"Half Asleep" by Panic is Perfect – A Song Feature

 

     Sightings of 12-string guitars are now about as common as leftover bacon strips. But the above picture of Mike Hoffman shows that the instrument, which is common in music from the ‘60s and ‘70s, still exists. Hoffman is the frontman of San Francisco’s Panic Is Perfect. The band is moving toward a June 17 launch of the EP “Becoming Yourself.”
 
     Panic is Perfect recently released “Half Asleep” as evidence of the appeal of the upcoming EP. The single sits in the difficult-to-reach region in which production magic shines brightly without the artificial “feel” brought by overproduction. The effort and thought are evident in the first and the final seconds, when it sounds as though the equipment is switched on, then off. “Half Asleep” is characterized by appealing vocals, an inviting chorus, and sophisticated rhythm.
 
     Lyrically, Panic is Perfect says "Half Asleep" is about a relationship that doesn't have a place in the real world. Hoffman notes, "The dreams and desires I have for my life are sometimes only possible if I don't stay too close to reality. And, I don't see this as a bad thing." He sees value in not paying excessive attention to circumstances that are unfavorable to reaching your dreams. 
 
     The members of the San Francisco band are Mike Hoffman (vocals, guitar percussion), Ty Parker (drums), Jorge Gonzalez Mendez (guitar), Bob Byers (bass) and Sean Tannehill (keyboards). Their sound is self-described as a mash-up of Dance Rock, Afro-beat, and '60s Pop with introspective narratives. While talking about the upcoming EP, they explained:
   “’Becoming Yourself’ is highly relatable for music fans who have been swallowed, chewed up, and spit out of the pandemic world with a greater understanding of themselves and are a better person for it. Hoffman, a father of a two-year-old son while being a full-on artist during the pandemic, faced a waterfall of uncertainty and an uncontrollable outpour of music culminating in Becoming Yourself. Panic Is Perfect breaks through with explosive energy on issues of unrealistic love, mental illness, endless fights, sleepless nights, and the limitations of an artistic life with an abundance of hook-laden choruses.”
 
     "Half Asleep" by Panic is Perfect

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

“Vent de haut” by Mountain Fire - Bilingual Music

     The Beatles’ “Michelle” and Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer” are probably the best known songs with lyrics that are a combination of English and French. Both have a higher percentage of English. Conversely, “Vent de haut” is primarily French. The single from Mountain Fire is driven by harmony, but also features a powerful guitar hook.
 
     It is not a surprise that Mountain Fire is based in France. Still, their Bandcamp site notes:
   “Mountain Fire is a group of women, a story of Franco-American friendship. Three voices that weave sounds and words.” The three voices belong to Myriam Charvet, Shelly Bierschbach, and Marie Mathieu. The credits for their songs also identify Nicolas Bécret as being a member. “Vent de haut” is from the “Between Shadows” album.
 
     “Vent de haut” by Mountain Fire

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MountainFireOfficiel
Website: https://mountainfire.fr/
Bandcamp: https://mountainfire.bandcamp.com/music

Lyrics of “Vent de haut” by Mountain Fire
Frère entends-tu la rumeur qui gronde
Frère entends-tu ce murmure au loin
C’est le bruit de la ville, c’est la fureur du monde
Ce sont nos cœurs, nos cœurs qui crient en vain
 
Frère regarde ce soleil sombre
Crois-tu qu’il brille seulement pour les forts
En marche les yeux fermés, nous disparaissons
Aveuglés, aveuglés par les ombres
 
As long as the wind blows
As long as the wind blows
 
Oh nous les réfugiés du silence
Nous les noyés qui perdons la voix
Quand le monde est trop lourd, quand la violence rend sourd
Nous qui hurlons jusqu’au petit jour
 
Les mots ne connaissent pas les frontières
Ni le soleil, ni nos cœurs, ni les vents
Tant que souffle le vent
Faisons résonner nos chants
 
As long as the wind blows
As long as the wind blows
As long as the wind blows
As long as the wind blows
 
Frère entends-tu la rumeur qui gronde
Frère entends-tu ce murmure au loin
C’est le bruit de nos chants qui luttent contre les ombres
Ce sont nos voix, nos voix qui crient enfin

Rock Guitar Is Alive and Well

      The guitar may no longer be Head of State in the Rock world, but it is still prominently positioned within the royal family. Below are three Rock songs with strong guitar, although to a decreasing degree.

