Tag: Strangely Alright

STRANGELY ALRIGHT – Single Review: “Alien Lover”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews8 Comments

Strangely Alright is a delightfully quirky and wonderful psychedelic-punk rock band based in and around Seattle-Tacoma, Washington. I’ve been following them for approximately three years, and have become especially fond of them, both because of their terrific music and also for their strong sense of humanity. Accordingly, I’ve featured them several times on this blog (you can read my reviews by clicking on the links under “Related” at the end of this post).

Referring to themselves as an “Eclectic Traveling Minstrel Magic Music Medicine Show”, their unique and entertaining style of punk-infused alternative rock is heavily influenced by such iconic British acts as David Bowie, T.Rex, Pink Floyd, later-period Beatles, Suede, the Buzzcocks and Supergrass. Through their music, they strive to spread positive messages of love, kindness and acceptance, with a guiding philosophy of “Be kind. It matters. Love always wins, so don’t be a dick.”

The band is comprised of front man and ringmaster Regan Lane, who does much of the songwriting and sings lead vocals, Sean Van Dommelen (lead guitar, backing vocals), Ken Schaff (bass), Raymond Hayden (keyboards, backing vocals) and Jason Bair (drums). They’ve released a number of recordings over the past several years, beginning in 2013 with their debut album The Time Machine is Broken, a compilation album All of Us Are Strange (The Singles) and an EP Stuff, both released in 2018, and too many singles to mention along the way. One of my favorites is the brilliant and trippy single “Psych Film”, which spent over four months on my Weekly Top 30, and ranked #42 on my Top 100 Songs of 2020 list.

On March 5th, they dropped their latest single “Alien Lover“, a song Regan describes as “that space between a dream and waking up. We wanted to do something that sounded and looked like the world inside our heads… Where answers lead to questions like the light leads to the dark and back.” Like some of their other recent singles, “Alien Lover” is a long one, clocking in at eight minutes. With it’s meandering cinematic arrangement, trippy otherworldly synths, sweeping orchestral flourishes and bold, psychedelic guitars, the song has a marvelous and epic Pink Floyd-esque vibe. The spacey psychedelic touches and distorted guitar notes perfectly conjure up images of both that blurred state between dreaming and being half-awake, and of an ethereal alien lover inhabiting our dreams. Regan has a terrific and highly emotive vocal style, and his rather mischievous-sounding croons nicely complement the otherworldly music, as well as imparting a sense of an unconventional love described in the lyrics. It all makes for a wonderful trip we’re more than happy to take!

I’m so glad you’re here so I don’t have to disappear into the shame
Nothing really matters when I’m feeling like a shadow that can’t change
I was wrong and you were right and I am sad without your light we need
I just want to fly up in the sky so we’ll be free

Alien Lover
What’s your name?
Alien Lover
We can change
Alien Lover lover
I don’t know where to go
I am here to see the life you sacrificed for me to be here now
The gift I have is you and all your love it tells the truth it never shouts
Where we are and what we do and all the things that we can choose to be
Time is on our side we’re both alive to play the game
Alien Lover
What’s your name?
Alien Lover
We can change
Alien Lover
What’s your name?
Alien Lover lover
I don’t know where to go
Who we are
What we do
Who we are it always shows
What we give
What we lose
Who we are it always shows
Love gonna change what it needs to change
Love gonna go where it goes
Oh Oh
Oh oh
Oh Oh
Oh Oh
Alien Lover
Alien Lover
What’s your name?
Alien Lover
We can change
We can change, we can change
Alien Lover lover
I don’t know where to go
I don’t know where to go

To learn more about Strangely Alright, check out their website
Connect with them on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music on Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud
Purchase on Bandcamp / iTunes

