Every Friday, Atwood Magazine’s staff share what they’ve been listening to that week – a song, an album, an artist – whatever’s been having an impact on them, in the moment.
This week’s weekly roundup features music by Suki Waterhouse, Mon Rovîa, Sidney Bird, Nick Waters, The Staves, Flo Naegeli, Hugo Joyce, Nick Folwarczny, Spencer Sutherland, Penny and Sparrow, Lexi Berg, J.P., Trip Villain, SKATELAND, RY X & Hermanos Gutiérrez, My Midnight Heart, Galaxy Shores, Rec Hall, Blue Capricorn & Adieu Anais, and Ziggy Alberts!
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follow WEEKLY ROUNDUP on Spotify
:: Memoir of a Sparklemuffin – Suki Waterhouse ::
Marc Maleri, Connecticut
I listened to this album for the first time this week and a little over halfway through I bought a ticket to her Brooklyn show this winter… I RARELY have ever enjoyed an album so much on the first listen that I’m immediately looking to see when the artist will be performing near me. Nonetheless, Memoir of a Sparklemuffin was as charismatic as its title and pulled me into this equally fun and melodramatic world that Suki Waterhouse crafted. Truthfully, I was mainly familiar with Waterhouse’s music through her biggest hits “Johanna” and “Good Looking,” so I wouldn’t say my expectations were necessarily high for this album, or that I had any expectations at all, all I knew was that I loved those two tracks. I was overjoyed to find yet another great album release to add on to this insane year for music. Memoir of a Sparklemuffin feels like the soundtrack to an old rom-com, complete with anthems on overcoming an air of melancholy on “Supersad” to sweeping ballads on identity with “Model, Actress, Whatever.”
Before I even listened to the album, what struck me the most was how lengthy it seemed. 18 tracks is a hefty amount of content for an album, especially considering that a lot of artists this year in particular have been opting into shorter, succinct albums that have the exact right amount of tracks to tell its story. That being said, there wasn’t one track that I didn’t enjoy from this record. Do I think some could be removed and the album still have a cohesive story with the same impact? Definitely. Do any of these tracks take away from the impact and enjoyment of listening to the record? Not in the slightest. Tracks like “Nonchalant” and “Think Twice” are welcome palette cleansers before the variety of more intense songs are put before listeners, making the lighter songs like these all the more meaningful in the grand scheme of the project as a whole. I cannot wait to see how Waterhouse arranges the tracks and what she has in store for her upcoming live performances.
:: “crooked the road.” – Mon Rovîa ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
Achingly tender, gentle, and dreamy, Mon Rovîa’s latest single “crooked the road.” is a blanket of musical and emotional warmth ready to envelop our ears and comfort our restless souls. It’s a song born out of love and empathy; of a pure, big heart doing all it can to support another in their time of need. We all deserve someone looking out for us – someone who can steady our hands when they start to shake, offer a fresh perspective when ours gets too dark and narrow, and just sit with us when we need a little company. In three minutes’ time, the Liberia-born, Tennessee-based singer/songwriter offers all that and more, wearing his own heart on his sleeve as he promises to be our rock; our anchor; our safety and our sanctuary.
Crooked the road
And the one driving
25 years, I know
You’ve been unraveling
Tell me why did you run
Run past the dogs
And the horses
Now you find yourself here
Past the do’s and don’ts
Of your choices
But if you’re leaving
Know I’ll stay beside that telephone line
And tomorrow
We might steal the sun from underneath our eyes
Mmm, mmm, mmm
Released August 23, 2024, “crooked the road.” is the lead single off Mon Rovîa’s upcoming EP Act 4: Atonement – the fourth and final extended player in a series that explores The Hero’s Journey, taking listeners through the natural sequences of discovering their purpose. “These 4 ‘Acts’ have been meant to serve as a peak into my story; a window into what’s next – and Act 4 will leave us at the door of the album that we’re currently working on,” the artist tells Atwood Magazine. The project began over a year ago with the July 2023 release of Act 1: The Wandering, and also includes Act 2: Trials and Act 3: The Dying of Self.
