I receive a lot of requests from artists and bands wanting reviews of their latest music or to be featured on this blog, and it’s fun to discover some great new music I would not have otherwise heard. So it was my good fortune when Luke Mathers, frontman of the indie rock band Unquiet Nights, reached out to me with their new single “Promise of You,” which officially drops tomorrow, February 16th.
Based in Belfast, Northern Ireland, Unquiet Nights began in 2006 as a solo project for Mathers, who writes all his songs, plays guitar and sings. He began recording tracks for what would become the first Unquiet Nights album 21st Century Redemption Songs, then relocated to Italy in 2010, where the album was finished. Mathers eventually brought Italian musicians Matteo Bussotti and Francesco Piciucchi on board, and Unquiet Nights officially became a band. In 2015 they released a second album Postcards in Real Time, an outstanding work that I strongly recommend my readers make an effort to check out by using one of the links at the end of this review. Mathers moved back to Northern Ireland in 2016, though he still plays with Bussotti and Piciucchi, and has been working on new material for a third album.
“Promise of You” is the first single, and it’s a hard-rockin’ beauty! It starts off with a drawn-out electric guitar note, then an explosion of gritty guitars and fuzzy bass rain down, propelled by a crushing drumbeat that really gets the blood pumping. The track grows more intense as dramatic synths and layers of jangly and shredded guitars are added, building to a pulse-pounding crescendo. The instrumentals are phenomenal, and Mathers fervent vocals perfectly convey the unbridled passion he feels for another, and the exciting promise of a romantic entanglement.
It’s a fantastic track, and a promising (no pun intended) sign that Unquiet Nights will be delivering another stellar album for our listening enjoyment.
San Jose, California-based indie post-punk band The Trims have been making great music for nearly a decade. Formed in 2009 by singer/songwriter/guitarist Gabe Maciel, The Trims also includes Billy Brady on drums and Mark Sharp on bass. Their on-stage charisma and skill at creating catchy, high-energy grooves have built them a huge following in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
They were one of the first bands I featured on this blog back in October 2015, and in August 2017, I reviewed their fantastic single “The One I Want.” They’ve now released their second full-length album Julian Street (named after a major thoroughfare running through San Jose), which dropped in January, delivering ten superb tracks that showcase their exuberant guitar-driven sound.
Julian Street starts off big with the exhilarating “Turn Out the Lights.” Our ears are instantly hit with an onslaught of Mark’s gritty bass and Billy’s hammering drumbeats, setting the stage for Gabe’s frantic riffs of chiming guitars. It’s clear their aim is to have us on our feet and dancing within seconds. With his fervent vocals, Gabe sings “Turn out the lights. Bring back the summer before our youth is gone.” On “Nobody Else” Gabe sings of his never ending devotion and not wanting to love anyone else.
Now is a good time to mention how much I love Gabe’s marvelous vocals and his signature guitar style, which seems to meld surf, punk, rock’n’roll and doo wop elements into a highly satisfying, upbeat sound uniquely recognizable as their own. Another thing is how well the guys play together, totally in sync with each other to create a tight sound.
“Dying (Just to See Your Face)” and the lead single “The One I Want” are perfect examples of what I’m talking about, with intricate, fast-paced riffs of jangly guitars and a frenetic, heavy drumbeat. “Bedroom Mirror” has layers of multi-textured guitars over a funky bass line and drums that Billy seems to hit at 100 beats per second. The man is one hell of a power drummer!
The guys slow it down on the lovely acoustic ballad “Gone Away.” Gabe strums a melancholy riff on his guitar as he sings: “All we have is this moment to release what’s inside. All we have is tomorrow. I’ll be home in time. Tomorrow has gone away.” I really like this mellower sound which they do quite well, and wish they’d make more songs like this.
“I Wish I Could Say” has Gabe wanting to apologize but unable to: “I would like to tell that I’m sorry for the stupid things I wish I’d never done./ I wish that I could say that the worst was over. I wish I could tell you nothing’s wrong. But now I see I was mistaken. A fool who never seemed to care.”
