Tag: b-sides

Morning Commute: ollebirde – “You Let Me Down”

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Wake up! It’s Saturday morning and I have the perfect song to get your Saturday started right! The build up on this song is so cool, and I love that the melody reminds me so much of that classic Wham! song “Careless Whisper”. Where that song meanders and ventures in melancholy, this song stays upbeat and makes you want to dance around the kitchen while you get your coffee going and make brunch plans.

Also, I just have to mention some other things that ollebirde have done that I’m in love with, like this beautiful cover of one of my favorite The National songs:

What I’m basically saying is, go follow them everywhere you can, because they are oozing with potential and I can’t wait to see what else they create.

-Caleb

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Video of the Day: Sophia Danai “Come Thru”

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If I only had one word to describe Sophia Danai’s voice, it would be the word “raw.” She has a very powerful voice, but it’s the emotive rasp that really sold me on her. The cadence and timing of her words is exceptional as well. She is what you would get if Billie Holiday was brought to 2018 and fell in love with blues riffs.

Danai says that the lyrics and the passion behind this song come from a very personal place. The words may be repetitive, but they carry so much power with them. Her message is simple, but has so much weight to it, “Even though it can be terrifying, it’s such a release to claim your space and stand your ground. That is one of the most difficult things in life for me, and that is what this song is about.”

If you are looking for raw emotion, we’ve got it for you with this track.

Mid-Day Music Blast: Of The Valley – “Italy”

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My girlfriend and I were lucky enough to see the National last night at Boston Calling, and I think we’ve found their heir apparent here with Of The Valley. The second verse really stands out to me as a gut punch:

“I wrote your letter on my face

To remind myself you are near

‘Open me in Italy’ I couldn’t, I had my own life to feed

Now I’m moving forward and it feels like you’re moving forward too

The way I move- is it touching you

The way that I move- is it still touching you”

 

I feel like anyone who has been through a rough break up can empathize with those lyrics. The ambivalent nature of moving on, getting better, growing up, but those random moments of thinking back and wondering who that person you used to love might be now, whether they ever think about you, whether your initial impact still has a lasting one. Anyway, just a really great song, go check them out.

You can find them on Spotify here. 

And as always, they will be added to our next playlist, which you can find here.

 

Morning Commute: Black Sheep

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Start your Saturday morning off right with this catchy throwback track from Grandmother Corn! Isn’t Saturday really the best day to do things that may make your family think of you as the black sheep? Jam out to “Black Sheep” off Grandmother Corn’s May released album, Daphne to put yourself in the right vibes to start drinking before noon, get that new tattoo, make an irresponsible purchase, or live it up in whatever way you see fit. Black Sheep have more fun.

More of a Spotify person? Check them out on Spotify here.

And don’t forget to follow our Spotify playlists.

Have a great Saturday guys,

Caleb

TOTD: Into the Ark “Caroline”

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Everyone from Neil Diamond to OutKast have written about their experiences with a girl named Caroline. Aminé, Noah Gundersen, and Netherfriends are among the multitude who have written their reviews of Caroline in the last ten years alone. Add Into the Ark to those ranks with their new song… “Caroline.” Of course.

That is where the similarities end though. This track is phenomenal. I also like that this song starts out going in a much different direction than most songs about the famous Caroline.

“I was the deer and you were the car. Such pretty lights to the eye that doesn’t know that the feeling of weightless means the higher you fly, the further you fall.”

These lyrics set the stage for a much different love story.

Then, the falsetto in the chorus really takes the song to another level as you learn that “only Caroline can do this to you. Only Caroline can be this cruel. Caroline will beat you at the only game you know.”

In summation, Caroline’s have been having an impact on musicians since the beginning of time, and the guys at Into the Ark were able to break free of the Caroline Curse* and write this vulnerable song about their time together.

*The Caroline Curse is not a real (proven) thing, and all Carolines I know are wonderful and beautiful people.

Spotify Link

-Seth

Video of the Day: Robert Ledet “Play For Free”

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I came for the wig, and stayed for the talent. Robert Ledet’s new video dropped today, and it is a lot of fun! With a style that’s like St. Paul and the Broken Bones’ music had a baby with Ben Folds’ voice and style, Play For Free tells a story that almost all musicians can relate to: You have to play your music for whoever will listen, and you frequently have to do it for less money than you should earn. This is the kind of subject that could lead to a song becoming angsty, but Robert handles his frustration with tongue in cheek humor, and an upbeat and fun song.

