These LITM Rock Picks are everything from country blues to psychedelic folk rock; featuring JCCutter, Max Norton, Shadowpool, and more!
1. JCCutter – Tequila at Dawn
Infused with country twang from its opening moments, JCCutter’s Tequila at Dawn is warm, homely, and authentic. The guitar carries the whole arrangement gently, running throughout the track and giving it its characteristic energy. It’s rugged and raw – there’s no unnecessary polish or overproduction, and you can tell that JCCutter absolutely let loose and had fun with the song. From his gruff vocals to the punchy guitar, every element of the song is full of character and personality. It’s a fun listen and an equally fun song to groove to: not one you’ll forget in a hurry! Give it a listen here.
2. Max Norton – The Wolves
Max Norton’s sound on The Wolves is reflective and memorable, with country-inspired elements playing hide and seek throughout. The song speaks of the cycle of resilience: carrying forward, then giving up, and choosing to go on even through the lack of motivation. With lyrics like “Trying different ways / They all arrive to the same stage / Seems like I've been trying my way/ I’m out of luck, but I guess I'll stay,” the song finds itself in that moment of choice. Creating an atmosphere of warmth within alt-rock, its instrumental arrangement allows the vocals to shine even through the drums, harmonica, and guitar. All in all, this is a song that’ll linger long after it ends – listen here!
3. Shadowpool – Sixpence Logic
Sixpence Logic sounds like an overcast sky over a warmly lit room: with hints of melancholia wrapping around nostalgic, gentle notes, it’s tinged with the feeling of looking back at the past with simultaneous regret for what could’ve been and acceptance of what is. It takes its time in unravelling and showing itself to you, but it’s well worth the wait – when it blooms open, it holds you gently in its embrace, filling you with its depth of emotion. “Change your excuses, change your mind / Change your faces, what you hope to find / What we both want, in the loneliness,” sings Shadowpool, perfectly capturing the feeling of helplessness and what-ifs that come with reflection. Listen here.
4. Dada Sun – Advice Song
From its opening moments, Advice Song bursts out at you with full energy, sweeping you off your feet with its unstoppable force. Dominated by the heavy guitars and drumming, the sonic landscape is distorted, masking the lyrics beneath a layer of fuzz. This helps propel the song forward – you learn to surrender to it instead of trying in vain to figure it out, and this just makes the whole experience all the more enjoyable. Dada Sun builds energy flawlessly, keeping it going ever upward without dipping or even plateauing. It leaves you tapping your feet and nodding your head even after it’s long gone – check it out here!
5. Julie July Band – All in Our Minds
All in Our Minds stands out instantly as different from Julie July Band’s other work: where many of the band’s songs are fantastical, like grand adventures that take you soaring across land and sea, this track leans towards dream-like psychedelia, conjuring images that seem alluring in their improbability. It’s delivered with clarity and ease, never faltering, never floating away into something else entirely, never once feeling unoriginal or tentative. It carries the sense of fantasy and adventure that their work has come to be associated with, with a whole new twist that cements them as a force to be reckoned with in the folk-rock scene!
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