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(03/27/22 6:19pm)
An extensive line of people stretched around the left side of the building and trailed deep into the parking lot—some lounging in sleeping bags, some stationed in tents, some sat in lawn chairs, and some curled up in blankets—all in anticipation of seeing the alternative/indie group, The Band CAMINO. Due to the pandemic, the Memphis boys were forced to halt production. Now they are back and better than ever, bringing Hastings and flor along for the journey, they are ready to give their diehard fans the show they’ve dreamed about for the past two and a half years.
(02/13/22 6:27pm)
When indie rock band Hippo Campus released their debut full-length album, Landmark, in 2017, listeners immediately fell in love with its bouncy, naive melodies and trancelike ballads. In their 2018 sophomore album, Bambi, the band began experimenting with a more electronic sound and heavier guitar. The title track, “Bambi,” chirps with sampled voices and is carried by a wandering baseline that contrasts with its hypercritical lyricism. The album was a large departure from their first body of work, and would have been unrecognizable if not for the catchy melodies that made Landmark a hit.
(02/13/22 7:28pm)
Laurel Hell marks Mitski’s sixth album and her first album release in over three years. With her previous success of Be the Cowboy the “Nobody” singer certainly left fans on the edge of their seats, desperately hoping for a scrap of a new single—or at least the mention of a new album. Then, almost out of nowhere, Mitski released “Working for the Knife,” the first single on Laurel Hell.
(11/30/21 9:30pm)
The Swedish pop sensation, ABBA, has returned. Although I’m sure you are already well aware of their amazing musical contributions to society, such as Dancing Queen, Mamma Mia, and my personal favorite Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight), you may not have been aware of their triumphant homecoming.
(11/27/21 4:00pm)
Known for his fiery red hair, smooth English accent, and always clutching an acoustic guitar, Ed Sheeran has become one of the most beloved artists of our generation. = marks the fifth studio album from Sheeran succeeding the nationwide success of +, x, ÷, and most recently, No. 6 Collaborations Project—which featured the likes of Justin Bieber, Travis Scott, and YEBBA to name a few. There isn’t a musical stone Sheeran leaves unturned. In addition to releasing smash-hits, he’s also known for his exceptional songwriting skills. He’s written songs for countless fellow artists such as, “Little Things” by One Direction, “Love Yourself” by Bieber, and “Eastside” by Benny Blanco, Halsey, and Khalid, among many others. Sheeran took a 4-year hiatus from his mathematical symbol album series, but the Ginger Jesus is back in =, and showcasing a much more grown version of himself.
(11/13/21 5:00am)
Landen and Caleb break down the announcement of the lead roles in an upcoming movie adaptation of the musical Wicked.Checkpoint is Byte's video news series, reporting on recent events in the world of entertainment, tech, and pop culture. Whether its video games, film, television, or music, we've got you covered!Anchors: Landen Norton, Caleb WomackExecutive Producer: Aaron DwyerVideo Editing: Landen Norton Audio Editing: Shwetha SundarrajanGraphics: Emily HanesMusic: Jack McGinnis
(11/09/21 10:00pm)
TikTok has become a platform not only for privileged kids to make mediocre dance videos, but also a launching pad for lesser-known artists—or in this case virtually unknown artists—to get their music to the public. For PinkPantheress it has created a huge boost in her very early career this year. What was first a 10-second clip from fashion TikToks, became PinkPantheress’ breakout single “Break It Off.” She eventually released the full version in March 2021 which has amassed over 6 million streams on SoundCloud. Subsequently, she released a series of singles including “Just for me,” “Pain,” and “Just a waste,” and worked with Grammy-nominated artist GoldLink on the song, “Evian” from his fourth project, HARAM!. After a feature and a couple of great dance tracks, myself and her 10 million monthly Spotify listeners were left yearning for more music. Our prayers were finally answered when PinkPantheress released her debut mixtape to hell with it.
(10/22/21 9:00pm)
Shawn James, an American singer-songwriter born in the South Side of Chicago, is not an artist many know or have heard of. Though recently, he collaborated with popular video game studio Naughty Dog, leading to his song "Through the Valley" to be covered in "The Last of Us: Part II" by lead actress Ashley Johnson. This obviously began to garner fans to his folk, blues, and rock melodies and lyrics.
