Category Archives: Music/Concerts

Music/Concerts

The meaning behind the songs in ‘Vibras De Noche II’ by Eslabón Armado  

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By: Nereida Dominguez Remedios

“Eslabon Armado is an American regional Mexican group from Patterson, California, formed in 2017. The group’s lineup was originally consisted of Pedro Tovar (lead vocals), Brian Tovar (bass), Ulises González (acoustic guitar), and Damián Pacheco (twelve-string guitar) since 2022, until González’s departure in March 2025.” –Wikipedia.org

‘Vibras De Noche II’ is a newly released album. There are 17 total songs on the album, but here I only am writing about the most popular ones.

“Sad intro” – it starts off with a woman’s voice talking to Pedro with the woman sounding like she is his therapist. They are talking about his last relationship and how he is sad and keeps trying to call her and how he knows he shouldn’t keep bothering her.

“TE ODIO!” –  Pedro starts the song by saying sorry for calling so late saying “por que lo que escogiste a él?” Basically saying why did you choose him? This is personally my favorite song on the album, the meaning behind it is basically he hates her for choosing someone else but it hurt to hate her and even being happy it makes him depressed.

“Cambiaste mi ser no te deseo mal, pero tampoco bien nunca pensé un final” where he’s saying “you changed my being I don’t wish you the worst but I don’t wish you well either I never thought of an end”. I feel like in this song specifically he put a lot of his feelings into this song.

“Dime” – Dime meaning “tell me”, basically makes this song mean if you don’t love me tell me. Pedro wants her to express her true feelings towards their relationship and for her to show how she really feels.  

“XOXO” – it starts off with him saying “No se que tiene tus ojos lindos de café cuando te miro me congelo es que todo de to es perfecto,” which is him basically saying “I don’t know what your beautiful brown eyes have when I look at you I freeze it’s just that everything about you is perfect.” This is obviously a love song as Pedro talks about how he is in love with this girl and how he would treat her so good. 

“Esa Noche” – “Esa Noche” is the only song on the album that has a feature (Macario Martinez). The meaning of this song is about missing someone and wanting to know why they left, and they want to have  another chance. It is also about missing the memories they had together.

“NO VOY A JUGAR” – “No Voy a Jugar” is one of his more lovey songs on the album. In the song, Pedro is expressing his feelings to his “situationship” and wanting to be in a relationship. He tells her all the things he would do for her, and if she asked him if he really loved her he was going to show her what real love is. 

“OTRAS 24 HORAS” – he is wondering why the girl isn’t looking at him how she used to with full love: how she would ask to lay on his chest, how she wanted to kiss him. He is wondering why she told her friends to let him know that she wanted him to leave her alone. Even though he didn’t give her a castle or a ring, he gave her his heart which he thought was more valuable.

“Mientas te Amaba” – he wants to tell this girl how she ruined things between them and he doesn’t know how to express that to her. He already knows that she won’t care, or if he gets hurt, she won’t be there for him. It also hurt him the way she acted towards him; she would make a lot of promises to him but would never keep them, and she wasn’t telling him the truth. 

Music/Concerts

The background of Latin music

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By: Nereida Dominguez Remedios

“Latin American music, musical traditions of Mexico, Central America, and the portions of South America and the Caribbean colonized by the Spanish and the Portuguese.” –britannica.com

“The origin of Latin music in the United States dates back to the 1930s with Rhumba. Rhumba was prominent with Cuban-style ballroom dancing in the 1930s, but was not mainstream. It was not until the 1950s and 1960s that Latin music started to become intertwined with American culture.” –wikipedia.org

Grave of Selena, American singer and songwriter. Selena was murdered March 31, 1995 and her grave is in Corpus Christi, Texas.

Photographed by Terry Ross and grave site owned and sculpted by Seaside Memorial Cemetery.

Nowadays, Latin music has become one of the most listened to music genres. Now, there are different styles of music like reggaeton, norteñas, corridos, salsa’s, cumbias and many more.

In the past decades there have been many artists that have sadly died. Even though they have died they still have a big impact in music today, like Selena, Vicente Fernández, and Chálanos Sanchez, and many more. These artists have had the biggest influence on today’s Latin music.

In the last couple of years some of the biggest artists have been Bad Bunny, Feid, Raul Alejandro, J Balvin, Daddy Yankee, and Don Omar.   These artists have been the most successful throughout the years. Most of these artists have upbeat songs, but they also have some music for you to get into your feelings. Like Bad Bunny, his old music is more sad where he would call it trap music.

