Tag: Gloom is Okay

My Top 30 Songs for July 26-August 1, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's9 Comments
Photo of Temper City taken from “Self Aware” video

Late July is generally the hottest time of year for many locations in the Northern Hemisphere, and that’s definitely true for my part of the world in the Southwestern U.S. desert, where we’re experiencing our hottest temperatures so far in 2026 – 115-118 degrees Fahrenheit (46-48 C). (Which begs the question, why the fuck do I live here?!?) Needless to say, that means spending much of our time indoors, where listening to music helps to pass the time and cool tempers.

Speaking of tempers, after sombr’s three-week run at #1with “Homewrecker”, Israeli-American alternative rock band Temper City take over the top spot with their monster debut single “Self Aware”. Released in February, the earworm quickly went viral on TikTok and has now amassed over 324 million streams on Spotify, and nearly 20 million views on YouTube. I liked it at first listen, as that chorus is so damned catchy!

The song has become a worldwide hit, reaching #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart and the top 10 in Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Israel, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Slovakia, Switzerland, Turkey and the UK. The track’s style and sound have been compared to acts like Steve Lacy, Hozier, Cage the Elephant and The Neighbourhood. Temper City was founded in Los Angeles in 2021 by singer-songwriter Eytan Peled together with the producer duo Sync, consisting of Aviv Barenholtz and Chen Kordova, who’ve known each other since they were 12 years old. The three friends had previously worked together writing songs for pop and EDM artists, including Zeds Dead, Dimitri Vegas and Barns Courtney, and now have their very own hit single.

In other chart developments of note, two songs enter the top 10: “Doors” by Vermont-based singer-songwriter Noah Kahan and “Picking Dragons’ Pockets” by the always zany and edgy Portland, Oregon band Modest Mouse, at #s 8 & 10, respectively.

There’s only one new debut again the week: “Beaches In Tennessee” by the aforementioned Cage the Elephant. Formed in 2006 in Bowling Green, Kentucky and based in Nashville since 2009 (after two years spent in London, England) the band is comprised of frontman Matt Shultz (vocals), his older brother Brad Shultz (rhythm guitar), Nick Bockrath (lead guitar), Matthan Minster (guitar, keyboards), Daniel Tichenor (bass), and Jared Champion (drums). “Beaches In Tennessee” has debuted quite high on the various alternative charts, and while I’ve loved many Cage the Elephant songs, I’m still lukewarm about it.

  1. SELF AWARE – Temper City (3)
  2. HOMEWRECKER – sombr (1)
  3. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (5)
  4. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (2)
  5. GOOD2B – Goose (4)
  6. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (8)
  7. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (10)
  8. DOORS – Noah Kahan (12)
  9. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (6)
  10. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (11)
  11. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (13)
  12. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (14)
  13. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (7)
  14. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (16)
  15. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (15)
  16. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (9)
  17. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (17)
  18. GO FUCK URSELF – Fat Dog (22)
  19. WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW – Evanescence (21)
  20. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (18)
  21. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (19)
  22. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (24)
  23. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (26)
  24. IN THE STARS – The Rolling Stones (27)
  25. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (28)
  26. HERE – Mumford & Sons with Sierra Ferrell (25)
  27. FREAKING OUT – Michigander (29)
  28. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (30)
  29. BEACHES IN TENNESSEE – Cage the Elephant (N)
  30. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (20)

My Top 30 Songs for July 19-25, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's7 Comments

My current favorite song is still “Homewrecker” by sombr, thus it remains at #1 for a third week, while Dexter and The Moonrocks‘ “Freakin’ Out” and Temper City‘s “Self Aware” hold at #2 and 3 for a second week. My friend Lyia Meta enters the top 10 with her powerful rock gem “Raging Halls”.

