Tag: VAZUM

Top 30 Songs for February 11-17, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's12 Comments

Over the past year, Vermont-based singer-songwriter Noah Kahan exploded onto the music scene after seven years in the business on the strength of his third album Stick Season. Thus far, the album has generated three hits, including the title track, “Dial Drunk” and “Northern Attitude”. Written during the COVID-19 pandemic, Kahan describes the album as a “love letter to New England.” “Northern Attitude”, which he co-wrote with producer Gabe Simon, addresses what he calls his “northern attitude”, the stereotypical perception that folks from Northern New England can be reserved or even a bit cold, thanks to the “harsh winters that toughen up the locals, with the added challenge of enduring long dark New England nights”.

Kahan teamed up with Irish singer-songwriter Hozier to release a new version of “Northern Attitude” on November 10, 2023, and it’s a match made in heaven! According to Songfacts, the two got to know each other when they both performed at the Iron Blossom Festival at Monroe Park in Richmond, Virginia, in late August 2023, and first performed this song together during a show in Nashville in October. Kahan was thrilled with the harmony Hozier brought to the chorus. “That song was recorded so quickly that we didn’t really have a ton of time or the ability, really, to go back and change a lot of it,” he explained to American Songwriter. “So having the harmony there kind of filled it out a lot. In some ways I feel like his voice lends itself to a specific feeling that maybe mine didn’t. Like, it’s more tender and forgiving in some parts but also more powerful and angry.“

It’s an exuberant Americana song in the style of early Mumford and Sons, and I just love that vibrant banjo and the guys’ gorgeous soaring harmonies. The song has spent several weeks at #1 on the Billboard Adult Alternative Airplay chart and is now #1 on mine.

In other chart developments, “Beautiful People (Stay High)” by The Black Keys climbs four spots to #4, the defiantly boisterous “Blame Brett” by Toronto-based indie rock band The Beaches (which is based on the breakup of lead singer Jordan Miller and Brett Emmons from The Glorious Sons) and the hauntingly beautiful “Winter Cowboy” by English singer-songwriter Frank Joshua enter the top 10. The biggest upward mover this week is “Neon Pill” by Cage the Elephant, leaping 15 spots to #14. Making their debut are two songs I recently reviewed: “Bicycle Away” by Brooklyn, New York-based singer-songwriter Sam Rappaport, his third song to appear on my Weekly Top 30, and “Kool Aid Blue” by wonderfully-named Vancouver, Canada-based jangle pop band The Sylvia Platters.

  1. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (4)
  2. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (1)
  3. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (2)
  4. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (8)
  5. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (3)
  6. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (7)
  7. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (6)
  8. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (5)
  9. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (11)
  10. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (12)
  11. THE TOWER – Future Islands (13)
  12. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (15)
  13. ALIVE! – Bakar (14)
  14. NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (29)
  15. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (16)
  16. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (9)
  17. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (10)
  18. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (22)
  19. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (23)
  20. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (24)
  21. MEANT TO BE – Wilco (25)
  22. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (26)
  23. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (17)
  24. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (18)
  25. BLUSH – Vazum (27)
  26. LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (28)
  27. DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (30)
  28. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (19)
  29. BICYCLE AWAY – Sam Rappaport (N)
  30. KOOL AID BLUE – The Sylvia Platters (N)

Top 30 Songs for February 4-10, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's8 Comments

American genre-bending singer-songwriter Teddy Swims, whose sound has been described by Aaron Williams of UPROXX as “Post Malone singing Lenny Williams or Jelly Roll doing Teddy Pendergrass”, takes over the top spot this week with his blistering torch song “Lose Control”. With his impassioned vocals, the soaring orchestrals and that wailing guitar solo, I get chills every time I hear it. Born Jaten Collin Dimsdale in Conyers, Georgia, the gruff-voiced artist mixes R&B, soul, country, and pop to create his own unique sound that’s earned him over 26 million monthly listeners on Spotify alone. Released last June (of 2023), “Lose Control” has been a bit of a sleeper hit; now in its 24th week on the Billboard Hot 100, the song is currently at its peak position of #4, and also ranks #2 on the Adult Alternative Airplay chart. Thus far, it’s been streamed more than 221 million times on Spotify. The song is from his debut album I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1), which dropped last September.

