The rousing garage rocker “Take This Heart” by Denton, Texas-based singer-songwriter Brian Lambert remains at #1 for a second week, while “Metaverse” by Nashville alt-rock band Cage the Elephant moves up two spots to #2 and “Rushmere” by English folk rock band Mumford & Sons holds at #3.
Four songs make their debut on my chart this week, starting with the upbeat and gentle “Let Things Go” by Columbus, Ohio-based folk band Caamp, comprised of Evan Westfall, Taylor Meier, Matt Vinson and Joseph Kavalec. Their songs have always performed well on the Billboard AAA (Adult Alternative Airplay) chart, with three reaching #1; “Let Things Go” currently sits at #5 on that chart.
The second debut, entering at #28, is “Three Six Five” by long-time Florida rock band Shinedown. Formed in 2001, the band presently consists of founding member and front man Brent Smith, as well as Barry Kerch, Zach Myers and Eric Bass. They’ve garnered the most #1 singles on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts with 20 and counting, and every one of their singles have reached the top five on that chart.
The third debut is “Everything Is Peaceful Love” by American indie folk band Bon Iver. Originally founded in 2006 as a solo project by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon, Bon Iver eventually became a band consisting of Vernon, Sean Carey, Michael Lewis, Matthew McCaughan, Andrew Fitzpatrick and Jenn Wasner. The sweet, uplifting song is from their fifth studio album SABLE, fABLE, released on April 11th.
Entering at #30 is the fourth and final debut, “So Long” by San Diego-based indie rock band Wavves. Like Bon Iver, Wavves was originally formed as a solo project in 2008 by singer-songwriter Nathan Williams, but ultimately grew to become a full band, and after several lineup changes now also includes Alex Gates, Stephen Pope and Ross Traver. Their first new music since their 2021 album Hideaway, “So Long” was released on February 28th, and will be included on their forthcoming ninth album Spun, set for release in June. I love the song’s exuberant pop-punk sound that’s reminiscent of songs by Green Day, Blink-182 and The Orwells, and it marks their first appearance on my chart.
TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (1)
METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (4)
RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons (3)
TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (5)
IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire (2)
THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (8)
STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND – Unquiet Nights (9)
WALLS – Frank Joshua (10)
PEOPLE WATCHING – Sam Fender (6)
SAME OLD SONG – The Lumineers (7)
LUTHER – Kendrick Lamar & SZA (13)
BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (14)
MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (15)
THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (16)
IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (17)
WITHOUT A DOUBT – Charm School (11)
SNAKESKIN – NAVE (19)
POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (20)
ANKLES – Lucy Dacus (21)
LAREDO – Leon Bridges (22)
SO COLD – Balu Brigada (12)
ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (24)
BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (25)
BAD DREAMS – Teddy Swims (18)
BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (29)
PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (30)
For the 44th installment of my Fresh New Tracks series, I’m featuring new songs by an array of international artists I’m particularly fond of, including, in alphabetical order – Canadian artist dwi, French producer E-Klozion and English singer-songwriter Liam Croker, Welsh band Set the Tone, and Canadian artist Western Jaguar. I’ve previously featured all of them on this blog, with the exception of E-Klozion who is new to me.
dwi – “Doom Scroll’n”
Photo of dwi from his Facebook account
Based in the suburbs of Vancouver, British Columbia, dwi is the music project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Dwight Abell, who’s also the longtime bassist for Canadian alternative/power pop band The Zolas. He’s an immensely creative, talented and imaginative guy, with a totally original sound and an endearingly quirky vocal style that make his music so uniquely distinctive. I think he’s one of the brightest stars today in the Canadian music scene, or anywhere really, and I’m quite fond of him. He’s released two outstanding albums – Mild Fantasy Violence in 2021 and Zoo Life in 2023, both of which I reviewed, as well as numerous singles. Three of this songs – “Good Friend” (2021), “Party4One” (2022) and “Overrated” (2023) – reached #1 on my personal Top 30 chart.
