Hailing from Grimsby, England is HEALER, an alternative indie rock band comprised of Steve (lead vocals), Kirk (guitar), Dave (guitar), Tony (bass), and Jazz (drums). Since forming in 2022, the talented five-piece have already built a strong following in the British music scene on the strength of their outstanding songs and riveting live performances, as well as garnering recognition and airplay on BBC Music Introducing and Amazing Radio UK/USA. Since the release of their debut single “Hurricane” in December 2022, the busy guys have followed with seven more singles, two of which – “Bones“ and “Wake Me Up” – I’ve previously featured on this blog. “Bones” spent three months on my weekly top 30 and ranks #67 on my 100 Best Songs of 2023 list.
Photo by Misha Warren
Their songs explore themes of love, loss, and hope, wrapped in infectious melodies and beautiful arrangements, and delivered with ace instrumentation and Steve’s wonderful distinctive vocals that make HEALER’s songs immediately identifiable as theirs and no one else’s. This is nicely showcased by their latest single “War”, released on June 21st. Though my initial impression was that the song describes a person’s devotion to their partner or loved one, and that they’d go to war to defend and protect them, I reached out to the band to see if I was even close in my interpretation. Lead singer and songwriter Steve responded with an eloquent explanation that I’ll just quote in full:
“The meaning of war can be different for every person. Being a hero for instance could be as large as a soldier in the grand scheme of things, but individual people just enduring the repetition of everyday life and work can make them a hero in their own story. To the characters that walk, their own story arcs with them. I do what I do for my sons and my partner and you will do what you do for somebody or something; it doesn’t make any one of our struggles or efforts bigger or smaller than the other because they exist by themselves within our own little worlds. I would do anything for my family and that is what war is about, and my family started with the girl I reference in the song. The line from the song that sums it all up is ‘I’ve given all I have to give you but I could always find some more’. Even when we have nothing left we will always get up and go out and do whatever we have to do for our kids or the people we need to support.“
“War” starts off slowly, with Steve’s warm, vulnerable vocals accompanied by a gently-strummed guitar. Twenty seconds in, the song expands into a beautiful rock song with colorful guitars, Tony’s thumping bass and Jazz’s spirited drumbeats, Steve’s vocals growing more impassioned along with the music. Kirk and Dave’s dual guitars are a gorgeous mix of jangly and twangy chords, nicely complemented by Jazz’s wildly crashing cymbals. The guitar riff in the anthemic chorus is fantastic, and one of the finest, most memorable hooks I’ve heard in a while, boring itself into our brains, but in a good way. With “War”, the guys have another hit on their hands.
HEALER always makes interesting and compelling videos for their songs, and the one for “War” is no exception. The heartwarming video, shot by the photography and cinematography team of Lola and Joel, was filmed on location at several local sites, including The Number 1 Pub in Cleethorpes, Transpennine Express in Grimsby and Cleethorpes Stations, and Andy’s Seafoods in Grimsby, and stars Lisa February, Thomas Humphreys, David Snook and Andrew Crane.
Upcoming Healer Shows:
July 6 –DocksFest, Cleethorpes (withLottery Winners, Feeder, Frank Turner & Razorlight)
July 25 –BelladrumTartan Heart Festival, Inverness (with Ocean Colour Scene & Jake Bugg)
July 27 –Scartho Fest, Grimsby
September 20 –Heal Fest, Shrewsbury (with Embrace, The Farm, Tom Meighan)
It’s been a long while since I last published one of my Fresh New Tracks posts (partly due to the fact I quit writing reviews the last three months of 2023), but with so much new music out, I feel it’s time for a new installment. Today, I’m thrilled to present four excellent recently released songs by, in alphabetic order, British singer-songwriter Ben Gorb, British indie rock band Healer, Long Island, New York alt-rock band Morning Fuzz, and Los Angeles psychedelic indie rock duo The Nanners. I’ve previously written about Healer and Morning Fuzz, whereas Ben Gorb and The Nanners are new to me.
