“You Think You’re Like the Rain” by Jenny Berkel: Swirling, Poetic Folk Music
Jenny Berkel lays down a series of fresh, urgent images in her new release “You Think You’re Like the Rain.” The track swings in swirls of blue and smudges of indigo, conducting images of drowsy rain and leaky facuets and water that has a hitch in its breath. “You Think You’re Like the Rain” has […]
“Pismo” by Tino Drima: Love, Plain and Simple
I once had an English teacher tell me that young love best represents love in its purest form. Uncorrupted and simple, teenage romance is hardly affected by wealth, occupation, or family; rather, it encapsulates partners loving each other for nothing but who they are. I think about that from time to time. I feel like […]
Ethan Luce on “Airplane Mode,” Music During the Pandemic, and Having Fun
“Airplane Mode” by Ethan Luce blends surf rock with indie pop, sending you into a delicious, summery haze where funk is on cruise control. Upbeat and playful, the splendid track substitutes the head noise of incessant news media with something more delightful. “Airplane Mode” opens with just soft, naked guitar plucks shadowed by a subdued, […]
“Teeth” by Langkamer: Warm, Big-Hearted Indie Rock
When I was in high school and in a band—if you can call it that—we tried to create a certain type of sound. We tried to make music that mirrored our interests in modern indie and pop while also honoring the sounds of classic rock that we loved dearly. Lyrically, we wanted to make songs […]
Veronica Everheart on “time and time again” and Her Learning Experiences
The travel song is a classic part of the American road trip. The radio helps to create this mood of change and wonder. A sense of exploration and metamorphosis. Memories are made on these trips, and later on when those memories are hazy, the songs we associate with them bring those oft happier memories into […]
“away” by Lucas Stern: Short but Impactful Lo-Fi Rock
If this review seems shorter than most, there’s a good reason for that. “away,” a new song by indie artist Lucas Stern, isn’t a particularly long listen. Clocking in at just 1:41, it reminds me of vocal tracks that flash by in films or games. It’s the one song you hear after a breakup with […]
Banshee Beat: The Ten Best Songs by Animal Collective
In 2000, a curious little album picked up modest acclaim: a psychedelic oddity with faded storybook album art and an aura of childhood innocence, eerily distorted. It was called Spirit They’re Gone, Spirit They’ve Vanished, and it was released by two stoners from Maryland named Dave Portner and Noah Lennox, also known as Avey Tare […]
“Negging” by veronicavon: A Suggestive Song with Intriguing Subtext
“Negging,” as I’m sure we all know by now, is the practice of using backhanded compliments to lower someone’s self-esteem and make them more susceptible to manipulation. It’s usually used in the context of “pick-up artistry” by men desperate to pick up women, where they might say something like “the trashy look really works for […]
Jackie West on “Amelia,” Her Musical Family, and Working on Farms in Massachusetts
“Amelia,” a new song by the New York-based singer-songwriter Jackie West, is a rich, soothing piece of music. West plays jazz-inflected folk, and on “Amelia” she takes the coziest elements of both genres and knits them into a warm sweater. The mellow guitar strum isn’t far removed from Jessica Pratt, but while Pratt’s strange, elfin […]
“Calling on Sunshine” by John Bickel: Happiness, Pain, and Musical Absolution
Philadelphia-based artist John Bickel’s latest song, “Calling on Sunshine,” is an ecstatic outburst of finger-snapping rock and soul, demanding joy in the face of life’s worldly challenges. The track stands at nearly five minutes, and seems to be a masterclass in choosing the most harmonious, funky elements across a multitude of classic American genres – […]
