Creating content is something I thoroughly enjoy, and I’ve had a lot of fun with this blog. Anyone who knows me or follows my blog knows music is my life. I love listening to, creating, producing, and working on music; and this blog has been a great learning experience for my future career in public relations. My dream is to manage networking and public relations for artists and businesses within the music industry, and this blog has allowed me to gain a new perspective into both fields. I’d like to share my experience with you all, as well as some final thoughts on my blog!

Social media has been a great tool for promoting my blog. Without it, I’m not sure anyone would have found it by themselves! Implementing images and links were also great tools to reach a larger audience, as well as freshen up my blog posts. I know that pursuing a career in public relations will involve much more experience with social media, and I’m grateful to have learned what I have with this blog. Twitter in particular will come in handy in my professional career, as I’ll be using it to promote artists and brands, as well as my own music from time to time. I honestly found all of the utilities and tools given to me to be helpful and appropriate in one way or another.

I wish I could have expanded my reviews a bit more by doing a track by track review, however I realize such posts would be too long and drawn out for a blog. My post popular week was the week of July 18, when I received 13 views and five visitors! While my most popular post was my review for Tame Impala’s “Currents,” which I believed to be so popular as it was my first review and a generally already beloved album. You can check out my review of this album here. All in all, I’m very happy with how this blog assignment turned out. This was my first class as a Mass Communication major, and I believe I found my calling with this class at Texas State.

Feel free to follow my twitter here.

Today I’ll be doing something a little bit different: I’ll be listing my top five albums in my personal collection. These are albums that I feel are truly worthy of being in my top five, and have left an impact on my life in one way or another.

Starting off in the number five spot is Kanye West’s “My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy.” An album that is, in my opinion, the height of Kanye’s musical career. The experimentation, samples, and vocal performances on this project are like no other, and thus has left a huge mark on the hip-hop/rap genre today. MBDTF is an album that influenced me as an artist as well by sparking my love for experimental and unorthodox sounds. Number four is Nirvana’s live recorded album “Unplugged in New York.” This album means so much to me because I grew up listening to it in the car with my parents. Kurt Cobain has largely influenced my art, and I am truly grateful for the music he released in his lifetime.

At number three is “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City” by Kendrick Lamar, an album that is actually in my top ten albums of all time. I fell in love with this album on my first listen. It has so much to offer in terms of sound and lyrical connotation, including love, loss, faith, and peer pressure. Number two is an album I’ve previously reviewed, “Currents” by Tame Impala. This album invokes so many emotions, and does so in a way I’ve never experienced with any other album. By expressing the perspective of both a person wronged, and “the wrong doer,” Kevin Parker delivers an album that is unlike any love song you’ve heard. You can check out my review of “currents” here.

Finally, at the number one spot, is “To Pimp a Butterfly” by Kendrick Lamar. I believe Kendrick Lamar is a modern day poet, and an artist that only comes around once during a blue moon. I could write pages on pages about “To Pimp a Butterfly,” but to save some time, I’ll put it this way: it is a masterpiece. The album takes everything Kendrick did right with “Good Kid, M.A.AD City,” while creating a uniqueness and freshness for itself. The album is dark and emotional; it’s a political and personal roller coaster wrapped in jazz and funk influenced instrumentals. Kendrick released a masterpiece with “To Pimp a Butterfly” that I’m sure people will still be talking about decades from now.

Mac Miller (born Malcom James McCormick) is an American rapper, singer, and producer from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Miller has one of the most diverse and experimental discographies in modern hip-hop, and has released not only five studio albums, but 13 mixtapes as well (all of which I adore). Unfortunately Malcom McCormick passed away on September 7, 2018 at the age of 26, only a month after the release of his last album “Swimming.” Mac Miller was a huge inspiration to me; not only was he a very talented musician and rapper, but he was also regarded as a genuinely great person who his friends and family could rely on. His music touched many people, and his mixtape “Faces” got me though a very tough time in my life during high school.

It was no secret to anyone that Mac Miller had a drug problem, which ultimately led to his death. This makes the release of “Swimming” all the more disturbing and unfortunate when you realize the entire album is about overcoming addiction by “swimming” rather than “drowning” in it. Throughout the entire album, Miller expresses his struggle with drugs, fame, and relationships over dark, somber beats. He also makes it a point to share the importance of self care and self acceptance, especially after difficult times in our lives. The album’s opener “Come Back to Earth” is a sort of confession as well as a celebration, as the Pittsburgh rapper shares his struggles with depression and how he found the “light at the end of the tunnel,” so to speak, by ending up stronger than he was during his depressive episodes. It truly sounded like Mac Miller was finally in a better place after years of depression and drug addiction, only for fans to find out he was still struggling to overcome his demons.

Mac Miller managed to express some very diverse feelings and beliefs through this album, especially his emphasis on self care. Tracks like Self Care, What’s the Use?, and Ladders, really capture the emotional journey to self acceptance and self liberation the rapper endured. Mac Miller always had a way of involving his listener, and I believe that’s what attracted me to his music so much to begin with. When you’re listening to a Mac Miller record, you start to understand how he’s feeling, and that you’re not alone in feeling depressed, lonely, or lacking self confidence. It’s truly a shame we’ll never see him evolve further from what he was, but his music has absolutely immortalized him, and his caring personality left a mark on many people including myself.

