“You're a Garden” by Meadow Argus – A Song Feature

 

      Meadow Argus form a spirited ecosystem of colorful life from a diversity of instrumentation. Their songs are melodically appealing and vocally compelling, but it’s the instrumentation that catches and holds the ear. “You're a Garden” is perhaps the leading example within the discography of Meadow Argus.

 

     The promotional content for “You're a Garden” provides insights as to how the kaleidoscope of timbe is created. The refreshingly non-standard percussion is identified as distorted xylophone. But is that a digeridoo at times, such as at 2:45? Probably not, although Meadow Argus is from Australia, home of the digeridoo. Additionally, the bridge that begins at 1:51 is powerful. The explanation is that the song includes “crisply fingerpicked acoustic guitar to provide a bed for phasey 12-string swirls.”

 

      Meadow Argus hails from the outskirts of Eastern Australia’s hinterland town of Maleny. “You're a Garden” was recorded in the rainforest studio of Jevan Cole, the driving force behind Meadow Argus. Cole is identified as the arranger and producer of the song, with Tim Hall contributing the Power Pop vocals and the percussion. The song was produced and mastered by Jevan, but under the watchful direction of Australia's wanderkind producer, Lachlan Gould ("Magoo").

 

      Lyrically, the song is quirky. We need to take the word of Jevan Cole when he explains, "’You're a Garden’ contemplates the meaning of art, and its connection to the divine, both within and all around us.”

 

     The bands description of itself is interesting:

  “Australian psych-folk freaks, Meadow Argus travel forgotten mountain tracks and narrow country lanes collecting imagined folklore and abandoned ephemera. Found sounds intertwine with bubbling synths, intricate acoustic guitars, and spaced-out electrics. Woven into a tattered and worn tapestry of pastoral acoustic abstracts, whimsical electronica, and sparklingly dark jangle fuzz pop songs. “

 
     “You're a Garden” by Meadow Argus

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

Website: https://www.meadowargus.com/

Bandcamp: https://meadowargus.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “You're a Garden” by Meadow Argus

In my new suit

I'm so sartorial

My feathered boots

Made me arboreal

 

I got so high

In the oldest tree

Fell through the sky

A god inside of me

 

I got knocked out

By a branch above

Song in my blood

Of the spotted dove

 

In my new suit

I'm so sartorial

My worn-out boots

Are memorial

 

Down down down down down

I'm adrift in your love

Hearts alight up above

Down down down down down

I'm afloat on your love

Can I give it enough?

 

You're a garden, garden, garden

Garden of love

 

Down down down down down

Down down down down down

 

I washed my face

In the coldest stream

Old rainbow trout

Came and stole my dream

 

Hid them from me

Below a heavy stone

Left me with naught

But hair and skin and bone

 

You're a garden, garden, garden

Garden of love

“Timelines” by GZ Grant - A Song Feature

 

     “Timelines” combines the guitar sophistication of Math Rock with synth and vocal processing of Dream Pop Rock. That is our assessment, and we don’t shy away from it. But to illustrate the degree of genre bending/blending in the song, GZ Grant says of “Timelines:”

  “It’s an upbeat psychedelic rock track with experimental vocal delays/harmonies. There's some krautrock influence as far as the hypnotic or circular drum/bass pattern. All recorded in my bedroom with the exception of the drums.”

 

     GZ Grant is based in Los Angeles

     “Timelines” by GZ Grant

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

Bandcamp: https://gzgrant.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Timelines” by GZ Grant
Timelines
It’s only passing phase
It’s only a passageway
What is a lifetime?
It’s only passing phase
It’s only a passageway
 
Dreamscapes
Open up to the change
What is your lifeline? (Moving through the timeline)
It’s only passing phase
It’s only a passageway
 
Light shines
Flowing into the gate
It’s only a passing phase
It’s only a passageway

The Guitar Is Alive and Well

      It isn’t difficult to find an article about the reduced importance of the guitar to today’s music. Indie Obsessive’s position is that the instrument is doing well. A high percentage of Indie Rock and Pop bands include at least one guitar. One shift from the earlier decades of Rock is that there is more focus on other contributions. It is common for a guitar to support the synth contribution, rather than the reverse. Another shift is away from featuring guitar solos. Guitar virtuosity is not as important to today’s musicians. It still exists, but guitar virtuosity is less common.

