“Forever is a Feeling” is Dacus’ first solo release since boygenius, the band composed of herself, Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, which released its sophomore album “the record” in 2023.

Dacus, Bridgers and Baker are themselves three very successful solo artists and after “the record” was toured, they announced they wouldn’t be moving forward as a band in the foreseeable future. Although disappointing, the three remain great friends (as well as Baker and Dacus being in a relationship) and all artists worth listening to on their own.

The first three singles of the album including “Ankles,” “Limerence” and “Best Guess” foreshadowed a theme of a stable and peaceful relationship, for better or for worse.

“Ankles,” the first single, released Jan. 14, tells the story of wanting to both live a stable, quiet life and desiring to be consumed by the feeling of being in love. “Limerence,” shortly following the release of “Ankles,” mourns a downside of stable love, fearing being trapped and bored in a long-term relationship. “Limerence” is a slower ballad, a format that permits the piece to showcase Dacus’ lyricism and match the theme of the song.

The two songs, as shown in the timing of the release, reflect on the two diverging feelings of being in a stable relationship — both wanting to be loved quietly but possibly having a lingering feeling of being trapped. “Best Guess” wraps up the initial singles by telling the story of wanting a future with someone, no matter what, as Dacus sings, “You are my best guess at the future.”

“Talk,” the fourth and final single of the album, is in a different vein entirely, containing the theme of reminiscence on a past relationship and hypothesizing about why it ended, as the chorus states, “Why can’t we talk anymore” and “Or did I drink you to the last drop?”

Similarly, the song is sonically in a different category than the first three singles, proving to be more upbeat and incorporating more loud, electronic elements. The theme of “Talk” and the rest of the singles provides an accurate foreshadowing of the rest of the album. Of course, there’s the element of love songs and stable love, but it’s balanced out by songs such as this, which provide a different outlook on love and relationships.

The album begins with “Calliope Prelude,” an entirely instrumental piece that leads into the first track “Big Deal.” This sweet and almost tear-jerking first track tells the story of a slow-burn love story and how this person who is the object of their love is, in fact, a big deal. One of Dacus’ strengths as a songwriter has always been telling not only deep and profound but human love stories so that the theme of the song is clear. This track is no different. It tells a direct story that listeners can follow along with while remaining truly beautiful and relatable.

The title track of the album, “Forever Is a Feeling,” incorporates an offbeat piano melody that slowly builds on itself. As another love song, the lyrics poignantly say, “You knew the scenic route / I knew the shortcut and shut my mouth” and the refrain of “Forever is a feeling / And I know it well,” provides yet another beautiful analogy for how love is experienced.

Another highlight of the album includes the collaboration with Hozier on “Bullseye.” Dacus has done few collaborations in her career, mostly with Baker and Bridgers singing background vocals on various tracks, but this is the first prominent example of her bringing another artist in to sing lead vocals on a track. Dacus’ clear, higher voice meshes beautifully with Hozier’s more gravelly lower range.

“Forever is a Feeling” is full of raw love songs that turn the listener inside out. From the singles to the album tracks to collaborations, the project is a true work of art.

Rating: 4/5 

“MAYHEM” opens with the first single, “Disease,” released in October 2024. Gaga chose “Disease” as the opener because the energy of the song felt like a “dive into an ice-cold pool” of the chaos portrayed in the rest of the album. Her intentions proved successful as the strong sound and dark lyrics brought the song to the top 10 in the UK and the top 30 in the United States and Canada. The music video accompanying the song showcased an intense atmosphere and a variety of characters all played by Gaga, reflecting the different aspects of her chaos that she wanted to explore in “MAYHEM.”

The second song, “Abracadabra,” was released just one month before the album during a commercial break for the Super Bowl LIX, skyrocketing to top five in the UK and top 20 in the United States, Australia and Canada and going viral across short-form media like TikTok. Many attempted to recreate the distinct and visually impressive choreography featured in the music video and praised Gaga for including dancing for seated dancers and cane users. Alongside the choreography, the use of experimental fashion and a limited color palette created a dancing sea of colors.

Between the two music videos, Gaga’s bold, creative visual image shines through, this time in a darker, witchy and somewhat frantic aesthetic.

Many of the songs on “MAYHEM” fit into the general characteristics of alternative, disco and love song genres, including “Garden Of Eden,” “Killah (feat. Gesaffelstein),” “Vanish Into You,” “Zombieboy,” “LoveDrug” and “Don’t Call Tonight.” Each song comes with a unique take on love, often referencing coming alive, rebirth and or the undead. These songs, along with “Abracadabra” and “Disease,” would fit into a funky party playlist because of their interesting, multi-layered beats and catchy repetitive lyrical phrasing.

Additionally, many of these songs use a juxtaposition of a more staccato sound in their verse and the end of the chorus while using a more smooth legato sound for the majority of the chorus. By changing up the balance between these types of sounds, it further differs the tracks from each other.

“Perfect Celebrity” fits into the energetic alternative style of the other songs, but it centers around the dynamic between a celebrity and the public. It exercises Gaga’s frustration with the industry and being in the public eye while also raising concern about the motivations behind her work.

The second half of “Mayhem” features a genre shift, with songs like “How Bad Do U Want Me” coming across like a mixture of Taylor Swift’s love song lyrics and repetitive syllable phrasing and Gaga’s distinct funky beat. “Shadow Of A Man” sounds similar to the other tracks but harkens back to Michael Jackson’s production and high-energy instrumentals. “The Beast” focuses on the vocals with a slower, more subtle beat, feeling more stripped down to its bones than the rest of the album.

Finally, the last two songs are ballads, the first being “Blade of Grass,” an emotional, slower song with a familiar melody. The song keeps with the darker romantic tone of the album, inspired by her relationship with her fiance, Michael Polansky. The song sticks out from the others due to its pacing and tempo on the piano. Despite that, the heavy emotion matches with the unwieldy chaos featured in the majority of “MAYHEM.”

“Die With a Smile” is the final song on the album and a collaboration with Bruno Mars. Released in August 2024, this song was not originally intended to be included on “MAYHEM.” As a result, it falls into a completely different aesthetic and genre — the only theme it shares with the rest of “MAYHEM” is love. The song was a huge success, becoming Gaga’s sixth No. 1 hit and winning the Grammy for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance at the 67th Grammy Awards. This was Gaga’s 14th Grammy win in her nearly two-decade-long career.

Overall, Lady Gaga’s “MAYHEM” offers her listeners a modern, whimsical twist to her old music, and these songs fit perfectly into a funky party playlist.

Rating: 3/5

At just 21 years old, McRae has the trifecta of a pop star in her hands — singing, songwriting and performing, with intricate choreography and a stage presence that sets her apart from other pop stars of our time. McRae first stepped into the spotlight as a dancer, being named as a finalist on “So You Think You Can Dance” in 2016.

From there, McRae continued to gain traction with the release of her debut single, “One Day,” in 2017. She went on to release two EPs, the second of which — “TOO YOUNG TO BE SAD” — was the most streamed female EP of 2021 on Spotify. Her 2021 single “you broke me first” also went on to reach the 17th spot on the Billboard Top 100, all before the release of her first album — “i used to think i could fly” — released in 2022.

Since her debut album, McRae has continued to find success in the pop world, with hit songs like “greedy” finding worldwide acclaim, and her second studio album “THINK LATER” debuting within the top five of multiple countries’ charts.

The much-anticipated album opened with “Miss possessive” and “2 hands,” starting with a burst of energy and angst. The opening inspires a surge of confidence that McRae gives off, showcasing her growth as an artist and setting the tone for the rest of the album.

Despite the overarching dancey, pop-rock feeling of the album, “So Close To What” still features some dimension, with more mellow tracks and lyricism filled with emotion.

“Greenlight,” for example, fills the listener with a wistful feeling as McRae delves into the emotional complexities felt when moving on from a painful relationship. Two features — “bloodonmyhands (feat. Flo Milli)” and “I know love (feat. The Kid LAROI)” offer a nice change of pace in spots where the album begins to blend.

Though parts of the album sound flat, stand-out titles such as “It’s ok I’m ok,” which appeals to the fun, dancey nature of the album, and “Sports car,” which leans into a sultry and nostalgic sound, drive the album home. This solidifies its place in the modern pop world.

The album is reminiscent of artists from the early 2000s like Britney Spears and The Pussycat Dolls. That energy successfully shines through in many of the album’s tracks, and it is not hard to imagine some of these songs playing in a time of flip phones and low-rise jeans.

Overall, “So Close To What” is another huge step in McRae’s journey in the pop world. The pop-rock sound she demonstrates throughout the album fills the listener with a feeling of nostalgia for the music of the early 2000s that leaves you wanting more. Though the album is not perfect, it sets McRae up for some amazing growth as she continues to find her sound and place in the music industry.

Rating: 3.5/5 

He currently holds the record for most songs over a billion streams on Spotify with 27, making him one of the biggest male pop stars in the United States. “Hurry Up Tomorrow” is probably his saddest, most vulnerable album yet, and it might be his best.

Born Abel Makkonen Tesfaye in Toronto, Canada, The Weeknd needs no introduction. He first shot to fame with his 2012 compilation album, “Trilogy.” Though it was primarily made to put together songs from his previously released mixtapes “House of Balloons,” “Thursday” and “Echoes of Silence,” “Trilogy” has remained an important fixture within his career. It was important to him that he would reuse the concept of a trilogy with his fourth, fifth and sixth albums.

Even before the official announcement of this album, Tesfaye made it clear that this would be his last project as The Weeknd, because he felt that he did everything he could with the persona. This feels like the natural progression of The Weeknd, as he has repeatedly expressed feeling like he was stuck in a toxic cycle and has directly played around with killing himself in his work.

“Wake Me Up (feat. Justice),” the first song in this run and on the album, is a great intro. The atmosphere it creates is immediately engrossing. The song can be split up into two parts, the moody intro and the disco-infused second half — perfectly encapsulating the dichotomy of the album as a whole. Although The Weeknd has been compared to Michael Jackson in the past, often in derogatory terms, this song cements that these comparisons should be made in earnest.

The next song, “Cry For Me,” starts right where “Wake Me Up (feat. Justice)” ends. It’s tragic, heartfelt and energetic all at the same time. It has a perfect commercial sound but is different enough from his other hits to avoid negative comparisons. The interlude “I Can’t Fucking Sing,” bridges the gap between this and the previously released “São Paulo (feat. Anitta).”

This song is a collaboration with Brazilian singer, Anitta, and though she doesn’t receive her own verse on the song, she dominates its intro and outro. The song’s heavily influenced by Brazilian funk music and although it is a little messy at times, The Weeknd still delivers while crossing genres. This is the song on the album that benefits the most from being listened to on the record and not on its own. Initially, this song was very jarring as it was a completely different genre from The Weeknd but it makes perfect sense listening to it following “Cry For Me.” “Until We’re Skin & Bones” makes “São Paulo (feat. Anitta)” even better as it serves as an extended outro to the song, giving it a satisfying climax that can’t be found on the single version.

“Baptized in Fear” immediately follows “Until We’re Skin & Bones.” On its own, it’s a solid track but is elevated by its connection to “Open Hearts.” Abel’s scream at the end of “Baptized in Fear” directly transitions into his scream at the start of “Open Hearts.”

