I think “My Golden Years” by The Lemon Twigs is a perfect power pop tune, and I just can’t get enough of it. Consequently, it remains at #1 on my Top 30 for a third week. Aiming for the top spot, the hauntingly beautiful “Time” by MISSIO slides into second place, while twenty one pilots‘ “Overcompensate” moves up a notch to #4. Entering the top 10 at #9 is the delightful dance-pop song “I’m in Love” by San Diego singer-songwriter Jelani Aryeh, followed by the equally delightful “Murder On the Dance Floor” by Australian guitar-pop duo Royel Otis, jumping six spots to #10.
Two songs make their debut on my chart this week, the first of which is “Mustang” by Kings of Leon. While I’m a pretty big fan of theirs, this song took a while to grow on me, as I initially found Caleb Followill’s screaming vocals a bit off-putting. “Mustang” was the lead single from their forthcoming ninth studio album Can We Please Have Fun, scheduled for release on May 10. Entering at #30 is “Two Sweet” by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier. Shockingly, the song debuted at #5 two weeks ago on the Billboard Hot 100, and currently sits at #4, a major feat for an artist like Hozier in today’s streaming-dominated chart. My guess is that the song must have gone viral on TikTok. In any case, it’s another great song by this talented and beloved artist, so seeing it ranked so highly on the Hot 100 is a welcome sight indeed.
MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (1)
TIME – MISSIO (3)
NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (2)
OVERCOMPENSATE – twenty one pilots (5)
DILEMMA – Green Day (4)
LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (9)
KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (10)
DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (9)
I’M IN LOVE – Jelani Aryeh (11)
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR – Royel Otis (16)
FIND MY WAY – Ships Have Sailed (12)
EVERYTHING WE NEED – Mojave Grey (13)
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (6)
BLUSH – Vazum (7)
GOOD PEOPLE – Mumford & Sons, Pharrell Williams (15)
ICE CREAM (PAY PHONE) – Black Pumas (17)
DARK MATTER – Pearl Jam (18)
WANTING AND WAITING – The Black Crowes (19)
DON’T FORGET ME – Maggie Rogers (22)
THE GLASS – Foo Fighters (23)
LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (14)
THOUGHTS I HAVE WHILE LYING IN BED – The Maine, Beach Weather (24)
It can be argued that modern technology is both a blessing and a curse, but certainly one redeeming aspect of it is the ability it affords for different musicians located halfway around the world to come together and collaborate in the creation of a song. As a shining example of that synergy, I bring you “Adrift“, the wonderful new single by American rock band Voodoo Planet and Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Mikey J.
Based in DeSoto, Missouri, a small city approximately 40 miles southwest of St. Louis (where I lived from 1995-2011), Voodoo Planet formed in 2010, and consists of John Gilbert on guitar & vocals, Ed Henry on bass, guitar & vocals, Adrienne Myers on keyboards & vocals, and Patrick Myers on drums & vocals. Their eclectic sound draws from a wide cross-section of genres including garage, alternative, grunge, punk, psychedelic and experimental rock, country, folk, Americana and pop.
They began releasing music in 2013 with their self-titled EP Voodoo Planet, followed by their live EP Bookstore Sessions in 2017. Several tracks from both EPs were later included in their full-length album Ripsnorters, released in early 2020. Some of the tracks were inspired by the stories of real historical figures like Lizzie Borden and the radium girls, women factory workers who contracted radiation poisoning from painting watches with luminous paint containing radium. After a bit of a hiatus, they came roaring back in early 2023 with “Bewitched” a song touching on the sad tale of Bridget Bishop, who was persecuted in the Salem witch trials. Since then, they’ve dropped several more singles, their latest of which is “Adrift”, their collaboration with Mikey J.
Mikey J (aka Michael Johnson), who humbly refers to himself as “just a dude who loves music“, is a prolific singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Melbourne, Australia. Inspired by some of the great songwriters of the past, life experiences and his family, his songs are a mix of rock, blues, folk, funk and indie influences, all of which he performs and records in what he calls his simple setup at home. He’s been writing and recording music since his teens, releasing his first self-titled EP in 1999 at the age of 17 with his then band Blue Tracer. In 2011, he released a solo album Happy “六” Anniversary, inspired by and dedicated to his wife Ella. Nearly 10 years would pass until his next release ISO-Inspiration, an album inspired by the Covid lockdown, in October 2020. Since then, Mikey J’s been on a creative tear, dropping five more albums, as well as numerous singles.
Described as “an acoustic seafaring-themed song about lost friendship“, “Adrift” is a bit of a stylistic departure for both Voodoo Planet and Mikey J, with a mellower, more contemplative feel than their typical, more rock-oriented sounds. For the track’s recording, John Gilbert played acoustic guitar & percussion, and sang vocals, Pat Myers played bass, drums & percussion, Adrienne Myers played piano & keyboards, and Mikey J played cello. The track was co-produced by John Gilbert and Ed Henry, and mixed and mastered by Ed.