(10/22/21 9:30pm)
Who would have thought that a middle-aged British pop group and a much younger Korean pop group would team up and produce a song together? Not me, I was surprised to say the least when the collaboration between Coldplay and BTS was announced. The two groups together seem like an odd, unexpected combination, especially because of the language gap. However, their passion for music transcended language and they were able to produce a song with both English and Korean lyrics.
(10/14/21 8:30pm)
This one trick pony broke barriers for what listeners thought was just a “one hit wonder.” Country artist turned global pop/rap star—publicly known as Lil Nas X—has finally opened the floodgates and released his long-awaited and highly anticipated debut album, MONTERO. Nas achieved this status of success back in 2019 when “Old Town Road” became the anthem of the summer. This hit featuring Billy Ray Cyrus immediately threw Nas on the music map after it went viral on TikTok, then went 14x platinum, and became the highest certified song in Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) History.
(10/08/21 2:00pm)
Riley and Landen break down the new musical based on the life of Princess Diana and the conflicting opinions surrounding it.
(10/09/21 4:00am)
Riley and Landen break down the new musical based on the life of Princess Diana and the conflicting opinions surrounding it.Checkpoint is Byte's video news series, reporting on recent events in the world of entertainment, tech, and pop culture. Whether its video games, film, television, or music, we've got you covered!Anchors: Riley Nower, Landen NortonExecutive Producer: Aaron DwyerVideo Editing: Riley NowerAudio Editing: Shwetha SundarrajanGraphics: Taylor SheridanMusic: Jack McGinnis
(09/23/21 2:00pm)
Standing shoulder to shoulder with strangers, carelessly dancing with them, clinking drinks, screaming lyrics at the top of your lungs, and smiling from ear to ear are all on the itinerary for a Trippie Redd concert.
(08/10/21 5:30pm)
By Arianna Sergio
Billie Eilish has been in the public eye for all of her adolescent life. She received praise from listeners in November 2015 after releasing her song, “Ocean Eyes” on SoundCloud at a mere age of 13. Ever since then she has been releasing hit after hit with guidance from Finneas O’Connell—her older brother, producer, and co-writer. Her debut EP, Don’t Smile at Me, was released in August 2017 and she began to grow a larger, more loyal fanbase. She then released her first full-length studio album When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? in March 2019. This album was very well-received by critics and fans alike. It even went on to receive several awards, including the Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Of course, fame goes hand-in-hand with unwanted and often negative attention. She has been dissected and picked apart from social media for almost half of her life, given the fact that she is arguably the most distinguished teenage girl in the world. Eilish is notorious for her oversized, statement outfits and putting forth a cultural reset for what the “norm” is for women’s fashion.
In March 2020, Eilish started including a short film at the beginning of her concerts titled, “Not my Responsibility,” in which she focuses on the public’s view and personal opinions of her clothing choices and body. In this, she unzips a black cotton jacket and reveals more of her body than she typically does. This was the beginning of a new era of Eilish. She ditched the bright green roots and dark black hair for bleach blonde swapping her trademark baggy clothes for a softer, more sophisticated look. She debuted this look on her Instagram, and further on a British Vogue photoshoot for their June cover story, and on her Happier Than Ever album cover.
(08/10/21 4:00pm)
By Arianna Sergio
Sir Robert Bryson Hall II, a.k.a Logic, is back. It hasn’t even been a year later before the rapper traded his mundane retirement in Montana for his classic bars and studio sessions. Back in July 2020, Logic released what was seemingly his final studio album, No Pressure. He took to Twitter and Instagram to announce his departure from the music industry, leaving fans from across the globe rattled by his decision but, at the end of the day, respected his choice. It was a wistful and heartbreaking moment for Logic and his fans alike, but as he said in an interview with Complex News, he just wanted to, “focus on his son [Little Bobby] and his family, because that’s what makes me [Logic] the most happy.”
