Month: May 2025

HOMELESS RADIO – Single Review: “Fed To The Teeth”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews6 Comments
Cover art by Kostiantyn Borshch

Hailing from the war-torn nation of Ukraine are indie rock band Homeless Radio, a resilient group of musicians consisting of Andrii Yampolskyi (vocals/guitar), Fedir Orlov (guitar), Stepan Tkachuk (bass) and Ivan Orlov (drums). Guitarist Ihor Pankieiev is also technically still a member, though he’s been away, fighting in the terrible ongoing conflict with their Russian invaders.

Formed in the city of Kharkiv in 2016, the band incorporates garage rock, alternative rock, skate punk, grunge and pop influences to create music that runs the gamut from pleasantly melodic to relentlessly intense. I first learned about them at the beginning of 2024, at which time I reviewed their terrific hard-hitting single “Submarine“ (which ranks #34 on my list of 100 Best Indie Songs of 2024). Six months later, I reviewed their follow-up single “Sleep Not”. Now they return with “Fed To The Teeth“, their first new single of 2025.

Fedir, Ivan & Andrii taking it to the streets

About the song, Homeless Radio states: “‘Fed To The Teeth’ blends melancholic alternative rock with a fierce skate punk climax, channeling frustration, rejection, and raw emotion into one cathartic release. The track captures a personal transformation from isolation and doubt to indifference and power.” Band vocalist Andrii gave me some background as to what inspired him to write the song while still in his teens: “The song was originally written in 2014, during the war in Donbas which was active at that time. It’s probably the first Homeless Radio song I’ve ever written. At that time, I was finishing high school. We had really shameless and cruel propaganda during those days, so sometimes my classmates were talking real garbage, pushing pro-russian narratives and anti-LGBT agenda. Although it’s possible to find something like this even in modern Ukraine nowadays, at that time, it was almost a trend. I couldn’t agree with it and had numerous arguments that led me to write a song about societal rejection and prejudice. The times have changed significantly. Is it a pro-LGBT or anti-russian propaganda song? I guess so, although it was written during the time when both of these topics were quite different. It’s not a political song, but it was inspired by these political topics.”

The song has somewhat of a retro late 1990s/early 2000s post-grunge feel, starting off with a melancholy fuzzy guitar riff accompanied by a galloping drumbeat, then transitioning into a rather complex melody of relatively quiet verses alternating with louder choruses featuring raging gnarly guitars and pummeling drums. The guys are skilled musicians, as Andrii and Fedir’s dynamic guitar work is truly electrifying, and Stepan’s sturdy bassline powers the song forward while Ivan’s aggressive drumming elevates the song to stratospheric heights. Each time I listen to the song, I discover wonderful little nuances and sounds, like the squealing horn-like guitar notes at the beginning of the line “You will tell and may get only things you’ve never felt“. As always, Andrii’s colorful, highly-emotive vocals bring all the passion necessary to drive the song’s powerful message home. 

Invite me to a party, I'll feel like an outsider
You did this out of duty, 'Thanks for coming, you're a cutie'
'Hey, what's wrong? Why so sad?' - 'I'm okay, just hear the voice in my head -
Humiliation, torment session, 'Please stop now! This is my station!'

Why you running? Why you struggling?
You don't know why I am coming!
You're talking 'bout unknown
Never felt this, all in all

Just cursing and hating - oh no, I'm watching and waiting
You will tell and may get only things you've never felt
Prosecution and charges, behind them always darkness
The clamor of denial, in the name of the void and its empire.

Why you running? Why you struggling?
You don't know why I am really coming!
You're talking 'bout unknown
Never felt this, all in all

Oh, I hear the sound
Oh, it is so loud
You're always talking 'bout stuff you've never known
You're not a pro in this field, that much is shown
Oh, I can't stand to be like you, and by the way
To talk about anything, you must know it anyway

“Fed To The Teeth” is another impressive release by this talented foursome. And as I stated in my previous review, it’s admirable that Homeless Radio have managed to stay together as a band and make new music, despite the fact their country has been waging a valiant defense again their Russian invaders for more than three years. I hope they can remain safe and able to continue doing what they love.

Homeless Radio Socials:  Facebook / X (Twitter) / Instagram / TikTok

Find their music on Spotify / Apple Music / Bandcamp / Soundcloud / YouTube

HEALER – Single Review: “London Town”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews7 Comments
Artwork by Joel Hewitt

HEALER is an outstanding alternative indie rock band who’ve become one of my favorite British music acts over the past couple of years. Based in the historic fishing port of Grimsby, on the central eastern coast of England, the band is currently made up of Steve Dean Smith (lead vocals), Dave Harries (guitar), Jazz White (drums) and newcomer Joel Hewitt, who created the single artwork and filmed the video, on guitar. (For the recording of their latest music, Tony Edmondson played bass, however recently departed the band.) Their powerful songs explore themes of love, loss, and hope, wrapped in infectious melodies and beautiful arrangements, and delivered with masterful instrumentation and Steve’s wonderful distinctive vocals that make HEALER’s songs immediately identifiable. 

Since forming in 2022, the talented and charismatic five-piece have built a strong following in the British music scene on the strength of their exceptional music and riveting live performances, as well as garnering recognition and airplay on BBC Music Introducing and Amazing Radio UK/USA. Since the release of their debut single “Hurricane” in December 2022, the busy guys have followed with eight more singles and two remixes. I’ve previously reviewed three of their singles – “Bones“, “Wake Me Up” and “War” – with “Bones” and “War” each spending many weeks on my top 30 chart and “Bones” ranking #67 on my 100 Best Songs of 2023 list and “War” ranking #84 on my 100 Best Songs of 2024. (You can read some of those reviews by clicking on the ‘Related’ links at the end of this post.)

Photo by Joel Hewitt

Now they’re back with their ninth and latest single “London Town“, a gorgeous rock song that continues their unbroken string of stellar releases. The track was recorded and mixed by Pieter Rietkerk at Chapel Studios and mastered by Grant Berry of Fader Mastering. About the song, the band says it “explores the burnout of big-city life and the identity crisis that follows — when chasing your dreams starts to feel like losing yourself. It’s spacious, urgent, and speaks to the modern struggle of finding meaning in chaos. In the song, we personify London as a magnetic, almost haunting character — reflecting what it feels like to be on the outside looking in, and losing yourself in the city that was supposed to save you.”

