Tag: Music

  • Summer’s New Album: Bops or Flops?

    Summer’s New Album: Bops or Flops?

     

    Summer Walker dropped her second studio album Still Over It on November 5 for the world to listen to and some people have mixed feelings about it. 

    Many people had very high hopes and expectations for this album, as her debut album Over It was a success all over the world. With major past hits like “Girls Need Love” and “Playing Games,” people were expecting Still Over It to have no skips and be filled with heartbreaking ballads as well as some cute love songs. 

    The lead single of this album was called “Ex For a Reason,” and featured the City Girls. It helped set the tone of the album, as the album was full of breakup songs and sad melodies. When the full album was released people listened to it with excitement, as they had waited two years for a new album from Walker to drop. After listening to the album some people have expressed their disappointment, while many others have expressed their love for the collection of songs. 

    Sophomore MEDS student Cheyenne Clark says that she loved the album, as she can tie some of it into experiences she’s had. She said, “My favorite songs would be ‘Insane, No Love,’ and ‘Closure,’ those being the songs that really hit me because they’re about healing or the after effects of a break-up.”

    Madison Williams, a CIC sophomore, said she had “been waiting for her to drop an album for a while” and had set “high expectations for the album.” She said that Walker definitely reached them. Her favorite song off of it is “Insane,” A song about the feeling of going crazy over a significant other’s own actions. 

    On the contrary, PACE senior Brie Lao said, “All the songs sound the same, just like on Summer’s last album. The song’s are okay, but there is nothing really good about this album.” She isn’t alone in this opinion, in fact on a poll taken from local students, 24% of people said that they did not like Walker’s album, or that it wasn’t that good. Still, this album is loved by 76% of students polled at Poly.  

    Walker has been a prominent female RnB artist since the release of her first official collection of songs titled Last Day of Summer in October of 2018. She has a strong fan base of teenage and young adult girls, who find comfort in her music and find ways to relate to her lyrics. Still Over It was a highly anticipated album and is having a large amount of commercial success. Overall, this album is loved and Walker’s next album will be as well. 

  • Roman Candle, an Album by Elliott Smith 9.6/10

    Roman Candle, an Album by Elliott Smith 9.6/10

    “I’m a roman candle, my head is full of flames,” Elliott Smith sings in the title track to his album Roman Candle. (Composite image by Audrey Ramirez)

    Recorded on a four-track recorder in his girlfriend’s basement, Elliott Smith manages to combine soulful lyrics and lo-fi folk instrumentals to create his absolutely stunning debut album Roman Candle. Smith touches on heavy subjects such as domestic abuse, alcoholism, relationship issues, and loneliness in such an inconspicuous way, reminiscent of Outkast’s “Hey Ya”, a song about divorce hidden behind a fast-paced dance rhythm. 

    “I wanna hurt him, 

    I wanna give him pain.” 

    Smith opens with this line as his chorus to the title track “Roman Candle” which begins the album. Quick yet subtle guitar strums hauntingly ring in each ear as you take in the deep and intense lyrics. 

    “He could be cool and cruel to you and me

    Knew we’d put up with anything… 

    Your tears are cheap, wet hot red swollen cheeks…”

    Smith bravely shares his painful experiences of domestic violence and emotional abuse as a kid via music. Seeing as this is only the first track of the album, it suggests that you strap in and prepare yourself for the rest of the album because it is definitely a ride. 

    Songs like “Condor Ave”, “No Name #2”, and “No Name #4” discuss relationship issues, abuse, and occasionally alcoholism, which is a huge issue Smith personally struggled with for a long time. 

    “I wondered if I would talk about drug use. But I guess, why hide it?” says Smith. 

    Elliott beautifully combines acoustic guitar with his own soft and breathy vocals. “No Name #3” is a perfect example of the kind of melodies Smith is capable of creating; with about a few guitar and vocal tracks stacked on top of each other, this song is the epitome of “indie”. Each song has such a raw tone, almost as if you were with him while he was recording. “No Name #3” opens at a 79 bpm tempo soft guitar strum that makes you appreciate your sense of hearing more than ever before. Elliott begins singing in a whisper, discussing an unhealthy relationship either between a couple or a family. 

    Emotional intensity and musical brilliance combine to create a nearly perfect album. 9.6/10

  • Wings By BTS

    Wings By BTS

    The Korean boy band BTS released their 2nd full album, Wings, on October 10, 2016, under their label BigHit. 

    The album includes the track “Blood, Sweat, and Tears”, which gave the boy group their first win at the “Mnet Asian Music Awards” for best dance performance that same year. Like the intro track “Boy Meets Evil”, the album is about the temptations of a young boy when growing up: “Too bad but it’s too sweet”. 

    Back to the title track, it’s about being intoxicated with one’s feelings and neglecting them. The vocals are breathy, expressing the lust of commiting a sin that’s “sweeter than sweet”. 

    This album is also the first time the boys try solos, expressing their hardships of growing up. The soft and soulful dance track “Begin” by Jungkook is about how his bandmates raised him during their trainee days. The electronic-inspired “Lie” by Jimin is about being so deep into a lie that you lose yourself. The sensual solo “Stigma” by Taehyung is about lying to yourself and the world, along with the feelings of being a sinner. The passionately rapped “First Love” by Suga, is about things or talents that have been neglected for a while, there is still a fire there in the heart. It’s about an escape. The meaningful rap, “Reflection” by RM, is simply about just learning to love yourself. The old timey feeling, “Mama” by J-Hope talks about the struggles of family sacrifices. 

    And lastly, “Awake” by Jin, is lyrical with powerful vocals and is about seeing your limits, questioning if you’re enough. There are other tracks on this album but I feel that these are the best and get the meaning through. We all reminsenice on our past mistakes and try to force ourselves to be something we’re not, to try to fit in. From this album, I got that we should learn how to love ourselves, imperfections and all. That is a beautiful message that is not said enough.

  • The Weeknd’s “After Hours” album — a story about a beautifully toxic relationship

    The Weeknd’s “After Hours” album — a story about a beautifully toxic relationship

    When fans and other music enthusiasts learned that three-time Grammy winner The Weeknd was not nominated for a Grammy this year, despite his record-breaking feats and well-received praise from music critics, people were notably upset. 

    Abel Tesfaye, most well known as The Weeknd, dropped After Hours on March 20, 2020, which set a high bar in music. 

    The album’s unique instrumentals encompass the listener with strong emotions that almost feel like an out-of-body experience. After Hours follows a clear storyline about an unhealthy relationship influenced by Tesfaye’s own love life. Even if you have not been in a relationship, Tesfaye makes it as if you were the one in his situation. 

    The Weeknd opens up the album with a dark R&B feel and heavy bass lines that convey his deepest thoughts and experiences during his relationship. This theme follows throughout the first half of the album, up until “Blinding Lights”. The narrative starts with The Weeknd singing about his unstable relationship with a girl who is devoted to him, but he, unfortunately, cannot be the same towards her. Despite him not being able to properly communicate his emotions, he still finds it hard to let go of the girl he loves. Their relationship continues to crumble due to trust issues and insecurity, and it eventually leads to their breakup.

    Aside from his relationship, Tesfaye shows a more vulnerable side to him by talking about the harsh reality of stardom. In “Snowchild,” Tesfaye reminisces about his time before stardom and the hardships he faced before his breakthrough with a graphic opening line: “I used to pray when I was 16, If I didn’t make it, then I’d probably make my wrist bleed”. The song then transitions to focus on his life as a superstar, boasting about his fancy lifestyle and the fame he gained. Once again the focus shifts, but instead it’s about Tesfaye’s true thoughts on his life as a celebrity: “20 mill’ mansion, never lived in it / Paparazzi tryna catch me slippin’,” which can be seen as him feeling alienated in Hollywood. The melancholic atmosphere with the lack of beat shifts within the song sends a message as if his feelings never changed despite him being at the top.

    The Weeknd uses “Heartless” as the midpoint between the thematic shift of R&B to 80s pop. Unlike the previous tracks, he boasts about how his material possessions and notoriety made him “heartless” (hence the title). Though this track’s trap and R&B beat make the listener feel as if they are invincible — like they’re in an intense chase scene from an action movie. The dark reality of the lyrics shows how even though Tesfaye has all this wealth, his ability to properly connect to anyone emotionally has been severed.

