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F RI DAY, SEPT EMB ER 6, 2019

ILLUSTRATION BY: SAMUEL NELSON/THE HOYA

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

THE HOYA

Bullet Journals Showcase the Aesthetics of Studying TIMOTHY MCNULTY AND ZAIN SANDHU Hoya Staff Writers

The practice of crafting beautiful, meticulous notes and planners has gained widespread traction online over the past five years, especially on online blogging platforms like Tumblr and Pinterest. Bullet journaling serves as a method of organization, and its inherently adaptable nature presents ample opportunities for personal, creative agendas that document more than just homework and due dates. Students have to make their bullet journals serve two purposes: not only to study more efficiently, but also to function as a valuable creative outlet in and of themselves. The constant balancing of these two goals creates the main tension of the burgeoning study habit, but some students at Georgetown University have devoted their time and energy to the practice of bullet journaling for years.

COMMITTING TO THE PRACTICE

The jump from being an ordinary notetaker to a full-on bullet journaler takes concerted effort on students’ parts to gather the materials needed and start making spreads, the highly customized pages in a bullet journal that hold information about the upcoming month or week. For some bullet journalers, this initial push comes from seeing other study bloggers posting their own bullet online and learning from the resources available, according to Stephanie Dekkers (NHS ’21), who has kept a bullet journal since her junior year of high school. “I saw a photo on Instagram or Pinterest in high school, and decided to go out and buy a journal and learn a little bit more about the method,” Dekkers wrote in an email to The Hoya. “Ryder Carrol, the creator of the bullet journal had a starters video on the internet that I watched, but I realized there were a lot of components I knew I wasn’t going to use or didn’t feel I needed.’” Still, getting into the craft and turning it into a meaningful, productive habit takes dedication and experimentation, according to Lauren Olosky (SFS ’21), who has bullet journaled since her sophomore year of high school and runs a semiactive bullet journal account on Instagram titled @lauren.olosky.lettering. “My journal started out where I would look at Pinterest and see how other people were doing it, notice different elements of things that I like and bring all of them together and try them out,” Olosky said in an interview with The Hoya. Once they have established a certain comfort in the world of bullet journaling, journalers explore various stationary and crafting brands to find their favorite products, which can range in price from $1.50 per Muji capped gel pen to $35 for a larger high-end notebook, to create spreads with, according to Dekkers. “I’m very much a minimalist so I

committed to the 0.5 Muji black pen as my go-to for absolutely everything I do in my journal,” Dekkers wrote. “I also use a classic Leuchtturm [notebook] every year for my bullet journal, depending where you buy it from it’s about 15 dollars. The paper is super thick and bleed proof, and it has a hard binding which is good for protecting your journal, considering I take mine everywhere I go.” Other journalers play with different pen and notebook brands to try out different styles and layouts and see what best suits them based on what they hope to achieve aesthetically with their journal, according to Olosky. “I usually don’t incorporate a lot of colors ... I like to keep it more minimalistic because it is so functional for me,” Olosky said. “For my lines, I use [Pigma] Micron [pens] because they don’t smear or bleed and they’re good for setting up the grids so you’re not rubbing or smearing the ink.” However, creative experimentation does not always mean that the most popular and expensive supplies are immediately necessary, according to Ethan Missigman (COL ’21), who runs a study blog on Instagram titled @ethanstudies and has been bullet journaling since the summer before his freshman year at Georgetown. “When I first started, I literally just used loose leaf paper and a blank journal I got at Walmart because that was me just practicing and seeing what I liked or did not like,” Missigman said in an interview with The Hoya. “That helped me figure out things like, ‘I enjoy taking notes on graphpaper,’ and from there I branched out.”

@ETHANSTUDIES/INSTAGRAM

Though bullet journaling is largely concentrated on physical paper and writing utensils, digital forms have emerged using tablets, stylus pens and note taking apps.

@ETHANSTUDIES/INSTAGRAM

Writing out entire chapters from textbooks can prove time-consuming, but the extra effort often translates to improved retention of the material and increased motivation to see studying as something fun or at least eye-pleasing.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019 SHARING THE PRACTICE

At the heart of study blogging and bullet journaling lies an aesthetic project that can both enrich students’ lives and provide opportunities to share their talents with a wider community, potentially attracting a following of like-minded peers. Given the hectic schedule of a student at Georgetown, bullet journaling and beautifying class notes is a method of doing work while also cultivating creativity, according to Missigman. “Making my bullet journal and making my notes look nice actually gives me a reason to want to do them,” Missigman said. “I don’t mind my assignments because it’s also a source of relaxation for me. I don’t have time to draw and paint like I did in high school, so I do this instead to have a creative outlet.”

THE HOYA However, the creative freedom that bullet journaling offers can also create artist’s block, stifling the process and making the creative aspect the entire focus, according to Olosky. “I feel like if I start incorporating a lot of color, I tend to have a perfectionist personality about it so I tend to get more nervous about messing it up,” Olosky said. “Then, it’s not as useful for me.” The eye-pleasing visuals of bullet journaling and taking beautiful notes lend themselves well to being shared in photos online of spreads and the supplies used to make them. A cursory Google search of the word “‘studyblr”’ will bring up the countless photos of neatly written and brightly colored notebook pages of class notes that make up the world of study blogging.

The pressure to be creative and consistent for a wider audience online also requires that journalers make commitments to their accounts as well as their journals, according to Missigman. “I do notice that I don’t get as many followers when I don’t post regularly,” Missigman said. “I tend to take four to five pictures at a time and then set up the posts as drafts for the whole weeks so I don’t have to take time between clubs and classes to find good lighting, take a picture and edit it.” Even with this added pressure and spotlight, plenty of joy and meaning can come out of developing a journaling and note-taking practice on its own, according to Missigman. “There’s some that are in it for the followers and have like millions of followers, but I am fine just having people that I know from Georgetown follow me and some people out in the bigger community,” Missigman said. “At the end of the day, it’s really for me — not anyone else.”

