“Restrain” by Dessie Magee – A Song Feature

     Until hearing “Restrain,” we were not aware of the vocal charisma or production wizardry in the music from Dessie Magee. The song is the title track of his debut EP. Armed with the newly established appreciation of his skills, we marched into an expedition for other songs from Dessie Magee. It was quickly apparent that “Restrain” does not stand as the only single that should be added to a playlist of songs that feature power vocals and strategically placed guitar conquests. We also strongly recommend “Life Design."

 
     “Restrain” introduces itself as a vocals-driven single. The accompanying instruments at the start are gentle, particularly the skillfully played acoustic guitar. A hint that the electric guitar will play a significant role is dropped at 0:40, when a high pitch guitar becomes increasingly noticeable. But it isn’t until 1:29 that Dessie Magee unleashes the guitar layering that characterizes his sound. And it’s not until 3:34 that “Restrain” temporarily becomes a turbulent whirlpool of guitar. It was his voice which generated a magnetic force that initially drew us to “Restrain;” then the guitars caused our attention to enter into an orbit around the single.
 
     The lyrical message also deserves praise. The lyrics are included at the bottom of this post. Dessie Magee explains:
  “’Restrain’ is about the discipline we all sometimes lack, some more than others. It's about watching someone you care about not looking after themselves or being aware of why you yourself may be going down the wrong path.”
 
      The bio of Dessie Magee is surprising, since it states that he has had difficulty with his voice. Quoting the bio:
  Brighton based Dessie Magee, hails from Belfast, Northern Ireland. Growing up Dessie found it difficult staying out of trouble and avoiding regular run-ins with the police. Eventually he began singing in the heavy music scene, a well timed saving grace and positive outlet. But, over this resulted in Dessie having to undergo major throat surgery, a result of which he was unable to speak for months after. Despite the injury, Dessie was determined to pursue his musical career and after a long period of rehabilitation he began learning to speak again, and eventually was able to sing again.
  Many people in this situation would rule out a future in music but his persistence and passion for music gave him the ambition to strive for success and begin his new journey. With a diverse musical background and a new found resilience, Dessie’s music took a completely different direction.
 
     For information as to the “Restrain” EP, visit:

 https://dessiemageestore.myshopify.com/collections/frontpage/products/restrain-ep
 
     “Restrain” by Dessie Magee

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DessieMageeMusic/
Website: www.dessiemagee.com

     “Life Design” by Dessie Magee

Lyrics of “Restrain” by Dessie Magee
How can you let a house like this hold you down?
How can you breathe when all you ever do is drown?
All that it means is you cannot restrain yourself
 
These walls give you peace, but do they have your back
You fell to knees by the window you smashed
 
We all can see, you’re giving in
If you reach your destination, then you’re comfortable in your own skin
 
Breathe out, breathe in, fade out, fade in
Breathe out, breathe in, fade out
 
All of this means you don't know yourself
All of this means you can’t control yourself
We all can see you don’t love yourself
 
What’s wrong with love? Two white liars
They’re all giving up, too young to retire
It’s clear to see you’re giving in
If you reach your destination, then you’re comfortable in your own skin
 
Breathe out, breathe in, fade out, fade in
Breathe out, breathe in, fade out, fade in
 
Breathe out, fade in, fade out
 
All of this means you don't know yourself
All of this means you can’t control yourself
We all can see you don’t love yourself
 
How can you let a house like this hold you down?
How can you breathe when all you ever do is drown?
All that it means is that you’re giving in,

If you reach your destination, then you’re comfortable in your own skin

“Eleanor Rigby” by Bookie Baker - A Song/Video Feature

     It’s a Beatles’ song without a Beatle playing an instrument. Instead, eight studio musicians played string instruments. Bookie Baker took a different approach in their treatment of “Eleanor Rigby” – two acoustic guitars, a single violin, and drums. Their cover is powerful for reasons separate from those of the original.
 
     The first seconds of the cover are low resolution and quiet, encouraging the listener to “lean in.” It enhances the effectiveness of the power of the instruments that follow. The guitars are in the hands of the two members of Bookie Baker, namely Alex Montyro and Caolan O'Neill Forde. After a short time, the violin of Madeleine Watson joins. The violin takes a melodic approach, unlike the staccato of the Beatles’ release (which provides a tension, much like the violins for the iconic shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”). The drummer is not shown in the video, but it’s Tonda Procházka. The dancer is shown – she is Daša Horváthová.
 
