With the release of Taylor Swift’s newest indie-inspired album, folklore, and now the announcement of evermore, there has been a myriad of indie artists complaining about the albums and blaming her for taking up space that an “actual” indie artist could be taking. I think this is a horrible take for many reasons.
First, this claim doesn’t make any sense. By saying Taylor Swift is “taking up space,” you are insinuating that there are only a limited number of indie artists that can be successful. That just seems like plain nonsense to me. Any artist can be successful if they are lucky enough. Trust me, as someone who grew up in DIY, I know how hard it is to get noticed and be successful. I’ve seen so many artists who deserved the world never get an ounce of success. It’s really not fair, but at the end of the day, it’s a luck game. Plus, with popular artists like Swift popularizing the genre with a mainstream audience, there is likely to be even more opportunities for indie artists to break through. This brings me to my next point, it’s not Taylor Swift’s fault that she became successful. She was born into a rich family, but she also writes some amazing songs. I’m sure the artists who are upset are amazing songwriters, too, but it’s no one’s fault that Swift got lucky. Are only people without money allowed to make indie music? You also can say she doesn’t deserve it, but there are songs like All Too Well and my tears ricochet, that prove her chops as a songwriter. Along with being a great songwriter, by collaborating with Jack Antonoff, Justin Vernon, and Aaron Dessner, she is working directly with people who grew up and played in the indie scene. By saying that Taylor is taking up space in the indie community, you are also insinuating that Antonoff, Vernon, and Dessner, aren’t indie artists, which just isn’t true. Some of the people who are complaining aren’t even artists who make music within the genre of indie, but are just independent artists. Taylor isn’t copying independent artists, she’s making music inspired by bands and artists she’s been listening to over the past year. I promise, she’s not trying to steal your money; she has enough. At the end of the day, though, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the situation at hand. Do you think Taylor is allowed to make music that sounds like this? Do you think it’s disrespectful? There is always the possibility that I’m misunderstanding certain things and missing facts, so please let me know what you think!
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The end of the year is usually the most exciting time of the year in music, in my opinion. Between Spotify Wrapped, Grammy nominations, and everyone’s album of the year lists, I’m always excited to see what albums, songs, and artists everyone was loving in the past year. This year seemed to be especially successful for my girlies in music, and I’m so proud. I decided that this year I would write my own top five albums of the year list, and surprise, they’re all by women.
5. Dead End – Lights and MYTH I am notorious for absolutely despising remixes for some reason, so I’m shocked how much I loved Dead End. The album consists of three original songs by artists Lights and MYTH: Dead End, Outdoor Sports, and Batshit. The rest of the album consists of MYTH’s remixes of older Lights tracks. When I first heard the album, I was immediately obsessed with the new songs, but hated the remixes. After watching Lights and MYTH’s Joshua Tree livestream, though, I realized how amazing these remixes really were. They brought new life and energy to songs I’ve played the crap out of in the past. They also made Lights’ older comic book style pop more accessible to a more top 40/dance audience. I would definitely recommend Dead End to anyone who wants to get up and dance, even if they’re pissed off. 4. Fake it Flowers – Beabadoobee Beabadoobee gained viral fame after she released her song, Coffee, online, after only playing music for sixth months. She then soared to new heights when it was sampled in the song, death bed (coffee for your head), which became insanely popular on TikTok. Bea has grown so much since those days, though, and Fake it Flowers really shows that. The album shows significant growth from her older releases, in both songwriting and guitar playing. There is obvious 90’s and early 2000’s inspiration that would be perfect for fans of Smashing Pumpkins, The Cranberries, or Alanis Morissette, without it sounding tired or outdated. 