Bands We’re Listening To

Beabadoobee

By Molly Callahan

The Filipino-English singer and songwriter, Beabadoobee, performed in April at Vinyl Music Hall in downtown Pensacola. Beabadoobee, also known as Beatrice Kristi Ilejay Laus, grew up in London. After being expelled from school, she taught herself guitar and released her first song “Coffee.” Her music went viral, and she was able to kick off her musical career in 2018 after signing with the independent label Dirty Hit. While her latest album, “Beatopia,” was released in July of 2022, her latest single, “Glue Song,” was released this year and has steadily risen to the top of the charts. Most recently, the 23-year-old singer-songwriter also performed as the opening act at Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, performing her last show on the pop star’s tour in April of this year. Beabadoobee’s style of performance is described as alternative indie. Her songs range from upbeat indie rock, with tracks like 10:36 to softer sweeter tunes like Glue Song. Beabadoobee’s music is unique, carrying a distinct personality. One of her most notable songs is Beatopia Cultsong, which carries the listener through many different sounds and emotions that are reminiscent of a chaotic state of mind. Overall, Beabadoobee is a promising young artist with a unique style that will carry her career as she continues writing and performing music.

Turnover

By Nicole Willis

Turnover is an American indie and alternative band that formed in 2009. The group is known for their distinct sound, which blends elements of shoegaze and emo music to create an interesting and one-of-a-kind listening experience. I had the opportunity to catch the band live at Vinyl Music Hall this past December and they sounded just as amazing in person as they do on their records. The band explored a variety of their work from their catalog, playing everything from their 2013 debut album, Magnolia, to their most recent body of work, Myself in the Way. Over the years, Turnover has elevated their sound time and time again. The band’s sophomore album, Peripheral Vision, and Magnolia feature a prominent emo sound, characteristic of alternative music from the late 2000s. On the album Peripheral Vision, the group began to introduce dream pop and shoegaze elements. Their third album, Good Nature, demonstrates the group’s shift into a new sound. 2022’s Myself in the Way, finds the group almost dropping the emo sound completely and opting into a style of modern indie music. I have not seen any other band successfully take a complete 180 degree turn with their sound like Turnover. Whether you are into 2000s emo rock or 2010s indie music, Turnover definitely has something everyone is sure to enjoy listening to.

_thesmoothcat and the 9th Life

by Destiny Herbert

Louisiana-based artists _thesmoothcat and the 9th Life and their artfully blended and energetic sound has come to captivate audiences across southern borders. From alternative hip-hop signatures to bits of acid jazz and funk, front man Joshua Henderson and his band transcend convention with Stevie Spring and Paige Wallesverd’s foundation-rattling drum and bass, Aaron Dupre’s airy keyboard riffs and Henderson’s soul-lifting, lyrical mantras.

The band performed in Pensacola earlier this year at a small house show and invigorated the local music scene, with the venue’s intimate ambiance underscoring the sentimentality of Henderson’s bold, poetic flow. Though the performance space was small, the turnout was far from it, with nearly 300 people gathering around a makeshift stage for a taste of the band’s buttery rhythm. Henderson and the 9th Life have been active since 2017 and have more than 15 combined albums, singles and EPs under their belt. If you’re interested in experiencing the transformative sincerity of _thesmoothcat and the 9th Life, you can check out their most recent release, Foundation, on Spotify or Bandcamp or support them directly on thebreatheartproject.com, where physical CDs, merch and a calendar of upcoming show dates are also available.

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