"Waterbed" by Chløë Black - A Song Review

     The recording is immersed in processing, while the sensuality is exposed and raw. Chløë Black shared another attention-grabber. With “Waterbed,” she shows that even a nostalgic reflection on time spent in Grunge-obsessed Seattle during the nineties can be given a dark and ominous vibe. Smoldering below the Goth sensibilities is a message of what was important to Chløë at that time.

     According to her Facebook presence, Chloe Black’s hometowns are Paris, Sydney, Los Angeles and London. Her “current location" is London. 

     "Waterbed" by Chløë Black

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/chloeblackmusic

Website: http://www.chloeblack.com/

Ha, ha, ha

Ha, ha, ha

You say I’m a thirsty bitch

I take you to the waterbed

1996

We’re fucking in the waterbed

I’m grunge as fuck

I’m high enough for two

You’re such a punk

I’m so in love with you

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh 
(Get me high, get me high)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

Ha, ha, ha

Tell me that you’ll make me rich

I’ll take you to my waterbed 
(I’ll take you to my waterbed)

You know that I can’t resist

We dive into the waterbed 
(Waterbed)

I’m grunge as fuck

I’m high enough for two

You’re such a punk

I’m so in love with you

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh 
(Get me high, get me high)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh

Get me high, get me high

And we run, and we run

And we dive, and we dive

Head first to the waterbed

Get me high, get me high

And we run, and we run

And we dive, and we dive

Head first to the waterbed

I’m grunge as fuck

I’m high enough for two

You’re such a punk

I’m so in love with you

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh 
(Get me high, get me high)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh 
(And we run, and we run)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
(And we dive, and we dive)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
(Head first to the waterbed)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
(Get me high, get me high)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
(And we run, and we run)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
(And we dive, and we dive)

Ooh-ooh-ooh-ooh
(Head first to the waterbed)

“The Call” by SUAD – A Song Review

     The song maps its own territory; the stake is in the ground and the land is lush. But for the first minute, “The Call” causes us to picture the guitarists of War on Drugs providing support for Elena Tonra (the lead vocalist of Daughter). Probably carrying the picture too far, the start incorporates the strongest features of War on Drugs and a blend of Elena Tonra and fellow Englishwoman Hanna Reid (of London Grammar).

     Unlike the two UK vocalists, SUAD’s voice and energy seem best suited for the driving rhythm of “The Call.” The beat remains consistent through most of the track, with instrumental and vocal surges keeping the listener engaged for the full four minutes. The sophistication of the lyrics deserve an assist. Perhaps our understanding is flawed, but well-written lyrics are often subject to personalized understandings. The “call” is a signal for a life change. Things are different; even life’s fogginess “doesn’t look like it did before.”

      SUAD is the performance moniker of Suad Khalifa. She is from Helsinki, Finland. “The Call” is the title track from her debut album. Quoting content posted on SubmitHub:

  “SUAD is the artist moniker by which Suad Khalifa delivers her combination of atmospheric, melodic yet progressive music. The debut EP 'The Call' is now out worldwide via Playground Music.

  Two singles have thus far garnered SUAD praise for her strong and distinctive voice and the driving energy of her music. The Line Of Best Fit proclaimed 'Caves and Blood Veins' with 'SUAD's voice is smoky and warbling, confident but with the slightest hint of vulnerability...a track which divides itself between a motorik groove and Fleetwood Mac-eque riffing.'

  Second single 'Blue Sign' meanwhile hit the right notes at Discobelle who stated "The hypnotic and dramatic dark pop masterpiece “Blue Sign” which echoes with blissed out electronica.”

     “The Call” by SUAD 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SuadMusic12/

Lyrics of “The Call” by SUAD

The fog doesn’t look like it did before

I can hear my name repeated on-call

But it said the same many times before

This time it feels like a different call

Came around the corner I hear the call

It keeps me close, close to the wall

My big loving arms never let me fall

Still, I hear the same, “Take, take the call!”

When it’s time

To close the door too soon

For what is mine

And also yours in bloom

Or watch the paint dry in the room

When in time

It follows too soon

If not other

Keep one eye on the moon

Or watch the paint dry in the room

Last time, I don’t remember it all

So it seems for those involved

It’s cold, the covers are thrown over the wall

Is there a reason to shiver at all?