3. I Disagree – Poppy Most people know Poppy from her weird YouTube videos in 2016 and her pop songs, Lowlife and Girls in Bikinis. Stick with me, though. Poppy has grown and changed so much since those days and has even parted ways with controversial collaborator, Titanic Sinclair. Poppy has said that the album, I Disagree, was inspired by a Marilyn Manson type sound. Poppy’s new adventure in the world of metal shows true anger and frustration, while still being fun to listen to. Many of the songs are rumored to be about her horrible relationship with Sinclair, but since she has not confirmed it, I refuse to state that as fact. I am truly so proud of Poppy for all that she has become, and I hope she continues to make interesting and weird music. 2. Punisher – Phoebe Bridgers I’m not sure what to say about Punisher because of the fact that we already all know that everything Phoebe Bridgers touches turns to gold. The first time I heard Kyoto, I lost my mind because of how heartbreaking, yet upbeat the song was. I lost my mind again after seeing her perform I Know the End on Seth Meyers. Phoebe has a talent that needs no introduction, and all I can say is you absolutely need to listen to Punisher if you haven’t already. 1. folklore – Taylor Swift When Taylor Swift dropped folklore, I did not care at all. I hadn’t listened to her on purpose since deciding that I hated every single from Red, and didn’t think I’d ever like anything she did again. Oh boy was I wrong. After everyone and their mother was talking about this album I decided to give it a try. From the first note in the 1, I was hooked. The amount of emotion Taylor put into these songs is unheard of. There is a certain maturity in her songwriting that, with the exception of All Too Well, we haven’t really seen before. The production is brilliant and the feelings are genuine. In my opinion, this more mellow acoustic sound fits Taylor’s voice perfectly and makes me excited for everything she is going to release in the future. If you have met me between the year 2003 and now, you know that the Sonic the Hedgehog soundtrack is one of my favorite things in the entire world. This may seem like a weird way to start an EP review, but bear with me. As soon I pressed play on Jake Sachs’ debut release, Continue, I was hit with a wave of Sonic nostalgia. It’s not about Sonic or supposed to sound like Sonic, it’s just that good.
The first track, Theme Song, is filled with crisp sounding guitars that took me right back to the beach levels of Sonic Heroes. That sound carries through the entire EP. Theme Song is a short intro that quickly moves into the next song, For the First Time. I was immediately impressed by vocal talent displayed by Sachs, because I, obviously, didn’t know how much better it would get throughout the rest of the EP. There is something about this song that reminded me of Christmas. Not because it’s cheesy, because it isn’t, but because it’s just positive and uplifting sounding. It was like a breath of fresh air, in a way. As each song continued, I heard a bit of a Queen influence growing. Normally that wouldn’t be something I’d care for much (sorry), but with the Sonic tinged guitars and Sachs vocal ability, it makes the record sound so unique and well done. The layered harmonies get better and better with each song. Listening to Continue is like reading a book where it gets more interesting with every chapter. The EP’s last song, Arrival, has a lot more of an 80’s feel than the other songs. It starts with a classic synth part and then the other instruments join in full force to make it sound like the 80’s arena song of your dreams. There is something really nostalgic (I know I’ve used that word twice now) about the song, but also new at the same time. It’s something you could show to your mom as well as your little brother, and you’d have an equal chance of them liking it. On Continue, Jake Sachs plays everything himself, which is not something you see every day. This record shows he has real musical chops that are hard to find. Even if Sonic and Queen aren’t things that get you excited for some reason, I still suggest you check out Continue. Goldcoast is the new solo endeavor by Loyalty to Me’s Devin McGuire. If you happened to read my post on Loyalty to Me, you know how much I love this band and their members. I was so excited to listen when Devin told me he was goin on a solo endeavor. Goldcoast is not only a musical project, though. Goldcoast represents a fictional place where everyone remains young forever, and the songs reflect that with a twist on some nostalgic sounds.