BUDGETING TIME

Like all study habits or aesthetic ventures, devoting too much time to bullet journaling or beautifying notes can bring diminishing returns and ultimately hurt academic performance and wellbeing. As such, bullet journalers have to be conscientious of how they use their time designing and filling out spreads. When new spreads have to be planned each week and entire chapters of textbooks need to get condensed into neatly aligned notes, the time commitment can cause

stress, according to Missigman. “The one negative thing about is having to take that extra time to make my notes look like this,” Missigman said. “It can be kind of draining.” Though bullet journaling can be taken to a counterproductive extreme, creating new spreads week after week makes the practice more time-efficient and therapeutic for Olosky. “Right now, I’ve kind of nailed down a system that I like that I’ve tweaked over the years,” Olosky said. “Now I have it down to 20 to 30 minutes, if even that, for my spread each week.” The open structure of bullet journaling also allows students the flexibility to adjust their own commitments to filling out their spreads, based on their own schedule and headspace for the week, according to Dekkers. “When I have time, I set up my weekly layouts with fun frames and shapes and look up ideas online,” Dekkers said. “When I don’t have time, I can write the day of each week in cursive and feel that I am just as organized as when I put a lot of time into it.” At its core, bullet journaling and other forms of aesthetic studying provide a personalized way to tackle assignments, set goals and create a space for reflection, according to Dekkers. “To me, it’s mostly how much of my life I am able to represent in my bullet journal that excites me.” Dekkers said. “I have one for each academic year so I get to watch as my artistic skill, sense of self and life grows and changes through all of these journals.”

LEFT: @LAUREN.OLOSKY.LETTERING/INSTAGRAM, @ETHANSTUDIES/INSTAGRAM

When it comes to photographing bullet journal spreads, the setting matters as much as the content on the pages themselves. A tidy, beautiful desk will improve any picture’s quality, and desk decorations that add to the lifestyle of study blogging can include a glowing MacBook, the materials used to make the spread or a flourishing desk plant.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

THE HOYA

ART REVIEW

Hirshhorn Exhibit Explores Artists’ Critique of Politics ANNAH OTIS

Hoya Staff Writer

“Manifesto: Art x Agency” at the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden strikes a nerve among politically and socially conscious art consumers. Its galleries take viewers throughout the past century to examine the intersections of art and politics. The first gallery space offers a concise timeline of each movement as it relates to world events, from the “Manifesto of Futurism” and Freud’s work on dream interpretation in 1909 to the Black Mask anarchist manifesto and the Vietnam War in 1966. Each subsequent room presents a summary of the movement that inspired nearby paintings or sculptures. Fortunately, the exhibit does not focus extensively on the long-winded rhetoric found in the manifestos themselves. Instead, the exhibit encourages visitors to reflect on how each artwork interacts with the baseline ideas set out by each group. The chronological arrangement around the Hirshhorn’s circular space allows viewers to see how movements interacted with or borrowed from each other; each piece can stand on its own while also

communicating both within its own movement and among the connected movements that frame every piece. Sharp geometric forms in the futurist pieces inspire the cartoons of Dadaists, who in turn give Surrealists permission to embrace the obscene. The gallery creates the sense of walking through time handin-hand with the giants of modernist avant-garde movements. Among these giants are the likes of Salvador Dalí, Jackson Pollock and Piet Mondrian. Sprinkled between are lesserknown names such as Joan Mitchell, Adrian Piper, Barnett Newman and Alexander Calder. Needless to say, every piece of art equally enchants; Chief Curator Stéphane Aquin’s selections rarely miss the mark. In a dark room after the first exhibit space, 12 screens each loop one of the scenes from the film “Manifesto,” originally produced in 2005 by German artist Julian Rosefeldt. The film offers an interpretation of each artistic movement and separates the early-20th-century work from that of the 1950s onward. Cate Blanchett stars in each of the 12 mini-films, inhabiting a different character every time. The characters range from an unhinged homeless man

who embodies situationism to a Wall Street executive who serves as a symbol of futurism to a mourning widow who personifies Dadaism. Blanchett completely sheds her own identity as she steps into the diverse and at times outlandish roles that each manifesto requires, and much of the appeal that keeps viewers from leaving the room with the film is taking in each of her intriguing and unsettling performances. At the end of each film cycle, Blanchett stares into the camera while chanting the scene’s corresponding manifesto. It is an eerie, yet utterly captivating, effect that overwhelms and totally enthralls visitors. The concurrent nature of the 12 displays, with each scene developing its characters until the overlapping chants fill the room, shows the intertextuality of each manifesto as it builds on those before it and lays the groundwork for those that come after. The final gallery following Rosefeldt’s installation features work created after 1950. Since the artists are not united by a specific manifesto, but rather by political turmoil in general, the exhibit loses some of its cohesion and flow.

Regardless, the artists make up for this lack of cohesion with their range of media and diversity of causes; this variety reflects the expanding nature of political and artistic discourse itself, with no one topic dominating the entire world of art. Prominent among them are the Guerilla Girls, a group of female artists who have been advocating for gender equality and social justice through staged interventions and accusatory publications since 1985. Much of this portion of the exhibit displays their posters, which employ humor to point out how men and the upper class have tread on women and the less fortunate. The Hirshhorn Museum’s “Manifesto” exhibition is well worth the trip downtown. It brings together the best artists and the world’s worst sociopolitical situations in a successful retrospective on artistic reactions to unrest. Even those unfamiliar with art history will appreciate Rosefeldt’s sensory and engaging audio-visual production and well-known painters’ work. The Hirshhorn Museum is free and open to the public everyday between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., but visit soon, because “Manifesto” will close Jan. 5, 2020.

