1. BLINDING LIGHTS – The Weeknd (1)
2. DON’T START NOW – Dua Lipa (2)
3. EVERYTHING I WANTED – Billie Eilish (3)
4. USED TO LIKE – Neon Trees (4)
5. ADORE YOU – Harry Styles (6)
6. BLACK MADONNA – Cage the Elephant (7)
7. DANCE OF THE CLAIRVOYANTS – Pearl Jam (5)
8. VAN HORN – Saint Motel (9)
9. LOST IN YESTERDAY – Tame Impala (11)
10. CAUTION – The Killers (22)
11. LOVE YOU FOR A LONG TIME – Maggie Rogers (8)
12. HERO – Michael Kiwanuka (15)
13. SHINE A LITTLE LIGHT – The Black Keys (16)
14. OH YEAH! – Green Day (17)
15. UNCHAINED – Devon Gilfillian (10)
16. OVER AND OVER – Amongst Liars (18)
17. BAD DECISIONS – The Strokes (19)
18. YOUR LOVE (DÉJÀ VU) – Glass Animals (21)
19. TEXAS SUN – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (14)
20. DELETER – Grouplove (24)
21. THE BEST – AWOLNATION (12) 20th week on list
22. ME & YOU TOGETHER SONG – The 1975 (23)
23. COLORS – Black Pumas (13)
24. LET’S FALL IN LOVE FOR THE NIGHT – FINNEAS (26)
25. MARIA – Two Feet (27)
26. BEAUTIFUL FACES – Declan McKenna (28)
27. LEMON DROP – Absofacto (29)
28. IF NOT FOR THE FIRE – The Million Reasons (30)
29. LIFE IN THE CITY – The Lumineers (20)
30. HELL N BACK – Bakar (N)
I’ve been following Australian-born, and now Los Angeles-based, singer/songwriter Wons Phreely (aka Justin Wonsley) since first learning about him in 2016. He’s an interesting, funny, thoughtful, hard-working and highly creative guy, and I love his music and off-beat vocal style. He grew up and began his music career in Perth, but relocated to Los Angeles in 2015 in search of a more dynamic and varied artistic environment where he could grow as a musician and artist.
In 2016, with his backup band The Horses he released an autobiographical single “Stars” that addressed his experiences overcoming self-doubt and fear of change, and enabling him to make the life-altering move from Australia to Los Angeles. In November 2017, he followed up with another great single “The Night Has An Alibi,” accompanied by a strange but brilliant video he directed in which he’s portrayed as only a head. I reviewed both singles, each of which ended up placing on my Top 100 Songs lists for 2016 and 2018, respectively. (You can check out those reviews under “Related” at the end of this post.)
Now he returns with a brand new single “Restless To Run“, which I’ve chosen as my New Song of the Week. As with all his songs, Wons was inspired by his own life experiences: “I wrote the song about your (my) famous first romantic tryst and how it got all messed up.”
But he elaborates on a larger, more philosophical level: ‘Restless To Run’ is about all the many paths we can choose in life, and how sometimes we have to run down the wrong ones, fall down, get back up and then choose a new road to head down. We all mess up, fail and have false starts, I signed a with a big management and publishing label, but I had this feeling like it wasn’t right, like I had to get away, start again, and run in my own direction. Then I got to LA, where I felt more like myself. Even if I’m struggling daily, I’m doing things on my own terms, like directing music videos, or writing songs for people. Its not easy, but it’s the right road for me. And sometimes the failures can be what make us feel alive.
I’d like to dedicate this song to the spirit of embracing failure. That’s what I connect to in rock and roll. I wrote it after the passing of David Bowie. I actually found myself crying a little, which is something I’ve never done over the passing of a famous person. It felt almost like the end of an era when artists could experiment, and still be accepted by pop culture, with no consideration for commercial results. Just self expression on who they are and how they felt. Bowie’s first few albums completely flopped, and yet an industry and the public still supported him until he had formed his musical identity and began to connect through a very personal expression of who he was. Same goes for artists like Springsteen, Prince and Elton, who were failures for their first couple of records, but carried on anyway. And these artists arrived at some truly unique styles and self-expression that still resonates today. Time is a tricky one. It’s about learning who you are as you grow into yourself. Bowie made me want to make music that’s fun, camp, glamorous and sexy.”
