An Evening With Silk Sonic is the debut record of the newly formed R&B, funk, soul duo Silk Sonic. The duo consists of hitmaking legend, Bruno Mars, and Californian singer/rapper Anderson.Paak. The album is a concise 10 tracks with just over 36 minutes of run time.
Production: Sonically this record is very cohesive. All the tracks have an R&B, funk, and soul influence. Bruno Mars’s last record 24K Magic dove into similar sounds, however, An Evening With Silk Sonic, has a much more traditional and authentic sound. The incorporation of live instruments and incredible vocals makes the album feel like a concert experience.
Writing: The lyrics on this album go from playful and cheeky to songs like “777”, a song that depicts a typical Vegas gambling night. There are many quotable lines on it like “Moonwalk to the money like I’m Mike Jack”. However, the record gets deep and emotional on “Put on a Smile”. The song is about how they cannot put on a smile anymore because their ex-lover was the only thing worth smiling for. The writing is reminiscent of Anderson. Paak’s album Ventura and also Mars’s debut Doo-wops and Hooligans.
Reception: The lead single for this record “Leave the Door Open” went #1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Another track “Smoking Out the Window” hit #5, and five other tracks debuted in the top 100. The overall record reached #2 on Billboard 200 which is for albums. An Evening with Silk Sonic was met with critical acclaim and the song “Leave the Door Open” won four out of four Grammy nominations including Song of the Year and Record of the Year.
Overall An Evening with Silk Sonic is a great listen and I highly recommend it. Especially to fans of Earth, Wind, and Fire, Bootsy Collins, Thundercat, and Brent Faiyaz.
Tame Impala is a psychedelic pop project by Australian singer Kevin Parker. He released their third album, Currents, in 2015. This is the first album that Parker mixed and recorded all music and instruments alone, therefore the album featured no other collaborators. Personally, this is my favorite album by Tame Impala and I became a fan of them after discovering the hit song, The Less I Know The Better.
Similar artists – MGMT, Mac deMarco, Foster the People
Themes and Lyrics
The album revolves around ideas of self-discovery, complex relationships, and conflicts in past and present. Almost every song describes relation-related transformations as well as their struggles. One of the more prominent examples of these journeys of self reflection can be seen in this quote from the song Yes I’m Changing
“Life is moving, can’t you see? There’s no future left for you and me”
I think the song describes getting over a relationship that most likely isn’t going to work out. This quote illustrates that it’s not always right to be stuck in the past, which many people can sympathize with. Another song that strongly embeds this theme is Past Life, in which a guy talks about an encounter with his old lover, which gives him a strange feeling.
Impressions and Opinions
Overall the songs in this album are very ethereal and nostalgia-inducing. My favorite songs in the album are Love/Paranoia and Eventually. If you are a first time listener to this album, I would definitely suggest listening to The Less I Know The Better and Let it Happen. My least favorite songs are either very repetitive (Nangs) or don’t have any lyrics (Gossip). No offense to the instrumentals, they’re great, but it’s just not for me.
Final Comments
I would recommend this album to people who enjoy upbeat, immersive music and would like to explore themes of personal transformation. If you’re getting over a relationship you might find a connection with this album.
In her second album, Rae, alternative singer/songwriter, Ashe, introduces a collection of danceable and cry-able songs, snapshotting a lively and carefree moment in her life. Even though she has recently come out with a new album, Willson, which I also believe is an incredible album that revels in her self-discovery, Rae still stands out as a very underrated album that deserves more recognition for its creativity and masterful lyricism. I’ve highlighted a few of the most notable tracks on the album:
Shower With My Clothes On: With a parade of melodic ad-libs, singing trumpets, and a harmonic guitar strum, Ashe encompasses the feeling of spinning out of control with anxiety and a world trapping you in. She notes the last few moments of a relationship when in a state of hopelessness, knowing that you must let go. Ashe sings, “I don’t know how to feel, I’m out of my mind,” as she immerses us into her spiral and active panic attack. Through this notion, Ashe consoles her listeners, telling them to find any way to decompress when in a situation like this, even if it means getting in the shower with their clothes on.
omw: This bittersweet track, with components of an 80s beat and a breezy piano riff, is layered with hope that through whatever “rain and lightning,” there are better times ahead, as long as you try to get there. Ashe revels in her positivity saying “I’m on my way” to a brighter future. What most struck me about this track was the addicting beat and fluidity of the lyrics. I also found it satisfying to hear such a positive and hopeful outlook on the days ahead.
