Halsey Album Review

Aubrey’s Kansas City Adventures

(Photos by Aubrey Makar)

Hidden in the middle of the city, Washington Square Park’s creativity shines with more publicity to the park. This lovely five acre field is open to everyone and is located right outside Crown Center. While walking from my car the sculpture a voice sounded saying “Thanks”. It turned out to be the artist behind the creation of the orb titled “Oculus”. the lense of her sculpture. I quickly agreed to return so that I would be able to witness the celestial spectacle through the filter of DiPiazzo’s moon the addition of local art. into the park, the vibrant sculptures Her name was Denise DiPiazzo, and unit. BY AUBREY MAKAR immediately caught my eye. Numerous she was happy to explain her process Each of the sculptures has a A&E COLUMNIST colorful creations wrap around the behind her cosmic creation to me. plaque that explains what it’s called, trees with gloves on each end to make “I made this for the people who the artist’s name and the material each Kansas City is the grand picture of someone hugging live here so that they can see the city is made of. I approached a plaque but a pretty cool the trees. The art pieces are scatter all that they live in in a different way, and couldn’t find anything near it and place. Everyone around the park, and everywhere you for people from other cities to see this became disappointed and a little afraid knows the iconic look a technicolored tree hugger is city in a different way. We’re going to someone might have stolen it. But shuttlecocks attached to a nearby tree. fly it to the moon one day. I always call after I looked up a shining chandelier and the Plaza A silver painted sculpture lies it my moon unit just in case,” DiPiazzo hanging from a tree immediately fountains that across the grass entitled Moon Garden said. washed away my fears. It’s placed in a make up every Kansas City greeting by William Vannerson near the edge DiPiazzo had me step inside the perfect spot so that the sun reflects off card and occupy every corner of the of the park. This piece frames the city orb and showed me that by looking of it causing its lustrous appearance. KC themed shops. But only a few behind the carefully crafted beams. through each of the holes it would Now only if the sign said something to people know where the really cool stuff The Sprint Center, Western Auto sign point to a different location that was the extent of look up just in case some is. I like to consider myself one of those and the Opera House loom in the important to this area and a special people like me would miss it on the people. Places that hold significant background along with the skyline of opening in the top for viewing the first try. beauty and alluring history hide in Downtown. Each of these creations moon. By peering through each of Washington Square Park is a great the shadows of the city waiting to be had been specifically made by Kansas the tunnels I could see the Western place to go and hang around the city. noticed. City artists for this spot to share with Auto Sign through a tube, one of the Benches and tables make it a fantastic

Concealed in the middle of the the locals and those visiting. many KC fountains through another spot to study or just to spend time city, Washington Square Park creates The next thing I noticed was and other focus points that DiPiazzo with friends on a nice day. Kansas City a fun environment to hang around. a massive orb with playful colors thought the creation would be has so many fantastic nooks that a lot New art installments decorate the park pointing every which directions. incomplete without. of people don’t know about. But by from actual tree hugging sculptures to As I drew nearer to the sculpture, Before DiPiazzo returned to her looking at what’s right in the midst of a moon machine and many more. The an audible “Wow this is so cool” work, she reminded me to return Sept. the city, you might find something to artwork was recently added to bring escaped my mouth and from behind 27 to witness the lunar eclipse through enjoy for a long time.

Kansas City’s Annual Chalk and Walk Festival was held at Crown Center Sept. 12-13. Go to lejournallive.com for a review and pictures from the event. “The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials” opened in

“Badlands:” Boring Songs, Below-par Lyrics Halsey’s debut album sells universe and making it so that people felt like they big despite sounding blah. were actually being transported somewhere.” It is apparent through the duration of BY TARA JUNGDEN the album and Halsey’s own words about, REPORTER “transporting listeners to another place,” that the album is trying to push its way into the widely

