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Concert: 10/24 – El Alfa @ Toyota Oakdale

With their debut EP, CORTIS has hooked the fans of both the K-pop and the western world with their latest single, “FaSHioN.” Within the K-pop world, this new EP brings a genre of music we don’t often hear and breaks a lot of the stereotypes surrounding Kpop that people have thought about. Fans from outside of Korea have compared the single to those of popular Western artists such as Playboi Carti, Ken Carson, and Lil Uzi Vert. The hip-hop and more modern club vibe has been on the rise lately, and with a producer within their group, CORTIS has a unique perspective when it comes to their creative control. HYBE CEO Hitman Bang has stated that he entrusts the future of BigHit Music’s popularity to this group, giving them full freedom over their creation process and budget.

In a collaboration with Peso Pluma, Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho have returned the nostalgic emotion of a family tradition. Pluma has been in recent news for receiving dozens of threats from the cartel, but has not backed down from his passion for music and is on track to perform in Las Vegas in late October. Bringing back the feeling of a family cookout or quincenera, “Haciendo Memoria” directly translates to ‘making memories,’ which the song definitely encourages a reflection of. Los Plebes del Rancho de Ariel Camacho were founded in 2013, and their most recent full-length album came out in 2022, but “Haciendo Memoria” is their latest EP.  The group is only running with three members, as Ariel Camacho unfortunately passed away in 2015 at the age of 22, but his family and former members have kept his memory alive, like the song title suggests, through their music. 

Following the release of her second EP, Hannah Bahng has made a strong impact since her initial debut release in 2023. If you’ve been a fan since the beginning, the shift from her debut single “Perfect Blues” to the latest “Misunderstood” EP has been like watching a puzzle piece find its missing place. She has no doubt found her sound and is creating art within it every time. Fans may have discovered her through her famous older brother, Bang Chan of the popular K-pop group Stray Kids, but she is so much more on her own. With a voice that has a clear and honey-like tone, and the lyrics from the deepest parts of her emotions, Hannah has captured fans with her talent and has continued to wow us with every release.

Oldies

Concert: 11/3 – John Fogerty with Hearty Har @ Mohegan Sun Arena

Truth and Soul by Fishbone (1988) (Ska Punk/ Funk Rock)

This is Fishbone’s first major full-length album, which sharpened their socio-political edge. “Freddie’s Dead” is a Curtis Mayfield cover. These songs tackle racism, poverty and family dysfunction through metal riffs and soulful horns. Fishbone also paved the way for bands like Red Hot Chili Peppers, No Doubt, 311 and Sublime. I recommend “Ma and Pa,” and “Bonin’ In the Boneyard.”

Introduce Yourself by Faith No More (1987) (Hard Rock/ Funk Metal)

Songs like “We Care a Lot” blended social commentary with slap bass, which forged the proto-nu metal sound that came years before Korn or Rage Against the Machine. This is their last album with singer Chuck Mosley’s unpolished delivery and confrontational, gritty voice. He was later replaced by Mike Patton. I recommend “Anne’s Song,” “We Care a Lot” and “Death March.”

Fresh Air by Quicksilver Messenger Service (1970) (Psychedelic Rock)

THIS IS THE BEST PSYCHEDELIC BAND AND THE BEST SONG, AND EVERYONE NEEDS TO HEAR IT. Okay, the actual reason is that it is beautifully complex, so beautiful that you cannot separate the layers of organization, and instead, you are just left with a feeling of peace. And it is the album my boss did acid to the most in the 1970s. Everyone needs to listen to Quicksilver Messenger Service’s anthology.

Pop & Indie

Concert: 10/8 – John Legend @ Foxwoods Resort Casino

Ed Sheeran’s new song, “Camera,” is super catchy. Sheeran is moving on from his math symbol covers and onto music symbols. He just released an album titled “Play,” which includes the song “Camera,” and he is busy finishing up his next album, “Rewind.” Personally, I am curious to know if “Fast Forward” will be the title after that. Anyway, “Camera” is a really cute love song about not needing a camera to remember someone because he can see them in his own eyes or head. His voice is so calming, and I like how the song starts slow and builds. I will be adding this to a few of my playlists and listening to the rest of the album.

