After the conclusion of the United States leg of her sold-out Eras Tour, singer-songwriter Taylor Swift announced on social media that she would release a recording of the concert in cinemas worldwide on Oct. 13. The concert film, shot during Swift’s six-night residence at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, CA, was directed by Sam Wrench and produced by Swift’s own company, Taylor Swift Productions.

The film follows Swift as she performs practically her entire three-hour setlist, taking the audience through hits from her past albums, or “eras,” as her fans call them. The movie begins where the concert starts, building anticipation among viewers as Swift’s backup dancers arrive on stage, carrying large flags that drape over a spot on the stage where Swift emerges. Seconds later, Swift opens the show with the “Lover” track’s “Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince.” After the conclusion of the “Lover” set, she continues to play songs from the albums she has released over the course of 17 years in the music industry — “Fearless,” “evermore,” “reputation,” “Speak Now,” “Red,” “folklore,” “1989” and her most recent, “Midnights.”

Of course, Swift integrates some of her biggest hits into the setlist, including “1989’s” “Shake it Off” and “Blank Space” as well as “I Knew You Were Trouble” and “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together” from “Red.” However, some of the film’s most powerful moments occur when she performs deep cuts from her catalog. From the furious belt during the bridge of “illicit affairs,” to the wistful “marjorie,” to Swift throwing dishes off a table toward the end of “tolerate it,” the emotion behind Swift’s lyrics and performance still carry a heavy impact regardless of the fact that not every person in the theater may know the words to each song.

Another standout moment from the film includes the “reputation” set, which brings a dark edginess to the concert that no other portion of the show does. Album opener “…Ready for It?” kicks off the set with an energy that rivals that of 2018’s Reputation Stadium Tour, while the transition between “Don’t Blame Me” and the dramatic “Look What You Made Me Do” only escalates it. “Delicate,” while being one of Swift’s most vulnerable songs, is still as entertaining as ever, as Swift dances and stomps cracks in the floor of the stage.

The acoustic set, which is the penultimate act of the show, features two anticipated “surprise songs” that illustrate just how far Swift has come in her career. The first, played on guitar is “Our Song” — a song Swift wrote for a school talent show when she was a teenager that eventually ended up on her self-titled debut album. The second, played on piano, is “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” a “Midnights” fan-favorite. The song describes her career trajectory and how it has impacted her emotionally. Although these tracks were played for a stadium of 10s of thousands of people and pre-recorded for a movie screen, there is something almost intimate about this set of songs. Swift sings them to the audience as if everyone in it has been right by her side during her entire career.

Since the “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” announcement, Swift’s loyal fan base has been buzzing about the release of the film, and for good reason. Swift’s performances, no matter the era, are practically flawless, while Wrench’s direction makes viewers feel as though they are on the stage with her. Every small detail is apparent, from Swift’s painted nails (each one a different color for her 10 albums) to her sly glances at the camera.

Some Swifties might be disappointed by the fact that a number of songs from the original setlist have been cut from the film — “Lover’s” “The Archer,” “evermore’s” “‘tis the damn season,” “folklore’s” “cardigan” and “1989’s” “Wildest Dreams.” However, many might take comfort in seeing many of the fan-developed aspects of the show, including the infamous “1…2…3…let’s go bitch!” during the first verse of “Delicate,” the heart hands during “Fearless” and the crowd screaming the bridge of “Cruel Summer” are still incorporated, keeping the spirit of the original concert alive.

Swiftie or not, “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” is a concert film that almost everyone can enjoy, as it is every bit as triumphant and magnificent as the show itself.

The band is comprised of Charlie Strecker, a sophomore majoring in psychology, Ryan Nostro, an undeclared sophomore, Sonnie Picallo, a sophomore majoring in philosophy and Lillian Butler, a sophomore majoring in music. Each member is well-versed in various music forms, with Strecker mainly on piano and guitar, Nostro on the drums, Picallo on bass, ukulele and vocals and Butler on guitar, bass and vocals.

Strecker and Picallo met in the fall semester of their freshman year through a mutual friend and started jamming together. After establishing their musical rapport, the duo performed at an open mic night in Appalachian Collegiate Center under the name “Go Funk Yourself.” After seeing them perform, Nostro, who was looking for a band to play with, joined as their drummer. Around this time, Butler and Picallo met in a philosophy class and formed their own “mini band” called Headaches. Knowing of Butler’s music talents, Picallo later referred her to sub-in for Strecker, who was sick the night before a gig. Since then, the four have found a musical connection that wouldn’t be the same without each piece they individually bring.

After connecting, the group’s final endeavor was coming up with a band name to represent their goals. They eventually agreed on Happy To Be Here, a name that represents their values and goals as performers.

Picallo said the band intends to make their music fun for a live audience to participate in.

“We play a good mix of originals and covers, but I think our sort of primary objective is definitely to make people dance,” Picallo said. “We want to make groovy, funky, but also pleasant music that can be enjoyed by a lot of different types of people. We make music that we enjoy playing and enjoy crafting.”

Even with this ambition and a positive outlook, there are unavoidable hurdles that come with such a commitment. Butler spoke about this and her personal workload.

“It’s super hard, not only having all different schedules, [but] there are just hours of [us saying] ‘Maybe we could meet at this time,’” Butler said. “I am in the Hinman College Council and work 20 hours a week. So it’s super hard, but that’s also just what college is, I suppose. Just balancing a bunch of stuff. And you make time for what you want to do.”

Their love for music seems to make this dedication all the more worthwhile, along with the enjoyment that they get when collaborating together. According to the group, the time spent not playing is just as important as their time playing as they can build their “rapport.” This rapport the group holds allows for a space to take musical risks, translating from practice to performance. Nostro highlighted the importance of improvisation during their rehearsals.

“We’ll take a single chord or key and just see what we can do and try to surprise ourselves and expand what we know, what we can do with our instruments,” Nostro said. “As well as a lot of impressions.”

Picallo added to this idea by speaking about the group’s notorious improvisation feature.

“One of the signature acts of Happy To Be Here is interactions with the crowd,” Picallo said. “We want to make sure that the process of songwriting is very collaborative. So oftentimes at our live shows, we’ll ask the audience for an emotion and have Lilly on the spot come up with lyrics and we’ll all come up with an instrumental backing to that in a span of less than a minute.”

The uplifting nature of their performances seems to work successfully in part to their engaging audience.

“I was in a band in high school and I will say the atmosphere back then until now is extremely different,” Nostro said. “In college, the crowd is cheering you on, like always. And they’re dancing, it’s always a good vibe.”

Butler, Picallo and Strecker each shared a similar story about how college has expanded their freedom to perform without judgment.

“I was also in a band in high school, and it was a Catholic school band,” Strecker said. “And I remember our only gig was a coffeehouse performance but I didn’t want to say the curse words because it was going to be an issue. In college, I just feel liberated musically, and also in how I act.”

The band said playing as a collective has furthered their perspectives as well, allowing them to expand as artists and musicians, creating songs and reaching goals that otherwise seemed less accessible.

“I’d say I am really, really happy to have found a group of people that I can collaborate with because I am really used to making music on my own and I really like being around other people to bounce ideas off of,” Picallo said. “The ability to work with other people who have different perspectives and who play different instruments means you get access to so many ideas.”

The rest of the group appeared to have a similar outlook to the group dynamic.

“Rehearsing with the band is, like, my favorite thing I do here,” Strecker said. “We understand each other and that makes the [creative] process so much more fun. When you are working with multiple people, songs just come together like that. It’s like a confluence of ideas that I think is very unique.”

This strongly rooted group dynamic has come a long way since their initial formation, which didn’t even feature a drum set at first. However, the band is pleased with their progress and recognition on campus and Downtown Binghamton.

“Just the fact that that is happening is a good sign,” Strecker said. “I think if we keep doing what we are doing, keep putting ourselves out there, I think that we are going to get bigger and maybe someday play in front of larger crowds. Personally, music is a passion of mine and something I want to do with my life. I want to be a music therapist one day.”

If you are looking for a fun time and music from a creative group of student artists, you should check out the upcoming performances of Happy To Be Here. They will be performing at a music festival on 17 Davis St. on Nov. 13 with a $5 cover to support their band. The band can also be supported through their Instagram.

“From humble beginnings of the laundry room and playing on pots and pans to now,” Nostro said. “It’s been exponential, so I intend to ride this as high as we can go.”

Oceanator, whose debut album “Things I Never Said” was released last year just before the pandemic began, started off the show with a short set of several grunge-influenced songs, ranging from heavy in tone to more lighthearted, almost poppy songs such as “Walk With You.”

“Normally we would have done a big tour around that but obviously that wasn’t possible,” Oceanator wrote in an email. “So, we had to find other ways to share and celebrate it, and we ended up doing a bunch of livestreams, which was fun and a new challenge.”

Oceanator brought a dynamic mix of many genres to the table in her music, especially punk and grunge rock, a range that was on full display during the show.

“I grew up with Green Day and Rancid and a lot of ’90s alternative rock radio, but then also a ton of soul and folk and funk that my parents would play,” Oceanator said.

After Oceanator wrapped up her set, the concert’s switch to the jingling guitar-pop of Beach Bunny was almost jarring. The four-piece band, led by singer Lili Trifilio, streamed a performance from a separate location than their openers, and despite the less-than-ideal situations, delivered almost studio-quality songs for the stream.

Beach Bunny and their pretty indie-pop performance was a perfect example of the endearing awkwardness the unique setting brought, smiling and laughing among themselves and toward the ever-present camera. Mixing established hits like “Prom Queen” and “Sports” with newer tracks from this year’s EP “Blame Game,” Beach Bunny performed over an hour’s worth of material with charisma and never-wavering quality.

Like Oceanator, Beach Bunny also released their debut album “Honeymoon” in 2020, right before the pandemic. While they, like all of the music industry, were rendered unable to tour because of the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve been shifting their focus to streamed performances such as this one, and also have been fortunate enough that one of their songs on the album, “Cloud 9,” went viral on the app TikTok. Breaks like those, while not ideal, have kept Beach Bunny and their album relevant despite the lack of tour opportunities. Sean McManus, BUMP chair and a junior majoring in Japanese studies, said the concert represented people’s resilience throughout the pandemic.

“I think it’s so important to keep the spirit of live music alive through this so that the importance of it isn’t lost when we come out of the other side of [COVID-19],” McManus said. “We all need some sort of elation in these tough times and for those of us who loved going to concerts more than anything for now we need to attend shows online … [to] keep the feeling of in-person live music alive.”

It’s certainly been hard for organizations like BUMP to continue organizing concerts in the midst of everything happening in the University, but McManus urged students to put themselves out there and, until things get back to normal, give these types of events a shot.

“It’s hard to get people interested in online shows for artists they may not already be familiar with because the energy of a live concert is so different than online,” McManus said. “Even though you may not be familiar with the artist … there’s such a different and fun energy just dancing around with friends and maybe coming to appreciate a band you’ve never heard of before.”

The series, which features four episodes, was intended to “set the record straight” about the artist’s overdose, as well as other critical aspects of her life and the time leading up to this event. Each episode features the perspective of Lovato herself, as well as her close friends, family, colleagues and other key figures in her life surrounding the overdose. It is clear through Lovato’s backstory that topics of mental health and substance abuse disorders have been prevalent in her life from a young age. Growing up, her father was an alcoholic and drug addict with untreated schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. Their relationship was unconventional, as she witnessed his abuse of not only drugs and alcohol but also of her mother.

