Listening to Niall Horan’s sophomore solo album 

 is like eating a stale chip: I’m not going to spit it out, but I’m also definitely not going to eat another. The former “nice guy” of One Direction has had the most surprisingly successful solo career among the bandmates. While Harry Styles was destined to become the Justin Timberlake of One Direction, Niall frequently fell under the radar in the group, with his underwhelming voice and vanilla personality. But against all odds, Niall’s debut album 

set him up to be the folksy member of the group and he landed a number one on the Billboard 200. However, it is undeniable that he has only received this notoriety because of his history with the boy band. While 

feels more like One Direction’s 6th album – just without the harmonies and personality that made them a sensation.

As a former directioner and a self proclaimed “Niall girl” myself, this was a hard pill to swallow. While 

may satisfy the washed up 20-something directioners, it doesn’t aim to gain a new audience. Expansive pop choruses on “Arms of a Stranger” and “Everywhere” feel lifted right out of the rejects from One Direction’s 

They’re not unenjoyable but it’s hard to not think about how much better they would be with a Harry Styles solo or a Zayn Malik riff. Niall attempts to shake off the nice guy trope on awkwardly sexual tracks. On “Small Talk” he uncomfortably requests to “skip the small talk and go straight up to your room,” inducing as much cringe as one would expect. Unfortunately the breathless, but steady beat on “Small Talk” is the most interesting departure from straightforward pop Niall takes on the album. While Harry Styles’ solo career has jumped leaps and bounds from his history with the band, Niall is still clearly stuck.

Most of the album, to be honest, falls in an uncertain area of forgetfulness. It’s even more painful to realize this considering how hard he is obviously working to market this record. The awkward weatherman scene he played out on his Instagram stories seemed to lock him in this immature boy band stage. Tracks like “Dear Patience,” “Black and White,” and “San Francisco” fall in this bland mixture of radio pop and plain folk. Similarly to 

, this is the kind of music to listen to when a coffee shop is playing it, not the kind you go and download later on. Niall so frequently falls in this stale line because his songwriting is weak while put up against sparse production. All 14 songs contain heartbreak song cliches mixed with lazy rhyming that make the album not worth a second listen.

is clearly not the inspiring solo take many were wishing Niall had in him, it still comes with a few hidden gems. On piano solo “Put A Little Love On Me,” Niall sounds the most genuine, free of any classic boyband production. The husky and tender layers of his voice are highlighted in a way he hasn’t truly let through before. The delicate side of his voice shines best on the final track “Still.” On this acoustic folk and pop mix, Niall’s calming voice blends into an echoey chorus that feels as serene as the title suggests.

will find its audience in fans who miss the 2014 One Direction sound. But as an album to lead a former boyband member out of the shadow of the group, it fails. It’s impossible to talk about Niall Horan’s solo music without mentioning his history with One Direction because, as 

Niall Horan clearly hasn’t gotten over One Direction, either. ‘Heartbreak Weather’ fails.

Allie X is one of the most mysterious modern pop stars of our time. She is constantly evolving: through fashion, hair, music, and of course her fabulous bleached brows. But it has always seemed that there’s something hiding behind the persona. 

, her second full-length is this place: dark and electric, earthy but imaginative. Her last two projects excelled in their fearless maximalism but 

abandons this trope for a more exciting vulnerability. Allie X writes from the perspective of an outsider, transitioning from personal stories into those of her various fictional personas.

is the greatest difference from Allie X’s past work. The newfound minimalism allows her lyrics and voice to shine. The dark, steady beat on “Regulars” helps tell the story of an outsider who may have found a place, although regretfully. Opening line, “Out in public / ‘Cause I learned a new trick now / See, I’m laughing / Don’t I look so happy now? Oh, wow,” is as depressing as it is empowering. Allie X has an unapologetic sense of self awareness, which continues on standout track “Life of the Party.” In the ode to introverts, she finds herself going against her intuition in a way that changes who she inherently is.

The production may not be at the forefront of 

, but it still shines through to create a pretty stellar pop album. The seductive tones of “Rings a Bell” bring a much-needed break from the very serious counterparts. The breathy, echoey chorus is accompanied by a steady beat, making the track to be as appropriate for a dance floor as a chill study session. Similarly on “Devil I Know” the strong beat forces Allie X’s voice forward creating the most catchy song on the record. Unfortunately the track sounds too similar to Arctic Monkeys’ “Why’d You Only Call Me When You’re High” for comfort. However the production at times tends to be overkill, feeling like Allie X is throwing too many ideas at the wall. 80’s inspired “June Gloom” becomes annoying after one listen, and on the other end of the spectrum is “Fresh Laundry,” whose production is sparse and forgettable.

s cohesiveness is perhaps its strongest suit. However, in an album that is so cohesive both musically and thematically, it’s obvious when something doesn’t work. The bombastic, “Sarah Come Home” would fit much better on any of Allie X’s past projects with its massive chorus and exaggerated vocals.It is one of her greatest, soaring pop songs and unfortunately just deserved a better introduction to the world.

For the first time, Allie X includes two features on the record.The heartbreaking duet with pop superstar Troye Sivan is one of the best tracks on the album, as it tells two sides of a fight in a relationship. Vocally and musically, “Love Me Wrong” builds to an intense release where Allie X’s voice is shrieking in a way that is somehow pleasing. In a complete opposite twist, indie favorite Mitski features on “Susie Save Your Love”. It magically fits Allie X’s style as much as it feels like it belongs on Mitski’s critically acclaimed 

. The two singers’ vocals blend so seamlessly that you almost don’t know whose voice is whose anymore.

Allie X has been flying under the radar for years as a token supporter for bigger pop stars like Charli XCX or Marina. 

seems to be her release from trying to compete with radio friendly pop stars in favor of telling her own story. Vulnerable Allie X is much more interesting than any character she’s attempted before.

