Music is used for many things. Whether it’s used in an arena to pump-up a sports team, played to celebrate the first dance between a married couple or just background music in an elevator, it is everywhere for a reason. Music is used as a platform to promote political ideas and ideologies; it can be both cathartic for the artist and listener or it can evoke simple emotions. With mid-semester slumps in full force, music is a great way to power through. Grab a blanket, some headphones, whatever homework you have and overcome that slump and get through the semester with these latest music releases:
The one with politics at the forefront:
Imagine Dragons’ Dan Reynolds is no stranger to voicing his opinion about politics, and the band’s latest single is no exception. “Machine” is a full-powered protest anthem. The third single off of its upcoming album Origins, the song features Reynolds singing about how he’s not part of “your machine” –– later expressing how he is the machine. The song is poignant in today’s political climate, especially with elections happening Tuesday. It is a definite song to play as you go to ignite change and vote.
The one that brings the singer back home:
After Mikky Ekko broke into the mainstream with “Stay,” a collaboration with Rihanna, he debuted his first album Time in 2015. Mixing R&B with pop, Ekko had songs recorded all over the world with everyone from Ryan Tedder to Benny Blanco. Nearly four years later, Ekko has changed-up the game and record his second studio album, FAME, strictly in his hometown of Nashville, Tennessee.
While Time has a bit of everything, likely due to the many influences and producers, FAME is more focused. Ekko linked up with Cage The Elephant producer Jay Joyce, and created an album that compliments Ekko’s smooth vocals without losing the authority and power the singer encompasses. It’s a standard pop album, yet Ekko expands into hip-hop backing beats and even some slower songs. But ultimately he doesn’t lose himself in the mix.
The one that laughs at the negatives of life:
Pistol Annies, composed of Miranda Lambert, Ashley Monroe and Angaleena Presley, is a band blended of roots, americana and folk that is perfect for the fall season. With its first album in five years, Interstate Gospel, the Annies band together and sing about how miserable life is — something most artists don’t touch on in modern country.
Interstate Gospel is a whopping 14-track album from three powerhouse female artists. The trio touch on the rough things in life and even find humor in them. In songs such as “When I Was His Wife” or “Got My Name Changed Back,” it’s apparent that Lambert is singing about her marriage with country-singer Blake Shelton. The trio look at the matter-of-fact parts of life and take them in, laugh at them and then sing about it all. The album is borderline depressing, but its angle at life seems to works.
