Shakira’s eleventh LP, “El Dorado,” accomplishes a tough challenge for an artist of her stature. Being an international icon is a tough mountain to climb, with easy traps to fall into that can make records sound forced and awkward. Shakira, in an interview with Jon Pareles of the New York Times, explained her frustration after the lukewarm reception of...
Before disregarding Full of Hell as a by-the-numbers grindcore, black metal, powerviolence or whatever extreme metal hybrid label you prefer (harsh grinding death is still my favorite), consider the versatility in their abrasive sonic history. The Maryland and Pennsylvania-based quartet’s eight-year-long foray in the hardcore and metal scene was nasty from the start, not by virtue of the genres...
“Slowdive” is the final act in what the band would liken to a cinematic representation of their musical journey. Fitting, that their debut EP bore their name as well, as if to anticipate the climactic return of a self-titled bookend release. All the more fitting that after 22 years, Slowdive (like My Bloody Valentine did with “mbv”) re-enters the...
Following 2014’s critically acclaimed “The London Sessions,” Mary J. Blige released her 13th album, “Strength of a Woman” on April 28. Rewritten following her divorce with now ex-husband and manager Kendu Isaacs, Blige’s new album reflects on the separation.
In the lead single “Thick of It,” Blige doesn’t hold back on the emotional stress that her recent divorce had caused her. Her consistent...
Renowned vocalist Celine Dion once said, “If God could sing, He would sound like Andrea Bocelli.” “Passione,” the latest addition to Bocelli’s internationally recognized repertoire, further proves his complete grasp of classical opera. The 7-years-delayed continuation of “Amore,” this album is scattered with six different languages of love and passion.
Bocelli’s powerful and effortless voice marries with these classical songs...
Every time a well-established band comes out with a new record, a wave of fans come out of their dark corridors and proclaim that the band have lost their way — that they don’t sound like their “old selves.” For Paramore, it’s difficult to sound like their old selves. In 2010, the band parted ways with brothers Josh and Zac Farro (the latter...
Artist: Xavier Omar
Listeners looking for alternative R&B that’s a little more thoughtful and vocally developed than artists such as PARTYNEXTDOOR and Bryson Tiller, can find just that in Soulection affiliate Xavier Omar, F.K.A SPZRKT (Spazzy Rocket). Omar has made a name for himself amongst heavy SoundCloud listeners and amassed a strong following in the past two years. He has...
The Highlander appreciates artists in all forms, even those less renown. As such, in our "Under the Radar" series, we bring light to the underappreciated and incredibly talented. Enjoy.
Haroula Rose
If there is anything one can say about Haroula Rose’s music is that it’s intricately crafted. The Chicago-born, LA-based folk singer and guitarist weaves her music with calm and care that...
In bridging his work as a solo artist and inviting a whole gaggle of friends, Spencer Radcliffe’s acute songwriting capabilities are broadened with “Enjoy the Great Outdoors” — a suitably titled 10-track record of indie rock tunes inundated with arcadian placidity. The “Chicago-by-way-of-Ohio” (according to Boston label Run for Cover Records) based singer-songwriter’s latest project renders a host of...
At 28 years old, Detroit rapper Big Sean has certainly come a long way from humble beginnings. With poppy, lyrically shallow singles like “Dance A$$” the public reception of projects such as “Finally Famous” Vol. 1 and 2, it was impossible for listeners to foresee the leaps and bounds that Sean would make in his flow and musicianship leading...