The first song on the EP, Freedom Fever, is truly something special. I think Devin made the right choice making it the first track and lead single, but I think it would also work equally well as a closer. When the song started, I didn’t really know how to feel. Since I didn’t know anything about the release going into it, I was really trying to figure out what I was listening to. I know that sounds mean, but I promise you I was singing and dancing around my room by the time the first chorus hit. The song is catchier than the common cold and is just so uplifting you can’t help but smile. The mix is also immaculate. The song is reminiscent to my first time listening to Mayday Parade as a kid; like Three Cheers Mayday, not Miserable at Best Mayday lol. I hope this is a feeling all of you know well, otherwise I feel sorry for you. The most important feature of Freedom Fever, however, is the guitar solo. I don’t know what to even say about it other than “holy shit!” Freedom Fever is followed by Twenty Dollar Bill. The song starts off with a cool little percussion that I don’t know how to describe because I’m a fake musician. It sounds so cool though! It’s like if Paper Planes by MIA started listening to All Time Low. This song is also so catchy and fun with big production. My only complaint is that the song is just far too short. The subject matter is pretty negative, but the song sounds so uplifting that you wouldn’t even notice. It’s one of those songs you can cry and dance to, no matter your mood. The next song is the speedy, Losing Grip. The song is a bit more aggressive than the other songs, but not in a way that would turn off the listeners who are more interested in pop. There is a bit of tasteful auto-tune in the backing vocals, which you may know is my favorite thing ever. The song shows some real anger, which is a nice side to see from McGuire. There is a line in the song, which talks about OnlyFans that caught me off guard, as someone who is a strong advocate for supporting sex workers. After a few more listens, though, I realized the line wasn’t talking down OnlyFans models at all, which made me very happy. I felt I needed to include that tidbit to encourage anyone who made the same mistake to take another listen. I would hate for something so silly to be the reason you’re turned off from such a great record. Tough Luck’s closer, Passenger Seat, is reminiscent of what I loved about Transit and The Wonder Years when I was in high school. It’s acoustic, but definitely will not put you to sleep. It tells a story and is written as if Devin is talking straight to you. I could imagine the scene as I sat there and listened to the lyrics. It’s the perfect winter song to listen to as you’re wrapped up in blankets watching the snow fall. The annoying thing, however, is it’s so short! The song is so relaxing, beautiful, and heartbreaking that I could sit here and listen to it for ten minutes, but it’s only a minute and 22 seconds long. I understand why he chose to close with this one, and not Freedom Fever, though. Overall, Tough Luck is something to look forward to. Freedom Fever is definitely the stand out track for me, but I encourage each and every one of you to give the whole EP a listen. Keep you eyes peeled for Tough Luck this Friday, October 30th as well a merch drop soon! South Jersey pop/rock/indie/whatever you want to call them outfit, Afloat, are finally back with a new single, Moody. This is the first follow up to last year’s Never Me Always You and 2018’s Afloat. I personally preferred the band’s self-titled EP to Never Me Always You, but I knew the band said that they were looking to different genres for inspiration, so I was very excited to see what they would come up with.
The song starts off with a cool guitar riff with a nice indie sound to it. There is something Title Fight to it, even though Title Fight fans may argue that no band could ever be like Title Fight. Although none of Afloat’s previous releases were bad, Moody definitely shows the bands’ growth, both technically and creatively. Singer, Gabby Relos’ voice really cuts through in a way it hasn’t before and bassist Josh Rubeo did a wonderful job with the mix. Moody also features guest vocals from Ryan Cullen, formally of the band Drive Theory. His voice sounds amazing on the song and adds depth to the performance. I just wish that his verse was longer! Overall, Moody is an extremely well written song that Afloat should be quite proud of. It really encapsulates how it feels to be, well, moody! There is a nice feel to the instrumentation and the song moves rather quickly. The song definitely feels shorter than it is, but I am a strong believer in not dragging out a song if what’s needed to be said is said. Moody comes out on all streaming platforms on October 30th, and you can catch the band play it live for the first time on their Twitch stream, featuring Cheyenne Dan and Lowercase People. I’m tuning in and so should you! A few years ago I randomly decided I was going to move to Philadelphia because I’m a crazy person. It was an ill-advised decision and I’m glad it never happened. Regardless, while on my search for roommates, I met a guy named Will Patrick Jackson. He didn’t end up moving to Philly either, but meeting him had a lasting positive impact on my life. It was around that time that he was starting a solo project that he wanted to call Loyalty to Me. After a few different line-ups for live shows, Will was able to find the perfect band mates, and Loyalty to Me was a solo project no more. The band now consists of Will Patrick Jackson, Devin McGuire, Ryan Keller, James Conrad, and Kevin Castro.
