Arts+Entertainment
Norton Commander
Nov. 20, 2019: Low, radiating synth undertones the steady drum beats and trill plucks of the guitar in Men I Trust’s “Norton Commander (All We Need).” The almost minute-long introduction lays the foundation for lead singer Emma Proulx’s delicate vocals.
Proulx’s vocals in “Norton Commander (All We Need)” almost seem like a hidden Easter egg. So soft and faint, her voice encourages the listener to pay close attention, or they will miss the echoey endings of each word she sings as they fade back into the underlying synth. The song has very few lyrics, as the majority of what Proulx sings ends up being the simplistic chorus of “it’s all we need.” Proulx steeps the lyrics in her vocals, geniusly intertwined with the instrumentals her trio-mates have set up for her.
Do Hollywood
April 11, 2019: “Do Hollywood,” the Lemon Twigs’ first studio album, is classified under glam, baroque, psychedelic, progressive and power pop. An unforeseen blending of instruments, such as the raw twinges of the harpsichord in “Haroomata” and the subtle strums of an acoustic guitar in “As Long as We’re Together,” emphasize the Twigs’ wacky and uncommon style.
Michael and Brian D’Addario, two brothers from Hicksville, New York, began playing as a musical duo in 2015. They released their debut album in 2016, and the D’Addario brothers wrote almost all of the tracks themselves. The brothers’ personal style is reflective of their music: an eclectic blend of classic ‘70s clothing and a more modern day approach.
Yesterday
Sept. 25, 2018: In my opinion, Noname may be one of today’s most underappreciated artists. A multi-talented artist, Noname showcases her creative, meaningful lyrics, and her soft, yet powerful voice on her 2016 album, “Telefone.” The song that best displays her talents is the opening song, “Yesterday.” It starts out soft, and crescendos into a steady drum beat that pulsates in the background, paired with muffled piano chords and glissandos to announce Noname’s rapping. As a Chicago native, Noname was first a poet, and clearly uses the skills she developed as a writer when she raps. In “Yesterday," she reflects on what it is like to grow up as African American, and how money and fame will not make her forget where she is from. This is a common theme among many of the songs on her only released album. The first verse in “Yesterday” is the perfect way to introduce her album: