Category: Album Reviews

Wicked (15th Anniversary Special Edition) by Original Broadway Cast (feat. various artists)

Artist: Original Broadway Cast (feat. various artists)

Album: Wicked (15th Anniversary Special Edition)


Record Label: UMG Recordings

Recommended Tracks: Track 1 “For Good” Live (Side 2) , Track 3 “The Wizard and I” Live (Side 2)

In celebration of the the cult classic musical, “Wicked” debuting fifteen years ago on Broadway, the UMG label released a special edition of the iconic original cast recording.  This anniversary album also includes live version bonus tracks featuring artists like Ariana Grande and Pentatonix who performed on A Very Wicked Halloween: Celebrating Fifteen Years on Broadway. On October 29, 2018 NBC broadcasted this televised concert with hosts Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth, the original Elphaba and Glinda, who also performed songs from the album.

There’s no question that Idina and Kristin had impeccable chemistry during their run on Broadway in spite of having voices that contrast each other since their character’s are opposites. Idina’s powerful and emotional vocals strike with such exhilarating energy in every note that she belts. Kristin’s playful portrayal of Glinda is heightened with her soprano vocals and charming personality that she effortlessly exudes. Even fifteen years later when they return to the stage together to celebrate the anniversary, their voices are as incredible as ever. They sang a live duet of the musical’s “For Good” which is one of the bonus tracks on the re-released 23 track album. It’s a song where the two main characters express how the other person has made an impact on their life, and how their connection will forever be imprinted in their memory even when they part ways. Their performance oozes with sentimentality and genuine passion for the musical that served as an iconic milestone for their careers. Idina and Kristin open the song together right before they are joined by actresses who have played Elphaba and Glinda in the past and present. Kristin’s melodious voice shines alongside Idina’s rich and velvety vocals. They exhibit the same heartfelt emotions while performing the song as they did on the original cast recording. The orchestra in the background allows their voices to be at the forefront of the song as the percussion and piano plays softly. The last minute of the song showcases the voices of all of the Elphaba’s and Glinda’s who harmonize beautifully together. Next, Ariana Grande covers a fun rendition of “The Wizard and I.” She adds a unique twist to the song by adding a pop flair for her own interpretation. This solo song is about Elphaba’s newfound motivation to change herself when she finds out that she will meet the Wizard. Ariana makes it sound more playful compared to the original by singing at a faster tempo with breathy hushed tones before hitting the high notes. She has an incredible vocal range which is apparent in her performance as she shifts from warm low notes to high notes, such as the impressive final 25 seconds of the song.

The Wicked (15th Anniversary Special Edition) honors one of the most popular musicals that first hit the stage in the early 2000s. As the years have passed, it has remained a commercial success because of its appeal to people of all ages and its memorable music written by Stephen Schwartz. This re-released album provides a theatrical experience full of wit and charm, earning it a 5/5 rating.

thank you, next by Ariana Grande

Album: thank you, next

Artist: Ariana Grande

Record Label: Republic Records

Recommended Tracks: 2- “needy”, 5- “fake smile”

American, Pop singer Ariana Grande recently came out with her album “thank you, next” on February 8, 2018, with a total of 12 songs. With recent drama that has come up regarding her love life, I think that this album will reflect off of her past relationships such as her engagement she recently broke off after finding out about the death of her ex- boyfriend Mac Miller. As one of her songs called “thank you, next” in this album mentions the names of her ex- boyfriends, it foreshadows what the main inspiration of this album probably be about.

In track 2, “needy” this song is exactly what the title makes it out to be. Ariana Grande is basically talking about how in relationships she can be needy because “she knows how good it feels to be needed”. In this song she also says “sorry if I’m up and down a lot, sorry that I think I’m not enough, and sorry If I say sorry way too much”, which basically explains the ways in which she interprets herself to be needy in a relationship and how needy of a partner she can be because she needs and wants a lot of attention from her significant other.

