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…
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?
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER’S 100 BEST SONGS OF 2023 - SONGS 50-1
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…
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?
JAMES BAY CHARMS IN OPENING SPOT ON THE LUMINEERS BRIGHTSIDE WORLD TOUR AT THE HOLLYWOOD BOWL
Indie Folk act The Lumineers (“Ho Hey”, “Cleopatra”) brought their Brightside World Tour to The Hollywood Bowl last Friday (September 15th), playing a dazzling sold-out show with special guest and opener James Bay (“Let It Go”, “Hold Back The River”). It was the second time The Lumineers were playing the Hollywood Bowl, so this was a special night for them. The last time The Lumineers played here in 2016, they had just released their debut Grammy-nominated album. So, tonight was big for them and their fans. It was also a significant night for their special guest and opener, James Bay. An accomplished artist in his own right, he had many of his fans turn out for the gig. One of those fans who attended was me. It is always great to see music fans turn up early to support the opener. I would love to see more of this happen for smaller upcoming artists. The Bowl was starting to fill up quickly with people running in just as James Bay had begun to play his first song, the Pop Rock Stomper, “Best Fake Smile” from his debut, ‘Chaos and the Calm’. Bay's striking guitar melodies echoed throughout the canyons of the gorgeously lit arena. Even though I had been to the Hollywood Bowl once before, the current view I had with my seat in the garden box section allowed me to see the stunning bowl shape everyone talked about so much. I finally understood what everyone was talking about. It was also the first time I had seen James in concert since 2018 with the ‘Electric Light’ era. I could see how much has changed and grown since then, a clear and clean melding of the best parts of all his album eras. It was also great to hear how fantastic his current tour band lineup sounds with Bay. The drummer adds a hard-hitting and soulful element into the mix. James' guitar solos in the set are distinct, precise, and have a purpose. Overall, his opening set seemed to delight his and Lumineers fans alike. Other song highlights were “When We Were On Fire”, the emotional “Let It Go”, and “Hold Back The River”, where the crowd sang along. We even got to hear an unreleased track titled, “All My Broken Pieces”, which he played before his latest single, “Goodbye Never Felt So Bad”.
The unreleased track and his current singles note his seamless shift towards a new musical direction. The newer sounds are much more mellow and assured, leaning towards a poppier folk, towards a similar musical vein like The Lumineers. Although, his progression seems like a natural ark that his music would take. I cannot help but attribute some of this progression to him recently becoming a father and husband as you mature quickly. Many of the attendees were families and couples who were enjoying a night out on a Friday. Headliners The Lumineers, whom much of this crowd was waiting for, and in all honesty, quite patiently, walked onstage to Rihanna's “Desperado” and the audience's loud applause. Besides the intriguing walkout track, the band had a lot of energy, starting with some of their biggest hits like “Hey Ho”, “Stubborn Love”, and “Angela”. I had not heard of this before bands or artists performing their big hits and crowd faves first. This setlist was an interesting choice by The Lumineers. Frontman and Lead singer Wesley Schultz's anecdotal stage banter was also notable and affable. The Brightside Tour was a fun and incredibly joyful night, and when laid out in all of its dazzling folk rock glory, a massive triumph for their fans. If you were new to The Lumineers or fans of the opener, James Bay, it was a night of inspired fun, seeing into the luminescent and nostalgic world of The Lumineers. You can check out some of my snapshots from the gig below, no pro camera this time!
Thank you to Republic Records for inviting me out, and don’t forget to check out James Bay’s new single “Goodbye Never Felt So Bad” which is out now on all DSPs.
BASTILLE ELECTRIFIES L.A.’S ART DECO WILTERN THEATRE WITH THRILLING POP NOSTALGIA
The London pop-rockers brought their only date of the Bad Blood X tour in America to Los Angeles to celebrate the tenth anniversary of their debut album Bad Blood.
You know a show is one for the record books when you hear attendees speaking about it as soon as it is over, not in sadness so much but in the mix of utter joy (no, pardoning the pun here), and we cannot wait to do this again. It was that good. The chatter from the only Bad Blood X American tour date held in the very apropos art deco downtown L.A. Wiltern theater brought the masses and wrapped around the corner. After all, we were celebrating something big. It had been ten years since. This band, our band, had released the album Bad Blood, which changed their lives and, for many of us, our lives too. So, picking Los Angeles to celebrate this occasion was perfect. They got their record deal here, their first hit, Pompeii, had its music video filmed here, and of course, Dan mentioned later on at the gig he met his art hero, David Lynch. So many pivotal things happened here, and now a return that included a sold-out gig.