To gain a bit more insight into HEALER’s new song and the Grimsby music scene, I had a brief interview with the band’s drummer Jazz:

EML: I’ve been following you guys for two years now, and first wrote about you when I featured your powerful song “Bones” on my blog in late May 2023. At that time, you’d been together as HEALER for about a year. In your bio on your website, you begin with the following line to describe your hometown: “Rising from the ashes of a once thriving but now forgotten fishing town, HEALER are...”, which I find both brutally honest and endearing. Is there much of a music scene in Grimsby? And what brought the five of you together to form a band in the first place?

Jazz: There is currently a great music scene in Grimsby. Historically, Grimsby (and Cleethorpes) has always had an amazing music scene, filled with bands that have done great things and have been on the edge of making it big. The scene seemed to die down a bit a few years ago, particularly throughout the dreaded Covid years, but that also seemed to be a bit of a catalyst to inspire a lot of the bands that had previously broken up to reunite or create new bands. Which is what brought us together. We all knew each other through either being in previous bands together or being in bands that did gigs together and we all just wanted to start making and playing music again, which is what we did. Now the scene is thriving, with an abundance of bands doing great things, even young bands getting signed, venues like Docks Academy and Yardbirds providing platforms for local artists to perform and support bigger bands and the best thing of all, is all of the local bands know each other and are supporting each other.

EML: Are any or all of you still living in Grimsby?

Jazz: We all still live in Grimsby. I think we would find it hard not to all live in the same area. We meet up regularly to rehearse, make band plans and just generally socialise together so it would be really difficult if we didn’t all live near each other.

EML: In addition to sounding great, your songs also feature intelligent, relatable and often poignant lyrics. How do ideas for new songs come about, and do all band members contribute to writing the music and lyrics, or does that job generally fall on one or two of you? 

Jazz: There isn’t really a clear process for how we write our songs. Steve generally writes most of the lyrics but we all contribute musically to each song. Sometimes Steve might come to a practise session with a new idea or maybe an old idea that he wants to rework, sometimes Dave might come to practise with a new riff that we all build on or sometimes we just randomly start jamming and come up with something brand new together. Sometimes these songs feel like they ‘fall from the sky’ and, sometimes, those are the best songs.

EML: You write that your new song “London Town” “explores the burnout of big-city life and the identity crisis that follows — when chasing your dreams starts to feel like losing yourself.” Is the song autobiographical, and have one or more of you spent any time living in London? Or do the lyrics speak more to the challenges and conflicting emotions that sometimes result when an artist or band puts so much of their time and energy into “making it big”?

Jazz: ‘London Town’ is definitely autobiographical and is about the time that Steve spent living in London and some of the lyrics are directly about Steve’s experiences whilst living there. The song does also link to the challenges of being an artist from a small town and trying to make it and the frustrations of a lot of opportunities being more readily available for artists from ‘bigger cities’.

EML: You’ve released eight singles and two remixes since late 2022, with “London Town” marking your ninth original single. Are there any plans for a full album on the horizon?

Jazz: We recorded a batch of new songs in the studio recently which we will be releasing over the new few months, starting with ‘London Town’ but we have also been writing more new material, which we hope to get back into the studio later in the year to record. We’re not sure whether we will be releasing an album yet but we will definitely be releasing more new material, regularly over this year.

EML: If you could perform with another artist or band in a billing of your dreams, who would that be?

Jazz: That’s such a tough question, there are so many bands we would love to play with, especially because, although we’ve all got similar music tastes, we also all have our own individual tastes. Overall though, U2 seem to be a band that we all take inspiration from and all for different reasons. Bono is certainly a huge inspiration for Steve as a vocalist and they are one of the biggest bands in the world so we know that it would be a huge, packed out stadium show with high quality production throughout. 

“London Town” opens with a plucky guitar riff, then quickly builds into an anthemic rock banger. That smoldering riff continues throughout the song as more of Dave and Joel’s formidable guitar work enter the mix, fortified by Tony’s driving bassline and Jazz’s emphatic drumbeats. It all creates a powerful dynamic backdrop for Steve’s emotionally-charged vocals as he plaintively laments about the strong, unforgiving psychological hold London had on him and so many other musicians: “Can the city hear me singing in my town? Will London listen, does it even hear my sound? Am I loud enough, loud enough for you? We don’t have the same view. You’ve got England ’round your finger. Every song, every singer wants to call you home, while we’re just left alone. Can you hear me? Can you hear me now? Can you hear me London Town!” I love it, and it’s now one of my favorite HEALER songs.

The video, shot at the Grimsby Bus Depot, was filmed and edited by Joel Hewitt and features the band members as passengers on a bus.

Healer Socials: Facebook / X (Twitter) / Instagram / TikTok

Find their music on Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon Music / YouTube / Pandora

EML’s Favorite Songs – “All the Things She Said” by Simple Minds

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Favorite Songs14 Comments

Although Scottish band Simple Minds are most well-known (in America at least) for their 1985 hit “Don’t You (Forget About Me)” (which I do love), their 1986 single “All the Things She Said” is one of my favorite songs by them. I love everything about it – that slow-burn of an opening with wobbly synths accompanied by gentle drumbeats, followed by a sultry guitar riff that expands into a glorious soundscape of sweeping strings, intense piano keys, roiling guitars and dramatic percussion, finally ending with a flourish that’s like a rock version of a classical piece. Then there’s the double threat of lead singer Jim Kerr’s sensuous fervent vocals, accompanied by soulful backing vocals by American singer Robin Clark.

Simple Minds formed in Glasgow in late 1977 from the ashes of punk band Johnny & The Self-Abusers, who split up due to internal strife, with a lineup consisting of Jim Kerr, Charlie Burchill, Brian McGee and Tony Donald, all of whom were teenagers at the time. Donald would soon leave the band, while Mick MacNeil and Derek Forbes joined, and the band would continue as a five-piece through 1981. They released their debut album Life in a Day in 1979 to limited success in the UK, and finally broke through with their fifth album New Gold Dream (81-82-83-84) in 1982, which reached #3 in the UK and #69 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart, marking their first album to chart in the U.S. But it was their song “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, used in the opening of the 1985 film The Breakfast Club, that catapulted them to international fame. Written by Keith Forsey and Steve Schiff, and previously offered to Billy Idol and Bryan Ferry before Simple Minds agreed to record it, the song became a chart-topper in the U.S. and many other countries around the world.

