For someone who exploded onto the pop scene with “Royals,” a cautionary tale about celebrity culture and the pitfalls of observing our entertainment heroes as flawless, godlike figures, New Zealand singer-songwriter Lorde has accumulated quite the dedicated cult fanbase – and the expectations of leaning into her role as the cerebral pop star doling out … Continue reading Lorde – Solar Power
Indie Pop
Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Any follow-up after capturing all four of the Grammys’ top categories with a debut album released at age 17 would have been an extremely tall order. While one of music’s brightest new stars may have ever so slightly fallen victim to the sophomore slump – or at the very least, the astronomical expectations she created … Continue reading Billie Eilish – Happier Than Ever
Clairo – Sling
Two years after her beloved and critically acclaimed debut Immunity, breaking out onto the scene in a massive way at the age of only 19, bedroom pop singer/songwriter Clairo is already at the stage of her career where she’s receiving the Jack Antonoff treatment. Apparently the producer who never rests for an instant, Antonoff once … Continue reading Clairo – Sling
Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
Acclaimed indie-pop band Japanese Breakfast have been away from the spotlight for nearly four years, taking some time to distance themselves from back-to-back emotionally charged albums that tackled heavy subjects with soft and somber instrumentation. Returning with the aptly titled Jubilee, frontwoman Michelle Zauner has explicitly stated that she wanted an emotional switch-up, focusing her … Continue reading Japanese Breakfast – Jubilee
Olivia Rodrigo – SOUR
While it seems like more and more teen stars are rising to popularity every day, it feels like it’s been a very long time since someone had the kind of overnight success and overwhelming support that 18-year-old Olivia Rodrigo is currently experiencing. The closest comparison might be someone like Billie Eilish, but even she had … Continue reading Olivia Rodrigo – SOUR
St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
Three and a half years after teaming up with perennial producer of the moment Jack Antonoff for the excellent Masseduction, alt-rock and indie-pop superstar St. Vincent is back with something completely different – business as usual for the multi-instrumental experimentalist. Her sixth album Daddy’s Home is loosely based off of a moment of reckoning with … Continue reading St. Vincent – Daddy’s Home
girl in red – if i could make it go quiet
The influence of TikTok on the music industry can’t be understated enough, but its nature of blowing up songs off of a tiny soundbite can cause the actual artists behind these smash hits to remain in relative obscurity. That’s evidently not been the case for girl in red, who is resonating with Gen Z in … Continue reading girl in red – if i could make it go quiet
BROCKHAMPTON – ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE
Prolific experimental hip-hop collective BROCKHAMPTON are back after their longest break yet – just over a year and a half. With a membership of thirteen, including vocalists, producers, designers and art directors, there’s always bound to be tragedy striking a couple of them, and ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE is certainly no exception. Of course, … Continue reading BROCKHAMPTON – ROADRUNNER: NEW LIGHT, NEW MACHINE
Quinn XCII – Change of Scenery II
Apparently completely dialled into making music and the creative process while riding out the COVID-19 storm, Detroit singer-songwriter Quinn XCII delivers his second pandemic album and is currently on pace to land his biggest first-week debut yet. As evidenced by the album’s title, a sequel to a 2015 EP, XCII relocated to his main producer’s … Continue reading Quinn XCII – Change of Scenery II
Taylor Swift – evermore
Taylor Swift might be the only person on earth having a truly productive 2020. Deep into re-recording her old songs in the midst of a dramatic custody battle for her masters and only four and a half short months after dropping her masterpiece, folklore, Swift has elected to release another set of tracks in the … Continue reading Taylor Swift – evermore
Ben's Beat - Music Reviews 