After releasing a few singles in 2018 and 2019, Loyalty finally released their debut EP, Clash // Coexist, this past May. I am honestly so proud of how far this band has come in such a short period of time. Every single song on the release is an earworm that hits straight to the heart. The production is crisp, and they have the unique added flair of having multiple different singers. My personal favorite track has been my favorite of theirs for a long time now. It’s called Layover In London. I honestly don’t know the subject matter of the song because I don’t know what any song’s about, but it just makes me smile. The chorus is extremely catchy and uplifting with just an explosion of “ooh’s.” I also love hearing all of their different voices working together to form a whole masterpiece. Layover in London isn’t the only track you should listen to, though. I think there is truly a Loyalty to Me track for everyone; that one just happens to be the one for me. Loyalty to Me have a unique sound that I like to describe as, “if pop punk was actually good.” They write fun guitar music that’s catchy and relatable, but are still oozing with talent. I truly believe that if they can keep up the good work, they can be the real deal and bring guitar music back to the radio. The boys in Loyalty to Me make proud every day and it’s an honor to call them my friends. Be sure to head to loyaltytome.com to check out Clash // Coexist and buy some merch! Throughout my 22 years of living, I never really knew or learned anything about music therapy. I knew it was therapy through music and that was about it. Andrew Nieporent is a musician and music therapist from New Jersey. He has had many releases under his belt and works hard every day to improve the lives of others through music therapy. I was so happy to get the chance to interview him about his profession and learn more about the amazing work he does.
Kay: What initially inspired you to go into the field of music therapy? Andrew: For starters, I am on the “high functioning” end of the autism spectrum, what has been known by the now not clinical but still culturally relevant name Aspergers, and I’m also bipolar. My childhood was difficult, including meltdowns, difficulty socializing, moving schools and unsuccessful medications on the way to successful ones, and at least one full on manic episode. I have been incredibly privileged to have the support of my family and more doctors, therapists, teachers, and friends than I can count, and it’s why I am a successful, functioning adult who can “pass” for a neurotypical person, and am not defined by disability, but rather ability, and difference as a good thing. Music has been my passion for as long as I can remember, and was instrumental in giving me a path forward to overcome my challenges, express myself, and connect with my peers. At the same time, a strong desire to give back after I was given so much drove me to seek employment working with people with special needs, and I worked many paraprofessional jobs in school settings through high school and college. In the course of these jobs I learned about the field of music therapy and it seemed to just about be the perfect career path for me, so with the help of two former music teachers of mine who were also certified music therapists, I educated myself about the field, sharpened my musical skills, and applied to graduate programs. K: What demographic of people do you tend to work with, and why? A: So today I work for a private practice called Jammin Jenn Music Therapy, mostly with children on the autism spectrum, but I also frequently work with adults, and people with different developmental disabilities, communication challenges, and physical disabilities. We have a studio where I have seen clients, but we also do home sessions, and group sessions at schools and an adult day center for elderly people with dementia. Obviously, right now all of our sessions are remote, but we are figuring out how to eventually safely transition back to some in person when the time is right. My training prepares me to work with any sort of client, but of course we’re all more familiar with certain demographics than others, and my life experience naturally motivates me towards kids on the spectrum. I don’t think I knew I wanted to or would enjoy working with children until I found out I was good at it, and now I know I love it. Folk music has always been my thing and I’ve found that approaching music aimed at children from that angle keeps it all fresh and authentic, and of course I am never short of reasons to smile and laugh. K: What is the most difficult part of your work? A: Honestly, before COVID I would have told you the traffic I will often run into driving all over North Jersey going from one client to the next! But I would say that when you have a big caseload, which I have been fortunate enough to have for two years straight of this job, even during a global pandemic, your physical endurance becomes very important because you are using your voice a ton, and both physical and emotional self-care is super important. K: What is the most rewarding part, or was there a specific time where you realized that it was all worth it? A: I don’t know if there’s any one moment, but in this work, you are always dealing with slow and incremental growth, and of course clients regress too. So when you are able to realize how a client has come in achieving their goals, when they do something you know they couldn’t do x number of months or years ago, it’s incredibly rewarding. It’s also an amazing feeling to realize that your