Allie X portrays her best character on ‘Cape God’: Herself

Tinashe has been on the rise for nearly six years now. Her 2014 single, “2 On” was so addictive it promised Tinashe to be the next R&B superstar. But amidst uncomfortably public label drama with RCA, including Tinashe leaking one of her own songs and the derailing of her sophomore album, 

, the hype faded fast. The real shame is through all of this horribly handled PR, Tinashe released some of the most underrated bops of this decade (“Party Favors,” “Throw A Fit,” “No Drama”). She just could never get a full length to match the clear potential she had. After splitting with RCA earlier this year and hitting number one independently, Tinashe seems to have hit the reset button on her career and released her most professional, cohesive piece of work yet.

 feels like what would’ve happened if the drama had subsided and Tinashe had the liberty to explore her fresh take on R&B in 2014. Though she’s now a more mature, seasoned musician, Tinashe is still the underground bad bitch fans have continued to rally behind. “Link Up” is Tinashe at her best with deep, dark production and confident lyrics (“Bad bitches link up, link up / I just pulled up in a Brinks truck”). She gets even more assertive on the self-obsessed “Cash Race” (“I know I’m the shit, I’m sure I’m the shit / Cause most of these bitches are basic”). Playing within this comfort zone, Tinashe gets hilariously campy on “Hopscotch” featuring fun West Coast radio style MCing. “Die A Little Bit” with British rapper Ms Banks takes this a bit farther with a beat you could imagine drag queens voguing to. 

continually shows that Tinashe is equally as much a dancer as she is a musician and the record supports her ability to create complex choreographed videos.

However, for as often as Tinashe plays within her established comfort zone, she also steps out of it a bit, sometimes with failure but more often with great success. “Feelings” starts with a classic Tinashe chorus complete with talking about herself in the third person (“‘Nashe I been minding my business”), before eventually fading into a dreamscape of echoey falsetto. This turn toward something new directly reflects her newfound independence since leaving RCA. It continues on the desperate “Know Better,” which feels like Tinashe crying on the dance floor. The track showcases Tinashe’s vocals like never before, but at 7 minutes long it sadly gets old fast. Over a 15 track record, Tinashe sometimes gets too liberated by her recent indepence. She sounds beautiful over an acoustic guitar on “Remember When,” but no one wants acoustic guitar from the resident R&B bad bitch.

Tinashe’s quick transition from leaving RCA to releasing 

 shows her promise, though she is sometimes overzealous in the process. Even though she’s been in the industry for a while now, the mainstream has yet to fully accept her, making a 15 song album too dense for the average listener. But Tinashe makes party bops like no one else right now. 

 is one step closer to the rest of the world realizing it too.

‘Songs For You’ is Tinashe’s most professional work yet

Just a year after her underwhelming debut album, Bishop Briggs is back with the same sound, a bit more polish, and a lot more intrigue. London born Sarah McLaughlin’s first full-length release with Island Records, 

, came off of the major success of its lead single, “River.” However, the full-length disappointed with predictable lyrics and messy production. Just over a year later, Briggs redeems herself with the release of her second album, 

is a break up album with just enough honest vulnerability and strength to cement Briggs as the 

Opening the album with the 1:20 minute track “I STILL LOVE YOU,” Briggs contrasts intense vulnerability with strong, raspy vocals. However, the track ends up not being interesting enough to succeed as such a short song. A better opener to the record would be “CAN YOU HEAR ME NOW,” which is powerful, angry, and demanding. Briggs speaks of a lost lover when she says she “wishes you could hold me” but still persists that this is the “last time that you let me down.”

Briggs succeeds most fully when she uses the inherent emotion behind her undeniable voice to convey a story of simultaneous fragility and perseverance. But, similarly to 

 when songwriting fails Briggs, they are just less frequent than in her debut. The title single, “CHAMPION,” is a less interesting, more cliche version of “Roar” by Katy Perry. The cringey, predictable statements are in full force here. “You gotta get bruised before you get mad /You gotta fall down before you fight back /Was feeling so weak but baby I’m strong.”. Slightly less annoying are the awkward tongue in cheek references on “JEKYLL & HIDE.” The only reason this track becomes a bit more acceptable is because it includes the album’s hardest hitting production, with animalistic growls that somehow work. But when you reach the chorus and Briggs seriously says “are you Jekyll and hiding me?” it is impossible not to laugh.

More often than not Briggs creates something that is both incredibly catchy and motivating. “TATTOOED ON MY HEART” seems to be the stand out track on the record with lyrics that sum up Briggs’ breakup. “It’s always you taking me for granted / Always you that plays me as the fool.” The combination of constant clapping, stomping, and humming suggests that this will be a live show staple. Following this accusatory track is the most somber song of the album, “SOMEONE ELSE.” The pairing of the two songs makes sense as 

continually suggests that even in the midst of finding herself after her breakup, her ex is still making Briggs question her self-worth.

“MY SHINE” ends up being the most interesting part of 

, with the heaviest pop production and the angriest lyrics on the record. When the chorus hits and Briggs shouts, “Yeah, that’s my shine / Yeah, that’s my precious little golden lie / Not yours, it’s mine,” it’s hard not to feel inspired by her new-found self-love. 

If there is one takeaway from the evolution of Bishop Briggs over the past year and a half, it is that she remains committed to her unique sound while still improving it with every release. There’s no denying that Briggs is a powerful force in the music industry, and her strength is most believable when she lays her emotions out in full honesty.

Bishop Briggs lays her cards on the table in ‘CHAMPION’

Young Turks Recording · November 8, 2019

Nothing about FKA Twigs’ latest record, 

 can be singularized — it’s not about the voice, the lyrics, the production, or the videos — instead it’s the cinematic way Twigs combines each element to create an emotion so concrete it could be grabbed out of the air 

lives in. In the five years since her debut album, 

(YEAR), Twigs has catapulted into fame (for better or for worse) through her oddly uncomfortable public relationship and eventual break up with Robert Pattinson. She then underwent surgery to remove fibroids from her uterus and built herself back up into the most athletic shape the dancer has been in yet.

