James Shepard, Staff Writer Kate Bush released her experimental fifth studio album, Hounds of Love, on September 16, 1985. Known for its global smash hit “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God),” Hounds of Love has returned to the public eye after the song was featured in season 4 of Stranger Things. However, there is much more to this album besides its massively popular track. Inside this album, Bush has weaved in stories that entice the listener and showcase her incredible musical talent. In the first track, “Running Up That Hill (A Deal with God),” Bush describes the difficulty of knowing what one’s partner feels in a relationship, for it’s practically impossible to get inside their head. In the lines, “And I’d get him to swap our places // Be runnin’ up that road // Be runnin’ up that hill // Be runnin’ up that building,” Bush sings that she would gain a newfound power if allowed inside her partner’s head. The listener can also interpret these lyrics as someone who is seeking mental peace. The line, “If only I could, be runnin’ up that hill” exemplifies this person’s plea for salvation from their tribulations. The title track “Hounds of Love” details Bush’s fears of falling in love, and she compares it to “hounds” chasing her through a forest. Bush begins the song with her experience as a child fearing love and “hiding in the dark.” She repeats this sentiment in the pre-chorus, where she sings, “Now hounds of love are hunting // I’ve always been a coward // And I don’t know what’s good for me.” Bush is hesitant to leap into love and isn’t sure if this is the right road. However, in the chorus Bush sings, “Oh, here I go…Take my shoes off and throw them in the lake.” Bush completely jumps into the “lake,” a metaphor for love. She chooses to trust her partner’s instincts and set herself free from the chains she locked herself in. The next song, “The Big Sky,” is about the singer cloud gazing with her lover. Bush sings, “‘Cause it’s changing in the big sky now,” which represents the consistent change Bush is going through. At this point, the person with Bush isn’t taking advantage of their time with her; they “never understood [her]” and “never really tried.” Bush is looking for someone who keeps up with her ever-changing life and truly appreciates her for who she is. In “Mother Stands for Comfort,” Bush sings about a mother’s role in her child’s life. The mother in the song has unconditional love for her child and stays with her despite the foolish things her child does. Bush emphasizes this notion in the lines, “She knows that I've been doing something wrong // But she won't say anything.” In the chorus, Bush sings, “Mother stands for comfort,” which means that this person’s mother will always be there if they need comfort or care. However, the song shifts with the line, “Mother will hide the murderer.” It turns out this child committed a horrible crime, and their mother is defending her heinous actions. The song ends on an eerie note as the audience learns that the mother excuses her child’s crimes. The album’s fifth track, “Cloudbusting,” is inspired by Peter Reich’s A Book of Dreams, which features memories of his father. For context, a “cloudbuster” is an invention by Peter Reich’s father, William Reich, which could allegedly create rain by harvesting energy from the sky. Written from Peter Reich’s perspective, the song is about him seeing his father “every time it rains,” as it reminds him of the cloudbuster experiment. Peter Reich sees his father through the rain and remembers times when they were together. “Cloudbusting” wraps up the first chapter of Hounds of Love, and the album moves into the next segment, known as “The Ninth Wave.” Photo from katebush.com; Ever since Stranger Things featured "Running Up That Hill" in a few episodes, Spotify streams of the 1985 single jumped by nearly 9,000%. The other seven songs on Hounds of Love form “The Ninth Wave,” a conceptual tale of someone stranded in the water overnight. “And Dream of Sheep” introduces the first part of this story. The song describes the character drifting asleep and wanting to “dream of sheep” while they’re stranded and waiting for rescue. Throughout the song, Bush sings about hearing things like “any sounds of [boat] engines” and saying that “[they] can’t keep [their] eyes open,” implying that they’re going to give in to their weakness and sink into the ocean. The song ends with the line, “They take me deeper and deeper.” “Under Ice” describes the character’s hallucinations as they’re drowning or going into shock. The song’s first verse reads, “The river has frozen over // Not a soul on the ice // Only me, skating fast,” which implies that the character is not aware of the current situation. The song takes a haunting turn when Bush sings, “There’s something moving // Under, under the ice…Through water // Trying to get out of the water // It’s me.” The character begins to realize that they’re in a hallucination, and in reality, they are actually drowning. Then, the song transitions to “Waking the Witch.” “Waking the Witch” begins with various voices telling the character to wake up, supported by a slow piano instrumental. The song jarringly switches to an intense beat as the character travels into the next hallucination. The character now believes that they are on a witch trial, and a man is yelling accusations. Bush frantically sings “help this blackbird.” A group then screams “Guilty, guilty, guilty.” At the end of this chaotic song, a voice yells, “Get out of the waves // Get out of the water” while a helicopter blares in the background. This sequence of auditory events signifies that the character begins to wake from their hallucination as people try to rescue them, but to no avail. The album transitions into the song “Watching You Without Me.” This track describes the character visiting a loved one in spirit, as they wait for them to return. However, the character is still trapped in the water and is not present with their loved one. A few heart-wrenching lyrics from