Emily Merrell on “Closer to You,” Taking a Different Songwriting Approach, and Something Worse than the Friendzone
There are two things about Emily Merrell’s music that usually remain constant from song to song. The Arizona-born singer-songwriter’s music features lush, jazzy musicianship, with sumptuous piano chords and breezy melodies: most of her songs sound like music for a hotel bar in Heaven. But her music also features dense, wordy lyrics, fitting a lot […]
“Undercover Retro” by The Upsides: A timeless summer rock hit with a 70s-inspired vibe
It’s no easy task to make music that sounds fresh while drawing inspiration from the vibes of the past. Yet, when a band manages to reach this careful balance – the sweet spot between innovation and referentiality – the result can be a timeless track that’s as fun as it is unforgettable. “Undercover Retro” by […]
“Ribs” by Tirzah: Celebrating Healthy Love
“Ribs” by Tirzah is the kind of song you can feel vibrating in your bones. Although this song appears in the indie pop category, the soothing, uplifting lyrics and acoustic vibe give me hints of an R&B love song. It’s like a message in a bottle sent from one lover to another, and we’ve had […]
“Your Love Was A Gift” by Mykki Blanco feat. Diana Gordon and Sam Buck: Making Sense of Past Experiences
Mykki Blanco brings together two amazing talents for this blended pop hit. Mix the passion of Diana Gordon and the natural storyteller tendencies of Sam Buck and you have a thought-provoking masterpiece that elicits many different emotions. You’ll feel indignant, downcast, wishful, rebellious, and thoughtful all within four and a half minutes. The production of […]
“Paintings” by Federico Ruzza: Music to Fall in Love With
It’s rare, but sometimes we fall in love with music. While some songs are pleasant to listen to, and you may even learn to love them over time, others strike you upon the first listen and follow you from that moment onwards. I’m sure you can recall the moment you discovered your favorite band at […]
Robert Leslie on Lockdown Dates, Dream Collaborations, and “My Bananamoon”
“My Bananamoon,” a song by the New York singer-songwriter Robert Leslie, has an unfussy, old-fashioned beauty to it. It boasts the kind of graceful chord sequence that you’d hear in traditional pop standards, and the lyrics have a classic, AABB rhyme scheme. But it’s not exactly a throwback, either: it feels reflective, elegant, and quietly […]
“My Love Went To Sea” by māsa: A Stirring, Determined Search for Connection
A harmonium is a kind of keyboard known as a pump organ, operated with one hand pressing a pump to provide air while the other plays the keys. It produces a uniquely haunting tone: droning, wheezing and scraping, it sounds a little like an accordion turned inside out. The harmonium was a valuable instrument in […]
“Amberlit Morning” by Joan Shelley and Bill Callahan: The Fleeting Beauty of Childhood, and What Comes After
In Ray Bradbury’s short story “All Summer in a Day,” humans have colonized the planet Venus, which (in the story, if not real life) is blanketed in constant rainstorms. The sun only comes out for one hour of one day, every seven years. A classroom full of Venusian schoolchildren eagerly anticipate this short summer, especially […]
“DB Cooper” by Emily Yacina: For Those Who Are Gone But Not Forgotten
D.B. Cooper is almost certainly dead. Most likely, he died from skydiving out of the plane he had hijacked for ransom in 1971; it was a rainy, windy night, and he had neither the experience nor the equipment to survive such a dangerous jump. If, by some miracle, he landed in one piece, he would […]
“Twin” by Hatchie: Long Lost Love
In her latest single “Twin,” Hatchie tells a story about a love that is short lived. The song has a feel-good vibe to it — she’s not complaining, but rather reflecting on a lesson learned. Hatchie’s voice is like an echo that bounces off the walls and settles into everything it touches. It blends beautifully […]