The biggest style I know people listen to is corridos. “Corridos is a ballad in a traditional Mexican style, typically having lyrics that narrate a historical event.” -Oxford Languages

Some of the biggest artists that are known for corridos are Peso Pluma, Fuerza Regida, Nathanael Cano, Junior H, and Tito Double P and many more. These artists have helped define new regional Latin music.

Getting To Know/History, Music/Concerts

The impact of music on mental health

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By: Kate Tabor

Image created using ChatGPT

We all love music, and it turns out that it’s for a good reason. Many studies have shown that music can have a positive impact on your mental health (and even your physical health, if only by a bit). Here’s how.

Music helps distract us from our thoughts and lowers our stress. Listening to music can lower stress hormones, as well as blood sugar and heart rate, both of which are things that spike when you’re stressed. If you want to block out the world and forget about whatever problems you’re dealing with at the moment, listening to songs that share a different story is a good way to do that.

Not only can it help with stress, it can help you name your emotions, and manage them better. If you’re feeling off, but don’t know why, try listening to classical music. It sounds silly, but hearing a melody without lyrics helps you project your own feelings onto the music, without the music already having a feeling or meaning.

Even without classical music, songs can often help us figure out what we’re feeling as well. I can’t count how many times I turn on one of my favorite songs casually, and even though I’ve heard it a million times before, a lyric sticks out to me and I just think wow, where are the cameras hidden? Music can help you place your feelings, and also feel seen in those feelings.

Music builds community. It brings people together. Music festivals, radio shows, Spotify playlists, etc. A popular app around my age group a bit ago was an app called Airbuds Widget, where you can share what you’re listening to with your friends. I’ve made so many friends based on just recognizing that we both listen to the same artist.

Music can also boost your mood when you’re feeling down, which I find to be especially true. Everyday, I hop in my car after school and turn my favorite playlist on, and I immediately feel better.

Even just half an hour ago, I was unmotivated to start writing this article, but I sat down, put my airpods in, and got to work. Music has a huge impact on me, and I’m sure many others, on how motivated I feel.

Music can be a great tool, even when we don’t realize it.

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Music/Concerts

The Lumineers new album ‘Automatic’ review

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By: Grace Wright

The Lumineers started in New Jersey in 2005 with Wesley Schultz lead singer/guitarist and Jeremiah Fraites a dummer. They struggled with getting their music out so they moved to Denver in 2009. When they moved to Denver they went through many different music genres and evenly settled on folk/indie kind of music.

They started playing in basements and soon put out an ad that caught the attention of Neyla Pekarek. She is a multi-instrumentalist and a singer. They soon later released an EP called ‘Ho Hey’; the call and response title track caused it to be a fan favorite. Once they released ‘Ho Hey’ they signed a contract with Dualtone Records.

They have 7 albums and many singles and EPs. They have collaborated with many artists like Zach Bryan, James Bay, Noah Khan and many more. Their newest album is called ‘Automatic’ and has 11 songs. “Same Old Song”, “A**hole” (title edited), “Strings”, “Automatic”, “You’re all i got”, “Plasticine”, “Ativan”, “Keys on the table”, “Better day”, “Sunflowers”, “So long”.

They released “Same Old Song” and teasers of all the songs on Jan 13, 2025 and the full album came out on Feb 14, 2025: Valentines Day. Much like their other songs and albums, they have catchy beats and deep meanings behind their lyrics.

My favorite songs on the album are “Same Old Song”, ‘”A**hole” (title edited)“, “Automatic” and “Keys On The Table”. These are my favorite songs because I like the meanings behind them but also because I like the way they were musically written.

Overall, I really liked this album because the songs are very thought out and I really liked the different meanings behind them. I also really like the song called “Strings”. I like it because there aren’t any words in it, it’s just violins and it makes me think of growing up and getting older. I also really like how this album is what I consider more calm compared to their other ones. You can find their music on Spotify, iHeart Radio and Apple Music.

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Getting To Know/History, Music/Concerts

History of R&B music

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By: Fletcher Pike

Photo by Nascimento Jr. on Pexels.com

Many might know about the popular music genre of R&B, popularized by several artists such as Lauryn Hill, Michael Jackson, and Whitney Houston. But some might not know of the history of this music genre and how it became so popular today. In this article, I plan to go over the basic history of R&B, and some notable figures who influenced this unique genre of music.

