Tag: Alternative Rock

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Bush – Glycerine

We mentioned Bush last week and they recently released a new album as well (unfortunately, it didn’t move the needle for me), and since I’ve been away until now, it makes sense to feature them as today’s #ThrowbackThursday entry. After all, this British band got several legendary rock songs plenty of people love.

I actually wanted to write about Swallowed, but it is impossible to find the album version of that song on Spotify/Apple Music. Anyway, Glycerine is not a bad substitute at all. Bush released this track as the fourth single from Sixteen Stones, their debut album, in November 1995. It reached number one on the modern rock charts and is, to date, the band’s biggest pop hit, peaking at number 28 on Billboard’s Hot 100. As with most of their songs, Glycerine‘s lyrics are cryptic but it is an accepted fact that Gavin Rossdale wrote this tune about his girlfriend at the time (no, it wasn’t Gwen Stefani yet). The track is basically just Gavin’s raspy voice with a guitar and some strings here and there, yet it gets stuck on your head pretty much for the rest of your life.

Without a doubt, this is one of the greatest rock tracks from the 90s. Enjoy it again, here.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Fedbysound – Face The Day

Some people get into the music business because they want to get famous and live the life of a rock star. Others are just passionate about music and want to do what they love: writing and recording songs. If they can make enough money to make ends meet, that would be the cherry on top. That is the case of California-based musician Mark Grider, who goes by the moniker Fedbysound. Back in July, he released an album, Resonate, with elements of alternative rock, progressive rock and hard rock. The last two are not really my cup of tea, but the first one is certainly right up my alley.

Face The Day is the track that closes the record. It is an alternative rock song with a chorus that reminds me at times of early 2000s Bush. This catchy tune gets even more impressive once you consider that Mark played all the instruments as well. Even his vocals are a perfect match for this type of music. Give him a chance if you are into the genres mentioned above. You’ll surely find something you’ll like. Artists such as Fedbysound deserve the opportunity to do what they love.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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beabadoobee – Care

beabadoobee - Care

Beatrice Laus, aka beabadoobee, took the alternative rock scene by storm after she started uploading her songs to Youtube and they became viral. Taking inspiration from Kimya Dawson and the soundtrack of the movie Juno, this Filipino-born British singer-songwriter has released several singles and EPs already, but her debut album is slated to drop later this year. She was predicted as one of the breakthrough acts for 2020, which is actually coming true despite the pandemic. Don’t lose track of her.

Care is the first single from Fake It Flowers, Bea‘s debut album. It got a strong 90s grunge rock fragrance, complete with guitar riffs and a rebellious attitude. From the moment the muted guitars start playing during the intro, this catchy tune will hook you in and not let you go until it’s over. After you listen to such a great song, you simply won’t be able to believe beabadoobee is just 20 years old. She’s just getting her feet wet.

Enjoy this stunning track here.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Freedom of the City – Turn It Up

In the same way not all bands from Liverpool sound like The Beatles, not all bands from Manchester sound like Oasis. That being said, I can’t help but get a Gallagher brothers vibe in Turn It Up, the latest single from Manchester-based band, Freedom Of The City. Mind you, it’s just a vibe, but that’s enough to result in an anthemic, alternative rock track full of energy that is ideal for live shows, whenever live music happens to be a thing again.

Freedom Of The City are a four-piece band founded by lead vocalist, George Brown. They have been playing together for a few years now, hitting the music festivals circuit all around the UK and getting a lot of attention and a fan base in the process. FOTC‘s debut album should drop anytime now, and if it is full of bangers just as Turn It Up, it will be a massive success.

I dare you to listen to this track and remain quiet. Can you do it?

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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The Smashing Pumpkins – 1979

The Smashing Pumpkins - 1979

In case you missed it, The Smashing Pumpkins released two new singles this week. While they may not reach the heights of their legendary hits from the MTV era, it’s time for a Throwback Thursday feature. Selecting a song was tough with their impressive back catalogue.

I recently binge-watched all 3 seasons of Netflix’s brilliant sci-fi series, Dark (loved it). The recurring phrase, ‘The beginning is the end and the end is the beginning,’ reminded me of The Smashing Pumpkins’ single, ‘The End is The Beginning Is The End,’ from the 1997 film Batman & Robin. Unfortunately, the original version isn’t available on major streaming platforms, just a lackluster remix.

That brought me back to square one, torn between featuring my all-time favorite song from Billy Corgan & Co, despite its popularity, other renowned tracks like “Disarm” or “Tonight, Tonight,” or a hidden gem like “Stand Inside Your Love” or “Untitled.” In the end, “1979” emerged as the clear winner. This remarkable track, the second single from “Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness,” is simply exceptional and a must-have on my mixtapes. Don’t miss the fantastic music video below.”

There’s nothing more I can say about this #musicalcrush. Simply savor this nostalgic stroll down memory lane.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Lachlan – Lax

Indie songs produced and recorded pretty much on your own are not supposed to sound this good. There’s usually something that would give it away, but that’s not the case with Lax, the second single of singer/songwriter Lachlan, released last Friday. The song is a radio-friendly tune with nice guitar riffs and an infectious chorus. Lachlan’s voice is a perfect fit as well.

