Brittney Williams 2/16/24 Brittney Williams 2/16/24

INTERVIEW WITH ENGLISH GRUNGE ROCKERS TIGERCUB

Meet Brighton-formed English Rock power trio **TIGERCUB**. The band comprises **Jamie Stephen Hall** (vocals and lead guitar), **James Allix** (drums), and **Jimi Wheelwright** (bass) and their loud, brash, and energetic sound. It’s a punch of grungy distorted rock that has them gaining fans from all over, including those of the famous rock-star kind… like **Stone Gossard** of **Pearl Jam** fame. I asked a few questions of frontman **Jamie**, which you can read below.

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Can you talk about Tigercub’s origin story? How did the band come together?

TIGERCUB: Tigercub met in Brighton on the south coast of England whilst studying at The University of Sussex. We all bonded over a love of Jeff Buckley, The Dandy Warhols, and Nirvana and just went from there

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: First, I want to talk about your new song “Show Me My Maker” and the inspiration and songwriting process? Also, how did the remix with Stone Gossard from Pearl Jam come about?

TIGERCUB: I’m inspired by a lot of classical music and that always finds its way into my writing, this song was inspired by Led Zeppelin and Rage against the Machine I wanted to write a banger.

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: How excited are you guys for your upcoming Belasco show in Los Angeles? How did the opener spot for Porno For Pyros come to you guys?

TIGERCUB: SO excited we are so star struck and honoured to be opening for Porno for Pyros especially on home turf!

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Do you have a favorite Porno For Pyros song?

TIGERCUB: I love all their records, but Pets and Cursed Female are just so iconic it’s hard not to go to them first, I also love Tahitian Moon.

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What three words would you use to describe your band and its signature sound?

TIGERCUB: Big. little. Loud

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: And, lastly, what's next on the horizon for Tigercub?

TIGERCUB: After the PFP we are sxsw. Then we head back to Blighty for a breather and it’s off to the states again for a headline show in May!

You can catch Tigercub out now on tour and stream “Show Me My Maker (Remix)”.

Brittney Williams 12/15/23 Brittney Williams 12/15/23

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER’S 100 BEST SONGS OF 2023 - SONGS 100-51

It's that time again for my picks of the best songs of this year. As usual, I’ve put all my picks on one playlist for easy listening. I hope everyone reading enjoys the music I highlighted in this year-end roundup post. My next post featuring my top album picks is coming up next week. So, without further ado, these are The Reclusive Blogger’s picks for the 100 Best Songs of 2023…

**100. SPARKS**

“The Girl Is Crying In Her Latte”

**98. Abraham Alexander**

“Tears Run Dry”

**97. Killers Of The Flower Moon By Robbie Robertson**

“Osage Oil Boom”

**96. Sharaya Summers**

“Forever You & Me”

**92. Avalon Emerson**

“Astrology Poisoning”

**89.** **Faye Webster**

“But Not Kiss”

**83. Mothica (feat. Sophie Powers)**

“Sirens”

**81. Descartes a Kant**

“After Destruction”

**77. EVERYTHING, EVERYTHING**

“Cold Reactor”

**75. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Original Score) by daniel pemberton**

“Across the Spider-Verse (Intro)”

**73. Romy (feat. Fred Again)**

“Strong”

**68. Dreamville + JID + Lute**

“Ma Boy”

**65. Doechii (FEAT. Kodak Black)**

*“What It Is (Block Boy)* ”

**66. Depeche Mode**

“My Favourite Stranger”

**57. Billie Marten**

“I Can’t Get My Head Around You”

**56. Maya Hawke**

“Coming Around Again”

**55. TORI KELLY (Feat. Jon Bellion)**

“*Young Gun*”

**54. Grace Weber**

“Intimate (A Colors Show Version”

**53. Måneskin**

“Honey (Are U Coming)”

CLICK HERE FOR SONGS 50-1

That’s it that’s my list for my 2023! Stay tuned for my top albums from this year! Also, sound off in the comments below on your favorite songs from the year?

