Category: Reviews

SIVAN LEVY – EP Review: “SIDE:W”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews7 Comments

Sivan Levy is a multi-faceted Queer Israeli artist currently based in Tel Aviv, who’s not only a talented singer-songwriter and musician, but also a successful actress and filmmaker. She’s starred in several highly acclaimed films and television series, earning multiple awards for her exceptional work. Her latest film, My Daughter My Love, written and directed by Eitan Green, premiered last summer at the prestigious Jerusalem Film Festival. Also last summer, in June, Levy released a beautiful EP side:s, her first music release since her self-titled three-song EP in 2015. The EP features six captivating tracks written and sung by her, one of which, “Jacaranda”, received a special live performance that was captured in a lovely video. Levy released that video last August, which I featured on this blog (you can read my article about it here). 

Now Levy returns with a new EP side:w (‘w’ is for winter, whereas the ‘s’ in her previous EP side:s represented summer). Continuing the journey that began with side:s, side:w takes us on an emotional rollercoaster through the human psyche with introspective songs exploring relationships, love and loss, and emotional well-being, served up with dreamy and often dramatic instrumentals and Levy’s arresting ethereal vocals. Like side:s, side:w was recorded and co-produced by Levy and Yoav Rosenthal, who also played guitar and bass, handled programming, and sang backing vocals. Levy played piano and keyboards, Giori Politi played drums, percussion, and programmed beats, Maya Belsitzman played cello, and Yael Enosh played additional synths. Mixing was done by Nicolas Vernhes.

The EP opens with “Forgot“, a haunting song mourning the dissipation of a once-torrid love affair. Starting off with rather unsettling scraping sounds accompanied by a gentle pounding drumbeat, the music gradually expands into a mysterious, darkly beautiful soundscape, whereupon Levy softly laments of her memories of what it felt like to be in love, feelings she no longer shares: “I got used to breathing on my neck. To the warmness that caresses all night long. To mornings full of joy or fight or silence. My love had faded through the years, and I forgot, oh, everything. I’m just a rock inside a sea, that’s waiting floods to be.” The piano and cello are particularly affecting and along with the airy synths, create a gorgeous backdrop for Levy’s enchanting breathy vocals. By song’s end, Levy asks whether life is worth living without love: “And there’s no one in my mind. And I’m in no one’s mind. Am I alive when I’m not loved? When I can’t love no more.“

On the equally haunting and cinematic “Kick Off“, Levy sings of not allowing fears and self-doubt to keep you from living your life to the fullest: “I will not run I won’t get scared. I will stay here and I’ll breathe / Kick-off that voice in your head that just judge and judge and judge and judge and suddenly, you’ll see how the green is greener. How the blue is bluer.” The lovely video utilizes AI-generated imagery to great effect.

The captivating “My Far Away Femme” seems to touch on a brief romantic encounter, and how the other person’s idealized image and adoration of you is not based in reality – a sentiment I’m afraid I’ve fallen victim of more than once: “My far-away femme. You see someone in your sleep, and you’re in love with her completely. She’s everything you’re dreaming. Your fantasy (does not exist). And this someone has my face and has my body. This someone has my eyes and has my voice. But this someone who’s so present in your head is so far away from being me. Your fantasy (does not exist).”

“When the Winter’s Coming In” is an achingly beautiful and emotionally powerful song, and I may be way off, but my take on its meaning is that it seems to be about coming to terms with one’s eventual passing from this earth, with winter a metaphor for the end of life. There is no despair, only acceptance and a hope of being reborn in another life. Levy’s vocals are appropriately chilling as she plaintively sings “When the winter’s coming in, no, I will not miss so much. Everything that’ll never be, I will be enough. Wild sky. Smoking velvet, brutal pink. Pure me up and bare me down. Rebirth me, please.“

On the melancholy “Steams“, she remorsefully sings of a love affair that now appears to be broken beyond repair, and my guess is that steam signifies feelings of suffocation in a toxic relationship: “The air got thicker in the room. The steams have nowhere to get clear / I didn’t think we’d dare to leave the maze we’ve built in so much pain. You were so brave to rip the chords and breathe me into air. Our eyes are empty. There’s nothing left of us. Everything is, Everything is over now.” And on the captivating closing track “Silent Legs“, Levy sings of searching for solace in the tempest of life, and our tendency to want to wall ourselves off in order to avoid being hurt and subjected to pain: “Now you’ve found how to build that wall around you, you can’t get hurt, you can’t get hurt anymore. Silent legs, silent eyes. Your heart made too much noise.” The mournful cello and atmospheric synths create a doleful but lovely backdrop for Levy’s haunting, emotive vocals.

side:w is an exquisite, brilliantly executed work of almost surreal beauty. With a run time of over 29 minutes, and such deeply impactful and breathtaking soundscapes and vocals that take us on an enthralling sonic journey, it feels more like a full album than an EP. Sivan Levy and company should be very proud of what they’ve created here.

Connect with Sivan:  Facebook / Twitter/X / Instagram / TikTok

Find her music on Bandcamp / Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Soundcloud / deezer

MACHINEKIT – Single Review: “Antipathy”

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Los Angeles-based alternative electro band MACHINEKIT play a dark and aggressive style of techno-punk music they aptly describe as “an agglomeration of chaos”. Kind of like Nine Inch Nails on steroids. Originally founded as Dharma in 2012 by John Rojas, Dave Cayetano and William Buege, as their sound evolved they changed their name to MACHINEKIT, and in 2017, released their self-produced debut album Dysappearencer. They followed up with two EPs and several singles, and in 2022, dropped their second album I AM JACK’S LONELY HEART CLUB BAND, a brutally dark yet strangely beautiful and sexy collection of songs Rojas wrote to help articulate his feelings of boredom, loneliness and coming to terms with inner demons that surfaced in response to the Covid lockdown (you can read my review here). After the album’s release, the band experienced a bit of tumult that resulted in some changes in personnel, and their lineup now consists of founding members Rojas and Buege, along with Ryan Janke on drums, Alexander Gillen on guitar and Jeremey Trujeque on bass. 

(Also in late 2022, Rojas, who in addition to being a singer-songwriter, is also a sound engineer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and writer, started recording music as a solo artist in order to further explore his love for electronics and composition. Thus far, he’s released instrumental-only music in the form of two EPs, IN THE THICK OF IT, followed by Amongst The Glass Trees, which I also reviewed, and a single “LUSTFUCKIN’BREEDERS”.)

Photo of band taken by Katy Viola at Cindy’s Diner in Eagle Rock, CA

Now MACHINEKIT returns with a new single “ANTIPATHY“, which actually consists of three different versions: an original raw demo written by Rojas and Ryan Janke, and engineered and produced by Rojas at his recording studio MachineHouse Audio, with bass played by Miko Miko; a remix by Matt Miller, which was mastered by Justin Weis at Trakwork Studio; and a final version co-written and mixed with producer Joseph Nova, with both the demo and final track mastered by Sam Berdah at The Wall Studio. Rojas states that this three-part single represents the evolution of the track from inception to final product. The single artwork was created by William and Jaydee Buege at Wire Mark Design, using a photo by 6ri Ramriez.

Band drummer Janke wrote a terrific description of the song for their press release, in greater detail and with more colorful language than I possibly could, so I’ll simply quote his words about “ANTIPATHY”: “Working alongside producer Joseph Nova, Machinekit recalibrates their aggressive electronic-punk sound with fucked-up mood swings and penetrative instrumentation. With the tempo lowered a few notches from the four-on-the-floor stomps or the driving noise-rock outbursts that the band often offers, the emphasis is on a chillingly tense electro groove that percolates through the delicate verses and explodes in the deafening choruses. The vocals croon, coax, swirl, and shout atop a head-nodding concoction of electronics, percussion (both computerized and analog), and a real earworm of a heavy main riff.“

Okay then, now I’ll attempt to describe what I hear with my own meager literary talents. “ANTIPATHY” starts off with heavy and glitchy pulsating industrial synths, creating an unsettling soundscape as Rojas’ sensual croons, tinged with a sinister undercurrent, enter the proceedings. The music gradually builds until, at the one-minute mark, the chorus arrives with a furious barrage of screaming distorted guitars, explosive percussion and tortured synths, Rojas’ vocals now rising to piercing, impassioned wails as he screams “I want you so bad!” From here on out, the song contracts and expands with each verse and chorus, punctuated with all sorts of ominous sounds and textures, resulting in an intensely powerful song filled with tension and unease.  

The provocative lyrics describe someone intensely besotted with another who treats him with cruel indifference and apathy – i.e. antipathy, rendering him feeling sexually frustrated and verging on madness. 

You think you know me well?
But well enough to keep it raw?
You put me through your hell as you're leaving me in awe

It's not enough to know what's left
You're just like Judas when he was breaking bread
But I still crave your fuckin' company
Regardless of the fact that you will feed on apathy

I want you so bad to be proud
I want you so bad when it's not allowed

I'm poisoned irony
Aren't you the god that asked the serpent to speak to Eve?
And acted so goddamned viciously
I guess it's OK cause you're in the sky and feeling "lonely"

I want you so bad to be proud
I want you so bad when it's not allowed

I can feel you in my head
You're living in my head
You're toying with my head
Goddamn drop dead instead
I can feel you in my fucking head

I want you so bad to be proud
I want you so bad when it's not allowed

Make your bed in my head

The original demo is slightly longer, and to my ears has a somewhat rawer sound, with stronger and more pronounced thumping drumbeats and more overdubbed vocals. Matt Miller’s remix is great, with a sharper, more industrial treatment, while still retaining the overall sinister vibe, thanks to an abundance of screaming distorted guitars and even greater use of Rojas’ fearsome wails. I really like all three versions.

