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Big Thief makes the most human folk music of today. Since releasing back-to-back albums Masterpiece and Capacity in 2016 and 2017, the band has focused on touring, only releasing a 30–minute experimental EP Wide Winged Bird last May. This weekend, that tour will bring them to Philly’s legendary First Unitarian Church on Saturday, October 20.
The world was first introduced to British singer–songwriter Ella Mai upon the release of her debut commercial single, the breezy summer anthem “Boo’d Up”. As the first UK artist to top the US R&B charts since 1992, her style of pop–inflected R&B sung over snare–heavy trap beats proved infectious to everyone. Signed to DJ Mustard’s label after being discovered on Instagram, Mai’s three previous EPs contain songs asserting her confidence and desire, all while nodding to '90s R&B musical traditions lyrically and musically. While her previous songs sound more similar than different, Ella Mai’s eponymous debut album was highly awaited by fans.
Video games hold a special place in the hearts of millennials and Gen–Z, and for good reason. We’ve grown up in a time when they underwent revolutionary development in graphics, storytelling, and gameplay, turning a small fun pastime into a billion–dollar industry where we can escape into a world of enjoyment. However, there’s more than just the plots and the action that holds a place in our hearts; there are also fantastic soundtracks that have enhanced the quality of games to new heights. As you finally defeated General Shepherd in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the concluding piece of the end credits filled you with endless satisfaction and high anticipation for the concluding installment of the trilogy. What makes these scores even better is that you can enjoy them outside your gaming den, whether it be while working in Huntsman or frolicking outside in your free time on College Green. It’s part of what sets the best ones apart—so without further ado, here are five video game soundtracks to listen to.
Between midterms, club meetings, and OCR, it’s easy to forget that life moves on outside of the Penn bubble. And over the past month, that life has been full of some amazing new music. We’ve kept up with all of the best releases, so you don’t have to. Without further ado, here are Street’s picks for the best albums you might have missed in the last month.
Ah, Halloween. For kids, it’s a time of year for costumes and revelry in the neighborhood, as they waltz door–to–door “frightening” poor neighbors for candies with their fearsome attire. At Penn, it’s a different story—it’s a time to party despite having a month full of midterms. The ragers rage and scaries scare into the night for the gargantuan celebration that is Halloweekend. It’s fitting that one listens to the terrifying, tantalizing music made in honor of our spooky sides during this time of year while considering outfits for a week of celebrations. There is an assortment of monster–themed classics (“Monster Mash” comes to mind) as well as a wide array of songs that evoke our inner darkness that howls into the night. Here are our top picks to help you get in a spooky mode for fright season:
When you switch on Top 40 radio anywhere in the United States, the majority of music you’ll hear is still chiefly American-made and in English. Spotify’s response to this fact? Their new Global Cultures Initiative, launched at the end of September. As Rocio Guerrero, head of Global Cultures at Spotify and creator of the initiative, explains, “Why is food from other countries so embedded in our culture and yet music isn’t? Because streaming didn't exist. But now it's happening.” While the Global Cultures Initiative includes multiple plans to promote culturally diverse music, one of the most accessible is the high-profile Global X playlist. Already at 152,296 followers, it’s one of the best curated playlists Spotify has published in recent years.
All die–hard fans of Fleetwood Mac remember where they were when they first heard the opening strum of Rumours, the band's iconoclast album inspired by a year of tumultuous love affairs. For some, it was in the passenger seat of their mother’s car, where “Go Your Own Way” blasted on the ride to school. For others, it was in the sale section of Urban Outfitters, where the album was the soundtrack to your shopping spree. Regardless, Rumours is the kind of album that should be celebrated for its complex simplicity, catchy instrumentals, and emotional core.
Troye Sivan's concert in Philly on October 6th was the latest installation in the ongoing growth of his career. Seeing him reminded me of his importance to queer youth—myself included.
The time has come: you’ve finally decided to get into collecting vinyl. Maybe you want to go off the beaten path and start collecting cassette tapes instead, or maybe now that your entire music collection is streaming online, you need to offload those hundreds of CDs that have been collecting dust for the past few years. A short trip on the Route 40 bus away from University City lies your destination: Repo Records. Repo exists at the heart of the Philly underground music scene at 506 South St., only two blocks away from TLA, one of the best concert venues in America. Its distinguishing outside feature is the green brick surrounding the entrance, which leads you inside to new and used vinyl, cassettes, and CDs, as well as used clothing, posters, patches, and other musical paraphernalia for all the diehard and wannabe punks out there.
The random spoken–word tracks that come on when you’re shuffling an album on Spotify. The 30–second conversational interjections in the middle or at the end of a song. Pure instrumental tone setters, small snatches of songs, uplifting sermons, or even comedic skits. Interludes are (usually) short tracks that aren’t standalone pieces, and their forms are as varied as the artists who choose to include them. A tradition stretching backing decades, interludes are found in all genres of music, yet are often a staple of R&B and hip–hop albums.
