You’re Among Friends is a Cleveland, Ohio-based band who play a laid back style of funky, blues-infused folk rock that just makes you feel good. Following up on their wonderful album As We Watch the Years Go… (which they released in July 2016 and I reviewed last year), they dropped a new EP One Day You’ll Look Back at the end of November 2017. It’s a short EP, containing four tracks totaling only ten minutes in length, but it delivers the kind of honest, relatable songs about life and relationships the band does so very well. Making the music are Anthony Doran (lead vocals and guitars), Kevin Trask (bass, keyboards and backing vocals) and drummer Frank Mirabelli, a recent addition to, and sixth drummer for, the band.
The first track “I’m Happier Now” is a pleasant, upbeat tune about the happiness and joy a loved one brings to his life: “I can barely remember what life was like before you arrived. So I know I’m happier now. All I know is that I’m happier now. It’s true.” Anthony’s jangly guitar nicely complements Kevin’s humming bass line, while Frank bangs out the mellow beat on the drums.
The guys get philosophical on the funky “Back to Work Tomorrow,” speaking to the soul-crushing routine of a dead-end job, and advising against letting it define your life. I love the rather cynical lyrics to this song, as I think a lot of us can relate to them:
Work your fingers down to the bone But in the end what do you have to show for it? Except a few dollars that you’ve already spent Because the money rolls out faster than it comes in Well it’s an uphill battle towards a long decline If you let your work define your life If you worry about it you will lose your mind It’s not like you get paid to think Time flies, even when you’re not having fun One day you’ll look back and half your life will be gone Well that’s all time that you’ll never get back I hope it was worth it working so hard for the man
“You Lost Interest First” has a country vibe with an infectious bouncy guitar riff and toe-tapping beat. The song’s about a couple who’ve both lost the feelings for each other that initially drew them together. A catchy, uptempo beat belies the somewhat negative sentiments of “Not My Thing.” With a hint of resignation in his voice, Anthony sings:
It’s hard to make me smile
You can try your best but it probably won’t work
It’s not that I’m depressed
I don’t try to be dark, I’m not a jerk
It’s just that smiling is not my thing
Don’t like the sunshine I like the rain
All in all, One Day You’ll Look Back is a nice little EP featuring songs with simple melodies and compelling lyrics that make for a highly pleasurable listen.
1. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (2)
2. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (1)
3. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (3)
4. LIVE IN THE MOMENT – Portugal.The Man (6)
5. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (4)
6. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (7)
7. ANGELA – The Lumineers (8)
8. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (9)
9. SOBER UP – AJR ft. Rivers Cuomo (10)
10. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (15)
11. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (5)
12. SAFARI SONG – Greta Van Fleet (17)
13. PASSION – AWOLNATION (16)
14. PAIN – The War on Drugs (N)
15. SCARY LOVE – The Neighbourhood (20)
16. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (11) 20th week on list
17. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (12)
18. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (13)
19. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (14)
20. LOS AGELESS – St. Vincent (N)
I’ve stated in previous reviews that one of the things I like about Twitter is how it enables me to learn about so many great artists and bands from far and wide. And though a lot of them are based in large urban centers like Los Angeles, Miami, Toronto and London, many are located in smaller, out-of-the-way locales. One such artist is Swilly, a Canadian singer/songwriter (born Steven Williams) from the northwestern British Columbia town of Kitimat.
Heavily influenced by some of his favorite bands, especially ZZ Top, The Cult, Nickelback and Theory of a Deadman, Swilly is a rocker with a huge sense of humor. He writes the kind of down and dirty, kick-ass songs you wanna hear on a Saturday night, throwing down a few beers with friends at the local Roadhouse – something he in fact sings about on the track “Canadian Beer.” Just good old rock’n’roll, baby!
He’s been a busy guy, writing and releasing lots of songs over the past few years, and in December 2017 he dropped his first full-length album Play It Loud. It’s a long album, featuring 13 great tracks and clocking in at just over an hour. Swilly played rhythm guitar, bass, keys and drum tracks, and sang vocals for all the tracks. He had assistance from Kevin Campbell, who played lead guitar on all but one track (“Breaking some Glass”) where he only played some rhythm guitar, and guitarist Klaus Passegger played lead guitar.