HIRSHHORN MUSEUM

On view through Jan. 5, 2020, “Manifesto: Art x Agency” chronologically explores the political statements of modern artists through a broad array of media including abstract and surreal paintings, dark short films and loud band posters to create a dynamic exhibit that highlights decades of societal turmoil.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

THE HOYA

TV REVIEW

RED PRODUCTION COMPANY

Chronicling the complicated lives of the Lyons family in the face of a dystopian, unstable future, “Years and Years” heralds its characters in all their humanity and imperfections. Though the limited series sometimes gets distracted by the details of each new global calamity, it stays focused through standout character development.

‘Years and Years’ Envisions Future With Cynicism Directed by: Simon Cellan Jones, Lisa Mulcahy Starring: Emma Thompson, Rory Kinnear, T’Nia Miller STEVEN BOTSOE Hoya Staff Writer

“Years and Years,” an HBO miniseries that debuted earlier this year, is simultaneously harrowing, hopeful and amusingly speculative as it attempts to paint a picture of what the near future might hold for the world. Told through the eyes of tight-knit English family the Lyons, the show follows the four adult Lyons siblings and their grandmother as they navigate the demands and crises of their world. The show’s first episode begins in late 2019 after an American nuclear attack on China disrupts the stability of global peace and democracy. The episode then ends by jumping to 2025, where the next five episodes go year by year and consider the financial, political and technological implications of the 2019 nuclear attack through the eyes of the Lyons family. Despite the relative brevity of the series — only six one-hour episodes — the show still manages to deftly juggle multiple narrative threads. Showrunner Russell T. Davies presents the members of the Lyons family in a conscientious, empathetic way that manages to flesh out their distinct lives and perspectives without sacrificing either scope or coherence. The paths of the four Lyons and their families diverge and intersect, but even as the show switches focus from one

character to another, the humanity of their personalities holds the viewer’s interest. When the romance of Daniel Lyons (Russel Tovey) and his partner, Ukranian refugee Viktor Goraya (Maxim Baldry), takes a turn, the story unflinchingly shows the couple’s struggle to gain citizenship for Viktor amid the harsh realities of Europe’s refugee crisis. Moments like this put a face on each disaster facing the world and keep the show from getting caught up in the minutiae of big-picture social and political changes. The world of the show is familiar in the people and values that populate its environment but also shocking because of the new forms that present-day problems have taken. “Years and Years” pulls no punches when telling its stories. However, in some ways, this no-holds-barred look at a potential future for the English family might be too bleak to the point of unbelievability, as more and more of what can go wrong, whether geopolitically, financially or environmentally, does indeed go wrong. From dirty bombs to refugee crises to fascist government takeovers, the universe created for “Years and Years” feels more like a conspiracy theorist’s worst-case scenario more than a realistic reflection on the world’s current direction. Sometimes, the show similarly seems

more concerned with reminding the viewer of the potential for darkness in its world rather than giving the viewer a chance to breathe or get lost in the small pleasures of daily life that inevitably would make the pain of this new world more bearable. The catastrophes that start the show off constantly beget more crises to deal with, and the show’s characters seem to be in a constant state of reaction rather than having any time to develop their own agency in the face of disaster. Additionally, the show struggles with balancing its tendencies toward fatalism and moralizing in presenting a compelling imagining of the future. Several of the show’s plotlines conclude, if not with an explicit moral statement for the viewer, then with an implicit hint at the dangers of what the future might become, which begins to feel heavyhanded and overly didactic as the show goes on. For example, Bethany Bisme-Lyons (Lydia West), a supporting character and the daughter of Stephen Lyons (Rory Kinnear) and his wife Celeste Bisme-Lyons (T’Nia Miller), wants to use technology that more and more deeply integrates with the human body to become “transhuman,” leaving the physical world completely. The show presents this concept fearfully, in a way reminiscent of the British series “Black Mirror,” as the costs

 of a technological advancement are clearly broadcast to the viewer while its potential benefits are generally less explicitly stated. Avoiding sentimentality may be partially to the show’s benefit, as one of its weakest moments comes in a final monologue that mines the hope that its future technology offers for a poignant close that seems incongruous with the tone of past episodes. While “Years and Years” embraces cynicism in its depiction of the potential failings of its world, hope still springs from its characters. The Lyons are human and flawed in a charming way, and their portrayal allows the viewer to empathize with them even without knowing a full backstory or having any familiarity with their lives. “Years and Years” fundamentally relies on its characters to drive the story, and even as the viewer watches the Lyons face new struggles with each passing year, the show remains anchored in their perspectives. The story keeps its focal point on their desire to survive in the face of their world’s challenges. The show’s ability to create a compelling and believable atmosphere comprises one of its greatest strengths. The show — as well as its chaotic, sometimes jarring soundtrack — invites the viewer into a future that might be far too bleak to be entertaining, but not too inhuman to ignore.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

THE HOYA

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

An Incomplete Survey of Georgetown’s Boba Tea Shops Tyler Chan In the Chinatown of my home, Las Vegas, Nev., each block seems to host an endless supply of boba tea shops, from international chains to mom-and-pop businesses. It surprised me when I came to Georgetown and discovered that the neighborhood had alarmingly few boba tea shops in the immediate vicinity. For the common good of humanity and for science, then, I decided to embark on a journey to try out some of Georgetown’s boba offerings for the first installment of my column, which will look at food and drink through the lens of an Asian American student. Though I’ve only been at Georgetown for a year, I think it’s safe to say that I’ve had my fair share of mid-afternoon walks in search of that sweet, blissful and sugary milk tea, and I’m

