flanders types who have taken to TikTok to claim that the show makes Satan the hero and God the enemy. 

One such video was posted on Jan. 28, by TikTok user @kmarie_g, and captioned “are they getting bolder with satanic worship or are we waking up more? Either way, it’s here and it’s in the wide open. Amazon’s new cartoon series about Satan being the good guy should be a wake up call to all Christians that now more than ever we need to stand up and guide people to Jesus because this world is doing everything they can to pull them the other way.” In the comments, it was a similar story: other users supported her “message” and were asking God and Jesus to bring the end times. None of the users had watched “Hazbin Hotel.”

This is evident because these claims could not be further from the truth. For one, Lucifer and Satan are two different people in the Hebrew Bible; while Satan is known for trying to tempt Jesus, Lucifer is known for serving him. Lucifer led Jesus to the cross and was cast from Heaven for rebelling against God, while Satan rebels against God and wishes for humanity to serve under him. The title of “Devil” is interchangeable for both Lucifer and Satan. Additionally, it is Adam and his exorcists who are portrayed as evil in “Hazbin Hotel,” not God — who is not even seen and hardly mentioned in the show’s first season.

“Hazbin Hotel” has been greenlit for a second season by Prime Video, with the show’s creator stating a one and a half to two year period before the release of season two. For now, fans can enjoy the show’s sister series — Helluva Boss — on YouTube.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en howlsports@wou.edu

Sustainable masterpieces

Escrito por: Claire Phillips | Redactora de Entretenimiento

In Campbell Hall’s Cannon Gallery, several artists came together to share their mixed media artworks. The art pieces portrayed different stories of their creators and displayed a wide range of styles. Cannon Gallery currently houses collages, vibrant paintings and elaborate 3-D art.

Put together by Linn-Benton Community College faculty, Western’s campus gallery had something new and exciting with every turn. From sexuality and religious imagery to defunding the police, each artist had a unique message to share.

Daniel Lopez, an art teacher at Linn-Benton shared his methods of creating minimalistic yet deeply meaningful pieces. “I didn’t buy any of the materials… it’s just recycling… that’s definitely a big philosophy with me, is to keep things as sustainable as possible,” Lopez said. All his acrylics were gifted to him, and he recycled canvases students had left behind.

Lopez then shared his advice for anyone who wants to pursue the world of art — “As long as you care about art, you’ll feel the need to do it. The best thing to do as an artist is to live outside of the art. The more interesting of an artist you are, the more interesting your art will be.”

Jill R. Baker followed another sustainable route by reusing chicken wire and fabric cording for her multi-colored 3-D pieces. The mixed-media materials made for an eye-catching display.

Baker utilized the accessibility of the Oregon rain for her sunshine pieces by allowing the water to make an organic design with the watercolor pencils she used. In the Pacific Northwest, sometimes vitamin D is hard to come by.

“Last spring, I decided I was going to make my own sunshine… in the late winter, the sun is so important,” Baker said. The golden works of art were nothing short of big, beautiful, artificial stars. In the rainiest and cloudiest of times, art serves as the greatest outlet.

Many aspiring artists may be overwhelmed by the multitude of possibilities and may be unsure of where to begin. “Just start making art and see where you go,” Baker said. There is a lot of truth behind her statement — take art one day at a time. Cannon Gallery will demonstrate that every artist is unique in their own way, all one needs to do is take that first step towards creation.

Póngase en contacto con el autor en howlentertainment@wou.edu

Valentine’s with a sprinkle of angst

Written by Liberty Miller | Editor de estilo de vida

Tired of the lovesick wailing on every radio in the first two weeks of February? Try this playlist for a refreshing taste of upbeat and rocky Valentine’s Day angst. 

“We Are Young (feat. Janelle Monáe)” — fun.,  Janelle Monáe

“Thnks fr th Mmrs” — Fall Out Boy

“Applause” — Lady Gaga

“New Romantics (Taylor’s Version)” — Taylor Swift

“Blow Me (One Last Kiss) – Radio Edit” — P!nk

“Mr. Brightside” — The Killers

“Friends” — Band Of Skulls

“Hello – Acoustic” — GROUPLOVE

“So What” — P!nk

“Under You” — Foo Fighters

“Let’s Dance to Joy Division” — The Wombats

“Shake Me Down” — Cage The Elephant

“Crazy Youngsters” — Ester Dean 

“Kiwi” — Quarters of Change 

“The Middle” — Jimmy Eat World

“Governess Shadow” — July Talk

“Mistakes” — Sharon Van Etten 

“Cough Syrup” — Young the Giant

“Seventeen” — Jimmy Eat World 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en howllifestyle@wou.edu

Life lessons with Harry Potter

Escrito por: Liberty Miller | Redactora de estilo de vida

I, alongside many others, spent my childhood looking through the lenses of the main characters in the novels I read. Having pored over the “Harry Potter” series since third grade, I got to experience a large portion of my developmental years from the perspective of the Chosen One, Harry Potter. 

“Harry Potter” is a distinct pop culture personality, who openly defies the government, fights prejudice and is fiercely loyal to his friends. J.K. Rowling also creates a wonderfully dimensional character profile for everyone in the book — rather than making the characters one-dimensionally morally sound or evil, she creates multifaceted characters that make mistakes, have moral gray areas, apologize and evolve as people. 

“Harry Potter” makes a relatable variety of mistakes throughout the series, and while being an astute and stubborn personality, also admits when he’s wrong and works to make things right. 

Coming from an unsavory background as the humble punching bag of the Dursley family, Harry Potter had the beginnings befitting of a supervillain. Facing daily roadblocks and abuse with no connections or friends, Harry became self-reliant and resentful of his life. 

He eventually gained status as a wizard and escaped his life with the Dursleys to attend Hogwarts, a similar path to Voldemort’s. However, Harry chose to defend those less fortunate and befriend characters like Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, who were not the most popular or influential characters but were genuine friends. 

He rejected the Sorting Hat’s offer to place him in Slytherin despite being offered power and influence. Throughout the series, he makes conscious decisions to defend and protect people against prejudice and hatred and recognizes his faults concerning his impulsiveness and how his actions affect others. 

Harry is a prime example of having a choice to be a good person or to pursue power and influence without regarding others, and he is a great role model for young readers in terms of being authentic to oneself and fighting for what one believes in. 

J.K. Rowling also tackles some tough subjects for young readers such as bullying, grief, unfair circumstances, jealousy between friends, family dynamics and the uncomfortable feeling of growing up. While most readers cannot relate to having to face a faceless, bald and red-eyed supervillain with murderous tendencies, there are many other subjects that coming-of-age readers can relate to or struggle with. What “Harry Potter” teaches readers is, in essence, to create strong dependable friendships, use power and influence to do good things and reject social prejudice and administrative or governmental systems that work against the people. Most importantly, the series reminds readers to stay true to themselves and what they believe in. 

Póngase en contacto con el autor en howllifestyle@wou.edu

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La Western Oregon University de Monmouth, Oregón, está situada en el territorio tradicional de la tribu Luckiamute de los Kalapuya. Tras el Tratado del Valle de Willamette de 1855 (Tratado Kalapuya, etc.), los kalapuya fueron trasladados a la fuerza a reservas del oeste de Oregón. En la actualidad, los descendientes vivos de este pueblo forman parte de la Tribus Confederadas de la Comunidad Grand Ronde de Oregón y el Tribus Confederadas de los Indios Siletz.

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