“Molly” by Ratboys – A Song Understanding

     Song lyrics have a chameleon-like quality. Two people listening carefully to the same song might have very different interpretations of the message. The “correct” understanding is unimportant, because music is personal. If a person’s interpretation is meaningful or helpful in any manner, it’s the right one for that person.

    We encountered a corollary. We first heard “Molly” a few years ago. The song doesn’t fit comfortably within one of our preferred genres, but we found it intriguing. The lyrics were about a protective and loving big sister to Molly. But this week, a person we loved passed. “Our” Molly was big hearted, but her demons were more pronounced than the ones that most of us carry. Coincidentally, another blog posted the song yesterday (thank you Chicago Reader). Listening to “Molly” brought a very different interpretation. Of course, the song hasn’t changed. But now we choose to listen to the lyrics as the adult Molly talking to her childhood self.

     According to the lyrics, adult Molly wrote a song to her younger self. The song begins at 3:18, after the guitar-driven bridge quiets:

How many times have I fallen victim?

Gave myself the answers but never the questions

Do you ever feel as I do?

Shake your head, and breathe if you want to

I just want to love my family

Hold my shelter and lie in the symmetry

I just want to hold my family

I just want to love my family

Hold my shelter and lie in the symmetry

I just want to hold you, Molly

     “Molly” by Ratboys 

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

Lyrics of “Molly” by Ratboys

Molly cries in the middle of the ice rink

Her friends are paying her no mind

The blades are spinning awfully close to the side

So I speed to offer her embrace

She says, ‘Where’d you learn to go that fast?’

It’s not like I was moving all that quickly

But to her, I was on a rocket

Passing galaxies of light and wonder

And free is what I want to be with her next to me

We laid down in the grass one day

Speaking nothing, feeling late

The clouds were magnets for our sister eyes

And then Sue Palumbo swung a club

And dragons came and challenged us

So I stood up straight, and I offered her this song

But, how was I supposed to make

A piece of art with that at stake?

And what without at least a pen and paper?

I am sure that she sees me well

Her heart is huge, everyone can tell

The days are passing, and there’s no stopping it at all

How many times have I fallen victim?

Gave myself the answers but never the questions

Do you ever feel as I do?

Shake your head, and breathe if you want to

I just want to love my family

Hold my shelter and lie in the symmetry

I just want to hold my family

I just want to love my family

Hold my shelter and lie in the symmetry

I just want to hold you, Molly

“Suburbia” by Temples of Youth – A Song Feature

…and then comes the Eastern-feel guitar hook.

      The vocal harmony in “Suburbia” has enchanting Dream qualities. The voices belong to Temples of Youth, a female/male duo formed by Jo Carson and Paul Gumma. The underlying synth establishes an understated elegance. “Suburbia” is a blogworthy song… and then comes the Eastern-feel guitar hook that sets the song apart from others we praise. It is first heard at 0:13, then periodically throughout the song.

     Temples of Youth is based in Winchester, UK. “Suburbia” by Temples of Youth

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

Website: https://www.templesofyouth.co.uk/

“Clouds” by Psychic Markers – A Song Feature

     At times, we will have a near-immediate attraction to a song as we hear for a first time, followed by a waning interest as the song progresses. Some songs are meant to be two minutes or less. Think of the album “Abbey Road,” where the Beatles fit a number of such songs together. “Golden Slumbers” slides into “Carry That Weight,” which almost seamlessly becomes “The End.” The longest of the three is 2:05, but together they are a timeless medley.  

     “Clouds” was NOT meant to be a short song. The single from Psychic Markers is attractive from the start, then progressively more powerful upon hitting the 1:50 mark. At that time, the sonic guitar enters to add another layer to the high energy deliver. The guitar makes the subtle female backing vocals more noticeable. It also fits well with the other contributions to the skillfully orchestrated instrumental bridge that begins three minutes into “Clouds.”