Prior to her time on Disney Channel, Lovato grew up partaking in beauty pageants, deeming perfection a necessary means for happiness and survival. While the public had previously been made aware of some of Lovato’s struggles while on Disney Channel, in “Dancing with the Devil” she dives deeper into these years and the way the industry prevented her from taking control over her own life. The clean image she was forced to maintain reinforced her skewed beliefs on perfection and encouraged her to stay silent about the rape she experienced at 15 years old by a former affiliate of Disney Channel. After experiencing this trauma and turning to drugs, Lovato eventually accepted the advice to live a life of sobriety and became a figure in the mental health community for six years. However, a strictly controlled and mismanaged lifestyle brought back much of the distress she had encountered in her youth, drawing parallels between the past and present and illustrating how this time led to her overdose in July of 2018.

The series eventually painted out the specific details of the 2018 overdose and revealed how lucky Lovato is to be alive after experiencing three strokes, a heart attack and multiple organ damages as a result of her overdose. After months of focusing on herself, a goal that prevailed partially due to help from the mandatory COVID-19 quarantine, Lovato found herself sober, with the exception of marijuana use and moderate alcohol consumption. The documentary overall is clean-cut in its formal qualities, proving that editing was a highly strategized role of the series. However, the actual content does not conceal or censor the truth of her situation, no matter the criticism she anticipates to receive, specifically about her choices regarding her unique semi-sober path. She now sees herself as living her “ninth life” and is aiming to be authentically herself, making her own choices and embracing her sexuality outside of expected norms.

Coinciding with this series, Lovato decided to release her seventh studio album “Dancing with The Devil … the Art of Starting Over.” Its album structure is unlike any other project she has done before, acting as a loose concept album. The first three songs track her feelings and experiences around her 2018 overdose, and then the rest of the album follows various aspects of her life, including her recovery, love life and fame. The opener, “Anyone,” starts the album off with a raw and emotional performance by Lovato that puts the listener right into her headspace during the height of her addiction. The track is a blatant cry for help that is bone-chilling to listen to. The fact that this song was recorded four days before her overdose also heightens the brutal reality of the topic of the song. The next two songs are also big highlights of this project. “Dancing with the Devil” touches more specifically on her substance abuse: “Twisted reality, hopeless insanity/I told you I was okay, but I was lying.” The soaring strings in the chorus evoke shades of Adele or Amy Winehouse, which is certainly a good thing.

The album really begins after “Intro,” where Lovato speaks to the audience about what the album is about. After this, the album still has 15 more songs, which begins with “The Art of Starting of Over.” This song marks a tonal shift for the album, with breezy guitar rhythms and accompanying electric piano. It is less emotionally charged but delivers on feeling a restart not just for the album, but for Lovato. Unfortunately, the album does not maintain the level of quality the first handful of songs showed. Songs like “Easy,” “The Kind of Lover I Am” and “Melon Cake” all have strong messages but lack anything sonically interesting. While there is something to be appreciated about the album structure, its momentum definitely slows down midway through. With 19 songs total, there could have been some trimming of songs for a more focused and tighter record.

Even though the beginning of the album reigns supreme, there are some gems scattered throughout. “Lonely People’’ has an amazing chanting hook with a thumping muted guitar providing a wonderful rhythm in the verses. “Met Him Last Night” starts right off with glossy vocals and a synth melody. Ariana Grande is featured on it, too, and both bring the best out of each other. One of the best songs is “Carefully,” which already feels like a classic. It begins with multiple acoustic guitars, but slowly starts building up to an epic soundscape where she sings “Forever doesn’t seem long enough, anymore.” Lovato also takes inspiration from other pop stars of today such as Billie Eilish in “My Girlfriends are My Boyfriend.” It still feels like her, but uses that vocal chopping and vocal effects that Eilish is famous for. Saweetie’s feature is also refreshing — she constantly changes her flows in an impressive verse.

Lovato’s work, as seen by her documentary and album, proves itself to be passionate and successful. Both are emotional and dark, specifically as seen by the descriptions of her overdose, but encouraging as they highlight not only the trauma but also the strength she endured in facing and overcoming her struggles. Hearing about her past — particularly in the more personal, unspoken details such as those about her father, or about her history with sexual trauma — shed light on how specific events can play a major, long-lasting role in one’s mental health. This is especially insightful when examining Lovato, who as a celebrity, is often dehumanized by the spotlight and criticized for every mistake she makes. When she speaks upon the parallels between her adolescence and the time leading up to her overdose, Lovato’s specificity and vulnerability truly place the viewers in her shoes and allow them to feel an understanding of her reality that would otherwise be unattainable through media coverage alone. Overall, Lovato set forth full disclosure when discussing her flawed choices, trauma, mental health and the severity of her overdose. She reveals honestly how imperfect her life has been, as a real human whose imperfections are an acceptable part of life. The album has its flaws but Lovato manages to speak her truth to her fans in a very satisfying way. Songs that take the time to tell her story and what she has been up to is a wonderful listen. The transparency in her words truly manages to break down a wall between her and the listeners, allowing for an intimate exchange between them. Fans, old and new, will come to love this new album and documentary.

Album rating: 3.5/5

Documentary Rating 4.5/5

Sean McManus, BUMP chair and a junior majoring in Japanese studies, wrote in an email that the virtual show will be a change in pace from the last BUMP show, which featured electronic artists Baths and Fire-Toolz.

“This time around I wanted to change up the vibe from our first show which was more experimental/electronic and go for a rock show,” McManus wrote. “I hope that with the weather getting steadily warmer outside the beachy and warm sounds of Beach Bunny will match that energy and get people dancing safely in their rooms!”

What is now known as Beach Bunny started off as a stage name and solo project for lead singer Lili Trifilio in 2015. It wasn’t until 2017, after Trifilio released her third EP, that the lineup turned into a four-piece group. Shortly after, Beach Bunny released their 2018 EP “Prom Queen,” with tracks like the self-titled track and “Painkiller” becoming popular for their honest and straightforward lyrics. Beach Bunny’s songs have covered topics such as eating disorders, heartbreak, gender expectations and mental illness, all set to catchy guitar riffs and drum beats reminiscent of surf-punk and pop-rock sounds.

On Valentine’s Day in 2020, Beach Bunny released their first album, “Honeymoon” to critical acclaim. The album made appearances on “Best Albums of 2020” lists for Rolling Stone, Consequences of Sound and The New York Times, peaking at number 21 on Billboard’s U.S. Top Alternative Albums chart on Feb. 29, 2020. Similar to “Prom Queen,” songs on “Honeymoon” covered topics of self-image and heartbreak in fast-paced beats, as Trifilio explained that she was going through “a lot of life changes, and also a breakup” and was unsure about her worth in an interview with Rolling Stone. A single from the album, “Cloud 9,” recently became a popular song on TikTok as well.

In their latest EP, “Blame Game,” Beach Bunny took a turn in direction. The four-song extended play had more empowering ballads such as “Good Girls (Don’t Get Used)” and “Nice Guys” while keeping the same energetic sound of past releases. Under The Radar described their sound as an “emotionally charged mix of pop-punk, fuzzy indie rock and hooky power pop.”

Elise Okusami, known on stage as Oceanator, is an indie artist from Brooklyn who released her first album “Things I Never Said” in 2020. She started off in the punk-rock scene in Washington, D.C., playing basement shows and small venues for a thrash-punk band.

In a grunge-pop sound reminiscent of the ’90s, the album deals with imagery of apocalyptic worlds and intense emotions such as anxiety and depression. The album is not entirely heavy, however, as more upbeat and retro songs like “Heartbeat” and “Walk With You” shine through as well. Oceanator recorded most of “Things I Never Said” two years prior, but the songs on it seemed to describe the feelings of desolation and solitude brought forth in 2020 perfectly.

Both female artists sing about intense emotions, although in different styles. McManus wrote that he hopes the BUMP show offers more exposure to their music.

“I’ve been a fan of Beach Bunny for a pretty long time now so being given the opportunity to book them I obviously took it immediately,” McManus wrote. “Oceanator is an artist who has only just put out her debut album but I absolutely adore her and hope people come to love her after seeing her opening set as well!”

The BUMP show will take place on Saturday, April 10 at 8 p.m. on YouTube Live. Attendees must RSVP through a link on the Student Association Programming Board’s (SAPB) Instagram page at least an hour before the show to receive a link to the broadcast.

“Move On” by Mike Posner

Mike Posner changes his genre up once again in this acoustic folk ballad. The singer’s first claim to fame was the 2009 electro-pop hit “Cooler Than Me,” which was followed by a period of silence until the breakout hit “I Took a Pill in Ibiza” in 2015, which was remixed by EDM duo Seeb into a house party song. Following that success, Posner formed a hip-hop duo with rapper blackbear called Mansionz and they released an album in 2017. Shaking it up once again, Posner started 2019 off by releasing “Move On,” a folk-rock song that details his struggle to keep making music after the deaths of his father and friend Avicii. It’s an uplifting acoustic ballad that’s sure to get your hopes up for the new year.

“Juice” by Lizzo

Released just four days into the new year, this song has been called the “first great song of 2019” by Rolling Stone. Lizzo’s newest song is a funky bop about self-empowerment that’s sure to get you dancing. It also features some retro beats, reminiscent of ’80s pop music if you’d like to get caught up in nostalgia this year. This is the song that’s meant to remind you to love and respect yourself and stop taking criticism from others because, as Lizzo says, you have to “blame it on the juice.”

“Keanu Reeves” by Logic

Similar to Logic’s previous tracks, “Keanu Reeves” is a song by the rapper about his recent claims to fame and mainstream success. Named after “The Matrix” actor, Logic brags about his new money and quick success after he released the song “1-800-273-8255” in 2017. He even references the song in “Keanu Reeves,” mentioning how he was known as the “1-800 guy” for a while before releasing more rap albums like “Bobby Tarantino II” and “YSIV” last year. This song is a ‘clapback’ at the haters in your life and should motivate you to take pride in all you’ve accomplished.

“Dancing with a Stranger” by Sam Smith & Normani

“Dancing with a Stranger” is Sam Smith’s first new song in over a year, so his comeback was a welcome surprise for 2019. As an added delight, it features former Fifth Harmony singer Normani, who released two solo songs with Calvin Harris in 2018 and is expected to release her own album later this year. This song is a slow electro bop that’s easy to dance to and gets stuck in your head, and it’s exciting to see how both of these artists will reinvent themselves in the new year.

“7 rings” by Ariana Grande

Ariana had a wildly successful year in 2018, releasing the multiplatinum-selling album “Sweetener” last year and holding the record for the most-watched music video in YouTube within 24 hours with “thank u, next.” To kick off 2019, “7 rings” is a rich-girl anthem about money and how it could buy happiness, at least for a little while. Using trap-inspired beats while sampling “My Favorite Things” from the 1965 movie “The Sound of Music,” the song seems to diverge from Grande’s usual pop sound and “good girl” image, but it’s also a tune you’ll surely be humming for the rest of the year.

