Horizons is all about new music. Newly released, new to us, and new to you. This episode, we review Talk Talk’s 1991 album Laughing Stock with this week’s special guest SENIOR Conrad Kleiner.

Weezer is no stranger to hits and they are no stranger to flops. Their debut self-titled album, dubbed the ‘Blue Album’ (1994) is now recognized as one of the most important albums of the 1990s, and their follow-up Pinkerton (1996) isn’t too far behind. Their newest project, another self-titled album known as the ‘Black Album,’ doesn’t meet these high expectations.

The ‘Black Album’ is a hodgepodge of EDM, alternative rock and pop influences all mixed together into one mediocre album. However, the ‘Black Album’ is a step in the right direction for Weezer, and a sign that they may soon refine their ‘sonic experiments,’ and find a more similar sound to their previous successes.

This album is again helped and hurt by the eclectic lyrics of lead singer and songwriter Rivers Cuomo. His writing style leads to stream-of-consciousness songs, for better or worse, and for this project resulting much more in the worse category. Many of the tracks are scarred by nonsensical lyrics and non-existent narratives. The ‘Black Album’ also marks a new frontier in music, as it was the first album to exclusively release on Fortnite, days before its commercial release.

The ‘Black Album’ opens with its best track, “Can’t Knock the Hustle.” It has strong instrumentation with clear funk influences, and has a happy tone that can be felt throughout the rest of the album. It sets the right tone, and its strong chorus and catchy hook draw the listener in to the rest of project. The tone is continued with “Zombie Bastards,” with great instrumentation over mediocre and repetitive lyrics.

As the album goes on, the tracks get less and less impressive, with many of them seeming either like over-polished radio pop edits of Weezer songs, or demos with almost random lyrics put over top. “Living in L.A.,” for example, was clearly made to top the charts, something that it will never do. Its glammy production doesn’t add to the classic campiness of Cuomo’s lyrics, and the whole song becomes a grating mess of verses and repetitive choruses.

This trend is continued with “Piece of Cake” and “I’m Just Being Honest,” which the average listener will almost forget about before the album is over. They have basic instrumentation and progressions, and are overall boring tracks.

“Too Many Thoughts in My Head” is Cuomo’s attempt to write off his strange lyrics, but it only comes off as annoying and monotonous. Like the previous tracks, it isn’t memorable, and there is little emotional weight with these middle tracks.

There is one more bright spot in this otherwise dismal album. “Byzantine” shows Cuomo’s biggest inspiration, The Beach Boys. This track, a slow island rock track, has a real lyrical narrative, and quality instrumentation. This track shows that Weezer can still make good music, and that there still may be some gas left in the tank.

The grand finale of the ‘Black Album’ is not a high point, but its worst track. “California Snow” sounds like an EDM remix of a Weezer song, very similar to their previous album Pacific Daydream (2017), which was disliked by listeners and reviewers alike. The track is overproduced, unemotional and features the worst lyrics Cuomo has written in his career. The best lines include “This is the definition of flow” and “and I play guitar, it’s sick.”

Few listeners came into the ‘Black Album’ with high expectations; I know I didn’t. The positive of this album, however, is that Weezer doesn’t seem to just be making music for the charts. With Pacific Daydream, they appeared to be making music for Billboard and not their fans, loading every track full of EDM and electronic beats, and leaving their roots behind. Now, it seems like Cuomo’s experiments are genuine, and it makes the music much more enjoyable.

While not all of these experiments worked out in the end, there were a few bright spots in the ‘Black Album.’ There still may be a place for Weezer on the Billboard charts soon after nearly 30 years, and Cuomo’s great experiments may pay off. While this album may be a let down for a listener looking for something more in line with the ‘White Album’ (2016), which harkened back to the days of early Weezer, it’s also a relief to those scared of more of Pacific Daydream. The ‘Black Album’ is no masterpiece, but it’s not horrible either.

