1. I SEE YOU – MISSIO (3)
2. ESCAPE – Ships Have Sailed (1)
3. BAD GUY – Billie Eilish (4)
4. MISSED CONNECTION – The Head and the Heart (5)
5. DARK PLACES – The Frontier (2)
6. ALLIGATOR – Of Monsters and Men (8)
7. FEAR THE FUTURE – IAMWARFACE (6)
8. OLD MAN’S WAR – Roadkeeper (11)
9. I’LL BE AROUND – Morning Fuzz (10)
10. STILL FEEL. – half alive (9)
11. SAW LIGHTNING – Beck (12)
12. ROOM TO BREATHE – Made of Eyes (16)
13. FALLING WITH STYLE – Heist At Five (18)
14. COMING UP FOR AIR – Mars Motel (19)
15. BELOVED – Mumford and Sons (14)
16. RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THE DEVIL – Revolvers (21)
17. HURT – Oliver Tree (7)
18. DOIN’ TIME – Lana Del Rey (30)
19. STRANGE KIND – Blair Dollery (25)
20. WHEN AM I GONNA LOSE YOU – Local Natives (28)
21. BURY A FRIEND – Billie Eilish (13)
22. UNDER THE COLD LIGHT OF THE MOON – Crystal Cities (26)
23. HERE WE GO – Ben Priory and Charlie Pereira (27)
24. PATIENCE – Tame Impala (15)
25. ECHOES – Ignite the Fire (20)
26. MAYBE, I’M AFRAID – Lovelytheband (17)
27. CRINGE – Matt Maeson (N)
28. 3 NIGHTS – Dominic Fike (N)
29. HELP ME STRANGER – The Raconteurs (N)
30. FOUR WINDS – Unquiet Nights (N)
Regular readers of this blog know I seldom feature rap or hip-hop music, but I have a good opportunity to remedy that situation by selecting the newly-released single “Bang Bang” as My New Song of the Week. The song is a collaboration by Chicago-based hip-hop artist Def Star and rapper J Slay, and if I was 20 years younger, I’d say it was pretty dope. Sadly, at my age, I’d feel like a dope using that word, so I’ll simply say it’s a great tune. The track was expertly produced by Chicago music producer and beat maker Clark Make Hits.
The song opens with an ominous keyboard synth, then once the beat kicks in, Def Star begins rapping the verses that speak to making it as a successful rap artist.
You’re gonna go, proceed with caution
You’ll probably get carsick
Grab a salad and toss it
We always on drip
Leaky faucet
Everywhere we go, we break the scene
We turnin’ that flow into dough, til we break the bank
Bang bang
But then he discusses the demons and self-doubt that can sometimes engulf you, hindering your path forward:
Not even psychiatrist can get in it inside my head
Isn’t this like a trip
Can anyone remind the kid
When did I buy the ticket to this ride again
I’ll be talkin’ to God again
All about my demons
And why did I invite ’em in
I was thinking it would be nice to see a little bit of light again
Take a deep breath, drink some water, take a multi vitamin
Givin’ it all I got
It’s all I got left
It’s my ticket outta here
J Slay joins in on the action in the second verse, rapping about resolving to keep on pushing forward against the odds, and issuing a warning to those who might dare to stand in the way:
Def and Jay got more to say The more they hate Our coordinates are set to destroy your day No more hiding from the pain that I face Embrace it We break the bank Explosives, detonate and cause wreckage Important message We drippin’ water torture methods are more than ready You’ve done just stepped on a hornet’s nest For more or less, rippin’ it apart until there’s no more left
Though fairly sparse, the moody music and languid beat are both excellent, providing a captivating backdrop for Def Star’s honest, introspective lyrics, beautifully expressed through his and J Slay’s rap verses. Def Star is a terrific rapper, and his flow and delivery are flawless. I like how his and J Slay’s vocals nicely complement each other. Good job guys!
