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Alternative Band PRETTY AWKWARD New “Get Weird” Album Is A Stand-Out Debut 

The eleven songs on PRETTY AWKWARD’s Get Weird range from reflections on personal experiences to anthemic crowd-pleasers that will resonate with young and old alike. Veteran songwriters and musicians Nicholas Wiggins and Austin Held recruited a first-class cadre of collaborators to flesh out their musical vision and they play as a band rather than a glorified solo vehicle for either man. The stylistic dexterity evident throughout the album likewise coheres rather than sounding like a mishmash of conflicting aims. PRETTY AWKWARD’s songs sound like the results of an outfit that began the recording process knowing exactly what they hoped to achieve and clearing every hurdle with room to spare.

You can hear their confident self-assurance in the album’s opener. “Hang Out” presents listeners with a scenario that’s easily relatable to the band’s target audience but, likewise, cuts across age demographics. It’s youthful, without question, but even older listeners of a certain type can remember staying up into the wee hours intoxicated with friends and/or romantic partners. It’s a song portraying the tightly knit confederacies of friendship in a unique way and the lightly atmospheric arrangement helps bring it to unusual life. 

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PRETTY AWKWARD continues an impressive run to open the album with its next two tracks. “Misfits” is one of the release’s best numbers and a bonafide anthemic gem. It gains much of its power from the deliberate scaffolding that the band erects for the performance; its steady escalatory pace culminates in a soaring chorus. “Get Weird” is a memorable title song that relies much more on atmospherics than the other ten cuts. The band’s command of manipulating light and shadow excels here and Held delivers one of his best vocal performances.

The simmering and often effervescent pop of “Bad Habit” opens with a brief snippet of piano before segueing into the main body of the song. Alternative music fans will latch onto the slinky percussion driving the tune and it gives the track an irresistibly stylish veneer. “Castle Walls” is an especially inspired songwriting clinic that turns the band once again towards the anthemic. They’ve hit upon their idiosyncratic language, however, and write about self-realization and seizing the day with undeniable flair. It’s one of Get Weird’s most impassioned moments.

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Woozy” is one of the album’s marquee cuts. If you want to put forth one song out of the eleven that sounds and feels truly representative of PRETTY AWKWARD’s gifts, then this is it. Each of their cuts has a clear subject matter that relates to everyday life, and this is no different. This pop-influence romp about a dysfunctional yet addictive relationship crisscrosses multiple genres without ever disorienting listeners and has an entertaining melody you won’t soon forget.

They end the album on a melancholy yet ultimately victorious note. “Burn” definitely embraces a “better to burn out than fade away” spirit, but listeners will come away from this sure that PRETTY AWKWARD won’t be fading out anytime soon. It’s an invigorating and thoughtful tune illustrating their range better than other already outstanding songs on Get Weird. This album deserves your attention and more as they’ve written and recorded one of 2023’s best Alt.Pop collections. 

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Skyler Voss

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Carmen Bryan’s Cryptic Post Stirs the Pot in Jay-Z Controversy

Jay-Z

The hip-hop industry currently faces substantial controversy as Jay-Z finds himself in the eye of a storm. Allegations of sexual assault stemming from a 2000 afterparty involving the illustrious rap mogul and disgraced music executive Diddy have ignited fierce public debate. While Jay-Z categorically denies the accusations and expresses his intent to contest the lawsuit, the court of public sentiment appears to have already rendered its verdict. Further complicating this turmoil is the involvement of Carmen Bryan, a name from Jay’s contentious history, which has added a chilling layer to the evolving situation.

Carmen Bryan, recognized for her decade-long affair with the Brooklyn rapper, recently took to Instagram with a cryptic yet pointed post. Although she refrained from naming anyone directly, Bryan suggested that loyalty often supersedes ethical morality in cases involving influential individuals. “These days, people don’t defend what is right; they defend who they like,” she wrote. Her parting shot, “And that’s why we call you a groupie,” felt like a verbal mic drop, leaving little doubt about who her words targeted.