Brittney Williams 12/15/23 Brittney Williams 12/15/23

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER’S 100 BEST SONGS OF 2023 - SONGS 50-1

**50. Saint Harison (feat. Tiana Major9)**

“Homies”

**48. Leslie Odom Jr.**

“Holding on to Us”

**44.**
**The National (feat. Taylor Swift)**

“The Alcott”

**41. FLO (feat. Missy Elliott)**

“Fly Girl”

**40.** **CHRIS sTAPLETON**

“White Horse”

**39.** **Renee Rapp (feat. Coco Jones)**

“Tummy Hurts ” - Remix

**38. JUNGLE (FEAT. BAS)**

“Pretty Little Thing”

**37. Bruno Major**

“The Show Must Go On”

**30. Dean Lewis**

“How Do I Say Goodbye”

**26. SZA (feat. Doja Cat)**

“Kill Bill (Remix)”

**25. Zach Bryan (feat. Kacey Musgraves)**

“I Remember Everything”

**16. LE SSERAFIM** **[FEAT. NILE RODGERS]**

“Unforgiven”

**13. Taylor Swift** **(Feat. Ice Spice)**

“Karma”

**12. Paramore**

“Big Man Little Dignity”

**10. The Kills**

“New York”
**Why it’s #10:** “New York” features some of the duo’s grittiest and sludgiest sounds from one of their most cohesive records yet. Just when you think this can’t get grungier. They dig their heels in and find depths of emotion to create some of the most incredible music, including this song.

**9. Bastille (feat. Hans Zimmer)**

“Pompeii MMXXIII”
**Why it’s #9:** For this visionary rework of Bastille’s mega-hit Pompeii. The band teams up with legendary film composer Hans Zimmer. The rework lays bare the inner workings of a truly brilliant and now timeless song and gives breadth to the often-overlooked songwriting talent of Frontman Dan Smith. Zimmer and crew aren’t just showing it in a new light. They craft a version of Pompeii for a new era. It’s lush, sweeping, and gorgeous.

**8. Victoria Monet**

“On My Mama”
**Why it’s #8:** A song that perfectly imbues the essence and vibes of 80s Dance, Funk, and R&B/Soul without sounding trite or pandering. Monet has captured the best pop/dance song and video this year. ‘On My Mama’, is note for note, a stylish and nuanced celebration of Blackness and the culture we bring to the table. If the driving bass line doesn’t get you, the insanely slick production, with some blaring horns for good measure, or the classical catchy hook. Then you might need your ears checked.

**7. Chappell Roan**

“Red Wine Supernova”
**Why it’s #7:** While it seemed like there weren’t a lot of artists this year making fun club pop hits (especially ones geared towards the LGBTQ+ community). Chappell Roan said let me try and more than try, she did. She succeeded. The song is lifted from her stellar debut album, The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess, and is an absolutely saucy and cheeky number. One that is sure to fill dance floors with its 80s spunky synths and funky bass lines.

**6. Miley Cyrus**

“Flowers”
**Why it’s #6:** It’s the (affirmational) bop of the year of the Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. This was the song that Miley needed and deserved. That’s all.

**5. The Last Dinner Party**

“Nothing Matters”
**Why it’s #5:** Another band coming out of nowhere like a bat out of hell. Artfully blending Pop, Art-Rock, Indie, and an amalgamation of many other genres, the band has carved out a unique space and sound design. ‘Nothing Matters’ is a song that has become a beloved fave of mine this year with its honest lyricism and gothic charm. Since the band has only been together since 2021, they already have a pretty well-defined sound and stage presence that is so refreshing. I cannot wait to see what 2024 has in store for them.

**4. Slow Pulp**

“Slugs”
**Why it’s #4:** Another surprise artist for me this year, but the heavy guitars feel sludgy and distorted as they harken back to the early 90s Brit-Pop and Shoegaze. The song “Slugs’ is the magic combo lead vocalist Emily Massey's soft love-lorn vocals sync well against the band’s angsty soundscape.

**3. Sampha**

“Spirit 2.0”
**Why it’s #3:** You know the quote, “The music is not in the notes but in the silence between them”. Spirit 2.0 is a perfect example of that. What seems sparse in production and sound allows the beauty of this gorgeous track to shine through. It’s not like anything we’ve heard from Sampha before and definitely not like anything out now. That’s what makes it so brilliant.