Connect with MACHINEKIT: Facebook / Instagram

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

EXPRESS OFFICE PORTICO – Single Review: “No One”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews10 Comments

In cleverly naming themselves after the entrance to an old newspaper distribution office in the center of Nottingham, it’s no surprise that British synth-pop band Express Office Portico do not shy away from tackling relevant and timely issues in their songs. Since forming during the height of the Covid pandemic in 2020, the talented five-piece have released a string of outstanding singles touching on topics like mental health, emotional well-being and this crazy thing called life. Consisting of Tara Freeman and Billy Townsend on co-lead vocals & keyboards, Sam Watkins on guitar (who replaced Reuben Tobolewski in May 2023), Ben Phipps on bass and Olly Walton on drums, together they play melodic and dreamy synthpop with an edge. I love their music, and have reviewed four of their singles, some of which you can read by clicking on the ‘Related’ links at the end of this post.

On the strength of their vibrant, compelling sound and charismatic performances, the quintet has made a name for themselves not only in greater Nottingham, but throughout the UK. Last year, they played their first headline tour, performing in Manchester, London, Leicester and finishing at Nottingham’s renowned Bodega, played a packed festival season that included a debut appearance at Splendour festival at Wollaton Hall in Nottinghamshire, followed by their first gig in Newcastle at Bobniks supporting Cat Ryan.

I’m a big fan of Express Office Portico, so am thrilled they’re back after a bit of a break with “No One“, the first in a series of singles they plan to release over the next six weeks or so. Like all their previous songs, “No One” was produced and mixed by Joshua Rumble and mastered by Fluid Mastering, and I’m happy to report they sound better than ever. “No One” is enthralling, with beautiful instrumentation layered over a languid, sensuous groove. The talents of each band member are strongly apparent, as their respective instruments are allowed to shine while also combining to create a luxuriant soundscape. Sam’s intricate guitar work is really marvelous, as are Tara and Billy’s shimmery synths, and Ben’s throbbing bass and Olly’s measured drumbeats are perfection. I really love the colorful little touches like the strings that appear here and there.

About the song, the band explains: “‘No One’ encapsulates the feeling of initial recovery from past trauma which can leave you feeling like a deer in the headlights. What is seen as healthy and stable can feel alien to those who have experienced trauma and chaos for the majority of their lives, as well as for those that didn’t plan to make it into adulthood. When making that leap to recovery and trying to achieve stability, creating boundaries can feel like there’s no one in your corner and that no one warned you that sometimes it has to get worse before it gets better. The beginning of a recovery journey is just that, the beginning.”

The thoughtful lyrics, beautifully sung by Tara and Billy, explore the conflicting emotions and disorientation that often occur when trying to make a transition from a life of trauma and chaos to a more stable existence, leaving one sort of blindly feeling their way, and that no one else could possibly understand what they’re going through.

It started off as just for the show,
It’s all okay cause no one knows,
You wanna go where no one goes,
You plant the seeds to watch them grow,
So I’ll just wait till yesterday,
Comes around again,
And honey I get held down,
Every now and then.

Cause no one,
Ever tells you what it feels like,
If they did,
Doesn’t mean that they’re right,
Cause I feel,
like I’m in the headlights for the very first time,
For the very first time.

It’s lovely how it blesses us,
Undresses and caresses us,
I’m wanting more with every touch,
and too much is just enough,
So I’ll just wait till yesterday,
But yesterday has taken place,
And honey I get held down,
By a life of time and space.

Cause no one,
Ever tells you what it feels like,
If they did,
Doesn’t mean that they’re right,
Cause I feel,
Like I’m in the headlights for the very first time in my life.

I’m in love with everything,
I will never be,
And I’m enthralled by everyone,
Who is not me.
No one,
No one.

Cause no one,
Ever tells you what it feels like,
If they did,
Doesn’t mean that they’re right,
Cause I feel,
like I’m in the headlights for the very first time in my life

Connect with Express Office Portico:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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

SHIPS HAVE SAILED – Single Review: “Find My Way”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews11 Comments

A long-time favorite music act of mine is Los Angeles-based duo Ships Have Sailed. Comprised of singer-songwriter and musician Will Carpenter and drummer Art Andranikyan, together they play an incredibly pleasing style of alternative pop-rock featuring beautiful melodies, intelligent, uplifting lyrics, outstanding arrangements and instrumentation, and sublime vocals. They’ve released a lot of music since 2013, including three albums, three EPs and many singles. I’ve loved all their music and have written about them numerous times on this blog over the past five years. (You can read some of those reviews by clicking on the ‘Related’ links at the end of this post.) Several of their songs have appeared on my Weekly Top 30 chart, with two of them – “Escape” in 2019 and “Breathe” in 2021, going all the way to #1.

