by Tiffany Czech | Jan 4, 2021 | singles, wolf tracks
In his new song “Redemption”, Nathaniel Rateliff sings of wanting to escape the ghosts of his past that continue to haunt him. You would be forgiven for thinking that he was actually writing the song about his own life instead of an upcoming movie. The track, which was written for the Apple Original Film, Palmer, takes the listener on an emotional journey, one that is the perfect look into the trials and tribulations of the film’s main character. The movie is a story about trying to live a normal and trouble-free life amidst feeling like everyone around you is working to tear you down, and Rateliff’s yearnful track highlights this perfectly. After watching the recently released trailer, it is clear to see that Rateliff managed to successfully put himself into the shoes of the main character in order to create a compelling addition to an already gripping story.
Rateliff says of how he became motivated to write the track:
When I was first asked to write a song for Palmer I was told what the film was about and where the song was going to be used. The melody and the opening line came to me immediately. But it wasn’t until I had a conversation with Justin [Timberlake] that helped me to put the song together. He said the film was about redemption. I saw that in the characters and did my best to add to the scene in the film.
by Tiffany Czech | Dec 31, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Upcoming singer-songwriter and Brooklyn-bred talent Daemes released her debut single back in November, but not to worry, there is still more to look forward to. The video for the track is here and is every bit poetic and emotional as the song itself. Cleverly, the video features old clips put together of Daemes’ grandparents, an illustration of their own love story and the one being sung about. While doing so might have been a bit of a risk, it was a risk that resulted in a new life for the clips, one that hears the fullness of a synthesizer and darkness of a fall evening. What all of this goes to show is that a love story doesn’t have to be confined to only one decade.
While an initial listen to “Riptide” sounds like the present day, one watch of the visual reminds you that love and music can very much transcend time and go beyond when it was created, and what an ethereal experience that is.
by Tiffany Czech | Dec 18, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
In the video for “Silver Cowboy Boots”, Anna Shoemaker prances around a motel room trying to forget about the person that broke her heart. While some of these methods of mind-erasure involve food and drinks, Shoemaker finds that the best way to rid your mind of an unwanted person is by donning a fresh pair of cowboy boots. So, she does. The track itself, which features Invisible Will, is essentially a love story to the boots. The video is the story of how boots are unable to bring you down and put you in a bad place, unlike the relationship she just got out of. Still, there are moments of vulnerability where Shoemaker admits that it isn’t that simple to get somebody off your mind. In any case, “Silver Cowboy Boots” can serve as a reminder to us all that sometimes all it takes is a little something simple, like cowboy boots, to clear your mind.
Shoemaker says of the inspiration behind the track:
I wrote this song after my ex and I broke up for the second time. He seemed to be doing fine and I was still heartbroken. I was in the studio sad, hungover, and wearing these insane silver Fendi cowboy boots I had bought myself and was just like, you know what, maybe this is fine?
by Tiffany Czech | Dec 18, 2020 | videos, wolf tracks
Fierce electronica artist Eivør has released “Only Love” from her new album Segl, which also happens to be accompanied by a stunning visual. Featuring vocals from Ásgeir, “Only Love” is a mystical and entrancing track about how powerful it is to be in the gravitational pull of love. The song’s illustrative lyrics paint a vivid picture of what it looks like to be so deep and in love. It is full of clarity in that the feeling of love is really the only thing that can make you feel both so fragile and so powerful at the same time. The electrifying sonics and strong melodies pull you right into the intensity of not only love, but the track itself. “Only Love” is the perfect combination of haunting production and intriguing lyrics made to enthrall every listener.
Eivør says of the process of creating the track:
I wrote the lyrics with David Hopkins and when this song was written I thought about “love” and all the things it makes us do. I will never get tired of writing about this subject. It’s the most complex and yet the most basic of all things. It has so many shapes and shades and on this life journey it takes us through the whole palette of emotions. It’s both strong and fragile at once. It breaks us and makes us whole.
by Meredith Schneider | Dec 9, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
Today, we have the exclusive honor of premiering Nathaniel Bellow’s latest track “I Once Did” – along with its accompanying lyric video – ahead of the release of his third full-length Three. Bellow’s signature gravelly vocals lead the track, with a light composition to really add a calm feeling to the audio. When Bellows insists “I don’t feel the weight that I once did,” you can feel it in the instrumentals.
