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!”
by Meredith Schneider | Nov 16, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Looking for a sprawling, enigmatic track to really set your week on fire? How about this new bop from Hot Summer – the brainchild of Jon Sortland (The Shins) and Brian Belier (EV Kain). Self-proclaimed “byproduct of shut-in pandemic isolation and a desperation to generate sparks to light the gloom from solitude and gold coast fire haze,” the duo does just that with an otherworldly atmosphere as the backdrop in their first single, “Fire and Ice.”
This song is a testament to what you can do in isolation, miles and miles away from your best friends. (These two idols were 470 miles away from each other when they created this masterpiece, by the way.) So turn it on, turn it up, and create something magical yourself!
by ImperfectFifth | Nov 13, 2020 | soundtrack, videos
Ahh, November. Now that we are past that shit storm of an election – I know, BUT ARE WE? – it’s time to truly bask in the glow of new music videos. Now we don’t have to distract ourselves, we just get to revel in the talent. Let yourself go to mush with these amazing new music videos from November 2020, ya dig?
by Tiffany Czech | Nov 10, 2020 | albums, review
Alt-pop artist Kat Saul’s newest EP, Made in the 90s, has been released, and is the perfect way to celebrate being human. “Alright”, a track about how hard it is to get somebody off your mind when you’re into them, starts off the celebration with an intro that sounds like it comes from a basement rock concert. “X2” is a catchy hit-worthy bop about moving on, or actually being tired of trying to move on. In all honesty, this should be in regular rotation at all Top 40 stations. Saul slows it down a bit with “Monsters”, where the celebrations are toned down in a search for inner peace and serenity. Not to worry, “I Love To Hate You” speeds everything back up with a sobering story of mutual frustration at the end of a relationship. Appropriately, the last song celebrates that person that is always by your side at the end of the day. This is the feeling of floating on “Cloud 9”.
Made in the 90s may have actually been made in 2020 or shortly before, but the music lives up to the name. A perfect blend of 90s rock and modern pop, Saul proves that you don’t have to escape older sounds to create new ones. She explains of the EP: “It’s me reflecting on who I am and what I’ve been through as I transition into adult life so that I can process how the past has made me who I am…because that’s what art is right?”
by Sadie Battle | Nov 9, 2020 | albums, review
Solo Chilean artist Dadalú has a lot to say and uncover through her new album El mapa de los días. While her tracks dive into themes like women’s issues and neoliberalism within Chile, her creative process for making music amplifies the commitment and passion Dadalú has for her craft. Born and raised in Santiago, Daniela Saldías has been making music since she was 15 years old. A member of other musical groups like the female duo, Chica Kingkong and rap collective, Colectivo Etéreo, Daniela shows no boundaries for creativity or curiosity in her repertoire.
The album blends alternative hip hop and indie pop with quirky Casiotone, defying genre definitions and spotlighting the incredible talents of this latinx artist. It opens with a melancholic guitar on “En el campo”, a track that speaks about the nature of the Chilean countryside. Singing about her love of the native trees and mixed landscapes, Dadalú also explains the grounding effect of nature, and how the modern social media landscapes people usually trap themselves should never be more important. Track two “Por qué hay que ser sexi?” pairs a groovy beat with a lyrical anthem exploring the music industry’s tactics of selling female artist’s music through seduction. In “Monopolio” she tells of the money driven ideals of Chile, and how money segregates most independent artists from being successful. This theme is continued in the last track “Aquí”, which speaks out for the artists who are on their bedroom floors creating important art that doesn’t have the platform it deserves.
The eclectic sound and feel throughout this album is emphasized through Dadalú’s creative processes. Her instagram account showcases her new adopted COVID hobby – creating animations that depict mini song ideas to explore for a new record. Imperfect Fifth asked Dadalú to tell us about her process for El mapa de los días. She tells us:
“In 2018 I won a musical residency in Paris called The Gonservatory through musician/pianist/entertainer Chilly Gonzales, and that experience helped me a lot. I discovered other ways of composing through discipline and believing in my initial ideas. Eventually I mixed these learnings with a song a day idea from my boyfriend, musician Oso el Roto. I started composing one song per day with some set rules – no more than three hours to record a whole song, and I must trust and finish my first idea no matter what. I ended up making thirty songs and fell in love with that experience. I fell in love with discipline – it felt so nice and so surprising to discover what was inside of my head. El mapa de los días is a reflection about the calendar. It’s a curation of my songwriting exercises, rap and hip hop influences with my friend Martín Pérez Roa who helped record, and some embedded skits within the songs to talk about the lockdown and pandemic feelings”.
Fans and new listeners can stream El mapa de los días on Spotify. Check out the music video for “Tú crees que es normal?”, made by Juegos Artificiales. The limited edition cassette and digital download is also available for purchase from the LA label Cudighi Records bandcamp page.
by Tiffany Czech | Nov 5, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
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.
by Tiffany Czech | Nov 4, 2020 | albums, review
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.
