contents
01.29-02.04
meet the team PUBLISHER Chris Shepperd BUSINESS MANAGER Leisha Shepperd MANAGING EDITOR Luke Murray ASSISTANT EDITOR/COPYEDITING Barbara Hosler PHOTOGRAPHERS Peyton Boles Lauren Howes STAFF WRITER Brad Cox Joshua Russell
MARKETING INTERN Peyton Boles Ally White
Essentials: Listen Play Discover Look
WRITING INTERNS Linley McCord Annabeth Reeb Abigail Stricker Adrianna Zampieri
Cover: 4 12 19 20
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Sam Riggs is making his way back through College Station for a show at The Tap on Jan. 31. We sat down with Riggs to talk about his initial struggles in Texas country music, his mentorship from legend Ray Wylie Hubbard, and his favorite places to stop while here in Aggieland.
DISTRIBUTION Cody Atkinson Lindsay Cox Randy Shepperd
Maroon Weekly is an independent, publication and is not affiliated with Texas A&M University. Maroon Weekly receives no student fees or university funding.
Music: 4 - Cody Canada and the
Departed are back with a new album...and a new sound.
Film: 20 - The Taken trilogy is
Comedy: 12 - Join MSC OPAS
back with part three. When and Maroon Weekly for an evening of improv will this family catch a comedy with the United break? Citizens Brigade.
Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Maroon Weekly is not liable for omissions, misprints or typographical errors. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher. Š Copyright 2015 Campus Press LP
Music Reviews
Cody Canada and the Departed Album: HippieLovePunk Release Date: Jan. 13, 2015 By Annabeth Reeb
Brad Fall Paisley Out Boy
Cody Canada and The Departed released their new album “HippieLovePunk” on January 13, starting off 2015 with a new sound. Honestly, you may not even realize you’re listening to the same band that released “This is Indian Land” and “Aventus.” At that time they were calling themselves only “The Departed” instead of “Cody Canada and The Departed,” which is reminiscent of “THE Ohio state” – does it really matter? After splitting from Seth James, Canada’s co-lead singer in the band, Canada was able to venture back to his Cross Canadian Ragweed roots and bring back the outlaw country sound we used to love. “HippieLovePunk” couldn’t be a more relevant title, as each of the band’s songs can be placed into one of those three categories. If they aren’t singing about tolerance or love, there is a definite angry “punk” vibe. This is ironic because, despite the popular hippie phrase “Make love not war,” it seems Cody Canada and the Departed are making both love and war in their new album.
Brad Paisley RaeLynn
Brad Paisley The Decemberists
Album:
EP: Me
Album:
Release Date: Jan. 20, 2015
Release Date: Jan. 13, 2015
Release Date: Jan. 20, 2015
By Adrianna Zampieri
By Abigail Stricker
By Linley McCord
American Beauty/ American Psycho
With the release of their latest album, “American Beauty/ American Psycho,” Fall Out Boy has lived up to the high expectations set by their followers. Fall Out Boy continues their passionate experiment with their musical style and challenges their listeners to evolve with them. Their once alternative and punk-pop sound has morphed into a smorgasbord of different elements, drawing inspiration from decades past and present, including ‘70s rock, ‘80s pop and a dash of metal and electro. “Centuries” remains the most popular song on the album, spending more than 15 weeks on The Billboard Hot 100, and the anthem could very well represent the future of Fall Out Boy. If they continue on this path, they will be remembered for centuries.
Twenty-year-old country music newcomer RaeLynn Woodward appeared on NBC’s “The Voice” in 2012. She was eliminated in the quarterfinals but amassed a decent following in the process. She’s blonde and smiley and cute, something people seem to enjoy. RaeLynn’s January 13 release of her EP “Me” includes five original tracks, all of which RaeLynn helped write. “God Made Girls” is the most popular. “Kissin’ Frogs” and “Better Do It” are pretty in-your-face and fast paced. “God Made Girls,” “Careless” and “Boyfriend” are comparably slower and quieter, which may be a better sound for RaeLynn. The songwriting is catchy in a pop-country kind of way. Vocally, RaeLynn’s voice has a girly, youthful timbre. But the southern accent feels forced and a bit sloppy. So, songwriting: decent, vocals: eh.
pg 4 • MAROON WEEKLY • Jan. 28, 2015 • maroonweekly.com
What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World
This latest addition to the ever-growing collection of Decemberists albums is one that rings true with their past releases. It is fresh and engaging, staying consistent with why listeners love the band. Its upbeat sound and unique rhythms cling to the band’s traditional indie melodies. It also brings in new appeal in songs that are a little mellower, such as “Make You Better.” The indie folk band originated in Portland in 2001 with their self-produced EP titled “5 Songs.” They are now with Capitol Records, and their song “Down By The Water” was nominated for Best Rock Song in 2011. However, this new album is long, with many songs lasting more than four minutes. While some of the songs may seem similar, the album overall is strong and incorporates the loved aspects of the band with new splashes of sound.
