by Karina Marquez | Apr 12, 2019 | albums, review
The musical duo Mrs. Greenbird have created a deeply soulful sound with lyrics to match in their latest album Dark Waters. The folksy harmonies of Steffen Brückner paired with Sarah Nücken’s unique voice are what makes this a truly beautiful record. It’s reminiscent of another duo’s sound — Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová of The Swell Season and Once fame. While Mrs. Greenbird has a similar aesthetic, they manage to create something that is entirely their own. Their voices, along with the gentle guitar and melancholic lyrics, result in the kind of music that is brutally honest as well as poetic.
The album is quite well-rounded in terms of theme. The darker, more cynical sides of life and love are highlighted in songs such as “Careless Heart,” “1965,” and title track “Dark Waters,” while others like “One Day in June” and “Learn How To Love You” are more idealistic and romantic. One of the stand out songs is called “The Simple Things.” While every song is hauntingly beautiful, something about this particular one struck a chord in me. It’s about experiencing loss and trying to find yourself afterwards, how we tend to forget the pleasure of simple things in life.
Dark Waters is a feat of folk indie pop with a hint of country and a splash of blues, yet it works to form a great record. It’s perfect for almost any mood — a scenic walk, a long drive, a rainy day, a time to let out a much-needed cry.
Be sure to check out their latest album on April 12th, and keep up with the latest on Mrs. Greenbird here.
by Meredith Schneider | Apr 12, 2019 | albums, review
Philadelphia-based MiNKA – comprised of Ari “Dick” Rubin and friends – releases their brand new 7-track collection titled Reincarnation today. “Dark” starts us all off with a slow, entrancing soundscape, leading into the quirky and far more vibrant “Rain”. Third track “Gone” has a feeling of desperation dripping from its instrumentals, a slightly more theatrical soundscape than its predecessor, while “Dawn” brings guitar chords that will truly invigorate you.
Once you put into perspective that Reincarnation is MiNKA’s updated interpretation of notable 19th century vocal pieces by Schubert, Schumann, and Strauss, things start to make that much more sense. As the third and final chapter in a string of 2019 releases, it feels like a notable and beautiful way to round everything out. The simplicity of the song titles – each track is a single word, the majority existing at four letters and one syllable – is refreshing, and helps to bring the listener back to the songs’ original intent. With the final additions of “Hope”, “Hours”, and “Sirens”, MiNKA has provided us a well thought out, entrancing performance that we won’t soon forget.
Keep up with MiNKA here.
by Karina Marquez | Apr 10, 2019 | albums, review
BETWEEN FRIENDS’ latest EP is, to put it simply, good pop music. we just need some time together is the product of brother/sister duo Savannah and Brandon Hudson, along with drummer Brennan Benko. Together, they capture the essence of LA youth and the ability to view their art through the lens of dreamy, carefree pop songs.
The EP is a slice of the colorful contemporary fantasy, and everything about it, from the song titles to the floral album art to the absence of capital letters, screams cool. Tracks like “iloveyou” and “better friends” are dangerously catchy would fit seamlessly in the world of today’s top 40, with its distinct synthesized production. Each song comes with its own electric beat and memorable hooks, but there are also more emotionally compelling, relatable moments. One of the things that stood out to me was a lyric that is repeated throughout “affection:”
“I’m laying on the floor, we’re drinking ‘cause we’re bored.”
These words, paired with quiet harmonies and a tripped out guitar riff, created such an atmospheric sound that made this my favorite track. Ultimately, the EP ends with “blushing!” and the presence of a reassurance in the form of romantic lyrics:
“I see you, we watch stars on the pavement,
I kinda like your face.”
we just need some time together is the perfect summer record, capturing the feeling of being young, in love, and completely and utterly carefree.
Listen to the EP here, and keep up with the band here.
by ImperfectFifth | Apr 10, 2019 | soundtrack, wolf tracks
I created this collection of songs because they represent what inspires me in music. They all have an essence of authenticity. It’s that mix of an infectious melody and a rebellious spirit that ultimately drives me as an artist, and influenced my upcoming second album, True Nature.
I included “Electric Chapel” by Lady Gaga because she inspired me tremendously when I was 17 and decided I was going to be a pop star. That song is so specific to her. I love the twisted romance of it all, and the distorted guitar that ties the whole song together.
When I was 18 and moved to New York City, David Bowie, Prince, and Madonna became the soundtrack to my life. I have vivid memories of listening to “Rebel, Rebel” in my headphones while strutting through the East Village, or sitting in my dorm room at night watching Madonna’s early music videos.
I had to include one of my favorites by Chet Baker. Once I was a senior in college, I began writing songs more prolifically than ever, and I would let the smoothness of Chet’s singing and trumpet playing guide me. I also included my favorite song of mine, “Luvline”, off my new record out this Spring. “Luvline” is my favorite track of mine because it sounds like my heart is singing, even when I hear it now, and that’s how I feel about the songs I chose for this playlist. I’m attracted to music that doesn’t hide from the truth, and these songs are a piece of the artist’s soul.
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Keep up with Wilder Daze here.
by Karina Marquez | Apr 5, 2019 | albums, review
UK-based band Saltwater Sun’s newly released EP may only have three songs, but each one is unique and provides a truly electric listening experience. “Trying” is the funky opening track with some really great guitar riffs paired with a showcase of lead singer Jen Stearnes’ strong vocals – especially towards the end of the song as she belts out a disclaimer about somebody she can’t seem to forget about:
“It goes to show that’s the way I go on, still thinking about you.”
