The Beat: Begins Anew (March 24)

Letter From The Editor

It’s a new month, the skies are clear and more light is gushing through our windows than ever. The esplanade is pleasant again, and I’m not seeing quite as many people knocked over by wind outside CDS - things are looking bright.

Spring is just around the corner and this is the perfect opportunity to leave behind all that’s been plaguing you and start anew!

There is a beautiful vibrant light beyond the cold horizon ahead of us and I can’t wait to explore it. I can’t wait to watch flowers blossom from cracks in pavement, see all the eclectic picnic blankets lining BU Beach like one big quilt...

Frankly, I’m just excited to be outside again.

This semester has been cold, hard and stagnant for a lot of us but it doesn’t always need to be. This issue is dedicated to starting anew: exploring the broad horizons before us and plunging into them eagerly.

Our Brand New Playlist!

Here Comes The Sun - The Beatles

What Is Really Beautiful - Kath Bloom

Acoustic Guitar - The Magnetic Fields

I Think I Need a New Heart - The Magnetic Fields

Stare Down - Sophie’s Body

I Love You - Fontaines D.C.

The Ballad of the Costa Concordia - Car Seat Headrest

The Last Man on Earth - Wolf Alice

One Point Perspective - Arctic Monkeys

I Have Come Out To Play - Jonathan Richman & The Modern Lovers

Close My Eyes - Arthur Russell

Shows & Events

Mortician @ The Middle East

Burna Boy @ TD Garden Domo Genesis @ The Crystal Ballroom

The Snuts @ The Sinclair

The Beaches @ The Sinclair

Holly Humberstone @ Paradise Rock Club Waterparks @ MGM Music Hall

Dropkick Murphys @ House of Blues

Otoboke Beaver @ The Royale

Offset @ House of Blues

Ari Abdul @ The Sinclair

Jon Batiste @ Orpheum Theater

Matt Maltese @ The Sinclair Maoli @ Brighton Music Hall

Arlo Parks @ The Royale

Eliza Mclamb @ The Sinclair 1 2 6 7 8 9 13 14 15 16 20 21 22 23 27 28 29 30

Guster @ MGM Music Hall

Album Horoscopes

Aries: Your emotions might be all over the place this March. CAPRISONGS by FKA Twigs will reflect this back and forth but still let you have fun.

Taurus: March while bringing you some fun times with your friends so let 1989 (taylor’s version) by Taylor Swift be your go to hangout album this month. Fun with friends.

Gemini: The stars say this month will bring you power in business and creativity. So what better soundtrack than ANTI by Rihanna.

Cancer: You’ll have improvement in both physical and mental well-being. Incorporate some dancing to your March with Loose by Nelly Furtado.

Leo: This month you’ll learn that your hard work will pay off. Celebrate by listening to Thank You, Next by Ariana Grande.

Virgo: Lots of reflecting and learning in your relationships will happen in March. Listen to Purpose by Justin Bieber for some words of advice.

Libra: Prepare for big changes but prepare through meditation and reflection. LONG.LIVE.ASAP by ASAP Rocky works for some background tunes.

Scorpio: This month you’ll learn that your hard work will pay off. Celebrate by listening to Thank You, Next by Ariana Grande.

Sagittarius: This month your confidence is coming back after maybe a disappointing past few weeks or months. Hype yourself up with For All The Dogs by Drake.

Capricorn: Lots of activity and motion this March. Groove to Discovery by Daft Punk as you get all tasks done.

Aquarius: It’s going to be calm for the next few weeks. Relax to Chemtrails Over The Country Club by Lana Del Rey.

Pisces: You’ll be feeling very generous and empathetic this month. Immunity by Clairo will be your soundtrack for March.

Personal Favorites

Blue Weekend - Wolf Alice

Blue Weekend is an album I can confidently say has absolutely no skips. Every song is incredible and each one has a whole different vibe. It takes you on a giant emotional rollercoaster as you listen through the record — from wanting to jump around and scream at the top of your lungs to Play the Greatest Hits to wanting to lay in a field staring up at the stars in the night sky while listening to The Last Man on Earth. I believe it is an album everyone has to listen to at least once in their life.

