Album Review: Infinity on High by Fall Out Boy

By: Xochitl Hansen

From baby blues, failed suicide attempts, and Jay-Z as a guest on the album, Fall Out Boy’s Infinity On High is a lullaby to tell you the experiences you have in your life can help you become someone better. Released in 2007 on Island Records Fall Out Boy made their junior album memorable. With a new flare to this album that manifests greatly in songs such as Thriller, I’m Like A Lawyer With the Way I’m Always Trying to Get You Off (Me+ You), and even The Carpal Tunnel of Love, it was no shock when Infinity On High debuted at number one on the U.S Billboard 200 was no shock as it brought Fall Out Boy into a whole new level of commercial success. Even with a new musical direction, Fall Out Boy still stuck to their hard hitting and emotional lyrics that continue to draw new and old fans to the band.

Thriller- Defiantly surprising fans and mixing things up from what they’ve done before, the beginning of the album has a lovely guest appearance from fellow Island Records label mate Jay-Z. Starting off the song and album with a little ‘told you so’ to the critics and doubters, guest musician Jay-Z dedicates the album ‘to the fans that held us down till everybody came around’ as the band welcomes you to what is Infinity On High.  Drums pound and riffs play on as the lyrics come packaged by vocalist Patrick Stump and take you on the journey of the album.

The Take Over, the Breaks Over- ‘Baby, season change but people don’t’, great saying to remember. From Fall Out Boy’s first record to where they are today, critics always talked about the musical, personal, and physical changes that the band went through. But, no one every stopped and realize the metaphorical place from where the music is created never changed, and that is a common theme throughout the whole album, but specially this song.

This Ain't a Scene; It’s an Arms Race- One of the singles off Infinity On High, this song still played at shows today. Psychedelic intro along with catchy lyrics, the message about the industry and pressure behind the music become more prevalent. ‘This bandwagons full, please catch another’, shine a light onto the emotional and social side of the band as they dealt with the whole package that comes along with commercial success.

I’m Like A Lawyer With the Way I’m Always Trying to Get You Off ( Me+ You)-  Catchy and to the point, this song is more than just a flashy title. Considerably one of the more ‘romantic’ songs of the record, it could be taken any way. Something that is notable is the amazing playing from guitarist Joseph Trohman along with the bass lines that stick out during the chorus.

Hum Hallelujah- References to Jeff Buckley's cover of the Leonard Cohen song "Hallelujah" is present along with bassist Pete Wentz’s 2005 attempted suicide. ‘I sing the blues and swallow them to’ along with the ‘hum hallelujah’ can be all referenced back to Wentz’s interview with  Half Of Us, where he discussed his attempted suicide and the significance of the song Hallelujah. The musical aspect to the song does nothing less then bring the lyrics to life in a respectful manner.

Golden- My personal favorite the record, Golden has a great amount of meaning packed into a short song. With piano and a calmer vibe ‘I saw God cry in the reflection of my enemies’ goes along with slower tempo and really gets you thinking about the artists meaning behind the lyrics. My take on the song, is that, with anything you do you are your own worst enemy. You are responsible for your oneself and what you become. A great song that can tap into emotions you didn’t know you had.

Thnks Fr Th Mmrs- From past lovers, friends, and even one night stand to anyone in-between this song is a anthem to all. A simple thank you to anyone who has graced your past and left a bad taste on your tongue wrapped up in the form of melodies and riffs, the message of the song can be displayed to anyone who takes a listen. ‘Thanks for the memories even though they weren’t so great’.

Don’t You Know Who I Think I Am?- Once again another catchy song by Fall Out Boy. Sadly, it’s a tad on the short side, but that doesn’t stop the rhythm getting to your brain. Starting off with clapping and a gentle plucking on the guitar to match, this is a song you’ll just get lost to in the music more than the lyrics.

The (After) Life of the Party- Many emotions come to the surface when listening to this song. The musical aspect of the song has a heavy focus on the vocals with a slight and very well deserved spotlight on drums. By the end of the song you’ll be chanting ‘ I’m a stitch away from making it and a scar away from falling apart’.

The Carpal Tunnel of Love- This song comes accompanied with an interesting Happy Tree Friends themed music video that really brings to life the music. Starting off with a great guitar riff, the lyrics come subtly in starting the fury that is the song. A heavier song off the record for a darker mood.

Bang the Doldrums-  ‘I couldn’t bring myself to call except to call it quits’ , fear of commitment and toxic relationships are prevalent in this song as the beat rolls on through this three and a half minute song. This is one song I must say the bass and guitars work in perfect harmony together in.

Fame < Infamy-  A song for your local narcissist, though as I listen to the song, I feel as if the beat of the drum dictates the beat of my heart. The melodies create by the band allow the lyrics to flow with such ease as the self centered message is told.

You’re Crashing, But You’re No Wave- With chatter and guitar the drums come in as vocals come in. The song is quite notable, because of the concept of the lyrics. Containing a tragic message, vibe, or however you would take it the lyrics have a judge and jury theme going on. The style in which the lyrics are delivered in the song make it a great one to listen to.

I’ve Got All This Ringing In My Ears and None On My Fingers- Packed full of references from bassist Pete Wentz’s book called Gray  the wonderful song starts off with some fast piano and ends with the sounds of fire crackling paired with cheering and a electronic voiced telling you to press repeat, which of course I would do. The song in my opinion displays the talent vocalist Patrick Stump has in many ways.

Concert Review: Bring Me the Horizon

By: Xochitl Hansen

With great excitement I clutched my ticket as the venue security scanned my ticket, you see, I had been waiting for eight hours for doors to open. When a tour with such a line up comes to where you live, you simply do not miss this. After having security successfully scan my ticket,  I rushed into the venue and claimed my place at the barrier. With what only seemed like a minute - but happened to be an hour- the house lights went out and fog filled the venue, and with that the opening band took the stage.