Today dwi’s back with a wonderful new single “Doom Scroll’n“, a nostalgic, melancholy song he calls his “sappiest” yet. It was recorded, engineered and produced by James Younger and Jeffrey Innes, who are both members of Canadian indie rock band Yukon Blonde and also played on the track. In an Instagram post about the the song, Dwight noted “Originally the post chorus hook was played using this mutilated digital synth midi sound but James was like ‘fuck that I’m playing guitar’, and it was a very correct choice.” James also mixed the track, which was mastered by Montano Mastering. The song starts off with a twangy guitar line, then settles into an exuberant melodic tune with a strong, head-bopping groove overlain with lots of marvelous and quirky musical textures. The lyrics speak of missing a woman he was once romantically involved with but no longer sees, and how he tortures himself by scrolling through her social media posts on his mobile phone: “And there’s a ghost, she’s living in my phone.And I can’t look away from her, so instead I’m doom scroll’n“
The photo used for the cover art is of Dwight’s wife Caitlin taken on one of their date nights.
E-Klozion x Liam Croker – “Never Coming Down”
E-Klozion is an electronic music producer and self-described “intergalactic DJ” based in Montpellier, France. Composing music with strong emotions drawn from various influences (ethnic, oriental, bass music, psychedelic, techno, house and organic), his mission is “to sow groove on the dancefloor”. He’s played alongside many internationally renowned artists such as Boris Brejcha, Nto, Extrawelt, Ann Clue and Arjuna. Liam Croker is frontman and lead vocalist of Manchester, England-based electro-funk/soul collective WINACHI, who’ve been releasing infectious sexy grooves – which they describe as “swaggering Mancunian tenacity spliced with smooth Californian G-Funk soul” – since forming in 2015. I’ve featured them and their music numerous times, most recently in March 2023 when I reviewed their single “FOR YOU I’D KILL” featuring Natalie Wilde. I had the pleasure of meeting Liam and his fellow WINACHI band members Antony Egerton and Inder Goldfinger in 2022 when they played at the landmark club The Mint in Los Angeles.
Now E-Klozion and Liam Croker have teamed up to create a new electronic dance/funk single “Never Coming Down“, which drops today. The track was co-written by them both, and produced by E-Klozion, who programmed the cool synths. Liam sang lead vocals on the track, Antony Egerton played guitar, and English singer-songwriter Christie Bellis sang backing vocals. The song is a seductive celebration of the hedonistic joys of partying with beautiful people at the dance club: “You’ll never hear me ask for just a touch, because just a touch won’t ever do much for me. You’ll see. I’m never coming down, never coming down, never coming down, cause it’s too low. Once your lost is found, where do you go?/ I’m a professional sinner, this is what I do. I ain’t no beginner baby, and I ain’t through with you.” I like the song’s funky groove and the interplay between Liam’s sassy playful croons and Christie’s teasing backing vocals. The entertaining video for the single was filmed “during an extremely hot sweaty night” at The Black Sheep music venue in Montpellier.
Set the Tone – “All for Nothing”
Photo of Set the Tone from their Facebook account
Hailing from Pontypridd, Wales (the birthplace of legendary singer Tom Jones) is Set the Tone, a pop/rock band comprised of Liam Richards on acoustic guitar and vocals, Nate Jones on electric guitar, Dan Hayman on electric guitar and backing vocals, and Rob Williams, who recently replaced outgoing member Kage Jones on bass. With their winning combination of intelligent songwriting, an infectious and pleasing sound melding elements of classic and contemporary rock, folk and pop, and charismatic stage presence, the guys have quickly built a loyal following in South Wales. Almost a year ago to the day, they released their first singles “Happy” and “Take This Chance” on April 26, followed by “Do You Really Wanna Know?” on July 5th and “Here We Go Again” on November 29th. I reviewed “Here We Go Again” last December, and the song ended up spending eight weeks on my Top 30 chart earlier this year.
The guys returned on April 4th with their fifth single “All for Nothing“, a rousing kiss off song with a harder-rocking feel than their previous releases. Over a hard-charging galloping beat fueled by a throbbing bassline and aggressive drums, the guys layer a hearty blend of melodic and grungy guitar riffs that create a thunderous backdrop for Liam’s fervent vocals. The lyrics touch on a relationship that’s run its course and is now broken beyond repair. Liam proclaims his antipathy toward his former romantic partner, while still retaining enough grace to wish her well: “I can’t wait to get over you. Now our time is done, it’s through. Take good care of your life. Not coming home to you tonight. Now it’s done, it was all for nothing. A complete waste of time.” “All for Nothing” is another fine effort by Set the Tone, keeping their record for putting out excellent songs fully intact.
