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(11/18/20 11:45pm)
By Brandon Carson
AC/DC is a rock and roll powerhouse band from Australia. They’ve seen more success than almost any band in the industry: Countless world tours and songs, as well as numerous records being set. 2020 not only saw the release of POWER UP, but also the 40th anniversary of the acclaimed 1980s album Back in Black, which has sold over 25,000,000 copies. AC/DC is notorious for never changing their sound. Ever since 1977s Let There Be Rock, the group has crafted a specific sound and formula that can only be known as AC/DC. They know their sound and how to make powerhouse, stadium-filling rock music. With this formula, the band became a hit-making machine. Of course, there are the oddities and the absolute classics (Powerage, Back in Black, Highway to Hell), but the problem comes when their records can become an over-produced slog of monotonous riffs and melodies that sound the same, one right after the other. And so far, the late 80s, 90s, and 2000s have been exactly that.
POWER UP, while also their 17th studio album, is a tribute to deceased founding member Malcolm Young, who died in 2017. The songs were all unreleased, but Young’s brother, guitarist and founding member Angus Young, polished them up for this release. Their prime lineup returns as well, featuring Brian Johnson, Phil Rudd, and Cliff Williams. But even though it seemed as if the stars aligned for a fun, rocking AC/DC record, POWER UP is another swing and a miss with a dull second half, tedious riffs, and overall weak and forgettable songs. However, it still contains a few hidden gems.
A Mixed Bag
AC/DC has never been a band about innovation or change. They have been about all rock and roll from the beginning of their career to now. No one should expect their sound to change. A powerful combination of catchy hooks, memorable riffs, and face-melting solos are the key features to every great AC/DC song.
POWER UP does not go without these. However, the vast majority of the record fills the space while bangers like “Realize,” “Through the Mists of Time,” and “Demon Fire” carry the entire album. “Realize” is the perfect opener. It showcases what you’re going to hear for the rest of the record. It features a ginormous, catchy hook, and a classic AC/DC riff. But what was interesting to hear is how great Johnson sounds: The man is 73 and can still provide his raspy blues growl to perfection after all he’s been through. “Rejection” and the first single, “Shot in the Dark,” keep the intensity and provide even more captivating hooks, but “Through the Mists of Time” is where the band shines. Phil Rudd starts the song with an offbeat drum rhythm that instantly draws you in, while Johnson grooves with Young and Williams. It’s almost a power ballad that draws a connection with Malcolm Young through the lyrics, "see dark shadows on the walls/see the pictures/some hang, some fall.” The track is a perfect change of pace on the album, and a welcome surprise in the AC/DC catalog.
Just when you think POWER UP may be a great modern AC/DC album, in comes the filler. “Kick You When You’re Down” and “Witch’s Spell,” while not bad songs, stop the flow of the album dead in its tracks. Boring riffs and decent hooks take forever to get through, and instantly remind me of the tedious songs from 1995s Ballbreaker and 2014s Rock or Bust. Unfortunately, “Demon Fire” is the only memorable song from the second half of the record. The riff is one of their best in years along with a fantastic hook. The song is classic AC/DC. “Wild Reputation” has nothing going for it, “No Man’s Land” is slow and tedious, and “Systems Down” unites these three for a trilogy of similar-sounding, boring rock tracks.
Same old, same old
AC/DC’s 70s output is easily their best span of records. They made exciting and rebellious rock music that never grew old. The Young brothers crafted countless unforgettable songs even going into the 80s with Back in Black and Flick of the Switch. But none of the same creativity is here. POWER UP is not an AC/DC record that can stand with the greats. It’s good to see that the band can still get together at their age and make an average album, but that’s all it is; however, it shouldn’t be discredited completely. There are tracks on here that could be played in the same vein as “Highway to Hell” and “You Shook Me All Night Long.” POWER UP sounds like it could have been released 30 years ago, and no one would have guessed it. AC/DC does their job the way they want to, and has done so for almost 50 years.
Top tracks:
Through the Mists of Time
Realize
Demon Fire
Recommended if you like:
Aerosmith
Led Zeppelin
Kiss
Sources: NME
(11/17/20 10:00pm)
By Conner Tighe
It’s been the year of EPs, it seems, and for queer pop singer Gregory Dillon, Sad Magic musters what is still left of 2020 and shoots through with his inner Brendon Urie inspiration. This five-track wonder is nothing short of your average pop appeal in every sense of the word. When Dillon’s vocals come through, one can’t help but feel Urie and Fitz and the Tantrums dancing in their heads. Sad Magic, with its upbeat dance aesthetic, although unique to Dillon, falls short in handling its own individuality.
Tapping into inner demons
There’s no doubt sensualness shines through every track, and Dillon does this well while talking about love in his world. “Sunset” channels Dillon’s inner queer, and he speaks to his love comparing him to a “sunset.” Very clever, Dillon. Sunsets have long been considered one of the most beautiful sights both in the photography world and the art world to which the singer is no stranger to.
Dillon’s Instagram account expresses the singer’s persona and who he is as an artist and person in the LGBTQ community. He gives off a dreamy vibe in all his media representations, and along with this album, he does so but does an excellent job of talking about hurt in his past. “Screenshots” and “Sad Magic,” for example, introduces Dillon’s mission to go on with his life not looking back but instead looking ahead to what could be a bright future for his “dying flame.” Many men in the LGBTQ community can relate to struggling with their identities and finding love as a gay, queer, bi, or trans man. Dillon taps into something as profound as queer love through his vocals, which don’t disappoint.
Feeling you everywhere
There is no doubt moving on from someone close to your heart is difficult. Dillon’s references of withstanding pain from someone the listener doesn’t know themselves are mysterious but relatable at the same time. Listeners can feel the transition of Dillon’s feelings from track one to the ending of track five. Love is mysterious and works in mysterious ways, both physically and internally. The singer doesn’t understand the reason for his pain and continues to long for his love but sees hope and light at the end of the tunnel. Dillon feels his pain everywhere he goes as if a ghost haunts his every move. It’s nearly impossible to forget the past, but Dillon transcends through five tracks from someone who’s been the victim to the victor.
Mind magic
Although Sad Magic is a straightforward journey of Dillon’s love life, there’s also a hypothetical sense of accomplishment regarding what he’s been through. The singer’s vocals are dreamy and, to me, sound like Panic at the Disco’s Brendon Urie. Vocals, aesthetics, and storytelling accomplish a “mind magic” that plays with the listener’s heads. Dillon finds himself unable to separate his EP from other pieces of music in the pop industry. Sad Magic is fun with its upbeat rhythms and catchy lyrics,
“Stop, hold off, I can’t go back. Oh, the sky is burning fast. Call your name. I watch you turn into the sunset.”
Top tracks:
Sad Magic
Lovely.
Sunset
Recommended if you like:
Panic at the Disco
Fitz and the Tantrums
Troye Sivan
Sources: Instagram
(11/15/20 7:00pm)
by Kellyn Harrison
Whether it is the unique animation-style music videos, canned lemonade, organic environment flourishing within a warehouse in Chicago, or Summer Smash music festival; Cole Bennett, 24, has quickly become a prominent figure in the music industry and he is nowhere near slowing down. What originally formed as an idea for a blog, quickly became more after Bennett swiftly established himself as a prominent figure amongst the hip-hop/rap community. Bennett released his first music video in high school, at the age of 17. Thus, his brand, Lyrical Lemonade, has spearheaded itself to be a symbol of attaining any dream, no matter the depth.
Big City Mindset
Bennett was born in Plano, Illinois about an hour from the bright lights of Chicago. The opportunity the “windy city” screams called to the young entrepreneur at a young age. Bennett made trips to Chicago every weekend after getting his driver’s license. There, he explored the depths of the city and documented everything he experienced. Most of which included attending events for rising artists: Vic Mensa, Mick Jenkins, Chance the Rapper, etc. The footage was edited together and uploaded onto his YouTube Channel. There, viewers watched show recaps, documentaries, and local cyphers. Bennett studied digital cinema at DePaul University but stopped attending because of business goals taking his mind elsewhere. Thereafter, Lyrical Lemonade was born, no longer just a high school dream scribbled in a notebook.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CFxSvQGhn_h/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link
“You'd see Vic Mensa just walking down the street. Everything was right in front of you. It was all happening right in front of your eyes, and it was the craziest thing.” - Cole Bennett, COMPLEX Interview
In 2017, Bennett began working with artists like Lil Pump, Ski Mask the Slump God, and Famous Dex. This made him one of the most in-demand video directors in the market, for a quickly developing punk subgenre formed from the work of the SoundCloud youth. At the age of 22, he had already created more than 300 music videos. What made him stick out was his specific editing style. All of his videos add animation to enhance the classic editing done. You can watch Bennett’s work develop in his Music Video Reels located on the Lyrical Lemonade YouTube channel.
After working with other big-name artists like Juice Wrld, Kanye West, Trippie Redd, etc., Bennett found his work reaching outside of Chicago. But, no matter what offer came his way, the “windy city” continued to drag him in. Although Bennett admitted moving his business to larger cities, like New York or Los Angeles, would make his business grow even faster, he wanted to stay where the roots of his goals lie.
“I am in a position where I can help possibly make Chicago that next city, the next L.A., in terms of resources and hubs,” he says, “and really just make people more aware of the music culture here. For some people, it’s beneficial to move out of Chicago once you’re in a position to do so, but I think that there is also something to say about trying to give back to the city.” - Cole Bennett, COMPLEX Interview
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="374"] Image from Facebook[/caption]
Bennett recognizes the harsh environment that surrounds the small communities of Chicago, which makes venues nervous to book hip-hop events in the city. But, Bennett has worked to break this stigma down by hosting Lyrical Lemonade’s first summer music festival, Summer Smash, 2018. Many artists who worked closely with Bennett supported the event and what it stood for the community. These artists included Trippie Redd, Lil Skies, Lil Mosey, Gunna, Ski Mask the Slump God, and Famous Dex. All of which, and more, performed that year. On the first day, the event brought in over 11,000 people, and the next year 20,000 people. Sadly the festival was canceled this year due to COVID-19, but Bennett is planning on making the festival a three-day event for summer 2021.
