Satellite Williams – Tallahassee
Great rock bands are nothing if not gracious, highly entertaining hosts letting random people walk into their homes for a few minutes at a time. Get all those people to feel welcome, and make them feel like you’re letting them in on a few cherished secrets, and they’re very likely to tell their friends, and next time stop over bearing gifts.
Still, not everyone has what it takes to host parties, just as not everyone has what it takes to push a rock n’ roll sound onto the right tracks. In fact, the vast majority of the people who’ve travelled the world, read thousands of books or encountered fascinating characters throughout their life aren’t able to transform all of these into tales interesting enough to keep visitors interested. That isn’t, however, the case with Satellite Williams.
There’s not much of a gimmick that Satellite Williams uses. Nah, the beginning of “Tallahassee” sounds like the music made by a spirited garage-rock band that just knows where and how to push its sound. Of course, what pushes the song over the edge, what really helps it stand out, is the gentle grit of those Southern-tinged lead vocals. Those might seem like small things, but they make this blues-rock number stand out. It’s a really good sound, and that should make those who’ve heard it want to be back for more.
Jesse Bloodgood – Wishful Thinker
There’s always something to do. That’s how the world is set up. You devote yourself to some cause or another, tire yourself out, and by the time the work is done, you’ve no energy for anything else. Worse still, you get the bagging feeling that all the work that you’re doing isn’t really very important.
Yeah, few people have any time to think about themselves. It hurts, sometimes, to consider that you’ve snuck out on a road that leads to nowhere, but, fortunately, you rarely even get the time to reflect on that.
But what about friends and loved ones? Modern folks don’t have the time to worry about their own souls, or their sanity, let alone invest in someone else’s troubles. In that sense, Jesse Bloodgood is quite the rare find, not just as a songwriter, but as a friend.
Time makes us forget, and it usually starts with the really important parts. Remember the dreams you once had? Jesse Bloodgood’s “Wishful Thinker” is a song about noticing a friend’s talent and passion, and not letting them give up. The poetic lyrics are sung almost breathlessly, and the music cuts like everyday revelations fighting to get your attention. And, if anything, it’s a reminder. What is there left if you forget who you are and what you do?