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Granger Smith @ Harry’s
By Linley McCord
@maroonweekly
Keep the spring semester fresh with one of Aggieland’s favorites—Granger Smith—who will perform at Hurricane Harry’s on January 30. It comes as no surprise that he returns to his Aggie roots to start the spring and we expect it will be a night to remember with good music and friends. Smith, also known by his self-created alter ego Earl Dibbles Jr., graduated from Texas A&M University after temporarily moving to Nashville on a songwriting contract when he was 19. His degree was in history, but his heart was set on music. Any questions about post-graduate life were settled when he jumped back into the country music scene. Smith is at home in Bryan-College Station and clearly has a talent to write and play music. His style is distinctly country, but he creates his own sound that is his own tune—and crowds relish it. His first album was released in 1998, titled “Waiting on Forever.” In 2013, he released his ninth studio album, “Dirt Road Driveway,” which has been widely acclaimed on both country and indie charts.
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Smith has traveled across the country doing shows, but also has taken his country roots overseas to perform in Kuwait and Iraq to play for U.S. military members. His passion for our service members has driven him to use his music in a way that honors our nation. During his stop at Harry’s, he will be accompanied by Sam Shupak, a Texas born and bred country artist. Shupak has traveled throughout the South playing music and has opened for impressive numbers of other artists. Among these are Kevin Fowler, Wade Bowen and Kyle Park. Tickets are available online through Hurricane Harry’s website for $10. Doors open at 9pm.
the scoop
WHAT: GRANGER SMITH WHERE: HURRICANE HARRY’S WHEN: JAN. 30 @ 9PM
maroonweekly.com • Jan. 28, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 5
Exclusive Interview: Sam Riggs By Luke Murray Sam Riggs is making his way back through College Station for a show at The Tap on Jan. 31. We sat down with Riggs to talk about his initial struggles in Texas country music, his mentorship from legend Ray Wylie Hubbard, and his favorite places to stop while here in Aggieland. Be sure to go by The Tap this Saturday to catch Sam Riggs and the Night People as they roll out their critically acclaimed live show while bringing in some new music from their upcoming album. MW: Originally being from Florida, what types of challenges or realizations did you encounter upon your entrance to the Texas music scene? SR: I’d say the number one thing is that you’ve got to know who you are in Texas—Texas is a no bullshit state, they can smell it on you. I was 19, still trying to figure out who I was as a songwriter and a musician, and I learned early on that it takes a whole lot more than a good poker face. It takes originality, genuine songs, and genuine emotion—which didn’t initially come easy for me but eventually became second nature. Texas is all about pulling yourself up by your bootstraps and making something of yourself, and that was definitely the biggest challenge for me. I was just bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, green and not knowing a damn thing about what I was doing. I just wanted to play music, so I banged around in the dark until I found a damn light switch. MW: You were mentored heavily by Texas legend, Ray Wylie Hubbard; how did he help to evolve your songwriting?
pg 6 • MAROON WEEKLY • Jan. 28, 2015 • maroonweekly.com
SR: Ray Wylie taught me that the song comes before everything—like the chicken before the egg—the song comes before everything. He taught me about good, honest songwriting. You have to sit down and write lyrics so real that if you were to cut them, they would bleed. You also have to be able to write a song that you’re okay with singing for 30 years. He taught me to take my songwriting much more seriously than I had been, in a poetic sense, to where I’m not sitting down to write the next hit—I’m just writing because that’s what I was born to do. MW: Do you simply channel his teaching or do you dig somewhere deeper for lyrical inspiration? SR: I dig all over the place for inspiration. One thing he taught me is that you put out what you take in, so you need to read a lot—and you need to read good literature. I read everything from Lonesome Dove, to Donald Miller books, Million Miles and a Thousand Years—which is one of my favorite books that I’ve ever read—and other things like that. Ray has his own style of writing, and one thing that he bestowed on me is that you’ve got to be different, but you’ve got to be so good that they can’t ignore you. So I just try to do my own brand, using the grit and determination that he bestowed upon me. MW: Well it’s seemed to work well for you, garnering awards such as Artist of the Year from two different entities—after success like that, what would you say has been your greatest achievement in your young career?
