I’m late, again! Sorry.
Well, that’s if anyone reads this (I hope so!)
Here’s what I enjoyed listening to during the very brief, very grey February which we experienced this year.
Hope you find something you like!
Marc
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The Essential 5
South Arcade – Blood Run Warm
A huge alt-rock anthem with early 00s pop-punk energy, warm jangling guitars and raw, stadium-ready power.
Tems – Big Daddy
A chilled mid-tempo Afro-fusion bop with scittering beats, relaxed guitar licks and Tems’ effortlessly smooth vocals.
Charlie Puth & Kenny G – Cry
A wistful, glossy 80s-inspired synth-pop track with polished production and a silky Kenny G saxophone solo.
Jonas Brothers – Tables
A powerful mid-tempo pop-rock standout with dramatic synths, soft guitar strums and stunning falsetto melodies.
Rick Astley – Keep It Turned On
A breezy, euphoric pop-rock gem with bright piano, funky guitar riffs and joyful, slick production.
The Long List
South Arcade – Blood Run Warm
I heard this on the radio on my drive to work one morning and was blown away. It’s a huge alt-rock anthem with hints of early 00s pop-punk. Opening with warm, jangling guitar chords and sweet vocals, the track builds into a huge rock anthem with stadium-ready, sing-along choruses. It’s got huge, raw energy and feels reminiscent of early Avril Lavigne in the best way.
Filed Under: 00s pop-punk, alt-rock anthem, early Avril Lavigne
Tems – Big Daddy
I adore this chilled, mid-tempo Afro-fusion bop about reclaiming power from a disloyal and lazy yet self-confident ex-partner. With scittering beats, relaxed acoustic guitar licks and Tems’ trademark smooth vocals, it’s an absolute win.
Filed Under: Afro-fusion bop, chilled mid-tempo, smooth vocals
Charlie Puth & Kenny G – CryCharlie Puth continues an incredible run of 80s-inspired synth-pop with ‘Cry’. Like previous singles, it echoes the adult contemporary sophisti-pop work of Peter Gabriel and Phil Collins, with gated percussion, warm guitar tones and polished production. It’s wistful and glossy, with a trademark silky saxophone solo courtesy of legend Kenny G. A really lovely song. I love it.
Filed Under: 80s-inspired synth-pop, sophisti-pop gloss, silky saxophone
Jonas Brothers – Tables
I somehow managed to miss this entire album and era. Whilst this album isn’t in the same league as previous record ‘The Album’, there are some great songs here. This is my favourite – a mid-tempo pop-rock track with dramatic stabbing synths, soft guitar strums, intimate harmonies and an incredible chorus with stunning falsetto melodies. It’s powerful and perfect pop.
Filed Under: pop-rock, falsetto melodies, dramatic synths
Rick Astley – Keep It Turned On
Justice for ‘Keep It Turned On’, both single and album! Back in 2001, iconic British soul singer Rick Astley attempted a comeback after eight years out of the limelight raising his daughter. He worked with one of my favourite songwriters, Chris Braide, to create a catchy, contemporary dance-pop album, drawing upon the dance-pop he was famous for in the eighties but stripping it of its cheese and creating an album full of pop gems. For some reason, it ended up only being released in Germany, which means the UK missed out on the joy of this record. The album’s title track is my favourite: a breezy, sunny and uplifting pop-rock track with echoes of Ronan Keating’s work with Gregg Alexander (‘Life Is a Rollercoaster’). It’s slickly produced, with bright piano touches, lots of giggling synthesisers, funky guitar riffs and handclaps. Euphoric and joyful!
Filed Under: lost pop gem, breezy pop-rock, Chris Braide
New Order – Regret
I’d somehow missed this New Order classic amongst their other hits. I came across it when it soundtracked a TikTok and fell in love. A moody alt-rock track with elements of indie dance and synth-pop, it replaces the band’s more electronic-leaning tendencies and instead makes use of gentle synths, a mechanical, danceable drum beat and grooving melodies. It’s moody and melancholic – propelled by Bernard Sumner’s trademark detached vocals and bittersweet delivery – yet never dirgey. This has felt particularly wonderful during the grey, rainy days we have experienced recently.
Filed Under: moody alt-rock, indie dance, melancholic synth-pop
Royel Otis – moody
I love this indie-rock track from Australian indie-pop duo Royel Otis about a toxic relationship where one or both partners are ‘moody’. It’s slightly summery, with a surfy, anthemic indie sound, a loose groove, hazy guitars, nonchalant vocals and jangly textures. Love it!
Filed Under: indie-pop, surfy guitars, summery groove
George Michael – Spinning The Wheel
This song came on through shuffle on my Spotify on a late-night drive the other night and it hit hard! I forgot what a brilliant song this is and it took me back to being five years old and loving it – obviously not realising the lyrical connotations back then! – with absolutely exquisite production courtesy of Jon Douglas. Blending trip-hop, jazz, R&B and soul, ‘Spinning The Wheel’ addresses the fears of a lover whose partner is sexually promiscuous during the AIDS crisis. George sounds sublime as always, with his rich, expressive vocals and dramatic phrasing almost blending into the instrumentation. His falsetto vocals during the middle eight are stunning, and the song’s jazzy undertones paired with a trip-hop beat are a perfect match. The song is an absolute gem and an often overlooked track in George’s discography. I love the flourishes of brass, the almost-sampled swagger of ‘Watermelon Man’ by Herbie Hancock, and its long, meandering yet never boring outro with the descending, water-down-the-plughole-like sample. Genius.
