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(10/12/18 10:10pm)
by Jack Gillespie
Lady Gaga had a lot to lose starring in 2018’s A Star Is Born. First of all, it isn’t often that ventures into acting can be considered successes for pop stars (i.e. Madonna, Mariah Carey, Britney Spears). Gaga does have a history in theatre and acting roles in television, but this was still bound to be an uphill battle. Additionally, she is bound to be compared to the previous starring ladies of the previous A Star Is Born is films, and it’s quite the illustrious company: Janet Gaynor, Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand. To be in the same company as these means a lot of pressure to deliver a performance that can be compared to them.
The worries were slightly relieved once some trailers started to be released. Then the pre-release reception came with almost unanimous acclaim. Finally, the film was released and it seemed as if, based on the public's reaction, that the hype was true. So, was all of this hype worth it?
In some aspects, yes. In other aspects, not so much.
(10/12/18 6:18pm)
by Jack Gillespie
With his debut album, No Now, London singer, songwriter, and producer Clarence Clarity did something very few artists have done; he introduced himself to the world with a sound that is truly unlike any other artist. His uniquely glitchy, maximalist, surreal brand of alternative R&B set himself apart from everybody else, and was a big part of what made No Now one of the best pop albums of the 21st century. It was quite the act to follow up, so it's no wonder it was three years before he released a follow-up.
THINK: PEACE is an interesting follow-up for people who have been following Clarence since his debut record. Not only is this new record almost half the length of No Now, but the majority of the tracks had been released to the public before being released in the context of the record. Some of the tracks have even been released for nearly two years before the release of THINK: PEACE. Almost all of the tracks have been adjusted to flow with the rest of the record, so the album doesn’t suffer from sounding like a compilation. But for someone who had been listening to some of these songs for a while, THINK: PEACE doesn’t sound quite as fresh as it could’ve been coming into it blind.
(09/29/18 9:33pm)
For people who were in the know, 2017 was the year of Brockhampton. In a span of six months, the self-described “boy band” released three albums, Saturation, Saturation ll, and Saturation lll, filled with some of the most charismatic, catchy, wonderfully produced hip hop of the decade.
(09/29/18 7:15pm)
by Jack Gillespie
For people who were in the know, 2017 was the year of Brockhampton. In a span of six months, the self-described “boy band” released three albums, Saturation, Saturation ll, and Saturation lll, filled with some of the most charismatic, catchy, wonderfully produced hip hop of the decade.
Every single emcee had a distinct personality, style and tone, but the chemistry shared among all of them was undeniable. This isn’t even mentioning the variety of music videos, all directed by band member Kevin Abstract, that solidified their strong aesthetic that had a huge part in their virality. They were bona fide phenomenons! It wasn’t until May of 2018 that the band came back to Earth after their meteoric rise; Ameer Vann, one of the founding members, was accused of sexual misconduct by two women and was eventually removed from the band. One of the most prominent members of Brockhampton was now gone. For a group whose greatest appeal is their chemistry, this was absolutely game-changing. Now with iridescence, the first album in a whole new trilogy of records, the idea of a Brockhampton album without Ameer is now a reality.
How exactly Brockhampton were going to address the departure of Ameer or whether they’d mention it in the music at all was a significant question. The result? While there are a few lines that may reference him, they are few and far between, and they only ever allude to what happened. Considering the circumstances in which he left and the disappointment they show towards Ameer in the statement they issued shortly after the allegations started to spread, this is probably for the better. Much like how the band have decided to move on from the situation, the best idea is most likely to do the same and not obsess over the something the group obviously does not want to define them.
(09/21/18 4:10pm)
When Fatima Nyeema Warner, aka Noname, released her debut mixtape Telefone in 2015, she quickly solidified herself as a unique voice in hip-hop and one of the most promising artists in the scene. Her rapping, while at times frustratingly soft-spoken and amateurish, bordered on beat poetry in a fascinating way, and her understated positivity was something that nobody in rap was or is bringing to the table. It was evident that with some extra work, the Chicago rapper, poet, and songwriter is capable of making something even greater; maybe even legendary. While she doesn’t quite reach “legendary”, Room 25 is a greater work in almost every aspect and definitely lives up to the expectations that her debut album has set.
(09/20/18 9:00am)
by Jack Gillespie
When Fatima Nyeema Warner, aka Noname, released her debut mixtape Telefone in 2015, she quickly solidified herself as a unique voice in hip-hop and one of the most promising artists in the scene. Her rapping, while at times frustratingly soft-spoken and amateurish, bordered on beat poetry in a fascinating way, and her understated positivity was something that nobody in rap was or is bringing to the table. It was evident that with some extra work, the Chicago rapper, poet, and songwriter is capable of making something even greater; maybe even legendary. While she doesn’t quite reach "legendary", Room 25 is a greater work in almost every aspect and definitely lives up to the expectations that her debut album has set.
(09/20/18 12:45am)