Over their 46-year-long career, Simple Minds have released 21 studio albums, 11 live albums, 10 compilation albums, 14 box sets, 68 singles, and five video albums, selling more than 60 million albums worldwide. They were the most commercially successful Scottish band of the 1980s, and despite numerous changes in personnel they continue to record and tour to this day.

But back to “All the Things She Said”, in an 2015 interview with Songfacts, Kerr said the song was inspired by an article he read about Polish political prisoners in the Soviet Union. “There was an interview with wives of guys that had been away for a long time, taken away, and some of the beautiful quotations that the women had used became sort of the background for that song.”

The song was included on their seventh studio album Once Upon A Time, released in October 1985 and produced by famed music producer Jimmy Iovine. The album features their four highest-charting hits in the U.S. – “Don’t You (Forget About Me)”, “Alive And Kicking”, “Sanctify Yourself” and “All the Things She Said”. The song reached #4 in Ireland, #6 in the Netherlands, #9 in the UK and #28 on the US Billboard Hot 100, though it reached #9 on the Billboard Hot Rock Tracks chart.

Don’t you look back on a big lost world
Crying out tomorrow
Don’t you look down like the heroes say
Come tell me all about it
Take me to the streets where the bonfires burn
Take me in your arms and I’ll fade away
When I hear you say what you got to say

Anywhere you go, you know I’ll still be waiting
All the things she said, she said
Little darling close your eyes, there’ll be no compromising
Of all the things she said, she said

Throw me to the street where the heartbeats beating
“Beating all around me”
To the peaceful revolution
And the perfect wave, surround me
Tell me ’bout the ocean moving in slow motion
I see it glitter in the sun
Then it’s freezing in the moonlight
Never look back, never look back, never look away

If freedom comes and goes, you know I’ll still be waiting
All the things she said, she said
You’ve fought the fight so long, no surrender to temptation
Of all the things she said, she said

Stars will fall out for you
Luck will surrender
I’m calling out to you

Oh to be near you in the first morning light
I’d be with you, I dream about you
If I could leave here, I would leave here tonight
I’d be with you, I’d stay with you tonight
Tonight

Anywhere you go, you know I’ll still be waiting
Of all the things she said, she said
When I look into your eyes, I see a new day rising
Oh all the things she said, she said
Through the eyes of love, and to never know what hate is
Of all the things she said, she said
She said, this is our time, she said, this is our place
This is the space my heart wants to be
Little darling close your eyes, there’ll be no compromising
All the things she said, she said

ART BLOCK – Single Review: “Love Is A Fire”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews11 Comments
Photo by Michael Robert Williams

Art Block is a brilliant and innovative singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in East London, England who I’ve been following for nearly seven years. Possessing a uniquely distinctive and highly emotive singing voice, he creates a hauntingly beautiful style of alternative folk, characterized by stirring melodies, lush arrangements and gorgeous instrumentation built around his poetic, often deeply moving lyrics. A prolific artist, he’s released an impressive catalog of music for more than a decade, including numerous singles, EPs, remixes and four albums, his most recent of which, Tiger, dropped only a month ago on April 30th. I’ve featured him several times on this blog, most recently in March 2024 when I reviewed his lovely EP Dandelion. (You can read a few more of my reviews by clicking on the ‘Related’ links at the end of this post.) One of his songs, “White Horses”, reached #1 on my Weekly Top 30 chart in December 2022, and ranks #26 on my 100 Best Songs of 2022 list.

Since the release of Tiger, Art Block has dropped two new singles – “You & I” on May 2nd and “Love Is A Fire” on the 22nd, the latter of which I’m featuring today. The track was produced and mixed by William “Wheeliemix” Robertson and mastered by noted British mastering engineer Pete Maher (whose clients include U2, The Killers, Noel Gallagher, The Rolling Stones, Nick Cave, Paul Weller, Jack White and Lana Del Rey, to name just a few). Art Block played all instruments except for drums, which were played by his frequent collaborator Raphael Bouchara.

As its title suggests, the song is a smoldering beauty with sweeping cinematic synths, haunting, reverb-drenched guitar chords and crunchy percussion, all of which create a magnificent incendiary backdrop for Art Block’s fervent spine-tingling vocals. It’s a darker, more dramatic sound than many of his previous songs, and I love it. The lyrics seem to speak of a tempestous love affair in which feelings of unbridled passion and longing are intertwined with the lasting pain from past mistakes and betrayal. Art Block told me he was inspired by The Cure’s latest album Songs of a Lost World, who played a special concert at the Troxy in East London neighbourhood this past November.

Our love is a fire
Do what you desire
Don’t hold it in
Don’t hold it in
So much to forget
So much to remember
Why don’t you bleed?
Why don’t you bleed?
Our love is a fire
Do what you desire
Hold it in
Life was empty without you
Do what you desire
Don’t hold it in
Don’t hold it in
Our love is a fire
So much to forget

Both “Love Is A Fire” and “You & I” are available exclusively on Bandcamp.

Art Block’s socials: Facebook / X (Twitter) / Instagram
Find his music on Bandcamp / Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube

Top 30 Songs for May 25-31, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's9 Comments

London, England-based Frank Joshua – an enigmatic but enormously talented singer-songwriter and producer who, wanting his music to speak for itself, shares no photos of himself – has become a favorite of mine on the strength of his gorgeous baritone voice and beguiling adult contemporary music style. The prolific artist has released a staggering amount of music over the past four years or so, including three albums, an EP and 43 singles! Every one of his songs is a captivating feast for the ears, and I love them all. I’ve previously written about four of them, most recently this past February when I reviewed his marvelous single “Walls”. After a long but steady climb, the song has finally reached #1 in its 14th week on my chart. It’s his first song to top my chart; his singles “Bluebell Wood” reached #6 in 2023 and “Winter Cowboy” reached #3 in 2024. Since “Walls”, Frank has released two more singles, including “These Words” which dropped this past Thursday, May 23rd. All of his singles have been released via British music label Numen Records.

