by Elizabeth Schneider | Sep 30, 2021 | albums, premieres, wolf tracks
Harborcoat’s newest LP, “Joy Is Elusive”, debuts on October 1. The sextet, based in Lansing, Michigan, has created a set of songs that are lyrically thoughtful and musically varied. The band’s influences include R.E.M. (the name Harborcoat is from an R.E.M. song), The Smiths, and Billy Bragg and you can hear the impact of those artists on “Joy Is Elusive”.
Band founder and primary songwriter Matthew Carlson explains:
A record titled ‘Joy Is Elusive’ is almost certainly going to be about depression, anxiety and a lifelong struggle with mental illness. That much is true, but there’s more. I think for so many of us, we deny ourselves true joy, or are too afraid to go out and find it. I know that is certainly true in my own experience. The people and the stories in this record are living lives of survival, not a full life. They’re eking out these threadbare existences of shabby surroundings, little hope and the occasional diversion from their struggles. Those diversions most often come by way of self medication or desperate choices with dire consequences. The lyrical content of the album is buoyed by joyous and dense musical foundations. These songs embrace the ethos of what Tom Waits once called, “Beautiful melodies telling me terrible things.” These songs are like short stories with chords. The band name is pulled from an early R.E.M. gem, and the music brims with nods to our heroes. The songs recall the crunchy power pop and harmonies of Teenage Fanclub; the introspection and melodic storytelling of Billy Bragg; and sprinkled in are moments of 80’s esque Brit-Pop or working-class anthems. These influences, however, do not define the record, but they are merely a strand of DNA in Harborcoat’s collective musical helix.
Just before we began recording the record, my Dad died very suddenly. It seemed very likely, I was not going to be in a spot logistically or emotionally to go through with the sessions. My family, and friends all stepped up and convinced me what a tremendous relief it might be to spend a week recording with friends at the family cabin. It was the best possible diversion. I maintain that you can hear our collective grief between the notes of the record, but maybe I just can’t remove myself from it. The loss of my Dad, the uncertainty of the pandemic and the collective anxieties that come will all of that certainly informed the process and the finished product. It feels now like a tribute to ho him that we were able to create something beautiful from all of that darkness.
Two particular track favorites of mine are ‘Help Me Out Somehow’ and ‘Hear Me, I’m Courageous’. Both have spirited, Indie rock melodies with poignant lyrics. Following the release of “Joy Is Elusive”, Harborcoat heads out on an eight city tour to finish up 2021.
Song List:
- Always Better
- Transit Town
- Go To Sleep
- Edwardsburg
- New Dawn Comes
- Joy Is Elusive
- Help Me Out Somehow
- Hear Me, I’m Courageous
- Things I Should Have Done
- Tightrope Wire
- Where The River Bends
- Never Made It Home
by Meredith Schneider | Aug 2, 2021 | singles, wolf tracks
Have you ever had a case of massive bitterness over love lost or heartbreak in general? Glittering synth-pop project This Coast Bias really wades through it with new track “Waste of Time.” Despite the danceable pop composition, the song itself does not waste any time in dissecting that past love. The music is like candy to your ears, almost detracting from the reality of it all. Even so, it gets to the point, expressing the worthless nature of the relationship, and then cuts out clean. Explains the artist of the new track:
The ‘Waste of Time’ chorus kinda popped into my head when I was brushing my teeth one night. I wanted a hook that was unquestionably directed at the listener; one that didn’t dance around the issue. It’s kind of a brutal verbal dagger. The instrumentation also harkens back to a more indie sound that I’m steeped in usually, with minimalistic percussion and a little lofi synth solo in there.
Keep up with This Coast Bias here.
by Meredith Schneider | Jul 27, 2021 | videos, wolf tracks
Brazilian indie-pop artist Libra is making us appreciate that unique and beautiful summer night feeling with his new single of the same name, featuring the gorgeous vocals of Marnie Price. The video is shot to mirror Libra’s iconic vintage style, as he strums a beautiful mirrored guitar and meanders through the streets of Southern California. Vibrant cuts to preparing tasty summertime beverages add an appeal to the video that you can almost taste.
This is the perfect track to enjoy while your summer nights wane. The video is just as indulgent and beautiful.
