the-riley-review

[the-riley-review]

Megan Thee Motherf*ckin Stallion breaking social constructs left to right

In today’s society, people feel as though hip-hop music glorifies sex, money, and drugs. The three essentials to creating a hit hip-hop song. And when it comes to men in today's rap industry, they aren't seen as sexual deviants in any way shape, or form compared to women in the same industry which is total bullshit. For example, Megan Thee Stallion. A queen that I feel honored to have today, has faced so much hate and criticism in her life about her music and everything it stands for when the real message behind her music is for women who have been put down in their lives to love themselves and be the baddie they were always meant to be. Point blank period. Starting her career in 2016, Megan created a platform through her music for women, especially women of color, to be comfortable with who they are and love everything about themselves and I admire and adore her for that. But sadly people feel entitled to criticize her for being a woman as if men in the hip-hop industry aren't making the same kind of uplifting, inspiring music about a group of people as well. The hypocrisy Megan Thee Stallion and other women face in this industry are beyond aggravating for all they want to do is be respected for their work and not feel less than a man. Artists like Megan aren’t running the culture of hip hop today but are saving it from the downfalls and self-hatred and lack of meaning or message.

As more and more of her songs became hits when released, the more hate and criticism she received as an artist. Usually all men, people would comment under her music videos with responses such as, ���Why would she make a song like this, she has to be a whore” or “My kids should not be exposed to stuff like this, shame on you”. Meanwhile, these same men are probably so sexually preoccupied and feel as though their wives don’t love them enough and cheat over and over again. All they are doing is just feeding into the hypocrisy they have created rather than trying to tear it down. It saddens me to hear and read about such hypocrisy because all they need to do is just mind their fucking business but no, they choose to spread hate since she is a one, a female artist, and two a BLACK female artist that is successful. Now even though Megan acknowledges all this hate she only acknowledges it to thrive off of and prove all the fucking haters and criticizers that they are wrong.

In a New York Times special about Megan Thee Stallion, she goes on to speak about what she stands for and how she wants to be a voice for black women everywhere. Same time around this interview, Megan was shot twice in the leg as she was trying to leave someone with whom she wasn’t in a relationship, but that’s not how he perceived it. For a while, she was silent about the situation in fear of what the media and the whole world would say about the situation since women of color are always criticized negatively in situations like this. Megan goes on to state: “My initial silence about what happened was out of fear for myself and my friends. Even as a victim, I have been met with skepticism and judgment. The way people have publicly questioned and debated whether I played a role in my own violent assault proves that my fears about discussing what happened were, unfortunately, warranted.”(https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/megan-thee-stallion-black-women.html).

Not only because of the criticism black women face in today’s society but the criticism Megan faces as a black artist, she chose to live in silence about an issue that we as non-celebrities don’t think a celebrity would or could go through. And the fact that people would ever even consider that it was her fault that she got shot makes them a sick piece of shit because who the hell asks to get shot, I know I sure as hell wouldn’t so I know she wouldn’t as well. And in the same article Megan continues on with her interview allowing the reader to know that she isn’t afraid of a little criticism anymore and for that, I applaud her and am deeply inspired by her.

Ok so when it comes to her music, of course, she receives hate for basically all of them since they glorify being a girl boss or just a powerful, comfortable women figure in society. Men do not want that tho. They want a woman who is dependent on them and needs a man figure in their life and Megan challenges that thinking through her music. One song of hers I know that received a lot of hate and backlash when it first came out was ‘Body’. In her song, ‘Body’ Megan glorifies the beauties of one’s body and the love and pride she shares about her own. The mindset of loving one’s body doesn’t sink in well for toxic men of today’s society since they feel as though women should love their bodies because a man justified their beauty for them. And respectfully but disrespectfully Megan said FUCK THAT and that mindset. This song was a great eye-opener for women today to just love who they are and the skin they are living in. Can we have more Megans in the world, like PLEASE?

^Megan Thee Stallion - Body [Official Video]^

At the end of the day, Megan Thee Stallion will forever be an icon for the hip-hop/rap community and will always inspire young black girls and women to love who they are for who they are. Even though society constantly criticizes her and her music, as if men in the rap industry aren’t doing the same, Megan still prevails. Over and over again she dismisses the hate given to her and knows that her work isn’t what is wrong with the world, the world just isn’t ready for her work or someone like her who defies the social constructs of what a lady or woman should be. Challenging the system of cultural/societal criticism allows the system to change and grow and Megan Thee Stallion will always be a prime definition of being herself and saying a big fuck you to the status quo. Hope yall enjoyed this piece. Peace and Love.

[the-riley-review]

Megan Thee Motherf*ckin Stallion breaking social constructs left to right

In today’s society, people feel as though hip-hop music glorifies sex, money, and drugs. The three essentials to creating a hit hip-hop song. And when it comes to men in today's rap industry, they aren't seen as sexual deviants in any way shape, or form compared to women in the same industry which is total bullshit. For example, Megan Thee Stallion. A queen that I feel honored to have today, has faced so much hate and criticism in her life about her music and everything it stands for when the real message behind her music is for women who have been put down in their lives to love themselves and be the baddie they were always meant to be. Point blank period. Starting her career in 2016, Megan created a platform through her music for women, especially women of color, to be comfortable with who they are and love everything about themselves and I admire and adore her for that. But sadly people feel entitled to criticize her for being a woman as if men in the hip-hop industry aren't making the same kind of uplifting, inspiring music about a group of people as well. The hypocrisy Megan Thee Stallion and other women face in this industry are beyond aggravating for all they want to do is be respected for their work and not feel less than a man. Artists like Megan aren’t running the culture of hip hop today but are saving it from the downfalls and self-hatred and lack of meaning or message.

