Arts & Entertainment

The Prouds are Proud to be Back

Aaron Schuchman | Design Editor

Feb. 23 was a special day for many Proud Family fans as “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder” premiered on Disney+.

Louder and Prouder is a revival of its original predecessor “The Proud Family'', which aired on Disney Channel from 2001 to 2005 and concluded with “The Proud Family Movie”. Since returning, Louder and Prouder has seen many changes from its 17-year absence, including the introduction of social media, modern technology and LGBTQ+ topics.

Redelia Shaw, an SMC Professor in the Communication and Media Studies Department, had many positive things to say about the revival’s launch. When asked why she was into Louder and Prouder, Shaw said “diverse casting and their experiences, as well as people of color in animated storytelling, given that there isn’t too much of that in cartoons” was a big reason why.

Shaw also felt that she could relate to certain characters on the show, such as the mother Trudy Proud, and grandmother Suga Mama, as these are characters that “have a backbone, are sturdy, and come off as hardworking and as strong women.” These personalities were a huge factor in Suga Mama being her favorite character, as Shaw had described Suga Mama being someone who is “powerful and strong but also puts her foot down when necessary.”

Shaw found this strong feminine personality to be different from other characters such as Oscar Proud, who is Trudy’s Husband, Suga Mama’s son and the father for the main character, Penny Proud.

Not only has Louder and Prouder impacted SMC Faculty, but students have also had a chance to share their input on it. Kerrington Dillon, a SMC Media Communications Major, grew up watching the original sitcom, where she could relate to the main character Penny Proud.

“Penny Proud is my favorite character because I’ve seen her grow up since the original,” said Dillion. “To now see her grow into a teenager shows that she’s more understanding than before.” To Dillion, seeing the show return after a long absence “shows how much of an influence it has with a fun cartoon feel.”

Dillon also went on to talk about some of the strengths and weaknesses from what she’s seen of the show, including what the revival did well. “I think that this show can relate to me through the everyday experiences that one encounters, and this revival does a good job of implementing real world scenarios that are not so serious,” said Dillion.

Many fans that remember the original theme song may recognize that the theme song in the revival is slightly different, which Dillion saw as a weakness. “[The] change of the theme song is a slower version and doesn’t really go with the intro,” she said.

No matter what one may think about “The Proud Family'', one thing can be agreed on by many fans, which is that Louder and Prouder has seen many changes since its predecessor and those changes are of great value to many of its fans and viewers.

Swamp Dogg Needs a Job

Leo Gilad | Staff Writer

It's not often that a singer releases something groundbreaking and eccentric out of their prime, let alone in their 70s. Swamp Dogg, however, is an exception to the rule, creating an album that takes soul tropes and revitalizes them with auto-tune. The result is "I Need a Job... So I Can Buy More Auto-Tune," an album that'll make a listener question the boundaries of soul music.

On title track “I Need a Job…,” Williams takes a traditional approach to songwriting in soul, penning tracks that cover common tropes in the genre—sex, adultery, love, and friendship. The eccentricities of Williams’ voice already make the album a unique ride. Williams' vocals on “Cheating in the Daylight” conjure up harrowing psychological imagery that sticks out as particularly special. He writes “You're watching your rearview mirror, checking left and right from both sides."

On the track “She Got That Fire,” Williams expresses an almost religious love for a woman. “You know she can walk on water,” he sings. “Ooh, she got that fire.” He later goes on to call her “an angel on Earth.” The sanctified imagery is dense here, as Williams uses heavily religious themes.

Another highlight on the record is “Darlin’ Darlin’ Darlin’,” a song about Williams shedding his adulterous ways and becoming a committed man to his one and only beau. It has a tongue-in-cheek style to it, further illustrating Williams’ playful approach to songwriting. The autotune is unrelenting in the mix. The song includes whimsical harmonicas, making it sound country-esque. The autotune is even more intense in the following track, “FullTime Woman.” Williams goes fullcroon here, and evokes either deep pain or deep ecstasy. Either way, the vocals are intense, made only more potent by the digital wobble of the autotune.

The album sometimes falls flat with its lack of consistency. The autotune gimmick, while sonically interesting, isn’t strong enough to carry the entire record on its back.

The real strength is in the instrumental compositions, and when those break down, the songs do as well. Williams’ voice is full of character, but his lyricism on the album isn’t quite enough to leave the strongest impression. Ultimately, the album's biggest weakness is inconsistency.