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6.30.2014

Trippin'

       The description of a song catchy enough to push oneself to fame, in a song itself, is too ironically impressive to pass over.
       Lilting vocals lead the way as a soft track begins to build upon itself, growing heavier as the lyric's elusive quest for recognition is paired nicely with a video that features the protagonist completely remaking himself, when given the chance. 
       The track manages to come full circle with the imploring "to be unknown is not our own decision and we're fed up" both opening and closing the track; the rest of it is tied up nicely with the repetition of "with a bass line sounding funky to get you hooked like a crackhead junkie" while "we're moving forward and onward" is repeated in the background proves to be so superbly addictive that this track will be running through your head for days.
       The deep bass, heavy rhythm, and solid guitar riffs feel like a refreshing change of pace and, with a production that feels gritty, but never messy, the track will hold your attention from that opening beat to its final lyric.
"Trippin'" RudyTrixX
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6.27.2014

East of Eden

       Zella Day's newly released "East of Eden" features a writing style similar to her first single, "Sweet Ophelia", with literary allusions effortlessly intermingling with personal accounts. 
       Day manages to write all of her lyrics with a literary flair, focusing on the most minute and intimate details in each verse before delving into emotional choruses which leave a wide berth for interpretation, all while wrapping those lyrics in gorgeous melodies and prominent rhythms that pull the entire story together with ease.
       A chorus which states "keep me from the cages, under the control, running in the dark, to find East of Eden" that falls in line perfectly with Steinbeck's "the free, roving mind is being pursued, roped, blunted, drugged" while a haunting rhythm and heavy melody ring full of trepidation and longing is too great to ignore and a hard hitting chorus is made lighter by verses which state lines like "pink toes pressed against the carpet, show your face and finish what you started, the record spins, down the alley late night, be my friend, surround me like a satellite" in such a straightforward and storybook way that it's easy to miss their greatness on first listen. 
       A repetitious bridge that builds up to the chorus' final go round insists on dragging you into the track, if you hadn't already fallen in the first time that piano made its presence known, and the constant repetition "to find East of Eden" overlaid with vocal samples is amazingly hypnotic. 
     The track features a production as greatly mature as her previous few releases with lyrics that insist on plaintively speaking their truths, even as the melody remains upbeat and interminably addictive.
        Listen to the new single below and buy "Sweet Ophelia" and B-side "1965" now.
"East of Eden" Zella Day
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6.23.2014

Fearless

       Zalkin's powerful vocals stay soft throughout the track's first minute, letting a pretty piano riff and soft rhythm lead the way before a charming set of strings chimes in but, by the time more words of wisdom have been doled out, the track swells with a powerful piano line, soft guitar hooks, heavy strings, and a persistent rhythm; all while Zalkin's vocals grow in intensity with sweet lines "don't wait for the day when your world might come crashing in, tear down the walls and break through" and "the worry you carry, is weighing on you, you're missing the beauty, you're travelling through" before an endearingly uplifting chorus insists "I've got nothing to lose, nothing to prove, I'll let go and be fearless, I won't run and hide, look this in the eye, and be fearless".
       The video opens with the question "what does being fearless mean?" and serious, and great, responses ("embracing life, the good and the bad", "deciding to be all of who you are, flaws and all", "to love, to create, to be free") are intermixed with fun ones which read "fearless means, eating that Indian dinner when you know what's going to happen later" and "letting out a fart in a crowded elevator": the intermixed quotes perfectly personify a video which easily switches from somber shots to fun ones, all without slipping into an air of pretentiousness which so many tracks similar to this one are prone to doing; it's absolutely adorable and compellingly addictive. 