“I Want It All” by COIN

A band popular in the indie pop scene, COIN’s newest single has a slightly darker tone compared to previous ones like the upbeat songs “Talk Too Much” and “Growing Pains,” but it still stays true to their genre. Similar to the styles of classic rock bands like Steely Dan, this song features heavier guitars and sensual lyrics. It’s a pleasant surprise that teases at an album release later this year, so here’s to hoping we hear more from this band as the year progresses.

“Twenty One” by Greyson Chance

This song technically shouldn’t be on this list since it was released at the end of 2018, but this artist is foreshadowing a huge comeback in 2019 that should not be ignored. You may remember Greyson Chance as the little kid who sang Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi” while playing the piano in 2010, which led to Ellen DeGeneres signing him onto her record label right away. Since then, Chance has blossomed as an artist and is unrecognizable in his new party anthem “Twenty One,” which is also how old he is now. This song is all about living in the moment and putting any regrets you might have aside. The new single is part of a potential album coming in the new year so be sure to keep an eye out for that if this song is on your favorites playlist.

“Paranoid” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. B.o.B.

This song is essentially “John Tucker Must Die” in a hip-hop song — and it’s the perfect background music for a Snapchat to guilt trip your significant other. However, if you feel you personally identify with the lyrics in this song, you may want to reconsider your choice in partner.

“Best Day Ever” — Mac Miller

Let this song be the anthem of Spring Fling — you’re going to have an amazing day with your friends, maybe even the best day ever. You want to make the most out of this experience, so allow the lyrics to provide inspiration for the day.

“Or Nah” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. The Weeknd, Wiz Khalifa and DJ Mustard

Even if you don’t know who Ty Dolla $ign is, chances are you probably know this song; it has a good, chill vibe and features other popular artists. However, since The Weeknd and Wiz Khalifa won’t be at Spring Fling, it’ll be interesting to see if, and how, Ty Dolla $ign performs this song on his own.

“Donald Trump” — Mac Miller

It’s almost like Miller was predicting the outcome of the 2016 presidential election with this track, as he raps, “Take over the world when I’m on my Donald Trump s**t, look at all this money, ain’t that some s**t.” This one’s a classic and the lyrics will help you laugh off nearly anything.

“Favorite Part” — Mac Miller feat. Ariana Grande

This laid-back love song is off of Miller’s most recent album, “The Divine Feminine,” which shows us a different side to the artist as he sings instead of raps. Miller lays raspy and smoky vocals over the track with all of the things he loves about his girlfriend, Ariana Grande, who is featured on the track.

Some more songs:

• “Saved” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. E-40
• “Wavy” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. Joe Moses
• “LA” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. Kendrick Lamar, Brandy and James Fauntleroy
• “Drop That Kitty” — Ty Dolla $ign feat. Charli XCX and Tinashe
• “Life Ain’t Easy” — Mac Miller
• “Loud” — Mac Miller
• “Knock Knock” — Mac Miller
• “Party On Fifth Ave.” — Mac Miller
• “Another Night” — Mac Miller

Featuring 10 tracks in total and clocking in at just over 50 minutes, Mac Miller seems to be trying to make a statement with this new release. With each project he has released since 2010, the rapper has done his best to alter his sound. The same can be said for his newest venture into and about love — and all the hardships that come with it.

In what can only be described as a mix of rhythm and blues, gospel and rap styles, Mac Miller uses complex lyrics to get a message across to the listener. From the first song, the theme of this album is made clear and evident: Love is a very complicated but beautiful emotion, and Mac Miller takes us on a journey through those complications, while opening our eyes to the beauty of them.
One line that truly emphasizes love’s complications is found on “My Favorite Part.” He sings, “Before things come together, they have to fall apart.” Not only does this line detail an experience many people will feel at least once in life, it also shows off a side of Miller that we don’t often see.

Even fame and fortune can’t help the rapper find love more easily than others. He has to go through the same struggles the listener does. On “Skin,” he is arguably at his most vulnerable. He paints a picture of himself as a soldier coming home from war and compares it to a significant other taking him back after a fight they had.

With this new album, Mac Miller is making music about topics rap has rarely delves into. One theory for why this sudden change of theme came about is his newly announced relationship with Ariana Grande. The couple has collaborated three times before, most recently on the remix to “Into You” in 2016. The news that the two were dating was finally confirmed by Grande in an interview with Ellen DeGeneres right before “The Divine Feminine” was released.

Taking a backseat on the production for this project, Mac Miller creates a sound far away from the rest of his music, but at the same time, he has never sounded more at home on tracks like “Skin,” with a beat composed of hi-hats, bass, synth and rich trumpets. Despite the fresh sound, he sticks to his roots with big-name rap features like Kendrick Lamar, Anderson .Paak and Ty Dolla $ign.

The standout track on this album, which was also released as the first promotional single, is “Dang!” featuring Anderson .Paak. It is the first collaboration between the two, but the chemistry between the artists is evident in the song. In the accompanying video, the two show off their sensitive and humble sides. Mac Miller raps about wanting his significant other to stay and all the things he wants to do for her. Anderson .Paak sings the hook, “I can’t keep on losing you over complications / Gone too soon.” The song offers an interesting change of pace for both artists.

“The Divine Feminine” is without a doubt Mac Miller’s most cohesive and experimental project yet. The listener is taken on a journey through life’s most beautiful and devastating emotion and, thanks to Mac Miller, love has never sounded so good.

PD: What kind of opportunities are there for emerging bands in Binghamton?
Dan Kadyrov: “For any musician there are so many opportunities in Binghamton. There are open mics all the time in various bars and cafés that are open for all forms of music. Late Nite also gives a great opportunity for students on campus to get experience playing in front of a crowd. Binghamton is great because you’re an email or phone call away from having anything happen. Also it’s an amazing feeling to get paid for doing something you love to do — in my case, playing lounge jazz.
Allie Young: “As more bands start up and network, I think we’ll start to see more live gigs Downtown. Right now it seems the best thing a band can do is play at house parties, get gigs Downtown, and try out for Battle of the Bands. That competition is the reason we were able to perform at Spring Fling and fund our EP.”
Daniel Muller: “For bands on campus, there are the occasional late night gigs, open mic nights, WHRW, BUMP [Binghamton Underground Music Presents] or other club events, and the battle of the bands in the second semester. Practicing on-campus is also pretty much impossible if you have a drummer. As many bands know, there is no easy way to get access to a drum set unless you know a guy who has one on campus, have access to Fine Arts, or know someone off-campus who will let you practice at their place.”¶
“If you’re off-campus, band life is much easier. You can be as loud as you want, not having to worry about an RA, and even perform at various friends’ houses. The best way to get known off-campus is to ask around and play at a bunch of house parties. Although the gig won’t be paying, maybe in free beer, you will get your name out there. As far as making money, you can always ask restaurants and venues to play, and make money from entertaining or a cover fee. Play free for friends though since we are all poor college students.”
PD: What advice would you give to students interested in starting a band?
Allie Young: You have to make sure each member has the same objective for what he or she wants out of the experience. Some people might just be looking to jam out and pass the time, and others might have hopes of perusing the music professionally. You also have to communicate like crazy and really understand each other. If you don’t, that will negatively show through your music and your performances. People want to hear and watch musicians who are not only genuinely enjoying themselves, but also naturally connecting with the audience through that joy. Don’t be afraid to throw your music in people’s faces to get it out there. Social media is a great place to network and learn. No matter how good you think you are, there’s always room to grow.
Daniel Hart: “My best advice for people is if they want to start a band, then start a band, stop asking questions and do it. If there are roadblocks, find a way around them, don’t get complacent. Our band has explored the whole Fine Arts Building and have practiced in the Anderson Center Concert Hall late at night when we lived on campus. Make connections with people and groups, don’t sit on your ass and complain, and pursue it … at the end of the day, just have fun. Everyone will be too drunk to care if you screwed up the solo to ‘3’s and 7’s’ and just played random ass notes, just sell it.”
Daniel Kadyrov: “My advice is to play as much and with as many people as you possibly can. Get out of your comfort level and play genres you aren’t comfortable playing, songs you don’t know and musical keys that you hate.”
Corey Rando: “Make sure you have the right match. Sure, identifying your sound is one thing, and knowing your strong points and weak points is ideal, but a band is more than just performing live, it’s building friendships with these people and maturing as an artist. I would never join a band if I weren’t content with every member on a personal level. Sure there will be disagreements, but I’d never put myself in a position where I have other people relying on me and another person to cooperate who may not be on the same page.”
Owen Aust: “Don’t start a punk band and don’t suck.”

Record Store Day (RSD), happening this Saturday, is an annual celebration of music store culture around the world. In addition to live performances at many of the participating stores, there will also be exclusive tracks released by artists including Florence + The Machine, Twenty One Pilots and The Weeknd. One of the special releases for RSD comes from Metallica, the official ambassadors for the event this year. “Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, Metallica! – Live at Le Bataclan. Paris, France – June 11th, 2003,” a concert recording from the site of the November 2015 Paris terror attacks, will be available at many of the participating stores.

Three local stores will be participating this year: Sound Go Round and Music City in Vestal, as well as Broad Street Records in Waverly. All three will be open beginning at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

While all of these stores will be offering special deals for RSD, Sound Go Round will also be hosting a local band, Lila Ignite, for two live acoustic sets at 9:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.

“Sound Go Round has been super awesome to local bands and businesses and this is the second year in a row that they’ve invited us to perform acoustic in store for the event,” said Tyler Reed, the lead singer of Lila Ignite. “I think it’s really awesome that they expand the reach of RSD by allowing bands to perform in-store to add to the event and make it about more than just the music being released, but also bringing the community together.”

This community aspect is a major goal of the event. For the owners of many local stores, such as Patrick Ayres of Broad Street Records, the goal is not to sell a certain number of records, but instead to get patrons to stop by.

He said he wants visitors to “have a good time, see each other, and if they buy some stuff, that’s great too.”

Part of the appeal of records, versus CDs or streaming services, is that they harken back to times when playing music was much more involved. Rather than turn on a stereo or click a button, you have to set up the record on the side with the track you want and then figure out where to put the needle.

Benny Fiacco, owner of Music City, has seen a trend back toward customers purchasing records instead of CDs when they visit his store.

“We actually started out as a record store, then became a CD store, and eventually got into musical instruments,” Fiacco explained. “We still do the CDs and records, so I guess now instead of a CD store, we’re going back to being a record store.”

The website for RSD, recordstoreday.com, has a complete listing of participating record stores. The Facebook pages for Broad Street Records, Music City and Sound Go Round also have more information about the specials available at each of the stores.

After a long wait and much anticipation from the student body, the Student Association Programming Board (SAPB) has announced that Walk The Moon and T-Pain will be performing at this year’s Spring Fling.

Perhaps best known for summer hit “Shut Up and Dance,” Walk The Moon offers fun, poppy dance hits under the umbrella of their rock genre. The four-piece band came together in the late 2000s and has since produced three albums. The most recent effort, “Talking is Hard,” contains “Shut Up and Dance,” as well as “Different Colors” and “Work This Body.”

Bernadette Machuca, the SA’s vice president for programming, said she is excited about the acts for the May 7 concert.

