“Electric Fire” by Thrillhouse – A Song Review

      Until today, our favorite releases from Thrillhouse were songs that employed the synth in an understated manner to support guitar-emphasized instrumentation and intelligently written lyrics delivered by engaging vocals. The previous two 2023 releases from the UK band fit that description – “Something About This Place” and “So Far From Where I Started From.” In comparison, the synth plays a more significant role in today’s release of the third single from the upcoming Thrillhouse debut album. Still, “Electric Fire” slides in among the best of the band’s singles over the last three years.
 
     “Electric Fire” does not abandon the successful Thrillhouse formula. The guitar is still “King.” That’s particularly accurate during the bridge that begins around 2:19, although the first couple notes of the bridge deceptively, but appealingly, give the impression that the song includes a saxophone. And the lyrics are interesting and insightful. The song is about loss and coming to terms with it:
  "There are lots of people that come into your life and shape who you are but there's always one or two that really stand out. Really make a big difference in your life and teach you so much. I'm lucky to have had a couple of those. When they're not around anymore it really hurts. You feel a deep loss that, for me, has never gone away. So the track's really about me grappling with those feelings and trying to figure out how to move on but at the same time wanting to be able to remember them, all the happy memories without feeling shit that I can't see them again."
 
     Each of the three 2023 releases from the upcoming album, “Something About This Place,” tells a story and evokes an emotion. The title track looks fondly back at childhood, and references transitioning into adulthood. The album in general and the title track in particular reflect upon times in the sleepy seaside resort town Bognor Regis, UK.
 
     “Electric Fire” by Thrillhouse

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thrillhouseok/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thrillhouse_ok/

“Manuscript” by Into the Light – A Song Review

 

      “Manuscript” primarily lives in the lower frequencies, which is appropriate for a song with a connection to a book about an individual struggling through a difficult time. The drumming is crisp, confident, and determined. The distortion in the guitars carries a tension and edginess. And the vocals engagingly convey a perplexed mindset. The lyrics, which begin “I'm lost again,” are included at the bottom of this post.
 
     Because the single from Into the Light is a citizen of the lower frequencies, it’s powerful when a “bright” guitar enters “Manuscript” at the 2:47 mark. The contrast is striking and is effective in pulling any short attention span listener back into focus. Later, Into the Light flex their guitar muscle during the final minute of their single.
 
     The band from Rochester, New York, explains that the lyrics of “Manuscript” reference the almost 60-year-old book “Herzog” by Saul Bellow:
  “The main character essentially struggles with his mental health, and pretends to write letters to famous people or people in his own life. In most of these letters he's really expressing disappointment in himself. To me, there's an element of humor in the lyrics while also referencing the struggles most people have to keep our heads right in these challenging times.”
 
     The members of Into the Light are Rob Antonucci, Jay Trovato, and brothers Mike and Adam Vernick. Their Bandcamp site lists a number of other bands associated with at least some of the members. The bands include Achilles, Bad Bloom, and Hard to Know. “Manuscript” was recorded in Syracuse, NY, with producer Steve Sopchak.
 
     “Manuscript” by Into the Light

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/intothelightroc
Bandcamp: https://intothelightroc.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/into_the_light_roc/

Lyrics of “Manuscript” by Into the Light
I'm lost again
The map makes no sense
Writing letters to historical figures
Riding the train
Through New York or Los Angeles
I lost again
 
I'm lost again
The map makes no sense
Half-finished manuscripts surround me
So frustrating
To realize what's missing and not have it
 
Your company
Is lost on me
My mind keeps running away
My mind keeps running away
My mind keeps running away
 
No flowers to hide
Nothing to confide
 
No flowers to hide
Nothing to confide
 
Your company
Is lost on me
My mind keeps running away
My mind keeps running away
My mind keeps running away
 
My mind keeps running away
My mind keeps running away
My mind keeps running away
 

“The War” by Amelie Patterson – A Song Feature

 

     The vocal commitment to the lyrics of “The War” has the power to reshape the state of mind of a listener. For the too many who suffer through mental illness, the song from Amelie Patterson encourages the willingness to battle. And for those who know someone in that battle, the song fosters empathy and promotes the willingness to assist in the struggle. Our best understanding of the lyrics is included at the bottom of this post. The song was written from the perspective of someone encouraging a loved one to “fight the war.”
 
