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Be the Cowboy was my very first concert. And between the overwhelming red lights that covered the stage before the show started and the strong smell of marijuana coming from the guy behind me, I think it was a good first concert.
Shivers went down my spine as the sound of chopping scissors permeated the quiet theater; my friends and I scrunching our faces in disgust and waited with bated breath for the frightening music to end. I listened to the faint melodies with anticipation, nearly jumping out of my seat when the music swelled and the silence of the protagonist spoke volumes. The Witch, released in 2016, was an excellent film, filled with hidden meaning and horror that followed you long after you stopped watching. It was the first horror movie that I remember with a truly noticeable soundtrack. Although I didn’t remember the exact tune of the music played, I remember the feeling that it created in the pit of my stomach, one of fear and hesitation and excitement all at once.
The image of the average Penn student is that of someone who never really slows down, overextending themselves because of their passion. When speaking to Matt McCloskey, a jazz and rock guitarist in the Blutt College House Music Program, one realizes that this mentality extends to faculty as much as it does to students.
Lisa Stansfield’s concert last Wednesday was a look into a slightly awkward era we’re all nostalgic for even though none of us actually lived through it. I vaguely remember listening to one or two of her songs on my parents’ weirdly sensual '80s–'90s R&B playlists on a summer night. She’s an early '90s Rhythm and Blues artist with a powerful voice and a flair for songwriting. Her sound is a slightly folksier version of what you’d get if you pitch–shifted the vocals on a Barry White track up two octaves. Her music videos, like so many others from that time period, feature non–threatening people that look like they’re about to tell you not to do drugs, and make you wonder just what the hell was going on in the '90s. Suffice to say, before going into that concert, I didn’t expect much more than an awkward performance.
It seems to be a common trend among artists to release surprise albums these days, from Beyoncé to Eminem to The Weeknd. Courtesy of celebrated singer–songwriter Usher and record producer Zaytoven (both hailing from Atlanta), A was released October 12 after being announced the previous day. At eight tracks and just over 27 minutes in length, A follows summer records such as Pusha T’s Daytona and Kanye West’s Ye in attempting to emphasize quality and cohesiveness over quantity—but does it succeed? Let’s dive in.
As the atmosphere of Penn this past Thursday night slowly picked up, the members of Jazz & Grooves were especially busy. Known for bringing up–and–coming musical acts such as Daniel Caesar, Smino, and Kevin Abstract to campus, the SPEC–affiliated group was gearing up for their first show of the year—free for all Penn students. With a stage, sound, and lighting system all set up inside the house, the event was ready for opener DJ Haram and headliner Injury Reserve.
On Friday evening, October 19, Irvine Auditorium rang with the rustle of seating audience members and the reverberation of hushed whispers, all in anticipation for the Penn Symphony Orchestra. The lights dimmed, the stage filled. Orchestra players filed in in black formal attire, the strings front and center, the woodwind and brass instruments further away, and percussions and the harp at the back. Penn students weren't the only performers here. From gradate students, to Penn faculty, to the occasional professor, even high school students from the local Philadelphia area, considering just the members onstage, the orchestral community was a diverse team around one hundred strong.
Big Thief makes the most human folk music of today. Since releasing back-to-back albums Masterpiece and Capacity in 2016 and 2017, the band has focused on touring, only releasing a 30–minute experimental EP Wide Winged Bird last May. This weekend, that tour will bring them to Philly’s legendary First Unitarian Church on Saturday, October 20.
The world was first introduced to British singer–songwriter Ella Mai upon the release of her debut commercial single, the breezy summer anthem “Boo’d Up”. As the first UK artist to top the US R&B charts since 1992, her style of pop–inflected R&B sung over snare–heavy trap beats proved infectious to everyone. Signed to DJ Mustard’s label after being discovered on Instagram, Mai’s three previous EPs contain songs asserting her confidence and desire, all while nodding to '90s R&B musical traditions lyrically and musically. While her previous songs sound more similar than different, Ella Mai’s eponymous debut album was highly awaited by fans.
Video games hold a special place in the hearts of millennials and Gen–Z, and for good reason. We’ve grown up in a time when they underwent revolutionary development in graphics, storytelling, and gameplay, turning a small fun pastime into a billion–dollar industry where we can escape into a world of enjoyment. However, there’s more than just the plots and the action that holds a place in our hearts; there are also fantastic soundtracks that have enhanced the quality of games to new heights. As you finally defeated General Shepherd in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, the concluding piece of the end credits filled you with endless satisfaction and high anticipation for the concluding installment of the trilogy. What makes these scores even better is that you can enjoy them outside your gaming den, whether it be while working in Huntsman or frolicking outside in your free time on College Green. It’s part of what sets the best ones apart—so without further ado, here are five video game soundtracks to listen to.