Western Jaguar – “Flower Box”
Photo by Dale Klippenstein
Another personal favorite artist of mine is Western Jaguar, the music project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jeffrey Trainor, Like dwi, he’s from the Vancouver region of British Columbia, Canada, and has been releasing music since 2013 as both a band comprised of an evolving lineup of musicians and more recently as a solo artist. Skillfully blending indie rock, dream pop and shoegaze, he writes songs exploring common themes of life, love, emotional well-being and loss, expressed through poetic, relatable lyrics which he delivers with pleasing vocals. I’ve been following him for nearly seven years, and have featured him four times on this blog, most recently last May (2024) when I reviewed his single “Repossess”, which was later included on his fourth album Vacationland. Two of his songs, “Disappear” (2019) and “Darling” (2023) have reached #1 on my Top 30 chart.
On April 18th, he released his latest single “Flower Box“, a rather melancholy but poignant song about someone who keeps making bad relationship choices. Jeff has this to say about the song: “‘Flower Box’ looks at a broken relationship, but viewed from a caring outsider’s perspective. It’s clear to the narrator that this person whom this friend is engaged with is a bad fit for them, and the narrator attempts to sway them to see the truth. The repeating line, ‘Are we doing this again?’ hints that this is not the first time they have felt the need to interject about the poor circle of partners this person has chosen.” With a sense of sad resignation in his voice, Western Jaguar laments “She thinks that he can be a good man. I think that he’s a good salesman. All she wants is for him to fully love her, but he’s too busy playing games on servers with her brother./ I just don’t know what you see in him.“
Brian Lambert is an affable, thoughtful and talented singer-songwriter from Denton, Texas who refers to himself as a “Friendly Neighborhood Rock and Roller”, and is also one of the most prolific musicians I know of. When Covid put a halt to playing live, he challenged himself to writing, recording and producing a new song every week for a year, an ambitious feat he went on to accomplish in 2021. Since then, he’s continued his prodigious output, writing and recording numerous songs both as a solo artist and in collaboration with a host of other musicians, including his frequent musical partner Marc Schuster (with whom he also has a side band called The Star Crumbles).
His lively, eclectic sound runs the gamut from rock’n’roll, indie folk and garage rock to grunge, punk and synthpop. In addition to a dizzying array of singles, he also released a terrific album Wild in September 2023 and EP Everything’s a Business in June 2024. I’ve featured him many times on this blog, most recently this past January when I reviewed his single “Take This Heart“. Inspired by the 90’s music of some of his favorite bands like Soul Asylum, the Goo Goo Dolls and Better Than Ezra, “Take This Heart” is a smoldering, foot-stomping garage rock banger of a love song. Brian wrote the music and lyrics, played all instruments and self-produced the track. I love it, and am pleased to finally place it at the top of my latest chart.
Entering the top 10 are “The Night Before” by The Black Keys, “Straight to the Ground” by Northern-Ireland rock act Unquiet Nights, and “Walls” by English singer-songwriter Frank Joshua, at #s 8, 9 & 10, respectively.
There are two new additions this week, the first of which is “Basic Being Basic” by Djo, the music project of American actor Joseph David Keery, known for his roles as Steve Harrington in the Netflix series Stranger Things and Gator Tillman in the fifth season of the crime drama series Fargo. The song is from his third album The Crux, which was released April 4th. His sleeper hit song “End of Beginning”, which went viral on TikTok and has been streamed over 1.4 billion times on Spotify, spent 15 weeks in my Top 30 last year, and ranks #43 on my 100 Best Songs of 2024 list. Djo is about to embark on a 36-date tour of the U.S. and Europe that will start in Salt Lake City on April 21st.
The second new entry, debuting at #30, is “Porcelain (Losing All My Patience)” by Irish alternative indie rock band Somebody’s Child, fronted by the charismatic singer-songwriter Cian Godfrey. The beautiful song is from their wonderful second album When Youth Fades Away, released on March 28th, and accompanied by an endearing video showing Godfrey singing and dancing to the song in London’s Waterloo Station. I don’t normally include videos for other songs on my charts other than the one at #1, but this one’s so charming I want to share it.
TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (3)
IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire (1)
RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons (4)
METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (5)
TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (7)
PEOPLE WATCHING – Sam Fender (2)
SAME OLD SONG – The Lumineers (6)
THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (13)
STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND – Unquiet Nights (11)
WALLS – Frank Joshua (12)
WITHOUT A DOUBT – Charm School (10)
SO COLD – Balu Brigada (9)
LUTHER – Kendrick Lamar & SZA (14)
BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (16)
MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (17)
THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (18)
IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (19)
BAD DREAMS – Teddy Swims (8)
SNAKESKIN – NAVE (22)
POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (23)
ANKLES – Lucy Dacus (24)
LAREDO – Leon Bridges (27)
WHO’S A FRAUD? – Still Traffico (15)
ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (26)
BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (28)
YOU’RE MY DRUG – Talk in Waves (20) 19th week on chart
THE LINE – Twenty One Pilots (21)
THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely (25) 21st week on chart
BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (N)
PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (N)
It’s been a while since my last edition of Fresh New Tracks, as I haven’t much felt like writing given the ever-worsening onslaught of mendacity and horrors issuing from America’s insanely corrupt leadership. But with so much great new music being released, it’s time for another installment in my series. Today I’m featuring deeply compelling songs by four singer-songwriters, in alphabetical order – English composer and producer Paris Alexander, Texas-based Keelan Donovan, Los Angeles-based David Haerle, and Welsh artist Secret Postal Society. I’ve previously featured Paris Alexander and Secret Postal Society many times on this blog, whereas Keelan Donovan and David Haerle are new to me.
Paris Alexander – “Ride to Heartbreak”
Photo by Karim Hamid
Hailing from Brighton, England is Paris Alexander, a creative and talented singer-songwriter, composer and producer of electronic music. He’s been a long time collaborator with his life partner, British singer-songwriter, producer and muse Tina Eirene, as well as Norwegian coldwave/post-punk artist Antipole, with whom he co-wrote, produced and sang vocals/played synths on five albums together (two of which, Northern Flux in 2017 and Crystalline in 2023, I reviewed). In 2021, I also reviewed Paris & Tina’s wonderful album Renaissance, which they co-wrote and co-produced. Now Paris is back with a new single “Ride to Heartbreak“, which was co-written and co-produced with Tina, and recorded, mixed and mastered at his Blue Door Music Studios in Brighton.
The song is a darkly beautiful and mesmerizing coldwave gem, with mysterious, almost otherworldly synths layered over a hypnotic pulsating beat. Paris’ ethereal whispered vocals are at once both seductive and melancholy, backed by Tina’s soft, breathy croons, as they sing about the sadness associated with the passing of time and missed opportunities: “Sadness touches my soul, for what was meant to be has gone astray. Time said too late as I gave you a chance. Sadness is the mourning for many times have passed.”
Keelan Donovan – “The Influence”
Photo from Keelan’s Facebook account
Born and raised in Maine and now based in Austin, Texas via Nashville, singer-songwriter Keelan Donovan has been releasing music for the past decade as both a solo artist and under his indie pop alter-ego Mr. Irrelevant. His songs span across genres, encompassing everything from pop, singer-songwriter and indie rock to Americana, country and folk. His 2018 single “Like a Radio” has been streamed over 2.6 million times on Spotify alone. I learned about him recently when he reached out to me about his new single “The Influence“, which he describes as “a raw, confessional song about the quiet grip of alcohol, the weight of inherited struggles, and the fear of what we pass down to our kids.” He co-wrote the song with Canadian-born and now Nashville-based country singer-songwriter Tenille Townes, and it was produced by Kevin Kadish.
In a heartfelt Instagram post, Keelan eloquently articulated his reason for writing the song: “I wrote ‘The Influence’ because I have two boys who are always watching me. Learning not just from what I say, but from what I do. That’s a beautiful thing and also terrifying. It forces me to hold a mirror up to myself every single day. The way I handle stress, how I treat people, how I talk about myself, the habits I lean on…especially my drinking…they’re picking it all up. It’s about wanting to break cycles but sometimes slipping anyway. We all fuck up as parents. A lot. And that’s okay. It’s about guilt, grace, and the deep hope that love is louder than our flaws. One of the things I’ve struggled with is using alcohol to cope, to numb, to unwind. and sometimes I wonder what kind of message that sends. What they’ll remember. What they’ll carry with them. This song is rooted in that quiet fear. What if the parts of me I haven’t healed become the parts they inherit? I’m still figuring it out. And sometimes the shame of falling short makes it even harder to get back up. I’m learning in real time how to be the kind of man I want them to look up to. Not a perfect one. Just an honest one.”
