Three indie pop tunes that will make you stop what you’re doing and listen

march – “45 (I think about this all the time)”
-When I first clicked play on this song, I thought of it as an acoustic folk song. But honestly, it captures the same kind of indie pop energy of artists that I love like Dodie Clark and Lizzy McAlpine. The delicate vocal on this song is enough to make me stop what I’m doing and pay attention. There’s a tenderness to the balance between the instrumentation and the lyrics that really works for me. It’s a calm, engaging sound that is more cerebral than most pop music today, but it absolutely deserves to have a wider audience. If you’ve ever thought about “what might have been,” this song is absolutely for you.

Lily Georgia and Mitch Cocchiara – “Better of Me”
-If you’ve been around my music coverage for any length of time, you’ll know I’m a sucker for a good folk duo. This piece deserves to be in that same legacy, for sure. Lily Georgia and Mitch Cocchiara have beautiful vocal blending on this, conveying deep emotions about the feeling of having given each other your best. It’s ultimately about how painful it is to move on, even when you both know it’s for the best. The orchestral elements help this song go from a standard folk duo and move it into more of a conventional pop song. It works! We’re happy to support these talented artists and their work.

Sam Wray – “Stranger’s Kiss”
-Just between you, me, and the Internet… this song is probably going to make my song of the year list in a few months. Yep, it’s that good! Sam Wray has a unique songwriting and performance gift that only comes along every once in a while. The easy comparison here is Elton John, but honestly there’s such a wonderful soulful style to Wray’s performance that he really just feels like the first Sam Wray. There’s a dripping authenticity in the performative style; it’s hard to put into words, but you just know it when you see it. He’s not trying to be someone else or putting on airs; this is just an honest expression and the listener can absolutely feel it. It’s a heartache song in the best, longing way possible. May you all be blessed to want to sing this type of longing…