After the tragic passing in December 2023 of drummer Cayle Sain put a stop on the rise of Mizery the band is back using pre production demos Cayle had to help put out the bands self titled EP, their first new music release in nearly a decade.

Sadly though the crossover thrash / hardcore sound I was expecting was only half present. The EP itself feels like a collection of sounds the band was going to experiment with at various times. ‘Renegade Rhythm’ wears its Body Count / Rage Against The Machine influence on its sleeves while ‘The Weapon Pt. II’ is that crossover sound fans will want to pit for. ‘The Weapon Pt. 1’ is a quick instrumental bit that on an already short EP only continues to throw off the pacing here it felt.

Ending with ‘Eulogy’ (ft. Sammy Ciaramitaro of Drain) sees the band end on a rap rock note mixed with Deftones type sound. The sound feels like it goes through several different genres and would have been a major hit in the nu metal era.

Mizery’s self-titled EP feels like it wants to hit hard, but never quite lands the punch. There are flashes of potential here—with songs not being bad but also not really hitting the way I wanted—but they’re buried under an EP that I feel like never is able to find its own identity. It is great though that not only is the band back but they were able to honor Sain by putting out a record that had his influence and playing on it.

Score :

2.5 / 5

 By: Morgan Holzer

We’ve been waiting for Andrea and Julia to drop more music, and they definitely delivered. The duo released their new EP girl, c’mon!, and it encapsulates the early-2000s and feels nostalgic. I would describe it as camp, fun, and still unmistakably them. Even with all the playful nostalgia, they manage to keep that dreamy, ethereal sound that makes them feel so unique. They’ve described the EP as a love letter to themselves and to anyone trying to figure out life in their twenties, and honestly, that’s exactly what it feels like.

The EP has seven tracks, each one capturing what it feels like to be finding your way in your twenties. The songs go beyond being catchy. They dive into topics like heartbreak, hope, and late nights overthinking. The lyrics are real and honest, and when they’re paired with those bright, upbeat pop sounds, you’re basically guaranteed to have them stuck in your head. You can really feel how intentional the project is. It’s relatable, raw, and it genuinely reads like a love letter.

The Two Lips consistently collaborate with some of the coolest, most talented creatives, and it shows every single time. Watching their aesthetic evolve, not just in the music but in the entire world they build around it, is one of my favorite parts of following them.

Fans are also keeping an eye out for a Two Lips Christmas. They hinted at the idea on TikTok with a preview of a “Santa Baby” cover, and everyone is excited to see what festive music they might release next.

By Britne Goldstein

Demi Lovato Album Review

Pop/Rock powerhouse Demi Lovato is back, and this time she’s saying “let’s have fun” louder than ever. Her ninth studio album “It’s Not That Deep” dropped on October 24, 2025 and it’s a return to dance-pop euphoria after the rock-leaning vibes of her previous work.

Demi says, “I’m happy, I’m in love, and I just want to enjoy life and have fun. I realised it’s not that deep anymore.”

The cover art is bold and visually chaotic in the best way. Demi standing almost nude, clutching a dry-cleaning bag with a dress in it, surrounded by a crowd of people barely noticing her. Statement made.

Track-by-track thoughts

1. “Fast” – The lead single that nails the vibe instantly: diva-house meets pop sprint. You can feel the momentum.
2. “Here All Night” – Big dance-floor energy, and a clever nod to staying out late (or at least mentally doing so). The beat pushes you while the vocal pulls you.
3. “Frequency” – A bit of hidden depth here: after the high tempo opener, this one plays with connection, signal, and maybe who’s really listening.
4. “Let You Go” – Romantic release, catharsis baked into a pop hook. Perfect transitional moment: party mode but reflective.
5. “Sorry To Myself” – Title says it all: a look in the mirror, but done with the same sparkle as the bangers. Don’t sleep on this one, it’s one of my favorites.
6. “Little Bit” – The playful cheek of the album. Attitude, flirtatious, and carefree.
7. “Say It” – This one is commanding. It’s the part where Demi says “enough waiting, enough hesitation.”
8. “In My Head” – A mood shift which is more internal, maybe about what we tell ourselves when the night ends and the lights come up.
9. “Kiss” – Electropop, club-ready, and absolutely built for the “just one more dance” moment.
10. “Before I Knew You” – Nostalgia and movement: where was I before you showed up? And yes it still fits into the “let’s move” overall vibe.
11. “Ghost” – Closes it out with a bit more weight behind the sparkle. Demi herself says this song is about being terrified of losing someone because you love them so much.

The album is backed by a major tour that kicks off in April 2026 covering 23 cities across North America.

It’s Not That Deep is exactly what it promises: a dance-pop party with smarts, sass, and heart. It’s light enough to get you moving, but meaningful enough that you don’t roll your eyes at the lyrics. Queue it up for your next night-out playlist, but maybe also for that solo late-night drive when you want to feel alive, confident, and unbothered.