     The bio of Bookie Baker can be used for a geography lesson. Caolan O Neill Forde is from Ireland and Alex Montyro is Canadian. They explain:
  The collaboration began after Montyro opened a music venue in the Liaoning province of China and O’Neill-Forde wandered in looking for musical compatriots in a faraway land. Soon packing in large crowds to the ire of local communist party officials, the duo found themselves enduring multiple interrogations by local police after an arrest during a live performance. Released after being warned to never play music in the country again, they opened a map and considered options across the globe. One city became a clear standout due to its thriving renaissance of creativity, culture and commerce: Prague.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BookieBakerMusic/
Website: https://bookiebaker.com/
Bandcamp: https://bookiebaker.bandcamp.com/

Seabass, Deep Sea Diver, and Seaside – Song Features

      Our list of blogworthy songs included three by bands that include the syllable “sea” in their band name. All three feature skillful guitar. It seemed wise to combine them in a single post.

     Seabass identifies itself as a London-based Surfgaze band. Quoting their bio:
  In your face, rhythmic surf/shoegaze with at once raucous and jangly post-punk guitars and serene vocal harmonies interspersed by jagged spoken word. Based in North London, Seabass' members met at university in 2017, starting off as a cover band before writing together and hopping on the London gig circuit in 2018 playing their first gig at The George Tavern in East London. 

     “Daisy Surf” by Seabass

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/seabass.bandofficial

Bandcamp: https://seabassband.bandcamp.com/

     Deep Sea Diver is Jessica Dobson, Peter Mansen, Garrett Gue, and Elliot Jackson in Seattle, Washington. The band recently released the single “Impossible Weight,” which includes the voice of Sharon Van Etten. We recommend that single, but favor “Lights Out" because it is more guitar-heavy.
 
     “Lights Out” by Deep Sea Diver

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thisisdeepseadiver
Website: https://www.thisisdeepseadiver.com/

Bandcamp: https://thedeepseadiver.bandcamp.com/

     According to their Facebook bio, Seaside is an emerging Indie band from the sparkling waters of beautiful Byron Bay, Australia, with a sultry dream-pop sound. The members are Darcy Dexter (vocals), Chris Mellross (drums), Tom Ketelaars (bass), and Josh O’Neill Hammer (guitar). Josh is called Froggy.

     “Dopamine” by Seaside

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/heyseaside
Website: https://seasideband.com/
Bandcamp: https://seasidetheband.bandcamp.com/music

“Nightswim” by Temples of Youth – A Song Feature

     The crystalline guitar at the start of “Nightswim” discloses the personality of the single from Temples of Youth – this is a hook-heavy, guitar-driven song that commands full attention. Then, the vocals enter to reveal a depth to the personality. There is an elegance in the cooperation between the guitar and the vocals. That elegant cooperation is particularly apparent at 1:20, when guitar strums accompany individual syllables.
 
     The final portion of “Nightswim” is similar to the first, as the two portions bookend the centerpiece of the single. At 1:50, the vocals briefly quicken their tempo and deliver the listener at a crescendo to a guitar-and-percussion wall of sound. The dynamic nature of “Nightswim” keeps the song fresh throughout its more than four minutes.
 
     “Nightswim” is the title track from an upcoming EP of Temples of Youth. The band states that the EP explores some darker and heavier sounds as compared to past releases. When talking about the single, they explained:
  “The track tells the story of someone caught in a riptide and is about surrendering to powers beyond your control. It has a driving, insistent rhythm beneath its powerful somber vocal, and gradually builds to a wall of sound with soaring guitars and feedback, taking inspiration from bands such as DIIV.”
 
     Temples of Youth are the female/male duo of Jo Carson and Paul Gumma. Jo is the percussionist and lead vocalist, with Paul on guitar. Their music is characterized by powerful female vocals against a soundscape of ambient synth and shimmering guitar.
 
     “Nightswim” by Temples of Youth

 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/templesofyouth/
Website: https://www.templesofyouth.co.uk/

Bandcamp: https://templesofyouth.bandcamp.com/releases

“Seed of Joy” by Marc Scibilia feat. Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem)

 

      Even after listening to “Seed of Joy” on repeat, we still experience two moments of slight exhilaration each time the song from Marc Scibilia is played. They occur just beyond the one-minute and two-minute marks of “Seed of Joy.’ The opening portion has a gentle beauty that functions as a vehicle for a message about exiting from a difficult time. Then, at 1:06 a first shift occurs. Individually, the contributors to the shift are subtle, but they are collectively powerful. Backing vocals join in harmony with the lead vocals of Marc Scibilia. Additionally, by listening with your focus on the percussion leads to a conclusion that the resolution ramps upwardly. And the lyrics are more upbeat – “There will be singing / There will be nights of endless laughter.”
    
