by Meredith Schneider | Nov 5, 2018 | albums, review
Galway-based folk artist Ultan Conlon released his latest album Last Days of The Night Owl to incredible amounts of praise, landing itself at #1 on RTE. A 12-track masterpiece, Last Days of The Night Owl takes the listener on a lighthearted journey full of easy-listening that reeks of perfection no matter the season. We’re still impressed, so it’s on tap now just as often as it was at its release.
Beginning with “As the Light Gets Low”, Conlon establishes a sense of positivity as he croons, “somethings not right / but i can’t be all of the time.” The album slows only slightly with “The Town Square”, the percussion and tempo picking up again with “Hall of Mirrors”. By this time, we’re hearing direct influence from Roy Orbison, James Taylor, and the likes. “Fond Memories” exists at a gait reminiscent of a 1950s sock hop, though the discontent is obvious in the lyrics.
While “Sorrow Ease” comes in with more clear country influence, “Ojai” feels grand and gorgeous, perhaps just as much so as his expectations of the town before his arrival changes his mind. Memories aren’t always reality, and this song reminds us of that. “Hurt Inside” simplifies the trajectory, while “Time to Mourn” is the most outright melancholic track in every aspect. “The Measure” lightens things up a bit sonically, a toe-tapper if there ever was one, and that vibe continues through “Twice a Child”.
Everything comes to a slow crawl with “A Weak Heart Like Mine”, as Conlon evaluates the difference – or perhaps striking familiarity – between positive and negative feelings in romance. He rounds it all out with “The Fine Art of Happiness”, once again establishing a sense of positivity and looking forward in life. And that’s the note the album was destined to end on, giving us hope for light at the end of our sorrows.
Keep up with Ultan Conlon here.
by ImperfectFifth | Nov 2, 2018 | perspective
A lifelong resident of Jeffersonville, IN, Nick Dittmeier finds a needed reprieve from the looming presence of loss in his life with his new record All Damn Day (due October 26th). Fronting Nick Dittmeier & the Sawdusters, the singer-songwriter lingers on the omniscient Grim Reaper in a way that’s hopeful and uplifting as it is forlorn, harkening to the works of such literary giants as John Steinbeck, Ernest Hemingway, Roald Dahl and Mark Twain. Read Dittmeier‘s story on his first musical influence below:
The first musical experience I had that really made me want to be in a band was watching the scene in The Muppet Movie where Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem are introduced at their rehearsal space. Although the band was comprised of Muppets, they looked like an actual rock n’ roll band and the song they played really grooved. But it was really the band’s attitude that made me wanna be in a pack like the Electric Mayhem.
If you don’t recall the scene, let me refresh you. Kermit and Fozzy, on their road trip to Hollywood, stop in an old church where they discover a psychedelic Muppet band playing music. Dr. Teeth, the band leader, has a strikingly resemblance to Dr. John and other members of the band had loose characteristics to other rock stars of the day. You could say Janis resembles Joni Mitchell and Animal resembles John Bonham. They lay out their long term plans for the church, which included a music venue and coffee shop with organic food.
What I loved about Dr. Teeth and the Electric Mayhem was that everyone in the band was visibly weird and quirky but were completed accepted within the context of the group. They had invented their world and all lived in it. Part of the larger premise of the Muppets was racial and gender diversity, and that’s why many of the characters’ identity was fairly ambiguous. Some characters you couldn’t really discern if they were animal or human. Why they had bright green skin, if they were human, but that wasn’t important— all you needed to know is they looked different but were accepted.
The lyrical content of the song they sang was basically how great it was being in a band and helping people and each other. Also, everyone in the band sang. That scene didn’t make me go out and get a guitar, but it did plant a seed in my head about what kind of community I could be a part of if I learned an instrument.
All of those lessons in the scene are applicable to the current situation I have with my band and the people surrounding it. We’ve gotta manage quirks and personalities and realize we’re for the most part strange people, but those are the personalities that drive this business. It takes a certain kind of weirdo to stop band practice to help a frog and a bear paint their Studebaker psychedelic colors.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 2, 2018 | videos, wolf tracks
Today, Berlin-based alternative indie pop quartet The Flavians – comprised of Liam Blomqvist, Anna Vaverková, Tom Wills, and Joakim Jägerhult – releases their latest single “Non Stop Fun (All I Wanted)” along with an entertaining throwback of a music video. The song itself has vocal parts reminiscent of 60’s folk/pop stars, the tongue-in-cheek video comprised of scenes of a man’s life that one might find particularly dull – traveling on public transit, getting yelled at at the office, getting a drink in a dark bar – that, when etched together, tell a story most anyone can relate to.