Pvris

Having never seen them perform live, I was weary about seeing them. Though, the moment every single piece of the band kicked into full gear and Lynn Gunn's vocals came through the house speakers, I was blown away. The amount of passion that was pouring from every single member of Pvris was fantastic.   Though the set was only seven songs, they played fan favorites such as 'White Noise', 'St.Patrick', and 'My House'.  The night started calm, but Pvris was the best way to kick off the night.

Issues

Other then main headliners of the night Bring Me The Horizon, Issues was defiantly a band I couldn't wait to see. Having see them earlier the year when them came through Austin, Texas with All Time Low on the 'Future Hearts Tour' I knew there performance would not be bad! After a quick set change and a few extra minutes of bad house music, the lights lowered as the audience was shown Issues stage set up or 'backdrop'. The new backdrop Issues was displaying was delightful, having a southern feel it had everything from a dart board to a deer head!` As red and green stage lights began to display the full stage, Issues came out from the back with full force heading into the first song of the night 'Stingray Affliction'. As the set progressed and they played fan favorites such as 'Love Sex Riot' and finishing the nine set song off with' Hooligans', the crowds energy just increased to no end. By the time the band was about finished with their last song, the crowd was in full fledged concert mode as everyone didn't want the band to stop performing, but new it only meant we were that much closer to seeing the band of the night,Bring Me The Horizon.

Bring Me The Horizon

Now. the last time I caught Bring Me The Horizon (BMTH) was back in 2013 on the American Dream tour as they co headlined with rockers Of Mice and Men. Though, sadly, that time I was unable to make it through their set as I had broken my ankle seven songs in. So,this time I was going to redeem myself, plus enjoy their full set and I surely did. With a wonderful electronic background the smoke filled the stage the guys of Bring Me The Horizon rushed straight into the of the night and the first song of their hit album 'That's The Spirit'  Doomed. Not wasting a moment every single member of the crowd was off their feet and moving like it was their last night on earth. The energy in the venue was unreal, between the extremely active crowd and the non stop emotion being poured into any and every action the band did you could tell Bring Me The Horizon grew greatly as musicians. Comparing to the performance they gave back in 2013 to the shows performed in 2015 the effort, emotion, and passion shows that the ups and downs the members went through as singular people and together as band have molded them into the prime musicians we see today.As the night rolled the crowded continued to live on, a highlight of the night was when a double amputate man continued to crowd surf all through out the duration of BMTH's adding the the energy of the show. Play songs such as Happy Song, The House of Wolves, Shadow Moses, and even Throne. Add in more smoke machines, a large amount of confetti, and a few rounds in the pit  Ending the set on a high note, their encore was a older fan favrotie Blessed With A Curse and recent one Drown Last but not least, I personally ended the night with 2/3 set lists from the bands on the evenings bill- Bring Me The Horizon & Issues-  and a drumstick from Matt Nicholls.

Review: My American Dream by Cheap Haircuts

Review by: Emma Comeaux


Cheap Haircuts is a band that can pull off many different genres of music but you can count on them for realistic and relatable music. A lot of people fall in love with Cheap Haircut’s because of the lyrics. They’re not the best band, they don’t have the best vocals, and they don’t have insane musical talent, but they are hard working and relatable. Brought up from the ground and into the lime light, even if the lime light in this case is a small amount of fans.

The Blue Album - The kickoff song for the album “My American Dream” The Blue Album is an upbeat song with bouncing piano notes and fantastic drumming. A pushy vibe and an edge of regret through the lyrics change the song completely, but the quality is the best.

Board Games - The trumpet in this song shows the folk side of Cheap Haircut’s music, as the album progresses we will see more folk emerging into their music taste.

Elton John - A change of pace that slows down the album, this song is about bravery. The lyrics and effort put into the song are what makes this real. Cheap Haircut’s is a “coming of age” band. We’ve all been through growing up, or are in the process of growing up and our own personal position changes our views of Cheap Haircut’s songs.

I Am a Diver, You Are a Shallow Pool - This is the first song I heard by Cheap Haircut’s and is still to this day one of my favorite songs. Falling in love with someone who isn’t really sad but isn’t really happy is one of the most difficult things ever. Being jealous and being in love, does it compare to not having the person you really want? The piano in all of these songs is outstanding, and completely transforms the songs.

Motel 6 - Leaving people you’ve known your whole life is difficult, but sometimes you have to cut off all the negativity in your life. But sometimes you’re just scared of the relationships you’re in, or stuck in, or coming close to. A song about lessons and getting naked in the Motel 6, it’ll change your life. Well the lesson will, not the Motel 6…

FDR - “I think I’m single handedly holding up the industry for pain medication and junk food.” Finding out things aren’t the same as the impression you were under is hard, but listening to this while you figure it out makes it just a little less difficult.With killer piano tunes, and emotional vocals you’ll fall in love with the teenage angst.

My American Dream - “My American dream is to not do anything.” Just to shut down and take time away from the world for your birthday, and write this song of course. Knowing better doesn’t mean you’ll do better.

Texas Hold ‘Em - We do things we know are bad for us, and we do them repetitively. It’s alright to mess up, it’s alright to be a screw up. It’s not easy to get old and figure out the real world, but you’re going to make it out. I couldn’t think of a better ending for this album and the entire thing was well thought out and planned. The music and emotions flowed well together.

Review: Tales Told by Dead Friends by Mayday Parade

Review by: Hailie Vanisi

Mayday Parade has been a band that I've been listening to for almost 2 years and I always knew this album existed but just thought "it's they're old stuff it's probably not very good." I was so wrong. I definitely think this is one of their best albums. Like always it was super hard to choose 3.
         
The Last Something That Meant Anything: This song was simple and very personal. It wasn't in the usual quiet arrangement of a lot of sad/emotional songs, but it wasn't really heavy, which I really enjoyed. I would totally put this on my rainy day/sad songs playlist. I also really think this is one of my favorite Mayday songs.
        
Just Say You're Not Into It: As soon as I heard this song I just fell in love. There's so much to love about it. It's one of those songs where you can just feel the emotion in the way vocalist (Derek Sanders) sings the lyrics. I really can't describe how much I love this song and I would definitely recommend listening to it.
          
