Love is weird. Sometimes it’s hard to keep a relationship going and continue finding things to love about them. But on the other hand, there are some instances where it’s just easy to fall right into someone’s eyes and instantly start adoring every detail about them, regardless of what others think. Memphis-based multi-instrumentalist Dylan Dunn illustrates his thoughts on the latter with his latest single, “Such A Freak.”
The first minutes off the lead single from Dunn’s upcoming independent debut Blue Like YouEP feels like a charming ballad about a loved one featuring simplistic, acoustic stylings similar to that of Cavetown. However, once that first chorus hits, these sweet symphonies evolve into a stark contrast of everything thus far, that being something much more striking and reminiscent of the dark, angsty pop of Conan Gray.
Overall, the track is a genre-bending bop that makes me look forward to listening to more material from the singer-songwriter later this year. Until then, I bet I’ll be hearing this on alternative radio stations in the weeks and months to come.
As the weather gets crisper and we snuggle up under more layers, there is a specific kind of music we yearn for. Nostalgia, warmth, fun. Luckily for us, polymathic artist Miles Francis gives us a run for our money with a curated playlist that provides a little boost of energy to keep us going through the cold winter months.
“breezy bass lines and smooth rhythms to keep it hot as the temp falls.”
With her Subject to Change album due out any minute (OK, ok. It’s actually slated for November 12th. You have to wait a minute here.), Katelyn Tarver has just released an earworm of a track with her new single “Hurt Like That”. We’re big fans of the release, as its sound is contrasted by a vengeful message.
Soft, expertly controlled vocals dance ethereally over a guitar riff, deceptively sweet. Drums layer in at the 43-second mark, as we experience even more of a mid-90s vibe to the composition. The vengeful attitude of a woman scorned by a narcissistic ex-lover presents itself, and the listener finds themselves gently – but swiftly – moved to empathy. After all, how many times have we, too, survived broken hearts, lowered expectations, and empty promises? How many times have we wanted to make the person who broke our hearts feel the same shitty way we felt around them? In some ways, this track is an anthem for the broken-hearted.
Tarver’s recent, heartache-induced releases do make us wonder: Who would abandon anyone with such an angelic voice? (That last line is of particular interest if you need help understanding how absolutely fantastic Tarver’s vocal control is.)
Aside from revving up for a full-length release, Tarver will be joining JOHNNYSWIM on their spring 2022 tour. Check KatelynTarver.com for dates.
Although reflecting on past relationships can hurt like hell, it’s crucial when it comes to enduring and accepting the past on one’s road of self-discovery. Van Nelson Records artist Gabby Holt speaks of her journey through this process on her latest solo offering The Star & The Devil and has just released a more intimate look into her soul with the video for the track “At This Table.”
The ballad itself is gorgeous, with the Portland-based musician contemplating how she found her partner before ultimately confessing the affection she felt for them over a driving piano-driven arrangement and swells of nostalgia-soaked guitars.
Holt says that the inspiration behind this song and the album as a whole was looking back and admitting that she could not erase her past but instead embrace it. “I look at myself with almost child-like eyes, you know. That was the Gabby that was learning, that wanted to fix this situation. This was the part of me that was trying her best. It’s still giving voice to that part of me that was in it. It’s okay to be human…it’s a really human thing to feel that way.”
However, I cannot articulate enough how alluring the accompanying visuals are and how excellently they represent the abstract emotion behind Holt’s lyrics. They primarily follow the singer (sporting a vibrant pink mohawk) as she performs the song directly to her partner, whom she physically and emotionally connects with throughout, while also intermittently playing at a piano and singing in front of a barren beachside.
While this might sound rather simplistic on paper, it comes off as being remarkably poignant and manages to capture the relatability of the entire situation as a whole. Watch the video directed, shot, and edited by Joshua Rivera below!
Husband and wife Kyle and Marci Pruzina want to channel their shared experiences into the energy of their debut album as Suitcase Souls. With their relationship as the foundation, the duo takes inspiration from singer-songwriters and duos such as The Lumineers and Johnnyswim to create an Americana-pop sound for the upcoming project. Running the gamut from uptempo rock sounds to smoother ballads, Suitcase Soul aims to capture the euphoria of being with a close partner. Their new single “Nashville October” is no exception.
The track illuminates with flourishes of electric guitar as the duo celebrates their occasion to release stress and relish every moment spent with each other. Embodying the single’s liberating attitude in the hook is the lyric “I’ll start a fire, if you come on over/ If loving life’s my drug, Then I’ll never be sober”. “Nashville October” is an anthem for those riding the highs of life and others looking for a boost in theirs.
