By Roland Huget
©2019 Tribune Content Agency, LLC
09/30/19
Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle
Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Nichols Lewis
09/30/19
ANSWER TO PREVIOUS PUZZLE:
Release Date: Monday, September 30, 2019
ACROSS
1 Gull relatives
6 Spots to fast-
forward through
11 Cleopatra’s killer
14 Sharply inclined
15 Trip odometer
function
16 Chinese steamed
bun
17 *Realtor’s client
19 Category
20 Rural stopover
21 __ d’Alene,
Idaho
22 “Well, gosh!”
24 Social reformer
Jacob
26 *Surface for
slicing rye, say
28 Body ink
30 Eye part that
may become
detached
31 Golf’s Slammin’
Sammy
32 Karma
35 Vegas’ “one-
armed bandit”
36 *Vehicle’s rear
warning lamp
39 Head or tooth
pain
42 Pick out with
care
43 Aficionados
47 “Ye Olde”
retailer
49 Lose its fizz, as
soda
50 *Feline metaphor
for an empty
threat
54 Pâté de __ gras
55 Goodnight
woman of song
56 “The __ Wears
Prada”: 2006
film
58 “__ you
awake?”
59 Vied for office
60 Certain brain
tissue, or what
each half of the
answers to the
starred clues
can be
63 Pre-marital (just
barely) promise
64 Parisian love
65 Reagan attorney
general Ed
66 After taxes
67 Easy victories
68 Medicare Rx
section
DOWN
1 Tops with
slogans
2 Ian Fleming or
George Orwell,
schoolwise
3 Get the old gang
together
4 Old Nintendo
game console:
Abbr.
5 Job detail,
briefly
6 More accurate
7 Change of __:
trial request
8 Stars, in Latin
9 Lousy grade
10 Flasher at a
disco
11 1797-1801 first
lady Adams
12 City near Naples
13 Prodded
18 Stereotypical
boxcar hopper
23 1979 Donna
Summer hit
25 Local govt.
prison
27 Bit of wine
sediment
29 “Ghost” psychic
__ Mae Brown
32 Winter malady
33 “__ My Children”
34 Shop __ you
drop
37 Rapper/actor
whose name
sounds like a
summer drink
38 “Westworld”
network
39 Pill for pain
40 Pantomimed act
in a parlor game
41 “Sure wish that
doesn’t happen”
44 Pool noodle, e.g.
45 “... who is the __
one of all?”: Evil
Queen
46 Manned the helm
48 Like the Great
Depression,
timewise
49 Like the Reaper
51 Figure of speech
52 Hop out of bed
53 Activist Medgar
57 Tanning device
61 Medical ins. plan
62 Scone go-with
6A — Monday, September 30, 2019
Arts
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
The School of Music, Theatre & Dance presented the String Showcase
at Stamps Auditorium this Wednesday evening. Students were chosen
by their faculty to perform in the String Showcase; the performers
ranged from first year undergraduate music students to graduate
students to musicians who have already received their doctorates. That
said, I could not tell any difference in talent levels — I was pleasantly
surprised by how exceptional the entire show was. The performance
showcased a wide range of music. They chose a satisfying balance of
classical and contemporary compositions.
Although the music was seemingly flawless, the performers struggled
to maintain their emotional connection to the music. Sometimes,
especially during the first piece, performers would comment on
their work with their facial expressions, either smirking or stealing
suspicious glances at their fellow performers. It was disappointing to
see that their spirit was not fully committed to the music.
Exceptions to this critique include the Anthony Green piece and
Julius Conus’s Violin Concerto, as both of those pieces contained
passion that was missing in the others. In the Julius Conus piece,
the intensity given so generously by the violinist Kevin Sung was
refreshing. The Anthony Green piece performed by Jonah Lyon and
May Tang on violin, Maxwell Moore on viola and Gabrielle Hooper
on cello was reminiscent of a classic horror film score, except far more
dynamic and exciting. I most enjoyed the percussive and grounded
nature of the piece.
