Sex Advice with Wally Bergmann

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July 18, 2016

“My partner and I were discharged from the hospital after discovering an inconvenient allergy to candle wax. On one hand, lighting them closes up our throats in two seconds flat and leaves us both at risk of asphyxiation. On the other, we’re too vanilla to try other kinks. How can we keep it spicy while staying safe?

I don’t wanna die,

Shay.”

Hey Shay,

Why not renovate one of your rooms into a sex dungeon? Since you two apparently don’t want to try toys, you can fill it with EpiPens instead. Double penetration is super hot.

Wishing you a speedy recovery,

Wally Bergmann

“I’m not outgoing enough to meet new people, so I limit my dating pool to my friends’ exes. I’ve been running into a problem; they keep saying the wrong name when we get dirty! Is there a quick fix?

Feeling inferior,

Alex.”

Hey Alex,

Luckily, your creatively-stunted parents handed you one of the century’s most common (read: basic bitch) names. Narrow your criteria from “friends’ exes” to “Alex’s exes”. You’ll still have a wide selection, but this way, you’ll never be certain that they’re fantasizing about somebody else.

Keep it real,

Wally Bergmann

“I’m a private person with many miniscule idiosyncrasies. It’s only natural that the one person who gets me is my split personality. We’ve tried every tactic imaginable to get intimate: hyper-realistic toys, mirror play, hot diary entries… Sadly, nothing’s successfully scratched our itches. Tips?

Internally conflicted,

Harley.”

Dear Harley (and your paramour),

Everybody has seven or eight lookalikes wandering the planet, right? Hire one! You say you can write; adapt those diary entries into a script for sensual roleplaying. Your doppelgänger can switch parts whenever you switch control of the toolset. With an agent’s aid, you might publish the next Fifty Shades of Grey!

Wishing you two the best,

Wally Bergmann

“My troubles originated with crash diet #4. I chose Catkins to avoid sacrificing tuna. Then the hallucinations began… Things came to a head when I envisioned my partner’s bone as a taquito. He can’t watch Teeth anymore, and I’ve gone vegan. How do I fix things?

Starved for affection,

Reggie.”

Hello Reggie,

Add extra steps to your daily routine to burn the excess calories.
Give him the space he needs.
Meanwhile, ensure he’s constantly aware that you’re available if he needs support. Consider delivering occasional gift baskets of sausages (a reminder that there are other schlongs in the sea), or biting more acceptable body parts (softly!) to demonstrate that he’s still hot and sexy.

Here’s hoping your meat trauma fades,

Wally Bergmann

…and that’s a wrap! Don’t forget to submit your worries to [email protected] for our next release if you want to know how best to navigate your libidinous young-adult sitcom-lives!

NEW MUSIC FRIDAY

By

Peak Web

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July 15, 2016

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By: Courtney Miller and Jessica Pickering

Follow The Peak on Spotify to stay up to date on New Music Friday.

“Go Off” – M.I.A.

Courtney Miller: Intro is too cacophonous and disconnected, and vocals are too autotuned. It’s dynamic enough to be interesting, but it’s overall not pleasing enough to sustain that interest.

Jessica Pickering: It’s not my favourite M.I.A. song but it’s OK. The backing track is really good but super distracting. I think I was able to focus on the lyrics a grand total of three times during this song. It did put me in the mood to listen to “Bad Girls,” though.

“Live in the Dark” – Jeff Beck

CM: I really like the classic rock feel to this. The stellar guitar licks throughout really bring the song up a couple notches. The vocals worked really well with the melody and atmosphere.

JP: I don’t know why, but there was a part of me that thought this might be Beck. Like, Beck Beck. I don’t know if I’m disappointed or relieved that it’s not. Anyways, I don’t care for this song. The guy is a famous guitar player so the song heavily revolves around that instrument. Honestly, it’s a bit overkill.