While rumors of a surprise opening act flickered about, ultimately, it was only rumored. The Los Angeles date of Bad Blood X belonged to Bastille, who took to the Wiltern stage (to a boisterous crowd, I might add) at an early 8:30 p.m. start time for a twenty-one song set, which saw the band play the entirety of their debut album Bad Blood.
The venue was buzzing with energy as we all waited, with bated breath, for the band to appear. It seemed like the last Los Angeles show was forever ago (not last year) as Bastille kicked the night off to a host of spirited screams and applause, launching into the song that changed it all for Pompeii. It is also worth noting that they usually close out with this one. Next, the band launched into the first songs of the record, which included the single Things We Lost In The Fire, a song noted for its haunting melodies and somber-sounding heavy Tom drums, the sinister-sounding synth-driven Bad Blood, and rarely heard gems like Weight of Living PT. 1. Then tracks like Daniel In The Den, and Get Home added a softness to the setlist and an angelic quality as both songs reverberated in the room. On cue, as the opening notes of Oblivion began, so did the lights from everyone's phones, illuminating the darkened Art Deco theatre. It was a special moment, but honestly, the entire night was a special moment as there was such a feeling of togetherness, joy, laughter, celebrating music, and the good that music can bring. You see, the thing about Bastille shows is that it's a place where you can be yourself and feel comfort in that. That's because it all starts with the band and seeing how much they have grown and evolved in the ten years since releasing Bad Blood and become better artists themselves, Including seeing just how comfortable and how fun Dan now has performed onstage.
After the band performed the first part of the show, they returned to the stage for the encore. They played a round of songs from albums released after their debut. Bastille finally played No Angels. A track from one of their OPH mixtapes, (with Bim singing Ella Eyres spot and killing it), The Draw, club bangers Million Pieces, and WHAT YOU GONNA DO? were also performed. The latter two tracks had the crowd head banging and going insanely. Shut Off The Lights was the perfect end to a beautiful night. The Wiltern felt alive and electric with excitement and happiness. You could hear people chatting about this gig on their way out leaving. All the attendees that night fully realized that this was one not to miss, and they did not. Knowing how much Bastille and their team put into these shows, giving their all, for us means a lot and probably more than they will ever know. From the concert interludes (which featured music video snippets and BTS footage) to the performances, the stage setup, and small onstage details (we see you wolf hoodie and street lamps). Bastille with the Bad Blood X tour leaned into the nostalgia fittingly.
You can check out my photo gallery from the gig below!
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.
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!
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.
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. 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…
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"
INTERVIEW WITH… NORTH LONDON INDIE POP SINGER NATALIE SHAY
INTERVIEW WITH NORTH LONDON INDIE-POP ARTIST NATALIE SHAY (@natalieshay) #TheReclusiveBlogger #MusicInterviews
North London Indie-Pop artist Natalie Shay and Brit school alum latest release is an titled “MILK”. It’s full of earnest and bright melodic pop numbers that explored different feelings and experiences that occurred during the lockdown. I chatted with Natalie about her new music, the ups and downs in her life in the past couple of years, her influences, and even Taylor Swift.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Hi, Natalie, First off... How have you been? What has 2022 been like for you? Especially in comparison to last year?
NATALIE SHAY: Hey! thanks so much for having me, ive been well thanks for asking, 2022 has been a really great year for me and my music, a big step up from last year for sure! Aside from music it's been a rocky year, lots of ups and downs, but generally good :)
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Can speak a bit on your musical background? Has music always played role in your life?
NATALIE SHAY: Yes, music has always been a big part of my life, I began playing classical guitar aged 5, and I started training in musical theatre around the same time. However the whole 'singer/songwriter' dream did not arise until I was about 10 years old, when i first discovered Taylor Swift's fearless album, I thought it was incredible, and that inspired what I do now!
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Since your sound is a has a lot of 80s pop influences particular the new EP... What’s your go to 80s jam?
NATALIE SHAY: My fave 80s jam is ``Heaven is a Place on earth" or'' Boys of Summer''. I listen to both on repeat, always.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: When you’re in album making mode do you ever have visuals in mind as you write songs?
NATALIE SHAY: I don't often have the visuals until the song is written, when listening back to things and imagining where they could go, that's when the production style/visuals etc begin to form. When I'm writing, it's totally just about me getting my thoughts and emotions into a lyric.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What's the music scene like in North London and how does it influence you artistically if at all?