Mr. Swims isn’t the only “swim” act on this chart, as the enchanting dream pop gem “All I Die For”, by Canadian indie rock band SWiiMS, moves into the #2 spot. “Northern Attitude”, by Vermont singer-songwriter Noah Kahan and Irish singer-songwriter Hozier, jumps five spots to #4, and “Beautiful People (Stay High)” by The Black Keys leaps 14 spots to enter the top 10 at #8.

Two songs make their debut this week. Entering at #29 is “Neon Pill” by Nashville-based Cage the Elephant, their first new music in nearly three years. They’re one of my long-time favorite bands, so I’m thrilled to hear new music from them. Coming in at #30 is “Diamond and the Missing Son” by Northern Ireland alt-rock band Unquiet Nights, which I reviewed last month. The song is from their third album Seasons in Exile, which dropped January 19th.

  1. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (2)
  2. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (5)
  3. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (1)
  4. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (9)
  5. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (3)
  6. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (6)
  7. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (8)
  8. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (22)
  9. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (4)
  10. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (7)
  11. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (12)
  12. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (13)
  13. THE TOWER – Future Islands (15)
  14. ALIVE! - Bakar (16)
  15. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (17)
  16. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (19)
  17. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (11)
  18. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (14)
  19. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (10)
  20. RUN AWAY WITH ME – Cold War Kids (18)
  21. HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (20)
  22. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (23)
  23. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (24)
  24. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (25)
  25. MEANT TO BE – Wilco (27)
  26. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (28)
  27. BLUSH – Vazum (29)
  28. LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (30)
  29. NEON PILL – Cage the Elephant (N)
  30. DIAMOND AND THE MISSING SON – Unquiet Nights (N)

Top 30 Songs for January 28-February 3, 2024

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Weekly Top 30's10 Comments

Well, Green Day return to the top spot this week with “The American Dream Is Killing Me”, making it their fourth non-consecutive week at #1. It was the lead single to their critically-acclaimed 14th studio album Saviors, which dropped January 19th. Georgia genre-bending singer-songwriter Teddy Swims, whose sound has been described by Aaron Williams of webzine UPROXX as “Post Malone singing Lenny Williams or Jelly Roll doing Teddy Pendergrass”, moves into second place with his blistering torch song “Lose Control”. The song is from his debut album I’ve Tried Everything but Therapy (Part 1). The captivating “All I Die For” by Canadian indie rock band SWiiMS, which I love more each time I hear it, moves up two spots to #5, while Bleachers‘ “Modern Girl” and The Last Dinner Party‘s “Nothing Matters” also advance two spots to #6 and #8, respectively. Noah Kahan and Hozier enter the top 10 with their rousing “Northern Attitude”, which is now in its third non-consecutive week at #1 on the Billboard AAA chart.

Five excellent new songs make their debut this week. The first and highest debuting is “Beautiful People (Stay High)” by one of my long-time favorite bands The Black Keys, entering at #22. The song is the lead single from their forthcoming 12th studio album Ohio Players. Entering at #27 is “Meant To Be” by Chicago alt-rock band Wilco, the lovely second single from their 13th album Cousin. Coming in at #28 is the delightful “My Golden Years” by indie rock duo The Lemon Twigs. Based in Long Island, the band is comprised of the hyper-talented and charismatic brothers Brian and Michael D’Addario, who began making music in their teens. I love those jangly guitars and beautiful vocal harmonies.

Next up is “Blush” by Detroit-based deathgaze act Vazum, the music project of Zach Pliska and Emily Sturm, entering at #29. The marvelous song is reminiscent of great 80s darkwave and goth rock songs by such bands as Siouxsie and the Banshees and The Cure. Last but certainly not least is “Lunar Eclipse” by English indie rock band The Vaccines. Though they’ve been around since 2010, I only recently learned about them from fellow blogger Christian’s Music Musings when he featured one of their songs in a post. “Lunar Eclipse” is one of many great songs from their outstanding sixth studio album Pick-Up Full of Pink Carnations, which dropped January 12th.

