59 minute read
Studio Ghibli Films
Studio Ghibli Films: The Music of Joe Hisaishi
by Abby Johnson
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I have recently entered my Studio Ghibli film phase, about ten years too late. I remember watching Ponyo when it came out in 2008, and five-year-old me enjoyed watching the animated little fish. I am eighteen now, and I’ve started to watch Studio Ghibli films again. Over winter break, I watched Howl’s Moving Castle and was in awe of the immersive realism and world building of the Studio Ghibli films. Determined to watch more films by Hayao Miyazaki, the creator of Studio Ghibli, I asked my friend to recommend some of her favorites. My letterboxd is now filled with recent diary entries of Studio Ghibli films as my friends and I watched them together, some including Spirited Away, and The Wind Rises. Besides being entranced by the thrilling animation, another aspect of Miyazaki’s films that captured my attention were the scores. The main composer for all of Miyazaki’s films is Mamoru Fujisawa, otherwise known by his stage name, Joe Hisaishi, the “John Williams of Japan” as some like to say. The music of Studio Ghibli’s films are known to have a nostalgic, unfinished feel to them, which adds an extra layer to the world building Miyazaki has established. Much of the music lets you get lost in the story of the film, so when listening to the songs again like “Merry-Go-Round of Life” from Howl’s Moving Castle, it’s easy to feel the same nostalgic emotions you felt when watching the story unfurl for the first time, making Hisaishi an excellent world-renowned composer. In fact, his compositions have earned him eight Japanese Academy Awards, and the Medal of Honor with Purple Ribbon from Japan, the highest medal of honor for people who exert outstanding accomplishments in art, academics, or sports.
One great thing about Hisaishi’s scores is how they let you wander, and this is a result of his Impressionist style of music. Very similar to Impressionist composer Debussy, Impressionists focus on conveying moods or atmospheres through music, much like Impressionist artists in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries with their art. Impressionist music often gives an unfinished, floating feeling, very different from composers at the
Image Source // Spirited Away
same time like Beethoven and Mozart who valued harmonies and resolutions. Fastforwarding to the twenty-first century, Hisaishi’s impressionist scores continuingly differ from the Western music that we are used to hearing, which is why so many Westerners are in awe of Hisaishi’s music. Here is where the history of Japanese music comes into play. Now I am no music theorist, so I am going to try to explain this as well as I can without messing up, but one of the other
main reasons why Hisaishi’s music sounds different is because of the differences in pentatonic scales between Japanese music and Western music. A pentatonic scale is a scale with only five notes per octave, and Japan’s pentatonic scales are different from what we are used to. The main difference Musicologists have found when examining Japanese music is that Japan doesn’t use the classic Western 7-note scale like we use today to form an octave, they use four tetrachords. Tetrachords are groups of three notes, where they started on the same note and ended on the same note, however, the middle note would change. And to form an octave, they would put two tetrachords together. By today’s Western standards of music, this is not a traditional pentatonic scale, which is why Hisaishi’s music sounds so different to our Western ears. Ultimately, Hisaishi’s music is unworldly and evokes so much euphoria it is impossible not to like the stories he is telling through his music. Doing this research has made me appreciate Hisaishi’s style a lot more, and I now fully understand what makes him stand out from the rest of the composers I listen to. I hope you can appreciate his music now too, and I fully recommend you watch any Studio Ghibli film as Miyazaki and Hisaishi transport you to these magical realms full of wonderful stories.
Image Source // Ponyo
Exploring Ethnomusicology
By Mary Beth Bauermann
From the moment I stepped onto campus as a freshman almost two years ago, I knew that I wanted to study music in some capacity, but I wasn’t exactly sure how. At that point, I’d been playing guitar for eleven years and I had just come off of seven years of singing in choirs, but never in my time of contorting my hands into jazz guitar chord shapes or deciphering alto lines in choral compositions did I experience the “ah yes, this is for me” feeling that would have called me to pursue a degree in music performance. However, I recognized that music has carved out a permanent home for itself in my heart as well as my head. It created an intellectual itch that can only be scratched by listening to music and reading about the role it plays in people’s lives. It wasn’t until this past fall semester, when I was getting ready to declare my major in American Studies, that my cousin, a PhD pre-candidate in musicology and ethnomusicology, told me about a method of studying music that was completely unknown to me: Ethnomusicology, the study of how music functions in social and cultural contexts. And there it was- I could finally put a name to my intellectual, musical interests.
A subdiscipline of the general field of music in academia, ethnomusicologists study global, interdisciplinary, and social practices and perspectives surrounding music. Chances are, you’ve heard of musicology, which is the scholarly study of music. In contrast, ethnomusicology shifts the focus from the music itself to how music is practiced and studied around the world. Recent examples of topics in ethnomusicological research include music in the context of queer nightlife culture and the utilization of Japanese instruments in soundtracks. Both musicology and ethnomusicology require advanced degrees, but we are fortunate to have ethnomusicologists on staff here at William & Mary who offer introductory ethnomusicology courses to the student body. Professor Katz, Professor Rasmussen, and Professor Iyanaga are ethnomusicologists and teach courses including “Worlds of Music,” “American Soundscapes,” and “Music & Cultures of Brazil.” They also direct ensembles, such as the Music of India Ensemble, the Middle Eastern Music Ensemble, and the Brazilian Music Ensemble, which offer students opportunities to immerse themselves in musical practices that extend beyond Western culture.
Chances are, if you’re here reading Vinyl Tap, William & Mary’s music and culture magazine, you’re at least the slightest bit interested in the connections between music and culture. Personally, I’m fascinated by American popular music and dance in American history, but American music has been (and continues to be) shaped by non-Western music traditions and practices. For example, the blues, one of the foundational genres of American music, would not exist without West African music traditions. Currently, I’m taking Professor Katz’s “Worlds of Music” course. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed stepping out of Ewell Hall every day having learned more about the many functions of music outside of the western music bubble. If you can’t fit an introductory ethnomusicology class into your schedule- not to worry. There are a plethora of ensemble concerts, including
the Music of India ensemble and the Middle Eastern Music ensemble, that you can attend here on campus. There are other sources of course, ranging from academic journals and books to documentaries and other types of media. Another great way to learn about microcultures and their relationships with music is through podcasts, and if you happen to be interested in learning about classical music history of the Nordic countries, boy do I have the podcast for you.
