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Musician

Byte

Ball State's student-run Entertainment Media.

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Staying sane with ‘Crash Bandicoot N. Sane Trilogy’

April 26, 2021

"As fun and memorable as it is, it’s also one of the most frustrating games I’ve played—no matter the title. Yet, I keep coming back to die repeatedly at the hands of misplaced stepping and nitro explosions."

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The ‘Harry Potter’ games ranked best to worst (PlayStation Releases)

April 16, 2021

"Whether it’s dueling Death Eaters, flying on a broom, or sneaking past guards, the Harry Potter series has had its ups, but it certainly has had its downs in the gaming franchise. Here, I rank the series from best to worst."

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Darren Criss releases kooky mirroring singles ‘F*KN Around’ and ‘Runnin Around’

April 10, 2021

"If Criss were to release an album or EP with similar-sounding tracks, I would purchase it. Since he confirmed more music is to come, I say he’s got himself a good head start."

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Q+A with AJ Mitchell

March 26, 2021

"Mitchell is a candid, free musician, taking inspiration from his life and shaping it into worthwhile lyrics. I got the chance to speak with Mitchell about his writing tactics, inspirations, and upcoming album Skyview, set to release soon."

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Nick Jonas presents an amazing atmosphere with ‘Spaceman’

March 17, 2021

"From the surface, the 11-track record is impressive, but as I got into the nitty-grittiness of the work, the waters became murkier as to how Jonas pulled off a valuable piece of art."

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Roosevelt remains stagnant with ‘POLYDANS’

March 3, 2021

"I allowed some leeway with Lovers since he was close to releasing POLYDANS then, but after over 40 minutes of synth-pop lyrics and rhythm, I found myself disappointed."

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Top 10 ‘Soulcalibur’ Characters

February 17, 2021

"One of the best and longest-running video game franchises, Soulcalibur continues to show players what it means to strive toward a goal—and their destiny—through the means of using unique weaponry." 

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AJ Mitchell steals the spotlight with Cheat Codes collaboration, ‘Hate You + Love You’

February 9, 2021

"Fans have been long awaiting his anticipated album Skyview, but with the recent release of 'Hate You + Love You,' fans will just have to wait and see what he has in store. For now, the surprise release will suffice." 

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Celebrating Drew Barrymore’s illustrious career

April 21, 2021

"With a career spanning nearly four decades, Barrymore has come close to some devilish misfortunes herself, but what makes her life so tragic and inspiring at the same time? The answer comes with Barrymore’s deep ties to Hollywood starting at such an early age."

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AJ Mitchell drops second album teaser ‘STOP’

April 13, 2021

"Artist AJ Mitchell dropped his next teaser for his upcoming album Skyview, a music project inspired by the Skyview Drive-In in his hometown Belleville, IL. “STOP” is relatively similar to “Camera’s On” in vocals and presentation; however, the message is on the opposite end of the spectrum." 

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Peach Tree Rascals’ ‘Camp Nowhere’ is just peachy

March 30, 2021

"With the instrumentals and use of electric, synthpop, the Peach Tree Rascals make the music of the ‘70s “cool” again." 

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Justin Bieber releases mediocre album ‘Justice’

March 22, 2021

"‘Justice,’ however motivational and heartfelt it is, comes easily in second place when it comes to its predecessor. There’s passion here, but the album is a return to the common ground after being on the peak so long."

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AJ Mitchell delivers heartfelt single ‘Cameras On’

March 15, 2021

‘Cameras On’ is a ballad not of love but of patience and brave standing against what it means to be on camera versus. a “real person.” 

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Captain and Tennille: A marriage like no other

February 26, 2021

"Their 1975 cover of Neil Sedaka’s 'Love Will Keep Us Together' did more than just rack in popularity. It continued the common tradition of husband-and-wife musician groups, like John Lennon and Yoko Ono and Sonny and Cher."

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Swift’s latest ‘Love Story’ shines brighter 12 years later

February 13, 2021

"Perhaps what Swift knows best is that our past never truly leaves us, and even the best of us need to come back to our beginnings sometimes."

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The Wonderlands ‘push’ for a new sound with latest single

February 6, 2021

"With a fast-paced, alternative sound and stylistic vocals, this superb single is the start to what may be a new sound moving away from the quiet life reflection that enveloped their debut album, This Digital Life."

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The Wonderlands collaborate with Hilliard on pop single ‘Friends’

April 21, 2021

"The single is a new sound and demonstrates the band’s willingness to push past boundaries of what fans expect and what the band wants to explore, but is more stagnant than other releases."

