The Sylvia Platters are a wonderful band from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and I love their music. Comprised of Alex Kerc-Murchison, Stephen Carl O’Shea, and brothers Nick and Tim Ubels, they play melodic jangle pop, infused with elements of alternative rock, indie, shoegaze and dream pop, and served up with stellar arrangements, exquisite instrumentation and Nick’s sublime vocals. While not at all retro, their pleasing sound nevertheless reminds me at times of such 90s bands as the Gin Blossoms and Toad the Wet Sprocket, with hints of 60s The Byrds.
From what I can tell, they’ve been putting out really fine music for about nine years, beginning with their 2015 debut album Make Glad the Day. Since then, they’ve released a second album Shadow Steps, in 2018, as well as numerous singles and three EPs, including the outstanding Live at Malibu Sound last year. If you like great jangle and power pop, I strongly recommend checking out at least some of their back music catalog.
Photo of the guys drinking the blue Kool Aid by Anthony Biondi
Now the guys are back with a marvelous new single “Kool Aid Blue“, a tasty cup of jangle pop goodness. Released January 19th, the track was recorded and produced by Jordan Koop at The Noise Floor, Gabriola Island, BC, and mastered by Greg Mindorff at Suite Sound Labs in Vancouver. I know next to nothing about the mechanics of music, so can only do my best to describe what I hear.
First off, I really like the song’s fascinating melody that sounds more complex and unpredictable than a typical pop or rock song, which I find causes me to want to listen more carefully and closely. Second, I love the contrasting gnarly and jangly guitars, which makes for a richer, more dramatic soundscape. And what exceptional guitar work it is, those gorgeous jangly guitar notes sparkling like precious gems, accompanied by grungier notes soaked in glorious reverb. Of course, I have to call out the brilliant rhythm section of resounding bass and aggressive percussion that together drive the song forward so beautifully.
Nick’s vocals are warm and comforting as he sings the poetic, yet relatable, lyrics that seem to be about having uneasy feelings of self-doubt and uncertainty, and attempting to escape from them through alcohol, symbolized by Kool Aid blue.
Living in sequence Gets a little uneven Spin in a fixture Alight as a stone
Alternative vision A tragic hair decision Read in the leaves That all you need’s a missing page
Glimpse the ether A mirror figure It’s just a phase you can’t escape
A sinking feeling Amber light; a dimmer view But that sinking feeling Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue
Slow motion sickness Wasted in stasis Another draft begins alone With three sheets to the wind You follow it home
A sequined ceiling In the dark, a clearer view And that sinking feeling Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue
And that sinking feeling Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue Will dissolve in Kool Aid blue Oo oo oo oo oo oo
The video was written and directed by Daniel Sparrow, filmed by Brendan Taylor, with additional photography by Daniel Sparrow and Alex Kerc-Murchison, and produced by Zone Pictures. It stars Junnicia Lagoutin, who’s shown in scenes with and without Nick Ubels, along with Jordan Hughes and the other band members.
And here’s the song on Bandcamp, along with a bonus “sugar free” instrumental version:
Named after his childhood imaginary friend, Eleanor Collides is the solo music project of London-based singer-songwriter and guitarist Nick Ranga. The talented artist melds alternative, indie and dream rock with synth pop to create his distinctly melancholic, yet beautiful sound. I love how he’s described his influences: “I find inspiration in the cathartic vulnerability of Low, the poetic storytelling of R.E.M., the passionate anthems of Manic Street Preachers, the genre-defying artistry of Orville Peck, and the darkly captivating electronica of Depeche Mode. These influences, among many others, have shaped my artistic vision, allowing me to carve out a unique sonic identity.”
Though he’d been writing songs for many years, he finally started recording and releasing music in the summer of 2021, beginning with a four-track EP How to Make Friends. He followed up with a couple of singles, then in March 2022, he released his debut album People are Taller in Real Life. Since then, the prolific artist has dropped eight more singles, one of which, the hauntingly beautiful “Pantomime“, I featured in a Fresh New Tracks this past April. Today he’s back with his latest single “Daydreams and Algorithms“, another outstanding track. All eight singles will be included in his forthcoming second album, due for release later in the year.
For the recording of the song, Nick sang lead vocals and played guitars, bass, piano, drums and strings, and Charles Connolly, who mixed and mastered the track, played marimba and sang backing vocals. Though “Daydreams and Algorithms” starts off slowly, with just a simple, rather melancholic strummed guitar, it soon becomes clear that there’s a lot going on musically. As the song progresses, the instrumentation expands into a captivating soundscape, with added guitar, piano and warm strings, accompanied by Charles’ enchanting marimba and Nick’s steady drumbeats and moody bassline. Nick’s pleasing, low-key vocals have a comforting, almost sensuous quality, nicely complemented by his and Charles’ ethereal backing harmonies. It’s a stunning song.
As to the song’s meaning, Nick says it’s “about longing and obsession in the age of social media, about falling in love with someone through a screen who may or may not be real.”
