Vol. 11 No. 26

pg 4 • MAROON WEEKLY • April 8, 2015 • maroonweekly.com

Album:Carrie & Lowell

Album:Southern Style

Album:Nothing But the Silence

Album:Young Chasers

Release Date:March 31, 2015




Brad Paisley Brad Paisley Brad PaisleySufjan Stevens Striking Matches Circa Waves

After his single “Homegrown Honey” topped charts in August, Darius Rucker doesn’t disappoint with the release of his full album, “Southern Style.”

The album features our favorite track, “Southern Style,” which is a beautiful tribute to the southern way of living that makes you want to go hug your daddy and your horse.

Upbeat and a welcome entry to country music archives that are too frequently full of heartbreak melodies, this one is perfect to listen to when you’re, as Rucker would say, “High on Life,” and looking at your Dixie cup half full. The singer/songwriter showcases his love for his country roots in every song, embracing feelings and memories that go along with a southern upbringing.

Old Hootie and the Blowfish fans won’t be disappointed either, because Rucker stays true to his famous low and gruff voice in this warm and traditional album.

With the release of his seventh studio album, Sufjan Stevens does not disappoint in “Carrie & Lowell.” His quirky sound combines banjos with electronic music that only he can pull off well. His voice is sweet and soulful and will inevitably make you feel relaxed enough to sink into an indie-induced sleep.

He doesn’t diverge much from what has made him famous. The indie tone of his music is what he knows and it has earned him acclaim. It’s a great album to listen to while studying, but the songs tend to blur together because they all sound similar.

This definitely isn’t an album to blast in the car. Named after his deceased mother and stepfather, the lyrics are reflective with an air of nostalgia.

Striking Matches, up-and-coming country duo, have released their first full-length album. It’s stripped down country/folk/blues at its finest.

The duo features Sarah Zimmerman on guitar, mandolin, and vocals, and Justin Davis on guitar and vocals. Both Zimmerman and Davis moved to Nashville to pursue music, and they met in a guitar seminar class there at Belmont University in 2007. They were paired together for a project, and the rest is history.

They had immense chemistry and so began writing and creating music together. Their songs “Hanging on a Lie” and hauntingly beautiful “When the Right One Comes Along” – both of which are on the new album – have been featured on ABC’s hit TV show, “Nashville.” In fact, the album is highly, highly recommended.

Similar to the Beatles, this four-boy group was formed in Liverpool, England, and with the release of their debut album, Circa Waves might just be the next British-boy-band sensation.

“Young Chasers” is composed of songs with catchy beats that are easy to follow and lyrics that are easy to remember. With an alternative, electric sound, Circa Waves makes you want to get up and dance. But they also have a relaxed, “chill” vibe similar to that of surf music; the genre’s signature reverb sound is hinted at in tracks such as “100 Strangers” and “Young Chasers.” Unfortunately, Circa Waves only has U.K. tour dates planned for the immediate future, so we’ll have to admire them from across the pond. But maybe, like the Beatles, they’ll be the leaders of the next “British Invasion.”

By Linley McCord

By Annabeth Reeb

By Abigail StrickerBy Adrianna Zampieri

Music ReviewsDarius Rucker

maroonweekly.com • April 8, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 5

Album:Young Chasers

Nothing brings people together quite like good food and good music, and Chilifest has both. Chilifest, Inc. - a non-profit organization - was created in 1999 to organize and manage this annual event. Since then, it has donated a staggering total of more than $2 million to local Brazos Valley charities, including the Brazos Valley Hospice and the Down Syndrome Association of Brazos Valley.

Their mission is “to offer assistance to thousands of ill, neglected, and less fortunate individuals, as well as to provide funding for the many organizations who put forth the effort to resolve the life threatening problems that endanger the lives of so many.” And they do just that. In 2009, 2010, and 2011, Chilifest, Inc. was able to donate more than $500,000 to give back to the community.

Tyler Luxion, previous VP of marketing and current president of the organization, has been with Chilifest, Inc. for four years.