Came around the corner I hear the call

It keeps the walk close to the wall

And the fog doesn’t look like it did before

The covers are thrown over the wall

When it’s time

To close the door too soon

For what is mine

And also yours in bloom

Or watch the paint dry in the room

When in time

It follows too soon

If not other

Keep one eye on the moon

Or watch the paint dry in the room

[Repeat chorus]

     “The Call” recorded in July 2017

“All My Life” by Honors – A Song Review

     The dynamic vocalization distinguishes “All My Life” from other tracks in the same genre. The song begins with a single voice. When the chorus starts, the backing vocals join. After the chorus, it’s a return to a single voice, but not the same one.

     It’s not until the 2:40 mark that Honors introduce the choir. The effect is striking. If a listener isn’t already fully engaged, the entrance of the choir changes that fact. 

     “All My Life” by Honors 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/honorsmusic

Lyrics of “All My Life” by Honors

Someone told me, “This is life.”

They asked me how I sleep at night

Sunday mornings don't feel right

Hold your own and sleep at night

Sleep at night

All my life

I've been loving you

All my life

I've been running from it

All this time

These memories

On my mind

I've been running from it

All this time

I've been loving you

All my life

But I’ve got a new home at night

I've been loving you

All my life

I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

And I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh

I've been living okay when it's light out

But I'm tripping always when the lights out

Catch a feeling like waves and I go down

Lost in my mind's haze but I know now

I know, I know, I know

How life got in the way

I know, I know, I know

All that's left to say is

All my life

I've been loving you

All my life

I've been running from it

All this time

These memories

On my mind

I've been running from it

All this time

I've been loving you

All my life

But I’ve got a new home at night

I've been loving you

All my life

I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

And I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh

Someone told me, “This is life.”

They asked me how I feel inside

Sunday mornings don't feel right

Hold your own and sleep at night

Sleep at night

All my life

I've been loving you

All my life

I've been running from it

All this time

I've been loving you

All my life

But I’ve got a new home at night

I've been loving you

All my life

I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh, oh-oh

I've been loving you

Oh-oh-oh, oh-oh, oh-oh-oh

Someone told me, “This is life.”

“Aching Dreams” by Planet - Free Friday (“FL&R”)

     Free and Legal Downloads? Yes, at least temporarily. Bands often temporarily permit free downloads of their releases.  The end of an offer may be based on the expiration of a set period of time or on a limited number of downloads.  But at least for now, here are songs that qualify as Free, Legal and Recommended (FL&R) downloads.

     Finding songs that can be legally downloaded is easy. The difficult task is to find legally downloadable music that we recommend. Our plan is to post at least one FL&R song each Friday.

     Planet is a Sydney-based band formed of Matty Took (lead vocals, rhythm), Tom Peppitt (lead guitar, backup vocals), Harrison Stewart-Weeks (drums), and Jimmy Weaver (bass).

  

     “Aching Dreams” by Planet - To access the free download, go to Triple J site (https://www.triplejunearthed.com/jukebox/play/track/6443471) and click the download arrow.

“Wide Eyed” by Slowlights – A Song Review

     Listening to “Wide Eyed” on repeat, the question was asked, “If Slowlights announced a tour that included a local performance, what same-night concert would prompt us to miss Slowlights?” We were hard pressed to name a band that still has all of its original members (The Beatles and Bob Marley would top all lists, but those appearance aren’t possibilities).

    Slowlights make texturing mandatory by raising expectations. That is, listening to a track from the London-based band is unfair to the next band on the playlist, since that next band shouldn’t be expected to match the sophisticated complexity. Slowlights texture and layer without creating a soundscape that is too busy or forced.

    “Wide Eyed” begins cinematically. A slow building “hovering” and base line are soon joined by simple, spaced piano chords played with percussive force. The song explosion occurs at the 1:23 mark. The piano leads the explosion, with a major assist from the percussion. The remainder of the track is dynamic, as it follows a path with spectacular features. Perhaps the most interesting feature enters at 1:56, when a nearly camouflaged sound makes a brief visit. That sound channels a Beatles’ song, but we can’t identify which one. The closest we come is “Baby You’re a Rich Man”” where a monophonic keyboard (a clavioline) is set in its oboe setting.

     Dan Clark (vocals) described the inspiration: 

“'Wide Eyed' is about getting lost on a night out in Manchester and was written out of the blue in a sound check."

