There’s no simple way to describe the last 12 months of music.  It was a year in which Taylor Swift bounced back from her awkward VMA incident and Kanye West bounced back even higher.  A year with hits from Katy Perry, Rihanna, Ke$ha and other tween-pleasing singers.  But amongst all this music, a few albums certainly stood out. (continue reading...)

After Michael Jackson’s shocking and saddening death, fans anxiously awaited any remnants of the King of Pop.  Millions watched his nationally broadcast funeral and ventured to see his concert documentary, “This Is It.” [caption id="attachment_9194" align="alignright" width="292" caption="CAPTION. Photo courtesy musicko.com."][/caption] (continue reading...)

Kid Cudi’s second album, “Man On The Moon II,” takes a closer look at the drugged and depressed superstar. Cudi, clearly unsatisfied with his career, openly sings about it in his17-track album. (continue reading...)

With his latest album, “The Lady Killer,” Cee Lo Green establishes himself as one of the decade’s most creative and original artists. No pop artists can match Green’s signature high-pitched voice and retro style. [caption id="attachment_8673" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Cee Lo's pose on the cover of "The Lady Killer" evokes his retro style.  Cee Lo's hit, "F*** You," jumped to No. 17 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart by the end of October and stayed in the top 40 for three weeks. Photo courtesy http://cuindependent.com."][/caption] (continue reading...)

Ask almost any girl at Whitman who her favorite artist is, and she’ll respond enthusiastically: Taylor Swift.  But as a member of the testosterone team, I’m not fervent about the country star who’s captivated our generation of double-x chromosomes. [caption id="attachment_8318" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Taylor Swift's latest album, "Speak Now," wasn't a show stopper for senior columnist Andrew Wyner. Photo courtesy justjared.buzznet.com."][/caption] (continue reading...)

It all began ten months ago in a locker room at Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania.  Roy Briggs (’09) was spitting freestyle rap to an audience of his fellow football players. (continue reading...)

Drumming powerhouse Zach Hill isn’t afraid to play unusual music. From his drumming roles in math-rock duo Hella and El Groupo Nuevo De Omar Rodríguez-López to his collaborations with Carson McWhirter and Deerhoof’s Greg Saunier, he’s always exploring new forms of music. “Face Tat,” his latest album, picks up where his last album “Astrological Straits” left off. [caption id="attachment_7926" align="alignright" width="300" caption="Zach Hill's album, released Oct. 19, features a surprising mix of rhythms and time signatures . Photo courtesy http://ihrtn.com."][/caption] (continue reading...)