by Katy Mombourquette | Jul 21, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
There’s something about 6/8 time that can really amplify emotion in music. Sarah Barrios exploits the time signature and the passion it nurtures in her new single, aptly titled “Emotional.” The pop/indie/blues singer-songwriter has found great success in her musical career so far, including being a finalist in the Guitar Center’s National Singer Songwriter Competition. She has also won various musical awards, but she maintains that her music’s main purpose is to foster connections with her fans.
Her single, “Emotional”, is about the inner frustration that comes from being too sentimental, too emotional. This feeling manifests itself in the song in two ways. First, as the song begins, Barrios sings on top of soothing guitar and nothing else except hints of other instruments. This creates a wistful atmosphere, quiet and thoughtful. The song builds, however, and by the time it reaches the second verse it becomes stronger. Three pounds of a beat mark the first bar, and while they are subdued and fit the relaxed vibe of the song, they evoke– just for a moment– the image of someone pounding their fist on a surface in frustration. Barrios’ voice embodies the essence of “pop,” singing her varied vocal lines with an expert fluidity. For instance, “why am I so damn emotional” is a lovely, lilting melodic line. “Emotional” is a pop treasure that bonds with Barrios’ fans and first-time listeners alike. It’s now available to stream, as is her newly released EP Letters I Never Sent.
by Katy Mombourquette | Jul 10, 2020 | albums, review
Here to write anthems for future generations, multi-instrumentalist Michael Desmond inspires the people of the world to march to the beat of their own drum with his forthcoming EP Local Nomad. The EP is part of Desmond’s project, also called Local Nomad. He gives insight into the dichotomous name by saying “Local Nomad is the resistance of sedentary life. It’s about seeking the strange and embracing the unknown. Wondering. Wandering. Young and Old. Everywhere and Nowhere.” Desmond plays every instrument on the EP excluding drums. He draws from a variety of sources including Tears for Fears, Elvis Costello, and Phil Collins to produce a fusion of indie-pop and alt-rock with soulful vocals, heavenly synths, and lustrous drum beats. Originally from Long Island, NY, Desmond began his career as the frontman of the orchestral indie rock band Gabriel the Marine. The band found success and performed with bands like Taking Back Sunday, Glassjaw, Mew, Jacks Mannequin, and The Dear Hunter. However, after going through a period of rapid change in which he graduated from college, ended a long term relationship, and watched a family member tragically pass away, Desmond’s mind was racing a mile a minute. The only way he could slow things down was to write, and thus Local Nomad was born as a snapshot of life during this unstable time.
While Local Nomad is worth listening to for Desmond’s expert and fascinating use of instruments to create an array of idiosyncrasies within each track, there are also captivating overarching qualities that will intrigue even those who might want to listen passively.
The anger-fueled opening bop “Love is Gone” and rueful “Young Vampires” are “explosion” songs. “Love is Gone” keeps things chill with an alluringly groovy bassline in the verses, before erupting into sound in the chorus. It’s vocal line is compelling and surprising, you find yourself listening intensely to see what will come next. “Young Vampires” is about a toxic relationship, turning each other into vampires– monsters. It displays wistful guitar in the verses but also has a sonic explosion in the chorus.
“Gates” and “Getting Old is a Bitch” are more self-contained, but each have a quiet, yet powerful energy. The contagious beat in the chorus of “Gates” leaves you no choice but to jam along. All of the instrument parts in “Getting Old is a Bitch” are pertinent to the feeling of getting old. It also has a dominant bass beat and riff that hits you hard, much like growing up does. The “do-do-do”’s in the background almost sound like they’re taunting each of the melancholic main lines. Turmoil and instability in the distorted guitar solo reflects how it feels as the world seems to be moving on without you.
Finally, we have those songs that “clash,” although their conflicting elements end up working to their advantage. “Gates” elevates the sound to a celestial sphere with ethereal synths, but at the same time, the hearty guitar brings things back down, adding a wholesome, down-to-earth quality. A great guitar riff comes in towards the end, but it has that heavy rock sound to it, providing a deep contrast with the synth. The clash in “Summertime”, on the other hand, comes from the happy-go-lucky synth harmonies set against the wistfulness of days gone by in the lyrics. It’s about young adults trying to keep up with life and thinking back on the naivety of their youth. With the beat, sunny harmonies, and fluttering synths, you find yourself thrown back into a summer from years ago, tinged with nostalgia and regret. These tracks are dichotomies, much like the name Local Nomad itself, and the crunch between their conflicting qualities make them ever-so satisfying to listen to.
