by Abby Trapp | Apr 24, 2018 | albums, review
Following up on his album Home, singer-songwriter Nathan Evans Fox has released his new album Texas Dust. The Atlanta based singer has a penchant for folk, and is bringing his country roots to his latest work. A North Carolina native, Nathan was immersed in the sounds of folk, bluegrass, rock, and country at a young age. He is also well versed with a range of musical instruments such as the fiddle and the guitar. Texas Dust displays all the talents of Fox’s songwriting, instrumentation, and musical inspirations from his hometown.
A natural storyteller, Nathan’s lyrics tell the tale of his difficulty with religion and heritage growing up. The album is composed of eleven tracks, including the album’s title track “Texas Dust.” Out of those eleven tracks, my personal favorites are “Texas Dust,” “Saint Louis,” and “Great Sky.” A bittersweet ballad to a lost love in Texas, “Texas Dust” tells the story of Nathan’s grandfather- a Southern migrant worker turned Army Sergeant who eventually left the military following the death of his young daughter. The opening line sparks personal and political controversy saying “I was raised by violent men- drinking daddy and Uncle Sam.” The chorus keeps its foreboding tone, “I can’t change all my ways, can’t change the laws of grief—back when I was 21, I was Texas Dust and you were Tennessee.”
“Texas Dust” encompasses the salty and sweet of folk, while staying personal. “Saint Louis,” a wanderlust track, discusses all the places Nathan plans to go across the USA. “It’s been a full year in Saint Louis and we still ain’t getting used to it,” sings Fox. With the Midwest blues, Fox goes on “Now I’m dreaming about that boat taking me where I want to be.” “Saint Louis” holds a feeling of hope and longing, even though Nathan is stuck there. To me, “Great Sky” is perhaps the most uplifting track on Texas Dust. With talks of starting new, Fox sings “What more do I seek from this Heaven upon me?” Fox is looking to turn a spiritual new leaf. While those three tracks remain my favorite, Texas Dust has a little bit of something for everyone- even if you are not one for folk, Nathan’s lyrical talent alone will blow you away.
Look out for Texas Dust and more from Fox here.
by Madison Blom | Apr 23, 2018 | albums, review
Sine the release of his wildly successful synth laid single, “Let It Go,” singer/songwriter Lonely Benson has been working towards the release of his newest self-titled LP. Not only is “Let It Go” the perfect sneak peak to this wonderfully laid back LP, but every song that Lonely Benson contains is full of the same indie pop magic that fans have come to love from this artist. Throughout the entire release, the listener is taken through story after story that has been perfectly executed with the use of clever lyricism and dreamy vocals. One of tracks in particular, “Lazy Lover” aligns itself to this description. Lonely Benson is the ideal listen for any occasion or circumstance–whether you are spending time with friends, laying on the beach, or on a drive by yourself in the countryside.
Throughout all of his tracks, fans will fall in love with all of the thrillingly nuanced synth-pop influences and skillful guitar work. Along with this killer skills in his back pocket, Lonely Benson has the unique ability to create a warm and inviting atmosphere with his music that is both infectious and highly coveted. Without a doubt, this artist has what it takes to make it big time, seeing as there is already a significant amount of buzz surrounding this new project. Since his debut as an artist, he has been featured on Apple Music’s alternative list and has been awarded over 2 million streams on Spotify. Along with killing it with his now millions of stream, he has also created a following through his coverage everywhere from Indie Shuffle to KickKickSnare. No doubt, this new album is going to satisfy all of those who have jumped on the Lonely Benson band wagon.
Keep up with Lonely Benson here.
by Abby Trapp | Apr 20, 2018 | albums, review, wolf tracks
Brazilian/American rock band Added Color are excited to release their latest EP Mr. Industry. The Brooklyn-based band has played has played 200 shows since 2014, touring in over 20 states and even internationally in Canada, Morocco, and Brazil. They have even played in festivals such as Porao do Roc in Brazil. With budding success, we’re thrilled to share the follow-up to their Psycho EP with you.
Mr. Industry covers an intense and diverse side of the band’s sound— the angst is in the lyrics and it is evident that this is rock that you can scream or even relax to. The song “My Industry” discusses the darker side music/entertainment industry in a very honest light. “Mr. Industry” discusses how many followers you have, what you can do to sell a band or a product and how is it that I can only live on ten dollars a day? “Mr. Industry” rightfully states “I call bullshit.” “Same Place” is a little different in the fact that it dials back the vibe to a more pyschedlic state. “I had a dream, in a familiar place but all the people that I thought I knew had unfamiliar faces,” sings the band. Added Color is able to keep a balance between chill/funky and “frustrated” rock with tracks that vary such as “Mr. Industry” and “Same Place.”