writing this installment in hopes of providing readers with the chance to learn something about boba tea shops and discover new places. Moge Tee, which opened last spring and is located on 2428 Wisconsin Ave. NW, offers a wide variety of drinks ranging from traditional milk teas to exotic fruit drinks. The aesthetic of the shop is pleasing to the eye, with white walls and bright, alluring lights providing a sleek, modern look that makes ordering there simply feel cool. The prices veer on the side of expensive — $7.95 for a Dragon Fruit Tea, sorry but no — but the tea quality makes up for the price with the freshness in all of the teas. For fruit tea drinks, Moge garnishes the drink with fresh fruit slices. Despite being a boba tea shop, Moge Tee’s cheese foam add-on has to be their best offering. Cheese foam started as a trend exported to the United States, but has risen in popularity because of the saltiness that it brings to sweet tea and a creamy texture that tastes great with tapioca pearls. This shop definitely justifies the trek up Wisconsin, and it might be the only one worth an Uber or Lyft. Before Moge hopped onto the scene, I went to Kung Fu Tea all the time. One of

my clubs, the Asian American Student Association, regularly caters from KFT. This shop is a national chain and is located at 1529 Wisconsin Ave. NW. In line with its branding, many of its drinks have “kung fu” somewhere in the name, like the Classic Kung Fu Milk Tea — even if at first glance, a cup of boba tea seems to have nothing to do with kung fu. I enjoy this shop’s close proximity to campus and its large variety of drinks. One drawback, however, is that the shop uses tea powder instead of tea leaves, which makes the tea taste slightly less fresh. However, KFT makes sure to cover all of us lactose intolerant people, so it even has an option for Lactaid milk. When it comes to quality, convenience and variety, KFT satisfies all three criteria handily, even if it doesn’t have the most exciting or distinct boba tea experience. The lovely thing about boba tea shops is that discovering them becomes half the fun of the experience. Walking through the neighborhood, I noticed tourists carrying boba cups with a logo I’d never seen before on M Street and knew I had to discover the source of this new boba I had not yet tried. After some searching, I found out it was a gelato and boba

tea shop called Sugar Lab. I recently visited this shop again and thought that it was, in a word, okay. Opened in 2018 by two adults paying honor to their mother’s cooking, Sugar Lab, located at 3279 M St. NW, offers a lot more than just boba tea drinks. It didn’t lack potential, but overall I couldn’t help but feel underwhelmed by its smaller drink menu and the middling quality of the tea. Although closer to campus than both Moge Tee and KFT, Sugar Lab will satisfy the need for a quick sugar fix but can’t promise much more than that. In exchange for the lower quality of tea and limited number of drink options, though, Sugar Lab at least offers the cheapest selection out of all three stores. Though Georgetown’s selection of boba tea disappoints when compared to the myriad shops found in other metropolises across the world, the shops that do operate in the neighborhood provide enough delicious boba tea and comfortable spaces to drink within to merit a visit soon. Tyler Chan is a junior in the College. FOOD FOR THOUGHT appears in print every other Friday.

MANAGING READS

‘Red, White & Royal Blue’ Portrays Authentic Modern Love Catriona Kendall In many ways, Alex Claremont-Diaz is a fairly typical Georgetown University student: politically engaged, overachieving, convinced he will be a senator one day and prone to poor decision-making when intoxicated. Unfortunately for him, the latter quality manifests itself in the form of an altercation with Prince Henry of England and the destruction of a $75,000 cake at the British royal wedding of the prince’s brother — because unlike most Georgetown students, Alex is the son of the U.S. president. Casey McQuiston’s debut novel “Red, White & Royal Blue” is a rom-com for the internet age, complete with spectacularly formed characters, much-needed political escapism and distinctive millennial humor. The book’s protagonist, Alex, Georgetown senior and adored son of President Ellen Claremont, just wants to graduate college, help his mom get reelected and kick-start his political career. He emphatically does not want to spend any more time with the stuckup prince of England, but the media frenzy

following Cakegate leaves him little choice but to agree to a PR friendship with Henry for the sake of diplomatic relations. This attempt at damage control soon spirals into a friendship and even romance that comes with its own set of obstacles. “Red, White & Royal Blue” draws its greatest strength from the vividness of its characters. They reveal themselves in flashes, each detail sculpting them into people I either want to be or befriend immediately. Every character’s construction, so organic yet so complete, renders each intensely relatable in spite of their status as political royalty, and none more so than the two elites at the center of the novel. Alex, who is proudly biracial, hate-reads Henry’s Wikipedia page, dreams of turning Texas blue and turkey-sits for the White House pardoning ceremony after discovering how much housing the nightmarish birds costs taxpayers. Henry, behind his detached royal facade, watches “The Great British Bake Off,” stress-eats ice cream and flirts, in classic millennial fashion, by calling Alex a “demon.” Their relationship is the beating heart of the novel, with every text and email they send, every secret fear and anxiety they admit to, every time they tease each other or muse about their place in the world and in history. Each step of their relationship — from their cake-destroying bickering to their flirtatious back-and-forth to the eventual baring of their souls — is a delight to read.

Even with the strength of the main characters, “Red, White & Royal Blue” would be incomplete without the spectacular supporting characters rounding out the cast. Never in my life have I felt so attached to every minor character in a book, yet this one makes it easy and even inevitable. Alex’s sister June, an aspiring journalist, delights in teasing Alex and threatens to block his number when he antagonizes her. Their best friend Nora, granddaughter of the vice president and genius data scientist, is saved in Alex’s phone as “irl chaos demon” — a true testament to the tongue-in-cheek banter and taunts that define the closest friendships in my life — and describes her desired look as “depressed lesbian poet who met a hot yoga instructor at a speakeasy.” Alex and June’s mom, Ellen, is a fierce Texan woman whose contributions to the book include a PowerPoint slide titled: “Exploring Your Sexuality: Healthy, But Does It Have to Be With the Prince of England?” Each character breathes life into the novel, and their relationships make the dialogue enjoyable and entirely authentic, a far cry from painfully stilted attempts by other authors to replicate life at this age. Their banter will make you want to befriend them and join their group chats and karaoke outings. At every point in the book, the high stakes for all the characters — both personal and political — feel tangible amid the 2020 U.S. presidential campaign to reelect the first