“I think that Walk The Moon has exactly the type of energy that students like to see at Spring Fling,” said Machuca, a senior majoring in biology. “A lot of their music is very fun, energetic and I think that they’re definitely the type of band that a lot of people will be able to appreciate and enjoy.”

As for T-Pain, Machuca said she “had always envisioned having some sort of throwback artist.”

The R&B artist, whose real name is Faheem Najm, will take the stage first. T-Pain has released four albums since 2005, with a fifth effort, “Stoicville: The Phoenix” on the way. He is known for songs such as “Best Love Song,” featuring Chris Brown, “I’m N Luv (Wit a Stripper)” and his collaboration with Jamie Foxx on “Blame It,” as well as his use of auto-tune.

“T-Pain is an artist that has been around for years and has always had great dance hits,” Machuca said. “He adds some variety to the concert and will be a fun act to get the crowd hyped.”

Walk The Moon came in first in the survey under the Pop/Rock/Alternative genre, with 36.9 percent voting “Dying to see!!,” tying with Future overall. In the hip-hop/R&B category, T-pain came in fourth with 27 percent marking “Dying to see!!”

Opening for both acts will be student band The Three 4s. According to Machuca, they are also considering adding one more student opener in order to accommodate a member of the band that keeps the Sabbath.

This year’s concert, like 2014’s Matt and Kim show, will be performed behind Lecture Hall, in front of the Student Wing. Gone will be the awkward crowd-spacing issues that came with last year’s stage being in front of the Harpur College fountain.

In addition to these changes, students are excited to be seeing more popular artists in the lineup.

“I think it’s going to prove to be a really awesome night,” said Hadas Bernstein, a senior majoring in psychology. “We always talk about how we are the premier university, and as much as I’ve loved the bands or sets previous years, this really puts us out there as a university that can get big-name bands.”

Emily Mancini, a senior double-majoring in philosophy, politics and law and English, thinks the show will be “nothing spectacular but a good middle-ground.”

Charlotte Kurz, a junior majoring in human development, agreed that it is good to have something for everyone.

“I think that it’s really cool to have two big names headlining,” she said. “It’ll make it so there’s a lot of variety for everyone to enjoy.”

The announcement of the Spring Fling headliners is later than that of previous years, which Machuca attributed to issues with the contract negotiations.

“I’d say a big issue that we were going back and forth on was in regards to what we would do in case of inclement weather,” Machuca explained. “Because there was a bit of discomfort on their end with the infrastructure of our stage, and whether or not it would be OK in that weather.”

While she says it was “hashed out for a while,” it was not something that was difficult to come to an agreement on.

According to Machuca, the artists requested a rain location, which will be in the West Gym. The concert will move there in the case of any inclement weather.

Other setbacks included the late timing of spring break and some miscommunication with the booking agency that the SAPB uses. Additionally, Machuca says that Walk The Moon has still not sent over a contract, but they were given permission to release the performers’ names to the student body.

Despite all of this, Machuca believes the concert and festival will run smoothly.

“What’s really been prolonged is just contract negotiations, but that still hasn’t affected or stopped all the work that goes on besides that,” Machuca said. “We’ve all still kept moving forward with everything else as per usual.”

Spring Fling will take place on Saturday, May 7 from 1-5 p.m. The free concert is set to begin at 8 p.m.

According to Timothy Perry, professor of music and director of graduate studies for the music department, the department has been hosting a weekly concert during lunchtime for over 30 years. This semester, the concerts will be held on Thursdays at 1:20 p.m. in various performance halls in the Anderson Center.

The department aims to have about 10 concerts each semester and to feature both student and faculty performers.

“Some students perform as part of a fulfill[ment] for their major (or minor in music), some perform to practice a piece before a recital,” Marnie Wrighter, the music department’s concert manager, wrote in an email, “some faculty also might perform if they have another function coming up and want to use the time as like a dress rehearsal and promote their concert.”

Many of the concerts have specific themes, including one concert featuring only vocal students, and one featuring Nukporfe, the African drumming and dance ensemble at Binghamton University. Additionally, at the end of the semester, as per tradition, there will be a student recognition concert with performers nominated by members of the department.

At yesterday’s midday concert, all the performances included a combination of piano and one other instrument. Whether it was the viola, the trombone, the clarinet or the flute, the music was immersive and served as an effective break from the business of a normal school day.

From the first performer to the last, it was clear how passionate the students and faculty were about the music they performed, even if it was not a sold-out show.

The viola/piano piece seemed as if it were pulled right out of a dinner banquet in the 1800s. The trombone/piano performance seemed as if it belonged to a noir film.

The final piece was composed entirely by Christian Martin, who graduated from Binghamton University with a bachelor’s in music in 2015. It was performed by a trio of faculty: Timothy Perry on clarinet, Stephen Stalker on violoncello and Margaret Reitz on piano.

John Petersen, a sophomore majoring in mathematics, played the clarinet in his first performance as a soloist.

“I was nervous, but it was a good kind of nervous,” Petersen said.

The opportunity to perform in front of a supportive audience was a comfort to him, however, as his favorite part was seeing the people in the audience.

The Mid-Day Concert series is a nice break from the week and a great way to spend an hour of your time. Thursdays can feel like the longest day of the week, but they go a little bit faster if you spend some of it listening to some incredible music performed and written by BU students and professors.

During the Grammys on Feb. 15, Gwen Stefani premiered her music video of “Make Me Like You,” her latest single. The video, sponsored by Target, was aired live during the award show’s commercial break. The “Rich Girl” singer revealed on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” that the song is about her new romance with Blake Shelton. Stefani’s tracklist for the album reveals that many of her upcoming songs will be about love and heartbreak, with song titles such as “You’re My Favorite” and “Me Without You.” On March 18, “This Is What The Truth Feels Like” will be available for purchase. This is her third solo album; her last one was released 10 years ago.

The year 2006 seems to be making a comeback as well, with Fergie apparently planning new music. Though we have not heard anything from her directly, her husband Josh Duhamel let the cat out of the bag during his interview on “The Rich Eisen Show.”

“She’s got an album coming out in about a month,” Duhamel said about his wife. “I think they’re calling it ‘Double Dutchess.’” Fergie seems to be drawing inspiration from her debut album “The Dutchess,” which gave her three number-one singles.

Beyoncé may be planning another album release as well. While she hasn’t officially revealed anything, the “Queen Bey” announced her Formation World Tour earlier this month. In the past, she has released new music while touring, so it’s a possibility she could drop a new album before her first tour date. Concrete details around her albums are generally unknown due to tight security. However, if the album is anything like “Formation,” a trap and electro hip-hop sound can be expected as the general vibe.

Malik, whose hit “Pillowtalk” debuted atop the Hot 100, performed his second solo song, “It’s You” on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon” on Feb. 17. With these two singles in tow, the artist will be releasing his first solo album on March 25. His album is called “Mind of Mine,” and although his former band One Direction makes pop music for the masses, Zayn seems to be going with a more R&B sound for his introduction.

Ariana Grande’s next studio effort is titled “Dangerous Woman,” according to her Snapchat story; Grande snapped a picture of her album title and the first track “Moonlight.” In an interview with MTV, Grande said her new album sounds nothing like the lead single “Focus.” Though there is no official release date, Grande is performing on “Saturday Night Live” on March 15 and could possibly perform new material.

Other artists such as Lorde, Frank Ocean and Lady Gaga have all been hinting at new music as well, yet they have not revealed any details — except Gaga, who is working with Mark Ronson. But, with the new trend of surprise albums, there’s no telling what the music industry will deliver this year.

The BRITS began in 1977 — which is recent, compared to the Grammys’ 1959 origin — to honor British musical talents. The show got its name because the awards are given by the Britannia Music Club. Over the years, the BRITS has given awards to musical acts like The Beatles, Queen and Michael Jackson.

In recent years, the BRITS award statuette has been uniquely designed by various artists and fashion designers. This year, Scottish fashion icon Pam Hogg had the honor, and she certainly delivered. Each award statuette had its own distinct designs, which ranged from strictly black and white to the entire statue being covered with gold glitter.

The show started off with a very colorful performance by Super Bowl headliner, Coldplay, who took home the Best British Group award at the show. After his disappointing loss at the Grammys, British singer James Bay walked away with a BRIT for Best British Male Solo Artist. He also delivered a stunning performance of his hit song, “Hold Back the River.”

Bay later joined Justin Bieber — who won the award for Best International Male Solo Artist — at the beginning of Bieber’s soothing medley of “Love Yourself” that led into “Sorry.” After Rihanna was forced to cancel her Grammy performance due to bronchitis, she made it up to her fans with a live medley of songs off of her new album “ANTi.” The highlight of her performance came during “Work,” when Drake joined her onstage.

Like its American counterpart, the BRITS honored late British legend David Bowie. Bowie’s close friend Gary Oldman accepted the Icon award on Bowie’s behalf, and Lorde and Bowie’s longtime band performed a gentle tribute for the star, earning rave reviews that greatly surpassed those for Lady Gaga’s tribute at the Grammys.

The BRITS, however, were truly Adele’s night. Her first award of the night was for Best British Female Solo Artist, which she accepted humbly, ending her speech with a public declaration of her support for Kesha. Adele also went home with awards for Best British Single for “Hello,” the Global Success award — an award given to British acts that made the biggest impact worldwide — and British Album of the Year for “25.”

During her acceptance speech for the Global Success award, an elated Adele dropped an f-bomb, which was missed by the censors and broadcast on TV and the international YouTube stream. But fortunately, there were no terrible technical issues during Adele’s performance of “While We Were Young.”

After widespread complaints about the Grammys this year, perhaps the BRITS should serve as the award show model moving forward.

Taylor Swift started the show in a black sequin jumpsuit for a performance of her single “Out Of The Woods,” complete with a glitter shower over the audience. After Swift left the stage, the award for Best Rap Album was given to Kendrick Lamar for his album “To Pimp a Butterfly.” Lamar led the night with 11 nominations and went home with an impressive five awards total. Later, the rapper performed an impressive medley of “The Blacker the Berry” and “Alright,” where he added a freestyle that addressed the death of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012.

The show also included tributes to music icons, both dead and alive. B.B. King was honored by Chris Stapleton, Bonnie Riatt and Gary Clark Jr. — who crooned his hit “The Thrill is Gone” — while David Bowie had an extravagant celebration led by Lady Gaga, who attended the ceremony as Ziggy Stardust.

The cast and crew of the Broadway smash-hit musical “Hamilton” took home the Best Musical Theater Album award, which writer Lin-Manuel Miranda accepted with a special rap. The cast also performed the show’s opening song, “Alexander Hamilton.” Other great performances include Andra Day & Ellie Goulding, The Weeknd, Alabama Shakes, Justin Bieber, Skrillex and Diplo, Little Big Town and Tori Kelly and James Bay.

First time winners included Ed Sheeran, who won awards for Best Pop Solo Performance and Song of the Year, and a tearful Meghan Trainor, who was shocked by her win in the Best New Artist category.

The night, however, wasn’t without controversy. During Adele’s performance of “All I Ask,” a microphone fell on the piano, causing both the song and her vocals to become distorted. The singer later tweeted about the incident, brushing it off to technical difficulties. Trainor’s win was overshadowed, however, by fellow nominee Tori Kelly’s reaction shot after the announcement, in which Kelly looked less than pleased about the loss. Kelly’s Wikipedia page was also temporarily changed to imply that the singer was robbed of the award.

