The Dartmouth 11/14/17

VOL. CLXXIV NO.150

MOSTLY CLOUDY HIGH 40 LOW 24

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

BarHop on indefinite hiatus

HANOVER, NEW HAMPSHIRE

David Kotz ’86 will serve as interim provost starting Nov. 22

By PETER CHARALAMBOUS The Dartmouth Staff

second had “low-key” music, sometimes hosting bands or other student performance groups and the third, provided a dance club-like environment for participants, complete with lights and a sound system, O’Sullivan said.

There were bars in all three rooms. “[BarHop] was a place for people to drink and dance and socialize outside of the Greek

Computer science professor David Kotz ’86 will serve as interim provost following the end of Provost Carolyn Dever’s tenure, College President Phil Hanlon announced on Monday. Kotz will begin his tenure as interim provost after Dever’s last day on Nov. 22 and will serve until a new permanent provost is selected.

Dever announced that she will be stepping down to resume her teaching and research on Oct. 10. According to Kotz, Hanlon reached out to Kotz around two weeks ago to ask if he would consider the interim position.

“My primary goal is to serve the College — the faculty, the staff and the students ­— as well as I can,” he said.

Kotz has served as the associate dean of faculty for the sciences for six years and as the executive director of the Institute for Security, Technology and Society for four years. As the Champion International Professor, an endowed position in the computer science department, Kotz has researched topics ranging from healthcare pervasive computing to wireless networks.

In 1997, Kotz was also one of the first computer science junior professors at the College to receive tenure. “[Kotz] really broke through that barrier of junior

SEE BARHOP PAGE 5

SEE KOTZ PAGE 2

OPINION

SCHNEIDER: REMEMBER 1798 PAGE 4

ARTS

MUSIC REVIEW: TAYLOR SWIFT’S ‘REPUTATION’ PAGE 7

FILM REVIEW: ‘THE FLORIDA PROJECT’ PAGE 8

TIFFANY ZHAI/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

Prior to its ending on May 2017, BarHop featured music events and free drinks every Thursday.

By EILEEN BRADY The Dartmouth

B a r H o p, a C o l l e g e sponsored prog ram that ran from February 2014 through May 2017, is “taking a pause,” according to an email statement from Joshua Kol ’93, director of student performance programs at the Hopkins Center for the Arts.

The program, which hosted music events and offered free drinks for students aged 21 or

older every Thursday, was a popular social space among older undergraduate students and graduate students.

The program’s weekly social events took place in the three different rooms of the Hop Garage, located in the Hopkins Center, according to Peter O’Sullivan ’19, former resident DJ for the BarHop program.

The first room contained arts and crafts projects that varied week to week, the

Veterans Day events include banquet and ceremonies

By ALEC ROSSI

The Dartmouth READ US ON

DARTBEAT NINE BETTER WAYS TO ASK SOMEONE TO FORMAL FOLLOW US ON

TWITTER @thedartmouth COPYRIGHT © 2017 THE DARTMOUTH, INC.

This past week Dartmouth students, alumni and veterans participated in a series of events and discussions to celebrate and commemorate Veterans Day, which was this past Saturday, Nov. 11.

The first event on Tuesday, Nov. 7 was a screening of the documentary “Dateline-Saigon,” which follows five journalists reporting in the early days of the Vietnam War. After the event, which was hosted by the Rockefeller Center in Loew

Auditorium, director Tim Herman and history professor Edward Miller hosted a discussion.

Veterans Recognition Committee chair and assistant director of conferences and events Sara Campbell said that over 100 people attended the screening and discussion.

On Wednesday, Nov. 8, Tuck School of Business Dean Matthew Slaughter led a program called “Microbrews and the Military,” during which a panel of Tuck School of Business veterans spoke about their experience in the military.

Campbell said the annual event is

an opportunity for students to learn more about the experiences veterans have had.

The next day, veterans from the Dartmouth community spoke to students at Hanover High School.

Campbell said that Dartmouthaffiliated veterans visited social studies classes so the students, regardless of their future military aspirations, could learn more about the military experience.

On Thursday, Nov. 9, Tuck veterans played the Ice Vets, a team of disabled veterans from White River Junction, in the fourth annual

adaptive sled hockey game that took place at the Campion Ice Rink in West Lebanon.

Board director and treasurer at Ice Vets Adaptive Sports Louisa Howard said that the event offers disabled veterans an opportunity to get back into athletics and increase their confidence by working as a team, she said.

Staff, faculty and student veterans were honored this past Friday mor ning at a “Remembrance Breakfast” sponsored by the College’s office of human resources at the SEE VETERANS PAGE 3

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

PAGE 2

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Professor David Kotz ’86 to assume interim provost position in November FROM KOTZ PAGE 1

faculty getting tenure and was just incredibly personally helpful to me,” said computer science professor Thomas Cormen, who has worked with Kotz since the early 1990s at the College.

Over the course of his academic career, Kotz has received over $65 million in grant funding and published over 130 referenced conference and journal papers. He has also served as a Fulbright Fellow in India and is an elected member of Phi Beta Kappa. “[Kotz’s] record as an eminent scholar and teacher, his research leadership and his six years as associate dean of the faculty for the sciences make him the ideal choice for the interim post,” Hanlon said in the initial announcement.