As more and more of her songs became hits when released, the more hate and criticism she received as an artist. Usually all men, people would comment under her music videos with responses such as, “Why would she make a song like this, she has to be a whore” or “My kids should not be exposed to stuff like this, shame on you”. Meanwhile, these same men are probably so sexually preoccupied and feel as though their wives don’t love them enough and cheat over and over again. All they are doing is just feeding into the hypocrisy they have created rather than trying to tear it down. It saddens me to hear and read about such hypocrisy because all they need to do is just mind their fucking business but no, they choose to spread hate since she is a one, a female artist, and two a BLACK female artist that is successful. Now even though Megan acknowledges all this hate she only acknowledges it to thrive off of and prove all the fucking haters and criticizers that they are wrong.

In a New York Times special about Megan Thee Stallion, she goes on to speak about what she stands for and how she wants to be a voice for black women everywhere. Same time around this interview, Megan was shot twice in the leg as she was trying to leave someone with whom she wasn’t in a relationship, but that’s not how he perceived it. For a while, she was silent about the situation in fear of what the media and the whole world would say about the situation since women of color are always criticized negatively in situations like this. Megan goes on to state: “My initial silence about what happened was out of fear for myself and my friends. Even as a victim, I have been met with skepticism and judgment. The way people have publicly questioned and debated whether I played a role in my own violent assault proves that my fears about discussing what happened were, unfortunately, warranted.”(https://www.nytimes.com/2020/10/13/opinion/megan-thee-stallion-black-women.html).

Not only because of the criticism black women face in today’s society but the criticism Megan faces as a black artist, she chose to live in silence about an issue that we as non-celebrities don’t think a celebrity would or could go through. And the fact that people would ever even consider that it was her fault that she got shot makes them a sick piece of shit because who the hell asks to get shot, I know I sure as hell wouldn’t so I know she wouldn’t as well. And in the same article Megan continues on with her interview allowing the reader to know that she isn’t afraid of a little criticism anymore and for that, I applaud her and am deeply inspired by her.

Ok so when it comes to her music, of course, she receives hate for basically all of them since they glorify being a girl boss or just a powerful, comfortable women figure in society. Men do not want that tho. They want a woman who is dependent on them and needs a man figure in their life and Megan challenges that thinking through her music. One song of hers I know that received a lot of hate and backlash when it first came out was ‘Body’. In her song, ‘Body’ Megan glorifies the beauties of one’s body and the love and pride she shares about her own. The mindset of loving one’s body doesn’t sink in well for toxic men of today’s society since they feel as though women should love their bodies because a man justified their beauty for them. And respectfully but disrespectfully Megan said FUCK THAT and that mindset. This song was a great eye-opener for women today to just love who they are and the skin they are living in. Can we have more Megans in the world, like PLEASE?

^Megan Thee Stallion - Body [Official Video]^

At the end of the day, Megan Thee Stallion will forever be an icon for the hip-hop/rap community and will always inspire young black girls and women to love who they are for who they are. Even though society constantly criticizes her and her music, as if men in the rap industry aren’t doing the same, Megan still prevails. Over and over again she dismisses the hate given to her and knows that her work isn’t what is wrong with the world, the world just isn’t ready for her work or someone like her who defies the social constructs of what a lady or woman should be. Challenging the system of cultural/societal criticism allows the system to change and grow and Megan Thee Stallion will always be a prime definition of being herself and saying a big fuck you to the status quo. Hope yall enjoyed this piece. Peace and Love.

[the-riley-review]

Shaping a Rigid Culture: Lil Nas X

The most industry focused person to never have had any prior experience in the industry, Lil Nas X has his finger on the pulse of pop culture more so than any label executive could ever wish for. Being raised by the internet served as a perfect template for everything that he would bring in to marketing his works. An absolutely stunning blend of pop music anthems mixed with a natural talent for marketing his own music you can tell that everything that comes out from this artist is uniquely his own.

Speaking about pop culture Lil Nas X recently collaborated with Maury to bring his own drama filled spectacle to the screen that went viral as with everything else he has done. Just one of the countless examples of being so in tune with what the consumer finds engaging and the material they love to see.

Being so in tune is such staggering feat when you realize nearly everything hes put out has blown up and basically promoted itself by going viral, and despite the attention being shown on this artist everything has steadily gotten gayer!

Starting with the pretty tame “Old Town Road” that opened up the star to his rise to fame actually feels pretty devoid of what is making him ubiquitous now. The constant push back from society for his increasingly proud acts of self acceptance and gayness only serve as vocal reminders of the culture that he is shaping whose detractors ultimately fall at the wayside for the ones who need it the most.

Probably the biggest shift was the release of “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” a song that garnered complete ire of those that sought to shut him down. Just for the visuals of him pushing the culture and bringing more depictions of being Black and gay than most artists before him that have reached his level of notoriety. In my opinion those are only NIMBY homophobes that hate to see the world change around them (AKA Boosie). The constant pushing of these boundaries serve as a way to make it more acceptable for Lil Nas X’s target audience to become more comfortable with being who they were born to be.

And this shows in his music too, whenever he gets push-back for being gay he just out-gays the haters leading to a feedback loop that will only serve to make things gayer if theres more hate. People being more comfortable with who they are born to be isnt the cornerstone of his success, instead its the opposite. He came out after already reaching stardom and under so many eyes as a testament to the fact that his sexuality isnt what put him on top but will keep him there. Part of this I like to believe he explores himself in the song “Industry Baby” where as Genius lists the lyrics of the pre-chorus as

I ain’t lost since I began, yeah Funny how you said it was the end, yeah Then I went did it again, yeah

Funninly enough I hear it more as

I ain’t lost since I been gayer, yeah Funny how you said it was the end, yeah Then I went did it gayer, yeah

https://genius.com/Lil-nas-x-and-jack-harlow-industry-baby-lyrics

[the-riley-review]

Shaping a Rigid Culture: Lil Nas X

The most industry focused person to never have had any prior experience in the industry, Lil Nas X has his finger on the pulse of pop culture more so than any label executive could ever hope to achieve. Being raised by the internet served as a perfect template for everything that he would bring in to marketing his works. An absolutely stunning blend of pop music anthems mixed with a natural talent for marketing his own music you can tell that everything that comes out from this artist is uniquely his own.

