English trio Muncie Girls are cooler than ever in their new video for “Picture of Health,” the lead single from their second album Fixed Ideals, which is set to come out on August 31. Lead vocalist/guitarist Lande Hekt, along with guitarist Dean McMullen and drummer Luke Ellis, create an anthem for friendship with a sound that is reminiscent of the early days of Paramore and 90s pop-punk. The video captures the song’s theme in a real and organic way, right down to the silver fidget spinner. This is a modern-day representation of what it’s like to maintain a friendship and how we tend to get in our own heads, worrying about problems that don’t even exist. “Picture of Health” is a song that everyone can relate to, with a poignant video that emphasizes the importance of platonic love that is very refreshing to see.
Keep up with the band here, and don’t forget to preorder their upcoming album.
Pop can sometimes feel like an afterthought in the rock and country-saturated musical landscape of Nashville, but Thursday night’s show at the East Room made it clear that Nashville’s pop scene is anything but marginal. POP MONSTER (a dual release party for local artists Whoa Dakota and Athena, hosted by Popsquad) showed that pop in Nashville is as varied and exciting as the people involved can imagine it to be. Four artists with unique takes on the different shapes pop can take proved what the Nashville pop scene is truly capable of: churning out emotionally nuanced and stylistically ambitious bangers.
Meaux opened the evening strong with her sensual electro-pop, a fusion of soulful and experimental sounds that provided an effortlessly changing landscape for her rich voice to traverse. Her powerful pipes and impressive dance moves energized the room as she stalked the stage in a split length red cape. Color-shifting gauzy lights set the tone in the room, a cozy dream cave that looked as if it had been styled by the collective efforts of Prince and the Little Prince. Between sets the alchemy in the room was maintained through a mixture of 90’s throwbacks and electro-pop, the dreamy vibes in the room conducted by the cotton candy stellariums (made by Athena) hovering moodily above the crowd.
Next was Soren Bryce, a Brooklyn local who’s no stranger to the Nashville music scene. Soren’s writing and performance seems to transform to keep up with the rapid pace of her own ever-expanding taste. It’s a testament to how talented Soren is that she can take a left turn away from the fantastic music on her last unreleased EP (largely synth-based) to the more guitar-centric rock we heard on Thursday—and accomplish it so effortlessly. Clearly there’s no genre of music that Soren can’t master, as demonstrated by her fantastic set: a grungy pop punk watercolor that borrowed from Kurt Cobain, Lorde, Joe Jackson, Elliot Smith and Fiona Apple without ever losing its own distinctive style. Soren’s varied influences find her a sound all her own, as well as a gravity at the mike that holds the center of any room she’s playing for. The thread that weaves through her stylistic choices is always her voice, melodic with an expansive range that she wielded precisely like a scalpel to cut through the colorful fog in the venue.
Soren Bryce by Rhea Foote
Athena played third in a powerhouse performance that you’d never know was her debut effort. She was right at home in front of an audience, prowling the stage in silver spandex like a modern day Xenon, an early 2000s fever dream kicking through pink fog clouds in Adidas stripes. Athena approached her performance with a fierce vulnerability, swinging from charm to rage to melancholy in a way that always felt authentic. She brought the crowd into her circle of trust and pulled them along for her journey—and despite (or because of) the emotional depth each song was catchier than the next, equal parts Paramore and Nelly Furtado, Athena bopping around the stage with her heart in her hands. If this was only her first show, I’d recommend showing up for Athena’s second show.
When Jesse Ott aka Whoa Dakota took the stage, she wasn’t afraid to own the space, immediately splaying herself out on the attached runway while the crowd encircled her. The show also served as a release party for the new single “Right Now” off of her upcoming album “Patterns,” but she saved that for the end of the show, satisfying the audience in the lead-up with her electrifying and adventurous performance. Her bold, anthemic sound imbued all of her songs with an epic energy, getting the crowd dancing and hollering along with her as she navigated the room in her floral bodysuit. It had the feel of a good block party—the raucous happiness, variety, community energy. Whoa Dakota delivered with their surprise guests, hauling Alanna Royalle and Jung Youth out of the crowd to sing and rap respectively alongside her, with Robert Gay joining on trumpet and Anthony Jorissen on sax. During “Patterns,” the hit for which a music video recently came out, it seemed like the whole room was bellowing all the words alongside her. The show’s joyful climax was a surprise birthday celebration for Ott’s 28th birthday, including a rendition of the birthday song led by friends from Pet Envy and Molly Rocket, and punctuated by an amazing display of cupcakes this reviewer found to be delicious.