After Kanye West smeared Swift in his new song “Famous,” saying Swift might still have sex with him because he “made that b*tch famous,” many wondered if Swift would respond during the award show. In her acceptance speech for Album of the Year — awarded to her for “1989” — Swift responded by attempting to uplift other young women. She said, “There are going to be people along the way who will try to undercut your success or take credit for your accomplishments or your fame,” but, “someday when you get where you’re going, you’ll look around and you will know it was you and the people who love you who put you there and that will be the greatest feeling in the world.”

Just days later, a recording of West backstage at “Saturday Night Live” was released on various online news outlets, in which the rapper can be heard calling Swift a “fake ass.” Although these recordings were taken before Monday night’s show, it seems that the feud between Swift and West — which seemed to have lessen over the years — might be back in full swing.

With the 2016 ceremonies over and the winners announced, one can only guess what musical trends 2017 will bring to award season.

This year, sequined black dresses were a huge trend. Bella Hadid set the bar high with a low-cut, long-sleeve Alexandre Vauthier Paris design, which included cutouts at the waist and a geometric hem. Adele looked stunning and happy to be back at the award show in a classic, floor-length Givenchy dress that cinched in her waist perfectly. Anna Kendrick and Vanessa Lachey also sported the trend, accenting the sequined look with sheer pieces.

Ciara put a twist on this black sequin look by wearing a low-cut wrap dress that was plain black on one side and had silver sequins on the other. However, the most stunning part of the look was the slit, which showed off her entire leg. No one but Ciara is capable of pulling off this look. From her ridiculously toned body, to her permanent smize, she killed it on the carpet.

Typically, Zendaya slays everywhere she goes — but, on this night, something was off. She brought menswear to the red carpet in a black, Dsquared2 pant suit with a crisp white button down underneath and her hair styled in a blonde mullet. Yes, a mullet. The starlet later confirmed that her new haircut was a tribute to the late icon David Bowie, who died earlier this year. Although a nice gesture, the mullet did nothing for her already lackluster look.

This being said, Zendaya wasn’t the only one bringing business chic to the red carpet. Demi Lovato wore a black suit jacket with nothing but a bottle-opener body chain underneath, and a floor-length skirt that had a very high center slit. Demi showed a lot of skin, but nothing about this look was sexy. The combination of suit jacket and long skirt did not work. It almost looked like the top she planned on wearing ripped last minute, and she was forced to borrow her assistant’s jacket.

Taylor Swift has a definitive style, so it comes with little surprise that her dress was reminiscent of her 2015 Grammy dress. Both looks involved a floor-length skirt with a hip-high center slit. While last year she took a more conservative route with a high-neck teal dress and a miniskirt peaking through the skirt, this year she opted for just a fun, bright orange satin bandeau top and hot pink, high-cut hot pants under a matching pink skirt. If you paid attention to the singer’s glam look, you may have noticed that while she wore orange lipstick on the red carpet, she toned it down and wore pink lipstick to accept her Grammy for Album of the Year.

One of the night’s most confusing looks came from Janelle Monae, who wore a black-and-white top complete with a strangely structured circular shirt and what looked like the hat from a poorly designed Halloween costume. Monae’s signature look, a fitted pant suit, is always a stunner, and the singer probably would have been better off taking a note from Taylor Swift and sticking with her signature style. A bright note, however, were the stars long braids, which were a nice change from her usual up do.

It seemed like the less famous an artist is, the more they felt compelled to look like a hot mess on the red carpet. Singer Dencia wore a bright pink onesie, with beaded embellishments including angel wings on either side of her crotch, while singer Manika wore a completely sheer, white high-low midi dress with jeweled lingerie underneath, which was better suited for the circus.

Ellie Goulding was by far the best-dressed star in attendance. As living proof of the saying “less is more,” Goulding wore a slinky, blush-colored Stella McCartney gown, that while gorgeous from the front, was breathtaking from the back. The silver chains draped across her back added a touch of edge to this otherwise sweet look.

Monday’s red carpet brought some stunning looks and ones we’d like to forget, but overall, the stars’ looks were singing a sweet tune as they entered the Staples Center.

SunFest

A lot of people in the Northeast don’t know about SunFest in West Palm Beach, Florida, a five-day festival that’s been host to huge names like Ellie Goulding and Pretty Lights in 2014 and Lenny Kravitz and Schoolboy Q in 2015. While this year’s lineup won’t be announced until February 25, at just $75 for a five-day pass, this festival is an unbeatable value. The festival also includes a Fine Arts Show, fireworks and a 5K race, so there will be plenty to keep you busy between sets. Sure, you’ll have to travel to Florida, but with such low prices, attending SunFest will allow you to listen to some amazing acts — and catch some rays — without completely breaking the bank.

Dates: 4/27 – 5/1

Prices: 1-day pass – $35; 3-day pass – $55; 5-day pass – $75

Taste of Country Music Festival

One of the worst things about being a country music fan in New York is pining over all of the country festivals happening in the South that are too far to travel to. Luckily, only a two-hour drive from Binghamton is the Taste of Country Music Festival at Hunter Mountain, New York. The lineup includes country superstars Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen and Kid Rock, as well as rising stars Old Dominion and The Swon Brothers. Tickets start at $175 for a three-day pass without camping, and with low travel costs, it’s the ideal festival for country fans who don’t want to travel all the way to Tennessee for the outrageously priced CMA Musical Festival.

Dates: 6/10 – 6/12

Prices: 3-day pass without camping – $175 before fees; 3-day pass with camping – $210 before fees

Boston Calling

Although it’s only in its fourth year, Boston Calling is known for consistently getting big names, and this year is no different. Located in Boston City Hall Plaza, this year’s event will feature acts including Sia, Haim and up-and-coming artist BORNS. General admission tickets start at only $185, and if you can catch a $1 bus from New York City to Boston, the cost is definitely manageable. Plus, finding a cheap place to stay in the city or the surrounding area is far from impossible, so with just a little smart saving, a trip to the festival isn’t out of reach.

Dates: 5/27 -5/29

Prices: Friday pass – $60; 2-day pass – $160; 3-day pass – $185

Firefly

For those that want a Coachella-level lineup but don’t have personal connections with Kendall and Kylie Jenner, Firefly is a choice East Coast option. Located in Dover, Delaware, this year’s acts include Mumford & Sons, Blink-182, Fetty Wap and Kings of Leon. While the price of a ticket is a steep $299, you are allowed to pay in monthly installments leading up to the event. If you’re looking for top-shelf content, but can only pay as you get tips from your waitressing job, Firefly is doable. Plus, Fetty Wap will be there, need we say more?

Dates: 6/16 – 6/19

Prices: 3-day pass without camping – $299 before fees

Mountain Jam

For those invested in the indie music scene, seeing Beck and other indie superstars might not be so far-fetched. Also located in Hunter Mountain, New York, headliners at this event include The Avett Brothers and Wilco. Tickets start at $185 for a 3-day pass without camping, and for the reasonable price, you’ll also be able to catch acts like Michael Franti & Spearhead, Umphrey’s McGee and Gary Clark Jr.

Dates: 6/2 – 6/5

Prices: 3-day pass without camping – $185 before fees; 3-day pass with camping – $219 before fees; 4-day pass without camping – $205 before fees; 4-day pass with camping – $239

“My identity as a songwriter + producer, I realized, needs to stand on its own,” he wrote on Twitter. “Still connected to the [people] I work with, but through the songs we make together.”

Batmanglij has also noted that he would prefer to be seen as an electronic artist, an identity that is difficult to sustain within the context of Vampire Weekend. Still, both he and other members of the band have stated through various social media platforms that both parties will continue to make music together and that this in no way affects their friendship.

“In fact, we agreed that our collaboration was more important,” Koenig wrote on Instagram shortly after the musician’s announcement to leave.

The composer’s contributions to the band are prominent on each album. Vampire Weekend’s debut self-titled record, which came out in 2008, featured his string sections and African-inspired beats that would grow to be one of the most-loved facets of the band’s music. On their second studio album, “Contra,” Batmanglij continued to develop the band’s familiar sound, though this time he contributed back-up vocals, as well as singing bridge of the penultimate song of the album, “Diplomat’s Son.” Their third and most successful album, “Modern Vampires of the City,” closes with a coda in which he sings, mixed to be heavily faded and in a repeating loop, “you take your time / young lion.” For most fans, a future without him is unimaginable.

Batmanglij’s other work includes a collaborative project with Ra Ra Riot’s Wesley Miles called “Discovery,” which produced an album in 2009 named “LP.” He also created the classical-inspired score to the recent Broadway play “This is Our Youth,” and on the pop front, has producing credentials with artists such as Charli XCX and Carly Rae Jepsen. Given his ability to work throughout multiple genres, it’s easy to picture him as the mind behind the band’s decision to pair out-of-place instruments — such as a harpsichord — with the pop beats familiar to Vampire Weekend’s sound.

The remaining members of the band — Koenig, Chris Baio and Chris Tomson — are staying together to work on the next album, which they will likely begin recording within the next few months. “Working title is ‘Mistubishi Macchiato’ … for obvious reasons,” Koenig said on Instagram. Though it’s ambiguous as to whether or not he’s joking about the title, it’s evident that fans can expect new material soon. Meanwhile, Koenig and Baio will be playing at a Bernie Sanders Iowa rally this weekend. It’ll be strange to see the band without an original member, but it’s a comfort that they’re staying together and — with Batmanglij’s collaboration — staying true to their sound.

Beyond Vampire Weekend, Batmanglij’s own future as a solo artist looks bright. Under the artist title “Rostam,” he released a single, “Wood,” yesterday, which accompanies a song he dropped earlier this month named “EOS.” “Wood” sounds particularly inspired by traditional Middle-Eastern music, almost certainly a nod to the musician’s Persian roots. Both songs seem to be particularly pensive, drawing back to the tones of Batmanglij’s original recording of the Vampire Weekend hit “Campus,” which he wrote and sang with a string orchestra in a lower tempo. Even though he has departed from one of the most-beloved indie pop bands, Batmanglij is making sure everyone knows that he is nowhere near done with his career.

1. “Art Angels” — Grimes

Before “Art Angels” dropped in early November, many fans had no idea what the newest Grimes record would sound like. Many of her fans have criticized her for adopting a more mainstream sound and distancing herself from the electronic music that brought her fame. However, when she released the joint video for “Flesh Without Blood” and “Life In The Vivid Dream,” it was clear Grimes was sitting on a musical masterpiece, influenced by a pop-inspired sound. Her newest album is a tour de force composed of formulaic synth-pop and dance music that that she recorded, produced and mixed herself. Tracks like “World Princess part II” and “Venus Fly” establish her dance credibility, while she shows off her master production value on more alternative tracks like “Pin” and “Butterfly.” A diverse yet cohesive LP, Grimes’ newest album is the best of 2015.

2. “To Pimp A Butterfly” — Kendrick Lamar

Lamar’s third studio effort redefined rap and hip hop in 2015, as tracks like “Alright” and “The Blacker The Berry” brought social matters to light across the rapper’s large audience. The 16-track LP is a combination of jazz, funk and electro-hip hop. “These Walls” and “King Kunta” incorporate dance elements that serve mainstream audiences, solidifying the “Bad Blood”-featured rapper as a force to be reckoned with in the music industry. From the content and quality of his music, Lamar wins the title of 2015’s best rapper.