My Favorites: Lipstick on the Glass, How Can I Make It Ok?, Smile, Play the Greatest Hits

Skinty Fia - Fontaines DC

This album is a masterpiece. A monumental work of art. It is an incredibly unique record and you will most definitely never hear anything like it. While it’s a great listen for any day, I find it especially perfect for cold and gloomy days. From the deeply emotional and poetic lyrics to the melancholic yet energetic melodies, Fontaines deliver an album that makes you want to dance, cry, scream, and everything in between.

My Favorites: Skinty Fia, I Love You, Roman Holiday, The Couple

Across the Way

Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino - Arctic Monkeys

Take it easy for a little while. Come and stay at the Tranquility Base Hotel & Casino and be transported to a different dimension where Alex Turner is your concierge named Mark and you can visit a taqueria on a roof (rated 4 stars out of 5) whenever you like. In my humble opinion, this album is Arctic Monkeys’ best and most unique record. It has an entirely different vibe than anything they had done before and makes you feel like you’re living in a Stanley Kubrick movie. I think it is hugely underrated but truly worth a listen. And a re-listen. And another. And so on.

My Favorites: Star Treatment, Four Out Of Five, The Ultracheese, One Point Perspective.

Also Worth Mentioning!

- Everything You’ve Come To Expect - The Last Shadow Puppets - Cuts & Bruises - Inhaler - Blur - Blur - Ghost In The Machine - The Police

69 Love Songs

A few months ago I heard “Absolutely Cuckoo,” the opening track of The Magnetic Fields’ quintessential 1999 record 69 Love Songs, thought it was corny, and wrote off the band. I later discovered they’re from Boston, and Stephen Merritt, the primary songwriter and vocalist, wrote most of the record in bars. They also played their first show in Cambridge. I am working in a bar in Cambridge and I’d call myself in love, so as an exercise in exposing myself to a wider variety of music, I challenged myself to listen to the entirety of the nearly three hour themed project made up of, well, 69 songs. Over three days it was all I listened to, and I made it through the record in its entirety once. My friend who introduced me to the band has never finished it.

69 Love Songs demands work to get through, and in the 30-second TikTok sound song era, the project is arduous for the modern listener’s attention span. The size of the project buries tracks that would be hits on a shorter record.

After finishing it, I can say I was right about the corniness. It’s actually in a super 90’s, ironic way though. Nevertheless, the record is successfully funny, as well as tender and honest in simple ways. Merrit said, “I don’t think there are any clichés I try to avoid. As soon as I spot a cliché, I go for it. I feel like clichés are the most useful thing in songwriting”.

The instrumentation is layered and varied, and Merritt passes vocals around with numerous singers, keeping the listener away from the feeling of listening to the same song for three hours. The tracks are short, sometimes to the point of seeming unfinished, and the melodies are simple. Merritt’s delivery is rarely emotional, except for on the anomaly that is “Papa was a Rodeo”.

A Review & Essay

69 Love Songs, despite the trappings of its theme, often avoids sentimentality at nearly every turn. Most songs seem to be written about love instead of actually in it. Many of the songs feel like comedic ditties, like “Punk Love” (and many more). 69 Love Songs feels dissociated from love, and Merritt seems to have misgivings about it. I personally prefer the less clever, more tender tracks,

69 Love Songs is kissing your partner for so long that your lips and cheeks are so wet they’re almost pruny, you’re thirsty and your throat hurts because you need some water and the buzzing heartbeats have ceased, instead a rising heart rate because you know you’re late to something but you just can’t stop kissing. And you can’t stop kissing for 2 hours and 52 minutes. You can’t stop kissing or loving and it makes you feel so sick and crazy and sad and it’s just too much, but instead of the voice in your head telling you it’s okay and worth it, Merritt is giggling at you like he knows it’s kind of stupid. It’s still pretty good when he’s being silly about it, but when he closes his eyes and lets himself kiss, 69 Love Songs holds some of the most beautiful love songs

Favorite tracks: All My Little Words, Let’s Pretend We’re Bunny Rabbits, I Think I Need A New Heart, The Book Of Love, Sweet-Lovin’ Man, Time Enough For Rocking When We’re Old, No One Will Ever Love You, You’re My Only Home, Washington, D.C., Papa Was A Rodeo, Acoustic Guitar, Love Is Like A Bottle Of Gin, I Can’t Touch You Anymore

<3 Maggie Ma

❤

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What do I want? More from Sophie’s Body.