The album gets off to a strong start with “Let the Fire In,” a superb rock track propelled by snarling riffs and a hard-driving beat, the kind that breaks your will to keep still. The influence of ZZ Top – a band I also happen to love – is strongly evident, and this song would do them proud. And not only do the beats and guitars have a ZZ Top vibe, but Swilly’s vocals at times sound a lot like Billy Gibbons. He also channels ZZ Top on the appropriately-named title track “Play it Loud” and the high-energy “Start Talking.”
Swilly slows it down on “Baby I’m Back,” a smoldering rock tune with some terrific bluesy riffs that’ll have you swaying your hips with your honey. Those dirty, bluesy guitars come roaring back even stronger on the deliciously satisfying in-your-face track “You’re a Dick.” Swilly snarls the lyrics informing an A-hole of just what he thinks of him – something I’m certain we’ve all wanted to tell someone:
It’s plain as day to the rest of the world, oh yeah You’re a dick and everyone knows it, oh such a dick You’re a dick. The kind of guy who knows it all You’re a dick. The kind of guy who beats on little girls
“Wasted” delivers some awesome screaming guitars, while the rousing “Who Says” is a little slice of rock’n’roll heaven. Accompanied by tasty riffs of shredded guitars, Swilly defiantly proclaims: “Who says we have to behave? Who says that you gotta be in by 10? I ain’t livin’ someone else’s life, I have to live my own.” Employing generous helpings of funky bass, he dials the thermostat to a slow burn on the sexy tracks “Feels Like” and “Sun Girls.”
Guest guitarist Klaus Passegger lays down some great guitar noodling on the melodic “Breaking Some Glass.” The song’s about letting loose and having a good time: “It ain’t a party if we don’t see you shaking your ass.” Indeed! “Batman” is a real head-banger, with superb gritty and distorted guitar work. Swilly informs his girl of who’s she’s dealing with: “I’m your batman. I’m not always you’re good guy.”
One of my favorite tracks on the album is the lovely ballad “Friends.” It’s a departure from Swilly’s typical hard-rocking style, and the guitar work and vocals are positively sublime. The touching lyrics are about friends who’ve grown from children to adults with children of their own, affirming that their friendship will endure:
We’re all older now, and have kids of our own And we watch with wonder as they find the unknown And the sweet sound of laughter echoes through our yards Recall all the things we thought so hard We’ll all be friends to the end of our days. Our days Cause you and I will always be friends And I will be there when you need me
Play It Loud is a terrific album, chock-full of great tunes that will satisfy your thirst for rock’n’roll the way it was meant to be played. Swilly’s a prolific songwriter, and I’m confident we’ll be hearing lots of new music from him in 2018.
As I’ve stated in previous posts, being the EclecticMusicLover, I like when artists and bands incorporate lots of different influences to create genre-bending music. One such band is Brain Ape, a London-based outfit who skillfully fuse punk, stoner rock, grunge, noise rock and shoegaze to create their unique sound they call “scratch rock.” In August 2017, they dropped their second album Auslander, which was released through Schlimbum Records. It’s an ambitious work, containing 12 brilliant tracks with some of the best titles I’ve heard, and running nearly 55 minutes in length.
Brain Ape consists of Minky Très-vain, who plays guitar and sings lead vocals, and Sol Albret who plays bass and sings backing vocals. Jacob Powell played drums and sang backing vocals on Auslander, but is no longer with the band due to other commitments. In an interview with Rebecca Singer for her blog Read Between the Lines (which you can read here), Minky explained the strong influence of Nirvana on Brain Ape’s sound:
“It’s incredibly cliché, but the album that changed my life musically was “Nevermind.” After hearing that album, I knew exactly what type of music I wanted to make. I think one of the most interesting things about [Nirvana] is the legacy that they’ve left behind having only made a handful of albums.”
And regarding their unusual name, Minky explained:
“I really like the name because everyone seems to have their own ideas where it comes from and what it means. For me, there are about three contradicting ideas bouncing against each other, all within two words. I like how abrasive it sounds, yet to me sounds rather beautiful too. But the core idea for me, when we were coming up with a name for the band, was that what we do is very instinctual: neither Sol nor I are classically trained musicians. We’re not even particularly good at what we do. It just so happens that when you put the two of us in a room together with instruments we seem to think along the same wave lengths. Genetically we’re all apes, and when you remove any conscious thought you end up just creating from instinct. That’s why our logo is a chromosome. I guess we feel like the music we make comes from our very own genetic makeup.”
