Shoegaze

Today’s Track: Young Prisms – ‘Honeydew’

March 1, 2022 — Leave a comment
Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Drifter’ (LP) (Available from March 25th, 2022) (via Fire Talk Records)

Good Morning to you! You’re tuned into One Track At A Time, and this is Jacob Braybrooke, and I’m here to sweeten the deal as we head into Pancake Day with yet another daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! The San Francisco-based Shoegazers known as Young Prisms (Whose current line-up includes Stefanie Hodapp, Matt Allen, Giovanni Betteo and Jordan Silbert) have just recently returned from, what their A&R team describe as, a “sabbatical” of an entire decade ahead of the release of a new full-length studio album, ‘Drifter’, which is finally set to see the light of day when it releases on March 25th via Fire Talk Records. Formed back in 2009, in their original run, Young Prisms never quite reached the commercial success of some of the peer acts of the Dream-Rock and Acid-Rock music scenes. However, they gained positive reviews from sources like AllMusic and BUST Magazine, and they toured all over the US and Europe. They released two albums, a few 7″ records and one EP at the time, with their influences ranging from traditional Shoegaze bands like Mazzy Star and Slowdive to more progressive or cult acts including My Bloody Valentine, The Radio Dept and The Jesus & The Mary Chain. Heading into their new era, Young Prisms have enlisted the help of producer Shaun Durkan, a member of Weekend and a frequent collaborator of Soft Cell, to help them bring their imaginations to life. A press-release describes their long-awaited album as an exploration of “the tension and release that comes with bringing your head down from the clouds to make sense of the tangible entanglements that make up everyday existence”, and the lead single of ‘Honeydew’ has been accompanied by an official music video that was filmed in one take and it was directed by the group’s own Betteo and it stars band-mate Holdapp. Check it out.

The sublime music video for ‘Honeydew’ makes it clear that Young Prisms are going to be re-imagining their career trajectory as they re-enter the evolved Shoegaze genre after a ten year hiatus, and Betteo has said, “I always wanted to make a video that was focused on restraint, especially with choreography being key and shock so prevalent”, when talking about the behind-the-scenes stages of his somber video that was created with no cuts at all, and he concluded, “It feels like a bit of a contradiction for someone, who can’t seem to record a song without an excessive number of filters and effects, to make a video that is in black and white and wholly driven by minimalism”, in a press statement. Back to ‘Honeydew’ itself, and we start off with a winding sound as the delay pedal effects of the guitar riffs mimic the pace of a car revving up as the fuzzy guitar work arrangement transitions naturally into view, and Hodapp delves into the hazy Dream-Pop atmosphere as she sings enigmatic lyrics like “Take a turn back to 101/We’ve been here before/A show under the moonlight and stars” as the soundscape continually feels like it could blasting out of a car’s stereo on a sunny 90’s morning as the gauzy, rich vocals and the blissful guitar melodies, that are drenched in a wide array of effects and filters in the traditions of Shoegaze music. “Take my hand before you disappear and walk right out of here” precedes the optimistic and smile-inducing chorus, while the question of “Do you believe? I believe in you, honeydew” leaves us on a hopeful note. As far as Shoegaze goes, it is nice to see Young Prisms keeping their sound simple and they address the evolution of Shoegaze over the years when they were missing in action by retaining the warmth of their influences, as there’s definitely an underlying sense of positivity to the melodies in the soundscape. While treading their toes in retro – more so than progressive – ‘Honeydew’ finds the San Francisco quartet deliver a sturdy yet sentimental little statement about stretching their course further than they had originally run in the 10’s. Overall, ‘Honeydew’ is an engaging Shoegaze single of a classical style for its genre that neatly breathes some liberating energy into a band we thought were gone.

Pictured: Stefanie Hodapp (Lead Vocals/Producer), Matt Allen (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals), Giovanni Betteo (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Jordan Silbert (Drums/Percussion/Backing Vocals) (2022) (Photo by Jared Silbert)

That’s all for now! Thank you for checking out my latest post on the blog, and please keep in mind that I always highly appreciate your support very much, and so I thank you for spending some time by visiting the site today. Tomorrow, we take a break away from my recent recommendations for a short while as we revisit some of the seminal sounds of the past with ‘Way Back Wednesdays’, Join me then for the second appearance on the blog from a Brit-Pop band who were formed in the West Midlands in the late-80’s and their frontman became one of the UK’s national treasures when he kept us entertained by his Tim’s Twitter Listening Parties in the lockdowns of 2020.

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Today’s Track: Melody’s Echo Chamber – ‘Looking Backward’

February 19, 2022 — Leave a comment
Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Emotional Eternal’ (LP) (Available from April 29th, 2022) (via Domino Recordings)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and I’m here to provide a soothing start to your Saturday with a huge new single by a returning artist for yet another daily track on the blog, given how it’s always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! I hope you enjoyed my post about Beach House yesterday – and if you love your Dream-Pop and your Chamber-Pop music of the Shoegaze-esque style, we’ve also got a new album from Melody’s Echo Chamber to look forwards to. This is the lush solo project from French songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Melody Prochet, who recorded her early work with then-boyfriend Kevin Parker of Tame Impala fame, who recorded her debut album in his makeshift studio in Perth, Australia for a release date in late 2012 – and she supported his band on a European tour in 2010. Another album followed since then – 2018’s ‘Bon Boyage’ – which was delayed by a brain aneurysm and a broken vertebrae following a serious accident, and so it’s amazing that nothing has hindered her ahead of ‘Emotional Eternal’, a new album that she will be releasing on April 29th via Domino Recordings. She has released material on Fat Possum Records previously, and her associated projects include My Bee’s Garden and The Narcoleptic Dancers. She is also known for her frequent collaborations with the Stockholm-based Alternative Rock band Dungen. Her music has gained acclaim by sources like Drowned In Sound, Q Magazine, Uncut and AllMusic, and Prochet has a sublime melting pot of influences including Cocteau Twins, Stereolab and Broadcast. Speaking of her upcoming album, she says, “I made some big and impactful decisions and changes to my life. It took me to where it is peaceful, and I think the record reflects this. It’s more direct”, in a press release. Check out the 3D-animated video by Hyoyon Paik for lead single, ‘Looking Backward’, below.