The sole new entry this week is “Hold Me In The Dark” by British singer-songwriter and guitarist Myles Smith, an immensely popular folk-pop artist with over 22 million monthly listeners on Spotify and 1.7 million followers on Instagram. His music is generally upbeat with infectious melodies, and his 2024 smash hit “Stargazing” has been streamed over 1.1 billion times on Spotify. Released in May, “Hold Me In The Dark” is included on his debut album My Mess, My Heart, My Life, which dropped June 16th. The talented 28-year-old also earned a degree in sociology from the University of Nottingham in 2019.

  1. HOMEWRECKER – sombr (1)
  2. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (2)
  3. SELF AWARE – Temper City (3)
  4. GOOD2B – Goose (6)
  5. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (8)
  6. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (4)
  7. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (5)
  8. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (9)
  9. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (7)
  10. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (12)
  11. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (15)
  12. DOORS – Noah Kahan (19)
  13. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (20)
  14. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (21)
  15. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (17)
  16. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (18)
  17. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (14)
  18. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (10)
  19. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (11)
  20. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (16)
  21. WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW – Evanescence (22)
  22. GO FUCK URSELF – Fat Dog (23)
  23. IN MY ROOM – Julia Wolf (13)
  24. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (25)
  25. HERE – Mumford & Sons with Sierra Ferrell (26)
  26. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (27)
  27. IN THE STARS – The Rolling Stones (28)
  28. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (29)
  29. FREAKING OUT – Michigander (30)
  30. HOLD ME IN THE DARK – Myles Smith (N)

My Top 30 Songs for July 12-18, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's8 Comments

Not a lot of movement from last week for the majority of my latest chart, although there are five new entries. “Homewrecker” by sombr remains at #1 for a second week, while Dexter and The Moonrocks‘ “Freakin’ Out” inches up a spot to #2. “Repeat Offender” by Scottish band Gloom Is Okay enters the top 10 at #9.

There were at least eight songs I wanted to add to this week’s chart, but I had to cull my list down to only five as there were no other songs I was ready to drop. The first new entry is “Here” by English folk rock band Mumford & Sons, featuring American folk/alt-country singer-songwriter Sierra Ferrell. The song was originally recorded with Chris Stapleton and is included on the Mumford & Sons latest album Prizefighter, released this past February. This new version was recorded with Ferrell for an Apple Music Session on May 28th, and as much as I like Chris Stapleton, I like this version with Ferrell better. The song is currently #1 on the Billboard Adult Alternative chart.

The second new entry is “Heart Stop”, an emotionally powerful tune by alternative roots rock band The Revivalists. Based in New Orleans, the eight-piece collective is comprised of Ed Williams (pedal steel guitar, guitar), David Shaw (lead vocals), Zack Feinberg (guitar), Rob Ingraham (saxophone), George Gekas (bass guitar), Andrew Campanelli (drums and percussion), Michael Girardot (keyboards and trumpet), and Paulet “PJ” Howard (drums and percussion). Their 2023 single “Kid” topped my chart and ranks #9 on my Top 100 for that year. “Heart Stop” is the first in a series of singles they began releasing in April.

Coming in at #28 is “In The Stars” by legendary rockers The Rolling Stones. Formed in London in 1962, the band currently consists of original founders Mick Jagger and Keith Richards, along with Ronnie Wood since 1975 – all of whom seem to have discovered the fountain of youth! – as well as touring members keyboardist Chuck Leavell (since 1982), backing vocalist Bernard Fowler (since 1989), keyboardist Matt Clifford (off and on since 1989), bassist Darryl Jones (since 1994), saxophonists Tim Ries (since 1999) and Karl Denson (since 2014), drummer Steve Jordan (since 2021) and female vocalist Chanel Haynes (since 2022).(Wikipedia) The song is from their 25th and latest studio album Foreign Tongues, which dropped this past Friday, July 10th. The song is surprisingly good, with a guitar riff reminiscent of the one played by Bill Bottrell on Michael Jackson’s hit single “Black or White”.

Debuting at #29 is “no more regrets” by San Diego, California-based indie pop band almost monday, made up of Dawson Daugherty, Luke Fabry and Cole Clisby. I’m a big fan of their breezy dance pop, so “no more regrets” immediately grabbed my attention. Their single “Jupiter” reached #1 on my chart last fall.