 

       Still, the guitar lives on and will always be the favorite instrument of many music lovers, including us. Here are three strong Indie singles with a guitar emphasis and expertise.

     Holy Coves identifies itself as an Indie Psych Rock band from North Wales. “Away We Go” is a single from the album “Druids and Bards,” which is scheduled for release on October 14 via Yr Wyddfa Records. The credits for “Away We Go” identify:
  Scott Marsden - Vocals, & Guitar
  John Lawrence - Guitar (Gorky's Zygotic Mynci)
  Owain Ginsberg - Guitar & Synths (WE//ARE//ANIMAL / Hippies Vs Ghosts)
  Jason Hughes - Bass (The Painkillers)
  Spike T Smith - Drums (Morrissey / The Damned)

     “Away We Go” combines power percussion with the guitar that qualified the song for this post.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/holycoves
Bandcamp: https://holycovesmusic.bandcamp.com/

     “In Spite Of It All” was released by Unquiet Nights several months ago, but it hasn’t garnered the attention it deserves. The band is driven by Luke Mathers (guitar and vocals) and Rodger Firmin (drums). They were joined by Francesco Piciucchi (bass, keyboards) and Matteo Bussotti (drums) for live performances. Unquiet Nights is based in Belfast, Ireland.

      “In Spite Of It All” by Unquiet Nights

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unquietnights
Website: https://www.unquietnights.com/
Bandcamp: https://unquietnights.bandcamp.com/track/in-spite-of-it-all
 

Lyrics of “In Spite Of It All” by Unquiet Nights

You ever feel like a sinking stone?

I needed something I could call my own

I saw Rachel by the side of the road

She didn't turn around, but she still seemed to know

She said your tomorrows they ain't guaranteed

You can't count on them, but you can count on me

Well maybe my advice will come a little too late

I only ever mix, I never drink the thing straight

 

You don't have to jump just 'cause they tell you to jump

You don't have to dance just 'cause they call you up

You don't learn to walk before you learn to crawl

But you keep moving forward still in spite of it all

 

Her belt buckle had a silvery glint

Her driver's ID had one major misprint

She said there were times that she would never forget

She said take it from me, I ain't seen anything yet

 

You don't have to jump just 'cause they tell you to jump

You don't have to dance just 'cause they call you up

You don't learn to walk before you learn to crawl

But you keep moving forward still in spite of it all

 

You don't have to jump just 'cause they tell you to jump

You don't have to dance just 'cause they call you up

You don't learn to walk before you learn to crawl

But you keep moving forward still in spite of it all

     “Sinking Like The Sun” is the first single from the EP “Algoriths” by Sins. The song takes an old-school approach to a “protest song,” but with new-school concerns. The band’s Soundcloud site states that it’s “a modern-day lament to the direction the world is going in: pollution, impossible beauty standards, the loss of jobs to AI, addiction to social media - you name it the song explores it.”

     Sins is based in Portsmouth, UK, and is comprised of Connor Reid, Aaron Evans, Sam Bennett, and Jack Rudland. 

 

     “Sinking Like The Sun” by Sins

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

Lyrics of “Sinking Like The Sun” by Sins

There's some fins being sliced for a decadent soup

And kelp disappearing from the middle of the ocean

Leaders been elected in a frenzied commotion

Ain't it funny that their policies act in slow motion

 

Girls slapping mud on their beautiful faces

And lifting and injecting and dissecting and correcting every single imperfection 'til they look like something I can't relate to

Tell me ain't it ingraining to you

 

As we live a life that's so pixelated

Look at the sunrise through Instagram pages

And we walk on by a population so jaded

We look up to the sky but it don't stop raining, it's fading

And tell me ain't it ingraining to you

 

Our minds been sinking like the sun

Our minds been sinking like the sun

 

Plans for some flats on the dark of the moon

Trees leaving their roots at a time too soon

Teens living life in a meta cartoon

Consume you big baboons or be consumed

 

