by Tiffany Czech | Oct 12, 2020 | albums, review
For anybody needing comfort on a dreary fall day, singer-songwriter ALIX has you covered with her new album, Feel Better. Filled with whimsical sounds splashed with springtime melodies, Feel Better is a collection of songs about feeling free despite some of the curve balls life throws at you.
“Easy Living” takes you on a trip to sunny California with a list of things that bring her the most joy. With a vibrant guitar riff, it has earned its place as the album’s opener. “Golden” is both one of the catchiest and happiest songs. It serves as a celebratory anthem that gives the green light for you to feel content about the place you have arrived at in your life. It can even be a pep talk. Just like life, Feel Better doesn’t come without its share of gripes. “Let’s Leave”, with the Los Angeles based pop group, 1323, offers the perspective of somebody begging to leave the party she is at to find something more worth her time.
ALIX has delivered an album about feeling content with love and life. Whether it is wishing a past love well like the NEZZA assisted “Good”, or finding someone who makes you happy like on “Satisfied”, Feel Better promises to be your companion through it all. ALIX says of the feel of the album: “I wanted to keep the sounds light, comforting and positive to symbolize a lifestyle I want to be dedicated to. But I wanted to include the humanity of needing to talk through feelings and turn frustration into constructive growth.”
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 12, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
When the world went into lockdown back in March, Pauline Andrès found herself isolating in a friend’s recording studio. This is where she began and finished work on her newest release, “Til the End of the World”, from her upcoming EP “Tornado Season”, which is due out this Winter.
While Andrès started writing the song on an acoustic guitar, the final product is dominated by the sounds of 80s synth-pop. A step towards electronic music that seems effortless, it is hard to believe that she hasn’t always made music like this. The track is appropriate for the current state of the world, too. Passionately, Andrès sings about wanting to love someone despite the fact that the world seems to be ending. There is a feeling of urgency in her voice as she sings about being unsure of whether loving someone is a necessity during such trying times. This is amplified by the sounds of sirens crying in the background. Some may see this as a pessimistic point of view, but in many ways, it creatively highlights the reality the world is living in. Andrès says:
I never thought the world was ending. I know a world is ending, which is the very definition of an apocalypse. That process started years ago. It’s gonna take a few more but we are obviously in the middle of it. I don’t know how exactly this will continue to manifest. But I’ve decided to be cool with it, to keep making art, and believing in the absolute, almost absurd power of love and music.
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 9, 2020 | videos, wolf tracks
Relationships in the modern era are anything but simple. Because of social media and other ways that society sets standards, it can be hard to know what love is today. In his new video for “Listenin’”, Reggie Becton gives his perspective on what it is like to be a male navigating love in today’s culture while also confronting toxic masculinity and toxic relationships in general. With influences from past and present R&B artists, it is easy to be taken back to previous eras while also appreciating where music has gone since then.
The stunning visual illustrates the difficulties of being in love with someone when it isn’t easy to be with them for one reason or another. The two love interests appear to be physically separated by a wall, perhaps as a metaphor for how it feels to be in such a situation. This is likely to be the result of something much more complicated than one would initially be led to believe. The lyrics demonstrate that Becton struggles with conflicting thoughts about his emotions. It is evident from this and moments in the video, like the scene where he appears to be trying to work out a science experiment, that he is unsure which path to take when it comes to romance. Becton remains vulnerable when expressing his feelings about love and he does it in a stunning way throughout the entirety of the video. Perhaps many people his age identify with this very struggle.
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 8, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Michael Garmany grew up in the Bay Area where he was surrounded with a versatile range of artists including 2Pac, The Clash, and Social Distortion. Now, his own music is a reflection of the music he grew up with. This is evident upon listening to his new track, “Still Missing”.
Layered with elements of funk, R&B and psychedelic pop, the track starts off mild with a simple piano and bass as he sings about wanting something that he isn’t sure he is worthy of having. As the verse progresses, the melodies continue to get catchier. Once the chorus hits, the music speeds up and you’ll find yourself dancing along. The catchiness of the melodies is enhanced by various sonic choices throughout the song. These ear-catching additions, such as bells and hand claps, take the song to new heights. Drawing on personal experiences, Garmany is clear that he has been unable to find a love that works for him. During the more up-tempo portions, it might be easy to forget that he is singing about missing something from his life. With various influences present, it doesn’t sound like “Still Missing” is missing anything.
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 6, 2020 | albums, review
Gray may be a good way to describe 2020, or the color of the sky on a rainy fall day, but it is also the title of the new album from Byland. Led by Alie Byland, Gray gives full permission to pace around your bedroom on your first listen, unable to believe that each song blows you away as you pace your way through the 10-track release. The first of these is “Passed Me By”, which comes equipped with a gentle drum beat and chilling piano as we hear the story of a girl struggling with her newfound loneliness. “Mine” comes along later as the singer bravely admits that she is unable to give people as much as they seem to want from her. Then comes the haunting “Grow Old With Me”, which reaches its most impressive moment during the last minute as she admits that her anxiety and loneliness have taken hold of her life. The album closes out with “Did I Win When I Won”, a raw guitar track that sounds like a voice memo recorded on a cellphone. As the shortest song, it serves as a simple outro that leaves the listener wanting more.
