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Album Review: Eartheater – Phoenix: Flames Are Dew Upon My Skin

By Kiah Easton, Editorial Director[PAN; 2020]Rating: 7/10 Key tracks: “Airborne Ashes”, “Below The Clavicle”, “How To Fight” Eartheater is a master of creating immersive sonic atmospheres that effortlessly wrap around her bodies of work. Her last project, Trinity, threw the listener overboard into an expansive ocean of wet, dark, crashing compositions. Phoenix: Flames Are Dew…

Album Review: A.G. Cook – Apple

By Kiah Easton, Editorial Director[PC Music; 2020]Rating: 6.5/10 Key tracks: “Oh yeah”, “Beautiful Superstar”, “The Darkness” Apple is the second full-length album from PC Music founder A.G. Cook. His first LP, 7G, came out less than two months ago and consisted of 49 songs, lasting more than two and a half hours. Apple fits much…

Under-Studio Session: RJ Martin

Due to COVID-19, ACRN’s Production team has had to move things outside, more specifically under the parking garage of Baker Center. Listen to RJ Martin sing his ballads in the dimly lit concrete environment. Find RJ on Instagram, Twitter and Spotify for more.

2020 Battle of the Bands Information

Contact: Catie Bugos / 330-716-1963 / pr4acrn@gmail.com / acrn.com ACRN MEDIA PRESENTS: VIRTUAL BATTLE OF THE BANDS 2020 ACRN Media to feature six local bands in a pre-recorded live stream competition. Athens, OH, October 8, 2020 – ACRN Media is thrilled to announce our annual Battle of the Bands (BOTB) will continue virtually this fall….

Album Review: Joji – Nectar

By Ethan Bloomfield, Contributor[88rising; 2020]Rating: 8/10 Key Tracks: “Run”, “Afterthought”, “Like You Do” Nectar is the highly anticipated, second full-length release of lo-fi and R&B artist George Miller, aka Joji. Dropping almost two full years after Ballads 1, Joji takes his signature sound to a much cleaner, more focused and emotionally mature place on Nectar. …

Album Review: Father – Tha Thingz I Do 4 Money

Clocking in at just over 13 minutes, Father’s newest project Tha Thingz I Do 4 Money, sees him returning to old habits. For fans of Father, this means new content you will undoubtedly enjoy; however, if you’ve grown tired of his signature sound, then this probably isn’t the project for you. Tha Thingz I Do 4 Money takes a little while to heat up, and even though it ultimately does, that wasted potential is only made more evident by the EP’s extremely short runtime.

Your Favorite Musician is an Asshole: Elvis Edition

By Taylor Linzinmeir, Staff Writer Many call him the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll, but few call Elvis Presley what he really was: a sex offender. I won’t be talking about Presley’s rise to fame in this article; he has already been unreasonably idolized and glorified in countless ways over the years. Instead, I want…

Album Review: Bladee – 333

333 came without any warning, following EXETER, released only months before. Lacking a promotional lead up, it comes with no expectations but delivers some of Bladee’s most expressive and melodic tracks thus far. Shedding all collaborations, even close friend Ecco2k, 333 is an intricately expressed creative vision from Bladee and executive producer Whitearmor.

Album Review: Fiona Apple – Fetch The Bolt Cutters

By Keri Johnson, Copy Editor [Epic; 2020] Rating: 10/10 Key tracks: All of them?! “Shameika”, “Relay”, “Fetch the Bolt Cutters”, “Newspaper”, “Ladies”, “Cosmonauts”, “For Her” Where to start with Fiona Apple? Well, anywhere ⁠— start here, now, with her new album, Fetch the Bolt Cutters. Fetch the Bolt Cutters is classic Fiona Apple. The record…

Album Review: Arca – KiCk i

By Kiah Easton, Editorial Director[XL Recordings; 2020]Rating: 7/10 Key tracks: “Time”, “Mequetrefe ”, “La Chiqui” KiCk i is the first studio album in over three years from Alejandra Ghersi, more popularly known as Arca. Within these three years, Arca went through somewhat of a transformation within the public eye and publicly stated her non-binary identity…

Album Review: Charli XCX – how i’m feeling now

how i’m feeling now was born within and shaped by the current state of the world. Charli XCX, less than a year since her last project Charli, capitalized on the unique situations of the COVID-19 pandemic. Rather than growing sedentary in isolation, she took action using the internet to collaborate – not only with peers, but also fans.

The DIY Scene’s Impact on Artistry and Alternative Careers

By Kiah Easton, Columns Editor [Photo by Kiah Easton] The DIY music scene in Athens, Ohio, provides a crucial launching pad for various art forms and alternative lifestyles. Although the Athens scene is small, the movement reflects a broader trend toward artistic freedom, sustainability and independence, resulting in far-reaching impact. The local youth subculture is…