Insomnia in “Blessing” by Alex G
It might seem like there could be no one more dissimilar to Alex Giannascoli than the over-serious misanthrope. And yet, when I sit down with “Blessing”—the lead single to the Philadelphian’s upcoming album God Save the Animals, out September 23—I can’t help but recall an aphorism by Emil Cioran, the great Romanian Pessimist: “Getting up […]
“Mother on You” by An Triangles Is a Field Trip to the Past
Based out of Boston, alternative indie musician and multi-instrumentlalist Doug Poppe, (who goes by the stage name An Triangles) released his second single titled, “Mother on You.” Play the song and that’s what you’ll hear, literally. “Mother on You” starts with the hushed sounds of kids playing on a school playground. There’s a single walking […]
“Standing At All” by Knuckle Pups: Cohesion, Community, Companionship
Today, I sat down in front of my computer, ready to take notes on “Standing at All.” About five seconds in, I started typing, “this has to be a Midwest pop-punk/emo band.” And perhaps I was justified in this thought; maybe it had to do with the crude, hand-drawn cover for their album TV Ready, […]
“Wait” by ghost singers: Music for a Beautiful, Melancholy Holding Pattern
The past three years of my life have been defined by waiting. After graduating from college, I had to wait around the house, occupying myself with writing while I heard back from all the jobs I had applied for and didn’t get. I applied for grad programs and waited to hear back from them, too. […]
“Kiss City” by Blondshell: An Unfulfilled Lover Asks For More
“Kiss City” is a lame title for a song. It sounds like something Leisure Suit Larry would call first base. But then again, it’s kind of supposed to be lame. The crux of the new song by Blondshell (aka Sabrina Teitelbaum) is that the narrator is needily asking for things that should really be the […]
“I’d Be Orange” by Johanna Warren: Blissfully Chill Indie Rock About Pop Martyrdom
In the music video for “I’d Be Orange,” Johanna Warren only gets through the first line of her song before she’s interrupted by her boss at the diner where she works as a waitress. “I’m not paying you to serenade the rats!” he snarls. “Get back to work!” It’s easy to see why she might […]
“Sideline” by Low Phase: Exploring Compassion Fatigue
Low Phase, a shaggy, amiable indie rock band from Grand Rapids, Michigan, describes themselves in their Twitter bio as “the indie band of your dreams.” It’s a bit of knowing hubris on their part, and it’s clearly intended at least partially in jest, but there’s a kernel of truth to it. In their nifty guitar […]
“A Lovers Plea (Act I)” by Mountains Like Wax: A flood of raw emotion
Content warning: this post deals with heavy subjects and mentions themes involving suicide. If you prefer to avoid these subjects, then do whatever makes you most comfortable. Feel free to skip this post, and if you’re in the mood, you can check out this review I wrote on “Park Song” by Bee Hall. “A Lovers […]
Lainey Dionne on “2009,” Winning Awards, and European Boyfriends
You don’t hear many nostalgic songs about the good ol’ days of 2009 – mainly because America was suffering the pain of the Great Recession that year. But for high schooler Lainey Dionne, it was a magical time. When the most stressful Monday was hanging out on the couch With our Game Boys and screen […]
Will Wood on “White Noise,” Decisions on Singles, and Empty Celebrations
Will Wood has established a cult following for his clever, theatrical music, and it’s not hard to see why it’s struck a chord. A songwriter with the incisive clarity of Bo Burnham and Lemon Demon’s knack for playful absurdity, Wood uses quirky themes and presentations to explore the gnawing horror of the modern condition. “Suburbia […]