Like all his songs, Wons starts with a catchy melody and bouncy, head-bopping beat, then layers jangly guitars, snappy drumbeats, and exuberant, swirling synths that evoke a sun-kissed and carefree Southern California afternoon. But the real highlight are his delightfully quirky but pleasing vocals that start off with a plaintive croon, then veer off into a joyous, breathy falsetto that’s so endearing. And I love how his Australian accent shines through.
He’s also released another clever video to accompany the single, about which he explains: “I wanted the video to feel like simpler times. It was deliberately shot with a lo-fi approach using a handheld iPhone with no lenses or smooth, stabilized shots. The aim was to convey innocence and romanticism—a longing you can only really capture and express through music.”
Wons also made a lyric video for the song that opens with an aerial shot of Hollywood that zeroes in on a billboard on Hollywood Boulevard that shows the video playing.
I recently learned about Swedish alternative folk artist A Choir of Ghosts when his label Greywood Records reached out to me about his debut album An Ounce of Gold. I receive a lot of music submissions – far more than I can possibly write about – but this one stood out from the pack, as it’s an exquisite work deserving of attention. A Choir of Ghosts is the musical alter-ego of British-born but now Sweden-based singer-songwriter James Auger, who along with an ever- changing cast of collaborators creates beautiful songs drawing from folk, Americana, and pop-rock influences.
He’s released a number of singles, beginning in 2016 with the beautiful “Ester”, then followed up a year later with “Morning Light”, which has been streamed more than 1.3 million times on Spotify. Both songs were featured on his 2018 release Woods EP. Now he returns with An Ounce of Gold, which dropped April 3rd. The album features 11 tracks, all of them outstanding. James wrote and performed all the songs on the album, which he co-produced with Canadian producer Terry Benn. The songs were inspired by his own life experiences, with lyrics touching on his personal journey of trying to find his place in the world. He describes the album as a kind of diary of the experiences and feelings he’s gone through that served to shape his character.
The album opens with “Intro“, a haunting instrumental that slowly builds into a beautiful cinematic soundscape, and provides a fitting introduction for the gorgeous “Sinner In Rapture“. With James’ lovely strummed guitar as a foundation, beautiful sweeping synths and percussion are added to form a breathtaking wall of sound. His earnest vocals are clear and strong, soaring with such intensity in the choruses they give me goosebumps. He states that the song “is about the way all young people are set up to fail with the way society is built and how I didn’t want to be part of that capitalist machine. This song is the end of the world, the end of everything we know.”
“Outside the Window” is a pleasing folk song that seems to be about recognizing the power of home and growing old with someone who makes life worth living. The track features lovely guest vocals by Lisa Eriksson, whose voice harmonizes beautifully with James’. She also played organ on the track, while bass was played by Jonatan Nordström and drums by Erik Edlund. “The Days Fade Quicker” is a poignant folk tune, with pleasing strummed acoustic guitar and gentle backing instruments. The lyrics speak of a man who’s ready to give up on life: “Cause there’s only so many days, until a man finally breaks, and a man finally takes, and a man finally shakes free.”
One of the standouts among many is the title track “An Ounce of Gold“. I’m sounding like a broken record, but yet again I have to say that it’s another beautiful song, and James’ vocals are really sublime. It has a catchy melody, with a charming Irish folk vibe thanks to the lovely violins and fiddle, yet the lyrics are rather bittersweet: “Cause I push and I pull, but I can’t keep a hold of these things in my heart and that ounce of gold. I lost my own way and I can’t find a home.” James provided a bit of background about the lyrics on his Facebook page: “Before I moved to Sweden and started A Choir of Ghosts, I had a band in England called James & The Natives. It was during this period that I wrote “An Ounce of Gold”. I was in quite a new relationship and made the usual mistake I think we all have; I abandoned my friends. I figured my time was much better spent watching films and eating way too much. And obviously, I was young, so after a while everything collapsed with that relationship and I went back to my friends as if it was yesterday that I’d seen them last.”
The lead single released in advance of the album was “Southwest of The Moon” a gentle, deeply moving song that James wrote “as a letter of apology, both to himself to be stronger and asking forgiveness for the people he have hurt.” The lyrics “You’re gone, lonely and free, you said goodbye without saying a word. I’ll be quiet, hoping that you will say ‘come home‘” really tear at the heartstrings.
