by Meredith Schneider | Mar 11, 2019 | Uncategorized
Do you miss the warm, cradle-y feeling that pop music videos from the oughts brought you? (Yes, we want you to think back to the NSYNCs and O-Towns of your past.) You have the option of feeling that way again. New York-based electro-pop artist J-LINE delivers that familiar feeling in droves with new single “Feeling the yes”, the jewel toned music video somehow reflecting that feeling, though the atmosphere is less that of a party environment and more so of a strategic performance art piece. Which – if you scale back to think about it – is what a music video is.
If you’re really feeling your decision-making self lately, this one will do the trick.
Keep up with J-Line here.
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 11, 2019 | singles, soundtrack
Music week at SXSW 2019 has descended upon Austin, TX, and we are experiencing major bouts of missing out. It’s the first year in a hot second that we don’t get to come down and cover all of the insane music first-hand. But we are also insanely lucky. This year, as in years past, we have found a host of incredible musicians to give their point-of-view a shot on our Instagram page all week! Check @imperfectfifth for the lineup and updates all week long!
Between Instagram updates, I’d test out some of the up-and-comers on the playlist below. This happens to be a host of our favorite SXSW 2019 artists, all compiled in one place so you can stay up-to-date with the industry’s fresh faces. We will be updating the playlist all week, so stay plugged in to hear new things every day!
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by Meredith Schneider | Mar 11, 2019 | albums, review
On March 8th, Matt Shapiro released a 6-track EP that is absolutely thrilling from start to finish. You can see why, too, as Matt admits he approaches his music-making a lot like film. “I approach making a record like I’m making a movie,” he admits. “My last album Metaphysical was very layered and wide-angle and made to sound kind of epic. With this new EP FADE IN, I made the conscious decision to go the other way. This one’s more disciplined, and really stripped down to essentials…more like a scrappy little indie. And it has more bite.”
If you think for a moment that he doesn’t mean the phrase “scrappy little indie,” then you’re in for a treat. “Rockaway Girl” is very theatric, throwing you into this one-man performance that is equal parts modern indie rock and 80’s pop fury. “The Addict” darkens the soundscape a bit, but the collection doesn’t forget the attitude that came with the first track, as it weaves into the slow burner “Is There Something Going On”. “Johnny” is for the human who feels like walking on the wild side, while “Water’s Edge” is much slower, simple and soft in its disposition. Shapiro’s vocals feel like water as they glide amidst the instrumentals. This tranquil feeling is put to an abrupt halt with the first staccato notes of “Genievieve”. It seems as though the pace and volume change might have to do with the way a significant other disrupts your life, and makes things ten times louder. We’re fond of the impact it has on the EP’s trajectory, and couldn’t have placed a more defining last song.
Keep up with Matt Shapiro here.
by Ian Schneider | Mar 8, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
Rooney has released a new single “Time and Time Again”, and it is part of the soundtrack to Robert Schwartzman’s new film THE UNICORN. This soothing track has an almost alt-western feel to it. Though it was exclusively written for the film, it is easily enjoyed by anyone who has an ear for melodic music. As stated previously, the song has a western vibe, but is ultimately an alternative song containing smooth vocals and a tapping snare.
Schwartzman had this to say about the record:
I wrote “Time And Time Again” for THE UNICORN, a feature film I had the pleasure directing and working alongside a talented cast and crew. When you write a song for a film, it changes the context, the foundation, and frames the writing process in a certain way that supports the film’s story. I like to write songs with a specific focus, purpose, and intention, otherwise it all feels a bit disjointed. I’m happy I got to contribute “Time And Time Again” to the film and it’s exciting to release a new Rooney single on the project’s 20 year anniversary.
You can check out “Time and Time Again” on streaming services and the feature film soundtrack for THE UNICORN. Keep up with Rooney here.
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 8, 2019 | premieres, singles
Philadelphia-based indie rock collective Readership – comprised of Matt Lee, Gregory Matthew, Gabe McCall, and Adrian Morse – releases their new track “Weather Underground” today, and we’ve got the premiere. In the beginning, the instrumentals slowly build in volume, until they expand and the vocals set in. With bits of punk stirred around in there with the way the vocals lean and the delivery of the guitar at times, this song is simply something that will keep you moving. We’re thinking it has a little bit of 90s inspiration in it, as we can definitely see it being played in the background of a montage scene in a movie. (Hey Hollywood, you hear us?)
