By: Julia Yang

We all like music, and if you say you don’t, you’re a liar. Everyone has different tastes in music with bias to various genres like pop, rock, country, and rap. I’d tell you what my taste is, but I listen to anything that sounds good. That’s not the point though, the point is that I’m sharing the artists I listen to so that you may expand your horizons and they can gain more support. Who knows, you might even enjoy these artists more than I do.

These are not ranked in any specific order.

#1 AJR

A little bit of a controversial opinion, but I love AJR. I don’t know why people hate them so much.

AJR is a good artist to listen to if you enjoy songs that speak upon unspoken issues like the feeling of watching the world go by whilst you haven’t changed, or being a good person all of the time but never gaining anything out of doing so. They’re sad topics, but the songs are usually really upbeat.

AJR music is usually loud, uses unusual instruments, and odd structure— but I think that’s what really sets them apart from everyone else.

#2 Will Wood (And The Tapeworms)

Will Wood (And The Tapeworms), more artists that touch upon topics that other artists don’t. They talk about feeling conflicted with self identity and advocates for understanding and acceptance, wishing for some kind of connection with the increasingly fragmented world.

Will Wood (And The Tapeworms) are a band that blend elements of rock, jazz, and cabaret into all of their songs. I will say, the sound of these songs are extremely unusual. Not in a bad way, they’re just not your usual day-to-day songs. Again, something that makes them stand out.

#3 Dagames

Dagames is an artist known to make fan made songs for popular games, one of which being “Build Our Machine” based off of ‘Bendy and the Ink Machine’— his most popular and known song. Putting aside the game songs, he also makes his own songs without building off a game! But, if you don’t play or enjoy popular games for whatever reason, this isn’t really the artist for you, obviously. Even so, you can also just ignore the whole game aspect and just enjoy the songs.

He usually makes songs that consist of metal and electronic elements, they’re usually loud and aggressive— but in a good way. Most of his songs made for games are fueled from the possible anger that the characters feel, so as one would, they’re all loud and aggressive. Love him for that.

#4 Ricky Montgomery

Something about this guys voice is incredible, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.

Ricky Montgomery is an alternative and indie artist who is quite popular in a variety of communities around social media. His music tends to tell wonderfully emotional stories in such a way that people can connect to them on a variety of levels— kind of like how people can connect to drawings and paintings; they’re all forms of art after all.

Ricky’s music can really get you in the feels, that’s all I can say, really.

By: Sophia Elmstrom

‘Snow Angel’ is Reneé Rapp’s debut album with only an EP out called ‘Everything to Everyone’. This album came out November 2023 and it is about 48 minutes long in total with 16 songs.

Reneé Rapp has recently gained a new level of popularity from the ‘Mean Girls’ remake which is a musical. Reneé was in ‘Mean Girls’ on Broadway and was an actor before she started her singing career. She is very popular among many teens from this movie and a majority of her fans are also musical theater fans.

The 16 songs on this album are:

1. Talk Too Much
2. I Hate Boston
3. Poison Poison
4. Gemini Moon
5. Snow Angel
6. So What Now
7. The Wedding Song
8. Pretty Girls
9. Tummy Hurts
10. I Wish
11. Willow
12. 23
13. Messy
14. I Do
15. Swim
16. Tummy Hurts (feat. Coco Jones)

My two favorite songs on this album are “Talk Too Much” and “Messy”. The most popular songs on this album are “Poison Poison” which became popular because of TikTok and “Tummy Hurts” which also became popular because of TikTok.

All of the songs on this album are very good especially because of Reneé’s vocals and how great her voice sounds. She has a very powerful voice which sounds amazing in person and on the album and these vocals are mostly shown on the song “Snow Angel”.

The reason I love the song “Talk Too Much” is because I like the beat and the lyrics a lot. She has a point in the song where she starts talking a lot and I think it is clever to do that in a song called “Talk Too Much”. This song is about how she is scared that she talks too much and she is basically overthinking this relationship. I give this song a 10/10.