“We want Chicago to be the place everyone wants to be. As much violence as there is going on in the summer, there are just as many amazing things happening. Festival season is always such a highlight in all these kids’ lives in Chicago. It’s just a fun time to be around, so it was important for me to bring something like this to Chicago. It inspires people and gives them a fun, safe place to go and have a good time for a weekend. It’s something to look forward to. Something to take pride in, really.” - Cole Bennett, COMPLEX Interview
Supporting the Dreaming Youth
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="321"] Image from XXL Magazine[/caption]
In May 2019, Bennett mentioned in a TED talk how important it is for not only society but his work environment to be full of “glass-half-full” thinkers. He hints most of the business’s success has come from the small space full of people who like to share what seems like crazy ideas. Then, they find ways to make their ideas work and end up making it happen. Bennett shared the importance for people to have a safe space where they can have conversations about hip-hop, where it currently is, and where they would like to take it. Due to this close space, everything Lyrical Lemonade produces originates from the office building and the collaboration of the people within it. The team has forged a lot of trust within the hip-hop/rap and youth community because of their focus on quality over quantity. It shows the amount of time they are willing to put into their projects to make them attuned to their audience and staying aware of what they want to see next. But, this means they must be selective in their work and partnerships with artists. However, being selective has its perks for many young artists. As seen with artists like Lil Tecca and Lil Mosey, Cole Bennett directing a music video is a major step into the music industry. Juice Wrld signed a $3 million record deal with Interscope not long after his first music video, "All Girls Are the Same," with Bennett released. Therefore, Lyrical Lemonade has become a major platform for rising rappers to take that step from SoundCloud status to record label status. In turn, portraying Lyrical Lemonade’s focus on the future of hip-hop/rap.
When Life Gives You Lemons, Make Lemonade
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="238"] Image from Lyrical Lemonade[/caption]
It is apparent Bennett craves crazy ideas, and that is evident in the new projects being produced rapidly. Although many predicted a line of lemonade from the company, I don’t think we expected it so soon. In a 2018 interview with Gary Vaynerchuk, Bennett first entertained the idea, which warranted many phone calls from beverage companies looking to partner with the influencer. Bennett launched his cans of lemonade in 2019 at large entertainment events like Summer Smash and ComplexCon. Now, he sells them on the Lyrical Lemonade website in 4-packs. As part of Lyrical Lemonade’s seven-year anniversary, limited edition collectors cans were available for not only fans of Lyrical Lemonade, but fans of artists working closely with Bennett. Artists with special cans include Lil Tecca, Blueface, Polo G, and The Kid Laroi. Bennett hopes to make the lemonade available in stores across the country soon.
Another project Bennett recently dropped in April 2020 was, “The Life of Lenny.” This project includes a series of short animated clips portraying the different adventures of wooden-like friend, Lenny. Lenny was created to portray positive vibes, especially during a time of COVID-19 fear and mourning for those in the Juice Wrld community. “The Life of Lenny” is found on Lyrical Lemonade 2’s YouTube channel and Lenny sometimes makes a cameo in Bennett’s music videos.
Other projects Bennett hopes to pursue in the future are other mediums of entertainment including cartoons, feature films, TV shows, and books. But one thing that will always stay constant is Bennett’s love for Chicago, work in music videos, roots in hip-hop/rap, and faith in the dreams of the youth.
Sources: COMPLEX, Lyrical Lemonade Shop, Medium, Studybreaks, YouTube
Images: Facebook, Instagram, Lyrical Lemonade Shop, XXL Magazine
Featured Image: Thred
(11/15/20 3:00pm)
by Annie Bastian
For anyone looking for new music, I highly recommend checking out Sammy Rae. Last year when I was getting prepared for a long car ride, I reached out to people asking for new music recommendations and a friend of mine told me about Sammy Rae’s EP, The Good Life. I remember that the first song that came on shuffle from the EP was “Kick It to Me.” I was automatically captivated due to the saxophone during the introduction and her unique voice. I vividly remember that when I stopped for gas after hearing it, the first thing I did was text my friend thanking her for telling me about this EP. I then sent the song to my father who used to play saxophone and therefore has a strong appreciation for any music that features one. While stopped, I also queued the rest of the EP on Spotify. I have been in love with Sammy Rae’s music ever since. I am strongly attached to the EP The Good Life, but Sammy Rae also has some other music that is well worth a listen. Unlike some groups where if you’ve heard one song you have heard them all, Sammy Rae keeps the listener interested by reflecting many genres such as jazz, pop, blues, and rock in her music. With a diverse array of genres in her music, every song has a distinctive sound.
(11/13/20 12:32am)
[embed]https://soundcloud.com/user-519363288/remixed-s5e7-is-billboard-bill-boring[/embed]
Welcome back to another episode of Remixed! Tune in as we discuss the Billboard Music Awards, how the award show works, which artists won, and the hosts' take on the artists!
Hosts: Sam Shipe & Cara Rae
Edited by: Ok Schlatter
Graphic by: Kellyn Harrison
(11/06/20 9:00pm)
By Brandon Carson
Bring Me the Horizon (BMTH) return with POST HUMAN: SURVIVAL HORROR, an EP drenched with universal feelings of anxiety from all the wrong in the world. 2019s amo saw a new direction for the band. The hooks were catchier as the band was taking more inspiration from pop music. Along with more electronic elements being applied to their mainstream metal sound. A direction that took shape in 2015s That’s the Spirit. BMTH has been continuously changing and adapting their sound since their first record. They went from deathcore to mainstream metal in a gradual way, adapting their sound with each release. POST HUMAN, however, features a consistent sound and production overall, fusing every single BMTH era into one cohesive whole. The record is a breathtaking nu-metal revival that does justice to the genre and allows BMTH to give their unique spin.
Welcoming back the heaviness
It’s no surprise that BMTH was bringing back their metal roots. Not that it was gone in amo, but underdeveloped. But here, the band knows exactly how to fuse it with their mainstream melodies. “Dear Diary” opens the album with an incredible change of pace for BMTH. They take the listener way back to their Suicide Season sound with a heavy guitar riff and blasting drums that create an intense atmosphere delivered in the lyrics of the song. Almost every song feature breakdowns that never get old and showcases the musical ability they can bring to the table. The heaviness this album captures is callbacks to the nu-metal greats: Slipknot, Linkin Park, Deftones. But BMTH knows this and their sound well enough to create a fusion that can hold up in 2020.
Nu-metal isn’t the only edition to this heavier sound. The album’s themes reference survival horror games Resident Evil and Silent Hill, which bring a dreadful tone to the music. They worked with Mick Gordon, who made the DOOM Eternal soundtrack on the record’s production. Gordon adds an extra layer of fear and urgency to the mix that blends well with BMTH’s expected production. “Kingslayer” keeps the energy up with another blend of BMTH’s sounds. What sets this song apart is the edition of BABYMETAL. Hearing this extreme instrumental followed by BABYMETAL singing the hook creates a fascinating juxtaposition.
A tight grip on their songwriting
BMTH has had over a decade to find and hone in on their formula. A lot of songs in their discography follow it because it creates big hits and singles. But usually, each album has a few tracks that seem discombobulated. POST HUMAN surprisingly doesn’t contain this problem. The flow of the record is consistent and never getting off track. It’s apparent that these songs belong in the same universe, and it’s due to the strong songwriting. Each song features the same structure, but it never becomes a problem because they can all stand independently. Every song is not without a big hook or some sort of catchy moment. “Teardrops” is textbook nu-metal right down to screeching synths of this Linkin Park love letter. Singer Oli Sykes channels his inner Chester Bennington on the hook, that the song almost feels like a rap verse is missing. And yet this inspiration fits right into BMTH’s standard sound. The hooks on POST HUMAN are all catchy and hard-hitting, never getting annoying or anywhere close to filler like amo.
Adventurous production and collaborations
BMTH’s last couple of records have been a main point in their development as a band. Sempiternal took their deathcore roots and gave it more texture. That’s the Spirit gave them mainstream appeal and featured more electronics in the production, and amo made every song an experiment. POST HUMAN uses its production to create an apocalyptic atmosphere for the record. A whole heap of new sound appears, especially on “Obey.” The wall of sirens that ring in the background mixed with the guitar give it a grandiose quality. ‘Kingslayer” and “Ludens” also knock it out of the park, keeping me hooked at all times. BMTH took a lot of creative liberties with their production, and it works in their favor.
There are numerous collaborations on the record. The best is easily BABYMETAL, who bring heavy and melodic sides to “Kingslayer.” YUNGBLUD gets a verse on “Obey” and, to my surprise, nails his delivery. It’s the right amount of heavy you wouldn’t expect from him. Nova Twins show up on “1x1,” which is, unfortunately, the worst track on the record. While Nova Twins brings a new aspect to the missing song, it just doesn’t have the same power and impact of the previous tracks. Last but certainly not least, Amy Lee from Evanescence performs in the tremendous closing duet, “One Day the Only Butterflies Left Will Be in Your Chest as You March Towards Your Death.” Acting as a conversation between humanity and mother nature, this ballad brings the entire record together and ends the record on a high note. The song’s crescendo at the end is a great way to end this emotional roller coaster of an EP.
Top tracks:
Dear Diary
Obey
Kingslayer
Recommended if you like:
Linkin Park
Of Mice and Men
Slipknot
(11/06/20 6:00am)
By Arianna Sergio
Ariana Grande is one of the most popular and influential people in the world right now and, needless to say, needs no introduction. With a whopping 205.5 million followers on Instagram, 78.4 million followers on Twitter, and 57 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Grande has made her mark on the pop music industry forever. Positions is Grande's sixth studio album, after the massive worldwide success that was her previous album, thank u, next. Positions delves into themes of trust, sex, love, falling in love, and intimacy. Grande captivates listeners and takes them with her on her journey of falling in love, dubiously, after previously being hurt time and time again by it. She uses various metaphors and clever play-on-words to assert and reveal her intimate desires and needs.
