Photo by Ed Gloor

Hebert has taught at TJ for five years and has helped produce amazing school musicals for four of those years. She taught Women’s Choir, Men’s Choir, Advanced Choir, Monticello Singers and, new this year, Shiggety Fresh, a five-person jazz vocal group.

Hebert has helped to make great singers out of countless high school students and is much-loved by all of her protégés. “I have loved my time at TJ. It was my first high school job, and it has formed me into the teacher I am today. Working with Mr. Palmieri and Mrs. Fulkerson has been a privilege and a joy. The students have hearts of gold, and I truly do feel like I’m saying goodbye to a huge family of my little sisters and brothers, and not just my students. I am lucky to have been surrounded by such amazing people and do something I love every day for the past five years. I will miss my students dearly,” said Hebert.

Next year, Hebert will be attending the School For Music Vocations (SMV) on the Southwestern Community College campus in Creston, Iowa. She first discovered the school in the summer of 2008, when taking Thomas Jefferson Graduates Mina Bradley and Ky Snow to a camp SMV held at Smoky Hill High School. “I saw how much the camp and the instructors positively affected Mina and Ky as musicians, and I was so overwhelmed with the successes I had myself, that I knew I wanted to be involved with the program as much as possible,” said Hebert. Two summers later, after attending SMV’s camp in Iowa, Hebert hosted a Music Theory Boot camp at TJ, led by the instructors at SMV. The boot camp was specifically geared towards giving teachers the tools they needed to feel more successful in their classrooms. “Music Theory had always been my weak area,” explained Hebert. “I’d even had a professor in college tell me to stop trying, because I was better suited for being ‘just a singer.’ The boot camp changed all of that, and I knew I needed to keep learning more!”

Despite the decision to go back to school being recent, Hebert has known that she wanted to get a graduate degree ever since finishing her undergrad work. It was the discovery of SMV that finalized her decision on what area she wanted to study and where she wanted to go to do so. She has decided to study music theory, jazz piano and jazz singing and plans to audition for a few other graduate programs for jazz performance, as SMV jazz performance groups are a large part of its curriculum. Hebert will also be teaching jazz and classical voice as well as piano classes to help pay for her tuition.

Hebert doesn’t mind the fact that the school is in such a small town. In fact, she prefers it to a large city. “I just have an affinity for corn!” she said, laughing. “The thing about Creston is that you almost have no choice but to practice and get good, because there’s nothing else to do.” However, the school location is immaterial to Hebert. She would attend the school regardless of where it is because it is everything she wants in a school. “The environment is so supportive and they really set out to help everyone be successful and achieve their goals.”

After SMV, Hebert is unsure of what she is going to do. “I could go to more school, I could perform, I could do any number of things! But I know that coming back to TJ is always going to be on my mind,” she said, smiling.

Artwork courtesy of Yellowcard's CD Cover

Released in early 2011, Yellowcard’s latest album, When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes, is already receiving overwhelming praise from critics and fans.

Yellowcard is a pop punk band based in Jacksonville, Florida. Their music heavily features a violin, and their songs are primarily about love and heartbreak. When You’re Through Thinking, Say Yes is their fourth album and they’ve been together since 1997, though they took a hiatus from 2008 to 2010.

The album starts out with one long, low, heavy note creating tension and anticipation in the listener. The note is followed by fast-paced guitar and bass that could make anyone’s heart race. The song, called The Sound of You and Me, continues at that quick tempo as Ryan Key’s slightly nasal voice comes in with the first lyrics, “Are you there putting all the words together?” After about two minutes, the song slows down and becomes a ballad, though still backed by a steady hi-hat which builds up to an instrumental conclusion.

With You Around is another upbeat song about a girl the speaker has been waiting for all of his life. He talks about all the fun times they’ve had and how afraid she is he’s going to leave her. At a slow point in the song, he sings, “You’re like a slow song waiting to accelerate,” and then the song accelerates to match. It’s a clever lyric and a great song.