Kotz’s experience as a Dartmouth undergraduate, faculty member and parent of a Dartmouth student also gives him a better understanding of the College and the position itself, economics professor Nancy Marion said.

“I think it is really great to have a new [interim] provost who not only understands the academic life here but understands the student life here,” Cormen said.

As interim provost, Kotz intends to use his experience with other

administrative positions to serve the responsibilities of interim provost.

“I do not anticipate any specific challenges, at least not that I am aware of,” Kotz said. “I am sure some things are underway and somethings will come up. Really, I am just stepping in to help out.”

Though his short tenure may be a limiting factor in creating meaningful policies, Kotz hopes to make a positive impact.

“With respect to the topic of diversifying the faculty, it is something that is very important, something that I have been working on whenever I have had the opportunity to do so for many years and hope I have the opportunity to do something, even during my short time in the provost’s office,” Kotz said.

Marion, who worked with Kotz for five years while she served as associate dean of social sciences, noted that she thinks that Kotz’s problem-solving talent, analytical skills, high standards and ethical compass will help him succeed in the position. She added that these skills have helped him recruit talented faculty members.

“He’s a very good listener, and he also tries to empower others to be effective managers and problem solvers,” she said. “He has always had very high standards for recruiting and maintaining the very best faculty,

and that is what makes for a great institution.”

As a result of his appointment, Kotz will not be able to teach the courses he originally planned. He will no longer be able to teach Computer Science 10, “Problem Solving via Object-Oriented Programming” and Computer Science 50, “Software Design and Implementation” during the upcoming terms, but he will be able to continue mentoring students and work on federal grant projects.

“I have six Ph.D. students, three staff, one post doc and some undergrads …

I am committed to working with them, so that won’t change,” he said. “I have federal grants underway that I have to continue to work on, so my goal is to continue that work in parallel.”

In regards to specific issues on campus such as the task force on enrollment expansion and the approaching capital campaign, Kotz plans to learn more as he assumes more responsibilities.

“I am really looking forward to working with the outstanding staff in the provost’s office and the other units of the college — the business school, the engineering school, the medical school, the arts and sciences, etc. — because I value their work tremendously and am very pleased to be working with so many great people,” he said.

BAKER BLUES

CORRECTIONS We welcome corrections. If you believe there is a factual error in a story, please email editor@thedartmouth.com for corrections.

Correction Appended (Nov. 13, 2017): The original version of the Nov. 13 article, “Their teams, their houses: athletes in Greek life” incorrectly quoted Davis. The article has been updated to correct this error and clarify that his statement was written.

TIFFANY ZHAI/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

As finals approach, students study in Baker Lobby on Monday evening.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

Programming honors veterans Presentation of the James Wright Award for Distinguished Service at Hanover Inn. Also on Friday, a the Langham Hotel in Boston. formal drill and retreat ceremony “This is the first year we have took place on the Green, conducted [hosted the banquet] outside of by current members of Dartmouth’s Hanover, and this is the first year ROTC program. that DUSA has taken the entire Geisel School of Medicine lead in organizing the whole thing,” professor Huang said.

James Geiling “We felt strongly for Huang said MPH’14 also that this year the gave a lecture this year that it was DUSA chose to on advances really important to focus on veterans in military of the Vietnam honor our Vietnam healthcare on War. veterans. We want to Friday. “ We felt Dartmouth make sure that all of strongly for this Uniformed year that it was S e r v i c e our veterans feel they really important A l u m n i are appreciated for to honor reserved o u r Vi e t n a m a b l o c k o f their service.” veterans,” Huang seats at the said. “We want to D a r t m o u t h -WINNIE HUANG make sure that all versus Brown of our veterans U n i v e r s i t y ’92, PRESIDENT OF f e e l t h ey a r e football game DARTMOUTH UNIFORMED appreciated for a t Fe n w a y their service.”

Park in Boston SERVICE ALUMNI During the on Saturday, Ve t e r a n ’s Nov. 11. President of the DUSA Banquet, the James Wright Award Winnie Huang ’92 said the event for Distinguished Service was sold out quickly. presented to John Baldwin ’55.

That same night was the sixth Baldwin served as a Major in the annual Dartmouth Veteran’s U.S. Army Medical Corps as the Banquet and the fifth annual chief of thoracic and vascular FROM VETERANS PAGE 1

surgery. While in Vietnam, Baldwin preformed close to 2,000 surgeries and saved thousands of lives, Huang said.

Huang said that the recipients of this annual award have to meet specific selection criteria.

“This award is given out every year for a Dartmouth alum or faculty member [and] has to be [given to] a veteran who exemplifies our core values of service, college and country,” Huang said.

The keynote speaker at this year’s banquet was former College President James Wright. Wright was involved in the planning of the Yellow Ribbon Program at Dartmouth that enables veterans to pursue higher education. Wright has been frequently honored for his work with veterans and was selected by DUSA founder Nathan Bruschi ’10 to be the namesake of the award.

