1. SUPERPOSITION – Young the Giant (2)
2. DELTA BLUES – Jetstream (1)
3. READY TO LET GO – Cage the Elephant (14)
4. LOVE IT IF WE MADE IT – The 1975 (5)
5. NORTHERN LIGHTS – Death Cab for Cutie (6)
6. CHANGE – The Revivalists (7)
7. POWER OVER ME – Dermot Kennedy (8)
8. S.O.S. (Sawed Off Shotgun) – The Glorious Sons (9)
9. SIGUE CON EL AMOR – John Defeo (10)
10. VOLCANO – Feather Weight (12)
11. TRAMPOLINE – SHAED (13)
12. SUNFLOWER – Post Malone & Swae Lee (3)
13. HOME – morgxn featuring WALK THE MOON (15)
14. IN THE WATER – The Underground Vault (4) 19th week on chart
15. ASSUME FORM – James Blake (20)
16. MOVEMENT – Hozier (17)
17. LONGSHOT – Catfish and the Bottlemen (18)
18. DISAPPEAR – Western Jaguar (19)
19. EXITS – Foals (21)
20. CHLORINE – twenty one pilots (26)
21. WANDER – Vox Eagle with Pierre Fontaine (11) 19th week on chart
22. SALVATION – The Strumbellas (24)
23. SECRET THAT LIES BEHIND – The Gear (25)
24. HARMONY HALL – Vampire Weekend (28)
25. FEAR THE FUTURE – IAMWARFACE (29)
26. DARK PLACES – The Frontier (30)
27. YOU’RE THE ONE – Greta Van Fleet (23)
28. PRESSURE – Muse (16)
29. APOCALIPSTICK – Lazy Queen (22)
30. TIME – Morosity (N)
Cary Balsano is a handsome and talented young singer/songwriter of Italian origin who’s now based in Liverpool, England. I last featured him in September 2017 when I reviewed his beautiful single “Horizon” which you can read here. He’s just dropped another lovely single called “Versailles“, a tender and moving song that speaks to coming to terms with addiction.
The instrumentals are simple, consisting of Cary’s beautiful strummed acoustic guitar, accompanied by subtle bass and a spare kick drum keeping the beat. Cary’s gentle vocals are earnest and heartfelt as he sings about his and his love interest’s addictions – to drugs and to each other, as a way of dulling their pain and insecurities. To me, Cary’s naming the song ‘Versailles’ would seem to be a metaphor for a desire to make a peace accord with their demons and each other.
You are the fire You are desire The city lights have gone too far You are craving a gram
This is a way we live our pain A crying shame Breathing our lies Victims of life So come to Versailles And I never want to let this go
You are my lust You are covered in dust And I still feel the same old pain It’s you and me and our fame
We’re all in the same boat Living in fear of living
Octobers is an alternative/dream pop/postpunk band from British Columbia, Canada who formed in 2015. Comprising the band are brothers Nick and Joel Ellsay (guitar, synths, vocals), Hayden Shea (drums) and Liam Rhynolds (bass). They released their excellent debut Misfits EP that same year to positive reviews, also garnering airplay on indie and college radio stations throughout Canada and the U.S. The band went on a brief hiatus in 2017 after a few major life changes, but are now back and better than ever with a new EP Summer Waste.
The EP kicks off with the sunny and upbeat “California“. The song opens with a blast of drumbeats, then settles into a pleasing soundscape of chiming guitars, sparkling synths and a humming bassline that evokes images of a summer day at the beach. The pace quickens in the choruses with an exuberant jangly guitar solo and pummeling drums. The song lyrics seem to have dual meaning, with the singer possibly expressing his love for both ‘California’ a girl and the state: “Hey California. Something about ya. You are the sweetest sound. California, always did love ya. You’re the summer all year round.”
“Sunshine” has the singer pondering the love that brightens his world: “Are you my sunshine? Are you my starry sky? Are you these glowing lights, cause you burn so bright.” I love the thunderous jangly guitars and percussion, and the Ellsay brothers’ vocal harmonies are really marvelous. The sunny vibes turn darker with “Be Still“, a heartfelt plea to a loved one to try and meet him halfway, and salvage their damaged relationship: “Just be still, don’t say a word, cause you’ve been talking all your life. The tables turned, now tell me what that feels like. / Lay down your gloves, I don’t wanna fight.” Once again, the guitar work is fantastic, and the rhythm section nicely complements with pulsating bass, thumping drumbeats, and lots of crashing cymbals.