the song include, “I should have been home // Hours ago // But I’m not here,” and “You can't feel me // Here in the room with you now // You can't hear what I'm saying.” This character desperately tries to reach out to their loved one, but it isn’t working. The song ends with Bush’s distorted vocals, which almost sound like a glitching phone call. This unique sound represents the fact that the character cannot contact their loved one. Photo from People Magazine; Kate Bush is excited about her album's resurgence, saying that her music "is being given a whole new lease of life by the young fans who love the show [Stranger Things] - I love it too!" The next track, “Jig of Life,” is about the character’s future self coming back to help the present character. The future self shows their past self that there is hope for the future; they need to “Come on and let me live.” Bush also sings about “your little boy and…your little girl,” signifying that the character needs to live not just for themself, but for their future children. The Irish-inspired, upbeat instrumentals create a sense of urgency in the song, as the character's future self tells them that they need to survive this tribulation and push forward in life. Following “Jig of Life” is “Hello Earth,” a song about the character reflecting about the world she could leave behind. As the character continues to fade out of existence, they look up and see the night sky. While they’re reflecting internally, the listener hears voices yelling “Get out of the waves // Get out of the water” again, signifying that there are people still trying to save the character. Bush, from the perspective of the character, sings “Go to sleep, little Earth,” which may indicate that the character is letting go of life. This line transitions into the final track of Hounds of Love, “The Morning Fog.” The concluding song of the album is “The Morning Fog,” which starts with the lyrics, “The light // Begin to bleed,” signifying that light has returned for the character. Bush sings, “Being born again // Into the sweet morning fog,” which means that they woke up in the water alive, or woke up in heaven. The character’s final fate is up to the listener to decide, though Bush said that she likes to think that the person was finally rescued. The intricate stories told in Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love have had a great impact on a generation of musicians today. From wishing to know the thoughts of one’s partner to hallucinating while drowning, Bush creates an incredible narrative that deserves more recognition and praise from the general population today. Works Cited “Hounds of Love by Kate Bush.” Genius, https://genius.com/albums/Kate-bush/Hounds-of-love. Accessed 11 October 2022
Mitchell, David. “Morning Fog (the).” Kate Bush Encyclopedia, https://www.katebushencyclopedia.com/morning-fog-the. Accessed 13 October 2022
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Kensington Balam, Staff Writer One of the biggest movie premieres of the year was Elvis. The Elvis Presley movie came out in theaters in June 2022, and soon after it premiered on HBO Max. In general, Elvis has already been a huge figure in pop culture. His unique performances have attracted fans, and fanatics, from all over the world. The Elvis movie paints a beautiful picture of Elvis' life from when he was a young man, all the way to his tragic death. The movie consists of the rise of Elvis, played by Austin Butler, and his continued fame (warning: spoilers ahead). The movie begins by showing where Elvis got his style of music. It also touches on the background of Colonel, the antagonist, played by Tom Hanks. A few scenes show the Colonel’s desire to recruit Elvis and increase his fame. You see Elvis Presley perform various times; his style of dancing, moving, singing, and talking is different from any other performer in history. Then, he is recruited by the military, where he meets his wife Priscilla. When Elvis returns to the U.S., he continues to perform and entertain the nation, appearing on the radio and TV. However, he hits a stumbling block because people think that he is a bit inappropriate for kids. Elvis falls down a rabbit hole and questions his identity. Nevertheless, Elvis recruits some of his friends, including Steve Binder, to help him regain his image during the Christmas special. With their help, Elvis become himself again, and his singing encourages the nation when the people are struggling. Later on, Elvis gets his own show in Vegas, which ends up being a trap set up by the Colonel, who just wants the gig to fund his casino antics. As Elvis keeps performing, he falls into the world of drugs, and this snowballs into a ton of other issues. Elvis and his wife split up, and he is stuck in Last Vegas, also called “Sin City.” After all this struggle, Elvis tries to break free, but the Colonel prevents him from doing so. Finally, Elvis dies after doing what he loves for years and years: performing. The movie is heartfelt, but also heart-wrenching. Photo from Ultimate Classic Rock; Why is Elvis Presley so famous? Because of his contributions to live music, he earned the title of "King of Rock & Roll." Overall, the movie is very informative and entertaining. The movie is long, running for over two hours, but it is worth the watch. Austin Butler does a great job playing Elvis and often confuses the audience with how much he acts and looks like the real Elvis. Tom Hanks realistically portrays a corrupt businessman. He is known for many major roles, and the Colonel is an addition to this list. Olivia DeJonge, who plays Elvis’s wife Priscilla, performs the role beautifully from start to finish. Finally, Dacre Montgomery does an amazing job as Steve Binder. One of the highlights of the movie is the Christmas Special, when Elvis sings “If I Can Dream.” It was an amazing scene, remarkably similar to the original performance. The movie shines a light on how toxic Hollywood can be, while also entertaining the audience with Elvis’s rock n’ roll performances.