Hang You Up is the first really slow song on the album with pulsing, rhythmic drums to stir emotion. It is full of poetic lyrics such as, “My hands are tired of only waiting to let go, and I am waiting still.” It’s a song about waiting for a love that never panned out. He sings of still missing the girl but having to let go. Key’s voice truly shines throughout, powerful and precise. He conveys the poignant emotions perfectly without compromising his vocal talent.

Life of Leaving Home begins with Key’s vocals backed only by a guitar; a personal weakness of mine. The rest of the instrumentals pick up and the vocals continue in the same fashion, building up to a brief instrumental break followed by the chorus. The song is both powerful and relaxed at the same time because of the clash created by the up-tempo, drum-heavy instrumentals and the smooth vocals and intimate lyrics. “Think of me when the stars come out tonight, take a look at the sky,” sings Key, his voice practically dripping with longing. The song is about leaving behind his home and the girl he loves, and the lyrics are so sincere it’s heartbreaking.

Soundtrack is the second slow song on the album and another to use musical terms to refer to a girl, which is still very witty. Key sings, “Save me from myself and be the soundtrack to these stories that I tell,” saying that the album is the soundtrack, or the girl. The intense, aggressive guitar and bass are balanced out by the dulcet violin and Key’s sentimental vocals. The song is about needing to be saved and trying to survive. He asks the girl to be the one to help him survive and to save him from himself. “If I lose my confidence, I’ll borrow yours.”

The songs have a very similar feel to Yellowcard’s previous albums, but their musical growth is undeniable. The band is relying less on melodic violin to make their music stand out, but putting more emphasis on poetic lyrics. Key’s voice has matured yet still blends wonderfully with the backing instruments. The album still has an even mix of mellow and upbeat songs, but the upbeat ones have a happier feel and the slower ones have a heavier drum line, both of which are undeniably good things.

Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭

Artwork by Hayden Johnson

In July 2009, the alternative baroque folk rock band Panic! At the Disco went from four members to two. The band, which was previously composed of Brendon Urie, Spencer Smith, Ryan Ross and Jon Walker, is now only Urie and Smith. Despite this, the band was not discouraged and set immediately upon producing a new album.

Panic! At the Disco’s third album, Vices & Virtues, starts with a fast-paced single: The Ballad of Mona Lisa. The song really draws the listener in and is easy to dance to. The lyrics are reminiscent of Build God, Then We’ll Talk from Panic!’s first album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, and the heavy, punk feel is a stark contrast to their second album, Pretty. Odd., which had a folkier feel.

The second song on the album, Let’s Kill Tonight, however, brings us back to Pretty. Odd. while still keeping that upbeat punk feel. It’s the perfect marriage in style of their first two albums and is a sign that the band is really developing a consistent sound that is entirely theirs. Though Panic! has always been a very unique band, the breakup has certainly done wonders for its voice. Urie and Smith work together very well and have created an album that is nothing short of perfection.

Their third song, Hurricane, begins with soft elevator muzak, which is shattered by precise percussion. The song continues in the same style as the first two songs, but with Urie’s voice more in the spotlight. At points in the song, there is an instrumental break and Urie sings a capella before the instruments start up again full-force. The song’s bridge declares, “you’ll dance to anything!” Which, in this album, is completely true.

Following that is Memories, which is a change of pace. It still has the strong, punk feel, but it is slightly slower and Urie’s voice is much more ballad-style. It’s one of those songs that would play at the end of a romantic movie. The lyrics are bittersweet, including such phrases as, “…it was beautifully depressing, like a Streetcar Named Desire.” If there was ever any doubt in my mind that Panic! had lost their poetic quality, this song has completely removed it.

Next up is Trade Mistakes, which begins as an even gentler song. The chorus brings back the power of the rest of the album, but Urie’s voice is so heartbreakingly sincere that the song retains its sweet quality. “I may never sleep tonight, as long as you’re still burning bright,” sings Urie. The song is so gut-wrenchingly heartfelt that it makes me want to lock myself in my room with a pint of ice cream, crying my eyes out. It is so earnestly romantic that it hurts. The song is a fast-paced, energetic ballad – something I had never heard before. If someone had asked me before listening to this song if that was possible, I would have wholeheartedly told them no. Panic!, however, has pushed musical boundaries once again and proved me wrong.