It is clear that creating ‘Looking Backward’ came from a mind-set of finding clarity after spending some time away from making music and enjoying a regular pace of life – given how the gauzy sounds represent a far more grounded and mindful creative process for Melody Prochet – and she also adds, “I wrote the lyrics on my way to Stockholm, in transit at the airport, there was a man creating light reflections with his watch and playing with light on the floors and walls. It felt like an act coming from a source of pure creativity, it made me happy to catch it and inspired me to write the song”, in her press release about the comeback track. Going straight back to the Psych-Pop and the Synth-based work that has made her a big name in music, Prochet begins with the wide-eyed and gauzy lyrics of “I’m reflecting light/Play it on the wall” and “Did you see me looking?/I’m not interested” that make her intentions clear as multi-layered vocals and a firm backing beat push her melodies forwards, creating a driving arrangement of luxuriating Synths and glistening guitar riffs. Lyrics like “Constellation of love/I know that dream/It can’t be real” and “I need the space of time/And you’re running out of time” bask in the shimmering sounds of the highly psychedelic Synth sequences and the Harp-like sound effects, set against the soothing backdrop that has a light Funk influence to it. Lyrically introspective, Prochet neatly matches some gently playful drums and synths with an intimate arrangement that makes heartfelt lyrics like “No, I didn’t need your light” and “You’re not alone/On this lonesome road” sound that little bit more brutal and, most importantly, human. In conclusion, ‘Looking Backward’ is a very welcome return from a clearly talented artist who is honestly experimenting with the concept of providing a more stripped back response to the dense arrangements of her previous work to explore elements of her own social life and a perception of her actual identity at a brisk pace, yet with careful consideration. This is fantastic work for any fans of MGMT, Tame Impala or Miami Horror – yet it has that vital ability to stand out on it’s own too.

Pictured: Melody Prophet performing a live set at FYF Fest (2015) (Photo Credit: Raymond Flotat)

That brings us, swiftly, to the end of another daily post on the blog today. Thank you for spending a few moments of your day to lend me your nifty pair of eyelids and eardrums, and I’ll be back tomorrow as we remember the past of the Pop-Punk genre for another weekly iteration of ‘Scuzz Sundays’ on the site. We’ll be revisiting a progressive anthem from a well-known Alternative Metal band from Huntington Beach, California who currently boast the former Bad Religion drummer of Brooks Wackerman among their line-up. They will make their debut appearance on the blog.

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New Album Release Fridays: Beach House – ‘Once Twice Melody’

February 18, 2022 — Leave a comment
Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Once Twice Melody’ (LP) (Released on February 18th, 2022) (via Sub-Pop Records)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and the time has come for me to give you a sneak peek at one of the weekend’s most exciting new album releases, given that it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! In most typical weeks, my choice for ‘New Album Release Fridays’ on the blog is a highly anticipated affair that we’ve only got two or three singles from at most prior to the big moment of release, however, in the case of ‘Once Twice Melody’ – you can hear three quarters of it already. The latest LP project from the Baltimore, Maryland duo of Victoria LeGrand and Alex Scally, otherwise known as Beach House, a Chamber Pop duo who have been nominated for a GAFFA Award in Sweden, ‘Once Twice Melody’ is effectively a double album that contains 18 tracks that have all been presented in four chapters of four tracks that have seen staggered releases since November 2021, a risky move that notably finds music contributing to the streaming algorithm more closely than ever before. In aid of supporting the behemoth of a record, Beach House will be touring the UK and Europe in May and June 2022, as well as performing alongside fellow Psychedelic acts like Tame Impala and Lorde at this summer’s Primavera Sound Festival. ‘Part 1’ was released on November 10th, 2021 followed by ‘Part 2’ on December 8th, 2021, followed by ‘Part 3’ on January 19th, 2022 and, finally, the final chapter releases today alongside a full release of the project on Vinyl and Streaming. The duo have also recently provided the soundtrack to ‘Marin’s Dreams’, a short film. With their drawing and expansive sound that has been focused on conveying an abstract reflection of a message that idyllic moments are never quite as fruitful as fantasy, I have a lot of faith in LeGrand and Scally to pull out all of the stops with this mammoth of a release. For a sampler, let’s revisit the title track below.