    With “Blinding Lights”, the most notably popular song off of his album, The Weeknd completely ditches the dark R&B and replaces it with the 80s inspired tunes. Bound from the beginning to be a chart-topper, this song incorporates futuristic synths and a fast tempo that anyone can dance to. In this song, Tesfaye collaborates with Max Martin, a man who helped produce hits like “I Want It That Way” by Backstreet Boys and “Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift. This song fills you with ecstasy and adrenaline, thanks to electro-pop sounds combined with Tesfaye’s captivating vocals. This song also perfectly weaves into the theme of the previous song, “Faith”, which centers around The Weeknd’s fall into drug addiction. The chronological placement of this song serves as him being on that “high”. 

    The album continues with the romantic aspect of the story, despite the two parties already having separated. Both The Weeknd and his love interest still have feelings for each other, yet they know it’s wrong to be together. However, they find a way around that by being friends with benefits, even going so far as committing infidelity with each other. The sound also reverts to the dark R&B feel, which represents him going back to the toxic “relationship” they have.

    The album reaches its end with a tragic, yet hypnotizing song, “Until I Bleed Out”. Other than reading the title itself, the song impacts the audience as Tesfaye hypnotizingly chants about how he wants to cut her out of his life permanently to the point that he bleeds. However, depending on the listener, this song can also have a double meaning in which it refers to his drug use. Continuing from the story around “Faith” and “Blinding Lights”, “Until I Bleed Out” serves as the conclusion of the story with The Weeknd being hospitalized most likely from his drug usage. The ending is up to the listener on whether the character he plays is still alive. 

    Truly an album worth 4 stars, The Weeknd inserts many allusions that allow the audience to interpret their own story. The cycle of pain, heartbreak, and bad habits is something that leaves the listener upset at his actions, yet the melodic and catchy tunes are something that sticks with them. Without a doubt though, The Weeknd has a unique artistic ability that allows him to create a sophisticated storyline that lets the audience have a love-hate relationship with the character he created. 

     

  • Quarantine Playlist

    Music always makes the atmosphere much livelier, and what more do we need in a quarantine than that? Despite being alone, music fills the quiet space. Below I compiled a list of song recommendations. Each is separated into its category, describing an emotion to uplift you during quarantine:

    When you need to feel a little bit happier:

    • BENEE – Glitter 
    • Goldville – Sway
    • Rudimental – These Days (AJR Remix)
    • The Wombats – Greek Tragedy ( Oliver Nelson Remix)
    • Astro Safari – Oh My Lord

    When you need motivation and more energy:

    •  Razihel – Legends (feat. TeamMate) (Hyper Potions Remix)
    • Eminem – Berzerk
    • HONORS – Over
    • Tyron Hapi x Liam Ferrari – I Like The Way
    •  Jose Hertz – Stay Lost

    When you need to relax and chill out:

    • FKJ – Leave My Home
    • Alina Baraz & Galimatias – Unfold
    • Somar- My Window 
    • J L – Summertime
    • Troye Sivan – Too Good

    When you want to have an existential crisis:

    • GANZ – Whatever You Choose
    • Tahoma – Find You
    • Aidan – you’re so beautiful
    • Trinton – Lately
    • Birdy – Not About Angels (Tr3ybeatx Remix)

  • The Influencers’ reflect on how hiatus and new perspectives have evolved their songwriting

    Despite all the chaos happening globally in 2020, music remains as our constant and faithful companion. And the same is true for the NY-based alt-pop duo, The Influencers.

    About a month ago, I delved into a research project concerning the roots of the band and shared my findings on my YouTube channel. But my curiousity grew even more intense as I came out with more questions than I had at the beginning of my research. And on April 17, 2020, I had the privilege of sitting down to chat with Steven Suarez and Evan Yan over Zoom and get answers to these questions that I’ve been sitting on for a while.

    So, would you like to start off by introducing yourselves?

    [Evan Yan]: Sure, I am Evan Yan, and I am the singer and co-songwriter for The Influencers.

    [Steven Suarez]: And my name is Steven Suarez. I am the other member of The Influencers; I play the drums. I also do backup vocals, producing, and a bunch of other things.

    How long have you guys been playing together? How did you start the band?