Let’s talk about sex, baby
“Positions” is the lead single off of Positions. This song discusses Grande’s commitment and love for her boyfriend with her flexibility in trying to make their relationship work. The chorus,
“Switchin' them positions for you/ Cookin' in the kitchen and I'm in the bedroom/ I'm in the Olympics, way I'm jumpin' through hoops/ Know my love infinite, nothin’ I wouldn’t do/ That I won't do, switchin’ for you,”
gives the word “positions,” a double meaning. In one way, it refers to how Grande is changing her role in the relationship, from doing housework to becoming intimate with her significant other. Contrary to that, it could be taken a step further, and be interpreted as literally changing positions while being intimate with her significant other.
“34+35” adds up to 69, which is the sex position Grande is yearning for throughout the entirety of this lustful song. The song title also acts as a play on the album’s title. Even though the song is extremely sexual throughout, Grande sings the lyrics,
“Math class/ Never was good,”
as the song’s outro. She jokingly ends the song with the fact that she was never good at math, undermining the sexual nature in the majority of the song and letting her goofy personality shine.
“Nasty” just oozes sex appeal. The chorus repeats Grande singing how “tonight” she wants to get “nasty” and she doesn’t want to wait any longer. She then rhetorically asks what her significant other is waiting for. It flawlessly depicts one of Grande’s consistent themes on the album, sex. In this song, Grande is straightforward with her significant other, by telling him how bad she needs him and wants him.
Collabscollabscollabs
“Motive” feat. Doja Cat and is produced by Murda Beatz. Murda Beatz has produced many songs for popular mainstream artists, like Nicki Minaj, Cardi B, and Drake. This is Murda Beatz’s first collaboration with not only Grande but also Doja Cat. “Motive” is the type of song that you would hear while you’re shopping in Forever 21 and trying on clothes in the dressing room. It’s upbeat and uptempo but falls flat along the way. The chorus is too repetitive and a pitfall, making it boring and ultimately bland. Doja Cat’s verse is not as memorable as it was expected to be. Her verse didn’t pack a punch like her verses/lyrics in her hit songs, like “Say So,” “Juicy,” and “Rules,” have.
“Safety net” feat. Ty Dolla $ign is about giving your everything to make a relationship work and taking that extra leap of faith. In the chorus,
“Tripping, falling, with no safety net/ Got me tripping, falling, with no safety net,”
Grande sings that even though you don't know if that relationship is going to work, she is willing to still give it a try and, in the end, risk it all for that person. Ty Dolla $ign’s voice flourishes with Grande’s, creating an enchanting and divine experience for the listener.
“Off the table” feat. The Weeknd is the strongest collaboration out of the three. This is Grande and The Weeknd’s second collaboration after their 2014 smash hit, “Love Me Harder.” This song includes a slow, synth-heavy instrumental, topped off by profuse and delightful strings in the background. The first verse,
“Will I ever love the same way again? (Way again)/ Will I ever love somebody like the way I did you?/ If I can't have you, is love completely off the table?/ Just wanna know is love completely off the table?”
has Grande questioning if she will ever find love again. She is dwelling on her previous relationships and second-guessing if she will ever find that again. The Weeknd plays her love interest, and he assures her that he can fill those shoes and be exactly what she needs. Throughout The Weeknd’s verse, he makes references to his past songs, “Hurt You,” “Love Me Harder,” and “The Hills.” This works in favor of the song because he is leaving a trail of breadcrumbs for his true fans. This is something more artists should do when they are featured on songs.
Another shot at love
“Obvious” talks about how Grande is starting to believe in love again and how her current significant other is helping her in believing in love again. This song has a sweet and comforting melody that drips onto her endearing lyrics. “Love language” is about Grande learning her significant other’s love language in hopes that she can improve in expressing her love for him and she communicates how she wants her significant other to do the same for her. Love languages are various ways that romantic partners give and receive love. There are five different types of love languages: quality time, physical touch, words of affirmation, acts of service, and receiving gifts. In “my hair,” Grande quite literally lets her hair down and bares it all. This 90s style R&B song is about being comfortable enough for her significant other to “run his hands through her hair” when they are intimate, which is an extremely vulnerable action to do, which is another sign that she is opening up to love.
“Pov” is hands down the best song on Positions, no competition. This song will surely make you cry the first time you listen to it. It’s about the heartbreaking reality of not loving yourself and wishing to see yourself from your significant other’s perspective, to know why they admire and love you despite all of your imperfections. And maybe after seeing that, you will believe that you are good enough and worthy of someone’s love. Her silky vocals are on full display as the relaxing percussion and string instrumental plays in the background, building up throughout the song only to let her powerhouse voice take center stage. The lyricism in this song solidifies Grande at her best.
Top Tracks:
pov
34+35
off the table
Recommended if you like:
Selena Gomez
Camila Cabello
Demi Lovato
Sources: 5 Love Languages
(10/30/20 9:58pm)
By Arianna Sergio
Superbloom is Ashton Irwin’s debut album, separate from his band 5 Seconds of Summer. This announcement came as a complete shock to everyone, as 5 Seconds of Summer have been actively creating music and have been very successful. Fans of Irwin and 5 Seconds of Summer were freaking out, thinking that Irwin’s solo debut meant an end of the Australian rock band, but that is certainly not the case. Irwin took to Instagram to share his announcement about Superbloom. In the post, he not only shared his excitement about the album, but he shut down assumptions and rumors that 5 Seconds of Summer was breaking up by saying, “It brings me the greatest joy of all that I am in a band that allows me to create freely inside and outside of it.” Superbloom is a tour inside the mind of Irwin and the mental struggles he faces. Its focus is on all of the key parts of his life, including the good and the bad, and him accepting and embracing it all.
Blood is thicker than water
“SCAR” begins with a magical and otherworldly intro leading into a 90s Foo Fighters-esque rock-infused song. This song is about the strife of staying strong. He is singing this song to his family. In the second verse, he sings,
“Mother mother/ Can you show me the way?/Can you light a tunnel to light of day?/ I'm sick of dealing with the problems at hand,”
in the third verse, he sings,
“Sister, Lauren, don't you fade away/ Sister, Lauren, love you all the way/ I'm feeling hopeful that you'll show a man/ How to love someone as true as you can,”
and finally, in the fourth verse he sings,
“Brother, brother we speak day to day/ You're a blueprint for a future that's paved/ My wishful thinking might not go as we planned/ But I'll help you be a better man.”
He is singing to his mother, Anne Marie, who raised him as a single mother, his younger sister, Lauren, and his younger brother, Harry; whom he loves more than anything. “SCAR” is an ode to them and how they’ve stuck with him through all of the strenuous moments he, and they, underwent.
“Greyhound” is about Irwin’s family’s frustration and the endless cycle of being born, working your life away, and then dying. Irwin told Rolling Stone Australia that it’s also about the relationship that his mother had with a greyhound trainer, and if the greyhound didn’t come in first place, they would be shot and killed. That image scarred Irwin as a child and kept coming back to him. This six-minute and 19-second song, the longest on his album, questions if the race was even worth it in the end.
Self-reflection
“Skinny Skinny” is Irwin’s debut single. This song is about the battle of “not feeling at home in your own body.” It’s about never being happy with the way you look and always striving to look better. Irwin sings about body dysmorphia and eating disorders, specifically anorexia and bulimia. According to ANAD (National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders), 28.8 million Americans, or 9% of the U.S. population, will have an eating disorder in their lifetime. It’s commendable that Irwin is brave enough to use his platform and shed some light on this issue, which isn’t often discussed, while also bringing in his personal experience.
When Irwin sings,
“My second face, my damn reflection/ We always meet when I'm defeated,”
he is singing about body dysmorphia in the first verse. According to Mayo Clinic, someone with body dysmorphia can’t stop thinking about "imperfections" in their physical appearance. They frequently check the mirror, searching for reassurance or end up grooming, sometimes for “many hours each day,” because they center their attention entirely on their appearance and body image. This develops into an unhealthy relationship with mirrors and even their own reflection. “My second face” implies that Irwin wants to dissociate himself from his reflection because it feels like it isn’t him anymore. “My damn reflection” shows how disgusted he is by his own reflection, displaying the relationship he has with mirrors. The lyrics,
“I wanna eat, I wanna stay thin/ I wanna dance but I gotta stay in,”
allude to anorexia. According to EDV (Eating Disorders Victoria), anorexia is an eating disorder in which the person who has it has a “low body weight and body image distortion with an obsessive fear of gaining weight, which manifests itself through depriving the body of food. It often coincides with increased levels of exercise.” The lyrics,
“My fingers stretching into my larynx,”
describe purging, which is when someone forces themselves to throw up after they’ve just eaten, to lose, or to stop gaining weight. According to NEDA (National Eating Disorder Association), this is a sign that someone is suffering from bulimia. In addition, this song also talks about how eating disorders are often kept a secret from the person’s loved ones, with nobody truly knowing they are hurting.
“The Sweetness” speaks about how fleeting happiness is. Right from the get-go, the beginning sounds like a drowned out version of the intro of “The Joker and the Thief” by Wolfmother. This isn’t a bad thing though. It works in favor of the song. The lyrics,
“When the sweetness seeps into your bloodstream/ When the sweetness makes you love your life again/ When the darkness creeps into your basement/ When the darkness takes it all away again,”
literally sound like an evil force. It’s to represent the negative overpowering the positive. The darkness depicts the obstacles and challenges Irwin has been facing mentally.
Looking on the bright side
“Sunshine” is a song about feeling disheartened, frustrated, and ultimately down about the issues in today’s society. One of those issues being the news. In the lyrics,
“Stop watchin' the news/ You're something they used to scare you just like a bad dream,”
he talks about his distaste for the news and how it's used to alarm people. The song’s beginning has the same melodies and feel as “I am the Walrus” by the Beatles. The melody is soft and uplifting, with his voice harmonizing gracefully. Throughout the song, Irwin is singing about his dissatisfaction, but he looks for the silver lining through it all--even when it can be difficult at times.
