Haley Gilbert

Haley Gilbert is a student writer from Lawrenceville, Georgia. She currently attends the University of Georgia and is part of the Marketing and Music Business programs. After attending countless concerts throughout her life, Haley realized the only thing she enjoys more than listening to music is talking about listening to music, and she is excited to do just that with Vinyl Mag. While she gravitates towards folk and rock music, she is looking forward to expanding her tastes, immersing herself in the vibrant Athens music scene, and sharing her findings with all of you.

Year in Review: Our Favorite Albums of 2023—Staff Picks

Posted on by Vinyl Mag, Ethan Barrilleaux, Haley Gilbert, Buket Urgen and Adeboye Adeoye

From one fellow music lover to another, Vinyl Mag staff shares the albums they loved all year long. Take a look below to see what records made us feel, dance, and reflect in 2023. Maybe you’ll find a new favorite.

Adeboye Adeoye, Staff Writer

  1. McKinley Dixon, Beloved! Paradise! Jazz!?
  2. Sampha, Lahai
  3. Lord Apex, The Good Fight
  4. Kara Jackson, Why Does the Earth Give Us People to Love?
  5. Leith Ross, To Learn
  6. Noname, Sundial
  7. Jordan Ward, FORWARD
  8. Khamari, A Brief Nirvana
  9. MARCO PLUS, JOINTS
  10. Jamila Woods, Water Made Us

The albums that stick with me most this year tell very personal stories. McKinley Dixon evoked the written works of master author Toni Morrison over jazzy instrumentation to tell the story of contemporary Black life and his place in it. The title track stands out to me because of how simple it can be with repetition yet how layered its lyrics and themes are. Seeing Sampha return to the stage and release a new solo album was a moment of profound joy for me. Now a father and husband, I can hear how the years have aged him for the better, how he worked to overcome pain and grief, and it gives me hope for a brighter future in my own life. On a similar note, Kara Jackson’s record is an especially poignant project. The former National Youth Poet Laureate is bringing a whole new generation’s ears to the Blues while personally using her music as a vessel to navigate a sea of grief. I hope 2024 is filled with stories as personal as these, but I also hope that I don’t limit my ears to a small subsection of the near-boundless collection of stories and perspectives that is modern music.

Ethan Barrilleaux, Staff Writer

  1. Westside Gunn, And Then You Pray For Me
  2. Travis Scott, Utopia
  3. Earl Sweatshirt, The Alchemist, Voir Dire
  4. Zach Bryan, Zach Bryan 
  5. Logic, College Park 
  6. Lil Yachty, Let’s Start Here.
  7. JPEGMAFIA, Danny Brown, SCARING THE HOES
  8. Drake, For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition
  9. Larry June, The Alchemist, The Great Escape
  10. Tyler, The Creator, CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale 

Reflecting on the music released this year, I am reminded that hip-hop is alive and well. However this year, I reached out of my comfort zone with records like Zach Bryan’s self-titled and Lil Yachty’s indie/psychedelic rock Let’s Start Here. Bryan gave me the best I could ask for in an introduction to country music, a soft record with insightful lyrics. And when I first heard about Yachty’s indie album, I was skeptical, but, the intro track “the BLACK seminole” immediately drew me into the great record. However, this year gave me plenty of new favorite hip-hop records too. We got a classic boombap-style record by Westside Gunn. This record was all I could ask for with its grimy drums over eerie instrumentals. The track “KITCHEN LIGHTS” is beautiful and it’s where we get what Griselda Records do best. Since July, Travis Scott’s Utopia has grown on me. The intro track “HYAENA” is already an iconic track during his live shows, and I still cannot stop listening to “MODERN JAM” and “TIL FURTHER NOTICE”. Earl Sweatshirt delivered on his brief yet beautifully produced record Voir Dire with The Alchemist, who had an incredible year. The Alchemist was also featured on Larry June’s The Great Escape and Drake’s For All The Dogs Scary Hours Edition, where Drake went 6 for 6 on the additional tracks. It was an experimental yet gratifying year for hip-hop production largely thanks to The Alchemist and Conductor Williams. However, I cannot talk about experimental production without highlighting JPEGMAFIA and Danny Brown’s SCARING THE HOES. Tracks like “Garbage Pale Kids” and “Lean Beef Patty” gave such unique productions that I keep coming back to them. Then there was Logic’s College Park, a highly anticipated album for me, and while it did not meet all my expectations, tracks like “Lightsabers” and “Village Slum” made it one of my favorites of the year. Lastly, we did not get an entirely new Tyler, The Creator project this year, but CALL ME IF YOU GET LOST: The Estate Sale contained enough notable and well-produced tracks such as “WHAT A DAY” and “HEAVEN TO ME” that I had to include it.  

Haley Gilbert, Staff Writer

  1. Liza Anne, Utopian
  2. Chappell Roan, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess
  3. Heffner, Super Bowl LXIX
  4. Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS
  5. Zach Bryan, Zach Bryan
  6. Boygenius, the record
  7. Indigo De Souza, All of This Will End
  8. Hozier, Unreal Unearth
  9. Gregory Alan Isakov, Appaloosa Bones
  10. Briston Maroney, Ultrapure

