#HOZIERS NEW EP IS ALSO COMING SOON

[spineless-lobster]

THE WISDOM SAGA AND PARIS PALOMA’S NEW ALBUM ON THE SAME DAY????? THE FATES HAVE SMILED DOWN UPON ME!!!!!!

[aureatchi]

reverieeeee !! ik you're busy, so don't feel rushed into responding to this but. . . have you listened to hozier's ep?

(also, make sure you're taking care of yourself! love ya! <3)

MUSE !! sorry i got to this so late (つ﹏⊂) but YES !! i litt listened to it right after my classes were over the day of & it was SO GOOD fdjwjwj. <3 now my sideblog has a new theme ^/^ (resisting the urge to put hozier on my main)

I WAS SO HAPPY FOR TOO SWEET (acc btw i have a rly good fic idea 4 this if i’m not shy i’ll stop by your dms soon…), but oh my gosh EMPIRE NOW !! ᰔ i was not ready for tht, it sounds so powerful to me & when he hits the high note w/ “sun coming up…” WOW. supernal !! wildflower & barley ‘n farewell were so good too…like you said, practically anything he makes is amazing <3

[topsee-turvee]

current top 5 songs

tagged by@imlorelai (ty sm!) 💖

I’m adding favorite lyrics because yes!

all things end by hozier - OK SO THIS NEW EP IS EVERYTHING! On a loop till he releases his new album. A perfect song that he clearly wrote just for me and only me! That choir in the end is heavenly! 🎵And just knowing That everything will end Should not change our plans When wе begin again 🎵

eat your young by hozier - there’s a lot to chew (ha!) with this one. Gorgeous melody, incredible vocals, insane lyrics that make you ponder humanity, what more do you want. ALSO how can he be so horny in a song about eating children how is that legal for him. 🎵Come and get some Skinnin' the children for a war drum Puttin' food on the table sellin' bombs and guns It's quicker and easier to eat your young 🎵

through me (the flood) by hozier - gorgeous sad song that makes me eat glass. The thing the man does with music is unreal. Our engagement will be announce soon. 🎵Every time I'd burn through the world, I'd see That the world, it burns through me 🎵

Soarele şi Luna by pasha parfeni - It’s Eurovision time in 2 months!! Got a head start listening to all the song entries and fell in love with Moldova’s entry! They always bring something amazing (they were phenomenal last year) but this one is gorgeous and that flute is so captivating. It’s also about a man obsessed with his bride whom he marries in the forest and the sun and the moon hold their wedding crown!! That’s a winner in my book! Lyrics are in romanian.  🎵Soarele, Soarele, Soarele și Luna Ne-or ține, ne-or ține, ne-or ține cununa 🎵

who the hell is edgar by teya & salena - Austria’s entry this year. Now this is a catchy song with an incredible meaning behind it, what eurovision should be all about. It’s about a songwriter possessed by the spirit of Edgar Allen Poe. No need to say more. 🎵Oh mio padre there’s a ghost in my body🎵

If anyone cares, here’s my eurovison top 5 so far: moldova, austria, czechia, finland, norway.

tl;dr: hozier and eurovision have entered the chat once again.

tagging @shewasprayingphilip @carmelas @timotheechallamets @h0ldthiscat @succdale @ladytharen @technotrousers @professionaltimetraveler @apprenticemockingbird and everyone else who likes music i wanna know what you’re listening to!

[moorearoundtheworld]

Top Albums of 2023

Look at this, its my latest list ever, but better late than never right?!

2023 was definitely the musical year of the sad girl for me, this will come as no surprise to those of you who have followed the list before, but they seem to have amassed in a way this year that had not previously been as dominant.  That's not to say that there aren’t some really fun albums on here, and as discussed in my radio appearance last summer sad boy/sad girl/sad they/them music doesn't all have to sound sad right off, but the underlying themes for many artists in today's social media era is that they struggle with self image, understanding fame, relationships, ect.  

That brings me to my other consummate theme, honesty. For me musicians that present something of themselves in their art just brings things to another level.  While I like a good sing along anthem as much as the next guy, if you're gonna make an album that makes it into the top 10 of my yearly list, you have to have something to say (or just be purely infectious for no apparent reason).  One theme that is finally missing from the list is pandemic albums, there's still a stray song about how our world turned upside down a few years back but it seems most bands are ready to move on to the next chapter of their creative careers, and I definitely think that is a good thing.

For those of you who are new to the list, a quick synopsis of how I go about this, first of all an “album” in my definition is something over 6 tracks and 30 minutes long, there are a lot of EPs and LPs and singles out there that are a ton of fun, but I still support musicians putting together a collection of music in a specific order that has meaning beyond the playlistification of our modern music scene (yes I will be encouraging you to listen to a playlist below and the irony is not lost on me).  I take all the albums I listened to in the past year and put them in one big playlist sometime around October/November and listen to them all as much as I can to try and rank them (see below for this monster playlist). Then I write a little blurb about each and I pick one track from the album as the “Top Track.”  Those go into another playlist with a mix of songs that also came out last year but didn’t make it onto an album to make my Top 100 Tracks of 2023 which is a great place to start if you are looking for some new music or curious about my musical wonderings for the year but can’t be bothered to read a whole article about them.  And...without further adieu, onto the list, enjoy!

Top 100 Tracks of 2023

Top Albums In Total Playlist

60. Hozier-Unreal Unearth

It's hard to believe that Unreal Unearth is only Hozier’s third studio album, after the mega-success he endured on his album in 2015, he has delved into more of his Irish roots here while sticking with the similar sound listeners have come to know and love.

Top Track: Damage Gets Done (Feat. Brandi Carlile)

59. Murder By Death-As We Wish

This short but fun cover album from the Indiana Folk-rockers features a TLC cover, an Elliot Smith Waltz, and a cover of Highwayman.  Though a diversion from their typical musical stylings their versions of these songs are oddly infectious.

Top Track: Waltz #2

58. HARBOUR-To Chase My Dreams, or to Just Lie Down?

The fourth full length release from Cincinnati native HARBOUR features their trademark high energy indie rock capped off by lead singer Ryan Grant’s powerful head voice vocals.  This album is a fun ride that signifies that they are in fact not lying down any time soon.

Top Track: I Can’t Stand It

57. Hannah Jadaju-Aperture

This year's first sad girl on the list, Jadaju’s first full length release is a bit more polished than her acclaimed 2021 EP recorded entirely on her iPhone 7.  The increased production value helps the listener focus on her skilled vocals and allows her to play a bit more with bigger sounds.  Much of the album remains relatively spare with simple guitar lines and drum machines as on her previous releases but the added range of sounds lets her play a bit more with the structure and feature her production prowess.

Top Track: Say It Now

56. Matt Wertz-Recently

Matt Wertz is Married could be a secondary title for his eighty full length release and first since his late 2020 nuptials.  Though his musical style remains a similar mix of gentle vocals over plucked guitars, the content has definitely shifted away from searching for love and toward appreciating it.

Top Track:Recently

55. John Mark McMillan-DEEP MAGIC

Contemporary Christian Alt-Pop McMillan dazzles with his wobbly baritone and unique and honest lyrical style that invites in fans of slightly odd musical stylings across all genres. And just when you think this is just another alt pop album the Saxophone intro hits on Atlanta and it takes a fun turn as he sings to his wife.

Top Track: Deep Magic

54. BAILEN-Tired Hearts

The NYC based Indie-folk sibling trio’s second studio release is packed with haunting triple harmonies that can only come from a literal lifetime of singing with each other.  Wrap that in a package of deep bass lines, string arrangements and synth lines and you get a soft yet striking mix of talents.

Top Track: Nothing Left to Give

53. Garrett Kato-Nighthawks

The Canadian born Aussie livin producer is starting to make a name for himself as an artist sharing his inner-monologues in a 6 song EP that speaks of god things to come from the singer-songwriter.

Top Track: Losing Touch

52. Handsome Ghost-Handsome Ghost

The self-titled third full length from the Boston based indie-folk duo is full of half whispered vocals over buzzy but quiet electric guitar riffs and piano lines and semi jazz styled drums.  Definitely verging into the sad boy range, but there is enough going on that you don’t get lost in the sadness.

Top Track: Neptune

51. Timecop1983-Searching For Tomorrow

The latest release from retrocore/synthwave electronic musician Timecop1983 features more instrumental tracks and less Josh Daily vocals, which for someone who is so interested in the human element in music, I was surprised I didn't miss the vocals more.  He still adds an important element to break up the synth heavy tracks, but the curated 80s vibes definitely overpower everything else.

Top Track: The Chase

50. Ed Tutlett, Lowswimmer-Lack Thereof

The prolific English singer-songwriter, better known for his collaborative projects like Novo Amor and Hailaker, put out two solo albums this year, this is the more stripped down one featuring just Ed’s voice and an acoustic guitar. His signature metronomic vocals are highlighted by the spareness of the guitar accompaniment creating a haunting and introspective invention that is more spare than anything he has done to this point.

Top Track: Lack Thereof

49. Kylie Minogue-Tension

Four decades in and showing no signs of slowing down, she had the dance hit of the summer in “Padam Padam” and a whole album that really holds up on today's electro-pop scene in a way that feels like she is the fountain of youth.

Top Track: Padam Padam

48. Fenne Lily-Big Picture

The third studio release from british folk singer-songwriter Lily is a summation of her solitary existence in Bristol fleshed out by herself and her touring band in a North Carolina studio.  You can imagine how tracks like “Lights Light Up'' went from spare explorations to a little more fun with playful guitar lines and upbeat snare lines.  Lily’s impact drips on every track though through her dark alto vocals with folky overtones ever present.

Top Track: Pick

47. The Chainsmokers-Summertime Friends

With their fifth full length Alex and Drew (sounds cooler if you just call them The Chainsmokers) deliver more of what you love from them, big, bold, dance-pop hits meant to be played loud on big speakers.  They squeeze plenty of power into just 8 tracks here with help from the likes of ILLENIUM and Nicky Jam and somehow with fewer tracks cover more musical ground than some of their previous releases.

Top Track: Think Of Us

46. Josh Gauton-Slow Resistance

Canterbury, UK native Gauton is a classically trained musician turned alt-folk wonderer.  His sophomore release features songs of searching and some finding clearly influenced by this post pandemic world we live in and his faith.  Josh frames his thoughtful lyrics with progressive layered guitar lines, simple piano plucking and a few hand claps and lets it all build to the big and bold “Love In the Time of Madness.”

Top Track-Love In the Time of Madness

45. Gregory Alan Isakov-Appalosa Bones

South Africa born Colorado livin Isakov has become one of the darlings of the Indie-folk scene in the last few years.  His latest release verges into a slightly darker tone overall exploring more of his low range vocals but with maintaining much of the spare, romantic, and poetic nature to his song structure that his fans have come to love.

Top Track: Sweet Heat Lightning

44. Sufjan Stevens-Reflections

Early last year Sufjan put out another of his all piano outlets “Reflections,” I can only imagine that he uses these as a creative outlet for the parts of himself that he doesn’t feel like he can put in his studio albums, and also to flex a bit on us mortals who can barely play one instrument.  Don’t worry, he’s still my favorite and has another album featuring further up the list.

Top Track: Reflexion

43. Birdy-Portraits

The British indie-pop sad girl has fully shed her skin and moved away from the brilliant covers that dominated her early career into a full fledged album of original music that feels entirely her own.  She has mastered the energy and power of her operatic vocals and to present a big and dark sound on her fifth studio album.

Top Track: Ruins II

42. Echosmith-Echosmith

Chico, California native sibling trio Echosmith put out their third studio release is a fun pop junt through their now well established career, sister Sydney’s vocals clearly define the band these days though their bouncy bass style is clearly featured as well.  Most of all I have to shout out the vocal break where they discuss their favorite gelato flavors, whats not to like there? Top Track: Sour

41. Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway-City of Gold

Her second release in a row to top the US Bluegrass charts clearly the combination with Golden Highway has Tuttle meeting the hype that has followed her career to this point.  City of Gold pulls no punches and is one of the most fun bluegrass albums you are gonna listen to, Tuttle can hold her own as one of the best bluegrass guitarists out there, but filling things out with the backing band leads to a bigger sound that puts even more strength behind her creations.