“Open Hearts” is another song that challenges for the best on the album. Like most other songs on the album, it is moody and sometimes outright depressing, yet despite this, its production is so complex that it can be listened to repeatedly. On the surface, it’s a simplistic song but it also feels like it’s been perfectly engineered to be a hit. The atmosphere it creates will resonate long after your first listen.

“Reflections Laughing (feat. Travis Scott and Florence + The Machine)” and “Enjoy The Show (feat. Future)” are other noteworthy songs. The Weeknd has done great work with all three artists in the past but these are not their best songs together. It is worth mentioning however that this is the first time Travis Scott has appeared on one of The Weeknd’s albums despite Tesfaye being present on every Scott record. “Given Up On Me” also seemingly features an uncredited appearance by Future, but this is unconfirmed. If it does, it would serve as a bit of redemption for him as it’s a slightly better song than “Enjoy The Show,” though his contribution is minimal.

The real star of this track run is “I Can’t Wait To Get There.” Although this is yet another track that could arguably be the best on the album, its shorter run time and lack of connective tissue to the songs around it hurts it in this regard. The contrasts between the at-times crude lyrics and Tesfaye’s soft voice with the gospel-like production are great. The choir featured in this song elevates it, making the confessional lyrics seem even more tragic as if Tesfaye is directly calling out to God or the idea of him. Despite its quality, this song is unfortunately likely to be overshadowed by the next track on this album, the mega-hit, “Timeless (feat. Playboi Carti).”

On its own, “Timeless (feat. Playboi Carti)” is a decent song. Tesfaye’s verse and chorus are great along with Pharrell’s production. Playboi Carti’s inclusion, however, sticks out like a sore thumb. He isn’t terrible on the song, but it’s obvious he isn’t putting nearly as much effort into this song as Tesfaye does. If the rumors that Playboi Carti’s verses are entirely AI are true, as these emotionless lines imply, it absolutely cheapens the album.

The exclusion of “Dancing In The Flames” feels especially weird when considering this, as it was billed as the album’s lead single, sounds better than “Timeless (feat. Playboi Carti),” and would fit better with the themes and sound of the album. Having “Timeless (feat. Playboi Carti)” on the album and “Dancing In The Flames” off of it feels like a purely commercial decision fueled by “Timeless (feat. Playboi Carti)”’s huge streaming numbers. It’s pretty jarring to go from “I Can’t Wait to Get There” to this song and then to “Niagara Falls” as those are both moody compared to the cocky tone in “Timeless (feat. Playboi Carti).”

The last track on the album, “Hurry Up Tomorrow,” however, deserves to be looked at on its own. Expectations were high going into this song as it is essentially the end of The Weeknd’s story. To satisfy expectations he would have to find a way to conclude over ten years of music. The song is aptly melancholy. He sings about being tired and distressed about all the things he can’t change while also expressing hope for the future. Heaven is used to signify this as he goes back to the allusion to death used throughout this album. There have been theories that this song transitions into “High For This” the first track on “Trilogy.” Though this has remained unconfirmed, the two songs would create a full circle send-off to his career.

If you haven’t yet, you should make it a priority to listen to this album. It is one of the most consistently beautiful bodies of works put out by a major artist in the last century. Despite its twenty-two tracks and one hour and twenty-four minute run time, there is no bloat on this album. If this truly is the end, Tesfaye couldn’t find a better way to conclude the odyssey that produced so many monumental hits.

Rating: 4.75/5 

Bad Bunny, born Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio, is an interesting figure. His music most closely fits within the genres of “Latin trap” and “reggaeton,” both of which originate from Latin America but are heavily inspired by hip-hop, rap, dancehall reggae and trap music. This dichotomy flows back into his music as although this is a distinctly Latin record, there are hints of more traditional mainstream hip-hop throughout. Even if every lyric on this album was in English, you couldn’t mistake this for a traditional hip-hop record. Ocasio’s heritage is ingrained within the production of every song. The usage of the cuatro is especially significant because of its place in Puerto Rico’s history.

Following up the massive successes of his fourth and fifth albums, “Un Verano Sin Ti” and “nadie sabe lo que va a pasar mañana,” could not have been easy, but “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” succeeds by differentiating itself from those previous records and staying true to Bad Bunny’s identity as an artist. For starters, this record only features four collabs, which allows for Ocasio to dominate the album with his presence alone.

The opening track, “NUEVAYol,” is easily the standout of the album. It serves as an instant rush of adrenaline that perfectly sets the vibe for the rest of the album. It’s high-energy, braggadocious and celebratory of both Ocasio’s Puerto Rican heritage and his time in the continental United States, specifically New York, a place that many other Puerto Ricans call home. It’s hard not to immediately fall in love with this song on first listen and it immediately hypes you up for the rest of the album. Unfortunately, no other song reaches the same heights as this initial track but this isn’t to say there aren’t other standouts.

“DTMF,” which is currently the biggest song on the album — No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 for the week of Feb. 1 — is another great track that arrives toward the end of the record. It feels a lot calmer than “NUEVAYol” but it still maintains that same high-energy, joyful sound that persisted through the first track. There is also a somber element to Bunny’s vocals that elevates this song even further. It gives it a nostalgic feeling where you’re looking back on happier moments, wishing you could return to them. The lyrics support this as he spends the run time waxing poetically about loved ones, lost time, fearing change and of course his home, Puerto Rico. This is a very beautiful song that could only come from Bad Bunny.

The final song on the album “LA MuDANZA” continues this theme and beautifully brings the album to a close as Ocasio again talks about his heritage but this time he more aggressively defends his home. The lyric “I’m from Puerto fucking Rico” repeats throughout the outro and brings the whole album together. “LA MuDANZA” is the most aggressive song on the album but it is also celebratory, as it is an anthem where he proudly declares his identity and right to defend it.

The visualizers included with each song on Spotify are also a nice addition. They’re all very well animated and aesthetically, they fit the vibe of the record. The usage of an anthropomorphic frog makes the album feel very charming and imaginative. Their simplicity is also great as they don’t distract from the music, instead, they serve as a companion piece to the album.

Despite the fact this is his sixth album, “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” can be easily enjoyed by newcomers. Not understanding Spanish might hinder your enjoyment of this album, as there are absolutely zero lines in English throughout this album, and although that might not come as a shock, it can be alienating to most audiences. Even after translating the lyrics, the experience just won’t be the same as it is for Spanish speakers. You will lose a lot of context when you don’t understand what he’s saying at the moment. As he is a rapper, Ocasio will often speak very fast in his songs. This can be overwhelming at times and will often lead to the less exciting songs becoming instantly forgettable. There are enough good and even amazing tracks on this album though so this isn’t a big problem, but it’s worth mentioning.

If this is your first Spanish language album then “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS” will provide a worthwhile listening experience despite the cultural and language differences. This is an explicitly Puerto Rican album but we can all relate to the feelings of pride and joy that our homes and communities provide for us. For non-Spanish speakers and or those without any Latin heritage, this album will be more of a vibe than it is an anthem. Nonetheless, it’s easy to catch and if you can stick with it, it will be a very fun experience. Nothing here is especially revolutionary but it’s a fun, breezy and heartfelt album that’s worth a listen for the vibe it can create alone.

Rating: 3.5/5 

Tyler, The Creator’s latest album, “CHROMAKOPIA,” came out on Oct. 28, and it’s a masterclass in his ability to weave personal themes with experimental tunes. From the first track, “St. Chroma (feat. Daniel Caesar),” Tyler sets a soft, atmospheric tone that feels both cinematic and introspective. Tyler seems to have leaned into a more reflective side, showing his growth as an artist willing to blend his raw storytelling with an intricately crafted sound.

Some highlights of the album — “Darling, I (feat. Teezo Touchdown),” “Sticky (feat. GloRilla, Sexyy Red & Lil Wayne),” “Take Your Mask Off (feat. Daniel Caesar & LaToiya Williams),” “Tomorrow” and “Balloon (feat. Doechii)” — stand out for their emotional weight and replay value.

“Darling, I” has a beat that pulls you in, and Teezo’s vocals add an almost haunting quality. Tyler launches on a personal journey, but while there’s some soul-searching, the resolution feels familiar, like he’s circling back to some emotional ground. It’s refreshing in its honesty and feels authentic to his style, but there’s also a subtle sense of what if — as though the journey could have pushed even further into new territory.

“CHROMAKOPIA” has a clear and focused theme, with a theatrical feel that makes it unfold almost like a play. Unlike Tyler’s last three albums, though, it is not an immediate hit. The teasers and promos hinted at something darker and more intense, so some may expect a rougher, chaotic vibe. Instead, Tyler delivers a gentler, more introspective album, swapping explosive moments for softer, reflective ones. This quieter energy may be different from what fans expected, but it’s obvious Tyler has crafted something personal and thoughtfully paced.

Listening to “CHROMAKOPIA” is reminiscent of Kendrick Lamar’s “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers,” where it’s less about catchy moments and more about the album as a whole, thought-provoking experience. It has a layered depth that makes you appreciate its artistic choices the more you listen. As the album unfolds, you notice how carefully each track is put together, creating a journey that connects all the songs.

“CHROMAKOPIA” may take time to settle in with fans with its much slower pace, but as people adjust to its quieter, reflective tone, its reception may only grow fonder. It’s not an album that tries to shock or dazzle fans but instead rewards those who take the time to sit with it. Tyler has once again crafted a body of work that feels intentional and purposeful — an album that might not have immediate mass appeal but will resonate deeply with those who tune into its quieter magic. With “CHROMAKOPIA,” the biggest revelations came in soft, steady waves rather than explosive crescendos.

Rating: 3.75/5 

“The Secret of Us,” Gracie Abrams’ sophomore album, was originally released on June 21. The album details a hard-hitting breakup and includes popular songs like “Close to You,” “I Love You, I’m Sorry” and “Risk.” This work properly established Abrams as a powerful vocalist and heartbreakingly poignant lyricist.

On Oct. 18, Abrams released the deluxe version of the album with four new songs and three live versions. The songs add emotional intensity to an already strong work.

The first of the new songs is “Cool.” The track adds an angry twist to the mostly sad album and details the aftermath of being love-bombed. Abrams’ exasperated tone and building backtrack create a strong new addition to the album, adding shade to ex Dylan O’Brien through direct references to his alleged former relationships with Sadie Sink and Sarah Ramos.

“That’s So True” is reminiscent of “deja vu” by Olivia Rodrigo and calls attention to her ex repeating old patterns and old activities the pair used to experience together with his new girlfriend. It’s a mix of anger and reflection over whether the experiences meant anything at all and whether her feelings are justified. The song does a good job of calling out her ex-boyfriend’s behavior without directing hate toward his new girlfriend, instead framing her as someone who is unfortunately caught up in a bad situation.

Following that is “I Told You Things.” This song is not as catchy of an addition to the album and is much more breathy. Despite this, the lyrics are well-written and do an excellent job of portraying the pain of building deep emotional intimacy with a person, which ultimately ends in betrayal and heartbreak. Had the backing track been stronger, the song would have been one of the best on the album.

The last of the new songs, “Packing It Up,” ends the additions on a positive note, with a cute song about new love which finds her when she isn’t looking for anything at all and in fact, is close to giving up on love altogether. The positive note leaves listeners going through a similar rough breakup with the promise of new love and uncomplicated mutual affection.