**2. RAYE**

“Oscar Winning Tears.” (Live at the Royal Albert Hall)
**Why it’s #2:** First off, her voice, already stunning, just soars on this gorgeous live take at her special Royal Albert Hall concert. Raye hits every note on this song with so much depth and soul. Yet, Raye saves the best for the last ending on a spectacular vocal run that is the cherry on top.

**1. Olivia Rodrigo**

“get him back!”
**Why it’s #1:** For one, it’s the song that has been sounded off in my head since the first listen. The punchy lyrics are filled with grit and a punky effervescence that captures youth and heartbreak at its core, even if that means some revenge.

CLICK HERE FOR SONGS 100-51

That’s it that’s my list for my 2023! Stay tuned for my top albums from this year! Also, sound off in the comments below on your favorite songs from the year?

Brittney Williams 6/30/23 Brittney Williams 6/30/23

NOTHING BUT THIEVES RETURN WITH NEW ALBUM ‘DEAD CLUB CITY’

ALBUM REVIEW: NOTHING BUT THIEVES RETURN WITH NEW ALBUM “DEAD CLUB CITY”

*“Dirty English sky is washing me away.”*
***“Tomorrow Is Closed”*** | **Dead Club City**

From the moment you hear the first few notes play from Dead Club City, the new album from English Rockers Nothing But Thieves. You know two things, this is not your standard Nothing But Thieves musical fare, and the band has boldly dipped their toes into the world of concept albums. So this is going to be a wild ride, and it is. If you haven't heard of Nothing But Thieves, they are a quintet hailing from Southend, U.K. comprising Conor Mason (vocals, guitar), Joe Langridge-Brown (guitars), Dominic Craik (guitars, keyboard), Philip Blake (bass), and James Price (drums). In their ten years, they have amassed quite the fanbase and following, including a #1 alternative radio single here in America with Trip Switch. Now the band is on the fourth studio album Dead Club City a blistering venture into an unknown world filled with narratives, characters, and concepts all inspired by the band's struggles with the pandemic, the lockdown, and life in this new world we live in. NBT has always had a natural knack for raw honesty and extrospection (and introspection in some cases) in their lyrics. So, an album like Dead City Club truly allows them to explore and hone in on those skills.


The album opener, Welcome To The DCC (aptly titled, I might add), quickly puts the listener within the world of the DCC. Frontman Conor Masons' honeyed falsetto greets you with the lyric Welcome To The DCC repeated. All set amongst an atmospheric soundscape of textured tones and synths. The crunchy layered guitars are all very 80s inspired and hard-hitting. The album segues into the second track, the anthemic single Overcome, a song filled with blissful synths, punchy basslines, and rockier guitars. Lyrically, it's one of few tracks that lean hopeful in tone and messaging. NBTs' grit is still very apparent throughout the record as well. It's not something they lost or even shied away from. It is all over tracks like Tomorrow Is Closed, City Haunts, and Members Only. The latter two have a sludgier stomp-rock vibe to them. There are a few restrained moments on the record, like the reflective love letter Green Eyes:: Siena and the slinky R&B-influenced confessional Talking To Myself. The band also leans fully into pop and electronic music on the dance-pop number Foreign Language. Dead Club City closes on a high note with the electric and hard-rock number Pop The Balloon. It is loud, brash, and so rock and roll.

NBT - Dead Club City Album Cover — ***NOTHING BUT THIEVES*** *- Dead Club City Album Cover*

While Nothing But Thieves has been a band for ten years now. This fourth record clearly shows why they are one of the U.K.s most exciting Rock acts and live shows. Dead Club City demonstrates Nothing But Thieves' progression as a band and their skill in experimentation. It has not steered them wrong so far. While the concept album can quickly go bad, even comical for so many artists, for Nothing But Thieves, it didn't. It could be the overall evasiveness and abstract nature of what is the inner realm of the Dead Club City. Which comes across in a more choose-your-own-adventure manner, even more so with the attached visuals. Then there is the tight production from band member Dominic Craik and the on-point vocals from Conor Mason. Whatever it is that gelled together at the right time, Nothing But Thieves has easily put out one of my favorite albums of this year.

