Samantha
@samanthalopez.bsky.social
PNW 🌲/ ATX 🤠/ CHI 📍
Music Journalism + Creative Nonfiction
Words in Paste Magazine, Consequence, New York Times, etc.
Doing things the hard ways since 1994. ✌🏽
Let me write for you.
Music Journalism + Creative Nonfiction
Words in Paste Magazine, Consequence, New York Times, etc.
Doing things the hard ways since 1994. ✌🏽
Let me write for you.
AOTD: Can you believe I had only heard their hits/singles/ Stop Making Sense? god, I LOVE art-rock: a shaky, clearly neurotic voice accompanied by enigmatic funky guitar and a springy bass - creating melodic, fully danceable and angular songs. 4.5/5 ⭐️
March 12, 2025 at 2:57 PM
AOTD: Can you believe I had only heard their hits/singles/ Stop Making Sense? god, I LOVE art-rock: a shaky, clearly neurotic voice accompanied by enigmatic funky guitar and a springy bass - creating melodic, fully danceable and angular songs. 4.5/5 ⭐️
I am so behind in posting but I’ve been doing my AOTD! Today it’s The Velvet Underground. I know them + Nico but have never listened to an album of just theirs all the way through. I know I chose the most digestible one but I sincerely loved it. Great singing/lyrics/instrumentation. 4.5/5 ⭐️
March 11, 2025 at 5:22 PM
I am so behind in posting but I’ve been doing my AOTD! Today it’s The Velvet Underground. I know them + Nico but have never listened to an album of just theirs all the way through. I know I chose the most digestible one but I sincerely loved it. Great singing/lyrics/instrumentation. 4.5/5 ⭐️
AOTD: I stumbled upon this band on a Spotify playlist. I absolutely love it. “College rock” is def more a term than a genre bc most bands in that category span so many eclectic styles. This album is jangly indie-pop meets punkish folk, meets just alternative. Love! 4.5/5 ⭐️
February 28, 2025 at 4:40 PM
AOTD: I stumbled upon this band on a Spotify playlist. I absolutely love it. “College rock” is def more a term than a genre bc most bands in that category span so many eclectic styles. This album is jangly indie-pop meets punkish folk, meets just alternative. Love! 4.5/5 ⭐️
AOTD: I knew I would enjoy this - is that going in biased? 😂
This follow-up just sounds so much more cohesive and interesting opposed to the first. Makes just as much a statement, still punk chaos, but more polished. Banger after banger. And obvi “rebel girl,” was a hidden anthem at the time. 4/5 ⭐️
This follow-up just sounds so much more cohesive and interesting opposed to the first. Makes just as much a statement, still punk chaos, but more polished. Banger after banger. And obvi “rebel girl,” was a hidden anthem at the time. 4/5 ⭐️
February 26, 2025 at 10:44 PM
AOTD: I knew I would enjoy this - is that going in biased? 😂
This follow-up just sounds so much more cohesive and interesting opposed to the first. Makes just as much a statement, still punk chaos, but more polished. Banger after banger. And obvi “rebel girl,” was a hidden anthem at the time. 4/5 ⭐️
This follow-up just sounds so much more cohesive and interesting opposed to the first. Makes just as much a statement, still punk chaos, but more polished. Banger after banger. And obvi “rebel girl,” was a hidden anthem at the time. 4/5 ⭐️
AOTD: grew up listening to this record bc my parents are fans, so I wanted to revisit as an adult. Wow. Every aspect is fantastic - instrumentation, vocals, overall production. Atmospheric, ethereal, emotional dream-pop. Dolores’ voice cuts deep. Ugh I wish I had more room to write!! 4.5/5 ⭐️
February 20, 2025 at 1:02 AM
AOTD: grew up listening to this record bc my parents are fans, so I wanted to revisit as an adult. Wow. Every aspect is fantastic - instrumentation, vocals, overall production. Atmospheric, ethereal, emotional dream-pop. Dolores’ voice cuts deep. Ugh I wish I had more room to write!! 4.5/5 ⭐️
AOTD:
Ok, this one took me TWO days to get through. I tried. My partner who is doing this project with me said this to me not liking it, “of course not, you’re not a white guy from the 90s,” and I think that’s accurate. The rap-singing, the weird jazz elements, the pop-rock combos…1.5/5 ⭐️
Ok, this one took me TWO days to get through. I tried. My partner who is doing this project with me said this to me not liking it, “of course not, you’re not a white guy from the 90s,” and I think that’s accurate. The rap-singing, the weird jazz elements, the pop-rock combos…1.5/5 ⭐️
February 18, 2025 at 10:22 PM
AOTD:
Ok, this one took me TWO days to get through. I tried. My partner who is doing this project with me said this to me not liking it, “of course not, you’re not a white guy from the 90s,” and I think that’s accurate. The rap-singing, the weird jazz elements, the pop-rock combos…1.5/5 ⭐️
Ok, this one took me TWO days to get through. I tried. My partner who is doing this project with me said this to me not liking it, “of course not, you’re not a white guy from the 90s,” and I think that’s accurate. The rap-singing, the weird jazz elements, the pop-rock combos…1.5/5 ⭐️
AOTD:
Boy, I wanted to love this so bad. As a music critic, I understand the hype and respect when ppl say it’s a significant grunge album, but as a listener it was hard to get through, too long, and too much of the same. 🤷🏻♀️
For these reasons, averaging both of my scores, 3/5 ⭐️
Boy, I wanted to love this so bad. As a music critic, I understand the hype and respect when ppl say it’s a significant grunge album, but as a listener it was hard to get through, too long, and too much of the same. 🤷🏻♀️
For these reasons, averaging both of my scores, 3/5 ⭐️
February 13, 2025 at 3:17 AM
AOTD:
Boy, I wanted to love this so bad. As a music critic, I understand the hype and respect when ppl say it’s a significant grunge album, but as a listener it was hard to get through, too long, and too much of the same. 🤷🏻♀️
For these reasons, averaging both of my scores, 3/5 ⭐️
Boy, I wanted to love this so bad. As a music critic, I understand the hype and respect when ppl say it’s a significant grunge album, but as a listener it was hard to get through, too long, and too much of the same. 🤷🏻♀️
For these reasons, averaging both of my scores, 3/5 ⭐️
AOTD:
What a weird, wonderful mix of early pop-punk. You know “Lump,” and “Peaches,” but the rest of the album is just as charming and catchy!
