If It's Too Loud...

Photo by Ebru Yildiz Lucy Dacus has quickly become one of our favorite artists for covers (or really just in general). Her 2019 release 2019 was mostly covers, and all fantastic. Now she's back with a cover of Cher's 1998 electronica comeback song "Believe." Dacus's version is stripped way down... at least in comparison. This new version is a little more guitar heavy and far more dreamy. It's a hazy and swirling cover at times, and at others it's a pretty straightforward pop rock song. The way Dacus makes "Believe" meander slowly through different styles while sounding like a cohesive piece of art is what makes this one of the better covers of the year! The song is currently available as a Spotify single paired with a reworked "Partner in Crime" without autotune. Dacus says of this pairing of songs: “‘ Partner in Crime’ was partially inspired by ‘Believe,’ so I thought it’d be nice to pair them together. I love Cher’s voice and how low ...

Photo by Lin Bartraij Dutch dream pop duo Maida Rose have a new single out that is going to have a very specific nostalgic twist for many of us. "Fallen" may have been written when Roos Meijer moved to London in 2019 but it doesn't sound very English to me. Instead, it sounds like that brief French lounge music revival from the 1990's that poked its head up. "Fallen" has this incredibly lush and cinematic sound and would have been used in every single indie film that involved a romance if this came out twenty five years ago. It has just the slightest groove to it along with a romantic yearning that fleshes out the beauty of the track. Maida Rose say of the new song: "'Fallen’ was the final puzzle piece that was needed to finish our debut album ‘Tales of Adolescence’.  A song about reminiscing a previous relationship and wondering about why it ended. Written in London, and inspired by William Blake’s poem ‘The Little Girl Lost’, it questions the fina...

Photo by Anne Lieke Heusinkveld On their latest single, Dutch dream pop band Maida Rose lean towards the poppy side of dream pop. "Every Day is Blue" sounds like the title of a song from The Smiths or The Cure, and it very well could be. It's a laid back, upbeat sounding pretty little song that showcases the vocals of Roos Meijer. It's the kind of song you could easily not pay attention to the lyrics of and just have a grand time listening. Of course, with a title like "Every Day is Blue," this isn't a cheerful song at all. This has been my favorite type of song dating back at least thirty years now: Pretty and happy sounding hiding a much sadder and darker meaning, so Maida Rose work for me on this one. Roos Meijer explains the meaning behind the song: "Depression is something that is hard to grasp if you’ve never suffered from it. I remember that I found it really challenging to communicate with friends and family who clearly had no idea of what i...

Photo by Ken Sears Back in the 80s and 90s, an album would be announced, and you'd have one single released before the album. With the current music industry model, you get 2-4 singles released before the album is, since there is really no such thing as radio or video airplay anymore. The only challenge with this model is you can really burn yourself out on an album before it's even out yet. I doubt that will happen with the upcoming album from Benjamin Booker. "Believe," the third single released for Witness , Booker goes full on soul. The proto-punk blues meets Nirvana sound of his 2014 self titled debut is gone on this track. This is pure neo-soul, and what's most shocking perfectly is how Booker's ragged voice fits both heavier rock songs and soul. The accompanying video was shot in Providence's Columbus Theater with an orchestra and gospel choir. Benjamin Booker's new album, Witness , will be out June 2 on ATO Records. You can watch the vi...