“I Love You I’m Sorry (Live From Vevo)” offers a stunning new twist on the best song of the album. Abrams’ vocals shine through the belting note changes, particularly on the ending chorus of “The way life goes / Joyriding down our road / Lay on the horn to prove that it haunts me / I love you I’m sorry.” It is clear through the addition of this track that Abrams has learned her vocal strengths and how to draw upon them to create a heart-wrenching melody.

“I Knew It, I Know You (Live from Vevo)” does not compare to the other live remake tracks on the album, but still does a good job of showcasing Abrams’ less processed vocals.

“Free Now (Live From Vevo)” is a fitting conclusion to the album, with the second half of the song featuring a power bass line and overwhelming vocals which do justice to the incredibly well-written lyrics, which detail the feeling of feeling free after finally letting go of a toxic connection.

Overall, the extra tracks add lyrical and vocal talent and are a welcome addition to an already well-produced album.

Final Rating: 4/5

The Cure, a gothic and experimental rock band from Crawley, West Sussex, released their newest album this Friday. The album, “Songs Of A Lost World,” is a testament to the band’s lasting impact and continued relevance in the music industry.

The Cure originally rose to fame in Europe in the 1970s and quickly spread to the rest of the world. They are known for their innovative style, with gothic imagery invoking themes of lovesickness and melancholy.

Robert Smith, the lead vocalist, songwriter and guitarist of The Cure, wrote a majority of the songs, which reflects the album’s cohesive atmosphere.

The leading track, “Alone,” sets the entire album up for its unrelentingly sad work with lyrics full of loneliness and death. It opens with doleful instrumentals and sets the tone for the rest of the track, which is graceful and has a hauntingly beautiful descending figure on the guitar and piano. This gives way to the piano ballad “And Nothing Is Forever.” This song is beautiful with its gentle and sweeping feel. The slow-paced song takes over the feeling of a funeral, bringing it back to the album’s central theme — death.

Following these two tracks is “A Fragile Thing,” which is the only time on the album where Smith sings within the first minute of the song. His voice sticks out greatly in this track for being his strongest vocal performance on the album. “Warsong” and “Endsong” are two tracks on the album that focus on human relationships and the struggles that come with them.

“I Can Never Say Goodbye” and “All I Ever Am” speak of sudden loss and grief. They tie the album together perfectly with how sudden tragedy impacts us as humans. The one track that is a slight outlier to the rest is “Drone:Nodrone,” with its loud but strong guitars. It has punchy and strong vocals that stick out from the rest of the album. This isn’t to say it does not work well with the other songs, but rather it offers a different listening experience.

“Songs Of A Lost World” isn’t too overwrought or filled with fake feelings but manages to center itself around emotions of vulnerability and acceptance. Overall, The Cure can make music that speaks to universal experiences, including fractured relationships, internal struggles and dealing with the inevitability of death.

Rating: 4.5/5 

Pixies, an alternative rock band from Boston, Massachusetts, released their ninth studio album, “The Night the Zombies Came.” This album comes just in time for Halloween, reflecting the horror theme that it encompasses.

The band was formed in 1986 by Black Francis, Joey Santiago, Kim Deal and David Lovering. The band’s newest addition, bassist and vocalist Emma Richardson, just joined earlier this year after the departure of longtime member Paz Lenchantin. Pixies originally rose to fame in Europe, achieving more recognition there than in the United States, and are most associated with the alternative rock boom of the 1990s. Though the band has broken up in the past, they achieved great success on their reunion tour in 2004 and continue to make music together.

The album’s first single, “You’re So Impatient” was released back in June 2024, preceding the full release this October. The album is one of fluidity and a sense of strangeness that is cohesive with its title. Many of the tracks also contain an anxious pacing, contributing further to its spooky theme.

The album’s titular track, “Jane (The Night the Zombies Came),” is the perfect song to encompass the album’s vibe. The vocals throughout the chorus are very bass-oriented, which combined with the background drums that seem to resemble a heart beating and the singing that almost feels off-beat, creates a perfect landscape for an anxiety-inducing horror anthem.

As you listen to the album, you continue to hear more songs with these same types of elements of horror. Titles like “I Hear You Mary” contain lyrics such as “No, nevermore to roam / Sweet flesh is on the bone,” which when added on top of the instrumentation and pacing of the song, perfectly create an eerie feeling for the listener. There are also more upbeat, quintessential alternative rock-sounding songs such as “Oyster Beds” and “Johnny Good Man” featured on the album, further establishing Pixies’ place in alternative rock history.

One track, “Mercy Me,” takes on a completely different vibe from the rest of the album. It has a more slow and reserved sound. This provides a sonic break to the listener from the more rock-ish, spooky sounds heard throughout the album.

However, when listening to the album sequentially, it almost feels as though “Mercy Me” disrupts the album’s flow, forcing the listener to go from constantly upbeat at the beginning to one track that is more slow-natured, before going back to the upbeat sound for the rest of the album. While a very unique and subjectively good song, and also a much-appreciated break from the almost repetitive sounds of the rest of the album, “Mercy Me” just doesn’t seem to work in the landscape of the album as a whole.

Overall, “The Night the Zombies Came” is a very cool listen, even for those not typically into rock music. It represents the Pixies being able to still create music that is relevant even 38 years after their inception. This a perfect album for just around Halloween time, with its eerie sounds and lyrics situating it perfectly within this time of year.

Rating: 3/5 

While the band is known for groundbreaking hits, this collection leans more toward gentle, slower-paced songs that promote reflection rather than high-energy tunes. Fans should approach the album with an open mind, setting aside expectations for big hits. The album should be taken as an opportunity to self-reflect by focusing on enjoying the gentle melodies and emotional depth.

Lead singer Chris Martin perfectly captured the album’s essence, describing it as a response to negativity and trying to stay positive in a world that feels like it’s falling apart.

At its core, the album is beautiful. The interludes in “Moon Music” create a smooth and unified transition between tracks, whereas in previous albums the interludes had felt disconnected. The change displays how Coldplay has grown in its music by focusing more on emotional impact than busy instrumentation and sparking intense excitement. The album flows seamlessly, allowing listeners to fully immerse themselves in its atmosphere.

One of the standout tracks on the album is “MOON MUSiC.” The lyrics are sincere without being cheesy, which often happens with more upbeat tracks. In “MOON MUSiC,” Martin’s message of love feels more authentic, leaving his audience uplifted and eager for another listen.

While many fans might miss the fast-paced storytelling found in earlier albums, the simplicity of “Moon Music” creates a deeper emotional connection. “feelslikeimfallinginlove” serves as an emotional anchor, showcasing Coldplay’s talent for creating relatable narratives that connect with listeners. As many of Coldplay’s past songs have been, its heartwarming nature makes it a vital part of the album.

“GOOD FEELiNGS,” however, is an upbeat pop song reminiscent of summer. With its 80s-esque synths and rhythmic drums, the song discusses the topic of nostalgia in former lovers. Ayra Starr’s feature in the song adds a sense of mutuality to the situation as she provides a voice for the speaker’s partner.

“Moon Music” feels like a creative experiment for Coldplay, echoing the adventurous spirit of “Viva La Vida” while establishing its unique style. While catchy songs like “GOOD FEELiNGS” appeal to a wide audience, “MOON MUSiC,” encourages listeners to think and captures softer, classic Coldplay moments that fans cherish.

There are many classic Coldplay moments throughout the album — soft yet deep. The overall atmosphere of “Moon Music” creates a comforting space where listeners can find peace amid the chaos of life. While “Moon Music” may not reach the heights of Coldplay’s more ambitious and exciting works, it offers a heartfelt look at life’s simpler moments.

This album is a great addition to the band’s records. It leaves listeners feeling positive and invites them to embrace the warmth of shared experience. “Moon Music” is a reminder of the beauty found in everyday moments, and its unique sound reflects a conscious choice to create music that encourages relaxation and thoughtfulness rather than demanding attention.

Rating: 4/5

As if the original version of her album “Older” wasn’t tear-jerking enough, former Berklee College of Music student and widely revered lyricist Lizzy McAlpine added a few new hard-hitting emotional ballads in the deluxe version, titled “Older (and Wiser).”

Released in 2022, her first full-length album, “five seconds flat,” included popular songs like “ceilings” and “doomsday.” Although it saw great success, McAlpine often criticizes the work, saying it was not an accurate representation of who she is as a person and artist.

Her touring style changed as well, with the first album being toured as a traditional, stand-up, danceable show and “Older” being toured as a relaxed, studio-style concert, where the artist, band and audience stay seated.

“Older” was originally released on April 5 this year and was true to its name in every way. The album shows big strides from “five seconds flat” in maturity and instrumentation. It tells a valuable story of growing out of what doesn’t serve the storyteller anymore. This album seems to be a metaphor for McAlpine’s career as a whole — feeling a disconnect from her former writing style and creating a new look and sound for herself as an artist.

The deluxe version of the album features five new tracks — “Method Acting (Demo),” “Pushing It Down and Praying,” “Soccer Practice,” “Force of Nature” and “Spring Into Summer.”. These pieces are cohesive with the rest of the album — they create the same sense of getting older, with the same types of musical elements and design yet tell a different story entirely within themselves.

All these songs seem to share a theme — forcing oneself to love someone or do something one’s heart is not completely in.

Releasing “Method Acting (Demo)” in a demo format allowed McAlpine to show a stripped-back side of her art, yet she still ensures it won’t sound like a complete rough draft. There’s nothing else to say about this song other than it’s truly beautiful. It’s apparent that McAlpine needs no elaborate production to create music that gets the listener in their feels.

This repertoire is continued in “Pushing it Down and Praying” which was released as a single two weeks before. The song continues to tell the story of someone not totally in love with their partner.

“Force of Nature” opens with the line “Who am I if not your lover?” It describes how becoming comfortable in a relationship can influence someone’s sense of self. While this can be an intensely personal concept, vulnerability is the trademark of McAlpine’s storytelling. Her audience is no stranger to it — in fact, it’s what draws many listeners in.

“Spring Into Summer” is the final installment of the album’s story. This being the last song on the album is clearly intentional, as it conveys the idea that the storyteller is accepting that they will continue going back to that person. All the heartbreak, beauty, restlessness and strength this album tells of shows the listener it’s possible to accept what is not perfect. “Spring Into Summer” concludes the album with a comforting and happy melody, satisfyingly tying the album shut with a ribbon.

In the most beautiful way, these songs are absolutely devastating. It curates a story of someone trapped where they sometimes don’t want to be. McAlpine has a talent for simple lyrics that are mind-blowingly clever — she makes it look easy. However, creating an album and deluxe version as artistically striking as this has to be anything but. With the addition of these five songs, McAlpine has once again told a painstakingly beautiful story through music.

Rating: 5/5 

FINNEAS, a renowned songwriter, producer and Billie Eilish’s brother who co-produced and co-wrote her third album, “HIT ME HARD AND SOFT,” is stepping into the spotlight with his sophomore album “For Cryin’ Out Loud!” He wrote the album with his closest friends, including Ricky Gourmet, David Marinelli and Miles Morris of Bad Suns, making for a nostalgic and vulnerable sound.

“It was a treat to be just bouncing off of each other, like you’re on a high school soccer team or something,” FINNEAS told The Line of Best Fit. “You’re making jokes and trying to make the best thing possible.”

