“Run River” by Southey – A Song Feature

 

      “Run River” is the audio equivalent of a kaleidoscope. At times, it is fair to describe the single from Southey as being minimalist, while his voice is accompanied by only an acoustic guitar. In contrast, the song’s chorus is lush and powerful. For example, the rich presentation that begins at 1:22 is skillfully and seamlessly transitioned to Southey and his guitar at 1:43. But most of the song resides between the two extremes. And like the visual presentation of a kaleidoscope, the sound of “Run River” is beautiful and interesting regardless of the orientation.
 
     Vocally, “Run River” is anguished and slightly raspy at the start, but melodically smooth during the chorus. And lyrically, the song is intelligent. The full lyrics are included in this post, but the first verse is particularly insightful as Southey uses the comparison to a river:

I used to have a line

Between what was wrong, and what I thought was right

It kept bending all the time

Winding through relationships

Like a river running wild

Like a river running wild

 
     In explaining the song, Southey said:
  “I wrote ‘Run River’ a few years ago, it was one of those songs that just came quite organically. I often like writing things that intrigue me, as if someone else wrote it and I’m hearing it for the first time. It’s a strange paradox but that’s where this song started.”
 
     Southey is based in Sydney, Australia. “Run River” is indeed his baby. In addition to writing, recording and producing the single, he hand-painting the cover art and even constructing a guitar to be used for the record. The “Run River” sessions took place at Southey’s home studio in Surry Hills, Australia, before being mixed by Peter Holz (Gang of Youths, Vance Joy) and mastered by Nick Franklin (CLEWS, Polish Club). The song is also the debut release of newly launched music label Peach & Sons.
 
     “Run River” by Southey

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tomsoutheymusic
 
Lyrics of “Run River” by Southey
I used to have a line
Between what was wrong, and what I thought was right
It kept bending all the time
Winding through relationships
Like a river running wild
Like a river running wild
 
I've been drinking here some time,
I've been trying to see the light
Behind your waterfall of tears
Let’s wash away our fears
Then breakaway
Erode our way through this
 
Run river
Flow river
Faster to the sea
Run river
Roar river
Rushing over me
 
Run river
Flow river
Faster to the sea
Run river
Roar river
Rushing over
Rushing over me
 
Maybe this time I might stay
Try and find another way
Maybe there's more to you and me
Maybe we drift until we're free
 
Run river
Flow river
Faster to the sea
Run river
Roar river
Rushing over me
 
Run river
Flow river
Faster to the sea
Run river
Roar river
Rushing over
Rushing over me
 
The fire's warm when the
Water’s cold
I'm trying hard to let you know
The sun shines while the
Tide flows
The light won't reach us down below
 
The fire's warm when the
Water’s cold
I'm trying hard to let you know
The sun shines while the
Tide flows
The light won't reach us down below

“Are You Changing?" by Mountains Like Wax – A Song Feature

     “Are You Changing?" is intelligent in its execution and its message. The single from Mountains Like Wax begins with a few-seconds burst that foreshadows the presence of string instruments. But it’s only a taste that leads to a power guitar strum, notifying the listener of the song’s Rock roots. Soon, a guitar hook carries the song to anguished vocals, and “Are You Changing?" is fully powered.
 
      The strings are heard during various portions of “Are You Changing?". The strings are sometimes plucked (@1:55), and other times played melodically (@2:40). Still, it’s the use of the piano around the three-minute mark that is a favorite, since the quality and emotion of the vocals shine through the attractiveness of the piano.
 
     The core of Mountains Like Wax is Mitchell Taylor and Sam Katz, who have developed a dedicated fan base in Nashville and beyond. They explain “Are You Changing?” as an exploration of the inner conflict that can emerge when trying to accept the past in order to move forward:
   “How do you look back on the grit and the struggles you had to go through to meet the beauty you face and experience now? Stop numbing yourself to feeling what you need to feel,” the band says. “Recognize it and live it, then keep going. ‘Are You Changing?’ is the hope and appreciation as we recollect those hard moments that shaped us into who we are.”
 
     Mountains Like Wax is preparing to release a full-length album in 2022. “Are You Changing?" will grace that album. Additional singles will be released in the coming weeks.
 
     “Are You Changing?" by Mountains Like Wax

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mountainslikewaxmusic/
Website: https://www.mountainslikewax.com/

“Sevier” by Joy Formidable – A Song Feature

 

     Our first experience with Joy Formidable concluded when the band wreaked havoc on their instruments after announcing that they did not want to pay to transport the instruments back to Wales. It  was the final performance of that U.S. tour. It was a crowd-pleasing decision. The band again disrespects their tools in their video of “Sevier,” as vocalist Ritzy Bryan tests the ability of her guitar to withstand water torture. She splashes through what is presumably the River Sevier in Utah (where the band now resides) and then finishes by using the guitar neck to stab the riverbed.
 