“Mean What I Mean” – AlunaGeorge feat. Leikeli47, Dreezy

CM: It’s fun, catchy, and not overly manufactured. That being said, it doesn’t stand out. This is one of those songs they play near the end of the party because by then no one cares if the songs are all winners or not.

JP: I like this song but I don’t like this song, you know? There are parts that hit and then there are parts that really miss. It’s fun but I wouldn’t voluntarily listen to it again.

“Cruel” – Snakehips feat. Zayn

CM: I really like the track, actually. There’s always something happening and there’s a sophistication as the song progresses. Zayn’s vocals are reliable, but aside from the chorus and bridge, they don’t elevate the song at all.

JP: I know Zayn’s doing his own thing but he’s always just going to be one of the guys from One Direction to me. I can’t take any of his solo stuff seriously because I just picture his cartoon face in The Adventurous Adventures of One Direction. If you haven’t seen the video I’m talking about, a YouTuber makes fun of One Direction in cartoon-form for an extended period of time.

“She Sets the City on Fire” – Gavin DeGraw

CM: I love Gavin DeGraw. Nothing will ever come close to “Cop Stop” for me, but this was pretty good. The intro threw me off a bit because it does not sound like what I think of when I think of DeGraw, but after that it worked really well. Catchy, rhythmic, and well-executed.

JP: Can we go back in time and make sure Gavin DeGraw stops making music? It’s like he never realized he was a one-hit wonder. He keeps making music and it’s all so subpar. Just stop dude, please.

“Behind Your Back” – Nelly Furtado

CM: This is pretty mellow. Too mellow for me and a bit too repetitive throughout. The bridge sounded promising at the start, but then it followed the same fate as the rest of the song. It’s one of those songs that you think TD Canada Trust will turn into ‘hold’ music.

JP: Holy shit, Nelly Furtado is still making music? Her and Gavin DeGraw in the same playlist? What year is it, 2008? I was never a huge Nelly Furtado fan and this song seems to just maintain the status quo for her. At least Furtado fans will enjoy it. Meanwhile, I’ll be trying my hardest to never hear her voice again.

“Semaphore” – Flock of Dimes

CM: It sounds like this is a misplaced tune from the ‘80s. Are the ‘80s coming back musically? I’m not down for that. The vocals work well with the music, and it’s not unenjoyable, it’s just not my style.

JP: I think this is the best song on the playlist so far. To me, it has a low-key Florence + the Machine feel, especially in the vocals. I have no idea what a semaphore is but I don’t think that really matters. Update: it’s either about flag signalling or computer programming. In both cases, gross.

“Vi Ses” – Lord Siva

CM: The vocals are too strained for most of the song and it doesn’t make an impact. It’s designed as background music, I hope, because that’s all I can see it being.

JP: This is a different language, right? I really hope so. I’m just very confused. I tried to google this guy to understand what this song is and I just kept getting results for the Hindu God Lord Shiva. Eventually, I found the guys on Facebook and had a really good laugh at the Danish to English translation. Point is, the song’s not great.

“Rush” – Skogsberg feat. Akdogan

CM: I could see this being a hit in a club. For regular listening, I don’t think it really works. It just has that club-directed dance vibe and rhythm that I don’t want to listen to away from that environment.

JP: No. Just no. This is shitty and I don’t want to listen to it. I’m not sure what it is, I just don’t like it.

“Let it Show” – Skylar Stecker

CM: Yeah, I can get down with this. It’s pop, but in all the right ways. Great vocals with spot-on falsetto, catchy melodies, and fun to move to in a desk chair.

JP: Oh man, what a refreshing addition to a genre where all the songs sound the same. (Is the sarcasm translating well?) Seriously though, you could play this song five times in a row and I’d just think I was listening to Virgin Radio. Also, I just realized this song is called “Let it Show” not “Let it Snow,” which makes much more sense but is nowhere near as exciting.

“Superlove” – Tinashe

CM: Her quick spoken-word is impressive and she can sing well. I dunno, it just doesn’t do it for me. It’s not a bad listen, but I’m expecting more from someone who seems to have a lot of talent. The male vocal interjections throughout detracted from the overall pleasure of the song. I think it needs a bit more maturation.