This year marked the end of my college career and the beginning of whatever happens next. Naturally, things did not play out in the way I had planned, but that does not mean that they did not play out in the way they were supposed to. During this in-between phase of life, I have found myself surrounded by lots of music, which tends to be a good sign about how things are going. While listening to Utopian by Liza Anne, I realized how special of a gift it is to be able to listen to them describe change as a beautiful and necessary thing while I am currently terrified at the prospect of restructuring my life; I was able to find comfort where I wasn’t necessarily expecting or looking for it. After finding myself at lots of shows in Athens this past year, there was no way Heffner’s Super Bowl LXIX was not going to make this list; their sound has become interwoven in many of the memories I made during my time in the Classic City. Between boygenius’s the record, Briston Maroney’s Ultrapure, Chappell Roan’s The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, Indigo De Souza’s All of This Will End, and Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS, there was no such thing as a boring car ride this year. The songs on these bodies of work were raw, powerful, and such an experience to listen to. On the late-afternoon-coffeehouse-playlist side of the spectrum, Zach Bryan, Hozier, and Gregory Alan Isakov served as my company on many of the days when I turned to music for a sense of peace and comfort with their respective releases Zach Bryan, Unreal Unearth, and Appaloosa Bones. Isakov’s Appaloosa Bones, an album with themes that largely focus on the importance of leaning on those around you for love and support during times of hardship and struggle, felt like a message I so desperately needed to hear, even if I was initially reluctant to accept it, and Zach Bryan’s self-titled album felt like an important step in his mission with Noah Kahan to assemble the Folk Avengers. As the end of the year is approaching, I genuinely do not know what is next for me, but the artists on this list have helped me not only come to terms with this fact but begin to embrace it. 

Buket Urgen, Editor-in-Chief

  1. Janelle Monáe, The Age of Pleasure
  2. Olivia Rodrigo, GUTS
  3. Victoria Monet, Jaguar II
  4. Troye Sivan, Something to Give Each Other
  5. boygenius, the record
  6. Hozier, Unreal Unearth
  7. Caroline Polacheck, Desire, I Want To Turn Into You
  8. Portugal. The Man, Chris Black Changed My Life
  9. Allison Russell, The Returner
  10. Olivia Dean, Messy

Honorable Mention: Amaarae, Fountain Baby

Per usual, my favorite records of the year lean female-artist-heavy. With a mission to throw myself into more music, this year, I made a point of listening to an album from beginning to end, and repeatedly, until it sank in. (I’ve always had a particularly bad habit of zoning out on listens one through three and not genuinely hearing a record until the fourth or fifth time.) I listened to 55 new albums that came out in 2023, which is much less than I would’ve liked. So, here are the albums that were in heavier rotation than the rest. Without a doubt, 2023 was a great year for sexy club bangers from Janelle Monáe’s and Amaarae’s Afrobeats-inspired progressive R&B to Victoria Monet’s more classic R&B and hip-hop influences to Troye Sivan’s electro-pop and house. Meanwhile, supergroup boygenius found massive success following their first full-length record, growing their cult-like following with an indie rock triumph. The record is a slow burn and I find myself finding something new to appreciate in each listen. Olivia Rodrigo’s GUTS was a compelling instant classic, with Rodrigo’s edgy girlhood-core aesthetic brilliantly shining through to reach the repressed teen girl in all of us (or was that just me?). And in moments when I needed to let go and just be, I found myself returning to Caroline Polacheck’s Desire, I Want To Turn Into You or Allison Russell’s The Returner, both soothing in different ways for any rough sailing days in life. This year lacked the blockbuster records of the previous one (see: RENAISSANCE, Midnights, SOS), but it was instead defined by breakthrough moments for long underrated artists or the ones coming into their own with their second full-length project. For anyone out there trying, there was plenty of good music to be found in 2023.

Review: Nuclear Tourism: ‘Nuclear Tourism’

Posted on by Haley Gilbert

Athens, Georgia band Nuclear Tourism’s self-titled sophomore album serves as a reminder of how much fun music can be in its rawest form, especially if that form involves a couple surf-rock anthems.

The album opener, “Feels Alright,” perfectly sets the tone with a song that highlights the strengths of each member without taking itself too seriously. The spirit and skill of the band is on full display in substance inspired songs like cannabis carol “Mary”, a loving tribute to marijuana, and “Half Drunk”, both of which feature rapid changes in tempo that redefine the songs halfway through.

Below the beer soaked surface level, the songs offer a different kind of substance. Beginning with a sample from 1967 film The Graduate, “Dad Brains” perfectly describes the feeling of rejecting the things you don’t want to do while still figuring out what it is you do want; the song is about doing the things that bring you pleasure, even if that means doing nothing at all, and doing your damnedest not to turn into the authority figures around you. Rather than denying the confusion about the future that many experience in their youth, this song embraces and capitalizes off of it. With “No Never!”, a song about refusing to compromise your identity, Nuclear Tourism delivers with a combination of deep-fried sounding instrumentals and growly sing-shouting that results in something even more fun to listen to than its counterparts on the album, which is not an easy task. With these songs, the band is able to offer criticisms in a way that is easy for listeners to digest without coming across as pretentious.

Standout “Cut Your Hair” captures the feeling of being enamored with someone and the comforting fact that despite not knowing what you want to do, you know who you want to do it with. Between the screams scattered throughout the song and the spoken lyrics and heavy guitar at the end, “Sick of it” is the kind of song that needs to be experienced live, bonus points if it’s in the pit cradling a beer.

With Nuclear Tourism, the band experiments with different genres, concepts and sounds and the result is something filled with the good old fashion dye-your-hair, smoke-your-weed, question-your-authority-figures garage-rock sound thatNuclear Tourism does so well.

Check the album out on the platform of your choice and go see Nuclear Tourism live this summer to get the full experience (which may or may not include someone having their head shaved on stage).

