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Around this time last year, WVAU posted my first article about Hostile Mind. It wasn’t a particularly long and in-depth piece, but its heart was in the right place— namely, scattered all over the room along with the rest of what remained of my imploded body. What was...

DMV Native (and now Seattle-based) Degnan Smith, under the name Naked Days, has been making music for a while. Previous releases (some dating all the way back to 2012), have called on friends Will Toledo, Amanda Schiano Di Cola, and John Huggins to help with...

I lost my aunt a while back but don’t worry your silly little head about how that’s got me feeling right now. Aunt Allyson wasn’t particularly close to my family; in fact, she was far, far from us, holding up in New York City for the last decades of her life, really....

It didn’t seem too long ago in 2017 when the group of Norweigen teenage boys Boy Pablo made their way into the indie-pop scene with their viral music video Everytime, assisted by the mysterious Youtube algorithm. Steadily increasing in popularity these past three...

If I had my say I would’ve started and ended this review rather quickly. “It’s IDLES, what more can you say?” then it’s over, done. But of course things aren’t that simple and, to be honest, there’s plenty more to say about this release. As far as I’m concerned, IDLES...

I am writing this from one of my favorite places in DC, a parking lot in Columbia Heights that overlooks the many monuments, now resembling lego pieces of an unfinished set. My friend Katie took me here a few months ago after returning from her home in Russia, and now...

In the wake of Megan Thee Stallion’s album Good News release, I thought that it was time to have a conversation that strong, black women have been and are currently defining the music industry. The double standards between men and women have always been prominent in...

Have you ever listen to a song, and then an entire chapter of your life flashes right in front of your eyes? As if someone takes the words out of your mouth, then puts them into a song and plays it for you at that moment just so that you can relive through that...

Recently, I had the opportunity to partake in the “Press Day” for the upcoming video game spearheaded by Andrew Katz, the genius behind 1TraitDanger and the drummer for indie band Car Seat Headrest. Watch my full stream here: This “Press Day,” along with the game...

Music and song has been prevalent throughout US history. However, much of this music cannot be experienced today as it was neither recorded nor written down. Early musical recordings followed the invention of the phonograph in 1877 but were limited in volume and a...

Happy Monday, reader, and welcome back to Redefining the Black and Brown Woman. This week, I thought I’d spotlight some of the artists that make this column so special! Here’s what I’ve been listening to recently as I prepare for finals and background on each artist:...

The title and photo used for this article’s thumbnail are in direct reference to the Iggy Pop entry in The Definitive Illustrated Encyclopedia Of Rock, a book I grew up with. Said entry was quite critical of Pop, going so far as to call him “a spent force” after he...

Anger, revolution, and rebellion. These are all incredibly poignant themes during our current political climate. The thing that separates these two bands from most of us during these times of civil unrest is that they have channeled their anger against the system into...

I think it’s safe to say that the United States as a whole feels as though it’s on fire. I write this from California, which was largely literally on fire for a good portion of the summer. So, what I mean by this comparison is that the news cycle these days has felt...

What makes a perfect film score? The answer is arguably the same components needed for a memorable movie: a compelling premise and a visionary to actualize the concept. It is one thing for a particular movie scene or quote to be cemented as a relic of pop culture, but...

The aura of Spooky Season has definitely changed with this strange solitude we’ve become familiar with in times of social distancing, but there are still plenty of ways to experience your favorite fall festivities. Try picking and carving pumpkins, decorating your...

The widely accepted first female musician on record is Kassia of Constantinople. Born in 805, Kassia’s primary contribution to the music world included composing Byzantine music. Following Kassia, we have seen so many notable female artists who have marked the...

I believe that most pretentious attitudes and actions in art come from a good place. However, it is clear that intentions are not the only thing worth considering. When considering the exclusionary results of these attitudes, I believe pretentiousness is something...

To be real, “Brainstorm” by Alexander 23 isn’t something that catches my attention on the first listen or the listen after that or even the one after that. I actually thought it was quite an average and repetitive song in the beginning yet over time, I find myself...

Since it is October, it is only right to start off this column with the scariest state of all: Ohio. It seems like such a vast and empty state, but in reality, it is one of the most populated states in the US. What happens in Ohio? Who lives there? I don’t think...

Picture this: you’re a 13 year old Milo and you’re anxiously researching your own punk status to prevent your potential present and future poseur-dom. In order to do this, you’ve literally begged your ex-hippie father to buy you Al Spicer’s A Rough Guide to Punk(not a...

Of the many musicians that have stepped into the limelight over the decades, Eddie Van Halen, the life-long guitar player for the band Van Halen, was one of the few to leave a lasting footprint on the music industry. Eddie is regarded as one of the great guitar...

I kinda lost track of my time here in America, especially after the one-year mark. I mean, I was supposed to fly home in May, but then the pandemic happened, and things were always changing. Like seriously tho, AU was still planning to do dorm and offline classes a...

Some of the most dramatic, emotional, and heart-wrenching music can be found in Radiohead’s discography. That same sentiment can be true when you skim through the records that Muse has produced. Though both bands were founded within a decade of each other, the...

Once upon a time two years ago during my sophomore year, I was handed the aux in an Uber with friends on our way to a concert. It was a girl’s night. But as I scrolled through my playlists, I was shocked at the lack of actual female artists; particularly Black and...

Life seems to be full of question marks these days, and all of this time spent quarantining in solitude and social distancing can inspire some serious self-reflection. If you find yourself feeling especially introspective during this strange time, take a listen to...

Lady Gaga is one of the figures in modern pop that feels like the icon of a generation. In the same way that figures such as The Beatles or Michael Jackson define an era of pop music, either through pioneering or perfecting the genre as it stood when they came to...