female president and the firm traditionalism of the British crown. Rather than seeming overdone or unrealistic, these tensions in Alex and Henry’s relationship make the novel exhilarating and impossible to put down. “Red, White & Royal Blue” lets us live in a world, however briefly, in which a liberal woman won the presidency in 2016. Even as it tackles sexuality, racism and the thorny expanse of U.S. politics, this novel remains playful, heartfelt and unapologetically romantic. At its core, McQuiston’s debut work is a masterful exploration of youth in the modern era that feels simultaneously extravagant and somehow within reach. You don’t have to be a political icon or engaged in a whirlwind romance to relate to how the characters talk and text and react and interact. This debut fits cozily under the genre of “new adult” books, or stories that feature characters my age and address a life era that both young adult and literary fiction miss; this genre will be the focus of my column this semester. I love “Red, White & Royal Blue” because reading it was the most understood I have ever felt by an author, and because I know if I were Alex, I too would somehow end up babysitting turkeys and freaking out about it. Catriona Kendall is a graduate of the School of Foreign Service. She formerly served as managing editor at The Hoya. MANAGING READS appears in print every other Friday.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

THE HOYA

ALBUM REVIEW

Kano Reinterprets Grime Rap on ‘Hoodies All Summer’ ‘HOODIES ALL SUMMER’

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KANO MAC DRESSMAN Hoya Staff Writer

“Hoodies All Summer” by London grime artist Kano is unified by its sparse, unconventional production and thoughtful lyricism. Instead of danceable rhythms and blustery lyrics, the grime legend employs spoken wordstyle sermons that sprawl across uneven percussion. Kano’s depictions of British street life and his critique of violence and inequality are incisive; it is disappointing that “Hoodies All Summer” misses more explosive instrumental moments to drive his message home. “Hoodies All Summer” takes a more reserved approach than the average grime album. A mutation of electronic music that developed from several United Kingdom-based styles like garage and jungle, grime began to emerge as its own genre in London during the early 2000s. British MCs, often from poor urban areas on the outskirts of cities in the U.K., talked tough over industrial synths, snares and basslines. The resulting music had few soft spots and a lot of hard edges, broadcasting the struggles of underprivileged English youth over pirate radio. Over a decade later, grime has become mainstream — MCs like Stormzy top the charts with sappy pop singles and

Skepta has crossed over to U.S. stardom, collaborating with rappers like A$AP Rocky and Playboi Carti. Kano himself pioneered the genre, with five albums under his belt before “Hoodies All Summer.” With his latest release, Kano has lowered the tempo and toned back the aggression, pushing grime away from a war on the streets and into the back alleys. Thematically, “Hoodies All Summer” examines poverty and gangs from an up-close perspective, without the glamorization of violence common in hip-hop west of the Atlantic. For instance, “Trouble” includes the lines,“Any beef can be squashed if hands could be shaken / Any hand can be shaken when the blood dries / I guess that’s not a thug line / But Canning Town and Plaistow, that’s where the thugs die.” Kano does not posture himself as a participant in the violence; he urges an end to the conflict between London neighborhoods. The message increases in urgency when police sirens and audio from an emergency services call interrupt the singer midsentence before the track abruptly resumes seconds later. Kano also sheds light on race relations, explaining how racism does not disappear with money on “Teardrops”: “But there ain’t no safe haven / If they can spray paint n***a on Lebron James crib / That means a black card ain’t shit when that’s the shade your face is / So basically, we’re

Kunta Kintes in some Cuban links / The Balenciaga’s didn’t blend us in.” Although Kano’s lyrics are thoughtful and generally positive, the songs could benefit from more narratives or details. Nevertheless, Kano’s tone and cadence proves as important as what he says. His verses spill out with relentless conviction, bouncing agilely off the minimalist percussion. Peppered with U.K. slang and references, his rhymes are complex and ear-catching. The instrumentals on “Hoodies All Summer” — the work of producers Blue May and Jodi Milliner — often sound scattered and disorienting. Snares, incomprehensible vocal snippets and heavy kicks are spilled like marbles on a table in “Teardrops.” Occasionally, they pause for a full second, which feels less like a sigh of relief and more like a pained gasp. Even on the most sprightly cuts like “Can’t Hold We Down,” the production can feel excessively stripped back. The keyboard melody is attractive, but the vocals from dancehall crooner Popcaan sound lonely on the hook, and the track lacks a satisfying crescendo or burst of energy. Similarly, the singing by Kojo Funds on “Pan-Fried” feels more like a bridge than a true hook. The track peters out frustratingly without a conclusion. The most replayable track on “Hoodies All Summer” is the closest to classic grime, showing where Kano’s true strengths still

lie. Although the beat is still minimalist, “Class of Deja” features more insistent percussion and a grubby, wobbling synth line that creates an ominous tension. The addition of animated, almost bizarre verses from grime veterans D Double E and Ghetts ups the stakes for Kano, engaging all three in a relentless, merciless tussle. If D Double E and Ghetts were featured on the other nine tracks as well, maybe they could imbue “Hoodies All Summer” with the urgency it needs. “SYM” attempts to close the album on a hopeful, inspiring note with mixed results. The track’s name is short for “suck your mum,” a phrase which is first sung by a chorus and then by Kano himself with little irony. After a slow start, the percussion slowly builds in volume while Kano’s vocals become increasingly animated, resulting in a powerful crescendo that lends the album a proper conclusion. This kind of sonic switch up could have made other songs on the album more satisfying and less predictable as the album continued. Kano carries “Hoodies All Summer” with his verbal wit and fervor. Tracks like “Class of Deja” are a testament to his mastery of flow, while “Teardrops” shows the MC’s thoughtful lyricism. Although Kano attempts to adapt the grime genre for an updated sound, more complex production and composition could keep songs from feeling so empty.

