Well, this is awkward. After facing down backlash for "All About That Bass", Meghan Trainor's attention was then diverted to the enormous slander of her single "Dear Future Husband". Many insults were thrown--non-feminist! sexist! to start--and then she saw her stardom crumble further when Charlie Puth dragged her along for the abomination that was "Marvin Gaye". Less than a year after her debut became a smash, it looked like Meghan Trainor was on her way to be the next Robin Thicke: disgraced from the mainstream after one scandal too many. She was able to release the John Legend-assisted snoozer "Like I'm Gonna Lose You" just in time to score another hit, but the damage was done: Trainor no longer had the leverage to make any political or social statements like she did in "Title". Really, the only way for her career to continue was to wash away any sort of identity marker, blending in with the rest of radio and peacefully exist as an anonymous pop star. She introduced this image overhaul with "NO", a Destiny's Child hand-me-down that transparently appropriated Y2K for a modern audience. The song was catchy enough to become a top three hit, and would've made a pretty good base for Trainor's speedily released sophomore album "Thank You". Only one problem: the time she would've spent making a statement about feminism, body image, or independence, she has condensed into half an album's worth of shameless narcissism. It's clear that the only person she's thanking here is herself, and she doesn't even try to hide her inflated ego with the opening salvo of "Watch Me Do", "Me Too", and "NO". In this context, "NO" seems to be a kiss-off to men simply because they're not the greatness that is Meghan Trainor. Not one of the so-called "self-esteem" songs are catchy enough to be good ("I Won't Let You Down" being the least profane), and all of the 2000s hip-hop references get really old before the drums kick-in for the reggae-driven "Better". True, "Title" suffered for the same reason--50s and 60s doo-whop was good for a one song novelty, but certainly not an entire album--however, what "Thank You" severely lacks in freshness could've been made up in keeping the same level of hooks. But this isn't the Meghan Trainor we used to know, that's why she dyed her hair brown after all, and in order to preserve her as an agreeable pop-tart, she's done everything she can to make her new music as bland and unoriginal as her peers. This, in fact, is what makes this record inferior to her debut. Maybe it's some consolation that she's not as offensive as she used to be, but she's equated correctness for safeness, and has ended up with one of 2016's least enjoyable pop albums.
Recommended Tracks:
"NO"
"Dance Like Yo Daddy"
"Champagne Problems"
When Ariana Grande released her sophomore album "My Everything" in 2014, she was launched from Nickelodeon star with R&B cred to a full-fledged pop phenomenon. She claimed no less than four top ten hits from that album, becoming the only artist to achieve the feat that year. However, 2015 wasn't as kind to Ariana: a slew of scandals threatened to tarnish her sweet and bubbly image and turn her into-gasp-a normal, flawed person! Add to that a single highly reductive of her earlier hits ("Focus") and she had a lot to prove with her third album. Cleverly titled "Dangerous Woman", Grande has put the syrupy ballads and air-thin pop-rap aside for a sleek, sexy collection of songs that are her most consistent and sonically fresh. She's not the wide-eyed ingenue of "Yours Truly" anymore--that was made pretty obvious with her "doughnutgate" incident last year--and she's just fine with that. Now that her teen fanbase have grown into young adults, she seizes her first opportunity to be her raw-unfiltered self and have loads of fun while doing it. But this isn't "Bangerz": Grande is looking to exist on her own terms, whereas Miley Cyrus was doing everything in power to shock. Her pipes are still her best trait, but this time she tries harder to enunciate so the lyrics stand-out just as much as the music itself, which keeps the urban-leanings of her first two records but strips away the flimsy hip-hop for soul and house grooves. Though hiring Max Martin to usher in this new sound was a predictable move, Grande actually defies expectations by being so unapologetically sardonic, playing against the conventions of pop and releasing profanities and innuendo with unabashed glee. Maybe "Dangerous Woman" isn't classy like her earlier records, but since most of these songs are way more fun and catchy, it's a small burden. Unfortunately, Grande couldn't let go of her bad habit to feature way too many artists--Nicki Minaj, Macy Gray, Lil Wayne, and Future all make appearances--and naturally it's these songs that don't work. Ariana is self-sufficient, and delivers her best hooks when it's just her and a mic. She mostly consolidates her strong suits for "Dangerous Woman" though, so even if the middle third is highly repetitive, it's saved by sweaty dance tracks that ride their funky beats and keep the mood going the entire way through. Even if Ariana Grande the person has made some bad decisions lately, it actually ends up empowering her music and taking it to a viable direction. This is an album that she can build a better career upon, now that she's making no excuses (or apologies) for her persona.
