Tag: Review
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After Hours (2020) – The Weeknd
Introduction Right before the COVID-19 lockdown hit, The Weeknd dropped his fourth studio album, After Hours, which is often seen as his most successful album. The Weeknd steps away from his “Starboy” era and enters a more dreamy tone with a synth-pop feel in this album. Released through XO and Republic Records, The Weeknd produced…
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The Age of Pleasure (2023) – Janelle Monae
Introduction The Age of Pleasure, Janelle Monae’s fourth studio album was released on June 9, 2023. The project was published through Atlantic Records. The Age of Pleasure marked Monae’s first release since her 2018 project, Dirty Computer. Monae described the album as an honest and open space for her during its recording. She often worked…
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Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (2023) – Lana Del Rey
Introduction Did You Know That There’s a Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd (referred to as Ocean Blvd) was the ninth studio album released by Lana Del Rey. It was released on March 24, 2023, through Polydor and Interscope Records. This project is a very diverse album, with collaborations that is. Features include Jon Batiste, Bleachers, Riopy,…
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2024 Grammy Predictions
Introduction The 66th Annual Grammy Awards are on February 4, 2024. The day of the release of this article also so happens to be that day, and so we will be releasing our predictions for the awards. These awards honor musicians spanning from October 2022, through September 2023. This year, the awards will be taking…
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Endless Summer Vacation (2023) – Miley Cyrus
Introduction Endless Summer Vacation was released to the public on March 10, 2023. It was Miley Cyrus’ first studio album with Columbia Records, after splitting ways with RCA Records in 2021. The solo project only has two features on the whole 14 song project, those being Sia and Brandi Carlile. She gave the album a…
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the record (2023) – boygenius
Introduction the record is the fourth album to be reviewed for Grammy week, being nominated for Album of the Year and Record of the Year. Rumors began swirling for this debut album in late 2022 to early 2023. They began picking up when boygenius was announced to be on the 2023 Coachella lineup in January…
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Midnights (2022) – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift is one of the most successful and popular musicians ever. A multi-Grammy winner with her last nomination for Album of the Year being Midnights. Released October 21, 2022, Midnights is Taylor’s 10th studio album and 6th Album of the Year nomination. With the help of Jack Antonoff and Republic Records, Taylor finds similar…
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World Music Radio (2023) – Jon Batiste
Introduction World Music Radio is an album of many identities. The 2024 Grammy nominated album was released on August 18th of 2023, through Verve Records and Interscope Records. It is an album that doesn’t follow much direction as a typical album does. It, in face, holds nearly every genre you can imagine, even featuring multilingual…
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Chief (2011) – Eric Church
Chief, the third studio album by country singer Eric Church, was released on July 26th, 2011. Released through EMI Nashville, Eric and his team had seen massive success through Chief. Church had felt that the genre had fallen off and opted for a more unique sound to revitalize the genre. Chief is a rock, country,…
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Pebble Brain (2021) – Lovejoy
Pebble Brain was released on October 14, 2021, by Lovejoy after the wide success found with their first EP, Are You Alright? Through their label, Anvil Cat, and their producer, Sam Coveney, Pebble Brain found similar success to its predecessor. The EP is intensified by its powerful instruments, such as drums and electric guitar, which…
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Revolver (1966) – The Beatles
Revolver was the seventh studio album released by the Beatles on August 5th, 1966, through Parlophone and Capitol. This marked their final recording project as live performers; however, the band continued to record music after. Revolver was heavily influenced by many other artists and bands, including the likes of Stevie Wonder, Roy Orbison, Boby Dylan,…
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Elvis’ Christmas Album (1957) – Elvis Presley
The third studio album, and first holiday album, of Elvis Presley, Elvis’ Christmas Album, was released on October 15th, 1957. The king of rock and roll delved away from his typical rock anthems and went towards recreating holiday classics, while adding many of his own tunes with them. Released through Radio Recorders, Hollywood, the album…
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Christmas (2011) – Michael Bublé
