Born to Die by Lana Del Rey was the 5th best selling album of 2012. Released soon after the success of her debut single “Video Games,” Lana’s old Americana aesthetic, emotional vocals, and descriptive songwriting, captured the world’s attention in the album Born to Die. With just 12 songs, she was able to set herself apart from the more positive artists that were trending like Katy Perry, who dominated early 2010’s music. This is most likely why is considered to be indie or alternative despite making pop songs. Here are some of the standout tracks:
Video Games: The song that catapulted Lana del Rey into the mainstream, “Video Games” is a somber pop ballad that describes the archetype of her lover ignoring her to play video games. But instead of leaving him, she decides to keep trying to get his attention. The production is slow and sad, yet hopeful.
Radio: One of Lana’s most commercially successful songs. Lana recalls how after she became famous everyone started praising her, even those who doubted her before. She sings about how her life is “sweet like cinnamon.” This has a typical pop song structure however the production sounds a bit more unique and melancholic.
Dark Paradise: This is another example of Lana’s melancholic style. In “Dark Paradise,” she sings about a lover who passed away. He haunted her dreams and she fears they will not see each other in heaven. She also questions how she is to move on until they see each other again.
Summertime Sadness: This is inspired by Lana’s love for California summers. She sings about enjoying her life and the summer ending is bittersweet because of all the fun times she had. She says “If I go I’ll die happy tonight.” This perfectly describes how the summers satisfied all the experiences she wanted in life.
Lana del Rey is one of the most influential pop artists of all time. Her style has influenced Billie Eilish, Olivia Rodrigo, and Madison Beer, all young up and coming female artists. She is proof doing something different from what is trending will make you timeless. I hope you love this album as much as I did.
Melodrama is the second album from New Zealand singer-songwriter, Lorde. This came four years after her debut studio album, Pure Heroine. Melodrama has 11 songs that tackle different emotions, relationships, and friendships. Her unique style of lyricism has become very influential to new artists like Olivia Rodrigo. I love Melodrama because of the interesting production and lyrics.
Here are some of the highlights on this album:
Green Light
The biggest hit and lead single to the album. Lorde describes a situation, in which she has just left a relationship but cannot “let go.” She tells the listener she is waiting for the green light to move on. The production is nothing exciting until Lorde starts chanting in the background towards the end of the song.
Sober
Lorde describes a relationship with her lover where she wonders if alcohol is the thing that gives them chemistry. While the topic seems cliche, Lorde’s lyricism shines through as she describes them as “King and Queen of the Weekend.” In terms of production, triumphant trumpet sounds add to the royalty line.
Liability
This was the song that introduced me to the album. I heard Olivia Rodrigo say she loved this song and wished she had written it. Lorde sings over a piano ballad instrumental as she describes herself as a liability to other people and “a little much for everyone.” In terms of self-reflective pop songs, it is one of the best I have heard.
Supercut
Easily my most-played song on the album. The production was quite good for a pop song and I found it very catchy. It was produced by multi-Grammy award winner and Taylor Swift’s main producer, Jack Antonoff, who I also love with Lana del Rey. The lyrics describe looking back on a relationship and only seeing the best parts of it.
Perfect Places
The closing track perfectly encapsulates the theme of the album. Lorde describes the stereotypical party life of a young adult. She describes doing these immature things to find “perfect places.” But to finish she asks what are perfect places because it turns out that life was not as promising as it seemed.
Overall this is one of my favorite pop albums and definitely worth a listen if you like Olivia Rodrigo. While Lorde has won several Grammys, I do not see many people listening to her. But Melodrama is a phenomenal album.
