Is He Real? is the latest project by Maryland rapper IDK. In this project, he takes a departure from the dark subject matter and more aggressive style of rapping on…
Back in August, JPEGMAFIA broke his year-long silence with a new single “Jesus Forgive Me, I Am a Thot.” The accompanying music video featured him donned in tunics, robes and…
“This album is all about how it’s okay to not be okay, and as an Enneagram type 7, that’s been really hard for me.” Surrounded by her friends, co-writers, and…
Oh yes, another quasi-personality evaluation that is not backed by science or empirical evidence. But hey, if you’re dying from midterms like the majority of the college population, maybe you’ll…
WRVU’s Ashley Roh caught up with indie pop duo, joan, last week as they passed through Nashville on tour supporting flor. They talked musical inspiration, hobbies, tour life, and goals…
If there’s one thing I learned this weekend while attending Pitchfork Music Festival, it’s that bad weather will not stop a crowd of music lovers. Faced with sweltering, 95+° heat…
Three things in this life are certain: death, taxes, and the fact that Pitchfork Music Festival will boast the most eclectic, value-packed lineup of the year. In 2019, this proves…
This summer WRVU, along with multiple other student media spaces in the Sarratt basement, will be undergoing some exciting renovations. In addition to getting all new equipment, the station will…
Five years after his acclaimed debut album, Hozier has returned. If you listen to the internet, he has spent these last five years journeying the Earth to bring us the sounds of the forest and show us the melodies of our deepest, hidden emotions. Wasteland, Baby! is the haunting result.
Hop Along is a part of the conversation. This past year saw the takeover of indie by women, and Frances Quinlan is another prime example of this. Her band’s most recent release, Bark Your Head Off, Dog, has consistently ranked across many major music publications’ best of 2018 lists, including the likes of NPR, Billboard, and Rolling Stone. Rightfully so, as the group’s third record is their most powerful yet. Quinlan’s unique style of world-building storytelling shifts to the forefront on this album, a necessary move given the extent and consequent of the issues she works hard to tackle and contextualize here. The line ‘strange to be shaped by such strange men’ appears on multiple tracks and is repeated like a mantra across the record, a tactic that is intentionally unavoidable and jarring (especially when put to words by Quinlan’s hair-raising voice). This powerful motif unites the project around a common theme of social reflection and reconciliation— one that is about as 2018 as you can get.
World-class guitarist and songwriter Kurt Vile, along with his backing band, The Violators, are on tour and playing Nashville for the first time in over a year — sure to grace the crowd with their stoned 70s rock sound.
Sophie Allison, also known as Soccer Mommy, has emerged as an intensely creative and moving female artist in the last few years. At only 21 years old, Soccer Mommy is already extremely accomplished: since 2016, she has released three albums including her debut album proper, Clean. Clean is a massive critical success and is cited as one of the best albums of 2018 by Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, Billboard, NME, and Noisey, among others.
Last week, King Princess graced us with a stop on her “Pussy is God” tour in Nashville. Debuting in 2018 with her ep, Make My Bed, King Princess is already cementing her reign as one of the premiere rising pop stars. Make My Bed is a masterful blend of catchy hooks, emotional, and self-aware digs, backed by a strong queer identity, and earned her an almost cultish following. Exit/In was a surprising venue given her popularity, and sold out nearly instantly. The intimacy of the venue, this venue was the perfect place to stage her show.
The worlds of folk and Americana music are, at best, in constant struggle between the future and the past. While some folk bands cling to what is familiar, the finest artists see the past as a springboard into fresh new sounds. This was the case with Bob Dylan’s iconic Newport Folk Festival controversy, as it was the case with Fleet Foxes’s breathtaking 2017 album, Crack-Up. Goes West by William Tyler joins this pantheon by continuing not only to push the envelope, but also to open it and slide a letter of his own inside.
The 1975 has never been the band to shy away from extravagance. From the self-titled song appearing on all three of their albums to their ostentatious project titles — I’m…
Earlier this year, Ghost released Prequelle, a near-perfect arena rock record dripping with the band’s classic satanic doom-metal aesthetic and dashes of really fun pop glimmer. Every song on the album fits ingeniously and further establishes the band’s repertoire of new rock classics. Even the two instrumental pieces continue the energy of the other songs seamlessly, creating a beautifully cohesive album. Some tracks have lush orchestral intros and outros which act as gorgeous reprises or previews of other melodies on the album and enhance the overall flow. Somehow, amidst our current music climate of the widespread reappropriation of the sounds and textures of the 1980s, the clear 80s influence on Prequelle still feels fresh and exciting, balanced perfectly against 70s hard rock and 21st century dance sensibilities. Thematically, the album perfectly intertwines deliciously cheesy imagery of the Black Death with entertaining and incisive disses on some of the former members of the band who levied a lawsuit against the frontman. At a fairly concise 41 minutes long, Prequelle doesn’t squander a second; every moment on the album feels important. It’s a strong top 5 contender for my AOTY, and so I had very high hopes for the tour.
When we walked into the High Watt’s Green Room, Active Bird Community’s lead singer Tom D’Agustino was woken up by bassist Zach Slater. “It’s really cozy”, D’Agustino says with a sheepish grin. Slater later confessed that a downside to touring was the constant exhaustion.
There’s so much music released every year, it can seem impossible to keep track of it all. That’s why WRVU Nashville has come up with a list of what we believe to be this season’s essential albums, for those who feel like they aren’t up to date, or for those who are simply interested in discovering something new.
Dropping at this very moment, WRVU has the great pleasure of releasing Lucy DK’s premiere music video, “Drama”! Inspired by the stigma that surrounds women who challenge problematic aspects of relationships, this song encompasses the frustration women experience when labeled as “drama queen,” “crazy ex,” and “psycho bitch.” Especially prevalent for women of color, this stigma reduces the autonomy individuals have over their own relationships and image in society. This song serves as a rejection of toxic individuals from one’s life, and as an acceptance of one’s own emotions, experiences, and identity. The video takes features a dual narrative, encompassing how women who face this stigma are viewed in society. One narrative stars Lucy as an actress in staged production, where she is portrayed as psycho and met with audience disapproval. The second serves as a parallel to the first, but in a completely unstated setting. It stars her trying to navigate her own life and relationships in a completely real and vulnerable fashion.
About a year ago, we saw the virality of the #MeToo movement, which led to the dismantling of many abusive and hugely powerful men. The movement felt cathartic; a beacon of hope for a…
Want to join WRVU Nashville for the 2018-2019 school year? Requirements: Must be a Vanderbilt student Training: 10 album programs, 5 in-studio sessions with a DJ, written and hands-on exams…