My musicology PhD pre-candidate cousin, Jameson Foster, is better known in the musicology podcasting community by the moniker, “The American Skald,” which is the title of his Nordic music history podcast and blog. While it is a musicology podcast, “The American Skald’s Nordic Sound Podcast” explores ethnomusicological topics such as “unsung women of early Norwegian romanticism,” Norwegian folklore, and general Norwegian culture, which provide interesting lenses through which Nordic music can be studied. Jameson advertises that, “from longship to moshpit,” his podcast serves as “a platform for the promotion and education of Nordic music culture and history,” providing stories to help shape listeners’ experiences of Nordic music. Regardless of your specific interests, you can find many podcasts dedicated to ethnomusicology subtopics in a variety of contexts, such as IU’s “SoundLore” podcast, the World Music Institute’s “WMI at Home” podcast, and even Questlove’s “Questlove Supreme.”
Ethnomusicology is all around you and can be investigated through a wide array of disciplines. The Society of Ethnomusicology emphasizes the field’s interdisciplinary nature in its statement that ethnomusicologists may “have training in music, cultural anthropology, folklore, performance studies, dance, area studies, cultural studies, gender studies, race or ethnic studies, or other fields in the humanities and social sciences.” In their professional lives, ethnomusicologists might “document and promote music traditions or participate in projects that involve cultural policy, education, conflict resolution, health, environmental sustainability, arts programming, or advocacy on behalf of musicians.” Careers in ethnomusicology are equally diverse, as ethnomusicologists may work as archivists, museum curators, primary and secondary school educators, or any role that “promote[s] the appreciation and understanding” of music around the world (SEM). If what I’ve described here tickles your fancy, check out “Worlds of Music” in the music department, “Age of Soul” in the American Studies department (both are COLL 200 credits, by the way) the next time you’re scrolling through the open course list for fun (I know I can’t be the only one), listen to a podcast, attend an ensemble recital, and seek out new ways to analyze music through cultural, social, and global lenses. There is truly so much out there to experience once we step outside of our sonic comfort zones.
Source: Jameson Foster
The Appalachian Music Ensemble is a music group on campus that focuses on the rich musical history of the Appalachian region of the United States, focusing on the community built by “the most social music in the world, students from a variety of backgrounds come together to learn dance tunes and group vocal songs. Vinyl Tap staff writer Jack Stewart sat down with the AME director Tripp Johnson to discuss the process of learning Appalachian music and history.
Jack Stewart: I want to talk about the history of the group on campus. Were you the one who started AME?
Tripp Johnson: I know that there are at least a few, if not several directors before me. It has certainly, as far as I can tell, grown. When I first came on board, there
You know, if a particular group is more into, let’s say, old time music versus bluegrass, or maybe they’re into Irish, whatever, I’ll try to group them together as much as possible. Or somebody comes to me and says, “Hey, my friend, who’s in the class? Can I play in a group with him or her?” You can try to make that happen.
Jack Stewart: As you mentioned, the group has grown over the time that you’ve been in a director role. Are there any other were. I think there were nine in the original when my first year here and pre-COVID we had expanded that to I think we’re right around 50 and which was wonderful. We would all play together for a bit and then we would also break it up into small groups where, you know, I’m sure David has told you members kind of have their own band, if you will, for the semester. Yeah, and we’re able to do that now. We’re, I think, we’re right around 30 folks in the ensemble right now.
Jack Stewart: You’re the one who chooses these small groups, right?
Tripp Johnson: Well, yeah, with the students’ input. And I’m basically helping them group themselves into, you know… you want members that are like minded and by the same experience level – that kind of thing.
ways that the group has changed since you’ve been here?
Tripp Johnson: That’s a good question. The small group aspect of it: I won’t say it’s new with me, but I don’t know that it was featured as much in the past. I don’t know. I’m kind of… I’m wondering about that myself. So I suppose there’s some change there, perhaps. I have put a real emphasis on just standard repertoire of the Appalachian music heritage, if you will. So in other words,
the tunes that I teach in the class that are sort of understood. If you play this music, you already know these tunes. It’s just common language, you know, like jazz standards, if you will. And then I also try to mix in some kind of off the beaten path tunes that not everybody knows, and that’s where small groups kind of come into play. I’ll sort of, not assign tunes, but suggest tunes to a group, according to their interests or their level or their instrumentation, that sort of thing.
Jack Stewart: So you mentioned Janice and David told me that you’re trained as a jazz guitarist.
Tripp Johnson: To a degree. Back in the dark ages, when I went to school as a guitar player, you pretty much had two choices. You’re either going to study classical or jazz. And so I went that route for a while kind of in the back of my head knowing that I would eventually get back to doing this more, more old time and bluegrass and that sort of thing.
Jack Stewart: OK, so you always gravitated towards Bluegrass.
Tripp Johnson: Yeah, it’s kind of like, so I sort of went on a journey man’s adventure where I basically played in lots of different styles of bands for a great deal of time. I kind of consider that sort of my post-grad work. And so as I, you know, went on the stylistic journey I kind of had in the back of my head that this was the music that any of my family members would tell me, that’s the music you’re supposed to be playing, you know? And you know, I was… Well, you know, let’s face it, I was much cooler than that.
Jack Stewart: So with these songs that you choose, they’re a part of this history of Appalachian music. Like the common language that you were talking about. Is there an aspect of the group that focuses on learning the history of this, of this music and what it means?
Tripp Johnson: We try to discuss that as much as possible, but with the understanding that we meet 12 times and we are rehearsing by and large new material for concerts. So we don’t have a whole lot of time to get so deep into that. And having said that, I do try to discuss regional differences and where a tune may come from. And a lot of that goes on in private lessons. The vast majority of the AME students are also taking lessons. So we’re kind of, you know, working towards the goal of being able to play these tunes in your small group and then also in the large group itself and then kind of take a deeper dive into it there.
Jack Stewart: Do you find that the students that are interested in joining AME come from that regional background? Not necessarily always from Appalachia, but maybe this area?
Tripp Johnson: Yes and no. There are certainly some players that come through who already have some experience to whatever degree playing the music. Some are very experienced. Some are, you know, they’ve done some playing and kind of have an idea of what Appalachian music is. And frankly, there are some folks who come in who have never played the music before. That’s where the large group comes into play. As I mentioned, we rehearse as a large group and also as these small groups. The large group rehearsal is kind of a one room schoolhouse. You’ve got folks of varying levels and varying experience, and everyone’s kind of helping each other along and working on the music and then they go to their small groups and do their thing. And it also kind of depends on the instrument we’re talking about. Guitar players, you know, kind of grow up in their bedrooms and in their garages with other friends and jamming, you know. They’re kind of used to that sort of looser approach to learning music as opposed to a violinist. And their background may be youth orchestra where everything’s been, you know, on paper and there’s been a lot of training involved.
