#music album reviews

[heyits-mars-x]

Olivia Rodrigo and the New Era of Punk

Note: The following essay is one that I wrote last year for a writing class. Some information may be slightly outdated since we live in the age of the internet; where things are constantly changing.

On May 21st, 2021, Olivia Rodrigo, an teenaged musician, released her debut album, SOUR, and the world imploded. Well, not actually, but the album did resonate with millions of listeners, especially young women coming to age in a new era of social media and global unrest. Rodrigo’s popularity after the release of SOUR spread across genres, and it wasn’t long before someone said: 

“Hey, this chick is kinda punk.”

From that moment on, the people of the alternative music scene were getting into vicious arguments regarding the validity of that statement. Newer generations (or anyone who wasn’t a middle-aged, straight, cisgendered, white man) had Olivia Rodrigo’s back, defending her against the people who claimed she was simply a poser. I am one of those supporters, and I believe Olivia Rodrigo has successfully written punk music because not only does she fit the mold of a young, punk artist, but also because some of her music stylistically fits into the most broad definition of punk music. Genre lines are blurred, and if you look back at most episodes in alternative music history, punk was the grandfather for the modern subgenres of emo, metalcore, and pop punk.

Since she is a new artist, it is important to understand Rodrigo’s background. Olivia Rodrigo was born on February 20th, 2003, and is currently nineteen years old. Before she burst into the spotlight and became a household name, she was an actor in Disney’s High School Musical: The Series and Bizaardvark (“Olivia Rodrigo”). During the lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Rodrigo, like everyone else, occupied herself with hobbies while being cooped up indoors. Thus, “driver’s license” was born (Rodrigo, 2021, “Bio”). Once released, “driver’s license” took the world by storm. Soon after that, SOUR debuted. Rodrigo had done it again - her music could be heard everywhere. It is now September, and her music still plays on repeat on radio stations and social media trends. After that, it was only a matter of time before the masses felt the need to categorize Rodrigo and her music. Her sound was unique, so people turned to the only genre they could think of: punk.

Punk also has its own history, originating in the US and the UK at roughly the same time - the 1970s - and evolved almost accidentally from wannabe rock bands playing in their garages and producing a more raw, unpolished sound (Savage). Punk’s most attractive feature was that it was ugly. Bands like the Sex Pistols, The Clash, and the Ramones brought aggressive attitudes, fashion, sounds, and lyrics to the rock and metal scene (“What is Punk Music?”). Musically, punk is fast, loud, messy, and often lacks a more melodic sound. Lyrically, punk music is gritty and controversial (“What is Punk Music?”). The pioneers of punk were angry adolescents, and they made sure the world heard their rage through bold, anti-establishment lyrics. Social commentary is a must in punk music (Savage). Many people argue that punk is now dead and gone, but I believe not only is it still alive and kicking, but also Olivia Rodrigo has successfully made modern punk music. 

Starting off with the hit single featured on the SOUR, “driver’s license.” This song is often considered the one that made Rodrigo so popular amongst not only the younger generations who watched her acting career begin, but also older listeners who still related to the raw pain of a teenaged heartbreak. Upon the first listen, “driver’s license” is an emotional, melodic song about the pain experienced after a breakup (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). Compared to most punk music, “driver’s license” lacks a fast-paced, messy sound. Of course, there are always softer or more pop renditions of punk music (such as the widely popular subgenre of pop punk) but the sound of “driver’s license” still does not fit into that category either. It is not an acoustic song either, reminiscent of Neck Deep’s “December” or “A Part of Me,” that is common amongst pop punk artists. Lyrically, “driver’s license” is obviously filled with emotions, but the anger only shows in one line in the chorus, “I guess you didn’t mean what you wrote in that song about me,” (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). The emotional aspect of Rodrigo’s lyrics do mirror the aggressive nature synonymous with punk music often, but their delivery in “driver’s license” is much cleaner and more melodic than typical punk music.

Possibly one step closer to punk music is “deja vu.” Musically, “deja vu” is more fast paced, and the drums do add some edge to the overall sound (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). Her lyrics, once again, are very emotional, but their delivery is more pop than punk up until the two minute 45 second mark, when the song begins to ramp up in tempo, and the drums also kick into gear. During the last bridge to the end of the song, it could even be argued that the vocals become messier, even nearing the scream-sing vocals that are a trademark of punk music (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). However, I still do not think “deja vu” encapsulates Rodrigo’s ability to write punk music.