James keeps delivering more beautiful, heartfelt tunes, touching on the hopeful feeling of soon reuniting with a loved one on “Driving Home“, of falling into water as a metaphor for growing up and facing the sometimes cold, hard realities of life on “The Water“, and his own shortcomings that come from being “Human“. Another favorite track of mine is “Better Off Alone“, a haunting duet between James and an unnamed female vocalist that sounds like a song that could have been sung by Icelandic group Of Monsters and Men. James’ layered guitar work is marvelous, and the track’s arrangement and production are superb.
The closing track “The Taste of Smoke” is a lovely folk ballad, with strummed acoustic guitar and delicate background synths. The lyrics are somewhat ambiguous to me, but seem they could be interpreted to be spoken to god, a loved one, or even to oneself in an attempt to find inner strength: “But keep in mind that I am not the same as I was before. When I fold away another page, we’ll break through this storm.” In any case, it’s a fitting conclusion to a truly wonderful album. As I stated at the beginning of this review, An Ounce of Gold is exquisite. It’s a stunning and expertly-crafted work of musical art that A Choir of Ghosts should be quite proud of.
The first few tour dates have been canceled in response to the COVID-19 outbreak, but A Choir of Ghosts hopes to play the following dates:
I’ve recently been revisiting a lot of artists that I’ve previously featured on this blog, as so many of them are putting out new music. One of my personal favorites is British artist Paul Iwan, a gracious and talented singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Liverpool. Last October, I reviewed his outstanding single “Reward”, which was a cover of the song originally recorded by Liverpool new wave band The Teardrop Explodes. I liked it so much, it spent four months on my Weekly Top 30. Now Paul is back with a new single “Returning”, for which he recorded two different versions – “Returning (Red)” and “Returning (Blue)”.
He wrote the song last year for submission to the Liverpool Acoustic 24 hour Songwriting Challenge at Threshold Festival 2019, and he won! Like many singer-songwriters, Paul’s lyrics often reflect his own life experiences. The theme of the 2019 Challenge was ‘Returning’, which inspired Paul to contemplate his own personal struggles with PTSD and addiction, and explore the concept of returning as it relates to his experiences with relapse and regression. The competition also pushed him to venture outside of his usual comfort zone and into a more acoustic setting, where the song could speak for itself.
Now, a year later he has released two newly recorded versions of the song to coincide with what would have been the first day of Threshold 2020 (unfortunately sidelined by the damned COVID-19 pandemic). The Red version of “Returning” is in Paul’s more typical exuberant alt-rock style, with layered synths, loops and electric guitars, whereas the Blue version is stripped back to a simple arrangement with acoustic guitar, piano, vibraphone and subtle percussion. The songs were performed and produced by Paul at Studio 45 in Liverpool, and mixed and mastered by Andy Fernihough at 3rd Planet Studios Liverpool.
So I lean into my darkness I touch the trauma with the tips of my fingers Under this light how can I see? The shadows are shifting; inviting me in.
You are there You are there Suffocating and suffering I hold my hands I’ll be watching And I’ll be waiting for you I’m returning to my fear, its all I know I’m returning to my tears, it’s all I know.
I know my storm is coming in Whatever I’ve taken You hold my soul my memories This face in the mirror The face of my nightmare Lost and corrupted
I’m returning from a distance But my reflection is all I see I’m yearning for the past The one I thought I’d lost forever So much pain within
I’m returning to my fear It’s all I know
I like both versions a lot, but I think I prefer the Blue version if I had to choose one over the other. I like the higher clarity of sound in the Blue version, where the lovely piano keys and acoustic guitar really stand out. Also, Paul has a distinctive and vibrant tenor singing voice, and with the more subdued instrumentals, the power of his vocals and lyrics are allowed to shine through. Take a listen to each version, and decide for yourself.