JP: “I’m trying to make you my baby daddy” is not a song lyric I ever want to hear again. If I didn’t have to listen to the words, I’d probably enjoy this song.

“Make Me. . .” – Britney Spears feat. G-Eazy

CM: Britney’s calling for “something sensational” but fails to deliver. Her experience shines through in this song, it’s extremely well-crafted. It has everything a chart would look for in a pop song these days. But I find the formula old, and Britney should be better than that.

JP: You have no idea how hard it is to not make an “Oops! . . . I Did it Again” joke right now. While you can tell it’s Britney the second you hear the vocals, everything else about this song makes it impossible to tell it apart from similar music. I played “Fly” by Nicki Minaj over it the second time I listened to it and not only does the music sound ridiculously similar but it would also be a pretty good mash-up. Fun fact: most mash-ups are good when they involve Nicki Minaj.

CENTRE STAGE: Rising star Jennifer Gillis says playing Maria in West Side Story is a dream come true

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EIC

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July 13, 2016

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web West Side Story - TUTS - Courtesy of Tim Matheson — Unrequited love under the stars.

Jennifer Gillis is full of gratitude these days. A rising musical theatre star who was featured on the 2012 CBC reality show Over the Rainbow at only 16, she’s now in her third year at Capilano University’s musical theatre program. This summer she’s putting her hard work into practice as Maria in West Side Story at Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS).

“It’s an absolute honour to be playing Maria,” said Gillis, “it’s such a classic musical, and so many people dream of playing this role. It’s been great to dive into the character.”

Gillis is particularly enjoying this role because she finds a lot of similarities between herself and Maria. “A lot of people think she is naïve, but Maria is strong and passionate and willing to stand up for herself. She has a big heart and her love for Tony is full-fledged.”

Based on the classic unrequited love story of Romeo and Juliet, West Side Story features the feuding New York street gangs the Jets and Sharks instead of the Montagues and Capulets. The themes of love and violence are timeless, and Gillis hopes that the show can open our eyes to some of the discrimination still present in society. “I know it sounds cliché, but I think West Side Story has the power to change the world,” she said. “I hope it inspires the audience to spread love, positivity, and acceptance.”

Gillis said her favourite song from the show is “Somewhere,” which she describes as a tearjerker. “It encompasses what the whole story is about,” she said, referencing the line “Somewhere there’s a place for us,” and the way it promotes belonging and inclusivity.

“A Boy Like That” is also one of her favourites where Maria and Anita learn about each other and what they might have in common.

“There’s a deep message in West Side Story,” said Gillis, “and I’m blessed to be able to share it.” With TUTS’s long, storied history as a cultural institution in Vancouver, Gillis is thrilled and grateful to be performing at the Malkin Bowl. “Seeing all the previous cast member signatures on the wall; it’s a real honour to be part of the season.”

CENTRE STAGE: Dancing on the Edge returns with a packed line-up of contemporary dance

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EIC

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July 13, 2016

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Frédérick Gravel and Étienne Lepage THUS SPOKE_Stéphane Najman_avec Anne Thériault — *Thus Spoke* pushes the boundaries of dance.

As the longest running contemporary dance festival in Canada, Dancing on the Edge knows how to present a variety of local, national, and international dance artists with something for all tastes. From outdoor works, to mixed bills and premieres, July 7–16 will be an exciting time for the dance community.

While there are always new works at Dancing on the Edge, some artists are festival regulars who return with new performances each year. Jennifer Mascall’s company MascallDance, who are performing The Outliner: an evening of solos in EDGE OFF One, have been a part of the festival almost every year since it began in 1988.

Donna Spencer, the festival producer, is thrilled to be presenting the 28th year of Dancing on the Edge. There are many shows that she is excited about, but one highlight is Frédérick Gravel and Étienne Lepage from Quebec. “They’re pushing the boundaries of dance and trying to challenge the form,” she said, explaining that the full-length show, Thus Spoke, involves the use of a lot of text.