Top 30 Songs for September 27-October 3, 2020

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Song ListsLeave a comment
  1. FEEL YOU – My Morning Jacket (1)
  2. MONSTERS – All Time Low featuring blackbear (3)
  3. CARDIGAN – Taylor Swift (2)
  4. MY OWN SOUL’S WARNING – The Killers (5)
  5. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (4)
  6. IT’S YOU – The Frontier (6)
  7. CAN I CALL YOU TONIGHT? – Dayglow (7)
  8. DOWNS – Roadkeeper (8)
  9. WATERMELON SUGAR – Harry Styles (10)
  10. IS IT TRUE – Tame Impala (11)
  11. MY FUTURE – Billie Eilish (13)
  12. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (9) 21st week on list
  13. BLOODY VALENTINE – Machine Gun Kelly (N)
  14. BACK TO HIM – Soricah (15)
  15. HOODIE UP – MISSIO (16)
  16. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (12)
  17. WHAT YOU GONNA DO??? – Bastille featuring Graham Coxon (20)
  18. GIANTS – Dermot Kennedy (21)
  19. FOR SURE – Future Islands (22)
  20. FAULT LINES – Callum Pitt (23)
  21. FRIDAY NIGHT – Heist At Five featuring Francesca Confortini (25)
  22. HERO – Weezer (27)
  23. ARE YOU BORED YET? – Wallows featuring Clairo (29)
  24. MARIPOSA – Peach Tree Rascals (30)
  25. ZEN – X Ambassadors, K.Flay & grandson (14)
  26. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (17)
  27. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (18)
  28. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (19)
  29. I GOT YOU – Michael Franti & Spearhead (24)
  30. COME & GO – Juice WRLD & Marshmello (N)

Top 30 Songs for September 20-26, 2020

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's5 Comments
  1. FEEL YOU – My Morning Jacket (1)
  2. CARDIGAN – Taylor Swift (3)
  3. MONSTERS – All Time Low featuring blackbear (4)
  4. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (2)
  5. MY OWN SOUL’S WARNING – The Killers (6)
  6. IT’S YOU – The Frontier (7)
  7. CAN I CALL YOU TONIGHT? – Dayglow (8)
  8. DOWNS – Roadkeeper (9)
  9. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (5)
  10. WATERMELON SUGAR – Harry Styles (14)
  11. IS IT TRUE – Tame Impala (20)
  12. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (12)
  13. MY FUTURE – Billie Eilish (17)
  14. ZEN – X Ambassadors, K.Flay & grandson (15)
  15. BACK TO HIM – Soricah (18)
  16. HOODIE UP – MISSIO (19)
  17. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (10)
  18. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (11)
  19. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (13)
  20. WHAT YOU GONNA DO??? – Bastille featuring Graham Coxon (23)
  21. GIANTS – Dermot Kennedy (24)
  22. FOR SURE – Future Islands (25)
  23. FAULT LINES – Callum Pitt (26)
  24. I GOT YOU – Michael Franti & Spearhead (22)
  25. FRIDAY NIGHT – Heist At Five featuring Francesca Confortini (27)
  26. FIRE – Black Pumas (16)
  27. HERO – Weezer (N)
  28. SWIMMING CLOSER – HAZY (21)
  29. ARE YOU BORED YET? – Wallows featuring Clairo (N)
  30. MARIPOSA – Peach Tree Rascals (N)

STRANGELY ALRIGHT – Single Review: “Maybe If”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews7 Comments

Strangely Alright is a wonderful and wildly-entertaining psychedelic-punk rock band based in Seattle-Tacoma, Washington. Referring to themselves as an “Eclectic Traveling Minstrel Magic Music Medicine Show”, they’ve built a loyal following not only through their great music, but also for the positive messages of humanity, love, kindness and acceptance in their songs. Their quirky and unique style of punk-infused rock is inspired by such iconic British artists as David Bowie, T.Rex, Pink Floyd, the Jam, Suede, the Buzzcocks and Supergrass. The band is fronted by Regan Lane, who does much of the songwriting and sings lead vocals, Sean Van Dommelen (lead guitar, backing vocals), Ken Schaff (bass), Raymond Hayden (keyboards, backing vocals) and Jason Bair (drums).

They’ve released a number of recordings over the past several years, including their debut album The Time Machine is Broken in 2013, as well as a compilation album All of Us Are Strange (The Singles) and an EP Stuff, both of which were released in 2018. Since then, they’ve dropped a number of terrific singles, one of them the brilliant and trippy “Psych Film”, which has been streamed nearly 75,000 times on Spotify. The song has also spent the past four months on my Weekly Top 30 list, peaking at #4. (You can read my reviews of Stuff and “Psych Film” by clicking on the links under “Related” at the end of this post.)