March 1 – Washington, DC – Songbyrd
March 2 – Philadelphia, PA – Tusk
March 15 – Norwich, CT – Strange Brew
March 16 – Portland, ME – Portland Empire
March 17 – Florence, MA – 13th Floor
April 28 – Layounne, Morocco
May 1 – Safi, Morocco
May 2 – Youssoufia, Morocco
May 3 – Benguerir, Morocco
May 4 – Casablanca, Morocco
May 5 – Khouribga, Morocco
May 6 – El Jadida, Morocco
May 19 – Brooklyn, NY – Knitting Factory
June 15 – Portland, ME – Portland House of Music
June 16 – New London, CT – 33 Golden St
Keep up with Added Color here.
by Meredith Schneider | Apr 16, 2018 | albums, review
Fresh off the presses, Jaunt‘s new 5-track EP Cue is ready for your waiting ears. Launched on Friday the 13th, there’s nothing spooky about this release, though it does play with dissonance and ambient sounds to bring you into a whole different soundscape than what you might be used to. While first track “Machined” feels like a slight machine interaction – small noises that lend themselves to its overall 70s-inspired feel -,second track “Best Case” continues at a slow tempo, the occasional guitar riff lending itself to a far more groovy sound.
“Intimate Sunset” exists in a soundscape similar to what the title infers. Beachy vibes almost drop from the speakers, and we’re already feeling like we’re on a much needed vacation. “Faster Interactions” is chill, groovy and psychedelic. With the use of a keyboard organ, soft high pitched vocals, and a variety of electronic sounds “Faster Interactions” stays true to its name. The video for “Faster Interactions” also really displays the band’s creativity with a psychedelic feel of fast paced iridescent lights and unexpected visuals.
Of “Faster Interactions” Jaunt says:
“Faster Interactions” is probably our zaniest track to date! It was one of the first written for Cue, but also took the longest to complete. We quickly knew that it would be a single, and playing it repeatedly live has helped us finesse it’s nuances. Caitlin and Eliza really helped bring a new energy and dynamic, ultimately making the song more joyous. We’re also trying very hard to bring back the sound of cheap keyboard orchestra hits in pop music.
They round out the magic with “Cued”, a slower track with more of a vibey, enchanting sound to it all. It’s the perfect bookend to what we have just experienced, and we’re enthralled enough to hear more.
Keep up with Jaunt here.
by Jai'Tyria Hatton | Apr 16, 2018 | albums, review, wolf tracks
Gin Wigmore’s highly anticipated fourth studio album Ivory is finally here. A collection of twelve songs from the catalog of her best music, Wigmore uses her strong command of emotive melodies and pop anthems to create the perfect sound for Ivory. One of the songs from the album is titled “Girl Gang”. and is all about girl power. The song empowers women to have a stronger voice when it comes to love, opinions, and being stronger. With the track follows a video titled “#GIRLGANG”, with a music video that is a tribute to women of all ages, highlighting their unique feminine power.
The album sets a standard for itself with the opening of its title track “Hollow Fate” which is an incredibly beautiful and complex treat for the ears. Wigmore’s vocals are unique and powerful on each track she is on. The entire album is a piece of artwork that is progressively different from what Gin Wigmore has done before.
Ivory is available now. Keep up with Gin Wigmore here.
by Abby Trapp | Apr 12, 2018 | albums, review, wolf tracks
The cool thing about writing for a music magazine is that you get a first look at new music. I recently had the opportunity of listening to Anton Barbeau‘s latest album Natural Causes, which will be released April 13th on Beehive. My favorite track is iconically titled “Summer of Gold.” About a minute in, all I could think about was open road and as I write this I just hit the lyric “Steal a car, hit the road.” “Summer of Gold” takes you back to old America— a simpler time of road trips, convertibles, and cheap motels. The album has a range of fifteen tracks, starting with “(preamble)” and ending with “(ultimate outro).”
One thing to be noted of this album is Anton’s voice as he has a great vocal range. While “Summer of Gold” is my personal favorite, it’s tracks like “It’s The Coffee that Makes The Man Go Mad” and “Magic Sandwiches” that remain equally quirky and unique. The creativity on this album is also seen in the not two, but four intros/outros. “(Preambiguation)” and “(penultimate outro)” are interesting breaks that seamlessly make the album come together.
The Berlin based artist himself has a few words on Natural Causes:
My previous record, Magic Act, was my first on LP. It’s also an album I see in either an alpha or omega role, an introduction for new fans and a sparkly reminder to those that have tried to follow me for a while. Surviving the 2016 election AND turning 50, I’m treating Natural Causes like it’s my second album. The songs I remade are there for personal reasons, enough said. Magazine Street happened to be the first track on my first ever CD, so everything’s come a bit full-circle, as it were.
Stay tuned for the album release on April 13th and keep up with Anton Barbeau here.
