Latest Stories

Most recently published stories in Beat.

Julien Baker: Sad Songs for the Soul
Who would enjoy Julien Baker's music? A question I find difficult to answer, for all the right reasons. A wonderfully despair-ridden lyrical selection would draw in the lonelier side of the better of us. Blended with an atmospheric, yet isolated instrumental backing on the majority of her tracks, at first a listener could be led to believe that Baker's key focus is dwelling on the heartache of life and thus craves the affectionate attention of the forever damaged listener.
By Mathew Moody8 years ago in Beat
What Is Nerdcore?
First officially coined in 2000, of all years, Nerdcore soon grew into its own being from the subtle and somewhat cult-like following of its unnamed youth. Music has its ups and downs, and not all genres and subgenres have the wildest followings as pop, rock, and hip-hop do today, but nerdcore actually proves otherwise. Since the likes of Star Wars and the rise of computers, nerd culture itself has blossomed into the mainstream (almost with many of us not even knowing it).
By George Herman8 years ago in Beat
Best Trip Hop Artists
If there's one thing I enjoy, it's electronica. I'm the person who you go to when you want advice for your first rave. I can tell you all the best music festivals on the East coast, and can even introduce you to some of the bigger artists.
By Ossiana Tepfenhart8 years ago in Beat
Album Review: The Ramones 'Rocket to Russia'
Rocket to Russia was the third album for the New York punk rock band The Ramones. This album has the band more focused on the songs, meaning that it gave the album a range to different tempos and a mixture of original songs and covers too. Rocket to Russia was labelled as one of the most listenable and enjoyable albums. It doesn't have the revolutionary impact of The Ramones, but it's a better album and one of the finest records of the late 1970s.
By Mac783218 years ago in Beat
How To Pick Up Clarinet at Any Age
Music has a tremendous influence on everything in life, from entertainment to mental health. That said, learning how to play an instrument for the first time may be daunting. Whether you have kids starting in band or you are in your 70s, here are the basics you should know about picking up the clarinet.
By Lorraine Woiak8 years ago in Beat
Imagine Dragons is My Salvation
I first heard "It's Time" by Imagine Dragons when I was thirteen. I immediately fell in love with their style of music and found myself downloading every song I could find of theirs.
By Emery Ravenwood8 years ago in Beat
The Parallel Universe of Two Hard Working Musicians. Top Story - March 2018.
Weird Al Yankovic has been one of the most successful musicians in the humor genre to date. His parodies are international successes and his clever renditions have given him much deserved musical recognition. What is interesting about Weird Al, is that while you’re laughing at the lyrics, you come to realize that the music is actually quite good. No matter what song he is doing the supporting music is solid. Sometimes Weird Al used session musicians to the extent of Ray Manzarek of The Doors doing keys and helping him on the stylistic parody, "Craigslist," whose release was just after the case closing of the “Craigslist Killer.”
By Practical Stunts8 years ago in Beat
Predictions For XXL Freshman Class 2018
The XXL freshman classes have been a big part of the hip hop/rap community for many years. Many rap lovers and enthusiasts wait patiently for the XXL freshman list to come out, which is followed by the freshman class cypher. The class cypher is where they spilt up the selected artists into groups where they each freestyle(usually) over a beat which is usually produced by a popular producer.
By Javier Torres8 years ago in Beat
Album Interludes You Need to Listen To
I have a brother trying to break into the music industry. He spends hours and hours streaming, searching, and creating pieces every day. When we used to live together, he would burst in my room at three or four in morning to show me his latest favorite album or song. Years and years of him exposing me to obscure and well-known artists have led me to the conclusion that I really, fucking, love interludes. I'm a sap for the short, emotional and sometimes odd songs that break up or connect an album. While some of these interludes are more well-known than others, all of these songs are worth a serious listen.
By Ryn8 years ago in Beat
Vinyl Review: Eric Burdon & The Greenhornes
Being known for his harsh, bluesy voice, Eric Burdon has been recognized as one of rock’s greatest vocalists. He rose to popularity in the early 60s with The Animals, known for songs like "Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood" and a popular rendition of "House of the Rising Sun." The Greenhornes, on the other hand, are a psychedelic garage band formed in a suburb of Cincinnati, Ohio in the mid-90s.
By Practical Stunts8 years ago in Beat
Best Bandcamp Café Albums
What I Look for In "Cafe" Music: Although I don't expect all albums with "café" in the title to have been created with the intention of being "café music," I'm going to treat these albums as "café albums," for the purpose of writing this article.
By Robin Grape8 years ago in Beat
Review - The Pony Collaboration 'Everything Was Ages Ago'
If Everything Was Ages Ago, the first album from The Pony Collaboration since 2009 after the band's extended "accidental hiatus," sounds like something from a simpler time, that's because it is. Comprised of previously unreleased songs recorded between 2010 and 2013, Everything Was Ages Ago invokes the lazy, carefree feel of a laid-back summer day, and it's not hard to see why the band has drawn comparisons with a host of artists from Tindersticks to The Go-Betweens to Los Campesinos!
By Katie Young8 years ago in Beat