3. “Froot” — Marina and the Diamonds

Marina Diamandis, known as Marina and the Diamonds, released her third studio album this March. Simply known as “Froot,” Diamandis takes the 12-track LP into a new direction of pop, one that is more slow-paced and stripped down. Maintaining her vocal prowess on tracks like “Happy” and “Savages,” it’s clear that her songwriting skills have improved considerably since her last album, “Electra Heart.” Tracks like “I’m a Ruin” and “Blue” show the singer’s understanding of what it takes to make an exceptional pop song. She lyrically incorporates feminism into tracks like “Can’t Pin Me Down,” and even disses a fellow pop vocalist in “Better Than That.” Marina’s “Froot” is a breath of fresh air in an industry full of over-processed hits, letting pop fans know that good music exists if you know where to look for it.

4. “Currents” — Tame Impala

Tame Impala’s third release “Currents” is perhaps one of the most trippy albums of the year. Tracks like “Yes I’m Changing” and “Eventually” offer serene instrumentals combined with electronic sounds. The lyrical value in songs like “The Less I Know The Better” make the album’s sentiments clear, while delivering a funky rock sound, as lead singer Kevin Parker belts out, “Oh my love, can’t you see that you’re on my mind/ Don’t suppose we could convince your lover to change his mind” over the psychedelic beat. The final result is an LP where every song works, especially when a listener uses headphones to fully experience every strong bass instrumental.

5. “Emotion” — Carly Rae Jepsen

Ever since “Call Me Maybe,” Jepsen has had a hard time rebranding herself as something other than a one-hit wonder. With “Emotion,” however, it’s clear that 2015’s greatest pop hits aren’t even on the charts. Songs like “Run Away With Me” and “Black Heart” offer a dazzling production quality that are a step up from Jepsen’s last album. Lyrically, she is better than she has ever been, and it’s hard to believe her lead single “I Really Like You” — which peaked at #39 — was the only song to chart on the Hot 100. Jepsen brings back ’80s dance pop while successfully creating an identity for herself. She is the under-appreciated, though gifted, pop singer with a great ear for fun music.

First, you have to figure out which approach you want to take: hardware or software. Hardware includes physical pieces of equipment like keyboards, synths, samplers and drum machines. Software refers to digital audio workstations (DAWs), with the most popular being programs like Ableton Live, Logic and FL Studio.

Software-based production has quickly become the route most newcomers take. The beauty of modern DAWs lie in their ability to be paired with Musical Instrument Digital Interface, or MIDI, devices, recreating the physical interaction between the artist and the music that software alone cannot. Most modern keyboards have MIDI capability, allowing them to connect to the computer and input digital notes into DAW software. This allows you to play piano chords, add in basslines and trigger samples all by playing and manipulating the settings of your keyboard. Although cheaply made and not known for their longevity, the MPK series by Akai is an affordable option to begin with MIDI. Another inexpensive and easy-to-use keyboard is Korg’s microKEY; both are designed with beat production in mind.

If playing keys isn’t for you, the best substitutes are drum pads. These are rubbery squares on a grid that can be tapped for different sounds. Depending on what you assign to each pad, that could be a snare hit, hi-hat or literally any other audio clip you desire.

Native Instrument’s Maschine line includes a few different pad-based units, seamlessly pairing their own software with hardware drum pads and controllers. Like most controllers, the Maschine cannot be used without being hooked up to a computer, but with their on-board screens and buttons, you can create most of your work right on the device itself. It gives you the choice of using your mouse or strictly your pads to control the program. Check out the Maschine MK2 for a serious production device with dual screens and a gorgeous button layout, or the Maschine Mikro for a smaller and more affordable device. Both come with the same software, but you will have to do a little more menu surfing with the Mikro due to its small screen and compact design.

While software cannot be matched in its manipulability or processing power, hardware equipment has long done justice to hip-hop. Sometimes with software, you have so many possibilities bogging you down that nothing actually gets done.

If you want freedom, nothing can touch Akai’s Music Production Controller (MPC). MPCs paved the way for modern hip-hop, and you’d be surprised by how many hit songs are still made using them. The MPC1000 arguably presents the best option for new beat-makers at a reasonable cost for a used unit and a combination of positive characteristics adopted from each of its predecessors. It is small and fairly portable, yet gives a very balanced MPC experience with productive sequencing and streamlined design.

If the MPC is too expensive and complicated, Roland makes a series of portable samplers with great effects. The SP-404sx is arguably their best model due to its SD memory card storage, processing speed and ability to run off batteries for ultimate portability. They have many limitations, but force the user to get extra creative.

At the end of the day, both hardware and software have their pros and cons; it is how you use your gear that matters most.

The album starts off with the title track, and you can immediately hear the shift in the band’s sound. “A Head Full of Dreams” is reminiscent of their “Mylo Xyloto” single “Charlie Brown,” because of their shared high energy, feel-good instrumentals and a subtle enthusiasm that could inspire even the laziest people on earth to go out and make the most of their lives. The song is followed up by “Birds,” which also boasts an uplifting sound, but with a more relaxed and laid-back vibe. With an enchanting guitar riff and some infectious drums, “Birds” will have you tapping your foot or bobbing your head without even noticing.

Another vibrant song is the album’s lead single, “Adventure of a Lifetime,” released in early November. The song features a mesmerizing opening riff — with a serious disco influence uncharacteristic of Coldplay — and Chris Martin and company shouting at full voice how he feels “alive again.” “Adventure of a Lifetime” is a standout.

And while Coldplay is a big name in its own right, the record features a number of collaborations and featured artists. Beyoncé offers backing vocals on the R&B influenced “Hymn for the Weekend.” It has a loud, anthemic chorus and killer harmonies, though it seems almost like a tease only hearing minimal moments of Beyoncé’s incredible voice. “Habits” singer Tove Lo also offers her vocals on the song “Fun,” but the collaboration is not nearly as exciting. Its forgettable melody makes it one of the album’s weaker tracks.

The greatest collaboration by far, though, is “Everglow,” which features backing vocals from lead singer Chris Martin’s ex-wife Gwyneth Paltrow. In this piano-driven ballad, reminiscent of the band’s well-known single “The Scientist,” Martin reflects on his marriage to Paltrow and how, despite the divorce, the relationship will stay with him for a long time. “Everglow” showcases what may be Martin’s best vocals and most touching lyrics on the album, as well as a melody that stays with you for hours — if not days — after listening.

The record comes to an end with the almost seven-minute long track, “Up&Up.” The chorus brings an uplifting feeling of resolution, with Martin and a choral ensemble singing that they’re “going to get it together and go up and up and up.”

It is undeniable that Coldplay is no longer what they were back in their “A Rush of Blood to the Head” days. They’ve now delved into a more synth-pop and electro-rock sound that would have been impossible to imagine on any of their older, alternative, piano-rock albums. Yet the shift from the quiet, almost unconfident sound of the “Ghost Stories” to the vivid and optimistic mood of “A Head Full of Dreams” makes it seem as if Coldplay have finally determined which direction their music is heading. With an upbeat, fast-paced and all-around energetic and genuine sentiments, it seems unlikely that you can come away from listening to this record without feeling a little more inspired.

To understand Bieber’s bold project, it’s important to remember his life as the media’s notorious bad boy. In 2014 he had several run-ins with the law, including when cocaine was found in his home and the time he was arrested for drag racing a rented Lamborghini.

In Bieber’s opening speech, he reflects upon his damaged reputation and claims he got to a point in his life where he didn’t care anymore. The motivation for the movement seems to be proving his rebirth and inspiring his fans to do the same.

Although Bieber surprisingly only appears in the first and final video, the featured artists of “Purpose” — Travis Scott, Big Sean, Halsey, Skrillex and Diplo — are all in their respective videos.

The epic dance routines in “Purpose: The Movement” were choreographed by Parris Goebel, a 23 year old from New Zealand who founded the female, hip-hop dance group “Request” at the age of 15. Parris is known for working with other acclaimed artists, including Jennifer Lopez and Janet Jackson. “Request” appears in a majority of Bieber’s videos, with routines that are intricate and exciting, making the videos captivating for viewers.

The first video corresponds with the album’s first track, “Mark My Words.” Bieber dances to the slow song whilst standing on an abandoned piano in the middle of a desert — a metaphoric representation of Bieber, a musician who has lost a connection to his prior self.

The videos for “I’ll Show You” and “No Sense” incorporate JB-inspired hip-hop where the dance routines move in correspondence with the song’s beats. “No Sense” is a slower song on the album, and has less involved rhythms than the others. Despite the simpler pace, Goebel’s dance moves draw out the song’s underlying beats, and with the appearance of Travis Scott, this video becomes more captivating than the song itself.

Being a 90’s kid, Bieber also incorporates two bright-costumed videos inspired by the decade. “What Do You Mean” and “Sorry” star Goebel and “Request.” Like many of the others, the routines are high-speed hip-hop, but their colorful props and the innocent high school setting of “What Do You Mean” makes them fun and light-hearted.

Unfortunately, the video accompanying the acoustic track “Love Yourself” is a letdown. The song holds high hopes for fans, as esteemed artist Ed Sheeran is the author. However, the video presents a couple communicating solely through interpretive dance. The dancing is not only borderline painful to watch, but it also takes away from Bieber’s strong vocals.

Nevertheless, interpretive dancing does find its place in Bieber’s movement. In the video for “Life Is Worth Living,” a teenager dances as a figurative representation of overcoming the internal battle of depression and suicide. The dance routine incorporates aspects of ballet into the simplistic video, similar to that of Sia’s “Chandelier.”

The production comes full circle during Bieber’s final video for the song “Purpose.” Bieber dances in the same desert as in the album’s opener, but this time he makes a show of removing a jean jacket that represents the burdens that have been weighing him down.

“Purpose: The Movement” brings forward faith for a new and improved Bieber. Time will tell if this is just a performance, but for now, he is making Beliebers out of us all.

The album begins with “Hello,” which can be called an instant classic since its music video reached 400 million views in a little over three weeks. The ballad finishes where “21” left off: during a hard breakup that left Adele heartbroken. It then buries that part of her life, allowing the album to move on to songs about her family, her global fame and how happy she is with her current relationship.

“Send My Love (To Your New Lover),” the classic pop song of the album, is next. Though the instrumentals sounds like something Taylor Swift would use, Adele makes the sound work. Her alluring vocals are further complimented by the bubbly Max Martin produced track — Martin is also the producer behind Swift’s “Blank Space”. Adele takes control and makes the song her own, not letting the beat overpower her carefree — though strong — vocals.

“I Miss You” incorporates electro-rock and soul, and is one of the most diverse tracks on the album. Paul Epworth, who won 4 Grammys alongside Adele for his production on “21,” also helped her on this track. But the song isn’t similar to her old style, despite her working with the same producers. Rather, it sounds like a dark Lana Del Rey song with an R&B influence.

