issue 25// vol 45 A misfit band of superheroes » ‘The Umbrella Academy’ TV show review Sonam Kaloti Arts Editor kek Kk e Umbrella Academy is based on comic books created by none other than Gerard Way—former lead singer of the band My Chemical Romance. Beginning in 1989, the Netflix show begins with a peculiar case of 43 infants being born to women with no connection to each other, and with no previous signs of pregnancy prior to the births. A billionaire by the name of Sir Reginald Hargreeves attempts to adopt as many of these kids as he can, but only manages to adopt seven. Nonetheless, he ‘The Umbrella Academy' promotional image via Netflix creates a family of “superheroes,” raised as ateam to eventually save the world. Once they are teenagers, however, the family falls apart. Yet now, in the present day, six of these estranged family members reunite once they receive news of their adoptive father Hargreeves’ passing. The seven siblings are known by their respective numbers, but they also have names and very different personalities. Their distinct characterization is apparent as soon as you meet them in the show. Completely and utterly different from one another, it is a surprise that they work as ateam at all. Who they have become since birth is incredible, especially when compared to one another: the musician Vanya (Ellen Page), astronaut Luther (Tom Hopper), drug addict Klaus (Robert Sheehan), celebrity Allison (Emmy Raver- Lampman), and so on. None of the dialogue in this series is simply thrown around. Every line seems purposeful even if it’s simply for comedic value, such as the paparazzi’s question of, “Allison, will you wear Valentino to the funeral?” However, there are also meaningful quotes scattered throughout— for example, when Sir Reginald says, “The ties that bind you together make you stronger than you are alone.” Not much love for men on new Stella Donnelly album > ‘Beware of the Dogs’ album review Naomi Ambrose Staff Writer n her latest 13-track album titled Beware of the Dogs, Welsh-Australian singer-songwriter Stella Donnelly doesn’t hold back when she sings about female empowerment, gender inequality, and her disdain for men. Her new album was released on March 8. Take a listen to the first track “Old Man’ to hear Donnelly sing about her willingness to stand up to abusive husbands. When Donnelly sings the line “Boy if you touch her again, I'll tell your wife and kids about that time,” with her soft yet powerful vocals, there’s no denying that she wants listeners to know that she will speak up and challenge men who cheat on and assault women. The album’s instrumental framing deserves some exploration. Even though most of the songs have an angry tone, the music is unexpectedly lively. Since the album generally has a sullen feel, a music enthusiast may have expected that the style would be similar to heavy metal or hard rock, with drum beats and electric guitar riffs. However, loud and excessive instruments are mostly nonexistent— instead, the light guitar and piano arrangement is a treat for listeners who like easy-breezy songs. Perhaps the lack of overly processed music is also Donnelly’s way of persuading listeners to focus on the lyrics and her message. Beware of the Dogs also has a unique mix of vocals and lyrics. On the third track, “Season’s Greetings,” Donnelly infuses the phrase “lose all your friends,” and the word “intimidate” simultaneously with different pitches. Tune in to “Watching Telly” to hear another creative vocal production with the line “Get it right.” The line sounds like it’s sung by a female choir. Without dismissing the album’s unusual blend of words and music, the introductory notes on two songs, “Bistro” and “Watching Telly,” sound like two other well-known songs. The beginning of “Bistro” bears some similarity to Phil Collins’ “In the Air Tonight,” and the first few bar's of “Watching Telly” resemble Sting’s “King of Pain” While the album’s predominant theme involves being unsympathetic to men, the song “Mosquito” is a contrast to the rest of the record. On “Mosquito,” Donnelly seems to harmonize about her attraction towards her partner, “I was thinking of you Tuesday afternoon, I wanna bring you cake but youre allergic,” sings the artist, describing Eh Rw AA CO The soundtrack of the show is diverse, from slow melancholy tracks suiting particularly eerie scenes, to bubbly pop sweetening the brighter scenes. Unlike many shows, camera angles in The Umbrella Academy feel much more like those of a movie or delicate artistic video than of a TV series. Lighting is used gracefully, but not alone in its setting creation. Colours are cleverly chosen for setting the mood of scenes as well. Light exposure, shadows, and even effects such as bokeh are used in shots (“bokeh” being an effect where out-of-focus aspects of an image are softened and blurred for aesthetic purposes). All of these effects are consistent, among other techniques used, including the obvious diversity of camera distance shots. The outfits in this show are a force to be reckoned with on their own. Sir Reginald himself is a dapper dresser who even adorns a monocle. Because all the characters have such vastly differing personalities, their clothing choices reflect that. The Umbrella Academy has hour-long episodes, with 10 episodes currently out. It’s available to watch on Netflix—and I highly recommend it. The entire show is really a work of art. Photo of Stella Donnelly by Pooneh Ghana herself like an adoring partner who is mesmerized by her love interest. For female listeners who have experienced difficult and tumultuous romantic relationships, Beware of the Dogs might be a relatable and worthwhile album. Or maybe the album is Donnelly’s way of letting women know that even when they’re in bad relationships, they can release their pain and anger through dance and music.