The Ocean Beneath is a British electronic music project based in Leeds. Influenced by bands such as Gunship, HVOB and Talk Talk, they combine 80’s synthpop elements with modern recording techniques, analogue synthesis and huge melodic grooves to create music that sounds retro, yet fresh and now. They’ve just released their debut self-titled EP The Ocean Beneath. This EP has been a labor of love for them, working extremely closely with producer Grant Henderson and lyricist/vocalist Nath Jackson to create a first-rate musical offering. The songs were recorded at Loom Studio in Leeds, and mastered by Katie Tavini.
The EP features five tracks, three of which are instrumentals and two with lyrics written and sung by Nath Jackson. The first track “Wake Up” is a trippy instrumental, with spacey, psychedelic synths set to a languid, strutting beat that almost borders on trap. The intricate, pulsating synths have a sci-fi quality at times, giving the track a cool, mysterious vibe that’s almost mesmerizing. It nicely conveys images of that hazy state we often feel upon waking up from a deep sleep.
Next up is “Transcend“, a gorgeous track that calls to mind some of the wonderful 80s songs I loved by A-ha, New Order and Depeche Mode. More of those marvelous spacey synths abound here, but this time they’re delivered with a bouncy, upbeat tempo and accompanied by additional sweeping synths that form a lush soundscape for Nath Jackson’s stunning vocals. He wrote and sings the encouraging lyrics about overcoming one’s fears and uncertainty, and opening oneself up to all the experiences that life offers: “The secret’s hidden in you. Stop and take a look around. You never know what you might have found. Open up, and soak it in. Watch it as your time begins.” I love this song.
The blissful mood is abruptly interrupted by an unsettling, deep-bass synth accompanied by sounds of distant ambulance sirens on the brief but complex instrumental “The Meridian“. The ominous sounds are suddenly replaced with a beautiful interlude of glittery synths before ending with a return of the sirens.
“Setting Sun” is a spectacular track, and probably my favorite on the EP. Everything about it perfection, starting with an enthralling EDM beat that grabs me squarely by the hips, transporting me to a dreamy place from which I want no escape. The pulsating, psychedelic synths are darkly beautiful and lush, and have I mentioned that infectious dance beat? Jackson returns to grace our ears with his warm, sensual vocals that are absolutely captivating. I really love his voice! He sings of someone trying their damnedest to avoid committing to love: “Well you may be the last one standing. The devil’s on your tail but you keep on graspin’. Sail your dreams out to the sea. Pull them on the line and bring them home to me. A love line and watch it shine. And I won’t stop until you are mine. You don’t know what you’ve become. And you can’t hide behind the setting sun.”
The brilliant video produced for the song is trippy and beautiful, showing Jackson’s handsome face superimposed with a colorful mix of psychedelic, tech, vintage, urban and nature imagery.
The final track “Nocturnality” is another instrumental, with a powerful, thumping dance beat and intricate, sweeping synths that remind me a bit of the great dance music of European composers Cerrone and Giorgio Moroder that was popular in the mid to late 70s. And, like the music of those composers, “Nocturnality” is fairly long, running nearly six minutes. It’s a wonderful, melodic track.
The Ocean Beneath is a superb little EP and a terrific debut effort for this talented music project. One of the things I especially like about it is that each song sounds and feels entirely different, making for a fascinating listening experience. Some electronic music albums and EPs can become numbing after awhile, when one track after another sounds pretty much the same, but this one always surprises with every listen.
Jim Hudson is a singer-songwriter from Wolverhampton, England, who this past May released his debut EP Fallen. It’s a lovely but dark work, featuring three guitar-driven tracks with deep, poetic lyrics that speak to man’s internal conflict between his good and evil sides, and struggles to make it in this life. Jim wrote and recorded the songs, and played or programmed all the instruments. The EP was mixed by Matt Pinfield and mastered by West West Side Music (yes, West is repeated in the studio’s name).
