Welcome back from Thanksgiving break. Bobcats are finishing up their last week of classes and beginning the process of studying for final exams. That being said, it's always good to listen to new tunes throughout the week and weekend. This past week, Metallica, Emotional Oranges and others have dropped new music.
“Taurus” by Machine Gun Kelly, Naomi Wild
Many are familiar with the rapper-turned-rock star Machine Gun Kelly. Often abbreviated as MGK, the Ohio native was raised in Cleveland and is not afraid to discuss topics such as depression and addictions in his music. “Taurus” serves as a sort of semi-autobiography film showing Kelly rising and navigating his stardom. For the soundtrack, Kelly wanted something to "sound far from anything like everything's upside down," Kelly said in a Rolling Stone interview. Featuring Naomi Wild, "Taurus" sounds hauntingly similar in tone to their previous collaboration "Glass House,“ which, like "Taurus," discusses the industry's impact on not only rock stars but Kelly's mental health as well.
“On My Way” by Emotional Oranges
Emotional Oranges is an R&B group based out of Los Angeles, releasing a summer vibe on their new single, “On My Way,” featuring percussion with bongos. “On My Way” follows the duo’s October single “Petty” and is the second taste of their upcoming project, “The Juice: Vol III,” creating this fresh soundscape & grooves that infuses R&B into a dance-type record. “We’ve always thought it’d be cool to flip our perspectives,” said Emotional Oranges in an interview. “The Juice: Vol III.” releases Dec 9.
“Angel” by Jimi Hendrix, Zayn
This past Sunday, Nov. 27, would have been Jimi Hendrix’s 80th birthday. Zayn celebrated Hendrix’s musical legacy on his cover of a Hendrix classic, “Angel.” An original member of One Direction, Zayn has bounced around in his music career from a Hot 100 No. 1 in “Pillowtalk,” to a collaboration with Taylor Swift on the “Fifty Shades Darker” soundtrack. “We’re hopeful that this version of a Hendrix classic will enlighten a new generation of listeners about Jimi’s genius,” said Experience Hendrix, L.L.C to Billboard. You can listen to the cover here.
“Lux Æterna” by Metallica
Returning from more than a six-year hiatus comes Metallica, the classic Metal band with hits ranging from "Enter Sandman" to "Master of Puppets." Metallica has been somewhat of a wildcard when it comes to new music. However, they return with "Lux Æterna," which, in its three-and-a-half minutes, doesn't shy away from the roots of thrash. Later in the song, it goes to a much of a punk rock feel. “Lux Æterna” will be the lead single of Metallica's new album, "72 Seasons,” giving Metallica fans hope that this upcoming album will return Metallica to the kings of the metal world. "72 Seasons" releases on April 14.
“Dreamers” by Jung Kook, BTS, FIFA Sound
Soccer fans are rejoicing at the return of the FIFA World Cup, the once-every-four-year event held in Qatar. The World Cup, besides soccer, is also known for the music produced for the event. This time around, K-Pop Star Jung Kook of the boy band BTS comes with his single, "Dreamers." The lyrics, "Look who we are, we are the dreamers, we make it happen cause we believe it." These are the words of young kids who dream of representing their country in one of the world's most significant international sporting events. Jung Kook is among other artists, such as Nicki Minaj, who also produced a song for the World Cup soundtrack entitled, "Tukoh Taka." The World Cup is streaming every day until Dec 18.