Summer Waste ends on a positive note with “Higher“, a jubilant anthem about not giving up, and reaching as high as you can to reach your goals: “Once you start you never can stop. You go higher and higher and higher. Oh yeah!” Their jangly guitars on this track sound a bit like The Cure, which is never a bad thing. Overall, it’s a terrific little EP, with a title that could be misleading as it’s anything but a waste. The lyrics, while not necessarily deep, are honest and heartfelt, and the instrumentals are all outstanding, as are Nick and Joel’s sublime harmonies. Nicely done guys!
Guide Dog is an alternative rock band from Cardiff, Wales I recently learned about when I received a submission for a review of their new single “Generation Y“. I instantly fell in love with their music, which they refer to as “sponge grunge”. Fusing elements of alt-rock, grunge, punk, and electronica, they create songs that are fast, fun, irreverent and in-your-face. They’ve also got a wicked sense of humor.
Comprising Guide Dog are Peter Roberts (Guitar, Vocals), John Maloney (Drums) and Ian Russell (Bass), who describe themselves as “a bunch of wankers who can’t sing and can’t play our instruments. Like the Spice Girls with moustaches. All or some or one were formerly members of Robots In The Sky, Tetra Splendour, People In Planes and Cold Specks.” Well, I’m here to say that, not only can they sing and play the hell out of their instruments, they’re way better than the Spice Girls!
In July 2017 they released their fantastic debut album Lovely Domestic Bliss, a collection of 10 banger tunes. I highly recommend my readers give it a listen, and trust me when I say you’ll be glad you did! They’re now working on a second album Generation Y, to be released later this year on Roberts’ label Hi-Vis Records. It will be accompanied by a book of poems entitled Thou Shalt Stare Into Space. In December 2018, they released the first single “Dead Beat” from the forthcoming album, and now follow up with a second single “Generation Y”, a protest song of sorts against the current fucked-up state of affairs in both the UK and USA. If these two tracks are any indication, Generation Y is going to be a phenomenal record.
About the new single, the band explains: “‘Generation Y’ comes at a time when children are bunking off school to protest outside Parliament about Westminster’s flimsy and inadequate response to climate change – prompting a swift and aggressive backlash by the politicians who dismissed the adolescents and ridiculed their irresponsibility; and the American president staging an imaginary state of emergency in a vein attempt to bludgeon Capitol Hill into funding a giant border wall whilst triumphantly filling his house with branded cheeseburgers to feed his unpaid staff and denying climate change is even happening… so it’s probably an appropriate juncture for a protest song!”
“Generation Y” is a tasty little slice of sonic confection, featuring an irresistible bouncy drumbeat, and presented with a lo-fi vibe that keeps the song from bouncing too high. It starts off with a gnarly guitar riff, accompanied by quirky synths, fuzzy bass and very snappy drums. All of the aforementioned instruments explode into bigger, louder and heavier versions of themselves in the choruses, along with an injection of furiously crashing cymbals that turn the track into a real belter. I love Roberts’ wonderful fervent vocals, which sound like a cross between Dave Matthews and Adam Duritz. And the point in the song at 2:29 minutes where he goes “wooh” is a special highlight for me in what is overall a perfect track.
Like all their songs, the lyrics are refreshingly direct and colorful, pulling no punches in calling out bullshit as warranted:
Why did we get up to die generation, I got a toupee on my mind generation, Suck it ’til it all runs dry generation, Why why why…?
When you get so high but you don’t know what it means, Like a vandalised slush puppy machine, Like the fashionable rips appearing in my jeans, Wave a plastic flag at a golden carriage. I’m a psychopath with a bunch of keys, I’m a paper jam with 2.9% APR, I’m an ass licker, I’m a soul sucker, I’m oozing out of a sausage and bean melt, Waving my plastic flag…
Why did we get up to die generation, I got a toupee on my mind generation, Suck it ’til it all runs dry generation, Why why why…?
I don’t drink and drive or have the odd line once in a while, I don’t dress up like a lady in secret, I never think about blowing up the White House, I got hope for salvation but I don’t know why. I felt sick so I took an anti sickness pill, I felt disconnected so I bought a new telephone, Got a payment plan and a fake sun tan, Some health and safety regulations, But I just can’t relax…
Why did we get up to die generation, I got a toupee on my mind generation, Suck it ’til it all runs dry generation, Why why why…?