Although Frank writes some of his songs, like the majority of his singles, “Walls” was written by his frequent collaborator Simon Pitheakley, and produced by Tony White. And like all his songs, this one’s a beauty, with gorgeous reverb-drenched bluesy guitars accompanied by warm piano keys, soaring orchestral synths and gently crashing cymbals layered over a sensuous pulsating beat. It all creates a glorious cinematic backdrop for Frank’s melancholy yet captivating vocals which are both passionate and heartfelt. It’s become my favorite of all his songs, and I never tire of listening to it. The poetic lyrics speak of the challenges of growing older and maintaining a long-term relationship, in which there’s often a tug of war between the comfort and security that comes from being with a devoted loved one, and the primal urge to be independent and free of responsibility or commitment – something I’ve long struggled with myself.

In other chart news of note, The Black Keys hold at #2 with “The Night Before”, and Fontaines D.C. move up a notch to #3 with “It’s Amazing To Be Young”. Maryland shoegaze/indie rock band Icarus Phoenix enters the top 10 with their beautiful song “Poor Sad Indie Everything”, and “Nothing I Need” by Lord Huron is the biggest upward mover this week, jumping eight spots to #17.

The one new debut this week is “Scars”, a heartwarming song of love and empathy by Welsh artist Secret Postal Society, the music project of singer-songwriter, composer and multi-instrumentalist Craig Mapstone. In addition to being a talented, hard-working artist, Craig’s a thoughtful, generous and kind soul, and though we’ve never met in person, I’ve grown quite fond of him on both a personal and professional level. It’s his third song to appear on my chart, the first being “Something From Nothing/Points of Light” in 2022 and more recently “Autumn Leaves”, which spent 19 weeks on my chart from late November 2024-early April 2025, peaking at #3 in March.

  1. WALLS – Frank Joshua (3)
  2. THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (2)
  3. IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (4)
  4. TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (1)
  5. BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (5)
  6. MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (6)
  7. THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (7)
  8. LAREDO – Leon Bridges (9)
  9. SNAKESKIN – NAVE (10)
  10. POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (13)
  11. ANKLES – Lucy Dacus (14)
  12. ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (15)
  13. BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (16)
  14. PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (17)
  15. LET THINGS GO – Caamp (18)
  16. METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (8)
  17. NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (25)
  18. BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (21)
  19. TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (11)
  20. RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons (12)
  21. THREE SIX FIVE – Shinedown (22)
  22. EVERYTHING IS PEACEFUL LOVE – Bon Iver (23)
  23. SO LONG – Wavves (24)
  24. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (29)
  25. CATCH THESE FISTS – Wet Leg (28)
  26. RITALIN – Dexter and The Moonrocks (26)
  27. SPACEMAN IN TULSA – Counting Crows (30)
  28. STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND – Unquiet Nights (19)
  29. IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire (20) 19th week on chart
  30. SCARS – Secret Postal Society (N)

Top 30 Songs for May 18-24, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's10 Comments

There are several really beautiful songs on this week’s list, starting with “Time Waited” by My Morning Jacket, which holds the top spot for a second week. Three more are “Walls” by English artist Frank Joshua, moving up to #3, “Bad Larry” by Northwest Indiana shoegaze band Cloakroom and “Mortal Wound” by English/New Zealand indie/rock band The Veils, which advance two spots to #s 5 and 6. None of those three songs have appeared on any charts as far as I can tell, which is a travesty. “The Night Before” by The Black Keys moves into second place, and “It’s Amazing To Be Young” by Irish alt-rock band Fontaines D.C. jumps six spots to #4. Two more gorgeous songs, “Laredo”, by Texas singer-songwriter Leon Bridges and “Snakeskin” by English singer-songwriter NAVE, enter the top 10 at #s 9 & 10.

There are two debuts this week, the first of which is “back to friends” by sombr, the music project of astonishingly talented 19-year-old singer-songwriter Shane Boose. Born and raised in New York City, he’s now based in Los Angeles. The song was actually released last December but as so often happens these days, it recently went viral on TikTok and began appearing on American charts. I’ve grown to love the song, and also love his follow-up single “Undressed”. The second debut, bringing up the rear at #30, is “Spaceman in Tulsa” by legendary alt-rock band Counting Crows. The song is from their eighth album Butter Miracle, The Complete Sweets!, which dropped May 9th. Still fronted by Adam Duritz who’s now 60, they sound as good as ever.

  1. TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (1)
  2. THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (3)
  3. WALLS – Frank Joshua (4)
  4. IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (10)
  5. BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (7)
  6. MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (8)
  7. THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (9)
  8. METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (2)
  9. LAREDO – Leon Bridges (12)
  10. SNAKESKIN – NAVE (14)
  11. TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (5)
  12. RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons (6)
  13. POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (15)
  14. ANKLES – Lucy Dacus (16)
  15. ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (18)
  16. BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (19)
  17. PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (20)
  18. LET THINGS GO – Caamp (21)
  19. STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND – Unquiet Nights (11)
  20. IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire (13)
  21. BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (22)
  22. THREE SIX FIVE – Shinedown (23)
  23. EVERYTHING IS PEACEFUL LOVE – Bon Iver (24)
  24. SO LONG – Wavves (25)
  25. NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (26)
  26. LUTHER – Kendrick Lamar & SZA (17)
  27. RITALIN – Dexter and The Moonrocks (29)
  28. CATCH THESE FISTS – Wet Leg (30)
  29. BACK TO FRIENDS – sombr (N)
  30. SPACEMAN IN TULSA – Counting Crows (N)

Fresh New Tracks, Vol. 47 – Bealby Point, Between Daze, Guardrail, Royel Otis

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews12 Comments

I seem to have gotten into a pattern of publishing at least one Fresh New Tracks post each week, and hopefully I’ll keep at this until I burn out or fall back into another of my periodic funks again. For my 47th edition, I’m featuring songs by, in alphabetical order, Canadian indie rock band Bealby Point, Maryland alternative pop-rock band Between Daze, Chicago pop-rock-punk band Guardrail, and Australian indie pop-rock duo Royel Otis.

