John Wages & Junior Cheyne’s “Close Enough for Jazz”: Classic American Pop
Reader, I have a confession to make: I have been growing tired of Americana. I’m not necessarily tired of American iconography, or even of the musical genre that traffics in that iconography; America, whatever else you’d care to say about it, is a goldmine for a creative songwriter. I’m talking about the bland, mannered Americana […]
Frank Rensen’s “Someday”: Like Sands Through the Hourglass…
I cried the first time I stayed up until midnight on New Year’s Eve. This wasn’t unusual in and of itself; I was seven years old at the time, and I was a sensitive kid who was easily overwhelmed by big crowds and loud noises. But that wasn’t why I was crying that night, standing […]
“Évanouie” by Meryam Aboulouafa: Expand Your Horizons
On October 3rd, 1999, ex-Talking Heads frontman and inscrutable delight David Byrne wrote an article for the New York Times called “I Hate World Music”. This would be a bold statement from anyone–we all hate something, but few of us get published in the Times for it–and it was particularly bold coming from David Byrne. […]
Chatting with Jared Celosse About “Hold”
Jared Celosse’s “Hold” is almost six minutes long, which is a bold, risky choice for a young songwriter. There’s nothing inherently good or bad about long songs, but in a world of impatient listeners, taking your time to build your song up could result in a roll of the eyes and a press of the […]
Mary Confurius’ “Cock Tale”: Bold, Unapologetic Sexuality
The title, of course, is a pun of sorts. Mary Confurius, the Dutch artist behind the brooding, bracing “Cock Tale”, is singing about an actual cocktail when she sings the title phrase in the song’s coda. “Let’s have that cocktail/It’s on me,” she sings, the friendly sentiment turned into a veiled threat thanks to her […]
“Evil Elephant” by TTRRUUCES: Down the Rabbit Hole and Into a Dystopia
“We live in a society” might have started life as a quote from a frustrated George Costanza, but it’s since become a devastatingly accurate internet meme. It pokes fun at certain galaxy-brained individuals who think that simply acknowledging the hypocrisies and injustices of modern life counts as enlightened activism. These people are broadly correct about […]
“Higher Hopes” by MILENA: Wintry Pop Perfection
Music critics like to compare artists with other artists; it’s just what we do. Sure, part of it is to show off how many obscure artists we can name (“ah yes, very Jandek-esque!”), but it’s also a way to compare and contrast different artistic approaches, as well as a way to give readers an idea […]
Ryan Cassata’s “California Woman”: Old School Cool with a Modern Twist
Ryan Cassata is proof that trans people can do anything. In fact, he might be proof that trans people can do everything, all at once. He is a singer-songwriter, an actor, a writer, an LGBT activist, a motivational speaker, and even a model. To make it even more impressive, he’s only 26 years old; for […]
“Rose Gold” by Emily Merrell: A Luxurious Breath of Fresh Air
The following is an incomplete list of things that “Rose Gold”, the wonderful new song by the English jazz-pop artist Emily Merrell, sounds like. It sounds like a sunny spring day with just a hint of winter in the cool breeze; it sounds like a pink-and-white dessert so artfully presented that you’re not sure if […]
Julian Taylor’s “The Ridge”: Some Things Last Forever
Julian Taylor, a Canadian singer-songwriter who’s been performing in some capacity for two decades, has the kind of voice that lends gravitas to any occasion. His voice is a rich, oaken baritone that evinces a quiet sort of masculinity; listening to it, you get the inexplicable feeling that its owner knows a lot about woodworking. […]
