by Meredith Schneider | Nov 17, 2017 | 5 to 7
Los Angeles-based dream pop trio Ròsa released new track “Stranger” today, a glittering pop anthem perfect for a fiery autumn romance. As the electric guitar wanes in the background, the lightweight vocals take over and create an ambiance of beauty that takes over your eardrums – and your surroundings – from the first few chords of the track.
In honor of the new single, we got a few minutes with the guys to talk about a little bit of inspiration, texture, and trust. Check it out below!
What is the first album/song you remember hearing, and who introduced it to you?
I (Will) grew up with The Beatles playing all the time. So hearing them is literally my earliest memory. As far as consciously listening to an album, the first was either Led Zeppelin IV or Madman Across the Water by Elton John. My father did right by me in this department.
What is the origin story of RÒSA? (Be honest… was it a meet cute?)
The way we met was super cute of course. We met at a religious conference and became best friends or something. We realized we all wanted to do the same thing and went for it. So, Jesus Christ brought us together.
Your single “Stranger” is about feeling discomfort with modern romance. If you could have it your way, how would things be different?
I’m not too sure I know enough or have enough of a perspective on modern romance to suggest how things ought to change. The song is more of an existential concern than a cultural critique. That being said, I think it’s all too much of a self-interested game. I think honesty and vulnerability ought to be the norm from the very beginning. The rules for this game we have created establishes the potential for increased dishonesty and self-centeredness. We all treat each other as means to an end, rather than as ends in themselves. I am speaking to a part of myself as well. I don’t see myself separated from this pathology.
What was the production process like for the track?
“Stranger” began on an acoustic guitar, which is actually very rare for me now. This particular song came to the guys (Tay and Mike) a bit more completed and mapped out as well. There wasn’t much fighting between us with Stranger. It all came very naturally. We never really fight when writing but have discovered that Taylor is harder to please and sometimes will think a part is bullshit that we are okay with. We really trust each other though and any differences are talked through super rationally. Good vibes only in the studio, ya know?
How do you imagine people listening to “Stranger”?
I prefer people listen to Stranger doing nothing but focusing on every sound and texture that we worked so hard to create, because I’m a narcissist. However, if it had to be a soundtrack to our lives I’d want it to be the background music at some swanky/cultured get together in that neighborhood that has been recently gentrified where no one feels emotionally safe. The kind of gathering people go to in order to feel a sense of social worth. The kind of gathering where everyone is looking for someone to fuck. That’s a thing right? Idk. The chorus of Stranger is a question for those people, ya know? I don’t imagine our music is incredibly challenging on the surface but I’d like it to challenge people as much as it could.
Let’s keep it in the realm of romance. Celebrity crush… go!
I don’t trust celebrities. I think the whole concept is fucked up. That being said, Ellen. I know there exists some complications with my choice but the heart wants what it wants.
Touché. Anything else you’d like to add?
Thanks for talking with me. We’re here for a good time not a long time, ya know? Idk, I feel like that shit’s important.
___
Keep up with Ròsa here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 17, 2017 | wolf tracks
Though his musical prowess spans years of experience in the Los Angeles music scene, Spencer Robinson’s latest indie/alternative folk project – Spencer Robinson and The Wolf Spiders – focuses on a darker sound. And they’re preparing to release a new eight track album on November 24th, so we sat down to listen to it so you can get a feel for what’s to come.
It’s a lot of darkness, but a lot of fun.
Steady percussion begins first track “Drink Gasoline, Spit Fire”, splintering into a 70s rock feel. Once Spencer’s vocals hit, the tone of the song becomes more mysterious than before, as he sings with a jaded attitude – it is essentially a Sons of Anarchy drinking song – that would suggest a true old soul might live “beneath the surface.” While “Killer on The Farm Tonight” might have a title that seems a little off-kilter, it can be a very real fear for people who live in rural areas. (Especially after viewing particularly scary movies.) Still, the lyrics allow it to be a little bit more of a fun song. “Bleed Me” gets pretty vulnerable, as Spencer sings of pulling poison out of his body, a process that can get intimate. Really, if we’re looking for a widely translatable approach, he’s singing about ridding himself of demons and negativity of the past.
But don’t allow yourself to get enveloped by talks of blood, as you’ll soon have to come up for air just to “Enter the Void”. An introspective track, lines like “Are you lost inside your head?” and “What’s it all about?” allow you the distinct pleasure of pondering those thoughts as the song slowly meanders along. And though “September” is now long gone, we don’t have a substantial answer for Spencer’s question as to where it actually went. He goes on to sing about darkness – the coming of shorter days, it seems – and the loss of time, which he spins into having a lack of his own faculties before an abrupt end as he takes his “last breath.” And you won’t be finding any warm fuzzies in “Take Me To The Killing Floor”, but you will find yourself intrigued with the details as the track unfolds. Seventh track “10 Years of Fire” lightens the entire album up instrumentally, replete with chimes. He’s taken ten years of transgressions and thrown them on a contrasting backdrop, while simultaneously allowing even the most ethereal sounds to spin you wildly out of control. He rounds it all out with “Teenage Supernova”, a track that feels slower, like it retrieved more inspiration from California surf rock than a grunge or folk scene. The guitars match that feel, and almost gives off a positive – certainly less-than-jaded – feel of confidence.
