Must listen podcasts

Album //

Drake’s Certified Lover Boy breaks the internet

VRITI SEHGAL

The much awaited Drake album, Certified Lover Boy, was released on September 3 as fans went haywire all over Twitter. Breaking the record for the biggest first week sales in hip-hop, the 21-track album projects a common theme of Drake’s aversion to commitment along with a hint of selfpraise and some (not so) subtle bragging. Or, simply, the entire album is just Drizzy being himself.

Through the course of the album, Drake highlights the journey of coming to terms with his distaste for commitment and monogamy. The album begins with “Champagne Poetry,” containing lines like “My soulmate is somewhere out in the world just waiting on me,” almost tricking the listeners into believing that he wants to settle down and expressing his desire to be loved, by referring to his heart as “vacant and lonely.” But it doesn’t take him long to slip right back into the “player” image, using lines like “I remember that I told you I miss you, that was kinda like a mass text” in “Papi’s Home.” This player image is also quite evident in the cover art for the album, which features a dozen pregnant emoji women holding their bellies. Designed by British artist Damien Hirst, the cover has inspired many internet memes.

At times, the album gets quite repetitive when Drake becomes the sole focus of the songs and comes across as being too wrapped up in himself. “Under me I see all the people that claim they over me / And above me I see nobody,” from the song “Champagne Poetry” is one example. And we cannot forget “Way 2 Sexy,” featuring Future and Young Thug, a whole song dedicated entirely to how Drake is “too sexy for this world.” Although, some of the more meaningful songs, drawing light upon his experience in the music industry, are “Fair Trade,” featuring Travis Scott, and “Love All,” featuring Jay-Z, inspiring numerous Instagram captions (“People never care 'til it's R.I.P.”) all around the world. Finally, he concludes the album with “The Remorse,” where he comes to terms with his antipathy to monogamy through the use of lines like “Can't picture bein’ a hubby, finger too stubby to fit a ring on / [...] the strings'll be unattached,” proving yet again how the rapper is just not ready to be tied down.

Drake’s previous studio album, Scorpion, released in 2018, also explored similar themes with an addition of his public acknowledgment of fatherhood, where he talked about his son Adonis and his journey of being a father and gave us numerous hits like “God’s Plan,” “In My Feelings,” and “Nonstop.” However, Certified Lover Boy, released after a long gap, is definitely one of Drake’s finer pieces of work. Drake is an extraordinary rapper, but the music in his tracks is what makes them stand out. The music throughout the album was a mix of jazzy tunes and a play on varying pitched vocals, with several songs completely switching tempos and beats halfway. The exceptional wordplay in his raps along with the catchy tunes certainly hit the mark for me, and I can’t help humming along to the songs throughout my day.

Fans of Drake have been waiting patiently for a new album, and Certified Lover Boy definitely does not disappoint. Take a listen and get swept away in Drizzy’s catchy beats and anti-monogamist messages.

Podcast //

Some (mostly funny) podcasts you should subscribe to

ANDREA SADOWSKI

Podcasts are just about the only content I have time to consume these days, and I devour them at an alarming rate. Whether I’m cooking, washing dishes, cleaning my house, walking around the neighbourhood, driving to school, or grocery shopping, I can pretty much guarantee you that I am plugged into a podcast. I am currently subscribed to 25 different podcasts about everything from pop culture to politics to history to life advice; here are the ones that I literally never miss an episode of.

Office Ladies

In what could be the greatest podcast ever made, Jenna Fischer and Angela Kinsey, who played Pam and Angela on the hit TV show The Office, recap an episode of this beloved fan favourite each week. It is honestly like watching the TV show over again, but with my ears. They answer listener questions about how certain scenes were produced, have their former co-stars as guests where they reveal how they got their part on the show, play audio clips of bloopers, and even read the script’s deleted scenes and alternative jokes. Fischer and Kinsey have a wealth of funny and heartwarming stories about everyone that made the show possible, from the actors, to the script supervisor, to the caterers and directors. If you’re a fan of The Office, you’ll be a fan of this podcast.

The Endless Honeymoon

This podcast had me bursting out laughing in the cereal aisle. Moshe Kasher and Natasha Leggero are a hilarious husband and wife comedian duo that give relationship advice to listeners who call in. They give practical, straightforward advice while simultaneously poking fun at and loving their callers. There are also “secret dump” episodes where they will play secrets listeners have left them on their public voicemail. Some secrets are disgusting, a lot have me questioning their listeners’ morals, but they are always a riot to listen to.

Ear Hustle

The only serious podcast on this list, Ear Hustle was born in San Quentin State Prison, California’s oldest maximum-security correctional facility. Produced by visual artist Nigel Poor and the formerly incarcerated Earlonne Woods, Ear Hustle gives listeners a fascinating look into the prison system and the lives of those who are inside. I have been listening to this podcast since it first aired in 2017, and I feel like I’ve heard the evolution of some of the inmates that they regularly feature. Woods, for example, was still an inmate when the show first aired, and is now producing episodes on the outside after he was granted parole. The show features everything from heartbreaking stories of guys who were just dealt the wrong cards in life, music written by inmates, and horror stories of cellmates that make any roommate situation on the outside seem bearable.

