Two and a half years after starting the journey to reclaim her own music, Taylor Swift is back with her fourth rerecording. After the masters of Taylor’s music were sold by her old manager Scooter Braun, she announced she would be rerecording all of her albums released under Big Machine Records. As Swift has continued to quickly release her rerecordings, she’s become more popular than ever, despite her already immense fame. Loyal fans of the singer have eagerly anticipated the drop of each new rerecord and embrace the ability to be able to stream music that really belongs to Taylor. This fourth rerecording is a rerecord of what is arguably Swift’s most popular album, 1989. Many may think that there’s nothing different between the two versions of the album, but Swift always manages to recreate her albums in a way that is incredibly special. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) certainly is not an exception, and it gives listeners a sense of nostalgia.

Being the creative and talented mastermind that she is, Taylor Swift had many songs to choose from when choosing the original tracklist for 1989. With the release of 1989 (Taylor’s Version), five new songs from the original 1989 era were added to the tracklist. These songs perfectly complemented the vibe of the 1989 era, adding to the fun of the album. The first vault track, “Slut!”, was actually the song Swift had decided against putting on the album due to wanting to choose between that and “Blank Space.” This track is titled for the media’s representation of Swift during the original 1989 era back in 2014. The media crucified her for her romantic relationships and many people labeled her a slut as a way to judge her for the amount of relationships she’d been in. “Slut!” touches on the feeling of shame that Swift had experienced during this time. Media at this time focused more on Swift’s romantic relationships than her music, which is what should have actually been focused on. This track is an eye-opening ballad for not just Swift herself, but any other female musicians being shamed for their relationships. Taylor Swift had a way of perfectly conveying this toxicity in the media and it was a perfect addition to the record.

Following “Slut!” was “Say Don’t Go.” While the song’s chorus is upbeat, the lyrics are honestly heart-wrenching (quite literally, as Swift sings, “Why’d you have to twist the knife? Walk away and leave me bleeding”). The vulnerability of the lyrics in “Say Don’t Go” as well as the catchy chorus make for yet another incredible Taylor Swift song. Swift’s ability to emphasize the emotion in the lyrics as she sings is truly unmatched. Listening to “Say Don’t Go” almost feels like a prequel to “Clean,” the final track on the original version of 1989. While “Say Don’t Go” is a plea for another person to care about the absence of the narrator, “Clean” describes the simultaneous grieving of a relationship while also recognizing that the end of it was for the best. Many casual listeners may only see 1989 (Taylor’s Version) as a pop album due to the overall upbeat melodies, but Swift’s lyrical vulnerability is something that her fans appreciate most about the album.

With the exception of “Slut!”, the vault tracks for 1989 (Taylor’s Version) all follow similar themes of being reminiscent of a past relationship. A bit more ambiguous about the type of relationship, “Now That We Don’t Talk” has been interpreted by listeners as a song both about past friendships and romantic relationships. It fits perfectly with the sound of the rest of 1989; upbeat and danceable with more emotionally vulnerable lyrics. While not particularly a stand out on the record, it’s definitely still an enjoyable one to listen to. “Now That We Don’t Talk” was followed up with the more experimental sounding “Suburban Legends.” While not necessarily “experimental” in its actual definition, “Suburban Legends” is something that was clearly experimental for 1989, seeing as it doesn’t really fit with any of the album’s other songs. To me, “Suburban Legends'' sounds mildly similar to “Mastermind” off of Swift’s 2022 album Midnights. It was extremely catchy and its lyrics seemed to be telling the story of a romance from beginning to end. Swift’s ability to convey a story in her lyrics is truly remarkable and makes listening to her music more enjoyable.

Finishing off 1989 (Taylor’s Version) is my personal favorite, “Is It Over Now?” This track is believed by many to be a sister song to track 4, the famous “Out Of The Woods.” The song blends perfectly with the rest of the album while simultaneously sounding different. The lyrics describe a similar experience to those of “Out Of The Woods” in a way that’s much more emotional. Swift sings with such emotion on this track and it makes it so much better. A perfect album closer and perfect song in general, “Is It Over Now?” certainly has the potential to be one Swift’s best vault tracks.

People say that Taylor Swift is the music industry for a reason. Her ability to take over charts and break streaming records with music that’s already been released is incredible. Each time she’s released a rerecord you can hear her matured vocals and how much the production of each song and the overall album has improved. This is all a testament to the quality of her work and the kind of artist she truly is. 1989 (Taylor’s Version) was a chart-topping success for a reason, and Swift’s continuous record breaking won’t be slowing down anytime soon.