Top Track: Next Rodeo

40. PVRIS-EVERGREEN

Power Pop sad girl Lynn Gunn returns with her fourth album front-lining the Boston based rockers PVRIS.  Depending on where you look Gunn is either a solo act at this point or still has help from bassist Brian McDonald on writing and recording, but either way she is the driving force of this dark and forceful album that bridges electro pop and hard rock.

Top Track: I DON’T WANNA DO THIS ANYMORE

39. Bruno Major-Colombo

Major is a modern day crooner with swoony intimate tracks that feel like your sitting across the table from him just listening in awe.  You can feel the influence of his jazz roots in the depths of the bass lines under his delicate vocals and spare guitar and piano lines, a true songsmith in his own words.

Top Track: Trajectories

38. JFDR-Museum

Icelandic electro-folk artist and another skilled sad girl, Jófríður Ákadóttir’s (I had to copy and past that cause there's no chance I could get all the accents right) third full length solo effort is a rollercoaster ride of ethereal electronics mixed with her haunting layered vocals that don’t always go where you think they should keeping you slightly on edge even though the music itself is soft and gentle, it is a very curious and enjoyable juxtaposition.

Top Track: The Orchid

37. Wye Oak-Every Day Like the Last

This is a compilation album that combines the past few years of singles the Durham, NC indie folk duo put out and the nine tracks that feature here give us the best of the range that Wye Oak can show while clearly displaying sonic exploration.  It is a big sound for just two people to manage but Jenn Wasner’s lead vocals reign over the host of instruments they command through mixed time signatures and pacing that leads to a unique but comforting style.

Top Track: Fortune

36. Gus Dapperton-Henge

This album was probably the biggest climber on my re-listen playlist, initially it felt a little overproduced but after spending more time with it Dapperton’s effortless falsetto and creative electro-pop songwriting is as captivating as his fashion choices, which I of course as a now old man don’t understand, but can appreciate.  

Top Track: Midnight Train

35. Husbands-Cuatro

Dreamy surf rock is not necessarily what you would expect from an Oklahoma City based band, but these four (sometimes 5) guys are here to prove you wrong.  Their brand of landlocked coastal music has an authentic sound with a bit of a grunge/garage rock edge to it and their enthusiasm for how lucky they feel to make music for a living shines through.

Top Track: Super New China

34. Noah Gundersen-If This Is the End

The latest release from Washington native and prolific singer-songwriter Gundersen comes out of a time of confusion and frustration with his place in the music industry.  He used the experiences and emotions of the last few years when he worked more construction jobs than musical ones to write a vulnerable and raw album about finding his way.  Lucky for us the industry didn’t break him and he's able to share that music with us.

Top Track: Swim

33. John Vincent III-Songs For The Canyon

Vincent returns with his third full length release and a slightly more refined sound that echos the singer-songwriters of the 70s that he undoubtedly has been influenced by.  Not sure if the canyon in reference is Laurel or Joni’s Ladies of the canyon, but either way the sound is similar with his soft, often high pitch lyrics feeling something like a more melodic less poetic Dylan. 

Top Track: That's Just How It Is, Babe

32. Boy & Bear-Boy & Bear

With now five albums in a row in the top 10 of the Australian charts Boy & Bear have cemented themselves as a mainstay as the Aussie indie folk scene.  If you haven’t heard of them I would liken them to a folksy version of Alt J with Dave Hoskins wobbly vocals melding will with the driving synth and drum lines. 

Top Track: Strange World

31. BOYS LIKE GIRLS-SUNDAY AT FOXWOODS

Close your eyes and think back to 2006..The Great Escape is screaming out of your car speakers as a testament to teenage angst and post-pop power punk. In the blink of an eye its 2023 and with their first album in over a decade the Massachusetts natives have survived pandemic canceled tours, losing members, and have emerged into a very different music scene than they started in with an album that echoes their former selves but is smart enough to not try to reproduce it. It is a really fun pop rock record that is mature enough to speak to their old fans and exciting enough to open up to new audiences.

Top Track: NEW LOVE

30. ILLENIUM-ILLENIUM

The fifth full length album from Denver based DJ ILLENIUM, aka Nicholas Daniel Miller, doesn’t stray too far from what fans have come to expect, big bold multi-genre hits with featuring artists varying from Avril Lavine to All Time Low.  Miller definitely takes some influence from his personal life as a newlywed on tracks like “All That Really Matters” and “With All My Heart” but covers the tougher parts of life plenty over 16 tracks.  He has definitely secured a spot as one of the most successful producers and DJs on the scene today.

Top Track: Other Side

29. Caroline Polachek-Desire, I Want To Turn Into You

With her second full length studio solo album Polachek has fully shed her Chairlift skin and metamorphosed into an outsized version of herself as an artist.  Her version of unapologetic female alt pop is as entertaining as it is curious at times and seeing her live at Kilby Court BP this year was an experience for sure.  It really feels like she is just getting started on her solo musical journey which is fun to think about since she is exactly one day older than me, there's still more fun to come!

Top Track: Billions

28. Bombay Bicycle Club-My Big Day

These four Londoners have come a long way from winning a contest to open V Fest in 2006, and their sixth studio release marks over a decade and a half as a band.  Impressively they have been able to maintain a huge amount of integrity of the sound that attracted people to them from the early days.  Their brand of indie rock/folk with a splash of eastern influence is on full display in their latest effort in a way that is really fun on a first listen and contains enough depth that it rewards continuing to stick with it over and again.

Top Track: Just A Little More Time

27. Daughter-Stereo Mind Game

One of the saddest sad girls out there is back after frontwoman Elena Tonra’s solo exploration with their first studio release in 7 years.  The London based trio gives us more of their deep, dark, and thoughtful brand of electro-folk with Tonra’s haunting vocals and raw lyrical style framed by swelling string arrangements driving snare lines and various electronic effects that keep you on your toes.

