Jared Saltiel’s “Still Tired”: On the Burden of Choice and Perseverance
Every now and then a song comes along that resonates with you in an almost uncomfortably spot-on way. The lyrics feel as if they could have been written about you, or at the very least, by you. It practically reaches out and grabs you with its accuracy, pinning you in place with an echoing familiarity. […]
“Santa Cruz Tomorrow” by French Cassettes: Balmy Indie Pop
French Cassettes embrace indie pop wholeheartedly and take it as their own, imbuing it with their own power and style. It’s evident that their music is rooted in classic pop, but there’s something unique present. Interchanging melodies keep listeners on their toes, and intricate harmonies add vibrant layers that offer the satisfying experience of uncovering […]
“Elephant Tusks” by Owen Davies: Warm, Relaxed Indie Pop
The indie beach sound, with a hint of throwback to the 50s and 60s vibe, seems to be booming these days. Owen Davies nicely contributes to the trend with his song “Elephant Tusks,” which offers that slow swaying, waltzy, beachy sound with a wonderful combo of electric and acoustic guitars alongside a steady, gentle beat […]
“Tried To Tell You” by The Weather Station: Earthy, Lovely Indie Pop
Tamara Lindeman, the singer/songwriter of The Weather Station, is at it again with her wonderfully earthy, lyrical, contemplative music with a new release, “Tried to Tell You,” this time with some jazz flare blended in with her more familiar folk sound. Alongside her other new release, “Robber,” which definitely takes on the jazz approach with […]
Finding Light in the Dark: Old Tom and the Lookouts’ “Heads-Up Coin”
It’s no secret that the world has been pretty tumultuous this year (an understatement, I know). The economy has certainly not been exempt from this chaos, and we have seen a rapid movement to support local businesses and keep them afloat amidst it all. What is lesser spoken about, though, and thusly is something that […]
Angelle Waltz on “Moon Gurlz”, Her Evening Rituals, and Her Sense of Adventure
“I’ve heard that most everyone believes in something,” Angelle Waltz says at the start of her bewitching “Moon Gurlz”. “But for me? Well, I believe in…y’know.” It’s a coy, playful demurral, typical of a song (and an artist) who delights in leaving blank spaces for the listener to fill in on their own. One gets […]
“Green Tea” by Winter Beach: An Unexpected Memento Mori
Famed Polish composer Frederic Chopin is quoted as saying that “simplicity is the final achievement. After one has played a vast quantity of notes… it is simplicity that emerges as the crowning reward of art.” This, of course, is a predictably Victorian, prolix way of rephrasing minimalist architect Ludwig Miles van der Rohe’s oft-quoted maxim: […]
“Abattoir” by The Ninth Wave: Things Fall Apart
Looking at Van Gogh’s Olive Trees with the Alpilles in the Background, produced during his troubled stay at Arles in the southern French countryside, it’s almost impossible not to experience the emotional tumult that, by then, had come to define the ill-fated artist’s day-to-day. His deft use of intense undulating brush strokes makes out of […]
“Avalanche” by Maja Lena: A Much-Needed Escape
Right now, many of us want to escape. The world seems to be getting more chaotic by the day, and most of us are stuck inside our houses. Many of us also live in colder regions, where the frigid winds of winter are keeping us from being outside and in nature. The sun goes down […]
Annsofie Salomon’s “Soft Dreams”: A Tale of New Beginnings
Copenhagen-based singer Annsofie Salomon’s debut single “Soft Dreams” is a beautiful story of self resurrection and reinvigoration. Described by Salomon as both a mix of “organic folk” and “surreal and electronic impressionism,” “Soft Dreams” not only conjures a sound that’s uniquely Annsofie Salomon’s but tells a tale that’s strikingly personal as well. The magic of […]
