Fall Out Boy "The Last Real Ones" This track takes us towards the place where the future of rock n roll resides. Fall Out Boy, the once sugary sweet pop punk band opened this track with a stylistic direction they've been headed in for some time. It's not that the music isn't pleasing, the group holds a melody but the synth drum beats feel empty like Fall Out Boy is not sure what they're even emulating. Once an innovator with a unique sound, the most recent stuff from Fall Out Boy feels like it's moved too far from it's roots. No one ever really tired of their sound, a crusty coat of sugary rock never gets old. In that vein most new rock albums now will reveal that they have the same mandated EDM synth drums sprinkled into their music on at least one track. I feel it's a bit like disco, new styling for older acts.
2.5/5 stars -Wilson
Liam Payne, J. Balvin "Familiar" Get ready to dance my friends, this new reggaetón styled joint from Liam Payne and J. Balvin makes your booty into a lime and the dance floor into the coconut. Sure it's kind of a pop song, typical in most respects but that won't stop it from being popular. The tempo is a bit slow for this to be a club smash, the guitars give it a nice authentic bump and grind feel and lyrically repetitive. It's fills the niche of pseudo reggaetón that emerges every other summer. I'm sure it's popular somewhere but this track largely feels like a watered down version of the real thing. 2/5 stars -Wilson
Without a doubt, "Move to Miami" by Enrique Iglesias will definitely turn out to be a popular summer jam. It’s hot- its tempo makes you want to spend your summer nights dancing by the ocean, or hitting up a club. It's not too fast, but not ultra slow either. The groove makes it perfect for a summer playlist among similar songs, like "Havana" by Camilla Cabello. The lyrics are repetitive- but the point of the song is to let loose and have fun, playing off of basic human instinct. Summer is heating up a little more than usual with songs like "Move to Miami".
4/5 Stars- Amanda
The first word that comes to mind when listening to Gorillaz’ “Humility” is "chill." It's a song that would work best on a playlist of background music songs, but not necessarily songs to crazily dance to in the car. The lyrics are somewhat pessimistic, but the song sounds generally happy, which is very similar to other popular bands like Twentyone Pilots. Comparing this song to Gorillaz' older stuff, I miss the old music. Nothing will ever be as exceptional as "Feel Good Inc." if I'm being honest. The standards were set back then, and "Humility" misses that mark.
2.5/5 Stars- Amanda
“Electrified” by Just Loud: A complex beat may not pick up until ten seconds in, and no voice heard until forty two; however Just Loud’s “Electrified” holds the potential for a summer hit. The anthem absolutely gives off vibes of warmer and happier times, as well as, cool breezes and adventure. Coupled with the “Electrified” tone and the upbeat choral, “Electrified” makes for an Alternative sensation that breaks the seasonal barriers; and the emotional ones that come along with the colder seasons. One barrier it fails to break, the one to Top 40 or Rock. For those not aligned with happier Alternative, avoiding “Electrified” proves to be a wise course of action.
4/5 Stars- Matt Rosen
“Heart Beat Here” by Dashboard Confessional: As an orchestra of melancholy instruments calls you home, the gentle voices of sadder musical number caress your ears and invite you to listen in on the Dashboard Confessionals latest hit. The melody remains gentle and the music never provokes a dancing sensation- yet the musical number strays far from boring. The beauty and intrigue becomes held at a distance by the moderate depressive nature of the lyrics. That being said, the song brings out a warmth in the soul that few can.
4.5/5 Stars- Matt Rosen
“All Night” by Big Boi: Still thriving on the coat tails of Outkast, Big Boi produces happier RAP for the sake of producing happier RAP. Coming up on the release of the remake of Superfly, Big Boi’s “All Night” thrives on remarkable timing. The song produces a very upbeat and continuous melody. Along, with none too creative lyrics, “All Night” is definitely a happy summer tune. Perhaps, not a hit though.
3/5 Stars- Matt Rosen
Puerto Rican artist Nicky Jam has released a new song with J Balvin titled X that has a pretty fun, summer beat. The lyrics are primarily in Spanish so I did not quite understand it as much as someone else might, but I feel the music and beat still made me want to dance. "X" features a mix of pop and reggae sounds, and I can see it going far this summer because of this. \
4/5 Stars- Shannon Reagan
I normally love J-Lo and her hits but this one just was not great to me. At very first it seemed promising until DJ Khaled came in. It just seemed so choppy and not mixing well with her vocals. There were then some parts that sounded scratchy and just not right, however the song was tolerable during some parts where it was just Jennifer Lopez. Though when Cardi B came in, it went back to choppy. If "Dinero" just featured Jennifer Lopez, I think it could have sounded a lot better but the other two make it sound super choppy and just not a great song.
2/5 Stars- Shannon Reagan