And so they have the challenge of learning things by ear. For instance, a guitar player may have done that plenty of times in their rock band or whatever. So the idea of learning something where there’s no structure, if you will, they’re just learning it by ear is not that daunting to them. And those are just two crude examples, I’m just saying, but there are folks coming there from all sorts of different backgrounds, different levels of experience.
Jack Stewart: From what you were talking about, the teaching style probably requires some thought on how to marry those different backgrounds when you have different levels and different approaches to music.
Tripp Johnson: One of the things that’s wonderful about this style of music is- I say this to folks all the time- it’s simple, but it’s not easy. All right, so the fact that it’s simple means that someone who’s just starting out can come and play a tune relatively quickly. You know, comparatively speaking versus, say, for instance, classical or jazz for years of study before you can even get into the game here, you know, you learn a few chords and some some strumming or bowing or whatever your instrument may be, and you
can start playing tunes and somebody who’s a virtuoso, top of the game and playing all their lives, can sit down with the same person. And if they approach it with the proper mindset, they can have fun playing a tune together. So that’s a really cool thing. Again, depending on your instrument, there’s so many different aspects to the music that you can be focusing on if you’re just starting out, maybe you’re trying to learn how to play chords where you can keep up with the rest of the group. Maybe you’ve been playing for some time and now you’re trying to just do everything by ear. As you’re playing with the group, you’re working on learning this tune by ear on the fly. So it’s kind of a structured way of learning how to learn on your own.
Jack Stewart: No small part of this is that the students play a big role. It’s almost student-led in some ways.
Tripp Johnson: Absolutely, and that was my intention with the small groups. So I wanted it to be something that they own. You know, it’s their thing and I will help them as much as possible or as is necessary, or I’ll stay completely out of the way. And each group is different in that regard. But learning how to work with somebody, how to be in the same room and connect with somebody and work towards a group goal, establish and work toward those goals, I think that’s a beautiful thing. Music’s such a beautiful way to do it. It’s not competitive. Nobody’s getting hurt, you know? It’s a wonderful thing. So I like to think that, you know, they’re not only giving themselves the gift of music, which I truly think if you invest the time and the energy into learning how to play an instrument, it truly is a gift to yourself. But not only are they receiving the gift, they’re also learning how to make those connections. And you know, those group efforts are important in life, as we all know.
Jack Stewart: And then it seems especially important with Appalachian music, which is so community based.
Tripp Johnson: Absolutely. It is the most social music in the world. And so you can go anywhere in the world. And if you pull out a banjo and start playing Old Joe Clark, you’re going to have some friends pretty soon.
Drinking Songs & Human Connection
By Erin Collier
A few years back, my extended family and I took my Grandmo (our nickname for her) to the small farm in Ireland where she’d been born, before the family joined in on the great Irish tradition of migrating to the Bronx.
nearly ran over a dog while navigating the narrow roads to get there; and there was at the end of a long and thin country lane. The farm next door was still alive and working, and an old man named Brennan came out at the unusual commotion. We asked him about the farm—but Brennan’s midcountry brogue was so thick that not even Grandmo could understand it. Eventually we discerned–and came to see–that the farm had been wholly abandoned since the day the family had left.
Sure enough, the tiny stone building was in ruins, reclaimed by the wild. As we lifted the brambles from the path for Grandmo to pass through, she looked around in disbelieving nostalgia. To me, it was crazy how a place could decay so much in the span of a single lifetime.
But that decay, Brennan’s words that we couldn’t understand-they were symbolic of the disconnect that time had put between my grandma and her country of birth–between our family and the citizenship we’d inherit ed.
After exploring for a while, we were hungry as hell. We went to the little village closest to the farm; and there, we ended up in a Half the barstools were occupied by older men, wearing muck boots and thick sweaters, pints. And their voices were raised, slurredly half-singing, half-shouting some drinking songs.
The barmaid looked embarrassed, and she came up to the table of my cousins and I and offered to tell them to stop. But they were loud, bawdy, and loud, and impossible to ignore.
After their voices drowned out our conversation for the third time, my cousin jokingly said, “What if we sang with them?”
But then another said, “Nah, I’d do it.”
We leaned in together conspiratorially.
-We’ll wait until they stop.
-So one of us just… stands up and starts singing?
-Erin, you do choir. You start it.
-Uh. Ooh. Okay. What song, though? I only know “The Parting Glass,” and that’s too depressing.
i i i i i
i
The last verse of what I know now to be “The Rocky Road to Dublin” tumbled to a halt, leaving a breath of quiet. This had the potential to be very, very embarrassing, but I was gripped by the kind of ballsiness that a person only gets in life changing moments, and I stood up and opened my mouth and sang, “Is this the real life–”
In the very small pub, all eyes went to me. That ballsiness immediately peace’d out, and my voice broke off into an awkward cough.
But just as I was preparing to sprint out into the night and never return, my cousins backed me up, carried on the song. And then, unbelievably, those drunk farmers laughed and joined in as well.
This one goes out to Queen, actually. Props for making a song that everyone knows.
That’s how it began. We shouted out the last notes of “Bohemian Rhapsody,” and we all raised our drinks and cheered for ourselves. In the next settled seconds, I thought it’d be a one-and-done deal. But two of the men muttered to themselves, and bust out into Molly Molone: In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty–
We sang together, ten drunks and twelve Colliers from New Jersey, for what felt like ten hours but what was realistically two. We alternated between the Irish drinking songs that we knew—our “Seven Drunken Nights,” our “WhisOn “Sweet Caroline”, of all things, an older gentleman hopped from the bar and held out a hand to my grandmother, who had the most brilliant smile stretched on her taut cheeks. She accepted it, and he pulled her into a simple, graceless partner dance.
Grandmo is a pragmatic woman who makes sure to walk three miles a day to lengthen her lifespan. Beyond that, I’ve never known her all too well. I’ve never seen her truly smile before; certainly never seen her dance. Oh, but while the strange man spun her around, she laughed like a young girl. After, she declared she’d like to sing.
All of us went silent, and in a quiet, thin, carefully clear voice, Grandmo recited “Danny Boy.” I’ve seen concerts and sang songs that left me spellbound and speechless, but I maintain that Grandmo’s song was the most beautiful I’ve heard.
When I think back on that night, I look on with a sort of disbelief that it ever happened. Me, I’m usually a fairly unremarkable person. How’d I end up in a deleted scene from The Secret Life of Walter Mitty?
The answer: it’s the connective power of music. We knew none of their names, and when we left the pub and the town that night, we saw none of them ever again. We were separated by generations and by culture, and–in, at least, the case of the old man at Grandmo’s farm–linguistically mutually unintelligible.
