Continuing Covid Restrictions Frustrate Student Musicians

Covid safety protocols have caused music students to report difficulty with the bureaucratic process of reserving practice space in the Music Department. The department is planning to change its protocols for the spring semester in hopes of better accommodation.

Bringing Back the Bass: Jazz@Amherst Returns

Jazz is back in town! This week, staff writer Milo Leahy-Miller ‘24 discusses the return of Jazz@Amherst. The jazz group kicked off its 2021-2022 season with a stellar performance on October 7th and looks forward to a year full of the best in blues.

Modern Music: The Presence of Politics in Pop

Milo Leahy-Miller '24 explores the politicization of music and how listeners react to music that communicates views antithetical to their own, offering insights into an interesting development in modern media through student interviews.

Sarah Montoya: How Family History Led to a Fulbright

Sarah Montoya has always pushed for Indigenous rights and recognition at Amherst as the president of the Native and Indigenous Students Association (NISA). As a Fulbright scholar, her plans beyond graduation will include traveling to Lithuania to teach about Indigenous identities and history.

Is Genre Dead?

There are many who seem to believe that the death of genre is imminent. Publications like the New Yorker [https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/old-town-road-and-the-overdue-death-of-genre] and Varsity [https://www.varsity.co.uk/music/18485] have already described such a demise. Varsity references Portugal. The Man’s 2017 hit song “Feel It Still,” noting that it broke down the walls between its pop, rock and funk inspirations. The New Yorker cites Lil Nas X’s “Old Town Road” for i

Black Midi’s New Single Showcases the Exciting Band’s Diverse Range of Skills

Noisy, dissonant and jarring. These characteristics, often considered criticisms, are exactly what makes the new single “John L,” by black midi so powerfully thrilling. Black midi is a London post-punk band composed of several talented musicians who were all trained at the BRIT school, one of the best arts schools in the UK. Coming to fame due to their loud and energetic live shows around London, black midi already had developed a following through word of mouth by the time they released their

Amid Covid Restrictions, Student Ensembles Find New Ways to Make Music

The pandemic has been hard for everyone. First-years like myself have come to campus missing out on so much that we’re not even aware of. Many on-campus organizations are dormant or have strict limitations in place. Music ensembles have been hit especially hard due to the inherently intimate nature of music performance and rehearsal. With many students off campus and others discouraged from participating in as many club activities, most musical groups are now much smaller in size and facing chal

Music @ Val: A Look into Amherst’s On-Campus Music Scene

On almost any Friday night last semester, students grabbing dinner could stumble across a wonderful live performance from some of the college’s best student musicians. On the balcony of Valentine Dining Hall (i.e. the “Valcony”), a small stage was set up, with students scattered around the tables, six-feet apart, enjoying food and live music. This was Music @ Val — one of the highlights of the fall semester. After a long, grueling week and months without live music, the vivacious performances r

Squid’s Louis Borlase on His Band’s Influences and Modern Post-Punk

A quintet formed in the seaside town of Brighton, Squid is one of London’s many promising post-punk bands. With a manic and raucous drive, they have shared the stage with groups such as Black MIDI and Black Country, New Road. Their sound not only includes traditional rock instrumentation but percussion and horns as well. This may seem out of place in post-punk… until you listen to it. I’ve been a fan of the band for some time now, and was inspired by the upcoming release of their debut album,