'MARIGOLDS' / EARLY EYES: SINGLE REVIEW


BY DEMI MARSHALL

Indie-pop band Early Eyes engages listeners with their new single “Marigolds.” Originally formed on a college campus as a hobby, Early Eyes has rooted themselves in the Minnesota music scene, and consists of Jake Berglove (vocals/guitar), Joe Villano (guitar), John O’Brien (guitar), Des Lawrence (bass), and Wyatt Fuller (drums).

Named one of the Best New Bands 2017 by local venue First Avenue, and nominated Best New Band 2018 by Minneapolis City Pages, the band is certainly blooming. “Marigolds” provides a perfect balance of catchy lyrics and effortless build, indulging listeners in a glowing, serene single.

Opening with soft vocals and piano, I instantly got a homegrown feel from this song. It felt like being in the room with someone showing you a song they wrote, both homey and refreshing. Early on, the song breaks through with rhythmic claps, guitar, horns, and a bright, upbeat tone. All of these different instruments and background vocals give a lot of depth and texture to the song, so it never feels flat.

About midway through the song, there is a brief focus on a drum beat that gives a crisp sound and variation to the rhythm. What I like about this song is the small moments like this that maintain an interesting and varying sound. Even though the chorus is short and simple, the song doesn’t feel repetitive because of the little hints of fresh sounds throughout. The vocals are soft, sweetly guiding you through the lyrics, almost like telling a story. This allows listeners to feel more individually connected to the song.

“Marigolds” is the perfect song to welcome springtime. It is sure to brighten your mood and allow for a few minutes of blissful relaxation. Be sure to check out this new single, as well as the rest of Early Eyes’ music.    

 

THE GLASS CHILD: INTERVIEW


BY MARIAH ESTRAN

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GLASS CHILD

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GLASS CHILD

The ambient pop sound of Swedish singer-songwriter The Glass Child is combined with raw lyrics drawn from journeys focused on finding creativity. She’s a multi-faceted artist who has created four albums and written books to go along with her angelic tunes. With her latest album on the way, and her new single "Long Ago" already available. We spoke with the singer to learn more about how she searched for new inspiration, what her songwriting process entails, and what we can expect from her upcoming music.

Tell us more about your story — what made you decide to start creating music?

The Glass Child: “I started writing music when I was around 14 years old. I grew up always feeling pretty lost and unimpressed with what I saw around me. Then I discovered music and was just hypnotized right away, how the right melody put together with the right words and the right voice could make everything feel ok for just a few minutes. I knew right away I wanted to spend my life creating that feeling for other people.”

 

You have an ambient pop sound that intertwines raw emotion. Who have been some of your musical inspirations over the years?

TGC: “I’ve been influenced by so many bands in so many different genres! I grew up listening to folk and singer/songwriters, like Ani DiFranco, Bright Eyes and then Counting Crows, Matchbox 20… those are still my favorite bands. Copeland’s album ‘Ixora’ has been my biggest inspiration as a producer. That record is just pure perfection to me.”

 

You’re a seasoned traveler and explorer of different cities, how have those experiences shaped your music?

TGC: “I find that each new city or country has a new story to tell. A new album or a new book, wherever I am in my creative cycle. It’s something about the possibility to start over when you land somewhere new. No one knows me there, I can be whoever I want to be, and I can write my story in a different way.”

 

Not only do you create music, but you also write essays and poems. If any, how do these different forms of writing contribute to your songwriting process?

TGC: “I would say it’s a very different process from songwriting, but I think being an author has also made me a better songwriter just because of the creative freedom it gives me. I wrote my very first book that I published in 2013 about moving to London to try to be a songwriter. I published that book as an accompanying story to my first album. They went hand in hand, like, ‘here is the album but here is the story behind the album, how it came to be.’ It’s still how I use my writings now, they are like the journals that tell the story behind the songs.”

 

Lyrically, your tracks are full emotions gathered from past experiences. Why is it important that you showcase that in your music?

TGC: “Hmm... good question. I think that’s why I started writing in the first place, to be able to reflect and write my own past and life in a more beautiful way. Or maybe in a raw and bold way but at least I can put a beautiful melody on it. My urge to write comes from being out there living life, so it comes naturally I think. But I also write a lot for other artists as just a songwriter, and it’s just as powerful to help someone else tell their stories and past experiences. I think I just love real human stories, mine or someone else’s.”

