Gidea’s “Intrepid Traveler” & Foolish Endeavours
Gidea invokes a tarot card to describe the release of her first single, Intrepid Traveler: The Fool It’s a bit on the nose; The Fool is the beginning of the major arcana cards (as it sounds: the “Big Deal” cards), representing the naive, cup-overfloweth enthusiasm of a new life cycle. Much like the Fool, Gidea […]
Michael Suddes Wakes Up and Sings on “I’m a Bird”
Other people’s insomnia isn’t usually thrilling to hear about, but it thrilled me to hear Michael Suddes sing, “I tossed and turned like a dryer” in “I’m a Bird.” Not only is that exactly how it goes for me when I can’t sleep – I throw myself over in frustration, like a heap of wet clothes […]
Kenja Time’s “Dust” & Shanghai’s Underground
If you were to head on down to one of Shanghai’s oldest underground indie venues, YUYINTANG, in the small, cramped space of sweaty weekend-goers, you might feel the reverberation of the hottest new band bouncing off the walls and into your head. Kenja Time (空加太) is one such band. Taking off in the Beijing underground […]
Aarktica’s Ambient Epic “Can’t Say I’ve Missed You”
American musician Jon DeRosa, the mastermind behind ambient music project Aarktica, is hot off the release of the 2022 album We Will Find the Light. It’s Aarktica’s first release of the year and follows up the 2021 collaborative album Blood Positive, a soundtrack for a short film of the same name. The first single to […]
“Layers” by Joel Ansett Asks Simple Questions That Open Up Entire Worlds
The first thing that struck me when I heard “Layers” was the scrape of a string on Joel Ansett’s acoustic guitar. There’s a simple honesty to it that I love. It’s part of the song and impure, and this is a song full of impurities. It’s not out of key, it’s not going against some […]
Isabel Bailey on her “Favorite Color in the Summer”
It was almost still summer when I saw the Isabel Bailey Band for the first time, performing at WTJU’s Offbeat Roadhouse. I was standing behind a camera to the side of the stage, but I was also swimming in the moonlight Piney River, then splashing through gutter puddles in bright rainboots. What I mean is […]
Jeff Buckley Forewarns and Foreshadows on “Dream Brother”
If you are unaware of Jeff Buckley or the unprecedented footprint he left on the music industry with the release of one album, then read about your favorite artist’s influences. Chances are his name will pop up without delay. 1994’s Grace garnered instant fandom among cultural titans. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page cried upon meeting Buckley […]
Twisting mood and soaring vocals on Nótt’s ’Frost’
“In Norse mythology, Nótt is night personified.” Intriguing (thanks Wiki). What’s also intriguing is an artist who doesn’t give out a whole lot of information about themselves, instead letting the music do the talking. Nótt (real name Kate) is one of these. On her Spotify biography, she tells us she is “fiercely rooted in rock […]
Around The Sun In 80 Ways
Songs make my mind a traveler, and as I listened to GALASO’s EP Around the Sun, my thoughts ventured to a few different places. Well, one place in particular. It might sound trite, but GALASO’s smooth vocals brought me back to the old roller rink- so much so that I Googled “Roller Rink.” (What do […]
“Kathleen” by Townes Van Zandt: The Most Important Artist You’ve Never Heard Of
Most music fans – of any age – are likely not acquainted with the name or catalog of a man named Townes Van Zandt. Almost every music fan, however, is likely familiar with the iconic musicians who cite Van Zandt, one of America’s all-time greatest singer-songwriters, as a major influence. Outspoken admirers of Van Zandt […]
