Category: Rock

father of all… by green day

Album: Father of All…

Artist: Green Day 

Genre: Garage Rock Revival, Pop Punk, Garage Punk, and Alternative Rock 

Record label(s): Reprise Records 

Recommended Tracks: Track 1- Father of All… Track 3- Oh Yeah!

Green Day is an American rock band formed by lead vocalist and guitarist Billie Joe Armstrong and bassist and backing vocalist Mike Dirnt in 1987 in the East Bay of California. The band started off as Sweet Children and as they added more members to their band, but they typically stay with three members in the future. Soon Lookout! Records took note of them and signed them onto the label, the band then changed their name due to another band having a similar name, “Sweet Baby” and also due to their love for cannabis, leading to the name “Green Day”. The band released their first debut studio album in early 1990 and their success increased from their with them signing with Reprise records after and leading to their success of the American Idiot project. Green Day released many albums and songs throughout their years of success, including their most recent album, “Father of All…”, which was released on February 7th, 2020. This new album is different from their other albums. Unlike “American Idiot”, reflecting the Bush-era of the United States, “Father of All…” aims to be the opposite of this era in the U.S government, aiming to be more “carefree” and “not caring about anything” type of lifestyle. If I were to rate this album out of 5, I would rate it a 4 because of the way the music is different and more peppy and spirited, opposite of their usual feel, but it also doesn’t reflect what Green Day is capable of producing. 

The first track on the Album is “Father of All..” and is arguably the best song on the album. This song follows the album in the sense that it is not supposed to have political commentary, but it is in an obscure way. The song feels like it can be an anthem for a riot or a revolution, it has the feeling and style to it. It also speaks to climate change and the stress of this term’s  U.S president, but it keeps it discreet. Ths instrumentals are also very amazing. The bass in the song feels so awesome and goes extremely well with the feel of the song. Mike Dirnt did an amazing job the bass, they feel very peppy and fun to listen to. The drums also sound amazing and go perfectly with the bass, Tre Cool really matches the energy of the song and makes it more fun to enjoy and rock to. 

“Oh Yeah!” is the third song on the album. This song discusses issues like gun violence ad the education system, but in a subtle manner. The song also mentions social media obsession and how people feel low after they got their money after being a social media star. These topics make the song feel like another anthem or revolution-type of song that people listen to when they are tired of the way things are. The bass makes the song more powerful and enjoyable. The drums seem to mimic hands clapping, making this song feel like many people are rocking to the song at the same time. This song also samples other musicians, which hasn’t been done by Green Day in a long time. Joan Jett and The Blackhearts – Do You Wanna Touch Me is samples in the parts where “oh yeah” is sung. 

“Father of All…” is supposed to be the opposite of what their successful album, “American Idiot”, was. Instead of making the songs politically driven in an obvious manner, this new album focuses on a carefree perspective and lifestyle. However, some political commentary is still shown in obscure ways, but it is not the whole focus. This album is more upbeat and spirited than others but it also lacks the very powerful vibe Green Day is known for. Although this album does not follow what Green Day traditionally produces, it is still a good album, it just doesn’t show the band’s full potential. The bass and drums give the album the upbeat feeling the band is not typically known for, but that is not a bad thing. If you enjoy rock and punk music o recommend listening to Three Days Grace, Radiohead, Fall Out Boy and Sum 41. Overall, if you like a classic rock band with a new taste then I really recommend you listen to Green Day’s “Father of All…”.

manic by halsey

Album: Manic

Artist: Halsey 

Record Labels: Capitol Records





Fine Line by Harry Styles

December 15, 2019

Album: Fine Line 

Artist: Harry Styles 

Record Label: Erskine Records 

Recommended Tracks: Track 1 – “Golden”, Track 5 – “Cherry”

Two years of anticipating Harry Styles’ second solo album finally came to an end on December 13, 2019. His album Fine Line was released, giving us 12 brand new songs to indulge in. It’s genuinely clear that Harry poured his heart into making this album. It’s cohesive, fun, heartbreaking, and definitely some of his best work yet. It’s great to hear how he experiments with his sound on Fine Line and doesn’t restrict himself from sticking to a mold or what people expect from him. Choosing only two recommended tracks was really hard to decide on because all of the songs are amazing in their own way. I rate Fine Line a five out of five. The tracks  “Golden” and “Cherry” stand out, and both differ sonically, showcasing Harry’s versatility. 