     Headshrinkers are from West Midlands, UK. While their sound is typically more Post-Punk, “Monocle” is Rock. They are Garran Hickman (vocals), James Knott (guitar), Xavier Al-Naqib (bass), and Scarlett Churchill (drums).

     “Monocle” by Headshrinkers
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theheadshrinkers/

Bandcamp: https://headshrinkersband.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Monocle” by Headshrinkers

Enjoy the monocle from love's giving

We don't need no tropical living

All we need is the house we live in

And to christen every seat that we sit in

 

A chronicle of you in this first edition

Now every word is yours that I've written

And we're worlds above

To those who claim their faith to love

 

I'll breath with you to match your rhythm

As I lay to gain a glimpse of your giving

And by no means at dopamine's loss

And you will never albatross

 

And you will never be once alone

So take the rope to the cliffs we cross

Let's keep you and I under this glass

And the sun will burn us to ash

 

Let's get closer

Can you take me home on your own?

We're alone

'Til the end

We ride like Bonnie and Clyde 'til the end

 

Let's get closer

Can you take me home on your own?

We're alone

'Til the end

We ride like Bonnie and Clyde 'til the end

 

Let's get closer

Can you take me home on your own?

We're alone

'Til the end

We ride like Bonnie and Clyde 'til the end

 

Let's get closer

Can you take me home on your own?

We're alone

'Til the end

We ride like Bonnie and Clyde 'til the end

 

(We're alone 'til the end)

(We're alone 'til the end)

Enjoy the shift to a closer state (We're alone 'til the end)

Like a thousand shifts in tectonic plates (We're alone 'til the end)

And not once have we paused for thought (We're alone 'til the end)

Or any ride could be cut short (We're alone 'til the end) 

     I Am Strikes call Brooklyn home, but this is Kelly Rosenthal from Sacramento, California.
 
“Paper Tiger” by I Am Strikes

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/iamstrikesmusic
Website: http://www.iamstrikes.com/
Bandcamp: https://iamstrikes.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Paper Tiger” by I Am Strikes

Are you afraid of a paper tiger?

Do you wince at the sight of blood?

Do you fight just to light a fire?

Are you living in a pool of mud?

 

If you don't leave now you will never get away

My money's on your heart

We're broke right now but we still got change

My two cents is the start

 

Won't you come my way?

 

Are you a spade in a deck of diamonds

In a cage of the kings and queens?

Will you stand up or watch your life end

While you're down on your fucking knees?

 

The weight of the world

Falls heavy on the backs of the young and restless

We built an army for free

 

Won't you come my way?

 

I found god in a dirty basement

In a face sent from the man above himself

I found the devil in a shroud of white

By a dim church light

 

Won't you come my way?

Won't you make a change?

   Twin Stranger is the Welsh quartet of Alex McConnachie (vocals, guitar), Eric Karvik (drums), Joe Tobin (synth, guitars), and Josh Newington (bass). Their single “Sweat” is a blend of Rock and Power Pop.

“Sweat” by Twin Stranger

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/twinstrangerofficial/
Bandcamp: https://twinstranger.bandcamp.com/

“Frightened Whispers” by Bear’s Den – A Song Feature

 

     Singles keep dropping from their travel bag as Bear’s Den rushes toward the May 13 release date of their album and the extensive tour schedule of performances of the “Blue Hours” album. “Frightened Whispers” is available today. According to the band:
     “’Frightened Whispers’ is one of our favorites on the record. It’s been through a few iterations and has a really unique DNA as a song. It was a puzzle weaving all the different instrumental counter melodies together but the penny dropped for us when we got the wonderful Matt Douglas involved to play sax. He brought something really magical to the process, we can’t wait for people to hear it!" 
   
     Bear’s Den is the UK Folk Rock duo of Andrew Davie and Kevin Jones. As noted, Matt Douglas (The Mountain Goats, as well as Bon Iver, Josh Ritter, and Sylvan Esso) added saxophone to “Frightened Whispers.” Production magic is from regular Bear’s Den collaborator Ian Grimble. After a short intro, the single euphorically progresses to an instrumental crescendo at 3:22. It’s during this later portion of the single that the sax plays an important role.

