Alex McArtor – “Wasteland”
If there were ever a harder to classify track, “Wasteland” is a near endless puzzle. Vocally, we are reminded of some of the best melancholic crooners like Lana and Conor. Musically, it has a dark country vibe throughout while building an electro pop Flaming Lips style sound. There is a beautifully crafted alternative rock style here that will resonate with those who love finding new and perhaps a little strange voices. The track is timely, compelling, and worth your time.
Hadda Be – “Wait in the Dark”
We like smoldering chaos. This is the feeling we get with UK rockers Hadda Be. Their punk ethos and biting guitar work builds a wall of near combustible rock that will appeal to some. Honestly, it is a little “out there”, but the mood of the track reflects a fragmented time. We would be hard pressed to find a track more fitting for this time of chaos, panic, and outrage. However, when you hear tracks like “Wait in the Dark”, it is easy to feel connected to something beyond this life, something more unifying and eternal. We’ll take all the hope we can in 2021.
Luke De-Sciscio – “A Picture of a Shrug”
We get it. You are probably tired of hearing about De-Sciscio at this point. The prolific songwriter sends us music on the regular and while we do pass occasionally, we are happy to expose his gentle folk songwriting to a larger audience. On “A Picture of a Shrug” we hear what the artist is so exceptional at: spiritual rumination and contemplative verse sung in a unique vocal style. We must also point out the finger picking style. It is easy to look past it because of how smooth it is. If you have not checked out his catalog, you need to. Or simply wait until our next write up (coming shortly we assume).