Demi Lovato’s new song, “Here All Night,” took me a minute to get into. It definitely has clurb (club for those not constantly online) vibes. The beginning sounds so fake, like it was heavily edited, but after that, it’s not bad and has a fun beat. I’m generally not a fan of her music, but Lovato recently made an appearance on the Jonas Brothers’ tour as a surprise guest, singing some Disney Channel songs from Camp Rock. That nostalgia is why I gave it a listen. “Here All Night” was better than I expected it to be, but I’m not a huge fan. I’m sure her normal audience will enjoy it.

If you’ve been around for a while, you’d know I have a self-proclaimed talent for finding hidden gems. I tend to go off song titles that are funny or call to me, and “Slow Burn” by Sadie Jean is exactly that. Jean began releasing music in 2021, releasing her first and only EP, “Simple Like 17,” in 2023 and continuing to drop singles since then. The song is about exactly what the title suggests, a slow-burning relationship. This song reminds me of Gracie Abrams, and I think fans of hers would enjoy it.

“FOREVER AGAIN” by Matt Hansen has similar vibes to Noah Kahan, but is also nothing like Noah Kahan. There are some folk/country vibes to this song, but it also fits well in the pop genre. Hansen sings about a rekindled romance and not wanting to let her slip away this time. I just really love the lyrics in this song, and if you look at them without listening, they still read like a poem with emotion.

Eileen Alister released a single titled “Born To Be Blue,” and I had to give it a listen. Alister feels that all her relationships are destined to fail, and she’s supposed to just be miserable. While the theme is sad, the song itself is very upbeat pop. I recommend giving it a listen.

Rock/Alternative – Nick

Concert – 10/23 – The Sloppy Boys @ Space Ballroom

This new single from The Smashing Pumpkins has a heavier sound to it than what they are known for, but they make it work very well. “Chrome Jets” seems to take some inspiration from the glam metal sounds of the 1970s and ‘80s, with straightforward quarter notes on the snare driving throughout the song, which really helps to give it that heavier feeling. Billy Corgan’s iconic voice helps it remain familiar to fans, but the single does provide a bit of a fresh sound for the band.

Tap is back! Over 40 years after the release of the cult classic mockumentary “This Is Spinal Tap,” the movie has finally gotten a sequel. “Spinal Tap II: The End Continues” was released on September 12, and with it came another soundtrack filled with funny – yet surprisingly good – original rock and metal music. For those that are not familiar with Spinal Ta,p the original movie follows this fake band Spinal Tap in a documentary style as it parodies the British heavy metal and rock genre. I have not had an opportunity to watch the sequel yet, but the soundtrack provides a solid mix of fan favorites from the original film as well as new songs recorded for the new movie. They also got some impressive guests for the sequel that also appear as featured artists on some of the songs, such as “(Listen To The) Flower People” and “Stonehenge,” both featuring Elton John, and “Cups and Cakes” featuring Paul McCartney.

“Pink Moon” by Silverstein is a very good introduction to the band for those unfamiliar with their sound. Silverstein has a very strong emo and post-hardcore sound that really shines in this album. But lead singer Shane Told also uses the album to showcase his impressive vocal range. The first song, “I Love You But I Have to Let You Go,” was unexpected for me as it is much slower than most of their other songs, and Told’s vocals sounded much softer and calmer than in other songs, almost as if he were in a pop or indie group and not a heavy emo band. Immediately after the band picks it up in the second track, “Negative Space,” giving listeners a taste of the distorted guitars and screaming vocals that fill up most of the album. The band does bring it back to the calmer, more indie sound at the end with the final song, “Dying Game,” but overall, this album really showcases the range that Silverstein and Told have. “Pink Moon” is the second album in a dual album endeavor from the band this year, so if you like what you hear, go check out “Antibloom,” which was released in February of 2025.