    EY: Well, it’s funny — Steven is the brother of one of my childhood friends going back ’til second grade or something. He’s the younger brother of Paul Suarez. So I went to school with Paul, and we were friends… I played music — I played piano and was in band, but I didn’t play guitar or anything. Paul got me into guitar and largely, rock music and everything classical; classic rock and things like that. And when I would go over and play music in his basement, Steven was there, [laughs] and Steven would run downstairs and play drums. And that’s how I met Steven…

    SS: Yeah, so continuing what Even was saying: Evan had first picked up the guitar during that time period, and probably a few years later really practiced by himself and got some skills and finally reached out to me. I’d been playing drums at that point towards the beginning of high school performing. So he reached with an idea to basically put some songs together, and at this point we hadn’t even established a band name. I remember we were still working on that, but he definitely wanted to work on serious projects. He sent me three demos…. The first demo was “Bleeding Colors,” and another one was “Up to Our Knees” and then “Champ,” so those were some of the first three songs that we ever worked on. We did it through a separate engineer in the beginning, but those were some of the songs that we got together, jammed, and then eventually recorded. And it just continued from there. We really took it seriously, came up with the name, The Influencers, and it’s been Evan and I since day one.

    So, The Influencers. Where did that name come from?

    EY: That is a tough question that I still can’t quite remember the exact story. Oh man, I think at the time — this was before “influencers” were like a thing on Instagram and all the social media and everything, and it was just emerging as kind of a name. And I vaguely remember that we wanted to make music — I mean, not like too different than any other kind of music — but we wanted to make music that was influenced and inspired by very different artists and genres and kinda funneling them into something else to create something new. And you know, that’s not different than anything else or any other musician, but we wanted to make that a part of who we were and really put that upfront.

    SS: Yeah, I think it’s very ironic that the term, “the influencers” has become so prevalent now. When we first started, it was a very peculiar name and people were very critical about it. I know Evan knows that there were plenty of people along the way that suggested we change our band name. And we stuck it out, and we were really content with it. One documentary in particular that was going around during that time period that talked about the “influencers” and people who do that kind of thing — and we really settled on that once we saw that documentary. And also having a band name with the word “the,” and you know, “The (something)” like The Beatles or [The] Rolling Stones. We wanted to fall in that category; just the way our taste and our interest in music was, and hopefully, our legacy.

    Yeah, up with the greats. I see The Beatles up on your wall, Evan, behind you.

    EY&SS: [laughs]

    The last thing we saw from you guys (if I’m correct) was “Slingshot.” How did it feel writing that song, working on the music video — what exactly was going through your mind working on that process?

    EY: For this song we kind of changed up everything that we did. Previously to that, we were working in the city at a studio and also at my old studio, and in between “Lightning” and “Slingshot,” I moved into a new space, and Chris Rizzo (our producer); he was very busy at the time. So he was plugging into the song, but a little bit limited, so it was a whole different kind of feeling and different experience. So largely, he helped shape the song in the beginning, and we kind of figured out everything else and came up with the song a little differently this time.

    SS: Songwriting for us — every song is different, but there are some common themes that you could find throughout each song, especially the newer ones. “Slingshot” was different in that it was in a new space, so you’re gonna get a different vibe for the music. But I know Evan and I originally, day one with that song sat down with our guitars, ironed out the chord progression, settled on a key, settled on some parts — how we wanted to transition the song. But even then, it wasn’t set in stone, and it really never is until you really get to recording: having stuff, taking stuff away, seeing what works, what doesn’t. And that song — if you heard some of the early demos, it sounds a lot different than what the final product was, and in a good way for us ‘cause we’re pretty happy with how it came out. And that was really just a lot of layering, so we started with a demo, added some percussion sounds, and then some synthesizers, and then eventually throughout a process of two months…two to three months we shaped it to become the song that it is now.

    EY: Yeah, that was a very painful song to record, ’cause we recorded…“Dancing on Graves” by ourselves, and then “Whitewater” we recorded by ourselves like we had done in the past. But then when Steven’s friend was introduced to us (Chris Rizzo), we recorded with him at his studio out in the city in Manhattan. And we recorded three songs with him, I think, right?

    SS: Yeah.

    E: “Desert,” “Fallin’,” “Lightning.” And then all of a sudden when he got a little too busy, we had to record everything ourselves. So we kinda had to supervise it for a living… But I’m self-taught, so. [laughs]

    SS: But, I mean, the great thing about Rizzo, though, is he’s always willing to help us out, and there’s specific parts in that song that Evan and I can give him all the credit for — like actual tracks and things you can hear that he added which I think really helped make the song pop. But the song structure and the idea, and the lyrics, and the chords are really just Evan and I. We are pretty responsible for how that song came out.