, an allusion to the biblical Mary Magdalene whose iconic legacy has been overshadowed by the man she was associated with, is likewise an expression of Twigs’ visceral anger and defiance at her first record being clouded by the image of the man she herself was with.

Whatever anger this has caused Twigs to feel, she never quite expresses it in full confidence. Instead its a kind of honest anger — displayed through pain and self-doubt before building herself back up. Sounds from a medieval church open the record on “thousand eyes” where the introduction to the story is set as Twigs repeats “if I walk out the door it starts our last goodbye.” The record continues as a movie, climaxing as Twigs’ pain turns into complete defiance.

The direct frustration is most palatable on the ironically delicate “home with you” and the furious “fallen alien”. On the latter of which Twigs refuses to hold the entire burden for her failed relationship: “I’m a fallen alien//I never thought that you would be the one to tie me down//But you did.” The light religious tones continue on “fallen alien,” a creative, tongue in cheek reference to a fallen angel.

Her visceral anger and disappointment is conveyed through varied production, all connected through the slight whisper and gutted belt of Twigs’ voice. “holy terrain” features Future (in the least sell out way possible) and trap beats as Twigs delicately sings over it coyly threatening her partner that she will give her love to the one who will “stand in my holy terrain.” On “mirrored heart” a similar emotion is felt, displayed in greatly contrasting atmospheric production with Twigs’ gospel-like falsetto questioning what she has put herself through: “did you want me?//No, not for life//Did you truly see me?”

“Cellophane,” the first released single off 

, feels like the summation of this chapter of Twigs’ life, a desperate call for answers that she’ll never receive. In the end, however, it becomes clear that this only has made Twigs stronger and more aware of her self-worth: in the single’s music video, she shows off her incredibly athletic pole dancing skills in a performance aimed at those that criticized her public relationship, but performed for herself. “Cellophane” is once again cinematic: a metallic, crystallized noise releases Twigs from her cocoon followed by a simple, demanding bass that propels her through the thick atmosphere created through her crackling voice. The honest, sometimes desperate emotion in 

suggests a new chapter for Twigs: one where she refuses to let anyone rob her of her own legacy.

‘Magdalene’ sets the stage for FKA Twigs’ legacy

The magic of Carly Rae Jepsen is that even in her 33rd year of life she embraces the innocence and exuberance of childlike love with her head held high. After the worldwide 2012 smash “Call Me Maybe,” everyone desperately tried to write CRJ off as a one-hit wonder, but with the release of 2015’s cult favorite 

 CRJ became the undisputed princess of all things pop, sparkly, and lovely. Following up a masterpiece like 

CRJ’s confidence in love is refreshing and her ability to make us believe we can all be eighteen forever is unwavering.

from CRJ’s past work is that along with the addictive hooks she delivers, the production has been significantly spiced up. “Too Much,” CRJ’s anthem for being as extra as possible, is breathy with a beat so tangible it feels like you could grab it out of the air. The same can be said for its hook-less counterpart “The Sound,” which will definitely please CRJ’s cult following but likely not the average listener. The most exciting turn CRJ takes on 

is with the Jack Antonoff produced, “Want You In My Room.” It clearly is straight out of Antonoff’s playbook: explosive choruses, saxophones, and shouty vocals (or at least as much of a shout as CRJ can muster). Then combined with CRJ’s racier lyrics: “I wanna do bad things to you / Slide on through my window,” the track is a full on slam-dunk.

also finds CRJ more confident in her love life: instead of hiding from her feelings she becomes brashly dedicated to them. On “No Drug Like Me” she knowingly tells her partner “you ain’t find no drug like me,” on “For Sure” she’s fed up with his wavering feelings “Now I know what you want / But it’s too late.” CRJ is most cocky on her take of the pop-eye song “He Needs Me” (something truly only CRJ could pull off). “Everything He Needs” turns Popeye’s romance into a sparkling disco while simultaneously knowing that he needs her “You know, not just physically / Emotionally, spiritually, intellectually, sexually / All the ways.”

Over a 15 song record some tracks are bound to be duds and CRJ is no exception here. Songs like “Happy Not Knowing,” “I’ll Be Your Girl,” and “Real Love” are average pop songs that get lost in the catchiness of everything else. This is not to say that they are necessarily bad songs, but they don’t stick anywhere and ultimately distract from the real deal.

CRJ is expected to deliver the hits and although she takes more artistic freedom on 

, the knockouts are there and boy do they hit you hard. “Now That I Found You” is the closest to previously released smash “Cut To The Feeling” with a classic pop hook “’Cause there’s nothing like this feeling, baby / Now that I found you.” However, nothing will hit you harder than the ode to a lost love, “Julien.” When the chorus breaks and CRJ calls out for Julien you can almost feel the glitter falling from the ceiling. CRJ admits that she’ll be whispering Julien “till the last breath that I breathe,” and after delivering 

I may be whispering “Carly” till the last breath I breathe.

Carly Rae Jepsen keeps killing it with ‘Dedicated’

Despite O’Brien’s underwhelming voice, the album succeeds with its bop-worthy production and poetic lyrics.

The debut full length follow-up to Olivia O’Brien’s 2017 EP 

is, if anything, quite deep. Over the ten tracks of 

, O’Brien examines a relationship that in many ways was doomed from the start. But instead of blaming it all on her partner, O’Brien gets honest about how she plays a role in her own heartbreak. The record packs everything from R&B to 80’s inspired pop, and with hit after hit, it’s almost impossible to believe she’s only 19 years old. 

is perfectly executed and delightfully detailed. Everything from the artwork featuring O’Brien as a Barbie doll with detachable limbs to the ghostly wail of “am I even real?” on “I Don’t Exist” paint a picture of O’Brien’s relationship– so unclear it may not have ever even existed. “Just Friends” creates this image clearly, telling the story of O’Brien holding onto the friendship with her former partner in hopes that he will reciprocate her true feelings. The track is the most intimate on the album, trading big production for a soft guitar. If not for her intensely vulnerable songwriting, this song (along with most off the album) wouldn’t work because O’Brien’s voice isn’t truly anything to write home about.