Top Track: Be On Your Way

26. joan-superglue

It's hard to believe that this is the debut album from the Little Rock based pop duo, after releasing singles and LPs for the last 6 or 7 years joan finally brings us a full dose of their light and airy synth pop style that feels like it is nostalgic for 90s and early 2000s pop when things felt so much simpler.  

Top Track: feeling like dancing

25. Darlingside-Everything is Alive

When All Songs Considered describes somebody as “exquisitely arranged, literary-minded, baroque folk-pop” it's probably gonna work for me.  The Boston based quartet tenth album is a spare collection of dreamy folk tunes with layered harmonic vocals and more instruments that I can count in the mix.  Their ability to buck conventional time signatures and still sound like something nostalgic is very engaging and keeps listeners coming back. 

Top Track: Eliza I See

24. Fly By Midnight-Fictional Illustrations

These guys just know how to make popular music, it's nothing revolutionary or never heard from before, but the make catchy songs that explore the struggles of relationships underneath driving synth lines and saxophone solos.  This is already the 6th full length release from the NY native LA livin duo who feels like they are still pretty new to the scene, notably without any featuring artists this time around showing off their talents as a duo.

Top Track: What If I Wasn’t Done Loving You?

23. Blondeshell-Blondeshell

Blondeshell aka Sabrina is a force, her debut full length (under this moniker) pulls no punches, her brand of indie rock is as loud as it is sad girl.  She is unapologetic about the difficulties young women face in today’s world and uses big guitar licks and frank lyrics to get a rise out of those that may disagree with her.  Overall the 9 track ride is really fun with some tongue in cheek style remarks and big dark sound that still hits the high notes.

Top Track: Salad

22. Chelsea Cutler-Stellaria

The third full length release from Connecticut's own happy sounding sad girl is an exploration of her difficulties navigating life and relationships as a now 20 something in a post pandemic world, and I would say she's doing alright at it.  Her gentle soprano vocals juxtaposed with her starkly honest lyrics like “I’m undressing for my lover and hoping she don’t hate all my skin like I do” and “No one hates me more than I do” is an artful contradiction that always gets me.

Top Track: Your Bones 

21. Indigo De Souza-All of This Will End

The third full length release from the America-Brazillian Asheville,NC native found the greatest critical and commercial success of her young career.  De Souza calls it like she sees it with lyrics that are descriptive and conversational “I can’t believe I let you touch my body” and “..wanna turn my brain off, wanna turn my shame to dust..” Her talk-sing vocal style won’t land with everyone and once you start paying a bit more attention to the lyrics she verges more into sad girl territory, but as you probably know by now that lands with me.

Top Track: The Water

20. Ben Folds-What Matters Most

Ben Folds is back with his first solo album since 2015 and probably the first you've heard of him since around 2005. I think it is fair to call this his “post fame” album or at least I think that is a story he is trying to tell.  The album is full of classic Ben Folds prose and beautiful piano driven songs that span across genres from the alt-indie “Exhausting Lover” to the old-timey intro of “Paddleboat Breakup” Ben gives us a window into his life telling stories as only he can do, and it doesn’t sound too bad.  Even with his retrospective “Back To Anonymous” that sounds a little low in tone but in reality represents a positive turn into a quieter life where he can do more of the things that he enjoys, and good for him.  

Top Track: Winslow Gardens

19. The Band CAMINO-The Dark

The second full length release from the Memphis based pop-rock trio is another absolute banger, it feels a little more mature in that they stay in a slightly smaller lane trending to a slight reggae feel in the blend and letting their two distinct vocalists balance each other more effectively. The subject matter still falls into the classic pop rock tropes of women and relationships gone wrong but they manage to make old themes feel fun and new.

Top Track: Afraid of the Dark

18. Glen Hansard-All That Was East is West of Me Now

Well I guess you could call this Glen’s fifth full length solo release but that doesn’t even begin to capture the depth of what is a prolific career for someone who absolutely has to be in the conversation for one of the best Irish musicians ever.  If you have followed Hansard’s career at all you will know that it has been fueled by the heights and depths of fame and passion for the world around him.  At 51 years of age Glen became a father for the first time in 2022 and while being happily married with a son certainly changes a man you will still find plenty of his grit and heard spilled over harsh acoustic guitar strumming. Oh and for those keeping score, I saw them perform live together this past summer and he is definitely still in love with Marketa.

Top Track: Bearing Witness

17. The National-The First Two Pages of Frankenstien

My second favorite band gave me two albums this year, this was the first that came out in April and features the likes of Sufjan Stevens, Phoebe Bridgers and Taylor Swift, three of the most influential pop artists in the world.  But the real victory here is that these mega stars featuring on their songs in no way overshadows their work, Matt Berniger’s lead vocals still manage to sound like a letter from an old friend framed perfectly by Dessner and the Devendorfs instruments.  Well come back to these guys in a minute.

Top Track: Your Mind Is Not Your Friend (feat. Phoebe Bridgers)

16. Killer Mike-MICHAEL

Atlanta’s own and every rapper’s favorite rapper Michael Render feels like he is finally getting the recognition he deserves.  With the success of Run The Jewels, Mike’s first solo album in a decade was critically acclaimed and found commercial success.  Mike’s artistry speaks for itself, his flow is second to none, the production and managing so many featuring artists is incredible, but the biggest thing is how much you can tell he puts into his music.  His activism is a huge part of his personality and he channels this desire for a better world, especially for Black Men in America, into powerful tracks that genuinely feel like they are making a difference.

Top Track: MOTHERLESS

15. Gatlin-I Sleep Fine Now

Ok, and now back to the sad girls with Florida native Gatlin Thorton who put out a 7 track LP full of happy sad songs baring her life on our speakers for communal catharsis in the Taylor Swift mold.  Gatlin exists in the more delicate singer/songwriter mode but plays up with some synth backing on a few tracks, overall her quietly powerful layered vocals combined with almost too honest honesty are a very enjoyable combination.

Top Track: When You’re Breaking My Heart

14. Abby Holliday-I’M OK NO I’M NOT

The second 7 track album in a row and second of sad girl Abby Holliday’s young career is showing a lot of wisdom and promise for a 20 something year old.  Holliday’s production of songs that build and grow and then drop out at a moment’s notice are mini-masterpieces that capture her emotions and lay them bare for us all.  They get a little over produced at moments and can be a bit hard to access for some I’m sure, but she definitely checks some of the right musical boxes for me.