BEN GORB – “Brand New Day”
Photo by Alistair Mac
Ben Gorb is an affable, talented, and very tall singer-songwriter from Manchester, England who, in his early teens, developed a passion for the classic rock of such artists as Jimi Hendrix, The Who and AC/DC that prompted him to take up the guitar. He’s been recording and releasing music since 2014 when he was in his early 20s, and his output since then includes numerous singles, EPs and two albums, Reflections in 2020 and Burning Light in 2021. I like his pleasing, high-energy rock sound, plus he’s also a cat lover, which warms my cat-loving heart! He’s earned quite a following by performing throughout the Northwest and Midlands regions of the UK, both as a solo artist and with his band consisting of Jake Preistley on rhythm guitar, Joseph Shaw on bass and Josh Savage on drums.
He recently reached out to me with his latest single “Brand New Day“, which was released February 20th. He wrote the song, sings lead vocals and plays lead guitar, backed by his aforementioned band members. It’s a rousing kiss-off song addressed to a romantic partner who he tells in no uncertain terms that he’s done with the fights and her putting him down, and that he’s freeing himself of their five-year-long relationship once and for all: “Here I go, I’m on the run. Like a fox from a gun I’ll be gone. I don’t care what you think, I don’t care you say. The future’s mine, it’s the start of a brand new day.” I love the superb guitar work that really channels AC/DC, the tight rhythms, and Ben’s colorful vocals, backed by the guys’ wonderful harmonies.
HEALER is a five-piece alternative indie rock band based in Grimsby, England, comprised of Steve (lead vocals), Kirk (guitar), Dave (guitar), Tony (bass), and Jazz (drums). Formed in 2022, they’ve already built a strong following in the local music scene on the strength of their outstanding songs and riveting live performances, as well as garnering recognition and airplay on BBC Music Introducing and Amazing Radio UK/USA. Since the release of their debut single “Hurricane” in December 2022, the busy guys have followed with six more singles, one of which, “Bones“, I featured in a Fresh New Tracks post last May. The gorgeous song spent three months on my weekly top 30 and ranks #67 on my 100 Best Songs of 2023 list.
Their latest single “Wake Me Up”, released on February 2nd, is an anthemic rock banger, fueled by roiling guitars and driving rhythms. I must say that I love Steve’s distinctive singing voice that make’s HEALER’s songs immediately identifiable as theirs and no one else’s. About the song, the band explains “’Wake Me Up’ is a song about growing up, it’s about realising how much time you have wasted and hoping it’s not too late to stop the free spirit lifestyle and finally wake up. It also references the noise of the internet, visual media and how life can become one big blur and we sometimes need to wake up and smell the roses.” The imaginative video, which was filmed and edited by Misha Warren, shows a young boy played by Cole Ellis, sitting transfixed as he watches a wall of TV and video screens while wearing a spacesuit, juxtaposed with scenes of HEALER performing the song in a garage amid a bunch of vintage portable TVs.
Morning Fuzz is an exceptional band from Long Island, New York formed in 2009, and now comprised of singer/songwriter & guitarist Frank Fussa, bassist Chris Johanidesz, guitarist Michael Cullari and drummer Dan Leonardi. All are outstanding musicians, and together they make highly accessible rock they describe as “fun, bouncy guitar pop, happily shading in the intersections of the Venn diagram where mainstream pop and alternative music meet“, characterized by memorable melodies, ace instrumentation and intelligent lyrics delivered with Fussa’s commanding vocals. Though their musical output has sometimes been sporadic, over the past 15 years they’ve released two EPs, two albums, Chasing Ghosts in 2009 and Wherever We Go (which I reviewed) in 2023, and numerous singles, two of which, “Silent Sun” and “I’ll Be Around” I also reviewed. “Silent Sun” went on to rank #69 on my 100 Best Songs of 2017 list, while “I’ll Be Around” ranks #71 on my 100 Best Songs of 2019 list.