I can hear the sound of dreams The cigarettes and faded blue jeans The photographs and played back scenes Never knowing what they mean
I can see your days collide The indecision codified The fantasies and rising tide History happens in real time
ooh ooh ooh
You could be my daydream My landslide, my slipstream My devil chasing moonbeams Intention lost to the mainstream
I could be your joyride Your agent on the outside Your lowest low and highest tide Watch as I revert to type
Time seems to fly by at an ever-increasing speed, and it’s hard to believe that it’s been five and a half years since I first wrote about Australian alternative dream rock band Crystal Cities, when I featured their captivating song “Who’s Gonna Save Us Now” in April 2017. I’ve been a huge fan of the Sydney-based act ever since, and have written about them several more times over the years (you can read some of those reviews by clicking on the Related links at the end of this post). I can honestly state that I’ve loved every single one of their songs without exception, especially their stunning single “Under the Cold Light of the Moon”, which I ranked #10 on my Top 100 Songs of 2019.
The supremely talented trio consists of Geoff Rana on lead vocals, guitars and keyboards, Jared King on bass and backing vocals, and Neel Shukla, who earlier this year replaced long-time drummer Daniel Conte, on drums and percussion. Since the release of their debut single “Tell Me Now” in 2016, they’ve released numerous singles, an EP Who’s Gonna Save Us Now in 2017, and two albums, Under the Cold Light of the Moon in 2019, and Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight, in October 2021. Now, nearly a year to the day later, they return with a brand new single “Love Don’t Live Here Anymore“. The song was produced and engineered by Geoff in his bedroom studio in Sydney, and mixed and mastered by Paul Lani in Los Angeles.
It’s always great hearing new music by Crystal Cities, and I couldn’t be happier. As to be expected, it’s another outstanding song, featuring their signature swirling melodies and soaring anthemic choruses. Geoff lays down a rousing mix of jangly and chugging riffs, while Jared’s nimble bassline and Neel’s assertive thumping drumbeats keep the powerful rhythmic groove. Geoff’s warm string and brass synths are marvelous, adding an arresting cinematic feel to the proceedings. I’ve always loved his emotive, slightly raspy vocals, which sound even deeper and more impassioned here.
Geoff elaborates about his inspiration for writing the song (which also nicely articulates my own struggles with being a music blogger): “I happened to be going through one of those ‘down’ moments where giving up music and writing songs seemed like the best option for moving forward with my life…Wild peaks of motivation followed by troughs of listlessness are simply part of the experience of being a creative person struggling to find some semblance of success in an ever-changing world. Ironically, it was when I was feeling at my lowest that I happened to sit down with my guitar and start strumming the opening chords for ‘Love Don’t Live Here Anymore’. It was through that song that I found myself reuniting with why I write songs and why I love it so much. ‘Love Don’t Live Here Anymore’ is about the experience of losing something or someone you once loved, and then the joy you get from reconnecting with, or rediscovering that something or someone.”
Now, these bridges, they burn
Man, it’s harder to learn
If they’ve called your name
And I watch from the shore
Darling, I’ve heard it all
Yeah, it’s all the same
And we can sit here and watch
As the seasons get lost
In these faraway dreams
In these faraway dreams
Man, these faces they break
Into tiny mistakes
Yeah, we’ve met before
And I’ve crawled from the floor
Made my way out the door
Into cold-hearted streets
And watch the cigarette burn
Through the hole in my hand
I’m the getaway scene
I’m the getaway scene
Yeah, I’ve been driving through this breakup
And I’ve been waiting out this storm
I’ve been holding all these aces
But I’ve been holding on too long
Cause’ love, it don’t live here anymore
AnymoreMatter of fact
Well, I’m willing to bet
It’s just what they say
And I’m starting to choke
Through the whiskey and smoke
But my heart says to stay
Well, it all tastes the same
Yeah, it all tastes the same
Yeah, I’ve been driving through this breakup
And I’ve been waiting out this storm
I’ve been holding all these aces
But I’ve been holding on too long
Cause’ love, it don’t live here anymore
Anymore
The wonderful cover art for the single was created by Mikey Hart, with voiceover artist, actor and producer Chris Miller portraying the clown. The video was directed and edited by Arron Davis, with Miller playing the sad clown, and Daniel Dydey helping out on guitar duties while Geoff sang.
I’ve recently featured more international acts on this blog than ever (in the past few months I’ve written about artists & bands from South Africa, Malaysia, Australia, Canada, England, Wales, Germany, Italy and Denmark, as well as a compilation album featuring artists from across Europe), and today I’m pleased to introduce my first ever act from Finland, a wonderful band called Frozen Factory. I learned about them when band vocalist Stephen Baker reached out to me about their new EP The First Liquidation, which dropped May 28th.
Formed rather spontaneously at the end of 2018, the Helsinki-based group has undergone numerous personnel changes, and now consists of founding member Tomi Hassinen on bass, Stephen Baker (who’s originally from England) on vocals, Mici Ehnqvist on lead guitar, and Marianne Heikkinen on drums. Influenced by some of their favorite acts like Alice In Chains, Iron Maiden, Depeche Mode, Pink Floyd, System of a Down and Rage Against the Machine, they create moody, complex and melodic alternative rock with strong undercurrents of progressive, grunge, symphonic, metal and dream rock. This seemingly contradictory and eclectic combination of stylistic elements makes for some incredibly compelling and darkly beautiful music that’s a joy to listen to.
