Eagle-Eye Cherry – Falling In Love Again

Eagle-Eye Cherry

As mentioned on last Saturday’s entry, Eagle-Eye Cherry deserves his own Throwback Thursday post and here it is. He had two successful hits in the late 90’s: Save Tonight and Falling In Love Again, both really good but with the former being the bigger one. However, I always liked the latter a bit more. I can’t really explain why. I just did.

Unless you are constantly listening to alternative music from the 90’s, chances are that you forgot about these songs or never heard of them, but even if you still remember them, you might not know that Eagle-Eye was actually a Swedish artist, not American, despite being of Choctaw descent. His actual full name is Eagle-Eye Lanoo Cherry and another interesting tidbit is that he went to acting school with Jennifer Aniston. However, he ended up focusing on music only. He was pretty productive as a musician until 2003, and then he had a long-hiatus until 2012, when he became active again. His last full album, Streets of You, was released in 2018.

Let’s reminisce here about this interesting artist by listening to one of his best songs, an old musical crush. Enjoy!

P.S: The music video is so 90’s!

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Serenade The Stars – Rewind

Serenade The Stars

Serenade The Stars is a U.K. alternative rock act reminiscent of bands from the late ’90s and early 2000s. While the production of their latest single, Rewind, may have some quirks, the song’s appealing vocals and nostalgic lyrics make it worth a listen. With potential to grow, we look forward to seeing what the band achieves.

Production issues or non-issues aside, I genuinely enjoy the song, and I believe the band’s lead singer has a great voice for alternative rock. The lyrics of “Rewind” explore the concept of revisiting happier times to rediscover our purpose during moments of uncertainty. Overall, I believe Serenade The Stars has significant potential, and we will be rooting for them to fulfill it. Give “Rewind” a listen below and share your thoughts with us—your views on this track are particularly intriguing to me.

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Neve – It’s Over Now

Neve - It's Over Now

I wonder what would have happened to Neve if they had released their first and only album during the social media age. In 1999, they achieved a hit single with “It’s Over Now” after it was featured on the movie soundtrack for The Faculty, reaching #30 on Billboard’s Modern Rock chart. However, due to delays in album release and poor promotion, the record didn’t perform well, leading to Neve being dropped from the label. The band disbanded in 2001, and despite hints of a reunion on their Facebook page, no concrete plans have materialized.

Neve’s self-titled album remains one of my favorites from the 2000s, filled with solid alternative rock songs and the standout track, “It’s Over Now.” If you haven’t heard this song before, you’re in for a treat; and if you have, let’s reminisce about it as this week’s Throwback Thursday, while contemplating the possibilities had they received greater support from their label and fans.

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Arlo Parks – Creep

Arlo Parks - Creep

Arlo Parks, which is how Anaïs Oluwatoyin Estelle Marinho is professionally known, is a singer and poet from South London with a voice to die for. In a poll of music critics ran by the BBC, Sound of 2020, she was predicted as a breakthrough act for this year. We all know what has really happened in 2020 but Arlo is so talented that she might still prove those critics right even despite the circumstances.

Arlo cannot really be classified into a specific genre, as she could flirt with R&B and soul as easily as she could do the same with indie or bedroom pop; but the song being added today to our mixtapes is definitely indie. And yes, I know this legendary Radiohead song has been covered hundreds of times by plenty of talented artists, yet Arlo Parks‘ version is so breathtaking and unique that it feels like the first time listening to Creep. The truth is that nothing I could say here would make this stunning version any justice. Just judge by yourself, here:

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The Illness – Phrases Redacted

Phrases Redacted

I have to say, Phrases Redacted is a weird song. It is basically Bob Nastanovich (from an old school indie rock band called Pavement) speaking over a stream of groovy sounds. Yet, I really dig it, because the music somehow perfectly complements Bob’s words in a hypnotic way. You can certainly tell that the musicians who form The Illness not only know each other well but also have been making music for a long time.

The band is a UK collective of members from different bands on Sea Records, who had been jamming together at times but procrastinating the formal release of new music until –of all years– 2020, when it finally happened. Phrases Redacted is one of two songs the band has dropped, and it got a similar vibe to “Let Forever Be” from The Chemical Brothers.

