Pure Heroine Album Review

Hi! If you read my last review (Random Access Memories), then you should have noticed that I focused more on the sound more than the lyrics. Well today when reviewing Pure Heroine by Lorde, I will focus more on the lyrics than the sound. But first, we should know a little bit about her!

Lorde is a 17-year-old singer-songwriter from New Zealand (Ella Marija Lani Yelich-O’Connor). She is known for her debut single, Royals, right now #20 on The Hot 100 for Billboard but hit No.1 in 2013, making her the first New Zealand solo artist to have a hit song in the US.

Song #1 “Tennis Court” Tennis Court is one of my personal favorites on the album, it gives me a bronze like feeling, you know? Well it’s just me but… What I think she is trying to say that what people are saying in their songs now, she’s a little bored with it (Don’t you that it’s boring how people talk? Making smart with their words again, well I’m bored). She just here to have fun (because I’m doing this for the thrill of it, killing it) and won’t get caught up in fame and just be the same kid from the classroom (Baby be the class clown, I’ll be the beauty queen in tears, it’s a new art form ,showing people how little we care).

Song #2 ” 400 Lux” To me, this song is about having time to kill, so she wants to kill it with her friend until they are tired, I had the impression the friend is a boy ( We’re never done with killing time, can I kill it with you ’till the veins run red and blue?). First, they go out drinking (We’re hollow like the bottles that we drain), then they go out and drive using the pulse of his/her wrist (You drape your wrist over the steering wheel, pulses can drive from here). She says that she like him/her and the houses because they don’t change (not in a dating type way I believe) by saying (And I like you, I like these roads where the houses don’t change, and I like you,where we can talk like there’s something to say).

Song #3 “Royals” Royals is a really popular song, I’m sure you’ve heard it, but what she says is that she never seen things you might have (I’ve never seen a diamond in the flesh), her town is torn up (and I’m not proud of my address, in a torn up town, not post code envy). She dreamed of being big and famous, but she’s more famous than she very dreamed, but she won’t be a ‘royal’ like most stars are, she won’t be caught in the love affair (fame).

Song #4 “Ribs” Ribs is another one of my personal favorites because of the way it starts quiet and then you hear the voices get louder and I just love the way she sang it. Anyway, this song is about a party she had when her parents went away and left her home. Realizing that she is old enough to be left alone at home and having responsibilities to stay home by herself. She wants the mind she had before the thought of being old (My mom and dad let me stay home, it drives you crazy, getting old or looking at what’s going on around her, like thing you wouldn’t see at kid parties The drink you spilt all over me, lover’s spit left on repeat). She thinks it’s a dream but not a sweet one (This dream isn’t feeling sweet) and she’s never felt more alone (And I’ve never felt more alone, it feels so scary, getting old). She wants the mind she had before she felt old (I want them back I want them back, the minds we had). Sharing beds like little kids and laughing ’til our ribs get sore will never be enough (You’re the only friend I need, sharing beds like little kids, and laughing ’til our ribs get sore, but that will never be enough).

Song #5 “Buzzcut Season”

Personally, this song is a little hard to review. To write these reviews, I’ve been taking my ideas of the song that I’m reviewing and reading others (comments from websites that have the lyrics) and agreeing with them on some of the ideas they have and mixing it in with my own (not most of the time but when I can’t really fin the words to help you understand what the song is talking about). But this time when I was looking for some reviews, it was hard to find a good one to understand since people had different points of views (most of the time when I look at ideas they have, they are mostly the same). Finding that people had different P.O.V’s, I can’t really write a review about this song because it may sound different for everyone.

Song #6 “Team”

Team is about having a palace (or a dream), and if you were in the palace (involved in the dream) you were on each others team. She then describes the people of the palace, like she is the ruler and is sitting on her throne. Even though they don’t live in places that you don’t see on the screen or are fairly pretty, they still know how to run free. With bottle shards on the ground, saying it wasn’t her fault, everyone is fighting for love they won’t get because this palace wants ‘release’ or what I believe is freedom. As the ending before the course, she says that she is a bit older than she was when she could throw her hands in the air (probably saying she is old enough to understand things she didn’t know or understand as a kid)

Song #7 “Glory and Gore”

This is another one of my favorites from this album. But to begin, she is talking about slipping off the path they planned by drinking and dropping the glasses (dropping glasses just to hear them break. you’ve been drinking like the world was gonna end -it didn’t-, took a shiner fro  the fist of your best friend -go figure-) but saying there is calculation or a way to fix it all (but in all chaos there is calculation). What she is trying to say is that getting glory comes with consequences,like getting in a fight to get what’s yours back, someone’s bound to get hurt. We shouldn’t pick battles (Chance is the only game I play with baby, we let our battles choose us).