You can stream Nothing But Thieves' Dead Club City, which is out now on all DSPs, by clicking here.

* DEAD CLUB CITY *

Welcome to the DCC

Overcome

Tomorrow Is Closed

Keeping You Around

City Haunts

Do You Love Me Yet?

Members Only

Green Eyes :: Siena

Foreign Language

Talking To Myself

Pop The Balloon

Follow Nothing But Thieves:

Brittney Williams 12/17/22 Brittney Williams 12/17/22

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER’S TEN BEST ALBUMS OF 2022

Hey geeks and music freaks! It's time for year-end music roundups. The first one up is the best songs from the year. Me like so many, find comfort within music. These are my picks for the 10 Best albums of 2022…

 I hope you had time to read and ponder the first list. If not, you can catch up and read my picks for the 100 best songs of 2022 here and here. Below are my top ten picks for best albums of the year. In a year that was full of incredibly diverse soundscapes from a plethora of artists. From breakout artists tipping the needle to your establishment acts pushing their artistry. It was initially hard to narrow down to only ten albums from the entire year. That’s why I made an extended version that featured my top 15 albums in an Instagram reel video which you can view by clicking here. But first, let’s dive into that top ten.

**#10 Yard Act**
**“The Overload”**

The Leeds-based act is one of three albums from my list that was on the shortlist for the Mercury Prize for this year. Their acerbic and in-your-face take on new Gen/Brexit era post-punk. Yard Act was a fresh sound and style full of depth, to say the least, with many of the tracks cultivating echoes of Talking Heads and even Joy Division.
**Key Track:** “**Tall Poppies**”

**#9 Mitski**
**“Laurel Hell”**

An unflinching synth-pop meets electro-rock record about bad relationships and the unsettling realities of the music industry she was honestly suffering in. Her sweet lilting vocals are a sharp contrast to the biting visceral lyrics. Mitski is an artist stepping into her own, and on Laurel Hell, she created a full-bodied piece of art that was quite hard to put down.
**Key Track:** “**Love Me More**”

**#8 Everything,**
**Everything**
**“Raw Data Feel”**

An album that is at once encapsulates the horrors, loneliness, uncertainty, and reliance we all have on social media and tech. It part-way features elements of A.I. through a bot named Kevin, whose a recurring character throughout the record and provides some lyrical content. Lead vocalist Jonathan Higgs finds his footing as a frontman as he deals with underlying trauma head-on. Ultimately the band creates some of their freshest work and spot-on production. Everything, Everything juxtaposes what should be at odds with each other putting the listener into a fun, hyperrealistic, and at times unsteady dance-pop world. One that adeptly mimics the current human existence of having to live a large majority of your life online.
**Key Track:** “**Teletype**”

**#7 Lizzo**
**“Special”**

The self-proclaimed 'America's Next Great Bop Star', herself, Lizzo, latest outing offers up her most emotionally connected work and one of the most feel-good releases of 2022. Lizzo dives into a well of deservedly pent-up feelings from an utterly life-changing few years. Her superb songwriting skills and knack for writing infectious pop hooks shine brightly throughout this record. That details stories of love, longing, heartbreak, loss, and regret, all through inescapable funk dance rhythms, silky pop-r&b melodies, and the disco-pop dance-floor readiness of lead single, About Damn Time.
**Key Track:** “**To Be Loved**”

**#6 Wet Leg**
**“Wet Leg”**

The Isle of Wight duo and their spunky and, at times, downright cocky debut were a fun and enlivened highlight of the year. A breath of fresh air to a genre and industry that can be stifling in many ways, it can be hard to keep up. Their witty comedic timing, the often on-point takedowns of nihilistic millennial/Gen Z behavior, and overall great musicality have proven this to be an instant hit and new gen classic.
**Key Track: “Angelica**”

