album reviews

Reviews of albums old and new from iconic artists and up and coming musicians alike.

“To All of You From Merla”
When the air turns crisp and the world begins to shimmer with lights, a new voice rises to capture the feeling of the season. Merla’s latest album, To All of You From Merla, released on October 15, 2025, is a love letter to winter, a gentle embrace of sound that blends nostalgia, tenderness, and peace.
By mysoundMusic3 months ago in Beat
Taylor Swift’s Latest Album: A Song-by-Song Look at Meaning & Themes
When Taylor Swift released her 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, on October 3 2025, she signalled a shift in tone. The album was crafted in Sweden with producers Max Martin and Shellback during the European leg of her Eras Tour. Whereas her prior record (The Tortured Poets Department) was sprawling and reflective, this album embraces a more celebratory, stage-ready “showgirl” persona. The result is 12 tracks that combine lyrical introspection with the gloss of a performer’s life behind and beyond the curtain.
By Umar Faiz3 months ago in Beat
The Life of a Showgirl: A Thousand-Word Story
The Glitter Heard Around the World The night the album dropped, the world shimmered in a haze of orange glitter. Landmarks from the Empire State Building to Kansas City’s Union Station blazed with the same electric glow that pulsed through every screen and speaker on the planet. It wasn’t just light—it was the feverish radiance of Taylor Swift’s *The Life of a Showgirl*, her twelfth studio revelation. Gone was the quiet ache of The Tortured Poets Department; in its place surged a dazzling current of theatrical joy—twelve tracks capturing the riotous spirit of the Eras Tour, bottled and set alight.
By Umar Faiz3 months ago in Beat
The Obsidian Sky and the Opalite Dawn: A Lyrical Reckoning
The release of The Life of a Showgirl was always destined to be a seismic cultural event. It was the pop titan’s first album written and dropped amid the whirlwind of her record-breaking relationship with NFL star Travis Kelce, a romance that had already dominated headlines for a year. Fans, critics, and casual observers alike waited with bated breath, expecting a modern love letter steeped in dazzling metaphors. What they received was a complex, highly personal, and, ultimately, intensely polarizing work of art that immediately ignited a fierce lyrical controversy centered on racial undertones and undeniable digs at Travis Kelce's ex-girlfriend, Kayla Nicole.
By Umar Faiz3 months ago in Beat
How to Be Nobody, Loudly
Panoptika One is my debut album — she’s been scouring playlists, breaking the internet, and apparently The Tonight Show is on my tail like it’s in heat. Podcasters won’t stop calling. I can’t even buy soy milk without someone asking for a quote about “my process.”
By Iris Obscura3 months ago in Beat
"Ruin the Friendship" by Taylor Swift: A Return to Form & The Life of a Showgirl Album Highlight
“Ruin The Friendship” is a new song from Taylor Swift’s twelfth studio album, The Life of a Showgirl. This song is a standout track from the album–sonically, conceptually, and lyrically beautiful and revealing. This song contains some of the best storytelling on the album. This song combines sonically whimsical, pop, and light country elements, which makes sense as it relives an experience that has carried over from high school. Taylor Swift started her career in high school, making country music, which transitioned to country-pop, which transitioned to full-blown pop, which transitioned to indie/folk, which transitioned back to pop. You can say a lot about Taylor Swift, but you can’t say that she’s not one of the most prolific artists of today…or of all time, honestly.
By zoe frenchman3 months ago in Beat
Jisoo and Zayn malik song collaboration eyes closed
“Eyes Closed” — Jisoo and Zayn Malik’s Heartfelt Duet that Unites Two Worlds When Jisoo of BLACKPINK and Zayn Malik announced their collaboration on a song titled “Eyes Closed,” the world of music instantly buzzed with excitement. Released globally on October 10, 2025, the track represents one of the most unexpected yet mesmerizing crossovers in recent pop history — merging the soulful sensuality of Zayn’s R&B sound with Jisoo’s elegant and emotional artistry. Together, they have created a song that transcends language, culture, and genre, showing that music truly has no borders.
By Khan3 months ago in Beat
Trespass
Introduction I know that to many people, Genesis is Phil Collins' backing band, and while he was a great drummer and adequate vocalist, the band was always a lot more than that.
By Mike Singleton 💜 Mikeydred 3 months ago in Beat
D'Angelo
In the world of soul and R&B, few names command as much reverence as D'Angelo. The Virginia-born singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist is a true artist's artist, a figure whose influence far outweighs his relatively small discography. However, this very mystique and his periods away from the spotlight have often led to confusion and concern among fans. Recently, searches like "d'angelo died," "d angelo dead," and "d'angelo 2025" have spiked, causing alarm. It's crucial to set the record straight: The musician D'Angelo is alive.
By KAMRAN AHMAD3 months ago in Beat
The Last Train of Dreams
It was 10:47 PM when the last train to Mumbai began to move slowly from the small town station of Jodhpur. The night air was cool, filled with the smell of diesel, rain, and possibilities.
By Alexander Mind3 months ago in Beat
Musical Digest: Taylor Swift "The Life of a Showgirl"
A beautiful, fiery orange album joins the wonderful world of Taylor Swift's discography and it is as captivating as ever. "The Life of a Showgirl" is an album that has been in the making during Taylor's most successful tour to date; it is a fusion of personal renditions of what was happening behind the crimson curtain of the show as well as a peak into the personal life of Ms. Swift herself...
By Paulina Pachel3 months ago in Beat
10 More Forgotten 90s Rock Albums for Your Playlists
You didn't think we were done exploring the world of obscure alternative rock, did you? After the first two installments, I ventured back into the depths of Spotify to find more 90s albums that the Internet almost forgot--until now. If you've heard of these records before, I congratulate you on your discerning tastes. Otherwise, get ready to revive your playlists with fresh tracks from defunct bands.
By Kaitlin Shanks3 months ago in Beat