Fireworks and Rollerblades is the debut album of American singer-songwriter, Benson Boone. Over the past 2-3 years he has released a few singles including the viral hit “In the Stars.” Finally, he had a huge breakthrough moment with the song “Beautiful Things.” I always admired his lyrics because I found them quite emotionally sensitive in a way no other male pop artist has (except Conan Gray). The production is nothing special but also it fits the songs perfectly. I was not really looking out for this album, but once I listened to it, I could not stop. Here are my favorite tracks:
-Cry
-Be Someone
-There She Goes
They follow similar ideas many other artists have sung about in the past. However, not many artists (especially men), have such a strong vocal performance. His singing, aesthetic, and stage presence remind me of Freddie Mercury. I think he is too young and has not had the impact of Mercury, but he has many similarities. He also has the beautiful lyrics of another Gen Z male singer, Conan Gray, who also just had an album release. Boone’s album has been a commercial success so far and currently, he is scheduled to perform as an opening act on Taylor Swift’s “The Era’s Tour”. He was also on stage with Lana del Rey recently. I hope through his performances he will be able to gain more recognition and hopefully, Grammy’s next year.
The Tortured Poets Department is the eleventh album from singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Before this album, I liked most songs on each one of her albums except for her first album because I do not like country music. The thing I found most interesting about Taylor was her relatable poetic lyrics matched with simple but occasionally interesting instrumentation. Personally, I am a huge fan of her albums Speak Now, 1989, and Evermore. In the past, Swift has received criticism for her singing ability and range. Over her past few albums, she was able to prove that she was a competent singer. Every single one of her albums she was able to improve on something people questioned her ability on, until this last album. Her massive rise in popularity the last two years has led to her receiving nearly no criticism. While her last album was good, it was not the best album that year, yet it still won “Album of the Year” at the Grammy’s over more deserving artists like Olivia Rodrigo, SZA, and Lana Del Rey.
This album, The Tortured Poet Department, is Swift’s most sonically one-dimensional and least unique album. The songs seem to all bleed into each other with the vocals sounding the same and it seems to be her most uninteresting instrumentation. Think back to albums like Red, which had a pleasant guitar present in almost every song, or 1989, which brought a new modernized version of 80’s synth-pop. This album seems to be reminiscent of Midnights but with more pianos and guitars, and sadly nothing truly different from what she has done in the past. More often than not, these songs are worse versions of her old songs or other artists’ styles.
Fortnight (feat. Post Malone):
The main message in the song is that “I love you, it’s ruining my life”. She talks about living next to your ex and wanting to kill his wife. She describes only being with this man for a fortnight (14 days). It features Post Malone, however, he does not have a verse. Instead, he is background vocals for most of the song. This seems to be a habit of Taylor Swift when she collaborates to relegate other artists to a very minimal role such as Lana Del Rey, Chris Stapelton, and HAIM. However, her duets with Bon Iver are some of her best songs in my opinion. I would have loved to have seen something similar here. The song has a mid-tempo pace, boring lyrics, and a meaningless-sounding instrumental.
The Tortured Poets Department:
This song really reminded me of the “Mariners Apartment Complex” by Lana Del Rey, but not as good. She explains in the song to her ex-lover that no one is going to love them like she did. I actually somewhat enjoy the chorus of the song, when she says “You’re not Dylan Thomas, I’m not Patti Smith. This ain’t the Chelsea Hotel, we’re modern idiots”. This is one of the rare times in this song where her figurative language is catchy likely on her past albums. It seems that not just on this song but on the whole album she is making things as poetic as possible, however, it is just not catchy and does not make sense. Like when she says “You fall asleep like a tattooed golden retriever”.
My Boy…Down Bad/So Long, London
I personally love “My Boy Only Breaks His Favorite Toys.” I loved the concept of Taylor being a doll that people would look at, but this guy took her out of the box. One of the best choruses and bridges on the entire album. “Down Bad” was a song really did not like. She curses unnecessarily throughout the song. I found it interesting that Taylor admits that “everything comes out teenage petulance”, but it shocked me that she did not do anything to remedy this. There are other concepts of the album, like her struggles with fame, and the thought of someone new (Olivia Rodrigo) being better than her. It would have been better if she had gone into these ideas more. “So Long, London,” the quintessential Taylor Swift track 5 (which should have been loml), has a weird instrumentation like she is going on a run and the lyrics are just racing through her mind. However, Taylor does not stop running, there is not a change in instrumentation, and seemed unusually rushed though it’s over four minutes long.