When I Get Home You're So Dead: I've heard this song before, but the newer version and I definitely prefer this one. I think this one had a more raw vibe to it which I personally really enjoy.

Review: WILD by Troye Sivan

Review by: Hailie Vanisi

After his flawless EP- TRXYE, Troye Sivan makes us all fall in love again with his newest album WILD. I had high expectations for this album, especially after listening to TRXYE and Troye went above and beyond those expectations. It was like the beauty of TRXYE in a full length album. I loved every single song on this album, but here are my three that stuck out.
        
THE QUIET: This song is so chill I'm in love. It's one of those songs that you could just listen to on a summer night in the car. Although it's so chill it has that little beat that makes you want to dance to it too.
        

BITE: This song was so mysterious and I couldn't quite understand what Troye was getting at when he wrote this, I would really like to talk to him and ask him about it. It's so well written and lovely I couldn't help but put it as a favorite.
        

DKLA: This kind of reminded me of Gasoline from TRXYE, it has the simple chill beginning, and escalates, but never too intense. I would probably listen to this on loop forever. 

Review: Honeymoon Lands by Joel Faviere

Review by: Xochitl Hansen

Kicking a** and taking names is Florida musician Joel Faviere. With the release of his new album Honeymoon Lands, you can tell Joel’s music speaks waves for not only his self, but his music. With such an experienced musician the music that is part of this album doesn’t disappoint and deficiently will leave you wanting more. Having an alternative pop vibe the album Honeymoon Lands is something not only to listen to, but roll your windows down and jam out to.

*personal favorite tracks.

Track listing-

*Me, Myself & I- Starting off right away with a catchy beat the song starts making you want to moving. A personal favorite lyric used in the song uses the title of the track and is “Me, Myself & I, I don’t feel so lonely when I close my eyes”. What can I say? Only YOU know how to entertain you.

Watch You Watch It- Defiantly one of my favorites on the album. Having piano in the song helps not only emphasis but contrasts artist Joel Faviere voice.

Sedated- Sedated is defiantly one of the tracks on Honeymoon Lands-though they all do- that shows the level of musician that Joel is. The song all throughout has a steady and very catchy beat and to add to the good tie that is sedated, the song has an electronic flare at the end.

Just For You- Once again another song that shows the prime talent that is Joel Faviere is. Talking on the subject of love/lust the song truly helps bringing any emotion that goes along with relationships.

Cherry Pie- Establishing the beat right off the bat with some drums, you’ll be humming this song within minutes.

*Mirage-    I simply cannot describe this song, you just need to check out the song and listen to the magic yourself.

*Nervous-   This song holds so much musical talent into a four minute song. The way every aspect of the song flows with no trouble allows the song to want to be played time after time.

Yeah Yeah Yeah- With an electric aspect to this song and the fast pace of song it all combines together making the lyrics intriguing and helps portray a story.

Don’t Worry Bout It- Having a fantasy touch to the song, the repeated lyrics of “don’t you worry bout it” help tie together the song.

Paralyzed-  With great emotion, once again Joel Faviere’s voice simply proves to a even higher extent the level of musician he is.

*Do This To Me- Heavy with emotion this calmer song is my favorite on the record. Love can bring many emotions, some unwanted, some wanted. The beauty of the emotions cause by love is “It’s a beautiful thing”.

Best Of Me- Starting off strong with guitar the song adds a tad of drums into the mix to contrast Joel’s soothing voice completely.

*So High So Low (feat.St Jean)-   This is a song you can’t describe, because everyone goes through their own troubles and it affects them in their own way. For me, I have my own take away with this song. Everyone has their highs and lows, but from the lyrics “Do I fall down just to fly?”  I take away that some people may let themselves go so low that there is now way but up. This only can fuel the ambition to reach your goals.

*World-   “The truth is the hardest” lyrics anyone can agree with. Someone finally has delivered a song that cuts straight to the truth instead of beating around the bush. This is good for anyone who’s sick of bullshit.

Poison-   Showcasing his voice, the whole song is enchanting.  With the obvious subject of someone being a vice the emotional toll a relationship and/ or someone can cause you is very obvious in the song making in a great listen.

*Captivated- Starting off powerful with use of Joel’s voice; this will make whatever shitty day you’re having instantly better. The love filled lyrics flow along with rhythm that was set, that makes it the song of any relationship.

Enemy- A song that can help you come to terms with whatever is happening to you; the song Enemy will make a bad situation seem better with the musical flow. Defiantly, one of my favorite songs on the record.

*Love Is A Many Splendored Thing-  Starting off with piano and a lovely female voice to counter Joel’s voice the song has a classical vibe then goes straight into Joel’s own sound that you can tell he’s worked hard to create. Honestly, the female vocals were a wonderful touch.

*Honeymoon Lands- The title track of the album and defiantly the anthem of the album. The song is ties together through ever musical aspect.

Keep up with Joel Faviere

Stream his full album HERE http://play.spotify.com/album/1eYfEoNwCIOI7pm3wtd4eE

Facebook www.facebook.com/joelfaviere

Twitter www.twitter.com/joelfaviere

Joel Faviere’s Website www.joelfaviere.com

Review: Black Cat by Never Shout Never

Review by: Hailie Vanisi

After 2 years, Never Shout Never has released their newest album, Black Cat. Their new sound is so different, but I love it. Christofer's voice has really matured over the years really changing their music. He's come so far since Me & My Uke, The Summer EP, etc. I truly love the old albums, but Black Cat has taken my heart.

Trying to chose 3 favorite songs was pretty hard, but I finally did it.

Hey! We Ok: This was the first song I heard a clip of, and I immediately fell in love. I listen to it as reassurance that although we (the listeners) don't have our lives totally planned out, that's fine, and everything will be ok. We should be proud of who we are and don't let anyone bring us down. It was so upbeat it makes me so happy and I always tap my foot or bob my head, this song is amazing and it's definitely a favorite.

Boom: I can't really explain this song. It's so fun and really made me want to get up and dance. It was so different and unique I had to make it a favorite.

