Scottish rock band Gloom is Okay hold the top spot for a second week with their exquisite “Repeat Offender”, while Malaysian artist extraordinaire Lyia Meta moves into second place with her powerful anthem “Raging Halls”. She just released another great single “For You” a week ago. “Doors” by Noah Kahan advances a spot to #3, and “Rein Me In” by English singer-songwriters Sam Fender and Olivia Dean, and “Private” by LA-based alt rock band The Neighbourhood, each move up two spots to #4 and #5, respectively.
After five debut songs last week, I have only one new addition to my chart this week: “I Feel Hope Coming” by Southern blues rock band Alabama Shakes. Fronted by powerhouse vocalist and guitarist Brittany Howard, the group also includes guitarist Heath Fogg and bassist Zac Cockrell. The song is the third in a series of singles they’ve been releasing over the past year that began last August with “Another Life”, which spent two weeks at #1 on my chart last November. All will be included on their forthcoming third album I Must Be Dreaming, to be released August 28th.
REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (1)
RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (3)
DOORS – Noah Kahan (4)
REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (6)
PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (7)
SELF AWARE – Temper City (2)
EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (5)
ONLINE – Western Jaguar (9)
PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (8)
MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (10)
THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (14)
HEART STOP – The Revivalists (15)
NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (17)
WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW – Evanescence (13)
GO FUCK URSELF – Fat Dog (12)
IN THE STARS – The Rolling Stones (16)
BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (21)
LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (23)
HOMEWRECKER – sombr (11)
FREAKING OUT – Michigander (22)
HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (24)
LOVE ME NOT – Grace Potter (26)
WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (27)
WE SHOULD TALK – Bleachers (28)
I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (29)
It isn’t often I’m blown away the first time I hear a song, but I have to say that’s what I experienced when I first listened to “Repeat Offender” by Scottish alternative metal band Gloom is Okay, as I was immediately stunned by its dramatic beauty, intricate melody and sonic majesty. Based in Glasgow, Gloom is Okay is comprised of frontman Martin Walker (vocals, guitars, synths, programming) Iain MacLeod (bass) and Mark Norris (drums). “Repeat Offender” is the lead single from their forthcoming debut album Nothing Human.
Walker says the song is essentially about dealing with narcissistic people, and the mask worn by Fiona McNeil in the video was sculpted and moulded by his wife. He states “We wanted something that felt human, but not quite. Familiar enough to recognise, uncomfortable enough to remember.” The song also represents a bit of a directional change for the band, in that Walker’s voice takes center stage. He elaborates “I’ve never been a particularly confident singer. In fact, for most of my life I’ve probably thought of myself as a guitarist who happened to sing occasionally. Putting your voice out there is a strange thing. It’s personal in a way that hiding behind a riff or a wall of guitars never is.” I think his commanding vocals are perfect, and the song ascends to the top of my chart this week.
Entering the top 10 are “Online” by Canadian artist Western Jaguar (aka singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jeffrey Trainor) and “Marathons” by the irrepressively charming four-piece Sorry Ghost, who are based in Los Angeles.
After several relatively quiet weeks, I have five new additions to my chart, beginning with “Love Me Not” by singer-songwriter and musician Grace Potter. Born in Vermont and now based near Los Angeles, the beguiling Potter has released five solo albums, as well as four studio albums with Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, (a band she formed in 2002 which later disbanded in 2015 upon her divorce from her bandmate and former husband Matt Burr). Boisterous, sexy and raw, “Love Me Not” is the lead single from her forthcoming sixth album Trespasser, set for release August 21st.
Entering at #27 is “We Might as Well Be Strangers” by legendary LA-based alternative power pop band Weezer, featuring added vocals by Karly Hartzman and Xandy Chelmis of North Carolina-based alt rock band Wednesday. Since 2001, Weezer has consisted of Rivers Cuomo (lead vocals, guitar, keyboards), Patrick Wilson (drums), Brian Bell (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), and Scott Shriner (bass, keyboards, backing vocals). Released on June 3rd, the song is the second single from their forthcoming 20th album Weezer (aka The Gold Album).