**#5 Placebo**
**“Never Let Me Go”**

Brit Rock iconoclasts, Placebo made their 2022 return to music with the album Never Let Me Go. Not only a surprise but an absolute delight, particularly for the fans. Never Let Me Go, as an album, had Placebo in a robust form painting a layered sonic palette of dynamic synths, thrashing guitars, and driving bass lines. Molko's famous vocals are still there, along with his ever-present existential dread haunting every lyric. There are more hope-filled songs on the record such as the anthemic lead single, "Beautiful James". It is also worth noting that the pacing is perfect, with everything given room to flow.
**Key Track: “Happy Birthday to the Sky**”

**#4 Beyoncé**
**“Renaissance”**

Arguably the most well-rounded and sonically diverse record. It is one album on this list designed to be listened to from start to finish. The tracks seamlessly blend into each other. Beyonce has once more switched up her sound and taking a risk doing so. Structurally this is a Dance, Disco, and House album. Yet, interwoven throughout as well are the melodics and harmonics of pop and R&B music. Lyrically, the songs are fluid with black femininity and sexuality and the power of holding that space. It’s also worth noting how stunning her vocals are here.
**Key Track: “Break My Soul**”

**#3 Bastille**
**“Give Me The Future”**

What wound up being a record I could hardly turn off and put down for many reasons. One of the biggest reasons of note was how Bastille perfectly captures a sense of longing, nostalgia, loss, and those post-lockdown fears and paranoia many of us from the millennial and Generation Z set. That and our addiction and ambivalence to social media and tech are truly driven home lyrically in this infectious dance-pop meets electro-rock escapade. So, seeing as Bastille has always had a knack for synthesizing introspective and bleak lyrical themes in culture and then setting them to upbeat danceable music. The band’s journey to get to this point and this album where they honed in on those skills was oh-so-satisfying.
**Key Track: “No Bad Days**”

**#2 Nova Twins**
**“Supernova”**

This exceptional duo create a sound that is hard to pin down, yet you know you want more. The Nova Twins easily win as the artists that have excited me the most this year, bringing an all-encompassing force and freshness to Rock that I have not heard or seen in some time. Their ferocity, femininity, strength, talent, loudness, and sexuality are heard loud and unmistakable here as Black women on this powerful and raw record. Not only do **Amy Love** and **Georgia South** take musical cues from **Alternative Rock**, **R&B, Rock, Metal, Pop, Hip-Hop, Rap, Punk**, and pretty much everything. They infuse their style, unique way of playing (heavy usage of pedals, including pitch shift pedals), and an overall hip vibe to create something I haven’t heard before and don’t think sounds like anything else out now. I’m excited to see how they push forward from here.
**Key Track:** **“K.M.B”**

**#1 Arctic Monkeys**
**‘“The Car”**

I understand this band is not everyone's cup of tea, but what they do, they do brilliantly. Frontman Alex Turner's vocals have developed into a strong troubadour sound here. That set against the lushly layered soundscapes (I caught the addition of orchestral arrangements here, what?!!) from a band that is tighter than ever, and Matt Helders on the pocket succinct drumming. The Car is their most cohesive album to date. It's a melting pot of cinema scores, music from the 60s and 70s, those signature Arctic Monkeys inflections, and Beatlesesque harmonies. Arctic Monkeys as a band has never been known for subtlety in sound or proper pacing, but with The Car, they've achieved both. Ultimately, making it such a worthwhile listen.
**Key Track:** **“Hello You”**

This is the list of albums for my 2022! Also, what were your favorite albums this year? Let me know about by dropping a comment below or through a tweet!

Brittney Williams 12/11/22 Brittney Williams 12/11/22

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER’S 100 BEST SONGS OF 2022 - PART TWO

Hey geeks and music freaks! It's time for year-end music roundups. The first one up is the best songs from the year. Me like so many, find comfort within music. So I hope you can find some new songs that aim to to that as well. These are my (aka TRB) picks for the 100 Best Songs of 2022… Part two

Hey geeks and music freaks! It's time for year-end music roundups. The first one up is the best songs from the year. While 2022 personally has been up and down, ultimately leading to lots of growth. Like many, it has also been ripe with change and uncertainty for many reasons. I know the one thing many of us have come to rely on— and that's the comfort of music. The caliber of music, the creativity, and the sheer amount of music that came out this year— 2022 was calling for a supersized version. So, I hope you enjoy the first of a few year-end roundups coming in the next couple of weeks. These are my picks for the 100 Best Songs of 2022…