Song #8 “Still Sane”

Still Sane is about being sane when things around her are not (All work and no play never made me lose it). She says she won’t be the girl tripping on stage or what people say she is (I won’t be tripping over on stage or Everything I say falls right back into everything I’m not). She might change her option about things later (I still like hotels but I think that’ll change) but she promises she’ll stay good (Hey, promise I’ll stay good). She’s might be little (less famous) but she’s coming for the crown (being really famous)

Song #9 “White Teeth Teens”

White Teeth Teen refers to as being rich and spoiled ( a rich person would probably have white teeth). She tried to be one but couldn’t (I wear the robe like no-one could, I’ll let you in on something big, I am not a white teeth teen)

Song #10 “A World Alone
This song’s music reminded me about The XX with how slow and peaceful it sounds. This time, she say’s that we’re in a world alone together, while everybody people are talking. Describing being in a world alone by she’s different from her “friends (the’re studying business, I study the floor) she feels alone. She loves the life she lives and knows it won’t last forever ( know we’re not everlasting)

The Bookworm; Reviews by Sanjana

-Reviews by Sanjana

The Brothers Grimm, 101 Fairy Tales– These are the original fairy tales, where Disney got inspired and made movies but editing it. I think they were all really cool, but also strange. There’s a lot of cannibalism and creepy rhymes but they all come back to something you’ve heard of at one point. For example, Cinderella’s sisters originally chopped off their toes and heels to make their feet fit the shoe. Snow White wasn’t woken up by a kiss, but instead, the prince was trying to carry her off on his horse and accidentally tripped and as she flew threw  the air, the piece of the apple flew out of her mouth and she came to life. Read the rest to hear more about how much Disney changed each one.

Legend– This is my favorite book EVER. It’s a mix of action and the romance is pretty disgusting but if you ignore it, the book is pretty good. Pretty much, Day (my most favorite character EVER) is a thief who lives on the streets and he’s such a famous thief, almost everyone’s heard of him. The Republic hates him because he’s so talented, his mind is like a machine and he sees every little detail in everything. June, a girl who works in the Republic, is just as smart. What would happen when they meet? Read the book.

An Abundance of Katherines– This was one of my favorite John Green books and I personally liked it more over The Fault in our Stars. It’s pretty much a story about a boy named Colin (he’s a genius, by the way) who dates nineteen katherines and after being dumped by the nineteenth one, he decides to go on a road trip with his friend. Soon, he meets Lindsey and her mom, makes friends, helps his friends, makes money and gets over Katherine 19. Throughout the way, he begins to create an equation that decides how long a relationship will last. He calls it the Theorem. If you want to find out if it works, READ THE BOOK.

Random Access Memories Album Review

Hello there, today we will be talking about a wonderful album called Random Access Memories by Daft Punk.

But before we start, you need to know who Daft Punk is. Daft Punk is a french duo classified as the genre dance, house, or electronic, it mostly depends on the track. Daft Punk last album was TRON: Legacy R3CONF1GUR3D, a remix of the soundtrack TRON: Legacy, from the movie Tron, as you figured.

Song #1 “Give Life Back to Music”

Give Life Back To Music,  which starts out big with the help of the drums along with the guitar, making it sound like a superhero-type entrance. After the big intro, it starts die down, with a robotic voice, the lyrics are simple, but worth repeating to a catchy tune maybe the 70’s type song.

Song #2 “The Game of Love”
This song is slow and peaceful, after a couple of seconds with the cymbals and oceans-like sounds, the guitar settles in, making it sounds a little futuristic, with the robotic voice throughout the song, keeping it peaceful, a slow song to listen to after a breakup.

