There are two ways to cover a pop song. The first is the karaoke method: sing it more or less the same way, hit the big notes, maybe add one dramatic key change if you’re feeling ambitious. The second is the slightly more interesting approach, where you take the song apart, look at what it’s […]
There are two kinds of protest albums. The first kind are loud about it. You know the type: guitars turned up, slogans shouted directly at the nearest microphone, maybe a chorus that feels designed specifically for chanting at a demonstration. They’re not subtle, but that’s sort of the point.The second kind are quieter. Reflective. The
Rock music has always come with a very specific aesthetic package. You know the one: leather jackets, hair that suggests a long-running disagreement with scissors, guitars that sound like someone plugged a chainsaw into a thunderstorm. The cultural message is clear. This is Serious Guy Music. Feelings are allowed, but only if they’re screamed through
“The independent artist leans into the nocturnal shadows of modern trap-soul, trading raw emotion for a numb, atmospheric crawl.” Independent artist Ricky Earlywine enters the fray with “move like this,” a woozy slice of alternative R&B that weaponizes detachment. Rather than offering a booming introduction, he kind of slips in through the back door and
Ricky Earlywine Serves Up Hazy, Autotuned Anxiety on an Exercise in Metallic Detachment Read More »
NIA AKINS’ ‘LEAN’ IS A BRUISED, BIBLICAL PLEA DISGUISED AS AN ARENA-READY INDIE POP BANGER “Independent artist Nia Akins swings for the fences, pairing heavy lyrical codependency with radio-friendly production that mostly sticks the landing.” To promise a massive, festival-ready anthem as an independent artist requires a special kind of ballsy gumption, but that’s exactly
New Music Radar Featuring: Nia Akins, Erode The Dream, and Sorry for Interrupting Read More »
GRID THEORY DELIVERS A BRUTAL, NOSTALGIC SLAB OF MID-2010S ANGST ON ‘THE BEAUTI OF DECAY’ “With throat-shredding vocals and brickwalled production, this independent release trades technical polish for pure, unadulterated emotional warfare.” To promise a devastating emotional release in a debut single requires a special kind of ballsy gumption, but that’s exactly what independent artist
New Music Radar Featuring: Grid Theory, Last Second Dropout, and Illumination Road Read More »
Watch out for indie artist Brian Melso, who just released The Endless on January 18. This three-song project looks at the quiet strength in life’s in-between moments. Instead of chasing catchy hits, Melso’s voice stands out for its emotional depth, making it unforgettable like top pop artists today. The track “Dream a Little Dream” highlights
The Understated Brilliance of Brian Melso’s Dream A Little Dream Read More »
There’s a very specific kind of personality trait that pop music loves to dissect: the people pleaser. The person who says yes when they mean no, apologizes for things that aren’t their fault and slowly realizes, usually after several emotionally inconvenient life experiences, that maybe constantly performing a version of yourself for everyone else is
There’s a long tradition in rock music of confronting your inner turmoil by giving it a suitably dramatic name. You don’t just feel bad; you’re battling demons. Possibly several demons. Maybe a devil or two for good measure. It’s a metaphor that has powered everything from classic metal albums to extremely intense diary entries. Which
Devils and Demons Is Like the Best of Rock; Music That Literally Rocks You Read More »
There is a particular flavor of indie-folk that has dominated the last decade or so, and you know it when you hear it. It smells faintly of mason jars and reclaimed wood. It is emotionally vulnerable in a way that is very curated. Everyone is sad, but in a way that would still look good
