Monday, May 4, 2026

“Florida” by Neon Pilgrim

 

     Florida” begins with an inviting lyrical and vocal warmth. The song from Neon Pilgrim even begins with an urging - “Come on!” But while the warmth carries on, the inviting nature dies as the first verse eloquently describes the difficulty of the relationship – “You decided to fix your heart up with some glue,” and “I swallowed all the pride I could chew.”
 
     That first verse ends with a release – “Do what you wanna do” – which leads to a chorus during which apology stands in stark contrast to thunderous percussion. The chorus is the strength of “Florida.” The protagonist takes ownership of his share of blame, but the song concludes with a repeating pattern of “I’m so sorry to [leave you].” Is the troubled relationship with someone or with a location, such as the state of Florida?
 
     The lead vocals belong to Harry Williams, who drives Neon Pilgrim. Williams, a resident of London, composed “Florida.” The female backing vocalist is Amber Wilson. Other contributors are Dom Morley (producer and synth), Ed Harcourt (guitar and piano), Jason McGerr (drums), and Damon Minchella (bass). 
 
     Florida” by Neon Pilgrim 

Friday, May 1, 2026

“The House Was Haunted, But It Knew My Name” by Neo Brightwell

 

     The strength of the song is in the lyrics, which are poignant and open to interpretation. Neo Brightwell sings of entering a house that he remembers well, even recognizing the “same hinge squeak.” More significantly, the house remembers him. The house was haunted but it held me close - said my name like a psalm, although a psalm that no preacher knows.
 
      The house is a metaphor for the mind (or soul) of the person. We all have weaknesses, painful memories, and emotional damage of past experiences. And most of us have no desire to revisit where those flaws reside. But “The House Was Haunted, But It Knew My Name” represents a revisit.
 
     The song begins with acoustic guitar and articulate accounting of the visit. The texture is enhanced shortly after the one-minute mark, although the additional instrumentation carefully stays away from interfering with the lyrical description.
 
   And “The House Was Haunted, But It Knew My Name” ends with a degree of defiance and resilience – The house still knows my name, I’m home, I never left. Neo Brightwell says, “I don’t sing to the camera. I sing to the silence. Through walls, through ghosts, through time itself. This song was never meant to stay inside.” Appropriately, the song is the opening track from an album entitled “We Didn’t Survive to Be Quiet.”
 

     Brightwell is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He self-identifies with “Moonshine Disco” as he “writes scripture for the silenced and songs for the scorched.”

      The House Was Haunted, But It Knew My Name” by Neo Brightwell
Partial lyrics of “The House Was Haunted, But It Knew My Name” by Neo Brightwell
I stepped through the door
I swore I’d burn
Same hinge squeak
Same porch light turn
 
Dust in the lungs
Breath full of flame
And damn if that hallway
Still whispered my name
 
No screams
No chain
No holy blame
Just old wood knowing what I became
 
The wallpaper curled like it missed my shame
Yeah, the house was haunted
But it knew my name
 
The house was haunted
But it held me close
Said my name like a psalm no preacher knows
 
No curse in the creak
No fear in the flame
It didn’t haunt me
It just knew my name
 
I tried to run
But I stayed the same
This ain’t escape
It’s where I came
 
It didn’t flinch
It didn’t flame
The house was haunted
But it knew my name

Monday, April 27, 2026

“Autopilot” by Alexsucks

 

     The discography of the Los Angeles-based band Alexsucks shows a diversity of influences. For their single “Autopilot,” there are signs of Bloc Party, a standout UK band. The song carries an urgency similar to Bloc Party’s “Banquet.” Autopilot” travels at 155 beats per minute and lyrically asks “Why am I bleeding,” while “Banquet” is only a slightly less frantic 149 beats per minute while explaining “Cause I’m on fire.”
 
