Reviews
The Prime: Pop through the Ages
Wednesday, March 29th, 2023 by Liz Kosik
by Liz Kosik ’25
Genre: Pop
Subgenre: House Pop
RIYL: Calvin Harris, David Guetta, Swedish House Mafia
WLOY is happy to introduce the new series: The Prime! Our station DJs have done an excellent job of bringing their fans all the hottest hits and coolest throwbacks, so… why not provide some background on the music we all know and love? The series will span a spectrum of genres such as alternative, pop, and rock. We’re super excited to dive deeper into the subgenres, affiliated bands, and even some song suggestions! (more…)
Tags: Prime
Posted in Music, News, Reviews | No Comments »
AOTW: Phoneboy – “Moving Out”
Friday, March 24th, 2023 by Liz Kosik
by Analia Cortez ’25
Album of the Week: Phoneboy – “Moving Out”
Release: March 24, 2023
Rate: 9/10
RIYL: The Polar Boys, Early Eyes, Ax and the Hatchetman, Dutch Criminal Record, Good Kid
On March 24th, 2023, Indie-Pop band Phoneboy released their second album “Moving Out.” This musical trio from New Jersey consists of singer and guitarists Wyn Barnum and Ricky Dana, and bassist James Fusco. Formed in university, Phoneboy has since released their self-titled album, along with the hit singles “Runaway” and “Ferrari”, which can be found in their newest album. “Moving Out” carries the nostalgic sound they experienced growing up as inspiration to create an anthem for the newest generation of teenagers. They sweat punk and grunge-pop influence and have seriously created their own sound. The hope of their music is for people to tune into the world and not be stuck in the trance of technology in becoming a “phone boy.”
“Wasting Time” was definitely my favorite track on the album. The intense rhythm of rock music pumps up your adrenaline right away, getting you ready to jam out. “Ferrari” was also a great song to open the album with, tapping into the full-body experience of college that we get through artists looking to appeal to a particular age group. Phoneboy’s music is the perfect vibe for college life. “Moving Out” will for sure be played for relaxing on the quad, walking to class, and hangouts with friends. I highly recommend this album to anyone looking for some new good vibes music, especially with the change of season!
Posted in Music, Reviews | No Comments »
AOTW: Yo La Tengo – “This Stupid World”
Monday, March 13th, 2023 by Liz Kosik
by Ameila Dunat ’25
Yo La Tengo – “This Stupid World”
Release: February 10, 2023
Rated: 8/10
RIYL: Pavement, Guided By Voices, Built to Spill, The Flaming Lips, Wilco, LCD Soundsystem
On February 10, 2023, Yo La Tengo released their seventeenth studio album (wow…), “This Stupid World.” Yo La Tengo is an American indie-rock formed in 1984, in Hoboken, New Jersey. Since 1992, the band members have included Ira Kaplan, Georgia Hubley, and James McNew. Although only 9 songs long, this self-produced album is the group’s first full-length album release in a few years. After listening, I found it to be perfectly mellow, consistent with their typical sound, and particularly reminiscent of their releases from the 1990s.
“Fallout” was undoubtedly my favorite song from the album- it was both catchy and lively. “Aselestine”, sung by drummer Georgia Hubley, was a close second, as it was a peaceful acoustic tune. “Brain Capers” had a fun beat, despite the distorted lyrics, and “Miles Away” only had a few lines of lyrics, but the melody itself was hypnotic and magical. “My Bloody Valentine”, “The Kinks”, and “The Velvet Underground” are some of Yo La Tengo’s principal influences and I think this album is a consistent combination of those sounds. Sweet-sounding melodies and smooth basslines join together with noisy fuzzy guitar sounds and thoughtful lyrics. If you enjoyed this album, I recommend the songs, “Nowhere Near” and “Green Arrow” from their preview albums.
Posted in Featured, Music, News, Reviews | No Comments »
AOTW: Paramore – “This Is Why”
Wednesday, February 22nd, 2023 by Liz Kosik
by Analia Cortez ’25
Release: February 2022
Rated: 9/10
RIYL: Tonight Alive, PVRIS, Fall Out Boy, All Time Low, Boys Like Girls, The All-American Rejects, You Me At Six
After five and a half year wait, this alternative-indie band has released their seventh album! The writing of this album took place during the quarantine lockdown period that affected the whole globe. After such an experience, Paramore wanted to write those feelings and moments into an album to let their audience know they are not alone. The issues they use to theme their album heavily revolve around mental health issues caused due to the effects of Covid-19 left on the lives of many. Self-reflection is such a prominent key in the assembling of the album. (more…)
Posted in Featured, Music, Reviews | No Comments »
AOTW: Mako Road – “Stranger Days”
Friday, February 10th, 2023 by Liz Kosik
by Analia Cortez ’25
Release: 2021
Rated: 8.5/10
RIYL: Peach Fur, Gromz, The Shambles, Letters to Lions
Mako Road is a four-member indie-rock band from New Zealand, consisting of two guitars, a bassist, and a drummer. Being highly popular in New Zealand, and the Australian area, these guys are very fond of at festivals. Now with a larger music selection, they just had their first official tour! This album was heavily anticipated as several singles and EPs had been released, leading up to the album. Before this album release, they came up with three EPs- those being “The Green Superintendant”, “Local Safari”, and “Stranger Days” before releasing the “Stranger Days” debut album. The sound revolving around “Stranger Days” captures the groovy sound of indue-rock and “psych-surf” vibes. This makes it the perfect soundtrack for the long summer days that are also waited for in anticipation. Overall good vibes while listening to this album, not just for Aussie or Kiwi listeners, but everyone. (more…)
Posted in Featured, Music, Reviews | No Comments »
SOTW: Billy Jones and the Delta Blues Outlaws – “Someone New”
Wednesday, February 8th, 2023 by Liz Kosik
by Daniel Carter ’26
Billy Jones and the Delta Blues Outlaws – “Someone New”
Rate:8/10
Billy Jones and Delta provide a wide variety of traditional Blues and notes of R&B. Coming from the group’s self-titled album, the song “Someone New” is one of my favorites. “Someone New” definitely exudes an Isley Brothers vibe with blues infused into the music, giving a classic R&B feel to the song.