Now Strangely Alright returns with their marvelous new single “Maybe If“, a beautiful song of hope, love and gratitude. About the song’s message, the band states “In a world of pointing fingers, we have decided to look inside for the answers. And let’s be kind! It matters in ways we often never see.” Running nearly eight minutes long, the song has an epic, otherworldly feel reminiscent of some of Pink Floyd’s music. The intricate guitar work is fantastic, alternating between jangly, chiming and grungy textures, and accompanied by sparkling piano keys, measured percussion, and a colorful mix of spacey and sweeping orchestral synths. It all comes together beautifully to create a dreamy cinematic backdrop for Regan’s wonderful Bowie-esque vocals.

Feeling like an alien
Who fell and landed here
Maybe if I face my pride
The answers will be clear
Maybe if I ride a cloud
Into the sun my darkness disappears

Everything I never had
I’d give it all away
If I have to steal a smile
I’ll wear it for the day
If I have to tell where I have been
I have to sell there’s nothing left to win

Maybe If I look inside
I’ll see the things I’ve always tried to hide

Maybe everything I have
Is everything I need
And I can’t control the world outside
And I hate who I can be
If I lose control will I disappear
And will I fade away to the nothing
In the mirror

Galaxies of brokenness that fabricate what I have missed
Peculiar thoughts I died when I was young
Can’t escape what might have been
The atmosphere is getting thin
I’m out of gas
Maybe If

Maybe If my gratitude is greater than my faith
If I see myself in everyone will I share a little grace
And I want to trust all the things I see
And I want to feel just a little peace
There’s a million no’s deep inside of me
If I let em go
I just might end up free

Strangely Alright hit the ball out of the park yet again with “Maybe If”, further cementing their reputation for putting out stellar tunes with the power to both dazzle our senses and stir our souls.

To learn more about Strangely Alright, check out their website
Connect with them on Facebook / Twitter / Instagram
Stream their music on Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud
Purchase on Bandcamp / iTunes / Google Play

Top 30 Songs for September 13-19, 2020

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30'sLeave a comment
  1. FEEL YOU – My Morning Jacket (5)
  2. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (2)
  3. CARDIGAN – Taylor Swift (3)
  4. MONSTERS – All Time Low featuring blackbear (4)
  5. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (1)
  6. MY SOUL’S OWN WARNING – The Killers (9)
  7. IT’S YOU – The Frontier (12)
  8. CAN I CALL YOU TONIGHT? – Dayglow (13)
  9. DOWNS – Roadkeeper (14)
  10. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (6)
  11. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (7)
  12. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (8)
  13. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (10)
  14. WATERMELON SUGAR – Harry Styles (17)
  15. ZEN – X Ambassadors, K.Flay & grandson (16)
  16. FIRE – Black Pumas (11)
  17. MY FUTURE – Billie Eilish (19)
  18. BACK TO HIM – Soricah (20)
  19. HOODIE UP – MISSIO (21)
  20. IS IT TRUE – Tame Impala (25)
  21. SWIMMING CLOSER – HAZY (15)
  22. I GOT YOU – Michael Franti & Spearhead (24)
  23. WHAT YOU GONNA DO??? – Bastille featuring Graham Coxon (26)
  24. GIANTS – Dermot Kennedy (27)
  25. FOR SURE – Future Islands (28)
  26. FAULT LINES – Callum Pitt (29)
  27. FRIDAY NIGHT – Heist At Five featuring Francesca Confortini (30)
  28. NOT OK! – Chaz Cardigan (18)
  29. HELL N BACK – Bakar (23) 23rd week on list
  30. HOW WILL I REST IN PEACE IF I’M BURIED BY A HIGHWAY?// – Kenny Hoopla (22) 21st week on list