Bobby Tarantino III is the third installment of the Bobby Tarantino mixtape series. The mixtape that started this journey was Bobby Tarantino, and it was released in July 2016. He announced on Twitter that, “This mixtape is for my fans. I wanted to give u something for the Summer. Thank you for always supporting me. Enjoy.” And enjoy fans did. This mixtape had singles such as “Flexicution” and “Wrist,” with “Flexicution” generating a whopping 176 million streams and instantly becoming the most well-known track from the mixtape. Then, in March 2018, he released Bobby Tarantino II. This mixtape had singles such as, “44 More,” “Overnight,” and “Everyday,” which features American DJ Marshmello. This mixtape is arguably one of Logic’s most popular pieces of work to date charting at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart, following the success of his third studio album, Everybody. With this track record, Bobby Tarantino III was destined to be a smash hit.
(04/30/21 6:45pm)
By Brandon Carson
Classic indie-rock band, Dinosaur Jr., has been on a roll since their reunion album, 2007’s Beyond. Before this incredible run of albums, their guitarist/bass player, Lou Barlow, had left the band in ‘89 after the release of their third album, Bug, and drummer, Patrick Murphy after ‘93’s Where You Been. Guitarist and lead vocalist, J Mascis, kept going with the band for two more records. Beyond is a record that sets the tone for the next four to come. It’s a return to form, while still feeling fresh and unique to their discography. Farm continued this momentum and even pushed their own boundaries on melodies and production with songs like, “Plans” and “I Don’t Wanna Go There.” These two records helped move Dinosaur Jr. forward and show growth as a band. Later, the band saw the release of “I Bet On Sky,” which benefitted the punk side of their sound. It’s another solid addition to their discography, while not being the best. Give A Glimpse of What Yer Not, released in 2016, kept the streak of strong albums alive. It had plenty of catchy hooks in songs like “Tiny,” and even experimented their sound a bit with “Knocked Around.” Sweep It Into Space carries the same torch as all the post-reunion albums. Co-produced by Kurt Vile, each song has emotional, gripping instrumentals, and their sound has adapted all while staying true to them. A few forgettable tracks don’t spoil the bunch, but still affect the album’s quality overall.
More great songs, same old Dinosaur Jr.
“I Ain’t” starts the record off with a driving riff and drum beat and introspective lyrics from Mascis. It’s followed by “I Met The Stones,” a fairly straightforward track that constantly gets better as time goes by. The first stand-out on the album is “To Be Waiting.” The production feels like a mix between the 80s and modern Dinosaur Jr., as well as the structure, pushing together all the great Dinosaur Jr. clichés into one song: a moody chorus where Mascis sings one line, an emotional solo that helps the listener feel the mood of the song, and reverbed drums that fill the space perfectly. The solos on this track are transcendent and all over the album (and their discography), Mascis pushes and experiments with his guitar playing style. The solos seem to always come in at just the right time for each song. “I Ran Away,” sounds like a happy, carefree song, but the lyrics say otherwise. The multiple layers of guitars take the song to great heights, and once again, Mascis’ emotional guitar solos will always improve the quality of these songs.
Barlow’s first song for the record is “Garden,” a slow, Pixies-eqsue jam with a big wall of sound for a chorus. It changes the pace of the album for the better. One of the constants for the reunion albums is Barlow singing and writing a couple of songs, and it always adds more dynamics to each one. “Hide Another Round,” threw me for a loop. The beginning seemed to foreshadow a forgettable track, with nothing interesting, maybe even filler. But after the first chorus, everything comes together, and deserves a spot on Sweep It Into Space. “And Me,” is another prominent track, that takes Dinosaur Jr.’s 90s era sound (Green Mind, Where You Been) and mixes it into a cleaner production, changing the album’s flow.
Expanding their sound, while keeping it the same
One thing that AC/DC seems to have lost, is the ability to keep their sound while trying new things with it. Dinosaur Jr. is a similar band, in that, if one heard a couple of their songs, they’d soon understand what the band sounds like. But what Dinosaur Jr. does that AC/DC doesn’t, can be found in the back half of the album, with songs like, “Take It Back,” and “You Wonder.” “Take It Back” brings a piano into the mix and plays with song structure. The bridge for the track is surprising and grand, with big soundscapes. It really helps the back half of the album and makes the flow of the record more interesting as a whole. Another unique song comes from “You Wonder,” the closer of the record and another Barlow track. The melodies change constantly but still work together, Mascis plays one of his most different-sounding solos on the whole album, and the lyrics feel dense with multiple meanings to be deciphered.
