The first contest was a cracking success and we hope to have even more votes for these stellar acts. Vote below for your favorite and be sure to share the contest with your music-loving friends.
Kyle and the Pity Party – “My Car”
-This indie rock anthem has some really great layered guitars that bring us considerable joy. Of course the central theme of the song is loneliness and that part is a bit of a downer. But “this is honesty, this is how I feel” and we totally dig that. We’ve had these days, too, my dude.
Steve Benjamins – “Manhood”
-I can’t fully explain why I love this track so much, but I just do. The easy vibe of the track overall is addictively enjoyable. The lyrics are just motivational enough to get me pumped. The song basically makes me want to go fight for my dreams. You know? It’s like “Eye of the Tiger” for a new generation.
Munro the Band – “Longer than a day without you”
-Sometimes bands claim to sound like the Beatles and it makes me laugh uncontrollably. But honestly, this song has that kind of Beatles vibe to it. Seriously if McCartney had co-writing credit on this track I wouldn’t be surprised. I love everything from the minor key turns in the melody to the intricate layered harmonies. This is a phenomenal pop rock track and I am going to add it to my own personal playlists. I dig these guys a lot.
Captains – “Statue”
-We don’t cover a lot of electro pop around here, so you know that when we do it must be pretty good. This band is a sort of all-star team if I understand the bio correctly, so this lead singer is an absolute stand out. If you listen to the articulation and style here, she literally does not ever miss a note. This is a powerful track with some really dynamic backing notes and a brilliant lead vocal. This is the kind of electro we support.
Ripe – “Little Lighter”
-This band Ripe is listed as rock, but really they are a mashup of a thousand different styles. I hear a bit of soul, funk, and a whole lot of jazzy attitude in their sound. This is one of those songs that you hear and think, “why isn’t this a massive hit?” Let’s make it one! It could be an Earth, Wind, and Fire track, ya dig? Let’s get groovin’ to this cool fusion hit.
Cameron Jones – “Warning”
– Cameron Jones is an artist we have covered before, but this new song takes songwriting to the next level. The piano and vocal work in perfect harmony to create a truly majestic sound. It’s the kind of cinematic pop music that emerged in the 70s and shows its face every once in a while. But keeping the instrumentation simple and the vocal at the center, it’s a beautiful overall piece.
Good Old War – “That Feeling” ft Anthony Green
-This is a laugh, right? I mean honestly Good Old War is one of the bands in my freaking BIO about what kind of music I like. Obviously I can’t be impartial in saying that I love these guys. They are LITERALLY one of the bands that was part of the founding of this site. I will never not like their great songwriting, unique harmony writing, and incredibly enjoyable bouncy guitar from Dan the Man. I am basically just putting this track here as an excuse to write another feature on these guys.
Stolen City – “Last Night”
-I’m not sure I have a category better than “indie rock” for this sound, but gosh is it an incredible example of the genre. I love the way the guitars act as their own “voice” in this track, actually singing out as much as the human voices. The balanced sound makes for something you can focus on, or enjoy in the background of other activities. It’s really a fantastic example of what indie rock has to offer in the 21st century.
Cyrus Temple – “Losin’ My Mind”
-This is a chill band to the highest degree. This song is one of the chillest tracks we’ve heard in a long time. What I love about it, though, is the juxtaposition with the lyrical content. I mean it’s ultimately a blues track about being broken hearted, but it uses a ton of modern tools like electronic sounds to express that feeling. This is what music does; it updates the ways that we tell timeless stories like heartbreak. Also you can totally vibe out to this chill track.
Volume Pool – “Emily”
-Volume Pool are kickin’ it old school with this track, creating something that sounds like it could have come out of the late 60s. The sound, though, is so effective that it doesn’t feel dated in the least. I really find this to be an infectiously enjoyable sound. The execution of the rhythmic and harmonic sound is perfect; I bet this one took a lot of practice to nail, but man did they get it right.
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