A boss staring at his new replacement

Glares at the lens which calculates his debasement

Cries his eyes out to the stonecold pavement

Then hold his hand out to the final payment, it's fading

And tell me ain't it ingraining to you

 

Our minds been sinking like the sun

Our minds been sinking like the sun

Our minds been sinking like the sun

Our minds been sinking like the sun

“Dangerous” by Welshly Arms - A Song Feature

 

     If inspired to do so, Welshly Arms could turn the decision to empty the lint trap of a clothes dryer into a highly motivating, promotion-suitable experience. The band’s skills have not gone unnoticed. Their song “Legendary” was used for a campaign by the NFL, as well as in commercials for Beck’s Beer, Miller, Indian Motorcycle, and Hulu. Another song by the band was employed to build drama in the trailer for Quentin Tarantino’s “The Hateful Eight.”

 

     “Dangerous” is the latest festival-ready single from Welshly Arms as they build toward the release of an LP. The lead vocals are forceful and committed to the message, while the backing vocals are coordinated as they almost demand listener participation. And the percussion is powerful, which is particularly true around the two-minute mark.

 

      Quoting the band:

  “‘Dangerous’ is about living on the edge and not letting fear stand in the way of where you want to be.” This badass release comes alongside a European tour, album announcement, and full EU radio campaign. We’re told our whole lives to stay in certain boxes for our own good, to protect ourselves. Then you start to step out and realize life’s a lot more interesting when you take chances.

 

     The members of Welshly Arms are Sam Getz (guitar, lead vocals), Jimmy Weaver (bass, vocals), Mikey Gould (drums), and Bri and Jon Bryant (backing vocals). The band is based in Cleveland, Ohio. They will start the European leg of a tour in late September. The U.S. leg begins in late October. For tour dates and ticket information, visit Tour Schedule.

 

     “Dangerous” by Welshly Arms

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/welshlyarmsband
Website: http://www.welshlyarms.com/

Lyrics of “Dangerous” by Welshly Arms
(Feelin' dangerous)
(Feelin' dangerous)
 
Open my eyes
Swallow all my pride
'Cause I don't wanna live in regret
We ride or we die
And I don't wanna waste any time
'Cause I'm standin with my foot on the edge
 
Pain ain't gonna stop me
I can't taste the fear
My demons come to haunt me
But I'm already there
 
I'm feelin' dangerous
(Feelin' dangerous)
I'm lookin' right in the face of it
(Feelin' dangerous)
I've been through hell came back alive
You can tell 'em all that I
Know what danger is
(Feelin' dangerous)
I'm feelin' dangerous
 
Wicked don't sleep
They got hunger like me
It's the rush of blood that keeps me awake
Like a shot through my veins
Gasoline to the flame
No fire could ever keep me away
 
Pain ain't gonna stop me
I can't taste the fear
My demons come to haunt me
But I'm already there
 
I'm feelin' dangerous
(Feelin' dangerous)
I'm lookin' right in the face of it
(Feelin' dangerous)
I've been through hell came back alive
You can tell 'em all that I
Know what danger is
I'm feelin' dangerous
 
(Feelin' dangerous)
(Feelin' dangerous)
I'm feelin' dangerous
 
I'll stare it dead in the eyes
I've never been so alive
If I'm not afraid
You should be afraid
 
‘Cause I'm feelin' dangerous
I'm lookin' right in the face of it
I've been through hell came back alive
You can tell 'em all that I
Know what danger danger is
I'm feelin' dangerous
 
(Feelin' dangerous)
(Feelin' dangerous)
I've been through hell came back alive
You can tell 'em all that I
Know what danger is
I'm feelin' dangerous

"Not Settling Yet" by Carousel Kings (feat. AJ Perdomo) – A Song Feature

 

     An attention-grabbing guitar progression announces the start of “Not Settling Yet” and carries the song to vocals, which are marked by a gloominess through the first verse. Then, a rhythm-shift hints that the following verse doesn’t necessarily follow same discouraging path. Indeed, the verse explains:

But every wildflower needs the rain to grow up

I need the space to plant my roots

How far am I away?

Cause I'm fine, not settling yet

     Carousel Kings are based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with lead vocalist David Alexander and multi-instrumentalist Will Barovick forming the core. A.J Perdomo collaborates with the band in “Not Settling Yet.” Perdomo is the lead singer of The Dangerous Summer, a Rock band from Maryland.
 
