Julia Maehner
Magazine – Editors
23 January 2018
I’ve always been more of a fan of Tom Smith’s voice than his band Editors. Come on, he sounds gorgeous. And the Editors, sure, they’re good, but I never really connected. Their new single, “Magazine”, changed that.
Rorschach – Typhoon
16 January 2018
In my opinion, it’s pretty gutsy to release a record this early in the year. When you release your record in the beginning of the year, you have to be really sure it’s good. Otherwise, people are bound to forget about it. Typhoon have released their fourth full-length record Offerings this past week on January 12th. So, Typhoon they’ve got balls.
Skim – TORRES
9 January 2018
TORRES is the stage name of US-American singer and songwriter Mackenzie Scott. And boy, like a bull charges at red cloth, Scott surely charges at gender stereotypes. She – amongst others like St. Vincent – belong to the female artists in 2017, who’ve released albums challenging rock stereotypes. Lyrically, musically, visually. Vulture published an excellent article on the matter, I highly recommend it.
3WW – alt-J
2 January 2018
I’m starting the new year with one of my favorite songs from the old one. I’ve loved alt-J since their debut An Awesome Wave had come out, and my love for them hasn’t wavered since. Naturally, when they released their first single off their third record earlier this year, it was pretty much all I listened to for three straight days.
An Interview With Nigel Powell By Julia Maehner
18 December 2017
Nigel Powell is a pretty sincere man. Although I only got to interview him via email, his answers ring with a clarity and honesty that’s pretty damn impressive. His portfolio is pretty impressive, also. He’s been a part of Frank Turner’s touring band The Sleeping Souls for ever now and working on several projects on when he’s not on the road. The Sad Song Co. is the one project where he’s most himself and doesn’t depend on the vision of others. Powell’s new record Worth is due February 9, 2018. It’s a collection of songs that flow seamlessly into one another, in spite of the impressive eclectic songwriting style he displays. While a solemn prog rock vibe is the thread holding them together, Powell plays with whimsical pop arrangements, minimal synthesizer rhythms and sweeping guitar solos to craft his intricate music.
Q: You use a lot of spiritual imagery in your lyrics. How does religion influence your songwriting?
What You Make Of It – The Sad Song Co.
18 December 2017
There is so much music out there, and I listen to a lot of it. Still, I’m really grateful for the submissions that come into my inbox via the Music to Conquer Mountains landing page. One of them was a submission by Nigel Powell, mastermind of the project The Sad Song Co. He submitted his new single, “What You Make Of It”, a sweeping progressive rock “Anthem” that reminded me of Genesis’ Lamb Lies Down On Broadway and prog metal masters Tool and Opeth.
Lower Worlds – Rainer Maria
12 December 2017
German poet Rainer Maria Rilke belongs to the great minds of European literature and lyricism. He grew up an only child, his older sister having died only a week after his mother gave birth to her. She tried to cope with that pain by dressing young René (he would change his name later) as a girl. His history, and the gender ambiguity of the name, was one of the reasons the band Rainer Maria was inspired by.
Turncoat – Pickwick
5 December 2017
Sometimes all you need is a proper groove, man. A groove, which “Turncoat” by the Seattle based band Pickwick will offer you. The band has been around for almost ten years and after releasing a series of EPs and singles, they finally dropped their debut record Can’t Talk Medicine in 2013.
Heavenward – Wolf Alice
28 November 2017
In recent years Wolf Alice has occasionally popped up on my radar. I thoroughly enjoyed them in 2014, when I discovered their song “She” off of their EP Blush. I bopped my head to “Fluffy,” one of the lead singles off their debut Your Love is Cool. But I didn’t really love them until Visions of a Life, their sophomore record.
Come & Get It – Year of October
21 November 2017
Fans of Heartless Bastards, Delta Spirit or The Detroit Cobras listen up! This week I proudly present the first submission to my playlist. The band Year of October submitted the track this week via the from on Music to Conquer Mountains with the note “The song is based on a short story by Phlecia Sullivan and involves a girl getting over an abusive relationship.” …
Talk Tonight – Oasis
13 November 2017
“Talk Tonight” of Oasis’ B-sides-album The Masterplan (1998) is my favorite track by far. And Oasis is one of my favorite bands, so to me it’s basically one of the best songs ever written.
Pilot – The Notwist
13 November 2017
One of my favorite albums of all time is Neon Golden (2002) by The Notwist. They’re a band from a small town in Bavaria, not far from where I grew up. The Notwist aren’t a household name internationally by far. But if you’re a German and you’ve just looked at an actual record store (not one of those gigantic electronic stores like Best Buy or such) in your teens, you know of them. You probably know this very album.