Favorite Tracks: “Hurt Feelings,” “What’s the Use?,” “Self Care,” “Wings,” “Ladders,” “2009”

If you’d like to support this artist (or his family), consider buying this album here. Feel free to follow the artist here.

“The Head and the Heart” is an American indie folk rock band formed in 2009 by Josiah Johnson and Jonathon Russell. As a fan of folk rock myself, this is a band I’ve come to really enjoy (even though I only recently discovered them). Furthermore, their newest album is a hit, tackling the folk rock genre head-on with a unique modern touch. From the album’s opener to it’s closer, the recording, mixing, and mastering is superb throughout. The moment the album starts, its apparent that a lot of love and work went into it.

The band that started in 2009 is definitely different from the one performing today, having lost it’s two foundering members, there’s been quite a dramatic shift in sound. Although there’s still folk spirit on this album, it’s much more contemporary and rock-based than most other traditional folk acts. That’s not necessarily a bad thing though; regardless of the more contemporary sound, the Seattle based rock band still delivers an upbeat and fun, yet emotional album. The contrast of having both male and female vocalists works very well over the clean, well-rounded melodies and instrumentals. At eleven tracks, the album delivers some surprisingly well written and performed tracks.

On first listen, I felt a warmth I haven’t felt on an album in a long time. The album’s opener is a comforting ballad that’s actually one of the highest points on the album. The track “Brenda” is definitely my favorite moment on the album though. The track experiments with some electronic elements that bounce off the folk rock melody extremely well, and is implemented perfectly as not to oversaturate the song. The closing track being an all acoustic one is an interesting choice; while I do like the song, part of me wishes the album ended with more of a “bang.” All in all, this is a great not-so-folk rock album with lots of emotional moments and killer production.

Favorite Tracks: “See You Though My Eyes,” “Missed Connection,” “Brenda,” “Living Mirage,” “Glory of Music.”

If you’d like to support this artist, consider buying this album here, or following them on social media here

As a huge music fan, as well as a new blogger in the music space, I’ve read many music review sites and blogs. None are as reliable, nor respected as Pitchfork.com. Pitchfork is where I go to get new music recommendations, as well as browse reviews of some of my favorite albums. Pitchfork has put me on to many artists and albums, and they make it easy to navigate the site for new music releases in the form of “Best New Music.” From music reviews to documentaries, Pitchfork has a lot to offer to music fans.

Pitchfork has thousands and thousands of music reviews, and even allows users to sort by genre and most popular. Unlike some other music blogs, Pitchfork covers many genres and styles of music. The reviews are organized in a way that shows readers a score out of ten, as well as a detailed analysis and breakdown of the album. Therefor, you can immediately see whether or not the writers found an album worth listening to before you even start reading the review. Pitchfork also offers tons of other music related articles, including artist biographies, interviews, and documentaries.

The site itself is minimalistic, but professional and recognizable. The black on white design really allows for the colorful images and articles to grab the reader’s eye. The site is filled with content, but isn’t overwhelming for readers to visit. Pitchfork even offers a section on the front page for the best albums and tracks by year, allowing readers to access exactly what they’re looking for the moment they open the blog. Pitchfork is definitely an adapting and accessible blog, with tons of content on pop culture and music.

If you’d like to be updated about Pitchfork’s reviews, consider following them here.

Brandon Paak Anderson (better known as Anderson .Paak) is an American rapper, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist; whose equally “gritty and pretty” musical styles are as unique as they are complimentary. The singer-rapper has an almost dualistic sense of sound, drawing influence from both hip-hop and R&B, which he often blends together in his music. I first discovered .Paak back in 2016 with the release of his second album, Malibu, and was instantly drawn to his sensual and groovy sound. However, it wasn’t until his next joint project with hip-hop producer Knxwledge that I became an active fan of his. Now, Anderson .Paak is back with his new album Ventura, which is (in my opinion) his most cohesive and emotional project to date.

On the first track of the album, Anderson .Paak makes it very apparent that this album sees him return to his bubbly smooth grooves that were nearly absent from his 2018 release Oxnard. With an album featuring legendary hip-hop and R&B artists like Andre 3000, Smokey Robinson, and Nate Dogg, .Paak makes sure to utilize each features’ strengths over tailor-made instrumentals and melodies. The hip-hop and rap sections of the album are slightly scarce, and take the form of breakdowns and bridges. Therefore, I believe fans of R&B will be drawn to this album the most. .Paak’s R&B and soul styles really shine on this album, and the evolution and experience he demonstrates is very apparent.