Bealby Point – “Better Off Eventually”

Vancouver, British Columbia is a wellspring of musical talent, as there are several terrific acts from that fair part of Canada I’m especially fond of. I recently wrote about two of them – dwi and Western Jaguar – in a previous Fresh New Tracks post, and another favorite is alt-rock band Bealby Point. Named after a local beachside vacation spot, the four-piece consists of childhood friends Jack Armstrong (lead vocals), Clayton Dewar (lead guitar), Jordan Studer (bass), and Zack Yeager (drums). I love their buoyant, high-energy alternative/garage rock they cheekily call “music to fold laundry to“, and their sound, particularly due to Jack’s vocal style, at times reminds me of The Strokes. Their description of themselves as “four approachable guys making cool music” is genuine, based on the mutual respect, camaraderie, and joy of spending time together that’s so evident in all their photos and little acoustic performance sessions they frequently post on TikTok and Instagram. I’ve been following them for more than four years and have featured them four times on this blog, most recently two years ago when I reviewed their single “America”. Their 2021 single “Talk to Me” ended up on my 100 Best Songs of 2021 list.

On May 13th, they dropped their latest single “Better Off Eventually“, a rousing indie pop song speaking to feelings of frustration amid superficiality in the world and yearning for a life filled with meaning. The band elaborates: “This song was conceived in Clay’s basement as part of a batch of songs we wrote and tracked almost 3 years ago with our long-time friend and confidant Matt Di Pomponio (who mixed and produced the track). It’s been sittin’ in the Bealby Vault ever since and we have been patiently awaiting it’s time to be unleashed unto the world. Now is that time. It’s about struggling through life’s battles, learning along the way, owning who you are and being unapologetically true to yourself, no matter what! This song means a lot to us and we hope you find something in it for you.” I love the song’s breezy, upbeat melody, highlighted by Jack and Clay’s colorful intricate guitar work and driven by Jordan’s thumping bassline and Zack’s spirited drumbeats. All of Bealby Point’s songs are so good, and “Better Off Eventually” is no exception.

Between Daze – “Call Out”

Hailing from Baltimore, Maryland is Between Daze, an original songwriting/recording project comprised primarily of Johnny Burkhead (vocals), Scott Rodenberg (guitar) and Kenn (guitar), along with Mike Coyne (bass) and Kevin Walsh (drums). Preferring to remain rather anonymous, they have no photos of themselves on social media or music platforms. They’ve been making alternative pop/rock and roll music together for over 20 years but really began hitting their stride in 2021 with the release of their single “Burn For You”. In the years since, they’ve released a total of eleven singles at the rate of two or three a year. Their latest is “Call Out“, which dropped May 1st. Johnny reached out to me about the song, and as I do with acts who are new to me, I checked out their back catalog to get a better feel for their music. I ended up listening to all eleven of their singles, and can honestly say I like them all.

The band says “Call Out” “tells a story about finding the best in yourself and being able to take on whatever comes your way. It’s about not letting things beat you down for too long, that things will turn for you and eventually be better. Keep believing in yourself, and build the confidence to take on the world!” To drive home their optimistic message, the guys serve up a barrage of roiling gnarly riffs, driving bass and thunderous drums, creating an exhilarating backdrop for Johnny’s fervent vocals. The beautiful cover art for the single was hand painted by artist Jane Link Mangano.

Guardrail “First”

Photo of Xack, Ty, Kevin & Ken by Kennedy Cottrell

Chicago-based Guardrail play a hard-hitting, high-energy style of rock drawn from a blend of punk, pop and metal, which on some songs reminds me of acts like Green Day, Blink-182, Sum 41, and even the Beastie Boys. Formed in 2014, the band has undergone several changes in lineup, and now consists of Kevin Andrew (lead vocals), Ken Ugel (guitar, vocals), Ty Olmstead (bass, vocals) and Xack (drums). (Ken is also guitarist for Chicago bands The Million Reasons and Wild Gravity, while Ty also plays in the band Ghoul For A Goblin.) They released their debut EP wordswords in 2015, and have since followed with two more EPs, numerous singles, (one of which, “Social Meteor”, I reviewed in 2021 and has garnered over 220,000 streams on Spotify), and a full-length album Content in 2023.

Yesterday, May 14th, Guardrail dropped their first new single in two years, appropriately a terrific cover of the Cold War Kids’ 2015 masterpiece “First“. I’m a longtime fan of Cold War Kids and “First” is my favorite song of theirs (it ranks #27 on my Top 100 Songs of the 2010s list). It can be risky for an artist or band to cover a song we love, but the moment I heard Guardrail’s version, I was thrilled. While Guardrail maintains some of the vibe of the original thanks to their chiming guitars, they speed it up with frantic drumbeats, jagged guitar riffs and Kevin’s fervent rapid-fire vocals, giving their version greater urgency and more of a punk feel. Cold War Kids’ original runs 3:20 minutes, whereas Guardrails is shortened to only 3:07 minutes. The band states they “recorded a bunch of covers during the pandemic times, so while we work on new music we’re gonna finally put ’em out.” I say, bring ’em on!

Royel Otis – “moody”

Australian guitar-pop duo Royel Otis was formed in 2019 by Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovic over a shared love of the same music and bands. Based in Sydney, their sound draws from elements of indie pop, indie rock, new wave, pop rock, post-punk and psychedelic rock. The duo released two EPs in 2021 and 2022 to little notice until the song “Oysters in My Pocket”, from the second EP Bar n Grill, gained traction in late 2022. Their third EP Sofa Kings, released in 2023, proved more successful, with the breakthrough title track marking their first appearance on American charts, eventually peaking at #12 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. In late January 2024, they released their electrifying cover of “Murder on the Dancefloor”, the 2001 disco pop hit by British singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor (which she co-wrote with Gregg Alexander, former frontman of the band The New Radicals, who had a hit in the late 90s with “You Get What You Give”), which they performed on the Australian radio station Triple J for their Like a Version program. The song went viral and reached #1 on the Billboard Alternative chart, as well as my own Top 30 chart. I couldn’t get enough of it, and it ended up ranking #4 on my 100 Best Songs of 2024 list. The guys quickly followed with their debut album Pratts & Pain in February 2024, which debuted at #1 on the ARIA Australian Albums Chart, and went on to win four awards at the 2024 ARIA (Australian Recording Industry Association) Music Awards.