In track 5, “fake smile”, the title also foreshadows what the song is going to be about. This tends to be something frequent throughout her songs in this album. Ariana Grande in this song talks about how she has been through way too much to always fake a smile, as she says in her song, “f**k a fake smile”. She also says,” If im hurt, I ain’t gon’ lie about it, arms crossed with the attitude, lips pouted, if I’m mad I ain’t gon’ lie about it” which says that if something is wrong with her emotionally, or just in general, that she is going to show it through her facial expressions and she is no longer going to pretend to be happy because in reality she may not be happy all the time.

Overall, this is one of Ariana Grande’s best albums. As I have not always been a big fan of her music, she has started to grow on me throughout the years. If you are personally going through a rough time emotionally or with your relationship and need empowerment, i would recommend you listen to this album because Ariana Grande gives off a powerful vibe. All in all, I would rate this album a 4 out of 5 as I really enjoyed listening to this album, although I don’t listen to Pop too often.  

amo by Bring Me The Horizon

Album: amo

Artist: Bring Me The Horizon

Record Label: RCA Records

Standout Tracks: Track 1: ”Medicine”, ” Track 12: “heavy metal”

Generally a rock band Bring Me The Horizon released their new album January 11th, 2019 but this album is just about every genre combined into one album and only barely touches on their rock and roll roots. BMTH is no longer a rock band, they have evolved into an electro-pop band, experimenting with too many forms. Each of the 13 tracks take a new form feeling as though 13 different people were asked to contribute to a playlist.

Bring Me The Horizon immediately kicks off the album with their new sound in the song “Medicine”. This song is an electro-pop song built for the radio. This song is catchy and could be a new heartbreak anthem. It is a song talking about some pretty important themes. The song states “Some people are a lot like clouds, you know/ Cause life’s so much brighter when they go” which is kind of cliche and surface level but some people are into that.

Track 12 blantlany address their new sound. In the song “heavy metal” they border the line of their rock past but only to prove the point that they are aware of their new sound. This song is mediocre at best, the lyrics are simple and the instrumentals are redundant and basic. This song is a standout song due to the lyrics which state, “Cause some kid on the ‘gram said he used to be a fan/ But this shit ain’t heavy metal”. BMTH is recognizing and fully aware of the fans that are upset about the abandonment of their past, but BMTH is unapologetic.

While entertaining, it is an album that is hard to listen from start to finish because one can not follow the complexity of the conglomeration of different genres. 15 years from their heavy metal beginnings the band is far from their roots, but as they touched on in track 12, they’re aware and they don’t care. In a way, it is admirable for a band to understand how a new sound may impact their fan base, but still make music that they want, but is this the music they want or BMTH conforming to upbeat, pop radio culture?

Stages by Cassadee Pope

Artist: Cassadee Pope

Album: Stages

Record Label: Awake Music

Recommended Tracks: Track 3- How I Feel Right Now and Track 5- If My Heart Had a Heart

Cassadee Pope is a 29 year old pop country artist from Florida who just released her second full length album “Stages” on February 1st, 2019. The country artist gained popularity in recent years after the release of her first album and when she became the first female winner of the reality singing competition show The Voice in 2012 under the wing of her mentor Blake Shelton. Pope was no stranger to the spotlight before The Voice though, prior to her solo work, she was the lead singer of the pop-rock band Hey Monday; a big shock when compared to her now country style music. Pope’s new country album features 11 songs and runs for 33 minutes.

“How I Feel Right Now” is a feel good song about doing what you want to because you can. Cassadee makes a reference to the 1997 hit “Semi-Charmed Kind of Life” by Third Eye Blind in reference to the nostalgia of the song and how it makes her feel good. The song talks about crushes she has and dancing around in parking lots adding to the happy feeling pop country song that it is. The whole song is really about her having fun and falling in love to an upbeat pop track that gives off all good feelings. Although this is not the most mainstream sounding song on the album, it does still give off pop radio vibes that does its job of staying in your head for the rest of the day because of the catchy beat and feel good lyrics.

