Soccer Mommy grows up on new album “Clean”

By Paige Daniel

Thoughts Editor

Soccer Mommy, whose Bandcamp account I first stumbled upon deep in the depths of another artist’s Twitter, is now being covered in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times with the release of her debut studio album, “Clean.” 

This trajectory strikes me out of the blue – one week I’m listening to her pronouncedly lo-fi compositions in the most arcane way, pressing play on an embedded file in an almost hidden webpage, and next I’m seeing her pop up in the daily news.  

This wouldn’t always surprise me, except I never considered Sophie Allison’s music the kind that would yield such public praise. Her songs, meek in their patient guitar-based pop, are the last subjects I’d expect to be the focus of a New York Times article boldly titled “Hear What Music Will Sound Like in 2018.”  

That is not to say they aren’t worthy subjects; on Allison’s past releases, she managed to distill entire decades of indie rock and lo-fi pop down into sweet, short 30-minute affairs.  

Her last album, “Collection” (2017), repackaged incipient Soccer Mommy classics like “Inside Out” and “3 AM at a Party” in a glossier case alongside newer standouts such as “Allison” and “Out Worn.”  

Like any good pop artist, Allison writes catchy melodies but channels something sadder, a little more bittersweet.  

The instrumental palette of her earlier albums reflected their creative conditions, as lo-fi often does when it’s not phonily orchestrated; the tape hiss or the fuzz was indicative of Allison’s technological means, still recording in her bedroom, and then later, her dorm room.  

Still, the inconsequential realities of teen angst were magnified in her lyrics, with the songs reliant on two nearly opposing sides: peppy twee excursions with knotty guitar leads in tandem with quiet, stretched-out ruminations. 

She’s only one year older, but “Collection” and “Clean” exhibit a songwriter coming into her own with new recording techniques at her disposal since signing to Fat Possum Records.  

On “Clean,” Allison leans into the ruminative side, with brief echoes of electronic production slipping in to the mix that mimic the tape or the fuzz.  

She holds on to the backbone of her music – the guitar – but the production value is higher this time. It is clear she is intent on letting the guitar tones shine, which she does with enthusiasm on the opener “Still Clean.”  

In “Still Clean,” her lover is likened to an animal, and in “Your Dog,” the role is reversed to illuminate the degrading constraints of an abusive relationship. Her potent use of metaphor is a sign of her matured songwriting, with “Your Dog” being the most overtly spiky song Soccer Mommy has ever written.   

The best tracks on “Clean” exist in the space between the two previously opposing sides of her music, ones that build to an explosion rather than sticking to one mode. The pep of “Last Girl” and “Cool” are nice, but downtempo slow-burners like “Flaw” and “Wildflowers” showcase just how far Allison’s songwriting has progressed.  

Her pop inclinations are most interesting on “Skin,” a track that perfectly balances her two sides. She is more assured, not as fixated on the throes of angst but on the feelings one gets when they look back on them.  

This is particularly effective in the minimal “Blossom (Wasting All My Time),” which buries a floating keyboard line in its background. Even if it seems minimal, the production sneakily includes flourishes that reward the listener after several listens.  

Allison has surprisingly come a long way from her bedroom to a more public audience in just two years or so. This is a promising start for someone still dealing with adolescent angst, even as she moves past its drama and nervous outlook. I look forward to seeing more of her in my daily news.  

 

Soccer Mommy, whose Bandcamp account I first stumbled upon deep in the depths of another artist’s Twitter, is now being covered in Rolling Stone, Billboard, Entertainment Weekly and the New York Times with the release of her debut studio album, “Clean.” This trajectory strikes me out of the blue – one week I’m listening to her pronouncedly lo-fi compositions in the most arcane way, pressing play on an embedded file in almost hidden webpage, and next I’m seeing them pop up in the daily news.  

 

This wouldn’t always surprise me, except I never considered Sophie Allison’s music the kind that would yield such public praise. Her songs, meek in their patient guitar-based pop, are the last subjects I’d expect to be the focus of a New York Times article boldly titled “Hear What Music Will Sound Like in 2018.”  