Top Track: Ohio Laundry Room

13. Midnight Kids-The Long Way Home

Pop-retro core duo Midnight Kids are a group that I really don’t know much about but their light and airy electro-synth pop was a really fun discovery late last year.  They write anthems for the kids who aren’t afraid to stay up all night for a good time and they use heavy bass and snare beats with driving synth lines to make you feel like you wanna stay up with them.

Top Track: Your Way

12. Hayden Calnin-The Turning of The Tide Side A and B

Australia's Calnin put out two EPs that I’m smuggling into one album for the purposes of the list here.  Hayden’s music is gentle and mystical and feels like you're lying face up in the ocean looking at the stars as the waves slowly wash you back to shore.  I really appreciate his restraint and ability to make his songs spare enough that you feel each element individually, he clearly has the talent to make bigger and bolder songs, but he holds back and slowly builds an atmosphere around his songs that in some ways makes them more impactful.

Top Track: Gravity Find Us & Bring Us In

11. Nightly-wear your heart out

Nashville based Alt Pop trio Nightly are back with their sophomore album, and it is definitely a diversion from the sad energy that often drives my listening.  Their tenor vocals and beachy electric guitar vibes mixed in with some light synth lines makes for a really fun pop rock with typical themes about girls and one about being boys.

Top Track: the feeling

10. boygenius-the record

The first full length album from sad girl supergroup, the boys, aka Phoebe Bridger, Julian Baker, and Lucy Dacus, took the alt pop world by force this year winning 3 grammys on 6 nominations. It makes sense for three women who have ascending solo careers, but rarely is such a combination this much greater than the sum of its parts.  The coolest part about the whole boygenius experience is just how much fun the three of them are clearly having playing together, I didn’t go see them live but the media coming out of the tour and what I heard from folks who did sounded like a pretty amazing experience.

Top Track: Not Strong Enough

9. Ben Howard-Is It?

The fifth album from fellow former Devonian Howard retains the slightly odd musing elements we are accustomed to with him but with a lot more continuity than previous albums.  He recorded this all over the course of 10 days at a Chateau in France and uses the songs to explore his experience with a medical event the year prior that affected his speech and memory, scary thing for anyone but particularly pointed for a performer as nuanced as Ben.  Lucky for us he appears to be doing well and channeled his talents into a thoughtful and thought provoking indie album.

Top Track: Life In The Time

8. Del Water Gap-I Miss You Already + I Haven't Left Yet

The sophomore release from the solo project of Brooklyn based artist S. Holden Jaffe stands as a principle example of a modern pop album.  Jaffe lays his personal life bare for us in an even more raw expression than Taylor could ever claim.  His high tenor vocals are as piercing as his honestly as he works through his struggles with depression and substance abuse and of course failed relationships with no line more stinging than “...she says I think your music got worse, since you went fully sober, at least now you won’t kill yourself…” Heres to using art to express your feelings and not letting them devour you.

Top Track: Beach House

7. The National-Laugh Track

This is supposedly the “left over” tracks that these guys surprise released at the end of the year off the back of The First Two Pages of Frankenstein, I don’t know exactly what it says about me in particular but these leftover tracks hit more for me than the real album! It helps that Bon Iver and Phoebe Bridgers are still hanging out here and that the Bon Iver track is the best on both albums in my opinion.  Out of the two this album is a but more reserved and quite, but still with the poetic substance of the sad dad energy we expect from these guys.

Top Track: Weird Goodbyes (feat. Bon Iver)

6. Sufjan Stevens-Javelin

Through career that has now spanned over 20 years and taken many twists and turns musically, Sufjan has consistently been my favorite artist of my lifetime.  His latest effort is no different, an emotional gut wrenching at times examination of his life and the life of his late partner framed as only he can. It starts with a goodbye that is gentle at first but then builds in Age of Adz format into a big electro refrain.  Most tracks on this album stay more spare with reverence to the topic until the crescendo on the 8 minute second to last track masterfully crafted to not feel like a mega song but more of a journey, much like the album itself.

Top Track: Will Anybody Ever Love Me?

5. Josiah and the Bonnevilles-Endurance

One of the most successful American Idol contestants that you didn’t know was on American Idol, Tennessee native Josiah Leming still has plenty of stories to tell.  Depending on how you count this is his 9th or 12th album and 4th in the past three years following up a really fun cover album earlier in the year.  Leming’s blend of folk, bluegrass, and country provides depth to a genre of music that some can suggest lacks it, his effortless poetry blending with his acoustic guitar and harmonica prowess to produce a fun and beautiful blend of country folk.

Top Track: Burn

4. Eighty Ninety-Bowery Beach Road/Eighty Ninety

Minimalist pop darlings Eighty Ninety put out two albums this year and honestly I’m not sure how to separate them. They are both compilation albums of sorts with songs that they have had out for a few years and a couple of new tracks.  Luckily the confusion of what is going on doesnt detract from the artistry that these two brothers put together mostly centered around smalltown heartbreak, their viral hit “Three Thirty” from a few years back is here and its haunting pucky guitar speaks to all the missed connections you’ve had in your life. Bowery Beach features a little more variety in the production and song structure while the self-titled Eighty Ninety has more traditional pop tunes.  Together they represent a strong offering in a crowded pop rock duo era, looking forward to hearing more from these guys.

Top Track: Next To Me

3. Petey-USA

Sometimes I baffle myself with the artists peak my interest, Petey is one of those, hes a tik tok star that makes music, and kind of out there music at that, but I don’t know theres just something about the energy that he puts into his music that transcends the lack of melody in some of his songs and represents a “serious” side of him that works as a really fun foil to his comedy career.  His songs still have an air of unseriousness surrounding them but below the surface there is still “..if you never showed me bambi, I could breathe instead of panic, I’d provide for a family of six.” He finds a way to approach his mental health without it sounding like a therapy session and definitely finds a distinction from his other life.

