Album Review: Parannoul – After the Magic

By Ethan Hofer, Staff Writer
[POCLANOS; 2023]
Rating: 8/10
Key tracks: “Polaris”, Parade”, “After the Magic”
Shoegaze, known for its popularity mostly in the European scene, has truly shown how artists and bands internationally interpret the genre. Anonymous South Korean musician Parannoul has set the standard for modern-day shoegaze, especially on their debut record To See the Next Part of the Dream, known for its noisy, maximalist instrumentals. After the Magic follows a similar pattern to great effect.

Album Review: Yeah Yeah Yeahs – Cool It Down

By Roman Salomone, Contributor
[Secretly Canadian; 2022]
Rating: 8/10
Key tracks: “Burning”, “Fleez”, “Different Today”
The reinvention that rock music underwent in the early 2000s has finally reached the age where it’s being looked back upon for ushering in a wave of legendary bands. Groups like The Black Keys, Bloc Party, Metric, and Interpol have all continued to release music through the past decade. Meanwhile, LCD Soundsystem and Paramore have all been coming out of long-term hiatuses and releasing some fantastic throwback singles. Strangely though, one of the most essential groups of that scene has stayed relatively quiet on the music front in the 2010s – the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. The trio went on a hiatus after 2013’s Mosquito, and other than reuniting for the occasional festival performance, the group has stayed almost completely silent. That is, until May 2022, when the announcement of a new album and single came to much hype and speculation. Better late than never, but it makes sense. With up and coming groups like Wet Leg, Viagra Boys, and illuminati hotties taking clear influence from the trios’ classic 2000s albums, it’s the perfect time for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs to show their bones again. 

ACRN’s Favorite EPs

With only 28 days (and 29 in each leap year), February seemed like a fitting month to ask our staff about their favorite shortest albums. In other words, we’re talking about our favorite EPs. EPs and demos have the power to make or break careers and complement an artist’s entire discography. Like interludes between acts…