Photo of Will and Art by Gentle Giant Digital

On January 21st, the guys dropped their latest single “Find My Way“, a beautiful, heartwarming song written at the request of an English woman they’d met some time ago while on tour in the U.K., and who wanted help telling her personal story of an epic trip she took across America with her now-deceased husband. Will elaborates on the song and its creation: “‘Find My Way’ is a story of profound love, profound loss, and the journey of finding yourself again. Despite that, this song isn’t a sad one – it’s a note of gratitude for the moments we do have and the memories that are created from our time here on earth, the people we get to know while we’re here and the relationships that grow more and more special with every moment. This song is dedicated to our dear friend who we met on tour a few years ago in the U.K., and to her late husband who we never had the chance to meet. Two soul mates whose love was palpable, they dreamed of taking a once-in-a-lifetime road trip across the U.S. and finally did after years of planning. But shortly after they returned, he passed away unexpectedly. This song is our tribute to them and to holding your loved ones close.”

The song was written by Will, who co-produced it with Dan Sadin, mixed by Fernando Reyes and mastered by John Greenham. It’s really lovely, with a buoyant, toe-tapping groove overlain with layers of slightly twangy strummed guitars and a gentle, galloping beat that lend the song more of a folk vibe than a lot of their music. The soothing background synths and clicking percussion sounds add interesting texture to the proceedings, making for a richer and more complex overall sound, and the wonderful soaring choruses call to mind some of the great songs by OneRepublic.

As always, Will’s arresting vocals are beautiful, conveying both strength of conviction and a heartfelt vulnerability as he sings the poignant lyrics: “Memories of trips we’ve taken, all the things we’ve seen. Thousands of the miles we traveled, chasing down our dreams. Thought the road was never ending, we’d have the rest of time. Reached the end without a warning, I guess we missed the sign.”

The sweet video features moments from Will and Art’s own stories, captured by photographer Andrei Duman, as well as personal photos provided by their friends to whom the song is dedicated. The visual treatments and typography were created by Jody Talmadge.

Follow Ships Have Sailed: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Find their music on Bandcamp / Spotify / Soundcloud / Apple Music / YouTube / Pandora/ Amazon

THE SYLVIA PLATTERS – Single Review: “Kool Aid Blue”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews16 Comments
Artwork by Landen Sperling; Photo by Sue Ubels

The Sylvia Platters are a wonderful band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and I love their music. Comprised of Alex Kerc-Murchison, Stephen Carl O’Shea, and brothers Nick and Tim Ubels, they play melodic jangle pop, infused with elements of alternative rock, indie, shoegaze and dream pop, and served up with stellar arrangements, exquisite instrumentation and Nick’s sublime vocals. While not at all retro, their pleasing sound nevertheless reminds me at times of such 90s bands as the Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket, with hints of 60s The Byrds.

From what I can tell, they’ve been putting out really fine music for about nine years, beginning with their 2015 debut album Make Glad the Day. Since then, they’ve released a second album Shadow Steps, in 2018, as well as numerous singles and three EPs, including the outstanding Live at Malibu Sound last year. If you like great jangle and power pop, I strongly recommend checking out at least some of their back music catalog.

Photo of the guys drinking the blue Kool Aid by Anthony Biondi

Now the guys are back with a marvelous new single “Kool Aid Blue“, a tasty cup of jangle pop goodness. Released January 19th, the track was recorded and produced by Jordan Koop at The Noise Floor, Gabriola Island, BC, and mastered by Greg Mindorff at Suite Sound Labs in Vancouver. I know next to nothing about the mechanics of music, so can only do my best to describe what I hear.

First off, I really like the song’s fascinating melody that sounds more complex and unpredictable than a typical pop or rock song, which I find causes me to want to listen more carefully and closely. Second, I love the contrasting gnarly and jangly guitars, which makes for a richer, more dramatic soundscape. And what exceptional guitar work it is, those gorgeous jangly guitar notes sparkling like precious gems, accompanied by grungier notes soaked in glorious reverb. Of course, I have to call out the brilliant rhythm section of resounding bass and aggressive percussion that together drive the song forward so beautifully.

Nick’s vocals are warm and comforting as he sings the poetic, yet relatable, lyrics that seem to be about having uneasy feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty, and attempting to escape from them through alcohol, symbolized by Kool Aid blue.

