Tag: american band

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Luc Rushmere – Alive (Acoustic)

Now that election day in the US is over and while we wait for the official results, check this up-and-coming artist from South Africa out: Luc Rushmere. Having recently moved to Europe to pursue his career in music, he just released an EP, Wings, that is mainstream enough to really take off. His style is an amalgamation of diverse influences, including hip hop and rap, that often is too mainstream to my taste, but sometimes it has just the right amount of those urban styles to remind me of acts such as The Neighbourhood. One example of that is this acoustic version of a song Luc had released last year called Alive.

With its appealing melody, urban vibes and great pop vocals that complement very well the acoustic guitar, this track is interesting enough to keep your attention from beginning to end. If you like songs like Sweater Weather, you will definitely enjoy Alive. Give it a chance below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Pop

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The Shrugs – Loud Lights

The Shrugs

Back in 2016, five students from the University of Virginia started this band they named The Shrugs. After supporting some local bands for a while, they recorded an eponymous debut EP in 2018 and this year they followed it up with their debut full-length album, which they titled Junk Days And Radio Zones, an acronym of their own names. The story does not different too much from that of many other bands, but what sets this eclectic quintet apart is, besides the fact that they feature three lead singers, is that all five members collaborate with each other, resulting in a varied mix of styles. If music were like ice cream, The Shrugs would have scoops of punk, garage rock, indie rock and I’d say some sprinklers of jazz as well.

Take for example Loud Lights, the lead single: it would be a typical indie rock track but the the vocals from Abbey Potter give it a jazzy vibe that draws you in and leave you wanting more. A coming-of-age song, lyrically it revolves about becoming adults while longing for the simplicity and innocence of childhood. Who couldn’t relate to that? Check this up and coming band from Charlottesville out and decide for yourself. I’m sure you will enjoy their music.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie

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Me Nd Adam – The More I Grow Up

Me Nd Adam - The More I Grow Up

They say that the best partnerships in history are those involving people with different personalities or point of views because they challenge each other to create something better. You need people who disagree with you and can tell you right away when that amazing idea you got is not as great as you think it is. That is something that Me Nd Adam, a duo based out of Austin, Texas, have in their favor, because when Adam Walker and Vince Winik first met, they didn’t get along at all. Eventually, they learned to embrace their differences and embarked on this alternative music act with influences as diverse as Willie Nelson and Blink-182.

Me Nd Adam has released a bunch of singles already, ahead of the debut album, American Drip Part I, slated for later this year. The latest one is ‘The More I Grow Up‘, which is also my favourite so far. It has everything you might want in a great song: a catchy melody, good lyrics, really nice vocals, and a great mix of an acoustic guitar with synth lines. This was the song I was planning to recommend on Friday, but due to last minute issues at work, I was unable to do so then. Fortunately, it is a great song to listen to any day of the week.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Folk/Indie

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Hellogoodbye – Here (In Your Arms)

Hellogoodbye - Here (In Your Arms)

To be honest, the first couple of times I heard Hellogoodbye‘s Here (In Your Arms), I didn’t like it. I couldn’t deny the extremely infectious chorus, but everything else about the tune seemed odd to me. It was a classic example of a song that grows on you the more times you listen to it. And listening to this song I did. A lot. Because my then girlfriend (now wife) loved it from the first time, to the point that it was her ringtone for a good while (back when that was still a thing). It’s hard to believe it’s been so long already.

Here (In Your Arms) was the lead single from Hellogoodbye‘s debut album, Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!, released in 2006. It peaked a number 14 on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified platinum in the US. I don’t think the Californian band has been able to replicate that level of success since then, but they’re still around, with a few lineup changes but still led by lead singer Forrest Kline.

I hope you like this catchy song, because it is this week’s #ThrowbackThursday entry.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Punk Rock
  • Pop

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Young Ritual – Dylan’s Dream

Young Ritual - Dylan's Dream

Dylan Grantham is a singer/songwriter from Michigan who writes and performs music as Young Ritual. Having the likes of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen and The National as influences, he composes beautiful indie/folk songs highlighted by honest lyrics, his heartfelt voice and his guitar. The global pandemic in 2020 gave him an opportunity to stay creative, releasing a stripped-down EP, Spare Room, earlier this year and even more songs after that. Dylan’s Dream was the first single from that EP.