Taylor Swift reclaims 1989

Taylor Swift has been one of the world’s biggest pop stars for over 15 years. Her musical versatility and immense talent has propelled her to where she is today. When she released four new albums that she hadn’t been able to tour due to COVID, it was clear that she had to do something, and with this idea, the Eras Tour was born. A tour encompassing a bit of each of her albums, Taylor Swift put together a magnificent show with some of the best songs from each era.

The first of two openers, singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams took the stage to play some songs from her debut album 

. Abrams’ angelic vocals and soft songs were such a perfect way to start the night. Following Abrams’ short set was sad girl music legend Phoebe Bridgers. As a massive Phoebe Bridgers fan myself, it was extremely exciting to see her perform right before Taylor. The heartfelt and clever lyricism in Bridgers’ music makes her the perfect opener for Taylor Swift, someone who also has heartfelt and clever lyricism scattered throughout her discography. As enjoyable as both Gracie Abrams and Phoebe Bridgers were, the stadium buzzed with excitement as the clock counted down for the one we were all waiting for: Taylor Swift.

 era, Swift’s eccentric outfit and upbeat songs had the crowd going wild with excitement. The visuals on the screen as well as the background dancers made for such a fun and amazing performance. The 

 set was also accompanied by a beautiful sunset, completing the beauty of this era. Moving onto the second era, 

, fans who know a few songs and fans who know every song joined together to yell the words to the iconic “You Belong With Me” and “Love Story.” The 

 set not only brought a sense of nostalgia to Swift, as this was the album that catapulted her into stardom, but also for fans who grew up with these songs as classics. As the 

 era came to an end, the sun was finishing setting to perfectly accompany the gold of Swift’s dress and the gorgeous visuals behind her.

A drastic change from the country-pop era of 

 was absolutely breathtaking. It felt more like watching her play in an enchanted forest than in a stadium. Each song on 

 is so clearly personal to Swift that hearing each song live made many fans, myself included, very emotional. It was also during the 

 set that Swift received a 3 minute standing ovation following her immaculate performance of “champagne problems.” She then expressed her deepest gratitude for her fans, something only a truly humble artist could do. Swift wrapped up the 

 set with the highly emotional “tolerate it” before moving onto what is arguably her most iconic era to date; 

 was an album that Swift had released to show critics that she was not phased and would do whatever she pleased. In doing so, many people have expressed ways in which they have been in their “

 era.” This iconic era featured many snakes, a nod to Kim Kardashian’s shading of Taylor Swift with the constant use of snake emojis, and musically contained more rock inspiration than ever before. Swift played her biggest hits from this era as she wore an edgy black and red bodysuit. During “Look What You Made Me Do,” Swift could be seen killing off the old eras, proving yet again that she was a new Taylor.

 hit “Enchanted” in a stunning floral ballgown. The dancers delicately danced around Swift as she sang, which really made the performance feel magical. After “Enchanted,” Swift began her 

 era. In addition to bringing back her old outfits from the original 

 tour, Swift also wore a stunning black and red sequin dress as she sang “Nothing New” with Phoebe Bridgers and ended the era with the beautiful “All Too Well.” Although it was sad to see the 

 set end, as it was arguably the most fun so far, my personal favorite album was up next and I couldn’t have been more excited.

 is lyrically Swift’s best album to date. She decided to do something new and tell an intricate story throughout different songs on the album. She yet again set up the stage to make it feel like an enchanted forest and it was particularly fun to have the characters of the catchy “the last great american dynasty” personified. It was also obvious to anyone at the show that this is where Swift’s vocals really shined. Her absolutely breathtaking performance of both “illicit affairs” and “my tears ricochet” brought chills to many fans. These vocals alone made the entire concert incredible, and it truly just goes to show how talented Taylor Swift is.

 era felt just like one huge dance party. It was decorated with sparkly outfits and her biggest hits from the album. The 

 portion of the show felt like middle school all over again but in the best way possible. After wrapping up 

, it was time for the highly anticipated surprise songs. At each show, Swift has performed one song on acoustic guitar and one on piano. Each night is special because, unless she messes up a song, she only plays those songs once. This night the surprise songs were the high energy “I Think He Knows” from 

. Both of these songs were played on guitar due to an issue with Swift’s piano, but that didn’t make them any less enjoyable.

After the surprise songs was the final era: 

 became so obvious throughout the differences in performances of each song. It was super fun to see and made for a really interesting end to the show.

