Somehow it’s the last week of the month. For those of you partaking in “Dry January,” you’ve made it this far, you can make it five more days! For those of you not partaking in “Dry January,” well, cheers to y’all too. I couldn’t be bothered either.
TRACK OF THE WEEK: Annabel Lee – Los Angeles
With all the influencer culture making Los Angeles seem like the only option for anyone who wants to make it, I’m really digging Annabel Lee’s dissection of what it does to musicians. In a stripped down track with power vocals doing the heavy emotional lifting, she laments, ‘You wasted me, Los Angeles, and I can’t go home…’ and ‘I would smoke a pack a day and wish the cancer’d have its way so I’d quit waking…’ Whew. [RG]
Also new this week…
English Teacher – Song About Love
English Teacher are right – every song is about love, about having too much or not having enough. They’re also right to add to this long and noble tradition by adding their own ‘Song About Love’, because they’ve made it much deeper than anything else you’ll hear on the radio. They impressed us with their Polyawkward EP, and the new single proves that they’ve honed their craft with an even punchier sound than before. [VG]
Alien Chicks – Cowboy
A loud and powerful track from the post-punk trio. If you weren’t already in the mood to get in the centre of a mosh pit and scream “I’M A COWBOY!”, then you certainly will be now. [LW]
joan – nervous
If Bazzi and Conan Gray had a child, it would be joan. It’s got that right mix of a catchy chorus that’s not throwing itself at you alongside some poppy beats that make it another indie-pop winner. Supplemented with some perfectly-timed pauses for a quick whispered lyric or cheeky sound effect, I’m not nervous that you’re not going to dig everything about this track. [RG]
Grandma’s House – Desire
I get so excited to hear what’s next from these punk legends, and they’ve treated us to another explosive track. Desire is filled with the raucous energy we love to hear from them. The catchy chorus will be an earworm for the foreseeable, but that’s not a complaint! [LW]
Heather Woods Broderick – Crashing Against the Sun
Sincerely hope The Duffer Brothers are paying attention, because Heather Woods Broderick just dropped a perfect song for the final iteration of Stranger Things. And in case they’re not, hi – my name is TJ, and I’ve always dreamed of being a Music Supervisor. Anyways. This song rules. Thanks for listening. [TF]
Cloth – Pigeon
This is your song to turn on if you’re in search of a warm, mellow tune to light a candle to while the snow or rain falls out your window. If you can separate yourself from the disco balls, wig-wearing pigeons, and rose petal backgrounds that star in the video, you’ll find some pretty introspective lyrics. But if you can’t separate yourself from the spectacle of these birds staring longingly into the distance next to a candelabra (yes, I’m serious) I wouldn’t blame you. [RG]
The Lottery Winners – Worry
Everyone’s worried. It’s just a fact of life at this point. None more so than Lottery Winners, but at least they’ve channelled that anxiety into an indie bop with a chorus you can belt out when the worry gets too much. This one goes out to the overthinkers! [VG]
Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs Pigs – Ultimate Hammer
You can really rely on Pigs x7 (sorry, but I’m not typing all that) for a good, cathartic yell. ‘Ultimate Hammer’ is nice and heavy, just the way you like it, which gives us hope that there are plenty more good cathartic yells to come on the album and on their extensive tour this year. Watch out, there’s a guitar solo at the end that might blow your head clean off if you aren’t careful. [VG]
SUUNS – Wave
Feedback is as important an instrument as any guitar, synth, or drum in SUUNS new single, especially when it reaches those delightfully noisy choruses. While the sound itself is harsh, the track still manages to feel gentle and inviting, creating a wonderful contrast. [HP]
Charlotte Sands – Alright
15 year old me would scoff at this, but there’s a lot of excitement in pop music these days. Charlotte Sands gives us a pitch-perfect hook, thankfully not watered down with the typical pop music ‘parlor tricks’. And beyond that, ‘I’m drinking with my ghost tonight…’ might be the best lyric you hear all day. [TF]
Saloon Dion – I Don’t Feel
The second I heard this track, that fuzzed out lead guitar line got stuck in my head. While the tempo isn’t all that fast for punk, Saloon Dion manages to not take their foot off the gas for one second of this song, ramping up throughout with wide open hi-hats, driving bass, and those catchy guitar lines. [HP]
Willie J Healey (feat. Jamie T) – Thank You
Right front and center on the artwork for this track is a tape of Sly & The Family Stone’s album Fresh, and after about two seconds of listening I could understand why perfectly. What a groovy, loving song we have here, just impossible to not smile the whole time you listen to this. [HP]
Contributor Key:
[TF] TJ Foster, [VG] Vicky Greer, [LW] Lydia Webb, [HP] Holden Predmore, [RG] Rory Graham
