In the present day rap scene, violence has become a mainstay. However, the community has ended up losing more than what they can gain.. literally. Nipsey Hussle. Takeoff. Pop Smoke. XXXTentacion. King Von. PnB Rock.  All familiar names. All men who were taken from the world too early. And these are the more recognizable ones. […]

Set. A friend introduced me to their debut as their much older brother’s taste in music: “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not.” What could be a more attractive title for a teenager in the jumbled up in the of confusion of self-discovery? I was captivated by their unrestrained spiky rock sound, accentuated […]

Both multi-textured and understated, “The Land Is Inhospitable and So Are We” is Mitski at her most mature. Against a monochrome stiff, the album cover sports its eerie slogan in a homey cross-stitch font, embodying the album’s exploration of familiarity and mourning. With this new record, Mitski maintains her standard of stellar lyricism, and the […]

Some say that today’s jazz musicians are the epitome of “right people, wrong time.” As coffee shops lean towards serenading college students with stripped-down pop, and as the age demographic of classical radio stations remains silver-haired, some fans worry that beloved jazz performers’ audiences are dwindling at a heartbreaking rate. However, it’s no mistake that […]

Everyone recognizes the resonant and percussive three-note pulse of the 2007 chart topper “Crank That.” Its melodious but distinct timbre is produced by the steel pan, an instrument originating from Trinidad and Tobago that has made its way into many loveable tunes like “Crank That,” “Side by Side,” and “Under the Sea.” “The steel pan […]

The hip-hop world seemingly moved beyond mumbled Soundcloud rap, but Lil Yachty has seemingly moved beyond hip-hop. “I really wanted to be taken serious as an artist,” Yachty said at a listening party. “Not just some Soundcloud rapper, not some mumble rapper. Not some guy who made one hit.” On Let’s Start Here, Lil Yachty finds […]

When a friend of mine declared they had no interest in rock music, yet couldn’t stop raving about Florence and the Machine, I was taken aback. To me, Florence and the Machine’s sound is undeniably rooted in rock. But as we delved deeper into the conversation, I began to understand that my friend’s musical preferences […]

Seamlessly blending familiar tunes with global influences, Spectrum’s affinity for diversity brings a pop of cultural flair to Vanderbilt University’s crowded A Cappella landscape. From on-campus concerts to competitive A Cappella circuits, Spectrum seeks to promote and popularize international musical traditions to create a culture of inclusivity and respect. Most recently, Spectrum secured a first-place […]

Back in my small mountain town, I loved going to small, intimate concerts in the San Diego area where surf rock is always on the setlist. My favorite artists include some larger bands such as Sun Room and Surf Curse and some very small, local bands like The Happy Return, Saint Luna, and Dolphins on […]

In a world full of stale glamour and superficiality, what does it mean to be a rock star? From Eurovision winners to international stardom, Måneskin seems to have an answer. Everyone believed that after winning Eurovision in 2021, they would fade back into obscurity, as another excessively edgy one-hit wonder desperately clinging to the genre’s […]

Born from the musical womb of James Brown and christened in the rhythmic spirit of The Meters, Vulfpeck are this century’s funk overlords. Propelled by an accessible, modern brand of funk and a charming, internet-friendly personality, Vulfpeck grew from four UMichigan music students’ side project into a DIY musical empire. From releasing an album of silence to […]

On Nov. 6, Drake had the world on notice after dropping “Her Loss,” his highly anticipated collaborative album with Atlanta’s 21 Savage. And I mean the world. In 2018, Drake became the most streamed artist in Spotify history, and in August of 2022 proved that he had “more slaps than the Beatles,” shattering the Fab Four’s record of […]

California-based rock quartet Weezer has had a particularly prolific run in recent years. After dropping two massive records in 2021, Rivers Cuomo and Co. continued their creative hot streak into 2022 with “SZNZ,” a four-part series of EP’s corresponding to the four seasons. Despite grand aspirations, the earlier three installments were less than successful. From […]

When a casual Google search into Toronto-based indie pop act Alvvays was headed by a sponsored link advertising a show in two weeks, I was hit by a wave of FOMO. Seventy bucks later, I had to my name two tickets and a determination not to attend this concert alone. My inquiry in the group […]

“And in The Darkness, Hearts Aglow”: quite the melodramatic title to the recently released Weyes Blood album. As I listened to the album for the first time in the comfortable darkness of my dorm room, I wasn’t sure if my heart was “aglow” with anything — certainly not with excitement for any of the songs, […]

Drake has become an entirely different man over the span of his past couple of albums, experimenting with different tones and genres, to mixed reviews at best. Drake’s latest album “Her Loss” features a punchier and catchier version of himself that we haven’t seen since 2015 who works in tandem with 21 Savage to create […]