Many artists channel their own personal experiences and feelings into their work, and in turn we who listen use that art to frame and understand our own emotions and the situations that we find ourselves in. It’s a beautiful thing, but sometimes we can get too caught up in ourselves, spend so much time looking inwards, that we forget that there’s a whole world out there. That’s what makes this new single from award winning Scottish singer/songwriter Karine Polwart so refreshing. ‘Ophelia’, taken from her upcoming album Laws Of Motion out 19th October, reflects on the hurricane of the same name; the awe of beholding it and the thought of the scars it left behind. Thinking on the impact it caused, the lives it altered, lets you empathise with the plights of another. Thinking of its indescribable size and power helps remind you how insignificant we all are. All together, ‘Ophelia’ is a lesson in how we’re all tiny pieces in big, complex world, and the differences that divide us matter little in the larger scheme of things.
top tracks
Top Tracks: Steve Perry – No Erasin’
As a kid, Journey was the first band I ever loved. I had all their albums and while I may not listen to them as much anymore, their music such a big part in my life. So, while I can certainly sympathise, it’s always been profoundly disheartening that the golden voice of former frontman Steve Perry has been silent for so long. Having not released any new music since Journey’s 1996 album Trial By Fire, and having rarely made public appearances in my lifetime, Steve has at long last returned to the spotlight. Bearing in mind his age and his over 20 year hiatus from making music, ‘No Erasin’, the lead single from his comeback album Traces out 5th October, is nothing short of remarkable.
Top Tracks: The Pineapple Thief – Try As I Might
Taken from The Pineapple Thief’s forthcoming album Dissolution, ‘Try As I Might’ is an exciting taster of what’s to come. Exploring darker territory than 2016’s Your Wilderness, this new single offers a glimpse into the album’s concept surrounding our hyper-connected modern world, the lack of privacy and anonymity it brings, and the consequences that follow. The Black Mirror-esque video sees frontman Bruce Soord caught in a dystopian world of in-eye cameras, struggling to deal with the implications of this brave new world. Gavin Harrison once again brings his transcendent drum work to the fray for this new record, but it’s the expressive bass tones that really shine on this track, particularly in the latter half. I’ve often looked on The Pineapple Thief as prog’s dark horse, but if the rest of the new album lives up to the standard I’ve heard thus far then they may be the clear frontrunner for the best progressive record of 2018.
Top Tracks: ABQ – Takes So Long
Sometimes a song manages to do the impossible. Some tracks can draw from opposite ends of the spectrum and combine styles that seem otherwise incompatible. Some pieces of music can be both gentle and heavy, happy yet sad, in a way that is difficult to put into words. ‘Takes So Long’, the debut single from Belfast quartet ABQ, manages to be both a raw and honest rock powerhouse as well as a sing-along pop anthem. The distinctive vocals carry such passion, equally suited to both the soaring optimism of the verses and the gritty realism in the closing calls of “it takes so long”. The slick, cinematic video shows the band create inviting festival-ready melodies, albeit with a deeper tension bubbling away beneath. The song serves as a great mission statement of what ABQ are capable of. It’s an assured start that keeps you on your toes as to what to expect next from this promising 4-piece.
Top Tracks: Tiny Castle – World
I keep an ongoing list of standout songs of 2018 as the year ticks by, but in the end the best song on the list boils down to whichever track most makes my heart sing when I hear it. ‘World’ is one of the first major contenders for that title. Aussie outfit Tiny Castle are on par with some of the best Australian bands going right now, and given the high standards I’ve seen in recent years that’s no mean feat. ‘World’ combines the retro 80s synths and airy atmosphere of The Paper Kites with the soaring indie riffs of Holy Holy, and with some truly electrifying drums thrown in for good measure. A song all about not wasting your energy on negativity, that surplus spark is channelled into making this track an intoxicating thrill ride, like some high-speed chase along shimmering neon-lit highways. It’s the kind of song that makes you feel invincible; bursting with technicolour life and an inescapable aura of joy.