Angry Woman: This track screams at the stereotypical behaviors of women in society today. Ashe fights with the notions of women needing to ‘behave’ and ‘not get emotional’ in her punk rock track. Through this, she describes her, and generally women’s struggles with the abuse of power and their right to get angry to inspire some change.
Loose Ends: The gentle lull of Loose Ends in this high-energy album gives a place for soft, folksy lament that captures the emotional aftermath of a relationship. It reflects the action of masking real love while being dissatisfied in a relationship and the plea for direction while struggling to decide what’s next. She sings, “Love is a game that you let me lose, I would’ve stayed if you asked me to.” Possibly the saddest song on the album, Loose Ends laments someone in a state of desperation who becomes an outcast amongst their family and friends. Although Ashe doesn’t provide any positive note that things will get better, it suits the situation that at this moment, one doesn’t know or feel that things can get better.
Overall, Rae gives off a retro-pop style that feels unique to most albums of today. I’ve had a fixation on this album, and I hope that someday it’ll get the recognition it deserves.
Stick Season is the third album from singer-songwriter Noah Kahan. This record is a unique blend of folk, alternative rock, pop, and country. However, it was his lyricism that impressed me. Here are some of the standout tracks:
Stick Season: The song that brought Noah Kahan’s music into the mainstream, largely due to Olivia Rodrigo’s cover. The lyrics describe a state of depression and sadness comparing it to the season of the sticks. This is a period of time when the trees have lost all their leaves, but the snow of winter has not covered them. The production has an alternative rock-sounding instrumental.
Northern Attitude: This is the second single on the record which also has another version featuring Hozier. In the lyrics, he sings about his unglamorous upbringing being the reason behind his coldness. This has a folk/alternative rock instrumental, with a shouting almost echoing chorus.
All My Love: This track is my personal favorite. The lyrics depict an old romance but that ended on good terms. As he sings “There ain’t a drop of bad blood, it’s all my love”. There is an upbeat guitar and the instrumental sounds similar to the rest of the album, with a folky/alternative rock sound.
Overall this is an incredible album that I think everyone can enjoy. I especially recommend it to fans of Hozier, Fleet Foxes, Zach Bryan, Kacey Musgraves, or The Lumineers. There is also another edition of the record which includes remixes with Gracie Abrams, Lizzy McAlpine, and Brandi Carlile.
During my winter break, I’ve had time to indulge in my hobbies, one of which is listening to music. I enjoy expanding the types of music I listen to and an artist who has piqued my interest as of late is Jesse Welles. Welles has started to gain popularity due to his bold statements and blunt messages he sends through his songs on all platforms including but not limited to, TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify. One of the most recent EP (standing for extended play) releases that have been released by Welles is “All Creatures Great and Small”. The EP centers around the environment’s condition, humans, and a variety of creatures. The first of these tracks is “Bugs”.
Bugs
Beginning, “Bugs” was first seen as a single and short Tik tok, Instagram, and Youtube prior to the release of “All Creatures Great and Small”. However, there is not a large difference between the single release and EP release. “Bugs” has a similar feel to a children’s song, it has a silly and “bouncy” feel.
The thing that stood out to me the most was the “Bzz” bridges, my reasoning for this standing out is that Welles tends to have a very serious tone in a large majority of his prior releases. This “Bzz” comes off as out of character for Welles especially since it is the first song of the EPs and contrasts strongly with his other messages/songs if you were to listen to his other work before listening to “Bugs”.
Trees
Up next on the tracklist is “Trees”. Welles’s message in this track is to show appreciation for trees which usually go dismissed. Lines such as “You tell me your favorite, I’ll tell you mine. I like the tall ones, short ones, ones with great big roots,” illustrates Welles’ appreciation for nature and its variety. This track has a slow relaxed feel while still being slightly witty similar to his previous work. This can be seen in the line “Tree’s probably smarter than me and you”. The overall message of this song is to show how useful trees are for everyone and everything whether we, the listener, realize it or not. The general feel and tone of the track are enjoyable and I find myself singing the song throughout the day.
