Tag: Daniel O’Neill ’21
Gary Clark, Jr. Explores Racism in This Land
by The Cowl Editor on March 7, 2019
Music
by Daniel O’Neill ’21 A&E Staff
For the past decade, Gary Clark, Jr., has struggled to balance his message as an artist with his powerful blues soul. He is known by many as a blues guitar wizard, but his problem of matching his talent with a narrative has finally come to an end. With the release of his latest album This Land, Gary Clark, Jr. has risen to new heights as an artist.
In 2012, Clark released Blak and Blu, and in 2015 he released The Story of Sonny Boy Slim. Both albums were regarded as dynamic works in the modern blues-rock community, and Clark, Jr. has not stopped since. His live shows are known to be, by some, nothing short of electric and ambitious. That is why this most recent album, This Land, is considered his best work, as he has combined the energy of his live shows with his talent as a songwriter.
This Land is a huge step forward for the blues guitarist. Half of the album tells the stories of his life as a husband, his rise to success as a different kind of artist in the 21st century, and his life as a father. The other half of the album takes a drastic turn; Clark, Jr. calls for social justice in a time of racism and abuse. He shows his growth as an artist as he writes powerful songs with political opinions hidden in between the lines of the lyrics.
Besides his lyrical change, Clark, Jr. shows improvement in production as well. His previous two albums reflected his dynamism as a guitarist: long skillful solos and copious rock driven riffs with underlying blues tones. This Land replaces those guitar masterpieces with more of a focus on bass, synthesizers, accents of other genres, and overall growth in the use of production. Clark, Jr. puts a modern twist on 80s funk and reggae with a twist of blues-rock to create a powerful narrative about his life in the south.
What seems to be the most important part of this album for Gary Clark, Jr. is his creation of a full album that tells a story, not a mismatched group of songs. He showcases his personality as an artist, as he has done through songs like “The Guitar Man” and “Low Down Rolling Stone,” on This Land by presenting his well-known first-person narratives about his life backed by the classic blues-rock guitar sound that he is known for. Essentially, Gary Clark, Jr. demonstrates his growth as a musician in this new album.
With 17 tracks on This Land, Clark, Jr. presents many thoughts on his current situation in a society plagued by racism and social change.
He takes this new album as a way to show the strides he has made as a creative artist. Clark, Jr. attempts to connect with his fans and prove to people that there is more than just guitar in his musical repertoire. Gary Clark, Jr. proves he is not only a modern day guitar wizard, but also a blues-centered artist who has found a way to tell stories that beg for change in the land of the free.
Rockstar Ryan Adams Accused of Manipulating Female Artists
by The Cowl Editor on February 28, 2019
Music
by Daniel O’Neill ’21 A&E Staff
For years, rock musician Ryan Adams has been praised for his emotional connection to his lyrics. Recently, however, multiple women have come forward accusing Adams of emotional and verbal abuse, as well as offering career opportunities in return for sex.
Ryan Adams rose to fame in the early 2000s as a pioneer in the alternative music genre. He has released 16 solo albums, many of which were considered groundbreaking for their time period. It came as a surprise to many when news came out that he had been accused of such abusive actions in the past.
Seven women altogether have come out accusing Adams of different levels of abuse. Famous indie artist Phoebe Bridgers claims that Adams came into contact with her when she was 20-years-old. At this time, he offered for her songs to be released on his record label. The two musicians became romantically involved, and Bridgers claims that Ryan Adams became abusive and emotionally manipulative towards her. Bridgers eventually broke off their relationship, and she claims that Adams decided to withhold her songs from being released under his record label and banned her from opening at his future concerts.
These accusations towards Ryan Adams come at a time when the music industry needs stability, not more chaos involving abuse. Since Adams is widely regarded as one of the most influential alternative/rock musicians and producers around today, the news that he has been accused of such abusive actions has shocked the industry, as well as his fans.
People in the music industry have started to argue that many women abandon their careers in music because of the type of abuse that Adams is accused of. Music is an art form that is supposed to be expressive and freeing, yet the accusations against Ryan Adams portray the industry as nothing more than a power position; Adams allegedly used his position to launch careers, then pursued his own interests with the artists.
According to Rolling Stone, Adams tweeted, “I am not a perfect man and I have made many mistakes. To anyone I have ever hurt…I apologize deeply and unreservedly.”
Adams is diagnosed with Meniere’s Disease, a degenerative disease that damages the ear. It leaves the victim with hearing loss. It made playing gigs extremely difficult for Adams. Because of this and the media portrayal of the disease, he became increasingly aggressive towards journalists and those interviewing him on different occasions. Some people now speculate that this behavior is similar to what he is being accused of by seven different women.
Rolling Stone recently published an article on Feb. 21 looking into Adam’s history of abuse. The article argues that the artist’s solo projects contain lyrics that suggest behavior similar to the accusations. Essentially, the lyrics act as a type of fabricated art, but many are now seeing them as being almost too similar to his own actions.
This is the recent pattern with other artists accused of such atrocities; a talented personality uses his position as a platform for brandishing his abuse. Many people suffer collateral damage from the uncontrolled behavior of people like Ryan Adams.
ICE Arrests Icon 21 Savage
by The Cowl Editor on February 14, 2019
Music
Music Community Rallies Around Rapper
by Daniel O’Neill ’21 A&E Staff
On Sunday, February 3, popular rapper, 21 Savage, was arrested and taken into custody by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) on the grounds that he is a United Kingdom citizen who overstayed his visa. The rapper’s lawyers are still working to get him released.
21 Savage rose to fame by rapping and making music about his life growing up in East Atlanta. His lyrics tell stories of the prominent drug scene, gang violence, and the deaths of his friends. 21 Savage’s collaboration with producer Metro Boomin on the mixtape Savage Mode allowed him to burst into the rap scene outside of Atlanta. His debut album, Issa Album, followed, which reached #2 on the Billboard Top 200 list. Prior to his arrest by ICE, 21 Savage was one of the biggest rappers in America.
Many were shocked on Feb. 3 to learn of 21 Savage’s arrest, causing influential figures in the U.S. to show their support, including Offset and Cardi B. Georgia State Representative Hank Johnson of Georgia sent a letter to ICE to work towards releasing the rapper. Another, Erica Thomas, also released a statement to show support. 21 Savage’s incarceration also prompted the creation of the hashtag #Free21 on Twitter.
The East Atlanta rapper has proved that he is an influential figure on the rap scene. Last summer he threw a back-to-school drive for children in the neighborhood where he grew up. Johnson was present and showed support for the rapper’s hard work and his charitable contributions towards his community. 21 Savage’s actions have proved that he is a positive influence for the children growing up in East Atlanta.
There are many questions regarding the true impact that 21 Savage has had on his community, specifically regarding the lyrical content of his songs. His most recent album, I Am > I Was, which scored the #1 spot on the Billboard 200, shows a newfound personal growth, as his past albums have primarily focused on the gang activities and crime he experienced growing up.
The new album demonstrates 21 Savage’s personal reflections on the impact that his violent upbringing had on him, as well as the changing relationships he has with the people in his life. I Am > I Was shows that anyone can change their personal circumstances and make something positive and impactful out of their lives.
The sheer volume of people that have come forward to show support for the rapper is a testament to his personal improvement and impact on the rap community, as well as his community in East Atlanta. 21 Savage is one of the most prominent rappers on the Atlanta rap scene whose charitable efforts have led many to believe that his arrest is unjustified.
For the rap community, 21 Savage’s arrest is hard to comprehend. But his arrest has also proven that the community can stick together and support each other when times get tough.