The song has a pleasing indie folk-pop vibe in the vein of songs by Noah Kahan, Wilderado and Mumford & Sons. In fact, Keelan’s vocals remind me of Noah Kahan as he sings “If forgiveness is a virtue, a little sin, it never hurts you. It feels good to get drunk once in a while. Is it bad? It’s probably bad, but I’m doing the best I can.”
David Haerle – “To Dance On Sands (Ode to Marta Becket)”
Photo from David’s Facebook account
David Haerle is a singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles who blends rock, folk, and Americana to tell heartfelt stories inspired by his life experiences and observations of the people and places that surround him. From what I can tell, he’s released a fair amount of music since 2017, including three albums – Garden of Edendale in 2018, Death Valley in 2020 and El Camino Sierra in 2023. His music has been featured in many notable music publications including Billboard, American Songwriter, Goldmine, Under The Radar, Glide Magazine and Rock and Roll Globe, to name just a few. On his latest single “To Dance On Sands (Ode To Marta Becket),” David pays tribute to American actress, dancer, choreographer and painter Marta Becket, who left an indelible mark on California arts culture. She performed for more than four decades at her own theater, the Amargosa Opera House in Death Valley Junction. She gave her first performance in February 1968, and continued to perform until 2012. She passed away in 2017 at the age of 92.
Born in 1924 in New York City, Marta was later traveling with her husband on her way to an engagement in 1967 when, due to a flat tire, she ended up in the tiny desert hamlet of Death Valley Junction, where she discovered a small abandoned theater in a community center built in the 1920s. Immediately charmed by the small town, she decided to stay and restore the theater, which she renamed the Amargosa Opera House, for her own performances. In 1970, reporters from National Geographic happened upon her performing a show to no audience, and, with the help of a story in that publication and another in Life Magazine, Marta took on a degree of notoriety. David elaborates: “I had an awareness of Ms. Becket as I am a regular visitor to Death Valley, but it was upon reading her [autobiography To Dance on Sands] and learning her story more fully that she became an artistic hero to me. Though her art was dance, choreography and painting and mine music, Ms. Becket represents a pinnacle of artistic courage to me. A true beacon and role model for what it can mean to follow, express and fulfill one’s artistic vision, impulses and ambitions.”
The track was written by David and produced alongside co-producer/mixer/engineer and frequent collaborator Jose Salazar. David sang lead vocals and played electric and acoustic rhythm guitars, along with Carson Cohen (bass, backing vocals), Reade Pryor (drums, percussion), Ken Belcher (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, backing vocals), and Jose Salazar (keyboards). To accompany his lovely Americana song, David has created a wonderful video to honor Marta’s legacy. Opening with scenes of him directed and shot by Michael Pottle, the video also features footage from Amargosa, the Emmy award-winning 2000 documentary film about Marta by Todd Robinson.
Secret Postal Society – “Scars”
Photo by Barry Hill
Welsh artist Secret Postal Society is the music project of hard-working and talented singer-songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist Craig Mapstone. He’s also thoughtful, generous and kind, and though we’ve never met in person, I’m quite fond of him on both a personal and professional level. We’ve been following each other on social media since early 2021, and I’ve written about him and his music several times over the past four years, most recently last month when I reviewed his EP Embrace the Fear, a collaboration he did with fellow Welsh singer-songwriter Guy Challenger to help raise funds for a UK youth suicide prevention charity. Also, his beautiful single “Autumn Leaves” recently spent more than four months on my Top 30 chart, where it peaked at #3. Now he’s back with his follow-up single “Scars“, which dropped April 15th via Lonely Bear Records. The heartwarming song was written, performed and recorded by Craig, and mastered by his frequent collaborator Brandon Green of Texas indie rock band Formerly Misinformed.