Turtles
Third on the EP is “Turtles” which covers the variety of abilities turtles have. Although the majority of people may view turtles as just slow creatures who are in need of help, Welles paints turtles as independent and determined animals.
One of my favorite factors of this track is the lines “Turtles, ooh-oh-oh Turtle time” leading into a harmonica solo. I find this lead-up and solo to be very charming, and special, and serves as sort of a sparkle to the song to make it stand out giving it a quirk in a sense. This track is calm and informative about the struggles and strengths of the turtles’ everyday life.
Previously I viewed turtles mostly as sensitive and in danger but listening to this track has shown me that turtles are more than just their struggles. Not only are turtles more than their struggles, but they also need the same resources as us although they may physically look different turtles are just like everyone else as said by Welles “They need clean water and clean air, About the same things as we need up here.” I see that this track can help others be more open-minded to turtles and value them further than just struggling animals.
Squirrels
Fourth on the tracklist, and my personal favorite, is “Squirrels”.The overall composition of the song is incredibly enjoyable evoking an energetic and busy feeling with the quick pace of the guitar and chime of harmonica popping up throughout the song. This rhythm paired with the lyrics paints a picture of curiosity and adventure perfectly encapsulating the jumpy and fast life of a squirrel. Similar to the previous tracks “Squirrels” describes the intricate lives of squirrels, although we may only see the for short amounts of time they are just as equally busy, enthusiastic, and passionate as humans. We can see this theme of animals serving a purpose for themselves and the world, along with themes of appreciation and equality between humans and nature all throughout “All Creatures Great and Small”. Although squirrels may seemingly be lost as described by Welles Squirrels “You ain’t ever gonna find all them nuts. All froze up in the middle of the road. Can never decide which way to go.” They still continue to live on and find joy in their lives similar to humans finding happiness while passing through hardships. I find this song to be enchanting with its usage of different techniques while Welles backs up his vocals with his guitar to mimic a squirrel’s chattering of teeth. This extremely unique variety of sound makes this song stand out the most to me along with the announcement of squirrels besides the chattering. Not only did this song stand out to me, but it also got me to look more into the vast sounds squirrels make and why they do it.
Autumn
Fifth on the track is “Autumn” which was released alongside “Bugs” as a single before its release on EP and similarly to “Bugs” does not have any major differences between its single and EP release. Generally, the feeling I got from this song was a comforting and warm home feeling matching perfectly with the title. A slow yet quick pace of the guitar also produces a feeling of progression and confidence. I can also sense a scene of close connection and familiarity with lines such as “I wish you could see what my eyes see. As the summer slips out of view. Time’s gonna take me, baby, just as I am. It’s autumn here, how about you?”. These lines remind me of wishful thinking that you couldspend a moment with someone dear to you when seeing a beautiful sight. This song also serves wonderfully as a representation of “The Road Back” similar to the way the hero’s journey usually flows. The journey painted by Welles is full of appreciation and new information.
For example, the references to past tracks such as “As the squirrels squirrel away what they can for each day. For the old man is getting along” and ”The bugs of the summer grow quiet with wonder” wrap up the lessons learned and new experiences made throughout the story told by Welles.
Whales
Concluding with the EP is “Whales”. Overall I find the choice of animal for concluding the song of the EP as a whale to be very fitting with the themes of open-mindedness and equality towards nature. Whales tend to symbolize peace and wisdom, and with further research, I have found that turtles also serve similar symbolism. These common characteristics and tiny details shared between tracks make the wrap-together of the EP between the closing song and the previous track all the more effective. With the messages of sensitivity towards whales’ purposes and environment, we can deduce that Welles truly wants the listener to take something away from the EP and see that it is not just music but a representation of everyone and everything’s struggles and that humans and nature are not as different as we think. Not only can we acknowledge each other’s similarities, we can also acknowledge the responsibilities we as humans have. Welles questions what will happen if we let nature go to ruins as seen with these lines “If the rivers turn to mud and blood. And cease to be, and naught to run. And the ocean loses all its air. And turns to plastic everywhere. To where will all the wisdom go?” This usage of rhetorical questions serves as a way for the listeners to think of their actions on a greater scale, not centered just on themselves but also on the beauty of nature although we might not completely understand it.