Despite O’Brien’s underwhelming voice, the album succeeds with its bop-worthy production and poetic lyrics. O’Brien never shies away from a good f-bomb on 

, sometimes aggressively, in “Just A Boy,” “Love Myself,” and “Care Less.” Although at moments it comes off as cringe worthy, most of the time it adds to the catchiness of the song. Toward the end of the record on “Just A Boy,” O’Brien finally has her Beyoncé à la 

moment when she confidently belts, “You’re just a boy baby what did I expect? Ain’t got no fucking respect.”

Still, before she is able to reach this conclusion. O’Brien goes through all the trials and tribulations of a relationship that never really was. On “Inhibition (omw),” she cries in her Uber home from the party, on “We Lied To Each Other,” she regretfully admits she would go through it all again, and on “Care Less More,” she tries with all her might to just play it cool. The last of which is painfully unlistenable, seeming like her producer called out sick the day of recording and left O’Brien to use GarageBand to finish the song. Even though the storyline stays thoughtful and deliberate, it works best when combined with the tight pop production that creates the possibility of O’Brien becoming the next teen idol.

When O’Brien’s production and songwriting both match in quality, she creates some timeless pop masterpieces. “Call Me!!!”’s exaggerated title describes the out-of-breath, charmingly desperate, bubbly pop chorus where O’Brien dares you to dance with her, while simultaneously begging this boy to just call her!! (even though she was the one who deleted his number). It calls on the greats of teen pop like Britney Spears when with a muffled, high pitch, bratty voice, O’Brien exclaims “just call me, uh!” That said, the major falling point of 

is the lack of songs as addictive as “Call Me!!!” (the only comparable one being “Just A Boy”). However, throughout listening to 

, I was continually surprised at the diversity of sound O’Brien is capable of and was left wondering what else she has cooking up.

Olivia O’Brien’s ‘Was It Even Real?’ – Was it even good?

On her debut self-titled record, Bird allows her raw voice to drive the album, showing that Brits can do Americana too.

Jade Bird is an anomaly. A folk, Americana singer but British. A tiny and unassuming young woman at first look, but powerful and demanding behind a microphone. On her debut self-titled record, Bird allows her raw voice to drive the album, showing that Brits can do Americana too.

 showcases the singer’s undeniable talent; however, some tracks fail to realize Bird’s full potential.

Jade Bird has been criminally flying under the radar for years now, even with her brilliant EP, 

. But it seems people are finally beginning to pay attention. After placing on New York Times’ Artists to Watch of 2019 list and a recent performance on The Tonight Show, expectations were starting to build up. More often than not Bird lives up to the slight hype surrounding her.

Previously released single “I Get No Joy” is Jade Bird in her comfort zone, in the best way possible falling in an unexpected genre of folk rap. Explosive choruses, angry guitar strumming, and teeth gritting vocals encompass the best parts of this record including “No Joy,” “Lottery,” and “Uh Huh.” Standout track, “Uh Huh” goes one step further, showing off the potential in Bird’s songwriting abilities. The sassy track finds Bird warning a former lover of his new partner with witty one liners like “she’s got you on your knees like a little boy, everybody sees that you’re just a little toy.”

When Bird strays too far from this formula it seems she never reaches the potential she clearly has. “My Motto” promises a larger than life ending but cuts short before we ever experience that, with vaguely uplifting lyrics that are cheesy at best. Similar moments happen on “Good At It” which would be great background music to a long car ride or studying in a coffee shop but not at sold out stadium shows.

The brilliant, Fleetwood Mac inspired, “Side Effects,” gives hope for the evolution of Jade Bird’s career. Bird trades the angry, powerful voice for smooth, silky vocals, with just a dash of grit. The track truly creeps up on you in an astonishing way. By the end it feels as if you’ve heard it a million times, not because it’s predictable but rather because it feels like an instant classic. “Instant classic” seems like the perfect way to describe Bird—a voice you’ve always heard in your head singing songs you seem to have been waiting for forever.

Jade Bird’s debut is an instant classic

Ben Platt was climbing an uphill battle before his debut album was released. Transitioning from Broadway to pop music is not an easy move; the few known success stories go in the other direction (see Brenden Urie or Sara Bareilles). Platt’s advantage is that we are well aware that he has a near perfect voice, as evidenced by a Grammy and a Tony from his Broadway career. Unfortunately, 

 gives little more than expected. Instead there are endless piano ballads and although sometimes Platt pleasantly veers from his Broadway roots, at other moments the listening becomes too dense for a single album.

An undeniably beautiful voice is not the only thing you need to create a great album and rarely does Platt fully realize this on 

. Although Platt’s voice truly does sound other-worldly over a soft piano, basically two thirds of the album ends up being this constant sound. For the majority of 

it seems as if track after track flows into one another without uniqueness. The sad part about this is that separately each song isn’t bad, they’re all written with intense vulnerability. However, trying to listen to the record all the way through is exhausting due to the monotony. Take the oh-so-similar belting in the choruses of “In Case You Don’t Live Forever,” “Older,” and “Honest Man.” It becomes stale quickly and as we know from musicians like Adele it’s possible to keep an album full of ballads interesting.

When these piano ballads do land it seems like he could stand along the likes of Sam Smith or Adele. On standout track “Grow As We Go,” Platt suggests him and his partner could change for the better together. The track is a tear jerker and the accompanying video adds to this emotional response with Platt looking directly into the camera while singing beautifully written lines like, “if to change is what you need, you can change right next to me.”