       The beautiful people offering up their own words of wisdom make the video, but the song, which pulls the whole thing together for a wonderfully cheesy and perfectly frisson inducing five minutes of film, is fantastic; get the beautifully put together track from Alisha Zalkin's On This Road EP now and head to the sites below to hear more from this artist.
"Fearless" Alisha Zalkin
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Whoa Whoa Whoa

       Watsky's first new track since the inarguably fantastic Cardboard Castles features a grinding guitar riff, solid drums that push the track forward with a purposeful enthusiasm, and a beat that sucks you in and convinces you to dance with ease. 
       Watsky's lyrics are as unforgivingly honest and straightforward as ever, with lines like "I'm gonna win the tournament, that's what I'm all about. Do what I gotta do and never gonna pout" and "ever since I was a little kid I know that I've been looking for the hot hot spotlight, and if you really wonder what I think about the competition, they were not not not tight" bleated out intermittently with a vocal sample which features the remarkably simple and moving repetition of "whoa whoa whoa, what do you take us for?".
       Watsky's always great lyrics ring with well thought out allusions and are never afraid of taking it a step too far and his latest video to go with the single (featuring well-knowns: Jim Belushi, Bo Burnham, Chinaka Hodge, and Julia Misaki) features the same 'never back out' attitude exhibited in all of his tracks, before ending in flames. 
       The track grabs your attention immediately and hangs on until the final fade-out while the video will keep you watching as it flips from scene to crazy scene. 
       Get the latest single from Watsky's forthcoming All You Can Do now and catch him on the Warped Tour circuit this summer.
"Whoa Whoa Whoa" Watsky
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Got Me Movin'

       "Got Me Movin'" rises above the rest of this summer's pop tracks with a fun production that feels like a breath of fresh air on a muggy summer day. 
       Airy vocals are filled with such depth that they stand congruously with a prominently pulsing rhythm and wispy melody twists that keep the track surging forward while taking the listener away. 
       A fun piano line holds steady beneath a chorus that starts with the wonderfully soft repetition of "you got me movin'" before jumping in with a compelling chorus that comes full circle with "just shine a light I'll find a way through the darkness, you better hold on I'm coming for you, just shine a light I'll find a way through the darkness, 'cause you got me, got me movin'".
       Listen to Evvy's "Got Me Movin'" to hear, yet another, track that should be on your summer playlist and download the track for free from her SoundCloud page now.
"Got Me Movin'" EVVY
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6.20.2014

Leave Your Lover

       I am fully convinced that no one can lay down poetry to a softly simple melody quite like Sam Smith can, and lyrics that beg "don't you see what I can bring, can't keep this beating heart at bay, set my midnight sorrow free, I will give you all of me, just leave your lover, leave him for me" are too amazing to pass by. 
       Realizations as sweetly heartbreaking as "I don't have much to give but I don't care for gold, what use is money when you need someone to hold" and "oh, I'm in love with you and you will never know, but if I can't have you I want this life alone, spare you the rising storm and let the rivers flow" ring out like a cult hit in the making and should endear Smith to anyone.
       Smith's vocals are smooth, rich, and entirely satisfying; combined with a softly played guitar riff, melancholy strings, and a simple and recurring piano melody, this track can't be outdone by any other tracks about 'hopeless romances' released this year. 
"Leave Your Love" Sam Smith
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6.19.2014

Wolf Bite

       Upon first listen, Owl City's new single sounds like the efforts of a boy band trying to make a comeback that everyone knows won't happen because the lyrics in the chorus are far too reminiscent of something you might find in the pages of a middle school girl's composition book; it gets exponentially better after your premiere listen. 
       The single grows on you until you're dancing around to a production as prominent as the one featured on "Hello Seattle" with lyrics as sweetly reminiscent yet simultaneously hopeful for things to come as "I'll Meet You There", all without slipping into the void of overly produced pop that "Good Time" was left drowning in two summers ago. 
       The track has the fresh feel of Maybe I'm Dreaming but with the ability to make you dance that has only come about with experience. The more structured track pulls everything together with a fun, pulsing rhythm and a melody addictive enough to have you hitting repeat before the last note has faded out, all while lyrics as great as "it's another wolf bite, howling in the moonlight, I wanna get my life right" and "if the darkness falls and my angel calls, in my despair, will you be there?... If the world goes blind and I lose my mind, will you show me the way tonight?" will have you singing along shamelessly. 
       Featuring a production as fun and unique as everything that first made you fall for Young's music, "Wolf Bite" feels like a trip back home to the music you've always loved and offers a single you'll want to dance around to all summer long. 
       Check out the sites, get the single, and pre-order your copy of the new EP Ultraviolet, available June 27th. 
"Wolf Bite" Owl City
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6.16.2014

