“Heaven” by Begonia: A Breezy Song about Afterlife Uncertainty
I think about death too often. I don’t like dwelling on it, but the thoughts come all the same, popping up in quiet moments and poking me like a bratty kid. Hey! Hey, you! You’re gonna die someday, y’know that? You’re gonna die, and you’ve got no idea what happens next, do ya? Do ya?! […]
Lack the Low on “The Sharpest Knife” and the Yin-ward Lean of Her New Album
Lack the Low, an experimental music project led by Kat Hunter, drenches the world in an iridescent sheen with their new song “The Sharpest Knife.” Lack the Low lives in the deliciously strange in-between, dissolving musical and artistic boundaries with sheer force of will. “The Sharpest Knife” glows in a pulsing membrane between realities: between […]
“Kudzu from Heaven” by Creature Comfort Soundtracks a Sinister Invasion (But is Still a Banger)
At the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, America was introduced to a dense, climbing vine from Japan known as kuzu, or kudzu. It was marketed as a decorative plant to provide shade for porches, and it could also serve as cheap, healthy cattle fodder. It was even used to combat soil erosion during the Dust […]
Martha Skye Murphy’s “Concrete” is a Harrowing Song of Self-Destruction
“Concrete” certainly doesn’t sound like the kind of song that should be called “Concrete.” The title track from Martha Skye Murphy’s new EP, “Concrete” is vaporous and ethereal, with hints of Julia Holter and Julee Cruise in its dreamy chamber pop sound. Strings buzz, harps twinkle, and a processed piano plays a plaintive music box […]
Corrina Repp on How a Hug Inspired Her Hymnal “The Shore”
“The Shore” is not a gospel song. It’s not a song about worship or devotion to a higher power. The word “God” is not mentioned once. But Corrina Repp, the LA-based singer-songwriter behind “The Shore” and its accompanying album Island, has created a song that uses the tropes of gospel and other worship music to […]
On “Walker,” Animal Collective Nails the Second Single and Pay Tribute to a Legend
The first single is, of course, one of the most important parts of any album rollout. But just as important, and arguably more difficult to get right, is the second single. Once you’ve released the first single, shared the cover art, and sent out press releases talking about whatever life experience/artistic reawakening/ayahuasca journey inspired the […]
Shaken-Up: The Top Ten Songs by The Knife
On the tour for Shaking the Habitual, their fourth and apparently final album, The Knife were not The Knife. Rather, The Knife were not just The Knife. There were about a dozen performers on stage at any given time, and while Karin and Olof Dreijer were two of those performers, it was unclear which two. […]
Talker on “Summerlin” and Her Artistic Evolution
Talker’s new single “Summerlin” is an aching victory. It’s three minutes of soaring grunge pop, a track that leads the listener into the small town of an ex-lover. Celeste Tauchar, the Clark Kent of Talker, shows in “Summerlin” how loss and place are hopelessly intertwined. Talker injects loss and longing into the song’s setting descriptions, […]
“LA Electric” by Sun V Set: It’s Electrifying!
Virginian indie group Sun V Set have recently released their second single “LA Electric” with the release of an LP on the horizon. Not only do they have one of the most intriguing names, but their sound is equally alluring. From the title of “LA Electric” you may be expecting a tribute to The Doors, […]
David Jameson’s “Tall Dark Pines:” Brilliant Storytelling Through Brilliant Music
Outlaw country singer-songwriter David Jameson is nearing a major stepping stone in his career, the release of his first studio album at the beginning of next year. Though he has been a musician for some time, it was only a few years ago he decided to take a crack at becoming a professional recording artist. […]