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Taylor Swift returns to her roots with ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’

April 11, 2021

"Swift’s ‘Fearless (Taylor’s Version)’ knocks it out of the park since her brief pause from her 2020 album releases. She lets her fans know she never forgets her roots and who planted the seed she know eats the fruit of."

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Q+A with Monty Geer

March 29, 2021

"I hope people remember how happy I made them, making them laugh and how much comfort I gave people in hard times." 

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Catwoman portrayals ranked from worst to best

March 17, 2021

"When thinking about female superheroes and villains, there’s a wide span of variety. Wonder Woman, Captain Marvel, Scarlet Witch, and many more; but one stands out. Not only for her unpredictability, but as one of the few females to side with a hero and battle him at times." 

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The Sly Cooper Games Ranked Best to Worst

March 12, 2021

"What made the series so unique was not its concept of a thieving raccoon, but its realistic appeal replaced by a world dominated by animal characters."

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7 Years Later: Why ‘The Giver’ Films Should Have Continued

February 19, 2021

"Louis Lowry, known for books like Number the Stars, The Anastasia Krupnik Series, and The Silent Boy, reached her peak when she wrote 1993’s The Giver."

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Roosevelt delivers pre-album “banger” with ‘Lovers’

February 13, 2021

"German singer-songwriter Roosevelt delivered a pre-album release surprise on Friday Feb. 12, before his release of POLYDANS later this month. His latest EP Lovers is another electrified generosity of pure genius-ness not unlike the artist." 

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'Uncharted' games ranked (Playstation releases)

January 30, 2021

"Uncharted’s heartfelt and thrilling journey began in 2007 and continues to capture movie-like escapades over a decade later."

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Why ‘Glee’ is the Best Show of Our Generation

January 20, 2021

"Lasting six seasons and winning over 30 awards from its inception in 2009 to 2015, Fox’s groundbreaking show Glee celebrated inclusivity, equality, and what it means to be in high school in a way no other show had before or afterward."

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Una Mannion’s ‘A Crooked Tree’ is a twisted summer adventure

January 20, 2021

"Set in the 1980s, this coming-of-age story is told through the eyes of 15-year-old Libby Gallagher. Mannion captures how one action can have negative repercussions involving sexual harassment and attempted kidnapping."

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Axel Flóvent’s ‘You Stay by the Sea’ is a dazzling expedition of self-discovery

January 20, 2021

"Every bit of the 12-track wonder has heart and fulfillment emanating from the artist who spent time traveling Europe pursuing something he believed he needed, his own musical scene." 

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Internet Explained: Social Media Trends and the Cultures they Create

January 16, 2021

"There’s much to observe in findings and cultural influence where social media is for lack of a better term—the culprit."

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History Of: Drag

January 15, 2021

"Although drag can be confidently claimed as an important outlet of gender discovery and understanding, it wasn’t always that way."

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Q+A with Axel Flóvent

January 15, 2021

"After growing up in a musical family, Flóvent sought identity and found inspiration from his life experiences and the environment he was living in."

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Five Lesser-Known Facts about the CD and its Fall from Popularity

January 13, 2021

"Although at one time CDs could be found anywhere music was sold, the music industry has evolved, leaving a barren wasteland of CDs in its wake."

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History Of: AJ Mitchell

January 13, 2021

"With posts from his childhood featured on his social media and many in-depth interviews with mostly entertainment publications, the artist appears genuine and wants the world to know he’s here for the craft and not the fame."

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Kingdom Hearts Games Ranked (Console Releases)

January 1, 2021

"When young Sora discovered his destiny after arriving in Traverse Town, a series was born unlike any other with some of the best storytelling ever in video game history."

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16 Years of Magic with ‘The Polar Express’

December 24, 2020

"Director Robert Zemeckis brought Chris Van Allsburg’s The Polar Express alive in 2004 with the sound of a train whistle in a snowy town on Christmas Eve." 

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Anakin Skywalker’s rise and fall is a story masterpiece

December 22, 2020

"Although Skywalker’s character was explored decades after the well-known Star Wars trilogy, he’s the most interesting in terms of character arc, the past that separates him from most Jedi, and his turn to the dark side."

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Top 10 Albums/EPs of 2020

December 20, 2020

"Although 2020 has had its share of mystery with the pandemic, the music industry has addressed issues worth discussing, such as love, masculinity, staying mindful, and saying what it means to have fun with music and friends."

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Foster the People dominate Indie sound in ‘In the Darkest of Nights, Let the Birds Sing’

December 18, 2020

"The band’s latest EP, In the Darkest of Nights, Let the Birds Sing, bestows its audience with another monument of sound the band is known for." 

