Retrospective Reviews: Lisa Germano’s “…A Psychopath”
Content warning: this song and article contains descriptions of sexual violence. Why are people fascinated by horror? Every year it seems like there’s a new pantheon of horror movies released to scare us senseless—it really feels like we have a bizarre obsession with terror. But the stories that are most terrifying to us are the […]
“Sugar Hill” by Rose Rose: Sparkling, Effervescent Pop
Rose Rose is an intriguing project. A duo, these two young producers are entirely self-taught musicians working between Paris and London. Their debut single synthesizes a culmination of two years of sonic research, a debut that is already astounding to begin with, without even considering just how young these producers are. “Sugar Hill,” the first […]
George Boomsma’s “Chinatown”: A Unique, Silky Smooth Sound
It is no secret that within each broader category of music there are innumerable facets of subgenres and sounds. There’s no precise blueprint for what makes a song its genre, but rather a few threads of commonality within structure, lyric, and arrangement that are found. When it comes to the bubble of indie music, this […]
Retrospective Review: The Sugarcubes’ “Birthday”
“We loved each other with a premature love, marked by a fierceness that so often destroys adult lives.” This is a statement likely to rouse popular affinity because its sentiment is widely relatable. Many of us, have at one point or another, been victim to love’s vampiric seduction and bear concealed scars that we relish […]
Retrospective Review: “Holes” by Mercury Rev
What kinds of things make you wonder? As you travel through life, what do you notice? Do you ever question why a bird would choose this tree instead of another in which to lay its eggs? Or why the dried up worm on the sidewalk didn’t have the wherewithal to stay in the dirt? These […]
Melissa Erin on “Settle On Down”, Her Influences, and This Whole Crazy Year
2020 has been a year marked by anxiety and trauma. Beginning with the raging wildfires that spread uncontrollably across the Australian heartland back in January, the last eleven months have given us a bottomless pit of catastrophic events too numerous and disheartening to enumerate. “When life gives you lemons”, the saying goes, “make lemonade.” But […]
Retrospective Reviews: Brian Eno’s “Baby’s on Fire”
Brian Eno is the kind of artist where people talk about his “importance” as much as they do his music. It’s understandable, even if it does Eno a disservice. His work with Roxy Music, as well as his early solo albums, shaped and warped glam rock at the same time, while also looking ahead to […]
Retrospective Reviews: Leonard Cohen’s “The Stranger Song”
Leonard Cohen is, of course, a classic powerhouse in the music world. Even if he’s no longer with us, his music is still going strong, with his latest album having been posthumously released last year. His later music is amazing, of course, but there’s always something special about oldies. His song, “The Stranger Song,” came out […]
“Cumberland River ‘58” by Addison Johnson: Returning to Country Roots
One question which I am constantly asking people (or being asked, for that matter) is “What genre of music do you like?” To which most people will respond, “Basically everything… except country.” While the genre began with incredibly bare roots, telling relatable stories about working class individuals, it slowly drifted away into something nearly unrecognizable. […]
“D Y W” by Airpark (feat. St. Lucia): A Masterclass in Melody Crafting
No matter the genre or era, the one thing that connects all good songs (in my opinion) is their melody. Lyrics and instrumentation aside, if the song does not have a melody that can get stuck in your head, its chances of succeeding drop dramatically. Think about it: how many songs can you sing every […]