Written, recorded, mixed, and mastered by Grantham from his home studio, Dylan’s Dream is a captivating song about a fever dream where people act on their worst impulses, leading to a dystopian society. Its title is a callback to an older Bob Dylan song called, Bob Dylan’s Dream. Both tracks are similar in style, but if I had to choose only one of them, I think I would prefer Young Ritual‘s one. I’m not saying you’ll agree with me, but you should at least give it a chance, which you can do on the mixtapes below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie

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LEK – World Cup

One important quality all artist must have is perseverance. There are countless stories of writers, painters and musicians, among others, who found success only after they were rejected multiple times. If you believe in yourself, just keep trying. That is something that today’s artist, LEK, got in his favour: he doesn’t take no as an answer.

Born in New York and based in New Jersey, this multi-intrumentalist artist has led quite an interesting life. From leaving medical school to follow an Indian guru in California, to backpacking for months in Southeast Asia, India and South America, including teaching himself how to read and write Thai, he has done it all. Now, Lek is focusing on his music, having released 3 full albums in 2020 alone already, each one of them covering different genres: from psychedelic rock to acoustic folk going through Thai rock covers.

Now, I’m not a big fan of psychedelic music, and when LEK reached out to me to see if I would be interested in featuring one his earlier songs from that genre, I declined letting him know that. Then, when he was about to release his latest album, Surya, which leans more towards the indie/folk side, he reached out again to gauge my interest, which led me to discover World Cup. It got a nice melody with beautiful guitars and soothing vocals, but what really sets it apart are its lyrics. Had you heard before a folk song mentioning Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo? This is your chance!

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Folk/Indie

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Lomon – Little Visitors

Lomon is a Seattle-based musician who feels out of place, as if he had been born a thousand years early. His style is described as psychedelic indie electronic, and perhaps that is the case in general, but this particular song we are featuring today, Little Visitors, is actually closer to glam rock. There’s certainly a David Bowie vibe to it.

Passionate about science fiction and all things related to space, Lomon, aka Zander Chocron, usually writes songs about our planet, taking care of it, and space exploration. Little Visitors, for example, is a metaphor for the human race not appreciating the beautiful planet we have. All in all, Lomon is certainly an artist with plenty to say and the creativity to do so in quirky and interesting ways. Check him out below.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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No Doubt – Don’t Speak

No Doubt - Don't Speak

This iconic album, No Doubt‘s Tragic Kingdom, is 25 years old this month, and, as a homage, I decided to feature one of its songs as this week’s #ThrowbackThursday entry. Usually, with bands or albums this popular, I try to highlight the lesser-known gems, but I can’t do that this time around. I got a soft spot for Don’t Speak and can’t pick another song (which would probably have been Just A Girl, which is pretty popular anyway) over it. I’m sorry.

Enjoy this classic song from 1995.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative

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Night Traveler – Watching You

Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to add a new entry yesterday, but I’ll try to make up for that today. Here, I bring this musical crush from Night Traveler, a terrific duo from Austin, Texas. I discovered this song back in August but between prioritising submissions and other plans, I had been delaying its inclusion here. It’s about time that changed because Watching You certainly deserved better than that. It’s a really great track.

The duo recently released their debut EP, Dreams You Don’t Forget, for which Watching You was its latest single. An atmospheric track of searing indie pop with traces of melancholic 80s music, this song got everything you need to put it on repeat, including the perfect vocals for this type of music. Actually, I dare you to listen to this great tune just once. I had to put it on repeat.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative
  • Pop

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Desoto Jones – Nonfiction

Back in 2007, a little alternative rock band from Pennsylvania released Aurora, their debut album, which got overlooked despite being one of the best rock albums of that year, perhaps even of that decade. I’m talking, of course, of Desoto Jones and for this week’s #ThrowbackThursday entry, I thought we could reminisce about one of the gems in that record.

Three of the five members of Desoto Jones –they are still active– are brothers and while they were recording Aurora, their father passed away. Nonfiction is a an emotional song the brothers dedicated to him. Its acoustic overtones and the heartfelt lyrics intertwine into a beautiful track that doesn’t get old. Listen to this song and then play the whole album. You will see why it is a shame this record didn’t become more popular.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

  • Everything
  • Alternative