     The four members of Slowlights are Dan Clark, Bill Dukelow, Tim Hillier Brook, and Stephen Dukelow. The band has toured with Eliza and the Bear, which also includes a Dukelow (lead guitarist Martin Dukelow). 

     “Wide Eyed” by Slowlights 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/slowlightsband

“While the Days Go By” by Somehow – A Song Review

     “While the Days Go By” is unadorned and primarily resides in the lower frequency range, particularly during its early reliance on a strong bass line. In blogosphere jargon, the term “Lo-Fi” might be applied. But Lo-Fi is shorthand for low fidelity and we aren’t ready to use the term to describe a track that includes enduring male/female harmonization and alluring sounds that are unconventional to most Indie playlists.

     The track was released by Somehow, which is the performance moniker of Erwan Pépiot. The female voice is Aurélie Tremblay’s. The final portion of “While the Days Go By” is most attractive for its contrast in the approaches of the two vocalists. Earlier, Tremblay followed Pépiot’s matter-of-fact approach to the chorus. Then, in the last visit to the chorus (and the preceding verse), Tremblay’s intonations express greater emotion.

     In June 2107, Somehow released a nine-track album titled “Hidden Memories.” The album credits note that “acoustic guitars, keyboards, melodica, violin, and cello” were employed. Aurélie Tremblay is the cellist, but we don’t detect the cello in “While the Days Go By.” Erwan Pépiot is a multi-instrumentalist based in Paris. He wrote, recorded and mixed the entire project on his own in his home studio.

     The lyrics of “While the Days Go By” are included below. The stanzas are constructed around wishful/regretful conditions, “If only…” But the message can be positively interpreted, “Live for the day.”

     “While the Days Go By” by Somehow 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ThisIsSomehow/

Bandcamp: https://somehow.bandcamp.com/album/hidden-memories

Lyrics of “While the Days Go By” by Somehow

If only you knew how to jump from the cliff

If only you dared drop the mask on the stage

If only I gave you what's left of me now

If only your mind was as rough as this place

As rough as this place

But it's only a matter of time

Yah, it's only a matter of time

And the days

And the days

And the days

Go by

[Repeat]

It only you dared clear the air and retreat

If only you knew that the storm is near

If only your mind was as rough as this place

If only I gave you what's left of me now

What's left of me now

But it's only a matter of time

Yah, it's only a matter of time

And the days

And the days

And the days

Go by

[Repeat]

If only you knew how to jump from the cliff

If only you dared drop the mask on the stage

If only I gave you what's left of me now

If only your mind was as rough as this place

As rough as this place

And the days

And the days

And the days

Go by

[Repeat]

Tash Sultana Visits The Fillmore – A Concert Review

     On October 21, Tash Sultana headlined at The Fillmore in San Francisco. The experience was electrifying. Tash is a “looper.” That is, she plays and records a guitar or other instrument as a first layer of a song, then replays the recording while adding additional layers. Her performance on a late night show is included in this post.

     We’ve seen and appreciated the skills of other loopers, including Grimes, Jack Garratt, and Julien Baker. The difference with Tash Sultana is she comfortably travels through diverse genres, keeping her set fresher. Within her best-known track, “Jungle,” she showcases both a Caribbean rhythm and a Rock guitar. Another difference involves her vocal power and range.

     Sultana isn’t shy about sharing her viewpoints. She listed bias-specific reasons why attendees should “Get the fuck outta here!” Most were based on attitudes toward sexual preferences. She also talked about having to cut her European tour short because of symptoms of mental issues. Her honesty was enlightening and refreshing.

     Two weeks ago, someone asked us why the 12-string guitar seems to have disappeared. Sultana found one for her encore! At the start of “Blackbird” (not the Beatles track), she showed her skills in using the traditional approach to playing the instrument. Then, she exhibited exceptional skill by restricting both hands to the guitar neck. 

      “Jungle” by Tash Sultana

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tashsultanamusic/

Website: https://www.tashsultana.com/

     Opening the evening was a performance that is best described as a party. Like Tash Sultana, Pierce Brothers are from Melbourne. They have infectious energy, an ability to get the full attention and cooperation from concert-goers, an array of instruments (including harmonica and the didgeridoo), and an enviable chemistry.

     “Overdose” by Pierce Brothers

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/piercebrothersmusic

Website: http://www.piercebrothers.com.au/