I also love the song “Messy” for some of the same reasons. This song is also about overthinking and how when she isn’t with this person all she thinks about is the relationship. I give this song a 9/10.

Overall, I really like this album and I believe that the vocals are amazing. I think that there are no bad songs on the album and I think she did a great job on ‘Snow Angel’. This album is full of a lot of upbeat and poppy songs and there aren’t many slow songs. I give this album an 8/10.

By: Fletcher Pike

Fiona Apple’s unique album ‘When The Pawn…’ came out in 1999 and featured 10 songs total with a total length of 42 minutes. This album was released following Fiona’s hit album ‘Tidal’ which came out just a few years before in 1996. The full title of this album is actually a 90 word poem that is featured on an overlay on the album cover. In this album, Fiona Apple incorporates piano elements into most of her songs with pop-style jazz beats and features her distinct smooth alto voice.

Track 1: On The Bound

The first song on this album, “On The Bound” begins with a swing beat with a heavy piano melody accompanied with electric piano undertones. The chorus shifts into an elegant beat with added string instruments as Fiona howls echoed lyrics. I loved this song a lot and I think it was a great opening to this album. I think that this song deserves a 10/10.

Track 2: To Your Love

The following song, “To Your Love” features vibrating and scaling vocals with a classic drum beat and fast piano hits. I did like the melody but personally this song didn’t stand out as much as the other songs on this album. It was still a really enjoyable song and I would rate it a 9/10.

Track 3: Limp

“Limp” starts with a simple growing piano melody with increasing intensity that explodes into sections with loud drums and a note-descending saxophone. I really loved the drums on this song and how the intensity increased as the song continued. I thought that this song was very pleasant to listen to and I rate it a 9.5/10

Track 4: Love Ridden

“Love Ridden” is a solemn tune compacted with emotion including a mostly piano and vocal composed melody. Stringed instrument undertones add depth to the song. I found this song to be very touching, with Fiona’s emotive and powerful vocals. I really liked this song overall and I would rate it a 9.5/10.

Track 5: Paper Bag

“Paper Bag” begins with a slower scratchy drum beat with a vinyl-like effect over it, with Fiona’s scaling and staccato vocals entering shortly after. I loved how this song was put together and I found the lyrics to be very interesting, which talks about how hope can lead to disappointment. I think this song deserves a 10/10 for the melody and intriguing lyrics.

Track 6: A Mistake

“A Mistake” starts with an electric organ with scratchy brass elements. I overall thought that this song was pretty great, but it didn’t really stand out to me. I liked the melody and the electric organ that was used in the song, so I think that this song is a 9/10.

Track 7: Fast As You Can

“Fast As You Can” is the hit single from this album. The song includes a racing tempo with quick piano hits that stops at slow segments during the song that picks up as it continues. I enjoyed the faster tempo on this song, as it grabs your attention right away with the march-style drums and vibrant theme. I think that this track has to be one of my favorites on the album and I rate it a 10/10.

Track 8: The Way Things Are

The song “The Way Things Are” begins with a wavy synth instrument shifting into a roaring heavy guitar and a classic drum beat. I liked the addition of the heavy guitar since it made it stand out from the other songs on the album. I think that overall this song was pretty good to listen to, and that I rate it a 9.5/10

Track 9: Get Gone

“Get Gone” begins with a tranquil piano and an ambient brushed drum beat that transitions to a louder drum set and piano sounds with string instrument undertones. I was a big fan of Fiona’s vocals in this song and the duality between dynamics. I loved the melody of the song and the different instruments used in this track. Parts of this song reminded me of some vintage jazz songs, which I admired a lot. This is a really great song, and I think it’s a 10/10. 

Track 10: I Know

‘When The Pawn…’ ends with a slow and melancholy rhythm with an ambient piano under Fiona’s gentle vocals. I think that it was a fitting song to end this album, and I enjoyed the vocals in this song. This was a great finish to the album, and I rate it a 9.5/10.

