Pop & Indie – Concert: 11/23 – Arrows In Action @ Toad’s Place
I will be the first to admit that I was disappointed with “The Life Of A Showgirl” upon first listen. I only enjoyed two songs and thought the whole album just didn’t feel like Taylor. Since that listen, I’ve seen clips of music videos and interviews and dances on TikTok that made me realize Taylor’s just happy, and that’s why this album sounds the way it does. It really is about her story of fame and everything that led her to Travis. I’m listening again to write out my thoughts for you all, and I’m happy to say that I like it much better now. As WQAQ’s resident Swiftie, I feel the need to inform you of the internet’s thoughts behind each song as well as my own.
A Brief breakdown:
“The Fate of Ophelia”: Fun pop and a cute little dance in the music video. Also, Travis dropped the Keep it 100 easter egg, and you just know he was so excited for that.
“Elizabeth Taylor”: Fun song, but I don’t have much to say
“Opalite”: Guys, “Opalite” is manmade, and she says that happiness is also manmade, and also color-changing and cute things.
“Father Figure”: possibly about Scott Borchetta and the control he had over her. Sucks for him that she has the bigger “check”
“Eldest Daughter”: This one is mine, thank you
“Ruin The Friendship”: Abigail mention! Fans are saying it’s about the same man that “Forever Winter” was about. I think it would be really cool if she used a looper during live performances for the part at the end.
“Actually Romantic”: I like that she’s taking hate in a positive way
Wi$h Li$t: She finally got the best friend she thinks is hot. Also, so much went around about marriage and kids when she was with Joe, and we all assumed she didn’t want any of that, but this song definitely shows a different side.
“Wood”: I fear I did not need to know all that
“CANCELLED!”: Someone on TikTok was saying she doesn’t drop her friends because of what the internet says, because similar things have been said about her. Also, this gives “The Man Part 2”.
“Honey”: I think it’s good that she’s not letting others ruin things for her
“The Life of a Showgirl”: My favorite from the first listen! So good, and what I originally wanted the whole album to be. Despite highlighting some bad parts of the industry, I think it does still show how much she loves her job.
Forest Blakk released “If You Love Her,” featuring Christina Perri, for the five-year anniversary of the original. This version was recorded five years ago, but Perri unfortunately lost her baby, Rosie, while pregnant and felt too heartbroken to release it. I’m glad she allowed this version to be released now because it’s one of my favorite songs, and her feature is beautiful.
Pop-Country girlie Gabby Barrett released a single titled “Ain’t Supposed To Be,” and it’s a lot less angry than the music I’ve previously heard from her. The song is about falling in love at what she considers the wrong time. I think it’s catchy, and fans of pop country will really like it.
Dodie released her new album “Not For Lack Of Trying” on Friday, and I liked the song “Darling, Angel, Baby.” The album is not really my vibe, but I thought this song was cute. I’m not super familiar with dodie’s music, so if you want to learn more, I would recommend talking to Becca Steeves, host of Grifter’s Bone.
I have never heard of Daisy Grenade before, but I really liked their new single “Good Luck (Wish You Hell).” I love a good breakup song, and it perfectly mixes heartbreak and revenge. Instead of wishing someone the best, they explain everything they want to go wrong for the other person in a catchy pop song. Lyrically, it’s a little similar to Gabby Barrett’s “I Hope” but without any country influence. I will be going back and listening to their previous releases because they all seem to have fun titles.
