by Catherine Arjet
assistant arts & life editor

Title EP—Meghan Trainor

This summer, 20-year-old Meghan Trainor made waves with her single “All About that Bass,” a catchy pop song that encourages girls of all sizes (but especially bigger girls) to love their bodies. On Sept. 9, Trainor released an EP titled simply “Title.. Along with “All About that Bass,” Title includes three other songs, all featuring 1950s doo-wop influences. The upbeat “Dear Future Husband” and the title song “Title” both mirror the self-empowerment messages Trainor explores in “All About that Bass.”

V—Maroon 5

On Sept. 2, Maroon 5 dropped its fifth album, aptly titled V. This album features all the band’s trademarks: upbeat danceable songs, dramatic ballads (though none as emotional or interesting as “She Will Be Loved” off Songs About Jane) and of course, lead singer Adam Levine’s impossibly high vocals. While the singles released so far stick to the pop-influenced precedent set by the band’s last album, Overexposed, this album’s tracks have a more 1980s sound. All the songs on V are decent songs, but only a few really leave an impression and none come close to Maroon 5’s first album, Songs About Jane. With this album, you can truly see how the band has left its alternative roots for a more Top 40-geared approach.

Crush Songs—Karen O

Karen O, lead singer of the indie rock band the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, has just dropped her first solo album: Crush Songs. The album has a sort of ethereal quality to it—O sings huskily, almost whispering, and most songs feature O’s vocals with only a faint guitar, ukulele or tambourine for accompaniment. Almost all of Crush Songs’ 15 songs have the same slow, gentle, almost dream-like quality to them (with songs such as “Native Korean Rock” standing out from the rest). This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, because these qualities work for O’s voice. But if you’re looking for variety, you’re not going to find it in Crush Songs.