By Britne Goldstein

Taylor Swift: The Life of a Showgirl — album review

Swifties, huddle up. On October 3, 2025, Taylor delivered her 12th original studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, and she came to slay. Reunited with longtime hitmakers Max Martin and Shellback, this one is a glossy pop moment. Swift says this album captures what was happening “behind the scenes” of her life on The Eras Tour: electric, dramatic, and unapologetically showy.

Let’s dig into each track (yes, I have thoughts):

1. The Fate of Ophelia
A bold opener, referencing Shakespeare’s tragic Ophelia (yes, the one who drowns). Swift kicks things off with dramatic flair. It’s catchy and sets the tone: emotional but showy. The pop production hits just right. Taylor says: “It’s also just kind of one of my favorite catchy melodies I’ve ever gotten to write.”

2. Elizabeth Taylor
Swift leans into glamour and tragedy here, referring to the iconic actress. Fans suspect she’s drawing parallels between Elizabeth’s public life and her own (especially now, owning her masters, navigating fame, relationships). It lands more as a poetic mood piece, but it’s classy and theatrical. Taylor says: “Role models are pretty hard to come by, but I would absolutely say that she’s one of mine.”

3. Opalite
Okay, this one is sultry and a bit mystical. “Opalite” nods to the man-made gemstone, which is also Travis Kelce’s birthstone. This might be one of the tracks that latches onto your brain. Taylor says: “It’s just so infectiously contagiously happy and really an expression of how the song is itself about choosing happiness and getting through rough times, you know, adversity, and really choosing your own joy, and sort of path to joy, and it didn’t just happen accidentally for you.”

4. Father Figure
This is one of the deeper cuts. With the interpolation of George Michael’s “Father Figure”, Swift leans into darker vibes, playing with loyalty, power, identity, and public image. Taylor says: “It’s the stuff that I’ve always wanted to say. It was a blast to write, I love stepping into a character like that.”

5. Eldest Daughter
Track 5 is always a special slot in Taylor’s albums. Here, she plays with the weight of expectations, family dynamics, and identity. It’s heartfelt without being over-the-top, and as an

eldest daughter myself, I felt deeply seen. Taylor says: “This song really kind of gets to the heart of when someone gets close enough to you to earn your trust, that’s when you can admit to them that you actually really do care about some things.”

6. Ruin the Friendship
This one is sad, nostalgic, and emotionally raw, but with that upbeat pop glamour. The twist at the end really hits. Taylor says: “It’s really kind of a beautiful story of taking chances when they present themselves and not letting them pass you by, not having to spend your lifе wondering what would have happenеd if you would have done it.”

7. Actually Romantic
Drama alert: some critics see this as a diss toward Charli XCX (who dropped Sympathy Is a Knife not long ago). The lyrics get petty and the tone is sharper than usual. It’s the sweetest diss track I’ve ever heard. Taylor says: “A song about realizing that someone else has kind of had a one-sided adversarial relationship with you that you didn’t know about.”

8. Wi$h Li$t
Stylized with dollar signs, this is classic Taylor pop: whimsical, mildly sharp, playing with wants and expectations. Taylor says: “It’s kind of about exploring all those different lives that people want and all those different aspirations that people have, but knowing that you havе your own set of wishes.”

9. Wood
Oh yes, she went there. Wood is cheeky, bold, full of double entendres, and polarizing to listeners. Some critics call it goofy; others say it’s one of the more daring tracks. Taylor says: (Sarcastically) “It’s a love story about kind of using, as a plot device, superstitions. All these different ways that we have decided things are good luck or bad luck, like knocking on wood and seeing a black cat. And that is kind of the way that I’ve decided to explore this very, very sentimental love song.”

10. Cancelled!
Taylor leans into cancel culture and misogyny with sarcasm and grit. It’s bold and fierce, not subtle, but that’s the point. Taylor says: “I make my own decisions about people based on how they treat me within my life and their actions.”

11. Honey
A softer moment before the finale, “Honey” gives us some sweetness, some reflection, and possibly a moment of calm in the storm. It balances out the album’s theatrical highs and lows. Taylor says: “It’s kind of about the idea of healing these old wounds that were caused by certain words that now feel totally lovely and sweet.”

12. The Life of a Showgirl (feat. Sabrina Carpenter)
She saved the showstopper for last. This duet is glam, dramatic, and layered. Thematically, it unifies the album’s motifs of performance, identity, and ambition. Taylor says: “The story of a

fictional showgirl, and how my character in the song goes to see her perform, and is completely inspired by her, but rather than responding with fakeness, she tells it like it is and she kind of warns me off this lifestyle because it’s much more than the glitter and the glamour.”

Final Thoughts

The Life of a Showgirl isn’t perfect. Some parts feel like she’s trying too hard or taking playful jabs just for fun, but it’s still a bold, glittering pop statement. Taylor is fully embracing the spotlight and clearly enjoying herself. This time, she isn’t writing from heartbreak, she’s writing from a place of power, reflection, and pure showmanship.