As the first peak into Act 4 – which promises to offer at least some sense of resolution and catharsis to this year-long endeavor – “crooked the road.” finds Mon Rovîa dwelling in a space of healing, hope, and light. “This is a song for those who have fallen too in love with their pain,” he explains. “I was there a couple of years back before I became Mon Rovîa. I was in love with my suffering, it became who I knew myself as.
“Because of this, I couldn’t see the hands that had been extended to lift me out,” he continues. “Ones that were longing to see me become who I was meant to be. For the listener I hope they find freedom, I hope they find strength to pull away from what brings down. The song is for all of us who thought in our darkest moments, ‘this is who I am.‘”
Tennis courts
When I was yours
Late night releasing
Sacred floors
Got me believing
A little more
This pain
Will run its course
In the morning
I saw you there
Holding out your hand
If I grab it
Know that I care
Cuz darkness don’t look good on you
There’s a sense of romance to Mon Rovîa’s language; his poetic, impassioned, life-affirming lyrics implore his audience to look up and believe in themselves; believe that they are more than their darkest moments, more than their darkest thoughts, more than their darkest spaces.
“To me, the lyrics ‘and tomorrow we might steal the sun from underneath our eyes‘ is one of the most important parts of this song,” he says. “The weariness of the eyes, the exhaustion, the tears, dark circles – the pain hidden underneath – regardless of all this, the sun is still close by. That lifting of the eyes again, to the sun, to the light, is the hopeful part of the song. Finding the sun again; putting the light back into your perception of the world you see, is possible, and that’s what the song is trying to convey.”
“crooked the road.” also arrives with news of Mon Rovîa’s signing to Nettwerk Music Group, who will be releasing Act 4: Atonement later this year. While his story is still very much beginning’ – after all, his first release came only four years ago – the Afro-Appalachian folk artist already feels like he has ‘arrived’ at who he’s meant to be; his music, and especially “crooked the road.,” realizes an artistry centered around love, empathy, and kindness – one that will always be here for us whenever we need him to be, because he’s offered his whole heart and soul in song.
But if you’re leaving
Know I’ll stay beside that telephone line
And tomorrow
We might steal the sun from underneath our eyes
Day breaks sorrow
And I still feel the edge of this cold knife
But next to you I laid softly on this hard ground
But next to you I laid softly on this hard ground
:: “learning to love what I have”- Sidney Bird ::
Chloe Robinson, California
Do you ever mindlessly scroll on social media and it just makes you want what others have? Sidney Bird reminds listeners we don’t need lots of material possessions to make us whole with “learning to love what I have.” Her warm, comforting vocals glide over a gentle guitar as she passionately sings of being grateful for what you have got. Lines such as “Wishing my skin was clearer, wondering what products does she use,” could not be more relatable. We all find that we compare ourselves to others every now and then.
The Arizona-based artist has an indie pop sound that is truly infectious. Collaborating with prominent talents like Noah Kahan, she built a large and loyal fan base that are drawn to her honest and wistful pieces. This relaxing folk style single is off of her upcoming 10-track album, desert person.
:: Wither – Nick Waters ::
Frederick Bloy, London, England
Certain pieces of music do remarkably well to capture a certain charm. One musical remit where this happens time and time again is that of ‘bedroom pop.’ Think of artists like Mac DeMarco, Men I Trust, or, a personal favourite, Mild High Club. There is a lackadaisical haziness, but also an undeniable swagger that will always conjure, to put it in imagistic terms, the early stages of summer dusks. It is exactly this inoffensive ease that Nick Waters captures on this album.
Wither is an album plush with funky grooves, spearheaded by whimsical homemade production. The album’s punchy bass, whilst feeling appropriately care-free, points us in the right direction constantly, like a lenient friend or particularly laid-back tour guide. The lyrics are replete with witticisms akin to the writing of Mild High Club, which only make the record more endearing. Waters’ metaphors are just obscure enough blur meaning, mirroring the album’s fuzzy timbre, creating something both enchanting and homely. To pick one track that best encapsulates these traits, I would choose ‘Sebastian.’ However, to be fully immersed in the shimmer of any bedroom pop album, I would always recommend a complete listen.
