“LA Somewhere” by Quitting Whitney – A Feature Song

 

      After two blog posts about songs that acknowledge the pain of being separated from loved ones while touring, this post features “LA Somewhere,” which acknowledges the pain of being separated from live music. We find ourselves in alignment with this song by Quitting Whitney.

     The official video of the single shows Matt Rucker and Ryan Linderman as they journey along the sometimes pandemic-induced empty streets in the Los Angeles area. They visit locations that they pinpoint as important to the history of Quitting Whitney. Matt and Ryan identify Barney's Beanery in West Hollywood as the restaurant where they ate while recording their first few songs. They visit TR!P Lounge in Santa Monica, the first venue that hosted the duo under the name Quitting Whitney. Matt and Ryan add, “4th Street Recording is where we tracked drums for our EP and Harvelle's, just down the street, was host to the last show we'd play in Los Angeles prior to Covid-19.”

     The lyrics of “LA Somewhere” are included at the bottom of this post. Instrumentally, we are fans of the guitar during the intro and the drums during the segment that begins at 2:20 (of the Spotify stream). And is that a touch of the sax at 2:43?  Melodically, the single is diverse, ensuring that the song remains fresh.

     Quoting informative press content:
  “LA Somewhere” is an expression of hope after the loss of live music and the anxiety surrounding everything in the world today. It also acts as is an introduction to our story in a lot of ways.
  The video centers on a journey throughout Los Angeles stopping at places that were foundational to us as a band. Our hope is that the song and the video strike a more optimistic tone amid the backdrop of a city reeling from rising political tensions and emptied by Covid-19.

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

Website: https://quittingwhitney.bandzoogle.com/

Lyrics of “LA Somewhere” by Quitting Whitney
Am I seeing double?
Are these red lights
backed up from mine for miles?
Better go slow before these shrinking lights
Wear away, dust on vinyl
 
Just stop, please unload
Before the coast
I might have realized
Time is borrowed
Your running off the road
No control
Stay between the lines
You claimed you wrote
 
You’re in LA Somewhere
You’re in LA Somewhere
You’re in LA Somewhere
You’re in LA Somewhere
 
Are you looking for trouble
At these bar fights
It’s just not my style
Your sweater looks good
No more drinking nights
Wipe away my mindless smile
 
Just stop, please unload
Before the coast
I might have realized
Time is borrowed
Your running off the road
No control
Read between the lines
I know you stole
 
You’re in LA Somewhere
[Repeated 4x]
 
You’re in LA Somewhere
[Repeated 4x]

“Hello Darling” by Octave music Records – A Song Feature

 

      The musical project embraces the skills of musicians from different continents, so it’s appropriate that the debut single from Octave music Records interweaves the sensibilities of different genres. At times, “Hello Darling” includes touches of the Pop Rap sound of Black Eyed Peas, such as during the rhythm-driven verse that begins at 1:47. There are also touches of two Jack Antonoff bands, such as the Bleachers-like Rock guitars beginning at 3:11 and the Fun-like vocal approach during occurrences of the chorus. The song is dynamic, but always energetic.

     “Hello Darling” was written by Josh Stevens, who also provided the vocals. He is based in Los Angeles. The instruments are skillfully played by Kazuto Suematsu (guitar), Ryo Nakamura (guitar), Hiroshi Sekita (bass), and Seiichiro Hayakawa (drums), all of whom are based in Japan.

     The lyrics are at the bottom of this post. “Hello Darling” is about being separated from your loved ones while on tour. There is a specific reference to “my daughter.” The positive news is that he will be home before the sun comes up. The vocal inflections of Josh Stevens evidence his commitment to the message.

     In addition to the guitar work at 3:11, we are fans of the higher frequency guitar that bears the back-and-forth cadence of a railroad crossing. The cadence is heard at various times, but is most easily isolated by listening to the final seconds of “Hello Darling.”

     “Hello Darling” by Octave music Records

Streaming/purchase options: https://linkco.re/8G0ScS9E?lang=en
Josh Stevens website: https://www.iamjoshstevens.com/
Josh Stevens Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamjoshstevens/

SONG CREDITS:

Written by Josh Stevens
Lyrics/Compose：Josh Stevens
Arrange：Ikuma Matsuda
Guitar：Kazuto Suematsu
Guitar：Ryo Nakamura
Bass：Hiroshi Sekita
Drum：Seiichiro Hayakawa
Recording Engineer：Jun "C.J.P.S" Nishikawa
Mix Engineer：Jun "C.J.P.S" Nishikawa
Mastering：Chris Gehringer

Lyrics of “Hello Darling” by Octave music Records
Here’s to new beginnings
The clock falls faster every year
Or is it me?
 
Here’s to new beginnings
Can’t change the past can only
Stay with you right now my daughter
Where did the time go?
 