Nuclear Tourism’s upcoming shows:

6/17 Masquerade (ATL)

6/23 AthFest

7/7 Georgia Theatre (unplugged set)

7/27 Slopfest (unplugged set)

8/11 Royal American (CHAS) (unplugged)

Show Review: Highlight Athens

Posted on by Haley Gilbert

Every spring, students in the Music Business Certificate Program at the University of Georgia complete a Microcosm of the Music Industry Project, which is a semester long project of their own design based on a sector of the music industry that they are interested in. For their project, students Daniel Crowe, Charlie Enter, Marissa Jones, Ansley Nicholson, and William Perdue created Highlight Athens, a one day music festival, as a benefit for beloved Athens institution Nuci’s Space, a nonprofit resource center focused on suicide prevention and providing support for musicians. The event featured seven up-and-coming Athens acts of various genres performing in an intimate venue filled with glowsticks and the aroma of the fairly-priced grilled cheeses they were selling.

Sun Trick Pony

Sun Trick Pony

The day was off to a great start with a performance by Sun Trick Pony, an Athens four-piece with a sound that is difficult to categorize to one genre (think The Backseat Lovers meets Joe Purdy, but also something completely original). The set started out calm with only lead singer and guitar player Drew Henriksen on stage performing a couple of acoustic songs, but the rest of the band soon joined him on stage to add to an already impressive performance. With a set consisting of originals like “Corduroy Jacket” and newly released single “I think I love you,” every song was so different that by the end of the performance I felt like I had seen eight different bands play (and I was a fan of each one of them).

Shine

Shine

Next up was Shine, a hip hop artist from Gwinnett County who was truly like no other artist I’ve ever seen, with songs featuring themes like religion, love, friendship, support, and transparency. I had the impression that he was truly grateful for every person in that room. He ended his set with his single “Champions”, which has gotten an impressive 277,000 streams on Spotify, and after that performance, it was easy to see why.

Ashtxn

Ashtxn

From the moment singer/songwriter Ashtxn started his set by having the audience greet his “favorite milf” on Facetime, one thing became clear to me: I had no idea what to expect from his set but whatever it was, it was going to be extremely entertaining. He had a great stage presence and managed to successfully hype the crowd up numerous times, due both in part to his charismatic personality as well as songs like “Nighttime” that can get a crowd to open a mosh pit in the middle of the afternoon, an impressive feat.

Evelia

Evelia

The next act, indie pop/rock band Evelia, was completely different from those that it followed but remained every bit as captivating. Starting off strong with their song “Around”, their talent absolutely demanded (and successfully held) the attention of everyone in the venue for a solid 45 minutes. While I enjoyed every song that they played, their new song “Bed Bugs” was especially entrancing, and I cannot wait to hear more music from them.

Five Gallon Flow

Five Gallon Flow

When watching this performance, it was clear that the Athens band was having a great time while they played, and they sounded fantastic doing it. The high-energy set consisted of covers ranging from Frank Ocean to Chris Stapleton, as well as originals like “Easy” that reminded me of a yacht rock song but with extra guitar, which checks out considering the captains’ hats they wore for the duration of their performance.

Schmooze, photo courtesy of Charlie Enter

Schmooze

The Athens funk rock band faithfully guided by lead singer Stewie Brannam gave an electric performance during their time on stage. Their set was filled with strong vocals, great instruments, supportive booing from especially dedicated members of the crowd, and a cover of the Carrie Underwood classic “Before He Cheats” that served as both a powerful showcase of talent and an effective warning against adultery.

Red Mile Road

Red Mile Road

Closing out the evening was headliner Red Mile Road, an Athens based hard rock band with a versatile sound that seems to draw different pieces of inspiration from every decade spanning the last fifty years of music. One of their originals “Getaway” ,a rock number with a very subtle country twang, sounded like it could have easily had a sync placement in any movie released in the early 2000’s, but I am glad that I am able to experience it now.  Towards the end of their set, they took a quick screaming-based survey from the audience to choose what song to cover and Green Day’s “Basket Case” seemed to win by a significant amount of decibels (maybe next time, Blink-182). Following this, they also gifted the audience with a cover of Lit’s “My Own Worst Enemy”, a song that I have now heard covered at two of the last five concerts I’ve gone to and would love to see the trend continue. Overall, their performance was a solid display of talent and a fantastic way to end the evening.

Review: GROUPLOVE: “Hello, All!”

Posted on by Haley Gilbert

When the temperature reaches 70 degrees, certain things become non-negotiable for me: every outfit needs to include a pair of shorts, my car windows will be rolled down, and every playlist should contain at least one GROUPLOVE song to set the mood. Thankfully, with the surprise release of their new double single “Hello, All!” off of their upcoming album I Want It All Right Now, the band has provided me two new options to choose from.

Since the release of their appropriately titled debut album Never Trust a Happy Song, GROUPLOVE has become known for creating music that sounds like happiness feels, even with songs that contain heavy themes. The first single of the pair, “Hello,” a deceptively upbeat sounding number grappling with themes like loneliness and attempting to figure out your identity, is certainly no exception. The song still somehow remains bubbly and energetic even with lyrics like “When will you ever find yourself? / Inside, you feel like someone else” and “Yeah, you’re constantly numb ‘cause nobody sees you through / So you run, and it’s not enough for you,” a true testament to the bands signature sound. Honestly, if you listened to the music without paying attention to the lyrics you may not even realize the subject matter is depressing.

Second on the double single (but not in my heart) is “All,” a song about leaning into your struggles and leaning on those in your life. By swapping out loud instruments for loud vocals and delivering the outro consisting of lines such as “I want it all right now / I wanna take a long ride / With you by my side / I wanna be alright now” via passionate shouting, the point of the song gets across very effectively and proves that GROUPLOVE is not a one trick pony. This is certainly the more somber number of the two and the band successfully capitalizes on that.