Opening up
“Perfect Lie” is about the previous songs that were written for 5 Seconds of Summer. Irwin recognizes that those songs are a part of his life and helped him and his band climb the ladder to acclaim. He exhaustedly sings of his regrets in regards to the writing behind the songs being fabricated, exaggerated, and coming from a dishonest place. The lyrics,
“Everybody fakes it 'til they make it/ Everybody loves it 'til they hate it,”
are a prime example of that. Along with the regrets comes disliking the songs. The lyrics,
“I'll try to love without hating you,”
represent how even though he dislikes some of their older songs, he loves the fans and could never hate them for liking their older music. He just wants to make it a point that he will no longer write like that or release music that isn’t from an honest and raw place.
Top Tracks:
Skinny Skinny
Sunshine
SCAR
Recommended if you like:
Foo Fighters
The Strokes
The White Stripes
Sources: National Eating Disorders, Eating Disorders, Mayo Clinic, Instagram, Rolling Stone Australia,
(10/29/20 9:35pm)
By Arianna Sergio
Written and recorded in its entirety throughout the period of quarantine, indie/rock band Wallows released their newest EP, fittingly, titled Remote. The whole writing and recording process of this 6-song EP was done remotely, as you could’ve guessed, with the band exchanging voice memos they recorded off their phones. In 2017, Wallows released their first single “Pleaser.” They accumulated a steady fan base after that and have only grown in popularity. It’s safe to say that their once straightforward, heavy instrument, influenced rock sound has matured into their now-signature soft-indie rock sound. Remote is the second EP from Wallows and it follows suit of the success of their debut album, Nothing Happens, and their debut EP, Spring.
From hitting their marks to singing out their hearts
Wallows is a dynamic trio that consists of: Braedan Lemasters on lead vocals/guitar; Dylan Minnette on vocals/guitar; and Cole Preston on background vocals/drums. Wallows released their debut single in 2017 titled “Pleaser”, and it received massive success, reaching number two on the Spotify Global Viral 50 chart. The band only skyrocketed from there, collecting millions of streams on all of their songs while building a sufficiently large fan base along the way.
Before all of this success came barreling in, two-thirds of Wallows were actors. Minnette rose to fame from starring in the smash hit, drama TV series 13 Reasons Why, along with a string of eclectic films. In 13 Reasons Why he played Clay Jensen, an awkward and quiet high school student who gets blindly propelled into solving the mystery of his classmate and crush, Hannah Baker’s suicide. This Netflix original ran for four seasons, before ending earlier this year in June. Lemasters is most well-known for starring as a series regular on Men of a Certain Age, in which he played Albert Tranelli, the son of party supply store owner Joe Tranelli and in R.L. Stine’s Monsterville: The Cabinet of Souls, where he played Kellen, one of four high school students who are targeted by an evil carnival.
Pressing play
Remote kicks off with “Virtual Aerobics.” This song starts with a funky and offbeat piano riff that flows well with the guitar and drum beats and Minnette’s easily distinguishable voice that forms a quirky, catchy, and innovative song. The bridge of the song being,
“Yeah, you called me out like that (Like that)/Yeah, you made me blush like that (Like that)/Only been here one night, leavin' doesn't feel right/ We could live a life like that (Like that),”
and continuing with Minnette repetitively singing “like that” which makes the song even more catchy and lively.
“Dig What You Dug” is the second song of the EP, both Minnette and Lemasters voices’ are the stars of this song. Their voices blend in harmony. In the last 20 seconds of the song, just the upbeat instrumental lightly plays, but there is a spoken outro. The spoken outro says,
“I dig what you dug, and I dug what you dig.”
Having this fresh element really works in favor of the song and adds another layer of depth and individuality to the song. It gives the song more personality.
“Nobody Gets Me (Like You)” is about finding that special someone who you connect with on not just a surface level basis but on a deep, meaningful, level that people crave to find. The guitar riff in the beginning, along with Lemasters’ low-pitched vocals, sets the tone of a 90s coming-of-age high school movie. It has the same feeling as when the “perfect” girl walks into the cafeteria in slow-motion and takes away the main character’s breath, leaving him speechless and gawking at her. This song is charming and will surely appeal to your hopeless romantic side.
Next up is, “Coastlines.” This song discusses the struggles and hardships that come along with maintaining a long-distance relationship. Minnette sings the chorus,
“I don't wanna think about it/ If I'm the only thing on your mind/ I don't wanna think about it/ If I'm really wastin' all of your time/ I don't wanna think about it/ When we're on different coastlines/ I don't wanna think about it/ I don't wanna think about it.”
This is something that many people, especially those in long-distance relationships, will relate to. He sings about being on different coastlines, which is already hard enough to be physically away from your significant other, but he also touches on feeling uncertain and overthinking details about his relationship. These thoughts creep up when you are separated. This song uses synth beats, electronic guitar riffs, and reverb to generate a staggering listening experience that is worth another listen and another and maybe another one after that.
“Talk Like That,” is about being told something that you really don’t want to hear by your significant other. Presumably, in this case, a breakup. In this chorus, Minnette sings
“Cut my heart in half, give it back when you talk like that/ Probably all in all, if they call, get a heart attack/ Feels more like your death, lost my breath, can you give me more?/ Do it all again, by the end, tell me I'll be yours.”
These are my favorite lyrics on the EP. Minnette sings so passionately and his voice works wonders on this song. There’s a spoken outro at the end of this song as well, with the voice saying,
“Hey John that last one was pretty good but, uh/ How do you change the station on this thing?”
followed by a static noise that smoothly begins
“Wish Me Luck.”
The transitions are crisp and clean throughout the whole EP. Specifically the transition from this song into “Wish Me Luck.” It forges a cohesion and fluency that is unmatched.
Remote closes with “Wish Me Luck,” which is my personal favorite. It’s the most candid, open, and honest song on the EP. Minnette sings in the first verse,
“I don't wanna lose myself to all my insecurities/ If I told you all of them, who would it hurt more, you or me?”
Being insecure and being worried about sharing those insecurities with someone else is something listeners everywhere can surely relate to. It’s hard to open up to someone about your insecurities; especially someone you care so deeply about. You don’t want to scare them away and have it blow up in your face if you open up, but it’s also scary to be vulnerable enough to let someone in. The lyricism is exceptional, but it's admirable that the song implements an intentional rhythmic vocal pattern and synth beats. The rhythmic vocal patterns and synth beats balance the heavy subject matter of the lyrics, which discusses personal insecurities and trust issues. This EP stands out from previous music they’ve released because it’s showing their growth as not only lyricists but artists as a whole. The lyrics, production, and transitions on Remote are better than any of the other music they’ve released.
Top Tracks:
Wish Me Luck
Coastlines
Dig What You Dug
Recommended if you like:
Peach Pit
Declan McKenna
The Japanese House
(10/21/20 8:54pm)
by Brandon Carson
Corey Taylor is without a doubt one of mainstream rock’s biggest stars. He screams his head off as Slipknot’s front man, who are still releasing engaging and hard-hitting metal music with 2019’s We Are Not Your Kind. He fronts the rock band Stone Sour, which was actually his first band but has always been seen as a soft, more mainstream Slipknot. He has a multitude of nicknames, a wide choice of words, and has written four books. But one thing “The Great Big Mouth” hasn’t done is release a solo record.
I gave We Are Not Your Kind an 8.8/10 and still believe it is one of Slipknot’s best albums. Some of the lyrics on that emotional roller coaster of an album are the best that Taylor has ever written. So naturally, when CMFT was announced, I was beyond excited. While I was skeptical in the back of my mind, I figured Taylor would give his all with this release. But instead, we get a slew of tired Stone Sour B-sides that have barely any impact and never try anything new. CMFT is a long, bland, and boring album with standard, by-the-numbers rock production, cheesy lyrics, and the first time Taylor is not doing anything exciting.
"I know that there is nothing more that I can say"
Taylor is no stranger to cheesy lyrics and conventional rock tropes. In fact, it seemed to be the direction Stone Sour was going with 2010’s Audio Secrecy. CMFT however, is a new low. The record feels as if there is nothing left in the tank for Taylor. Every song contains a similar, predictable structure like it’s a Five Finger Death Punch project. But one of the biggest disappointments is the lyrics and songwriting.
The opener, “HWY 666,” was initially written in high school according to Taylor, and then stretched out while writing the record. It’s obvious through lyrics like,
“When the Devil ran me down/He said, ‘Son, your soul's as good as mine/Just give me more and you'll be fine’/I turned and waved goodbye/When the Devil ran me down.../That's right!”
It’s clear to see that this is supposed to give off the vibe of “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” but when Taylor starts singing, it just comes off as a corny mess. “Culture Head” tries to be woke and play both sides to an argument, but with the lines,
“Your generation loves to b*tch, b*tch, b*tch/Just stay offended in your niche, niche, niche/Nobody's perfect, but you're bringin' everyone down,”
Taylor just sounds like an out of touch Gen X-er complaining about the "snowflakes." Just for comparison’s sake, here is a verse from Slipknot’s song “Orphan:”
“I wept when I realized/There were no more demons left to conquer/An opportunity to show my feelings/With skin so thick you swear it was armor/A penitentiary that only lets the oxygen out/I wasn't ready for a version of the truth to get out/I’m getting desperate, I wouldn't wanna fester in another bad dream.”
Gripping, real, and raw. Taylor’s writing for each band is definitely different, but even Stone Sour has interesting lyrics that one can ponder over. CMFT doesn’t come close to the level of authenticity in “Orphan” or in Stone Sour’s popular hit, “Bother.”
"Life, it's all really the same to me"
While Taylor was asleep at the wheel on the songwriting, surely the music is somewhat decent, right? On the contrary, it’s the weakest part of the record. CMFT plays with genres on most of the songs, hopping from Stone Sour hard rock to blues rock and even a punk song. But even though it seems these songs are different from one another, they all end up sounding the same. None of these songs are interesting or dare to try anything new.