The finale performed by violist Stuart Carlson and pianist Mi-Eun
Kim was especially rewarding because it was to the tune of “Smile” by
Charlie Chaplin. The audience hummed along and chuckled to the tune.
Ending the show with “Smile” after experiencing all the complexity
of the pieces before seemed like a reward for attending. This is not
to say that Carlson’s or Kim’s performance was any less nuanced or
exceptional as the others. The performance of this song was just so
inspiring that my inner ballerina wanted to jump up on the stage and
dance.
The impulse to twitch along to the music happened a couple other
times during the show when the musicians were especially committed.
The audience couldn’t help but to be affected physically when the music
was especially compelling. Those were my favorite moments.
The String Showcase happens monthly, so if you missed this one,
there will be another next month. Plus, the event is free. It’s a great way
to support artists and learn more about the exceptional work they do
on North Campus.
SMTD’s String Showcase brought a
compelling dynamism for audience
NATALIE KASTNER
Daily Arts Writer
COMMUNITY CULTURE
ALBUM REVIEW
The answer is no. This isn’t a porn thing.
Granted, it could be said the good vibes and
jam-worthy beats of The New Pornographers
are their own hearty brand of music “porn.” The
band’s new album, In the Morse Code of Brake
Lights, is quirky, playful and fun. More than
that, the album is a breath of fresh air. Here,
The New Pornographers manage to find a way to
revitalize old themes, injecting their songs with a
refreshing sense of wonder and excitement.
“You’ll Need A New Backseat Driver” opens
the album with a song of roadtrips and journeys
— an ode to the forgotten, scoffed-at backseat
driver. Singing “If you’re gonna travel and never
arrive there / You’ll need a backseat driver,” the
backseat driver, while a nuisance, is an essential
part of any adventure. “Falling Down The Stairs
Of Your Smile” follows this quirky spirit, joking
about how love is messy and unexpected — like
falling down the stairs. “Too many soapboxes,
not enough violins / Too many shipwrecks, not
enough sirens,” this playful spirit extends to
embracing the unconventional and original,
discarding the boring to take the gamble.
Autumn, for indie bands, is the golden season
for heavy, introspective songs and soul-searching
compositions. There often seems to be an implicit
agreement that summertime is for “fun” music,
leaving fall with all the subdued ballads and
slow tunes. The New Pornographers retaliate
against this norm. Whether intentional or not,
In the Morse Code of Brake Lights holds on tightly
to their trademark high-spirited, merry music-
making.
Don’t
confuse
this
light-heartedness
with a lack of substance, however. The New
Pornographers don’t sacrifice any symbolism and
thematic interpretation in order to keep their
light edge. “Higher Beams” in particular touches
upon the realm of struggle: “Deep in the culture
of fear, we all hate living here / But you know
when you can’t afford to leave?” Commentary
on the current social climate, perhaps, where
16-year-old girls must scold a disunited congress
and a modern day “Red Scare” in the chilling
form of anti-immigration sentiment became the
monsters under the bed.
“You Won’t Need Those Where You’re Going”
is the most notable exception — but not the rule
— of the album. Singing with a touch of somber
lament, “We’re raw footage, still unedited / It’s
awkward, rough and repetitive / But it could win
awards when and if it’s shown,” love is messy, and
difficult, and painful. In this brief, two-minute
interlude, The New Pornographers embrace loss,
honest and open in their performance and writing
— but rather than bringing the mood of the album
down, the track makes the rest of the album’s
boisterous spirit more tangible in comparison.
But music doesn’t have to be sad to be serious.
Then again, it might be even more amusing if The
New Pornographers were a mopey ballad type
of band — their name alone would reach a new
level of irony. In the Morse Code of Brake Lights
is perfect to combat oncoming winter blues
— they bring the sunshine to fall’s crisp, cool
weather. For those who like Scandinavian pop
and indie bands, like Of Monsters and Men, and
off-beat indie bands, like Passion Pit, The New
Pornographers are a good addition to any fall
playlist.
