The mysterious and smoldering “Deception” by British singer-songwriter Hannah Reem, with stunning cinematic music by producer-composer Noodle Beard, is my favorite song for a second week. I think Hannah’s powerful, sultry vocals would hold their own up against many of today’s top-rated female singers. This song is so good – to my ears anyway – that I want it to keep going for nine or ten minutes. I guess I’ll just have to keep hitting replay!
Harry Styles jumps eight spots to #2 with his exuberant earworm “As It Was”. Though I was not a fan of One Direction (the boy band he was a member of in his teens, for those who are somehow unaware), I really like a lot of his music as a solo artist, and his latest single is terrific. According to an article in the webzine Stylecaster, though Styles hasn’t confirmed the song’s meaning, many believe it’s about his relationship with fame and how his life isn’t “the same as it was” since becoming a music star, expressed by the lyrics “In this world, it’s just us. You know it’s not the same as it was.” The song also alludes to his loneliness and concern from others as he isolates himself from the world, opening with a child’s voice (an actual phone recording of his goddaughter Ruby Winston) saying: “Come on, Harry, we wanna say goodnight to you,” and in the second verse Styles acknowledges “Answer the phone. ‘Harry, you’re no good alone. Why are you sitting at home on the floor? What kind of pills are you on?’”
Otherwise, just the typical chart movement this week as older songs slowly move down to make way for newer ones on their way up. The Black Keys‘ “Wild Child” climbs four spots to #4, as does Florence + the Machine‘s “My Love”, which moves up to #11. Yet again, I wanted to add at least five new songs to this list, but only had slots for two: Bastille‘s delightfully upbeat Calypso-infused “Shut Off the Lights”, and the mesmerizing “Miracle Mile” by Welsh electro-punk band Head Noise, which enter at #29 and #30 respectively. I love Bastille lead singer Dan Smith’s distinctive vocals, and am glad they’re still going strong after 10 years. And I’ve been following self-described oddball band Head Noise for a couple of years, and for me, the epic “Miracle Mile”, from their recently-released EP SCRAM, is their best song yet.
DECEPTION – Hannah Reem and Noodle Beard (1)
AS IT WAS – Harry Styles (10)
WHAT, ME WORRY? – Portugal. The Man (2)
WILD CHILD – The Black Keys (8)
BLACK SUMMER – Red Hot Chili Peppers (6)
LOVE BRAND NEW – Bob Moses (7)
BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (4)
JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement & Maella (3)
I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (5)
GIVE A LITTLE LOVIN’ – Jamie Alimorad (9)
MY LOVE – Florence + the Machine (15)
BROKEN HORSES – Brandi Carlisle (11)
CHEER UP BABY – Inhaler (14)
SLEEP – Gooseberry (16)
CHASING TRAINS – HULLAH (17)
WILD – Spoon (18)
CAVIAR – Two Feet (12)
THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (13)
I LOVE YOU – Fontaines D.C. (19)
LA CIENEGA – Chief Springs (22)
ON MY KNEES – RÜFÜS DU SOL (23)
THE HURT WITHIN – Holy Coves (24)
VIRGINIA (WIND IN THE NIGHT) – The Head and the Heart (25)
This is my first post in a week, the longest stretch I’ve gone without writing a post in my blog’s nearly seven-year history, as I’ve been hit with another crippling bout of writer’s block. But I cannot miss sharing my latest Weekly Top 30, and this week brings a few exciting new developments. First of all, “Deception”, the stunning collaboration between soulful-voiced British singer-songwriter Hannah Reem and producer-composer Noodle Beard, takes over the top spot. The dramatic song is a dark and twisted love story about infidelity and the complexities surrounding painful choices, set to a smoldering, cinematic trip hop soundscape. Hannah explained her inspiration for writing the song: “I’ve felt fury and been forced to lose, I’ve been homeless and broke, felt like a joke, and cheated on by those that I choose. But I’ll get through.” As I’ve mentioned on previous posts, “Deception” would make a great James Bond theme song, and even after having it on repeat for the past month and a half, it still has the power to cover me with chills. It’s an incredible song that deserves to be a huge worldwide hit.
In other chart highlights this week, The Black Keys‘ “Wild Child” leaps eight spots to #8, and the hauntingly beautiful “My Love” by Florence + the Machine jumps seven spots to #15. As always, there’s so much great music out now, with about 10 songs I wanted to add to my list. Alas, I had room for only three new ones: Harry Styles‘ delightful “As It Was” enters high up the chart at #10 (it debuted at #1 last week on the Billboard Hot 100), while Weezer‘s “A Little Bit of Love” and Foals‘ “2am” enter at #29 and #30.