DIRECTED BY ZEH MONSTRO
IMAGES BY BORIS FRAT
EDITED BY JULIAN DE LA CELLE
by Meredith Schneider | Jul 20, 2021 | singles, wolf tracks
North Carolina-based musical collective The Collection really hit a beautiful stride with their latest release, a call to action called “Loud.” The indie-alt pop group has created a string of gorgeous tracks together, each with underlying tones of hope. “Loud” follows this pattern, with an expansive and freeing nature.
Lead singer Wimbish was inspired to write the track after protesting last summer following the George Floyd murder.
I watched as peaceful, angry protesters were cornered and attacked by the police. I was one of those maced in the face, alongside many. Over the next many months, I grew angrier and angrier watching white moderates and even “liberal” friends of mine argue over the validity of the protests – how they were being carried out, etc.. and it was astonishing to me – their refusal to lend their voice, to this very necessary movement.
The song serves as an anthem for protest, unity, and a sense of empathy for the times ahead. You can check out the beautiful melody and intrinsically catchy lyrics below.
by Meredith Schneider | Feb 15, 2021 | singles, wolf tracks
Welp, indie (dream) pop duo Eighty Ninety just released such a gorgeous track heading into Valentine’s Day weekend. We apologize for not sharing before the holiday, but there’s only so much time in a day. BUT WOW.
You know those moments when you consider different outcomes to your life? Contemplating your puppy love, celebrating your forever love, reminiscing on old love. Well, “Forever” is one of those moments. “Forever is about reconciling the desire to be with the person you love with the understanding that they don’t feel the same way anymore,” admits the duo. “It’s like a daydream in a song — what if we were in love again?”
Vocals smooth like butter (as always), gorgeous lyrics, and a rhythm that is easy to move to make this song just like a sugary dream. What a beautiful dichotomy and a wonderful song to deep breathe to.
by Sadie Battle | Dec 24, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Eugene, Oregon singer, songwriter and producer khai dreams debuts an acoustic version of their latest track, “Good Advice”. Half Vietnamese and 21 years of age, khai dreams has been releasing music since 2017. Their sound is an eclectic blend of influences ranging from contemporary hip-hop and R&B to modern indie, surf rock, and neo-soul. This dreamy brand of intimate pop has helped them amass more than 490 million career streams and a dedicated online following. With such an impressive background and fan base, there’s still something so humbling about “Good Advice”. With just vocals and strings, khai dreams sets a tone for the listener to just breathe. This acoustic version and accompanying video is such a comforting, feel good vibe that seems to give you a hug as you take it all in. Bittersweet and honest lyrics catch up to you quickly though with this verse,
“And you seem to think that we got time / But we never seem to get it right / Everyday I’m wishing there was more.”
Take our advice and listen to this song today, and listen to even more sweet melodies and indie masterpieces by khai dreams from their spotify.
by Tiffany Czech | Nov 19, 2020 | premieres, wolf tracks
At just the time when we are in need of as much cheer as we can get, Indiana-born and LA-based indie rock artist Jeremy Buck has bestowed upon us the uplifting and empowering single, “Don’t Look Down”. Inspired by how one may feel while walking on a tightrope and riddled with fear, the track sends the message that even though a lot of things really suck, everything will be okay if you just focus on the good things life has to offer.
The catchy chorus is sure to satisfy any pop music fan’s quest for a new sing-along jam, and it will likely remain in your head for an extended stay after an initial listen. Buck’s powerful vocals carry the verses, which provide a perfect sprinkle of rock n’roll.
Buck shares of the need to write a song like this:
With all of the negative energy and the constant threat of imminent doom that is being spoon-fed to use through the media, I felt a huge creative urge to share my concerns and frustrations but in a way that will hopefully spread positivity.
by Sadie Battle | Oct 18, 2020 | Uncategorized
Orla Gartland returns with a bold indie-pop single & music video for “Pretending“. Dublin-born and London-based, she writes & co-produces all of her music and is the creative visionary of her videos. The visuals of “Pretending” start and finish within a costume party’s bathroom, where Orla herself is dressed as a clown amongst various party-goers who enter the bathroom throughout the night. She’s got one point to make – she’s done with pleasing others by losing sight of herself. Orla stares at herself in the bathroom mirror during a song of true self-reflection singing, “All of my heroes are way sadder than me / Am I the only one pretending, pretending / One pretending?” Her use of a costume party is the metaphorical visual that more often than not, we either hide behind a facade or act differently in order to engage and socialize with people.
