On Move Along, Greg Hoy ties together a very deliberate bass / drum instrumentation with a 1990s alternative sort of approach. Fans of Weezer and early Smash Mouth will find something to sink their teeth into, while technical music fans will adore the dynamic that is established between the guitar, bass, synths and drums here. There’s a bit more substance to Move Along than exists in most of the alt…
On Face2Face’s titular single, the act creates some of the most beautiful pop music of the year. Soulful vocals are matched perfectly with synths and soft percussion. The song possesses a narrative that showcases the results that will occur just as soon as everyone takes the vaccination plunge. While we’re about halfway thee (in the United States, at least), there is still a lot of work that has to be…
Eddie Cohn’s “Animals” calls back to the more introspective rock of the 1980s. With nods made to performers like Peter Gabriel and U2, Cohn is able to establish himself among genre royalty all while crafting music that is wholly different from that garnering attention today. The layered approach taken to Animals’ arrangements will give listeners ample material to dissect in subsequent listens. The skillful usage of the track’s tempo keeps…
The Dead Daisies’s “Like No Other” is a high-energy hard rock track that ties together Axl Rose and Rage Against The Machine to make something loud, furious, and catchy as all get out. The act is able to intersperse the composition with rough and tumble guitars, splashy drums, and tremendous charisma during each segment. Like No Other is able to draw on an earlier hard rock tradition while keeping things…
Wings is a dance/pop track that takes inspiration from the 1980s. Yevae’s vocals stand out boldly from most radio tracks, adding substance to an approach that is a blend of Madonna and Tori Amos. The rapid increase in the tempo on Wings during the song’s second track ensures that fans are kept involved until the effort’s final notes. I Run To You has a slower and more contemplative approach than…
AV Super Sunshine’s “A Wedding Song” is a bold step forward for the act. The track is able to taken up an approach that is partially mid-1970s rock, partially psych / prog. The resulting track both brings a compelling message to the fore while titillating fans’ ears with taut instrumentation. A Wedding Song is a track that will pick up steam as listeners hear it and use it for their…
The visuals that The High Plains Drifters include in their new video add a further layer of complexity to their Since You’ve Been Gone. The track has a futuristic veneer to it that would appease fans of retro sci-fi or of current shows (e.g. The Expanse). The actress utilized in the video is able to showcase strength with attractiveness. The juxtaposition of the vocals with the visuals will tattoo the…
PIERA’s “Unraveling” has a synth-heavy backdrop that shifts between new wave rock and mid-1990s industrial. There are nods here to performers like Shirley Manson and The Cardigans. The crunchy synth and drums that comprise the single’s instrumentation create a darker, emotive sound upon which PIERA’s vocals shine. The multiple layers of Unraveling will ask listeners to take the titular step; one should strap one a pair of headphones and keep…
Kendall Spencer’s “All In” has an epic flow. The synths that begin this single give an epic sound to the composition that would be at home with mid-oughts Jeezy. Kendall Spencer’s rapid-first flow will have listeners’ head nodding, while the hint of guitars that peek their way through give a bit of additional oomph. This is a timeless track that has enough street to make it work on rap stations…
T.A. Parker’s “Endless” has each part of the band working perfectly together. This means that the guitars, drums, and bass are able to create a wonderful track that would be at home on a modern rock station. There’s a timeless sound to this composition that would appease fans of acts like Seven Mary Three and Cracker. Perhaps the cherry on top of this sundae has to be the voice of…
Foolish Human’s “Lake Union” starts off in a timeless fashion splitting the uprights between melodic rock and 1990s alternative music. There’s so much raw passion and emotion that is presented here. The guitar / vocal dynamic that marks the single’s first minute will bring fans to the edges of their seats. Just a hint of Americana is brought in to play, before the act is able to add a synths…
EZ Longway’s “Thug In The Room” has a lot of material to consider. There is a soulful horn line that weaves its way through the track. EZ Longway’s flow both tells an interesting tale while having enough in the way of harmony to interact well with the piano and aforementioned brass, while the song itself has the ability to play well on rap and modern pop radio station. Each movement…
10-19 & The Number Men’s “July 10th” will immediately catch listeners’ attention with a bit of a narrative. The splashy drum beat that starts the act’s current single acts as the song’s instrumental backdrop. A haunting synth interacts with this drum beat to make for a mechanical meets electronic sort of vibe. The track ends up being a bit experimental, a bit dreamy, and July 10th ends up being that…
The instrumental opening to Faizan’s take on Kanye’s classic Blinding Light is engrossing. There is sole that is dripping out of each and every note here. The saxophone work included here by Husen adds further depth to the composition. There’s a driving beat that is cultivated here, one that works when compared to the island vibes built up on the song. Nary a word is needed here, but Faizan and…
The Private Language’s take on Everybody Wants to Rule the World is able to serve two distinct masters. The germ of the original Tears For Fears song is present here, but the act is able to add their own flare to the composition like no other. There’s a bit of R&B crooning present in the lyrics, while the instrumentation spins the electronic-pop of the original into a drum-heavy Phil Collins-style…
Myd’s “Let You Speak” has a funky bass line and charismatic vocals to bring fans in. The track has a timeless sound to it; there’s just as much 1980 new wave / rock here as there are hints of MGMT. The eclecticism of Let You Speak means the no two seconds of the song will hit on the same exact nerve. Myd’s ability to keep fans on the edges of…
Dovley’s “Be About It” simultaneously exists in two distinct periods of dance music. The song itself draws considerable influence from the mid-to-late 1990s electronic style while having the ability to speak to modern EDM crowds. The strong vocals that sit above the sweeping synthesizers and hard-hitting percussions further separate Be About It from the rest of dance music that is currently seeking attention. Dovley’s ability to be a pop star…
4 Life begins with a soulful introduction cut by Nani Goins that calls back to 1990s R&B (e.g. Mariah Carey, Jennifer Lopez). Que 9’s flow begins shortly after this. The back and forth between these two performers is a perfect approximation of a couple in love. There’s a bit of hope, a whole heaping of positivity, and an overall good message that is baked into this track. Que 9 is…
Lion Babe has a wonderful vocal delivery during her latest single, Frida Kahlo. The bit of pop/rap styling tthat adorn this single will have listeners tapping their toes as the synths and drums comprising the song’s backing beat draw influence from the 1990s. Together, these two sections make for a track in Frida Kahlo that could easily garner playlist or radio rotation. The bit of a flute that can be…
Pennan Brae’s El Camino is a bouncy rock track that is timeless in how it lays out. Dreamy vocals are matched with peppy guitars and punchy drums to make a song that will bury itself deep into the minds and hearts of listeners. Brae’s vocals are simultaneously familiar and utterly his own. It is this ability to work so well in any context that makes El Camino into a hit.…