As I continue to find my voice and my style here at Tuned In/Dropped Out, I am always looking for ways to keep fresh and fun content coming. I thought that each week I would compile a list of ten songs that I've been listening to and vibing with during the week. They don't have to be new; just any song by any artist that I think is worth your time. I'll publish every Sunday, starting....
NOW!
10. An invitation - Stay Inside
Kicking off this week's list is a tune from an album that I've been enjoying the past few days, 'Ferried Away' by Emo band Stay Inside. 'An Invitation' is a riffy, heavy emo jam with probably the most memorable melody on the entire record. It's got some pretty unconventional progressions for the genre, and it's constantly mixing things up and changing the melodics. If you are a fan of emo and are looking for something that is just a little bit different, 'An Invitation' is an ideal candidate. Speaking of Emo infused rock:
9. I Want to Be Invisible - Glitterer
While it seemed like I was a little harsh on this record in my REVIEW , don't let that deter you from listening to what it offers. Especially the opening track, 'I Want to Be Invisible'. It's got angst, a big wall of thick, fuzzy guitar, angsty and well delivered vocals, and even some synth underneath it all to give it some extra flavor. The former Title Fight Frontman behind the moniker, Ned Russin, brings a familiar yet new sounding vibe to the table that kicks off the LP in a great way. I recommend it and think it's definitely worth adding to your favorite playlist!
8. Red Flags - Brittany Howard
The new Brittany Howard album is pretty great (I should probably review it, eh?) and at the current moment 'Red Flags' is the track I find myself returning to the most. The former Alabama Shakes front-woman's unique and fascinating blend of Psych, R&B, and Soul shines brightly on the bitter track about a love that crashed and burned. Melodically, the song (and the rest of the album) goes to many different, and equally daring, directions. It results in an emotional, catchy, and unique track that I recommend with my very soul.
7. Hourglass - Hurray for the riff Raff
Sure, the record just came out. Sure, I just published my REVIEW of this record on Saturday. I just...keep coming back to this track so I'm going ahead and adding it to my weekly list. It's got everything that makes 'The Past is Still Alive' such a captivating piece of music in droves. It's bittersweet, heart wrenching, slickly produced, and Alynda Segarra's vocal performance is part country/part pop personified (you'll get it when you hear their voice) and fits into the mix wonderfully. It's perfect for those nights where you may be feeling extra nostalgic, the ones where you think of the time that is passing and the things you have (and haven't) done. Even if you aren't a fan of Americana or Alt Country, this is more than worth a listen and stands proudly on its own as a beautiful and haunting track. Speaking of haunting songs:
6. Paying Bills at the End of the World - Aaron West and the Roaring Twenties
Okay sorry, but it's another sad one. I promise things get better (more angry) from here! The second single released from the Dan Campbell project's upcoming LP, 'Paying Bills at the End of the World' continues to build on the lore and songwriting of the Aaron West 'multiverse'. It also paints a stark and sadly all too real picture of the situation so many find themselves in these days; dead end jobs, woes about healthcare and human rights, and a general sense of anxiety for the state of the world. Production wise, things are really tight and the track takes more of an Alt Country tilt than we've really heard from the group before. There's some beautiful use of a lap steel guitar and a subtle but effective piano laying just below the main mix. I recommend this song if you're looking to reflect on...everything.
5. The Mechanic - Amigo the Devil
This might be the most stripped down and raw track on 'Yours Until the War Is Over', and the record is full of them. It's an aching, biting, mournful look at the end of love, and the feeling that comes with that realization. The mix is quiet, with Danny Kiranos' soft and haunting vocals making him sound more human than perhaps he ever has. He really has a way with his voice, his words, and his melodic tendencies that allows him to tell his stories with the confidence and bravado of a stage performer. But this is different. It's quiet, reserved, and full of introspective and heart breaking lyrics. If you have the heart for it, it really is a beautiful and gut wrenching piece of art.