@THEREALKANO/INSTAGRAM

Kano’s first album in three years, “Hoodies all Summer,” is at once a love letter to and a deviation from the British grime rap he once helped pioneer. In a more toned-down take on the genre, the MC sheds light on race relations, poverty and gang violence in the United Kingdom, encapsulating the ideas that gave birth to the grime in the first place.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

THE HOYA

What to Do in DC

MUSIC

New Releases

MICHELLE BROWN Hoya Staff Writer

ALLAN NAVARRO Hoya Staff Writer

GELATO FESTIVAL AMERICA: WASHINGTON, D.C.

In a celebration of the beloved Italian dessert, City Market at O is hosting Gelato Festival Washington, D.C., from Saturday, Sept. 7 to Sunday, Sept. 8. Attendees may partake of all-you-can-eat gelato from local and traveling artisans competing in the Gelato Festival World Masters competition. The two-day event also features a “Carpigiani Gelato University” tutorial in gelato-making, gelato trivia and eating contests. Tickets are $25 for adults, with a buy-two-get-one-free deal.

A$AP ROCKY ‘BABUSHKA BOI’

A$AP ROCKY

A$AP Rocky returns with his first single and music video since his month-long incarceration in Sweden for his role in a street fight with “Babushka Boi.” The bouncy track contains no direct references to his stint in jail but features the usual boasts about Rocky’s sense for fashion and jewelry. However, the song dropped alongside a music video with clear anti-police messages; Rocky is clearly not leaving the Sweden incident in the past with his new hit.

POST MALONE ‘CIRCLES’

POST MALONE

Post Malone is gearing up for the release of his third studio album, “Hollywood’s Bleeding,” with the debut of the fourth single off the album, following the success of tracks like “Wow” and “Goodbyes.” On “Circles,” Malone continues to riff on topics of heartbreak and betrayal in the pop-rap singsong style that has brought him success in recent years in hopes of exciting fans for the new album.

Fans of Emmy-nominated former “Saturday Night Live” cast member Leslie Jones can look forward to a comedy special taping at the Warner Theatre. Despite her various acting projects, Jones explained on the late-night show that she considers herself a stand-up comedian at heart. The special will launch on Netflix in 2020, though fans can see Jones perform live Tuesday, Sept. 10, at 7 p.m. Tickets start at $37.

Next week is D.C. Beer Week, which kicks off Sunday, Sept. 8, at Bluejacket, a ship and munitions factory turned upscale brewery and restaurant. Events throughout the week include a “DMV Beltway Beer Battle” with breweries competing for best draft, a tour of the Heurich House Museum’s exhibit “HOME/BREWED: How the Chr. Heurich Brewing Co. Witnessed D.C. History,” Beer Week favorite “Crab Fest” at the Quarterdeck Restaurant, 3 Stars Brewing Homebrew Competition and more until Sunday, Sept. 15.

BIG SEAN FT. A$AP FERG & HIT-BOY ‘BERZERK’

BIG SEAN

Big Sean continues his run of singles in anticipation of the release of his fifth studio album, “Don Life,” later this year. After a brief hiatus to deal with the fracturing of his relationship with R&B singer Jhené Aiko, Sean’s newest tracks have kept fans excited for what’s to come. The infectious “Berzerk” is one of Sean’s most high-spirited tracks to date and Ferg’s contribution signals a chemistry between the artists that is rare in hip-hop today.

LANA DEL REY

LANA DEL REY ‘F--K IT I LOVE YOU’ Indie pop songstress Lana Del Rey released her sixth studio album “Norman F-----g Rockwell!” earlier this week, and her first since 2017’s “Lust for Life.” One of the standout tracks, “F--k it I love you” covers similar emotional ground to Del Rey’s other successful singles but interweaves messages of love and lust with graphic images of blood and veins in some of Del Rey’s more daring and corporeal lyrics yet.

Dupont Circle Bookstore Carpe Librum is hosting a pop-up book sale Thursday, Sept. 12, at Woodrow Wilson Plaza. Attendees can peruse thousands of books, CDs, DVDs and vinyl records all priced at $6 or less. Sales benefit D.C. nonprofit Turning the Page, an organization dedicated to getting families and parents involved in their children’s education through reading. The event runs from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

@GELATOFESTIVALAMERICAIN/INSTAGRAM

AN EVENING WITH LESLIE JONES

KIMMEL CENTER

D.C. BEER WEEK

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CAPITAL BOOK FEST

DOWNTOWNDC

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

THE HOYA

ALBUM REVIEW

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BROCKHAMPTON’s “GINGER” is the group’s most cohesive project yet, as it attempts to craft a more emotionally charged new sound following the exit of member Ameer Vann. The album also sees the group dynamic change as Kevin Abstract steps back slightly to allow more members the opportuniy to shine.

BROCKHAMPTON Expands Its Emotional Range ‘GINGER’

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BROCKHAMPTON ALLAN NAVARRO Hoya Staff Writer