:: “A Weird One” – The Staves ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
As breathtakingly beautiful as it is brutally gut-wrenching, “A Weird One” gives visibility to grief and pain in ways that most songs simply can’t express. Surprise-released September 18th, The Staves’ latest soul-stirring single – all about planning for a ‘celebration’ in the wake of a tragedy – couldn’t have come at a more fitting time for me personally, as the next day marked seven years since losing my mother to cancer (the Staveley-Taylor sisters lost their mother suddenly in the summer of 2018; their third studio album, 2021’s critically acclaimed Good Woman, was dedicated to her memory). Anniversaries like this are always and forever emotional, and the lead-up to the day itself was filled with quiet moment of reflection and recollection as I dwelled in my own memories – footage from an ever-more distant past that I can’t help but try and cling to, lest it slip away from me forever.
A gentle, dreamy indie folk lullaby, “A Weird One” finds Jessica Staveley-Taylor in a similar headspace as she prepares for her sister’s birthday, with the weight of their mother’s loss hanging heavily over her head:
These legs are skinny now
And how long will it last
Put the ointment on your brow
And get a good night sleep
Because you have so much to do tomorrow
And it’s your sister’s birthday
Gotta celebrate
Gotta put her face on a cake
This will be a weird one
And you’re not having as much fun
And you miss your mom
“The song is a rolling list of thoughts on one particular day, from the mundane to the existential,” she explains. “A to-do list but with the underlying hum of grief and anxiety towards what the year ahead might bring.” Her soothing voice aches delicately, shining a warm, soft light out into the world as she balances the enduring twinge of heartache with life’s everyday goings-on – a familiar experience for myself, and all those who have ever had to keep on living in the wake of insurmountable loss.
Death lingers like a shadow, and “A Weird One” effortlessly embodies that perpetual specter.
This year you’re playing tricks
Avoiding all the lunatics
On Kingsland Road
As you walk home
To see your boyfriend
Such a beautiful man
And you know he loves you
more than anything
But does he understand?
This will be a weird one
And you’re not having as much fun
And you miss your mom
:: It’s Getting Better – Flo Naegeli ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Ireland
Flo Naegeli’s latest release, It’s Getting Better, marks a significant step forward for the Dresden-based artist, who continues to carve a unique space in the indie soul-pop scene. Drawing on influences from Jordan Rakei, Stevie Wonder, and Benny Sings, Naegeli delivers a sound that feels both contemporary and timeless, effortlessly blending soulful melodies with lush instrumentation.
The EP’s lead single, “Late Night Call,” perfectly encapsulates the artist’s ability to convey deep emotional resonance through intricate rhythms and heartfelt lyrics. It’s a track that lingers, capturing the essence of longing, as Naegeli questions whether the feeling of yearning is tied to a person or a memory long past.
The single displays his crafted body of work that is equal parts introspective and groove-driven, offering listeners a nostalgic dive into the lush soundscapes of the 70s while maintaining a modern sensibility. Naegeli’s attention to detail, from the warm tones of the instrumentation to the smooth layering of vocals, elevates the EP beyond a typical indie pop release.
:: “False Hope” – Hugo Joyce ::
Joe Beer, Surrey, UK
British singer/songwriter Hugo Joyce has just dropped his emotion-fueled, heartbreak anthem “False Hope.” However, the track is not what you’d imagine it to be, instead the North-London based artist takes his heartache and turns it into the ultimate feel-good track, injecting listeners with an uplifting and freeing feeling.
The songwriter shares, “The song is essentially based on a break up. I was with someone who didn’t feel the same way that I did and it’s about me slowly coming to a realisation that the relationship isn’t sustainable. It’s better to be by yourself than hold onto someone who doesn’t want you. I think the track is extremely positive and almost inspires you to go out and take what you want!”
Reminiscent of Dean Lewis, Harry Styles and Dermot Kennedy, “False Hope” is the perfect track for anyone who is going through a break-up. Hugo’s soulful vocals effortlessly glide over a velvety piano melody, raw guitars and upbeat percussion, as his vulnerable lyrics tell his own story of heartbreak.