Juelz-SaMeek Knight, Staff Writer For those who don’t know Blackpink, they are a Korean girl group under YG Entertainment, and their influence is worldwide. From their fanbase to their album sales, members Jennie, Lisa, Rose, and Jisoo have demonstrated their incredible talent. Along with producer Teddy Park, who is responsible for the ideas and flow of their songs, Blackpink has finally released a long-awaited album after a two year break, and it did not disappoint. Photo from Time online magazine; The music video for hip-hop-infused "Shut Down" received over 50 million views in the first 24 hours on YouTube. The Born Pink album was released Friday, September 16. YG Entertainment released the opening track “Pink Venom” prior to the full album, as a single. “Pink Venom” was the first piece of music we’ve heard from the group in two years. It has hip-hop, pop and EDM elements, in addition to an interesting instrumental introduction featuring a traditional Korean gayageum, or plucked zither. The song in its entirety isn’t widely different in comparison to Blackpink’s full discography, but, given how much time it's been since fans have digested new music, the song garnered lots of success. Their second song “Shut Down” is a hip-hop and pop-based song with some interesting classical samples. This sample comes from famous nineteenth century violinist Niccolò Paganini’s “'La Campanella." Like many Blackpink songs, it expresses a no-nonsense attitude through lyrics like, “it’s not a comeback since we’ve never left. Heads turning, careful you’ll strain your neck.” Lyrics like these allude to Blackpink's influence as a girl group in both Korea and the international sphere. The chorus capitalizes on this theme with the powerful statement, “When we pull up you know it’s a shutdown. Pull down the shutter, lock the door, shut down.” This line encapsulates Blackpink’s large sphere of influence. The third track “Typa Girl” has a synthi composition compared to the rest of the album. The lyrics of this song focus on how girls are perceived as powerful and confident with lyrics like “Typa girl that'll make you wanna dream. Typa girl that came straight off of the screen.” These lines insinuate the notion that the band members are so confident in who they are that everyone around them wants to be associated with that “typa girl.” Next, “Hard to Love” is a solo by Rose, one of the members. Rose isn’t a stranger to singing on her own; in March 2022 she released her album R, which included title track “On the Ground” and “Gone.” “Hard to Love” is a pop love song that gently guides the listener through a tale of two lovers. One is too anxious and self-conscious, and doesn’t want to hurt the other. The song captures the downside of a relationship, and how someone's insecurities can devour both lovers altogether. Photo from UDiscover Music; YG Entertainment, the group's record label, thrilled fans when it released promotion pictures in July. The next track is a ballad titled “The Happiest Girl.” It's a slow, somber song centered around happiness, despite having a broken heart. The first prechorus and chorus hint back at the previous track “Hard to Love.” This song describes how someone can find solace even after a bad breakup, communicated through lines like “ Tonight, I'll be the happiest girl in the world. You'll see like it never happened.” A very hurt and heartbroken person can still heal with the right mindset. The second to last track “Tally” is a continuation of previous songs, focusing on the aftermath of a relationship, when you have to come to terms with your own flaws. The members sing about finding true freedom within themselves. Members Jisoo and Lisa's chorus reads: “Cause no one's keepin' tally, I do what I want with who I like.” These lines symbolize newfound command over their lives. “Tally” is the falling action of the Born Pink album, as it picks up the overall mood. “Ready to Love” is the final song in Blackpink's most recent album. It's an EDM and pop inspired song with interesting riffs, bouncy bass, light synths, and interesting trumpet. The members finally resolve their album by expressing that they’re “ready to love” again. After a journey of heartbreak, reflection, and healing, they are now revived versions of themselves, ready to face love with new energy. Sophia Randall, Staff Writer Once a year, millions of people across the globe dim the lights, change out of their business garb, and put on the Emmys. It is an event that people place bets on; they tune in to see the red carpet looks, or whether or not their favorite show is esteemed