Singing together hurdled those cultural borders. For as long as we were in the same place, singing the same lyrics to the same song together, there was no meaningful difference between any of us. If the well of emotion I feel when I think of it is any indication, that kind of human connection leaves a profound impact that time can’t touch.
So for the curious traveler: learn a few good songs! You never know when you’ll stumble across your own drunken farmers.
On June 24th, WCWM is moving out of our original station to another home, in the Sadler Center. The station has been a staple in many of our lives and we will miss it very dearly. Here are some Vinyl Tap staff members, past and present, telling what the WCWM station meant to them.
What can I say about the radio station? Just even the thought of the space brings back countless memories that were central to my experience at William & Mary. The sounds of jovial laughter in the background of listening sessions. The wonder in the eyes of freshmen as they were greeted by the vinyl-filled walls. The great friendships that were built on the sometimes long path to becoming a WCWM DJ. Even the pretentious air of snobbery exuded by the eldest club members was somewhat endearing. These were just a few of the things that made this place and organization so special to me. It’s impossible for me to think about my time as a student at the college without thinking about the station. That space, and WCWM, will always have a piece of my heart and I’m proud to have been a small piece of it’s 62 year history.
- Corey Bridges, Class of 2021
The first time I ever walked into the WCWM radio station, a place on campus that would eventually feel more like home to me than just about anywhere else, was during Radio Prom of my sophomore year. I had never seen so much physical music in one room in my life– the walls were stacked with floor to ceiling bookshelves, every one stuffed with vinyls. The whole room was covered in cheap confetti and streamers, but there was an authenticity to the space and the people that felt impossible to replicate. I was an outsider, technically, but that didn’t stop us all from singing Mitski together at the top of our lungs. That was in December of 2019. A few months later, COVID hit, and I didn’t set foot in the station again until nearly a year later. It was a different experience when I returned, separated by several tough months that included bouts of depression and loneliness. I felt like a different person coming back to college a year later. The station hadn’t changed though. It was still full to the brim with records and CDs, still shuffling the A-list, and still populated by people who love the same music I do, and who make it feel whole to me.
As my senior year comes to a close, I’ve been thinking a lot about The Secret Dream. The Secret Dream is a poem that my theater teacher in high school used to recite to us before shows. The poem essentially says that there are a million different theaters around the world putting on variations of the same play, but our production is special because of the people involved and how we worked together to make the show happen. Our space is special because we’re in it. That’s how I feel about WCWM and our station. There are a million different radio stations throughout the world doing the same thing, but none as special as our station. I love our space, but I love our people even more. And I love what we do together. When I think of the station, I’ll think of laughing too hard at meetings, radio proms, game nights, eating waffles, swapping clothes, and countless other memories. And the great thing about the station is that its influence extends outside of campus center, or wherever the station is. Because to me the station is also post-meeting dinners at Marketplace, Intramural Handball, listening to music on the Sunken Gardens, $1 Corona Nights at Paul’s, bowling terribly at AMF lanes, Vinyl Tap photoshoots in Swem, and most importantly, it’s everyone I met along the way.
- Isabel Haber
There has always been music constantly looping in my head. I have always formed connections through association with events and people, to the constant game of shaping car queues to my passengers. I want to share the thrill- the jump into a chorus, a piano solo, a vocal slide- with those that I care about. This same energy radiates from the radio station in spades. From the sticker door, all the way back to the Beatles lamp in the broadcasting room, you can tell that it is a space full of passion. It’s an addictive energy, it just makes you want to live down there and listen to music with your friends until the sun comes up.
- Evelyn Hall
Our music filled your Hallowed halls which housed us and Many memories It’s hard to say goodBye but just know we enjoyed Our time together
- Boowa Zarcone
Album
Reviews
Joywave’s fourth studio album Cleanse begins with cautiously upbeat, cosmic synths on the opening track “Pray For The Reboot”. Aptly named, it features frontman Daniel Armbruster wishing to “reboot” the world after two years of pandemic. Joywave, like everyone else, has good reason to wish the world could be rebooted. They unknowingly released their third album Possession on the worst possible day: March 13, 2020. In an interview with Atwood Magazine, Armbruster said: “It felt like I was personally victimized by the virus for 36 hours until I realized people were dying. My silly little record didn’t matter.” Possession’s sales suffered due to its timing, so Cleanse became even more important. This is Joywave’s comeback. The most notable shift on their newest entry is the step away from their own brand of indie rock toward a more pop and electronicfocused sound. Joywave are masters of pop hooks. You may remember some of their past hits like “Destruction,” “It’s A Trip!” and of course their feature on “Dangerous” by Big Data. Cleanse is just as easy to jam out to, though it remains to be seen if these songs will have the same replay value as past hits. Joywave is also known for including an abundance of ear candy, and Cleanse is no different. They sneak glittering keys and strings into the background of “Buy American”. An old telephone rings to signal the beginning of “Every Window Is A Mirror”. Other examples are harder to spot, revealed only after several listens. There’s always another new sound to discover on a Joywave track, and that makes up for Cleanse’s lack of guitar riffs. However, for those missing the old sound, tracks “The Inversion” and “Cyn City 2000” will probably become favorites.
This album has a notable thematic shift as well. Past Joywave albums dealt with the negative effects of technology on our lives, with political division, and with the fears of aging and failure. They often addressed these topics with biting satire. This album, though, was created in the midst of a health crisis not seen in 100 years. That’s sure to offer a new perspective. On “Cyn City 2000,” Armbruster sums up the album by singing, “I don’t wanna be cynical”. The positive thinking may become grating for some on the track “We Are All We Need,” but the song is as self-reflective as it is earnest, so we have to forgive them for a little corniness. Armbruster sings, “I built a shell to insulate me from the winter and the weight of the Earth/But I found it filtered out compassion, always laughing takes a toll on your worth.”
Despite the overarching optimism, there are still a few exceptions. For something depressing and mournful, try “Goodbye Tommy,” and for something with Joywave’s typical satirical streak, listen to “Buy American.”
Cleanse’s optimism and electronic sound aren’t my typical fare, so the fact that I still find it irresistibly catchy and infectiously positive is notable. If you’re looking for something fun with thoughtful lyrics and danceable beats, give it a listen. And maybe when you’re done with that, you should give the forgotten middle child Possession a chance too.