50. Bryce Vine - “Moonrock”

49. Noah Cyrus - “I Just Want A Lover”

48. Suelgi - “28 Reasons”

47. SOHN - “Segre”

46. Halsey - “So Good”

45. Dove Cameron - "Boyfriend"

44. Doechii - "Persuasive"

43. Denzel Curry (Feat. slowthai) - "Zatoichi"

42. Dry Cleaning - "Anna Calls From The Arctic"

41. Polyphia (Feat. Steve Vai) - “Ego Death”

40. The Weeknd - "Sacrifice"

39. Willow - “curious/furious”

38. Sabrina Carpenter - “Fast Times“

37. Empress Of - "Save Me"

36. Rina Swayawayna - "This Hell"

35. Aespa - "Illusion"

34. FKA Twigs (feat. The Weeknd) - "Tears In The Club"

33. Yeah Yeah Yeahs (Feat. Perfume Genius) - "Spitting Off The Edge of The World"

32. MUNA - "What I Want"

31. Conan Gray - "Disaster"

30. The 1975 - “All I Need To Hear”

29. Maggie Rogers - "That's Where I Am"

28. Bad Bunny - "Titi Me Pregunto"

27. IYLA - “FOH”

26. Ab-Soul - "Do Better"

25. Yard Act - "The Overload"

24. LE SSERAFIM - "ANTIFRAGILE"

23. Florence + The Machine - "King"

22. Bloc Party - "In Situ"

21. Mothica - “Sensitive”

20. Franz Ferdinand - “Curious”

19. Harry Styles - “As It Was”

18. Caroline Palochek - "Billions"

17. MICHELLE - "Pose"

16. Soccer Mommy - "Shotgun"

15. Kendrick Lamar - “N95”

14. Mitski - "Working For The Knife"

13. Lizzo - “About Damn Time”

12. Phoebe Bridgers - "Sidelines"

11. Everything, Everything - "Pizza Boy"

10. Placebo - “Beautiful James”

9. NewJeans - “Hype Boy”

8. Wet Leg - "Ur Mum"

7. Paramore - "This Is Why"

6. Bastille - “Hope For The Future”

5. Rosalia - “SOAKO”

4. Beyoncé -“Alien Superstar”

3. Arctic Monkeys - “Body Paint”

2. Nova Twins - "Cleopatra"

1. My Chemical Romance - "The Foundations Of Decay"

That’s it that’s my list for my 2022! Stay tuned for my top albums and music videos! Also, let me know what your favorite songs were this year? Is there anything on this list you disagree about? Let me know about by dropping a comment in the comments section or through emoji.

Brittney Williams 12/9/22 Brittney Williams 12/9/22

THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER’S 100 BEST SONGS OF 2022 - PART ONE

Hey geeks and music freaks! It's time for year-end music roundups. The first one up is the best songs from the year. While 2022 personally has been up and down, ultimately leading to lots of growth. Like many, it has also been ripe with change and uncertainty for many reasons. I know the one thing many of us have come to rely on—and that's the comfort of music. The caliber of music, the creativity, and the sheer amount of music that came out this year— 2022 was calling for a supersized version. So, I hope you enjoy the first of a few year-end roundups coming in the next couple of weeks. These are my picks for the 100 Best Songs of 2022…

