Tag: under the radar

Categories
California Female Lead

You Haven’t Heard Alternative Like This

No Exit by Upset

Upset is an all female, west coast rock band. They released their most recent (self titled) album at the end of 2019 featuring 10 songs full of wonderful, classic alternative rock. Currently they have 2,895 monthly listeners on Spotify, but they deserve much more.

Upset’s music takes me back to my first rock love, 90s alternative. They showcase wonderful guitar riffs, marvelous distortion, and tongue-in-cheek lyrics. I really enjoyed several songs on their most recent album including Holy Basil, Brighton, The World Is Bigger Now, & Tried and True. However, I want to share their second song on the record, No Exit. Lyrics and Commentary below. Enjoy.

Lyrics

Say what you want to me
Choose your words carefully
I can’t keep a secret to save my life
What did I ever do
beside stick up for you
When nobody else was on your side

I may have called you names
Complained of all the times
I leant you money or gave you rides
But what I’ll never do
Is pretend that you
Never deserved our goodbye

Tear it down, break it up
Do what you got to do
What ever it takes to
Take the blame off you

Tear it down, break it up
Do what you got to do
Whatever it takes to
Take the blame off you

You do no wrong
It’s all you do

You do no wrong
It’s all you do

Commentary

Y’all. I can’t help but like this song 5 seconds in; the electric guitar riff calls to me. Then right away we get interesting lyrics ‘choose you words carefully… I can’t keep a secret to save my life.’ One of the more peculiar things about this song is that there is no lyrical chorus. Instead we get more of a musical chorus, which is fun and unique.

The meaning of the song is fairly obvious. It is about a friend who has decided to end the friendship despite the writer’s efforts in the relationship. Also, the friend intending to break ties seems to think they have no faults in the separation causing the writer to say, rather sarcastically, ‘You do no wrong; It’s all you do.’

The real wonder in this song is not the lyrics, although fun. You’ve got to go listen to this song to hear the magic. So go ahead, give it a listen, and while you’re there I highly encourage you to check out the rest of Upset’s self titled album and share them with your friends.

You can follow Upset on Facebook or Twitter.

What are some of your favorite all female bands?

Categories
Female Lead Music Tennessee

What Does Home Mean?

Oslo by De Joie

De Joie is singer/songwriter Kaley Rutledge. Her 7,780 monthly Spotify listeners makes her (by far) the most popular artist we have spotlighted so far. In De Joie’s first album she grapples with the idea of home. Kaley lives in Nashville, but she really found a sense home in her travels to Western Europe. These places impacted her so much that when she got back to the States she made an album of four songs, a song for each city she visited.

Oslo is the first song on De Joie’s album August and is my personal favorite. She mixes vox, strings, and synths to give this song a healing presence. In Olso, 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. Lyrics and Analysis below.

Lyrics to Oslo by De Joie (courtesy of jiosaavn)

Can you hear me say “I love you” from across the sea?
Can you hear me whisper to you my dreams?
Well, the weather is fine here in Oslo
We’re about to jump on a plane to the west coast

There’s a view we can’t miss
I wouldn’t dream of it
There’s a view we can’t miss
I wouldn’t dream of it

I was born to be wild and free
Traipsing the coast line of some craggy beach
Go on and tell ’em I’m in good company
Wild and free

Can you hear me say, “I love you” from theses far way places?
All these wide open spaces seem to heal me

There’s a view we can’t miss
I wouldn’t dream of it
There’s a view we can’t miss
I wouldn’t dream of it

I was born to be wild and free
Traipsing the coast line of some craggy beach
Go on and tell ’em I’m in good company
Wild and free

DIVING DEEP

The concept of home has been something that I have thought a lot about over the last decade. It’s not just a physical space; instead it’s a near mythical land with powers to heal. Home is a place of recovery, our very own ICU that each of retreat to every day. This is an insane concept, but equally peculiar is that each of us rehab at our own unique center. How crazy is that!? Every one of us returns to our own distinct location for the same thing. Healing.

Kaley of De Joie does a fantastic job of exploring the concept of home. In the song Oslo we see two different homes. The first home is filled with the people she loves, but it is lacking. She has left it in search for something – Can you hear me say “I love you” from across the sea? Can you hear me whisper to you my dreams? We’re about to jump on a plane to the west coast. The second home is Oslo, which is also filled with people she loves, AND is a place where she finds healing – Well, the weather is fine here in Oslo. Go on and tell ’em I’m in good company. All these wide open spaces seem to heal me.