Filed Under: trip-hop soul, overlooked George gem, jazzy drama
Sam Fender – The Treadmill
As I’ve made clear here, I’ve loved Sam’s whole ‘People Watching’ era and he’s continued it solidly with the deluxe edition, on which this track appears. ‘The Treadmill’ is quintessential Sam, full of pounding drums with a driving heartbeat, expansive indie-rock textures, a gritty, earnest vocal delivery and a general Springsteen-esque tone. It’s a classic indie-rock song on which Sam likens the struggle to progress in life to being on a treadmill. Plus, I hate how relatable the line ‘Jesus Christ, I’m piling in the pounds’ is!
Filed Under: heartland indie-rock, pounding drums, Springsteen-esque
Nick Jonas – Princesses
I somehow also missed that Nick had released an album too! These Jonas Brothers like to keep busy, don’t they?! ‘Princesses’ is an absolutely stunning track (written with JP Saxe) about playing with his daughter and venturing into imaginative worlds. It’s full of warm, delicate piano chords, a gentle groove, gentle acoustic guitars and subtle layers that keep the focus on the vocal. Gorgeous!
Filed Under: delicate pop, warm piano, tender songwriting
Artful Dodger and Melanie Blatt – twentyfourseven
I’ve spent some time going back and listening to that late nineties/early noughties garage and 2-step sound, and I’ve really enjoyed it! I wasn’t aware of this Top 10 single from 2001 until recently, but it’s really great. Regular Craig David collaborators Artful Dodger keep to their usual garage sound, utilising shuffling percussion, a two-step rhythm, bright keyboard flutters, airy vocals from All Saints member Melanie Blatt and a generally polished vibe. Chilled but dancey.
Filed Under: UK garage, 2-step groove, chilled but dancey
LOLO – me with no shirt on
I really like this pop-rock track from Canadian singer LOLO about realising a partner doesn’t feel the same way about you any more and the vulnerability of sending an intimate photo. It’s an early 00s pop-rock track with a clear Avril Lavigne influence, full of crunchy guitars, LOLO’s usual clever songwriting and bite, and a punchy pop beat. Earnest and honest with just the right amount of sass.
Filed Under: 00s pop-rock, Avril influence, honest with sass
Kinnship – Little Thoughts
This may just be one of the prettiest songs I have ever heard. Comprised of little more than gentle, feather-light synths and breathy, echoey, introspective vocals, it’s dreamy and gorgeous, not requiring any further production or instrumentation. Stunning.
Filed Under: feather-light synths, dreamy electronica, introspective vocals
sombr – homewrecker
Sombr is such a brilliant and engaging artist. I love his distorted, filtered vocals and funky alt-pop sound. ‘homewrecker’ follows in a similar vein to his other work and again makes use of gorgeous layered falsetto harmonies, feeling very reminiscent of the work of Brian Wilson and The Beach Boys, over funky rhythm guitars and a hushed beat. It’s a piece of pop perfection in which Sombr addresses a love interest who is in a relationship. Groovy.
Filed Under: alt-pop, layered falsetto, Beach Boys-esque
Joe Jonas and Luisa Sonza – What We Are
This is a mellow, relaxed Latin-pop-influenced track with a sensual drum machine groove, glossy synth pads, tropical-pop touches and smooth duet chemistry with Brazilian singer Luisa Sonza. Lovely.
Filed Under: Latin-pop, glossy synths, duet chemistry
Pale Waves – There’s a Honey
I loved this song when it came out and still do now. Unfortunately, it was remixed for inclusion on the album, which I didn’t like anywhere near as much as the original version produced by The 1975 (only available in the music video on YouTube – all other versions on streaming are the newer one). This song is indie-pop perfection, with a new wave pulse, slapping beats, shimmering 80s-inspired synths and reverb-kissed production. It’s a throwback to 80s new wave with hints of gothic pop, and it’s just brilliant – still the best thing the band have ever done.
Filed Under: indie-pop perfection, 80s new wave, reverb-kissed
Kinnship – Where I Lay My Head
Another track from the Kinnship album I managed to miss. This is classic Kinnship – a soft electronic masterpiece comprised of warm ambient layers, soothing guitar textures and a soft rhythmic sway. It’s mellow but never boring, and just beautiful.
Filed Under: ambient electronica, soothing textures, soft rhythmic sway
Ella Eyre – Little Things
Ella Eyre is perhaps best known for being the vocalist on lots of smash dance-pop hits over the past decade. ‘Little Things’ shows a different side, however. It’s more organic in nature, with bright, live-sounding pop instrumentation, warm keys, rhythmic flourishes and a soulful groove. She sounds brilliant on this and it’s a lovely piece of pop-soul.
Filed Under: pop-soul, organic pop, soulful groove
Toast Club – CAFE PACIFIC
I came across this through Instagram and am glad I did. It’s a funky indie-pop track with a groovy rhythm section, breezy falsetto vocals and a general loungey synth feel. Vibey!
Filed Under: funky indie-pop, breezy falsetto, loungey synths
You can find the whole playlist here:
the-music-box.co.uk 