Issue 59: Abstract Hip Hop: The New Faces of New York by tastemakers

northeastern northeastern students students on music on music

The Revival of Pop Music | 43

o N No52 59

The New Faces of New York

BSTRACT HIP HOP:

Get Involved Want to become a Tastemaker? Click get involved on tastemakersmag.com Snapped some awesome photos at a concert? Email them to tastemakersphoto@gmail.com Heard an album that really got you thinking? Send a review to tmreviews@gmail.com

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E-Board President Kristie Wong Editor-in-Chief Nikolas Greenwald Art Directors Stephanie Miano Angela Lin Promotions Director Emily Harris Photo Directors Lauren Scornavacca Rayven Tate Rayn Tavares

Staff Features Editor Grant Foskett Reviews Editors Emma Turney Maya Dengel Interviews Editor Max Rubenstein Social Media Directors Hannah Lowicki Sofia Maricevic Outreach Coordinator Emily Greenberg

The Team Staff Writers Amanda Lavery Asher Rappaport Brad Beckert Bryan Grady Carleigh Sussman Chelsea Henderson Chris Mahir Chuck Stein Desmond LaFave Drew Quercio Emma Turney Ethan Matthews Fisher Hunnewell Grant Foskett Jessica Gwardschaladse Josh Stone Kaitlin Kerr Lacie Foreht Livi Hally

Max Rubenstein Maya Dengel Michael Hrinda Miles Kirsch Mona Yu Neeloy Bose Nell Snow Nikolas Greenwald Nora Holland Rachel Cerato Rayven Tate Sabrina Zhang Shalona Williams Sonia Popovic Terrance Dumoulin Theodore Kypreos Willa Shiomos

Shalona Williams Sofia Maricevic Spencer Haber Upekha Samarasekera Verena Calista Irawan

Photography Alex Pesek Alex Sumas Amanda Stark Angela Lin Annina Hare Brandon Yap Cali Cardenas Casey Buttke Casey Martin Emily Greenberg Emily Gringorten Art & Design Emma Turney Alix Heudebourg Evan Daniels Angelina Han Frances Lee Anna Rowley Graham Moitoso Brooke Elmore Hang Nguyen Ellie Johnson Hannah Lee Gabrielle Bruck Izzy Harris Gayathri Raj Josh Rosenberg Hannah Jean Ahn Josh Stone Jenny Chen Julia Aguam Jessica Brown Kelly Thomas Megan Lam Kimmy Curry Nicholas Alonzo Kristen Chen Norman Zeng Lauren Scornavacca Roman Distefano Matt Streibich Sadhana Pakala Michelle D’Alessandro Sarah Gordon Mikhail Dorokhov Verena Calista Irawan Natalie McGowan Nicole McNamara-Marsland Promotions Randall Gee Alayna Thomas Rayn Tavares Amanda Stark Rayven Tate Angela Lin Reine Lederer Anita Shanker Risa Tapanes Ashley Own Ryan Lewis Camron Nodoushani Saakhi Singh Chelsea Henderson Sadhana Pakala Desmond LaFave Sadie Parker Emily Greenberg Sammie Cirillo Emily Griffin Shalona Williams Emily Harris Sydney Lerner Emily Huang Verena Calista Irawan Grant Foskett Nicholas Alonzo Hannah Lowicki Kaline Langley Jenny Chen Risa Tapanes Jessica Anthony Mao Gwardschaladse Emily Gringorten Joseph Handel Christian Gomez Josh Stone Rayn Tavares Joshua Erickson Kristie Wong Web Matthew Rose Jessie Yang Ryan Lewis Sophia Thomas Serena Werner

Meet the Staff

About Angela Lin Position Art Director Major Business Administration and Design Graduating 2024 Favorite Venue The Fillmore in Miami Beach Tastemaker Since Fall 2019

Emily Greenberg Position Outreach Coordinator Major Undeclared Graduating 2024 Favorite Venue House shows Tastemaker Since Fall 2019

Terrance Dumoulin Position Staff Writer Major Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies Graduating 2024 Favorite Venue Irving Plaza in New York City Tastemaker Since Fall 2019

Listening to

Kim Petras Clarity BENEE “Glitter”

Quote

“Should I ___________, yes or no?”

Rosalía “Milionària”

Pinegrove Marigold Wild Child Fools

“You should totally join Promo!!”

Sidney Gish No Dogs Allowed

MAVI Let the Sun Talk

“Earl Sweatshirt IS lit!”

JPEGMAFIA “Free the Frail” Earl Sweatshirt “Azucar”

Emily Gringorten Position Photographer Major Computer Science and Business Graduating 2023 Favorite Venue The Greek Theater in Berkeley, CA Tastemaker Since Fall 2019

James Blake Assume Form Thundercat “Black Qualls” Weyes Blood “Andromeda”

“No, I didn’t boo Drake. Please stop asking.”

A$AP Ferg, House of Blues

Photo by Rayven Tate (Mechanical Engineering)

Table of Contents Cover Story

Abstract Hip Hop An in-depth look into New York’s underground rap scene and the artists letting it flourish.

Interviews

Editorials

An Interview With Eph See Talking with Northeastern’s very own Eph See about phonetics and the passion behind her music.

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30 Local Photos Activities

Power Pop Take a history lesson on the past 50 years of one of music’s most underappreciated genres.

Reviews

06 Calendar  46

On Country Music’s Evolving Modern Form With the yeehaw agenda in full force, explore country music’s expansion beyond its bounds and into the cultural forefront.

An Interview With Magic City Hippies Staff Writer Ethan Matthews sat down with Magic City Hippies to talk big changes, touring, and what’s next for the band.

Features

Show Reviews Magic City Hippies, Atmosphere, Andrea Gibson

From Dance Dance Revolution to Guitar Hero, here’s the rundown on how rhythm games let their players experience music.

Ancestors of Autotune Learn about the history of voice modulation in the days before Auto-Tune.

Mary, Mother of Yeezus

Quiet Notes for Loud Times

Love him or hate him, a Kanye West opera is certainly an interesting concept, and we have the inside perspective.

Writer Bryan Grady isn’t a jazz listener, in fact he’s more of a metal-head, but he takes on the genre to see what it has to offer.

Album Reviews Denzel Curry, Halsey, Mac Miller, Frances Quinlan

Rhythm Games

A Hard Pop Life Being a popstar is hard. Actually. Here’s why.

Calendar March Su

Aventura TD Garden

070 Shake Brighton Music Hall

La Roux House of Blues

Billie Eilish TD Garden

Ally Brooke Brighton Music Hall

Olivia O’Brien Royale

7 HRVY Brighton Music Hall

Illenium Big Night Live

Pronoun & Future Teens Great Scott

Dayglow Great Scott

Bruno Major Paradise Rock Club

Keane The Orpheum Theater

Caribou House of Blues

21 IDK with Jason Ebbs Afterhours

COIN House of Blues

Beach Bunny Paradise Rock Club

Rockommends

Pronoun March 15 @ Great Scott

Beach Bunny March 29 @ Paradise Rock Club

The Berklee Alumni Pronoun are being joined by the Boston born band Future Teens on March 15th at the Great Scott. Don’t miss all this Boston grown talent coming together in one place. Snap out of your Sunday stupor and get to this gig!

If you missed her show in AfterHours last semester, you’re in luck!!! You can still catch Beach Bunny at Paradise Rock Club on March 29th. Come chill out and enjoy her new album Honeymoon, and TikTok classics like “Prom Queen” and “Sports.”

Emily Harris (Communication Studies)

Emily Greenberg (Undeclared)

April Su

bbno$ Middle East

Oh Wonder House of Blues

Hot Chelle Rae Paradise Rock Club

Snoh Aalegra Big Night Live

Soccer Mommy Paradise Rock Club

King Krule House of Blues

Oh Wonder April 8 @ House of Blues

Hot Chelle Rae April 9 @ Paradise Rock Club

Go see Oh Wonder if you want to feel happy and feel good about yourself!! Their songs and their voices will make you feel magical. Also just go for the -vibes-

Hot Chelle Rae is going on tour for the first time in 8 years! They’re back with one new song, so you’ll probably get to hear your middle school favorites (see: Tonight Tonight, I Like It Like That). Also they’ve lost a band member, so please go keep them company.

Jenny Chen (Business and Design)

Matthew Rose (Communications Studies and Media and Screen Studies)

Editorial

An Overview of Rhythm Games

Spring 2020

You’re sitting in the living room, eyes fixed on the TV. Your mom earnestly belts along to Bon Jovi’s “Livin’ on a Prayer,” your younger brother tries his best at the guitar (yet unsurprisingly fails during the solo…again), your grudgingly coerced dad strums along on the bass, and you’re killing it on the drums (obviously). In this moment, you feel an intense connection. Thanks to some plastic in the shape of instruments and a disk with the words “ROCK BAND 2” printed in bold, sharp letters, you can actually tolerate—no, appreciate—some good, old-fashioned family bonding. Many all over the world have had this same experience via similar music-based video games, dubbed rhythm games. Through decades of trial and error across multiple continents, the rhythm game genre has gone from insignificant to venerated, prospering through remarkable innovation. Call-and-response games eliciting a “call,” or sequence of buttons, followed by a “response,” or reiteration from the player, had been present in Japanese arcades since the 1970s. Although it is difficult to pinpoint the first—an unidentifiable Kasco skirt-lifting game seems to have been the first—Atari released the first significant call-and-response game, Touch Me, in 1974. Players would repeat a sequence of blinking lights, each producing a unique tone, with an additional button added after each round. One of many gaming genres in the budding teeninfested agoras, they were largely overshadowed by the more prominent and invigorating shooter and action titles. Through more accessible mass production, however, lesser-known genres had a better chance of thriving in the home gaming market. Bandai’s Dance Aerobics (1987) on NES was the first rhythm game-esque home console port. Requiring a 3x4 plastic dance mat aptly named the Power Pad, players would emulate the motions of a perky, particularly stereotypical aerobics instructor, clad in headband, leotard and neon legwarmers. These calland-response games lacked certain key characteristics of true rhythm

Hero’s concept with drums and vocals, utilizing the functions of Karaoke Revolution. The game’s keystone multiplayer feature—expanding Guitar Hero’s two-player capabilities to four—further popularized the rhythm gaming genre by employing the social component of gaming. Adding six sequels, to the Rock Band franchise, Harmonix had built a flourishing monopoly over the rhythm game market by the late 2000s. By this point, however, the rhythm gaming market was so oversaturated that consumers began to lose interest and sales stagnated. The development of rhythm games has since gone in various directions, primarily in the indie game scene. osu! (2007-2020) depends entirely on its community, as players “map” any song of their choosing as part of the game’s beatmap pool regardless of copyright restrictions. Just Dance (2009) revived the dance rhythm game genre and provides a bedrock for middle school parties across the nation. Rocksmith (2011) allows players to play along with an actual guitar. Crypt of the NecroDancer (2015) incorporates rhythmic elements into a roguelike dungeon exploration game. Beat Saber (2018) uses cutting-edge virtual reality, allowing players to slice blocks flying toward them. Propelled through constant innovation, the rhythm game genre continues to flourish to this day. As gameplay concepts stray further from their primitive yet humble call-and-response beginnings, the unparalleled blending of music with gaming has evolved into a powerful vehicle for interpersonal connection. • Michael Hrinda (Pharmaceutical Sciences)

