Mountain Views News          Saturday, March 2, 2013

10

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

 Mountain Views News Saturday, March 2, 2013 

SEAN’S SHAMELESS 

REVIEWS: 

JASMINE’S CORNER

Book Reviews by Jasmine Kelsey Williams 


Review By Sean Kayden

SHOUT OUT LOUDS

 “Optica” marks the fourth studio album from Swedish indie-pop group, 
Shout Out Louds. It’s their first album since 2010’s “Work”. Over the course 
of eight years, Shout Out Louds have continually made solid, joyously 
charming records. Their innate ability to transform the sounds of The Cure 
and The Smiths to a modern style is quite impressive. Lead singer Adam 
Olenius generally has a high-pitched voice, but this 
time around it seems to be slightly toned down. 
His previous proclivity for singing melancholy 
words in a relatively happy voice is still in tack. 
Shout Out Louds have always demonstrated a 
strong knack for songwriting and “Optica” is 
no exception. With the lyrics in tact, a slick and 
polished sound, and high production values to 
boot, the band’s fourth album in nearly three years is one of their strongest to date. In many ways 
it’s a return to form in how lively and jaunty the record it is. With a different direction in sight and 
new sounds in mind, Shout Out Louds mess around with electronics and percussions to create a 
refreshing, albeit uneven, yet thoroughly satisfying record.

 “Sugar,” the opening number, is chirpy and utterly upbeat. It kicks the album off in the best way 
possible—providing what’s to come and showing the listener Shout Out Louds mean business 
with their recently found resonance. Follow up track “Illusions” is another gem. It’s a bit slower 
but equally as potent. It’s a song that dazzles with 80s influences and juggles both lightheartedness 
and deep sentiment from beginning to end. Ultimately, it’s the catchiest song off “Optica.” “Blue 
Ice” slows us down a bit, but beautifully so. It’s deeply heartfelt and introspective. Not to mention, 
it’s naturally smooth and divine. “Circles” is my choice for best song here. The song showcases 
dreamy guitars and yearning vocals. It’s as if it somehow doesn’t fit on “Optica,” but fortunately it 
wasn’t cut because it’s the band’s most elegant, finest written, and greatest arranged song they’ve 
ever crafted. However, even with all this good, there’s got to be some bad. “Hermilla” showcases 
the vocals of bandmate Bebban Stenborg (who plays various instruments as well as provides much 
of the back-up vocals). The entire song feels out of place, but unlike “Circles” it has no elements 
of a Shout Out Louds tune. It falls apart fairly quickly and completely has the record going off the 
rails for a good three minutes and thirty four seconds. Luckily, the album quickly gathers itself 
back on track with “Chasing The Sinking Sun.” It’s another typical Shout Out Louds affair, but 
despite being “typical” it still provides much variety and shines as its own standout track. 

 “Optica” puts Shout Out Louds back on path as one of the best indie-pop bands around. After all 
these years the band is still relevant and making great music. It’s been nearly three years between 
albums and that can feel like a lifetime for listeners, who may have given up hope on a return for 
a band that could have easily faded out like those before and after it. However, Shout Out Louds 
not only return with just a new album, but one that surpasses expectations with fresh surprises 
and interesting sounds to follow. 

Grade: 8.4 out of 10

Key Tracks: “Sugar”, “Illusions”, “Blue Ice” “Circles” 

IT’S OK IF YOU’RE CLUELESS: AND 23 MORE TIPS FOR THE 
COLLEGE BOUND By Terry McMillan

 

 As we draw to the start of March, we also draw nearer to the 
end of another school year, and for some, the last year of high 
school before making their way into higher institutions of 
learning. This next selection will be presented as both a personal 
recommendation and a boost of optimism for all those 
preparing to finish their last years of schooling and awaiting 
graduation. Published and copyrighted in 2006, “It’s OK If 
You’re Clueless” is a nice little pick-me-up for those nervous 
first-timers when going to college, and provides 23 simple yet 
helpful tips that can remind you of what is important when 
first navigating your way. Straightforward and encouraging, 
with tips such as ‘Don’t Listen to Your Parents’, ‘Read Anything 
and Everything’, and ‘Do Everything with Gusto’, Terry 
McMillan relays these tidbits to the reader by drawing upon 
her own experiences, and to remind these young readers that 
it is nothing to be ashamed of when you are starting fresh, or 
when you boil down to the point of what you wish to pursue. 
As the book progresses, the later chapters will make sense for 
the reader, still providing basic tips but adding a little more 
depth and clarity, such as ‘It’s 

