This edition of LITM Rock Picks brings to you atmospheric rock, deeply emotional rock tracks, and more. The list features Joshua Woo, Fiona Amaka, Sutlej, and more.
Joshua Woo - Don't You Forget It
With dreamy textures and achingly beautiful melodies, ‘Don't You Forget It’ by Joshua Woo feels like the song that defines the significant turn in a coming-of-age film. The production is beautifully layered, bringing together elements you would not expect to go together, but they do while maintaining their own distinct sound. The song leans towards an atmospheric sound, with lush expansive synths, pianos that give the song the tone of a bittersweet feeling, and guitars that feel like both a cry and warmth. Joshua’s soft vocals are perfect for the song, as they consistently maintain that sort of helpless tone against the tide of time. If you are into songs that feel like the sound of your heart, then you should give this one a sure listen.
Fiona Amaka - Anyway you come
Starting off with shimmering drum patterns and guitars, ‘Anyway you come’ by Fiona Amaka is all about accepting your love’s flaws and imperfections as long as they continue to choose you the way you choose them. The instrumentation has been crafted in a manner that prioritises softness over grit, and that allows the deeply vulnerable themes in the song to remain tight and contained. Fiona’s unique vocals capture yearning and melancholy in a perfectly blanched manner. Lyrically, the song might be relatable to many of us as we dig deeper into a relationship and in the process many things come up, which we assume might make our partner unsure about us. This song words those emotions and tells us that it's okay, for those who love us will accept us with our flaws.
Sutlej - Tell Me You Care
Starting off with a guitar riff that gently guides you into the atmosphere of the track, ‘Tell Me You Care’ by Sutlej will take you back to the 2000s rock scene. The song approaches and perfectly embodies a deeply vulnerable feel through its alternative rock sound. Guitars that are just the right amount of gritty define the song’s most significant portions, allowing for the emotional quotient of the song to be reached and maintained beautifully. The vocals in the song are so full of emotion, and the beautiful tones of yearning, love, and fear come through impressively. You absolutely ought to give this one a listen because it is simply that good.
Rosewood Shakes (Mike O'Leary) - Signs & Wonders
Adopting a vintage sound and adopting it brilliantly well, ‘Signs & Wonders’ by Rosewood Shakes (Mike O'Leary) will have you playing the song on repeat, and that is an absolute guarantee. The instrumentation is so, so good, with skillful guitars, the wondrous piano progressions, solid basslines, and a consistent, grounding drum pattern. The song has a certain leaning towards the blues sound. The restraint in the song is absolutely the star of the production, and will take you back to the greats like The Velvet Underground, earlier FleetWood Mac, and more from that era. If you call yourself a fan of rock, you should not spend your day without listening to this track.
Tether the Star - Degeneration
Bringing the sound of the 80s to a very contemporary issue, ‘Degeneration’ by Tether the Star is a sharp commentary on today’s opportunistic capitalist world, that feeds off of people’s perceived flaws, or worse yet points out and makes people believe what their flaws are. The song takes on a synth-rock sound of the 80s, and brings in a fast paced, beat heavy production that gives off a restless, urgent energy. The vocals in the song are seething with frustration, anger, and a consequent tiredness from having to navigate a world that is so bent on providing solutions for manufactured flaws.
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