British R&B singer Pip Millett pays homage to Otis Redding with her newest single, “Try a Little Tenderness.” The cover retains the soul and spunk of the original while bringing in modern sonic elements that nestle it firmly in the 21st century. Millett swaps Redding’s horns and piano for a heavy bass line and a soft, clapping hi-hat that groove behind her vocals. Smooth and sure, Millet’s voice is the standout element of this song. It’s got a soul-appropriate swing that feels effortless as it carries you from one verse to the next, and her crooning, lo-fi cadence, which feels a little bit indie, hooks you onto her every word. The lyrics stay true to the original, though the fact that they’re being sung by a young woman — the subject of the song — turns the meaning on its head in a great way. “Try a Little Tenderness” is beautiful and deceptive in its simplicity, and it’s only the sixth song Millett has ever released. We can’t wait to see what’s next from her.

On this Valentine's Day we can't help but bring you some songs about love — different than love songs. In "Untrain My Heart" Wyatt Waddell is looking to let go of some things, specifically the affection he has for an old lover. "I can't get over you baby, I'm not even at the age of 25. / The more you run through my brain / The more I think that it's not wiring right." The song starts off with this lament and Wyatt continues to voice his sweet and sentimental frustrations throughout. Growing up on the South Side of Chicago, it makes sense that there is such a strong sense of the past soul and R&B greats in Wyatt's sound. His rich voice is dynamic in nature, showing us its full range in a matter of seconds. This up-and-comer is a multi-instrumentalist who has been made a name for himself in his hometown and has been referred to as "Chicago's Boy Wonder" for his undeniable talent. With the resurrection of soul, we're adding Waddell's name to the list of artists to keep on our radar.

Hand Habits’ Meg Duffy has a lot of questions in their latest release can’t calm down. Duffy — a longtime member of Kevin Morby’s touring band — started releasing music under the moniker Hand Habits after moving from Upstate New York to Los Angeles. The folk-alternative sound they established in their first release Wildly Idle (Humble Before the Void) builds carefully upon itself. The song starts small with just Duffy’s gentle voice, rhythmic strumming and the steady beat of a snare drum. It builds with the first chorus as Elizabeth Powell of Land of Talk layers her voice deftly atop Duffy’s. It reaches a satisfying peak with a soaring guitar solo after the second chorus. Their voice gives a somnambulant quality to the song as they ask the pressing question, “what if I can’t calm down/ and I don’t have that in my bloodline?” can’t calm down is the second single from Hand Habits’ latest album, placeholder, which will be released on Saddle Creek on March 1.

Both earnest and cinematic, Adam Melchor's new single "3 Hours Ahead" is the second song to come from the blooming singer-songwriter. While now residing in sunny LA, Melchor is a New Jersey native, and though he has left the Garden State, there are still remnants of him there. Time and distance keeps him away from the ones he loves, but it's not a matter of out of mind, out of sight. Instead there is a longing for letting these people know that they're on his mind. The sound of his mother's laugh is still audible in his ears and the memories of a past life in Arizona have not been forgotten. There is a warm haziness in the musical landscape of the song. Melchor's vocals wax emotion while the backing vocals punctuate and echo the sweet sentiments. Though the time difference from the East Coast to the West Coast coast may seem like a mere three hours, many of us know just how much of a difference those few hours can make. We'll be looking to hear more from this precocious new artist!

With their latest single “Bed Bug,” HEAVY HEART  has taken a break from their signature hazy sound. Instead, they opt for a sharper fuller take on alt-rock with heavy dream-pop and shoegaze influence. The song is the first of three new tracks that were co-produced and mixed by Grammy Award-winning producer Gabe Wax (The War on Drugs, Fleet Foxes, Soccer Mommy). The step up in production value allows the London based alt-rock group’s skills to really shine through.

The jangly guitar mixes with well-placed synths creating a lush sound that fills in and around Anna Vincent’s soft almost lilting vocals. This lush and heavy sound just adds to the restless lethargy of the song as Vincent sings, “time after time it feels the same to me.” It begs to be listened to over and over as it creates its own world in just over four minutes, beckoning you to stay in bed with it just a little longer.

Photo Ops’ “July” basks in its own simplicity. From the simple chug of the drums to the unambiguous declarations of singer Terry Price, this dreamy new single from Photo Ops’ forthcoming 2019 album attempts to find sense in the most complicated matters. “Sometimes the only thing / The only thing to say / Is the most obvious,” sings Price, opting to offer comforting platitudes because they are universally understood. November 2016 saw massive change for many across the country, and Price found himself moving from his home of Nashville to Los Angeles, spurred on by the larger scale national changes. A resident of two of the American cities most steeped in music industry tradition, Price’s sound is one of timelessness, a fading photograph of an aging phonograph record. Price’s musicianship shines in the chorus, when his vocals soar, “I did you right / You just won’t know it for a while.” It all makes sense to him now, and that will have to do. He offers us his own comforting advice in the form of a song, says what it is he needs to say, and then fades out.