Designer: Anna Rowley (Game Art and Animation)

games. They did not necessitate adherence to a tempo, the music solely a supplemental backdrop to gameplay. In 1996, however, the genesis of modern rhythm games debuted: NanaOn-Sha’s PaRappa the Rapper. Helping beanie-wearing dog PaRappa in his love pursuit of flower-headed Sunny Funny, players drive the storyline by pressing buttons to the beat of PaRappa’s rapping, guided by icons scrolling across the screen—again, in call-and-response fashion. Encountering the quintessential Chad in dog form, a dojo sensei with an onion for a head, a Rastafarian frog flea market vendor, and a seafood cake-baking chicken, players fall down a laughably absurd rabbit hole. Although this game is immensely quirky, including a stage leading frantic PaRappa to the bathroom, its unique, unprecedented gameplay, ensemble of crackpot, charismatic characters, and admittedly catchy songs make it incredibly endearing. It’s easy to see why with profound verses like, “I need to go just as bad as you / What I had this morning, I don’t even wanna say to you.” PaRappa the Rapper’s influence cannot be understated. Judging players on the accuracy of their timing, PaRappa marks the first true rhythm game. Its critical acclaim and overwhelming success, selling over 1 million copies in Japan alone, spurred a momentous era of rhythm game development in Japan, with additional titles released by distinguished developers within the year. Instead of gameplay centered around a plot like PaRappa’s, however, these games relied on a library of songs of varying difficulty, each with a specific, unchanging “chart.” In December 1997, Konami’s Beatmania had arcade-goers playing the role of a club DJ. As symbols marking which turntable keys to press scroll down the screen, flashy visuals affirm the player’s accuracy. Similar instrument-style arcade games followed suit, such as keyboard-based Pop’n Music (1998), guitar-based GuitarFreaks (1999), and drum-based Taiko no Tatsujin (2001). Improving on the design of Dance Aerobics, Bemani pioneered the dance rhythm game genre with Dance Dance Revolution in which players “dance” by stepping on left, down, up and right arrows on pressure-sensitive pads. These chart-based rhythm games proliferated through shared experience. As players play the same chart independent of time or location, rhythm game culture thus emerged as communities revered the most difficult charts and those who could beat them. By this point, rhythm games were no longer irrelevant options in arcades, but rather the main draw, amassing crowds of spectators astonished by incomprehensibly skilled pros. By the early 2000s, American developers decided to cash in on the rhythm game craze. Inspired by the success of rhythm games in Japan, Cambridge-based and MIT-conceived Harmonix developed Frequency (2001) and its sequel, Amplitude (2003). Although the concept proved unique, with each side of an octagonal tunnel representing distinct tracks in a song, they missed their anticipated degree of success. Partnering with well-established Bemani, Harmonix furthered the rhythm game genre with Karaoke Revolution (2003) in which players’ singing was judged on pitch. There’s also an American Idol edition, in case you’d like Simon Cowell to obliterate any last shred of self-esteem you may or may not have with blunt criticisms like “This is the point in the show where the people at home turn down the volume.” It was not until 2005 when Harmonix partnered with Red Octane that rhythm games were at last popularized in the Western hemisphere. With the release of Guitar Hero, Americans of all ages—or at least those 13 and older—strummed along on five-fretted plastic guitar controllers with the likes of Queen, David Bowie, and Jimi Hendrix. Harmonix struck a chord with Americans by empowering people with the immersive experience of being a rock star, complete with well-known, nostalgic songs. Harmonix then released Rock Band in 2007, expanding Guitar

The State of The Union: Feature Interview

Country music has historically been positioned as a genre of rarified truth - a posited experiment in distilling any emotion to its most genuine and sincere form. Country, and its associated aesthetics, are enjoying a novel relevance as of late, perhaps in our cultural search for a more profound truth, both by historical means and by a greater desire for a sheer simplicity. Coined the “yeehaw agenda,” recent trends saw primarily black Americans adopting Western aesthetics - namely cowboy hats and boots - as a reclamation of both the actual black ranchmen who filled the wild west and the complex relationship black people have with America itself. This was of course, predominantly propelled by the strange magic of Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road,” a song that has quite frankly been thinkpieced to death. Still, the track served as an exposé of what was already evident, making clear the imposed rigidity on modern country music as a genre and an idea. The oft quoted “three chords and the truth” is naturally, a malleable definition of the genre as a whole, one that has been enormously lost in the standardization of its music, so much so that parodies (the “dirt road, cold beer, blue jeans, pickup truck” sort) can be plentiful and rather accurate. Yet, through this sliver of renewed cultural influence, the question of where country music

Fall 2020 2019 Speing

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might go to expand its relevance, and how we ought to measure this, takes on new meaning as the genre expands outside its daft bounds. The most direct spiritual predecessor to “Old Town Road,” and possibly to the “yeehaw agenda” as a whole, may well be a 2017 Young Thug track, “Family Don’t Matter.” Here, Young Thug combines the classic country chords with hip hop beats, alternates the use of Southern vocal inflections, and even throws in a “yeehaw” for good measure. Young Thug contrasts the respective genres’ typical lyrical content too; the lines “Country Billy made a couple milli / Tryna park the Rolls Royce inside the Piccadilly” serve as juxtapositioned versions of the lives each genre glorifies. The rest of the album which features the track, Beautiful Thugger Girls, interpolates this idea, to a lesser extent, but still relies heavily on acoustic guitar to carry and ground beats. (Ironically, Post Malone provides some of this guitar, he himself no stranger to co-opting elements from hip hop and country to carve his own path of popularity). On the cover of the record, Young Thug is displayed among hip hop archetypes, sitting in what is likely a mansion, the “bodies” of women (that are actually mannequins, in another clever upend) surrounding him, all while starkly grasping an acoustic guitar

at the center of the image. It’s a visual proposition of the benevolence generated by such a morphing, something that appears initially quite tongue and cheek, but grows to be a rather genuine experiment in combining the genres’ characteristics. In this sense, “Old Town Road” and Young Thug’s Beautiful Thugger Girls operate similarly in the realm of country music aesthetics, the line between parody and authenticity becoming so blurred that they create a different truth altogether. This crossing of genre into country is certainly not exclusive to hip hop, and its presence occurs in broader strokes as well. Halsey’s newest album features the single “You should be sad,” the artist’s attempt at a Nashville ballad. This experiment was inspired by, in her words, “the most petty and heartbreaking songs” coming from the country genre. Top 40 “EDM” producers Diplo and Marshmello have begun a string of collaborations with country artists, making puffy versions of generic country radio tunes (It’s worth noting similarly the crossover success of country starlet Maren Morris on EDM producer Zedd’s “The Middle,” a desolate pop track). Similarly, Justin Timberlake’s relatively ill-fated last album was a baffling attempt at incorporating Southern aesthetics into his everchanging brand. Conversely, indie rock band Vampire Weekend interspersed their newest record with Danielle Haim duets that evoke Johnny and June Cash’s records from the 1960s, particularly the call and response nature of their song “Jackson.” It is very possible that these bits and pieces of country’s stylistic features getting dissolved into other genres of the mainstream is an indication and measure of relevance itself. The same could be said for say, hip hop’s trap subgenre, whose punctuated beats and bubbling

ambience have permanently affected the landscape of pop music. It so follows that a valid assessment of country’s significance beyond its own confines may be to look outside of it, for a continued shifting in its external applications. This has of course, happened in a myriad of ways in the past, but the matter of whether it continues to occur in a concentrated, deliberate manner for the next period of time is of notable interest. Or perhaps, a greater way for country itself to take on new forms of relevance is to adapt elements of the mainstream into its own genre. Possibly the best example of this phenomenon is Kacey Musgraves, who recently saw a success far beyond the limits of the country radio format, particularly with the release of her third proper album Golden Hour. The record imagines a different type of modern country stardom, that leans equal parts into the past and future, a mystical weaving of the

Feature

Local Talent

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Speing 2020

first hand made accessible by its pop inflections. Softly psychedelic at one turn and modestly discotheque at the next, the album is enveloped with a warm, resolutely uncynical embrace. It is this credulousness that connects it most closely to its home genre, a solacing acceptance of life existing as it is and must. Country radio, more routinely and incessantly within the last decade, has been recruiting pop artists for collaborations with country artists in search of crossover appeal (with a 30% growth in the trend, more than any other genre), which has been successful to varying returns. Florida Georgia Line are the foremost case, with the popularity of their remix of 2013’s “Cruise” which featured Nelly, and then again in 2018 with Bebe Rexha on “Meant to Be.” Still, a crossover hit is not guaranteed: even within the past year, a selection of such collaborations include Dan + Shay and Justin Bieber, Maren Morris and Hozier, and the triple threat of Chris Stapleton, Ed Sheeran, and Bruno Mars. These often puzzling alliances are made transparently out of convenience rather than artistic merit, as labels are always scrambling to get playlisted and bring about freshness to releases that

are quickly growing stale. But looking beyond the overt materialism, such an approach may give artists avenues beyond that of traditional country radio to define their own place in the genre. This seems to be true of Kane Brown, a multiracial country artist who has found charting ability high on the country charts and modesty on the pop ones through such partnerships, including Khalid, Becky G, and the aforementioned Marshmello. Conceivably, where the overlap of genres is in one direction reinventive and in the other a notion of restructured relevance, the repurposing of classic country structures and melodies may serve as both. This new wave best mirrors Gram Parsons’s positing of country (more particularly, his rock-country) as “cosmic American music,” finding light in the weight of the heaviest of contemplations and confessions. Orville Peck is having a golden moment in the industry right now doing so, penning enigmatic tales of love and loss on a mythic yet tangible frontier. He finds an admirable balance of homage, largely in channeling Johnny Cash’s drawling baritone, and novel, incorporating elements from shoegaze to give the music a quality of cosmic airiness. Parallely, Canadian artist Le Ren, who has opened for Peck in the past, crafts charming country vignettes with a hip brightness, her song “I DID U WRONG” adapting the classic Hank Williams 1,4,5 progression. More directly, Honey Harper, a project with the unofficial mission statement to make “country music for people who don’t like country music,” subscribes religiously to Gram Parson’s ideal, inquiring how to best give atmospheric lift to the most realized truths. At work is the beguiling sentiment that everything old is new again, and can be applied to even the most modern of circumstances fittingly. Such artists also point to notions of working outside the system of country radio altogether, forging a new and perhaps more accessible path for listeners less likely to explore the genre. Orville Peck, for

She Ever Leaves Me,” Carlile is harrowed by the inkling that she isn’t enough for the woman she loves. This is similarly part of the appeal of Orville Peck, who writes matter of fact songs informed by gayness. And Kacey Musgraves has grown into a gay icon of sorts, her career always being forward and nonchalant in its outlook of acceptance. What turns many away from exploring country is its presumed (and partially present) conservatism, but there are certainly artists now and forever creating country music with a left lean. Academic Michael Grimshaw once wrote that country music is “the creation of a new way forward, a way to musically heal the separation and increasing divisiveness of late modern life.” At this crossroads of trend and tradition, country must find this way forward for itself too. This may be through a more genreless future, where country engages with the likes of hip hop, pop, and rock, and in turn, sees its customs throughout those genres as a signifier of success. Or, one where the genre returns to its roots, moving in its life cycle towards something of a new classic. And hopefully, a movement towards artists valuing a greater politicism, a pursuit for alternate paths by which to create outside the industry standard. These shifts will feasibly open up the genre towards a modern meaning, one in search of the most profound kind of truths: those that have yet to be revealed.

Designer: Hannah Jean Ahn (Business Administration and Design)

instance, is signed to Sub Pop, a record label known particularly for its influence within alternative rock and grunge movements. Le Ren and Honey Harper have been featured on various independent music blogs, who next to never write about country music. Sam Hunt, a rather popular country artist following the currents of hip hop, gained initial attention by releasing a free “mixtape” onto his website. Beyond the Nashville industry format, artists are allowed to adopt a greater number of personas: often ones more universal than the old guard industry template might allow. What’s more, is that in adopting such alternate avenues, artists are afforded the ability to reshape the political contexts of country music that have long been to its detriment. Beyonce made the most covertly radical thesis recently in this sense; the appearance of “Daddy Lessons” on Lemonade was an immediate redefining of form, on the pretense of the massive and trendsetting persona she inhabits in pop culture, as well as the way her blackness contextualizes this persona, particularly as country music has been historically engineered as a segregated genre. British artist Yola, who was nominated this year at the Grammys for Best New Artist, has similarly become politically relevant through her mere existence in the genre as a black woman. Yola is also featured on the opening, manifesto track of the debut album of The Highwomen, a country supergroup - Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Natalie Hemby, and Amanda Shires - accomplished in industry terms, yet still cast as relative misfits in their genre based on their political leanings. On their debut record, they shoulder spelling out histories of oppression: of freedom fighters, preachers, witches, mothers, and revolutionaries. The lead track of the record makes a harmonized declaration: “we are the highwomen, we sing of stories still untold,” a promise that cements itself through the perspectives and multitudes of womanhood they dare to articulate. One of those perspectives is that of queerness (Carlile herself is a lesbian); on “If

• Willa Shiomos (Computer Science and Design)

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Designer : Alix Heudebourg (CS & Design)

Editorial

ANCESTORS OF

AUTOTUNE Spring 2020

Auto-Tune may be the most hated invention in the history of modern music. There has been no shortage of criticism and hatred for artists like Kanye West, T-Pain, Kesha and others who utilized the pitch-perfecting device throughout their careers. While critics repeated over and over the argument that Auto-Tune users lacked the talent and confidence necessary to sing without automated help, those artists often stood by their choice – Auto-Tune was a new stylistic choice, a different direction to take their music. It presented the opportunity for experimentation and innovation. While this overcorrected, robotic singing style is closely associated with the music of the 2000s, it is a phenomenon that is much older, and has been produced many times before.