From heartbroken and angsty tracks to heartfelt odes, the album is a conglomerate of stories, experiences and emotions.

“Family Feud” is the star of the album, as it feeds into the public’s infatuation with the incredibly talented and close sibling duo. According to Apple Music’s description of the album, FINNEAS wrote the song 10 days after he and Eilish won their second Academy Award for “What Was I Made For?” — a song featured in the 2023 summer blockbuster movie “Barbie.”

Through strums of an acoustic guitar, FINNEAS sings about specific moments and memories shared by the sibling duo, in addition to the struggles of fame Eilish has faced.

Synth-pop and catchy tune “2001” is reminiscent of an 80s coming-of-age film. This upbeat song makes you want to dance along. It was named after the 1968 sci-fi space travel film “2001: A Space Odyssey” directed by Stanley Kubrick. The futuristic sound of the song perfectly fits the film after which it is named.

Another notable track is “For Cryin’ Out Loud!” Its steady bass, drums and exciting vocals give it an electric feel. The addition of horns further builds this electric excitement. The song’s title, which shares the title of the album, comes from a phrase that FINNEAS had been saying for his whole life.

While FINNEAS has been a successful songwriter and producer, it has mainly been behind the scenes. Other artists he has collaborated with include Demi Lovato, Tate McRae, Selena Gomez, Camila Cabello and Ringo Starr. After finishing his workload for 2023, he decided to dive back into songwriting for himself.

“For Cryin’ Out Loud!” is a perfect balance of upbeat soft rock and heartfelt indie. Listening to this album reveals that FINNEAS is a natural storyteller. It shows different sides of himself that he is unable to explore when contributing to the work of other artists.

Rating: 4.5/5 

Formed by childhood friends Tyler Glenn and Chris Allen, and eventually with the addition of Branden Campbell and Elaine Bradley, Neon Trees rose to fame with the release of their 2010 hit song “Animal,” featured on their debut album “Habits.” Since then, they have released four more albums, some standouts being “Everybody Talks” and “Sleeping with a Friend.”

The lead single “Favorite Daze” came out in June 2023, followed by “Losing Your Head” in September 2023 and three additional tracks in subsequent months, leaving fans with a taste of the album’s dancy pop. The album sets raw lyrics about the journey through adulthood to upbeat music, giving listeners a potent look at love and life in a modern world and the uneasiness that comes.

The album starts with a hopeful look at these anxieties of adulthood. With lyrics like “we’re way too young to give it up” on the opening track, “Favorite Daze,” the band pushes a narrative that perseverance is necessary to get through the rough patches in finding love. The majority of the tracks also feature high-energy drumming and guitar, giving an overall feeling of optimism, despite the potential troubles expressed in the lyrics.

The album also features some hard-hitting, less upbeat tracks as you dive further into it, such as “Acting.” Lyrics like “you can keep acting like you don’t care / and I’ll keep acting like I do, ooh” in “Acting” and “no one anticipated happy endings / there’s no room for chasing dreams” in “Leave” demonstrate the more moody side of the album, describing the lows that can be felt in the love scene in a modern society.

The album highlights the light and the dark in a modern world of living and loving. “Bad Dreams” shows escapism from the troubles felt by many today, with lyrics describing the bright “technicolor” images that can be seen in a dream world where you can be anyone or anything, possibly leading the dreamer to wish not to be awoken and brought back to reality.

Finally, the album leaves the listener with that aforementioned feeling of hope in the closing track “Losing My Head,” which brings back that earlier energetic beat and features lyrics of letting go and letting loose, despite all of the worries of the world.

Though the album itself varies sonically, with some songs more upbeat and some more slowed down and reserved, it can feel a bit repetitive, especially in the upbeat songs. This makes for an easy listen and a cohesive album but can also cause the listener to miss out on some of the deep and potentially relatable lyrics featured. If there was more sonic differentiation between the more optimistic tracks and the harder-hitting ones, it may allow the listener to fully soak in the depth and meaning of the lyrics. However, as it is now, it makes the lyrics blend together and be easily missed.

Overall, “Sink Your Teeth” is a very interesting listen, especially for those who lean toward alternative rock music. It features variety, ensuring there is something for everyone — whether you want to dance around in the living room with your friends on a Friday night or stare out a rainy window on a long car ride in deep reflection and thought.

Rating: 3.5/5

Juicy J has been a staple in the rap game for decades. Once part of The Three 6 Mafia, an American hip-hop group formed in 1991, J has had a clear influence on both the underground hip-hop scene and the vibrant Memphis rap scene.

The popularization of the raw style and hard style can be heard in contemporaries such as NLE Choppa and Denzel Curry. It is a unique sound that he has built on, but never truly strayed from which is why his new album, “Ravenite Social Club,” was a surprising departure from his signature gritty style.

Instead, Juicy J opted to use jazz artists like Robert Glasper and Emi Secrest, and he sampled other songs to provide the musical framework for an album about his life. Hearing the social commentary from Juicy J on a jazz-rap beat with his signature production was incredibly unique. Here is a look into a few of the feature tracks on the album.

Track 5: “Everything All Good” 

“Everything All Good” is a heartfelt celebration of life and family. He uses this song to reflect on how his family and life have changed from his younger days. More than once, we see Juicy J allude to the joy he felt in the simplicities of a family cookout or a day out at the arcade. The track highlights Juicy J’s gratitude for his family, friends and career.

Track 7: “Thought It Was” 

“Thought It Was” is Juicy J showing off to his audience in his signature style. Expensive cars, lavish spending and high-priced flights — nothing out of the ordinary. But what we see under the surface is a critique of the greater music industry.

Juicy J includes an audio clip about the definition of an industry plant, in a way that can only be described as deliberate. When Juicy J is flaunting his wealth, it is because his money was earned with hard work and dedication.

Despite his flaunting, loyalty emerges as a key theme, highlighting the need for genuine support from those with you, which is especially interesting in contrast to the industry plants portion of the song.

Track 9: “The Past Is The Past”

In “The Past Is The Past,” Juicy J discusses moving forward. The repetition of “ain’t no sense of living in the past” reinforces the message that letting go and embracing a new chapter is the only way to move forward. Juicy J references his own journey, saying that his craft isn’t different, just his path.

This seems to be a reference to both the album as a whole and his life. Juicy J acknowledges Memphis by saying “everything I do I represent the hood,” which is even more powerful when considering the album’s messages, as it signifies the changes he wants to happen in his community.

Track 15: “To You” (feat. Robert Glasper and Emi Secrest) 

This track is arguably the most emotional we see Juicy J, not just in the album but in his discography. The song begins with news snippets announcing the passing of Koopsta Knicca, Lord Infamous and Gangsta Boo, fellow Three 6 Mafia members alongside Juicy J.

There’s an emphasis on the difficulty with lyrics like “so much pain, it’s hard to cry.” The song serves as both a eulogy and a means of healing. We see Glasper and Secrest on this track in a much greater capacity, allowing the jazz to take a more somber feel.

Overall, Juicy J uses this album to showcase his status as a visionary artist. Through a combination of his usual swagger and heartfelt social commentary, we see a different side of him.

Rating: 4.5/5 

Suki Waterhouse, an English actress, entrepreneur and model, released her gripping yet dreamy sophomore album “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” last week. The album, named after a small and colorful species of spider, has quite the fitting title. Most tracks have an underlying cynical, spiteful and venom-like feel beneath the positive, bright and upbeat surface.

Waterhouse had an abundant team of writers, producers and instrumentalists to help her make this album, including Jonathan Rado, Brad Cook, Rick Nowels and Greg Gonzalez. Eli Hirsch, the executive producer, contributed guitar, bass, keyboards and percussion.

The opening track, “Gateway Drug,” is hazy, dream-like and dramatic and sets the tone for the album. The following, more rock-inspired song, “Supersad” contrasts this with a more fast-paced, 90s-esque tempo. “Supersad” is about reinvention and through the lyrics of the song, Waterhouse reminds herself that “there’s no point in being supersad.”

Another notable tune is “OMG,” which was released as a single back in January. While it begins with the same slow and dreamy quality most songs on the album do, it’s hard not to dance along. A similar track is “Nonchalant,” in which Waterhouse yearns, “Sometimes I’m so damn nonchalant / That I can’t get to what I want.” “Big Love” is exciting, fun and freeing. Its guitar strums and steady drums give it an electric energy — directly contrasting its raw and poetic lyrics.

While some songs are perfect for a party, others are slower-paced and vulnerable. One of these, “Faded,” is laced with beautiful violin and reminisces on the past with a former lover.

Similarly with melancholic undertones, “Everybody Breaks Up Anyway” is solemn and slow with its steady piano chords. The repetition of the title throughout makes this track depressing yet relatable for anyone going through a messy breakup. “To Get You” has similar qualities to “Everybody Breaks Up Anyway.” Both have an intimate tone that can be reminiscent of writing a diary entry.

There is no doubt the songs on this album blend seamlessly, and the vulnerability Waterhouse pours into each relatable and catchy song forges a connection with her listeners.

Waterhouse, who wrote the album while pregnant, has a constantly shifting identity. “Model, Actress, Whatever” reveals this, with soulful lyrics like “When it’s good all on the outside, part of the faking / You can’t write the ending, it’s Hollywood pages.”

“I mean, it’s always an incredibly vulnerable state to be in making a record,” Waterhouse told UPROXX. “Even the fact that I got to make another one. Or even that there was an anticipation and [I] have fans that wanted another one. That was a new thing I would never have known that when making the first one.”

This vulnerability poured into “Memoir of a Sparklemuffin” makes it undeniably magical. The album itself contains everything from slow ballads to edgy rock. Just like Waterhouse’s identity, the album is multifaceted. Throughout 18 songs, Waterhouse paints herself as lovesick, heartbroken, nostalgic and confident.

Rating: 4.5/5 

Nashville-based indie-pop band COIN blends elements of catchiness and danceability with themes of romance, friendship and introspection, with each album showing a new and refreshing side. Known for songs like “Crash My Car” and “Talk Too Much,” COIN is a staple in the indie-pop scene.

The group’s newest album, “I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore,” released on Sept. 13, sticks to their roots while intentionally exploring the theme of being true to yourself through the art you create. The band describes the album as being honest about themselves for the first time.

This album does many things well. It is meaningful and intimate while stressing the idea of being your authentic self. The lyrics are where the album truly proves such themes.

Introspective lyrics, like “My problem’s everybody’s problem / I think I’m the problem” in “Problem,” “Maybe I’m growing / Oh, maybe I’m growing out of you” in “Growing Song” and “I’m the tin man / With my heart in her hand” in “Along for the Ride,” draw listeners in with intense vulnerability.

“I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore” doesn’t sugarcoat the idea that sometimes, humans must experience hardship to discover who they truly are. However, they intentionally ensure that this doesn’t make the album dark, sad or unlistenable by incorporating these themes with upbeat, danceable melodies that honor their bedroom, indie-pop roots. Track four titled “Slack” and track 12 titled “Strawberry Jam” are particularly fun to listen to.

While “I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore” is sonically cohesive in and of itself, it almost feels like it should be more experimental. Compared to COIN’s other albums, it stays consistent with an emphasis on guitar, bass and synths. So yes, it’s easy to listen to, but it doesn’t quite present any new musical sounds or concepts.