     Melodically, “Frightened Whispers” is blissful, but that's a flawed description of the subject matter. The lyrics are included in this post. The “Blues Hours” album does not shy away from difficult subjects. The themes on the album include both self-reflection and mental health, after both members struggled with the latter in recent years. “It’s the main overarching theme with this record,” Davie explains. The group, who has worked with mental health charity CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably), previously added: “It probably speaks to our struggles and hopefully many other people’s too. Men are not very good at talking. We’re not really taught how to – men have no idea how to talk about this stuff, certainly to each other.”

 
     Bear’s Den scheduled an ambitious UK and North American tour. The set of U.S. tour dates kicks off in early September and include performances at New York’s Webster Hall, Los Angeles’ Troubadour, Nashville’s The Basement East, Chicago’s Thalia Hall, and San Francisco’s August Hall. For ticket information for the European and North American legs of the Bear’s Den tour, visit https://www.bearsdenmusic.co.uk/live.
 
     “Frightened Whispers” by Bear’s Den

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bearsdenmusic
Website: http://www.bearsdenmusic.co.uk/

Lyrics of “Frightened Whispers” by Bear’s Den
What are you so worried about?
Saying out loud
Scared they're getting close
Are they're getting close to the safe now
 
Confiding in the silence
Whispering with all that violence
Raging through your brain
I was raging all the same
 
You're breaking out
I'm breaking in
You're spoken for
I was spoken down to
You were dreaming in my nightmares
And I'm dreaming in yours
I've been looking for my friend
Since I can't remember when
Now you're nowhere to be found
Left me here on the ground
 
I was afraid of your heart
I was afraid of mine
It's not supposed to be easy, love
A candle still flickers in the dark
I was scared of how I felt
I was scared of what it meant
The cleanest way for this to end
Is with a frightened whisper in the dark
 
Yeah I still fall apart
Frightened whispers in the dark
 
What are you so worried about?
For crying out loud
Scared I'm getting close
Am I getting under your skin now
Confiding in the silence
An orchestra of tiny violins
Playing on insane
At the funeral in your brain
 
You'll live without
I'll live within
You were spoken for
I was spoken down to
You were dreaming in my nightmares
And I'm dreaming in yours
I've been looking for my friend
Since I can't remember when
Now you're nowhere to be found
Left me here on the ground
 
I was afraid of your heart
I was afraid of mine
"It's not supposed to be easy, love"
A candle still flickers in the dark
I was scared of how I felt
I was scared of what it meant
The cleanest way for this to end
Is with a frightened whisper in the dark
 
I was afraid of your heart
I was afraid of mine
"It's not supposed to be easy, love"
A candle still flickers in the dark
I was scared of how I felt
I was scared of what it meant
The cleanest way for this to end
Is with a frightened whisper in the dark
 
Yeah I still fall apart
Frightened whispers in the dark
Yeah I still fall apart
Frightened whispers in the dark

“Best Of You” by Les Cooper – A Song Feature

 

     “Best Of You” has a malleable personality, so it can be shaped by different listeners to fit their current dispositions. Les Cooper’s motivation and objective for the song are insightful and interesting, but there isn’t a wrong way to tailor the interpretation of music. However, “Best Of You” is certainly purposeful.
 
     Les Cooper is from Toronto, Ontario. “Best Of You” is a single from his upcoming album “Noise,” which is scheduled for release on May 20, 2020. He says that the song was conceived in a parking lot while waiting for a therapy session:
  “I think that getting advice from people that you are close with can be a tricky thing to navigate. It's tempting to steer towards what feels safe or comfortable. An objective point of view from someone who isn't emotionally invested is invaluable.

And the sky holds you down to the ground 

It's a bit of a struggle for me to stay grounded. I like the idea that the spinning earth and sky somehow keeps things where they're meant to be.”
 
     The voice of Les Cooper is appealing, particularly during the harmonization. And the electronica in “Best Of You” draws the listener into the ambience, which Cooper describes as playing between weightlessness and gravity. But the diversity and the layering of the guitars rule the sound for us. Cooper achieved his goal of establishing a feeling that is simultaneously organic and surreal.
 
     “Best Of You” by Les Cooper

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

Lyrics of “Best Of You” by Les Cooper
Everyone will tell you that you’re better off
You’re better off
Everyone will say that you’ll be fine
Put another dollar in the meter in the parking lot
Takes a little longer every time
 
Everyone will say that they’re a friend to you
A friend to you
Everyone will tell you not to hide
Everyone may think they’ve got the best of you
The best of you
Everyone will
Say they’re on your side
 
And the world pulls you round
And the sky holds you down
And the sky, holds you down to the ground
 
And the world pulls you round
And the sky holds you down
And the sky, holds you down to the ground
 
[Instrumental bridge]
 
And the world pulls you round
And the sky holds you down
And the sky, holds you down to the ground
[Repeating]

“When My Phone Dies” by Rainlights – A Song Feature

 

       It’s a song about sudden loss of a loved one – your smartphone. “When My Phone Dies” is a gentle, slow-tempo accounting of thoughts when the device no longer permits access to others and their posted content. The instrumentation is typically minimalist, but includes attention-grabbing moments, such as the unexpected brief surge at 1:33. The vocals are powerful without being dramatic. The harmony during the chorus is particularly appealing.
 
      Rainlights is the performance name of Rachel Chevat, who is based in New York, but spent two years in London to obtain a master’s degree in Audio Production. So, it isn’t surprising that “When My Phone Dies” is self-produced and self-mixed. In explaining the single, Chevat said it’s about the feeling of being alone with no access to distractions:
   "One day last summer, while sitting on my bed and scrolling through my phone, my screen went black. Instead of immediately grabbing a charger, I looked up from the screen and let the silence of my room wash over me. I hadn’t been home in nearly two years. It was the longest I’ve ever been away. I was living in London and creating a life for myself there. The only thing that made New York (home) still feel tangible was my phone. That’s how I saw the faces of family and friends, that’s how I heard their voices and stayed connected to their lives. 
If I told you I loved you with a paper and a pen, would it feel more real than this neon blue message? That’s the question I sat with when my phone died."
 
     “When My Phone Dies” by Rainlights

Lyrics of “When My Phone Dies” by Rainlights

When my phone dies
My eyes don't know where to look
So I stare out at the wall
Straight past the books
 
And imagine you are near
Till my visions blurred with tears
When my phone dies
My eyes don't know where to look
 
When my phone dies
My eyes turn into a thread
And they lace through empty space
Across this bed
Where I picture that our skin
Can still be interwoven
When my phone dies
My eyes turn into a thread
 
But if I wrote you a letter
Sent it across the ocean
If I told you
I loved you with a paper and a pen
Would it feel more real
Than this neon blue message?
When my phone dies and I'm on my own again
 
When my phone dies my eyes don't know who I am
So I study all the creases in my hands
And the moment feels long, but the power comes back on
And I go back to the place where I began
 
But if I wrote you a letter
Sent it across the ocean
If I told you
I loved you with a paper and a pen
Would it feel more real
Than this neon blue message?
When my phone dies and I'm on my own again
 
When my phone dies and I don’t know who I am
When my phone dies and I'm on my own again

“Teeth Marks” and “All My Love is Coming Back To Me” by S.G. Goodman

 

     “She may have old-time Country in her voice, but she has Indie Rock in her veins.” That’s a borrowed description of S.G. Goodman. The accuracy is best evidenced in the single “All My Love is Coming Back To Me,” which showcases her Kentucky roots prior to a Rock guitar-driven conclusion. It’s a strong single, but we find “Teeth Marks” even more appealing.
 
     Both songs are from an album that is scheduled for release on June 3 via Verve Forecast. “Teeth Marks” is the title track for the eleven-song album. In explaining the title, Goodman said:
  “I love the idea of teeth marks because it can be something that comes at a time that's playful, or it can just really hurt. You kind of have to have the conditions laid out pretty plainly for you to assume that it was a good thing, but most of the time we would think of teeth marks as not necessarily a good thing. Realistically this album is leaning towards the painful times.”
 
     The music of S.G. Goodman is fermented in authenticity. She said about the title track of “Teeth Marks:”
   “That song for me is about seeing the hard truth and not avoiding it. When you want someone but it's not returned - that type of unrequited love - it’s always a difficult thing to go through. But at some point, you have to face the music and realize I can make this a lot more painful on myself or I can just take someone's word for it. I can honor myself by saying that this hurts and it's not what I want.”
 