The song is a melancholy but lovely folk ballad that tells the sad tale of a group of young men who go out on a sailing adventure that ends in tragedy. John’s beautifully strummed acoustic guitar, accompanied by Adrienne’s soothing organ riff and the sound of gently crashing waves, set a comforting tone for the song. But soon, Mikey J’s somber cello strings enter, injecting a palpable sense of tension and unease to the proceedings. John’s pleasing, low-key vocals convey feelings of resignation and sadness as he sings the bittersweet lyrics:
Signed up for a party, on a big metal ship Things got heavy, the boat began to tip, boat began to tip. As young sailors, we never learned how to swim, No hanging on, dear. The quicker to meet our end, quicker to meet our end. Tried all the knots, to find one that would hold, Hard to tie when hands and hearts grow cold, hands and hearts grow cold.
That storm came crashing in, we knew it had to end That storm came crashing in, we knew it had to end. The sea didn't take us that day The sea didn't take us that day The sea didn't take us that day Only one of us washed away, only one of us walked away..
Lost at sea, my friend, far away at the world's end Tied a string to all we held dear But sirens whispered in your ear, sirens whispered in your ear Things best unspoken, and floating debris, Best leave it all, and sink into the sea, sink in to the sea.
The sea didn't take us that day The sea didn't take us that day The sea didn't take us that day Only one of us washed away, only one of us walked away..
No wind in our sails, but we're headed home Might drown in a bottle, you never know Pray all you like, but keep rowing for shore.
The Bandcamp offering is an EP which includes the original song, along with two alternate mixes.
It’s always a happy day when my favorite Welsh songstress Caitlin Lavagna returns with a new song to grace our eardrums, and today I’m pleased to share her electrifying new single “Gold“. Her fifth in an unbroken streak of outstanding singles that began in 2021 with her wonderful debut “How Not To Start A Fight”, “Gold” speaks to, in her own words, “Changing the narrative, owning your feelings, being brutal and upfront, not taking yourself seriously and not catching feelings.”
I adore Caitlin’s vibrant and sophisticated vocal style and honest, relatable lyrics drawn from personal experiences and heartache, and have liked every one of her songs. In addition to “How Not To Start A Fight”, I’ve also reviewed “Night Bus” and “We Lost Track” (You can read those reviews by clicking on the ‘Related’ links at the end of this post.) Both “How Not To Start A Fight” and “Night Bus” appeared on my personal Top 30 chart, the latter spending 20 weeks and peaking at #2, and also finishing at #28 on my 100 Best Songs of 2023 list.
Photo by Akta Photography
Born and raised in the picturesque Rhondda Valley of South Wales with familial roots in Gibraltar, the multi-talented and lovely singer-songwriter, musician and actress has had a life-long love for music and the arts, with a special passion for percussion and drums, as well as singing and dancing. Her music and vocal styles are heavily influenced by some of her favorite artists like Sting, Biffy Clyro, Stevie Nicks, Florence Welch, P!nk and Adele.
In addition to writing and recording music, Caitlin is also an accomplished actress who’s performed in numerous stage musicals. Over the past year, she’s performed in the Rock and Roll Panto at Theatr Clwyd in North Wales, was invited to sing on Radio Gibraltar, and nominated for Best Female Artist at the Radio Wigwam Awards in London. She also performed in Turning The Wheel, a new musical by Kieran Bailey, and will be starring in the UK tour of Operation Julie, a prog rock psychedelic musical set in the 1970s and based on the biggest LSD drug raid in British history.
“Gold” was co-written by Caitlin and Otto Aday, and produced by Joe Rodwell. Though she often plays drums on her songs, for “Gold” they were played by Harry Ariyoshi-Pope. Caitlin recently shared her thoughts behind the song on Instagram: “This is my fifth single I have released as a solo artist. I wanted it to represent changing the narrative from being heartbroken to making a decision not to catch feelings in the first place. It’s sassy, quirky, fun and powerful. Beneath that though, it’s about being confident in making decisions for yourself and being honest about them. I added some Spanish into this track to honour my Gibraltarian roots. The phrase means ‘Life is simple, don’t complicate it’ and I think that’s a message I am taking into my life and therefore songwriting. I’m extremely proud and excited by this track and hope listeners can bop along and look forward to the many other tracks I have planned for release this year.“
While the song could be generally classified as pop, the brilliant arrangement features exuberant funk, jazz and trip-hop elements that make for a thrilling listen. I really love those wobbly, funked-up guitar notes and Ariyoshi-Pope’s spirited drumming. With her winning combination of colorful theatricality and powerhouse vocals, Caitlin lets loose with a bold and brassy delivery that occupies a sweet spot between sultry and playful, exuding a strong sense of unrestrained confidence as she sings “Gold that tastes like silver on my tongue. When all is said and done, this is only fun.” “Gold” ends with a self-satisfied laugh from Caitlin, leaving us utterly satisfied and more.