The first track “Shadow” is a poignant song with a somewhat melancholy air. Jim’s layered acoustic and twangy electric guitar work is really nice, lending the track a bit of a folk vibe, while the assertive percussion keeps it in rock territory. His vocals have a pleasing, understated quality, and work well on this track. The lyrics seem to speak of someone who’s become a mere shadow of their former self after years of excess, realizing they’ve wasted their life and now have nothing or nobody: “No one remembers when you left, who you are, what you came here for. Lost three more days in a state. Through the haze; gone too far.”
The dark and mesmerizing title track “Fallen” opens with a thumping drumbeat and an acoustic guitar chord progression that calls to mind the classic James Bond theme, only in a slowed-down manner. With a sense of sad resignation, Jim croons the fatalistic lyrics spoken by a man to his son, telling him that he will be inheriting a darker, less hospitable world because of the destruction caused by mankind: “Grab your things and run, through the barbed wire fence. From the hands that feed us, we don’t stand a chance./ Re-wrote the rules, transcended evolution. All this son, will one day be yours. Turned our backs, as we fled the garden. All of this, all of this is ours. Got inside my head, can’t get up any more. Cut my world wide open, threw my heart to the floor. You don’t know, you don’t see. Cut me, I’m in bits. There’s a hole, in my head. Leaves me cold in plastic.” His combination of acoustic and electric guitars, accompanied by humming bass, sparkling synths and measured percussion make for an exceptional track.
“Papercuts” has a softer, more upbeat folk vibe. The acoustic riff that continues throughout the song is quite charming, punctuated with tasty electric guitar runs in the choruses. The lyrics, however, are bittersweet. Jim states that they’re basically about an artist (music, visual arts, or whatever) struggling to make his way and get noticed. Perhaps he’s wasting his time, his efforts are all in vain, and maybe he shouldn’t bother trying to continue on. “It’s hard enough to get you where you’re seen. Should never be there. You’re in a dream. Listen in. Massage my self esteem. Are paper cuts enough to get you seen? It’s never easy being fine.”
Despite it’s rather dark tone, Fallen is an enjoyable little EP, and a very respectable debut for Jim Hudson. His thoughtful and extensive lyrics are pure poetry, and he’s a fine guitarist and vocalist too.
This is a rather bittersweet post I’m afraid. Operation Guillotine is/was a blues rock band from Coventry, England who described themselves as “five lovable rogues from the Midlands that just aim to bring good vibes” but, alas, they are no more. They had a great run since forming in 2016, releasing a number of excellent, hard-hitting singles, but after experiencing the loss of their drummer and bassist, they’ve decided to officially put an end to Operation Guillotine. However, fear not, because surviving members Alice Clarke (vocals), Rhys Scott (guitar, backing vocals) and Ben “Fogal” Ollis (lead guitar) will soon be forming an entirely new band with a new direction and sound.
I reviewed their previous single, the stonking “No Victory”, just before Christmas 2018. They just dropped their final single “Good Times” on June 28, and it’s a fitting swan song. Even though it was actually one of the first songs they wrote as a band, it perfectly encapsulates their music legacy with the lyric “We’re here for a good time, not for a long time.” They really go out with a bang, delivering explosive riffs of distorted, reverb-drenched guitars and pounding drumbeats.
Alice is a fantastic singer, skillfully matching the intensity of the instrumentals note for note with vocals that range from fiery passion to a sensual purr. Though we may be upset that Operation Guillotine is done, she admonishes us to keep a stiff upper lip: “So turn it around, bring your frown upside down, ’cause baby it’s a good time we made.” And so they have.
I’ve been revisiting a lot of artists and bands that I’ve previously featured on this blog, as so many of them are putting out new music and wanting my thoughts on it. The latest is by Somehow, the indie-pop project of Erwan Pépiot, a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Paris, France. His pleasing sound hovers somewhere between Joy Division and Belle & Sebastian, with a vocal styling reminiscent of Morrissey or Ian Curtis. He writes, performs, records, produces and mixes all his music in his own home studio, with his only assistance coming from his long-time collaborator Aurélie Tremblay, who provides backing vocals and some fine cello work.
