“Meaning of Life” shows a new, soulful Kelly Clarkson
There’s no denying that Kelly Clarkson’s name alone evokes a sense of nostalgia. She became the first winner of hit TV show “American Idol” before creating the iconic break-up song, “Since You’ve Been Gone.”...
Angel Olsen’s “Phases” unearths new gems amongst familiars
Angel Olsen is human, and like any seasoned artist who’s been emotionally roughed up, she translates those experiences into verses that range from raw and languishing — like her 2016 album “My Woman’”s closer,...
SOB x RBE delivers a fun, aggressive and surprisingly fresh debut album, “GANGIN”
Coming in hot after their stellar performance on the “Black Panther: The Album” track “Paramedic!” SOB x RBE are back with the release of their debut studio album, “GANGIN.” The album is a follow...
The “Black Panther” soundtrack is not revolutionary, but a worthwhile listen
“Black Panther’”s official soundtrack was released through Top Dawg Entertainment (TDE), Aftermath Entertainment and Interscope records and executively produced by Kendrick Lamar and Anthony “Top Dawg” Tiffith. My initial reaction when the tracklist released...
“Memories Don’t Die,” especially when they’re this scarring
In 2016, Tory Lanez released his debut solo project, “I Told You,” an album that was riddled with problems from the start. It not only reflected Lanez’s lack of individuality in comparison to other...
Interviews with Kendrick Lamar and Musiq Soulchild
Kendrick Lamar Interview
Poised to be the West Coast’s knight in shining armor, Kendrick Lamar delivered his first performance at UCR on Saturday night. This year could also mean another first for Lamar; the release...
“Sonder Son” displays an understated image of Brent Faiyaz
Brent Faiyaz is another name on the growing list of young R&B voices who have created noise on the charts in the past year. He sits in this position with other artists on the...
Even off their A-game, Future and Thugger come together with flare
Discussing current trends in hip-hop inevitably comes around to highlighting the importance of Future and Young Thug, the Atlantan rap titans whose postverbal eccentricities elevated their auto-tuned slurs from the exception to the norm....
In Kelela’s sea — On the singer’s debut, ”Take Me Apart”
Kelela’s asymmetrically shaved head has become a marker for the singer. As of late, she has accented the end of her locks with diamonds, inducing regality and elegance, two descriptors which encapsulate her ambitiously...
The unequivocally cool king of British indie makes his triumphant return with “The Ooz”
Archy Marshall is an agent of mystique and low profile in a media climate where that is hard to accomplish. Being a very enigmatic character, he has nearly as many stage monikers as projects...