Based in the bucolic New England city of Burlington, Vermont, Phantom Suns is an indie band who play alternative rock heavily influenced by grunge elements, with traces of metal and progressive rock to create their distinctive raw sound. The band consists of Seth Gunderson (guitar & vocals), Chris Knauer (bass & backing vocals) and Chris Mathieu (drums, percussion & backing vocals). Ryan Cohen previously played bass but was recently replaced by Chris Knauer, however, Cohen will continue to provide production and engineering assistance to the band.
I’ll admit up-front that I’m not the biggest fan of grunge rock, and didn’t care for it when it became popular in the early 1990s. I generally prefer rock music that’s highly melodic, with fuller, more polished arrangements, and just couldn’t get into the dissonant, sludgy and rather depressing sound of grunge. In time, however, I came to recognize and appreciate its groundbreaking influence in reshaping the sound of rock, and music in general, and learned to like some of it. I also get why its honest lyrics and darker themes addressing social issues like alienation, disillusionment, substance abuse and depression, along with its lack of flash, pretense and overt sentimentality, made grunge so popular and accessible, especially to young people who more closely identified with the messages expressed in the songs. Like rap, grunge music reflected what many of them were feeling.
That said, it was with a bit of trepidation that I agreed to review Phantom Suns’ album Calderaafter their drummer Chris Mathieu reached out to me. Though I am EclecticMusicLover, and try to always keep an open mind about all kinds and styles of music, I feared I may not be the right person to judge their music. But I gave the album several listens and am happy to report that not only do I really like it, I’m also blown away by their skilled songwriting and musicianship. And as much as I like their raw, gritty sound, it’s their intelligent and compelling song lyrics, written by Gunderson, that most impressed me. I’m glad they included them with the songs on their Bandcamp page, and I encourage my readers to check them out.
Caldera was released in November 2018, and follows the band’s 2014 debut EP Parhelia. The album features 12 tracks, the first of which, “Forget“, starts off slowly with a moody strummed guitar, then erupts into a barrage of gnarly riffs, buzzing bass and hammering drums. Gunderson’s raw vocals match the grittiness of the music as he advises us to not overthink things: “Searching for the key to unlock all your potential when you don’t know what you think. But what you think you know is only your opinion. Soon as I make up my mind, I’ll be all set. Maybe start chipping away at all this debt. Stop regretting things that haven’t happened yet ’cause you never know.”
It’s a good song, but the guys really hit their stride on the hard-driving, melodically complex “Lazuli“. The track storms out of the gate with dark, sludgy riffs loaded with raw power and grit. Two-thirds of the way through, a furiously distorted guitar solo announces an abrupt change in the melody. With his grimy guitar ablaze, Gunderson snarls “You don’t have a clue but you fake it so well.”
One of the standout tracks for me is “Disposable“, both in terms of it’s more melodic, progressive rock vibe, and it’s scathing lyrics attacking man’s greedy, wasteful ways that imperil our future: “Watch your castle crumble all around you. Just because you want more than you can handle. Disposable culture. Blatant disregard for the future. You’re disposable.” The video they made for the track is fantastic too, a psychedelic trip of colorful imagery superimposed over footage of the band performing the song that nicely complements the rough textures of the instrumentals.
As I continued diving deeper into Caldera, some of the tracks sound similar to one another, which is to be expected on an album with 12 tracks. Nevertheless, there are many more gems to be found here. I really dig the metaphor of “Knotweed“, symbolizing someone the singer just can’t rid himself of: “You just keep sprouting up. You return even though I dug you right up by the roots. Invasive foliage. I wage an all-out war. You’ve clearly overstepped the boundary. Can’t eradicate you. You’re so damn resilient.” And the heavy chugging guitar riffs, fuzzy bassline and boisterous drums are as dirty as the soil from which the knotweed’s been pulled. “Probably Wrong” ventures into rock’n’roll territory, with moments where Gunderson’s raging guitar and Mathieu’s frantic drumbeats propel the song into the sonic stratosphere.
