Browsing Tag

Elliott Smith

Blonde Lion has released their enrapturing ennui-laden Alt Folk single “Ordinary Day”

Posted on 5 August 2020

Folk-Pop singer-songwriter Blonde Lion released their latest single “Ordinary Day” on August 5th. Elliott Smith may not be with us anymore, but Blonde Lion’s melancholic style is just as efficacious at drawing pensive emotions from you and offering aural resolve.

Obviously, I didn’t make it to the end of Ordinary Day with dry eyes. The delicateness of the atmospheric and intricate acoustic instrumentals was one thing, the resonance in the lyrics was quite another.  Ordinary Days was inspired by the days where you wake up and struggle to find anything which offers any meaning. The jaded ennui was all too relatable and it’s safe to say that after the global lockdown, plenty more people will see themselves in this sublime soundscape which serves as the perfect introduction to Blonde Lion’s compelling style.

You can check out Blonde Lion’s latest release by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Stelahr – Hundred Thousand Miles: Piercingly Artful Alt Pop

Posted on 6 July 2020
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNgXPhi4D5U&feature=youtu.be

Berlin-based Breaking Pop artist Stelahr’s latest single Hundred Thousand Miles quite literally left me lost for words. In my extended mentally-incapacitated state of awe, the adjectives for Stelahr’s unique artful style alluded me.

The soundscape was as instrumentally, atmospherically and lyrically complex as you’d expect from the likes of Elliott Smith. Believe me, that’s not a comparison I make lightly. Yet, Stelahr allowed the dreamy and blissful track to sting with piercing melancholic longing which emanated from the stabbing notes in the piano and her haunting semi-operatic vocal style.

The ethereally moody soundscape paired with the official video which was created with a little help from the Sims 4 made the evocative potency of Hundred Thousand Miles even stronger. Watching the Sims character idle in domesticity before springing to life around music, crowds and nature hit especially hard thanks to lockdown. But Hundred Thousand Miles is definitely worth getting aurally bruised by.

You can check out the transfixing official music video to Hundred Thousand Miles which premiered on June 26th for yourselves by heading over to YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

8udDha bl0od – L3m0n 50Ul – 7h!5 L0<3ly F33ling: Soulfully Striking Alt Folk Rock

Posted on 15 May 2020
8udDha bl0od

L3m0n 50Ul – 7h!5 L0<3ly F33ling is just one of the upcoming releases from the enviably talented Brighton-based artist 8udDha bl0od. The Psych Alt Folk single pulls in a myriad of nuances, but from the first hit, it will feel like home.

If you could imagine a soundscape as evocatively compelling as Elliot Smith’s tender classics, as Stylistic as Kurt Vile’s approach to Blues, and as kaleidoscopically warm as a track from King Crimson, you’ll get a good idea of the ingenuity which spills from L3m0n 50Ul – 7h!5 L0<3ly F33ling.

Despite the sweet absolving layers of soul weaved into L3m0n 50Ul – 7h!5 L0<3ly F33ling it’s still an emotionally weighted single which will stick to your synapses long after the track has faded to a close.

You’ll be able to check out L3m0n 50Ul – 7h!5 L0<3ly F33ling for yourselves from July 27th via SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Prepare to be captivated by B.W. Johnson’s artfully pensive Alt Folk Pop single “I Can’t Row for Two”

Posted on 19 April 2020

B.W. Johnson’s stripped-bare, emotively haunted standout single “I Can’t Row for Two” had us transfixed from the prelude. As you can see, the track title alone offers pensive poetry. Yet that linguistically bruising wit is just a drop in the ocean compared to what this artful Lo-Fi Folk Pop single contains.

If you can imagine what Radiohead would sound like if Thom Yorke took their sound in a slightly folkier direction and used warmer organic tones, you’ll get an idea of the kind of exploratively emotive alchemy which spills from this timelessly striking soundscape.

I Can’t Row for Two is just one of the singles which feature on B.W. Johnson’s second album French Kiss Lessons, the entire record will undoubtedly enamour any fans of Elliott Smith.

You can check out the album for yourselves by heading over to Spotify now.

Keep up to date with the latest releases from B.W. Johnson via Facebook.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

8udDha bl0od – L0<3 15 0n y0Ur 51D3

Posted on 24 March 2020
https://soundcloud.com/william-orpen/loveisonyourside

8udDha bl0od’s Alt Folk single L0<3 15 0n y0Ur 51D3 may be a far cry from what you can expect from the likes of Tom Waits, Leonard Cohen, and Elliott Smith. But the same soulfully pensive tones are prepared to meet you with the same striking resonance.

With piano strings melancholically pulling over the organically woody acoustic instrumentals, there’s a mesmerising interplay of sadness and uplifting accordance. L0<3 15 0n y0Ur 51D3 may be a light track, but the vocal and instrumental melodies are as tight as they come in Alt Folk.

L0<3 15 0n y0Ur 51D3 isn’t a testament of the Brighton-based artist’s talent. It’s just one facet of it, within their diverse back catalogue you’ll have all the proof you need that 8udDha bl0od’s creativity transcends the ideas of genres and constraints. If you appreciate pioneering artists, they’re definitely one to watch.

You can check out 8udDha bl0od’s single  L0<3 15 0n y0Ur 51D3 out for yourselves by heading over to SoundCloud now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Blissful Red release low-key track ‘Catch’

Posted on 20 August 2017

As soon as I saw the cover artwork for “Catch Me” by Blissful Red, I know exactly that I was going to really enjoy this song. The album cover depicts some iconic records by some artists who happen to be among my all-time favourite acts: Iggy & The Stooges, Nirvana, Elliott Smith and more.

These influences can infect easily be traced by in this single. The whispered, soft-spoken vocals create a stunning mellow vibe that echoes the work of artists such as Nick Drake or Elliott Smith himself, but the sound production is a bit more upfront and upbeat, echoing the work of artists such as The Pixes, just to mention a few.

This song is based on stunning layers of beautiful vocal harmonies, strummed acoustic guitars, as well as a steady rhythm section that adds a nice edge to the music.

The song nears the 5-minutes mark, creating a low-key, yet rich sonic atmosphere. This track is actually a perfect example of how artists can actually create really far reaching works by using simple elements and seamless arrangements. In this particular case, Blissful Red managed to build a song based on some truly minimalistic elements, such as guitar, drums and vocals – you don’t need much else to make a good song if you have the right vision!