When Platt breaks out of his stagnancy he shows he may be more than just a Broadway voice. On “Share Your Address” he sings of wanting to be in a committed relationship over a bouncy piano and drum. It’s a refreshing break in an album that feels dense. The same can be said about Platt’s breathtaking falsetto on “New” accompanied by a fuller band. In this case we even see Platt do something many out gay singers are too afraid to do, use gender specific pronouns (for context, even Sam Smith didn’t dare to do this on his debut).

is a commendable debut effort by a Broadway original. But as a complete album it becomes stale through its 44 minutes. The few songs that do take chances give hope for Ben Platt to be more than just a great voice.

Ben Platt enters the world of pop with ‘Sing to Me Instead’

Before the days of “It’s Britney, bitch,” full-denim red carpet outfits, and the infamous shaved head, life was much simpler. Britney Spears was just a 16-year-old all-American blonde singer on the verge of pop stardom. Her debut album, …

, released 20 years ago in 1999, changing not only Spears’ life but also the trajectory of pop music in the 21st century.

I was just a one-year-old when Britney’s debut album hit the world by storm. But like other millennials and Gen Z’ers of my time, it doesn’t matter if you were even alive for Spears’ debut, it would reach you eventually. The opening beats and drawling of the infamous lyrics ‘oh baby, baby’ on the title single is likely one of the most recognizable sounds in the world, comparable to the theme song for James Bond or the daunting sound from Jaws. Of course, a monstrous hit like this can’t be credited to a single person. The genius of Britney comes from the team that was built around her. “…Baby One More Time” was the first true hit from songwriter and producer Max Martin who would go on to be the most sought after collaborator in pop music. With Martin by her side and the R&B of the ’90s dwindling down, the stars were aligned in 1999 for Spears to become the biggest teen pop musician of the early 2000s.

Not only was Spears’ image perfectly curated, but the music itself signified a new era of pop and ushered in the Christina Aguileras and Katy Perrys of the 21st century. It is difficult to realize just how weird Britney’s sound was at the time. From the computerized gurgle of ‘hit me baby one more time’ to the video game sound effects on the Sonny and Cher cover of “The Beat Goes On,” Spears was in her own lane. If released now 

would sound like one of a million others, a point that shows the effect Spears has had on the industry.

Everything about Britney’s debut signifies the start of a long career, not just a great record. The conscious attention to detail on the title track from Max Martin feels seamless. So seamless, in fact, you probably didn’t even notice it. Every seemingly improvised run was chosen and executed by Martin himself as a guide for the final recording. Later in the album, we see Britney’s literal look toward the future on the desktop love song “Email My Heart,” which feels like the ’90s version of “Kiss Me Thru The Phone.” All throughout 

it is clear Britney and her team were looking forward to the future of pop music, not just recreating the same patterns.

Although Britney would eventually come out with records filled to the brim with timeless bops, it’s easy to overlook the gems in her debut. The epitome of early-2000s ballads is seen in the cinematic “Sometimes.” The track is Britney’s call to the very popular ballad genre created by the boybands of the time. Britney even deliberately references the Backstreet Boys on “(You Drive Me) Crazy” where she quite frankly steals the backing track for “Larger Than Life.” But again, this was a simpler time. Instead of this destroying Britney’s career before it even truly began, it propelled her (and honestly the Backstreet Boys) even farther forward.

Britney would go on to create better works of music (see the pinnacle 

), and definitely much worse records as well. But through all the ups and downs (some intense downs, if you know what I mean), she has continued to come out on top again and again. At only 37-years-old, Britney Spears has truly given the world so much; it’s time we finally say thank you.

Britney Spears’ ‘…Baby One More Time’ Turns 20

is much of the same dodie that we have seen over her past two EPs.

On dodie’s third EP, she sticks to the pattern that made her popular online without ever pushing new boundaries. dodie grew to fame on Youtube through vlogs and cover videos. Once she began to release her own original songs, it became clear that the British singer had a real talent for songwriting. However, what hasn’t become clear yet is whether she is capable of creating a great song. She currently is releasing all her music independently – and it shows. While in some moments dodie seems like the new female Ed Sheeran, in others it’s clear that she will need more people on her team to catapult herself to serious musical success.

Dodie is a talented writer, as clearly seen on 

 would be more effective as a book of poetry. Her singing and production contrast too deeply with her soft lyrical themes. On ‘Monster,’ dodie sings about her and her partner becoming creatures because of each other. Under her signature soft vocals, dodie adds strange computer sounding elements that make no sense considering her usual acoustic guitar style. I understand trying to branch out, but this new take only makes the song odd and almost unbearable. During other moments, dodie leans too far into her roots like on the incredibly boring ‘Arms Unfolding.’ On the minute and a half track you can barely hear dodie’s voice, which is disappointing considering that the lyrics tell a beautiful story about forgiving an old love.

the title song stood out with a feature from rising Scottish musician Tom Walker. However, dodie doesn’t use his talent to her favor. They simply sound unamused. It was a great opportunity for dodie to use another growing singer-songwriter to create a hit, but ‘Human’ is anything but that.

is the refreshing ‘She.’ Dodie uses her gentleness over a violin and a soft acoustic guitar to sing about an unrequited love she has for a girl. It’s a classic story told in music recently (‘Sleepover’ by Hayley Kiyoko, for instance), but the thorough details in dodie’s lyrics as she sings “she smells like lemongrass and sleep” make her take seem unique. ‘She’ is a perfect blend of the softness that made me fall in love with previously-released songs ‘Intertwined’ or ‘Sick of Losing Soulmates’ with new harmonies and production levels.

is much of the same dodie that we have seen over her past two EPs. If she wants to begin taking her music career seriously, dodie needs a team of experts to help her create a full-length album that sounds more thought out. It’s a listenable EP, but if you’ve heard one dodie song, you’ve honestly heard them all.