Living in sequence
Gets a little uneven
Spin in a fixture
Alight as a stone

Alternative vision
A tragic hair decision
Read in the leaves
That all you need’s a missing page

Glimpse the ether
A mirror figure
It’s just a phase you can’t escape

A sinking feeling
Amber light; a dimmer view
But that sinking feeling
Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue

Slow motion sickness
Wasted in stasis
Another draft begins alone
With three sheets to the wind
You follow it home

A sequined ceiling
In the dark, a clearer view
And that sinking feeling
Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue

And that sinking feeling
Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue
Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue
Oo oo oo oo oo oo

The video was written and directed by Daniel Sparrow, filmed by Brendan Taylor, with additional photography by Daniel Sparrow and Alex Kerc-Murchison, and produced by Zone Pictures. It stars Junnicia Lagoutin, who’s shown in scenes with and without Nick Ubels, along with Jordan Hughes and the other band members.

And here’s the song on Bandcamp, along with a bonus “sugar free” instrumental version:

Follow The Sylvia Platters:  Facebook / X (Twitter) / Instagram

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

SAM RAPPAPORT – Single Review: “Bicycle Away”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews16 Comments

Sam Rappaport is a talented and affable singer-songwriter and musician who was born and raised in Los Angeles and now living in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York. (He’s also a terrific writer, and you can read some of his work here.) He began his music career in earnest as keyboardist and backing vocalist of indie pop-rock band Gooseberry, but in early 2021, he released his first single “Till the Morning Comes” as a solo artist. He amicably left Gooseberry in May 2022 to focus on his solo career, and has since released a number of outstanding singles, as well as his debut EP Get Me Away From Myself, in November 2022. 

Sam’s mellow, understated music style draws from elements of adult contemporary pop, folk, rock, soul and jazz, and features thoughtful, relatable lyrics delivered by his smooth, pleasing vocals. I’m a big fan of his, and have previously featured him twice on this blog, first in November 2021 when I reviewed his wonderful single “Journeyman’s Ballet”, then in August 2022 when I reviewed “Easy to Love”. Thus far, two of his songs – “Journeyman’s Ballet” and “Dance for Me” – have appeared on my Weekly Top 30, with the latter ranking #68 on my 100 Best Songs of 2023 list. 

Now he returns with a beautiful new single “Bicycle Away“, his first new music in over a year. The song was produced and engineered by his frequent collaborator Lorenzo Wolff, mixed by Rocky Gallo and mastered by Mike Kalajian. For the track’s recording, Sam played Wurlitzer electronic piano and sang vocals, Alwyn Robinson played drums, Spencer Zahn played bass, Mike Haldeman played guitar, Jake Sherman played keyboards and synths, and Lorenzo handled additional drum programming.

About the song, Sam says “‘Bicycle Away’ traces the volatile seesawing of a relationship struggling to arrive at equilibrium. The song’s narrator acknowledges and laments his need for emotional growth, while yearning for an escape route.” It’s a wonderful song, with hauntingly beautiful instrumentation that gradually builds as the song progresses. I love the clarity and nuance of each instrument, and how beautifully they all come together to create a harmonious and captivating soundscape. The deep but subtle bass, crisp percussion and Sam’s sublime Wurlitzer notes are marvelous, and those wailing guitar notes at the end add just the right amount of drama to the proceedings. 

But for me, the song’s highlight is Sam’s warm, comforting vocals, which though low-key still manage to express a deep well of emotion. I love his voice, and could honestly listen to him sing the telephone book! 

Let me go
Stop chasing, you're way too close
I'm breaking I know there's more
Cuz I'm empty and I need to grow
I know these words sound hollow as I've said them before

Cold water hits my eyelids
I remember 17
Wide streets for my escape from being seen

I'll bicycle away
I'll race against the sun as it cascades into the sea
I'll move beyond today
Stay close and promise when I push you away
Be honest when you hear that I say
I'm broken, tell me I need to grow
I know these words are just lines that we've read before
 
Cold water hits my eyelids
I remember 17
Wide streets for my escape from being seen

I'll bicycle away
I'll race against the sun as it cascades into the sea
I'll bicycle away
I'll move beyond today

The arresting video was created by and stars Kathleen Dalton and Sonja Petermann, co-founders of “Molar Movement Projects”, an artist collective rooted in intimate reflection of shared experiences and deep emotional cross-examination. In the past year, Kathleen and Sonja completed residencies with Moulin/Belle in Périgord Vert, France, as well as with Swale NYC on Governors Island, New York. In the video, the two perform an interpretive dance filmed alternately in a spare room and outdoors in woods resplendent with fall foliage, artfully expressing the conflict between emotional connection and estrangement described in the lyrics.

The sweet cover photo for the single is a photo of Sam riding his bike as a toddler.

Connect with Sam on Instagram and learn more about him on his Website

Sam’s music may be found on: Spotify / Apple Music / YouTube / Amazon

HOMELESS RADIO – Single Review: “Submarine”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews14 Comments

The power of music as a means of persevering through the hardships and challenges that life can throw in our paths is undeniable, and to prove my point I present Ukrainian indie rock band Homeless Radio, and their new single “Submarine“. Despite the fact their country has been waging a valiant defense again their Russian invaders for nearly two years, the band have still managed to keep making music, including recording and releasing a few new songs.

