Anxiety Attacks – “OK”
-One of the great pleasures of my life is being connected to people who care deeply about mental health. So when I found this track about checking in on someone that you love, complete with a fascinating alt punk vibe, I had to spin it loud. The lyrics are cyclical, yet still end up becoming meaningful. The way the track captures blame really resonates.
Fever Feel – “Lose Your Mind”
-Throwback rock music is inspiring and moving. Fever Feel have a sound that seems like it could have come from about 1968, but at the same time also has a crispiness to it that feels really new. The guitar and keys, especially, work perfectly for the message of the track. Everything from the lyrics to the instrumentation are vintage bliss.
https://soundcloud.com/feverfeel/lose-your-mind
Syringa – “Naked”
-Call it psych rock or just trippy classic rock, Syringa plays an exceptional style of music. The way the lead vocal lays delicately over the guitars is just delicious. The vocal harmonies that enter the track will have you thinking of the best bands of the 60s in no time. It’s great to hear that there are still bands making this kind of engaging music.
The Jacks – “Tonight”
-Oh yeah where’s Jack White when you need him? This up tempo rock style is full of blues savvy and slick rock chops. The vocal just sounds like it’s been through some shit. Then the message of the song is steeped in raw vulgar lust and desire. You can almost smell the smoke and cheap drinks; this is what modern rock music is all about.
Stone Antica – “Don’t Let It Slide”
-Can you feel the raw energy of this recording? You’d have to be dead not to. There’s a grunge-meets-modern feel to what’s going on with this track. When the chorus “break my spirit down” section hits there’s a glowing harmonic element that is totally unexpected. It’s these twists and turns, complete with deeply personal lyrics, that allows this song to rise above the masses in indie rock right now.
Bootleg Rascal – “Mercy”
-This syncopated, almost-reggae style track is not like anything you’ve ever heard. But I bet by the end of the first chorus you’ll be singing along. The gang vocal, the beat, and the swagger all come together for something really special here. Also, how many of us rock hounds haven’t found ourselves on the streets begging for mercy at some point? There’s some real attitude here and I love it.
Jon Reynolds and the Aches – “Undertow”
-If pop rock needs an anthem, they should collectively pick this track from Reynolds and the Aches. The style is savvy, with plenty of moxie it moving. The syncopated beat, the hand claps, and a top quality lead vocal work perfectly. This is the kind of style that helped catapult Maroon 5 to superstardom. Yes, they have that kind of power. I can’t wait to hear where Reynolds and company end up, because this track shows the limitless potential of this great new band.
Glorietta – “Loser’s Lament”
-This is something like the third track we’ve featured from this new Glorietta project. I’m running out of things to say about the project itself, so here’s something about the song. It’s pretty cool. There’s a mix of grunge with some modern rock stylings here. The song feels like it exists outside of genre conventions, which is part of what makes the mistique all the more interesting. You just can’t look (or click) away from this one.
Tempesst – “Roller Coaster”
-We have covered Tempesst in the past. They have a fascinating layered rock style. Bringing together a quality lead vocal and some solid backing vocals, there’s always something you didn’t see coming with their composition style. On this one, it’s the way the chorus emerges above the rest of the song with a kind of soaring, light energy. The raw emotion in the vocal juxtaposes perfectly with the glowing energy of the band’s backing vox. It’s something to behold, for sure.
Dante Matas – “A Colourful Headache”
-Songs like this are why I became a blogger in the first place. Here tucked in with bands represented by big PR firms and massive promotional budgets is this track by a really talented singer songwriter named Dante Matas. The sound feels like something genuine and provocative, a bit like Kevin Devine and that ilk of indie artist. I would love to learn more about Matas and the sound that he produces here. But I’ll tell you what; the lyrics are so powerful I’m almost afraid to admit how much they resonate with me. The fact that they are delivered with such an enjoyable Ben Folds style pop rock just makes me all the more excited to put it on repeat.
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