HANNAH LUTEREK AND MATT TURNER
Specials to The Leader
For this installment of “Hannah and Matt on music,” we wanted to review our favorite albums to get hyped up to, the albums that we need as much as a cup of espresso to get the day going.
Matt’s Pick: “I Get Wet” by Andrew W.K.
Matt’s Take: When I was a child, whenever I saw Andrew W.K., I was annoyed. This was due to his large presence on Cartoon Network where he hosted “Destroy, Build, Destroy.” He would pop up in commercial breaks wearing a white shirt and doing his long, pitch black hair. Accompanying him was his booming voice and over-the-top personality. I couldn’t get on this man’s hype train.
That was until I actually dove into his music.
“I Get Wet” is the proper, and in my opinion only, introduction to have when analyzing W.K. as an artist. The perfect album cover, which ranks in my top five at least, the timeless sound and the optimistic messages all mesh together to create a truly magical piece of music.
“It’s Time to Party” is the lead-in track on the album, and its title could not be any more fitting. This album really is a party mixtape through and through, so if you can’t get down with this track, do not bother listening to the rest of the album, because it stays consistent from there. It works way too well for me, which is shocking because I’m not traditionally a fan of overly sweet rock music. It only gets better every time I re-listen to it.
If you need an optimistic kick in the butt to tell you to get up and party, let that kicker be the party master Andrew W.K.
Three Standout Tracks: “Party Hard,” “Take It Off” and “I Get Wet.”
Overall Score: 9.5/10
Hannah’s Take: After listening to the first few tracks off of Andrew W.K. ‘s “I Get Wet,” I decided that this is a total Matt album. I completely understand why he’d choose this as his personal hype album. There is truly never a dull moment from the first song to the last, and as everyone knows by this point, I love records that bring high levels of energy.
Optimistic, as Matt wisely wrote, is definitely the right word to describe the album. The best soars during every song, and lyrically, they’re literally all about partying, at least in some capacity.
The record doesn’t tell much of a story, which unfortunately loses a few points with me. Again and again, listeners hear about the joys of partying, drinking and romance as a result of this. For a hype album, this totally works, but if the album is considered for what it is, it does fall a little flat.
Regardless, this does sound like it could be the soundtrack to every night I had out during my time at college. “I Get Wet,” while almost indistinguishable from track to track, possesses a certain brand of party nostalgia that almost every young adult seeks once college is done.
If you’re searching for energetic party-rock anthems to get yourself through the night, look no further.
Three Standout Tracks: “I Love NYC,” “Fun Night” and “I Get Wet.”
Overall Score: 6/10
Hannah’s Pick: “Ultraviolence” by Lana Del Rey
Matt’s Take: Lana Del Rey has fascinated me since the summer of 2014 when I discovered her absolutely gorgeous cover of Bobby Vinton’s classic, “Blue Velvet.” When I watched the music video my jaw literally dropped. She oozed cool and gave off a vibe that was never seen in modern day popular artists. I had to listen to more. Naturally, I was led to her two biggest albums, “Born to Die”’ and “Ultraviolence.”
Del Rey brought me an absolute sense of awe when I started diving into her music, and I was in utter shock that it took me so long to truly experience it. She may get a lot of flack from music snobs nowadays, but her persona and the music that comes with it both hold a very special place in my heart.
While I think I prefer “Born to Die,” “Ultraviolence”’ is still a very well-made album that has a lot of bangers, even if it is not the album I would choose to hype me up. I can definitely see why Hannah picked this album for her hype album, and I am glad I was able to revisit it for a review. This album, along with Del Rey’s other albums, is a very emotional experience as the listener is brought into her life like a fly on the wall. We can feel her feelings and her sense of yearning just by hearing a single verse, and that is the sign of a great artist that deserves all of the accolades they can receive.
Three Standout Tracks: “Ultraviolence,” “West Coast” and “F***** My Way Up To the Top”
Overall Score: 8.8/10
Hannah’s Take: Like Matt, I’ve had a fascination with Lana Del Rey for years now. I first listened to her in 2012, and I’ve been obsessed ever since. Her voice and aesthetic, though highly sought after by teenage girls everywhere, are unique to her.
“Ultraviolence” might not be the first album that comes to mind when you think of hype records, but for me, it’s everything. From getting ready, to the Uber ride home, “Ultraviolence” serves as the perfect narrative for a night out and shooing away men, or welcoming them, in Del Rey’s case.
Her voice has an emotional quality that makes listeners feel like she’s right there with them, and on a girl’s night out, everyone wants to party with her.
While the record does have its slower moments, tracks like “West Coast” and “Florida Kilos” are especially good when trying to get hyped.
If you’re searching for the feelings of love present in Del Rey’s first album, “Born To Die,” you might want to check out some of her later work. “Ultraviolence” isn’t a perfect 10 for me, mostly because it isn’t the type of record I live my life to. It is one that I like for going out though, and there’s something to be said for that.
Three Standout Tracks: “Ultraviolence,” “West Coast” and “Florida Kilos”
Overall Score: 9/10