Because Music Matters.
We have been waiting for this return for quite some time now! After some time off, Justin Timberlake is back and better than ever. His new album, The 20/20 Experience, hits shelves this week and I just listened to an advanced copy of it. One word…incredible! The lyrics, music and vibe are very reminiscent of the JT we all know and love with a bit of a fresh, modern twist.
We have all been waiting with baited breath for Beyoncé to release new music. After multiple Instagram posts of Bey in the recording studio, the announcement of a world tour and Baby Blue Ivy as fresh inspiration, all of her fans have been wondering when the new album will come out and what will the first single sound like. Will it be a ballad about the birth of her adorable new daughter? Or maybe a club hit like Run the World or Party?
LA born and bred Local Natives’ 2010 debut album, Gorilla Manor, was defined by its vocal layering, choral “oh’s” and “ah’s”, and blisfully chaotic melodicism that landed them a spot in the “bands to watch”. Some people attributed the success of Gorilla Manor to a well-executed conglomeration of indie influences like Broken Social Scene, The National, or Grizzly Bear. As a result, the release of their sophomore album, Hummingbird, has been highly anticipated.
Hummingbird has been said to be Local Natives’ “do or die” opportunity to either mature their sound and solidify their spot in the indie world or retire to the proverbial land of misfit indie bands.
When a relatively unknown name strikes out on their own apart from their bandmates, the stage is set for what usually ends up as a more experimental shift. Understandably, the solo album is a template for the creative juices that couldn’t fit within the frames of the band’s construct. Personal interests and tendencies seep in, and you’re left with a clearer picture of the artist by themselves, unobstructed apart from compromise or settling. This is what makes
The release is a collaboration between producer Hendrik Weber (a.k.a. Pantha Du Prince) and various percussionists, including a member of Jaga Jazzist, based out of Oslo, but its cohesive nature leads me to imagine while listening that it’s a product of a single band that’s known each other for decades. Weber’s technique was
A flat tire, three broken brake lines, and four hours of traffic – the Universe really didn’t want me, an avid Tegan & Sara fan, to attend their concert in Richmond this weekend. Somehow, I made it to the National at seven ‘o’ clock on the nose – right when the doors opened – in time to purchase a t-shirt, order a gin and tonic, and sit up in the seats with all of the other L.o.T.’s – Lesbians Over Twenty-One.
It was my second time seeing the band live in concert, and the audience demographic hasn’t changed much: lesbians with half-shaved heads, lesbians with labret piercings, a random dad and his ten-year-old son, lesbians wearing visors, and hipsters in plaid. I’m all-too-aware that, after only 122 words, the word “lesbian” appears five times. It’s true, the twins have a reputation for attracting a certain crowd, but it only serves to create an incredibly tight-knit community of mutual worshippers and makes the shows all the more enjoyable.
These Las Vegas rockers’ debut is high energy, with each track both as unique and catchy as the next. Its clean production and innovative percussion provide for an extraordinary desire to sing-a-long with these upbeat tracks. Each song has multiple explosive moments, which speaks to the recent shift towards dance-influenced music. But all the while, Imagine Dragons maintains their rocker image without getting lost in the allure of over-production or synthesizing.