In her third EP, dodie sings the same old song

After Recording Academy President Neil Portnow famously 

 “women need to step it up if they want to win” following last year’s Grammys, it was clear the Academy had some serious cleaning up to do. To fix this problem, the Academy added three nominations to each of the big four categories – Album, Record, and Song of the Year and Best New Artist – and proceeded to stack this year’s nominations with deserving women. At the same time, I’m not ready to give the Grammys too much credit – the winners likely will fall in line with the academy’s usual patterns.

“This is America” – Childish Gambino

Who Will Win: “God’s Plan” – Drake

In a year dominated by hip-hop, it only seems right that a rap song will finally snag its first Record of the Year win. If any artist is going to take this honor, it will be Drake considering 2018 was his biggest year to date in terms of streaming numbers. The Academy will no doubt award him at least one of his big three nominations, if not all of them. “God’s Plan” was the rapper’s first single to go diamond, and the Academy isn’t immune to the effect of the charts.

Who should win: “This is America” – Childish Gambino

The more meaningful choice for this category would be Childish Gambino’s “This is America.” If the Academy feels any remorse for its comments and mistakes from the past, awarding “This is America” would make a statement. It is nearly impossible to separate this track from its 

, which depicts gun violence against people of color and ends in a disturbing scene where we see Gambino running terrified from a group of white men.

Many believed Troye Sivan would snag a Best New Artist nomination this year, but his high-charting 2015 debut 

renders him ineligible. Yet, snubbing him from the Grammys altogether is an insult to Sivan’s effect on society through his positive representation of the LGBTQ community. His single “My My My!” received critical acclaim and set the stage for his sophomore album 

to become one of the best pop albums of the year. With eight nominations now included in this category, I don’t see why Sivan did not receive a courtesy nomination in at least in one of the big four.

The Grammys seem to be obsessed with Drake. Though five of the eight nominations in this category are women, I can see the Academy returning to old habits. Considering Ed Sheeran won Best Pop Vocal Performance last year against 

 women, including Kesha’s moving single about abuse, it seems the Academy thinks just nominating women is enough. With Drake’s incredible 2018, an Album of the Year win seems natural after the number of number-one singles he’s had.

Janelle Monáe’s triumphant return to music was the perfect soundtrack to 2018. She took control of her identity and used it to her advantage with 

. “Django Jane” shows Monáe expressing her pride as a black queer woman, something she had yet to do in her career. The album is also full of musically intricate moments. From the tongue pop on “Make Me Feel” to the Martin Luther King Jr. sample on “Crazy, Classic, Life,” 

is full of Easter-egg moments that will have you finding new things to love every time you listen. The Academy has a hard history of snubbing women, especially women of color, so it would be falsely hopeful to think that Monáe could change that this year.

After a terrorist attack at her concert, the 

, and a failed engagement, the release of Ariana Grande’s 

 seemed impossible. The fact the Academy dared to give her zero nominations in the big four categories is reason enough for the 2019 Grammys to be a disaster before they even happen (¯\_(ツ)_/¯). 

was her most intricately produced and lyrically exposing work. It cemented Grande as one of the most important pop artists of this time. The good news is, she is dropping another album any time soon, giving the Academy a chance to correct this mistake next year.

“Perfect Duet” – Ed Sheeran & Beyoncé

Who will win: “Shallow” – Lady Gaga

Lady Gaga’s “Shallow” from her first feature-length film, “A Star is Born,” is likely to take Song of the Year because of the Academy’s tendency to stick to a certain formula — big sweeping ballads. Similar winners in this category include Lady Antebellum’s “Need You Now” in 2011, Adele’s “Rolling in the Deep” in 2012, Sam Smith’s “Stay With Me” in 2015 and Adele’s “Hello” in 2017, all of which also happened to win Record of the Year as well. If the Academy sticks to this pattern, Lady Gaga has a good chance of winning her first Grammy since 2015.

Who should win: “Shallow” – Lady Gaga

Gaga’s performance in “A Star is Born” showed a new side of her as a performer, and the film’s song “Shallow” showed a new side of her musicianship. Gaga deserves to be recognized for this feat and the beautiful songwriting present in “Shallow,” since many seem to forget this category is supposed to be awarded based on writing, not just the most popular song.

Snubbed: “Perfect Duet” – Ed Sheeran and Beyonce

If any song was a supposedly obvious prediction for a Song of the Year nomination, it was Ed Sheeran and Beyonce’s collaboration on “Perfect.” It follows the same pattern as past Song of the Year winners like Sam Smith, Adele and Ed Sheeran himself. The two are also big past Grammy winners. With three more nominations added to each “big four” category, it’s astounding “Perfect” didn’t even get included.

Grammys Predictions 2019: Who Will Win, Who Should Win and Who Was Snubbed

A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships

On their third album, The 1975 soars to new heights that cements them as the most interesting band making music right now. The album appropriately titled for a 2018 audience, 

A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships, 

examines frontman Matty Healy’s heroin recovery and life in the digital age. The band’s relationship with genre has expanded in this record as they experiment with everything from jazz to Kanye-esque autotune. The layered, complex production all done solely by Healy and drummer George Daniel is the tightest yet in their career. But what inevitably shines through are the lyrics from an intelligent, introspective recovering drug addict. The band has been criticized for being pretentious, as 

 them the “best pop band of this decade,” but when you’re right, aren’t you allowed to be a little pretentious?

Like their last two records, the album begins with the same lyrics on a song titled ‘The 1975.’ This tradition has come to define the new sound the band is experimenting with and begins as a starting point to the rest of the record. Although cohesion has never been something the band has excelled at, the connecting point in this record seems to be the lack of connection and all the necessary tangents Healy takes in an age of Netflix binge-watching and information overload.