amongst the Television Academy. In the most recent awards season, many actors and shows made records, setting a new standard for the future. The night kicked off with an energetic start, with actor Kenan Thompson serving as the host and dancing flamboyantly to several TV themes. The red carpet held memorable looks as per usual. Grammy award winning singer-songwriter Lizzo stunned audiences with her gorgeous pink dress fashioned from tulle, and crowd favorite Andrew Garfield looked chic in an all-white Zenga suit. The main event of the evening, however, did not come until the clock struck 8 o’clock in New York City. The host announced the winner for Lead Actor in a Limited or Anthology Series, which went to Michael Keaton for his work in Dopesick. Other notable awards included those for Supporting Actor in a Drama Series and Supporting Actress in a Drama Series. On the night of September 12, 2022, the coveted awards went to Matthew Macfadyen for Succession and Julia Garner for Ozark, respectively. Photo from The Hollywood Reporter; The cast of Ted Lasso was ecstatic when they won the Emmy for Outstanding Comedy Series. Throughout the night, people laughed, cried, and celebrated as their life's work gained (or didn’t gain) recognition from the awarding academy. Included amongst these weeping faces was Zendaya. Her second consecutive win in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series category for her work in Euphoria marks her as the first black woman to win this award twice, and the youngest woman to ever win two Emmy’s. She delivered an inspiring speech, paying tribute to anyone who connects with her character. She shared her hope that, through her character Rue, people can extend empathy towards anyone who struggles with addiction. Lee Jung-Jae, the first Asian man to earn the award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series, delivered another emotional speech. He spoke in his native language, Korean, for a large portion of the speech, paying tribute to the show he starred in and won the award for, Squid Game. This star-studded night ended with the announcements of the casts that won for the Outstanding Comedy and Drama Series. Ted Lasso earned the prize for Outstanding Comedy Series. The cast paraded up to the stage in their glamorous outfits and, led by star Jason Sudekis, delivered a heartfelt speech of love towards family and friends. The drama series that took home the coveted golden statue was Succession, to the delight of the audience and television viewers. Throughout this emotional night, people around the world joined the acting community in their celebrations, and now they eagerly await next year’s Emmy Awards. Works Cited “Awards Nominees and Winners 2022.” Television Academy, https://www.emmys.com/awards/nominees-winners/2022.
Maggie Coughlan, Kia D. Goosby. “Emmys 2022 Red Carpet: All the Fashion, Outfits & Looks.” Vanity Fair, Vanity Fair, 13 Sept. 2022, https://www.vanityfair.com/style/photos/2022/09/emmys-2022-red-carpet-all-the-fashion-outfits-and-looks. James Shepard, Staff Writer On September 16, 2022, Rina Sawayama released her sophomore album Hold The Girl. Serving as a follow-up to her massively acclaimed debut album SAWAYAMA, Hold The Girl puts Sawayama in a new place, sonically and lyrically. When interviewed by Who What Wear, the British artist described the album as “holding your inner child,” for it's an album of healing. Hold The Girl depicts an individual battling their insecurities and eventually accepting their life. The album opens with “Minor Feelings,” which details Sawayama’s childhood experience. She says, “All these minor feelings // Are majorly breaking me down.” On Spotify, Sawayama expresses how “minor” means multiple things, including a minor musical chord. Also, the song’s subject is her younger self, a minor. “Minor Feelings” serves as a precursor for the rest of the album, where Sawayama wrestles with her inner struggles. The second track is “Hold The Girl,” the album’s title track. The song describes Sawayama’s personal growth as she navigates through her healing process. She sings about forgetting her past self, neglecting certain issues, and running away. Sawayama ends the song with the words, “She is me and I am her // So hold the girl.” This song emphasizes the importance of not leaving past trauma untouched; instead, one must heal to move on in life. Next, “Catch Me In The Air” is a track about Sawayama and her mother’s relationship. She sings about navigating her tumultuous connection with her mother, and how they weren’t close in the past. However, at the