Check out their Spotify here

Mid Day Music Blast: Homunculus by Dumaresq

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So let’s start off by defining homunculus. The basic definition is just a very small human, or humanoid creature, like Thumbalina. It’s connotation is often a little darker than that, with mythological stories involving alchemy, witchcraft, ancient wisdom, the ability to see the future, etc. etc.

So generally they were small humanoids, made by someone else, sometimes for evil intent, or even when it’s not, there are questions of creator/creation morality that get brought up. Think Frankenstein and his relationship with Dr. Frankenstein, or Westworld’s exploration of A.I. and creators. So, with all that in mind, let’s check out some lyrics from this really intriguing song.

“you’re watching a movie
and the theatre is in my head
you’re watching a TV show
and the characters are my friends
and you’re upset
with these new plot threads
new dark tone
new set, new show
you wish you could direct
interject
but you’re a fragment of me
so instead

you’re thinking of the life
you have in me”

 

I love the idea of using TV as some sort of metaphor for interpersonal relationships, or some sort of Solipsistic thought experiment about our relationships. I’m not going to over analyze the lyrics here, I’m just going to say there is some rich poetry going on in this song, and these guys have found a new fan….in meeeeeeeee (only people who listen to the song will get this joke).

“man, I’d rather feel fear than tedium
I’m just here to laugh
I’m just here to laugh
I’m just here to have a laugh”
This reminds me so much of a certain famous moment in Rick and Morty when Morty exclaims to summer the meaninglessness of everything and gives his solution in the form of “come watch T.V.”

So instead I’ll say, life is meaningless, go listen to Dumaresq.

Want more? Check them out on Spotify. And also follow our monthly Spotify playlists. 

-Caleb

 

Morning Commute: Where Do You Hide Your Love

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Good morning out there guys! Check out this track on your ride in this morning to get your day started off right! This track has some great throwback vibes that make you want to tap your hands on the roof of your car all the way to work. This is also a classic example of one of my favorite types of songs, which is a song that sounds very upbeat, but lyrically has some depth and introspection.

 

“Oh and I don’t even know if I cross your mind, you left me in the cold but it’s burning like candles
So slow

Now, where’d you hide your love is it somewhere, oh tell me did you throw it out your hearts window
I wanna know”

 

If you aren’t paying attention, you almost don’t realize that this is a song about heartbreak, because of how upbeat the music and intonation are.

Prefer Spotify? Click here. 

 

Let us know what you think, and keep a lookout at the end of the month for our monthly Spotify playlist that compiles all the songs we share over the course of a given month.

Have a great Friday!

-Caleb

 

TOTD: Riley Catherall – Watered Down

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Listen here on Spotify

This is one you’ll definitely be seeing on the podcast in the coming weeks. We’ll let you guess what the theme might be. I love how emotional this song gets, and you know how we love our Folk/Americana around here.

Honestly, I think my favorite version of the song is the Woolshed Sessions he did on youtube:

This is definitely one of the artist that is a quintessential example of why we want to exist. He has basically no plays on spotify yet, and he’s just oozing with talent. Let’s see if we can start to fix that for him.

-Caleb

Daily Video Feature: Yung Heazy – Cuz You’re My Girl

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Does anyone else get reminded of The Truman Show by this video? That heartbreaking scene where he is trying to piece together the face of the woman he loved but gotten taken away form him? I don’t think this song is meant to be sad; it’s a really beautiful love song or ode.

 

From his Youtube channel, Yung Heazy describes it as follows: “I decided months later the day before Valentine’s Day that I would take a crack at recording it and present it to her as a gift. I wrote a lot of this song on the spot, the guitar solo was one take, a lot of the lyrics were improvised… Maybe people connect with it because of that? I didn’t have any ambitions for this, I just wanted to make something true and honest to share between two people. I think the recording is very loose but that’s what I like about it, it’s not perfect, not to be taken too seriously, I don’t know.”

 

I think he’s pretty spot on, I connect with the looseness and improvisation. I connect with that because of how genuine it feels. I think his last thought about making something true is exactly what I think good art is about. What’s that quote about art telling lies to tell a deeper truth? The best art certainly does, and Yung Heazy is making some great art.

 

Want more Yung Heazy? Check them out on Spotify.