Gran Cavallo – “No matter”
-The syncopated beat and the saucy attitude in the vocals make this an excellent indie rock track. The riff on the guitars sets a mood that is definitely worth checking out. Some of the dissonant elements may not resonate with all listeners, but I think the overall vibe makes the payoff worthwhile. An easy comp might be the 1975, but Gran Cavallo stand on their own with this emerging track.
https://open.spotify.com/album/7fWl375k1gIaeBeeFKQDJq
Meyru – “At some point”
-Something about the muted vocal in the opening later shining through with more clarity just feels… right. I typically see stuff like that as a production gimmick, but it works with this track. There’s something about this song that feels remarkably chilled out. It’s philosophical and dreamy, all at once. It reminds me of a song that a slightly happier Kurt Cobain would have scribbled in his notebook while daydreaming through a high school math class. I’ll definitely be keeping my eye out for Meyru’s stuff in the coming year.
Color Collage – “What a time to be alive”
-One of the tags for this track is classic rock, which always makes me concerned because how can something new be classic? But holy wow this is a classic rock tune! It’s got those infectious harmonies like the Mamas and the Papas with a little bit of a funky beat like it’s got some Motown in there too, but of course it’s got mid-60s guitar work. The whole combination shows what a time it is to be alive where we can fuse together these disparate musical styles for a magical new product. I really enjoy this one.
https://open.spotify.com/track/251FBAEKXRJchvotenioTg
The Millennial Club – “Feel the same”
-The comp on this band is the 1975 and I’m here for it. They’ve definitely got a cool vibe. It’s almost like a rock meets soul style. The attitude throughout the track is really interesting. There’s even some jazz guitar work in the background that’s sure to put a smile on a lot of faces. I dig that this track is not your average “rock” tune, but highlights some of the alchemy that makes the genre so fascinating.
Avi Kaplan – “Sweet Adeline Pt 2”
-This track has rock elements, of course, but it also feels a bit folk and country as well. The gang vocal on the chorus really makes it for me. I am a sucker for that intersection of folk and rock that permeates this track. The naturalist “it seems I brought the rain” element soothes my soul. Even the lead vocal feels like an old time troubadour. This is good, timeless stuff.
Nicholas Thomas Band – “iWant”
-We’re definitely digging the social awareness of this song. It’s a bit punk, a bit pop rock, and a lot of intriguing. The repetitive “I want to love everyone” feels like a truism worth highlighting. The spirit behind the track is not your average “burn it to the ground” hateful rock song. Instead, it has this hopeful, uplifting sense of us all getting along. It’s “We are the world” with a modern spin and I’m happy to support a mission like that. Lennon would be proud.
https://open.spotify.com/track/323uAKQIxB9pDjfLYwTK7N
**APOLOGIES for the technical problems with the Spotify links. We are doing everything the same way we always do but are getting embed errors. We think it’s connected to a recent update. We will fix ASAP.