 OK If You’re Clueless About What to Major In’ (Chapter 
11) and ‘Get Physical’ (Chapter 21). Small, lightweight, and 
perfect to read almost anywhere, McMillan reminds readers 
of the young age (and something to remember as we get older), that it is okay to learn the ropes 
before diving right in into something new and unexpected. Even for those college kids who believe 
they have blueprint for what they want to do, may be mildly surprised after they read this, when 
they have the option of having free reign, so that one may choose to stay on their current path, or 
transition to something completely different. Receiving praise from various critics, as well as being 
a #1 New York Times Bestselling Author, Terry McMillan gives “It’s OK If You’re Clueless” its own 
sweet flavor, one that readers (and even some older readers, such as myself) will be glad to enjoy.


Artist: Shout Out Louds

Album: Optica

Label: Merge Records 

Release Date: February 26, 2013


A Word From Health Advantage.....

ARE BOOT CAMPS WORTH IT?

Yes!

 You see the advertisements 
for the “Boot 
Camps” around the 
Foothill corridor. They 
start early in the morning 
or late in the evening. 
They look military 
in nature and may conjure 
up scenes from Officer 
and A Gentleman. 
Fortunately you get the 
discipline without the 
abuse.

One of the challenges 
most people face when 
starting an exercise 
regimen is disciplining 
themselves to keep at 
it. It is too easy to “talk 
yourself out of it” today.

One aspect of the boot 
camps is they are not 
“free” so you are invested 
in the process. When 
you enroll you are held 
accountable for your 
actions. They evaluate 
you and put you with 
like individuals you are 
in similar shape with 
or “out of shape” with. 
You are then on a team 
to help each other. If you 
do not show up your team is 
penalized. You do not want to 
let down the team. Of course 
if you have a legitimate excuse 
and follow protocol the team is 
not punished. 

This team work and accountability 
keeps you on track and 
the key to achieving success is 
consistency. Another aspect is 
having someone push you farther 
and harder than you think 
you can go. This is where the 
real gains come. 

 At the start of the camp you 
are assessed in how fast you 
can run a mile or if you can 
even run a mile. You are also 
assessed how many pushups 
you can do. Strength and endurance 
are measured and 
trained. At the end of the camp 
(usually 6 weeks) you are tested 
again and the results are 
compared. Of course weight 
is a measurable value that is 
probably the #1 reason join a 
boot camp so that is measured 
also.

Now Boot Camps vary and 
this is the way the boot camp 
I went through was run. Also 
you have to journal your eating 
habits and on the weekend 
you have to exercise yourself. 

In my opinion the boot camps 
around our area are very professionally 
run. They keep 
your safety foremost but will 
push you beyond your perceived 
limits. It also taps into 
your investment of money so 
you will value the camp and 
get your money’s worth.

 Which one are the best? Talk 
to those who have been to 
one or contact the many boot 
camps in the area and interview 
them. Compare and commit 
to the camp and stick to it. 
You’ll probably want to sign 
up for another camp after you 
finish as many who go to one 
find that the discipline keeps 
them on track and it’s is fun to 
do it with a group helping each 
other be and stay healthy.

HEALTHY LIFESTYLES

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ene
HOW CAN YOGA HELP 

LOVE

For most of us, loving ourselves seems to be the hardest. We love our children, spouses and our dogs 
and...


But what if we did a better job of loving ourselves? What would that even look like?


Here are a few points to help you get started:


Love where you have been in your life.
Love how you think. 
Love how very powerful you are. 
Love all your dreams. 
Love all of your feelings.
Love your yoga practice (I had to throw that in).
Love all of your emotions.
And then go out and love others.
And love the planet.

The practice of yoga helps us see our own beauty. It helps us see the beauty in others. Just by doing the 
practice we get stronger and more aware of our bodies movement. We love our accomplishments and 
forgive our imperfections. Really, the practice of love starts at home, with us. Then we have lots of love 
to give freely to everyone else.