Browsing Tag

the national

Nick Cave Meets the National in Harry White’s Latest Feat of Melancholic Liberation, A Way to Go

Posted on 17 March 2024

Harry White’s single, A Way to Go, extracted from his seminal LP Elvera, released on February 23rd, is a profound exploration of introspective lyricism and eclectic soundscapes.

The London-based artist embarked on a new musical chapter with his third album. A Way To Go, in particular, stands out as a vivid illustration of White’s artistic evolution. The influence of Nick Cave permeates through the keys and the gravelly drama of the vocal lines, while the introspective and intimate lyrics carry the magnetic flair of Leonard Cohen.

White’s venture into a more eclectic sound palette is evident in the fusion of electronic effects and the inclusion of a scratchily turbulent backbeat, hinting at The National’s influence. This backdrop is more than just a sonic layer; it’s a canvas for White’s philosophy that the world’s end is inevitable, regardless of individual actions. This theme, rather than being oppressive, is presented with a liberating twist, making A Way to Go a paradoxically uplifting anthem of melancholy.

The track is a compelling blend of styles, reminiscent of the transcendent zeal of ELO, yet amplified with a gothic romanticism unique to White. As the singer-songwriter gears up for live performances, A Way to Go solidifies his position as a seminal artist on the London circuit.

Stream A Way to Go on Spotify now.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Tyler Street’s latest indie-folk confession, ‘Faith, Wisdom, You’, is spiritual poetry in melodic motion

Posted on 31 December 2023

Candid, confessional, and captivating in equal measure, the latest single, Faith, Wisdom, You, from the Dallas-born, Napa-based singer-songwriter Tyler Street is poetry in melodic motion.

After the raw yet euphonic timbre of the acoustic guitar strings, the up-and-coming luminary cuts straight to the crux of the lyrical essence of the single, which resonantly explores a melancholic exposition of an inability to control the tides of emotion. The gentle vocal performance provides a scintillating juxtaposition to the lyricism, which carries the admission of uncontrollable anger.

With hints of Frightened Rabbit and The National within the indie folk production fused with the soulful warmth of Jack Johnson and the emotional intimacy of Elliott Smith, Tyler Street cultivated his sonic style to complement his soulful aura, which echoes the self-awareness and mindfulness inspired by his spiritual awakening. Take notes of the Eckhart Tolle-esque introspection while losing yourself in the transcendence of the guitar notes as they’re artistically amplified by the presence of chamber strings.

Faith, Wisdom, You was officially released on December 21. Stream the single on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

London Graffiti put the writing on the wall in their art-rock tour de force, These Words

Posted on 2 April 2023

Keeping the soul of grunge but stripping back the sludge, the Oxford, UK-based alt-indie rock outfit London Graffiti unleashed the ultimate aural eye-prickler with their latest single, These Words.

If you melded the pensive folky panache of Frightened Rabbit with the art-rock arrangements of Radiohead and the progressively dark atmosphere of Porcupine Tree, you’d get close to the evocative mark made on the indie rock landscape by the band that has already won the favour of plenty of mainstream radio stations, including BBC Introducing.

It is impossible not to be choked by the emotion-fuelled energy in the single, which also pays tribute to the National, Joy Division, and the Doves. Originality oozes from every effortlessly cool pore of These Words, yet never to the detriment of the projection of frantically inhibited dejection.

These Words was officially released on March 16th; hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Dolly Mavies – I’m All Sugar: Get Your indie Anthem Fix

Posted on 24 March 2023

Oxford, UK singer-songwriter, Dolly Mavies, set the indie anthem bar impossibly high with her latest single, I’m All Sugar, which surges with the same rhythmic and vocal energy of Somebody to Love by Boogie Pimps in spite of the folky flavour.

Taken from her debut album, The Calm & The Storm, the stellar single from the artist who takes influence from the likes of Patti Smith, The National and Daughter, created a uniquely exhilarating listening experience that makes no bones about pulling you through an ardently visceral arrangement where a curveball lies on the edge of every progression.

If Dolly Mavies isn’t as big as Mumford & Sons by the end of the year, someone may as well scorch the earth of the music industry so we can start again. It’s punk as fuck, yet, Mavies still maintains that ever-addictive girl-next-door appeal.

I’m All Sugar will officially release on March 24th. Hear it on SoundCloud.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

Jakob the Liar – H E A R T B E A T: The Only Heartbreak Hit You Need to Hear This Year

Posted on 19 March 2023

Considering that we’re living in a post-truth world, we may as well tune into a reality falsifier, especially if they’re as endearingly magnetic as the alt-indie singer-songwriter Jakob the Liar.

His latest single, H E A R T B E A T, is his first contribution to the airwaves since the successful launch of his 2020 EP, Crystallised in Moonshine, and it is a melodic dream. The concept of running away from your own heartbeat won’t be foreign to anyone that has known heartbreak, but few can bring that world-shattering sensation into poetic motion as well as the Danish London-residing artist.

If The National, Bon Iver and Springsteen had a riff-soaked lovechild, the sonic result would be just as sweet as the anthemic intimacy in H E A R T B E A T.

H E A R T B E A T is now available to stream on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

I Am Grounded: The Eighty Six Seas drops timeless new track I Need My Girl (ft. Elly Kace and Straight Pepper Diet)

Posted on 5 March 2023

Doing rather remarkable things to surprise himself and all listeners, The Eighty Six Seas covers The National on his brand new release called I Need My Girl (ft. Elly Kace and Straight Pepper Diet) 

The Eighty Six Seas aka Nick Stevens is a Brooklyn-based alternative folk-pop singer-songwriter who after seven years living in Boston, finds his soul alive in new sounds which are inspiring his every move.