Hollywood/Cultco / 11 February 2022
alt-J – The Dream
Infectious / 11 February 2022
Ten years after the release of their first album, An Awesome Wave, and two studio albums later, English rock band alt-J released The Dream this past February. The band is known for hits such as 2014’s “Left Hand Free” and 2012’s “Breezeblocks.” The Dream has a more traditional indie album feel, if that could ever be said about alt-J. The band is known for their simple beats and repetitive bass accompanied by mumbled, nonsensical lyrics. While elements of that still exist on the album, such as the song “Chicago” and the vocal interlude “Delta,” it certainly has a distinct feel that contrasts from their others. Many of the songs’ mixings include more layers than the three I mentioned above; alt-J also consistently incorporates a piano, drum kit, choir vocals, and audio samples.
Although alt-J’s lyrics have historically been incoherent, songs off of The Dream revolve around one theme: you guessed it, dreams. This acts as a deciphering code when one listens to the lyrics and, honestly, works for the band’s benefit, as dreams are known for being inane. The opening song, “Bane,” is quite literally about a dream that one of the band members had in which he drinks an entire swimming pool while wading in it, according to their “Storyline” on Spotify. Without knowing the context, lines like “I’ll dive in / Swimming and drinking” and “In the middle of the night I get a craving and I wake up for you” might have different, albeit still valid, meanings that focus on the symbolic rather than literal meaning of the words. Similar to dreams, we can choose if we want to read into these lyrics or take them at face value.
Even musically, The Dream retains an ethereal effect throughout. Cadenced synth in songs such as “The Actor” evoke 80’s nostalgia, which, for some of the band’s members and fans, would have been during their very early childhood. “Get Better” feels like a lullaby, stripped down to just an acoustic guitar and lead singer Joe Newman’s soft vocals for all but the last minute, when a repeated piano melody joins in. The prevalence of string instruments, from violins to harpsichord, in “Philadelphia” gives it an ethereal, floating quality that juxtaposes with the macabre story. The song even ends with the repetition of the phrase “‘Awake’ and ‘not awake,’” reminding listeners of the liminal space that this album seeks to occupy.
While The Dream does feature changes from alt-
Alt-J’s self-proclaimed “dreamiest song on the album” (Spotify) is “Walk a Mile,” the song directly following “Philadelphia.” It opens with a barbershop quartet but quickly flows into a soulful melody. There’s a haunting
quality to it, as the lyrics of the first half of the song are just “At last, my baby’s walked a mile in my shoes” repeated for two minutes with slight variation to the melody. Much of the rest of the lyrics are also repeated, lulling one into a hypnotic state.
While The Dream does feature changes from alt-J’s typical formula, it’s these variations that give it personality and excite me for what the band has next in store. The interspersing of repetitious musical phrases got me lost in the sound, only to be occasionally interrupted by a gritty guitar riff or powerful choir. I felt like I was floating in space— weightless but overwhelmed by the infinite blackness. Alt-J succeeded in replicating the semi-conscious and absurd qualities of dreams. Whether you need something to listen to as you collapse into bed or as you’re pondering your place in the universe, The Dream is for you.
— Boowa Zarcone
FKA Twigs – CAPRISONGS
Atlantic Records / 14 January 2022
FKA Twigs’ latest mixtape, CAPRISONGS, is not a reference or misspelling of the childrens’ juice. Instead, it is the latest project of the visionary and music’s Queen of England (in my humble opinion), FKA Twigs. Fearless, hot, and otherworldly, Twigs’ latest project should be newcomers’ introduction to the power of Twigs.
The title, CAPRISONGS, is a reference to Twigs’ astrological sign, Capricorn. This project was fittingly released during Capricorn season, just three days before Twigs’ birthday. The mixtape is candid in Twigs’ relational frustrations, and astrological references are how Twigs connects both her emotions and the decisions she has made throughout the project.
CAPRISONGS is a catchy mixtape with Twigs’ typical piercing vocal range and R&B elements sprinkled throughout. But, what differs is the way she implements new and various styles throughout, including Afrobeats, hyper pop, and glitch pop. She even squeak-raps in the song “lightbeamers,” yet somehow can even make that sound tasteful. Many of the production and vocal elements of this mixtape are reminiscent of Charli XCX’s recent projects (another Queen of England).
Twigs’ classification of CAPRISONGS as a mixtape is no mistake. This is an intentional distinction from her other two albums due to the rougher and less polished production. Yet, any producer listening to this mixtape will
bang their heads if this is what Twigs considers “unpolished.” Though the production of both LP1 and MAGDALENE is more grandiose, it is a specific choice to not make CAPRISONGS have the same feel as her previous releases.
My biggest complaint about CAPRISONGS is the incorporation of spoken interludes from some of Twigs’ collaborators and friends. These interludes are probably a big reason why this collection of songs is categorized as a “mixtape” rather than an album. The stories told from these speaking bits are exactly what the songs and concept of the mixtape as a whole are about, so they should have just been cut from the project.
It would be scandalous to not discuss Twigs’ most prominent feature and track on this mixtape, “tears in the club” featuring
the lesser-known artist, The Weeknd. Just kidding. Having a name as big as The Weeknd on her mixtape is such a flex, especially considering this is Twigs’ first project
featuring vocal collaborators. I have been hot and cold with this track, and though I think it is the ideal pop track and should be on “The Billboard Hot 100,” it is probably my least favorite song from this project. I know that opinion warrants criticism from the Abel stans and maybe I deserve it, but I just cannot connect with this track as I did with the other 16 songs (besides “jealousy” which is also much poppier than my taste). Onto a few of the best tracks on the album: the first three songs, “ride the dragon,” “honda,” and “meta angel” hit in an almost intimidating way. The reason I say intimidating is because of not only the level of song quality but also everything else about Twigs’ aura. FKA Twigs is a professional dancer with the core strength of a running back, and she has impeccable fashion taste (look up her 2015 Met Gala dress). Twigs has to be one of the most multifaceted artists producing music today, and because of that, it is shocking that CAPRISONGS exceeds expectations!
Twigs’ frustration with men in her life is perfectly encapsulated in “oh my love” as the lyrics “Everybody knows that I want your love. Why you playing, baby boy, what’s up?” Confused women need to start a petition to make this song the anthem for repressed women who are stuck with men who cannot COMMUNICATE! “minds of men,” in the latter half of the album, feels like a B-side from Twig’s sophomore album, MAGDALENE, which is a delightful surprise for those of us who worship that album (It was my favorite release of 2019).
Overall, CAPRISONGS is a fiery, yet approachable mixtape that never takes itself too seriously, yet dazzles anyone willing to listen. Give this project a chance because, best case, you will have a new favorite artist with a drool-worthy catalog and, worst case, FKA Twigs whispering, “Sagi Moon, Pisces Ven, Capri Sun” will be stuck in your head forever.