Top 30 Songs for September 6-12, 2020

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's4 Comments
  1. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (1)
  2. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (2)
  3. CARDIGAN – Taylor Swift (6)
  4. MONSTERS – All Time Low featuring blackbear (8)
  5. FEEL YOU – My Morning Jacket (20)
  6. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (3)
  7. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (4)
  8. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (5)
  9. MY OWN SOUL’S WARNING – The Killers (10)
  10. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (9)
  11. FIRE – Black Pumas (7)
  12. IT’S YOU – The Frontier (12)
  13. CAN I CALL YOU TONIGHT? – Dayglow (15)
  14. DOWNS – Roadkeeper (16)
  15. SWIMMING CLOSER – HAZY (14)
  16. ZEN – X Ambassadors, K.Flay & grandson (17)
  17. WATERMELON SUGAR – Harry Styles (19)
  18. NOT OK! – Chaz Cardigan (13)
  19. MY FUTURE – Billie Eilish (21)
  20. BACK TO HIM – Soricah (23)
  21. HOODIE UP – MISSIO (24)
  22. HOW CAN I REST IN PEACE IF I’M BURIED BY A HIGHWAY?// – Kenny Hoopla (11) 20th week on list
  23. HELL N BACK – Bakar (18) 22nd week on list
  24. I GOT YOU – Michael Franti & Spearhead (25)
  25. IS IT TRUE – Tame Impala (29)
  26. WHAT YOU GONNA DO??? – Bastille featuring Graham Coxon (N)
  27. GIANTS – Dermot Kennedy (N)
  28. FOR SURE – Future Islands (N)
  29. FAULT LINES – Callum Pitt (N)
  30. FRIDAY NIGHT – Heist At Five featuring Francesca Confortini (N)

Top 30 Songs for August 30-September 5, 2020

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's5 Comments
  1. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (2)
  2. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (1)
  3. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (3)
  4. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (4)
  5. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (5)
  6. CARDIGAN – Taylor Swift (6)
  7. FIRE – Black Pumas (8)
  8. MONSTERS – All Time Low featuring blackbear (9)
  9. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (10)
  10. MY OWN SOUL’S WARNING – The Killers (11)
  11. HOW WILL I REST IN PEACE IF I’M BURIED BY A HIGHWAY?// – Kenny Hoopla (7)
  12. IT’S YOU – The Frontier (16)
  13. NOT OK! – Chaz Cardigan (12)
  14. SWIMMING CLOSER – HAZY (15)
  15. CAN I CALL YOU TONIGHT? – Dayglow (17)
  16. DOWNS – Roadkeeper (19)
  17. ZEN – X Ambassadors, K.Flay & grandson (20)
  18. HELL N BACK – Bakar (13) 21st week on list
  19. WATERMELON SUGAR – Harry Styles (21)
  20. FEEL YOU – My Morning Jacket (29)
  21. MY FUTURE – Billie Eilish (23)
  22. STRANGERS – Mt. Joy (14)
  23. BACK TO HIM – Soricah (26)
  24. HOODIE UP – MISSIO (27)
  25. I GOT YOU – Michael Franti & Spearhead (28)
  26. DON’T LET ME DOWN – Milky Chance featuring Jack Johnson (25)
  27. LEVEL OF CONCERN – twenty one pilots (24)
  28. IF NOT FOR THE FIRE – The Million Reasons (18) 22nd week on list
  29. IS IT TRUE – Tame Impala (N)
  30. REAL LONG TIME – White Reaper (30)

Top 30 Songs for August 23-29, 2020

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's2 Comments
  1. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (1)
  2. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (2)
  3. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (4)
  4. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (5)
  5. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (6)
  6. CARDIGAN – Taylor Swift (7)
  7. HOW WILL I REST IN PEACE IF I’M BURIED BY A HIGHWAY?// – Kenny Hoopla (3)
  8. FIRE – Black Pumas (8)
  9. MONSTERS – All Time Low featuring blackbear (10)
  10. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (13)
  11. MY OWN SOUL’S WARNING – The Killers (19)
  12. NOT OK! – Chaz Cardigan (14)
  13. HELL N BACK – Bakar (11) 20th week on list
  14. STRANGERS – Mt. Joy (15)
  15. SWIMMING CLOSER – HAZY (16)
  16. IT’S YOU – The Frontier (17)
  17. CAN I CALL YOU TONIGHT? – Dayglow (20)
  18. IF NOT FOR THE FIRE – The Million Reasons (9) 21st week on list
  19. DOWNS – Roadkeeper (23)
  20. ZEN – X Ambassadors, K.Flay & grandson (24)
  21. WATERMELON SUGAR – Harry Styles (25)
  22. LIVING IN A GHOST TOWN – The Rolling Stones (12)
  23. MY FUTURE – Billie Eilish (26)
  24. LEVEL OF CONCERN – twenty one pilots (18)
  25. DON’T LET ME DOWN – Milky Chance featuring Jack Johnson (22)
  26. BACK TO HIM – Soricah (28)
  27. HOODIE UP – MISSIO (30)
  28. I GOT YOU – Michael Franti & Spearhead (N)
  29. FEEL YOU – My Morning Jacket (N)
  30. REAL LONG TIME – White Reaper (29)