From raves and parties to music festivals and concerts, college, especially in a large city like Philly, is the prime time to explore new music genres and make memories with friends. Music is such an integral part of daily life for many students, and there’s no other experience quite like attending a live concert performance.
Another rock & roll legend has passed. Marty Balin, frontman and founder of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship, left us on Sept. 27, 2018. He was one of those few artists who managed to carve out a new path for music and culture. He stood at the vanguard, carrying the flag of psychedelia, a sound and philosophy that would come to change the world. Now that he’s gone, we may continue the trend of blaming an artist’s death on the year and making his tragedy our own; or we can take a step back and try to honor him through his legacy. I favor the latter.
After a tumultuous nine–month break, hip hop’s foremost boy band is back for more. Led by founder Kevin Abstract, Brockhampton released its fourth studio album, iridescence, on September 21, its first release since Saturation III last December. Between releases, a number of shifts occurred: the group signed with RCA Records, member and lyricist Ameer Vann was kicked out after sexual misconduct allegations, and the album experienced numerous delays and name changes. Given the success of the Saturation trilogy and the recent drama, there was greater interest in how Brockhampton would follow up its meteoric rise to stardom and exposure to the mainstream media. So, let’s dive into iridescence with a track–by–track review—each song introduces fresh perspectives from different combinations of members on a wide variety of topics, forming a cohesive theme that can only be understood from the sum of its parts.
She’s edgy. She’s mesmerizing. She’s been defined as “simply godly” and “jesus” on Urban Dictionary.
Yeezus is a landmark in hip hop history and a lesson in innovation. It traded in the self–hatred and self–consciousness of My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy (MBDTF) and externalized it into discontent and unadulterated rage towards the outside world. And, it did so through more piercing, sometimes incoherent lyrics and a heavy industrial sound that had never been heard in popular music before. It put aside all of hip hop’s clichés and conventions and, despite being initially polarizing for popular audiences, it has finally made enough of an impact in the music world that its place and influence on the hip hop timeline are undeniable. As Philippe Atallah (C '21), said in an interview with Street, “I used to place it last on my Kanye power ranking, now it’s close to first.”
You’ve heard these bangers blasting out of Uber windows at 2 a.m., at your local clubs, and at parties on the more international end of the spectrum; a blend of reggaeton and American trap is blowing up worldwide. Even if you don’t keep up with Latin artists, you’ve definitely heard them over the radio or featured in songs by prominent North American artists such as Cardi B, Tekashi 6ix9ine, and Justin Bieber.
Despite her stage name, Noname, 27–year–old Fatimah Warner is anyone but someone you should ignore. Rather, her stage name identifies her as a rejection of mass–produced modern hip–hop—Noname is one of the few rappers releasing music independently, bound to no contract or label. Growing up in Chicago, her rap is rooted in the city’s slam poetry and open mic scene which dominated her childhood. Noname has cemented herself as a rapper who weaves together jazz and neo–soul beats with an elaborately rhymed flow after being featured on “Lost,” a song from her hometown friend Chance the Rapper’s mixtape, Acid Rap, as well as the release of her own successful mixtape Telefone. Both mixtapes received rave reviews from magazines like Rolling Stone and Pitchfork.
The next generation of pop artists are defining a new genre for themselves: bedroom pop. The label most likely got its name from Clairo’s viral “Pretty Girl” music video, which was filmed entirely on a laptop webcam in her bedroom. Since then, bedroom pop has expanded to include any new artist with lo–fi electronics and contemplative lyrics. While there are male artists making music under this new category, some of the best work comes from the women behind it. So next time you need to waste an hour or two with a mini existential crisis in your own bedroom, put these female artists on in the background.
It’s fall—a season of plodding down Locust Walk in a turtleneck as you shiver and clutch your arms closer towards you, of the leaves on the trees in College Green turning brown and withering, of the pastel–grey sky draining of sunlight, of rain, returning to campus, and midterms. It’s easy to feel fatigued in the fall, the chilliness sucking the energy out of you. The desire to let your music consumption be entirely composed of study playlists that fade into the background and songs you’ve already listened to a hundred times is tantalizing. Instead, here’s some music that mirrors the season’s autumnal vibes while cheering you up on that cloudy September afternoon.
For all the fun and freedom college promises, it often falls short of expectations. Penn is no different. It’s a social quagmire—countless students come here looking for a set of like–minded individuals to befriend, yet find themselves shattered by the hypercompetitive nature of clubs and internships, the debilitating effects of heavy academic workloads, and the exclusiveness of social spheres in Greek life. Sometimes, you find yourself alone on a Friday night, with no one to call upon. You feel lost. We've all been there. And sometimes you just need a good cry to let it all out. Here are the best albums to listen to when you’re sad:
Solutions by The State News