Another notable work Spencer mentioned is Isaac y Diola by German Jauregui and Anita Diaz. In the mixed bill EDGE One they will be presenting an excerpt of the work. Other prominent choreographers featured in the festival include Joshua Beamish, Sylvie Desrosiers (Dorsale Dance), Serge Bennathan, and Wen Wei Wang.

Dancing on the Edge (DOTE) began commissioning new works for the festival three years ago, and this year they have commissioned works from Amber Funk Barton and Wen Wei Wang that will be shown as part of the mixed bill programs. Spencer explained that the festival wanted to support artists in the creation of new work, as it can be very difficult to find the resources to do so. The hope is that after the festival the artist can continue to develop the work and it will grow into something larger.

“A lot of the work does end up having a life after the festival,” said Spencer. A couple of the artists showed their works at the Canada Dance Festival in Ottawa before making their way west to DOTE. Some of the artists will be taking their shows across the water for Victoria’s Romp Festival and Nanaimo’s Infringing Dance Festival.

The festival also includes a couple of exciting site-specific outdoor works, which are free or by donation. The stunning acrobatics of the Aeriosa Dance Society will be on display in their work Pseudotsuga – Earth to Sky that will be performed high up in a grove of trees in Stanley Park. On July 15 and 16 in the SFU Woodward’s inner courtyard you will be able to see Naomi Brand’s All Bodies Dance Project perform En Route. Be sure to catch one of these free shows, or check out one of the many shows the festival has to offer. No matter your contemporary dance taste, there is something for everyone.

Pokémon Go has ruined my sex life

By

EIC

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July 12, 2016

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He leaned in for a kiss. I did the same. We embraced, and it was great — there’s something about geeky guys that really gets my blood pumping. Our hands began to roam when suddenly his pants vibrated. I grinned and pulled back, about to make a lewd comment about a toy. He, however, pulled out his phone with excitement. “There’s one here!” He dismissed the notification and opened an app on his phone and began to scan the room. “One what?” I asked

I embraced him from behind, kissing his neck, trying to get the mood back, and looked down at his screen. He was playing Pokémon Go and was about to catch a Zubat that seemed to have been roosting in my closet. I’m all for bringing games into the bedroom, but this is a bit silly. Honestly, Pokémon Go has really puffed my jigglies.

I know this is another question of technology seeping into real life, and this isn’t an article about how tech is bringing about the downfall of civilization. This is more a commentary on how there are other balls I could be playing with, but the trainer is too distracted.

I’m not a luddite, I love my tech — in fact, I have had to avoid Pokémon Go because I don’t want my life’s goal to be finding a Squirtle (my love life is already like that, anyway). Nor do I think that no one should play this game. It’s just a matter of timing. If I bring you to my hideout to show you my Helping Hand, the last thing I want is for you to be distracted.

I get that you gotta catch ‘em all. I get that it is fun. I get that you want to keep playing. All I am saying is if you put the phone down, you can catch my Slowpoke.

The Peak is hiring for the fall semester!

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EIC

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July 11, 2016

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This what dreams are made of: The Peak is hiring for the fall semester. Applicants should send in a resume as well as a brief cover letter. Sample work relevant to the position(s) applied for is highly encouraged.

The Peak‘s hiring board is looking for the best and brightest SFU students to help report on stories that are of interest to the student body. If you are passionate about campus politics, student advocacy, arts and culture, local and regional sports, satire, leadership and management, photography, graphic design, and / or free pizza, this is the job for you.

Working for The Peak is an excellent way to gain hands-on experience in the field of journalism as well as skills in communications, public relations, illustration and design, critical thinking, leadership, photography, and more. You will meet like minds who work hard and play hard in a high-energy environment.

Applicants must be registered SFU students for the duration of the semester for which they are applying. Previous experience with our newspaper is preferred, but not required. Please address your applications to The Peak hiring board at [email protected], or drop them off at our offices in MBC 2900. Any questions about the process can also be sent to this address.