NATALIE SHAY: I've been involved in the gernal London music scene for a long time, I began playing gigs and shows aged 13, and I've been doing things like this ever since. The London music scene is one of the greatest in the world I'm sure, it's such a mixed hub of cultures and different kinds of people and creatives. this has definitely influenced me, just the sheer amount of different collaborators and people ive met or performed wirth have inspired me so so much
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Your second EP "MILK" is out. Can you talk a little bit about how the recording and writing process was for it?
NATALIE SHAY: This ep was written and recorded with so many different people, pretty much every track has its own unique combination of collaborators and talent involved. and all of the people i worked with, were all over the country. We wrote practically every track in 2020, in and around the lockdowns. This ep really does represent a whole year of my life in every way.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: We’re any songs of the 'MILK' EP that we’re more challenging to write? Some that came together quickly?
NATALIE SHAY: The easiest one to write was 'new wave' . It's the feel good happy pop track on the ep, the lyrics are sweet, simple and to the point. harder ones to write were heaven and two sparks, 'two sparks' is such a personal song to me, the lyrics needed my full attention and time, and same for 'heaven', i had so much i wanted to say, just needed to figure out how to say it.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What would you say that your latest release "MILK" biggest inspirations and influences are? Can you delve into that more?
NATALIE SHAY: lyrically, everything is autobiographical. Musically, a real mix, taylors 1989 is always my go to ref for sound and production, same with haim days are gone. Every track on the ep is about something I experienced, discovered or felt over a year of my life, all different topics too.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: How do you think studying at The Brit School has helped you in as you began to shape and mold your career?
NATALIE SHAY: without brit i probably wouldn't be doing what i do now, it gave me the tools and understanding to be able to take the dive into making music my full time career, i met lots of the people i still work with regularly now when i was there, it's also just generally very inspiring to be somewhere like that. and be surrounded with like minded driven people.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Are there any current artists that have been “On Repeat” for you as a band lately? What music have you been playlisting?
NATALIE SHAY: Taylor swift all the time, all the way. my fave band is little comets, i also love some of my friends music, artists such as, kayla grace, lucy deakin and beth mccarthy
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What has been one of the most rewarding experiences for you this year?
NATALIE SHAY: The most rewarding thing this year was just the whole summer, some great festival experiences and opportunities, i enjoyed this summer very very much.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What fictional character do you think would most identify with your sound or aesthetic?
NATALIE SHAY: mitchie in camp rock
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What three words would you use to define your artistic self?
NATALIE SHAY: sophisticated honest pop
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: What was it like stepping into the EDM world and working with those artists? You worked with Grum and Kryder right?
NATALIE SHAY: yes! doing the EDM stuff has been super fun, ive loved seeing the tracks go global, and also attending the shows, the fans know all the words, and i'm stood in the crowd with them, but they dont know its me or my vocal, very cool experiences.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: To close, What’s one thing that people are generally surprised to find out about you?
NATALIE SHAY: I think people are always surprised at the actual depth of my obsession with musicals. I'm a massive theatre kid, love it!
STREAM NATALIE SHAY’S “MILK” EP HERE
INTERVIEW WITH... Brit Alt-Pop Singer-Songwriter Liz Cass
Brit Alt-Pop Singer-Songwriter Liz Cass' smoky haunted timbre and emotionally raw lyrics harken comparisons to Kate Bush and Lisa Stansfield here and there. Cass uses emotion to not only effectively elevate her eclectic electric pop sounds but to punctuate the story. It instantly grabs you. A key element in her sound that’s featured on her new song, 'Near Miss', a tale of trying to figure out where you stand in love and relationships. Since both are pop-centric storyteller tracks and are on her forthcoming debut album, The Words, out on October 21st. In a new interview with Liz for TRB. Liz spoke about her childhood, her new music, and much more.
Brit Alt-Pop Singer-Songwriter Liz Cass' smoky haunted timbre and emotionally raw lyrics harken comparisons to Kate Bush and Lisa Stansfield here and there. Cass uses emotion to not only effectively elevate her eclectic electric pop sounds but to punctuate the story. It instantly grabs you. A key element in her sound that’s featured on her new song, 'Near Miss', a tale of trying to figure out where you stand with love and relationships. Since both are pop-centric storyteller tracks and are on her forthcoming debut album, The Words, out on October 21st. In a new interview with Liz for TRB. Liz spoke about her childhood, her new music, and much more.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Hi, Liz! How has your year been so far? Thanks for taking the time to speak with me at TRB.
