“Spectator” by JFDR – A Song Feature

 

     The tastes of most music lovers change over time. They are typically not major shifts, and are often temporary. As examples, this blog has gone through a time of increased appreciation for music from Icelandic artists and, on a separate occasion, an elevated awareness of the beauty of the harp. Today’s post is a return to both.

 

     JFDR is a project of Jófríður Ákadóttir, who is based in Reykjavík, Iceland. In her song “Spectator,” the harp plays a significant role. Naomi Greene is the harpist. Interestingly, the piano is from Ásthildur Ákadóttir, the twin sister of Jófríður.

 

     “Spectator” will be on the album, “Museum,” which is scheduled for release on April 28, 2023. The Bandcamp site for the upcoming album explains:

  “’Museum’ was made in an intense and nurturing period she found at the other side of an existential crisis about her own work in the aftermath of the release of her previous album, the acclaimed ‘New Dreams.’ However, she began to emerge from her creative stasis in late 2021, inspired by the discovery of ideas lost to time and demos of songs never finished while purging her computer of old files.”

 
     The credits for “Spectator” identify:
Vocals and Organ: Jófríður Ákadóttir
Guitar: Ásgeir Kjartansson
Harp: Naomi Greene
Violin and viola: Viktor Orri Árnason
Piano: Ásthildur Ákadóttir
Piano Programming: Thomas Davíð Stankiewicz
Bass: Shahzad Ismaily
Drums: Albert Finnbogason
Percussion: Francesco Fabris
 
     “Spectator” by JFDR

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jfdrcurrent
Website: https://jfdrcurrent.com/
Bandcamp: https://jfdr.bandcamp.com/album/museum
 

Lyrics of “Spectator” by JFDR
Heart, diamond shaped
Pulled out at all its edges
I can‘t tell if I‘m in over my head
 
Words, in a spider web
And you ask me to fix it
I am in over my head
 
I am the spectator
I am the middle man
Thinking for everyone
Watching you both take out your fear on me
How can I help you if it‘s best for me
To stay away?
 
I am caught in between
Feeling the feelings
Of everyone except my own
I can‘t take it
I can‘t be in between
How can I help you if I always get it wrong?
 
I am caught in between
I am caught in between
 
I am the spectator
I’m just the middle man
Thinking for everyone
Watching you both take out your fear on me
How can I help you if it‘s best for me
To stay away?
 
I am caught in between
Feeling the feelings
Of everyone except my own
I can‘t take it
I can‘t be in between
How can I help you if I always get it wrong?
 

“Blinds” by Robin Kester – A Song Feature

 

     Robin Kester is masterful at seamlessly moving her songs from a first portion driven by her vocal skills to a second portion showcasing the instrumental power of the band. Sure, some of her songs follow the conventional A-B-A pattern of vocals, stretched instrumental bridge, and vocals. But our favorites from Kester tend to lead with the vocals and then power it home with instrumentation. That describes “Infinity Song,” which was posted a few weeks ago. “Blinds” also snugly fits that description.
 
     The voice of Robin Kester is understated while the rhythm is commanding for slightly more than the first two minutes of “Blinds.” Toward the end of the two minutes, the backing vocals take an appealing echo approach of the lead vocals but end in the troubling statement “I don’t know if I am alive.”
 
      The lyrics are completed by the 2:10 mark of “Blinds,” but Kester adds background vocalization as the song moves the spotlight to the instruments. Interesting, a saxophone and a bugle are featured. The guitar doesn’t wrestle control until the final 40 seconds. The members of the band are Robin Kester (vocals, guitar, synth), Sam van Hoogstraten (guitar), Stef Koenis (keyboards), Thijs Visscher (bass guitar, synth), and Joep van Osch (drums). But Kester’s Facebook page gives further credit to Timo Jilesen (saxophone), Susanne Linssen (violin), and Jelte Heringa (bugle).
 
     Kester who is from Rotterdam, Netherlands, explains that “Blinds” was written during a time of feeling depressed. “I only felt like sleeping during the day to make the time pass quicker. But at the same time, I was fed up with feeling like that. I wanted to feel like I was taking part in life again instead of sleeping it away or looking at it from afar as some kind of bystander.” The song is on the debut album “Honeycomb Shades,” which was the working title of “Blinds.” The 11-song album is available via many platforms, including Bandcamp CLICK HERE.

     “Blinds” by Robin Kester

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RobinKesterMusic
Website: https://showcase.fm/robinkester

“Wish I Could Forget” by Day/Four – A Song Feature

     Day/Four begins their song with a sense of urgency, as though a clock is counting its way to an explosion. A kickdrum and a guitar hook soon join, with the drum adding to the tension, while the guitar provides a calmer contrast with its more musically appealing and note-sustaining approach.

 

     Lyrically, the countdown to an explosion is fitting. “Wish I Could Forget” is a song about the thoughts of enduring a failed relationship. There was hope that the relationship could be revived, but now even the hope seems to have perished:

It's been months since you walked away

With all my dreams in your hands

You said maybe we'd find a way

Back into each other’s plans

But I won't wait another day

No, I won't wait another day

 

     The vocals during that verse are particularly anguished. The sound of strings (synth-generated?) is powerful as it amplifies the pain. Still, our favorite aspect of the vocals occurs in the final portion of “Wish I Could Forget,” when lyrical layering is used twice (the first occurs at 3:11). The lyrics are included at the bottom of this post, and the two vocal overlaps are shown by italics.

    

     Day/Four is a Nu-Metal/Rap-Metal band based in San Francisco. The core members are Mason Taylor (vocals) and Andres Rivas (instruments). They are scheduled to release an album, “Recycled Heart,” on March 17, 2023. “Wish I Could Forget” is a single from that album.

 
     “Wish I Could Forget” by Day/Four

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dayfourband/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dayfourband/

Lyrics of “Wish I Could Forget” by Day/Four
We were walking side by side
Underneath the cherry trees
You took me by the hand
And said you'd never, ever, ever, ever leave
 
I really thought we'd never fall apart
But I guess you were in my blind spot
You promised that you’d never break my heart
Well, I guess that you forgot
 
Now I wish I could forget you
But you're always in my head
I wish that I could stop remembering the things you said
I spent so many nights trying to drink your voice away
But I can't drown the feeling that I couldn't make you stay
 
We were walking hand in hand
Underneath the falling leaves
Ooo, you took me by surprise
Yeah, I could barely, barely, barely, barely breathe
 
I really thought we'd never fall apart
But I guess you were in my blind spot
You promised that you’d never break my heart
Well, I guess that you forgot
 
Now I wish I could forget you
But you're always in my head
I wish that I could stop remembering the things you said
I spent so many nights trying to drink your voice away
But I can't drown the feeling that I couldn't make you stay
 
It's been months since you walked away
With all my dreams in your hands
You said maybe we'd find a way
Back into each other’s plans
But I won't wait another day
No, I won't wait another day
 
Now I wish I could forget you
But you're always in my head
I wish that I could stop remembering the things you said
I spent so many nights trying to drink your voice away
But I can't drown the feeling that I couldn't make you stay
 
Said I wish I could forget you
[I wish I could forget you]
But you're always in my head
I wish that I could stop remembering the things you said
I spent so many nights trying to drink your voice away
[Spent so many nights]
But I can't drown the feeling that I couldn't make you stay