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Why We Love: King Hannah
If youâre looking for a cinematic journey to detach yourself from the current mundane routine of the worldâs lockdown (who isnât?!), look no further than the smooth, moody, unfiltered odyssey of King Hannah. The Liverpool based duo have had an anything but conventional start to their musical journey together. Developing from Craigâs admiration of Hannahâs solo performances, to working as colleagues in a bar, to finally writing together to produce a sound rich in realism and tailored back production.
Hannah Merrick and Craig Whittle released their first single âCrĂšme BrĂ»lĂ©eâ back in September 2020 and since then released their first EP in November 2020 titled âTell Me Your Mind and Iâll Tell You Mineâ. The EP is centred around the details of the everyday, with quite a descriptive nature to Hannah and Craigs lyrics. Starting with an almost ominous prelude (âAnd Then out of Nowhere, it Rained.â), itâs like entering into a new and uncharted world. Followed by a more humorous take with âMeal Dealâ, taking us through the normality of a property viewing, while contemplating whether to make a housemate out of the arachnid inhabitant. Towards the end of the song, Hannahâs vocals are like flickers of light through an immersive jungle canopy of atmospheric sound and smoky instrumentals.
This is then followed by a song, which really epitomises the times we live in. Named after Mindhunterâs âBill Tenchâ, the song carries some added energy creating a more relaxed and lo-fi feel. This really emphasises the depth to King Hannahâs production, intensifying the feeling of being taken on a journey through this EP. The emphatic ballad of the duoâs first single then follows, becoming much more expressive with drawn-out lyrics and a jaw-dropping guitar solo that you never want to end.
We are led out by a more reflective and vibrant track, âThe Sea Has Stretch Marksâ, brought to a close by an outro called âReprise (Moving Day)â, combining some of the EP highlights with a muffled radio vibe.
If there is a more emblematic band for the times we live in I am yet to find them. King Hannahâs music has been a refreshing reminder that we can escape the madness and once again be enveloped by creative production techniques and bold sound. The duo has already made an impact on the stage, and now following their formal release this past November, I for one am really looking forward to seeing them back in front of the lights and creating more insightful explorations.
A lot has happened in the time since Pale Waves released their first album. Despite the various trials and tribulations, one of which including a tour bus crash, the Manchester indie-rockers have proven that nothing can get in the way of creating absolute magic. Consisting of 11 tracks, Who Am I? taps into the beloved, nostalgic sounds of the 2000s, and going through each song helped me feel more like the ideal, cool older sister trope commonly found in movies of that era (Kat Stratford, anybody?).Â
In comparison to 2018âs My Mind Makes Noises, their sophomore album presents a newfound edge that helps listeners unearth a more authentic version of Pale Waves. Now, donât get me wrong; I absolutely adored their debut record, but it only scratched the surface of what they have to offer. That being said, itâs undeniable that they have begun to grow more into their own, unique sound, and my god, it is completely game-changing.
I honestly wasnât expecting this sort of switch-up at all. From the moment they released âChange,â however, I knew we were about to witness a brand new, monumental chapter in their career unfold. With a catchy track and a visually stunning music video to match, it makes perfect sense why this is the way Pale Waves decided to kick off this new era.
Who Am I?âs dizzyingly romantic second single, âSheâs My Religion,â brings forth some much-needed LGBTQ+ representation, and it sure as hell doesnât stop there. âTomorrowâ beckons those who are struggling with their sexualities to take a deep breath and remember, as the lyrics emphasize, you cannot choose who you fall in love with. Not only that, but it also encourages fans who are grappling with their mental health to stick around and see that the world wonât always have you feeling trapped. It’s a truly gorgeous song that wields an impactful message we all need to be reminded of every once in a while.
Ben, I know that you love a boy
Sexuality isnât a choice
Don’t let anyone say it’s wrong
Won’t you just keep hanging on?
And Kelsi, I know life drags you down
Growing up in a small town
Always the odd one in the crowd
You know I’ll never count you out
This sort of vulnerability seen throughout the record is perhaps one of its most striking features. Thereâs been a distinct progression in songwriting that opens up more personal discussions, ranging from the intimacy of sex and queer romance (âWish U Were Hereâ) to the ever-looming uncertainty that comes with reaching a mental and emotional low (âWho Am I?â). Seeing this newfangled sense of self from lead singer Heather Baron-Gracie, as well as the unapologetic comfortability that has come along with it, is incredibly refreshing. It introduces something notably special into their music, and the novel openness and sincerity found throughout this record have put them on track towards becoming a force to be reckoned with.
