Weekly Spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5EaWIJIJEXhYpyaCfp7NLm?si=A-igS4QzSqyERNfeqN5h-g 

Jacob’s picks 

1. Church of Misery – “Born to Raise Hell (Richard Speck)” 
2. Lil Wayne – “I Am Not A Human Being”
3. Sheck Wes – “Rich One Day”
4. Greet Death – “Circles of Hell” 
5. Dragged Into Sunlight – “Plainfield / Monarch of Scum” 
6. Cannibal Corpse – “Follow the Blood” 

Japanese doom metal band Church of Misery takes early Black Sabbath influences and makes them just a bit more extreme. “Born to Raise Hell (Richard Speck)” has the groove of a hard rock song, but the guitar and bass distortion make their style much more heavy and sharp. The song reeks of pre-2000s rebellion. A very accessible band to dive into within the extreme metal genre. 

The “I Am Not A Human Being” era of Lil Wayne is extremely underrated. “I Am Not A Human Being” may be one of the most popular songs of that era, but the song has numerous dynamics most mainstream songs never have. Wayne is, of course, working his magic on the mic while the production has a hard-hitting static hip-hop emphasis. The track’s mixing is the unsung hero, so many elements are thrown together without error. 

Sheck Wes may not be the most dynamic rapper, but his songs provide a lot of energetic enjoyment. “Rich One Day” has an entrancing other-worldly background instrumental that is complemented nicely with bass and hi-hats. It’s very easy to get lost in “Rich One Day.”

No other current shoegaze band has quite caught my attention like Greet Death. Like many other shoegaze greats, Greet Death makes music that leaves a long-lasting and melancholic mood on the listener. “Circles of Hell” delivers all of that through impressive musicianship. 

It’s hard to peg band Dragged Into Sunlight into a coherent genre label because most of their discography has blended all types of extreme metal with blackened elements. “Plainfield / Monarch of Scum” is purley a dark ambience track. Paired with a chilling serial killer recording, “Plainfield / Monarch of Scum” captures the spectral horror of outer space.  

Cannibal Corpse decided to come back with a vengeance on their newest album “Violence Unimagined.” “Follow the Blood” is just exceptional death metal. Filthy riff writing paired with Cannibal Corpse’s buzzsaw-like guitar tone has never sounded so heavy. 

Jamie’s picks

1. Kanye West – “Good Life”
2. Post Malone – “Too Young”
3. Wiz Khalifa – “No Sleep”
4. Lupe Fiasco – “The Show Goes On”

Kanye West’s album “Graduation” will always be a classic, despite being released 14 years ago. As finals roll by and seniors get ready to say farewell, this song deserves a proper replay. 

Post Malone has gone through many experimentations and has structured one too many songs in a way that caters to radio popularity. This summer he will be lining up for Rolling Loud, Miami. Since this announcement, it’s hard to believe Malone is the same kid who made the 2016 album “Stoney.” “Too Young” is one of 18 great songs from the nostalgic album. 

Many have said summer 2021 is going to be like summer 2016 or 2019: adventures every day and no time to sleep. After a year into a pandemic, it’s hard to imagine a summer any less than like living in a movie. So in honor of that energy, “No Sleep” is only appropriate. 

Lupe Fiasco reminds listeners it’s not about where you come from, it’s where you go from there that matters in his song “The Show Goes On.” In college, it’s easy to get wrapped up in doubts. Being the first in the family to go to school is a heavy title to wear, but endless outcomes await. 

Brandon’s picks

1. Bright Eyes – “Flirted With You All My Life”
2. Chappell Roan – “Pink Pony Club”
3. James Ivy, Porter Robinson – “Something Comforting” 
4. $uicideboy$ – “NEW PROFILE PIC”
5. Sleepwalk – “Light Upon The Surface”
6. Manchester Orchestra – “Telepath”

The latest release from Omaha indie rock band Bright Eyes is a cover of Vic Chestnutt’s “Flirted With You All My Life.” Bright Eyes’s take on the song is as heartbreaking as the original, with the band stamping their somber signature on the track. The mournful track swells and breaks with lead singer Connor Oberst’s emotional vocals. 

Missouri singer and songwriter Chappell Roan has had a lot of buzz surrounding her since her debut single “Good Hurt” in 2018. Roan has not let her foot off the gas with her top-single “Pink Pony Club,” which is one of the most enigmatic tracks I’ve heard in a long time. From the capturing synths and the extremely catchy chorus to the ending guitar solo, the song brings an overwhelming sense of fun and freedom that will have the listener shamelessly car singing. 

“Something Comforting” is a collaborative track from electronic D.J. Porter Robinson and alternative indie artist James Ivy. The track combines Ivy’s oversaturated vocals with Robinson’s pristine production to create a robust and transformative listening experience. 

Scrim and Ruby da Cherry, better known to most as New Orleans rap duo $uicideboy$, have been steadily building towards the release of their third studio album “The New Normal.” The first single from this anticipated project is “NEW PROFILE PIC,” and if this is a taste of what’s to come on the album, it’s a savory track to start with. The duo returns to form and punch incredibly hard on this track with Ruby’s verse and flow as strong as ever, and Scrim not failing on a beat with knocking bass that even manages to sample some of the duo’s earlier work. 

Chicago shoegaze band Sleepwalk recently released their full length album “Underneath The Shade,” a record which continues to grow the band’s sound. “Light Upon The Surface” is a melodic and winding track full of reverb-soaked vocals and chorus guitar pedals. 

Manchester Orchestra released another single this week for their upcoming album “The Million Masks of God” with the track “Telepath.” The new acoustic single reflects the more folk inspired side of the band, with less synthetic elements than other singles from the project.