This playlist is filled with songs that have set my inner world ablaze in one way or another. Some of them are recent and others are more ancient, but they’ve all had an affect on the way that I write and record songs.
by: tiffany czech
Leave behind the life you know wherever you are for just thirty minutes and take a trip to Cuba with La China De La Gasolina. The self-titled album is the product of a trip to Havana, the capital of Cuba. There, Charlie Garmendia would use a multi-track tape recorder to capture the rich musical culture that the island has to offer. It was with the help of the young musicians and artists he met that the late-night jam sessions turned into a collective body of work.
With 11 tracks, the listener can dip their foot in many parts that all come together to form a sonically cohesive whole. That whole begins with “Edro”, an electrifying track that seems to signify the beginning of a breaking news story, or maybe even the opening credits to the latest buzzing film. In just 23 seconds, the song manages to captivate the listener, thus beginning their Cuban journey. Then comes “La Gasolina”, one of the standout tracks. Using prominent synthesizers, one finds themselves transported to the middle of a busy Cuban street filled with only the best dancing and music. That feeling continues throughout the whole album, all the way until the final track, “El Terror”, which relies heavily on percussion to signal that the journey is finished. This is the song that puts the picture of a small group gathering around a campfire at the end of the day in your mind, satisfied with everything that day has given you. From the Cuban jazz moments of “Año Nuevo” to the Latin pop spectacle that is “Demonio Bongo” and everything in between, there is certainly a lot to be satisfied with.
by: tiffany czech
In a world where material possessions meet spiritual growth, one may find themselves just as conflicted as the character in Sir Sly’s music video for “Material Boy”. Here, the material boy is someone who appears to be in a state of distress as he works through his emotions to leave behind any care in the world about material items. Through watching him chew up wads of cash and hide from all of the expensive things he owns; the viewer comes to understand that he yearns for more in his life. He yearns to be free from the material chains that are constraining him. The catchy chorus of the song reminds the listener that our material boy has found a spiritual void within himself and he strives to fill it.
What is great about what we see in this video is that it doesn’t need to follow one meaning for everybody who watches it. It could mean struggling to come to terms with the current political landscape, as the second verse alludes to, just as much as it could represent the struggle to leave an unfulfilling job that pays well. The common theme amongst the profuse number of possible interpretations is the yearning to find something that makes one feel whole. “Material Boy” both fascinates and perplexes, as well as provides the best form of entertainment for the viewer. Lead singer Landon Jacobs notes: “My highest hope is that this video can mean something a little different for anyone that watches it, but at the very least, I hope it is entertaining.”
by: tiffany czech
Finding the perfect song to play while driving with the windows down and music loud is an enthralling experience that can be found immediately after pressing play on rock trio Lone Kodiak’s new song, “PDX ‘97”. The band was formed in East Los Angeles, but met in Portland, Oregon, which is where this story takes place.
A true story, “PDX ‘97” takes the listener on a stirring journey through the streets of Portland alongside teenage runaways. It would be hard not to picture oneself as one of the characters in the song. Lovestruck and adventurous, the teenagers embody the very type of love that seems to only play out on film screens, except the listener doesn’t have to experience it through a screen as the song brings the story into the car, bedroom, or shower of anybody who listens.
What Lone Kodiak has done with their latest release is to take a personal story and help each listener see some version of themselves in it. While resonating with the 17-year-old high school student experiencing love for the first time, it also can resonate with the 65-year-old retiree who is reminiscing on her first love during her teenage years. Transporting people is one of the greatest things music can do, and Lone Kodiak does it well. Member Dainéal Parker explains:
I normally shy away from writing anything too personal or plainly autobiographical, but the vibe of this song just took me right back to those hot days and cold nights I spent wrapped around the finger of a girl, and our summer trying to find couches to crash on but often settling for cardboard.
Check it out on your preferred platform here.
These are songs that continually inspire me, whether their old or new. I keep going back to them and finding myself in love.
by: tiffany czech
If it feels like the entire world is loud, one may find some solace when beginning to watch the new video for Ricky Reed and Michael Sneed’s “Shipwreck”, which appears on Reed’s critically acclaimed debut album, The Room. Once immersed in the world of “Shipwreck”, however, the viewer will come to realize that it is a much needed and appreciated look at the inner dialogue of someone who is feeling hopeless and exhausted amidst a slew of devastation, including limitations on his freedom due to systemic oppression.