     The quick tempo of the Alexsucks' single belies the lyrical subject matter, which relate to the confusion with a flawed relationship. “Autopilot” is the title track of the band’s recently released album. The band members are Alex Alvarez (vocals, guitar), John Luther (guitar), drummer Jonny Ransom (drums), and Garrett Orseno, aka DJ Topgun (bass),
 
     Autopilot” by Alexsucks

Lyrics of “Autopilot” by Alexsucks
There you are, you sit around and all you got
Is yourself to talk and you go on and on
You bite your tongue, you bite your tongue
When your thoughts are loud, when your thoughts are loud
 
Don't wanna hear it
If I'm the one that holds the gun
Then tell me, why am I bleeding? I'm bleeding
So what? We lost control
Autopilot, I need you, I need you
 
And there you go, you're never one to take it slow
Where you off to now? Where you off to now?
You lost your touch and you've lost touch
And now you're freaking out, you're freaking out
 
Don't wanna hear it
If I'm the one that holds the gun
Then tell mе, why am I bleeding? I'm bleeding
So what? We lost control
Autopilot, I need you, I need you
 
I need it
If I'm the one that holds thе gun
Then tell me, why am I bleeding? I'm bleeding
So what? We lost control
Autopilot, I need you, I need you

Wednesday, April 22, 2026

“Miyazaki” by Paris Paloma

 

      The latest release from outspoken Paris Paloma is named for outspoken Hayao Miyazaki, who is famed for his era-defining body of work and who is unabashed in criticizing AI-generated art as “an insult to life itself.” Paloma presents songs as a commentary on societal imbalances and injustices. While talking about ““Miyazaki,” she explained:
   I wrote this song about art, about the burning, urgent desire to create art as my way of making sense of the world, and as my way of resisting darkness and hatred. It’s a defiant song, about defending the human need of artistic creation in a world that is increasingly devaluing it in the face of AI; that’s why it is named after renowned director Hayao Miyazaki. I wrote this song for everyone who has an urgent and unexplained need to express themselves through their art; it is for the painters, the dancers, the writers, the storytellers, the crafters, the directors, the singers, musicians, anybody who relates to this creative fire, and the threat that AI generated slop might take the place of essential humanity.”
 
     Paris Paloma is based in London. Originally hailing from Ashbourne, Derbyshire, Paris Paloma channels the experience of womanhood into her songwriting, speaking to the female experience, grief, love, death, and power.
 
     “Miyazaki” by Paris Paloma
Lyrics of “Miyazaki” by Paris Paloma
I have something to say
As has anyone who’s ever made
Anything worth enjoying
Nobody can destroy it
Left unchecked it mutates
Bleeding desperation to create
Collapses me like a star
Sickness inside my heart
 
Whenever I fear death I think of that which I would fear much more
Never dying Is that what you all are striving for
I leave a stream of greenery in every path I walk
Chased by a monster of a thousand voices that always wants
One more
 
Please don’t ever take it from me
Changes the color of the air that I breathe
 
In grief’s fertile land
The space in between clapping hands
They say it’ll pass
I used to pray that it would
But its absence never brought anything good
I wake in the morning
Do all of my chores then
Of thinking in silence
And drinking sweet wine
Putting my mind somewhere outside
Where it can feel the sun
Maybe it’ll connect with someone
 
The world’s the world
And I’m a person in a tiny body
I vow to live
I won’t let fear be anything that stops me
I’m not a violent person but I make things with aggression
I’m not a violent person but my work is one exception
 
I won’t let you take it from me
Changes the color of the air that I breathe
 
I wasn’t always tortured
I made art long before then
I call into the void until I lose my voice but
Sometimes a cry reverberates back
A child with mud caked hands
Or a prolific and obsessive older man
I’d do it unpaid, unseen, unthanked
It’s worth more than anything that I have
 
(You can never have it ever)
(You can never have it ever)
(You can never have it ever)
 
 
I won’t let you take it from me
Changes the color of the air that I breathe
I won’t let you take it from me
Changes the color of the air that I breathe
 
I won’t let you take it from me


Tuesday, April 21, 2026

“Familiar Faces” by Two Connors

 

     Familiar Faces” merges two storytelling approaches that are compelling on their own but become especially potent in tandem. In their song, Two Connors craft an aural portrait of their hometown, and in doing so unreservedly name names that bring the subject matter to life.
 