— Livia Martinez
Palace – Shoals
Avenue A/Fiction / 21 January 2022
Once again I find myself completely enamored with another modern alternative rock group from the UK, Palace. Since their first debut EP, Lost in the Night was released in 2014, this band has grown and built onto their own unique sound. On January 21st, 2022, Palace released their third album, Shoals. This ethereal album brings us into a new era of Palace’s music. One that makes me feel as though I am sitting on a rocky coast, surrounded by greenery and new life, going through the stages of grief, heartbreak, and new hope. With his incredibly raw and vulnerable lyrics, lead singer, Leo Wyndham, draws the listener in with his soulful voice full of emotion that is trying to break out. The emotion is infectious and there is an overwhelming beauty in each song and the story it tells. Their distinctive guitar riffs seem to have a life of their own, flowing through each song with ease, telling their own story. This album tells a story of heartbreak, dark thoughts, and difficult life experiences. But the story eventually transforms into one of acceptance and discovering peace within oneself, finding the courage to leave the past in the past and begin again.
The album begins with their first track “Never Said it Was Easy,” a melancholy track that begins us on our journey through Shoals. We enter into the world of Leo’s mind, surrounded by negative emotions and dark thoughts from his youth. This track deals with mental illness and the fact that navigating through life and love was never supposed to be easy. The second track, “Shame on You” is one of my favorites on the album. This song reveals Leo’s heartbreak and the selfrealization of his own emotional avoidance. He sings about the fear of regret and how he pushes away feelings of guilt and pain just to save himself from self-reflection. In the chorus, Leo sings, “I believe the shame’s on you; I can see that I’m the same as you.”
The album continues with its heartbroken tone until the fifth track, “Give Me The Rain.” This song is the first evidence of hope that surfaces throughout this whirlwind of negative emotions. The song is almost refreshing, just like a cold spring rain. Leo sings in the chorus, “Sounds insane but I need the pain ’cause it helps me breathe living for the rain”. It reminds us that throughout the trials and tribulations of life, there are patches of positive emotions, happy moments, and things to live for. The last track “Where Sky Becomes Sea” is the most beautiful song on the album. Leo has finally found real peace and love in his relationship, but the worries still follow. This song is about the painful thought of leaving your partner at death. Leo sings, “When it’s all said and
done and we’re rivers that run, will we be together beyond?” Now that Leo has found his one, he does not want to part from them. He hopes that they continue their lives together, using beautiful metaphors and imagery of nature.
This album is a journey through the sea. It looks beautiful, peaceful, and calm on the outside, but it can also be dangerous and leave you scarred. But there is still that inner peace and beauty within once the storm passes. Each song pulls me in with a catchy and addictive melody and I am effortlessly pulled through each song with Leo’s soulful and textured harmonies that leave me with goosebumps. One thing that I have started to realize as I listen to more music is that each album tells a story. Order matters. Every song in Shoals has its own role and purpose to the entirety of the album. The songs speak of feelings of pain, love, and uncertainty. It is a raw and soulful album that normalizes the rollercoaster of emotions that one experiences in life and love. And even if you cannot relate to every story told, you feel as though you have. This 12-track album has left a special place in my heart and I know that I will find myself returning to it many times in the future. I could talk about each track on the album in incredible detail, but I encourage anyone reading this review to experience Shoals for themselves. I promise it will not disappoint.
— Catherine Henry
Hippo Campus – LP3
Grand Jury Music / 4 February 2022
What does a bored guitarist in psychology class lead to? A band named Hippo Campus. Created in 2013, Hippo Campus has consistently destroyed the idea that artists are supposed to fit into a specific genre. With songs that blend dreamy pop and alternative rock, Hippo Campus pushes away categorization and experiments with electronic beats, raw instrumentation, and adventurous lyrics in their new album LP3.
The hippocampus: the part of the brain responsible for memory. If one thing is for sure, you won’t quickly forget this new album. Leadoff track “2 Young 2 Die” begins with a stream-of-consciousness verse on the guilt one feels for merely existing in the world. Repetition of the chorus line “Everyone thinks they’re too young to die” leaves an eerie message in the listener’s ears, later contradicted by the second verse, which promotes independence and self-discovery.
It seems to be true of all albums these days: the best songs on LP3 were released... prior to the full album.
“No further questioning, it’s making perfect sense to me now / I gotta chase it on my own.” Extraneous, chaotic synthesizer and booming drums in the pre- and postchorus contrast with the soft, peaceful piano and smooth saxophone of the chorus. The isolation of this tranquil chorus from the rest of the song gives the feeling that it is the eye of the hurricane: a moment when the chaos pauses, worries disappear, and a revelation is reached.
It seems to be true of all albums these days: the best songs on LP3 were released as singles and on EP Bang Bang prior to the full album. The first single, “Boys” came to light in October 2021 on BBC Radio 1’s Future Artist Segment. “Boys” is the track that has found the most success on LP3, reaching over 5,000,000 streams. With lyrics that encapsulate hitting rock bottom and the confusion of questioning your sexuality, “Boys” traps listeners into the seemingly never-ending patterns that blur life together. Poetic lyrics such as “Got hungover from your words” make “Boys” one of the best songs on the album, telling the story of a party experience in New York. You can’t help but groove to the beat and the repetition of the chorus six times at the end of the song creates an excellent finish, with each chorus a little louder than the last, providing a lot of opportunity to passionately scream every word.
Hippo Campus’ first album, Landmark, gained fame from the catchy, rhyming lyrics that were relatable to the never-ending chirps of young adult brains. Most notably, best selling tracks “Buttercup” and “Way it Goes” incorporate lyrics that promote carefree lifestyles and the existential notion that life simply is what it is. Released in 2017, Landmark established Hippo Campus’ place in the happy indie genre. Listeners expected their next album, Bambi, to encapsulate a
similar energy. Instead, what was released was a darker, cosmic, techno riddled collection, highlighted by sad lyrical tracks “Why Even Try” and “Bambi”. Fans like me may prefer the band’s Spotify single guitar version of “Bambi,” in which an acoustic guitar replaces the meticulously synthesized intro.
LP3 captures aspects of both Landmark and Bambi’s energies. As both uplifting rhymes and depressing lyrics of loss trickle throughout LP3, lead singer Jake Luppen juggles both flawlessly. Using some kind of ghostly auto-tune feature, a gloomy track titled “Listerine” turns a brand of mouthwash into the story of a toxic relationship. Because of the success of the bright, rhyming tracks on Landmark, I anticipate that tracks “Ride or Die” and “Semi Pro” will likely become favorites on LP3. “Ride or Die” is a love story, told by repetitive lyrics and an upbeat groove. It is a catchy tune reminiscent of the band’s earlier works. The chord progression on “Semi Pro” makes it my personal favorite off the album, and the repetitive lyrics discuss fame and dreams.