“Go, mystery, go/Let me shine a light/The dark corner of our yesterday/Let mе get it right/Before wе met I thought I'd lose my mind hiding/All the time you wonder how I feel”
A few forgettable cuts
The only problem that ensues across this record is a few bland songs. This isn’t to say that they don’t sound like Dinosaur Jr., or that they are terrible. But when a record is full of great songs that push their discography forward, it is easy to hear when a song doesn’t reach that level. “I Expect It Always” meanders about and feels boringly familiar. “N Say” has a good guitar solo, but the song itself is disinteresting and doesn’t go anywhere new. “Walking to You” has stand-out lyrics, but the mix overall is off-putting and too muddy, surprisingly. The album overall isn’t better than say, the all killer, no filler, You’re Living All Over Me, or even the catchy and instrumentally strong, Farm, not that it needs to be. But when compared to those classic Dinosaur Jr. albums where every song on it is great, “I Expect It Always,” and “N Say” drag down that chance of the record being on that level.
Top tracks:
And Me
You Wonder
Take It Back
Recommended if you like:
Pixies
Pavement
Built to Spill
Sources: The Toronto Star, All Music, Genius, Genius, Genius
Featured Image: Genius
(04/23/21 2:15am)
By Arianna Sergio
You can’t call yourself a music connoisseur if you’ve never listened to Sir Paul McCartney. McCartney changed the music world forever when he emerged on the scene with his fellow Beatles bandmates—John Lennon, George Harrison, and Ringo Starr—and soon enough, Beatlemania swept the nation. With hits like “Can’t Buy Me Love,” “Hey Jude,” and “I Want to Hold Your Hand,” among many others, The Beatles were the biggest thing at the time and were unstoppable. That is, until McCartney famously announced that they were breaking up due to, “Personal differences, business differences, musical differences, but most of all because I [McCartney] have a better time with my family.” Since then, he has had an outstanding solo career, releasing 26 studio albums. His newest album, McCartney III Imagined, is unlike anything he, or anyone else in the music industry, has ever done. Of course, there are plenty of artists who do covers of other artists’ music, but other than McCartney, I have never seen another artist openly invite other artists to create new interpretations of their own compositions.
(04/21/21 2:52am)
By Conner Tighe
The Wonderlands went for something fresh and daring with their latest single, “Friends,” which features DJ artist Hilliard. This is the first piece of music The Wonderlands have released since their last single, “The Push,” back in February. After at least five listens, my opinion remains unchanged. The single is a new sound and demonstrates the band’s willingness to push past boundaries of what fans expect and what the band wants to explore, but is more stagnant than other releases.
The Wonderlands were founded in Cincinnati, Ohio, by Ball State student Miles Jena (lead singer/guitarist) and friend Adam Steele (bassist/vocalist). The duo grew into a five-person band with Jill Gavigan (keyboard/vocalist), Derek Johnson (drummer), and Patrick Oakes (guitarist/vocalist). The band first released music in 2018 but dropped their first album, This Digital Life, in 2020.
(04/12/21 10:23pm)
By Conner Tighe
Artist AJ Mitchell dropped his next teaser for his upcoming album Skyview, a music project inspired by the Skyview Drive-In in his hometown Belleville, IL. “STOP” is relatively similar to “Camera’s On” in vocals and presentation; however, the message is on the opposite end of the spectrum. The latest single takes the spotlight away from Mitchell’s inner struggles and taps into his personal desires. However, despite the amazing quality of his recent music, his tracks are beginning to blend together as fans— myself included— impatiently wait for Skyview. This album is something the artist has been discussing with the media since 2019.
Mitchell’s latest single is electric, fun, and solidifies the young artist’s rise to pop stardom. Taking place after his previous single “Camera’s On,” “STOP” continues Mitchell’s story of fame, this time focusing on his passions and inspirations.
(04/11/21 5:46pm)
By Conner Tighe
When Taylor Swift rereleased her classic “Love Story” back in February, you best believe I was hyped. It was a teaser for her latest reimagined vision of her 2008 Fearless. I only now realized the crooked business war behind the album, but the announcement was something fresh and new she hadn’t done yet. We hadn’t heard country from Swift in years. The artist added an additional 13 tracks to her 2021 version making it her longest tracklist to date. You may find yourself accidentally listening to it for a number of hours like I did. Long story short, it’s worth the listen, let alone the purchase, if you have the cash.
