by Meredith Schneider | Oct 2, 2018 | perspective
I had the good fortune and complete ambivalence of being surrounded by excellent music from a very young age. I had The Eagles, Rod Stewart, and The Boomtown Rats coming at me from my father, and Elton John, Toni Braxton, and Whitney Houston coming at me from my mother. While those great songs were being absorbed by my brain in some sort of osmosis way that would show itself later in my life, at the time, my heart and ears belonged only to the pure ecstasy of 90s pop. Take a trip down memory lane with me to a simpler time… MTV was in its golden age, the Lip Smackers and Gelly Roll pens were plentiful, the Gushers and Dunkaroos were delicious, and Britney Spears ruled the world.
From age 3 to 9, I had the coolest babysitter ever; a teenager named Katie who helped me make scrapbooks and watched Clueless with me after school. She introduced me to the Starbucks Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino, took me to the pottery painting place to make my own mugs and plates, and even let me hang out with her and her high school friends sometimes – the ultimate achievement for a mere elementary schooler. We were two peas in a pod, and she would frequently take me with her on her teen excursions to the mall while my mom was building her business.
One day on one of these trips, when I was around 7 years old, we walked past HMV (the big music chain store in Canada) and I was stopped dead in my tracks by the sight of a blonde, bronzed, blindingly bleached-teethed teenager. Britney Spears. Baby One More Time. The album with the curly lettered font I had been seeing all over MTV and in the pages of Tiger Beat magazine, had finally arrived, and I needed it.
Katie, a saint if there ever was one, looked down at my desperate face, walked right into that HMV, grabbed a shrink wrapped copy off the shelf, took it to the register, and paid for it with her own money right then and there. Assuming she was buying the CD for herself, I was green with envy. I wished I were a cool teenager so that I could have a job and money and could buy my own CDs. I silently glared at the pink and white plastic bag in her hand, and without a word, we left the store and continued on our journey towards our Frappuccinos. As we waited at the Starbucks counter, my jealousy subsiding at the prospect of an impending sugar rush, she handed me the bag and smiled, “it’s yours.” WHAT!!!!!!!!! Pure excitement, pure delight, what a joy! My own CD! Oh my god!
In the car, before we even left the mall parking lot, we tore off the shrink wrap, put the CD into the disc drive, and gave ourselves over to the magic of a 1999 Britney induced bliss. It was the best thing I had ever heard. It sounded to me like fun in sonic form. We slurped our 1400 calories of cream and syrup, danced our faces off the whole way home, and continued to do so every day for the rest of the Summer. Still to this day, no matter how “good” or high-brow or critically acclaimed the music, nothing has made me feel that same visceral joy and pure excitement that Baby One More Time did almost 20 years ago. Just last week a song from that album came on, and I immediately found myself craving a strawberry Frappuccino…
Keep up with Lindsay Kay here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 2, 2018 | premieres, singles, wolf tracks
Vancouver, BC-based rock musician Rich Hope – who is joined by Adrian Mack on drums – releases his new track “5 Cents a Dance” today, and we’re streaming it for your eager ears. Whirring guitar and intense percussion lead you into a soundscape that sets its listener into party mode. This song is hard-hitting and raw, sticking with you far after the track stops playing. Hope’s energy-inducing sound is so fast that you might have issues keeping up, though perhaps that’s the biggest thing we need on this gorgeous Tuesday.
Get your exclusive first listen to “5 Cents a Dance” below.
Keep up with Rich Hope here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 1, 2018 | soundtrack, visual
If you thought the first half of the month had insane amounts of fun new videos, then you’d be hard pressed to say any different of the second half of the month. So while everyone else is singing their praises to Green Day’s “Wake Me Up When September Ends”, we will be enjoying these new visuals from people who have captured the first hints of autumn for us sonically. Enjoy the following videos with us, featuring Cat Power, IAN SWEET, Holy Golden, Roosevelt, MUSE, We Like Jesus, and more!
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 1, 2018 | albums, review
On September 28th, New York-based trio Isla Invisible – comprised of Rebecca Adorno, Julian Brau, and Ryan Correira – released four track collection EP1, and we’ve got some thoughts. From the first, slow, almost trepidatious lines of initial track “Pillow”, EP1 seems to glide through the atmosphere, leaving showers of slow motion glitter in its wake. Even with the deeper, surf-friendly sounds of “Outward” – check out the lyrics that match the vibes of the instrumentals perfectly – and its punk-tinged follow-up “Frail Devices”, the collection boasts an ethereal yet raw sound that will stick with you hours past listening to it. “If All Is” rounds it all out with that same soft sound provided by the vocals in “Pillow”, though there’s much more intent behind this track. It might actually throw you into a state where you’re not entirely sure which emotion you should evoke, but that’s the beauty of EP1. It brings us to a place where we can lay our emotions bare and feel what the music has to offer.
Take a listen below.
Keep up with Isla Invisible here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 1, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Los Angeles-based, Boulder-bred genre bending artist Sophia Scott may have a knack for blending country and r&b music, and it might be totally intriguing. Her new track “Strangers Again” has the bravado of a Carrie Underwood track, with a unique pop flare that keeps us coming back for more. Check it out below!
Keep up with Sophia Scott here.
by Meredith Schneider | Oct 1, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
With the smoothness of a Chromeo track, and a soulful vibe that likens the track to many of its influences, pop rock collectve Pet Envy‘s new track “Middleman” provides the upper hand in its genre, giving us all a new standard by which to judge our new fall releases. The Nashville-based band – comprised of Shelbi Albert, Jake Diggity, Matthew Singler, Jordan Klatt, and Emma Lambiase – brings a certain flare to the track that gives you permission to bob your head along, no matter the atmosphere you might encounter it in.
For example, now would be great.
Keep up with Pet Envy here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 27, 2018 | premieres, videos, wolf tracks
San Jose-based indie pop/electronica singer/songwriter Anja Kotar has a new music video for her enticing single “Coltrane”, and we’re lucky enough to be hosting the exclusive premiere. Her soulful, robust vocals dance effortlessly across a soundscape you can’t help but move to when you hear it. Kotar displays her playful side while she sings into the mirror while applying makeup. She also splashes around in a tub, dances in sandals, and hangs out around her home, seen through rose-colored glasses.
Keep up with Anja Kotar here!
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 26, 2018 | singles, wolf tracks
Savi Minds – the brainchild of Los Angeles-based singer/songwriter Mikale D’Andrea – recently unleashed new single “Lazy” onto the public. Mellow and intricately layered, the track features D’Andrea’s light-as-a-feather vocals, providing a soundscape that eases your mind and blankets your senses. It truly puts you in the mindset that the name implies, and we’re all for it moving into the mellow autumn season.
Keep up with Savi Minds here.
by Meredith Schneider | Sep 26, 2018 | premieres, singles, wolf tracks
PNW-based CNJR (kon-jer) creates a soundscape like no other, drawing from multiple genres for a sound that is theatric, brooding, and alive in all of its synth-infused glory. An instrumental masterpiece, we find ourselves drawn in by the hip-hop aspects of the track, the bass coming through in spurts that make any listener want to move. Though the Hive Mind EP isn’t set to release until next month on Future Archive Recordings, we have the exclusive premiere of new track “Ansible” (and its two remixes) below. Check them out, and let us know which one is your favorite!
Keep up with CNJR here.