Campbell said the Veterans Day programming is reflective of Dartmouth’s commitment to veterans.

“By holding ceremonies [at Dartmouth], it both shows how important our veterans are, our staff veterans and student veterans are to us, but it gives them a way to participate in Veterans Day activities,” Campbell said.

PAGE 3

THE DARTMOUTH OPINION

PAGE 4

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

CONTRIBUTING COLUMNIST STEVEN ADELBERG ’21

GUEST COLUMNIST WALKER SCHNEIDER ’19

The King of Debt

Remember 1798

How much longer can the United States tolerate ballooning federal debt?

A comparison of the Trump and Adams administrations.

When Greece joined the European occurred, it would be devastating. As community in 1981, the nascent democracy’s demonstrated by 2008 and the Great prospects looked promising: it was stabilizing Depression, American economic crises rapidly after a seven-year military junta and had a debt- become global crises. The dollar is the world’s to-GDP ratio of 28 percent with low deficits. In reserve currency, American treasury bonds the same year, Greece elected the free-spending, are still seen as the world’s safest investment populist Panhellenic Socialist Movement to and America is a crucial pillar of multi-lateral power; they used this mandate to establish a trade organizations like the World Trade system of lavish state welfare programs. Debt Organization. An American sovereign debt soared as productivity declined and taxes went crisis would decimate the global economy in unpaid — by 2007, debt reached 103.1 percent a way Greece never could. of GDP. When the 2008 financial crisis came, With the stakes this high, our democracy Greece collapsed into crippling recession and needs to eventually have a genuine conversation almost brought the global economy down with on how we will confront this debt challenge. it. Even after implementing austerity measures, From one side of the problem, Democrats Greek debt today is 179 percent of GDP and and Republicans alike support strengthened GDP is just 55 percent of what it was in 2008. revenue-enhancing infrastructure. Combined Greece should serve as a sobering lesson with deregulation, a tax structure that for the United States. Social Security owns 30 repatriates corporate profits, and an increase percent of the federal debt and could become in income taxes, we can potentially turn the insolvent in 17 years barring reform. When deficit into a surplus and encourage economic it does, it will redeem growth. From another side, the Treasury bonds it “Greece should serve a crackdown on wasteful owns in bulk to pay for bureaucracies combined as a lesson for the expenditures. These bonds with across-the-board cuts get paid before national United States.” in discretionary spending debt held by the public; and a restructuring of as such, a Social Security entitlements like Social conversion of its special Security could substantially bonds to cash large enough to threaten reduce the government’s $4.1 trillion annual payments on regular U.S. Treasury Bonds budget. Any combination of these policies or would cause a crisis of confidence in U.S. others unmentioned would be a massive step Treasury bonds. A crisis of confidence in Greek towards budget stability for the United States. bonds is what caused the Greek debt crisis; As participants in a democracy of, by and for the United States could be heading towards a the people, we all must begin to think about financial crisis. how we will respond to the building debt crisis.

This is within the realm of possibility. We cannot look to our leaders to begin American debt-to-GDP levels are higher this conversation. As Republicans are busy than Greece’s were in 2007 interest alone trying to pass a Trump tax cut estimated to on America’s $20.4 trillion debt is $458 add $2.2 trillion to the debt over the next ten billion a year and rising, straining the central years, Democrats are vying to establish debtgovernment’s ability to make payments on free college and single-payer healthcare. The debt. Although the United States possesses a political establishment, in attempting to add much friendlier central bank than Eurozone- more to the country’s debt, has not yet made member Greece did, Federal Reserve balance the realities of this crisis a top priority. As a sheets remain high as interest rates and inflation people, we must therefore begin the dialogue remain low; it may be difficult for a central and demonstrate our collective will to tackle bank to save the American economy the way one of the toughest issues of our time. If we it did in 2008. generate the momentum, our elected officials If this American sovereign debt crisis will take note.

We’ve been here before. The presidency Naturalization Act in 1802. Only the Alien of Donald Trump is unprecedented in many Enemies Act remains in U.S. Code. Most ways, but not as many as most would believe. recently, it has been used by conservatives Aspects of this current administration strongly to justify Trump’s travel bans. However, the resemble those of an older presidency: that of Act only allows for discrimination against John Adams. immigrants who are citizens of a “hostile nation Adams is memorialized as one of the or government” at war with the U.S. or that is key Founding Fathers. He helped write the threatening to invade U.S. soil. Currently, only Declaration of Independence and served as North Korea might feasibly fit this description. our second president. Dig a little deeper into What lessons can we glean from the Adams his legacy, however, and some of the luster administration? First, remember the power of fades. In 1798, the Adams administration the vote. By voting Adams out, the American passed four laws that clamped down on electorate effectively voted out all but one of the immigration and restricted freedom of Alien and Sedition Acts. Vote out a president, speech. The Alien Friends Act legalized the vote out their policies. We’ve witnessed this deportation and imprisonment of immigrants firsthand over the past year. Trump has reversed who were deemed dangerous, and the Alien former President Barack Obama’s policies on Enemies Act did the same for immigrants a wide range of issues, many of which were from “hostile” nations during a time of war. thought to be etched in stone once enacted.