In short, Who Am I? is a wildly impressive sophomore album. Honest and bold, this record uncovers a new side of Pale Waves that marks a significant turning point for the band. Every track offers a different story that listeners can relate to and appreciate, and they all form a wonderfully cohesive collection of songs without sounding same-y or repetitive. This could very well become a defining record for Pale Waves, and I’m eager to see how well it treats them.
Listen to Who Am I? on Spotify.
Yeah okay, I did plan on just doing a review of Haggis’ latest solo album Brightly Coloured Creatures but truth is, I couldn’t with a healthy conscience ignore the other work that he’s strived to make. Now I’ve written a review of his solo album Circadian Circus which if you missed you should definitely check that out, but I think (especially right now) with the state of the world and how disproportionately it’s affected the livelihoods of musicians, I think it’s only right to share with you even more of Haggis’ work, give him the rightly deserved streams he deserves. So to focus on Sunship Balloon’s Everywhen (his 2020 album with Tord Ăverland Knudsen) and of course his very recent follow up to his 2017 solo album, here’s why we love Dan Haggis.
Obviously, anyone who’s anyone has heard of The Wombats, and if you’re someone with taste you’ll know the absolute passion that goes into making those albums and how brilliant they are, but when it comes to making music outside of that well-established name, Dan gets even more of a chance to show off his skills. Whether you’re falling in love with his solo work for something painfully relatable to, or getting an escape through the space journey of Sunship Balloon, there is absolutely everything to fall in love with.
With 2020’s Everywhen, Haggis and Knudsen created an album full of futuristic sounds coincided with analogue 80s synths, all which whisk you away into an alternate reality to ponder life’s most curious questions. When I first listened to Everywhen I immediately felt some sort of instrumental connection to like likes of The 1975, but even more so to the legendary Brian Eno, the ambient instrumental tracks especially that just change your perspective of the world, sounding like they could have been taken straight off one of David Bowie’s Berlin trilogy records or an album like Eno and Robert Fripp’s No Pussyfooting. It just makes for such a surreal listening experience (a crime that it’s not available on vinyl really) and you can just really hear the fun that went into making this record.
The entire album is perfect, there are so many amazing tracks to choose, from the electronic rock blaster that is Interstellar Ride, 1224 Fantasia which just desires to be played on a show like Top Of The Pops back in 1985, to the more experimental Eno inspired tracks such as title track Everywhen and the albums closer Flat Earther’s that really does sound like it belongs with the likes of Neuköln on Bowie’s Heroes. The energetic anthem A4 Life is superb though, it’s here where you can really hear some of those familiar Wombats and even some of Knudsen’s other band Imitating Aeroplanes vibes (I mean why wouldn’t you), but all the same completely turned on their heads to create a sound that’s so presently fresh but heartwarmingly nostalgic.
Glossing over Sunship Balloon and now moving to Brightly Coloured Creatures, after working on Everywhen, Dan The Man’s third solo outing definitely takes some of those 80’s sounds and finds a wonderful home within his new music. Circadian Circus was a brilliant album, but Brightly Coloured Creatures is completely its successor. Everything that was brilliant about the 2017 venture has been put on steroids and increased tenfold. The songwriting, melodies and production have all stepped up and each track is uniquely warm. Thematically it does continue a lot of similar themes that of Circadian Circus, but perhaps a little more universal than the depth into Haggis’ soul that we were exposed to with the last album.
Muscle Memory kicks off the album in such a flawless way, being ever so reminiscent of his previous release, but with bigger everything. Genuinely feels like it’s the opening track to a film, it gives meaning to whatever you could be doing when listening to it, making a cuppa? That cuppa’s DEEP now. Young Lovers the albums second track and first single is where you can really hear how much musical progression Haggis has developed since 2017, sounding more like the kind of track you’d hear off Everywhen but because of that oh so personal touch Haggis effortlessly shines over his lyrics, you know exactly where this track truly belongs.
