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The Setonian
Music

Kendrick Lamar's new album dazzles with new, raw material

Did Kendrick Lamar have anything left to prove? Fresh off a year that included the release of his widely acclaimed third album "To Pimp a Butterfly," a few virtuosic live performances that set the Twittersphere ablaze and his sweep at the Grammy’s, the answer seemed to be a resounding "no." With ...


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Music

Sunflower Bean impresses at The Middle East Upstairs

Just three weeks following the release of its debut LP "Human Ceremony" and almost exactly a year since its last visit, Brooklyn’s Sunflower Bean returned to The Middle East Club Upstairs in Cambridge for a nearly sold-out show on Saturday, Feb. 27. "Human Ceremony" is the latest ...


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Columns

Jumbo Steps: As I faced the music

I felt like Sean Connery upon entering Ryan’s hotel room last night. In true James Bond fashion, Ryan closed the blinds, immediately cut to the chase and opened one two jet black cases lying on the floor.But then, it all stopped being so “MI6,” for Ryan wasn’t an enemy, I wasn’t there to assassinate ...


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Music

St. Lucia's 'Matter' is unadulterated synthpop

If you visited any independent coffee shops or juice bars in 2014, you are undoubtedly acquainted with “Elevate,” the infectious synthpop hit from South African indie musician St. Lucia. “Elevate” exemplifies the unique sound on St. Lucia’s debut album “When the Night” (2013): 80s synth, ...


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Music

Beyoncé celebrates her black Southern roots with 'Formation'

“What happened after New Orleans?” asks the voice of the late Anthony Barre, better known as Messy Mya, over the intro to Beyoncé’s new surprise single, “Formation” (2016). Barre, a black comedian, rapper and social media celebrity who was killed at the age of 22 in November 2010, isn’t ...






The Setonian
Columns

The biggest 2016 Grammy nomination snubs

The nominations for the 58th Annual Grammy Awards, highlighting the best and brightest talents in the music industry, were released Monday morning and, as always, caused a bit of controversy. Though the committee recognized many deserving artists, many more musicians were not recognized, and my job ...


The Setonian
Music

Johnny D's, music club for both local, Tufts musicians, to close in early 2016

Johnny D's, a local restaurant and music club, announced over the summer that it will be ending its 46-year-long history of celebrating and hosting musical performances in Davis Square in late January or early February. The local joint, which has hosted famous artists like Alison Krauss, Ben Harper, the Avett Brothers and the Dixie Chicks, has also provided a stage for several Tufts bands and musicians.


The Setonian
Music

Streaming is king

Something changed over the summer. The change was probably imperceptible to most people, but it is meant to fundamentally affect the music industry.For years -- since 1989 in fact -- new music in the United States had gone on sale on Tuesdays; in Canada and the U.K., Mondays; and in Australia and Germany, ...


The Setonian
Columns

Making the case for country

If anyone at Tufts asks me what music I like, I immediately respond with “hip-hop,” usually getting a nod of approval in return. However, when I go back home, slip into my car and jet across the New Jersey Turnpike, the playlist blasting from my car speakers is exclusively country. I know what ...


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Music

Pentatonix continues to redefine a cappella music

Here are two of the most common reasons music listeners either refuse to listen to a cappella music or are quickly bored by it: 1) It's almost always covers of popular songs, and 2) It's difficult to keep arrangements of songs as interesting as music with actual instruments. In its self-titled ...


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Music

Guide to upcoming music releases of 2015

The past 10 months or so have been jam-packed with great music releases. From industry legends like Sufjan Stevens and Björk, to newer artists such as Julia Holter and Vince Staples, music-lovers have had a lot to be excited about. There has, of course, been a fair share of forgettable projects, ...



The Setonian
Columns

Power ranking Drake's albums

If you are Aubrey Drake Graham, it really is a great time to be alive. The Toronto rapper’s recently released surprise collaboration album with rapper Future, “What A Time To Be Alive," debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Chart.It was Drake’s second No. 1 album in 2015, following the success ...


The Setonian
Music

Second annual Fall Fest puts Commuter House in spotlight

There are not many places you can go if you want to taste traditional German food at one table and New England cider doughnuts at the next, but this is what the Off-Hill Council’s Fall Fest provided this past Saturday, Sept. 26.Enclosed in a fence on the Residential Quad, the Fall Fest represented ...