Somehow released his debut album The Desert of Wasted Time in 2016, receiving many positive reviews. This was followed a year later by his beautiful album Hidden Memories, released via Toolong Records, which also earned wide acclaim both in Europe and the U.S. In October 2017 I reviewed “Someday”, one of the wonderful tracks from that album. He now returns with a terrific new song, “Shut Your Eyes and See” the first single from his forthcoming album Low Tide, due for release this coming October.
It’s another enchanting track, featuring Somehow’s signature rich, multi-instrumental stew that gives his songs their incredibly sublime soundscapes. A beautifully-strummed bass line provides a splendid foundation for the song, over which are layered some lovely guitar, keyboards, melodica, cello and gentle percussion. Erwan’s vibrant vocals are as pleasing as his music, singing the verses with a comforting urgency while Aurélie provides delightful backing harmonies.
The lyrics seem somewhat ambiguous, but I think they’re about someone who’s breaking out from under self-doubt that’s plagued them, allowing them to live their life to its full potential, yet still remaining insecure.
It seems you’re getting somewhere after all You finally found your way out Through your silent eyes All things looked hollow Now candles and stars Sparkle in daylight
It seems you’re getting somewhere after all You finally found your way out At the sound of the horn You’ll run away then die Over and over For a thousand times
You will speak You will fly You will speed up the tide You’ll be lauded and praised by hundreds of strangers
Hide from yourself Shut your eyes and see
The charming video shows a young man, skateboard in tow, flying to London to see a young woman who’s an old friend or girlfriend. They then set off on a sightseeing adventure, taking in both the beautiful and not-so-beautiful kaleidoscope of life in the teeming city on the Thames. The video was produced by Julien Bengel, and stars Paco and Marina as the young couple.
1. ESCAPE – Ships Have Sailed (3)
2. DARK PLACES – The Frontier (1)
3. I SEE YOU – MISSIO (7)
4. BAD GUY – Billie Eilish (5)
5. MISSED CONNECTION – The Head and the Heart (6)
6. FEAR THE FUTURE – IAMWARFACE (2)
7. HURT – Oliver Tree (4)
8. ALLIGATOR – Of Monsters and Men (12)
9. STILL FEEL. – half alive (8)
10. I’LL BE AROUND – Morning Fuzz (13)
11. OLD MAN’S WAR – Roadkeeper (14)
12. SAW LIGHTNING – Beck (15)
13. BURY A FRIEND – Billie Eilish (9)
14. BELOVED – Mumford & Sons (10)
15. PATIENCE – Tame Impala (11)
16. ROOM TO BREATHE – Made of Eyes (20)
17. MAYBE, I’M AFRAID – lovelytheband (19)
18. FALLING WITH STYLE – Heist at Five (23)
19. COMING UP FOR AIR – Mars Motel (24)
20. ECHOES – Ignite the Fire (25)
21. RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THE DEVIL – Revolvers (26)
22. DISAPPEAR – Western Jaguar (16) 22nd week on chart
23. CHLORINE – twenty one pilots (17)
24. LONGSHOT – Catfish and the Bottlemen (18) 22nd week on chart
25. STRANGE KIND – Blair Dollery (28)
26. UNDER THE COLD LIGHT OF THE MOON – Crystal Cities (29)
27. HERE WE GO – Ben Priory and Charlie Pereira (30)
28. WHEN AM I GONNA LOSE YOU – Local Natives (N)
29. LOVE CRAZY – Karolina Rose (21)
30. DOIN’ TIME – Lana Del Rey (N)
I’ve been following the young singer-songwriter and composer Brett Grant for a long while, and am thrilled to finally have the opportunity to feature him on this blog. The Chicago-based artist goes by the moniker brett.grant.5, and drops his second EP disqui.etude today. Brett’s been involved in music for many years, both as a solo artist and in several bands. He plays guitars & synths and sings for A Million Rich Daughters, and previously pounded drums in Sleep For Dinner and TOOFUNCHILD. He released his first solo EP digital dirge in 2016, and in addition to his work with the aforementioned bands, managed to earn a B.A. Degree in Music, graduating just last month.