      Psychic Markers is a London-based band. The members are Steven Dove (vocals), Leon Dufficy (guitar), Alannah Ashworth (keys, backing vocals), Lewis Baker (drums), and Luke Jarvis (bass). “Clouds” is a single from an upcoming self-titled album, which is scheduled for release on May 29 via Bella Union. The band reflects upon the single at the Bella Union website:

  “The pressures of society don’t begin in adulthood, they start as soon as you’re able to communicate and essentially from the moment you can walk, talk and shit by yourself. These initial milestones are the foundations of responsibility and invariably the moment the pressure mounts. Questions surrounding your future begin immediately, ‘What do you want to be when you get older?’, for example. This emphasis on the future only grows in tandem with the pressures of adulthood and my opinion is to live more in the present and to alleviate some of this pressure, especially in the young. Alan Watts describes it as the point in the middle of an hourglass, we have these huge spaces containing the past and the present but only one grain of sand for the present. This obviously makes it a particularly difficult place to exist.”

  “These points are echoed in Clouds, written from the perspective of a child who I feel should be encouraged to let the imagination run wild, look up to the clouds, the stars and be free.”

     “Clouds” by Psychic Markers

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

Bandcamp: https://psychicmarkers.bandcamp.com/

“Statues” by India Electric Co. – A Song Feature

     “Statutes” is a song that begs to be seen performed in a live setting. Live music will return!!! Won’t it? Listening to the song from India Electric Co, we take some semi-educated guesses as to the performance. First, a violin is taken from its cradle. But the bow is left alone, since the violin is plucked. The pizzicato violin is recorded and then looped. It plays on, but never loses its attractiveness because “Statutes” includes appealing vocals and numerous nuances. The percussion enters and exists without notice. The guitar is skillfully cooperative with the violin plucking.

     Cole Stacey and Joseph O'Keefe are musical artists, not merely persons who sing or play musical instruments. They are the modern-day equivalents of Walter Becker and Daniel Fagan. That is, India Electric Co. is the 2020 Steely Dan. Vocalist Cole Stacey and multi-instrumentalist Joseph O’Keefe are preparing to release their sophomore album “The Gap.” The album will be released on May 1, but the promotional tour was pushed back until September/October.

     “Statues” by India Electric Co.

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

Website: www.indiaelectricco.comI

“Happy For You” by Francesca Blanchard – A Song Feature

     The category of singer/songwriter almost inherently has a lion’s share of soul-revealing singles. Still, it seems there has been a recent uptick in the ability of those artists to pull listeners into targeted emotions. Our favorite vocalist/song crafter with the repeating ability to usher listeners under her tent of emotion was Julien Baker. But Francesca Blanchard may be an even more skillful tentmaker.

     “Happy For You” is an inventory of emotions that surface in a post-breakup, pre-recuperation encounter with a lover. Quoting press content that includes a description of the song by Francesca Blanchard:

  Written in the agonizing space between resentment and letting go, ‘Happy For You” honors the beautiful albeit excruciating experience of reconciling a love's end. Blanchard's lyrics are raw and achingly relatable; she thrusts them to the forefront with masterfully stark arrangement and intensely intimate vocals. She says, "The song is about choosing to be happy for someone who is happier without you. To me, it feels like walking on eggshells, like trying to salvage the remaining pieces of a broken relationship while making as little noise as possible. It's a submission to grief, and there is something so fragile in that.”

     “Happy For You” has a beauty throughout. The voice of Francesca Blanchard is both emotionally charged and gently resolute. Her guitar caresses the lyrical content. Then, it gets even better. Long after the listener has been walked into her musical tent of emotion and has surrendered to the melody and vocals, Francesca Blanchard releases the cello. There is no more powerful instrument in floating empathy to the surface.

     Francesca Blanchard is currently based in Burlington, Vermont. But she was born and raised in France. On June 12, she will release the album “Make It Better,” which will include “Happy For You.”

     “Happy For You” by Francesca Blanchard

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

Website: http://www.francescablanchard.com/

Bandcamp: https://francescablanchard.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Happy For You” by Francesca Blanchard

Got so used to not seeing you around

Now you’re back in town and I’m screaming

No excuses, I know it’s been a while

I thought I’d be just fine, but I’m bleeding

Glad to see that you’re smiling

Glad to see that you’re well

Feel the jealousy rising inside

Hope you can’t tell

I could call you out, cause a scene

I could scream and shout, break a glass and leave

Curse your name, spread the shame

You know I want to

But I’ll just be happy for you

Even when the morning comes

I’ll be waking up empty and drunk

You’re my bottle, my prescription drug

What do I do when I run out of you?