Photo by Gregory Hesse-Wagner
Brain Ape gets right down to business with the outstanding album opener “Give Me My P45,” a rousing punk-infused number with grungy guitars, a dominant buzzing bass line and loads of crashing cymbals. Minky’s echoed and distorted vocals add to the song’s gritty texture.
Next up is “Watercolour,” a grungy track that shifts back and forth from hard-hitting verses with gritty guitars and hammering drums to softer interludes with delicate chiming guitar, a characteristic of many of Brain Ape’s songs. Minky’s plaintive vocals rise and fall with the intensity of the music, wailing “I don’t know why I still breathe” during the heavier verses. Nirvana’s influence can clearly be heard on the six minute and 22 seconds long “Graphomania.” Quiet, melodic verses with gently strummed guitar alternate with intense, shredded guitar riffs, heavy bass and powerful drums. Minky emphatically sings “He doesn’t know what he should be.”
“Respect Your Icons” is a fast-paced punk rock gem with frantic riffs of shredded guitars and pounding drums. Halfway through the tempo slows to a thumping drumbeat and psychedelic reverb-heavy guitars. The guys deliver more psychedelic goodness with “The Quick Brown Dog Jumps Over the Lazy Fox.” And what an awesome song title is that! The track has a mesmerizing melody with awesome guitar work and a buzzing bass line so heavy you feel it in your core.
The sublime “I Could Use Some Food” opens with gentle strummed guitar and Minky’s quiet, almost whispered vocals, then explodes into a crescendo during the last minute of the track before quieting back down at the outro. It’s one of my favorites on the album. “Stop Sulking” is another track having a definite Nirvana vibe, with sharp, clipped verses, gnarly guitars and heavy bass. Minky repeatedly wails “I don’t want to play.”
Punk makes a return appearance on “Das Krokodil Will Barfuß Sein,” with shredded guitars and fuzzy bass over a frenetic drumbeat, and “Extra-Tourette’strial,” a psychedelic head banger punctuated by Minky’s screaming vocals and distorted, reverb-heavy guitars. Brain Ape offers up some heavy metal on “Blood Blister,” with crushing bass and shredded guitars over an aggressive, hypnotic drumbeat. With his echoed, distorted vocals, Minky shouts “It wasn’t me, you got it all wrong.”
“Oh, David” is an ominous sounding track with throbbing, speaker-blowing bass and fantastic guitars that go from jangly to gritty and back again. Album closer “Hunger” is a complex, retro-sounding track that seems at times to channel 60’s bands The Yardbirds or The Doors. The track features psychedelic-sounding echoed vocals and more of Brain Ape’s signature guitars that alternate between jangly and shredded, with an extended reverb-heavy outro. It’s a dramatic finish to an exceptional album.
1. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (1)
2. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (3)
3. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (5)
4. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (2)
5. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (4)
6. LIVE IN THE MOMENT – Portugal.The Man (11)
7. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (10)
8. ANGELA – The Lumineers (12)
9. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (13)
10. SOBER UP – AJR ft. Rivers Cuomo (14)
11. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (6) 19th week on list
12. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (8)
13. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (9)
14. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (7)
15. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (17)
16. PASSION – AWOLNATION (18)
17. SAFARI SONG – Greta Van Fleet (20)
18. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet (15)
19. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids, Bishop Briggs (16) 19th week on list
20. SCARY LOVE – The Neighbourhood (N)
2017 was an especially emotional year in music, due to the tragic suicides of two of rock’s most important and beloved artists: Chris Cornell, front man of Soundgarden and Audioslave, as well as a successful solo artist, and Chester Bennington of Linkin Park. I, along with millions of their collective fans, are still heartbroken over their untimely deaths. Other notable passings include the legendary Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Al Jarreau, Gregg Allman, J. Geils, Tom Petty, Glen Campbell, Malcolm Young, Prodigy, David Cassidy, Della Reese, Mel Tillis and Keely Smith.
As with every year, a number of new or breakthrough artists emerged on the music scene, and two of my favorites were Greta Van Fleet and Liverpool, UK foursome Wide Eyed Boy. Other good ones who finally had huge breakout hits include Portugal. The Man, Highly Suspect, Sir Sly, MISSIO and Mondo Cozmo to name but a few. There were a great many albums released, and there was no way I could listen to them all, but I sure gave it my best! A few standouts for me were A Deeper Understanding by The War on Drugs, Hot Thoughts by Spoon, Villains by Queens of the Stone Age, LA DIVINE by Cold War Kids, Sacred Hearts Club by Foster the People, The Rise and Fall of Babylon by Disciples of Babylon, and Into the Back Room by Oli Barton & the Movement. I also recognize the artistic and cultural significance of Kendrick Lamar’s highly-acclaimed DAMN..
