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.
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!
wrote a song about my fave website and you can listen to it now y’all! https://t.co/tJ1E74zDnA
Out of the blue and without any indication of a new album coming out soon, London Grammar simply dropped a new single yesterday, Baby It’s You, after posting a tease on Instagram on Monday. The young band from Nottingham, UK, had last released an album, their sophomore record, in 2017. Both of the band’s studio albums were massive successes in the UK and if this new track is an indication of what’s coming next, their third full-length will hit the jackpot too, and deservedly so.
As it was the case with all of London Grammar‘s previous songs, Baby It’s You is driven by the stunning and powerful vocals of Hannah Reid. In a way, it’s fitting that this entry comes right after the one about Mazzy Star, because not unlike Hope Sandoval, Hannah is an introvert who suffers from stage fright. And just like Hope. she got an angelic voice capable of leaving any audience absolutely mesmerised.
On this new track, the ethereal vocals are surrounded by the band’s trademark atmospheric sounds. What is new this time around is a certain balearic vibe: just the right amount to make things interesting without overpowering the tune. All in all, Baby It’s You is a nice new song from London Grammar and you can enjoy it in the mixtapes below.
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.
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!
In case you missed it because it didn’t receive the same level of attention as Folklore, Alanis released last week her first album in 8 years: Such Pretty Forks In the Road, and I have to say that it’s possibly her best work since at least Under Rug Swept (2002). Rolling Stone criticised the album because it’s not as edgy and rebellious as Jagged Little Pill, but after 25 years, you cannot expect her to be exactly the same person. People change. Alanis got three kids now as well, and that changes your priorities too. This does not mean that she has lost her knack for great lyrics, she hasn’t. It’s just that she aims it differently know.
The album has several good tracks, including Reasons I DrinkandAblaze. Its first and third singles so far, respectively. My favourite, however, is Smiling, which is one of two new songs written for the Broadway adaptation of Jagged Little Pill (I’m not a fan of musicals but that’s one I’d be interested in watching), and also released as the second single off this new album. It showcases Alanis‘ great vocals and got a similar vibe to Uninvited. You can find it below in the Alternative mixtape.
One month ago, when news broke of Semisonic’s reunion and their release of a new song, I wrote about DND as a Throwback Thursday post. Back then, I mentioned that the song was decent but not exceptional. However, this time around, they’ve released another track, “All it Would Take,” and I genuinely enjoy it. Thank you.
Now, I’m not saying it’s on par with Semisonic’s classics from “Feeling Strangely Fine” like “Closing Time,” “DND,” or “Secret Smile,” but “All it Would Take” has become my favorite song from them since that album. Personally, I’ve missed Dan Wilson’s voice, and despite his solo releases (with “Breathless” being a standout), there’s something truly special about Semisonic.
“In each of our lives, there is the possibility of meeting that one person who will change the way we see everything, a person who will give us a sense of new meaning, a mission, a passion. ‘All it Would Take‘ is our song for that moment, that person, that one voice that can change the world within you. Then you can turn outward and begin to change the world around you, too.“
After a series of mellow songs, it’s time to crank up the volume for this week’s Throwback Thursday entry. This song was released not that far ago (2013) by a band that, unfortunately, broke up one year later. KIGH, in case you never heard of them, were a rock/punk-rock band from Wales that were active for 8 years, releasing 4 studio albums in total. Despite achieving success in the UK, they unfortunately disbanded after just one year, possibly due to the lack of international recognition.
“Peace” served as the lead single from their eponymous final album. While the entire record was fantastic, the standout track was undoubtedly its opening title song—a high-energy, guitar-driven rock anthem with punk-rock elements and an irresistibly catchy chorus. It’s nearly impossible to listen to it without joining in and singing along. I challenge you to give it a try!
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.
I must admit, the Californian “emo-punk” band Super Whatevr hadn’t even registered on my radar until they unleashed their latest track, “Carhartts & Converse,” featuring the iconic pop-punk figure Mark Hoppus. Surprisingly, the band has been around since 2016 and dropped their second full-length album in February. However, this particular song is a fresh addition that didn’t appear on the album.
“Carhartts & Converse” blends elements of indie pop and punk-rock, creating a captivating hybrid. The song’s optimistic lyrics, centered around self-worth and resilience against others’ negativity, harmonize perfectly with its cheerful rhythm. In these suffocating times, it serves as a refreshing breath of air. Give it a listen below and let it brighten up your weekend.