Self-produced entirely by themselves, the ambitious LP project by Beach House was mixed by Alan Moulder, Dave Fridmann, Caesar Edmunds and Trevor Spencer, and it has been recorded over the past two years in a handful of studios spanning across Los Angeles, Baltimore and Cannon Falls. The lyrics for the title track speak of a girl that is placated by her own eccentric imagination, an unnamed character with an enigmatic narrative that we experience with refrains like “Nights fly by in her mind/All along the boulevard” and “She tries to understand/A never, never land” that find LeGrand focusing on the finer details of her mindset and they play out above a gorgeous sequence of looping synths and live drums on the title track. Guitar arpeggios continue to conjure up a sweeping and decorated soundscape that evoke sinking into the grass or the sand from an hourglass slipping through your fingers while LeGrand croons about the sensual slow pace of a hot, gauzy summer’s day. Lyrics like “Days go by/In her eyes/Belle De Jour in front of me” and “The purple on the vine/The velvet deep tree line” find the prismatic mood of the vocals basking in the far-away lands that have been constructed by our shy character’s wandering mind. It feels lush and vibrant as a complete package, with LeGrand and Scally telling a mysterious yet intriguing tale of the illusion of a crystal clear universe of fiction that are polished carefully with intimate Strings and a symphony of creative backing vocals, and yet the idealizations of our leading lady are never truly filled in. The sound simply takes you back to the very core of Shoegaze and Dream Pop music, which is all about filling a simple few melodies with meticulous details and an atmosphere that is simply designed for you to get lost in – and the kicking drums/synths combo of the vivid instrumentation escalate their own levels of intensity as the sprawling sounds move up to a higher scope. Therefore, I have a lot of faith that despite the sheer length of ‘Once Twice Melody’ as a full release, LeGrand and Scally will give the project plenty of depth and variety as to not grow tiresome and justify the length in creating music that doesn’t lose it’s intimacy over a run time. I concur that Beach House are brilliant!

Pictured: Victoria LeGrand and Alex Scally (2018) (Photo Credit: Robert Johannson/InterviewMagazine.com)

I’m off to visit my sister in Kent today, and so I haven’t got any longer to chat about all things music with you for today, but thank you very much for checking out the blog and your support is highly appreciated! If you deeply love your Dream-Pop and your Shoegaze styles of music, you’re also going to enjoy tomorrow’s post, which is why I decided to cover these two tracks so tightly together. It comes from the main solo project of the French multi-instrumentalist and producer Melody Prochet who got a 9/10 score from Drowned In Sound’s Dom Gourlay for her debut studio album in 2013.

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Way Back Wednesdays: The Smashing Pumpkins – ‘Cherub Rock’

February 9, 2022 — Leave a comment
Pictured: Billy Corgan (Lead Vocals/Chief Songwriter/Producer), James Iha (Bass Guitar), Jeff Schroeder (Keyboard/Rhythm Guitar) & Jimmy Chamberlain (Drums/Percussion) in a press shot for ‘Cyr’ (2020) (Photo via PR)

Good Afternoon to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke, and I’m here to deliver a ‘Smashing’ new entry into our exhaustive library of weekly ‘Way Back Wednesdays’ posts on the blog as we remember some of the seminal sounds of the past with another daily track on the blog, given how it has always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! TNA promoter, of all surprising side hustles, Billy Corgan is a 90’s-leaning songwriter with an artistic drive who always puts a great effort into the visual aspects and the guitar effects within his material. Although some of his Smashing Pumpkins work has varied in quality, he is still going today and, as I’ve mentioned on the blog in previous relevant posts, he is never without inherently uninteresting ideas and one of his risks paid off neatly with ‘Cherub Rock’, a 1993 hit that was taken from his band’s second studio album – ‘Siamese Dream’ – that was unveiled to the globe as the first single from the release at the time. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for ‘Best Hard Rock Performance’ and it was later covered by Rochester-based indie rock band Roses Are Red in 2005. ‘Cherub Rock’ was one of the last songs to be written for ‘Siamese Dream’ and it peaked at #31 in the UK Singles Chart. The influences and lyrics of ‘Siamese Dream’ stood out among other Alt-Rock releases at the time despite recording sessions fraught with high tensions and some difficulties, and it was regarded as one of the most critically-acclaimed alternative albums of the 90’s by institutions like Rolling Stone. Let’s revisit ‘Cherub Rock’ below.

Although ‘Cherub Rock’ was not as widely marketable or commercially successful as ‘Today’ by critics upon its initial release, it remains to be a fan favourite and it was given a new lease of fresh life during the 00’s when it was included on the playable soundtracks of popular rhythm action video game franchises like ‘Guitar Hero’ and ‘Rocksmith’ available for multiple console platforms. Starting off with marching drums that remind me of The Red Hot Chilli Peppers, who arrived on the scene a bit later on, that morphs into a prominent set of guitar riffs that have a heavy Grunge aura to them, we thrust defiantly into fuzzy and soft instrumentation that is energetic and driving in its excess of feedback. This glitched delivery has a clear Shoegaze element that also points towards My Bloody Valentine or Ride with the textually thick balance of hypnotic Post-Punk and high-cadence melodic precursor to mid-90’s Brit-Pop. Lyrically, Corgan relates to his own relationship with the ‘Indie’ music community of the 90’s and his perceptions within the larger media, with forceful lyrics like “Doesn’t matter what you believe in/Stay cool” that encourages you to follow your instincts as an artistic matter and “Hipsters unite/Come align for the big fight to rock for you” that carry his determined ethos to bring rag-tag gangs together to enjoy music socially and within a communal environment that is free for you to express yourself in as an artist or audience member, with a bad-tempered hook of “Let me out” that mirror the relationship of a songwriter and a record label getting sour as towering creative differences ware on. Corgan delivers one of his most fiesty vocal performances and the soaring guitar solo is a highlight in showcasing his skills as a guitar player. What is interesting is how he recorded the prominent effect section of his guitar parts by recording the music to two different tapes at simultaneous fashion, and he clearly alters the speed of one of his tapes. What this means is that it makes the effects feel as though they are not really coming from the guitar, leaning into his Shoegaze influences most directly. Overall, ‘Cherub Rock’ still sounds great as the lyrics ring true, the instrumentation is more diverse than it may feel at first glance, and you have a well-informed vocal performance by Corgan who layers his furious songwriting on top of the stellar drums and the distortion-drenched guitar melodies to build up a cascading wall of sound around him as to convey his emotions with a swelling buoyancy. Drifting through Shoegaze, Alternative Rock, Electronica, Psych-Rock, Prog-Punk and Dream Rock through a vicious cycle that is paced coherently, ‘Cherub Rock’ could represent Corgan at his most creative and most visually detailed.