Sonovox One of the first voice-modulating devices was the Sonovox, which functions as an artificial larynx. The Sonovox was a small, handheld device containing tiny speakers, used by holding the device to the musician’s throat. The Sonovox used electrical signals to transmit the sound of an instrument – a keyboard, guitar, or even wind instruments – to the speakers, which projected the sound into the performer’s throat. The sound was then altered by the change of the musician’s mouth and

throat, producing a mechanical-sounding singing voice. While it had its musical applications, the Sonovox was mostly used for films and radio station jingles. It was prominent in Disney movies and animated shorts throughout the 1940’s, used to produce the voices like the train in “Dumbo.” More often simulating a speaking voice than a singing voice, the Sonovox sounded the most metallic and unnatural of the many speech synthesis devices, and musicians were more reluctant to use it. The sounds it produced were harsh – it seemed to resemble wheezing, After many had forgotten it, The Who used the Sonovox in their 1967 album, The Who Sell Out, using the device to speak the days of the week through a guitar. While it did make its way into mainstream music, the other, more reliable speech modulation devices became favored over the Sonovox. Notable Uses: “Dumbo” (1941) “The Reluctant Dragon” (1941) “The Secret Life Of Walter Mitty” (1947)

Vocoder

speaker within the device. That sound is then directed through the tube, which is held in the musician’s mouth near a microphone. The microphone picks up the sound from within the musician’s mouth, which allows the musician to modulate the sound by altering the shape of their mouth. The musician can open and close their jaw or lips to characterize the sound, and they can mouth words to simulate singing. The musician provides the words while the talk box produces the tonal structure, intertwining the musician with the instrument. Though the talk box has been used many times by keyboardists like Stevie Wonder, it is usually paired with a guitar, and is much more prevalent in rock music. Its simplicity is what expands the possibilities for its artistic applications. Whereas the vocoder is technologically complex in the way it produces sounds on its own, the talk box is just an extension of the musician and their instrument. It only adds more to the sound of a guitar, and it can be fluid and mechanical, natural and unnatural, all at the same time.

Notable Uses: “Computer Love” – Zapp “Do You Feel Like We Do” – Peter Frampton “California Love” – Tupac feat. Dr. Dre • Asher Rappaport (Journalism)

The vocoder had other uses before it was ever heard on a record player. Its early predecessor was developed in the late 1930’s as a device that encoded speech and reduced bandwidth for secure and efficient voice transmission, and was used to encrypt conversations between Roosevelt and Churchill during World War II. The technology of the vocoder is much too complex to explain here, but to simplify, the vocoder works by mathematically breaking down speech and then rebuilding it. The vocoder examines how speech changes, and these changes become signals that are split into “bands.” The vocoder then recreates speech, as a “carrier” produces sound while the bands define the articulation of speech. But the vocoder becomes an instrument when the carrier is changed – usually, a synthesizer plays this role. The synthesizer is played, and the speech is sung as the instrument. The vocoder becomes both the instrument and the musician, as both the pitches and the words come from the same place at the same time. Used predominantly in R&B, funk, and jazz fusion during the 1970s, the vocoder is powered by technology that sets it apart from other voice-altering devices. It synthesizes the voice rather than modulates it, adding a bit more to the robot-sounding voice. Some devices act as a tool for the musician. The vocoder can often sound like a completely different musician on its own. Notable Uses: “Come Running To Me” – Herbie Hancock “The Robots” – Kraftwerk “P.Y.T. (Pretty Young Thing)” – Michael Jackson

Talk Box

The talk box was the favorite means of voice synthesis for many musicians in the days before autotune. This device comes in the form of an effects pedal, which plugs into any electronic instrument and is connected to a plastic tube on the other end. When the talk box is switched on, it receives the sound from the instrument and reproduces the sound through the 15

Cover Story

ABSTRACT HIP HOP: THE NEW FACES OF NEW YORK

Fall 2019

A new blend of rap and jazz is emerging in New York City, where hip hop was born and jazz was introduced to mainstream audiences. While the two have been intertwined for decades, this new take on the combination pushes the boundaries of both rap and jazz. The genre is so young that it does not yet have a widely-accepted name; it has been referred to as Abstract, Lo-fi, and Free Jazz Hip Hop, among other titles. It is broadly characterized by sample-heavy jazz loops with irregular percussion accompanied by distorted, introspective lyrics delivered with a spoken-word-like cadence. A defining component of the scene has been the frequent collaboration between the rappers and producers that have pioneered the sound. The combined efforts of artists ranging from a former teenaged cult-favorite to young college students have established this movement as an exciting new genre with unknown potential.

both MIKE as an artist and the sound of the sLUms collective to a broader audience, but he had been refining his approach for years. MIKE’s earliest release listed on Bandcamp, “Crimson,” is a short track produced by Earl Sweatshirt and uploaded in 2015. The song captures one of the earliest versions of the sound, as a 16-year-old MIKE raps with a more traditional flow for the majority of the track, but shows flashes of the stumbling, monotonous delivery that he would later help popularize. MIKE has continued to be a prolific songwriter, releasing over 10 projects of varying lengths since 2015. He has featured on tracks of many of the other artists in the scene and has included countless guest verses on his own songs. In some ways, MIKE seems to be the artist that has brought all of the pieces into place for the genre to take off. From establishing the sound with consistent early releases to helping new artists reach his audience, MIKE’s efforts have been vital to the movement.

EARL SWEATSHIRT MAVI

At the gates to the mainstream sits Earl Sweatshirt and his newest LP, Some Rap Songs. Earl has used his influence to bring the talent of other artists to light, pushing them forward as the new guard with his platform’s extended reach. “Ontheway!” features Standing on the Corner, and “EL TORO COMBO MEAL” off of his newest EP FEET OF CLAY features MAVI, showing the collaborative lengths Earl is willing to participate in. Both featured artists transform their respective tracks into entirely new musical compositions which would have been impossible without their creative inputs. Using just these tracks as examples, it’s clear that Earl has no intention of exploiting this new wave of creatives, but is instead interested in elevating them to success and recognition of their incredible talents.

MIKE

At only 21 years old, MIKE is already one of the most established faces of the genre. The young rapper grew up in England before moving back to New York City as a teenager. MIKE co-founded the sLUms collective, a group of young rappers and producers in Brooklyn that played a large role in developing the sound of New York’s Abstract Hip Hop. His 2017 project, May God Bless Your Hustle introduced

20-year-old rapper MAVI, from Charlotte, NC, is one of the most intriguing young rappers in the New York scene. MAVI’s greatest strength is his ability to truly blend his voice with the irregular beats that he selects. While his delivery often stays true to the monotonous tendencies of the genre, some of his songs, like “Guernica,” showcase a melodic cadence that hypnotizes the listener. While many of his contemporaries opt for a jarring, off-kilter rhythm to deliver their rhymes, MAVI’s flow is often slightly more traditional, making his music more approachable to new listeners. His use of inner-line rhyme schemes and creative wordplay makes his discography incredibly addicting, as you can not help but listen again and again to catch new pieces of MAVI’s genius. On the Earl Sweatshirt produced “Sense”, MAVI raps, “What kind of songs you make? I make the kind you gotta read baby.” On his debut album, Let the Sun Talk, MAVI delves into a philosophical reflection of his own socio-political position. His writing is pensive but deliberate, as shown on the track “Eye, I and I, Nation,” on which he raps, “Administration meant for saving me act like they hating me.” The high quality and low quantity of MAVI’s discography makes him one of the most exciting new artists in hip hop. He has less than one hour of music uploaded to major streaming services, which only adds to the intrigue and anticipation surrounding him. His most recent live show was performed on the D train subway in New York. Videos show MAVI standing on the subway seats, surrounded by young fans, confidently belting his support for the #MeToo movement; “We ain’t free until she free too / To my sisters we ain’t free until they free too.” This performance perfectly exemplifies the unique and exciting energy of the Abstract Hip Hop movement, and establishes MAVI’s position as a leader of the genre.

Cover Story

Designer: Gabrielle Bruck (Design and Business)

Fall 2019

â&#x20AC;&#x153;What kind of songs you make? I make the kind you gotta read baby.â&#x20AC;?

MEDHANE

Medhane is a native of Brooklyn, which audibly informs the themes he explores in his music. He has worked over the past few years to cultivate a new era of lyricism and extreme attention to detail in his tracks that yield a beautiful mixture of jazz influence, snippets of soul, and classic hip hop elements that twist and blend together into profound messages on race, class, and mental health. His most recent LP, Own Pace, offers insight to life’s struggles with production that evokes pain and depression through looping, downtrodden beats. Medhane’s complex lyrics are released with a drawl onto many songs, reinforcing the theme of suffering on the album. However, the project is equally about self-empowerment to overcome adversities, as seen on “Grapefruit” where Medhane raps, “I ain’t seen a way, had to make one / Still ridin’ with the same ones.” His recent singles form a stark contrast with lighter production that displays more introspection and commentary on the way people live than traumas Medhane has experienced. His single “Facta” also features MAVI, exemplifying the collaborative nature of the young group of artists. Instead of competing, artists in the genre build off of and elevate each other to new heights.

SLAUSON MALONE & MEDSLAUS

Slauson Malone entered the New York scene as a founding member of Standing on the Corner, appearing prominently on both the group’s self-titled LP and Red Burns, but has since left the group, citing ideological differences. After his departure, he released his first solo effort, A Quiet Farwell, Twenty Sixteen to Twenty Eighteen, showcasing his skill as a self-producer and standalone artist. The album’s structure resembles more of an art piece than an LP in any traditional sense. Distorted samples of old jazz and soul records appear on many tracks as a result of Malone’s acknowledgment of the past and his desire to create something new. The album uses production to generate meaning rather than words, where the beats and eclectic sampling take precedence over lyricism. The resulting sound elevates the album and allows it to deal with complex feelings of loss, nostalgia, and belonging without the limitations that the flow of words creates.

When there are clear lyrics, they appear in fragments as moments of clarity and self-realization in a fog of other messages, such as the line “Smile at the past when I see it,” which serves as a motif throughout the project to reference past events in life. Although Malone has only released one solo project thus far, his work with Standing on the Corner can’t be discounted, nor can his group efforts with Medhane under the moniker Medslaus. Medhane and Slauson Malone are two distinctly different artists in terms of production style and delivery, but they’re still an equally powerful force through their projects together. On the pair’s 2017 album Poorboy, Medhane delivers track after track of meaningful lyrics over Malone’s atypical beats, developing a set of larger themes which tackle the struggles—and often pitfalls—of living in a modern world that never seems to have your best interests in mind. Medslaus is especially important to mention because it serves as a bridge between the outer edges of the genre and the music that defines it, ultimately proving that artists such as Malone and Standing on the Corner belong to the movement as much as MAVI or MIKE do.