 

That is not to say they aren’t worthy subjects; on Allison’s past releases, she managed to distill entire decades of indie rock and lo-fi pop down into sweet, short 30-minute affairs. Her last album, “Collection” (2017), repackaged incipient Soccer Mommy classics like “Inside Out” and “3 AM at a Party” in a glossier case alongside newer standouts such as “Allison” and “Out Worn.”  

 

Like any good pop artist, Allison writes catchy melodies but channels something sadder, a little more bittersweet. The instrumental palette of her earlier albums reflected their creative conditions, as lo-fi often does when it’s not phonily orchestrated; the tape hiss or the fuzz was indicative of Allison’s technological means, still recording in her bedroom, and then later, her dorm room.  

 

Still, the inconsequential realities of teen angst were magnified in her lyrics, with the songs reliant on two nearly opposing sides: peppy twee excursions with knotty guitar leads in tandem with quiet, stretched-out ruminations. She’s only one year older, but “Collection” and “Clean” exhibit a songwriter coming into her own with new recording techniques at her disposal since signing to Fat Possum Records.  

 

On “Clean,” Allison leans into the ruminative side, with brief echoes of electronic production slipping in to the mix that mimic the tape or the fuzz. She holds on to the backbone of her music – the guitar – but the production value is higher this time. It is clear she is intent on letting the guitar tones shine, which she does with enthusiasm on the opener “Still Clean.”  

 

In “Still Clean,” her lover is likened to an animal, and in “Your Dog,” the role is reversed to illuminate the degrading constraints of an abusive relationship. Her potent use of metaphor is a sign of her matured songwriting, with “Your Dog” being the most overtly spiky song Soccer Mommy has ever written.   

 

The best tracks on “Clean” exist in the space between the two previously opposing sides of her music, ones that build to an explosion rather than sticking to one mode. Peppy excursions “Last Girl” and “Cool” are nice, but downtempo slow-burners, like “Flaw” and “Wildflowers” showcase just how far Allison’s songwriting has progressed.  

 

Her pop inclinations are most interesting on “Skin,” a track that perfectly balances her two sides. She is more assured, not as fixated on the throes of angst but on the feelings one gets when they look back on them. This is particularly effective in the minimal “Blossom (Wasting All My Time),” which hides a floating keyboard line in its background. Even if it seems minimal, the production sneakily includes flourishes that reward the listener after several listens.  

 

Allison has surprisingly come a long way from her bedroom to a more public audience in just two years or so. This is a promising start for someone still dealing with adolescent angst, even as she moves past its drama and nervous outlook. I look forward to seeing more of her in my daily news.  

 

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‘Black Panther’ exemplifies the feminist superhero

By Samantha Anteau

Staff Writer

Needless to say, “Black Panther” is shaping up to be one of the highest, if not the highest, grossing films of the year.  

Both critics and audiences love it, and it has done what Wonder Woman did last year, but even more effectively: it has shown that superheroes are not just white men. “Black Panther” is helping to diversify a genre and franchise that has all but completely taken over the box office.  

The most attention has tended to be focused on the wonderful things that “Black Panther” does for representation of African Americans in the superhero genre, and rightfully so.  

With a main cast composed almost exclusively of black characters, “Black Panther” allows for a level of representation rarely seen in a blockbuster film. It deserves as much credit as it is getting for that. 

However, not as much attention has been drawn to the fact that this film is remarkably feminist. The majority of the supporting cast is made up of women, and they are predominantly the ones fighting alongside T’Challa.  

While it would have been easy – and even expected – to make T’Challa’s best friend, W’Kabi, be at his right hand, it is instead two women, Okoye and Nakia, who take the reins. Actually, they seem to have just as many fight scenes as Black Panther himself. 

Then there is Shuri, who is, as far as everyone I’ve talked to is concerned, the best character of the movie. She’s a young genius, the head of technology in the hyper-advanced Wakanda, and next in line for the throne after T’Challa. Her inventions are what save the day time and time again. 

The interesting thing about the women in this film is that they could have very easily fallen prey to what most women in films do: not having a purpose outside of the main male character.  

