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Amidst the festive spirit of St. Patricks Day, the iconic symbol of luck, the clover, reminds us of the rich traditions and celebrations honoring Irish heritage.
Exploring St. Patrick's Day Alternatives in Kansas City
Aydan Stigler and Grace Beshore March 14, 2024

  The annual St. Patrick's Day celebration is just around the corner, and with celebration comes large crowds.    The annual city parade...

Visit the City Market to explore local vendors.
Smart Saving Strategies for a Wallet-Friendly Spring Break
Emily Wheeler, Staff Writer • March 14, 2024

  UMKC students are ready for the upcoming week-long spring break, but are their wallets?   From travel adventures to staycations, spring...

Earth Mother by Sheron Smith
Her Art/Their Art Explores the Female Experience in the 21st Century
Elyse Bredfeldt, Staff Writer • March 12, 2024

  Her Art/Their Art is a collection that aims to answer the question: “What does it mean to identify, live, navigate, or be perceived by society...

Nina Simone: Four Women” playbook.
The KC Rep’s “Nina Simone: Four Women” is both timeless and poignant.
Maisy Blanton, Staff Writer • March 5, 2024

  The Kansas City Repertory Theater (KCRep) recently performed “Nina Simone: Four Women.” The show follows musician Nina Simone as she...

Around 1 million people were estimated to be in attendance at the parade.
One Dead, Several Injured During Chiefs Parade
Zach Gunter and Jazlyn Summers February 14, 2024

Update:   As of 2:30 p.m. Thursday afternoon, the number of those injured at the Union Station shooting after the Chiefs Super Bowl parade...

Press Play vol. 1: “Tried to Call You Up on a Broken Phone”

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(Ned Simes/Lifewithoutandy)

Press Play is my weekly series of (mostly) indie tracks from the barely discovered depths of corporate DSPs. All my recommended tracks are compiled into the Spotify playlist linked below, which is updated weekly.

Royel Otis, “Without U”

Released a month ago by this hardly known duo, this track is about catching up with a girl they haven’t seen in a long time. It features one of the catchiest choruses that I have heard this year and this gem of a verse:

“Tried to call you up on a broken phone / Crack screen means “Dear, I’m here alone.”

They just released a rather solid EP, titled “Campus,” if you want to check out more of their music.

Maude Latour, “Clean”

I’ve been a Maude Latour fan for a few months now. Her songwriting is certainly influenced by Taylor Swift because she has the same knack for storytelling. In this song, Latour uses a clean room as a metaphor for getting her life together after a breakup. It’s creatively written and has a killer rhyme scheme on the chorus. 

Big Thief, “Little Things”

This song from the folk-rock band embodies the music genre of jangle pop. What is jangle pop? I’m glad you asked. While it sounds more like a popcorn brand than a music genre, it is characterized by a multitude of guitars being strum simultaneously in an inharmonious manner. Listening to this track makes you feel like you’re being pulled in five different directions, but you always arrive at the same spot. 

Sam Austins feat. Sir Chloe, “JOY FOR YOUTH”

Sam Austins is a major label artist, but I had to include this joyride of a track. This song captures rebellion, carefree youth and nostalgia in its three-minute runtime. It’s a beautiful contrast to the realities of Gen Z. We worry about everything from plastic straws to those murder hornets that everyone forgot about in the span of 48 hours.

Japanese Breakfast, “Glider”

Japanese Breakfast has been on a tear this year. First, there was the release of her third LP, “Jubilee,” which was one of the better indie-pop releases of this year. Two weeks ago, she also released a soundtrack to the video game “Sable,” and it features this mesmerizing song. It’s dreamy and majestic, with a pleasant payoff towards the end.

You can find all the tracks from this week here:

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