The song “If My Heart Had a Heart” is the only single released so far off the album “Stages”. This song is much slower and emotional compared to “How I Feel Right Now”. The song is about a breakup and the sadness she is feeling in the moment. It directly talks about what her heart would do if it was in control while she was experiencing heartbreak and sadness. She’s delving into how she wishes she could stop feeling pain and sadness and if her heart had a heart it would understand what she needs in the moment. The song sounds more country than others on the album but still remains to her labeled genre of pop country.

Cassadee Pope’s album includes a song for every mood you can be feeling involving love. The album as a whole takes you through her ups and downs and everything in between with emotions pouring out onto country tracks, and has a sense of relatability that a lot of young girls would enjoy. It is a perfect bedroom listen when you want something fun and light to listen to but still feel a connection to. So if you consider yourself a country music with pop influences fan then this album deserves 4 out of 5 rating. If you listen to “Stages” and enjoy then you should definitely check out Kelsea Ballerini, Danielle Bradbery, and Marren Morris for similar styles.

What Chaos Is Imaginary by Girlpool

Artist: Girlpool

Album: What Chaos Is Imaginary

Record Label: Anti  

Recommended tracks: Track 4, “Hire,” Track 14, “Roses”

Girlpool’s newest album, released Feb. 1, 2019, dives into themes of entering adulthood and navigates a journey inward. Each song feels like being immersed in a different world rather than a continuous narrative weaved throughout. It’s like listening to fragments of distant memories or stories that the two members of Girlpool audibly shape into a 14-track album. Both of the lead vocalists contrast and compliment each other with one singing in their lower vocal range and the other with a higher vocal range. What Chaos Is Imaginary is a colorful project that pulls from synth-rock to indie rock influences. The vocals, which are at the focus, are layered over drum machines and synthesizers, but maintains guitar lines that remain true to the indie rock genre.

Girlpool holds their rock sound and more melancholic tones by alternating each of these approaches in the album. “Hire” enhances more of their rock side with its distorted guitars and vocals that build up and create tension. Cleo Tucker’s baritone voice is rich and powerful as they sing in a steady tone until a shift occurs right before the two minute mark. Tucker’s voice rises to an intense crescendo. The layered guitars add to the rich texture of “Hire” during the last few seconds, creating a triumphant ending. This song is placed at the beginning of the album, while the song, “Roses” is the last track.

When “Roses” closes the album, it creates a more soft and ethereal atmosphere. This track’s lyrics keep it very simple with nature imagery and only has a few words during the three minute and thirty three second duration. Tucker’s voice drags out each word in a dreamy haze that makes the entire song feel like a daydream. The lyrics are abstract and seem to be personal, making it difficult to depict a straightforward meaning. Nevertheless it’s one of the best tracks off the record and solidly marks the end of the new album. It’s very serene with Tucker’s husky vocals and the slow drumbeat underneath the growling tones coming from the guitar. When “Roses” fades out, it leaves you wanting to listen to it all over again.

Girlpool’s What Chaos Is Imaginary delivers an impressive release that encompasses a variety of tones and artistic experimentation. Cleo Tucker and Harmony Tividad’s honesty pierces through the album’s overall production. This album is a solid collection of songs, earning it a 4/5 rating.

Don’t Feed the Pop Monster by Broods

Album: Don’t Feed the Pop Monster

Artist: Broods

Record Label: Polydor Records, Neon Gold Records

Recommended Tracks: 3- “Life After”, 12- “Life After”

The brother and sister duo, Georgia Josiena Nott and Caleb Allan Joseph Nott, from Nelson, New Zealand recently released their third album, “Don’t Feed the Pop Monster” on February 1, 2019 with a total of 12 tracks. With the genres of music they specialize in being Indie pop, electronica, electropop, and trip pop, it will be interesting to see what other elements they incorporate into their album. Personally, there is more of an Alternative and Indie pop feel mixed into this most recent album.

