“Fake” by Chastity Belt Takes On the Clownery of Impostor Syndrome
Here are words I’m sure you’ve all heard before: “impostor syndrome.” It was first observed in successful professional women, but it’s significantly more widespread than that: people of all stripes doubt themselves, and live in fear of being exposed as frauds. Maya Angelou had it, Neil Armstrong had it, and I have it too. (This […]
“Madison” by Sloppy Jane: A Surreal, Empathetic Portrait of a Marginalized American
There’s a movie that came out a couple years ago called Greener Grass, and it came to mind when I was listening to this song. Greener Grass is a suburban satire about a nervous pushover of a housewife named Jill, who increasingly finds her picturesque life encroached upon by outside forces until she has nothing […]
“We Are Not Alone” by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis Reconnects Us With Nature
My sister and I used to go camping with our uncle when we were young. Although my uncle was a very capable outdoorsman, we weren’t exactly roughing it in the wilderness; perhaps correctly assuming that there was only so much nature two bookish kids from Long Island could take, he only took us to the […]
Sharell Bryant’s “Gold” Shines Like 24 Karat
New York-based singer-songwriter Sharell Bryant is making big strides with her debut EP, Turn Me Into A Diamond. A set of tracks that vary stylistically, Turn Me Into A Diamond puts Bryant’s range as a musician on display. One of the standout tracks on the new album is “Gold,” which compared to its relatives is […]
On “30”, Adele Comes Into Her Own As a Songwriter
You’ve probably seen this clip before, but if you haven’t, I’ll summarize it. Adele has been entered into a contest for Adele impersonators. With the help of makeup artists, prosthetics, and gloves to cover up her tattoos, Adele is no longer Adele, but a soft-spoken nanny named Jenny. She commiserates backstage with the other Adeles, […]
Retrospective Review: “Flower” by Liz Phair
Here are the lyrics for “Flower,” the fourteenth song on Liz Phair’s indie rock classic Exile in Guyville. You can read them if you’d like, or you can just listen to the song. I’m doing things a bit differently for this piece, by putting the lyrics in a link and quoting where I can. This […]
Stella Emmett on “Beach House,” Frustration, and Poppy Menace
“Beach House,” a new song by the British singer-songwriter Stella Emmett, is theoretically a lark. Emmett’s melodies are breezy and light on their feet, and she has a coolly materialistic attitude that is both very funny and refreshingly no-bullshit. “I’m not in love with you,” she informs her sugar daddy, firmly but without malice. “I’m […]
“Bless” by Elly Kace: A Divine Experience
On November 19, 2021, indie artist Elly Kace is releasing a new concept album, Nothing I see means anything. Among the tracks on the album is “Bless.” A tribute to the great singer-songwriters of the late 50s with an indie twist unlike any other. On her website, Kace’s music career is described as having been […]
“Nobody” Will Want to Miss This New Release from David James Allen
David James Allen, Canadian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, is gearing up for the release of his third solo album. “Nobody,” the latest single off the forthcoming album The Architect, is the third piece of the puzzle shaping Allen’s current artistic enigma. “Bound To The Game” and “For The Times,” the preceding singles for The Architect, proved […]
“Touch” by Quinton Brock: Savoring the Things We Took for Granted
Even if you were never physically intimate with anyone, it was easy to miss touch during the quarantine days of the pandemic. It’s the little things you didn’t notice, or even actively disliked, before they went away for a while: the accidental touch of hands when giving someone a pen, the brush of elbows when […]