DECEPTION – Hannah Reem & Noodle Beard (3)
WHAT, ME WORRY? – Portugal. The Man (1)
JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement with Maella (2)
BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (5)
I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (4)
BLACK SUMMER – Red Hot Chili Peppers (8)
LOVE BRAND NEW – Bob Moses (9)
WILD CHILD – The Black Keys (16)
GIVE A LITTLE LOVIN’ – Jamie Alimorad (10)
AS IT WAS – Harry Styles (N)
BROKEN HORSES – Brandi Carlisle (12)
CAVIAR – Two Feet (6)
THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (7)
CHEER UP BABY – Inhaler (14)
MY LOVE – Florence + the Machine (22)
SLEEP – Gooseberry (17)
CHASING TRAINS – HULLAH (18)
WILD – Spoon (21)
I LOVE YOU – Fontaines D.C. (15)
B-SIDE – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (11)
REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (13)
LA CIENEGA – Chief Springs (25)
ON MY KNEES – RÜFÜS DU SOL (26)
THE HURT WITHIN – Holy Coves (27)
VIRGINIA (WIND IN THE NIGHT) – The Head and the Heart (28)
I love the music of Portland-based Portugal. The Man (who are originally from Wasilla, Alaska, not Portugal), and their deliciously upbeat “What, Me Worry?” is my new #1 song this week. Co-written by the band, along with Jeff Bhasker and OneRepublic frontman Ryan Tedder, both of whom also produced the track, “What, Me Worry” is an antidote for overcoming the gloomy pall of the pandemic. The song’s title is a nod to long-time Mad Magazine cover boy Alfred E. Newman and his iconic phrase. And how about that fantastic bass line?
In other chart news, there’s lots of activity this week. Sliding into the #2 spot is the hauntingly beautiful “Just Like Always” by one of my favorite British acts Oli Barton & the Movement, featuring added vocals by British singer Maella. The dark and cinematic “Deception” by British producer-composer Noodle Beard and vocalist extraordinaire Hannah Reem, continues it’s rapid move up my chart, leaping six spots to #3. Moving into the top 5 are “I’ll Call You Mine” by Norwegian singer-songwriter girl in red and “Broken Hearts” by L.A. duo Ships Have Sailed. Three songs enter the top 10: “Black Summer” by the Red Hot Chili Peppers, “Love Brand New” by BobMoses, and “Give a Little Lovin'” by Jamie Alimorad. The Black Keys leap nine spots to #16 with their latest single “Wild Child”. And making their debut this week are the lovely “Virginia (Wind in the Night)” by The Head and the Heart, “Distance” by British dream rock band Mount Famine, and “Bloodrush” by British alt-rock band TheAmazons.
WHAT, ME WORRY? – Portugal. The Man (2)
JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement & Maella (4)
DECEPTION – Hannah Reem & Noodle Beard (9)
I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (6)
BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (7)
CAVIAR – Two Feet (1)
THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (3)
BLACK SUMMER – Red Hot Chili Peppers (11)
LOVE BRAND NEW – Bob Moses (12)
GIVE A LITTLE LOVIN’ – Jamie Alimorad (13)
B-SIDE – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (10)
BROKEN HORSES – Brandi Carlisle (16)
REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (8)
CHEER UP BABY – Inhaler (17)
I LOVE YOU – Fontaines D.C. (18)
WILD CHILD – The Black Keys (25)
SLEEP – Gooseberry (20)
CHASING TRAINS – HULLAH (21)
HEAD IN THE CLOUDS – Thunder Fox (5)
LOVE DIES YOUNG – Foo Fighters (14)
WILD – Spoon (26)
MY LOVE – Florence + the Machine (27)
ONCE TWICE MELODY – Beach House (19)
CHAPSTICK – COIN (15)
LA CIENEGA – Chief Springs (28)
ON MY KNEES – RÜFÜS DU SOL (29)
THE HURT WITHIN – Holy Coves (30)
VIRGINIA (WIND IN THE NIGHT) – The Head and the Heart (N)
It’s hard to believe we’re already into April, as 2022 seems to be rushing by at a breakneck speed. All of the songs in last week’s top five remain in that rarefied group, with a bit of shuffling around, however, the seductive “Caviar” by Two Feet holds onto it’s #1 spot for a second week, while Portugal. The Man‘s “What, Me Worry?” moves up to #2. There’s lots of movement on the rest of the chart, though, as older songs move down to make way for newer songs on their way up. Entering the top 10 is the dramatic and haunting “Deception”, by British producer/composer Noodle Beard, with vocals by Hannah Reem.