On February 23rd, Morning Fuzz dropped their latest single “New Moon“, the second of two B-Side tracks that didn’t make the final cut of Wherever We Go, but they still wanted to put out into the world. I’m glad they did, as it’s a great song, featuring the band’s signature electrifying guitar work, throbbing bass lines and thumping drumbeats we’ve come to love and expect. I also like that all four band members sing, with Chris, Michael and Dan’s backing harmonies beautifully complementing Frank’s raw, impassioned vocals. The lyrics, which feature quite a bit of earth and celestial metaphors, seem to address a troubled relationship where the singer has checked out emotionally, but chooses to hang on with a remaining thread of hope: “This is the part where I fall, but I just keep hanging on until I can’t feel anymore. I’ll hang around for a while. There’s not a bone to pick; I’ve already gone through the whole pile./ Everyone’s here for the good times, but I stick around for the bad times. Wherever there’s dusk, there’s a sunrise.”
Last, but certainly not least, I bring you The Nanners, the wonderfully zany L.A.-based music project of Nicholas Ewing and Thomas Ferraiuolo. From what I can tell, they officially formed last fall (of 2023), and have this to say about themselves: “Welcome to Banana World, where love, curiosity, angst, and nebulous speculations are explored through the lens of two meek and socially awkward grown men in banana costumes.” And while at first glance they might appear to be some kind of weird novelty act, they are in fact fine musicians and songwriters who also happen to be both hilarious and charming. Their pleasing sound is a happy mix of indie rock, psychedelia and dream pop, and I love it.
The duo released their delightful debut single “Sweet Tooth” in December, for which they had their own signature soft drink created, describing it as “the result of 6 years of food science and rigorous flavor profile testing. The ingredients are rare, illegal, and hardly FDA approved. Because they’re so good!” On February 7th, they dropped their second single “New Pony“, an equally delightful song about relaxing at a magical airbnb in the Mojave Desert with unlimited towels. To a mellow groove overlain with gently strummed jangly guitars and delicate sparkling synths, the guys croon in their soothing harmonies: “We’ll bring you more towels and immortality. Check out when you want, it’s a loose policy. We can help you find anything you need in the folds of time, just like magic. I wanna get pampered with you. Bananas get pampered too.” The farcical but sweet video for the song, showing the guys enjoying life and letting loose, was filmed at an actual airbnb in Joshua Tree, about an hour from where I live in the Coachella Valley. You’re in for a treat!
Without question, one of the prettiest songs of 2023 is “kisses” by British dream rock band Slowdive. Though they formed way back in 1989, I’m embarrassed to admit I was not familiar with them until hearing “kisses” this past June (which may partly be due to the fact they’ve never had a single chart in the U.S., and only two of their albums have appeared on the Billboard 200 Album chart). Consisting of Rachel Goswell on vocals, guitar and keyboard, Neil Halstead on vocals and guitar, Christian Savill on guitar, Nick Chaplin on bass guitar and Simon Scott on drums, they rose to prominence in the British shoegaze scene in the early 90s. (In a recent NPR interview with Scott Simon, Halstead explained that the term “shoegaze” originated in the early 90s when a journalist from the British music magazine Melody Maker coined it to describe bands such as Slowdive who didn’t have much stagecraft and spent a lot of time looking down at their shoes as they frequently turned their guitar pedals on and off.)
While their second studio album Souvlaki (1993) initially received mixed reviews, it has since been recognized as one of the best albums of the 90s and one of the greatest shoegaze albums of all time by Pitchfork, NME and PopMatters, among others. (Wikipedia) Slowdive broke up soon after the release of their third studio album Pygmalion in 1995, but reunited in 2014, and released their fourth studio album, the self-titled Slowdive, in 2017. They dropped their stunning fifth album Everything Is Alive on September 1st, which became their first top 10 album ever, reaching #4 in the Netherlands, #6 in the UK and #7 in Germany. Though I think it’s one of the best albums of 2023, it only peaked at #63 on the Billboard 200 Album chart. Unbelievably, “kisses” has not appeared on any singles chart, however, it’s the new #1 song on MY chart! About the gorgeous album and song, Halstead told NPR: “A lot of the album is sort of about time passing. And I suppose, seeing as we’re all getting on a bit now, that’s one of the things we’re writing songs about… and ‘kisses’ is about having a second act, having a different chance in life.” Those dreamy synths, shimmery chiming guitars and sublime harmonies are simply breathtaking.