Oldies – Concert: 12/12 – Heart @ Toyota Oakdale
Oct. 3, 1975 (folk rock/rock)
“The Who By Numbers” by The Who came out at a time of internal conflict and creative burnout for the band. And the result? The most human and transparent music that is stripped of commerciality and bells and whistles. Unfortunately and fortunately, when you’re in hard times, you can write about them in the present with such clarity and no introspection. Opening songs like “Slip Kid” and “However Much I Booze” have no happy ending, no positive twist and portray a cycle of endless pressure and alcoholism. Having turned 30 that year as well, it inspired Pete Townshend to write songs like “Success Story” and “How Many Friends Have I Really Got?,” fearing that he was losing relevance, fans and support. Other than the cover art also being a really cute connect the dots drawn by the bassist, John Entwistle, costing only £32 when the cover before this for the album Quadrophenia cost Townshend £16,000 (and I like the dots better too). I love a good divergence from the classic “rock n roll,” and I really enjoy how The Who points their focus and microscope inward for this album and strips down music to an emotional and personal experience. Although not a lot of people listening could relate to the same problems, their loyal fans and onlookers can appreciate a true creative swap like this one. I recommend “Slip Kid”, “And They’re All In Love” and “Red, Blue & Grey”
Oct. 4, 1982 (new wave/ reggae fusion/synth)
Happy Birthday to Culture Club’s smash debut, “Kissing To Be Clever”! Released 43 years ago, Boy George changed the ‘80s sound and gender identity seemingly overnight with this album. It’s a pop mix of so many influences, like reggae in “Love Twist,” samba in the song “You Know I’m Not Crazy,” calypso-toned “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya.” There’s also an equal amount of pure ‘80s pop combined with political statements. “White Boys Can’t Control It” has less-than-impactful lyrics, but at the very least, Boy George addresses his own whiteness and is like a call to action for a more harmonious and peaceful world. And although his appearance remains androgynous, gender-fluid and an ICONIC show for the early ‘80s, he also makes sure to include “Boy Boy (I’m the Boy)” as a testament that he can still have any gender and be feminine-presenting or wear makeup and flamboyant clothes (yes, this is still early ‘80s). Released at a time when MTV was reshaping how music was consumed, the album’s standout hit, “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me,” combined a laid-back reggae groove with soft, emotive vocals. However, there was a clip from the music video that never made it to MTV. The music video features Boy George being introduced to the audience as an outcast, being open about his sexuality, and being persecuted for being himself. The controversy behind this is that Boy George is in a courtroom with a judge, and the jury all have blackface on. According to director Julian Temple, “It seemed appropriate to me that in the video he would be judged by jurors in blackface, to send up bigotry and point out the hypocrisy of the many gay judges and politicians in the UK who’d enacted anti-gay legislation.” So, seemingly, the blackface was just to represent the morality of the jury, common conservatism and racism in Britain. “Kissing to Be Clever” made Culture Club the first band since The Beatles to have three top 10 hits in the U.S. from a debut album, a stunning feat that solidified their place in pop music history and set the standard for the rest of the ‘80s sound. I recommend the songs “Do You Really Want to Hurt Me”, “You Know I’m Not Crazy” and “I’ll Tumble 4 Ya.”
Oct. 5, 1996 (alt. rock/ soft pop)
Off of their third album, “First Band on The Moon,” “Lovefool” is an all-time classic and honestly one of my favorite love songs purely because of its desperation and seriousness of the lyrics, they are true pleas, and the light pop instrumentation and Nina Persson’s soft voice. The song gained global attention because of its inclusion in the movie Romeo + Juliet (1996), only adding another layer of tragedy to this lovely, upbeat, light single. If you are not already a fan of “Lovefool” and The Cardigans, please put it on right now and join everyone else!
Global – Concert: 11/20 – El Gran Combo de Puerto Rico @ Mohegan Sun
K-pop group SEVENTEEN’s hip-hop unit members S.COUPS and Mingyu have made their duo debut as CxM with their new release, “5, 4, 3 (Pretty Woman).” S.Coups, formally known as Seungcheol, is the leader of both the general and the hip-hop unit within the performance powerhouse group. Mingyu, known as the “all-rounder it-boy” of SEVENTEEN, has made news more than once this year for his collaboration with iconic brand Calvin Klein. Similarly, S.Coups made news and K-pop history with his appearance at the 2025 MET Gala representing BOSS, a company known for watches. The song itself is making waves for more reasons, putting a modern dance-pop twist on the 1964 hit song by Roy Orbison, “Oh, Pretty Woman.” Sampling this song and including American rapper Lay Bankz, the duo has made it clear with their debut that they are here and not messing around. On the mini-album, containing six songs, they cover genres ranging from a more electronic club-style song like “Worth it,” to songs that sound straight out of an ‘80s hi-teen movie like “For you”, and “Young again.” Bankz has made her Korean Music show debut after appearing on the performance of their collaborative song at the show titled “M Countdown,” a weekly live show that promotes and allows artists to win an award based on the charts. Members of the group SEVENTEEN have started to take their expected hiatus to enlist in the mandatory Korean military service, and the group is not expected to be fully reunited onstage until 2030. Until then, we can hope to see more from the duos like CxM and HxW, made up of two 1996-line members, Kwon Soon-young (stage name Hoshi), and Lee Ji-hoon (Stage name Woozi).
Young Cister returns with “WIFE MATERIAL,” a smooth Latin-urban single that blends his iconic production, catchy hooks, and a confident message about knowing your worth. Hailing from Chile, Cister’s new song features Spanish artist Rvfv and brings together some flirty lyrics and a very laid-back rhythm, creating the ideal vibe for late-night long drives. Once you really read further into the lyrics and meaning, it’s about self-respect and real connection. Not just chasing after love itself, but finding someone who matches your energy to its full potential and makes you feel like yourself. Young Cister delivers his signature sound with a beat that sticks and a chorus that’s impossible not to sing along to. “WIFE MATERIAL” shows why Young Cister is one of the most exciting names in Latin music right now.