Overall Rating: 6/10

It’s February 2019 and the 2020 Democratic primary field is already wide open. As of Feb. 19, at least 10 people, from tech executives to senators, have announced their intentions to win the nomination of the Democratic Party next year. Out of these candidates and the many more who have hinted at possible runs, the most intriguing candidate is Ohio’s very own Senator Sherrod Brown.

Brown has been involved in Ohio politics since 1975 when he was first elected to the Ohio House of Representatives representing a suburb east of Cleveland. He has also held the office of Ohio Secretary of State.

Brown entered national politics in 1993 when he became a member of the House of Representatives. He became Ohio’s Senator in 2007 and was re-elected in 2018 to a third term with a 300,000 vote margin.

So what sets this 66 year old Ohioan apart from the rest? His broad appeal.

For decades, Brown has run on a consistent set of values. He may be one of the “working man’s Democrats” that have carried the party through the latter half of the 20th century, but that doesn’t mean he isn’t progressive. He has repeatedly advocated for a $15 minimum wage, and he has shown support for “Medicare for All,” a plan to expand basic health insurance to all Americans.

Four out of the last five Democratic presidents have been either from the South or the Midwest, and there is a good reason. If Brown is nominated as the Democratic candidate, he can use his broad appeal and working class support to turn states like Ohio, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin blue.

These midwestern states are the key to the White House, and President Donald Trump knew it, focusing significant campaign force in these regions to narrowly win the electoral college. Because of the impact midwestern states can have, Brown was also floated as a potential vice-presidential candidate for former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, the 2018 Democratic presidential nominee.

Out of the many candidates who have shown interest in running for the Democratic nomination for president in 2020, Sherrod Brown stands out as one of the strongest candidates due to his broad appeal, consistent ideals and extensive political experience.

Information in this article is current as of Feb. 19, 2019.

Horizons is all about new music. Newly released, new to us, and new to you. This episode, we review our favorite rap and rock albums, The Strokes’ First Impressions of Earth and Run the Jewels’ debut self-titled album.

Horizons is all about new music. Newly released, new to us, and new to you. This episode, we review our albums of the year, The Wombats’ Beautiful People Will Ruin Your Life, and Playboi Carti’s Die Lit.

Note: Information in this article is current as of Jan. 22, 2019.

It began late in the evening of Dec. 21, 2018. The 535 members of the U.S. Congress could not come to an agreement with President Donald Trump about forming a budget for the new year, so many “non-essential” government services were shut down. Over 800,000 federal workers are either furloughed or working without pay. What has been dubbed ‘The Trump Shutdown’ by the president himself has become the longest and most damaging government shutdown in U.S. history.

President Trump has refused to sign any budget that does not contain his demanded $5.7 billion for “The Wall.” This demand holds hostage millions of people that rely on government services.

Before the shutdown began, both the formerly Republican-led House of Representatives and Senate passed a budget without the $5.7 billion allotment, with both Republicans and Democrats agreeing to the deal. Since then, Trump has refused to sign that budget, and the Congress has seated its new members.

Since Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) has come back into power, the Democratic-led House has passed an identical copy of that December budget, but Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has refused to bring it to a vote in the Senate. After passing the same bill in December, McConnell now refuses to pass it again, as he believes it would be vetoed by the President. Even if it does get vetoed, however, McConnell has the votes to override that veto with a two-thirds majority of both the House and Senate.

While President Trump may be one obstacle keeping the government closed, McConnell also has the power to end this shutdown, though he refuses to do so. He has once again put the Republican party ahead of the welfare of millions of Americans, and the health of the U.S. economy. A Jan. 11 S&P report estimated that the shutdown has already caused $3.6 billion in lost revenues to the U.S. economy, and economic growth is slowing because of it.

Services like food stamps are now running on emergency budgets. National parks from the Statue of Liberty to the Grand Canyon are either closed or running on state funds.

Thousands of federal workers around the country who are now working without pay cannot afford to pay their bills after missing two paychecks. They now prepare to miss a third as the shutdown continues through its second month, and many government workers have resorted to finding part-time jobs to cover bills. Those who are deemed “essential,” however, cannot find other work. Those workers have to work without pay full time, and therefore can’t even apply for unemployment benefits.