In other chart developments, “Walk Through the Fire” by Virginia singer-songwriter The Frontier, and “Good Vibrations” by Texas duo MISSIO move up two spots to #3 and #4, and Irish singer-songwriter Hozier enters the top 10 with his magnificent “Francesca”. The biggest upward movers are “Loving You” by L.A. dream pop band Cannons, and “Running Out of Time” by Nashville alt-rock band Paramore, both jumping 6 spots to #14 and #15, respectively. Debuting this week are “THE DEATH OF PEACE OF MIND” by American metalcore band Bad Omens, at #28, “Hold Me Like a Grudge” by American rock band Fall Out Boy, at #29, and “HONEY (ARE YOU COMING?)” by Italian rock band Måneskin, at #30.
KISSES – Slowdive (2)
OVERRATED – dwi (1)
WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (5)
GOOD VIBRATIONS – MISSIO (6)
PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (3)
DIAL DRUNK – Noah Kahan (8)
ODYSSEY – Beck & Phoenix (9)
SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (4)
FRANCESCA – Hozier (11)
CALL ME WHAT YOU LIKE – Lovejoy (7)
CANNONBALLERS – Colony House (14)
FORGIVING TIES – Deer Tick(15)
DAYDREAMS AND ALGORITHMS – Eleanor Collides (17)
LOVING YOU – Cannons (20)
RUNNING OUT OF TIME – Paramore (21)
THE NARCISSIST – Blur (10)
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR? – Billie Eilish (19)
WHEN WE WERE CLOSE – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (22)
The wonderfully trippy and boisterous “Overrated” by Canadian artist dwi holds the top spot for a second week on my latest Top 30 chart. Sliding into second place is the enchanting love song “Kisses” by British indie dream pop band Slowdive. Songs by two of my favorite acts – “Walk Through the Fire” by Virginia-based singer-songwriter The Frontier, and “Good Vibrations” by Texas-based duo MISSIO – both climb four spots to #5 and #6, respectively. Moving up five spots and entering the top 10 are “Dial Drunk” by Vermont-based singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, at #8, and “Odyssey”, a breezy collaboration between French alt-rock band Phoenix and American singer-songwriter Beck, at #9. “Dial Drunk” has become a huge breakout hit for Kahan, and his version of the song with guest vocals by Post Malone, is currently #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay and Adult Alternative Airplay charts.
Three songs make their debut this week: “Under You” by the mighty Foo Fighters, at #28, the sultry love song “My Kinda Girl” by British collective The 23s (which I recently reviewed), at #29, and the sweet love song “Darling” by Canadian artist Western Jaguar, from his wonderful album Oblivion (which I also reviewed), at #30.
OVERRATED – dwi (1)
KISSES – Slowdive (4)
PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (2)
SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (3)
WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (9)
GOOD VIBRATIONS – MISSIO (10)
CALL ME WHAT YOU LIKE – Lovejoy (5)
DIAL DRUNK – Noah Kahan (13)
ODYSSEY – Beck & Phoenix (14)
THE NARCISSIST – Blur (6)
FRANCESCA – Hozier (15)
PUPPET SHOW – Beck Black (7)
BONES – HEALER (8)
CANNONBALLERS – Colony House (16)
FORGIVING TIES – Deer Tick (17)
LAST TIME EVERY TIME FOREVER – Grian Chatten (11)
DAYDREAMS AND ALGORITHMS – Eleanor Collides (18)
ORBIT – Gooseberry (12)
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR? – Billie Eilish (21)
LOVING YOU – Cannons (22)
RUNNING OUT OF TIME – Paramore (23)
WHEN WE WERE CLOSE – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (24)
One of my favorite Canadian artists is dwi, the music project of singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Dwight Abell, an immensely creative, talented and imaginative guy with a totally original sound and an endearingly quirky vocal style that make his music so uniquely distinctive. Based on the outskirts of Vancouver, British Columbia, he’s also the longtime bassist for Canadian alternative/power pop band The Zolas. He’s released two phenomenal albums – Mild Fantasy Violence in October 2021, which explored feelings of disconnect from the everyday normalities of relationships, addiction, politics and environmentalism, and Zoo Life this past July, which addressed Dwight’s childhood experiences in foster care, which he equates with being “taken away to a zoo”. (I reviewed both albums, which you can read here and here.)