     Writing about one’s hometown radiates nostalgia that’s found relatable, even by listeners who have never visited the city. In the Indie Universe, our favorite is "Feather on the Clyde," in which Passenger crafts a lyrical painting of his childhood city of Glasgow. Looking back some decades, other hometown songs include:
   Mainstreet” - Bob Seger
   My Little Town” - Simon & Garfunkel
   My Hometown” - Bruce Springsteen
   Small Town” - John Mellencamp
But the song from Two Connors is most closely aligned with “My City Was Gone by The Pretenders, since both sets of lyrics lament the changes to the city. As Two Connors state, “This ain't the town we knew.”
 
     As noted, “Familiar Faces” doesn’t shy away from identifying people by names, although we suspect that actual names are avoided for legal and sensitivity reasons. Other examples of naming names in lyrics include:
   Walk on the Wild Side” by Lou Reed
   "People Who Died" by The Jim Carroll Band
   We're All Gonna Die!!!” by Baby FuzZ
   Pepper” by Butthole Surfers
   Strange Friends” by little image
  The All Encompassing Need To Say Goodbye” by My Best Unbeaten Brother
 
     Two Connors are brothers Danny and Callum Connor. Their song is about Oldham, a hamlet in Devon, England.
 
     Familiar Faces” by Two Connors

Lyrics of “Familiar Faces” by Two Connors
The town that I call Oldham, so many characters I've seen
When a cold pint in the Scruples bar was a localer's big dream
And the lads all in the stolen cars of a run-down 1.4 Capri
 
From drinking on the corners with Pete Taylor and Craig Lindsay
When Spanner and Pete Grimley were hiding shotguns in the chimney
Oh, well, some hard times in this town, but it's the place that we loved
 
And Mick Taddy's in the pub again, and he's barred from every boozer
And the Durker Hotel's round again, we never thought much of the future
Oh, no, if I could go back in time, I wouldn't change a single thing
About these stories we wrote, 'cause that's when we were young
 
This ain't the town we know, this ain't the town we knew
Them young guns coming through, and I know that times are changing
But I still don't feel the same way that I do
When I'm here thinking of you and familiar faces
 
This ain't the town we know, it just don't feel like home
'Cause all of my friends that I grew up with, most are dead and gone
And I'm holding on to pictures in my mind
Just wanna spend the night with you and familiar faces
 
Well, the town that I call Oldham was born on childhood memories
And the legends' names are carved in stone on the graves in the cemeteries
We were singing to the Irish songs on the fairy tales of Yorkshire Street
 
And Glyn Gardner's in the cells again for doing grows up in his home
And the police outside of Pat's old house at 16 Pripy Road
Oh, no, some hard times in this town, but it's the place that we loved
 
And the council tax keeps going up, destroying our estates
The pubs we spent the good nights in are just buildings gone to waste
Oh, there were times I used to hold your hand and go see our favourite place
Those memories will live a lifetime once again, 'cause that's when we were young
 
This ain't the town we know, this ain't the town we knew
Them young guns coming through, and I know that times are changing
But I still don't feel the same way that I do
When I'm here thinking of you and familiar faces
 
This ain't the town we know, it just don't feel like home
'Cause all of my friends that I grew up with, most are dead and gone
And I'm holding on to pictures in my mind
Just wanna spend the night with you and familiar faces
 
Familiar faces
Familiar faces
Familiar faces
Familiar faces

Monday, April 20, 2026

Missed 2025 Releases - Buffalo Traffic Jam, The Vanns, Cassandra Coleman

      This post is dedicated to three missed opportunities in 2025. The songs were released last year, but we weren’t introduced until this year. Next month, Buffalo Traffic Jam will be at the BottleRock Music Festival in Napa, California.

      The core of Buffalo Traffic Jam comprises Frankie Cassidy (vocals, guitar, lyrics), Nathan Ross (mandolin, lyrics). Their sound is more richly textured by musicians on other instruments, including bass, drums, and cello. They are based in Bozeman, Montana.