“Our greatest achievement,” Luxion said, “comes when we donate the proceeds of the event to our worthwhile beneficiaries.” He holds these beneficiaries in high respect, explaining that “those checks are the greatest gifts we can give” to the organizations dedicated to improving the community “whether it is providing funds for college scholarships, improving the lives of young ones who come from abusive homes, or ensuring a kid has a place to go after school lets out.”

In its beginning, the Chilifest chili cook-off held the spotlight as the main attraction to draw in attendees and raise money; the music was an added bonus. Many entered the contest in teams, hoping to win a snazzy trophy and cash prize.

Now, it’s no secret that Chilifest is a larger-than-life party. In 2012, they had a record-breaking attendance of more than 55,000 people – and a record amount of beer consumed, we assume.

Attendees are invited to bring their own drinks, grills, and even couches. Camping spots are also offered so patrons can spend the night with friends, indulging in food and Texas music.

Over the years, Chilifest has become less about the chili and more about the festival. Many residents of the Bryan-College Station area view it as an opportunity to get out of the city for music and a giant party. This change is probably a result of a large amount of funding going toward the entertainment budget in an effort to draw in crowds to the event.

“There is a variety of people who attend the event and find it appealing for various reasons,” Luxion said.

From die-hard chili fanatics to college students just wanting to see their favorite country bands, Luxion hit the nail on the head. The number and type of people attending Chilifest this year (and every year, for that matter) is what makes the event itself so alluring and why people keep coming back.

This year, though, the seemingly lost art of chili is coming back into focus. By opening up Friday to the public, Chilifest is putting a spotlight on their namesake and turning the burners up on the competition. Teams who are seasoned veterans of the event and newcomers alike will be able to display their expertise to general admission patrons.

“There are many people who take the chili competition as seriously as ever,” Luxion said. “And they attend the event to put their tasteful recipes to the test.”

You definitely won’t want to miss Chilifest this year. Between the enticing food and the Texas country music, this year’s event will be one for the books.

Chilifest Returns to Its RootsBy Linley McCord and Adrianna Zampieri

meet the teamPUBLISHER

Chris Shepperd

BUSINESS MANAGERLeisha Shepperd

MANAGING EDITORLuke Murray

ASSISTANT EDITOR/COPYEDITINGBarbara Hosler

PHOTOGRAPHERSPeyton Boles

Lauren Howes

STAFF WRITERBrad Cox

MARKETING INTERNPeyton Boles

Ally White

WRITING INTERNSLinley McCord

Annabeth ReebAbigail Stricker

Adrianna Zampieri

DISTRIBUTIONCody Atkinson

Lindsay CoxDaryl Dorman

Randy Shepperd

Maroon Weekly is an independent, publication and is not affiliated with

Texas A&M University. Maroon Weekly receives no student fees or university

funding.

Opinions are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views

and opinions of the editor, publisher or the newspaper staff. Maroon Weekly

is not liable for omissions, misprints or typographical errors. No part of this

publication may be reproduced without the express consent of the publisher.

© Copyright 2015 Campus Press LP

pg 6 • MAROON WEEKLY • April 8, 2015 • maroonweekly.compg 26 • MAROON WEEKLY • January 29, 2014 • maroonweekly.compg 28 | maroonweekly.com | 01.23.13THINK


Geraldine Brooks, author and journalist from Sydney, Australia, is headlining this year’s Brazos Valley Reads event. Brazos Valley Reads, sponsored by the Texas A&M English department, is in its 10th year.

In the past, authors such as Ernest Gaines, Sandra Cisneros, Tim O’Brien, Sherman Alexie, Maxine Hong Kingston, and Julia Alvarez have come to College Station to do public readings of their works and meet with community members.

This year’s author, Geraldine Brooks, has written four novels and three works of nonfiction. Her novel “March” won the Pulitzer Prize for fiction in 2006. “March” is the novel from which she will read at this year’s event. Taken from Louisa May Alcott’s famous novel “Little Women,” Brooks brings to life the absent father, March, who has gone off to war and left his family behind.

Brooks actually studied journals belonging to Bronson Alcott, Louisa May Alcott’s father, to pull together the character and the story that might have been his. It’s really a pretty cool idea to take such a beloved book and, in a way, bring it to life again 137 years later.