Another standout is the face-melting “Trial By Stone“, an homage to Jim Henson’s classic film The Dark Crystal. As is befitting the film, the song is heavy and dark, with dense, gritty riffs teeming with distortion and reverb, deep, crushing bass and thunderous drums. Gunderson’s guitar work is fucking incredible, and Mathieu is a veritable beast on his drum kit. Gunderson’s vocals are chilling as he sneers “A dying world. A dying race imprisoned within themselves.” The video superimposes scenes from The Dark Crystal over footage of the band performing the song.
“Perpetual Motion Holder“, “Hush Money” and “Brontoscorpio” deliver more gnarly riffs, fuzzy basslines and speaker-blowing drums. “It Won’t Stop” is a serious head-banger, opening with Gunderson shrieking words I can’t quite make out, followed by an explosion of raging guitars, heavy buzzing bass and furious drums. Gunderson all but screams the lyrics advising us to just accept our fates: “Your best bet is to just accept it. A warm welcome as it explodes. There’s no hope of getting out of the way. The kind of fury that can never be tamed. It will envelop, it will engulf, entirely. No! It won’t stop!”
The album closes on a high note with the mostly instrumental “Olympus Mons“, an epic track that offers definitive proof that these guys are supremely talented musicians. The track starts off with a somber guitar riff, then a simple drumbeat kicks in as the guys sing in harmony: “One of these days I’ll write some words.” With that, a very gritty, reverb-drenched riff ensues before calming back down for the second harmonic vocal: “I was so bummed out. Another Olympus Mons.” The gritty guitar and bass return, only this time distorted into a maelstrom of tortured riffs, accompanied by an abundance of crashing cymbals that add to the drama. Eventually, a wailing guitar solo is layered over the stormy distortion, blowing our minds and speakers before it all spirals downward into oblivion at the close. Wow, what a masterpiece this song is, and a fitting conclusion to this superb album by Phantom Suns. If you’re a fan of grunge-infused alternative rock, then you will enjoy Caldera.
Phantom Suns has a show coming up on on April 19 at Monkey House in Winooski, VT.
Infinite Eights is an incredibly charismatic and astonishingly talented indie alternative pop/rock band based in Tampa, Florida. They were one of the first bands to follow me on Twitter back in the fall of 2015, when I was just starting out as a music blogger and still a complete unknown. At the time, two of the band members, Parker Wilkson (guitar, keyboards & vocals) and Tyler Hanks (drums & percussion) were still in high school, and Davin Norman (bass) was in college. I was immediately impressed by the high quality of their songs, as well as their kindness and gracious humility, and wrote a feature about them for this blog in April 2016, which you can read here.
They originally formed in 2012 while still young teens, and have released numerous singles over the years, as well as a six-track EP Unfound in 2015. Their music is characterized by gorgeous melodies, sparkling synths, lush keyboards, intricate guitar riffs, and nimble bass and percussion. Infinite Eights has performed in several music festivals alongside some of the biggest names in music, including The 1975, Phantogram, AWOLNATION and Sir Sly, among others, and has opened for Kaleo, AJR, In the Valley Below, and The Relationship. It’s given me great pleasure to follow them on their musical journey, witnessing their growth and maturity as a band on an upward trajectory.
One of their recent singles is “Off the Rails“, an achingly beautiful, bittersweet song about how one partner is giving up on the relationship. The song is magnificent, and a perfect example of their superb songwriting and musicianship. It opens with a stunning guitar riff, backed by shimmery synths, Davin’s pulsating bass and Tyler’s gently pummeling drumbeats. Parker’s guitar work is impressive, and he lays down a breathtaking guitar solo in the bridge that literally brings tears to my eyes. His heartfelt vocals are lovely, ranging from breathy to impassioned as he fervently sings “Cause you’re going off the rails. Know just what that entails. Gonna let our love go stale. You’re going off the rails now.”
The cast of the “Off the Rails” video
Infinite Eights has just released a wonderful new video for the song, their first ‘official’ video. The action tells the story laid out in the lyrics, about a young woman giving up on the relationship and saying goodbye to her partner, played by Parker, as she boards a train that will carry her away. The outstanding video was skillfully directed by band friend Ashley Acevedo, and is dedicated to Parker’s beautiful mother Natalie, who tragically passed away in January.
Two weeks ago, one of my favorite British bands IAMWARFACE released their latest single “Fear the Future“, an outstanding song that speaks to the general dumbing down of society by media and our politicians, and the mind-controlling enslavement we allow them to foist upon us. The hard-hitting track delivers the signature bombastic instrumentals and electrifying vocals of front man Matt Warneford we’ve come to love from this amazing band. In addition Warneford, the band includes Lou Matthews (guitars), Tom Howe (DJ synth), Mike Smith (bass) and Adam Stanley (drums). You can read my review here.
