Krystal Leung

Quarantine has been a struggle for the past month because many of us go extended periods of time without seeing the sun. As such, here are 5 songs for your social distancing playlist.  1. All By Myself by Celine Dion  This classic party… Continue Reading →

(Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Riot!) Background  Riot! is the second album by Paramore, a band who first gained prominence in the mid-to-late 2000s with their emo, pop punk sound that was popular at the time. Upon its release in June 2007, it peaked at 15 on… Continue Reading →

(Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immunity_(Clairo_album)) Background  Immunity is the debut album released by singer-songwriter Clairo, who originally gained prominence on YouTube for her song, “Pretty Girl”. Released in 2019, it peaked at 51 on the U.S. Billboard 200, and it was no. 22 on Billboards list of Best Albums… Continue Reading →

(Image: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunset_Season) Some Background  Sunset Season is an EP (extended play) that was released in November of 2018 by Conan Gray, an American singer-songwriter and YouTuber. Composed of 5 nostalgia-filled tracks, the EP peaked at 116 on the Billboard 200 charts.   I remember first… Continue Reading →

(Image: https://remodrive.bandcamp.com/album/greatest-hits) Background  Greatest Hits by Remo Drive is an underappreciated punk/emo album that seamlessly blends witty self-deprecation with an artfully unfinished, rough-around-the-edges sound reminiscent of bands such as Weezer and Yellowcard. Released in 2017, Greatest Hits is the band’s first full-length album.   Before diving into the musical content… Continue Reading →

(Image: https://genius.com/albums/Bhad-bhabie/15) Some of my favorite genres of music include alternative, indie, and pop, but I’ve always been that person who says they’ll listen to anything. A select few country artists like Kacey Musgraves and Chris Stapleton have written some of my favorite songs,… Continue Reading →

(Image: https://genius.com/albums/Janelle-monae/Dirty-computer)   Rarely do we encounter a piece of music that gracefully dismantles the status quo surrounding sexuality, race, gender, and identity while being catchy and feel-good. However, Janelle Monae did it in 2018 with Dirty Computer, her third studio album. As a bonus, there is an “emotion picture” associated with it.  … Continue Reading →

(Image: https://i-d.vice.com/en_us/article/ywajwv/harry-styles-new-tim-walker-album-cover-fine-line)   Although Harry Styles is frequently still associated with the now-defunct boyband One Direction, he’s made a name for himself in mainstream music through his rock-influenced solo albums that deviate from the unfortunate bubblegum pop sound to which the group… Continue Reading →

(Image: https://smugglersite.com/1358/once-the-musical-inspired-by-oscar-winning-film-will-premiere-off-broadway/)   Taking a break from discussing the widely known, big hitters of the musical industry such as Les Misérables, Hamilton, and the like, I’ll be evaluating Once this week.   Once is a 2007 romantic drama set in Ireland.  It follows two struggling musicians, vaguely named Guy and Girl, and… Continue Reading →

Five dollars to see a musical is a deal, so when I heard the Penn State Thespian Society was putting on a production of Heathers: The Musical last week, I knew I had to carve out the time in my… Continue Reading →