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Taylor Swift’s haunting ‘Evermore’ drags out her folk story

December 16, 2020

"The album continues the fresh take on Swift’s new style and sound but lacks pacing. Maybe next year."

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‘Easy’ remix is a superb take on identity struggle

December 13, 2020

"The initial song was already impressive in its sound and originality. However, collaborators, Kacey Musgraves and Mark Ronson add to the song by introducing a different perspective to the story." 

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Shawn Mendes’ ‘Wonder’ is an oasis of dreamy appeal

December 9, 2020

"Wonder may very well be all of Mendes’ past, present, and future rolled into one story of true love and passion no other artist can express through sheer vocal beauty."

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History Of: Shawn Mendes

December 4, 2020

"While Bieber had the pop music industry in the palm of his hand, a small-town boy was singing on then-popular social media platform Vine with his guitar trying to get some notice of recognition." 

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A Ranking of the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ Films

November 29, 2020

"When Johnny Depp made his way to Port Royal, Jamaica on a sinking boat, the world was introduced to a character like no other; part of this because of Depp’s superior acting skills and the storyline that would follow."

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Top 5 Jennifer Lawrence Films

November 20, 2020

"The actress can separate her real-life persona from each character’s personas and comes off as a strong, independent, and fierce actress."

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Gregory Dillon’s ‘Sad Magic’ Is Hardly Spellbinding

November 17, 2020

"It’s been the year of EPs, it seems, and for queer pop singer Gregory Dillon, Sad Magic musters what is still left of 2020 and shoots through with his inner Brendon Urie inspiration." 

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5 Items You Need to Keep Your Gaming Space Looking Aesthetic

November 12, 2020

"PlayStation has come a long way, as the gaming world has evolved with new systems and games. It’s essential to keep up with your systems (*cough* PS5 releasing Nov. 12) and your gaming area’s overall look." 

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The Everlasting Youth of ‘Final Fantasy X’

November 5, 2020

"Easily one of Final Fantasy’s best releases, if not the best, the tenth video game entry holds superior gameplay and a story lasting well past a decade that can’t be said for other role-playing games since then." 

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Top 5 Horror Video Games

October 27, 2020

"The horror genre in the video game industry has soared since the 90s, with many franchises and memorable characters coming to light facing the forces of evil and science experiments gone awry."

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The Extraordinary Life of Dylan Geick

October 21, 2020

"Geick’s masculinity, talent, and overall outspokenness, with the help of his imagery in the public eye, made the influencer shatter a glass ceiling of stereotypes with something the world had not seen before."

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Top 5 LGBTQ+ Films to watch to commemorate National Coming Out Day

October 14, 2020

"Sunday, we celebrated the hardship, failures, and suffering that LGBTQ+ youth and community endure and have endured since the beginning of time." 

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Flashback: Disco is an important part of our pop culture

October 9, 2020

"Roller-skating, disco balls, 'Soul Train,' and other iconic American culture-esque features would begin a culture of its own that would span for a decade." 

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Top 5 Cormac McCarthy novels

September 18, 2020

"If you find yourself in need of another reality, fall in love with one of the most passionate and well-written authors of our time. I encourage you to dive into one of five novels by illustrious author, screenwriter, and playwright Cormac McCarthy."

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Top 5 Most Powerful Women in Video Game History

September 10, 2020

"Ms. Pac-Man blessed the world with a whole new generation of players in 1981. After Pac-Man’s success, creator Stan Jarocki decided he wanted to attract a wider audience demographic." 

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Top 10 Shawn Mendes Songs

September 3, 2020

"With brown curls and a dreamy smile, young pop idol Shawn Mendes has been blessing the music world and fans alike since 'Life of the Party,' his 2014 debut single."

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Point North’s ‘Brand New Vision’ smashes on

September 2, 2020

"The rock genre has undergone many phases since the 90s with bands like Nirvana and All-American Rejects, and 20-plus years later, mainstream rock has evolved into something more pop-inspired, but with the same emotion that rock provides."

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Finding solace in The Wonderlands’ ‘This Digital Life’

August 26, 2020

“This digital life was not for them. Not in a mean way, they meant no offense. It’s not you; it’s them, and they needed more. They didn’t know what that ‘more’ was, but they needed it, so they went to find it, and this is that.”

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‘Folklore’ is a triumph for Taylor Swift

August 6, 2020

"This is Swift’s eighth album, and it’s a great one for sure. Quarantine has been good to Swift, and she reveals her full potential once again with the follow-up to Lover — which was her greatest album to date." 

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Neon Trees’ ‘I Can Feel You Forgetting Me’ is a light in these dark times

August 5, 2020

"While Pop Psychology relied on simple pop physics and dance beats, this fourth album gives its listeners a new edge to the band’s sound with a familiar message of love and marauding life as we know it."

