Pop & Indie:
CONCERT: 11/18 – Florist @ Space Ballroom
Gracie Abrams announced “The Secret Of Us Deluxe” with four new songs. “That’s So True” is about her ex having a new girl. Abrams is conflicted about how to feel. I think this song is a perfect addition to her latest album. I think Gracie Abrams has an amazing voice and this song proves that.
Meg Smith recently released her new song, “cupids on cocaine”. This song is about how Smith’s love life seems to be failing and she wants cupid to be sober so she can be in love. Her past relationships had problems and she just wants to find someone.
Dean Lewis, known for his song, “Be Alright”, released a new album titled “The Epilogue”. His song “Empire” is about holding onto something you can’t have. He says he wants to help, he wants to fix things, and he will hold on despite it being wrong and that person being gone. Lewis wants that person but he can’t have them.
David Guetta, Alphaville, and Ava Max came out with a remix of “Forever Young” and I love it. The original song is beautiful and slow while this one is upbeat and made for dancing. I think it was a very unique choice of song to remix but it’s amazing. I love the original and this version just has a different vibe.
Punk & Alternative:
CONCERT: 11/30 – Soul Blind @ Space Ballroom
English post-punk band High Vis released an album on October 18, 2024, titled “Guided Tour.” The band sports five members, Graham Sayle, Rob Hammeren, Edward “Ski” Harper, Martin MacNamara, and Jack Muncaster—the band gets its name from the abbreviated “high-visibility” clothing. High Vis aims to represent the working class, according to frontman Graham Sayle in an interview with NME, “The name High-Vis is definitely a class signifier. It is the unifying clothing item of the working class. And it also just alienates you completely if you put a high-vis on, nobody wants to see you or speak to you unless they want something.” Though High Vis formed in 2016, the band didn’t quite hit its stride until 2020, but the band’s momentum was paused by COVID-19. “Guided Tour” is the band’s first album since 2022 and has 11 tracks. While each song on the album has its own charm, my favorite is definitely the title track “Guided Tour.”
Australian alt-rock band Skeggs released a new album on October 18, 2024, titled “Pacific Highway Music.” The album has eleven tracks and a 38-minute runtime. The band has been active since 2014 but has gone through some changes in membership since its inception. Originally formed by Toby Cregen, Noa Deane, Jonny Lani, and Ben Reed as a quartet, the two former members have split ways from the band. Noa Deane departed in 2015, and Toby Cregen split off in April of 2023. “Pacific Highway Music” will be the first release from Skeggs as a duo, and the band’s first album since 2021. While in my personal opinion, the album isn’t anything to write home about, I do enjoy the sound. Many of the songs sound very similar to the point they are a little hard to differentiate—however, my favorite song off of the album is definitely “Spaceman.”
British rock band The Struts released a new single on October 18, 2024, titled “Can’t Stop Talking,” and it’s certainly… interesting. The Struts formed in 2012 with lead vocalist Luke Spiller, guitarist Adam Slack, bassist Jed Elliott, and drummer Gethin Davies. The latter replaced two previous members before the band became known as The Struts like they are today. The band has released four studio albums and two live albums—reportedly a must-see live band. With over 2 million listeners on Spotify, The Struts are not a secret, best known for “Could Have Been Me,” its most popular track. However, this is a very different release from the band that gave the world “Could Have Been Me,” and I’m not sure how I feel about it. The song is incredibly repetitive, and more pop-y than I expected from the band. “I Can’t Stop Talking” sounds like the type of song that would be included in a Kohl’s or Target commercial. It’s a shame because that’s only based on one or two lyrics. It seems like there is a bigger story to be uncovered under the song’s bubblegummy surface.
Folk & Country
CONCERT: 12/07 – Indigo Girl @ The Garde Arts Center, Inc
Morgan Wallen’s new single, “Love Somebody”, was officially released on October 18, 2024. Wallen had previously teased the track by performing it live during several stops on his One Night At A Time 2024 Tour. Fans have been eagerly anticipating the studio version. “Love Somebody” represents a slight departure from Wallen’s signature style, it is a little more pop-country. Despite the shift in style the single still maintains the authentic, down-to-earth storytelling that has defined much of his music.
