Lucy Roleff and Lehmann B. Smith on “In the Doorway,” Reflection, and Folk Influences
Written by the Australian singer-songwriter Lucy Roleff some time ago before being fleshed out into its current iteration, “In the Doorway” is the kind of quiet, sober reflection on lost love that’s necessary after a heartbreak. Plenty of songs have been written about breakups, and plenty of songs have been written about the triumphant rebound, […]
“My Kind of Crazy” by Mama Said: A Pop-Rock Ode to Parenthood
Northern-California-based, female-fronted rock band Mama Said draws inspiration from the best rock hits of the last thirty years to bring to life a catchy and evergreen sound, elevated by the fantastic voices of front-women Latifa Reeves and Jennifer Knight. “My Kind of Crazy” is one of a series of releases the band is working through […]
Ari Dayan on “Love,” Self-Acceptance, and Life’s Messiness
Most artists would get whiplash going from ultra-catchy dance tracks to slow-burn torch songs, but L.A.’s Ari Dayan makes the stylistic leap with ease. Her new single “Love” is a high-energy ode to self-acceptance – and it follows her previous single “Undeserving” that has the smoky feel of torch singers Julie London and Amy Winehouse. […]
“Queen of Hearts” by Sea Glass and Sucreblooms: Vibes and Compelling Lyrics in Tandem
The other day, my friend asked me an interesting question: “Do you listen to the music for the lyrics or for the vibe?” My initial response was, “well, the vibe, because that’s the first indicator of whether I’m drawn in and want to really delve deep into the song.” But after a while, I had […]
“Mexico” by Kinzoogianna: a dreamy, introspective nu-jazz journey
“Mexico” is the fourth single from Gold For The Hungry Souls, the debut album of Kinzoogianna AKA Anna Stubbs. Stubbs fully showcases her creative skills in this new single: an ecstatic nu-jazz composition reminiscent of the best classical jazz, which sounds refreshingly contemporary and ambitious. A talented pianist, drum programmer and producer, Kinzoogianna creates exciting […]
“Hummingbird” by Meiwei: A Gem from an Emerging Talent
As your friendly neighborhood English major, I love writing song reviews. I view it as dissecting a poem while taking into consideration the element of sound that makes a song three-dimensional. And when a song comes along that really excels in every aspect, I can’t help but launch into a full, convoluted analysis of its […]
Smoking With Poets on “Nothing, With You”, Intimate Vocals, and Long-Distance Collaboration
When I listen to Smoking With Poets’ “Nothing, With You,” I can’t help but think of poets Sylvia Plath and Robert Frost puffing on cigarettes after a tryst while listening to Sixties soft-pop singers like Claudine Longet and Marianne Faithfull. (In Marianne’s case, she smoked with far too many poets and lost her dulcet voice.) […]
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 […]
“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 […]
