Singles Round Up: Feb. 1
Singles Round Up - The Arts and Entertainment Department takes a look at some of the recently released singles from the past week.
“Evangeline” - Stephen Sanchez
Is Stephen Sanchez the modern day Frank Sinatra? The 20-year-old singer sure seems to be heading in that direction with his latest release “Evangeline.”
From the arrangement to his vocals, Sanchez can be easily mistaken for a singer from the 50s. Crafting such heartfelt words at just 20-years-old is truly a gift and leaves a lingering question. Who is the “Evangeline”?
To backtrack for those who don’t know, Sanchez was catapulted into the limelight with his song “Until I Found You” going viral on TikTok, a track that carries a similar sentimental feel as his new release.
According to a Genius interview on the viral hit, Sanchez spoke about his long distance relationship with his muse “Georgia” and how after pushing her away, they found each other again.
It was later revealed in another interview with ABC Audio that Sanchez and Georgia are no longer together, but they remain great friends.
Once again that begs the question: Who is “Evangeline”?
Seeing that Sanchez’s social media solely focuses on his upcoming performances and music, the chances of his inspiration being revealed on an Instagram post are slim to none.
Whatever the case may be, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, “Evangeline” is a true work of art that will surely be trending in the date night rotation of love birds this February. - Abby Chachoute
“Lavender Boombox” - Miniature Tigers
Alternative-indie band Miniature Tigers’ song “Lavender Boombox,” featured on its self titled album, dropped on Friday.
The group’s seventh studio release since their formation in 2008, “Miniature Tigers” is an album about heartbreak, which gets a refreshing twist through “Lavender Boombox.”
A muted saxophone solo complemented by bird chirpings open the track and welcome in a fast-paced, inspirational 80s beat.
Charlie Brand’s vocals are airy yet clear, while he narrates post-break up thoughts that are ironically juxtaposed by the uplifting instrumentals.
Ignoring the odd techno-synth verse in the middle, the somewhat poppy sound works well with the saxophone moments carried through the end where it closes out almost exactly the way it started.
Though the second to last song, “Lavender Boombox” is well worth the wait. Miniature Tigers hasn’t had as big of a hit since their 2009 song “Like or Like Like,” but “Lavender Boombox” holds the promise to be the start of their revival. - Megan Kelby
“Dawns” - Zach Bryan
The release of Zach Bryan’s newest single featuring Maggie Rogers entitled “Dawns” is perhaps one of Zach’s most spontaneous song releases to date.
Bryan had been teasing “Dawns” for quite a while before its release, and avid Bryan fans turned to YouTube to get their fix on an unreleased version of the song before its official release.
Bryan sporadically announced via Twitter that he’d release the song if the Philadelphia Eagles made the NFC Championship. Bryan stayed true to his word and released “Dawns” later in the week following the Eagle’s victory.
The fantastic build in the song and Bryan’s weathered and melancholic tone paired with the sweet, smooth voice of Maggie Rogers make this one of Bryan’s best recent releases.
“Dawns” continues the trend of Bryan’s vulnerability in his music. It expresses his distrust of love, the mourning of the loss of a loved one and a feeling as though he just can’t win. It’s slow, it’s fast, it’s emotional, and most of all, it's very Zach Bryan.
Bryan had a smashingly successful 2022 with the release of several albums and numerous singles. The release of “Dawns” is certainly a promising sign for an even better 2023 from Zach Bryan. - Ryan French
Abigail Chachoute is a second-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email axc6070@psu.edu.
Megan Kelby is a third-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email mkk5701@psu.edu.
Ryan French is a first-year student majoring in telecommunications. To contact him, email rpf5336@psu.edu.
About the Contributors
Megan Kelby
Fourth-Year / Journalism
Megan Kelby is a fourth-year from Newark, Delaware majoring in journalism and minoring in English and history at Penn State. She is a member of the arts & entertainment department for CommRadio. To contact her, email her at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
Ryan French
/
Ryan French is a current first-year student at Penn State University majoring in Telecommunications. Upon arrival at Penn State, Ryan began an internship with the Penn State Athletics live production team as a camera utility, as well as joining CommRadio. In CommRadio, Ryan is a member of both the sports and arts departments, where he writes articles and contributes to the station’s other media packages. You can follow Ryan on Instagram @ryan_.french, or email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
