“Roll With the Punches”, the new single from Prep Rally, is a synthy pop track full of fight and perseverance. The message is exactly what the title suggests. This single will be featured on Prep Rally’s upcoming EP “Head Rush”, which will be out April 2.
The upbeat piano and chimes in the background create a positive vibe to support the lyrics. The electronic duo based out of Denver is able to create an environment within the track that suggests when one is down it does not always have to be sadness around them. Unfortunately, most will give up, and even listen to sad music to drown their feelings. Not PrepRally. They believe in picking yourself back up and dealing with whatever is thrown your way, and this single supports that.
Make sure to keep an eye out for the upcoming EP “Head Rush”, and check out Prep Rally’s website at http://www.preprallymusic.com/.
Neo-soul artist Silence Is The Noise (Jewell Bell) has a new single titled “Soothing”, and it is accompanied by a visual that matches the beauty in her voice. All about battling one’s demons, “Soothing” takes the listener on a trip of reflection and inner struggle. Silence Is The Noise has the perfect vocals to convey pain and strife, but with a powerful undertone that suggests overcoming said pain. The Detroit-based artist has drawn comparisons to the likes of Nina Simone, drawing high praise since her beginnings as a pianist at age 12.
The song and visual project “Soothing” describes the emotional labyrinth of grief and loss, and the desperation to escape the overwhelming pain and anxiety lying in its wake. The lyrics speak to the artist and songwriter’s attempt to use meaningless physical intimacy as a distraction, while falling deeper into despair and the realization that there is no avoidance of her devastation and grief.”
“Soothing” is the perfect single for Silence Is The Noise to showcase her strong voice and story telling ability.
You can keep up with Silence Is The Noise through her socials listed below.
Rooney has released a new single “Time and Time Again”, and it is part of the soundtrack to Robert Schwartzman’s new film THE UNICORN. This soothing track has an almost alt-western feel to it. Though it was exclusively written for the film, it is easily enjoyed by anyone who has an ear for melodic music. As stated previously, the song has a western vibe, but is ultimately an alternative song containing smooth vocals and a tapping snare.
Schwartzman had this to say about the record:
I wrote “Time And Time Again” for THE UNICORN, a feature film I had the pleasure directing and working alongside a talented cast and crew. When you write a song for a film, it changes the context, the foundation, and frames the writing process in a certain way that supports the film’s story. I like to write songs with a specific focus, purpose, and intention, otherwise it all feels a bit disjointed. I’m happy I got to contribute “Time And Time Again” to the film and it’s exciting to release a new Rooney single on the project’s 20 year anniversary.
You can check out “Time and Time Again” on streaming services and the feature film soundtrack for THE UNICORN. Keep up with Rooney here.
Darkness, waves of bass and intense drums, and mysterious sounds lace the ominous single from Mey titled “Spiky Love”. This is the first single off of the upcoming EP With the Lights Off, and to say it sets the tone is an understatement. The song, and its accompanying music video, embodies a special kind of darkness that has both pop and rock influences. The rage and angst expressed by Mey in the lyrics are further supported by what almost seems like drums and heartbeat rhythm. I personally found the plucking of the guitar both sonically pleasing and unique to the landscape of the track.
Says Mey of the video:
SpikyLove » is about desire. It is about the most common human tension : between need and desire. And about having a strong desire for something that you know is wrong for you and destructive. Still, being aware of it and pointing out this paradox, while accepting it. In this song I’m trying to explore my own destructive impulsions, to let them out, and to make something beautiful out of it.
Leonard Heliot and I worked on the video for « SpikyLove » with the artwork of the EP as the starting point.
The idea (and challenge!) was to keep it all in the dark, while creating a sense of intimacy. We wanted to suggest rather than expose, and keep the dark, unhealthy atmosphere of the song as well.
Mey seems to have a lot up her sleeve for this EP, and if “Spiky Love” is any indication of what is to come, then we should all be on the edge of our seats in anticipation for the rest. You can check out Mey on her socials posted below.
Alt-pop artist Ships Have Sailed have a new single “Escape”, and it will make you feel what the title suggests. The LA based duo has been diligently working since their debut EP in 2013, releasing a slew of projects over the years. Indie rock, pop, and alternative sounds ring out in all of their works, and those genres are put on full display in their new single “Escape”.
“Escape” kicks off a series of singles coming from Ships Have sailed that “promise to express a deeper level of sentiment than ever before”. The single is accompanied by a video that is all about escaping ones problems, doubts, and struggles. Sometimes all you can do is scream out and try to escape your reality through other activities, and even this new single from Ships Have Sailed can help one do this.