      Joy Formidable flex their Rock muscles in “Sevier” after a more relaxed release in “Interval.” Both songs are from the album “Into the Blue.” The three members of The Joy Formidable are Ritzy Bryan (vocals, guitar), Rhydian Dafydd (bass, vocals) and Matthew James Thomas (percussion). While explaining “Sevier,” Bryan said:
   “The River Sevier runs 385 miles through Utah - close to where I live. It’s a metaphor for love & its journey. Are you staying in it, following it through all the seasons, cutting through mountains and canyons through all the hardships, or cutting (severing) loose? We loved the idea of water being a main element in the performance video; the churn of the waves against the calm of still water.”
 
     During the first half of “Sevier,” the song alternates between the vocals of Ritzy Bryan and heavy instrumentation from all three members of Joy Formidable. During the second half, the two components become more of a collective.
 
     “Sevier” by Joy Formidable

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thejoyformidable
Website: https://www.thejoyformidable.com/
Bandcamp:https://thejoyformidableofficial.bandcamp.com/album/into-the-blue

Lyrics of “Sevier” by Joy Formidable
Move in time together across the ways
Now I’m ready to wander that way
Those feelings on the side
That you don’t want tamed
Feel someone looking through you
 
Believe this medicine
Gives more and more
I’m not ready to go back to how it was
Believe it slowly that this could be
A different way you’re showing me
 
Coming to find that
Seven tipped star
Coming to lose time, not hold on
Those nights by the river that never go dark
Whatever way wе go I never feel lost
 
Maybe wе’ll change
Twist out of shape
That shapes it all
Right now you’re the first thought
That comes to me a different way of talking
 
Been waiting for this
Waiting for
Waking as the shoe falls
Running as it freezes more
Be there in the open
Chasing the Sevier
Chasing the Sevier
 
Been waiting for this
Waiting for
Waking as the shoe falls
Running as it freezes more
Be there in the open
Chasing the Sevier
Chasing the Sevier
Chasing the Sevier
 
The Joy Formidable Tour Dates
11.26 - Seattle, WA @ Crocodile
11.27 - Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge
11.29 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
11.30 - Los Angeles, CA @ Roxy Theatre
12.02 - Phoenix, AZ @ Crescent Ballroom
12.04 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
12.05 - Kansas City, MO @ Riot Room
12.07 - Minneapolis, MN @ Turf Club
12.09 - Chicago, IL @ Lincoln Hall
12.10 - Columbus, OH @ A & R Music Hall
12.11 - Pittsburgh, PA @ Thunderbird Music Hall
12.12 - Washington, DC @ 930 Club
12.13 - Boston, MA @ The Sinclair
12.14 - New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom
12.16 - Philadelphia, PA @ Underground Arts
12.17 - Albany, NY @ Empire Underground
12.18 - Burlington, VT @ Higher Ground

“Not Me Anymore" by We Were Promised Jetpacks – A Song Feature

 

     Using a baseball analogy while talking about a Scottish band may be geographically misplaced, but “Not Me Anymore" is similar to a pitcher with a devastating fastball also showcasing a stunning changeup. The power and complexity of the guitars of We Were Promised Jetpacks form the fan-cherished fastball, while the release of “Not Me Anymore” is a stop-and-take-notice changeup. The single is the third from the upcoming album “Enjoy The View,” which is scheduled for release on September 10 via Big Scary Monsters. To pre-order the album CLICK HERE.

     Compared to the typical sound of We Were Promised Jetpacks, “Not Me Anymore" moves the spotlight from the guitar to the synth. Along with the appealing bass line, the synth resides in the lower frequencies. The instrumentation accompanies emotional  vocals that are particularly strong during the second half of “Not Me Anymore,” when the layering is more apparent. The Edinburg band is formed of Adam Thompson (vocals, guitar), Sean Smith (bass), and Darren Lackie (drums). While talking about the single, Thompson said:
   “I started this song within a few days of us having finished recording our 4th album. I had felt completely lost leading up to recording that album but after finishing recording it, I began to feel like I was turning it around and that maybe everything was going to be ok. I didn’t necessarily feel it was going to be a song for a Jetpacks record but once we got into writing this album together, we felt it that it definitely had its place along side everything else we were working on. We loved our demo version of this song so kept it pretty true to that when recording it. All the vocals were a sort of stream of thought, and we kept it that way. We were originally thinking of putting this song in the middle of the record as a bit of an aural break but by the time of submitting the track list we couldn’t see it being anywhere else but first.”
 
     The lyrics of the single are included in this post. The tour schedule of We Were Promised Jetpacks is also included. Among the visits is a stop at The Independent in San Francisco.

     “Not Me Anymore" by We Were Promised Jetpacks

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wewerepromisedjetpacks
Website: http://www.wewerepromisedjetpacks.co.uk/
Bandcamp: https://bsmrocks.bandcamp.com/

     The official video of “Not Me Anymore” was created by Adam Keene and Mathew Marchlewski, who say, “The concept of not being yourself anymore evokes an image that never ceases to change.  An evolution of life in motion. Labels peel away and leave the underneath unrecognizable. That’s where we connected with the song, and that’s where we went.”