They released their marvelous debut album Planted Feet in June 2020, then followed with a series of singles from December 2020 to May 2021, which culminated in the release of The First Liquidation. Interestingly, the EP almost never got made, as Frozen Factory originally planned to drop a few one-off singles before moving on to focus on their already-written second album, to be released later this year. But they were having so much fun creating these new songs that ‘a few singles’ eventually grew into to a five-track EP, which then ballooned to become what the band describes as “an EP with a suspiciously high number of tracks.” It now features eight tracks, six of which are fully fledged songs, with the other two serving as intro and outro. Because it runs less than 30 minutes in length, the band feels it doesn’t quite qualify as an album, hence their insistence in calling it an EP. The songs were co-written by Stephen and Tomi, with Tomi also flawlessly producing the EP.
About the EP, Stephen explains: “We’re extremely proud to present this record to you. In between our main records we wanted to spend some time practising our craft using some strong songs that didn’t match the theme of our previous or upcoming albums. It’s been even more rewarding than we imagined in terms of fun and from how much we’ve learned making these songs. This record takes a brief look at human-to-human relationships, expressing some thoughts on empathy or lack of, and telling a couple of true stories.We think you’ll enjoy the emotive true-to-life direction of the record and the expanded use of sound design. We’re active with talking to those who follow us, especially on Instagram, so please come and say hi and join our mailing list on http://www.frozenfactorymusic.com.”
In listening to the EP, what first strikes me is that, despite its relatively short run time, it feels almost like a rock opera or an epic musical in the vein of Les Misérables. This is partly due to the music’s complex and cinematic arrangements, but also the sounds and interludes used between songs that work to tie them together. Also, Stephen’s gorgeous vocals have a rich and commanding timbre that make them perfectly suited for the more grandiose orchestration. (As a side note, he recorded his vocals in a tiny home sauna that he converted into a sound booth, so as not to disturb his family and neighbors. Because it heated up very quickly within the enclosed space, he recorded vocals in his underwear.)
The opening track “The Alternate Missed” starts off rather ominously, with dark, cinematic synths and distant choral vocals, followed by sounds of footsteps in snow and a door opening and closing as someone enters a building. The ominous music returns along with Stephen’s vocals earnestly singing the profound lyrics that seem to speak of a fallen leader, and setting the tone for the EP: “And once his head’s spun with truth and fiction. The wise lament lest they ignore his final diction. And languish their judgement or vanquish indeed. His theatre has vanished and with it his heed. And we all miss the man that he could have been.”
The song immediately segues into “Au Contraire“, a lovely, melodic song with lyrics in both English and French. The song continues with the theme introduced in the previous track, namely what seems to me to be the duplicity of a hubris-afflicted leader who disregards the suffering of his/her citizens: “Fait accompli. The value of the public’s clear. Raison d’être, to earn for you through their blood, sweat, and tears. Objet d’art, the walls of that cathedral stand, Vis à vis, now aligned with your contempt for those who truly need.” Stephen beautifully sings the English and French lyrics with ease, accompanied by guest vocals by French singer Madeleen singing the choruses. The whistling at the beginning of the song, as well as the warm organ and accordion notes and gently-strummed guitars give the song an intriguing French flair.
One of my favorite tracks on the EP is the anthemic “Hour of Need“, with its stirring piano-driven melody and dramatic soaring choruses. The song’s arrangement and execution are first-rate, nicely showcasing the exceptional musicianship of all four band members. I don’t know who plays piano here, but it’s stunning, and I love Stephen’s plaintive vocals, backed by Marianne’s hauntingly beautiful harmonies. The poetic lyrics are somewhat ambiguous to me, but my guess is that they speak to the current fears and strife facing many of us, urging us to remain focused on the big picture, and make the best of this one life we’re given: “In our hour of need, we’re adrift endlessly / Always remember this journey’s but once. Don’t cast it away. A sound destination sits on the horizon. Keep above the waves.”
Frozen Factory taps into their metal sensibilities on “Old Money“, which has a frantic, almost punkish vibe, both musically and lyrically. Mici rips through the airwaves with his blistering guitar work, while Tomi and Marianne keep the pummeling rhythms moving forward at full throttle. Stephen’s rapid-fire vocals sound fiercer than ever as he launches into a diatribe against the wealthy elite and how they keep the rest of us financially enslaved: “Some are born in, with every way out they could wish for. Others are born out, with no way in. Yet many search endlessly for an open door./ Their old money. Their old kings and queens. Their bloody tricks. They’ve had us on our knees.”
I have a special fondness for female drummers, and this video shows Marianne working her magic.