My music tastes, while eclectic, lean toward Alternative Rock, Hard Rock, Folk-Rock, Punk, R&B and Pop-Rock, so my Top 100 song choices generally reflect those genres. Followers of my blog know I publish a Weekly Top 20, and how songs ranked on those weekly lists, as well as how long they spent in the top 20, generally helps determine their year-end ranking. I invariably come across some great songs late in the year that I somehow missed earlier, and thus never appeared on my Weekly Top 20, so I’ve included those. There were so many fantastic songs in 2017, and it frustrated me to have to cut my favorites down to only 100. All the songs on this list could easily be in the top 40.
Some of the year’s most popular hits – the ubiquitous “Despacito” by Luis Fonsi, et. al., the horrific “Bodak Yellow” by Cardi B, or many of the other shitty rap, hip hop, pop and bro country songs that topped the Billboard Hot 100 Chart – will not be found on my list.
Many bloggers and critics list songs in the year they were released, while Billboard and other charts generally place them in the year they were ‘hits,’ which is what I prefer. Most of the songs on this list were released in 2017, however, a number of them were released in 2016, and Lord Huron’s “The Night We Met” is from 2015, but didn’t chart until 2017. Because there are always a few songs that overlap from one year to the next, I always wrestle with how to rank them, as well as whether to list them in only one year or two. It seems the fairest thing to do is include those songs on lists for both years if they spent enough time on the charts in each year, although it can diminish their ranking on each list. For example, The Weeknd’s “Starboy” spent the last two weeks of 2016 and the first week of 2017 at #1, so how to rank it on each list is a dilemma, and I’m seldom pleased with the outcome. The songs in this Top 100 that also appeared on the list for 2016 are indicated with an *
OK, I’ve rambled on long enough, so let’s get to the songs already!
1. FEEL IT STILL – Portugal. The Man
“Feel It Still” is one of those songs that virtually everyone loves, thanks to an irresistibly catchy retro dance beat and deep bass line, that awesome little guitar riff, and lead singer John Gourley’s delightful falsetto. It’s a short track, only 2 minutes and 43 seconds long, but was a massive hit for Portugal. The Man, spending an astonishing 18 weeks at #1 on the Billboard Alternative Chart, as well as many weeks at #1 on the Adult Alternative and Adult Pop charts. The band, now based in Portland, Oregon (they refer to themselves as ‘Lords of Portland’) is originally from Wasilla, Alaska. They released a number of albums since forming in 2004, but “Feel It Still,” from their album Woodstock, was their breakthrough single. It’s a fantastic song and an instant classic.
2. MY NAME IS HUMAN – Highly Suspect
I fucking love this song! “My Name is Human” features some of the best guitar work of any song on this list (after Metallica’s “Atlas, Rise!”). The heavy, gravelly bass riff at the opening sends shivers down my spine, then spooky guitars, percussion and otherworldly synths enter along with Johnny Stevens’ intense, breathtaking vocals that go from seductive to wailing, adding goosebumps to the ones already covering my body. The track is perfection from start to finish. It was released in September 2016 in advance of release of their superb album The Boy Who Died Wolf, and debuted on my Weekly Top 20 at the end of November, but peaked at #1 in late January-early February, so lands on my Top 100 of 2017. The song’s brilliant video showing a human being built by robots and then given finishing touches by Stevens is a little creepy, yet stylish and riveting.
3. THE MAN – The Killers
I’m a huge fan of The Killers, so was thrilled when they released “The Man,” in advance of their first studio album in over five years Wonderful, Wonderful. Though it received mixed reviews from critics and bloggers, I love it, and it spent five weeks at #1 on my Weekly Top 20. I love how the song winds up at the beginning, then explodes into a pounding dance beat courtesy of Ronnie Vannucci’s power drums. Throw in a sturdy bass line, sweeping synths and Brandon Flowers’ soaring tenor vocals, and you’ve got a fun, exhilarating track. I also love when Flowers pays homage to David Bowie late in the song with the line “headed for the hall of…FAME!” The fantastically entertaining video shows Flowers playing several different characters who are full of themselves, all thinking they’re ‘the man’.
