May 6, 2023

Title: FOUR STAR RECORDS

Constructor: Brooke Husic

Editor: Erik Agard

Theme Answers:

AQUARIUS (15A: 2014 album by Tinashe (born Feb.6))

VIRGO TENDENCIES (21A: Either of two 2020 EPs by Kekek Palmer (born Aug. 26))

GEMINI RIGHTS (48A: 2022 album by Steve Lacy (born May 23))

CAPRISONGS (59A: 2022 mixtape by FKA Twigs (born Jan. 16))

Theme synopsis: Each of the FOUR theme answers is a RECORD whose name references the artist's STAR sign (aka astrological sign). 

And now a word from our constructor:

Brooke: other theme answers i considered were outkast's "aquemini" and eve's "scorpion"

Things I learned:

• AQUARIUS (15A: 2014 album by Tinashe (born Feb.6)) AQUARIUS is the debut studio album of Tinashe. The album was ranked number three on Billboard's list of "The 10 Best R&B Albums of 2014." Tinashe's birthday is February 6, making her an AQUARIUS.
• VIRGO TENDENCIES (21A: Either of two 2020 EPs by Keke Palmer (born Aug. 26)) VIRGO TENDENCIES, Pt. 1 was released on August 28, 2020, just two days after Keke Palmer's birthday. VIRGO TENDENCIES, Pt. 2 was released on December 11, 2020. In an E! News interview, Keke Palmer said her favorite VIRGO quality is the "ability to let things go."
• GEMINI RIGHTS (48A: 2022 album by Steve Lacy (born May 23)) GEMINI RIGHTS is Steve Lacy's second studio album. He has said he came up with the album's name while he was "tipsy." With a May 23 birthday, Steve Lacy is a GEMINI. 
• CAPRISONGS (59A: 2022 mixtape by FKA Twigs (born Jan. 16)) CAPRISONGS was released on January 14, 2022, just two days before FKA Twigs' birthday. The mixtape's title is a nod to being a CAPRIcorn. 

Random thoughts and interesting things:

• TBQH (10A: If u rly want my opinion...) TBQH = to be quite honest
• BBQ (2D: Cuisine with Texas and Carolina styles, for short) Barbecue (BBQ) styles vary widely by region, and can be the basis of (hopefully) friendly rivalries. Texas is a big state, so it's perhaps unsurprising that there is not one, but actually four Texas BBQ styles, as explained in this article. When it comes to Carolina BBQ, the style varies depending on whether you are in North Carolina or South Carolina. I'll be honest, I'm up for sampling all of these BBQ styles. 
• EDU (5D: www.uconn.___) The University of Connecticut (UConn) is a land-grant university in Storrs, Connecticut. The school was founded in 1881 as Storrs Agricultural School. After a few name changes, it eventually became the University of Connecticut in 1939. UConn's nickname is the Huskies, and its mascot is Jonathan the Husky (named to honor the first governor of Connecticut, Jonathan Trumbull).

Geography review:

• ALA (52A: Montgomery's state (Abbr.)) Montgomery is the capital of Alabama (ALA). Montgomery's motto is "Capital of Dreams."

This is a fun theme idea. Though I wasn't familiar enough with the RECORDS to fill in any of the theme answers immediately, crossings were fair, and once I figured out the theme, I was able to make some educated guesses. Other enjoyable answers: GARLIC NAAN, HIPPIE, and SQUIRREL. Thank you, Brooke, for this puzzle that was a great way to start my Saturday.