    So two months? That’s quite a long time. Does it normally take you that long to get a song out or is it like longer? Shorter?

    EY: I think that’s about right in our current — right? In our current run of things.

    SS: Yeah, it depends. Ideally, you don’t want it to drag on too long. But in between our third album, Valhalla, and “Whitewater”’s release — but kind of during our hiatus (when we were getting the ball rolling again) — Evan had started writing “Whitewater,” which that process was probably the longest of any song.

    EY: [laughs]

    SS: Where it started out as an idea, a demo…“Okay, let’s start recording it,” and then we had a recording, but we ended up scraping it and recording it — or kind of like reshaping it to become the song it is now, thanks to Conner (who’s our record label executive), and he really inspired us to make it sound the way it does. So to answer your question: yeah, on average it’s usually at least a month, maybe two to three. But some songs just…you gotta work with them and let them work themselves out, no matter how long it takes.

    EY: And a lot happens. So you know, we’ll start with a demo and then — like right now we’re at that point at that phase with a new song — and we’ll sit on it for maybe two to three weeks while we iron out the structure and listen to it again to see if it’s a good enough song. And then as we move into the other phases, the weeks just fly by. That’s usually what happens. [laughs]

    About your guys’ hiatus, do you feel that your songwriting style or just the feeling of playing in a band has changed from the time that you started to the time after your hiatus?

    EY: I definitely do. I think… We both kind of did our own things: Steven was in a few bands, or played with a few bands also while engineering and recording and producing. And I turned… I mean, I largely stopped music to the point where my studio was really, literally collecting dust. But I was recording a few people like Matt Grabowski, and helping produce them. And in doing that, I think it really helped me to take a new point of view from music which I’d never experienced before. So it really shaped my songwriting being kind of that person outside of the box looking in as opposed to being the person sitting in there trying to figure things out…

    SS: My end of the difference between pre-hiatus and post-hiatus — those first three albums I really can’t take any credit for engineering besides maybe ideas and you know, “Let’s try this, let’s try that.” But when it comes to sitting on a computer and actually working on the tracks, I was not responsible for that for those three albums. So hiatus comes, and I had studied audio engineering (or, began to study), and I also began an internship at Cove City Sounds Studios in Glen Cove (our hometown). And I learned a lot about really just recording, and what it takes to work on a song, and how to operate the digital audio works station. And so now, post-hiatus, Evan and I both co-engineer although I feel very comfortable in that position, and I have a very critical ear when it comes to that. And I like the think that you can hear the difference between the music that we originally had versus now where we’re a little bit more… We’ll kind of scrutinize it, really try to make it sound radio-friendly instead of just, you know, saying, “Okay, it’s good, it’s done.”

    EY: Yeah, we rushed the previous stuff out quickly. Not really rushing, but it was just — we were moving at a lot of speeds and you know I tend to be a control freak with things. So those first three, I really was trying to figure out, do everything by myself while Steven was learning. And then this time around, I mean I feel like I took a backseat to most things. And you know, I did write the song at the beginning, kind of part of it, but I really am more interested in letting what other people that we work with (we work with a bunch of different people) kind of have their feedback and their ideas to change and make that song grow as opposed to just having one vision in the beginning.

    Yeah, I totally see the difference between the music. So, I do have a burning question from my research of you guys. You mentioned that Danny Casale did make a video that made you guys pretty much skyrocket. And in that video, “High Five Journey,” there was a third member of The Influencers. Was that an official member that played with you guys or was he a guest or something?

    EY: He was a guest. And we’ve had a bunch of guests throughout the years, including Danny. So yes, he was a guest. He played on one of our songs on our first album, “#75248” and he did a bunch of guitar solos and things. I think he did a few more tracks, but yeah. [laughs]

    SS: To really answer that question, the “third member” is probably like three or four different people… Like I said, it’s been Evan and I…since the beginning. Although just to name a few, like Evan mentioned my older brother, Paul: he was playing gigs with us at one point, so he was our bassist while Evan was on guitar. And so he wasn’t as dedicated, so he never really stuck around. Mark is the guy who’s in the High-Five video; he did the guitar solos on “#75248.” Danny did some guitar work on Valhalla…

    EY: He also wrote some songs, too, yeah. [laughs]

    SS: A good friend of mine, Nick, who did bass on the second album… It’s just, it’s really hard if you’re in a band to find someone who shares the same vision and really wants to, you know, “follow the leader” and work as a team and really get on board with it. It’s just something that Evan and I really at this point are pretty committed to. We just haven’t… And so we’re not seriously looking, but we haven’t really came across the right person who really fits our vision. Although, we’re more than happy to collaborate with anybody and just see what they have to offer.