This shutdown is bad for everyone. It is bad for politicians, it is bad for the economy, and it is bad for the millions of people who are now collateral damage in a political battle. McConnell has the power to end this shutdown, but because of his fear of overriding the veto of his own party’s president, he refuses to end what has become a nightmare for millions of Americans, and has no end in sight.

On Jan. 16, a burst pipe in the Arts & Science wing forced WHHS administration to close the wing for cleaning and repair. The leak is believed to have begun in Denise Pfeiffer’s classroom, where the mixture of water and air conditioning coolant leaked into the hallway and through the ceiling into Lisa Brokamp’s and other nearby classrooms.

All classes that were held in the Arts & Science wing were moved to open classrooms throughout the building, or held in the Senior High Gym.

As of Jan. 17, the wing is still closed, and it is unknown when it will reopen. Due to the flooding, the Jr. High Pep Rally scheduled for Jan. 17 has been delayed to Jan. 22.

SENIOR Anthony Brown, who had his meteorology class moved due to flooding, was one of the many student effected.

“I took a quiz in the gym with 100 other students … it’s hard to focus,” Brown said.

This is the second time that this flooding has occurred. Last year a coolant pipe burst in a different part of the Arts & Science wing, forcing the wing to be closed again. In that flooding, some student artwork was damaged by water.

Brown was critical of the response by Cincinnati Public Schools to the first leak.

“I think it is more of a patch job, it’s a wait for something to happen and then fix it approach as opposed to looking for what the problem actually is,” Brown said.

Multiple WHHS students and parents have reached out to the Superintendent’s office with concerns about the building’s facilities. As of Jan. 17, CPS Superintendent Laura Mitchell has not responded to a request for comment.

The President of the United States doesn’t care about America’s military. He has made fun of them, ignored them and disrespected them so many times that it’s easy to lose count. Unlike any president before him, Donald Trump has disregarded the most important part of his role as Commander-in-Chief, leading by example in supporting the men and women who put their lives on the line for our country, and honoring those who have made great sacrifices for it.

On Oct. 31, Donald Trump ordered 5,200 military personnel to be deployed at the U.S.-Mexico border to stop migrants from entering the country. A caravan of between 4,000 and 5,000 migrants from Central America, mostly Honduras, have been traveling toward the U.S. border, planning to apply for political asylum. The migrants made their way to Mexico City, where they rode on buses to Tijuana, Mexico, across the border from San Diego.

They now line up at the border every day, awaiting their chance to enter the United States and apply for asylum, though legal ports of entry only allow 50-100 asylum claims per day, according to Nov. 26 BBC coverage. The deployed troops, however, are all along the border with Mexico; in Texas and Arizona and New Mexico, many of them hundreds of miles from where these migrants would cross.

“This is an invasion of our Country and our Military is waiting for you!” Trump tweeted on Oct. 29.

This is just one example of the many political stunts Trump has used the military for, and because of him, many of these troops were not able to see their families for Thanksgiving. The troops were stuck in large tents that lack air conditioning and electricity, according to a Nov. 10 New York Times article.

For Veterans Day this year, President Trump planned a grand military parade in Washington, D.C., full of members of every branch of the military and hundreds of millions of dollars of equipment on display. However, there were multiple problems with this plan. Trump’s proposed parade would have cost $21.6 million dollars, according to D.C. mayor Muriel Bowser, with millions more in damages caused to D.C.’s roads. A parade of its type has never been held in the United States, with tanks and missile trucks rolling through boulevards echoing parades by the Red Army in Moscow during the Cold War. Here, Trump again attempted to use the military to prop up his own ego, emulating the world’s dictators that he appears to respect.

While campaigning for president, Trump regularly put down his opponents, even declaring that “I like people who weren’t captured,” in reference to Sen. John McCain, who had survived torture as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War.

He even put down a Gold Star family who gave a speech at the Democratic National Convention in July of 2016. Trump said of the family, who lost their son in the Iraq War in 2004 and are Muslim, that the mother “was not allowed to speak,” implying that it was because of their faith. He later wrote the family an apology letter for his statements.