“Nashville October” is the smoke smell in your jacket from last night’s backyard hang, the photos in your camera roll of a selfie that *barely* fit everyone, the feeling of letting go of a past season to grab hold of right now and living in the moment”.
Vonnie Kyle just released her newest music video for her newest single, “Imperfect Parts,” and it has such a cinematic edge to it! The feel of the video was almost theatrical, but in the best way. The video itself mixed with the vibe of the song, created this cinematic type of music video, and I really enjoyed that.
The video managed to tell a story really well. From the beginning when she is first looking into the briefcase to the different objects making an appearance throughout different parts of the video, it all flowed really nicely together. “Imperfect Parts” is also very aesthetically pleasing. I really liked the lighting that was used as Kyle was playing the instruments, as well as the scenes that took place in nature. I particularly liked the part where she is walking through the greenery, it looks so beautiful. It was really amazing that she was shown playing the instruments that are featured on this track in the video! It adds something to the music video and even shows a different part of her musical talents.
Of the song, Kyle admits:
I wrote Imperfect Parts when I fell in love with my best friend. The timing was awful, to be honest; my marriage had just failed, Covid had just started hitting the US, and I was still trying to figure out where the hell I was even going to live. I was still punishing myself daily for having married the wrong person and then letting them down. I hadn’t processed any of this, yet there I was on the phone with this other person, every single night for hours on end, somehow feeling for once like I actually did deserve some sort of joy. I hadn’t felt real joy in years. I had been a shell of a human constantly making compromises to avoid facing a harsh reality, which was that I had been living a life I didn’t belong in.
This song wasn’t going to be on the record, originally. I had already written the whole thing and had no plans to add to it. One night though, I was sitting on the floor of my practice space after a long phone call with the person who is now my partner, and this whole song just sort of fell out of my brain. It didn’t take long to realize this was going to be the title track. It perfectly summed up all of the challenges that the whole record represents, and that’s self-forgiveness, acceptance and moving onward.
So, if you can’t get enough of Portland native, Vonnie Kyle, make sure to check her out and keep up with her upcoming releases.
Directed, filmed, and edited by Joshua Rivera (Rollstars Productions) Produced by Joshua Rivera (Rollstars Productions) and Vonnie Kyle
Haven’t seen Idles live yet? You’re missing out on… an entire experience. Luckily, the insanely talented Anthony Mulcahy shared some photos from his recent night out to see the band at Terminal 5. You can almost taste the sweat.
New Jersey-based singer/songwriter Christina Nicole is not afraid to bare her soul to an audience if her music will linger as an emotional spark to others. Sculpting her vocal skills in school talent shows and academic programs from middle school to college, Nicole turned to songwriting as a special gift for her artistry.
Her sophomore single “Drifting” captures a range of different emotions washing over herself as if she’s going through a therapeutic experience shocking her system. The sparse instrumentation, with shades of Lorde’s minimalist ambient sonics, is eventually rocked by choppy spurts of synths and drums jabbing towards the back half of the track. This production choice induces a sense of disturbance of one’s moment of peace. Nicole’s pained contemplation, especially “Your oceans they took me, Your oceans they broke me/Your oceans they hurt me, Your oceans they’re too deep”, brings the song to life as an inner sensation of drowning when a special connection of love shifts from a fun ride to a turbulent one. Nicole explains:
This song is about an ocean ruining a person as they sink into it. I chose to use an ocean to represent this story using an ocean for specific reasons. Oceans appear absolutely stunning and entrancing when looking at them from a distance. But as you go in, deeper and deeper, you can no longer keep your head above the ruthless water. Something that appeared so beautiful could easily take everything from a person. This theme can apply to so many scenarios in a person’s life.”
“Drifting” by Christina Nicole is out on all streaming platforms.
A Mix for the End of the World pt. 1, the newest LP by the Provo, UT-based band The National Parks, is set for release on October 8. The eight-song collection “…was inspired by love and life, and chronicles the fear, joy, uncertainty, and peace that life might look like at the end of the world.”
A Mix for the End of the World pt. 1 is an album that you will want to hear again and again. I would recommend listening to it from beginning to end, at least the first time out. The first piece, “At the End”, serves as a short (52 seconds) introduction to the music coming next. They have incorporated the same device with “Continuum” – a 41-second interlude leading to the end of the album. Both allow your ears to adjust to the next music.
My two favorite songs on the release, “Headlights” and “Dizzy”, showcase the very lyrics, tunes, and harmonies that have made The National Parks a band that has developed a strong national following.
The National Parks will finish 2021 with a 15 city tour in support of Mat Kearney.