musical skills are up to the therapeutic task at hand, that you have more than one good musical idea to try with a client. It’s important to remember too when sometimes it seems like nothing is working; you develop a remarkable faith that you’ll figure it out with your voice, and your instruments, and your empathetic presence. K: Why do you think music therapy works so well to help people? A: Music is an essential part of who we are as human beings. We have always made music, and while not always obvious, there is a little music in all of us, and it has a way of expressing things that spoken language can’t always. In a more scientific sense, music engages both sides of the brain, so if someone is challenged in language, music can sometimes access communication in a different way, or empower someone to express a feeling they haven’t been able to, or just get people moving through rhythm. K: What are some of the techniques you use on a somewhat daily basis, and why? A: So, the big distinction of music made in a music therapy session, is that everything I do, musically and otherwise, is intended to address the client's clinical goals and objectives; said another way, I don't do anything musically that is not useful for doing that. So I will almost always start and end sessions with a “hello” and “goodbye “ song to provide structure and a frame of sorts to the relationship between myself and client. Singing and playing client-preferred songs is common, but for different reasons depending on the client: for some it's to work on speech and language, for others it's for social interaction, self-expression, and self-esteem. I also strive to meet the client where they are at, mood-wise, before I attempt to bring them to some other place, so if they seem relaxed, tired, or depressed, I will start by playing something softer or slower before bringing in dynamics to try to "lift" them, and vice versa is equally true. I use a lot of drums and percussion, including shaking instruments, to work on coordination, motor skills, and even playing simple patterns to play memory games. Getting up and moving or dancing is good too. Some of my clients do very well with a sort of "behaviorist" approach, where they work for a little bit and then earn a small reward or break for a few minutes, while with others it's more important that I change things up frequently to keep their interest and engagement. It's different every day and that makes it very exciting! K: Are there any things that you learned from the local music scene that have helped you in your professional work? A: This is "whole person" work; that is to say, while our clients have all sorts of challenges and disabilities that need to be understood and taken seriously, ultimately we treat the whole person, not a diagnosis. My experience in the local music scene has given me a very strong sense of the value so many diverse individuals can bring, with their music but also with their whole personhood. The local music scene is always healthier when people feel valued and like they belong not despite their differences, but due to them and how much they contribute to making things fun and interesting. I've played a community leader/unofficial therapist role as an open mic host anyway, so there's definitely an overlap in my overall humanistic philosophy. K: What was your education process like? A: I went to Montclair State for my masters in music therapy. At the beginning this included a great deal of undergraduate level music education because while I studied music at Ramapo College as an undergrad, I had avoided the kind of coursework that challenged my actual music technique, so I was in for a rude awakening in terms of formal music education! But I ended up embracing it, doing theory, score analysis, choir, piano technique from the ground up, and classical guitar. The music therapy courses over time became more and more of what I was doing, spending time with most of the same fellow students, grad students and undergrads. You do field work in three different locations (older adults, children, and adult psych), accumulating hours, watching and learning from a professional, and gaining direct experiences with diverse clients. The main difference between the grad and undergrad programs is the level of coursework, but the field work is potentially the same. At the end of the program you do an internship, and mine was in hospice. While I didn't intend to work in hospice, the experience was unbelievably rewarding and prepared me for so many things about actually doing this work, especially in regards to self-care, reporting clinical information to co-workers/superiors, and being of comfort to clients' loved ones. At the end of internship, you take a standardized board certification exam. I passed mine in September of 2017, and have been practicing ever since! We also do need to do continuing education while we practice and get recertified every five years (unless you want to just take that test again, no thanks!); given that in person conferences won't be a thing for a while, I've got some online classes to take towards recertification in 2022, so it's definitely a lifelong learning culture. K: Are there any certain qualifications you need to become a music therapist? A: Yeah, so like above, you definitely need to be a professional level musician who works on getting better at your instrument. Your background need not be in jazz or classical, but you need to be versatile for so many different clients and situations. There's plenty I can't do on the guitar or with my voice, or with rhythm, and my