      One minute later, “Seed of Joy” jumps again. This time the major contributor to the shift is the guitar of Brian Fallon of The Gaslight Anthem. The two musicians are friends. Scibilia points out that Fallon “took a very Grateful Dead approach.” A third jump occurs are 2:50, when the guitar launches into an undeniable ‘70s vibe.
 
       As an insight into “Seed of Joy,” Marc Scibilia said:
  “I wrote Seed of Joy after losing my father to brain cancer in early 2020 while in the midst of watching my 1 year-old daughter grow up and a pandemic unfolding before us. It was a tumultuous time for me with so much changing in my life (including moving out of my basement studio and building a new one in my backyard). You can actually hear daughter screaming in the background of the second chorus… This song is about overcoming the tragedies that inevitably face all of us and finding beauty even in those darkest moments of life. The fragile thing about life (ending or starting) is that it must be seen as a seed that grows and fills you - a seed of joy.”
 
     Marc Scibilia is from Buffalo, New York. “Seed of Joy” is the title track of his recently released album. Quoting a portion of his bio:
  Scibilia was forced to put his burgeoning career on hold for the better part of 2019, when he welcomed his first child into the world while simultaneously caring for his ailing father, who would tragically pass away from brain cancer shortly thereafter. He chronicles the profound, emotional journey on his riveting new album, ‘Seed Of Joy,’ which he recorded alone in his basement studio in Nashville in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. While you might expect the finished product to be a dark and somber affair, ‘Seed Of Joy’ is, true to its name, just the opposite, fueled by soulful vocals and soaring melodies and overflowing with rich, anthemic exuberance at nearly every turn. Calling to mind everything from Paul Simon and Cat Stevens to Bleachers and Vampire Weekend, the result is a powerful slice of self-reflection that balances nostalgia and optimism in equal measure, a thoughtful, defiantly optimistic work that insists on finding silver linings, even in the face of gut-wrenching loss.
 
     “Seed of Joy” by Marc Scibilia feat. Brian Fallon (The Gaslight Anthem)

 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/marcscibilia
Website: http://marcscibilia.com/

Lyrics of “Seed of Joy” by Marc Scibilia feat. Brian Fallon
Morning comes
It was a bad dream but it’s over
There's nothing to fix, nothing’s broken
It just feels so quiet in this new place
 
Out the window
See the sail boats on the river
That the wind comes to deliver
It just feels so quiet in this new place
 
There will be singing
There will be nights of endless laughter
From this time and ever after
The seed of joy it starts so small
The seed of joy it starts so small
 
Tried to surprise you
Didn't think that I would cry too
A celebration in our sorrow
I don't know much about tomorrow
But I know there will be singing
 
There will be nights of endless laughter
We'll hold our breath for new disasters
But the seed of joy it starts so small
Every seed of joy it starts so small
The seed of joy it starts so small
The seed of joy it starts so small
Every seed of joy it starts so small
 
The seed of joy it starts so small
The seed of joy it starts so small

“Italy” by Wildermiss - A Song Feature

     “Italy” begins with a vocals-driven intro that concludes with a high pitch note – impressive. Then, the guitars are allowed to flex their muscles. Later, the piano cooperates with the vocals during a quieter, more emotional segment (starting at 3:10) that exits through a crescendo. The song from Wildermiss is strong in multiple dimensions.
 
     Wildermiss is based in Denver, Colorado. The members are Emma Cole (vocals), Joshua Hester (guitar), Seth Beamer (guitar), and Caleb Thoemke (drums). The press materials say about “Italy:”
  “Cole sends sparks flying in all directions as her impassioned vocals add vibrant colors to a dynamic, widescreen arrangement that builds from a subtle intro into a soaring chorus that explodes like a burst of fireworks with embers that gently float to the ground, leaving behind an exhilarating trail as the last strains fade. The new track should hold fans over until the world opens back up and Wildermiss is able to share the other music it has been working on during this harrowing time.”
 
