“Happy New Year” and "Summer Sadness" by Soft Loft – Song Features

 

     The vocals radiate a charisma that is consistent throughout “Happy New Year,” but the rhythm shapes the primary attraction in the early portion. The inviting percussion and robust bass line come together as a rhythm section that steers a lively course through an otherwise unpleasant situation. The song's title is deceptive; the lyrics do not offer an optimistic welcome to a new 12-month period. Instead, "Happy New Year" delves into the aftermath of a failed relationship following a move from a small-town existence. The accumulated missteps will continue to cast negative effects into the upcoming year.
 
     The press materials relating to the release of the song state:
   “Soft Loft is back with a new single, a bouncy breakup sing-along called 'Happy New Year.' This time, it's all about the attitude. The way the tune pushes through, shoulders back, elbows out, you could almost imagine it working a CBGB's-type crowd into a wild frenzy. The song paints a picture of a small-town couple chasing their dreams all the way to a big city, only to lose everything along the way, including themselves.”
 
     Instrumentally, the reign of the rhythm section is temporarily interrupted when the song reaches the bridge (around 2:30). It’s then that the mixing shifts to place the spotlight on guitars. Partially through the bridge, the backing guitar pivots to Shoegaze sensibilities. Adding to the appeal of the Soft Loft song, the transition from the bridge features interesting effects.
 
     The members of Soft Loft are Jorina Stamm (vocals, guitar), Lukas Kuprecht (drums), Marius Meier (bass), Sarina Schmid (keys, backing vocals), and Simon Boss (guitar). They are based in Switzerland. Gianluca Buccelatti performed the production for “Happy New Year.” It is a single from their forthcoming debut album titled “The Party and the Mess.”
 
     Soft Loft excels at releases that are melodically upbeat and lyrically downbeat. “Summer Sadness” is included in this post. The song was made available in October 2023. The melody is bouncy, while Jorina Stamm pleas “Let's hope it's summer sadness and it will pass // Cause I won't be in for another shit winter to get past.”
 
     “Happy New Year” by Soft Loft

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/softloftmusic/
Website: https://softloftmusic.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/softloftsoftloft/
 
Lyrics of “Happy New Year” by Soft Loft
And I came in from a small town
But you wanted all the big stuff
You could never be alone somehow
No knowledge of all distress
And you screwed us like some mistress
I never meant to scare your highs
 
Wanting of knowing
Knowing of wanting
Wanting of knowing
Knowing of wanting
 
Happy new year
And it all went down
You said you‘d never leave
Who do you get high on now?
You said you couldn‘t breathe
How is the air feeling now?
 
Happy new year
And it all went down
You said you‘d never leave
Who do you get high on now?
You said you couldn‘t breathe
How is the air feeling now?
 
You’re locked up in your small house
And I wanna skip the whole part
Unmeet you right from above the stage view
Your mess is trouble simply made by you
I thought you’re someone to rely on
So why’d you bring them lies on?
We’re guilty on how it all blew off
 
Wanting of knowing
Knowing of wanting
Wanting of knowing
Knowing of wanting
 
Happy new year
And it all went down
You said you‘d never leave
Who do you get high on now?
You said you couldn‘t breathe
How is the air feeling now?
 
Happy new year
And it all went down
You said you‘d never leave
Who do you get high on now?
You said you couldn‘t breathe
How is the air feeling now?
 