SR: I don’t know if this is going to be the answer you’re looking for, but I would say that my greatest achievement has been not taking myself too serious, but taking my fans and music as seriously as I can. Which is very seriously, in case you didn’t catch that. I think that people tend to get too hung up on what other people project on them, which is just a part of life. So when I stand up there on stage, I’m not thinking about me, I’m thinking about the people in the crowd. I’m constantly thinking about the best way to reach them at the deepest level possible. I make a lot of eye contact, I’ll sing a line straight to somebody—guy or girl, doesn’t matter. I take that approach where I’ll look off in the crowd and try to make that connection with somebody, on every song. I know that isn’t necessarily a track record answer, but that is what I would attribute as my greatest success as a musician so far. It’s what I’m most proud of, taking my fans more seriously than I take myself.
a songwriter out of Nashville, and he’s an incredible writer. I’ve never been one to cut other people’s songs. I did cut “Fire and Dynamite” by Drew Holcomb, but I typically pride myself on singing what I write. That being said, Adam’s just too damn good of a writer not to cut a couple of his tunes.
MW: That’s actually, more or less, the more genuine kind of response I was hoping for. Your song “Collide” was featured on the hit TV show “Nashville”; can you explain how that opportunity came up and how you felt when it did?
SR: Well it’s funny you should ask. Not to ramble, my cousin—whose name is Vinny—my cousin Vinny (laughing) graduated from Texas A&M. When I first moved to Texas, we moved together, and when he started at A&M, we used to raise a lot of hell at the Hall of Fame. I remember finishing a bottle of Southern Comfort between the two of us before we even walked through the door one night—I loved that place—and I think Reckless Kelly was playing that night…I don’t really remember. College Station is such an amazing town because there’s so much going on. I think The Tap is a wonderful place for cool, intimate shows. Then you have the big blowout shows at Hurricane Harry’s, which are always badass. All that being said though, I think my stop that I hit up every time in College Station is The Chicken. Got to go every time.
SR: The record hadn’t been out for very long whenever I got a call from my wonderful publicist, Ms. Brandy Reed, and she told me that the show was looking to use “Collide” on one of their episodes. It didn’t have some huge debut where it was blasting through the speakers, I mean, you could barely hear it (laughing) but it was definitely cool to get that nod of the head from someone like them. The great thing about the show “Nashville” is that they have been very supportive of the Texas music scene. They’ve had Rob Baird featured on the show along with a few other artists. They do a wonderful job of picking music, and it just felt good to be up there in the midst of that.
MW: You’ve been through College Station a few times; have you yet to find a go-to spot for when you come through town? SR: A go-to spot for grub? MW: For anything!