    EY: And I think that Conner from our record label — when we signed with him he helped us kind of establish the fact that…embrace that we are a duo. And I suppose to a band… Something that we struggled with previously, trying to find a member to fit — to play live and kind of then embraced the fact that…stop thinking about playing live and make the music, embrace who you are and things like that. And now between like Rizzo…helping me, and even my cousins are helping me and things like that. So we kind of all create The Influencers at the end of the day.

    I like how you said, “Stop thinking about playing live,” ’cause if you think about, like The Beatles: they were big before when they were playing the live shows, but it wasn’t until Sgt. Peppers’ when they said, “Okay, we’re not gonna play live anymore” that they really just skyrocketed their career and all their sales went up.

    EY: Exactly. ’Cause you can limit yourself so much worrying about how to play something live, but I think in today’s climate and everything how music is made, most people don’t even think about that, really. So we are totally on board with creating all kinds of stuff. “Desert” had…what, like 120 tracks on it?

    SS: [laughs]

    EY: [laughs] And we’ll never be able to play that live!

    SS: I don’t think that’s a problem. I’m more than happy with how “Desert” came out, and I think you find a lot of groups or bands now (and this is really acceptable) to have your recording and to play live, but your recording and your live performance really don’t have to sound exactly alike ’cause the fans are happy enough to see the artist doing what they do best. And you know, hearing — let’s say — Evan’s voice or my drums…in my opinion, that’ll be enough for them as long as we’re really trying to entertain them and you know, something artistic and something that they’d like to hear.

    Is there a specific single, track, or album that you’re specifically proud of?

    SS: I’m extremely proud of all of our latest releases — “Desert” in particular ’cause that’s the one with the most streams. And it’s just crazy how they all came together.

    Going off the numbers, dude. [laughs]

    EY: [laughs]

    SS: [laughs] But if you really dissect them and figure how we came into making each one sound the way it does, it’s really cool ’cause you can’t imagine what the final product is gonna sound like in along the way until it’s actually done. And one thing that I do is every time we release a new song, it makes me appreciate the previous song more. So, coming off “Whitewater,” which I was extremely proud of, we came out with “Desert,” so it made me appreciate “Whitewater.” Flash forward to now “Slingshot,” I’ve been listening to “Lightning” nonstop, because that’s…I mean, you gotta separate yourself as an artist from what you’re making to really take in in as [an] artistic image instead of each part, and dissecting it, saying what you could do better or worse…things like that. So I would just say, to answer your question, all of our 2019 releases are my prized possessions. [laughs]

    Well, if you can tell, I’m always listening to Lightning nonstop. [laughs]

    EY: [laughs]

    SS: Hearing you talk about it, too, made me even step back and say, “Wow, we really…” [laughs]

    EY: That was an interesting one. I think that it’s… It’s interesting because I have my favorites for different reasons — like for example, “Fallin’” I think is one of my favorite kind of guitar-acoustic, vocal-melody riffs I’ve ever done. But it’s funny because when it was released, not that many people liked it as opposed to “Desert” or ‘Whitewater” or other songs. So, you know, everyone has kind of their own thing. But it’s very interesting to see when we get comments or things like that on our videos or music, see how people gravitate towards different things. When you think it’s something great — “This is the best one” — and then everyone likes something else. [laughs]

    Is there anything that we can expect from you in the near future?

    EY: Yeah, I think we’re working a new song now… We’re kind of having fun with the singles, to be honest. Because you know, in today’s music industry and everything, large albums (unless you’re like a really big name — heavy hitters that are dropping two albums a year or something) I think people like singles more because you can stay…I don’t want to say relevant, but in their ear more consistently as opposed to every two years or something with ten songs that drop. So I like singles. I mean, like maybe an EP or something like that, I kind of like the pace of just dropping things.