Each of the songs from his upcoming release was inspired by his father’s death in the three years since his passing, so hints of grief and remorse can be found throughout. What we have here is art in its purest form.
Three is out Friday, December 11. Keep up with Bellows here.
by Sadie Battle | Dec 8, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
New York-based singer/songwriter Nora Lei’s just released her new single “Together,” a dreamy dance track that explores honest feelings of a long term relationship with someone. It’s an ode to love really – but it focuses on the love that exists in a relationship that isn’t tested by a dramatic fate, but more by the time on a clock. Lyrically, her songwriting describes the difficulties a relationship may pose — “I can tell you’re tired/ It’s alright because I am too/ Been so much tension/ Could cut it with a knife” — while the chorus brings the listener to the underlying theme of love prevailing: “We know we’re supposed to be together.” Whether it’s a relatable song or just something you want to dance to, the electronic beat allows you to find release either way.
A self-described “old-soul, hopeless romantic, and heroine of her own life adventure,” Nora Lei is welcoming listeners into her noir-pop world, one song at a time. She began releasing music at the top of this year and has already amassed close to 300K streams and a growing following on her Instagram. Stream “Together” today and be on the lookout for her future EP.
by Tiffany Czech | Dec 2, 2020 | videos, wolf tracks
Saba, an acclaimed Chicago rapper and producer, has a newly released a set of singles. One of these singles is “So and So”, which is accompanied by a stunning and spellbinding visual. A short video, it reaches just above the two-minute mark. In that short amount of time, Saba creates a visual that helps bring the track to life in a new way. Simply put, “So and So” addresses adversities and the act of being vulnerable. The opening lines of the song call for celebration of those who are able to overcome the obstacles that are thrown their way. While the video remains in one location throughout the short duration, the fact that the specific location can have its own message for anybody who watches it makes the viewing experience all the more relatable and inclusive.
“So and So”, while shorter than some other releases, gives the viewer the time to address what might sometimes be an uncomfortable admission. It is an honest approach to the reality of different struggles that make it hard to achieve great things. Saba is taking the chance to let viewers know that they too can overcome their own struggles.
by Tiffany Czech | Nov 27, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
The critically acclaimed and Grammy-nominated band, Tank and The Bangas, have just put out their new EP, Friend Goals. Within this release sits the track “To Be Real”, a blissful ode to the joy of spending time with the group of people that brings out your favorite side of you. Created with the help of many fellow New Orleans-based artists, it acts as a bit of a narrative of what a typical weekend night out in the city is like. One may also speculate that the chorus feels like a longing for the time being described in the verses. Regardless, “To Be Real” paints the perfect picture of a fulfilling time with people we love.
Frontwoman Tarriona ‘Tank’ Ball says of the EP as a whole:
There are hair goals, body goals, but Tank and The Bangas are actual friend goals! This special EP is full of some of our favorite artists from New Orleans and around the globe. The fun, creative, energy is put into every track and each one is sure to have you dancing your quarantine blues away. We made this one just for you.
by Tiffany Czech | Nov 23, 2020 | singles, wolf tracks
The new track from pop-rock band KITTEN has dropped, and it asks the question everybody seems to have on their mind these days. “What Year Are We In” is exactly the type of song that you may expect people to listen to years from now in order to get an idea of what life may have been like in the year 2020. Not only does it make the expected pandemic references, it also offers commentary on other various things that have come to shape the year like social justice movements, worry of climate change, and the fact that movies don’t really seem new anymore.
It isn’t only the lyrics that make you question the era. Sonically, the track is reminiscent of the 90s punk scene, a reminder that maybe none of these time periods are really all that far. KITTEN successfully solidifies any suspicions that 2020 is the year that seems to revisit other decades in a plethora of ways.
Brainchild Chloe Chaidez says:
It’s a bizarre time to be alive. We have history at our fingertips. Teenagers wear Joy Division t-shirts, and moms listen to Drake. ‘What Year Are We In?’ is a funny question to pose, but it also feels like the simplest way of conveying a feeling.