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The intrigue didn’t stop there. Bryan shared a snapshot of Jay-Z’s lyrics from his 2010 track “Monster,” honing in on a particularly unsettling line: “Kill a block, I murder the avenues, I rape and pillage your village, women and children.” Though these lyrics were part of a more extensive metaphorical verse showcasing a “monster” persona, their resurfacing in this context feels calculated and ominous.

Bryan is no stranger to controversy, having previously aired her grievances toward Jay-Z. In her 2006 memoir, It’s No Secret: From Nas to Jay-Z, Seduction to Scandal, she detailed their affair and its tumultuous fallout. Additionally, she revealed in a 2017 interview that she had been pregnant with Jay-Z’s child, only to suffer a miscarriage. The relationship, fraught with personal and public conflict, remains a blemish on Jay-Z’s meticulously crafted, otherwise carefully curated narrative. Carmen Bryan’s multifaceted approach raises pertinent questions: Is she simply sharing her perspective on morality in the industry, or does she possess additional undisclosed knowledge?

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While the allegations against Jay-Z are still under legal evaluation, Bryan’s Instagram post has reignited another dimension to the complex and polarizing discussions about power dynamics, accountability, and the ethical responsibilities of those influential individuals in the spotlight. Her courageous decision to use Jay-Z’s lyrics against him paints a stark picture that forces fans and critics alike to reckon with the blurred lines between art and reality.

As the legal proceedings involving Jay-Z progress, the public remains split amid this developing saga. While Jay-Z’s peers have predominantly expressed skepticism toward the allegations, the enduring legacy of this iconic figure hangs in precarious balance, with shadows from the past casting long and potentially damning silhouettes.

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Jay-Z Engrossed in Fresh Allegations as Tony Buzbee Claims More Victims

Jay-Z

In a stunning twist to an already high-stakes legal dispute unfolding with the intensity of a Hollywood thriller, Jay-Z, one of music’s most preeminent figures, finds himself at the center of an explosive allegation involving minors. This drama stems from accusations brought forth by attorney Tony Buzbee and has escalated a conflict that began with a lawsuit over alleged extortion. Buzbee, who represents a woman accusing the music mogul of sexually assaulting her at the 2000 MTV VMAs afterparty, claims there are additional alleged victims, involving both male and female minors.

Jay-Z and his attorney, Alex Spiro, aren’t backing down. They have initiated a countersuit against Buzbee, vehemently denying the allegations and characterizing them as “entirely fabricated and malicious.” Spiro’s filing asserts that Buzbee’s accusations are part of a calculated scheme to tarnish the rapper’s reputation and coerce a settlement. “These baseless accusations are nothing more than a weapon in a calculated plot,” Spiro stated, doubling down on their stance that the allegations are devoid of any factual basis.

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The case took another dramatic turn when the woman Buzbee represents amended her lawsuit against Diddy to include Jay-Z. The timing of the amendment and the salacious nature of the claims have fueled a media frenzy, leaving the hip-hop icon fighting a battle both in the courtroom and in the court of public opinion.

Late Sunday, Jay-Z fired back with a defiant statement on X (formerly Twitter). “What he had calculated was the nature of these allegations and the public scrutiny would make me want to settle,” he wrote. “No sir, it had the opposite effect! It made me want to expose you for the fraud you are in a VERY public fashion. So no, I will not give you ONE RED PENNY!!”

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This case is now racing against the clock, with Jay-Z’s legal representatives seeking an emergency hearing to address the allegations. Their urgency stems from the relentless media coverage, which poses a substantial risk to the Roc Nation founder’s reputation. This matter extends beyond a mere legal confrontation; it encompasses significant implications beyond the courtroom, a fight for his legacy.

The stakes are exceptionally high. Legal counsel Buzbee hints at the potential existence of additional alleged victims, thereby intensifying the spotlight scrutiny placed on both parties involved. With careers, reputations, and justice on the line, this legal showdown is poised to become a critical juncture within the music and entertainment industry. For fans and observers alike, the unfolding circumstances prompt inquiries regarding the veracity of the claims and the tactical weaponization of reputation in the court of public discourse.

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