The marvelous jangle-pop masterpiece “My Golden Years” by The Lemon Twigs holds firm at #1 for a second week on my latest Top 30 chart. I love this song, and never tire of hearing it. “Neon Pill” by Cage the Elephant holds at #2 for a second week, after spending two weeks at #1, and the gorgeous “Time” by MISSIO inches up a notch to #3. Another wonderful jangle-pop/rock song, “Kool Aid Blue” by Canadian band The Sylvia Platters, enters the top 10. The biggest upward mover this week is “Murder On the Dance Floor” by Australian guitar-pop duo Royel Otis, jumping seven spots to #16.
For a second consecutive week, there are three new entries to my chart. The first, coming in at #28, is “Take It Or Leave It”, a melancholy but beautiful song by Sheffield, England-based alternative rock band Dead Slow Hoot, who’ve been putting out great indie rock since 2016. Next up is the delightfully boisterous “Good Times Go” by another English alternative indie rock four-piece, London-based The Kid and I, which I reviewed a few weeks ago. Bringing up the rear at #30 is the terrific “I’ve Got Loving For You” by Austin, Texas-based rock & roll band Bottlecap Mountain, which I also recently reviewedin a Fresh New Tracks post.
MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (1)
NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (2)
TIME – MISSIO (4)
DILEMMA – Green Day (3)
OVERCOMPENSATE – twenty one pilots (5)
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (6)
BLUSH – Vazum (8)
LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (9)
DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (10)
KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (11)
I’M IN LOVE – Jelani Aryeh (12)
FIND MY WAY – Ships Have Sailed (13)
EVERYTHING WE NEED – Mojave Grey (14)
LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (7)
GOOD PEOPLE – Mumford & Sons, Pharrell Williams (17)
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR – Royel Otis (23)
ICE CREAM (PAY PHONE) – Black Pumas (20)
DARK MATTER – Pearl Jam (21)
WANTING AND WAITING – The Black Crowes (22)
WATER UNDERGROUND – Real Estate (18)
LANDMINES – Sum 41 (19)
DON’T FORGET ME – Maggie Rogers (25)
THE GLASS – Foo Fighters (28)
THOUGHTS I HAVE WHILE LYING IN BED – The Maine, Beach Weather (29)
pMad is the solo music project of Irish singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist and composer Paul Dillon, a lifelong lover of music who’s been involved in songwriting and performing for many years. Based in County Galway, Paul was previously a member of the bands Starve the Barber and The Suicidal Dufflecoats, and currently a member of The Greeting, as well as his project pMad. Heavily influenced by some of his favorite acts like The Cure, The Sisters of Mercy, Sonic Youth, Suicidal Tendencies, The The, Arctic Monkeys, The Strokes and Tom Waits, his dramatic sound is an arresting blend of darkwave, post-punk, alternative and goth rock, with even a touch of indie metal thrown into the mix for greater impact. He’s also a strong advocate for social justice, emotional well-being and the environment, which he freely expresses in many of his songs.
Since December 2021, he’s released an impressive amount of music, including numerous singles, two EPs and two albums, his latest of which, I in Power, drops today, along with one of the album’s tracks “Missing“, which I’ll be writing about. I’ve previously featured him twice on this blog when I reviewed two of his singles, “Broken” and “Sisters”, the latter of which spent three months in my Top 30 and ranks #73 on my 100 Best Songs of 2022 list.
On “Missing”, pMad explores the human tendency to sometimes take our relationships for granted and not fully value people while they’re with us, only to realize too late how much they meant to us after they’re gone from our lives. He elaborates “pMad is about embracing the imperfect nature of existence and delivering powerful messages through music. ‘Missing’ is a reflection on the importance of cherishing relationships before it’s too late.“
The song kicks off with a somber bass groove accompanied by a rapid thumping drumbeat, which are soon joined by a jagged guitar riff and pMad’s haunting vocals. Eventually, the music expands into an electrifying soundscape of beautiful swirling guitar notes and sparkling synths, that ever-present dark bassline and gnarly guitar keeping the song’s overall brooding feel fully intact. His vocals become more fervent in the choruses as he laments “Nobody’s out there, Nobody’s waiting. Times are tough. It’s not just a hole in the ground.” It’s another superb single by this creative and talented artist.
The artwork for the single features an original painting by Lasma Dublane-Dillon.
And here’s the full album, featuring eight outstanding tracks, on Bandcamp. Besides “Missing”, other standout tracks for me are “Down” and “Opinion”.