Naturally, they all have a relationship with him. Shuri is his sister, Nakia is his ex-girlfriend, and Okoye is the head of military forces in Wakanda.  

As this is his movie, most of their discussions and actions are centered around T’Challa. However, they are all strong and independent characters in their own right.  

They have distinguishable personalities, goals and values. The viewer gets the sense that, even without T’Challa, these women would be just fine. Their stories and lives are not dependent on the men of the story; they exist beside them, as fully formed people.  

This kind of feminism isn’t the in-your-face kind that we saw with Wonder Woman, which was essentially marketed as a feminist film. Yes, there were women fighting and being physically strong, but it was more than that. It offered real women, who know and love men, but who have their own priorities. Who are allowed to simply exist as people beyond their relationship to men.  

It is rare to see female side characters be just as compelling and rich, if not more so, than the men in the movie. With “Black Panther” crossing the $1 billion mark at the box office in its first month, I hope that Marvel – as well as other movie studios, like Warner Brothers (responsible for DC movies) – are taking note.  

“Black Panther” beautifully balances a steady pace with well-developed characters, and I only hope that these characters stay just as strong in the films to come.  

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Wrestler Ladd earns All-American status

By John Durga

Staff Writer

A national title is the highest level of victory a college athlete can achieve. Winning this puts them at the very pinnacle of their competition. Brendan Ladd (’20) gave himself the opportunity to be the best of the best. Entering the national tournament Ladd was 33-5 on his season. This was one win short of the Alma College record for wins in a season.  

Ladd started his nationals debut keeping the audience on the edge of their seats winning a 6-5 decision in the very last seconds of the match. He continued on to defeat the sixth and third seeded wrestlers in his following matches.  

“Ladd does a really good job capitalizing on situations,” coach Jeremiah Tobias said. “He doesn’t worry so much about the small things.”  

After his wins at the national tournament Ladd became the winningest wrestler in a single season. Along with that record he became the fifth All-American in Alma College wrestling history.  

Ladd entered the tournament unseeded but that did not seem to bother him.  

“It gives me a chance to get my first match out of the way and get the nerves out,” Ladd said. “It allows me to get the feeling of the atmosphere and just be ready for the next one.”  

Ladd started in the preliminary round, defeating Delaware Valley’s Ambacher in a 6-5 decision after a takedown with just seconds remaining. He won a 11-3 major decision over Johnsons & Wales’ Ferinde and a 15-8 decision over Elmhurst’s Mcauliffe.  

The winners moved on, earning All-American status. Ladd lost by pinfall to finalist Ben Brisman of Ithaca, then fell in a rematch with Millikin’s Chris Williams in a 4-2 sudden victory.  

Ladd ended the day with a chance at fifth place, but dropped his final match of the season to the two-seed in the 141-pound bracket, giving him sixth.  

As a sophomore Ladd is the top wrestler for Alma. He will continue to improve and lead the wrestling program to new heights.   

Football program brings in familiar faces

By Hank Wickley

Sports Writer

Since being announced as the football team’s head coach in January, Jason Couch has made some changes.   

One big move has been the team’s coaching staff. Last week coach Couch brought home some familiar faces, as well as kept some coaches around.   

“The new coaches I have asked to join our staff are ‘Alma Guys’” said Couch.   

“Two are graduates of Alma and one has coached here five different times throughout his coaching career,” he said.   

“Most importantly, all of these coaches are excited to be home,” Couch said. 

“All are passionate about Scots football and will also built tremendous relationships with the players,” said Couch.  

For the coaches who left Alma, they had other opportunities that were best for themselves and their families, said Couch.   

“As for the coaches that are here, they remained on staff because they are committed to Alma football and the players here,” said Couch.  

These changes have the players excited as well.   

“Our players have been overwhelmingly supportive during this transition,” said Couch.   

“I love the coaches that we brought in and I believe in the coaching staff we have now,” said running back Austin Spratling (‘20).   

“I look forward to working with them in spring ball and in the fall,” said quarterback Mason Ippel (20’).  

