This edition of LITM Rock Picks brings to you reflective melodic journeys, 90s rock, pop-rock, and more. The list features Forgotten Garden, 37 Houses, Grekula, and more.
Forgotten Garden - Rain
Drawing you into an atmosphere it sets off on creating from the very first note, ‘Rain’ by Forgotten Garden delves into the complex emotions that emerge in the aftermath of a relationship. The instrumentation carries a sombre tone, through its lower-key guitars, and light and simple drum patterns, and a solid bassline to give the song grounding. The dual vocals in the song feel like two perspectives from the same relationship, as they navigate the loss of the other’s presence in their life. The rain in the song comes through as a metaphor for the memories of the relationship, memories that seem to suffocate you with pain at the end of the relationship.
37 Houses - Shadow Puppets
Capturing the rock sound of the 90s and early 2000s, ‘Shadow Puppets’ by 37 Houses is thick with tension, tension that will have you intoxicated. The instrumentation features gritty guitars, shifting drum patterns that move with the shift in intensity. The major shift in the song comes when the pace suddenly picks up, bringing in more powerful the cathartic quotient of the song. Erin’s vocals are out of this world, with their power, their emotion, its capacity to balance restraint with release, and so much more that you will pick up upon listening to the track. Put this song on loud in your car and simply drive – it will be one of a kind of a sonic experience.
Grekula - Detached
Guitars layered up with a sombre, reflective piano progression, and a light drum pattern starting off the track, ‘Detached’ by Grekula pulls you in a journey of reflection and introspection that you simply cannot escape. The song builds intentionally in a very gradual manner, mimicking the path that self-reflection takes on, where we start at some point in an unconscious manner, from where it just keeps building. The song maintains a consistency in the tone that it takes on with its soaring, crying guitars, pianos, and drums. The vocals are brimming with emotion, as the lyrics question everything, the very aspect of presence in life itself. Give it a listen and you will find yourself thanking yourself for the same.
Twinsize - Contortionist
Applying the alt-rock sound elements to a very cinematic soundscape, ‘Contortionist’ by Twinsize feels like both the calm before a storm and the storm itself. The instrumentation starts off in a manner that will make you think of The Cranberries, with that haunting vocals and instrumentation that seems to close in on you. Beautiful, sombre guitars that reveal touches of reverb, the touches that seem to influence the drums and the basslines as well. This gives the song a very expansive sound, moody sound, and makes you picture dark, grey skies and endless days of rainfall. The vocals also deeply mirror the sound of the production in tone, and evoke deep pain and melancholy. The song actually could very well be imagined as fitting perfectly within the Twilight soundtrack.
St. Jove - Gold
With a brilliant balance of restraint and gritty, raw energy, ‘Gold’ by St. Jove is here to do something phenomenal within the modern rock scene. The guitars in the song are absolutely stunning, and carry the song’s personality, as they move between moments of reflection and full blown, powerful acceptance. The drums in the song too are thunderous and don’t attempt any subtlety. The vocals in the song show exceptional skill, with their amount of controlled power. The guitar solo section in the song is absolutely out of this world, and will have you coming back to the song many more times after the first listen.
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