Tuesday’s Top Tasty Tracks
THE TOP FOUR BRAND NEW TRACKS FROM APRIL 10TH-16TH.
No screaming music today (making my mom proud).
Sway – Elder Brother
Part The Story So Far, part Daybreaker, and wholly incredible, Elder Brother is back for their second album, and it’s shaping up to be incredible. This song opens with one of the best intros this two-piece has written, immediately hooking the listener to stay longer. The meandering guitar-work throughout the song is beautiful and new, though there are moments where it’s clear that it’s the same writer as The Story So Far songs. The hugest difference is in the vocal delivery, as Parker is a much harsher singer, while Dan has a much smoother, softer delivery, calling to mind bands like Transit and Misser, both of whom have disbanded and left a large whole in the scene that Elder Brother can begin to fill, even if it’s just a side project. It’s always cool to see band members spread their wings and try their hand at a different take on music in side projects. Sometimes it’s far too similar to what they already did. Sometimes it’s way off and doesn’t work. This is the case that hits straight down the middle, being different enough to justify a side project, but is incredibly well crafted, and both musicians history clearly come into play in their songwriting.
Genre: Pop-Rock
RIYL: WVNDER, Transit, Misser
enemies – nobigdyl.
First things first, congrats to nobigdyl for the Capitol Records signing. That’s huge. But to drop one of his best songs along with the announcement is a huge power move. He’s here and he’s not leaving any time soon. With a flow similar to Drake, but a delivery somewhere in between his and Chance, and a bouncy beat like Moosh & Twist used to have, nobigdyl is the best of everything in hip-hop right now. nobigdyl goes off on the hip-hop culture, especially the constant beef and pro-violence found in popular music right now. He’s happy to have no enemies, and do the best he can while building up those around him instead of tearing them down. Though many believe Reach Records is the only label for CHH, Capitol is making a name for themselves in this featuring NF, Social Club and now nobigdyl. There’s no question this man is talented, and comparing this song to his older stuff shows the progression and maturity he has made in only a few short years of his career. Plus it’s so catchy and has them summer vibes, so I’ll be playing this long after the week is over.
Genre: Hip-Hop
RIYL: Chance the Rapper, Moosh & Twist, Drake
Courtesy Call – Jon Bryant
Obviously I love heavy music, pop-punk and hip-hop, as that’s probably 90% of what I promote on these TetraTs. But Singer-Songwriter has a special place in my heart, when done right, and that’s exactly what Jon Bryant delivers every single time. Steering more heavily into the melancholy with this song (released alongside another one titled “I Saw You”), Bryant once again reaches into the listener’s soul and elicits an emotional response only few artists are capable of doing. The craft of creating the music, melody and vocals all work together is a difficult thing to do, and Bryant is able to do it with such precision on a consistent basis. He has a way with words, with harmonies, and a gifting in the subtly layering of a song to round out the entire sound. I had an incredibly difficult time choosing between Courstesy and I Saw You, but ultimately this was the call I made (though please check out both songs).
Genre: Singer-Songwriter
RIYL: Hozier, Silver Trees, Austin Plaine
Missing Out – Heavy Things
While the band name is a little misleading (as they’re one of the least-heavy bands on the InVogue record label), Heavy Things are creating a name for themselves in taking an old sound and putting a new twist on it. This song especially calls to mind the pop-rock sound that was extremely popular in the early-to-mid 2000s, some 15 years ago, and making it relevant and incredible again. The chord progression accents the melody in the chorus well, proving it doesn’t need to be incredibly complex to evoke an emotional attachment to a great song. Lyrically, the band speak of an emotion everyone has experience. Are we missing out?
Genre: Pop-Rock
RIYL: Mae, Boys Like Girls, The Starting Line
As always, you can listen to all of the TetraT songs at this playlist here:
Alastair Heinrichs 