“I am Halsey. I will never be anything but honest. I write songs about sex and being sad” is what her Bio reads. Halsey has mastered the art of 90’s teen angst through pigtails, colored hair, and chokers, as seen in the music video for her single “Hurricane”. A sultry electro pop ode to young love. “I went down to a place in Bed Stuy, a little liquor on my lips, I let him climb inside my body, and held him captive in my kiss,” she sweetly sings from her alto/monotone-driven voice. Halsey harnesses a confident energy through the alt synths that lead the song into a mysterious story. You feel a sense of wanderlust as you listen closely. She talks about not belonging to anyone, she’s just a hurricane; wreaking havoc and then leaving for the next one. A haunting song with pretty pop undertones.
Miley Cyrus’ new leaked song could be giving fans a glimpse into what we can expect from her Bangers follow-up… With Cyrus being so heavily portrayed as a crazy lady in the media, “Nightmare” does nothing to prove that. She goes back to her electronic/pop sounds with a fiery chorus and clap-happy verses; “I woke up in another life, where nothing’s really dangerous, and everything is black and white…” A song with simple lyrics most people can relate to. When Cyrus does decide to release this song, it will surely climb the music charts in no time. I prefer this style of electronic/pop on Miley Cyrus, it suits her well and she knows how to make it work. Bangers was an epic form of artistic expression and I’m positive her next album will live up to the hype.
Sultry crooner, The Weeknd recently released two new songs off his upcoming album Chapter |||; “The Hills” and “Can’t Feel My Face”. Both give fans the two things they love most about The Weeknd; that sexy falsetto and a crazy good vibe. I haven’t always been a fan of The Weeknd, some of his earlier songs are a little too racy for my liking, but this new batch of music could be changing my mind. The music is less vulgar (AKA- radio ready) and more in tune with what’s poppin’ in the music scene as of lately.
“The Hills” is a moody/darker tune, touching on a sexual relationship; “I only call you when it’s half-past, five, the only time I’d ever call you mine.” Abel’s voice drags nonchalantly through the verses as the story progresses. The chorus is sinister-like with heavy bass while Abel’s voice takes front and center. His infamous muffled vocals add a haunting element to the song, especially near the end as he sweetly sings “the hills have eyes, the hills have eyes, who are you to judge?”. “The Hills” is a slow-going song, something only certain people could enjoy listening to. Late night cruises with friends is what this is meant for.
On the other hand, “Can’t Feel My Face” is a straight up pop tune. My first thoughts while listening to this song…MICHAEL JACKSON. Abel’s voice on the verses is so so insanely similar to MJ, it’s incredible. His punchy word annunciations add to the immediate dance groove of the song. The backup vocals near the end are something you would hear off a funky greatest hits album. This is pop with a twist of modern R&B, sung by a man who is capable of harnessing so many different energies just with the wavering tone of his voice. There’s no doubt, The Weeknd, is a truly unique artist who spends time creating his music, which is essentially his art.
Safe to say, this next chapter will be glorious to listen to.
Recently, Taylor Swift tweeted about a cover of one of her 1989 songs, “I Know Places”. A story of a secret relationship, hidden from the public and the unity found within it. Ms. Swift thinks it might be her favorite cover she’s ever seen…and I HAVE to agree. The second I plugged my headphones in and watched the full video, I was obsessed. Vance Joy does a phenomenal job at giving emotion to every single word in the song. Almost as if, “I Know Places” became re-born again through the mouth of Joy himself.
Joy takes a romantic twist on the song, making it all acoustic, using his voice and string plucking fingers to create a gorgeous new song that Ms. Swift is certainly proud of. The chorus is gentler, filling every gap of the guitar chords. Joy’s voice wavers in the most beautiful way as he makes his way to “I know places we can hide.” Near the end, he sings “Just grab my hand and don’t ever drop it, my love,” and it is breathtakingly soft and perfect. The song almost takes on a whole new meaning than the one Swift gave it. Hers is powerful, slightly dark, and loud. While Joy’s could count as a love ballad, something you could hear at a wedding, the elements of love are more prominent with the easygoing pluck of every guitar string. I actually prefer Vance Joy’s cover to the original. I think you will too…
Walk the Moon’s second full length album just dropped this week. It’s titled, Talking Is Hard and I couldn’t agree more. The guys take a musical journey on this album, venturing out of their usual beach-pop sound to a more sophisticated alt/rock band. There are so many new elements that were tested on this album and Walk the Moon prevailed.
gif via giphy.com
Songs like “Sidekick,” “Shut Up and Dance,” and “Avalanche” are classic Walk the Moon sounds. This band has mastered the short guitar riffs and have let them infest these tracks in the coolest way. Lead singer, Nicholas Petricca’s vocals are unique, high-pitched at times, and shout-y but in the best way possible. If you’ve ever watched any of the bands Instagram videos you would know that every band member has a fantastic singing voice and they all harmonize together beautifully.
This band has truly come into their own on this album. The song “Up 2 U” shows WTM fans that they can freaking rock. The song slowly builds up to an absolutely electric chorus, you can’t help but say “No way is that Walk the Moon?” Petricca takes a hint from The Black Keys and belts into a muffled microphone as guitar’s wail violently behind him. Near the end of the song, the band truly goes insane playing a massive guitar solo, including stop-time (an essential rock staple), and making fans drool to hear this song live.
Petricca and bassist Kevin Ray tear up a live performance. Image via bing.com
“Portugal,” delivers powerful lyrics highlighting the reality of growing up, losing friends, and losing love. Petricca backed by the other men, sings, “You grow up when you’re not looking, we grow up but without knowing, and all of a sudden I’m leaving.” Synthesizers layer on the edge of hidden haunting piano chords. This song in its entirety is trance-like, almost as if you could listen to it all day. The band harmonizes/chants different phrases from the song, which tie the song together to create what is an absolute stand-out track off the album.
Another new sound off this album is heard on, “Come Under the Covers” the boys bring back a solid guitar riff and show off their more alternative side. Petricca’s vocals are smooth to the point where he could melt you into a puddle. Verses seem reminiscent of a soaring guitar U2 vibe, that can make anyone feel enlightened. The song is a masterpiece start to finish. Walk the Moon knows how to use imagery in their lyrics to the point where it’s almost magical; “Tiptoe, down the hall from where you live, these floors are talkative.” “Come Under the Covers,” expresses a passionate love and the physical aspect that comes along with knowing and loving someone so much. The lyrics are modest without going overboard, but gives fans enough of a sultry taste into the story Walk the Moon is trying to tell; “Come under the cover, ’cause I wanna leave you satisfied tonight.” This song makes you want love.
Talking Is Hard is a true passion project. Walk the Moon makes you feel so much in only a matter of 12 songs. I am so proud of this album and the true artistry Walk the Moon has expressed.
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