by Caitlyn Champ | Sep 5, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
Indie pop artist Jon Hill is dropping his new single “Human” today from Broken Record Co. Featuring as the title track on his upcoming EP, this emotional yet simplistic track offers relief from the demons behind our eyelids and allows us to not feel so alone for a while. Opening the track with piano chords instantly places the listener in the world of Hill and sets the stage for the addition of an electronic bass beat around the 20-second mark pushing the song forward toward the rest of the track. Stacatto style singing during the bridge breaks up the smooth and flowing chorus to provide added emphasis on the message of the song and Hill’s dreamy voice folds the listener within its velvety grasp. Keeping the lyrics to a minimum, Hill allows the listener to get lost in the song instead of their head. From the opening piano to the closing beats, this song is an emotional ride that shines a light on the struggles we all face being human, reminding us it’s okay to not be perfect.
Be sure to check out this wonderful new song and give Hill a follow on social media such as Instagram.
by Kira Cappello | Sep 2, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
The newest single from Swedish singer/songwriter Naah and producer C. Gold, titled “Electric Life”, features sparkling melodies that are mellow, bubbly, and counter-intuitive. But, while the track’s sonic mood is neutral or even optimistic, the lyrics give way to the contemporary lament of many across generations: “Electric Life” mourns a decline in meaningful social interactions caused by constant distractions from ever-present smartphones. This theme of sounding happy despite experiencing discontent, paired with bouncy synth-pop, draws musical reference to Paramore’s After Laughter, perhaps crossed with the vocal stylings of HAIM.
The track opens to the sound of a record needle being set into place, in longing for the days preceding digital streaming. A distorted electric guitar twangs sparingly, a kick drum thumps reassuringly, and floaty synth glides behind Naah’s smooth alto, building calculated suspense before breaking into the glittery, full-bodied chorus: “You can try not to care / But I’m missing human eye contact / Can you Google that? / I’m tired of electric life”. On the word “life”, Naah’s glossy vocals send the song soaring into an open sky of glitchy playfulness, each syllable mimicking the familiar sounds of electro-pop production.
In the second half of the song, Naah makes a point that feels familiar to Millenials and Gen Zs alike. Since the conception of the smartphone and social media, people from these age demographics have heard the tireless criticism of communication technology from their elders. In “Electric Life”, Naah defends the stance of younger people while still acknowledging the burden of facing the world as it exists in the modern 21st century. She sings, “Hold on, let’s get back to where they come from / They say we’re sad because of the digital / But the world wasn’t this messed up when they grew up / It’s not the same for us.”
“Electric Life” is the kind of thought-provoking bop the world could use a few more of. Here’s to Naah and C. Gold for calling it like it is.
Follow Naah here and keep up with C. Gold here.
by Kira Cappello | Aug 29, 2019 | premieres, videos
The Lampshades, while facing their final hours together as a band, show no shame in succumbing to the mundane: The group’s latest music video release for single “Forget Me Not” tours through barren pastures, abandoned car lots, and woodland ruins in a battle with complacency and nostalgia.
The track, marked by early 00’s grunge and mid-tempo moodiness, is rife with undulating bass and bleak acceptance. The first few bars of “Forget Me Not” are quick to ignite and churn steadily, as frontman and lead guitarist Jaren Love reflects aloud to no one but the stretch of highway passing in the side view mirror: “It just doesn’t matter / It all keeps moving on”. During the first chorus, quick jump cuts of rusting abandoned cars and pick-up trucks switch in time with drummer Dane Adelman’s punching kick drum. In a wistful drone, Love laments, “So many photographs / I’ll never see them all / Just a bunch of paper / There’s no porcelain doll”.
Imagery of Love ambling solo through the rural landscape under massive open skies deliver a sense that he is the last man on Earth. No irony is spared in a shot where he explores the crumbled ruins of a building ensnared in weeds, the group vocals of the chorus ringing, “Forget me not, I’ll always be around”.
In what is arguably the most pointed scene in the video, Love’s drive down the highway shows the paint-peeled barns and old warehouses strewn in the tall grass as if left by a passing storm. One such structure bears massive white letters, projecting a branding slogan that is cheerless against the beige landscape: “Delivering the American Dream…”. The camera focuses on these words as Love reveals resentment for terrene interactions, singing “[I] adjust the volume on family and friends / Shake a million hands / But have no conversations”.
A tense moment just before the bass solo and guitar break depicts a steep cliff, with Love’s sneakered feet the only visible part of his body. A ladybug flies away from his pant leg where it was resting, begging the question of just how long Love stood contemplating the chasm. The scene switches, the break sweeps in, and Love’s self-reflection is tangible as he wanders a depleted pasture under a setting sun. Sonically and visually, this scene delivers some of the most potent emotionality of “Forget Me Not”.
With this music video, The Lampshades’ attitudes are bleak, but their sincerity palpable. “Forget Me Not” only gains traction as it progresses; the scenes flickering faster and faster between shots of Love wandering the field at twilight, swimming in a murky lake, and meandering on a dock under the intense sun. Bassist Chris Kibler thunders through each chorus, sparks flying at the song’s close, as the climax peaks and fades out. In the last scene, Love descends a flight of stairs into a basement and disappears from view, returned home yet still alone.