I really love how Kaley responds to the healing she receives when she finds home: She realizes she was born to be wild and free. This idea seems counterintuitive to me because before finding this new home Kaley was a wanderer, searching for home.. One could say that she was free to roam and be wild, but she did not feel that way.

However, when Kaley finds home, even though she is now tethered to a place (Oslo), she proclaims herself wild and free. How can we make sense of this?

It’s as if belonging to something or someone brings freedom while total independence produces turmoil. This is a thought worth sitting in, and for that I thank De Joie!

What do you think about home? What does home mean to you?

Sources
https://dejoiemusic.com/bio
https://www.jiosaavn.com/lyrics/oslo-lyrics/RwxYdhUIQ1A
https://open.spotify.com/artist/5oJYqPFbjnOksOFe7uOx9G?si=lU9yJgeQTVutw5Y2q_AR7A

Categories
Music UPDATED

Things Could Have Gone Better

updated 5/25/20 after a pleasant email exchange with The Silent Critics’ Ryan Coughter. He provided the actual lyrics and the meaning behind the song. Original post in black.

Disclosure by The Silent Critics

The Artist Spotlight on The Silent Critics was the first spotlight I did for The Unheard. I’m a big fan of their album Chemical Avalanches and Toxic Romances, which is one of the reasons I was super pumped to receive a message from Ryan Coughter of The Silent Critics shortly after our website went live. Ryan was super gracious and kind, and I came away from our conversation encouraged about The Unheard.

Ryan gave me two things I would like to share with you. First, he gave me the exact right words to “Disclosure,” which have now been incorporated into the original post below. The second thing he gave me was the meaning of “Disclosure.” Enjoy.

What is the meaning of the song Disclosure?

Liam and I wrote this song together many years ago.  I wrote the music and most of the lyrics but Liam definitely helped out as well! … The song has a couple different meanings but generally the main feeling behind the song was that my girlfriend and I broke up.  My roommate, who was Liam at the time, was in a great and loving relationship.  I admired it, but I wasn’t ready to have that again, I was more interested in a one or five night dance.  I think you can figure out what [that] means!  haha.

~ Ryan Coughter, The Silent Critics

Indeed we can. haha. Thank you so much Ryan and The Silent Critics for reaching out to us. I wish them the best of luck going forward. You can find their album on iTunes or Amazon. If you like their music you’ll be excited to find out that Ryan told me they are planning to come out with their next album this year.

THE ORIGINAL POST (with corrected lyrics)

The Silent Critics is a D.C. band founded by Liam Garland & Ryan Coughter who started working together in college as a class project. Pleased by their chemistry they started playing gigs in the area and even entered and won contest for their songs. Their sound consists of pleasing melodies and stunning vocals.

When I first heard The Silent Critics I was in college sitting behind a mic as a very green DJ (probably terrified I would mess the broadcast up), and I was hooked. The music was good, the lyrics were interesting, but the vocals were breathtaking. I thought it was just a matter of time before these guys were household names…

I was wrong… as I often am. However, the music these guys made has stuck in my head, and I have carried them with me in the years that have passed. Now it is my pleasure to share them with you. (Lyrics Below)

Lyrics to Disclosure by The Silent Critics

(Yeah) I’ve had it once or twice
the second better than the first
things went awry you went away
now I’m not ready to try
try anything more than a one or five night dance
but to have it again would feel unreal
just a taste, a kiss, a touch with that passion
that you see every day like a movie script theme

Don’t want to leave your sight theme
Don’t want to sleep by myself theme
Don’t want to leave like this
I will do anything, I’ll say anything

And I won’t let you down.
No, I won’t let you down.
And I hope to God that I find you
here when you’re around
No, I won’t let you down.

What I take away from this is
that I was in naïve bliss
I never tried to hide it or fight the fact
that I was forcing the feelings
you simply didn’t have for me

You needed time away from me
You said you needed some room to breathe
We can’t waste love like this
I’ll do anything, I’ll say anything

And I won’t let you down.
No, I won’t let you down.
And I hope to God that I find you
here when you’re around
No, I won’t let you down.