     Regarding the album “Enjoy The View,” We Were Promised Jetpacks' lead singer Adam Thompson explained, “We started properly writing this album at the end of March 2020 when we realised that everything was going to be shut down and that touring wasn’t going to be a possibility any time soon. So from March to June we sent each other ideas remotely and collaborated that way. I was so glad to have had a project to focus on when proper lockdown hit. When we were finally able to get into our practice space in July and write together in one room like we normally do, this song appeared pretty quickly."
 
Lyrics of “Not Me Anymore" by We Were Promised Jetpacks
Don't teach me
Don't preach to me
Don't ever get out of reach of my grip
 
Don't walk away
Don't stay astray
I just won't let you slip
 
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
That's not me
 
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
That's not me
 
Don't teach me
Don't preach to me
Don't ever let yourself out of my reach
 
Don't worry
Don't hurry
I won't go away
 
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
Not me
 
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
Not me
 
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
Not me anymore
 
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
Not me anymore
 
That's not me anymore
That's not me anymore
Not me anymore
Not me
 
We Were Promised Jetpacks Tour Dates
November 2021
11.13 - Hamden, CT @ Space Ballroom
11.14 - Philadelphia, PA @ World Cafe Live
11.15 - Richmond, VA @ Richmond Music Hall/The Camel
11.17 - Atlanta GA @ Terminal West
11.18 - Durham, NC @ Motorco
11.19 - Washington, D.C. @ Black Cat
11.20 - Brooklyn NY @ Elsewhere
11.21 - Cambridge, MA @ Sinclair
 
March and April 2022
03.21 - Phoenix, AZ @ The Rebel Lounge
03.22 - San Diego, CA @ Casbah
03.24 - Los Angeles, CA @ El Rey Theatre
03.25 - San Francisco, CA @ The Independent
03.28 - Portland, OR @ Mississippi Studios
03.29 - Seattle, WA @ The Crocodile
03.31 - Salt Lake City, UT @ Urban Lounge
04.01 - Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theater
04.02 - Omaha, NE @ The Waiting Room
04.03 - St Paul, MN @ Turf Club
04.04 - Milwaukee, WI @ Turner Hall
04.06 - Chicago, IL @ Thalia Hall
04.07 - Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
04.08 - Ann Arbor, MI @ Blind Pig
04.09 - Toronto, ON @ Lee's Palace
04.10 - Montreal, QC @ Bar le Ritz

“Jackson Pollock's House” by Silver Movie – A Song Feature

 

 

     While first becoming familiar with “Jackson Pollock's House,” the vocals draw the attention of the listener. So, the planning and the execution of the instruments are easily underappreciated. We enjoy the vocals, both during times when there is a single voice and during the pleasing moments of harmonization. Still, the instrumentation deserve at least as much praise, even though the only time quickness is required is during the percussion that begins at the three-minute mark. Much of the single from Silver Movie is closer to the slower, note-sustained Psychedelic Rock era.
 
     Perhaps the best example is early in “Jackson Pollock's House.” About ten seconds into the single, the underlying “drone” carries the mysterious attraction of a didgeridoo. Similar to the continuous vibration from the Australian wind instrument, we don’t understand our level of enjoyment of the plodding underlayer early in the Silver Movie single. 
 
     Silver Movie is the solo project of singer-songwriter Matt Ray. “Jackson Pollock's House” is a single from the upcoming album "Youth Revue.” Ray is now based in Los Angeles, but is a native New Yorker. The lyrics of “Jackson Pollock's House” are included in this post. They are subject to interpretation, but Ray explains:
   "More often than not, songwriting for me is like an exploration of my subconscious. I've never really been able to sit down and write a song about a specific topic in the traditional sense the way people like Woody Guthrie or Joe Strummer could. ‘Jackson Pollock's House’ is sort of like a few different vignettes tied together by an overarching theme of isolation."
 
     “Jackson Pollock's House” by Silver Movie

Bandcamp: https://silvermovie.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/silvermovie/

Lyrics of “Jackson Pollock's House” by Silver Movie
In times of desperation
I thought to burn this city down
Dive bomb the eastern suburbs
Ransack the land from town to town
 
It’s a pity, it’s a pity what your heart can do
When every little lie you’re telling’s someone’s dream come true
So, don’t leave me alone for long
Don’t leave me alone for long
 
Nightmares of isolation
Spray painted Jackson Pollock's House
I swear I saw him floating
Headless, and ten feet off the ground
 
It’s a pity, it’s a pity what your heart can do
When every little lie you’re telling’s someone’s dream come true
So don’t leave me alone for long
Don’t leave me alone for long
 
Don’t let them question
Your will to survive
Fight. Strike with lightning
And please
Show them your eyes
 
Don’t leave me alone for long
Don’t leave me alone for long
Don’t leave me alone for long
Don’t leave me alone for long