All Is Love: I got some old album vibes, but with a new twist. I really like it cause it's not like a normal sappy love song, it's way more upbeat and happy. Although it is quite repetitive it sounds good, not like those songs that are so repetitive you just turn it off, I actually didn't want it to end. There's so much to love about this song, if you had to listen to one song off of this album I would recommend this one. 

Review: Our Own House by MisterWives

Review by: Reanna Simmons

MisterWives is from New York City, New York, and the band consists of five talented 
members -- Mandy Lee (Vocals), William Hehir (Dirty Bass), Etienne Bowler (Dirty Drums), Marc 
Campbell (Guitar), and Dr. Blum (Keys/Trumpet/Accordian). 

Before I listened to MisterWives I only knew of their music, but little did I know I actually 
heard little snippets of their music from time to time. If you’ve seen MTV’s hit show Finding 
Carter then you have definitely heard of MisterWives, and their song Vagabond is actually the 
opening song for the television show. You can see the band make a guest appearance on the 
show performing one of their songs. 

When I finally gave MisterWives a listen I listened to their album Our Own House. My 
personal favorite off the album is Not Your Way. The name of the song speaks for itself, and it 
tells of you’re not going to tell me what to do, I can as I please, nor am I going to listen to you, 
but instead crank up the song, and sing it to you. What I enjoy the most about the song is that 
the trumpet backs up the vocals, and become one making the song more powerful. It’s simply 
perfect.

If you listen to them it’s like a combination of Less Than Jake meets No Doubt, or I 
should say if Less Than Jake, and No Doubt had a child it would be MisterWives. The band is 
this pop ska soul band out of New York City with a kickass front woman that can sing.

REVIEW: Ghost EP by Sky Ferreira

Review by: Anna Julia Chafer

Technical Details:

Year: 2012

Genre: Synthpop

Length: 18:41 minutes

Country: United States

Those who know a bit about Sky Ferreira will probably know that she’s a multifaceted young woman, who has been in contact with music since she was a child. Now, a few years after her bitter musical debut, the EP As If!, she’s working on the last details of the second LP she’ll put out, named Masochism, and this is the perfect occasion to revisit her second EP, the first in which she had the creative freedom she longed for, that freedom she didn’t have in the first record. Ghost is a pretty accurate showcasing of Ferreira’s style and signature sound, in a perfect dose to please her die-hard fans as well as the newcomers who want to taste a bit of her music, a mix of dance, electronic, pop and even acoustic sounds.

The structure of the album is a simple one, but an effective one; two soft, slightly acoustic and new age-infused songs, interspersed with the brisker songs and topped with its pertinent cherry, the highly acclaimed Everything Is Embarrassing, which captures the essence of the four previous songs and unites it in a fine and well-done single.

Sad Dream, the first song, makes the listener think who’s listening to is, surely, another one of those acoustic-based artists, but with a personal touch of electronic add-ons, and an impressive, really impressive, voice. This one is probably the track in which Ferreira’s voice stands out more, and it’s also the one that most people will like, as it has a bit of everything: pop, acoustic, electronic, even a bit of dance and new age.

But then Lost In My Bedroom comes in, and whatever thoughts we had had about her (except maybe the one about her voice: Ferreira’s for sure an amazing singer) are completely erased. We quickly discover the multiplicity present is most of her works, both in the music as in the lyrics. And, even though the following songs are similar to the two we can hear first, none of them gives us a “dejà-vu” feeling when we listen to them.

The issues with which deals the artist in the songs are, mostly, teenage feelings that range from the angst against the world to the classic heartbreak lyrics; basically, lots of sensations and emotions every one of us has felt in some point of our lives. But the great thing about Sky Ferreira’s lyric is that she writes them in a poetical way, which I like and I think is really interesting because, for me, and I’m pretty sure I’m not the only one, when things are written as poetry, it’s easier to talk about them. One of the reasons is because it’s easier to express yourself if you use metaphors, so you don’t feel as exposed as you would if you presented things as they are. Also, poetic texts have more dimension than only the fact that they are saying something; they involve an aesthetical part that I really like to notice and appreciate. So well, after writing my personal ode to poetry, for which I’m really sorry if I bothered you, I can move on to what I was trying to say: Sky Ferreira is a brilliant poetess. And the fact that she sings her poems may even enhance it.

About the music in itself, it’s pretty obvious that she has a special dimension and depth to most of her music, which she achieves by using and introducing different electronic sounds, basing mostly on synthesizers. Her sound and style, specifically in this EP, changes depending on the song, but she has brought off a special mix of the best Marina and the Diamonds with the sweetest indie-pop of Belle & Sebastian, all without forgetting that unique touch of hers. All this has contributed to her being known as one of the most interesting and creative artists of the last years.

Sky Ferreira truly did set up a stunning record with Ghost, a record that let her start her own career as a musician, and anticipated what was to come with the first LP, “Night Time, My Time”. A one-of-a-kind artist, we’re eager to see what she has to offer and create, because we all know it’ll be, at least, intriguing and fascinating.

Review: Little Machines by LIGHTS

Review by: Reanna Simmons

For those who know of LIGHTS you know of her previous works, such as, The Listening, 
or Siberia (her first, and second album). LIGHTS’ most recent release is Little Machines. Little 
Machines is her third studio album. And for those who do not know of her you’re definitely 
missing out. She’s a Canadian born artist with this distinct voice that’s like no other.

Just like every artist, you can hear the evolution of their sound, and lyrics when it comes 
to their new music, and with LIGHTS she’s definitely grown with this album. Little Machines 
opens up with a slow moving song, and about 20 seconds in she breaks the noise with her voice. 
“In the throes of the ruby red river that flows through this darkening concrete, devouring ghost 
afloat by, I'm with them,” she sings. By the end of the song you come to this conclusion that it’s 
a love song. 