Though I would love nothing more than to go into great depth describing every song on the album, for the sake of brevity, I will stop there. Vices & Virtues has a very consistent feel and has elements of both of Panic!’s first two albums. Overall, it has a feel more similar to A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, but fans of either of the albums would enjoy this one. Though Pretty. Odd. lost Panic! many of their fans for being so much different than their first album, I believe this album completely redeems them.

Vices & Virtues goes on sale March 22, 2011. The album is available for listening now at http://www.facebook.com/panicatthedisco?sk=app_178091127385.

Rating: ✭✭✭✭✭

Track Listing:

1. The Ballad of Mona Lisa
2. Let’s Kill Tonight
3. Hurricane
4. Memories
5. Trade Mistakes
6. Ready To Go (Get Me Out of My Mind)
7. Always
8. The Calendar
9. Sarah Smiles
10. Nearly Witches (Ever Since We Met…)

Artwork By: Hayden Johnson

On January 18^th, Panic! At the Disco -made up of vocalist, guitarist and pianist Brendon Urie and drummer Spencer Smith- announced the release date of their third album Vices & Virtues.

The album is to be released on March 29, 2011. The first single, The Ballad of Mona Lisa, was released on February 1^st. The band has produced two albums in the past: A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out (2005) and Pretty. Odd. (2008). The first album had an alternative punk-rock style similar to Fall Out Boy, but with a darker feel, while the second ventured into baroque pop, similar to the Beatles.

The band was formed in Las Vegas, Nevada in 2004 and got signed with the label Fueled by Ramen only one year later.  The band had contacted bassist Pete Wentz of Fall Out Boy through LiveJournal and asked him to come out and listen to them. Wentz was impressed and asked them to be the first band to sign with Decaydance, a Fueled by Ramen imprint label.

Panic! At the Disco’s first single, I Write Sins, Not Tragedies was released on September 27, 2005 and they gained a fan base through Myspace and PureVolume, a website that promotes indie musicians. In 2006, after having a consistent place in PureVolume’s top 10 signed artists list and reaching number one on Myspace’s indie charts, Panic! At the Disco was featured on MTV.

Panic! At the Disco has toured with such artists as The Hush Sound, OK Go, The Dresden Dolls, Bloc Party, Jack’s Mannequin, Plain White T’s, The Academy Is… and Cobra Starship. They share a similar style with many of those bands as well as some obvious influence from Fall Out Boy, with whom they collaborated with on a song that appeared on Fall Out Boy’s latest album, Folie A Deux.

Panic! At the Disco has been working on their latest album, Vices & Virtues, since early 2010. According to the band, each song will have a different sound. This is due primarily to the duo trying to figure out what they want to do with their style. Nonetheless, the two are very happy with their work.

Stay tuned for a review when the album is released!

Photo courtesy of Google Images

Now on a national tour, Next to Normal played at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House from January 4-16. When I sat down to watch what had been described to me as a rock opera about a dysfunctional family, I wasn’t sure what to expect. Being a modern musical, it appealed to me, but I wasn’t so sure the story was something I’d enjoy. Dysfunction is often made out to be much more normal in fiction than it is in reality, so I naturally assumed that I wouldn’t be able to identify with the family in the musical.

I was wrong.

The story hit much closer to home than I expected or was maybe even comfortable with. I was crying barely five minutes into the story. In the first song, Just Another Day, the teenage daughter Natalie sings, “So it’s times like these I wonder how I take it and if other families live the way we do; if they love each other or if they just fake it, and if other daughters feel like I feel, too.” This is a sentiment to which many teenagers can relate. The character perfectly captures the feeling of wanting to get away, working too hard in school, and trying to cope with growing up.