Yeah we’re falling to pieces but I’ll pick you up
The late night talking about what’s to come
Well, the details are hazy but I understand
No, you won’t be second best
No, you won’t be second best, cuz

Don’t want to leave your sight theme
Don’t want to sleep by myself theme
Don’t want to leave like this
I will do anything, I’ll say anything

I’ve had it once or twice
the second better than the first
it went awry you went away
now I’m not ready to try
anything more than a one or five night dance

I’ve had it once or twice
the second better than the first
things went awry you went away
now I’m not ready to try
anything more than a one or five night dance

Oh, to me that five night dance sounds perfect
oh perfect

I’m not sure how a band like The Silent Critics slips through the cracks, but if you liked this song you should check out their YouTube Channel where they cover songs like Crazy by Gnarls Barkley.

I hope y’all enjoyed this new song and the probably brand new-to-you band. If you love it I hope you share it with your family and friends.

Categories
Kansas

You’ve Never Heard Of This Band Before

The Trek By Emersons Fall

I can almost guarantee you have never heard any music by Emersons Fall. They have 2 monthly listeners on Spotify and I know for a fact that I’m one of them. Their internet presence is essentially non-existent and googling their band name turns up nothing.

However, through some of extensive research I can tell you that Emersons Fall was a Wichita, Kansas duet made up of Ben Tyson and James Paul. The only album they released was their self titled album of 5 songs in 2011. Since then James Paul has gone on to form a new band with his brother and wife called En Power & Light. Ben Tyson, as far as I can tell, has moved on from music and now works as an engineer.

I discovered Emersons Fall while DJ-ing for the University radio station at Stephen F. Austin and instantly connected with their song The Trek. If you are like me back then I think you might really connect with this song. If not, I hope you enjoy it anyways. Lyrics and Commentary below.

LYRICS

Drop all your things get in the car
wherever we go we will go long and far
There are no rules here there are no holds bar

I’m leaving town I’m busting out
And I don’t know where I am gonna go
I’m all alone so ride with me
And we can just go together
The road is here
The skies are clear
but still I don’t know where I’m going

What we left behind now has begun to fade
I want to fall of the edge of this confusing game
And meet the unknown embrace it face to face

I’m leaving town I’m busting out
And I don’t know where I am gonna go
I’m all alone so ride with me
And we can just go together
The road is here
The skies are clear
but still I don’t know where I’m going

There’s no need to be waisting away time
Nothings (?????) by
All (??????) moving is you and I

Drop all your things get in the car
wherever we go we will go long and far
There are no rules here there are no holds bar

We’re leaving town we’re busting out
And I don’t know where we are gonna go
We’re not alone so ride with me
And we can just go together
The road is here
The skies are clear
but still I don’t know where I’m going

We’re leaving town we’re busting out
And I don’t know where we are gonna go
We’re not alone so ride with me
And we can just go together

We’re not alone

And we can just go together

COMMENTARY

In some of my spotlights I get to dig into the meaning of the songs, but in my research I found this old YouTube video that tells you exactly about what this song is about in their words. So I won’t waste our time pondering the original meaning. Instead, let’s dive into what I admire about the song.

I really like that the singing is just not quite in sync. It gives the song an aura of longing. Another aspect of the song that I really enjoy is how the lyrics portray a sense of discontentment and a sense of hope at the same time. I really admire how Emersons Fall were able to put those two contrasting ideas in the heart of this song.

I’d love to hear your thoughts. Does this song remind you of anyone? Does it take you back to a specific moment in your life?

SOURCES
http://web.archive.org/web/20130514221945/http://emersonsfall.com/
https://www.enpowerandlight.com/
facebook.com
youtube.com

Categories
California Music

This Is A Song of Increasing Intimacy

I Can Feel Your Heartbeat (featuring Jordan Frye) by A New Normal

A New Normal is a southern California band lead by Justin H. Wright. Justin describes A New Normal’s music as cinematic electronic, but the song ‘I Can Feel Your Heartbeat’ sounds more like a pop/rock anthem to me. Currently A New Normal is sitting at 2,170 monthly listeners making it a great candidate for our spotlight.

This song is split into two distinct parts. The first part gives you a low deep voice with the persistent bass drum and bass riff. The second part transforms you to a new scene; you’re at a party and everyone knows the words to the song. It’s actually kinda neat because it gives the song a sense of community.

