Reviews

Justin Bieber's going through "Changes"

By Jamison Townsend INTERN

After a five year hiatus, Justin Bieber is finally making his comeback, turning a new leaf with his album “Changes.” The album was preceded by lackluster singles, a youtube miniseries, and one-sided beef with ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez; “Changes” introduces a new sound for Beiber, unlike any of his music we’ve heard before.

Bieber began teasing the album in Oct. 2019, describing his new music as “R&Bieber.” Fans weren’t very surprised by this announcement as Bieber has been experimenting with pop and R&B sounds since the beginning of his career.

The whole album is a dedication to his wife, and famous model, Hailey Baldwin. Throughout the album, Bieber documents the highs and lows of their relationship.

Tracks like the opening song, “All Around Me,” a chill R&BPop infused song, introduce Bieber’s adoration for his wife as he chants “I need you all around me” in the chorus and details the struggle of trying to settle down and staying faithful.

Bieber is a natural storyteller too, as there are many songs where he addresses learning how to be a good lover. “Available,”“Come Around Me” and “Habitual” all show a different, more vulnerable side of Bieber that fans have never seen before. These diary-like entries make Bieber relatable and more personable than ever before.

The album was led by the single “Yummy,” which was received with mixed reviews. While Bieber’s vocals are undeniably smooth and attractive, the song’s lyrical content was basic and elementary.

Some argued that although Bieber’s single sounded very outdated, he probably needed some time to adjust to the sounds of the time. But Bieber’s single “Intentions,” featuring Quavo, was a failed attempt at a female empowerment anthem, and didn’t seem to promise much.

His collaboration with Kehlani, “Get Me,” shows the best of Bieber’s R&B side and moves the album further along, while “Second Emotion,” featuring Travis Scott, feels repetitive and boring.

Bieber successfully picked features that match his style well. He included stars from all different genres, and while they all had their moment to shine, Bieber never let them take away from his own.

Music wise, the best and most personal tracks come at the end of the album. The title track “Changes” addresses Bieber’s feelings and tackles his fight with depression and anxiety.

A moderate comeback for Bieber, the album was nonetheless popular, selling more than 231,000 album equivalent units in the first week of sales. Beiber showed a lot of himself in his most personable album ever, and there is a lot to learn from it. Beiber strived to tell his story and took us along to see him go through changes.

MNE.COM

Apex Legends Assimilation captivates players

By Justin Vaughan INTERN

“Apex Legends” is redefining what it means to be a battle royale game. Players are dropped onto a map where they must annihilate other players and be the last one standing. The game, which hit 50 million players in one month and is widely considered a rival of iconic “Fortnite,” released its fourth season: “Assimilation.” The game implemented new material to make it feel fresh to its 70 million players. The changes include a new legend, weapon, map, rank series and a set of over 100 rewards in its season four battle pass.

“Revenant” is Apex’s new playable character, belonging to the group of Legends, with his unique abilities forcing players to rethink their strategy on the battlefield. I found Revenant’s abilities to be versatile when it came to gaining the upper-hand. His abilities allow him to climb and crouch faster, disable other characters’ abilities and summon a totem which puts whoever enters into a “shadow-like” state.

The new season follows Revenant’s past and ties to the big environmental corporation Hammond Robotics. Revenant used to be a human, but after Hammond Robotics’ experiments, he transformed into a “synthetic nightmare.” Using his mercenary skills, Revenant promises to hunt anyone who was involved in the experiment, which turned him into a monster. The storyline of season four connects players to the game in a deeper sense allowing players to understand the true purpose of the game.

Alongside the new Legend, there are new map changes which feature The Harvester, a machine created by Hammond Robotics to extract material from the map. The Harvester’s aftermath creates cracks of lava splitting select locations, old and new, with the center of the map containing the Harvester itself. Players are not aware of the exact purpose of The Harvest, nor of what Hammond Robotics is using the extracted materials for. However, this keeps players enticed. It is crucial for game developers to add new material daily or they will start to lose players’ interes, which is why these map changes are a definite need.

What is a new season without a new weapon? Arguably one of the most important aspects of the new season is the Sentinel. The Sentinel is a long-range gun that does 68 base damage, with the option to be charged up using a shield battery. This weapon added an extra sense of caution to players. I found the Sentinel to be quite balanced when compared to other weapons in the game, but not too overpowered when it came to long-range fights.

The creators of “Apex Legends” have done a great job keeping players engaged. “Apex” may not be the next “Fortnite,” but it has impressively created a loyal and responsive community. This season of “Apex Legends” deserves 5 stars for its enticing new content and thrilling storyline.

Mini Reviews

By Kourtney Walk INTERN

SONG

GOFRESHNOW.COM “Letter to Nipsey”

About: This song narrates the loss of rapper Nipsey Hussle, who was killed outside of his clothing store. Good: Few can rap about the pain of a loss as powerful as Mill. His verses are striking in plainness and clarity. Bad: There are instances of mature language inappropriate for younger ages. Rating: 5/5

APP

APPS.APPLE.COM

“Draw Climber”

About: Players must draw legs on a character to win a race; drawings propel the character, and when stuck, players can redraw the legs. Good: This game is targeted for ages 12+ and will keep younger children occupied. Bad: The game has a lot of ads and crashes in the middle of games. Rating: 3/5

About: After their father is murdered, three children move in with their mother and discover magical keys that unlock powers. Good: The actors leave clues adding to the adventurous ambiance. The story lines in each episode are different and enticing. Bad: There are only 10 episodes in season 1. Rating: 3/5

SHOW

NEWS.NEWONNETFLIX.INFO “Locke & Key”