Ventura shows a more vulnerable side of the artist that we’re not as accustomed to on his previous works. Throughout the album, Anderson .Paak describes his idea of the perfect relationship by singing and rapping about finding the perfect partner, compromise within a relationship, and “spicing things up” to keep the relationship healthy and fresh. However, Ventura also offers many moments that celebrate life and the blessings it has to offer. There are a lot of standout tracks on this album that long time fans of Anderson .Paak will appreciate, and newcomers will find particularly interesting. If one thing is for certain, it’s that .Paak has definitely evolved his sound, and has the ability to produce quality tracks. Whatever your taste is, you’ll be sure to be bobbing your head and tapping your foot to this groovy, funkadelic album.

Favorite tracks: “Come Home,” “Make It Better,” “Winners Circle,” “Yada Yada,” “Jet Black,” and “What Can We Do?”

If you’d like to support this artist, consider buying this album here, or following him on social media here.

In 2007, multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker began leading an Australian Psychedelic Music Project under the name “Tame Impala.” Parker leads the album production, recording, writing, and performing as a solo act; however, “Tame Impala,” as a touring act, is made up of a few other members. Tame Impala has released a total of three studio albums since its inception in 2007, with Parker releasing the first album, Innerspeaker in 2010. The band released their next LP, Lonerism, in 2012 followed by Currents in 2015, both to critical acclaim. Both Kevin Parker and Tame Impala have been recognized and nominated for many awards, including Best Pop release, Best guitar player, as well as Album of the Year.

Kevin Parker is heavily influenced by the music of the 60’s and 70’s, and nowhere is it more evident than on Currents. The album’s opener “Let it Happen” is all about the realization that life changes and moves on, sometimes without our knowledge or consent. The track is a spacey, psychedelic trip through Parker’s mental surrender to the flow of the world, backed by electronic synths and psych rock elements. Parker speaks loudly about the fact that his life is changing without his intentional doing, this is especially seen on the tracks “Yes I’m Changing” and “Eventually.” Where Parker admits to his lover that his feelings are changing, and he is unable to do anything about it. “Yes, I’m changing, can’t stop it now. And even if I wanted I wouldn’t know how,” Parker sings on “Yes I’m Changing.” He even goes as far as to say that he’s moved on from his previous feelings, and she will too, eventually.

Although Parker mentions his acceptance of his life moving forward and changing, he is also hesitant and anxious about the coming changes, especially in his love life. In the track “The Moment,” Parker admits that although he knows change is coming, he’s still unsure how he’s going to feel about it all, or how he’ll cope with the changes in his life. “Reality in Motion” shows an even more vulnerable side of him, as he is approached with an opportunity to make his move with a woman he’s had his eyes on, but is too nervous and “sober” to go through with it. Kevin Parker seems very knowledgable about the inevitable changes approaching him, and while he uses these feelings as an “out” of a relationship, he himself is still very weary of them.

This is where Parker begins showing a bit of hypocrisy. Although he had little trouble explaining to his lover his doubts and changed feelings toward their relationship, he also falls victim to insecurity and jealousy. “The Less I Know the Better” following “Gossip” puts Parker in a situation that leaves him feeling jealous and hurt by his ex-lover’s actions. After hearing rumors of his once beloved partner being with another man, he is filled with regret and shame. He also admits that true love can sometimes “bring out the worst in him” by exposing his lack of trust and paranoia on the track “Love/Paranoia,” while also exploring the pain of feeling as though things aren’t as great as they used to be.

This feeling of admitting change, but also being fearful and weary of it is very much a common theme of the album. Parker even contemplates the lovers he had from a past life, and the experiences he gained from them on the track “Past Life.” However, even though he realizes he’s a different person than he once was, he still acknowledges his shortcomings on the tracks “‘Cause I’m a Man” and the album’s closer “New Person, Same Old Mistakes.” It’s in these two tracks that Parker realizes the mistakes he’s made, first blaming his less-than-loyal actions on “being a man,” then finally admitting that although he’s become a new man with new feelings and values, he can’t escape the same old mistakes he’s always made.

To support this artist, consider buying their work here or following them on social media here

Hello, and welcome to my blog. My name is Jonah, I’m 21 years old, and a college student studying Mass Communication at Texas State University. As you can probably tell, I’m a huge music fan, and a true geek at heart. I started this blog purely from my love of music. All genres and musical styles appeal to me, and I plan on recommending and reviewing a very diverse and interesting collection of albums.

I hope to explore music in an analytical sense, both lyrically and sonically. You can expect to see me share my favorite moments from a wide variety of albums and projects throughout this blog. My audience most likely consists of music lovers of all ages, but will appeal to those to stay current and active in the music space, specifically teens and young adults. But that’s not to say there won’t be a throwback post or two, so keep an eye out for some classics! Any and all fans of music looking for something new to listen to, or want to just read about their favorites are welcome!

Music is an art-form, and like many other works of art, an artist may convey both feelings and messages with their art, even if a word is never spoken. All of the albums I discuss in this blog will have a link to purchase, as well as where you can follow the artists on social media. If you’d like to follow me elsewhere, be sure to follow my twitter here for future posts and updates! Music has always been a passion of mine, and is a huge part of my life and future career. I hope to give you all something new to listen to, while also discussing the significance and meaning behind the music.