Now they’re back with a new single “moody“, which dropped on May 9th. It’s a love song of sorts, detailing a problematic relationship with a woman who drives the singer crazy in both good ways and bad. She’s jealous, bitchy and cranky, yet he’s hopelessly in love with her: “She’s always givin’ it to me. Late nights, she always accusin’. Last time, she said she would kill me. My girl’s a bitch when she’s moody. But she’s my everything. She’s all that I need.” I love the song’s languid laid back groove, highlighted by Royel’s terrific guitar noodling and Otis’ sweet vocals. I think it’s gonna be a hit.

Top 30 Songs for May 11-17, 2025

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's10 Comments
Cover photo of My Morning Jacket album is

With their expansive and eclectic sound, alternative indie rock band My Morning Jacket have been making innovative music for more than a quarter century. Formed in Louisville, Kentucky in 1998, the band currently consists of founding members Jim James (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Tom Blankenship (bass), as well as Patrick Hallahan (drums & percussion), Bo Koster (keyboards, percussion & backing vocals), and Carl Broemel (lead guitar, pedal steel, saxophone & backing vocals). The introspective and lovely “Time Waited” takes over the #1 spot on my latest Top 30 chart. The song is from their latest and 10th album is, released on March 25th. It’s their second song to reach #1 on my chart, their previous being the gorgeous “Feel You”, which also ranks #6 on my list of 100 Best Songs of 2020.

About the song, James told Stereogum: “I made a loop of that piano intro and listened as I went for a walk, and all these melodies started coming to me. For a long time, I didn’t have lyrics, but then I had a dream where I was in a café and a song was playing, and the lyrics to that song became the lyrics to ‘Time Waited’ — the melodies just fit perfectly. And the lyrics are about how flexible time is, how we can bend and warp time, especially if we are following our hearts, the universe and time itself can flow to work with us.” In addition to that beautiful piano, I also love the marvelous guitar work.

In other chart news of note, The Black Keys advance two spots to #3 with “The Night Before”, and English singer-songwriter Frank Joshua climbs three spots to #4 with “Walls”. Two songs enter the top 10: “The Turnaround” by Philadelphia power pop trio DelCobras, and “It’s Amazing To Be Young” by Irish alt-rock band Fontaines D.C., whose song “Starburster” was my favorite song of 2024.

Two songs make their debut, the first of which is “Ritalin” by Texas rock band Dexter and The Moonrocks, who’s previous single “Sad in Carolina” went to # in late December-early January. The second new entry is “catch these fists” by English indie rock duo Wet Leg, comprised of Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers. With a winning combination of infectious melodies, ascerbic lyrics, and their quirky deadpan vocal style, they burst onto the music scene in 2021 with their critically acclaimed eponymous album Wet Leg, which spawned two hits, “Chaise Longue” and “Wet Dream”. “catch these fists” is the lead single from their forthcoming second album Moisturizer, to be released in July.

  1. TIME WAITED – My Morning Jacket (2)
  2. METAVERSE – Cage the Elephant (1)
  3. THE NIGHT BEFORE – The Black Keys (5)
  4. WALLS – Frank Joshua (7)
  5. TAKE THIS HEART – Brian Lambert (3)
  6. RUSHMERE – Mumford & Sons (4)
  7. BAD LARRY – Cloakroom (9)
  8. MORTAL WOUND – The Veils (10)
  9. THE TURNAROUND – DelCobras (11)
  10. IT’S AMAZING TO BE YOUNG – Fontaines D.C. (12)
  11. STRAIGHT TO THE GROUND – Unquiet Nights (8)
  12. LAREDO – Leon Bridges (14)
  13. IMPOSTER SYNDROME – Fake Empire (6)
  14. SNAKESKIN – NAVE (15)
  15. POOR SAD INDIE EVERYTHING – Icarus Phoenix (16)
  16. ANKLES – Lucy Dacus (17)
  17. LUTHER – Kendrick Lamar & SZA (13)
  18. ARCHBISHOP HAROLD HOLMES – Jack White (20)
  19. BARBARIAN – AWOLNATION (21)
  20. PORCELAIN (LOSING ALL MY PATIENCE) – Somebody’s Child (23)
  21. LET THINGS GO – Caamp (24)
  22. BASIC BEING BASIC – Djo (22)
  23. THREE SIX FIVE – Shinedown (26)
  24. EVERYTHING IS PEACEFUL LOVE – Bon Iver (27)
  25. SO LONG – Wavves (28)
  26. NOTHING I NEED – Lord Huron (30)
  27. PEOPLE WATCHING – Sam Fender (18) 19th week on chart
  28. SAME OLD SONG – The Lumineers (19)
  29. RITALIN – Dexter and The Moonrocks (N)
  30. CATCH THESE FISTS – Wet Leg (N)

Fresh New Tracks, Vol. 46 – Atlas Engine, Big Wheels, Matt Csiszar, Josephine Pascoe

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews5 Comments

With a continuous supply of new music being released, it’s already time for another installment of my Fresh New Tracks series. Today I’m showcasing four songs by, in alphabetical order, Brooklyn, NY-based indie rock band Atlas Engine, Australian rock band Big Wheels, Michigan singer-songwriter Matt Csiszar and English musician and composer Josephine Pascoe. I’ve previously featured Matt and Josephine on this blog, whereas Atlas Engine and Big Wheels are new to me. All songs were released over the past week.

Atlas Engine – “Comfort and Calm”

Atlas Engine is a Brooklyn, New York-based band who make what they call “celestial indie rock”, an appropriate description for their dreamy style of alternative psychedelic rock. Fronted by singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, composer and producer Nick LaFalce, (who relocated to L.A. in 2023 but still spends time in Brooklyn), the five-piece also includes Garrett Hess on guitar, Patrick Cochrane on bass, Katie Glasgow on synths & vocals, and Brendan McGuckin on drums. Starting with the release of their debut EP After the End in 2016, they’ve since followed with numerous singles and EPs, along with their wonderfully-titled and gorgeous debut album When the Compass Resets, There Can Be No Regrets in 2023.