4. THE SYSTEM ONLY DREAMS IN TOTAL DARKNESS – The National
From their critically acclaimed seventh studio album Sleep Well Beast, “The System Only Dreams in Total Darkness” is a gorgeous song by The National. The piano and gnarly guitar riffs, accompanied by an urgent drumbeat, are captivating, and when combined with singer Matt Berninger’s stunning, heartfelt baritone vocals, The National deliver a truly phenomenal track.
5. HUMAN – Rag’n’Bone Man
A magnificent, powerfully moving song with a gospel feel, “Human” was a huge, breakout hit for UK singer/songwriter Rag’n’Bone Man (born Rory Charles Graham). The song was released in July 2016, but didn’t chart in the U.S. until early 2017. It reached #1 in many countries, including Austria, Belgium, Germany, Greece, Poland and Slovakia, as well as the Billboard Alternative and Adult Alternative charts. (Shockingly, it peaked at only #74 on the Billboard Hot 100 – a chart that’s been taken over by mostly hip-hop, country and bad pop, and thus now irrelevant to me.)
6. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet
Greta Van Fleet literally blast through the speakers like an atom bomb with “Highway Tune.” ‘Wow, just wow!’ was my – and apparently everyone else’s – reaction upon first hearing this explosive head-banger from the young Michigan foursome. The band consists of the three Kiszka brothers Josh, Jake and Sam (Josh and Jake are twins), and drummer Danny Wagner, all of whom are in their late teens or early twenties. Despite their youth, these guys are highly skilled musicians, and lead vocalist Josh – a diminutive guy with a gargantuan bluesy voice – sounds disarmingly like an early Robert Plant. These guys are destined for greatness! Take a listen:
7. HIGH – Sir Sly
There are a lot of humans and ‘H’ songs in my top 10, and another is the exuberant “High” by L.A. band Sir Sly. Led by a dominant buzzing bass line, the track lives up to its title, bopping along with a snappy dance beat and a cascade of jangly guitars. I love this gem, and the delightfully trippy video is my absolute favorite of 2017. How can anyone not like this band and song after watching them dancing about like marionettes channeling Cirque du Soleil! It’s all so deliriously upbeat, leaving us feeling – well, ‘high’.
8. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids featuring Bishop Briggs
Cold War Kids are another one of my favorite bands, and Bishop Briggs is pretty awesome too, with a distinctive, powerhouse voice. So, combining her passionate vocals with those of Cold War Kids lead singer Nathan Willett results in auditory fireworks to match the biting lyrics about a destructive co-dependent relationship you can’t escape. I loved this hard-hitting song at first listen and never tired of hearing it.
9. HOLDING ON – The War on Drugs
I fell in love with the music of The War on Drugs a few years ago after I heard their mesmerizing song “Red Eyes.” So it was natural that I’d love their gorgeous epic track “Holding On” from their outstanding album A Deeper Understanding. Having six band members, including two guitarists, two keyboardists – one of whom also plays sax, a bassist and a drummer, gives their music a lush, full sound. The piano, guitar and synths on “Holding On” are stunning, and singer Adam Granduciel’s sublime vocals bear a striking resemblance to Bob Dylan.
10. SIGN OF THE TIMES – Harry Styles
Since the breakup of One Direction, each of the individual members have released their own material, some of it fairly respectable. But to me, the greatest single by far has been “Sign of the Times” by Harry Styles. The deeply moving anthem aims straight for the heartstrings, and blew me away the moment I first heard it. The song gives ample proof of Styles’ singing talent, and how much he’s grown as an artist, both vocally and stylistically. The song starts off with a somber piano movement then, with tremendous emotion in his voice, Harry begins to sing “Just stop you’re crying, it’s a sign of the times. Welcome to the final show. Hope you’re wearing your best clothes.” He may be admonishing us to not cry, but boy it’s hard not to! His voice rises to a tender falsetto before the song bursts open with sweeping orchestration. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Harry explained that “Sign of the Times” is from the point of view of a mother giving birth to a child, but there’s a complication whereby the child is fine, but she’s not going to make it. “The mother has five minutes to tell the child, Go forth and conquer.”