Mark’s bass is prominently on display on the melodic hard-driving tracks “Hands of Time” and “You Tell Me.” Of course, Gabe’s awesome guitar work and Billy’s skillful drumming are on-point as always. Album closer “Balam in Love” features generous synths that nicely complement the gorgeous guitars and throbbing bass, creating a bit of a new wave/punk-infused vibe. Gabe tells a lover that their relationship is over and he wants out: “There’s nothing more to say. This is the game you play. Just let me go.” It’s a brilliant track, and one of my favorites from this excellent and thoroughly enjoyable album.
I’m a huge fan of Australian-born, and now Los Angeles-based, singer/songwriter Wons Phreely. The talented, hard-working musician has an interesting and unique voice to match his artistic moniker (his birth name is Justin Wonsley). He grew up in Perth, one of the world’s most isolated large cities, where he also felt isolated with regard to his desire to become a successful musician. So, in 2015 he relocated to Los Angeles and quickly immersed himself into the creative artistic environment where he could more fully grow as an artist.
In 2016, with assistance from his backup band The Horses, he released an excellent single “Stars” (which I reviewed) that addressed his experiences overcoming self-doubt and fear of change, and enabling himself to make the life-altering move from Australia to Los Angeles. In November 2017, he followed up with a sparkling new single “The Night Has An Alibi,” inspired this time by his feelings of being out of place in Perth, and subsequently landing in the accepting artistic community of L.A. The hopeful lyrics speak to embracing all the surprises life has to offer, not letting fear keep you from living life to its fullest:
Daylight creeps in like a kick in the guts and the rush of blood Check your look in the mirror, are you young enough Cause it took you so long to get up dancing alone, while all the lights were down In or you’re out, boy don’t wait around Sister I know we should settle but I cant live a lie Too long running, true blood pumping Man I just get this feeling like I might explode inside Because the night, the night, the night, the night The night, the night, has an Alibi
The exuberant track opens with throbbing synths overlying a thumping beat, seemingly channeling “Dancing in the Dark” by Bruce Springsteen, whose music has strongly influenced Phreely. His fervent vocals quickly enter the scene, backed by joyous riffs of jangly chiming guitars that are freaking awesome! A warm saxophone is introduced in the bridge, melding beautifully with the bouncy synths and ramping up the track’s already high energy. The lush wall of sound on the track reminds me of two of my favorite bands – The War on Drugs and Future Islands. Not wanting the song to end, I kept hitting replay.
Phreely has now released a rather creepy but brilliant video for the song. His inspiration came from the webzine NYLON.com when they premiered the single, where they stated it “belongs on the ‘Stranger Things’ soundtrack.” The idea of ‘strange things’ struck a chord and led him to conceive of the very unusual visual for the song’s video. He explained “Since moving to L.A. I’ve been really engrossing myself in the film making world. I’ve been acting in a bunch of things too, so for this music video I decided to gather a lot of the talented people I’ve met on set, including an amazing cinematographer friend, and with their help I got to direct and produce the strangest video I could think of.”
And has he ever! The video opens with a scene of Phreely asleep in bed with his girlfriend. As he awakens, the camera pans down to reveal him as only a head! He’s then shown resting atop the kitchen counter while his girlfriend reads the newspaper. Next she’s carrying him under her arm as she walks down the street, later placing him on the roof of the car as she drives to a club. When the doorman points to a sign notifying patrons of a $10 cover per person, she opens her bag to show him Phreely’s head. Soon he’s situated on the bar trying to down his drink, then his head is knocked off the bar and onto the floor. He ends up being placed on a stool on stage and sings with the band while everyone dances. At dawn, he leaves with another woman he met at the bar as she carries him away, at one point dropping him on the sidewalk! I love his facial expressions throughout the video that manage to make something that could have been creepy be lighthearted and hilarious. Have a look:
Phreely has begun working on a new album with his backing band The Horses, and I can’t wait to hear it! To learn more about him and his music, check out his Website
Followers of my blog know I like featuring indie artists and bands, as I want to give them exposure and help them gain new fans. Another recent find is REBELLE, a wonderful band from Quebec, Canada who describe themselves as “Filthy with a beat, but really, really sweet.” Their melodic, aggressive sound immediately grabbed my attention and had me returning to their music again and again.