Now they release a very dark and provocative video for the song that’s one of the more chilling I’ve seen in a long while, playing out like a scene from a horror film. The graphic and disturbing imagery is brilliantly filmed and executed, with some great computer-generated effects, and the creepy make-up of the demon figure is perfect. The video was written and produced by Warneford, and filmed by Yohan Forbes of Kumo Films, who co-directed it with Warneford. Editing was done by Forbes and Tom Howe, and the two actors are Dean Rose and Nick Foster.
The action takes place in a TV show played on an old portable television set, and portrays a man (Nick) coming home to his apartment from work, then creating yet another in a series of drawings he’s made of geometric shapes with colored felt pens. After he pins it to the wall, he goes to the bathroom to wash his face and hands, at which point a ghoulish demon appears behind him, though Nick cannot see him. Warneford explained the intended meaning he attempts to capture in the video:
“So, you have Deanmon and Nick. They are both the same person, but Deanmon is the frustrated artistic part of Nick’s psyche, almost like he’s trying to warn Nick about all the shit he’s watching on the TV, the lifestyle he’s living, the general British yob* culture type stuff, beer drinking oik, etc. It’s also about mental health as well, as you could say that Deanmon is the sane part of Nick’s mind, and Nick has basically lost the plot. It’s kind of left up to the viewer to decide so it’s kind of ambiguous. Deanmon is getting more and more frustrated until he purges and gives up. Then the door knocks and it’s me standing there with an axe coming to finish the job. Also, that could be a metaphor for me coming along to take an axe to the banal music industry as it currently stands, but that’s a bit pretentious lol.”
Watch this incredible video and heed the warning at the beginning!
* ‘Yob culture’ is a slang term used in the UK, Australia and New Zealand to refer to a loutish, uncultured person, while ‘oik’ is a derogatory term for an uncouth person.
British alternative indie rock band The Only Route (also known as TOR) play some of the most exciting guitar-driven rock around, slicing through the airwaves with razor-sharp riffs, thunderous percussion and addictive melodies. Hailing from Lowestoft, England, TOR consists of Ryan Redwood (vocals, guitar), Robby Hodgey (lead guitar), Andy Kirk (bass) and Matty Larkman (drums). Since early 2017, they’ve released a series of terrific singles, the most recent of which was the scorching-hot “Made”, which I reviewed upon it’s release in January 2018. Now they return with a powerhouse new single “Not Worth It“, which drops today.
The song is a giant kiss-off to someone who’s exhausted everyone’s patience. To drive home their point, the guys lay down aggressive riffs of gnarly guitars, anchored by a pulsating bass line and pummeling drumbeats. They’re all excellent musicians who are quite skilled with their respective instruments. The interplay between Robby and Ryan’s guitars and Andy’s bass in the bridge is fantastic, and to my ears channels a bit of a Jack White vibe from both a melodic and technical standpoint. I love Ryan’s distinctive rapid-fire vocals and strong accent as he chastises the trouble-making jerk: “We all know you by now. You’re just causing shit. You’re not worth it! You’re definitely not worth it, mate!”
“Not Worth It” is a great song, and another in a series of strong singles from this talented young band.
The band has a busy tour schedule in the coming week, and those of you in the UK can catch them at one of these shows:
Sometimes you just want to hear music that makes you feel good, am I right? Well, that’s exactly what you get with the aptly titled Warmth & Shelter, an absolutely delightful album from the band Secret American. The album came out in May 2018, but I only recently learned about it from fellow music blogger Tina Romano, who wrote a wonderful review for the blog Niche-Appeal.com, and recommended that I give this band a listen. Well, I have to say that it’s one of the most enjoyable albums I’ve heard in a long time. I’m sorry I never heard this album in 2018, because I’d easily rank it among the best of that year.
Secret American’s refreshing sound is at once retro yet contemporary, unique yet familiar. While listening to the songs I kept wondering ‘who do they remind me of?’ Then it finally dawned on me that the carefree California pop-rock vibe of The Lovin’ Spoonful was the retro part, while the contemporary side evokes the laid-back grooves of Cage the Elephant. While their song lyrics often address serious subjects that require a bit of thinking, they’re presented with sunny melodies, breezy instrumentation and pleasing vocals that make for happy listening experience. The songs are infectiously catchy without hitting you over the head, slowly boring themselves into your brain, but in a very good way. When I first listened to Warmth & Shelter, I thought ‘these songs are nice’. On the second listen, I thought ‘this is a really good album’. By the third spin, it was ‘I fucking love this!’ and have been hooked ever since.