These songs are reminiscent of the bands earlier music and remind me of exactly why they dominated the Indie Pop scene for the greater part of the 2010’s and if the quality of these songs is any indication of the rest of the upcoming album, there is a good chance they will rise to the top again. To help pass the time counting down the days until I Want It All Right Now comes out July 7, check out the video for “Hello, All!” down below.

Concert Review: flipturn Glows at the Georgia Theatre

Posted on by Haley Gilbert

Last Friday, Florida-based flipturn brought their Shadowglow tour to the Georgia Theatre for one glorious sold-out evening with support from Athens’ beloved Hotel Fiction.

Hotel Fiction, picture courtesy of Annabelle Wiedower

Hotel Fiction

From the second Hotel Fiction stepped on stage, it became abundantly clear that they were meant to be there as Jade Ireland’s soft vocals and Jessica Thompsons’s sharp sound balance each other out so brilliantly. Their distinct vocals allowed them to shine independently or as a duo, whenever they decided to grace the audience with some of the most incredible harmonies I have heard. This was especially true when they played their breakout hit “Astronaut Kids.” During their set, they asked the audience members to hold up their phone lights to make it feel like space and this was very consistent with the overall vibe of the show, which I can only describe as what I imagine it would feel like to attend a rave on a spaceship.

Seeing a band perform in the city they are from always elevates the experience; while I’m sure that “Athens GA” sounded phenomenal at every show, I’m willing to bet it sounded just a little sweeter in the Classic City itself. There is nothing quite like a hometown show.

They played “Man on The Moon” off their latest EP Enjoy Your Stay and not only was it my favorite song from their set, it is now one of my favorite songs from recent years—calling it phenomenal feels like an understatement, but for now that’s the word I’m landing on. I fully intend on listening to this song an absurd number of times until I physically can’t anymore. Then, picking it back up sometime around May and doing it all over again.

Towards the end, they played “Instead of us,” which is a triumphant number about putting yourself first. It is so well written that it makes me want to tell off people that didn’t even wrong me due to how empowered it made me feel. In only four minutes, the song both destroyed and rebuilt me. To close out their set, they asked the audience to sing along to their song “Monster,” but I am confident the crowd would have done this unprompted.

Every time a song ended, I was sad because I didn’t want it to be over, but once the next one started, I immediately felt on top of the world again. My biggest regret going into the show is only knowing a couple of their originals. To repent for this grave error, I will immediately be learning all of them. Although traveling to outer space may be ambitious, Hotel Fiction is certainly going places. 

Dillon Basse of flipturn

flipturn

I was familiar with flipturn’s music prior to the show but after hearing them during soundcheck I knew that I was in for something special. My expectations were high going into the evening, and they were absolutely shattered within ten minutes; the atmosphere in the venue was fantastic, the energy on stage was electric, and frontman Dillon Basse and bassist Madeline Jarman did high knees that put my high school tennis conditioning to shame. (They were also given sparkly cowboy hats by an audience member for “Space Cowboy” which really added to the ambiance.)

On top of being great musicians, they just seemed like great people. I watched at one point as Basse struggled to get the lyrics out, because he was too busy smiling at the audience’s response to the song. This made it clear that they were as humble as they were talented. Later, I watched as he jumped full speed into the audience while trying to crowd surf, but was unfortunately greeted by the Georgia Theatre floor instead of the loving arms of the audience. I think that he felt a full array of emotions that evening.

They have a great catalog consisting of songs with choruses that were designed to be played in front of a packed venue, and are somehow able to keep the atmosphere in the room lighthearted, even when performing songs like “Whales” and “Goddamn” that feature heavy subject matter, like dealing with suffocating pressure and mental health respectively. They have the unique ability of making a room full of people shouting the lyrics “Goddamn my mind, sign of the times / If everyone’s fine, everyone’s lying to you” feel comforting instead of daunting.

After seeing them perform “Halfway,” which features a nod to Houston, and “Chicago,” I concluded that they should write more songs that mention cities. (I would like to throw Athens’ name into the ring if they’re open to suggestions.) These are the kinds of songs that make me want to drive around with my friends and an open sunroof; they made me feel like I was in a coming-of-age movie even though I am a prehistoric 23-year-old.

While the set mainly consisted of songs from their debut album Shadowglow, released last August, as well as some earlier releases, they also covered “Everybody Wants To Rule The World” by Tears For Fears. With the way they dominated the Georgia Theatre, they just might be on track to do so.

During the encore they played “Vanilla,” a deep cut from their debut EP Heavy Colors. Basse prefaced it by telling the audience that it is not normally a part of their set, but they were making an exception since someone yelled it out earlier. Based on how the audience responded to the song, I think it was a pretty good call. At the end of their encore, they brought out Hotel Fiction to join them on stage for fan favorite “Nickel,” a song and moment that reminded me just how much fun live music can be.

They mentioned that this was their largest headline show to date, but judging by the massive amount of talent that I witnessed that evening, I have a feeling this won’t be the case for much longer.

Review: Gregory Alan Isakov: ‘This Empty Northern Hemisphere’

Posted on by Haley Gilbert

I think everyone has that one album that really redefines what music means to them and transforms their view of the world and for me, This Empty Northern Hemisphere by Gregory Alan Isakov is that album. When I listen to it, it perplexes me how I could possibly have access to the same 26 letters of the alphabet as its writers who seemed to select the perfect words for each song resulting in one of the most beautiful, tranquil bodies of work I’ve ever heard. 

