Latest Reviews

Billy Joel releases a new soft piano ballad titled 'Turn The Lights Back On.' This is a beautiful song that was also delivered by the iconic singer during a performance at the Grammy Awards stage. This performance was accompanied by a live orchestra which really supported his already amazing vocals very well. Just before the performance, Joel talked a bit about why he took a break from songwriting and, most notably, why he returned. He talked about a dedicated fan, Freddy Wexler, who actually convinced him to re-enter the creative realm. I think this is pretty cool and shows that fan-artist relationships sometimes bring positive things. I think in general if you think about the relationships that artists and fans have, they are like two lanes on the highway going in opposite directions. It is like the artist has one parasocial relationship going one way with the fans, and the fans have their own parasocial relationship going the other way with the artist. I am not saying this is all bad though. Like most things, it carries with it both bad and good aspects.

Ash Grunwald releases a new track with a lot of soul titled “Life Without You”. The song has twangy guitars, decisive steady drums and benefits a lot from Ash Grunwald's vocals. I think the obvious choice would be to suggest this track goes into the main theme of a western movie. The track comes with a pretty cool visualiser that thematically fits really well with the song. The guitar solo is also pretty tasteful, really displaying a good use of the rule “less is more”. By many people, Ash Grundwald would be described as sort of a modern Blues legend. I think he is a hot contender for that status. He is an Australian musician and from what there is to gather, he is about as down to earth of a character as his music sounds. 

As we draw the curtains on the initial month of 2024, the undeniable truth of time's finitude looms over us. Regrettably, it's impossible to cover all the abundance of exceptional music that exists out there. Thus, our aim here is to compile a roster of noteworthy albums and singles that graced our ears in 2023.

The artist Cate just released a pop-country, two-track single with the tracks 'Rocket Science' and 'You Don’t Love Me.' I think a lot of people are craving a fix of that pre-808 and trap drum Taylor Swift sound, and there’s a good contender right here. Both tracks are mixed, recorded, and performed excellently for this genre. None of the sounds are really demanding a lot of attention, and all come together to create a slightly groovy but mostly beautiful soundscape.

If you've landed here without knowing who Suzanne Ciani is, a quick search of the name will unveil a lengthy career in sound design, composition, and even logo creation. She's worked on notable sound design commissions for Coca-Cola, designed logos for over 500 companies, and her innovative compositions have earned her 5 Grammy awards throughout her career.

@ In their short tenure, spanning just a single and an album, with the debut album dropping last year, they've managed to amass a listener base of 126,577 per month on Spotify — an impressive feat in a music landscape where their genre isn't pop (And for a group whose name makes them incredibly hard to search on the web). While certain tracks may evoke the experimental pop vibes of the UK scene, the rest meanders through an eclectic fusion of rock, folk, classical strains, and prog rock.

Just days ago, I found myself at The Town Hall in New York, immersed in an interview with the visual maestro Ai Weiwei, delving into the depths of his latest memoir, 'Zodiac.' In the discourse, he asserted that 'art is about losing control,' dismissing the notion that correctness defines artistic expression. Correctness, he contends, is the domain of machines, particularly formidable AI, which masters the craft by replicating and remixing already perfected works from other artists and writers.

There is no doubt that Bruce is a legend. Not just in the satirical sense that a group of frat bros would throw around the word legend. An actual legend. But let’s separate our emotions from the legend and look at “what used to be” and “what is right now” as two separate points to be discussed. I know it sounds like I am setting up for a complete roast of this project. But this is just the springboard. I haven’t even listened yet, let us dive in.

Bad Omens and Poppy release a new song titled “V.A.N.” I’d say this song is going to be my soundtrack when I run through a cyberpunk city with a katana on a quest to find the “true truth.” The sound is pretty unique and could break some new ground. But if this was the norm, I think I would lose it pretty fast. It is intense and extremely full of little sonic tidbits and changes in dynamics. I appreciate this song just in the same way I would appreciate a one-off encounter with some random lunatic in a big city environment. It can be a whole range of emotions for both parts involved: anger, confusion, sadness, fear, and more. By the end, I’m usually left wondering, “I wonder what that was about,” but many times, finding no answer. This song is very interesting. But as a whole for me, it definitely crosses the line where interest loses focus and turns into either confusion or just white noise.

Benjamin Ingrosso released a single titled “Kite.” This song boasts catchy melodies, a high energy level, and feels like someone put effort into selecting sounds rather than opting for the current template of trap drum/lofi pop. I believe the lyrics pass by very easily, but the song is designed for easy listening, so I'm not really upset with that. The story goes, “I’m a kite and I get high on you, it’s the real thing, I fall in love," etc. Most lyrics are simple like this but have some little themes that set them apart from each other (kite, flying high, hitting the sky), all working together.