I am fairly new to listening to Dogpark, but so far, “September” is definitely one of my favorites from them. This single is somewhat laidback compared to some of their other songs, but still has a solid energy throughout. The entire track does really well at building up the energy, with the song opening with a soft guitar in the background and vocals before the drums come in a little bit later with an upbeat groove on the hi-hat. The band definitely has a lot of influences from the 90s and 2000s indie-rock scene that can be heard in their music, and this song is a great example of that.

Country/Folk – John

Concert – 10/25 – Maddox Batson @ Toyota Oakdale Theatre

Tyler Halverson, relatively new to the country scene, and Parker McCollum come together for “Beer Garden Baby,” an unexpected collaboration. Halverson, who has a unique aesthetic throughout his Spotify, has been releasing music since 2021. The singer likes to use white backgrounds with black drawings for most of his singles, with this and his recent EP “Western Amarijuana” as the only exceptions. McCollum, an artist I plan to write a long-form article about in the near future, is one of my favorites in the genre. After discovering him from his 2019 hit “Pretty Heart” and seeing him in concert two years ago, I have been obsessed. His voice is like a smooth whiskey, and his newest, self-titled album is my album of the year. Seeing his name as a feature instantly locked it in for this Weekly, and the fact that it’s a catchy song makes this choice even better. 

Another unexpected collaboration, Lori McKenna and Medium Build combine for an amazing slow song in “Tied To You.” McKenna, a singer-songwriter from Massachusetts, doesn’t have the most impressive singing career, but her writing and connections are unmatched. Penning songs for Tim McGraw, George Strait, Luke Combs, and even Taylor Swift, McKenna is one of the best in the game currently. She has also written alongside Chase Rice, another one of my favorite artists who made an appearance in last week’s blog as well. As for Medium Build, I actually discovered him a year back, when he released an album titled “Country.” Just based on the title, I had to listen. Though the album wasn’t traditional “country” like I was expecting, it was great. I definitely recommend both “Country” and this single.

Shoutout to Becca for putting me on. Nolia Jarvis, sister of Quinnipiac Hockey’s own Emerson Jarvis, released a five-song EP, “The Good,” including three singles she previously released. The opening track, “Everything Works Out In The End,” is all instrumental, with a voice memo at the end from a young Jarvis wanting to introduce herself. The title track is her most-streamed song to date, and a really good song at that. To me, Jarvis is singing about the beauties of nature and finding the good in spending time alone without the distractions of the real world. “Voice Drop” is a relatively new release from Jarvis, coming out in July. Emerson sings background vocals on this song, a nice detail and a cool factoid for Quinnipiac’ers. “Elizabeth’s Song – Acoustic” is a tribute to the singer’s great-grandmother, a sweet closing track for a nice EP.

Hip-Hop/R&B – Maddy

Concert – 10/18 – G Herbo @ Toyota Oakdale

While going through a hip-hop and R&B dry spell, this past week has yet again given us a limited playlist. However, there are a few notable songs. R&B artist and vocalist Mario, who is known for his popular 2004 hit, “Let Me Love You,” released a single titled “Nobody But Us.” As someone who adores early 2000s R&B, I love to hear good artists staying in the game. Although he isn’t as popular as he used to be, Mario is showing he still has it. This song includes a simple yet catchy beat, a true, authentic feel, giving a time travel back to the early 2000s.

A new song that surprised me this week is “MAN ABOVE,” by Aaron Cole and nobigdyl.  Both men are upcoming young rappers, both with under one million listeners on Spotify.  While listening to this song, I was reminded of Drake. After doing deeper research, Drake is actually both of the young men’s favorite rappers.  This song truly brought me back to the heart of rap, which I well appreciated.

Another artist who has not been talked about recently is rapper Polo G, who just released “Shoot it Off.” This is Polo G’s first solo release in 2025, after having multiple singles with features. I personally am very pleased by this new release. Polo G is someone who has been consistently in the game since 2018. He proved his spot yet again as a top rapper.