Conclusion
Ending the EP I would give the story/overall theme a 10/10. These themes match perfectly with his previous work and the pre-established messages he wishes to send with his art. The new direction of tune and delivery is new and almost breathtaking. I find it incredible how Welles impresses me with each new release and I can’t wait for more. In the meantime, I plan to listen to more releases and review them at a later date. Not only do I plan to listen to his online releases, but I also plan to see him live. Jesse Welles has certainly caught my attention and I recommend him to anyone open to new perspectives on the environment, the current changes within the world, and people who are fond of folk/punk music.
Noah Kahan’s Stick Season perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to be from New England or any small town in northern America. His lyrics are poignant and relatable, and his vocals are filled with intense emotion. Listening to Stick Season takes me back to when I lived in areas like Seattle and Boston, it brings a sense of nostalgia that feels so comforting. If you love indie folk you will absolutely love this album! My top three songs are: “Northern Attitude (feat. Hozier)”, “New Perspective”, and “Orange Juice”.
The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We- Mitski
When Mitski released the first couple of singles from this album, I knew it would be a favorite of mine. Mitski has been releasing music for over a decade and there has never been a decrease in the quality of her music. This is a perfect fall album in my opinion. It’s sad, emotional, and slow. It’s honestly just beautiful-sounding and feels like being wrapped in a warm blanket. My top three songs include: “Heaven”, “Buffalo Replaced” and “I Love Me After You”.
Baby I’m The Wolf – Ha Vay
Ha Vay’s debut album Baby I’m The Wolf has quickly become one of my favorite albums of all time since its release. Ever since she released the album in July, I’ve been obsessed. Ha Vay’s voice is magnetic and the overall production of her album creates a hypnotic fantasy world that is so beautiful to listen to. This album is definitely not like anything I’ve heard before which is why it is one of my favorites. My top three songs are: “Nature’s Bride”, “Angel! Wild! Superstar!” and “Baby I’m The Wolf”.
Jubilee- Japanese Breakfast
After reading Japanese Breakfast’s (AKA Michelle Zauner’s) memoir, I decided to check out her music and instantly fell in love. When listening to her music, she sings with a powerful emotion I don’t hear often. I love her debut album Psychopomp, but Jubilee is more polished and her songwriting has really elevated. If you like indie alternative, I would definitely check this album out. My top three songs include: ‘Savage Good Boy”, “In Hell”, and “Paprika”.
EPIC: The Musical is a concept musical loosely adapting the story of the Odyssey, the famous Greek epic. Currently, it has eight “sagas” released, each featuring 3-5 songs, and “the Cyclops Saga” is the second of these! Spoiler warning for the musical, of course.
Polyphemus
In the intro to the saga, Odysseus and his crew sail to the cave that they were told about by the lotus eaters and promptly find and kill a bunch of sheep. However, they are confronted by a massive cyclops who lives in the cave, and whose sheep they have just killed. Odysseus attempts to bargain with it, and his wiles come into play. He is sure to give his name as “nobody” instead of Odysseus, and attempts to persuade the Cyclops to accept wine as a trade for the sheep. The Cyclops drinks the wine but refuses to let them go. Polyphemus’ (the name of the Cyclops, thus the name of the song) voice is done very well to be menacing and intimidating – you can almost visualize this hulking deadly figure. There are many small vocal melodies in this song that I find get stuck in my head from time to time.
2. Survive
Odysseus and the crew begin to make a stand against the Cyclops, but are swiftly taken aback by it bringing out a club and beginning to beat some of the crew to death. If you aren’t watching the musical with animatics (which I highly recommend) then it might not be as easily apparent to you: one of the crewmates that’s killed is Polites. This death affects Odysseus greatly for the rest of the journey: Polites was his best friend, and this is just after Polites encourages him to “greet the world with open arms”. Now, after Odysseus has tried bargaining with the Cyclops…look at where that got him? This song does a great job of raising tension through the beats of the club: each hit is another dead, and their cries for Odysseus (“captain!”) are utterly heartbreaking.