In the third track, “Peach”, what caught my attention was the chorus that they decided to incorporate into this song, along with the beat which is a major factor when it comes to enjoying the song as a whole. The chorus proceeds to say, “I’m high and im low, no control, but everything’s looking peach now” which ultimately can interpret to although an individual mentally and emotionally has no control over the feelings that they are experiencing, it does not matter because they are living in the moment and feeling “peach”, which can translate into ultimately just feeling happy. The song also says that “I don’t need it all when it feels like old” which may also mean that however there are things that may be presenting itself currently from the past, this specific individual does not need that encounter because it is old news and she doesn’t care about it.

Track 12, “Life After”, has the most unique beat in this album by far and intrigued me the most. With this song kind of sounding like a lullaby, it makes sense as to why the title of the song is “Life After”. It is as if it is a lullaby that is about people or one specific person, being permanently asleep. As the song starts off, it is describing the most peaceful setting which is where the sun always sits low, tide always high, the stars with the moon, and down the road is all the people that you have ever loved. With the title being named “Life After”, you can only infer that is about an “after life”, perhaps heaven? As the song says “I’ve been waiting for you, since the day you were born, thousands of years ago, hope it makes you feel at home”, this can interpret to someone entering the afterlife, which explains why there is such a peaceful setting.

Ultimately, this album as a whole was very enjoyable. I admired all of the different beats they incorporated within each of their songs to make each one have their own personality. With this album being labeled under the Alternative genre, if you enjoy listening to Alternative music or just enjoy Broods as a whole, I believe you will enjoy this album as much as I did. This album would also be good to jam out to on a road trip with your friends.

Seasons by American Authors

Artist: American Authors

Album: Seasons

Record Label: Mercury Records

Suggested Tracks:  Track 7- Deep Water, Track 1- Stay Around

American Authors are a pop/rock band based in New York City. The band is made up of lead vocalist and guitarist Zac Barnett, guitarist banjoist James Shelley, bassist David Rublin, and drummer Matt Sanchez. The group’s first album, Oh, What A Life was released in 2014, including the hit song “Best Day Of My Life.”  The band originally formed in 2006 under the name Blue Pages, before changing record labels and finding success as American Authors. American Authors infuses classic rock, pop, and alternative sounds. Their most recent album Seasons, was released at the beginning of this month. Seasons was recorded in a studio outside of Nashville, and the change of location is exemplified  a change of sound, straying from the typical American Authors pop-style hits, throughout the whole album.

Track 7- Deep Water is a heart felt anthem of a song. It mixes strong pop and rock beats with a calming but powerful melody. The use of piano really carries this song and ties all of the different genres within the song together. The lead vocals by Barnett are filled with raw emotion that allows the listener to really connect to the song. Deep Water exemplifies an array of emotions with its sturdy lyrics and instrumental. The listener can sense doubt, hurt, power, excitement, and disappointment at different parts of the song. Despite all of these things, the song is beautiful and empowering at the same time. Barnett uses his voice to show both its strength and vulnerability. This song is a much more raw side of American Authors.

Track1- Stay Around is the most popular song on the album for good reason. Stay Around is the type of song you hear in the car, at the club, in a video game, at a sporting event, and anywhere else that pairs well with energetic music. The lyrics are relatable to everyone, and the use of instrumentals on the beat is fun to listen to. The melody is electrifying, and the lyrics are very catchy. The song leans more towards Rock n Roll, while infusing Pop beats and Hip-Hop and Rap style vocals with a strong but simple chorus. The use of percussion carries this song. When paired with Barnetts clear and concise vocals, the song is a hit for anyone that enjoys Pop-Rock music. Stay Around is the type of song that makes you want to get up and dance at the club or go for a run in the morning. It’s the type of song that you can’t help but bob your head to- even in LA traffic.

