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Single Review: Sarantos “Same Old Christmas”
Christmas is supposed to be a happy time of the year, full of joy and hope and dreams. Yet for some, Christmas is met with reminders of loneliness, regrets from the year past, and general disappointment. From his full-length release; A Spoonful of Greece, Sarantos releases his take on this feeling of prevailing dread with Same Old Christmas. Sarantos is known for using his colorful metaphors and vivid imagery as he weaves poetic magic in his indie/experimental rock sound. With Same Old Christmas we get much of the same, a narrative of sweeping malaise at this time of year. “I’ve gone thru my life, But I can’t enjoy the ride, Played it safe no lucky break, I never had a seat on Santa’s sleigh.” This overtone of sadness when one should be happy surmised by; “But when the time has come, Those disappointing bells have rung, It’s the same old Christmas.” Of course, in true Sarantos fashion, he is not one to be weighed down by this misery. He will rise above it, and continue to reach for his dreams, expectations, and hopes. “Every single year, As December’s drawing near, I put my hope in Christmas, Cause I always love Christmas.” and in the epitaph of his journey, he comes full circle; “I just need help, Learning not to run away, So I’ll just say, Merry Christmas to you.” A beautifully choreographed narrative for a wonderful time of year. Leave it to Sarantos to find a voice for those who don’t seem to have one of their own.
Accompanied by a wonderful piano melody and a pulsating steady groove which drives the rhythm, Sarantos incorporates jingle bells in the most opportune times to capture the hidden Christmas spirit always seeping into his lyrical form. The effective instrumentation is coupled by the dynamic range of Sarantos’ voice as he pushes his register into higher registers than he normally sings, He does this highly effectively, maybe it’s the magic of Christmas that gives him his angelic inflection. Same Old Christmas tells more than just a story; it captures the entire circulating moods and emotions of everyone during the holiday scramble. It holds the listener close and tells them, you are not alone, and it is this empathetic approach that makes this track so very enjoyable. The hook from the chorus section elicits a sing-along response in the audience, as the performance builds tension throughout each verse and bridge. It is these qualities that make Same Old Christmas marketable, and should see success on Adult Contemporary, or Soft Rock commercial radio formats.
–Lee Callaghan
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Kanye West Joins Chicago Ceremony Honoring His Mother With Dr. Donda West Way
Kanye West was in Chicago for a street naming ceremony honoring his late mother, Dr. Donda West, and celebrating her lasting contributions to the city, her impact on education and the arts, and her influence on her son’s life.
A portion of 78th Street bears the official designation of Dr. Donda West Way, an appropriate tribute to a woman whose legacy remains deeply entangled with Chicago. Local news covered the ceremony, attended by community leaders, and Ye could be seen clapping in the background, wearing shades, as the new street sign was unveiled.
The event celebrated Donda West’s accomplishments and her impact on the people in her life. It was also a moment of profound personal significance for Kanye. His mother played a large part in building his confidence and supporting his musical ambitions, leading him down the path that would ultimately make him one of the most recognizable artists in music.
West had already paid tribute to his mother in his 2021 album Donda. The project took 10 years to complete, the amount of time it took Ye to process her tragic passing. Donda’s voice is present throughout the album, adding another personal element to a project centered on her memory and legacy.
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The Chicago ceremony falls during a busy time for West. The artist is on a world tour and played a couple of shows in Chicago just a few weeks ago. Despite the ongoing controversy about his recent past and public reception, his repeated returns to the stage have underscored the enduring size of his audience.
Currently, the unveiling of Dr. Donda West Way is not about music but about celebrating Donda West’s life and accomplishments and the impact she continues to have through the legacy she left behind.
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DJ Akademiks Opens the Door to Pusha T Amidst Drake Controversy
DJ Akademiks seems to be changing his tune on Pusha T after the leak of the rapper’s alleged album with Pharrell, though the project reportedly includes several direct shots at Drake.
The reaction is notable as Akademiks and Pusha T have been on completely unique sides of the long-running Drake-Pusha T divide. Pusha T’s infamous beef with Drake reached a major milestone in 2018 with the release of “The Story of Adidon.” Akademiks has an OVO chain and has been a big supporter of Drake, which makes his latest comments about Pusha T even more shocking.
The two have had their differences, though they have never gone back and forth publicly over the years. Akademiks, however, responded to the leaked project with a more sympathetic view of Pusha T’s position. Akademiks didn’t just point out the rapper’s continued Drake references; he also recognized that Drake has been beefing with Pusha T and Pharrell over the last few years.
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Things got spicy when Akademiks reminded him that Pusha T has liked a couple of his posts before. That detail apparently has Akademiks considering reaching out directly to talk with Pusha T.
Does Pusha T even want that kind of conversation? Still, Akademiks’ comments imply that he believes there’s room for a more productive discourse between two personalities who have historically been on opposite sides of the Drake-Pusha T feud.
For now, the leaked album has provided an unexpected opening for dialogue. Akademiks’ openness to Pusha T’s side, even with his clear ties to Drake, shifts the conversation away from taking sides and toward whether a direct conversation could actually happen.
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