3. Remember Them
Thanks to Odysseus getting the Cyclops to drink the lotus wine in “Polyphemus”, it passes out. He and his crew manage to stab it in the eye. When the Cyclops attempts to get help, it says that “nobody” had blinded him. This is thanks to Odysseus’ introducing himself as Nobody earlier on and, of course, does not get him any assistance. Notably, Athena tells Odysseus to kill the Cyclops instead of just blinding him, but he refuses and tries to stick by Polites’ “open arms” philosophy. However, before they fully take off, Odysseus makes the mistake of turning around and telling the Cyclops his real name. Odysseus’ pride has gotten the better of him: he wants the Cyclops to know who beat him. This song causes a ripple of change that affects countless future events. If only he had just listened to Athena…
4. My Goodbye
In this song, Athena, who has been acting as Odysseus’ patron until this point, declares her separation from Odysseus. The two have a back and forth argument, each cutting deeper and deeper into each other’s insecurities. You can just feel the pent-up energy in the lyrics and the voice delivery, plus reiteration of Athena’s theme fading into the distance at the end of the song puts into perspective how alone he is. Teagan Earley, the voice of Athena, really shines here, and it is my personal favorite song of this saga.
The album play with earth! 0.03 by wave to earth was released on September 6th, 2024. The album consists of seven songs: are you bored?, play with earth!, annie., pueblo (remastered), beck, slow dive, and holyland. As a fan of wave to earth, I ranked the songs from my most favorite and my least favorite and the reasons why.
play with earth!
This song ranked 1 for me because I love how the song is energetic and hopeful! I really like how upbeat the song is and the song has a great meaning. The song gives me hope and brightens my day because when things might get rocky, the lyrics of the song tell people that they can just enjoy their time instead of thinking of the past or future. This meaning itself just makes the song way more meaningful for me because, as a person who often struggles with thinking about my past mistakes and getting worried about my future, I often don’t enjoy the present since I am too busy worrying about the past or the future, so this song just brings me to an awareness that I should enjoy the moment.
annie
This song was ranked at 2 for me because I like the vibe of the song, and although this is the first time I heard a curse word in their song, it makes the song better because it adds more emotion to the song. I also like how the meaning of the song shows how humble the band is. For example, several lyrics such as, “I already have everything for me,” show how they aren’t greedy and desire more recognition and fame and just appreciate it.
holyland
This song was ranked at 3 because this song makes me feel melancholy. I love the vocals in this song and the instrumentals. I like the lyrics, specifically the lyric “Can you settle down my soul?” because the way the singer sings it conveys strong emotions. I love that the song’s meaning is about nostalgia, longing, and connection and how the lyrics imply the longing for the memories they have made because I often have those same feelings of nostalgia for the memories I made.
slow dive
beck
This song was beautifully crafted, and I like how upbeat the song is but not too upbeat. The vocals and melodies in this song were brilliant as usual, and I really like the lyrics sang in this song. It’s a very peaceful song, and I definitely fell asleep to this song while it plays in my headphones.
slow dive
This song is such a masterpiece! I love the vibe of the song, and it’s the perfect song to listen to when doing anything. This song gets me in my feels since the song conveys lots of emotions, but it’s also very catchy.
pueblo (remastered)
The original song before the remastering was already good, but the remastered version makes the song significantly better. I love the song, and the ranking for this was particularly not because it was a bad song, but because I preferred the other songs more. I like how powerful the vocals are in this, and I like the instrumental of this song.
are you bored?
This song is at last in my ranking because I personally don’t like how it doesn’t have lyrics. The instrumentals are great, and this would be great for studying, but I feel like it would sound even better with vocals.
This whole album of wave to earth was very catchy and has great songs, and I definitely recommend this album to those who just want to listen to something peaceful or chill while doing tasks or activities. You might just catch yourself getting drawn in by the beautiful songs created by wave to earth.