STANDING ON THE CORNER

Standing on the Corner, created originally by Gio Escobar and Slauson Malone as a way to face off with the racism present in hip-hop and create messages through music that bypassed any one genre, emerged as a prime example of the creative ingenuity present in the New York scene. The collective today is capable of poignant social commentary through music which uses experimental sampling and beats extremely effectively. They released a self-titled LP in 2016, and with it their creative genius immediately became evident. Exactly one year later, Standing on the Corner released Red Burns, a mixtape-album blend described as being the closest project to what the collective wanted to say yet. The album itself features many different artists on it and celebrates blackness in America while simultaneously confronting the black experience, resulting in a pointed commentary on what it means to be a person of color in New York City and beyond. Red Burns uses soul and jazz samples as entire track instrumentals, exemplified by MIKE rapping over “A Woman Will Do Wrong” by Helene Smith on “MIKE Sees The Storm,” which celebrates and gives the older tracks new life. Standing on the Corner has no desire to simply use other tracks to enhance the sonic quality of their own, but instead wants to bring attention to feelings and messages associated with the songs while adding their own messages relevant to the present. Outside of their own projects, the group has collaborated with most artists in the genre, acting as a rough tie to all edges of the movement and cementing their place in an exciting new era of music. • Desmond LaFave (Journalism and Media Screen Studies) and Terrance Dumoulin (Civil Engineering and Architectural Studies)

Editorial

Spring 2020

MARY MOTHER OF YEEZUS

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 4:58 PM. Kanye just tweeted a picture. I immediately open the notification and see that heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bringing his opera, Mary, to New York City in five days. Without even thinking twice, I cave and buy tickets to go. I am very skeptical about this opera given his performance of the same show only two weeks earlier in Miami. There, at the Miami Marine Stadium on a barge, Kanye and all of his Sunday Service choir members were decked out in silver garments and body paint and looked as if they had all landed from another planet. The arrangements were a little bizarre and there was not a whole lot going on on stage. Nevertheless, I figure I would see what Kanye is up to recently with my own eyes and ears. Once I arrive at the David Geffen Hall at the Lincoln Center, it is clear that this version of Mary is going to be different than the performance in Miami. The stage has pieces of hay sprawled across the floor and grass is sprouting from each corner of the stage. Besides the grass, there is nothing on stage, but a chair tucked on the left hand side.

Editorial Designer: Norman Zeng (Graphic Design) Spring 2020

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As soon as I sit down, I am not sure which direction to look at. The stage is really pretty, but all of a sudden many A-list celebrities start filing into their seats. Most notably, Dave Chappelle, Gayle King and Bradley Cooper all come together in a group and sit very front and center. The audience remains relatively calm when they come in… but then, Kim K walks in with North and Saint, the two eldest West children, and the crowd loses it. Everyone is especially trying to engage with the kids and to get their attention. It is close to showtime, so the guards get everyone to go back to their seats. Almost everyone is seated and then someone in the crowd yells out “I love you, North and Saint!” to which North casually responds “I love you too, whoever said that!” The audience tries to see how far they can go and before we know it, North and Saint start singing “Closed On Sunday” off of Kanye’s latest album, JESUS IS KING, and North appropriately finishes the song with a big scream and tells the audience that “Kanye West is my dad” in case we didn’t already know. Finally, after an almost two hour delay, the Sunday Service Choir files out onto the stage. The only thing about their outfits that resembles the silver costumes from Miami is a shiny, gold disk, representing a halo, on the back of everyone’s heads which illuminates every member’s face when the light shines on them. It’s as if they stepped out of religious paintings from the 13th century with the shining gold halo surrounding them. The band players walk out in a similar get up and then lastly Kanye casually walks out and sits in the black chair that’s three feet in front of me. He is wearing a brown mock neck sweatshirt with matching sweatpants and the same color sneakers. Everyone on stage is wearing a monochromatic look and they are all different shades of browns, tans and beiges. The voices of the choir begin with a staccato and ominous melody singing “Gloria” repeatedly. Kanye starts reading Bible verses that tell the story of Mary and set the stage for how Jesus Christ was born and became the figure that he became. Amidst this, a lone woman, Mary, slowly steps onto the stage dressed in all white. Out of the grass bushes, the angel Gabriel appears with wings that span at least 15 feet across. Kanye proceeds to read that the angel told Mary that she has become pregnant with God’s child even though she is a virgin. The first Kanye song of the opera, “Devil In a New Dress” starts with a simple brass section playing basic chords. The trumpet plays the melody of the sample “Will You Love Me Tomorrow?” from the song over the notes and the choir joins singing the same melody. The trombones and tubas come in with the bass line of the song and it builds to a beautiful and chilling rendition of one of my favorite Kanye songs. During this, Mary and Joseph face one another in the middle of the stage surrounded by the children. The song then morphs into “Can’t Tell Me Nothing” where Mary walks away from the stage. The children elegantly move to stand behind Joseph and form a pose by leaning their heads on the next person’s shoulder. Something about this image with Joseph beaming in the front and children standing so innocently all together is gorgeous. One of the children grabs Joseph and brings him down to the ground and all of the children follow his suit, gently falling to the ground. It has just been revealed that Joseph was going to divorce Mary in private, but an angel came to him and informed him that Mary is pregnant with the son of the Holy Spirit. This scene appropriately exhibits Joseph’s shock. The choir softly hums the bass line for “Love Lockdown” and a trumpet solo begins over the choir. The trumpet improvises over the bass and naturally misses a few notes. Kanye, while reading mid-verse, calmly states “no trumpet” and continues reading aloud. Needless to say, there is no appearance of the trumpet for the rest of the opera. The audience muffles their laughter to let the show return to its

regularly scheduled programming. Towards the end of the song, Mary and Joseph walk out once more - this time with a baby in hand. Joseph lightly sits her down in the manger. A rendition of FKA Twigs’ song “holy terrain” starts with the choral ensemble chanting the melody. While still in the manger, the children reappear on stage and are softly moving across the stage like pieces of grass moving in the wind. An a capella version of Beethoven’s “Moonlight Sonata” displays how talented the Sunday Service Choir truly is. Through complex harmonies throughout the song and somewhere around twelve different vocal parts, the choir sounds angelic. The notes are sung so crisply and clearly and it sends chills down my spine to hear such a classic song done in a beautiful modern take. Once again, the children stand in the middle of the stage and all lean against one another as the choir sings a forceful and succinct version of “I Thought About Killing You.” This is when Kanye reveals that all males under the age of two are killed due to King Herod’s command. Meanwhile, Mary and Joseph flee to Egypt with baby Jesus in hand by the instruction of an angel, who has yet again appeared through the bushes with its sprawling wings. Joseph and Mary return to Nazareth and the children are lifting and lowering themselves around the two using unbelievable core strength. The movement of their bodies are like waves underneath Joseph and Mary and it is fascinating how such little choreography can be so impactful. The choir rejoices by belting the Hallelujah section from “Selah” and they get more and more powerful with each repetition until they are suddenly hushed into a whisper. This brings the music back to the same ominous singing from the beginning of the opera. It is here that the cast all walk to the front of the stage and take their well deserved bows while the crowd gives them a standing ovation. Only Kanye West can create an opera and announce its performance less than a week in advance and have it come together so well. The opera was relatively minimal with the focus on the spectacular choir that helped unfold the story of Mary on the center stage. Kanye is yet to announce any further operas, but with rumors of Jesus Is King II and weekly Sunday Service performances, it does not look like Kanye is slowing down any time soon. Who would have ever thought that the artist who made Yeezus would delve into making a selfless gospel operaa about the New Testament? There is no way to tell what Kanye has in store for us next. • Sofia Maricevic (Finance and Marketing)

QUIET NOTES FOR LOUD TIMES

Designer: Sadhana Pakala (Business Administration and Design)

I like to occasionally joke that the only reason the Tastemakers staff keeps me around is to have someone write threepage pieces about punk, metal, or politics, and often some combination of all three. However, I rarely mind this (mostly selfimposed) pigeonholing, as truly those genres really are my favorite to play and listen to. The sheer catharsis that can come from chugging distorted guitars or an absolutely addictive riff is unrivaled, and for me, few other kinds of music are nearly as fun to listen to. But lately, I decided to change my listening habits and move into a new genre: jazz. But this decision didn’t come from boredom or changing tastes, it came from the hectic nature of life. Without going into excessive (and divisive) detail, we live in tiring times. As individual students, of course, we’re trying to stay on top of classes, hold down internships, pay too much rent, and scrape together enough cash for a packet of Maruchan ramen. But beyond that, in general, it’s easy to say that it feels like the world is burning. Nervous jokes about a third World War are common, the climate is turning right before

our eyes, politics the world over are shifting towards authoritarianism, and to some extent we are all growing more isolated even as the Internet supposedly brings us together. Living in this world of ours is loud, frenetic, and tiring. What role is music supposed to serve in a life like this? Escapism, or maybe merely a tool for parties and distraction? Quite frankly, I’m not sure. What I can say definitively is that being in such a worn-down state is not exactly conducive to listening to high intensity music full of power chords and double-kick drums. This was the feeling I started to grapple with throughout November and was almost entirely tired of metal by the time the semester was winding down. But I couldn’t just stop listening to music, of course. So, what was I going to start listening to? After some thought, I set a resolution for myself: I was going to get into jazz and become an insufferable aficionado, one way or another. My thinking was that at first glance, jazz is the polar opposite of everything I’d been listening to previously: usually unamplified, few electric instruments, slower tempos, and a generally quieter sound. I imagined that it would be just what I needed, a bit of a musical 23

Editorial Spring 2020

sabbatical of sorts, to jog me out of a rut. To a certain extent, that was accurate, but I quickly found that my conception of jazz as a genre was largely limited to elevator-style mood setter. It’s a bit silly, but true: jazz contains multitudes. In starting out my jazz education, I largely stuck to various Spotifymade playlists full of very chill, piano-heavy tracks, full of artists like Peter Sandberg or Seth William. The sound of this kind of jazz is very evocative of rainy days or 1940s noir thrillers, nice to listen to but not exactly something that grabs your attention and demands focus. This met more or less what I was expecting, and quite frankly, I was a bit bored. So, I decided to do my research, and started seeking out lists and reviews of the supposed “greatest jazz albums of all time,” or the artists that were the most influential. It’s an odd experience, starting out with a genre from square one, without a clear frame of reference, especially one with as much evolution and as many subgenres as jazz has. Often, we’re introduced to our favorite genres when we are young, when friends or family put an album on and say, “listen to this, it’s good,” and our tastes are shaped from there. I completely lacked that with jazz, beyond vaguely knowing the names of a few “greats” like Miles Davis and John Coltrane. So, using that limited knowledge and a bit of research, I started my exploration of jazz. Miles Davis was one of my initial jumping off points, and an interesting first choice. Some of his albums sound merely (and to no fault) like a more masterful evolution of the “elevator” jazz I mentioned earlier. Albums

like Kind of Blue and ’Round About Midnight are evocative and complicated, but still slower and the instrumentation is kept largely to trumpet, piano, and light-handed drums. But jump ahead to 1969’s In A Silent Way and the listening experience completely changes. The two tracks on the album are each a side long and are far more jarring and driving than his previous work. Cymbals crash to a galloping rhythm, while electric organ punctuates the trumpet’s melody with a off-kilter harmony. Davis’ later works were a surprising introduction to a fact that I hadn’t entirely considered: jazz can be far from the relaxing ambiance music I initially figured I was getting myself into. In some ways, this can come from blending with other genres, but sometimes it can be distinctly violent and abrasive all on its own. The early jazz fusion of Herbie Hancock’s Head Hunters, with its acidic synth basslines and ranging world music influences is a far cry from the contemporary easy-listening

jazz playlists I had initially stumbled into. All sorts of acts pushed jazz in this more electric direction, such as Weather Report and Jaco Pastourious, with there being a whole modern crop of very bombastic fusion groups like Snarky Puppy that are miles away from the restrained creativity of the jazz trios and quartets of the 20th century. To refocus onto my initial ennui that I had been feeling recently and seeking a more restrained sound to soundtrack my days, I discovered that jazz is a genre that has a distinct sense of place about it. I’ll frame it this way: when you think of country music, you likely think of driving a pickup around some dirt roads, “going mudding” with the boys, and having a Miller Lite. If one was to listen to country music while riding a bicycle through bustling New York City, I imagine that it would just feel a little wrong. Meanwhile, jazz is a genre that was created largely in cities, and the feelings it evokes still connect on a very immediate level with urban life. I was struck by this thought as I was riding the Orange Line, the train crashing around me as we sped along, screeches piercing the air whenever we approached a corner. Any other kind of music would have been a layer on top of this

cacophony, a pop jam or a metal headbanger cranked up to cover the distractions around the listener. But listening to jazz, it all just seemed to fit. As the drums galloped along erratically, at what felt like the speed of the train, the piano would come crashing into complex chords, punctuating each bump with a different colorful sound. When walking the streets home at night, I no longer crank up some old thrash metal and attempt to forget my surroundings. Instead, an album like The Blues and The Abstract Truth by Oliver Nelson dances at the edges of my attention, too erratic for me to completely follow, as I instead look around with more of a curiosity at the city around me. I am encouraged to actually recognize the shopfronts I pass by, the couple that is always walking their baby in a stroller, the one commuter who always seems to be in a rush past me. I can see how and where the neighborhoods change, the slight shifts between one area and another, as the sections in “Stolen Moments” seem to morph and evolve. Life isn’t experienced in verses and choruses. It’s not consistent and you can’t expect what will come at you next. I think part of why many people dislike jazz is because we’re all seeking out that order to an extent, even in music. But if jazz has “taught” me anything, it’s that there’s a distinct freedom in all those surprises too.

