1. BAD GUY – Billie Eilish (1)
2. DOIN’ TIME – Lana Del Rey (4)
3. I SEE YOU – MISSIO (2)
4. MISSED CONNECTION – The Head and the Heart (3)
5. ALLIGATOR – Of Monsters and Men (5)
6. FALLING WITH STYLE – Heist At Five (7)
7. COMING UP FOR AIR – Mars Motel (8)
8. RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THE DEVIL – Revolvers (9)
9. WHEN AM I GONNA LOSE YOU – Local Natives (10)
10. ROOM TO BREATHE – Made of Eyes (6)
11. STRANGE KIND – Blair Dollery (12)
12. UNDER THE COLD LIGHT OF THE MOON – Crystal Cities (13)
13. HERE WE GO – Ben Priory & Charlie Pereira (14)
14. 3 NIGHTS – Dominic Fike (15)
15. GO – The Black Keys (16)
16. CRINGE – Matt Maeson (17)
17. OLD MAN’S WAR – Roadkeeper (11)
18. FOUR WINDS – Unquiet Nights (20)
19. RAGGED TOWN – Second Player Score (22)
20. THIS LIFE – Vampire Weekend (23)
21. BLOW – Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars (25)
22. SOCIAL CUES – Cage the Elephant (27)
23. THE HYPE – twenty one pilots (29)
24. HELP ME STRANGER – The Raconteurs (18)
25. BROTHERS – Harroland (26)
26. HEAT OF THE SUMMER – Young the Giant (30)
27. BOOM – X Ambassadors (24)
28. ESCAPE – Ships Have Sailed (19) 21st week on chart
29. I’LL BE AROUND – Morning Fuzz (21)
30. GOOD THINGS FALL APART – ILLENIUM with Jon Bellion (N)
Tag: Crystal Cities
Top 30 Songs for August 4-10, 2019
1. BAD GUY – Billie Eilish (2)
2. I SEE YOU – MISSIO (1)
3. MISSED CONNECTION – The Head and the Heart (3)
4. DOIN’ TIME – Lana Del Rey (5)
5. ALLIGATOR – Of Monsters and Men (4)
6. ROOM TO BREATHE – Made of Eyes (7)
7. FALLING WITH STYLE – Heist At Five (8)
8. COMING UP FOR AIR – Mars Motel (9)
9. RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THE DEVIL – Revolvers (10)
10. WHEN AM I GONNA LOSE YOU – Local Natives (11)
11. OLD MAN’S WAR – Roadkeeper (6)
12. STRANGE KIND – Blair Dollery (13)
13. UNDER THE COLD LIGHT OF THE MOON – Crystal Cities (15)
14. HERE WE GO – Ben Priory & Charlie Pereira (16)
15. 3 NIGHTS – Dominic Fike (17)
16. GO – The Black Keys (20)
17. CRINGE – Matt Maeson (18)
18. HELP ME STRANGER – The Raconteurs (19)
19. ESCAPE – Ships Have Sailed (12) 20th week on chart
20. FOUR WINDS – Unquiet Nights (22)
21. I’LL BE AROUND – Morning Fuzz (14)
22. RAGGED TOWN – Second Player Score (23)
23. THIS LIFE – Vampire Weekend (24)
24. BOOM – X Ambassadors (25)
25. BLOW – Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars (26)
26. BROTHERS – Harroland (27)
27. SOCIAL CUES – Cage the Elephant (28)
28. DARK PLACES – The Frontier (21) 22nd week on chart
29. THE HYPE – twenty one pilots (N)
30. HEAT OF THE SUMMER – Young the Giant (N)
Top 30 Songs for July 28-August 3, 2019
1. I SEE YOU – MISSIO (1) 4th week at #1
2. BAD GUY – Billie Eilish (2)
3. MISSED CONNECTION – The Head and the Heart (3)
4. ALLIGATOR – Of Monsters and Men (4)
5. DOIN’ TIME – Lana Del Rey (6)
6. OLD MAN’S WAR – Roadkeeper (5)
7. ROOM TO BREATHE – Made of Eyes (8)
8. FALLING WITH STYLE – Heist At Five (10)
9. COMING UP FOR AIR – Mars Motel (11)
10. RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THE DEVIL – Revolvers (12)
11. WHEN AM I GONNA LOSE YOU – Local Natives (13)
12. ESCAPE – Ships Have Sailed (7)
13. STRANGE KIND – Blair Dollery (15)
14. I’LL BE AROUND – Morning Fuzz (9)
15. UNDER THE COLD LIGHT OF THE MOON – Crystal Cities (16)
16. HERE WE GO – Ben Priory and Charlie Pereira (17)
17. 3 NIGHTS – Dominic Fike (18)
18. CRINGE – Matt Maeson (19)
19. HELP ME STRANGER – The Raconteurs (20)
20. GO – The Black Keys (25)
21. DARK PLACES – The Frontier (14) 21st week on chart
22. FOUR WINDS – Unquiet Nights (24)
23. RAGGED TOWN – Second Player Score (26)
24. THIS LIFE – Vampire Weekend (27)
25. BOOM – X Ambassadors (28)
26. BLOW – Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars (29)
27. BROTHERS – Harroland (30)
28. SOCIAL CUES – Cage the Elephant (N)
29. FEAR THE FUTURE – IAMWARFACE (21) 21st week on chart
30. STILL FEEL. – half alive (22)
Top 30 Songs for July 21-27, 2019
1. I SEE YOU – MISSIO (1)
2. BAD GUY – Billie Eilish (2)
3. MISSED CONNECTION – The Head and the Heart (3)
4. ALLIGATOR – Of Monsters and Men (5)
5. OLD MAN’S WAR – Roadkeeper (6)
6. DOIN’ TIME – Lana Del Rey (10)
7. ESCAPE – Ships Have Sailed (4)
8. ROOM TO BREATHE – Made of Eyes (9)
9. I’LL BE AROUND – Morning Fuzz (7)
10. FALLING WITH STYLE – Heist At Five (11)
11. COMING UP FOR AIR – Mars Motel (12)
12. RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THE DEVIL – Revolvers (13)
13. WHEN AM I GONNA LOSE YOU – Local Natives (14)
14. DARK PLACES – The Frontier (8) 20th week on chart
15. STRANGE KIND – Blair Dollery (18)
16. UNDER THE COLD LIGHT OF THE MOON – Crystal Cities (19)
17. HERE WE GO – Ben Priory and Charlie Pereira (20)
18. 3 NIGHTS – Dominic Fike (22)
19. CRINGE – Matt Maeson (23)
20. HELP ME STRANGER – The Raconteurs (25)
21. FEAR THE FUTURE – IAMWARFACE (15) 20th week on chart
22. STILL FEEL. – half alive (16)
23. SAW LIGHTNING – Beck (17)
24. FOUR WINDS – Unquiet Nights (26)
25. GO – The Black Keys (28)
26. RAGGED TOWN – Second Player Score (30)
27. THIS LIFE – Vampire Weekend (N)
28. BOOM – X Ambassadors (N)
29. BLOW – Ed Sheeran, Chris Stapleton & Bruno Mars (N)
30. BROTHERS – Harroland (N)
Top 30 Songs for July 14-20, 2019
1. I SEE YOU – MISSIO (1)
2. BAD GUY – Billie Eilish (3)
3. MISSED CONNECTION – The Head and the Heart (4)
4. ESCAPE – Ships Have Sailed (2)
5. ALLIGATOR – Of Monsters and Men (6)
6. OLD MAN’S WAR – Roadkeeper (8)
7. I’LL BE AROUND – Morning Fuzz (9)
8. DARK PLACES – The Frontier (5)
9. ROOM TO BREATHE – Made of Eyes (12)
10. DOIN’ TIME – Lana Del Rey (18)
11. FALLING WITH STYLE – Heist At Five (13)
12. COMING UP FOR AIR – Mars Motel (14)
13. RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THE DEVIL – Revolvers (16)
14. WHEN AM I GONNA LOSE YOU – Local Natives (20)
15. FEAR THE FUTURE – IAMWARFACE (7)
16. STILL FEEL. – half alive (10)
17. SAW LIGHTNING – Beck (11)
18. STRANGE KIND – Blair Dollery (19)
19. UNDER THE COLD LIGHT OF THE MOON – Crystal Cities (22)
20. HERE WE GO – Ben Priory and Charlie Pereira (23)
21. BELOVED – Mumford & Sons (15)
22. 3 NIGHTS – Dominic Fike (28)
23. CRINGE – Matt Maeson (27)
24. HELP ME STRANGER – The Raconteurs (29)
25. HURT – Oliver Tree (17)
26. FOUR WINDS – Unquiet Nights (30)
27. PATIENCE – Tame Impala (24)
28. GO – The Black Keys (N)
29. ECHOES – Ignite the Fire (25)
30. RAGGED TOWN – Second Player Score (N)
Top 30 Songs for July 7-13, 2019
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)
Top 30 Songs for June 30-July 6, 2019
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)
Top 30 Songs for June 23-29, 2019
1. DARK PLACES – The Frontier (2)
2. FEAR THE FUTURE – IAMWARFACE (1)
3. ESCAPE – Ships Have Sailed (3)
4. HURT – Oliver Tree (5)
5. BAD GUY – Billie Eilish (6)
6. MISSED CONNECTION – The Head and the Heart (7)
7. I SEE YOU – MISSIO (14)
8. STILL FEEL. – half alive (8)
9. BURY A FRIEND – Billie Eilish (4)
10. BELOVED – Mumford & Sons (11)
11. PATIENCE – Tame Impala (12)
12. ALLIGATOR – Of Monsters and Men (20)
13. I’LL BE AROUND – Morning Fuzz (15)
14. OLD MAN’S WAR – Roadkeeper (16)
15. SAW LIGHTNING – Beck (19)
16. DISAPPEAR – Western Jaguar (9) 21st week on chart
17. CHLORINE – twenty one pilots (10)
18. LONGSHOT – Catfish and the Bottlemen (13) 21st week on chart
19. MAYBE, I’M AFRAID – lovelytheband (22)
20. ROOM TO BREATHE – Made of Eyes (23)
21. LOVE CRAZY – Karolina Rose (17)
22. TIME – Morosity (18)
23. FALLING WITH STYLE – Heist At Five (27)
24. COMING UP FOR AIR – Mars Motel (28)
25. ECHOES – Ignite the Fire (29)
26. RUBBING SHOULDERS WITH THE DEVIL – Revolvers (30)
27. NOT WORTH IT – The Only Route (21)
28. STRANGE KIND – Blair Dollery (N)
29. UNDER THE COLD LIGHT OF THE MOON – Crystal Cities (N)
30. HERE WE GO – Ben Priory & Charlie Pereira (N)
CRYSTAL CITIES – Single Review: “Under the Cold Light of the Moon”
‘Dream Rock that sounds like Death Cab For Cutie had a War On Drugs with The Beatles.’ That’s how Australian band Crystal Cities describe their enchanting sound, and it’s spot-on. Their wonderful songs feature thoughtful lyrics and stunning melodies delivered by superb instrumentation and vocals. In March 2017, the Sydney-based three-piece released their outstanding and critically acclaimed debut EP Who’s Gonna Save Us Now. The gorgeous title track and lead single “Who’s Gonna Save Us Now”, which I featured on this blog that April, reached #1 on the Unearthed Overall Charts within a few days of its release, and ended up on my 100 Best Songs of 2017 list. Now they’re back with a stunning new track “Under the Cold Light of the Moon“, the lead single from their forthcoming album of the same name, set for release on 31 May.