They then show their softer, more introspective side on the poignant ballad “Two Dads“. The touching song is about a man on his way to work who encounters a homeless man begging for a handout. He fumbles through his pockets, only to discover he has no change to give him, and thinks about the fact that they both have children who they’d give their life for, and how fate and luck have put them in such differing life circumstances: “His face says that he knows, my growing dread has been shown. He’s sensed me thinking of my son. We’d both die to save a cherished one. I can’t begin to comprehend gifts only received by the few lucky kids. Ought’a run to my job, can’t be late, no I won’t miss my stop. After leaving I ponder my time. Could have gone to get cash, my career would survive.”
“When You’ve Grown” is equally poignant, with lyrics spoken internally from a father to his child who’s growing up so fast, thinking out loud about how he will miss them as they are now, yet looking forward to knowing them as an adult too: “I feel I will miss you when you’ve grown. That child you are today, it’s sad that we won’t meet again./ I’d never hold you back. Never hope for that. I’ll be proud to see the grown-up that you will be.” The song starts off slowly, with eerie synths and a far-off gently pounding drumbeat that’s soon replaced by somber piano chords as Stephen wistfully sings. Halfway through, the music and Stephen’s vocals turn more dramatic and impassioned, with heavier metal-rock guitar and percussion, before calming back down at the end.
The powerful and haunting rock anthem “You” is another strong track, with outstanding guitar work, sweeping keyboards and thunderous percussion. Mici’s fiery guitar solo and Stephen’s impassioned vocals are fantastic, leaving me covered with goosebumps. The lyrics seem to speak to a leader of some kind who’s waging a valiant but continuously threatened effort against tyranny: “You build us up, and you’re torn down. We suck the gun aimed at you. Target of the noose. You call injustice by its name. And you won’t stop until it’s better. Though you’re sick of the lies. You give yourself for our lives. Enduring the pressure.”
The EP ends on a somewhat optimistic note with “An Improbable Flame“, a brief, rather dark-sounding track that opens with harsh sounds of radio static, eerie thumping drumbeats, ill winds and breaking glass, which are eventually replaced with a somber piano movement. Stephen speaks the hopeful lyrics that perhaps we’ll do better next time: “A flame is improbable in a storm that’s unstoppable. Yet it is not the storm but the greed that tips the candlestick. To light for one a second wick, only to snuff their blessing out. Yet when gifted another time and place, perhaps this soul won’t make the same mistake. But share instead that flame around, til’ the winds blow not amongst the circled crowd.”
In another review of The First Liquidation for Finnish webzine Kaaos, a writer criticized the eclectic nature of the music and songs, commenting that “the listening experience leaves you wondering what the band really wants to be: serene, flexible British pop, gloomy Gothic rock, or post-grunge world pain?” He couldn’t be more wrong, as I think the variety of styles and sounds of the songs are a real strength, keeping the EP sounding fresh and surprising, rather than boring and predictable. Every track is superb, and I found that I grew to love each song with repeated listens, as the music is so complex and rich, and Stephen’s arresting vocals such a joy to hear. The First Liquidation is an exceptional work on every level, and I’m now a committed fan of Frozen Factory.
One of my favorite American indie bands is alt-rock quartet Roadkeeper, who since forming in 2018 have released a string of exceptional singles. Based in the eastern Texas city of Tyler, the band consists of songwriter/producer John Hetherington (vocals, synths, rhythm guitar), Trevor Tull (lead guitar), Nick Cogdill (drums) and Daniel Griffith (bass), all long-time friends. Roadkeeper is completely independent and self-produced, doing their recording, producing and mixing in John’s studio, and releasing their songs on their own label Equal Temperament. Blending dreamy shoegaze and dramatic psychedelic rock with complex melodic structures, they craft lush soundscapes that are a perfect backdrop for their intelligent, socially conscious, sometimes political, and always topically relevant lyrics that give us something to think about.
I’ve featured them three times on this blog over the past two years (you can read my reviews under ‘Related’ at the bottom of this article). I love all their songs, but two that stand out for me personally are “Old Man’s War”, a beautiful track about anxiety and worry over things, both real and imagined, and “Downs”, stunning song about impostor syndrome and not finding one’s place within the cultural and sociopolitical milieu. “Downs” went to #1 on my Weekly Top 30, and ranked #15 on my Top 100 Songs of 2020 list. Now they’re back with their 7th single “Enemy Mine“, which I’ve chosen as my New Song of the Week. While still featuring their dream rock elements we’ve come to love from Roadkeeper, the song is darker and more sonically intense than their previous singles, befitting the politically-charged lyrics.
The band doesn’t shy away from making their progressive-leaning views known, and states that the song “is about the far right radicalization of vulnerable young people in the U.S. by white nationalist professional pundits who are fed viewers and readers by algorithms on social media and YouTube. There is an organized effort to convert impressionable young people into radical white supremacists and encourage them to undertake radical action against marginalized people and progressive political movements. ‘Enemy Mine’ is about the dissonance between the perceived realities of radical white supremacists and that of everyone else.”
The track opens with ominous cinematic synths that build for nearly a minute, then pounding drumbeats ensue along with wailing guitars, only to calm back down as John begins to sings the verses in his beautiful falsetto. John and Trevor’s blend of jangly and psychedelic guitars are enveloped by shimmery synths, while Daniel and Nick drive the rhythm forward with their thumping bass line and aggressive drums. Everything erupts into an electrifying crescendo of wailing guitars, screaming synths and explosive percussion in the bridge, continuing through to the end of the track for a powerful climax to a gorgeous rock song.