The fifth new entry is “Freaking Out” (not to be confused with my #2 song by Dexter and The Moonrocks) by alternative pop-rock band Michigander. Founded in 2014 by singer-songwriter and musician Jason Singer in Michigan and now based in Nashville, the band includes Jake LeMond on guitar, Aaron Senor on drums, and Connor Robertson on bass. (I’ve previously reviewed music by Michigander as well as solo music by LeMond and Senor.)

  1. HOMEWRECKER – sombr (1)
  2. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (3)
  3. SELF AWARE – Temper City (5)
  4. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (2)
  5. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (4)
  6. GOOD2B – Goose (8)
  7. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (7)
  8. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (10)
  9. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (11)
  10. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (6)
  11. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (9)
  12. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (13)
  13. IN MY ROOM – Julia Wolf (12)
  14. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (14)
  15. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (15)
  16. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (16)
  17. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (17)
  18. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (18)
  19. DOORS – Noah Kahan (19)
  20. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (21)
  21. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (22)
  22. WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW – Evanescence (25)
  23. GO FUCK URSELF – Fat Dog (26)
  24. DRAG PATH – Twenty One Pilots (20)
  25. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (30)
  26. HERE – Mumford & Sons with Sierra Ferrell (N)
  27. HEART STOP – The Revivalists (N)
  28. IN THE STARS – The Rolling Stones (N)
  29. NO MORE REGRETS – almost monday (N)
  30. FREAKING OUT – Michigander (N)

My Top 30 Songs for July 5-11, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's18 Comments

I’m pretty confident that the majority of my fellow bloggers and readers – at least those few who even bother to read my posts – probably shake their heads at my music tastes and that’s okay, as each of us likes what we like at the end of the day. That said, my new #1 song this week is “Homewrecker” by sombr (born Shane Michael Boose), who turns 21 today. Over the past year he’s become one of my favorite artists, and “Homewrecker” is his fourth song to top my chart, following “back to friends” (which was #1 on my chart a year ago today and is my top song for 2025), “undressed” and “12 to 12” (which spent five weeks at #1).

In other charts developments of note, the lovely “Exit Wound” by Ships Have Sailed, a longtime favorite act of mine from Los Angeles, enters the top 10.

And I’m thrilled to add the captivating “The Endless Border”, by Belgian four-piece Velvet Jesus, to my chart this week. I can’t remember how or where I learned about it, but I love the song’s enchanting Middle Eastern sound and beautiful intricate guitar work. Based in Leuven, the band is comprised of Anton Fannes (lead vocals, guitar, synths, samples), Bart Catoor (bass, samples, backing vocals), Christophe Vandewoude (guitar) and Peter De Clercq (drums). They released their debut single “Qatar” in 2023, which they followed a year later with their album of the same name. The band states that their latest single “is about the strange world of today, and in particular how one population imposes a border on another, while a national border is nothing more than a line on a map.”

  1. HOMEWRECKER – sombr (2)
  2. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (1)
  3. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (4)
  4. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (5)
  5. SELF AWARE – Temper City (6)
  6. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (3)
  7. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (7)
  8. GOOD2B – Goose (8)
  9. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (9)
  10. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (11)
  11. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (12)
  12. IN MY ROOM – Julia Wolf (10)
  13. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (18)
  14. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (16)
  15. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (17)
  16. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (21)
  17. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (22)
  18. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (23)
  19. DOORS – Noah Kahan (25)
  20. DRAG PATH – Twenty One Pilots (15)
  21. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (27)
  22. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (28)
  23. SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (13) 21st week on chart
  24. BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (14)
  25. WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW – Evanescence (29)
  26. GO FUCK URSELF – Fat Dog (30)
  27. TO LOVE SOMEBODY – Holly Humberstone (19)
  28. DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE – Young the Giant (20)
  29. DYING TO LOVE – Bad Omens (24)
  30. THE ENDLESS BORDER – Velvet Jesus (N)

My Top 30 Songs for June 28-July 4, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's6 Comments

The Strokes remain on top for a second week with “Going Shopping”, while sombr moves into second place with “Homewrecker”. Three songs enter the top 10: “Good2B” by Goose, “Until The Sun Explodes” by Sublime and “In My Room” by Julia Wolf, at #s 8, 9 and 10, respectively. Scottish band Gloom Is Okay are this week’s biggest upward movers as their darkly beautiful “Repeat Offender” leaps 10 spots to #12.