So much new music, but only so much time to write about it all! That means it’s time for another installment of my Fresh New Tracks series. Today, I’m featuring new songs by four talented gentlemen – Scottish electronic composer, singer-songwriter and producer Neil Billinness, L.A.-based singer-songwriter and musician David Gergen, Philadelphia area-based singer-songwriter and musician Marc Schuster, and Tacoma, Washington-based psychedelic indie pop musician Soda Cracker Jesus. I’ve previously written about all four of them, though it’s been many years since I featured Neil B. and David G.
NEIL BILLINNESS – “Spring”
Hailing from Rosyth, Scotland (located on the Firth of Forth northwest of Edinburgh), is Neil Billinness, a singer-songwriter and musician who composes, records and produces electronic music influenced by 80’s artists he grew up with like Howard Jones, OMD, The Human League, Tears For Fears, David Bowie, Prince and Madonna. In December 2016, I featured him in an Artist Spotlight where I wrote a fair amount about him, but to summarize, he spent time as a member of a few rock bands beginning in high school, but later put music on the back burner while he built his professional career. Starting around 2011, he took up songwriting again in earnest and set up his own home studio, where he embraced sequencing, sampling and programming which enabled him to produce music more easily. He subsequently established an independent label NeRo Music with his life partner Robert, who tragically passed away suddenly the day after Neil released his single “Passing Thoughts”, in January 2016. He followed with a few more singles, and began working on a sci-fi concept album, but lingering depression over losing Robert, as well as a health event that resulted in the partial loss of his eyesight, caused him to shelve the project. He later compiled the demo tracks into an album Space Travels, which he released on Bandcamp in 2018.
More recently, Neil’s been working with singer-songwriter Jill Jones (who worked with Prince in the 1980s, including singing backing vocals on some of the tracks on his album 1999, as well as appearing in his movies Purple Rain and Graffiti Bridge), remastering and cleaning up the audio on tracks she’d originally recorded in 1989 into a new album to be released later this month. He’s also recorded and released some new material of his own, one of which is his latest single “Spring“, a dramatic electronic instrumental piece he released on April 1st. About the song, Neil explains: “This piece was written in the darkest of times eight years ago, when I was in a deep depression but starting to see light creeping into the darkness. It’s an instrumental piece, with some seemingly-random, cold electronic noises interspersed throughout. What they represent is for the listener’s interpretation. This track has a bittersweet memory, as it was a track that my dad heard and liked, before he passed away. My dad said things as they were and if he didn’t like something I’d written he would have no hesitation in telling me. But I remember when he heard this I could see him nodding his head and smiling, and he told me he liked it.” Well, I like it too, and despite its 7:25 minute run time, it doesn’t feel overly long. Though somewhat dark, it features a fascinating, almost otherworldly soundscape layered over a continuous pulsating beat, punctuated by spritely little flourishes and sci-fi sounds that served to lighten the overall mood of the piece.
David Gergen is another artist I wrote about several years ago, back in March 2018 when I reviewed his beautiful album The Golden Light. A singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist based in Los Angeles, David has been writing and recording music for nearly three decades, and including The Golden Light, has released 10 albums, two of which are experimental instrumental-only works. Like Neil above, David also suffered the terrible loss of his life partner Michelle, who passed away in 2015, a life-changing event that can’t help but have a major impact on one’s songwriting and music. Accordingly, he writes thoughtful lyrics about love, loss and renewal, which he delivers with warm, comforting vocals backed by sublime piano and guitar-driven melodies drawn from elements of alternative, indie and experimental rock, Americana and easy-listening.
On March 29th, David released “Into the Woods“, his first new single in five years. The song speaks of finding peace of mind and renewing one’s soul by getting in touch with nature and its healing powers. Anyone who’s ever hiked through a forest has experienced the beneficial calming effects that result from being in a serene and beautiful setting, leaving you feeling refreshed and even a bit more centered. Musically, the song is an agreeable blend of alternative rock and Americana, though David’s fuzzy electric guitars add an edgy vibe to the proceedings. His smooth vocals are both pleasing and commanding as he encourages us to seek solace and find healing in the woods.
MARC SCHUSTER – “Paul Giamatti (Is Everywhere Tonight)”
Marc Schuster is an insanely creative, multi-talented and very busy guy from the Philadelphia area who I got to know several years ago through blogging (he has a terrific WordPress blog called Abominations, where he writes about music and interviews indie artists). Not only is he an educator, author, literary critic and visual artist, he’s also a prolific songwriter and musician, recording both as a solo artist and as part of numerous music projects and collaborations with an ever-expanding roster of musicians. As if all that weren’t enough, he also hosts a weekly hour-long music podcast called “Tweetcore Radio Hour”, where he features songs by talented indie artists he’s met through Twitter (now X). I honestly don’t know how he finds the time and energy to accomplish all that he does!