1. BLINDING LIGHTS – The Weekend (3)
2. DON’T START NOW – Dua Lipa (1)
3. EVERYTHING I WANTED – Billie Eilish (2)
4. USED TO LIKE – Neon Trees (4)
5. DANCE OF THE CLAIRVOYANTS – Pearl Jam (5)
6. ADORE YOU – Harry Styles (9)
7. BLACK MADONNA – Cage the Elephant (11)
8. LOVE YOU FOR A LONG TIME – Maggie Rogers (7)
9. VAN HORN – Saint Motel (8)
10. UNCHAINED – Devon Gilfillian (10)
11. LOST IN YESTERDAY – Tame Impala (12)
12. THE BEST – AWOLNATION (6)
13. COLORS – Black Pumas (15)
14. TEXAS SUN – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (16)
15. HERO – Michael Kiwanuka (17)
16. SHINE A LITTLE LIGHT – The Black Keys (19)
17. OH YEAH! – Green Day (20)
18. OVER AND OVER – Amongst Liars (21)
19. BAD DECISIONS – The Strokes (22)
20. LIFE IN THE CITY – The Lumineers (13)
21. YOUR LOVE (DÉJÀ VU) – Glass Animals (25)
22. CAUTION – The Killers (30)
23. ME & YOU TOGETHER SONG – The 1975 (24)
24. DELETER – Grouplove (N)
25. WARS – Of Monsters and Men (14) 20th week on list
26. LET’S FALL IN LOVE FOR THE NIGHT – FINNEAS (29)
27. MARIA – Two Feet (N)
28. BEAUTIFUL FACES – Declan McKenna (N)
29. LEMON DROP – Absofacto (N)
30. IF NOT FOR THE FIRE – The Million Reasons (N)
Three years ago, British rock band These Wicked Rivers blew me away with their phenomenal album II (you can read my review here). Since forming in 2014, the Derby, England-based four-piece have gained a huge following in the UK and beyond with their melodic and riff-heavy blues-infused style of rock’n’roll. Making the music are John Hartwell (lead vocals/guitar), Arran Day (guitar, vocals), Sam Williams (bass) and Dan Southall (drums, vocals). It’s been a while since they’ve put out new music, but thankfully, they returned to the studio to record their second album Eden, which is due for release on May 22nd. In February, they released “Shine On”, the first single from the forthcoming album, and now follow-up with their second single “Floyd“, which I’ve chosen as my New Song of the Week.
These Wicked Rivers get right down to business, as “Floyd” blasts open with a thunderous onslaught of gritty distorted guitars and smashing drumbeats. I love the contrast between the calmer verses, with their bluesy riffs, throbbing bass and softly pummeling drums all creating a menacing vibe that adds to the building sense of tension, and the explosive choruses where all hell breaks loose. It’s fucking amazing rock played the way it should be played! The guys are highly-skilled musicians who play as an impeccably tight unit and deliver the rock goods to perfection. Hartwell has a powerful and vibrant singing voice that’s well-suited to their hard-driving style of blues rock. The way he transitions back and forth from earnest croons to impassioned spine-tingling wails is impressive.
Floyd seems to be a metaphor for the conscience of the town – which appears to be sadly lacking these days. All sorts of bad behavior – drinking, drugs, gambling, stealing and sexual affairs – are shown occurring in the video under the watchful eyes of a mysterious bearded man named Floyd. The band told me that most cannot see Floyd, but those who do/can see him, know why. As soon as they see him he’s gone, yet haunts their conscience. The photos we see him throw onto the ground in the woods at the end are of some of the people he’s observed committing their transgressions.
Floyd sits still on the cold wet night
Shackled to the sins he’s indebted to find
the fake facade printed in their eyes
Is what he heeds of the people playing out their lives
But Floyd knows the truth
He knows the lies
He knows all of the evil that you lock down inside
Floyd don’t come around here no more Been seen in town once or twice before The people speak of his judging eyes But Floyd don’t come around here no more, Floyd don’t come around here No more
People see Floyd around the town He moves from street to street blending in with the crowds But those who stop and catch his marble eyes Usually know the reason why ‘Cause Floyd knows the truth He knows the lies He’s the judge, jury, councillor of freedom and exile
“Floyd” is a wickedly good song, and one of the best yet from this talented band. Based on the high quality of it and “Shine On”, Eden looks to be another stellar album.
One of the quirkiest and most enjoyable bands I’ve had the pleasure of featuring on this blog is Johnny Kowalski and the Sexy Weirdos. Based in Birmingham, England, the self-described “body-snatching carnival punk band” fuse Celtic, Balkan and Gypsy folk melodies with reggae, ska, mariachi, punk and rock’n’roll to create a uniquely eccentric sound that’s totally original, eclectic, and deliriously entertaining. In 2017, I reviewed their wonderfully marvelous album European English, and am now pleased to feature their latest release Until The Day, which dropped March 19.