Formed in the city of Kharkiv in 2016, Homeless Radio is comprised of Andrii Yampolskyi (vocals/guitar), Fedir Orlov (guitar), Stepan Tkachuk (bass), Ihor Pankieiev (guitar) and Ivan Orlov (drums), though Ihor is currently away, fighting in the war. (Their original bassist Ivan Trikoza left the band due to the war, and was replaced by Stepan Tkachuk.) Drawing from a mix of garage rock, alternative rock, and pop influences, their music ranges from pleasantly melodic to hard-driving and edgy.

Andrii, Stepan, Ivan & Fedir

From 2017-2019, the band played lots of shows in and around Kharkiv, and in 2018 released two demos “I Don’t Care” and “Cackler” on Soundcloud. Here’s a video of them performing the songs on the streets of Kharkiv in happier times:

In early 2021, Homeless Radio joined the Arizona-based indie label Sunset Alliance, through which they released their debut EP The Truth that May, featuring “I Don’t Care” and three new tracks. Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, whereupon the band members became separated across the country for many months. Lead vocalist Andrii found himself living in the occupied town of Izyum for three months without any electricity, gas, water or standard comfort. In a show of support, the band released their beautiful single “About You” on May 3, 2022.

Now, after a long hiatus, the band is back with an exhilarating new single “Submarine”, which they wrote in 2015 but decided to record now. The song was inspired by British comedian, actor, writer and director Richard Ayoade’s 2010 coming-of-age comedy-drama film Submarine, which was itself adapted from the 2008 novel of the same name by Welsh novelist, poet and journalist Joe Dunthorne. (The film’s soundtrack features six original songs written and performed by Arctic Monkeys frontman Alex Turner.) The band calls their single “a lively blend of humor, sarcasm, and unbridled optimism — a musical homage that captures the essence of teenage rebellion, the zest of youth, and the look at those “glory days” through the lens of adulthood.”

Released on January 9th, the single is dedicated to band member Ihor Pankieiev, who joined the Ukrainian army to fight for the resistance. Andrii told me “Ihor remains in the band, but due to participating in the battlefield, he didn’t take a part in the recording of [‘Submarine’]. However, he’s in constant contact with us, and some of his ideas were put on the record. He said he would record his guitar even from the army if he had a chance.”

The song opens with an aggressive jagged guitar lick, then explodes with a barrage of grinding bass, thunderous drums and furious guitars that don’t let up for a second throughout its 2:30-minute run time. Here and there, Andrii and Fedir inject blistering guitar solos that send the proceedings catapulting into the sonic stratosphere, Andrii’s spirited vocals rising and falling with the intensity of the music. The song is a certifiable rock banger, and I love it.

He was born in Swansea, south of Wales
Tried to be gentle and kind of these things
Oh, Ollie, you are so right
Please put yourself in the first side

She’s just an average woman
All things you gonna do, well
Will be kicked through the prism of her lips
And dropped by her hips

Yeah you not Cease, but you’re not worth
You’ve got to do a lot of things with high course
At the same time with strong confidence
In your 38’s it will have no sense

She’s just an average woman
All things you gonna do, well
Will be kicked through the prism of her lips
And dropped by her hips

So, all things you have you will lose
Faith in yourself and the tone of boose
Will lead you to the Victory
And you will meet her near, by the sea

She’s just an average woman
All things you gonna do, well
Will be kicked through the prism of her lips
And dropped by her hips

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

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

COPPA LONDRA – Single Review: “Loosie Luna”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews6 Comments

Coppa Londra is five-piece indie rock band based in Leeds, England. Formed in 2014 while in secondary school, they originally called themselves THE Q’s, but after the departure of two of their members, as well as wanting to change their musical direction and sound, they redubbed themselves Coppa Londra. I first learned about them last March, when they reached out to me about their song “MOVIES”, which I wrote about in a Fresh New Tracks post. With a new sound and lineup that now consists of Leo Grace on lead vocals, Freddie Franchi on rhythm guitar, Dexter Burningham on lead guitar, Gyula Magyari on bass and Joe Stott on drums, they’re back with a brash new single “Loosie Luna“.

Original founding members Dexter Burningham, Leo Grace and Freddie Franchi

Released January 10th, the song was recorded last summer under the direction of The Strokes producer Gordon Raphael, and channels the spirit of some of their favorites bands like The Las, The Libertines, Black Country New Road and Bar Italia. The song has a more forceful, high-energy vibe than Coppa Londra’s previous recordings, and I’m here for it. Starting off with a strong, thumping drumbeat, which is soon joined by a sludgy bassline, the song is a delightful punk rock gem. I love the powerful driving rhythm, broken here and there with calm little interludes before those aggressive drums and chugging bass come roaring back. Throughout it all, our ears are treated to all sorts of glorious guitar noodling, accompanied by Leo Grace’s wonderful, heavily-accented vocal croons. It’s clear these guys had a lot of fun recording “Loosie Luna”. It’s a terrific song, and a great indicator of more to come from this band.