Starting off the album is “Dandelion Wine,” a song that makes me understand why people say less is more. While the song does not feature a lot of lyrics, it doesn’t take away from the listening experience at all due to how impressive the musical arrangement is and when Isakov’s voice does appear to sing a line or two, it balances it out perfectly. 

Due to his unique lyricism, Isakov is able to paint very vivid pictures of the stories that he is telling with his music. His ability to do this is clear on songs like “Virginia May” and “That Moon Song,” but it especially shines through with “Evelyn.” Featuring compelling lyrics such as “There’s an old folk song on the radio / Sounding thin and dark and haunted,” and “And she can’t stand the sight of this cul-de-sac / Like an old crow, king of the lamp-post,” the song tells the story of a woman working the overnight shift in a convenience store narrated to the tune of a banjo strumming in a way that makes it impossible not to root for her.

My first introduction to Isakov was through the song “Big Black Car” and despite the many ways my life and musical preferences have changed over time, it has always found its way back home into my rotation since that fateful day I heard it in my freshman dorm room four years ago. The song is soft, but powerful nonetheless. Featuring lyrics like “You were a miracle, I was just holdin’ your space,” and “The past, she is haunted, the future is laced,” there is a good reason the song has become such a fixture in my life and dominated my Spotify Wrapped. 

The albums titular track “This Empty Northern Hemisphere” shows off Isakov’s impressive range as a musician, featuring a heavy guitar and powerful vocals that make the song stand out compared to its softer sounding counterparts on the album. While the recorded version of this song is undoubtedly beautiful, as someone who has seen Isakov in concert I wholeheartedly believe that this song should be experienced live as the full band is able to breathe extra life into the already striking number. 

Every time I hear the familiar keys of the piano at the beginning of “Words,” I remember why this album holds such a special place in my heart. With lines like “And I wish I could leave my bones / And my skin / And float over the tired, tired sea / So, that I could see you again,” Isakov reminds listeners what makes him so exceptional as a lyricist with a song that leaves me torn as to whether I want to smile or cry when I listen to it. 

Featuring folk singer Brandi Carlile, “If I Go, I’m Goin” shows just how heartbreakingly beautiful a song can be. With stunning harmonies accompanying gut wrenching lyrics like “And I will go if you ask me to / I will stay if you dare / And if I go, I’m goin crazy / Let my darlin’ take me there,” this song devastates me every time, but I will gladly continue to pay that price. 

Every time I listen to this album it feels profound; I have heard each song hundreds of times, yet each one feels like a new experience. The songs on this album have been in the background of some of the most significant moments in my life and for that I am so grateful. 

Jameson Tank at Georgia Theatre

Posted on by Haley Gilbert and Jacob Feinberg

Haley: Going to our first Jameson Tank show, we did not know what to expect. Entering the evening guided only by lots of beer, a dream and the legends passed down by our Vinyl Mag forefathers, our names are Haley and Jacob, and this is our story.

Jake: Let us set the scene for you: two awkward individuals posted up in the corner of the Georgia Theatre, merch table on one side, overcomplicated sound table on the other and overly intimidating band members all around. 

H: I felt like Dorothy when she first arrived in Oz.

J: We got the whole press treatment with access all around: green room, mezzanine and even the extra special artist bathroom with a squatting stool. With full bottles of Jack Daniels all around and a stacked beer fridge at our disposal, our night kicked off. 

The Ocho, photo courtesy of Nicole Allario

The Ocho (Although We Only Counted Seis)

H: The second I heard the first chords of “Ain’t No Sunshine” playing from the Georgia Theatre bathroom, I knew I was in for a great time. When I came back upstairs the lights were dim, the girls were feral and my beer was only slightly warm. This Saturday night marked The Ocho’s first time playing at the iconic Athens venue, but they didn’t appear nervous. In fact, this seemed to fuel them.

J: The Ocho started off with some fantastic covers. As soon as they stepped out, the crowd rushed forward, and I fully expected a mosh pit to their cover of “Ain’t No Sunshine.”

H: They covered “Valerie” (best-known for its Mark Ronson and Amy Winehouse version), which is an impressive feat in general, but even more so considering lead singer Will Pile was battling a cold. I’m not sure if NyQuil does sponsorships, but I’d like to officially nominate him.

J: Before the show, he confessed to us that he had just taken almost every single cold medicine available, making the performance of ol’ NyQuil boy extremely impressive. Also worth noting is Pile’s tambourine skills, which were awesome—I about fell over when he knocked it against his forehead.

H: They graced the audience with a cover of “Sheep” by Mt. Joy, and as a big fan I was thoroughly pleased with this rendition. Later on, when Pile and keyboard player Garrett Seitz switched places on stage, the audience collectively gasped and clutched their pearls. In contrast to the rest of his more casually-dressed bandmates, Seitz was wearing a formal jacket and sunglasses—a power move I greatly respect.

J: When they switched instruments for the final song, it completely blew my mind. The Ocho is certainly a talented bunch (of seis).

H: Amidst the crowd-pleasing covers, they also played four originals. To close out the set, the band played their debut single “Izzy.” While the song’s refrain asks “Izzy is he really stupid enough to let you go?,” the decision to save this song for last was anything but that. The atmosphere in the room was particularly spectacular during this song. The crowd knew every word. It was a special moment for a young band.

J: Everything made sense when an 8 ball was thrown on stage towards the end of their set. I’m hoping they got a resounding yes to the question “Do we rock?.”

H: I’m not sure what question they asked but if it was “Should we cover “Astrovan” by Mt. Joy soon?,” then the answer is yes.

J: I congratulated them as they came off the stage and found myself face to face with one of the funniest moments of the night as The Ocho was celebrating in the stairwell with their videographers. This night was full of talent and tomfoolery.