Speaking about pop culture Lil Nas X recently collaborated with Maury to bring his own drama filled spectacle to the screen that went viral as with everything else he has done. Just one of the countless examples of being so in tune with what the consumer finds engaging and the material they love to see.

Being so in tune is such staggering feat when you realize nearly everything hes put out has blown up and basically promoted itself by going viral, and despite the attention being shown on this artist everything has steadily gotten gayer!

Starting with the pretty tame “Old Town Road” that opened up the star to his rise to fame actually feels pretty devoid of what is making him ubiquitous now. The constant push back from society for his increasingly proud acts of self acceptance and gayness only serve as vocal reminders of the culture that he is shaping whose detractors ultimately fall at the wayside for the ones who need it the most.

Probably the biggest shift was the release of “MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name)” a song that garnered complete ire of those that sought to shut him down. Just for the visuals of him pushing the culture and bringing more depictions of being Black and gay than most artists before him that have reached his level of notoriety. In my opinion those are only NIMBY homophobes that hate to see the world change around them (AKA Boosie). The constant pushing of these boundaries serve as a way to make it more acceptable for Lil Nas X’s target audience to become more comfortable with being who they were born to be.

And this shows in his music too, whenever he gets push-back for being gay he just out-gays the haters leading to a feedback loop that will only serve to make things gayer if theres more hate. People being more comfortable with who they are born to be isnt the cornerstone of his success, instead its the opposite. He came out after already reaching stardom and under so many eyes as a testament to the fact that his sexuality isnt what put him on top but will keep him there. Part of this I like to believe he explores himself in the song “Industry Baby” where as Genius lists the lyrics of the pre-chorus as

I ain't lost since I began, yeah Funny how you said it was the end, yeah Then I went did it again, yeah

Funninly enough I hear it more as

I ain't lost since I been gayer, yeah Funny how you said it was the end, yeah Then I went did it gayer, yeah

https://genius.com/Lil-nas-x-and-jack-harlow-industry-baby-lyrics

[the-riley-review]

\'*•.¸♡Its Sfire♡¸.•*'/

A duos who wings were clipped tragically with the passing of one of its members. One half comprising of Jeffrey Sfire a DJ whos formative introduction to music scenes began in illegal warehouse dances in Detroit at age 15. Coming from a wealthier upbringing this escape from that brought him into new music scenes which he would use as an opportunity to delve into meeting DJs and musicians that would open up the doors of a new creative aural space. Honing his creativity he would develop the skills needed to be a DJ naturally and all before the age of 18 would be sneaking through the back of venues or using a fake ID so he could DJ afterhours in sleazy places. Late after hour parties and gay clubs were scenes that would take him in and foster a place for being able hone his live performances and would be the scenes that would lead him to collide with the other half of 'Sfire'. Rummaging through crates of records in stores and linking up with retired DJs would define his life after 18. As soon as he hit that age he would be off to Chicago a place that would have a profound impact on his musical palette after being introduced to the blood rushing scenes of high energy music like Italo Disco and other electronic sounds of the 1980s.

https://www.movement.us/pages/jeffrey-sfire

The other half of the duo being the late Sophie Xeon more known mononymously as SOPHIE, a trailblazing electronic musician of Avant-Pop. As a young child she would be played cassettes full of electronic music by her father that she would later steal from the car. At a very young age her father would also take her to raves and was someone who she described as having creative instincts that led to an ”ability to see into the future and not be about some bullshit nostalgia. Not someone that’s like, “Sixties, ’70s, this is the real rock and roll.” He was always like, “That was rubbish. Electronic music’s the future.”” https://www.lennyletter.com/story/sophie-interview

This would inspire her music influences all the way throughout her life. After being given a keyboard for one of her birthdays as a birthday gift she began locking herself away in her room as a form of escapism and would later want to drop out of school in pursuit of it (which never happened).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sophie_(musician)

Theres something unmistakable about her production where once youve heard you can recognize songs that shes worked on, a terrific feat for any electronic musician to have an obvious touch on tracks through their discography. The music is at the same time freeing as it is energizing bringing you up high and making you feel a range of emotions that can be translated onto the dance floor. Although this duo probably wont be releasing any more music after the tragic passing of Sophie, shes known for a tremendous back catalogue that has been known to leak on the internet.

Rest in peace SOPHIE.

[the-riley-review]

The Transformative Colors of Music

Today I'm going to be interviewing my little sister and how music plays an integral part in her life.

So just starting off can you give us your name and what instruments you play

My name  is Kelsey Riley and I play guitar, ukulele, piano, and I sing.

Was there any reason you chose to pursue any of those specifically

I learned ukulele first, learning it at camp because everyone else was learning it. But it became too easy and I switched to electric guitar. However since the one we had in the basement was missing a string I learned to play songs that didn't involve the high E string. I started learning piano seriously two years ago alongside that, and Dad bought me a new string after a while and fixed the amp that we had. I was also playing piano on a half keyboard which is like the worst keyboard.

And do you think any of this helped you become a better musician?

Any of what?

Teaching yourself from scratch with limitations on what you can do.

Yeah... well for guitar I guess I learned a lot without a capo or a string for a while, and for piano I didn't have weighted keys or a pedal which is like.... harder to play piano without weighted keys. Harder to give it depth.

Now this is just based on me knowing you but would you like to talk about how learning music has helped you in other areas of your life.

I guess it has helped me cope better with things, helped me process emotions that I have. I have dyslexia and its been really hard to learn how to read music, so I played violin at my elementary school and I was really good initially when we were allowed to annotate our music sheets. After they moved on from that I became discouraged because I couldn't keep up with everyone. I also played piano at that time with a piano teacher and I quit because I couldn't read music after a year and a half of trying to learn how to read music.