Applications close on Friday, July 29 at 11:59 p.m. Job descriptions for available positions can be found below:

Production and Design Editor

Copy Editor

Print News Editor

Web News Editor

Opinions Editor

Features Editor

Arts Editor

Sports Editor

Humour Editor

Photo Editor

Multimedia Editor

Website Manager

Layout Assistants (2)

Multimedia Assistant

Burlesque performers Shine in sensual show

By

EIC

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July 11, 2016

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WEB Shine — Saving a theatre has never looked so sexy.

She’s loud, foul-mouthed, and is the owner of a theatre whose crazy cast of burlesque dancers she calls family. But that description doesn’t do justice to Shine Mionne, the titular character of a burlesque musical that, while explicit, actually has a whole lot of heart.

The play is set in a rundown burlesque hall called ‘The Aristocrat’ on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, a year or two after the 2008 market crash. In a desperate attempt to keep her place running, Shine (Cass King) takes out a loan from the bank that she is finding increasingly difficult to pay off, and is continually threatened with the inevitable gentrification of her theatre. When a smooth-talking businessman named Richard Suit (Theo Budd) offers to help her restore the place and run the show, Shine is forced to choose between saving the show from financial ruin or continuing to run it the way she always has.

The musical had a shaky start, as it was plagued with technical issues (which continued throughout the night), and a band whose accompaniment sometimes overpowered the performers onstage. As a result, its opening number, “This is How We Do It Downtown” was confusing and overwhelming at best. However, the plot quickly picked up pace and one couldn’t help but be charmed by the characters and the story. There was also a whole lot of nudity (with colourful tassels artfully placed in the right places) to keep us entertained in between.

“Shine is a story that acknowledges the existence of sex,” the show’s composer John Woods told The Peak. “It’s not gratuitous, it’s funny, hilarious, and speaks to sex.” There is no better description of the musical, as most of the characters aren’t shy about expressing their sexuality. The most hilarious number, “Blind,” performed by Frankie Avid and Allison Fligg, directly speaks to the power of horniness as they both proclaim that they want to “fuck [each other] blind.”

A standout character was the gorgeously voluptuous Lulu (Danielle Lemon), the star of Shine’s show, who turns people on with her incredible voice and sexy confidence. Lemon’s solo number, “Large and In Charge,” brought her powerful vocals and seductive prowess together in the best way possible.

As for Shine, Woods described her by saying, “She is a character that you don’t really see in any sorts of media; she’s a woman who misbehaves, but is still a hero. Shine is hard-drinking, loud-mouthed, and still gets to save the day.”

King gave an amazing performance, showcasing crass humour mixed in with intense vulnerability, proving that a character can be sexy and relatably human.

In essence, Shine stands out by being sexy yet down to earth, the perfect blend of fun romp and sentimentality. Go see it if you want a good laugh and opportunities to say a couple of “awwws.”

Shine will be playing at the WISE Hall in Vancouver from July 6–16.

Tech takes the distance out of ‘long distance’ relationships

By

EIC

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July 11, 2016

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RENDITION_CMYK — SIAT prof Carman Neustaedter found his inspiration for the tech out of a desire to connect with his mother in another city.

An SFU professor’s research will soon let you enjoy a bike ride with loved ones — even on opposite sides of the world.

Carman Neustaedter, an associate professor in the School of Interactive Arts and Technology, is reimagining the way we stay in touch. His research is being conducted through SFU’s Connections Lab (cLab), a research group focused on human-computer technology of which he is the director.

Beyond Skype and FaceTime, Neustaedter wants to enable people to share activities over long distances. This could include going on a hike, playing sports, or visiting a museum — all with the help of a sophisticated mobile video communication system.

Neustaedter’s study, Be With Me: An Immersive Experience for Long Distance Couples takes long distance dating to a new level, allowing for partners to “[share] their daily activities, experiences, and an understanding of each other’s physical space.” While the published study is focused more on romantic partnerships, Neustaedter says the technology is also applicable to families and friends hoping to connect over greater distances.