As for next fall, the 125th season of Alma College football, these coaching changes have provided a spark for the team.   

“It gives us a fresh start going into next season,” said Spratling.  

“All the players are getting antsy for fall to get here so we can start playing,” said Ippel.  

“With the coaches and players we have now, I think we have what it takes to win a MIAA championship,” Spratling added.   

Scots travel for break competition

By Joelle Fisher

Sports Writer

While many students travel across the country searching for a week of relaxation after stressful midterms, student athletes on campus packed their bags and boarded their buses/planes in search of competition. Six teams traveled near and far to kick off their seasons over spring break.   

The baseball team went 3-3 on its adventure down south in Florida. Six home runs were recorded in the first five games for the Scots.   

“Florida is one of my favorite memories about playing baseball at Alma,” said Matt Minuado (‘18).   

“The boys and I are able to work on our confidence in each other on the field while strengthening our friendships off the field,” said Minuado.   

Minuado led the team with his three home runs. The boys will continue their season March 20th for a home game against Finlandia University.   

The softball team spent its week in Florida working their way towards a 10-2 record for its annual spring break trip. The girls excelled offensively, having five Scots batting over .400.   

“Most college students spend their spring breaks relaxing, but our team is up at the crack of dawn day in and day out,” said Erin Lee (‘18).   

“The week gives us the opportunity to focus strictly on our athletics without having to place our academics in jeopardy,” said Lee.   

The softball program will continue its season Thursday  Mar. 15 against Ohio Northern University for a home game.   

“I hope our team continues to surprise people and that we continue to learn/grow each and every day,” said Lee.   

The men’s lacrosse team traveled through Virginia and North Carolina over its spring break to compete for a 1-2 record. The team picked up its first win of the season against Virginia Wesleyan University with a 22-14 victory.   

“Our spring break trip gave us a lot of insight on our strengths and weaknesses as a team,” said Dan Buchy (‘18).  

“We look forward to working hard for our program and making a name for ourselves in the MIAA and beyond,” said Buchy.  

Chase Hunyadi (‘20) leads the team with 11 goals and 10 assists for 21 points total, while sophomore transfer, Trevor Bailey (‘20) follows close behind with 9 goals.   

The women’s lacrosse team played two games in Texas last week, defeating the University of Dallas and falling to Otterbein College (OH).   

“Since we are in season while a large majority of our peers are on tropical vacations, it’s nice to get away from school and compete in new environments where we can focus solely on succeeding,” said Allie Ray (‘20).   

Senior captain, Brianna Soriano (‘18), leads the MIAA in goals with 13, while fellow captain, Shelby Frazer (‘18), follows in suit with 10 goals that puts her at third place.  

“We have a lot of new players this year so being able to work on our skills over spring break gave us a chance to get more comfortable with each other,” said Soriano.  

“I am proud of the effort and hard work that our team has put in and will continue to put in for the rest of our season,” said Soriano.  

The men’s tennis team went undefeated on its spring break trip to Ohio. The four wins extended its record to 6-3.   

“It’s always a fun experience to travel with your teammates far away,” said Noah Ackerman (‘18).   

“The team bonding experiences that happen over break allow for us all to connect on the court at a new level,” said Ackerman.   

The team will face off against Illinois Institute of Technology at Calvin College on March 10th to further their record.  

“After going undefeated on break, we know what we can accomplish and hopefully we can use this momentum to take us into contention for an MIAA championship,” said Ackerman.  

The women’s tennis team won back-to-back matches to close out its five-match spring break road trip. The Scots are now 3-5 overall, while Amy Wood (‘18) leads the team with a perfect 5-0 record for the season thus far.   

The team will compete next against Lake Superior State on Sunday.   

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Campus to host gun violence protest

By Monica Kunovszky

Web Editor

Friday, March 2 at Central Michigan University, a student shot his parents. This is not the first gun violence story that has made national headlines. Two weeks prior, Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, had a gruesome school massacre that killed 17 individuals and injured 16 more.   

These past tragedies have struck chords with students on Alma College’s campus, creating a host of individuals to spring into action.   