by brandon de la cruz
Whoa Dakota’s ambitious, ecstatic performance was the perfect series of exclamation points on which to end the evening. Each performer showcased a different side of pop music and played to the infinite potential within Nashville’s nuanced pop scene. It was especially heartening to see a fantastic, well-executed show that just happened to be led both in front of and behind the scenes by female talent. Without billing itself as a girl power show, POP MONSTER reminded us that there’s a surplus of talented women with vision leaving their marks on the Nashville music scene—and with shows this collaborative and joyful, we should definitely be supporting that.
Formerly known as The Reign of Kindo, Kindo has resurfaced after 4 years with a new single “Return to me” from their latest album “Happy However After” set to be released in April of 2018.
This 6 piece from New York has shown that you don’t need a major label and their money to gain an audience.
Giving the fans a new spin of alternative jazz that is fused with R & B, pop and soul shows that just like topping off your drink, combining old and new, can create something truly refreshing. Not only have they innovated a successful sound, Kindo has also proudly been at the helm of all their recordings.
“Return to me” begins with a rainy day stay in bed piano line. The vocals give a strange appeal to the jazz-ish backing music. Imagine Lenny Kravitz being backed by a piano at a dim lit jazz club applying his pop-rock vocal style and later adding a high gain guitar riff. I am amazed at how Kindoimplements all these musical elements and how they compliment each other. “Return to me” at first listen is calming. Once it sinks in what the lyrics are about it is hard to believe this song is depicting heartbreak. Especially when some of the rhythmic grooves wake you up and influence your body to take the hand of the beat and swing. The atmosphere of musical freedom and exploration is definitely a spark lighting a flame rich with creativity.
Kindo will be touring the Eastern U.S. in March and is surely not a band you want to miss. If they aren’t hitting up your hometown be sure to head over and check out their prior albums which should tide you over until “Happy However After” is released in April.
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.
Eryn Martin has paired with Brazilian funk aficionado R2 to produce her new boundary breaking track “Namesez.” Martin’s personal brand of asymmetrical alt pop is known for using dusky instrumentals to create music that is poignant, contemplative, and softly menacing. A self-taught singer and songwriter, Martin shows off her capricious vocal style that moves through haunting melodies and smooth textures atop glitchy beats that are infused with elements of hip hop and electronic music. The impulsivity of her music keeps her listeners on their feet, and she certainly brings that energy to her new single as well.
Straight away the listener is struck by the unique music box/xylophone sounds that gently crash into one another at the beginning of the track. These sounds and the other beats that transpire have that kaleidoscopic nature that Martin’s music is known for, but they also have a great bounce and drive to them. The character that Martin’s voice assumes in this track sounds suave and relaxed, effortlessly gliding on top of the erratic music. The touches of harmony and textures that surround Martin’s voice and the beat do an excellent job of catching and holding the listener’s attention. Going forward, Martin is preparing to release new visuals and refining her live show, captivating her audience and inspiring them to stay true to themselves.
You can listen to “Namesez” here, and make sure to keep your eye on this groundbreaking rising artist in the future.
It’s time to get some smooth, easy listening in those ears of yours. Perfect timing, since London-based alt pop duo Vōs just released new track “Serious”, which wreaks of 90s R&B influence. As the strong, intense vocals, implore, “Do you wanna get serious?… Are you gonna treat me right?” part of you wants to challenge someone, and the other part of you just wants to dress up and go dancing.
So go. Get ready to this. And challenge someone on the dance floor. (Yeah, we said it. So do it!)
From the beginning of their formation, Fond of Rudy – a four piece indie alt pop band out of Brighton – has planned on creating pop music that brings your emotions to the forefront with catchy lyrics and great production sound. Their latest single, “Next”, is a song that dives into the serious issues in life. This song captures people fighting a battle with themselves and life. The song may seem like a pop track but if you listen closely, you will find a deeper meaning. “Next” shows that as humans we do not have to be perfect all the time and when we fall apart it is not our fault.
The song is perfection from start to finish with its great vocals and smooth beat behind it.