     “The War” begins with the minimalist yet emotion-packed combination of acoustic guitar and the voice of Amelie Patterson. But there are times when the production is powerful. Just beyond the one-minute mark, percussion punctuates the start of a verse. During the more than a minute that follows, the instrumentation builds in texture and complexity. But the essence of the song is Patterson and her promise to play a role once the person “finds your fight.”
 
     While talking about “The War,” Amelie Patterson explained:
  “It's a song about recognizing the invisible struggles that others are going through, and finding your own place as you lend support for a battle you can’t fight. 'The War' was written as one side of an incredibly difficult conversation to have. It’s a plea, asking a loved one to stay and fight through the darkness. It’s a very helpless situation watching someone suffer when all you can offer is your love and support. No one has to battle against mental illness alone, but taking the steps to address it has to come from within; and that can be its own war for both parties.”
 
     Amelie Patterson is from western Canada. Her skillfully crafted lyrics have earned her a reputation as one of western Canada’s best songwriters, enough to merit becoming the first-ever poet-laureate of Banff, Alberta. "The War" was recorded in Calgary with producer Will Maclellan (Phoebe Bridgers, Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift) with long-time collaborators Barry Mason, Carson Gant and Kyle Tenove.
 
     “The War” is the title track of a full-length record that is scheduled for release in May 2023. The songs that make up the EP are an emotional and auditory pathway, allowing Amelie to “walk you hand in hand through the human condition." Each song on the EP has developed over years and each came into shape with its own set of collaborators including producers Brayden Bell (Shuffalo, We Are Crickets), Will MacLellan, Brock Geiger (Reuben and the Dark) and Phenix Warren (Michael Bernard Fitzgerald). Anchored by delicate acoustic guitar, Amelie’s sophisticated folk foundations are adorned with polite instrumentation cueing dramatic depth that echoes contemporaries like Brandie Carlisle, Laura Marling, or Soccer Mommy.
 
     “The War” by Amelie Patterson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ameliepattersonmusic/
Website: https://www.ameliepattersonmusic.com/
Bandcamp: https://ameliepatterson.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “The War” by Amelie Patterson (some errors?)
I know you’re sad and sick and sorry
You wear it like a skin
You made a show and put it forward
To prevent us breaking in
 
It’s closing like a vice
All that love and sacrifice
Time to pay the price
 
And fight the war
Fight the war
Fight the war
Fight the war
 
Don’t be the bones
I’ll be the blood
I’ll be the muscle
You make them move
 
Where lies a heart that is beating
If it’s beating, that’s your truth
Where the body breaks, and the toil overtakes
I’ll give you mine
 
But it’s time
To fight the war
Fight the war
Fight the war
 
And hold on darling find your fight
Let it be your gravity that pulls you to the light
Hold on darling find your fight
Let it be your gravity that pulls you back to me
 
To fight the war
Fight the war
Fight the war
Fight the war
 
I can see it, I can see it
I can see it in your eyes
It’s heavier than me
But I’m strong and I’m steady
I’m like stones within the sea
 
Fight the war
Fight the war
Fight the war
Fight the war
 
And hold on darling find your fight
Let it be your gravity that pulls you to the light
Hold on darling find your fight
Don’t you dare go gentle to that God forsaken night
 
Just the war
Fight the war
Fight the war
Fight the war
 

“To Covet A Quiet Mind” by The NYChillharmonic – A Song Feature

     A band that is 18 members strong has a competitive advantage in creating a sophisticated, textured sound. Then, add a choir and 60 members of the Prague Philharmonic, and the firepower is in place. But composition skills are also important. Sara McDonald is the composer and vocalist of the 18-member band that is creatively named The NYChillharmonic. “To Covet A Quiet Mind” was originally recorded by the band and choir, with the larger orchestra then adding its talents to provide the artistic collaboration.
 
