REVIEW ROUNDUP IS BACK, BABY! Bringing you the latest music news on what’s hot and what’s not. If you disagree with any of these takes, let me know! There’s nothing I love more than vigorous music debates (except listening to the music itself, of course).
Sabrina Carpenter improves on all fronts on “Short n’ Sweet”
Sabrina Carpenter has been one of the most notable pop stars receiving attention this year, with her songs “Espresso” and “Please Please Please” garnering lots of recognition and new listeners. Although I found her earlier material to be mostly pretty bland and by-the-numbers pop, these singles, and this new album, show her putting way more personality and humor on display than the majority of her contemporary pop stars. Every song feels couched in a flirtatious wink, and the album is true to its title, being brief and easy on the ears. I will say that I do think there’s a fair handful of songs here that are forgettable or lacking from either a vocal or production standpoint. That being said, this is a huge improvement for her and I’m excited to see where she goes next.
Rating: 7/10
Fontaines D.C. delivers tasteful indie rock with “Romance”
Fontaines D.C.’s, latest album is a great collection of various types of rock, all coated in a dreamy sheen that makes it incredibly pleasant on the ears. This album sees the band’s shift away from their earlier post-punk-oriented sound to a more generalized indie rock style, all while maintaining their penchant for songwriting. I think the biggest standout is the track “In the Modern World,” which is maybe the most emotionally captivating and overall satisfying listen. Give that track a chance, and if you like it, try the whole album!
Rating: 8/10
Magdalena Bay brings ambitious and grand synthpop with “Imaginal Disk”
The alternative pop duo broke onto the scene with 2021’s Mercurial World, and have only striven harder to separate themselves from the crowd with this new record, pushing their groovy synthpop into a bigger and more atmospheric sound. The unique and slick dance beats from their first record have expanded into a cinematic scale, and the vocals are just as quirky and catchy as ever. I will say that I don’t quite the album as much as most fans seem to (I think it is great, just not album-of-the-year material) but I still highly recommend listening to it, as the music is genuinely pretty boundary-pushing with a strong sense of identity.
Rating: 8/10