Each song is a sound that Taylor has tried before with Stone Sour, or it’s milking out all the boring post-grunge rock sounds that have remained in the rock mainstream for nearly 20 years. “Black Eyes Blue” and “Everybody Dies on my Birthday” are basically Stone Sour B-sides form their last album Hydrograd, and rockers like “Meine Lux” and “Culture Head” end up sounding like rip offs from the bands that influenced them (Guns ‘n’ Roses and Alice In Chains respectively). Besides two songs, the entire record features similar structure, and even those tracks contain uninspired solos from Stone Sour guitarist Christian Martucci. While Martucci’s soloing is fun the first time around on “HWY 666,” it grows old and tired. There’s one on every song with no breaks until “Home,” the eleventh song on the record.
Jay Ruston produced the record, and he also produced Stone Sour’s Hydrograd in 2017. The production and mix between the two are virtually the same. But where risks were taken on Hydrograd with “Whiplash Pants” and “Somebody Stole My Eyes,” CMFT’s risks fall flat with bland production and stale instrumentals. But there is one track here that falls so flat, it’s amazing that it was even recorded.
“CMFT Must Be Stopped” is the hip-hop/rock fusion that comes out of nowhere on the album. Taylor can rap; he has on many Slipknot songs from their first album. But here, it sounds incredibly out of place. Kid Bookie and Tech N9ne do their best with what is given; however, the fusion that is trying to happen never materializes and ends up sounding like a mess. But it’s hard not to give Taylor credit for trying.
"I'm just looking for ways to enjoy the view"
With all the criticisms being said, there are a few noteworthy achievements on CMFT. “Home” is a welcome change of pace for the album and a compelling ballad. So compelling that I’m willing to forgive how much it sounds like Stone Sour’s “Zzyzx Rd.” Taylor’s experimentation, while falling flat, needs appreciation as well. He seems like he’s having a blast writing and playing the music here and it’s hard not to fall into that excitement. Especially on the last—and best—track on the album, “European Tour Bus Bathroom Song.”
(10/19/20 9:00pm)
by Arianna Sergio
One of my favorite up-and-coming artists right now is BETWEEN FRIENDS. After hearing their debut single — “suburban wonderland” — my senior year of high school, I was immediately drawn to their sound. I dove head first into the rabbit hole that was their Spotify artist page and wondered how this band, that I now adored, wasn’t more popular. When scrolling through their artist page, I noticed that they only had their one single released, and it had a little over 1 million streams. 1 million streams is a significant amount don't get me wrong, but it blew my mind that they weren’t amassing more buzz. I was stunned. Their self dubbed “laptop-dream pop” was something I couldn’t get out of my head. I found myself reverting back to “suburban wonderland” over and over again. Now, they not only have that single, but they also have an EP titled, we just need some time together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKuBVGFnW24&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS-Topic
From Savannah and Brandon Hudson to The Heirs to BETWEEN FRIENDS
Brandon and Savannah Hudson knew they had a passion for performing at an extremely young age. Brandon taught himself how to play guitar; from there, he rapidly grew curious and enthusiastic about writing his own music. Savannah began singing and dancing as soon as she was old enough to walk, and inevitably, she found herself writing music with Brandon. Thus, the start of a masterful musical duo was born.
In 2013, they auditioned for America’s Got Talent and got a resounding “yes” from all four judges. That yes brought them to Las Vegas, where again, the judges were impressed with how talented the 13-year-old and 15-year-old siblings were. It was at the Quarterfinals where their America’s Got Talent adventure ended. The duo didn’t collect enough votes to be sent to the Semifinals, so they packed their bags and headed home.
Two years later, the brother-sister duo formed a band with Savannah on vocals; Brandon on vocals and guitar; Brennan Benko on drums; Alex Flagstad on guitar; and Eian McNeely on bass and keys. This Los Angeles based band called themselves The Heirs, or HEIRS, and were recognized as an alternative/indie band. They released their debut EP “Ecliptic” and found themselves on the lineup of the 2016 Vans Warped Tour.
The Heirs quietly drifted apart, but some of the members stuck together. It was then, in 2017, when BETWEEN FRIENDS was created. The Hudson siblings assembled this new band with their drummer, Benko — from The Heirs — and this super-trio was now complete.
Their current sound has definitely changed from what The Heirs sound was. The Heirs were focused on the typical teenage angst and rebellion, whereas BETWEEN FRIENDS is mature and grown and focuses on young adult subjects — like the complications of love and heartbreak. They dress those topics up with an upbeat, pop overcoat.
[caption id="" align="alignright" width="325"] Image from Discogs[/caption]
A breakdown of we just need some time together
BETWEEN FRIENDS released their debut EP we just need some time together on April 5, 2018. Throughout this EP, they exhibit what it’s like to be young in LA and share their intimate thoughts and feelings through the art of music. Their EP cover art displays Savannah’s bare back, with the title of the EP written on her in orange capital letters. She is surrounded by a wide array of colorful flowers. She is holding, presumably, her brother's hand to the right. From the aesthetic floral fantasy that is the cover to the personality-filled song titles, everything about this EP is absolutely sensational.
“iloveyou” is the first song off of their EP. This song discusses earnestly looking back on the old times you have with someone, specifically in a relationship. The line, “I love you, tenderly, tragically,” is repeated throughout the entire bridge and chorus. This line is one that their listeners can surely relate to. It’s certainly one that hits home for me. It’s about loving someone so dearly and so deeply, but at the end of the day it’s merely young love. That person wasn’t “the one.” It ultimately didn’t work out; therefore, it ended in tragedy. They did a live version of “iloveyou,” which is just as phenomenal, if not better, than the studio version. This song has such an alluring hook, and in the live version it’s the star of the show.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GJIJlVnLN4&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS
“u can still come over” is an ode to past relationships that will always mean something to both parties involved, despite the fact that they are over. Even though those relationships are over, the memories and moments shared between those two people will always hold a special place in their hearts. This song sounds like it’s dripping wet, while also being a track pulse. With its downtempo beats, it’s a relaxed song you could blast on maximum volume in a car with friends and cruise and vibe to it.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=62q0R9aCOR8&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS
“affection” is my absolute favorite track from not only this EP but my favorite track they have ever released. They express an inability to find the desired affection they crave; because of that, they fall back on each other — like a back-up plan — to make up for it. They aren’t willing to let go of each other. Even if they are conscious that that person isn’t right for them and are still left unsatisfied in one way or another, they need each other to fill their needs of being loved and giving/receiving affection. Some form of affection is better than none even if it leaves you feeling empty. The chorus is, “Oh I’m looking for affection in all the wrong places/And we’ll keep falling on each other to fill the empty spaces,” is the perfect example of that. This line emphasizes that they are not falling for each other, rather falling on each other. The tone of Savannah’s haunting vocals over the dreamy synth-beat will be sure to make you melt.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uJoMqYumxmA&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS
BETWEEN FRIENDS explores being young, reckless, adventurous, and ultimately having fun in “better friends.” It’s about living by your own rules and doing things that you want to do. In the chorus, "If I looped my life to live again I'd pick more roses/ And pick better friends who like to sleep in the daytime/ Fall in love and kiss at night,” it discusses picking better friends who will do spontaneous things with them that makes them truly feel alive. This is my other favorite song on the EP because it’s nostalgic of the times of being in high school and doing wild things with your friends.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGASobWoiwE&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS-Topic
“blushing!” is the final track off of their EP. It’s simply about wanting to see that special person who makes you giddy and gives you butterflies; makes your cheeks rosy; and leaves you, well, blushing. BETWEEN FRIENDS celebrates that feeling of new-found love and the delightful memories associated with that. The lavish melodies mesh well with Savannah’s soft and warm vocals.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUTIX0Z7Kfs&ab_channel=BETWEENFRIENDS-Topic
When will they release new music?
BETWEEN FRIENDS hasn’t released any new music since we just need some time together; that means they haven’t released new music in over two years. So, the question on everyone’s mind is when will they release new music? When will the wait for new music end? I can’t guarantee anything soon, but in an interview with Ones to Watch, BETWEEN FRIENDS said, “We thought this [we just need some time together] would be a good intro for us and we love being so hands on with everything throughout the process,” so I can infer that this EP being an “intro” for them means there will be new music in the future. At least, one can hope that there is. It did take them two years to release we just need some time together, so hopefully by the end of this year — or by the beginning of next year — we will have some new music to listen to. If not, you know I will be going back to “suburban wonderland” for the millionth time.
Sources: Galore, Ones to Watch, San Gabriel Valley Tribune
Images: Discogs, YouTube
Featured Image: Forbes
(10/09/20 4:30pm)
by Conner Tighe
In the mid-70s, France’s music scene was spurring with a new sensation that would forever change the music world. Manu Dibango intermixed a series of instruments that had a “funky” appeal with their hit “Soul Makossa.” This was later picked up by New York’s underground music industry. Roller-skating, disco balls, “Soul Train,” and other iconic American culture-esque features would begin a culture of its own that would span for a decade. However, some artists in the pop industry today may be dipping their toes back into the culture of the 70s.
Disco brought people together like no other music niche could. Hispanics, African Americans, LGBTQ+, Caucasians, you name it—they were on the dance floor. When the disco ball was spinning, nothing else mattered. Donna Summer, Captain & Tennille, and the Bee Gees are a few contenders that brought people together on the dance floor with their vocals and dance numbers. Famous female musicians like Summer, Diana Ross, and Chaka Khan inspired the world of drag, and these “queens” are still performing today both on their own accord and by their drag doppelgangers.
[caption id="" align="alignleft" width="386"] Image from Amazon[/caption]
The disco movement heavily influenced entertainment during the 70s and helped integrate both Caucasians and African Americans after the decade of segregation. “Saturday Night Fever,” featuring John Travolta and Karen Lynn Gorney, was released in 1977. In 1971, the first episode of the iconic “Soul Train” aired with Gladys Knight & the Pips as the first act, followed by The Honey Cone, Bobby Hutton, and Eddie Kendricks. The commonality shared between the two was the music. Disco’s influence in the music industry grew from just being a good tune to something that could be shared among everyone in a way that no other movement could — with the exception of The Beatles, who stirred a nationwide craze of Beatlemania a decade earlier.
Margaret Court Arena’s “How Disco Changed the World” says that disco — both the lifestyle and the music — helped fragment a mainly white-dominated industry and helped LGBTQ+ members and women find independence and liberation through “pulsating, high-energy rhythm” and “a haze of flashing strobe lights.” The article points out bands like The Rolling Stones, Kiss, and Rod Stewart began incorporating disco influence into their music, which many criticized. Synthesizers, keyboards, and electronic drums became the norm rather than guitar and acoustic drums.
Many artists are paying tribute to the 70s era: Lady Gaga (“Rain on Me”), Justin Timberlake (“Pusher Love Girl”), Poolside (“Around the Sun”), Doja Cat (“Say So”), Lizzo (“Juice”), Dua Lipa (“Break My Heart”), and Harry Styles (“Treat People with Kindness”) are a select few in the spotlight credited with reviving a large piece of our music history through new-age music. The exciting bit is that the new decade has its fresh spin of what some call “funky.” Original disco celebrated fun times and everlasting youth when fun times were easier to come by. Today, music is a sacred space of comfort and — in this case — a place where “groovy” is what’s “in” and is still considered entertainment.
The nightclub scene incorporates fast, rhythmic tempos. This is not new, but considering all that disco offers and continues to offer, it becomes clear how disco is still relevant several decades later — long after afros and bellbottoms. Fashion comes and goes with the decades. History repeats itself, but disco is a foundation of America’s history in the music world. Disco hasn’t died; it went into hibernation and has resurfaced and evolved with the times. No other music genre has brought more people together where nothing else mattered but the moment people hit the dance floor.
Sources: Margaret Court Arena, Mental Itch, World Atlas
Image: Amazon
Featured Image: WMOT
(10/09/20 2:35am)
https://soundcloud.com/user-519363288/remixed-s5e5-machine-gun-karen
Welcome back to another episode of Remixed! Recently, Machine Gun Kelly released his new album, Tickets to my Downfall which has proven to be a smash hit, topping the Billboard charts. He has also stirred up some attention with his interesting outfit at the VMA's. Find out all of this and more on this week's episode of Remixed!
Hosts: Sam Shipe and Shwetha Sundarrajan
Edited by: Shwetha Sundarrajan
Graphic by: Kellyn Harrison
(10/07/20 3:00pm)
By Brandon Carson
(10/03/20 5:00pm)
EM | One coordinator Chin Ting Chan plays the accordion during a performance of "Stretched Together", an electroacoustic ensemble by Michael Pounds. The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.(Left to right) Freshman music media production major Luke Dudley plays the synthesizer with fellow freshman music media production major Quincy Carr. The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Kellyn Harrison.Freshman music media production major Luke Dudley performs on Michael Pounds' electroacoustic composition "Stretched Together," which was written in 2018. The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.(Left to right) Freshman music media production major Luke Dudley plays the synthesizer with fellow freshman music media production major Quincy Carr. The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Kellyn Harrison.Freshman music media production major Luke Dudley plays synthesizer on "Stretched Together". The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Kellyn Harrison.Professor of Music Theory and Composition Michael Pounds plays the electric bass on "Stretched Together." The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.Professor of Music Theory and Composition Michael Pounds plays the electric bass and live electronics for "Stretched Together", a song that he composed. The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Kellyn Harrison.The EM | One Electronic Music Concert was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.Students, alumni, and faculty performed at the The EM | One Electronic Music Concert, which was a showcase of experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Kellyn Harrison.The EM concert series showcases music made using loudspeaker playback, instrumental performers, or interactive computer performance systems. The EM | One Electronic Music Showcase displays experimental electronic music by professors, alumni, and students that performed on Sep. 30, 2020 in Sursa Hall. Photo by Annie Bastian.
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(09/03/20 4:00pm)
by Conner Tighe
With brown curls and a dreamy smile, young pop idol Shawn Mendes has been blessing the music world and fans alike since “Life of the Party,” his 2014 debut single. Since then, the musician has produced three albums and has taken part in several collaborations with the likes of Taylor Swift (“Lover”), Astrid (“Air”), Khalid (“Youth”) and love interest Camila Cabello (“I Know What You Did Last Summer,”/“Señorita”).
Mendes has always connected with other musicians. Years ago, he was still on his way to becoming famous when he met Cabello. The two met in 2014 on Austin Mahone’s summer tour, where Cabello found an interest in Mendes. The two were in a game of public tweets, hinting about their friendship and experiences working together between 2014 and 2018. Mendes has always been excellent at telling his love life and struggles through his songs. An example of that is through "Señorita," the summer bop that changed everything between him and Cabello. Many speculated that there was chemistry between them, but from then on, the spark between the two was undeniable.
10. “Treat You Better”
The singer’s second album Illuminate was nothing short of amazing, with Mendes telling fans about his love and feelings of loneliness for an unknown love interest. With every album, there’s a track that stands among the rest, and then there’s the track that is skipped over. “Treat You Better” is the weakest of Mendes’ work as the message is drone and gray with appeal. The track talks of the singer’s jealousy and comparison of him to a certain someone. The message doesn’t land, and it’s best to skip this track as it takes any listener back to those cringey high school days.
https://youtu.be/lY2yjAdbvdQ
9. “Mercy”
Again from Illuminate, Mendes does better with a track of love and a woman’s rage that drives him mad. The beginning hymn of the piece is soothing and only gets better with each passing second. The singer explains how his heart is sensitive about his girl, and he wishes she would have mercy on him. Mendes, like so many other artists, took a universal message and spun it with rhythm and a winning track of sadness and emotion. Mendes is no stranger to having love issues like most people in their early 20s, but crafting the idea into art is fantastic; the line “I’m prepared to sacrifice my life. I would gladly do it twice” gets me every time.
https://youtu.be/KkGVmN68ByU
8. “Believe”
A song of inspiration and seeing hope, this Mendes track was featured on the “Descendants” soundtrack, which premiered on Disney Channel in 2015. The music video shows a community coming together to recognize unity and the central message focuses on humanity and our flaws. The message is fantastic and represents Mendes’ character. The singer has always displayed points of positive reinforcement and genuine kindheartedness.
https://youtu.be/IZMYO_iT-r0
7. “Something Big”
Mendes had an epiphany while he was on Austin Mahone’s tour. The young singer’s fame was snowballing, and Mendes expressed his surprise with this newfound acclaim by producing “Something Big.” The piece itself is terrific with its pop inspirations and repetitive line, “woah, woah…” you get the picture. Mendes was discovered over the now-dead platform Vine and has since grown into someone unforgettable in the music industry. “Something Big” is what we’ll all be saying years from now about his career.
https://youtu.be/mytLRy32Viw
6. “Youth”
The only collaboration on this list, “Youth” features Khalid as he aides Mendes on this track of self-discovery about being young. The singer understands that it’s difficult being young in a changing world, and “Youth” is more of a proud statement of finding oneself. No one stays young forever, and being youthful is something many of us take advantage of. The message Mendes wants the listener to take away? Enjoy being wild while life allows you.
https://youtu.be/sJUGAIf1Px0
5. “There’s Nothing Holdin’ Me Back”
A quick Latin music appeal and soft vocals envelop Mendes’ piece of art that talks about a wandering man—that man being Mendes. In this song, the singer is going all-in with this mysterious girl. When the song was released, radio stations everywhere couldn’t get enough of the rhythmic appeal of this fast-paced guitar song. The pop star proves again that a relationship is empowering, and love is a mysterious thing.
https://youtu.be/dT2owtxkU8k
4. “Ruin”
Mendes has always clarified that John Mayer has been one of his longtime inspirations in the music industry. In a 2018 interview with Time, the singer said Mayer was his “favorite person in the world.” One can’t help but wonder if that inspiration was behind this beautiful track. One of the singer’s slower tracks, it proves that sometimes slower is better. The message is sad, providing listeners with a loss that Mendes was facing at the time of an ended relationship. Seeing your ex with someone can be great, but it can also be sad, and Mendes is all about showing his vulnerable side.
https://youtu.be/m-nCLLnQA5c
3. “If I Can’t Have You”
I can’t help but bang my head or tap something nearby to the beginning rhythm of number three on the list. “If I Can’t Have You,” believe it or not, was written by Mendes for singer Dua Lipa, according to Teen Vogue. A fast tempo and repeating lyrics are always golden with this pop star. The cover art is beautiful and resembles a beach vibe, featuring a slight outline of Mendes with waves crashing. The single is a piece of art with a heart of longing and wordplay of dreams. If Mendes can’t have you, he’ll undoubtedly write about you.
https://youtu.be/oTJ-oqwxdZY
2. “Lost in Japan”
Japanese aesthetic and slight references to Bill Murray’s “Lost in Translation” surround this heavenly song that earned number two on this list. Zedd’s version of the single is incredible, although authenticity reigns supreme here. Mendes is in love within this song, and he wants to party, have fun, and explore his desires. “Lost in Japan” expanded the boundaries that the singer was afraid to cross with his earlier work. Listeners can feel Mendes coming into his own with this Juno Award-winning track. Nothing feels like being lost in an unknown city with a beautiful woman. Mendes can tell you about the experience.
https://youtu.be/ycy30LIbq4w
1. “In My Blood” (Portuguese Version)
Half English, half Portuguese, “In My Blood” inspires all around the world with Mendes growing from his pain and struggles within his life. This single easily earns its spot because of its universal message, and if anyone reads the news, Mendes had a lot to say about the track. In a 2018 interview with Elite Daily, Mendes says, “This song is the closest song to my heart that I’ve ever written, and I hope you guys love it.” We love it, Shawn. We more than love it. The overlying message of inner strength and self-awareness ties to his rosy image that was the center graphic for his last tour. Roses grow through rain and shine. Mendes inspires all with his music, saying that everything will be okay. We need that message now more than ever.
https://youtu.be/D9Fq68qMMBM
The singer has gone dark in the music world unless you count the time he sang “What a Wonderful World” live with Cabello. It’s rumored that Mendes may collaborate with Justin Bieber on something after he was spotted outside of a recording studio where the two have been seen previously. Mendes has been good friends with Bieber’s wife Hailey, and if something is going on, it may be Mendes’ most significant piece yet.