Based in Wakefield, a small town 20 minutes north of Ottawa, REBELLE consists of siblings David (guitar, lead vocals) and Rylee Taggart (synths, backing vocals), Ryan Wiles (bass, guitar, backing vocals), and Joey Kane (drums). In November 2017 they released their debut EP Hide, featuring three fantastic tracks.
The title track “Hide” opens with Rylee’s sharp, menacing synths, then a scratchy guitar riff takes over, backed by Ryan’s throbbing bass line and Joey’s pounding drums. The tempo is broken at intervals by a screeching guitar, followed by an assault of David’s shredded and distorted riffs in the chorus and outro. His vocal gymnastics are quite amazing, going from smoldering to falsetto as he snarls the lyrics warning someone who’s deceived him: “Hide your head in the sand and stay out of my sight I told you. You’re walking into trouble. Cause I’m a creature lurking in the night, I’m behind you. You better run and hide.”
“Shoot Me Down” really showcases the band’s skill at writing great melodies, as well as their strong musicianship. The guitar work on this track is stunning, and once again, David’s vocals are sublime. But it’s on the third track “The Rapture” that REBELLE really show us what they can do. Blistering riffs of gritty guitars, heavy bass and tumultuous percussion set the tone for the hard-hitting song. David defiantly challenges those stoking fear of impending apocalypse: “They say today we better change our ways. Won’t make it through tomorrow. There ain’t no other fate. No no, hey hey, this ain’t gonna ruin my day.” The music explodes as David wails “So you call this the rapture!” There’s some tasty guitar noodling in the bridge, followed by a reprise of the scorching instrumentals. The sharp, otherworldly synths that opened “Hide” close out “The Rapture,” bringing this marvelous little EP full circle. Though it’s short, the three songs sure pack a punch. My only criticism is that I wish there were more of them!
They’ve just released a dark new video for “The Rapture,” containing footage from the 1924 German silent film Die Niebelungen: Siegfried. David told the webzine Soundfiction that “The Rapture is weird and ambiguous, but suggestive. Mildly post apocalyptic, yet medieval.” Have a look:
I love REBELLE’s music and hope they bless us with more songs very soon. To learn more about them, check out their Website
For those of you in far eastern Canada, you can see them play at the following shows:
Verity White is a singer/songwriter from Cheltenham, UK, and can this woman rock! She plays a bluesy style of alternative rock which, combined with the ferocity of her sultry vocal styling that at times reminds me of Pat Benatar and Joan Jett, makes for a hell of an exciting listen. Verity has been a backing vocalist with the UK band Pendragon, and performed with them on their European tour in 2017. Last November, she released her debut full-length album Breaking Out, which serves as a bold metaphor for this evolutionary next step in her career. With assistance from her husband Alex on guitars and production, Breaking Out delivers 10 stellar tracks.
The album kicks off with the audaciously sexy title track “Breaking Out.” Gritty, blues-infused guitars engage in a seductive dance with the steamy bass line and drum beat. The tinkling piano keys in the bridge accentuate Verity’s sultry vocals as she defiantly declares her independence: “I’m worth more than you know. I’m stronger than you know, and I’m better on my own.” Indeed she is, and who are we to argue!
Verity’s amazing vocal range is showcased on “Zeroes and Ones,” where she really seems to channel Pat Benatar. It’s one of the album’s standout tracks, with fantastic instrumentals that complement her powerful vocals that go from soothing to raw. The dark “Demons in Your Head” offers up fuzzy synths and a heavy buzzing bass line set to a thumping beat. The song’s lyrics speak to personal struggles with emotional issues: “Pop another pill into your mouth. Crumbling because you can’t let it out. Every day’s a constant struggle with the demons in your head. Trying to control you, so you just go back to bed instead.”