LYRICS

Saw the fire in her eyes
I could hear her heartbeat
Felt the sunlight on my skin
As she laid beside me

Saw the heavens open up
As it rained down on me
Can’t remember what she said
But I could hear her heartbeat

I could hear her heartbeat (x4)

See the storm clouds up ahead
Say the words “I miss you”
I can’t remember what you said
But I could feel your heartbeat

Hear the heavens open up
As she laid beside me
See the fire in her eyes
I can feel your heartbeat

I can feel your heartbeat (x2)

In A New Normal’s bio on Spotify it says, “Every composition released by A New Normal is carefully crafted take the listener on a journey.” So what journey did we just take?

MY INTERPRETATION

This is a song of growing intimacy. The first half represents the infatuation phase. The second half represents a promise.

In the first half of the song we hear the repeating phrase, ‘I can hear her heartbeat.’ How close do you have to be to someone to hear their heartbeat?

So Close GIFs | Tenor

Exactly! He’s letting us know that he is in close relationship with this woman. You can also tell that he is committed to her because rain (As it rained down on me) or shine (Felt the sunlight on my skin) he is still right by her side. He can hear her heartbeat.

Then we get to the second part of the song and something really unusual has happened. We have gone from a very intimate setting to a public gathering. Also we see our first glance to the future, “See the storm clouds up ahead.” He’s not scared though. In fact, now he can FEEL her heartbeat. He has gotten closer to her.

Cat Hug GIF - Cat Hug Love GIFs

Finally, he is no longer singing about her, but to her. “I can feel your heartbeat.” And he is declaring this in the company of a crowd who is singing with him. This is an image of a wedding. The groom is publicly declaring his love to his betrothed in front of witnesses whose presence sings of approval.

In Summary, it’s just another song about a guy and a girl who have fallen in love, and I love it. What do you think? Do you get a different interpretation?

SOURCES

https://www.google.com/amp/s/genius.com/amp/A-new-normal-i-can-feel-your-heartbeat-lyrics
https://open.spotify.com/embed/artist/6VJnJ6OWeHKZzGlEumBPHa

Categories
Texas

Exposing The Love Lives of Delicious Royalty

Quality Time By Bipolar Bears

The Bipolar Bears released their first and only full length album in 2012, toured for a few years, and have since disappeared. Their last Facebook post was February of 2017, the last twitter post was November 6th of 2013, and saddest of all their website is 404ed. The Bipolar Bears have 42 monthly listeners at the time of this post making them a perfect candidate for our spotlight.

The disbanding of The Bipolar Bears is unfortunate because I really dig several songs this quartet from Austin, Texas put down on their self named album. In an interview with Austin After Dark writer Caleb Holland said, “most everything I write is conceptual… I try to write the songs as stand alone songs.” As a result each track each track in the album does offer some depth in the lyrics and I love being able to dig into a song. These guys also know how to rock. I love the guitar parts of Theme and the composition of Half Cigarette, but my favorite song on the whole album is Quality Time.

Quality Time is a narrative based song exposing the love lives of delicious royalty: Queen Frostine, King Kandy, Lord Licorice, & Princess Lolly. And no, I was not aware that these were characters from the board game Candy Land until I was writing this. The song combines snarky lyrics with a catchy tune and a fun spirit. Lyrics and a quick interpretation of the song are written below. I hope you enjoy.

LYRICS

OOooOO, Lord Licorice
Your castle don’t mean your rich
Cuz, OOooOO you’re out of touch
And those don’t raise your status much
You left footprint right up the door
Stiletto print molasses on your kitchen floor
You’ve got Princess Lolly’s love, but you throw it away
Cuz girls can only be your love by day
But we all know what you’re using them for.

OOooOO my queen Frostine
How could you be so mean
Your new umbrella dress
Has put your King in a bit of distress
You left footprints right up to his door
Peppermint and snowflakes on his new carpet floor
You’ve got King Kandy’s love, but you throw it away
Cuz men can only be your love by day,
But we all know what you’re using them for.

Trying to be as good as i can
I hope Lilly will understand

oooo, when the rocks have eyes
oooo, they’ll tell all your lies
oooo, when the rocks have eyes
oooo, they’ll tell all your lies
oooo, when the rocks have eyes
oooo, they’ll tell all your lies
oooo, when the rocks have eyes
oooo, they’ll tell all your lies

AN INTERPRETATION

As a I sit and ponder about the lyrics of this song there are questions that come to mind. Like Who is Lilly? What is it exactly that we all know they’re using them for? However, my favorite thing to think about is the prophecy they give regarding when all their secrets will be revealed – “when the rocks have eyes they’ll tell all your lies.” We know all their lies; we were told by the song. Therefore, Rock(n-roll), in the form of The Bipolar Bears, is making known to the world the scandalous nature of the Candy Land royalty, just as the songs said it would. I think that is just a neat thought.