Crystal Cities is comprised of the very talented Geoff Rana (Vocals, Guitars), Jared King (JK) (Bass, Backing Vocals) and Daniel Conte (Drums). Since the release of their EP, the guys have had a productive two years and have come a long way, from a garage in Sydney to Abbey Road Studios in London. First, they signed a record and publishing deal with global music company Audio Network (one of a group of companies owned by Toronto, Canada-based multinational mass media and entertainment company eOne). Second, through that partnership, the band had the opportunity to record their debut album Under the Cold Light of the Moon at the prestigious Abbey Road Studios.
According to Rana, the new single “was inspired by the plight of young North Korean girl Yeonmi Park who escaped North Korea in search of freedom.” After seeing her moving speech at the One Young World Summit 2014 in Dublin, Ireland, where she told the audience “When I was crossing the Gobi desert, scared of dying, I thought nobody in this world cared. It seemed that only the stars were with me. But you have listened to my story. You have cared. Thank you very much”, Rana felt compelled to interpret her story through a song.
And what a beautiful, uplifting song it is! Starting off with a faint whisper of synths and delicate tapping of cymbals, a chugging riff of jangly guitar, set to a thumping drumbeat, soon enter the mix along with Rana’s raspy, yet lovely vocals. The music gradually builds as layers of guitar and percussion are added, backed by lush orchestral strings that create a stirring, cinematic soundscape for the hopeful lyrics:
Made my way out through the desert
Made my way across the sand
Under cover of the night I’m face to face
I’ve been thinking of a place
I’ve been making my escape
Under the cold light of the moon
Rana’s intricate guitar work is gorgeous, while King and Conte keep a tight rhythm with their defty-played bass line and drums. The song, along with the rest of the album, was flawlessly mastered by Paul Stefanidis at Viking Lounge Mastering, engineered by Adam Alexander and John Romeo (assisted by Tayla Gibbs), and mixed by L.A.-based engineer Paul Lani (David Bowie, Prince, Megadeath). Regarding the provocative photo for the single and album which shows the guys blindfolded, Rana explained: “This album will have plenty of lyrical references to themes of escape, resistance, and limited/restricted views. Having us positioned in a sort of prisoner-like scenario with blindfolds on seemed a great way to represent these themes.” The photos are courtesy of Amy Benjamin Photography.
The beautiful animated video for the song tells the adventure of Yeonmi Park’s harrowing nighttime escape. It was created by Jordyn-Rae Morrison (The-F0X).
Connect with Crystal Cities: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music on Spotify / Soundcloud
Purchase on Bandcamp / iTunes / Google Play
Featured Song & Video: CRYSTAL CITIES – “Who’s Gonna Save Us Now”
Every once in a while you hear a song for the first time and it’s instant love. That was my reaction upon first hearing the breathtaking new single “Who’s Gonna Save Us Now” by Australian band Crystal Cities. Musically and lyrically, the song is absolutely stunning, and it’s arrangement and production are flawless.
Based in Sydney, Crystal Cities is Geoff Rana on vocals & guitars, Jared King on bass & backing vocals and Daniel Conte on drums. The guys call their music “Dream Rock that sounds like Death Cab For Cutie had a War On Drugs with The Beatles.” It’s a perfect description of their music style.
The beautiful video was directed by Vittoria Merlino-Dentice and, as explained in notes for the video, is “set in the 1940’s, [and] follows the journey of two young child compadres as they escape from their well-to-do life, exploring the Australian countryside, and searching for truth from a perspective of innocence and vulnerability.”
Connect with Crystal Cities: Twitter / Facebook / Instagram
Stream their music: Soundcloud / Spotify / YouTube
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 