How did you eventually find out that this hurdle of not being able to read music was something deeper?

Well I wasnt diagnosed with dyslexia until sophomore year of high school so when I learned that I had that I decided to give music another try after learning new reading techniques because Ive been singing my whole life.

Can you describe some of these techniques and how you found out about them? Well Mom and Dad had me do an IQ test I guess and they told me I had dyslexia and after that I had to go to dyslexia tutoring. What connects back most to music was being able to train my eyes to be able to read from line to line which started the process of being able to get back into music. My piano teacher that I have now told me about the Boomwhacker technique.

Can you go a little bit more into depth about what that is and what it entails

Basically it color codes the notes and connects them to a note on the piano in a rainbow order starting from low C to high C. And it basically just like shows you on the line what note you have to play and its really helpful. Memorizing the colors came to me so much easier because I could memorize the colors.

...That it?

Yeah I guess I reached my word count thanks for your time.

No problem

[the-riley-review]

Just Some Gay Sh*t & Plenty of Coincidences

art by @kurtbrec on instagram

I love when things align randomly, but is somehow, perfect. Before the pandemic i was coming up to New Brunswick to listen to bands play in somebody’s basement of a house they were leasing and had been sad that they werent happening anymore. For confidentiality reasons they wouldn’t ever put the address out on fliers for the upcoming shows, either you knew where it always was, knew someone who knew, or they decided you werent a narc after vetting your instagram so cops couldnt bust it. They called it “The Preserve” and im pretty sure it isnt around anymore but i used to hang around and chill with the bands between and after sets and i guess i was memorable enough that he remembered me two years later and randomly hit me up saying that his new band was playing at a cafe and to come through. I thought this was cool but wasnt in the mood for it initially since I like to chill on the weekends. I park far off campus to avoid tickets and after my Words About Music Class I was making the long hike back to my car where suddenly some guy on a porch looked at me and said he liked my flowing long hair with beautiful curls and beard to which it was obvious that he was saying this because he as well had the same features. He looked familiar though. Somehow I came up with his name out of thin air after remembering he was the guy who hit me up for the show a few days before, which surprised him that I knew his name.

Anyway he told me about the show again and I told him i’d try and make it. So i hit up a friend and made plans for the weekend and to add on to a long list of coincidences this same friend said he had actually been eyeing that cafe and wanted to go but never went. The day of the set i picked him up from Busch so i could be the designated driver and drove back to college ave to find a place to park nearby. As i pulled up to the curb at the only space that was available on the street and stepped out to feel the cold air i recognized the telltale signs of a house show, a long line out front, a mixture of cigarette, weed smoke, and the permeable smell of alcohol and some band playing in the backyard. I’d probably have never found out about this place if i didnt park there. They didnt really try and hide it since we’re not doing basement shows anymore. This would end up being the “Milky Mansion” but ill find out about that later since i had a different show to go to.

After sliding through the liquor store nearby and buying a four loko for my friend we were chilling at what seemed like the end of set at the cafe and still wanted to do more. We doubled back to the place i had heard the music from but they told us it was “at capacity” so after walking away and failing to convince him to jump the fence in the backyard with me we went back to the cafe where the band had rallied and played some more. I was feeling a bit sad for him because while we were listening to the set he confided in that me sometimes hes uncomfortable hitting on men at parties because he isnt sure if theyd react well to it or violently, and i confided in him id fuck someone up if they tried something like that. Initially he didnt want to crash the concert but after playing a game of chess in the cafe and bumping into his fellow RA and her friend who was also at the same cafe as us waiting for the bathroom and coincidentally was also thinking about swinging through that same concert we got turned away from earlier, he was down. Coincidences are crazy. And this time we got in without a problem, i think the door guy fucked off for the night.

The Milky Mansion brands itself on instagram and the fliers as a “🧚🏻queer show house in nb🧚🏻“ with a hard emphasis on “🖤no phobes or jerks 🖤“ and after i enjoyed the music scene that first time I had to go to whatever the next show they were throwing. But this time i had to have a little fun myself too. After picking up the same friend and ditching my car for the night i bought four lokos for the both of us which i promptly slammed and after it started hitting i joined in on the mosh pit going on in front of the stage. I bummed a cig of some guy, promptly threw up, found some coors stashed in a bush, drank some more, and stabbed my hand on some flipped up rusty screws while triyng to brace myself after breaking a cellar door by laying on it. My tetanus shot was working overtime. The mansion even had a haloween costume party where they ranked who came dressed the best. I think Grindr masc for masc ended up winning. Also as im typing this im realizing that one of the people that i talked to that night was a college friend of a someone I knew in highschool. We ended up taking the buses back to his place and crashing on his couch.

Also that friend that i brought again got hit on while we were there! A guy came up and shared a joint with him and they added each other on instagram. Very cute! Im really happy i found a place like this and i hope he’ll continue to feel comfortable enough around the scene there to be himself.

Heres the flyer for the next show, its on you to find out what the address it. Dont come thru if your not cool w/ that gay sh*t.

@milkymansion on instagram

[the-riley-review]

How a $5 Admission Ticket Solves Your University Worries

“I think this is it,” you say to yourself staring at a slightly discolored and largely neglected house that has just one small path leading to its backyard where you can hear music that sounds like a jumbled collage of sound rather than a well-coordinated concert.  But it certainly isn’t frat music, so this must be it.  You take that slightly odd path and eventually see a beat-up folding table where a person asks you for a 5-dollar donation.  Sometimes you can access the staircase right from the backyard and other times you have to go through the house.  Did you wear your nice shoes?  That was a mistake.  Well, it’s too late now, anyways, so you eventually find your way to the basement steps and start to descend them making sure to hold onto the sticky railing or paint splattered walls in the hopes that you don’t lose your balance and tumble down.