100. LATTO - “It’s Givin’”

99. EDITORS - “Karma Climb”

98. Em Beihold - “Numb Little Bug”

97. Kae Temptest (Feat. Lianne La Havas) - "No Prizes"

96. Labrinth + Zendaya (Euphoria Season 2 Soundtrack) - “I’m Tired”

95. Ralph Pelleymounter - “Steady Love”

94. Kimbra - “replay!”

93. Carly Rae Jepsen - “Beach House”

92. Gayle - "abcdefu"

91. BIM - "O.T.R"

90. Tove Styrke - “Cool Me Down”

89. Tove Lo - “How Long” From (Euphoria Season 2 Soundtrack)

88. Jazmine Sullivan - “Roster”

87. Eddie Benjamin (Feat. Alessia Cara) - “Only You”

86. Hope Tala - “Stayed At The Party”

85. Charlie Puth - "Light Switch"

84. Ethel Cain - “A House In Nebraska”

83. Hermanos Gutierrez - “Thunderbird”

82. Pink Pantheress -"Picture In My Mind"

81. Arkells + Lights - "Human Being"

80. Meghan Thee Stallion - "Her"

79. Freddie Gibbs - “Dark Hearted”

78. Kings Elliott - “Butterfly Pen”

77. Stormzy - “This Is What I Mean”

76. Omar Apollo - “Evergreen”

75. Joesef - "Just Come Home With Me Tonight"

74. Joji - “Glimpse Of Us”

73. Sophie Ellis-Bextor + Wuh Oh - "Hypnotized"

72. Paige Bea - "4x4"

71. Stromae - “L’enfer”

70. Allison Ponthier - “Hollywood Forever Cemetery”

69. Jonah Yano - “leslianne”

68. Boys World - “So What”

67. Nina Nesbitt - “Pressure Makes Diamonds”

66. Maneskin - “The Loneliest”

65. Ed Sheeran (Feat. Lil’ Baby) - “2step”

64. Slipknot - “Yen”

63. Weyes Blood - “Grapevine”

62. Twice - “Talk That Talk”

61. ARO - "Against Mine"

60. Camila Cabello + WILLOW - “Psychofreak”

59. Giant Rooks - "Morning Blue"

58. Spiritbox - "Rotoscope"

57. Adele - "Oh My God"

56. J-Hope - "Arson"

55. Billie Eillish - "TV"

54. Dave - "Starlight"

53. (G)I-DLE - “My Bag”

52. Steve Lacy - "Bad Habit"

51. FLO - "Cardboard Box"

Brittney Williams | The Reclusive Blogger 9/24/21 Brittney Williams | The Reclusive Blogger 9/24/21

CONCERT REVIEW + PHOTOS: GLASS ANIMALS AT HOLLYWOOD FOREVER

The new(ish) Indie Pop/Rock band are one the industry’s most exciting live music acts

Indie Rock quartet Glass Animals brought their groovy brand of heat to Hollywood Forever on Sunday with the ‘Dreamland’ tour. It’s a funky blend of nostalgic meets vaporwave that permeates the album but the shows as well. The tour featured the Electro Pop newcomer Binki as the opener. He played a short and engaging set closing out with “Heybb!”. A song you’ve most likely heard from its prominence of being in an Apple iPad commercial. While his energy was great, it was clear the crowd was there for Glass Animals (many didn’t arrive until they were on). The Indie Pop foursome comprised of childhood friends Joe Seaward, Ed Irwin-Singer and Drew Macfarlane is anchored by the feverishly bold lead singer, Dave Bayley. All walked out to a stunningly loud crowd full of cheers and energy that was ready to dance. Bayley who held a captive audience all night was also ready to party with us. He hovered somewhere between bewildered and emboldened, in awe of the crowd. Opening up the set with the futuristic lullaby “Dreamland”. Which segued into the tribal drum-heavy dance bop “Life Itself” & the island tinged “Tangerine” to kick off the party. Glass Animals tore through a 17 song setlist with such aplomb. Some of the major set highlights were the tour debut of “Poplar St.”. Where Dave Bayley forgot the lyrics (it had been a while) but powered through like a pro. “Space Ghost Coast to Coast”, which Dave remarked was a bit eerie playing in a cemetery. Their new track “I Don’t Wanna Talk (I Just Wanna Dance)” is truly the ultimate dance party. They closed out their fun albeit spooky two-day residency at Hollywood Forever with a two-song encore. Of which included the bands’ breakout hit “Heatwaves” and the glitch-inspired “Tokyo Drifting”. Overall, Glass Animals displayed exciting musicianship. Their knack for writing super catchy lyrics with dynamic pop hooks, all transferred brilliantly into a live setting. You can check out my photo gallery of the show below.