A CONFESSION

I’m so glad you have made it this far down into the post. I have something on my chest that I need to bring into the light. You may already know this, but the lead singer of The Bipolar Bears doesn’t have a great voice. I know. I hear it. You’ll hear it too if you listen to the whole ablum. But I still like their music, I can’t help myself. To me they make it all work and I think you might can grow to love their music too if you gibe it a chance.

I hope you enjoyed this new discovery and if you do please purchase one of their songs wherever you get your music. I would love to hear from you. What do you think of this song? Is there an artist you would like people to discover? Let me know in the comments below.

SOURCES

https://www.austinchronicle.com/music/2012-04-20/the-bipolar-bears/
https://www.facebook.com/bipolarbearsband/
https://twitter.com/bipolarbearsatx?lang=en
https://youtu.be/XEh5zD9tk5M

Categories
Music

I’m A Sucker For A Strange Voice

We’re Okay by ghostbird

John Trent Hancock (Vocals/Guitar) & Mike Cooper (Drummer) make up the San Diego band ghostbird. Right now their Spotify monthly listeners sits at 140 making them a perfect candidate for our music recommendation list. In 2009 they released their self titled EP featuring 6 songs. Re-listening to this album for the first time in years I find myself enjoying it quite a bit… seriously go give it 1 listen, and I can’t imagine you won’t find something you like.

ghostbird is a good old fashion rock band who likes to have a little fun with some modern distortion. John Hancock has a strange, high pitched voice whenever he is really belting it out (FYI, I’m a sucker for a strange voice). Musically, their quick strum electrical guitar makes their melodies sound wonderfully hectic and assists in producing an overall sound that evokes feelings of melancholy.

“The way that I write is that I come up with the musical ideas first and then I write the lyrics to fit the mood of the song,” said Hancock.

You can really see this style of song composition in ‘We’re Okay.’ Everything about the melody and instruments is uncertain to begin with. The guitar leaves you in mystery and the snare hits are hesitant. The lyrics match. ghostbird really lets you dive into the thoughts of someone in a struggling relationship with question after question. “Where’s she gonna go?” Is she gonna stay?” “Is she on her way?” In the chorus you see the author search for possible conclusions and land on the best lifeline he can offer her. It’s not much, it’s not even optimistic, but it’s real: “We’re Okay.” John Hancock follows this prayer up with a brief moment of musical stability in the form of a bass solo (or maybe a distorted guitar?).

The second verse reverses the roles and asks the same questions of the man… then no more words. You are left hoping that they will cling to the promise “We’re Okay.”

The song ends with 90 seconds of instrumental. The music starts with a feeling of uncertainty and then builds to a confident crescendo and ends with a satisfied stinger. Although we never hear it from the lyrics I think we can surmise from the music that are holding on to the relationship. They have “realized that we’re okay.” An answered prayer.

Once again I will have to provide lyrics because I’m unable to find the lyrics on the interwebs

Where’s she gonna go?
I don’t really know.
What’s she gonna be?
If only I could see.
Is she gonna stay?
Is she on her way?
Is she gonna run?
What’s she hiding from?

You can break a man. You can take him by his hand.
You can break his heart, tear his chest apart.
But maybe you need is something to believe.
Oh, baby I just pray you start to realize that we’re okay.

Where’s he gonna go?
I don’t really know.
Where’s he gonna be?
Leave it up to me.
Is he gonna stay?
Is he on his way?
Is he gonna run?
What’s he hiding from?

See You can break a man. You can take him by his hand
so you can break his heart, tear his chest apart.
But maybe you need is something to believe.
Oh, baby I just pray you start to realize that we’re okay.

I hope you enjoyed this song and if you loved the album consider purchasing it directly from the John Hancock. As always I want to know what you think. Did you like the song? Do you agree or disagree with my interpretation of the ending? Leave a comment

SOURCES

  1. http://www.iamjohnhancock.com/about
  2. https://sundial.csun.edu/12160/news/indie-band-ghostbird-releases-mediocre-cd/