BROCKHAMPTON continues to wrestle with the sudden ousting of member Ameer Vann on “GINGER,” their most deeply personal and intimate album yet. Boyband and rap collective BROCKHAMPTON burst onto the alternative pop-rap scene in 2017 with their critically acclaimed “SATURATION” trilogy, but the years since have been mired in controversy. In May 2018, founding member Ameer Vann was removed from the group over allegations of sexual misconduct. The group first attempted to regroup after Vann’s removal with the 2018 album “iridescence.” While the album carried emotional heft, it felt somewhat underdeveloped and rushed to fulfill their new record deal. After a brief hiatus earlier this year, during which lead member Kevin Abstract released a solo album, “GINGER” represents the collective’s first output in the past year. The album opens on a high note with the track “NO HALO,” featuring particularly moving verses from Matt Champion and Dom McLennon reflecting on failures in

their relationships and battles with mental health. The track features a guitar-laced backing beat that elevates the verses to an otherworldly, heavenly setting, contrary to the title of the track. The beat transitions almost seamlessly into the following track “SUGAR,” which again features a powerful verse from Matt Champion, the clearly highlighted member of the group throughout the album. Champion sings on more than half of the tracks and he provides some of the most emotionally charged verses present on the album. After a brief respite with the higher energy track “BOY BYE,” the album transitions into the trio of the slowthai-assisted “HEAVEN BELONGS TO YOU,” “ST. PERCY” and the album’s lead single “IF YOU PRAY RIGHT.” The tracks flow together smoothly and make for a cohesive listening experience that few other moments of the album match. Undoubtedly, the album’s highest moment is on the seventh track, “DEARLY DEPARTED.” Featuring a gut-wrenching refrain sung by Joba, this track offers the most reflection regarding Vann’s departure on the LP. The final verse from McLennon includes

one of the first instances of the group commenting on the negative behaviors that ultimately led to Vann’s removal. McLennon raps about how Vann set up one of his friends to be robbed and how he refuses to censor the truth just because of the relationship he once had with Vann. The verse easily makes the most poignant moment on the whole album and sheds light on the inner turmoil the group underwent over the past year. After this emotional high point, the album starts to falter in quality but wrestles with the same themes that permeate other portions of the record. Another one of the singles, “I BEEN BORN AGAIN,” is incredibly high intensity, with both a Kevin Abstract verse and a beat that sounds like it would fit in perfectly on the “SATURATION” trilogy. The final four songs also represent the lowest points of the album. This portion of the LP contains tracks that share messages similar to those found in earlier tracks but fail to replicate the production and lyricism that made them novel and meaningful. However, the tracks themselves still continue the redemption story present throughout the record. The final track on the album, “VICTOR ROBERTS,” features vocals from Victor

Roberts, a friend of McLennon’s who has no musical experience otherwise. He tells the story of letting someone stay in his house who later ended up betraying him by getting arrested for dealing drugs. This track represents a weird moment on the record; while there are parallels between this story and Vann’s involvement with BROCKHAMPTON, it leaves the record with a strange ending that poses more questions than answers. Looking beyond the questionable ending, “GINGER” is BROCKHAMPTON’s most cohesive and consistent attempt at coming to terms with Vann’s departure and moving forward as a group. The stunning instrumentals heard throughout BROCKHAMPTON’s discography wield more power than ever, due to the emotional heft and context of the album. Abstract, usually seen as the figurehead of the group, opts to take a backseat to let other members shine and talk about their own relationships with Vann, providing a new level of depth and intimacy to the falling out. It finally seems like BROCKHAMPTON is ready to leave Vann’s legacy in the past and continue to evolve and grow into their role as hip-hop’s preeminent boyband.

B10

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

THE HOYA

CONCERT REVIEW

Vampire Weekend Struggles to Find Vocal Passion TIMOTHY MCNULTY Hoya Staff Writer

With a venue packed from the frontrow pit to the grassy lawns, the alternative band Vampire Weekend delivered a set that drew on nearly all of their decadelong discography. The alternative band continued its Father of the Bride Tour on Aug. 29 at the Merriweather Post Pavilion, an amphitheater in Columbia, Md. Despite vocals that felt too safe and reserved for the huge pavilion, Vampire Weekend’s intricate production and lyrical cleverness live still made the show a memorable experience. The concert opened with Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, a blues guitarist and singer who managed to draw the crowd’s attention, even during the initial rush of concertgoers pouring in and buying food and drinks to start their night. Ingram did not move much around the stage, but his undeniable talent on the guitar still let him control the stage. The venue’s three massive screens mounted to the pavilion overhead also helped Ingram by zooming in on his hands flitting across his guitar, putting the focus entirely on his mastery of the instrument. About a half-hour after Ingram finished

his set, Vampire Weekend leader Ezra Koenig and his touring band walked out onto the stage. Behind them, a large globe designed in the same style as the album art for “Father of the Bride” hung from the rafters encircled by lights. Koenig, wearing an orange corduroy shirt with baggy brown pants, exuded the confidence present on his albums even when just standing at the microphone. With a coy smile, he greeted the audience and started the first song of the night, “Sunflower.” Throughout the whole concert, the technically impressive and expressive music at times felt at odds with Koenig’s restrained singing. The music managed to fill the entire venue, but Koenig’s lack of enthusiasm made the sheer size of the amphitheater more apparent. During the songs that were supposed to be more relaxed and capitalize on Vampire Weekend’s effortless and infectious selfassuredness like “Mansard Roof” and “Horchata,” Koenig’s cool vocals worked well. His nonchalant attitude played into and built off his curated aesthetic of disinterest that especially fueled his early music. However, when it came to songs with a quicker tempo like “Unbelievers,” Koenig

failed to shift his own voice to match the energy of his other songs. His calm way of singing his lyrics that worked so well sounded insufficient when paired with the rapid beat of other songs. Despite the fact that Koenig’s vocals disappointed, several other songs featured extended interludes, shining a spotlight on the tour band and highlighting Koenig’s musical ability. Instead of studio collaborator Steve Lacy, Koenig shared the stage with guitarist Brian Robert Jones for nearly the entire concert, who built off Koenig and added to each riff. From the start, the pair created an electric chemistry that radiated with each strum of the guitar. In “Jerusalem, New York, Berlin,” the closing interlude lasted almost as long as the song itself, putting the music center stage and letting the constant thumping of the low bass reverberate through the crowd. Similarly, backing vocalist and guitarist Greta Morgan took the place of Danielle Haim on songs like “Hold You Now,” and Koenig excelled when he had another person’s voice and energy to collaborate with. The show’s shining moments happened during the encore. As Koenig and his band