     “Italy” by Wildermiss

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wildermiss
Website: https://www.wildermiss.com/

Lyrics of “Italy” by Wildermiss
Holding on to your memory
Oh you and me
Our heads up high, our timid ways
We care too much or not at all
It's all shadows then the purest light
 
We found a gallery
We thought we knew the meaning
We're gonna sit in the water and let it all sink in
We fake mysteries for some reality
We made a short story long
 
Double up, double up
Make it flow through the air
When we were younger it never took us time to get there
 
Follow up, follow up
Shake your tired ribs
Remember when it hit you
Grin til you split your lip
 
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
 
I’ve got my thoughts in my pockets
Waiting for a chance to prove
I may not have all the answers
But I can get them to you
Well yeah alright
Well yeah alright
Well yeah alright
 
Double up, double up
Make it flow through the air
When we were younger it never took us time to get there
 
Follow up, follow up
Shake your tired ribs
Remember when it hit you
Grin til you split your lip
 
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
Oh oh oh oh oh oh oh
 
I'll take my livin'
I'll drop it right into the fight
Let my blood flow slow
As the world feeds off the sight
Cause I found my way back home
We found out where we belong

“I See Myself” by Abel Hawnt – A Song Feature

 

     "I See Myself" carried us through three phases of recognition. Initially, the listening was relaxed, and we were swept into the calmness of the vocals and the peacefulness of the acoustic guitar. We were quickly sold on the song from Abel Hawnt.

     After hearing the single a number of times, there grew an interest in determining how “I See Myself” separated itself from other appealing songs in the same genre. It was during this more focused phase that the attention to detail and Hawnt's love for his craft surfaced. Some features are subtle. For example, beginning at 0:31, the piano periodically strikes a single note. The skill required of the piano player is not demanding, but recognizing the effect of adding the notes to the song was musical brilliance. Other features are readily apparent, such as the on-again. off-again reverberation and vocal overdubbing that can be heard at 1:25.

     In the third phase of appreciating “I See Myself,” the attention turned to the lyrics. The song is about perspective. Abel Hawnt is based in a large city – London. The lyrics talk about hearing the call from the mountains and growing old in the countryside – all that is left to do is to put pride off to the side. Hawnt explains:
  “[It’s a] song I wrote during a road trip around the Scottish Highlands and Islands this Summer. It was written whilst meandering through the rivers and mountains. It's an honest song about the need to put our pride to one side to get to where we want to be. Where do we truly see ourselves? Are we doing what we really want to do? Or are we going through the motions just because? It’s about realising what we want and following through to make it happen, regardless of what others may think.”
 
     The bio of Abel Hawnt describes him as a vocalist/composer from the south coast of England, splitting time between the coast and London - “Honest, storytelling lyrics supported by the fingerpicked classical guitar with a folk, country and Americana stain.”

     “I See Myself” by Abel Hawnt

 

“Hope Is a Love Song” by Strays Don't Sleep

 

     It is not difficult to define “charisma” to someone. The difficulty is to identify characteristics and attributes that lead to the magnetic quality. “Hope Is a Love Song” might hit our speakers as background music, but the charisma of the vocals soon magnetically draws attention to the song from Strays Don’t Sleep. There is a commitment to the message and a uniqueness to the voice.
 
     The lyrics are included at the bottom of this post. Most lines are only a few words. No line is more than five syllables. But “Hope Is a Love Song” is powerful beyond the reading of the lyrics. Even Strays Don’t Sleep didn’t initially recognize that power. They explain:
  “As we were writing these new Strays songs in 2019, this particular piece we had started constructing kept entering my mind, it was called ‘40 Feet. It was a song I’d thought about quite a bit over the years, it just didn’t feel quite realized but we knew there was something there. We peeled it all away, re-recorded the guitars and discovered ‘Hope is a Love Song.’”
 
     Strays Don't Sleep are based in Nashville. They are Matthew Ryan and Neilson Hubbard. They rejoined after a 15-year hiatus. “Hope Is a Love Song” is one of four songs on a recently released album. They describe the intent of the song cycle of the album “A Short Film for a Long Story,” as a celebration of “the beauty and melancholy in reclamation after a dark time. Sometimes those things that dog us have to be left behind. But first they have to be confronted, called out and dealt with.”
 
     “Hope Is a Love Song” by Strays Don't Sleep

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/straysdontsleepbandofficial
Bandcamp: https://matthewryan.bandcamp.com/
 

Lyrics of “Hope Is a Love Song” by Strays Don't Sleep
40 feet
From your door
Now I know
What hope is for
Everything
Is beautiful
Again
 
The lights went out
The room was dark
The world felt strange
I leaned in hard
Everything
Is beautiful
Again
 
22
With summer skin
I almost crashed
The car we’re in
Everything
Is beautiful
Again
 
Oh oh oh
Hope is a love song
Oh oh oh
Hope is a love song
 
Silver hills
Like Christmas Eve
You’re the only thing
I wanna see
Everything
Is beautiful
Again
 