The seventh studio album of the Canadian singer, Michael Bublé, Christmas, was released on three separate days in Ireland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Released on October 25th, 2011, in the US, it marked Michael’s first Christmas album. The project was released through both Warehouse Studios and Vancouver and Capital Studios. By the…
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On to Better Things (2022) – Iann Dior
On to Better Things (2022) was released on January 21st, 2022. This project was released through 10k Projects and had ample hype leading up to its release. Being only the second studio album in Iann Dior’s discography, he needed to find a way to build excitement. He released one promotional single, “let you,” and had…
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Freudian (2017) – Daniel Caesar
Freudian, the debut studio album of Canadian singer and songwriter Daniel Caesar, was released on August 25th, 2017, by Golden Child Recordings. After releasing his 2015 EP, Pilgrim’s Paradise, Caesar took the studios and began writing and recording Freudian. Recruiting the many likes of Kali Uchis, H.E.R., Syd, and many more, the album started taking…
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Led Zeppelin III (1970) – Led Zeppelin
Introduction The 1970 album, Led Zeppelin III, was released as the third studio album from rock band Led Zeppelin. Following the great success of Led Zeppelin II, the band decided to take a different practice on this project. As one of their more experimental projects they have released, Led Zeppelin swung for the fences taking…
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Back from the Edge (2016) – James Arthur
Introduction James Arthur’s second studio album, Back from the Edge, was released on October 28th, 2016. Coming two years after his debut project, James teased the project when he signed with Columbia Records in September of 2015. His signing to Columbia Records was following his mutual parting of ways with his prior record company, Syco.…
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Religiously (2023) ~ Bailey Zimmerman
Introduction Religiously. The Album. debuted on May 12th, 2023, as Bailey Zimmerman’s first studio album. This highly anticipated album was teased mere months before and had gained severe traction in the time leading to its arrival. Released by Warner Music Nashville and Elektra Records, Zimmerman put the project out there detailing his heartbreak experience. Prior…
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Who Really Cares (2016) – TV Girl
Known for their indie-pop music, TV Girl released their second studio album, Who Really Cares, on February 25, 2016. Who Really Cares is seen as one of TV Girl’s biggest hits. Following their first album, French Exit in 2014, the group self-produced and published this album. Frequently sampling songs in their music, the members of…
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The Wall (1979) – Pink Floyd
Introduction The legendary rock band, Pink Floyd, released their eighth studio album, and final project as a quartet, The Wall, on November 30th, 1979. Consisting of two “discs,” this project was conceived when guitarist and vocalist, Roger Waters, created the character, Pink. This 26-song project follows this character as he forgoes a difficult journey in…
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Carrie & Lowell (2015) – Sufjan Stevens
After gaining traction with his earlier releases, Sufjan Stevens dropped Carrie & Lowell, a gut-wrenching and emotionally devastating album. Released on March 31, 2015. Sufjan uses his album as an autobiography. He shares his story and his struggles through his indie/alternative style. Carrie & Lowell is Sufjan’s seventh studio album released by Asthmatic Kitty, a…
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Camp (2011) – Childish Gambino
Donald Glover, under the name, Childish Gambino made his major studio debut with his album, Camp. Released on November 15, 2011, Camp took the hip-hop world by storm by adding a more alternative take to the genre, with the help of Glassnote Records. Being new to the music business, Glover decided to take freedom in…
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folklore (2020) – Taylor Swift
In the mists of the Covid-19 pandemic, Taylor Swift began to record folklore in her home studio. Her songwriting wasn’t intended to become an album and was just meant to be something for her to do in her newfound free time. Released on July 24, 2020, folklore explores more indie elements than Taylor’s prior albums.…
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The Band Camino (2021) – The Band Camino
From sound alone, one might expect the self-titled album, The Band CAMINO, to be from the early 2000s or even the early 2010s. With its heavy, yet bright synth layering and use of electric-pop sounding instruments, the debut record channels a nostalgic energy despite its release 2 years ago in September of 2021. Production It’s…
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Parachutes (2000) – Coldplay
Coldplay got their big break in the music industry with their first studio album, Parachutes. Released on July 10, 2000, Parachutes was positively received by critics worldwide because of its pop-rock elements. The album was produced by the band with help from British producers, Chris Allison and Ken Nelson through Parlophone Records. Each song on…