See what happens below!
Keep up with The Flavians here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 2, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Looking for a new, irresistible pop track to swoon over for a bit? STF takes smooth dance track to another level with his new track “Lookalike”. The best part? Its disposition completely hides the fact that it is a song that details heartbreak, but the fact that it is so relatable perhaps adds some more zest to the flavor. It’s a pretty fun track, try it on for size!
Keep up with STF here.
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 1, 2018 | premieres, singles, wolf tracks
Indie rock trio Vern Matz – comprised of Danny Belgrad, Michael Lituchy, Noah Silvestry – may hail from New Haven, Connecticut, but their songwriting hits you at your core no matter where you spent your formative years. Explains the band of the track:
“Systematically Gone” was recorded in a small town in Connecticut, where we lived off of vegetarian chili for a few days. It was produced and mixed by Peter Katis, a longtime collaborator with The National and dedicated soup consumer. In “Systematically Gone”, our character has reached a breaking point, and it’s unclear what the next step forward is. It’s like being in an ice cream shop where all the flavors are sherbet and you hate sherbet and your relationship is falling apart.
If you’ve ever questioned a decision or two in life – and I know we all have – this song will be something you hold close. It’s meandering, mellifluous soundscape will keep you feeling safe and warm in the autumn months, as you seek to clear up whatever road blocks you may be experiencing. Check it here, first, below!
Keep up with Vern Matz here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 31, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Indie pop musician Paul Jacks is ready to share his latest single “Laid to Rest” with the world, and we’ve got your first listen! With glittering vocals laid over 80s pop perfect synthesizers and a lighthearted disposition, “Laid to Rest” provides us that warmth that only a John Hughes movie could do adequately, as we melt into our own teen flick dreams.
Defractor is out November 30th.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 31, 2018 | albums, review
The eleven-track compilation stunner just released by Dazzleships Records honestly serves as our life soundtrack at this very moment in time. Ever since we got our first listen, we’ve been running the tracks back through our minds, creating more with these songstresses as our inspiration. Dazzleships Records Presents: Raise By Women is both tantalizing and evocative of a generation – or more – in its entirety. Skull Diver‘s “Bad Star” sets the tone, giving us a grunge indie/pop soundscape to play with, absorbing itself into the quirky and lighthearted tone of Mini Blinds‘ “Happy” before Cat Hoch‘s “Say You Love Me” throws us into an 80’s-inspired bliss.
Natasha Kmeto‘s “Your Girl” blends synths in a similar way to its predecessor, but in a much more contemporary and soulful way. While Rilla‘s “Side Sleeper” is one to get your head bobbin’ to, your feet groovin’ a bit, Johanna Warren‘s “The Blessing The Curse” dunks you in an ethereal, mellifluous soundscape before DANDAN gets all experimental on us with “Broken Mirror”. Black Water Holy Light‘s “Sunrise” belongs on an episode of The O.C. (Seasons 1 or 2 exclusively, please?), and Laura Palmer’s Death Parade brings us to a slow, folk-tinged, melancholia with “Scrollin'”. Haste basically says it all within the instrumentals of “Let’s Touch Ourselves”, with gorgeous vocals and alluring lyrics to make it a powerhouse of a track. And the entire collection is rounded out quite nicley with Sheers‘ “An Osscasion”, which plays with dissonance and a more earthy, string-led sound that really feels delicate.
Keep up with the latest from Dazzleships Records and all their new projects here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 30, 2018 | albums, review
Seattle-based pop trio Tangerine just released their 4-track EP White Dove, which glistens in the glow of nostalgia from the very beginning of firs track “Local Mall” to the last chords of “Lake City”. Though “Local Mall” exists at mid-tempo, it feels more energetic, with Marika’s light-as-a-feather vocals driving the track itself. “Cherry Red” continues with a similar soundscape to its predecessor, bringing out more percussive moments for emphasis. “Monster of the Week” boasts a more sinister tone, perfect for this time of year, and last track “Lake City” is comprised of gorgeous melodies and a feeling of ease that only a beautiful body of water should be able to provide.
Keep up with Tangerine here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 30, 2018 | soundtrack
This month was full to the brim with spooky, gorgeous tones in new music releases. We chose some that match our mood for the witching holiday, and curated what looks to be the perfect Halloween soundtrack full of new music. Featuring new tracks from Nuela Charles, The Penny Serfs, Dead Naked Hippies, Rich Hope, Bonnie Li, and more, check it all out below!