The Naturalization Act made it much harder Second, Adams’ experiences teach us to to become a naturalized citizen. The Sedition create careful policy. The expiration dates Act criminalized criticizing or opposing “any attached to the Alien Friends Act and the measure or measures of the government Sedition Act were an insurance policy. Adams of the United States,” was a brilliant lawyer who as well as other more “Adams was undoubtedly understood nefarious actions, such the Constitution, and, as insurrection. Together, inaugurated into a therefore, how the two Acts they are known as the Alien changing and chaotic possibly infringed on it. So and Sedition Acts. he gave the Acts lifespans world. His electorate To be fair to Adams, of two and three years, it was not the easiest was sharply divided respectively. If the laws time to gover n. The by bitter partisanship, did not benefit American United States was under governance, they could threat of invasion from and he was obsessed be easily abandoned, Great B r ita in wh il e with the legacy of his ending the bad policies simultaneously waging and simultaneously predecessor.” the infamous “Quasi War” protecting Federalists from with France. Adams had to prosecution by a future govern a populace embroiled in a partisan fight Democratic-Republican presidency. between Alexander Hamilton’s Federalists and The Alien and Sedition Acts were disastrous, Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republicans. and Adams let them expire. A more bullish The office of the presidency was only nine president and Congress may not have had the years old, and Adams’ predecessor was George foresight to include the political insurance of Washington, a unifying leader. expiration dates. Americans could have been I wouldn’t have wanted to be Adams in stripped of the freedom of speech as a result.

1798.

It is unfortunate the Naturalization Act and Adams was inaugurated into a changing the Alien Enemies Act did not also come with and chaotic world. His electorate was sharply a “sell by” date, but nobody’s perfect. divided by bitter partisanship, and he was Adams tied himself to the mast of a sinking obsessed with the legacy of his predecessor. ship, but supplied the rest of the country with To solidify his grip on power, he scapegoated lifeboats. He silently acknowledged that his immigration and threatened free speech. actions could be mistaken — and accounted for Sound familiar? that possibility. He didn’t assume what seemed The example of Adams is not historical necessary and best for one party in one moment justification for Trump’s administration. would still be so in another. So far, the same Instead, I want to focus on why the U.S. cannot be said of Trump. That is dangerous. survived the constitutional infringements of The Trump administration — and, for that the Adams administration, so we may survive matter, any presidency — should heed the those of the Trump administration. example of Adams. His political self-awareness Adams was a one-termer. He was voted just might have saved our young government out of office during the election of 1800 and the ideals it is built upon. and replaced by Jefferson, who ran on a platform based on criticizing the governmental Schneider is a member of the Class of 2019 and overreach of the Adams administration. a history major.

Additionally, Adams seems to have signed the Alien and Sedition Acts out of genuine The Dartmouth welcomes guest columns. We concern for national security. Both the Alien request that guest columns be the original work of the Friends Act and the Sedition Act were enacted submitter. Submissions may be sent to both opinion@ with expiration dates and were allowed to thedartmouth.com and editor@thedartmouth.com. expire by the end of Adams’ administration. Submissions will receive a response within three business The Jefferson administration repealed the days.

6175 ROBINSON HALL, HANOVER N.H. 03755 • (603) 646-2600

RAY LU, Editor-in-Chief KOURTNEY KAWANO, Executive Editor CAROLINE BERENS, Managing Editor PRODUCTION EDITORS PARKER RICHARDS & ZIQIN YUAN, Opinion Editors LAUREN BUDD, ANNETTE DENEKAS & MAY MANSOUR, Mirror Editors EVAN MORGAN & CHRIS SHIM, Sports Editors HALEY GORDON & MADELINE KILLEN, Arts Editors MELANIE KOS & LUCY TANTUM, Dartbeat Editors JESSICA CAMPANILE, Multimedia Editor SAMANTHA BURACK & TANYA SHAH, Design Editors ALEXANDER AGADJANIAN, Survey Editor

PHILIP RASANSKY, Publisher ERIN LEE, Executive Editor NOAH GOLDSTEIN, Managing Editor BUSINESS DIRECTORS ALFREDO GURMENDI, Finance & Strategy Director ROSHNI CHANDWANI, Finance & Strategy Director SHINAR JAIN, Advertising Director KELLY CHEN, Product Development Director ELYSE KUO, Product Development Director EMMA MARSANO, Marketing & Communications Director YEONJAE PARK, Technology Director PHOTOGRAPHY EDITORS ELIZA MCDONOUGH HOLLYE SWINEHART TIFFANY ZHAI

ISSUE SUBMISSIONS: We welcome letters and guest columns. All submissions must include the author’s name and affiliation with Dartmouth College, and should not exceed 250 words for letters or 700 words for columns. The Dartmouth reserves the right to edit all material before publication. All material submitted becomes property of The Dartmouth. Please email submissions to editor@thedartmouth.com.

