On this edition of LITM Rock Picks, songs take on darker tones that range from insidious to emotionally charged nostalgia. These tracks are edged in darkness, the slight edge and weight in them feeling a lot like clarity. This list features Allan Jamisen, Matt McClure, Brudini and more!
1. Allan Jamisen - Living the Dream
‘Living the Dream’ by Allan Jamisen begins with the line, “...It’s always darkest before the dawn…” before its lyrics seem to highlight the track’s dark, insidious edge. This dark groove feels like a warning of sorts, with lines that talk about the contradictions that seem common-place in our world.
Dark, melodic acoustic rhythms “...at the intersection between right and wrong…”. “...Falling all the way down, checking all the way out…”. There’s something expansive and magnetic about the track, pulling the listener into a free-fall that feels like a liberating, uncontrollable spiral. We spiral down, “....living the dream…”, dark-edged and eternal spiral.
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2. Brudini - Rogue Oligarch
‘Rogue Oligarch’ by Brudini uses its dark groove to tell the story of the “...rogue oligarch at the truth motel…”. A figure who’s out of place and in the middle of what feels like an existential crisis. The soundscape blares with this uneasy chaos, loud and undeterred, while horns feel as though they’re close to being dragged through the dredges. Dark melodies that feel like a dead-end spiral.
The melodies crunch together at layered intervals, while the song takes us through the narrative. The groove feels tied to emotions that feel a little distant but isolated, loud with realisations that feel like a barrage.
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3. Fluung - Tuning
‘Tuning’ by Fluung is the band’s intro for their album Fluung. It’s melodies layer in this bright mood with slightly edged darker tones. Its a track that sets the tone, with its ambient air capturing the band really prepping for their abum by tuning their instruments at melodic intervals.
It feels like a way to familiarise us with each musical element, while that song quietly ramps up in intensity. The tone is ambient and ambient while attempting to familairise us with the tone of the album’s soundscape as a whole.
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4. Matt McClure - Coughers
‘Coughers’ by Matt McClure is a bright acoustic guitar-led track that feels like a nostalgic track that trudges through its reflections. Its bright melodies feel as though they’re taking you on a journey, that reflects on a life and all its mistakes.
Our narrator seems distant while the soundscape’s indirect expansiveness seemingly pushes them away. The melodic rhythm on the track feels engaging in its allure, while the lyrics pull listens from the circumstances they find themselves in while hoping to to do better. “...This time I’ll be quiet, maybe even silent when they lie again…”.
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5. Vincent J. Rigney - Rock ‘n’ Roll King
‘Rock ‘n’ Roll King’ by Vincent J. Rigney feels like a tribute to Elvis, written in the genre he helped popularise. Bright and stuffed with references that reference the King’s songs, the song’s melodies take on an almost revered note, while making it clear that Elvis’ influence is seemingly ingrained in all those who’ve been influenced by him.
“...I bet the Devil cried when he died…”. The song feels warm, bolstered by what feels like the artist’s love for Elvis, the performer clearly being the influence for the genre that the tribute is in.
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