Brett’s fascinating and eclectic sound draws from a wide range of musical sources and genres, ranging from 1920’s jazz and classical to video game music and experimental progressive rock. He wrote all the songs and played all the music on disqui.etude, as well as recorded, performed, mixed, and mastered the entire project himself.
The EP opens with the eerily beautiful title track “disqui.etude“, an apt name as it’s essentially a disquieting etude. The song’s an instrumental, consisting of only a haunting piano riff, accompanied by rather menacing synths that build as the track progresses. It would make a great soundtrack for a horror film, and in fact reminds me of the music from the film Eyes Wide Shut. Brett states it and the album title are intended to represent the anxieties and unease he’s dealt with in his own life, which are expressed in the lyrics of the songs on the EP.
Next up is “Truth Be Told“, a moody track with spacey industrial synths set to a bouncy, stop-start bass-drum beat. Brett has an unusual but pleasant singing voice that’s strongly emotive as he sings of the misery and guilt he feels over the death of a loved one:
Truth be told, I never thought that you’d be dead Truth be told, I just can’t get you out o’my head Truth be told, I’ve been obsessing for so long I’d give anything to write a different song Truth be told, I should have been the one to go Truth be told, this burden’s getting hard to hold
The poignant “Empty Bottles” features a beautiful but melancholy piano-driven melody, backed by delicate, sparkling synths. Brett’s vocals, which range from a low croon that seems to emanate from deep within his core, to just below a falsetto, are nicely displayed on this song. He sings of destructive and futile attempts to drown one’s troubles in alcohol: “You’ll see in the end this was the old me. And all my insincere apologies, like lobotomies, came off the top of me. Apostles of endless empty bottles. As we both drive full throttle to the bottom of my problems.”
Brett dives deep into electronica on “New Goner“, employing a rich mix of glittery and otherworldly droning synths to create a spellbinding track. On the apocalyptic, synth-driven “Might Make My Way“, he speaks to the downsides of the internet and social media, and the thought control we’ve allowed ourselves to become imprisoned by: “Alien intruder, watching from a computer. Alias abuser, flying fear producer./ The sci-fi officers playing cops and robbers. Have nothing to offer and keep us in coffers. You can’t run, you can’t scream, it’s all part of their dream. Bright lights and loud noises, foreign distorted voices. If they transport me safely, might make my way back maybe.”
The final track “Hitting Backspace“, which Brett released as a single in February (on Valentine’s Day), is the darkest and most intense track on the EP. The song starts off with an ominous throbbing synth, then 10 seconds in a loud piercing synth enters, sounding a bit like a slowed-down version of the shrieking music heard in the famous shower scene in the film Psycho. He wanted to create a similar disturbing backdrop for his gloomy lyrics about feeling like being buried alive by the weight of his problems: “It wasn’t like I anticipated facing all this in the time since yesterday. Sands keep falling. Feels like I’m slipping away… And trapped hitting backspace./ It wasn’t like I could keep up pacing, keep up pacing through the sands of yesterday.” At the end of the first verse, the music intensifies with deeper synths and heavier percussion that continue until fading out at the of the song.
disqui.etude is a marvelous work that beautifully showcases brett.grant.5’s singularly unique songwriting, composing and production talents. One of the things I especially like about it is how every track sounds totally different, which makes for an interesting and surprising listening experience. If you like music that’s innovative and unlike anything else you’ve heard before, you’ll enjoy this brilliant EP.
British alternative rock band The Only Route (also known as TOR) play some of the finest, most aggressive guitar-driven rock of any indie act around today. Slicing through the airwaves with wicked riffs, explosive percussion and addictive melodies, their hard-hitting songs never fail to deliver an electrifying listening experience. The Lowestoft, England four-piece 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, including the blistering semi-autobiographical “Made” in January 2018, and the fantastic kiss-off “Not Worth It” this past March (a real ripper of a song which has spent the past nine weeks on my Weekly Top 30). I reviewed both of those singles, the links to which you can find under “Related” at the bottom of this page. They’re now back with a new banger of a single “Secrets“, which drops today.