There’s a lot of potential in Local Nomad to discover more unique elements in the tracks, but no matter what you’re guaranteed to hear some anthems with great beats, full, well-rounded choruses, and colourful instrumentation. The EP will be released on July 10, 2020, but some of the singles are available to stream now!
by Leigha Stuiso | Jul 3, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Tell all your friends that Magic Bronson is back with another single off their upcoming album. “Surfin” is a spacey four-minute break-out track from the Long Angeles based duo. Matt Lieberman and Michael Nicastro have made waves in the indie-pop rock scene, gaining attention from names like Kendall and Kylie Jenner, who used the duo’s song, “Nervous”, in an Instagram ad for their fashion line. Magic Bronson is breaking boundaries while delivering powerful and unique music.
They are not afraid to switch things up, giving us different combinations of sounds to create a discordant soundscape. Although you can get lost in the pop-rock beats in the track, it is important to listen to the lyrics. The duo has a way of writing lyrics that fit perfectly together with the beats. With “Surfin”, it gives you the perfect vibes for a trip to the beach, although the lyrics don’t deal with actual surfing. If you’re just finding out about Magic Bronson, they’ll have you wondering where have you been all my life.
Check out “Surfin” streaming now!
by Katy Mombourquette | Jul 2, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
A true nomad, Evelyn Cools has found herself exploring the world all throughout her life. As a child in Belgium she studied piano, flute, choir, and musical theater. Eventually, she made her way over to Hong Kong and Budapest. At her university in London, Cools found herself captivated by the music scene and made some musical friends, and together these things provided the foundation for her career. Finally, in 2018 she moved to Los Angeles. Inspired by the nature of California, the new people she met that would eventually become her creative team, and the unparalleled love she found, Cools decided to bring to life her upcoming EP Misfit Paradise. Her penchant for wandering and connection to other people and nature are the driving forces behind this record.
Regarding Misfit Paradise, Cools says that it “explores the complex relationships we have with ourselves, others, and our environment, and how we find peace and meaning within it all. It is about life’s greatest joys – love, acceptance, nature, adventure – but also its greatest sorrows. It aims to capture little specs of magic against a world of unknowns.”
Her new single off the EP, “Gold Woman”, reflects some of the qualities that you can expect to hear in Misfit Paradise. Cools‘ personal songwriting is enchanting, with her ethereal voice and strong emotional resonance. Her sound lies somewhere within folk, indie-folk, alt-country, and folk-pop music. That being said, don’t think that the single is simply a girl fingerpicking a guitar and singing simple melodies. This music grabs you and commands you to listen to it. You can definitely hear undercurrents of country, but overall this track sounds a lot like alt-rock. It places a strong emphasis on the guitar which has a heavier quality to it. On top of this, amidst countless songs today which are making heavy use of harmonies (although fabulous in their own way), Cools isn’t afraid to let her voice stand on its own. She shows impressive control over her robust chest voice and delightfully airy head voice, both of which are showcased in the adventurous vocal lines throughout the song. Her accessible lyrics and storytelling abilities reveal her folk roots, however, reinforcing who she is at her core.
by Katy Mombourquette | Jun 24, 2020 | premieres, videos, wolf tracks
As a player and producer, Les Nuby is no stranger to the music world. The virtuoso began in Birmingham, Alabama as the drummer for indie-rock band Verbena but never settled, exploring as many opportunities as he could. Notable endeavours include touring with the esteemed Scottish band Idlewild, as well as playing guitar for Amy Ray of the Indigo Girls and the band Vulture Whale. A marvel behind the scenes as well, Nuby has produced releases for artists such as Will Stewart, Sarah Lee Langford, The Dirty Clergy, and Witch’s Wall. Alongside being the current guitarist and vocalist for Holiday Gunfire, he is finally adding a solo album to his repertoire. Clouded will be released on July 10th, 2020.
“Know What She Said” will be the first single, and it lets you in on the secret of what to expect from this long-anticipated album. The song is quite melodic and emanates exciting but controlled energy, meanwhile the surrounding music is made up of skilled instrument playing. A particularly bouncy bass part especially stands out and would be worth keeping an ear out for. In fact, you could listen to this song over and over again and rediscover it each time as you listen to the intricacies of each instrument. The vocals and overall atmosphere of the single is reminiscent of 80s era R.E.M., but the melody points more towards early 90s power pop, and the two blend together wonderfully.
The video is a captivating, artsy black and white live visual that allows you a brief glimpse into Les Nuby’s live performance. It’s enough to make you yearn for pre-Covid days.
You can look forward to these well-executed aspects in Clouded as well. In a culmination of his musical resume, Les Nuby produced, engineered, and played all the instruments on the album, and that care and experience is certainly heard in “Know What She Said.”