■ Bryan Grady (Political Science)

Show Reviews Atmosphere House of Blues 1.21.20 Reviews

For as long as I can remember, my dad and I have been listening to Atmosphere. The rapper-producer duo, comprised of Slug, the rapping half of the group, and Ant, established themselves in my hometown of Minneapolis and have developed an omnipresent influence on the local music scene. My dad even remembers Slug eagerly inviting him to his show while working the cash register at a record store in the late 90’s. Since then, they’ve steadily built a local and national audience, following their 1997 debut with 9 full-length albums and 9 EPs, including 1 EP and 3 albums since 2016. At 47, Slug is one of the most prolific rappers remaining from the early 2000’s and his age has begun to show in his music. While he once aggressively rapped about his early life, Slug now delivers softer, introspective lyrics that reflect on his experiences with fatherhood and love. The shift may attract older fans, but it has made his music less dynamic and resulted in some questionable lines. Atmosphere’s most recent album, Whenever, released in late 2019, takes this newfound direction to a new level featuring

lyrics like, “Then I find the other kids and give ‘em all high fives / Say good mornin’ to my wife, it’s a glorious life, right?” As the seventh stop on the “Whenever Tour,” Atmosphere’s show at House of Blues was very well-attended. I had expected the venue to be at little over half-capacity, with a sparse crowd made up primarily of middleaged white dads (possibly because that’s who introduced me to their music). Instead, the floor was packed with a sizable number of young adults alongside the expected middle-aged white dads. Slug took the stage dressed like a dad in the audience, in a black coat, hoodie, hat, and gloves. He and Ant were greeted with raucous applause as Slug hung up his coat, Ant stepped behind his sound equipment, and they began the set with their new single “Bde Maka Ska.” Slug’s voice was clearly hoarse when he spoke to the crowd and he had to pause to catch his breath between many of the tracks, but his delivery was still sharp and entertaining. When he didn’t have the lung capacity to finish a tongue-twisting line, Slug would ad-lib a rhyme about Boston or the

House of Blues, flexing his well-practiced live skills. Ant was hard at work himself, mixing smooth transitions between the songs, and even integrating a sample from Grandmaster Flash’s “The Message” into the end of the Atmosphere song “The Best Day.” The duo were locked into their performances, and their extensive experience was obvious. The majority of the setlist was made up of songs from the more recent Atmosphere albums, so there were many lyrics about being a dad. Even while Slug rapped about stepping on legos or feeding his cat, he maintained the hard-hitting delivery and infectious charisma that he’s developed over the past two decades. While it may not have been the songs that a younger fan like myself wanted to hear, the older fans were clearly enjoying the set, and it was clear that the dad raps were being appreciated by who they were made for. Seeing Slug on stage just felt right, and despite his age, he is undoubtedly still an excellent performer.

Ride” and “Prom Night,” but there nonetheless seemed to be something missing. The group’s promise of an album release suggested that their upcoming shows would be fully cohesive with new releases tying together their EP and singles into a polished performance. As their set started with the powerful “Indiana,” everyone in the packed Paradise Rock Club immediately forgot about the frigid weather and was immersed in the sizzling energy of their indie funk melodies. With the recently rebranded “MCH” logo standing 4 feet tall behind them, a colorful array of

yellows, pinks, and turquoise lights, and lead singer Robby Hunter’s raspy, persuading vocals, Modern Animal was already a far more impressive production than their previous tour. The following, even more iconic track, “Franny,” inundated the crowd with another wave of vivid instrumental composition and sultry lyrics. After these energetic bops, the band followed with a few mellow tracks from the album, and the addition of their 2015 EP Hippie Castle tied their older and newer sounds together, calming the atmosphere with groovy vibes. The following “Bull Ride”

Desmond LaFave (Journalism and Media and Screen Studies)

Magic City Hippies Paradise Rock Club 1.17.20

Spring 2020

My first time seeing Magic City Hippies in concert was in November of 2017. In what was basically a 250-maximum capacity sound-treated basement, the band’s short setlist seemed incomplete, composed of their 2015 EP Hippie Castle along with an assortment of singles and a few songs from their previous name as the Robby Hunter Band. The show, housed in such an intimate environment, was undeniably compelling with their mashup of the smooth, lingering melodies of “Limestone” and “Four of a Kind” accompanied by ripping guitar solos in “Bull

reinvigorated the crowd—the final jawdropping guitar riff melded flawlessly with the far slower “Four of a Kind.” After the following “¿Qué Pasó?,” we were left still anticipating the half of Modern Animal which had yet to be played, but as soon as the kaleidoscopic intro of “Modern Animal” began, everyone in Paradise finally got to hear the title track live. After three more songs from the album, the band’s most popular track, “Fanfare,” was played. Finally, the anticipated encore

featuring “Hush” and “Body Like a Weapon” perfectly ended the night. The show was marked with the setlist’s compositional balance. While the group’s virality first arose through delicate psychedelic rock symphonies of “Fanfare” and “Limestone,” their accompaniment with the intense “Indiana” and “Bull Ride” rounded out their multidimensional show. The crowd was able to both relax and, as said by lead singer Robby Hunter, leave behind the troubles of

our everyday lives and party with Magic City Hippies. Modern Animal was designed to be played live, and the group’s iconic indie funk tunes electrified the room like no other show I have been to. Ethan Matthews (Architecture)

sorrow, and everything in between. Every poem was intimate and intense, recounting their most magical and miserable encounters with love so illustriously you couldn’t help but invest yourself in every single word coming out of their mouth. Gibson’s delivery was immaculate the entire night, so effortlessly transitioning from candid banter to pure passion and poise. The night’s performance was given another dimension thanks to the wonderful Lara Ruggles, whose soft keys and vocals were the perfecting pairing to Gibson’s fiery articulation. For the majority of the poems, Ruggles played the keys in line with the tempo of Gibson’s delivery, starting faintly before building up to a powerful yet subtle cadence, the two rising together to crescendo after crescendo. Ruggles was also given the spotlight a few times during the show to croon away, reciting lyrics written by both herself and Gibson, giving the poems a new sense of depth. While many tears were shed by the audience throughout the night, Gibson’s success was in their masterful balancing act of emotions. All of the poems shared were complex and nuanced, each providing

a unique, diverse palette of sentiments and sensations. Gibson’s genius also extended to their comic relief, tossing in quotables like “I cry more than most people pee” and “this show will teach you how to buy dildos at church yard-sales” (I can only confirm the truth of the latter statement). By the end of the show, Gibson had conjured up and conveyed enough emotions for five lifetimes, and the faces of those in the crowd following the show reflected this. Beyond Gibson’s success as an orator, their ability to create an atmosphere so welcoming and understanding of the myriad identities present in the audience was tangible, making the performance a truly special one.

Andrea Gibson City Winery 2.10.20 Poet and activist Andrea Gibson started their “Right Now, I Love You Forever” tour right here in Boston, hosted at the classy City Winery in the North End. Gibson has been increasingly recognized for their talent and impact on LGBTQ+ justice and awareness over the past two decades, bringing a personal, unapologetic perspective to struggles that have been largely underrepresented. While much of Gibson’s work consists of fierce political commentary, this tour, as the title suggests, is focused on all things love. However, as Gibson identifies as non-binary (and uses they/them/ theirs pronouns), even their love has been politicized. Illuminated by two incandescent light bulbs, Gibson took the stage alongside keyboardist and vocalist Lara Ruggles, and the crowd, full of candles and couples, welcomed them with a roaring applause. This applause fell swiftly into a hush of respect and anticipation — or maybe it was a moment of mental preparation, for Gibson was about to tug at the heart strings of each and every audience member. Over the next hour and a half, Gibson told stories of beauty and pain, joy and

Miles Kirsch (Bioengineering)

Designer: Megan Lam (Architecture)

Interview

This interview has been edited for clarity. Tastemakers Magazine (TMM): It’s only the 7th show, but how has the tour been going so far?

TMM: Your genre is hard to define. You’ve said that you’re like a subcategory of indie funk, but what are some specific inspirations that have shaped your sound?

Robby Hunter (RH): Fucking awesome. John Coughlin (JC): It’s been great, we sold out a bunch of awesome shows and the ones that didn’t were super lit. We just played NY last night; that’s my favorite place to play. TMM: Sold out, right? Pat Howard (PH): That’s the most people we’ve played for, so it was great. TMM: A lot of fans who have known you for a long time knew you first as the Robby Hunter Band before you changed the name to Magic City Hippies in 2015. What is the backstory behind the name change?

JC: Chilli Peppers, especially like Blood Sugar Sex Magik, the funkier side of them. PH: And funky rap, but Robby is not a rapper by any means. Beck does that style really well; I think there are also traces of Tame Impala inspirations in the production of it with the big blown out drums and everything, but hip-hop inspires Robby when he’s writing. RH: I love Anderson.Paak and Kendrick… that’s what I’m listening to right now but I was really into Frank Ocean when I was writing our previous record. JC: We’re three white dudes with guitars, so we point the music in the direction of indie rock by default. We all love The Strokes.

RH: It was totally random. JC: Random name generator.

Spring 2020

RH: We listen to a lot of Mac Miller which has been influencing some new music we are working on.

PH: This is Robby Hunter, and we were the Robby Hunter Band. I remember saying, “Robby, it’s fine! Let’s just be Robby Hunter and we’ll just all work on the music” and he was like, “No, we’re a band! Fuck the Robby Hunter Band!”

PH: The record “Swimming” was incredible. We have it on repeat.

JC: We were playing live a lot, so it was weird to just keep presenting us as the Robby Hunter Band.

JC: I really like “Body Like a Weapon,” but I really like all of them haha. On the new record, I really like “Modern Animal;” I think it’s a song

TMM: If each of you had to pick a favorite track you’ve released, what would it be?

that can stand on its own. It hits all the sweet spots for what indie funk is with these bass-slapping moments, chicken scratch guitar, and funky synths, but it also has a cinematic quality too. RH: It’s 4 minutes 20 seconds, haha. PH: On the Robby Hunter Band record, we have this song called “Running with Wolves” which is probably my favorite; the way it came together, it was supposed to be a random little 30 second outro, but then it evolved and was the first time we collaborated with EMEFE. I never thought we could make something that sounded like that… it just had this big vicious and funky vibe.