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IGOR (2019) – Tyler, The Creator
Tyler, The Creator is known for his dramatic theatrics and chaotic music videos. He’s a multi-Grammy winner and with his album, IGOR, he was awarded Rap Album of the Year in 2020. Tyler released IGOR on May 17, 2019, as his fifth studio album with Columbia Records, following the release of Flower Boy in 2017.…
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Lover (2019) – Taylor Swift
Overview Two months after Scott Borchetta, CEO of Big Machine Records, sold her master recordings to noted enemy Scooter Braun, Taylor Swift released her first album through an independent label (7th studio album overall), Lover, in August of 2019. Free of constraints placed on her by her previous record label, Lover breaks the boundaries of…
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Ultraviolence (2014) – Lana Del Rey
After the release of her first major studio album, Born to Die, Lana Del Rey told reporters that she didn’t plan on writing another album. Thankfully, she rethought her decision and released Ultraviolence on June 13, 2014. She promoted her album with the release of five singles including: “West Coast”, “Brooklyn Baby”, “Shade of Cool”,…
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I Am > I Was (2018) – 21 Savage
Overview / Background 21 Savage’s debut record, Issa Album, was heavily criticized for the monotone “mumble rapping,” poor lyricism, and lack of nuance in subject matter. It left a generally underwhelmed impression on critics and fans alike after the excitement he had drummed up through the upfront and blunt descriptions of violence, poverty, and gang…
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When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? (2019) – Billie Eilish
Billie Eilish is critically acclaimed in the music industry for being the first artist born in the 21st century to top the Billboard charts. She achieved this accomplishment with her first studio album, When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go? Released on March 29, 2019, Billie and her brother, Finneas O’Connell, produced and…
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Grace (1994) – Jeff Buckley
Overview/Background Jeff Buckley, son of singer and guitarist Tim Buckley, released his first and only studio album, Grace, in August of 1994. An exploration of love, loss, vocal depth, and lyrical intricacy, Grace is regarded as one of the most influential alternative rock albums of all time. Though Buckley died just 3 years after the…
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Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) (2023) – Taylor Swift
Taylor Swift has been regarded as one of the top artists of the 2010s, and her burst into popularity is often attributed to the release of her third studio album, Speak Now. Released on October 25, 2010, and re-recorded in 2023, under the name Speak Now (Taylor’s Version), Taylor takes her newly acquired stardom from…
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Starcatcher (2023) – Greta Van Fleet
Background/Overview: Greta Van Fleet has been at the forefront of modern rock since their EP, From the Fires (FTF), and debut album, Anthem of a Peaceful Army (APM), released in 2016 and 2018 respectively. Though their earliest music has been criticized for sounding uncannily familiar to legendary rock band Led Zeppelin, they seemed to be…
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Currents (2015) – Tame Impala
Currents, by Tame Impala, was released on July 17, 2015. Shortly after releasing his sophomore album, Lonerism, Tame began working on Currents. He stayed at his home studio in Australia writing, recording, and mixing the album all on his own. Tame wrote Currents to be more of an album that was dance-able with heavy synthesizers,…
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Deeper Dive: Blond (2016) – Frank Ocean
Introduction The 2016 sophomore album from Frank Ocean, Blond, was released on August 20 of that year. Frank had started work on the album in 2013, under the name Boys Don’t Cry, and was slated to release the project in July of 2015. Being pushed all to the next year, he had a gutsy delay,…
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When We Were Friends (2019) – The Backseat Lovers
When We Were Friends, the first LP for The Backseat Lovers, was released on January 27th, 2019. Being their first published album, the Backseat Lovers had to build their name based on this album. With this in mind, they self-published this album, having no record deal until after this album. Successfully building a name for…
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Guts (2023) – Olivia Rodrigo
Olivia Rodrigo’s sophomore album, Guts, was released on September 8th, 2023. Following up the success of her 2021 debut album, Sour, Olivia had been amassing hype and excitement for her next move. She preceded the album with “vampire,” “bad idea right?,” and “get him back!,” all three of which went top ten in the charts.…
