Oslo by De Joie De Joie really captures the joy of thriving where you belong. Listening to this song put a smile on my face and I hope it will do the same for you. written by Dallas Fluegel
2.
Disclosure by The Silent Critics When I first heard The Silent Critics I was hooked. The music and lyrics were interesting, but the vocals were breathtaking.
written by Dallas Fluegel
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If Only You Knew by An Atlas To Follow An Atlas To Follow is a magical song that you will not regret listening to. Get yourself into your best music environment and enjoy the music. written by Dallas Fluegel
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Alaye by JKS Sundar, JKA Shalini Our only foreign language song (so far) is made for U.S. radio. If you like the current EDM trend you’re going to want to hear this. written by Dallas Fluegel
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You Are Mighty by Melonie Caudle This song truly captures how amazing and mighty God is. His unfailing love are things that we all need to be reminded of on a daily basis. I hope you get as much from this song as I do. written by Shaina Hawkins
You can go directly to our Top 5 playlist on Spotify or YouTube.
The Novel Ideas are a quartet from Massachusetts. This country folk band of friends describes their music as ‘pastoral, harmony, and plaintive Americana.’ However, I would just call it folk with a tinge of country. Currently The Novel Ideas have 4,398 monthly listeners on Spotify allowing them to be the focus of this week’s artist spotlight.
The Novel Ideas debuted their first album in 2012, a nine track collection of folksy goodness. My favorite song of the this album is The Blue Between Us. A tribute to the wonderful place we all call home. Enjoy your next four minutes of life by listening to The Novel Ideas’ The Blue Between Us. Lyrics and Commentary Below.
Well my mind’s still limber but my heart’s grown old From the time I left the only place I know And it makes me happy we didn’t get let go I couldn’t stand to see our love just decompose
Now I’ve been walking home nearly every night And here’s to everyone I ever loved but had to leave behind For the one thing I can’t find though I’ve been looking half my life And it’s damn hard to explain but I will try it if you like
If you ask me once I’ll tell you so That the blue between us never felt so cold And I miss the folk singers from the days of old When a three-chord song could save your soul
And no I’m never on time least that’s what I’m told So why’s everything feel like it moves too slow? And if I were scared I wouldn’t let it show ‘Cause if I die tonight I’m not going home
Why’s it seem so wrong to miss the town you love? When there’s just one state that you cannot stop thinking of I wouldn’t say I’m patriotic but I think that’s what I’ve become Sometimes it takes where you are not, just to remember where you’re from
Was it my fault that I meant every single word I said? When I told you it was not the end And if everything goes wrong, I hope we can get along If I lost you I would lose my best friend
And now we’re weathering the storm, side by side we’re looking on It takes a certain kind of love to bear this load But it’s not the tired romance of the open road
Commentary
I’m not sure why, but I love a song filled with grief. The desire to be somewhere, something, or even someone else can be conveyed so well in music as compared to other art forms. You can experience the distress of the artist in the combination of vocals, instruments, and lyrics that can’t be matched in a brush stroke, chapter, or picture.
The vocals and feel of this song pair perfectly together to express the distress of the singer. A person whose pleasant angsty voice magnifies the lyric’s message of longing. The soulful harmonies give the song depth while the honest lyrics portray a bold authenticity. The singer is nearly embarrassed with his intense feelings for missing home, but I find it endearing.
Here’s a novel idea.
Sometimes the things we are embarrassed by are the same things that endear us to our loved ones and watching world.
What do you think?
The Novel Ideas can be followed the on Facebook or Twitter. You can purchase their debut album on Amazon and iTunes or give directly to them to show your appreciation on bandcamp. I have bad news; as of September of 2018 The Novel Ideas are no longer a band, but you can still enjoy their music on Spotify and YouTube.
Jak Sundar is a producer from Chennai, India. He is a huge fan of Machael Jackson’s music and it is with this inspiration that Jak has set out to make pop music. In his song, Alaye, Jak enlisted the help of singer JKA Shalini. Shalini is also from Chennai, India where she lives with her husband and kids. Jak Sundar has 1 monthly Spotify listener, and JKA Shalini has 608 monthly Spotify listeners making them a perfect duo for this week’s artists spotlight
Alaye is a song that has popular electronic music themes infused throughout the track like Shalini’s haunting voice, synthesizers galore, and an epic beat. It’s a song that belongs on the radio, and I hope it will take off in the United States soon. Since I am only a (sub-par) master of one language I reached out to JKA Shalini and she was kind enough to give me the lyrics of the song, which were then translated by a wonderful user of Reddit. But first, enjoy Alaye by Jak Sundar & JKA Shalini. Lyrics and Analysis below.