Hello my darling
No need to cry
I’ll be right by your side before the sun comes up
By your side before the sun comes up
Keep counting the stars
 
The circus spins
Each city I’m in
More faceless friends
Blurred with grins
Cheers to the loneliness wins
 
Shots!
The marathon begins
Hey!
I know I’m not perfect
Hey!
Every moment with you is worth it
Hey!
For you, my final curtain’s (or curtains?) closed
Memoirs of a traveling man
 
Hello my darling
No need to cry
I’ll be right by your side before the sun comes up
Keep counting the stars
 
Hello my darling
Never let ‘em steal your smile
The future’s yours
Leap off my shoulders now
Memoirs of a traveling man
 
Home away from home
5000 miles to go
Each hotel room the same
From the paintings to the phone
 
Hello darling
I’m here, keep watching
Retire these profits just to wash your tears often
 
Hey!
I know I’m not perfect
Hey!
Every moment with you is worth it
Hey!
For you, my final curtain’s closed, closed
Memoirs of a traveling man
 
Hello my darling
No need to cry
I’ll be right by your side before the sun comes up
Hello!
Keep counting the stars
 
Hello my darling
Never let ‘em steal your smile
The future’s yours
Leap off my shoulders now
Memoirs of a traveling man
 
Memoirs of a traveling man
Memoirs of a traveling man
 
Hello my darling
No need to cry
I’ll be right by your side before the sun comes up
 
Hello my darling
Never let ‘em steal your smile
The future’s yours
Leap off my shoulders now
Memoirs of a traveling man
 

“Don't Feel Much Like Me” by Volunteer - A Song Feature

     The song makes peace between the seemingly irreconcilable, namely admitting a dependence-based vulnerability and delivering empowerment. The dependence is upon another person. “Don't Feel Much Like Me” is about missing someone who plays an important role in helping you feel grounded. The empowerment is delivered by a crescendo that drops the listener at the peaceful final seconds of the single from Volunteer.

     The vocals are perfectly suited for the emotion, both during the quiet storytelling start of the song and during the forceful request for reassurance toward the end. But almost without exception, the ability of a song to withstand the test of time depends upon subtle nuances and attention to detail. “Don't Feel Much Like Me” will stand strong over time. There are distant vocal howls that remind us of Lord Huron. The first occurs at 1:27. The song from Volunteer includes swells that foreshadow the crescendo. And the lyrics are poetic, such as the question “When the notes seem wrong / Would you just keep singing along?”. Interestingly, only once during the song does Volunteer complete the title sentence "I don't feel much like me" with the phrase "without you."

     Instrumentally, the focus is varied. At the start, the piano is featured as it rides atop a low murmur. As “Don't Feel Much Like Me” progresses, the guitar makes an understated appearance. But it isn’t until the single reaches its full force that the percussion skills are showcased. At 3:12, the percussion ends and the final seconds are left in the enchanting possession of a fading angelic choir and instruments.

          Volunteer is the performance name of vocalist/songwriter Cory Quintard who started in Orlando, Florida, but now resides in Nashville. When referring to “Don't Feel Much Like Me,” he explained:

  “I wrote the title line of this song on a pitch black, lonely highway somewhere in the Midwest. It was one too many nights into a long stretch of shows. I had just driven over a state line - right about the time my wife and I would have been getting ready for bed if I were home. This song is for anyone who misses someone, and therefore, feels like they’re missing a piece of themselves. It’s a slow build, because that’s my favorite kinda song, so be patient with it. It won’t leave you hangin’. It was co-written, recorded, rewritten, and re-recorded with Will Mikkelson in two home studios over three years.”

     “Don't Feel Much Like Me” is a single from Volunteer’s upcoming debut album “The Ride.” The album is scheduled for release on November 20. Leading to that date, there will be two additional single releases, namely “Searching for Someone” (September 25) and “Sandcastles in June” (October 23).

      “Don't Feel Much Like Me (Without You)” by Volunteer

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

Website: https://volunteersounds.com/

Lyrics of “Don't Feel Much Like Me (Without You)” by Volunteer

Somewhere in Tennessee

You’re falling fast asleep

And I just crossed a state line

If only when I arrived

And you had learned how to fly

I know you’d be waiting

Cause I don’t feel much like me

I don’t feel much like me

Whenever I’m away

Even on my best day

You would make it better

It can be hard to smile

When you’re further with every mile

And the days all last forever

Cause I don’t feel much like me

I don’t feel much like me

Without you

When the road gets long

And my tired legs are shaking

When the notes seem wrong

Would you just keep singing along?

Cause I don’t feel much like me

I don’t feel much like me

I don’t feel much like me

August Songs that Bear Repeating

     As a welcome to the new month, here are the favorite songs from August posts of Indie Obsessive.