This is surely of interest to anyone who has read, and inevitably fallen in love with, “Little Women.”

thescoop

WHAT: BRAZOS VALLEY READSWHERE: ANNENBERG CONF. CENTERWHEN: APRIL 14 @ 7:00PM

By Abigail Stricker

Brazos Valley Reads

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By Annabeth Reeb

LIVE MUSIC CALENDAR

www.bcslive365.comfacebook.com/bcslive365twitter.com/BCSLive365

April 09 - April 15

It’s close to the end of the semester and upperclassmen are getting ready to find big-kid jobs and normal lives. One reporter wanted to find out how post-graduation plans were coming along.

“I’m just glad there won’t be any homework,” a senior said on his walk back from class. When asked what jobs he had lined up, he responded: “I haven’t started looking yet, but I just got an A on my economics test, so I should be fine.”

He then went on to explain the trip that he and his friends would be taking after passing their finals. “We’ll worry about jobs when we get back; right now we’re just celebrating our degree” – because four years of celebrating nothing probably wasn’t enough.

Approaching a junior, she was asked about her plans for the future.

“I think, after I graduate I’m going to get a group to go to Europe,” she said. “We’ve already started planning.”

When asked what her living arrangements would be upon returning from Europe, she replied, “I’ll probably just live in my parents’ house until I find a job,” as she pulled out her phone to Instagram a picture of her Frappuccino.

Three sophomores were perched in hammocks talking about two fish that were walking by below. Still trying to get a real grasp on the students’ plans for the future, they were asked what their hopes were for the following years.

“I’m on track to graduate early,” one of them started. “I’ll probably just stay near campus and wait for my friends to graduate before doing anything big, though.”

The freshmen walking by them stopped, noting the reporter, and asked if anyone knew what was going on that weekend.

The reporter gave up and wrote something she knew everyone would read: Free Margaritas at Chimey’s.

End of Semester


By Annabeth Reeb

Exclusive Interview:Josh Abbott Band

Homegrown Texan-group Josh Abbott Band is known for their passion in the country music scene, and this will be their second time playing at Chilifest. Maroon Weekly interviewed Austin Davis, banjo aficionado and co-founder of the Josh Abbott Band, about music and life.

MW: Thinking back to early childhood, what was your first experience with music like? What was it that inspired you to become the artist that you are today?

AD: My mom always sang and played piano for us as kids, neither of which I can do as well as she can. I also watched a lot of the Muppets, hence, the banjo. But my earliest inspiration, as far as wanting to become a performing player, was watching my uncle Brent play the drums. He was a touring musician for years and didn't get the break he deserved, but I'm still in complete awe watching him to this day. MW: The Josh Abbott Band hasn’t released a full-length album since 2012. Can you give your eager fans a hint on what's next for the band?

AD: The next record will be the best one we've put out yet, which

should always be the goal, but I can say that with confidence because I've never seen a group of guys work this hard. We were fortunate enough to work with the legendary producer Keith Stegall, and he brought so much out of us as a band. I'm extremely proud of the work we've done, and I can't wait for our fans to hear it.

MW: Traveling with the same group of people, week after week, can lead to either hardships or tight friendships. What’s it like being a part of the Josh Abbott band and touring around the country?

AD: You'd think that we would get tired of one another but we really don't. We get off the bus, and maybe a few hours later there’s a group text between the band and crew that will go on for a couple hours much to our significant others’ dismay. It sounds cliché, but we really are a band of brothers.

MW: This will be your second appearance at Chilifest. What are you most looking forward to: preforming on stage, eating some chili, or both?

AD: Both! Can't wait to see everyone on the lineup as well.


On April 9, the Academy for the Visual and Performing Arts at Texas A&M University will present Koresh Dance Company’s program “Come Together” at the Rudder Auditorium. “Come Together” offers audiences highly acclaimed contemporary dance in a series of acts that are both lyrical and dynamic, dreamlike and simply human.

