SINGLE REVIEW: Weekly Round-Up 09/12/24 - 15/12/24
Jimmy Mallia - Uncle
You’re in for a treat with this little country/folk track about Jimmy Mallia’s fun uncle. I think these days if anyone heard a story like this, child services would be involved. However, the perspective of a six-year-old thinks he’s having the best day of his life—a king for a day with his uncle. A little six-year-old driving around town? That would give any mother a heart attack! But to Jimmy? He’s that cool kid! I love that this song holds such fondness for family. It is quite comedic at how much they got away with but also quite sweet.
Wholesome and personal storytelling, paired with the simplicity of guitar and the distinctive mid-set vocals. Heavy, smooth, subtle bass and playful, catchy choruses will have you singing it all day!
PlanG - Takin’ Your Time
Another folk-rock track led by the Irish group PlanG, this is a very laid-back song with smooth lead playing, acoustic chimes, piano decoratives, and velvety vocals that tickle the brain just right. It is simple storytelling with classic rhyming conventions. The kind of song that gets you swaying—a chill track to live in the moment and stop rushing and worrying. Very clean and well-balanced, another must-listen earworm!
Chris Vincent - When You Wish Upon A Star
New Orleans blues singer-songwriter Chris Vincent re-creates Disney’s timeless classic, offering a raw and authentic rendition of the track by blending his signature sound. Guitar is the star of this song, plucking and twanging away, paired with low, gruff vocals in a storytelling style. It reflects Vincent’s other works of resilience, hope, and sobriety. It’s very subdued and slow but full of careful detail.
Warren Teagarden - Talking Points
Featured on The Haiku Islands Volume One EP, this track encompasses indie pop with a twist of punk. It’s a very upbeat and sparkly song, musically, with clean guitars, a shuffle of drums, and subtle, pulsating bass. I love the mix of harmonies in the vocals, the way they cross paths and add layers. I love the build-up right until the last colliding note ends the song. It has a reflective undertone about the past with a sprinkle of sadness. It’s a song about challenging views with a hopeful outcome. A very solid track with a lead guitar that will get tangled up in your mind.
The Dazed Minded - Oh Boy
This Reading band is bounding its way into fans' laps with a female-led garage rock sound reminiscent of indie sleaze, pushing the iconic style of the 2000s into the 2020s. ‘Oh Boy’ is electrifying and gritty, with a playful bassline and a solid beat. It’s a very relatable track with a catchy chorus about frustrations with a date losing interest and all the thoughts that go through your mind in the process. I think everyone needs a song like this on their side, pushing through the difficult parts of the dating scene and people not replying! How frustrating! A very fun and upbeat track overall.
Bannered Mare - Liminal Space
Described as a Mathy Post-rock / Punk collective from rugged western Ireland, Bannered Mare’s ‘Liminal Space’ is sonically rich and luscious. They make quite a powerful impression with raw emotional depths and upbeat energy, with twists and stops to scratch that itch in your brain that longs for more. I love the range of this track—you have the solid grit in the background and, in the foreground, the shining lead solos and the soothing vocals. The choruses are larger than life. An overall perfectly calculated track.