A whopping five new songs make their debut this week, three of them by veteran acts who’ve had numerous appearances on my chart: “Wild Child” by The Black Keys, “Wild” by Spoon (replacing “The Hardest Cut”, which drops off after a 15-week run), and “My Love” by Florence + The Machine. The other two new entries are by acts making their first appearance: “On My Knees” by Australian alternative electronic band RÜFÜS DU SOL and “The Hurt Within” by Welsh psychedelic rock band Holy Coves, another act I learned about as a guest moderator for Fresh On The Net.
CAVIAR – Two Feet (1)
WHAT, ME WORRY? – Portugal. The Man (3)
THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (2)
JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement (5)
HEAD IN THE CLOUDS – Thunder Fox (4)
I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (7)
BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (8)
REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (6)
DECEPTION – Noodle Beard & Hannah Reem (14)
B-SIDE – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (10)
BLACK SUMMER – Red Hot Chili Peppers (16)
LOVE BRAND NEW – Bob Moses (17)
GIVE A LITTLE LOVIN’ – Jamie Alimorad (15)
LOVE DIES YOUNG – Foo Fighters (13)
CHAPSTICK – COIN (9)
BROKEN HORSES – Brandi Carlisle (20)
CHEER UP BABY – Inhaler (22)
I LOVE YOU – Fontaines D.C. (23)
ONCE TWICE MELODY – Beach House (21)
SLEEP – Gooseberry (24)
CHASING TRAINS – HULLAH (25)
ONE AND THE SAME – Future Theory (11)
TWO CAR FAMILY – Apollo Junction (12) 19th week on chart
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING/POINTS OF LIGHT – Secret Postal Society (18)
Well, it was only a matter of time until my favorite artist Two Feet landed atop my Weekly Top 30 again. This week, his hauntingly beautiful song of a futile unrequited love “Caviar” becomes his ninth single to reach #1 on my weekly chart. I love the song’s smoldering trip hop groove, captivating Latin-style guitars, cinematic synths, and his vocals that transition from seductive purr in the verses to vulnerable falsetto in the choruses. Like many of his recent videos, this one was also created by Allison Michael, and features vintage black and white film noir footage that nicely captures the song’s moody vibes. Two Feet is currently on tour in South America.
On a very sad note, like millions of others I’m shocked and heartbroken over the untimely death of FooFighters‘ beloved drummer Taylor Hawkins, which happened while the band was also on tour in South America. It’s a terrible and tragic loss not only for the Foos and Taylor’s family, but also the entire music world. Their latest – and rather prophetically-titled song “Love Dies Young” moves up a notch to #13.
In other chart developments, Portugal. The Man‘s “What, Me Worry?” leaps 10 spots to #3, and the enchanting “B-Side” by the amazing Texas duo Khruangbin, with silky vocals by equally incredible fellow Texan Leon Bridges, enters the top 10. “Deception”, by British producer/composer Noodle Beard, with dramatic vocals by Hannah Reem, continues its rapid ascent, climbing six spots to #14. The lone debut this week is the lovely and mellow “La Cienega” by British post-rock band Chief Springs, one of the many acts I discovered as a guest moderator for Fresh On The Net.
After devoting my previous two Fresh New Tracks posts to artists and bands from the UK, I’m back in America to shine my spotlight on three great new singles by four acts I’m particularly fond of – The Orphan The Poet, Gooseberry and Brian Lambert & Marc Schuster. So, without further ado…
THE ORPHAN THE POET – “Feelin’ Good (Could Be Better)”
Alternative pop-rock duo The Orphan The Poet are one of the most delightful acts I’ve come across in a while. Based in Columbus, Ohio, they consist of vocalist and guitarist David Eselgroth and bassist Jake Floyd, both lifelong friends. With a winning combination of irrepressible charm, high energy and zany playfulness, they leave a trail of joy and color in their wake. Plus they make some pretty terrific music too! I first featured them on a previous Fresh New Tracks post in February 2021 when I reviewed their electrifying single “The Moxie”. Now they’re back with a new single “Feelin’ Good (Could Be Better)“, and it’s catchy, upbeat and fun, which is what their music is all about.
Written and recorded by David and Jake, with assistance from their producer and long-time collaborator Matthew Bach Squire, and musician Jacob Virgil, the song is about feeling generally okay about your life, but not allowing yourself to settle, instead always striving to do and be better: “Don’t stop, now or never / Call up my fortune teller / On top, but it’s whatever / Feelin’ good, but could be better.” Musically, the song is an exuberant stomper, with bouncy riffs, driving bass and snappy drums, accompanied throughout by a jaunty organ riff that adds some great texture. David’s fervent vocals, backed by his and Jake’s soaring harmonies, dial up the song’s overall energy.
