Socially conscious lyrics are one of the hallmarks of reggae. Of course, reggae artists cover a broad variety of subjects with their songs, from love to religion. Some may simply aim to convey generally optimistic vibes to their audience. However, artists like the legendary Bob Marley, Burning Spear or Peter Tosh helped advance reggae beyond…
Album Review: Giants in the Trees
What do you do after you’ve peaked? The idea of reaching your zenith in life prematurely and having nowhere to go but down is a terrifying thought. In the musical realm, many artists feel this fear acutely when releasing follow-ups to hit records. Can they maintain the momentum from their first hit and stay relevant,…
Album Review: Douse by Lever
It’s cliché, but the age of the internet may be the greatest and worst thing to ever happen to music. For the listener, this is a renaissance, where most all music is at your fingertips for a fraction of what it once cost — that is, if you pay for your music at all. But…
Album Review: Above
There are few places on Earth par- alleled in their perpetual gloom than Seattle, Washington. As a native of the city, I never fully appreciated the somber atmosphere, the frequent overcast skies and rainy days created until I moved away to sunnier climes. Sequestered in the Pacific Northwest, Seattle’s music scene in the 1980s flourished…
Album Review: Future Nostalgia
The year 2020 was a notable and arguably formative year for pop music, during which time we witnessed a popular revival of disco, glam rock and synth pop influences exemplified through recent releases by Dua Lipa, Kylie Minogue, Miley Cyrus and Rina Sawayama. Some of these throwback-inspired projects were more effective than others, which, in…
Review: Adrianne Lenker’s songs
On Oct. 23, 2020, Indianapolis-born singer-songwriter Adrianne Lenker released “songs.” Lenker is most known for her role in the band Big Thief, and her latest release provides the same emotional lyrics and high octave vocals that prove time and time again to be a relentless earworm. The album, “songs,” was born from a breakup and…
Album Review: Porky’s Groove Machine’s “Porkus”
Lawrence’s favorite funk band is back with a follow-up to last summer’s EP, “Make America Funk Again.” After a mini-tour in support of their new EP, Porky’s brings us “Porkus,” four tracks of syncopated silliness. It boasts the talents of their most recent lineup: Matt Lowe ’14 on trombone, Marshall Yoes ’15 on trumpet, Casey…
Album review: Jonwayne’s “Rap Album Two”
Rapper and producer Jonwayne has been relatively quiet for the past two years, focusing on himself and his music, but recently released what many are already calling his magnum opus. A history lesson: in April 2015, he released a rap EP, “Jonwayne is Retired;” later that year in October, he released an instrumental album; and…
Album Review: The Living Strange’s “Home?”
The Living Strange’s sophomore extended play (EP), “Home?,” finds the rock duo in an electronic-heavy setting, even more so than their debut EP, “2 AM Freak Show.” Since first hearing them, their commitment to staying true to the rock ’n’ roll genre while also pushing forward to incorporating new sounds in the genre has been…
Album Review: Sk8 City High School All-Star Jazz Band’s “Ranch Generation”
There is nothing quite like a Sk8 City show. Their tenacious voracity is omnipresent, rearing its head in dense music and comedic moments. If you have seen them, there is no doubt you have had Easy Mac thrown at you, laughed at their goofy quips or stood in awe at a particular otherworldly musical moment,…