by Shannon Smith
Every songwriter creates stories in the hope of capturing love’s vocabulary without cliché. On The Art of Loving, Olivia Dean defines her heartfelt love stories. Each having soul, written from the inside out, melody and lyric arriving as one breath.
The record begins with “The Art of Loving (Intro),” where she uses multiple layers of her voice to set the thesis of intimacy as authorship. The transition to “Nice To Each Other” reframes courtesy as groove. Dean’s chorus hook is simple, cyclic, and affirming. Her vocal style has that soul that causes a revelation.
Her melodic instincts shine on “Lady Lady.” The [...]
by Shannon Smith
Reneé Rapp’s BITE ME is a sophomore album that realigns vocal charisma with production choices that finally match her natural intensity. Where 2023’s Snow Angel often paired Rapp’s voice with too much restraint, thin arrangements, and overly safe balladry, BITE ME brings her into a louder, rougher, and more stylized soundscape. This time, the production invites her to push, snarl, and smirk.
The album opens with “Leave Me Alone,” a genre-establishing track that frames the rest of the record: guitar-forward, percussive, and unafraid to let Rapp’s vocals sit hot in the mix. The fuzzed-out [...]
by Shannon Smith
Ava Max’s single “Lovin Myself” is tailored to integrate into your pop listening patterns. From the very first breathy coo, Ava Max’s “Lovin Myself” draws you into a glittering affirmation of personal power with equal parts synth-pop strut and engaging vocal phrasing. It’s bold, beat-driven, and brimming with finesse and pop intelligence. Underneath the neon sheen lies a well-crafted pop song.
Max’s performance walks a thrilling tightrope between vocal muscle and vulnerability. Her technique shines its range and how she maneuvers between chest and head voice, with each [...]
by Shannon Smith
When Alex Warren stepped onto the Stagecoach Festival stage in April 2025 to debut his new single “Bloodline,” joined by genre-crossing phenom Jelly Roll, there was already a hum in the air. That hum has grown into a full-throated track with an emotionally charged pop song with elements of country hybrid that stares generational trauma in the face and dares to write a new ending.
“Bloodline” delivers an emotionally gripping blend of pop structure, country grit, and folk-pop lift. It’s a story song about generational pain and the defiant hope that says: you can stop the cycle [...]