Verity let’s her rock goddess alter ego loose on the rousing “I Don’t Care.” With raw energy in her vocals, she sings about not giving a damn and casting aside all self-control on a night of partying: “Gonna drink ’til I can’t remember my name. Gonna drink ’til I can’t be the one to blame.”
“See Through” features Alex’s beautiful intricate guitars, mesmerizing synths and Verity’s beguiling vocals, all set to a melodic dance beat. It’s a great song, and one of my favorite tracks on the album. The synth-heavy “Face It” is another gem, and Alex really shines as he lays down lots of gritty riffs. The duo pull out all the stops on the raw, melodically complex “Exhale.” Damn if this isn’t another standout track! Mysterious sweeping synths, snarling guitars, loads of crashing cymbals and a pulse-pounding bass line work in tandem to create a speaker-blowing soundscape. Add generous amounts of Verity’s passionate soaring vocals and you’ve got all the ingredients to raise goosebumps.
“Your Darkest Secret” is a hard-driving rocker, with more of Alex’s shredded guitars and Verity’s saucy vocals, while the bluesy “Slow Fall” brings a hypnotic piano riff backed by fuzzy guitars and thumping drums. Album closer “Overcome” is a terrific rock song with awesome multi-layered guitar work. With her raw and sultry vocals on full display, Verity sings “Let the feeling overcome you. Til they’re right into the core. Changing all our dark perceptions. As you ask again for more. Why can’t I feel this way without you?”
Breaking Out is a superb debut for Verity White, showcasing not only her mind-blowing vocal abilities, but also her skill for writing songs with compelling lyrics and outstanding melodies. She’s set the bar quite high with this album, but I’m confident she has what it takes to come back with more great music in the future. For now, she’s been touring the UK to promote Breaking Out, and you can catch her next at Mr Wolfs in Bristol, England on January 18th.
I’ve stated in previous reviews that one of the things I like about Twitter is how it enables me to learn about so many great artists and bands from far and wide. And though a lot of them are based in large urban centers like Los Angeles, Miami, Toronto and London, many are located in smaller, out-of-the-way locales. One such artist is Swilly, a Canadian singer/songwriter (born Steven Williams) from the northwestern British Columbia town of Kitimat.
Heavily influenced by some of his favorite bands, especially ZZ Top, The Cult, Nickelback and Theory of a Deadman, Swilly is a rocker with a huge sense of humor. He writes the kind of down and dirty, kick-ass songs you wanna hear on a Saturday night, throwing down a few beers with friends at the local Roadhouse – something he in fact sings about on the track “Canadian Beer.” Just good old rock’n’roll, baby!
He’s been a busy guy, writing and releasing lots of songs over the past few years, and in December 2017 he dropped his first full-length album Play It Loud. It’s a long album, featuring 13 great tracks and clocking in at just over an hour. Swilly played rhythm guitar, bass, keys and drum tracks, and sang vocals for all the tracks. He had assistance from Kevin Campbell, who played lead guitar on all but one track (“Breaking some Glass”) where he only played some rhythm guitar, and guitarist Klaus Passegger played lead guitar.
The album gets off to a strong start with “Let the Fire In,” a superb rock track propelled by snarling riffs and a hard-driving beat, the kind that breaks your will to keep still. The influence of ZZ Top – a band I also happen to love – is strongly evident, and this song would do them proud. And not only do the beats and guitars have a ZZ Top vibe, but Swilly’s vocals at times sound a lot like Billy Gibbons. He also channels ZZ Top on the appropriately-named title track “Play it Loud” and the high-energy “Start Talking.”