The cheeky, light-hearted lyrics describe a singer besotted with a colorful woman named Loosie Luna, who keeps him off kilter while bringing the sunshine and giving him what he needs:

Start of the evening to top of the morning
Moonrise to sunshine the hours she’s born in

Filter man I got no filter
Unbalanced feel a tad off kilter
Dizzy like helter-skelter
When I need a home she sings
“Gimme Shelter.”

Reason man I got no reason
Freezing feeling out of season
Out of it but I ain’t done
When I’m cold she sings
“Here comes the sun.”
Yeah

Songbird wrong word crooner
She’s always got perfect tune
This wolf how’s to the moon-ah
With his companion Loosie, Loosie Luna
Loosie Luna
Loosie Lu-
And I don’t wanna go inside

Yah

Patience man I got no patience
Minor inconvenience my brain starts racing
Know a better place I can take her
While we go she hums me Chet Baker

Money ain’t got no money
Ugly thank fuck I’m funny
They say good things come in threes
But it’s just Luna and me belting Marvin G
Yeah

Songbird wrong word crooner
She’s always got perfect tune
This wolf how’s to the moon-ah
With his companion Loosie, Loosie Luna
Loosie Luna
Loosie Lu-
And I don’t wanna go inside

You may not see her
But I believe
Something happens when
She’s next to me
She gives me what I need (what I need)
She gives me what I need (what I need)
She gives me what I need
That’s music and some TLC
That’s Loosie
Oh that my Loosie
My Loosie Luna
My Loosie Luna
My Loosie Lu
My Loosie Lu

Follow Coppa Londra on X (Twitter) / Instagram / TikTok

Find their music on Spotify / Apple Music / Amazon Music

UNQUIET NIGHTS – Single Review: “Diamond and the Missing Son”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews16 Comments

Unquiet Nights is an outstanding rock band I’ve been following for nearly six years, ever since frontman Luke Mathers reached out to me about their superb single “Promise of You”, which I loved at first listen.  Originally started in 2006 as a solo project by Mathers, a talented singer-songwriter and guitarist from Belfast, Northern Ireland, with help by Rodger Firmin on drums, he began recording songs for what would become the first Unquiet Nights album 21st Century Redemption Songs. In 2010, Luke relocated to Italy, where he eventually finished and released the album.

He was later joined by Italian musicians Francesco Piciucchi on bass and keyboards, and drummer Matteo Bussotti for live shows, though Rodger still played drums on their recordings. In 2015 they released their beautiful and compelling second album Postcards in Real Time. One of the tracks from that album, “George Best City”, which was never released as a single but was used in the Federico Buffa Racconta documentary series, landed them several live national appearances on Italian TV stations. Their best known and most successful song, it’s now garnered more than 486,000 streams on Spotify alone. Mathers eventually moved back to Belfast in 2016, where he continues to record and release music with Firmin and Piciucchi as Unquiet Nights.

I’ve written about them three times over the past six years, most recently two years ago this month when I reviewed their excellent single “In Spite of It All”. The song was released in conjunction with, and included on, their compilation album First Ten (2012-2022), a sort of ‘greatest hits so far’ work commemorating the 10-year anniversary of their debut album 21st Century Redemption Songs. Now they’re back with a great new single “Diamond and the Missing Son“, their first new music in two years. The lead single of their forthcoming album Seasons in Exile, to be released on January 19th, the song (and album) was produced by Mathers, and mixed and mastered by Neal Calderwood, who’s also mixed and mastered all previous Unquiet Nights releases.

The song’s a bona fide rock gem, with a strong Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers vibe, courtesy of Mathers’ vibrant soaring guitars. His masterful guitar work never ceases to amaze me, and he doesn’t disappoint here as he delivers spine-tingling riffs that smolder and wail throughout. Meanwhile, Firmin deftly sets the driving rhythm with his muscular drumbeats that propel, but never overpower, the song. And as always, Mather’s vocals are equal parts commanding and pleasing, with just a hint of a rasp to convey the right amount of passion. It’s a marvelous introduction to what promises to be another stellar album by Unquiet Nights.

The song lyrics tell a tale of two characters who find themselves entwined with each other, serving as a kind of first chapter to a much bigger story involving a character named ‘Diamond’, who I’m guessing is a woman, and a man referred to as ‘The Missing Son’. Mathers provides some background to the premise: “Sometimes I force myself to try and write songs that aren’t directly about myself, and to just approach the song like it would be a movie. The back story of these two characters isn’t fully expanded on in ‘Diamond And The Missing Son’ itself, because of the limitations of a three minute single, so I thought if we were going to release it that I would challenge myself to write the whole third album from the point of view of these two characters. This is what our new album ‘Seasons In Exile’ turned into, which was a useful experiment because I’ve ended up getting a lot of songs that definitely wouldn’t have existed without the continuity. The funny thing is that when someone thinks they’re writing fiction, they usually discover it’s the most honest they’ve ever written about themselves. This seems to have happened here.”

