“This Week’s Cassette” are absolute must-listens for all music lovers. It showcases a variety of different genres; from acoustic tracks and nostalgic classic rock to new pop ballads.
A song I have been listening to at least three times a day is “Martingale” by Searows. It is the first song I have listened to in the past few years that had me sit in silence after the song was over. His music is in the same vein as Leith Ross and Phoebe Bridgers where their lyrics are so compelling you have to listen and relive it.
“Martingale” is a vulnerable song about wanting to break the abusive cycle of your family lineage. He wants to stop himself from becoming exactly like his toxic family, but cannot help become the person his family made him into. He compares himself to a dog on a chain that “just wants to get loose.”
Martingale is a type of collar that is used for training and controlling dogs. He used this word as the title but never sings it in the song. He carried the themes from the lyrics and named the song after an unsaid word, which is incredibly fascinating. I honor artists that make their music personal and honest with their listeners, which Searows does phenomenally.
The second verse of “Martingale” is where the lyrics start to thicken in emotion and specificity. Strings come in out of nowhere on top of the acoustic which makes the outro that more heart-wrenching. Searows is an artist I can see becoming huge within the next year or two, and I hope their music gains more success.
FINNEAS released a few singles before the release of his new album “For Crying Out Loud!” Oct. 4. One of the singles, “Lotus Eater,” has been on constant repeat for me since its release. It has a very different yet nostalgic sound compared to his other work. The simple guitar riff and light piano with Finneas’ melodic vocals make listeners obsessed on the first listen.
He calls himself a lotus eater which is an old slang term for daydreamer or someone who does not deal with practical concerns and only cares about the luxuries of life. He is calling out someone who thinks they have him all figured out, but he is always unapologetically himself, lotus eater or not.
This song stood out the most to me on his record because the melody is so addicting, and is super different from the rest of the album. FINNEAS is known for being a talented producer, but I enjoyed this one the most because the production was very laid back.
Lizzy McAlpine’s newest song “Pushing it Down and Praying” has also been a recent go-to of mine. This is a very lyric heavy song with simple production. McAlpine has always been a strong vocalist but this song lets her vocals completely shine.
This is one of McAlpine’s most intimate and personal songs. She sings about how when she is being physical with her partner she is not present and is thinking about her ex. She compares the two partners; her ex being a good partner romantically but he never wanted a deep or meaningful relationship, while her current partner is the opposite. She claims she still wants her ex but she needs to ask for more for herself.
“I want you to need me / I need to want somethin’ more / He gives what he can / But now I don’t know what he’s givin’ for,” sings McAlpine.
She uses intimacy as a metaphor about how she feels about the relationships she has with these men, physical and emotional, and the nature of them. This song is extremely well-written and I hope to see more work like this from her in the future.
Indie rock band Dogpark released an EP called “Breaking in Brooklyn” earlier this year on Jan. 19. The title track “Breaking in Brooklyn” is an upbeat new wave rock anthem with creative guitar riffs and vocal flips. Every time I listen to it I fight the urge to take out my guitar and learn the opening riff.
Another song on the EP called “Dive Bar Named Nirvana” is an indie pop song that reminds me of early Maroon 5. The clever lyricism and production are heavily influenced from late 2000’s and early 2010’s pop. Their music has a nostalgic sound and is simultaneously bringing back classic rock to a younger audience.
