Oxford's oldest student newspaper

Independent since 1920

Music

American Odyssey- The world building of Lana del Rey’s music

"The past decade of Lana del Rey’s music has ventured  from the deserts and neon-lights of Las Vegas to the streets of New York, Hollywood, and eventually rural California."

‘Spectacular throughout’: OUO at the Sheldonian- review

"The Sheldonian Theatre was treated on Saturday of 4th week to a display by some of the University’s best musical talent."

Five Songs for the Fifth Week Blues

"I believe that music makes a lot of things in life better. Fifth week at Oxford is no exception."

Forget Her Not: Rediscovering Women in Music- Week 1

At fifteen, I was fully and completely obsessed with the Californian soul/alternative R&B/jazz/funk band...

Grammys 2024: Reflection of Profitability or Recognition of Artistry?

The 2024 Grammys were everything they should be: glamorous, monumental, and of course, controversial. Taylor...

“Nothing Important”? An Introduction to Richard Dawson

"Dawson’s lyrics aren’t poems; the music is too important to the cadence and stress of the lines for the words to retain their power without it. Still, they do pass that age-old test which can be used upon a line of verse to distinguish the animating spirit of poetry: they’re often almost impossible to gloss in prose." Oscar Jelley tries to unravel the complexities of Geordie folk singer-songwriter, Richard Dawson.

Review: Julien Baker’s ‘Little Oblivions’

CW: Mentions of alcoholism, substance abuse. "'Little Oblivions', then, is a battle diary published long after nadir itself, with retrospective editing. The full-band sound makes it extremely listenable, and Baker’s silvery voice is snugly at home amidst metallic textures." Irene Zhang looks at Julien Baker's latest release.

Arctic Monkeys’ “Whatever People Say I Am, That’s What I’m Not”: 15 Years On

"Arctic Monkeys' sentiment of local identity is perfectly surmised in the closing track ‘A Certain Romance,’; though it bemoans the towns low fashion and ‘kids who scrap with pool cues in their hands,’ it resolves into a statement of "this is our town, our culture, and we’re owning it."" Greg Halliwell looks back at what the Sheffield quartet's debut album meant to Northern music culture, 15 years' on.

“Hey Ya!” Or Hey Nah?: Why your life is empty without “The Love Below”

"It feels almost like an Alice in Wonderland journey of sound – despite the constant growing and shrinking, we still know that we’re down the rabbit hole." Lily Kershaw looks back at André 3000's side of Outkast's 2003 double album, "The Love Below".

Like A Record Baby: Vinyl in the Pandemic

"The sanitiser that coated my hands before entering Vintage and Vinyl was sticky. I was conscious of every fingerprint I might leave– a world away from thumbing through endless stacks of records in a pre-COVID world." Shreya Banerjee discusses her lockdown love affair with the LP.

(Re)call Me Maybe: Re-evaluating Carly Rae Jepsen

"By putting on Katy Perry or Jessie J, you’re probably not looking for a quasi-religious experience. There’s no need for overly philosophical lyrics or boundary-pushing orchestral accompaniments; rather, you want catchy hooks, relatable lyrics, and, above all else, fun. Jepsen does this all flawlessly." Katie Kirkpatrick advocates for justice for Carly Rae Jepsen

Bodleian Bangers: Tom Fletcher

"You’re not going to get high quality from me today, nor a sophisticated taste. But I’m going to give you the honest truth." .

Album Review: Black Country, New Road: For the first time

"The songs that have now been crystallised on 'For the first time' have always existed, and will always exist, in a state of perpetual evolution – they talk to each other, to their own predecessors, and to the rest of the cultural sphere in which they exist."

Alice Phoebe Lou: A Listener’s Guide

"What kind of living is this? I don't wanna simply exist. I wanna punch with my fists…grab life by her wrists…and say I want this". After lockdown number three was announced, the lyrics hit me in a completely new way, as if I was listening to the song for the first time again.

Emo-ology: An Introduction

"'Emo’ music did not suddenly materialise when Gerard Way screamed ‘IM NOT O-F*****G-K’ into a microphone."

Review: Arlo Parks’ ‘Collapsed in Sunbeams’

"Collapsed in Sunbeams is a tender portrait of her microcosm of the world that feels universal."

“Here Comes Your” Alt-Rock

"Alt-rock is characterised by experimentation with texture, timbre, and structure, especially drawing on the raw, distorted punk rock sounds and new wave’s energetic appeal." Jimmy Brewer takes a look back at five bands who defined the sound of the genre.

Bodleian Bangers: Dame Helen Ghosh

"If you asked me “what am I proud of?”. I did Couch to 5k. Okay, so going with that for a running song I would say Tears for Fears “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” (1985). Definitely one of my pandemic songs."

Review: Playboi Carti’s ‘Whole Lotta Red’

The most interesting thing about Playboi Carti is that despite the immense attention and hype he draws, he remains a relative mystery. Past projects...

Follow us