Anyone can get up on a stage and sing and play some instruments, but it takes someone really special to be able to perform. I can say with the utmost confidence that Taylor Swift truly is a performer. I don’t know if I’ve ever had so much fun at a concert nor have I witnessed something so intricately planned. The visual representations of each era as well as having the opportunity to hear so many incredible songs live was something I will never forget. For anyone wondering if they should ever go see Taylor Swift, wonder no more. Going will be something you never regret.

Taylor Swift rocks Gillette Stadium

Five years after the release of their most controversial album, Fall Out Boy came back stronger than ever with 

. Many Fall Out Boy fans love the Chicago native band for their alternative rock sound mixed with frontman and bassist Pete Wentz’s poetic lyrics. Their previous release, 

, left many fans disappointed, as it had been so different from the band’s previous albums. 

 was more of a synthpop sounding album that most fans simply weren’t used to. Due to this, the release of 

 was both highly anticipated by and nerve-wracking for longtime fans, but Fall Out Boy pulled through.

, in the sense that it’s a culmination of every style Fall Out Boy has done. From the rock sounds of 

, Fall Out Boy did an incredible job using elements of each album within 

 opens with “Love From The Other Side,” the record’s lead single. “Love From The Other Side” paid homage to the intense guitar that can be heard in Fall Out Boy’s older albums, such as 

. The stark contrast in the amount of guitar between 

 is definitely refreshing, as the latter highlights the incredible talents of guitarist Joe Trohman. It was exciting for fans to see Fall Out Boy return to their roots of guitar heavy music. The guitar also gave the song a more nostalgic feel, recreating the essence of the 2005 grunge scene. While the album’s first single channeled the sound of pre-hiatus Fall Out Boy, many songs successfully channeled Fall Out Boy’s post-hiatus work.

While not a personal favorite from the album, “Heaven, Iowa” did a great job at recreating the sound of 

. It was much more experimental and its lyrics described a situation in which there was a messy love story. One thing that has always been timeless and admirable about Fall Out Boy is the lyricism within every song. A poet first and foremost, Pete Wentz has always done a great job working his poetry into songs. The mix of heartfelt lyrics and intense instrumentals makes the music really feel like the musical embodiment of specific emotions. As with “Heaven, Iowa,” listeners could really feel the intensity of this messy love story. It added a nice difference to the classic rock sound of the previous tracks. This song was one of quite a few differences from the first few songs on the album.

Something that has become more popular over the last few years has been adding a speaking track to an album. It’s been popularized by artists such as Billie Eilish and other artists have begun to create them as well. On 

, the tracks “Baby Annihilation” and “The Pink Seashell” are speaking tracks done by Pete Wentz and Ethan Hawke, respectively. The speaking tracks of 

 are reminiscent of the bits of older Fall Out Boy songs like “Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying” and the ending of “20 Dollar Nosebleed.” The speaking tracks make for an interesting break in the midst of songs of different genres. The poetry of the tracks really reminds fans that Pete Wentz doesn’t simply write lyrics, but writes poetry and works it into songs.

After 22 years of making music, people may think that Fall Out Boy isn’t as good as they used to be, or even that they’re ready to quit making music. However, the release of 

 proves otherwise. Even if a five-year wait between albums was agonizing for fans, it was absolutely worth it. 

 is a masterpiece both lyrically and instrumentally. The use of movie-score like orchestras and thoughtful metaphors makes every song even better than the last. With the songs that Fall Out Boy chose for this record, anyone who listens will be able to find a song they relate to. After listening to 

 it’s evident that they’ve done it again; they’ve created another fantastic record that fans will love for years to come.

Fall Out Boy comes back swinging

Buzzing with excitement as they entered the Royale on February 9, it was clear how much Adam Melchor’s fans love him and his music. The indie-pop singer was in Boston for his 

 tour, named for the album he released in October. 

 is a beautifully introspective mix of feelings of melancholy, love, and regret, which made me think Melchor’s performance might be slow and sad. Despite the sadness of the album, the show was the exact opposite.

Opening for Melchor was nineteen-year-old singer-songwriter Brynn Cartelli. Her talent was incredibly impressive and her presence was fun and entertaining. Like 

, most of the songs Cartelli performed were filled with sad, emotionally raw lyrics. Despite this, her performance was mostly upbeat, creating a simultaneously fun and emotional listening experience. Her vulnerability about the meaning of each song in connection to her life made it feel like she was sitting down with a close friend. Her music was amazing and it was inspiring to see how much she’s accomplished at just nineteen. Bubbly, charismatic, and genuine, Brynn Cartelli was a perfect opener for Adam Melchor.