Koresh Dance Company, founded by Israeli-born Artistic Director Ronen Koresh in 1991, is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After their recent home season – the world premiere of Koresh’s “Aftershock” on March 26 – the 10 dancers are completing their spring tour with stops in Washington, North Carolina, Florida, Mississippi, and Alabama, as well as College Station, Texas. Recent press has called the company “the most exciting dance experience in Philadelphia” (Philadelphia Weekly). The New Yorker describes its style as “earthy, folk-dancey, emotionally direct, physically intense, and ostentatiously eccentric.”

Both critics and audiences are moved by Koresh’s signature combination of ballet, modern, jazz technique, military rhythms, folk repetitions, and pedestrian movement. The Philadelphia Dance Journal writes: “When you go to the theater to see the Koresh Dance Company, you know what you’re going to get: great dancing, intricate choreography that combines raw athleticism with classical ballet, percussive sounds that include vocalization and body slapping to create complex soundtracks, and without fail, a pleased audience.” A recent Allentown, Pennsylvania, audience member agrees: “It was beautiful, mesmerizing and impactful in ways one does not expect from simply watching dance. It involved you from the start and transformed you into a mental dance that captivated you, brought you up on stage, and left you feeling energized and exhausted at the same time.”

“Come Together” premiered in Philadelphia in 2013 as part of Koresh Dance Company’s first Come Together Dance Festival. In this touring program, “Come Together” appears alongside Koresh’s well-known interpretation of “Ravel’s Bolero.” The curtain rises to reveal the company dancers clad in white for the celebratory work “Home,” set to the music of the Idan Raichel Project. “Home” creates the tone for a compelling evening of work that juxtaposes Middle Eastern music from Israel and Turkey with classical favorites, leading the audience on an aurally rich journey between grounded, driving rhythms and ethereal, delicate strains of sound.

Enjoy the sweeping circle patterns and gestures drawn from Israeli folk dance as well as the stunning precision with which the Koresh dancers seamlessly shift between classical and folk styles. High jumps, light turns, and airy kicks mingle with stomping feet, driving knees and elbows, and the powerful passion for human stories and relationships that are the trademark of Koresh’s choreography.

Koresh Dance Company @ Rudder

dance music theatre visual art

I t ’s Time For Texas A&M

It’s Time For

For more information, call [email protected] v academyarts.tamu.eduw w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / AV PA a t TA M U

Tickets $5 Students, $10 General AdmissionAvailable at the MSC Box Office

Call 979.845.1234

The Ac

ademy

for the

Visual

& Perfo

rming

Arts

Koresh Dancepresents Come Together

Thursday, April 9, 20157 PM in Texas A&M Rudder Auditorum

maroonweekly.com • April 8, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 13 maroonweekly.com • Feb. 18, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 17

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All this talk of Chilifest can make anyone hungry so don’t wait until then to indulge in some homemade chili. Follow these instructions exactly for a delicious payoff, or use this recipe as a guideline to make your own! Having a love affair with garlic, but it’s not an ingredient? Add it anyway. Are red bell peppers the bane of your existence? Then leave them out. For an extra kick of flavor, you might even throw in a cup or five of your favorite beer, but don’t add too much. You’ll need some left over to drink while you nom on your chili creation.

Ingredients: • 2 tablespoons olive oil• 1 large red onion, diced• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced• 4 cloves garlic, chopped• 1 pound lean ground beef• 8 ounces Italian sausage, casing removed• 1/4 cup chili powder• 1 tablespoon ground cumin• 1 tablespoon dried oregano• One 4-ounce can tomato paste• One 28-ounce can diced tomatoes• One 14-ounce can diced tomatoes• One 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed• One 15-ounce can kidney beans, drained and rinsed• One 15-ounce can pinto beans, drained and rinsed• Shredded cheddar cheese• Sour cream• Chopped green onions Directions: Add the olive oil to a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onions and peppers and sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté until just fragrant. Stir in the beef and sausage, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon, and cook until browned, about 6 minutes.

Drain the beef mixture through a colander. Add it back to the Dutch oven and stir in the chili powder, cumin and oregano. Cook for about 2 minutes. Stir the tomato paste into the beef mixture; this will "toast" it and give the chili more flavor. Bring to a simmer, and then add the diced tomatoes and beans. Simmer on medium-low for 2 hours, stirring on occasion to keep the bottom from sticking.