LIZ CASS: Thanks for having me :)
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: How did you each get your start in the music industry? Was it something that you felt a calling to?
LIZ CASS: I started singing when I was really young as I was a choral scholar. But I really got into other genres of music as a teenager and had a real urge to move to the big city and try and make it as a singer. I didn’t really care about anything else and ended up ditching my A-levels and hot-footing it to London. I was introduced to some amazing people and started writing songs with Fraser T Smith and met one of the heads of Warner Music who came to see me sing at a big concert in Leicester Square. But ultimately I wasn’t really ready for it all and had no idea what kind of artist I was. So I guess I blew it back then!
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Going back to your childhood a bit, did you grow up in a musical family? Was there a band or artist that in particular felt like home for you?
LIZ CASS: My parents weren’t musicians but Dad had a great vinyl collection and got me really interested in all the great artists and bands from the 60s, 70s, and 80s. Artists like Kate Bush, Sade, and Fleetwood Mac definitely have an influence on me and my music. The 80s is my decade. I love great baselines and synths are my heaven.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Moving ahead… Can we talk about what your typical creative and writing process is like and how has that evolved for you as you’ve developed as an artist?
LIZ CASS: I wrote this album with Ed Graves who has an amazing studio in Bath called Rainbow Wood. Before we started working together I still didn’t have much confidence as a songwriter as I’d taken a long time out of the industry and I was really just experimenting with him and had no expectations of where it was going. But we just clicked and the music flowed. Being in that beautiful studio, the outside world melted away and as he started playing chords on the synths or strumming on the guitar the melodies and lyrics just started flowing out of me so quickly and easily. We’re so in sync. By the time he’s got a structure together for the song, I generally have all the lyrics and melody ready and we lay it all down. I’ve never had such an easy writing process with anyone before.
I’ve really figured out who I am as an artist through 3 years of writing sessions with Ed. I have stories to tell and I know how I want to deliver them. Now when I go to the studio I have the confidence I never had when I was younger and I know how to translate my thoughts and ideas into songs that represent me and the kind of music I love. It’s been a long road to get here but now I feel happy to keep experimenting and evolving. Got there in the end!
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Let’s discuss your latest single “Near Miss”, how did that song come together? What’s the backstory on it and how was the creative process?
LIZ CASS: It was inspired by a romantic situation I was struggling with. Being caught up in that no man’s land where someone is hot and cold and not ready to commit, so you don’t know where you stand. I was feeling quite low and confused and writing is like therapy for me, so I headed down to Rainbow Wood. I think we wrote that in about 6 hours from start to finish! I was feeling quite punchy through my frustration and wanted killer beats and baseline to get it all off my chest. It was definitely the start of a new direction for my music after a lot of wallowing during Covid. I just want to make more upbeat fun pop music for a while now.
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: If you were to describe your sound to someone who hasn’t heard it in only three words. What words would you choose?
LIZ CASS: Emotive synth pop!
THE RECLUSIVE BLOGGER: Lastly, what is up next for you on the horizon, Liz?
LIZ CASS: My album is coming out on 21st October which is exciting. It’ll be strange to send it out into the world after three years of writing it but I’m so ready. I’ve got a live show in London on 10th September at Laylow and I’m planning more gigs this autumn around the album release. I have a covers EP ready to be mixed of some of my all time favourite songs which I hope to release early next year. And then I guess I need to crack on and finish the next album! Stay tuned :)
Stream Liz Cass's new single “Near Miss” which is out now.
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.
SAM SMITH SETS THIRD ALBUM ‘TO DIE FOR’
New Album 'To Die For' Due Out May 1st...
Singer Sam Smith has announced a third studio album titled ‘To Die For’. The upcoming album is available for pre-order here and is due out on May 1st via Capitol Records. Sam also dropped a new single from the upcoming record. It’s a confessional track of the same name which dropped this past Valentine's Day. This evocative piano-led track features a softer vocal take from Sam (and a bit of vocoder). We find Sam ruminating over a time of self-discovery and heartbreak for them. It’s a quietly stunning track that’s full of pain and emotion, something that their known for. The music video echoes that sentiment with some added Sam Smith quirkiness. ‘To Die For’ was written by Sam, their long time collaborator Jimmy Napes, and Stargate, in Los Angeles. You can view the music video for it below.
https://youtu.be/POIK1H3L86k
Stream ‘To Die For’ here