I remember exactly where I was when I found out that Chester Bennington, vocalist in world-famous rock group Linkin Park, had taken his own life. I was at a blink-182 concert at the O2 in London, and in an arena full of excited music fans, it was a strange and heavy atmosphere to be in, […]
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Album Review: Kendrick Lamar – DAMN.
Socially conscious and lyrically dexterous, Kendrick Lamar’s discography is the antithesis of the vacuous stereotype that surrounds contemporary hip-hop. The atmospheric, autobiographic Good Kid, M.A.A.D City is an American college English text. To Pimp a Butterfly, arguably the most important record of the 21st century so far, has been placed in the Harvard Library, canonising its cultural significance. […]
Listen Close: Ed Sheeran – ‘Shape of You’
“I’m in love with the shape of you; We push and pull like a magnet do.” Written with the Barbados-babe Rihanna in mind, Ed Sheeran’s recent attempt at a tropical-house club hit sees him swap his busker persona for a raunchy Casanova. The track was released as a double A-side with ‘Castle On A […]
Laura Mvula in the Live Lounge, Exeter Phoenix
One by one each of the band members step onto the stage, and we’ve got an eclectic mix: and electric cello, a harp, and a trio of grinning backing vocalists alongside the staple bassist (who doesn’t struggle at all despite wearing sunglasses inside a darkened room), female guitarist, drummer, and an array of synthesisers. Laura […]
Album Review: Sia – This Is Acting
I really became an avid fan of Sia Furler (or ‘Sia’ as she is usually known) after her 2014 release 100 Forms of Fear, and I was also particularly excited for this album due to its concept. This Is Acting is a compilation album of songs written by Sia (with a few helping hands, of […]
A woman’s worth: Are women still being pushed to the side of the music industry?
After the phenomenal chart success of Beyoncé and Taylor Swift, you could be forgiven for thinking women were equal in the music industry. But while album sales may be up for those at the top, few can reach these heights and hang onto their integrity, following Mrs Carter’s mantra dominant themes of sexual power, self-love, confidence […]