MW: You mentioned that the album hadn’t been out that long. Well, “Outrun the Sun” has been widely successful, and you’ve sold tens of thousands of records; I know that songs are like an artist’s children, so if you had to pick your favorite child off the record, which song would it be? SR: (laughing) Man, you’re right, that’s hard. I would say that my immediate response would be “Angola’s Lament,” just because it’s a rocker and I love playing the banjo. Plus, it’s a story song and I’ve always been a fan of story songs. It also takes people by surprise, it talks about murder and things like that. That being said, my true favorite song off the record is the dark horse, “Change,” at the very end. “Change” is a song where I feel like I channeled more than I wrote, and I also think it’s a song that everyone should listen to driving down the road late at night by themselves. It’s a song that speaks to the listener, even me and I wrote it. I’ll listen to it every now and then, and it’s like I’m not even singing it. I’m just hearing the words. It’s an introspective song about really coming to terms with your demons and realizing that, at the end of the day, you’ve got to forgive yourself for the decisions you make in life—but the bottom line is that everyone has to keep changing, because the minute you stop changing, you start dying. MW: You’ve definitely developed a deep passion for meaning behind your lyrics. Do you have anything new in the works right now? SR: Yeah I’ve been writing quite a bit. I just got off the road from a three week string of shows, and I didn’t get a damn thing done. But I have been writing a new record that we will be going to record sometime this spring. I’ve got some cool songs written for it, and I’ve also got a couple songs on hold that were written by a friend of mine named Adam James. Adam’s
the scoop
WHAT: SAM RIGGS AND THE NIGHT PEOPLE WHERE: THE TAP WHEN: JAN. 31 @ 9PM
maroonweekly.com • Jan. 28, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 7
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See Spot Run @ Wolf Pen Creek Park By Adrianna Zampieri
Bundle up your dog, your friend’s dog or the dog you found on the street and head over to Wolf Pen Creek Park on Saturday, January 31, for the See Spot Run 3K/5K Fun Run/ Walk. It’ll be a tail-wagging good time! Hosted by the Student Chapter of the American Veterinary Medical Association, See Spot Run will raise money for the travel expenses of Texas A&M University veterinary students participating in educational symposiums, externships and job interviews. This is a chance to meet with fellow dog aficionados and gush over how cute your dogs are in their new winter jackets. Not only can you meet new two-legged friends, but you’ll also be surrounded by four-legged friends: small dogs, big dogs, intelligent dogs, goofy dogs, unimpressed dogs and overly-attached dogs. It’ll be an enormous puppy play date. What more could you want? Online registration for this event closes at midnight on January 29. However, you can still sign up during check-in at 7am the day of the races. Note: The 3K will begin before the 5K and you must register for them separately. A canine is required to run in the 3K, but anyone can run the 5K. When registering online at vetmed.tamu.edu/seespotrun/register, the fee for each race is $25, or $30 for both. If registering the day of the races, prices will increase by $5. Mark this date on your calendar to come out and have some fun with fellow animal lovers and support a good cause helping future veterinarians. Drinks and snacks will be provided for both the dogs and their human companions.
the scoop
WHAT: SEE SPOT RUN 3K/5K WHERE: WOLF PEN CREEK PARK WHEN: JAN. 31 maroonweekly.com • Jan. 28, 2015 •MAROON WEEKLY • pg 9
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Folk Family Revival @ Prospector’s By Abigail Stricker
the scoop
WHAT: FOLK FAMILY REVIVAL WHERE: PROSPECTOR’S WHEN: JAN. 30 @ 10PM
Folk Family Revival, a modern folksy band, is bringing their brand of music to College Station this week. The band formed in Magnolia, Texas, after three brothers, Mason, Barrett, and Lincoln Lankford, defended friend-turned-brother, Caleb Pace, from a bully. They released their first full-length album “Unfolding” in 2011 with Mason Lankford on vocals and guitar; Barrett Lankford on bass; Caleb Pace on electric guitar, mandolin and lap steel; and Lincoln Lankford on drums and percussion. The album has 13 original tracks, including the more popular “Unfolding,” “Fallin’” and “Addicted to the Road.” Their sound is very “Mumford & Sons,” but lead singer and guitarist Mason’s voice has an added country-soul depth to it. Folk Family Revival is, in a word, diverse. As described on their website their music is “Americana-Folk-Rock-Country-Blues.” Mason does most of the songwriting, but the group is insistent on the team effort that is their success. They’ve opened for artists such as Willie Nelson, Jon Forman, Robert Ellis, Uncle Lucius, Gorge Jones, Merle Haggard, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Ted Nugent and Hayes Carll. They’re a bit of a departure from the country acts that tend to come through this town. But they’re seriously good. See them Friday, January 30, 10pm at Prospector’s Grill and Saloon.