Top Track: I’ll Wait (This is probably also my song of the year)

2. The Japanese House-In The End It Always Does

Amber Bain is back with her sophomore album and first post pandemic music and let me say it was worth the wait.  A lot has happened in Amber’s life in the past 4 years and she is not afraid to tell us about it.  She has multiple songs about the two women in her life, her dog Joni Jones and her girlfriend, she is living her best life and actually recently got engaged and moved to LA, so I’d say things are looking up.  Her delicate layered vocals and multi instrumental mastery helps her craft songs that feel entirely her own, she feels a little less androgenous on this album which I think is fitting for the content, but even in all that is going right, sad girls are still gonna sad girl, because In The End It Always Does.

Top Track: Boyhood

1. Holly Humberstone-Paint My Bedroom Black

This one honestly snuck up on me I had Holly on my list last year but apparently that was a compilation album so this counts as her debut album and what a debut it was.   This young lady from a middle of nowhere town in England just has a way about her song structure, honestly, and being lonely in hotel rooms that just resonates with some part of me.  I think she really solidified things when I was driving around England in October and her Bon Iver with a little more structure just felt like the right soundtrack under somewhat gloomy skies and country lanes. Her strength of autotune production is impressive and combine that with a lot of deep synth lines its just made for me. She has been a featured artist on a bunch of tracks I have heard this year already which is really cool to see the industry at large recognizing her more as a legitimate player.

Top Track: Into Your Room

[ghostboyjules]

For the ask thing—ask about my favorites 👀 how about current music favs???

YAZ!!! hiii!!! 💕 💕 💕

hmm for current faves.. I've definitely been listening to a LOT of Ethel Cain, of COURSE Hozier's album (De Selby pt 2, Francesca, Unknown, and First Light in particular) and also lots of Spiritbox cause I'm so hype for their new EP coming out soon AAHH

thanks so much for the ask Yaz!! I hope you have a wonderful wonderful day 💕🥰🥰 🫂

from this ask post ✨

[penultimateapogee]

hey dude for the music challenge u should do ALL OF EM

heh heh heh... such was my plan ALL ALONG. i will now use this ask as the place to do it (here’s the post btw)

1. A song that reminds you of your childhood: anything from Fiddler On The Roof (the original Broadway cast recording)... my dad loves Fiddler On The Roof and he used to play it all the time

2. A song to sleep to: heh, anything at 2am. but really New York And Back by Leanne & Naara

3. A song that your best friend loves: oh god, really? cmon i cant just know that...! ummmm mazie and i had a really in depth running conversation about her favorite music about two years ago but im forgetting it all. im PRETTY SURE Venus Ambassador by Bryan Scary & the Shredding Tears was the inspiration for her OC Stuart who we both love and occasionally develop

4. A song that hypes you the fuck up: HEH ANYTHING....! oh my god this is a haaaaard one because of how many options i have!!! but also: Awaken by Riot Games feat. Valerie Broussard, because WHEN THE DEVIL IS KNOCKINGGGGGGGGG... SO ALL YOU RESTLESS

5. A song you like to daydream to: i can only say “heh anything” so many times!! literally i daydream to basically every single song; its foundational to how i consume music. i’ll bring out the real heavy hitter now and say Follow You Down by Zedd feat. Bright Lights. ive got some REAL good daydreams for that one

6. A song that’s on at least 3 of your playlists: *breath in* no just kidding, i do my best to make sure my playlists arent too similar. the day you stop me from putting I Wanna Get Better by Bleachers on every character playlist is the day i die tho

7. A song that you love from a genre you don’t usually like: this should be easy; lemme just flip through my catalog of “songs i bought independent of their albums because i was building an 8tracks playlist in iTunes”... actually no, Planetary (GO!) by My Chemical Romance! i dont usually like whatever subgenre of rock MCR is all that much but this one GOES (fittingly shjfdis)

8. A song that you liked when you where 10 that still slaps: Der Kommissar by Falco. no fucking hesitation. i can thank my fluent-in-german mom for this one

9. A song that makes you want to go on an adventure: Zero by Imagine Dragons! ive daydreamed some poppin’ space adventures to that one

10. A song you’d want to dance with your partner to ( or future partner ): so, so much... NOT Jenny by Studio Killers because i just wanna make out to that one; maybe I Go Crazy by Paul Davis

11. A song to stomp around and pout to: difficult, because when i pout, i pout like grimbark jade, in that i go “actually im better than everyone and you can all smd.” then again, having made that clear, Roman Holiday by Nikki Minaj (shoutout: @floralmarsupial for killing me with that lyricstuck)

12. A song to listen to whilst you lie in a meadow: Folding Chair by Regina Spektor. TOO EASY

13. A song that reflects your views on love: uhhhhh. huh. polyam moments? no songs about polyamory moments? being polyamorous fundamentally affects my views on love in a way im not sure ive ever heard a song capture moments? Hot Air Balloon by Owl City because i’ll be out of my mind, and you’ll be out of ideas pretty soon, so let’s spend the afternoon in a cold hot air balloon

14. A song to sing to the sun: i feel like its probably not the intended spirit of this question, but Coming Over (feat. James Hersey) by Dillon Francis & Kygo. im usually more of a nighttime girl but honestly? call me xoxo

15. A song you like that sounds like its on the soundtrack to an indie coming of age film: ohhhh my gooooddddd literally any fucking Bastille song. any of them. thats like their whole angle and i LIVE for it. im picking Snakes because snakes are biting at my heels, the worries that refuse to let us go; ive been kicking them away and hoping not to let them take control

16. A song that you like that romanticises being a teenager: i would love to say Teen Idle by MARINA for the irony but i cant bring myself to. (ill still link it tho.) real answer is Centuries by Fall Out Boy, because whether or not it actually romanticises being a teen i just feel it yknow

17. A song that makes you want to grab your friends jump up and down dancing and screaming the lyrics: why did they write a question to which the only answer is Bohemian Rhapsody by Queen? i dont get it. just kidding another acceptable answer is Toxic by Britney Spears (my white is showing im sure)

