J UNE 2014
P AGE 8
Praise for Chvrches “The Bones Of What You Believe”
Scottish synthpop band electrifies
Jilliane Mortimer, Contributor
Chvrches (yes Chrvches with a „v‟) is an
indie electronic/synthpop band from Scotland. The band consists of three members,
Lauren Mayberry (lead vocals), Iain Cook
(guitar, bass, vocals) and Martin Doherty
(vocals). Chrvches uses synthesizers, samples, keyboards, and various other instruments to create their electro pop sound.
The band quickly became known and
popular after their first song, “Lies,” was
released in May of 2012 as a free
download.
Chvrches‟ new (and also their first) album,
“The Bones Of What You Believe” has a
new, fun, and electrifying sound that is not
to be underestimated. The first track on the
album, „The Mother We Share‟ has become
quite popular since its release in September.
This track was an excellent choice to be first
because it really sets the tone for what is to
follow. The use of synthesizers and samples
tie together and blend fantastically to create
a pleasantly exciting yet mellow sound. One
could even say their style has an 80s pop feel
to it. Mayberry‟s modulated and sweetsounding voice combines perfectly with
Chvrches unique sound to create music to
one‟s ears. “The Bones Of What You Believe” is impressive to say the least, especially considering it is the group‟s first album together. Chvrches has a lot of new and
aesthetically pleasing sounds to offer; it will
be exciting to see what is next for the group.
(Gomoxie publicity photo)
Visit their website, chvrch.es for cool band
merch, exclusive videos, and tour dates!
A Child Grows Up
“Community” Star Shows Off His Maturing Musical Talent
Christopher Burgess, Contributor
Childish Gambino, aka Donald Glover, is
a man of many talents. He got his start by
doing stand-up comedy and writing for
“30 Rock.” During his stint as Troy Barns
on the NBC series “Community,” he
started releasing mixtapes online. His two
breakout mixtapes, “I Am Just a Rapper“
and the sequel “I Am Just a Rapper 2,”
had him rapping about women, partying
and being an outsider over beats constructed from indie rock samples. His
2011 debut, “Camp,” saw him rapping
about being an outsider. Since those projects, Glover really grew up. That maturity
shows on his latest release, “Because the
Internet.”
“Because the Internet” chronicles the story
of a young rich boy and his life; from
falling in love, to his want of isolation, to
his breakdown. Thematically, it recalls the
themes of Kanye West‟s “My Beautiful
Dark Twisted Fantasy.” A person at the
top of the world slowly reveals their insecurities and eventually breaks down.
That‟s hard to get from the album though.
The album includes a 72-page screenplay
that tells the story that goes with music (you can find it at becausetheinter.net). The album stands well enough on
its own to enjoy without the screenplay; it
just helps to get the story right.
The story is hidden in the lyrics, which
range from surprisingly witty to cringe-
worthy. Witty lines like “bought friends
like I‟m TBS” from “Life: The Biggest
Troll” or “We spend it with no shame, we
blow that like Coltrane, we in here like
Rogaine” from “3005″ are peppered
throughout the album. But lines like “I
gotta wait in line for that/ Ain‟t nobody
got time for that/ Ain‟t nobody gotta
rhyme with that” from “Crawl” come off
as lazy. Gambino‟s bars are littered with
references to all things internet. Things
like Uber, Instagram, “Ain‟t nobody got
time for that,” and hashtags are referenced
often. His lyrics and flow draw heavy
inspiration from people like Lil Wayne. A
lot of metaphors, rapid fire lines, and mild
wordplay dominate the album for the most
part. Songs like “Worldstar,” which has
more of a trap/drill music influence, and
the latter half of the album, which focuses
more on singing, forgo the Weezy influence. On “No Exit,” Gambino channels
Captain Murphy and utilizes voice changers in his rapping, pitch shifting his voice
up and down to give a surreal, dark feeling
matching the lyrics. The vocal delivery is
more varied than his past projects, opting
for a less nasally flow on some songs.
The beats on “Because the