piano is pretty basic, but I'm always trying to do more. You need to be an empathetic person, and a self-reflective person (which often includes some amount of therapy for you), willing to identify and grow beyond your inevitable or even unconscious biases about different kinds of music, and people. You should, to some degree, care about social justice and be scientifically curious. Not a good profession for the closed minded or those who think they already know everything about music, or otherwise. K: You are also the co-host of the Ridgewood Coffee Company open mic night, what inspired you to get involved on a higher level like that, rather than just performing? A: I had been a part of the local music scene in North Jersey since the end of high school and start of college, which for me was the mid-2000s. I'd been playing at open mic nights and organized college shows throughout the area and had made friends with some really amazing musicians, and over time, most likely due to my involvement and eventual leadership of a (now-defunct) Ramapo club called Ramashows, was gaining a reputation as a leader in the scene and someone who knew how to effectively organize an event. The Ridgewood Coffee Company had around for many years already, but had not had a regular open mic until the Wieczorek family from Ridgewood bought it. The open mic began in March 2009 hosted by a local musician named Dan Tornatore, and I would drive down from Mahwah every Monday for it. Around May he was feeling burnt out and that doing it weekly indefinitely was not for him. After a week or so of chaos, I got a call from my friend Shaun saying that they needed someone reliable there and that I ought to give it a shot, so I said "give me a couple of weeks to take my finals and I'll come home and do it." And the rest is history, I hosted it through summer '09, then after some slow going in the fall the open mic was canceled til the following summer when the baristas on shift that night hosted it, then it was canceled again before I was asked to come back in spring 2011. I did that regularly until fall of 2012 (when I took my first paraprofessional job at a school), when Bruce Atkins and Gerry Herrera took over until a night in November 2017 when Bruce asked Rob Janos and I if either or both of us wanted to take over. We both said yes, and here we have been for the last few years! K: You just released your album, “W/ You In Rockland,” what inspired you to make an album by yourself in quarantine? A: Obviously, this has been an incredibly difficult time for everybody, but given that I still have my job, and my health, and the health and safety of my family, I can only feel incredibly fortunate. That said, early on I dealt with a great deal of anxiety and depression, and I wasn't certain from the beginning that I would write any songs during this time. Also, I had actually already been working on a more polished studio album with my collaborator Steve Carter, which obviously had to be put on hold. Nonetheless, I had some bits and pieces of songs I had been playing with, and was playing guitar a lot in my spare time in search of something. The big moment was when I went looking through some very old notebooks that I keep buried in drawers. What I found was musical and lyrical fragments from when I was as young as 15, 16 years old (which to date myself, ironically was the year of the first SARS pandemic! not that that's significant), that I had forgotten about or dismissed years ago, but upon inspection had a lot of "raw material" I could use. What I liked about it was that I was able to reclaim an earlier, kind of garage-folk-rock side of my sound I had neglected and update some romantically yearning lyrics that felt relevant given that back then I was a socially isolated kid having trouble making friends, and now I'm single and living by myself in a very different kind of isolation situation. When I put those things together with some protest folk songs I had written addressing the issues we're facing, I felt I had something that could be of comfort and even provide fun for people who were struggling in this very difficult time, and so I decided I would make my first ever DIY, home recorded album! K:12. Is there anything you learned by recording by yourself, and how did you get it to sound so good? A:First of all, glad you think it sounds so good--there were no guarantees that it would!! I will be the first to say that audio recording is not an organic part of my skill set (not like, say, hosting open mic nights), and normally I always work with a collaborator who really knows what they are doing with programs like Logic, and for the past several years that's been my good friend Steve Carter. So the first thing I did was give him a call and chat about things to think about. I think the Denzel Washington quote from the movie Philadelphia applies here: "explain this to me like I'm a 6 year old." All told, I had my MacBook, the OSX version of GarageBand (which I have years of experience using to make demos and little looped electronic experiments, even using with some music therapy clients), a USB mic, and a pair of headphones, and that's it. I would play guitar and sing the songs live, making sure the mic was far away enough not to be peaking, and then add additional tracks for solos, unique instruments, extra rhythms, etc. I honestly got pretty addicted to it! Especially in that arrangement phase, when my confidence in the songs led me to really taking my time to get the little extra bits "right." I had all these bags of instruments that normally live in my car