:: “I’ll Be Gone” – Nick Folwarczny ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
The scariest ghost of all, in this writer’s opinion, is not the one lurking in your closet or underneath your bed, but rather, the one that disappears from your life without a trace. There are plenty of words to express what that sudden, unexpected loss feels like in the moment – it’s jarring, shocking, unbalancing, and so much more – and in his latest single, singer/songwriter Nick Folwarczny captures the drama, inside and out, of being ghosted by a love interest.
Independently released August 28th, “I’ll Be Gone” is charming and churning folk-pop a la Noah Kahan and Vance Joy – a sweetly seductive, light and emotion-filled song ready to uplift our spirits and make our days a little brighter through communal catharsis. Produced by Folwarczny and Phin Choukas (Noah Kahan, Hans Williams), the new song (Folwarczny’s sixth overall) arrives on the heels of this year’s singles “Miss Ohio” and “Long, Long While,” which Atwood Magazine previously praised as a “heavy folk-stained heartache”: “He holds nothing back as he paints worlds of breathtaking feeling through gentle, dramatic acoustic instruments that shine bright in spite of any lingering darkness,” we wrote in a review published this past April.
You didn’t have to stoop so low
You could’ve called me in the morning
You know I would’ve given you the world
But you found the dirt so boring
Telling me you only needed space
But that’s bullshit, you know it
So don’t come crawling back to me when you’re alone
And you need someone to hold you
Cause I’ll be gone
I’ll be gone
The 20-year-old independent artist and multi-instrumentalist hailing from Columbus, Ohio – currently enrolled at The Ohio State University – embraces unfiltered vulnerability in an irresistibly catchy three-minute package, all the while wrestling with his own sense of self-worth and gnawing feelings of resentment, desire, and insecurity. “Last year I flew out to LA and was talking to a girl at the time. We had gone out with each other a few times before, but she slowly lost interest while I was gone. I wrote this song when I realized that I was worth more than a body to flirt with,” Folwarczny tells Atwood Magazine.
“I started writing it the morning after being ghosted twice,” he adds. “Because of that, I needed the song to be as petty as possible while still capturing a lighthearted feel. Once I knew what I wanted the record to sound like, I brought it to Phin Choukas and Lyla George who helped turn it into what I had always hoped. I hope the song can help whoever understand that they’re more than just a body to flirt with.”
You didn’t have to go that far
You could’ve told me you were sorry
I’m second guessing everything I thought we were
All cause you were feeling lonely
You’re telling me you only needed time
I’ll bet you found another guy
So don’t come knocking at my door when he’s not home
And you need someone to hold you
Cause I’ll be gone
I’ll be gone
A burgeoning folk-pop troubadour in his own right, Nick Folwarczny has a voice of gold and clearly the heart to match. “I’ll Be Gone” resonates so deeply not just because of its memorable top line, but because it’s built out of pure honesty – of a real, relatable, lived experience that the singer/songwriter sought to unpack and process through his chosen form of self-expression. Being ghosted can be incredibly scary, but maybe this song can help others who have been through (or are going through) same exact thing, serving as a reminder that we even when we feel our loneliest, we are never really alone.
And I’ll never get the way you left
You didn’t say a word
You just waited till the sun went down to leave me in the dirt
All the subtlety behind the words I wrote you in the fall
You said “to be changed is to be loved,”
So why have I not changed at all
You didn’t have to stoop so low
You could’ve called me in the morning
You know I would’ve given you the world
But you found the dirt so boring
Telling me you only needed space
But that’s bullshit, you know it
So don’t come crawling back to me when you’re alone
And you need someone to hold you
Cause I’ll be gone
:: “Modern Heartbreak” – Spencer Sutherland ::
Rachel Leong, France
Ahead of his sophomore album releasing next week, Spencer Sutherland just dropped “Modern Heartbreak,” a ballad placing – as the title suggests – modern heartbreak against a backdrop of velvet pianos and Sutherland’s distinctive rich vocals.