 

Can you tell us more about your new song “Long Ago”? What’s the story behind this latest release?

TGC: “This came from a dream of mine. There is this lyric in the song of someone standing in the kitchen cleaning up the mess. I kept dreaming about that scenario, night after night. The song kind of wrote itself, and because it’s such a raw story I wanted to keep the production really minimal. It’s the only acoustic song that will be on the album I’ll release later this year.”

 

I understand that you have a new album on the way, how is this addition to your discography going to express who you are as an artist at this moment?

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GLASS CHILD

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE GLASS CHILD

TGC: “I released my last record four years ago, and after that album I wasn’t sure I would release more music. I was tired and uninspired. I started writing for other artists and just developed myself as a producer, then suddenly life happened and I had all those stories I needed to get out. I hope this album shows growth and reinvention as a creator and as a woman. I hope it tells a story of leaving the past behind in order to face the sun and start something new.”

 

What can listeners expect next from The Glass Child?

TGC: “I have so many songs that I will release one by one, and I have also just finished a new book that will be published together with the new album later this year!”

 

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'OK' / WALLOWS: SINGLE REVIEW


BY EMMA SCHOORS

Wallows has reached new musical territories with “OK.” 

The three-piece band has been rising exponentially in fame in these past few years. Selling out huge venues left and right, growing an insanely dedicated fan base, and releasing consistently high quality music are just some of the efforts Wallows has been taking part in to ensure their continued success. 

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This success has come particularly since the release of their debut album, Nothing Happens. Wallows saw millions upon millions of new streams flood their Spotify as more and more people took note of the band’s potential. 

All this hard work has paved the way for a turning point for the band, which has taken form in their latest single, “OK.” Spoiler alert: the song is much more than just okay.

It sports all the signature Wallows touches — catchy, calming vocal hooks by lead singer Dylan Minnette, new wave reminiscent guitar riffs by lead guitarist Braeden Lemasters, and highly effective, groovy drum parts by drummer Cole Preston.

The flare that this song brings doesn’t stop there, though. It’s crystal clear that every member of the band has been working tirelessly at their craft.

Countless fans will tell you the same — Wallows is brilliant in that they pull all the stops on every song, while still keeping a low-key, danceable vibe flowing throughout. 

The single ends with a hopeful plea that’s increasingly relatable in the often depressing times we live in — “Can we get up and try to feel okay again?” 

 

CB30: INTERVIEW


BY ELIZABETH FEIRSTEIN

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH FEIRSTEIN

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH FEIRSTEIN

Christian and Brody Clementi, brothers from Nashville, make up the country duo, CB30. The name comes from the boys first initials and the fact that they were both born on the 30th of a month, Christian being May 30th, and Brody being March 30th. They have always loved music and were given the chance to sign with Buena Vista Records in 2017. Since then they have opened for Luke Bryan, played at Stagecoach, and have shared their sound across a variety of social media platforms. We got the chance to sit down with them at Playlist Live in Orlando to talk to them about their career. 

For starters, who are you?

Christian: “We are Christian and Brody, CB30. We are brothers from Nashville, Tennessee, and a country music duo.” 

Why music?

C: “Growing up we were always into sports, but we always had family in the music business. Our dad is a songwriter in Nashville and cuts for Luke Bryan and a bunch of other big country artists. Since we were constantly around the music industry it led us to try and get into it. When we stopped playing football, we started writing songs and picking up on [music] and eventually we fell in love with songwriting, recording and performing. We picked up a guitar and haven't put it down since, and that's why we chose music.”

How would you describe your music to those who haven't heard it yet?

Brody: “It's in the mixture of pop and country. It's upbeat like Dan and Shay and like Sam Hunt.”

Where do you pull inspiration from?

B: “We get our inspirations from all different genres, but obviously Luke Bryan because he's a good buddy of ours and we look up to him a lot.”

C: “Additionally, we also listen to rap and also a lot of pop artists like Post Malone and Bazzi. We also pull inspiration from our own lives and experiences.” 

How do you balance TikTok and Instagram with music?

B: “TikTok could be a full time job now, but honestly it's something we like to do in our free time.” 

What's it like performing together as brothers?

C: “It's cool, we live together so obviously we have more time to rehearse and to have everything down. Living and being siblings also comes with dumb brother fighting, which is not bad with us, unless we are playing basketball, football, or video games, then it’s bad. We are very competitive with each other, but performing is always smooth and comes easy especially since we know each other so well” 

What was it like opening for Luke Bryan on his stadium tour?  

B: “It was honestly really shocking at first, it was really last minute, he literally told us the day before. We rehearsed all that night for like eight hours.” 

C: “We were on vacation in Colorado with our family, and he was playing Mile High Stadium that night and was like, ‘Y’all wanna play a song tonight?’, and we were so shocked, we had no clue. We didn't even have our guitars or anything.”

B : “We had to use other people’s guitars which was weird.”

C: “That was the first time we used in-ears. Since that was a hectic first show we felt prepared for the other shows we got to perform at. It went well, it was wild.”

You recently released your single “Love That About Her.” Can you tell us a little about the song and the inspiration behind it?

C: “Love That About Her is about literally every little thing you love about a girl, like what the girl wants to hear and not like how hot she is and like that kind of stuff. It's about the little details, things that can make her smile, all the things you love about this girl. Who that girl is, we can't say.” 

What advice do you have for people that would like to pursue a career in the music industry?

B: “Just keep working hard at it, stick to one thing, figure out what you want and go for it.” 

If you could plan your own tour, who would you be touring with?

B: “Honestly I'd love to get a tour with all our friends” 

C: “Going on tour with Jacob Sartorius would be fun for now. But then we wanna headline one day which is the ultimate goal.”

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH FEIRSTEIN

PHOTO BY ELIZABETH FEIRSTEIN

B: “We would also wanna tour with Bazzi, Bieber, and I'd have to say Post Malone.”

What were some obstacles you come across while writing?

C: “There are a lot of obstacles with being young and being in country. A lot of other artists don’t have this problem, but because we are only 18 and 15 we can’t write about beer and other alcohol. Obstacles in writing can sometimes be if you don't have a super close bond with people, or if you just met them and it just doesn't click. Usually we have no idea what we are going to write about. Luckily in Nashville everyone is so amazing and just great songwriters,  if they are there for that and to do, usually it's amazing. We all just work together to come out with good music.”

What can we expect in the future?

B: “A lot of new music, maybe an album in the future. We don't have it planned right now, but we have a bunch of songs set to come out, singles and additionally new content on TikTok and Instagram.”

 

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'IS EVERYBODY GOING CRAZY?' / NOTHING BUT THIEVES: SINGLE REVIEW


BY EMMA SCHOORS

Nothing But Thieves reminds us that heaven’s a mindset away with their latest single, “Is Everybody Going Crazy?”

Hailing from Essex, England, the band has seen nearly every destination on the face of the planet. Playing packed shows in places like Russia, Thailand, the US, and Mexico,  relentless touring has earned them a dedicated, close-knit group of fans, and plenty of life experiences from which to derive musical inspiration. 

Almost nothing provides more vivid inspiration than current events, and the band is no stranger to delving into politics and religion. Debates surrounding both subjects have fueled global citizens to take action against bigotry and intolerance in recent years. 

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Lyrics from Nothing But Thieves’ catalogue are known to be soulful and intensely relevant, thanks to guitarist Joe Langridge-Brown, who often shares lyrics from the band’s songs on his social media. 

This new tune is no different in that respect. It digs into the heart of the problems global citizens are facing, which seem to have no end. A pandemic is flurrying around the world, for a start. 

The anxiety and utter hopelessness that people are experiencing is acknowledged with the line, “We’re so hopelessly faded.” However, this pessimism is met with optimism and gratitude with, “In this wounded, sinister place, we’ve only got each other.”

Lead singer Connor Mason is known for his Jeff Buckley-like vocals, but he has a style all his own that is worth a thousand words. His angelic voice is almost reminiscent of a guitar, which blends effortlessly with guitarist Dominic Craik’s well thought out parts. This combination of melody and grit is part of what makes the band members so compatible.

Philip Blake is the heart of the band, with gritty bass riffs that add an edge to the lightness of Mason’s vocals. Similarly, drummer James Price is a master of his craft, opting to create a drumming style all his own instead of fitting the mold. This adds another layer to the complex machine that is Nothing But Thieves.

Each and every member of Nothing But Thieves is irreplaceable, which ensures quality, deeply relatable songs that touch the hearts of nearly everyone who encounters them.

“Is Everybody Going Crazy?” isn’t the first song that the band has hit out of the park, and it won’t be the last.