[Instrumental Bridge]
 
Happy new year
And it all went down
You said you‘d never leave
Who do you get high on now?
You said you couldn‘t breathe
How is the air feeling now?
   [REPEATING]

          “Summer Sadness” by Soft Loft

Lyrics of “Summer Sadness” by Soft Loft
I'm at a very bad place with myself right now
I can hardly get any sleep at night
But I won't cry it's just I'm not in the best mood for now won't lie
It's just a really sad time now, a really sad time now
 
A couple of years ago I used to get high then
But that didn't help it just made more unwell
I'm not sure who to tell
I can't stand just small crowds get too loud
It's just a very mad time now, a very mad time now
 
Let's hope it's summer sadness and it will pass
Cause I won't be in for another shit winter to get past
 
Some woman told me I'm fine
You just need some fresh air
Don't be mad get your vitamin levels up
What a lie give me time
Oh to be sad I'm not mad
It's just a very sad time now, a very sad time now
A very sad time now, a very sad time now
 
Let's hope its summer sadness and it will pass
Cause I won't be in for another shit winter to get past
Ba ba ba ba ba
Ba ba ba ba ba ba
Ba ba ba ba ba
Ba ba ba ba ba
Let's hope its summer sadness and it will pass
Cause I won't be in for another shit winter to get past

“Get It Right” by My Heart is a Metronome – A Song Feature

 

     Despite the skillful and diverse instrumentation, it's fair to characterize "Get It Right" as a vocally driven track. The vocals compellingly deliver lyrics that invite interpretation, a characteristic often found in songs that gain greater impact with repeated listens. While we are sure that there are flaws, our best understanding of the lyrics is included at the bottom of this post. Despite the subjectivity in both wording and meaning, the unwavering vocal commitment undeniably underscores the gravity and sincerity of the lyrics.
 
     My Heart Is a Metronome does provide insight into their song:
  "’Get It Right’" is a song that emerged from a particularly eventful night out, following a gig that left one of the band members, Mattis, with a story to tell. It's a unique mix of bikers and love, and as the band explains, "This song came about after a long night out on the town after a gig where Mattis got his ass kicked by bikers in the toilet line. It's also about love dying though, so it's kind of a strange mix of bikers and love. Not that there's anything wrong with that!"
 
     The band is based in Uppsala, Sweden. The members are Gustaf Simonsson (bass), Mattis Malinen (vocals, guitar), and Felix Carlsten (drums). My Heart Is a Metronome are preparing to release their debut album in the spring of 2024. Jakob Grundtman, who worked on Tallest Man on Earth and Francis, will produce and mix the album, with mastering being provided by Sören von Malmborg, who worked with Coldplay, Sia, and Avicii. Based upon “Get It Right,” the album promises to feature a mature and rich sound that takes advantage of the individual skills of the three musicians.
 
     Our favorite segment of “Get It Right” begins around the 1:45 mark. During the time that the question “Are We Finally?” is repeated three times, the song crescendos. Soon after the intensity peaks, there is a drop into the chorus. The band’s description of their song is interesting:
   “Musically, ‘Get It Right’ has a distinct character. The song has a darker, almost sacred sound, with verses featuring a gritty funky Daft Punk-style bassline that builds up to more bombastic choruses. These choruses are adorned with Running Up That Hill-style drums, layered with a guitar played with a bow, akin to a cello. The result is a captivating production that the band is genuinely pleased with.”
 
     “Get It Right” by My Heart is a Metronome

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/myheartisametronome
Website: https://www.myheartisametronome.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/myheartisametronome

Lyrics of “Get It Right” by My Heart is a Metronome (flawed)
I think you know when the feeling's sad
I think you know when you get it right
I think we're finally gonna get it right
Ah ooo, ah ooo
 
Cause I can feel it building up
And though I'm scared of it coming down
I think we're finally gonna get it right
Ah ooo, ah ooo
 
I was high with the angels, they
Didn't even say bye
Left me there with the tears in my eyes
Rolling down
Such a pleasant surprise
 
I know the locks, so I forged to key
It's either you, me, you or me
We're not some distant memory
Ah ooo, ah ooo
 
So hear me screaming what I want
And feeling what I should
It’s all a fog, but I think we could
Ah ooo, ah ooo
 
Simple questions lingering
It’s one I hear you whispering
I think I’m finally putting up a fight
 
Know that every passing year
Bringing distance to the fear
I think we're finally gonna get it right
 
I was high with the angels, they
Didn't even say bye
Left me there with the tears in my eyes
Rolling down
Such a pleasant surprise
 
Are we finally?
Are we finally?
Are we finally?
 