The video is calm while the lyrics tell a heartbreaking story of insecurity and struggle. Filmed in a seemingly secluded shipyard, the video serves as an accurate visual for this story as the character describes feelings of loneliness. One may compare seeing Sneed singing with nobody around to listen to feeling like they are screaming into a void, which may be just what he was going for. The character in the song feels weak and unable to swim through the various obstacles he has been met with, deciding it will be easier to drown. By the end, the viewer is left with a thought-provoking perspective about what it means to be free. Perhaps this character is stronger than he perceives himself to be. Sneed seems to believe so, saying:
The character of this song views himself as a coward. But to willingly die into the unknown has to be one of the bravest things a human being can do. So it hurts and terrifies me to know that we live in a dangerous space where there are people brave enough to have a stare down with the mysteries of death but feel they are too much of a coward to continue living their life and fighting for the freedoms and joys they believe they deserve.
by: meredith schneider
Are you ready to fall apart to the most emotional country song this side of the heyday of Rascal Flatts? Endearingly so, the latest release from Amanda Shires and Jason Isbell will move you to tears. Reinforcing verbal support during times of trouble is important, especially during these times. We are overwhelmed with gratitude for artists like Amanda and Jason. Not only is their work absolutely delightful, but they stand for the right side in a very important battle in the American landscape.
Shires is one of many country artists speaking out in support of accessible abortion options. She expands:
This song is about making tough decisions and not having to go it alone. To me, ‘The Problem’ is a song about supporting someone you love through a difficult time. It’s about helping without exerting your own will. I support a woman’s right to choose, and I know these choices are never easy.
Get ready to feel those emotions with this new single.
All proceeds from the track benefit the Yellowhammer Fund.
by: meredith schneider
Though his sound has been shaped and mastered over years of musicianship, John Shipe’s greatest collection of work comes, arguably, with his new release, a full-length titled The Beast Is Back. His twelfth release, Shipe has poured what seems to be his entire heart and soul into it. Though most of this release edges on a lighter feel instrumentally – we admit, there are some heavy topics involved here -, Shipe makes sure to pay homage to his blues roots with songs like “Jesus” and “Cosmic Repo Blues”. Meanwhile, his relatable life experiences are palpable in his lyricism, a factor we have always been partial to.
John’s struggle to be as vulnerable as possible really makes each one of these masterpiece songs that much more heart-wrenching. Admits Shipe:
This is the album of my life. I may not make another one because I may not have anything left in me. My experience in recovery—both as an alcoholic and an artist—brought me to places of brutal honesty, and it has been exhausting.
This extensive collection is so well done, from beginning to end. Experience The Beast is Back in its entirety below, and let us know what you appreciate about the album on our Facebook page!
Upcoming Shows
by katy mombourquette
“What’s in a Name”, the lead single off of Jeni Schapire’s upcoming EP, is a window into the story-rich lyricism and soulful vocals that frame fractured relationships, pressures to compromise, and questions of identity. “What’s in a Name” deals with the third; Schapire molds images of her artistry, her name, and even her identity itself into melodies that gently soar across their sonic space. The Nashville-based singer-songwriter writes indie experimental pop songs, a genre that, in “What’s in a Name”, initially manifests itself as a background made up of fuzzy, nostalgic big band and string ensemble sound. Later, a jolting beat twitches underneath smooth-as-silk vocal lines, adding a fragmented layer to the otherwise smooth soundscape. The slow tempo, wistful orchestration, and expressive melodies give the track an overall moody sound, yet undertones of confidence peek through here and there. All of these details lead towards the final section of the song, where the beat bows out and we’re left with that blurry brass-string sound and Schapire’s ethereal voice. Together they paint the aural horizon with beautifully muted colours, creating a lovely space for the listener to immerse themselves in. Be sure to be on the lookout for “What’s in a Name”, and Schapire’s EP, which can’t get here fast enough.