“A magic club where everyone can freely be themselves without fear of judgment? That is what Chappell Roan has given us here with ‘Pink Pony Club,’ a heart-rendering vocal ballad about acceptance. The piano melody and Roan’s vocals invite you in and the tender songwriting holds you, leaving you eager to discover what’s next in this song of both hope and sadness. ”
“Cyrena Wages delivers a genre bending vibe on this track about being at the crossroads. It is no surprise that The Memphis, TN, native chooses to tie this to the river instead of the road, but the premise is the same.
There is a bit of honky-tonk angel to this one, as well as a some gospel infused soul in the sound. The important thing is that you recognize Wages incredible talent as both a performer and a songwriter. ”
“Reconciliation is a tough thing to achieve after the trusses of trust have been burnt and both parties have walked away from that burning bridge. There has perhaps never been a more beautiful song written about that very thing than ‘Love You Twice.’.
The emotion of rekindling the promise of love is a tough to capture because it us so nuanced. Not only did Lilla Vargen capture that, but she did so with an undeniable hook that speaks even to a hard-heartened man like me, who would never for a second consider turning toward the ex in my own life.”
“Powerful lyrics and emotional performance gives this track an unrelenting allure that draws you deep into the treachery of heartbreak.
Escaping the memories of a lost love is tougher in this digital age where the current lives and statuses are but a click away, so even when we ‘Don’t Really Want To Know’ what is going on with that ex, the compulsion to check in is a hard one to fight. ”
“This track is a seductress. I didn’t really want to give in to it’s devilish charms, but Kelsy Karter gives a varied performance that is hard not to fall for, and the imagery of the video is fun and gripping as well.
Karter lives up to her unpredictable reputation with this track and the energy is undeniable. Give it a listen and be careful lest you to find a ‘Devil On My Shoulder.’ ”
“Justin Jesso captures you with the emotion and vulnerability of his voice. In this piano ballad he lays out a tender refrain that drips with hope and confidence that what is meant to be will be. ‘If You’re Meant To Come Back’ is about the faith of a lover willing to allow their person to spread their wings and fly, but even they realize that life is unpredictable and you never quite know where another will land. ”
“I do love a good go to hell song, and Lucy May Walker gives us exactly that with ‘Bad Day.’
Heartbreak is a hard thing and sometimes taking the high road simply is not effective in easing the pain. This fun and light track is for certain low road therapy, but it is smile inducing entertainment and that is a road I will happily travel every single time. ”
“Once upon a time, much of the mainstream music that came out of Nashville had genuine emotion behind it, but little by little that sound bled out to an over-saturated market of bro fueled party songs that said nothing and conjured even less emotionally. Luke Austin now calls Nashville home, but he hails from Toronto and here on this songwriter styled vibe, he brings exactly the emotion that once thrived in Music City.
I won’t call it country because the modern sound is as unpure as any genre these days, but this song is heavy on the emotion of love, and delivers steady unwavering vocals that some might feel fits what that genre once was. ”
“This track has a groovy little beat and melody that pools and mingles with your soul like cool water on a hot summer day. This soothing quality is not like a calm tranquility, but rather an infusion you didn’t even know you needed so badly.
But rather than trying to describe how the song came about and its meaning I am going to leave that to the band itself and defer to the words of lead singer Laura Mitic ... ‘People are living in a state of nature deprivation, whether conscious or not. The song tells of someone swooping in and pulling their person out of a city and running with them to the coastline. It is intended to be slightly satirical, but there’s a hint of seriousness as well since the song touches on mental health and the state of the world we live in: over consuming, lusty for capitalist greed and concrete (in the literal sense).”
On the timeliness of the track she adds, ‘We are all being encouraged to consider the health of “us” as a community, rather than “us” as an individual. Now is the time to push selfishness aside and have each other’s best interests in mind. Now is the time to be caring for each other and to learn from this experience so we can move forward with our collective planet’s best interests in mind as well.’ ”
“With soaring vocals, Molly Hammar brings her latest single, ‘Alone’ to a big bold sound that sweeps you in as a listener — and holds you with the power and emotion.
