‘Balloonerism’ from a New Fan’s Perspective

I have to admit, I am not an avid follower of Mac Miller’s musical career. I know only two things about him: that from 2016-2018 he dated Ariana Grande, and that shortly after their breakup he tragically passed away. Which is why, last Friday, I was flabbergasted when a Spotify notification implored me to “stream Balloonerism: Mac Miller’s newest album.” This name that meant almost nothing to me two weeks ago all of a sudden occupied my thoughts 24/7, affecting every conversation I had with my loved ones and consuming my daily life. Picture me, a grizzled small-town detective slumped at my grimy desk with a cigarette dangling from my lips, desperately trying to crack how Mac Miller was operating in the music industry from beyond the grave. I felt like I was going mad (and my detective office burned down due to my indoor smoking habit).

SOLAR FLARE| Seasonal Affective Disorder Remedies

Oh, bittersweet November. ’Tis the season for Montclers and calcium-stained Canada Geese, for Cayuga’s vicious winds, for “alcohol blankets” to insulate the brave, nomadic party girl and most importantly, for Lexapro. Your shrink says a pill a day should keep the sadness away, but trust me, that just won’t do. Supplemental treatments are immensely helpful coming from someone with great knowledge of the medical field and psychiatry. Don’t believe me?

TEST SPIN: Mac Miller — The Divine Feminine

This year has made it apparent that Mac Miller is trying to distance himself from Donald Trump in more ways than one. The combination of the chant he uses to get the crowd going when he performs —one of his old mainstays at concerts (“Fuck Donald Trump”) — and his new album’s tone — which is decidedly more Al Green than Beastie Boys — draws a line that he has been trying to mark out for years. Each of his albums has represented a drastic musical shift from those preceding it, and The Divine Feminine is no exception to that trend. The album opens with “Congratulations,” which features both Mac and Bilal singing. If you haven’t heard Mac sing before, you should.