2025 has been a busy year thus far for Atlas Engine, as in March they released a single “Desert Demos: 1” to raise funds for friends affected by the Los Angeles fires, then followed two weeks later with “(Alternate State)”, consisting of three versions of an interlude at the end of “All I Want Is Everything”, from When the Compass Resets There Can Be No Regrets. In April they dropped the beautiful “New Constellation”, and now return with yet another new single “Comfort and Calm” a thoroughly enchanting song that lives up to its title. For the recording of the song, bass was played by Patrick Cochrane, drums by Jonathan Smith and additional vocals were sung by Sally Hatchet. I love the swirling ethereal synths, shimmery guitar notes, crisp percussion and gentle bass, all of which create a dreamy atmospheric backdrop for Nick and Sally’s captivating harmonies.

Big Wheels – “Lazy Bones”

Hailing from Sydney, Australia is Big Wheels, a modern indie rock band comprised of singer-songwriters Cass Ford and Lawson Doyle, along with guitarist Tyler Buchanan. Formed in late 2021 with a shared love for legendary acts like Fleetwood Mac, Jefferson Airplane, and The Black Keys, Big Wheels write songs exploring the highs, lows and complexities of life, while incorporating a sound that feels both timeless and fresh. Also, Cass is originally from Birmingham, England, giving the band have strong ties to the British music scene. They began releasing music in May 2022 with their debut single “Chain of Fire”, and have steadily dropped a series of outstanding songs ever since. Their previous single, the bluesy rocker “Silver and Black”, landed on several Spotify editorial playlists, including New Noise, All New Rock, Local Noise, and Fresh Finds AU/NZ, as well as garnering airplay on BBC Introducing, Amazing Radio UK, and Triple J.

Their ninth and latest single is “Lazy Bones“, a wonderful sensuous track with strong Fleetwood Mac vibes. I love those bluesy guitar riffs, chugging grooves and the marvelous interplay between Cass and Lawson’s vocals. And in fact, Cass seems to channel Stevie Nicks as she sings with such raw emotion in the chorus, I’m covered in goosebumps. The lyrics speak of letting go of past disagreements and enjoying each others’ company, at least for the night: “It’s been so long why don’t we make up. We can forget it all tonight. I know we said we’d tear the page out but maybe we stay here for a while. So lay down lazy bones, next to me. We ain’t got nowhere we need to be. Baby won’t you be my remedy, and lay down lazy bones, next to me (baby next to me).” Big Wheels will be releasing their debut EP Bury Me in Velvet in June.

Matt Csiszar – “Maria”

Matt Csiszar is an earnest and kind singer-songwriter, musician and composer from Michigan I’ve been following for the past four years. With a lifelong love for music, he started writing and recording his own songs at the age of 13, and over the years has taught himself to play guitar, piano, bass, and drums. His music is pretty eclectic, drawing from a wide range of genres and styles from pop, rock, folk, country and blues to electronic, funk, dance, industrial, jazz and even classical. A prolific artist, Matt released his debut album In The Mind in 1999 while in his early 20s, then played in the band Endless Question for a while before returning to recording and releasing music again as a solo artist in the early 2010s. He’s released numerous singles and an astonishing eight albums, most recently the excellent Many Roads in September 2022. Almost exactly three years ago to the day, on May 7, 2022, I featured his song “Chicago” in another Fresh New Tracks post. After the release of Many Roads, he took the next few years off to focus on his health and emotional well-being.

Now Matt is back with a brand new single “Maria“, a melancholy but lovely track he says “is a song of hope for survivors of childhood abuse. I want the listener to feel like I’m telling their story in hopes that it brings them strength and healing.” Accompanied by just his gentle acoustic guitar, Matt’s plaintive vocals remind me a bit of Jon Bon Jovi as he sings the poignant lyrics touching on Maria’s difficult upbringing, and offering her hope and encouragement for a safer and happier adulthood: “Her mother was so critical, she can still hear her voice calling her pitiful. Now she has no choice but to pick herself apart, breaking her own heart. Her father was a bastard to say the least. She’s triggered by the sound of stomping feet cause he’d come and scream in her face, yeah, that’s all the attention he gave. Maria, are you lonesome tonight? You know you’re getting closer to who you are meant to be. Maria, everything will be alright. you’re beautiful and someday this you will see, Maria.”

Josephine Pascoe – “Llumine”

A favorite musician and composer of mine is Josephine Pascoe, a classically trained pianist, violinist and flautist based in the London suburbs. With a life-long love of music, she studied at Trinity College of Music in London, where she began composing her own music. She also trained to be a secondary school music teacher, but prefers giving one-on-one instrumental instruction on piano and violin. Since 2017, she’s collaborated with Windsor-based guitarist and producer Neil Thom (who she met the year before when she began taking guitar lessons from him) in the creation of exceptional instrumental music infused with elements of jazz, acid jazz, classical, blues and funk. Together, they’ve released an impressive amount of outstanding singles, two of which, “Starfish” and “Odyssey”, I reviewed.

Their latest – and 20th – single is “Llumine“, delivering four minutes of pure auditory bliss. For the recording of the track, Josephine played piano, Rhodes electric piano, keyboard synths, strings and flute, while Neil played bass and drums. As with all their songs, Neil handled production and engineering. Blending acid jazz with classical influences, they create a bewitching fantasia of sound, highlighted by Josephine’s sparkling piano keys, breezy strings and lilting flute, and nicely grounded by Neil’s subtle bass and crisp percussion. I’ve loved every single one of their releases, and “Llumine” just might rank among my very favorites of them all.

Fresh New Tracks, Vol. 45 – The Obscuritans, Pilod, Snap Infraction, Talk in Waves

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews8 Comments

Time for another Fresh New Tracks post, and for the 45th installment of my ongoing series I’m featuring four terrific new songs by, in alphabetical order, Philadelphia-based indie rock act The Obscuritans, Belgian alt-rock band Pilod, Philadelphia-based rock band Snap Infraction, and Northern Virginia-based pop-rock artist Talk in Waves.

The Obscuritans – “False Prophecy”

The Obscuritans is a Philadelphia-based studio project formed earlier this year by Marc Schuster and Nick Cervini, with the aim of writing and recording music together, then inviting various artists to collaborate with them by contributing vocals, lyrics, or whatever else they have in mind. Marc is an insanely creative and multi-talented guy who’s not only an educator, author, literary critic, music blogger and visual artist, but also a prolific songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, recording both as a solo artist and as part of numerous music projects and collaborations with an ever-expanding roster of musicians. Nick is an accomplished musician who’s also drummer for Philadelphia indie rock band Sacred Monsters, and he and Marc are also members of power pop trio DelCobras (along with singer-songwriter Jim Lorino), whose song “The Turnaround” currently sits at #11 on my Top 30 chart.