This week on Wednesday, there will be a walkout, a total of 17 minutes of remembrance. This event will take place in Mac Mall, and will be followed up the next week by a March for Our Lives. Both of these events are national, but being spearheaded here by students who want to bring more awareness to campus. One of the clubs sponsoring these events is the Alma College Action.   

Member of ACA, Sydney Bossidis (‘20) explains more of these two national events.  

“Both of these events will be going on across the country at these times. The walk out is a way for students to voice their stance on the issue, that they want Congress to actually take action now rather than send thoughts and prayers. The march is also to voice for an end to gun violence and mass shootings within schools.”   

President of ACA, Madison Amlotte (‘20) also weighs in. 

“A lot of students are at a place of sorrow, fear and frustration. This isn’t the first school shooting and it’s still happening. Even non-activist individuals want to do something and we (ACA) wanted to provide the space where people can make a change and feel like they’re being active. 

“We want to make sure nothing like this ever happens again and that we are showing solidarity to victims of the past shootings, as well as showing the commitment that Alma College has.”  

ACA Advisor Dr. Laura Woolbright of the communication department says that these forms of protests are very important for Alma’s campus. 

“One of the most appalling things is the huge disconnect of what people want to see and what politicians want to do. Only power outside of elections and voting is protest and showing up. It almost seems though that there is backlash from politicians to this protesting going on but we have got to keep trying.”  

CMU’s  shooting also stirs up discomfort because of its close proximity to Alma’s campus. Although not a school shooting but a domestic dispute Woolbright says this is still an important event that we can take notes from.  

“[the] Fact that this person was still able to get the weapon to take lives still matters, even if it’s not a typical school shooting. Although it happened on a campus, it was a domestic dispute. This brings it closer to home for us.”  

Amlotte also comments, “CMU is not your standard school shooting. This is important because it doesn’t change the fear. Alma students were still getting messages from friends and family asking if they were safe, even though they weren’t directly on CMU’s campus.”  

Gun violence is a divisive concept as well, that can cause varying opinions. Bossidis advises individuals to keep an open mind.   

“As general advice for disagreeing, I think people should look at both sides of the issue and see what the problem is. People don’t need to agree on every point but it is important to understand the other person and see if there is a compromise to work towards a solution that is better for everyone.”       

Overall with these two upcoming events the members of ACA hope that individuals take away important lessons.  

“I hope that the takeaway is that anyone who attends either event will learn more about the issue and spread more educated awareness about it. I hope people will also consider the impact of this issue. We can always hope for change and compromise but to get there it will not be easy but I do believe, and truly hope, it is possible,” Bossidis said.  

Woolbright adds, “Gun laws are stupid and need to be changed.”  

College administration is also combatting students’ safety concerns by reforming and improving safety plans. The Student Congress meeting on Mar. 5 held discussion about the improvements, and Dr. Karl Rishe spoke on behalf of the college safety committee. Alice training will begin on campus, and ideas regarding panic buttons, blue lights, security and changed locks are being discussed.   

ACA is planning more events for the rest of the semester. Amlotte says, “keeping his energy going is important, and that’s why these events are important.”  

 

“Reaching Across the Aisle” Addresses recent shootings

By Caden Wilson

News Editor

Under the guidance of Jillian Dickson, visiting assistant professor of art and design, a group of students planned and pieced together and art exhibit entitled “Reaching Across the Aisle” with the intention of starting conversation about the multiple deadly shootings in the past year. It will remain in place through the planned national student walk-out. 

Seventeen yellow school chairs line the sidewalk just south of Clack. Each one displays the name and age of one of the students or faculty killed at Stoneman Douglass High School in Parkland. Closer to the library, a pair of dining room chairs display the names of Diva Davis and James Eric Davis Sr., who were shot and killed in CMU’s Campbell Hall. 

Dickson contacted the campus maintenance department for assistance in locating and procuring the materials necessary for the memorial but stressed the importance of student decision-making. All major aspects of the art piece were agreed upon by the student artists, with simplicity being the key element, according to Dickson. 

