Comment: Higher is a bright and infectious indie pop-rock song from New York-based artist Illicit Ghost, who also play the violin here. This track could become a big hit if it received enough promotion. Quality-wise, it does not lack anything. Higher is quite a refreshing tune.
Comment: 4:45 is one of those songs that become instant earworms right away. It reminds me of the style of Go Radio, in case you’re familiar with that other band. I admit I wasn’t aware of DR!FTWOOD at all before I heard 4:45, but they have been active since 2015 and had big plans for 2020 that they had to suspend because of… you know. After a brief hibernation period, they returned this year better than ever with this great tune. Enjoy 4:45!
Comment: If you miss alternative rock songs from the early 2000s, then this song is for you. I have no idea if Evan Blair did it on purpose or not if you told me that Survive Myself was a hit from those years, I would totally believe you (in fact, it reminds me of a little known band called Diffuser). What I do know is that Evan wrote this song about the time of his life just before he got sober (he’s 3.5 years sober now). He’s cut his teeth writing and producing tracks for quite a few artists, such as Tessa Violet and Gnash, so he knows one thing or two about making music. Check his work out.
The Camel City Blackouts were featured here back in May with their single Another Night and now they’re back with a new EP, Wild Card, featuring three brand new tunes. Swing or Sway is the one that kicks things up with three minutes of this fine blend of energetic #punkrock music and #alternativerock. The vocals are also pretty enjoyable, which is not something you can say about most songs within the same genre. I should give a special mention as well to the second track: Memory, which got a great chorus as well.
The bottom line is that if you like punk-influenced music, you should give this band from Winston-Salem, North Carolina, a chance. They won’t disappoint.
Comment: BLÜ EYES got a sweet voice that’s hard to ignore. That’s one of the reasons why she’s been collaborating with DJs and electronic music producers as well. However, she’s also a talented songwriter as evidenced by today’s song, supposed to. A humble indie pop track that is very pleasing to the ear. Check it out before this young artist becomes the next big thing.
A little over a year ago, I featured French #punkrock band Back On Earthand since then they have released track after track with remarkable consistency, both in frequency and quality. Just recently, they dropped a small little EP called Anybody that consists of three previously released songs and a brand new one, the eponymous track. All four songs are really good but I particularly liked Anybody. This song is the whole package: it got a captivating melody, flawless production, and lyrics worth writing home about. If you have ever questioned the purpose of everything, this song is for you.
Comment: I didn’t mention it on that entry, but The New Twenty’s I Can’t Afford Her reminded me a bit of the style of American Hi-Fi, at least that of their self-titled debut album from 2001. Now, if you only know one song from this still-active band led by Stacy Jones (also known for being the drummer in Veruca Salt and Letters To Cleo), it is likely to be Flavor of the Weak, which is their one big hit and a great rock song on its own. That being said, I’ve always had a soft spot for the lesser known Another Perfect Day, which is why I decided to feature that tune instead as this week’s #ThrowbackThursday entry. Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
Comment: Toronto-based Camille Intson, aka Camie, travelled alone across Europe in 2019 and ended up spending Christmas Eve in a folk pub just outside of Prague. There, she met a beautiful woman named Claudia who was asked to dance by a handsome man while Camie watched from afar daydreaming about being the one dancing with Claudia in the spotlight. The talented artist wrote Claudia a year later when going through her notes in the middle of the pandemic when she was feeling isolated. It’s a really beautiful ballad about what happened that night and what could have happened as well. The tune got a soothing effect similar to that of drinking hot chocolate in a cold winter afternoon.
Comment: I could mention here words like “magnetic” and “catchy”, but the bottom line is that I Can’t Afford Her is a really fun track. When you hear the backstory of this tune from London-based 3-piece act The New Twentys, you realise that it could not be any other way. The song is about a misunderstanding one of the band members had with his girlfriend after she saw a video in which he was talking to a prostitute. However, this happened after a nigh out and he hadn’t even realised she was a sex worker, he was just asking for directions but, boys being boys, his friends found it funny and decided to film the whole interaction. When confronted about it, in the middle of the argument with his girlfriend, he said: ‘Well what does it matter? I’m broke and couldn’t afford her anyway.’ Not really the most reassuring defense in that situation. The music video, which you can watch below, pokes fun at the whole situation too. Have a blast!
Comment: The first single from Mid-Century Modern, Canadian trio’s Talk Show Host‘s debut album. The tune is an anthemic alternative rock song that flirts with punk rock without becoming overwhelming. It’s a fun track for fans of bands like MxPx and Weezer. Also, its music video got nothing to do with Blood In The Sand, but if you are a cat person, you’re going to love it.
