by Tiffany Czech | Oct 22, 2020 | albums, review
In the midst of grief, Nathan Oliver turned to music, as many do. That is how his newest release came about. Thank You for your Generosity, which he and his group began working on after the death of a member’s brother in 2017, takes the listener on a journey through the loneliness and confusion that comes with grief.
This journey begins with “Generous Seas”, an instrumental track fit for reflection as a mellow guitar plays over a more chaotic one. Then comes “Isle Of Youth”, a dive into what it feels like to be lost and distant from everything around you. This rock track is a standout on the record, blending soulful lyrics with beautiful guitar playing. This sentiment is also present in “Everybody’s Swimming”, which seems to call attention to the struggle of watching everybody continue to live their lives while you feel stuck in a painful place. One of the most heart wrenching songs is “Even If You Go”, which acts as a sort of promise that even when the subject is gone, they will continue to live with them by their side. The journey closes out with “A Tangent in Time”. A peaceful close to the album, it seems to offer a glimpse of hope, though unsure of exactly where that hope lies.
Thank You for Your Generosity is a vulnerable record that does not attempt to hide any sort of pain that comes along with the grieving process or life in general. Whether it is through the breathtaking lyrics or the gentle way each sound leaves the speaker, Nathan Oliver is working to enthrall every single listener.
01. Generous Seas
02. Isle of Youth
03. Everybody’s Swimming
04. Air Control
05. Even If You Go
06. Stand in Line
07. Runaway
08. A Tangent in Time
by ImperfectFifth | Oct 21, 2020 | singles, soundtrack
This playlist is filled with songs that have set my inner world ablaze in one way or another. Some of them are recent and others are more ancient, but they’ve all had an affect on the way that I write and record songs.
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 20, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Milton Keynes native Lydia Singer has released her infectious new pop single, “Lemme Know”. Influenced by stars like Ariana Grande and Camila Cabello, Singer proves to know a thing or two about creating memorable pop songs with catchy hooks and piercing vocals. While these influences are apparent upon listening, she has no trouble creating her own unique sound for fans to fall in love with.
Bursting with confidence, Singer lets her lover know that she knows what they want but wants them to be upfront and clear about it themselves. In the process, Singer remains direct and upfront when articulating what she wants and needs from this lover. This way of writing lyrics makes clear to the listener that she is unafraid and unapologetic of letting people know just how she is feeling. The melody remains one of the most stunning and captivating aspects of this track, and when paired with the perfect dancing rhythm, “Lemme Know” is the perfect taste of what pop enthusiasts need. It is hard not to groove along to the tiny bells and whistles that this track offers.
by Sadie Battle | Oct 18, 2020 | Uncategorized
Orla Gartland returns with a bold indie-pop single & music video for “Pretending“. Dublin-born and London-based, she writes & co-produces all of her music and is the creative visionary of her videos. The visuals of “Pretending” start and finish within a costume party’s bathroom, where Orla herself is dressed as a clown amongst various party-goers who enter the bathroom throughout the night. She’s got one point to make – she’s done with pleasing others by losing sight of herself. Orla stares at herself in the bathroom mirror during a song of true self-reflection singing, “All of my heroes are way sadder than me / Am I the only one pretending, pretending / One pretending?” Her use of a costume party is the metaphorical visual that more often than not, we either hide behind a facade or act differently in order to engage and socialize with people.
While Orla is being as self-reflective as one can be in a time where there are so many distractions to hide behind, she recalls what it was like to pretend when she was younger, “I used to make up lies to make myself seem more interesting. I’d tell people at school I broke my arm on the weekend or all of Westlife came to my house for dinner.” But nowadays as she continues to build her music career, there is definitely no need to stretch the truth to make herself, or her music more interesting. After building a buzz online by posting cover songs to YouTube, Orla ventured out on her own, crafting a distinct musical voice along with debut single, “Devil on my Shoulder” in 2012. She released her debut project, Roots, the following year, with subsequent EPs – Lonely People, Why Am I Like This? and Freckle Season – arriving in 2015, 2019, and 2020, respectively. Her music has amassed over 45 million Spotify streams, which is impressive, considering she hasn’t released a full-length album. With “Pretending” as the lead track off her forthcoming debut album expected in 2021, fans can only anticipate what other treasures and indie-pop realness awaits that album.