While “driver’s license” and “deja vu” may have not delivered that true punk spirit through sound and music, “good 4 u” turns the tables. Yes, it is undeniable that “good 4 u” is extremely similar to pop punk group Paramore’s iconic song “Misery Business,” and many accused Rodrigo of stealing from Paramore. On the contrary, as of September 2nd, it has been acknowledged that Hayley Williams (Paramore’s vocalist) and Joshua Farro (former Paramore guitarist) were co writers of “good 4 u” and do receive royalties from the song (Trapp). As previously mentioned, “good 4 u” does achieve the iconic pop punk sound especially reminiscent of  “Misery Business,” with gritty bass, guitar riffs, and drum rhythms (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). However, if “good 4 u” had been a little less melodic and had a little more anger, it would truly be the punk song I am looking for. Regarding the lyrical composition of “good 4 u,” Rodrigo shows anger and angst, and even the delivery shows that emotion (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). While it may not be the most punk-like song on SOUR, “good 4 u” certainly adds an edge to Rodrigo’s discography, leading us to believe that she absolutely can write a true punk song.

Arguably the runner-up for the “most punk song on SOUR” award would be “jealousy, jealousy.” This song is filled with gritty instrumentals, highlights on the bass and clashing piano notes (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). The seemingly random key-smashing of the piano during the bridge of “jealousy, jealousy” is a very unique and edgy touch as well. Without a doubt, the lyrics of the song are punk. Rodrigo delivers an angry social commentary on the age of social media, the expectations placed on teenage girls, and the effects both have on a modern young woman’s attitude towards herself and others (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). Original punk music was angry at the world, and in the case of “jealousy, jealousy,” Rodrigo explores the hot topic of what it’s like finding your identity, especially as a young woman in an age of parasocial relationships with people from all over the world. Once again bringing it back to the bridge of the song, Rodrigo’s vocals are truly punk; she is angry, shouting, and messy (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). All things considered, “jealousy, jealousy” finally showcases Olivia Rodrigo’s ability to be a true punk artist . . . but there is one song left that is arguably the iconic punk song of the album, which sparked the debate of “is Olivia Rodrigo punk?”

Last, and absolutely not least, “brutal” encapsulates the true nature of punk music. Opening with delicate strings, a static-filled recording of Rodrigo saying “I want it to be like, messy,” launches listeners into an fast-paced angst-filled song (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). The song lacks a clear melody and Olivia’s vocals are loud and pessimistic - definitely mirroring the trademark punk vocals of garage bands (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR, “What is Punk Music?”). The lyrics themselves are a direct social commentary on being a modern teenage girl and how it feels when young women consistently fail to meet the impossibly high expectations placed on them. The main line that makes the song so recognizable, “god, it’s brutal out here,” perfectly encapsulates the attitude of punk music and culture (Rodrigo, 2021, SOUR). The attitude of “brutal” easily fits into the anti-establishment culture of punk music, and boasts Rodrigo’s ability to be a through-and-through punk artist if she so chooses.

At the end of the day, SOUR as a whole cannot be placed under one singular genre. Olivia Rodrigo has shown that she is an eclectic artist capable of putting out music of almost any style. Unfortunately, many of her songs are predominantly pop-themed, like “driver’s license,” and “deja vu,” but that simply shows her talent when such songs are compared to her edgier pieces. Despite her strong pop influence, Olivia has given us songs like “jealousy, jealousy” and “brutal,” that are successfully punk, while in a very modern sense. It is actually very interesting to see the routes alternative music as a whole has taken to get to the modern day era of punk, and I would argue that Olivia Rodrigo’s edgier tunes will lead younger generations to dip their toes into the water of alternative music and allow it to evolve even further. than it already has. 

Works Cited

“Olivia Rodrigo.” IMDb, IMDb.com, www.imdb.com/name/nm7111120/bio. 

Rodrigo, O. SOUR. Performance by Olivia Rodrigo. Geffen Records, 2021.

Rodrigo, Olivia. “Bio.” Olivia Rodrigo, Geffen Records, www.oliviarodrigo.com/. 

Savage, Jon. “Punk.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., www.britannica.com/art/punk. 

Trapp, Philip. “Paramore + Olivia Rodrigo Were in Talks before 'Good 4 u' Emerged.” Loudwire, Loudwire, 2 Sept. 2021, loudwire.com/paramore-olivia-rodrigo-good-4-u-writing-credits-hayley-williams-before-release/. 

“What Is Punk Music? Meaning, Artists, Culture & History.” Pro Musician Hub, 22 July 2021, promusicianhub.com/what-is-punk-music/. 