The air is lit
By fireflies
I see the sparks
In your eyes
Everything
Is beautiful
Again
 
Oh oh oh
Hope is a love song
Oh oh oh
Hope is a love song
Oh oh oh
Hope is a love song
Oh oh oh
Hope is a love song

“Crocodile” and “Sign Of Growth” by The Dawdler

 

     The guitar during the intro of “Crocodile" bears melodic differences from the 1965 classic, but the guitar has a charm and timbre that brings an anticipation of hearing Simon and Garfunkel harmonize “Hello darkness, my old friend.” Of course, that duo’s harmony never arrives. Instead, the vocals are engaging, reverb-heavy falsetto. Coincidently, the lyrics of “Crocodile” and “Sound of Silence” are both about introspection as a result of dreaming. But the messaging of “Crocodile” is significantly more layered. John Edgar, who drives The Dawdler, explains:
   “The lyrics to ‘Crocodile’ are based on a dream. A game of chess with a crocodile that develops into a terrifying chase with murderous intentions. Probably my subconsciousness’s reaction to the rise of fascism and the anxiety inducing polarisation of the socio-political landscape. The options presented in the lyrics are to face the fears head on and fight, or to somehow retreat into the solar system – dancing with the moon and sleeping on Saturn’s rings.”
 
     The first half of “Crocodile” includes other features, but it is driven by the guitar and vocals. The second half is more lush and instrumentally sophisticated. The synth builds in particular are praiseworthy.

     “Crocodile" by The Dawdler 

 
     “Sign Of Growth” takes the synth builds to an even higher level. Again, the early portion is primarily vocals and guitar. But the vocals are less melodic, more syncopated. And again, the later portion is synth-driven. But the synth in “Sign Of Growth” is orchestral and the build is more elongated. “Crocodile” and “Sign Of Growth” are creatively connected; yet there are strong arguments for favoring either one over the other.
 
     “Sign Of Growth” is the title track of an upcoming EP by The Dawdler. The song was inspired by the short film “Dear Araucaria,” which is about a crossword setter named John Graham. Graham let his dedicated crossword followers know of his impending death in the form of crossword clues. John Edgar explained:
   “It destroyed me. The way Araucaria connected to his solvers. Deep bonds formed through codes and clues, never having met any of his devotees. It’s just an utterly beautiful story. Needless to say, I love crosswords.”
 

“Sign Of Growth” by The Dawdler 

       The Dawdler is vocalist/composer John Edgar from Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK. The credits of “Sign of Growth” state that the song was produced by Will Thorneycroft. Because Thorneycroft has played instruments for earlier songs by The Dawdler, we assume the same is true for “Crocodile” and “Sign of Growth.” Another prior contributor is Dave Turnbull.
 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thedawdlermusic
Bandcamp: https://thedawdler.bandcamp.com/

Visiting Some Old and Increasingly Well-Known Friends

      Here are some long-ago discoveries of bands having recent releases.

     “Visitor” by Of Monsters and Men

     “Baby It's You” by London Grammar

     “The Weatherman” by Blue October

     “Hesitating Nation” by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah

     “Beautiful Anyway” by Judah & The Lion

Lyrics of “Beautiful Anyway” by Judah & The Lion
You told me the other day
You hate yourself and anxiety
Depressed a mess to death
You’d open up and open wide with a smile
They told you it's clinical but I seem so critical
I wish I could convince the thoughts
That you keep on believing were a lie
 
There you go
Feeling so broken and alone
You walk with your head held so low
You wanna give in
Most the days and that’s okay
I hope you see someday that you are beautiful anyway
 
You look in the mirror
Please try to see it clearer
How crazy and amazing you are and then let it inside
You can be scientific
Trust me, know I get it
But I won’t agree when you tell me you don’t deserve a life
 
There you go
Feeling so broken and alone
You walk with your head held so low
You wanna give in
Most the days and that’s okay
I hope you see someday that you are beautiful anyway
 
Raise your hands
Take a second and breathe in
Singin’ I’m here for a reason
Raise your hands
Take a second and breathe in
Singin’ hallelujah I’m known and loved
Singin’ hallelujah I’m known and loved
Singin’ hallelujah I’m known and loved
Raise your hands
Take a second and breathe in
Singing’ I’m here for a reason
 
And away you fly

Free with your head held so high
‘Cause you never let up the fight
And you never gave in on those days
In the pain
 
That’s what makes this life so wonderfully awesome
And horribly awful
Yet somehow it’s beautiful anyway