Get pumped for an impending change in weather with “Weather Underground”.
Keep up with Readership here.
by Ian Schneider | Mar 7, 2019 | premieres, videos
Darkness, waves of bass and intense drums, and mysterious sounds lace the ominous single from Mey titled “Spiky Love”. This is the first single off of the upcoming EP With the Lights Off, and to say it sets the tone is an understatement. The song, and its accompanying music video, embodies a special kind of darkness that has both pop and rock influences. The rage and angst expressed by Mey in the lyrics are further supported by what almost seems like drums and heartbeat rhythm. I personally found the plucking of the guitar both sonically pleasing and unique to the landscape of the track.
Says Mey of the video:
Spiky Love » is about desire. It is about the most common human tension : between need and desire. And about having a strong desire for something that you know is wrong for you and destructive. Still, being aware of it and pointing out this paradox, while accepting it. In this song I’m trying to explore my own destructive impulsions, to let them out, and to make something beautiful out of it.
Leonard Heliot and I worked on the video for « Spiky Love » with the artwork of the EP as the starting point.
The idea (and challenge!) was to keep it all in the dark, while creating a sense of intimacy. We wanted to suggest rather than expose, and keep the dark, unhealthy atmosphere of the song as well.
Mey seems to have a lot up her sleeve for this EP, and if “Spiky Love” is any indication of what is to come, then we should all be on the edge of our seats in anticipation for the rest. You can check out Mey on her socials posted below.
Socials:
https://www.facebook.com/Meymusic/
https://www.instagram.com/mey_the_music/
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 7, 2019 | premieres, singles, videos
Hailing from Tennessee, pop duo Cooper & Gatlin – comprised of Cooper Green (Guitar/Vocals) and Gatlin Kate James (Vocals) – releases a catchy, lighthearted new acoustic version of their single”Like You” today along with its bright and fun new visual. Believe it or not, we’re lucky enough to be hosting the exclusive premiere. This version of the song is absolutely incredible, putting a crisp spin on something already mellifluous and wonderful. Although the song is bittersweet with more melancholic lyrical content, it’s an absolute earworm that will have you tapping your toes all day.
Admits the duo of the project: “The acoustic video was such a blast to make! We already had an amazing set to work with from the main video, so it was super fun to rearrange it, and make everything work in one take! Everyone had worked so hard shooting the videos for both versions of the song, so it was so awesome to have them all dancing with us at the end of the acoustic video.”
Keep up with Cooper & Gatlin here.
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 6, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
While Nick Murphy may have just announced his upcoming album, Run Fast Sleep Naked, his new single from that project – a track titled “Sanity” – has been unleashed unto the world, and we’re massively digging it. Not only is the piano absolutely intriguing from the beginning, but Murphy’s soulful vocals and the layered in soundscape make it impossible to not dance. The video itself is beautifully shot, a contemplative and quirky watch that we are going to go ahead and watch a few more times today. Enjoy!
Run Fast Sleep Naked is available for preorder now. Keep up with Nick Murphy here.
by Meredith Schneider | Mar 6, 2019 | videos, wolf tracks
Vancouver’s own Kin Kanyon – comprised of Dan Rocque (Guitars, Organ, Vocals), Ed Budden (Bass, Vocals), Matt Harvey (Guitar, Vocals), and Chris Rowntree (Drums) – has released the official music video for their single “Fauxtown”, and we’re having a ball with it. Get sucked into the 70’s vibe with their psychedelic soundscape, and get pulled further into the entire experience with the vintage music video that will get you groovin’.
You don’t have to trust us, but we are keen to know your thoughts.
Keep up with Kin Kanyon here.
![cooper & gatlin, “like you” [acoustic]](https://imperfectfifth.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/180524_GDS_CooperAndGatlin_0001_Original_WebJPG-1080x675.jpg)
