by ImperfectFifth | Nov 20, 2020 | albums, review
Hannah Grace has been praised by music legends like Lady Gaga, and you only have to press play on her new album, Remedy, to understand why. From top to bottom, this album is the story of finding and losing love, and in the end, becoming sure of yourself. Tracks like “Feels Like Home” and “Different Kind of Love” are the optimistic phase of falling in love. Both songs reflect on the past with the hope to move forward in what could be a safe and loving relationship. Grace does little to shy away from the more heartbreaking parts about falling in love, however. “Missing the Show” details the struggle of saying goodbye to a lover but recognizing that the back and forth has proven to be unsuccessful and therefore, it is time to move on. The more celebratory pieces like “Blue”, “How True Is Your Love”, and the darker layered “Live Like Love” represent the freedom and openness that we all long for in our lives.
With the help of radiant choirs, powerhouse vocals, and dance breaks when needed, Grace’s Remedy covers important ground when it comes to falling in and out of love. Not only does she give insights on how to love, but she also gives us an idea on how to heal.
by Sabrina Thurber | Nov 19, 2020 | premieres, wolf tracks
Stephen Patchan commands all attention with his new single, “Thank You for the Panic”.
The independently released track arrives under Patchan’s artist name, The Ceiling Stares, and most certainly accomplishes his goal of illustrating the madness that has been 2020.
With a jarring start and an abrupt ending, discomfort is just one of the many sentiments that this song evokes. The piece includes overlapping vocals, pulsating synths and fast-moving brass instrumentation — creating a similar ambience to what we would expect from Alt-J and Moon Hooch coming together for a genius, impromptu recording session. It becomes clear that Patchan has a knack for building tension, as he leads us to a dead stop that no one was expecting. Suddenly, we find ourselves being prompted to, quite literally, “go insane”.
I don’t know about you, but it’s not too often that I am encouraged to go crazy… Yet, I think Patchan is on the right path with this notion.
What this song proves is that, from time to time, chaos is good. And if anything, listening to a chaotic song might just make the rest of life seem a little bit less chaotic in comparison.
In “Thank You for the Panic”, the born and raised Los Angeleno uses his synth rock sound to illustrate the personal and societal angst this year has brought. Patchan takes inspiration from groups such as Wire and Yellow Magic Orchestra, and this track serves as a nod to Golden Age hip hop.
Patchan’s debut album, Wicked Problem, was released this past August.
by Tiffany Czech | Nov 19, 2020 | premieres, wolf tracks
At just the time when we are in need of as much cheer as we can get, Indiana-born and LA-based indie rock artist Jeremy Buck has bestowed upon us the uplifting and empowering single, “Don’t Look Down”. Inspired by how one may feel while walking on a tightrope and riddled with fear, the track sends the message that even though a lot of things really suck, everything will be okay if you just focus on the good things life has to offer.
The catchy chorus is sure to satisfy any pop music fan’s quest for a new sing-along jam, and it will likely remain in your head for an extended stay after an initial listen. Buck’s powerful vocals carry the verses, which provide a perfect sprinkle of rock n’roll.
Buck shares of the need to write a song like this:
With all of the negative energy and the constant threat of imminent doom that is being spoon-fed to use through the media, I felt a huge creative urge to share my concerns and frustrations but in a way that will hopefully spread positivity.
by Tiffany Czech | Nov 18, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Sitting under the starry sky at a songwriting retreat in West Texas, Sarah Sample and her sister began writing “Old Barn Owl”. A feeling of openness came over them, one that can be hard to obtain otherwise in a world filled with such judgment. For the listener, that same feeling of openness translates well, leaving your speakers and entering your world. All it takes is a soft guitar and gentle words to feel the very same warmth of the fall Texas air that Sample felt when penning this tune. When the last note hits, you will indeed forget any feelings of failure and uncertainty, trading it for the feeling that everything is alright.
Sample says of her experience writing the track:
My sister and I sat under a fall moon and wrote the chorus. As we started singing the lines, something cathartic was happening. It was quiet. It was healing. We reflected on what can happen in nature, with no one to judge you and the acceptance that you are worthy just as you are. You never know what kind of song you’re going to write, but sometimes when you’re in a mystic place you get these kinds of odes to nature.
by Sadie Battle | Nov 18, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
As we all brace for impact on whatever else this year might throw at us, there’s one song that may soften the stress and solitude that still looms in the air. That song is Megan Diana’s new single “Cabin Fever” – a warm and ambient combination of Diana’s finessed French Horn playing, harmonious vocals, and lyrical journey that really showcases her songwriting talent. After going into lockdown along with the rest of the world, but even more so by heading into the seclusion of a cabin in the middle of woods in March 2020, Megan Diana came out with an entire album worth of work in just a few short weeks. While the forthcoming third album isn’t expected until early 2021, “Cabin Fever” is an incredible lens into what Megan Diana wants to explore through her craft. Just under the four minute mark, you’ll find yourself pressing replay on this song to transcend and find comfort in something that sounds familiar and brand new all at once.
In her own words about the single, Megan Diana explains:
This isn’t just a song for quarantine or lockdown times; it’s a song for all those moments we feel trapped or inherently stuck, unable to roam the world the way we’re used to doing. It’s a wintry indulgence full of heated emotion; a song of escape and experience that, in itself, offers a special kind of solace and refuge.
by Tiffany Czech | Nov 17, 2020 | premieres, singles
When Georgia-based indie artist Josephine Johnson realized that her love for music took precedent over her love of a person, she took that feeling to the studio and created “Built to Last”. This is where Johnson is able to build upon the idea that what we need may not always be what we want. The peaceful essence of the tune creates a powerful feeling of security in the sometimes uncomfortable realization that what we need for ourselves may be just a step outside of our comfort zone.
With the help of Johnson and “Built to Last”, we are reminded that while there may be a great deal of comfort in what we want, there just may be a greater payoff for going for what we need. At the end of the day, you just might see yourself blossom.
Johnson explains of what inspired the track: “I loved someone very much, but ultimately knew that the path I’m on—doing music professionally, touring–would be done without him, though in my heart it always felt that I was the one he needed. Funny, I know now that I don’t need him!”
