Philip Glass "Prison and Protest"
Prison and protest. Two words that are extremely relevant in today’s world.
These words have a deeper meaning beyond their obvious meaning. That’s not only about a building with bars on windows, and not about demonstrations in the streets. That’s about the mental prison in which our consciousness resides, and the inner protest that inevitably arises when we realize that we are in prison. Some countries have freedom, while others do not. But in reality, a free person is free everywhere, and an unfree person is unfree everywhere. Especially now, we see that there are free people in unfree countries, and vice versa. Unfree persons who have left a dictatorial country for a free one carry their inner prison with them and remain its prisoners. But no dictatorship, no prison can turn a person who is free in the deepest sense into a prisoner.
This is the essence of Philip Glass’s entire philosophy. In one way or another, all of his music is about this. About the path to freedom.
Market East "French Street"
Market East finally shares their most important statement to the world in the form of their debut LP, French Street. The group, composed of Kurt Cain on vocals, Vincent John on vocals, bass, guitar and keys, and Maxwell Perla on vocals, drums and percussion, deliver their signature celestial three part harmonies over arrangements that have never sounded so rich and compelling.
French Street is extremely soulful and the vocals are lush, like if the Zombies recorded at Muscle Shoals. The lyrics are poetic and nostalgic, as the group wrote songs about their bygone “golden” years. Back then, the boys didn’t have much besides each other and their shared love of music. Vocalist Kurt Cain lived in a small rowhome in North Philadelphia on a nearly deserted alley named French Street. It was here that Cain, John, and Perla came together every week to escape reality and get high off sharing music. They developed a deep appreciation for all things 60s and 70s, from Simon & Garfunkel to the Moments, and everything in between.
All these years later, and Market East has created a classic record of their own. From the baroque pop of the title track and the roaring soul of “Roses,” to the Latin flavors of “Echoes of My Heart” and the orchestral flares of “Everyday, Springtime,” Market East shows their impressive range.
PUNCHBAG "I Am Obsessed"
Offering further proof of their status as one of London’s most compelling emerging pop acts, Punchbag’s new EP I Am Obsessed is a volatile, hyper-saturated expansion of their self-described “aggressive hopecore” world – where everyday life is pushed to breaking point.
Driven by pounding percussion, snarling guitars and soaring synths, singer Clara’s instantly recognizable vocal cuts through the chaos; moving between sugar-rush pop hooks and moments of defiant release, she zooms in on the smallest details until they become grotesque and impossible to ignore.
From the glitching, overstimulated clutter of ‘What’s In My Bag‘ and the tongue-in-cheek anxiety-ridden ‘Pile Of Clothes‘, to live favorite ‘Playing God‘, which began as a missed Hinge reply and spiraled into something far wider, absorbing the noise of the world around them. Elsewhere, ‘I Love This!’ plays like an anti-depression anthem – a high-speed collision of euphoria and exhaustion – while the cathartic EP-closing title track captures obsession not as romance, but as something invasive and all-consuming.
gobbinjr "crystal rabbit moon"
From Post-Trash…
Crystal Rabbit Moon is the fourth full length from gobbinjr. With their latest, Emma Witmer and company continue to expand upon their introspective bedroom pop and intriguingly quirky melodies. One of Witmer’s biggest artistic strengths is how unafraid she is to delve deep into her inner world and turn insecurities into moments of beauty and humor in a creative and engrossing manner. Witmer has a way with wobbling song structures that seem like they are ready to fall apart at any moment, yet they persevere with heart and a sense of purpose. The songwriter has an almost unflinching ability to turn the most crushing insecurity into a highly relatable lesson or humorous moment.
It’s been eight years between gobbinjr’s last release Ocala Wick, and Crystal Rabbit Moon finds Witmer adding so many additional colors that are a joy to wrap your head around. These tracks are subversively poppy as Witmer’s musical world is one that is full of cracks and pot holes, creating a playful and adventurous record that is hard to predict. With Crystal Rabbit Moon, Whitmer and gobbinjr encourage listeners to let go of themselves and join their bewildering psych dreamscape full of humor, heart and unease. It’s easy to lose yourself in gobbinjr’s world and drift away into an untethered and colorful place of beauty.