”Stevens was studying at the University of Connecticut when he first started crafting songs, finding his footing as a solo folk artist and later cutting his teeth with indie rock collective The Condescending Foxes.” ~ Nick Stevens

Urging us all to never forget who is truly important in this rather tempting planet, The Eighty Six Seas soaks all of our worries away in an instant here. Pure and taking us to the pacifying waters away from evil, this is a rather excellent effort from all angles.

I Need My Girl from Brooklyn-based alternative folk-pop singer-songwriter The Eighty Six Seas is a relaxing single to change many mixed moods with. Offering us so much hope and love, this is a catchy anthem for all the right reasons. With softly spoken words and kind exuberance, we find an uncorrupted song to wash all worries away.

Hear more news on Spotify. See more on IG.

Reviewed by Llewelyn Screen

Romantic Indie-Rock Raconteur Griffin Robillard is Electrifying in His Anthemically Rythmic Hit, Laws of Longing (LOL)

Posted on 10 February 2023
Griffin Robillard

For the exact same reasons I fell in love with Editors from the first hit, I felt my pulse quicken to the snappy electro-indie gravitas and vocal magnetism from the indie rock raconteur Griffin Robillard, in his single, Laws of Longing (LOL).

The production is as polished as it is colossal as it wraps around the die-hard romanticism in the lyrics and the dance-worthy rhythms evocatively heightened with every ardently pitch-perfect vocal stretch. With Grant Eppley (The National, Maggie Rogers, Spoon) in charge of production, it was never going to be lacklustre. Yet, clearly, the raw material already came with a scintillating sheen.

When most people endure a broken-off engagement, they fall into an insular vacuum of self-pity. Notably, it did little to quell Griffin Robillard’s intensely passionate drive, which puts a visceral amount of momentum into Laws of Longing. It is just one of the singles found on his upcoming debut album, Big Pieces Energy, penned-post-heartbreak and due for release on March 10th.

Laws of Longing will officially release on February 10th. Hear it on Griffin Robillard’s website.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

John Dhali took feel-good indie-folk to stratospheric new heights with his latest single, Taste

Posted on 20 March 2022

With caressing crescendos and swells of soul by the smorgasbord, the indie-folk singer-songwriter, John Dhali’s latest release, Taste, definitely isn’t an acquired one.

What starts as a gentle and euphonic offering of indie art-pop bliss transcends into a rock-licked all-consuming aural entity as you’re left to face the untamed passion in the lyrics and vocals and the equally as robust production.

When Taste reaches its anthemic peak, it is enough to rival Mr November by The National. Yet, I’m not sure The National could get away with the sweet and lofty ukulele melodies that John Dhali uses to amplify the high vibe soul. When he says his sound marries the feelgood accessibility of George Ezra with the evocative depth of Buckley, he more than backs it up with his viscerally euphoric discography.

It comes as no surprise that the Northwest, UK-born, London-based artist has already garnered attention from BBC Radio 1 and 2 and won regional awards for the best solo artist. We can’t wait to see his career blow up after the launch of his forthcoming album.

Check out John Dhali’s latest single, Taste, on Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

London’s most ensnaring indie alt-rock outfit, The Lunar Keys, have dropped their compassionately sonic hit, Stop This.

Posted on 8 October 2021

Any fans of the National will find a similar level of affection for the latest single by the indie alt-rock outfit, The Lunar Keys. Stop This was mastered by John Davis (Royal Blood, the Killers, U2), who gave the soundscape the same sonic boost that he has become renowned for.

After a gorgeously melodic bass intro, Stop This moulds into a psychedelically tinged indie rock hit that leaves you higher than the intricately angular shoegazey guitar notes. The perfectly balanced mix allows the vocals to effortlessly breeze between the ascending progressions that seem to pull you in deeper with every scuzzy synth line and clean-cut guitar note. If you have ever felt something in the same vein as “stop the world, I want to get off” when it comes to your tumultuous emotions, the lyrics will undoubtedly resonate.

Stop This is due for release on October 8th, 2021. You can check it out for yourselves via YouTube.

Review by Amelia Vandergast

The Last Clouds take you to the sonic depths of dejection with their ethereal indie electronica track, Black Hole Lives.

Posted on 17 September 2021

With an intro that mashes The National-style tender piano keys with glitchy caustic electronica, the sense of duality starts resonating early in The Last Clouds’ latest single, Black Hole Lives.

There is an overarching sense of inescapable despair while the restive drum patterns epitomise our refusal to sit restless with ennui. Resonate with it, and you will find yourself consumed by the monochromatic tones, poetic lyrics and psychologically reflective rhythms as you’re taken to the sonic depths of dejection. I mean, do you really have anywhere better to go?

As the single progresses, the reverb that took the sting out of the naturally intimate, Paul Banks reminiscent vocals in the intro starts to slip away, allowing the emotion to ebb and flow with the crescendos, saving the most visceral for last.

I don’t make Paul Banks comparisons lightly, but if any new single is going to leave you an emotional wreck, it is Black Hole Lives and I can personally vouch for The Last Clouds when I say they pour plenty more into their live performances than Interpol.

Black Holes Lives is the second release from the Cheshire-based synth duo’s upcoming album, English Melancholy. The single was officially released on September 17th; you can check it out via Spotify.

Review by Amelia Vandergast