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Siamese Dream’ (LP) (Released on July 27th, 1993) (via Virgin/EMI Records)

If you’re looking to smash some more pumpkins, you’ve come to the right place. You can get festive with my write-up of the rare track ‘Christmas Time’ from 1997 here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2021/12/19/santas-scuzz-sundays-the-smashing-pumpkins-christmas-time/. You can dive into some of Corgan’s latest material with ‘Wyttch’, a promotional single taken from his 2020 album ‘Cyr’ here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/11/27/todays-track-the-smashing-pumpkins-wyttch/. Or take a trip to the moon with my older assessment of ‘Tonight, Tonight’ with this post: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2019/10/27/scuzz-sundays-the-smashing-pumpkins-tonight-tonight/.

Pictured: Cover Art for ‘Mellan Collie and The Infinite Sadness’ (LP) (Released in 1995) (via Virgin/EMI Records)

Thank you for checking out my latest post, and it is always a pleasure to join you in remembering the creatives who bought the excellently produced LP ‘Mellan Collie and The Infinite Sadness’ to the world in the 90’s. I’ll be back tomorrow, however, with a large emphasis on fresh new music as I introduce you to a very interesting Berlin-based Experimental Rock musician who made a name for themselves as a part of LA’s LGBT community of underground producers. They have performed alongside Charli XCX and Flume, and they’ve received positive support from the likes of Mixmag.

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Today’s Track: NewDad – ‘Say It’

January 24, 2022 — Leave a comment
Pictured: Julie Dawson (Lead Vocals/Rhythm Guitar), Áindle O’Beirn (Bass Guitar/Backing Vocals), Sean O’Dowd (Lead Guitar/Backing Vocals) and Fiachra Parslow (Drums/Percussion) (2020) (Photo via PR/Fair Youth Records)

Good Morning to you! This is Jacob Braybrooke – of course – and its time to dive headfast into another week’s worth of work and pleasure with yet another daily track on the blog to start it off, since it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! A 4-piece indie rock band from Galway, Ireland who can always be relied upon to create a charming blend of melodic Dream-Pop and ethereal 90’s Shoegaze, NewDad have already received support from BBC Radio 6 Music – with ‘Blue’ gaining a spot on their daytime A-list last year – and BBC Radio 1 Indie Show presenter Jack Saunders to consistent results. Led by vocalist/rhythm guitarist Julie Dawson, the quartet are also comprised of bassist Áindle O’Beirn, lead guitarist Sean O’Dowd and drummer Fiachra Parslow. An 80’s-leaning group, they have cited Alt-Rock heroes like The Cure, The Pixies, The Smashing Pumpkins and Just Mustard in some interviews and, in an article with DIY Magazine, they expressed that Charli XCX would be a dream for them to work with, a fantasy link-up that I’d certainly like to see materialize. Last March, they released the marvellous ‘Waves’ EP via Fair Youth Records and they are due to follow it up on 9th February with their second EP – ‘Banshee’ – which is also due to arrive via the same label. It was co-produced with Chris W. Ryan and mixed by John Congleton (Phoebe Bridgers, Lana Del Rey) in Belfast. Later this year, they will be performing at All Points East, London and SXSW. They also have regular tour dates set for the UK, the US and Ireland in March and April. Let’s check out the opener and first single from the EP, ‘Say It’, below.

“Say It is about unrequited love, about when someone is with you but not really, it’s supposed to capture that frustration you feel when you’re giving someone your all and they’re giving you nothing in return”, Dawson says about the simple but relatable themes behind their latest single, adding about the EP, “This EP is definitely bigger, having more time in the studio definitely meant we got to experiment more and layer more into each track so there’s an overall bigger sound” in their press release. ‘Say It’ is yet another indie gem with a whimsical atmosphere that starts off with some guttural deep breaths before the guitars and the drums kick in for the opening verse, where Dawson recites lyrics like “You only want to make things right at night/But it’s not the same” and “Today you didn’t even look at me in the hallway/I know you saw me” as she taps into the rushing tensions that you feel emotionally in the midst of an unrequited affair. The chorus is also strong, with the simple hook of “So I don’t want to say it, ‘Cause you don’t want to say it back” that feels piercing in it’s clear cut nature. The pacing is quite upbeat, and it comes across like Dawson is venting her complications about her irritation and bitterness about her own handling of the situation and her romantic dreams that won’t pull their own weight either. She strikes a perfect balance between feeling whimsical and forceful, with ragged lyrics like “You just look down at your laces like your f***ing famous” amongst softer spoken refrains like “You just want to see me fall for you” that capture the mildly psychedelic warmth of the emotive guitar riffs that surround her vocals. The angular drum beats have a stark mood to them, while the more textured guitars give off a calming vibe that contrasts the restless frustrations felt about the topical one-sided relationship with a lighter ambient energy that becomes an endearing hint of what will be explored on the forthcoming EP project. Overall, ‘Say It’ is another solid single from NewDad that really showcases Dawson’s abilities of mixing strength and warmth together in her vocals and her bandmates’ abilities of blending anxious emotions with remaining feelings of hurt from their textured instrumental work. It’s also a track that appeals equally to lovesick teens or young adults as much as the parents who will hear the bands they used to love during a similar snap shot from their lives. Simply great stuff.