Even words we never say
Turn their heads from soft to something strange
Waiting on some kids to sign on
Twisting up their roots to point their sharp to ZionTheir undeveloped brain’s distastes
For things they’ve never seen are set in place
It’s such a shame
Bitter little loners
Look to those who look like them to find themselves
Born without a purpose
Led to think they’re worthless until now
Feed their doubt Give them some kind of god to worship
Weapons always find their way to
Enemies’ front lines
Spreading lies, blacking flags
Even if they hesitate there’s
No way that they’re ever coming back
Safe behind the soft glow waiting
Self appointed sergeants have their backs
Faceless basement
Terrorist replacements
Holy war, hiding places
The worst of them will steal our words
The dramatic video, produced by Robert Woodward, shows digitally-altered footage of recent political protests juxtaposed with old footage of 50’s films, atomic blasts, space exploration and scenes of the band performing the song.
Ever since first hearing their stunning and critically-acclaimed debut EP Who’s Gonna Save Us Now in early 2017, I’ve been a huge fan of Sydney, Australia-based dream rock band Crystal Cities. With a lush, melodic sound they describe as “like Death Cab For Cutie had a War On Drugs with The Beatles” – all bands I love – it’s no wonder I would love their beautiful music too. The supremely talented and strikingly handsome trio consists of Geoff Rana (vocals, guitars, keyboard), Jared King (bass, backing vocals) and Daniel Conte (drums, percussion). I’ve previously featured them three times on this blog, and ranked their gorgeous single “Under the Cold Light of the Moon” at #10 on my Top 100 Songs of 2019. Their outstanding debut album of the same name, recorded at the legendary Abbey Road Studios, also received widespread acclaim.
It’s an understatement that 2020 presented significant challenges to musicians around the world, and like many artists and bands, Crystal Cities have had to make the most of a difficult situation by being creative in terms of how they record and release new music. Accordingly, they made the bold decision to self-produce, record and engineer their second album Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight, as well as release it as ten individual singles, one at a time. Bassist Jared King explains their thinking behind this move: “I think content and momentum are two very important things to be aware of in the streaming-age. Releasing multiple songs all at once is wasted potential in my eyes. We’ve worked so hard on each and every track on this album so why not let each one have it’s time in the spotlight rather than getting lost in the noise of an entire album release all at once.”
Last August, they released their first single “Don’t Speak Too Soon” (you can read my review here), and followed up over the next few months with “Got My Back to the Wind” and “Shadow of a Doubt”. On January 1st, they dropped the fourth single “Jenny, How Were We to Know?“, and it’s another beautiful gem in an unbroken string of superb singles. The song has a somewhat dreamier vibe than the previous three singles, more in the vein of their earlier songs. But as to be expected, the beautiful melody, swirling guitar work, subtle bass and thumping drums are flawless, and I love Geoff Rana’s warm, pleasing vocals.
The song seems to speak about desire and the uncertainties of love, but the lyrics are intentionally ambiguous. Rana elaborates: “The meaning behind this song is something I’ve chosen to remain a mystery. Being a music artist in 2021, we’re encouraged to share every little detail about our lives with our audience. While this has opened up many opportunities for artists to have unique and personal interactions with fans – something which we encourage and take full advantage of in Crystal Cities – there are some things that perhaps should be kept to ourselves in order to set boundaries and protect and respect the privacy of other people… In this instance, I want the context of this song to be left up to the listener’s own interpretation.”
The song at #25 on my list of 100 Best Songs of the 2010s is “The Less I Know the Better” by Tame Impala. The achingly beautiful song about young lust and love makes me wish I was 18 again, and is so fucking gorgeous it stirs the hopeless romantic in me, bringing a tear to my eye and a lump in my throat every time I hear it.
Tame Impala is the music project of Australian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Kevin Parker, who writes, records, performs and produces all his own music, although he collaborates with a number of musicians, many of whom are members of his other psychedelic rock band Pond, for live shows. “The Less I Know the Better” is one of the singles from his stellar, critically-acclaimed third album Currents (which ended up on many critics’ best album of 2015 lists). I could just as easily have chosen “Let It Happen”, another equally beautiful song from Currents, for this list, but I think I love “The Less I Know the Better” more.
Parker stated in an interview with Under the Radar that the song “shouldn’t be on a Tame Impala album, because it has this dorky, white disco funk. I wouldn’t call it cheesy, but it’s not trying to be too cool, because the lyrics are pretty dorky and the groove is pretty dorky. But at the same time, for me, I love that kind of music.” So do I. Swirling, glittery synths are combined with a strong bass groove and gorgeous layered chiming and gnarly guitars to create a stunning and dreamy backdrop for Parker’s ethereal falsetto vocals. I love this song so much that I’ve literally listened to it on repeat more times than I can recall. Why this song was not a huge #1 hit is a complete mystery to me. It only appeared on the Billboard Hot Rock Songs chart, where it peaked at a paltry #35.