Four songs make their debut this week, beginning with “Private” by Los Angeles alt-rock band The Neighbourhood, which enters at #27. The song is from their fifth studio album (((((ultraSOUND))))), which also features “Hula Girl” that spent two weeks at #1 on my chart in April. I can’t think of a single song of theirs I haven’t loved, and “Private” is no exception.

Next up is “Rein Me In”, a beautiful song by English singer-songwriter Sam Fender, with added vocals by English singer-songwriter Olivia Dean, who won the Best New Artist Grammy earlier this year (which should have gone to sombr, but I digress). The song is a remix of the original from Fender’s third studio album People Watching. “Rein Me In” was released in June 2025 as the sixth single from the album and eventually became Fender’s first song to reach #1 on the UK Singles Chart in February 2026, as well as winning the Brit Award for Song of the Year. It also topped the charts in Australia and Ireland, reached #2 in New Zealand, and became Fender’s first song to appear on the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at number 64.

Entering at #29 is “Who Will You Follow” by American alternative metal rock band Evanescence. Formed in Little Rock in 1994, the band has undergone some lineup changes over the years and now consists of founding member Amy Lee (lead vocals, piano, keyboards, harp), Troy McLawhorn (guitar), Tim McCord (guitar, bass), Emma Anzai (bass, backing vocals) and Will Hunt (drums). They released their debut album Fallen in 2003 and followed with five more albums at the rate of one every three to six years. “Who Will You Follow” is the second single from their sixth and latest album Sanctuary, which dropped June 5th.

Coming in at #30 is “Go Fuck Urself” by English techno punk band Fat Dog. Formed in 2020 during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the band consists of Joe Love, Chris Hughes, Morgan Wallace, and Ellis D, and is known for their boisterous live performances. The provocative and deliciously catchy song was released as their eighth single on May 11th and I love it!

  1. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (1)
  2. HOMEWRECKER – sombr (4)
  3. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (2)
  4. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (5)
  5. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (3)
  6. SELF AWARE – Temper City (7)
  7. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (6)
  8. GOOD2B – Goose (11)
  9. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (12)
  10. IN MY ROOM – Julia Wolf (16)
  11. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (17)
  12. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (22)
  13. SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (8) 20th week on chart
  14. BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (9)
  15. DRAG PATH – Twenty One Pilots (10)
  16. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (18)
  17. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (19)
  18. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (20)
  19. TO LOVE SOMEBODY – Holly Humberstone (13)
  20. DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE – Young the Giant (14)
  21. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (23)
  22. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (24)
  23. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (26)
  24. DYING TO LOVE – Bad Omens (15)
  25. DOORS – Noah Kahan (29)
  26. HEAVY FOOT – Mon Rovîa (21)
  27. PRIVATE – The Neighbourhood (N)
  28. REIN ME IN – Sam Fender & Olivia Dean (N)
  29. WHO WILL YOU FOLLOW – Evanescence (N)
  30. GO FUCK URSELF – Fat Dog (N)

My Top 30 Songs for June 21-27, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's5 Comments
Press photo of The Strokes

“Going Shopping” by American rock band The Strokes ascends to #1 on my latest Top 30 chart. Formed in New York City in 1998, The Strokes consist of singer Julian Casablancas, guitarists Nick Valensi and Albert Hammond Jr., bassist Nikolai Fraiture and drummer Fabrizio Moretti. Backed by a lighthearted, bouncy groove, Casablancas muses about materialism, growing older, societal alienation and the never-ending push and pull of city vs. country living. The song is from their forthcoming seventh studio album Reality Awaits, due for release on June 26th.