Music Related News

  • I am so addicted to this remix of Say Lou Lou's "Everything We Touch" that I cannot actually get any other work done. Bravo Mickey Valen, you've ruined me for all other remixes.
  • The Stationary Set's latest video is so offhandedly weird that I would pay attention to the single without any further convincing but, with a gorgeous beat, a melody that pulls you in and leads you around, and lyrics as amazing as "but baby, I've been learning to smile, this is the year of my sign, and it's just a part of things to come" it is so very easy to fall for "Year Of My Sign". 
  • It is so hard to not love a track that just feels right, and Viola Dust's "The Big Hop" feels like everything you've ever loved about pop was given a makeover; it's completely refreshing and more than irresistible. Put on your headphones, turn it up, and lay back or just dance around to it; you really can't go wrong with this. 
  • Bleachers continues to adamantly refuse the title of 'one hit wonder' which was tossed about after the release of the sensational "I Wanna Get Better" (watch the video; it's rare that a video can actually make a track even better). "Shadow" is the sweet love song you never knew you had to hear (on repeat and turned all the way up) and "Rollercoaster" is so damn catchy it's a must-have in any summer driving playlist. 
  • "Kids Again" is so much greater than expected from a radio ready pop single and it should be a staple of your summer playlists. It's upbeat, the lyrics are adorable and, with a fun melody and persistently solid rhythm, it is impossible to not dance around to this latest single from Example. 
  • James Bay's "If You Ever Want To Be In Love" is adorable and lyrics that offer "I'll come around if you ever want to be in love, I'm not waiting, but I'm willing if you call me up, if you ever want to be in love, I'll come around" crooned out over a wonderfully steady piano and a tangy sweet guitar riff are too great to not fall for. 
  • Stargroves' music is so perfect it kind of hurts. Every part of the composition and lyrics are thoroughly thought out and put together with such care, not to mention that it's impossible to not fall for their lead track which shamelessly talks about trolls and other legendary creatures; listen to "Westfjords", featuring Abigail Breslin, now. 
  • Colbie Caillat's "Try" sought to engender women everywhere by urging girls to love themselves as they are; the song is gorgeous, with lines that are achingly honest and so very sad in their truths but, as great as it is in theory, these efforts always fall flat in practice. Honestly though, you are with yourself so much more than you will ever be with someone else; you better learn to love you an awful lot. It's hard to remember sometimes, but you are pretty awesome.
  • Mwansa's "The Kid Has Issues" is honestly so fucking fantastic that I can't stop listening to this. It feels like sinking into a comfy chair after a long day and deserves to be played, sound way up, with your headphones on and your eyes shut.
  • Everything coming out of Ireland right now is so perfect it aches to not just head over there and bask in it, and RudyTrixX's "Trippin'" offers a look at some of the best music you have to look forward to right now; alternative/techno pop from Australia is already making it's move, you need to be looking for alternative indie folk pop from Ireland now. 
  • Alisha Zalkin's "Fearless" music video is adorably fantastic; watch it because it's cheesily great and a beautiful song that feels like you've heard it all before (in a good, message-from-your-older-sibling way) pulls these short messages from all of these gorgeous people together perfectly.
  • Kimberly Anne's music video for "Liar" is just as hypnotic and amazing as the track itself; words cannot adequately express how much I love everything coming from this artist right now. Check out "Hard As Hello" and pre-order the Liar EP now.
  • Cathedrals released their third single, "Want My Love", and those sultry vocals mix so eloquently with a bass that throbs in your chest and a rhythm that shows amazing restraint, in the best way.
  • Sticky Fingers' "Just For You" shouldn't sound so great amongst all of summer's pop anthems, but the track is so cool and refreshing, with just enough of a hypnotic lull, that it sucks you in immediately and demands to be heard. 
  • Buffalo Sunn's music video for their single "By Your Side" is still so time-trippily great that you need to see it if you have not already fallen for the band's sweet indie beach sound (again, I would like to reiterate that you need to start falling for Irish bands now).
Check these out, stop by tomorrow for more great music to fall in love with, and check out Hudson Taylor's recently re-released "Battles" from their newly released Battles EP.
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Rollercoaster