The lyrics express the protagonist’s intense longing for a girl he can’t have, which Parker so beautifully expresses with his enthralling vocals:
Someone said they left together I ran out the door to get her She was holding hands with Trevor Not the greatest feeling ever Said, “Pull yourself together You should try your luck with Heather” Then I heard they slept together Oh, the less I know the better The less I know the better
Oh my love, can’t you see yourself by my side No surprise when you’re on his shoulder like every night Oh my love, can’t you see that you’re on my mind Don’t suppose you could convince your lover to change his mind So goodbye
She said, “It’s not now or never Wait 10 years, we’ll be together” I said, “Better late than never Just don’t make me wait forever” Don’t make me wait forever Don’t make me wait forever
Oh my love, can’t you see yourself by my side? I don’t suppose you could convince your lover to change his mind
I was doing fine without ya ‘Til I saw your face, now I can’t erase Giving in to all his bullshit Is this what you want, is this who you are? I was doing fine without ya ‘Til I saw your eyes turn away from mine Oh, sweet darling, where he wants you Said, “Come on Superman, say your stupid line” Said, “Come on Superman, say your stupid line” Said, “Come on Superman, say your stupid line”
The unusual and entertaining official video brings the song to life with an imaginative and humorous blend of romance, surrealism and colorful animation. It shows a high school basketball player lusting after a cheerleader, who soon begins a relationship with the team’s gorilla mascot named “Trevor”, who’s referenced in the lyrics. The video was filmed in Barcelona at the visual arts collective CANADA, and the two primary characters are played by Spanish actors Laia Manzanares as the cheerleader and Albert Baro as the basketball player.
Rather ridiculously, the video has been age-restricted by YouTube due to a couple of provocative scenes, so click on the “Watch on YouTube” link to watch it.
Or, just listen to the song on this Official Audio:
Ever since first hearing their stunning and critically-acclaimed debut EP Who’s Gonna Save Us Now in early 2017, I’ve been head over heels in love with the music of Sydney, Australia-based dream rock band Crystal Cities. With a sound they describe as “like Death Cab For Cutie had a War On Drugs with The Beatles” – all three bands I love – it’s no wonder I would love their beautiful music too. The supremely talented trio consists of Geoff Rana (vocals, guitars, keyboard), Jared King (bass, backing vocals) and Daniel Conte (drums, percussion).
In 2019, the guys had the opportunity to record their gorgeous debut album Under the Cold Light of the Moon at the famed Abbey Road Studios. The album featured eight stellar dream rock gems, most with lush orchestral arrangements and instrumentation. The dramatic title track “Under the Cold Light of the Moon” was inspired by the story of young North Korean girl Yeonmi Park. who bravely escaped North Korea in search of freedom. I reviewed the song, and loved it so much that it went to #1 on my Weekly Top 30, and ranked #10 on my Top 100 Songs of 2019 list. The album helped further cement their reputation as an outstanding group of exceptional songwriters and musicians. In recent weeks, they’ve posted back stories with lyrics for each of the album’s tracks on their Instagram page.
Now, Crystal Cities return with their latest single “Don’t Speak Too Soon“, which I’ve chosen as my New Song of the Week. The song, which drops today, August 21st, is the lead single from their forthcoming second album Hold Me Close Hold Me Tight. Both single and album see the band taking a different approach this time around, foregoing the fancy studio and producer and instead choosing to produce the album themselves.
With that in mind, at the beginning of this year, lead singer/guitarist and primary songwriter Geoff Rana decided to learn all the ins and outs of recording. With the help of free educational resources such as YouTube, he began putting his new-found knowledge to work as he tracked “Don’t Speak Too Soon” at his house in Sydney. It was definitely a trial and error experience, and the added responsibility and steep learning curve nearly overwhelmed him. “‘Don’t Speak Too Soon’ is my first attempt at being an engineer and producer. It was a lot more involved than just showing up to the studio to record my parts! I think more hours were spent reading and watching tutorials than actually recording. One of the biggest mental and technical hurdles I had to overcome was losing all my vocal takes and having to re-record them all over again.”
Well, I’d say that Rana did a masterful job, as “Don’t Speak Too Soon” turned out splendid. With the help of renowned L.A.-based mix engineer Paul Lani (David Bowie, Prince), the band has produced another winning single that retains their signature dream rock elements while delivering a more hard-hitting and edgier vibe. The frantic, guitar-driven melody is downright electrifying, and I think it’s the most exciting song Crystal Cities has done yet. Rana sets the airwaves ablaze with blistering riffs of jangly and gnarly guitars. I always thought he was a great guitarist, but here he blows me away with the sheer ferocity of his performance.
Jared King and Daniel Conte keep the powerful rhythm rampaging forward with their hard-driving bassline and smashing drumbeats. I especially love how Conte pounds out a single thumping blow to his drums at various breakpoints in the song to great effect. Then there’s Rana’s hauntingly beautiful vocals that are another highlight for me, as I love his singing voice. With a sense of sad resignation, he passionately laments that perhaps he overplayed his hand in love: “And it burns my eyes down through the bone. Why did I listen to love? Did I speak now too soon?“
I’ve loved every single one of Crystal Cities’ songs, and happily add “Don’t Speak Too Soon” to the list. Spectacular job guys!
