Nomadic Firs was hard at work on another project when he decided to change course with the onset of the pandemic. That new project became his album, Memory Weeks, a glimpse of hope amongst all the hopelessness. “Captain Hammock” starts out with a simple guitar and lyrics about longing for something better. About halfway through, the guitar fades away as a sort of electronic interlude takes its place, perhaps as a transition to this better place. Moving on to “William”, we hear less melody and more of a narrative about seeking security and safety in turbulent times. It has sentiments of thankfulness for the ability to take a pause from life and just breathe, a departure from the previous track.
The electrifying “Planes in the Dark” sets a new tone for the album, offering listeners a chance to question their own perceptions. The seemingly endless synthesizers effectively suck you right into the world of the song. As the record carries on, the tones shift, including with “Ok Sleep In”, which brings you to a dreamland, perhaps one you would find when getting that needed extra rest. The final track, “DJ Preesh”, is a far contrast from the earlier tracks. Bringing the album and all of its pieces full circle, it takes us to the “something better” that we were longing for in the opener. Now, we are set free.
Back in 2017, Algiers released “Cleveland”, in which lead singer Franklin James Fisher takes an opportunity to list the names of black people who were either killed by police or who had suspicious circumstances surrounding their death. Now, they have released a new, reimagined version titled “Cleveland 20/20”. Much like the earlier version of the song, it includes the names of black people killed by police violence, adding 232 names of victims that have been murdered since the original release. It begins with intense music, made this way by rattling percussion and a pulsating base. Fisher uses these moments to describe the violence exacted upon black people by police officers, creating a very poignant message. While it calls back to the uprisings of June, it makes the clear message that police violence against black people is no new issue.
The full reimagined version of this song lasts about an hour, making it not just a song, but an experience. It’s an experience that seeks to do more than just remember those who have been murdered, but also call attention to a real problem of injustice that, despite what some may think, has not gone away.
The band will once again take over Adult Swim’s Instagram account on Tuesday, November 10th at 2pm ET.
Wesley Schultz isn’t just the co-founder The Lumineers. He is a brilliant performer with the ability to bring songs to life in his own way. He proves this on his debut solo album, Vignettes. It may be shocking to find out that his first full length solo release is actually an album full of covers.
We first get to hear him take on Bruce Springsteen’s “My City of Ruins”. A more stripped-down version than the original, Schultz brings his acoustic style to the song and makes it feel like his own. His rendition of Coldplay’s “Green Eyes” bears some extra resemblance to the original apart from the lyrics, including the acoustic style that, when sung by Schultz, breathes a new life into the song. Perhaps the most breathtaking track is “Mrs. Potters Lullaby”, originally by Counting Crows. Complete with a slowed down piano and background violin, it is a far departure from the original. Another piano-heavy track is “Operator (That’s Not the Way It Feels)”, originally by Jim Croce and featuring a prominent guitar.
A cover album may be a gamble as a debut album, but Wesley Schultz made each track his own every step of the way. By creating a record composed of his greatest musical influences, listeners get an inside look Schultz as not only a musician, but as a person. Schultz says of the purpose of the album:
I was introduced to a lot of music through other artists, listening to their covers and then going backward. So part of this record is the joy of exposing something that you know is beautiful, while trying to make it your own so that they both can stand on their own two feet. It’s almost like you’re showing people your personal playlist, your inspiration.
Nashville’s indie pop scene songsmith Jessica Ott, who performs as Whoa Dakota just released the music video for her single “Baggage”. The song is all about establishing self-respect through vulnerability in a relationship. Her influence and purpose of this song comes from her realization of how many times in relationships, both romantic and otherwise, she had traditionally abandoned herself in order to make the other person more comfortable. Being completely open and honest with your partner can sometimes seem like the more difficult option. All too many of us might relate with the idea of making sure our partner is more taken care of than ourselves in a relationship. She focuses on changing these behaviors as she sings: “Is it cool if I set my baggage down / ’Cause I think you like havin’ me around / You recognize you don’t know where I’ve been / But you’re down to help me change the shape of it.”
Says Whoa Dakota of the track:
Allowing space in the allyship of feminism for the evolved man. Those men that recognize they will never fully understand what we as women have been through, but who make themselves available to listen and champion the women that they date, marry, work with, or are in friendship with – as well as women they may never encounter.