as I go about my job as a music therapist that were all over my living room as a result of transitioning remote work, so I just started grabbing things I'd always wanted to use on a record, like the harmonica, the xylophone, my blues slide on a 12-string, and you'll notice the solos all sound good, but are not overly complicated, because there was no way I could pull off anything fancy! So I kept it snappy, and I think, memorable. Once it was all done I did send it to Steve for mixing and mastering, so that helped it in terms of sound, but otherwise it was all done in a focused but no nonsense manner, right here by yours truly, and while I do look forward to resuming and finishing the next record with Steve, which will have almost an opposite kind of 80's area folk-rock sound, you bet I'm proud of this! So I guess I learned that I can make a record by myself after all, at least this kind of record, and I even took a moment as I was prepping the record for mixing to write and record one more song, "Fair Verona," for my friend Travis Love Benson's collaboration/compilation album, which they in turn added some really nice harmonies too! K: How do you go about writing your songs? A: How I write has changed over the years, but in the last few years I've increasingly had a mentality that I was writing in the context of an album, even if that process takes a few years, and there are themes I get kind of interested in exploring. As an undergrad at Ramapo I was also nearly a creative writing major, and I used to write poetry and draw from those poems for lyrics, but that dried up a long time ago, between my Moth and Wherever You Are Tonight records, and I think you can hear the difference in how the songs live and move. Usually there will be some little musical hook or progression that latches on in a way to a short lyrical idea or phrase, and I keep strumming and humming in earnest to say how far that gets me in terms of the song. Sometimes that gets me all the way there, other times I drive myself insane trying to figure out where to go next, but usually I have to step away to allow it to breathe, and that eventually breaks the blockage in either how to vary up the chord progression or melody for another part, or to develop the lyrics to the point they have something unique or interesting to say (this applies even for very simple or poppy songs) without being clichéd. I'm inspired to write by all kinds of things, of course personal experience and feelings and people I've known, but also books, movies, philosophy and spirituality, and increasingly, my anxiety about current events and what I want my values about society to be. I write in order to perform, record and release, and I don't think I've ever not put out a song because I thought it wasn't "me." I intend to be writing songs for what if I'm fortunate enough will be a long life, and I assume my songs will evolve in all sorts of directions during that time, and I can only let them, and be just as interested as anyone else who listens about where it will all go next! After reading Andrew’s responses it is very clear to me how difficult and essential music therapy is. Andrew is an incredibly talented and intelligent person, and I am proud to know him. He helps people every day and I hope he knows how important he is in the community. Listen to his music at crazyworks.bandcamp.com. Recently there has been a lot of discourse surrounding sexual assault in the music industry, mainly in the alternative scene. I will not be discussing these stories as they are not mine to tell (except for my own of course), but I wanted to write something positive for the womxn in the scene. Now I am not saying that womxn cannot be abusers by any means, they definitely can. I just wanted to make this list to empower womxn because most of the stories I’ve heard are stories surrounding womxn. I want to make sure that they are being seen and heard and are not afraid to play music with all that is going on. With that being said, I wanted it to be known that I will be omitting Hayley Williams and Paramore from this list as I feel like everyone knows them and that would not be sharing new music. I am still very much aware that Paramore is one of the best bands in the world. This list is also in no particular order.
Songs to listen to: Runner, Every Tense, Eleonora
Songs to listen to: DQ, Blown to Bits, Glitter
Songs to listen to: Seashore, I Dare You, Pumpkin
Songs to listen to: stay, just cuz you can’t, temporary tantrum
Songs to listen to: Brainfreeze, Milkman, Feel the Same
Songs to listen to: Baby Who, Last One, Daydream
Songs to listen to: Thriving, Bit Back, Dinner Date
Songs to listen to: Full Control, Stick, Heat Wave
Songs to listen to: 6 Weeks, Sports, Boys
Songs to listen to: BLOODMONEY, I Disagree, Sick of the Sun I have compiled a playlist of all of the songs in this list here. When I was about 12 or 13, I was listening to music on YouTube after school, as I always did. I clicked on a video of The Blizzard of ’89 by Never Shout Never and The Ready Set. They were two of favorite artists at the time, so I was beyond excited to find that they did a song together. The video said that someone named Cady Groves was singing harmonies, though. To be honest I thought it was a band name at first, and was excited to hear them, hoping it would be some neon pop punk bullshit. When the song was finished I searched Cady Groves to find out she was actually a solo artist. I played the first song that came up (I believe it was Phoenix, but it’s hard to remember at this point) and my life was changed forever.