Facing myself is so hard to do

And I’m watching you do it

Fighting right through it

Like you never needed me at all

Oh, here I go my self-defense

Blaming you for my co-dependence

Wish I could curse your name, play that game

But what would that do

I’ll just be happy for …

Maps Of - 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.

    This is a second dose of Maps Of, following yesterday’s post of a admirably nuanced “A Foreign Place.” Maps Of released “Seeds” as a freely downloadable Bandcamp single. The finger-picking acoustic guitar and low-emotion vocals combine to generate a beauty that somehow warrants both a sit-back-and-enjoy approach and a lean-forward-and-marvel appreciation.

     “Seeds” is a cover of a song that was originally written by There Is No Escape and Never Was and performed by Live Well. Like Maps Of, the two originating bands are based in New York state. The most significant difference is that Maps Of abandons the Punk sensibilities.

          Maps Of  is a collaboration fronted by Nick Perlman (lead vocals, guitar), and joined by Andy Porta (drums, percussion), Seth “Happy” Nicholson (bass), Max Johl (lead guitar), and Arianne Lombardi (cajón, percussion).

     “Seeds” by Maps Of

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

Bandcamp: https://mapsofmusic.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Seeds” by Maps Of

Do you wanna hang out?

I know my town

Is too far to drive

But I need you tonight

We’ve been settling seeds

And watching them grow

Into something we believe in

Tall trees we call home

Tall trees we call home

Do you wanna hang out?

I don’t mind coming down

The city’s so far from me

But I don’t care

I really need you near

We’ve been settling seeds

And watching them grow

Into something we believe in

Tall trees we call home

Tall trees we call home

Tall trees… ohh

Tall trees we call home

“A Foreign Place” by Maps Of – A Song Feature

     From the start of their single “A Foreign Place,” Maps Of establishes itself as a band that must be watched as its moves toward the release an upcoming album. The intro of the album’s title track is percussion-driven and isn’t limited to the standard stick-to-drumhead approach. Then, in the body of “A Foreign Place,” Maps Of continues the fill-heavy percussion, skillfully layers the guitars, and executes an attention-grabbing crescendo. Importantly, the vocals are strong, both when there is a single voice and when the harmonization enters to bring a soft elegance.

     When explaining "A Foreign Place," Maps Of noted:

  “The song is about looking in the mirror and not recognizing yourself, whether through age, or in the context of a relationship, or from a queer lens. More broadly: it's about the (increasingly) universal experience of looking at the world and seeing your connection to it change.”

     Maps Of is based in New York. Through May 2, the band is donating 100% of the proceeds from Bandcamp sales of the single (with extras) to Feeding America and The NYC Low-Income Artist/Freelancer Relief Fund. The Bandcamp site is https://mapsofmusic.bandcamp.com/

     Maps Of  is a collaboration fronted by Nick Perlman (lead vocals, guitar), and joined by Andy Porta (drums, percussion), Seth “Happy” Nicholson (bass), Max Johl (lead guitar), and Arianne Lombardi (cajón, percussion). Each offers a wide range of musical influences and brings something unique to the table. Together they create a big sound that slips between numerous genres.

     “A Foreign Place” by Maps Of

Maps Of · A Foreign Place

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

Bandcamp: https://mapsofmusic.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “A Foreign Place” by Maps Of

What has happened here

With these rose-colored glasses

A forest we clear

For these crumbling masses

And I

Don’t recognize

You anymore

And I

Don’t recognize

You anymore

Removed they reveal

Follies, ruins, and remains

Echoed scars on earth

We've assigned different names

And I

Don’t recognize

You anymore

And I

Don’t recognize

You anymore

This body is a foreign place

And our hearts were never forged in flames

With your skull pressed against my face

Do I know you feel the same?