This is not to say it is mixed and mastered carelessly — quite the opposite. It proves to be bright, danceable and fun, but it doesn’t offer any new ideas to the lyrics and concepts of the album itself.

On the other hand, it could be argued that these types of musical arrangements point to COIN’s roots, which is consistent with the album’s themes — being honest and true to yourself. The music is versatile. It makes the listeners think about getting older, being happy, being sad and being in love, but it also simply works as background music.

Overall, “I’m Not Afraid of Music Anymore” is versatile, cohesive and introspective. When listening, you could think deeply about the lyrics — or you could be dancing or driving with the windows down. It’s a solid addition to the band’s discography which they have been growing since 2012. With its raw lyrics, the album is a must-listen for anyone looking for themselves or just an enjoyable album easily digestible front-to-back.

Rating: 4/5 

Last Friday, Carpenter released her sixth studio album, “Short n’ Sweet.” It’s safe to say that this album has marked a turning point in Carpenter’s career and contributed to the resurgence of pop music. The release of “Short n’ Sweet” showcases Carpenter’s talent and her individuality in the genre.

Carpenter starts off strong with her opening track, “Taste,” engaging in a sexually charged and beautifully dynamic mixing of rock guitar, country-tinged vocals and disco melodies. With the release of its music video starring Carpenter and actress Jenna Ortega, which has garnered over 23 million views on YouTube, this electrifying anthem has entered the pop music pantheon alongside her singles released earlier this summer.

The third track, “Good Graces,” uses the buttery sound of 90’s R&B and pop to insulate listeners from the coldness of the post-break up ballad. In this song, Carpenter reminds her beau to keep her in “good graces” and promises she won’t hold back if he doesn’t. One of the most recognizable characteristics that Carpenter has included in her songs is the sexual innuendos she incorporates. Starting with her variety of outros for her song “Nonsense,” Carpenter has gone on to create a lovable way to get away with talking about sex to the public without directly stating it.

The heart of the fourth song, “Sharpest Tool,” is nostalgia for a failed romance. Carpenter scavenges the details of her heartbreak and forces her way into your heart, with many listeners no doubt able to relate to the lyrics. There is clear influence from Jack Antonoff, a producer and friend of Carpenter’s, on this song. The picked guitar strings leading to the syncopated beat are present in many of his works, including The 1975’s “Being Funny in a Foreign Language.” However, Carpenter amplifies the corners of the song with unmasked anger and pain, elevating the song’s meaning tenfold.

On the sixth track, “Bed Chem,” listeners can fully embrace the Carpenter experience with its dreamy flirtation full of pinpoint vocals, personal touches, continued sexual innuendos and melodies strong enough to be main hooks that lead into even stronger ones. This sensual song showcases what she does best, with its fearlessness making you laugh while having the catchiest rhythms and sweetest vocals. Regardless of how it does on the charts, this song is certain to be a fan favorite. The phrase “Bed Chem” is sure to enter the cultural lexicon as fast as you can say “me, espresso.”

As a whole, this album is one full of pain and sadness, yet an acceptance and guiding hope for the future. It may have been released too late to be the summer album it’s meant to be, but it’s still worth listening to for its complexity and purely magnificent sound.

Rating: 5/5 

Whether the name Chappell Roan rings a bell or not, songs like “Good Luck, Babe!,” “HOT TO GO!” and “Pink Pony Club” have become impossible to avoid as of late.

In the past few months, the pop artist emerged into the mainstream and continues to be a rising musical sensation, taking the music industry by storm with her indie-pop songs, bold and emotive performances and extravagant drag-inspired aesthetic. Seemingly, she gained her newfound fame overnight — going from being a somewhat unknown to topping the charts in a matter of weeks. However, while this pop star is currently achieving remarkable success, her journey to the top was undoubtedly a long one.

Born Kayleigh Rose Amstutz in Willard, Missouri, Roan’s music focuses on romantic relationships, sex and coming-of-age as a queer woman. While she put out music as a teenager in her debut album “School Nights,” Roan’s single “Pink Pony Club” — released in 2020 and again as part of her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” — was her first critical success that earned her attention in the music industry. The pop anthem was inspired by Roan’s move from her small midwestern hometown to Los Angeles and follows a girl who leaves home to dance at the titular “Pink Pony Club.” To its core, the song is about finally feeling like you belong, and that struck a chord for listeners both old and new.

“I grew up thinking being gay was bad and a sin,” Roan said in an interview with The Guardian. “I went to the gay club once and it was so impactful, like magic. It was the opposite of everything I was taught.”

The singer remained largely unknown at the time, especially since “Pink Pony Club” was released in the midst of COVID-19 and she was dropped from her record label. However, Roan was finally able to gain momentum through the release of her album “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess” in September 2023 and opening for Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS tour. Videos of her performances blew up on TikTok throughout the beginning of this year, leading to a boom in Roan’s popularity and the singer becoming a Billboard Hot 100 charting artist.

While her campy pop songs and clever lyrics have captured audiences, Roan’s unique sense of style and attitude has undoubtedly bolstered her success and made her immediately recognizable. According to Roan, her stylistic choices are inspired by various drag queens like Sasha Colby and Violet Chachki. In an interview on the Q with Tom Power podcast, Roan expressed how a discussion backstage with a drag queen named Crayola inspired her to embrace her iconic stage persona.

“She was like, ‘Honey, you are a drag queen. You’re not just getting makeup on, you’re a drag queen,’” Roan said. “That was very altering, there was something that switched. I really have taken that on as an identity and it’s been very freeing.”

Following the April release of her hit single “Good Luck, Babe!” and the song reaching No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100, Roan’s fame has continued to rise. Without a doubt, her set at Coachella stole the show as the audience sported cowboy hats and danced in sync to the cheerleader song “HOT TO GO!” while she danced around the stage in an extravagant pink butterfly costume.

Her performance at the Governors Ball, where she took to the stage in drag while dressed as the Statue of Liberty, became one of the biggest stories from the music festival. Roan used this performance and costume to advocate for the rights of oppressed groups throughout the United States in a speech about freedom.

Roan has performed in other music festivals, such as Lollapalooza, where her audience size was comparable to headliners such as Blink-182.

“Chappell’s performance was the biggest daytime set we’ve ever seen,” a spokesperson for Lollapalooza told CNN. “It was a magical moment added to Lolla’s DNA.”

Over the summer, Roan was able to further secure herself as a pop star with remarkable talent and stage presence, even being compared to legends like Kate Bush and Lady Gaga. With Roan’s music and fame continuing to advance, it is clear that this queer pop star’s journey is far from over.

“The Tortured Poets Department,” Taylor Swift’s long-awaited 11th studio album, was released at midnight this past Friday. The album itself is inconsistent in its quality, something which is a new problem for the artist, whose albums are known for being cohesive. It is one which must be examined on a track by track basis.

Track 1: “Fortnight” (feat. Post Malone)

Rating: 1/5

This track was a weak start to the album, with vibes that are very derivative of “Snow On The Beach,” a title from “Midnights.” Post Malone provides backing vocals that feel somewhat out of place, as they contribute a techno vibe.

Track 2: “The Tortured Poets Department”

Rating: 2/5

This song is the one responsible for the markedly millennial title of the album. It appears to be a nod to her time with Matty Healy, lead singer of the 1975, with references to his friends and his typewriter. Although its concept — a love story between two tortured “poets” who happen to be obscenely famous record-charting celebrities — is rather ironic, the song itself is catchy with its repeated line of “who’s gonna hold you like me?”

Track 3: “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys”

Rating: 3/5

The third installment to the album had a markedly synth-pop tone, and, despite not being a stand-out track, it also appears to be the one in which Swift finds her footing with strong vocals and a powerful chorus that builds.

Track 4: “Down Bad”

Rating: 2/5

This song is undeniably repetitive and is indistinguishable from other generic breakup songs. Although her writing style is advanced due to her inherent talent, this song falls short of the lyrical prowess she exhibited in her last three studio albums, “folklore,” “evermore” and “Midnights.”

Track 5: “So Long, London”

Rating: 5/5

This track is a gut-wrenching breakup song about the dissolution of her six-year relationship with Joe Alwyn, a London native. The bridge builds in typical Swift fashion and she refers to Alwyn as a “moment of warm sun,” a notably devastating contradiction to her previous nods to him in “Lover” in which he is often compared to enduring daylight.

Track 6: “But Daddy I Love Him”

Rating: 5/5

This song has the feel of Swift’s earlier work and would not feel out of place on an album like, “Speak Now.” It has a nostalgic, fun feel of being in love and is executed well with a pure tone to Swift’s voice.

Track 7: “Fresh Out the Slammer”

Rating: 3.5/5

“Fresh Out the Slammer,” a powerful nod to her rekindled relationship with Healy, has a synth beat but with beautiful upper-register vocals and a chorus that builds in power throughout the song. Despite this, it has the same underlying beat that makes it hard to distinguish from other tracks on the album.

Track 8: “Florida!!!” (feat. Florence + the Machine)

Rating: 2.5/5

Florence Wench offers a nice variation in tone in this song with her rich and powerful tone. The song is one that is catchy, however, its overly-dramatic ode to the often-ridiculed American state is one which cannot help but invoke a grimace with its self-importance.

Track 9: “Guilty as Sin?”

Rating: 4.5/5

This track is both catchy and capable of capturing the pain behind the slow unraveling of a long-term relationship and the frightening entrance into a new one. It is one of sadness and hope, and of anger and lust.

Track 10: “Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me?”

Rating: 4.5/5

A bitter call for the public to reflect on their hyper-scrutiny of Swift’s life with the line “circus life made me mean,” this track is very “reputation”-era and is executed well. Swift invokes her lower register in an impressive and powerful fashion.

Track 11: “I Can Fix Him (No Really I Can)”

Rating: 2.5/5

This song is a nod to the common emotion many individuals feel of being convinced they can “fix” a damaged partner. The song has a compelling rhythm, but ultimately, its lyrical complicity doesn’t go much further than the title.

Track 12: “loml”

Rating: 4.5/5

The track seems to take a dig at Alwyn’s lack of commitment in their relationship and offers a play on “loml” to mean “loss” rather than “love” of one’s life. It is a beautiful ode to a painful breakup despite its repetitive melody.

Track 13: “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart”

Rating: 2.5/5

This song is catchy and explores the same themes as previous tracks on the album, but with a lesser degree of success. Its depressing lyrics with a happy tune was done better in Olivia Rodrigo’s “GUTS.”

Track 14: “The Smallest Man Who Ever Lived”

Rating: 5/5

A heart-wrenching deep-dive into her relationship with Healy with a commanding bridge and anger that bleeds throughout the verses, this song contains all the right amount of raw emotion and dark lyricism, such as “did you sleep with a gun underneath our bed?” and “it wasn’t sexy once it wasn’t forbidden.”

Track 15: “The Alchemy”

Rating: 1/5

An ode to Travis Kelce, “The Alchemy” is a love song that feels out of place in this album. It contains a play on “touch down” and jersey numbers, which feels forced.

Track 16: “Clara Bow”

Rating: 4/5

This track is named after a famous old-movie actress who invoked much controversy and is a beautiful and sad, rather than angry, reflection about her struggle in the limelight — which serves as a strong ending to the album.