Swilly slows it down on “Baby I’m Back,” a smoldering rock tune with some terrific bluesy riffs that’ll have you swaying your hips with your honey. Those dirty, bluesy guitars come roaring back even stronger on the deliciously satisfying in-your-face track “You’re a Dick.” Swilly snarls the lyrics informing an A-hole of just what he thinks of him – something I’m certain we’ve all wanted to tell someone:
It’s plain as day to the rest of the world, oh yeah You’re a dick and everyone knows it, oh such a dick You’re a dick. The kind of guy who knows it all You’re a dick. The kind of guy who beats on little girls
“Wasted” delivers some awesome screaming guitars, while the rousing “Who Says” is a little slice of rock’n’roll heaven. Accompanied by tasty riffs of shredded guitars, Swilly defiantly proclaims: “Who says we have to behave? Who says that you gotta be in by 10? I ain’t livin’ someone else’s life, I have to live my own.” Employing generous helpings of funky bass, he dials the thermostat to a slow burn on the sexy tracks “Feels Like” and “Sun Girls.”
Guest guitarist Klaus Passegger lays down some great guitar noodling on the melodic “Breaking Some Glass.” The song’s about letting loose and having a good time: “It ain’t a party if we don’t see you shaking your ass.” Indeed! “Batman” is a real head-banger, with superb gritty and distorted guitar work. Swilly informs his girl of who’s she’s dealing with: “I’m your batman. I’m not always you’re good guy.”
One of my favorite tracks on the album is the lovely ballad “Friends.” It’s a departure from Swilly’s typical hard-rocking style, and the guitar work and vocals are positively sublime. The touching lyrics are about friends who’ve grown from children to adults with children of their own, affirming that their friendship will endure:
We’re all older now, and have kids of our own And we watch with wonder as they find the unknown And the sweet sound of laughter echoes through our yards Recall all the things we thought so hard We’ll all be friends to the end of our days. Our days Cause you and I will always be friends And I will be there when you need me
Play It Loud is a terrific album, chock-full of great tunes that will satisfy your thirst for rock’n’roll the way it was meant to be played. Swilly’s a prolific songwriter, and I’m confident we’ll be hearing lots of new music from him in 2018.
One of my objectives in writing this blog is giving exposure to indie artists and bands, many of whom are struggling to get their music heard by a wider audience. Today I feature the young singer/songwriter Ryan Loree, who goes by the artistic name Draft Evader. Following up on his debut single “Blue Lies,” which he released in June 2017, he dropped a new single “The Devil’s Disguise” in October.
Based in Chicago, Draft Evader plays straight-up rock’n’roll with a hint of punk. When I asked him about his moniker, he explained the he was not happy about our current President (neither am I) and “the name ‘Draft Evader’ was kind of like a middle finger to the whole system, kind of like ‘you can’t tell me what to do.’ So in a sense it means freedom. Freedom to be who you are and do what you love, no matter what anyone says.”
He writes his songs and records them with his good friend Joe Scaletta. He explained their process in developing songs: “I write all the songs by myself at home, so I’ll come into the studio with lyrics and rhythm guitars done and from that we’ll lay down the base of the song. Then we start working on the drums together (there’s a shortage of drummers around here so unfortunately we write them together using the computer). Next we’ll take care of the bass, and Joe happens to be a bassist so I let him take the reigns on that unless I know exactly what I want the bass to do. After that we’ll add some guitar leads or maybe I’ll improvise a solo in the bridge of the song. Then I’ll jump in the vocal booth and try to sing/scream to the best of my ability. Very simple stuff until I get a full band going.”
“The Devil’s Disguise” is a hard-hitting rock song with biting lyrics about suffering from personal turmoil and demons that have caused him to commit violence, and wanting an escape from the environment he inhabits, hoping it might help him change:
I’m turning my back on sweet home Chicago Packed up too fast and blew out my ankle I’m letting go of all the get to know I’m stuck in place staring out the window There’s blood on the streets of downtown Chicago There’s death in the air and holes in the windows There’s ghosts in my head digging a deep hole There’s demons inside slowing my blood blow
The devil’s disguise hiding in plain site Seein’ through evil eyes Live my life in disguise Pushin’ through trying times Shedding my disguise
Musically, the track is well-crafted, with some excellent riffs of shredded guitars, anchored by a solid buzzing bass line and crisp percussion. Draft Evader’s vocals are earnest, with a hint of melancholia that befits the dark lyrics. All in all, a fine effort from a young artist who I believe has a lot of promise. He writes thoughtful and compelling lyrics, has a good grasp on song structure and production, and plays a mean guitar.
