Alli's Articles
INTERVIEWS, REVIEWS, CULTURE PIECES, MUSICAL RAMBLINGS.
Ah, Fourth Of July Weekend. The beach trips, the parties, and the sheer carefreeness that I treasure so fondly has finally returned. It's been a long, dragging week, but at the same time, in the music world, a whirlwind of new news and releases have took the community by storm. In case you were too busy passed out on the beach this weekend to pay attention to what your faves have been up to, never fret! Alli's got you covered, so allow me to spill the deets of all the good stuff that's come out during this holiday season. NEW BROCKHAMPTON - 1999 WILDFIREThis Friday, possibly the most anticipated single from BROCKHAMPTON was released. The peppy, summer-y single was accompanied by a music video, which was, of course, different, but still had an element of good ol' Saturation spunk to it. It's obvious from the fast-paced beats and the energetic verses from Kevin, JOBA, Matt, and Dom that they are back for good and fully recovered from the drama that swallowed the group following Ameer earlier this year. The cinematic filming is still here, and so is the creativeness that comes with the shooting of each video that they produce! Since this IS a new era for Brockhampton, some changes had to take place. The first obvious one is the replacement of Roberto and the Spanish beginnings, and the introduction to a new, Russian greeter. I'm left wondering if he will have an impact and role in the group as large as Robert has. The other difference is also greatly apparent, and that is the absence of Ameer. Although he did have some thought-provoking verses, the group is better off without the stress and problems that arose with him, and, luckily for them, BROCKHAMPTON is full of never-ending talent. The cutting off of one rotten apple won't endanger the whole tree. I'm not sure if that's a saying, but it is now. YUNGBLUD - 21st Century LiabilityYou may not have realized it yet, but Dominic Harrison A.K.A. YUNGBLUD has been taking the alternative world by storm through his hit singles, 13 Reasons Why soundtrack features, and cameos on Brooklyn Beckham's social medias. This Friday, almost a year after he released "I Love You, Will You Marry Me," a powerful anthem about a tragic love story that was unfortunately romanticized as a money-grabbing tourist attraction, his first full-length album 21st Century Liability was dropped. If you liked the upfront message that YUNGBLUD angrily sang about in his first song, you will not be let down by the rest of it. 21st Century Liability hits back at a number of societal problems that we are facing right this very moment, and it does so in a way where there is absolutely no negative thoughts or feelings held back. Theres a song combatting sexual assault and rape culture, and one track is literally titled "Machine Gun (F**k The NRA)." Given Dominic's young age (he's only 3 years older than me!), it's impressive that his first ever release is so unapologetically political and straight-up. I hope this release leads the way for the revolution of young minds that has been stirring up in America for a while now. YUNGBLUD for President! Early Eyes - DecoratingI've been obsessed with the addictive, polished, and classic sound of Early Eyes ever since their first EP Minutes came out last year, so it's no surprise that I was pumped when Decorating, their second EP release, was dropped on Friday. In a world where we are constantly rushed and things are being thrown around, sometimes we just need a couple minutes to ourselves to cool it down. During those minutes, a good choice would be listening to this EP and appreciate its simple yet good-natured, light-hearted vibes. Early Eyes have truly proven themselves to be the breath of fresh air that the indie scene has been looking for. The members are funny, nice, and all around pure guys who are just trying to have a good time with each other. Their music is creative and hard to compare with any other artist, which is a good thing. Comparisons are sometimes annoying to make. Their uniqueness is shown even more in the video above. I said a similar thing with their video for "Take You," but the COLORS in the video was a huge, satisfying thing that I noticed. Go listen to Decorating now on any streaming service, you're sure to feel a lot better and happier after. BODEGA - Endless ScrollWhile I'm on the topic of having a sound that's un-comparable to any other artist, I want to draw attention to a band we last saw in April, BODEGA! After opening for Franz Ferdinand, the band has toured around a bit as a headliner, and has finally released their long-awaited album Endless Scroll on Friday. These guys have left an impact on me when I saw them lives for many reasons; Not only has BODEGA made critical remarks of both human and technological behaviors, they've also made unique references to pop culture that are sometimes humorous and always hard to forget.
There are five members of BODEGA, and when they come together they form one powerful, talented system. When I first checked them out before we saw Franz, I was underwhelmed by the amounts of plays their songs had on Spotify. Looking back now and seeing how those numbers have jumped makes me thankful that I never doubted my good feelings for them. If you want to listen to something that will make you dance and question the world around you at the same time, definitely check Endless Scroll out. This weekend has been eventful for both new artists just getting started and returning artists blessing us with content that we've all been waiting for. I totally recommend listening to all of these releases, because they all have something a little new that could be added and appreciated in the music world. Have fun exploring!
