Category: Reviews
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Charisma. Charm. Fun. Emotionally driven. Simple words, sure, but accurate when describing the music of Dora Jar. Every step she takes has been a positive push forward, slowly refining her sound and becoming one of pop-rock’s hidden gems. On her new EP, Comfortably In Pain, Dora continues to hone in the rock sensibilities, blending fun…
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Maybe nostalgia is catching up with me, or The Cool Kids continue to tap into a soundscape that elevates Sir Michael Rocks’ swagger in his flows and unique contrasts between two eras. Well, maybe it’s the former as it became a struggle to finish their new album Before Shit Got Weird. If you remove the…
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We’ve all had phases in our adolescence where the music we grew to love mirrors the angst inside, and in the early to mid-2000s, pop-punk was that. Avril Lavigne is one of many artists to have made a name within the genre – until 2007 when the infamously juvenile “Girlfriend” made splashes, only for Avril…
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The kind of summertime bliss and whimsy that guided the atmospheric textures of Texas Sun by Leon Bridges & Khruangbin was a needed touch in 2020, especially as we tried to steer our minds away into a world of solace, where the stresses of the pandemic are non-existent. I’m talking cruising down the highway playing…
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Big K.R.I.T. is distinguishable in many ways – quality being one of them – but they don’t benefit his bottom line when the production wanes between forgettable and spectacular. It’s not hard to when the spiritual and influential overtones of southern hip-hop charm your ears into your bass-infused beats; however, some of that now beguiles…
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Over the past decade, it’s become aware that a co-sign from an artist of S-tier status isn’t as prominent as it was before the social media boom. Like Kid Cudi and the rise of “Day N Nite” on MYSPACE, there are many who make their boom without the backing of another artist to redefine it.…
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Last year Black Country, New Road delivered auspiciously vibrant production in their debut, For the First Time. I was captivated almost immediately, from their rustic jazz undertones to experimental instrumental layering within the post-punk genre that it left me slightly optimistic. Unfortunately, that optimism has stepped back slowly upon lead vocalist Isaac Wood’s departure –…
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Through a better half of two decades, Animal Collective has been tuning with their vast soundscapes, bridging together grounded psychedelia and unhinged pop-chaos as they continue to attempt new directions with their music. So as I was listening to their new album, Time Skiffs, it began to dawn on me how nuanced it was to…
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There aren’t many individualized locations with hip-hop scenes as prosperous as LA County, Fulton County, and New York City, to name a few; however, there have been some that have enough noise to produce talented rappers that have become part of our musical rotation. Philadelphia produced Memphis Bleek and Freeway; Portland has given us Amine,…
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From the many popstars to make waves, it’s been hard for me to distinguish between artists like Madison Beer and Anne-Marie; however, some have caught my ear, like Joy Crookes and Aurora. It isn’t hard to distinguish yourself from the bunch – there just needs to be an identity in your sound or approach. Aurora,…