This album, like its brother, is absolutely perfect and every track is a real gem. From blissful melancholy meanders like Obsolete and Earthmover, which are such beautifully constructed tracks, and the line “Can we just go back and reset it all, Now we’re obsolete” is just *chef kiss*, who hasn’t felt like that at some point? And especially after the year we’ve just been through (yeah happy anniversary to that by the way) it’s such a poignant practice that Haggis just nails every time. It sounds like something you’d find on a Beach House record and is absolutely gorgeous, not to mention the breakdown in Obsolete, which is fantastic. Shaping this woeful helplessness into offset anger mixed with motivation, drenching the line “Swallow the pill” in reverb the way some use medication to put a damper on depression, man Haggis you absolute genius.
See You In Hell is such a tasty track, coming out of nowhere as this almost doo-wop inspired song, albeit with a lot of other influences clearly thrown in the mix, it’s a faster, more energetic and textured sound, evoking vibes of Richard Hawley‘s work and Arctic Monkey’s Suck It And See album. Just magnificent.
Another one of my personal favourites, Unravelling combines so much sonic identity it’s hard to pin it down, but I mean it sounds like Dan The Man so what more could you want? The combined acoustic and spacey lead guitar, and as always Haggis’ vocals are simply a delight here. Lyrically the tracks about DNA, which with the “unravelling” hook makes a lot of sense, but I think the substance behind that goes way beyond where your mind initially registers with it. I think there have been times where we’ve all felt like our very being is “unravelling”, stuck in the fragmentation of crisis and rebirth, along with the prospect of the unknown, and I think this song defines those feelings. I mean it’s either that or it’s a song about DNA but take your pick.
Brightly Coloured Creatures is already one of my favourite records of the year, and we’re only in February. That’s not me being ignorant in the face of what an entire year’s worth of music might bring to my attention, but a statement that Dan Haggis is one of the brightest musicians of our time and I think that goes without saying. Tracks like Memory Lane, Let Me Down and Obsolete are just streamlined perfection and you absolutely must go and listen to the whole album as soon as you can.
I’ll leave you with Peter Pan, a track off Dan’s first solo album which is equally brilliant as both the albums we’ve been over today. Enjoy its festive vibe and take aboard the backlog of music you’ve now got to bathe in. For fan’s of Dan The Man, the music’s going nowhere, and there’s plenty to go around.
Check out Sunship Balloon’s discography here,
And check the rest of Dan’s solo work here.
Teleman is one of the coolest bands I’ve discovered in a very long time, there’s something just so intrinsically interesting about them. Formed back in 2011 after the disbanding of the band Pete and the Pirates, where bandmates Thomas and Johnny Sanders, Peter Cattermoul and new drummer Hiro Amamiya combined forces to become one of the most innovative artists of our time.
Thereâs a quality to Teleman thatâs so ’70s and so modern at the same time thatâs just irresistible, that being said if you’re a fan of bands such as Arcade Fire, Metronomy and New Order then Teleman should be the next band on your list of artists who’ll rearrange your perspective on music. Upon releasing 2014’s Breakfast, the band have toured with the likes of Suede, Kaiser Chiefs as well as Belle and Sebastian just to name a few.
With Cristina, the band’s debut single, you get a vibe for who Teleman are. That mix of synth and indie guitar carrying this hefty song through your ears, tied together by the diverse and tender sounding vocals of Thomas Sanders. Indie pop is such a broad genre that normally gets buttered up, but with Teleman there’s a mix of rawer energy within their music that enforces such a focused identity that’s so particularly them.
Meanwhile, they’ve certainly figured out who they are and where to go next, take their latest album Family Of Aliens, and according to the band was a more involved writing process between them, which clearly worked for the best because Family Of Aliens is a brilliant album and one of my highlights of 2018, with some of their strongest work to date. The track Cactus brings that characteristic charm Teleman, edging on the airwaves of alluring yet hypnotic. It’s a development of sound that’s clear when you hear their albums back to back, but it’s superbly familiar.
Going back one album to Brilliant Sanity, the opening track DĂŒsseldorf with its slick performance races to pump adrenaline throughout your body. There’s a time and a place for “ah just play harder, turn the amps up” for showing the power of a performance, but Teleman manages to know exactly how to level their sound. The guitars aren’t in your face, they’re not Boss Metal Zone’d, instead they’re driven just enough to add the right amount of bite and attitude, and what this means is the song hypes you up and you feel the weight of it hit you, despite it being a calmer soundscape. It’s a power that’s truly unique and not many artists quite figure it out so it makes for such an impactful listening experience.