     “Fool’s Gold” by Buffalo Traffic Jam
Website: https://www.buffalotrafficjam.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/buffalotrafficjam
 
Lyrics of “Fool’s Gold” by Buffalo Traffic Jam
What do you say we leave tonight
We could leave it all behind
22 and wasting time
No, the silence ain't so kind
Hate being left alone
It reminds me no one's home
Rain is dancing on the roof
With these sober thoughts of you
 
Lovers talk late at night
Doing drugs to ease my mind
I'm not alright
You were there, now you're gone
Never thought you were wrong
We don't have much time
 
And they said, "Oh, no, don't go
I've been here before"
And she said, "Boy, won't you think twice?
You can't do no more"
But I know how this stories told
Bottled up my fear
And they said, "It's fool's gold it's got a hold"
I'm dying here
 
Lovers talk late at night
Doing drugs to ease my mind
I'm not alright
You were there, now you're gone
Never thought you were wrong
We don't have much time
 
Love is kind, love's not fair
Not your choice if you care
I'm down on hope
I can't do nothing right
Thought that I could make you mine
I tried and tried
 
Lovers talk late at night
Doing drugs to ease my mind
Well I'm not alright
You were there, now you're gone
Never thought you were wrong
We don't have much time
 
Love is kind, love's not fair
Not your choice if you care
I'm down on hope
I can't do nothing right
Thought that I could make you mine
I tried and tried
 
Lovers talk late at night
Doing drugs to ease my mind
I'm not alright
You were there, now you're gone
Never thought you were wrong
We don't have much time
We don't have much time

     The Vanns are an Australian Indie Rock band formed of Jimmy Vann (vocals, guitar), Tom Switlek (bass), Cameron Little (guitar, keyboards, backing vocals, and Andrew Banovich (drums).
 
     “Accomplice” by The Vanns

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thevanns/
Website: https://www.thevannsband.com/
 
Lyrics of “Accomplice” by The Vanns
Took a few years but we got there
Must've had the time for it
Nobody said you can't park here
And you bet I got fined for it
If all my anger could split in two
I'd give half to you
You'd never know
You just might see me on the news
Talking on the street to a stranger with a TV crew
Honey, how 'bout you
 
And I got it dead right
And I study the streets at night
You know, there ain't no use in sleeping
If you're dreaming in black and white
I justify all the time
Such a crime to walk a fine line
 
Hey, who knows
With you as my accomplice
We might accomplish something
I've waited all my life to want this
You're my accomplice
You're my accomplice
 
Now you're riding in the side car
I'm heading somewhere we shouldn't go
But if those bastards think they can take from us
Well it's up to us to let 'em know
Ergo, it's fair go
Go on and hit 'em with a counterblow
 
Hey, who knows
With you as my accomplice
We might accomplish something
I've waited all my life to want this
You're my accomplice
You're my accomplice
 
If all my anger could split in two
I'd give half to you
You'd never know
You just might see me on the news
Talking on the street to a stranger with a TV crew
Yeah honey, how 'bout you
Honey, how bout you
     Cassandra Coleman is an Indie artist from the Blue Ridge Mountains of Tennessee. She leans more Pop than we prefer, but her voice commands attention.
 
     “Bite My Tongue” by Cassandra Coleman
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CassandraColemanMusic/
Website: https://www.cassandracoleman.com/
 
Lyrics of “Bite My Tongue” by Cassandra Coleman
Up and leave it on the line
See you cuttin' down all the things you like
Smilin' like you're not spittin' out spite
I could hardly recognize you
No one's makin' you stay
No, I hate it when you look at me that way
Eyes shot
With your edges frayed
And you're holding your breath
Too scared of where it's gonna take ya
 
Feels like you're lookin' for a sign
Like a green light, green eyes
Everybody has what you want
Their body, somebody, nobody holding them back
 
Oh, I bite my tongue
Can you swallow your pride?
Do you really even want it?
Is it ruining your life?
When you gonna make up your mind?
Oh, you lose your grip
When you hold too tight
See you swingin' your fists but you're losin' your fight
It's not a crime to change your mind
 
Stalled out on the startin' line
Wonderin' at the reasons why
No one's comin' to make you try
Cut your teeth and grow a spine
Oh, it's too late
Can't be givin' all your life away
If time's the price you gotta pay
Are you gonna shell it out?
Are you gonna shell it out?
 
