Album Review

Stephanie Bettman’s Latest Single “Beautiful Day”

You don’t have to be the biggest folk-rock fan around to appreciate the depth of emotionality in Stephanie Bettman’s new solo single “Beautiful Day,” as its plethora of melodies give us everything that listeners need to know in its running time. Like the other songs found in her growing discography, “Beautiful Day” sees Bettman experimenting with palatable pop sounds, blending influences from the folk spectrum whilst providing us with a familiar rhythm that doesn’t get flimsy by the second stanza. It’s among the more straightforward singles that I’ve heard in the last month, but if you’ve got an ear for toned songcraft, you’d be seriously pressed to find another track like this one.

The instrumentation is telling us a story all its own in “Beautiful Day,” and I think that, were it not presented in such high-definition clarity, this single probably wouldn’t be as engaging as it is in this form. Bettman is a very talented singer, but the soundscape that she uses as a sonic canvas to apply her acrylic vocal textures is quintessential to getting her point across here. There’s something to be said about the players that she’s gathered together for her backing band, and I hope that they continue to work together as she creates a full-length album with this song’s emotive template at the foundation of every composition. There’s a wholesomeness here you don’t find very often anymore, and I want to hear what it can produce with more creative breathing room.

I am more than curious about what Stephanie Bettman would sound like in a live setting after hearing “Beautiful Day.” She’s got a fetching and rather approachable charisma in this song, and in many ways employs her microphone as a gateway into the storied past of 70s singer/songwriters. Bettman channels a lot of Joni and Melanie here, but even though she’s wearing her influences on her sleeve, her stylish musical persona isn’t rooted in the throwback/retro culture that has gotten a little tiresome in the last few years. It’s one thing to be inspired, but unlike some of the artists making big mainstream gains this spring, this is one singer who isn’t looking to live her life in a time machine.

I haven’t been able to put this song down since I first picked it up, and once you give “Beautiful Day” the chance to sink its hooks into your chest, I think that you’ll share my sentiments. It’s an intoxicating meld of old and new, both retro and surprisingly modern where it matters the most, and even taking into consideration its nonconformist design, it’s still more accessible than the more commercial folk/pop that you might have come across this season. Stephanie Bettman’s career is picking up a healthy amount of steam at the moment, and if this song gets into steady rotation on the college radio airwaves this summer, it’s going to be a lot harder for her competitors in the American underground to keep up with her momentum heading into the latter half of 2024.

Gwen Waggoner

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With “The Rhythm of Mandolay” album, Eye Travel finds beauty in the space between memory, melodies, and moments

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The project was recorded with Charles Storm at the Cloudchamber studio on the island of Hisingen, and it turns individual songs into a linked collection where raw emotion, acoustic beauty, and vintage influences coexist. The album kicks off with “Holly,” a dramatic opener built on an Omnichord foundation and expressive vocals that have a theatrical quality. Next up is “Birdsong,” a more delicate affair with breezy melodies that recall the charms of 90’s pop.

For “Verona,” Eye Travel strips everything back and creates an intimate acoustic moment that captures feelings of distance and quiet longing. “Going Under” takes a different direction, using heavy Moog bass and lush string and flute arrangements to create a boisterous, vintage-inspired sound with lots of movement. Meanwhile, “This Planet” takes a bright, catchy pop approach that brings a playful energy, and “Beech Street” is a warm, reflective acoustic folk-pop memory trip.

“Castle” slows the pace to a gentle European folk feel, establishing an intimate, personal atmosphere. “Scientia” is a nicely placed instrumental lullaby that helps the album flow, and “Surface” is a quick but poignant glimpse of a fleeting feeling. “Pauline” is one of the album’s most powerful moments, a grand, emotional performance that captures its drama.

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Album Review

CMD.EXE unveils “Red Giant Protocol,” a bold journey through machine consciousness and cosmic evolution

Electronic music has always been a playground for imagination, but “Red Giant Protocol” takes that to another level. The 14-track synthwave experience from CMD.EXE is a journey through fading stars, awakening machines, and the unknown future of intelligence.

This album is about creating an ever-expanding universe where artificial consciousness is on the rise and humanity questions its own role in a shifting universe. It starts with “Consciousness in the Void,” a lonely signal in the silence, then “Signal Burst” heightens the tension with a surge of energy and purpose. “Beautiful Prison” is about the concealed pleasure of control, while “E.V.A.01” is the first evidence of self-awareness in an artificial mind.

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