“Eggshell” is a look into the quiet pain of everyday life, cleverly assembled from parts found in the dustiest corners of the house. The drum loop might as well be leaking through the walls from a boombox in the next room, and anxieties once swept under the rug erupt left and right in the forms of various household chores. Singer Noah Weinman performs an earnest sort of verbal gymnastics through unexpected but charmingly effective rhymes to convey his constant state of malaise: “Nothing to do but keep texting my therapist / So many half-assed attempts to get over this.”

Los Angeles’s Runnner have dubbed themselves “Ableton folk” for the electronic production sounds of the Ableton audio software and the raw, heartfelt, stripped-down sincerity of acoustic confessionals. Weinman writes “Bandcamp songs for SoundCloud kids,” shouting his codas to the rafters with his indie rock friends, but secretly scribbling his angst down in garage solitude like the heroes of Internet bedroom hip-hop. The wide array of influences in Runnner’s music meld to structure a sound so endearingly original it has to be believed, while the lyrics steer clear of melodrama by portraying a familiar mundanity that permeates every second of every day. Even at the height of the song’s most cathartic moment, the melancholy is inescapable, as Weinman admits, “I hate the part of the song where the chorus hits / ‘Cause I don’t like sticking flags on my nervousness.”

On her newest single, "Lasting Friend," Brooklyn based artist SAMIA raises her voice in defiant confrontation with the kind of unsettling memories that are not so easily leveled by time. A punchy, scowling guitar and intensely metallic percussion drive the tune while SAMIA details a troubling anecdote from her school years, nearly dismissing the story as one might tell to an likely ambivalent, quietly amused crowd at a party. The chorus is a kind of hypnotic confession as SAMIA tries time and time again to assert that “I’m not ashamed of my past, ” though never seeming entirely assured. Through this repetition, SAMIA grapples with the uncertainty of early adulthood as she processes memories that left unaddressed can become “monstrous” and debilitating. "Lasting Friend" easily falls in line with SAMIA's other releases, which often seek to reckon with a wide array of generational anxieties through her wrenchingly eloquent, emotional and referential lyricism.

“Daddy Issues” by Amsterdam indie-rock band Pip Blom is a sneak peak at their upcoming album Boat. With fast paced vocals and rocking instrumentals, this song sets an upbeat tone with a clear indie-rock vibe for their album to come. Singing “You said you never want to die/ like you don’t care anymore/ What ya want to do/ what ya want to do/what ya want to do” Pip Blom leads us into a song characterized by evocative questions and battling layers of different vocals and instrumentals that leave us energized and ready for the next tracks from the album to come. Boat is set to be released on May 31st and until then Pip Blom has a busy schedule of touring.

Henry Jamison's, long-awaited sophomore album is finally here. Gloria Duplex has been revealing itself within its four singles, but the full collection is something to behold in one sitting. One of our favorites from the mix is the beautiful and poignant "Florence Nightingale." In a stream of consciousness mixed with thought-out reflections, Jamison covers a lot of ground within 4 minutes and 38 seconds. We learn that his girlfriend his does not like being compared to Florence Nightingale while also getting his thoughts on the state of imperialism — all while pointing to something bigger.

Taking a trip down memory lane, Jamison goes back in time to his high school and elementary school days but has more questions than answers. Still there was a  childlike innocence in squirt guns and sing-a-longs to Pocahontas's "Just Around the River Bend." The haziness of the music adds an extra texture to the reminiscing. A faint finger-picked guitar and strings pair nicely with vocalizations that ooh and ahh filling the song with yearning and impermanence.

One of the most heart-wrenching lines Jamison sings is regarding men, "we could find success / you know really be the best / then maybe we could rest upon our father's knee." "Florence Nightingale" doesn't set out to be hopeful but yet carries with it a weight of responsibility and understanding that leads us to believe in better days ahead. If you haven't yet, check out the four animated videos we partnered with Jamison to bring to life, all based off the message of each song.

Saint Louis dream-pop / indie folk duo Spectator is back with their first single, "Waves," off their second full-length album, Charlie. "Take me on a ride on the other side of your mind", sings Jeffrey Albert. The song is a journey of sorts, one that occurs next to steady streams and hilly terrain. While texturally calm, it lyrically centers around the hardships within intimacy. Albert's rich voice carefully contrasts the lightness of the guitar and tambourine making every line he sings front and center. Within "Waves" is the plea to be so intertwined with the person that you love, so that you don't where they end and you begin. This intense connection is what makes the rough times easier and harder. You know this person so well and they know you, but when you are at odds with each other, it is as if you are also at odds with yourself. It makes sense that these sentiments are sung and explored by Megan Rooney & Jeffrey Albert, husband and wife — two parts of a whole. Fans of Matthew Perryman Jones and Mumford & Sons will can be sure to enjoy Spectator's latest offering.