One of my favorite songs from Zoo Life is “Overrated“, an incredibly infectious track featuring a poweful foot-stomping groove, gnarly bass, spacey synths and dwi’s wonderfully-crazed vocals as he ticks off a number of popular things in culture, like VR, Top Gun, licorice and 69, as well as passion, anger and temper, he feels are overrated. I love the song so much it’s risen to the top of my latest Weekly Top 30 chart. It’s his third song to top my chart, the previous two being “Good Friend” and “Party4One”. The surreal video shows dwi as a kind of gaming character, reflecting his life-long love of video games.
In other chart developments, “Good Vibrations” by another favorite act of mine, Austin, Texas-based MISSIO, enters the top 10 at #10. The biggest upward movers this week are “Cannonballers” by Tennessee indie rock band Colony House and “Forgiving Ties” by Rhode Island alternative folk-rock band Deer Tick, both of which jump six spots to #16 and 17, respectively. The sole debut, at #30, is “Pull Me Through” by British rock duo Royal Blood. The song is from their newly-released fourth studio album Back to the Water Below, which dropped September 1st.
OVERRATED – dwi (3)
PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (1)
SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (2)
KISSES – Slowdive (6)
CALL ME WHAT YOU LIKE – Lovejoy (5)
THE NARCISSIST – Blur (4)
PUPPET SHOW – Beck Black (7)
BONES – HEALER (8)
WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (9)
GOOD VIBRATIONS – MISSIO (12)
LAST TIME EVERY TIME FOREVER – Grian Chatten (11)
ORBIT – Gooseberry (13)
DIAL DRUNK – Noah Kahan (14)
ODYSSEY – Beck & Phoenix (15)
FRANCESCA – Hozier (16)
CANNONBALLERS – Colony House (22)
FORGIVING TIES – Deer Tick (23)
DAYDREAMS AND ALGORITHMS – Eleanor Collides (21)
PSYCHOS – Jenny Lewis (10)
DAYLIGHT – David Kushner (20)
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR? – Billie Eilish (24)
LOVING YOU – Cannons (25)
RUNNING OUT OF TIME – Paramore (27)
WHEN WE WERE CLOSE – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (28)
As we slide into September, Beach Weather remain on top for a second week with their breezy love song “Pineapple Sunrise”. Lana Del Rey’s “Say Yes To Heaven” moves into second place, while Canadian artist dwi inches up a notch to #3 with his delightfully boisterous “Overrated”.
Three songs enter the top 10 this week, the first of which is the enchanting dream pop gem “Kisses” by British band Slowdive. After slowly inching up my chart since debuting five weeks ago, the song leaps 12 spots to #6. It’s the lead single from their stunning fifth studio album everything is alive, which dropped this past Friday, September 1st. Shockingly, though it was released in late June, “Kisses” hasn’t yet charted either in the UK or the U.S. “Bones” by British rock band HEALER, which features some of the best power drumming of any song I’ve heard in a long while, moves up three spots to #8. “Walk Through the Fire” by one of my favorite American indie singer-songwriters The Frontier also moves up three spots to #9. And after dropping two spots last week, Beck Black‘s exuberant “Puppet Show” enjoys a resurgence, moving back up three spots to #7.
Making their debut this week are “bad idea right?”, the latest single from American singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo, at #29, and “Overcome” by British alt-rock band Nothing But Thieves, at #30.
PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (1)
SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (3)
OVERRATED – dwi (4)
THE NARCISSIST – Blur (2)
CALL ME WHAT YOU LIKE – Lovejoy (5)
KISSES – Slowdive (18)
PUPPET SHOW – Beck Black (10)
BONES – HEALER (11)
WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (12)
PSYCHOS – Jenny Lewis (6)
LAST TIME EVERY TIME FOREVER – Grian Chatten (14)
GOOD VIBRATIONS – MISSIO (16)
ORBIT – Gooseberry (13)
DIAL DRUNK – Noah Kahan (19)
ODYSSEY – Beck & Phoenix (20)
FRANCESCA – Hozier (21)
VAMPIRE – Olivia Rodrigo (7)
WHY – Future Theory (8)
RESCUE ME – Dirty Heads (15) 21st week on chart
DAYLIGHT – David Kushner (17)
DAYDREAMS AND ALGORITHMS – Eleanor Collides (22)
CANNONBALLERS – Colony House (23)
FORGIVING TIES – Deer Tick (24)
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR? – Billie Eilish (25)
LOVING YOU – Cannons (27)
STUCK – 30 Seconds to Mars (9)
RUNNING OUT OF TIME – Paramore (28))
WHEN WE WERE CLOSE – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (30)
Frequent readers of this blog know that over the past year, American pop-rock trio Beach Weather have become one of my favorite bands on the strength of their breezy, melodic sound and charming and colorful personalities. Their music just makes me feel happy! Originally formed in 2015, the band released two excellent EPs, then went on hiatus in 2017. Thankfully, they reformed in early 2022, and now consist of founding members Nick Santino (lead vocals, rhythm guitar) and Reeve Powers (bass, backing vocals), and relative newcomer Sean Silverman (lead guitar). This past March, they released their debut album Pineapple Sunrise, which is so good, I can honestly state that I love every track. The summery title track “Pineapple Sunrise” is my new #1 song this week, becoming the third Beach Weather song to top my Weekly Top 30 chart (the previous were “Sex, Drugs, Etc.” and “Trouble With This Bed”). All their videos are delightful, and the one for “Pineapple Sunrise” is no exception!
In other noteworthy chart developments, “Say Yes To Heaven” by Lana Del Rey advances three spots to #3, “Overrated” by brilliant Canadian artist dwi jumps five spots to #4, and “Call Me What You Like” by British indie rock band Lovejoy leaps six spots to #5. Debuting this week are “Running Out of Time” by American alt-rock band Paramore, at #28, and “When We Were Close” by Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, at #30.
PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (2)
THE NARCISSIST – Blur (1)
SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (6)
OVERRATED – dwi (9)
CALL ME WHAT YOU LIKE – Lovejoy (11)
PSYCHOS – Jenny Lewis (4)
VAMPIRE – Olivia Rodrigo (5)
WHY – Future Theory (3)
STUCK – 30 Seconds to Mars (7)
PUPPET SHOW – Beck Black (8)
BONES – HEALER (12)
WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (13)
ORBIT – Gooseberry (14)
LAST TIME EVERY TIME FOREVER – Grian Chatten (15)
RESCUE ME – Dirty Heads (10) 20th week on chart
GOOD VIBRATIONS – MISSIO (17)
DAYLIGHT – David Kushner (18)
KISSES – Slowdive (20)
DIAL DRUNK – Noah Kahan (21)
ODYSSEY – Beck & Phoenix (22)
FRANCESCA – Hozier (23)
DAYDREAMS AND ALGORITHMS – Eleanor Collides (24)
CANNONBALLERS – Colony House (25)
FORGIVING TIES – Deer Tick (26)
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR? – Billie Eilish (27)
RESCUED – Foo Fighters (16)
LOVING YOU – Cannons (30)
RUNNING OUT OF TIME – Paramore (N)
ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (19) 22nd week on chart
WHEN WE WERE CLOSE – Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (N)
“The Narcissist” by British rock band Blur maintains its grip on the #1 spot for a second week on my latest Top 30, while American pop-rock trio Beach Weather slide into second place with their charming “Pineapple Sunrise”. Entering the top 10 are the deliriously zany “Overrated” by Canadian singer-songwriter dwi, at #9, and “Rescue Me” by L.A. ska band Dirty Heads, re-entering at #10 after spending two weeks at #12. The song peaked at #3 a month ago on my chart, and is currently #1 on the Billboard Alternative Airplay chart. The biggest upward mover this week is “Call Me What You Like” by British indie rock band Lovejoy, jumping six spots to #11.