The album’s visual rollout has been wild. The Swifties are used to multiple album cover variants, vinyl/CD/cassette releases, but now we’ve leveled up with cinematic companion screenings in theaters.

If you’re in it for the bops, the drama, the easter egg hunts, this is her show. If you wanted another Folklore or thesaurus filled poetry anthology, maybe not. Overall, she landed her intentions, she gave us twelve distinct characters and moods, and she reminded us she still knows how to throw a glitter bomb.

Post Malone is set to headline the Red West Music Festival in Salt Lake City, which is making waves with its line up entering its second year. With the festival only 45 days away it felt appropriate to look back on Post Malones F-1 Trillion album which was released in 2024. 

The festival is shaping up to be one of Utah’s biggest music events of the year, and having Posty, who has all but adopted Salt Lake City as a second home, as a headliner feels like a true full circle moment for the “hometown” fans.

Released on August 15th 2024, with a deluxe version releasing the next day on the 16th. The album proved that Posty was willing to risk everything for reinvention. Leaning into the country aesthetic, southern-rock. As a result, he produced a personal and raw album that could be played at a rodeo, through stadium speakers or simply through old car speakers. However you choose it brings back the warm feelings of nostalgia that country music is known for.

The brilliance behind this album in my opinion is that the original release had back to back features. Some of the country’s biggest names partnered with Post Malone to produce some of the funnest tracks of the year. My personal favorites included “Nose Dive” with Laney Wilson and “Losers” with Jelly Roll. This release method, in my opinion, allowed those who maybe weren’t sure of the genre shift to get comfortable with the change while listening to country artists they know and love. 

The day after the initial release Posty then released “F1-Trillion: Long Bed” ; this release is only Post Malone tracks, no features. I loved this idea as it really allowed him to showcase his own work and talent. In fact, “Killed a Man” was one of my most played songs of the year and the album came out with only four and a half months left of the year. The way that Post Malone was able to create a fun upbeat while still deeply personal country album marks one of the most successful genre shifts in my opinion. He wasn’t just trying to jump genres to have fun, he was showing the world that he can and does still write deeply personal music no matter the genre.

Now, over a year later, F1-Trillion feels like the perfect setup for what Red West promises to be. A musical celebration that blurs the line of genres and brings people together in the heart of the Utah desert. When Post Malone takes the stage on October 11th fans won’t just be hearing the hits, they will be watching an artist who evolved from one version to another and has a way of making Utah feel like the biggest hype of a hometown show.

By Britne Goldstein

Jonas Brothers Album Review

Released August 8, 2025, Greetings from Your Hometown marks a nostalgic return for the Jonas Brothers as they celebrate 20 years with a love-letter to their Jersey roots and a musical nod to the icons who shaped them. Featuring 14 tracks, with collabs from Dean Lewis, Switchfoot and Marshmello, it’s their most welcoming album in years.

Track List & Quick Thoughts

1. I Can’t Lose – Bright, upbeat, and ready to kick things off with good vibes. It may not reinvent the wheel but serves as an uplifting kick-off to your album binge.
2. Tables – Funky and confident with classic JoBro swagger.
3. Love Me to Heaven – Lead single energy with retro pop sparkle that feels like a big, warm hug.
4. No Time to Talk – Disco groove with a cheeky nod to the Bee Gees via a “Stayin’ Alive” interpolation. Nostalgic yet fresh. Fans are loving the homage.
5. Backwards – Moody and heartfelt, perfect for a rainy-day listen.
6. Loved You Better (feat. Dean Lewis) – Emotional piano ballad that hits you right in the feels.
7. Greetings from Your Hometown (feat. Switchfoot) – Cozy and nostalgic, like catching up with old friends. Switchfoot brings a true rock texture to the vibe.
8. When You Know – Soft and sweet, a quiet standout.
9. Heat of the Moment – Dreamy pop with an airy, beach day vibe.
10. Bully – Punchy pop with a side of attitude and empowerment.
11. Waste No Time – Catchy and clever, destined to get stuck in your head.
12. Lucky – Soft, shimmery, and full of wistful charm.
13. Mirror to the Sky – Airy, reflective, and thoughtful, like floating in a daydream.
14. Slow Motion (feat. Marshmello) – Beat-driven, dreamy, and makes you feel like dancing on the clouds.

Critics are mostly on board with Greetings from Your Hometown, with Melodic Magazine praising its stripped back production and 70s-tinged nostalgia layered over the brothers’ signature pop charm, while Showbiz by PS called it a clear step up from The Album. Not everyone’s swooning though, CultFollowing threw shade with a one star slam calling it “a blob of insincere emotions,” but the fans are firmly in the “play it on repeat” camp. Reddit threads are overflowing with love for “Mirror to the Sky,” “Tables” and the Dean Lewis collab “Loved You Better.” The album serves as the launchpad for the Jonas20: Greetings From Your Hometown Tour, kicking off at MetLife Stadium before hitting 43 cities across North American.