       Jack Antonoff's announcement of his solo project, Bleachers, came about after the release of the first single "I Wanna Get Better" and, with the premiere of a track that fantastic, it was easy to label the band as a one hit wonder, but his latest tracks, with their prominent rhythms and melodies so addictive they're impossible to ignore, are just as great.
       Bleachers is your favorite angsty punk rock band from highschool, all grown up. The lyrics read just as desperately as you love, but with an eloquent and honest wording that only comes about with age; the compositions are mature, with melodies that throw in just enough twists to keep it fun and lighthearted while a rhythm keeps it steady and grounded, all without drowning out the vocals with their exuberance. 
       The airy intro is met with a solid guitar riff and persistent rhythm while a wandering riff maintains a lighthearted presence in the background throughout the track and lyrics which read "now I'm running and I can't stop anywhere I go, I think about it every day and that I can't let go, man I'm never the same, we were shotgun lovers, I was a shotgun running away" are too great to not get caught up in. The track's eagerness to leave lyrics up to the listener's interpretation takes it back to the wonderfully great origins of 'alternative' while the rhythm insists on throwing in just enough of a pop feel that there's no way you cannot become addicted. 

       Bleachers is the band you've always loved, just updated to match the times, so pre-order Strange Desire and listen to the three readily available singles.
"Rollercoaster" Bleachers
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6.14.2014

Battles

       The ever present guitar harmony pulls your attention immediately before giving way and sharing the stage with a wonderfully prominent, and slightly vengeful, piano riff that falls steadily in line with lyrics "I will lift her love and I'll break your spirit, I will dig a hole and I'll throw you in it".
       The track features the brother's vocal harmonies, sans instruments, only in fleeting moments, but does so with an ease that just feels natural, letting the chorus unwind with "if we're all just cynics come undone" sung acapella before a hurried guitar riff picks it back up to urge the song forward. 
       A fantastically powerful bridge ties the song together with a guitar riff that grows more persistent as it continues, a pretty piano riff that steadily gains strength throughout, and a drum rhythm that fails to let up; all while great lyrics "we are tied to the truth, the tie that binds me to you, and I'm acting on my words, with all that I have heard, with honesty in mind, you'll find, that I'm not the lie see the truth in my eyes" are trotted out over an impossibly catchy melody. 
       Their harmonies, both vocal and guitar, are flawless; the melody is so catchy it will be in your head for days; the rhythm's relentless; and the lyrics are as perfectly unpretentious and emotional as ever. 

       Hudson Taylor's "Battles" will be released tomorrow (June 15) and is available for pre-order now. Can't wait a few hours to have this repeating on your iPod? Grab the recording originally released on their Chasing Rubies EP now.
"Battles" Hudson Taylor
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6.11.2014

Night Like This

          LP's lyrics are always put so eloquently that it's easy to forget that her music falls solidly into the pop genre, but with its steady beats, a fun vocal harmony, and a melody that lifts and twists along with the verses and choruses, it's clear that "Night Like This" is nothing less than a wonderfully put together summer pop anthem.   
          The track opens with the perfectly put "you were the one, you were the only one, I was born to know, beyond the crush, of any summer lust, that we dared to go" that is bound to make any longtime fans really swoon for the first time since "Levitator" and, while a chorus which states "stars are falling, are we falling too, dawn is coming, what's this coming to" carries the same cliches and slightly tired invocations of every pop track, LP's powerful and crooning vocals keep it from delving too far into the realm of pop songs and bring it back to something interesting that you can sing along to, without the fear of making a fool of yourself by singing passionately along to a Top 40.