song’s climax, Sawayama sings, “But mama look at us now // High above the clouds,” which signifies that her and her mother finally reached a place of peace and love for one another. Sawayama ends the song with the words, “I hope that you’re proud,” because most people desire this from their parents. The song is a hopeful message to those who are working towards a closer relationship with their parents. “Forgiveness” details Sawayama’s personal experience with the difficult journey of forgiveness. This is best seen in the lyrics, “Forgiveness is a winding road.” Sawayama knows how treacherous, yet essential, forgiveness is. She sings about her experiences of “reaching dead ends” and losing her mind over trying to understand someone. The bridge features the lines, “I’m still looking for that highway,” a play on words from when she compared forgiveness to a winding road. Even though she may get lost in the winding road of forgiveness, she’s still desperately fighting to achieve it. The track “Your Age” expresses the pure rage and anger that Sawayama experienced as a child. Adults did things to her that she cannot imagine doing, now that she’s their age. This track is reminiscent of Demi Lovato’s “29,” during which she sings about being in the same situation as Sawayama. Someone taking advantage of a young adult or child half their age is truly despicable. This track displays Sawayama’s powerful emotions for the world to hear. Photo from Who What Wear Magazine; Rina Sawayama released her second studio album on September 16, 2022. It is a vulnerable album, with many of the songs centering around her experience with trauma. In the song “Imagining,” Sawayama realizes that what she thought was happening does not match up with reality. She’s caught up in the confusion and chaos of the world while trying to discern truth from falsehood. The chaotic, upbeat production, mixed with Sawayama’s vocals and lyrics, creates a track that exemplifies the message Sawayama tries to convey to her audience. In the next track, “Frankenstein,” Sawayama struggles to fit into society's norms and to appease others. She compares herself to Frankenstein’s monster because she wants to put herself together, in order to transform into a better version. She says she “doesn’t want to be a monster anymore.” In other words, she wishes to be accepted for who she is, rather than a superficial monster. In “Hurricanes,” Sawayama sings about “running into hurricanes” and sabotaging herself. She talks about her high standards, though they only bring out “the worst in [her]self.” Sawayama then buries those emotions deep down, again sabotaging herself as she fails to reach her impossible standards. This process allows the raging storms inside her to grow. This relatable song encourages people to reach out for help if they need it. They shouldn’t feel ashamed when they don’t reach their goals. Setting realistic expectations and treating oneself with care is essential. “Phantom” describes Sawayama’s experience as she seeks after her younger self again. She sings about being “haunted by the way I’ve changed” and trying to fill the space left by her “phantom.” In the bridge, Sawayama desperately calls for her past self to return: “How do you hold a ghost? // Inner child, come back to me // I wanna tell you that I’m sorry.” She wants to comfort her past self during her difficult journey through life. The song ends with the line, “I don’t wanna do this without you.” Sawayama doesn’t want to leave her youth behind, and she is saddened to move on from that part of her life. In the final track, named “To Be Alive,” Sawayama is finally free from all the chains holding her back in life. Sawayama has found pure joy, and she knows “what it feels like to be alive.” She sings about previous confinement, contrasted with eventual freedom. The lines, “All of the beauty and love I could not see // I see it now, I see it now,” serve as a reminder that there is always hope for the future. This conclusion to the album demonstrates Sawayama’s growth– she has found newfound love for genuinely living. Works Cited “Hold the Girl by Rina Sawayama.” Genius, https://genius.com/albums/Rina-sawayama/Hold-the-girl. Accessed October 3, 2022
Fox-Suliaman, Jasmine. “Rina Sawayama Is Redefining What It Means to Be a Pop Star.” Who What Wear UK, Who What Wear, 9 Sept. 2022, https://www.whowhatwear.co.uk/rina-sawayama-interview/slide3. Accessed October 3, 2022 Sawayama, Rina. “Hold the Girl.” Spotify, 16 Sept. 2022, https://open.spotify.com/album/0JO5WJ19NtFRtVYOnw24xS?si=tlXQDcsiRnqfRkhUURAcbg. Accessed October 3, 2022 |