maroonweekly.com • Jan. 28, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 11
MSC OPAS Presents:
“An Evening of Improv Comedy” with the Upright Citizens Brigade
pg 12 • MAROON WEEKLY • Jan. 28, 2015 • maroonweekly.com
If tickets remain, prices will increase to $20 for students and $30 for non-students on the day of the performance. Student tickets are available by phone and at the window of the box office. A valid student identification will be required to purchase student tickets. Non-students ticket may be purchased online at www.MSCOPAS.org. UCB is sponsored by Maroon Weekly. OPAS Executive Director Anne Black states, “This program was selected specifically with the students of Texas A&M in mind. Since improv comedy is participatory, we are presenting UCB in Rudder Theatre so that everyone can be a part of the action. On the downside, that means we only have 750 seats to sell. And at this price point, we expect them to go fast. If you’re a fan of improv and/or comedy, we recommend you buy tickets as soon as they go on sale on January 30.” Named "Hot Farm Team" by Rolling Stone magazine and "Best Comedy Club" by The Village Voice, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre is widely recognized as home to today's funniest actors and writers. The touring arm of UCB brings the most innovative and hilarious comedians from UCB's New York and Los Angeles theaters directly to you. The hand-picked cast is sure to delight and is known for presenting the nation's next wave of comedy superstars. The cast that will perform at TAMU will be announced soon. Past UCB casts include: Jack McBrayer (“30 Rock”), Ed Helms (“The Office,” “The Hangover”), Bobby Moynihan (“SNL”), Aubrey Plaza (“Parks and Recreation”), Rob Corddry (“The Daily Show”), Ellie Kemper (“Bridesmaids,” “The Office”), Rob Riggle (“The Daily Show”), Zach Woods (“In The Loop,” “The Office”), Lennon Parham (“Accidentally On Purpose,” “BFF,” “Playing House”). The Upright Citizens Brigade (Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts, and Matt Walsh) went to New York, from Chicago, in 1996. Noticing an absence of "Chicago-style" longform improvisation in the city, the four members of the UCB launched a training program in 1997. The UCBT quickly became the place for great, cutting-edge, comedy. Casting directors, agents, festival producers, and journalists began to flock to the theater to see the best comic talent in the city. The UCB Theater at 307 West 26th Street continues to offer the best and most innovative improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy in the city every day of the week, every week of the year. Co-founder Amy Poehler states, “(UCB is) … a place where you can go for a very little amount of money and see someone who, five years from now, will be a big star – the stars of tomorrow!”
the scoop
WHAT: AN EVENING OF IMPROV COMEDY WHERE: RUDDER THEATRE WHEN: FEB. 19 @ 7:30PM
The Academy for the Visual & Performing Arts
Expect huge laughs to spill out of Rudder Theatre when OPAS presents a one-night-only improv performance by the famed Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) on Thursday, February 19 at 7:30pm. General admission tickets are $15 for students and $25 for non-students and go on sale on Friday, January 30 at 10am at the MSC Box Office (979-845-1234).
Actors From The London Stage presents Macbeth
Thursday, January 29, 2015 7 PM in Texas A&M Rudder Theatre
Tickets $5 Students, $10 General Admission Available at the MSC Box Office Call 979.845.1234 For more information, call 979.847.2787 avpa@tamu.edu v academyarts.tamu.edu w w w . f a c e b o o k . c o m / AV PA a t TA M U
It’s Time For
dance theatre
music visual art
It’s Time For Texas A&M
maroonweekly.com • Jan. 28, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 13
Student tickets only $15!
THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 19
7:30 PM • Rudder Theatre
Student tickets only $15!*
HURRY! Tickets increase to $20 the day of the show! MSC Box Office 979-845-1234 MSCOPAS.org Sponsored by
comedy of er li pp su r ie em pr e th is “I think UCB e type th g in do e ar ey Th .. s. op ch actors with f I’m uf st e v ti en v in , al in ig or , of manic always interested in.” - Conan o’brien *Student tickets available at window of MSC Box Office and by phone at 979-845-1234. Student tickets not available for purchase online. A valid Student ID is required. HURRY! Tickets increase to $20 the day of the show!
pg 14 • MAROON WEEKLY • Jan. 28, 2015 • maroonweekly.com
mscopas
Drew Womack @ Grand Stafford Theater By Annabeth Reeb
Drew Womack is bringing his seasoned vocals and songwriting talent to BCS on January 29 at 8pm, accompanied by special guest Mary Charlotte Young. The two will be performing at the Stafford in Downtown Bryan, tickets are only $8. Womack is an accredited singer-songwriter who has collaborated on songs such as Kenny Chesney’s “She’s Got it All.” He was also the leader singer of a band he started with his brother, Tim Womack, in Waco, Texas. The band recorded hit songs like “Goodbye Earl,” but missed out because their label, Epic Records, handed the song over to the Dixie Chicks. Womack then had to take a break from music after discovering he needed surgery to fix a broken vertebra. Despite hardships, he has released his first album in more than 10 years, “Sunshine to Rain.” He strays from his traditional music in this new album, shifting to the music he claims he’s always wanted to write. His new album features things such as a sitar—cool, right?—and notable Austin-based musicians to mix things up. His new style can especially be heard in the song “New Heart,” with an Indian and Hindustani music vibe. His interesting mix of sounds is a welcome change in country music, offering Womack his own distinctive sound. On Womack’s website he attributes this to the fact that “there was no country label rep in the recording studio saying ‘No, a sitar won’t fly on country radio.’” Womack calls his new sound “Gangsta Folk.” Grand Stafford Theater will also be hosting special guest, Mary Charlotte Young, who also has one heck of a voice. She is a local singer-songwriter who has performed at other favorite venues in College Station such as P.O.E.T.S.