While waiting for Melchor’s appearance, the audience watched as the crew put out tables with lamps and other small personal touches, a stage layout that I love. The excitement of the audience grew and grew as it neared closer to Melchor’s performance. When he finally walked onto the stage, the audience went crazy. The dedicated fans sang all the words to his opening song, “I’m Afraid I Love You,” and it was clear that Melchor was putting his all into his performance. After playing a couple songs, Melchor took a short break to talk to the audience. He spoke as if everyone was an old friend, and the decorations on stage made it feel as if we were in a cozy living room. As the show continued, Melchor frequently made these little breaks after songs to crack a joke or thank the fans for coming. It was so cool to be able to see the way his personality impacts his performances, but that wasn’t even the best part.

Contrary to what I had initially thought, Melchor’s show was anything but depressing. He made even his sad songs exciting and sounded even better than on his records. It’s truly impressive when artists sound better than on their records, considering autotune is so prominent in modern day music. Both my favorite Melchor song and performance are “Start Forgetting Death,” from Melchor’s debut album 

. It was a powerfully captivating performance of the song, emphasizing Melchor’s impressive vocals and creating a carefree vibe – exactly what the song is about.

Adding onto the already personable feel of the show, Melchor made the audience laugh, as he put on a tiara a fan passed to him or when he held up his small dumpling lamp for the crowd. Each time he spoke, he was sure to express his profound gratitude to the audience for coming to the show and supporting his music. As if his personality wasn’t already incredible, his humility made him even more likable.

Getting a chance to see Adam Melchor was so amazing. The way he had carefully created a performance that felt personable and powerful was interesting to see. It clearly captured his creativity and who he is as both a musician and a person. A funny and creative musician, Adam Melchor is an extremely underrated talent in the music industry. If you’re looking for a concert to see or some new music to listen to, I can’t recommend seeing Melchor enough.

Adam Melchor rocks the Royale

With a very colorful cover, “Sweet but Psycho” singer Ava Max released her sophomore album, 

. In a March 2022 interview, Max mentioned that she had written the album in 2021 during a time in which she was experiencing personal difficulty. In contrast to her first album 

 is more dedicated to themes surrounding heartbreak. Unfortunately, the record doesn’t meet expectations this time around, and presents stale lyrics and repetitive melodies.

The album seemingly goes through phases of an intense breakup. Starting off with “Million Dollar Baby,” Max describes using an alternate personality to stop feeling upset about a breakup. The repetitive lyrics and use of basic synthpop sounds makes for a good song to dance to, but not such a great song to listen to leisurely.

Unfortunately, the rest of the album continues similarly to the intro track. The songs almost all sound the same, and if not extremely close to each other. Despite its synthpop classification, the repeated use of a few sounds makes for quite a boring album. While it is a perfect album for a club, party, or dance rave, 

 is not an album that is enjoyable to listen to while doing daily activities.

Despite the repetitiveness, the overall theme of the album can be relatable and inspiring to many. For example, “Weapons” describes never letting the things people say get to you. The song is the “kill them with kindness” mantra bundled up into a song. This was the most enjoyable song of the album. The slight difference in the sounds and the inspiration of the lyrics makes for a nice difference in the album. The importance of the song is also especially important for younger listeners, as it gives them confidence to never let words get to them and to always be kind. Ava Max truly does a great job at displaying confidence and strength throughout the album.

 wasn’t a very enjoyable listen. The similarity in all the songs makes for a boring album that doesn’t appeal to listeners of genres other than synthpop. The concept of the album, while great as an idea, was sadly not gotten across very well. The majority of the lyrics were cheesy and surface-level, with nothing extremely descriptive of deeper emotion. Max’s sophomore album wasn’t as powerful as 

, which had many themes of love, feminism, and resilience; a stark contrast to 

. Hopefully the release of a less exciting album means more thoughtful and interesting music in the singer’s future.

Ava Max falls short in her follow-up Diamonds & Dancefloors

After releasing what was supposed to be the first part of a two part album earlier this year, alternative band half•alive decided to scrap the second half of 

. It was a bold move that many artists wouldn’t dare make. With half•alive, however, anything bold means something amazing, and their new album 

 was certainly no exception. Prior to its release, the band had mentioned that the album would be about the complex emotions of being in love. Knowing how incredible past albums were for their emotional rawness, fans were excited to see half•alive take a new direction.