RH: We want to develop an app too. JC: Yeah, develop an app and start a clothing line haha. We’re also registering voters on tour with HeadCount because it is really important to go out and vote!! TMM: Alright, thank you guys so much for speaking with me. I really appreciate it! • Ethan Matthews (Architecture) and Max Rubenstein (Marketing)

JC: We sent them a demo in the headspace that we were never going to finish the song, but they sent us back a fucking incredible track. PH: This kinda tee’d them up... they were a lot more involved with our EP too. Their horns are on “Four of a Kind,” and even though that’s one of the least well-known songs of ours, it’s definitely my favorite. RH: John already said “Modern Animal,” so I’ll go with “TYA Interlude.” JC: I really like “Heart Wants;” it’s a fucking jam. That song starts and the way the cymbals break up just enough, it’s perfect. RH: In my iTunes somewhere, there’s a million versions of a bunch of different intros I was trying to make sound like the Beach Boys that I really love too. JC: I like the guitar solo on “Indiana.” That was a real brain trust between all three of us. That’s how we make our music. None of us can play the drums like that, but for the most part, the record is made by whoever can write the best part and nail it on the studio. RH: It’s like a Frankenstein. I took one of my licks and flipped it over, and then someone threw something else down. It reminds me of the last track on Abbey Road where all three guitar players take solos and they trade off. It’s like that put into a blender and you don’t know who is who and what’s going on, but you know we are all represented. RH: I think it’s cool because somehow we take a song on the record that we have no idea how to play live and morph it into trading solos and improvising. It’s really cool. TMM: What’s next for you guys after tour? RH: Recording and more shows. JC: We’re already working on new tracks that’ll be coming out soon, but it is nice having the record out and to be going on this big tour because we get to open up our minds in other directions, like making videos. We’ll definitely be hitting the road a lot more soon. I’m sure there will be a lot of shows coming up that are unannounced.

Local Photos

Michael Kiwanuka, Royale

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Ralph, Great Scott

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Ron Pope, Sinclair

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Berhana, Great American Music Hall

Photo by Gabrielle Whittle (Mechanical Engineering)

Spencer, Royale

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Butch Baby, Great Scott

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Twin Peaks, Sinclair

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Cautious Clay, Paradise Rock Club

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Interview

On the eve of the release of her new single “Field Recordings,” Tastemakers writer Kaitlin Kerr sat down with local artist, Eph See. When she’s not on stage performing contemporary pop R&B, Felisha Cabral is a devoted member of the N’oreasters, the songwriting club, and a Music Industry & Communications major. This interview has been edited slightly for clarity Tastemakers (TMM): Would you mind telling me a bit more about the name “Eph See”? What does it mean? Why’d you choose it? EPH SEE: Yeah! People don’t really understand that it’s my initials until they say it out loud! My government name is Felisha Cabral...so it’s F space C...EPH SEE! When I was a kid I was so weird, but I love to spell letters, but the rule was I couldn’t use the letter when I was spelling it. So I couldn’t just spell the letter “F” as “F” ‘cause that’s too easy. But you do E-P-H ‘cause it has the same phonetic sound. When I was trying to decide, when I was releasing my first song, if I would go with my real name or try to make a stage name, I remember thinking of that. And it works pretty well. It’s really searchable. You know, search engine optimization, learning that in my marketing class, I love that. TMM: Where are you from originally? Designer: Nicholas Alonzo (Architecture)

EPH SEE: Dorchester, so I’m local!

TMM: I heard that you were also involved in a song writing club on campus. Could you tell me a little bit more about that, and how it’s influenced how you write songs on your own? EPH SEE: I joined a songwriting club the spring of my freshman year. I started going and it was just so cool because it was just a space for any and everyone, even if they’re not like music majors, to just go and share their music and help people become better writers. At the songwriting club, they release a prompt every week, so I try my best to write at least a song a week. The club has been a spark of inspiration to keep myself motivated. The first song I shared at the songwriting club was actually my new release “Field Recordings.”

TMM: What do you think of the Boston music scene? EPH SEE: Boston is definitely a music hub -- we have so many venues, it’s usually a city that artists wouldn’t skip on a tour, Berkeley college of music is here, and we have the Boston Music Awards! We’re really proud of the talent that comes out of our little city. But a lot of the time the scene is centered around rock bands or alternative music or rap. There’s not a lot going on in the R&B or contemporary pop scene, which is definitely something that I’m trying to build at Northeastern. TMM: Could you tell me a little bit why you started making music? EPH SEE: So music has always been a really big part of my life. Culturally, because I had a lot of family members, uncles who were making music in my native language, Portuguese. When I was younger, I would do choir and I did musical theater in high school and now I’m a music industry major. Like it’s always been something that’s been a big part of my life. I played my first full original song for my school at an open mic, and it was so well received. Like, people actually enjoyed what I wrote! It was just the best feeling.

Spring 2020

EPH SEE: Being in the Nor’easters has taught me how to sing so much. A capella singing is so different than every other kind of thing I’ve done before. Like in choir, you don’t really learn about blend or vowel shape or the importance of everyone being keyed in on what everyone else is doing. It’s just a different type of singing! I’ve gotten to know my voice a lot better as well. People are always challenging you in rehearsal like to hit that next note and to push yourself. So that’s definitely helped me learn how to sing better and then perform better as well.

TMM: So you mentioned that you are a part of musical theater as well as a capella. How do you think that your music with those different groups has affected your solo work?

TMM: Would you mind telling us a little bit more about “Field Recordings”? EPH SEE: Oh my God, the storyline is just so embarrassing. It started about this painter dude, like, you know, when you first meet someone and you’re giggly, and you start thinking like, “Oh, this could be so great.” It’s about that infatuation phase -- naivete at it’s finest! But then the song just evolved into being less about him and more about that kind of feeling. It’s about celebrating that feeling rather than viewing it childlike, or a weakness, or a lack of intelligence. There’s power in loving that hard. TMM: I absolutely love your Instagram presence, and your sense of fashion. It’s like nineties, but make it 2020 — I have to ask, if you had to personify your single “Contact” into an article of clothing, what would it be? EPH SEE: Oh man, that’s hard. Okay. So the vibe was definitely something like glamorous but also mysterious. Definitely chic with a color scheme of blue and yellow. It’s like, do you know those dresses where it’s like spaghetti strap and like a slip material with a little bit of bodycon? Something that an Instagram baddie would wear, but not in like a cringe way. Something that would definitely show up on Depop. • Kaitlin Kerr (English)

F O S R A E 50 Y

POWER POP

Badfinger

R.E.M.

Power pop is an energetic form of pop rock that rebels against pretension with catchy melodies and clever songwriting. It’s a genre of happy songs undercut by feelings of longing and alienation. In a way that only music for the masses by the outsiders can be, power pop just feels authentic, and that authenticity is what has let the genre survive with very little changing over the last half a century. No other genre finds the same balance of idiosyncratic and relatable songwriting with hooks and riffs catchy enough to top the charts. From onehit wonders to forgotten gems to legendary discographies, the history of power pop tells the story of some of the most talented songwriters music has known. After all, it’s one thing to make a good song, and another to make it catchy, but power pop relies on both. Lead singer of The Who, Pete Townsend, coined the term “power pop” in 1967 to describe the group’s upcoming single, “Pictures Of Lily,” a Beatles-esque mod-pop tune. But while The Who were undoubtedly a huge influence on early power pop bands, their music doesn’t quite fit in the modern definition of the genre. The world would have to wait until 1970 for the first true power pop songs. In November of that year, Badfinger released their single “No Matter What” on The Beatles’ Apple Records. The song’s loud power

chords and pop melodies made it irresistible, surging into the top 10 in both the UK and US. Badfinger wasn’t doing anything new, and in fact much of their sound is indebted to Beatles’ hits like “Paperback Writer,” but the song’s success opened the doors for power pop to become a mainstream mainstay. Despite Badfinger opening the door in 1970, many still refer to year zero of power pop being 1972. That was the year Todd Rundgren released Something / Anything? and the Raspberries’ released their self-titled album, two pivotal releases that pioneered the sound and songwriting style of the genre. The Raspberries’ “Go All The Way,” which peaked at #5, was an unabashed pop tune with seamless hooks and melodies as well as timeless guitar work. Songs like “Go All The Way” and Rundgren’s “Couldn’t I Just Tell You” opened the floodgates for power pop to rise throughout the decade. The early 1970s also saw the rise of power pop’s most influential band, cult-favorites Big Star. Though they saw absurd levels of label mismanagement and thus only had limited commercial popularity, Big Star was one of the most critically adored bands of the 70s. Their debut #1 Record is a certified classic that would be a main influence for some of the 80s more popular power pop-adjacent bands. The songwriting duo Alex Chilton and Chris Bell

were intentionally modelled on the example of Lennon and McCartney. Their songs employed a teenage semi-innocence, writing about first loves and small-town boredom with an almost pessimistic perspective. “Thirteen” endearingly asks “Would you be an outlaw for my love? / If it’s so, well, let me know / If it’s ‘no,’ well, I can go / I won’t make you.” This kind of outcast songwriting became a signature of power pop and now defines its addictive relatability. Big Star released two more critically adored albums in the next few years, Radio City and 3rd, but Chris Bell tragically died in a car crash after 3rd cutting the band’s career short. But it was not without inspiring a whole wave of bands that would start appearing over the course of the next decade. As The Replacements’ ode to the band, “Alex Chilton,” says “children by the million sing for Alex Chilton… I never travel far without a little Big Star.” After fairly modest beginnings, the late 70s was where power pop really took off commericaly. Cheap Trick were the first, and really only, band to take power pop to the arena level, doing so in the oddest way possible. After releasing two albums, 1977’s Cheap Trick and In Color, the band failed to chart in the US. However, in Japan, they were met with a frenzy. They recorded two live shows played at the Nippon Budokan and 37

one of the most fun pop songs in history, but also continued the genre’s trend of one-hit wonders. The song was also not particularly indicative of the future of power pop, which trended more underground. Bands like The Replacements and R.E.M. were combining the influences of alternative rock and Big Star into a new sound that would dominate the 90s. R.E.M.’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It (And I Feel Fine)” would be a better indicator, despite only reaching No. 69 on the charts. It’s semi-absurdist lyrics fly by in a “Subterranean Homesick Blues” blur reminiscent of the frankly strange lyrical directions 90s bands would take. As the decade turned and college rock was on the rise, power pop again started to rise back to mainstream popularity. Matthew Sweet started off the upswing with his 1991 album Girlfriend, with minor hits “Girlfriend” and “I’ve Been Waiting” that delivered sweet songs about being in love. Both music videos, but especially “Girlfriend,” were popular on MTV for their unique use of anime clips. Later that same year, Scotish band Teenage Fanclub released Bandwagonesque to almost immediate critical acclaim. The single “Star Sign” reached number 4 on the modern rock charts in the US along with lesser hits “What You Do to Me” and “The Concept,” but the band never quite caught on in the US. They did prove influential, with artists like Ben Gibbard of Death Cab for Cutie proclaiming his love for the album, and were famously called “the second best band in the world” by Liam Gallagher of Oasis. Seattle band, The Posies, achieved similar success in 1993 with the

Speing 2020

The Replacements

Raspberries

Feature 38

compiled them into the live album At Budokan, which was intended to only be released in Japan, but after being rereleased in the States in 1979, launched Cheap Trick into stardom. The live version of “I Want You to Want Me,” originally released on In Color, reached No. 7 on the Billboard Hot 100 and the album would eventually go triple platinum. The rise of Cheap Trick coincided with the success of The Knack’s “My Sharona” in 1979. Easily the biggest hit of the genre, “My Sharona” topped the charts for six weeks. The song followed the power pop formula to a tee with punchy drums, fun guitar licks, and an absolute earworm hook. At the same time, another onehit wonder Nick Lowe’s “Cruel to Be Kind” was also rising the chart with its perfect simplicity. In contrast to that short-lived success, The Cars and Blondie were setting themselves up for careers beyond the reaches of power pop with new wave crossover hits “Just What I Needed” and “One Way Or Another.” The success of the 70s was not to last however, as the 80s would be a very slow period in terms of major releases. Some credit the ubiquitous airplay of “My Sharona” with spawning popular backlash against The Knack, and in turn, power pop as a whole. Others say the genre was overshadowed by the rise of a number of other genres with similarly big hooks, such as new wave, glam, and even punk. Either way, it was clear that the genre’s commercial peak was over. The one hit of the decade was the 1985 classic “Walking on Sunshine” by Katrina and the Waves, which peaked in the top 10. Its saccharine positivity, earworm hook, and genius bridge make it