“Someone New” really captures the hopelessness many feel about the ending of a relationship. We hear a story of a man who is devoted to a woman who unfortunately doesn’t reciprocate those romantic feelings for him. He blesses us with a lyrically beautiful and tragic realization that she is finding love in someone else. I align this theme with songs such as “Out of Time” by the Weeknd, in both artists’ depictions of loss and love.
Posted in Featured, Music, News, Reviews | No Comments »
AOTW: The Alchemist – “The Alchemist Sandwich”
Tuesday, February 7th, 2023 by Liz Kosik
by Amelia Dunat ’25
The Alchemist – “The Alchemist Sandwich”
Release: December 16, 2022
Rate: 7/10
“The Alchemist Sandwich” is a compilation album of collaborative singles the producer has created over the past few years, combining the track lists of two EPs from 2018- “Lunch Meat” and “Bread.” The compilation includes two new tracks in addition to the EP’s, with features from artists such as Schoolboy Q. I found the overall production and beats better than any of the verses themselves, as no track was significantly better than the rest, but my favorites were “The Hopeless Romantic” featuring Action Bronson, “E. Coli” featuring Earl Sweatshirt, and “Roman Candles Burning” by Roc Marciano.
These tracks may be a few months or years old, but The Alchemist has managed to combine them in an imaginative and raw way, making sure to add his trademarks like soulful elements, innovative samples, and heavy bass. “E. Coli” is dense with symbolic lyrics, “Mac 10 Wounds” features a memorable beat change and Action Bronson’s flow on “The Hopeless Romantic” is unmatched. With only 10 tracks adding up to 30 minutes, the ambient album featuring some of the best rappers today is for sure worth a listen.
Posted in Featured, Music, Reviews | No Comments »
AOTW: La Femme – “Teatro Lúcido”
Monday, December 12th, 2022 by Liz Kosik
by Anabel Martin Llanusa ’25
Release: November 2022
Rated: 9/10
RIYL: Rosalia, Tatiene Hazel, L’Imperatrice, Stereolab, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Melody’s Echo Chamber.
La Femme is a french “psycho” rock indie band. They released their fourth album “Teatro Lúcido” on the 4th of November and it’s sung in Spanish! The band comprises a keyboard player and a guitarist, Marlon Magnée and Sacha Got. They started La Femme, added a drummer, bass player, and finally Clémence Quélennec, the lead singer- and the rest is history!
I like the uniqueness of this band because the lyrics are super weird and if you listen to this album, every song sounds like a different genre. Their music is inspired by Spanish, French, and Brazilian sounds, creating a versatile range. My favorite songs were “Sacatela”, “Y tu te vas”, and “Maialen.” “Sacatela” was the first song I listened to and even though the lyrics are super short, it’s incredibly catchy! Definitely couldn’t get it out of my head!
La Femme is an innovative band and even if you can’t understand the lyrics, the power is transmitted through the music.
Posted in Featured, Music, News, Reviews | No Comments »
SOTW: Prima Queen – “Eclipse” (Clean Edit)
Friday, December 9th, 2022 by Liz Kosik
by Aliyah Smith-Bradley ’24
Prima Queen – “Eclipse” (Clean Edit)
Rate: 9.5/10
RIYL: Lucy Dacus, Billy Nomates, Sharon Van Etten, Snail Mail
Released on August 24, 2022, Prima Queen posted an amazing pop indie song, Eclipse. The female indie group formed by two best friends tells a beautiful story through the song “Eclipse” with heated lyrical imagery and an upbeat tune.
This song has a fun temp and instrumental while having powerful vocals and lyrics. The song is about a person in a relationship, but they are not over their last ex. With a theme that a lot of people can relate to, Eclipse is the perfect song to add to your breakup playlist. There is a clean edit of the song and one that is not FCC clean (whatever you’d prefer). “Eclipse” by Prima Queen serves, creating a song that is perfect for a girl’s night or for a breakup anthem.
Posted in Featured, Music, News, Reviews | No Comments »
SOTW: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizards – “Exploding Suns”
Thursday, November 17th, 2022 by Liz Kosik
SONG OF THE WEEK: King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizards – “Exploding Suns”
by Isabelle Braudakis ’25
Rate: 9/10
Released: October 28, 2022
RYIL: The Murlocs, Art of Sleeping, Moses Gunn Collective, Pipe-eye, Post Animal
King Gizzard & the Lizard Wizard is an Australian rock band formed in 2011 in Melbourne. The group were all friends who liked to jam out and create unique and meaningful music. The band’s current lineup consists of Stu Mackenzie, Ambrose Kenny-Smith, Cook Craig, Joey Walker, Lucas Harwood, and Michael Cavanagh. Throughout the years the band has explored many genres, but their music can be described as psychedelic rock, garage rock, progressive rock, and heavy metal.
Exploding Suns starts with a slow and steady drumline accompanied by a guitar. The reverb helps create a dream-like state which Mackenzie contributes to with his soft and gentle voice. The drumline throughout the song remains steady while other strange instruments join in. The song almost sounds like you are floating in space all while on a psychedelic trip. I would recommend listening to this song during a chill nighttime drive or just having it in the background when hanging out with friends on a relaxing night in.
Posted in Featured, Music, Reviews | No Comments »