Singer-songwriter Halsey’s long awaited recognizable playlist of, “Songs to get high to,” debut album, “Badlands,” quickly climbed to giving off a sort of Vines vibe circa, “Mary Jane.” number two on iTunes. The album, released However, the album falls flat of that otherworldly Aug. 28, is brimming with electronic noise and feel the artist seems so desperately to be seeking. monotonous angst, eventually blending into one Halsey, singing the entirety of the album long 40 minute song sounding exactly like every solo, has a voice which is strong but takes other indie pop album. on forced characteristics of the classic, and

Halsey’s Instagram bio reads, “I write songs commonly mocked, “Indie girl voice.” At times about sex and being sad. I will never be anything (especially in the verses) sounding very similar but honest.” While honesty is something almost to artists like Ellie Goulding, and Mandy Lee of everyone can appreciate, the heavily recurring Misterwives. theme of sex and depression is worn out in While Halsey may have the voice and the music industry and painfully overused songwriting ability to potentially write an album throughout “Badlands.” worth lasting, her debut’s overall sound is forced

In an interview at the FireFly music festival, and unoriginal.Halsey describes her sound as “an attempt to

Stepping into the Scorch

create space with sound... It was about creating a UNDERWHELMING theaters on Sept 18, the second movie in the well known trilogy “The Maze Runner.”

Main Characters Dy lan O ’brein Thomas Ki Hong Lee Minho Teresa K ay a Scodelario Th o mas Brodie-Sangster Newt Rosa Salazar Brenda G i ancarlo Esposito Jorge (Illustrations by Aubrey Makar)

“The second movie was better because it left you with less questions and had more action, depth and Dylan O’Brien.” -senior Maya Visesio

“It was an action packed movie with more than one surprise that I never saw coming.”- freshman Elise Bishop

The six color-coded holes challenge players, accommodating for all skill levels. (photo by Alex D’Alesio )

Top Golf Raises Recreational Golf to a New Level

The newest entertainment venue proves table, and three Xbox Kinect screens, all accessible free of popular with pro and amateur crowds. charge. It doesn’t take long for one of the 102 hitting bays to BY ALEX D’ALESIO open up, at which time players can enjoy the technological WEB MANAGING EDITOR luxury of the computer microchips that track distance and accuracy.

Ping. The 3-wood slices through the ball and sends it As golfers are covered by an overhang, the activity is whizzing into the fluorescent blue opening, one of the six a perfect alternative to rainy day bowling. Lounge couches, dartboard-like targets spotting the ground. Twenty points tables, and fans decorate each individual bay, setting up the flashes up on the overhead screen. perfect space to enjoy Craft Beer Queso, one of the many

The friendly competition of Overland Park’s newest delicious items off the menu, with prices ranging from $3entertainment attraction, Top Golf, draws in people of all $14. ages. As the perfect place to go out with friends and the Bays can accommodate up to six players and a flat ultimate attraction for a family night out, Top Golf deserves price per bay ranges from $20-$40 an hour, depending on the traffic it has received. If you haven’t been, you are the time and weekday. In addition to this, all golfers must missing out. pay a one-time fee of $5 to obtain a membership card.

“The second you walk in the door, the attitude and the “It’s more fun to go with more people, and it is a friendliness makes you want to play, and by the time you’re cheaper cost, because you can split the price,” junior Claire done golfing, you can’t wait to come back,” Top Golf Team Raulston said. Leader Blair Falconer said. Originally from the United Kingdom, Top Golf has

Teeming with customers, the three-level facility, grown to 15 locations in the United States, including enclosed by netting that ranges from 160 to 180 feet in Oregon, California, Chicago, Vegas, and Colorado. With a height, has wait times that range from 30 minutes to two goal of opening 80 within the next 10 years, the franchise hours. Yet, time passes fast as people can relax in the is spiraling down a hill of success - it gets a hole in one in company of two pool tables, a shuffleboard table, a foosball my books.

An interactive screen allows players to monitor their progress. (photo by Alex D’Alesio)