  1. THE AMERICAN DREAM IS KILLING ME – Green Day (2)
  2. LOSE CONTROL – Teddy Swims (3)
  3. WHAT NOW – Brittany Howard (1)
  4. COOL ABOUT IT – boygenius (4)
  5. ALL I DIE FOR – SWiiMS (7)
  6. MODERN GIRL – Bleachers (8)
  7. MY LOVE MINE ALL MINE – Mitski (5)
  8. NOTHING MATTERS – The Last Dinner Party (10)
  9. NORTHERN ATTITUDE – Noah Kahan feat. Hozier (14)
  10. ATTRACTION – Wild Horse (6)
  11. HOW DID YOU GET HERE? – Antony Szmierek (12)
  12. BLAME BRETT – The Beaches (13)
  13. WINTER COWBOY – Frank Joshua (16)
  14. PRETTY VICIOUS – The Struts (15)
  15. THE TOWER – Future Islands (17)
  16. ALIVE! - Bakar (18)
  17. MOTHER NATURE – MGMT (20)
  18. RUN AWAY WITH ME – Cold War Kids (9)
  19. LOVIN ON ME – Jack Harlow (21)
  20. HOUDINI – Dua Lipa (19)
  21. DARLING – Western Jaguar (11) 20th week on chart
  22. BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE (STAY HIGH) – The Black Keys (N)
  23. NICE TO KNOW YOU – lovelytheband (28)
  24. YOUR WORLD NOW – Marc Schuster (29)
  25. NORMAL PEOPLE THINGS – Lovejoy (30)
  26. NOW AND THEN – The Beatles (22)
  27. MEANT TO BE – Wilco (N)
  28. MY GOLDEN YEARS – The Lemon Twigs (N)
  29. BLUSH – Vazum (N)
  30. LUNAR ECLIPSE – The Vaccines (N)

VAZUM – Single Review: “Double Stellium”

On By EclecticMusicLoverIn Reviews3 Comments

VAZUM is a deathgaze duo from Detroit, Michigan, consisting of Zach Pliska (vocals/guitar/drums) and Emily Sturm (vocals/bass). Combining elements of deathrock, goth, post-punk and shoegaze, they create their signature dark, haunting and melodic sound that sounds vaguely familiar, yet totally unlike anyone else I’ve heard. Since forming in 2017, the highly imaginative and prolific duo have released an impressive four albums, three EPs and nearly a dozen singles, all of which they produce, record, engineer and mix independently at their own Light Echo Studios.

I’ve followed VAZUM for over a year, and am finally featuring them on this blog on the occasion of the release of their latest single “Double Stellium“. Stellium is an astrological term that refers to when someone has at least three planets in one zodiac sign or house in their birth chart. Having a double stellium can be very intense with a lot of energy focused in specific areas. Both Zach and Emily have double stelliums in their astrological charts, hence the song’s theme and title.

The song blasts open with a jarring onslaught of shredded psychedelic guitars and explosive pummeling percussion, then settles into an eerily beautiful and melodic soundscape of industrial synths, those shredded guitars ever-present in the background. Halfway through, the music returns to the same intensity we heard at the beginning, before quickly calming back down, only to rev back up at the end for a final bombastic flourish. Zach and Emily’s echoed droning vocal harmonies are perfectly suited to the goth-flavored instrumentals, nicely enhancing the song’s overall haunting feel.

The lyrics are probably open to interpretation, but my take is that they speak to loving those close to us and living life to the fullest in the here and now, given the eventual certainty of death.

Soon it will claim us all
Drained, pale porcelain dolls
Swept in a sanguine pulse
Dark dreams, nothing else
Doesn’t really matter who we were
All that really matters

I’ll lie here with you till nightfall
I’ll bleed here in you till nightfall
I’ll lie here with you
There’s no end
I’ll bleed here in you
There’s no end

VAZUM also created and produced the trippy video for the track.

Connect with VAZUM: Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

Stream their music: Spotify / Apple Music / Soundcloud / YouTube

Purchase on Bandcamp