As a part of the study, two people went on bike rides in different areas. Users were equipped with gear to wear on their head that combined a smartphone decked out with a 360 degree camera and Google Cardboard so that each cyclist could see each other’s surroundings and expressions. They could switch between viewing their own surroundings and their partner’s.

When one cyclist stopped to admire the view, the other could see the same thing, as well as the smile on their friend’s face.

Neustaedter calls this a “parallel experience,” where both individuals are doing the same activity at the same time, but in different places. The same technology can be used to create a what he terms a “mixed experience,” where one individual communicates from home while the other does an activity.

This unique approach creates real time, two-way, interactive communication, combining the benefits of existing technologies like Skype and GoPro.

Neustaedter hopes his work will bring friends and family together in ways that overcome distance or mobility. “That’s what we’re really trying to do — to enable people to do things with their loved ones regardless of where they live in the world,” he said.

He predicts social and accessibility benefits for people like distant family members, long-distance partners, and international students.

Neustaedter is one of over 50 SFU faculty members funded through the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council’s Discovery grants. The grants contribute $11 million for SFU research.

There’s still a lot of work to do before this technology becomes accessible to the public. In addition to cost and infrastructure, Neustaedter acknowledged both safety and privacy concerns that have stopped technologies like Google Glass from being widely used.

“You need to design it so that it takes away people’s anxieties and concerns about the social consequences about technology,” Neustaedter said.

Neustaedter’s work promises to bring people together in new and interactive ways, with the technology to make distance disappear.

Men’s advocacy group holds event to address male suicide

By

EIC

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July 11, 2016

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MENSCLUB_RBG — The event was held in Harbour Centre earlier this month.

The SFU Advocacy for Men and Boys (SFUAMB) club decided to speak up about the ‘quiet crisis’ known as the gender discrepancy among those who commit suicide.

In an event held at Harbour Centre on July 3 entitled “The Suicide Sex,” the club brought in speaker Dr. Rob Whitley, the principal investigator of the Social Psychiatry Research and Interest Group at the Douglas Institute’s Research Centre and an assistant professor at the Department of Psychiatry at McGill.

According to the most recent Statistics Canada data from 2012, there are approximately 4,000 suicides a year in Canada, and approximately 75 per cent of those are committed by men.

Whitley began his presentation by tossing out a few of the platitudes surrounding the stigmas of male suicide — “men are stubborn; men are self-defeating; men don’t talk about their feelings” — before promptly dismissing them.

“If you came here to listen to me say that men have to be more like women, that’s not what I’m saying,” said Whitley.

He focused the majority of his talk on the causes for male suicide, including major life transitions that men can go through and how they may feel as though they have lost their purpose. He identified divorce, unemployment, retirement, and bereavement as some of these aforementioned life transitions.

Another major cause Whitley addressed is the socio-economic pressure men often face, acknowledging that status and material possessions put a lot of pressure on men.

“I would say that status is an issue in suicide for many men, and that we live in a society where status is defined unidimensionally,” he said. “Sadly, [this is] usually related to material things, cars, watches, clothes, job — and maybe I’m romanticizing things, but in times past, status was also derived from community involvement and just being a decent, upstanding person.”

He expressed that a lot of the newer jobs of today don’t have the same meaningful impact as those in the past, and touched on how this could affect men’s perceptions of the work that they do.

“Being a working man — a miner or a fisherman — was a very honourable trade. It was an important job. Mining gave you energy for the country, fishing gave you food for the country. We’ve decoupled the profession from the social importance. With respect to these people, we’ve got thousands of people working in marketing and public relations,;what do these jobs actually contribute towards society?”

Towards the end of his talk, Whitley discussed potential ways of addressing the suicide epidemic. He said that Canada needs an anti-suicide national strategy, which would help on the macro level for the country. On a more individual level, he stressed that there needs to be more availability in mental health resources for men, as well as more representation for men among health care professionals trained to deal with such issues.