Pictured: NewDad performing a live gig at the Yes Basement, Manchester (2021) (Photo via EvenTheStars.co.uk)

If you liked the latest single from NewDad and you want to hear more, don’t feel ‘Blue’ here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/11/07/todays-track-newdad-blue/

Pictured: Cover Artwork for ‘Waves’ (EP) (Released on March 26th, 2021) (via Fair Youth Records)

That brings us to the end of the page and, just for your reassurance, NewDad have said that none of them are actually Dad’s before. Anyhow, thank you for showing your support as always for the site, and I’ll be back tomorrow to muse over some more melancholic music due to arrive on a larger project in February. This time, it comes from a Los Angeles-based Psych-Rock band whose guitarist is the son of David A. Stewart from Eurythmics and Siobhan Fahey of Bananarama. It is a very small world!

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Countdown To Christmas 2021: Cocteau Twins – “Frosty The Snowman”

November 24, 2021 — Leave a comment
  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Snow” (EP) (Released in December, 1993) (via Fontana Records)

Good Morning to you! I am Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time to revisit a unique spin on a vintage Carol as we ‘Countdown To Christmas’ with another daily track on the blog, since it’s always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! ‘Frosty The Snowman’ really is a tale as old as time, but a lesser-known cover version of the track came from the 90’s Shoegaze legends Cocteau Twins back in 1993. Drawing influence from early alternative rock bands like Joy Division and Siouxsie and The Banshees, Cocteau Twins scored a UK top 30 hit with ‘Pearly Dewdrops Drops’ in 1984. They also produced critically acclaimed albums such as ‘Heaven Or Las Vegas’ and ‘Treasure’ on indie labels like 4AD and Fontana Records. However, the ‘Snow’ EP they released in December 1993 has become a rarity. A double single release featuring covers of ‘Winter Wonderland’ and ‘Frosty The Snowman’, the short-form release was only available in extremely limited quantities and Pitchfork have named their take on ‘Frosty The Snowman’ as the 36th best holiday song of all time. Another interesting fact about the record is that one story says Robin Guthrie, the trio’s bassist, was very reluctant to record any kind of true Christmas songs, and so Liz Frser and Simon Raymonde opted to record non-specific winter songs instead. Let’s hear their distinctive spin on ‘Frosty The Snowman’ below.

Although the ‘Snow’ extended play had received a pretty positive reception from the contemporary music press of the time, one expert suggested that fewer than 5,000 copies were ever put together. Nowadays, the record is out of print but the two songs later appeared on the ‘Lullabies To Volaine’ boxset compilation that 4AD released in October 2005. As for the cover of ‘Frosty The Snowman’ as an individual piece, Cocteau Twins strike an equal balance between familiar and ethereal. The lyrics are the same ones that we all know already, but the instrumentation adopts a darker daydream approach to the songwriting and this provides for a great contrast against the playful, child-like style of the overly joyous original track. Beginning with a radiant Piano riff, the band match the customary lyrics of the traditional anthem with a flood of vocal effects and distorted guitar riffs that create a chiming array of breezy bass guitar melodies and a dizzying bassline. In terms of the vocals, Liz Fraser almost replicates the vibe of the wind swooping all around the title character of Frosty as her multi-layered effects include some nice breaks where Fraser spaciously croons atop the programmed drum sequences alone, and it’s a highlight of the song. We have always known Cocteau Twins to be a group who were never focused on singing conventional lyrics, and so they fill their take on ‘Frosty The Snowman’ with their own gravitas here as you may expect. You could never properly hear any of their lyrics anyways in usual terms, but it is a common trope of the band that plays a decent role here. They are fairly easy to make out, but she really twists those words around with a variety of different shapes and, at times, these moulds are equally as unintelligible as the fascinating beats that swirl around her pitch. To conclude, the Scottish Alt-Rock icons did a pretty spectacular job with this rendition of ‘Frosty The Snowman’ as it brings some solid insight into the unique vocal style and diverse instrumentation of the associated band, while also sounding recognizable and warm by covering such a widely known carol, and so it fits the theme of the festive season without explicitly mentioning Christmas, so they succeed in making the beat sound as cheerful as ever.

  • Pictured: Elizabeth Fraser (Lead Vocals/Writer), Robin Guthrie (Lead Guitar/Producer/Drum Machine) and Simon Raymonde (Bass Guitar) in a press shoot for “Garlands” (1982) (Photo by Chris Garnham)

If you can’t get enough of this, why not check out my thoughts on ‘Lorelei’ here: https://onetrackatatime.home.blog/2020/08/01/todays-track-the-cocteau-twins-lorelei/

  • Pictured: Cover Artwork for “Treasure” (LP) (Released on 1st November, 1984) (via 4AD)

That’s all for now! Thank you for your continued support for the blog, and I’ll be back tomorrow to delve deeply into the highly anticipated return track from a London-based Electronic Afro-Jazz collective who last released ‘Doko Mien’ in 2019 on Merge Records. They performed at KEXP’s ‘International Clash Day’ concert of the same year.