I really thought that given the immense popularity of One Direction and each of the individual members, this song would spend many weeks at #1, but I was wrong. It debuted on the Hot 100 Chart at #4, then quickly dropped off, which shocked and disappointed me. I guess it just didn’t click with very many of the young teens whose tastes dominate the charts, and seem to prefer bad pop and hip hop over quality songs with thoughtful lyrics.
11. CLEOPATRA – The Lumineers
12. CAN I SIT NEXT TO YOU – Spoon
13. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy
14. SHINE – Mondo Cozmo
15. LOVE ON THE BRAIN – Rihanna
16. ON HOLD – The xx
17. WOLVES – Wide Eyed Boy
18. HOT THOUGHTS – Spoon
19. 24K MAGIC – Bruno Mars *
20. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People
21. UNFORGETTABLE – French Montana ft. Swae Lee
22. RUN – Foo Fighters
23. THE NIGHT WE MET – Lord Huron
24. BELIEVER – Imagine Dragons
25. FEELS LIKE SUMMER – Weezer
26. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon
27. THE WAY YOU USED TO DO – Queens of the Stone Age
28. ATLAS, RISE! – Metallica
29. STILL BREATHING – Green Day
30. HEAVYDIRTYSOUL – twenty øne piløts
31. LOVE IS MYSTICAL – Cold War Kids
32. EVERYTHING NOW – Arcade Fire
33. STARBOY – The Weeknd, Daft Punk * (#17 song of 2016)
34. BOTTOM OF THE DEEP BLUE SEA – MISSIO
35. SUIT AND JACKET – Judah & the Lion
36. DOING IT FOR THE MONEY – Foster the People
37. LITTLE ONE – Highly Suspect
38. SHAPE OF YOU – Ed Sheeran
39. BLOOD IN THE CUT – K.Flay
40. SQUARE HAMMER – Ghost
41. LOST ON YOU – LP
42. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters
43. J-BOY – Phoenix
44. BLAME – Bastille
45. DON’T TAKE THE MONEY – Bleachers
46. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears
47. GREEN LIGHT – Lorde
48. HOW DID YOU LOVE – Shinedown
49. DON’T WANNA KNOW – Maroon 5 ft. Kendrick Lamar
50. SOMETHING JUST LIKE THIS – The Chainsmokers, Coldplay
51. SCARS TO YOUR BEAUTIFUL – Alessia Cara
52. WALK ON WATER – 30 Seconds to Mars
53. MONSTER – Starset
54. BLACK BEATLES – Rae Sremmurd w/Gucci Mane
55. RUST TO GOLD – Council
56. I NEED A LIGHT – Run With It
57. TAKE IT ALL BACK – Judah & the Lion
58. COLD COLD COLD – Cage the Elephant
59. IN COLD BLOOD – alt-J
60. MIDDLE FINGERS – MISSIO
61. WISH I KNEW YOU – The Revivalists *
62. LIGHTS OUT – Royal Blood
63. 7 – Catfish and the Bottlemen
64. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement
65. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON
66. ONE OF US – New Politics
67. REDBONE – Childish Gambino
68. UP ALL NIGHT – Beck
69. SILENT SUN – Morning Fuzz
70. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton
71. BEFORE THE END – Fiction Peaks
72. NO SLEEP – Vox Eagle
73. LAY ME DOWN – Candid
74. CALIFORNIA DREAMING – Hollywood Undead
75. REVEREND – Kings of Leon
76. DIG DOWN – Muse
77. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS
78. SHINE ON ME – Dan Auerbach
79. COLD LITTLE HEART – Michael Kiwanuka
80. WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE – Adele
81. WHO’S GONNA SAVE US NOW – Crystal Cities
82. XXX. FEAT. U2 – Kendrick Lamar ft. U2
83. GIVE ME REASON TO DIE – Dyslexic Postcards
84. SONG #3 – Stone Sour
85. JUDAS – Fozzy
86. THAT’S WHAT I LIKE – Bruno Mars
87. NOT JUST YOU – The Puss Puss Band
88. IT’S A TRIP! – Joywave
89. WHAT ABOUT US – P!nk
90. COME OVER – Vox Eagle
91. ENTER THE DREAMLAND – Meresha
92. LAY IT ON ME – Vance Joy
93. THE VIOLENCE – Rise Against
94. THUNDER – Imagine Dragons
95. GOSPEL – Raker
96. SIK’ HELLISH US – Cold Revive
97. SMOKE AND MIRRORS – Morosity
98. I FEEL IT COMING – The Weeknd, Daft Punk
99. SWEET DISASTER – Dreamers
100. THE ONE I WANT – The Trims
1. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (2)
2. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (1)
3. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (8)
4. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (5)
5. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (6)
6. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (3)
7. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (4)
8. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (9)
9. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (10)
10. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (11)
11. LIVE IN THE MOMENT – Portugal. The Man (17)
12. ANGELA – The Lumineers (13)
13. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (15)
14. SOBER UP – AJR ft. Rivers Cuomo (16)
15. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet (7)
16. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids ft. Bishop Briggs (12)
17. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (18)
18. PASSION – AWOLNATION (20)
19. WALK ON WATER – 30 Seconds to Mars (14)
20. SAFARI SONG – Greta Van Fleet (N)
Adam Compton is a singer/songwriter based in Stevenage, UK, and he just dropped a lovely new single “Waste a Weekday.” The song is a follow up to his excellent debut EP Believe, released earlier this year. Adam also plays in the band Trouble With Tuesday, but wanted to record some of his songs as an acoustic solo act.