Oh, I bite my tongue
Can you swallow your pride?
Do you really even want it?
Is it ruining your life?
Talk it up
Play it down
When you gonna make up your mind?
Oh, you'll lose your grip
When you hold too tight
See you swingin' your fists but you're losin' your fight
It's not a crime to change your mind
 
Would you want it?
Don't you want it?
If you want it
If you want it
Would you want it?
Don't you want it?
No one's coming (would you want it? Don't you want it?)
To change your mind (would you want it? Don't you want it?)
No one's coming (would you want it? Don't you want it?)
To change your mind
 
Oh, I bite my tongue
Can you swallow your pride?
Do you really even want it?
Is it ruining your life?
Talk it up
Play it down
When you gonna make up your mind?
Oh, you'll lose your grip
When you hold too tight
See you swingin' your fists but you're losin' your fight
It's not a crime to change your mind
 
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh
Ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh
No one's coming (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh)
To change your mind (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh)
No one's coming (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh)
To change your mind (ooh, ooh, ooh, ooh, oh)

Saturday, April 18, 2026

“Follow The Money” by Theo Black

 

     It’s not surprising that a song about the control money has over society owes its origin to Las Vegas, Nevada. “Follow The Money” was released in early 2026 by Theo Black, a Indie musician based in Miami, Florida. While talking about the song, Black explained:
   "Last summer I took a solo cross-country road trip to get my creativity flowing and try to write some tunes along the way. This song began in a Vegas hotel room, the one shaped like a pyramid, with my first-floor window staring directly at the backside of a replica sphinx. And as I continued my trip listening to the demo, the lyrics fittingly turned toward money.
  How much of modern life and culture has been subsumed by labor and the constant hamster wheel required for most people to stay on their feet? This song is about the imbalance between the majority of the world that has to work every day to survive and those at the top that disproportionately benefit from our labor.
  Definitely something that weighs heavy on the minds of small musicians as we try and get our ART heard in a world that treats music like CONTENT."
 
     Theo Black is a man with a sense of humor, which is apparent from content on his website and Bandcamp pages. Our personal favorite from him: “No man is an island unto himself, but Theo Black is from a peninsula,” which makes more sense when you remember that he is from southern Florida.
 
      “Follow The Money” by Theo Black

Lyrics of “Follow The Money” by Theo Black
all my life they been draggin’ me down
it’s the same damn demons in a different town
you wanna know why you’re kicked around?
you’ve gotta follow the money
 
all my life it’s been easy to see
that no one really cares until there’s something they need
so where does that leave you and me?
we’ve gotta follow the- the- the-
 
the money gives, the money provides
the money takes and the money lies
they’ve got a secret that they don’t try to hide
you know that nothing can be wrong if the numbers are right
 
cornered in the ring for another round
they’ve got you dollar for dollar
beat you pound for pound
that’s what you get for sticking around
you’ve gotta follow the money
 
gathered ‘round the room wearing family ties
they say “we’ve gotta invest, gotta capitalize
rinse and repeat until one-of-us dies
always follow the the the—“
 
the money gives, the money provides
the money takes and the money lies
they’ve got a secret that they don’t try to hide
you know that nothing can be wrong if the numbers are right
 
the money rips, the money divides
the money shakes and the money binds
they’ve got a secret that they don’t try to hide
always follow the money
 
throwing precious stones from stained glass homes
thinkin’ you’re alright
but we’ve got bigger rocks here on the ground
 
the money gives, the money provides
the money takes and the money lies
they’ve got a secret that they don’t try to hide
always follow the money
 
the money rips, the money divides
the money shakes and the money binds
they’ve got a secret that they don’t try to hide
always follow the money


Friday, April 17, 2026

“Quite Like Me” by Jerry Arlen – A Song Feature

 

     The texturing is diverse and often rich. At the start of “Quite Like Me,” it’s the percussion that stands out. But Jerry Arlen shifts the kaleidoscope often. Just beyond the two-minute mark, vocal skills command the spotlight. Both before and afterward, distinctive instrumentation drives the song.
 
     Still, Arlen says that “Quite Like Me” is the closest track on the recently released album “Luna I” to traditional, acoustic-forward Rock. He adds, “It's got a nice hook that eventually gives way to a pretty slamming sonic space, then the track kind of collapses in on itself like a dying star.”
 