Next up is “we should talk” by American alt-rock band Bleachers. Formed in 2013 by singer-songwriter, musician and producer Jack Antonoff, the band since 2023 has included Mikey Freedom Hart, Sean Hutchinson, Evan Smith, Michael Riddleberger, and Zem Audu, all longtime touring musicians who are now official members. “we should talk” is from their sixth album Everyone for Ten Minutes, which dropped in May. I love that nifty little bassline.
The fourth new entry, at #29, is the exuberant “I Can Take the Sun Out of the Sky” by Chicago-based alt rock band Brigitte Calls Me Baby, comprised of Wes Leavins (lead vocals), Jack Fluegel (guitars), Devin Wessels (bass) and Jeremy Benshish (drums). The song is from their second album Irreversible, released this past March, which also features their marvelous single “Slumber Party” that went all the way to #1 on my chart in early June. I’m really liking this band!
Last, but certainly not least, is “Stone Over Water” by indie pop-rock band Death Cab for Cutie. Formed nearly 30 years ago in Bellingham, Washington, the group includes Ben Gibbard (vocals, guitar, piano), Nick Harmer (bass), Dave Depper (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals), Zac Rae (keyboards, guitar), and Jason McGerr (drums). The song is from their 11th album I Built You a Tower, which dropped in June and was inspired by band frontman Ben Gibbard’s experiences dealing with the end of his marriage while also constantly being on tour. The song replaces their previous single “Riptides”, which drops off my chart after spending 18 weeks, two of them at #1.
REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom is Okay (3)
SELF AWARE – Temper City (1)
RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (4)
DOORS – Noah Kahan (5)
EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (2)
REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (7)
PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (8)
PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (10)
ONLINE – Western Jaguar (12)
MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (13)
HOMEWRECKER – sombr (6)
GO FUCK URSELF – Fat Dog (15)
WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW – Evanescence (16)
THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (18)
HEART STOP – The Revivalists (19)
IN THE STARS – The Rolling Stones (20)
NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (21)
GOOD2B – Goose (11)
FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (9)
GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (14)
BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (25)
FREAKING OUT – Michigander (24)
LOST BOYS – Phoebe Bridgers (30)
HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (26)
HEADLIGHTS – In Color (17)
LOVE ME NOT – Grace Potter (N)
WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS – Weezer feat. Wednesday (N)
WE SHOULD TALK – Bleachers (N)
I CAN TAKE THE SUN OUT OF THE SKY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (N)
We seem to have an embarrassment of riches at the moment, with so many great songs to choose from that it’s almost torture to have to rank them at all. And rather curiously, we have a number of songs by “animal” bands, including a mouse, goose, jaguar, dog and elephant.
Temper City remain on top for a second week with “Self Aware”. I’m also thrilled to place several songs by independent acts I love near the top of my chart; Los Angeles-based Ships Have Sailed move into second place with their beautiful “Exit Wound”, Scottish band Gloom Is Okay move up three spots to #3 with “Repeat Offender”, and Malaysian artist Lyia Meta also advances three spots to #4 with her powerful “Raging Halls”.
Entering the top 10 at #7 are “Rein Me In” by Sam Fender and Olivia Dean, and “Private” by The Neighbourhood, coming in at #8. “Rein Me In” is Fender’s first song to reach #1 in the UK, where it has spent 19 non-consecutive weeks and counting on top, becoming the longest running #1 single in UK music history (besting Bryan Adams’ “Everything I Do (I Do It For You)”, which spend 16 weeks at #1 in 1991).
The lone debut this week is “Lost Boys” by singer-songwriter Phoebe Bridgers. The song is the lead single from her forthcoming third album Lost Weekend, scheduled for release on August 14th.
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 