4/5 ⭐️
What a weird, wonderful mix of early pop-punk. You know “Lump,” and “Peaches,” but the rest of the album is just as charming and catchy!
4/5 ⭐️
February 11, 2025 at 8:01 PM
AOTD:
What a weird, wonderful mix of early pop-punk. You know “Lump,” and “Peaches,” but the rest of the album is just as charming and catchy!
4/5 ⭐️
What a weird, wonderful mix of early pop-punk. You know “Lump,” and “Peaches,” but the rest of the album is just as charming and catchy!
4/5 ⭐️
AOTD:
Okay, so I love lo-fi 90s indie. I totally get the hype around this album, BUT, I don’t think I’m its audience. Fun, eclectic drumming, solid riffs, great vocals but I still was just like, “eh. This is good.” It’s def a “coming-of-age as a white dude” record. 3.5/5 ⭐️
Okay, so I love lo-fi 90s indie. I totally get the hype around this album, BUT, I don’t think I’m its audience. Fun, eclectic drumming, solid riffs, great vocals but I still was just like, “eh. This is good.” It’s def a “coming-of-age as a white dude” record. 3.5/5 ⭐️
February 6, 2025 at 10:20 PM
AOTD:
Okay, so I love lo-fi 90s indie. I totally get the hype around this album, BUT, I don’t think I’m its audience. Fun, eclectic drumming, solid riffs, great vocals but I still was just like, “eh. This is good.” It’s def a “coming-of-age as a white dude” record. 3.5/5 ⭐️
Okay, so I love lo-fi 90s indie. I totally get the hype around this album, BUT, I don’t think I’m its audience. Fun, eclectic drumming, solid riffs, great vocals but I still was just like, “eh. This is good.” It’s def a “coming-of-age as a white dude” record. 3.5/5 ⭐️
Today’s AOTD:
Wow. I only knew his “hits,” and living in ATX for a bit, only knew this idea of him. This record is hauntingly beautiful and so sad. It’s his descent into madness (his mental illnesses). 4.5/5 ⭐️
Wow. I only knew his “hits,” and living in ATX for a bit, only knew this idea of him. This record is hauntingly beautiful and so sad. It’s his descent into madness (his mental illnesses). 4.5/5 ⭐️
February 6, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Today’s AOTD:
Wow. I only knew his “hits,” and living in ATX for a bit, only knew this idea of him. This record is hauntingly beautiful and so sad. It’s his descent into madness (his mental illnesses). 4.5/5 ⭐️
Wow. I only knew his “hits,” and living in ATX for a bit, only knew this idea of him. This record is hauntingly beautiful and so sad. It’s his descent into madness (his mental illnesses). 4.5/5 ⭐️
Today’s AOTD deserves its own post. I only knew “Anenome” by The Brian Jonestown Massacre. It happens to be one of my fav songs.
I was NOT expecting this record at all. It’s nothing like what the cover suggests. This is psychedelic folk rock done well. 4/5 ⭐️
Curious to hear their others.
I was NOT expecting this record at all. It’s nothing like what the cover suggests. This is psychedelic folk rock done well. 4/5 ⭐️
Curious to hear their others.
February 4, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Today’s AOTD deserves its own post. I only knew “Anenome” by The Brian Jonestown Massacre. It happens to be one of my fav songs.
I was NOT expecting this record at all. It’s nothing like what the cover suggests. This is psychedelic folk rock done well. 4/5 ⭐️
Curious to hear their others.
I was NOT expecting this record at all. It’s nothing like what the cover suggests. This is psychedelic folk rock done well. 4/5 ⭐️
Curious to hear their others.