Moth Traps’ “Brittle Star (HSJNT)” Is a Mournful, Mutated Memento Mori
There’s a pathos inherent in the decline and fall of things. Big things, yes, like the fall of the Roman Empire, but smaller things as well, things that were ubiquitous for a time before gradually fading from view. A silent film star ruminating on her past glory; a legendary pop band performing in front of […]
“Left and Right” by Rose Brokenshire: A Lush Return to Nature
Rose Brokenshire is the connection to nature that we all need to seek out from time to time. And nature plays a big part in her path to making music. From the experience of yearning to be close to nature and thus becoming a forest firefighter in northern Canada, Brokenshire creates musical pieces that hail […]
“Good Life” by Diving Dame: An Utterly Unique Anthem
Diving Dame is the creation of artists Freddy Avis and Zach Moses, and they’re taking the world by storm with their debut single, “Good Life.” It’s a force of nature that’s rocking and rolling in new fans’ ears. In a time when the past year (an arguably dark and difficult one) has inspired otherwise more […]
“Go Outside” by Ratboys: Remembering to Appreciate the Simple Things
Coming up on the one year anniversary of the Covid-19 lockdown, I’m sure we can all relate to the feeling of wanting to return to normalcy. Even though things are finally starting to look up, the world is still largely changed as a result of the ongoing pandemic. Many have been isolating for extended periods […]
“Bad Dreams” by Indigo Sparke: Poetry Over Music
A great thing about music is the artform’s versatility. Whether you’re listening to a list of top 20 hits count down on a radio station or you’re sitting down to listen to your favorite Bob Dylan record, every single song can offer something different. While some artists choose to emphasize catchy hooks and melodies, others […]
Joe Pope and Luna Keller on “Barricades,” Collaboration, and Their Futures
“Barricade,” a new song by the Georgia-based singer-songwriter Joe Pope, has a warm and welcoming sound, but it never feels too easy. Perhaps it’s Pope’s voice, which has enough grit to add some texture to the sound; perhaps it’s the song’s structure, which never quite goes where you expect it to go. Whatever the case, […]
“No Sleep” by Arm’s Length: Rage, Frustration and Redemption
Arm’s Length has only been a proper band for about two years now, but you might not have been able to tell from the emotional punch their latest EP packs. Everything Nice follows the Ontario band’s 2019 release, What’s Mine Is Yours, and the musical and emotional growth is on display. “Everything Nice is the […]
“Another Girl” by Ali George: From One Love to the Next
Ali George’s latest album is called Platys Yialos, which translates roughly in Greek as ‘wide beach’. The album cover, made by George’s father, depicts this landscape with swoon-worthy detail. The way the pounding waves and frothy foam bleed into the skyline, or how three-dimensional depth is brought to life with color and texture—the artwork is […]
“Hold Your Course” by S J Williams: A Classically-Influenced Balm
It’s been one year since the COVID lockdowns began. I’d do another long intro about the effects of the pandemic–the loneliness, the frustration, the boredom–or maybe I’d trace it from the early days of Tiger King and Animal Crossing to the present. But let’s not kid ourselves: do you really want to hear about all […]
Arlo Parks’ “Black Dog” and the Cruelty of Depression
Arlo Parks’ poetic debut album Collapsed in Sunbeams gives us windows into the painful details of intense depression, grief, and heartbreak, but she never abandons hope. It’s not often that I genuinely enjoy every song on an album, and I have had Collapsed in Sunbeams on shuffle for the past week. The 20-year-old British […]