“When We Were Young” is nearly five minutes of slow paced soul, while “Remedy” is more melancholy and uses just a piano instrumental. Both use the catchy choruses Adele is known for. On “Remedy,” Adele seems to be singing to her son, and the emotion is evident as she melodiously tells him she will alway be present for him. Although this is similar to old Adele, it’s done so well that it works in her favor.

Her next few songs, however, do sound a little dated. “Water Under The Bridge,” “Love In The Dark” and “All I Ask” are all slow paced songs that fade into the background. These three are perhaps the most unremarkable on the album. What’s missing from “25” are more upbeat dance tracks like “Rumour Has It;” if songs like that replaced any or all of the three, the album may have come together better.

Although the lack of dance-soul is apparent, this still doesn’t seem too detrimental to the overall success of “25.” Her album comes with some of her greatest songs yet. Her track “River Lea” is a perfect combination of soul and electro-pop, and one of the catchiest songs on the album. Meanwhile, “Million Years Ago” boasts a Spanish-style guitar sound for one of the most sentimental songs Adele has ever released.

Although it’s hard for Adele to constantly outdo herself, it’s safe to say that “25” will continue her reign of dominating pop music. If she is smart in her single choices, 2016 will be hers for the taking. Her role as the SNL musical guest included a performance of “When We Were Young,” yet it’s not clear if this is her next single. Other good choices would be “Million Years Ago” and “Send My Love.”

Overall, this album is a great follow up to “21.” It provides just the right amount of emotion to make you cry, yet it is also an eclectic collection of songs that will make you see why Adele is the dominating force in music right now.

Top Picks

Million Years Ago

Send My Love (To Your New Lover)

River Lea

One Direction initially teased at a new album this summer with the release of four singles, with the first being “Drag Me Down” on July 31. It was their first single without Zayn, but the group came out full force with a great baseline and powerful vocals; it almost made you forget there ever was a fifth member.

Their second single, “Infinity,” is a track with soft instrumentals that lift gradually, before shooting straight into a vocally charged chorus. Their third single, “Perfect,” debuted in the top 10 of the Billboard Hot 100, breaking the record previously held by The Beatles for most tracks debuting in the top 10.

The final single released was titled “What a Feeling” and dropped two days prior to the album. This song’s instrumentals, which had more of an indie vibe, definitely stole the show. With lyrical themes that make you feel like you’re listening to one of their earlier songs, the song was a good selection for a fourth single. Yet even with the familiar feel, the track is infused with a newer, edgier, rock-influenced sound that they’ve been working towards.

Upon the full 17-track release, it was still unclear if One Direction could deliver another album of hits, but a first listen proved that “Made in the A.M.” presented the world with another LP of boy-band anthems.

The album opens with “Hey Angel,” a song that is basically The Verve’s “Bitter Sweet Symphony” if it has been written by a boy band. Like the opener, many of the songs on the album are reminiscent of other artists. “Temporary Fix” — which is Niall’s shining moment of the album — opens with a beat that is almost interchangeable with Neon Trees’ “Everybody Talks.”

“History,” a track nestled toward the end of the album, is a catchy, acoustic guitar-backed track with lyrics that seem suspiciously related to the departure of Malik. The boys sing, “You and me got a whole lot of history. So don’t let it go, we can make some more, we can live forever,” which mirrors the sentiment many Directioners felt back in March.

Many songs shined as amped-up, fun pieces, like “Never Enough” — which starts out with the boys grunting — and “End of The Day,” which makes use of memorable drum parts and repetitive, catchy lyrics. Despite this, the band definitely found a place for their more emotional side. “If I Could Fly” speaks of defenselessness, loneliness and losing oneself when away from that special someone, and the orchestral accompaniment really solidifies that this is not one of their usual party tunes. Another emotional track, “Walking in the Wind,” is more upbeat and guitar-oriented, yet nonetheless is about separation from a loved one and how it can affect lives.

As a potential farewell album, “Made in the A.M.” is a cohesive, feel-good effort. For those who haven’t yet given it a listen, be prepared for more edge and emotion, but the same lovable crooning you’ve always adored.

“Purpose,” which was released last Friday, overshadows the artist’s immature and sometimes reckless image shown in the media. Bieber, a Canadian singer who was discovered on YouTube, released his first album when he was only 16, and the star’s young age accounted for his predominately preteen following of “Beliebers.” However, “Purpose” breaks the pattern and connects him to his 21-year-old peers.

Beiber’s last album, “Journals,” helped the singer break out of his teeny-bopper roots, with a number of seductive R&B tracks. “Journals,” however, was overlooked by the masses, as Bieber released the tracks over 10 weeks as part of “Music Mondays,” leading up the release of his theatrical film “Believe.” Bieber showed a more mature side on tracks like “All That Matters” and “Recovery” but failed to receive much critical or public acclaim.

Unlike “Journals,” his newest effort was on the public’s radar for months before its release. The album includes several upbeat tempos infused with Bieber’s altered vocals as background music — similar to The Weeknd.

“Where Are Ü Now” was the first released track of “Purpose” and is a collaboration with acclaimed beat masters Skrillex and Diplo. The song’s fast tempo and distinctive drumbeat gives the feel of a remix — partially because it is one. As noted in an interview with Time, Bieber sent his track to the artists as a slow ballad before they transformed his vocals and added an unforgettable beat that forces listeners to dance. The artists coined the term “dolphin noise” when discussing the song’s most recognizable feature: a high-pitched and incomprehensible sound that echoes throughout the track. Skrillex created the noise using Bieber’s original vocals singing “need you the most” and changing the pitch and pace until he got a sound unlike any other.

As far as other songs go, Bieber still manages to be catchy even without the help of master mixing. “Sorry” — which was released accompanying a video featuring two brightly dressed dance crews from New Zealand — “Get Used to It” and “The Feeling” are perfect to listen to before going out. “The Feeling” features singer-songwriter Halsey and speaks about young adult problems like misleading hearts and the confusion between love and lust. They sing, “Am I in love with you, or am I in love with the feeling?” Bieber takes a break from his usual falsetto voice, allowing Halsey to take center stage. The change in his tone along with the harmonies between the duo add a new dimension to the song which would have been appreciated on other tracks as well.

In a recent interview on “Ellen,” Bieber mentions songs that were inspired by his famous ex-girlfriend, Selena Gomez. Among them is the album’s first track, “Mark My Words.” The song puts forth a want to reclaim a lost love, stating, “I won’t let us just fade away, after all that we’ve been through.” The track is fairly slow, and its length becomes a source of hindrance. Being the shortest on the album, lasting two minutes and 14 seconds, “Mark My Words” begs for a pickup in pace that, sadly, never comes and leaves listeners anxious in their wait for it. Especially as the first track on the album, this song could have done better.

Refreshingly, “Love Yourself” is a predominately acoustic song that does work, despite lacking the album’s dominant use of intricate rhythms and computer-synthesized sounds. Separate recordings of the track allowed for Bieber to harmonize with himself, creating an interesting vocal effect. The simplistic qualities of “Love Yourself”” might have to do with the song’s authorship. Written by singer-songwriter Ed Sheeran — who is known for his minimalist one-man show performances — the track reflects Sheeran’s rudimentary ideals while melding perfectly with Bieber’s vocals.

Don’t disregard Bieber’s album because of his adolescent persona. “Purpose” emphasizes the singer’s admittance into adulthood and presents a more sophisticated artist, at least in terms of his music.

However, Kesha was not able to celebrate and witness her success because, on January 4, 2014, she was admitted into a rehab facility for an eating disorder. Her mother, Pebe Sebert, told People Magazine that Dr. Luke, executive producer of Kesha’s two studio albums, had been pressuring her to lose weight, as he was not happy with the singer’s physical appearance in a music video. When Kesha left rehab, she filed a lawsuit against Dr. Luke for sexual assault, harassment and asked to be released from the recording contract with Luke, among other charges against the producer.

It has been over a year since the lawsuit was filed, and Kesha’s contract with label Sony Music Entertainment has not granted the Tik Tok singer permission to record with anyone but Dr. Luke or any of his companies; she cannot even release a song unless he approves it.

The singer is concerned for her career. Under her legal obligations with Dr. Luke and Sony, she is not allowed to release any music, tour or market merchandise outside of the contract. Her possibilities to further promote her image have been stunted, and the continuing incident, which she cites as “intentional infliction of emotional distress,” has more than likely taken a toll on her mental well-being.

Yet hopefully, with a resurged internet campaign, this will change. On November 4, 2015, Sebert started a petition on the website change.org to release Kesha from her contract with Kemosabe Records, a smaller label owned by Sony.

The plea — which states “Those who sign this petition urge you to release Kesha from her contract with Dr. Luke and Kemosabe Records, allowing her to record with another producer or label in a safe, non-abusive environment” — is addressed to the CEO of Sony, Doug Morris. In one week, Sebert’s petition has garnered over 11,000 signatures and that number has been steadily increasing with the help of social media. The hashtag #FreeKesha has been trending on multiple social media sites such as Twitter, Tumblr, and Facebook and aims to increase awareness of the pop singer’s predicament.

This is not the first petition made in defense of Kesha to gain traction quickly. In 2013, Kesha expressed that Dr. Luke had full creative control on her sophomore album “Warrior.” This led fans to believe that her producer was hindering her creativity, starting a petition to release her from Sony. This petition is currently closed, but has reached over 10,000 signatures.

Sebert’s goal to get Kesha out of her contract is not purely about business and the toll this can have on her daughter’s career. It is about promoting a safe work environment for women and setting the precedent that victims can take legal action against their abusers. Dr. Luke is referred to as Kesha’s alleged abuser in both the petition and the lawsuit, which offer multiple accounts of inappropriate and illegal behaviors towards Kesha. Some of these accusations include Dr. Luke forcing himself on Kesha, giving her a date-rape drug and threatening to destroy her family and career if she ever reported these incidents.

In order to get back into the industry, it is imperative that Kesha record and release new music. Currently, she is waiting for a January 2016 court date to cite her an injunction which would allow her to own copyright of her music instead of Sony. Her mother’s petition aims to solve this problem sooner, hopefully freeing her from her contract, her allegedly abusive producer and the censorship of her art.

Listeners of Goulding’s new album may be disappointed, however, if they are expecting a sound similar to what’s found on “Lights” and “Halcyon.” This album is a clear departure from the others and, though it shows her increasing confidence as an artist, “Delirium” fails to deliver as a complete record.

Ahead of the album’s release, Goulding debuted two promotional singles, “Something in the Way You Move” and “Army.” The sound on her new album, despite being more confident than those on previous records, is largely the same throughout. This, combined with the early single releases, leaves little on “Delirium” seeming fresh. Additionally, the themes found on the album are similar to Goulding’s previous big hits: lust and weird metaphors for love and dancing.

Despite an ethereal and operatic “Intro” track, the album overall is focused on its rhythms. Different from previous efforts, the songs on “Delirium” are built around the beats and it seems like the lyrics are written to fit in with the rhythm rather than the other way around. In the album’s second track, “Aftertaste,” especially, the music is peppy and richly layered. The next track, “Keep on Dancin’,” is a transition into a set of songs with clear electronic influence. Here, Goulding’s voice has a silky quality and the song is reminiscent of a remixed version of the “Macarena.”