After Portal is one of the most popular tracks off the album, Running With The Boys. 
Hands down this song is a fan favorite. The strumming of the guitar that just flow with the 
electronics, and the drumming. It’s very 80s like. The song itself telling of running with the boys, 
and with the music video you can visually see what she’s talking about. Hanging out with your 
friends from when you were young --- being just like the boys. “We used to be clumsy, lost in a 
thousand ways, captivated by the craze, those were hands down my favorite days ..”

Throughout the album she sings of how life is in it’s entirety, and all that comes 
your way. Little Machines is one of those albums that you go on a night drive, roll down the 
windows, and just go where your heart takes you. 

Review: Breathe In. Breathe Out. by Hillary Duff

Review By Emily Racanelli

If you’re like most girls in their late teens/early 20s, some of your fondest childhood memories involved coming home from school and sitting in front of the t.v. to watch Lizzie McGuire. After that half hour that flew by way too quickly, you’d grab your CD player and start blasting Metamorphosis, jumping up and down on the bed while singing “Let the rain fall down, and wake my dreams!!” Those were certainly the days! 

Fast forward a decade, and times have changed. Disney Channel has replaced Lizzie McGuire with shows about talking dogs and that CD player swapped for an ipod carrying anything from Mayday Parade to J. Cole--and maybe a little Beartooth every now and then. It’s not just you that’s changed; teen pop icon Hilary Duff has as well! Marriage, motherhood, and divorce have certainly consumed much of the 27-year-old’s attention as of recent years, which would explain why she faded out of the music scene after the release of Dignity in 2007. However, she has returned with a power-pop anthem equally as entertaining and catchy as the songs we grew up on--even if the themes may have changed a bit. 

Breath In. Breath Out., the fifth studio album by Duff, is an affirmation that the former Disney Channel starlet has moved from behind the t.v. screen of a 12-year-old and into the spotlight! Gone is the childlike innocence from Metamorphosis, replaced by a mature voice and and new motives, as is indicated by “Sparks.” The best part of the song doesn’t even come from the lyrics or even the music--it is in that insanely catchy whistling that rings in my head for days later. It plays in the background as Duff sings, “You can promise castles, treasures, babies/I don’t care/Cause for now you’re just enough for me/I want you near.” It’s strange to listen to Duff singing about babies and boyfriends, because the last time she had a new song out it was eight years ago and she was a mere child. Despite this, I’m elated that she has returned to the studio to once again share her music with the world. A part of me is permanently clinging to the “Come Clean” era, but I’m learning to move forward. 

Speaking of permanent, I’d be insane not to mention the clear standout of the record, “Tattoo.” Having heard that this was co-written by Ed Sheeran, the bar was definitely set a little higher than I usually have it for pop music. It far exceeded my expectations and provided a balance to the record, taking on a more serious demeanor than the other songs. There isn’t enough space for me to quote all the lines that hit home for me, so I’ll do my best to single out the ones that cracked open that dent in my chest once reserved for pop punk and emo songs. In the chorus is the line, “These scars were the way that you loved me.” Think about it, for a pop song there’s some real meaning in that. All of us are sinking in our scars, whether they be the ones resting on the surface of our skin or hiding in the crevice of our minds. Somebody left them there, and even if self-inflicted, somebody drove you to create them. They are the love and the hatred and the time wasted on people who came and went. Scars fade but don’t disappear. As hard as that hits, it’s a lyrics towards the end of the song that creates a dark imagery: “See these scars leaving blood on my little white dress.” There comes a point where the scars break and the memories of our past come back to get us and damage who we are now. You might think things are behind you, but we all carry some kind of tattoos.

Enough of all the melancholy. I doubt “Tattoo” was meant to be that serious, but I guess any song can be pretty intense if you listen to it in the right--or wrong?--mindset. From sinking in memories to moving on from them, let’s talking about the title track, “Breathe In. Breathe Out.” Another song about reminiscing, this one takes on a lighter and more uplifting note, saying “I know that I’ll survive/ Until I feel alright/I’m gonna fake it/Breathe in, breathe out.” Finally, we have encountered a pop song that has a decent message to it and is more than just filler over electronic music. Along with “Tattoo,” this one is extremely relatable and I’m sure every one of the millions of people who have played this song on Youtube can draw upon a time when they felt the same way. We can close our eyes and picture that ex boyfriend, girlfriend, best friend, etc. who held our world and walked away from it. We can tell them the lines, “I remember when we had too much too dream/I was hanging on your words like I’m sixteen” and mean it, because we have lived it. We have lived through it all but still find a way to breathe in and breathe out at the end of the day. 

Hilary Duff knows more than anyone what it’s like to have to remind yourself to keep breathing. We go through setbacks and hit some turbulence on the road to success, but you just have to keep going. There comes a time where Lizzie McGuire is all grown up and those after-school snack breaks are replaced by SAT prep classes. We all have to grow up, but we don’t need to let go of ourselves in the process. Make music, live life, and just keep doing what makes you happy. That’s what life’s all about, and Breathe In. Breathe Out. exemplifies this perfectly. Keep moving forward and be bold, because why not take a crazy chance?

Album Review: Not An Apology by Bea Miller

Review by: Nahson Wren

Bea Miller's debut album quickly caught my attention.  It details her hopes and stories that have led her to where she is.  It has anthems that fans can sing along to and personal stories that humanise her.  "Force of Nature" is said to be her favourite song from the album and the same goes for me.

Songs:

Young Blood - an uplifting song about overcoming trials.

https://youtu.be/fMMNrth246k

Fire N Gold - the hope and belief that things will get better.

https://youtu.be/kjWHpTkH7pA

I Dare You - feeling self-empowered.

Paper Doll - finding the strength to stand up for oneself.

Perfect Picture - how someone brought her hopes and dreams to a reality.

Enemy Fire - looking for a way to deal with jadedness.

Force Of Nature - reluctantly yielding to something that continually becomes part of her life.

This Is Not An Apology - a diss to someone disappointing.

Dracula - yearning for something new, specifically, dark and dangerous.

We're Taking Over - inspiration for the downtrodden.

Rich Kids - her former dreams and hopes about money and popularity.