UK alt-rock band Candid is on a roll. In little more than a year, the Coventry, England foursome has released a total of four singles, beginning with “Moving On” in the fall of 2016. They followed up with the fantastic “Rumours” in May, which I reviewed, then dropped their third single “Lay Me Down,” in August, a superb song I also reviewed. Today they released a fourth single “Breathless” and, as we like to say here in the U.S., they’ve hit another one out of the park. It’s so stunning that it leaves me breathless!
Photo by Ruby Nixon
Candid consists of brothers Rob (rhythm guitar and vocals) and Dan Latimer (lead guitar), Sam Baines (bass) and Ben Williams (drums). Their dynamic sound features arresting melodies, outstanding layered guitar work and wicked percussion, all of which are on full display on “Breathless.” The exuberant jangly and chiming guitars are magnificent, soaring to great heights and creating a full, sweeping soundscape that’s truly breathtaking.
Their lyrics are always thoughtful and intelligent, and on “Breathless” they address feelings of losing one’s grip on reality, and wanting a return to sanity by moving on to a better place mentally. Rob’s vocals are captivating as he plaintively sings:
I feel there’s something on my mind I’ve got a lot to say Guess I can stay and fight the fire or I could walk away I feel there’s something creeping up I got no place to hide From the corners of my mind So let me up for air I, cause I don’t understand why All these things in my mind leave me breathless
Not long ago, I read somewhere that the album is a dying format in music. Reasons given had mostly to due with the overwhelming popularity of streaming, as well as the availability of millions of songs on streaming services that allow people to make their own personal “mixtapes” of songs they like, without having to buy an entire album. Another reason offered was the decline of concept albums, or albums with an overall theme.
Well, I have to say that, based on the huge number of albums that continue to be produced, the album format is not only still alive, it’s thriving. A fine example of that is the brilliant debut album Perception by indie alt-rock band Redram. The Los Angeles, California-based duo have crafted an amazing collection of provocative and compelling songs addressing the deception foisted upon us by the media, and the acceptance of corruption in our society.
Redram is Chaz Gravez (Charles Graves) and Modiso Mike (Michael Coddington), both multi-instrumentalists who refer to their music as “shamanic trip-rock chillwave” – a pretty apt description. They employ unusual and complex melodies, a wide array of instruments and electronica, and lots of different vocal styles and sounds to express their deeply contemplative lyrics with powerful impact.
Regarding their name, in conversations via Twitter messaging, Chaz explained that Redram “is a combination of symbols in one title. First we used a software called Redrum for a lot of our drum parts. Also, we are both big fans of The Shining and the metaphysical meaning behind that film (redrum). And then also, I’m an Aries/fire sign and we love good ol’ satanic rock and roll imagery.”
Chaz also stated that the nine tracks on Perception are arranged to flow as one coherent piece of music, and he kindly explained the meaning behind each song. Beginning with “Electra,” a psychedelic trip of gnashing, distorted guitars, eerie synths and discordant tinkling piano keys, the overall theme is established for the album. The song’s about a young woman trying to define her identity and role in an increasingly technological world of changing archetypes and symbols – something we all must face to some degree or another if we’re going to survive in a tech-based society.
Next up is the mesmerizing “The Program,” with weird synths, acoustic guitars, and a mix of falsetto and echoed spacey vocals chanting “The Program, the program” and “Perception is all my love / What you see is what you believe.” Chaz explained that the musical concept of “The Program” is the use of Mantra, or repetition of theme, to describe the theory suggested by a scientific study conducted a few years ago that there is a 49% chance that this realty we live in is just a computer program.
The hard-hitting “Press” alternates between frenetic riffs of jangly guitars and a slow, hypnotic beat, filled with all kinds of synths and gritty guitars. The lyrics speak of a press that’s manipulative and owned, and we have the power to change it but we’re too divided and distracted to make it happen. “We’re walking around with dollar bill eyes. We can stop the press. We can stop the mess. We move to the sound that pays for our time. We can stop the press, but it’s a full court press.”