At only 155 monthly Spotify listeners, this Bostonbased group is criminally unknown. While Berklee may have brought them together, it is clear that SB’s knack for alluring melodic lines and sucker-punch choruses cannot be taught.

SB’s namesake, Sophie McMinn (vox, guitar), fronts the band with her effortlessly lyric voice and poignant words. Beside her stand Adam Hurt (guitar), Harry Van Der Meer (bass) and Dylan Hughes (drums). Their combined musicianship shines through their small yet mighty discography.

Things I Want was released last July as SB’s first and only EP, and they started off strong.

The crux of Boston’s underground music scene is its oversaturation. Sure, the bands are generally all good. Some are even great. But the same song structures and harmonic ideas get regurgitated in the name of genre. Things I Want stays true to Boston’s preferred indie emo, but does so in a novel, refreshing, and most importantly unique way.

Standout songs are Scattered Static and Dumb Blonde. Even between the vocal gymnastics and fretboard expertise in the former and the vivid imagery in the latter, it proved to be a challenge to pick favorites from such a great line-up.

Do yourself a favor and take the next 15 minute break you encounter to listen to Things I Want in full, in order.

You’ll come to want more from SB, too.

Eli Pekelny (ﾐⓛᆽⓛﾐ)

Coming Soon:

● New single Senko in April

ig: @sophiesbodymusic

Boston Music History:

In tune with this issue’s theme of starting anew is the idea of birth and rebirth which was promoted and celebrated by bands affiliated with the DIY music trend of the 2000s. According to wers (Boston’s Uncommon Radio), DIY music was arguably Boston's most prominent underground movement at the time. DIY musicians were innovative in that they bridged the divide between amateurs and professionals and considered it was more important to love music than to have huge commercial success.

The DIY music culture involved to a large extent house shows, or concerts that would take place in the homes of ordinary people, as well as experimentation with various instruments and musical techniques in the course of such shows. Since concert spaces were selected based on word of mouth and volunteering, the places could be large and small, pleasant or spooky, more or less clean, and the experience was different every time, same as the music. Among the DIY bands, Night Rally was one of the best, although it was short lived, and its tune “A Birthday Party” a post-punk masterpiece.

Night Rally, “A Birthday Party”

Night Rally had Devin King on guitar and Farhad Ebrahimi on bass. Its album Preston Family Crest included 16 singles, among which some of the most notable were “Rising/Shining,” “Good Morning, You’re Listening to Jazz,” “A Dinner Party,” and “A Birthday Party.” The songs, and in particular “A Birthday Party,” have interesting rhythm breaks and tempo changes, while also creating a lively atmosphere of joy and community through the use of guitar resonance, fast drumbeats, and high pitched vocals. Videos available on YouTube showcase a laid back group which engages with the musicians and dances to the music. As mentioned on wers, “The bands that played this circuit may not be widely recognized individually, but together they formed a part of an innovative and remarkable scene.” <3

The End We Start From: Movie Review

In today’s society marked by a dire climate crisis, environmental disasters occur frequently and can have devastating impacts on people’s lives. The movie “The End We Start From” depicts a society in which flooding unravels human lives and forces communities to seek to start anew.

In the opening scenes of the movie, a woman (identified only as “Woman” and played masterfully by Jodie Comer) is in the bathtub, trying to find a few relaxing moments in the days before delivering her baby. However, by the time the baby is born, the city of London in which she and her partner live has been overtaken by high waters. The woman’s labor coincides with the flooding. While water can be relaxing and is the environment in which life is formed, as the movie suggests, it can also be destructive and result in the end of humans on the planet.

In the midst of the flooding disaster, the Woman, her partner, and the baby who has tellingly been named Noah try to escape the city and to survive. When she can no longer find her partner, the Woman finds support in the newformed alliance with another mother carrying a child too. Although there are spaces that are safer than the city, such as a village on higher ground or the space of a collective, the Woman ultimately decides to return to her home as it is the place where she can hope to be reunited with her partner.

As mentioned in a review from The New York Times by Alissa Wilkinson, “The End We Start From” is not an action movie, although there is sufficient thrill throughout the postapocalyptic narrative. Instead, it is a poetic movie, a reflection of screenplay writer Alice Birch and director Mahalia Belo on a range of issues, from what we have done to our planet to bring it on the brink of ecological disaster to such aspects as the desire to survive, separation from loved ones, friendship between women, and the deep bonds formed between parents and their children.

