I wouldn’t say that Bangor and Orono are well-known for their lively music scene. Although, like anything in Maine, when you push yourself to a place of motivation and get out to some of the local venues, you can find a flourishing span of shows. Some notable local bands creating the vibes right now have been Midnight Breakfast, Milk St., Sizzle, Skyline Drive and some funky characters behind the stage name “Peach Belly.” I sat down with them recently. Peach Belly was formed in May of 2022 out of the yearning for drummer Yoni Musher’s skills to improve. Fueled by a summer hiatus of prior membe ..read more

During a pivotal point in the production of BritPop, the band Blur formed in 1988. With nine albums, the band proves to remain incredibly popular after their peak in the 1990s in Great Britain. The most recent album, “The Ballad of Darren,” was released eight years after the bands break up. Encapsulating sounds and mixed genres, Blur manages to capture all types of listeners from the screaming fangirls to the hardcore headbangers. Even more so, they somehow managed to alter their sound so much throughout their heyday.  Blur was made up of frontman Damon Albarn, who now is the main masterm ..read more

Amidst this almost snowless, drawn-out stick season many New Englanders are currently experiencing, Noah Kahan dropped a shimmer of light on his fans by releasing “Stick Season (Forever).” This new extended album is the third version of his 2022 LP “Stick Season.”  The original release of “Stick Season” catapulted Kahan into the eyes and hearts of the mainstream public. Since then, he’s continued to build upon the 14-track album. This new and final two-hour-long compilation consists of the original “Stick Season” songs, eight bonus songs and eight collaborative songs, forming a collection ..read more

I work as one of the two Music Directors at WMEB, the University of Maine’s student-run radio station located in Room 164 of the Memorial Union. In my role, I work with promoters to recommend albums and songs to our roster of nearly forty currently active DJs. The staff seeks to cultivate a distinct sound for the station; we try to promote independent and alternative artists almost exclusively. For a Music Director, that means listening to potentially dozens of less-than-mainstream releases in a month. Ever since 2021, before I had even graduated high school, I’ve made an effort to listen to ..read more

From busking on the streets of Berlin, Germany, to touring sold-out venues in Europe, Australia, Japan and North America, Alice Phoebe Lou has made a place for her independent personal songs in the music industry. You might have listened to her 2020 single, “Witches,” which quickly rose to popularity with its groovy and cosmic nature.  This past summer, Lou dazzled her fans with her sixth studio album, “Shelter.” As one of her first narrative albums, “Shelter” brings the listener on a journey of heartbreak and self-growth. The album, in its entirety, is only thirty minutes, but it is addi ..read more

Lambrini Girls are a UK-based queer punk trio that recently released their first EP. Titled “You’re Welcome,” the EP combines their three singles and three new tracks.  Inspired by popular Riot Grrl pioneers like Le Tigre and Bikini Kill, their music is loud and raw. Lead vocalist and guitarist Phoebe Lunny is able to blend screaming with her singing, switching between the two in a satisfying show of energy and rage. They utilize pop culture references and slang, creating a sound that can resonate with a modern audience. The band’s most popular song, and the first track, is “Boys in the B ..read more

English pop singer and songwriter Charli XCX released her fourth studio album, “How I’m Feeling Now” in May 2020, an 11-track culmination of Charli’s explosive and ever-evolving pop sound.  This experimental concept album serves as a snapshot of Charli’s feelings during the period of quarantine while also showcasing a blip of positive collaboration during such a despairing time period. To this day, it remains a cornerstone of the unconventional and distinct subgenre of music known as hyperpop. Charli’s previous release in September 2019, “Charli,” was met with critical acclaim, with one o ..read more

Zach Bryan, the 27-year-old country singer from Oklahoma, has released a new self-titled fourth studio album. This album has 15 songs where Bryan presents country music in a new way, incorporating an indie rock and folk sound into his usual style. Throughout the album, he has multiple guest appearances, including Kacey Musgraves, The Lumineers, The War and Treaty and Sierra Ferrell. “I Remember Everything” with Kacey Musgraves is a track that sticks out. Throughout this song, they sing a story about a breakup that Bryan is struggling to get over. He goes back and forth between past and present ..read more

Oliva Rodrigo’s highly anticipated sophomore album “GUTS” was released on Sept. 8  2023, preceded by popular singles such as “vampire” and “bad idea right?” The 12 track album tackles the turmoil of difficult romantic relationships, personal struggles and raw, unfiltered rage.  The album kicks off with “all-american bitch,” an intense track which violently oscillates between fast and slow beats. Rodrigo’s angry sarcasm hangs heavy over each verse, clear through lines like “I don’t get angry when I’m pissed / I’m the eternal optimist / I scream inside to deal with it, like, ‘Ah.’” The ..read more

The acclaimed series released their sixth season on Netflix this June after a four year hiatus.  Five episodes with five separate story lines linked together through the irrelevant details the creator of “Black Mirror,” Charlie Brooker weaves into each episode. Often referred to as Easter eggs, these minor details are a “Black Mirror” classic. They add to the novelty of the watching experience and give the audience a purpose as they try to link together the puzzle that is the world of “Black Mirror.”  Some episodes have more meaningful content than others. But, as expected this seaso ..read more