Recommended Tracks:
Dangerous Woman
Into You
Greedy
Well this is weird. 22YO and I'm almost done with college and about to do the adulting thing.
ANYWAY :)
Let's just get right to it. After one of the most emotionally straining years of my life, I wouldn't even be here right now if I didn't have such a great people to lean on. I don't get to see them often, so it sucks that some of them are graduating! But more on that later.
As per tradition, the BMB Mellophone section of 2015 gets the first call:
Lexy Henkelman
Michael Jablonsky
Andrea Ranzau
Robyn Gehri
Emily Watkins
Jasmine Hanson
Siri Stensberg
Sam Olson
Grant Sachs
Amanda Halek
Ben Mackie
Gage Donkers
Nalika Nom
Less than three, guys <3
Next, the only people I could stand in the UWEC Symphony Orchestra!
Crystine McGinley-Adams: Violin
Amanda Koval: Violin
Hannah Nennig: Violin
Rose Mish: Violin
Alyssa Edmundson: Violin
Nicole Bergquist: Violin
Katarina Theo: Violin
McKenzie Palmer: Violin
Rachel Burtman: Bass
Hunter Jeske: Bass
Sarah DiPiazza: Clarinet
Zach Arthur: Bassoon
Andy Michor: Horn
Kristina Mienke: Horn
My last year in this ensemble really couldn't end fast enough. A really traumatic experience all around. But I have to say goodbye to the graduates! Crystine, Rose, and Andy, I love you all and wish the best for all your futures!!
I took another creative writing course this year (ENGL 310), which involved poetry writing! Not my favorite class, but these are definitely some of my favorite people!
Anne Sanell
Emily Spence
Shannon Carlson
Josie Peterson
Brianne Ackley
Brandon Hoege
The cool kids in my fine arts administration seminar!
Dani Schmalz
Adam Accola
Kaynen Harris
Katelyn Larson
Mitchell Rea
Adam is gradu-macating! A really great guy who I hope has an equally great life beyond college!
And of course I'll shout-out my favorite profs from this year!
Nobu Yasuda
Randy Dickerson
Jason Anderson
Nathan Miller
Matthew Meyer
Cynthia Hofacker
Gene Hood
A random list of people that I can't categorize but appreciate very dearly!!
Alex Exworthy
Hannah Zirbes
Bobbi Freagon
Adam Wysocki
Quinn Reinhard
Trevor Kent
Carlee Schneider
Shannon Durley
Shelby Moore
Sierra Joswick
Paul Soulier
Rachel Eckwright
Chad Mantey
Teresa Wolfe
Haley Reichardt
Shalaine Buehl
Grace Luebben
Maggie Donovan
Mariah Sands
Christine Lasee
Angie Coyle
Matt Strom
Anika Reinighaus
Kirsten Miller
Dan Vaningan
Heather Colwell
Zach Bartsch
Katelyn Klevgard
Molly Jones
Katie Lane
There are ALOT of people from this list that are graduating! Alex, Adam, Carlee, Shannon, Paul, Shalaine, Grace, and Angie. All of you are amazing, wonderful human beings that will go forth and tear all the shit up! Thank you for staying by me for so long, and have fun in your adult lives!!!
So, now would be the time that I acknowledge the top four people that went above and beyond and all that usual sappy stuff. But, this year I didn't think that any one person stood out above the rest because everyone helped me out: equally and in different, valuable ways.
But I'll name a few that witnessed me break down and give up, and then proceeded to push me forward. They never gave up, and I'll recognize that:
Briana Buchholtz-Oh come on you knew this was coming! 4 straight years of unwavering loyalty and companionship, all of them exciting and rewarding! I love this girl more than I love cats, and that's saying something!!
Jesse Kozak-Hey, the first guy on this part of the list! We had good times this year, too many not to warrant a special mention. A very good friend that has only encouraged me to do my best and to not give up so easily. I wonder what shenanigans will ensue in the fall? ;)
Emily Watkins-Once bae, always bae. No one else took me to Carson Park at midnight and ate McDonald's with me. We sat, we bitched, we played cribbage, we ate tons of calories! But most importantly, she continued to support me through some of the darkest days. I couldnt've survived without here!
Andrea Ranzau-It looks like we'll have a little more time together, which is great because it's always fun with my home-slice around! One of my best friends since freshmen year, she holds me steady when I'm just about to crumble. I'll be so sad when she does leave, but happy that she's given me four years of her time and patience!!
That's it for this year. One more semester to go, and I'll be done with school for the first time in 17 years!!!! I'll once again thank everyone mentioned here for their love and guidance. And to anyone that I may have forgotten: only on paper, but not in my heart!