If only we could all be Teenage Supernovas…
Beneath The Surface is out November 24th via Rusty Knuckles. Keep up with Spencer Robinson and The Wolf Spiders here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 16, 2017 | wolf tracks
Megan Bülow – the seventeen year old pop artist from the Netherlands that goes by Bülow – is just shy of graduating high school, but is breaking out of her shell with her recently released debut EP Damaged Vol 1. The glittering lead single – “Not A Love Song” – sets an upbeat tone to the introduction of this true talent, whose rasp-tinged vocals are the perfect ear candy for your weekend. Her lyrical honesty and ability to allow her vocals to float almost effortlessly over the production is a telltale sign of lasting power, and we can’t wait to see what’s to come from this smooth talker.
Admits Bülow of the track:
“Not A Love Song” is about the excitement of meeting someone for the first time. Initially it feels so new and overwhelmingly good, but eventually I decided I wasn’t ready for that commitment. Or at least that’s what I told myself. You can’t let lust fool you. Be honest with yourself, If it’s not meant to be it’s not meant to be, but doesn’t mean you can’t have fun!
Keep up with Bülow here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 16, 2017 | wolf tracks
A few weeks ago, Los Angeles based punk project ExSage (led by Kate Clover) released a three track EP titled Total Devotion. A work that seems to bring out the listener’s inner badass, it focuses on rough, dark guitar riffs and soul-infused vocals that ooze a mature and wide-reaching understanding of the music landscape of the last few decades. “Under Your Spell” is a track that vilifies the residual effects of a love interest’s pull on Clover’s heart strings. What Clover really does well is transports you with that vocal talent, bringing out the psychedelic, kaleidoscope-tinged feel of bluesy 70s rock, simultaneously worthy of modern play and beige leather fringe jackets. While “Come Alive” provides a truly toe-tapping beat that pulls from clear 80s rock with a little Madonna flare, “So Intertwined” really plays with synth and reverb to create a track that almost bounces from decade to decade with each new stanza, drawing the most party-ready sound into the fold just in time to amp you up for whatever life brings your way.
Total Devotion is out now. Keep up with ExSage here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 16, 2017 | wolf tracks
Polish alternative band Trupa Trupa – comprised of Grzegorz Kwiatkowski, Tomek Pawluczuk, Wojtek Juchniewicz, and Rafał Wojczal – released an eleven track collection titled Jolly New Songs at the end of October. Packed with intense attitude and reverb for miles, the album’s sound will keep you captivated as it trudges through first track “Against Breaking Heart of a Breaking Heart Beauty” until the last fourth, when it enters into an even darker soundscape and really thrashes into “Coffin”, which enters into the light, indie pop realm with its sound. By the end of it, you spiral into a feeling of falling, which is perfect because the third track is a frantic attention-getter that swirls into a dreamlike state-inducing trance track titled “Falling”. And while “Mist” is darker, led by percussion, the title track keeps a pleasant sound to the vocals, as though it’s staying on the polite end of the soundscape almost because of its title. That’s all well and good, until the song takes on an almost Tim Burton flare and spirals into a heavy instrumental cacophony that feels dangerous and inviting.
“Leave It All” is as melancholic in sound as the title would suggest, though the song itself leans more toward an off-kilter lounge band sound, though the theatrical nature of “Love Supreme” draws us into a Wizard Of Oz-meets-death march realm where Tim Burton’s antics feel slight and far away. “Never Forget” pulls us out of the darkness and plunges us into a dark alleyway, where we’re almost marching forward, decked out in combat boots and a leather jacket. “None of Us” reminds us of a dark and murky lullaby – perhaps for Satan’s children more so than anyone else – with guitar riffs that could swallow your ears whole. The tumultuous instrumentals in “Only Good Weather” remind us of the so-called reliability of the National Weather Service (ha!), replete with waning guitars and a swirling, psych rock bed of sound. And – if you ask us – Trupa Trupa did us a service making the crashing sounds of “To Me” the last track, as it, too, splinters into an uproar of crashing cymbals and intense rock vibes before leveling out and inducing a feeling of calm with its listeners.
Every emotion is palpable with Jolly New Songs. You just have to let it envelope you.
Jolly New Songs is out now. Keep up with Trupa Trupa here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 16, 2017 | wolf tracks
Just one day before the release of his new Newport Drive EP, Gaston Light (Dallas, Texas’ rock musician Jason Corcoran) is releasing his title track to tease your ears a bit. Slow and moody like a Brian Fallon song, Corcoran has really captured a robust, deep rasp that could entrance any human being. All that aside, the melancholic tone really makes you look inward as the words roll around in your head, building into crashing symbols and a grand, rock opera feel. We can’t imagine a person in the house not raising a lighter, or at least their phone flashlight, to enjoy “Newport Drive” to its fullest.