But Daddy I Love Him/Fresh Out The Slammer
This seems to be an older more mature version of Taylor’s first hit song “Love Story.” Not only did “Love Story” have a better instrumentation and used the symbolism of being this novel kind of forbidden love. It also made more sense because at the time she was around 18 years old and living with her parents, now Taylor is a 34-year-old billionaire. In “Fresh Out The Slammer,” she describes getting out of relationships and wondering who she is going to call. This is a little odd because of Swift’s many songs explaining how hard it is to get over guys. Just like nearly all of the songs there really is no change in pace and seems a little one-dimensional.
Florida (feat. Florence + The Machine)/ Guilty As Sin?
While these songs sonically sound probably the best, with more of a rise and fall in the music, it has probably the worst topics on the album. “Florida,” for instance, is a song where she describes going to Florida to escape her worries. However, lyrically it seems like a Lana Del Rey song off the album Honeymoon. The feature is much more prevalent than the Post Malone song, however, this does not feel like the right song for Florence + The Machine vocals. “Guilty as Sin?” is a song where Taylor admits to wanting to cheat on her boyfriend. She explains because it did not happen then she can’t be guilty as sin. This is beyond hypocritical considering how many songs she has written bashing people for cheating (“Better than Revenge,” “Should’ve Said No”).
Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me/ loml
“Who’s Afraid of Little Old Me,” is a good example of Taylor Swift, just being overdramatic and painting herself as a victim. I do not deny that fame affects some people like Britney Spears, there are people like Britney who have suffered and gone through way more. While she has gone through a lot over the years, the idea she describes as being raised in an asylum, when she grew up in a mansion with a Christmas tree farm and her parents protected her best interest. “Loml” on the other hand is easily my favorite and the best song of the album. One of Taylor’s best songs period, it is far sadder than something like “All Too Well.” Swift explains how she allowed herself to believe this man’s promises of marriage when there were signs to show her otherwise. The lyrics are poetic and make sense. Musically it is a simple piano ballad, but it really allows her lyrics to shine through.
I Can Do It With A Broken Heart/Clara Bow
These songs conceptually are quite good. However, the instrumentation is a little bit odd sounding in “I Can Do It With A Broken Heart.” It sounds like the 1989 vault tracks or Midnights but it does not sound right for this song. In “Clara Bow,” Taylor sings about how the “it-girls” over the years have been replaced and compared to their predecessors. In the final verse, she says “You look like Taylor Swift, in this life. We’re loving it, you’ve got that edge she never did”. I think this is about Olivia Rodrigo, who is clearly the biggest young female artist, who already has records that Swift does not with only two albums.
Overall I think this is Taylor’s worst album since her debut. However, I think because of the Era’s tour and the level of success she is at now, Swift will receive little criticism. I think she has far better albums like Speak Now, Red, Lover, and Evermore to name a few. I think it would be a real shame to praise this when she was capable of so much more in the past.
Heartbreak Weather is the second album from X-factor contestant and One Direction member turned solo artist Niall Horan. Originally from Ireland, he auditioned for the X-factor at the age of 16. Instead of getting cut as a solo artist, Niall was combined with four other contestants including a teenage Harry Styles. These five boys would go on to be one of the highest-selling boybands of all time, One Direction. After One Direction broke up, the artists started releasing their solo albums. Niall Horan’s first album Flicker was a massive success, creating hit songs like “Slow Hands” and “This Town.” I personally enjoyed the songs and they reminded me of many of the songs from One Direction. However, with his second album, Niall was able to create his own sound.