Sources: Elite Daily, Teen Vogue, Time, YouTube
Featured Image: E! Online
(09/02/20 7:33pm)
by Conner Tighe
The three-member rock band Point North has returned with their third album Brand New Vision. Originally founded in California, the band consists of vocalist Jon Lundin, guitarist Andy Hershey, and drummer Sage Weeber, who play progressive rock. The rock genre has undergone many phases since the 90s with bands like Nirvana and All-American Rejects, and 20-plus years later, mainstream rock has evolved into something more pop-inspired, but with the same emotion that rock provides.
2018’s album A Light in a Dark Place introduced Point North to the world, and two years later, the band continues to dazzle rock fans with their clear, emotional vocals centering on relationship drama and a dark aesthetic. Brand New Vision stays true to the band’s sound with little change but soars high.
“Into the Dark” introducing change
Point North introduced one of their most popular songs on Spotify, which was “Into the Dark,” earlier this year as a single. It’s one of their more well-known tracks, and it's one of their best because of its change in rhythm and fast-paced pop appeal. The pop genre is no stranger to entangling itself with other genres, sometimes for the better and sometimes not so much. The song “Into the Dark,” much like the album’s cover art, makes listeners feel as if they are floating or falling into a dark abyss of emotion. The original single was fantastic. Brand New Vision introduces an updated version of the track at number two on the list. Sleeping with Sirens’ Kellin Quinn lends his voice halfway through the song, and honestly, it’s not a bad addition. The band tampered with one of their greatest tracks, and it actually sounds better. The phrase “don’t mess with a good thing” does not apply here.
Out of the dark
Point North, much like the late Nirvana, has this appeal of darkness. The band is impressive in their own right, but there’s a battle raging within the mind of their music. Much of what is expressed in Brand New Vision in songs like “Into the Dark,” “Nothing Left to Lose,” and “Lethal” have this depressive vibe, but it seems like music is a savior for the band. There’s this common theme with bands like Point North where listeners are stuck in a dark cave at the beginning of the song but find the light to escape by the time the song ends.
This sort of symbolic head game is gripping, and listeners will quickly catch on to a theme of political injustice within the album. Point North wants to connect with their listeners, and there are a variety of songs with this message of holding on during tough times, even when, in the case of track nine, “No One’s Listening.” Hopefully, though, fans of this band will listen, because Brand New Vision is compelling and a perfect representation of rock’s sound in 2020.
Hidden messages
Musicians making political statements is nothing new and has been going on forever, it seems. Nancy Sinatra, Rage Against the Machine, Green Day, and Point North are just a few of the brave souls who have put themselves out there to speak against injustice. Listeners will detect anti-Trump messages within several tracks like “Distant” and “No One’s Listening” that speak to the ongoing controversy with ICE. The band is smart enough not to make Brand New Vision entirely politically affiliated, but they do it just enough so as to be noticeable.
Top Tracks:
Nothing Left to Lose
Into the Dark (feat. Kellin Quinn)
No One’s Listening
Recommended if you Like:
All American Rejects
Rage Against the Machine
Sleeping with Sirens
Featured Image: Genius
(08/28/20 4:00pm)
by Brandon Carson
Debuting in 2013 with a self-titled EP, Glass Animals stormed onto the scene with the song “Black Mambo,” a quirky indie-pop song about being outmatched by someone. Hailing from Oxford, England, the band grew quite an audience with their hip-hop inspired beats and fun, sexy melodies. The band released their first full-length album ZABA in 2014, which featured more or less the same sounds from their EP with more realized songwriting. Their creativity continued to shine with the release of How to Be a Human Being in 2016. The album is a light concept of stories that people had told front man Dave Bayley on tour. Overall, it wasn’t too different from ZABA, but with songs like “Youth,” “Season 2 Episode 3,” and the beautiful closer, “Agnes,” the vocals became just another instrument and made the songs even more powerful. Their new album, Dreamland, unfortunately falls flat and continues to milk the same sounds that gave them success. Don’t get me wrong, as with their two past records, there are quite a few good songs. However, the concept is inconsistent musically and some songs are so by-the-numbers for Glass Animals that they come off as filler. That being said, there are a number of notable tracks that stand out and save the album.
The Glass Animals standard
With Dreamland, Glass Animals have fully realized their sound and what works for their audience. While that’s great for the band, it takes a toll on the music and flow of the album. The fantastic opener, “Dreamland,” sets the tone for the concept of 90s and youth nostalgia with its wavy use of synths and chill atmosphere. While the vocals are basic for Glass Animals, the production is dreamier and more lo-fi than it has been previously. But as soon as “Tangerine” starts, it’s clear that that change was a façade. The hip-hop inspired beat and catchy vocal melodies make it feel like the band doesn’t want to create something out-of-the-box and would rather stick to what they know. “Hot Sugar” continues this trend with yet another hip-hop inspired beat featuring repetitive vocals and a catchy melody.
“Space Ghost Coast to Coast” feels like it could have been the change of pace the album needed with its more fun but chill sound. However, it is too short and repetitive to go anywhere new, making it feel like a standard song for them. Fortunately, their 2019 single “Tokyo Drifting” saves the flow of the album, creating a nice change of pace musically and featuring a great verse from Denzel Curry. Even the lyrical content is different on this song, providing a very braggadocious attitude in contrast to the usual sad boy attitude. The album picks up from here and gets a whole lot better. However, Dreamland is 16 songs long, and it is still peppered with average songs that fill up the space (I’m looking at you “Heat Waves”). None of the songs are bad per se, but nothing about them stands out much, making them a little forgettable.
When it’s good, it’s amazing
Even though Dreamland feels like an average Glass Animals album at times, when there are good songs, there are quality songs. “Melon and the Coconut” finally brings back the dreamy vibe of the opener and tells the humorous story of a melon and coconut breaking up. The instrumentals are new to the ears, bringing a much-needed change for the album. “Your Love (Déjà Vu)” keeps the fire lit with an exciting and suave song that has the best production on the album. It offers the catchy vocal melodies of old while also taking more chances musically that really pay off. “It’s All So Incredibly Loud” pushes the envelope and delivers both musically and lyrically. Even the subject matter for the song is interesting; it’s about the three seconds after someone tells another person something that they didn’t want to hear, and how the silence after is “incredibly loud.” The closer, “Helium,” is a fantastic closer with interesting production choices, a variety of musical shifts, and the dreamy vibe from the opener that rounds out the album well. While the album is plagued by mediocre tracks, these songs provide just enough quality and change to keep the mediocrity from completely infecting the album.
Interludes that lead to nowhere
One particularly confusing choice in the album comes in the form of its various interludes. There are interludes scattered across the record with similar titles called, “((home movies: <insert individual title here>)).” With four in total, two are very short one liners from Bayley’s home movies as a child. While the concept, reinforced by the childhood quality of the interludes makes sense, it doesn’t really go anywhere, as the songs themselves don’t do much to make the album’s concept known. The other two, however, are longer and create more of a connection with the songs, while keeping the choice to use audio from home movies. Overall, the interludes seem disconnected from the album and easily skippable.
Top Tracks:
It’s All So Incredibly Loud
Melon and the Coconut
Your Love (Déjà Vu)
Recommended if you like:
Local Natives
Portugal, the Man
Hippo Campus
Featured Image: U Discover Music
(08/26/20 6:00pm)
by Conner Tighe
“This digital life was not for them. Not in a mean way, they meant no offense. It’s not you; it’s them, and they needed more. They didn’t know what that ‘more’ was, but they needed it, so they went to find it, and this is that.”
From a band that started as a small group of believers and friends, The Wonderlands have jump-started their music career with their first album This Digital Life. Lead vocalist, guitar player, and Ball State student Miles Jena befriended bassist/vocalist Adam Steele in the eighth grade.
“We started as a two-man band called We Thee Ubiquitous and wrote folksy/indie music. We did that for a while but were unsatisfied because we could never play big rooms or events,” says Jena. Since then, two has grown into five band members. Jillian Gavigan provides keyboard/vocals, Derek Johnson lends his talent with drums, and Patrick Oakes plays guitar and vocals.
This Digital Life is more than another album in the alternative/indie world; it’s a story of these five members coming together to tell an important message about young love and becoming more in the present rather than the trend with technology.
“Free Falling” in passion
There is an absolute passion and aesthetic charm in every track. With atmospheric appeal and digitizing vocals, the message becomes ever more apparent that The Wonderlands know what’s happening with young love. “Morning, Mourning'' shows genuine hurt and resilience in fighting with ourselves when it comes to love. The track talks about how love affects us as people, and just as we lose ourselves within love, we find ourselves when love ends. There is mourning of what once was both within us and within our partner. Yet, as the band implies, it’s all a part of growing up. The track provides a brilliant, emotional message of hurt and hard truths that appeals to listeners.
A new beginning for folk
The Wonderlands have established themselves as a folk/indie band with clear inspirations from jazz and coffee shop music alike. This Digital Life features some collaborations that show The Wonderlands have connections in high places. Nothing is accomplished without friends, and this album is no different. Track six, “Feels Like,” stands out among the rest of the songs due to the collaboration with Saint Lavender and Trey Campbell on this track. The song is a definite jazz phenomenon with a sound that’s soothing and worth repeating on the playlist. The work of collaborations and lyrics behind these tracks are hopefully opening up a new world of Folk music.
