These LITM Rock Picks go from chill and relaxed to frenetic and distorted within seconds; featuring Das Sporten, Ken Woods and The Old Blue Gang, Eyband, and more!
1. Das Sporten – Just a Dog
Das Sporten’s Just a Dog is as irreverent as it is upbeat, as it is infused with a chill energy. The entire track is infused with a nostalgic warmth, making it feel lived-in and authentic; it hasn’t been overpolished and tightened to the extent that it sounds fake, and this works very well in its favour to sound like a casual conversation with your close friends. Underneath this casual delivery lies a quietly emotional push-and-pull between child-like whimsy and pragmatism – explored subtly through Das Sporten’s musical prowess. The instrumentals and arrangements are executed flawlessly, making this a very fun, engaging listen!
2. Ken Woods and The Old Blue Gang – Oh Denise
Dripping with influences from blues, country, and rock and roll, Ken Woods and The Old Blue Gang’s Oh Denise is a groovy track that takes you in sync with its steps throughout. It’s the kind of song that sounds immediately familiar while simultaneously feeling new and refreshing, and it hits the balance between its gruff vocals and shining guitar with perfection. The whole thing has a feeling of live music to it: you can imagine yourself sitting in a warm club as they play, riffing off each other. It offers something genuine in a world of clutter – a fun, foot-tapping listen!
3. EyBand – Wake Up Call
Wake Up Call is exactly what it sounds like: a track that arrives with urgency, velocity, and restlessness, sweeping you off your feet with its raw energy from the very start. Built on frantic drumming and guitar, EyBand employs distortion with mastery. At a time when so much of what we encounter is polished to perfection, meant to keep you comfortable in a bubble, Wake Up Call bursts in to demand your attention, demand real feelings from you: smoothing it out would defeat the purpose, and the band knows this. It’s a refusal to let apathy be masked in silence and comfort – give it a listen here.
4. Layla Kaylif – I’m Afraid of Americans
Layla Kaylif’s reimagination of David Bowie’s I’m Afraid Of Americans is hypnotic, smooth, and nuanced. Released on the tenth anniversary of his passing – a bold move that’s paid off well! – it carries the unmistakable audacity that Bowie’s songs are infused with, while still sounding fresh and current. Kaylif reconceptualises the song through a Middle Eastern lens, with subtle elements running throughout that subconsciously take you there immediately. What makes it tick is that Kaylif never tries to be better than the original – she simply shifted perspective to create something innovative. It’s sleek and delivered with piercing clarity – check it out here!
5. Paul Gehl – Train to Nowhere
Paul Gehl’s Train to Nowhere is an alt-rock masterpiece. It arrives with weight and intention, announcing that it isn’t going anywhere until after it’s done. Over its runtime of almost eight minutes, the arrangement demands your full attention; it knows it isn’t an easy pill to swallow, but it asks you to do the work of trying to swallow it anyway, confident that it’s going to be worth it (and it is). It’s a raw, stark, disorienting exploration of the inner workings of the mind, structured to feel like a complete experience as it moves seamlessly from chapter to chapter. Dive into Gehl’s world here.
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