The cool vintage-looking lyric video was produced by bassist Jared King.
As a music blogger, I’m sent a continuous flood of music by artists, bands, labels and PR reps for my consideration for possible reviews. While a lot of it is decent or even quite good, I cannot possibly write about all that comes my way. But every now and then, a submission stands out among the rest, grabbing my attention or resonating with me in such a way that makes me want to share it with my readers. Such was the case when young British singer-songwriter Callum Pitt reached out to me with his powerful new single “Fault Lines“. I was not familiar with Callum, but after listening to it and his previous songs, I became an instant fan, as I love his music.
Based in Newcastle Upon Tyne in northeast England, Callum writes folk-inspired alternative and dream rock songs influenced by such acts as The War on Drugs, Bon Iver and Fleet Foxes. With his soft, pleasing vocals, rich harmonies, beautiful melodies and meaningful lyrics, he’s captured industry attention and built a growing fan base since the release in 2017 of his gorgeous first single “You’d Better Sell It While You Can.” His equally beautiful second single “Least He’s Happy” has been streamed nearly two million times on Spotify, an astonishing feat for an indie artist. He’s followed those two singles with several more over the past three years, as well as a four-song EP Poisoned Reveries in 2019. Also in 2019, Callum won the Alan Hull Award for songwriting. The award, named for the Newcastle-born songwriter and founding member of Lindisfarne Alan Hull, recognizes song-writers living and working in the North East.
Callum dropped his latest single “Fault Lines” on July 24th, which was released via Humble Angel Records. Although he’s addressed social and political issues on previous songs, with “Fault Lines” he takes a more direct and outspoken approach. He explains: “‘Fault Lines’ is about polarization. It is directed at the British government and right-wing press who have incited hatred and division in the public through their rhetoric over the past few years in particular, splitting us down the middle as ‘leavers’ or ‘remainers’, demonising immigrants and refugees, and allowing the stain of white supremacy to spread. It encourages ignorance and prejudice to be met with education and conversation.”
Though the lyrics are rather scathing, Callum delivers them with beautiful instrumentation and sublime vocals. His strummed guitar work is really wonderful, and complemented by lovely keyboards and crisp percussion that create a resounding backdrop for his fervent vocals lamenting the current socio-political divide afflicting Britain. The lyrics also describe the situation in the U.S. pretty well, which is why the song resonates so deeply with me. The large ceramic pitcher Callum holds in the photo that’s been broken and glued back together symbolizes our fractured society that can still be repaired if we have the will to come together in open and honest conversation.
Seems like all you do is fight and see the world in black and white Spinning truths like you can move our minds as wind upon a kite And we feel so small, like we can’t stem the tide at all As papers sow the seeds of anger, setting off like a snowball
Well we got lies making divides from these soothsayers Setting fires between two sides and I feel jaded I push my head above the water Pull away from the disorder, as the tides polarise
We got fault lines running through our bones The division grows and leaves these empty holes
We rise and fall under the weight of words that fan the flames of hatred When we demonise, we form a mind that will not be persuaded Well I am so small and I can’t change too much at all I’ve got no answers to these fractures, other than breaking these walls
Well we got lies making divides from these soothsayers Setting fires between two sides and I feel jaded I push my head above the water Pull away from the disorder, as the tides polarise
We got fault lines running through our bones The division grows and leaves these empty holes
Kidsmoke is an exceptionally talented indie dream rock band based in the city of Wrexham in northeast Wales. On June 19th, after many months of hard work, they released their debut album A Vision in the Dark via Welsh label Libertino Records. Like so many bands, they’d planned to tour over the summer to promote their album, but those plans were dashed because of the coronavirus pandemic. Nevertheless, they decided not to delay the release of their album, and just wanted to get it out so their fans would have some new music to look forward to. And what a beautiful album it is, featuring 11 superb tracks. Their lush and beautiful guitar-driven sound is strongly influenced by such bands as Joy Division, The Cure, Wilco and The National, among others.
Formed in late 2012 by Lance Williams and James Stickels, who’d been friends since their school days, Kidsmoke was named after a song by one of their favorite bands Wilco. They released their first EP Higher in 2013, followed by a second EP So Long, Emptiness in 2015. Various members came and went, but the band finally came into its own with the addition of Sophie Ballamy and Ash Turner in 2016. Since then, the lineup has been Lance on Lead Vocals & Guitar, James on Bass & Vocals, Sophie on Guitar & Vocals, and Ash on Drums. The band continued to release numerous singles, along with an EP Save Your Sorrow in 2017, and had the experience of a lifetime when they performed at SXSW (South By Southwest Film & Music Festival) in Austin, Texas in 2019.