Top with shredded cheese, sour cream and chopped green onions before serving.Adapted from foodnetwork.com

By Adrianna Zampieri

Craving Chili?


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Friendly Savages, a folk band from Austin, have been making beautiful music together for two years. The group features Josh Coulter, John McDonald, Michael Summers, and Malcolm White. Their music is self-described as not only folk but also “stretching into rock, blues, and classical music.” Their debut album “O, Joshua!” was released in spring 2013 and hit No. 3 on the iTunes singer/songwriter charts.

Lead singer John McDonald’s voice is smooth and almost ethereal. It fits well with the Christian-themed, slow building, bluesy and folksy music Friendly Savages creates. Friendly Savages have built a pretty solid reputation for themselves across much of the Southeast. The Horn, an Austin radio station, has called them “one of the best groups working in Austin today.”

Taylor & The Wild Now, another folksy band from Austin, will be joining Friendly Savages in what’s shaping up to be a singer/songwriter, bluesy, folksy extravaganza of ethereal and smooth vocals. Taylor & The Wild Now members include Taylor Baker, originally a solo act, and Drew Walker, who Baker began collaborating with in 2013. Releasing their first extended play album in 2014, the band’s musical influences include Bahamas, Glass Animals, and Lord Huron. Their sound ranges from slow and acoustic to full and upbeat.

Duncan Fellows – which is, you guessed it, another genius bluesy and folksy musical group from Austin – will join the party that is shaping up to be pretty great, “folks” (pun intended).

The show is April 10 at 8pm. Doors open at 7pm.

Friendly Savages @ GSTBy Abigail Stricker

thescoop

WHAT: FRIENDLY SAVAGESWHERE: GRAND STAFFORD THEATERWHEN: APRIL 10 @ 7:00PM


Reckless Kelly, a Texas country band, is headlining at Chilifest this year on Friday, April 10. Originally out of Oregon, Willy and Cody Braun relocated to Austin to make a name for themselves in the Texas country music world. With a twist of alternative rock in their country style, Reckless Kelly has earned esteem and recently released its eighth studio album, “Long Night Moon.” Maroon Weekly got to sit down with lead singer Willy Braun for an interview.

MW: So you’re from Oregon. How did you get interested in the country music scene?

RK: At the time, everything was into the Grunge scene, and we were playing country rock, so no one was ready for happy music yet. We probably only played about 15-20 shows while we were living there. We kind of just wanted a new place to go. We heard that Austin had a lot of live music, and that’s why we moved down there. We had actually never been to Austin before, so we kind of just moved there on blind faith. It was a bold move, but as soon as we got there, we knew it was the place for us.

MW: If no one had heard your music before, how would you describe it? Who inspired that sound?

RK: We always call it a rock ’n’ roll band with a fiddle. We have a lot of country roots and a lot of rock ’n’ roll roots, and we have a pretty energetic live show. We definitely have a lot of diversity in our sound. We play a lot of country or rock ’n’ roll, depending on what we’re feeling. We grew up on Texas stuff, a lot of Steve Earle, Guy Clark, Billy Joe Shaver, and Grant Parsons, and of course the rock ’n’ roll stuff like the Beatles and the Stones, Bruce Springsteen, and Tom Petty – the classic stuff.

MW: What would you define as the pinnacle of your success as a band thus far?

RK: Oh jeez. It’s always been baby stuff for us. We’ve grown a little bit year by year. We won a Grammy a few years ago for our artwork, and we’ve gotten to

“We have a lot of country roots and a lot of rock ‘n’ roll roots, and we have a pretty energetic live show.”- WILLY BRAUN, LEAD SINGER

CONITNUED ON PG 17


record with a lot of our heroes and influences over the years. We’ve got to back up some of our heroes and play with them on stage. We finally own a bus, so we have a full-time crew. And just being able to make a living doing it is something we’ve always wanted to do. It just keeps getting better every year.

MW: Your younger brothers also have a country band – do you ever feel any sibling rivalry with them or are you mostly supportive of each other?

