JOHO - Favorite
"Favorite" by JOHO (Joel Holmes) is a classic mid-2000s falling out ballad that hits a nostalgia sweet spot. A lyrical guitar riff gently raises the curtain to a duet-from-afar montage. It starts more or less where you expect it to — a guy lamenting the loss of a girl he never really expected to leave him. It starts from a place of bitter vanity, almost more upset about a post-breakup bruised ego than the loss of the relationship. But as the verse continues, the ego washes off of Holmes’ voice with each successive syllable. It slides into vulnerability just before he passes the torch to Makenna Parr’s sweet voice in verse two. Her verse plays off the melodic contour of the first, honest and vulnerable in a way that complements Holmes’ well. However, Parr also infuses it with a distinct character, gentle but resolute. A tender keyboard countermelody settles just beneath her warm inflections, a delicate counterpoint to the guitar riff. It drops out as soon as the verse ends, and octave-spaced strings take its place. The perspective returns to JOHO, but all sense of selfishness has evaporated. An admission of fault spirals into an echo chamber of thoughts as Holmes’ voice layers over itself. Parr’s voice mostly disappears among the swirl of harmonies, and suddenly it’s not a duet anymore. It’s all-consuming, tail-chasing regrets — but still, somehow, sweet. After all, it was really something that was lost, wasn’t it?
— Allison Hill on November 17, 2020
Pale Grey - Seasons
Belgian indie group Pale Grey’s single, “Seasons” off of their new album, Waves is the perfect complement to a quiet fall afternoon. It starts off with a simple beat and some garage-like synths that quickly fill up the track with a feeling of longing. Though it sits at just over two minutes, the song packs an emotional punch with minimal production. It asks the question of whether or not you can go on when the one you love passes away, and in that contemplation is where the song shines.
— Nick Arcos on January 10, 2018
JR JR - Clean Up
Indie favorites JR JR, formerly known as Dale Earnhardt JR JR, have returned to the scene with new music after their self-titled LP back in 2015. The new single, “Clean Up” offers a look at the mind of someone coming to terms with their addictions and indulgences. The duo uses a throbbing bass line, simple plucked guitar and harmonies to illustrate the conflict that happens when one willfully chooses something that is bad for them. “Clean Up” brings JR JR to a more provocative realm, and one that we are excited to see more of in the upcoming album.
— Nick Arcos on January 7, 2018
Henry Jamison - The Wilds
Henry Jamison is a storyteller at heart. It may be in his blood — his father, a classical composer, and his mother, an English professor — but Jamison is a writer and artist in his own right, evidenced by his debut album The Wilds (released October 27th). Beyond writing, recording and arranging the album all on his own, Jamison has a special ability to bring each track to life. Take his song, “The Wilds”: it’s instrumentally rich without being overbearing, letting Jamison’s narrative whisk you away. “The Wilds” sounds like an old-time American love story - unassuming and familiar, but nevertheless, still surprising.
— Natasha Cucullo on January 7, 2018
Moses Sumney - Plastic
Los Angeles genre-bending artist Moses Sumney released his gorgeous and ethereal debut album Aromanticism into the world this September. Sumney has made a big impression on artists like Solange and Sufjan Stevens for good reason. His infusion of soul and folk come together on this album in a way that leaves us begging for more. A prime example of this heavenly blend is found on the third song of the album, “Plastic.” A previous version of the song can be heard on the first season of Issa Rae’s HBO series, Insecure. This new version serves as one of the more simplistic songs on the album, featuring just a fingerpicked electric guitar, a synth and Sumney’s captivating voice. The hook of the song repeats the line “my wings are made of plastic,” each time sung in a slightly different way than it was before, continuing to imbue the phrase with new meaning. This song of vulnerability, self-awareness and secret-spilling is the kind that you can leave on repeat and get lost in for hours.
— Dara Bankole on October 22, 2017