Trying to “stay woke” isn’t easy, especially when there’s so much to stay on top of these days. There’s no doubt, you gotta be informed and keep your eyes open. Working to find information, evaluate your sources, get out of your echo chamber, and be an engaged citizen is pretty exhausting. And, while being informed is necessary, so is being energized. Lucky for us, Portugal.The Man’s video for their new single, “Feel it Still,” keeps us on track.

The song, a super catchy pscyh-pop jam, calls out the sort of hipster “rebel” whose in the fight “just for kicks” while reminding us that there’s something real to fight for. The “feel” of resistance is more than just a social justice vibe, a slogan for your new graphic t-shirt, or a reason to argue with your uncle at family gatherings. Injustice is real. This swinging song reminds us that music still has an important role in serving social justice, just as it did in 1966 (as the song suggests).

In the past couple of years, a lot of musicians have used their music to comment on social and political issues. PTM is not unique in that way. They are, as always, bringing innovation to the latest music movement, however. In the video for “Feel it Still,” their first release since their 2013 album Evil Friends, PTM provides 30 ways to fight the power, so to speak. As the press release for their new interactive video states: while watching, viewers are “encouraged to find hidden Easter eggs designed to help #theresistance movement.” These “eggs”  include a direct dial to the White House, donation sites for Planned Parenthood and the ACLU, and a whole bunch of suggestions for actions of “resistance.” To experience the interactive version, “fight apathy” and “find the tools to resist,” head to their official site. If you’re more into the music than the message and just want to see some cool cars ready for demo while a guy dances through the junkyard, check out the version below.

This song is going to be in your head ALL DAY LONG. You’re welcome, Devils!

If you like bands like Cage the Elephant, Grouplove, and Modest Mouse, give Portugal.The Man a try. We think you’ll love them. They’ll be at the House of Blues on June 1st if you want to catch them live.

Before it all began, The Devils’ Playlist was just an idea, a concept thought up by my AP Literature and Composition teacher, Mrs. Janovitz, but over the course of this year, I was able to see it grow into something absolutely amazing. Originally, Mrs. Janovitz had casually mentioned TDP in class one day, saying that she was going to be setting up a table at the club fair for all those interested in discussing and writing about music. Naturally, I was interested, and ever since our first club meeting in October, I became hooked on writing about music news and doing my own reviews. I started following music news websites and innumerable artists, and I found a passion that I had never even considered up until this year. I met a group of individuals that was equally impassioned by music as much as I was, and my music library soon began growing at an unprecedented rate.

Whether it be for our articles, our recommendations, or our podcast, the amount of support we have received from both the BHS faculty and the student body throughout this year has been not only pleasing but also extremely flattering. I am more than satisfied with how TDP has grown in such as short time. Joining The Devils’ Playlist was one of the best decisions I made throughout my entire high school career, and I want to give my dearest and most sincere thanks to Mrs. Janovitz, every reader we have had, and every member of TDP for making it such an enjoyable and memorable experience. I can only hope that TDP will live on in the years to come because I will certainly be back to write some articles in the future. As for my ‘goodbye playlist,’ these songs are a sort compilation of the emotional stages I’ve felt in my final days in high school. So without any further adieu, here are my ‘goodbye’ songs, BHS.

Stage One – Disbelief: “I Feel So” by Boxcar Racer

Stage Two – Nostalgia: “Lightspeed” by Grieves

Stage Three – Acceptance: “Move Along” by All-American Rejects

Stage Four – Growth: “The Adventure” by Angels & Airwaves

Stage Five – Energetic Bliss: “Ain’t No Rest For the Wicked” by Cage the Elephant

Stage Six – More Bliss: “A Night At the Spleen” by Closure in Moscow

Stage Seven – Fear for Future:  “Help I’m Alive” by Metric

Stage Eight – Ready for Future: “Drive” by Incubus

Atlantic Manor – a collaboration between BHS Devils’ Playist’s very own  Matt Martin and BHS alumnus, and lead singer of Grandview, Billy Restivo – digitally released their first track “Pull” earlier this week. The song’s lyrical depth presents cries of altered love, pleas for strength of action, and expressions of self questioning. The alternative sound starts slow, paralleling the wistful longing present in the early lyrics, and progresses to a powerful crescendo of percussion that culminates with frustrated questioning layered over a subtle screaming. Somehow simultaneously soft and loud, angry and affectionate, well crafted oppositions permeate the song and reflect the conflicting emotions present in changing relationships. The track, recorded at Billerica’s Kennedy Studios and engineered by BHS alumni Chris LaRocque and Nick Stewart, is a fantastic listen. Dig it, Devils!

Often when listening to a record, one can tell whether or not the band or artist put everything they had into it, and it is quite evident that emo rockers The Hotelier know what it means to put every ounce of their heart and soul into an album. On their new record – Home, Like Noplace Is There – the Worcester, MA-based four-piece showcases a forefront of wholehearted lyrical and musical emotion that makes the record both captivating and unforgettable. With a guitar-driven sound characterized by an unabridged energy and lyrical passion, The Hotelier have taken the better aspects of their previous releases and combined them with an early emo rock influence to create a record that is both impressive and unique. This standout track, “The Scope of All of This Rebuilding,” is an excellent representation of the record’s intense emotional honesty and pensive mood.  Check out “The Scope of All of This Rebuilding” below, and dig it, Devils!