Addictions and Other Vices 773 – Top 10 Countdown February – March 2021

BombShell Top Ten for February – March 2021 By Bernard Frazer

Notes by Bernard Frazer of Church of Trees, whose current single World’s a Bitch features the legendary Carole Pope and former Spoons/Honeymoon Suite keyboardist Rob Preuss. Their album PAUSE will be released later in March.

1. Baby Strange – Club Sabbath

Glasgow’s Baby Strange have released an absolute cracker of a tune with Club Sabbath. A thundering powerhouse of a track, the song explodes right out of the gate! Named after a club night they run in their native Scotland, the banger perfectly captures the electricity that charges through the dancefloor. Killer song, lads!

2. The Reytons – Jealous Type

Yorkshire indie rockers The Reytons get the nod for this week’s anthem, with their new single ‘Jealous Type’. Polished yet raw, the track kicks into overdrive from the get-go. Destined to be the go-to encore for their live shows, Jealous Type will get your blood and your fists pumping! This is one hell of a banger!

3. Warbly Jets – LOW RESOLUTION

Warbly Jets have released perhaps the most interesting track of the week with “LOW RESOLUTION”. This is a gorgeous song that builds on a massive groove with soulful vocals and an Eastern-inspired synth hook that creeps out of nowhere and takes you on a glorious journey. Complete with a mid-song synth-guitar solo by Chris Greatti (that feels like a 25st century Eddie Van Halen), the track may very well give us a glimpse of where music is headed in the years to come. This song is on infinite repeat!

4. Charlie Nieland – Tightrope

NYC-based producer Charlie Nieland has dropped his new single ‘Tightrope’, a glorious and soaring number that is a response to reading the Julia Gray novel “Little Liar”. Nieland says: “Reading it brought out … the similarities of wishing and lying, crossing our fingers for each, and how we can tumble down into our loneliness without seeing the color that surrounds us.” According to Nieland, the song encompasses elements of classic British pop mixed with post-punk and shoegaze. Think ELO meets Psychedelic Furs. An absolutely lovely track!

5. Foo Fighters -Waiting On A War

Unlike their usual barn-burner tracks, the Foo Fighters have dropped a track that takes a while to weave its web. And, to its credit, the gorgeous but subdued arrangement gives you time to really consider Dave Grohl’s heart-rending lyric. Dave explained that the song was inspired by an honest and rather disconcerting chat he had with his daughter. He says: “Last fall, as I was driving my daughter to school, she turned to me and asked, ‘Daddy, is there going to be a war?’ My heart sank as I realized that she was now living under the same dark cloud that I had felt 40 years ago. I wrote ‘Waiting on a War’ that day. Every day waiting for the sky to fall. Is there more to this than that? Is there more to this than just waiting on a war? Because I need more. We all do. This song was written for my daughter, Harper, who deserves a future, just as every child does.” Here here. And bravo!

6.The Sunshine State -Things Changed

Though it’s still early in her career, Skyler Stonestreet of The Sunshine State has already written songs for Ariana Grande, Justin Bieber, Dua Lipa, The Chainsmokers, and Hailee Steinfeld. If that wasn’t impressive enough, her new single “Things Changed” shows that she’s also got the chops to be an artist in her own right! The alt-pop/indie-rock track has a distinct summery feel, which is coupled with a truly uplifting vocal. A breast cancer survivor, Stonestreet’s zest for life permeates the song, and will likely be the driving force behind a very promising career. Stonestreet says “[Breast cancer] doesn’t define me. But now I want to help other people who are going through it. And I want girls to know that they should feel okay in their own skin”. Well said. This is pure fun marinated over hooky vocals. I love it!

7. Goat Girl – Anxiety Feels

Laid-back elegance and a soft jazzy groove wrap around sweet and sultry vocals to produce an exquisite little track by Goat Girl. Anxiety Feels sneaks up on you and gently lulls you into a halcyonic dream state. Equipped with whirlpooling guitars and fluttering synths, the South London band documents their struggle with anxiety and ennui in such a luscious way that you fall prey to their lure and become ensnared in the song’s woozy, downbeat swirl. I’m hooked!

8.Josie Proto -Terrible Idea

The pop-ishly reggae “Terrible Idea” is Brit-Pop newcomer Josie Proto’s latest release. An absolute sugar rush, the song mixes bedroom-pop with an addictive melody to produce an infectious romp that you won’t soon forget. The song pokes fun at Josie’s bad decision-making skills as her vocals dance over a bed of retro Farfisa organ and sumptuous acoustic guitar.

9. Crystal Tides – Headcase

Summer vibes abound with Crystal Tides new track Headcase! The Portsmouth, UK band dive into a shimmering pop sound that percolates with hooky synths, powerpop guitars, and trademark pop vocals. And I just can’t get this one out of my head! Fantastic work, fellas!

10 Megan-Wyn-Polaroid

16 year old Welsh singer, Megan Wyn has jumped on the British music scene with a very impressive debut, Poloroid. The feel-good track drips with a classic “Pretenders/Fleetwood Mac” sound that some say “sizzles with promise”. She gets a big thumbs up from me!