Skeleton Dance from the band’s debut album starts with such an exhilarating intro, those loose and jangly guitars that almost spit out at you, the saturation of that riff on the threshold against the velvety vocals that carry the song is just so tranquillizing. And then with the combination of thick synths, drum machines and a live kit, just swirls around your brain in such a manner you do disconnect from the world for three and a half minutes.
Between The Rain is one of the more ’70s sounding tracks, but mastered to your modern-day specs. The piano-centric song complimented by the twangy driven guitar solo emoting the sounds you’d hear on an early Bowie record like Hunky Dory. It’s also got one of my favourite lines being;
“Good times always end if you sing too soon
Oh, how I love the silence when Iâm with you”
Something about that simplicity and realism along with the bouncy vibe of the track just matches so well.
So with all that in mind… What are you still doing here? You’ve heard what Teleman can do, and you’ve barely scratched the surface. Revitalise that pure indie-pop sensation of the early 2010s and process the power that lies ahead with whatever Teleman dare to bring out next.
OK Human, the brand new album by LA rockers Weezer, has shaken up everything the band has put out in the last half-decade alone. Jumping ship from genre to genre, Weezer are no strangers to releasing heaps of fresh music year after year, perhaps the sad reality of how hard it is to make a living being a musician, or perhaps because theyâre just that inspired, which after being a band for almost 3 decades now (God really? Time flies huh) is pretty impressive, like all the material theyâve put out or not, it canât be easy, but that being said must be very rewarding.
After the 2019 announcement of the album Van Weezer, inspired by the likes of hard and glam rock icons such as the late Eddie Van Halen, which was due out in 2020 and is now due to that thing thatâs kinda buggered up the world, due out late spring this year, the band dropped a surprise album at the end of January that is the complete opposite of what Van Weezer is said to offer us. With a centre on less guitars and more orchestral sounds. So what can you expect from an album like this? Well that sharp modern pop production that was all over the likes of the black and white albums, but that baroque rock/orchestral pop centre creates something so naturalistic that I think we all kind of needed at a time like this.
Although the writing sessions for what became this album started as early as 2017, the themes of isolation are very apparent and itâs classical influences really enforce that. After the year of the pandemic, and to be quite frank everything kinda shitty the world has endured over the last few years, this drawn back approach is rather magnificent. I can only really compare the sounds of this album to vague Beatles-esk noise or something like Panic! At The Discoâs Pretty. Odd. But even that isn’t quite right. This definitely sounds like a Weezer album and after the cold water shock of hearing track one All My Favourite Songs, it all sounds perfectly natural for the band so itâs a strange sensation but does make sense.
The album has a really good sense of momentum, tracks flow and transition well into each other. The transition between Aloo Gobi into Grapes of Wrath is ridiculously sharp and tasty. I think after the somewhat rocky consistency of Weezer through the past few years, being a bit wild with sounds is just their thing now, and whilst I was really digging the vibe of singles teased from Van Weezer, OK Humanâs big orchestral cavern is brilliant all the same. As a more casual fan of Weezer, I would easily say this is actually some of their best work, whether youâre a fan of the sounds of the Blue album, Pinkerton or even their more recent Black album, I think youâll easily enjoy what this album has to offer. There really is something for everyone here, without pandering to different genres as it is all tied up very nicely within its theme.
There is certainly key themes of alienation and a highlight on the modernity of humanity, be it the obsession of staring at our Screens or digitalised statistics in Numbers, whilst it can be a tad on the nose, I think generally along with the musical concept of the album sounding like a Disney movieâs soundtrack, and especially during a time that is our very uncertain present, it works well for what it is, and might even be looked back on and praised for itâs early (if we can even call it early at this point) warning signs of the surge of technology and reliability upon it. I think having 2 albums within the span of a few months is one thing to keep your fans happy, but to have two completely contrasting sounding albums such as OK Human and Van Weezer in the pipeline is a bold move but somehow I think completely works and really thereâs no better time for it. I just feel sorry for the poor blighter who has to figure out their next setlistâŠ
Top tracks are; Grape Of Wrath, Numbers and Bird With A Broken Wing. But again Iâd stress to hear the whole album all the way through to get the most visceral experience of OK Human.Â
The long-awaited debut album Collapsed In Sunbeams by the indie icon Arlo Parks has finally arrived! And it’s definitely a contender for album of the year already. As a black bisexual woman in an already oversaturated music industry, it is so refreshing and rewarding to see the success that Arlo Parks has gained since her music debut in 2018, becoming a contemporary to the likes of Phoebe Bridgers and Clairo, but a superstar in her own right.
The album kicks off with an arpeggiated acoustic guitar and lofi ambient sounds underneath a poem by Parks, setting up the journey that by track 3 has already taken you all around town. Hurt puts the car into first gear, a great opener demonstrating those sounds we’ve become familiar with from singles like Green Eyes and Eugene. The use of sampled and chopped drums gives the track this slightly agitated feeling that goes in hand with the themes of Parks’ lyrics. Track 3 Too Good shakes up the vibes so soon with Motown inspiration through jazz and funk-infused guitar, really encapsulating sounds of the ’60s but wrapping it in layers of modern production. Arlo Parks already has smashed her sound out the ballpark, completely developing her ability to write and perform since her EP Super Sad Generation.
Hope sidesteps more towards that Jazzier inspired sound, really making me nostalgic for the iconic instrumentation of Amy Winehouse. It keeps up the pace and I think it’s here where it’s safe to say that Arlo’s control and flow of melodies are absolutely breathtaking. Each line she sings is just monumental, no line feels lacking or overfilled with words and syllables, she’s a natural storyteller. And every chorus she sings is an instant hit, I mean just in Hope the way she carries the lines “Youâre not alone like you think you are / We all have scars, I know itâs hard / Youâre not alone” just really pulls at the heartstrings. She’s open and honest and it makes for the best of her music.
Caroline and Black Dog, two tracks released in the buildup to the album take up your ears next. Caroline being one of the songs that carry the general DNA of this album, the production it’s laced with is a reoccurring sound within such a musically diverse album. Written about witnessing events unfold without context which is something we see on a daily basis (well, we usually would) where it does become something we don’t give too much attention to.
Black Dog is a more stripped back stylised song, Parks addressed the song saying “it’s supposed to make people who are struggling feel less isolated and start a conversation surrounding the prevalence of mental health issues in today’s world”. Especially after the toll that’s taken the people of the world over the last year alone, Black Dog becomes a statement about the obvious on how bitter the reality of depression is and how you can feel out of your depth whether you’re on the receiving end of the Black Dog or whether you’re observing someone who has that demon in their life.
“It’s so cruel what your mind can do for no reason / I take a jump off the fire escape to make the black dog go away
At least I know that you are trying / But that’s what makes it terrifying“
Green Eyes is such a ridiculous song. It’s just perfect what can I say? (That’s rhetorical) Here Parks tells the story of a past relationship with a girl that ended too soon because of the stigma of same-sex relationships from their own parents. I think although there are specific topics all throughout this record, there are some messages within that are completely universal such as the chorus’ hook “Some of these folks wanna make you cry / But you gotta trust how you feel inside and shine” it’s painfully true and such an uplifting message to anybody who listens to this track.
Just Go is perhaps one of the more traditionally poppier songs here, bringing a bouncier bassline like something out of a Mark Ronson tune, but with classical production emitting sounds you’d find on an Adele song. Reflecting on the song Parks said, “I wanted a breakup song that said, simply, No grudges, but please leave my life”. The contradiction of the civil wording of a toxic ending to the upbeat song makes it the perfect tune to vibe to if you’re having a hard time letting go of something, even when it is the abundantly right thing to do.
For Violet, is one of the darker songs on this record, it’s gritty like a Radiohead song but tunefully soulful like the rest of Arlo’s work. Eugene and Bluish take the reigns next. Bluish is about a relationship that smothers you, talking about when needing space “I shouldn’t have to ask you twice” and “You held me so hard I went bluish“, really enforcing that claustrophobic feeling.
Eugene tells the story of falling in love with a straight girl in a relationship, and how that unconditional infatuation can burn you right to the core. Continuing a darker element that was so strong in For Violet but with a warmer tone exploring that vulnerability.
“Seein’ you with him burns, I feel it deep in my throat
You put your hands in his shirt, you play him records I showed you
Read him Sylvia Plath, I thought that that was our thing
You know I like you like that / I hate that son of a bitch“
Porta 400 closes the album and brings more sampling back to the forefront, allowing the ending of this LP to be one that really does stick out but warmly wrap up the sound of Collapsed In Sunbeams. Porta 400 feels like after a series of unfortunate struggles, sitting on a hilltop watching the sun go down on an era of your life, breathing out and moving on. It’s the perfect credits to a film so somebody get onto making that. I think the chorus sums up the energy of the entire record; “Making rainbows out of something painful“, and in turn relieves whoever listens, helping them to find and make their own rainbows.
