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Silent Skies Forge A Dark Pop Path With 3rd Full-Length “Dormant”
Life, whether it runs eighty minutes or years, is a series of one turning point after another. We live in a constant state of becoming – becoming what we are and aren’t meant to be, becoming young, middle-aged, and eventually old if we’re lucky. The song lyrics for Silent Skies’ Dormant are full of those turning points. Tom Englund’s voice and words probe every corner of his life and psyche trying to identify where and who he’s been, where he’s going, and how he’s reached this place in his life. He honors listeners by sharing that journey.
His musical partner Vikram Shankar supplies the soundtrack for these meditations. His considered touch on piano, keyboards, and synthesizers color each mile of Englund’s inner voyage with melancholic shades. Even the album’s most hopeful moments, and they are ample, are alight with an undimmed sense of brittle victories.
“Construct” begins the collection. It sounds unvarnished and natural despite the synthesizers and keyboards. It has, as well, a strong sense of direction, but Silent Skies unfolds it at its own speed. You won’t hear any parallels with their contemporaries. Tom S. Englund’s vocal chops are the song’s heart and he conveys clearly thought-out sentiments with poetic grace that never over-reaches.
If “Construct” doesn’t make you an immediate believer, “New Life” will. It rips away any resistance you may have to the music following its opener thanks, in no small part, to Shankar’s emotionally piercing piano. It’s a beautiful, almost ornate blade that cuts through your defenses and skepticism. “Churches” has the same allure, though manifested in a different way. Englund’s voice reaches its fullest bloom yet with this performance.
“Just Above the Clouds” lives up to its ambitious title. This composition lifts listeners higher than any of its predecessors without relying on a single note of gimmickry or any pretentiousness. There’s a deeper focus on the vocals than previous tracks, but Shankar’s instrumental instincts are as sharp as ever.
The tandem dig even deeper with “Tides”. It is impossible to not be left a little slack-jawed by Englund’s writing skills and his ability to merge his ruminations with such an unusual musical backing. You will likely come away from Dormant a bit awe-struck by the emotional variety he achieves with his voice. It’s operating in a different realm here.
There are other nominal love songs included on the album, but by far the best track in this vein is “Light Up the Dark”. Englund writes about the source of his affection and devotion with clear eyes, never falling prey to hoary love song cliches, and crafts a masterpiece in miniature that you’ll want to return to again and again. He grounds it in the real world, as well, rather than some sappy romantic twaddle.
“The Last on Earth” has a haunted tone and the gravitas you’d expect for the album’s closer number, excepting the bonus tracks. It sounds written with a final curtain well in mind but doesn’t suffer in light of that. There’s no straining for profundity. Each of the three bonus tracks, all of them covers, are electrifying re-interpretations of the originals. “The Trooper”, however, is a stunning reformulation of the Iron Maiden classic that will leave you groping for superlatives. Silent Skies work like that. They comprehend the significance of our time on this earth, in this life, with artistry that few other acts can match.
Skyler Voss
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Carmen Bryan’s Cryptic Post Stirs the Pot in Jay-Z Controversy
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.
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?
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
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.
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!!”
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.