In February, the Obscuritans released their debut single “Earholes”, a trippy, mostly instrumental tribute to David Lynch on which they collaborated with Jim Lorino. They followed in early April with “Break and Bend”, featuring vocals by Samantha Goodman of Philadelphia indie band Rescue Pets. Now they return with their third single “False Prophecy“, featuring lyrics and vocals by Canadian singer-songwriter, producer and blogger Neither Could Dylan (aka Jaimee Jakobczak, who also records music under her Death Cab for Cutie cover project Death Bus for Blondie, and Jimmy Eat World cover project Jaimee Eat World). Marc and Nick have created a mysterious and languid soundcape of bold guitar notes, otherworldly psychedelic synths and crisp percussion, a perfect backdrop for Jaime’s distinctive vocals, which have never sounded better. Her lyrics seems to speak of losing her sense of self in a futile attempt to maintain a romantic relationship: “While I wait for you, I break in two. Falling apart from all the things I thought I knew. But false prophecy, I sunk in so deep. Seems the cost of keeping you is losing me.”

Pilod – “Anticipate the Fall”

Hailing from Leuven, Belgium is alternative indie rock quartet Pilod. Since forming in 2013, the band has undergone a few changes in lineup and now consists of Frédéric Baervoets (guitar, vocals), Timo Jacobs (drums), Christophe Vandewoude (bass, backing vocals) and Wouter Voorspoels (guitar). Pilod released their debut album Sunny Forecast in 2013, followed by a single “Sunny” in early 2015, then their second album Black Swan in October 2016. After undergoing a long period of touring, lineup changes and the global COVID pandemic, they finally dropped a new single “The future looks bright” in June 2022, followed by two more singles in late 2024. On May 4th, they released their latest single “Anticipate the Fall“, accompanied by a charming video directed by Robbe Maes and filmed at Sint-Jozefsinstituut (a high school in Betekom), featuring Carlo Vranken and Gonzalo Vega as instructors putting the dorky, unathletic guys through some exercises.

The band says the song “explores themes of letting go, embracing change, and finding resilience amid turbulence and uncertainty.” I love the dynamic blend of Frédéric and Wouter’s reverb-soaked melodic and grungy guitars layered over a pulsating rhythm fueled by Christophe’s driving bass and Timo’s aggressive drums. Frédéric’s plaintive vocals express a heartfelt sense of assurance as he sings “Your head will kiss the cold, hard floor. Stop looking for a tight hold and think. All we have is now and the future calls, so why are you still living in the past? Future yourself. Read the cracks in the wall. The ground’s shifting, nothing stays, so learn to anticipate the fall. Life is changing forever.“

Snap Infraction – “Nothing Really Matters”

Also from Philadelphia is Snap Infraction, a three-piece musical powerhouse comprised of Steve Karsch (vocals, guitar & percussion), Dave Kerr (bass) and Tony Iannuzzi (drums). “Distilling decades of rock n roll history into a modern sonic journey“, they’ve been a band for over 15 years, releasing their first single “Try To See It My Way” in 2009. After a long hiatus, they released a five-track EP Chin Music in May 2017, then another three years would pass until their follow-up EP Stiff Arm, in May 2020. They were quite active in 2021, releasing several double singles throughout that year, followed by a very nice cover of the Beach Boys Christmas classic “Little Saint Nick” in December 2022, then their own original Christmas song “Christmas In The Islands” in December 2023. In March 2024 they released their single “Keeping Score“ (which I reviewed), followed two months later by their debut full-length album Eephus. In what’s become an annual tradition, they dropped another Christmas single “Christmas All Over Again”, a cover of the Tom Petty song on which Steve manages to channel Petty quite well.

Now they’re back with “Nothing Really Matters” a powerful and melodic song about someone who’s in denial about their mental illness and unwilling to take meaningful steps to get better, which also negatively affects their partner, all of which is beautifully expressed by Steve’s relatable lyrics: “Nothing really matters but you do it anyway. Taking better drugs to convince us you’re ok. Twisting all your stories cause the facts get in the way. Tossing out big words like you’re Ernest Hemingway. Late at night I start to worry that I’ll probably end up dying alone. With no one to say goodbye to and nothing left to call my own.” To my ears, the song has a strong ELO feel, particularly due to the marvelous interplay between those gorgeous guitar notes and piano keys, as well as the soaring vocal harmonies. I love it!

Talk in Waves – “Feels Right”

Talk in Waves (the music project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jake Mimikos and formerly known as The Frontier), is a longtime favorite of mine. Based in northern Virginia, he’s an enormously talented and gracious guy, and we’ve followed each other on social media for nearly a decade. Skillfully blending elements of indie rock, synth pop and folk, his music is incredibly melodic, flawlessly crafted and always catchy. He produces and records all aspects of his music in his home studio, and as with many singer-songwriters, Jake’s songs are often inspired by personal experiences, touching on topics like love, relationships and loss, and expressed through honest, relatable lyrics. He’s released an impressive amount of music since 2015, and I’ve featured him numerous times on this blog. I’ve loved all his songs, five of which have reached #1 on my Weekly Top 30 chart. His single “Like You Do” (which I reviewed) topped my 100 Best Indie Songs of 2024 list, and his previous single “You’re My Drug” reached #2 this past March.

Now Talk in Waves returns with “Feels Right“, a joyous celebration of a budding romance, where everything’s coming together and just “feels right”. Featuring highly melodic gnarly guitars, colorful swirling synths and stomping drumbeats, the song is an exuberant pop ear worm. While not quite a dance song, it’s infectious grooves are guaranteed to have you swaying your hips and tapping your feet. Jake’s always pleasing vocals are filled with unbridled euphoria as he sings “Don’t need to wait for the right time, I think we’re already here. Now let’s go and take a fast ride. Leave everybody in the rearview mirror. Tell me don’t it feel right, what you’re feeling right now. It feels right to me.” It’s another superb release, maintaining Talk in Waves’ unbroken run of perfect singles.