The theatricalities of Sutherland’s vocals are accompanied by explosive instrumentals, piercing the sensory distinctions of the visual and the sonic. Contrasting his recent singles “Drama” and “Hater,” “Modern Heartbreak” vulnerably laments on the end of a relationship, taking a more vulnerable turn from his usual discography. Departing from the glitz and glamor of his musical stylings, “Modern Heartbreak” maintains the glamor but with softer undertones of sentimentality and feelings of ‘what-ifs.’
Sutherland’s upcoming LP, The Drama, is a modern rock opera that presents itself in three parts, promising a journey through the ups and downs of heartbreak, dream-chasing, and the thrill of it all. The artist’s work is timelessly crafted, backed by a glam rock vintage aesthetic flair for the ages.
:: “Country” – Penny and Sparrow ::
Julius Robinson, California
Penny and Sparrow’s “Country” chronicles a relationship turning in circles like a merry-go-round. One person feels like they are just holding the other back. Lyrics like “Go if you want to, I won’t slow you down,” illustrate the sacrifice of letting go. The country atmosphere they have concocted is so laid-back you can almost picture yourself rocking on a porch drinking a refreshing glass of lemonade. “Country” is an irresistibly folk-tinged piece you want to hear again and again.
“Country” is off of Penny and Sparrow’s upcoming album Lefty, which pairs fiction with non-fiction stories and even has a few confessions thrown in. The album is the ideal representation of the duo’s rich, organic style. Known for their vulnerable tracks oozing with aching harmonies, their timeless releases truly strike a chord. This latest single continues that classic sound.
:: “Bermuda Triangle” – Lexi Berg ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Ireland
Lexi Berg’s latest single, “Bermuda Triangle,” is a masterclass in emotional storytelling, capturing the raw intensity of feeling like an outsider with breathtaking honesty. Built around a stark and intimate piano arrangement, her vocals deliver a poignant narrative that begins quietly, almost confessional, before swelling into a cinematic crescendo. The song’s haunting layers of harmonies and stirring piano build toward a powerful final chorus, immersing the listener in a world of longing, isolation, and the search for connection. With “Bermuda Triangle,” she not only showcases her vocal and musical prowess but also her ability to translate universal emotions into something deeply personal and resonant.
:: “Freak Girl” – J.P. ::
Jake Fewx, Washington, D.C.
Attention all cartoon fans!
The energetic Milwaukee emcee J.P. has officially popped off with his new track “Freak Girl.” Framed around a sample from the iconic Gravity Falls theme song, this fast-paced rap banger is nothing if not energizing. The sample’s fast, bright, high-energy chimes meet J.P. ‘s electrifying hi hat and booty-shaking bass in a mash up that has no business rocking this hard.
Excited at the prospect of a good time, the rapper supersedes sensuality and radiates a pure, raunchy and cartoony excitement at the thought of spending time with his girl. Bouncy beat, great production, and catchy-as-hell hooks make J.P. ‘s “Freak Girl” one of the most entertaining listens of the week.
:: “Lowbender” – Trip Villain ::
Julius Robinson, California
Dark-driving electronic hard rock, Trip Villain’s single “Lowbender” is a fierce head banger. Punchy, in-your-face vocals collide over bass-soaked soundscapes for a high throttle intense ride. The group shares, “It follows a psychedelic-induced journey, in which a mortal man sheds his physical form and transforms into an omnipotent spirit made of pure BASS energy, known as the Lowbender – a nod to the Airbender.”
Trip Villain is made up of members Josh Musto, Damien Moffitt, Jon Ehlers and Jack Florio. The Brooklyn-based band blends metal with heavy electro. With highly danceable music that pulsates atop deep distortion, it is easy to become addicted to their bone-crunching sound.
:: “Sunset Cinema” – Skateland ::
Chloe Robinson, California
Goodbyes are never easy. Oftentimes we try to part with people or things and we just cannot bear to do it. Skateland’s dreamy single “Sunset Cinema” is all about learning to move on. His warm vocals wash over a fuzzy, twinkling backdrop and we feel that longing. He reveals, “I wrestle a lot with the tension of letting go, and that can be for something as big as ending a relationship, or as simple as throwing away a beat up old t-shirt.”