#olivia rodrigo #sour #musician #pop music #musicians #music #music artists #music album reviews #music rants #music rock #music recommendation #music tag #music time #music of the week #music obsession #music scene #music student #music discovery #music opinions #music fans #music groups and artists #music genres #music journalism #music life #music love life #music zine #music culture #music core #music vent #music vibes

[johnjpuccio]

Review of "Mahler: Symphony No. 5." David Bernard, Park Avenue Chamber Symphony. Recursive Classics RC5956731

If you have been enjoying the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony for a while, or if you have been reading Classical Candor for any length of time, you probably know how good the Park Avenue ensemble sound. The orchestra includes mainly players who do other things for a living (like hedge-fund managers, philanthropists, CEO's, UN officials, and so on). They're not amateurs by any means, but they're not full-time musicians, either. Nor is the Park Avenue Chamber Symphony a particularly small group. It's about the size of most other full-sized symphony orchestras. Whatever, whether you’ve heard them or not, believe me, their playing will dispel any skepticism about the quality of their work; everyone involved with the orchestra deserves praise, especially their energetic leader, Maestro David Bernard.

To read the full review, click here:

John J. Puccio, Classical Candor

#Classical Music #Classical Music Reviews #Classical Music Albums #Classical Music Album Reviews #Music #Music Reviews #Music Albums #Music Album Reviews #CD #Compact Disc #Mahler #Symphony No. 5 #Symphony #David Bernard #Park Avenue Chamber Symphony #Recursive Classics

[grungee-girll]

i adore old patd! and i will stand by the fact that ‘A Fever You Can’t Sweat Out’ is one of the greatest albums made!!

#grunge #aesthetic #vinyl #music #panic at the disco #panic at the ryan #panic at the brendon #music album reviews #musicalbum #music video #throwback #old media #Spotify

[theinternetisrad]

Awesome collection for those who love music.

#albums #music #music albums #music album reviews #reddit #daft punk #miles davis #massive attack #fleetwood mac #nine inch nails #enya #led zeppelin #pink floyd #kendrick lamar #stevie wonder #david bowie #radiohead #mf doom #the cure #talking heads #paul simon #system of a down #gorillaz #queens of the stone age #king crimson #nirvana #lauryn hill #the beach boys #dire straits

[craycraybluejay]

Ceremonials by Florence + the machine

my favorite lyric: "it's a shot in the dark aimed right at my throat cause lookin for heaven found the devil in me" "i don't want your future, i don't need your past, one bright moment is all I ask"

my favorite song: What the Water Gave Me, Lover To Lover, Seven Devils, Leave My Body, Strangeness and Charm

the song that makes me cry: Never Let Me Go, No Light No Light, All This and Heaven Too

the song that’s a fucking bop: What the Water Gave Me, Seven Devils, Strangeness and Charm

the song i most dislike/least love: Heartlines, Remain Nameless

#album review #music album reviews #music discovery #music #sorry i couldnt choose just one for any of these lol

[fantasy-art-z]

It's finally a time to share with you my cover work. Covers for music albums, music tracks, blogs, personal journals etc. On my website I have pretty good collection of available covers. Very affordable prices that start just from 10 euros.

You can follow me on Instagram for new updates, every day I post something new.

https://www.instagram.com/music_album_cover_art/

#musician #music band #indie music #electonic music #spotify #soundcloud #musiclover #cover art #music album reviews #playlist #composer #producer #blog post #new blog

[karenthemanager]

hello!

hi, im karen. yes thats my real name. im a girl who likes listening to music and albums, and i like to rate and review them too.

ive already listened to over 60 albums, but i want to share my experience, especially with people who dont want/have the time to listen to whole albums (i don’t skip a single song, not even skits). i mostly listen to pop and hip-hop, but i want to broaden my knowledge on music, so im open for suggestions. 

not a lot of people are gonna see this, but id love your opinion on music, movies and everything in between. this blog is probably mostly going to be me rating albums, but i’ll also post a bit about whats on my mind :)

if you’re interested, stick around!

