The Summer Season: Music in Review

Midwood students have had a lot to smile about when it comes to this summer’s music. Photo: Becca Greenberg and Trey Woodbine

By BECCA GREENBERG and TREY WOODBINE

The past three months have been great for music. Artists across three different genres all entered a new era of their careers, releasing some of their best projects to date: Zach Bryan with self titled, Lil Uzi Vert with Pink Tape, and Olivia Rodrigo with Guts.  

Zach Bryan, Self-Titled (★★★☆☆)

In 55 minutes, Zach Bryan explores themes of grief, family relationships, war, and real American people’s stories in his self-titled fourth studio album, released in August. With the almost cult following that Bryan has amassed, it was no shock that this album topped the Billboard charts, becoming the first country-rock album to do so in almost three years.  

The album starts with a surprise, Bryan reading aloud a poem in “Fears and Fridays (Poem),” catching the listener off guard. He immediately comments on the American Dream, and the song clearly reflects on his past as a Navy veteran. While the themes are undoubtedly heavy, the soft feeling of Bryan’s voice and the light music in the background lift up this initial track.

But the true opener is “Overtime,” the highlight of the whole album. The song follows a story of perseverance that Bryan personally experienced and shows his passion for creating music and the journey it took him to get here. “Overtime” feels like a song that should be listened to while standing in between cars on the F train as it goes above ground. The whole song feels like a continuous buildup to something bigger, and the drum beat is relentless.  

Other high points of the album come in Bryan’s collaborations with other artists. Zach Bryan contains features from The War and Treaty, Sierra Ferrell, Kacey Musgraves, and The Lumineers.  Each one of these songs seems to be crafted with the intention of being for that specific collaborating artist. Many singers struggle with cohesively bringing in the sounds of other musicians to their own work, but Bryan excels in this area. “Hey Driver (ft. The War and The Treaty)” and “I Remember Everything (ft. Kacey Musgraves)” were the two strongest collaborative tracks, and both brought much needed life into the album with the addition of other vocalists and structures.  

Unfortunately, even with the impressive songs Bryan creates, the sound of the album becomes almost too cohesive. Although there are 16 songs on Zach Bryan, there were ten throughout the album that could have been blended together seamlessly. While it is important that Bryan maintains a signature style in his work, this pushed the boundaries of how one-note an album should be. Most of the variation in the album comes from the guest star tracks, and by the last five songs, the listener feels like they have heard it all before.  

While Zach Bryan made a beautiful thematic album, many listeners won't help but feel bored after a 55 minute listen. The songwriting and values Bryan shares offer amazing insight on the life of a veteran that many don’t have exposure to. While the lyrics are incredibly strong, the music and instrumentation simply don’t support Bryan as well as they could have.  

Lil Uzi Vert, Pink Tape (★★★★☆)

Pink Tape is Lil Uzi Vert's third studio following their 2020 album Eternal Atake, which was met with widespread critical acclaim. This album includes feature tracks from big artists like Travis Scott, Nicki Minaj, and Don Toliver, creating high expectations. Uzi experiments an immense amount, taking elements from alt hip-hop, punk rap, and metal. 

Starting off strong in the first half of the album, “Flooded The Face” and “Suicide Doors” give off a classic vibe from Uzi’s previous albums. They address comments about their sexuality and their recent pronoun change (Uzi now uses they/them pronouns). They mock the stereotypes of masculinity and talk about their comfort with experimenting, not only in music. The first few songs include screeching guitar riffs and an intense bass beat that give off an alternative music vibe which fits Uzi perfectly. Uzi’s ability to animate their voice in ways that amplify the music and the lyrics ensures that you never get bored listening to this hour and a half long album.

The features in this song complement Uzi’s new approach well. “Aye,” featuring Travis Scott, gives off an ominous, villainous vibe with eerie strings and a pounding bass and beat that all come together with the verses on both artists’ sides. “Endless Fashion” featuring Nicki Minaj has a simple yet concise beat, and Minaj’s presence doesn't throw you off, even when she exclaims that you can never “chin check” her.

The second half of the album does get a little messy, with genres meshing in the wrong way sometimes. “Just Wanna Rock” remains a critically acclaimed favorite, but the songs on the end of this tracklist get a little lost from that fun hip-hop and rap vibe. The album concludes with an alt-metal fusion that feels as if it belongs in an anime TV show, marking a distorted end to things. 

Pink Tape, with a whopping one hour and 27 minute runtime, is certainly not for everyone, but definitely ensures there is at least one song someone could connect with. Uzi once again declares themself as a artist who is not afraid to express themselves through their music and experiment with the different forms of it, making them an icon in the rap industry. 

Olivia Rodrigo, Guts (★★★★☆)

It’s been over two years since Olivia Rodrigo’s debut Grammy Award-winning album Sour was released in the spring of 2021, creating high expectations for her sophomore album Guts. To no surprise, Rodrigo delivers a strong selection of songs, ranging from tear-jerking, sliding-down-the-wall ballads to pop-rock fusion, leading the listener on a roller coaster of emotions. The 20-year-old singer-songwriter perfectly depicts the experience of being a teenage girl and finding love, combined with her specific view on being young in the industry. 

The opener, “all-american b****h,” feels like a score for an early 2000’s Disney movie, presumably because of Rodrigo’s previous ties with Disney and its impact on her music. The song starts off with a mellow guitar chord and angelic vocals, then switches midway through to an electrifying change of pace, presenting a classic teenage angst story about the need to be perfect. Rodrigo in one song alone manages to switch between two different genres, reminding the listener of the feeling you get when someone says you’re doing something wrong. The chorus, catchy enough to memorize in mere seconds, will have you belting out “I scream inside to deal with it”  and then yelling along with the ten seconds of screaming that follows. Rodrigo starts off with a bang, setting the entire tone of the album. It exemplifies her nostalgic storytelling, which resonates with a lot of teens today.

The next few songs in the first half of the album, including “bad idea right?,” “get him back,” and “ballad of a homeschooled girl” follow a similar pattern to the first, creating a somber tone as Rodrigo tackles relatable ideas about being young, making mistakes, and wanting to get back with your ex. The production on the album as a whole remains strong thanks to her producer, Dan Nigro, who adds a sentimental yet edgy vibe to every song. These three songs, along with the single “vampire,” remain popular on charts, allowing Rodrigo to bring back an entire genre of music in her own unique style. 

Famously known for her carefully written ballads, Rodrigo lets us down a bit in the second half of the album, when repetitive songs flow into one another, and not in a good way. This half of the album, though amazing in songwriting, starts to lose itself and the energy that was more prominent in the first half. The strongest of the bunch, and the most underrated, would be “lacy,” which talks about the common trope of comparing yourself to others based on physical appearances, with a nod to self worth. The harmonies orchestrated by Rodrigo, along with the simple guitar chords, create a doleful feeling, leaving you with the pain of wondering if you’ll ever be able to live up to being “the greatest thing to ever exist.”

Overall, Rodrigo doesn’t disappoint with her sophomore album, and her experimentation with genres shows she’s not afraid to expand her music. Her production and songwriting have stayed strong and amplify this album in the best way possible. Guts is a heart wrenching yet timely comment on growing up and trying to figure out who we are.