The 2 a.m. edition to “The Tortured Poets Department” was a surprise to many loyal fans and contained 15 additional tracks. The highlights of this part of the album are undoubtedly “The Albatross,” a song with similar lyrical and musical complexity to what is seen on “evermore,” and “thanK you aIMee,” the thinly veiled yet amazingly catchy nod to Swift’s feud with Kim Kardashian. In addition, “Cassandra” and “Peter” are astoundingly “folklore”-esque with their use of a fictional character and their strong, soft musical background behind advanced lyrics.

Overall, despite its messiness and occasional disappointments, this album was a strong one whose highlights make up for its blunders.

Overall rating: 3/5

In her eighth studio album, Beyoncé has reached a new frontier in her music as she dives into her Texan roots with her new album, “COWBOY CARTER.” The second installment in a trilogy of albums following “RENAISSANCE,” “COWBOY CARTER” holds a collective of 27 songs with over 18 features and two covers. Though late in her career and well into her success, “COWBOY CARTER” has yet again shown Beyoncé’s consistent willingness to take her skill and artistry a step further.

What sets “COWBOY CARTER” apart from Beyoncé’s other albums is its progression throughout the tracks and how it is built around the concept of a radio station called “KNTRY Radio Texas.” With radio hosts Dolly Parton, Linda Martell and Willie Nelson introducing each couple songs throughout the album, it creates an immersive country experience. Within both their individual recording tracks and within their songs, these features and cover songs pay homage to classic influential country artists throughout the album. With both a cover of “Blackbird” by The Beatles and a cover of “Jolene” by Dolly Parton — with a slight twist, Beyoncé yet again bridges the gap between classic and inventive within her music. Providing her take on these classics touches a familiar place in people’s hearts and on the respect for history Beyoncé emphasizes within this album, yet brings us a new sound for these familiar songs and for Beyoncé herself.

One thing that makes this album so influential yet controversial is the discourse it has created over the erasure of Black artists in country music. With the release of this album, Beyoncé made history by becoming the first Black woman to ever top the Billboard Country Music charts. There has been debate within media and musicians over Beyoncé’s position in country music, especially after her performance at the 2016 Country Music Awards where she performed her country song, “Daddy Lessons,” from “Lemonade” with The Chicks and proceeded to receive backlash.

What makes this album so important is the spotlight Beyoncé provides to Black country artists within the tracks and how it sheds light on the lack of diversity found within the genre. This theme is introduced right in the first track, “AMERIICAN REQUIEM,” where Beyoncé says “they don’t, don’t know how hard I had to fight for this.”

“COWBOY CARTER” takes a new approach to Beyoncé’s classic production sounds with allusions to both classic rock and country, yet still holds the heart of her sound that “RENAISSANCE” fans have come to love. “COWBOY CARTER” is a sister to “RENAISSANCE,” yet holds its own individuality. Though there is a sense of experimentation found within this album, it feels intentional as it pushes the boundary of what genres should mean for a musician.

“COWBOY CARTER” visits many themes within the lyrics throughout the album. Additionally, the covers Beyoncé sings add to the themes that remain consistent throughout her writing such as love, family, religion and finding liberation within herself and her heritage. This is done beautifully within both the lyrics and sound of each of these tracks. “COWBOY CARTER” redefines the boundaries of Beyoncé’s career and brings something heartfelt and genuine, yet new to her music, all while sustaining the sound of what makes Beyoncé’s albums distinctive and iconic.

Rating: 4.5/5

Conan Gray has quickly cemented himself as one of Gen Z’s freshest pop singer songwriters with his catapulted rise to fame. A kid from Central Texas, Gray first became known as a YouTube vlogger writing songs in his bedroom to becoming one of the most popular artists for teens and young adults today. Known for his authenticity and relatability, Gray emerged with multi-platinum hit “Heather,” which acts as a precursor to the rest of his addictive sound.

“Found Heaven” is Gray’s third album and has broadened his image tenfold. Transitioning from the pop music we know and love today to the 80’s techno-pop that defines the album, Gray has established the fact that he can tastefully and masterfully experiment with genres. It’s evident that he took inspiration from the kings and queens of the 80’s — Queen, David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Jon Bon Jovi, Elton John and more. He has paid homage to his heroes in a natural and modern sense.

The first and title track, “Found Heaven,” is defined by Queen-like harmonies and the single, “Lonely Dancers,” shows reminiscence of Michael Jackson’s “Thriller,” — both in his deadpan delivery and glitchy synth, which is a common theme throughout the whole album. “Eye of the Night” also draws on distinct parallels to Bon Jovi’s “You Give Love A Bad Name.”

However, Gray also brings a voice that is completely his own to the well-known genre. “Never Ending Song” and “Fainted Love” are both tracks that emphasize Gray’s maximalist pop interest mixed with a somewhat modern outlook on life. His last single to be released before the album, “Alley Rose,” is a heartbreaking ballad in the memory of Elton John and emerges as a clear showstopper of the album. Rich in strings and showcasing Gray’s vocal range, it sees Gray wandering through the streets of London where he was dumped, a detail given by the British accent he adopts throughout.

The biggest change in tone of the album comes at track eight, “Bourgeoisieses.” Here, he takes a break from heartbreak to poke fun at a richer class, painting himself as a low-class guy with a Gatsby-like urge to party with them. Although a bizarre notion from a 25-year-old millionaire, the song is sure to get stuck in your head for hours with its catchy rhythm and lyrics.

Though a primarily breakup album, “Found Heaven” still carefully documents the racy early stages of falling into love, only to be beaten up by it. The unraveling of the relationship coincides with a period of mourning for Gray, all of which is evident by the moodier turn the album takes toward the end. The fun of pop is not completely abandoned, but there is clearly more piano playing which adds to the somber mood Gray achieves. The final song of the album, “Winner,” expresses a more vulnerable side of him, where he addresses the wounds of his childhood, singing “I was only tryin’ to survive your chaos / Well, look at how it’s paid off.”

Despite Gray’s attempts at sincerity, there are moments throughout that sway closer to a caricature of the 80’s pop era than a true homage. As a whole, however, “Found Heaven” is an album that showcases Gray’s complexity, lyrical and vocal talent, and emphasizes his approach of transparency without fear of pain. On previous albums, romance and love existed as a mythical being slightly outside of grasp, yet here he writes about it having experienced it. In “Forever With Me,” Gray sings “I ain’t sorry / I wouldn’t change a thing,” allowing him to find solace and strength in knowing his capacity for love.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

On April 4, The Bygones released their debut album — an impressive 13-track record that blends timeless sounds and sophisticated musicianship with indie pop-rock.

The new duo is composed of Joshua Lee Turner and Allison Young, known primarily for their respective YouTube channels that feature their virtuosic vocal, guitar and songwriting skills. Turner’s channel has amassed 703,000 subscribers since its inception in 2007, where he posts his original songs and guitar work, collaborations with other artists and covers of musicians including Leo Kottke and the Rolling Stones. Known for her oldies-style vocal technique, Young has garnered 150,000 subscribers on YouTube, where she posts original songs and covers of music from bygone days.

Ever since their 2018 cover of “Crazy” by Patsy Cline, which has reached 4.7 million views, Turner and Young launched their duo project. Their self-titled debut album contains the best of their respective skills, featuring both Turner’s stunning guitar work and Young’s pristine vocals.

The album opens with a short instrumental introduction followed by the dreamy, retro-inspired track, “How Do You Waste a Day?” The doubled drums create a unique indie sound as Turner and Young sing about spending a lazy day with a significant other.

Paired together, the following tracks are the highlight of this album. “Whatever That Is” is a beautiful, modern and reflective love song about a relationship growing stronger with time. The lyrics “it’s whatever that is / don’t have to name it, cause it changes as we grow / now look at the both of us” are both affecting and sweet, giving the song both a sense of sentimentality for the past and appreciation of the present. The next track, “Can’t Quit You,” is a country-pop gem that shines with its memorable, catchy melody. The lyrics are refreshingly straightforward, merging Young and Turner’s vocals on lines such as “I know what I’m headed for / and I got to, I got to stop laying in a puddle on your floor.”

The same can be said about “Stars Turn Cold,” an upbeat song that encompasses elements of pop, rock and indie, featuring impressive guitar work from Turner and a remarkable saxophone solo to finish out the track.

The second half of the record features a tonal shift for two tracks, “Falling in Love with Broken Hearts” and “The Clover Saloon.” Although the album can be described on the whole as eclectic, featuring a unique blend of indie, rock, pop, folk and country, these two tracks feel tonally disparate and slightly jarring compared to the rest of the record. That being said, they display Turner’s and Young’s passion for classic country music, and their musicianship in the two tracks shines through.

As the most complex and layered song on the record, “Glad” demonstrates Turner and Young’s unique sound and reflects the album’s explorations of love, appreciation for the present, and contemplation of the past. “Secondhand Store” stands out similarly to “Stars Turn Cold,” containing the perfect mix of Turner’s electric guitar, Young’s vocals and their memorable melodies.

Though less pop-oriented, “Interlude,” “Asteroid Day” and “The Collector” work together to develop a quieter side to this album. “The Collector” has a timeless quality to its acoustic instrumentation and the beautiful blending of the duo’s vocals. The last track on the album, “If You Wanted To,” is truly a standout song that features a tonal shift that is truly extraordinary on the first listen, with unique percussion and understated horns as Turner and Young sing, “if you really wanted to be here, you would / if you really wanted to love me, you could.”

“The Bygones” is at once fresh and timeless, demonstrating an impressive showing by two massively talented musicians. Turner and Young have created a sound that feels special not only to their individual strengths, but to their demonstrated success as a duo. They may be The Bygones, but this music certainly isn’t out of vogue.

Rating: 4.8/5 stars

“I Am Right On Time”

The album is opened by a song that follows Antonoff’s journey through feeling lost within oneself, yet is highlighted with themes of rebirth and the start of a new journey, making it the perfect opening track. The sound feels new for Bleachers, yet holds a sense of familiarity in its resemblance to their past albums. This opening track sparks a theme found within this album, that this seems to be a new beginning for the band.

“Modern Girl”

As one of the first singles released off the album, Antonoff gives a very upbeat and nostalgic feeling within this track. With an upbeat saxophone track, reverbed guitar and muffled vocals, “Modern Girl” mimics a slight Bruce Springsteen sound giving it the sense of a nostalgic, 80s dance-track. It lyrically follows this theme as Antonoff describes a party-like setting transporting the listener to a very carefree and lively spot, where the party people are “modern girls” and “modern boys.”

“Jesus Is Dead”

With a fast paced, low synth beat and bass line, “Jesus Is Dead” shares Antonoff’s experience from the last 10 years within the band and through what was the end of an era. Though the song shares sadder themes of things not being the same, Antonoff shares a sense of reinvention within the Bleachers through the chorus, “Tell them to grease the wheels / Flip the hourglass, start up the steal,” giving a sense of rebirth hence the title of the track “Jesus Is Dead.”

“Me Before You”

“Me Before You” is a slow love song that follows Antonoff’s appreciation and newfound enjoyment for life after falling in love with someone new and how it changed him. The song opens on a slow deep synth sound, revisiting the 80’s theme that matches its warm romantic undertones. However, the build within the song lacks structure and fails to meet the other tracks of the album.

