The FSWL Playlist: Issue 8
Welcome to Issue 8 of The FSWL Playlist! New music has impressed once again, and we have a bit of everything this week. Read on for new releases by Twenty One Pilots (and their new album Trench) and The Struts‘ new single, as well as new records by The Gray Havens, Phosphorescent, and Boy Pablo. Get ready for an uplifting set!
“Fire – Part 1” by The Struts
Now, let’s get this issue off to a roaring start. Since the release of their 2016 album Everybody Wants, Derby rockers The Struts have been touring with the likes of The Who, The Killers, and Foo Fighters. They are, essentially, on fire (no apologies for the pun). This of course leads nicely to the terrific Fire – Part 1, their newest single from their upcoming album YOUNG&DANGEROUS. The glam rockers particularly shine in this track, with its soaring guitar riffs and powerful vocals from frontman Luke Spiller. When revealing the release of the new album, the frontman stated, “I hope these songs provide the perfect soundtrack to this crazy thing called life.” It does just that. Currently touring the US, the band will tour the UK in February 2019. The Struts’ YOUNG&DANGEROUS is set to release on October 26th.
“Feeling Lonely” by Boy Pablo
Boy Pablo is an indie pop-rock band from Norway. Their new EP, called Soy Pablo, shines with its summer pop vibes. Set as a track about heartbreak, Feeling Lonely beams with its hints of that groovy indie pop-rock sound of Two Door Cinema Club. The upbeat music and tragic lyrics form an enjoyable pair. The moody vocals by frontman Nicolas Pablo Muñoz really help to push through the narrative of a confused guy adjusting to being alone once again.
“New Birth in New England” by Phosphorescent
Phosphorescent is the moniker of musician Matthew Houck. Since his last album Muchacho, he has built himself a new studio, found a new love and started a family. This has brought so much happiness to his new album C’est La Vie, and that lovely fresh start can be heard in the blissful and dynamic New Birth in New England. This carefree and jovial number beautifully narrates meeting someone special for the first time, and all the emotions and fun that comes with it. Its gleeful rhythms warmly remind us of those of Paul Simon – that infectious demeanor makes this track so much fun to listen to. It certainly has a new-found spirit and a certain youthfulness about it.
“See You Again” by The Gray Havens
Ready for some Christian folk-pop? The Gray Havens are a duo consisting of husband and wife Dave and Licia Radford. Their latest record, the album She Waits, is brought alive by its piano melodies and lively, cinematic pop vibes. With a focus on the loss of a loved one, See You Again shines through with its strings and heartfelt lyrics. The track is written like a letter from Dave to his wife, containing what he’d like Licia to remember after his death. Hey, there is a light at the end of this tunnel, I promise. As stated by Dave Radford in an interview about the new album, “it doesn’t end at death.” Hence, the song lives with the idea that you never really leave your loved ones.
“Legend” by Twenty One Pilots
No conversation about the new alternative rock of October would be complete without Twenty One Pilots and Trench. Set as a concept album about the fictional Dema, Trench is an exquisitely flexible album. In this essence, this album truly pushes our usual boundaries of what contains our idea of alternative rock. As part of an album which explores rap, R&B, reggae, indie pop and disco, Legend is an uplifting pop number lined with funk rhythms in its verses. As an assessor of the celebrity/fan relationship after the passing of the former, the track is touching with its playful keyboard riffs and honest vocals. In 2016, the Ohio rockers became the first alternative artists to have two simultaneous top ten singles in the US charts. They have truly been soaring ever since (not sorry for this one either).
Are birds the strongest binding force of these tracks?! Seems so. Well, at least a bit.
Hope you enjoyed Issue 8! For Issue 7, click here.
From Sophia with Love x