Though Marc likes to experiment with different sounds, styles and textures, most of the songs he records as a solo artist have a delightful, indie bedroom-pop sensibility. Not only are they infectiously catchy, he has a wonderful knack for putting a youthful, often tongue-in-cheek perspective on everyday situations and problems many of us have faced at one time or another. His latest single, “Paul Giamatti (Is Everywhere Tonight“, is yet another lighthearted example of this. Marc explained his inspiration for writing the song: “I wrote it a few months back when, for no apparent reason, the thought occurred to me that it would be funny if Paul Giamatti had played George Costanza on ‘Seinfeld’ instead of Jason Alexander. That idea didn’t make it into the final version (it was in one of the verses that I cut), but the thought of Paul Giamatti showing up in unexpected places stuck with me, and soon I was imagining him everywhere.” The song has a breezy vibe, highlighted by cool piano keys and an infectious toe-tapping beat, and I love those horn synths in the bridge. James Lorino, aka Scoopski, sang backing vocals at the end of the track.
One of the more fascinating and flamboyant artists I know of is Soda Cracker Jesus, the solo music project of the wildly imaginative and enormously talented singer-songwriter and producer Regan Lane. Based in Tacoma, Washington, Regan has been actively involved in the Pacific Northwest music scene for 40 years, with his hands in many projects, including serving as front man and ringmaster for psychedelic punk-rock band Strangely Alright. He created Soda Cracker Jesus in early 2021 as a way of expressing his punkier power pop side, and has released an impressive number of singles, several of which I’ve reviewed (my most recent was for “Space Boy” last May).
His latest and twelfth single is “Asleep but Awake“, a collaboration with his friend Jimm Boudreau of The Dissonance Theory, itself a collaborative music project based in the Seattle area. Regan and Jimm co-wrote the music and lyrics, with Regan singing vocals and playing guitar, keyboards and strings, Jimm playing bass and John Hargis playing drums. The song is an alternative rock gem, with strong psychedelic overtones, and I love the intricate instrumentation and lush orchestration, not to mention Regan’s wonderful emotive vocals that always remind me of David Bowie. In fact, the song sounds like a long lost Bowie song from the late 70s. I may be off-base, but the lyrics seem to speak of letting go of unpleasant memories of past mistakes, and choosing to live in the here and now with a more positive outlook. “I don’t know if the stars will always shine. There’s a game I play while I’m lost in space. And I’m happy to be alive. This Is Dreaming. This Is Dreaming. And I’m Awake but I’m Asleep.” The colorful and trippy animated video was created by Regan/Soda Cracker Jesus.
One of the more interesting music acts around today is American indie rock duo The Lemon Twigs, consisting of the hyper-talented and charismatic brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario. Raised in a musical household on Long Island, New York (their father Ronnie D’Addario is a musician and songwriter in his own right), the two learned to play instruments and sing at an early age. Both Brian and Michael also had extensive stage experience as children; Brian played Gavroche in Les Miserables and Flounder in The Little Mermaid on Broadway, while Michael appeared in The Coast of Utopia, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular, and the 2008 production of All My Sons, as well in a variety of television shows and films, such as John Adams on HBO, Are We There Yet? on TBS, and the 2012 films People Like Us and Sinister.
The brothers formed The Lemon Twigs while they were both in high school, with each performing lead vocals, lead guitar, drums and other instruments. They cite as their major music influences bands ranging from The Beatles and Beach Boys to Procol Harum and Queen. They recorded their first album Go Hollywood in the spring of 2015, when the two were only 15 and 17 years old. (Both celebrate birthdays in March, and recently turned 24 and 26.) The album, released in October 2016 through British record label 4AD, was well-received by critics and earned them appearances on TV programs like The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, CBS This Morning “Saturday Sessions” and Conan. They garnered a coveted spot at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio, California in April 2017, and during their performance they were joined by Todd Rundgren, who the brothers call one of their “favorite musicians ever, in the whole world”. That summer, they went on play at several major festivals, including Glastonbury, Outside Lands, Lollapalooza, Austin City, and the Montreux. (Wikipedia)
Photo by Stephanie Pia
Their power pop gem “My Golden Years”, the lead single from their forthcoming fifth studio album A Dream Is All We Know (co-produced by the band and Sean Ono Lennon, and set for release on May 3), is my new favorite song this week and ascends to the #1 spot. The song seems to pay homage to some of the great songs from the 60s by acts like The Byrds and Beach Boys, as well as early 70s The Raspberries. I absolutely love those gorgeous jangly Rickenbacker guitars and Beach Boys-esque harmonies. I’ve been listening to a lot of their music catalog, much of which is outstanding, but I think “My Golden Years” is their best song yet.