     Vocalist David Alexander provided a helpful explanation of “Not Settling Yet:”
  “The track lyrically is an emotional ride of self-reflection that we hope can give listeners a fresh perspective to examine themselves in an honest light to find some connection and realize they are not alone in this life. I think a lot of people struggle with mental health at times, and it’s always the darkest before the dawn as they say. this track embodies that moment when one might feel like giving up in situations that seem too tough to handle in life. Instead of allowing negative circumstances to clear the path to what’s next, we encourage everyone to reach deep into the bottom of the barrel of their hearts to allow themselves to make their greatest effort to “not settle” and to not give up when life gets you down at your worst."
 
     “Not Settling Yet” will be on Carousel Kings’ fifth studio album, “Untitled Mixtape,” which will be released independently via the band’s publisher and label partner Mother West. The album is scheduled to drop in early 2023. Recorded and written with longtime collaborators Grant McFarland and Carson Slovak at Atrium Audio in Lancaster, PA, the album includes collaborations with artists Sunday Friend, Sadgods and AJ Perdomo, and features include Saxl Rose, Rory Rodrigez, and Paycheck.
 
     "Not Settling Yet" by Carousel Kings (feat. AJ Perdomo)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carouselkings
Website: https://carouselkings.com/

 

Lyrics of "Not Settling Yet" by Carousel Kings (feat. AJ Perdomo)
I walk this road again
I wanna see the places I can go
The sun keeps shining in through the windows in my room
And I love all the way but my heart, it always breaks
I'm the one who got away
Then the water fills my mood
 
But every wildflower needs the rain to grow up
I need the space to plant my roots
How far am I away?
Cause I'm fine, not settling yet
 
I'm not giving up
I'm not settling down, down
Down, down
Cause I've had enough
I'm so sick of feeling down, down
Down, down
 
I have my friends to blame for every waking hour I'm alive
I'll never be alone again but my heart can feel so bruised
So I love all the way and I live every day like the last
But promise me that the memories pierce right through
 
Cause every wildflower needs the rain to grow up
I need the space to plant my roots
How far am I away?
Cause I'm fine not settling yet
 
I'm not giving up
I'm not settling down, down
Down, down
Cause I've had enough
I'm so sick of feeling down, down
Down, down
 
It's hard to speak so many words unspoken
Twisted tongues tie the noose hanging loose from my skull
I left it all
Hard to fall
I'm under water again
Troubled bridge rotting out
Drown out the sound of my name
 
I'm not giving up
Down, down
I have had enough
Down, down
 
I'm not giving up
I'm not settling down, down
Down, down
Cause I've had enough
I'm so sick of feeling down, down
Down, down
[Repeat]

“Roses or Blood” by Actve Captve – A Song Feature

 

     “Roses or Blood” bookends a more relaxed middle segment that features female vocals between segments that are driven by an edgy urgency and male vocals. By doing so, the song from Actve Captve allows the listener to catch a breath and to appreciate the appeal of the piano. Interestingly, the transition into the middle segment (around1:42), is one in which “the beat goes on,” as the use of the kick drum makes the shift more seamless. The subsequent return involves two steps, with the first step showcasing the vocal contrast by shining spotlights on both vocal styles. Then, the full return to the urgency in the instrumentation and vocals takes the single to its conclusion.

     The intensity shifts of “Roses or Blood” guard against exhausting the listener. The website of Actve Captve asserts, “This is a jailbreak.” Still, the more virtuoso piano and less frantic vocalization during the middle segment are welcomed.

 

     Actve Captve explain that the song is sports inspired, which is not a surprise. “This was written during the Rose Bowl when the Oregon Ducks were playing in the championship as underdogs. It's about the heat of competition and finding the will to win in the face of overwhelming odds.”

 

      The band is the project of Justin Han, a multi-instrumentalist who is now based in Austin, Texas. He moved from New York to Austin in 2018. His bio states that he was raised a classical pianist, but was immediately fascinated by the drum kit after joining a Rock band.