     “Golden” opens the album and upon first listen, I couldn’t think of a better song choice to start Fine Line. It begins with a soft drum beat before an explosive shift, introducing Harry’s voice. The lyrics seem to point toward the romanticization of a person, calling them “golden.” It’s fitting since this idea is welcomed at the beginning of the album, it contrasts a lot of the other songs that tear down the idealized outlook on people and relationships. The rhythm is fast-paced and energetic, and Harry’s vocals are warm and he sounds so sure of himself. 

     “Cherry” is a softer song that begins with acoustic guitar that leads up to Harry’s voice. It’s a song that feels inspired by the folk-rock genre, but it’s not totally stripped down as an acoustic song. There are layers of instruments that make it atmospheric and so pleasant to listen to. Lyrically, he sings about how it’s heartbreaking to see his ex-girlfriend moving on to another relationship and missing her. “Don’t you call him what you used to call me” echoes throughout the song, stinging with hints of sadness in Harry’s voice. It’s a heartfelt song and we get to experience Harry being vulnerable, which is a running theme in all of the songs. 

     Fine Line by Harry Styles is one of the best albums released in 2019. Every song is noteworthy and worth giving a chance. 

Yuki by Flowershop

December 15, 2019

Artist: Flowershop

Album: Yuki

Record Label: Flowershop

Recommended Tracks: Track 1- “It Won’t Last”, Track 3- “It’s Now May” 

Indie-rock band, Flowershop, a four-member group based in Dubai, have put out some great music over the past year and a half. They’re a smaller band that are still finding their footing in the music scene, but they show a lot of potential in their sound and style. Their EP Yuki, released in 2018 and can be defined more specifically as having shoegaze influences reminiscent of British indie-rock from the 1980s. Yuki has four tracks in total and they’re all solid, earning it a four out of five rating, but the two that are most impressive are “It Won’t Last” and “It’s Now May.” 

     Track 1 opens with colorful guitars that immediately establish an upbeat tone that contrasts the lyrics but fits well with the overall theme of the song. It’s about fleeting moments and experiences that you know won’t last forever even though you wish it did. The guitar keeps a constant upbeat rhythm paired with the light and airy vocals that gives the song a sense of innocence and naïveté. Toward the end of the song, the vocals fade out and allow the bass guitar to become the center of attention. It’s low tone provides a shift in the overall softness in the song, adding depth to the song. 

     Track 3, “It’s Now May” has an infectious guitar right at the start. Vocally, I think it’s a cool addition to have spoken lyrics at the beginning before the pace picks up during the chorus. Toward the end of the song, there’s a soft fade-out allowing the soft guitar plucks to take over. I really enjoy the rhythm of the song and the quick shifts back and forth from slow to fast pace. 

     Flowershop is full of potential and I recommend giving them a listen. 

KIWANUKA by Michael Kiwanuka

Artist: Michael Kiwanuka


Record Label: Polydor 

Recommended Tracks: Track 9 –  “Hero” , Track 10 – “Hard To Say Goodbye”

British artist Michael Kiwanuka released a new soulful album titled KIWANUKA. It has fourteen-tracks and infuses soul and psychedelic rock influences. It focuses on topics that are personal to Michael, such as his own mental health and political issues. Sonically, it’s an impressive album that definitely shows that Michael isn’t afraid to be experimental with his sound. A lot of the songs on this record are longer than 3 minutes, making it a duration of 51 minutes. There are a lot of instrumental breaks in the songs, giving each song a feeling of variety and not as though you are listening to the same song each time. He does a nice job at allowing his music to settle and simmer rather than rushing, which gives a sense of payoff when you finish listening. I rate it a four out of five. 

The first recommended track, “Hero” starts off with a soft and echoing strum of guitar strings before it’s met with drums. One nice detail that’s implemented in this song is the use of violins behind the guitar during the chorus. Toward the end of the song, the strings become fuzzy and distorted giving it a psychedelic flair to the overall sound. Personally, I think this song is the best off of the album because of its intricate layering of different instruments at the halfway point of the song. Lyrically, it seems that Michael is singing about the pressing issue of police brutality and gun violence in our society. He sings, “please don’t shoot me down…it’s on the news again…I guess they killed another.” 

The second recommended song, “Hard To Say Goodbye” begins with almost two minutes of instrumentals before shifting. There’s a slight pause before Michael begins to sing over the subtle guitar strums. At times, his vocals are echoed by what sounds like a choir behind him. In this song, his voice is very calming and doesn’t change in pitch very much. Overall, it’s a nice song to listen to, especially because of the instrumentation. The guitars buzz during the chorus and add a layer of richness to the sound. 