The guys will soon be embarking on a national U.S. tour with Weathers and Moontower, so click here for dates and cities.
And speaking of irrepressible charm, Brooklyn, New York-based Gooseberry have it in spades. Formed in 2019, and comprised of Asa Daniels (guitar/vocals), Sam Rappaport (keyboards/vocals), Will Hammond (bass) and Evin Rossington (drums), together they blend indie rock, R&B and light jazz to create their own distinctive sound that’s both incredibly pleasing and sophisticated. And having two lead singers is another big plus, as both Asa and Sam have wonderful voices. I first learned about them late last summer when Sam followed me on Instagram, and I quickly became a fan of both him and Gooseberry. Their immense talent, strong charisma and playful sense of humor won me over. Besides, how can you not love these guys after seeing this photo of them with their heads together?
I wrote about Sam last November when I reviewed his terrific solo single “Journeyman’s Ballet”, and am now thrilled to feature Gooseberry’s new single “Broken Dance“. Their fifth single, it follows “Sleep”, which they released only a month ago, and is the title track from their forthcoming debut EP Broken Dance. (“Sleep” recently debuted on my Weekly Top 30, and is assured to have a long run.) It’s beautiful and contemplative, with a languid, jazzy vibe, highlighted by Sam’s lovely, melancholic piano keys and pensive, beguiling vocals, and nicely complemented by Asa’s sparkling guitar notes, Will’s subtle bass and Evin’s perfect drumbeats.
“Broken Dance” touches on ambition, failure and regret. Sam further elaborated to me: “The song is the tale of an idealistic young artist who sets off with a romantic partner to find success on the horizon. What unfolds is not only an account of the failure of those dreams (‘We tried to make it, but somehow time was taken away from me.’), but also an admission that the pursuit of those dreams came at the expense of someone else (“….and I never let you breathe…This dance, let’s break it. The dreams we shared were all mine anyway.”). [It’s basically] a song about the man who sets out to be someone, and the woman who finds herself but a prop on which to lean.” It’s another superb song from this great band on the rise.
Brian Lambert is an engaging, thoughtful and prolific singer-songwriter and musician based in Denton, Texas. He’s been writing and recording music for many years, and according to his bio, he’s “reinvented himself more times than he can count.” He even tried his hand at country music for a while, but came to the realization that it just wasn’t for him. More recently, he’s been making indie rock music inspired by some of his favorite acts like Spoon, Gang of Youths and the Replacements. He used to play gigs all over the DFW metroplex, but beginning in 2021, he challenged himself to writing, recording and producing a new song every week for a year.
Marc Schuster is an insanely creative and multi-talented renaissance man. Not only is he an educator, author and literary critic, he’s also a prolific songwriter and musician, recording both as a solo artist and as part of multiple music projects and collaborations with other musicians. He’s also a pretty decent visual artist, and if all that wasn’t enough, he’s also incredibly generous, funny and kind. I first got to know him several years ago through blogging (he has a terrific WordPress blog called Abominations), and he’s been among the most consistently loyal supporters of me and my blog. I’ve featured him three times on my blog, most recently last month when I reviewed his wonderful EP There Is No Down.
Supportive of other artists in his own right, Brian was recently inspired to write his latest song “Kids“, after hearing “This Can’t Be It”, a moving song by Oklahoma country singer-songwriter Matt Moran, with spare lyrics addressing the struggles of trying to make it as a musician. “Kids” further explores those struggles, urging us to hold onto our youthful sense of innocence and wonder, expressed by the lyrics “And when everything went wrong, we sang a brand new song. I want y’all to sing along, like we did when we were kids.”
After writing the song, he felt something was missing, so he reached out to Marc, asking for advice and thoughts as to whether his song needed synthesizers or something else. Marc came up with a great synth accompaniment for Brian’s fine guitar work, as well as some backing vocals that enhance Brian’s plaintive vocals, nicely filling out the song and giving it a wonderful anthemic rock vibe. I think it’s one of Brian’s best songs yet.
Marc also created a fantastic poster for the song, which Brian used for its cover art.
Mitski‘s bouyant but lyrically compelling dance-pop single “The Only Heartbreaker” remains at #1 for a second week on my latest Top 30, while Two Feet‘s darkly beautiful and sultry “Caviar” closes in at #2. Entering the top 10 are “I’ll Call You Mine” by young Norwegian artist girl in red (aka Marie Ulven Ringheim) and “Broken Hearts” by L.A. pop-rock duo Ships Have Sailed, who’ve had numerous songs appear on my Weekly Top 30 lists over the past three years.
