The other night I had a splendid little run on YouTube that started off with a quick search for a live version of Nikki Lane's tune "Send the Sun". I found this one below and it's amazing - her voice is angelic and the backing musicians do a terrific job at accenting and complimenting her vocals. Always awesome when an artist can strip down a song and crush it.
Nikki Lane - Send the Sun - 1/25/2017 - Paste Studios, New York, NY
Naturally after that video the all-powerful YouTube algorithm had a juicy suggestion for me. And I couldn't help but click it, thus opening up the wormhole. It's an OG rendition of "In Dreams" by Sierra Ferrell from 2018. I think this is the video that went viral-ish and eventually lead to her getting signed by a label and ultimately releasing her debut album this year. She is a master of her craft - great guitar playing, thoughtful lyrics, and a voice that will send chills down your spine. She's in Holyoke, MA in November (with Bella White opening) and I will 100% be in attendance.
Sierra Ferrell, "In Dreams" // GemsOnVHS
Next up was a group that I wasn't familiar with called The Staves. It's a trio of English gals (I believe they're all sisters) and they play a live rendition of their song "In The Long Run" in the middle of a meadow. The lead singer/guitarist has a stunning voice and the backing singers come in with well-placed harmonies all throughout. And that chorus - my lord. Pure folk bliss plain and simple.
The Staves - In The Long Run
After a trip across the pond I found myself hopping back over to the backwoods of the USA watching Cat Clyde's rocker "Mama Said". The melody instantly reminded me of "Where Is My Mind?" by the Pixies and the music video itself gave me Into the Wild vibes for sure. It's a cool song structure that feels icy thin, and the song subject is heavy af. This is sort of where the tone shifted in the wormhole and I'm glad it did (stay tuned to find out why).
Cat Clyde - Mama Said (Official Video)
Last but certainly not least I stumbled upon my final epic video of the night: "Hertz" by Amyl and the Sniffers. There've been a handful of moments the last decade plus when the stars aligned and a new musical artist presented themselves to me within a cavern. There was Gorillaz back in the OG days of YouTube - I remember watching Feel Good Inc over and over and just marveling at this new website and all it had to offer. Then there were the college years when Reggie Watts and Dub FX truly blew my mind - their looping style was perfect for the medium. Then Ty Segall came later on - I'll never forget hearing "Feel" in my bed at Hathorne Crescent late one night just completely floored. And then came Amyl and the Sniffers - what a freaking hilarious yet badass hodgepodge these guys are. Lead singer Amy Taylor is mesmerizing and the bringing-it-back-the-old-school swagger they have is infectious.
Amyl and the Sniffers - Hertz
I proceeded to watch about another dozen Amyl videos, as one does once they've found that "it" factor within the wormhole lol. And while it can be a bit of a time suck I must say the YouTube suggestion bar is a great place to discover new artists and videos. I'm on a never-ending quest to find good tunes I've never heard, and a quick little cavern can really do the trick. It was a late bedtime that night, but totally worth it.
- ZB James
No comments:
Post a Comment