Tonight we roll the dice
If just to stop and pray for paradise to come through
Straight in to the dark
Straight into something looking for the spark that we knew

No thinking of tomorrow
We only got today

You are the only thing that keeps me hanging on
And on and on
There’s nothing else could ever come between us ’cause we are
The diamond and the missing son

Diamond, you should know
Nothing and no one makes me feel anything like you do
For all the things you show
There’s always something that leaves we wondering and blind and confused

No thinking of tomorrow
We only got today

You are the only thing that keeps me hanging on
And on and on
There’s nothing else could ever come between us ’cause we are
The diamond and the missing son

I generally prefer music videos that show the musicians or bands performing their song, so the video for ‘Diamond and the Missing Son” is right up my alley. Filmed in black and white, it shows Mathers and Firmin working their musical magic, while the in-house cat makes its rounds, seeming to express approval of the proceedings.


Connect with Unquiet Nights:  Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music on Spotify / Apple Music/ Soundcloud 
Purchase on Bandcamp / Unquiet Nights Online Store

SOLAR EYES – Single Review: “Let’s Run Away”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews14 Comments

I became a huge fan of British psychedelic pop/rock act Solar Eyes in the summer of 2021 when they first released their brilliant single “Naked Monkey on a Spaceship”. They subsequently dropped an even better single “I See the Sun”, which I loved so much, it went all the way to #1 on my Weekly Top 30, and ended up ranking #18 on my 100 Best Songs of 2022 list.

Their music is an arresting style of pop/rock awash in dramatic psychedelic grooves, twangy Western-style guitars and dreamy cinematic synths, giving them a distinctly unique sound. Based in Birmingham, they now consist primarily of singer-songwriter, musician and producer Glenn Smyth and drummer Sebastian Maynard-Francis, along with new bassist Emily Doyle (former member, guitarist Tom Ford, moved out of the area and no longer performs live with them, but still helps with the production of some of their music).

Glenn and Sebastian in Austin, Texas

Their music has been featured in numerous televised sporting events, including Sky Sports, BT Sport, BBC Match Of The Day and Birmingham City Football Club, as well as traditional alt-rock radio channels such as BBC Introducing Hereford, BBC 6 Music and The Guardian. Last spring, they had the privilege of performing at the legendary SXSW (South by Southwest) festival in Austin, Texas. In February 2022, Solar Eyes signed with the label Fierce Panda Records, through which they’ve released three EPs – Dreaming of the Moon, Alcatraz, and Naked Monkey on a Spaceship. (I’ve reviewed quite a bit of their music, and you can read some of those reviews by clicking on the ‘Related’ links at the end of this post.)   

Now they’re back with a terrific new single “Let’s Run Away“, the second single from their forthcoming debut self-titled album Solar Eyes, set for release on February 16th, which they’ll be launching with a hometown show at Birmingham’s Hare & Hounds. The song was written by Smyth, who co-produced it with Francis, and mixed and mastered by Jeff Knowler. Smyth played guitar and sang vocals, Francis played drums and percussion, Liam McKeown played additional guitar and keyboards, and Tom Boddison played slide guitar.

Smyth wrote, and the band recorded, the song following Solar Eyes’ appearance a SXSW last year, where he was inspired by the historical lore and Tex-Mex flavor of the Austin region. Specifically, he drew inspiration from “small-town tales of daylight robberies in times of old and rumours of the last crimes of the infamous duo Bonnie & Clyde“. He elaborates: “‘Let’s Run Away’ was one of the last songs to be written on the album; it was written in Texas last March when we were out there playing South by Southwest. You can sort of hear it as well, there’s that Americana haze type sound. Spaghetti western vibe. I sort of had in my head – now this might sound a bit mad – Tracey Chapman ‘Fast Car’ – in essence, but with a brummie slant.”

Accordingly, the song features their signature exciting Spaghetti Western-style guitar lines layered over lush cinematic synths and a haunting psychedelic groove, fortified by Francis’ energetic galloping drumbeats. It all beautifully conveys a sense of intrigue and remorse expressed in the lyrics delivered by Smyth’s wonderful droning layered vocals: “I hope that given time, you’ll forgive my crimes, I don’t wanna die alone, I love you, I let you go, I’m to blame / I see it all, I heed the call, let’s run away…”

“Let’s Run Away” is another fine song from Solar Eyes, and in fact, their entire forthcoming album is outstanding. The colorful animated video was created by the band’s new bassist Emily Doyle.

Connect with Solar Eyes: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

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