The family appears completely normal in the beginning of the musical – the way they must appear to the rest of the world – but as the story goes on, the characters’ faults and humanity (or insanity) become more and more prevalent. We learn that the mother is bipolar and on medication and that the family experienced a life-changing loss sixteen years earlier. The daughter grows farther apart from her family and starts dating a boy named Henry, who accidentally inspires her to dive into the world of clubbing and stealing her mother’s drugs. When she cleans herself up, she distances herself from Henry, isolating herself from everyone and making it even harder to deal with her mother’s insanity.

Meanwhile, the mother’s therapist suggests ECT (Electroconvulsive Therapy) and despite her protests that she’s “seen this movie” (referring to One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest) and that she doesn’t want the ECT, her husband convinces her to go through with it. She obliges and comes out of the treatment lacking most of her memory and completely unable to remember the loss that occurred 16 years ago.

The musical has a perfect blend of meaningful lyrics, relatable characters and a heavy rock ‘n’ roll pulse. The characters’ troubles are enough to bring even the least sentimental person to tears, and the music is the sort that gets stuck in one’s head for weeks afterward. Next to Normal comes from the director of RENT and the producer of Wicked, so naturally the music has a similar feel. The musical also has some semblance to Spring Awakening, another modern rock musical. The powerful music is made even more so by the fantastic singing voices of the leads; each member of the cast is strong and has a unique and melodious voice that compliments the others well.

But what are actors without a set? The set for Next to Normal was simple in appearance, but aesthetically pleasing and complex in function. It was comprised of three levels with four sliding screens that combined to make a woman’s face when all slid to the front. The band was onstage and visible (though unlit) throughout the show and was supported by a full orchestra in the pit, which created a unique musical experience.

Also, unlike most modern musicals, the plot of Next to Normal is completely original, not just a re-imagining of a book or play. It truly captures the essence of modern families because it feels like a real family.

Next to Normal is the sort of musical that pushes boundaries and tells the truth in a way that truly strikes a chord. I would suggest it to anyone, even those who normally don’t like musicals, because the realistic nature of the story balances out the absurdity of people singing during everyday life, and the foibles of the characters directly parallel the very real faults of the audience. While it is true that some messages speak to all generations, there is nothing like a message written specifically to represent one generation.

Rating: ★★★★★

Little sisters can be the worst! Cartoon by Anna Romero

Artwork by Anna Romero

Surviving the multitudes of zombies during Halloween and Zombie Crawl has changed my perspective on the possibility of zombies being more than just a creation of active imaginations.

Sure, dressing up as a zombie is a fun costume idea (though not very original), but what happens when the costume turns into reality? What if the brainless couch potatoes of today become the brain-eating couch potatoes of tomorrow? There are plenty of movies covering the subject (Dawn of the Dead, Night of the Living Dead, 28 Days Later, et. al.) and even a book (The Zombie Survival Guide by Max Brooks), but if you don’t want through go to all the trouble of doing the research yourself, please read on. Your life may depend on it.

It’s an understandable assumption that this article is satirical.

It is not.

I feel it is my duty, as a knowledgeable sort of lady, to do all the research I possibly can on the living dead to inform my fellow, self-aware classmates of their best chances for survival. I will separate this article into sections for easy skimming when you’re on the run from zombies… assuming you print this article out. You will, won’t you?

I. WEAPONS AND GEAR

First things first. There’s no way you’re going to come up with a cure in the few minutes you have as a horde of zombies ambles towards you, so your only option is kill them before they kill you. As opposed to what most video games and zombie movies would have you believe, a gun is not the best option. In fact, it’s one of the worst options. There’s the obvious issue of limited ammo (sure, you could raid plenty in abandoned gun shops, but where would you keep it all? You don’t have an inventory), but even more pressing is the matter of aim.

“A recent study of New York City police officers found that when firing at live targets just nine feet away, their hit rate was a dismal 11%. When the target stood at a distance greater than 20 feet, that number dropped to 4%, meaning that 96 out of 100 shots missed their mark,” reads an article on zombieresearch.net (ZRS). This means that even police officers who are frequently trained and tested on the use of firearms are lucky if they hit four of every 100 moving targets (in this case, zombies). Though you might think the slow movements of zombies would increase your chances, your elevated heart rate and shaky hands would cancel out any benefit from that.