     The majesty of “To Covet A Quiet Mind” is apparent from the beginning. The intro has a keys-driven first portion and an orchestral second portion. At the start, the keys impressively deliver energy in a package that is original while reminding us of the title track from the Genesis concept album “The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway.” The orchestral portion steps up the intensity, then ends with a step down to the body of the song and the voice of Sara McDonald.
 
      The song is characterized by its varied intensity. Well-conceived and skillfully executed crescendos are prominent citizens in “To Covet A Quiet Mind.” But a favorite segment of the song is the instrumental bridge that begins around the 2:40 mark.
 
     The NYChillharmonic is based in Brooklyn, New York. Their Bandcamp page describes their genre as Progressive Jazz/Rock, and notes that they are “not 'Big Band,' just a big band.” NYChillharmonic compositions have twice been awarded ASCAP’s “Herb Alpert Young Jazz Composer Award” and once-awarded the ASCAP “Phoebe Jacobs Prize.” Sara McDonald was also included in Brooklyn Magazines annual “30 under 30" list, highlighting successful musicians, artists, and entrepreneurs in New York City.
 
     “To Covet A Quiet Mind” by The NYChillharmonic

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenychillharmonic/
Bandcamp: https://thenychillharmonic.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nychillharmonic/

     The credits for “To Covet A Quiet Mind” are included on the Facebook page of The NYChillharmonic:
The Big Band
Composition, arrangement, orchestration, vocals, and additional synthesizers by Sara McDonald (bandleader)
Alto - Brian Plautz
Tenor 1 - Emily Pecoraro
Tenor 2 - Neta Raanan
Bari - Drew Vandewinckel
Trumpet 1 - Michael Sarian
Trumpet 2 - Tree Palmedo
Trombone 1 - Nick Grinder
Trombone 2 - Nathan Wood
Tuba - Harry Phillips
Violin 1 - Tiffany Weiss
Violin 2 - Ayna Ivanova
Viola - Will Marshall
Cello - Sasha Ono
Piano - Ryan Connors
Guitar - Shubh Saran
Bass - Adam Neely
Drums - Joshua Bailey
 
The Choir -
Sopranos - Gracie Terzian, Jamie Mercado
Altos - Robyn Adele Anderson, Juliet Samuels
Tenors - Jake Samuels, Alvec Plan
Bass - Jordan Rubenstein, Chris Peters
 
The Orchestra - Prague Philharmonic
 
Additional guitar overdubs by Amit Peled
Additional sting overdubs by Gabe Terracciano
 
Recorded at the Bunker Studio, Slumberland, and with the Prague Philharmonic in Prague, CZ
Big Band recording engineered by Alex Conroy
Additional vocal, guitar, string, and synth overdub recording engineered by Amit Peled
Additional vocal recording engineered by Gary DeAngelo
Produced by Amit Peled
Mixed and mastered by Vlad Orzhekhovskiy
Additional production and copyist work by Joe Benjamin
Additional organization and musician hiring by Josh Bailey and Ryan Connors
Art by Lev Sloujitel
Video footage captured and edited by Liz Maney
Additional live footage captured at The Parkway in Minneapolis, MN by Jake Buckley
 

“Pisco Sours” by Arliston – A Song Feature

 

      The instrumentation during “Pisco Sours” is an intriguing and skillfully textured blend of periodic rapid-fire bursts, ethereal electronica, and “organic” instruments, particularly the piano. Still, the vocals are the spark that motivate the addition of the Arliston song onto playlists.
 