Review: Three Songs About The Past Three Years of My Life- Real Friends

Review by: Hailie Vanisi 

This is the most simple and personal album I have ever listened to. A lot of artists write songs based on events that have happened in their life, and obviously based on the title that is exactly what this was. These three songs told a lot about places lead singer, Dan Lambton, has been, people he's met, and people who've left. It was as if he was personally telling me stories of what's happened these past three years, I loved it.

        

Dirty Water: The way I would translate this song is he met someone who was, in his words, shallow, and he wasn't too fond of them, and didn't really mind if they left. Although this person didn't have as much hard times as Dan did, they still had hard times but always kept to themselves, and in the end he realized this person was just like him but more secluded. 

Hebron: I love this song so much. It was all about someone who left Dan, and all the memories they had together. He was obviously hurt when this person left, and was reminded of all the good times they had together and having them leave really effected him. There was so much hurt in his voice talking about how he's all alone now.

Alexander Supertramp: This was a very nostalgic song, all about his old memories and how he never wanted to grow up, and how hard it's been. I think everyone can relate to how stressful trying to grow up is, and just wanting to go back to when we were little kids.

Review: The Golden Age by Woodkid

THE GOLDEN AGE, BY WOODKID - TRACK BY TRACK REVIEW

by Anna Júlia Chafer

Technical Details:

Year: 2013

Genre: Neofolk, indie

Length: 48:34 minutes

Country: France

The Golden Age is Yoann Lemoine’s, aka Woodkid, debut album, after reaching success in his career as a film and music video director (for instance, Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” or Lana Del Rey’s “Born to Die” are directed by him) and graphic designer. The french released this neofolk record in 2013, and it is truly worthy of an indie film inspired by the lyrics or something, even more if we consider Lemoine’s statements about it being “autobiographical”.

The CD opens with the song that names it, The Golden Age, and a quiet, soft piano arrangement. Woodkid’s voice follows it quickly, with a cracky, faint but gentle melody that accompanies us the listeners through the strings that add layers and layers of sound to the piano. The song reaches its climax with the brass add-ons, followed by a powerful army of drums, which set the bar high for the next songs.

Nonetheless, what comes next is no less than Run Boy Run, the most well-known theme of the album by now, mostly because of its appearance in lots of adverts and trailers, as well as the soundtracks of the movies Divergent and The Maze Runner. By now we all should be able to recognise the characteristic drumming pace and strings that have made this song a modern-age epic indie anthem (did I just wrote all that? Like, whoa. “Modern-age epic indie anthem” could be the title of a book or a song or whatever).

It’s hard to beat what could be probably the best song in the album, so even though The Great Escape, the following song, has a great beat and different arrangements (note the bell-kinda-thing here and there, which appears later in other songs), it feels boring and for sure not one of the best. In another place in the album, after a quieter song maybe, it would have been better, but after Run Boy Run, it feels like a failed try to recreate another hit like the previous theme.

Anyway, Boat Song fixes things a bit with its sweet, gentle pace and the piano’s organ-like sound, making us feel we really are in a little boat with the singer, who whispers to our ears. There are trumpets too, but they don’t want to sound epic as in many other songs, just soft instead. The resulting surround sound is a comfortable, cozy atmosphere to wrap one of the very, very few songs with completely positive lyrics.

I Love You, the following one, was one of the singles and it’s no wonder. The bells in this song are definitely better than in The Great Escape, the melody gives us an accurate feeling about the lyrics, which are bittersweet and even off bounds close to the sadness. A brilliant composition that doesn’t linger in melancholic sounds like lots of songs about heartbreak.

The Shore could pass as another Boat Song, but its different traits give it a characteristic touch, such as the strings that don’t give us that feeling of floating but instead of flying above fields and cities, because they hold the notes for a while. Those strings are nearly the best in the album, competing with Run Boy Run’s, and are clearly the strong point of the song. The pace, nevertheless, is similar to Boat Song so it’s easy to do the comparison between them. Which one wins, this is left to your taste. I love them both.

We are introduced to another kind of sounds in Ghost Lights, just as if the album built more and more layers for every song we get to hear. The brass arrangements are in this case totally magnificant, and the drums set for a running pace. The filmic character of the theme is even more emphasized with the change of key at the end of the song. Since Woodkid always works with melodies which sound mostly bittersweet, we can’t really tell if this is a heroic song or a failing anthem, and the lyrics don’t help neither; yes, the chorus is essentially a will to triumph, but the verses don’t seem so. I think this is one of the most interesting things about Woodkid, a trait that makes him stand out whether you like his music or not.

Shadows is one of my favorites, and not because I don’t like Lemoine’s voice (for the record, I love his voice because it’s really special and different)! It’s my favorite instrumental theme in the whole album, and I like it because it’s not like the million orchestral instrumentals, and has a kinda-sinister thing that I’m 90% sure isn’t an accordion, but sounds like an accordion. Its structure is simple, just like its melody, but it’s a short song so it doesn’t feel repetitive. And it would be greeeeeeeatt in a movie soundtrack!

Next we have Stabat Mater, a totally sinister theme that complements really well the previous one. I don’t like the absence of a chorus, instead replaced by a choir, but there are powerful parts and even though the song adds new sounds and layers, it’s a bit too risky and it all ends in a just passable theme, with no special things to stand out.

With Conquest Of Spaces we reach another of the best songs in the album, and complete a quiet transition from the classical orchestral sound to an uncommon but utterly awesome one, which is kind of a mix between the soundtrack of a movie and Muse’s arena rock anthems. To abridge, in the previous songs (especially in the three that go before this one) Woodkid has been introducing more and more electronic sounds, synthesizers and artificial elements, and Conquest Of Spaces sums it up very, very well. The culmination of Woodkid’s personal style reaches a peak in this theme, shows his master skills when changing keys throughout the song, and creates the epitome of his distinctive powerful drums, his subtle but intense voice, and his poetic lyrics. Conquest Of Spaces feels like a space journey, and its lyrics are perfect and splendid. Yes, Run Boy Run is an epic song and The Golden Age too, but this one is a gem too many times overlooked.