stepped back out onto the stage, flags featuring the various illustrations used for the album’s singles and promotion descended and the globe began to slowly rotate. For the final portion of the show, Koenig requested the lights to shine on the crowd in the front pit and announced, “Now is when we’ll start taking audience requests.” After scanning the audience for the fan that would get to request the next song, he finally pointed out a girl in a Cape Cod bucket hat and custom earrings of the snake on the single artwork of “Harmony Hall.” She requested “Hannah Hunt,” a song from Vampire Weekend’s third album “Modern Vampires of the City.” The song offered Koenig the perfect opportunity to prove his vocal strength with its buildup to the transcendent final chorus. He delivered a strong performance that both made up for his earlier reservation and made the earlier, more muted vocals visible. While Koenig showed that he and his band can perform complex and engaging music, the interplay between emotion and indifference that usually makes his studio recordings so compelling failed to translate on the stage for an audience in such a huge music venue.

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The Merriweather Post Pavilion boasted a state-of-the-art audiovisual system that brought the concert to the entire venue. Despite being able to fit so many people into one space for the concert, the venue maintained a relaxed atmosphere, fitting for Vampire Weekend’s general vibe, that did not make the crowd feel cramped for space.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2019

THE HOYA

B11

CONCERT REVIEW

COURTESY STONE MORALES

The Australian rock band enthralled the crowd with its relentless lasers that radiated in sync with nearly every beat of the entire concert. Tame Impala put on a show that did more than just recreate the studio tracks. The band added a new layer of meaning to its music with its live performance.

Tame Impala Takes Audience on Sensory Journey GABRIELLE IRWIN Hoya Staff Writer

Kevin Parker’s once-underground rock band Tame Impala has reached new heights of fame, with fans eagerly awaiting a new album that was supposed to be released by the end of the summer. Though the album has yet to drop, crowds still started to line up at the Wharf under the hot sun as early as noon anxiously hoping to get a spot close to the front of the stage. The band offered a concert experience that transcended usual concert fare at the Anthem on Aug. 24 and 25 to end its 2019 summer tour. Tame Impala’s iconic psychedelic tracks, all written, produced and recorded by Parker, along with some well-timed lights throughout the show, seemed to throw the audience into an altered state. In this hypnotizing space, lost love hurt more deeply, but the magic of life abounded. The show opened with a clip of people walking on a field, which melted into layers of color as the band took to the stage and began playing the first song from their album “Currents,” “Let it Happen.” The track has a notoriously complex riff that repeats at different time intervals, but the touring band executed it perfectly on the Anthem’s stage. Right as the riff began, confetti exploded

from the heights of the venue. The lasers and graphics linked the sights and sounds, and the confetti added a tangible aspect to an already hyper-sensory experience. Parker, the band’s creative visionary, chose tracks for the setlist that worked extremely well. While the concert featured songs predominantly from the “Currents” album, fans were happily surprised to hear some tracks from his previous albums, “InnerSpeaker” and “Lonerism.” Parker added a beautiful, strippeddown guitar solo to the end of “Mind Mischief,” which morphed smoothly into one of Tame Impala’s signature transition songs, “Nangs.” Alien-like and repetitive, Parker’s repeating line, “But is there something more than that?” paired with optical illusions pulsating on the screen behind the band, launched the audience into a trance. Throughout the concert, Tame Impala played longer versions of the song intros, which effectively heightened excitement and anticipation. During “Elephant,” the band stopped completely, and the stage cut to black for a beat before everything erupted into laser beams and the first verse of the song began. The tempo slowed when the melodic “Feels Like We Only Go Backwards” played, during which Parker pointed his microphone to the crowd for each chorus. The slower but still engaging atmosphere

persisted through “Borderline,” Tame Impala’s latest single. Parker slowed it down even more with “Love/Paranoia,” which acted as a nice break for the crowd to collectively catch its breath and reflect. Simple lighting forced all focus on his words, and the three minutes of the track sobered the audience. “Eventually,” played in pink lighting and featuring cloud-covered laser beams, found Parker relaxed and riding the high of performing. Throwing both hands into the air during his chorus, he truly owned the moment. “Apocalypse Dreams” featured an extended ending that let Parker jam harder than he had all night. The lasers turned into strobes that undulated in exact timing with the delayed beats and melody, and, at this point, the crowd completely surrendered to the music. Tame Impala’s concert did not end there; the stage, completely dark for a few tantalizing seconds, suddenly flared brightly as a stream of rainbow-colored light circled the perimeter of the stage. Whenever the powerful bass kicked in, the light paused and bleached itself to white. The light switched between rainbow to white with each riff of bass until Parker made his reappearance, and the stage blackened once again. Parker’s encore

consisted of three tracks: “Gossip,” “The Less I Know The Better” and “New Person, Same Old Mistakes.” Near the end of the song, Parker came all the way to the barricade, which drove the front row into a frenzy to catch his attention. For a relatively shy performer, it was endearing to see him interact directly with the fans who waited longest to see him. Seeing Tame Impala in a somewhat smaller venue than others he has played during this tour allowed fans to appreciate Parker’s music up close. The lasers and confetti were more contained, and thus more intense, for the crowd, and they effectively combined the senses of sight and sound throughout the concert. Tame Impala had everything timed impressively in sync, allowing the band to recreate the loftiness of Parker’s music by having an immersive and intimate atmosphere Saturday. The venue worked well to keep everyone close to the stage; the Anthem had a wide front row barricade, two tiers of seating and a relatively shallow crowd, so even those in the back were not too far out. In “Borderline,” Parker asks the universe, “Will I be known and loved?” Having witnessed the crowd of dedicated fans, the answer to both is an emphatic yes.

ILLUSTRATION BY: TARIKA KUMAR/THE HOYA