In the 1920s-1930s, a large number of African Americans migrated to urban cities and industrial areas such as Chicago, Los Angeles, and New York City, which created a brand new market for music such as jazz or blues music. “Race music” was the term that was used to initially describe music that was made by African Americans, but the term later acquired a racist interpretation.

In 1949, writer Jerry Wexler substituted the label “rhythm and blues” which would later become the title of R&B music, as R&B stands for rhythm and blues.

Ruth Brown (Jan. 12, 1928- Nov. 17, 2006), also known as “Miss Rhythm”, was a popular R&B singer who released music throughout the 1950s. After the release of her first recording, “So Long”, she became one of the most notable female R&B singers of the 1950s. She brought many pop genre elements to the R&B genres, which influenced many artists in the future.

In the 1960s, African American made music shifted from its primary theme of blues music and shifted to more gospel styled music. “Soul” was the title that many African Americans called this style of music in 1964, which captured the emotional value of this genre.

Since then, R&B has evolved to adapt more modern elements, especially in the 90s and 2000s, with artists such as Mary J. Blige, Aaliyah, Lauryn Hill, and Alicia Keys bringing modern-pop elements to the R&B genre.

The genre itself can be usually characterized by its combination of many different genres, such as blues, jazz, pop, and gospel, with slow rhythms and emotional lyrics. 

I hope that this article taught you about some of the history of the R&B genre as well as some of the different artists that popularized this genre. 

If you want to learn more about the history of R&B music, check out this link: https://www.britannica.com/art/rhythm-and-blues

Music/Concerts

Recap of the 2025 Grammy Awards

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By: Hermekay Dehaney

Image created with Meta AI

The Grammys, held on February 2, is an annual award show created by The Recording Academy and is held at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California. The Grammys highlight singers, songwriters, and producers who have had major success in the past year.

The night had some important messages, big wins, and amazing performances, so here are some of the highlights of the ‘25 Grammys.

This year’s Grammys not only highlighted musical talents but also served as a fundraiser where they raised about 9 million dollars for the victims of the recent Los Angeles wildfires that took place just weeks prior.

Trevor Noah, who has been the host for the fifth consecutive time, kicked off the program with a message saying, “Tens of thousands of people have lost their homes. Entire neighborhoods have been erased. Schools, local businesses, and entire communities have burned to the ground. Thankfully, due to the heroic efforts of firefighters, the fires have now been contained.”           

The segment opened with a tribute song performed by John Legend, Taylor Goldsmith, Griffin Goldsmith, Cheryl Crow, Brad Paisley, Brittney Howard, and St. Vincent to a performance of Randy Newman’s ballad to the City of Angels ‘I Love L.A,’ honoring the victims as well as the survivors.             

During the ceremony, they had the Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony C. Marrone and other members of the Los Angeles County Fire Department speak onstage during the Grammys.                                                                            

The Grammys had some Historic wins.

Beyonce had a very big night; she led the nominees with 11 nominations and secured 3 wins, finally winning Album of the Year, Country Album of the Year, and Best Country Duo/Group Performance for ‘Cowboy Carter.’

Beyoncé had words of encouragement when accepting her Country Album of the Year by saying, “I think sometimes genre is a cold word to keep us in our place as artists,” she then continued, “And I just want to encourage people to do what they’re passionate about and stay persistent.”

This would come a year after Jay Z got on stage at last year’s Grammys and said, “I don’t want to embarrass this young lady, but she has more Grammys than everyone and never won album of the year,” he continued, ”So even by your own metrics, that doesn’t work. Think about that. The Most Grammys never won Album of the Year. That doesn’t work.” She had been nominated for this award 4 times before.

Someone who also had a big night was Kendrick Lamar who led the night with 5 wins for “Not Like Us”. He won Song of the Year, Record of the Year, Best Rap Song, Best Rap Performance, and Best Music Video.

Doechii won Best Rap Album for ‘Alligator Bites Never Heal.’ Making her the 3rd woman to ever achieve this award, following Lauryn Hill in ‘97, and Cardi B in 2019.

Chappell Roan won Best New Artist. In her acceptance speech, she called out music labels for not providing new artists with livable wages and healthcare, she added: “It was so devastating to feel so committed to my art and feel so betrayed by the system and so dehumanized to not have help.”

The ceremony also had very diverse performances.