Falling, the other instrumental in the album, feels (and I guess it was thought too) as an interlude. There’s barely melody, just ominous strings that gain strength as the forty seconds of the track pass by.

We’re reaching the end of the album, with only three songs left, and Where I Live is like a pretty tune to settle down after all those grand, ambitious tracks. The arrangements are simpler, and the song has a touch of sadness, but I’d say it’s still better than, for example, The Great Escape. It doesn’t aim for much and it’s better, because it achieves an intense feeling -this time accentuated by Woodkid’s voice, that gets pretty emotional here- without need of any complicated melodies.

Iron. The last-but-one. I have to say that leaving this one for the end was a truly great decision, instead of piling all the big themes before the rest, and this strategic decision is crucial because when you finish with the album, it leaves you with a good impression -even though the sensation is diminished due to the last song-. This is a song that has also been featured in various videos and trailers, including a Teen Wolf chapter and an Assassin’s Creed trailer, so go figure. Another great use of the bell-like sounds, the horns and trumpets and that bold, bittersweet sound Woodkid is really familiar with. A standout song overall.

The Other Side would have fitted more around the beginning of the album, in my opinion, mostly because of its military-styled drums, and it seems a filler especially having in mind that we have just listened to one of the four best songs in the album, and it’s not enough to leave us with a great feeling when the album closes; it even feels like the song tries to steal a bit of Iron’s greatness. I mean, it’s not a bad song, but it’s definitely not a great option to close The Golden Age. I would cut it at Iron and stop there.

My personal favorites are The Golden Age, Run Boy Run, I Love You, Shadows, Conquest of Spaces and Iron, but this is an album to be enjoyed with time, and every song has its quirks and traits, so in a few months it could change.

The whole album is beautifully composed -even though there are songs that may feel repetitive- in a special way so it has a feeling of completeness, of depth and dimension, a different style that makes this record be distinguishable of others.

For a debut album, The Golden Age is a memorable record: Woodkid’s first LP is bold, impressing and solid, with a few flaws but still easily enjoyable, especially by those in the indie music scene.

Review: PVRIS at Warped

By Emily Racanelli

PVRIS At Warped: The Rise To Main Stage

As the morning sun increases its pressure on the pavement, thousands of people line up in preparation for the Vans Warped Tour. Despite the near 90 degree weather, there are a few brave (or crazy?) individuals who disregard the heat and cover their bodies in black sun-absorbing t-shirts, beanies, and even the occasional pair of pants! While these select few are an example of what to do if you want heat stroke, most others are a walking advertisement for the various bands that grace the stages of Warped each day. Covering a wide array of genres, I catch a glimpse of some Atilla, a plethora of Bearooth, The Wonder Years, and the occasional PVRIS tee. For me, the latter is most exciting.

In 2013, the Boston natives won Battle of the Bands and earned their spot on the MA and CT dates of the tour, playing the Ernie Ball Stage. As the trio progressed, growing in popularity--and switching their name from “Paris” to “PVRIS”--they returned for a second round the year after, this time playing two weeks worth of East Coast dates on the same stage. According to the pattern, it would make sense that PVRIS has secured a place on the entirety of the Vans Warped Tour this summer. However, the tremendous success they are currently experiencing was something that nobody saw coming. Originally, the group was bumped from their prior slots on the Ernie Ball and said to be on the Journey’s Left Foot Stage. After only a couple of dates, they were pulling crowds so massive that it only made sense for the newcomers to dominate the main stage alongside veterans such as Pierce The Veil and Simple Plan.

To even categorize PVRIS with bands that have been playing music since lead singer Lynn Gunn was in elementary school is absolutely insane in the best way possible. The electro-pop music combined with Gunn’s vocal range makes for a sound far poppier than what you might expect to hear on Warped. Even though their debut full length White Noise (released by Rise Records) is more on the mellow side, it doesn’t stop the 1,000+ people who show up to their set everyday from going wild.

I attended the Long Island, NY and Cleveland, OH dates of Warped, being sure to catch PVRIS at both. Each time, I was astounded at the amount of people; these weren’t passerby just looking to catch a new act, but dedicated CVLT members who had no problem soaking in sweat for hours just to get a spot near the barricade.

As one of these overtly committed and nearly dehydrated fans, I can say it was worth the wait. Never did I think I’d see people crowd surfing to the anger-ridden ballad “Holy,” but I guess there’s a first for everything! In fact, the audience may have been just as captivating as show happening on stage! When the set drew to a close, things would begin to escalate even further. As per usual, Gunn introduced hit single “My House” by repeatedly asking the crowd “Whose house is this?!” After building the anticipation, people were so rowdy you would think it were Atilla playing, not a band that uses synthesizers and frequents the head voice. By the time the bridge came around, total chaos ensued, as I turned my body to the side to stay alert for crowd surfers. 25 minutes simply just isn’t enough; hopefully the immense attendance--which wrapped around to both sides of the stage--is enough of an indication that a headlining tour should most definitely happen!

If you missed PVRIS on Warped, catch them at whatever other small venues they stop by in the near future, because I can guarantee that in only a few years they’ll be selling out stadiums. With a unique style, powerhouse vocals, and swooning synths, PVRIS is set to be the next big thing.

Review: Duality by Set It Off

Review by: Reanna Simmons

Just last year Set It Off released their fourth full length album Duality. For those who do
not know who Set It Off is they are from Tampa, Florida, that are known for their unique
theatrical performances.

Duality follows their third album Cinematics (Expanded Edition), and just like that album
they’re continuing to push the envelope of originality on the genre spectrum. This album tells of
being forever young to finally letting go of that relationship you just can’t seem to get untangled
from. Not only does it have some pretty rad songs, but it features some pretty talented singers,
such as, William Beckett (of The Academy Is), and Jason Lancaster (of Go Radio, and Mayday
Parade).

If you have yet to listen Duality I recommend listening to Forever Stuck On Youth.
“Because I'm on a permanent vacation. We're young, we're young, we're dumb and we don't care,
no. And I don't owe an explanation,” Frontman Cody Carson sings. This song is perfect for the
summer, and it is one of the catchiest songs to just to have fun listening to -- genuinely a summer
anthem.