As all this is happening, the music is becoming a lot louder, and you can hear the joyous hubbub of voices laughing, fake singing, and engaging in conversation, but your main attention is on the setting itself.  The common items, cheap Christmas lights strung carelessly throughout the space, odd carpets barely hanging up from the walls, and a completely tattered washing and drying machine make up some of the most necessary elements.  This will be your new home, welcome to the New Brunswick basement show scene.

Reflecting on my time exploring the scene, I have a mixture of fond memories and surprisingly enjoyable performances with an almost equal amount of self-conscious reflection amounting to something like “why the hell am I even here?”.  But, of course, that is all very subjective.  The one thing that unites all basement show fans is the sense of resolve they find in a nightlife environment that doesn’t just revolve around kegs of Keystone Light and some of the worst music you’ve ever heard in your life being played louder than you’d ever think necessary.  In opposition to Rutgers’ somewhat dreaded fraternity scene stands the humble, self-hosted basement scene; a place that accepts people how they are and doesn’t really promise much but can still offer a lot.  

I believe it isn’t truly possible to convey a sense of what these shows are like without experiencing them for yourself.  I’ve attended concerts for about a year-and-a-half (abruptly ended by covid) that left me truly puzzled, and others that were inspiring and made me want to dance and bop my head without any apprehension at all.  I’ve been to rap concerts, head-banging metal shows, dance-music filled club atmospheres and, of course, the indie-rock shows that seem to be the most common denominator between such a wide and varied selection of music.  Some of these shows combine different genres, too, and frankly I’ve never known what to expect half the time until I’m actually there.  I’ve seen rappers completely fudge through songs they’ve written themselves, bands that couldn’t quite figure out what key their song is supposed to be in, and other artists who start getting stage fright and seem like they just can’t wait for their set to end.  But that’s the whole point of these shows, everyone playing and performing is exactly like you: a little lost, a little uncertain and just desperately trying to find their voice and identity at a school that seems so large and overwhelming at times that it can really make you feel forgotten about.

This article posted in NJ.com provides a counter view to my skepticism and gives a far more optimistic approach, with the headline telling you basically everything you need to know “A sweaty New Brunswick basement just hosted the best N.J. concert of 2017”.  Frankly, I find that hard to believe.  I’m sure it was a great show, but I’ve seen one of the bands perform multiple times and I do recall them being quite good, but to say that it was the best show in the entire state especially considering how many professionally-set-up venues there are throughout a historically music-rich state, this is an extremely bold claim.  Still, I think this kind of article gives you an idea of why they can be so lovable.  It’s not necessarily the performances, it’s certainly not the venue itself, but it’s the kind of energy and feeling that basement shows give you that are truly unique and can, at their best, make you feel like you are at something remarkably special for a few hours.

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/2017/03/scenes_from_a_new_brunswick_basement_show_where_nj.html

To understand this scene, you don’t need to understand the aesthetics of the music and the quality of the performances.  They vary too widely to say anything with consistency.  To me, these basement shows are special because of the sense of community and belonging that can be such a difficult thing to find at a school so big and frankly unyielding toward students who don’t feel comfortable being a drink away from blacking out and making horrible decisions.  Basement shows gave me a necessary alternative.  When my other friends had ‘better’ and ‘cooler’ things to do on the weekend, I knew I could find a show to go to where I could feel like I was a part of Rutgers and wasn’t just sitting in my dorm regretting my life decisions.  I’m not sure if many other students there share that sentiment, and a lot of the time I made the journey to these shows on my own which certainly changes the way one interacts in a crowd, but I always had the feeling that these shows gave those that had a hard time finding their place at Rutgers an opportunity to feel accepted and be a part of something.

Images:

https://raritanriverreview.wordpress.com/2014/12/19/the-underground-sound-new-brunswicks-basement-music-scene/

https://www.nj.com/entertainment/music/2017/03/scenes_from_a_new_brunswick_basement_show_where_nj.html

[the-riley-review]

The Music Scene of an all Hallows-eve Party 🎃

Realistically, when it comes to a high school party most people only go to either A, showboat their new outfits or boyfriend/girlfriend, or B, to get fucked up. I go neither. I go to just experience the vibe and get a perspective on how people in my generation today. Sometimes there are those parties that have trash-ass music and there are others that hit the spot with the music they provide, and best believe I will be talking about the scene of the best high school party I had ever gone to in my entire life.

My junior year on October 30th, which now I think about it probably wasn’t the best time weather-wise to have an outside party, my friend threw this big Halloween party at her house since she has a gigantic backyard. I got to be there earlier than the party started since we were close and my god did these people not fail my expectations. For those who came in costumes, they were basically like no one’s costume felt original in any way, shape, or form. For example, some guys showed up in just all-black attire with glowing masks on which literally screams basic. They honestly didn’t care, they were just there for the party and to get plastered. Those that didn’t show up in costumes tho, were the people I was looking out for. Guys coming in graphic tees, jeans, and a fresh pair of kicks and a hat from lids to match while girls came in most likely a Forever 21 crop top with jean shorts and some white vans. It was just the standardized party outfit which kinda sucked to constantly see.

Now even though the people at the party all looked basic asf, the energy they brought to the table was giving what needed to be given. Of course, at any high school party you can think of there’s gonna be alcohol. Teens love to get drunk, don’t know why because it really couldn’t be me but they just do. And not to say sober people don’t know how to have a great time because they do but it’s something about a happy, energetic drunk person at a party that just brings good vibes. Along with all of this happy energy followed absolutely amazing music. My friend had a senior who was a Dj come and Dj the party and my god he did not disappoint. He started from the classics such as Work by Rihanna and transitioned his way to the hits we listen to today such as High Fashion by Roddy freaking Ricch. It was like he magically scanned the room and understood the vibe that he needed to provide. With his little set up on my friends’ back porch, speakers blasting, this party was by far the best high school party I had ever gone to and that was all thanks to the music provided by the amazing Dj.