Being alone can be tough, but being with the wrong person can be so much worse, and far more harmful in the long run. The overall vibe here is tough to pin to a traditional genre as it contains elements of Pop, R&B, and EDM and yet the the blend is very engaging and entertaining.”
“The feeling that you are failing others is a hard one to take, but when you feel like you are failing yourself, that pain is all the worse. And sometimes you can’t escape one of those facts, without intensifying the other. This single by Cian Ducrot is all about the demands of expectations others put on you and balancing them with the things that make you happy.
The haunting and emotional vocals here are a huge part of the story, but lyrically this track emotes from the very beginning. And the imagery of the video, of one man trying to do it all, proves very effectual as well. This is a piece of music that will truly make you stop and think about your own direction. ”
“The envy of others via social media, and social stalking fueled by jealousy. These are the twin emotions MOLI calls upon in ‘So Jealous,’ and both come through in every word. At times the vocal flow has a ZZ Ward meets Elle King vibe, but at other times it feels more like a pure Pop refrain. Either way the track is quite entertaining and engaging. ”
“Lyrically, ‘What Do I Call U’ is an emotional question poised to a former love, and the line about the word ex feeling wrong — ‘because it crosses out how important you were’ — is quite powerful and sums up the vibe of the song very well.
The song comes with a Pop vibe, but is as well-written as any track you are likely to find in any genre. Real and honest, the words and performance pulls you in and holds you there.”
“The need for space from a person or place is something most of us have felt at one time or another. Here in the midst of this quarantine, that need is no doubt stronger than ever before as we all feel stuck in one way or another.
Here in this track, the sweet vocal vibe of Kat Hammock borders on a traditional singer/Songwriter vibe with a hint of Country and the combination pulls you in close to her heart. ”
“Cam Pendley takes a reflective look at his relationship history in this smooth soulful track. The emotion of his regrets and fears come through in both the performance and the songwriting and it is in this that the single finds it heart. The track has hints of an Electro Pop beat and melody with the vocal vibe of a singer/songwriter style.”
“There is a fun funky groove to the melody here, and coupled with the engaging vocal flow, ‘All I Want’ is a quietly energetic track that delivers hints of Elton John and John Mayer. An engaging set of lyrics holds you with the genuine emotion of their words and the build and progression offers enough variation to keep you guessing. Though not so much ... that you can’t fall in line and sing along. ”
“There is something dark and sinister growing here in this sound, but trust me when I say ‘Bad Apple’ is far from rotten. Coming with a melody that at times feels like it is straight from an old Spaghetti western, and at others feels like like a modern, emotional Pop ballad, Bad Flamingo pairs this unique musical vibe with vocals that feel both haunting, and alluring.”
“Quarantine submissions have been flooding my inbox and most fail to capture the true thoughts and feelings, but Jared Minnix has written one that truly captures the vibe of these troubling times.
Soft Pop vocals and a calm, yet energetic melody back these lyrics which feel true and genuine. No one can predict what’s coming next, but perhaps Minnix has created the soundtrack for these odd days where time has very little meaning.”
“Blending a singer/songwriter vibe with an engaging Hip-Hop vibe, Peaceful James gives us a melancholy ode to lost love. A smooth chill flow tinged with sadness and emotion unfurls the lyrics of this track. The pain and suffering is there and this track is a bit like having a conversation with a heart-broken friend. ”
“Dylan, Guthrie, Petty, Isbell. Elements of these great songwriters, and others, come through in the vulnerable raw lyrics of Ryan Cassata. The melody too has been created to covey the inner thoughts of this talented artist.
Sure the masters of the craft have influenced Cassata, but I would be remiss not to proclaim the individuality as well. ‘Catcher in the Rye’ is a song about falling in love after a traumatic past filled with violent hate crimes and bullying in Cassata’s conservative hometown on Long Island. Cassatta explained more by saying ‘In this music video, I go back to my hometown (Bay Shore, NY) and visit some of the places that hurt me the most as a young queer/trans person.’
The video is bleak in the gray tones, but in the words there is a hope, a spirit that is part defiant and part relief, a sense of I’ve survived and now it is my time to thrive.
This recording was done live, without embellishments or retakes and this fact only adds to artistry as we listen to a true songwriter bare their soul. ”