Song #3 “Giorgio by Moroder”
This song is about Giorgio Moroder, a record producer, songwriter, performer and DJ and his way coming to fame. Learning to play guitar at age 15-16, he wanted to become a musician, but since the dream was so big he didn’t see any future for it. After breaking away from school, he thought he a little chance. In Germany, (’69, ’70), there was already disco techs. Diving to disco techs and performing for about 30 mins. He for 2 years he slept in his car, which helped him in the beginning. During the middle of the song, he says that once you free your mind, of harmony and things sounding correct, you could whatever you want, nobody told him what to do.

Song #4 ”Within”

Within starts soft played by the piano, kind of like the music at a formal party ( maybe for like a business or for somebody rich) played along with the cymbals. The one singing this song ( Daft Punk I believe) is saying he/they that they don’t know what to do anymore, kind of like they have lost sight of who they are. A song to listen to when feeling sad or depressed, the robotic voices really help with that.

Song #5 “Instant Crush” ft. Julian Casablancas

Instant Crush has to be one of my personal favorites on this album. Instant Crush is about a guy who likes this girl, but he can’t tell her because she already has a boyfriend. To help you under stand this better, I give you some names to help. Eric is the boyfriend, Matt is the one with the crush on Amy, the girlfriend. The only way Matt and Amy could spend time together was by Matt hanging around Eric, also described as ‘chained’ when he wanted to say something but he didn’t know where to go. I hope this brief description helped you understand a little bit of the song to the point of understanding it completely , I didn’t really get it at first when I heard it, but it’s still a wonderful song to listen to.

Song #6 “Lose Yourself to Dance” ft Pharrell Williams 

Lose Yourself to Dance is more like one of those oldies songs like Give Life Back to Music but more of a Soul Train type rhythm to it. With the robotic voices ( Daft Punk) coming in just about the second time the course come, it gives the song a more futuristic feel, later in the course, combining robotic voices together made the course song like a little symphony, then dying down to get back to the verse again.

Song #7 “Touch” ft Paul Williams 

Touch starts out quiet, like you are floating out in space with sounds of space that you might hear in a cartoon, and then comes a robotic voice that seems like it’s out in the distance, then when the first verse starts, it seems like it starting to fade before everything seems to disappear. Then everything stops and Paul Williams starts his verse with the piano, like he’s talking to an audience. After a brief pause with the piano still playing, the guitar and cymbals start, making sound nice and catchy, then another stop with the cymbals still playing, then the violins, maybe trumpets (I’m not really sure)  and every other instrument already listed start to play making the song sound fun and nice to dance to, Then with the space sounds ( kind of like something is spinning) start and everything dies down, all the instruments stop and the cymbals are still going, the a group of people (women’s choir it sounds) start to sing ” Hold on, if love is the answer your home” after a couple of time saying that, the last time they say it, they get cut off by the time they were going to say ‘home’. The space sounds start and the violins play, making it sound like a bit of an orchestra, the women’s starts to sing again but it’s quiet, and then they get louder and louder. After another series of space sounds, everything seems to get chaotic and loud, then everything stops, Paul Williams start again soft with the piano, then after his little verse, the song ends. It may sound awkward trying to describe it through words but if you listen to it, it might make more sense.

Song #8 “Get Lucky” ft Pharrell Williams and Nile Rodgers.

Now, I know you might have heard this song on the radio millions of times, and it might have gotten annoying, but that’s the radio edit. The original starts with the piano along with the guitar ( Nile Rodgers I believe). Just to make things clear, in one of the verses where the course says “we’re up all night to get lucky” with the robotic voices, it sounds like ” we’ll rub a mexican monkey” or somewhere around there, they are saying “we’re up all night to get lucky” if it helps ( in case you were getting confused). Hope you enjoy the original better than the radio edit!

Song #9 “Beyond”

Beyond starts out more like an orchestra of violins and brass instruments, later on (a few seconds) with the timpani I believe. With the violins playing, the cymbal get a tap then the violins stop, leaving the cymbals to play and the guitar to start, with a robotic, this song is about going beyond and finding that one song that helps you, leaving you feeling like there is no complications when reaching your dreams/goal.

Song #10 “Motherboard”

This is a song of no words but more like a song that tells you to think about anything and allows you to daydream. In my option, this song should be different to everyone who listens to it, therefore I don’t really have words to describe it.