     The vocal appeal of “Pisco Sours” is build on three components. Two are readily apparent and provide an alluring contrast of an introverted, vulnerable baritone and a regretful backing falsetto. The lead vocals begin confessionally and then ask whether it’s too early to escape the party. The falsetto makes its presence at the one-minute mark, lamenting the loss after having “it all.” The two voices have shared timing, but the lyrical statements, attitudes, and frequency ranges are independent of each other. The third component is more subtle, but not less appealing. It’s not the lead vocals jumping to a higher register for the verse that begins around 2:19. Rather, it’s the quiet voice that is first heard at 2:48 with the word “evening.”
 
     The core members of London-based Arliston are Jack Ratcliffe (vocalist & instrumentalist) and George Hasbury (instrumentalist & producer). As an explanation of “Pisco Sours,” Ratliffe said,
  “I’m often eyeing up exits at parties and have a general inclination towards the anti-social so this one felt like an opportunity to get all of my grievances out on the page. I suffer from ‘the grass-is-greener-it is.’ Usually, I will wind up thinking of someone or someplace that isn’t there and deifying it/them to an unhealthy point. For example, I actually hate Pisco Sours; it’s a horrible, horrible drink made from battery acid and evil. But, somehow, in the context of a party I don’t want to be at, the memory of them is transformed into some delicious, glowing nectar and I find myself wanting to be back there, drinking them with the person in the memory more than anything else.”
 
     Regarding the instrumentation, we are aligned with the statements made by Hasbury:
  “I love the combination of the 80’s toms and the soft Juno synth in the verses, it felt like we’d really tapped into something special when we listened back to the first bounce. There’s something so evocative and nostalgic about the soundscape in this one, it really takes you somewhere.”
 
     Jack Ratcliffe and George Hasbury teamed up with talented drummers Sylvan Strauss and Sam Catchpole, along with horn players Sam Scott and Dan Berry for their fourth EP, which will be released this year. Based upon the first two songs from the EP, there is promise to deliver the band’s most mature body of work to date, packed with expansive large-scale songs that zero in on the “Arliston sound.”
 
     “Pisco Sours” by Arliston

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

Website: https://www.arliston.com/

"A Seat at the Table" by Big Bliss – A Song Feature

 

     The social awareness and shared angst will be the longer-term motivation for frequently returning to the single from Big Bliss, but it was the guitar-driven bridge that originally attracted us to "A Seat at the Table." The bridge starts halfway through the almost four-minute song.
 
     The story behind "A Seat at the Table” is laid out at the Bandcamp site that allows streaming and purchase of the song (https://bigbliss.bandcamp.com/track/a-seat-at-the-table-3). Briefly, the lyrics were written by vocalist Tim Rice while under the influence of Covid and while watching the events of January 6, 2021. The accounting of the happenings during the lives of Tim and others in his generation is far from favorable, but they are insightful and somehow provide a positive rallying point.
 
     Big Bliss was started by brothers Cory Rice (drums) and Tim Race (guitar) in 2015. They were recently joined by Rose Blanshe (bass). The Brooklyn-based trio is preparing to release its second LP, “Vital Return” via Good Eye Records. The release date is August 18, 2023.
 
     "A Seat at the Table" by Big Bliss

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bigblissband
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bigblissband
Bandcamp: https://bigbliss.bandcamp.com/
 
Lyrics of "A Seat at the Table" by Big Bliss
I heard the sigh of the tired collective
Bellow above me
Then it’s muffled in austerity
Familiar, another disaster
In my generation
Body counting as a ceremony
Bury, bury it deeper
I should work harder
Metal bursting from machinery
The spirit, the beauty of patience
I should drink water
Oh the fiction of autonomy
 
Please don’t let it go to waste
Please don’t let it go to waste
Please don’t ever go away
 
