The Vindy’s | Thomas Day | Sir Jude | Bittersweethearts
There are so many amazing things happening in the world of music and indie artists have simply been killing it lately. In case you’ve been doing nothing but listing to Taylor Swift’s new record, we’ve put together a short list of things you’ve probably missed:
Let’s start with one of Ohio’s favorite bands, The Vindy’s. They’re about to unleash a super-duper-extra-special vinyl edition of their album, Bugs (signed copies available here). It’s dropping on Black Friday, so you won’t have to wait much longer, but in celebration of this release, The Vindy’s have unveiled a video for the title track, “Bugs,” which is outstanding in both its sonic vibes as well as its professionally shot quality (we do not know any video terminology; let’s just say that it looks very pretty). How this band has flown beneath our radar this long is beyond us, but, this holiday season, we definitely recommend picking up their LP for those hard-to-shop-for vinyl collectors, unless you’re okay with being the person who always gives subpar gifts. The very least you can do is spin the single, especially if you dig the sultry sounds of Amy Winehouse and Nora Jones.
Twenty-year-old Thomas Day has accomplished a great deal this year, reeling in over 30 million global streams between his tracks, “not my job anymore,” “The New Me,” and “Softly.” But he’s just released a song that comes closer to our personal tastes called “The End.” It starts off as one of those time-tested folksy numbers, with finger-plucked guitar and gentle vocals; however, it does opt for more of an epic approach as the track marches forward. Thomas comments on “The End,” “This song is definitely the most emotional I’ve released so far and this was actually the first time I’d ever cried while I was recording a song… The ending of anything is my biggest fear.” And with that, we’ll let the track speak for itself:
If you are in search of a more theatrical approach to modern pop music, look no further than Sir Jude. With her latest record, Revelations, you are more than likely to find a number of tracks that would work well at the beginning of any James Bond feature. These tracks are visceral and cinematic anthems that will push your sound system to its maximum capabilities, yet still allow you the headspace to reflect inwardly on your life. Known for her lyrics that span from femininity and vulnerability to lust and self-care, her music is sure to strike a chord with many listeners. Sir Jude says: “I want this album to be the soundtrack to anyone who is at a standstill in their life and is desperate to challenge or break the emotional barriers that tradition and society corners them into.” We recommend that you start with “Preach:”
Bittersweethearts are no strangers to our blog and John Michie became a big fan of their previous single, “Hate to Love,” when he reviewed on here it a couple months back. But they have returned to us with a new single and a video to back it up. “Polly Plastic” delivers the idea of how difficult it can be to make any real, personal connections in a world that is so heavily focused on materialistic value. Front lady Zoe Infante explains that the song is “about a girl who tries way too hard to try to fit in and live the perfect life and you hate her for it but you also feel for her because you’re trying hard yourself, so can you really blame her?” Listen to “Polly Plastic” for the message, but watch the video for its clever nod to the vibrance of pop-culture.
-TM