Alaye alaye alaye alaye Alaye alaye un aatralai tharava Nilave nilave nilave nilave Nilave nilave un olithanai thara vaa
Alaye un aatral tharayo Adiyen ivan nadai poda Nilave un olithanai tharayo Nilathil ivan karaigal than sera….
Alaye alaye alaye alaye Alaye alaye un aatralai tharava Nilave nilave nilave nilave Nilave nilave un olithanai thara vaa
Welcome the rain that comes down from the sky Let the road get wet for you to go Welcome the sea fish that swims far You go without slowing down
Among a thousand searches find your place Sing a song and tell your story
Go forward without stopping Push the opponents behind you Say that you will get up even if you fall Go as far as you can touch the skyline
Let the waves give the energy For him to walk Let the moon give the light For him to reach the shore
Go forward without stopping Push the opponents behind you Say that you will get up even if you fall Go as far as you can touch the skyline
Oh wave after wave after wave after wave Come wave after wave to give the energy Oh moon oh moon oh moon oh moon Oh moon oh moon come to give the light
Let the waves give the energy For him to walk Let the moon give the light For him to reach the shore
Wave after wave after wave after wave Come wave after wave to give the energy Oh moon oh moon oh moon oh moon Oh moon oh moon come to give the light
Meaning (from the Artist)
“This song portrays the struggles of a young boy who is bullied and harmed by people around him, which in turns makes the boy stronger and equips himself to face his struggles with the help of his affectionate brother… This song is dedicated to all the young children to grow up in life stronger and face all the hurdles in life.” ~ From the Youtube Description
Commentary
This song stands as a positive force in a time great darkness across the world. The human race is being bullied by its own members and the forces of nature. This song can serve as motivation that despite being knocked down we can always get up, learn from our mistakes, and face the issues at hand.
Let us therefore face the day with new strength. May you bring courage into your heart. May you fight for justice. May you be a force of peace in your home, neighborhood, and city. And finally, may you end this day knowing the world is at least a tiny bit better because of your actions.
If you’re interested in more music by JKA Shalini you can follow her on Facebook, Spotify, Instagram, or Youtube. JKA Shalini, herself, requests you take a listen to one of her newest songs, Alaathi.
In 2012 An Atlas To Follow released Golden Sun, a six track EP, and toured through 2014. Since then their website has become entirely Chinese and they haven’t posted on Facebook one time. This Knoxville, Tennessee modern indie folk band consisted of Thomas Smith (lead singer), Zac Smith, Amanda Kinney, & Josh Jones. Currently An Atlas To Follow has 6,053 monthly Spotify listeners making them an excellent candidate for our Artist Spotlight.
An Atlas To follow slowly formed into a four piece band over the years of 2009 and 2010. Thomas and Amanda met and discovered each other in a study abroad program in 2009 and started singing together shortly thereafter. Golden Sun was An Atlas To Follow’s only album, although they did release an album under another name in 2010, Suite C.
The first track on the Golden Sun album to catch my ear was Be Kind To Boston. I loved the harmonies and how the song builds up. However, after I dived into the album a new favorite quickly emerged. Enjoy the second track from the Golden Sun album If Only You Knew by An Atlas to Follow. Find lyrics and the meaning below.
Let me tell you dear, I know I said it’s just a story But the truth is I write words to form a crutch to help me get by It wasn’t my intention to leave you out in the cold I wrote this all down and I put it in a song Cause I found that my words fail me When I need them most I’ve got a way with words But I’m not sure it’s the good kind Cause I let them get away from me And I just hope that you’ll find That your name is hidden somewhere Deep between most of them
Bah-di-dah-dah…..