Dorian Williams II is the brainchild behind the skillful stylings of Skateland. His melancholic music makes us ponder as we are sucked into his experimental sound. Williams’ previous atmospheric track “Autobahn!” deals with love’s ups and downs. This latest release has that same reflective quality. In the music video he and others ride on bikes. As the visual continues he waves goodbye to one person and then another, perfectly representing the profound meaning the song embodies.
:: “You” – RY X ft. Hermanos Gutiérrez ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
RY X has long been a dreamweaver, and his latest offering to the world is the kind of sweetly stirring reverie we’ll be soaking our souls in for years to come. A collaboration with Hermanos Gutiérrez (who released their acclaimed sixth studio album, Sonido Cósmico, this past June via Easy Eye Sound / Concord), “You” is a cinematic and spellbinding indulgence of lush indie folk sound and haunting, heartfelt emotion. Radiant, lilting acoustic guitars gently ebb and flow alongside pulsing percussion as RY X sings hot on the mic, his atmospheric and emotionally charged voice drenched in the raw weight of a fast-beating heart:
I woke up falling
And press into your side
Your body’s an ocean
Pull me into your tides
All I see is you…
All I see is you (You, you)…
In everything I do (You, you)
All I see is you (You, you)
The beauty of “You” lies in its mixture of passion and fragility, and in the perfect blend of RY X and Hermanos Gutiérrez’s uniquely identifiable musical styles.
“I love the way I have gotten to know the brothers Gutiérrez,” RY X – born Ry Cuming – tells Atwood Magazine. “Through appreciating each other’s art, and following each other’s journeys of creation until one day we shared an intimate show in a small cathedral in Mexico City together. The bond was true and kind, grounded and real from the beginning. We started running into each other around the world between shows and travels and the friendship deepened.”
“When I was putting together this song (‘You’), I felt them immediately among the soundscape. Their energy was almost there, like ghosts not yet recorded but somehow imprinted. I reached out and asked if they wanted to come play on it, and they stopped by my home and studio in Topanga Canyon when on tour. It was effortless, recording them live together as they always play… Letting them experiment and explore, and within a few takes we had it – a meshing of worlds and sounds.”
“We keep finding each other as we travel, and met when the boys were playing Coachella to shoot a video in the desert with a team of my dear friends and creative collaborators. Another beautiful and flowing state of creation among community; long may it continue, this form of art and friendship intertwining not just with us, but in the shared worlds.”
Falling deeper
Melt beneath your skin
Your breath tied against me
How do I breathe you in?
Even the way RY X speaks of his special, burgeoning relationship with Hermanos Gutiérrez is poetic. The magic these three artists have managed to create together is clearly not lost on him, nor is it lost on the listener, as a seductive swell of guitars and vocals envelops us, engulfs us, and helps us to feel – if only for a moment – larger than life itself. Call it euphoria, call it ecstasy; “You” is a dream come true and a marvel to behold.
All I see is you
All I see is you
All I see is you
All I see is you
All I see is you (You, you)
All I see is you (You, you)
In everything I do (You, you)
All I see is you (You, you)
:: “anew” – My Midnight Heart ::
Joe Beer, Surrey, UK
My Midnight Heart is the musical moniker of Bristol-based, New York-bred Angélica Allen. Known for her avant-pop tracks that are equal parts ethereal and dance-inducing, her latest single “anew” follows suit. “anew” is the first track to be released from her upcoming project that sees the visionary set out to craft a world that blends digital and organic, viewer and performer, art and wellness.
“anew” tells a deeply personal story for the songwriter, as she opens up about her own experiences with pregnancy and motherhood. Describing it as a total ego-death, Allen shares, “Four years after my daughter’s birth I had only just begun to feel like myself again. My brain, my body, my blood finally felt like they belonged to me. I decided it would be my year. My moment. But when I realized I was pregnant with my son, I knew I would have to start the journey all over again. I struggled so much reclaiming my identity with my firstborn, I wrote this song wanting to allow myself to enter a speculative space where I gave of myself easily… Opening to the possibility of being alchemized in the process.”
The mesmerizing track glistens with iridescent vocal synths and pulsating rhythms, crafting a dreamlike and radiant soundscape. Captivating listeners, she drawers us deeper into her world, leaving us eagerly anticipating the next installment of this new multi-sensory project.