Be sure to check out Nuby’s earlier release “Never Falling Away” here.
by Katy Mombourquette | Jun 11, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Buckle up your rocket ship seat belts for this one. Eclectic visionaries Moviestar have released their new interstellar single “Waste of Space.” Band members Infinity Vik, The Octopus Goddess and Anaconda first revealed their eccentricity back in 2018 with their critically acclaimed debut album Stupid People / Happy Days. Now they are here to astral-project far into the future and eradicate boundaries. They are described as “intergalactic archeologists” who formed in the future to produce avant-garde music that dabbles in the genres of art-pop, indie, and sci-fi punk… to name a few.
“Waste of Space” is loud, harsh, and full of energy. The initial obstinate beat and the gritty guitar immediately grabs a hold of you and pulls you along. Each verse is static, the unrelenting pattern of drums, guitar and bass grounds you, but the energy builds like a static charge. When it reaches its peak, all this energy diffuses into a dynamic chorus that coasts through its duration. The second time around, a surprisingly dulcet melody meets you after the chorus, allowing you to fully transcend into space.
This single is only one piece of the puzzle, however. Moviestar’s new album The Curse and the Currency of the Twenty-First Century is a concept album about the state of the world in 2020, but from the perspective of the future. It confronts various issues surrounding social media, technology, the environment, and the human condition. Just like the wonder of space, Moviestar’s music is limitless. They are a ghostly presence from the future that has come to show us the extent of what’s possible. If you’re looking for something idiosyncratic, or are a fan of the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, David Bowie, The Kills, or Blood Red Shoes, this band is absolutely for you.
Be sure to check out the video for “Waste of Space” here, and listen to the rest of their earth-shattering album on Spotify and Apple Music.
by Meredith Schneider | May 21, 2020 | albums, premieres
Who else popped their head out of their hole long enough to realize that it’s already Memorial Day Weekend? Yup. It totally is. And we’re looking forward to “treading water” in a rainy, sloppy midwest indoors… but not without an ambiance. And who better to provide said ambiance than stunning indie-pop musical project, fakelife (Matt Couchois). With his new 5 track EP, Fall Behind, hitting airwaves and the collective consciousness TOMORROW, May 22nd, we are pleased to bring you your first listen to the work in its entirety below.
It’s difficult to understand the level of talent that is layered within this gem of a cut, as you can detect something even deeper than raw talent. As Couchois counts varying entertainers and artists as family members and predecessors, his legacy seems to have had an impact on his final product. Whether you’ve been in the mood to sit still and revel in the silence, you’ve been antsy to partake in social interaction, or you’ve been all over the place like an emotional rollercoaster (so, all of us), you will find reprieve in the sonic atmosphere that holds steady throughout each track. So let fakelife envelope you in his storytelling capabilities, and enjoy your holiday weekend with the extra bump of enthusiasm!
Keep up with fakelife here.
by Kendal Chandler | Apr 29, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Indie-pop singer-songwriter and producer Dylan Emmet released new single “Dumb”. Emmet says inspiration for the track came from his girlfriend, “She was joking about how ‘get away with murder’ when I do annoying things because for some reason, they don’t bother her the same way it does when other people do them. It got me thinking about what real love is.”
The track combines electronic indie and alternative pop with punk guitars and a synth production. Emment’s smooth vocals set over this mix drives home the emotion. While instrumentally “Dumb” feels like any old summer dancey-type song, but lyrically it’s a playful love song.
“Dumb” captures that feeling of letting love take control, even if it makes you do crazy and dumb things for that person. The track enforces the idea of loving another and letting their flaws be one of the reasons for that love.
by Kendal Chandler | Apr 8, 2020 | albums, review
LA indie duo Carrousel continue an incredible year with the release of their new album Magnificent Desolation. This 10-track album examines the dystopian direction of current life and the spiraling process of depression, both in ourselves and the world we live in.
Joel Piedt (songwriter, vocals, production) and Sharon Piedt (songwriter, vocals) craft pop melodies that are more futuristics and lean towards the prophetic. Carrousel’s music seamlessly lives on the plane of several genre styles cohesively.
Standout track “Exile in NY” focuses on the feelings of depression and its toll on the individual and how that affects those around them. By playing with echo and atmosphere, this track feels like it’s being pulled straight from your inner thoughts. With a slow build up by the middle of the song all sounds and feelings overlap to create a state of unrest. Ending the track with recorded voicemails help show separation between the two subjects of this track, as we know see them drift away from one another.
Consistently, the duo creates music that looks to disorient the understanding of the present, and the over-digitization of knowledge, and does so in a way that does not hold back.