It is hard to deny that there are great songs on this album followed by overstimulating, headache invoking tracks. The ups and downs present on LP3 make it quite literally a “Ride or Die” album. A blend of their previous two albums, Landmark and Bambi, LP3 is Hippo Campus’ work in progress that proves that there is more to come from this young band. Eccentric electric instruments blended with poetic lyrics have led to a riveting album that your hippocampus is sure to store for years.
— Edie LaMantia
Otoboke Beaver – Itekoma Hits
Damnably / 26 April 2019
Itekoma Hits is Otoboke Beaver’s debut album, released in 2019 via Damnably Records. And, in my humble opinion, it is one of the best albums of the 2010s and will be remembered as one of the best punk albums of all time. With the group’s first worldwide tour underway and their sophomore project SUPER CHAMPON scheduled for May, I found it appropriate to look back on Itekoma Hits and the band’s history up to this point. Otoboke Beaver started in Kyoto, Japan in 2009, when the members met each other in a college music club. Lead singer, Accorinrin, has explained that they were the only women in the club, and felt naturally drawn to each other. They chose to name themselves after a local “love hotel,” the Japanese equivalent of a sleazy motel for young couples. For a decade they played small shows in Kyoto, with all four members juggling playing in the band and maintaining careers. They released several EPs and singles over time, but Itekoma Hits was their first full-length project. It represented the culmination of a decade’s worth of effort; although it is their first album, about half of the songs are re-recordings of previous singles and songs from their EPs. The album was met with widespread praise from critics and received recognition from Tom Morello and Krist Novoselic, among others. With this newfound success, they quit their jobs and scheduled their first world tour for spring 2020. Although the pandemic set them back, they are finally on tour this year. Before Itekoma Hits, I was unaware of the band. When I first listened to this album, I was completely blown away. I had put off listening to it until a few months after its release date and felt angry with myself. How could I have procrastinated on this modern classic? I fell in love with the off-the-wall group vocals, the insane drum and bass lines, and the punishing guitar riffs. For a few months, I only listened to this album. I think part of the reason it struck a chord with me was because of when I listened. It was towards the beginning of the pandemic. I felt deeply depressed and frustrated with the situation I found myself in, as many others did. Days bled into weeks into months with no change as I slowly succumbed to cabin fever. I related to the screaming, repetitive group vocals across Itekoma Hits. With their steady rhythms and talk-sung style, they sound like the riot grrrl equivalent of playground taunts. Even though I didn’t know what they were saying, the frustration was palpable. I understood that the singers, much like myself, were tired of putting up with the way things were.
Obviously, the album is not about the pandemic, but lead singer Accorinrin’s lyrics do seem to focus on hatred and frustration. This album is mostly about a string of scummy, unfaithful men who betray a woman’s trust. Many of these songs seem to take the perspective of a housewife: she cooks meals for her unloving husband, she waits anxiously by the door for his return from work, she
discovers an affair with someone from the office. The mundane, boring, unloving lives of Accorinrin’s characters create tension until they finally burst in a flurry of screaming vocal passages. The one major exception is “6 day working week is a pain,” a sardonic piece that protests work culture in Japan. Even here, though, the singer emphasizes their boring, rote, soul-crushing life, with memorable passages like “Working 13 days in a row, kill myself / Working 14 days in a row, kill myself…”
In many interviews, the band insists that their work is not feminist, saying that they “don’t sing about women’s rights or women’s issues in our music.” Still, I find it difficult to not read these lyrics as feminist, especially with the group’s clear riot grrrl and punk influences. The first song “datsu . hikage no onna” even calls for the “liberation” of “women in the shadows,” and has an unmistakably feminist angle on dating men. Much of the rage on the album is caused by, and directed towards, men as well. Not to say that this rage towards men is inherently feminist, but in the context of the rest of the album, it is difficult to see it any other way.
As great as the lyrics are, the true draw of Itekoma Hits is the music and vocal performances. Wailing guitars, thumping bass, and frantic drums punctuate every song on this album. At its noisiest, the album sounds like pure rage. “Don’t light my fire” is one of the most intense songs on the album, with speedy, fuzzy guitar riffs over a groaning bass line that nearly drown out the screaming vocals. Things get noisy, but Beaver’s ear for catchy bass lines never falters, with cool breakdowns on songs like “Introduce me to your family” and “What do you mean…”. The band shows a lot of versatility on this album as well, moving from hardcore punk to riot grrrl/grunge and more pop-influenced tracks, even dipping their toes into psych rock on “6 day working week is a pain.” Each song has lots of versatility too, creating a sense of wild unpredictability on each one. “Bad luck,” for instance, suddenly turns from a frantic, repetitious track into a waltz, and back again. There is just no telling where any song will go.
If you haven’t given this album a listen, you definitely should. It’s a relatively short listen- just under 25 minutes in total- yet it packs quite a punch. Otoboke Beaver has nowhere to go but up at this point in their career. I eagerly await their next project.
— Eamon Raftery-Sweeney
The Lumineers – BRIGHTSIDE
Dualtone/Decca / 14 January 2022
On January 18th, The Lumineers released their fourth studio album, BRIGHTSIDE. To say this album is defined by its name is an understatement; it continuously redefines the meaning and effects of “looking on the brightside.” BRIGHTSIDE is a heartfelt, hopeful, and optimistic album.
While staying true to their storytelling methods, The Lumineers have successfully evolved their music since their debut album, The Lumineers, an indie folk album. The Lumineers broke away from the stereotypical indie folk album with Cleopatra, but were ultimately met with the same view of being an indie folk band. With III, the band began to move towards a folk-pop/folk-rock sound, until they reached the folk-rock sound with BRIGHTSIDE. If one were to go from listening to The Lumineers then to BRIGHTSIDE, the difference would be striking.
Wesley Schultz, the lead singer, and Jeremiah Fraites, the pianist, both lyricists for The Lumineers, manage to bring the same essence to every song they write. While the ukulele and mandolin, previously used in their first few studio albums, are no longer commonly found in their music, Wesley Schultz’ folksy twang and Jeremiah Fraites’ mesmerizing piano playing continue to evoke the same emotions for the listener. While being their shortest album yet, BRIGHTSIDE is an important step in the band’s future, as it has been the most influential in their sound development.
