1. Cyclone (Village Sessions) by Sticky Fingers
It seems fitting to celebrate Cyclone this week since it was finally released on Spotify a few days ago, after years of resorting to YouTube whenever you were craving a listen.
It’s the most acoustic, relaxed Sticky Fingers track out there, and easily one of my favourites of the Aussie band's massive repertoire. The melody is perfectly innocent, not sad but also not brimming with joy – which maybe explains why the song can suit any mood.
It also gives you a chance to appreciate the powerful vocals of lead singer Dylan Frost without much distraction – save the acoustic guitar accompaniment by him and bandmate Seamus Coyle. And of course the best part of the song in that respect starts at 2:14, when Dylan’s voice starts crawling upwards until he finally lets it all loose at 2:27 – scraping at the pan for every last bit he can get out of himself to deliver each word. The instrumental guitar duet they get into right after he hits his climax is amazing --- both bandmates are so in tune with one another.
2. Wait a Minute! by WILLOW
It’s hard to find many positive reviews of WILLOW’s 2015 album Ardipthecus, with most critics describing it as ‘unique’ to the point of being obscure and detached. If you give the full album a listen-through, it’s easy to see why: much of it feels like more of an artistic experiment than an effort to really connect with listeners. (And nothing wrong if so.)
But there are two exceptions: Marceline and Wait a Minute!, the latter undoubtedly being the album’s standout and now one of WILLOW’s most loved tracks. It’s one of the only songs on the record with discernable melodies and catchy beats.
Wait a Minute! is a funky groove with the artist’s eccentric style still shining through in her vocals and lyrics, a train of thought about loving someone, and the idea of losing touch with parts of yourself as you do (“I think I left my conscience on your front doorstep... / I think I left my consciousness in the sixth dimension”). The vocal layering that she plays with is especially addictive.
3. It’s a Trip by TiRon & Ayomari
It's the alluring string-based beat of TiRon & Ayomari's It's a Trip that has kept me queueing it over and over again this week. Sampled from The Staple Singers’ (Sitting on) The Dock of the Bay, the duo adapt it similarly to Nine in his song Whutcha Want.
In their own version, TiRon & Ayomari keep that rhythmic base as a smooth constant but draw you in fully with clever, memorable lines and fun plays on the tempo. As they recline off the beat at the end of the chorus, you'll find yourself doing the same.
4. Show Me Naomi by Bahamas
Most songs by Bahamas (a.k.a. Afie Jurvanen) feature some '70s-sounding electric guitar and bass underpinning the melody. The best examples I've heard in the past are Caught Me Thinkin' or Stronger Than That, but Show Me Naomi recently blew me away (a delayed discovery). I'll admit it took me a few listens to embrace the momentary break in the groove as he slow-motion sings “Show me Naomi” to kick off the chorus --- but I now love hearing it every time.
A defining feature of the track is the gospel-like choir of female vocals supporting his lead throughout the song – echoing lyrics, fortifying melodies or humming along during the long instrumental solo of the second half of the song --- and they add such a vibrant, feminine edge to the music.
Listen on Spotify to all "Songs of the Week" here.
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