4. Fairweather Friends - Queens of the Stone Age
2013's '...Like Clockwork' is an amazing album in my opinion (see my QOTSA ranking HERE to read my thoughts on the album as a whole), and this track in particular has its hooks in me deep right now. I'm not even sure it's my favorite track from the record overall, but it sure is the one that gets my blood pumping the most. It's got some incredible guitar work, bitter and biting lyrics about the ones we thought were our friends, and the structure and flow of the track itself is particularly satisfying. That is to say; it rocks. Hard. It's probably the 'heaviest' song on the record, just in terms of intensity and fury. Also it features Trent Reznor and Elton John doing guest vocals and that's pretty crazy, right? Josh Homme and co. absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one, and any fan of modern Rock will almost surely love it.
3. Blinding Faith - Knocked Loose
Knocked Loose are probably my favorite band in the hardcore/metalcore scene, and have been for awhile. That clearly isn't going to be changing anytime soon, as the first single for their upcoming LP, 'You Won't Go Before You're Supposed To', is as heavy, angry, and ear bashingly brutal as anything they've done yet. They continue to refine and sculpt their sound to a fine, sharp point that stabs and rips into your ears, but in a good way. 'Blinding Faith' takes a look at, well, blinding faith through an angry, spiteful lens, and nobody in the band is holding back. Bryan Garris' vocals are harsh and intense, the guitars are lower and chuggier than ever, the drums explode out of the mix in the most satisfying way, an the lyrics are pointed and unashamed. If you get down with music of the heavier persuasion, this is a track you absolutely can NOT miss. I am very much looking forward to diving into the full LP on May 10th, and you can bet a review will follow.
2. Vultures - The Wonder Years
Dan Campbell makes his second appearance on this list, this time for the Wonder Years newest single, and WWE's 'NXT Stand & Deliver' theme, 'Year of the Vulture'. This is, quite possibly, the most brutal and heavy Wonder Years track ever, featuring harsh, screamy vocals, intense and driving guitar hooks, and even a fat juicy breakdown at the end. It's reminiscent of the emo/post hardcore boon of the mid 2000's; emotive, intense, and just a really fun style to hear this band take on all these years into their careers. The themes at play in the track are fitting given the event it's featured in, as well. It's all about fighting with everything you have, going down swinging, and always pushing forward. Kind of a needed message regardless of where it's being delivered, ya know? Also, I know I already said this but...it's a Wonder Years song with a heavy breakdown. I'm gonna love it! I think you will, too.
1. Echoes - Pink Floyd
And at last, here we are; the top spot for this week goes to Pink Floyd and their mesmerizing 1971 track 'Echoes' off the Meddle LP. That may come as a surprise to some of you, but should it really? Pink Floyd are one of the most influential and legendary rock bands of all time. While pre 'Dark Side' Floyd may turn some off due to the more experimental and psychedelic nature, I find this record in particular fascinating. You can really hear Pink Floyd become Pink Floyd here, in a sense. The production and performances are tight and you can really see the vision they are laying before you. 'Echoes' serves as the last track on the LP (or the entirety of side 2 if you're listening on vinyl), and is a 23 plus minute epic. Like much of the band's historic and storied works, this song is full of movements, melody changes, key moments, and psychedelic theatrics. It can be downright absurd at times, becoming an experimental bed of noise and tense, suspenseful stings. Those moments just adhere the various movements of the track to each other, and it all works in tandem to create an incredible piece of music. All four key members of the band work like a finely tuned machine, with each individual performance enhancing the next. If you're a casual listener of Pink Floyd and haven't heard their earlier work, or if you're new to them altogether, I think this is a great starting point. and I highly recommend it!
Well, there you have it. Those are just some of the tunes that held my attention captive this week. I tried throwing some variety and spice in there, and there should really be something for just about anyone! Or, if you're like me, maybe you'll dig it all? At any rate, I hope you picked up some new tracks to add to your rotation along the way. And if not, I hope you at least enjoyed reading my rambling thoughts. And, if not, thanks for the engagement anyways!
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