“Waste a Weekday” is an uplifting song about just forgetting the outside world and spending a quiet romantic day at home with a loved one. The track has a folk-rock feel, with acoustic guitar that goes from gentle strumming to exuberant and jangly. Smooth, sweeping violin and crisp percussion add subtle dramatic effect that never overpowers. Adam’s pleasing tenor vocals are earnest as he sings:
And we can pretend the world outside don’t exist, yeah We’re talking over who is gonna have to get the biscuits To dunk in our tea while we’re binge watching Netflix We can go outside but why would I do that? Rather stay in bed watching “Orange is the New Black” And if I went to work, then I know I’d have to leave her Being reclusive, ’cause you’re my favorite person to waste a weekday with
1. SIT NEXT TO ME – Foster the People (2)
2. WITHOUT YOU – Disciples of Babylon (3)
3. LOVING YOU IS SO EASY – Wide Eyed Boy (1)
4. THE SKY IS A NEIGHBORHOOD – Foo Fighters (4)
5. I LOVE YOU BUT I’M LOST – Tears For Fears (6)
6. ONE FOOT – WALK THE MOON (7)
7. HIGHWAY TUNE – Greta Van Fleet (5)
8. KINKY – Oli Barton & the Movement (9)
9. LAY ME DOWN – Candid (11)
10. DEVIL IN THE DETAILS – VERIS (12)
11. RX(MEDICATE) – Theory of a Deadman (13)
12. SO TIED UP – Cold War Kids ft. Bishop Briggs (8)
13. ANGELA – The Lumineers (16)
14. WALK ON WATER – 30 Seconds to Mars (10)
15. NO ROOTS – Alice Merton (15)
16. SOBER UP – AJR ft. Rivers Cuomo (18)
17. LIVE IN THE MOMENT – Portugal. The Man (20)
18. I ONLY LIE WHEN I LOVE YOU – Royal Blood (17)
19. UP ALL NIGHT – Beck (14)
20. PASSION – AWOLNATION (N)
No Mind State is an alternative rock band from Oslo, Norway, and they’ve released their first single “Hold Me Back, I’m Leaving.” It’s an exciting track, and an auspicious debut for the band. Making the music are Henrik Posèbo Sørebø (Guitar, lead vocals), Vetle Berthelsen (Lead Guitar), Vegard Tveito (Bass, backing vocals) and Christian Gathe (Drums). From some of their photos, as well as posts on Instagram, the guys have a strong sense of humor, something I always find appealing in a band.
The song is hard-hitting, melodic rock at its finest. Henrik and Vetle lay down energetic riffs of gritty guitars over Vegard’s driving bass line, while Christian forcefully pounds out the beat with his thumping drums and a barrage of crashing cymbals. Henrik’s sultry, aggressive vocals are impassioned and raw as he sings the lyrics that speak to knowing you should get out of a dysfunctional relationship, but not being able to escape:
Hold me back, I’m leaving Couldn’t shake off the feeling of being wrong, but that’s alright. Drag me down, I’m breathing Suffocation’s relieving, feels so right but I am wrong Raise the bridge and shackle me then I’ll be here for you Don’t dare to rest an eye, or you know the end is nigh Lock the door and throw the key, then I’ll be here for you Build a castle for the night, know its wrong but that’s alright
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