Grammy-nominated Yonder Mountain String Band released their newest single “The Truth Fits” on October 16. This is the third single ahead of their upcoming album “Nowhere Next” set to be released on November 8. I love getting the chance to review new bluegrass music and “The Truth Fits” is a perfect example of why. The lively fingerpicking of the mandolin, the quick, skillful fiddling of violinist Coleman Smith, combined with raspy harmonies, all come together to create an amazing piece of bluegrass music. The single blends a traditional, swampy bluegrass sound with bold, modern elements, making it, in my opinion, a must-listen for fans of the genre.
The Old Crow Medicine Show released a new single just in time for election season. “Donkey & Elephant” is a playful, satirical track that pokes fun at America’s current polarizing political climate. The bluegrass tune is reminiscent of the great introspective songs of Kris Kristofferson, offering humor at the expense of both sides of the aisle, but with a deeper message behind the laughs. While “Donkey & Elephant” maintains a lighthearted tone, it still makes some valid points about the divisions in society. Music has a unique power to bring people together despite our differences, and this song is something people on either side of the aisle can get behind.
Maya Hawke released her latest EP “Clipped Wings” recently, and it somehow flew under my radar, which is a shame because the four-song collection features some of my favorite music she has ever released. Hawke’s sound is whimsical and soft, characterized by acoustic instruments and gentle piano melodies. I would argue that her style falls within the indie folk genre, though some may disagree. However, her song “You Won’t Feel a Thing” has a distinctly folk vibe, with its sole instrument being a soothing banjo, complemented by Hawke’s layered harmonies. It’s my personal favorite from the EP, along with “Jack London.” Check out the “Clipped Wings EP” for some good easy listening.
Hip-Hop & R&B
CONCERT: 11/23 – Bell Biv DeVoe @ Foxwoods Resort
I don’t care that he’s basically on this list every week, ian’s new album needs the recognition. It was unfortunate that his new song that sampled “ETA” by K-Pop group NewJeans didn’t make the cut, but the rest of the project more than made up for it. “Till I Die” has a beat that I can only describe as evil, and then 90 seconds into the song a gorgeous string section blessed my ears. Another one of my favorite songs was “Sh*t Sad” which has a feature from hip-hop legend Chief Keef. Not only was this one of my favorite beats on the album, but Chief Keef’s verse was hilariously great. He matched the beat’s energy perfectly, making this the best collaboration of the week in my opinion. Ian’s production feels busier than ever, and it feels like he’s effectively carved out his niche in the underground. But with this project, he likely won’t be there much longer.
To contextualize Yeat, he sort of had a similar blow-up to ian’s in 2021 and 2022. Now he’s an established artist who’s really found his sound. It’s a comparable sound to ian with incredibly complex production and echoing auto-tuned melodies. One of my favorite songs on this one was “NEW HIGH” which featured Don Toliver. I do wish his vocals were utilized better than only in his verse, but he gave a pretty solid one. I didn’t get the chance to listen to the whole project, but I liked what I heard for the most part.
I was honestly shocked that this song ever even dropped, let alone now in 2024. “fashion week” originally went viral in 2017 after it got posted to Trap Nation’s YouTube. I got a ton of edits to this song back in 2020 and 2021, so the nostalgia was really hitting with this one. The guitar complements blackbear really well in the beginning bit, but the song slowly builds. It’s Different contributes drums and layered synths to give the song some oomph, and then the instrumental break that this song is famous for really floors you. There’s so much going on and it’s a ton of fun.
Danny Brown’s unique voice and flows are excellent on his newest song, “Cheaters” off of the deluxe version of his album, Quaranta. This song is pretty simple, with a super catchy, engaging bassline and consistent whistling in the background. The song is about Danny’s partner catching him cheating, but how he describes these interactions is just silly. This song is fun and weird no matter how you spin it, and that’s exactly what I’m excited for when I see a Danny Brown release.