Heartbreak Weather is a pop album that incorporates some elements of pop rock and indie. It consists of 14 tracks including 5 singles and the title track. Here are the highlights on the album in my opinion…
Heartbreak Weather:
The title track and single did not disappoint. With an indie pop style production and a unique concept created a phenomenal song. Niall describes his love life as being disastrous like a season of bad weather, or “Heartbreak Weather.” The chorus is catchy and he compares the romance in his life to bad weather that will not get better. The bridge is amazing as he claims his new lover has saved him from “Heartbreak Weather.” The line goes “Now all the clouds have been lifted. Lately, my heart’s been so empty. But it feels different when you’re with me.” Overall the song was one of the best on the album.
Black and White:
Another single of this tracklist is titled “Black and White.” Niall is convinced his current girlfriend is the one he will end up with. He says in the chorus “Yeah, I see us in black and white. Crystal clear on a starlit night. In all your gorgeous colors. I promise that I’ll love you for the rest of my life.” The production has more of a rock influence with subtle guitar. Later in the song he describes his life with this woman after they got married and got old together. Overall this is a very sweet romantic song about marriage.
Everywhere:
This is my personal favorite song on the album. It is about how he has broken up with his lover and now he sees her everywhere even if she is not. I love the production throughout the entire album as I feel it incorporated the best parts of pop, indie, and rock. But “Everywhere” is my favorite because I find it the catchiest and most typical pop song.
Honorable Mentions
-Still
-New Angel
-No Judgement
While this album charted well in the U.K. it is disappointing to see that it did not really become popular in America. I can confidently say Niall Horan is the most underrated pop artist I listen to and, sadly, he does not get the recognition he deserves. Personally, Heartbreak Weather was one of the best albums in 2020. He is currently on tour for his new album which includes some songs from Heartbreak Weather. I hope this tour can draw attention to his music and I hope you love this album as much as I did.
A Wrinkle in Time is the first book in Madeleine L’Engle’s Time Quintet. It is a science fiction book with some elements of mystery. The story is about a girl, Meg, who has not heard from her father since he disappeared on a government mission. She seems to be struggling without his presence, only focusing on classes they bonded over like math and science. Meg has a hard time making friends as she is an opinionated young middle schooler. Her younger brother, Charles Wallace, is a child prodigy who also is “socially awkward” compared to others. One day on the way back from school, they meet another kid named Calvin who is older than Meg. They are visited by Mrs. Whatsit, Mrs. Who, and Mrs. Which, beings from another dimension that Meg’s father is lost in. These beings take Meg, Charles Wallace, and Calvin into the 5th dimension to find their father.
This book experiments with time travel and scientific theories like the 5th dimension. However, it is not the average science fiction story. The tale gets quite deep and emotional at times when the characters go through their family issues. It is relatively simple to understand, however, it can be complicated once they describe “tessering” (traveling between space and time in dimensions). Overall I would give this book a 7/10. It was interesting but the pacing of the book seemed a bit off. I did not feel that there was enough time spent during the “final battle” and the conclusion seemed rushed. But I would recommend this book for sixth graders who enjoy complex science fiction.
-Janna G.
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle is available for checkout from the Mission Viejo Library. It can also be downloaded for free from Libby.
The Thing About Jellyfish is a realistic fiction book about a young girl who is trying to process the loss of her best friend. The book is easy to read, yet it has more mature themes like death.
Suzy Swanson, the protagonist, is suspicious of how her best friend, Franny died. She was told that Franny drowned on a vacation in Maine, however, after a school field trip, Suzy is convinced that Franny was stung by an Irukandji jellyfish.
Before her death, Franny began to become friends with the popular girl group and forgot about Suzy. Suzy tried to win Franny back, but before she could, Franny died.
Devastated at Franny’s death, Suzy stopped speaking because she did not see anything positive to say. Her parents were so worried about her that they sent her to a therapist, Dr. Legs. Not speaking also prevented Suzy from making new friends.
The story is told from Suzy’s point of view. It depicts how she processed the last few months of their friendship and the months following Franny’s death. I would give this book an 8/10 overall and would recommend this for teens who are going through a death or losing a friendship.
-Janna G.
The Thing About Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin is available to check out from the Mission Viejo Library. It is also available to download for free from Libby.
Mission Viejo Library Teen Voice 