Berries – Stonecutter
Similar artists: Neil Young, Kurt Vile, Animal Collective, Bob Dylan, The War On Drugs
Genre: Indie Folk, Psychedelic Rock, Indie Rock
Berries write indie-folk songs in the same way that a spiritual searcher might write affirmations onto the ground in the mornings.
Most people don’t take stock of their lives. The majority don’t have the time, and a good chunk of them are too afraid of what it is that they might find. But everybody is forced to do some looking back at some point. Most of us need a bit of help to get us going or, at least, to get us to accept what’s happened to us.
Art is a great way to come into contact with the harsh realities of the past. For one thing, it’s the great artists that have the ability to take raw emotions and process them into something that doesn’t need to be analyzed, something that simply reads true.
The truth is a hard thing to face as Berries’ “Stonecutter” assesses. The song is written as if on a dare to use music to paint the most accurate picture of one’s life. Musically the song is built on pretty melodies and lush orchestration that bring to mind the indie-folk that’s been all so popular in recent years. But, unlike many of their peers, Berries is looking to tell personal stories, not to uncover universal truths and sell them as car commercials.
Coyle Girelli – Museum Day
Similar artists: Day Wave, The Drums, Beach Fossils, The National
Genre: Surf Rock, Indie Rock, Alternative Rock
Coyle Girelli writes a love song for those haunted by bad dreams and terrible melancholy on the single “Museum Day.”
And, make no mistake about, all the cliches about artists being in love with sadness and melancholy are based on some truth. Of course, that’s no way to run a marathon. But the truth of the matter is that there is great artistic potential and tremendous power in those feelings.
As is to so happens, there are millions upon millions who also feel the same way and who cannot express their feelings through a musical instrument. It then becomes the job of the artist to express the little hopes and deep woes of everyone who might want to join their audience.
Coyle Girelli’s “Museum Day” is indie-rock melancholy, a subdued rock n’ roll flashback. There’s weight behind the song and certainly, a desire to look at the truth as it is and overcome it. The great artists always come back to the scene of the crime, no matter how hard the journey might be. This is what Coyle Girelli does here.
