Group Feature: ACRN’s Top 10 Disappointing Albums of 2020

10. Machinedrum — A View of U, [Ninja Tune; 2020]By Lane Moore, Reviews Editor Machinedrum’s A View of U is perhaps the greatest illusion of the millennium. It’s pretty tough to catch, but if you peer into the soul of this album––or make it past track three or four––you will find that A View of…

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Group Feature: ACRN’s Top 10 Movies of 2020

10. Borat Subsequent Moviefilm [Amazon; 2020]By Kwase Lane, Features Editor Reprising his role as everybody’s favorite bumbling Kazakhstani reporter, Sacha Baron Cohen took a second go at a Borat film, and he stuck the landing even more flawlessly than he did in its predecessor. The first Borat movie does what it sets out to well,…

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Q&A: EKKSTACY

By Hannah Burkhart, Contributor[Photo provided by EKKSTACY] Editorial content warning: self-harm, attempted suicide Q&A with Vancouver artist EKKSTACY. First off, let’s get some background perspective on you as an artist: what encouraged you to launch your music career? How has your life changed since you started making music? EKKSTACY: I have loved music since I…

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Album Review: boy pablo – Wachito Rico

By Maddie James, Contributor
[777 Music; 2020]
Rating: 7/10
Key tracks: “honey”, “te vas // don’t go”, “mustache”
Wachito Rico sounds like either incredibly well-produced brain candy or sexy elevator music. The newest release from boy pablo, Wachito Rico is the debut album of the indie-pop project headed by Chilean-Norwegian artist Nicolas Muñoz.

Album Review: The Mountain Goats – Getting Into Knives

By Ethan Bloomfield, Contributor[Merge; 2020]Rating: 6/10 Key Tracks: “The Last Place I Saw You Alive”, “Bell Swamp Connection”, “Getting Into Knives” What can be said about The Mountain Goats that hasn’t been? John Darnielle and company have created 13 studio albums and some of the biggest indie classics for the better part of three decades….

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Album Review: Ariana Grande – Positions

By Lauren McCain, Columns Editor [Republic Records; 2020]Rating: 7.5/10  Key tracks: “positions”, “34+35”, “safety net (feat. Ty Dolla $ign)”, “pov”  After the whirlwind of her albums Sweetener and thank u, next less than five months apart in 2019, in 2020, Ariana Grande brings a more intimate, sultry R&B sound to the table with Positions. Positions makes…

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Local Natives’ Kelcey Ayer releases new song

Local Natives’ Kelcey Ayer releases new song
By Kwase Lane, Features Editor
[Photo courtesy of Allister Ann]
Local Natives co-founder Kelcey Ayer has released a new song under the name “Jaws of Love.” titled “m&m”. The track is Ayer’s first solo release of 2020, quickly following the release of Local Natives’ latest EP, Sour Lemon.

Newport Folk Festival limited edition vinyl package sells out within hours

By Ethan Bloomfield, Contributor Attention vinyl fans: another great sale has already come and gone! A pre-order for the limited vinyl release of music-icon collaboration album A Change is Gonna Come sold out within a few hours. The vinyl was released in support of the Newport Festivals Foundation, a charity created in 2010 “to support…

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Covers: An Overview of Approaches for Reimagining Pop Music

By Jonah Krueger, News Editor So, you want to cover a song? Wonderful! Let us start by congratulating you for making this tremendous decision and reinforce how excited we are that you chose us™ to help you along this rewarding journey. Legally, we are required to inform you of the potential risks involved with covering…

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Records I’m Not Ashamed to Own

By RJ Martin, Music Director  Within the landscape of mid-to-late-2000s butt-rock and post-hardcore, there are few acts that rose above the rest and created music that had staying power.  In fact, as far as I’m concerned, there may only be one that matters: Avenged Sevenfold. After putting out two independent records and rising to major-label…

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Lil Nas X announces new song in bizarre commercial

By Ben Lindner, Contributor Lil Nas X took to television during “Sunday Night Football” to offer an absurd advertisement for his new song “Holiday”, which releases Friday, Pitchfork reported. Read more: Run The Jewels releases shirts with a purpose The advertisement features Lil Nas X time traveling to a western town while his Grammy-winning hit…

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