By Ella Rose, Staff Writer and Jacob Flores, Staff Writer
From explosive new releases to well-loved albums, there is something new and old for all to enjoy.
BITE ME – Reneé Rapp
From Broadway to an explosive sophomore album, Reneé Rapp has never failed to deliver. BITE ME is raw and loud, boldly honest and thoroughly Reneé. Her vocals are perfectly displayed throughout the album, with tracks like “I Think I Like You Better When You’re Gone” showing off expert vocal flips boosted by soft, almost R&B-esque production. Rapp is unapologetic and real, detailing messy relationships and the pitfalls of celebrity life. Brash and confident or full of heartache, BITE ME is deeply human. The range of emotions she expressed spans almost as much as her vocal range, and Rapp puts both to use in creating a both humorously playful and piercingly blunt project.
A Matter of Time – Laufey
As magical and seductive as kisses in a theater, A Matter of Time is elegant, dramatic, elaborately performative, and devastatingly vulnerable with captivating singles and jazz-pop perfection. Laufey uses her stunning songwriting abilities to showcase octave-spanning vocals and beautiful orchestral arrangements. Calling back to her earlier records with string motifs and continuations of story lines, Laufey builds on her previous works while expanding her horizons with folk influences on tracks like “Clean Air”. Laufey’s third studio album weaves together a tapestry of both raw lyricism and melodic world-building culminating in a wondrously theatrical interlude, “Cuckoo Ballet”. A Matter of Time is Alice’s love story in Wonderland. It is romantic and dreamlike with the perfect touch of avant-garde which hits right in the heart. Whether teasingly in love or sorrowfully open, Laufey pulls together a range of emotion and storytelling to form a meticulously crafted project that establishes her as one of the great musicians of our time.
Man’s Best Friend – Sabrina Carpenter
Coming after months of intensely heated discourse and controversy, Man’s Best Friend delivers no less than expected of an international star. Deliciously flirtatious and messy, Carpenter’s new album is a brilliant dose of synthesizer fun that showcases both her acrobatic vocals and signature songwriting talent. A callback to golden age pop stars like Mariah Carey, Destiny’s Child, and Britney Spears, Man’s Best Friend is a reminder of how to do pop right. Her seventh studio album models a self-aware irony while expanding pop to the edges of what it can be. The lyrics are raw, real, and sarcastically aloof as Carpenter at times seems to answer the debaters outright, singing “A little respect for women can get you very, very far”. The latest addition to the Sabrina Carpenter Cinematic Universe, the music video for “Tears”, is a perfect encapsulation of the campy delight that is Man’s Best Friend. This record is bold, brave, and a bombshell, signalling a new kind of artistry and perhaps a new era in the pop realm.
Old Releases from 1960’s – 2000’s
Sunflower – The Beach Boys
There are songs we all know and love that have helped us mature through the struggles of life, and Sunflower by The Beach Boys should definitely be on that list. This iconic song is an example of the growth of The Beach Boys not only from a music standpoint, but the turning point of the band becoming a legend. Sunflower was released on August 31, 1970 and debuted as The Beach Boys 16th studio album. The album showed collaboration from one another after going through a contract loss with Capitol Records, The Beach Boys First Record label, and switching to a new label, Reprise records. The album is filled with the harmonies and choruses that made the Beach Boys famous with songs like “This Whole World” and “Add Some Music To Your Day”. Sunflower also introduces the first lyrical based song written by Bruce Johnston, who joined the band in 1965. “Dierdre” covers topics such as love and regret while also having an upbeat and sunshine pop-esque tone throughout the song. “All I Wanna Do”, a song written by Brain Wilson and Mike Love, is a song that incorporates genres such as chillwave, dream pop, and shoegaze. The song was ahead of its time, being the first to introduce a pop and mellow tone, and was a major inspiration for the development of early lo-fi music. The album closes off with songs such as “Forever, Our Sweet Love and Cool Cool Water”. Sunflower is regarded as the Beach Boys second best album of all time, and is still considered an inspiration and masterpiece to the music community. If one is having a sad or gloomy day, This album is definitely the album to turn a mood around.
Extension Of A Man – Donny Hathaway
Known as one of the soul legends, Donny Hathaway’s last studio album, Extension Of A Man, is an R&B/ Soul classic. Released on January 1st, 1973, Hathaway pushed his artistic and musical skills to the limits by making an album like no other. The album begins with “I Love the Lord, He Heard My Cry”, an instrumental and artistic piece mixed with jazz and classical orchestra music. The album’s second song, “Someday We’ll All Be Free”, mixes R&B and soul, spreading the message of freedom for all someday, and that by keeping hope and pushing through all sorrows that are within will be released. Other songs include “Flying Easy” and “Come Little Children” which mix soul and jazz together for a smooth ride of lyrics. “Love, Love, Love” is the most well known song from the album which takes the conventional topic of love and turns it into a classic masterpiece that switches the mood of the whole album. Hathaway takes the listener on a journey through his artistic rifts and broad bara-tenor voice. The album continues with “Magdelena”, a song about a woman who is well known for her scandals and tricks which comes to life by mixing bright piano, an off-beat tempo, and vibrant tones throughout. The album then closes with “Lord Help Me”, a song that has a mellow and soul tone, talking about how God can show the way with His help and praise. Extension Of A Man was Donny Hathaway’s final album before his death in January of 1979 due to suicide, and it reveals the great finale and growth of Donny Hathaway not only as a person but as a musician. If you are looking for a gentle, hit-the-spot album, “Extension Of A Man” is the album for you.
Kalapana I – Kalapana
Known as one of the best and underrated Hawaiian soft rock bands, Kalapana was a trend setter in Hawaiian music. Kalapana I, their first studio and self-titled album, does not disappoint. Released on June 8th, 1975, known for its soft rock genre, Kalapana quickly became an island favorite for their musical talent, and skills like their harmonic blends. The album starts off with “The Hurt” which is the band’s most requested and well known song. It has a pop-rock groove to it underneath heartfelt lyrics about a man who experiences challenges of betrayal and regret while having feelings for a woman. Other songs include “What Do I Do” and “When The Morning Comes” which the latter is a cover from the hit song by Daryl Hall & John Oates. “Nightbird” is a song that mixes rock and folk together that takes the listener on a journey of wishing upon a star for a bird to fly to the woman of their dreams. “Naturally”, another well-known song from them, mixes harmonies of soft rock with subtle and gentle themes. It discusses the topics of finding freedom and a natural high through transcending limitations. The album finishes with “Everything Is Love” which is a finale that ties the album together. The song expresses opening up one’s heart to love and in return for a new start on life. Kalapana I is an inspirational album for the soft rock and rock n roll communities that shows that hidden gems are worth looking for no matter if one is on the beach or relaxing at home.