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

THE DARTMOUTH NEWS

PAGE 5

BarHop has been on indefinite pause since spring 2017 staffing issues.

Kol said the Hop’s goal is system,” O’Sullivan said. “It really to retur n arts-infused social was one of the only places that had programming to Dartmouth in a a club [or] dance atmosphere that way that is better integrated into wasn’t a frat. A lot of people have the center’s other programming, issues with the Greek system, and the overall arts scene at Dartmouth I think BarHop was a very neutral and the housing community system, s p a c e, ve r y which began in w e l c o m i n g , “[BarHop] was a fall 2016. He very open to said the process anybody, and passion project of of designing a it definitely which we are very prog ram like gave a more proud ... Taking a this is in the real, vivid very early stages n i g h t l i f e pause now lets us and he hopes e x p e r i e n c e evaluate what we t o h ave m o re for the older infor mation as students who learned from running the academic could go and BarHop, operationally year continues. drink.”

O’Sullivan said and programmatically.”

O’Sullivan he perceives the was told in overall reaction t h e s p r i n g -JOSHUA KOL ’93, to the program’s that BarHop halting as w o u l d b e DIRECTOR OF STUDENT negative, though p a u s i n g , PERFORMANCE the people who though he would likely PROGRAMS AT THE was uncertain be most upset a b o u t t h e HOPKINS CENTER FOR THE about the hiatus, exact reason. ARTS students 21 or He said his over at the time supervisor the program told him that w a s r u n n i n g, the spring have mostly would be the graduated. last term for Former BarHop BarHop. bartender Faith Rotich ’18 said Kol said the intensity of labor she valued the student leadership needed for the program and the and collaboration that went challenge of sharing the Hop into planning BarHop events, Garage with other programs were as everyone who worked for the the main reasons for pausing the program was able to contribute program. to programming ideas. “[BarHop] was a passion project Rotich said that she believes of which we are very proud,” there is still a place for BarHop Kol said. “When we started in the Dartmouth social scene. [the program] “It was such a three and a half “It was such a lovely alter native years ago, we social space, and I only intended lovely alternative was quite confused t o p i l o t f i ve social space, and I by what the nights and was was quite confused administration then evaluate trying to do,” she what we had by what the said. “It emphasizes accomplished administration was bringing up and and chart a path maintaining forward. As it trying to do.” alter native social happened, the spaces for students, excitement led but at the same -FAITH ROTICH ’18 us to simply time it’s just killing continue to them. I don’t see build and shape any active effort the program as on the part of the we went. Taking administration to a pause now actually know what lets us evaluate the students like and what we learned try to maintain those from running programs.”

B a r H o p ,

Both Rotich and o p er at i o n a l l y O’Sullivan said that a n d if BarHop were to programmatically.” restart, they would be very willing In January 2015, BarHop to resume working for the program. implemented a twice-a-week schedule, but returned to its weekly Rotich is a former member of The structure in October 2015 due to Dartmouth staff.

FROM BARHOP PAGE 1

SAPHFIRE BROWN/THE DARTMOUTH SENIOR STAFF

When BarHop was operational, the events often saw high turnout, especially from upperclassmen and graduate students.

PAGE 6

THE DARTMOUTH EVENTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

DARTMOUTHEVENTS TODAY

10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Presentation: prototype demonstrations by students in Engineering Sciences 21, “Introduction to Engineering,” Thayer School of Engineering, GlycoFi Atrium

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Film: “I Am Jane Doe,” directed by Mary Mazzio, Loew Auditorium, Black Family Visual Arts Center

7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Performance: concert by the Handel Society of Dartmouth College, Spaulding Auditorium, Hopkins Center for the Arts

TOMORROW

8:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Conference: Ethics, Computing and Artificial Intelligence, Hayward Lounge, Hanover Inn

4:30 p.m. - 6:30 p.m.

Lecture: “The Hovey Mural and the ‘Greening’ of Orozco’s Epic of American Civilization,” with art history professor Mary Coffey, Moore B03

7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Performance: culminating presentation by students in Music 50, “Performance Laboratories (Chamber Music),” Faulkner Recital Hall, Hopkins Center for the Arts

ADVERTISING For advertising information, please call (603) 646-2600 or email info@thedartmouth. com. The advertising deadline is noon, two days before publication. We reserve the right to refuse any advertisement.

Opinions expressed in advertisements do not necessarily reflect those of The Dartmouth, Inc. or its officers, employees and agents.

The Dartmouth, Inc. is a nonprofit corporation chartered in the state of New Hampshire. USPS 148-540 ISSN 0199-9931

THE DARTMOUTH ARTS

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

PAGE 7

Review: Taylor Swift’s highly-anticipated ‘Reputation’

By MADELINE KILLEN

The Dartmouth Senior Staff

I know that Taylor Swift is a bad person. She lied about Kanye West, she tried to fight Nicki Minaj via Twitter and she probably voted for Donald Trump. Furthermore, I know that her music is bad. You don’t have to tell me that “I can’t say anything to your face / Because look at your face” is not a good lyric. I am an English major. I have picked up on this already.