Overall, Seasons is a new and different sound for the American Authors. Some of the songs on the album stay true to their more original music, but there is a lot of new stuff going on too. The album as a whole is a complete 180 from American Authors smash hit “Best Day Of My Life” released in 2013. They have shifted much further away from the mainstream pop-sound, but have similar uses of banjo and percussion in their music.  Seasons is a fresh side of American Authors that will expand their fanbase and open new doors for them as well.

Don’t Try This by Chase Atlantic

Album: Don’t Try This

Artist: Chase Atlantic

Record Label: BMG Management (US) LLC

Recommended Tracks: Track 1: “What U Call That”, Track 3: “Like A Rockstar”

Alt-pop trio band, Chase Atlantic released their new EP, DON’T TRY THIS in early 2019 kicking off the new year with another album. The band comprised of three aussie born singers compiled multiple genres; alt-pop, rock, R&B, and hip-hop into one cohesive album. This 6 track album displays the bands dark but melodic sound, which proves to continue to be the key sound of the band.

Chase Atlantic immediately kicks off the album with an absolute banger, “What U Call That”. This song is the usual terrain of the album featuring strong vocals with the sound track being gentle and introspective. The song has some pretty impressive transitions through multiple key changes and bass drops.The main chorus is all too catchy, “Seven-headed snake, what you call that? / Bleeding like an open scar” the seven headed snake being a reference to the devil which is a common theme during the album that leads to the dark, introspective sound the band does all too well.

Directly contrasting with track ones melodic, mellow vibe is Track 4, “Like A Rockstar”. This song combines their strong vocals with a new, upbeat electronic beats. The song is so interesting because it blatantly contradicts itself by saying “Don’t do this /And if you don’t get high, don’t pretend to / It’s kinda sad dude” which most obviously is stating don’t do drugs but then following lyrics state, “Take drugs, stay high/ Tell ’em I got high like a rockstar” which is stating how he takes drugs. This may be alluding to the recent deaths and opioid crisis that is hitting the rap and pop scene rather hard (Mac Miller, Lil Peep, etc.) and how to be considered a ‘rockstar’, drugs are just part of the equation. Despite these somewhat confusing lyrics, the song is catchy and upbeat, making it a stand out track of the album.

This album is too good, and honestly I am most definitely obsessed with this band. Their ability to mix genres gives them the sound of a hybrid mix of Blackbear, The Neighbourhood and The Weeknd. The vocals are insane and when paired with the diverse musicianship they definitely produced another solid, atmospheric alt-pop album. This album is made to be blasted through your car speakers with the windows down.

A Real Good Kid by Mike Posner

Artist: Mike Posner

Album: A Real Good Kid

Record Label(s): RCA

Recommended Tracks: Track 2- January 11th, 2017 and Track 7- Staring at the Fire

Mike Posner isn’t a name you hear around often, but you know him from his hit singles “Cooler Than Me”(2010), “Please don’t go” (2010), or “I took a Pill in Ibiza”(2016) which was remixed for the radio hit we all know so well. Some also may know Mike Posner unintentionally from his duo group of him and Blackbear collabing for one album called Mansionz. Mike Posner has released a good amount of music over the past decade, but remains fairly under the radar with exception of these few singles that have blown up. His one hit songs are something he is familiar with as he often references being a has been or having “a pop song that people forgot” despite his frequent release of new music and upcoming projects. On January 18th Posner released his 8th full length album called “A Real Good Kid” and it features 12 songs.

January 11th, 2017 is the most emotional song on this album hands down. The song is about the day his father died and how that has affected his everyday life. He goes into full detail of all the emotions he was feeling in this time of his life. He explains that this was the day he became a man as he saw his world changing. The song is slow paced and captured every ounce of Posner’s raw emotions as he fights back the tears explaining this ever so sensitive moment. The song ends with a clip of him and his dad talking saying how much they love each other and his dad teaching him how to be independent. They get on the topic of letting people go and that turns to Mike being reminded he will be letting his dad go making the song even heavier than it already was; hearing the voice behind the song. The last line of the song is the dad saying to him “You’re gonna put that into a song?” just reminding the listener of the reality of it all.

