In with the rawr and rocking out with a bang… or however that famous March phrase goes. The monthly release round-up has made its way back to NScene and holy hell was this month full of many hard choices. Alas, this is what I was able to narrow it down to:
ALBUMS:
1) Love Sux - Avril Lavigne
2022 is a great year to be a scene kid. Not only is “Sk8er Boi” turning 20, but the pop-punk grunge-pop vibes have resurfaced once again with Avril Lavigne’s most recent album, Love Sux. Middle school Hana banged her head to “What The Hell” and while current day Hana bops to “Kiss Me Like The World Is Ending” I can promise nothing has changed. Life may have become more complicated but the music sounds just as sweet. Only Avril Lavigne could make me enjoy a Machine Gun Kelly feature. It’s the same thing over and over again. You can call it Deja Vu, but I call this nostalgic and timeless.
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2) Elsewhere - Set It Off
A while back vocalist, Cody Carson, ominous tweeted about the band’s fifth full-length album stating he had written some of the best lyrics to date. Later on, Cody went back to Twitter, teasing how the label (Fearless) had said LP 5 was the best to come from Set It Off. I have been following the band for a while and admittedly was skeptical of a Set It Off album being better than their debut LP, Cinematics. We were welcomed to Elsewhere with the release of their single “Skeleton,” immediately flooding me with Cobra Starship vibes. Instantly I became excited, wondering if the next album could actually top what has been a favorite since 2012. Flash forward ten years and Set It Off has done it again, creating an album so vivacious the trio felt the need to die their hair vivid colors! Elsewhere is what you get if you cross the neon era with 90s boy band vibes– having Cinematics meet its match. There is genuinely too much I have to say about this album, and it’s full of positivity!
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3) It Was Fun While It Lasted - Sueco
Sueco popped on my for you page on TikTok while I was mindlessly scrolling, catching me off guard with a catchy tune. I wish I heard of him sooner for it didn’t take long to have me absolutely hooked. The lyrics may be depressing but the beat keeps my heart pumping. It Was Fun While It Lasted had me headbanging in my kitchen with a wine glass, reflecting on life and reminiscing on nostalgia and broken dreams. Lyrically I can not get enough, every track becoming more and more relatable. Genuinely, I hope the scene moves in the direction of artists like Sueco, bringing a fresh and crisp sound to a heartfelt genre I’ve grown to call home.
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4) Shouting With Nothing To Say - Bleak Soul
Changing pace and choice of beverage, Bleak Soul has me craving whiskey and a dark room. At first listen I very literally paused the album to pour myself scotch on the rocks. Most albums I choose for the round-ups are upbeat and energizing. Albums that have tracks I would ruin my car speakers to with the windows down on the highway. Shouting With Nothing To Say may not be an album for road trips, yet it’s an album that needed to be listened to. What originally had me obsessed with music was the ability to tell a story and have it sound so melodically blissful. Ben Langford-Biss brings back the art of storytelling through music with addictingly heart wrenching melodies. I am an avid reader, yet I have yet to read a novel as compelling and emotionally charged as Shouting With Nothing To Say. As much as I love and respect As It Is, leaving the band was the best thing Ben could have done career and growth-wise. According to social media, Ben has stated there would be another Bleak Soul record this year and I can’t wait to hear what’s to come!
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5) Uncanny Valley - COIN
Good morning user. Kicking off with a dream-like intro before dropping into an alt-rock bop, Uncanny Valley brings an uncanny feeling of euphoria to the table. This is another album to dance to, but this time be sure to bring some friends along. Genuinely I would play this album from front to back at a party because each track has a danceable vibe that fills the room with pure joy that seamlessly transitions into the next. I have been streaming this album quite a bit lately and still, I have found no skippable tracks, only certified bops. The robotic voice weaved into a few songs adds a bit of lore, leaving the listener to use their imagination to piece things together.
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SINGLES:
1) “Kill Me To Try” - Tate Logan
There’s nothing I love more than a pop-punk bop you can blast with the windows rolled down and “Kill Me To Try” hits that vibe perfectly! For WEEKS this song has been stuck in my head and I have yet to get this catchy banger out of my mind. From the beat to the lyrics it is absolutely impossible to hate on this song. To quote the review I wrote, “Driven by a classic pop-punk bass line, it becomes absolutely clear why this anthem easily gets stuck in one’s head. All you need is one listen and you’re entranced for life. Add in a slammin’ snare plus a fun easy-going guitar riff and you’ve found the recipe for pop-punk track of the year.” I can’t wait to see what’s next for Tate Logan in his solo pursuits, especially after a debut banger like “Kill Me To Try!”
2) “Pink Rover” - Scene Queen
Pink rover, pink rover, please send the album over. This empowering anthem has gone viral, inspiring several people to take part in a “Pink Rover” TikTok challenge, myself included! One of our writers, Rachel Caton, had so many positive things to say about this track in a review and I wholeheartedly couldn’t agree more. While short in length this banger is packed with energy and intense breakdowns. I almost wish the childhood game was named pink rover instead of red rover. Hannah Collins is changing the pace of what it means to be a scene kid, and we are absolutely obsessed!
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3) “Cleopatra” - Nova Twins
Nova Twins is an artist that brings the world exactly what this scene needs– unbeatable energy and even more unbeatable drive. Funny enough, I would absolutely kill to see Nova Twins tour with Scene Queen. This duo is energy incarnate, exactly what I think of when I reminisce of the myspace era. Throw the best of punk rock, pop, and hip hop into a blender and you get this powerhouse duo absolutely slaying the scene. No wonder the track is called “Cleopatra,” for this powerhouse bop is fit for a queen– a scene queen! This is a top choice for any boss bitch playlist.
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4) “Olive Branch” - Alanis Morissette
Alanis Morissette has been one of my favorite pop-rock and alt-pop icons for quite some time. There is never a bad time to scream along to tracks like “Ironic” and “Hand in my Pocket.” As soon as I heard the first keyboard notes in “Olive Branch” I knew I was in for a real treat. A treat it was, Alanis Morissette tugging at every muscle in my heart. This single shows the pure growth in her voice. The lyrics combined with the somber pop-rock ballad have me holding on for hope and peace, hoping to make amends in relationships gone sour. An absolute treat from an absolute legend. “Olive Branch” deserves a spot on the soundtrack for a movie inspired by a John Green novel– perhaps even Turtles All The Way Down.
5) “Stupid Song” - Hot Chelle Rae
If you told 15-year-old Hana that she would be writing about Hot Chelle Rae in a future blog post she would have promptly rolled her eyes at you. While I was always a huge fan of the neon genre I had never gotten into Hot Chelle Rae. It just wasn’t my vibe, or at least not at the time. The year is now 2022 and shockingly I find myself unironically jamming their most recent release, “Stupid Song.” I tuned in with low expectations and ended up slamming the repeat button on Spotify. “Stupid Song” has such a fun carefree vibe to it, having me wishing to go back to the 2010s. Maybe I could actually give this band a chance the second time around. At the very least, I am wishing for Summer so I can roll down my windows and blast this beat while on the way to the beach.
Be sure to check out all these releases and more on your favorite streaming platform and be sure to tune in next month for April’s picks.
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