Top 30 Songs for August 16-22, 2020

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's2 Comments

1. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (2)
2. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (3)
3. HOW WILL I REST IN PEACE IF I’M BURIED BY A HIGHWAY?// – Kenny Hoopla (1)
4. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (5)
5. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (7)
6. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (8)
7. CARDIGAN – Taylor Swift (10)
8. FIRE – Black Pumas (11)
9. IF NOT FOR THE FIRE – The Million Reasons (4) 20th week on list
10. MONSTERS – All Time Low featuring blackbear (14)
11. HELL N BACK – Bakar (6)
12. LIVING IN A GHOST TOWN – The Rolling Stones (9)
13. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (15)
14. NOT OK! – Chaz Cardigan (18)
15. STRANGERS – Mt. Joy (13)
16. SWIMMING CLOSER – HAZY (19)
17. IT’S YOU – The Frontier (20)
18. LEVEL OF CONCERN – twenty one pilots (12)
19. MY OWN SOUL’S WARNING – The Killers (21)
20. CAN I CALL YOU TONIGHT? – Dayglow (22)
21. MARIA – Two Feet (16) 20th week on list
22. DON’T LET ME DOWN – Milky Chance featuring Jack Johnson (17)
23. DOWNS – Roadkeeper (27)
24. ZEN – X Ambassadors, K.Flay & grandson (29)
25. WATERMELON SUGAR – Harry Styles (N)
26. MY FUTURE – Billie Eilish (N)
27. LEMON DROP – Absofacto (23) 20th week on list
28. BACK TO HIM – Soricah (30)
29. REAL LONG TIME – White Reaper (24)
30. HOODIE UP – MISSIO (N)

Top 30 Songs for August 9-15, 2020

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's6 Comments

1. HOW WILL I REST IN PEACE IF I’M BURIED BY A HIGHWAY?// – Kenny Hoopla (1)
2. HALLUCINOGENICS – Matt Maeson (3)
3. BLACK & WHITE LOVE – Beating Hearts Club (4)
4. IF NOT FOR THE FIRE – The Million Reasons (2)
5. HONEYBEE – The Head and the Heart (6)
6. HELL N BACK – Bakar (5)
7. PSYCH FILM – Strangely Alright (8)
8. SOMEONE ELSE – Rezz & Grabbitz (9)
9. LIVING IN A GHOST TOWN – The Rolling Stones (10)
10. CARDIGAN – Taylor Swift (N)
11. FIRE – Black Pumas (13)
12. LEVEL OF CONCERN – twenty one pilots (7)
13. STRANGERS – Mt. Joy (12)
14. MONSTERS – All Time Low featuring blackbear (14)
15. HEAVEN IS HEART – Jaded Jane (15)
16. MARIA – Two Feet (11)
17. DON’T LET ME DOWN – Milky Chance featuring Jack Johnson (18)
18. NOT OK! – Chaz Cardigan (19)
19. SWIMMING CLOSER – HAZY (20)
20. IT’S YOU – The Frontier (21)
21. MY OWN SOUL’S WARNING – The Killers (23)
22. CAN I CALL YOU TONIGHT? – Dayglow (27)
23. LEMON DROP – Absofacto (16)
24. REAL LONG TIME – White Reaper (17)
25. MAYDAY!!! FIESTA FEVER – AWOLNATION featuring Alex Ebert (24)
26. WOLVES – MISSIO (28)
27. DOWNS – Roadkeeper (30)
28. LAY YOUR HEAD ON ME – Major Lazer featuring Marcus Mumford (22)
29. ZEN – X Ambassadors, K.Flay & grandson (N)
30. BACK TO HIM – Soricah (N)