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Having a playlist that includes songs that you can vibe out to during the happiest two months of the year is crucial. You have to carefully pick and curate songs that you can enjoy in any summer situation, wether it be swimming, tanning at the beach, and, most importantly, sitting at "the table" in someone's backyard at midnight having deep talks with random people. I've already seen my friends take to Instagram to share their dilemma about not having any summer bops, so look no further! I'm ready to share some sun-kissed bangers that you can blast on your Wildwood motel balcony while you watch drunk frat boys do cannonballs in the center pool. Let's Go Surfing - The DrumsThis pick SHOULD be obvious to even the most local of alternative listeners, but a lot of the time is slept on. If the beginning whistles and barely whispered "wake up..." at the beginning does not make you want to fly down to your nearest beach at the earliest hour possible and jump into the water, you must be a pretty heavy sleeper. "Let's Go Surfing" is everything a summer banger should be: carefree, sunny, mindless, and leaves the listener with no stresses at all, except the fact that they have to find a way to tug the surfboard all the way back to the beach house. Surprisingly, their biggest hit isn't the only summer-related song The Drums have come up with. Heck, their first EP was titled "Summertime!" There, you can find the song "Saddest Summer," which, despite the title, is a very peppy song that I also recommend for beach days. Even though not all of the songs show it in the title, a good fraction of Drums songs have that happy, flow-y vibe that we all crave this time of year, so I wouldn't limit myself to this bop! King Of The Beach - WavvesOnce again, this one's a song which I find underrated on many introductory indie summer playlists. Just about everything about it OOZES this season; the title which references everyone's favorite location, the repetitive but charming lyrics about said location, and heck, even the NAME of the band themselves. This song gives you the power to feel like you're down in Jersey getting a tan anywhere, even at your noon Zumiez shift. No...ESPECIALLY at your noon Zumiez shift. If you needed some words to scream out this season, Wavves has your back. I haven't tried it myself, but yelling "You're never gonna stop me....KINGOFTHEBEACH" at a pool party surrounded by your crew before diving into the water seems pretty empowering. A confidence boost, sunny vibes, and the aurora of a skate park...what more must a bop fitting for this article contain? Surf Wax America - WeezerMost people I know would probably resort to "Island In The Sun" when asked about a summer-related Weezer song, but that wasn't all they had to offer! I prefer this song more, just because it has more spirit and exemplifies what it means to have freedom during these beach-filled months. It just fills you up with more adrenaline to abandon your flip flops and head straight down the street before the water which I have TOTALLY done before with the thought of this song in mind. Because this was earlier Weezer, the sound is more rough and authentic. It has lyrics that are easier to belt out with burning, fire-y passion on a cool shore night, or even just in your backyard while you're busy yearning for the beach, but it's FOURTH OF JULY WEEKEND AND THE TRAFFIC IS HORRIFIC SO YOU HAVE TO STAY. Sorry. I'm still slightly heated. Anyway...I'm goin' surfin. I'm goin' surfin'. Hang Loose - Alabama ShakesFor anyone who was angry that I didn't include their favorite chill vacation song "Island In The Sun," here's one that will replace it in an instant. Hearing this song for the first time in an Outback Steakhouse immediately put an end to any anxieties that I didn't even know I had, sitting in that waiting area. This song is perfect for relaxing basically ANYWHERE this summer, and amazing for wanting to get your mind off any of the few problems you may face during this wonderful time. Not only does it name the common mantra that many people accompany that hand sign with in the title, some of the lyrics could be potential beach Instagram captions. "Let the ocean worry about being blue," "Go with the tide," "Let the sun melt your cares away," Etc, etc. Sorry, Drake, I just ended any lyrics that people have been quoting from "Scorpion" already. To everyone else, you're welcome. Leave It In My Dreams - The VoidzFor my last suggestion, I was going to thrown in a classic Strokes song, but I figured I'd give some more exposure to Julian Casablancas' other band's newest album release, "Virtue." Although it is a little more Strokes-ish than their previous songs, it's still a perfect jam for chilling anywhere and with anyone, which is what any good summer song's use should be. Julian's voice helps with this; His high-pitched range always brings out some joy into his music.
I've played this song in the car plenty of times already, and it makes me fantasize for that perfect summer relationship, which is unusual for a Voidz song. That being said, this tune is UNIQUE and a ONCE IN A BAND-TIME opportunity. Go somewhere with palm trees and blast this, along with some other Strokes songs that you may come upon. I hope these five songs gave you some ideas for what your summer playlist could consist of. I hope it inspired you to click on any recommended songs that may appear on YouTube when you play these. There's a whole world of indie summer music to discover, and these songs are just merely the crossroads. I'll probably be posting more of what I listen to on our socials, so you could go there if you wanted to, as well. Go out there and make me proud, and have a bomb vacation from stress in the process. We deserve it! |