Broad Spectrum

Alternative Rock band Cage the Elephant released their album “Tell Me I’m Pretty” Friday December 18th and I haven’t been able to stop listening to it. This album took caught me off guard at first. This entire album strums on the heartstrings, making it the perfect album to drive to at night on an empty road to help clear the cluttered mind and heart. Lead singer Matt Schultz successfully achieved the band’s goal of creating an album unlike any of their others. One where he delved into past memories ad childhood hardships to create songs with a background story that makes this album extraordinary. Vocalist Matt Shultz told Alternative Nation, "...the songs have so much diversity in them that I don’t feel like any song is representative of the entire album, kind of like each sound has its own personality." Go out, get this album, turn it on, and tune out the rest of the world.

-Stephanie Pope

When I was browsing Nylon Magazine's website one day back in 2010, I discovered they had a free download of their playlists. "Something Else" by the Diamond Rings was one of my favorite songs from the download, and I still listen to it today. It's just one of those songs that you put on when you're doing homework or cleaning your room or driving down the road in your red convertible with your two best girlfriends (cause that totally happens all the time. lol classic!) 

-Olivia Hendrick 

I lay in my bed thinking about how my life has come to this. What decisions have I made that make me feel this empty feeling of worthlessness? The lights from my flickering candles illuminate the dark room. The sun is beginning to set. I play some calming music and rap myself up in a comforting blanket to try to push the thoughts away. I know I look awful right now, so I don't bother looking in the mirror when I walk into the bathroom. Thinking and thinking as the room continues to grow darker. I begin shaking and crying because a sudden realization has crossed my mind. Why are you acting this way? You have such a blessed life! There are hundreds of people in the world that have reasons to feel the way you are acting right now and you have nothing! Stop being selfish. The crying becomes silent tears and my face becomes numb. I know that I have no reason to feel like this I just can't help it. The darkness continues to fill the room and the only bit of light is coming from the little candles. The only thing that is making me happy is the little candles. They fulfill my sorrow and make it disappear for the time I spend watching them bend and twist in the wind. I rely on these candles to help me when I need them. If I lose the brightness I will be swallowed in the dark, and there will be no escape.

-Anonymous

Hamilton the Musical is the latest success from Tony award winning composer Lin-Manuel Miranda. Hamilton tells the story of Alexander Hamilton at the prime of his life. In this song "Burn," Hamilton's wife, Eliza, is singing about reading the letters between Hamilton and his mistress. Phillippa Soo's breath-taking vocals make you ache for her. Her pain and anguish are all perfectly delivered in this song, "Burn" from Hamilton.

-Olivia Hendrick

One of my favorite books of all time, Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S. Thompson takes a hard look at the drug culture of the 1970s. The book is completely unique and totally trippy. I found out more about drugs reading this book than I did in forensic science class. But it's not just the descriptive hallucinations that I enjoy, it's the winding story, dry humor, illustrations by Ralph Steadman, and Thompson's writing style that leave me enthralled. 

-Olivia Hendrick

Father John Misty is another artist I had the pleasure of hearing at the Hangout. His vocals are incredible, and just watching his quirkiness onstage is an altogether cool experience. He possesses the raw kind of talent that we seldom here on the radio anymore. Listen to his song "Only Son of a Ladiesman" below.

-Olivia Hendrick

It’s a fact of life: women have body hair. Yes, I said it. We have body hair. Why does this topic make people so uncomfortable when our own bodies naturally grow it? Why is it socially acceptable for men to have body hair and not women? Why do we have to go through the agonizing process of shaving? These are questions that I have often pondered, and I can’t seem to come up with good reasons as to why girls shave their leg, armpit, and pubic hair. All I do know is society is brainwashing us into thinking our own body hair is gross and unsightly.

As women’s skirts began to rise in the 1920s, so did (literally) the rise of shaving. Society decided women’s legs should be smooth and hairless. But why? Up until the 1920s women did not even think of picking up a razor and shaving the hair on their bodies. Their hair was accepted because it was unseen by the public eye. If you think about it, body hair is not a masculine quality. Female bodies grow it as well.

