Music


Leisure

Rx (2022) shows ROLE MODEL revived in a whirl of passion, devotion, and vibrant sensation

Rx surges forth in a journey from struggle and vulnerability toward a place just as open and honest, but cushioned by love.

Leisure

We gave Lizzy McAlpine a minute and five seconds flat is the remarkable result

five seconds flat firmly side-steps the sophomore slump with mature production, stellar lyricism, and fearless creativity.

Leisure

Rex Orange County’s Who Cares? puts an optimistic spin on feeling aimless

While the title may seem fatalistic, Rex (Alex O’Connor) puts a cheerful twist on the question with his fourth album.

Leisure

Fame, femininity, and flamenco: On MOTOMAMI, Rosalía is not the pop star you think she is

On MOTOMAMI, Rosalía is both more playful and vulnerable than ever before, offering meditations on love, fame, and womanhood. 

Leisure

Halsey’s If I Can’t Have Love, I Want Power (Extended Version) demystifies pregnancy and fame

When Halsey first announced that their fourth studio album would be about pregnancy, she faced intense fan resistance. In an Internet age where teenagers and young adults are a cornerstone... Read more

Leisure

Gus Dapperton’s Last Stop

The screams faded, the lights returned to their normal stable yellow hue, and the crowd slowly started to trickle onto the street, ears still ringing, mouths still grinning. It was... Read more

Leisure

Weathering the storm: Adele is a force of nature on 30

Adele has returned bearing gifts. Her latest album, 30, is another smashing collection of musical masterpieces that strike deep into your core. The British singer’s fourth album, which is about ... Read more

Leisure

Revamped, rerecorded, and repackaged: Red (Taylor’s version) revisits a timeless classic

A 30 song, two-hour-plus version of Red. In the words of Taylor Swift, “I never saw [it] coming, and I will never be the same.” Red (Taylor’s Version) takes listeners... Read more

Leisure

PinkPantheress’s to hell with it goes back to the future

Something about PinkPantheress seems familiar. Pulling extensively from 2000s beats, the TikTok-famous hitmaker crafts songs that are often an ode to the distinct sounds of her childhood. Incorporating the dazzling... Read more

Music

NSO at the Anthem revitalizes classical music through a modern appeal

The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) kicked off its third concert series by making its triumphant return to the Anthem on October 24. Instead of playing at the Kennedy Center, the... Read more

Music

Get lost in the psychedelic garden of Lorde’s Solar Power

Solar Power (2021) is an album best listened to on long walks.  You may have heard negative reviews of Lorde’s much-anticipated third studio album that brings an end to a... Read more

Music

Kacey Musgraves’s star-crossed is a tangle

The sweet, light fluidity of Kacey Musgraves’s croon has emerged to tell the tumultuous narrative of the years since her Grammy-winning Golden Hour (2018). star-crossed (2021) is a cohesive work,... Read more

Music

Maisie Peters shows the duality of young adulthood on You Signed Up For This

After making a name for herself with her singles such as 2017’s “Places We Were Made,” a lyrical love letter to her hometown, and 2018’s wildly popular “Worst of You,”... Read more

Music

Lil Nas X produced the goldilocks of pop albums with MONTERO

Pop songs often follow a carefully calculated formula for success: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus. Writing a single that will top charts, or go viral, is a science that... Read more

Music

Despite problematic collaborators and history, Kanye West’s Donda is a prayer for hope

Content warning: brief mentions of sexual assault, homophobia, and antisemitism Imagine if you had a dollar for every time you were told Kanye West’s Donda was going to come out... Read more

Music

Lady Gaga pushes the boundaries of her own music on Dawn of Chromatica

Last year, Lady Gaga released her sixth album Chromatica (2020), which is fun and pop-y, yet still continues to deliver Gaga’s signature contrast of upbeat music paired with quite sad... Read more

Music

Taemin gives fans a final encore with Beyond LIVE

Lee Taemin has spent nearly half his life in the limelight. It has been six and a half years since the Korean idol released his first solo album, and twice... Read more

Music

Hard rock band Greta Van Fleet fights its biggest critics in The Battle at Garden’s Gate

Greta Van Fleet is no stranger to living in the shadow of the great rock bands that came before them. Hailing from Frankenmuth, Michigan, the band has been compared to... Read more

Music

Taylor Swift dives “headfirst, fearless” into the re-recording process with Fearless (Taylor’s Version)

On the heels of Taylor Swift’s historic Grammy triumph, where she received her third Album of the Year award, fans celebrate the re-recording of her first AOTY-winning album. Fearless (Taylor’s... Read more

Music

Canadian post-punk band Dish Pit showcases grime, grit, and glamor on debut LP

Content Warning: This article mentions sexual assault.  It is hot and sweaty in the dish pit of a Montreal restaurant. The sounds are cacophonous and the air is grimy with... Read more