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George Bush Presidential Library Presents: Neal Keny-Guyer and Mercy Corps By Adrianna Zampieri Join Neal Keny-Guyer for his lecture on “Responding to Global Humanitarian Crises: Challenges and Opportunities” where he will speak about Mercy Corps’ international accomplishments. Neal Keny-Guyer is a social entrepreneur committed to creating a just and peaceful world. As director of Save the Children, whose mission is the betterment of children’s lives worldwide, he developed high-impact relief programs in war-torn and politically sensitive areas such as Lebanon and Sudan. In 1994, he became the CEO of Mercy Corps, an organization dedicated to “[alleviating] suffering, poverty and oppression by helping people build secure, productive and just communities.” Keny-Guyer has implemented global mergers and negotiated strategic alliances in his quest to aid international communities in crisis. Mercy Corps currently operates in 47 countries around the world and has earned the reputation of being a leader in humanitarianism. The organization continues to offer innovative and long-lasting solutions to social conflicts, emergency relief to wounded communities and supply resources in the fight for human rights. To achieve its goals, Mercy Corps relies on volunteers. These men and women allow Mercy Corps to connect with communities otherwise out of reach from their headquarters in Portland, Oregon. Volunteers around the country raise awareness of global social issues and also raise money to help fund Mercy Corps’ civil and social change efforts. Keny-Guyer’s lecture will be at the George Bush Presidential Library and Museum on February 3 at 5:30pm. RSVP for the event at bushschoolmosbacher@tamu.edu by February 2. Admission is FREE.
maroonweekly.com • Jan. 28, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 17
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In addition, you can also export documents you’ve typed with a(which bad thing. is pretty nostalgic, but some people can’t write without them). the app. Hanx Writer can also be used in other apps if you’re solely using the app for the sounds (which is pretty nostalgic, but some people can’t write without them). CROSSY ROAD - -BY ZEN SHOPPING BYADRIANNA DANIELLA ZAMPIERI DELGADO Why chicken cross the road? Was it toWith boldlyZen go where no chicken goneyour before or personal because Wantdid tothe make holiday shopping a breeze? Shopping, you canhad have own ZEN SHOPPING -toBYget DANIELLA DELGADO it just wanted to the on other Become chicken in “CrossytoRoad,” a game dedicated to shopping assistant straight yourside? phone. It hasthat a variety of features make your online shopping Want to makesimple holiday breeze? With ZenUsing Shopping, you can own across personal successfully maneuvering poultrya to the other side. yourafinger, guidehave youryour character experience andshopping expedient. Among these features are price comparison calculator, wherea shopping straight your phone. Ityou’re has alooking variety of highways, features to make your online series ofassistant obstacles. Dodge on taxicabs and 18-wheelers on busy cross swift rivers by jumping Zen automatically recognizes the product for and searches other stores toshopping find the experience simple and expedient. Among these features are a price comparison calculator, from to log and leap Zen over also trainautomatically tracks before provides the train you squishes The quicker your most log affordable option. with you. the best couponsyou fortouch the where store Zenscreen, automatically recognizes product you’re looking for and searches other to find faster your character hops. The longer you avoid fatal mistakes, the stores closer you are the to you are the shopping at prior to the checkout. most affordable Zen including also automatically provides youawith the best coupons the store unlocking new option. characters, an emu, a dark lord and floppy fish. “Crossy Road”formimics the youclunky, arenotifies shopping atofof prior totailored checkout. Zen deals to yourwhich shopping interests. The has a package tracking cubic you style older video games, may encourage yourapp eyesalso to squint. feature, so you can keep track of the delivery status of all your precious merchandise. Avoid the ZenIflong notifies you ofshot deals shopping interests. app also has aRoad package tracking crazy crowds andto doyour all of your from the comfort of your owntophone with youlines wantand your attailored answering the age old shopping question, thenThe download Crossy begin your feature, sotoyou keep of the delivery status of all your precious merchandise. Avoid the Zen Shopping this holiday season. journey thecan other side.track long lines and crazy crowds and do all of your shopping from the comfort of your own phone with Zen2015 Shopping this holiday season. Dec.28, 10, 2014 maroonweekly.com pg 18 • MAROON WEEKLY • Jan. •• maroonweekly.com