Like many bands, they’ve experienced changes in personnel over the years since forming in 2009. Their current lineup consists of frontman Johnny Kowalski (Vocals, Lead Guitar), Chris Yates (Bass), Ilias Lintzos (Percussion), Matthew Osborne (Drums) and Katherine McWilliam (Violin). McWilliam is also violinist and vocalist for the Celtic rock band Quill, and her image is featured in the wonderful artwork for Until The Day, which was designed by Kat Bennett.
Until the Day is the fourth album by Johnny Kowalski and the Sexy Weirdos, and continues their tradition for making fun, generally upbeat songs while also touching on political and cultural issues of the day. Kowalski told me that while the album “doesn’t ignore the multitude of horrors being inflicted upon the world right now“, it’s also about “finding some hope and something to live for despite all that, even if that’s something as simple as celebrating the people around you.”
Things kick off with the title track “Until The Day“, a lively song that nicely encapsulates the album’s overall theme. McWilliam’s spirited violin takes center stage here, accompanied by gnarly guitars, exuberant drumbeats and a bit of funky bass to round out the proceedings. With his distinctive smoky vocals and delightful Brummie accent, Kowalski croons to his beloved about soldiering on together through good times and bad: “Let go of your secrets they’ll be safe with me / From the floor of this bedsit into eternity / We could live like pirates, each day standing tall / Fuck and fight for freedom until the day we fall.”
The mood abruptly changes with “Flowers For Antifa“, a dark and aggressive song of protest against fascism. The raucous, punk-infused melody and harsh instrumentals are the perfect backdrop for Kowalski’s raspy, emotionally-charged vocals that sound a lot like The Clash’s Joe Strummer as he rails against those who fall prey to the hateful and divisive rhetoric of would-be fascist politicians and media talking heads. A verse in the lyrics express support for the militant anti-fascist movement Antifa: “I gave my money to buy flowers for Antifa / And to get the chance to shoot you I would trade in my guitar / When the war is over we will dance in sweet release / Feasting on the bones of all your sycophants and chiefs / Fall in fall out of line…” The song ramps up to a near-frenzy at the end, with Kowalski angrily shrieking “Good night alt right!” I wholeheartedly agree!
“Smug Song” is a classic Sexy Weirdos tune, featuring a rousing gypsy folk vibe delivered with a colorful mix of instruments, highlighted by Lintzos’ electrifying percussive beats and McWilliams plucky violin notes. She lets loose with a terrific violin solo in the bridge that continues through to the end of the track. Next up is “Batch Music“, the first of two instrumental tracks on the album. The blending of fuzz-coated heavy electric guitar and bouyant violin give the song a strong Celtic rock feel.
The band shows their playful side on “Next Year“, which sounds to me like an old drinking song. The lyrics speak to letting loose and opening oneself up to any and all experiences and debaucheries that come along, and to hell with the consequences. We’ll worry about that shit tomorrow. “Pull down the ceiling again / Contact all your crazy friends / Wasted in weird foreign streets / Making memories we will not repeat / The circus is coming to town / Pretty girls bury your frowns / Weird women and men / They might not come again / Ah, fuck it, they’ll be back next year.” The delightful video shows Kowalski and a lovely, scantily clad woman taking turns on a stripper pole in the middle of a rather stylish room, while the other sits in a chair with their back to the person dancing.
“Anarchist Barbeque (Egg For McGregor)” is the second instrumental, and once again, the combination of electric guitars, strong percussion and spirited violin give the song a wonderful Celtic folk-rock feel. The final track “The Dead Yard” continues the Celtic-gypsy vibe, with a bouncy violin-driven melody, gnarly electric guitars, a pulsating bass line and a frantic mix of exuberant percussion and snappy drums. I’m not certain about the song’s meaning, but my guess is that it’s about how on a certain level, our own truths are the ones that really matter to us in the end: “Deceivers will naysay but we’ll still be here / Believe us as we slay / The things you hold dear are gone / I’ll see you in the dead yard once again.” But whatever the meaning, it’s a fantastic song from a musical standpoint, and a fine finish to a terrific and highly satisfying album.
