Ethel Cain's Preacher's Daughter and the Case for Concept Albums
On a blind listen, Ethel Cain’s debut album Preacher’s Daughter is a masterpiece amalgamation of gothic folk-rock and ethereal slowcore, Americana motifs, and the intensity of Evangelist gospel music. There is no denying the pleasure of listening to this album with no prior knowledge: the gorgeous, velvety voice and incredible vocal range of Ethel Cain (aka Hayden Silas Anhedönia) are all-encompassing while narrating Cain’s fraught journey from small-town Alabama, to Texas, across the Western US to the coast. The variety of genres, sounds, and rich instrumentals make the listening process very engaging, even with the album boasting four songs over seven minutes, with one nearing ten. Underneath Cain’s excellent musicianship, however, is a whole other layer waiting to be revealed: that of a master storyteller.
Read More
Unearthing The Past And Pondering The Future In Sufjan Stevens’ Javelin
I first learned that Sufjan Stevens was releasing Javelin on August 14th, 2023, while emptying my bedroom in New York City and preparing to pack for Kenyon. I decided that a new Sufjan album, let alone his first “folk singer-songwriter” album since 2015’s Carrie and Lowell, was some sort of sign from the universe that my first semester at Kenyon wouldn’t be quite as daunting as I had made it out to be in my head.
Read More
The Tortured Poets Department: A Conversation
I would like to shout out Hunter Harris for this format of meeting in a google doc. This is my new favorite way to discuss things. Let’s do this. Not my fave album…but I know that’s not unique. But I feel like you and I have the qualifications to speak on this!
Read More
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess by Chappell Roan
The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess conveys the complicated and fun mess that is moving away from home, being queer, and just generally trying to understand how to be a functioning person in your twenties...
Read More
How Long Do You Think It's Gonna Last? by Big Red Machine
What’s incredible about Big Red Machine is their ability to bring together this wonderful network of artists, who they’ve collaborated with before or admired from afar. This surprising experiment is by no means a ‘no-skip album’ but is a fascinating listening experience, utilizing talent from across genres and borders.
Read More
I'm Green by Mali Velasquez
As a young woman undergoing humiliating newness, any female musician holds my heart in their hands. Mali Velasquez is my latest comfort, my latest forgiver, and my latest reason to stay curious about grief when I lack any framework to recover. Her debut album I’m Green is music created within, and about, that demeaning adolescent newness.
Read More
Unraveling ‘The Secret to Life’ by Fizz - An Album Review
In their debut album “The Secret To Life”, dodie, Gartland, Isaac, and Brown each bring their own style and talent to meld together in a pot of whimsical aesthetics, camp chaos, and existential fun. As a fan of each of these artists, I can confidently say they bring out the best of each other, pushing one another in new directions, and bringing together genres of pop, rock, indie, and folk.
Read More
Hit Parade by Róisín Murphy
2020 marked a year of renaissance in the career of the Irish electro-dance pop singer Roisin Murphy. The record she released that year, “Róisín Machine,” brought her the critical acclaim she consistently garnered, but also became her highest charting record in her home country and abroad. It is easy to see why that was.
Read More
Lemonade Mouth by Lemonade Mouth
2011 was 12 years ago. Huh. Hard to believe. Times have changed, yet one movie and its soundtrack have held strong in my head. That movie is Lemonade Mouth. The Disney Channel Original Movie, starring Bridgit Mendler, Adam Hicks, Naomi Scott, Hayley Kyoko, and Blake Michael, revolves around five high school students who meet in detention and make a band! High School Musical might have been the money maker, but Lemonade Mouth remains equally prevalent through its grounded characters and positive messages.
Read More