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Today’s Track: Caroline Loveglow – ‘Happy Happy’

November 15, 2021 — Leave a comment
  • Pictured: Caroline Loveglow in a PR photoshoot for Flood Magazine (2021) (Photo via 100% Electronica)

Good Morning to you! You are reading the words of Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time to get groovy (It’s possibly best that I don’t use that one again) for your daily track on the blog, because it has always been my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Known for exploring psychological and romantic anxieties in her melodic Dream Pop music, the LA-based multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Caroline Loveglow is a brand new artist who impressed George Clanton and his fellow PR executives at the 100% Electronica label so much with ‘Patience Etc’, her debut single, that they dissuaded her from uploading it to the internet so they could release it properly on their platform. They will be issuing her debut album, ‘Strawberry’, on February 22nd, 2022. Growing up in San Diego, Loveglow developed a love for music and poetry from the age of 12 that was inspired by the textured, emotional rock music that her mother would play to her from Neil Young and Radiohead, and she’s also been influenced by her own passion for her favourite 80’s band, The Cure. Her earliest material was short poems that she’d set to a few chords in her bedroom as a teenager, and this was just her own individual way of exploring the complexities of the world. ‘Happy Happy’ has accompanied the details of her upcoming album and it is just her second single to ever get released. On the single, she grapples with the weight of self-doubt and her indecision. Let’s check out the chatroulette-styled official video below.

“Happy Happy is an ode to escapism”, Caroline Loveglow states in her press release, explaining, “I started building the track with the main guitar line, stayed awake all night until I had the demo completed and a version of what I was hearing in my head. I just wanted the song to feel like this momentous release that I never got to experience in my real life at the time”, in her notes. Kicking off with some Synth-enhanced guitar riffs and layering a Shoegaze-inspired sound atop a tight drum groove, Loveglow tells us to “Take your time, would you sleep inside my mind tonight?” with the aid of some swelling Synth pad work and some hypnotic Pop melodies to keep the upbeat mood of the tone flourishing, and she adds a hearty dose of reverb effects to her own vocals to reflect the story of laborious love that she discusses in the lyrics, and the slow attempts that she makes to grow a relationship with a new partner. The track feels calm and whimsical, with some songwriting that feels precise and punctilious. There’s enough of a punch to the hooks to make proceedings feel catchy and infectious, but she decorates the Indie Pop soundscape with some elements of Vaporwave and Chillwave that introduce some Lo-Fi instrumentals to the mix. It also feels a little Grunge-inflicted in the verses, with a little bit of distortion and some unearthly Drone vocals that are sometimes difficult to truly identify, but they contribute to the nocturnal and swirling sounds of the overall production quite smoothly. This one also reminds me a little bit of Cocteau Twins in how the instrumentation feels drowned in a haze, with some psychedelic guitar riffs and some wistful Synth sequences that feel comforting. Overall, ‘Happy Happy’ was an enjoyable single that sounded like a decent mis-mash of other bands and genres, with some 80’s New Wave influences and subtle nods towards Shoegaze that keeps things feeling eclectic enough to be memorable, despite a conventional structure that keeps everything in the Pop wheelhouse. A crowd pleasing Synth-Pop taster for more.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for ‘Strawberry’ (LP) (Available from February 25th, 2022) (via 100% Electronica)

That’s all for today! Thank you for reaching the bottom of the page as usual today, and I’ll be back tomorrow with another brief review of a new single from another act who will be releasing a new album next February, albeit a name that may seem a little bit more familiar to casual viewers of the blog. This Ealing-based Post-Punk revival band were originally formed as Fear Of Flying in 2007 and their debut album, 2009’s ‘To Lose My Life’, was a number one hit on the UK Albums Chart. They were also seen in BBC’s ‘Sound Of 2009’ poll and were nominated for the BRIT’s Critics Choice Award.

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Today’s Track: 파란노을 (Parannoul) – “아름다운 세상 (Beautiful World)”

August 12, 2021 — Leave a comment
  • Pictured: VHS tape for ‘To See The Next Part Of The Dream’ (February 23, 2021) (via Bandcamp.com)

Good Morning to you! It’s Jacob Braybrooke here – and the time has come for me to deliver your daily track on the blog, because it’s always my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! We’ve certainly been familiarizing ourselves, musically, with a good variety of different cultures this week, and my latest recommendation takes you to South Korea for cryptic Shoegaze sounds. ‘Beautiful World’ comes from Parannoul, a very enigmatic young adult musician who describes themselves as “just a student writing music in my bedroom” and, as of May 2021, the brains behind the operation remains anonymous. We do not know their name, age, their history, relationship status or whether their music is created with anyone else’s involvement. He has released another album, 2020’s ‘Let’s Walk On The Path Of A Blue Cat’, but 2021’s ‘To See The Next Part Of The Dream’ has been his true breakout. He previously gained a cult following on websites like Reddit and RateYourMusic, with his latest album earning positive reviews from publications like Pitchfork, Stereogum and Consequence Of Sound when it was self-released in February, before it later arrived on streaming services in April. Pitchfork.com’s Ian Cohen wrote, “The lo-fi Shoegaze project from the Seoul musician is a rare find. The ambitious and alluring music expertly captures the feeling of a sound so uncannily familiar that it truly feels like a dream” in his 8/10. In my own experience, the record has eventually grown to become one of my top favourite albums of the year so far. Telling the plot of a down-on-his-luck 21-year-old aspiring musician with the creative mind of a wide-eyed child, but no real ability to play instruments, the record is a homage to the push and pull of youth – the desire to become something greater than you are, but feeling like this success is perpetually out of your reach. Just go ahead – and give ‘Beautiful World’ a spin below.