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 18, 2020 | albums, review
When Starwolf formed in 2016, they were creating music in rural Illinois, their sound of choice being funk/pop. Four years later, they have released their album, Astro Lobo, filled with other-worldly sounds and expressions.
Something that makes this body of wok stand out is the appearance of Tim Lefebvre on “Bad Feeling”. Lefebvre has worked with well-known artists from David Bowie to John Mayer, so his presence is welcomed. The track benefits from a catchiness that amplifies the message of losing oneself in fear and anxiety. Indeed, it is a standout on the album.
The title track happens to be the longest, reaching over six minutes long. With no lyrics, it is easy for one to create their own interpretation of what it means. Whatever the meaning, “Astro Lobo” lives up to the other-worldly name. And then comes the final track, “Real Love”. Following the theme of love that can be heard on various songs throughout the album, this song’s funk groove guides the lyrics about being in a healthy and real relationship. With this album, the funk roots of Starwolf’s music shines through on every song. The band have achieved the perfect blend of funk and pop that sounds like the quintessential 80s soundtrack with Astro Lobo.
by Sadie Battle | Oct 15, 2020 | videos, wolf tracks
Demi Lovato has never been shy towards her fans when it comes to speaking her mind, or sharing the more intimate details of her personal life. With less than three weeks left until election day, Lovato releases her new single “Commander In Chief”, an anti-Trump anthem that doesn’t hold back. The songstress begins with her direct message to President Donald Trump, asking the question, “Were you ever taught when you were young / If you mess with things selfishly, they’re bound to come undone? / I’m not the only one that’s been affected and resented every story you’ve spun.”
Lovato’s beautiful vocal progressions and continued critique of the President allow for a spine tingling feeling, as the listener is reminded of the tumultuous repercussions the country has faced over the past four years. Doubling down with the drop of the music video for “Commander In Chief”, Lovato allows for a more direct message to viewers. It depicts a group of Americans of all ages, races and nationalities, coming together as a united country and lip syncing the powerful lyrics of the song. It’s accompanied with a special request from Lovato: “Please join me and vote in this year’s election. Visit https://iwillvote.com/ for more information.”
Following the single’s release just 24 hours earlier, Lovato responded to clapback on her anti-Trump stance through her social media. “I literally don’t care if this ruins my career,” she wrote. “I made a piece of art that stands for something I believe in. And I’m putting it out even at the risk of losing fans. I’ll take integrity in my work over sales any day.”
Watch the official music video for “Commander In Chief” below.
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 15, 2020 | albums, review
It was time for the members of Old News to get more personal than they ever have before. That’s how their new album, Self-Acceptance Speech, came about. Using emo sounds hailing from the late 90s and early 2000s indie rock scene, the album tells stories of self-discovery and understanding. One of these stories can be found in the reflective rock track, “1917 Cherry St.”. Here, we find out about a significant location in the singer’s life, one that he finds himself looking back on. This leads right into “722 Harter St.”, a shorter instrumental that leaves details of the significance of this address to the listener’s imagination. The starry “Flicker” provides a similar experience. This track gives the feeling of a new beginning, perhaps following the self-reflection that takes place during the prior songs. The final track is “Sunday Suit”, a standout on the album that begins with a memorable guitar riff and is an anthem for those who feel they are hiding some part of themselves beneath, in this case, the church music.
Old News have taken the nostalgia of 90s emo rock and turned it into something of their own. Says frontman Beau Harris of the goal in creating this album: “In these very tumultuous times, I think many of us are turning inwards, and we wanted to contribute by giving people a message of healing and hope.”
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 14, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
When renting an apartment with an ex, one may not expect to feel refreshed and optimistic about a new day. Lauren Hulbert, however, felt just that. This is when she got the inspiration for her bright new track, “Honeydew”, which is to appear on her upcoming EP, Superbloom, out Oct. 30.
Supported by gentle acoustic guitar strums and synths, the music provides a summery warm tone as Hulbert sings about her newfound joy and happiness that she finds herself experiencing at the start of every new day. Comfort radiates from the track as you hear music that might be heard on the beach. By the end of the track, you will understand the happy and free feeling Hulbert has been singing about as a feeling of weightlessness takes over. “Honeydew” is not only a song about loving someone else, it is a song about loving yourself.
Hulbert says of the inspiration for the track:
I think I was happy to be in one place, making a temporary home, in our own space, with a nice, friendly neighbor and a little bodega at the end of our alleyway. It was a really cute spot. We got to make a little life for ourselves. We had a lot of hope for our future together and I remember that feeling really good.
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 14, 2020 | premieres, videos
Eddy Lee Ryder has released her brand-new music video for her awe-inspiring song, “Vultures”. With a visual that flashes between color and black and white, Ryder compares her lover to a vulture, presumably as a metaphor for somebody who takes so much without giving a lot in return. The video seems to represent the very end of a relationship, perhaps the moment she has come to the realization that she was not fulfilled the way she should be. Because the video takes place almost entirely in the car, one may infer that this symbolizes an attempt to move away from a relationship that is harming her. Also significant is a broken-down car that leaves her stranded on the side of the road in the middle of nowhere. This seemingly suggests that she isn’t able to leave the relationship like she once thought. This inability to leave illustrates the struggles of toxic romance in a rather poignant way.
We got to speak with Ryder briefly leading up to the new release.
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What was your first musical memory, or the first album you remember listening to?
When I was growing up, I only loved new, mainstream pop music. I remember being pretty obsessed with The Coors song, “Leave Me Breathless,” specifically that yodel. On the way to a day of skiing with my dad, I made him listen to that song for about two hours straight. Finally, he was like, “This is the last time, then my old people music.” He put on “Solsberry Hill” by Peter Gabriel. That song hit me like a ton of bricks… and I was hooked on classic rock from that moment.
What, specifically, inspired “Vultures”?
I wrote the first line about four or five years before I actually finished the song, so I knew I had the mood down before I figured out what the rest of the lyrics would eventually be. Around the start of the #MeToo movement, I was involved with a guy I thought wouldn’t treat me the way other men in the past had. As the story goes, he ended up treating me worse. He was slowly taking from me, and I felt picked apart. Once I realized that, I wrote the song in about ten minutes.
The colors used in the video are gorgeous. Where did the concept for the video come from?
The concept of the music video was loosely based on The Birds. I wanted a very 1960s Hitchcockian mood. I wanted to be stalked by these vultures, which represent men in my life that I’ve known who have torn pieces of me away, little by little, the way that vultures do. The color palette was referential of vintage Hitchcock, and glitches that happen throughout are meant to segway from color to black and white to represent what’s being taken away by the vultures.
Any fun anecdotes from set?
We had one day to shoot this video due to time constraints, so it had to be done very fast. Because of this, in the aerial shots, there was a body double for me. The body double was a tall, slender man in a wig who offered up his car for the video. But probably the highlight of our stay, we were filming in California, and I booked a beautiful AirBnB that was reminiscent of old Hollywood glamour. When we got there, the Lyft driver dropped us off at the wrong place, so we had to lug our luggage–costumes and bags–up an incredible hill until we found the right place. That should have been the first sign of something ominous.
But when my stylist (and good friend) and I got there, we saw a puddle of blood splatter by the pool. We started calling my then-manager, who had supposedly checked in before us, but he wasn’t picking up. We both huddled in a corner in case there was a murderer on the loose for a long time, afraid to actually go in. We were prepared to cancel the shoot because we were convinced my then-manager had died. We called the police, and saw helicopters overhead. Turns out, my then-manager just left his phone charging in a different room, and was fine, so we figured we’d just ignore the blood splatters and check-in. In the meantime, the director and producer who we had yet to meet were well aware of the possible murder story that was unfolding; and I don’t think there is a better way to meet new people!
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
I have a lot of new music in the pipeline. I’ve been writing nonstop, and I have been developing a concept album. If you like “Vultures,” I think you’ll be really excited for what’s to come!
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Ryder channels the experience of reflecting on a former relationship into a beautiful and heartbreaking visual with “Vultures”. Check out the official premiere below.