The nominees for Best New Artist had a chance to perform, which is a perfect opportunity for the artists to showcase their talent, and to connect with a wider audience. The performances included: Benson Boone, Doechii, Shaboozey, Sabrina Carpenter, Rayé, Teddy Swims, and Chappell Roan. They all had very versatile and unique performances.

Tributes

The ceremony featured many tributes including a homage to Quincy Jones, a famous producer who died on November 3rd, 2024 due to pancreatic cancer. Artists such as Janelle Monae, Cynthia Erivo, Stevie Wonder, Herbie Hancock, Jacob Collier, and Lainey Wilson all did various performances, including “Fly Me to the Moon”, “Bluesette”, and “We Are the World”.

In the ‘In Memoriam’ segment of the ceremony, they also paid a tribute to the former One Direction member Liam Payne, who passed away unexpectedly last October. They showcased a video montage as well as a tribute song with Chris Martin singing “All My Love” which honored other artists who tragically died including Kris Kristofferson and Toby Keith.

Overall, this year’s Grammys was one my favorite and the most notable.

Music/Concerts

Songs meanings of ‘0.1 flaws and all.’ album by wave to earth

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By: Christine Yang

Wave to earth is a three-member band, Daniel Kim (singer-songwriter), Dong Kyu Shin (drummer), and John Cha (bassist) based in Seoul, South Korea. They want their band’s aspiration to “become the new wave” and expand their universe across the world. The band’s songs consist of indie pop with a lo-fi sound rooted in jazz drumming. The album ‘0.1 flaws and all.’ was released on April 20, 2023, with 14 songs (12 lyrical songs and 2 instrumental) on the album.

Lyrical Songs:

“bad”:

The song “bad” is about being with someone you love, and how the days will never be bad when you see/be with them. Which basically means their presence lightens your day or mood, and how in love you are towards them. 

“sunny days”:

“sunny days” is an expression of appreciating the joy and warmth that love can bring into someone’s life.

“peach eyes”:

“peach eyes” is an expression of the sweet bond between two people, showing how love brings light, comfort, and motivation. The song also symbolizes the partner’s “peach-colored eyes”, which are also the representations of beauty and warmth of the person/love.

“evening glow”:

The song “evening glow” is about a person’s flaws and how they feel “broken” or “unloveable”, and trying to find healing and acceptance while struggling.

“pink”:

“pink” is a poetic way of exploring the short lasting nature of life and love. Also, seeing the person you love in nature sceneries.

“calla”:

“calla” is about spending time with someone you love no matter the conditions, and hoping it’s not just you daydreaming about it. It’s also about how strong love and hope are, and staying strong while facing difficulties/misfortune.

“love.”:

The song “love.” is about the human connection, emphasizing the individual desires that are wanted to be brought into relationships, friendship, community, etc.

But Daniel Kim’s definition of the song “love.” is about his band members, expressing the emotions that the whole band felt during times they spent together. But also memorializing the growth that each individual member went through, and how far they came in life.

“homesick”:

“homesick” is about the feeling of an unfamiliar place and wanting to be at home due to the familiar comfort.

“dried flower”:

The song “dried flower” is about the person you used to love that doesn’t hold a special place or meaning to you anymore, and how you don’t want to get back with them because it won’t be the same.

“sunburn”:

“sunburn” is about dealing with “pain” (struggles), no matter if you try to get “rid” of them the pain won’t go away, and trying to seek freedom from it.

“nouvelle vague”:

“nouvelle vague” talks about the struggle of growth, and wanting to stay/memorize the past instead of moving forward in life. This is due to the desire of not wanting to move forward in life is because of unfamiliarities or just fearing you’ll lose yourself as you go further.

“so real”:

“so real” is about emotional imprisonment and deep isolation, while yearning for freedom, understandment, and connections. Also, having to know the challenges that will be faced in achieving those goals. 

Instrumentals:

“pink horizon”

“akira”

Local, Music/Concerts

Local bands: Rock Melon

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By: Persephone Pond

Rock Melon is a local band based in Highland Park, Saint Paul. This surf-pop-indie band consists of six talented students from around the Highland Park area. This article will go over a few need-to-know facts about the band before listening to their music.

Before going over the music the band has released as of late, it’s important to know the talent behind music. Here’s a quick introduction to the band.