The real opening to the record, ‘Give Yourself a Try,’ lays out the only semi connecting message: just try however you can. What makes Healy’s references to his drug addiction less cliché than one would fear is the bluntness and lack of romanticizing he delivers it with. On the first single he sings, “and it’s funny cause you’ll make a lot of money and move somewhere sunny and get addicted to drugs.” He isn’t asking for the audiences’ pity; instead, he’s acknowledging where the band’s newfound fame took him. Later, Healy slyly exposes himself on ‘It’s Not Living If It’s Not With You’ where the song may initially seem like an ode to a lost love but quickly reveals that lost love to be heroin. Its sunshine-like pop beats drastically differ from the solemn lyrical theme, a common premise throughout the band’s discography. Healy faces his brutal honesty on the album’s most stripped down song, ‘Be My Mistake.’ The sole acoustic guitar somehow still seems just as radically different than most other music today as it is contrasted with an album of almost overbearing production.

During other moments throughout the record, the band delves deeper into the meaning behind society in a digital age. On ‘Sincerity is Scary’ Healy questions why it is easier to be sarcastic and ironic rather than sincere and kind. Healy calls on himself and all of us to find the courage to be sincere. Similarly, on the Backstreet Boys reminiscent ‘I Couldn’t Be More In Love,’ Healy again dares us to be genuine. He challenges the notion of being “too cool to care” by scream-singing over the chorus “but what about these feelings I have?”

The stand out moment on the record comes from likely the song of the year, ‘Love It If We Made It,’ a seemingly endless scroll through of Twitter headlines from one of the strangest political times in recent history. Healy makes broad, sweeping claims like “modernity has failed us” while also specifically calling out particularly heartbreaking moments like “a beach of drowning three-year-olds.” It’s a song that will define this generation.

The record closer is especially important as the song seems like an instant classic, reminiscent of 90’s and early-2000’s rock ballads. On ‘I Always Wanna Die (Sometimes)’ the band creates an atmospheric quality that quite literally takes you out of your body. Healy lets himself feel forlorn about the world he is living in but ultimately brings it back to the original point he made at the beginning of the album by singing “if you can’t survive, just try.” With a false ending, the song goes into something that seems like a new song, a quality that suggests even when all might seem lost there’s always a new beginning right around the corner.

The 1975 soars to new heights with ‘A Brief Inquiry Into Online Relationships’

As Lady Gaga stars in her first feature film “A Star is Born,” let us not forget a star was born 10 years ago when 

changed the sound of pop music forever. I remember sitting in the back of my mom’s Honda Pilot at 10 years old, secretly watching the music video for the sex infused, club banger ‘Just Dance.’ This song changed how I saw pop music and like many others it cemented in me a love for strong women in pop.

has had on music is like trying to describe the influence of smartphone technology: Gaga forced everyone to step up their game. She made pop music videos into a phenomenon where creativity in story and visuals became just as valued as the music itself. She established electronic influences as a staple in top charting songs. And she made an album that was just as lyrically groundbreaking as it was musically.

Gaga became this icon for her shock value. Despite the obvious examples of this (the timeless meat dress), 

featured lyrics from a female artist that were diva-like, bold, and liberating to their audience. Stand outs include ‘let’s have some fun this beat is sick/I want to take a ride on your disco stick’ from the raunchy “LoveGame,” ‘wish I could shut my playboy mouth/ how’d I turn my shirt inside out?’ from the career starting “Just Dance,” and ‘can’t sleep with the man who dims my shine’ from the empowering “I Like It Rough.” Gaga is a self-made star as she wrote an entire debut album around the concept of fame before anyone had even heard her name.

A family tree could be drawn showing the future of young pop artists that took direct inspiration from Gaga throughout the last decade, similarly to how Lorde’s 2013 debut 

created a new rise of minimalistic pop artists. 80’s influences on songs like ‘Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)’ gave way to artists like Carly Rae Jepsen. Heavy synthesizers mixed with over auto tuned vocals on songs like “Beautiful, Dirty, Rich” gave way to artists like Charli XCX—all making the term “Mother Monster” feel quite literal. Whether you’re a fan of Gaga or not, it’s impossible to deny her star power and eventual influence on many great artists today.

If you’re like me and haven’t listened to 

in years because so much revolutionary pop music has come out in the past decade, you may also have overlooked some of the hidden gems on Gaga’s debut. The Gwen Stefani inspired bop ‘Summerboy’ is one of the most unique tracks on the album and shows off Gaga’s ability to alter her vocals to a point where she’s almost unrecognizable. ‘Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)’ takes a hard turn away from the club-kid scene Gaga became known for toward a lighter, more bubbly sound. “Brown Eyes” is as close as Gaga gets to a ballad on her debut and it signifies where her music would eventually go in the following years.

The impact of Gaga on music and culture globally is irreversible. She has taken a generally backwards path in her career: going from a hyper exaggerated character to a stripped down singer songwriter. But no matter what Gaga does: people listen, a quality that signifies the creation of a true pop star.

Lady Gaga’s ‘The Fame’ turns 10

When MØ tries out new styles, she shows a glimmer of hope that she could be more than just a top 40 collaborator.

can best be described as a pleasant listen. But that’s it: it’s just a pleasant listen. She doesn’t try to push any boundaries or stray too far from what she’s been doing with artists like Diplo or Major Lazer for the past four years. There are moments where you begin to think MØ is onto something, but they are ultimately surrounded by overproduction and predictable lyrics.

On ‘I Want You’, MØ sings superficial lyrics about wanting someone with the cringe worthy line “Makes me wanna put my phone down.” It’s a listenable song and at times I almost actually enjoy it. The slight click of a lighter as MØ sings “Burn this fucking house down” is refreshingly unique. But alas, this is a common occurrence, as most of the songs on 

have only moments of greatness. On ‘Imaginary Friend’, MØ coyly asks her partner to meet her in a dark room. It’s cool and slick as MØ whispers over a light harp and explodes into deep synths. But MØ using the childlike term “imaginary friend” to describe having sex in the dark feels strange and, again, slightly cringe-worthy.