#music #music album reviews

[billbloc]

#art #anime #comics #my draws #my characters #jojo fanart #jojo's art #jojo's bizarre adventure #disc #disc cover #cover #album #music album reviews #spinnin' bubble

[onlythebestmusic]

Review of Beethoven: Piano Concertos Nos. 1 & 3 (Harmonia Mundi, Period Instruments)

To read the review, click here:

#Classical Music #Classical Music Reviews #Classical Music Albums #Classical Music Album Reviews #Music #Music Reviews #Music Albums #Music Album Reviews #Beethoven #Piano Concertos #Piano #Period Instruments #Bezuidenhout

[johnpuccio]

Review of “Violin Sonatas.” Music by Freitas Branco, Ravel, Villa-Lobos. Bruno Monteiro, violin; Joao Paulo Santos, Piano. Et’cetera Records KTC 1750

Let us begin with a refresher on the participants, Bruno Monteiro, violin, and Joao Paulo Santos, piano. According to his biography, Mr. Monteiro is "heralded by the daily Publico as one of Portugal’s premier violinists” and by the weekly Expresso as “one of today's most renowned Portuguese musicians.” He is internationally recognized as an eminent violinist, whom Fanfare describes as having a “burnished golden tone” and Strad says has “a generous vibrato” producing radiant colors. Music Web International refers to his interpretations as having a “vitality and an imagination that are looking unequivocally to the future” and that reach an “almost ideal balance between the expressive and the intellectual.” Gramophone lauds his “unfailing assurance and eloquence” and Strings Magazine notes that he is “a young chamber musician of extraordinary sensitivity."

To read the full review, click here:

https://classicalcandor.blogspot.com/2022/04/violin-sonatas-cd-review.html

John J. Puccio, Classical Candor

#Classical Music #Classical Music Reviews #Classical Music Albums #Classical Music Album Reviews #Music #Music Reviews #Music Albums #Music Album Reviews #CD #Compact Disc #Branco #Ravel #Villa-Lobos #Monteiro #Santos #EtCetera

[girlreviews]

Review #146: Parallel Lines, Blondie

Man oh man oh man. I love Blondie so much. I found this record in the Windsor Oxfam. I don’t remember exactly how old I was, but I remember what boyfriend was with me so that puts me between 15 and 18. Yeah, same guy. I actually don’t remember if he ended up getting his hands on this record or not. I think I still have it. Will rifle through my collection later to check.

Blondie was in the “being cool” wilderness for some absolutely crazy reason at that point, and nobody really gave a shit about them anymore. When I was 17 or 18 they were playing the Reading Hexagon which is honestly still just such an unbelievable insult I’m still annoyed about it. I’ll circle back to that.

Parallel Lines epitomizes the complete and total coolness and badassery of Debbie Harry. I have never wanted to be someone more than I wanted to be her. So much confidence. Such incredible cheekbones. Such commitment to art. No apologies. The voice of an angel one moment and snarling whimsical warnings, like, hey you, don’t fuck with me, the next. Always standing in front of all of those completely non-descript nobody dudes. Yeah they’re playing the music, but who cares, who are they? It’s all her. She is Blondie.

Can I pick a favorite? It opens with Hanging on the Telephone, in which she is really threatening to rip the phone clean off the wall. It might be that one. But we’ve also got the classic One Way Or Another, which needs no comment, and one of my actual favorites of all time, Heart of Glass which never fails to fuck me up, but like, it’s a god damn disco track? Like sure, yeah, let’s boogie away our heart break. And I did. And I have. And I will. And these are all SINGLES. We aren’t even discussing the actual album tracks yet. Just listen to it. Honorable mention goes to Sunday Girl, which I always really loved. It’s cute and it’s kind of sweet in a very teenage girl kind of way that worked for me since I was in fact, a teenage girl. Also, not on the official album release, but there was a version of that track where the latter half was sung entirely in French and I always really dug it.

Okay so circling back to the Hexagon. This is a weird story and I’m still not sure how I feel about it, to this day. As I said, Blondie were playing a show at the Hexagon. I was absolutely obsessed with them, and Debbie Harry. I was also 17 or 18 and spent every penny I had on going to shows, but those pennies were pretty limited. I worked as a waitress at the pub that was two doors down from my house. It was full of characters. One such character was a regular, he was in his late 40s, was very wealthy, didn’t drive, was single, and spent literally every bit of his spare time in that pub. Think on that. He paid a lot of attention to the various young women that worked there. Was he creepy? No not exactly. But did it make you uncomfortable? Yes it did. Because you never knew when he might make it weird. Everyone liked him well enough. One day out of the blue this guy presented me with five tickets to the Blondie show. I didn’t know what in the hell to say or whether to accept them. Or what it meant. Whether there were expectations attached to them. Whether it was okay to take them. I was uncomfortable. I was 17.

Here’s what happened. My Mom, who sort of knew him too, since he was always there, decided it was fine, because she wanted to go. But for it to be okay, she decided he also had to come. So we went, he came, and a few friends too. The thing is though, she never knew him like I did. I saw him every day. I saw him with the other girls that worked at the pub. I saw him drunk off his ass. I don’t know that I ever would have taken the tickets. Or if I did, I’m not sure I ever would have invited him. I feel a bit queasy about it to this day. I think in the end something really off-base happened one night between him and someone on staff and he got barred. That was usually the way it went with regulars who were there that often.

