“Tulsa Someday” by Justin Larkin: An Immediate Rush of Americana
Sometimes, it takes a second to really get into a song before you can officially determine whether you enjoy it or not. That wasn’t the case with “Tulsa Someday” by Justin Larkin. What actually happened went a little bit more like this. I hit “play,” unknowing and suspecting of what was about to hit my […]
“Structure” by Odd Sweetheart: Driving, Intense Emo
As the people say, it’s the little things that make you remember. Maybe you’re strolling through the mall. Maybe you pass by a Hot Topic. And maybe you keep walking, but there’s this microsecond where you slow down a little, peer over a little too casually, and get a whiff of that old leathery smell, […]
“Ginger Cola” by Gold Stars for Everyone: Warm, Wistful Indie Rock
“Ginger Cola” by Gold Stars For Everyone is comforting and nostalgic. No matter what, it will make you feel something, whether it makes you reflect on life, channel a memory, or think about the future. In my listening experience, I’ve found that this song has the ability to do all three of those things. The […]
Nolan DeBrincat of 24hr Video on “Dead or Alive,” Mental Health, and Radiohead
When listening to “Dead or Alive” by Kansas City-based indie band 24hr Video, it’s impossible not to think about legendary Kansas City musician Charlie “Bird” Parker. The song (just like Parker’s life) is about the ambivalence of living on the razor’s edge between life and death, between drug dependency and freedom. While Parker’s drug of […]
“Just Like Everybody Else” by Pure Intruders: Silky-Smooth Sophisti-Pop Throwback
Listening to Pure Intruders’ “Just Like Everybody Else” is like time-traveling back to the heyday of mid-Eighties UK sophisti-pop. All the great things about Sade’s “Smooth Operator” – jazzy chords, smooth danceability and an inviting vocal – are on full display in this song. But the lyrics take it to another level, reminding us that […]
Deborah Stokol on “Gilgamesh” and the Importance of Preserving Stories
Humans have been singing their stories since before the first tales were written. The people of antiquity had one way to carry on the stories and epic that defined them: song. In order to remember long tales such as the Iliad, Beowulf, or The Epic of Gilgamesh, the tales were sung from one generation to […]
Georgia Harmer’s “Talamanca”: Memories Over A Melody
“Talamanca” is a recollection of sentimental moments over the soft strumming of a guitar. Georgia Harmer proves herself to be an excellent storyteller with her descriptive writing and ultra-soothing delivery. Listening to this song is like listening to a poem or short story at an open mic night while music plays softly in the background. […]
Joyce Wrice’s “Iced Tea”: A Cold Glass of Confidence
In her latest single “Iced Tea”, Joyce Wrice challenges us to ignore the status quo and live our lives for ourselves. It’s a confidence-boosting feel-good anthem that asks you to celebrate yourself and what you bring to the table. It’s the song you listen to when you need to be reminded that you are the […]
“Memory” by Lala Lala: A Rejection of Easy Nostalgia
When people talk about “lo-fi” these days, they’re probably not talking about Daniel Johnston, or early Smog cassettes. While “lo-fi” generally refers to any music recorded with low fidelity, it’s most commonly used nowadays to refer to “lo-fi hip-hop”: dreamy downtempo beats with a cozy sort of atmosphere. They’re often compiled in YouTube videos or […]
“Roller Skating” by Plunki: Elated Dream Pop for the Elusive Crush
In the process of reviewing songs, sometimes you receive a project to review that you know is objectively great , but you might not actually incorporate into your oh-so perfectly curated playlists. Upon first listen of “Roller Skating” by Plunki, I knew this would not be the case. This dreamy Indietronica track is now on […]
