INSIDE NOISE: Ft. Greta Van Fleet + More TBA!

Greta Van Fleet - Starcatcher

Full disclosure: until today, I had never actually listened to Greta Van Fleet. But I was pleasantly surprised by their latest release, Starcatcher. Merging qualities of blues rock, psychedelic rock, and prog rock, Starcatcher embodies a quintessentially classic rock sound that we really don't hear much of from other A-List bands today. In fact, when I think of popular rock music today, not many of them embrace that unapologetic rock n' roll sound. For that alone, this album is a unique approach to the genre, bringing a combination of bravado and grit that's been missing from the radio for a long time. As a first time listener, I was impressed by the quality of songwriting, each track well balanced within itself and within the context of the album. And of course, this record would not be what it is without the excellent production skills of Nashville's Dave Cobb. Although some tracks on this album do wear their Led Zeppelin influence on their sleeve, Starcatcher showcases that Greta Van Fleet can break the mold. Even as a non-fan of this band, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend this release to anyone looking for a throwback to the heyday of arena rock. 9/10

-Kaylen

Magic 2 by Nas

Don't go into this expecting the next Illmatic or anything, but what we're getting here has worth in its own right. Nas's Magic 2 brings us the latest from this hip hop master, with incredibly well-written, witty lyrics and an updated production style. He's not as edgy or on the nose as he used to be, but he doesn't really need to be anymore. 7/10.

-Michael