Back with a new single, The Last Dinner Party has done it once again with “Second Best.” The choral intro to the song is dreamy and exceeded my expectations. To put it simply, if we were in Salem in the 1600s, this group would 100% be accused of being witches just for their siren-like voices. The pure and addictive charm to their music alone is reminiscent of the vocal talent we haven’t seen enough in the mainstream of music lately. I have been on-and-off following The Last Dinner Party since their debut release of “Nothing Matters,” and am excited to hear of their new album. Expected to release on October 17, “Second Best” is the third single released ahead of time to build excitement for the full album, and it is working perfectly. Described by the band as a more “raw and character-driven” piece of work, “From the Pyre” is a masterpiece waiting to be heard by the world.
Hip-Hop/R&B – Concert: 12/14 – JID @ Toyota Oakdale
As this past week unfolds, the hip-hop world continues to evolve with new voices emerging and familiar ones reinventing themselves. Gucci Mane dropped a fresh single titled “Only Time,” which will appear on his upcoming album “Episodes,” set to release on October 17. The project will feature 23 tracks, and four of them, including “Preference,” “Voices,” “Psycho” and “You Don’t Love Me” featuring Sexyy Red, my girl, which have already given fans a taste of what’s coming next. After hearing those singles, I’m ready to see what else he’s cooking up. Between celebrating the 20th anniversary of his breakout album “Trap House” and gearing up for this new era, Gucci Mane is proving he’s not just a legend from the past; he’s still running the game as always.
Jeezy, formerly known as Young Jeezy, teamed up with DJ Drama to drop their new album “Still Snowin’.” Even though Jeezy first made waves back in 2005 with his iconic “Let’s Get It: Thug Motivation 101,” he’s clearly not done reminding everyone why he’s one of early 2000s hip-hop’s most remembered voices. The man’s still got it, that same cool confidence and slick wordplay that made him stand out in the first place. On the album’s title track, he throws out the line “Where Diddy at?,” a cheeky callback to their 2017 collab “Bottles Up,” from Jeezy’s album “Pressure.” But don’t get it twisted, Jeezy made sure to clear his name in 2024 from all the Diddy drama. With “Still Snowin’,” he proves that he can evolve without losing that original trap energy listeners love most, and shows fans that some legends really just don’t melt under pressure.
From the newer side of hip-hop, upcoming artist Thirteendegrees° dropped his latest album “BLACK FRIDAYZ.” Even though he’s still on the come-up with 119.3k monthly listeners on Spotify, this marks his second album release of 2025, proving he’s not slowing down anytime soon. Since debuting in 2023 with his single “#mirror,” Thirteendegrees° has been steadily buildingmomentum and carving out his own lane. The thirteen-track album is packed with bangers, several immediately made their way onto my playlist, of course, with “ROOFTOPZ” standing out as a personal favorite. When listening to his discography, I was reminded of early Young Thug, which is personally exciting to me. With his growing fanbase and consistent drops, Thirteendegrees° is quickly turning into one of those underground artists we just know is about to blow up.
Country/Folk – Concert: 11/12 – Blackberry Smoke @ College Street Music Hall
Country music is filled with some really talented blondes. There’s Megan Moroney, Lainey Wilson, Carrie Underwood, Kelsea Ballerini and even once Taylor Swift, just to name a few. A new addition to that list seems to be Carter Faith, who this past weekend released her debut album “Cherry Valley.” Faith has been releasing music since 2020, but I believe she’s really found her sound with her latest stuff. The first single she released for the album was “If I Had Never Lost My Mind,” a wonderful ballad and my personal favorite. Her voice works really well in this song, and she hits some amazing high notes. After that was “Grudge,” “Sex, Drugs, & Country Music,” and then “Bar Star,” which has a great accompanying music video. Faith recruited Billy Bob Thornton for it, a random but great collaboration. Her final single was “Arrows (Die For That Man),” which I thought was really solid. I think where Faith makes her money on this album is on her ballad-like songs, like the aforementioned single, “Sails,” and the title track, “Cherry Valley.” The latter was probably my favorite of the new releases, as it really sets the tone for what’s to come. It was a wonderful album and a very powerful debut. She may have mastered the country ballad, and if that sounds good to you, I highly recommend this album. It really does have something for everyone.