A scary aspect of love that frontman Josh Taylor does an amazing job with describing is having to trust someone completely. With the previously released “Move Me,” Taylor sings in depth about how much he wants to be able to trust with all that he is and to lean on this person during bad times. As a personal favorite, this song is beautiful for its lyrics and its instrumentals. The touching verses mixed with cinematic production put the feeling of loving and trusting into a single song. Previously released “Hot Tea” also explores this feeling of trust, embodying the feeling of being wrapped in a hug by the person you love most. One of the most emotional lines is “knowing I’m safe ‘cause you want me”: while not extremely poetic, it perfectly describes how Taylor thinks love feels. On the contrary to these songs, the closing piano ballad “Lost” describes when trust is broken, recounting a relationship’s bad ending and the sense of loss after leaving a partner so full of love. Trust me: it will give you chills.

With this devastating and painful heartbreak, however, comes reflection. Did you put this person on a pedestal and ignore their flaws? “Did I Make You Up?” was described by Josh Taylor as a narration of the post-breakup process, realizing that this idealized version in your head wasn’t the real them. Half•alive has never failed to match their lyrics and production, and successfully evokes this realization process in the listener. On top of the post-breakup reflection is the inevitable pain of feeling like nothing can go right: “Never Been Better” featuring Orla Garland perfectly relates the double-sided nature of acting like you’re fine when you aren’t. An upbeat, happy song combined with depressed lyrics about hiding awful feelings creates another relatable expression. These two songs are just a couple of many on the album that perfectly encapsulate the pain of heartbreak and losing someone you love.

Words truly cannot begin to describe how wonderful 

 is. An emotionally raw album about an experience new to their music, 

 beautifully describes the phases of love and how each one feels. Although not all of these phases are described in this review for lack of word count, each of them were represented flawlessly. Instead, one song that perfectly describes this album is the title track “Conditions Of A Punk.” The song introduces all the feelings to come in the rest of the record, and establishes the strong synthesis of production and lyricism. Half•alive’s creativity and willingness to experiment created songs like “Everything Machine” and “Lost,” a uniquely catchy song and a piano ballad respectively, demonstrating their versatility. Half•alive has to be one of the most talented bands of the decade. With this insane talent and universal appeal of love, people across the world look forward to whatever half•alive will put out next, knowing that it won’t be anything less than spectacular.

half•alive writes the love album of the decade

Back with the first part of their sophomore album, alternative band half•alive has yet again caused listeners to be enamored with their work. The meaning behind 

 was best described by half•alive themselves in the announcement of the album’s release on Instagram. The band explained, “

 has many layers of intimacy. Physical, emotional, & spiritual. Shoulders are intimate in nature, close to the heart, a place of strength & tell of vulnerability. A sign of how safe I feel, & how close I’m willing to let you be.” This statement only captures a portion of the indescribable beauty in the meaning of this album, and the thoughtfulness put into these songs becomes evident upon listening.

 opens with a previously released single titled “Make of It.” The song has a very cool and unique sound, something half•alive is known for. The lyrics give listeners inspiration to take control of how they allow their past to shape them. They describe being more than the struggles we’ve overcome and how our past is not just our past, but what we actually make of it.

The album’s second track, “Summerland,” is another unique sound, albeit with a bit more of a pop influence than the former. “Summerland” has a sound that is incredibly catchy and its instrumentals feel as if the song would be a summer anthem, hence its name. The idea of summer also ties into the song’s lyrics, as they describe the bliss of summer after tough winters. With the description of winter, it’s implied that it brings bouts of seasonal depression and that the bliss of summer cures this. The changing of seasons described in the song also represents the growth and maturity of half•alive frontman Josh Taylor. The relatable and hopeful lyrics of “Summerland” make it very easy to enjoy and arguably one of the album’s best songs.

Following “Summerland” is the first single from 

, “What’s Wrong.” This song is the epitome of half•alive’s sound. The catchy beat mixed with the alternative instrumentals and yet again relatable lyrics come together to create a perfect song. The song’s lyrics describe how keeping everything inside can be harmful and that it’s never too late to release emotions. The lyrics can also be interpreted to mean that it’s never too late to repair things that one feels are wrong, hence the song’s chorus “the time’s always right to fix what’s wrong.”

While “What’s Wrong” has a bit of pop influence, “Everything Machine” takes on a more grunge sound. The song itself feels edgy and cool, with the use of heavier bass really amplifying this style. The lyrics, however, are less edgy in that they describe being there for someone no matter what and allowing them to always rely on you. While the lyrics fit the album’s theme incredibly well, the sound of “What’s Wrong” gives the album a twist, something very different from all the other songs.

 was “Hot Tea.” “Hot Tea” makes for a really interesting song in that it has some of the edginess of “Everything Machine” mixed with the dance vibes of “Make of It.” Its sound may remind listeners of a hip hop song, but it remains a great mix of that classic alternative sound. The lyrics in “Hot Tea” ever so slightly resemble the lyrics of “Everything Machine.” “Hot Tea’s” lyrics explain what it feels like to have the comforting knowledge that someone always has your back. The beauty of these lyrics helps listeners to understand the greater themes of vulnerability and emotional intimacy on 

 and contribute to making the song a very enjoyable listen.