“Alma Mater”

The second single from the album, with a feature from Lana Del Ray, “Alma Mater” has an almost futuristic, eccentric sound. In a very Lana-Del-Ray-esque manner, the lyrics report to the listener a scene of modern Americana. In addition to “Me Before You,” it audibly falls short as it feels slightly lethargic, yet can also be seen as an experimental track from Antonoff considering its difference from the other tracks on the album.

“Tiny Moves”

The third single from the album, Antonoff brings a new sound to pop music through “Tiny Moves,” with a collection of synth and strings. “Tiny Moves” is a fun upbeat love song that follows Antonoff as he sings about the effect his lover has on him and his world and how the “tiniest moves” from her can mean everything to him.

“Isimo”

“Isimo” follows an uplifting reflection about success. With the repetition of the lyrics “Look at you, you made it out,” this track feels like the happy ending to a movie on hardship and self-built success. This prideful reflection matches not only the sound of the album with its light saxophone and string harmonies, but also matches the theme built by the album.

“Woke up Today”

This track revisits the religious undertones built by “Jesus Is Dead,” yet revisits the romantic growth found in “Tiny Moves,” as Antonoff sings about how his love has changed his life. This track acts as a breath of fresh air from the sound of the album, as it holds the same heart the album delivers, yet offers it in a new acoustic perspective.

“Self Respect”

This track resembles the sounds of the Bleachers second studio album, “Gone Now,” as it holds the famous Bleacher synth matched with Antonoff’s low monotone singing about wanting to do something he will regret. “Self Respect” is a diversion to the album’s original theme of growth and renewal.

“Hey Joe”

“Hey Joe” revisits a nostalgic vintage Americana theme along with an upbeat acoustic bass sound, touching on letting go of a traumatic past to better oneself. Where other songs on this album fall short, “Hey Joe” holds a build and release that follows a story that is evenly matched by its sound.

“Call Me After Midnight”

This song features Sam Dew, a musician that worked with Antonoff in the past in their band Red Hearse, and they reference their song “Born to Bleed” through the lyrics while also drawing large similarities in “Call Me After Midnight” to Red Hearse’s self-titled album musically.

“We’re Gonna Know Each Other Forever”

While following Antonoff’s journey in new beginnings, “We’re Gonna Know Each Other Forever” gives the listener a track about letting go of the past. This song is not only lyrically strong but is evenly matched with a strong build between Antonoff’s vocals and competing harmonies between acoustic guitar and synth, taking the listener on a journey of change.

“Ordinary Heaven”

Starting slow and gradually building a beat, “Ordinary Heaven” is about embracing the good within one’s life. According to Genius, the song finishes with a recording from Rodney Mullen from the Tony Hawk documentary “Until The Wheels Fall Off,” where he emphasizes the importance of resilience, almost acting as a conclusion toward the theme of the album.

“The Waiter”

The album ends on a song that shares a similar sound and message to “Ordinary Heaven.” Antonoff has gone almost completely synth in this track, signaling to the listener that there has been a sense of transformation throughout the album. After the track “Ordinary Heaven,” the message and sound feels a bit superfluous toward the theme of the album, causing this final track to fall short.

Rating: 3.5/5

Released on March 8, 2024, Ariana Grande’s new studio album “eternal sunshine” confronts the singer’s own reality in a new way. Here’s a closer look into how these tracks helped Grande accomplish a new level of musical brilliance.

Track 1: “intro (end of the world)”

Grande’s “intro” stages the personal questions she will confront throughout the rest of her album. Opening with “how can I tell if I’m in the right relationship?” sung in her recognizable soft, melodic style and overlaid with soothing harmonization, Grande’s “intro” is all about falling in and out of love and navigating complicated relationships while in the spotlight.

Track 2: “bye”

“bye” is another example of Grande’s ability to compose a breakup song that is simultaneously upbeat and deeply heartfelt, and is comparable to her famous “thank u, next” for her highly personal lyrics. Her lyrics “I can’t believe I’m finally moving through my fears” point toward the emotional growth Grande has been exploring through her music for the better part of the past decade and present an imagination of herself that is both empowered and unafraid.

Track 3: “don’t want to break up again”

A song about accountability, “don’t want to break up again” addresses the difficulty of feeling like yet another relationship has been lost and the hopelessness that comes with it. Grande describes how it “it’s breaking my heart / to keep breaking yours again.” With softer, slower vocals than “bye,” “don’t want to break up again” is very different from some of Grande’s earlier work because of its confrontation of the singer’s own faults, and is indicative of a matured, more grown-up Grande.

Track 4: “Saturn Returns Interlude”

Astrologist Diana Garland gives a 41-second discussion of Saturn’s return on the interlude of Grande’s album, describing the moment when “Saturn hits you over the head” when it returns to that exact position about 30 years later. Grande, now 30, further frames this album as a tracing of her personal evolution by including Garland, and marks this as a period in her life where she is “waking up.”

Track 5: “eternal sunshine”

Different from the first few tracks on her album, Grande’s melody in “eternal sunshine” feels dark and ethereal. “eternal sunshine” draws you into the sad reality of Grande’s introspective world while she’s dealing with changing attachments and the struggle of detaching yourself from a longtime lover.

Track 6: “supernatural”

“supernatural” is the first of Grande’s tracks on her new album that focuses on a blossoming new relationship rather than a breakup, and yet is still undeniably intimate and vulnerable. Grande’s vocals in “supernatural” move from delicate whispers to a powerful chorus, and invokes the sense that love is entwined in the cosmos. “supernatural” paints a picture of an enchanting, obsessive love, and transports the listener into a universe in which they can feel the magic of being swept away.

Track 7: “true story”

“true story” gives us a new Grande sound, with louder vocals and a distinguishable R&B melody. In contrast to her other tracks, “true story” does not feel like it is addressed to a lover or an ex, but rather the negative press coverage that painted Grande as a villain following her breakup with Dalton Gomez.

Track 8: “the boy is mine”

Following the R&B style of “true story,” we get more of Grande’s impressively loud, beautifully pitched Mariah-Carey-esque vocals as she sings about succumbing to a predestined love. In her bridge, Grande says that “I take full accountability for all these tears,” a direct reference to her guilt at falling in love with someone she’s not supposed to, and yet feeling like there’s nothing she can do about it.

Track 9: “yes, and?”

With a fast tempo and sassy lyrics like “Just turn on your light and be like / ‘Yes, and?’ / Say that shit with your chest, and / Be your own fuckin’ best friend” Grande is telling her fans to not care about what anybody has to say about you and to just be yourself.

Track 10: “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)”

One of the slower songs on her album, “we can’t be friends (wait for your love)” is all about letting go of an ex, and how it’s oftentimes necessary to cut the relationship off completely. Grande’s inclusion of silent pauses, sad lyrics and an upbeat chorus reveals the ups and downs of loving someone but needing to let them go, and the promise of relying on yourself.

Track 11: “i wish i hated you”

“i wish i hated you” is nothing but sad. Grande is incredibly meditative on this song, and although the song is obviously addressing a lover, it also feels like a contemplation of Grande’s own feelings in relation to this lost love. “i wish i hated you” is sung almost exclusively in airy whispers, and it’s obvious that Grande is upset at herself for still loving the subject of her music.

Track 12: “imperfect for you”

“imperfect for you” feels exactly like what the title states. One of Grande’s more introspective songs, the beat is slow and steady, as she describes how they are not perfect for each other, and yet are still hopelessly in love anyways. A song that is just as relatable as it is emotional, Grande is able to capture the “Messy, completely distressed” nature of her romantic ties, and her inability to sever them due to the care she has for another person.

Track 13: “ordinary things (feat. Nonna)”

The only song with a feature on her album, “ordinary things (feat. Nonna),” describes a love that does not require wealth or riches. The track concludes with a recording of her Nonna telling Grande that she should “never go to bed without kissin’ goodnight” and offers listeners a picture of the emotional support that Grande has received throughout her life.

Overall, Grande’s new album “eternal sunshine” provides listeners with a far more introspective version of her recognizable sound, making the album one of her best yet.

It seems as though Noah Kahan is taking over Northeastern America. The singer-songwriter double threat has been on an unbelievable run with the three album folk-pop series, “Stick Season,” and it doesn’t seem like he has any plans to take his foot off the gas. Following a year culminating in a Grammy nomination for Best New Artist, Kahan released the last deluxe rerelease of the “Stick Season” album last Friday, Feb. 9.

As the latest and final entry in the trilogy, “Stick Season (Forever)” includes the ‘new’ content, such as one brand new track, six previously released singles made up of featured artists on some of his more popular songs and two brand new features on “You’re Gonna Go Far” and “Paul Revere.” While the previous rerelease, “Stick Season (We’ll All Be Here Forever)” had more in the way of fresh content, “Stick Season (Forever)” brings the entirety of the album full circle in a neat 30-song package, clocking in with a two-hour duration on the nose.

In order to truly dive into this deluxe edition, it’s important to focus on the new and exciting things that it brings to the table. The only truly new piece we were treated with, “Forever,” is a slow and sentimental track — a mood featured in many of Kahan’s releases. Unsurprisingly, the song’s poignant lyrics and emotional delivery are strong and evoke a reminiscent feeling similar to the feeling brought out by his hit track “Northern Attitude.” Kahan alluded to the comparison in a tweet, stating mysteriously “The forever to northern attitude pipeline,” months before the song actually released.

The only other brand new content featured on the album consists of a Brandi Carlile feature on “You’re Gonna Go Far,” and a Gregory Alan Isakov feature on “Paul Revere.” Neither feature alters their respective song radically, but both add a raw new take on some really solid tracks from Kahan’s repertoire. Carlile brings some much appreciated harmonies to the tune, and Isakov adds a gravelly depth to “Paul Revere” that is well reflective of the lyrical matter. Overall, they’re two solid additions to the mass of folk-pop anthems Kahan has assembled in the “Stick Season” run.

In addition to the three previously mentioned recordings, Kahan gave six previously released singles official album releases. These tracks feature a myriad of pop stars such as Post Malone, Lizzy McAlpine and Hozier to name a few. The issue is, most of these tracks have been out for months already. They’ve already been circulating the radio channels and streaming charts, and there isn’t much more to say about them besides the fact that they put an interesting spin on some already fantastic songs. That isn’t to say that the new recordings aren’t great, just that it’s not abundantly clear why this warranted another deluxe rerelease rather than a delayed release on the first deluxe album.

When taken in all at once, “Stick Season (Forever)” is a two-hour epic containing some of Kahan’s most popular tracks from the last year. When put under a magnifying glass, it isn’t exactly obvious whether or not the three new tracks actually warranted a rerelease, but the content is appreciated either way. That being said, it’s difficult to grade something with such high peaks as anything less than a solid record.

Rating: 3/5 stars

Following the tradition of previous BTS members, Jung Kook finally made his solo debut with his album “GOLDEN.” Before the release of the 11-track album, Jung Kook released several singles such as “Seven,” “3D” and “Standing Next To You.” Fans and casual listeners alike were waiting with anticipation for the release of the full album on Nov. 3.

Since its release, several of his tracks have made it to Billboard’s Hot 100 list, with “Standing Next To You” taking the lead at number five. Following the success of his BTS members with their solo album releases, Jung Kook is determined to pave his way to success with “GOLDEN.”

Starting strong with “3D (feat. Jack Harlow),” the upbeat summer bop serves as a reminder to fans that Jung Kook is more than just another pretty face. The song is one of the more mature tracks on his album, and as a result, it has been one of the more well-received tracks by ARMY, the name of BTS’ fanbase.