 

     “Roses or Blood” by Actve Captve

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ActveCaptve
Webpage: http://www.actvecaptve.com/

Pink Turns Blue – A Concert Opportunity

 

     Germany's Post Punk lives under the rule of Pink Turns Blue. When this blog put together a list last year’s favorite songs, a single from Pink Turns Blue sat at the top.  “There Must Be So Much More” is a strong throughout but explodes in the final 75 seconds.

     The band will begin a North American tour on September 2, the same day that it will drop a 4-track EP. The tour, along with a few European dates, is at the bottom of this post. Among the stops is San Francisco on September 9 (at the DNA Lounge). For ticket information regarding any of the dates, visit https://pinkturnsblue.com/live-dates.

 

      Formed in 1985 in the first generation of gothic rock and named after a Hüsker Dü song, today Pink Turns Blue is made up of Mic Jogwer (vocals, guitar), Paul Richter (drums) and Luca Sammuri (bass). Their debut album “If Two Worlds Kiss” advanced the darkwave sub-genre while becoming a seminal post-punk album. Emerging from the fear and uncertainty of a divided Cold War Germany, they have since released a dozen full-length LPs.

 

     Since Pink Turns Blue presented the 2021 “Tainted” album, things have changed for the worse, or have become more desperate and we have used this time to develop a few songs from the “Tainted” sessions further - songs that didn’t make it onto the album since they were not ready yet, says In defiance of the global trend that the powerful use any excuse to enforce their agenda and defend their accumulation of benefices, more and more people see through it and stand up – for themselves and never give up to make this world just a little bit better.”

 

      Both the “Tainted” LP and the new EP relate to a world in havoc and the seemingly powerlessness of today's youth to take over the world and change it for the better. But this album is also a call to never give up, to never lose faith or the understanding that making this world just a bit better every day is what makes our lives worth living.

 

     Mic Jogwer said "Since February 24 (actually my birthday), when Russia invaded Ukraine, things became even worse. Instead of slowly getting back to “normal” and trying to get our humanity’s shit together and to alleviate climate change and the consequential effects, now we have to cope with war and an energy, food and financial crisis (again) with the risk of losing the battle for equality, climate change, peace... you name it. So now the world is not only TAINTED but is in DISARRAY.”

           “There Must Be So Much More” by Pink Turns Blue

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Pink.Turns.Blue.Official/
Website: https://pinkturnsblue.com/
Bandcamp Purchase of “Tainted:” 
https://pinkturnsblue.bandcamp.com/album/tainted

TAINTED 2022 - TOUR DATES

SEP 2  Seattle, WA - Funhouse

SEP 3  Vancouver, Canada - Rickshaw Theatre

SEP 4  Portland, OR - Star Theater

SEP 6  Garden City, ID - Visual Arts Collective (VAC)

SEP 7  Salt Lake City, UT - The Urban Lounge

SEP 9  San Francisco, CA - DNA Lounge

SEP 10  San Diego, CA - Casbah

SEP 11  Los Angeles, CA - Part Time Punks, Echoplex

SEP 15  Denver, CO - Hi-Dive

SEP 17  Dallas, TX - Cheapsteaks (aka. Cheap Steaks)

SEP 18  Austin, TX - Sunny's Backyard

SEP 22  Tampa, FL - Crowbar

SEP 23  Miami, FL - Gramps

SEP 26  Atlanta, GA - 529 Bar

SEP 27  Richmond, VA - The Camel

SEP 29  Pittsburgh, PA - Spirit

OCT 4  Toronto, Canada - The Garrison

OCT 5  Montreal, Canada - Bar Le Ritz PDB

OCT 6  Rochester, NY - Photo City Music Hall

OCT 7  Cambridge, MA - The Middle East Restaurant and Nightclub

OCT 8  Brooklyn, NY - Market Hotel

OCT 9  Baltimore, MD - Metro Gallery

OCT 10  Philadelphia, PA - PhilaMOCA

OCT 14  Pinto, Spain - DarkMAD Festival Madrid

OCT 28  Rüsselsheim, Germany - These Days Festival 2022

DEC 15  Glasgow, UK - Ivory Blacks

DEC 16  Manchester, UK - Night People

DEC 17  London, UK - Electrowerkz