The other thing to note is that Blondie ended because Debbie Harry was with Chris Stein, who was literally dying of some rare autoimmune disease throughout their last tour. There were other factors at play, but essentially, they broke up because he was too sick and she stayed at his side and became his full-time carer. When he was well, he left her. They are, remarkably, still close friends to this day and still perform together. Just never forget that men are dogs, and that Blondie is and always will be Debbie Harry. I love her. To this day she looks better than I do in a mini skirt and I love that for her.

ETA: I checked and in fact, I do not still have Parallel Lines in my record collection, but I am quite confident it got lost when I moved back to the US. Also, I’m not 100% certain that show was at the Reading Hexagon. I just know it was a shitty venue not worthy of Blondie. This was 18 years ago. You get the idea.

#album review #music #music review #rolling stone top 500 #blondie #parallel lines #debbie harry

[heyits-mars-x]

If you liked my original Olivia Rodrigo piece, you'll LOVE this album review! 💜

#olivia rodrigo #guts olivia rodrigo #guts #pop music #music discovery #new music #music review #music album reviews #album review #music junkie #music journalism #culture

[johnjpuccio]

Review of Schubert: Symphonies Nos. 8 "Unfinished" and 9 "The Great," with Jordi Savall and Le Concert des Nations

The year 2022 must have been the year of Schubert, with at least three major sets of the composer’s Symphonies Nos. 8 and 9 appearing, one from Herbert Blomstedt and the Gewandhaus Orchestra (DG), another from Rene Jacobs and the B’Rock Orchestra (Pentatone), and this newest and best one of all from Jordi Savall and Le Concert des Nations (AliaVox). Such extraordinary attention couldn’t happen to a nicer composer.

To read the full review, click here:

John J. Puccio, Classical Candor

#Classical Music #Classical Music Reviews #Classical Music Albums #Classical Music Album Reviews #Music #Music Reviews #Music Albums #Music Album Reviews #CD #Compact Disc #Schubert #Jordi Savalll #Le Concert des Nations #AliaVox #symphonies #symphony

[grungee-girll]

easily the MOST underrated marina song, without a shadow of a doubt!

#marina #marina and the diamonds #electra heart #music #album #follow #music album reviews #underrated #music video #video #spotify

[music-moon]

All my liked songs from the 2020s, organized by the year they were released.

Always updating, discovering and refining. Cover art is my most listened to albums from each year, according to my last.fm.

My favourite songs organized by release year: 2020s

View more decades: 2000s / 2010s / 2020s

Take a deeper dive into my most listened to albums from each year:

Data from last.fm + pythfm.

2000 / 2001 / 2002 / 2003 / 2004 / 2005 / 2006 / 2007 / 2008 / 2009 / 2010 / 2011 / 2012 / 2013 / 2014 / 2015 / 2016 / 2017 / 2018 / 2019 / 2020 / 2021 / 2022 / 2023 / 2024

#Spotify #concept playlist #playlist #spotify playlist #lastfm #music #music playlist #playlists #year end list #2020s music #2020s #best of the decade #music recs #2020s core #best of 2020s #favourite albums #20s music #rawring 20s #2020 music #2021 music #2022 music #2023 music #2024 music #new music #favorite albums #tunes #liked songs #hot 100 #billboard 200 #music review

[album-a-day-project]

2/20/24

Yeat

2093

====

This is my first time listening to Yeat at length. I've come to the realization that I don't need 22 tracks from artists like this anymore. He seems to use the same exact flows as Travis Scott, without the same level of entertainment value, maintaining a monotone voice throughout every single track.

Upon reviewing the credits, I noticed numerous writers listed for each track, as well as various 'TikTok Producers', which initially surprised me. It appears that we're witnessing the full evolution of Soundcloud rap into TikTok rap, with the first successful artists garnering substantial industry hype and financial backing. This is likely how Yeat managed to feature Future on the track 'Stand On It', which falls flat.

There's undoubtedly a place for this type of music, and Yeat appears to be leading the charge in the zone of TikTok rap. However, the repetitive and uninspired lyrics fail to drive the overall industry forward. By the end of this album, I find myself thoroughly exhausted. Thankfully, it's finally over.

5/10

#5bones #yeat #2093 #tictok #album #spotify #albumreview #musicdiscovery #album review #albumoftheday #nowplaying #now listening #Music Review #Music Recommendation