While Orla is being as self-reflective as one can be in a time where there are so many distractions to hide behind, she recalls what it was like to pretend when she was younger, “I used to make up lies to make myself seem more interesting. I’d tell people at school I broke my arm on the weekend or all of Westlife came to my house for dinner.” But nowadays as she continues to build her music career, there is definitely no need to stretch the truth to make herself, or her music more interesting. After building a buzz online by posting cover songs to YouTube, Orla ventured out on her own, crafting a distinct musical voice along with debut single, “Devil on my Shoulder” in 2012. She released her debut project, Roots, the following year, with subsequent EPs – Lonely People, Why Am I Like This? and Freckle Season – arriving in 2015, 2019, and 2020, respectively. Her music has amassed over 45 million Spotify streams, which is impressive, considering she hasn’t released a full-length album. With “Pretending” as the lead track off her forthcoming debut album expected in 2021, fans can only anticipate what other treasures and indie-pop realness awaits that album.
by Sadie Battle | Oct 1, 2020 | albums, review
It’s debut album time for London-based band Tempesst with their release of Must Be a Dream that was brought to life at Pony Recordings; the band’s label in Hackney, London. The ten track album is filled with generous servings of psych pop and stylistic nods to the band’s influences of Joni Mitchell, Al Green, Wings, and Electric Light Orchestra. The core of the band is made up of twin brothers, Toma and Andy Banjanin, who’s musical journey spans across the cities they lived in and life lessons they learned along the way. Rooted into a musical family and playing in a church band as teenagers, the brothers left Noosa, Australia for a short stint in Brooklyn, New York during the bustling indie scene of the late 2000s. Inspired and full of the DIY tactics and ideas they experienced, they took to London and began culminating the band, their label, and the album. Rounding out the lineup with guitarist, Swiss-American Eric Weber and old friends Kane Reynolds and Blake Misipeka, the keyboardist and bassist, Tempesst hunkered down in the studio they built while meticulously working on their sound. “These days artists are expected to do so much themselves and we have always been slight control freaks anyway”, states Andy. “DIY is part of everything that we do, so that extends to our label, the studio, the videos, all of it and really it’s just how the indie music scene has evolved.”
Must Be a Dream allows listeners to transport musically and explore dense, emotional themes, all while being comforted in the juxtaposed moments of sun-kissed melodies and angelic synths. “Better Than the Devil” stands as the opening track, where Andy on drums showcases a steady kick drum beat in the beginning before really opening up with the rest of the arrangement. The background vocals on the title track are church choir melodies that serenade the metaphorical idea of the song; that the perfect woman in front of you couldn’t possibly be real; couldn’t possibly exist in your reality. Tempesst dives into identity faceting in “High on My Own”, through judgmental lyrical undertones about other’s self-acceptance, and a contrasting upbeat feel that leaves the listener with hope of following one’s own path. Tackling the haunting struggles that love can bring, “Mushroom Cloud” dramatically lays out the spite and pain sometimes felt for the ones we fall deepest for. Toma’s simple chorus guides the listener through the struggle, and ends with a lyrical punch to the heart “When sorry’s a worn out sleight of hand / good love is a dried up wilderness / you’ll know where to find me / on the fallen horizon.”
Complete with harp instrumentation, and “oh la la la la la” vocals, “Walk on the Water” is a euphoric transitional track to different themes of the album. A mashup of vocal harmonies on top of deep instrumental reverb, “On the Run” holds stories of death, substance abuse, and the forever loss of innocence. Explains Toma:
It’s about a close friend who disappeared for a decade and returned as someone completely different, and it’s an ongoing trauma. When I connected the music to the lyrics to try and finish the song, it felt like it had a rolling rhythm, so the chorus fell into place from there. For me, this song carries a lot more emotional weight.
The final album tracks explore themes of modern day society in relation to getting older, boredom within the digital age, and the paralleling question of what life is supposed to mean through all of it. It’s the juxtaposing ideas of sound and song meaning in this debut album where Tempesst really invites the listener to their psych-rock wonderland – where storytelling and sweet melodies will meet you at every riff.