, the themes of the album are conveyed well through the lyrics of each song. However, the overall themes of the album are not only communicated through the lyrics of “Move Me,” but also through the breathtaking instrumentals. “Move Me” is something so unlike anything half•alive has done before. Its soft, pretty, cinematic sounding instrumentals tell listeners that vulnerability and emotional intimacy is beautiful, and its lyrics express the same. The lyrics poetically describe trusting someone with all that you are and wanting them to trust you back all while seeking a purpose in life. “Move Me” is a truly incredible listen that not only feels as if it’s straight from a movie, but also ties 

Finishing with yet another song that makes listeners want to dance, “Back Around” is clearly heavily influenced by pop and dance music genres. The lyrics really make the song feel like a perfect album closer. They describe the need to grow as well as to find what we believe in as individuals. These lyrics lead listeners to anticipate that even more growth will be evident in the lyrics of whatever 

Tackling more mature topics can prove to be difficult for some artists, but it’s evident that half•alive had no difficulty doing so. The poetic nature of the album was truly beautiful, and each track having its own distinct sound added to this beauty. The creativity, thoughtfulness, and raw emotion behind every song is incredibly refreshing to see and easily allows listeners to feel more connected to the album. Half•alive has yet again produced an stunning album, causing fans to eagerly await the arrival of 

half•alive releases entrancing "Give Me Your Shoulders, Pt. 1"

, alternative band Hippo Campus has wonderfully captured the various feelings of young adulthood. The songs throughout the album range from discussing struggles of young adult relationships, to feelings of being mentally drained. While tackling these feelings, 

 also brings listeners back to the earlier days of Hippo Campus. It has its own unique sound, while also replicating some sounds of Hippo Campus’ debut album, 

’s relatable lyrics and catchy beats made it an enjoyable listening experience.

 opens with “2 Young 2 Die.” The combination of pop music with a hint of jazz instrumentals was an interesting one, but at certain points, there was a a bit too much noise. The lyrics were a stark contrast to the instrumentals, describing the burden of imposter syndrome and struggling mentally.

Following “2 Young 2 Die” is the electropop-like “Blew Its,” which is unique but feels similar to 

’s opener in the sense that it’s ever so slightly too noisy. What seems to be an attempt at creating an electropop song was mediocre at best. The redeeming aspect of “Blew Its” are its relatable lyrics. They explore the effort of overcoming feelings of disappointment and frustration after missed chances or blown opportunities. While this song is not one of the better ones on 

, its lyricism still fits extremely well with the rest of the album.

 begins to sound more like the typical Hippo Campus sound with alternative pop sounding “Ashtray.” The catchy beat goes perfectly with the equally catchy melody, as singer Jake Luppen expresses the struggle of not being good with words or expressing feelings and desires. The prominence of electric guitar and drums make “Ashtray” incredibly enjoyable even without the yet again relatable lyrics. “Ashtray” is a highlight of 

The album starts to shift to tackle a mix of mental health struggles and relationship struggles with “Bang Bang.” Hippo Campus maintains the young-adult-struggle themed lyrics mixed with catchy, upbeat instrumentals on “Bang Bang.” The lyrics may sound like a typical heartbreak pop anthem, but following the talk of a brief love affair, Luppen sings of how it had made things just a little better amidst the struggle of seasonal depression. Many young adults experience feelings similar to the one Luppen expresses, with lyrics like “Dead winter gonna take my life / It’s a cold cut from a hard knock life (I’m barely keeping it together),” therefore making “Bang Bang” another catchy, upbeat, and relatable track on 

 an element of nostalgia that listeners didn’t know they needed. The indie pop song sounds similar to something from the band’s debut album 

. The interesting tune blends well with the lyrics, as Luppen sings about the feeling of thinking you know what you’re doing, but you don’t, which makes it difficult to keep trying. “Semi Pro” is unfortunately followed up by the disappointing “Ride or Die,” containing basic beats and instrumentals with confusing and repetitive lyrics. Thankfully, the album is redeemable soon after.

“Scorpio” is a fun listen for anyone interested in astrology. While the instrumentals are a bit strange, it makes for a really fun and interesting song. The lyrics describe relating to a scorpio after a problem in a relationship since scorpios are stereotypically pretty stone-faced and don’t show their hurt. “Scorpio” adds a fun flare to 

 and is an especially redeeming quality after “Ride or Die.”

