Category: Music Reviews
The only thing I didn’t like about this album is that it wasn’t released sooner. Although these songs have been around for decades, they were released and compiled into an album only recently. Hendrix was a musical genius, and it certainly shows on People, Hell & Angels. The rhythm used on this album is excellent. [...]
Helms Alee is a band from Seattle, WA. Night Terror is their first studio album and is very unique. Helms Alee don’t seem to fit into one particular genre of music, but Night Terror sounds like grungy-shoegaze. “New Roll” is my favorite track on the album; it has an uneasy feeling to it at some [...]
Alternative Rock band, My Bloody Valentine, have finally returned after two decades with their new album, mbv. This album is not my favorite from My Bloody Valentine, but there are a few good tracks. The first track, “she found now,” is very ambient. It is not particularly interesting musically, but I did find it relaxing [...]
South Puget Sound Community College students Paulie Wildey and Kevin Anson and their friends, former SPSCC students Jeremy Johnsen and Tony Staples, are members of the local punk band, Kill Shot. The band was recently voted the number one punk band in Olympia by the website, reverbnation.com. Kathryn Herron: How long ago did you guys [...]
Klee is a pop band from Germany. Their name literally translates to “Clover,” but it was actually inspired by Paul Klee, an expressionist/surrealist artist. ”Tausendfach,” literally translated as “A Thousand Ways,” is the title track off of this short album. The chord progression sounded pretty standard, but the melody fit perfectly. Despite the lyrics being [...]
Seattle band Soundgarden’s first studio album since 1996 was just released. It’s been a long time. Vocalist Chris Cornell evidently agrees; the first track on the album, called “Been Away Too Long,” is an upbeat, driving rock song. This song was alright, but it was definitely the right choice as the first song on the [...]
The first song, “State of Grace” was a pretty basic pop song. I didn’t think there was anything particularly special about it, but what I did notice was her outstanding vocals. Taylor Swift can sing, and I can really appreciate that in her songs. Her lyrics tend to be themed toward love and hate; relationship [...]
Kavinsky is the alter-persona of French electro-house artist Vincent Belorgey. Kavinsky’s second extended play is titled “1986.” Most of Kavinsky’s songs are solely instrumental. The first track, “Wayfarer,” fades in with a synthy, upbeat riff that’s repeated throughout the song. This was my least favorite song on the album, and it’s one that I’d only [...]
I have no idea what Muse was trying to do here. This album is all over the place, and most of the songs sound unoriginal. The single they released several months ago is titled “The 2nd Law: Unsustainable.” This song, inspired by dubstep artist Skrillex, is based off of the 2nd Law of Thermodynamics. I [...]
Broken Water is a band from Olympia, WA with a sound reminiscent of 90s grunge bands. Their latest album, titled Tempest, has its focus more on guitar than vocals. Pros: The album flows very well and the melodies are unique. The melody line of “Underground is very upbeat and catchy, which is a good break [...]
Follow us, join us, like us, tweet us...
Student Spotlight: Hongna Svay
Hongna Svay, 29, is currently studying computer programming at South Puget Sound Community College. He came to Olympia from his native country Cambodia to attend college and to be near his friends and relatives in the Olympia area. Svay first came to America in Aug. 2010. He started attending SPSCC right away, enrolling in English [...]
Student Spotlight: Hal Schrieve
After two years of frustration, new Running Start student, Hal Schrieve begins school in the hope that SPSCC will provide a more realistic transition into adulthood. “I felt as if I deserved more autonomy within my own education,” said Schrieve. Schrieve’s decision to participate in Running Start spawned, in part, from previous conflict with his [...]
After experiencing challenges at SPSCC, student Rebekah Hutson turns things around
Rebekah Hutson faced and overcame many challenges while at SPSCC. Graduating with an associate of arts this quarter, she said she started at the college unenthusiastically, feeling isolated as a black student on a mostly-white campus. Hutson said since then, she gained a passion for making the school more diverse and became very involved [...]
Mainstream media: biased and skewed
Recently, there was an ExxonMobil oil spill in Arkansas, according to NPR. However, there was very little media coverage on it. ExxonMobil threatened to arrest journalists who enter the area of the oil spill, because they didn’t want media coverage of the damage the oil spill has done. From Exxon’s point of view, it makes [...]
In 1997, the United Kingdom enacted strict legislation effectively banning almost all firearms across the country. This was in the wake of the Dunblane school massacre, which sent the entire nation into a panic over gun control. So, how did this ban affect gun crime in the United Kingdom? It rose, dramatically. The number of [...]
People are more likely to use a gun for harm if it is available to them. The easy accessibility of firearms, rather than people themselves, causes rising gun violence. Think of corruption in government. Politicians are more likely to abuse power because of their position. Their actions are not necessarily malicious. They are presented with [...]