As expected, TOR demonstrate yet again their talent for composing arresting melodies and penning straightforward lyrics based on their real-life experiences, and bringing them to life with their outstanding musicianship. The guitar work is fantastic as always, and Robby’s guitar solo in the bridge is absolute fire. Andy and Matty keep a tight rhythm while Ryan denounces a friend that cheated on his wife, who then left him and ran away from their town, but he kept it a secret. She eventually returns, but is like a stranger to everyone, with a completely different personality: “I looked out your window and saw that she was back. And you’ve got some secrets and they’re really bad./ Why doesn’t she look the same? She said she had changed her name.”
Ryan has a wonderful, commanding voice that’s perfectly suited to their style of hard-driving rock, and is one of the many positive attributes of TOR’s music. Plus I’m a sucker for a good strong British accent that comes through in the vocals. I love this band!
Agency Panic is an Irish rock band who, over the past year, have been establishing themselves as one of the more exciting and innovative acts in the progressive metal scene. They seem to prefer maintaining a low profile, however, as the few photos they have on their social media accounts are dark, with their faces in shadow, and I know them only by their first names: J.D.K. on vocals, Tubs on guitars, Lee on bass, and Revsy on drums. My sense is that they want their music to speak for itself, rather than the focus be on them personally.
In July 2018, they released their monumental debut single “Panic” (which I reviewed) as the first installment from what they’re calling their ‘drip feed’ EP, which is being released one song at a time. The incredibly intense song set a very high bar for the band, with face-melting riffs, explosive percussion and fierce, chill-inducing vocals. I loved it so much it ended up on my Top 100 Songs of 2018 list.
They followed up that October with their second single “Lie”, a darkly beautiful banger featuring more of their signature scorching riffs and thunderous percussion. Now they’ve returned with their third installment “The Middle“, which dropped June 14. It’s another winning single, serving to further bolster Agency Panic’s flawless resume for putting out stellar progressive metal songs that challenge the listener. Unlike a typical song with a catchy melody that quickly bores into our brain, progressive metal (or any progressive form of other music genres for that matter) often requires a closer and/or repeated listens to fully absorb and appreciate the nuance of the unusual melodies, song structures, lyrics and instrumentals, all of which “The Middle” has in spades.
In keeping with their penchant for maintaining a bit of mystery, the poetic lyrics are somewhat abstract and open to interpretation. When I asked J.D.K. of the meaning of the song, all he would tell me is that “it all took place in the middle of Amsterdam.” The song opens with a twangy electric guitar riff and a whisper of ominous synth, then a somber drumbeat kicks in as J.D.K. speaks in a rather unsettling echoed voice about what seems to be a dream or possible acid trip:
Blinding blinding flicker Sparks of light Creeping dilations Pupils rise Abstract thoughts Deceptively distort, shadows crawl to the sirens song As it all dissolves the show has just begun. Through to black Beyond the veil The oceans of chaos were about to sail…
The guitar suddenly explodes into gnarly riffs of shredded distortion as deep bass and heavier percussion are added, and J.D.K.’s vocals turn more impassioned as he sings:
Invasive influence Hooked direct to the mainline. Re con struct self Time has melted design Illusion slowly reveal Spilling right into the dream… Ahhhhhhhhhh Ahhhhhhhhhhhh In the loop again In the loop again In the loop again
By the third verse, everything ramps up to near-frenzy, with screaming guitars and speaker-blowing drums as he fervently wails the lyrics that seem to speak of being reborn into a new reality:
Erasing what you think is real Ego peels Stripped down to bone to which you’ll find One mind’s eye Seductively it reels us in Hooks through the skin Past present future on a plain Reincarnate Walking through the void Entrance to the other side Take take fear…
Step from the darkness into the light As movement slowed and we bent time
The song closes with a fadeout of reverb, leaving me awestruck by its magnificence. Agency Panic are proving themselves to be phenomenal songwriters and musicians worthy of notice, and I’m thrilled to be following them on their musical journey as they continue to release more songs.
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 