Nashville-based artist Sam Varga released his new single “Minute Man” on July 4th. Varga is an rock/alt-country artist and has one full-length album he released in 2024 titled Shadow Work. His music is a unique combination of the distinct sound of country with some clear alternative and emo influences. Some of his songs lean more acoustic and it’s just his voice and the guitar, and others have that more alt-pop sound.
“Minute Man” has a modern country sound, and is a relatively simple production. There are a few minutes where it’s just the guitar playing, which switches up the main beat of the song. But Varga’s style makes this song different from any other country song, as the alternative elements are just as present here. Sam Varga’s vocals feel much more in line with an alternative style than the traditional country singer. The vocals don’t have the high pitch that is often present in emo music, but the tone is much brighter than country usually is. The drums are also more reminiscent of the alternative genre, which manages to give this song a complex sound with the simple production.
The single is also political in a way that’s fitting for our current world, a distinction from Varga’s other work. Different cultural references are sprinkled throughout the song, which catches the listener’s attention. It’s less of a specific political message than it is an observation of just how broken our world and society is right now. The song also mostly references different ways that the world is ending or “broken,” like the threat of nuclear war and the polar ice caps melting.
But the main “story” of the song is about falling in love with this apocalyptic background. It’s an interesting contrast between this love and the very current threat of the world ending. The lyrics “two kids kissing under bleachers in the fallout” are immediately followed by “heard you say we’re gonna die young anyway.” It’s dark, but the takeaway isn’t totally depressing. The title comes into play here, as the lyrics “I just need a minute, man” end off the chorus. “Minute Man” is interested in how screwed up our current political world is, but it isn’t a totally nihilistic song.
Amy Jay‘s latest single, “Can’t Go Back” is a indie pop track that delves into displacement, detachment and loneliness in a place that you think of as your home. Amy Jay is a self described “alt folk indie singer songwriter” who is currently based in New York City. “Can’t Go Back” is the first single off of Jay’s upcoming album, Mnemonics, out November 7th.
“Can’t Go Back” is the perfect song for soul searchers, introspectives, and who has ever felt out of place or invisible. Amy Jay’s inspiration—feeling lost in New York City—is a universal concept even if you don’t have millions of people on your doorstep. Community is a hard thing to find, and Jay delves into that struggle deeply on “Can’t Go Back.”
The track begins with immersive bass beats with deeply personal direct lyrics targeted to a former friend/lover. She reminsces on what once was, and their final dinner, mentioning the isolation that followed. Her soft vocals are intimate and reflective of the songs sensitive nature.
The tracks shining star is it’s lyrics. When Amy Jay writes, “I can’t tell if it’s New York, or if I’ve grown up, or if I’ve grown up in New York”, she speaks to the dismantling of identity and placement, and the way we become misaligned with our home and self.
As she writes that the city is “shaping her”, she is discussing all the change you go through during youth and how malleable your identity becomes. It’s so easy to lose yourself in new environments and experiences, and forget where you even began, which is exactly what Jay seeks to discover. Describes Jay of the inspiration here, “Remember that change is inevitable and sometimes permanent.” She goes on to explain:
Although I wrote this song before COVID, it’s eerily pertinent to how the pandemic drastically impacted our lives. Despite living in the same city long enough to call it home, I question if my sense of displacement comes from New York’s inherent transience or the broader challenges of adulthood. Even before COVID but especially since, many loved ones moved away and my community is constantly shifting, so it often feels impossible to establish lasting roots in such an ever-changing environment. Like experiencing a death, the only way to move forward is to grieve the change and accept the new reality.
The lyrics are enrobed in Jay’s echoey vocals, and the nostalgic reverb that makes the song feel simultaneously distant and extremely close to home, which is exactly the contrast that exists within the narrative of displacement and discovery.
The steady and relatively chill beat and instrumentals are at odds with the anxiety and mourning of loss time and identity within the song, and the tension works amazingly. Jay is up to quietly mourn who we once were alongside her, as the song allows the listener to reflect on their own irreversible moments and lost memories/experiences.
The repetition of the lyrics “We can’t go back” is both disarming and comforting, as it reflects both the uneasiness towards the passage of time, as well as the acceptance of it. “Can’t Go Back” is the soundtrack for travelers, hermits, college students, and pretty much anyone that has felt instability or loss of identity, and Amy Jay packages it skillfully and wonderfully through her velvety vocals and confessional lyrics. If you don’t already relate, unfortunately, someday you will!
Follow Amy Jay on tour here. Pre-save the single here.