Caleb Heiple of The Angelics, photo courtesy of Nicole Allario

The Angelics                                                                                         

J: The Angelics gave an electrifying performance. I enjoy their music, but damn, they sound great live. It was funny seeing them come out and take their places because I did not expect anyone to play the instruments they did. We joined them for a nice dinner before and after nearly an hour of contemplation on who played what, I did not nail a single one down. They were a really kind group of guys, I must say.

H: The Angelics had a unique sound that reminded me of early 2000’s pop-rock, except if the singers of those bands respected women. At one point, lead singer Caleb Heiple’s glasses fell off while he was performing and he gained extra powers—think Clark Kent becoming Superman. From that moment on, he seemed to let go completely.

J: They gave us a taste of their upcoming EP Mom’s House, and it was really solid music. They had the entire crowd dancing to songs they had never heard before, which is a really impressive feat. They also played a song that won’t be included on the upcoming, which was not cool because it ROCKED. I remember just looking at Haley and exchanging a sad look of agreement, then us taking big gulps of our respective beers.

H: I’m honestly kind of mad at them for it because it was just that good of a song (the beer helped me numb the pain). I am open to forgiving them if they release it soon.

J:  The most impressive part of their set was when they brought out violinist Julia Nyunt and trumpeter Ramon Zamudio. Their combination was beautiful. Nyunt absolutely shredded on her violin. Every set of eyes in the venue was on her when she played.

H: I’m not sure if it was due to their name or their RedBull sponsorship, but the band seemed to earn their wings Saturday night. Prior to this show the band had never played the Georgia Theatre, but I am willing to bet that they will return. As a whole, their set was fantastic and I am really looking forward to that EP.

J: They rocked so hard. Not a smidge of nerves or fear could be seen before the show. Their set was seamless, every cover was well-received and you could tell The Angelics had true fans in the crowd when they played their originals.

Note from Haley: This last part is for Kirby Smart and Todd Monken only so if that’s not you, you can skip ahead: you need to draft bass player Jason Angelich, because I am confident he can play football as well as he plays the bass. (This man is 6’8, we confirmed with him after the set.) When they threw out free t-shirts, his side of the stage had an unfair advantage.

Jameson Tankersley and Bryce Burnette, photo courtesy of Nicole Allario

Jameson Tank

H: The intro to their set felt like a fight song and I was immediately ready to go to battle with them (and I don’t think it was just because of the alcohol). During their set, I came to two realizations: if you told me that Billie Joe Armstrong and Tom DeLonge personally manufactured Jameson Tankersley’s voice in a lab and gifted it to him The Little Mermaid style to keep pop-punk alive I would believe you; and with how high he jumped on stage, track and field would be a suitable alternative career path for him if this music thing doesn’t work out. If he had asked an audience member to co-sign a lease or join a pyramid scheme they would have agreed—that is the kind of effect he had over the crowd.

J: Each member had their own distinct style. Their bassist, Javier Solorzano, was closest to me, and wow, what a man. He looks like your traditional metal guy if he had just rolled out of bed and thrown on whatever was closest. Edgy hair, funky shirt, and … slides? The guitarist, Bryce Burnette, was another story. He had on a sick jacket and an even sicker scarf covering the entire jacket (I nominate him for the coolest outfit of the night). And I’ll be honest, I was pretty jealous of his hair; he must have at least 4 steps to his hair routine.

Then there was Jameson Tankersley, the epitome of a rockstar, with his long, blonde hair and striking white shoes. The second you lay eyes on him, it’s hard not to think “damn, that guy is meant to be on that stage.” Lastly, their drummer, Connor Ankerich, wrapped it up perfectly, with just a good ol’ black tee. They hit about every demographic of style we have here in Athens.

Jameson had a sleek guitar with “FUCK YES” written in black tape on the back, and it perfectly summed up his energy. The bassist had a really cool 5 string bass, accented with a cute little scarf wrapped around its head (to compliment the guitarist’s scarf), the drummer had a bold Jameson Tank logo on a flashy red drum set, and the guitarist had a stark white guitar (to again compliment his scarf), all tying together to form one of the sickest setups I’ve ever seen. Looking like that, I knew I was in for a hell of a show.

H: Early into the set, the band covered the 2008 party staple “Don’t Trust Me” by 3OH!3 and the audience screamed the lyrics “You tell your boyfriend (boyfriend), if he says he’s got beef / That I’m a vegetarian and I ain’t fucking scared of him” with such a fervor that PETA would’ve been proud; the only thing that would have made that moment better is if the crowd began throwing Beyond Burgers at Tankersley.

J: And a hell of a show it was. Tankersley has a stage presence like no other, rocking with the crowd and jumping high as hell (his signature move). I quickly came to understand why Jameson Tank was such a household name around Athens—I could literally feel the love from the crowd. Fans sung every word and the girls were screaming like Harry Styles was in the building.

H: Halfway through the set, bassist Solorzano took over lead vocals to play an original heavy metal song. Even though I understood none of the words, I throughly enjoyed it. (For context, imagine someone performing a song in a deep, guttural growl). After the song, he jokingly said “Ouch,” and I would like to thank him for his sacrifice.

J: It was a stand-out moment. His aforementioned metal look shone through. His screaming vocals stunned every person in the crowd. That guy is extremely talented.

H: Later in the set, he harmonized on a fairly high-pitched song which showed that he really can do it all (including having excellent hair, a reoccurring theme tonight).

The crowd response did not waver as the band went back and forth between timeless covers (“Smells Like Teen Spirit”) and heavy-hitting originals (“Too Hot to Hold,” “Fight Fair”), a testament to their talent. They played a cover of “When You Were Young” by The Killers that single handedly healed my trauma from a freshman year situationship because now I have a different memory to associate the song with. So thank you Mr. Tank & Co!