Why does society think it’s okay to make women revert back to looking like prepubescent girls? We are not children. We are women. Body hair is a physical sign of womanhood. It’s natural. It’s raw. And it’s beautiful. The standards of beauty that are projected today are unrealistic and damaging to our generation of young girl’s. Society makes us believe that we have to look a certain way to be considered beautiful. (Pick up a copy of Seventeen Magazine and you will see.) But it’s not true. If you believe you are beautiful, that confidence will radiate through your inner being and shine out in beams all around you. Confidence is the key.

Now, I am not saying that all of you must burn your razors and bras. I am not some sort of radical hippie who is trying to make you conform to my ways. I am merely bringing to your attention some of my own personal thoughts. For a long time I struggled with my own body image issues. I took up running last year to try and lose weight, but I got discouraged after about three months. After that, I began to gain all of the weight I had lost, back. I went into a slight depression. I hated trying on clothes and looking in the mirror. But a couple of months ago, I decided that enough is enough. I started my own personal campaign of total self love and acceptance. Now I am not saying I am totally, 100% comfortable with my body. I still get the occasional thought of self-doubt. But I am much better than I was. My first step on that journey was to stop shaving for a while and learn to love my honest, God-given body. If you only take one thing away from this article, take this: You don’t have to shave, lose weight, or wear certain clothes to be beautiful. You ARE beautiful. You are uniquely YOU. Do not let society control your confidence. YOU ARE IN CONTROL.

-Olivia Hendrick

When I first heard Lake Street Dive at the 2015 Hangout Music Festival, I was hooked. The jazzy tunes, the butter-like harmonies, and Rachael Price's bluesy belt had me completely entranced. Watch their cover of "I Want You Back" below. 

-Olivia Hendrick

It's dark and lonely. It's a place that no one wants to be, but it's the hardest thing to get out of: Depression. It's a never-ending cycle. But only if you let it be. For me, Depression is like a little monster that follows me everywhere I go. When I wake up in the morning, he tells me to stay in bed where no one can hurt me. When I want to play guitar, or clarinet, or sing he tells me that I don't REALLY enjoy those things. I'm never the one that asks people to hang out because my depression tells me no one wants to hang out with me.

But I have good days. And so can you. When you wake up in the morning and that little monster tells you not to get out of bed, as uncomfortable as it feels, get out of bed. Stretch. Reach your arms as high as they'll go. Once you've reached the highest you think you can go, go higher. Take a warm bath. Cry if you need to. But if depression tells you to self-harm, get out of the bath immediately and rub ice cubes where you typically self-harm. The urges will go away. Take long, deep breaths. If depression tells you not to go outside, go for a walk. If depression tells you not to call a friend, call a friend. If they're busy PLEASE remember that it's not your fault. People are busy, yes, but that does NOT mean that they don't want to hang out with you. Remember that.

You are loved. You are beautiful. You are strong. And you have a light inside of you. Don't let depression cover your light. It's beautiful and it's warm and it's loving and it's bright. It will help you. Stay strong and don't forget to love yourself.

Be kind to one another.

-Dani Marie

Learn how to make your own prayer candle with these easy steps!

What you’ll need:

*a blank prayer candle (I have found mine at Rose’s and Family Dollar. If you can’t find one in stores, you can order one online.)

*a picture

*a glue stick

*liquid glue or mod podge

*a container for the liquid glue

*a paintbrush

*any beads or trinkets you want on the candle

STEP ONE

Take the glue stick and glue the picture onto the candle to hold it in place.

STEP TWO

Pour the liquid glue into the container. (That step is optional, but I find it makes the next part much easier.)

STEP THREE

Take the paintbrush and dip it into the glue. Paint all the edges on the picture down. Then using the remaining glue on the brush, lightly go over the rest of the picture. It is important that when you go over the rest of the picture, you do not have a lot of glue on the brush because the colors of the picture will run. Let the candle dry for 15 minutes before starting step four.

STEP FOUR

This is the fun part! Using the same glue and brush, decorate the candle with whatever you want! Make sure when you are finished, you wash your paintbrush really well because the glue will ruin the brush if it dries. Enjoy your new prayer candle!

-Olivia Hendrick