18. A song that you like that the lyrics are just so beautiful they’re practically poetry: well actually i have such good taste that every song i listen to is poetry. (trying to remember the lyrics i cried to out of nowhere yesterday. oh right it was The Draw by Bastille but most of it doesnt fit the question as much) ANY Hozier song. im linking his fucking artist page because im NOT KIDDING. ANY HOZIER SONG. i toyed with picking a specific song as an “also, it’s this one haha” but no, im dead serious. i cant pick just one

19. A song that you can imagine listening to in an abandoned church ( if it isn’t hozier im judging you, but whatever ): ironic! to pick a specific Hozier song this time (because op is right, he’s the only choice), Talk

20. A song from the soundtrack of a film that you like so much after the film finished you immediately looked for it: hm, i feel like i have done this before, but i cant recall when... well i didnt go “oh fuck bop [blacks out]” but Immigrant Song by Led Zeppelin. remember Thor: Ragnarok? that was a good movie

21. A song for when the sun has gone down and you are feeling absolutely buck-wild with exhilaration!: Lost In Japan (Remix) by Shawn Mendes & Zedd, because no song hits my city-hotel aesthetic quite like this one does

22. A song that makes you feel like you’re strolling through Ancient Greece living your best life: ancient Greece...! that throws a fun twist in it; Don’t Leave Me (Ne me quitte pas) by Regina Spektor

23. A song that when you listen to it you’re transported to a liminal space, time is pointless and you must sit and wallow in the void that remains: Shots (Broiler Remix) by Imagine Dragons feat. Broiler. i glanced at this question early on and have been sitting on it the whole time. just LISTEN to it

23. A song to listen to on a long drive when you have the really strong urge to keep driving until you find somewhere to start a new life (preferably a europian city whose language you don’t speak): Evelyn by Kim Tillman & Silent Films. it just called to me here

im a little sad that i couldnt put every song ive ever listened to in here so heres some more good ones that i didnt choose: Citrine by Hayley Kiyoko (this is actually a whole EP), Lone Digger by Caravan Palace, Safe And Sound by Capital Cities, Absentee by Jack Campbell, River Flows In You by Yiruma, Instant Crush by Daft Punk, Link by Jim Yosef, Poke Bowl by Radiant Children, Optimistic by cehryl, Quiet by Lights, Superposition by Young the Giant, Far Too Young To Die by Panic! at the Disco, The Good, the Bad and the Dirty also by P!atD, Whatever It Takes by Hollywood Undead, LUNARIA (instrumental) by Chouchou. i know thats easily enough to make your eyes glaze over but mutuals especially it would mean a lot to me if you listened to at least a few of the songs i linked in this post because music means a lot to me and sharing it with other people is one of my favorite things :]

[hanalwayssolo]

This Sunday Currently, vol. 15

First TSC of 2020, who would’ve thunk.

Reading

Right now, I’m reading Raphael Bob-Waksberg’s Someone Who Will Love You In All Your Damaged Glory. So far, this is my fourth book for the month and ninth overall for the year, which is to say I am thriving quite nicely in the reading department. I have to say, I’ve never had such a good reading streak in a long time because all of these books I’ve spent reading these last couple of months have left such a strong impression on me, and without giving away too much, here are some reasons why I loved all of them:

1. N.K. Jemisin’s The Broken Earth trilogy — Absolutely well-written, impressive worldbuilding and character development. The attention to detail that Jemisin gave in creating this world of the Stillness and the elements of orogeny is so, so good. Also, I really appreciate the way she established the relationships of her female characters that even though they had their differences and an almost cutthroat dynamic (like with Essun and Ykka, or with Essun and Tonkee), there is still that sense of solidarity present between these women, that they didn’t really seek out to upstage the other despite them being exceptionally skilled in their fields of expertise, but instead they worked together and acknowledged each other’s strengths, which I very much dig a lot. 

2. Gail Honeyman’s Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine — The story follows Eleanor Oliphant, an eccentric, friendless 29-year-old working in a boring day job who meets this kind-hearted IT guy named Raymond. At first, I thought it was another romance novel but I just loved how it has completely thrown me off because it mainly revolves around Eleanor’s growth and her friendship with Raymond, and how this eventually helps her to open up to other people—which is, like, this is the kind of story that is so hard to come across because it focuses on platonic relationships and how that is so important, too. And like? That’s my fucking jam?

3. Jenny Slate’s Little Weirds — Jenny Slate captures the entire experience of loneliness and heartbreak and love in her own whimsical way and crafts this beautifully written collection of stories and essays that I was emotionally wrecked after reading all of it.

4. André Aciman’s Find Me — My god. Aciman chronicles love and longing with such visceral and detailed prowess. Reading the stories of Sami, Elio, and Oliver in this sequel fucking murdered me. And that’s putting it mildly.

5. Mary Oliver’s Thirst — This is the kind of poetry collection that after reading it, I felt compelled to move to the countryside and live in the forest. 

Also, my favourite has got to be The Uses of Sorrow, in which Mary says: “Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness / It took me years to understand that this, too was a gift.” 

6. Sally Rooney’s Normal People — There is a certain kind of sadness that follows the story of Connell and Marianne, and one thing I really liked about this is how Rooney managed to capture the complexities of on and off relationships with such forensic attentiveness. And it’s so nice to read the story alternating in Connell’s and Marianne’s POVs, too, so one gets to understand what goes on in their heads.

Writing

Because I’ve been busily reading and watching films these days and MMA training most weeknights after work, I haven’t been writing much, except maybe for adding little notes and dialogues and carving the structure for A Burden We Share. Honestly, I don’t even know if I’ll ever get to write it considering how I’ve ultimately decided not to continue updating Laws of Motion. And I’m not even in the least sorry about it. I’m struggling in a very weird writing limbo (despite managing to put this out lmao) and maybe because the interest has petered out, or the fact that I’m an exhausted reader/spectator of my own stuff, or I am an exhausted mother of many different OCs and they all demand 1000000% of my care and devotion like the needy children that they are and they want me to talk about them all the fucking time, which I find so difficult to do at times despite the kind and generous asks, because talking about them makes me feel so selfish and self-absorbed sometimes like I’m imposing a lot like no one really likes to hear about them so shut up self, don’t you have anything better to talk about sis? and maybe this is my anxiety screaming and also demanding my attention, so idk. So maybe it’s all three, I guess.

