Brooklyn based Las Rosas just released their video for their single “Christa.” “Christa” opens to child-like imagery. It opens in a kids room, where they are lying on their bed wearing a “monster” suit (think “Where The Wild Things Are”). The video follows a pre-teen girl with short curly red hair who is keen to her vintage camera and has a smile for everyone she meets. The “monster” and “Christa” don’t cross paths until the end of the night when they end up in a club. One may argue that “Christa” displays no kids in this video. After all why would they be in a night club?
To me, “Christa” purposely cast kids for a specific purpose–to display the endless hope and search for young and middle age adults to find “innocent teenage love.” The garage band’s “Christa” is coming from their sophomore album Shadow By Your Side which will release on May 11th.
Clay Priskorn just release a video for his latest video “Orange Sky.” With a classic all-American feel, the video takes on a cross country road trip with two lovers. Shots of motel rooms, arcades, and cruising in a Rolls Royce, these two girls are hot and taking on the world with each other. Soon they have reached the “big city” as if this is their place to begin again. While the couple seems truly in love, it’s not all fun and games. The end of the video for “Orange Sky” leaves you with an unexpected and dark twist.
Decide for yourself whether or not “Orange Sky” is about two reckless lovers, or a tale of sabotage and revenge.
L.A. producer /artist Koda just released his latest single “Touch”, which is melancholy, intense, and seeps into your feelings. The song begins with lyrics from Koda stating “We touch ourselves to distant memories/I feel what you felt when you were lying next to me.” His voice is drawn out and breathy giving the song a haunting mood to it. While he track tells the tale of a past love, the whole thing isn’t so bleak. Koda finds hope through the heartbreak on “Touch” proclaiming “Next time I’ll hold you close, I’ll never let you go– I need another dose so you can make me whole again.” “Touch” encompasses all the things that went wrong, but all the things that can go right should you make the decision to go the second time around.
Rapper Kahiem Rivera just release his latest “This Night Last Year” (ft. Snake Eye). I’m a big fan of rap, but I’m even a bigger fan of amazing rap that the whole world has yet to discover. Kahiem Rivera hits everything perfectly on “This Night Last Year.” Snake Eyes takes the lead at the beginning of the song with hypnotic vocals. Kahiem Rivera quickly joins in as his voice will grab you and draw you in. He pronounces every word perfectly and his way of rapping is meticulous because he wants you to listen to what he’s actually saying. On “This Night Last Year,” Rivera tells a tale of staying out late- the conflict between exciting and “I need to stop going out…what am I living for?” feeling.
Admits Rivera:
I fell into a long depression last winter, during a leg injury from getting hit by a car. Once I was semi-healthy again, I started going out a lot to this one bar to get out of that rut. Just being there almost every night, till 4am, binge drinking with a lot of people who didn’t seem to have a care in the world. It almost felt like the club in San Junipero, from Black Mirror. So the song is balancing the feeling of having genuine fun but also an existential “wtf am I doing?
If you have seen that episode of Black Mirror, then you will recognize the direct correlation to the songs reference.
“Better With You” is the latest track from independent artist Michl. The L.A. native who has toured with Broods and Tove Love, is joined by Mura Masa on “Better With You.” What you think is going to a normal pop song, “Better With You,” takes you by surprise with its funky beat and when it shifts to feel like an “electronic haze.” The track not only feels celestial with its rhythm, but incorporates lyrics such as “I know heaven is a world away,” and “This hell feels better with you.”
Hip-hop duo Atmosphere returned to Kansas City on Saturday, the 24th at the Voodoo Lounge. Atmosphere was previously in Kansas City three years ago and was thrilled about their return. The duo performed songs from albums such as Fishing Blues, God Loves Ugly, and Lucy Ford. Atmosphere did not have a problem with keeping the crowd hyped, commanding us to “Put your hands up Kansas City.”
The show was so wild, that at one point in the night, an edible was thrown onstage. It was acknowledged, but fittingly thrown back into the audience. Atmosphere even noted that they were working on a new album, and previewed a new song. It was a night filled with energy and excitement, and if you have the chance, catch Atmosphere on tour.
Febueder just released a video for their latest “Paramount Tether”. The video had a homemade feel to it but is nothing short of trippy. What starts as a series of street lights, soon turn into flashes of lights and candles. The camera starts cutting to random images which include but are not limited to, dead dogs/animals, blood soaked sheets, random strangers, and bodies of water.
Have you ever watched anything and after you were just like “What?” That’s how I feel about this video, incredibly intrigued in the best way. The song is trippy in itself too. It flows with drums, trumpets, and deep vocals. It has a similar feel to Alt-J’s sound, but this is more distinctive and less produced which makes for a raw sound.
Bdrmm (yes that is their name) just relased their latest track “Kare.” “Kare” has a very hazey feel to it. However, it also has that familiar 90’s-teenange-pop feel to it that we all know and love. It sounds like an unlikely mixture but Bdrmm manages to make it work on “Kare.” Bdrmm’s songwriter Ryan Smith gives his take on “Kare” saying:
“kare” was written inevitably after a night out. I had gotten the wrong impression from somebody and it turned out my feelings were being taken advantage of just so they didn’t have to stay in on a Saturday night.” This feeling is transferred into lyrics such as “If I stay would you even care, if I leave would you even care.”
“Kare” is inspired by an unfortuanate event, but a great song came of it.
Ah, ARLO. I recently wrote on him and I am excited to do so again. Not only did the London-based newcomer sell out his headlining show at The Waiting Room, he also just released a new single “Settle.” I’ve listened to ARLO before so I know that he has a beautiful voice, but “Settle,” really takes the cake. Contrary to the title, “Settle” isn’t about settling for less at all. Packed with emotions ARLO asks the question we’ve all asked ourselves at one point “So why don’t you choose me?” Even more painful on the track, “It’s obvious to me that I don’t mean much to you.” No, the lyrics aren’t happy-go-lucky but the don’t have to be as ARLO’s emotion and soul on the track is what really makes this beautiful.