In other chart developments of note, “Self Aware”, the debut single by Israeli band Temper City, climbs four spots to enter the top 10 at #7. Since its release four months ago, the song has been streamed nearly 217 million times on Spotify alone. I’ve come to love “Good2B” by American rock band Goose, consequently, it’s this week’s biggest upward mover, leaping ten spots to #11. And the lone debut, entering at #29, is “Doors” by Noah Kahan. The song replaces his single “The Great Divide”, which leaves my chart after 18 weeks, three of them at #1.

  1. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (2)
  2. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (1)
  3. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (5)
  4. HOMEWRECKER – Sombr (6)
  5. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (7)
  6. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (10)
  7. SELF AWARE – Temper City (11)
  8. SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (3)
  9. BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (4)
  10. DRAG PATH – Twenty One Pilots (8)
  11. GOOD2B – Goose (21)
  12. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (15)
  13. TO LOVE SOMEBODY – Holly Humberstone (14)
  14. DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE – Young the Giant (9)
  15. DYING TO LOVE – Bad Omens (13)
  16. IN MY ROOM – Julia Wolf (18)
  17. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (19)
  18. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (20)
  19. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (24)
  20. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (25)
  21. HEAVY FOOT – Mon Rovîa (12)
  22. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (29)
  23. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (27)
  24. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (28)
  25. STARLIGHT – Cannons (23)
  26. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (30)
  27. BE WITH YOU – Muse (16)
  28. WAITING FOR ME – Talk in Waves (17) 20th week on chart
  29. DOORS – Noah Kahan (N)
  30. KILL ME FAST – Three Days Grace (22)

My Top 30 Songs for June 14-20, 2026

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's5 Comments

Death Cab for Cutie remain at #1 for a second week with “Riptides”, while The Strokes slide into second place with “Going Shopping”. Olivia Rodrigo finally enters my top 10 with “Drop Dead“.

Four songs enter my chart this week, and each is accompanied by a terrific video. Therefore, instead of embedding the video of my #1 song, I’m sharing the videos for each of my four new entries, the first of which is the wonderfully sultry “Back in Love” by the very beguiling English singer-songwriter, model and actress Suki Waterhouse. The song will be included on her forthcoming third studio album Loveland, scheduled for release on July 10th. It’s her second song to appear on my chart, following “Supersad”, which peaked at #11 in late 2024.

Coming in at #28 is “marathons” by the irrepressibly charming indie pop/rock band Sorry Ghost. Originally formed as a pop punk band in Baton Rouge, Louisiana but now based in Los Angeles since 2021, the band consists of Matt Polito (guitar, vocals) Dan Anton (bass, lead vocals), Tate Silver (drums) and Sean Duong (guitar, vocals). It’s their second song to appear on my chart, following last year’s delightful “polyester (yes sir)”, which ranks #55 on my 100 Best Songs of 2025 list. The guys have a wicked sense of humor, frequently delighting their fans with hilarious and endearing video reels of themselves on Instagram and TikTok. Their music videos are also highly entertaining and creative, as is definitely the case with the one for “marathons”:

Next up is “Repeat Offender” by Scottish alternative metal band Gloom is Okay. It isn’t often I’m blown away the first time I hear a song, but I have to say I was immediately stunned by the dramatic beauty and majestic impact of “Repeat Offender”. Based in Glasgow, Gloom is Okay is comprised of frontman Martin Walker (vocals, guitars, synths, programming) Iain MacLeod (bass) and Mark Norris (drums). It’s their first new music in three years, since their excellent 2023 self-titled EP Gloom is Okay, which I reviewed on this blog. “Repeat Offender” is the lead single from their forthcoming debut album Nothing Human. Walker says the song is essentially about handling narcissistic people.