The album calms back down after “Scorpio,” following up with “Listerine,” a laidback track with a subdued beat and voice to fit it.

’s lyrics shift entirely to relationship struggles with “Listerine,” as the lyrics describe the feeling of infatuation and the determination to treat a partner right, despite any issues. “Listerine” is a refreshing love song on an album full of darker topics.

Switching from a laidback track, “Boys” is a super catchy song that may remind listeners strikingly of a summer song. In an interview with Grand Jury Music, Luppen expressed, “To me, ‘Boys’ is bottoming out, sort of reaching your lowest point mentally. And because you’re there, you assess everything around you, and then become a better person… it’s like that feeling when you’re drunk and then you wake up hungover and you hate yourself.” The meaning and lyrics of the song starkly contrast the beat of the song, making it yet another interesting listen and certainly an excellent choice for the first 

Just as “Boys” was an excellent first single, “Understand” is a terrific album closer. Its pretty lullaby type of beat is followed by a very chill and catchy guitar beat. The lyrics circle back to relationship talk, describing relationship issues and the struggle of making a relationship work.

was overall a good album. The relatability of the lyrics mixed with the unique instrumentals makes for a fun and creative musical project that listeners will definitely enjoy. While it wasn’t perfect, Hippo Campus’ 

Hippo Campus’ lyricism shines on "LP3"

, I realized I had to see Jeremy Zucker in concert. The indie-pop singer began his “MORE NOISE !!!!” tour in October in Portland, Oregon. When entering the venue for his show at Royale, I was excited to see what Zucker’s performance would be like. Would it match the vibe of his music? Would it be more energetic? I thought about all the possibilities as I waited for the show to start.

Of the two openers, Valley Boy performed first. Their music, like Jeremy Zucker’s, was a chill type of indie pop that made it easy for the crowd to just vibe before the show. Following the short break after Valley Boy’s set, another indie pop band named Babygirl played a set similar in length and vibe to Valley Boy’s. Once Babygirl left the stage, the crowd eagerly waited for Jeremy Zucker to begin his performance.

Opening with a cool visual of a shooting star across the Earth, Zucker began his set with “we’re fucked, it’s fine” off of his first album 

. He followed it up with the energy-filled “therapist,” a new song from 

. This song made it clear that Zucker would be bringing a ton of energy to his entire performance. The vibes he created while performing plus the response of the crowd were bound to give everyone there a fun time.

Zucker later slowed it down with the soft “always, i’ll care,” and the crowd matched his chilled out energy. But soon after, they brought it back up with the popular “not ur friend.” This showed how Zucker’s music can change so drastically in energy levels. Despite the wide range of vibes from each song, they were all tremendous to hear live.

The visuals for each segment of the show were also incredible. Different animations, colors, and patterns painted the screens behind Zucker and his band. He also had stylized lyrics on the screen at some points throughout the set. One of the best visuals was for his song “i-70.” Depictions of nature flew by as if the audience was driving down an actual highway. Overall, the visuals for each song contributed a great deal to the immaculate vibe of the entire show.

In addition to great visuals, great energy, and a great set, Jeremy Zucker is an amazing performer. He is extremely talented, and it showed the entire time he was on stage. Zucker did a great job at both raising and lowering the energy levels of the room during specific songs; he also proved his musical talent by playing parts of some songs acoustically, even playing the track “scared” as a keyboard solo. Interestingly enough, his live vocals sounded better than his original recordings, making the performance that much more impressive.

Besides Zucker’s talent, his down to earth personality made the show feel personal and enjoyable. His small talks with the crowd felt intimate and tailored the crowd at the Boston show, rather than just being a general speech an artist gives at every show on their tour. Additionally, after every song he would say “thank you so much” to the crowd, demonstrating that he values his fans a lot and is grateful for them singing along to his music.

Everything about Jeremy Zucker’s show made it one of the best I’ve been to. The energy of the fans in the crowd was extremely fun to sing and dance with, and Zucker only made it even better with the energy he contributed himself. Between his set that featured many fan and personal favorites, the gorgeous visuals and lighting, and Zucker’s ability to make the show feel personal, I would think it’s safe to say that everyone at the show had an awesome time.


Jeremy Zucker takes the audience for a ride at Royale

On her journey of reclaiming her music as truly hers, Taylor Swift has dominated many different charts with 

. After having her music sold and therefore losing the masters of her first six albums, Swift began re-recording them, starting with 

 and most recently releasing the re-recording of 

 on November 12. From re-recordings to acoustic versions to new releases, fans have loved everything about 

, and when listening, it becomes clear why.

