Spanning across the spectrum of what rock can be, these LITM Rock Picks come to you from artists like Ed Sykes and Friends, Alan Mair, Ryan Stayes, and more!
1. Ed Sykes and Friends – Always Be Mine
On the surface, Ed Sykes and Friends’ Always Be Mine is easygoing and chill: with jazz-tinged instrumentals that instantly relax you, everything about it points to a track made for decompressing. However, something in your subconscious will tell you, before the lyrics even begin, that something uncomfortable may be brewing, and the lyrics (with vividly descriptive lines like “There’s a cold place that used to be warm / There’s a bottle, it’s full of pills,”) build on that tension. Layered vocal delivery controls the pace beautifully – speeding up and slowing things down at exactly the right points to create a sense of urgency, and then leaving you hanging, intrigued for more!
2. Alan Mair – Ghost Of You In Me
Ghost Of You In Me begins Alan Mair’s latest album, FIELD OF ONE: an album that’s been loved and polished for a while now. Mair’s name may ring many bells – bassist for The Beatstalkers (often called the Scottish Beatles), then for The Only Ones, all while rubbing shoulders with some of the most influential names in musical history; all this to say, there’s no doubt that Mair knows what he’s doing, and Ghost Of You In Me proves that he’s still got it. Powerful, intricate guitar work forms the base for vocals that perfectly complement their intensity, leading to a cohesive track that makes you want more. Listen here!
3. Ryan Stayes – All My Days
Ryan Stayes’ All My Days is a gentle track that sounds lighthearted with an acoustic guitar and easy vocal delivery; however, when you listen a little deeper, you find the song exploring hustle culture and the ‘grind’, with lyrics like “Empty chairs and PC screens / Spreadsheets filled with empty dreams.” It perfectly captures the feeling of being stuck somewhere you don’t want to be, and how that feeling only intensifies when you realise that soothing wind and peace are waiting out there for you – and you start craving it more and more every day. All My Days keeps things clean and minimal, letting the tiredness of the lyrics shine – listen to it here!
4. Raw Milk Conspiracy – Red List
Sharp drums introduce Raw Milk Conspiracy’s Red List, a song rooted in protest culture. What immediately stands out about the song is its conversational delivery – this feels a lot like musical spoken word, from the vocal reverberation (not dissimilar to the kind a loud microphone at a public gathering would create), to the punchy yet laid-back, matter-of-fact delivery. Focused on questioning the authority of institutions and remaining sceptical of the narratives being fed to us on the daily, this is a song that makes you reevaluate the things you see happening around you in the name of power. Listen here!
5. Dan Szyller – Woman
Some artists can feel too legendary to reimagine, and there’s no doubt that John Lennon is one of them – and that’s exactly the task that Dan Szyller takes on with his version of Woman, a project that succeeds because of its restrained approach. It’s easy to let your opinions and stylistic choices completely take over the track; however, Szyller keeps everything that holds the essence of the original while only inserting himself – with strong, clear vocals – when necessary, and letting this coexistence wash over you feels like encountering a cherished memory all over again. Give Dan Szyller’s Woman a listen here!
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