Welcome back to Weekly Gems at KCSU! We are your hosts, KC Flanagan and Miriam Hill, and we are excited to update you on what KCSU has been spinning! Let’s get started!
- The Gem by Julia Jacklin
Jacklin explores mixing folk, pop, and soft rock to make a comforting, warm album about accepting love and rejection. Her vocals and lyrics are often soft and floaty, and when laid over the acoustic guitar that dominates most of the album, maintains an intimate listening experience. While some tracks on the album are more uptempo and energetic, most of the record focuses on slowing down and experiencing different forms of love in each track. Our featured song this week is “Angel Vision”.
- New Avatar by Kelela
Kelela’s previous R&B sound is mixed with modern grunge and alternative electronics in her newest release. Throughout the record, she implements more distortion, guitar, and live drumming, mixed with synthesizer and electronics to combine multiple genres into each song. Her vocals are notably soft and melodic, contrasting some of the heavier electronics and guitars throughout the record. Our featured track this week, “linknb”, is a great example of the artist’s genre mixing and utilization of live instruments and electronics.
- Halcyon Blues by Citizen
This record was released earlier in August, and it was well received for great lyricism, a mature sound, and emotional exploration of the arts. Most of the tracks have grunge and rock influence, ranging from softer, more acoustic vibes to hard punk rock. While Citizen refuses to make the same song twice, the album seems to honor all of their past work, exploring acceptance, unexpected changes, and life in the music industry. Our featured song this week is “Either Way”.
- Throw the Dice by Soft Loft
Soft Loft is based in Switzerland and has incorporated native folk music influences with modern alternative rock and grunge. The band focused on lyrics and guitar throughout the album to create intimacy and vulnerability. The lyrics are often about self-acceptance, friendship, and pursuing dreams, which speaks to Soft Loft’s career and experience in the industry so far. The band makes each member’s musicality heard, whether it be in the arrangement, orchestration, or lyric writing. Our featured track this week is “What Are The Odds”.
- Melodie by Slow Pulp
This album is a mixture of bedroom pop and grunge, using heavy distortion and upbeat drumming to bring a harder sound to otherwise soft pop lyrics and melodies. Melodie was released earlier in September and has been well received by old and new fans, especially for its emotional vulnerability within the lyric writing. The band has broken into new circles with their newest release, and many listeners enjoy their genre-blending to create a timeless record. Our featured track this week is “Red Car”.
- Modernism by Perennial
Modernism is full of quick sprinting rock songs, mixing free jazz bass sounds with auxiliary percussion, and most importantly, punchy lyrics with hard, distorted guitar. Most of their tracks are meant to be danceable punk music that goes all out for 90 seconds, which is similar to many 90s punk rock songs that packed a huge punch in just under 2 minutes. Our featured track this week, “Emma Peel”, is a great example of Perennial’s musical message and energy.
- There Near by Dinosaur Jr
With the release of their sixth studio album, Dinosaur Jr is back with maturity and excitement. This album has notably softer lyrics, however, the punchy and hard guitars maintain their usual sound. When backed by the strong, energetic rhythm section, the album has high energy even through the ballads and slower tracks. Maintaining a classic rock sound with modern grunge and alternative influences is something that Dinosaur Jr has established well. Our featured track this week is “Walk Me Back”.
- Mud by Remi Wolf
Remi Wolf’s new album has been well received as an exploration of burnout and emotional awareness. Wolf has said that most of the songwriting was done during a period of burnout during a tour, and many of the lyrics are specifically focused on issues that arise during young adulthood, especially in your twenties, something very relatable for college students. The album also focuses on breakups and the emotional turmoil that comes with lost love. Our featured track this week is “Moon So High” feat. John Mayer.
- Pylon by Beabadoobee
KCSU has been very excited about Beabadoobee’s new release, and we got the opportunity to host an early listen of “Nothing to Prove” feat. Hayley Williams. This album is a big contrast from some of her earlier releases where she had softer, more reserved lyrics and instrumentals. Pylon doesn’t hold back at all, showing the artist’s emotional release from problems with the industry, growing pains, and experiencing mental health struggles. Our featured song is “Despite That”.
- Lost Weekend by Phoebe Bridgers
Phoebe Bridgers has maintained her spot in Weekly Gems, and after performing at Ball Arena earlier in October, KCSU is excited to keep spinning Lost Weekend. The album focuses on grief and lost relationships, especially focusing on Bridgers’ relationship with her father and her ex-boyfriend. The album was released for early listening at planetariums across the country, incorporating NASA imagery and video into the music to create a cohesive human experience. Our featured track this week is “Liberty Tree”.
Check back next week for more recaps of KCSU’s top 10 albums of the week!