The Current | Vol. 31 Issue 14

November 10, 2020 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 6 Arts & Entertainment Writers you probably hadn’t heard of Albums to look out for Nov. 12 marks National Journalism Day, which is also known as National Day of Writing, and an English critic and writer by the name of Clive Barnes once said, “I amconvinced that anyone can be a great writer.” With that, millions of books are written and hundreds of thousands are published daily. Whatever genre you like to read, I’m sure there’s a great book out there by an unknown author just waiting to be read. As a reader and a writer, I love discovering new books and new authors. Here are some of my favorites you probably have not heard of. Savannah Brown Savannah Brown is an author that got her start on YouTube when she went viral for doing spoken word poetry. Brown, originally from Ohio self-published her first book, a poetry collection, titled “Graffiti (and other poems),” which was a finalist in theGoodreads ChoiceAwards at the age of 19 when she moved to London. Brown then went on to write a novel titled “The Truth About Keeping Secrets,” and on Oct. 8, she released her latest poetry collection, titled “Sweetdark,” which “explores the transience of existence, the pursuit of vulnerability, pleasure, chaos and the dichotomy of a life wholly experienced, full of so much darkness and so much sweetness, sometimes in the same breath,” according to Brown. Since I discovered her, Brown has been an inspiration to me to become the writer I know I can be. If you’re interested in “Weird!” by YUNGBLUD (Nov. 13) British rocker YUNGBLUD has been on the rise lately. He’s released four singles in preparation for his sophomore album, “Weird!” His latest, “cotton candy,” is one of the best, boasting a sickly sweet, addictingly catchy chorus. Another single he’s released is “strawberry lipstick” and has a similar edgy pop vibe. YUNGBLUD’s voice and lyrics are more aggressive in this track and it really works. One of his best singles so far is called “god save me, but don’t drown me out,” and is very different from “cotton candy” and “strawberry lipstick.” It’s extremely raw and personal, plucking at the listener’s heartstrings. It’s passionate and relatable, and despite the hard topics YUNGBLUD sings about, he still delivers an ear wormy hook. Finally, the title track, “Weird!” is the best of the bunch. YUNGBLUD sings of his usual topics of anxiety and sadness, but these lyrics are pleasantly drenched poetry that questions the reasons we are here and what our purpose is, I recommend reading these collections. Alix E. Harrow The first time I heard of Alix E. Harrow, a Hugo Award-winning American science fictionand fantasywriter,was inanemail from Barnes and Noble that was promoting her novel “The Ten Thousand Doors of January.” With a beautiful cover (though I know you shouldn’t judge books by their cover) and an interesting description, I knew I had to pick this book up. Once I started reading, I really could not put it down. The novel tells the story of a young girl named January who, because of the color of her skin, is seen as an oddity and is under the watchful eye of her caretaker Cornelius Locke who collects artifacts and oddities. In this magical world, January travels through mysterious doors in search of her family. This year, Harrow released a new novel, titled “The Once and Future Witches,” which tells the tale of three sisters who fight to break the restrictions placed upon them by turning to witchcraft. If you like stories of magic, sprinkled with historical fiction, Alix E. Harrow is an author to check out. Alex Grey You may know Alex Grey as a visual artist who does performance art, process art, installation art, sculpture, visionary art, and painting on spirituality and the human body, but he is also an author. While most of his books only include images of his artworks, Grey’s “The Mission of Art,” in optimism. It has a sunshine-like sound, making it the type of the song you’d always want to listen to to boost your mood. Each of these singles is strong, so pop rock fans should be on the lookout for “Weird!” to drop in a few days. YUNGBLUD definitely has more to impress us with. “ Covers” by Marika Hackman (Nov. 13) Marika Hackman is following her fantastic 2019 album, “Any Human Friend,” with a cover album set to be released Nov. 13. The album will feature covers of songs by artists such as Alvvays, MUNA and Radiohead. So far, Hackman has released three covers; her rendition of Elliot Smith’s “Between The Bars” is a beautiful, atmospheric take on the classic heartbreaking song. Her cover of Beyoncé’s “All Night” is incredibly different from the original, but pays it a fantastic homage. It’s slower and more subtle, so the listener can really appreciate the well-written, thoughtful lyrics. Finally, her cover of PHOTO PRINTED PERMISSION BY F. MIRELES Collection of writers you hadn’t heard of By: Nicole Shaker Contributing Writer By: Flor Ana Mireles Copy Editor “Realiti” by Grimes is perhaps the best of the three. Marika did a wonderful job of altering the song enough to set her version apart while respecting the original artistry. This covers album seems like it’ll be a chill, ambient listen that anyone can play and get lost in. “Hello, It’s You” by Bearings (Nov. 20) Last year, Bearings established themselves in the punk scene with their diverse, virtually flawless debut album “Blue In The Dark.” Soon after this impressive release, they shared the first two singles off their upcoming 2020 album. “So Damn Wrong” and “I Feel It All” are good examples of their catchy pop punk music, but they’re slightly less memorable than the band’s previous releases. This year, they’ve released two more singles. “Sway” is definitely a step up. It’s an incredibly fun, charming song. The listener can hear Bearings incorporating more pop into their music, but given how well it sounds on them, that’s not necessarily a bad thing. “Super Deluxe,” the latest single they’ve released, has a similar musical and lyrical style to “Sway.” Both songs showpromise, so any punk fan should be excited for the other potential hits on “Hello, It’s You.” talks about the spiritual power of art and the spiritual power of the artist. The book “Art Psalms” then combines poems, mystic rants and pictures that guide the reader in fusing visionary creativity and spirituality. If you’re on a journey of self-discovery and are a fan of detailed psychedelic art, Alex Grey is an author that could help you on your journey. Bonus: You As Barnes said, anyone has the potential to be a great writer. All they need to do is pick up a paper and pencil -- or just open a document on a computer -- and get to writing. Perhaps, the greatest story out there just hasn’t been written yet. Perhaps, it is you that is supposed to write it. All writers had to start somewhere, inspired by something in their day-to-day life. Look around you.What inspires you?Maybe you should write about it. Check out these debut albums, too This year’s wrapping up with some strong musical releases. These are only three anticipated releases and 2020 has already seen some wonderful musical ventures. For example, three incredible debut albums that have recently come out include I Don’t How But They Found Me’s “Razzmataazz,” beabadoobee’s “Fake It Flowers,” and boy pablo’s “wachito rico.” Between all these projects, it looks like quarantine can’t stop art.