About “Scars”, Craig stated it’s “about how we all have our own scars – whether they are physical or emotional scars – that can affect us in dierent ways, but with love, understanding and support we can learn to accept that these scars have made us who we are and we can start to heal and love ourselves. Musically, ‘Scars’ was influenced by the French cafe jazz music of the 1960s, with its accordion, lush string arrangement and hypnotic acoustic guitar arpeggio.” His musical arrangements and instrumentation are always first-rate, and “Scars” is no exception. And though Craig’s vocals are generally understated, they’re always honest and heartfelt, conveying a deep sensitivity as he sings “Your broken heart, it’s in two. And I know it’s going to take some time to mend but I will wait. And see it through with you. I’ll be the constant constellation you can hang your hope on to to heal your scars.”
The Bandcamp release also includes an exclusive acoustic mix of the song.
Not many changes to my latest Top 30, as Fake Empire‘s “Imposter Syndrome” holds onto the #1 spot for a second week, and there are no new debuts this week. Sam Fender moves into second place with hs touching “People Watching”, while Texas-based singer-songwriter Brian Lambert moves up two spots with his sultry rocker “Take This Heart”. “Without A Doubt” by Kentucky-based “No Wave Post Punk” rock band Charm School enters the top 10.
IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire (1)
PEOPLE WATCHING – Sam Fender (3)
TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (5)
RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons (6)
METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (7)
SAME OLD SONG – The Lumineers (8)
TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (9)
BAD DREAMS – Teddy Swims (2)
SO COLD – Balu Brigada (4)
WITHOUT A DOUBT – Charm School (11)
STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND – Unquiet Nights (13)
WALLS – Frank Joshua (14)
THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (16)
LUTHER – Kendrick Lamar & SZA (15)
WHO’S A FRAUD? – Still Traffico (10)
BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (18)
MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (19)
THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (21)
IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (22)
YOU’RE MY DRUG – Talk in Waves (12)
THE LINE – Twenty One Pilots (17)
SNAKESKIN – NAVE (25)
POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (26)
ANKLES – Lucy Dacus (27)
THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely (23) 20th week on chart
What a horrific week it’s been in America – and around the world, quite frankly – as our delusional, ignorant psychopath of a president precipitated a global financial meltdown with his pointless and insane tariffs, not to mention all his other illegal and incompetent actions. Be that as it may, at least we have lots of great music to drown our sorrows in, and my latest Top 30 is so good that every song belongs in the top five.
The darkly beautiful “Imposter Syndrome” by English alt-rock band Fake Empire dethrones Teddy Swims as it takes over the top spot this week. I loved it at first listen, and it continues to strongly resonate with me every time I hear it. I love the lush, haunting synths and The Cure-esque jangly guitars set to an enthralling beat and accompanied by arresting vocals. It’s the perfect song for sitting back with headphones and letting yourself be enveloped by its gorgeous soundscapes. To my mind, the lyrics seem to be about living lives that are inauthentic and controlled by other sociopolitical and cultural forces, leaving us acting like sheep, unable to be our true selves or even know who we really are: “Imposter syndrome. You’re sinking like a stone. How can you live when your life is not your own? Our lives are not our own.” Based in the south of England, Fake Empire consists of Simon Brookes, Les Black and Becky Bellinger, who together have been putting out music since 2017, all in the form of singles which now number 20 in total.
The beautiful anthem “People Watching” by English singer-songwriter Sam Fender moves up a notch to #3 this week. Included on his third studio album People Watching, which dropped February 21st, Fender wrote the song as a tribute to his friend and mentor Annie Orwin, who passed away last November. Describing her as being like a surrogate mother to him, he drew inspiration from his walks to and from the care home where she was a patient. He remained by her side at the end, sleeping on a chair next to her bed. He explained on his social media: “It’s kind of ironic because she was the one that gave me the confidence to go on stage, and always used to be like ‘why haven’t you mentioned my name in your acceptance speech’. But now an entire song (and album) connects to her. I hope that wherever she is now she’s looking down saying ‘about time kid’“. Fender co-produced the song and album in Los Angeles with Markus Dravs and Adam Granduciel of the American rock band the War on Drugs.