Coming in at #30 is “Online” by Canadian artist Western Jaguar, the music project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Jeffrey Trainor. Based in the beautiful Fraser River Valley east of Vancouver, British Columbia, the earnest, amiable musician makes what he calls joyfully sad music and has been a favorite of mine since learning about him in late 2018. I’ve featured him numerous times on this blog and several of his songs have appeared on my chart, two of which – “Disappear” (2019) and “Darling” (2023) – went all the way to #1. Jeff never fails to write thought-provoking lyrics set to infectious melodies, and “Online” hooked me at first listen. The song was inspired by his fear of the impact of the internet on our lives: “I wanted to capture that shady, seedy feeling the web can have. Who knows who’s real or what’s real nowadays. Hell, can I even prove to you I’m real? But there is this almost superiority complex or confidence that can come from the modern digital age that just seems off.”

  1. RIPTIDES – Death Cab for Cutie (1)
  2. GOING SHOPPING – The Strokes (4)
  3. SLUMBER PARTY – Brigitte Calls Me Baby (2)
  4. BEDROOM POSTERS – Yellowcard feat. Good Charlotte (3)
  5. HEADLIGHTS – In Color (7)
  6. HOMEWRECKER – Sombr (8)
  7. FREAKIN’ OUT – Dexter and The Moonrocks (9)
  8. DRAG PATH – Twenty One Pilots (5)
  9. DIFFERENT KIND OF LOVE – Young the Giant (6)
  10. DROP DEAD – Olivia Rodrigo (12)
  11. SELF AWARE – Temper City (13)
  12. HEAVY FOOT – Mon Rovîa (11)
  13. DYING TO LOVE – Bad Omens (14)
  14. TO LOVE SOMEBODY – Holly Humberstone (15)
  15. UNTIL THE SUN EXPLODES – Sublime (17)
  16. BE WITH YOU – Muse (16)
  17. WAITING FOR ME – Talk in Waves (10)
  18. IN MY ROOM – Julia Wolf (23)
  19. EXIT WOUND – Ships Have Sailed (24)
  20. RIDE LONESOME – Beck (25)
  21. GOOD2B – Goose (26)
  22. KILL ME FAST – Three Days Grace (21)
  23. STARLIGHT – Cannons (22)
  24. PICKING DRAGONS’ POCKETS – Modest Mouse (29)
  25. RAGING HALLS – Lyia Meta (30)
  26. THE GREAT DIVIDE – Noah Kahan (20)
  27. BACK IN LOVE – Suki Waterhouse (N)
  28. MARATHONS – Sorry Ghost (N)
  29. REPEAT OFFENDER – Gloom Is Okay (N)
  30. ONLINE – Western Jaguar (N)

GLOOM IS OKAY – EP Review: “Gloom is Okay”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews10 Comments
Queenie, the cover girl pup

Describing his sound as “Happy/Sad music for Happy/Sad people”, Scottish alt-rock artist Gloom is Okay is spot on, in that his music takes listeners from euphoric highs to crushing lows and back again. Drawing from an array of elements ranging from alternative and dream rock to progressive and metal, and blending darker lyrical themes with complex melodies, gorgeous guitar riffs and grandiose synths, his unique sound is variously reminiscent of some of his favorite acts like Porcupine Tree, Thrice, Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails and Anathema, to name but a few. He started the project in the early days of Covid lockdown as a kind of coping mechanism, and being an advocate for positive mental health, he wanted to put a positive spin on things through his music. He loves listening to sad music and embracing the myriad emotions it brings out, both good and bad.

Based in Glasgow, Gloom is Okay is the music project of singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Martin Walker. Involved with music from an early age, he was previously a member of award-winning Scottish progressive rock band Akord, who released an EP Carry the Sound in 2013 and an album Ethereality in 2016. In 2020, Gloom is Okay released his debut solo EP Loopholes, featuring five exquisite instrumental tracks so dramatic and beautiful, they literally take my breath away. After a two and a half year-long hiatus, he began dropping a series of new singles this past March, culminating in the release of his second self-titled EP Gloom is Okay on July 14th.