Lyrically and sonically, every inch of this album is chilling and beautiful. By the end, you will feel invited to start listening from the top because you want to fully immerse yourself into every word and understand the emotionally complex world Byland have created. At its core, Gray is a very human album.
by Tiffany Czech | Oct 5, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Constant criticism about the way you live your life suck, and Philadelphia-based rock group Humilitarian want listeners to know that they understand the feeling on their new track, “She Said”. It happens to be one of the first songs the band completed together. As a band, Humilitarian are influenced by indie rock, which is clear from the moment you press play on their latest release.
“She Said” paints the picture of someone who struggles with letting go of any negative feelings that come with opinions that were not even asked for in the first place. It makes it clear how it feels to be fed up with being told everything you are doing is somehow a misstep. Throughout the emo-rock track, we learn that this person struggles with defending herself against unwanted commentary and that she knows she deserves to live her life unapologetically. Nearing the end, the song becomes an anthem for those who feel the same way as the listener is encouraged to reject these criticisms and just live. With clever lyrics and catchy melodies, it is easy to put on replay. It empowers and comforts while also getting out some frustration in the process.
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by Tiffany Czech | Oct 2, 2020 | albums, review
Portland, Oregon-based rock band Last Giant have just released their stunning new body of work Let the End Begin. With influences like Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy, the album acts as a bridge, allowing the listener to time travel back to the 1970s and 1980s rock scene. Here, we find songs like “Sunset Queen”, which relies on an infectious guitar riff to draw the listener in. The guitar paired with the catchy chorus melody and heavy drumming help make this one of the best songs on the album. The title track “Let the End Begin” ensures you don’t forget what you’re hearing by providing a memorable hook that has the potential to stay in your head for days after hearing it. It also makes clear why the album shares the same name as it defines just what it means for the end to begin. Each song has the ability to connect with the rock fan in a real way. Whether it’s the guitar solo in “Followers” or the commanding vocals in “Letters to Lennon”, there is no shortage of rocking out to be found.
Last Giant have created a modern rock and roll triumph. While many people depend on earlier decades of music to get their rock fix, they have made it clear that the current decade has more than enough to offer.
by ImperfectFifth | Oct 1, 2020 | albums, review
by: tiffany czech
Leave behind the life you know wherever you are for just thirty minutes and take a trip to Cuba with La China De La Gasolina. The self-titled album is the product of a trip to Havana, the capital of Cuba. There, Charlie Garmendia would use a multi-track tape recorder to capture the rich musical culture that the island has to offer. It was with the help of the young musicians and artists he met that the late-night jam sessions turned into a collective body of work.
With 11 tracks, the listener can dip their foot in many parts that all come together to form a sonically cohesive whole. That whole begins with “Edro”, an electrifying track that seems to signify the beginning of a breaking news story, or maybe even the opening credits to the latest buzzing film. In just 23 seconds, the song manages to captivate the listener, thus beginning their Cuban journey. Then comes “La Gasolina”, one of the standout tracks. Using prominent synthesizers, one finds themselves transported to the middle of a busy Cuban street filled with only the best dancing and music. That feeling continues throughout the whole album, all the way until the final track, “El Terror”, which relies heavily on percussion to signal that the journey is finished. This is the song that puts the picture of a small group gathering around a campfire at the end of the day in your mind, satisfied with everything that day has given you. From the Cuban jazz moments of “Año Nuevo” to the Latin pop spectacle that is “Demonio Bongo” and everything in between, there is certainly a lot to be satisfied with.
by ImperfectFifth | Sep 30, 2020 | videos, wolf tracks
by: tiffany czech
In a world where material possessions meet spiritual growth, one may find themselves just as conflicted as the character in Sir Sly’s music video for “Material Boy”. Here, the material boy is someone who appears to be in a state of distress as he works through his emotions to leave behind any care in the world about material items. Through watching him chew up wads of cash and hide from all of the expensive things he owns; the viewer comes to understand that he yearns for more in his life. He yearns to be free from the material chains that are constraining him. The catchy chorus of the song reminds the listener that our material boy has found a spiritual void within himself and he strives to fill it.
What is great about what we see in this video is that it doesn’t need to follow one meaning for everybody who watches it. It could mean struggling to come to terms with the current political landscape, as the second verse alludes to, just as much as it could represent the struggle to leave an unfulfilling job that pays well. The common theme amongst the profuse number of possible interpretations is the yearning to find something that makes one feel whole. “Material Boy” both fascinates and perplexes, as well as provides the best form of entertainment for the viewer. Lead singer Landon Jacobs notes: “My highest hope is that this video can mean something a little different for anyone that watches it, but at the very least, I hope it is entertaining.”