Alright, long story short high school parties can be very cliches, like the ones you see in all the teen movies or tv shows. If you’re lucky though, you may come across a party that has a scene like no other, with great music, great vibes, the whole damn package. I’m glad I was able to revisit my past to the best party I had ever gone to for no other party I go to now compares to that cold-ass October night. Well that all folks. Peace and love.

[the-riley-review]

Just Some Gay Sh*t & Plenty of Coincidences

art by @kurtbrec on instagram

I love when things align randomly, but is somehow, perfect. Before the pandemic i was coming up to New Brunswick to listen to bands play in somebody’s basement of a house they were leasing and had been sad that they werent happening anymore. For confidentiality reasons they wouldn’t ever put the address out on fliers for the upcoming shows, either you knew where it always was, knew someone who knew, or they decided you werent a narc after vetting your instagram so cops couldnt bust it. They called it “The Preserve” and im pretty sure it isnt around anymore but i used to hang around and chill with the bands between and after sets and i guess i was memorable enough that he remembered me two years later and randomly hit me up saying that his new band was playing at a cafe and to come through. I thought this was cool but wasnt in the mood for it initially since I like to chill on the weekends. I park far off campus to avoid tickets and after my Words About Music Class I was making the long hike back to my car where suddenly some guy on a porch looked at me and said he liked my flowing long hair with beautiful curls and beard to which it was obvious that he was saying this because he as well had the same features. He looked familiar though. Somehow I came up with his name out of thin air after remembering he was the guy who hit me up for the show a few days before, which surprised him that I knew his name.

Anyway he told me about the show again and I told him i’d try and make it. So i hit up a friend and made plans for the weekend and to add on to a long list of coincidences this same friend said he had actually been eyeing that cafe and wanted to go but never went. The day of the set i picked him up from Busch so i could be the designated driver and drove back to college ave to find a place to park nearby. As i pulled up to the curb at the only space that was available on the street and stepped out to feel the cold air i recognized the telltale signs of a house show, a long line out front, a mixture of cigarette, weed smoke, and the permeable smell of alcohol and some band playing in the backyard. I’d probably have never found out about this place if i didnt park there. They didnt really try and hide it since we’re not doing basement shows anymore. This would end up being the “Milky Mansion” but ill find out about that later since i had a different show to go to.

After sliding through the liquor store nearby and buying a four loko for my friend we were chilling at what seemed like the end of set at the cafe and still wanted to do more. We doubled back to the place i had heard the music from but they told us it was “at capacity” so after walking away and failing to convince him to jump the fence in the backyard with me we went back to the cafe where the band had rallied and played some more. I was feeling a bit sad for him because while we were listening to the set he confided in that me sometimes hes uncomfortable hitting on men at parties because he isnt sure if theyd react well to it or violently, and i confided in him id fuck someone up if they tried something like that. Initially he didnt want to crash the concert but after playing a game of chess in the cafe and bumping into his fellow RA and her friend who was also at the same cafe as us waiting for the bathroom and coincidentally was also thinking about swinging through that same concert we got turned away from earlier, he was down. Coincidences are crazy. And this time we got in without a problem, i think the door guy fucked off for the night.

The Milky Mansion brands itself on instagram and the fliers as a “🧚🏻queer show house in nb🧚🏻“ with a hard emphasis on “🖤no phobes or jerks 🖤“ and after i enjoyed the music scene that first time I had to go to whatever the next show they were throwing. But this time i had to have a little fun myself too. After picking up the same friend and ditching my car for the night i bought four lokos for the both of us which i promptly slammed and after it started hitting i joined in on the mosh pit going on in front of the stage. I bummed a cig of some guy, promptly threw up, found some coors stashed in a bush, drank some more, and stabbed my hand on some flipped up rusty screws while triyng to brace myself after breaking a cellar door by laying on it. My tetanus shot was working overtime. The mansion even had a haloween costume party where they ranked who came dressed the best. I think Grindr masc for masc ended up winning. Also as im typing this im realizing that one of the people that i talked to that night was a college friend of a someone I knew in highschool. We ended up taking the buses back to his place and crashing on his couch.

Also that friend that i brought again got hit on while we were there! A guy came up and shared a joint with him and they added each other on instagram. Very cute! Im really happy i found a place like this and i hope he’ll continue to feel comfortable enough around the scene there to be himself.

Heres the flyer for the next show, its on you to find out what the address it. Dont come thru if your not cool w/ that gay sh*t.

@milkymansion on instagram

[the-riley-review]

Ootz Ootz: Disco in a Nutshell

Disco emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s in the NYC and Philadelphia nightlife scene. Its sound includes four-on-the-floor beats, syncopated basslines, string sections, horns, electric piano, synthesizers, and electric rhythm guitars. Disco started as a mixture of music from venues popular with Italian Americans, Hispanic, Latino, and African Americans. This music scene itself produced popular groups such as ABBA, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Bee Gees, Chaka Khan, and Michael Jackson to name a few. Films such as Saturday Night Fever and Thank God It’s Friday have also contributed to the mainstream popularity of disco. The groups I, however, would like to highlight in this post are ABBA and The Bee Gees.

ABBA is a Swedish pop group from Stockholm made up by the members: Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad (who were two married couples), with the name of the group being an acronym of the first letters of their first names. They have had forty-eight hit singles including “Dancing Queen” and “Waterloo”, which won them the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974. 

“Dancing Queen” is still a song that is widely listened to today. I mean shit, I remember singing along to it and recording it on the day of my seventeenth birthday, as was a popular trend to do back in high school. The song itself is beautifully produced as it gives off a catchy and euphoric vibe, perfect for describing the life of someone young and carefree. The record starts off with a bang, which catapults you straight into the middle of the chorus. This appears to show an explosive opening to draw in listeners to the rest of the song, a smart move I may add.This song narrates the story of a seventeen-year-old girl on a nightclub dance floor that is lost in the music and dancing due to her feeling of carefreeness and freedom to express herself. The song has stayed trendy through the musical Mamma Mia!, which even I’ll admit to binging a few times.