For the recording of the EP, Martin sang lead vocals and played guitars, bass, piano and programmed synths, Iain MacLeod played additional bass, Mark Norris played drums, and Scottish musician and singer Modern Sonder sang additional vocals on “Pine”. The EP was mixed and mastered by Tomekeeper Productions.

I loved Gloom is Okay at first listen, and though it sounds different from Loopholes, due in large part to the inclusion of lyrics and vocals, it’s every bit as dramatic and gorgeous. It opens with “Butcher“, a song about being stuck in a recurring cycle of counter-productive behavior, unable to change for the better: “Repetition, to fill the gap. It makes me wonder what I’ve never had. My inhibitions, thrown from the shade. It makes me wonder If I will ever stay.” The song is a progressive rock gem, with vibrant, edgy guitars, exuberant drums and soaring atmospheric synths. Martin’s somewhat echoed vocals have a haunting but warm quality that’s both pleasing and impactful.

“Gravity” speaks to Martin’s struggles with writing music, or as he so beautifully puts it, “it’s a song about the madness of musicians…for those moments where you just want to smack your head against a brick wall, hoping the ideas will fall out of your ear.” The song has a beautiful but mysterious vibe, with a haunting melody that alternates between moments of calm with delicate piano keys, airy synths and chiming guitars, to cinematic flourishes of grungy guitars, heavy bass and tumultuous drums. Martin’s vocals have an emphatic sense of urgency as he sings “We show fire. Madness like gravity. We grow but you’d rather conserve your energy. Feeling low but inspired to scrawl through this melody. From head to toe expired, but I’ll swim through this debris.” The official video shows a woman experiencing her own little bout of madness.

The darkly beautiful “Pine” is sort of like two different songs in one. The first three-quarters of the track consists of a lush, moody soundscape, punctuated by gorgeous shimmery guitars and sharp percussion and the stunning dual vocals of Martin and Modern Sonder (aks Jazz Dey), backed by their own harmonies. At 3:21, the music abruptly explodes with a furious riff played by Martin on his 8-string Strandberg guitar, accompanied by Mark Norris’ pummeling drums, for the final minute of the track.

About the song, Martin explains: “I wrote “Pine” when the whole world shut down and I felt like I was missing an important piece of a never ending puzzle. Although there was no end in sight at the time, I could see the positive effects of conversations and searching for the good in the little things. It’s a positive spin on what was probably one of the most difficult times for a lot of people.” This is expressed in the lyrics “We pine but we’re focussed, with no more time to readjust. We saw a stable flare to guide us through, to see us through. But we are breaking through with no tools in our hands. We are mending you.”

The rather mysterious video shows a young teenage boy and two young Asian women exploring a scary-looking derelict abandoned building.

A deep and grungy synth bass introduces us to “Phantom“, an intense, ominous-sounding track that seems to speak of people who are out of touch, and no longer dealing with reality: “Have you even considered at all that you’re missing time? You only project what you thought caused this to climb. Within the grey you don’t comply. But you’ve found the way and the phantom’s live.”

Martin calls the final track “Good Morning” the one love song on the EP. Though running nearly six minutes, it’s a real tour de force so compelling and beautiful that it seems over sooner than I want it to end. It starts off as a lovely piano ballad as Martin croons “I can’t wait for the echo as it follows you, so I can keep up. And I will stay for the moment it fades off of you, cause I’ll still see it.” At the one-minute mark, a sensuous Latin dance beat takes over, accompanied by finger snaps and melodic guitar notes lasting around 40 seconds. The music then slows back down to an enchanting interlude before the wonderful Latin beat returns at 2:20. At 3:40, heavier gnarly guitars ensue, along with crashing cymbals, bold percussion until finally a scorching guitar solo brings everything to an electrifying crescendo in the bridge. The grungy vibes then continue through to the end of the track.

Gloom is Okay is a glorious little EP, with lots of beauty and drama packed into its 23 minutes. As Gloom is Okay, Martin and company have done an masterful job creating this exquisite collection of songs, and they should be proud of what they’ve achieved here. He’s an insanely talented songwriter and musician, and I look forward to hearing more from him.

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