So then, if not guns, what do you use? Swords and hand-to-hand combat are impractical unless you’ve had many years of extensive training, especially against a crowd of the ravenous undead. Thus, your best option is blunt objects. Bats, hammers and wooden planks (preferably with nails in them) are some of the most effective items you can use and, as an added bonus, are easy to find.

Next, you’ll want to protect yourself. For lack of a better term, you’ll want armor. Covering any uncovered openings on your body is a necessity; do you really want zombie blood in your mouth? Goggles can protect your eyes and surgical masks will keep your mouth and nose from being exposed.

Then there’s the matter of your body. There’s only so much a rotting jaw can bite through and mobility is key, so you can get away with less armor than if you were going against live humans with guns. Several layers of light clothing can do wonders, but your best bet is a hooded sweatshirt with strips of duct or industrial-strength tape and leather gloves.

II. FOOD AND WATER

Without water utility companies, running water is no longer an option, and without functional food production, you’re unlikely to obtain fresh food after the outbreak. As a human, you still need these things to survive, so what do you do?

Any running water you do manage to find will be contaminated and nothing short of undrinkable. You’re likely to get poisoned, but any water is better than none at all. Still, it’s always best to avoid drinking contaminates, so this is where a bit of McGyvering is necessary. “Crush fresh charcoal up as fine as you can get it, strain water through it (clean socks or coffee filters work well here), and drink the resulting black liquid,” says Apocalypse Dan in the Midnight Podcast. You’re likely to vomit after drinking this concoction, but that will cleanse out any toxins in your system and will keep you hydrated. Of course, this is a last hope measure and you can survive on bottled water until every grocery store has run out (which is likely to happen very quickly depending on how many survivors there are and how much combat takes place in grocery stores).

The same is true for food. You’ll be able to survive on canned food for a while, but eventually you’ll have to find other options. You’ll have to hunt. You’re unlikely to find a deer roaming around in your big city, much less a means by which to prepare it, so you’re going to have to stick to small animals: cats, rats, dogs. That means your beloved Fido is going to have to go from man’s best friend to man’s best meal as soon as possible so you don’t risk the thing getting infected and thus becoming inedible. Eventually, these will run out too, and then remaining survivors will have to resort to eating one another… but then, by that point, you might as well let yourself be turned into a zombie.

III. SHELTER

Sorry to say it, but you’re not going to be able to continue living where you’ve been living your entire life; you’re going to have to find a new home. Most zombie movies would have you believe that a mall is your best option, but it’s not. Think about it: zombies were humans before they got turned, right? And most people have seen the same zombie movies you have so, of course, a mall would be the first place they’d check. Still, you will want easy access to food and water, so your best choice is the top floor of an apartment or a rooftop near a grocery store or an underground shelter if you’ve planned ahead and stored at least a year’s supply of canned goods and bottled water. Since pre-planning is unlikely, and rooftops don’t provide optimum shelter, we’ll go with the apartment option. Once you’ve found an apartment that is at least five stories high, not infested with zombies, and within a mile of a grocery store, you’ll need to plan out escape routes in the eventuality that the undead find a way to enter your apartment.

You can lessen the likeliness of a zombie break-in by destroying every easy way in. It’s a well-known fact that zombies can’t climb ladders, but they can climb stairs. Destroy all the staircases and, if you can, break off any ladders or fire escapes so they hang at least four feet above the ground (so that you can reach it, but zombies can’t…rotting arms aren’t very good at pulling rotting bodies up). The goal here is to find a place that you can get in and out of, but zombies can’t.

IV. WHEN EVERYTHING’S GONE TO HELL…

Save the last bullet for yourself. If zombies surround you and you know you’re not going to be able to kill them all, take your own life. It’s better than having your brains slowly, excruciatingly extracted from your skull.

So there you have it! It’s not likely you’re going to have to use this guide any time soon (as the soonest predicted zombie apocalypse is in 2012), but it’s always best to err on the safe side and keep a baseball bat nearby.