In June of 2017, Trump promised the father of a soldier killed in Afghanistan $25,000 personally, to “aid [the family] in this time of grief.” The check never came until Trump came under fire for not delivering on his promise months later, along with another apology.

In October of 2017, after three Green Berets were killed in an operation in Niger, Trump had to apologize to the family of Sgt. LaDavid Johnson. According to Johnson’s widow, Myeshia, Trump could not recall LaDavid’s name during her phone call with the president, also saying that Johnson “knew what he signed up for,” downplaying the incident that resulted in Johnson’s death. According to a Pentagon investigation, Johnson was left behind by his comrades while still alive, though it is unclear how long he survived before his body was discovered two days later.

Trump himself never served in the military, which is not unusual for presidents, and has been accused of dodging the Vietnam draft by submitting false doctor’s reports. He deferred from the draft five times, four times as a college student, and once citing a medical issue, bone spurs in his feet. When questioned about the medical issue in 2016, Trump could not remember what foot the bone spurs were in, despite his own claim of having “one of the greatest memories of all time,” stated in an Oct. 27, 2016 campaign rally.

These instances show, once again, that President Trump has no real respect for America’s military, only using them as generic subjects of pathos, or triumphs for his own ego. He has shown no qualities of being a good commander, and has never even visited U.S. troops in a foreign combat zone, something nearly unheard of from presidents of the last three decades.

The men and women who put their lives on the line for our country are more than props, more than people who “knew what they signed up for.” They are America’s heroes, and should gain the respect of every American, let alone the basic acknowledgement of the man in charge of commanding them.

Since their inception at the University of Michigan in 2011, Vulfpeck has been paving the way for funk to enter the 21st century. Combining James Brown with the mixing and production of the internet age, Vulfpeck’s style nearly forces listeners to tap their feet with the beat. Their fourth studio album Hill Climber combines the best aspects of their previous projects to create a full range of music that epitomizes what modern funk is.

Hill Climber is organized into two parts; tracks 1-5 are melodic, lyrical and moody. They show the creative skill of the band, with each member getting writing and composition credits. Part two, tracks 6-10, is all instrumental, giving the musicians a true area to show their technical skill. As the latter five tracks go on, each seems to get more and more energetic, more and more ‘funky,’ until the climax with “It Gets Funkier IV.”

The album leads with Theo Katzman’s “Half of the Way.” Katzman is the band’s drummer, but also sings and plays guitar on a number of tracks. It is a more pop-influenced track than the rest on the album, but sets the scene for the upcoming album with an upbeat tune. The lyrics tell the story of romance, common through many of the lyrical songs in the album.

“

Why does the whale have feet? Well it- I… don’t know…””

— Jack Stratton, “Darwin Derby”

“Darwin Derby” follows as track two, and is in no way similar to track one. “Darwin Derby” is best remembered by its overlapping rhythm guitars and simple but catchy bass line. What sticks out most about the track, however, is its nearly nonsensical lyrics about Darwin’s theory of evolution. Singing about flying unicorns and bass fish “sliding on its hands and knees,” the song almost appears to be a simple excuse to have fun. It is one of the best tracks musically, as the strange lyrics play perfectly with the energetic and fun instrumental.

Katzman’s third song, “Lonely Town,” follows “Darwin Derby.” Both tracks were released as singles in November of 2018, and have become some of Vulfpeck’s most popular songs, racking up over 400,000 plays each as of the album’s release. “Lonely Town” is a simple tune with a happy beat and sad lyrics. Its simple acoustic instrumentation lends itself to casual enjoyment, and has become a fan favorite because of it.

“

On your hand I see that there’s a ring, And I would understand if I had put that ring upon your hand, But it was not me, it seems, How could that be a thing of beauty?”

— Theo Katzman, “Love is a Beautiful Thing”

The fourth track, “Love is a Beautiful Thing,” is a cover of a Katzman song from his 2017 album Heartbreak Hits. The Vulfpeck version, with Katzman on vocals along side guest vocalist Monica Martin, creates a more emotional and atmospheric tone than Katzman’s original. It is a slow love song, and the harmony between Katzman and Martin creates an intimate mood over the whole piece.