[Repeat]

This body is a foreign place [Repeating 8x]

And I

Don’t recognize

You anymore

{Repeat 4x]

“Rise” by Ships Have Sailed – A Song Feature

     “Rise” is a timely release of a power anthem that skillfully bubbles up its strength and resolve during the first minute. That minute includes one ebb and a number of musical flows. The single from Ships Have Sailed begins with a distortion-heavy intro that leads to a piano accompanying melodically calming vocals describing an unsettling perception – “These scars are a badge that you bear, my friend / The pain you feel now turns to strength in the end / But still you feel lost.” The song seamlessly moves into its ebb with an agonized cry, “There's nowhere left to run,” followed by the authoritative anthemic chorus:

You gotta rise up

You’re the spark from the clash

A phoenix from the ashes, oh oh oh...

You gotta rise up

A heart like a champion

Sing it like an anthem, oh oh oh...

     Lyrically, “Rise” is intelligently motivational. But it’s the combination of forceful vocalization and nuanced instrumentation that gives effect to those lyrics.

     Ships Have Sailed explained “Rise:”

  "In the midst of chaos we can oddly find moments of calm and clarity. Our world is going through a lot at the moment and many people are having to make huge adjustments in their lives in order to accommodate a landscape that shifts almost daily. 'Rise' has been finished for a minute, but it hadn't really shown me where it wanted to live. In one of those odd moments of clarity, I just sort of realized that it was here in this situation we are all living through where it belongs...in the middle of this chaos, reminding us all that we can, and will, weather this storm."

      The Los Angeles-based duo is Will Carpenter and Art Andranikyan. Having dedicated 2019 largely to studio work, Ships Have Sailed planned to prioritize touring in 2020, and set out on their first leg (a 10-show run across the southwest with another duo from LA) on March 11 th . Unfortunately, their tour was interrupted by the COVID-19 epidemic, which escalated quickly while they were far from home, and Will and Art were forced to reassess their plans for the year, resulting in their decision to release their upcoming single ‘Rise’ in April.

     “In the midst of all the chaos that was happening around us, I felt oddly calm,” remembers Carpenter “I can remember realizing that our touring plans were likely done at least for six months and quite possibly longer, and knowing we needed to adjust. I’d had this song (‘Rise’) finished for a minute, but it hadn’t really showed me where it belonged yet. I just sort of realized that it was here in this situation we’re all living through where it belongs…in the middle of this chaos, reminding us all that we can, and will, weather this storm.”

     “Rise” by Ships Have Sailed 

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

Website: https://www.shipshavesailed.com/home

Lyrics of “Rise” by Ships Have Sailed

Weather the storm

When it breaks, you awake

And it’s shaking you straight to the core

Settle the score

Find a way to escape

If anything know that...

These scars are a badge that you bear, my friend

The pain you feel now turns to strength in the end

But still you feel lost...

There’s nowhere left to run...

You gotta rise up

You’re the spark from the clash

A phoenix from the ashes, oh oh oh...

You gotta rise up

A heart like a champion

Sing it like an anthem, oh oh oh...

Stifle the scream when you feel the heat

You gotta believe you’ll never see defeat

You gotta rise up

Oh oh oh, oh

We found our way home

Take a breathe for a moment

But nothing’s the same anymore

The clouds are all gone

There’s a light all around

But still all you can see are...

The flaws like a badge that I wear on my skin

They’ll tell you my stories reveal all my sins...

Will we pay the toll?

Our backs against the wall

We just can’t take the fall...

You gotta rise up

You’re the spark from the clash

A phoenix from the ashes, oh oh oh...

You gotta rise up

A heart like a champion

Sing it like an anthem, oh oh oh...

Stifle the scream when you feel the heat

You gotta believe you’ll never see defeat

You gotta rise up

Oh oh, oh, oh, oh

Hea-hea-heart like a champion

Si-si-sing it like an anthem

A phoenix from the ashes, ashes..

You gotta rise up

You’re the spark from the clash

A phoenix from the ashes, oh oh oh...

You gotta rise up

A heart like a champion

Sing it like an anthem, oh oh oh...

Stifle the scream when you feel the heat

You gotta believe you’ll never see defeat

You gotta rise up

Oh oh, oh, oh, oh

You gotta rise up