Michael Suddes Wakes Up and Sings on “I’m a Bird”
Other people’s insomnia isn’t usually thrilling to hear about, but it thrilled me to hear Michael Suddes sing, “I tossed and turned like a dryer” in “I’m a Bird.” Not only is that exactly how it goes for me when I can’t sleep – I throw myself over in frustration, like a heap of wet clothes […]
Kenja Time’s “Dust” & Shanghai’s Underground
If you were to head on down to one of Shanghai’s oldest underground indie venues, YUYINTANG, in the small, cramped space of sweaty weekend-goers, you might feel the reverberation of the hottest new band bouncing off the walls and into your head. Kenja Time (空加太) is one such band. Taking off in the Beijing underground […]
Aarktica’s Ambient Epic “Can’t Say I’ve Missed You”
American musician Jon DeRosa, the mastermind behind ambient music project Aarktica, is hot off the release of the 2022 album We Will Find the Light. It’s Aarktica’s first release of the year and follows up the 2021 collaborative album Blood Positive, a soundtrack for a short film of the same name. The first single to […]
The So Lows on “Means a Lot” and High-desert Inspiration
The genre we call “rock” has been in the doldrums lately. But there’s a roots-rock band that may change all that: the New Mexico-based trio The So Lows. Molly Miller and Ronnie Rael are the principal songwriters and vocalists, and Troy Krusz is the group’s ace guitarist. The So Lows’ music reminds me of the […]
“Layers” by Joel Ansett Asks Simple Questions That Open Up Entire Worlds
The first thing that struck me when I heard “Layers” was the scrape of a string on Joel Ansett’s acoustic guitar. There’s a simple honesty to it that I love. It’s part of the song and impure, and this is a song full of impurities. It’s not out of key, it’s not going against some […]
3 Ways to Find Spotify Playlist Curators
The Spotify playlist ecosystem is super sketchy. You probably already know this; if you’ve spent five minutes researching how to get on Spotify playlists, I’ll bet you’ve already come across a world of fun phrases like… Yeah, all that stuff sucks. I get it. Bad targeting, botted lists, payola – it’s all real. Playlists offer […]
Isabel Bailey on her “Favorite Color in the Summer”
It was almost still summer when I saw the Isabel Bailey Band for the first time, performing at WTJU’s Offbeat Roadhouse. I was standing behind a camera to the side of the stage, but I was also swimming in the moonlight Piney River, then splashing through gutter puddles in bright rainboots. What I mean is […]
Jeff Buckley Forewarns and Foreshadows on “Dream Brother”
If you are unaware of Jeff Buckley or the unprecedented footprint he left on the music industry with the release of one album, then read about your favorite artist’s influences. Chances are his name will pop up without delay. 1994’s Grace garnered instant fandom among cultural titans. Led Zeppelin’s Jimmy Page cried upon meeting Buckley […]
Reflections on My First Year Working Full-Time on Two Story
Well, I’ve made it. I’ve doubted, many times, whether or not I would make it. Other people (but never my mom) did, too. And those doubts were not without reason. But I’ve proven them all wrong. Today, as the month of October offers up its last dying breath (happy Halloween btw), it’s official: I’ve worked […]
7 Best MIDI Keyboards Under $200
TL;DR Looking for the good stuff? Here are our picks for the 7 best MIDI keyboards under $200 to buy right now. Keep on reading to get the details for each one. Do You Need A MIDI Keyboard? The music production landscape has shifted dramatically in the last decade and even though it’s now possible […]
