Name: James Rosales, Assistant Arts Editor
Song: “Easy On Me” by Adele
After “19,” “21” and “25,” Adele is her most vulnerable self on “Easy On Me” as she gets ready to tell us this is“30.” Admitting faults and shortcomings, Adele is honest about her imperfections, without self-pity. Lyrically, “Easy On Me” is one of Adele’s best, trumped only by the untouchable “Chasing Pavements.” She desperately pleads for understanding in each chorus: “go easy on me baby / I was still a child / didn’t get the chance to feel the world around me.” Here, Adele is heartbroken as we usually know her, but this time the only finger pointed is at herself. Musically, the piano ballad is no different from her previous releases: it’s safe and surely satisfies. Arguably, this is part of what makes Adele’s artistry so special. No one expects her to dramatically reinvent herself with each release. Instead, Adele comes to us as she is: a storyteller who has loved, lost, and been loved. Armed with the voice of a generation and a piano.
Name: Molly Hamilton, Assistant Arts Editor
Song: “Reason” by PinkPantheress
PinkPantheress began gaining notoriety on TikTok this summer. Her latest release, “to hell with it,” is a mixtape saturated in early-2000’s nostalgia and pleasantly dated production. “Reason” is an energetic, saccharine track with deceptively dark lyrics. It’s both comforting and disconcerting in its familiar sound, which falls somewhere between hyper-pop and bedroom pop. The English singer’s music is reminiscent of Grimes, yet it’s her painfully earnest edge that makes her stand out.
Name: Vera Gold, Head Social Media Editor
Song:“Santé” by Stromae
After a three-year hiatus, Belgian artist Stromae is back with his newest single “Santé.” The whistling beat stumbles through the song, mirroring the struggles of the working class depicted in the lyrics. “Et si on célébrait ceux qui n’célèbrent pas”asks Stromae. “What if we celebrate those who don’t celebrate?” The lyrics and music videoshine a spotlight on workers who are often mistreated at their jobs. With somber vocals atop a merry instrumental, “Santé” is a dance track for the hardworking, yet unrecognized.
Name: Sara Abdelouahed, Collegian Staff
Song: “Day Before” by Young Thug ft. Mac Miller
Experiencing Mac Miller’s voice on a new track posthumously is sure to send shivers down any listener’s spine. Paired with the soft strumming of guitar and Young Thug’s evocative voice, “Day Before” speaks to the rappers’ wealth and lifestyles, backed by a soothing instrumental track which invokes a feeling of familiarity in somewhat of a contrast to the lyrics. The track is tinged with sorrow, and its title reminds listeners of Miller’s far too early passing. Young Thug revealed that Miller had allegedlyvisited his studio to record the song the day before he passed. “Day Before” concludes Young Thug’s latest album, “Punk.”
Name: Jarius Kidd, Assistant Social Media Editor
Song: “Giving In To The Love” by AURORA
Norwegian singer, AURORA, delivers a powerful, percussive anthem of self-love and growth on her latest single, “Giving In To The Love.” The track tells the story of someone who no longer feels that they owe the world their identity, and urges listeners to embrace their true self: flaws and all. These themes can also be noticed within the instrumentals, as it creates an atmospheric tension around the bridge, only to explode into the cathartic melody of the chorus. Reminding the listener that they too can break free of their chains—and soar.
Name: Ella Adams, Assistant News Editor
Song: “The Knife or the Hatchet” by Ryan Hurd
Country powerhouse Ryan Hurd released his debut album, “Pelago,” on Friday — a welcome addition to a portfolio that previously consisted only of E.P.s and a smattering of country radio singles. Known for the vulnerability in his signature heart-on-the-sleeve lyrics, Hurd delivers an album that is both upbeat and blatantly honest. Taking a metaphorically driven journey through the album, Hurd asks for that same honesty to be returned in the tenth track of the project, “The Knife or the Hatchet.”
“Just say the word and don’t look back/Make it hurt, you owe me that,” Hurd begs in the chorus. The piano-driven track sees Hurd explore his vocal range and transition into falsetto in the final minute, a standout on the album and fitting conclusion to his spin on the song title that initially reads as a cliché figure of speech.
Name: Astghik Dion, Head Arts Editor
Song: “EVERYTHING IS BROKEN” – City Morgue, ZillaKami, SosMula
Listening to City Morgue is the equivalent of purposely putting your hand on a hot stove. The New York City hip-hop duo are fresh off the release of their fourth full-length project, “CITY MORGUE VOLUME 3: BOTTOM OF THE BARREL.” In typical war dog fashion, the 13-track album will ignite either a bloodthirsty vengeance inside each listener, or make you scream alone in your car for 80 minutes straight. However, there is a small breather midway through in “EVERYTHING IS BROKEN.” The group unravel mental illness and the inner violence that depression can kindle. City Morgue are known for being unapologetic, intimidating and downright spine-chilling. Yet there is a certain childlike sadness in this track. “If I lost all hope, would you hope for me?” questions Zilla, to seemingly deaf ears.
Name: Colin McCarthy, Assistant Sports Editor
Song: “Let Somebody Go” by Coldplay ft. Selena Gomez
The fifth track on Coldplay’s latest album, “Music of the Spheres,” delivers a change of pace from the rest of the upbeat songs on the album, such as “Higher Power” and “My Universe” ft. BTS. “Let Somebody Go” is a ballad about love and loss that many listeners can relate to. Coldplay and Selena Gomez’s voices mesh perfectly together to create a track perfectly fit for a good cry.
Name: Anushka Singh, Collegian Correspondent
Song: “Ready for the High” by The Wombats
The Wombats tap into their nostalgic yet existentially contemplative side on “Ready for the High,” the third track off of their upcoming album “Fix Yourself, Not the World.”The group have recently garnered a new fan following due to the viral explosion of their 2015 track, “Greek Tragedy” on TikTok. The band’s next album is the talk of not just old fans of the Liverpool natives, yet also of alternative music fans all over. Given the soulful and vivid imagery of the lyrics, and the ballad-like lament about having expectations that never get fulfilled, this track is perfect for a thoughtful yet energetic jam session while you ponder about life and other fun things that you’re still waiting on.