Born from the collaboration of singer/songwriter and guitarist Derek Krzywicki, who lives in the small town of Carpenteria on the California coast east of Santa Barbara, and his long-time friend Todd Mecaughey, a producer/engineer who lives in Philadelphia, Secret American is a bi-coastal band of sorts. Derek had written several songs after leaving the band Cheers Elephant, and reached out to Todd about helping bring them to life. Despite their distance, they began working together on music fairly regularly for over a year in Philadelphia, as well as collaborating through the internet from their home studios, and eventually formed Secret American. Todd has stated that the name comes from them being simultaneously proud and ashamed to be American (a sentiment I currently share). Using Derek’s songs, the two created their debut album Warmth & Shelter. For the recording of the tracks, Derek played guitar, bass and sang vocals, Todd played drums, Kevin Killen played pedal steel, and Katie Frank played keyboards. Todd also engineered and produced the album. Along with those four, three additional musicians – Tony Unander, Alex Baranowski and Rory Geoghegan – were enlisted to complete the lineup for live performances.
The album kicks off with the title track “Warmth & Shelter“, a sweet tune about making a life in the country with your beloved, knowing there will be rough spots, but that everything will be alright: “Oh my dear, I wish to lead a Countried life. Hard work low wages. But these days, they lie ahead of us just out of reach. We’re making changes. I’ll hold the book you’ll turn the pages. Take what we want, take what we need, this little home, this dog we feed. This land of ours it’s all we need. Give me warmth and shelter, heart as well to count, count, count, on me.” The twangy guitars, cheerful synths and bouncy drumbeats are sublime, and Derek’s falsetto vocals, backed by his and Katie’s smooth harmonies, are sheer delight.
I don’t usually include so many videos in my reviews, but the band has produced highly entertaining ones for several of the album’s songs that are worth sharing. Feel free to watch them (or not). This one for “Warmth & Shelter” beautifully showcases Derek’s strong charisma and playful spirit.
Speaking of charisma and playfulness, Derek has it in spades on the charming and droll video for “Bang Bang“. He states in the video notes that it was made “to explain some of the choreography for their first band practice. It is now our default music video.” Honestly, how can you not love this guy? The song has a soulful Americana vibe, and is catchy as hell, with a delightful mix of jangly electric and twangy slide guitars, accompanied by a gently galloping beat. Derek’s vocals are quirky as he croons the humorous lyrics that speak to sexual desire: “I’m a standing tall and ready, not a man in disguise. I want you to blow my head out, right between the eyes. Sooner or later, like it or not. Tie yourself together and I’ll undue your knot. Send me your love on that ball and chain.”
“Why Believe?” speaks to the current state of political, economic and environmental upheaval. The song’s bubbly instrumentals and vocals sharply contrast with the darker lyrics about trying to avoid becoming totally cynical or hopeless in the face of challenges on multiple fronts: “The hotter the hotter the deeper the water. I think it’s time for a swim. Shame to the shameful, blame to the blameful for frying their lies in a pan. Why Believe? I can’t believe myself. Too poor to retire, too young die.”
The great tracks keep coming as the album continues, each flowing beautifully into the next. “Good Men Change” addresses the impermanence of life and not always taking things at face value: “Bad men dream, good men lie. / Clocks go round, things unwind.” One of my favorite tracks is “Amen, California” an enthralling ode to Derek’s (and my) home state. The song is beautiful, with a languid tempo and smooth instrumentals that evoke the blissful feels of a sunny day at the beach. Derek’s vocals are soothing and warm as he croons of the California state of mind: “Be free, like the fish in the sea. Let the waves crash on you, and be reborn in California.” The track sounds like a live recording, with street noise and children’s voices heard in the background.
Another favorite is the joyful love song “I Wanna Know“. If this song doesn’t make you feel good, then I don’t know what will! The simple lyrics ask the object of his desire if they share the feelings he has for them: “I wanna know who’s side you’re on. I wanna know you completely and turn on your TV and put your records on.” Much to the band’s surprise and delight, the song was featured in the premier episode of the YouTube original TV show Weird City, produced by Jordan Peele and Charlie Sanders (which you can watch by clicking on this link). The video for the track, which was filmed on location in Philadelphia and edited by band member Tony Unander, is also a pleasure to watch.