Cady’s music wasn’t like anything I had ever heard before and was very different than what I was expecting. I listened to her whole EP, A Month of Sundays, that night and it truly made me so happy. She had such a unique voice with the most adorable southern accent. Her music was mostly acoustic with just enough instrumentation to make the songs beautiful and relaxing to listen to. It was a mix of country and indie in a way that just worked, while still having the MySpace scene kid aesthetic. I would say imagine if Taylor Swift shopped at Hot Topic, but even that can’t describe her sound well enough. What really sold me on Cady Groves, however, were her lyrics. Everything she sang seemed profound to me as a little middle schooler. From songs like Life of a Pirate, to Last Straw, she really made me feel seen. I obviously never knew her personally, but it seemed like we had a lot in common. Her songs spoke about wanting to leave home to find something bigger and fighting for love. I could tell she meant what she said. It got to the point that when I would have bad days I would call them “Cady Groves days” and just blast her music in my headphones and cry. Her song Blend is still one of the most beautiful and relatable songs I’ve ever heard. I’ve been toying with the idea of both covering it and getting it tattooed, though I only have $3, so we’ll see. Around when I really got into her music she was excited about signing to major label RCA to put out her debut album. She ended up putting out a few really poppy songs that strayed very far from her old music. The label kind of screwed her over, from what I understand, and never put out her album. She later left the label and released her fourth EP, Dreams, under indie label Vel Records in 2015. I hadn’t really heard much about or from her since then until on May 3rd 2020, when I saw on Twitter that she had passed away a day prior. Her family and team had stated that she had passed due to natural causes and was in the middle of working on new music and preparing to tour before Covid-19 hit. I was heartbroken. They released her last EP, Bless My Heart, on May 29th, 2020. It is has a mature country sound that shows her growth, while still sticking to her roots. I highly recommend everyone listen to it and share it with their friends, so that Cady can realize her dream of being the star she deserves to be. I can’t say that I still listen to and relate to all of the music I listened to in middle school, but Cady is special. I can’t speak for everyone, but I know I’ll never forget you Cady. When I was younger I was always obsessed with sad songs. I loved “Someone’s Watching Over Me” by Hilary Duff and pretty much all of Simple Plan’s discography. I was pretty much a sucker for anything that could make a seven-year-old cry. I have always loved all different kinds of music, but for some reason, the more slow and depressing songs stayed with me for most of my life. A few years ago, however, I noticed that that started to change; I became obsessed with upbeat, “girly” pop music. Even the music I was writing began to change from somber guitar music to danceable synth based pop. I was a little confused by myself, but not upset.
While exploring my love of pop, I noticed more than a few critics of my new obsession. Many of my friends said they couldn’t relate to my new taste in music, and some people even said they hated it. Think about it, how many times has some random guy at a show or on Facebook told you that pop music sucked with no real reasons or facts to back it up? Maybe none, but I promise it’s happened to me. Another thing I’ve noticed when it comes to the world of pop music is the misconception is that it’s easy to make and anyone could do it. If that were the case, though, wouldn’t everyone do it? Once I heard someone in my class say that he was in two bands, one that made good music that he enjoyed playing, and one that made pop music like The 1975 so he could get famous and pay the bills. I found this very silly because I may be wrong, but I don’t think it’s particularly easy to make music as good as The 1975’s on a whim. I also don’t think that everyone who copies their style is automatically going to get rich and famous. The comment seemed a little narcissistic to me, but maybe I’m just a blind pop music fan. I wonder how his bands are doing. I also believe that successful pop musicians are, for the most part, very talented, at least in their own way. If being a pop artist were easy, again, everyone would do it and be successful. For example, the Madison Beer and Burlesque challenges didn’t exist on TikTok because those songs were easy to sing. Another great example is Ariana Grande. She is arguably one of the most successful and popular pop stars on the planet right now. Although she uses samples a lot in her music (but who doesn’t), she still has raw talent. She writes the majority of her own songs and has a four octave vocal range. She also broke the record for singing the highest note ever. Even if it’s not something you enjoy listening to, or if you’re turned off of her music by some of her past scandals, you have to admit that having that kind of talent isn’t something easy that everyone can do. At the end of the day, pop music is never going to be for absolutely everyone, and that’s okay. However, “pop” does stand for popular and it’s popular for a reason. It can lift people’s moods, as well as make them dance, laugh, and enjoy life. In today’s society we will never know if anything is actually good, but pop music will always hold a special place in my and many other’s hearts. |
Kay RomanKay Roman is a 22 year old DIY pop musician Archives
December 2020
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