You can keep up with Ships Have Sailed through their socials listed below. Don’t be surprised when this alt-pop collective has a massive 2019.
Fashion-conscious artist Daniel Donskoy’s debut single “Cry by the River” is here and it is making waves. With the release of the accompanying music video, the singer/songwriter and TV star has broke through the music industry with a chart topping alternative hit.
Daniel Donskoy, artist name DONSKOY, infuses the feeling of alternative-pop with experimental sounds. He utilizes a very interesting auto-tune in portions of the track that are reminiscent of Kanye West from the “808s and Heartbreak” era, or that of Justin Vernon from Bon Iver. The song makes you want to cry and dance at the same time. Pair those feelings with a very profound and artistic music video, and you have “Cry by the River”.
You can stream or purchase the song here. Keep up with DONSKOY here.
Tommy Bazarian’s, known by his musical space Lampland, debut album No Mood is debuting with a thunderous wave of emotion and sounds that will make you sway. Bazarian utilized his day job of being a radio producer to form the album’s lyrics, and his past formed the stories that are portrayed with drum loops, synths, and even a dash of some trumpets.
Bazarian’s vocals remind this listener faintly of The Smashing Pumpkins front man Billy Corgan. The whispering-moody feeling is definitely present throughout, but Bazarian makes it his own with his ability to compose unique music that is not like that of the loose comparison I have made.
This description on Lampland’s website, which you can find here, perfectly encapsulates what this debut album brings to the table sonically:
“In the spirit of Paul Simon’s solo albums, No Mood features almost as many genres as tracks. Alt-country rockers sit next to Elliott Smith four-track recordings, followed by dramatic full band arrangements. It’s all held together by Bazarian’s distinctive voice, by his vivid lyrics, and by his restless energy. Which, by the end of the album, he’s come to accept. ‘I know that you don’t blink insanely’, he sings. ‘Well, I do.'”
Kaz Murphy‘s music is about as Americana as it gets, and his newest release Ride Out The Storm is no exception. This folk artist’s sound is that of the old west, forming stories with each lyric and melodic refrain. Kaz has had an illustrious career, stemming from his beginnings as a lead-singer and drummer at age 10. He established himself as a respected writer of musicals in the 1980s, transitioning to music after forming a folk new wave band in 1988. Multitudes of bands and projects later, Murphy as come to Ride Out The Storm, which can be seen as a return to his roots.
Each track on this album paints a picture, forming simple, yet elegant, audio tapestries for us to envision while listening. Stories of younger days, tough times, and perseverance are spread throughout the 11 song project. While listening, I couldn’t help but think about my own difficult situations. I also couldn’t help to make a vocal and sound comparisons to country-western artist Marty Robbins and the illustrious Johnny Cash.
For those looking to get lost in deep Americana story telling, then Ride Out The Storm is the album you must listen to. Ride Out The Storm is out now. You can visit Kaz Murphy’s website at https://kazmurphy.com/ for more information.
The Moth & The Flame have returned to the forefront of alt-pop with the release of their new album Ruthless. The Provo, Utah natives have channeled immense depression and anxiety into their new release, and it comes through in waves of pop synths and harrowing vocals. Brandon Robbins (vocals, guitar), Mark Garbett (keyboards/vocals), and Andrew Tolman (drums) have been together since 2011, pushing their sound further and further with each release. With the release of Young & Afraid in 2016, which defined the trio by NPR Music as “channeling a pop sound, the group shows its resilience” while maintaining “a wonderful moodiness to the music that always lands right in the sweet spot”, the fans clamored for more from the musicians from Utah.
After a successful kidney transplant in 2016 between Robbins and Corey Fox (founder of Provo’s all-ages music venue, Velour) the band felt at the top of their game and began to release single after to single. All these releases led to the culmination of Ruthless, which embodies the fighting spirit of the group. The ebbs and flows of the album are intriguing to say the least. The opening track, “The New Great Depression”, has a lot more poppy feel than the title would suggest, but the lyrics behind said pop sound suggest otherwise. It is rare these days to listen to music that constantly forces you into contemplation and in-depth thought, and Ruthless is chock full of this thought provoking music. The use of voice distortion is used perfectly on the track “What Do I Do”, catching you off guard about half-way into the song, but it is a pleasant surprise. “Lullaby IV”, the closing track, is reminiscent of punk, but with a dash of voice distortion and a soft-pop outro.
Robbins had this to say about how the album came together through so much strife: “What we wanted to show people was the journey through anxiety and depression,” he says, “not just the lows but the highs as well.”
Ruthless is out now! You can also get more information about The Moth & The Flame here.
