Carissa Johnson featuring Cliff Notez - "Running Uphill"

Photo by Jaina Cipriano

I don't think it's possible for me to be more excited about a song than I am about this one. I come from a generation where the lines of rock and rap were just starting to be blurred by artists collaborating. It started with Run/DMC and Aerosmith, continued with Anthrax and Public Enemy, and peaked with the Judgement Night soundtrack. For some reason, that kind of pairing seems to have faded in the past couple of decades but it looks like Boston is singlehandedly bringing it back! The latest is Carissa Johnson pairing with Cliff Notez on "Running Uphill." The new song is the ultimate Carissa Johnson song. It's pure garage rock with a strong, catchy as all hell pop element. Johnson has mastered dabbling in both rock and pop at the same time, and "Running Uphill" is the pinnacle of that. In perfect rock/rap collaboration tradition, Cliff Notez comes in towards the end and drops a verse. The music slows down for him, but unlike the Helmet/House of Pain contribution to Judgement Night, it doesn't feel awkward at all since the same tempo change was established earlier in the song. Let's all hope "Running Uphill" is just the latest in a long line of Boston based rap/rock pairings!

You can watch the video for "Running Uphill" below. Blue Hour is due out November 12. You can pre-order your copy here. For more on Carissa Johnson, check out the artist's website. You can find more on Cliff Notes over at Facebook.

Carissa Johnson - "The Sound"

Carissa Johnson is officially one of the greatest rock songwriters currently active in Boston. Obviously her latest single, "The Sound," is going to be fantastic, we all know that. The only surprising thing about the new song is how New Wave it is. It starts off with an ominous synth line that sounds like a church organ. From there it's met with a driving beat and Johnson's vocals. Johnson is one of those singers I liked but didn't love at first, but the more I listen to her music the more her voice becomes one of my favorites. Despite how synth heavy "The Sound" is, this isn't an 80's throwback at all. Somehow Johnson has created a synth heavy New Wave song that sounds right at home in 2021.

You can watch the video for "The Sound" below. Blue Hour is due out November 12. The album can be pre-ordered here. For more on Carissa Johnson, check out the artist's website.

Carissa Johnson - "Wasting Dreams"

Photo by Jaina Cipriano

In a recent Facebook post, Carissa Johnson says that her upcoming album "... might be my synthiest one yet but it's also the most hardcore." The Boston singer/songwriter isn't wrong. "Wasting Dreams" is dripping with synths while still being an organic sounding rock song. Johnson has always had this amazing talent for crafting pop rock songs that still have enough of an attitude and an edge to be straight up rockers. Somehow "Wasting Dreams" sounds both rough and smooth. It's both pop and punk without being even remotely pop punk. If this new single reflects what's on the rest of the album, Carissa Johnson isn't going to be our little secret in the Boston area for much longer.

You can watch the video for "Wasting Dreams" below. Blue Hour is due out November 12 on A Diamond Heart Production. You can pre-order the album here. For more on Carissa Johnson, check out the artist's website.