Music Reviews

In this pop culture music report, Amber will be giving her opinion on songs that were recommended to her, as well as breaking down some lyrics to understand the songs more.

April Music Reviews

By Amber Medina-Montoya

Music has a way of connecting people, and it even has the ability to persuade the brain into certain moods. Whether it be pop, rap, rock, K-pop, or whatever it is you might enjoy, there is pretty much something out there for everybody. In this article, I review music that was recommended to me, while also breaking down some lyrics to fully understand it.

If you have any songs that you would like me to listen to and possibly review in this column, then leave them in the form at the bottom of this article! Even if I do not review it in the next issue, I will definitely listen to it!

Photo Credit: genius.com

“To You, From Me ”- Naethan Apollo

I want to start this one off by saying that this song is absolutely adorable and was recommended to me by a good friend of mine. It is a letter from a person to their lover, who is implied to be miles away from the singer. There are so many metaphors used in this song that make each line feel new, while keeping the vibe of the song upbeat the entire time. The simple guitar strums in the background with the occasional bass line produces a happy, lovestruck type of song.

Memorable lines add to the list of reasons this song made its way into my head and is sticking there for quite a while. The line “You’re the high school crush that I knew that I always wanted” is quite possibly one of the cutest and most simplistic lyrics in this entire song. The line expresses that the speaker had always wanted someone like this person that they are writing about and, now that they are getting to experience that, this line fits in perfectly with the rest of the song. It is also slightly ironic because high school crushes tend to be more simple than loving someone entirely. However, the context of the use of that lyric pushes it to mean more because this person is obviously in love with the subject of the song, but the phrase “high school crush” adds a touch of cute simplicity to it.

Another segment that stood out was “But this letter ain't on paper because mailing stuff is hard,/ So you'll just have to imagine hugs and kisses on the card,/ But it's no longer ‘Yours Truly’ that I'm writing at the end,/ It's ‘Love, Nate XO,/ Until we meet again.’” This line basically solidifies the immersion of listening to a personal letter that was written to someone. This particular line also stands out because it has a slight comedic twist to it with the lyric “But this letter ain't on paper because mailing stuff is hard,” because, honestly, who genuinely enjoys the process of buying stamps, getting the address and going through the post office, just for a letter to take up to weeks to even send? Not me, that’s for certain. The lyrics comedically and cleverly relate to the listener while still feeling personal to the singer. The use of his name near the end also makes this letter feel even more intimate, pushing the listener to feel like it is not just a song, but a genuine message to a special person for him.

Overall, this song has a great vibe, and it is definitely a must-have for those who are making a playlist for that special person. This song has everything, from comical inserts to cute metaphors, paired with a feeling of adorable intimacy that a person can really only find in letters. These aspects make this song stand out immensely, and I absolutely recommend you give it a listen!

“All Too Well (Taylor’s Version) (10 Minute Version) ”- Taylor Swift

Note: Use of a certain four-letter word starting with F is used in this song-- only once, though. There is a clean version of this song as an alternative.

Okay, I'm going to start off with one thing. I am a dedicated Taylor Swift fan, so when I saw this song was recommended to me, I felt almost obligated to give my (very passionate, might I add) opinion on this song. It might be a little long.

Photo Source: https://taylorswift.fandom.com/wiki/All_Too_Well

Let's start off by addressing the length of this song. Yes, it is actually ten minutes long. However, that ten minutes packs some of the deepest lyrics I have personally ever heard in any song.

The lyric that stands out the most would have to be “You call me up again just to break me like a promise, so casually cruel in the name of being honest.” Heartbreak. That is what this song is about, and that line almost perfectly encapsulates it. It directly expresses that the person on the other end of the phone is being cruel with their words and actions, while acting completely casual about it. Knowing that the person on the other end can play that attitude off so well would break anyone’s heart if they were in that position. That line is also delivered in the climax of that song, as Swift belts it out and the music in the background is louder than the rest of the song, which adds to the feeling of hurt on her end.

Another particularly deep-cutting line included in this song is “The idea you had of me, who was she? A never-needy, ever-lovely jewel whose shine reflects on you.” That feeling that she’s describing, of believing that everything you do must live up to someone else’s expectations, and everything you do has to reflect on how that other person acts, is something that is portrayed wonderfully in this line. The phrase “ever-lovely jewel” also portrays the belief that, in that situation, despite everything else going on, you had to seem “perfect” in the eyes of everyone else. The feelings that Swift is able to get across in this song are done well and she masterfully expressed her emotions to capture the attention of the listener.

The song itself also sways throughout calm and more intense feelings. The piece starts off more mellow and calm, and reflects back to when the relationship described in the song was happier, using the lyrics “We’re singing in the car getting lost upstate.” This is followed a couple of beats later with “And I know it’s long gone, and that magic’s not here no more,” signifying the fact that she is looking back on the experience, and painfully acknowledging that what she had before is gone. The flow starts to pick up a couple of minutes in, the music getting slightly more intense while the lyrics start to carry more of a negative meaning.

The song peaks about halfway through, and then mellows out again, ending quietly, similar to the beginning. The way the music flows helps carry the listener throughout the story, quieter on the more happy or desperately silent lyrics, and louder on the lyrics expressing anger, hurt, or explosive emotions. The piece travels from the beginning, describing the happier moments of the relationship and moves on to describe the red flags and the more intense and negative experiences. Swift even makes a nod to how the person missed her 21st birthday (cough cough, looking at you, Jake Gyllenhaal). The lyrics match the music background perfectly, which makes the emotional response even greater.

I could honestly keep going on about this song but, for the sake of time and your sanity, I am going to cut it off here. All in all, this piece genuinely feels like a story to listen to, and this song is beautifully done. This song manages to carry the listener through a deep story of a relationship and the emotional strife experienced by Swift. The ten-minute length sounds excessive for those who have never listened to it, but each minute has something new and, in actuality, it does not even feel like ten minutes. Swift executed it wonderfully and you should definitely give it a listen.

Have a song you want me to listen to and possibly review in the next issue? Leave them below in the Google form!

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