Song #11 “Fragments of Time” ft Todd Edwards

This is another one of my personal favorite songs on this album. With a voice like Todd Edwards’, along with the guitar ( also bass a believe) and a little bit of the piano and some other different sounds that I may not be good at describing, it sounds like a song that reminds you of the time of the movie Grease (70’s but it was made in 1978) or driving up to a place like P.Terry’s, a song to enjoy on a road trip with your friends in a convertible :).

Song #12 “Doin’ It Right” ft Panda Bear

With a basic beat and robotic voice, the song starts with a basic repeat of words, easy to catch on to. Sticking with the basic beat, Panda Bear comes and says that if you lose your way tonight, you know you’re doing it right, the magic’s right and let it go all night. After 2:30 (minutes and seconds) everything stops (not completely) and a new beat is plays, more like a little whistle that is low and kind of smoothed out (more like a humming). Then the beats the song started with plays along with the humming. It’s simple but not too simple, an up-beat type song.

Song #13 “Contact” 

Contact is the last song on the album, personally a great song to end with, but I thought Doin’ It Right was a good way to end the album to but anyway. Contact starts with an astronaut in space, with the music playing, it sounds like he’s a the end of his journey in space, saying he found a rotating in a distance. After he finishes talking, (an organ probably) starts to play, like you’re in a game, and the boss was waiting for you. With the drums, it sounds like it really is in a video game, then  a sounds like something it about to happen (maybe like something is rotating in space and it’s making a beaming sound I suppose). Then you’re in the heated moment part where everything is fast, like a grand finale i going to happen ( but it doesn’t really). The heated moment stops, and comes the aftershock maybe, it sounds like levels start to rise, then when it’s at a high point, it shuts off like you turning off a TV. It’s a little hard to explain, but to describe it, it’s intense.

Thank You for reading, I hope you enjoyed this album as much as I did!

– Album Ant

“Ice” Days–by Mrs. Kane

Each school year, the school calendar has 2 built-in “inclement weather” days. In kidspeak, that’s a snow day! But, let’s get real. This is central Texas. Snow is practically non-existent. In fact, ice is pretty much non-existent. When we do have snow or ice, it rarely sticks and the hopes of building snow people and having snowball fights flies out the window just as quickly as that non-existent sled flying down the snowy hill (which we don’t have).

So, it was with pleasant surprise that we actually had one! What a joyous occasion to be able to sleep in and stay warm and snuggled up all day. And, oh, what beautiful snow! Except…there was none. No worries though. Regardless of how much you may enjoy being at school, it’s always nice to have a respite. And lucky for us, we have those 2 inclement weather days, right? Sweet.

But then, we had a 2nd “ice” day, which took away our 2nd inclement weather day–and unfortunately for us, that’s Memorial Day. Boo. It’s unfortunate and it’s not going to be fun when we have to make that one up.

But then, we had a 3rd day. So now, we owe a day to the state of Texas. In fact, I believe most of the school districts in Texas owe a day. How are we going to pay this day back? Are we all going to attend an extra school day in June? Are we going to go to school on a Saturday? Will spring break be cut short? Will we owe time next year??

A quick Google search for news related to this will show the problems districts are facing because of the unusually cold weather. Districts across the nation are scrambling to determine how to make up for the missed days–states where they’ve got upwards of 7 built-in inclement weather days, and they’ve used them all.

Some people believe the state should count the days as a “state of emergency” situation, in which we could get a waiver from the state to not have to make up the 3rd day. For now, we will just have to wait and see what school boards and the states’ education agencies decide.

 

Sanjana’s Homework Help Section–How to Multiply and Divide a Negative by a Positive

Tip: Before we start, I want to show you something you could use to help you:

If you have to multiply a negative and a positive, you just need to cover up the two signs that are in the sign. So multiplying a positive and a negative you cover the positive and the negative on the sign.

Step 1: Just multipy or divide normally, as if there were no signs.

Ex 1: -3 x 2; just multiple normally: so 6.

Ex 2: -6 / 2; just divide normally: so 3

Step 2: That’s really it. Divide normally and then use the peace sign to cover up the two signs you have. The uncovered sign would be the one you need.