Preceding “Forget Me Not”, The Lampshades released 2018 album Astrology. Their discography also features three additional albums, three EPs, and four singles. With the release of this music video, the Pittsburgh trio has announced their disbandment, and we’re sad to see them go.
Stream The Lampshades’ music here.
by Caitlyn Champ | Aug 27, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
Oakland based husband and wife duo My Little Hum are back with their sophomore album Pioneer featuring the track, “One of a Kind” where the music is as free and innovative as the lyrics. Sounding like a female powerhouse band thriving on chaotic harmonies the electric beat captivates listeners reminding them of how they are as unique as the song itself. With the feel of an oldies rock song, you’ll have visions of hippies funkily dressed dancing through your mind in no time.
Inspired by guest band member Dan Jewett’s late father, “One of a Kind” has strong emotional ties for the band allowing their creative personalities to be felt throughout the entire track such as the harsh chomp of the guitar and hectic keyboard solo. Perfect for fans of Television, The Lemon Twigs, or The Sundays, My Little Hum continues to bring the power pop vibrations in not only “One of a Kind” but also their upcoming new album Pioneer produced by Mystery Lawn Music, set to be released on October 18, 2019.
Be sure to keep up with My Little Hum here.
by Kira Cappello | Aug 26, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
Philadelphia duo Marian Hill returns with a new single that’s as seductive as it is sinister. “Take A Number” is marked by blasting bass, intermittent trap beats, and electronic elements; its strategically sparse musicality contrasting vocalist Samantha Gongol’s haunting near-whispers.
The lyrics of “Take A Number” are tempting, teasing, and smug; not unlike a predator confident in its success before even making a move. Gongol applies pressure to her subject: “I think I know what you’re thinking, how is it you look so fine? / In this room we keep shrinking, closing in while I take my time.” One line that aggregates the elements of curiosity, indifference, and an insatiable hunger found in Take A Number” recurs with each chorus: “You taste like a chance that I just might take.”
We know Gongol’s crisp vocals well, from past Marian Hill classics like “Down” and “One Time”, and they launch in the first second of the song without delay. The feature from fresh-faced, alt-R&B artist Dounia early on in this new track provides a satisfying shift in pace and texture; as she raps in an airy flutter that is no less insistent: “You got moves, you got bags, you got shit you gotta do / He’s a moment at the most, he’s not something to pursue.”
Keep up with Marian Hill here. Follow Dounia here.
by ImperfectFifth | Aug 16, 2019 | soundtrack, videos
August has been a beautiful, hot, wonderful month and we are so grateful to have so much new art available to us! We continue our monthly installment of the visual soundtrack, a Youtube playlist of new music videos that we love! Most – if not all – of these videos were released this month, so if you’re looking for new releases, this is your most up-to-date list. Check it out daily for the rest of the month for new additions, and come back anytime to relive August 2019!
by Meredith Schneider | Aug 13, 2019 | soundtrack
August has been a fascinating month for music. More so than ever, we have heard soundscapes diversify into such different categories, keeping our minds busy with guessing games of what’s to come. But while we suss all of that out, it’s time to enjoy this soundtrack with a collection of our favorite new tracks of August 2019. Playlist artists include Blandlord, Young Guv, Mike Posner, Wiz Khalifa, James Vickery, the bird and the bee, Fox and Bones, and more. Check back all month for more additions to the feature!
by Caitlyn Champ | Aug 8, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
Set to release on August 8, “Cold” by Boy in Space is a great new R&B track that packs a mighty punch in the depth of its lyrics. With opening sounds reminiscent of a lullaby, this song will launch you deep into your feelings, “Both you and me no we gotta let it go/ Laying on the ground wondering why it’s so cold”. Deeply questioning the problems in a relationship, there is something we can all relate to with this track.
For fans of Fletcher, SHY Martin, or Chelsea Cutler there is a lot to look forward to here with Boy in Space. His R&B meets pop culture sound will have him on the up and up for many years to come, so be sure to keep up with him here.
by Kira Cappello | Aug 7, 2019 | singles, wolf tracks
“Live It Up”, the newest single from LA up-and-comer James Delaney, opens to the playful bounce of a video-game bop and a twinkling tropicality – but don’t let that fool you. A closer listen reveals an ennui that borders on ironic.
To clue you in, the very first lyrics paint a picture of a certain brand of indulgence that feels very 2019: “We’ve been wasting time getting high and watching shitty tv shows / Feeling comatose in our dirty clothes.” Split right down the middle, the lyrical content of “Live It Up” resorts to indulgence and lethargy to escape life stress; while sonically, it’s neutrally cheery – a notion that is paralleled in the song’s structure, as the verses bear the weight of Delaney’s approach. Radiating synth and an unchanging mellow tempo meet Delaney’s clear-cut chorus, ringing with a might-as-well attitude: “Live it up, live it up, live it up.” The last few bars close out on a sax solo, whose hum suggests that Delaney is already off to follow his own advice.
Keep up with James Delaney here.