“For Survival,” the final track of the lyrical pieces, features guest vocalist Mike Viola. Viola’s slight southern twang combines with the player piano-esque keyboard to create what is nearly a western. The use of a vibraphone also adds to the western feel.

The second half of the album is all instrumental, and all funk. In an interview with Allegra Rosenberg, bassist Joe Dart said, “Whenever we go into the studio, it’s a total surprise … we do three takes max.”

The improvisation is evident on every instrumental track. The chemistry between every member of Vulfpeck allows them to record what is essentially a jam session into a full song. The spirit of a jam session is what really comes through in their music, and is what has made them a large following, especially within music circles.

“

Whenever we go into the studio, it’s a total surprise … we do three takes max.”

— Joe Dart

“Soft Parade” is the first of these five instrumentals. It is the slowest and most calm of the five, and embodies what some have called Vulfpeck’s signature style, “soft funk.”

“Lost My Treble Long Ago” follows “Soft Parade” as the seventh track of the album. It was released as the first single in September of 2018. Focusing purely on a bass line by Joe Dart, the song shows the improvisational skills of the band’s members as each one plays over the catchy line.

The next track, “Disco Ulysses,” draws the most from the band’s 1960s and 1970s funk inspiration. Catchy guitars build over Katzman’s almost drum machine-like playing to create a perfect platform for Vulfpeck’s instrumental expertise. Dart, guitarist Cory Wong, and keyboardist Woody Goss have exciting solos over the beat, which is difficult not to dance to at times. The tight instrumentation of this track solidifies it as the best track on the album, a must-listen for anybody looking for a fun song.

“The Cup Stacker,” the penultimate track on the album, continues the trend of solid instrumentation and creative improvisation. Focusing more on keyboardists Goss and Jack Stratton, who is the band’s front man, “The Cup Stacker” is a solid, though not outstanding, addition to the album.

The final track, “It Gets Funkier IV,” is a nod to Vulfpeck tradition. In November of 2011, Vulfpeck released “It Gets Funkier,” a slow track focusing on a simple drum pattern. Over the last seven years, this has been built upon again and again, leading up to “It Gets Funkier IV.” Each iteration of the song has been faster and more ‘funky’ than the last, with more complex bass lines and additional instruments. In the 2018 addition to the series, Vulfpeck invited guest drummer Louis Cole, a respected artist in his own right, who adds the unbelievably quick and accurate drum pattern that brings the funk level to 11.

Vulfpeck’s Hill Climber is an exhibit in how far funk revivalism has come. Vulfpeck’s ability to improvise and perform complex instrumentation, combined with their creative and passionate lyrics, makes nearly every song memorable. Hill Climber is Vulfpeck’s best album yet, and the band is showing no signs of slowing down.

Hill Climber is a true must-listen for any music nerd, and is highly recommended for anybody looking for a fun album to tap your foot along to.

On Oct. 12, President Donald Trump flew into Lunken Airport to speak at a rally held at the Warren County Fairgrounds. Beyond causing a traffic headache for many trying to make their way home on a Friday, with parts of both Interstate 71 and 275 closed for much of the afternoon, Trump rallied his base, hitting on topics such as Brett Kavanaugh’s confirmation to the Supreme Court and the Nov. 6 election.

Trump visited Cincinnati to campaign for GOP candidates running for key offices in the state. Rep. Steve Chabot (R), who represents much of Cincinnati’s West Side and northern suburbs of the 1st District in the U.S. House of Representatives, and Jim Renacci (R), a former congressman running against Sen. Sherrod Brown (D) for the U.S. Senate, were both in attendance.

Renacci praised the president and his policies. “The crowd here loves you,’’ Renacci said. “Ohio loves you. And Ohio loves what you are doing.”

According to September 2018 polling from The Morning Consult, Trump has a 46 percent approval rating in Ohio, with a 49 percent disapproval rating.