Wendy Ide wrote in an article published in The Guardian, “I can think of few other films that get into the skin of new motherhood, with its formless terrors and fierce, furious primal love, as inventively and effectively as this one.”

Flash Fiction:

Someday, someway, Winston found it within himself to really give the boss hell. I think it was a Tuesday when he walked into the office just plain mad.

Something his wife had said the previous night. Something about his weird sexual habits.

Recently, Winston had grown quite fond with the idea of incorporating movie quotes into their sex life. I’ll spare you the details.

Anyways, he walked into the office just plain mad. Jim, the receptionist, asked Winston to sign in.

“Arrrgh!” He cried. “I work in this damned office four days a week and you can’t even bother to learn my name! It’s Winston! Winston Hammond!”

“Oh,” said Jim. “I really am terribly sorry for my mistake, sir. I really am truly, terribly sorry. Simple slip of the mind! That’s all! It won’t happen again! I can guarantee you that!”

To emphasize his point he stood up and quoted from Pirates of the Caribbean 3:

“Drink up, me hearties, yo ho!”

Winston looked at him strangely. The truth was that Jim was having sex with Winston’s wife, but Winston didn’t know that at the time. But that’s not important.

Winston walked into his cubicle, hung up his coat, and sat down. He huffed. Better get some coffee.

In the small kitchenette at the office Winston had a cup of coffee and smoked a cigarette. “Damned people,” he thought. “Them and their contraptions! Always fixing to get me in a bind somehow. Damned people!”

Molly walked in and smiled at him. Her teeth shone.

“Morning, Winston! I trust you’ve had a fine day so far?”

Winston glared at her for just a moment, then relaxed.

“Sure have, sure have.” He smiled rather weakly.

Western Civilization

Molly started talking about work. Winston’s mind wandered. He thought about prehistoric times. He pictured a dinosaur ripping a man in half and a half dozen tribesmen all throwing spears at it.

Eventually Winston arrived back at his desk. He read emails for thirty minutes then decided to take a smoke break. He lit a cigarette and put his feet up on the desk. He felt good. He walked over to Jim and blew a plume of smoke in his face.

“EGAD!” said Jim.

Winston walked back to his desk. Molly walked over and bent over in front of him.

“That was hot Winston, real hot.”

“You think so?”

“Yeah. I want you to do it again.”

Winston lit another cigarette and walked back over to Jim. He took a big drag and blew it all into Jim’s face.

“EGAD!” said Jim.

Winston walked back to his desk. He could feel Molly staring at him, but he didn’t look at her. He stood up and walked to the bathroom and kicked open the door. Marty, Winston’s boss, was at the urinal.

“Hey, Marty,” said Winston.

“Hey, Winston. How’s that project coming?”

“Which one again?”

“The Arlington one. With Gopher and Scandland Brothers?”

“Oh yes. Of course. I’m happy to say it will be finished ahead of schedule!”

“Winston, that project was due two weeks ago.”

Winston turned and walked out of the bathroom and back to his desk. He stared at his computer for a while then decided to take lunch.

Molly found him at the Bistro. He was drinking. She walked over to his table.

“Got room for one more?”

Western Civilization

Winston looked at her blankly and gestured to the seat across from him. She sat down and looked expectantly at Winston.

“So?” she said. “Did the boss give you hell for that Jim business or what?

“Oh, no, he didn’t say anything.”

“What! I sweartagod you’ve got his balls in your hand!”

“Yeah, he knows me, he knows me.”

Winston leaned back and lit a cigarette. He felt good.

Back in the office Winston stood outside Marty’s door, smoking. He walked in and put the cigarette out on his desk. Marty shot up in anger.

“Why! That’s it Winston! That’s the last Goddamned Straw! You’re fired! You’re fucking fired!”

Winston grinned and walked out of the office and into the elevator. As its doors shut he saw Molly staring at him blankly. As if she had never known him.

An Interview with Kevin Lally

Cannabis Crypt is an up-and-coming hardcore band in the New England punk scene known for the community they have created with their music and their chaotic shows. They are soon to release their sophomore album featuring heavier vocals and instrumentals. Give them a listen on Spotify under Cannabis Crypt and follow them on Instagram @cannabiscrypt420.