At some point, I watched as guitar player Bryce Burnette chased whiskey with a RedBull on stage and I am now both slightly afraid of and in deep awe of him.

J: At the end of the show, all the performers joined Jameson Tank for one final song, and it was a special moment. I couldn’t help but chuckle when there were three people all smashing down on the keys as the show came to a close. It looked like every single one of them had a blast that night. 

H: While Tank might be in their name, the band sure as hell didn’t. 

Review: boygenius: “$20,” “Emily I’m Sorry,” “True Blue”

Posted on by Haley Gilbert

Oat milk latte drinkers rejoice, supergroup boygenius is officially back. Consisting of members Julien Baker, Phoebe Bridgers and Lucy Dacus, the indie-rock trio announced Wednesday that they will be releasing their long-awaited debut album The Record on March 31 with Interscope Records. In conjunction with the announcement, they released three new songs: “$20,” “Emily I’m Sorry,” and “True Blue.”

Each song was led by a different member, and first up to bat was Baker. With “$20,” boygenius hits the ground running and doesn’t slow down. The song is loud, unapologetic and the lyrics are perfectly guided by Baker who meets up with her bandmates at the end of carefully selected lines to deliver them with the kind of punch that only boygenius can. This song reminds me of “Lazy Eye” by Silversun Pickups, except if it had been written by someone wearing Doc Martens. Ending in a scream that is equal parts loud and cathartic, this song is everything that I could ask for and then some.

Next up is “Emily I’m Sorry,” and while the song mainly features Bridgers’ vocals, Baker and Dacus weave seamlessly in and out and remind listeners what makes boygenius so special. A sharp change of pace from “$20,” the addition of “Emily I’m Sorry” shows the versatility of boygenius; the song is soft but also undeniably striking, every bit as powerful as the song that it follows yet completely different from it. This song makes me want to start a fight with one of my various friends named Emily, solely so I can then send it to them after as an apology. (I personally think that they would respect the commitment to the bit.)

Rounding out the lineup is “True Blue,” a song that has an undeniable Dacus feel. Featuring lyrics like “When you don’t know who you are / You fuck around and find out,” and “You can’t help but become the sun,” this is the type of poignant story about self-discovery, intimate relationships, and the painful complexities of life that Dacus is able to tell so beautifully.

These are songs that deserve to be played at an obnoxiously loud volume; even when the subject matter is heavy, they remain fun to listen to (and there’s something about listening to boygenius that makes me automatically feel cooler every time and for that, my ego would like to thank them). Every song released by boygenius feels like further evidence that too much of a good thing is in fact not a bad thing, but sometimes an even greater thing, and with each release it becomes more apparent that one of the trio’s greatest skills is the ability to play up the strengths of each vocalist individually and then find the perfect moments to bring them together, whether it be in carefully chosen pairs or all three members. After listening to this newly released collection of songs more times than I would like to publicly admit, I have come to the conclusion that they are all so different from each other that I genuinely have no idea what to expect from the rest of the album and I could not be more excited to find out. While we wait, check out “$20,” “Emily I’m Sorry,” and “True Blue” below.

Review: Bad Bad Hats: “It Hurts (Demo)”

Posted on by Haley Gilbert

To celebrate the 10th anniversary of the release of their debut EP It Hurts, Minneapolis-based indie-rock duo Bad Bad Hats will be releasing It Hurts (10th Anniversary edition) at the end of the month. The reissue will consist of remasters of all five songs, as well as the original demos, and will be the first time that fans will have the opportunity to purchase the EP on vinyl.

So far, the band has released two songs from the project: “Super America (Remaster),” and “It Hurts (Demo).” Upon first listening to “It Hurts (Demo),” I was emotionally torn—part of me is extremely grateful this version is now available, and the other part is devastated that it took ten years to have access to it. While both the original master and demo versions feature the same lyrics and melody, each version provides a completely different listening experience and the demo is certainly able to stand on its own. Compared to the original master, the demo stacks up quite nicely; the instruments are softer, the main vocals are sharper and delivered in a way that allows lead vocalist Kerry Alexander the opportunity to show off more of her personality, and the background vocals have been replaced with whistling and a more prominent kazoo that fills a void that I never even knew existed prior to listening to this song (and I would like to formally petition for all songs going forward to include a minimum of two kazoo solos). The song is able to balance the indie-pop formula perfectly; it is simple in a way that is refreshing but not boring, and repetitive in a way that is catchy and fun rather than redundant.

After listening to these two songs, I am eager to hear how the rest of the original demos compare to their remastered counterparts and get a greater glimpse into the evolutionary journey behind each song. It Hurts (10th Anniversary Edition) will be available digitally on January 27, and the vinyl is available for pre-order on their website now. In the meantime, listen to “It Hurts (Demo)” to fill the Bad Bad Hats shaped hole in your soul with a Good Good Song.

A collage of Noah Kahan, Beyonce, Rosalia, Kendrick Lamar, and Denzel Curry with a background featuring orange, blue, and purple tones blending together

Year in Review: Our Favorite Albums of 2022—Staff Picks

Posted on by Buket Urgen, Haley Gilbert and Jacob Feinberg

As lifelong music fans, our lives are soundtracked by the records we listen to. Our seasons change with each new album we find and cling to. Our favorite lyrics are often the flashlight’s glimmer that shine during the darkest of our nights. Here, Vinyl Mag’s staff reflects on their favorite albums of the year. How does your list compare to ours?