Pure Heroine is the first album by New Zealand singer-songwriter, Lorde. With the eleventh-year anniversary of the record passing, I thought it would be cool to revisit this project. This album is unique for a pop album because it is not about love. Instead, Pure Heroine dives into topics like friendship, and growing up. Here are some standout tracks:
Royals: The radio hit from this record and the song that propelled Lorde into fame, “Royals” is an extremely well-written song about being a teen and not having the kind of money or problems that celebrities have. The instrumental consists of heavy snaps and layered backing vocals. It is a surprise that this song became so successful considering it came out during a time when Katy Perry’s love anthems ruled the radio. “Royals”, lyrically is the complete opposite and has a more laid-back and simple kind of production.
Buzzcut Season: A truly endearing song about friendship and summer memories. The production includes a bright, almost hopeful-sounding keyboard. She sings about enjoying her life with her friends and making exciting memories, but at the end, it takes a sad turn as she says “I live in a hologram with you” explaining how now the fun times are over, and they will never be the same as they were.
Ribs: Possibly her most popular song on Spotify right now, “Ribs” is an endearing ballad about growing up. The song starts off with beautiful vocals being sung, which eventually form into the beat. The song reminisces about the good times of just laughing with your friends “until your ribs get tough”. As someone who is growing up right now, I found it to be a very relatable and interesting view on aging.
Glory and Gore: This song is a personal favorite of mine. The idea of “Glory and Gore go hand in hand” is very interesting. This is a great metaphor for fame as the benefits and the pains are often intertwined. The production continues in the same laid-back approach as the rest of the album but has this siren kind of sound in the second half. Her shouty vocals in the chorus add a catchy element to the song.
Overall this is a fantastic record that really shaped the songwriter of artists in the years to come. While Lorde has not released many albums, Pure Heroine definitely has some incredible songs. I hope you enjoyed this album as much as I did.
EPIC: The Musical is a concept musical loosely adapting the story of the Odyssey, the famous Greek epic. Currently, it has seven “sagas” released, each featuring 3-5 songs, and “the Troy Saga” is the first of these!
Song 1: The Horse and the Infant
This song sets off the musical, starting off inside the Trojan Horse, one of Odysseus’ most famous tactical achievements. Notably, it establishes Odysseus’ main desire: to get back home to his wife and son in Ithaca. As he makes his way ransacking through Troy, a vision appears to him from Zeus, ordering him to make a heartbreaking decision. I love this song for its fast-moving lyrics and quick rhymes that sell the drama and tension of the scene. The instrumentals during the vocal break are also striking, setting up a danger motif that is repeated in many future songs.
Song 2: Just a Man
Odysseus has been faced with a decision. Kill a child or let him live, knowing that in the future the child will grow to take revenge on his family. In the musical, Odysseus’ instrument (the one he is most associated with) is the guitar, which switches types here to showcase his emotional side. It’s very striking and lamentful, and drives home the conflicted feelings Odysseus has.
Song 3: Full Speed Ahead
Odysseus and his crew begin sailing home after the grueling war. Eurylochus, his second in command, and Polites, his best friend, are both introduced. The song ends with Odysseus and Polites scouting out a strange island they encountered in hopes of finding food. I have to say, this is one of the catchiest songs in the whole musical. It also does a great job of foreshadowing with its lyrics: “But the problem’s not the distance / it’s what lies in-between”, of the dangers they will encounter ahead.
Song 4: Open Arms
Polites encourages Odysseus to let go of his coldly tactical mindset and be more welcoming, more kind, and “greet the world with open arms!.” On the island, they stumble across some creatures eating lotus fruits. After asking where they could find food, the creatures tell them about a cave to the east. This song has such a cheerful tone to it that it’s hard not to enjoy. The use of instruments like the kalimba and the marimba also add to the playful atmosphere so well.
Song 5: Warrior of the Mind
Odysseus is pulled into “Quick-Thought” by Athena, which is called her “signature move” by the creator. The two are pulled into an alternate reality space, and Athena scolds Odysseus for becoming soft, not being the “Warrior of the Mind” she expects him to be. Athena emphasizes her point by showing him the past, when he was young and she first started mentoring him. It ends with her telling him not to disappoint her. Athena’s motif is established in this song, along with her signature instrument of the piano. The vocals in this song are incredible, with Teagan Earley having such a powerful voice perfect for a strategy and war goddess.
“The Troy Saga” is an excellent start to the Musical and does a great job of setting up the characters!
Mission Viejo Library Teen Voice 