“Chelsea the Cat” is a wonderful slice of Americana confection, with some tasty guitar work, while the funky “Wish A Well” really channels Cage the Elephant. In fact, Derek’s vocals sound a lot like Matt Shultz on this track. Yet another favorite of mine is “Human“, one of the most interesting tracks on the album from a musical standpoint. The melody is mesmerizing and beautiful, with sort of a sped-up and modified ska beat, and the intricate, layered guitars and lush, exotic synths are gorgeous. Derek’s slightly echoed vocals are captivating as he sings of what it means to be a human, rather than a certain race, nationality or type: “I’m a human, I’m not labeled on the shelf. / So long being a stranger. Wearing the name that they gave ya.” The lyrics eventually recite the first few verses of the National Anthem, delivered in a completely different way that seems to lend the words new meaning.
Closing out the album is “Magnolia“, a pleasant lo-fi instrumental that opens with a sweet acoustic guitar riff and gentle synth beat that’s eventually joined by a simple organ riff that lends a bit of a carnival vibe. Halfway through, a lovely chiming guitar enters along with a string synth chord, and the result is pure bliss. The instrumentals fade as the song comes to an end, leaving us with just a few discordant notes of acoustic guitar.
I cannot gush enough about this marvelous album and band! Secret American is a group of incredibly creative and talented musicians, and they deserve to be big. I really love their sound and style, and hope they’ll soon make more of their incredible music for us to enjoy. Those of you fortunate to live in the Philadelphia area can catch them at their upcoming show on March 29th at Underground Arts in Philadelphia.
As I mentioned in a recent review, so many artists and bands that I’ve previously featured on this blog seem to be releasing new music in 2019, and another is Morning Fuzz, an outstanding rock band from Brooklyn, New York. Nearly two years ago, in April 2017, I reviewed their fantastic hard-hitting single “Silent Sun” (which you can read here). They subsequently dropped a great rock ballad “Fellow Creep” that December, and I’m thrilled they’re back with a new single “I’ll Be Around“, which drops today.
The band has been around for 10 years now, and has released a fair number of excellent recordings, including two EPs, a 2013 album Chasing Ghosts, and several singles. Formed in 2009 by singer/songwriter & guitarist Frank Fussa and his childhood friend, bassist Chris Johanidesz after the breakup of their previous band Ultra High Frequency, Morning Fuzz was later joined by longtime friend and guitarist Michael Cullari, but has been hampered by several changes in drummers (something that’s plagued several other bands I’ve written about). In Spring, 2018, new drummer Dan Leo came on board, putting them back on track and in the studio recording new music. “I’ll Be Around” is their first single on what will be their forthcoming album that the band hopes to release later in the year. It was expertly produced and mixed by Lou Giordano, and engineered by Frank, Aaron Bastinelli, and Benny Grotto.
It’s an exuberant, upbeat song, filled with the dynamic riffs, tight rhythms and melodic grooves we’ve come to expect from Morning Fuzz. Frank and Michael’s intricate guitar work is impressive, and I love how they make them chime in the bridge. Chris drives the song forward with his deep, strutting bass line while Dan deftly keeps the beat on his drum kit. Frank possesses a beautiful and powerful singing voice with considerable range, and sounds fantastic whether he’s crooning or wailing. One of the most striking aspects of the track is the guys’ sublime four-part harmonies that call to mind the Beatles or Beach Boys. I really love their sound, and found myself loving this song more with each listen. “I’ll Be Around” is superb, and I’m excited about hearing more new songs from them.
The lyrics seem to speak of the struggles we face with regard to making choices about which paths to take in life, and both giving and getting love and support from others through good times and bad along the way.
I’ll be around Even in that crazy part of town And I’ll figure out Even when the rain is pouring down We’ll work it out When there’s not a drop of love to be found Don’t run away No hide and seek, no roads to stray
Which way to go Another fork splits up the road Futures untold Get on my side And we will float above the tide Might not make it through the night But it’s alright
Morning Fuzz has an upcoming show on Saturday, March 30 with Flak Jacket at The Rail in Smithtown, NY
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 