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Deeper Dive: thank u, next (2019) – Ariana Grande
Introduction The 2019 studio album, thank u, next, was released on February 8th, 2019, by Republic Records. It was released in the midst of the end of her engagement with Pete Davidson, as well as her mourning the loss of her ex, Mac Miller. The album is essentially centered around those two events and the…
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What Could Possibly Go Wrong (2020) – Dominic Fike
What Could Possibly Go Wrong was Dominic Fike’s debut project. Initially slated for July 10th, 2020, it got postponed to July 31st due to the Black Lives Matter protests happening at the time. Dominic had started working on this project in 2019, constantly teasing its arrival. He collaborated with YouTubers and shared updates about the…
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Deeper Dive: Late Registration (2005) – Kanye West
Introduction Late Registration, Kanye West’s second studio album and the second in his college trilogy, was released on August 30th, 2005. The now successful producer turned rapper released this album as a direct sequel to his first album, The College Dropout. Released by Roc-A-Fella Records and Def Jam Records dually, the album became an instant…
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Toys in the Attic (1975) – Aerosmith
Aerosmith’s third studio album, Toys in the Attic, was released on April 8th, 1975. Taking an entirely different route from their previous projects, at least according to producer, Jack Douglas, this album was either going to be a hit or miss. Commercially, it is safe to say this album was a sheer success. It racked…
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From the Fires (2017) – Greta Van Fleet
The second EP from modern rock band, Greta Van Fleet, was released on November 10, 2017. From the Fires is compiled of 8 tracks, totaling just over 32 minutes of run time. The group is comprised of Joshua and Jake Kiszka, as well as Danny Wagner and Sam Kiszka too. While not fitting into a…
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Malibu (2016) – Anderson .Paak
Malibu, the 2016 release by Anderson .Paak, was released on January 15th, 2016. Preceded by four singles, this album was amply hyped up for its release. Following his involvement on Dr. Dre’s project, Compton, he had high shoes to fill with this album. Shooting for the stars, Anderson put out Malibu, which features many personal…
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K.I.D.S (2010) – Mac Miller
Mac Miller is known for hit albums such as Swimming, The Divine Feminine, Circles, and the album that is here, K.I.D.S. It was a hit among the youth upon release, topping the charts at number 62, which may not seem good to the average consumer but is shocking for a freshman mixtape from an up-and-coming…
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This One’s for You Too (2018) – Luke Combs
This One’s for You, the debut album by Luke Combs, was released on June 2nd, 2017. For this review, however, we will be using the deluxe, This One’s for You Too, released in 2018. Luke Combs, who is one of the biggest names in music, has come quite far from this debut album. Some argue…
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Starboy (2016) – The Weeknd
Starboy, the 2016 follow up to Beauty Behind the Madness, was The Weeknd fully establishing himself as the “Starboy” and away from Abel. Establishing his persona, he was able to build a fan base for his near future. Now, he is one of the most listened to daily musicians on Spotify. The 2016 release of…
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Swimming (2018) – Mac Miller
Swimming, the last Mac Miller release in his life time, was released on August 3rd, 2018, a little over a month before his tragic passing. Reaching number three on the Billboard 200, Swimming was critically acclaimed and nominated for Best Rap Album at the Grammys. This album had three singles released prior to the album,…
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Honky Chateau (1972) – Elton John
Honky Chateau, the 1972 album, by Sir Elton John was his fifth studio album, and the last under the Uni label. Following Madman Across the Water was no easy task, but Elton took it on. Creating this rock/pop album became an instant success. The certified platnium album reached number one on the charts in 1972.…
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To Pimp a Butterfly (2015) – Kendrick Lamar
To Pimp A Butterfly, the 2015 hit album by Kendrick Lamar, is regarded as one of the best hip hop albums of all time. He references racial prejudice in his albums, along with referencing his situation growing up in Compton. In this album, Kendrick Lamar experiments and samples a lot of jazz in his songs,…
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Off the Wall (1979) – Michael Jackson
Off the Wall, Jackson’s breakthrough solo project, devoured the charts in 1979. Diverting away from The Jacksons, he wanted to produce his own album. Teaming with Epic Records, he gave out Off the Wall, which had two different songs take the cake of number one on the billboard top 100, and another two in the…