Sanjana’s Homework Help Section–PEMDAS

How to Solve PEMDAS:

Tip: A way to remember PEMDAS is Please Excuse My Dear Aunt Sally

Step 1: Parenthesis- Anything that’s in parenthesis is what you solve first. Parenthesis are these: ( )

Step 2: Exponents- That little small number hanging off of one of the big numbers, yeah that’s an exponent. But make sure that you don’t multiply the whole number by the exponent. You need to multiply the whole number by itself, as many times as the exponent says.

Step 3: Multiply- You should know how to multiply. If there is only multiplication and division left in the problem, then you can go left to right.

Step 4: Divide- You should also know how to divide. If there is only multiplication and division left in the problem, then you can go left to right.

Step 5: Add- You should know how to add. If there’s ONLY addition and subtraction left then you can go left to right.

Step 6: You should know how to subtract. If there’s ONLY addition and subtraction left then you can go left to right.

3

2  + (6 x 2) / 2 – 3

 3

2 + 12 / 2 – 3

8 + 12/2 -3

8+ 6 – 3

14 -3

11

Next Time:  How to Multiply and Divide a Negative by a Positive

Books, Comics, Games, & Movies Club @ CPMS

At CPMS, there are lots of opportunities to be involved, no matter what interestests you.  Students have the usual extracurricular opportunities through their electives like band, colorguard, dance, choir, sports, theater, art, etc…but there are a multitude of before/after school clubs and groups that meet weekly.

For this post, we will briefly mention the Books, Comics, Games, & Movies Club. This club meets every Wednesday after school in Lab B2. First formed at the beginning of this school year by “Head Nerd” Daniel J., the club is open to all students, regardless of grade level. So far this school year, we have played Magic-the Gathering, Dungeons & Dragons (D&D), and watched Raiders of the Lost Ark.  The year’s not over yet–there’s more to come! Come check it out!

We will continue to discuss a few of these in our issues and our blog throughout the rest of the year.

Advice Column: Stuck Studying

Dear News Team,

I need some good study tips. Can you help?

–Stuck Studying

Dear Study Stuck,

I study almost every day and I have some pretty good tips. For starters, if you have vocabulary then I recommend this website called studyblue.com. You can make online flashcards so you aren’t wasting any paper or index cards and it’s quicker to make them.They also generate you a quiz and a revision sheet. It’s all really good so check it out! Another good idea would be to call a friend over and sit in the room in your house that has the LEAST distractions. (Or go to the library, the best place on earth). Anyway, wherever you are, leave your phone outside (have self control!!) and leave your laptop…. pretty much anything that can distract you. I promise that school is more important than instagream. Sit inside for a full 10-30 minutes, or however long you and your friends attention spans are and ask each other questions. Keep a rule that the first person to get off task has to do something crazy, like lick the other person’s foot. That way you’ll focus and stay on topic. You can do this by yourself also. If you accomplish doing these for more than a day, you will definitely do well in school.

  Sincerely,

Varsity Nerd 🙂

Advice Column: My Life Sucks

Dear News Team,

My friend is really mean to me lately. I don’t know what to do but she’s on both of my sports teams. What can be wrong and what do I do?

–My Life Sucks

Dear Sucky Life ,

    That really stinks. But if you can’t talk to your friend about this then you probably aren’t real friends. Just try to hang out with your other friends more and give her some space. After a while, go back to her and if she still doesn’t like you then it’s her problem. There’s nothing you can do. And it’s always awesome to make new friends so go ahead and try that!

      Sincerely,

      You’re welcome

Advice Column: Bullied by B.F.F.

Dear News Team,

I have a “friend” who has been saying mean things behind my back, and I don’t know what to do. Should I tell them how I feel? Please help news team, because I have no idea what to do.

— Bullied by B.F.F.

Dear Bullied,

Keep in mind, your friend might be going through some tough times, and while it is your job to stand up for yourself, it’s also your job to be there for her/ him. Have you tried talking to your friend? That’s always a good idea, even though it’s scary.  The important thing is, don’t give up. You don’t have to spend all of your time with this friend. Just because you are close doesn’t mean you have to be joined at the hip. Don’t talk to others in this group of friends about the problem, they will probably choose sides and make things worse. Try to work things out. Stay strong friend, and remember, we are always here for you.

Sincerely,

— The Wise Owl