The originally released version of Swift’s 

 showcased her strong vocals, catchy melodies, and brilliant lyricism. These re-recordings brought attention back to how much of a lyrical genius Swift is, as well as how much her voice has grown and improved. Not only that, but knowing these songs are now hers again has brought many listeners a great deal of satisfaction and appreciation for the album.

Swift has proved how much she has matured vocally since the initial release of 

 in 2012, as well as proved she can make music for almost any genre. 

 includes a mix of genres such as pop, country, and even a bit of alternative. “Message In A Bottle” is a prime example of Swift’s clearly heavily pop-influenced music, while “I Bet You Think About Me,” featuring Chris Stapleton, is a song that goes back to Swift’s country roots. In a (successful) effort to incorporate bits of alternative music into 

, Phoebe Bridgers features on Swift’s “Nothing New.” Swift’s album spans many genres, each switching from song to song, making it even more interesting and exciting to listen to.

The most highly anticipated part of Swift’s release of 

 were the “from the vault” songs. These songs encapsulated many different emotions that were not previously felt on 

. The first from the vault song was “Ronan,” a heart-breaking ballad about the death of a child named Ronan. Swift had found the blog that Ronan’s mother, Maya Thompson, had created to share the progression of Ronan’s medical journey. Throughout the song, Swift sings about the memories Maya had of Ronan and the love she felt for him. Swift successfully transforms Maya’s grief into a powerful song about love and loss, one that felt very personal and emotional.

Following “Ronan” is “Better Man,” a country-esque song about Swift wishing her ex-lover would have been a better person. Throughout the song, it becomes evident that Swift knows she is better off without this person, but longs for them and believes that things could’ve worked had her lover been a better person. While the song has feelings of country, even people who don’t enjoy country would enjoy this song. Swift then followed up with “Nothing New,” featuring Phoebe Bridgers. Bridgers’ vocals fit perfectly with Swift’s, giving the song a beautiful sound both vocally and instrumentally. Not only does the song 

 beautiful, but the lyrics are also brilliant. Swift and Bridgers sing about the hardships of growing up as girls, explaining how people expect things of them, even though they get criticized for doing them, perfectly describing how many young adults feel. This song was by far one of the most enjoyable “from the vault” songs.

Going back to the pop aspect of the album, Swift uses typical pop instrumentals while singing about betrayal on the track “Babe.” The contrast between depressing lyrics and upbeat music makes “Babe” a very interesting listen. Swift keeps the same kind of pop beat with “Message In A Bottle,” an upbeat song in which Swift sings about the possibilities of falling in love while simultaneously being afraid to make the first move. While the lyrics are pretty good and the song is upbeat and catchy, it feels more like a typical pop song than an original by Taylor Swift. However, Swift follows up with “I Bet You Think About Me,” featuring Chris Stapleton, which resembles the unique sound she had created with 

. “I Bet You Think About Me” describes the feeling of not fitting in with a lover’s lifestyle and how, even though she didn’t fit in, the lover won’t forget her. The catchy tune and harsh lyrics of this song definitely make it unforgettable.

Swift further ventures into themes beyond just love and heartbreak with “Forever Winter,” a devastatingly beautiful song about a lover struggling with depression. This song is undoubtedly the most moving one of Swift’s “from the vault” songs. She then sings about running away with a lover on “Run,” which features Ed Sheeran. This is a soft sounding song that brings peace and serenity. Instead of sticking with the soft sound, Swift switches to another upbeat pop song with “The Very First Night.” This is a good listen with a catchy melody and great instrumentals.

To end the album, Swift finishes with the extremely anticipated “All Too Well (10 minute version).” This song demonstrates the heartbreak Swift felt after her short-lived relationship with actor Jake Gyllenhaal, who was 9 years her senior. This extended version has a more acoustic sound, where the beautiful instrumentals mix perfectly with the emotional lyrics, allowing listeners to really feel Swift’s pain. Overall, it absolutely lives up the hype that fans had put around it.

 since she announced its release date back in May, and it is understandable why. Touching on various themes, from love and heartbreak to grief and loss as well as depression, Swift has yet again created an album that many can find enjoyable and relatable. The amazing instrumentals and brilliant lyrics as well as the vocal maturity in the re-recordings that Swift has delivered proves to everyone why so many people were so excited for this album, and absolutely makes it worth a listen for anyone who loves to listen to various genres.


Sam Russell