After being part of several Edinburgh-based bands such as Lost In Vancouver, Lachlan decided to try a career solo. Earlier this year he put his debut single, Too Bad, out. Now with Lax, a song about overcoming your own insecurities, he is letting us know that he’s here to stay. Give this song a listen on the mixtapes below and keep him on your radar. He absolutely deserves it.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Folk/Indie

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Sister Hazel – Come Around

When it comes to the Throwback Thursday entries, I’m playing it by ear. It’s not easy to pick one relatively old good song amongst hundreds or thousands of them. For that reason, I’m letting random coincidences to choose one for me. For instance, in yesterday’s post I mentioned Sister Hazel and that was all it took for me to write today about that act from Gainesville, Florida. The band, named after a local missionary who took care of homeless people, formed in 1993 and besides being extremely productive with over 10 studio albums (plus EPs, live albums and compilations) over that span, they have also been shockingly stable, maintaining the same line-up throughout all these years. That’s pretty unusual to say the least.

Sister Hazel has had several minor hits and some loyal followers, but if there’s only one song you know from them, then it’s probably All For You. This track was part of the band’s debut album from 1994 but it was re-recorded for the follow-up from 1997and it was then when the song became a hit, peaking at #11 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. It remains Sister Hazel’s most successful single to date.

However, the song that I want to highlight today is one of those minor hits Sister Hazel had, Come Around, from their excellent 2003 album: Chasing Daylight. This great tune is just as good as All For You but far less popular. It’s also a good example of the band’s trademark blend of alternative touch with southern rhythms.

Let’s remember this classic song today. Enjoy Come Around.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band – Razor Wire Heart

Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band - Razor Wire Heart

After two days of grunge pop and indie punk, it’s time to slow things down with this mellower track from Kristian Montogomery and the Winterkill Band. Razor Wire Heart showcases Kristian’s husky and pleasant voice, delivering emotional and personal lyrics inspired by his tumultuous life journey, from heavy rock bands to world travels, marriage, divorce, and six months in jail. His heartfelt experiences shine through the chords of his guitar and the depth of his vocals.

This song is part of “Gravel Church,” an album that Kristian wrote upon his release from prison, marking his debut as Kristian Montgomery and the Winterkill Band. It’s a diverse album, blending alternative rock, country, and other genres. Reminiscent of Sister Hazel‘s style, if you enjoy that vibe, this band is a must-listen. Start with “Razor Wire Heart” here.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Pony – WebMD

I found it hilarious that Sam Bielanski, the lead singer and mastermind behind Toronto-based band Pony, tweeted –when the band released their latest single– that she had written a song about her favorite website, WebMD. She obviously can make fun of herself and that’s a good quality to have. The song is a great alternative rock jam with an infectious melody and, despite its title, a good message about being independent and not wanting to depend on anyone else in order to feel complete.

According to Pony‘s website, the band’s style is grunge pop, which in a way makes perfect sense. Whatever it is, we need more bands like Pony. Luckily, they recently announced the signing of a deal with an indie label and will release a debut full-length album soon. That being said, the band had been publishing songs and EPs regularly since 2015, so they got plenty of material out already.

Sam even starred, directed, choreographed , shot, and edited the music video for WebMD (the link is below but you might have to go to Youtube in order to watch it due to restrictions from the music label). Or you can also enjoy this tune on the mixtapes below. Whatever you choose, have fun!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Pop

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Mazzy Star – Fade Into You

Mazzy Star - Fade Into You

Earlier this week, I mentioned that Teen Idle was going to get compared to Mazzy Star. Now, depending on your age, you might not be aware of who they were (I love ’90s music and I wasn’t aware of them until the late ’00s!), which is why I thought it fitting to feature Fade Into You as this week’s Throwback Thursday entry. A song that is widely considered one of the best tracks of that decade.

This song was a huge hit for the band in 1994, reaching number 3 on Billboard‘s Modern Rock chart (back when that chart meant something) and peaking at #44 on the Hot 100 chart. No other song from the band appeared on that Hot 100 chart and only two other tracks charted on the Modern Rock Top 40 (Halah and Blue Flower), which in part explains why people who were not active music listeners at the time might not know about this band. That and the fact that the band broke up in 1997 and didn’t regroup until 2012.

Mazzy Star consisted of Hope Sandoval, as lead singer and lyricist; and David Roback, as composer and main producer, who also played most of the instruments. Hope has a reputation for being shy, which made her focus on her singing while on stage instead of interacting with the audience. When you have a voice as angelic and beautiful as hers, I don’t see the problem in that. Sure, having a charismatic singer is nice, but we don’t need every single lead singer to be like that. Anyway, I guess that was another reason preventing the band from achieving super stardom.

Unfortunately, David Roback died earlier this year but he and Hope (who’s still active) left behind a legacy of great music that won’t be forgotten. Isn’t that the ultimate goal for any artist?

Watch a live performance of this iconic song here, or find it in the mixtapes below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative