“Not Ready Yet” by Sean Magwire

"Not Ready Yet" by Sean Magwire
"Not Ready Yet" by Sean Magwire

Artist: Sean Magwire

Song: Not Ready Yet

Genres: #indiefolk

Influences: The Beatles, Coldplay, Simon & Garfunkel

Location: Worcester, United States

Release date: November, 2024

Comment: I always knew that making a good song people would want to listen to was hard, but having this blog and listening to countless submitted tracks has made me realize that it is even harder than I thought. You could be the best lyricist in the world and have the perfect voice for your type of music, and still make music that falls flat. And that’s especially true for singer-songwriters who play music with a guitar, because that field is so crowded that it’s quite challenging to stand out. It really requires a special song, and that, my friends, is exactly what we have here with “Not Ready Yet” by Sean Magwire.

Sean not only has a great voice for folksy songs and a knack for writing fantastic lyrics, but he can also compose compelling melodies that stick everything together like glue. That’s the first thing that grabs your attention with “Not Ready Yet.” But then you start noticing the details, like a harmonica here and there, and paying attention to the lyrics and the way Sean conveys the message of not wanting to give up despite the feeling of despair that comes from being part of a rat race chasing the American Dream. You can’t help but appreciate what a great tune it is.

Growing up in Indiana, Sean’s passion for music originated from his father, who was also a talented musician, and the music he listened to at home, like The Beatles and Simon & Garfunkel. However, it wasn’t until he heard Coldplay’s ‘Yellow’ that Sean felt the urge to write his own music. Twenty years later, Sean has garnered attention over the last few years as more and more people have started to notice how talented he is, including winning multiple songwriting contests such as Song of the Year (Lennon Award) for Folk in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Now he’s planning to release a new solo album in early 2025, for which ‘Not Ready Yet’ is the second single.

Featured on the following mixtapes:

“Imagine” by J. Zito

"Imagine" by J. Zito

Artist: J. Zito

Song: Imagine

Genres: #alternativerock

Location: Detroit, United States

Release date: November, 2023

Comment: I’m going to be honest. When friend of T.A.M., J. Zito, told me that his new track was a cover of John Lennon’s “Imagine”, I didn’t think it was a great choice. Sure, it’s a sweet song with beautiful lyrics that are still sadly relevant, but it has been played and covered so many times already that I didn’t think the world needed another version of it. To put it bluntly, I was wrong. Zito, a consistent artisan of emotional expression through his music, managed to breathe new life into a song that many might argue has become lost in its own familiarity.

Describing his cover as “totally unnecessary yet needed,” J. Zito boldly asserts that the timeless message of “Imagine” is slipping through the cracks of contemporary consciousness. Departing from Lennon‘s delicate piano arrangement, Zito injects the track with a raw, visceral energy. Powerful guitars replace the spare keys, and anguished vocals convey frustration and discontent, mirroring a world that seems to have strayed far from the utopian vision of the 60s and 70s. The cover is not a mere musical homage but a call to action.

Accompanying the audacious sound is a music video that seamlessly weaves haunting imagery of modern conflict victims into a kaleidoscope of 60s-style psychedelia. This visual narrative serves as a stark reminder of the uncomfortable truth that we have drifted far from the path envisioned by Lennon. Feel free to check it out below.

Featured on the following mixtapes: