Short Cuts: The Best Songs Heard Today From The Indie World

Mike Michel’s Magic Trick reveals why he’s a Minnesota Music Academy award-winning songwriter, modern guitarist and music educator. It’s snappy, poppy and a much-needed shot in the arm for power pop.

Faling halfway through The Beatles and The Beach Boys, Staffan Sandell’s Sightings from an Air Balloon is exactly why I love music. He makes 60s pop something to take as inspiration for the now, rather than long for. Sounds like peace and freedom.

Coming from the North coast of Ireland, Fox Vicious’ Crystal Eyes sustains a Chainsmokers’ vibe who has fashioned out of seeming “formula” music, a gem.

The official music video for In My Coma’s single, Take A Ride, is out now. It’s from their new album, Next Life. The group has epic arrangements, meshed with powerful melodies, insistent guitar riffs and a dark emotional intensity that infuses every note and every lyric. Keep your eyes on them in 2018, this is the year the breakout just might happen.

Eric Sartin says his Frozen in Love song is “about being so in love with someone that it’s paralyzing.” It’s desolate, and anguished as a pop track Nick Jonas or DNCE would kill to get.

HYPE are a self-made music and art collective, which means either they’re smarter than you, or they’re not, and just don’t care what you think. 77Cousins isn’t the last we’re going to hear from them.

https://youtu.be/YnWkMaYrINs


Jeryko’s All We’ve Got video features ballroom dancers in an abandoned pool and a samurai battle. As sensual of a soul pop swoon you’re going to hear today.

Chris Fields’ HATELOVE follows his nice rise from getting 170,000 views of his “Lord Knows” freestyle on Worldstarhiphop, and almost 3 million streams for his remix of Tink’s Million. Best of all, he hasn’t just borrowed wholesale from past rappers, but stick in his own ideas. Nice one.

When you release a song and the intro is 22 seconds in, first chorus is a minute and a half later, it better be epic. Avalon’s Peak’s Bad Tattoo is EPIC, and nothing will stand in their way of success with this track.

Tom Savage’s 17 Years takes its cue from Springsteen, Petty, and every other classic rock artist you turn up that much louder when you get on the highway. Don’t let a few miles on the speedometer stop you. Simply clever, stylized and right on the money.

Old Man Saxon’s Stop Shooting is the right song for the right moment. Production and rapping even Kendrick would salute.

MaWayy’s Wrong (Joe Maz Radio Mix) was made for jumping and it’ll make you like a cricket. The original was on “Mint” Spotify Playlist, and Joe Maz made another solid remix.

From Sweden, Black Beach Baby’s This Is the Day doesn’t let a few borders stand in the way of a great song that should be on alt.rock’s radio playlists.

Hannah & Falco are a German folk duo from Würzburg, Bavaria, and on their first EP “Blind For The Moment”, the young couple of singer Hannah Weidlich and singer-songwriter Falco Eckhof presents a down-to-earth, modern blend of Folk and Americana. Music to listen to when you choose to live in the beautiful instead of lies. But there’s a bit of both you have to fight with.