In the music video, Ott and partner Collin Gundry play a married couple who, to all outward appearances, are your perfect 50’s suburban template. Directed by Samantha Zaruba, the metaphor for vulnerability in relationships is played out by a housewife’s murdery secret and accidentally getting caught in the act. You’ll have to watch the video yourself to find out the fate of this relationship, and whether or not her baggage is too heavy. The spoofy macabre details of the video are contrasted by the gorgeous set designs featuring all the chic 50’s props and costumes. You can pre-save the track on your favorite streaming service, and follow Whoa Dakota on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook for updates.
Pour yourself a glass of wine and get ready to hit play on Eliyya Lane’s hypnotizing new single, “Drippin’”. You will feel a rush of calm energy come over you as you indulge in this soothing ballad. It is almost as if it was created for the specific purpose of listening to it with lights down low on a cozy fall evening. Perhaps this feeling comes from the lyrics themselves, which seem to point towards Lane being in a euphoric state due to the warmness she feels being around the person she loves. That warmness translates from the speakers well, leaving you feeling wrapped up in the very same elatedness that overcomes her. This calm feeling could also come from the sonic world created within the track. This world includes haunting percussion and synthesizers that gradually intensify as they pull you further into Lane’s world throughout the duration of the song.
Lane has worked to craft a song that is perfect for a couple things. It is a great song to turn on when you are filled with happiness, especially if the source of the happiness is love. It is also just simply a much-appreciated relaxation tune. If you are looking to sit back and turn the world off for just a few minutes, Eliyya Lane has you covered.
I have sent letters. I have donated to organizations. I have studied the issues. I have had discussions. I have listened. I have voted. I have worn a mask and socially distanced since March 15th.
Now, I will listen to music. On room speakers, not my earbuds. Albums, CD’s and downloads. Recorded live music and acoustic. Artists I have just discovered and artists that I have loved forever. R & B, folk, rap, heavy metal, dance, rock and roll. I will sing all the words that I know and hum the ones I don’t. I will dance, regardless of the genre. I will remember all of the incredible live shows I have attended and anticipate the shows to come.
Music is not a panacea for all the problems that we face. But today, it will help me through the day.
November is already off to a kickass start. We’ve got a lot of pressure in the first week of the month alone – and that’s only after enduring the insane energy from a blue moon, daylight savings time, and Halloween this weekend – so it’s ok to return to check out our favorite newbies as much as you can for some music therapy! The soundtrack includes Lowertown, Allegra, MIHI NIHIL, Bengal Lancers, Wa Wa Punx, Ludic, Jesse Ruben, Malvae, Alex Maas, and more.
As he prepares to unleash his fourteenth full-length release upon the world, folk-pop artist Richard X. Heyman brings us introspective new track “Choices We Make” just ahead of the 2020 election. As someone who hasn’t necessarily ever shied away from political commentary, this is one of the most directly political lyric videos we have seen leading up to Tuesday’s big event.
As always, we’re impressed with Heyman’s showmanship, knowing full well he is responsible for most of the instrumentals and writing for the entire track. This time around, he has enlisted his wife (Nancy Leigh) to play bass, Probyn Gregory (the Brian Wilson band) on trumpet and trombone, and Duke Guillaume on sax.
The track itself meanders along comfortably, asking the listener to dig deep for meaning in the choices they have made up to this point, as well as to consider future choices. Though the song does have an obvious political lean, it is something to keep in your back pocket when you have future decisions to think about. It breathes promise into your convictions, and brings a sense of strength to the process.
Check out the new lyric video below, and let us know what you think over on our Facebook page!
Rainy car rides in the fall could use more songs like Irene Skylakaki’s “Sutherland Avenue”. Complete with emotional lyrics and a gentle sway-like melody, it makes you want to embark on a journey of self-discovery of sorts, searching for all the answers as to how you ended up here. Maybe by the end, you will find what you are looking for, as suggested by how the track accelerates into a completely new world after the two-minute mark. It is a story of perplexity, maybe even frustration, about something you love ending and feeling like you have no understanding of how it happened. In her search for her own moment of clarity, she actually provides us with clarity as we are able to work to fully understand not her emotions that inspired the song, but our own emotions that become comprehensible after listening to it.
Irene says of her hope for the track:
I would prefer it if anyone who listens to ‘Sutherland Avenue’ connects with it through their own experiences. The lyrics to the song are quite self-explanatory and raw and after various tries, I insisted on keeping them as they are unsophisticated and honest.