Between midterms, club meetings, and OCR, it’s easy to forget that life moves on outside of the Penn bubble. And over the past month, that life has been full of some amazing new music. We’ve kept up with all of the best releases, so you don’t have to. Without further ado, here are Street’s picks for the best albums you might have missed in the last month.
Ah, Halloween. For kids, it’s a time of year for costumes and revelry in the neighborhood, as they waltz door–to–door “frightening” poor neighbors for candies with their fearsome attire. At Penn, it’s a different story—it’s a time to party despite having a month full of midterms. The ragers rage and scaries scare into the night for the gargantuan celebration that is Halloweekend. It’s fitting that one listens to the terrifying, tantalizing music made in honor of our spooky sides during this time of year while considering outfits for a week of celebrations. There is an assortment of monster–themed classics (“Monster Mash” comes to mind) as well as a wide array of songs that evoke our inner darkness that howls into the night. Here are our top picks to help you get in a spooky mode for fright season:
When you switch on Top 40 radio anywhere in the United States, the majority of music you’ll hear is still chiefly American-made and in English. Spotify’s response to this fact? Their new Global Cultures Initiative, launched at the end of September. As Rocio Guerrero, head of Global Cultures at Spotify and creator of the initiative, explains, “Why is food from other countries so embedded in our culture and yet music isn’t? Because streaming didn't exist. But now it's happening.” While the Global Cultures Initiative includes multiple plans to promote culturally diverse music, one of the most accessible is the high-profile Global X playlist. Already at 152,296 followers, it’s one of the best curated playlists Spotify has published in recent years.
All die–hard fans of Fleetwood Mac remember where they were when they first heard the opening strum of Rumours, the band's iconoclast album inspired by a year of tumultuous love affairs. For some, it was in the passenger seat of their mother’s car, where “Go Your Own Way” blasted on the ride to school. For others, it was in the sale section of Urban Outfitters, where the album was the soundtrack to your shopping spree. Regardless, Rumours is the kind of album that should be celebrated for its complex simplicity, catchy instrumentals, and emotional core.
Troye Sivan's concert in Philly on October 6th was the latest installation in the ongoing growth of his career. Seeing him reminded me of his importance to queer youth—myself included.
The time has come: you’ve finally decided to get into collecting vinyl. Maybe you want to go off the beaten path and start collecting cassette tapes instead, or maybe now that your entire music collection is streaming online, you need to offload those hundreds of CDs that have been collecting dust for the past few years. A short trip on the Route 40 bus away from University City lies your destination: Repo Records. Repo exists at the heart of the Philly underground music scene at 506 South St., only two blocks away from TLA, one of the best concert venues in America. Its distinguishing outside feature is the green brick surrounding the entrance, which leads you inside to new and used vinyl, cassettes, and CDs, as well as used clothing, posters, patches, and other musical paraphernalia for all the diehard and wannabe punks out there.
The random spoken–word tracks that come on when you’re shuffling an album on Spotify. The 30–second conversational interjections in the middle or at the end of a song. Pure instrumental tone setters, small snatches of songs, uplifting sermons, or even comedic skits. Interludes are (usually) short tracks that aren’t standalone pieces, and their forms are as varied as the artists who choose to include them. A tradition stretching backing decades, interludes are found in all genres of music, yet are often a staple of R&B and hip–hop albums.
From raves and parties to music festivals and concerts, college, especially in a large city like Philly, is the prime time to explore new music genres and make memories with friends. Music is such an integral part of daily life for many students, and there’s no other experience quite like attending a live concert performance.
Another rock & roll legend has passed. Marty Balin, frontman and founder of Jefferson Airplane and Jefferson Starship, left us on Sept. 27, 2018. He was one of those few artists who managed to carve out a new path for music and culture. He stood at the vanguard, carrying the flag of psychedelia, a sound and philosophy that would come to change the world. Now that he’s gone, we may continue the trend of blaming an artist’s death on the year and making his tragedy our own; or we can take a step back and try to honor him through his legacy. I favor the latter.
After a tumultuous nine–month break, hip hop’s foremost boy band is back for more. Led by founder Kevin Abstract, Brockhampton released its fourth studio album, iridescence, on September 21, its first release since Saturation III last December. Between releases, a number of shifts occurred: the group signed with RCA Records, member and lyricist Ameer Vann was kicked out after sexual misconduct allegations, and the album experienced numerous delays and name changes. Given the success of the Saturation trilogy and the recent drama, there was greater interest in how Brockhampton would follow up its meteoric rise to stardom and exposure to the mainstream media. So, let’s dive into iridescence with a track–by–track review—each song introduces fresh perspectives from different combinations of members on a wide variety of topics, forming a cohesive theme that can only be understood from the sum of its parts.
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