Zack Nelson (he/him) is a senior at HPSH and the founder of the band. He plays both the guitar and bass. Elzie Bieganek (she/her) is one of the two talented vocalists of Rock Melon, currently attending SPA as a junior. Erin Moore (she/her) is a junior at HPSH, and the second vocalist of Rock Melon. Ryan Mitchell (he/him) and Izzy Montgomery (she/her) both play guitar, and Syan Blackwood (they/them) plays the drums for the band.

Now, the music itself this small band produces showcases a wide range of talent in terms of instrumentals, vocals, and production. All music is recorded by the band, and released on all streaming platforms.

Their latest releases include three singles from their upcoming album. The three tracks are “First Love’s Name”, “Eucalyptus”, and “The Architect”. All of these songs were written by the band members, and feature riveting vocals and soothing instrumentals.

The band plays live music around the Saint Paul/Minneapolis area, so keep an eye out for their next gig. Small venues around the metro area often support other small local bands as well. Attending live concerts is an easy, low commitment way to support these young artists.

To support this growing band, give them a follow on Instagram @rockmelonband. Stream their music on Apple Music, Spotify, YouTube music, and more!

Music/Concerts

Song meanings of the EP ‘Superclean, Vol.II’ by The Marías

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By: Christine Yang

The Marías is a psychedelic-soul lovechild of Puerto Rican-bred band with María Zardoya, Josh Conway, Jesse Perlman, and Edward James. The EP ‘Superclean, Vol II’ was released on September 28, 2018, with six songs on it. The EP is a blend between alternative and indie (Latin indie).

“Ruthless”:

“Ruthless” can be about someone who’s in love with somebody that they haven’t seen in awhile, but still have affections towards them and want to have a relationship with them. 

“Cariño”:

“Cariño” can be interpreted as a song to appreciate a romantic lover, and how you find peace just being with them. Or it can be about someone you love and how you’re telling them they’re special in many different ways.

“ABQ”:

The song “ABQ” can be interpreted as about anxiety, how you feel this constant feeling that you’re never alone and crave that loneliness or time with yourself.

On a personal level, it’s about María Zardoya’s struggle with anxiety of not wanting to let anyone down, and having so much pressure to get things done (songs related) to please the audience, but also be on track with her band members too.     

“Loverboy”:

“Loverboy” is about a partner being unfaithful towards you, and how you can’t really process or accept that fact, but also can’t bear to hear a word from their mouth.

“Over the Moon”:

“Over the Moon” is an idiomatic expression that means a state of extreme happiness. It’s also viewed as a bittersweet love song about the struggles of an uncertain but passionate relationship.

“Clueless”:

“Clueless” is about a relationship that failed due to not being able to handle it anymore (due to lack of emotional awareness, miscommunication, and growing apart). Also, being confused about their words/actions, and having moments of being able to feel free, but being reminded of them.   

Overall, I would give ‘Superclean, Vol II’ a 10/10.

Music/Concerts

Top 5 Burger King songs

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By: Ian Larson

Burger King has made many songs over the years, but not all of them can be the best. This will be the top 5 Burger King songs from least good to most good in my opinion.

The least good song on this list is “BK’s Fiery Menu”. This song is advertising Burger King’s fiery menu. What I love about this song is that it puts a unique spin on the usual Burger King ad. The music in the background is changed with things like horns. Other than that, the whole song has good rhymes and is a fantastic way to advertise their fiery menu.

The next song on the list is “Double ‘Em Up”. This song is supposed to show off Burger King’s deal of 2 meals for $5.99 each. The good thing about this song is that it’s very simple and catchy. This is a classic Burger King song that shows off every part of the 2 meal deal.

The third best song is “Share, or Don’t”. Similar to the last song this is advertising a different deal for a Whopper Jr. duo for 5 dollars. It points out that you can share with a friend or eat it yourself without telling them. This is said in a funny and unexpected way by them whispering “They’ll never know”. This is a great way to advertise this new deal.

Now, the song that’s not quite the best, but so close is “Eat Like a King”. This song is showing how cheap a meal at Burger King is. What I like about it is that it has the same classic feeling of a Burger King song but the way it stops to say “Wait that can’t be right” actually works to not ruin the song and fits in quite well.

The best Burger King song is “Whopper Whopper”. This is the most well known Burger King song, which is just meant to advertise the Whopper. What makes this song better than the rest is that they aren’t trying to make it fit in with all the other ads because it’s the first ad of this style. The background and vocals are actually made to go together instead of trying to fit new vocals with the background. This makes everything in the song flow super well while still showing off the product that they’re trying to sell.