Big Star

a few songs crossing over, but with college rock in decline and Weezer not quite seeing the same success, nothing was hitting the charts. But then in 2003, a 90s band came back. Fountains of Wayne released their album Welcome Interstate Managers in 2003 with the single that has become perhaps the most well known power pop song to date “Stacy’s Mom.” The instrumental is straight up power pop, drawing directly from The Cars with an intro guitar riff Ric Ocasek thought was actually a sample of “Just What I Needed,” but the lyrics find themselves detouring into a weirdly specific story about a teenager in love with his girlfriend’s single mother. It is decidedly kind of an odd thing for an adult to write a song about, but it was just the right mixture of innocent and sexy to be a hit. The music video was also hugely popular and featured endless references to The Cars. The song also opened the door for Weezer’s 2005 hit “Beverly Hills,” which quickly became their most popular song, but also caused fans to call sell-out due to the song’s less than profound lyrics. Still, Weezer kept true to being losers with lyrics like “I didn’t go to boarding schools. Preppy girls never looked at me” and “I’m just a no-class, beat-down fool and I will always be that way.” The 2010s have seen power pop relegated to a more indie audience. Of course there have been exceptions, like Paramore’s foray into the genre with their self-titled 2013 album, or Weezer’s surprising return to form on their 2016 White Album, but it seems unlikely there will be another

“Stacy’s Mom” or “My Sharona.” Interestingly, there’s been a huge rise in female-fronted power pop, especially in the latter half of the decade. Bands like Crying, Dude York, Diet Cig, The Beths, and more have become leaders in a new brand of twee inspired power pop. Also a special shoutout goes to Tastemakers Presents alumni Charly Bliss who are absolutely leading the way. Singer Eva Hendrick’s signature squeaky voice and lyrics filled with the same absurdity of a great Fountains of Wayne song combine with blistering Weezer-y guitars for absolutely addicting bubble-grunge. On the other side of things, critical darlings like Car Seat Headrest and Jeff Rosenstock take obvious influence from power pop bands into less pop-focussed songwriting to fantastic results. Whether it’s Elvis Costello’s upbeat jam about a woman with Alzheimer’s, “Veronica,” Fountains of Wayne’s only slightly creepy fetishization “Stacy’s Mom,” or the bottled joy of “Walking on Sunshine,” good power pop always sticks with you. And when you hear the song again, it’s like getting hit by a wave of ebullient nostalgia. It’s hard to say if power pop will stick around for the next half a century, but it is beyond clear that the genre has made its mark while it’s here. So although “children by the million” no longer sing for Alex Chilton, or even Rivers Cuomo, serious music listeners should “never travel far without a little Big Star.”

Designer: Verena Calista Irawan (Graphic Design)

single “Dream All Day” from Frosting On The Beater. The band had previously charted with the song “Golden Blunders” from 1990’s Dear 23, but achieved much more airplay for the later album. Their idiosyncratic songwriting and delicate vocal harmonies reminded many of their heroes, Big Star, garnering them acclaim and some mild success. Lead members Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow, who later played with R.E.M., even joined Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens to reform Big Star that same year. In 1994, Weezer released their first selftitled Blue Album. Recorded with Rick Ocasek of The Cars, the Blue Album combined an alternative rock and emo edge with decidedly sugary power pop guitars and hooks. Much of the album is written from the same loser perspective as so many of their predecessors and was immediately successful. Singles “Undone - The Sweater Song” and “Buddy Holly” became instant hits on MTV for their iconic music videos. The acclaim was shortlived though, as the next album Pinkerton was not well liked and bassist Matt Sharp would leave to focus on his own power pop band the Rentals. Still, Weezer set themselves up as the largest and most influential of the new wave of power pop bands with enough momentum to carry them into the new millennium. After the success of the 90s, power pop once again went slightly dormant around the turn of the century. Less popular bands like The New Pornographers, Ozma, and Caviar were still making great music with

• Grant Foskett (Computer Science) 39

Album Reviews Halsey Manic

Released January 17th, 2020 Label Capitol Genre Pop Tasty Tracks “3am,” “I HATE EVERYBODY,” “929”

Reviews Spring 2020

In Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, Clementine says, “I’m just a fucked up girl who’s lookin’ for my own peace of mind. Don’t assign me yours.” The same quote opens Halsey’s Manic and sets the tone for a brutally truthful album. No longer is Halsey hiding behind a storyline like dystopian future, Badlands, or Romeo and Juliet inspired, Hopeless Fountain Kingdom, this time it’s just about Ashley. Throughout Manic, Halsey gracefully straddles the line of preachy pop star and angsty millennial, a combination that she has yet to hit this perfectly. Halsey’s songwriting has never been better or more personal. Instead of sounding like a bratty celebrity complaining about how difficult stardom is, Halsey is insightful and raw. Take the shout out to young people on “Ashley,” “And I don’t wanna be somebody in America / Just fighting the hysteria,” or the daydreamy reality check on “I HATE EVERYBODY,” “And I know that it’s unfair of me to make a memory out of a feeling.” The latter of which is an ironic grand revenge plot against those that have done her wrong. “929” becomes Halsey’s stream of consciousness: loneliness, growing up, fans, and harsh realities (“Because nobody loves you, they just try to fuck you / Then put you on a feature on the B-Side”). Like all of Halsey’s past albums, Manic is a cohesive project. Despite this album being void of any strict storytelling, the samples throughout make listening to the record from top to bottom a must. The Jennifer’s Body quote, “You’re killing people / No I’m killing boys” is an intelligent start to pop standout, “killing boys.” The cohesiveness of the record continues with the uniquely placed interludes, the best of which is Dominic Fike’s where he begs Halsey to give up on this cheater that she spends 16 tracks complaining about. BTS’ Suga also brings a new flavor to Manic with sensual, whispery rap. Unfortunately

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5 4 3 2 1 Alanis Morrissette’s interlude is wasted with cringey same-sex love lyrics clearly aimed only for shock value (“your pussy is a wonderland”). The most impressive turn Halsey takes on this new project is the variety of sound she plays with: South Korean rap, rock, emo, pop, and country. Halsey’s younger years were rooted in Tumblr and emo bands which finally made an appearance in her own music. “Forever … (is a long time)” builds to an epic guitar break that has the power to stand up next to legendary emo group My Chemical Romance, while “clementine’s” angsty scream like vocals are set against a delicate melody. More rockier influences are found on the self hating “3am,” one of the catchier tracks on Manic with a singtalk chorus. Although the biggest musical risk Halsey takes is on country-pop single, “You should be sad” whose off kilter beat becomes distracting and unnecessary. It’s unclear whether you should be crying or dancing to the single - or rather if you should be doing both. Manic is Halsey’s most commercial

work to date, which is interesting considering it is also her most truthful record. Those who enjoy the creative fantasy worlds that have enveloped most of Halsey’s career may be disappointed at the shallowness of Manic. Halsey’s turn toward a more radio friendly sound is not surprising considering her massive hit, “Without Me.” However, while Manic sonically may be lacking in forward thinking, it sure as hell makes up for it in a damn good pop record.

Emma Turney (Communications)

Mac Miller Circles

Released January 17, 2020 Label Warner Records Genre Hip-Hop/Rap Tasty Tracks “Circles,” “Good News,” “That’s On Me”

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6 5 4 3 2 1 (especially in hip-hop), the lyrical content is more often repetitive and abstract than profound. Circles, like Swimming, is full of clichés: taking it day-by-day, falling and rising and falling again, and the endlessness of his struggles, which altogether provide little additional depth to Miller’s welldocumented struggles with depression, relationships, and addiction. Miller does switch it up when it comes to his style and delivery on Circles, almost entirely abandoning his signature clever wordplay in favor of a more melodic approach. Miller’s departure from his former high-energy, care-free self goes well beyond a more deliberate tone — in fact, it’s a stretch to call Circles a hip-hop album at all. Circles has more elements of pop and R&B than any of his past releases, and along with this transition has come laudable maturity and self-awareness. However, the transition wasn’t a flawless one. Miller’s lackadaisical, monotone delivery is flat and drawn-out at times, most noticeable during the bland verses on “Complicated.” Miller’s vocals may feel dull on some tracks, but there are few boring moments on Circles thanks to the lush production courtesy of Jon Brion. Brion succeeds greatly in bringing Miller’s lyrics to life, wrapping his words in a variety of dreamy, funky blankets. Some cohesiveness is sacrificed in the process, but the diversity of the instrumentals on Circles — from the blissful synths on “I Can See” to the chopped vocals and chimes on “Hands” —

makes for an exciting listen time and time again. When asked about the process, Brion often shifts the spotlight back to Miller: both are multi-instrumentalists, and several of the tracks’ arrangements were mostly played by Miller himself. In this way, Brion’s work on Circles was more than that of a traditional producer; he was also a coach to Miller, pushing him out of his comfort zone and bringing out his genius. Circles is yet another testament to the inspiring evolution of Miller, who started his career as a hyperactive, lighthearted teenager and matured into a model of self-reflection and self-improvement, both personally and musically. Miller was still fine-tuning and experimenting with his style on Circles, and growing pains are noticeable, but the stellar production and impressive sonic variety shows that the risk was wellworth taking. The late artist’s introspection on the album may not be particularly insightful, but it’s always heartfelt, and is likely to be welcomed by those seeking closure — the album is ideal as a final farewell. But despite all of the allusions to death on Circles, Miller wasn’t saying goodbye or asking for help. Rather, he was stating his acceptance of it all, bliss and grief, love and pain, as his lines on the selftitled track convey, “I cannot be changed, no / Trust me, I’ve tried / I just end up right at the start of the line / Drawin’ circles.” Rest easy, Mac.

Designer: Jessica Brown (Graphic Design)

Two days before what would have been Mac Miller’s 28th birthday, Miller’s estate released Circles, the sixth studio album of the prolific Pittsburgh-born rapper. Circles was intended to be a companion album to Swimming, the last album Miller released during his life, the two together conceptualizing “swimming in circles.” Miller was well into the recording process for Circles before his death in September 2018, and the task of completing the project was taken on by Jon Brion, an established film score composer and producer who’s worked with Beyoncé, Kanye West, and Frank Ocean. Over a year since his passing, Miller’s final work has reached the unsuspecting ears of millions. The circle motif is an apt one for the album: its repetitive thematically, it conveys concepts of timelessness and totality, and Miller ends up where he started — lonely and lost, but not afraid. Throughout Circles, Miller is introspective as ever, discussing his struggles with depression and his inability to conquer his unrelenting mind. At times, like on the synth-charged “Blue World,” produced by Guy Lawrence of electronic group Disclosure, Miller revives his braggadocious, worry-free persona for one of the few moments of fleeting freedom from his thoughts. Often, such moments appear alongside allusions to drug use, something Miller battled his whole life and ultimately led to his death. More typically, however, Miller confronts his demons in a matter-of-fact, unflinching manner, plainly stating his persistent feelings of isolation and sadness. On “Good News,” the guitar-plucking, heart-breaking single off Circles, Miller appears unwilling to continue on, “A lot of things I regret, but I just say I forget / Why can’t it just be easy? / Why does everybody need me to stay?” Viewed in the light of Miller’s recent passing, lyrics like these hold a certain magic — they’re ominous and gut-wrenching, freeing yet crushing. And while Miller’s emotional honesty should be praised for its fearlessness and impact toward destigmatizing mental health issues

Miles Kirsch (Bioengineering) 41

Frances Quinlan Likewise

Released January 31, 2020 Label Saddle Creek Records Genre Indie Pop, Singer/Songwriter Tasty Tracks “Your Reply,” “Rare Thing”

