D @ vA Have an idea for a story? Marts@theotherpress.ca ¢ Dan Jurgens’ first volume of ‘Batman Beyond’ is a refreshing dimension ¢ D&D-like show looks to grow e Bill Callahan’s ode to Ry Cooder ..and more Government agents and bright comedy > ‘Intelligence, starring David Schwimmer, surprisingly has a lot to offer thus far Jonathan Pabico Senior Columnist wwe KK YX ick Mohammed's political satire Intelligence recently debuted on Showcase and has much to offer to comedy fans. The story follows National Security Agency (NSA) liaison Jerry Bernstein when he’s assigned to the UK’s cyber security division. There, he meets hyper-eager Joseph (played by Mohammed) and other quirky staff as he tries to adjust to his new work life with often funny results. The premiere of this first season excels with an original story and strong chemistry among its diverse actors. Upon watching its first episode, the show is very much like Greg Daniels’ The Office. If you're a devout fan of his classic series, then Intelligence’s setting, characters, and offbeat approaches won't be so unexpected. Mohammed's impressive script and the banter from the cast gets you through the day with its memorable humour. Friends superstar David Schwimmer proves he truly belongs in comedy with his hilarious performance as Bernstein. He delivers worthwhile laughs while playing the story’s lead as an obnoxious government suit. This is way better than his more disappointing work from restaurant drama show, Feed the Beast. His fast-paced quips and chemistry with Mohammed are the episode’s best moments and that connection will most likely continue being Promotional image for ‘Intelligence’ via Sky One the highlights for the rest of the series. The premiere also uses political satire to parody the stereotypes of government norms and work culture. Bernstein’s amusing foil with his sarcastic and head- strong boss Christine (Sylvestra Le Touzel) uses comedy to relay the anxieties in conforming to a strict agency. The show presents weird characters and how they, for the most part, easily get along with each other despite their zany Bill Callahan's ode to Ry Cooder » Why Callahan wrote a song for this musician and producer CJ Sommerfeld Staff Writer ill Callahan—praised pastoral Americana singer-songwriter—released anew album on September 4, titled Gold Record. This work is a collection of EPs and other previously unfinished works. Kindred to Callahan's previous six records, Gold Record showcases conjunct melodies accompanied with his monotonous voice. The work has been tied to a few notable names such as folk artist Emmylou Harris—who he originally wrote “Another Song” for, more luminary however, is his piece written for Ry Cooder. Cooder is an American musician and producer. His own records are intricate and emotive, however, there is something that Callahan acknowledges as more commendable than Cooder’s musical talents; this is heard in his song “Ry Cooder.” Aside from creating his own music, Cooder is also a producer who produces other musicians’ works, notably non-American musicians. One popular album is Buena Vista Social Club’s self- titled record (1997). Callahan's song honours Cooder for recognizing talent in sound that skews from the American norm. Beyond that, he acknowledges him for having a genuine love for sound and for sharing other cultures’ art. Cooder has recognized talent in something that’s different from what he had been conditioned to, and in my opinion, unlike many other Westerners who have worked with non-western cultures, he does not appropriate them. Callahan contrasts Cooder with Paul Simon’s Graceland, which, despite being praised as one of the best albums of all time, has been criticized by Cover of 'Gold Record' by Bill Callahan attitudes. Mohammed's young cast lends his show an encouraging tone for viewers. He normalizes how important it is to embrace what makes you different through his writing which conveys this positive message excellently. Segments with jazz music build comedic tension and elevate the dysfunction throughout the episode. These moments are balanced with silence during other scenes to foreground character dynamics. However, the premiere has snappy editing that sometimes overwhelm viewers with jokes being launched at them all at once. The story could have relaxed its cuts and allowed moments between characters to last a bit longer before the next edit. Overall, Nick Mohammed’s new satire Intelligence is a delightfully absurd take on what makes a cyber security division tick. The show promises hilarity for its first episode with a highly relatable cast. Mohammed’s bold humour and the convincing relationships between characters make his show an easygoing watch for anyone in need of a good laugh. some for the cultural appropriation of South African culture. Graceland was a collaboration including Simon and South African musicians that he scouted out after listening to that style of music and deciding he wanted to incorporate it into one of his albums. Thoughts around this album sometimes conclude that Simon did not know much about South African township culture. Instead he liked the way their music sounded, and without any understanding of its cultural history nor meaning, he made an album based on their sounds. This perspective that showcases Cooder in the song “Ry Cooder” is purely Callahan’s—who knows, maybe he is the most appropriating Westerner of them all! Regardless, it is nice for someone to acknowledge and praise genuineness in another person, even if it is subjective. Musically, the song “Ry Cooder” is conjunct, its texture thin, and its lyrics poetic. There is something so true and vulnerable about the way Callahan writes. His album is not so much of a background noise sort of piece. If it were playing in the supermarket, shoppers would probably have to sneak a snooze on some bed-like bags of cereal. The album is a lay down and listen album, and luckily, rainy days are on the horizon. The lust to get some vitamin D in between our Zoom classes and availability to do so is slowly diminishing, so take advantage of this and go have a listen!