The text accompanying Parannoul’s new release on Bandcamp finds them describing themselves as an “active loser”, “below average in height, appearance and everything else”, with “singing skills [that] are f***ing awful”, among other harsh self-judgments, and the artist is never afraid to pull from anime culture for the odd reference, like ‘Neon Genesis Evangelion’, in his lyrics. Using heavy distortion to manufacture a fantasy world, ‘Beautiful World’ finds him struggling with self-doubt and, in a strangely implicated way, raising a toast to the character’s shortcomings to honor his misery. Lyrics roughly translate to lines like “I wish my young and stupid days to disappear forever/My precious relationships, now they’re just in my memories” that feel bleak and depressive on paper, but the melodicism is almost overwhelming when the frenetic guitars combat against the seemingly spellbinding pedal effects. There’s hints of Emo, Goth and K-Pop music in the Synths aplenty, with invigorating guitar riffs and obscured vocals which add emotional depth to the atmosphere through the manifested feelings of nostalgia and outgrowing your location. Lines like “I wish no one had seen my miserable self/I wish no one had seen my numerous failures” take jabs at self-worth and pressure from older adults to succeed in life, while other lyrics, like “I go to a sense of a sense/Let’s block two eyes and two ears again” take shots at embracing your individuality and seeking pleasure in how your unique mind may work very differently to your peers, harnessing these skills and talents for a larger purpose. This encapsulation of adolescent angst is complemented, perfectly, with the vicious Math-Rock drum patterns towards the end. These clashing, aggressive sounds build a sense of both melancholy and melodrama, feeling every bit as powerful or disorienting as they should, given the very specific subject matter of the vocals. The vocals also wisely take cues from Cocteau Twins and My Bloody Valentine in the ways they feel tricky to decipher because it builds a higher sense of tension, while also reminding us that the mood is the crucial part of the track, and the words almost struggle to need relevancy to find importance above the tone. On the whole, it is a truly fantastic look at the hopelessness of the modern youth and the systematic obstacles faced by young adults in politics and employment, and this is all captured with spectacularly Shoegaze finesse. The ‘who’ and the ‘how’ simply aren’t necessary.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for ‘To See The Next Part Of The Dream’ (Released on February 23, 2021) (via POCLANOS)

That brings us to the end of the page – and thank you for sticking your neck out with me for another day. Please feel free to reconvene with me again tomorrow, as we delve into one of the weekend’s biggest new album releases. This brings our globe-trotting trip full circle as we return to England for some Americana, Country and Folk-inflicted indie rock from Hexham, Northumberland. The artist is a familiar face on the blog, a 21-year-old singer-songwriter who went to the BRIT’s School in Croydon and won ‘International Breakthrough Artist’ at the AIM Independent Music Awards in 2019.

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Today’s Track: CLAUD – “Guard Down”

February 25, 2021 — Leave a comment

A new ‘Changing Of The Guard” for this young lofi pop superstar. Time for a new post!

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “Super Monster” (Released on February 12, 2021) (via Saddest Factory Records)

Good Afternoon to you – my name is Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time again for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog since, as always, it’s routinely my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Previously writing and performing their own music under the pen name of ‘Toast’ with the release of their debut EP in 2018, Claud Mintz is a trendy, new bedroom pop indie musician who comes from the suburbs of Chicago, Illonois. The 21-year-old singer-songwriter, who identifies as Non-Binary, has become better known for their vibrant blue-and-green neon dyed haircut (Colours permitting) along with the recent success of their singles ‘Gold’, ‘Soft Spot’ and ‘Cuff Your Jeans’, which were lifted from their debut LP, “Super Monster”, which was released earlier this month on the Phoebe Bridgers-owned record label, Saddest Factory Records. I love the attention that Mintz puts into their cover artworks, with a hand-painted animation style that looks wistful and eye-catching in their coloring palettes, and I’ve been playing a few of their tracks on the radio between the past few weeks. Their latest single is ‘Guard Down”, and it was co-written by Cameron Hale and Mary Weitz. Check out the animated music video below.