Arguably, two of the best tracks on the album come right in the middle of “Delirium.” “Around U” sounds like something out of the ’90s and a little bit teen pop-y, but the lyrics make this song more genuine than many of the others. She sings and recalls every teenage crush ever: “I just want to be around you. Is that too much to ask?”

In the second powerhouse of the album, “Codes,” Goulding brings back a rhythmic focus; but on this track, the contrast between that rhythm and the melody works well.

But as soon as you get comfortable, “Delirium” has the ability to make you a bit, well, delirious. The track “Holding On for Life” has a gospel influence and the piano is featured prominently in the melody. It could stand well on its own, but as part of this album, its inclusion makes little sense. Similar to this, Goulding creates her own style of pop, mixing it with R&B on “Don’t Need Nobody” and introducing a Latin theme in “We Can’t Move to This.” These tracks are a good listen, but they interrupt any semblance of cohesion.

The last songs, “Lost and Found,” “Devotion” and “Scream It Out” are a mix of styles: pop, electronic and rock. Despite this, they are arranged in such a way that the listener may be tricked into thinking they go together. Perhaps it is the narrative of confidence they seem to create when listened to together. More likely, however, it is because they remind the listener that on this album Goulding is going to do whatever she wants, whenever she wants to.

The museum’s “Vintage 1956-1964” room hosted its first concert during Friday evening’s show. The room was filled with artifacts from that time, such as old appliances and dolls, as well as larger-than-life size photos of stars like The Supremes and Marilyn Monroe. Amidst the stunning displays, the band instantly commanded the audience’s attention with the bass’s deep, defined opening bow strokes of “Buenos Aires Hora Cero.” A quirky, complex and fun song, this piece set the tone for the rest of night. With sounds ranging from deep and sultry to free and fast-paced, the show did not disappoint.

The unapologetically unique sound of Piazzolla’s music shocked the audience’s senses, exposing them to a different genre.

“It opened up a new world for me,” said Nancy Zimmet, a Vestal resident. “I’d never heard tango like that before.”

Cellist Derek Snyder first heard Piazzolla’s music as an undergraduate student at Western Illinois University in the 1990s. He went to Chicago to hear the great Russian cellist Rostropovich play a song written for him by Piazzolla called “The Grand Tango.”

“I couldn’t remember his name,” Snyder said. “It wasn’t until a few years later that I started exploring it and then started this group in 2003.”

Along with the bands’ violinist, Gabe Bolkosky, Snyder put together a group of musicians of varied backgrounds and styles, much like Piazzolla did.

“Piazzolla always kind of mixed improvising musicians with [those who were] classically trained,” Snyder said. “His guitar player was always a jazz-based guitarist, sometimes his pianist was classically based, sometimes jazz, so that’s kind of what we’re doing here.”

While Snyder, Bolkosky and bassist Gerald Torres were all classically trained, pianist Mau Quiros was self-taught, guitarist Erin Vaughn has a background in rock music and percussionist Pepe Espinosa was taught by his father, a Cuban drummer. For some of the members, Nuevo Tango is very different from what they are used to.

“I was gonna be a head banger, touring the world,” Vaughn said. “If somebody would have said [to me] you’d be playing Nuevo Tango in a small chamber group I’d be like ‘yeah okay, of course I am.’”

Bolkosky shared his appreciation for the way Piazzolla mixed his classical training with tango.

“He kind of draws it all together so that people like me who are sort of classically trained can come in and participate,” Bolkosky said. “It felt like the music I’d been wanting to play my whole life.”

The Oblivion Project’s vocalist Migguel Anggelo got his start in acting, but then discovered his love for singing and decided to pursue it full time. Although only featured in three of the evening’s 14 songs, Anggelo played an important role.

In a striking rendition of Piazzolla’s “Balada para un loco” or “Ballad for a Crazy,” Anggelo allowed his love for theatre and dance to shine through. Wearing a thick scarf, with one pant leg pulled up to his knee, it was obvious that this would be a unique performance. Through his expressive facial expressions and twirling and running through the aisles — only stopping to kneel down next to an audience member, place his head on his shoulder and tenderly stroke his head — Anggelo was able to translate the song’s eccentric meaning.

“The song’s in Spanish, the lyrics are so rich, they are so metaphoric,” Anggelo said. “I say I need to do it like I’m acting.”

As a whole, the concert was well-received by the audience.

“It was absolutely fantastic,” said Philip Cali, a Binghamton resident. “I can’t wait to get to their website and give them a little support.”

Over the years, the members of the band have changed, with Snyder as one of the only constants. Although Bolkosky was one of the originals, he took a long break from the band to pursue other musical projects.

“I missed it terribly, and I’m happy to be back,” Bolkosky said.

Now, however, they are settled in and don’t anticipate any more changes. They are about halfway done with their debut album, which they began recording last year.

“It’s a fine group of musicians,” Vaughn said. “I think all of us could play anything and be happy together ’cause it’s a good group of guys, a good camaraderie and a lot of respect.”

“What’s Inside: Songs from Waitress,” is composed of selections from the upcoming Broadway show, “Waitress,” though the orchestrations and lyrics are different from those that will be sung onstage. Bareilles has been off the radar for two years — taking time off from the public eye after garnering platinum certifications for hits such as “Love Song” and “Gravity” — to prepare for her music’s Broadway debut. The musical is adapted from Adrienne Shelly’s film of the same name, which focuses on Jenna, a woman stuck in an abusive marriage who expresses herself through the pies she bakes.

To make versions of the songs that were truly her own for “What’s Inside,” Bareilles took the score she wrote and changed it into pop numbers, effectively removing the show’s context to make her album. The final product is a collection of songs that create a middle ground between musical theatre and pop music. That middle ground, however, is a bit shaky.

While the songs used in the beginning are self-explanatory because they function as the exposition of the plot, the majority of the songs later on in the album become increasingly difficult to understand out of context. Most of Bareilles’ previous tracks have been written almost exclusively in second-person narrative, and she could have been singing about anyone. In making an album that still adheres to this kind of music but that adds a plot with tangible characters, the listener needs to guess who Bareilles is singing to, producing an album that stands awkwardly in between the two genres.

Bareilles herself jokes that she cannot believe that her record company chose to support and produce this album. And while it adds to her list of studio albums that show off her effortless vocals and clever lyrics, it’s possible that the album won’t get the critical acclaim that her previous ones have, if only because some of the songs aren’t clear in their intent.

Regardless of this, in composition, the album is just as good as Bareilles’ previous work. Pieces of her other hits shine through on this album, showing that this album is Bareilles’ moment to hold on to the Broadway-bound songs as her own. For example, the first track, “Opening Up,” uses piano riffs nearly identical to those that make appearances on her second studio album, “Kaleidoscope Heart.” Characteristic to the style she has established in previous albums, many of the songs place emphasis on the backing vocals whose harmonies hold their own as vital to the fabric of the songs.

Similar to the pastime of the show’s protagonist, the album is fantastically sugarcoated. With only one or two exceptions, even the songs that express fear and doubt (“When He Sees Me” and “Bad Idea” featuring Jason Mraz) refuse to let the subject matter interfere with the tone. Though this album doesn’t have a song that you can belt alone in your room to cathartically get over your ex, it has enough to at least lift your spirits.

Perhaps the most impressive track on the album is the ballad “She Used to be Mine,” which fulfills the musical theatre convention of the driving act two solo, explicitly stating a change in character for the protagonist. Unlike the other songs on the album, this one has the ability to stand on its own as either a pop single or as a part of the show. In the context of the musical, it is the moment that Jenna decides to lie to her husband and change the way she lives. This song is the most heartfelt on the album, something that was present in the songwriting process: Bareilles says that she felt a more personal connection to this song, to the point that she even cried when writing it — the first time that she had ever done that over one of her own songs.

With an album like this, even if you can’t tell who Barreilles is singing to, it’s these very emotions that make it worth the listen.

It’s been three years since Grimes, the alter ego of Canadian artist Claire Boucher, released the much-lauded “Visions”; a span of time so long, she had an entire other album’s worth of material she simply scrapped. “Art Angels” is the phoenix rising from the ashes of what that scrapped album could have been.

“Visions” is a beautiful collection of goth-pop meant to lull you to sleep while contemplating whether neuroscience really is your passion, or if you’d rather say “screw it” and start a cyberpunk commune — which is basically what Boucher did in real life. It’s supposed to be danceable in theory, meaning the beats and hooks are catchy, but the overall tone of the album makes you feel like hiding rather than partying.

Starting with the short but powerful “laughing and not being normal,” this song gives Grimes the opportunity to tell listeners that she’s still weird and dark, but in a different way. She ditches the synthesizer and drum pad from her dark wave roots for classical string instruments playing a somber melody, before the music fades out to an electronic warble in the last ten seconds.

“California” might be the best song concept on this album, solely because it’s a jab at catchy-but-empty wanderlust songs by simply being a catchy and empty wanderlust song. Starting with a cliché indie guitar strum and upbeat drums, it’s clear she’s mocking artists who fall back on the whole “California sunshine” trope. The rest of the song continues the same way, with the bridge announcing, “when the ocean rises up above the ground, maybe I’ll drown in California.” She doesn’t sing this with venom, though, keeping a stereotypically upbeat “boho” voice throughout, mocking artists who take up simple songs written by someone else for cash rather than coming up with something original for themselves. This song lives for the irony of its own unoriginality, which is exactly why it’s fantastic.

Since “Visions,” Grimes has been rising almost exponentially on her way to pop stardom, despite being the uber-weird hipster that she is. “Flesh without Blood” is possibly a jab at the record companies and agents that made her produce unsuccessful singles like “Go.” Their meddling was a contributing factor in ditching the unnamed 2014 album. Some notable lines from the song include: “After all, I just don’t like you, it’s nice how you say you like me — but only conditionally,” “If you don’t leave me, just let me go,” “You want money, you want fame,” et cetera. With these lyrics and Grimes’ statements on Twitter that this is not a romantic song, it seems like it is directed at the bigwig producers that made her, and themselves, rich by corrupting her art.

A good example of who Grimes really is can be found in “Kill V. Maim,” which is exactly what you’d expect from a pop star obsessed with death. Grimes’s high voice squeaks and sing-songs throughout this entire piece, lapsing into outright screaming at certain points. It’s a great song to work out to, not just because of the extremely catchy, high-octave electropop, but because of lyrics like “B-E-H-A-V-E never more, you gave up being good when you declared a state of war.” Her cutesy but violent demeanor in this song exemplifies who she’s become since “Visions,” more than meh-level singles like “Go” or “REALiTi” ever could.

Grimes is optimistic and light in the sweet-sounding “Butterfly,” but lets loose ungodly shrieks super-imposed over Mandarin rap in “SCREAM ft. Aristophanes.” In essence, she’s doing exactly what she feels like doing because she’s achieved a level of power in the industry she didn’t have before. But she certainly has not abused it.

Overall, “Art Angels” is a solid effort that was well worth the wait. This album shows that Grimes, a niche artist, can become a dance-pop queen without sacrificing what made her popular in the first place. Her attitude toward her old dark wave albums may have changed — and she’s certainly grown tired of her former producers’ pre-written songs — but that doesn’t mean she’s stepping into the light entirely. The fact that she’s able to make surrealist terror something you can dance to says something about her tremendous talent and especially about the worth of “Art Angels.”