Two beautiful songs make their debut this week; the first is the ethereal “What Was I Made For?” by Billie Eilish, which enters at #27. Written by Eilish and her brother Finneas for the motion picture Barbie, the melancholy but hopeful song has already topped the music charts in the UK, Australia, Ireland and Switzerland. The second new entry is the captivating “Loving You” by L.A. dream pop band Cannons, at #30. I can’t believe it’s nearly been a year since I saw them in concert.
THE NARCISSIST – Blur (1)
PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (3)
WHY – Future Theory (2)
PSYCHOS – Jenny Lewis (4)
VAMPIRE – Olivia Rodrigo (5)
SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (6)
STUCK – 30 Seconds to Mars (7)
PUPPET SHOW – Beck Black (8)
OVERRATED – dwi (11)
RESCUE ME – Dirty Heads (12)
CALL ME WHAT YOU LIKE – Lovejoy (17)
BONES – HEALER (13)
WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (14)
ORBIT – Gooseberry (15)
LAST TIME EVERY TIME FOREVER – Grian Chatten (16)
RESCUED – Foo Fighters (10)
GOOD VIBRATIONS – MISSIO (19)
DAYLIGHT – David Kushner (20)
ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (9) 21st week on chart
KISSES – Slowdive (22)
DIAL DRUNK – Noah Kahan (23)
ODYSSEY – Beck & Phoenix (24)
FRANCESCA – Hozier (25)
DAYDREAMS AND ALGORITHMS – Eleanor Collides (27)
CANNONBALLERS – Colony House (29)
FORGIVING TIES – Deer Tick (30)
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR? – Billie Eilish (N)
LEAVING – Au Gres (18)
NOT STRONG ENOUGH – boygenius (21) 21st week on chart
Formed in 1988, British rock band Blur went on to become one of the most successful bands of the 1990s, releasing six albums in that decade alone. They were far more popular in the UK than in the U.S., and though a few of their singles made the top 10 on the Billboard Alternative chart, I’m embarrassed to admit that I never heard of them until only a few years ago. Over the course of their career, they’ve released nine studio albums (seven of which reached #1 in the UK), five live albums, five compilation albums, one remix album, four EPs, 35 singles, 10 promotional singles and 37 music videos.
Though they disbanded in 2003, reunited in 2009, then went on a hiatus in 2015 that lasted seven years, Blur has always consisted of their original lineup of singer-songwriter Damon Albarn, guitarist Graham Coxon, bassist Alex James and drummer Dave Rowntree. Their sound started out as a blend of Madchester (a musical and cultural scene that developed in Manchester in the late 1980s) and shoegaze, evidenced by their debut album Leisure, but for their next three albums, they transitioned to Britpop, a style influenced by English guitar pop acts like the Kinks, the Beatles and XTC. Their self-titled fifth album Blur, released in 1997, saw another stylistic shift toward the lo-fi styles of American indie rock groups, whereas their sixth album 13 (1999) saw them experimenting with electronic and gospel music. Their seventh album Think Tank (2003) continued their experimentation with electronic sounds and was shaped by Albarn’s growing interest in hip hop and world music. After they disbanded, he focused on his very successful virtual band Gorillaz, which he’d created in 1998 and with whom he would release eight studio albums, three compilation albums, 11 EPs, one remix album, and 46 singles. (Gorillaz’ recent single “New Gold”, a wonderful collaboration with Tame Impala and Bootie Brown, spent three weeks at #1 on my Weekly Top 30 earlier this year,)
After Blur reunited in 2009, they released a series of live albums in quick succession, but it wasn’t until 2015 that they would release a new studio album The Magic Whip, which went to #1 in the UK, and became their highest-charting album in the U.S., peaking at #24 on the Billboard 200 Album chart. The band went on yet another hiatus after touring for The Magic Whip, only to reunite for a second time in 2022. They went on to record their ninth album The Ballad of Darren, which they released on July 21. The album’s beautiful lead single “The Narcissist”, which Albarn describes as “an aftershock record, a reflection and comment on where we find ourselves now“, is my new #1 song this week.