The fun video, directed by Ambar Navarro, features the brothers and their touring band members Danny Ayala and Reza Matin performing the song and romping about Los Angeles and the surrounding countryside. Navarro said the song and video are about “looking back at the good old days, and the highs and lows of trying to make it as a band.”
There are three new entries to my chart this week, beginning with a long-overdue arrival of Foo Fighters‘ “The Glass”, coming in at #28. I like the song a lot, but it kept getting nudged out by other songs I liked better. The second debut, at #29, is “thoughts I have while lying in my bed” by Phoenix, Arizona-based alternative pop-rock band The Maine, featuring added vocals by Nick Santino of pop-rock band Beach Weather (who are one of my current favorite bands). The original version of the song by The Maine was released last August as the fourth single from their self-titled ninth studio album The Maine. The Maine lead singer John O’Callaghan and Nick Santino, both of whom are 35 years old and whose singing voices sound quite similar to each other, are long-time friends, and when John invited Nick to record a new version, Nick jumped at the chance. About the collaboration, John stated, “It’s not often that I get to hear someone else sing on a tune of ours. It’s even less frequent to hear someone I’ve known for 17 years on that same tune. I’m forever a fan of Nick and his voice, and now it makes it 50% less weird to listen to the thoughts I have.” The new version was released on November 24, 2023, and is finally gaining traction on the Alternative charts.
The third debut is the darkly beautiful and mesmerizing “Ceiling Tiles” by Portland, Oregon-based psychedelic shoegaze supergroup Sun Atoms. I learned about the song in a recent post by fellow blogger Holley, who writes a terrific blog Chasing Destino. It was love at first listen, earning “Ceiling Tiles” a spot on my latest Weekly Top 30. Formed in 2021 and drawing influences from such acts as Leonard Cohen, The Cure, Moon Duo and Nick Cave, the band blends psychedelic, darkwave and post-modern pop to create their own fabulous and arresting music style. “Ceiling Tiles”, accompanied by a cover of Cohen’s “Tower of Song” as its flip-side, is the band’s first new release since their 2021 debut album Let There Be Light.
MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (2)
NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (1)
DILEMMA – Green Day (4)
TIME – MISSIO (5)
OVERCOMPENSATE – twenty one pilots (6)
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (3)
LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (7)
BLUSH – Vazum (10)
LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (12)
DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (13)
KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (14)
I’M IN LOVE – Jelani Aryeh (15)
FIND MY WAY – Ships Have Sailed (17)
EVERYTHING WE NEED – Mojave Grey (18)
WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (8)
THE TOWER – Future Islands (9)
GOOD PEOPLE – Mumford & Sons, Pharrell Williams (20)
WATER UNDERGROUND – Real Estate (21)
LANDMINES – Sum 41 (22)
ICE CREAM (PAY PHONE) – Black Pumas (23)
DARK MATTER – Pearl Jam (24)
WANTING AND WAITING – The Black Crowes (25)
MURDER ON THE DANCE FLOOR – Royel Otis (28)
MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (11)
DON’T FORGET ME – Maggie Rogers (30)
NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (16)
BICYCLE AWAY – Sam Rappaport (19)
THE GLASS – Foo Fighters (N)
THOUGHTS I HAVE WHILE LYING IN BED – The Maine, Beach Weather (N)
One of my favorite female vocalists and all-around artists is Malaysian singer-songwriter Lyia Meta, an immensely talented, gracious and lovely recording artist with a powerhouse singing voice. I generally prefer female voices in the deeper ranges, and her soulful and vibrant contralto style resonates strongly with me. Based in Kuala Lumpur and of local Creole Portuguese ancestry, Lyia’s a multi-faceted artist in every sense of the word. She can literally sing just about anything and in fact, has recorded songs in a wide range of genres including blues, jazz, pop, country, rock and even metal, bringing her international recognition and acclaim.
A prolific artist, she’s released an impressive amount of music over the past eight years, beginning with her debut EP This is Lyia in 2016. Since then, she’s dropped numerous singles, two more EPs and an album, Always You, last June. She’s been nominated for, and won, numerous music awards around the globe over the years. Besides Malaysia, she’s also performed in India, Los Angeles and Texas, and has been featured in Rolling Stone, Billboard Magazine, FAULT Magazine, Reader’s Digest and many more. As if all that weren’t enough, she’s also a highly-accomplished visual artist with several exhibits to her credit. She even surprised me in 2019 with a wonderful pencil drawing of my portrait, which I proudly hang in my bedroom!
I’ve featured her many times on this blog since 2018, most recently last May (of 2023), when I wrote about her stunning single “Always You” in a Fresh New Tracks post. For her latest musical project, Lyia pays homage to one of the most legendary acts who’ve shaped our musical heritage by reimagining The Beatles’ classic “All My Loving”. Acknowledging the enduring charm of this classic song that’s captivated listeners for generations, she’s teamed up once again with her frequent collaborators – Nashville-based producer Bob McGilpin and co-producer Gene Rabbai. Together, they’ve reinterpreted the song in a jazz pop style, allowing Lyia to imbue a fresh perspective in her own unique way, while still honoring its timeless appeal.