This brings me to The Bee Gees aka The Disco Kings. The Bee Gees were a music group formed in 1958, featuring brothers Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb, who were especially successful in the late 1960s and early 1970s aka the disco era. The group sang in three-part tight harmonies with Robin’s clear vibrato leading vocals being prominent in the early hits, while Barry’s R&B falsetto became their signature sound during the mid- to late 1970s and 1980s. The Bee Gees have sold over 120 million records worldwide, making them one of the best-selling artists of all time. 

My two favorite songs by The Bee Gees would have to be “Stayin’ Alive” and “You Should Be Dancing”. “Stayin’ Alive” wasn’t even meant to be a single until it appeared in the Saturday Night Fever trailer, but I’m so glad it was. The song itself represents the hardships in life and the struggle to survive in New York, which can be clearly demonstrated by the way Barry walks his walk. The vocals are an electric-shocked falsetto yip, with a squeal of pain, and becomes a terror-like screech after the second chorus. Coincidentally, this song wouldn’t have become structured the way it was without some things occurring by chance, such as the drummer not being able to record due to personal circumstances, which caused the band to use his old drum recordings. The looped-up drums, combined with that perfectly wormy bassline, help make “Stayin’ Alive” such a fundamental song in the disco era. 

Disco has cemented its legacy in music, inspiring hip-hop artists and even rave culture and house music, two popular sounds in recent years. Disco has been a huge part of my life, something you probably would not expect and it allowed me to explore different genres that originated from it. 

Sources:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Disco#Legacy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ABBA#Greatest_Hits_and_Arrival

https://www.theguardian.com/music/2016/sep/08/40-years-abba-dancing-queen-people-just-surrender-to-it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bee_Gees

https://www.stereogum.com/2066359/the-number-ones-the-bee-gees-stayin-alive/columns/the-number-ones/

[the-riley-review]

NIRVANA IS HERE

Last month’s the thirtieth anniversary of Nirvana’s album Nevermind. This album put the band on the charts and brought rock anthems like “Smells Like Teen Spirit”, which catapulted the band into the charts and made them known for their grunge style and emotional delivery. Nirvana’s sound is drawn from punk and alternative rock music, hard rock music, and early metal music, with contrasting levels. What needs to be discussed is Kurt Cobain’s harmonic language, made prevalent within this album.

A perfect example of Cobain’s harmonic language is shown in “In Bloom”the fourth single off of Nevermind. The song was written to make fun of the people outside the underground music scene who started coming to Nirvana shows after their first studio album. It contains many innovative non-functional harmonic structures. Here is the song being performed live at Reading in 1992:

As seen in this song, Kurt Cobain was able to create chord sequences and attendant melodies that was not traditional in terms of functional harmony, which was seen in every Nirvana song throughout Nevermind. On “In Bloom,” Kurt Cobain played the chords as dyads or power chords, which gave him some melodic flexibility due to the chords’ ambiguous quality. On Nevermind, Cobain admitted that the songwriting was a college-style tableau of words that were influenced from surrealism in the art world, which he described as “The Iggy Pop/Aerosmith-type songwriting,”, which was imitated on the album. 

He’s the one who likes all our pretty songs And he likes to sing along And he likes to shoot his gun But he knows not what it means And I say He’s the one who likes all our pretty songs And he likes to sing along And he likes to shoot his gun But he knows not what it means Knows not what it means and I say yeah

These lyrics express a certain kind of feeling more than any coherent meaning, which can explain how these collage-style lyrics work better than those who try to imitate Nirvana’s sound in present-day. Cobain hits the nail on the head through this raw sound of teenage angst on conforming to society’s expectations and demands, which is why so many teenagers today are able to resonate with this album and why it’s still being celebrated.

In present-day, country singer Sturgill Simpson covered “In Bloom” on his album, A Sailor’s Guide to Earth, reworking the song by slowing it down. This version completely changes the meaning of the song as Simpson takes a song about alienation in a crowd and turns it into a love song. However, he pays homage to Cobain in the form of a thank you, which shows that Simpson may have in fact been a fan. This version of the song features the same song, band, venue, and crowd, except with an optimistic perspective relating to love.

It’s safe to say that we don’t know if Cobain would love or hate this new sound, but we always know that nothing beats the original sound for “In Bloom”.

Sources;

https://americansongwriter.com/nirvana-in-bloom-behind-the-song/

https://www.stereogum.com/2161493/nirvana-in-bloom-music-theory-explained/columns/in-theory/

[the-riley-review]

Aerodynamic:The Power of the Synth

This is perhaps one of my favorite songs of all time, from an album that I grew up with. As the title may have revealed, it's a Daft Punk song from their album Discovery. Those who are familiar with Daft Punk, which should be pretty much everyone at this point, know that the duo is known for their heavy synth-laden tracks and vocoded lyrics. However, "Aerodynamic" drops the vocoder in favor of a straight up instrumental performance, pulling in beats and synths alongside a front-and-center guitar solo. If you have not heard "Aerodynamic", I encourage you to check it out:

The song, split up into three distinct parts, opens with an almost ominous clanging of bells, and to the uninitiated listener, this could betray the song about to play. After four clangs we are introduced to the "main theme" of the track, the oscillating synths and the steady beat in the background lay a foundation for the rest of the song. And then, the second act of the song begins and you hear it: the guitar solo. Sounding as if its been passed through a filter, it breaks up the same-y beat before the main sample returns to the backdrop, with some added, more aggressive beats tossed in for good measure, to signal the start of the third and final act, and create the sound of unabashed shredding. Being composed of mostly the synthesizer, I suppose it could be shredding-without-shredding, so to speak. The song, for how great it sounds, is incredibly short lived, clocking in at just over three minutes, and soon after the climax of the third section we hear the main sample that was introduced in the beginning, comfortably playing by its lonesome before ending with a single bell toll and fade out.

