Blurryface

Twenty One Pilots

Blurryface by Twenty One Pilots is a striking, emotion-filled album like no other, taking you on a different journey throughout each of the 14 songs. Bringing together multiple genres – hip-hop, pop, electronic, and rock – during this musical voyage, each song with a new diverse sound from the other. With its 14 diverse songs regardless of what kind of music you’re into, this album has a song for everyone.

The album’s vocals produced by vocalist Tyler Joseph, with a voice unlike any other, place Twenty One Pilots as a highly recognizable sound to all. Through his voice, the raw emotion in the songs pours out to the listeners, all backed by distinctive drums, piano, and electronic beats. The drums further the band’s sound through nearly all their songs, adding a unique and catchy beat behind the lyrics with drummer Josh Dun’s display of expert drumming. Altogether, emitting music with a catchy tone, whether it be purely vocals, drums, electronic, piano, and often a mix of all.

Not only does the sound of the album itself resonate with listeners, the lyrics themselves ooze with emotion in songs such as “Goner”, “HeavyDirtySoul”, and “Stressed Out” and people can find ways to relate to them in some way. While other songs such as “Tear In Your Heart”, “Ride”, and “Lane Boy” will have you on your feet, singing along to the catchy, upbeat lyrics. It is an album that all teens can connect to, whether you’re going through tough times or having the best time of your life, providing true comfort and understanding. This album will have everyone dancing along, rocking out, crying, and connecting with each song. – Eve L.

View in Library Catalogue: CD | Hoopla

How to Rock Braces and Glasses

Meg Haston

Kacey Simon is not only the most popular girl in the seventh grade, but also the most popular girl in Marquette Middle School. She has her own guidance show on Thursday mornings, she is friends with the other popular girls in her school, she is the lead of the school musical, and she is always honest with everybody, even though her honesty might hurt other people’s feelings. She has it all until she gets an eye infection and is in an accident, which leads her to wearing glasses, braces, and a lisp. She falls in popularity and loses her friends, her show, and the lead in the musical. After she hit rock bottom, she uses her nerdy ex-bestfriend and a geek guitarist who offers her to be the lead singer in his band to climb back to the top. During this struggle, Kacey learns to see life from a completely different perspective.

I really like this novel not only because it is hilarious, because the writer had a purpose in writing the book. The writer Meg Haston survived braces and glasses in middle school and wrote a book from a popular girl’s perspective that also survives braces and glasses. She also delivers a message to all teens that being honest is good, but it can hurt people’s feelings, so tell them your honest opinion in a positive way and it will not hurt them as much. (At least, that is what I learned from reading it.) What I also like about the novel is that it does not have bad words unlike some teen books that do. I am looking forward to reading the sequel and I hope I enjoy it. Overall, I recommend this novel and I hope the other teen readers experience the same experience I did. – Suzan N.

View in Library Catalogue