As far as the other songs of the album they’re all different from one another, but the flow
in a way that makes Duality what it is. I look forward to see what comes next for Set It Off.

Review: Younger Dreams by Our Last Night

Review by: Reanna Simmons

The Our Last Night boys are at it again, but instead of an EP, or a cover they’ve brought
us a full length album. Their new album Younger Dreams was released on June 16, 2015.

Only one track in, and I am already sold. The chorus of Prisoners packs a punch full of
lyrics, and notes. “With houses made of gold, controlled by what we own,” Trevor, and Matt
Wentworth sing. To me this song speaks of being a “prisoner” of owning all these pointless
necessities, and wanting the next big thing. Sadly our generation happens to be like this always
wanting more, and not being thankful for what you have.

As the album continues to play I feel like Nicholas Cage in National Treasure deciphering the lyrics. From track to track the album tackles issues that not a band have to deal with, but as an individual as well. I would like to mention that the band has done this before with their previous releases. In particular, and with this album, the third track Home speaks of leaving your loved one(s) behind reminding them that no matter what you would be coming home, and no matter how far apart you are the love you have for each other will keep you together -- which is something that plenty of individuals deal with on a daily basis.

The album itself is pretty good, and if  there were a five star rating I'd give it five stars, but that’s just me. Our Last Night is genuine band, and all around pretty cool guys. This summer the boys played the Vans Warped Tour all summer long, and of course they'll be playing tracks off of Younger Dreams. If you have yet to be sure to check them out, and if you really love bands that cover songs then you should really check them out!

Review: The Fool by Ryn Weaver

Review by: Nahson Wren

Ryn Weaver is one of my new favorite artists.  The sound of her voice is unique, in a way that is interesting.  OctaHate is the prominent single from the album.  Here is one word to describe each song:

Runaway - Impetuous

OctaHate - Thwart

Pierre - Nostalgic

Stay Low - Allay

Sail On - Adieu

The Fool - Oblige

Promises - Attritional

Free - Adore

Traveling Song - Sentimental

Here Is Home - Loyalty

New Constellations - Belief

Review: A Bad Girl in Harlem by New Politics

I’m the type of person who usually doesn’t listen to different genres, but I did, and I’m so glad I did.  A Bad Girl in Harlem has been on repeat for the past month. This album is totally one to dance horribly around your room to.  Vocalist, David Boyd, has got a voice that I would listen to for hours on end. This band from Denmark has stolen my heart.

Every song on this album was beautiful, here are some of my favorites:

Tonight You’re Perfect: This song was so cute, and I cannot possibly explain how much I love it. David’s voice was absolutely perfect. I think I will be singing this song in the shower and everywhere else until the day I die.

Harlem: I’ve heard this song a couple times before and I was always like “Wow that’s too pop for me” I was way wrong. If I were to ever be at a party and not watching Netflix for 8 hours straight, this would be my go to dancing song. 

Goodbye Copenhagen: Holy cow. I was speechless after listening to this, something about it really caught my attention. I don’t know if it was the relatable lyrics or the upbeat feeling but this song has got me singing at the top of my lungs every single time. 

Review: Ultraviolence by Lana Del Rey

Review by: Emma Comeaux

1. Sad Girl- I love how you can hear the sadness in her voice and personally I can relate to this song a lot. One of the lines states "being a bad bitch on the side," but the chorus suggests she's having second thoughts. Also, another line states, "he's got the fire," which she sings very strongly. Then she comes back with, "watch what you say to me, careful who you're talking to," does this mean maybe she is getting tired of getting burned by his flames? Just a thought I had listening to this song.

2. Old Money- First off, I love her old bluesy voice in this track. It seems as if she is talking back to her youth. She also talks about her fathers strong love and her mothers glamour. The line after she talks about her parents she says, "yet I still felt alone, for reasons unknown to me." She also says, "but if you send for me I'll come." My thought is maybe her parents were very wealthy and didn't have much time for her, but she would still go back.

3. Brooklyn Baby- This track is very upbeat. In many of her tracks I'm noticing she's playing a young brave face. My favorite part of this track is the first half of the second verse. It states how they say she's too young too love and she's too dumb to see. Which is very true, people say those kind of things all the time. What I really like about this song is some of the verses are very poetic. 

4. Fucked My Way Up To The Top- She is very outspoken on this song, she sings what she feels. It sounds like she's attacking someone. She says "I fucked my way up to the top, this is my show," could possibly be her way to responding to gossipers. 

5. Pretty When You Cry- She has a very rustic sound in this track. It's talking about a guy who always lets her down; which again I can relate to. She goes back to all there memories and states she's pretty when she cries and she doesn't need the memories.

6. Cruel World- She has a very bluesy voice in this track, also. In this track, it sounds like she's removed herself from a a very destructive relationship. She says "I shared my body and mind with you, and that's all over now." She sounds very relieved about that.

7. Ultraviolence- First off I love the music in this track, it's very relaxing. I love how she says, "Cause I was filled with poison- but blessed was blessed with beauty and rage."  

8. Shades Of Blue- She sounds very broken in this track, like she's hurt. She's says, "but I can't fix him, can't make him better." She is referring to her boyfriend, who is on drugs it sounds like. I relate to a lot of Lana's songs, this again is one of them. 

9. West Coast- I'm loving the upbeat music in this track, it's very bold! She's falling in love on the west coast. This song is very catchy and true. She explains the feelings you get when you're in love. I think this is one of my favorite songs on this album.

10. Money Power Glory- She brings back the bluesy voice in this track. She wants all his money, power, and glory. She says, "dope and diamonds, that's all I'm about." Which is very true, in most her songs she's talking about those two things.

11. The Other Woman- In this track she lets her voice quiver. You can feel the sadness in her voice. I think there is another woman, but she has also played that part and that's why she knows it so well. 

All in all, the Ultraviolence album was great. Her voice never fails to surprise me.