pg 18 • MAROON WEEKLY • Dec. 10, 2014 • maroonweekly.com
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thedistrictonluther.commaroonweekly.com866.973.5389 • Jan. 28, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 19
Taken 3 Action (R)
By Annabeth Reeb
The “Taken” franchise is a complicated one: the first movie is gripping, diverting and successful, while the second one, well, sucks. The problem is that the title doesn’t give much to work with. Someone has to be taken, which makes “Taken 2” seem like a long and terrible case of déjà vu. “Taken 3” learned at least a little from its predecessor’s mistake. In the beginning, things are looking up for Bryan Mills, played by the legendary Liam Neeson. His ex-wife loves him again and his daughter doesn’t hate him. But his luck quickly changes when a seemingly innocent rendezvous with his ex escalates into being framed for her murder. This turns out to be one of the most redeeming traits of the movie. Mills is running from United States law enforcement instead of faceless foreign officials, which seems more impressive because we pride ourselves in a strong police force. He continually evades Detective Dotzler, played by Forest Whitaker, and pursues those involved in his wife’s murder. Neeson does a fantastic job, yet again, portraying the invincible character, famous for his “particular set of skills” speech, which is impressive given the ridiculously tired plot. The action throughout the film is well done but predictable because we already know Mills is unstoppable. The problem with “Taken 3” is that it somehow became even more implausible than the first two movies. Sure, viewers don’t expect it to be realistic, because the whole point is to marvel in the fact that Mills is the coolest dad in the world, but “Taken 3” takes it a bit too far. The fighting is fine, but the hundreds of ignored casualties are exasperating. In one car chase alone, Mills is responsible for around 100 innocent deaths. An airborne semitrailer squishes more than five carloads of people to death, and that’s not including the other fatal crashes that Mills caused by driving toward incoming traffic. It’s great that his daughter is alive, but what about the hundreds of other people he killed? SPOILER ALERT: In the end, Mills walks himself out of the police station with less than a slap on the wrist. No way. If the movie is going to be set in America, it has to play by America’s rules.
pg 20 • MAROON WEEKLY • Jan. 28, 2015 • maroonweekly.com
Friends Netflix By Abigail Stricker “Friends” is on Netflix, everybody! All 10 seasons of the iconic TV series, which ran from 1994 to 2004, are officially available through Netflix’s streaming service. Do we really even need to tell you what it is about? If you don’t know, then you need to stop reading this story and go log in to Netflix. What are you doing with your life? The series follows five inextricably close friends as they live, work and do whatever else they do throughout their twenties (which is a lot of funny and ridiculous stuff) in New York City. Stars include Courteney Cox as Monica, David Schwimmer as Ross, Matthew Perry as Chandler, Matt LeBlanc as Joey, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe and Jennifer Aniston as Rachel. “Friends” is an award-winning comedy – one that you must have heard of…right? It was nominated 62 times for the Primetime Emmy Awards and won Outstanding Comedy Series in 2002. For those of you who’ve seen the show and loved it, it is time for reruns. And no commercials this time – yay! If you haven’t seen it and think you might want to, Netflix is probably your cheapest option. Pay the $7.99 a month for a couple months and then cancel your membership if you want. Try to think of one person you’ve ever met who vehemently hated “Friends.” Therefore, it’s probably worth it.
