REVIEW! Artist Quinn XCII pours out heart in latest album
By: Kyle Spencer
Staff Writer
Mikael Temrowski, also known as Quinn XCII, released his album “From Michigan With Love” on Feb. 15, 2019, and used his lyrics and bight beat to talk about serious issues.
Quinn started his album with “Holding Hands (feat. Elohim).” It began with a soft string-by-string synth, bringing in exotic sounds to accompany his soothing voice. Elohim made a perfect boy-girl harmonization. The song is a conversation about a struggling relationship.
“Autopilot” started with a cut up vocal to create an ear-pleasing beat. He referenced the show “Black Mirror” to signify that he felt off and was filled with fear. The breaks in his voice throughout the song gave more meaning to the lyrics and song itself.
“In Life Must Go On,” Quinn sang about his past struggles and how he must move on in life. In this song, he teamed up with singer-songwriter Jon Bellion. Due to their similar style, the pairing was not surprising and resulted in a masterpiece.
In “U and Us” Quinn used his raw vocals to create a slower, acoustic song. It contrasts to the rest of the album’s sound, seen in the use of the drums, guitar and the chilling violins at the end.
The following song “Werewolf (feat.Yoshi Flower)” is about an ex-girlfriend. Yoshi Flower did an impressive job with his feature, effectively moving the song along.
Quinn said “Tough (feat. Noah Kahan)” was one of his personal favorites. It came with an important message about bullying and “tough” guys who have a hard time expressing their feelings.
Cautious Clay led the next song, “Matches,” harmonizing with his own voice. This is met with a chilled out, California beach-aesthetic and electric guitar riffs.
In “When I Die,” Quinn wanted someone to remember him from a certain moment in time. He captured a feeling in this song like no other.
“Abel & Cain” expressed Quinn’s unsure feelings towards the relationship he’s currently in and the person he’s with, questioning whether to stay or go.
In “Sad Still,” Quinn went back and forth between singing and rapping. This exchange fitted perfectly with the song’s message: people front a happy, positive life on social media but are sad in reality when not on camera.
With the love song “Good Thing Go,” Quinn sang about not wanting to lose his girlfriend because of how much he loves her and how happy she makes him: “I know I’m rough around the edges, not as smooth as the rest, but I can promise you, when I’m with you, I’ll love you the best.”
Concluding the album with “Right Where You Should Be,” featuring Ashe and Louis Futon, an uplifting message was given, telling us that we are good enough. A happy conclusion to the album.