One of the things I most enjoy about being a music blogger is getting to know a lot of musicians and bands through social media, and following them on their musical journeys over time. An artist I’ve grown particularly fond of is Krosst Out, a singer-songwriter and rapper from Toronto, Canada. I first learned about him in early 2017, when he reached out to me about his debut EP Life of the Party, an outstanding work that examined the darker aspects of party life, along with the sex, drugs and alcohol abuse that often go hand in hand. (I reviewed that EP, as well as one of his later singles, both of which you can find under “Related” at the end of this post.)
Born and raised in the small Ontario town of Campbellford, he first studied piano as a child, then took up the bass guitar in his teens. Influenced by the music of artists such as Manafest, Eminem, Underoath, Rage Against The Machine, System Of A Down, Vinnie Paz, Nas, and Marilyn Manson, he developed a love for alternative rock, hip hop and rap. He played in various local bands, developing his rapping skills along the way, and eventually moved to Toronto, where he started writing his own songs. Drawing upon the aforementioned influences, he fuses hip hop with grunge, alt-rock and punk to create his own unique sound. Like a lot of hip hop artists, his songs draw heavily from his own life experiences, with honest, raw and introspective lyrics.
On March 13, he dropped his latest single “Funerals“, and followed up with a brilliant companion video for the song that was filmed and directed by Eric Soto. The track was produced by Adam Van Ameringen, recorded at Pink Distortion Music in Toronto, and mixed and mastered by Sean Savage.
“Funerals” is a deeply personal song for Krosst Out, and touches on how he’s changed and grown since leaving Campbellford. It’s often challenging when people leave home and move away to make a new life for themselves, and though we generally maintain a sense of love and fondness toward family and friends we left behind, the distance and passage of time can complicate or often diminish relationships. Krosst Out told me the song title “Funerals” is a metaphor for the death of his old self. “I feel like I’ve just grown so much that I’m unrecognizable now, but at the same time, if I wanted to go [back] home I couldn’t. Also, the more you grow, the more you have people that will hate you for that.”
The song opens with Krosst Out telling us who he is now, accompanied by resonant keyboard notes:
I’m not that kid that you used to know
Now I’m living life so unusual
Less weddings and more of these funerals
The tempo then abruptly shifts to a heavy dub step beat, as the music expands with a dramatic mix of spooky psychedelic synths, deep, throbbing bass, glittery keyboards and some of the sickest percussive synths I’ve heard in a while. The instrumentals are really superb, creating a dark and moody backdrop for Krosst Out’s impassioned free style rapping as he laments about the guilt trips foisted upon him by his mother and friends:
You’re always telling me that I don’t pick up that phone much anymore And you don’t call home Why are the people that you’ve got ignored Saying that you’re one of us But it’s pretty clear that you’re not You think that you’re better You think that you’re big now Move from the small town Go and get the big stuff Now that your ego’s even bigger now And you fucking forgot our names, wow
From that same town where nothing ever happened But that was back then Fuck those memories you can have em I’m past it I’m not that kid that you used to know Want black roses at my funeral
And I’m sorry mom, but I’m not that kid that you used to know
He goes on to sing that his new life isn’t all a bed of roses either:
But if you have to know I hate this city
Cause I been here too long
And I know that I can’t go home
Cause I don’t belong
And no I don’t need no phone call
Hold on, spare me the sad song
I don’t need to hear about the old me
It should be quite clear that’s what I don’t need
I’m just a grown man who can’t afford these groceries
If you think the grass is greener on my side
It’s not really
The fascinating video was filmed mostly in a church, and shows Krosst Out singing the song as if addressing an imaginary congregation. He then goes into a restroom, where he cuts off all his hair, and is later shown as his new self singing the song in a gymnasium, as well as outside at night, digging a hole with a shovel, seemingly for the purpose of burying his old self.
Bristol, England-based Mallavora are a young hard rock band on the rise. Their exciting, hard-driving sound is strongly influenced by progressive rock, groove and doom metal elements. They’ve released two terrific singles, beginning with “Clockwork Drunk” in 2017 and followed by “Daylight” in 2019, and have been featured on Planet Rock and BBC Introducing. 2019 also brought changes in their lineup with the addition of a new female vocalist, as well as the recording of four new songs that will be featured on their forthcoming Paradise EP, due out later this year. They plan to release all of the songs as singles over the coming months, the first of which is “Ego“, which drops today, March 29.