On a lighter note, the song “Staring at the Fire” is still a sad song in some regards, but in a much less direct way than January 11th, 2017. This song is about having your eye on the prize no matter what obstacles stand in the way and how toxic or bad for you they may be. The song revolves around the bridge of him saying some variation of not being able to look away from the fire because it is addicting. The song connects to both his experiences in the media and then also advocacy in America today. This song can resonate for many as it can be about whatever you want any distraction or addiction that sets you off the original path.

Mike Posner is a talented musician and songwriter that stays very lowkey. He is constantly putting out new non top 40 pop music with emotion and feeling throughout the entire album and that can be seen very clearly on this newest album of his. The songs are almost all on the slower side, none of which sound like they will be big radio hits, but are good for their heartfelt lyrics and relatability. If you like this album be sure to check out his older work and Mansionz. Some artists you could also check out are people like Sammy Adams, Nico and Vinz or Skizzy mars.

XXXTENTACION Presents: Members Only, Vol. 4 by XXXTENTACION

Album: XXXTENTACION Presents: Members Only, Vol. 4

Artist: XXXTENTACION

Record Label: EMPIRE Distribution

Recommended Tracks: 3- “Sauce”, 21- “Over the Rainbow”, 23- “Empty”, 24- “Rebirth”

The artist XXXTENTACION’s second posthumous album was released on January 23, 2019 in celebration of his life. Before X’s death this past summer of 2018, he had been working on tracks and albums which is the outcome of this album, Members Only, Vol. 4. There is a total of 24 songs with a variation of featured artists such as Corey, Cooliecut Xen & Killstation, Flyboy Tarantino, Kid Trunks, Bass Santana & Kin$oul,Robb Bank$, Tankhead & Ikabod Veins, Ski Mask the Slump God and many, many more artists. As you can tell, this album is very diverse, in terms of the featured artists that were chosen to take part in this album.

The word “sauce” is often used by young people to compliment confident, talented, or attractive people, or it is used the same way bad is used to mean “good”. In track 3, the song “Sauce” is about how X, himself has “sauce” but also uses this word in other ways metaphorically, such as when the song says, “sauce on ya, n**a, got the sauce on me (like I f***’n killed)”, which may interpret to the “sauce” in this instance, being referred to as blood. Throughout this song, there are more explicit figures of speech such as the one mentioned previously but this song specifically, is one of many few in this album where it is just him featured in the song.

In track 21, “Over the Rainbow”, this song has featured artists such as Cooliecut, Kin$oul & rawhool mane. Based off of the lyrics in this song, the message interprets to how this one specific person is not being protected by anyone and how they have gone through a lot of hard endeavors in their life while being terrified and alone. In one part of the song where it says “one million mirrors reflecting me, all over the sky, but where am I?” this may interpret into how they are lost personally, with who they are as an individual.

When it comes to listening to new albums, it is essential that when you first play a song, it catches your attention, especially with its beat. In track 23, “Empty” that is exactly what it did, catch my attention. “Empty” is basically about a person feeling emotionally empty contemplating life due to the loss of their brother. The song also mentions “I hope my end is my start” which may ean that even though this individual is dealing with grief and this may feel like a dead end to them, they feel like they can actually move on and grow as a person.

“Rebirth”, which is track 24, is not really a song but more of a motivational message of XXXTENTACION. He is basically talking about how whatever happens to you, happens for a reason and if you are a good person and you work really hard, you will get what you deserve. He says “everyone will get a death that is deserving and everyone will get a life that is deserving”. With this track being the last one in the album, I feel like it really sends a strong message about the music X tried to make and all of the aspects he tried to incorporate into all of his work.

All together with this album being XXXTENTACION’s second posthumous album, it was interesting how there were a lot of featured artists throughout this whole album, however it added a special element. If you are a fan of X’s music and the message he tries to send with his music, I believe you will enjoy this album and all of the diverse artists it has to offer.