‘When The Pawn…’ is by far one of my most favorite albums by Fiona Apple. I find that the creativity and uniqueness that she incorporates into her songs makes her stand out as an artist. These songs were full of different kinds of emotions that I found to be interesting to listen to. Overall, I think that this album is a 10/10.

By: Calla Fragassi

Dominic Fike is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. He is known for his role in the hit TV show ‘Euphoria’, but is also recognized for his music that falls under the Alternative/Indie genre. He released his fifth studio album on May 3, 2024, called ’14 minutes’. The 8 tracks on the album add up to 14 minutes exactly which is where the name comes from. Here is a quick review of each of these 8 songs, and the album as a whole:

The first song on the album is “megaman”. This song is one of the shorter ones on the album at 1:18 and focuses more on the instrumental aspects of the song. Throughout the entire song, he gently plucks the cords of an acoustic guitar to give it a sharper tone and uses a kick drum as the second instrument. He mumbles most of the words while singing, making the song more simplistic and relaxing. Overall, I usually like my music to be a little more upbeat, but I can still appreciate the sound and slowness of “megaman“.

The second song on the album is called “hi grace”. In “hi grace”, Fike uses sound effects to make his voice higher, as well as make his words sound glitchy. Throughout the song he uses piano, guitar, and drums which makes the song more upbeat than the previous song, but it’s still not super loud or intense. How he sings the chorus of the song reminds me of Bob Dylan’s voice in his music, and is one of the more popular songs on this album; I would rank this song in my top three favorites from this album.

The third song on ’14 minutes’ is “1.23.23”. This song reminds me of some of his older music from his previous album ‘Sunburn’ because he sings at a lower tone and uses a similar glitchy effect as “hi grace”. The lyrics in the chorus talk about scars and changing along with verses that are written about going back in time and fixing mistakes. This song gives a more hopeful message to listeners but is not one of my favorites on this album.

The fourth song on the album is called “THICKRICK”. This song sounds more like it is directed towards someone with anger based on the instruments and intensity of the song. Fike uses an electric guitar in this song and purposefully makes it the loudest sound in “THICKRICK”. This one is also not one of my favorites, but the lyrics in the song like “Don’t let the tattoos fool you, love” are full of anger and make it worth a listen.

The fifth track on the album is “Bowie Box”. The only instrument in this song is acoustic guitar. He only sings for a very short period at the beginning, making most of the song just him playing the guitar. This is one of the slower songs on the album and somewhat reminds me of the song “Skinny Love” by Bon Iver because of the tone of voice Fike sings with.

The sixth song on the album is “misses”. This is my favorite song of this album and is currently trending on Apple Music and social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram. This song is very upbeat and cheerful and has quickly climbed to Dominic Fike’s number-one song. It’s easier to understand and learn than some of his others on the album and is the perfect song for summer.

Number 7 on the album is “to say to say”. He again uses the same glitchy effect in this song as he did on tracks 2 & 3, but this song only has 10 verses in its 80 seconds. Although it’s a little different from some of the other songs, it still fits in with the indie alternative style Fike typically works with.

The last song on this album is called “coast2coast”. It’s another one of my favorites out of these tracks because of the instruments he uses and how fast it is. It’s only 1 minute long, but he manages to make a great song out of the small amount of time he uses.

Overall, I would recommend this album to anyone who enjoys a different play on traditional indie music. He uses different instruments and effects than what are normally seen and it’s super fun seeing what he’ll incorporate into each song. I do wish the songs I enjoyed like “misses” and “hi grace” were longer songs, but I think the idea behind the album only being 14 minutes long is very interesting and I haven’t seen it done before!

By: Hermekay Dehaney

The feud between Drake and Kendrick Lamar, who are two of the most prominent figures in hip-pop, has been building for years, marked by a series of indirect and direct disses throughout each other’s music careers. The feud has been growing in tension with both releasing back to back diss tracks aimed at each other for the past couple months.

But when did it start, and how did it escalate?