I felt the beat of the passenger pulses
Drumming around me
Disappearing from our memory
Familiar, another event
And the victims by proxy
The promise of prosperity
I’m chasing, or being chased
I just have to be smarter
Needle the bandit coming after me
Get even, climb up the ladder
That keeps growing taller
Maybe bring it up in therapy
 
Please don’t let it go to waste
Please don’t let it go to waste
Please don’t ever go away
 
We see that our seat has been taken
Our seat at the table
The wrong place, the wrong time
The wrong reasons
Fish in a barrel
Existence of evil
The bedrock of my memory
Shifting, clang in the darkness
I learn who I am
In the crush of an atrocity
Set on us, since we got started
Since we began
Able-bodied for the company
 
Please don’t let it go to waste
Please don’t let it go to waste
Please don’t ever look away
Please don’t ever go away
 

“Hellbent” by Portair – A Song Feature

 

     The vocal range, vocalization diversity, and the commitment-to-message positively distinguish “Hellbent” from other vocals-driven songs that are important to our playlists. But the ear-catching use of the kickdrum is also worthy of praise. Kickdrums are similar to choirs in their ability to attract a listener’s attention to a song. Still, the listener will only lean into the song if the integration of the kickdrum or choir with the other song elements is melodically appealing or emotionally invigorating. Each time we play “Hellbent,” we lean in.
 
     The lyrics of the single from Portair are included in this post. As his explanation of “Hellbent,” Portair said:
  “It’s an uplifting song about pushing on when times are tough. Despite the onslaught of obstacles life throws at you, it’s about being hellbent on moving on.”
 
     Portair shows equal comfort in different vocal registers as “Hellbent” progresses. Perhaps, most impressive is the gentleness and sincerity during the first minute with the lines “And all the dust my lungs have borne //  I am bent on running through these walls.” The song then bursts into a rousing chorus – “I’m reborn…”
 
      As noted, the kickdrum plays an important role. A steady beat is first heard during the first 20 seconds of “Hellbent.” But the highlight is around the 1:24 mark, when the kickdrum leads the charge into the next verse, which includes a subtle crescendo.
 
     Portair is from Australia, but he is now based in Los Angeles. His bio is interesting:
  You probably haven’t heard of Portair. But as this solo act’s name would suggest, his music has been wafting around you, hidden in plain ear-sight, for years. As a songwriter and a producer, he’s had tracks and scores placed on networks such as Netflix, NBC, MTV, CBS. Those were merely experimentations. “When I moved to LA, I wanted to start something organic,” the Aussie native says. “This project is all my passions I can express in one cohesive art form.”
  Although he’s ready to go public, Portair would rather let his music speak for itself. It’s an alluring introduction to a natural storyteller, whose earthy folk-pop wades through life’s pain to discover its harmony. “It is always difficult writing such personal things and knowing the people closest to me will speculate that they played a part in that,” Portair says almost bashfully. “For me, this is a cathartic outlet. I hope it can be that for other people, too.”
 
     “Hellbent” by Portair

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/portairmusic
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/portair/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/portairmusic

Lyrics of “Hellbent” by Portair
I’ve got the strangest feeling crawling, crawling
In the back of my mind
And I know I’ve long heard it calling, calling
It’s a reckless sun about to rise
 
And all the dust my lungs have borne
I am bent on running through these walls
 
I’m reborn
Open your eyes
Look at the signs we ignored
All of the times we never tried to let go
All of the times we never tried to let go
 
I still have not seen Heaven yet
But I’m hellbent on moving ahead
 
And it runs within the bloodline
Days were lost, stolen away
Floating hazy down the coastline
Tryna catch a light that calms the sway
 
On the stones I tread and skin I’d torn
I’m bent on running through these walls
 
I’m reborn
Open your eyes
Look at the signs we ignored
All of the times we never tried to let go
All of the times we never tried to let go
 
I still have not seen Heaven yet
But I’m hellbent on moving ahead
 
We’re moving on, moving on
We’re moving on, moving on
We’re moving on, moving on
We’re moving on, moving on
 
I still have not seen Heaven yet
But I’m hellbent on moving ahead
 

"The Family Business" by The New Cut – A Song Feature

 

      The New Cut released a song that is life changing. Yes, that statement rings of puffery/hyperbole. But we stand by it, because there is a certainty that we are ready to change our schedules to eliminate any conflicts if there is a possibility to see "The Family Business" performed in a live setting. There is also a certainty that other music lovers will change their lives’ plans for a night in order to attend a concert of The New Cut.