RK: There’s really not much rivalry at all. We’re really supportive of each other. We tour a lot together. I helped them produce their last album. Cody, my older brother, helped them produce their first three records. It’s always been really a supportive thing. We’re really close with each other, and we hang out a lot. Micky and I do a lot of writing together. I write with Jared sometimes. We’re really close, and we’re always trying to help each other out. It’s a family business.

MW: What drew you to Chilifest this year? What are you most excited about?

RK: Music festivals in Texas are always fun. We get to hang out with some of our buddies. Ray Wylie will be there. The Dirty River Boys will be there. They’re buddies of ours. It’s always fun to get to see your friends when you’re on the road. And we’re all big fans of chili too, so it should be a pretty good time.

CONITNUED FROM PG 16


TANGENT - BY ANNABETH REEBWith all the different ways to share photos on the Internet come a plethora of apps to edit those photos exactly the way you want them. Tangent takes typical filters one step further, allowing users to use geometric shapes and color edits to transform their photos into every hipster’s dream.

We were impressed by how much power the app gives users, truly letting creativity shine. You don’t just scroll through and simply select a filter. The app let’s you do essentially anything you want to with their shapes and backgrounds, such as adjusting the strength and color tint. Tangent is a great app for anyone wanting to add some extra spice to their Instagram or other social posts.

GOGOBOT - BY ABIGAIL STRICKERGogobot helps you take on cities and all that they have to offer in the most efficient and well-informed way possible. The new app is a self-described, “city guide for activities, restaurants, and hotels.” It gives personalized recommendations on places to go, things to see, and places to eat.

The app has a few different features: “Go Local” tells you what’s going on nearby, wherever you may be; “Go Adventure” gives you exciting and often outdoorsy picks; “Go Tribal” allows you to sort yourself into a category – such as “Luxury,” “Budget,” or “Foodies” – and then gives you personalized recommendations; “Go Together” allows you to connect with friends and plan your nights out together; and “Go Share” allows you to create postcards of your adventures and post them on social media.

Gogobot has been featured as “Best New App by Apple” and has been featured in many tech magazines.

STICK HERO - BY CONNIE SONGStick Hero looks like an easy game, but it’s not. The object is to make a stick that is long enough to help you go from one platform to another. But if you make your stick too long or too short, your character falls and dies. However, once you become a pro at this, you can attempt to collect extra points.

For instance, there are cherries you can collect for bonus points, and if you can place your stick right in the middle of the platform, on a red line that is marked, you’ll also get extra points. This is a stupid but weirdly addictive game. So if you’re good at judging distances, you’re going to rock this. If your judgment is a little challenged, good luck getting past level one.

pg 18 • MAROON WEEKLY • Dec. 10, 2014 • maroonweekly.com

BATTERY DOCTOR - BY RACHEL PICKERINGDoes your phone die when you least expect it? You deserve to know when your phone is about to RIP, and you can do so by downloading Battery Doctor. The app can extend your battery life up to 50% by monitoring and regulating your phone’s power consumption.

The app finds other apps and settings that drain power on your phone. It’ll provide you detailed battery information, and the info will allow you to make proper adjustments to your phone. In addition, the memory scan and junk clean up will help you save extra space by cleaning and deleting clutter. (Before deleting anything, you have the option of setting your preferences so only certain files/folders will be scanned for clean up.)

Battery Doctor also tells users how long your battery will last under a variety of situations. For example, if you are playing a game on your phone, it will let you know how much power the game is using. The app also keeps a log of how often you fully charge your phone and what features you can turn on/off to extend the battery life.

HANX WRITER - BY CONNIE SONGClickity, clack, clack. Fueled by his love for the typewriter, Tom Hanks (yes, Forrest Gump himself) developed Hanx Writer, an app that mimics old-school typing machines. Yes, there was a reason why the typewriter went away, but the cons of the machine were taken into consideration and modified for this app. For instance, you can now delete your typos and go back and edit your horrible grammar instead of having a document covered Xs. However, if you’re a fan of the Xs, there’s an option to have them, too. In addition, you can also export documents you’ve typed with the app. Hanx Writer can also be used in other apps if you’re solely using the app for the sounds (which is pretty nostalgic, but some people can’t write without them).