I was high with the angels, they
Didn't even say bye
Left me there with the tears in my eyes
Rolling down
Such a pleasant surprise
 
I was high with the angels, they
Didn't even say bye
Left me there with the tears in my eyes
Rolling down
Such a pleasant surprise
 
Left me there with the tears in my eyes
Rolling down
Such a pleasant surprise

“November” by Cloudbelly – A Song Feature

 

     Cloudbelly skillfully weaves its creativity into classic Indie Folk elements, resulting in "November," a song that boasts an infectious and enchanting bounce. For example, the intro features cyclic acoustic guitar and subtle percussion that combine to define a rhythm that is characteristic of much of “November.” The intro also includes an electric guitar, but it isn’t played in a conventional manner. Rather, a bow is employed to craft the atmospheric melody that accompanies the rhythm. Later, the bow takes a hiatus, and the electric guitar is played in a standard manner. However, the bow is reintroduced as the song advances.
 
     In "November," the vocal charm extends beyond the lead vocals, although they possess the allure to stand alone. Indie Obsessive has consistently appreciated the use of selective backing vocals, where layering is often employed for just a few words. The backing vocals make their first notable appearance around the 47-second mark, harmonizing with the lead vocals on "Teach me mercy, cold November," after which the song’s intensity takes an upward jump.
 
      In talking about the song, Cloudbelly explained:
   "’November’ is a yearning, exuberant indie-folk ode to precarious love and the emptiness it leaves behind. Melancholic strings and bowed guitar dance above a rollicking train rhythm, giving the track a wistful momentum like a celebratory funeral march.”
 
     The Bandcamp site for “November” lists the song’s credits. The first four individuals on the list comprise Cloudbelly, which is based in Montague, Massachusetts:
-Corey Laitman: songwriting, vocals, acoustic guitar
-Sam Perry: songwriting, electric guitar, backing vocals
-Reed Sutherland: songwriting, engineering, piano, wurlitzer, OP-1, organ, electric bass
-Nate Mondschein: production, engineering, songwriting, string
arrangement, drums, percussion, loops, beatmaking, electric guitar, acoustic guitar, mandolin, synthesizer, mellotron
 
-Cynthia Tolson: strings
-Andrew Oedel: engineering, mixing
-Anni Casella: mastering
 
     Cloudbelly is scheduled to release its sophomore record in February 2024. The title will be “i know i know i know.” The band explains, “The album’s title (drawn from the chorus of the second single “Handfuls”) points to that knife’s edge divide, between the understanding of the way things are, and the seeming impossibility of embracing it. i know i know i know––acceptance and hesitation packaged in a single turn of phrase. It’s about confronting the fact that when it comes to healing and recovery, we are both the poison and the medicine. It’s about being present with the parts of ourselves that are in pain.” 
 
     “November” by Cloudbelly

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cloudbelly
Website: https://www.cloudbellytheband.com/
Bandcamp: https://cloudbelly.bandcamp.com/
 
Lyrics of “November” by Cloudbelly
Old November, haven’t seen you in a year
Old friend, you carve the space between my ears
Into a cavern, clamoring with birds
Their feathers - softest sound I ever heard
 
Say my love’s marked “return to sender”
Teach me mercy, cold November
 
Hungry lungs, my love’s the space between the notes
I meant them, every word I ever spoke
Your longing launched a symphony of leaves
That fevered sunlight brought me to my knees –
To remember, I surrender
Bless this hot mess, cold November
 
Love, you’re worried – I can read it in your brow
You’re ten feet under, but can’t remember how
Your shoulders drove the blade into the earth
But can you blame them, not knowing what you’re worth?
 
Hold your own hand. Feel how tender.
We can make it past November