Pilgrimage Years – “Daytripping” / “The Size of the Year” At the beginning of the summer, this act hit our radar. We were blown away with their restrained and deliberate post rock tinged sound. We consumed as much of their catalogue as we …
Three emotionally moving folk duos you *must hear* in 2023
The Sweeplings – “Can I Have Forever With You?”-If you’re a fan of folk duos, you’ll find a lot to like in this remarkable song from the Sweeplings. The vocal performance is particularly magical. The instrumentation is good, but the jazzy style of …
Three folk tracks heavily influenced by classic pop music (in the best way possible!)
Jordan Hart – “The End”-I’m a sucker for great harmonies, so you know I had to say “yes” to this track on the intro alone. The rest of the track is also incredible. Hart’s songwriting uses dynamics to really pull the listener into …
Three acoustic tracks with an Americana soul and a moving emotional sensibility
Jon Kenzie – “The Heart of This”-If you’re a fan of acoustic, bluesy music, you’ll find a lot to like in this song from Jon Kenzie. There’s a heaviness to the track that is unavoidable. It feels like an emotionally weighty track that …
Three alternative pop tracks that bring unique energy to the genre
I Wish I Was A Punk Band – “Ash”-If you like dynamic production elements, you’ll find a lot to enjoy with this track. “Ash” carries with it some instrumentation that I don’t even recognize. I gather that much of it is electronic effects …
A pair of intriguing new rock songs worth your time
Ellur – “Free”-One of my favorite aspects of good songwriting is the use of phrasing. Ellur is an absolute expert at phrasing. You can feel these lyrics as much as you hear them. Something about the energy of the recording reminds me a …
Album Review: Ernest Aines debut Spiral Bound – Trailblazing pop singer songwriter
Layered vocals on the first track piqued my interest right away with this new album from Ernest Aines. From there, I was interested in the pointed variety of the songs on the album. This review introduces Ernest Aines to the wider pop singer …
Three fantastic new artists bending and twisting our notions of what makes “pop” music
Lily Buns – “Grow Alone”-This is a song about being ready to go. The snappy pop instrumentation and melody lines will be recognizable for listeners. I love how the song packs such a powerful punch despite a relatively sparse (in a good way!) …
Three new indie folk tracks oozing with acoustic goodness
Clayton Nile Young – “Chisel and Stone”-Nothing says country music like a good metaphor. “Mark my words in chisel and stone” to mark the declaration of intent here, this is a song about a serious person. It’s a bit about loneliness, but mostly …
Three unique tracks with “pop” and “rock” characteristics that defy what you think of as pop rock
Daytime TV – “Block Out the Noise”-The rhythm on this track is definitely going to capture a lot of ears right away. The aggressive production mix on this one is fantastic. The use of dynamics from the vocal to the guitars and drums …