Reviews Spring 2020

Ever since her band Hop Along started to make waves in indie rock, critics have been saying that Frances Quinlan has the best voice in the genre, and I’m inclined to agree. She has consistently stunned over the years with her subtly warm tone and unique phrasing, breaking up melodies in ways other singers wouldn’t dare. Hop Along made her voice the main focus of their sound, letting her strained shouts of “no one deserves you the way that I do” on “Tibetan Pop Stars” or the delicate and careful melodies of “How Simple” truly be the center of their songs. Because of this, a solo album from Frances was an incredibly exciting prospect, with the idea being these songs would focus on her voice even more. And that is certainly the case, as Likewise features plenty of signature-Frances vocals, but it comes at the cost of the layered instrumentals that make Hop Along songs feel so essential and timeless in the first place. One positive of the stripped-back instrumentation is that it gives Quinlan’s storytelling more room to shine. From the first track, “Piltdown Man,” she paints such particular anecdotes that by themselves might mean very little, but through the emotion in her voice and the story’s repetition, these seemingly mundane things gain meaning. As she repeats “I followed you both and then I screamed to be let in. Here comes your dad, annoyed but wildly patient” in the hook, her tone changes from matter-of-fact to subtly sad, building so much character in an easily overlooked manner. That’s the beauty of Frances’ songwriting, though; it’s subtle and poignant in a way that no one else’s is, abstract but not obfuscated. The second track “Your Reply” is set apart from the rest of the tracklist in that it actually features instrumentation from the rest of Hop Along. The soft piano and drums add to a track that already boasts one of the album’s best hooks. It’s a double-edged sword though, as it also goes to show what many of the other songs are missing out on. Perhaps the best track is “Rare Thing.” The hook has Frances sighing “I know there

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Edible

5 4 3 2 1 is love that doesn’t have to do with taking something from somebody,” which comes as the most hopeful, yet heartbreaking of all her lyrics. It’s a stunning condemnation of the way we treat relationships, because deep down everyone knows that she is right, but isn’t quite sure they will ever find that kind of love. She finishes the song, though, by saying “I have to stop myself and admit you make me happy,” which flips the entire message on its head and tells you to recognize and be grateful for the love you have. On the other side of things, the Built to Spill cover “Carry the Zero” that closes out the album feels awkward with its off-kilter synths and guitars. Frances really shines when she is writing her own lyrics to fit with her odd delivery, and choosing such an iconic song to cover was a risk that didn’t entirely pan out. The real issue with Likewise comes when not just looking at individual tracks, though. This album doesn’t come close to feeling so essential as any of Hop Along’s. It’s a similar feeling to listening to Adrianne Lenker of Big Thief’s abysskiss, a solo album that then had multiple tracks recorded with her full band for later Big Thief albums. It was never the case that the songs were bad or that Lenker’s voice wasn’t spectacular,

just that Big Thief’s added instrumentation made them feel so much more lush and added a certain weight to the lyrics. There lies the hidden obstacle of the solo-album. These songs feel more like stripped back Hop Along than like a separate project. I’m not convinced that these songs will stick with me in the same way the existential dread and awareness of death expressed by “Somewhere a Judge” has stuck with me so clearly over the years. All of Quinlan’s talent can’t carry songs that were meant to be given more. That being said, Frances Quinlan is still one of the best songwriters working now and manages to have a style unique to herself in such a saturated genre. Likewise only affirms that and shows how necessary the rest of Hop Along is.

Grant Foskett (Computer Science)

While the music on UNLOCKED is terrific, the two artists’ greatest feat is their success in creating a fleshed-out concept in such a short period of time. Its glitchy fragmentation comes across as deliberate rather than the result of a rushed recording process. Unpolished song titles and transitions allow the music to speak for itself, and suggest the pair are confident enough in their efforts to forego unnecessary frills. Titles like “Take_it_Back_v2” imply a near-automatic progression from idea to final product, and create an exciting aura of spontaneity. That being said, the album’s rapid creation results in a couple minor drawbacks. Curry’s verses, while filled with energy and quotable punchlines, don’t offer a great deal of substance, and Kenny Beats’ Madlib influences occasionally feel like an impersonation. Regardless, UNLOCKED captures two contemporary powerhouses firing on all cylinders, and is deserving of much more attention than its brief runtime suggests.

10 9 8

Fresh

7 6 5 4 3 2

Fisher Hunnewell (Business Management)

Denzel Curry & Kenny Beats UNLOCKED Released February 7, 2020 Label Loma Vista Recordings Genre Hip-Hop/Rap Tasty Tracks “Take_it_Back_v2”, “DIET_”, “Track07”

In the latter half of the 2010s, Denzel Curry established himself as one of the most consistent voices in hip hop. Full length albums such as TA13OO and ZUU, as well as side projects like 13 and this year’s 13LOOD IN 13LOOD OUT MIXX have been met with widespread acclaim and showcase the Florida rapper’s ability to experiment with a variety of sounds without compromising his own. UNLOCKED, a collaboration between Curry and the equally consistent Kenny Beats, is yet another display of versatility, and one of the best projects of 2020 thus far. UNLOCKED, the culmination of a three-day studio bender following Curry’s appearance on Kenny’s YouTube series “The Cave”, is an erratic (yet surprisingly

cohesive) 8 track, 18 minute album that makes use of every second of its runtime. While neither Curry nor Kenny Beats are reinventing the wheel here, they’re both able to expand their respective sound by pulling from a variety of musical influences, finding a middle ground that marks a new direction for both artists. Production-wise, UNLOCKED is rooted in 90’s boom bap, with Madlib-esque samples and interludes adding a level of abstraction. However, Kenny Beats injects a healthy dose of heavy Miami bass to bring some modernity to the project. Kenny, who has boasted of his ability to mold to the sound of any artist in collaborations with Rico Nasty and Vince Staples, among others, takes a step into the forefront here. On songs like “Track07”, he lays snippets of the album’s best verses over a warped blend of bass guitar and synths, showing a level of musicianship that most beatmakers lack. Vocally, Curry brings relentless energy and clever bars to every track. However, his signature aggressive bars are balanced by trippy vocal pitching evocative of Mac Miller’s “Delusional Thomas” persona. The best example of this comes on “DIET_” which features a killer DMX impression and refrain of distorted vocals separated by just a few bars. 43

Editorial Spring 2020

When thinking of the most debilitating and soul-sucking careers, what comes to mind first? While it may not top the list, pop musicians certainly have something to say for the way that being a contributing member of the industry comes at their personal expense. Music today is straying from age old topics like falling in love and has panned to the less-than perfect reality of a modern musician’s lifestyle. It is clear now that the dream of being holed away, writing passionately about life’s experiences and then joyfully expressing them in song without compromise is far from the actuality of the industry (let’s think Ashley O in Netflix’s Black Mirror here). In fact, this reality is so overwhelming to artists that we can now find music that is simply about how hard it is to make music today. This could be due to the exploitation of one’s self, the exploitation by an external party or even just an array of false expectations. Should you care? The answer is maybe. With a more saturated market than ever, pop music (and most genres, for that matter) needs to stand out significantly if it doesn’t want to melt into the sea of content that is being released daily. In order to churn out the best music possible, most artists write about their strongest personal feelings, as it often leads to the most genuine and accessible art. In the context of today’s music industry, this means coming to terms with the frustrations and the complexities of being a commodified open book. There are severe cases of this, where individuals will go off the deep end altering their life in order to reach extreme emotional states in pursuit of content. A well-known example of this is pop music veteran Julia Michaels, whose track “Happy” off her 2019 EP, Inner Monologue Part I states, “Sometimes I think I kill relationships for art / I build up all this shit to watch it fall apart / I pay my bills with it.” Although creative minds are historically known to be irrational in pursuit of “good art,” it could be said that now is an easier time than ever to fly off the handle, with access to all the comparisons in the world and a million ways to self sabotage.

Designer: Ellie Johnson (Graphic and Information Design)

Third party exploitation of musicians is extremely harsh today, but easy enough to explain. Today’s record deals almost always rope artists into what are called “360 deals,” which essentially tie every revenue stream of an artist back to the label which they are signed to. While these contracts are in place, the artists are without any independent forms of income, meaning their merchandise, unit purchases/streams, touring revenues and more are entirely or partially absorbed by a label. Where these deals were much more rare in the past, the new music industry model for profit consists of smaller margins across more means of income and with how much money labels spend to create, release and promote content, they don’t want to miss out on any of the returns for themselves. As a result, we find artists who feel as though their every move is tied to an opportunity to make money along with an obligation to succeed in that. It’s where we get songs like “Exhale” from former Disney star, Sabrina Carpenter, which details the difficulty of constantly being in the spotlight and having a minimal margin for error. She states, “I listen to the label, listen to the man / I try to keep a sense of knowing who I am / I try to be an angel, but I don’t think I can.”

Finally, pop music can be leveraged to expose the harsh realities of pursuing creative dreams. It shouldn’t be news to anyone that flying out to somewhere like Los Angeles in pursuit of stardom should come with little to no expectations. However, only those who actually try it themselves will understand what it is like to live among millions of others striving for the exact same goal. What results is an ocean of grappling hands and very few spots at the top. From this we get warning tracks like Berklee grad, Ashe’s, “Cold in California.” It paints the city’s inhabitants as helpless and suffering souls, with lines like “Under stars, we could freeze / Cause we’ve gotten used to heat / Our seasons never turn.” This song details the feeling of isolation, lack of fulfillment and discomfort that can come when living in one of the most populated, able and fair-weathered of places. So, how does this compare to the difficulties of other professions? Does the expression of frustrations from such a platform come across as ungrateful? Does your heart go out to them, or is this exactly what they asked for? It’s all for you to decide. Regardless of its root, audiences will always be able to connect with material that is either destitute of hope or fully aware of life’s challenges in general. After all, art can be beneficial for both the creator and those who consume it. While some of these artists may disagree at times, audiences are very glad they quit their day jobs. • Drew Quercio (Music Industry) 45

CROSSWORD ACROSS 1. Vocalist of The Strokes: Julian _____ 2. The headphone brand created by a former rapper 3. Frank Ocean’s birth-month 4. Rapper that was given an honorary doctorate degree from Northeastern

DOWN 1. Lucy Dacus’ debut album 2. Music festival founded by Travis Scott 3. The real first name of Lorde 4. The first track on Childish Gambino’s album Kauai

ZOOMED Can you tell which six album covers we’ve zoomed in on?

4. Sober 3. Ella 2. Astroworld “Awaken, My Love!” — Childish Gambino

1. No burden

In Between Dreams — Jack Johnson

Down:

The Slow Rush — Tame Impala 2nd Row: 4. LL Cool J The Queen is Dead — The Smiths

3. October

Boy in Jeans — Ryan Beatty

2. Beats by Dre

Unpeeled — Cage the Elephant

1. Casablancas

1st Row:

Across:

LOCAL PHOTO

Gus Dapperton, Royale

Photo by Emily Gringorten (Computer Science and Business)

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST We’ve put together some of our favorite songs from the new hip hop scene of New York. Have a listen! Find the playlist at https://sptfy.com/4Qx5 • Sofia Maricevic (Finance and Marketing)

1. “Ontheway!” — Earl Sweatshirt 2. “EL TORO COMBO MEAL (feat. Mavi)” — Earl Sweatshirt, MAVI 3. “Red Water” —Earl Sweatshirt 4. “Pigeonfeet” — MIKE 5. “Prayers” — MIKE, Medhane 6. “GOD’S WITH ME” — MIKE 7. “Guernica” —MAVI 8. “Sense” — MAVI 9. “Eye/I and I/Nation” — MAVI 10. “Grapefruit” — Medhane 11. “Facta” — Medhane, MAVI

FIND FKA twigs We’ve hidden FKA twigs somewhere in this issue. Find her and maybe something cool will happen...

12. “NATURAL LEAF” — Medhane, Akai Solo 13. “Cold 2” — Medslaus 14. “Marie” — Medslaus 15. “8 24” — Medslaus 16. “Girl” — Standing On The Corner 17. “Played Us Cheap” — Standing On The Corner 18. “Smile 2” — Slauson Malone, Maxo 19. “Closed Place, Open World” — Slauson Malone 20. “The Message” — Slauson Malone