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The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

The Official Student News Site of Parkway West High

Pathfinder

"Heartless", "Jade Fire Gold", and "Jade City" sit on a table in the library. A black bar with the title, "Fantasy Fever", lays over the books.

Fantasy Fever

Keira Lang and Ella Marcinkiewicz November 8, 2023

West has a lot of good things, including a large selection of wonderful books. But, with so many books, which one should possibly be chosen to read? We decided to review three fantasy books that have recently...

Rod Wave released his new album “Nostalgia” Sept. 15. The album reached No. 1 on the top albums chart on Apple Music, overtaking the album “GUTS” by Olivia Rodrigo. Starting Oct. 19, Rod Wave will tour 35 cities —  including St. Louis — up until Dec. 18.

“Nostalgia” by Rod Wave

Samari Sanders, Staff Writer November 6, 2023

Florida rapper Rodarius Marcell Green — known professionally as Rod Wave — has become one the world’s biggest music artists yet. Green defined the new genre of soul trap, a subgenre of hip hop that...

Working at the annual Folklife Festival, an event leader demonstrates the use of a four post box loom. Created in England during the 16th century, the four post box loom allowed weavers in the Northeastern colonies to weave fabric more efficiently than before, playing an essential role in the evolution of settler culture. “Walking around the festival, you could see how people actually lived in the past — what they'd do for fun, how they survived. It was really interesting to see how different it was from now. You could put yourself in the shoes of the people back then,” senior Jojo Shank said.

Bridging the past

Risa Cidoni, Editor-in-Chief November 3, 2023

Each year, the crisp autumn weather breezes by, carrying comforting traditions of the outdoors; Fright Fests, pumpkin patches and hayrides arrive annually, embracing the return of sweater weather. But...

Singer-songwriter Taylor Swift smiles on the cover of her newest album, surrounded by five seagulls. On Oct. 27, the night of “1989’s” re-release, Swift took to Instagram to let out her thoughts on finally owning the masters of her most influential album in pop music. “I was born in 1989, reinvented for the first time in 2014, and a part of me was reclaimed in 2023 with the re-release of this album I love so dearly,” Swift wrote.

Reliving her ‘wildest dreams’

Samir Shaik, Risa Cidoni, and Emily Early November 2, 2023

On Aug. 9, global superstar and decorated musical veteran Taylor Swift kicked off the final night of the U.S. leg of her Eras Tour at Sofi Stadium in Los Angeles, performing in front of more than 70,000...

Silhouettes against the sky, the members of boygenius look out over an ocean. Composed of singer-songwriters Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and Julien Baker, the trio released their second EP, “the rest” on Oct. 13. The band has accumulated almost 4.5 million monthly listeners on Spotify.

Simple but sweet: boygenius’ “the rest” follows their debut enchantingly

Emily Early, Editor-in-Chief November 1, 2023

On Sept. 25, four Instagram accounts simultaneously posted an update to their feed — singer-songwriters Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers, Lucy Dacus and the account dedicated to their American indie supergroup,...

A piece of notebook paper stating "I CAN'T BE-LEAF MY EARS!" surrounded by fall-themed imagery like leaves and jack-o-lanterns.

“I can’t be-leaf my ears!”

Kristen Skordos, Staff Writer October 31, 2023

Fall is easily the superior season. The weather is just right; it is not too cold, nor too gross. Routine activities — rewatching spooky movies, eating yummy treats and layering up — are enjoyable,...

Nobody likes you when you’re 23

Mikalah Owens, Staff Writer October 23, 2023

Pop-punk band blink-182 famously said “Nobody likes you when you’re 23” on their hit “What’s My Age Again?” off their breakout pop punk album “Enema of the State” in 1999. Some of the biggest...

Singer-songwriter and actress Olivia Rodrigo poses, biting her thumb and displaying the rings on her hand spelling out her sophomore album’s name, “GUTS.” The album came out Sept. 8, charting all 12 tracks on the top 40 of the Billboard Top 100. Tracks on her album vary from pop to punk and have relatable lyrics to entice her fans.

Olivia Rodrigo spills her ‘GUTS’ with sophomore album

Audri Van Kirk, Staff Writer October 19, 2023

“I know my age, and I act like it:” this rage-filled line is screamed in the opening song of singer-songwriter and actress Olivia Rodrigo’s newest album “GUTS.” On May 21, 2021, when Rodrigo’s...

Part of the reason why vinyl records are still popular today is because original pressings of classic punk albums, like the Ramones’ “Rocket to Russia” or the Sex Pistols “Nevermind The Bollocks,” are considered collectable items. Besides being classic, essential punk albums in their own right, the pressings helped jumpstart the popularity of vinyl records in the ‘70s since it was the only form of media available to listen to these impactful records. Decades later, the iconic punk albums still stand as two of the most vital records for a vinyl collector.

Punk: Dead or alive?

Mikalah Owens, Staff Writer September 28, 2023

The infamous and unapologetic genre of punk rock music became popular in the late ‘70s amongst teens; people either loved it or saw it as music for delinquents. Today, the boisterous movement has been...

Popular ‘90s band, Nirvana, celebrates the 30-year anniversary of their final album, “In Utero” on Sept. 21. The album was met with a lot of anticipation as it followed the record-breaking success of their sophomore album, “Nevermind.” Many fans praise “In Utero” as being the perfect conclusion to the band due to Kurt Cobian’s unexpected death, but I find it rather disappointing and misdirected.

“In Utero”: Nirvana’s upsetting finale

Mikalah Owens, Staff Writer September 21, 2023

Content warning: The following article mentions explicit content and rape in the context of the album.  On Sept. 21, 1993, grunge icon Nirvana released their final album, “In Utero.” The album...