Tuesday’s Top Tasty Tracks
A bit of a slower week after a wild past week. But I gotta bring the tunes to the people, so check these four tracks out.
I Want You Back (Jackson 5 Cover) – Back Garden Light
I’ve never heard these dudes before, but they gained an instant fan from this song. I rarely enjoy a cover enough to promote it, but holy man this song is so riffy, and I love it. It straight up BOUNCES. The production level is off the charts. Back Garden Light is the next big thing in Easycore, and this song proves it on every level. Something that comes through in their music is that they understand the nuances of song structure. It’s not a wall of noise, it’s not constant chugging. It ebbs and flows, and I believe they truly bring something new to this already iconic song (which is the true test whether a cover is worth listening to). Easycore has fallen off in the past couple years, but these guys know exactly how to do it right, and it comes through perfectly in this cover. It’s groovy, it’s riffy, and so, so catchy. Even if this isn’t your style of music, I think you’ll still bob along to this beautifully crafted song. French accent to boot.
(It’s available for free download at their bandcamp: backgardenlight.bandcamp.com)
RIYL: Chunk! No Captain Chunk!, Four Year Strong, Abandoned By Bears
For Shelley (Unheard) – A Lot Like Birds
A lot of people were skeptical about whether ALLB would continue to be a great band after the departure of one of their vocalists in Kurt Travis. Well, this song can lay those rumours to rest, because they’ve never sounded better than this song. They definitely changed, but I would argue it’s for the better. This song is amazing. I’m aware that this is a pretty far cry from the post-hardcore that made them big, but this song, For Shelley, a song written for lead singer Cory Lockwood’s late mother. As a tribute to her, it obviously needs to carry the weight of that, and this song bleeds emotion. The chorus, with layered vocals over the constant guitar reminds me of moments from the popular post-hardcore/pop-punk days in the mid-2000’s where a band would have an emotional ballad-type song on their album. This song is like that, but is done incredibly well. It doesn’t feel like a sell-out or a throw away song, but rather a very important song.
RIYL: Saosin, Angels & Airwaves, Terminal
Pretty Way to Fight – Knox Hamilton
I fell in love with Knox Hamilton upon hearing Work It Out on Blalock’s Indie Playlist back in 2014. This song picks up right where Work It Out left off, a beautiful blend of dream-pop, indie rock, and all around good times. These guys are catchy, fun, and perfect for the summer time (coming soon). They always have a bit of a callback to 80’s synth in their songs which is done in a way that remains fresh and current instead of stuck in the past. All of this works hand-in-hand with the often tongue in cheek lyrics that always seem so apted to modern day relationships. Seriously, give these guys a listen. They’re worth it.
RIYL: Young The Giant, Grouplove, Panama Wedding
Bitter Pill – The Acacia Strain
Gotta have some heavy in this list. Normally, I’m not a huge fan of Acacia, but I keep coming back to this track. Maybe it’s the lean towards a more beatdown-style in this song. Or maybe I’ve just grown to like them over time. Regardless, a band like Acacia that has been around for 16 years has been able to write incredible music consistently and keep it all heavy. Obviously, a great breakdown at the end brings it all full circle-circle pit that is. Definitely not treading on new ground in any way, but fans of The Acacia Strain will be incredibly happy with this song, and how this new album is shaping out to be. May the heavy live on.
RIYL: After The Burial, Thy Art Is Murder, a heavier The Ghost Inside
Alastair Heinrichs 