Honestly, many of the songs are just plain forgettable. ‘Sun In Our Eyes’, assisted by her longtime collaborator Diplo, shows MØ’s pop-perfect voice but you forget what you just listened to as you move on to equally average songs. MØ attempts her take on a ballad with ‘Mercy’, but the lyrics are too shallow to make up for the lack of production. ‘Red Wine’, featuring Empress Of, is another moment where I think MØ could’ve struck gold. But it’s again the repetition of the same kinds of sounds throughout the album that make everything sound like the same song. Not to mention the best part in ‘Red Wine’ is when MØ isn’t singing.

When MØ tries out new styles, she shows a glimmer of hope that she could be more than just a top 40 collaborator. The best song by far on 

comes in the acoustic guitar autotuned ‘Blur’. As likely one of my favorite songs of 2018, ‘Blur’ mixes interesting production with emotionally vulnerable lyrics. It reminds me of the feeling I got when I first listened to ‘Never Be Like You’ by Flume. MØ sounds desperate as she sings “Let me out, I’m trapped in a blur. Started out the way I wanted but it’s weird now.” On the Charli XCX collaborated ‘If It’s Over’, MØ creates another addicting hook. The only problem I see in this song is the obvious influence by Charli because it sounds like something straight off her 2017 album 

. And again, the best part of the song is the collaborator’s verse as Charli brings her signature auto tune.

‘West Hollywood (Interlude)’ makes me wonder what 

could’ve been if MØ would’ve taken a different route. It’s only one minute long, but it features MØ’s best writing of her career. She sings of longing to get out of a toxic place, specifically calling out to her mother in the line “All I wanna do is just call up my mom and get my ass out of West Hollywood.” If the rest of the album featured lyrics like this, I think MØ could’ve had something very similar to 

MØ releases full length ‘Forever Neverland’

In this new era for James Bay, he trades fedoras and button-ups for mesh and leather: a change that is just as evident in the music. His sophomore album, 

, comes four years after his wildly successful debut, 

Four years seems like a lifetime in modern music, so it makes sense that Bay’s music would intensely evolve. 

is genre-bending, and while some may say it sounds busy, I’d rather say it sounds eclectic. Artists aren’t defined by genre in 2018, and Bay allows his music to flow in and out from tropical house to Ed Sheeran-type pop melodies. 

feels very much electric, and while I commend Bay for experimenting with so many different sounds, he does falter too far from his original folky sound at times.

Bay sounds most like this new and improved version of himself when he lets the folk mesh with his new tastes. On ‘Wanderlust,’ you can hear the vocal influences from 

, but the quick guitar is a new take on Bay’s mostly acoustic debut album. ‘Wanderlust’ is just a fun song at its core, which is something that was really missing from his debut. The biggest surprise from 

comes from the R&B-influenced ‘Fade Out,’ a track that’s Justin Timberlake if Justin Timberlake was less boy band and more indie rock. Bay’s falsetto shines the best on this particular song, flowing effortlessly and drawling the lyrics. I dare anyone to listen to it and not bop along. Another head-bopping moment comes on the summer anthem ‘Pink Lemonade’ — if sunshine made a noise, I imagine it would be this song. The contrast between the quick beat and Bay’s nonchalant, slow vocals make him seem cool and almost unreachable at points.

At times, you can actually hear the direct influences on 

from other popular artists. The opening guitar on ‘Wasted On Each Other’ is a clear (almost too clear) nod to Arctic Monkeys’ ‘R U Mine?’ The distinction from Arctic Monkeys comes with Bay’s falsetto over gritty guitar in the chorus. It’s a strong and interesting opener to an album that takes heavy turns from its predecessor. On ‘I Found You,’ Bay channels Ed Sheeran’s romantic melodies, but ultimately ends up complicating this simple style too much with oddly placed auto-tune and an overbearing chorus. However, Bay successfully places these off-kilter sounds on the Bleachers-influenced ‘In My Head;’ he almost raps on the verses and it’s definitely weird, but he confidently accepts the strangeness.

There are lyrics on other songs that are meant to shine, and although they are beautifully uplifting, I find it difficult to believe Bay when he sings them. On ‘Us’, he takes a hand at an almost political message when he sings in the chorus, “I believe in something / I believe in us,” but the vagueness of this statement makes him seem distant and unbelievable. In an album where the lyrics aren’t forefront for most of the tracks, it’s hard to relate to an artist that never lets the listener in. And even though his voice sounds 

 good, it’s almost too perfect with no empathy behind it.

is enigmatic at its core, trying to combine several genres into one coherent album. But when we’ve waited four years for Bay’s follow up to 

, I expected nothing less. Although he definitely does not have a future in every genre he plays with on this album, Bay sets himself up to have long career as long as he harnesses his creativity.

James Bay releases full-length ‘Electric Light’

On his debut album, alternative singer-songwriter morgxn gets introspective while still managing to create fun, forward-thinking pop music. 

finds morgxn examining what and who makes him who he is. With a very androgynous voice, he has had to find his place in music as an artist who also happens to be queer. But while the lyrics on 

seem very much ‘vital’ for morgxn to say, the music itself is fresh and puts him amongst the new reigning artists in pop.

morgxn truly follows Bruce Springsteen’s map for music: “blues in the verse, gospel in the chorus.” Much of 

(and probably the best parts) has big build ups to pop-gold choruses. This is best seen on the enigmatic “translucent” and the highway-driving-ready “bruised.” The balance between these kinds of songs and more introspective moments creates an impressive debut from the promising new artist.

The only feature on the record comes from indie electronic band The Naked And Famous on the exuberant “Alone/Forever,” a standout track that finds morgxn searching for the one who completes him. His voice almost blends together with The Naked and Famous lead singer Alisa Xayalith on the pop-perfect chorus, and the buildup throughout the entire song is exhilarating and creates something you want to drive to. morgxn’s voice stands out in the most interesting way on “xx,” as the combination of his higher vocal register and the vocal distortion create something that almost doesn’t sound like him at all. It instead sounds like a song from the 60’s brought into modern pop, and with an androgynous voice like morgxn’s, that is something I genuinely haven’t heard before.

Emma Turney