music recommendations {Aug I}
partnered with Groover // Oh! Pretty New Music
This review is written by Bonnie Orbison. She is a published author and her latest release is the poetry collection Pretty Tennessee. If you enjoy her writing, more can be found on her online journal Howdy Bonnie! (poetry and personal diary essays) as well as with her fiction novels.
Howdy & welcome to this issue where I’m presenting you indie music recommendations that I’ve found through Groover ⭐️ a bi-monthly magazine edition. Everything in this issue has been submitted through Groover (where we are represented now!) - submit your own songs for feedback and guaranteed sharing here!
Read the latest Oh! Pretty New Music issue (covering all July releases):
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Itinerary of this week’s post:
introduction to Groover + what it is 🖊️
album & EP releases 📀
song releases 💿
music videos 📼
the end ✨
🖊️ introduction to Groover + what it is:
Beginning of May, I had a message request in my DMs on bonnieslegends. That usually means two things: musicians telling me about their new release or musicians asking to be on my podcast. Surprisingly, it was neither. Groover, a platform connecting media with labels/artists, reached out to me, interested in having me represented as a music curator. Of course, I was hyped about it. A few days after a call, sending them my statistics + setting up a profile, I was in!
Twice a month, I’ll be sharing with you tracks that either are new music releases or music recommendations, that have been submitted to me through Groover. If you want to receive guaranteed feedback and sharing not only from me, but also other media outlets, radio stations and podcasts, sign up here!
📀 album & EPs releases:
Parenthèse by Mira Zoff — An EP with earworm quality tracks and addictive vocal harmonies. If you’re on your drive home, most likely during sunset, put this album on and get charmed by the fairy-like synths.
Songez by Sophie Cantier — This album touched me in ways that made me think, reminisce and even cry a little. The most tracks, simply accompanied by piano and Sophie’s voice definitely contributes to the emotions that are being evoked during this listen.
If Dreams Were Horses by Steven Lee Ebert — An album with real classic-rock quality ; the warmth of the recording + mix, the fantastic band Ebert’s played with, and his unique voice, plus imagery that are creative and encapsulates the freedom one does get from dreaming.
The Local Orchestra by Camille Davila — Davila’s music is giving off vibes that only 1970s female singer-songwriting geniuses Minnie Riperton or even Nico did. Especially a pleasure were the piano solos that made everything sound warmer.
Prague 2024 Session by Marc Béziat — An audible hope in Béziat’s compositions + the talented orchestra and choir performance on this album. The songs allowed me to let my mind drift off and simply be present; what I prefer in instrumental compositions.
Transmissions from a Heart by Phil Swanson — Ocean sounds, powerful violins, vocals like Tom Petty and Steve Miller; you can hear that Swanson really means the words that he’s giving a voice to. Highly recommend the entire album!
💿 song releases:
Don’t Need Nobody by Casey Frazier — When fame's got your number, you don't need nobody by your side; if someone set Prince in front of a country rock band and asked to perform, that’s what Frazier sounds like. This song has major The Zombies vibes!
Sad Eyes by Riverfields — “Recorded on tape to give it the warmth of the 70's”, if you’re into Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen, Riverfield’s new track is definitely yours!
Soul Shaker (Nu-Disco Remix) by Sarah Lake — a song with a country twang that’s also playable in clubs to groove to? As someone who likes to dance to her fav tracks in her bedroom, this is definitely queued for next session :)
Only Once in One of These Lives by Pappa L — A mix between Asia and Foreigner, the way the band orchestrates the powerful feeling of strength the song, alongside the great rock-like vocals, this song is a must for everyone loving classic rock.
Innocent Harmony (Take Me Away) by Jay Sprouse — This track was recorded in the Fall of 2009 with Sprouse’s friends. Now, they’re seeing the light of the day; a good reminder that art is timeless.
Letters by Ben Marrow — As an author that sometimes puts on typewriter noises on youtube and a great admirer of a good saxophone in a song + the 1980s vibe of the song all made me swing from one feet to the other.
Sweet Thing by Sophia Kayafas — There was a fresh and joyful energy to this song. My favorite part was the ending with the fading out of the vocals and lowering it to an almost whisper.
Ghosts Are Real by Tim Lannen — This song’s meaning is one for the overthinking beings in the deepest of the night. The lyrics give one a thoughtful minute of all the things we humans are haunted by and at the end of the day all experience it the same way.
PS: if you’re looking for a book on how people are haunted by ghosts of the past, my fiction novel It was her is your perfect next read. Give it a read!
📼 tracks with music videos:
Quicksand by Zachary Mason — This song has such a dreamy quality, that might be created by the heavy reverb, but also by the lyrics like the repeated But then I remember + the cut fragments of the sentences Life is a quicksand, leading to one’s mind to drift into nostalgia.
Clock With No Hands by Vinyl Floor — The perfect song to strut on a treadmill, the nice rhythm + an amazing band lineup for the recording, the song speaks off the confusion of our dependency on time.
There Is Love by Matia — describing her music Carole King-influenced, Matia sings on “life circumstances that pull people apart on a personal level” - where one wishes more empathy would exist in this world. Accompanied by cello and a music video that speaks on the needed togetherness in our world, this song is great!
Bible Study Night by Samuel Saint — As a self-proclaimed cowgirl who loves country music, this was a banger, especially the message behind it. The music video definitely reminded one on the film Mystery Train (particularly the ending).
Sometimes by Leepeck — This is right up my alley with the instrumental folk-esque and a moog in the background; I loved it! Also the moving lyrics made me wanna listen to them while driving in the car during a rain storm.
eh goa nid so koid by GRAHMS — Writing and actually releasing music in one’s “Mundartsprache” - so cool to see GRAHMS doing it! This slow indie rock vibe of the track, especially the liveliness of all instruments, will make you feel like you’re in the room with the band.
✨ the end:
This is a pretty good selection + can’t wait to listen to all the upcoming submission that’ll come my way through Groover.
Thank you for reading this article and I hope you leave with a lot of new artists to spin on either your next drive at dawn or bedroom dancing session or simply just now with your headphones on :)
Make sure to subscribe to get the next round of music recommendations sent right into your inbox and/or on the app!
This review is written by Bonnie Orbison. She is a published author and her latest release is the poetry collection Pretty Tennessee. If you enjoy her writing, more can be found on her online journal Howdy Bonnie! (poetry and personal diary essays) as well as with her fiction novels.
this is her latest published poem:
