This edition of LITM Rock Picks brings to you metaphorical rock tracks, 2000s alt-rock, 80s rock, and more. The list features Simpletone, Jeff Hodges, Ben Weston, and more.
The Simpletone - Spiders
With thunderous drums paired with roaring, gritty guitars starting off the track, ‘Spiders’ by The Simpletone stands between timelines with their sound. Shaped by the restraint and wildness that shaped 80s rock and early 90s rock and the alternative rock sound of the 2000s, the song stands as a true force of exquisite musicianship. The instrumentation is packed with dynamicity, with the song moving between paces, never allowing it to stick to a single, monotonous tone. The guitar solos in the song will send you over the edge, with their intensity, their grit, their absolute magnetism. The solos will make you think of 70s classic rock, due to their sheer skill and depth. The end of the song takes the course of an unexpected, stripped down sound which further allows the song to don many different cloaks.
Jeff Hodges - If I was a road
Emerging out of a timelessly meaningful metaphor, ‘If I was a road’ by Jeff Hodges embodies the grit, the pain that shapes lives. The instrumentation is unhurried while still holding immense raw, dense energy that does not fail to affect you. Moving, soaring guitars and pounding drums maintaining the drive of the track, characterise the instrumentation. Hodges’ rich, heavy vocals capture and express the metaphor of the song perfectly, as they stray away from a single tone and instead adapt soaring, swirling tones, just like a road. Lyrically, the song applies the image of a road to that of life, where the road ends up with scars from fiery tires, but at the end of the day it still stands steady, allowing movement.
Ben Weston - Gravitate
The sound of the 2000s taking hold on the song from the very first riff, ‘Gravitate’ by Ben Weston will have you gravitate helplessly towards its sonic atmosphere. Edgy, rough guitars make up a significant part of the instrumentation, accompanied by grounding drum rhythms. Weston’s vocals are rich with emotion and the kind of vulnerability that comes from having truly experienced what is being sung about. Lyrically, the song is about finding yourself at the very place you started running from, endlessly, continuously, and at the same time being scared to let go, because you do not know what lies on the other side.
Good Juj - Silvia’s not in the oven
A soft, depth-laden soundscape taking shape from the first note of the track, ‘Silvia’s not in the oven’ by Good Juj takes you through a story of struggle with mental health, mental disorders – specifically ocd – and it might just be something you see your reflection in. The track leans towards an indie, alt-rock sound, with unhurried reverb drenched guitars, gentle drum patterns, which give a hollow, echoey feeling to the song which mirrors the themes that the song deals with. The vocals in the song carry the emotion embedded in the words of the track in an achingly beautiful manner.
Theestategentleman - New Hope
With a soft rock sound driving the track, ‘New Hope’ by Theestategentleman feels like life lessons weaved into rock melodies. The instrumentation is not overwhelmingly loud and is instead unexpectedly gentle, as it takes on an introspection-laden and meditative path. Soaring, slow guitars clubbed with subtle drums form the base of the track’s musicality. The jazzy end of the track is something you don’t see coming but it stands as a nice cherry on top. Lyrically, the song centres on the idea of hope against all adversaries as the only way to keep going on. If soft rock woven in with ideas and philosophies that make life is something that sounds interesting, you should give this track a chance.
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