Big Society - Free Saturday (“FL&R”)

     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 Free, Legal and Recommended (FL&R) song each Saturday. Big Society is the one-day late arrival (our fault, not theirs).

     Big Society is a Manchester-based band. The members are William Jaquet, Alex Tod, Harry Gumery, and Thomas Fripp. 

     “Why Are You So Afraid To Dance” by Big Society

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

“Whiskey Garden” by EllaHarp - A Song Feature

     In the song “Whiskey Garden,” the charm of the instrument and the gentleness in the vocals fashion an elegant vehicle, with dark tinted windows that conceal its lyrical passenger. As her performance moniker clearly reveals, EllaHarp is a harpist. The beauty of the instrument is on display in “Whiskey Garden.” It is only when a listener intentional takes notice of the lyrics that the darker side of the single exits from the shadows. The song is about “John Doe the bookkeeper,” who has turned to alcoholism and disillusionment of the American dream.

     The lyrics are intelligent and deserve attention. The most insightful but discouraging line is the final one in the verse, which we interpret as a reference to working hard every day, but still just teetering on the edge:

Push all your papers and blink

The machine is just a chain and he's just another link

Push all the days of your life and never leave the brink

     EllaHarp is Ella Dawn Jenkins, a harpist, vocalist and songwriter based in the San Francisco Bay Area (Half Moon Bay). “Whiskey Garden” is the fourth single from EllaHarp's sophomore album “Screaming Into the Void,” which is scheduled for release in late 2020. The single was produced and recorded by Andrew Heringer in Los Angeles.

     “Whiskey Garden” by EllaHarp

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

Website: https://ellaharp.com

Bandcamp: https://ellaharp.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Whiskey Garden” by EllaHarp

One fine summer in May

John Doe the bookkeeper working all for his pay

Work all your weeks and months and your years away

Push all your papers and blink

The machine is just a chain and he's just another link

Push all the days of your life and never leave the brink

So he'll grow whiskey garden

Grow gold like a field of rye

He'll grow whiskey garden

Go broke like a wheel of lies

Go back home to his small apartment

Dishes and newspapers bills that he never sent

Sit in your corner and think of all the money you spent

On your whiskey garden

Grow gold like a field of rye

Your whiskey garden

Go broke like a wheel of lies

And it never ends

The bottle and the coffin are your only friends

Your only friends

One fine summer in May

John Doe the bookkeeper working all for his pay

Work all your weeks and months and your years away

On your whiskey garden

Grow gold like a field of rye

On your whiskey garden

Go broke like a wheel of lies

He'll grow whiskey garden

Grow gold like a field of rye

He'll grow whiskey garden

Go broke like a wheel of lies

"Through The Valley (The Last of Us Part II)" by Tash Sultana - A Song Feature

     The video showcases Tash Sultana with an acoustic guitar in a poorly lit room. The visual presentation is deceptive, since there is no evidence of the lushness of the vocals and the power of the instrumentation. Yes, the intro of "Through The Valley” is an acoustic guitar, but even the start is visually misleading. Sultana does play the 12-string guitar. The fullness and harmonic resonance during the intro scream 12-string. Clearly, it’s not the single 6-strong guitar she is holding in the video.

     The vocals are layered and powerful. It is difficult to believe that in Sultana’s early years as a looping busker in Australia, she had to be convinced that she had the skills to be a vocalist. The elegance is particularly apparent during the final minute, when harmony is featured.

     Other reasons to love "Through The Valley (The Last of Us Part II)" by Tash Sultana are the judicious use of percussion and the non-complex yet powerful bass that waits almost two minutes before entering.

     Quoting interesting press content around the song:

Tash Sultana at The Fillmore in San Francisco

  “To mark one of the biggest gaming title launches of the year, PlayStation®4 exclusive ‘The Last of Us Part II,’ PlayStation worked with Tash Sultana to re-record ‘Through The Valley’ - the iconic track from the game’s Reveal Trailer that went viral in 2016. The release of Tash’s cover of ‘Through The Valley’, is available now on Apple Music, iTunes and Spotify.

  “Tash said, ‘This is the first time I’ve done a collab like this. Usually it’s kinda just like writing sessions with other musos but this is for a game and it’s different as it's not my usual style to venture into so I’m completely honoured to be asked to do something like this. The response from gamers has been incredible.’”

  “The original track by US blues and folk artist Shawn James, is sung by lead character Ellie in ‘The Last of Us Part II’ reveal trailer and tells a dark tale of struggle and someone who, by the grace of their own killer instinct, does not fear. The song is reminiscent of Ellie’s experience in a cruel post-pandemic world.”

     Matt Holmes, Executive Creative Director at Poem said, “We’re passionate about earning attention for brands by creating ideas that earn a place in people’s lives, ideas that people will actually care about. The TLOU world is incredibly immersive and fans are genuinely emotionally invested in the characters and the story. We wanted to tap into that feeling and the crazy excitement for this sequel by using music as it’s a powerful emotional trigger and several tracks and guitar chords have become synonymous with the game. I couldn’t be prouder of the result. Tash did an incredible job in the recording and the final launch video is a cool collision of cultures that The Last of Us™ fans and music fans are loving.”

     "Through The Valley (The Last of Us Part II)" by Tash Sultana

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

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

Lyrics of "Through The Valley" by Tash Sultana

I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

And I'll fear no evil because I'm blind to it all

And my mind and my gun they comfort me

Because I know I'll kill my enemies when they come

Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life

And I will dwell on this earth forevermore

Said, I walk beside the still waters, and they restore my soul

But I can't walk on the path of the right because I'm wrong

Well, I came upon a man at the top of a hill

Called himself the savior of the human race

Said he come to save the world from destruction and pain

But I said, "How can you save the world from itself?"

Because I walk through the valley of the shadow of death

And I'll fear no evil because I'm blind

And I walk beside the still waters, and they restore my soul

But I know when I die my soul will be damned