Singles Round Up: Sept. 12
Singles Round Up – The Arts and Entertainment Department takes a look at some of the recently released singles from the past week.
“San Quentin” - Nickelback
90s rock band Nickelback dropped the first single, “San Quentin,” to be featured on their upcoming album.
The band has not released any music in the past five years, with much of their popularity coming from their 2005 album “All the Right Reasons,” which featured well-known tracks like “Rockstar” and “Photograph.”
Wasting no time with their comeback, “San Quentin” is an intense track right off the bat. A heavy drum and sporadic electric guitar introduce lead singer Chad Kroeger’s gravely vocals early on.
The post-grunge rock sound is paired with lyrics of the same caliber. Following the narrative of a man who “did it all for rock and roll,” Kroeger begs to be kept out of San Quentin, a California state prison, despite his crimes.
Starting off strong with “San Quentin,” the rest of their “Get Rollin’” album is set to be released mid-November and could spark the resurgence of a 2000s Nickelback appreciation. - Megan Kelby
“I’m Too Much” – Saucy Santana
Florida rapper, Saucy Santana, is back with another single, his fifth of the year. After making waves with his viral hit, “Material Girl,” which broke him onto the scene in 2019, he has made waves while maintaining his relevancy.
Here, on “I’m Too Much” he changes up the style of production that he is typically associated with. This time, instead of southern trap beats, he opts for a more danceable and melodic instrumental. It is not a typical four-on-the-floor beat, but it has enough groove in it to get people dancing.
As usual, Saucy Santana flaunts his wealth, his drip and his body-positive confidence. He raps in a lower register as well, much different from his flamboyant older work. Still, he does have plenty of swagger on each and every bar.
“I'm Saucy, stay flossin', I got somethin' you ain't got, options,” he boasts in the first verse. It is apparent that he has grown as an artist, delivering better punchlines and flows than before. He knows that he has something to prove and is willing to show off on all of his haters.
It might be hard to say where Saucy Santana will go on his next LP, but audiences definitely should be on the lookout for it. After making the 2022 Freshman list recently, he is on the top of his game, and this current rollout of tracks is proving so.
For something lighthearted and easy, “I’m Too Much” is a great listen. However, there still might need to be more convincing to see if Saucy Santana will make it in the long run, only time will tell. - Caelan Chevrier
Megan Kelby is a third-year majoring in journalism. To contact her, email mkk5701@psu.edu.
Caelan Chevrier is a third-year majoring in marketing. To contact him, email cjc6789@psu.edu.
About the Contributors
Caelan Chevrier
Third Year / Marketing & Journalism
Caelan Chevrier is a third-year student in the Smeal College of Business at Penn State University studying marketing and broadcast journalism with the goal of graduating with a bachelor’s degree in four years. His career goal is to spread informative, meaningful, and entertaining content across various platforms and to be a positive impact on the community. He has also spent time working at WWE in the communications department and writing for The Westport Local Press in his hometown of Westport, CT. If you’d like to contact him, email him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
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).