The biggest upward movers on this week’s chart are “What, Me Worry?” by Portland-based alt-rock band Portugal. The Man, which jumps seven spots to #13, and the haunting James Bond-esque “Deception”, by British producer/composer Noodle Beard, with captivating vocals by Hannah Reem, which climbs eight spots to #20. After 10 songs having made their debut over the previous three weeks, there are no new entries this week.
THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (1)
CAVIAR – Two Feet (5)
CHAPSTICK – COIN (4)
ONE AND THE SAME – Future Theory (3)
TWO CAR FAMILY – Apollo Junction (2)
HEAD IN THE CLOUDS – Thunder Fox (8)
JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement (9)
REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (10)
I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (11)
BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (12)
B-SIDE – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (13)
OH MY GOD – Adele (7)
WHAT, ME WORRY? – Portugal. The Man (20)
LOVE DIES YOUNG – Foo Fighters (17)
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING/POINTS OF LIGHT – Secret Postal Society (16)
Another week, another new #1 song, as there are so many great ones to choose from right now. Mitski‘s exuberant dance-pop gem “The Only Heartbreaker” takes over the top spot on my latest Weekly Top 30. From her latest album Laurel Hell, the brilliant track was co-written by Semisonic frontman Dan Wilson, marking the first time she’s ever teamed up with another songwriter. She told Apple Music that her collaboration with Wilson came about because she’d been struggling with the track for ages: “I was just sitting on it forever. I have so many iterations of it. Nothing felt right. He helped me solve so many of the problems and kind of lead me out of the labyrinth of it. And yeah, I’m really glad that I took that chance with him.”
Mitski wrote most of the songs for Laurel Hell in 2018 before finishing the album during the covid lockdowns, and she struggled to find a coherent theme for the overall album. In an interview for Rolling Stone, she explained: “This album has been a punk record at some point, and a country record. Then, after a while, it was like, ‘I need to dance.’ Even though the lyrics [for ‘The Only Heartbreaker’] might be depressing, I need something peppy to get me through this.” For the recording of the song, she programmed synths and keyboards and her longtime producer Patrick Hyland played guitar and percussion.
Holding at #3 and #4 are “One and the Same” by British alternative psychedelic rock band Future Theory, which features some of the most stunning guitar work I’ve heard recently, and the sexy “Chapstick” by Nashville pop-rock band COIN. And speaking of stunning guitars, Two Feet‘s sultry “Caviar” jumps five spots to #5. Entering the top 10 are songs by three acts I’m particularly fond of: “Head in the Clouds” by Australian soul-funk band Thunder Fox, “Just Like Always” by British alt-rock band OliBarton & the Movement, and “Redchurch Street Blues” by London singer-songwriter extraordinaire PhilipMorgan Lewis.
Four gorgeous new songs make their debut this week at #s 27-30: “I Love You” by Fontaines D.C., “Deception” by British producer/composer Noodle Beard, featuring breathtaking vocals by Hannah Reem, “Sleep” by talented and charismatic Brooklyn four-piece Gooseberry, and “Chasing Trains” by British artist HULLAH. I learned about Noodle Beard/Hannah Reem and HULLAH a week ago when I heard their wonderful songs as a guest moderator of Fresh On The Net.
THE ONLY HEARTBREAKER – Mitski (5)
TWO CAR FAMILY – Apollo Junction (1)
ONE AND THE SAME – Future Theory (3)
CHAPSTICK – COIN (4)
CAVIAR – Two Feet (10)
THE HARDEST CUT – Spoon (2)
OH MY GOD – Adele (9)
HEAD IN THE CLOUDS – Thunder Fox (11)
JUST LIKE ALWAYS – Oli Barton & the Movement & Maella (12)
REDCHURCH STREET BLUES – Philip Morgan Lewis (13)
I’LL CALL YOU MINE – girl in red (14)
BROKEN HEARTS – Ships Have Sailed (15)
B-SIDE – Khruangbin & Leon Bridges (16)
WAKE ME UP – Foals (6)
I SEE THE SUN – Solar Eyes (7)
SOMETHING FROM NOTHING/POINTS OF LIGHT – Secret Postal Society (17)
LOVE DIES YOUNG – Foo Fighters (19)
THE OUTSIDE – twenty øne piløts (8)
GIVE A LITTLE LOVIN’ – Jamie Alimorad (20)
WHAT, ME WORRY? – Portugal. The Man (21)
BLACK SUMMER – Red Hot Chili Peppers (22)
IF YOU EVER LEAVE, I’M COMING WITH YOU – The Wombats (25)
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 