A Vision in the Dark opens with “Passenger” a lovely, uptempo song that sets the tone for the album. Its sunny, upbeat instrumentals, highlighted by jangly guitars and snappy drumbeats, contrast with the rather poignant lyrics “I’m moving on to God knows where, I’m dressed to kill the time I’m moving on, I’m a passenger.” Lance explained that the song is “about losing your direction in life, being swept along with the crowd and feeling helpless to stop it.” The song was chosen for NPR’s Austin 100 playlist.
The warm, summery vibe carries over to the next track “Layla’s Love“, with its swirling guitars and dreamy, ethereal melody. Lance states that the song “is a retrospective story of a relationship, where one partner begins to dwell upon the many ‘what ifs?’ we all face.” The male character in the narrative ultimately realizes that, though not perfect, the relationship remains strong and they’re still together: “Baby, the sun won’t rise over you. But I know we are still together. Layla’s love is the only love I’ll never lose.” I love the interplay between Lance and Sophie’s enchanting vocals as they sing “You gave me everything I had (I hope I did). Everything I wanted (you know I tried). But sometimes everything just isn’t enough.” This beautiful song stayed stuck in my head long after hearing it, and is one of the highlights on the album for me.
Kidsmoke continue to deliver the breezy feels on “Colourfield“, with its chiming guitars and cheerful, bouncy bass line, “Higher“, a beautiful reworking of a song from their first EP, and “She Takes You Under“, where they seem to pay homage to The Cure with bouyant jangly guitars and sparkling synths. Lance and Sophie’s vocal harmonies are particularly wonderful here, as well as on the brief but enchanting “Kaleidoscope“. The track is a chorus from an old song the band had previously written but never recorded, and serves as an interlude between side 1 and side 2 of the album.
Another standout track is “Rising Sun“, a high-energy tune with a retro 80s new wave vibe. The fast-paced driving rhythms and exuberant guitars are fantastic, and as always, the vocal harmonies are sublime. The lyrics speak to pushing back against others’ expectations, even when they’re coming from people who are closest to you: “Your days are done. I turn the black to blue. I turn the night to day. I’m the rising sun. I feel your love, I don’t want to follow.”
The hauntingly beautiful “Take Me to the River” is another re-imagining of an old song from their debut EP Higher. A fan favorite, Kidsmoke decided to re-record it for the album. The song was featured on an episode of the Netflix series Black Mirror, and is about being led astray from one’s path by negative influences. The bouncy, guitar-driven melody contrasts with the dark lyrics that seem to touch on a relationship doomed by the suicidal tendencies of one of the partners: “If I leave you, I’ll miss you, I’ll never make you mine. We’re sinking fast. We’re running out of time.” The richly layered guitars and pulsating bass are wonderful.
They continue to dazzle us with dreamy melodies and exquisite guitar work on “Still Dreams“, a deeply personal song Lance wrote based on his own experience having to come to terms with a life-changing event that made it hard for him to face the world. He elaborates “The songis about the expectations from family, friends or work to ‘get back to normal’ after something traumatic has happened. The overarching sentiment is about giving people the time they need to heal.”
Kidsmoke slows things down with “Little Easy“, a gentle song of thanks to someone for their love and support: “Little easy. You’ll never know how much you mean to me. You play the part, you play it right.” With its languid beat, mix of acoustic and electric guitars, and lovely vocal harmonies, the song has an early Fleetwood Mac feel, at least to my ears. About the inspiration for the song, James explains “I felt a little bit directionless at the time; I’d moved back home to Wales from Manchester for a job that didn’t work out and I was missing city life. I always aim for emotion in my music, but this one felt a bit more genuine…I just wrote how I felt.”
They save the best for last, closing out the album with “The Bluest You“, my favorite song of them all. Being a lover of music who cannot write a note of it, nor play a single instrument, I’m always awestruck at how people can create such gorgeous melodies, then bring them to fruition with various instruments. What Kidsmoke has achieved with “The Bluest You” is nothing short of spectacular, creating a song of such incredible beauty and depth that it renders me speechless. The glorious swirling guitars are as dreamy as they come, and James and Ash keep the spellbinding rhythm with their pulsating bass line and perfect drumbeats, respectively. Once again, I must make note of the stunning vocal harmonies delivered by Lance, Sophie and James. This song is honestly one of the most beautiful I’ve heard in a long while.
I’m not the only one for whom this song is a favorite. Lance said “This song is a live favourite of ours”, while James noted “This is my favourite track. I originally intended for it to be an instrumental – thankfully I soon decided against that idea. I knew from the moment it was written that it was destined to be the last track on the album.”
The song lyrics address mental health, specifically the effect someone’s issues have on loved ones around them. Lance explained: “It is a fly on the wall look into a household where one person’s depression is affecting everyone else who lives there. The song doesn’t address the feelings of the person suffering with depression, it is a sort of commentary from the viewpoint of the rest of the family.”
I’ve gushed about A Vision in the Dark throughout this review, so I don’t know what more I can say except that it’s an absolutely stunning album from beginning to end, and ranks among the very best releases I’ve heard so far in 2020. Listening to it is an immersive experience, as one gorgeous track flows into the next, keeping the listener in a continuous state of thrall. Other than for the minute-long interlude piece “Kaleidoscope”, the other ten tracks could all be hit singles, they’re that good.
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 