One of the most important elements of the exhibit is the potential for inspiring politically-minded talk as mass shootings and gun control take the stage of public interest. 

“I hope that comfortable conversations among like-minded people are as prevalent as the challenging conversations,”said Dickson. “Conversations will help young adults figure out what kind of future they want, not their parents, family neighborhood, or even their friends.” 

It is not the intention of anyone who was a part of the project to promote a political stance. Instead, the artists hope that people who view their memorial to the shooting victims will form their own viewpoints. 

“I think this is an important subject matter to college life for two reasons,” Dickson said. “Students are increasingly more aware of and interested in mental health. Mental health is a significant topic when discussing gun control. College is a time where many students participate in democracy for the first time in their lives. They are voters. They are activists.” 

“I hope that people are emotionally effected by it and see the names on the chairs,” said Shaw. 

“We need to humanize the people on the chairs because if we do that, people are more apt to talk and work to fix the problem.”  

Although the memorial is intended for students and area residents, Shaw hopes that the combined messages from survivors of the events and activists will spark greater public interest. 

Just as the title says, the artists hope that elected officials will reach across the aisle and put aside political differences to come up with a permanent solution to the problem at hand. 

“I believe that young adults have the most passion and drive to make a difference.” Said Allison Henry (‘20) 

“I hope people realize that it’s ok to have an opinion and it’s ok to talk about current events and your personal stance on political topics.” Said Henry. 

“We need people to stop being selfish and realize that this isn’t a political debate. These are children’s lives. People are dying,” Shaw said. 

“It’s insane to me that people are talking about it like it’s another law. It’s not another law; it’s a problem.  

“I don’t care where you stand on the political spectrum and you don’t care enough to talk about this to change this, that you’re a selfish person. Something has to be done. The debate shouldn’t be whether or not something has to be done, it should be about what has to be done.” 

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Model UN does it again at Midwest competition

By Cassie Florian

Staff Writer

While many students were finishing up their midterms and heading home for break, Alma College’s Model UN team was winning yet another “outstanding” award at the Midwest Model UN conference in St. Louis.  

The college has won this award for 25 years consecutive years, and have  won 46 outstanding awards since 1994.  

“Overall, the experience was pretty exciting, we were freaking out a little bit at first when things didn’t go as planned, but it kept us on our toes and I think we all had a pretty good time,” said Daniel Lynch (’20).  

With this being his first conference, Lynch went on to mention how, although the experience was new and very intimidating, he learned a lot and even got to go out to dinner at the Trainwreck Saloon to celebrate his birthday with the team. 

Although members were able to have some fun while in St. Louis, it was their research and preparation at Alma that really showed during the conference.  

“We did a lot of research in preparation for this conference,” said Anna Kildisheva (XC). “You need to know a lot in terms of info and in terms of communication. We had very intensive classes and practiced giving speeches a lot. I think we were quite prepared.”  

Although their research and preparation is a clear reason for their annual success at conferences, many students also site their professor, Dr. Derick Hulme as the major reason for their success.  

“A big reason for why we do so well is because we have a great professor,” said Jadon House (’20). “He does a great job at preparing us for the conference and his teaching style helps us get where we are now.”  

“He is demanding of us and it prepares us for conference so well,” said Kildisheva. “He puts a lot of pressure on us which helps push us to do our best.” 

Although there were many new members who were just learning what conference was all about, there were also a lot of older members there to help make sure everything ran smoothly.  

“Since I’ve been [there] before, [the conference] was quite enjoyable,” said House. “It was mainly the same topics as last year so most of the time was spent focusing on training the new folks and preparing them for conference.” 

House also mentioned how if he could go back and change one thing about the experience, he would focus a little more on researching and practicing their presentations so that they could all be even more prepared for the event.  

While the team was certainly able to bond with each other throughout their time preparing and participating in the conference, they also had the ability to interact with people from other schools.  

“One of my favorite things about the conference was meeting new people from different schools,” said Blaze Wilson (’21). “It was really cool to see students from other schools with like-minded interests.” 

With the end of their St. Louis conference, the Model UN team will now begin preparing for their next conference in New York. 

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