KIWANUKA is a good album and I think that Michael Kiwanuka will continue to grow in popularity, especially because of this body of work that shows his talent. It’s a cohesive collection of songs and really showcases his focus on production-value. 

An Invitation to an Alternate Reality by New Politics

Album: An Invitation to an Alternate Reality 

Artist: New Politics

Genre: Alternative rock, Pop rock, Pop punk

Record label(s): Warner Bros., DCD2, RCA

Recommended Tracks: Track 1- Unstoppable Track 8- Death of Me

New Politics is a Danish rock band from Copenhagen. It consists of  David Boyd, Søren Hansen, and Louis Vecchio. They came together in 2009 after Boyd and Hansen had been writing music together for years. The first album “New Politics” was debted in 2010 and 4 more followed, including their most recent one “An Invitation to an Alternate Reality”, debuting on November 1st, 2019. This album seems to continue with the theme of innovative thinking, contemporary topics, and interpersonal conflicts that are rarely heard on the radio. New Politics is a unique band that stands out for their use of keyboards, programming, and vocals. If I were to rate this album, I would rate it a 5 out of 5 because the music is rough and feels very powerful and deals with conflicts people have, in this album, which makes the album feel well thought out and filled with emotion. 

“Unstoppable” is the first song on the and it could be argued that it is the most powerful song on the album. New Politics’ music is known for their themes and programming, and this song is no exception. This song has an anthem-like vibe to it. As the title suggests, it is about being unstoppable despite all the constant let downs and put-downs. The programming in this song is amazing, the sounds are very unique. This song makes you feel like you’re ready to try all your best to prove somebody wrong and be the best. The vocals also give this song a powerful vibe, the shouting and echoing give it more of an edge. 

“Death of Me” is the 8th song on the album and it deals more with an inner conflict of a person still in love with someone but knowing that their relationship is not healthy. This song feels like a constant struggle to avoid someone. The vocals in this song were amazing. The lyrics and beat are really catchy. The theme of the song is one that anyone can relate to. This song is one of many on the album in which the band gets more into a relationship-themed vibe and that is the interpersonal themes they are constant with.  

New Politics is a contemporary themed band that deals with both personal and social issues, as shown in this album and previous albums. Their rock style markets well to a younger audience and the music and programming help the audience find it unique. “An Invitation to an Alternate Reality” is a more personal album that is meant to connect more to the individual on a personal level, rather than to society, like previous albums. If you like New Politic then I’d recommend listening to bands such as Three Days Grace and Skillet. Overall, if you like music that speaks to both bigger issues and more personal issues, that is also catchy and unique, then you should definitely listen to New Politics’ new album, “An Invitation to an Alternate Reality”.

Surviving by Jimmy Eats World

Album: Surviving

Artist: Jimmy Eats World

Genre: Alternative/Indie 

Record label: Exotic Location Recordings






You Deserve Love by White Reaper

Band: White Reaper

Album: You Deserve Love

Genre: Rock, Pop Punk

Suggested track(s): Real Long Time

White Reaper’s new album You Deserve To Be Loved  is a great rock album with influences from Queen and All Time Low. I know Queen is an odd band to say they draw influence from, seeing as how everyone takes from them, but the harmonizing guitars really give a Queen vibe. Beautifully composed, the album runs for about 30 minutes with 10 tracks. 

Rock is an umbrella term used for punk, pop punk, alternative, (etc.), but what does it really men to be a rock band? What separates pop from rock? By definition, rock is characterized as a musical movement that took off in the 50s-60s, with experimental riffs and lyrics about sex and drugs. I think now, people more closely relate Rock to being ambitious and rebel-esque, consisting of lots of guitars and solid drums. White Reaper captures the essence of rock in the guitars that harmonize so beautifully to give a queen sound. The lead singer’s voice is more high pitched, and there’s some incorporation of synth, and a more pop sounding beat, which is why I associate them with All Time Low, a staple pop-punk band. 

Real Long Time is a seemingly exetenialist song. The person in the song is being regular, wondering when things will not be so. The line that stood out to me the most was “How come what you want and what you get/Always seem to be two different things?”. Not necessarily a special lyric, but one I related to none-the-less. 

All in all, I would highly recommend this album, it was a very fun and exciting listen, and honestly, Now i’m curious to know what they sound like as a live band. Catch me at their next gig.

