Weekend Round Up: New Releases From Bad Suns, Harley Poe, and More
Miss us? We’re back with a brand new season of Rhapsody in Reverie for you! And in addition to gracing the podcasting airwaves again, we couldn’t resist sharing a few of the new songs that came out this past weekend that we couldn’t get enough of! Read on below to hear some of co-hosts Katarina and Adrienne’s favorites of the moment!
“Green Room (ft. Ed Droste)” By Henry Jamison
Henry Jamison is a master at crafting enchanting and dreamy songs that transport me to perfected versions of the real world. I love that he makes a reference to “watching Spirited Away” in this song, because I’ve always associated his music with the same feelings that Ghibli movies instill in me; a comforting warm happiness. This song is no exception, and even though it is tinged with sadness, it is a sweet one. Once again I am blown away by Jamison’s lyricism, and Ed Droste’s backup vocals add a wonderful dimension to the music.
Pinocchio Pariah - EP By Harley Poe
For fans of the acoustic folk/punk horror group, the new EP Pinocchio Pariah will certainly be a welcoming sound for the ears. Harley Poe just keeps hitting it out of the park for me. I love how they can turn something as tame and child-like as Pinocchio and turn the story into an allegory for feeling like a complete void of a person. Honestly, they’re the only band that can have me dancing around to lyrics like “You're a loser a pariah and a motherfucking nerd”, (Thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing “Whiny Bitch”, which has a fantastic harmonica solo). And what other band is going to sample “The Incredible Shrinking Man,” a.k.a. One of the most underrated horror movies of all time? Every single track on this EP is a clever and monstrous romp and it’s impossible to pick a favorite. (I lied, mine “Meet You at the Swamp.”)
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“I’m Not Having Any Fun” BY Bad Suns
Bad Suns has returned in the knick of time to save me from Quarantine Blues with this track. Sure, it’s about a relationship that has gone disastrously wrong, but something about the drums and the synths on this track get my blood pumping and my feet moving. The lyrics may be a bit tinged with the sadness that comes from a tumultuous relationship, but they’re also oddly funny and lighthearted. Perhaps it’s just the interesting parallel that comes from “I’m not having any fun/I’m not feeling so alone for once.” We may not be having any fun in quarantine, but this song is certainly a joy to listen to.
“If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” By The 1975
I have been waiting for this song ever since all the live footage of it popped up on Twitter and it is just as good recorded as I had imagined it being. “If You’re Too Shy (Let Me Know)” is the jam that plays at the end of the wacky 80s teen drama when the dorky guy finally lands the girl. It’s fun and loose and blissful and yet the lyrics paint a dismal picture of a fruitless obsession with a cam girl. Exploring sexual gratification and 21st-century pleasure-seeking, The 1975 make brilliant use of the 80s pastiche and yuppie culture and call to mind pure hedonism. “If You’re Too Shy” would fit right in with some of the classic power pop ballads of that time but injected with a modern nihilism that cracks the shining facade so popular in 80s music. John Waugh is the unsung hero of this track, delivering a sax solo that is everything you want from an 80s inspired record - not to mention the swinging sax riff featured prominently in the chorus. Paired with a synth bass line, this song is so perfectly 80s and I love it. Where are my arm warmers and neon? I can’t wait for the world to open up and to see this live one day cause it’s gonna be a party!