maroonweekly.com • Jan. 21, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 21
Freestylin’ Across 1 Cartoon father of octuplets 4 Ironic nickname for a hairy guy 10 Taj Mahal’s setting 14 Slides, handouts, etc. for a speaker’s audience 16 Street ___ (rep) 17 Aquarium fish 18 Mecca trekker 19 “Huuuuuuuh?!” 20 Little toy, for instance? 21 Head honcho 24 Baseball and football star Sanders 25 London music producer Yoad ___ (reverses to something in the kitchen) 26 “Uncle!” 28 Art lovers 30 Shield behind a wheel 32 1994 hit off Live’s album “Throwing Copper” 33 Is uncertain to, in a fancy tone 34 With “The,” 2012 Jessica Biel thriller 35 “Community” actress ___ Nicole Brown 36 Share a facility 37 “Cold as Ice” and “Hot Blooded” group 39 Appeases, as hunger 40 Having a pH below 7 41 Heart link 43 Simple pretzel shapes 44 It folds in a chair 45 Place for December purchases 47 Some small businesses, for short 49 “Let me at ‘em!” 53 Big earthenware jar 54 1988 Bruce Hornsby hit, with “The” 55 “No can do, Dostoyevsky” 56 “The Two ___” (Martha Finley children’s book) 57 Weightlifter’s abbr.
Answers
pg 22 • MAROON WEEKLY • Jan. 28, 2015 • maroonweekly.com
Down 1 Mag that covers blue material (hidden in KAVNER) 2 Key lime, e.g. 3 Org. that’s hosted Errol Flynn, Wayne Newton and Stephen Colbert 4 ___ salts 5 Follow up on ___ 6 Image created before drinking? 7 Got the carpet all gross 8 Potatoes named for their state 9 Must-have 10 “Oh!” in Osnabruck 11 Tiny red salad item 12 How you feel after a much-needed rest 13 Quality of some body tissues 15 Like some GPAs 21 He’s often seen up late 22 In an ambiguous way 23 Light and dark ice cream flavor 25 Star of “Gimme a Break!” 27 All together, musically 29 Religious circles? 31 Rare blood type 34 Carla’s surname on “Cheers” 36 Total assortment? 38 “Is this ___?” 42 French lane 46 Lord ___ Baratheon (“Game of Thrones” character) (anagram of ROSY) 48 Posed for pics 50 Company that merged with Time-Warner 51 Dollop 52 NFL gains 2015 Jonesin’ Crosswords (editor@jonesincrosswords.com)
Aggie Teams Racing Out to Successful Early Start By Joshua Russell Track and Field The Track & Field News’ first Indoor track poll of the year came out last week and both Texas A&M University indoor teams garnered high rankings. The men checked in at No. 2 while the women’s team earned the No. 1 ranking.
being named. Three SEC East schools are in the top 5 with defending national champions Vanderbilt in the top spot. Texas A&M opens the baseball season on Valentine’s Day weekend as the Aggies host Holy Cross. The Aggies nonconference schedule includes the Astros College Classic, which will square them against three former conference rivals: No. 23 Nebraska, No. 7 Houston and Baylor.
The A&M women won the national title in 2014 and have earned the top spot in four of the past six years. In their most recent outing, the Aggies finished second out of nine schools in the Texas A&M Team Invitational.
Softball The softball team also received some preseason buzz as they are ranked No. 24 in the initial Top 25 ranking from USA Today/ NFCA Division I Softball Poll.
The men’s team finished first in the invitational, blowing out the field with 163 total points, 71 points higher than the second place finisher. Shavez Hart was honored as SEC Runner of the Week for his part in the Aggie victory. Hart won the 200m in 20.76 seconds and was just a 10th of a second off his indoor best in the event. So far in 2015, that is the fastest time in the world. He was also the second leg of the winning 4x400 team and came in with a split of 46.8 seconds. Baseball The Aggie baseball team earned preseason recognition as they were ranked 15th by the D1baseball.com Preseason Top 25 poll—impressive after TAMU was unranked at the end of last season. But with a young team having a year under their belt, along with a prized recruiting class, the
The Aggies finished 37-22 last year, their 18th consecutive season to accumulate at least 30 wins. The team returns starting pitchers Rachel Fox and Katie Marks who combined for 30 wins in their 54 starts.
Aggies have high hopes heading into the new season. They will have seven returning starters, including sophomore Nick Banks who was named a Preseason All-American. The SEC cluttered the initial Top 25 ranking with eight schools
The Aggies will look to quickly improve on their rankings as they head to the SoCal Collegiate Classic on Feb 6 and 7 and take on Utah, San Diego State, Purdue and No. 7 ranked UCLA. They will also play No. 2 Oregon in a non-conference match. The SEC dominated the preseason poll, placing nine teams in the ranking including No. 1 Florida and No. 3 Alabama.
maroonweekly.com • Jan. 28, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 23
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