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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Meet the DJ: Micycle Wheels

By Taylor Linzinmeir, Staff Writer  The minute Michael Wells walks into the ACRN station, everyone knows they are in for a treat. The first-year music production major radiates energy—never failing to make the people around him feel a little more silly by the end of their interaction.  Read more: Meet the DJ: KT The dream…

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Album Review: Hannah Diamond – Reflections

By Kiah Easton, Columns Editor [PC Music; 2019] Rating: 7.5/10  Key tracks: “Love Goes On”, “Concrete Angel”, “Fade Away” Hannah Diamond has been a driving musical force not only as a member of the PC Music label but also as a hyper-pop pioneer. She takes the elements of traditional pop and deconstructs them, transforming familiar…

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Album Review: Mount Erie –Lost Wisdom, Pt. 2

By Jonah Krueger, Staff Writer [P.W. Elverum & Sun, 2019] Rating: 8/10 Key tracks: “Belief”, “Love Without Possession”, “Belief Pt. 2” Phil Elverum’s last two years have been, to put it mildly, very unique. With the release of a Vanity Fair feature, he transitioned from an indie-music veteran to a tabloid subheading. Overnight, he became…

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Album Review: Earl Sweatshirt – FEET OF CLAY

By Kiah Easton, Columns Editor [Warner Records; 2019] Rating: 6.5/10 Key tracks: “MTOMB”, “EL TORO COMBO MEAL (feat. Mavi)”, “ TISK TISK / COOKIES” Following Earl Sweatshirt’s critically acclaimed masterpiece, Some Rap Songs, Earl’s latest EP FEET OF CLAY feels more like the B-sides of his previous project. However, being compared to the B-sides of…

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ACRN Celebrates: Sylvester, Queen of Disco

By Maria Lubanovic, Copy Editor Sylvester, the Queen of Disco, grew up in the Pentecostal church, where he found his passion for singing through a gospel choir. As an androgynous gay man, he had a difficult time feeling like he belonged and eventually found groups of gay men, trans women and drag queens to perform…

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Artist Profile: Austin Hitte

By Maddie Young, Contributor [Photo via Spotify] When hearing the phrase “SoundCloud Rapper,” a specific image comes to mind: a middle-school kid wearing Air Force Ones with rainbow hair rapping about a Louis Vuitton bag that they don’t even own. But a new generation of DIY rappers have taken over this new golden age of…

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Meet the DJ: KT

By Taylor Linzinmeir, Staff Writer  After an almost year-long hiatus, one of ACRN’s veteran DJs is about to hit the college rock airwaves once more. Sophomore Katie Hawkinson, otherwise known as DJ KT, will be back in the studio this week after studying abroad in Japan for the 2019 fall semester.  Read more: Meet the…

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ACRN’s Top 10 Disappointing Albums of 2019

10. Avril Lavigne – Head Above Water, [BMG; 2019] By Maria Lubanovic, Copy Editor If you told me Avril Lavigne would release an album with cover art of her naked behind a guitar as a way to show a raw and emotional edge, I wouldn’t have flinched. That’s a classic comeback move for a lot of…

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