          Listen to LP's gorgeously crafted "Night Like This" and get her full length album, Forever For Now, available now. 
"Night Like This" LP
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6.10.2014

Try

       Colbie Caillat released her new EP, Gypsy Heart Side A, in anticipation of her forthcoming fourth full-length album, Gypsy Heart, due for release later in 2014, and the lead track is achingly stunning.
       Lead track "Try" (available for free on iTunes now) features Caillat's signature soft guitar and crooning vocals which build in accordance with Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds gorgeous piano melody.
       Lyrics which seek to engender women everywhere sweetly beg "you don't have to try so hard" in between verses which question "get your sexy on, don't be shy girl, take it off, this is what you want, to belong, so they like you, do you like you?" and "wait a second, why should you care what they think of you, when you're all alone, by youtself, do you like you?". 
       The track closes out with Caillat's acoustic guitar and soft vocals stating "look into your mirror at yourself, don't you like you, 'cause I like you" and the softly sung assurance is sweet enough to hook any long time fan. 
       Get Caillat's new EP on iTunes now and listen to the gorgeous single below. 
"Try" Colbie Caillat
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6.09.2014

Sunshine

       Teddybears new summer ready single is as addictive as ever and their always danceable mixture of electronica/hip-hop beats with rock/reggae rhythms and easy to sing along with lyrics are in full effect on a track that's sure to make its way into your next beach playlist. 
       While lyrics that state "won't you be my sunshine, your sweet smile is always on my mind" are casually sweet, they're met with such a greatly terse opposition in the video that it's hard not to lose focus on the track itself. 
       The track's dance-worthy and cute, but the video, which features a magical pair of underwear which turns every man she sees into a 'teddybear' (by shooting rainbow rays from her bejeweled crotch [I don't know]) is so distracting that I'm left with a slight appreciation for their weirdness and a lot of questions for the mindset of the person who pioneered this idea. 
       Check out the insane video below and get the single now.
"Sunshine" Teddybears
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6.06.2014

Let Me In

       An assuredly sturdy piano starts the song off right and offers its constant support throughout while steady drums keep the song moving forward, a soft woodblock adds something unique, and fun guitar riffs and bass lines are addictive enough that anyone can fall for the track. The back and forth between Christian and Hannah makes already sweet lyrics even more irresistible and lines like "all this time been trippin' and slippin' around, you got me, now I'm swimmin', swimmin' in clouds" are sung with such tenderness that you're sure to find yourself sucked into this single, whether you're a nerd fighter or not. 
       Christian's frantic scream around 2:17 leads into a wonderfully emotional instrumental before the track plateaus again with Christian's soft vocals stating "now I'm findin' out that all I know is right at home, but I'm tellin' the man my plan to never feel alone" as the track quickly crescendos again before snapping back to Hannah's softly sung "gimme, gimme that love, I'll be waitin' for ya, catch my hand, I'll be fightin' for ya" (which perfectly captures the vulnerability of the line) and the track is made just as torturously emotional as the movie it's supporting. 
       Listen to the gorgeous single below, see The Fault In Our Stars in theaters now (with a box of tissues and a complete lack of dignity), and check out the sites below to see why Grouplove is still seriously underrated. 
"Let Me In" Grouplove
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6.05.2014

Boom Clap

       Twenty-one year old Charli XCX released the video for "Boom Clap" featured on The Fault In Our Stars: Music From the Motion Picture soundtrack and it's perfect for all of your summer playlists. 
       The track drips with synth beats as a delicate piano dances in the background and sturdy drums hold it all together at the same time that heartfelt and embellishment-free lyrics state "you make me feel good" and "just tell me what to do, I'll fall right into you"; it's fun to single along to and impossible not to dance to.
       Says Charli of the track “’Boom Clap’ is a magical song to me. It celebrates epic love. I want people to dance and cry to it, and scream it at the top of their lungs”.
       Turn your volume up and listen to the adorably addictive track now and look for Charli's second album to be released later this year.

"Boom Clap" Charli XCX
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6.04.2014

Get Me Golden

       Sun soaked riffs and youth fueled rhythms feel like the sound you would get if you mixed Graffiti6 with WALK THE MOON while the thoughtful lyrics and interweaving melodies smack of something mature enough to grow from a summer ready hit. 
       Check out the gorgeously fun piano riffs, lulling vocals, and danceable rhythm of Terraplane Sun's "Get Me Golden" and look for the blues/indie rock band's album Generation Blues to be released later this summer.
"Get Me Golden" Terraplane Sun
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Desire

       Matthew Mayfield has a knack for writing tracks that would make any self-proclaimed hopeless romantic swoon, and "Desire" is no exception.
       The video features a lyrical dance so gorgeously choreographed that it perfectly personifies the track's emotions while lyrics as sweet as "hearts are tethered and spoken forever" doled out over a soft guitar will have you falling for the song in one listen. 
       Check out the video below, head to the sites to hear more from Mayfield, and buy this single from iTunes now. 
"Desire" Matthew Mayfield
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6.03.2014

Happy Alone (Son Little Remix)

       Saintseneca released their dark yet hope laced track "Happy Alone" in early February and its sound promised great things to come from the band's debut album, Dark Arc (which is available now on iTunes and is stuffed full of tracks that will leave you hopelessly addicted to a band whose lyrics hint at the darkness while their compositions remain lofty yet grounded).
       Son Little's remix of the indie folk track re-imagines Zac Little's soft vocals, twisting them into doleful pleas that wrap around heavy, synth laden tracks which give the single a trepidation filled indie beach sound. 
       Check out the remix, listen to the original, and head to the sites to find out more about Saintseneca and Son Little (and take the time to listen to Son Little's "Your Love Will Blow Me Away When My Heart Aches" for achingly sweet vocals).
"Happy Alone" (Son Little Remix) Saintseneca

6.02.2014

By Your Side

       The latest music video from six piece rock/alt band Buffalo Sunn features the single's adorable lyrics held in stark contrast to a video which alludes to the inevitability of the things you just can't change.
       The Irish band's throwback to a sixties-esque indie beach sound combined with modern alternative riffs produces an undeniably addictive melody. Sweet lyrics, "don't worry, I'll be there in the morning, by your side, for you", and a prominent guitar riff combine to create a perfectly balanced melody while persistent drums and that final vocal harmony urge you to play the track on repeat.
       Catch the music video below, buy the single (from the band's forthcoming debut album, By The Ocean, By The Sea), from iTunes, and head to the websites to find out more about Buffalo Sunn.
"By Your Side" Buffalo Sunn

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Fireworks

       Watsky's latest music video is as hypnotically fantastic as his fans have come to expect from a rapper who gives you the unabridged truth without a care to the critics. The video features a simple idea built up by intricate details and careful production, only getting better the longer you watch. 
       If you haven't already fallen for Watsky's sound, check out his album Cardboard Castles for songs as perfect as "Sloppy Seconds", "Hey, Asshole" (featuring Kate Nash), and "Strong As An Oak" with great videos to match and make sure to check him on this summer's Warped Tour circuit. 
"Fireworks" Watsky
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6.01.2014

Reverse

       SomeKindaWonderful's "Reverse" offers up a heavy dose of that reggae rock fusion that is coming (whether you like it or not) and lyrics which will lead you to like it because you believe the entire track can be flipped, in accordance with the song title (i.e. he was the cheated, not the cheater); hate the song because you think it glorifies cheaters; or love it for its simple, yet amazing, lyrical ingenuity. 
       An opening verse that starts with "she hung up the phone and said 'fuck you, it's over'" and ends with "I started with darling please listen, and then I picked up the phone" is entrancing. It seems like a simple concept, having the entire track written in reverse (the last line of the song being the first line of the story), but the songwriting choice offers up a refreshing change of pace from most of these reggae rock songs that are coming out of the woodwork with dance along verses and easy to memorize choruses. 
       The band's already established that they can write a catchy melody, the steady piano chords and added string track makes the single's composition impossible to not love, and the lyric's inverted style hints that there are better things to come from a band that can think through what they're trying to say, rather than sloppily jotting down lines that sound like the norm for a breakup song. 
       Check out the track below for something you can easily become addicted to. 

"Reverse" SomeKindaWonderful
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