Tracks three and 11 are “Seven (feat. Latto),” both the explicit and clean versions respectively. Since its release in July, it has been deemed the song of the summer. With its quirky “Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday” verse, the song is an upbeat track that exudes an overwhelming amount of charm and boy-crush vibes as Jung Kook vows to his lover that he will be devoted to them no matter what.

“Standing Next To You” is the showstopper of the album, racking up more than 41 million views on YouTube, and with the surprise concert Jung Kook held at Times Square on Nov. 9, fans can’t get enough of the 80s disco style song. Jung Kook’s vocals are accompanied by a variety of brass instrumentals and a cool bass to create a funky masterpiece that has been quickly taking over the charts.

Jung Kook’s collaborations with other artists, such as Harlow and Latto have proved a major success, and the success is further seen with his collaboration with artists and producers that have completely different ranges and ideas for music. Along with the 80s disco pop vibe that “Standing Next To You” delivered, there is also some more variety in other tracks of the album, such as the EDM-influenced tracks “Please Don’t Change (feat. DJ Snake)” and “Closer To You (feat. Major Lazer).” Though they are not as energetic songs as typical EDM songs usually are, they are still filled with alluring melodies accompanied by lyrics such as “devil always tempting / but who gon’ end the sentence?”

“Yes or No” is a catchy song about the doubts many have about falling in love, and how confusing it can be when there is no communication between people, leading to more confusion. Jung Kook’s earnest pleas to a possible lover are seen in the lyric, “are we falling in love? Say yes or no,” making it clear to the listener that even famous people aren’t exempt to the trials and tribulations of love.

“Somebody” is a quintessential radio track, with calm background music and lyrics that don’t deliver as well as the other songs of the album do, though it’s still a song that many will enjoy.

The ballads of the album are tracks seven, nine and 10, “Hate You,” “Too Sad to Dance” and “Shot Glass of Tears,” respectively. The much calmer, but still thought-provoking tracks, remind the listener that despite his status as a K-pop idol and global superstar, Jung Kook still feels the same feelings and faces the same troubles as the rest of us do. This is further cemented in “Shot Glass Full of Tears” with the line “Tell me, am I ever going to feel again?” as Jung Kook sings about the uncertainty that comes after a breakup when one doubts if one will ever feel anything again after such a rough time. Compared to the rest of the album, “Too Sad to Dance” and “Shot Glass of Tears” are the most honest tracks, and therefore, they are the ones that will stick with listeners the most.

Track seven, “Hate You,” is the album’s breakup song, with lyrics detailing the hate and hurt a person may feel for an ex such as “So I’m gonna hate you, gonna hate you / Paint you like the villain you never were.” The lyrics of the song make the track stand out, as it is one of the more calmer songs. The instrumentals and melodies take a step back to let Jung Kook’s calm vocals take center stage.

All in all, for a debut album, Jung Kook definitely hit the ball out of the park with “GOLDEN,” achieving the success many wish for a debut album.

With a familiar bubblegum electric sound, PinkPantheress’ debut album “Heaven knows” paints desperation, enamorment and intimacy through a rose-colored lens with her flowery vocals.

Followed by her mixtape “To Hell with It,” PinkPantheress released her album on Nov. 10, 2023 with an Instagram story thanking her fans for their growing love and support. The album is a testimony to the work she’s put into making new tunes over the course of the past two years. While some familiar tracks are included on her debut album like “Mosquito” and “Capable of Love,” PinkPantheress brings to light her growth as an artist through a range of new sounds and features.

Keeping the consistency of heartbreakingly relatable lyrics that harshly contrast her trademark optimistic vocals, PinkPantheress blends musical influences of K-pop, UK Dance and hyperpop throughout her new album.

“Heaven knows” is certainly proof that PinkPantheress has come a long way from her self-produced TikTok viral tracks, “Break It Off” and “Pain,” which catapulted the artist to fame in early 2021. Since then, it’s been hit after hit, as PinkPantheress racked up awards and nominations from BBC’s Sound of…, BET and MTV. With the popular release of “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2,” which quickly became the summer 2023 anthem, there were high hopes for her debut album.

The opening song “Another life” ft. Nigerian singer Rema, sets the mood for the following tracks in the rest of “Heaven knows,” with dark themes of death and the afterlife. The sample of a gothic-esque sound of an organ introduces the track as PinkPantheress sings about waking up to her dead partner. The chilling line, “Guess you died today?” echoes in the first verse and quickly transitions to “Guess I’ll see you in another life” in the chorus, highlighting a theme of acceptance that reappears with the last track “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2.”

While songs “True Romance” and “Nice to Meet You” ft. Central Cee focus on the development of coveted love, tracks “Ophelia” and “Blue” cover the depression that comes with high-intensity emotions. Together these concentrated themes display the complexity of love and loss within romantic relationships.

Whether it’s on suffocating partners in “Internet Baby (Interlude)” or losing steam in life with “Feelings,” PinkPantheress is just grateful to have such a supportive platform to share her thoughts and artistry with her fans.

Announcing her album release on Instagram, PinkPantheress shares her appreciation for her fans.

“I love everyone here,” PinkPantheress wrote. “I cried the other day thinking of how lucky I am to have people willing to listen to me. You are never taken in vain.”

Coming to a close with crowd favorite, “Boy’s a Liar Pt. 2” featuring rapper and internet sensation Ice Spice ties together the feelings of acceptance and insecurity in relationships. The song uses a New York drill beat as a base, giving the sound an alternative edge while honoring Ice Spice’s NYC roots. With the famous line, “What’s the point of crying? It was never even love,” the entire album is turned on its back as PinkPantheress flips the narrative of her story.

The lyric, “The boy’s a liar,” lingers long after the album is over — serving as a relatable tether to her audience and a reminder of the trials and tribulations of love.

“Slut!”

Swift revealed on Tumblr that the single “Blank Space” was chosen instead of this track because she felt it did not have an appropriate place in the album. However, she does note that she is very glad it is finally public and for good reason. The song does not contain the notable pop beat that is heard in the rest of the album, but instead, opts for a slower and more dramatic style as Swift reflects on how she has been scrutinized by the media for her dating life since the beginning of her career. In the “1989” prologue, she states, “I had become the target of slut shaming … the jokes about my amount of boyfriends. The trivialization of my songwriting as if it were a predatory act of a boy crazy psychopath.” This song portrays her feelings about the public criticism that she endured during this era of her life and how she did not let it prevent her from seeking love.

“Say Don’t Go”

In this track, Swift writes as if she is speaking to her lover as she begs them to give her a reason to stay once she realizes her feelings are no longer reciprocated. The song was co-written with Diane Warren, an award-winning songwriter who has also written hits such as Cher’s “If I Could Turn Back Time” and Aerosmith’s “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing.” In an interview with People, Warren exclaimed that she is overjoyed that the song is finally out and that she loves it so much that she hopes that it will be a single. The song very much fits into the “1989” vibe by being upbeat and cheerful despite the sorrowful lyrics.

“Now That We Don’t Talk”

“Now That We Don’t Talk” focuses on the thoughts and feelings that arise at the end of a relationship and how neither person has any idea what is happening in each other’s lives when they used to know each other so well. This song can be seen as a continuation of “Say Don’t Go” by showing the aftermath of a doomed relationship. In a voice memo via Tumblr, Swift said, “I think it’s the shortest song I’ve ever had, but I think it packs a punch,” which is accurate, as the song is only two and a half minutes long, but is still lyrically striking. However, the song still properly articulates the story that Swift wishes to be told, and it does so through a melodious, bright tone.

“Suburban Legends”

This tells the tale of an impactful and genuine relationship that didn’t work out but the effects are still felt long afterward. It discusses how both people found success in their careers but could not seem to keep the relationship afloat. This can be seen in the lyric, “We were born to be national treasures / When you told me we’d get back together / And you kissed me in a way that’s gonna screw me up forever,” showing the emotional aftermath of a powerful relationship despite the achievements the two experienced professionally. It reveals how negative emotional and personal relationships have the ability to overpower great professional accomplishments.

“Is It Over Now?”

Seemingly another fan favorite, this song can be considered a “sister” to the songs on the original album “Out of the Woods” and “I Wish You Would,” according to Swift on Tumblr. It is fitting as all three styles stylistically match and coincide with catchy choruses and fast-paced lyrics. The song discusses her contemplation about the recently dissolved relationship as she leaves her partner behind to return home alone. The song is very “1989-esque” because of how well it fits into Swift’s place in the pop genre and how it adheres to the album’s overall story.

These newly released songs are exceptional additions to an album that fans have adored for years. Though they were excluded the first time around, the songs do hold up in true Swift fashion through their fantastic production, lyrics and vocals.

After a whirlwind couple of months of tours, it seems that the Boygenius trio are ready for a bit of respite — and the release of their EP “The Rest” certainly allows them to go out with a bang. Although the EP sends a slightly different message from that of their recent album release, “The Record,” it still highlights artists’ unique writing styles and how each part of the trio is able to support each other on a variety of songs. This selection of songs picks up where their album left off, expanding the ideas of friendship and long-term connection into a greater sense of the human experience.

The bookend songs, “Black Hole” and “Powers,” are the most abstract of the four, highlighting fragments of life and sensation in a kind of all-encompassing exploration of what it means to experience existence and connection. A great feat that Boygenius has achieved with these is the creation of a clear tone throughout the EP, despite the fact that there are only four songs, and they each have such different major themes. They focus on minute details and feelings that contribute to our humanity, ideas that continue to permeate the listener’s thoughts as they listen to “Voyager” and “Afraid of Heights.”

The middle two songs of the EP are certainly more faithful to what we know to be the general style that Boygenius writes — still, they are anything but repetitive. The energy of “Black Hole” compliments the slightly softer, yet still upbeat tune of “Afraid of Heights” and the ideas about fear and desire to live more dangerously presented in this second song only further develops the overarching theme of a kind of external look into the human experience.

The one piece that at first glance does not seem to fit quite as well with the overall theme of the EP is “Voyager.” This does not discredit the lyrical and melodic beauty of the song, and there is something to be said for the intimate lens it places upon relationships and intermingling of love and fear that often occurs as people become close.

This song tells a story that is more specific than the others which does make it stand out as somewhat out of place within this EP. Still, part of the reason it stands out so much is because it is so rawly honest about having weaknesses and sometimes giving into them, a rawness which is emphasized by the acoustic guitar and soft harmonies which accompany Phoebe Bridgers’ singing.

“Powers,” a song about sensation and the transfer of energies, builds you up and cools you down again in just four minutes. It leads away from the specificity of the second and third songs and back into more existential themes. It is about impact and connection. This song emphasizes the idea that there is power in every movement we make and every person we come into contact with, ending the album on a positive and uplifting note.

Clocking in at just over 12 minutes, “The Rest” certainly leaves the listener feeling rejuvenated. In only four songs, Lucy Dacus, Julien Baker and Phoebe Bridgers are able to pull on every heartstring, maintaining a clear message even as each song moves from high energy to low, regretful to encouraging. Just as we all face ups and downs, this EP somehow manages to pinpoint exact moments that define life — the good, the bad and the hopeful — and bottle them up in these songs — the intangible items that connect all of humanity.