 
     The energy of "The Family Business" surfaces immediately, as a guitar-driven intro telegraphs the band’s ability to grab the attention of listeners. The energy is not end-to-end. Twice, The New Cut takes an instrumental pause to shout “Well, I call that the family business.” However, unlike most songs, a pause or false-stop isn’t needed as a mechanism that recaptures short-attention-span listeners. The progress of the song is not predictable.
 
     Verses are often introduced by band shouts, with the lead guitar then stepping aside to accommodate the strong rhythm section of bass and drums. In contrast, spotlight shines brightly and favorably on the lead guitar during the instrumental bridge at 1:50. "The Family Business" is Rock, but includes Punk/Post-Pnk traits. The lyrics are intelligent and socially aware. Clearly, this is a song that will do well while taking the test of time.  
 
     The New Cut comprises lead vocalist and guitarist Henry Gerrard, guitarist and backing vocalist Flick Case, bass and backing vocalist Rachel Parr, and drummer Morgan Sellis. They met during their time at university, where they began writing and creating music together in Bristol. Through mutual influences of the likes of Black Country, New Road and Do Nothing, the band pushed their sound into a Post-Punk, riff-based direction.
 
     "The Family Business" by The New Cut

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thenewcutband/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/new_cut_band/

     "The Family Business" is from the debut EP of The New Cut. The “Merrywood” EP also features the bittersweet ache of “Reclamation,” the quirk-pop bob of “Steven Gerrard Is My Dad,” and another concert-pleaser, ”Train of Thought.” The EP’s rousing melancholia and wry lyricism echoes a puckishness similar to the likes of Parquet Courts, with its sweet solemnity drawing similarities to The Monochrome Set. While talking about the EP, frontman Henry Gerrard said
   “The EP was named after the area Morgan (drums) and I lived when we first moved to Bristol in 2020. It’s a reflection of how we felt during lockdown and what was going on in our lives, moving away from home for the first time etc. It’s a fitting reflection of the time spent in our little flat in Bedminster through the pandemic and away from home.”

“We Are Ghosts” By VNXI – A Song Feature

 

     There is an eeriness to the initial seconds of the song from VNXI, which is fitting given the title “We Are Ghosts.” Then, a punchy and crisp percussive rhythm enters as the foundation of vocals that have the weight and timbre that characterize singles from Ireland’s VNXI. As the song progresses, the complexity of the instrumentation expands and contracts, as if “We Are Ghosts” is breathing.
 
     The band provides an insight into the meaning of “We Are Ghosts. Vocalist Kurtis Wade Murphy says on the track:
  "There’s something beautiful about thinking of the past as being filled with ghosts. I think that’s often true about love. We can go through years of growth and be someone completely unrecognizable to who you were when you loved someone from the past, but when you think of that person you still see them as they were and not as they are. Old love and the mistakes we often make when we’re young can haunt us for a long time. Writing a song about this was a way to confront the haunting nature of past love and learn to leave it there."
 
     Our best understanding of the lyrics is included in this post. They often reflect uncertainty in the relationship by beginning a line with “Maybe.” Kurtis Wade Murphy’s insight that “when you think of that person [you once loved], you still see them as they were and not as they are” is reflected in the lyrics. We particularly appreciate the poetry of “Passing through life not noticing time like ghosts pass through a wall  // Remnants of our love warm me like a drug I can't kick at all.”
 