    SS: I agree with that. The singles…I couldn’t imagine in the early days saying that we’d be releasing one single at a time, but you can hear the results that — when we put all of our energy and focus into one song instead of seven or eight songs (maybe more), that we’re not as scattered and we really stay true to what we’re working on. We also do have some videos on backlog. We have a back-to-work acoustic video that we’re kind of sitting on right now. I think we’re just waiting for some final touches on that. And you know, with everything that’s going on, we might have delayed the release for that reason. But we’re always happy to come up with new content, new videos. Our main focus right now is definitely on the next song, so we’re working on a demo right now; we’re in the early stages of our next song.

    Alright. Thank you so much, guys, for sitting down with me, especially in how crazy the world is right now. [laughs]

    EY: [laughs] Well thank you, Madeline! …I think what you’re doing is great, and diving into music like that. Especially in a time like now where people wanna…I mean, there’s only so much you can do in a day, and listening to music and understanding music and really thinking about — instead of just listening to it for the fun of it, but digging into it is something that is invaluable. …

    And we can follow you on Instagram, Twitter, YouTube…?

    EY: Yes, Instagram, YouTube is a good place to follow us, and I think that you’ll be seeing some new videos coming out soon.

    SS: Yes…hearing someone talk about our music like that really pushes us to keep going. As much as we love doing it, the fan validation really sends us twice as far…

    Follow The Influencers on social media:

    Instagram (@ theinfluencersband)

    Twitter (@ ZeInfluencers)

    YouTube (The Influencers)

    Spotify, Bandcamp, Amazon Music

     

  • The Death of Mainstream Rock

    While the rock music genre may be alive and well today, its existence on the charts has all but become extinct. With bands like the Jonas Brothers and Ariana Grande topping the charts as of 2019, it is evident that rock has been occupying less and less spots on the charts. Not only that, but most of the artists who gained traction in their careers through rock have as of recent years evolved into a sound more pop or electronic than anything else. There is no better example of this than Brendie Urie and Panic! at the Disco. The band made a mass hit in popularity back in 2005 with their first album, A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out, but come the new decade, half the band left the project, and the rest of them left in 2015. At this point, Panic! has been left to a solo project instead of a band. Death of a Bachelor (2016) wasn’t a bad album, though it did depart from the band’s roots, but the following, Pray for the Wicked (2018) wasn’t worth more than a trashed vinyl you found on the side of the muddy road. It felt so mechanical and fake, as if it were written by a computer instead of a human.
    Hailing from England, Kaiser Chiefs had their brief period of popularity hit the US during the previous decade, probably due to the second British invasion that occurred in the 90s with bands like Oasis, Kasabian, and Blur. Their second and third albums hit the US top 200 charts at 45 and 55, respectively, but with their third album in 2011, it was nowhere to be seen. Two records later, frontman Ricky Wilson decided he wanted to switch from writing Brit-rock or Brit-pop to writing dance music. Stay Together (2016) is the worst album they’ve ever released by a long shot. With every song framed by electronic synthesizers and bombastic choruses, the band even flat-out admitted at the start of the seventh track, “Press Rewind,” “This is pop music/We’re writing and recording pop music.” The easiest song to stomach would be “Indoor Firework” because the lyrics were at least somewhat meatier, but not by much.
    But then come their latest, Duck (2019). An album for which was widely criticised for its failed attempt to please both critics and fans alike. The record had a few tracks that were enjoyable, including the catchy “Don’t Just Stand There, Do Something,” but the majority of the album seemed as if it were written to sing in stadiums, especially the irritating opener, “People Know How to Love One Another.” Duck was a sigh of relief compared to their previous record, but after two consecutive albums of mostly junk, there is almost no hope left for Kaiser Chiefs.
    Sure, we still have Jack White and The Raconteurs with Help Us Stranger (2019) being arguably their greatest record yet. But as for White’s solo projects, not only do they live in the shadow of the greatness that was The White Stripes, but Boarding House Reach (2018) strayed far from the mark of anything we have come to love about White, incorporating more elements of funk, experimental, and gospel music rather than rock. Maybe there is some hope for rock in the future, but as of 2019, it is unlikely that we are to see a big rock band stand out in the mainstream industry in the near future.