If this is the new future of small bands emerging into the music world, keep it coming. There is little room for criticism when it comes to this message of solace without technology enveloping our lives and being present in the now. Having friends that believe in you and support your dream is what The Wonderlands are all about. The music is an honest presentation of talent and folk in a new age.
Getting lost in This Digital Life
This Digital Life contains a message of losing oneself to life and priorities that many people can relate to. Finding yourself again while maneuvering school, friends, and other activities is stressful but comes with perks: love, a passion for music, and friendship. “The meaning behind This Digital Life is that I was searching for answers as to how to live in this digital age. I was extremely frustrated with the fast-paced short-attention-span life I was living, feeling like I wasn’t going anywhere and was trapped by ads and everyone trying to grab my attention,” says Jena.
While getting lost may be a dreadful thing, The Wonderlands show that getting lost is the best way to be found. This Digital Life makes listeners rethink their lives and ponder their experiences with every note. This five-member band is trying to be something different and breathe new life into a repetitive genre that many of us know all too well. The Wonderlands are here for a new age of music and are here for their fans. They know technology has become a dire need in our lives, which severs real connections that we all might create otherwise. This piece of art is a clear sign of standing strong together with a message of clarity and community.
Top Tracks:
Feels Like
Let’s Take a Ride
Anthem
Recommended if you like:
The Lumineers
The Wallows
Mumford & Sons
Featured Image: Facebook
(08/12/20 5:21pm)
by Arianna Sergio
One week and four studio sessions was all it took for Logic — with the help of producer No I.D. — to record his seventh and final studio album, No Pressure. The album was then edited, mixed, and mastered to perfection over the course of the year that followed. On July 16, 2020, Logic single-handedly broke the internet with the announcement of his retirement on Twitter and Instagram. He posted the album cover of No Pressure with the caption, “Officially announcing my retirement with the release of ‘No Pressure’ executive produced by No I.D. July 24th… It’s been a great decade. Now it’s time to be a great father.” This post shocked his fan base — also known as the Rattpack. Comments and tweets came flooding in with overwhelming support, sadness, and love.
After releasing his first mixtape Psychological in late 2009, the past 10 years of Logic’s career have been nothing short of incredible. He’s released six mixtapes and seven albums. No Pressure is Logic's best work to date. Logic hinted in the booklet of Everybody that his next album was going to be his final album, and it was going to be called Ultra 85. For the Logic fans that were expecting Ultra 85 and not No Pressure, Logic said on his Twitch stream, “A lot of people might say ‘Oh, Ultra 85,’ and da da da, this is Ultra f***ing 85. This is what that would’ve been… I put my heart and my soul into this. This is the one… When it comes to my die hard fans, this is for you.” No Pressure is paying homage to his first studio album Under Pressure and celebrating rap as a genre.
Not Living Behind a Persona Anymore
No Pressure is a full circle moment for the Maryland rapper. His first studio album — Under Pressure — tackled topics such as his violent childhood, the gangs in his neighborhood, his past cooking drugs, his battle with nicotine, his struggle with fame, and ultimately, the hardships of his life. The Under Pressure album cover features Logic, phone in hand, sitting with two friends in the basement of his friend Lenny/Big Lenbo — whom he used to live with and who helped him work on his career in music. In the picture, they are working on music, surrounded by some furniture, a couple computers, some works of art on the walls, and several other items. In the No Pressure album cover, Logic is seen alone underwater surrounded by all the items depicted in the Under Pressure album cover. It shows that Logic no longer has to worry about the struggles he once battled while trying to make a name for himself in the music industry. He’s free from the pressures of the rap game; he’s just floating and enjoying his life now. Portraying that on his final album cover is absolutely genius. No Pressure doesn’t focus on Logic or Bobby Tarantino or Young Sinatra or any of his personas. It focuses on himself, Bobby Hall, and it’s more transparent than any of his music before.
Blasts from the Past
“No Pressure Intro” features Thalia, Logic’s android narrator who was inspired by the hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest’s album Midnight Marauders, saying, “Welcome to the No Pressure Program.” Then, it goes into a chopped up version of filmmaker Orson Welles’ intro to the 1942 Suspense Radio Theater show “The Hitchhiker.” The intro of the song is diced up and pieced together with words, names, and phrases said by Logic, which is thoughtfully done in order to present the thematic elements of the album. It’s safe to say that every Logic fan can remember the first time they heard the song “Under Pressure” and the feeling they got when they heard it. “No Pressure Intro” offers listeners that same feeling. The newly euphoric, yet nostalgic, sound is a treat every single time you listen to it.
The sixth track on No Pressure is “Soul Food II.” “Soul Food II” is what Logic wanted the original “Soul Food” to sound like on Under Pressure; unfortunately, he couldn’t clear the licensing for the sample he wanted to use. “Soul Food II” is a more grown up and artistic version of “Soul Food,” with his genuine, authentic outlook on life over the slightly altered “Soul Food” beat which overall works in favor of making this song the best produced on the album. Logic is known for frequently referencing his other songs, which act as Easter eggs for his devoted fans. In “Soul Food II” he makes reference to — yep, you guessed it — 2014’s Under Pressure predecessor “Soul Food.” In “Soul Food” Logic raps, “Goddamn, goddamn, conversations with legends/Crazy how one day yo' idols can turn into your brethren” and in “Soul Food II” he raps, “Goddamn, goddamn, conversations with people/ Crazy how one day, the legends forget that they equal/ On this Under Pressure sequel.” In “Soul Food II” the word “legends” is replaced with “people.” This implies that he doesn’t praise the image of rappers he once idolized. In actuality, he calls them out and believes that many of them lose themselves within the world of fame.
The New Logic
When I first heard the piano in the song “Hit My Line,” my jaw literally dropped. This song is easily the front-runner of the album. It’s about Logic preaching to God about the worrisome, alarming, and troubling things he bears witness to in his everyday life; this is shown through his lyrics, “I'm just sayin', God, I need to talk” and “It's been a long time, God, can you hit my line?” Logic raps in “Hit My Line” in a happy and bubbly tone which can be attributed to the level of happiness he feels in his life recently. Rather than acting as a contrast to some of the dark subject matter the song entails, the upbeat tone is actually Logic accepting all of those things and knowing he will make it out okay. Throughout the song, he evokes previous life experiences while also speaking about his life since fame. “Hit My Line” has a captivating melody that immediately draws the listener in and holds them tightly until the four minutes and 25 seconds are over.
“Open Mic/Aquarius III” is about Logic’s rapping skills, family, and career. The lyrics, “Tryin' to be the greatest, that sh*t been dead/I'm trying to be the happiest that I can be instead/ I'm trying to get ahead like a fetus/ Money don't complete us, but it feed us, it can lead us to depression/ Being rich is not a blessing, fame is not a blessing” are part of a longer verse used on his single “OCD.” “OCD” didn’t make it to No Pressure, but implementing these lyrics still packs a punch that only his longtime fans will recognize. With Logic paying homage to Under Pressure on this album, "Aquarius III" uses the same sample that was used in the song “Under Pressure.” As noted previously, Logic is known for making references to his other songs, and in “Open Mic/Aquarius III” he references 2014’s “I’m Gone.” In “Open Mic/Aquarius III” he raps, “Living life like this is so crazy/Hip-hop is amazing/One day, you're on top and the next, they want to erase 'em/ Goddamn, what I'm facing,”and in “I’m Gone” he raps, “Living life like this is so crazy, this world is amazing/ One day you’re on top and the next she having your baby."
“DadBod” is another standout. Logic opens up about his current life: being a new dad and a loving husband while also cultivating his rap career. This new life he has created is a complete 180 from his extremely difficult upbringing that he used to rap about in his early career. Throughout the song, he jokes about people wanting him to revert back to the way he used to rap. It’s refreshing to hear the artist’s points of view on how his life has changed, especially considering how drastically it has changed. In “DadBod” he makes reference to “Upgrade,” which is from his sophomore album The Incredible True Story. In both “DadBod” and “Upgrade” Logic raps, “I've upgraded while they waited, will they love it, will they hate it?” This lyric is recurring in his music because Logic has essentially “upgraded” his life. He is a totally different man and artist than he was when he started rapping. He’s asking if his fans will love or hate the new him. “DadBod” is one of the most telling and raw songs on the album.
In “A2Z” Logic is teaching his son Little Bobby the alphabet. This is lyrically one of the most clever and witty songs Logic has ever released. The song begins with Logic asking his son, “You wanna learn your ABCs Little Bobby? Yeah? You wanna learn your ABCs? Yeah? Yeah, let's do it,” and then you can hear his son trying to formulate words to respond to him, but it comes out as babbling. Throughout the song, Logic raps the letter of the alphabet he is trying to teach his son as a lower pitched voice in the background repeats the letter. Having that voice in the background fuels the message Logic is simply trying to teach Little Bobby his ABCs. The second half of the song is Logic playing his demo from 2005. Incorporating his demo at the end adds to the song, because it shows how far his rap skills have developed and how vastly they have improved. Logic is playing as his most creative self with the concept of this song.
Open Topics
“Dark Place” is Logic’s most personal song to date. Logic discloses personal details about his mental health — specifically his depression and anxiety — discussing topics ranging from the amount of hate he receives online to inner struggles and worries that he may never climb over the pedestal his fans put his early music on. Overall, Logic confesses that sometimes people are sad, with no particular reason behind that sadness, and that’s okay.
“Obediently Yours” is the closing song on No Pressure. It goes into the July 28, 1946, episode of the “Orson Welles Commentaries.” Logic raps, “This is Logic” for the first line of the song and for the rest of the song this sample plays over a low piano melody. This episode is related to a black veteran, Issac Woodard Jr., who was blinded and abused by a white police officer. With the Black Lives Matter movement being so prevalent, prominent, and crucial within our world, the audio used in this song drives the message home that there is still an immense amount of work that needs to be done in order for each person to really be equal.
Top Tracks:
Hit My Line
DadBod
Soul Food II
Recommended if you like:
J. Cole
Kendrick Lamar
Mac Miller
Featured Image: Genius
Sources: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube