“Rain Song” by Emile Mosseri and Han Ye-ri: Tender Theme of “Minari”
Minari has three central conflicts: The conflict between the father and mother characters; the father who cares deeply about his farm, which symbolizes the American Dream in its possible success and way out of menial chicken sexing, and the mother who cares deeply about her children. The conflict between the grandchildren – specifically the grandson […]
“Softly Spoken Woman” by Hands of the Heron: The Silenced Woman Gets a Voice
It’s often that a quiet woman is underestimated, taken for granted, and even ignored under the assumption that her silence suggests a simplicity of thought or character. In truth, however, it’s more likely that she’s silent because she is drowning in oceans of thoughts, worries, and ideas. In many cases, it is the quiet woman […]
“This Town Won’t Miss You” by Brooklyn Doran: Nostalgia Ain’t What It Used To Be
Still quarantining with my parents and running out of pandemic-safe activities, my dad decided to dig out some old movies of Christmas in the 90’s for us last week. Watching as my four-year-old self played with new Sesame Street stickers and doll-house furniture was a somewhat surreal experience. Although I am technically the same person, […]
“Soft” by KASHKA: Dreamy, Muted Beauty
2020 was most certainly a year that will go down in history for obvious reasons, but it was also a historic year for music. As a pandemic forced everyone into isolation and confusion, artists found solace and purpose in their music, and many songs that came out reflect the vulnerability, loneliness, and overwhelming emotions that […]
“The Weight of Many Winters” by Graeme James: Wading Through the Cold
While always being associated with the holidays and family cheer, winter also has a darker and more symbolic side. Of course, most are familiar with the so-called, “winter blues,” but beyond knowing its memorable name, many have not experienced it or gotten to see the effects it can really have on a person. Visually, the […]
“I Got Nothing for You” by Brian in the Museum: The Collapse of a Relationship
Many people like to view the world in black or white, even for little things such as assuming how open people feel comfortable being around them. Just because someone can be an open book to you at times doesn’t necessarily mean that they want to give you their all. These small assumptions can ruin relationships […]
“Sober” by Adult Mom: Clarity at Last
“Drunk words are sober thoughts:” we’ve all heard this saying before. Whether or not you feel strongly about the truth of this statement, there exists a general sense that people under the influence of alcohol are like Jenga blocks. Push the right block and they all come tumbling down; push a drunk person the right […]
“La La La” by Alex Bleeker: Warm, Evocative Psychedelia
Who is music for? I ask myself this question a lot, coming to a different conclusion each time. Selfishly, I like to think that music is for the people—to be enjoyed by the masses, by the fans who make artists’ careers possible. Other times, it dawns on me that without the artists themselves, there wouldn’t […]
“Cowboy in Montmartre” by Western Threads: Impossible to Predict in the Best Way
When you’re an American abroad, you take care to mind your manners and avoid looking like the Ugly American. You follow any directions you may have been given, you studiously avoid the restaurants and attractions that might be considered touristy, and if you were abroad at any point within the past four years you avoided […]
Is Tropical on “Hummingbird,” Off-Kilter Pop, and Performing in Mongolia
“Alternative pop” has always been difficult to define, mostly because pop itself is difficult to define. Pop, after all, is characterized by what music is popular at a given moment, which means it’s more fluid than most other genres: if a Lingua Ignota song topped the Hot 100, the definition of pop would at least […]