     “Haunts Me Now” by Radiator King (from the post of August 27, CLICK HERE if interested).

     “Tell Me” by Chasing Happiness (from the post of August 13, CLICK HERE if interested).

     “Forever” by Sea Girls (from the post of August 17, CLICK HERE if interested).

    "Through The Valley by Tash Sultana (from the post of August 5, CLICK HERE if interested).

     “Set Aside Some Time” by Constant Follower (from the post of August 14, CLICK HERE if interested).

     “The Dark” by SYML (from the post of August 12, CLICK HERE if interested).

     “Whiskey Garden” by EllaHarp (from the post of August 7, CLICK HERE if interested).

     “Rush & Fever” by Nation of Language (from the post of August 15, CLICK HERE if interested).

     “3 AM” by Clifford (from the post of August 20, CLICK HERE if interested).

     The comprehensive list of songs with Spotify: 

"The Roses" by March to May - A Song Feature

      “The Roses” is a poetry-influenced acoustic work of art. The intro and outro of the single feature one member of March to May completing the fourteen lines of the sonnet “The Roses” while her co-member plays a pensive melody on the keys. Between the two portions of the recital are powerful instrumentation and moving vocalization.

     The members of March to May are Beth Wesche and Darren Guyaz. Vocally, they alternate during “The Roses.” Instrumentally, it is Darren performing on keys and Elizabeth contributing the harp, which is best appreciated when the percussion ends at 3:27. The attractiveness and passion within their voices could effortlessly carry the day, but the single is elevated above other praiseworthy songs by a cello-powered crescendo. The focus turns to the cello at the start of an instrumental bridge (at 1:47). The bridge embraces a darkness that is somehow energizing, even before the start of the crescendo.

     March to May is based in Seattle. Beth and Darren are the songwriters. The other contributors to the beauty and power of “The Roses” are Lauren McShane (cello), Rae Minji Lee (violin), Paul Murphy (bass), and David Bush (percussion). The song is from the recently released album “What I Was and More.” The album title is borrowed from the song’s sonnet, which was written by Edna St. Vincent Millay. Quoting the compelling explanation of the meaning:

  "The Roses" captures the growth — and generative decay — of the cumulative experiences of a life well-lived. With prose-like lyrics, simplistic yet compelling vocals, and an intense cello solo soaring above regimental snare drum and piano lines, “The Roses” delivers a beautifully complex message about age and the passage of time that is always relevant, but is particularly poignant now, as we reframe and readjust in response to the pandemic.

        Talking about the album, “What I Was and More,” Beth Wesche and Darren Guyaz noted:

  Produced by Martin Feveyear (Brandi Carlile, Kings of Leon, Damien Jurado), “What I Was and More” integrates tight harmonies and acoustic instrumentation with folk pop and indie rock influences to create an emotionally dynamic sound that’s rich in color and texture. We wrote the album while we were going through significant changes in our personal lives, finished tracking the night before the world shut down for COVID-19, and mixed it remotely in a world still in a state of great uncertainty. The songs center around a theme of creative destruction and transformation, and if ever there was a time to turn those things into strengths, it's now. Our new songs play with perspective, flipping expected narratives inside out and tackling the nuances of compassion, the razing and rebuilding of love and trust, and the fight for change over apathy and inertia from opposing angles. At its core, “What I Was and More” invites listeners to succumb to the delectable edge of possibility.

     The album is available at the Bandcamp site https://marchtomay.bandcamp.com/

     "The Roses" by March to May

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

Website: https://www.marchtomay.com/

Lyrics of "The Roses" by March to May

Spoken Word:

Say what you will, and scratch my heart to find

The roots of last year's roses in my breast;

I am as surely riper in my mind

As if the fruit stood in the stalls confessed.

Laugh at the unshed leaf, say what you will,

Call me in all things what I was before,

A flutterer in the wind, a woman still;

I tell you I am what I was and more.

Lyrics:

And I will go alone, far away

But know, I’ll be back again

The road lies ahead, blackened by the rain

Under rose-colored skies, my naked heart will wane

I will turn and

Take you by the hand

Tread my footsteps far across this fertile land

And I’ll go, go, go

Until I meet the sky

And I’ll go, I’ll go

Until the river’s dry

River’s dry

And I will follow the sunlight filtering down

Exposing the layers below

Taste the warmth of years ago

And the ripened sweetness shows

Sweetness shows

I’ll turn to

the dark caress of night

I’ll beckon to the branches as they sigh

And I’ll go, I’ll go

Until I greet the sky

And I’ll go, I’ll go

Until the river’s dry

River’s dry...

Spoken Word:

My branches weigh me down, frost cleans the air,

My sky is black with small birds bearing south;

Say what you will, confuse me with fine care,

Put by my word as but an April truth,

Autumn is no less on me that a rose

Hugs the brown bough and sighs before it goes