Interestingly, the main sample of the song, heard in the beginning following the bell tolling, actually finds its origins in the song IL Macquillage Lady by the group Sister Sledge. Specifically from 0:16 to 0:25, but check it out for yourself here:

I could also talk about the future funk vibes of this song in particular, but we get enough of that influence in Daft Punk already.

Unfortunately, my knowledge of synthesizer technology and digital audio production is quite limited, so I feel I cannot fully explain what makes "Aerodynamic" so great. However, even without this, one can experience and "feel" the song in their own way, and it can mean something different to everyone, despite the absence of vocals to latch on to.

However, the pacing of the entire album is wonderful, and where "Aerodynamic" falls into place (the second song, following hit "One More Time") creates a cohesive flow that gives the album, and the songs going forward, their identity. The tracks are simple in their construction and performance, but don't let this fool you; they were meticilously constructed, with great attention paid to even the smallest details to ultimately create something that is fun and easy to listen to. For all the sampling that is peppered throughout Discovery, a surprising amount of the music was played on live instruments, with De Homem-Christo estimating, "as much as fifty percent of it started out as recordings of live instruments..." Their own musical prowess served to broaden the available sounds to use in the album, and Aerodynamic is a wonderful example of the blending of synthesizer and instrumental.

Anyone could pop on "Aerodynamic", in addition to any other song on Discovery, and find themselves tapping a foot, nodding a head, or just simply, as the kids say, "vibing". Daft Punk, despite their break-up earlier this year (and I'm not gonna lie, I shed a tear or two or multiple at that video) were pioneers of electronic music, each and every one of their albums distinct in sound and identity, and Discovery is no different. In fact, in an often faceless genre, the Daft Punk duo, and their iconic helmets, are perhaps one of the most instantly recognizable artists in history. You can still hear and see the influence of Daft Punk today (Kanye, anybody?), and that is by no means a bad thing. Godspeed, fellas, wherever you may be heading.

Thanks for reading.

-G

Sources:

https://reverbmachine.com/blog/daft-punk-discovery-synth-sounds/

https://www.soundgym.co/blog/item?id=daft-punk-discovery

https://classicalbumsundays.com/album-of-the-month-daft-punk-discovery/

https://www.reddit.com/r/DaftPunk/comments/1zb2s4/discovering_aerodynamic_an_analysis/

[the-riley-review]

How It Sounds Is The Only Thing Important

I LOOOVE bad music, or at least more specifically music that should be bad but isn't. Theres something about finding new music, especially when it comes from forming new connections with people that put you on to things you wouldn't otherwise have found by yourself. Weird eclectic music holds a special place in my heart, theres a local university radio station that my friends put me on to that will play almost anything which makes tuning in such a mixed bag. You can tell within seconds whether the DJ is playing something skippable, something you would only listen to by yourself, or something you'd feel comfortable playing around your friends. Bird noises at 2am while youre smoking in a parking lot, songs in foreign languages, grating metal (the material), old classics, and experimental music all come over the airwaves to give you something new each time you listen. Songs that hit the sweet spot where they SHOULD sound bad but don't, take all that you are familiar with and flip it on its head like an abstract painting in a art museum. They take everything that should be conventional wisdom of how to make a song and push that a little bit further. A good singer or vocalist? Dont need that. Instruments? If you're creative enough you can make new sounds that other people who are only comfortable sticking within the confines of “traditional” instruments would never dream of and could never achieve. Below isnt the song Im reviewing, its an orchestra that plays with vegetables that I think is relevant enough to link it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/articles/c127c7d1-a459-4f82-8c2d-38e27b940b72

If you think only think about music as something you can “recognize” instead of something that just sound that sounds good you’ll be limiting yourself creatively. If you’ve ever listened to a song in a foreign language that you dont know you might not have any context for the lyrics but they still can sound good. Regardless of whether or not it could mean something if you did learn the language if you dont, the listener can only comprehend it as something audibly interesting. You dont need to know music theory to create something that sounds good.

Alright with all that out the way lets get to the song, Debbie Debbie by Gary Wilson.

Gary Wilson looks like someone who’d randomly offer to give me shrooms to which I’d know with a certainty he couldnt be an undercover cop but would still be someone you’d be initially weary of. Despite this his catalogue is mostly about kissing girls and going to the pool but it takes a lot of genres that are familiar to you and expands on them in an experimental way that only someone weird could come up with. Everything about this seems almost off key or should be. A weird vocalist that you can tell isn’t renowned for their ability to shift between ranges with their voice is coupled with instruments that keep your interest by hitting a flow that begins to overshadow the vocal shortcomings only to change it all up with notes that almost sound like the musician is randomly banging away at their instrument. All this comes together with lyrics that don’t really have to make sense to make a song that still has moments that shine so brightly its amazing and could inspire the next musician who wants to stretch their comprehension of what sounds good. Thats what I like most about weird music, it can make you annoyed for most of a song only to hit a stride that solely manufactured chaos can bring out that makes everything worth it. And if someone more talented than myself found that they could take that and sample it to form something new and beautiful.  All these factors contribute to music that make your ears feel emotions that flow between bliss and aural offensiveness. Those are the moments you cant get just by thinking about making everything perfect.

[the-riley-review]

Chaos Language: Words That Don't Exist

Here is my (extremely amateur) podcast featuring music from the videogame NieR. Enjoy, and thanks for listening.

[the-riley-review]

If you’re interested in understanding your music choices better and how they may play into your mental states please check out my new podcast!  Links to all articles referenced in the podcast are provided below, and all the guitar parts were recorded by myself.

https://journals-sagepub-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/doi/10.1080/10398560701879589

https://academic-oup-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/jmt/article/46/4/339/1027035

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5500733/?report=classic

https://journals-sagepub-com.proxy.libraries.rutgers.edu/doi/10.1177/0305735615594489

[the-riley-review]

Here is my Podcast about Opera enjoy :)