That clip was giving me a few shades of Peter, Bjorn & John’s “Young Folks” from 2006, a track that I cherish – by the way. In a recent press release, Claud Mintz spoke further on the emotions behind the track, noting: “When I wrote this song, I had just found out somebody I had feelings for started seeing someone else, and my immediate response was to convince myself I didn’t care, even though I did”, elaborating on it’s production, “The verses and chorus sort-of make fun of how I keep myself closed off, but my rap towards the end of the song is a super honest stream of consciousness”, in their set of notes. Mintz wastes no time to get to the vocals in the track, almost immediately springing: “I haven’t seen you since the summer, We’re getting further from each other” off a psychedelic drum loop and a few guitar licks, before the melodies take a pop-driven shape where Mintz recites lines like “I’ve been staying Chicago, but I’m coming back tomorrow” and “You’re seeing someone, I’m not though/And that feels really awful” as the eclectic backing beat allows some whimsy and fun to burst through the heartbreak, but hopeful, nature of the lyrics. The hook of “Don’t let your guard down” keeps the mood simple, but upbeat. The rap section, where Claud poetically recites similarly lyrics over the top of a distorted vocal effect and a slight tempo decrease, catches me off-guard a little, but it keeps the pace flowing and diversifies the tone a little. The end is more effective, where Mintz is left to croon “Nothing like a New York summer” to their own device – that being a simple acoustic guitar strum. Very much aimed towards a Young Adult audience, I think that Taylor Swift is a fair comparison to make, but I also think you’ll like this if you’re fond of Clairo or Arlo Parks too. It’s not really the most experimental sound, but I think it works nicely. I think that’s because Mintz really writes the track with a ‘human touch’ – it feels warm, sumptuous and comforting, and that makes it tug your heart strings and relate to the subject matter. It’s not the most original sound, but it’s pleasant to listen to, and, for me, that makes it a top-tier 3:26 minutes of heartfelt Pop. It’s lovely.

  • Pictured: Claud Mintz in a recent press shot to promote “Super Monster” (2020) (Photo by ID Magazine)

That’s all folks! Another week is quickly flying past me – but there’s still time to select another pick for the “New Album Release Friday” feature tomorrow. This week’s spotlight is shined on the fairly obvious choice, as we take a deep dive behind the story of a young artist who’s been absolutely hyped to the hills with their new album, which releases tomorrow. Seeing support from KEXP’s Live At Home series and endorsement from Paramore’s Hayley Williams, this 25-year-old Alternative Folk self-producer is known for being a former member of Boygenius in addition to her solo work. If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/

New Album Release Friday: Mogwai – “Richie Sacramento”

February 19, 2021 — Leave a comment

Gizmo also stars in the Russian version of “Gremlins” – Kremlins! Time for a new post.

  • Pictured: Cover Art for “As The Love Continues” (Released on Feb 19, 2021) (via Rock Action Records)

Good Morning to you – I’m Jacob Braybrooke, and it’s time for me to get typing up for your daily track on the blog, because it is my day-to-day pleasure to write up about a different piece of music every day! Another handful of brand new albums have been unveiled on to the record players or streaming platforms of your choice today, as is typically the case every Friday. I’m excited to hear the uplifting, dance pop vibes of SG Lewis’s new release. However, there’s also new Art-Pop from Issac Dunbar, the long-awaited return of The Hold Steady and the Psych-Rock of the ‘one-person band’ Tash Sultana that may take your fancy too. One of the most anticipated albums for the year, however, has been “The Love Continues” by the very influential Scottish Post-Rock band Mogwai, who have been going for 25 years now. John Peel championed them with Peel Sessions back in the day of the late-90’s, and the new record is being released strategically to coincide with their 25th anniversary of their debut single, “Tuner/Lower”, with it’s distribution being handled by their own label, Rock Action Records. Let’s find out what they’ve got to offer us with “Ritchie Sacramento” below.

Featuring contributions from Atticus Ross and Colin Stetson, the new album marks another chapter in the sweeping and the cinematic grandeur of the band’s sound, typically composed of lengthy guitar sequences and improvised sections. “Ritchie Sacramento” plays tribute to the legendary Japanese composer Ryuichi Sakamoto, with the title of the lead single being a playful pronunciation of the name. In addition to this, lead vocalist Stuart Braithwaite also says this track is “the only conventional pop song on the record” in Mogwai’s press notes. Starting off with a highly distorted guitar hook, the lyrics of “Rise crystal spear flied through over me/Suddenly gone from here, left alone on the road” evokes a light sunset haze, with the slight melodic feel of these vocalss dipping in and out of the horizon conveyed by the fuzzy guitar beats and the variety of flickering bass tones. The bridge in the closing stages is a highlight, where the shimmering synth tones deftly undercuts the stillness of the rhythm. The chorus sweeps in for a straight-up late-90’s indie rock feel, with the lyrics of “Disappear in the sun/All gone” and “It took a while just to think/Of home” being backed by some powerful, quickly paced drumming and the irregular patterns of bass rumbles. The lyrics themselves are drawing and expansive, with little direct answers being given by the questions they ask. There’s a mid-tempo swing between a happy and sad emotion, however, with patches of reflective songwriting and emotional qualities being given off by the repeating themes of home and belonging. The textures are relatively light, however, and I feel the quiet sections of the vocal performance is selling the changing moments of tranquility and disorganization well. Overall, it’s a real grower, and I don’t think I really “got” this one initially, but I think the moments where Braithwaite looks back at companionship in the past flourishes under the Prog-Rock sound and the diversity of the emotions is good. Perfectly solid.

  • Pictured: Stuart Braithwaite (Lead Vocals/Lead Guitar), Dominic Aitchison (Bass Guitar/Rhythm Guitar), Barry Burns (Keyboard/Synths/Flute) and Martin Bulloch (Drums) (in 2021) (Photo by Antony Cook)

The days and the weeks keep flowing by – but that’s all for today! Scuzz Sundays is set for a new entry in two days time as usual, but before then, I’ve got one more for you. Tomorrow, we’re going to take an in-depth look at a recent collaboration between one of Warp Records’ experimental electronic mainstays, and the high-profile star of this year’s half-time show at The Super Bowl. You can have that one for free! If you really liked what you just read, why not follow the blog to get notified when every new daily post is up and why not like the Facebook page here?: https://www.facebook.com/OneTrackAtATime/