Newport Light is out November 17th. It is available for preorder now. Keep up with Gaston Light here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 15, 2017 | wolf tracks
On October 27th, New York-based experimental group The U.S. Americans – comprised of Jeff Weiss (Vocals/Guitar/Percussion), Emerson Williams (Drums), Daniel Deychakiwsky (Bass/Guitars), and Roy Abraham (Guitars) – released twelve track full-length Greatest Hits to what we are sure has been nothing but thundering applause. Those of you who have yet to witness what we’re talking about are in for a real treat, as the very beginning of the entire album includes that fateful quote from Miss Teen USA 20017 when Miss South Carolina made herself – and probably our entire country – look really, really intelligent. You can’t argue that a good punk song speaks to the establishment, and where better to start than with the lack of common sense displayed by the majority? Plus, add that killer guitar solo we’re not sure we’ve witnessed a better record intro.
“Money in America” comes in rough, dark, and brooding in its instrumentals, with attitude for miles in the vocals. “Dance Song 17” brings the sound back to a more pop space, while “Innocent Fools” makes you feel like you’re in a funk jam session. And while “Manolo” hits like a 70s rock track – and trust us, we’re totally into it – “Movies” slows everything down to progress into intense guitar licks and a real metal twinge to them, a rock ballad that could stand the test of time if we let it reach notoriety of any sort.
“Fade Out” meanders on at a crawl, a little more 90s grunge/rock feel of melancholia about it. But “Storytime” seems to lighten up the narrative, showcasing a short story of less than a minute, and bringing us into more of a lighthearted headspace. “King Someday” brings The U.S. Americans back to their attitude-ridden antics, though the otherworldly references are fun in a modern-alien advocate-type of way. “Lazy Suzy” hilariously picks up the tempo more than its predecessors, making us actually feel like we should get up and dance over really anything at present. “FCK THE KGB” is pretty self-explanatory, a hard-hitting, no-holds, barred, pure punk track that completely rejects certain aspects of modern history, and understandably so. The U.S. Americans end the album in the most American way possible… with the guitar-driven track “Dentist Street”. A light rock – almost folk – feel envelopes the listener in a familiar warmth, as the waning guitar increases the magic of it all.
Greatest Hits is available now. Keep up with The U.S. Americans here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 14, 2017 | wolf tracks
Acoustically-driven alt indie rock musician Michael Vickers might hail from Leicester, but the message in his music is universal. Thankfully, he is currently working on an EP to release in early 2018, and new tracks are emerging from this project to give us a little taste of what’s to come. Though his new track “Every Time We Meet” won’t be out until Friday, we actually have the official U.S. streaming premiere of it for you right now.
The tambourine and bluesy sound of the harmonica drive the track, as Vickers reflects on the good times and the feelings associated with those memories. A follow up to his track “Won’t Stop Believing” (which hit number 42 on the iTunes Singer Songwriter charts), Vickers has similar hopes for “Every Time We Meet”, and we can’t blame him. Co-written with Michael Tedstone, Vickers paid homage to his recently passed grandfather by playing his harmonica on the track, a sweet and heartbreaking facet to the song that gives it a bit more meaning for Vickers himself. His heart-wrenching vocals take you on a journey through the “butterflies” and insane positivity that comes with love. It will absolutely put a smile on your face, so why not take a quick break with it?
“Every Time We Meet” is out November 17th. Keep up with Michael Vickers here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 14, 2017 | wolf tracks
Last month, Brooklyn-based psych rock collective Ritual Talk – comprised of Alex DeSimine (Vocals, Guitar), Alex Tremitiere (Vocals, Bass), Tom Criblez (Vocals, Drums, Percussion), Dylan Gleit (Vocals, Guitar, Percussion), and TJ Alcala (Vocals, Keys) – released their simply beautiful debut five-track EP titled Rippled Glass. “Sense” takes advantage of its first slot on the EP, slowly layering in instrumentals after introducing smooth, harmonized vocals that implore you to “put away your phone and look me in the eye,” which provides a good jumping off point. (Because, why don’t you put away your phone to enjoy this release a bit? Unless you’re streaming it from your phone. Then keep your phone out.) It continues to crawl along, really displaying the vocal range the quintet is capable of. And while “Help, I’ve Been Dreaming” is an upbeat, almost glittering, it maintains verses that feel very 70s, with accompaniment that feels like 2000s pop rock.
“All in Blue” feels, once again, slightly more contemporary, but in a very easy-listening way. Add in the reverb-filled vocals, and you’re falling “deeper,” as the meaning of the EP’s title comes into full view, even as it “spills out of view.” “Follow You” almost makes no sense lyrically, and then you realize that the sentiment of the song is that of young love. If love is approached properly, neither of the responsible parties will end up following the other at all. Instead, it is important to meet your love interest where they are, and work together from where you are toward a life in tandem. It’s not easy, but the perspective with which this song has been written is beautiful and optimistic. “Dancing Still” rounds out the release, a more lyrically-involved track than its predecessors, layering in more of a pop sound as well. Simultaneously painting a picture of love – perhaps a twin flame type of take on things – and of the thrill of a love interest who enjoys dancing like no one is watching, the track has more than one place in your music library for its sound.
In fact, so does all of Rippled Glass. So get on it.
Rippled Glass is available now.