ZEN SHOPPING - BY DANIELLA DELGADOWant to make holiday shopping a breeze? With Zen Shopping, you can have your own personal shopping assistant straight on your phone. It has a variety of features to make your online shopping experience simple and expedient. Among these features are a price comparison calculator, where Zen automatically recognizes the product you’re looking for and searches other stores to find the most affordable option. Zen also automatically provides you with the best coupons for the store you are shopping at prior to checkout.

Zen notifies you of deals tailored to your shopping interests. The app also has a package tracking feature, so you can keep track of the delivery status of all your precious merchandise. Avoid the long lines and crazy crowds and do all of your shopping from the comfort of your own phone with Zen Shopping this holiday season.

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What began as a stand-alone film back in 2001 has exploded into a multibillion-dollar franchise over the years. With well-known actors such as Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Michelle Rodriquez, Tyrese Gibson, The Rock, and now Jason Statham in “Furious 7,” the audiences just can’t get enough and flock to the theaters year after year for every sequel produced.

In “Furious 7,” the team returns for one last job as Deckard Shaw seeks vengeance against the team for hurting his brother Owen, the villain from “Fast & Furious 6.” Dom returns with his alpha personality and signature gravelly voice.

Brian uses his martial arts skills to save the day. Letty battles her amnesia as she takes part in an epic fight while wearing an evening gown. Roman and Tej provide comic relief with hilarious dialogue and teasing comments. And Deckard Shaw is one formidable British villain out for blood.

The first few minutes are awkwardly sentimental, the script is cliché and the acting forced, but it picks up when the team starts to do what they do best: drive.

This film is bonkers. It’s louder and crazier than the ones before it. Cars jump out of airplanes. A drone chases the team through the streets of Los Angeles. Buildings explode left and right. And through it all, they defy every impossible odd and come out on top every single time.

At the end of the film is a touching tribute for the late Paul Walker: a brief compilation of scenes from previous films in this series as Vin Diesel’s voice-over speaks of brotherhood and goodbyes. Tissues will come in handy as Paul Walker gets the send-off he deserves.

“Furious 7” is rated PG-13 for prolonged frenetic sequences of violence, action and mayhem, suggestive content, and brief strong language.

Action (PG-13)

Furious 7 Netflix

Netflix continues its skill at producing original shows with this upbeat, goofy comedy. Created by Tina Fey, “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” will leave you giggling the whole way through each 20-minute episode.

Ellie Kemper, who you may remember as Erin from “The Office,” stars as cult survivor Kimmy Schmidt. Four women are kept in an underground bunker by a conman preacher who tells them the world has ended and the bunker is the only safe place left on earth. The show opens when the women are rescued and are showcased around the nation as “The Mole Women.”

While the other three return to their home state of Indiana, Kimmy remains at their last stop on the tour – New York City. After living underground for 15 years, Kimmy is clueless in the 2015 culture. She slowly figures things out, things such as what a selfie is and that Michael Jackson has died.

The laughs roll in as audiences watch Kimmy deal with the daily antics of living with homosexual Broadway hopeful Titus and being a nanny for a wealthy family. Kemper flawlessly pulls off the cute-and-clueless look, while constantly making statements that she is a strong woman. The “unbreakable” theme is evident and feels genuine as Kimmy encourages everyone around her to be a better version of themselves.

While occasionally corny, the show is hilarious, and definitely worth the watch.

Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt

By Adrianna Zampieri

By Linley McCord

maroonweekly.com • Jan. 21, 2015 • MAROON WEEKLY • pg 21

Across1 Soft serve alternative6 Be too late for10 “Briefly,” e.g., briefly13 Clear of vermin14 Foot or hand, e.g.15 Participate in a child’s game17 Physically fit Turkish leader?19 Welles role20 “Orange” drink21 Small floor covering23 Blender brand25 Bounces back26 Outranking29 20-Across, for one31 “Popeye” surname32 Pasta or Noodle follower on shelves33 Sports prodigy35 “___ Kapital”38 Italian dumplings40 1979 U.K. album certified 23 times platinum in the U.S.42 Accepts43 Bird who makes hourly appearances?45 Brainstorm result46 “Alice” diner owner48 Sloth, e.g.49 Put on ___ (be phony)50 Places to pop Jiffy Pop53 Wash phase55 Come under harsh criticism57 Former game show announcer Johnny60 “Havana” star Lena61 “That Amin guy who thought he was King of Scotland, right?”64 Cushion stickers65 The “kissing disease,” casually66 Dora’s cousin with his own cartoon67 “Long, long ___ ...”68 Frozen waffles brand

