Tuesday’s Top Tasty Tracks
THE TOP FOUR BRAND NEW TRACKS FROM JANUARY 1ST-7TH.
Aurora – Mineral
The boys are back. Long live Mineral. One of the quintessential emo acts of the early 90s have come out of retirement for a 25th-anniversary tour and put out two new songs, this being one of them. Their influence on the direction of the genre cannot be understated, which is why it was so sad when they quit in 98, well before the prime of the genre. This song showcases what they did, and continue to do so well: dynamic soft-loud song structure, well-crafted chord progressions, and imperfect yet captivating vocals. If anyone is curious what emo started as, get them to listen to this song.
Genre: Midwest Emo
No Place – Backstreet Boys
My love for the Backstreet Boys is no secret. They taught me to sing, to know what harmonies were, and how to structure a song. I owe them a lot. That being said, it’s been a little while since they’ve had a successful album, but I really think this might be the one. Instead of trying to be a “boy”band again, singing about teenage breakups and heartthrobs, BSB embrace their age on this song, showcasing their wives and kids in the video, and lyrically throughout the entire song. It’s catchy, emotional and features the trademark harmonies they’re known for. The song calls to mind “The Perfect Fan,” their song off Millennium about their mother’s support. This is what good progression looks like.
Genre: Pop
Phantom – Johari
Kicking off with ambient guitar tones accompanied by polyrhythmic chugging, there should be no question what type of song this will be for listeners. When the ethereal vocals come in, they add a layer taking the song to another level. The vocals are often overdone in this genre, but the Johari boys are able to keep a relative realism in their vocals, and they blend perfectly into the mix rather than jumping out and overpowering the phenomenal instrumentation. Why this song blew me away was the returning breakdown-motif throughout the song. Though it doesn’t change much throughout the song, I can’t get enough of it. It’s heavy in all the right ways.
Genre: Progressive Metalcore
Rest – Wilderness
Being As An Ocean have changed their sound and style from what everyone loved them for. Wilderness has taken over that position. These guys clearly have a great grasp on the melodic hardcore/spoken word style, and execute it incredibly well. There are some really creative chords and melodic structures in this song, and the band keeps the attention of listeners throughout. Headlined by some trademark emotional lyrics and the musical ebbs and flows akin to the genre, this definitely won’t break the wheel. But it’s a welcome addition, especially in the absence of the former juggernauts of the genre.
Genre: Melodic Hardcore
Thanks for checking out another post about incredible new music. Remember, it doesn’t matter what you like, as long as you support it.
If you wanna hear more, here’s a Spotify playlist with all the songs I’ve ever featured. Throw it on shuffle and find something new.
Alastair Heinrichs 