“Sheriff” is another Mantra with the repeated phrase “I want to make you sweat,” delivered by an odd, almost disturbing electronically-altered voice. It’s intended to represent a duality of the archetypal character of a ‘Sheriff’ who wants to make you sweat in more ways than one. Musically, like several of Redram’s songs, the track has a powerful hypnotic beat, with guitars and dark synths used to great effect to create a sense of tension. Despite the disturbing vocal sounds, some of the instrumentals are hauntingly beautiful.
One of my favorite tracks is “Chillmilton,” with a fantastic trip-hop beat, rapping and shamanic chant-like vocals. As Chaz explained, the song “is about a young guy at his first music festival (Coachella) trying to decide between positive and negative choices in the devil’s den.” They sing “One pill two pill three pill four. What you gonna do when you hit the floor? It’s not lyrical, we’re hysterical. What will you find on a stage of miracles? / Chill Milton, chill.”
“70 Versions” employs trippy synths and layers of reverb-heavy and mildly distorted guitars to create dissonance. The lyrics speak to religious dogma vs. spirituality: Is the true value of life material or spiritual? “Speak the truth. You’re personal truth. Your spiritual truth. A miracle. My god.” The title phrase “70 Versions” seems to be a double entendre, as it sounds like they’re singing “70 virgins.” Mysterious, spacey synths and otherworldly vocals lend a sci-fi vibe on “To Space,” a song about depression and disconnection from others.
More spacey synths, accompanied by a continuous mournful organ, deliver “Fake News,” a biting attack on media and politics. Chaz stated that, specifically, the song was inspired by the lies of the media with regard to the Syrian conflict. “Western media. That’s old news. That’s fake news. Which side are the real good guys on? Which lie is the moral lie?”
The powerful video features scenes of conflict in Syria and Iraq, as well as several U.S. Presidents, leaders of Middle Eastern countries, and other media figures.
Album closer “The Machines” is an homage to Pink Floyd’s “Welcome to the Machine.” (Chaz and Modiso are both big fans of Pink Floyd.) The song represents the complete evolution of a technological society, in which the people have been transformed into machines, with all of their behavior and responses pre-programmed. The track has some great bass and guitars, along with dark, eerie synths that perfectly convey the creepy situation.
Perception is a work of musical art, both conceptually and in its execution. The creativity and musicianship of the two men of Redram is impressive, as is their ability to transmit powerful messages into music that’s incredibly complex yet accessible, and an amazing listen to boot.
For the first time on this blog, I shine my spotlight on Paris, France, to Erwan Pépiot, a singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who goes by the artistic name Somehow. He released a self-produced debut album The Desert of Wasted Time in 2016, receiving positive reviews in numerous French indie webzines. In June, he dropped a new album Hidden Memories on Toolong Records, also to wide acclaim both in Europe and the U.S., and has just released a beautiful new single from the album, titled “Someday.”
Somehow’s sound can be described as somewhere between Joy Division and Belle & Sebastian, with a vocal styling reminiscent of Morrissey or Ian Curtis. He wrote, recorded and mixed Hidden Memories in his own home studio, and was assisted by Aurélie Tremblay, who provided backing vocals and some fine cello work.
“Someday” is a sublime pop song with a folk sensibility. The dominant feature is the layered nimble acoustic guitar work that goes from gentle strumming to jangly and swirling riffs. A beautifully-played melodica adds a soothing yet rich sound, backed by subtle bass and percussion. It all makes for an upbeat, incredibly pleasing listen, though the lyrics turn a bit darker toward the end of the track. With his warm, smooth vocals, Somehow earnestly sings of moving on in the hope of finding peace of mind and a better life one day, only to realize there’s no running away from your problems:
Oh it’s time to pull up stakes and become a drifter again Someday, someday, we’ll have a different state of mind A different way of living And some way, someday we’ll find a different style, other ideas to stand for
Our surrounding sky is falling
The surrounding sky is falling apart, there’s nowhere else to go
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 