  • Artists of the Decade

    As we prepare for the end of 2019, and the end of the decade, numbers were released from Spotify, a music streaming platform, showing which artists, songs albums listeners streamed the most during the past 10 years. The most streamed artist was, of course, Drake, followed by Ed Sheeran, Post Malone, Ariana Grande, and Eminem. Since 2010, Drake has released nearly an 18 track album each year, not count counting singles and features. His album Scorpion gained 745.9 million U.S streams and the first week it was released. Within the decade he has gotten over 28 Billion streams on Spotify. For over a decade he has had a dominant presence in the music industry, which helped him become one of the most influential people this decade.

  • SLATT+^!

    Playboi Carti is undeniably the best artist at this date and time. Playboi Carti brings out so much energy of any person who listens to his music. Jordan Carter (Playboi Carti) does not  have the best lyricism but when paired with the right elements such as a great producer, like Pierre Borne to make wonderful beats and set up Playboi Carti’s delivery, it becomes a wonderful combo.

    His music is even better live because everyone there in the crowd matches the same energy.

    His music is so good that people hack his laptop to leak his music all time which also contributes to his fame as well because he has a consistent flow of music always coming out. He also has a role in the fashion world such as modeling for Off-White, Alyx Studios, and Dior.

  • Not So Fast R.Kelly!

    In the more recent updates of the captivating R.Kelly news, it seems like Kelly finally got what was coming to him as he turned himself into the Chicago Police Department after being charged with 10 counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The charges involve four alleged victims with at least three being children older than 13 but younger than 17. The alleged assaults occurred between May 26, 1998 and Jan. 31, 2010. At a press conference held on Friday, Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx said that aggravated criminal sexual abuse is a class 2 felony. R.Kelly was reported to face up to 70 years in prison.

    Justice couldn’t strike Kelly fast enough as his bail was posted on February 25, 2019 at a whopping $1,000,000. Ironic enough, Kelly was released on bail. Valencia Love, a fan who is an apparent friend of the singer, posted Kelly’s bail and did an exclusive interview with Fox32’s Tia Ewing. Love’s day job is at a Chicago childcare facility and she has said that she does not support pedophilia.

    “Let him have his chance in court to prove if he’s innocent or guilty. As a friend if he says he’s innocent, I can only believe that he is innocent,” said Love.

    Personally, I cannot believe that a woman who works with children can support a person with the history of R.Kelly. Imagine, if that was your daughter in the grasp of R.Kelly’s molestation. What has the world come to?

    In lighter news, R.Kelly was also arrested and brought to court for not paying $161,000 for child support according to the Cook County Sheriff’s Office in Chicago. Ha! What a bum. I hope he gets locked up forever.

  • Sir Savage The 21st

    Recently 21 Savage has been issued to be deported from the United States for being  here illegally, since he immigrated here from the UK and the age of 7. Ever since the incident, 21 Savage and his team have been working through the process to keep 21 living in the U.S. His visa expired 13 years ago. Soon after, memes has continued to rise up from people all over twitter and even celebrities such Demi Lovato. She got major backlash for doing the same thing that numerous people have done which was making fun of 21’s situation. The rapper is still being held by immigration services for questioning. His career is at stake, since a majority of his fans and cash flow are in the United States. I believe he should be allowed citizenship in the United States since he has been living here for such a long time and he has already established a career and contributed society. Also his visa expired when he was young so there was nothing he could do about it. 21 Savage should be made an exception to these harsh immigration laws. #free21savage.

  • #Surviving R.Kelly

    American Singer/Songwriter Robert Sylvester Kelly, better known as R. Kelly, has had a three-part documentary series created about him and his allegations regarding pedophilia and rape. It has been revealed that R. Kelly has committed multiple repulsive acts on teenage women.

    Kelly is a goddamn rapist. For some reason, after this bald man has been exposed for his nefarious and abhorrent acts, he is still trending and making millions of dollars for his music when his old a** should be in jail with the rest of the pedophiles and rapists. He is a manipulative waste of skin. Lock that bald man up!

    His nasty, pedophile, peeing on little girls supporting fans should be thrown into jail with him. There is absolutely no excuse for people to support his actions. Imagine if that was your daughter? People do not care about things until it happens to them.

    I’m sure everybody remember the episode of the Boondocks where they showed a fictional representation of R. Kelly’s trial. That episode is coming to reality this very day. Cancel that bald pedophile!

    Along with R. Kelly’s allegations and secrets surfacing, other artists secrets have come to light. Such as P. Diddy, Jay-Z, and other well known artists. It is time that these people are held accountable for the nasty things that they do.