The New Pornographers
find sunshine this season
MADELEINE VIRGINIA GANNON
Daily Arts Writer
In The Morse Code of Brake Lights
The New Pornographers
Concord Records
CONCORD RECORDS
At times, it can feel as though there are as
many courtroom dramas as there are courts.
Each series goes to trial, making its case for what
sets it apart from the hundreds of other legal
dramas. “All Rise,” CBS’s newest effort, attempts
to establish itself amongst the likes of shows
from Shonda Rhimes or Aaron Sorkin. However,
its endeavor in imitation misses Rhimes’ knack
for storytelling and Sorkin’s wit and character.
“All Rise” follows new judge Lola Carmichael
(Simone Missick, “Luke Cage”), and the various
prosecutors,
public
defenders
and
court
employees that surround her as their lives weave
in and out of the injustices of a Los Angeles
courthouse. Much of the episode follows the case
of public defender Emily Lopez (Jessica Camacho,
“The Flash”), which involves a young woman who
may be wrongly arrested for burglary. However,
when she first arrives to the courtroom, she’s
pants-less due to the incompetence of the county
jail. After a mildly racist breakdown by a bailiff,
who then attempts to shoot the judge, the case
comes before Carmichael, who intends to right
the wrongs of a fatigued justice system.
To the show’s credit, its premise is established
swiftly and effectively. Within the first five
minutes, the basic themes are introduced. We
find out that Los Angeles is riddled with crime,
but Carmichael pities most criminals for their
environment. There’s also the snappy, wise-
cracking prosecutor, Mark Callan (Wilson
Bethel, “Heart of Dixie”), whom Carmichael has
history with as a lawyer and friend. Then, within
the course of the thirty seconds it takes to walk
through the metal detector and to the elevator,
Callan rapidly details all of Carmichael’s likes
and dislikes.
While the plot may move with equal
parts speed and deftness, it fails to connect.
Each character on “All Rise” is thoroughly
conventional. We have the relaxed, wise judge,
the quippy prosecutor, a sensitive public defender
and even a charming bailiff trying to rise above
his station. The show does deserve credit for its
relatively diverse cast, attempting to accurately
reflect Los Angeles’ colorful makeup. However,
having a diverse cast is not a sufficient substitute
for a lacking engaging characters.
It feels as though the show also neglects to
actively engage its characters. For example, Luke
(J. Alex Brinson, “Travelers”) the court officer
shoots the insane, racist bailiff who shot at the
judge from the above scene. This might make for
a rich study in the toll the unfortunate aspects of
law enforcement might have on a person. Instead,
it’s used as a way to connect characters and move
the plot, before being quickly forgotten. It’s as if
the show attempts to efficiently cram plot points
into the pilot, while the characters just become
scenery, flatly rotating around the narrative.
While “All Rise” promises a focus on social
justice — trying to fix the problems of an unjust
court from within — it’s hard to say that it has
made good on that promise. The focus of the
pilot seemed to be the personal lives of these
people, which so far is not very interesting. The
moments in which justice is shown to be skewed
are few, and they seem to be more dramatic than
anything.
The pilot for “All Rise” is unimpressive, but
that doesn’t mean the show is bad — at least
not yet. There are roots here for a very smart
and provoking show that tackles the delicate
and frightening balance of our justice system.
What’s more, it has the opportunity to explore
and question the position of minorities on either
side of the Judge’s bench. Yet, I’m scared the
show will err too much to the side of melodrama,
neglecting character study for an overstuffed
plot. If “All Rise” can pull off being the show it
seems to want to be, it’ll be amazing. But for now,
it has a long way to go.
‘All Rise’ falls back down
MAXWELL SCHWARZ
Daily Arts Writer
CBS
TV REVIEW
All Rise
CBS
Sundays @ 9 p.m.
Series Premiere
I could not tell any difference
in talent levels — I was
pleasantly surprised by how
exceptional the entire show
was