20-Second Takes: 11/15/20

Charlie Goodwin

“HOLIDAY” - Lil Nas X

Lil Nas X has been relatively silent in this rollercoaster of a year — until now. With the release of “HOLIDAY,” Nas X provides us with yet another catchy song that you won’t be able to get out of your head, even if you want to. And it wouldn’t be a true Lil Nas X entry without a wacky video to accompany it.

“Therefore I Am”- Billie Eilish

Let’s keep this simple — Billie Eilish is the brightest young star in music today, and it doesn’t look like that will change anytime soon. “Therefore I Am” produces a much different sound than what we’ve come to expect from the artist — a testament to her evolution and growth. Her melodic and tender voice fits beautifully on any track, with no exception here. Another great entry from Billie.

Ken Tse

“Be There” - Sabrina Lee

If you asked me to picture one song that would be playing on the radio during a long night drive, it’s Sabrina Lee’s “Be There.” The artist delivers her best release to date— the song carries all of the ingredients of an indie-pop classic. Crafty in lyricism, upbeat, and personal, “Be There” is a clear representation of Sabrina’s evolution as an artist. With that said, it’s the pre-chorus for me: “and if the world stops spinning ‘round, I’ll still stick around…and you will know that I'm the one you needed here the most.” Fantastic. This is one that you should definitely give a listen to.

“You and I” - Valerie June

Wow. Just wow. In a mind-melt of genre fluidity, Valerie June gives us an early holiday gift with “You and I.” I actually don’t even know where to begin. Her hauntingly beautiful falsetto in the song’s first 20 seconds has a type of imperfect perfection I honestly haven’t even heard before. The seeds of alternative pop, folk, bluegrass, and more are planted all-throughout the tune. And wait, is that a trumpet I hear at 2:10? Ridiculous. And that voice, man. To be completely honest, I’ve never heard of Valerie June before hearing this song. “You and I” has certainly made me a fan.

Kat Chian

"good morning" by EDEN

Ethereal. That's the feeling that I got when I first listened to “good morning” by EDEN. Opening up his sophomore album, No Future, the song transports you to an otherworldly place. From the first note, I was absolutely in love. The intricacy of the rhythms coupled, with the layered synths create a feeling of pure bliss. One hundred percent, would recommend (along with the rest of the album).

“Kilby Girl” by The Backseat Lovers

“Kilby Girl” is an absolute banger. I've had it on repeat for weeks now, and it’s become a staple of my playlist. It's one of those songs that you'll be singing at the top of your lungs. With its catchy guitar rhythms and addicting melody, it's almost impossible to not just get up and dance.

SUNDAY SCARIES WITH ELI GOODWIN

“My Kind of Present” - Meghan Trainor

Christmas: The quintessential commercial holiday. The atmosphere is markedly different for all far and wide, including my Jewish self. It’s a cultural light at the end of the tunnel. Nothing can ruin Christmas. Right? Right? Wrong! Meghan Trainor can. Or, more precisely, her new Christmas album, A Very Trainor Christmas come. To spare you all the diatribe, however, I’ll stick to the first song on the album list: “My Kind of Present.” It’s just so…mundane. I have to applaud Trainor on the bold notion of trying to make a classic Christmas hit of her own. Mariah Carey did it, so did Wham!, but lo and behold, Trainor did, well, the opposite. It’s a bland song in her typical doo-wop style that first rose her to prominence and a subsequent plateau with her album Title. The vocals are nice and all, as per usual, but it misses the Christmas spirit. It screams Black Friday, not the most wonderful time of year. Furthermore, when “All About That Bass” came on immediately afterwards, I at once recognized how painstakingly similar they are. It’s almost as if the words are new, and that’s literally it. Sure, Trainor threw a modulation into “My Kind of Present” for marginal excitement, but it’s simply lacking. It’s a let-down. A lump of coal, shall we call it?