album reviews

Reviews of albums old and new from iconic artists and up and coming musicians alike.

Ranking the Songs of Melanie Martinez's 'K-12'
Dear Vocal Readers, Oh, K-12, how awesome it truly is. Making this list has proved to be very challenging for me, as all of these songs are amazing on their own. How can you judge something that's better than more than 75% of the music we are currently subjected to? Well, I did it, and now I am here to share my list with you. So hop on this roller coaster and let's go back to school (Ew)!
By Kacie7 years ago in Beat
WINNER—‘CROSS’ EP Review
It has been just a little over five months since WINNER last graced people’s playlists with their chart-topping EP WE. A vibrant offering that dabbled in styles across the musical spectrum, e.g the acoustic-pop anthem “AH YEAH,” or the dark electro house stylings heard in “MOLA,” it was a release that cemented WINNER as a group that always shows consistency, and proved to the world that the group have plenty of tangible star quality.
By Nathan Sartain7 years ago in Beat
TXT Is the Future
This group will be one of the brightest in K-pop When you’re the junior group to Big Hit’s super group BTS, it’s a tall task to stand out and carve your own path. I’m more than happy to see that Big Hit’s second boy group, TXT, continue to impress me and show just how fantastic they are on their own.
By Sam7 years ago in Beat
Waterparks Release 'Fandom'
Fandom is Waterparks' third full-length studio album behind "Double Dare" and "Entertainment." It holds 15 tracks that fans were impatiently waiting for until it's release on Oct. 11.
By Kay Kindschy7 years ago in Beat
Rapid Ariana Movement
Ariana Grande is a household name, but how many songs do you really enjoy by her that are not as popular? Can you even name one that is not as popular as "7 Rings," "Thank U, Next" or "Boyfriend"? Well, I am going to give you ten songs to listen to that are MY absolute favorites that are not as popular as the ones you hear on the radio… because let’s face it, Ariana is queen.
By That One Barista7 years ago in Beat
'Heaven & Earth'—Collecting Visions from the Other Side
In early 2014, the Yes lineup of vocalist Jon Davison, keyboardist Geoff Downes, guitarist Steve Howe, bassist Chris Squire, and drummer Alan White recorded a new album. They reunited with Roy Thomas Baker, who had produced the failed 1979 Paris sessions. This seemed to be part of a pattern in which Yes revisited certain things from their distant past. After all, they had revisited material from the Drama era for their 2011 album Fly from Here, and they had done a 2013 Three Album Tour in which they performed Close to the Edge, Going for the One, and The Yes Album.
By Steven Shinder7 years ago in Beat
Sparkly, Dreamy, Cosy: Ranking Songs from Taylor Swift's 'Lover'
If someone looked at my Spotify playlist, they’d see a rainbow of selections, from Green Day to Evanescence to musical soundtracks. Country-turned-pop princess Taylor Swift also turns up somewhere in between, so it was only natural I would check out her newest album.
By Eve Volungeviciute7 years ago in Beat
Forms of 'Fly from Here' Lingering
After Yes' 35th Anniversary Tour, the band ended up going on a hiatus. Many years later, Jon Anderson would admit that he left Yes in 2004. By 2008, there were plans to commemorate the 40th anniversary with the Close to the Edge And Back Tour. Other Yes veterans would have included Steve Howe (guitar), Chris Squire (bass), and Alan White (drums). Rick Wakeman's son Oliver Wakeman joined the band in his father's place.
By Steven Shinder7 years ago in Beat
Why Mental Health Matters
Ashley Tisdale released her new album Symptoms earlier this year and I have been waiting for this release for soo long. Ashley Tisdale is one of my idols, and just seeing her singing again makes me happy. Also, what I admire most about this album is how openly she speaks, or better saying sings, about her mental health struggles. As someone who did a psychology undergraduate degree, I take mental health very serious. And in my opinion it is a very important topic to talk about, and I like that more and more organizations focus on the aspect of talking openly about mental health struggles. However, unfortunately a lot of people think that physical health is more important than mental health but this is not the case. Mental health IS and WILL ALWAYS BE MORE IMPORTANT than physical health—always keep that in mind. Mental health affects our wellbeing, affects basically everything in our life. You cannot function properly if your soul suffers and the way that Ashley Tisdale describes it in her new album is just amazing.
By Carrie T7 years ago in Beat
'Sailing' with AKMU
Sailing with AKMU AKMU is back! It’s been a few years since AKMU came out with new music, two years, to be exact. The brother/sister duo (Lee Chanhyuk and Lee Suhyun, respectively) were on hiatus due to Chanhyuk enlisting in his mandatory military service required in South Korea. Now that they are back together, they’ve finally released a new album to bless our ears with soft acoustics and sweet vocals.
By Sam7 years ago in Beat
Jon Pardi - 'Heartache Medication' Album - A Review
Jon Pardi has without a doubt been up and coming in the Country music scene for many years now, making a standout impact in 2016 with his second album California Sunrise that included number one smash hit "Dirt on My Boots." Now, Pardi is back with his third studio album, entitled Heartache Medication, which is already making waves in Country radio, and has created an exclusive buzz following its September 27th release.
By Leah Sherlock7 years ago in Beat
Abbey Road’s Lasting Legacy
"And in the end, the love you take, is equal to the love you make." These lyrics are the official ending to one of the greatest chapters in all of history. "The End" sits at the conclusion of Abbey Road, the Beatles magnum opus. Despite the song clocking in at just over two minutes long, Paul McCartney, John Lennon, and George Harrison each have a guitar solo, allowing the band to come together one final time before the very end. Even Ringo Starr has his own drum solo, which makes a rare appearance on the track. This song is what truly signifies the completion of an era.
By Shandi Pace7 years ago in Beat