Swift has come a long way after moving from Pennsylvania to Nashville at just 10-years-old. With inspirations from female country icons like Shania Twain and Faith Hill, who sang about faith and womanhood independence, the young artist pursued her interest in country, releasing her first album Taylor Swift in 2006. If you listen closely, Swift continues to keep those themes with some of her tracks. The 2006 album was the first of a string of troubles to come with previous label, Big Machine Records. Her latest album Fearless (Taylor’s Version), is her tenth album, and it is her best since 2019s Lover.
Ten years can make a difference for anyone, but try 13 years. After an ongoing battle with previous music manager, Scooter Braun, Swift decided to revamp her musical roots after Braun sold six of Swift’s albums for more than $300 million last year. This event came after Braun bought Big Machine Records. Since he was then in charge of Swift’s music future, he limited the artist on what she could and couldn’t perform. The founder of the company, Scott Borchetta, offered Swift a new label, but the artist took matters into her own hands singing onto Universal Music.
“Essentially, my musical legacy is about to lie in the hands of someone who tried to dismantle it,” the singer said in a 2019 Tumblr post. Well, no more. 2021’s Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is a direct act of defiance toward Braun, and honestly, she’s better off because of it. Her independence as both a female artist and an artist of free will makes me love her even more.
Swift advocated for artists having the right to own their own work tweeting on Feb. 11.
Astounding tracklist
I would be tone-deaf if I said the tracklist was overdone or not worthy of a listen. Fearless 13 years later continues to be heartfelt, even more so now with the history. I did not expect a 26-track filled album, as many of her albums range from 15-17 tracks per album, yet here we are. Swift combines past hits like 2008s “Fearless,” “White Horse,” and “You Belong With Me” and new tracks with her own spin on the classic guitar and love ballads. The album is a return to her teen angst years of high school, love gone wrong, and early days in the country music world.
We used to watch the sun go down/On the boats in the water/That's sorta how I feel right now/And Goodbye's so much harder/'Cause we were happy
Unlike Folklore and Evermore, Swift manages to carefully balance tear shedders with upbeat feminist vibes. Old collaborations like Colbie Caillat’s “Breathe” return, but its revamped version brings additional voices from Maren Morris (“You All Over Me”), and Keith Urban (“That’s When”). I enjoyed the collaborations as they were a breath of fresh air from her usual pop aesthetic. I only wish there were more country collaborations. Not only was the album a wave toward Braun, but was a heartwarming reminder of her musical past.
Swift has always been one for not needing a man in her life, but as she does, the singer sneaks in tracks like “Jump Then Fall (Taylor’s Version)” and “Don’t You (Taylor’s Version) (From The Vault)” to provide reassurance that the artist is not entirely lost. Swift has been dating actor Joe Alwyn for four years and shows no signs of creating a breakup hit as she has kept her relationship out of the spotlight.
Original vs. Taylor’s Version
Swift came for first place when she delivered those additional 13 tracks. I found her original 13 tracks (Taylor’s Version tracks) to be better in presentation compared to new tracks (From the Vault). It’s difficult to pinpoint why but lately the artist has delved more into melancholy, slow-paced tracks which can deliver amazingly at times. Particularly “We Were Happy” sticks out as one of her best slower-sounding tracks on the list. I guess I have a special place in my heart for the young, country singer many of us were introduced to so many years ago. But don’t let this discourage you. Swift can still sing some country.
I was a dreamer before you went and let me down/Now it's too late for you and your white horse/To come around
Swift’s versions of past tracks like “White Horse,” “Hey Stephen,” and others sound nearly identical to her 2008 releases, but perhaps that’s the point. Fearless (Taylor’s Version) is exactly that, Taylor’s version. In that regard, the revamped versions neither sink nor help her past releases climb in progression.
Top tracks:
Fearless (Taylor’s Version)
Fifteen (Taylor’s Version)
White Horse (Taylor’s Version)
Recommended if you like:
Harry Styles
Shawn Mendes
Maren Morris
Sources: Byte, TaylorSwift.com, Time, Fandom, Rolling Stone, Page Six, The New York Times, The New York Times, New York Post, Twitter, Insider
Featured Image: Genius