Lyia elaborates: “Reimagining ‘All My Loving’ was approached with great respect for the timeless music of The Beatles. Collaborating with my producer Bob McGilpin and co-producer Gene Rabbai, our rendition of this iconic song is a heartfelt expression and a sincere appreciation for their enduring legacy.”
For the recording of the track, McGilpin played guitar, drum and bass, as well handling the arrangement and sound mixing, while Rabbai played piano and orchestration. The result is a lovely, easy-listening interpretation of the song, featuring smooth piano keys, delicate guitar notes, gentle percussion and breezy orchestration. But the highlights for me are the wonderful saxophone and subtle trumpet that lend a warm, jazzy vibe to the proceedings, as well as Lyia’s marvelous vocals that have a somewhat sensual quality that further enhances the song’s jazzy allure. It’s a superb tribute to The Beatles’ classic indeed!
Artists and bands I follow on social media continue to release new music at a dizzying pace, so in order to try and showcase even some of it, it’s time for another Fresh New Tracks installment. Today, I’m featuring four recently-released songs by, in alphabetical order – Texas rock’n’roll band Bottlecap Mountain, English musician and composer Josephine Pascoe, English singer-songwriter Lissy Taylor, and New Jersey singer-songwriter Loud Hound, all of them quite prolific in their musical output. I’ve previously written about Josephine Pascoe and Loud Hound, while this is the first time I’m featuring Bottlecap Mountain and Lissy Taylor. So let’s get to it!
BOTTLECAP MOUNTAIN – “I’ve Got Loving For You”
Bottlecap Mountain is a self-described “24 Carat Rock & Roll” band from Austin, Texas, comprised of Stewart Gersmann (lead vocals, lead guitar), Chris Stangland (bass), Yvonne Love (organ, backing vocals), Doug Pena (rhythm guitar, backing vocals) and Ray Flynt (drums). Their sound is a happy mix of alternative, garage and indie rock, infused with generous doses of power pop and classic rock & roll, accompanied by honest, thought-provoking and relatable lyrics delivered with pleasing vocals and wonderful harmonies.
Over the past 10 years, the prolific band has released six full-length albums, their most recent being their brilliant 0! Fantastik Melancholy last year. Today they return with “I’ve Got Loving For You”, the first single from their upcoming seventh album Electric Love Spree, due out this summer. The song opens with sounds of a revving motorcycle engine, then we’re off to the races with a cool, retro-sounding rock & roll gem that harkens back to some of the great songs of the 60s and 70s, but with a fresh approach. I love the stabbing guitar notes, spirited drumbeats and abundant crashing cymbals, all layered over a charming organ riff and punctuated here and there with some tasty acoustic and electric guitar work. The straightforward lyrics are a simple yet profound declaration of love, beautifully sung by Stewart and backed by his fellow bandmembers’ warm harmonies.
Josephine Pascoe is 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 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 with ever-changing elements of jazz, acid jazz, classical, blues and funk.
Together, they’ve released an impressive amount of singles – 17 to be exact. One of them, “Starfish”, I reviewed last May. Their latest single, released March 23, is “Odyssey“, a beautiful acid jazz instrumental. For the track’s recording, Josephine played piano, strings and flute, while Neil played guitar, bass and drums. Like all their songs, Neil handled production and engineering. Whereas “Starfish” has a spirited dance-oriented feel with a strong lively beat, “Odyssey” is more contemplative and bluesy. I love Josephine’s warm piano keys, soothing strings and lilting flute, and as always, Neil’s bluesy guitars and funky bass provide a marvelous and edgy counterpoint to her more classical-sounding instrumentals.
Lissy Taylor is a lovely, hard-working young singer-songwriter from Stoke-On-Trent, England. From what I can tell, she’s been releasing music since January 2020, including numerous singles and two EPs. According to her bio, she toured fairly extensively in 2023 in support of such acts as The View, Sea Girls and The Lottery Winners, and performed at the Isle of Wight Festival. Her songs have garnered airplay on Radio 1 Future Alternative, BBC Radio 2, John Kennedy Radio X and Amazing Radio. This year, she’s already played shows in support of Circa Waves and Haiku Hands, and is set to open the mainstage at YNOT Festival ahead of Headliner Noel Gallagher. She was also chosen by an expert panel of artists to perform at Manchester City FC opening for Barclays Women’s Super League on April 21.
