Stephanie Lambring is “Being Real About Fakeness” on “Cover Girl”
Who publishes an album cover that’s a picture of herself with the word “Hypocrite” after her name? A brave soul; her name is Stephanie Lambring. Before getting into her song, “Cover Girl,” I want to talk about the album cover. She’s mostly in shadow, but light reaches out to her face (and one lace-covered elbow). […]
“When You Know Someone” by Valley is an Energetic, Musical Freight Train
Valley’s “When You Know Someone” opens with a distantly chugging guitar, some ambient synth, and a soft-yet-epic piano line. This is followed by drums and a count-off—“1, 2, 3, 4!”—before the bass and distorted electric guitar announce the song’s full arrival. An unexpected but welcome harmonica riff floats atop this very rock ’n’ roll liftoff, […]
talker Captures the Zeitgeist on “Everything is Something (I Never Saw Coming)”
On rare occasions, a song brilliantly captures a shared societal moment. LA artist talker’s new song “Everything is Something (I Never Saw Coming)” is an emotional distillation of what 2024 actually feels like (for the artist and for the rest of us, too). The song’s hook, sonic texture, and powerful lyrics add up to Song […]
Herine Is Radiant and Insightful on “Best Best Friend”
Herine is a Nashville-based artist whose real first name is Katherine. She used to go by “Kat”, but now uses the even catchier second half. Her music is a reminder that Nashville is now a pop mecca, not just a country music town. The artist’s latest single “Best Best Friend” features an exquisite melody and […]
Friendship Re-defined in Hiatus Kaiyote’s “Make Friends”
What does it mean to be recognized? Say you’ve moved to a new neighborhood. You’ve noticed a few neighbors mowing their lawns, walking their dogs, rushing to work. You’ve found your go-to spots: grocery store, bar, café, park. You start to recognize the people who populate your little corner of the universe, and they start […]
The Ecstatic Catharsis of “Staring Into Heaven/Shining” by Sour Widows
Sour Widows is one of my favorite bands. When I first heard them on my local college radio station several years ago, I was immediately captivated by their mix of delicate harmonies, lush guitars, and deft and driving rhythms. Grunge, folk, shoegaze, indie rock – they seamlessly integrate these different elements into a coherent whole […]
Hailaker’s “M3” is a Breakup at the Pace of a Summer Drive
As I was zipping along in the pop ride that is Hailaker’s “M3,” the song’s title hardly occurred to me. I must confess, I had no idea what “M3” was supposed to mean, and I possibly still don’t. But I investigated. The all-knowing Interwebs showed me photos of a slick 2024 BMW “M3”—silver, green, red, […]
Mistakes Are Okay On Everything But The Girl’s “When You Mess Up”
Tracey Thorn has one of the most beautiful voices in pop. She sings with Everything But The Girl less frequently these days, and with an even more evocative sound than before. But the sudden appearance of 2023’s album Fuse was worth the wait. The band left their jazzy, acoustic beginnings to experiment a little more […]
Nostalgia Wins the Day on “So Sick Of Dreaming” by Maggie Rogers
The moment “So Sick Of Dreaming” starts, it whisks me back to a warm-coloured, fuzzy-photographed version of the 70s. The dreamy electric guitar, slightly washed with a chorus effect, pairs with Maggie’s close, clear, dry vocals to make the song feel like an old classic. And if that wasn’t classic enough… well, this song is […]
5 Ways to Root Out Your Superfans
Being a full-time career musician is not easy – but it is doable. Before, you had to rely on a label, a manager, a booking agent, and a whole team of people to thrust you into the spotlight. This meant you were heavily dependent on what other people could do for you. Now, between the […]
