Meghan Trainor has become an immediate star in just the last few months with the release of her first single “All About That Bass,” which has been sitting atop the charts for several weeks.

Just when the song was starting to get out of everyone’s heads, Trainor released her debut EP this month. The four-song album, plainly titled Title, refuses to conform to traditional top chart albums.

“All About That Bass” isn’t the only positive, encouraging song on the album. It sets the theme for her entire EP. Each song addresses important issues for women with Trainor’s own style to make the album different from any other. Her tone throughout each song is endearing and light-hearted, while still packing a punch through her lyrics.

The album begins with her No. 1 single “All About that Bass,” a much-needed song about appreciation for all body types. With the pressure of society to be a “stick figure silicone Barbie doll”, Trainor refutes the idea that a size two is all a woman needs to find a man and be happy.

This is followed by the title track, “Title.” The ukulele-powered song revolves around the idea of needing a title before continuing on with a relationship. While this is a stereotype of women, Trainor addresses the issue with a nontraditional approach. She sings “I know girls aren’t hard to find/But if you want to try/Consider this an invitation to kiss my ass goodbye.”

Her newest single, “Dear Future Husband,” may begin as a romantic ballad but changes within the first 30 seconds into a fun, trumpet-filled chant. She changes the expectation that women are to remain at home, singing “You got that 9 to 5/But, baby, so do I/So don’t be thinking I’ll be home and baking apple pies.”

The album closes on an even more encouraging note than it started out on, if that’s possible. The final song, “Close Your Eyes,” pushes everyone to recognize their specific beauty and be independent of the norm. This song is extremely important in a society that expects the same standard of beauty for everyone. She sings “Everybody’s born to be different/That’s the one thing that makes us the same.”

Title is an album that couldn’t have been released at a better time. The positive messages address issues in society that have existed for many years and probably will continue. This album provides hope for a society where there is no expectation for a woman to look, feel, or act a specific way.

From stereotypes to body types, Trainor addresses them all with a bouncy, cheerful style. While she is hitting the nail on the head, her songs are catchy and fun. She is truly a unique artist who knows how to shed light on certain situations without inflicting too much seriousness in her music. With so many negative influences fluctuating throughout the industry, this music is a breath of fresh air and provides concepts anyone can relate to. This is one of the most important albums of 2014.

When Christopher Moll linked up with Maco Monthervil, The Lovers Key project rocketed off in a blaze of soulful sounds and retro pop-infused tracks that finally manifested itself in their 2014 debut album, Here Today, Gone Tomorrow. The Lovers Key blends some exceedingly retro musical influences with a leading voice that sounds as if someone joined a talent reminiscent of Marvin Gaye with the Bee Gees and smoothed over the seam with a creamy spread of peanut butter. Yum!

The vibe works pretty well. So much so that Moll’s involvement with indie pop group, The Postmarks, seems to have rekindled itself, resulting in a pretty funky remix of The Lovers Key’s “Saturday Night” that made it onto the deluxe version of the album.

At first, listening to the remix itself felt bizarre in the same way that putting underglow on a Dodge Charger might look a little out of place to bystanders. Although the lyrics, much like the original, aren’t much to speak of—the words “Saturday night” still comprise over 50% of the song—a groovy bass thump and synth run have since replaced the staccato, rock organ chord pumps to contrast with 1960’s rock hall feel of the original. Combined with vocal harmonies of The Postmarks’ Tim Yehezkely, these revamps are enough to make this an interesting play, and not a bad song to cruise around to overall.

3/5

Brothers Osborne released their debut self-titled EP Sept. 9, a long-awaited release for the duo whose popularity increases daily.

John and T.J. Osborne hail from Deale, Maryland and have brought a sense of their hometown to the album, even filming locals to appear in the music video for their current single. The duo’s music is different without branching too far away from their roots. With a network of musicians supporting them and landing the opening slot on two major tours, there is no doubt Brothers Osborne will be a household name in due time.

The EP consists of five songs, including the current single, “Rum,” which peaked at 34 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. The country label can often lead music lovers astray, but the duo pays no mind to those stereotypes. Instead, they attempt to break the mold and create something genuine all of their own, in which they succeed. Their back porch, classic rock feel distinguishes them from the predictable artists dominating the top charts.

The EP kicks off with a song straight out of the Wild West called “Shoot from the Hip,” likely to draw the listener in at the beginning of the album. “Arms of Fire” follows, a song about the ever-present problem of knowing when to let go of a relationship. The duo sings “In your arms of fire, I can’t escape/Staying or leaving hurts either way/Walking a wire I’ll never cross/’Cause everything in me is wanting to fall/Into your arms of fire”. The third track is “Stay a Little Longer,” which gives some insight as to what became of the relationship in the previous song. The thumping chorus sings “I tell myself I’m not in love, but one more time is not enough/One last kiss and then you’re a goner/Lying here wishing you could stay a little longer.” The EP nears its conclusion with “Love the Lonely Out of You,” a beautiful acoustic song that truly accentuates the artist’s vocal capabilities. “Rum,” the duo’s most popular song, closes the album on a fun-loving note after three more serious songs. The song emphasizes the importance of taking advantage of already-existing surroundings instead of going through all of the trouble of getting away.

Brothers Osborne may not be producing number one singles yet, but they are definitely heading in the right direction. Fans of any genre can appreciate artists who break with tradition, and this duo is no exception. With the duo’s first single just released in 2013, they are off to a promising start. Opening for two major country artists this year will definitely boost their popularity and introduce a new kind of country music for fans. It’s not very often artists will attempt to create something so genuine and real that they’re willing to sacrifice the chance at instant gratification in the form of number one songs straight out of the gate. Brothers Osborne is a duo who are redefining the lines and following in the footsteps of trailblazers who have launched a revolution with their distinct music.

Mary Lambert is gearing up for the release of her debut full-length album, Heart On My Sleeve, on October 14.

Mary Lambert became a familiar name after she co-wrote and provided the chorus on the powerful Macklemore & Ryan Lewis song “Same Love”. Since then, she has released two EP’s. The title track has been released as a single in preparation for the debut.

“Heart on My Sleeve” begins with Lambert echoing a Regina Spektor-esque voice as she launches into the first verse, singing “Let me be your porch light/Your favorite star on the best night.” She moves through a list of typical statements about love, such as “’Cause I’m not sure who I was before/But the day I saw you, I sure adore you” before beginning the chorus.

The most notable line of the song is “I could be your heart speed/Running as fast as the beat would take us.”

There is no doubt that Lambert has an incredible voice. With that voice, she can (and often does) perform some very inspiring and moving songs. That being said, “Heart on My Sleeve” does not match up to her vocal potential.

The single isn’t horrible, but after hearing the amazing music she can create, “Heart on My Sleeve” falls flat.

Check out her newly released EP of Secrets: The Remixes below, and be on the lookout for Lambert’s upcoming album here!