     In comparison, “All My Love is Coming Back To Me” is higher energy and more optimistic. Goodman is typically accompanied by Nick Harley (base), Matt Rowan (guitar), and Steven Montgomery (drums).
 
     “Teeth Marks” by S.G. Goodman

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SGGoodmanKY
Website: http://www.sggoodman.net/

Lyrics of “Teeth Marks” by S.G. Goodman

Well I laughed a bit

When you pulled that card

Telling me you're gonna bless my heart

Well it is

Oh it already is

 

When you left the bed

After you bit my arm

A little souvenir

Where your teeth left marks

And it is

Because oh baby it is

Oh baby it is

 

I prayed over dead birds

In your city park

Held your hand

As I crossed my heart

Yeah I did

Oh you know I did

 

Oh you know we left them there

We took a funeral march

That goodbye to you

Was the hardest part

But I did

Oh you know I did

 

And no use saying that Ooo

Oh maybe in time

You’ll see things my way

See things my way

 

Ooo Oh maybe in time

You'll see things my way

See things my way

 

And no use saying that Ooo

Oh maybe in time

You'll see things my way

See things my way

 

Ooo Oh maybe in time

You’ll see things my way

See things my way

 

Well it's just like you

To say something smart

Telling me how this shouldn't break my heart

But it did

Oh you know it did

Oh you know it did

     “All My Love is Coming Back To Me” by S.G. Goodman

Lyrics of “All My Love is Coming Back To Me” by S.G. Goodman

I see the light of Kingdoms coming

Answer the call to rock and roll

Chase down the night that someone's holding onto

And I kept the fight within my soul

 

And I see all my love coming back to me

Oh I can see it

I see all my love coming back to me

Oh I can see it

 

And I know they said it was for me to find it

And I know the feeling when you're right behind it

And I know they said it was for me to find it

And I know the feeling when I see it coming

 

I see all my love coming back to me

Oh I can see it

 

I see the light of Kingdoms coming

Answer the call to rockin' slow

Chase down the night that someone's holding onto

And I kept the fight within my soul

 

And I see all my love coming back to me

Oh I can see it

I see all my love

All my love

All my love

Is coming back to me

Oh I can see it

“Fortune” by Magic Wands – A Song Feature

 

     “Fortune” features Post-Punk guitars, steady-state percussion, and quiet vocals. Magic Wands were originally a duo formed in Nashville but are now a trio based in Los Angeles. The members are Chris Valentine (guitar, vocals), Dexy Valentine (guitar, keyboards, vocals), and Pablo Amador (drums).
 
      The press materials explain:
   “Dreaming back to the days of being a child, ‘Fortune,’ looks back on those years fondly. Full of wonder and excitement, your imagination had no bounds. Life was less complicated then, but as we grow up it becomes a blur. Vocalist and guitarist Dexy Valentine adds to the inspiration of ‘Fortune,’ [which] is about fantasy and alchemy, simultaneously reflecting childhood and forgotten dreams."
 
     Magic Wands is preparing to tour. At this time, only one date is confirmed. The band will be at the Bottom of the Hill in San Francisco on October 14. For ticket information CLICK HERE. 
 
     “Fortune” by Magic Wands

Facebook: www.facebook.com/themagicwands
Website: www.magicwandsband.com
Bandcamp: www.magic-wands.bandcamp.com

Lyrics of “Fortune” by Magic Wands
Collecting stones by the lake
Bring them home
Keep them safe
Underneath the pillow
Until they turn to gold and silver
 
Fortune will find you and me
Marble skies
Velvet streets
Fortune knocks on castle doors
Invites you to walk
On the emerald floors
 
Fortune, fortune, fortune
 
Collecting stones by the lake
Bring them home
Keep them safe
Rose crown
High ceiling
When it comes next line
You’ll know the feeling
 
Fortune, fortune, fortune
 
You’ll know the feeling
You’ll know the feeling
You’ll know the feeling
 
Fortune, fortune, fortune
 
You’ll know the feeling
You’ll know the feeling
You’ll know the feeling
You’ll know the feeling
 
Fortune, fortune, fortune
 
Fortune