       VNXI is comprised of Kurtis Wade Murphy (lead vocals, acoustic guitar), Noely Musgrave (bass, synth), Andy L'Estrange (lead guitar, keys), and Leo Cassandro (drums). The band crafts cinematic rock uplifted by pop ambition, soundtrack-worthy sonic architecture, and good old-fashioned hometown authenticity.
 
     “We Are Ghosts” By VNXI

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

Lyrics of “We Are Ghosts” By VNXI
Maybe there's nothing in our way
Maybe we're both feeling the same
And I am your ghost, as you are my ghost
Maybe there's something in our minds
Maybe it freezes up sometimes
And that makes us cold, maybe we're cold
 
Passing through life not noticing time like
Ghosts pass through a wall
Remnants of our love alive in songs we sung
Nights we slept not at all
 
We said together, we will grow up
Until we are ghosts, so
We are, we are, we are, we are
We said together, we will grow up
Until we are ghosts, so
We are, we are, we are, we are
We are ghosts
We are, we are ghosts
 
Maybe I am just what you need
Maybe you bring out the best in me
And maybe we're blood, maybe we're just blood[?]
Maybe you are my counterweight
Maybe I make you believe in faith
Maybe even God, maybe even God
 
Passing through life not noticing time like
Ghosts pass through a wall
Remnants of our love warm me like a drug
I can't kick at all
 
We said together, we will grow up
Until we are ghosts oh
We are, we are, we are, we are
We said together, we will grow old
Until we are ghosts oh
We are, we are, we are, we are
We are ghosts
We are, we are ghosts
We are, we are ghosts
We are, we are ghosts
 
Oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh
We are, we are ghosts
Oh oh
Oh oh
Oh oh
We are, we are ghosts
 
I love you still
Till we are ghosts
I'll love you still
Till we are, we are
Till we are, we are ghosts

“The Strangest Dream” by Crystal Cities – A Song Feature

 

     In the universe of Crystal Cities, a recurring dream that nightmarishly progresses toward impending death provides the inspiration for a song with energizing guitar riffs and galloping percussion. It’s a display of the difference between most of us and the creatively artistic few. “The Strangest Dream” is a single from the upcoming LP with the untypically long title “I Should Have Known That This Was War.” In talking about the song, vocalist Geoff Rana said:
   “'The Strangest Dream' is about a recurring dream I was having where I was fighting for my life against some kind of foe. Some nights the dream would become so intense that I felt like there was no escape and that I was looking death right in the eyes. It was always then that I would be awakened.”
 
     The vocal emotion is powerful, as the inflections embrace the darkness and fears during the description of the dream. Still, the instrumental contributions are the highlight. “The Strangest Dream” explodes at 1:20. It is at that point that the skillfulness in the drumming becomes apparent. The members of Crystal Cities are Geoff Rana (lead vocals, guitar, keys), Jared King (bass, backing vocals), and Neel Shukla (drums). We find the following insightful:
  Spacey dreamscape during the verses turn into thundering choruses as the track unfurls. New drummer Neel Shukla makes his presence known as he digs deep into his rolling chorus pattern, gradually building in intensity and complexity. Jared King’s bass also gets a moment to take center stage in verse three as the instrumentation is pared back to just a synth pad, bass and vocals. A beautiful moment ensues as the bass and lead vocal dance around each other before the song explodes once again into an anthemic but ominous chorus that The National would be proud of.
 
     Crystal Cities are based in Sydney, Australia. “I Should Have Known That This Was War” will be their third LP.
 