He pointed to programs like Men’s Sheds as a newer kind of resource that could be more beneficial for men. Men’s Sheds started in Australia, and is a place where men can get together and do activities like woodworking projects, bike repairs, and other social events organized specifically for men. Whitley added that some men may prefer that to counseling, as they might feel it helps them more to do than to talk.

He did stress that different people respond to different treatment, and the goal is just to have more resources for all men to allow them to choose the mental health care they receive.

Ultimately, Whitley suggested that though alternative resources should be made available, men dealing with suicidal thoughts should not hesitate to seek help from all available resources.

If you or someone you know is considering suicide, there are resources available to you.

SFU Health and Counselling Emergency Services

Burnaby: 778-321-4615

Surrey: 778-782-8022

Vancouver: 778-782-5200

BC and Canada-wide

Anywhere in BC: 1-800-SUICIDE

(1-800-784-2433)

Mental health support BC-wide: 310-6789

Vancouver: 604-872-3311

Howe Sound and Sunshine Coast: 1-866-661-3311

TTY for the hearing- and speech-impaired:

1-866-872-0113

Online chat for youth:

www.YouthInBC.com

Online chat for adults:

www.CrisisCentreChat.ca

Youth Space text chat for those under 30: 778-783-0177

Emergency line: 911

Album Reveiws

By

Peak Web

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July 11, 2016

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By: Courtney Miller and Nathan Ross

Nick Jonas – Last Year Was Complicated

It’s hard to believe that Last Year Was Complicated is Nick Jonas’ third solo album — I feel like I don’t hear much about the guy aside from “Jealous.” I don’t find a lot of originality in this album. It sounds like something from last year’s top 40. Not so complicated, Jonas.

“Champagne Problems” and “Don’t Make Me Choose” sound like they could be the Weeknd, with some slight octave shifting, and “Touch” is a Bruno Mars knock-off. Jonas does do some experimenting, like on “Voodoo” which is groovy and exotic. “Under You” might be my favourite off the record, but maybe that’s because of the Taylor Swift I can hear. “Unhinged” is a solid ballad, but it’s hard to tell with all that synthesizer.

It’s not a bad album. But it’s also nothing we haven’t heard before. – CM

Dierks Bentley – Black

Black is Dierks Bentley’s follow-up to the wildly successful and overall enjoyable Riser. Black is good, though not quite on the same level as its predecessor. However, it is a lot more cohesive on the whole. No track stands out, either in a good or a bad way. It’s a concept album that embodies the rollercoaster of what a relationship is. Overall, the songwriting is solid.

The lead single off the album, “Somewhere on a Beach” is not the best lyrically: “I’m getting sun, I’m getting some, and I ain’t slept in a week.” It’s almost tragically catchy.

The whole album has a feel of emotion, without seeming too personal. “Black” opens the album with a little sexiness, but the duet with Maren Morris, “I’ll Be the Moon” has pristine harmonies and deals with the dreaded love triangle. Meanwhile, “Different for Girls” goes through a heartbreak from the perspectives of both a guy and a girl. – CM

Hannah Georgas – For Evelyn

There’s a moment near the end of “Rideback” — the opener on Hannah Georgas’ new album, For Evelyn — where the soft saxophone line becomes a blaring moment of noise, which sounds great in context but is also incredibly unsettling. After singing “What if the best times are all up? / What if it’s just the ride back now?” it makes sense.

This album is about pushing forward amidst uncertainty and anxiety, and doing your best to find beauty and meaning in it. However, this album is Georgas saying that despite the best intentions, the unknown can still take over sometimes.

This theme is conveyed beautifully over Georgas’ matured synth-pop sound she’s developed since 2008. Standouts include the heartbreaking “Don’t Go” and the self-doubting “Waste.” The emotional impact is as poignant as how Georgas decides to personify it through her music, and this album perfectly takes up the space that otherwise can hang in the unwanted moments. – NR