:: “Melancholy Daydream” – Galaxy Shores ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Ireland
Galaxy Shores is a trailblazer with his sonic releases. He seamlessly blends the lush textures of psychedelic rock with the infectious hooks of modern pop on his latest track “Melancholy Daydream,” lifted from his new album, Plastique River, which combines a rich and cinematic narrative showcasing a palette full of his musical influences. The song feels like a journal entry, documenting Herren’s internal struggles as he navigates the pressures of growing up and chasing lofty dreams. The introspective lyrics pair beautifully with its lush production, offering listeners an emotionally charged yet sonically expansive experience.
By blending the organic warmth of analogue instruments with the precision of modern production techniques, he creates a sound that feels intimate yet grand, like floating through a surreal dreamscape. This is just one stand-out track from the LP, and there are plenty more captivating songs that capture his artistic evolution as well as offering something for the listener to resonate with.
:: “Bored With My Feet” – Rec Hall ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
SoCal trio Rec Hall made an indelible impression with last year’s debut EP Localism, winning over our ears with a spirited, feel-good indie rock record full of catchy hooks and great vibes. “Localism is a sunny, energizing reverie ready to be the soundtrack to our sweetest summer days and the nights that follow,” we wrote in an interview published this past February. “Rec Hall have introduced themselves through a blistering, irresistibly uplifting five-song set that all but demands repeat listens through its catchy, singalong hooks, glistening, radiant instrumentation, and an enchanting, smile-inducing attitude that inevitably sends us soaring sky-high.”
With their latest single, Rec Hall have essentially solidified their post as vessels of sweet, seductive euphoria. Released August 30th via Arista Records, “Bored With My Feet” is a dreamy groove marveling at the world and, in essence, finally letting the light in: Allowing the wonders of nature to seep into your body, your mind, and your very spirit, for the first time. John Barry, Lance Meliota, and Ben Tyrrell dwell in a spellbinding, sun-kissed space of awe as drums slap, guitars bounce around, and their voices swell to dazzling heights.
So you won’t say it’s good
but it pulls you under
I’m indifferently past the water
now I’m waiting I’m
freezing tired
hope for warmth or
anything at all
(Heaven sees an open door)
It’s all relative
(heading to an open sky)
Why not phone it in?
(walk into the ocean floor)
Watch that pelican
Dive bomb a few of them
The trio reach an irresistible climax in a catchy, tight, and utterly charming chorus:
Find myself alive in another world
bored with my feet again,
my feet again
easy I lost the way
I lost the way
bored with my feet again
As the band tell Atwood Magazine, this song is about those pivotal moments in our lives where our perspectives change; where things suddenly click, and a previously unknown, unseen path reveals itself.
“‘Bored with My Feet’ is about our experiences with the ocean,” they explain. “It’s about being won over by its raw natural beauty, its direct, unaffected power; but also being deeply uncomfortable in it. The ocean is indifferent, unrelenting, and you have to be okay being powerless and vulnerable within it. The song is about that experience, of opening yourself to the awesome power of the world.”
“It’s about having your prejudices completely overwhelmed by the feeling of finally being alive, past the shores of shirt collars and rigidity.”
In a funk, holding up
but losing desire
I’ve been blinking three times an hour
now I’m wading out
past my comfort
hope for storms or
anything at all
It’s not every day we’re suddenly ‘won over’ and converted to a new way of life; those doors seldom open, and most of us live more rigidly and regimented existences than we care to admit. What makes “Bored With My Feet” so special, then, is that it can serve as an important reminder to stay open to the world; to keep our eyes, our hearts, and our minds as open and welcoming as possible to the magic of this universe.
(Heaven sees an open door)
It’s all relative
(heading to an open sky)
Why not phone it in?
(walk into the ocean floor)
Watch that pelican
Dive bomb a few of them
Find myself alive in another world
bored with my feet again,
my feet again
easy I lost the way
I lost the way
bored with my feet again
And if that sounds like the most ‘SoCal’ ethos possible, just remember that these three dreamers are here to spread their native California sunshine to every inch of the universe.