“Same Old Song” by Denver-based alterntive folk band The Lumineers finally enters the top 10 at #8, as well as “Time Waited” by American rock band My Morning Jacket at #9 and “Who’s a Fraud?” by English band Still Traffico, at #10. Debuting this week are songs by two long-time favorite acts of mine, the first of which is the beautiful “Laredo” by Texas-based singer-songwriter Leon Bridges. It’s the second single from his latest album Leon, which was released last October, and follows “Peaceful Place” which spent four weeks at #1 on my chart last fall. The second debut is “Barbarian” by L.A.-based alt-rock band AWOLNATION, from their sixth album The Phantom Five, which dropped last October. The song follows their previous single “Panoramic View” which spent 21 weeks on my chart last summer & fall, 12 of them in the top 10, and peaked at #3.
IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire (3)
BAD DREAMS – Teddy Swims (1)
PEOPLE WATCHING – Sam Fender (4)
SO COLD – Balu Brigada (2)
TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (5)
RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons (6)
METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (8)
SAME OLD SONG – The Lumineers (11)
TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (14)
WHO’S A FRAUD? – Still Traffico (12)
WITHOUT A DOUBT – Charm School (13)
YOU’RE MY DRUG – Talk in Waves (7)
STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND – Unquiet Nights (15)
WALLS – Frank Joshua (16)
LUTHER – Kendrick Lamar & SZA (17)
THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (18)
THE LINE – Twenty One Pilots (9)
BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (19)
MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (20)
SAILOR SONG – Gigi Perez (10)
THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (22)
IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (25)
THE FAITHFUL HEART – Wons Phreely + The Horses (21)
Taylor DeRousse is a talented and lovely singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from the Detroit area with an impressive resume. I first learned about her in January and featured her and her single “Growing Up Is Scary” in a Fresh New Tracks post. But to reiterate, the highly accomplished young lady not only writes, sings and records her own original songs, she also owns a music school and studio called Tailored Harmonies Music Co, plus has a B.A. degree in Music with an emphasis in Piano Performance, as well as an MBA. According to her website, she’s been teaching music in a variety of capacities since 2014, including as a private music instructor, studio music teacher, group class instructor, middle school art & music teacher, theatre vocal coach, and collegiate music tutor. While her primary instruments are piano, guitar, and voice, she also plays the ukulele, violin, mandolin, and bass guitar.
Inspired by artists like Alanis Morissette, Phoebe Bridgers, Stevie Nicks and Carole King, Taylor writes pleasing indie pop-rock songs featuring relatable lyrics about life, love and loss. She released her first single “Pins and Needles” in 2020, and last September (2024), she began dropping a series of singles which culminated in the release of her debut album Running Back To Me on March 28th. One of those singles was “Death Of Me“, a quietly intense and emotionally powerful song about a broken romantic relationship that she originally released last November.
Today she releases a poignant new video that brings the track to life (no pun intended). Directed and produced by Secret Park Creative, the video shows a forlorn Taylor going through the motions of trying to do chores at a bar where she works while singing the bittersweet lyrics about how the hurt and pain of the failed relationship has left her feeling broken and shattered. As she recalls painful moments in the relationship, along with signs that he was toxic for her, she expresses how it will be the death of her. But by song’s end, she comes to realize that she’s stronger than she’d imagined, and that she refuses to allow him or the pain he’s caused to be the death of her after all. The still-intact mirror on the ground at the end of the vido indicates that she’s no longer broken.
Isn’t it funny how When you asked me out I hesitated and you came back jaded it ain’t life or death girl it’s only a date Don't you think its funny how Looking back now We always said Romeo, Juliet Guess I didn’t know, that you’d be my last breath
Everything is muffled now Midnight on the phone screaming how you’d rather kill me than try at all Red wine stain on the carpet floor Should've gone to bed but I’ll have one more Cause you’d rather use me than feel at all Now I know, This alone, Might be the death of me
I didn’t think, on the day that I met you I’d be writing the will, for the girl that was left in me Give it a few years, surely that’s all you needed You carved out my heart, only then I conceded
Everything is darker now Ghosts and past lives reminding me how you'd rather kill me than try at all Talk is cheap but you held true, 6 feet under now I know there’s no getting over you Now I know, this alone, will be the death of me
So dig a hole, and don’t bother with flowers, write here lies the girl, who gave too much to others Dig a hole, and don’t look behind you, here stands the girl Who’s had enough of you
Everything is over now The ghost of you don't hang around Cause i’d rather kill you Than lose it all Now I know This being alone Won't be the death of me
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 