Beginning with the title track, “BRIGHTSIDE’’ sets the vibe for this optimistic album with a heavy drumbeat and electric guitar. There is no surprise that this song is about having a positive outlook on a negative situation. The common saying, “Look on the bright side!” seems to be an important factor in the development of this song and album. The lyrics in many songs contribute to this idea by stating a bad situation and then continuing to say it is alright. In the song “WHERE WE ARE,” Wesley Schultz sings about a car crash he and his wife experienced. The repeated chorus goes, “I don’t know where we are, but it’ll be alright.” This contributes to the theme of the album because while they were in a car crash, they are okay and have each other.
Between BRIGHTSIDE and their previous album, III, the world was hit by the pandemic. Because of the universal despair the world has faced for the past two years, it is only fitting that The Lumineers produce an album
to give listeners an inkling of hope. Many songs have nods to the pandemic itself, including “ROLLERCOASTER.” The lyrics, “Sittin’ on a rollercoaster holdin’ on for dear life” are repeated twice as the song opens. The comparison of a roller coaster to what society has been through in correlation to the pandemic is incredibly accurate. The world has been going back and forth, and quite literally “holding on for dear life.” Another lyric states, “Everyone was holding on for dear life,” implying the despair people felt throughout as well as the urgency to stay alive and keep others alive.
My biggest critique for this album is the excessive repetition that appears in a majority of the songs. Songs such as, “WHERE WE ARE” and “BIRTHDAY,” strip the artistry The Lumineers have established in many of their other songs, as lyricism had a large impact on The Lumineers’ success. I almost would have rather had shorter songs than the constant repetition of the same lyrics, even with the album only being thirty minutes. Despite my disapproval of the repetition, The Lumineers did create some catchy tunes. I have had too many earworms from this album to truly hate either of these songs.
Many fans have become split on whether or not The Lumineers are heading in the right direction with their new sound. However, no listener can deny the effect their music has while playing. The Lumineers achieve a level of artistry that few other bands can. While BRIGHTSIDE is not the typical “Lumineers” story, they still succeed to capture your attention and share a compelling narrative. No matter what you have heard, I urge readers to take a chance and listen to this album.
— Allison Beale
Black Country, New Road – Ants From Up There
Ninja Tune / 4 February 2022
The English rock band Black Country, New Road, recently released their sophomore album, Ants From Up There. This postrock, chamber pop album has the potential to become a timeless breakup album. The seven-membered band crafted a remarkable album with raw vocals, an enticing mix of instruments, and captivating lyrics.
The album name, Ants From Up There, refers to the view of what people look like from an airplane. Throughout the album, there is a recurring theme of flight and change, specifically through the Concorde jet. The Concorde jet is a retired commercial aircraft built in the 1960s to travel between the United Kingdom and France. Isaac Wood, the lead singer, continues to reference the Concorde jet multiple times throughout this album. The first mention of it is in the lead single and second song on the album “Chaos Space Marine,” and immediately following is a song named none other than, “Concorde.” Not only does Concorde refer to the jet, but an allusion for Wood’s lost love.
“Concorde” is one of the best songs to show the concept of the album. Wood sings, “And you, like Concorde, I came a gentle hill racer. I was breathless upon every mountain, just to look for your light.” Throughout the album, Concorde is in reference to Wood’s ex-lover. Despite Wood feeling confident and secure in his efforts towards the relationship, his ex-lover does not agree. Ants From Up There can refer to how Wood’s ex viewed his efforts as minimal in their relationship. Wood is seen as an ant while the Concorde jet flies above. This may be why so much of this album revolves around Wood’s unwillingness to let his previous relationship go, as referenced in the lyrics “Tryna get home to you and bring you some pieces of the stars” in the song “Good Will Hunting.” This is just one example of his want and willingness to return and make her happy.
Despite the addition of a brilliantly crafted album in their playlists, fans nervously await the next release by Black Country, New Road. The phenomenal improvement between their first album, For the First Time, and Ants From Up There is astounding. Preceding the release of Ants From Up There, listeners were met with unfortunate news. Just four days before the album dropped, lead singer and guitarist Isaac Wood left the band for mental health reasons. As one can expect from a sevenpiece band, not every member is expected to perform forever; however, fans cannot help but wonder what will happen to the band’s music. Just how influential was Wood to the development and composition of the music?
Black Country, New Road’s Ants From Up There is a one-of-a-kind album. If you are looking to get into more experimental rock and chamber pop, I feel this is a great album to start with. This album may seem daunting at first with its clamorous instrumental ensembles, long tracks, and intricate lyricism, but I can promise you will not regret it.
haiku reviews
Animal Collective – Time Skiffs
Rawr! The animals are back. They took their time, but became a jam band.
— Livia Martinez
Jack White – Fear Of The Dawn
A raucous prog jaunt, rip-roaring roller coaster, Strap in, crank it up.
— Mary Beth Bauermann
Big Thief – Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You
Soft sounds of some souls, Gentle and graceful, my mind Makes believe stories.
— Van Monday
The Michigan Apple Clone – Full Plant
Calm yet climatic Outta my planter, Jonny! I wear tevas….. chomp!!
— Cara Davis
Sidney Gish – Ed Buys Houses
The drums play ping pong! lyrics, witty riffs fall in place, puzzle pieces — Hannah Garfinkel
Charli XCX – Crash
Ouch! This is so fresh! Real women use autotune. Listen and drive safe.
— Livia Martinez
Weezer – SZNZ: Spring
Spring is here, Rivers sings, “Shakespeare makes me happy” Me too, man, me too.
— Mary Beth Bauermann
Yung Gravy & Dillion Francis – Cake and Cognac
Silly and sexy, Just the way Gravy should be. Also, T-Pain’s there!
— Sarah Bomar
Peach Pit – From 2 to 3
Sunny, sleepy songs. Take a little beach-day nap, Just don’t get sunburnt.
— Sarah Bomar
Pink $weats – Pink Moon
gentle, sweet somethings close your sleepy eyes and drift down the midnight river
— Vivian Hoang
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Evelyn Hall Natalie Lopez Boowa Zarcone
Writers
Mary Beth Bauermann
Allison Beale
Justin Berg
Sarah Bomar
Erin Collier
Cara Davis Hannah Garfinkel
Isabel Haber
Evelyn Hall
Nathan Hall
Catherine Henry
Vivian Hoang
Lina Hunt
Abby Johnson
Edie LaMantia
Natalie Lopez
Livia Martinez
Van Monday
Eamon Raftery-Sweeney
Terra Sloane
Jack Stewart
Boowa Zarcone
Photography
Evelyn Hall Catherine Henry
Design
Isabel Haber Catherine Henry Natalie Lopez Boowa Zarcone
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