Mallavora’s new lineup consists of Larry Sobieraj (guitar), Ellis James (bass/vocals), Jessica Ansell (vocals) and Jack Pedersen (drums). About the new single “Ego”, they state that it’s about “autophobia”, generally defined as a phobia of isolation, specifically a dread of being alone or isolated, but oddly also having a morbid fear of being egotistical. The lyrics are about “confronting a tortured soul consumed by fear of itself.”
The song opens strong with a thunderous explosion of gnarly riffs, driving bass and pummeling drumbeats. What’s unusual is that the first lyrics we hear are actually the chorus, passionately sung by the dramatic vocal harmonies of Jessica and Ellis that remind me a bit of Evanescence:
Holds me tight Her grip’s all I can feel Seeps through my dreams I can’t tell what is real Why can’t you just set me free I’m begging Take this voice from me
The music calms down to a melodic interlude in the verses, highlighted by Larry’s gorgeous chiming guitar and Jessica and Ellis’ stunning vocal harmonies. Their vibrant singing voices are somewhat similar in tone, and sound really incredible together.
She’s in my head again Twisting words and sense she bends Plunged into my soul Washed away my pure with cold Tore out my heart my love my empathy Left me just with lust and insecurity
Crept away into my mind Left no place for me to hide Darkest truths untold Dreaming of losing control I can’t hold back what’s beneath the skin She will break out and torture everything
The music ramps up to a feverish crescendo in the final chorus as the band unleash their arsenal of sonic weaponry. Larry shreds his guitar to the breaking point as he lays down intense reverb-soaked riffs of distortion, while Ellis and Jack nearly blow out the speakers with their punishing bass and smashing drums. And, of course, Jessica and Ellis’ vocal harmonies are spine-tingling.
You did it to yourself Forgot your mental health
“Ego” is a spectacular and beautifully-crafted song, and a big step forward for Mallavora. It’s great to see a band’s music and songwriting improve over time, and I’m confident they’ll have a bright and successful future.
Sadly, like so many other artists who’ve seen their tours canceled in the wake of the COVID-19 outbreak, Mallavora have had to postpone their April mini-tour as well. They hope to be able to go on tour later in the year. The artwork for “Ego”, as well as the EP and all upcoming singles was done by Caitlin Shephard.
1. DON’T START NOW – Dua Lipa (1)
2. EVERYTHING I WANTED – Billie Eilish (2)
3. BLINDING LIGHTS – The Weeknd (27)
4. USED TO LIKE – Neon Trees (5)
5. DANCE OF THE CLAIRVOYANTS – Pearl Jam (6)
6. THE BEST – AWOLNATION (3)
7. LOVE YOU FOR A LONG TIME – Maggie Rogers (9)
8. VAN HORN – Saint Motel (10)
9. ADORE YOU – Harry Styles (11)
10. UNCHAINED – Devon Gilfillian (12)
11. BLACK MADONNA – Cage the Elephant (13)
12. LOST IN YESTERDAY – Tame Impala (14)
13. LIFE IN THE CITY – The Lumineers (8)
14. WARS – Of Monsters and Men (4)
15. COLORS – Black Pumas (16)
16. TEXAS SUN – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (17)
17. HERO – Michael Kiwanuka (18)
18. NOVOCAINE – The Unlikely Candidates (7) 23rd week on list
19. SHINE A LITTLE LIGHT – The Black Keys (22)
20. OH YEAH! – Green Day (23)
21. OVER AND OVER – Amongst Liars (25)
22. BAD DECISIONS – The Strokes (26)
23. HOW WE LIVE – Mandalan featuring Cadence XYZ (15)
24. ME & YOU TOGETHER SONG – The 1975 (28)
25. YOUR LOVE (DÉJÀ VU) – Glass Animals (30)
26. MARINERS APARTMENT COMPLEX – Lana Del Rey (19)
27. GO EASY – Matt Maeson (29)
28. CAN’T STOP – Vox Eagle (20)
29. LET’S FALL IN LOVE FOR THE NIGHT – FINNEAS (N)
30. CAUTION – The Killers (N)
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 