But I cannot stop listening to “Reputation.”

This is neither a shameful confession nor a cry for help. This is an honest acknowledgement of the fact that sometimes — frequently — I really enjoy Halo Top ice cream, “The Bachelor” and synthesized pop music with lyrics that I’ve heard in every other Top 40 song this year.

Like “Reputation,” all of these things are kind of bad. Like “Reputation,” all of these things are kind of the best.

Compared to the circa-2007 Ashley Tisdale vibe of the truly awful “Look What You Made Me Do,” our first hint of the album

to come, “Reputation” feels much more like a natural evolution of “1989” than I would have expected. We have synthy pop, Swift talk-singing more than she ever has and sexual innuendos that are barely more explicit than in “Wildest Dreams” or “Style.”

Actually, after Swift released “Look What You Made Me Do” in late August, I complained to a friend that I was disappointed to see her abandoning her ability to tell a story in a song that feels at once too personal and painfully universal.

“Look What You Made Me Do,” with lines like “Don’t like your tilted stage,” is so Swift-centric that it is impossible for listeners to relate — a key expectation fans have about her music.

H o w e v e r, t h e r e s t o f “Reputation” has the opposite problem. Swift overcorrected, swinging into the territory of generic. Even in the sexuallycharged and confessional “Dress,” repeated choral phrase “I only bought this dress so you could take it off ” reminds me of Selena Gomez’s “Good for You.” The idea of getting all dressed up for a guy was borderline problematic

to begin with, but at least Gomez was being original. Speaking of problematic, “I’m yours to keep / and I’m yours to lose” from “So It Goes…” and “I want to wear his initial on a chain ’round my neck” from “Call It What You Want” make my skin crawl.

The overall feel of the album is that Swift is neglecting her sweet spot and attempting to prove to us that she can do the electro-pop thing that everyone else is doing right now. She can, for sure — there isn’t a single song on the album excluding the horrid “Look What You Made Me Do” that isn’t a passable Top 40 pop song. And apparently, “Look What You Made Me Do” somehow has done well.

There are even some true standouts — the soft, synthesized “Delicate” makes me feel like I’m looking at one of those Buzzfeed articles with pictures of perfectly smooth pancakes and color-coordinated bookshelves. The song sounds exactly the way a new romance feels, both in its lyrics — “Is it cool that I said all that? / Is it chill that you’re in my head?” — and in Swift’s whispered voice and the airy synth. “Getaway Car,” which

can only be about Swift leaving Calvin Harris for Tom Hiddleston, is a nice reprise of the confessional Swift from years past.

Other songs, like “King of My Heart,” feel like Frankenstein mash-ups of new and dead Swift.

The song’s verses and bridge are underscored with a growling bass that I think would blow out my car speakers were I to ever walk to A-Lot and use them. The super-synthesized, airy chorus has acoustic guitar playing quietly under the dominating electronic sound. I am embarrassingly enamored with the final verse of the song, though, which begins questionably with Swift almost rapping but finishes with the sung-talked lines “Up on the roof with a school girl crush / Drinking beer out of plastic cups / Say you fancy me, not fancy stuff / Baby, all at once, this is enough.” The album’s second track, “End Game,” would fit right in on a frat basement playlist, and I’m kind of into it. The chorus is “1989”-esque, poppy and falsettoheavy, and it’s been stuck in my head for 48 hours. The song is ambitious, beginning with Swift sounding almost like she’s trash-talking — “You heard about me / Ooh, I got some big

enemies / Big reputation” — before switching into Future’s rapped verse.

Then Ed Sheeran pops in and tries to rap, killing the song, which was already hanging on by a thread.

It would also be easier to ignore Sheeran’s cringe-inducing verse if not for Swift’s repetition of “I wanna be your A-Team” in the chorus.

Speaking of which, wasn’t that song about a drug-addicted sex worker?

The reference seems misplaced, to say the least.

The album ends with “New Year’s Day.” It’s the only acoustic song on the album, and Swift’s lyrics are finally on full display and fully thought-out. If there’s one thing I’m a sucker for, it’s a metaphysical conceit like “I want your midnights.” If there’s another thing, it’s comparing life to a book: “Don’t read the last page / But I stay when it’s hard, or it’s wrong.” If there’s a third, it’s couplets that perfectly sum up an entire, complicated universal experience: “Please don’t ever become a stranger / Whose laugh I could recognize anywhere.”

I really love this song.

I really love Taylor Swift’s music.

Whatever.

Music Review: up-and-coming Ethiopian-American artist Kelela are exchanged. She challenges herself and anyone else listening The Dartmouth to examine our apprehensions In “The Uses of the Erotic: The surrounding intimacy and to go Erotic as Power,” Black feminist beyond our respective traumas, writer Audre Lorde critiques the asking: “What is so popping about ways in which Western patriarchal this thing that we keep saying we societies have suppressed and don’t want but then find ourselves falsely encouraged women’s sexual in again and again?” expression. In the piece, she asserts A soundtrack to her life, “Take Me Apart” takes that “the erotic Kelela’s fans on offers a well of an intimate trip r e p l e n i s h i n g “A soundtrack to her through emotional and provocative life, ‘Take Me Apart’ destinations f o rc e t o t h e takes Kelela’s fans where many woman who find themselves doesn’t fear its on an intimate trip in relationships, revelation, nor through emotional romantic or succumb to otherwise. “Blue the belief that destinations...”