Top Tracks: SHY Martin – Lose You Too
Some of the greatest artists have started out by writing songs for other people, though the trick is to save the best songs for yourself. After penning big pop singles for the likes of The Chainsmokers and Ellie Goulding, the stage was set for Swedish songwriter SHY Martin to strike out on her own, and ‘Lose You Too’ comes as a thank you to all those who’ve supported her on the journey thus far. This stripped back ballad shows an exciting new side to her music, swapping commercial pop for plaintive folk. Her delicate vocals speak of coming to accept that sometimes we drift apart from the people who mean the most to us, like sand slipping through your fingers despite your best efforts to hold on. This spellbinding ballad is surely one of the most beautiful tracks of 2018, and I’m glad SHY Martin shared it under her own name, as I’m not sure anyone else could have captured quite the same magical feeling found here.
Top Tracks: Gen Z – Generation Z
Channelling hints of Fleetwood Mac, Ryan Adams and The War On Drugs, this new track from LA trio Gen Z is essential listening for thoughtful late night drives. Though it’s the rich and inviting guitar tone that keeps ‘Generation Z’ grounded, it’s the airy, bittersweet atmosphere and introspective lyricism that makes the song so special. Reflecting on the pitfalls of modern life and the haunting hollowness of youth, this track is an anthem for the lost and confused in search of meaning. This song teaches you to revel in the little things, to bask in the minor triumphs in this messed up world to keep from losing your way. ‘Generation Z’ is the sound of a lonely winding road; you’re not sure what’s awaiting you around the bend, instead you just have to take solace in the small victory of simply moving forward.
Top Tracks: Mars Motel – City Streets
When you grow up listening religiously to the likes of Led Zeppelin and Rush, it’d be a major understatement to say that you soon learn to appreciate a good rhythm section. With this latest track from Brooklyn based rockers Mars Motel, the rhythm section in particular offers some of the most memorable instrumentation I’ve heard all year. Recorded live for their new EP The Eclipse Sessions, ‘City Streets’ lures you in with its emphatic shuddering drums and a bass line that winds its way towards you like a python through the undergrowth. Upon this foundation of post punk menace, the guitar and vocals build up a mix of Britpop inspired melodies and psychedelic reverb to provide real light and shade. All about young love and subsequent heartbreak, the two sides to the song do a great job of portraying both the innocence and optimism of youth alongside the angst and anguish of a break-up.
Top Tracks: Big Kettle Drum – Bring That Love To Me
How long does it take you to love a song? Some take years before they finally click, some manage to catch you on the first listen. ‘Bring That Love To Me’ took less than five seconds. A hearty little drum intro, a rich old-school organ sound, and a splash of warm welcoming brass was all it took to assure me that I was in for a good time. This latest track from Florida’s Big Kettle Drum, taken from their new EP I’d Thought You’d Be Bigger, offers lashings of classic Motown vibes adorned with a gritty Southern charm. This soulful little number is pretty close to faultless, and carries that all too rare universal appeal. This song is like a magic spell that brings warmth and contentment to whoever hears it.
Top Tracks: Amanda Shires – Parking Lot Pirouette
While some songs are firmly rooted in the past, some embrace a sound that seems like it’s visiting from a not too distant future. This new single from Texan singer/songwriter Amanda Shires is in the rare class of songs that manages to do both. Taken from her new album To The Sunset out 3rd August, ‘Parking Lot Pirouette’ feels like a song made to span generations. That unmistakable lush Wurlitzer sound and the soft country twang of Amanda’s vocals imbue plenty of classic Americana vibes into the track. Her husband Jason Isbell’s guitar work however takes the song to a whole other world. Blending subtle psychedelica with raw droning tones, and with some synth flourishes for good measure, it gives the song an unearthly flair akin to Bowie’s ‘Space Oddity’. Projecting the spirit of the wild west to distant stars and far-off worlds, Pirouette is a song that is thoroughly deserving of a few spins.
Belwood Music 