Collapsed In Sunbeams is a blissful journey that discusses life, the ups and downs, how you can be dealt a bad hand, but how your life is one of a kind. It opens it’s hand out to you with the simple message that is “you’re not alone“. At a time like 2021, there’s no better message to take on board.
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Why We Love: Eaves Wilder
In just 6 months, Eavie (better known as) Eaves Wilder has managed to produce frantic fairytale sounds to fill your very best indie playlists. Being a Gen Z artist, the way our generation has grown up with music is so chaotically different from the likes of our inspiration. We genre mix and we dabble between artists and sounds which makes for such a clash of sounds that’s really paving the way for the next wave of music, and Wilder is absolutely no exception.
So how would I describe her music? Imagine putting the DNA of George Harrison, Kate Bush, Beabadoobee and Blur into a blender, then serving that milkshake up along with a sprinkle of toppings to coat all that with even more, and if you’re a fan of the darker sounds of pre-The 1975’s ‘Drive Like I Do’, then Eaves Wilder is someone for you. But being so young and having experienced so much, Eavie brings a flair of unique excellence that just melts your ears. Her debut single Won’t You Be Happy written in the height of the first lockdown, and was an immediate hit, the emotional range and relatability here was off the scale and was the right step to make Eaves Wilder soon to be a household name.
Later still she dropped the single In And Out (And Out Again), a beautiful piano-led ballad that envelops more of that shoegaze vibe that was so present within Won’t You Be Happy. One thing to note is her talent as a pianist, being able to sing and perform precise twinkling key rhythms is not something you see often (see the live piano performance below), especially among young songwriters nowadays. Eavie manages to be a breath of fresh air and a staple to the term ‘Artist’. You get a real feel for Wilder’s passion for her music and it’s wonderful to see out in the Eaves Wild…
But there’s no slowing down for Eavie, she’s on an upward spiral and we’ve all got golden tickets to join the ride. Just last month we heard another single Man, We Was Lonely (a little ode to everyone’s favourite Beatles bassist), with perhaps the charm of Arcade Fire’s Funeral as inspiration, particularly vibing with the vocal tones of RĂ©gine Chassagne. Three songs into Eavie’s career and already she’s making a name for herself, making dreamy songs to soundtrack your teens and my god does it make you crave to hear these tracks in a live venue.
Eaves Wilder is making her way to the top, so what better a time to grab her hand and follow her to the summit of her musical venture. 6 months since her debut and only 3 songs in, but already she is one of my favourite rising stars that you must keep up with.
So don’t forget to keep a keen eye on her socials and follow Eaves Wilder on Spotify.
Hearing The Gardenâs music for the first time was like unlocking a door that draws you into an entirely different universe. Their sound, as well as their aesthetics, are both completely and distinctively their own. Theyâve got a special kind of magic that has presented itself through genre-bending, undeniable originality, and a full creative exploration that’s led them towards developing some of the most unique music of our time.Â
âCalifornia Here We Goâ was my introduction to twin brothers Wyatt and Fletcher Shears, and I found myself completely enamored. The sultry bassline, the addictive chorus, and their love for jester-styled makeup had me wanting to dive in deeper as soon as the song was over. For those just beginning to explore The Gardenâs discography, this is, without a doubt, an essential song to keep under your belt.
Released just a few months prior, âCall This # Nowâ is another staple track that carries whimsically hypnotic energy. The music video matches it perfectly, too, and itâs one that I frequently revisit; not only is it just a music video that I genuinely love to watch, but itâs also a good glimpse into what the Shears brothers are all about. I guarantee that after listening to this songâeven just onceâyouâll find yourself subconsciously humming the chorus on multiple occasions. Or, maybe, Iâm just projecting.
You didnât think Iâd leave out âThy Mission,â did you? Itâs safe to say that this is currently The Gardenâs most popular song, and with the combined forces of the Shears twins and Mac Demarco, itâs no wonder why this is such a well-received song. The artists, though seemingly on different wavelengths, mesh together so flawlessly; it’s almost as though it was a match made in heaven (or, based on the video, hell). Like âCall This # Now,â this is another music video I am obsessed with. They took an already interesting concept and put their own unique spin on it, and the end result is entertaining, comedic, and stunning.