Chabot was less enthusiastic about Trump. In an Oct. 8 interview with the Cincinnati Enquirer, Chabot described his relationship with the president as “cordial,” though he did not embrace him. Chabot admitted that he “did not vote for him in the general election.”

Both Chabot and Renacci spoke at different points in the rally, attempting to drum up support in both of their races. Renacci trails Sen. Sherrod Brown significantly, with a recent Suffolk poll showing him down by 17 points.

Chabot, however, is in a much tighter race, as many political experts such as Sabato’s Crystal Ball marking the race between Chabot and Hamilton County Clerk of Courts Aftab Pureval (D) as a toss up.

Trump focused his speech on partisan rhetoric, saying “[Democrats] are bad people… Republicans believe in the rule of law; they [Democrats] believe in the rule of the mob.”

Trump also accused Democrats of attempting to “impose socialism,” as well as “take away your health care, and take your jobs.”

Notably missing from the rally was Republican nominee for Ohio Governor, Mike DeWine (R). He was instead represented by his running mate for Lieutenant Governor, Ohio Secretary of State John Husted (R).

DeWine is running against Richard Cordray (D), the former head of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and the race is essentially tied according to recent polls.

Sen. Rob Portman, who is not up for re-election, was also in attendance at the rally.

Trump also continued his anti-media rhetoric, again calling the media in attendance “fake.” “One little mistake, one little mistake and they try to destroy your entire career,’’ he said. “Fake news, fake news, fake news.”

Trump’s third visit to the Cincinnati area as president was more a campaign event than a celebration rally, as his previous events have been. The Republican party feels the pressure of Democratic candidates Pureval and Cordray.

The election on Nov. 6 will be a key point in the future of Ohio politics, and national attention from the president on these races proves it.

WHHS club Students Demand Action placed dozens of white roses around the flagpole in Blair Circle Sept. 19 to commemorate the victims of the mass shooting at Fifth Third Bank downtown. Three people were killed and two injured in the shooting on Sept. 6, while the shooter’s motive remains unknown.

Students Demand Action (SDA) is a new club led by a number of students including Yousuf Munir, ‘22, one of its co-presidents. Munir said that “It’s [SDA’s] duty as a club advocating for gun violence reform and as citizens to show support for these victims and their families.”

Alongside their white roses, SDA also held a donut sale with the profits “supporting the survivors, the victims and the victims’ families,” according to Munir.

SDA members have been running a social media blitz using the hashtags #CincinnatiStrong and #FifthThirdStrong on Instagram and Twitter.

As a new club, SDA plans to focus on “Getting people as involved as they can in local politics and… getting young people involved in politics, congressional and local,” Munir said. SDA was the largest nationwide student group during the walkouts and demonstrations last spring after the school shooting in Parkland, Fla., and got approved as an official WHHS student club this month. Students Demand Action meets every Monday in Kelsey June’s room, 2307.

As we, WHHS students, wait in the lines before school every morning, it is important to remember why we are here. On Valentine’s Day 2018, 17 students were killed in a school shooting in Parkland, Fla. In response to this tragedy, hundreds of thousands of students from around the country, including many at WHHS, protested the violence that has plagued the American school system.

It is important to remember when you go through a metal detector, that they are there because we spoke out. Students from around the country spoke out. But little changed. Most gun legislation is still in place. It is still relatively simple to purchase and legally obtain a firearm, even as an 18 year-old student. We cannot forget what we did last spring, and we cannot forget what we were protesting for.

The push for more comprehensive, common sense, gun control has not stopped, and neither should we. It is our duty, as students, to represent the views of all young Americans, and demand these changes that have been long overdue. It is our duty to get involved.

• Join student organizations. Students Demand Action is a club started last year, focusing on protest and lobbying of gun legislation. They meet Mondays in Kelsey June’s room, 2307.
• Support pro-gun reform candidates. Volunteer for local, state and federal candidates for public office who support gun safety legislation.
• Make your voice heard. Contact your congressman and let them know your views on the state of gun legislation in the United States. Find your congressman at govtrack.us.