issue 23 // vol 44

Soundtrack fails to match

the richness, emotion
of the film it’s backing

> ‘Black Panther: The Album’ review

Joshua Toevs
Senior Columnist

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lack Panther is a masterpiece in visuals
and storytelling. Thrilling, emotional,

engaging, and triumphantly diverse, it
is arguably the best product that Marvel
has put out in years. However, where
the film is a homerun, the soundtrack
helmed by Kendrick Lamar and Top
Dawg Entertainment is more of a single.

This isn’t to say that there isn’t a lot
to enjoy from the album. The production
is layered and vibrant, with a plethora
of beat switches throughout each song,
which really keep your ears at attention.
Kendrick Lamar is the MVP of the record
with his performances on the title track
as well as the Travis Scott-featured “Big
Shot.” The title track is an exercise in
lyrical prowess as Kendrick raps over
avery minimalist beat. “Big Shot” is
the complete antithesis of the former.
It is a lot more fun and light, featuring

 

a wind instrument in the forefront
and a hi-hat heavy drum beat backing
it. Kendrick is silky on this song, still
showing off his ability to rap but this
time having a bit more fun with it.
“Bloody Waters,” featuring Ab-
Soul, Anderson Paak, and James Blake,
absolutely snaps. It feels very West Coast
with its laid-back sounds resonating
throughout. That timid beat allows Soul
to demonstrate why he is the best lyricist
in TDE. There are so many quotable lines
on this track, from references to the word
guessing game hangman translating into
actual lynching, to “electoral colleges
devoted.” Ab-Soul usually raps on a
higher level than his peers, and this track
is the perfect avenue for him to do so.
Jorja Smith’s “I Am” features a
hypnotizing drum loop that helps
elevate Smith’s silky-smooth R&B
vocals, while “Redemption” featuring
Zacari is an African tribal banger with
its steel drum and wavy percussion.
The biggest problem with this record
is the lack of cohesion from song to song.
While I understand this is a soundtrack

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for a motion picture,
the fact that it was
helmed by one
team should have
signified a better
understanding

on what songs to
include and how

to weave them
throughout the
track list. This lack
of cohesion makes it
hard to listen to without being distracted
by the dissonance between tracks.

Musically, there are some confusing
moments. The Kendrick and The Weeknd
record “Pray For Me” is a showcase of
lazy writing and even more phoned-in
production. The song is about as cookie-
cutter as you could expect: You could
have put any two artists on this song and
the result would have been the same.

The most egregious failure, however,
is Future on “King’s Dead.” This song
features Kendrick Lamar and Jay Rock,
two of the West Coast’s best offerings in
the rap game. They both brought it in the

A slightly surreal search for
uncomfortable truths

> ‘Lion in the Streets’ opens March 16

Caroline Ho
Arts Editor

 

he award-winning Lion in the Streets,

by Canadian playwright Judith
Thompson, presents a powerful journey
of inner strength and self-discovery.

Directed by Claire Fogal, the
upcoming production from the
Departments of Theatre and Stagecraft
& Event Technology stars Kayla Krishna
as Isobel, a young girl on a quest to
discover the truth of what has befallen
her. Throughout her journey, her
courage and innocence touch the lives
of many other characters, causing
them to re-examine their own places in
their magical-realism-infused world.

While the play originally features
a Portuguese-Canadian, Isobel, Fogal,
and the Theatre Department, with
Thompson’s support, have transposed
Isobel’s background to make her
First Nations and adopted into a
Portuguese family. They have also
moved the setting from Toronto to
present-day East Vancouver. Both of
these transpositions have required
only very minor changes to the text.

“This is still 100 per cent
Thompson’s play, and I am very
grateful for her support of this
concept,” said Fogal to the Other
Press through an email.

According to a press release
from Douglas College, Fogal finds
the transposition of character
background fitting in light of the
Truth and Reconciliation Commission
and the Inquiry into Missing and
Murdered Indigenous Women and
Girls. First Nations peoples have
long been oppressed and silenced,
but—like Isobel—continue to
fight bravely for their freedom.

In addition to Thompson’s approval,
Fogal and the Theatre Department
have also taken steps to ensure that
making Isobel First Nations is not in any
way disrespectful, by consulting with
Indigenous Douglas College Literature
Instructor Natalie Knight and other
community members on this issue.

“[Knight] brought a deeply
insightful sensitivity to our discussions,
and confirmed that once she’d read the
play, all of her hesitancy disappeared,”
said Fogal to the Other Press.

“We are fortunate too to have
the support of two Indigenous
elders, Gramma Joy Dockrey and
Millie McComber, who will bless
our space and our process on
opening and closing nights.”

With its themes of exposing
ugly realities, Lion in the Streets is
a very Canadian story—one that
unveils facets of our nation that we're
often reluctant to acknowledge.

In her director’s notes, Fogal
calls the Canadian identity “one of
politeness, niceness, conservatism;
hiding the gross and violent racism
that has infected our country since
its beginnings.” Thompson’s play
tears away the pleasant facades to
reveal the dark yet necessary truth.

Fogal told the Other Press that

preparing for the show has been a very
rewarding experience thanks to the
efforts of all involved: Assistant director
Dahlia Kerr; Mubashar Chaudry, who is
advising on a character who has cerebral
palsy; and, of course, the cast and crew.

“The cast are tremendous,” said
Fogal. “Their courage is inspiring
as they are bringing to life so many
intense, hilarious, and moving
moments. Our designers are wonderful
too, giving us the slightly surreal
world of Isobel’s quest through set,
lighting, costumes, and sound.”

Lion in the Streets will
be showing in the Laura
C. Muir Performing Arts
Theatre from March 16 to 23,

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ADVISORY

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Cover of ‘Black Panther: The Album’

 

booth with Jay Rock especially showing
off and flexing his lyrical prowess. Then
Future steps up and raps one of the
worst flows I have ever heard. “King’s
Dead” should have been one of the more
powerful songs on the record, but Future
makes it nearly unlistenable and an early
candidate for worst rap verse of 2018.
Overall this is a very good
soundtrack for a movie. The songs have a
mixture of emotion and bass knocking,
and all have an African vibe to give you
visions of Wakanda. However, as an
album, the lack of cohesion and some
questionable people performing knocks
this down to an almost forgettable rap
effort from Kendrick and company.

Photo of Kayla Krishna via Krista Eide

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