Her latest single is “Life Changing“, released on March 15th. The song is an indie rock banger, fueled by an infectious driving beat overlain with a glorious mix of reverb-soaked guitars, humming bass, roiling synths and thunderous drums. Lissy’s vocals, which remind me a bit of fellow English songstress Ellie Goulding, are soft yet commanding here. About the song’s meaning, she elaborates “There’s so many people that go through struggles, myself included, and this song champions pulling yourself through to the otherside. This is a song to cheer you on when there’s doubts and to throw you up in the air when you’re winning. This is the sound of the underdog.”
LOUD HOUND is the music project of Tommy Florio, a talented singer/songwriter from Ventnor City, New Jersey. The silky-voiced artist fuses elements of garage, surf and psych rock with dream pop to create wonderful songs filled with infectious melodies, honest lyrics and irresistible guitar grooves. He’s recorded and released a tremendous amount of music since 2018, including two albums – It’s Okay to Be Lonely Part I in 2022 and It’s Okay to Be Lonely Part II in 2023, as well as more than 20 singles, two of which, “Runnin'” and “Youthful Stranger”, I reviewed. Hard to believe it’s been over five years since I’ve featured him on this blog, so it’s high time I revisit his music.
Since the beginning of this year, he’s been dropping new songs in “waterfall releases”, in which singles are released in a progressive series, with each new release adding to the previous one to eventually create a kind of EP. It seems to be an increasingly popular way artists are releasing their music, as I’ve seen numerous examples of this. LOUD HOUND’s latest release is “Clumsy”, a delightfully catchy song he says he wrote “back in 2020 as a romantic ode to my clumsiness while in pursuit of an uninterested lover.“It’s a perfect pop-rock tune, with wonderful twangy guitars and swirling keyboards layered over a breezy melody. The lyrics are a heartfelt plea to a woman he desires to love him back: “With your golden smile that made me spill my coffee, I want you forever I’m just a little clumsy. Won’t you come and stay with me? I heard you needed some company. The love that you want and the love that you need, it’s right here baby don’t you see.”
Cage the Elephant remain on top for a second week with “Neon Pill”, while The Lemon Twigs‘ delightful “My Golden Years” moves up another notch to #2. I just love those vibrant jangly guitars and Beach Boys-esque harmonies, and it’s hard to fathom why this song hasn’t appeared on any charts that I’m aware of. Far and away the biggest upward mover this week is the achingly beautiful “Time” by Texas-based duo MISSIO, which leaps 17 spots to #5. I had the opportunity to interview Matthew and David over Zoom last week, which was a thrill for me. The song will be included on their monumental 26-track album I AM CINCO, planned for release in early May. “Overcompensate” by another favorite duo of mine, twenty one pilots, climbs three spots to #6. These four songs, along with The Black Keys‘ “Beautiful People (Stay High)” and Green Day‘s “Dilemma”, will likely control the top six spots on my chart for many weeks to come.
Two songs make their debut this week, the first of which is “Murder on the Dance Floor ” by Australian guitar-pop duo Royel Otis (comprised of Royel Maddell and Otis Pavlovi), entering at #28. The song is a wonderful cover of the 2001 hit “Murder on the Dancefloor” by British singer-songwriter Sophie Ellis-Bextor, which Royel Otis performed on the Australian radio station Triple J for their Like a Version program. Interestingly, the song does not appear on their debut album PRATTS & PAIN that was just released in February. The two have been putting out music since 2021, and I really like their sound! Also interesting is that Ellis-Bextor’s original gained renewed popularity earlier this year after appearing in the 2023 black comedy thriller film Saltburn, causing it to re-enter the UK Dance Singles Chart where it reached #1. It also peaked at #51 on the US Billboard Hot 100, her first song to ever appear on that chart.
Entering at #30 is “Don’t Forget Me” by immensely talented American singer-songwriter Maggie Rogers. Citing artists like Carrie Brownstein, Patti Smith, Kim Gordon of Sonic Youth, Björk, Brandi Carlile and Sharon Van Etten as her musical inspirations, the latter two who’ve also become her mentors — I think she’s one of the finest female singer-songwriters making music today. Her thoughtful lyrics and heartfelt vocals always make for a pleasing, deeply moving and compelling listen.
NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (1)
MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (3)
BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (2)
DILEMMA – Green Day (4)
TIME – MISSIO (22)
OVERCOMPENSATE – twenty one pilots (9)
LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (8)
WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (5)
THE TOWER – Future Islands (6)
BLUSH – Vazum (12)
MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (7)
LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (13)
DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (14)
KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (16)
I’M IN LOVE – Jelani Aryeh (17)
NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (10)
FIND MY WAY – Ships Have Sailed (19)
EVERYTHING WE NEED – Mojave Grey (20)
BICYCLE AWAY – Sam Rappaport (15)
GOOD PEOPLE – Mumford & Sons, Pharrell Williams (23)
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 