You have to listen to this unconventional track by yourself to see what I mean (or watch the video below). Good luck getting it out of your head afterwards.

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The Goo Goo Dolls – Tonight, Together

The Goo Goo Dolls - Tonight, Together

Iris is one of the best alternative rock songs ever written, but The Goo Goo Dolls are much more than that single song. In fact, they have been one of the most consistent bands in the genre, releasing solid-to-great albums every three or four years pretty much since it all started in 1987. I have liked some of them more than others but I can’t recall having disliked any. It can’t get any more consistent than that. In addition to that, they sound really great live.

Just this week, the Goos –who have been pretty active on their social networks during the lockdown– released a deluxe edition of their 2019 album Miracle Pill featuring three previously unreleased songs. Tonight, Together is, in my humble opinion, the best of the bunch and it does sound great, which is why I decided to make an extra entry to the mixtapes today (luckily for me, I got more songs to recommend at the moment than time to write the posts). Do not expect a new Iris (or Slide or Acoustic #3), just enjoy this new track by the band from Buffalo, NY, for what it is: a pretty great rock song!

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Polar States – 2020

Polar States - 2020

Polar States is a four-piece guitar band from Liverpool, UK (seriously, is there something in the water over there? Is it the Mersey?) that in all likelihood will become the next big British band to take the world by storm. The group got already a cult following despite releasing their first EP less than 3 years ago. They describe themselves as a ‘dark pop’ band but I think their genre is spot on alternative rock.

The band released just last week a new single, 2020, which is extremely catchy and already a musical crush of mine. It has huge potential to become a big hit and if you hadn’t listented to it before, this is your opportunity to do so before it does!

I can’t believe it was recorded in their own houses…

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Cultures – Away From Us

Cultures - Away From Us

Cultures is an alternative/indie rock band from Greater Manchester that started just four years ago but has managed to get some attention in that short period of time. In fact, I would not be surprised if they became the next big thing to come out of the Manchester area. The group certainly got the talent for that.

Away From Us is their latest single and it showcases perfectly how much the band has evolved since 2016. It is a guitar-driven song about what it feels like to live away from home for the first time, something many of us can relate to. If this is an indication of where Cultures is heading to, it is clear then that the band is going up. Watch the brand new video (released today!) or listen to the song in the playlists below, and then you’ll be able to brag about listening to Cultures before they became big.

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Hunter & The Bear – Won’t You Ever Come Home

Hunter & The Bear

These British rockers deserve worldwide recognition. Started by Will Irvine (the Bear) and Jimmy Hunter, Hunter & The Bear is now a four-piece rock band that have supported artists like Eric Clapton and played in multiple festivals, but I don’t think the casual listener knows who they are. That needs to change soon.

Hunter & The Bear released a new single in March this year. It is very good and I will probably feature it here in the near future. However, the song I’d like to highlight here today is this gem from their debut album from 2017: Won’t you Ever Come Home. This beautiful song blends the best of Bruce Springsteen with Irvine’s stunning vocals to make it a memorable track that deserves to be played on repeat ad infinitum. It became my musical crush for a while. If you like good rock music, chances are high it was or will become yours too.

*Update: The band has been renamed Daytime TV after guitarist and co-founder Jamie Hunter left the band in 2021.

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Meg Myers – Numb

Meg Myers - Numb

Janice Sue Meghan Myers, better known as Meg Myers, is an American singer-songwriter who debuted in 2012. Almost two years ago, she released her second studio album, Take Me to the Disco, for which Numb was the lead single. I know it is not brand new but the song is too good not to be featured here, especially considering the fact that it didn’t reach a very wide audience (that being said, it wasn’t unsuccessful, having peaked at position 182 of Billboard 200.

Numb is perhaps the singer’s most radio-friendly song, which is not something Meg usually tries to achieve. The song’s style reminds me of the late 90’s alternative rock, which feels like a breath of fresh air nowadays. It certainly deserves to be listened to on repeat at a high volume level. Without a doubt, Numb has huge musical crush vibes. Is it yours?

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