Music Reviews

On "Lost in the Country," Trace Mountains Is on the Right Track

Dave Benton's second album shows a heightened insight.

Whether it be a move to a new town or a worldwide tragedy that's spun any sense of routine off course, the art of keeping yourself grounded and centered is difficult to master.

Dave Benton has grown well-accustomed to major life changes in the past two years. Summer of 2018 marked the end of LVL UP, the scrappy indie rock band he co-founded in 2011 while studying at SUNY Purchase. Shortly after, he moved to Kingston, a town of about 25,000 just north of New York City. Benton's new record as Trace Mountains, Lost in the Country, doesn't quite reference these transitions directly, but its ten songs point at a desire to reach inward and utilize a more authentic voice.

Trace Mountains - Lost in The Countrywww.youtube.com


Lost in the Country sees Benton expand from the lo-fi fuzz of his last record, 2018's A Partner to Lean On. His knack for writing euphonious melodies is bolstered by clearer production and an expansive backing band, giving Lost In the Country a full, uncondensed sound. "Dog Country" spotlights a lap steel guitar solo, exuding the rich warmth of Americana and indie folk heroes like Kurt Vile or Cass McCombs. Other tracks like "Cooper's Dream" feature a subtly ominous musical saw, giving Lost in the Country . These juxtapositions echo the state of mind when entering a new, unfamiliar phase of life: a sense of apprehension but a steady assurance that things, eventually, will be OK. He revels in the bittersweet roadblocks as he attempts to find himself, as if embarking on a peaceful, picturesque hike only to be interrupted by the ring of his smartphone.

For Benton, creating songs seems to be his only constant. On opener "Rock & Roll," he cites music as his North Star—"It's all I got going / Don't know what else I'd do"—although the lyrics spiral into a poem about how, even with such guidance, he sometimes feels lost as an artist. The brief "I Am Leaving You" depicts the severance of a relationship for the better: "If you'd open up your eyes / You'd see how everything's all wrong / And you'd get to moving on," Benton declares. On the album's title track, he depicts a moment on tour when the singer of another band found him crying outside the venue and feeling directionless and insignificant. But the story ends on a more uplifting note: "The soul in my heart is always hungry," Benton sings, as if sighing with the relief of waking up each day with the freedom to do what fulfills him.

Quietly confident, Lost in the Country isn't so much about wandering off-track as it is about finding the drive to move forward. The destination might remain unknown, but the journey is headed in the right direction.

Lost in the Country

MUSIC

Johnnyswim Shines Bright on New Album "Moonlight"

The duo perfects and reinvents their signature sound on their third studio album

The husband-and-wife duo, Abner Ramirez and Amanda Sudaro, better known as their collective moniker, Johnnyswim, just released their third studio album Moonlight, and it is spellbinding.

The 12-song album is a result of writing and recording sessions that spanned much of 2018. Alongside Grammy Award-winning producer-songwriter, Malay (renowned for his work with Sam Smith and Frank Ocean), Johnnyswim provides a smooth and timeless blend of pop, indie, and folk, with subtle hints of R&B on this project. Moonlight marks the group's first release under Britannia Row Recordings/BMG, and longtime fans of the duo will hear just enough of the Johnnyswim they are familiar with while also discovering exciting new dimensions to their evolving sound.

In some ways, Moonlight sounds like the album that Johnnyswim has been aiming for since their 2014 full-length debut, Diamonds. A seamless blend of pulsating, upbeat pop-rock fun and dreamy, heart-on-sleeve ballads are exactly what fans have come to love and expect from the band. Moonlight revels in this characteristically cohesive juxtaposition of sounds but it also takes this sound a few steps further, branching out into some more sonically daring and complex territories than ever before. Part of this is almost certainly due to Malay's production and influence, which is audible on many of the songs. But another factor is that Ramirez and Sudaro have clearly matured as songwriters, providing a more nuanced, layered, and eclectically-influenced musicality to Moonlight that sets it apart from the rest of their discography.

If you've never heard Johnnyswim before, Moonlight will be the perfect introduction to the band. This album proves that careful, brave, and honest songwriting (along with some pristine production) is a surefire recipe for musical achievement.

Moonlight



Dustin DiPaulo is a writer and musician from Rochester, New York. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from Florida Atlantic University and can most likely be found at a local concert, dive bar, or comedy club (if he's not getting lost somewhere in the woods).


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Gabrielle Aplin Returns with Another Hit Poised to Top the Charts

The popular singer-songwriter crafts a fun and dreamy love song in "Nothing Really Matters."

Gabrielle Aplin

Singer-songwriter, Gabrielle Aplin has come a long way from posting acoustic her cover songs to Youtube.

That is precisely how Aplin amassed her following, though – by showcasing her vocal chops and acoustic guitar skills through dynamic re-imaginings of songs by the likes of MGMT, Mumford and Sons, Bob Dylan, Adele, and Ed Sheeran. These covers would lead to Aplin's being signed by Parlophone records in February of 2012. It did not take her long to break into the mainstream. By December of 2012, Aplin landed herself a number one hit on the U.K. Singles Chart for her cover of Frankie Goes to Hollywood's "The Power of Love."