Fandom by Waterparks


Artist: Waterparks

Genre: Pop punk, pop rock, electropop

Record label(s): Hopeless 

Recommended Tracks: Track 2- Watch What Happens Next Track 8- Turbulent

Waterparks is an American rock band that consists of three members, Awesten Knight, Geoff Wigington, and Otto Wood. The band formed in 2011after the members had met while playing for different bands. Waterparks released their first studio album in 2016, followed by two more, including their most recent one, “FANDOM”. This album continues with the theme of edgy punk and a pop-like beat that follows personal experiences and that pays homage to their fans. For example, this album was written out of the break up of the lead vocalist Awsten, which seems to be common with many punks bands on. Each member plays a certain role in the band like being the vocalists or guitarists. Their young age, late 20s, is also a contributor to their edgy and fun music that attracted their fanbase. The personal connection and emotional bond that the band put into this album is also another reason that fans love them.  If I were to rate their album, I would rate it a 5 out of 5 because the music is fun to listen to and has the edge that keeps you hooked, it also explores the emotional turmoil that Awsten goes through when dealing with his breakup and what the band thinks of their fans, relating the album name “FANDOM”.

“Watch What Happens Next” is the second song on the album. This song plays into the album’s title, “FANDOM”. The song talks about what the lead vocalist, Awsten, feels when the band’s fans criticize them about how they sound and what changes they choose to do. Awsten expresses all they really want, even though it may make them seem shallow, and he also mentions all the criticisms they receive for changing their sound, and also how fans do not understand that bands are not perfect. This song feels like a message to their fans saying that even though they care about them, that they need to understand that they, the band, themselves are not perfect and can follow a path they want for themselves. The song also feels upbeat and fun to listen to, it gives you a sense of  “I’ll do what I want” attitude. 

“Turbulent” is a song that represents the other side of the album, the personal experience side. This song is an example of Awsten’s own heartbreak or anger from the heartbreak. He explains how he felt during and after his relationship, which was awful in his experience. In the song, he expresses his anger towards his ex and not caring about her and her feelings. He also expresses how he felt mentally due to the breakup and rumors around it. The song goes into depth on his view of the breakup and how he was in the relationship, it is also a more dark and beat-y song. 

Waterparks share a lot of common themes with other punk bands on the air, however, the way Awsten brings in his own experiences gives the band and the album more of a connection with the audience. The group is relatively young and in their youth, which allows them to relate with their fans and make them feel closer to them. FANDOM is an edgy and a big “F- You” to people who hurt you or do not support you, such as Awsten’s ex and Waterparks criticizing fandom. The album, overall, is edgy and gets you in a renegade type of mood, if you like this type of music, then “FANDOM” a listen.

Weezer (Black Album) by Weezer

Album: Weezer (Black Album)

Artist: Weezer

Record Labels: Crush Music and Atlantic Records

Notable Tracks: ” Track 1- “Can’t Knock The Hustle”, ”Track 6: “I’m Just Being Honest”

Rating: ⅗

At one point in time Weezer was at the top, releasing new and unique music, but that was 25 years ago when they released their first (and best) self titled album. Now Weezer is predominately used for memes and comedic entertainment, despite this o.g. Fans (including myself) were still hoping, maybe this could be the comeback. Sadly, this was not Weezer’s comeback, not even close. The album consists of some good songs, but the majority of the album is cringeworthy and repetitive lyrics and synthesized instrumentals.

The first track, “Can’t Stop The Hustle” (no not the Jay-Z song), kicks off the album with a new sound. The track is very experimental and different than its counterparts, but somehow still has the original Weezer feel. The lyrics are simple and slightly repetitive, stating “Can’t knock the hustle /Leave a five star review and I’ll leave you one, too /Can’t knock the hustle/ Hasta luego, hasta luego”. Cuomo lead vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter seems to be writing about his craft and a reflection on his evolution as an artist.

One of the most notable tracks, and most listened to is Track 6, “I’m Just Being Honest”. This song displays the the new ‘radio culture’ sound that older bands are all adapting to. This song is fun, upbeat and really catchy. The chorus states, “So, here we go/ Don’t get mad at me, I’m just being honest/ I should have lied”. This song is probably one of my favorites of the album, not because of cool transitions or deep meaningful lyrics, but because of its simplicity. This song is easy to listen to and could find its way into a beach roadtrip playlist.

Weezer followed suit with their other self released albums, using 10 songs- but I almost feel as though that is too many. There feels as though some songs are used as fillers because while there are good songs like the ones I discussed, there are also some pretty bad ones. It is not that it is horrible, I just expect more from Weezer. I am not saying that Weezer needs to go back to their roots, they have already done that (really well) I was just expecting more than synthesized instrumentals and repetitive lyrics. Regardless, this album is a steady ⅗, not amazing but definitely not going to be a big part of the Weezer’s discography.