     Jerry Arlen is a songwriter & producer based out of Ann Arbor, MI. Jerry was a full-time touring musician until his 20's, when he settled down and opened Studio Arlen to produce albums and collaborate with other creatives. His scores have won numerous film festivals and he wrote the 2019 feature length musical hit “Groove.” With a Master's degree from Berklee College of Music, Arlen's music marries his midwestern folk roots with modern pop production to create some new ideas.
 
      Quite Like Me” by Jerry Arlen


Tuesday, April 14, 2026

“Neil Young” in Song Lyrics

 

     Is any living musician mentioned in lyrics more often than Neil Young? That was the question we asked ourselves while listening to the latest release by Nashville’s Moon Taxi. In their song “Highwave,” Moon Taxi approvingly states “Got Neil Young singing to us” as they drive down the road.
 
     Inarguably, the most notorious mention of Neil is Lynyrd Skynyrd's “diss-track” as a response to Young’s reference to Southern racism and slavery in his songs “Southern Man" and "Alabama." Lynyrd Skynyrd responded “Well I hope Neil Young will remember, a Southern man don't need him around anyhow” in their song “Sweet Home Alabama.”
 
     There are too many other mentions of Neil Young for a comprehensive list. But here is a partial list that shows he crosses into almost every genre:
  • Bob Dylan in “Highlands” – “I'm listening to Neil Young, I gotta turn up the sound. Someone's always yellin', ‘Turn him down’."
  • Grungy: Pearl Jam in “Santa Cruz” – “I got Neil Young on the stereo // He comes along whenever I go.”
  • Hip-Hop:  In “Bokeem Woodbine,” Nas states, ” Motivation for the trappers livin' ounce-to-ounce // This is rockstar status, Neil Young with a bounce.”
  • Sonic Youth in "Creme Brulee" – “Last night, I dreamed I kissed Neil Young. If I was a boy, I guess it would be fun."
  • John Mayer in “Queen of California” – “Looking for the sun that Neil Young hung. After the gold rush of 1971.”
  • Lady Gaga in “Then You'd Love Me" – “I scream your name across the bar.  I carry pictures of your Neil Young guitar.”
  • Kris Kristofferson in “If You Don’t Like Hank Williams” – “Forgot to say John Prine, Neil Young, Lyle Lovett (God bless him), Chris Gantry, Jerry Jeff Walker, and David Allen Coe...”
  • Drive-By Truckers in “Ronnie and Neil” – “’Southern Man’ and ‘Alabama’ certainly told some truth // There's a lot of good folks down here, Neil Young just wasn't around.”
  • Weezer in “Byzantine” – “I want Neil Young on your phone speaker in the morning and fuck him if he just can't see this is how his songs are supposed to be heard. No more lectures on fidelity.”
  • Lucinda Williams in “Ventura” – “Take the long way home so I can ride around. Put Neil Young on and turn up the sound.”
  • HAYDEN in “Neil Young Song” – “And I left to put on a Neil Young song, and by the time I came back you were gone.”
  • Juliana Hatfield in “Because We Love You” – “Neil Young on the radio. Four dead in Ohio.”
  • Opera - Luciano Pavarotti in Certe Notti – “Certe notti la radio che passa Neil Young sembra avere capito chi sei.” TRANSLATION: “Some nights the radio playing Neil Young seems to have understood who you are.”

     “Highwave” by Moon Taxi
Lyrics of “Highwave” by Moon Taxi
Hey ey ey
Floating on a Highwave
I'm on a Highwave whenever I'm with you
 
Long drive up the coastline
No need to say a word
A promise we made in the past
That I'm forever yours
 
Wegotmilesbehind us
And wegot miles togo
Got Neil Young singing to us
On the radio, singing
 
Hey ey ey
Floating on a Highwave
Hey ey ey
In a sky of blue
Hey ey ey
Floating on a Highwave
I'm on a Highwave whenever I'm with you
 
Got a drink in Boston
On the way to old St. John
With you I could get lost on
Every road we travel along
 
'Cause time just disappears
When we're sitting side by side
Watching the sunrise over the ocean
At the end of a long night, singing
 
Hey ey ey
Floating on a Highwave
Hey ey ey
In a sky of blue
Hey ey ey
Floating on a Highwave
I'm on a Highwave whenever I'm with you
[Repeat after the bridge]