Give life what about an outro
we know now, what about the after?
Live life breathing on the outskirts
holed up in our suits and our shirts
:: “MAKE ME BELIEVE” – Blue Capricorn ::
Danielle Holian, Galway, Ireland
Having followed Blue Capricorn’s music for a while now, each release keeps getting better and better. His latest single “MAKE ME BELIEVE,” featuring the stunning Adieu Anais, is a hauntingly atmospheric track showcasing his signature fusion of genres, blending dream pop, indie, jazz, bolero, and experimental soundscapes into a delicate and introspective piece. The single takes listeners on an evocative journey through melancholy, highlighting the fragile balance between emotion and vulnerability. The collaboration with Adieu Anais creates a celestial ambience, transporting listeners into ethereal, moody soundscapes that explore the emotional complexities of patience and yearning in relationships. “MAKE ME BELIEVE” reflects both artists’ worlds—celestial, sensitive, and deeply emotive.
:: “Where Does The Love Go?” – Ziggy Alberts ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
There’s a sweet innocence to Ziggy Alberts’ latest single that can’t help but warm even the coldest bones. Released September 18th via his own label Commonfolk Records, “Where Does the Love Go?” sees the Australian singer/songwriter ruminating, quite literally, on love’s comings and goings. It’s a song of yearning and longing; of bittersweet emotions and poignant questions for which there are no immediate or obvious answers.
People talk about sex
Hardly talk about touch
Laying on the floor
With my hands on your stomach
In Perth where we have just
All this talk about changing
Always moving too fast
I’m always trying to be perfect
But never feel worth it
Do you know what I’m talkin’ about?
For all the poetic songwriting in the world, we can’t bring love back if it’s no longer around. Alberts slowly comes to accept this painful truth through his charismatic, signature folk-pop style, reaching an emotional crescendo in his song’s achingly intimate, honest, vulnerable, and raw chorus:
Where does the love go
When it’s not us?
I needed it today more than ever before
Wonder, have you seen it around?
Tell me, where does the love go
When it’s not me?
Thinkin’ bout the times
When I knew in my heart
Unconditionally I could be free
Maybe we can be free
Hey, hey
As Alberts tells Atwood Magazine, this song came from moments of candid, open-minded introspection and heartfelt reflections on love, loss, and longing. “It’s a song I wrote about wondering, ‘where does the love go, when it’s not us?’” he explains. “It’s a question I was asking myself when I was feeling a lack of self-love. Now that I’ve thought about it more, I think the love disappears unless we embody it. And it is the responsibility of humanity, wherever possible, to keep it alive.”
Alberts is especially unfiltered in the song’s second verse, turning inward to reckon with himself and his own approach to love and human connection. While his songwriting has always had a deeply personal touch, these words feel especially revealing of the ‘human’ behind artist we’ve known all these years.
For all my songs about peace
I seem to feel so much war
From everything I’ve seen
On the TV screen
I’m not sure on what we’re fighting for
Found peace on the highway
And now I make changes in my heart
I stopped trying to be perfect
Started to feel worth it
Do you know what I’m talkin’ about?
Reminiscent of some of the most beloved Ed Sheeran and James Arthur ballads, “Where Does the Love Go?” sees Ziggy Alberts continuing to shine as brightly as ever as he walks his own special path, with his heart as his guide and his acoustic guitar by his side. The singer/songwriter’s seventh studio album, New Love, is set to release February 21st, 2025, and promises to house many more magical, tender moments – but for now, I’ll be joining him in this cathartic, aching reverie, marveling at the mysterious workings of the heart and the soul.
Where does the love go
When it’s not us?
I needed it today more than ever before
I wonder, have you seen it around?
Tell me, where does the love go
When it’s not me?
Been thinkin’ bout the times
When I knew in my heart
Unconditionally I could be
Where does the love go
When it’s not us?
I needed it today more than ever before
I wonder, have you seen it around?
Tell me, where does the love go
When it’s not me?
Been thinkin’ bout the times
When I knew in my heart
Unconditionally I could be free
Maybe we could be free
— — — —
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