Liz: From what I’ve heard you guys have a new album coming out. How is it different from your previous album? How did you approach it artistically?

Kevin: I would say it is more death metal based and has more heavy parts. The first album related more to faster hardcore. So for the second album, we dialed in on trying to incorporate slam, and death metal so we could have heavier shows. We have it all recorded right now but it’s still waiting to be produced. There are all kinds of things like shows that delay it but as of right now, the whole second album is recorded we just have to add guitar and all those good things

Liz: Looking at your Instagram you guys have been playing shows fairly consistently. What is your favorite part of playing basement shows? What are your favorite venues to play?

An Interview with Kevin Lally

Kevin: My favorite kind of venue would be places where people actually want to come out and support. We played Ralph’s Diner last night. We’ve been playing there since 2018 or 2019. The first time we played there was outside. It was this huge thing. We got there and there were so many people and we were so excited from that point on. Ever since then, people have shown up to support us. So Ralph’s Diner is definitely one of my favorite venues to play at. Last Friday we played at a house venue in Boston. It was a basement show and there were tons of kids there, it was so unexpected. We didn’t even know if our cars were going to be there when we got back outside because I think we had to park in a tow-away zone. It was just such an awesome show because there were so many people there.

Liz: What inspired you to start this band? Who are your artistic influences?

Kevin: Playing guitar! I wanted to play guitar really bad when I was a drummer. I started playing drums when I was fourteen; I’m thirty-three now. I picked up the guitar a couple of years later and I consistently played both. It’s just a different feeling playing drums at a show instead of playing guitar at a show. I’ll always love playing drums but playing guitar is just phenomenal watching the crowd. Not that I can’t see the crowd on drums but it’s hard to pay attention to anybody because you’re just so occupied. But playing guitar you can interact with people in the crowd doing their thing it’s awesome. I started Cannabis Crypt in 2018 and it’s been going pretty well. The music I listen to also inspires me. I love listening to guitar riffs in death metal, metalcore, and hardcore. When I listen to a song I hear the guitar and the drums more than anything else. So that’s really where my inspiration comes from I would say.anything else. So that’s really where my inspiration comes from I would say.

Of Cannabis Crypt

Liz: What inspired you to start making music specifically in this style? What genre best describes your sound?

Kevin: Well I love other genres like rap too. I listen to rap all the time in my car. I enjoy heavy music in general. Playing the shows all my life contributes to that. My older brother Steve was in a band and he started that when I was still a kid. I would say without him stepping into that I would have never started. He got me into that heavy music in the first place. It became all I wanted to hear at shows. That’s the only kind of show I go to today.

Liz: I noticed on your Instagram that you enjoy supporting small businesses and promoting your beliefs. What message do you want to convey through your music and through the band?

Kevin: We want our fans to let loose and just do what they want in life and don’t listen to negativity. Just do what makes you happy in life. Whatever that consists of, put most of your energy towards that because that’s what we do. We try to do the best that we can with that.

Liz: How would you describe the hardcore scene along the Upper East Coast currently? Do you enjoy what is currently happening in the subculture?

Kevin: I would say there are other scenes out there that basically focus on what they can do online to make themselves more prominent. The hardcore scene supports everyone within it. It doesn’t matter who you are as long as you support others we have your back. I think that’s the difference between them and other cultures like the rap scene. I think that’s one of the main things that differs.

<3 Liz Plese

The Walmart Haikus

Four packs of monster and a few dress shirts and pants What’s the occasion?

Every customer jokes about huffing spray paint when they buy spray paint The girl with the dress left her cart unattended it had 50 cards

Anxious shoplifter tried to get away again Just steal things better I feel really bad for the lady with the red infected tattoo

The plushie woman told me I had “a good vibe” Appreciate it

<3 Miguel Gonzalez

Our Contributors <3

Front Cover by:

Back Cover by:

Writers:

Interactive:

Ravienne Hodgson

Sarah Hussey

Lea Tran

Sara Sierra-Garcia

Maggie Ma

Eli Pekelny

Alexia Nastasia

Morgan Oakes

Truman Dickerson

Liz Plese

Miguel Gonzalez

Julia Brukx

Miscellaneous Doodles:

Ravienne Hodgson

Maggie Ma

Edited by Lucas Leite