Tuesday’s Top Tasty Tracks
Okay, so it was my birthday this week and class picked up really fast and its a few days late but hey good music is good music so give this good music the chance it deserves.
Funeral Pyre – Julien Baker
Julien Baker has been gathering some steam in the past year, and this new single is only going to propel her forward. Her debut, Sprained Ankle, was released a little over a year ago, and was immediately acclaimed for her brilliant songwriting and raw talent. Funeral Pyre picks up right where Sprained Ankle left off, and shows her growth even in the past year and a half. It’s a beautiful song with some reverb and delay, creating a clear atmosphere in the song. Some real, deep lyrics give this song an emotional depth that many artists spend their whole careers chasing, but never quite reaching. Keep your eyes on Baker, as she is armed with a new record deal and, based on this song, is ready to overtake the charts with some more brilliant songs.
RIYL: This Will Destroy You, Bon Iver, Elliot Smith
Indecision – Ghost Key
InVogue Records newest signing brings the heavy in the hardcore. While not groundbreaking, Ghost Key adds their voice to the choir in an increasingly competitive genre and holds their own. About to jump on a tour with arguably the biggest band of 2016, Silent Planet, Ghost Key is poised to have a huge year in 2017. Ghost Key’s biggest advantage is their continued growth in their respective areas. The guitar work keeps getting better, the vocalist continues to push himself to grow in his discipline, and their songwriting is far from sloppy. Lyrically, they have some great, relatable content that goes hand in hand with a hard hitting song.
RIYL: Hundredth, Counterparts, To The Wind
Give It Up – House vs. Hurricane
It’s been a while since we’ve heard from HvH. Breaking up in 2013, many thought we had heard the last of these Aussie metalcore juggernauts. However, after a brief reunion in 2016, they drop a new song in 2017 as the trend of breaking-up-only-to-get-back-together-5-years-later continues in the scene. This song picks up right where they left off, with very little rust to show for their hiatus. Some blistering, driving guitar riffs match well with the heavy vocals in the verse, and HvH are able to balance the sing/scream vocals well, with their choruses feeling like a natural progression of the song rather than an out of nowhere clean vocalist for the sake of fitting into the scene. I look forward to any other new music they have up their sleeve, if it’s in the cards.
Also, any song that has “back at it again with the white vans” in the lyrics immediately has my interest.
RIYL: Stick To Your Guns, The Ghost Inside, Like Moths To Flames
Castle on the Hill – Ed Sheeran
Ed Sheeran is back, and will continue his songwriting rule over the pop world in to 2017. But for real, this song is great. Some U2 sounding guitars kick the song off, and Sheeran weaves a story that is captivating through the entire song. The chorus creates a sense of nostalgia, and therefore, this song will be top 10 on the charts for the foreseeable future (and I’m quite alright with that). Castle on the Hill walks the listener through the journey of friends who grow up and move away, and it’s heartbreakingly beautiful, and creates a longing for home. Sheeran is a master songwriter, and this song clearly reflects that. Well done.
RIYL: U2, Taylor Swift, James Bay
Alastair Heinrichs 