69 Be a benefactor

Down1 “Sunrise at Campobello” monogram2 Agree to another tour3 19th-century writer Sarah ___ Jewett4 He asked us to “Eat It”5 Futile6 Beer order7 Bad place for a cat to get stuck8 Exhaled response9 Long look10 Be inquisitive, in a way11 Nostalgic song about an Oklahoma city?12 Place for a concert16 They get tapped18 “Nothing but ___”22 “___ All Ye Faithful”24 Business school course26 Best Picture winner set in Iran27 Cartoon impact sound28 Yoko ablaze?30 Brando played him in “Julius Caesar”33 Dien Bien ___, Vietnam34 “Now it makes sense!”36 Jack on “30 Rock”37 Blinds component39 Staff sign for violists41 Spanish leather bag that looks like a canteen44 Alive partner47 “Be that as it may ...”49 Hint at, with “to”50 Word in an octagon51 “Rocky” star Shire52 Nickelodeon feature for many years54 Pigeon noise56 “My Life as ___” (1985 Swedish film)58 Having no width or depth59 NASA scratch62 ___-hoo (drink brand)63 “SMH,” verbally

2015 Jonesin’ Crosswords ([email protected])


Extended family

Answers

pg 16 • MAROON WEEKLY • Jan. 28, 2015 • maroonweekly.com


Top Ranked Baseball Putting on ClinicBy Brad CoxThe top-ranked Texas A&M baseball team got into the hip-hop remix business when it hosted Sam Houston State on March 31 at Blue Bell Park. At least, that’s how the Bearkats must have felt as the Aggies racked up hits on hits on hits in the 19-4 victory.

A&M had the tune stuck on repeat in the third inning when they knocked an NCAA record-tying 11 consecutive hits to open the inning, breaking up a 2-2 tie

Ronnie Gideon blasted two homers in the inning, tying an NCAA record, while Blake Allemand and Logan Nottebrok also had four-baggers as the Aggies finished with an NCAA-record 13 hits in the frame.

The Aggies are 30-2 after sweeping a doubleheader against Southeastern Conference opponent Kentucky last weekend. Ranked No. 1 in the USA Today Baseball Coaches Poll, the Aggies will try to keep the momentum going when they return home to host Mississippi State on April 10-12.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALLThe Aggie women might be done with the NCAA tournament, but that doesn’t mean junior guard Jordan Jones isn’t still pulling in postseason honors.

Jones, already named SEC Defensive Player of the Year, joined fellow junior guard Courtney Walker in being named to the Associated Press All-American honorable mention team on March 31.

She was also named one of six finalists for the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association Division I Defensive Player of the Year award on the same day.

The AP honors mark the first time since the Aggies’ 2010-2011 national championship season that they have had two players named All-Americans in the same season.

Jones missed A&M’s last four games, including a 69-60 loss to Arkansas-Little Rock in the first round of the NCAA Tournament, but still led the SEC and was ranked in the top 10 nationally in assists.

Walker averaged 14.3 points per game and moved into eighth on A&M’s career scoring list with 1,389 points.

EQUESTRIANThe fourth-ranked Aggies will try to return to their national championship-winning ways when they make the short trip to Waco on April 16-18 for the National Collegiate Equestrian Association Championships.

A&M was awarded the fourth seed and a first-round bye for the 12-team national tournament after finishing second and suffering their first loss while at home in the Hildebrand Equine Complex during the SEC Championships in late March. SEC champion Georgia earned the top seed for the NCEA Championships.

The national tournament will mark the fourth straight for the Aggies since they joined the NCEA for the 2011-12 season. A&M won western and combined national titles that year.

The Aggies will face the winner of No. 5 Auburn and No. 12 Tennessee-Martin in the second round.

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