Two fine songs make their debut this week: “Cannonballers” by Tennessee-based indie rock four-piece Colony House, at #29, and “Forgiving Ties” by Rhode Island-based alternative rock-folk band Deer Tick, at #30. It’s the first appearance on my Weekly Top 30 for both bands.
THE NARCISSIST – Blur (2)
WHY – Future Theory (1)
PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (3)
PSYCHOS – Jenny Lewis (6)
VAMPIRE – Olivia Rodrigo (7)
SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (8)
STUCK – 30 Seconds to Mars (9)
PUPPET SHOW – Beck Black (10)
ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (3)
RESCUED – Foo Fighters (4)
OVERRATED – dwi (14)
RESCUE ME – Dirty Heads (12)
BONES – HEALER (15)
WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (16)
ORBIT – Gooseberry (17)
LAST TIME EVERY TIME FOREVER – Grian Chatten (18)
CALL ME WHAT YOU LIKE – Lovejoy (19)
LEAVING – Au Gres (11)
GOOD VIBRATIONS – MISSIO (22)
DAYLIGHT – David Kushner (23)
NOT STRONG ENOUGH – boygenius (13) 20th week on chart
KISSES – Slowdive (26)
DIAL DRUNK – Noah Kahan (27)
ODYSSEY – Beck & Phoenix (28)
FRANCESCA – Hozier (29)
WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE – Joy Oladokun & Noah Kahan (20)
British alternative psychedelic rock band Future Theory remain at #1 for a second week with their exquisite song “Why”, while fellow longtime British rockers Blur slide into second place with “The Narcissist”. Beach Weather‘s title track from their wonderful album Pineapple Sunrise moves up two spots to #3. Entering the top 10 this week are “Say Yes To Heaven” by Lana Del Rey, at #8, “Stuck” by 30 Seconds to Mars, at #9, and “Puppet Show” by Beck Black at #10. This puts five women in my top 10 for the first time in recent memory. The biggest upward mover this week is “Overrated” by brilliant Canadian artist dwi, climbing seven spots to #14.
Three songs make their debut: “Odyssey”, a duet by American singer-songwriter Beck and French alternative pop rock band Phoenix, at #28 (the song is already #1 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart), “Francesca” by Irish singer-songwriter Hozier, (replacing his previous single “Eat Your Young” that drops off my chart this week), at #29, and “Daydreams and Algorithms” by British singer-songwriter Eleanor Collides (which I recently reviewed) at #30.
WHY – Future Theory (1)
THE NARCISSIST – Blur (4)
PINEAPPLE SUNRISE – Beach Weather (5)
ESSENCE – Refeci & Shimmer Johnson (2)
RESCUED – Foo Fighters (3)
PSYCHOS – Jenny Lewis (6)
VAMPIRE – Olivia Rodrigo (7)
SAY YES TO HEAVEN – Lana Del Rey (11)
STUCK – 30 Seconds to Mars (12)
PUPPET SHOW – Beck Black (13)
LEAVING – Au Gres (8)
RESCUE ME – Dirty Heads (9)
NOT STRONG ENOUGH – boygenius (10)
OVERRATED – dwi (21)
BONES – HEALER (18)
WALK THROUGH THE FIRE – The Frontier (19)
ORBIT – Gooseberry (20)
LAST TIME EVERY TIME FOREVER – Grian Chatten (22)
CALL ME WHAT YOU LIKE – Lovejoy (23)
WE’RE ALL GONNA DIE – Joy Oladokun & Noah Kahan (14)
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 