I once had a mind to let this run its course But the wind and the rain had their way with us Cause something deep inside me said I had to learn the hard way I’m scared of being alone, but I’m scared to look you in the eyes And ask you if you’d like to dance with me Because I’ll make a fool of myself These words are nothing more than pebbles thrown In desperation at your window pane Just hoping that the rhythmic sound will help you sleep tonight
If only you knew If only you knew If only you knew If only you knew If only you knew If only you knew
Bah-di-dah-dah…..
If only you knew If only you knew And if only you knew If only you knew
Bah-di-dah-dah…..
Meaning
I really really like this song. There’s something magical in the bah-di-dahs. It feels like its taking me somewhere. It makes me close my eyes and smile.
I really like to dive into the meaning of a song’s lyrics, but I love it when it artists tells us (most of the time) what the song is actually about. In an interview, An Atlas To Follow expanded on the meaning of the album and what each song meant to the writer.
“Golden Sun” has a lot to do with unrequited love, or rather, unrequited feelings, with the two bright spots on the EP being Call this Home and the title track. Louisiana was born from the frustration of still carrying around the weight of regrets and remorse from a failed relationship. Really it wasn’t a relationship at all; I was just very emotionally involved. The song does it’s best to say without saying that I was tired. Tired of having her in the back of my head every other day. Tired of not being able to move forward due to the delusional hope that something where I was might change for the better. Be Kind to Boston, If Only You Knew and Too Late to Say I Love You all come from the same situation where I had some very strong feelings toward a certain someone but knew that they weren’t shared. If you listen to them in the order listed earlier you can see the thematic arc of the “situation”: from hope to desire to desperation to loss. It all worked out in the end though, she changed her mind… and that album is in the works.”
I love happy endings! I hope y’all did too.
You can find An Atlas To Follow on Facebook, Spotify, or Youtube. You can purchase their album on iTunes or through Amazon. A large portion of this post was taken from an Interview found on sonicbids.com.
Little Big League is an Philadelphia rock band consisting of Michelle Zauner (guitar & vocals), Deven Craige (bass), Kevin O’Halloran (guitar), & Ian Dykstra (drums). They released their debut album These Are Good People. in 2013 and Tropical Jinx in 2014. Since then Zauner moved back to Oregon to be with her mother who was diagnosed with cancer and the band has not released an album since. Currently Little Big League sits at 8,255 monthly listeners on Spotify making them a wonderful candidate for our Artist Spotlight.
Little Big League is best described as Rock-N-Roll. They have mesmerizing guitar solos with a wonderful ability to compose a song. Michelles vocals are… unique. Taken by themselves I would consider them adequate, but the band does a good job of mixing them in, using them as an instrument to tie the song together.
Their best song is My Very Own You, a short 2 minute track from their debut Album. I hope you enjoy. Lyrics and commentary below.
Tell me all the parts I conquered first Cause I know your kind, you’re a bad, bad girl
My very own you
Show me every inch they couldn’t reach I will bring and claim bricks to build my place
My very own you
Tell me who Who, who? Tell me who Who?
My very own you
Commentary
I love this song; musically it really resonates with me. It starts with this very interesting guitar riff, hits hard with the vocals and drums, then quickly changes the pace. During the break down Michelle’s ‘who who who’ are great. But my favorite part is the explosion of music at 1:37. Overall, it’s a beautiful 2 minutes.
I struggle with the meaning of this song. I think it could be about how we all fool ourselves in our infatuation with new partners. We fall for our own version of people, rather than who they really are. We make each person into my very own you.
In a similarly naive way we may even see ourselves as our new partner’s white knight – Tell me all the parts I conquered first… Show me every inch they couldn’t reach. I will bring and claim bricks to build my place. This is easy because they are just reciprocating our infatuation. We seem like everything they have been looking for, but really they are just making us into they’re very own us.
I think if everyone asked more questions at the beginning of relationships then maybe there would be less hurt in the world. It would prevent us from being disappointed because our partner didn’t live up to who we thought they were. It reminds me of a quote I once heard in my pre-marriage class, “resentment comes from unmet expectations.”
You can follow Little Big League on Twitter and Facebook and buy their music from iTunes or bandcamp. As always I would really love it if you shared this or another article from The Unheard with your friends. If you really love this song/vocals you can find Michelle’s more recent (lo-fi) music under her new stage name Japanese Breakfast.