Light,” one of sensation is my favorite songs enough.” With o n t h e a l bu m , t h e s e w o r d s, Lorde calls for a full-bodied praxis has Kelela sing of a personal regarding the body, one which transformation that takes place acknowledges sexuality as a basis due to the connection between two people. Their chemistry results for reclamation and degradation.

Ethiopian-American artist in a liberatory chemical reaction: Kelela released her second album, “Baby, leave that blue light on / “Take Me Apart” in October. Chains they come fallin’ down.” On Kelela explores this very notion of songs like “Better” and “Onanon,” the “erotic” as a source of power she counters this particular dynamic and its implications in her life as a with that of a relationship spiraling queer Black woman. Throughout into dysfunction. In this way, “Take the album, she examines what Me Apart” functions as a truly raw one can lose and gain in the and honest engagement with the midst of relationships in which intermingling of ideas like love, one’s body, time and energy sex and power.

By JORDAN McDONALD

This investment in intimacy and its different manifestations was not limited to Kelela’s album; in fact, it was smoothly carried over into her live performance through which she built connections and disrupted traditional barriers between artist and audience. On Nov. 11, I went to the Middle East Nightclub in Cambridge, Massachusetts to see Kelela perform. Her Cambridge show was one of the only stops on the Take Me Apart tour that was close enough to New Hampshire for me to see. I had not been able to see her back home in D.C. as I had originally hoped. I arrived early to the sold-out show in the hopes of getting a good spot close up. In such a big crowd I found myself pressed against the speakers by the stage, my senses of touch and sound heightened by the vibrations and beats that hit me first. It was a visceral experience, my heart beating fast with the bass as my favorite songs came to life. Dress in all white, managing to appear angelic yet accessible, Kelela glowed as blue, yellow, pink and red lights illuminated her and the stage. The crowd came to feel familiar with one another, at least momentarily, as we shared in the experience of hearing songs that, for many, evoked memories of loss, desire and freedom. In a way, it was the perfect time for me

experience a show like this. Taking place at the end of my ninth week of the fall term, Kelela’s show was an opportunity for me to remind myself of all the things that exist

beyond Dartmouth. The concertgoing experience allowed me to take the time to restore my energy and reflect on my own journey as Kelela shared hers.

THE DARTMOUTH ARTS

PAGE 8

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017

Review: ‘The Florida Project’ is good, depending on definition “The Florida Project,” I thought to myself, “I think this might be this The Dartmouth Staff year’s ‘Manchester by the Sea.’” Last A few weeks ago, my editors year while everyone was heaping acquiesced to my request to drop praise on “Manchester by the Sea,” the numerical ratings system in I discovered that I was one of the my reviews. I felt the ratings were few dissenting voices. I felt alienated becoming increasingly arbitrary. from the film and said as much in Not just arbitrary in the sense that my review. Likewise, while watching one number is a rather weightless “The Florida Project” I frequently way of expressing an opinion, but had a feeling of discomfort that also in the sense I couldn’t quite that the distinction pin down. But, between “good” “So why didn’t I t h a n k f u l l y, I and “bad” cinema instantly fall in remembered was becoming more “Manchester and more blurry love with ‘The by the Sea”; I to me. Thanks to Florida Project’? remembered some of my film how much I had Part of it has to studies courses, I reg retted not began to appreciate do with my own giving it a second how limiting these personal hangchance. I do not categories were. Of think I would course, I wouldn’t ups. I’m the first h ave e n j oye d write film criticism to admit that I’m it any more on week after week if viewing, not especially fond another I didn’t feel that but I think I might discussing the quality of small children have appreciated of films had some and thus was not it more. I value. I’ve come to understand now realize that the way keen to spend two that if a film can I define “quality” hours with one.” get under my is somewhat skin like that, it’s complicated. worth thinking In short, “The Florida Project” about a little more deeply before feels like an all-too-fitting end to this coming to a final opinion. term’s line-up of reviews because In “The Florida Project,” cocky it’s the sort of thing I might have 6-year-old Moonee (Brooklynn refused to discuss had the ratings Prince) lives in Kissimmee, Florida system been intact. I would have just outside of Disney World. been too fearful, too uncertain. If I Although the land of Mickey Mouse had foolishly tried to write a review looms large in the background with a rating, it would have been a of her life, one always senses that colossal mistake.

Moonee is not quite welcome in About halfway through watching that realm. Instead, she lives in

By SEBASTIAN WURZRAINER

poverty with her mother, Halley and thus was not keen to spend two for the sake of efficiency. The result is (Brie Vinaite). Together they live in hours with one. Then again, that both unique and impressive. Earlier the rundown Magic Castle Motel, probably speaks to how realistically this year I praised McKenna Grace a mockery of the ostentatious and Baker captures childhood. from “Gifted” oblivious display of wealth that Moonee and her friends “Was the film for her skill as a perpetually lurks right around the are not well-behaved little child actor, but corner. Moonee seems unaware of child actors — they act in good? I’m going Prince blows her her less than ideal circumstances; the rambunctious manner to do the one out of the water. she spends the entire day running of real children.