Well, for starters the two were once acquainted with each other and even  collaborated on different songs and albums, such as Drake’s album ‘Take care’ in 2011, and Kendrick’s album ‘Good kid, M.A.A.D city’ which was released a year later in 2012. 

The drama wouldn’t start until 2013 where Kendrick Lamar was featured on Big Sean’s song called “Control” where he dissed other artists including Drake, saying “I got love for you all, but I’m trying to m**der you.” Drake would then respond in an interview by saying “[I]t just sounded like an ambitious thought to me. That’s all it was. I know good and well that Kendrick’s not m**dering me, at all, on any platform. So when that day presents itself, I guess we can revisit the topic.” This would be the start of the decade-long feud.

The feud would escalate however, in March of 2024  when Kendrick Lamar would release his song “Like That,” which was produced by Metro Boomin’ and the rapper Future in an album called ‘We Don’t Trust You,’ in response to J Cole and Drake’s 2023 song “First Person Shooter.” In the J Cole verse, he said “Love when they argue the hardest MC Is it K-Dot? Is it Aubrey? Or me? We the big three like we started a league,” to which Kendrick responded by accusing the rappers of sneak dissing, and went on rapping by saying,  “big three —— it’s just big me.” What made that song significant was that the producer, Metro Boomin’  was a former producer for Drake but ultimately fell out with him.

J Cole would then respond by releasing a diss track, “7 Minute Drill,” rapping, “I got a phone call, they say that somebody dissing, You want some attention, it come with extensions,” and “He still doing shows but fell off like The Simpsons.” He also dissed Kendrick’s recent songs by saying it was “tragic.”

Only a couple days after releasing that diss, he would end up backing down by saying  “I ain’t gonna lie to y’all the past two days felt terrible,” which he would explain that he felt pressured because “the world wanna see blood.” And he ended up removing his diss from all streaming services, and apologized to Kendrick.

Drake would then release his diss track “Push Ups” on April 13, in which he clowns Kendrick for being 5’5″. He then went on to slam Kendrick for collaborating with mainstream artists such as Maroon 5, and Taylor Swift by saying “Maroon 5 need a verse, you better make it witty. Then we need a verse for the Swifties.” He then dropped another diss called “Taylor made freestyle.” Kendrick responded by dropping a 6 minute long diss track “Europhia,” on April 30, accusing Drake of getting plastic surgery as well as calling Drake a “master manipulator,” and saying “Let me say I’m the biggest hater,” and also “I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress.”

I personally think this is where the feud reached its climax, because this was the start of the back to back disses.

 Kendrick dropped another song less than 72 hours later “6:16 in LA,” where claims that someone in Drake’s circle is leaking damaging information about him. Then on May 3rd Drake clapped back with “Family Matters,” basically accusing Lamar of cheating on his wife. Lamar hit back with another song just an hour after Drake’s diss “Meet the Grahams,” where he accused Drake of having a secret daughter, and calling him a “narcissist, misogynist, livin’ inside his songs.”  He also made a verse addressed to Adonis, Drake’s son, saying, ”Dear, Adonis, I’m sorry that that man is your father, let me be honest,” he also addressed Drake’s parents in the song. This feud would not stop there as Kendrick would drop yet another diss track “Not Like Us,” which alleges Drake being a p**ophiles, he raps “Certified Lover Boy? Certified p**ophiles.”

Drake would respond with a track called “The Heart Part 6,” where he basically denied all the serious allegations against him.

So far it’s been quiet from Kendrick and Drake dissing each other besides Drake dropping a remix of Metro Boomin’s recent diss track against him, but that’s another story for another day.

Let me know your thoughts and for more information, please visit:

• https://www.forbes.com/sites/conormurray/2024/05/24/drake-kendrick-lamar-feud-timeline-drake-raps-over-metro-boomins-bbl-drizzy-beat-on-sexyy-red-song/?scrlybrkr=10982ec1&sh=554586a18109
• https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-68739398?scrlybrkr=10982ec1