Anyone who grew up in the 2000s, country fan or not, knows who Toby Keith is. The burly figure had a grasp on the genre unlike many after him, and his legacy lives on through his bar-style songs like “As Good As I Once Was” and “Should’ve Been A Cowboy.” Since his passing in February of last year, Keith has been the most covered artist by any modern country artist, period. When I saw ERNEST last month, he played two Keith covers, as his songs are sure to get the crowd going. Earlier this year, as a tribute to Keith, Apple Music compiled some of today’s biggest names to sing some of his songs. The “Apple Music Nashville Sessions: Toby Keith Covered” featured Riley Green, Parker McCollum, Tucker Wetmore, Ashley McBryde and of course, Megan Moroney and Ella Langley. This past weekend, however, Moroney and Langley put their covers on Spotify, a joy for me and many other users. Moroney chose to cover “Who’s Your Daddy,” an ironic song coming from the genre’s girliest girl, and absolutely crushed it. Surprisingly, her voice works really well for the song, and I’m sure she agrees, because she frequently sings it on her Am I Okay Tour. I really like this song, and it’s sure to be a frequent on my Moroney playlist, but the star of the sessions, in my opinion, comes from Langley. Her cover of Keith’s “Wish I Didn’t Know Now” is one of my favorite covers ever. I really think it’s that good. I originally heard a snippet of the song on TikTok, in my brief time on the app, and I fell in love. So much so that I spent $1.79 on iTunes to buy the song for my library. For two weeks, it was my most-streamed song, and now that it is on Spotify, it will likely be again. It is not only one of my favorite Keith songs, but now one of my favorite Langley songs. In the future, I hope the other artists add their versions to Spotify, but for now, the two that I care about are on the app, and I am a happy camper.
New music from just Luke Combs, a pretty exciting occurrence. The artist has been on a tear over the last few months, releasing songs with both Jon Bellion and Alex Warren. Following his popular single “Back In The Saddle,” Combs released “The Prequel,” a trio of tracks for his upcoming album. These three songs really impressed me. I am a sucker for slow songs, of which two of the three are. The first one, “My Kinda Saturday Night,” is a short, amplifying song that is sure to be on many pregame country playlists. Combs has mastered this sort of song, with others like “Beer Can,” “Beer Never Broke My Heart” and “1, 2 Many,” and this is not different. “15 Minutes” is probably my favorite song of the three, with some great storytelling. The song is about a prisoner calling home to his mom, asking what she’s been up to and just checking in. But the kicker is when Combs sings, “But enough about me, I only got fifteen minutes.” It’s a song that is sure to crack my sad country playlist, and one I will keep coming back to for a while. “Days Like This” reflects on the beauties of life, with lyrics like “when the sun shines bright,” and “when the sky is blue and the grass is green, how much better can it be?” I think this is a great group of songs, and it gets me really excited for what Combs has in store.
Rock/Alternative – Concert: 12/14 – Bush @ Mohegan Sun
“Worldwide” by Snõõper is a very unique, loud and in-your-face album full of fast songs with energetic guitar riffs. Snõõper is a punk band from Tennessee that clearly likes to have fun experimenting with their sound. This album is a mix of punk, post-punk and dance-punk that is very unconventional and could definitely be considered egg-punk. My favorite part of the album was an almost unrecognizable cover of The Beatles’ “Come Together” that was full of the energy, angst and quirkiness that Snōōper has throughout the entire album. If you are a fan of the fast-paced, energetic, wild and somewhat humorous sounds of someone like Viagra Boys or even DEVO, there’s a really good chance you would like “Worldwide.”
AFI have always been constantly changing their sound, and while their latest album “Silver Bleeds the Black Sun…” is not exactly the hardcore punk sound that the band had when they started in the ‘90s, this album definitely has a lot of inspiration from ‘80s and ‘90s music. The album is much more of a mix of ‘80s goth rock and ‘90s alternative and grunge. This album is great proof that even after nearly 30 years, AFI are still always looking to make something new and stylistically different from whatever they did before, and they are doing it very well. The entire album is very dark, theatrical and melodic. If you are a fan of bands like Bauhaus or The Cure, then this album is definitely worth checking out.
Mayday Parade’s new album, “Sad,” is a very well-executed album full of emotions and a very nostalgic sound. Mayday Parade is a pop-punk/emo band from the early 2000s, and “Sad” is the second release in a trilogy of albums, with its predecessor “Sweet” released in April of 2025. “Sad” does very well to capture the band’s original sounds from the 2000s and 2010s, and the vocals of Derek Sanders do a lot to help with that, as he sounds as good as ever. If you are a fan of the emo and pop-punk sounds of groups like All Time Low or We The Kings, then this album is definitely worth listening to, as Mayday Parade gives you that nostalgic sound on this album.
