Album Review: Yeule – Serotonin II

By Kiah Easton, Columns Editor [Bayonet; 2019] Rating: 7/10 Key tracks: “Eva”, “Pixel Affection”, “Veil of Darkness” London-based dream-pop artist Yeule’s debut project, Serotonin II, is a product of the digital age that feels like a soft, artificial ambiance dwelling in the recesses of our increasingly digital existence. Whispy vocals sprawl across a host of…

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Punk’d: The Velvet Underground – The Velvet Underground & Nico

By Venus Rittenberg, Contributor [Verve Records; March 12, 1967]Genre: Proto-PunkHighlights: “Heroin”, “Sunday Morning”, “I’ll Be Your Mirror” Over 50 years since its release, The Velvet Underground’s debut record remains unique but was received very poorly at first, due to its dark subject matter, such as drugs and bondage, as well as the experimental nature of the…

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Contexturally: Grouper – “Headache”

By Kiah Easton, Columns Editor Music is unique when compared to other forms of media in that it has the innate ability to be paired with other experiences separate from what was intended by the artist. Music can always be in the background, bleeding into everything that you do. At least for me, the things…

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ACRN Celebrates: Stevie Wonder

By Max Semenczuk, Contributor [Photo via Spotify] Stevie Wonder still holds a surmountable name in the music industry at age 69. His name evokes feelings of nostalgia, hope and longing. Wonder began his professional career during his early teenage years—only going up from there.  Read more: ACRN Celebrates: Richie Havens Wonder was born May 13,…

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ACRN Celebrates: Richie Havens

By Lauren Patterson, Staff Writer [Photo via Spotify] Woodstock 1969—it’s Friday, Aug. 15 in Bethel, New York. Hundreds of thousands eagerly await the start of the festival, as everyone behind the scenes flusters over the fact that the show was already nearing three hours past its scheduled start time. The crowd was eager; they wanted…

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ACRN Celebrates: Diana Ross

By Jessica Jones, Copy Editor [Photo via Spotify] Who did the Guinness Book of World Records declare as the most successful female artist in history? Who has their name on not one but two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame? Who did Billboard proclaim was the “Entertainer of The Century”?  None other than the…

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ACRN Celebrates: JPEGMAFIA

By Kiah Easton, Columns Editor [Photo via Spotify] JPEGMAFIA took the alternative rap scene by storm in 2018 with his breakout project Veteran. Elements of political activism, abstract production and shitpost-inspired lyrics brought Peggy critical acclaim within weeks of its release.  Read more: ACRN Celebrates: Lizzo Born to Jamaican parents, Barrington DeVaughn Hendricks spent his childhood…

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ACRN Celebrates: Lizzo

By Taylor Linzinmeir, Staff Writer [Photo via Spotify] Pop artist and body-positivity advocate Lizzo can do it all. She can twerk, rap, belt out a high note and write a hook that will be stuck in your head for the rest of your life. Oh, and she just so happens to be a classically trained…

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ACRN Celebrates: Jackie Wilson

By Lauren McCain, Contributor  [Photo via Spotify] “To a rough stone that I am polishing into a diamond,” reads a signed photograph that Billy Ward gave Jackie Wilson in the summer of 1952. Known for his impressive four-octave range, Wilson was a dynamic powerhouse performer, earning himself the title of “Mr. Excitement” in the 1950s and…

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ACRN Celebrates: Tina Turner

By Abby Jeffers, News Editor [Photo courtesy of Peter Lindbergh/Tina Turner] Rock and R&B legend Tina Turner—best known for her sultry voice, uncompromising resilience and one of many hit singles, “What’s Love Got To Do With It”—has reached incredible popularity and sold over 200 million records worldwide throughout her incredible career. Read more: ACRN Celebrates: Miles…

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ACRN Celebrates: Miles Davis

By Jackson Stein, Staff Writer [Photo via milesdavis.com] Not enough can be said about the impact that Miles Davis had on music. No matter what kind of musical concept emerged in the jazz scene, he immediately embraced it and asserted himself as a top-notch innovator. Whether it came with guest appearances on bebop quintets or…

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ACRN Celebrates: Robert Johnson

By Jonah Krueger, Staff Writer [Photo via NPR] It was a clear night in the delta. The air was crisp, the subtle wind only noticeable because of the stillness of the surroundings. A young black man approaches an empty crossroads accompanied only by his acoustic guitar, which hides in a beat-up, hardcover case. He opens…

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