Sam’s Music Reviews

Happy November everyone! Matthew and I are back with 4 more album recommendations. If you feel so inclined, please email me at “reference@deerfieldlibrary.org” with your own recommendations, I’d love to hear them! For each album recommendation, I have provided a YouTube link to a song from that particular album. Feel free to give each song… Read More

Happy October! We hope that you have the perfect Halloween costume picked out for the season. As always, Matthew and I are back with our monthly music recommendations. Both of us will recommend 2 albums each. For each album recommendation, we have provided a YouTube link to a song from that particular album. Feel free… Read More

Happy July! I’d like to welcome a new contributor to the monthly music blog. His name is Matthew Kerner and he’s been a Patron Services Assistant for the past couple of years at the library. Matthew plays drums in his band and has studied music in college. Like before, both of us will recommend 2… Read More

We almost made it to 2022! For me, the end of each year is a time for reflection and striving for better in the future. This type of reflection can span across many aspects of one’s life, including music! We can look back at how our musical tastes looked or changed over the past year.… Read More

Hope everyone is keeping warm as we are approaching the winter months. This month, I chose 4 albums that fit around the theme of “side bands” or “side projects.” Upon researching for this blog post, it not only amazed me of the talent of some musicians, but also how they can fit all these projects… Read More

Happy October everyone. Recently, I’ve been trying to expand my musical repertoire and explore new musicians/bands I’ve never listened to before. Spotify and Bandcamp have been two incredibly useful tools in my exploration. Every recommendation is a brand new album from the selected artist, and each artist represents a different style of music, so there… Read More

One of my favorite elements to listen for in an album is a conceptual framework that ties the songs together. A concept album allows musicians to exercise creativity during the writing/instrumental/recording process. Whether the album has an intricate fictional storyline, explores different themes, or comments on current issues, the possibilities for what makes a concept… Read More

Music is a mode of communication and education about lifestyles and cultures. Artists write lyrics about their identity and create beats that are a continuation of centuries-long traditions and customs. A group of people known for having such a rich cultural identity around music and dance are the indigenous people of North America. This month,… Read More

Happy July, everyone! For this month, I’m recommending four albums from artists/bands that have originated in the Northern/Northwestern suburbs of Chicago. Listening to artists that grew up where we live can bolster a sense of pride and accomplishment for our community and even enhance our listening experience.  For each album recommendation, I have provided a… Read More

I hope everyone has been keeping up with Queer Poem-a-Day this Pride Month! Just like there are many styles, voices, and topics that go into queer poems, the same goes for music performed by queer musical artists. It should not come as a surprise that queer music does not fall under one style/genre, but is… Read More