Suggested sounds: September bops and flops

September was a good month for the music industry, with Genius listing over 75 new releases just halfway through the month. 

For this review, I’ve decided to focus on three albums from popular artists — “143” by Katy Perry, “Wilson” by Ashe and “Flood” by Hippo Campus.

Let’s start with “143,” released on Sept. 20. It’s Perry’s first studio album in four years, and I was excited about it because she played an integral role in my childhood. 

Sadly, this album is a big letdown.

The album as a whole has a great message. The songs preach female empowerment and the value of love, but most of the songs are not musically appealing to me. 

Perry collaborated with other artists on four of the tracks, and in my opinion, those were the worst ones. 

Within this album, Perry attempted to stray from the traditional pop singing she’s known for, insteading speaking through some of her melodies. This tactic didn’t appeal to me.

If I had to pick a favorite from this album, I would highlight “WOMAN’S WORLD.” If it came on the radio, I’d at least hesitate before changing the channel.

This song feels like it came straight from the “Barbie” movie soundtrack, though in reality, it wasn’t a part of the film at all. There’s a big focus on confident women having fun, which is a positive message to send to Perry’s largely young female audience. It also sounds the most similar to her older music, which I’ve always loved. 

But overall, this album is not worth the listen, and I would rate it a 2/10.

Next, “Wilson” serves as Ashe’s return to the public eye after canceling her tour in February 2023 due to mental health concerns. This makes the album feel incredibly vulnerable and authentic. 

The album explores themes of depression, healing and vulnerability, all of which fit nicely in the indie pop genre Ashe is known for producing. 

It’s hard to pick favorites with this one, but if I had to choose, my top three would be “Pull the Plug,” “Dear Stranger” and “Castle.”

“Pull the Plug” is heart-wrenching, as it encapsulates the feeling of being so in love with someone that it feels like you’re dreaming. Ashe captures this when she sings, “You say it’s fine if it’s all in my mind/Oh, you look so real, but it feels like a lie.”

“Dear Stranger” is also one of my favorites because the song is a conversation between Ashe and her fans, welcoming them back into her life. 

But my top pick on the album is “Castle.” 

This song is insanely good. 

It’s about breaking away from a toxic relationship and finally feeling free, which is reflected in the instrumentals. The song starts off simple in its first verse as she sings about being trapped in her relationship. But the sound explodes in the chorus, symbolizing her long-awaited liberation. .

Overall, this album is really fun to listen to, and I rate it a 7.5/10.

The last album  — “Flood” by indie/alt rock group Hippo Campus — is all about finding growth through self-reflection, love and grief.

My favorites from this album are “Prayer Man” and “I Got Time,” both of which heavily resonated with me. 

“Prayer Man” is about knowing you need help and finding it. The group sings, “I need a prayer man, anything’s fine/Something to hold me cut like a knife/Out of the darkness, into the light/I need a prayer man, to keep me alive.” 

These lyrics show Hippo Campus  knows healing is painful, and they need someone to help them out of it, and overall, I think this song is worth listening to.

“I Got Time” is about  enjoying life and where you are in it. They sing, “Because I got time/Going nowhere but I got all night/Not gonna miss it when it hits just right/Gonna make it go slow/I got time.” 

I enjoyed this song because being fully present and enjoying where I am is one of the most important things in my life, and I believe it should be a priority for others.

These two songs serve as the opening and closing tracks on the album, and they work really well together thematically. 

In “Prayer Man,” Hippo Campus sings about being hopeless but seeking help, and in “I Got Time” they are happy and enjoying their lives. 

The album depicts a mental health journey in many ways, so it works well for the opening song to show the lowest point and the closing song to demonstrate contentment with life. 

I loved this album for so many reasons, and I highly recommend it. I rate it an 8.5/10.