Alright, there are plenty of other key songs from The Garden I could recommend, but letâs shed some light on their latest release, shall we? Dropped in March 2020, Kiss My Super Bowl Ring consists of eleven explosive tracks that each add something powerful to the mix. Itâs truly so fascinating to hear how seamlessly they play around with different soundsâeven within the same songâand this album provides so much variety that youâre bound to find at least something to love. My personal favourite is âAMPM Truck,â give it a listen here:
Wyatt and Fletcher have their own individual side projects as well. Wyatt makes his music under the name âEnjoy,â and Fletcher is behind âPuzzle.â These experimental projects are absolutely phenomenal, and Iâm wholeheartedly a massive fan of both. A lot of the music from Enjoy and Puzzle is much more laid-back and dreamy compared to their work in The Garden, so if thatâs more of your vibe, definitely give both projects a listen. 10/10, would highly recommend.
So, in short: The Garden has quickly become one of my favourite bands. They are certainly ones to watch as they shake up the music scene, and if youâre new to their music, youâre going to want to stick around. I have completely fallen in love with their impressive artistic range and style, and Iâm sure you guys will, too.
Iâll leave you with one last thing, and itâs a performance Iâve found myself watching daily. Give it a watch, and youâll understand why.
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Why We Love: Itsamemyleo
Myles Wheeler (better known as Itsameyleo on the internet) is one of the most fascinating, talented and creative individuals of our generation. TWM is all about music foremost, but Myles here is better known as a major YouTuber or vlogger or whatever floats your boat. But not only is Myles completely my favourite YouTube content creator, but he is also one fabulous musician. You see, Myles has a wondrous talent for storytelling, take a look at any of his videos, the passion that goes into making each one, the emotional depth and the fantastic comedy that just nails the punchline every damn time, he’s someone who is going to be huge within his craft, wherever he strives to go (and I must stress, could be anywhere, this man’s talent is incredible). But along with writing, directing and editing his own video content, Myles composes music to add depth to his YouTube videos, writes music in spare time and even has a band basking in some real improv talent, and good improv music is actually pretty hard to do well, let alone find it.
In a very short span of time, I hope by the end of this you’ll be able to see just some of the sheer power of this humble man’s talent. So to kick things off, here’s Myles’ track, Funnier Last Year a song that has really connected to me over the years. Myles has a knack for glistening chord progressions and really beautiful lyrics that really do speak volumes, paired with such a down to earth voice that suits any emotion, I mean listen for yourself.
Switching to his band Broughton, enabling Myles and company to deliver an even more visceral sound. There are so many brilliant tracks to choose from but my personal favourite has to be 3:58. Initially written through the band jamming, on their improv/demo album Improvovia which can be found on Bandcamp. “Improvising songs is an interesting thing. Sometimes they can fall apart within the first strum of a chord but other times you can all manage to get a feel of the mood and know which direction to take it in. It’s a fun experience.” And to think music this stunning can form from pure improvisation based on perhaps a few lyrical phrases and chord ideas, it’s just really astounding to listen and realise all that synced creativity. It’s something to really admire, and the praise is completely deserved.
There are so many brilliant tracks to choose from such as Drift Away or Flickering Light off their 2014 debut album Alright, Night. The band played live at UK YouTube convention Summer In The City and one of the tracks they played was Fourarms, and it’s here in this live performance you get a taste for the rawness of their music, the passion and energy they put into performing. As a reference, there have been multiple occasions where Myles has broken strings live and cut his hand and bled over his guitar, so the guy really means ‘.bizness’ when he plays.
As far as I’m aware only one of Myles’ albums is on major streaming services such as Spotify being his 2020 EP Beehive, featuring some absolutely beautiful tracks such as I Could Be. Myles’ music is something you just absolutely have to go and check out.
I implore you all to listen to Myles’ solo work on Bandcamp here and check out Broughton’s discography here. Sadly as mentioned before, most of their music is not on streaming sites such as Spotify or Apple Music (Yet..?), but honestly trust me and take the time to check out Myles’ music on Bandcamp because you really won’t regret it.
If you’re a fan of artists such as Dodie and Mac DeMarco or Alex Turner’s Submarine soundtrack, then Myles is someone you must discover. I recommend Epic Eel Time, Drift Away, Long Lovely Life and In Front Of Me, but the bottom line is everything this man pours his heart into is absolute gold and utterly deserves your time, you really can’t go wrong. I hope you enjoy Myles’ work as much as I do.