“The Great Deceiver” serves as the title track and has a more subdued vibe compared to the rest of the EP, but that doesn’t mean the lyrics are any less biting. As the title suggests, the song is all about how we are our own great deceiver. And amidst the indie pop sound, the lyrics explore the ideas of self-worth and confidence.
The final song, “Blood,” was my favorite of the three tracks. It opens up with an atmospheric ten seconds before bursting through with an alternative rock song that fills you up with a catchy guitar jam and deeply existential lyrics. It’s energetic in the way an uplifting pop song is, but deals with the angst of personal loss. Stearnes’ voice sings out for those we’ve lost, but her lyrics also bring about an important message – that those who die never really leave us:
“Every thought, every time, this is how you never die.”
The Great Deceiver is a truly beautiful collection of songs with an undeniable vigor, approaching things like self-worth, love, and grief in an unconventionally upbeat way that allows their listeners to feel a sense of hope by the end of it.Be sure to check out their music, and keep up with Saltwater Sun here.
by Ian Schneider | Mar 29, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
With a synthy R&B sound, Atlanta native Zaia is paving his own way, all while being compared to the likes of Childish Gambino and Kid Cudi. While you can feel the elements he has inherited from the previously mentioned mega stars, Zaia is able to curate a unique tone that is put on display in his new single “BLUE”.
“BLUE” gives the listener everything they could want in a synth funk centric R&B track. The pulse thumping drum machine, smooth vocals, and a touch of electric guitar create the ultimate vibe out song. Some say that vocals are just another instrument, and Zaia’s voice is perfectly lain over the beat with a smoothness that rivals the greats. If the single wasn’t enough, it is accompanied by a trippy visual that sees Zaia in a hazy/colorful house, stumbling around while singing the words. It is the complete embodiment of what the single means to Zaia and the listener.
Zaia has already established himself in such a short period of time, but this is only the beginning for the 20 year old artist. You can keep up with Zaia on all streaming platforms.
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 27, 2019 | albums, review
Today, indelible songstress Haley Reinhart releases her latest collection of songs, a full-length titled Lo-Fi Soul. Full of layered, beautiful instrumentals, the entirety of the album is packed to the brim with Reinhart’s soulful, glittering vocals that take you back in time with each new breath, starting with “Deep Water” and leading you all the way through to the last chords of thirteenth track “Baby Doll”. Second track “Oh Damn” slows things down a bit after its predecessor ends, addressing the protagonist’s want to find their one and only. The title track speeds it up a bit more, adding a bit more edge to the collection. “Don’t Know How to Love You” is true blues, both the guitar and the vocals equally as heart-wrenching.
Both “Strange World” and “Shook” are love songs in their own right, both addressing the world in curious and insightful ways, slightly less attractive and way more quirky than other love songs. And while “Crack the Code” is a little more introspective and pondering, while “Lay It Down” sings of a past love, and leaves us questioning what went wrong. “Honey, There’s the Door” brings that sass back, a truly refreshing song of note, and that sass carries right on into “Broken Record”, making these two our favorite tracks on the release.
But she doesn’t stop impressing there. If you listen through to “Some Way Some How”, you will experience a truly breathtaking ballad, not unlike other prior releases of hers. I pity the fool she sings about in “How Dare You”, as karma has clearly been assessed in that situation. And she rounds everything out so gracefully with last track ‘Baby Doll”, the beginning giving us hints of Mariah Carey goodness with Reinhart’s impressive vocal range. But don’t just take our word for it. Enjoy!
Catch her on tour!
04.02.19 – New York, NY – City Winery
04.03.19 – Boston, MA – City Winery
04.04.19 – Sellersville, PA – Sellersville Theatre
04.06.19 – Bay Shore, NY – Boulton Center
04.07.19 – Annapolis, MD – Ramshead On Stage
04.08.19 – Washington D.C. – Jammin’ Java
04.09.19 – Charlotte, NC – Booth Playhouse
04.11.19 – Nashville, TN – Mercy Lounge
04.14.19 – Chicago, IL – Park West
04.15.19 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater
04.16.19 – Lawrence, KS – Granada Theater
04.17.19 – Dallas, TX – Dada
04.19.19 – Denver, CO – Globe Theater
04.20.19 – Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
04.22.19 – Seattle, WA – Crocodile
04.23.19 – Portland, OR – Hawthorne Theatre
04.25.19 – San Francisco, CA – Slims
04.26.19 – Los Angeles, CA – The Roxy
04.27.19 – Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room
Keep up with Haley Reinhart here.
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 26, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
A gorgeous string section lures you effortlessly into London-based power punk musician Hana Piranha‘s new single “Silk and Poison”, released to celebrate new album Waiting To Burn. The song unfolds into a rough, guitar-driven beauty, a cacophony of crashing cymbals, and loud, proud vocals. Just as the title insists, it’s the perfect blend of silk and poison… much like this incredible songstress.
Keep up with Hana Piranha here.
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 26, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
Eighteen-piece Brooklyn-based soul pop collective Model Citizen recently released their new single “Magic Trick”, a high profile track riddled with crashing cymbals, insane guitar riffs, and loud, proud vocals that make the single that much more decadent to rock out to. We’re particularly fond of this track for its horn section, though the intricate layers of instrumentals are absolutely mesmerizing, as it seems to be for most of their incredible music.
Throw some magic into your March below!
The Next Life is out this July. Keep up with Model Citizen here.
