It’s been more than a minute since my last Single Play post. It’s not that the world stopped producing music, it’s just that parts of the world — okay, the part I live in — are, um, going through some rough terrain.
But…
Art persists. And that’s a great thing — especially when it comes to music. While our reaction to music varies, Music, writ large, can get us out of our heads and connect us to something pure. Folks who crank a song and blissfully surrender to the notes, the lyrics, and the vibe know that feeling. When experienced with others (i.e., music performed in a live setting), it can feel like the audience, the artist, and the event have connected on such a level that its uniqueness can’t be duplicated in terms of that shared experience at that particular moment. I supposed that’s why music fans get, well, fanatical about what they are hearing, and yes, why music fans can be annoying to be around at times.
I count myself in the camp of someone who is fanatical about music, and I try to temper that fanaticism when being around causal listeners. However, when it comes to this column, I’m going right for advocacy with a kind of missionary zeal. So, if you’re open to new music recommendations, welcome to it!
Envy of None, “Stygian Wave” (YouTube)
On their second full album, Envy of None (whose most famous member is Alex Lifeson of Rush fame) has become more of a band and less of a collective of artists. Vocalist Maiah Wynne’s breathy and ethereal singing style is effective on many of their songs, but it sometimes begs the question: can she belt it out? She gets out of her stylistic comfort zone on the title track by providing more full-throated yells and high-pitched “Ooo, ooo, ooos” that punctuate this almost wordless song. There is a chant that I believe is in Hindi (maybe Sanskrit) that’s spiked in at the beginning and toward the end, but what gets the juices flowing is when the drums kick in, elevating the song into a real, um, rush of sonics that’s such a treat to the ears. That low-end is aided by Andy Curran on bass and Alfio Annibalini on keyboards adding some effective electronica splashes to keep things interesting. The more I listened to the song, the more my ears picked up a lot of cool guitar layering that Lifeson created to give the song some heft without having to solo or tune down. The album was released on March 28th, and you can buy the whole thing on their Bandcamp page.
Cat Ridgeway, “Sprinter” (YouTube)
If you give this song a 20-second listen and then stop, you’re shorting yourself. Cat Ridgeway, the Orlando, Florida indie rocker “for overthinkers,” has crafted a catchy pop song with musical elements that lift it from a fairly standard song with some punk and acoustic flourishes to one that evolves in both interesting and satisfying ways. She starts fairly quiet and then by the bridge, it’s a full-on musical epic. Lyrically, however, “Sprinter” is kind of bleak; drawing from a friend’s struggle with mental health and self-destruction:
Shots on shots in the back of the bar
And the uppers hidden in the back seat of your car
You were a track star
A sprinter never ran far.
As I noted earlier, this is bleak material, but it’s also compelling because Ridgeway wraps this story with some great pop hooks and solid playing. The full album is available on all the streamers. Check on her site’s store for CD pressings if you’re into physical copies.
Steven Wilson, “Objects Outlive Us: Objects: Meanwhile” (YouTube)
For those who are XTC fans, you can rejoice in the knowledge that Andy Partridge co-wrote the lyrics of this song. In a way, it’s fitting that Partridge (Mayor of Miserable) teamed up with Wilson, whose own lyrical content can be equally depressing. But because both artists are also keen on writing songs with effective hooks, it’s not as miserable as it sounds. Indeed, there’s a lot to love about this song. The lyrics contrast the small dramas that pervade our lives with the silent and imperceptible collisions, catastrophes, and cataclysms that occur in space — sometimes light-years away. Wilson keeps things interesting by varying the major musical theme of side one of the album by upping the tempo and the ferocity at the 3:37 mark to illustrate the kinetic energy of exploding stars, solar flares, and the pull of a black hole. For fans of progressive rock, this is catnip. For those who just don’t get this kind of thing, it’ll feel overblown, pompous, and boring. Sorry if you’re in the latter camp because Wilson is proving himself to be one of the more eclectic and innovative artists in this genre. Buy The Overview directly from Steven Wilson’s site.
Comments