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The 1975 returns with golden ‘Notes on a Conditional Form’

June 4, 2020

"Matthew Healy, the leading vocalist, knows no boundaries with his expressions of sexuality, drug use, and love on each track. Originally founded in 2002, the members are still together creating music for outcasts and 'misfit toys.'"

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Top 10 Movies of the 90s

May 28, 2020

"With everything going on in the world right now, it’s natural to feel some nostalgia for simpler times, like the 90s, when you could throw on a bright neon shirt, some baggy jeans, and go out and see all your friends."

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‘Wake Up, Sunshine’ is an all-time high

May 28, 2020

"All Time Low has been consistent with their discography by releasing nine albums so far. Their previous album, It’s Still Nothing Personal: A Ten Year Tribute was released in 2019."

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Niall Horan braves the storm with ‘Heartbreak Weather’

May 16, 2020

"Now, three years later, Horan has just released Heartbreak Weather, an album that chronicles his journey through life’s struggles and triumphs." 

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Bieber introduces great ‘Changes’ in new album

February 20, 2020

"His music has gotten better over the years and there is a positive jump from his last album Purpose to Changes."

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Good times return with Poolside’s ‘Low Season’

February 18, 2020

"The daytime disco band is background music, and Low Season proves to be no different this time around."

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Selena Gomez returns with ‘Rare’

January 18, 2020

"This new album was inspired by several events that helped shape who she is; for instance, her rocky relationship with Justin Bieber and her battle with Lupus." 

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Cabello returns “shamelessly” with ‘Romance’

December 16, 2019

"It details a messy journey of love from hurt to healing. Cabello’s fans out there will appreciate her latest work but expect little new content here."

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Carrie Underwood sticks to her roots on ‘Cry Pretty’

September 17, 2018

"Her latest album, Cry Pretty, never shies away from what she knows. Dealing with hardship and loss is the prime theme in this album."

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‘Ocean’s 8’ proves that 8 is better than 11

June 18, 2018

"Although the film features a cast made up of women, it doesn’t provide that feel that the original movies had. This movie is still worth the peek and is a good symbol for women in the film industry today."

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Charlie Puth’s ‘Voicenotes’ ends on a high note

May 15, 2018

"Although this album doesn’t differ compared to his earlier hits, this album still provides what Puth is all about." 

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‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 8: “Creator/Destroyer”

March 21, 2018

"Andrew is seen coming from a wealthy family, but with a dark secret. This episode is one of the slower ones but provides some excellent insight into Andrew’s abusive childhood."

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‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 7: “Ascent”

March 18, 2018

"Like the previous episodes, this episode is full of backstory on the Versace family along with Andrew’s story." 

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‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 6: “Descent”

March 15, 2018

"In the latest episode of American Crime Story, Andrew’s life begins to crumble around him as he celebrates his birthday. Episode 6 takes place nine years before the murders of Jeff Trail, David Madson, Lee Miglin, and Gianni Versace." 

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‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 5: “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”

February 19, 2018

"Episode 5 details the events that lead up to Jeff Trail’s death, which was seen in the previous episode. The prejudice against LGBT+ people that surfaced in the military during the late ‘90s is seen in this episode as well."

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‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 4: “House By the Lake”

February 11, 2018

"The thrilling season of American Crime Story continues with new information on Andrew Cunanan. New characters, brutal violence and a series of flashbacks go hand-in-hand with this episode."

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‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 3: “A Random Killing”

February 5, 2018

"This episode also focuses mainly on the Miglin family. The Versace family is not featured in the episode nor are they mentioned. Andrew’s killing spree continues with two more victims, along with his evading the authorities."

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‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 2: “Manhunt”

January 30, 2018

"Episode two of American Crime Story season two adds some much-needed pieces to the Versace puzzle. New pieces of the plot become clearer and more background is brought into the light with Andrew Cunanan."

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‘The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story’ Episode 1: “The Man Who Would Be Vogue”

January 24, 2018

"On the new season of American Crime Story, Ryan Murphy takes another stab at an infamous event in America’s history. Gianni Versace’s death shocked the country and produced the largest failed manhunt in American history."

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Tove Lo steps away from the dance floor with ‘Blue Lips’

November 24, 2017

"The music is catchy, there’s still a dance club aesthetic (even though it’s toned down compared to past releases), and the lyrics, though sexually appealing, are emotional enough that they’re worth digging into."

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Beck strums his way back onto the scene with ‘Colors’

November 7, 2017

"His new album provides a nice balance between alternative and pop, and compared to many of his previous albums, this one is more upbeat."

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