     “The Strangest Dream” by Crystal Cities

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crystalcitiesmusic
Website: https://crystalcities.co/
Bandcamp: https://crystalcities.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “The Strangest Dream” by Crystal Cities
The lions on the run, I see
They slowly circle back on me
All these eyes abandon here
As I slowly walk on through the years
 
And if we leave now, we can make it there
I’ve seen a side of you
And all these colors, they don’t care for us
And now my head, it’s in such a rush
 
Turn off the light, turn off the light
I hear your voice, but I can’t make out what you’re trying to say
And I’m slowly walking on fire
Turn off the light so I can be here
I tried to memorize all my fear
But, as far as I know, it’s just a matter of time
 
Yeah, I had the strangest dream last night
Yeah, I had the strangest dream
Yeah, the one I’ve had a million times
Yeah, the one where I wake before I die
 
Turn off the light, turn off the light
I hear your voice, but I can’t make out what you’re trying to say
And I’m slowly walking on fire
Turn off the light so I can be here
I tried to memorize all my fear
But, as far as I know, it’s just a matter of time
 
Yeah, I had the strangest dream last night (Turn off the lights, so I can be here)
Yeah, I had the strangest dream (Turn off the light, turn off the light, so I can be here)
Yeah, I had the strangest dream last night (Turn off the lights, so I can be here)
Yeah, I had the strangest dream (Turn off the light, turn off the light, so I can be here)
Yeah, I had the strangest dream last night (Turn off the lights, so I can be here)
Yeah, I had the strangest dream (Turn off the light, turn off the light, so I can be here)
 
But I wake before I die

“Cinderella Man” by The Sportings Remember – A Song Feature

 

      The lyrical subject matter of “Cinderella Man” is meaningful and inspirational, while the instrumentation features a tasteful elegance. The song is based on a book of the same name, which chronicled the real life of a boxer who was nicknamed “Cinderella Man” when he upset the heavily favored world heavyweight boxing champion Max Baer in 1935. Artfully, the sound of crowd noise begins the song by The Sportings Remember.
 
      The lyrics to the song are included in this post. They include the line, “For your wife and for your children, you must rise again.” That line is a reference to Cinderella Man (James Braddock) returning to boxing because he had difficulties making a living wage during the Great Depression. It was during the comeback that he stunned the boxing community with his victory over Baer.
 
     Following the initial crowd noise in the song from Spain’s The Sportings Remember, a pair of guitars and then a trumpet carry a feel of a bullfight or other sporting event. The song features both abrupt intensity shifts and extended crescendos. Clearly, “Cinderella Man” did not come together without careful consideration and attention to detail. The band identifies their genre as Symphonic Folk Rock. Still, they show their flexibility during the instrumental bridge that starts at 2:26, when the piano plays a more lighthearted melody and a harmonica enters. It’s not often that you’re going to hear a harmonica in a “symphonic” performance.
 
     The Sportings Remember are from Cabanillas del Campo, Spain. The four members are Néstor Díaz, Miguel Fuentes, Carlos Caro, and Luis Felipe Camacho. In 2022, they released a three-song debut EP, “Tales of Redemption.” The Spotify stream of the EP is embedded in this post. We particularly recommend listening to the entirety of "Immortal Love" and its powerful instrumentation.
 
     “Cinderella Man” by The Sportings Remember

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thesportingsremember

“Lyrics of “Cinderella Man” by The Sportings Remember
The fame, the glory, even the gold
Now you have nothing, you've lost it all
But you have something to be thankful for
And for them you must move on
 
No one to see you, no one to trust
No one will bet for your desire
Just a few dollars is what you want
Underselling your fists to avoid the tomb
 
Now you have another
To amend the mistakes you did in the past
You have to win without your mask
You have no rival in this fight
 
The audience is screaming your name again
The pain you've been through they suffered as well
Leave your soul in the ring for them
For your wife and for your children, you must rise again
 
Behind the curtains, there is a light
You don't want the glory, but to survive
So don't give up, let's face this fight
Always the day defeats the night
 
[Bridge]
 
Behind the curtains, there is a light
You don't want the glory, but to survive
So don't give up, let's face this fight
Always the day defeats the night

[Repeat]