Julia Logan – Mirrors
It shouldn’t be a secret to anyone that the history of pop music is merely a number of cycles that get repeated once every few years. Musicians who go out searching for trends often do themselves a disservice. If they just have the patience to wait, work on themselves and their songs, find themselves with the audience that they need eventually. There’s just no telling how long it will take.
It’s an oversimplification, but most of the time, pop music is either really braggadocious and boisterous or looking for the simple ways in life, trying to wash itself of the sins of yesterday. During the times when it’s out there looking for the truth, acoustic guitars, warm voices, and lyrics depicting these explorations are all part of pop music’s armory.
The world’s in a bit of a mess right now. That much can’t be hidden. People are out there looking for a way back to more innocent times. Artists are leading the way. These are artists like Julia Logan, whose single “Mirrors” is a strained look toward a brighter future. It echoes the efforts of the 1960s Californian folkies but cleverly doesn’t skip out on modern production values and a lovely, hummable vocal hook. This means that you’re safe to tap your foot and chant while you, too go out searching for something to anchor you down.
Extra Space – Spiral Stares
The European elections are nearing, and I’ve never seen so many babies smiling and puppies frowning in my entire life. Those are the big guns, and they’re pulled out whenever a product must really sold. And while the European elections are more important than most other things, the fact remains that basic emotions sway an audience. It’s a trick as old as time.
But why don’t more people use it? Why don’t artists, for example, who wouldn’t be able to sell a blue pen to a mobster desperately to sign insurance papers on his casino, use this trick?
Mostly, they won’t because it’s embarrassing to do so. Unlike politicians, artists get embarrassed, you see. That’s why they’d rather hide behind big guitar riffs and jagged EMD drops.
Extra Space don’t leave any place for themselves to hide. “Spiral Stares” is about as emotional as Eastern European grandmothers crying over the blessings of democracy. You hear it, and your brain knows that it has to react. It’s just like watching pictures of the said babies and puppies. Unlike those, Extra Space aren’t selling anything except for their art. And, once we’ve solved every other problem in the world, which surely will happen soon enough, we’ll still need beautiful art.