Good Christian Fun

Kevin T. Porter and Caroline Ely are “not here to make fun of you or make you go to church,” they just want to have some good Christian fun. Each week they dissect a piece of media created by, for and/or about Christians, whether it be a Christian film with a horrifically cringy script or a Christian punk-rock band’s album. They even have high profile guests like Amy Grant and Kirk Franklin on to talk about their careers and laugh about the horribly awkward parts of Christian pop culture. This podcast is like a soothing balm to my religious trauma.

The Happiness Lab

Dr. Laurie Santos is a professor at Yale who developed an extremely popular course called “The Science of Well-Being.” In my opinion, listening to this podcast is the equivalent of taking that Ivy League school’s course for free, as it explores the scientific research done on happiness and how humans can truly achieve it. There is nothing I love more than a well-researched piece of content with rich interviews from leading experts in their field. So, if you’re looking for a cure for the sads, this might be the podcast for you.

Even the Rich

This podcast gives us a detailed and intimate look into the lives of celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Paris Hilton, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Madonna, and currently, Mariah Carey. This is not just a celebrity gossip podcast; it is like listening to the biography of these ultra-famous celebrities — some of their rags-to-riches stories, the sacrifices they had to make to get to the top, and the perseverance it took to stay there. Brooke Siffrinn and Aricia Skidmore-Williams allow listeners the chance to peek into the parts of these celebrities' lives that are often overlooked.

Lifekit

NPR’s Lifekit produces short and sweet episodes (averaging about 15 minutes apiece) that give us practical advice on how to live better. Exploring a vast range of topics from “How to start hormone replacement therapy,” or “How to receive feedback,” or “How to rent smarter,” this podcast talks to experts each week that each give constructive take-aways on how to improve the way you live.

Some of these events require tickets, and most are online. If something catches your eye, take to the internet for more details, including those about social distancing measures for in-person events.

sept.-october

• National Day for Truth and Reconciliation - NO CLASSES

• Peace Talk by PARC “Renaming and Destatuing: Challenging

History in the Age of Reconciliation Building” @ Online, 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. • Games Night @ B223, Global Lounge (Abbotsford), 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. • Drop-in Basketball @ Building E, South Gym (Abbotsford), 8:00 - 10:00 p.m.

• River Bends and Totem Ends @ Pitt Meadows Art Gallery,

Wednesdays - Sundays, 12:00 - 4:00 p.m. • Basics of Universal Design Workshop @ Online, 2:00 - 3:00 p.m. • Cascades Women’s Soccer vs. UBC @ Rotary Stadium (Abbotsford), 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. • Cascades Men’s Soccer vs. UBC @ Rotary Stadium (Abbotsford), 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. • 48-Hour Film Festival Screenings @ The Reach Gallery (Abbotsford), 6:00 - 11:00 p.m.

• Cascades Women’s Soccer vs. UNBC @ Rotary Stadium (Abbotsford), 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. • Cascades Men’s Soccer vs. UNBC @ Rotary Stadium (Abbotsford), 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

• Building Resilience: Understanding Challenges, Learning Strategies, and Accepting Change @ Online, 9:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

• Connected @ Kariton Gallery @ Online, Oct. 2-30

• Cascades Women’s Soccer vs. UBC @ Rotary Stadium (Abbotsford), 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. • Cascades Men’s Soccer vs. UBC @ Rotary Stadium (Abbotsford), 3:00 - 5:00 p.m.

• Futsal League Night @ Building E, South Gym (Abbotsford), 8:00 - 10:00 p.m.

• They Only Love Us When We’re Dying @ S’eliyemetaxwtexw Art

Gallery (B136), 12:00 - 5:00 p.m. •Belly Dance @ E182, The Cave (Abbotsford), 12:05 - 12:45 p.m. •Volleyball League Night @ Building E, South Gym (Abbotsford), 8:00 - 10:00 p.m. • Cascades Women’s Basketball vs. UBC @ Building E, South Gym, 6:00 p.m. • Cascades Men’s Basketball vs. UBC @ Building E, South Gym, 8:00 p.m.

• Cascades Women’s Basketball vs. UNBC @ Building E, South Gym, 5:00 p.m. • Cascades Men’s Basketball vs. UBC @ Building E, South Gym, 7:00 p.m.

• Campus Engagement Expo - CEP Campus @ Building A Atrium, (Chilliwack), 11:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. • Artist Talk with Mitchell Wiebe @ Online, 1:00 - 2:00 p.m.

• Games Night @ B223, Global Lounge (Abbotsford) 4:00 - 7:00 p.m. • UFV WEST Welcome Social @ C1422 (Abbotsford), 5:00 - 7:00 p.m.

• Thanksgiving - NO CLASSES

• 48-Hour Film Festival Screenings @ The Reach Gallery (Abbotsford), 6:00 - 11:00 p.m. • Cascades Women’s Soccer vs. UNBC @ Rotary Stadium (Abbotsford), 5:30 - 7:30 p.m. • Cascades Men’s Soccer vs. UNBC @ Rotary Stadium (Abbotsford), 8:00 - 10:00 p.m.