Jake Feinberg, Staff Writer

  1. JID, The Forever Story
  2. JPEGMAFIA, LP
  3. Smino, Luv 4 Rent
  4. Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
  5. Westside Gunn, 10
  6. Fly Anakin, Frank
  7. MAVI, Laughing so Hard, It Hurts
  8. Denzel Curry, Melt My Eyes See Your Future
  9. Pusha T, It’s Almost Dry
  10. Kenny Mason, RUFFS

Looking back, 2022 was a monumental year for how I perceive music. I dodged viral TikTok songs and commercial hits to find amazing new music and a deeper appreciation for the craft. Rap music, especially, was constantly changing and growing, like a rap music renaissance. We saw quality lyricism take a forefront, with albums like Melt My Eyes See Your Future, the Forever Story and Frank. These albums found artful angles within the “fast rap” style, creating complex rhyme schemes and flows, but never once taking away from the artists’ emotional narratives. I saw Denzel Curry at the Tabernacle, and watched him perform “walkin”, one of his deeper and more lyrically dense songs from the album. Nothing is as impressive as seeing an artist perform with such lyricism, especially when done as effortlessly as Curry. Creativity in production found further popularity as well, giving space for experimental albums to emerge like JPEGMAFIA’s LP, MAVI’s Laughing so Hard, it Hurts and Kenny Mason’s RUFFS. Each approached rap from a different creative angle, such as electronic beats, complex drums and flows or rock-influenced melodies. At JPEGMAFIA’s show at Atlanta’s the Masquerade, I was blown away by the artist’s solo presence with just his experimental background instrumentals. I am thankful for 2022’s expansive musical landscape that allowed me to branch into newer areas of music I hadn’t anticipated. Kendrick Lamar and Pusha T finally returned, after a five-year and four-year hiatus respectively. They delivered masterfully crafted albums, reminding us why they are still at the top. This year, 10 was another important album, where Westside Gunn demonstrated the power of curation. Collaborating with signees from Griselda, the record label he founded, Gunn was able to create one of the hardest and most cohesive albums of the year. In 2022, artists took their talents to the next level and excelled at expressing themselves, ultimately bringing together a beautiful year of music.

Haley Gilbert, Staff Writer

  1. Noah Kahan, Stick Season
  2. Lizzie McAlpine, Five Seconds Flat
  3. Gang of Youths, angel in realtime
  4. Mt. Joy, Orange Blood
  5. Caamp, Lavender Days
  6. Conan Gray, Superache
  7. Maggie Rogers, Surrender
  8. The Lumineers, BRIGHTSIDE
  9. Matt Maeson, Never Had to Leave
  10. COIN, Uncanny Valley

For me, 2022 was a very transformative year; I know that’s a cliché, but there’s a reason it’s said so often. During times when everything around me is changing and filled with uncertainty, I often cling to music to keep myself grounded. Thankfully, there were plenty of great options to choose from this year. The albums on my list were the soundtrack to the calamity that this year bred. The year started out on a lighter note, with The Lumineers new album Brightside delicately guiding me through the joys and turbulences associated with one’s early twenties. For the days when I just wanted to be angry and not feel guilty about it, Conan Gray’s Superache gave me an outlet to express those frustrations while sing-shouting along to songs like “Jigsaw” and “Memories,” much to the dismay of my neighbors in my thin-walled apartment building. During the more confusing times, I have found support and solace in the words of Lizzy McAlpine, listening to Five Seconds Flat as if it was advice given to me by one of my best friends. After spending a good portion of my year listening to Caamp’s Lavender Days, I learned that it is a great album to fill the empty space with, but I can also just as easily get swept up into it. As the Hannukah season was approaching, I found myself listening to the self-titled Jewish Ed Sheeran himself, Noah Kahan, and gladly spent all eight days unwrapping the gifts he gave the world with his album Stick Season. For all the short days, long nights, and moments in between, the albums on this list carefully and purposefully filled those gaps with glimpses of heartbreak, happiness, and immense awe at what these artists were able to convey with their music. As the year is coming to an end, so is a chapter of my life, and I am grateful it had such talented narrators. 

Buket Urgen, Editor-in-chief

  1. Beyonce, Renaissance
  2. Taylor Swift, Midnights
  3. MUNA, MUNA
  4. Kendrick Lamar, Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers
  5. Charli XCX, CRASH
  6. Lucius, Second Nature
  7. Rina Sawayama, Hold the Girl
  8. Angel Olsen, Big Time
  9. Little Simz, No Thank You
  10. ROSALIA, MOTOMAMI

My 2022 played out in two acts. Act one—I rounded out my final college semester culminating with graduation. As I went through the motions of preparing for post-grad life, leaving no stone unturned as this incredible chapter came to a sudden, cathartic but ultimately somewhat anticlimactic ending, I was comforted by wildly fun and equally cathartic tunes (CRASH, Second Nature).  Act two—post graduation calm followed by me moving abroad. Everything from the scenery to the supporting roles shifted into new territory, which is nothing if not nostalgic. Music became an easy, necessary escape when I couldn’t find the words to communicate in my new everyday language. Naturally, I relied on new music by old favorites (Midnights, MUNA, Hold the Girl). Although, Midnights was a controversial one for me. It features some of Swift’s strongest work (‘Would’ve Could’ve Should’ve,’ ‘You’re on Your Own Kid’) and some of her worst (Vigilante Shit) and also her most average. But alas, her chokehold on my Spotify Wrapped (and me) persists. On a final note, Beyonce’s Renaissance was the strongest album of the year. In the year of house music revival, Beyonce (and her many collaborators) created the perfect one that kept me dancing all summer long. My only complaint is that it wasn’t released sooner.