Moonee can be thing I am not around the neighborhood with her My bigger concern annoying, yes, friends, transforming it into their was ultimately the way supposed to do but when Baker own personal playground. More Baker approached the as a reviewer wants you to feel, than once Moonee manages to irk film’s more touchy, topical Prince delivers.

Bobby (Willem Dafoe), the gruff but issues. The film has quite and tell you Dafoe is also ultimately well-intentioned motel possible the least resolute that I am not s u p e r b. H e ’s manager. ending I’ve seen all year. one of the more quite sure ...

Until approximately the last 20 As a result, these issues underrated minutes, the film lacks anything that tend to hang like storm I guess it all actors working even resembles a plot. It is a series clouds over the story — depends on today and I’d of vignettes that, in the manner of omnipresent but eerily be happy if this a dripping faucet, slowly feeds the still. To some extent, your definition film netted him a audience knowledge about these though, I can understand of ‘good.’”

Best Supporting characters and their circumstances. why Baker has opted for Actor Oscar Co-writer and director Sean Baker this approach. It would nod. has opted for a decidedly realistic be disingenuous to make

So, all filming style which practically veers a film which pretends of this rambling into documentary to have all of brings us to the question that film territory. This the answers to reviews are ostensibly supposed to t e c h n i q u e “... a good film is a these problems. answer: Was the film good? I’m provides him, film that looks back at N o n e t h e l e s s , going to do the one thing I am not and us, with the I would have supposed to do as a reviewer and you, that is complex necessary tools a p p r e c i a t e d tell you that I am not quite sure. I n o t t o j u d g e and that knows things a little more did not really enjoy watching it, but these characters about itself that you c o m m e n t a r y it has also given me plenty to think but, instead, to a n d a l i t t l e about. I guess it all depends on your empathize with don’t yet know ...” more context. In definition of “good.” Personally, I them. particular, I wish like the one that film and media O n a we had learned studies professor Paul Young once conceptual level, this all sounds more about the Halley character provided: a good film is a film that fantastic. So why didn’t I instantly who so often feels relegated to a looks back at you, that is complex fall in love with “The Florida negligent mother stereotype. and that knows things about itself Project?” Part of it has to do with On a technical level, though, the that you don’t yet know but would my own personal hang-ups. I’m film is certainly well-made. Baker very much like to find out. If that’s the first to admit that I’m not makes the most out of a small budget, how you define “good” then yes — especially fond of small children often utilizing unusual camerawork “The Florida Project” is very good.

Music review: The Killers’ ‘Wonderful Wonderful’ deserves a listen

By ZACH CHERIAN

The Dartmouth Staff

If I had to bet on a song that every Dartmouth student knows, I would pick “Mr. Brightside” by The Killers.

What they may not know, however, is that “Mr. Brightside” came out over a decade ago in 2004. Along with “Human” and perhaps “Somebody Told Me,” it seems like people are more than happy to sing along to the Killers’ old songs, which means that either the music is really good or that the band has not followed up with anything better. With The

Killers, it may be a little bit of both, but their new album “Wonderful Wonderful” stands to change that and hopefully give their fans some new songs to enjoy.

The album was released in September and is comprised of 13 tracks clocking in at 54 minutes total. The standout track on the album is certainly, without a doubt, “Run for Cover,” which manages to invoke some of the old Killers’ style that made them so popular without feeling derivative. Starting with a dynamic guitar that powers the entire track, “Run for Cover”

manages to ground the album in the iconic Killers’ sound and helps listeners remember why the band has stayed relevant over the last two decades. Surprisingly, though, “Run For Cover” is a fairly isolated sound — however good it may be ­— on the album’s setlist. Most of the songs are a departure from the typical Killers’ pop style which has served them so well over the last two decades.

“Wonderful Wonderful” is unafraid to change the tempo on its listeners, as well: “Some Kind of Love,” track seven, is slow and airy, providing a pleasant respite

from an otherwise very energetic album. “Life to Come” is an everso-slightly updated iteration of the pop hit sound that made The Killers famous, but in the context of “Wonderful Wonderful,” sounds crisp and well-placed. “The Calling” is a completely new type of music from the band, which seems much more indie and less classically alternative, showing that the band is still ready to experiment with style.

The remixes at the end of the album, both new versions of “The Man,” are interesting in their own right.

Initially, they seemed misplaced

— completely out of touch with the alternative-rock sound of both the album and The Killers’ as a group.

However, when taken as separate from the album as a whole, the two songs inject a bit of fun and playfulness in an album that does at times become somber. Overall, the album is a fantastic return to stardom for the band and stands to provide an updated suite of hits for their fans to sing along to — Dartmouth students included. “Wonderful Wonderful” may be a transitional and slightly experimental album, but it deserves a listen.