Anyway. Basically, I’m sort of gliding through this break (is it still a break when you’re not planning to write at all?) or whatever this is called because for now, I have no plans on posting anything new anytime soon. 

Watching

I watched Jojo Rabbit and Parasite last month but then watched it again yesterday because a friend gave me a copy. Parasite easily became one of my favourite movies ever because it’s such a fucking masterpiece and it left me thinking about a lot of things after watching it. 

Also, rewatching some of my favourite sad, tearjerker movies is what I’ve been doing these days, like Beautiful Boy, The Lovely Bones, and Lion, all of which never fails to make me cry like a baby.

Listening

A lot of new music, thank fuck! My constant work companions these days are Halsey’s Manic, Mura Masa’s R.Y.C., Bombay Bicycle Club’s Everything Else Has Gone Wrong, Hayley William’s Petals for Armor EP. And, well, I still listen to Hozier from time to time. As a treat.

Smelling

Monday dread, as always. 

Feeling

Equal parts excited and nervous, forcing myself to let this positive feeling tide over the frustration of my writing dilemma. I’m leaving for a camping trip in two weeks, and then off to Sydney and Auckland in April, and while I’m looking forward to getting out of the city, the entire planning part is what drives me nuts. And with everyone still on alert because of N-COV, our airports are a mess and thinking about the stress of it all makes me so anxious I just want to stay at home instead.

Hoping/Wishing/Needing/Wanting

I love writing, I seriously do, so I want my writing motivation back. I’ve been giving it to myself on my own, and I think I might have misplaced it somewhere. 

The Sunday Currently was originally from SiddaThornton.

[notmuchmedia-blog]

MAY 2018 PLAYLIST

LISTEN HERE

This months playlist is compiled of all of my recent go to songs with a plethora of different moods, atmospheres and decades.

First we start with the upbeat groovy songs, kicking it all off with Early Eyes’ ‘Take You’, a beach-rock tune accompanied by harsh kicking vocals alongside wavvy guitar riffs and lovely rolling drums.

Then we go into my new favourite recent releases, The Skinner Brothers’ ‘Watchu’, TOUCAN’s ‘We Fell For Miles’ and Short Weekends’ ‘Green Summer’. All of these songs were carefully selected for those upcoming sunny days with Fosters, mates and BBQ’s.

Watchu is a song that heavily seems to be inspired by The Streets with their talking verses and then followed by a Liam Gallagher-esque chorus riddled with odd little noises through the instrumental. This song could very easily become the English summer song of the year.

Then we have ‘We Fell For Miles’ by TOUCAN, a band compiled of singer-songwriter Conor Clancy and Martin Atkinson accompanied by a brass band from all over Ireland. Below is an interview I was lucky enough to have with Conor.

Are there any specific idols that really inspired the specific groovy sound you’re putting out? I think in terms of the songwriting anyway, I took influence from songwriters like Hozier, Ben Howard and Breakbot. That, mixed with a tendency towards  70's and 80's music like The Emotions, KC & The Sunshine Band, Curtis Mayfield, all that sort of brass heavy, feel good stuff is what drove the sound, but I don't think there's any specific idol that really inspired it. What drove you to choose We Fell For Miles to be the first song released for this EP? Well, partly because it's very representative of our sound as a whole. It's got a little spotlight on each part of the band and it all fits together and each element compliments the others. But I also always wanted the the brass hook at the start before the band comes in to be the first thing people ever hear from TOUCAN. Can we expect the same up-beat jazzy sound for the rest of the EP, or are there surprises that shake up the feel a bit?

For the most part yeah! There's a lot more where that came from for sure, but there's one track on the EP that's a little darker, a little slower, but still pretty groovy. 

If you could put your EP into three words, what would they be? Happy go lucky! I’ve never really heard a sound like this come out of Ireland! Were there any local influences? Nope! Not that I can think of anyway. I do really pay careful attention to lyricism, and I think I can attribute that partly to folk songwriting, but the sound of the band is very much influenced by music from outside of Ireland. What drove you to begin this project in the first place? We played a couple of gigs when we were in college, just because it was fun. The songs and the sound were good so we ran with it and now we're here!

And finally, can we expect anything else from you in the future after this EP? (I’m really hoping so!) Definitely. We'll see if we can get picked up by a label once the EP is out, we're hoping to do some big gigs at home and in the UK over the next year or so. And we'll be recording an album in that sort of timeframe too!

‘Green Summer’ is a staple indie-pop song by Short Weekends. Sounding quite different to their earlier songs, this tune is intricate, bouncy and a definite crowd pleaser. I’d 100% recommend it to anyone who likes bands such as Tame Impala and Vega Bay. One thing I always love to credit this band on is how much effort they have all put in to creating each and every song. Also synth, man! Bloody synth.

Then three songs that are great for car trips, but all with a very different feeling. HAIM’s ‘Don’t Save Me’, HONNE’s ‘Someone That Loves You’ and Amy Winehouse’s ‘Hey Little Rich Girl.’

These next two golden oldies will definitely bring out the inner dance-star in you -  Four Top’s ‘Can’t Help Myself’ and Fleetwood Mac’s ‘Everywhere.’

Then my five favourite modern love songs, Cosmo Pyke’s ‘Social Sites’, Frank Ocean’s ‘Ivy’ and Rex Orange County’s ‘Happiness’ - all of which are sure to give you those butterflies that remind you of the bright sun rays in the glistening eyes of your loved one.

Following on from that, we have Jake Bugg’s ‘How Soon The Dawn’ a slow paced song that brings you into a Sunday morning hazy daze, with the sun peeking in through the window, reflecting off the dust in the air. 

Finishing up on the love, we have Big Scary’s ‘The Opposite of Us’, a song that just makes me feel completely in love. The gorgeous instrumental is warm and inviting, allowing for passive listening, but once you REALLY listen, it grabs you. That feeling of being hopeful in life because of those, or someone, you love.

To wrap up the whole playlist, I CANNOT stray away from this ultimate feel good song, Lauryn Hill’s ‘Doo Wop (That Thing)’, a song throwing shade at just how dark both men and women can be, and how you need to look out for yourself.

Listen on SPOTIFY