Aplin is back with another offering for the Singles Chart, this time in the form of an original song, "Nothing Really Matters." The new song sees Aplin setting down her acoustic guitar and folk sensibilities in exchange for a more pop-oriented, synth-driven love song. "Nothing really matters, no, nothing really matters but you," Aplin playfully sings over a huge, stadium-ready chorus.

The song is as bouncy and fun as it is ambient and sincere. Sweeping synths and quirky samples of Aplin's vocalizing provide the backdrop to an exciting and giddy love song. "Nothing Really Matters" is a meticulously produced and expertly executed track that deserves a spot on the pop charts – don't be surprised if you hear it dominate the airwaves in the months to come.

Nothing Really Matters



Dustin DiPaulo is a writer and musician from Rochester, New York. He received his MFA in Creative Writing from Florida Atlantic University and can most likely be found at a local concert, dive bar, or comedy club (if he's not getting lost somewhere in the woods).


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Noah Kahan's New Video Pokes Fun at an Old Rock Star Trope

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Premiere | Calan Mai Imagines a High Life of Fortune in 'XO' Music Video

The Folk-Pop Singer-Songwriter Explores the Carnivorous Nature of Social Media & a Musician's Struggling Life

Social media is a beast-feeding omnivore.

The potentiality of life looks better on Instagram. Slap on a filter, a slick caption, some hashtags, and bam! You're home free. But you can't escape the reality looking you in the eye from behind that shimmering curtain. In truth, we're all just some hackneyed "wizard" putting up a front. Or so Calan Mai says. The folk-pop singer-songwriter's latest single "XO," brightly-polished and as starry as the real stars over our unconcerned heads, recruits our incredibly-dangerous habit of envy. Fixed with guitar and flyaway vocals, the song taps into aspiration of the highest order.

The video, premiering today, hooks the viewer up to a life of grandeur through the eyes of a Cal's car wash man just trying to get by. "After all, what could be more aspirational than sneaking into another person's home and living their life as you imagine it?" mastermind and struggling Manchester artist Jordan Lawrence tells Popdust. "We kind of already do that. We stalk people on social media, browse their friends lists and pore over the tiny details of their day."

The cycle is vicious and relentless, if you really begin to think about it. "Then, we post images that make us look like those same Wall Street ballers we admire, and the whole thing feeds itself — just people pretending to be people pretending. But most of us, including those we idolize, are unfulfilled, lonely, and starved of affection."

Among many of the visual's most memorable snapshots, Cal's self-proclaimed employee of the month is joined by his friend, tearing away the detachment social media breeds for honest to goodness human connection. It's companionship, really, that we all need and deserve the most. "A nice suit and a martini will never top a grilled cheese sandwich and the company of a friend. One just looks a little better on Instagram," says Lawrence.

Watch below:

Storyline in place, the biggest task came to scouting a location, one of sparkling allure and a cinematic feel. Understandably so, that was easier said than done. "When I came up with the concept for the music video, I thought, 'This will be easy, all we need is a nice house to shoot in.' Well, I was wrong. Homes often have people in them and people need to live their lives," he explains. "Dolly tracks, lighting rigs, and busy cast and crew members tend to get in the way of that. But we were very fortunate to meet a woman named Mandy who let us film in her home for three days while she worked in her office. When I asked her why she was being so generous, she said, 'I just want to support creative people.' In my time as an artist, I've met many like Mandy. I really don't know where I'd be without this sort of goodwill. We couldn't have made the clip without her."

With his lifelong friend and tirelessly ambitious actor Mackenzie Fearnley by his side, starring as the residence's esteemed owner, Lawrence allows the sequence to play with plenty of breathing room. "I asked Mackenzie to star in the music video for two reasons. One, he's a fantastic actor. Two, he's struggling like I am. He's trying to make a living from acting, while I'm trying to do the same in music."

He continues, "I knew he would understand the point of 'XO' and what it feels like to compare yourself to people who are succeeding in the way you want to succeed. When I met with him to discuss the clip, we hadn't seen one another for eight years."

Their connection is electric onscreen. Even given eight-years of separation, the give and take in the video's third act is dynamic and delightfully child-like ⎯⎯ wait for the Teddy fist bump at the very end. "It was very special getting to work with Mackenzie after growing up together. I really hope he and I can do something again. Perhaps a sitcom about struggling artists!"

Lawrence, whose stage name is the Welsh name for a holiday nearing summer solstice, has reached a turning point in life and his career. "XO" plays a small role in his explorations of self, meaning, and destiny.

Follow Calan Mai on Twitter | Facebook | Instagram


Jason Scott is a freelance music journalist with bylines in B-Sides & Badlands, Billboard, PopCrush, Ladygunn, Greatist, AXS, Uproxx, Paste and many others. Follow him on Twitter.


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adriandanielmusic.com

Brand new tunes to rock out as July passes right along.

RELEASE RADAR is here to give you the breakdown of your top singles, albums, and videos to check out as you head into your weekend. Get ready to jam out with some of our favorite up-and-coming artists, plus celebrate new stuff from those you already know and love.

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