“New Blood (Reimagined)” by Zayde Wolf – A Song Feature

     Zayde Wolf had the boldness to “take his launch pad song and make it better” (apologies to “Hey Jude”). His single “New Blood” has been a fan favorite since its release in 2016. Zayde Wolf worked with Nick Box to reimage the single into an orchestral, cinematic force that demands and commands attention. 

     “New Blood (Reimagined)” begins with a short crescendo that leads to a drop into the first verse. Varying levels of vocal reverb and piano carry an ominous vibe, until the chorus. At the chorus, the vocals shift from portraying invincibility to exposing vulnerable, as they move to a higher octave and lose the reverberation. It is one of the many nuances that evidence the time taken and skill required in reimaging “New Blood.”

     While the piano plays an important role in “New Blood (Reimagined),” the strings transport the song to a cinema-ready wonder. The strings are forceful, whether plucked or played with bows. The power is most evident from the change in texture near the end of the song, when the strings stop and the piano brings the melody to a close.

     Zayde Wolf is the solo project of Dustin Burnett, a producer and musician based in Nashville, Tennessee.

     “New Blood (Reimagined)” by Zayde Wolf

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

Website: http://www.zaydewolf.com/

Lyrics of “New Blood (Reimagined)” by Zayde Wolf

I spent my whole life chained to the wall

Hungry for more, not afraid to fall

Had to cut a man down to get where I am

But I broke through and here I stand

Don’t try to fight

Nothing you can do

I’m gonna run all over you

It’s too late to try

There’s nothing you can do

I’m gonna run all over you

I’m looking for new blood

And nothing’s can stop me now

I’m looking for new blood

And nothing’s can stop me now

Most of my life, was heavy and hard

So many days, so many scars

But it was all those years, to make who I am, yah

Yah, but I broke through and here I stand

Don’t try to fight

Nothing’s you can do

I’m gonna run all over you

It’s too late to try

There’s nothing you can do

I’m gonna run all over you

I’m looking for new blood

And nothing’s gonna stop me now

Yah, I’m looking for new blood

And nothing’s gonna stop me now

I’m looking for new blood, new blood

And nothing’s going to stop me now

I’m looking for new blood, yah

Nothing’s going to stop me now

Nothing’s going to stop me

I’m looking for new blood

“By and By” by Native – A Song Feature

     There is a gentle beauty to “By and By.” And there is an anonymity to its originator, Native. His concerts are typically in Europe (Poland, Germany and Switzerland), but he visits the Los Angeles area. For the release of “By and By,” he stated that it is “the first single of my upcoming album. written together with my good friend and incredible songwriter michael kaiser (@apieceofcoffee ). produced, recorded and mixed by jordan ruiz (@thejordanruiz ).”

     “By and By” by Native

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

Links to “By and By:” https://lnk.site/by-and-by

Lyrics of “By and By” by Native

Two stones in my pocket

Thirty thousand in the air
Splitting thoughts on the wings of the airplane

I'll call you when I'm there

Same old town

Same old feeling

Different houses

Different floor

And I burn another cigarette

So I can light one more

By and by

Come on take your chances

Ain't that what a heart is for

Flip a coin I'll let you call it

I ain't good at love no more

By and by

Do you remember

The trees we planted

The trees we grew?

Do you remember

The trees we planted

The trees we grew?

And when the day comes

I hope our branches

Bring you shade

And when the wind blows

I know our leaves

Will call your name

By and by

“Enemy” by Strange Heart – A Song Feature

     For the many reasons we praise the band Blue October, we applaud “Enemy” by Strange Heart. The lyrics are widely relatable, although they are somewhat unsettling in their revelation of the mindset resulting from a mental illness. The instrumentation complements the lyrical content. “Enemy” begins with a bouncy solo, but a piano soon joins with an ominous three-tone sequence that both foreshadows the lyrical content and lays a foundation for the piano outro. And like Blue October, the vocals from Strange Heart have a power and an allure.

     Strange Heart explains, "’Enemy’ is a song about mental illness, family, and taking a hard look in the mirror, even when you're afraid of what you may see.” The lyrics are included at the bottom of this post. The band is based in Detroit, Michigan. The members are Josh Clemens (lead vocals, guitar), Bryce Carroll-Coe (vocals, lead guitar), Mike Schneider (vocals, bass), and Bobby Jankowski (drums).

     “Enemy” by Strange Heart 

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

Website: https://www.strangeheartmusic.com/

Lyrics of “Enemy” by Strange Heart

The enemy

Is a part of me

The enemy looks a lot like me

Looks a lot like me

The blood we share didn’t cost a thing

The blood we share has cost us everything

No keeping us from the ones we love

No saving us from the ones we love

No saving us from the ones we love

I'm on trial

I'm on trial

Some days I wake as someone else

In the morning I think the who I was just left

Too scared to put voice to the truth

I've always been afraid that I'm just like you

I'm always afraid that I'm just like you

I'm on trial

I'm on trial

Strung out on a wire

Pull me inside

No sleeping tonight

No sleeping tonight

Strung out on a wire

Pull me inside

No sleeping tonight

No sleeping tonight

Pull me inside

Pull me inside

There's a thin line between my disguise and me

And it only reveals what it wants you to see

A thin line between my disguise and me

No hiding what's underneath, no hiding what's underneath

No hiding

No hiding what’s underneath

No hiding

No hiding

I'm on trial

I'm on trial

I'm on trial

I'm on trial

Strung out on a wire

Pull me inside

I'm on trial

Strung out on a wire

Pull me inside

I’m on trial

Strung out on a wire

Pull me inside

Trial

Pull me inside

Trial

Pull me inside

Trial

Pull me inside

Trial