Tag Archives: alternative pop

“Runaway” to the 80s with Lawrence D.

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The neon glow of a clear Nashville night has nothing on the shimmer of “Runaway,” the new, 80s-inspired track from Lawrence D.

“Runaway” combines clean, catchy guitar riffs with retro synth tones and Lawrence D.’s silky-smooth vocals, taking us on a dynamic thrill ride that would find itself at home among The Weeknd’s best work.

Seriously… put it up against any track on Dawn FM, and try telling us it doesn’t fit right in. We dare you!

“My producer and I were sitting in his studio in Nashville, TN and he created this nice 80’s track,” Lawrence D. said. “I wrote the record that night. It reminded me of a Red Ferrari drive on the roadside of the beach somewhere in Miami. My other producer added the bass line, and I had the idea to bring the live electric guitar into the fold to give it an electrifying rock feeling. I love everything about this record, and I hope whoever is listening will love it, as well.”

After Beating Cancer, Emma Driver Triumphantly Returns with ‘Try Hard’

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There are times when a song is more than just a song; when it is a statement of arrival, and a significant step on one’s healing journey.

“Try Hard” — the new single from Nashville-based songwriter Emma Driver — is one of those moments. The first single from her forthcoming EP, Ashamed to Admit This (coming spring 2025), the tune unveils a new sound from the former Fresh Lady. Combining anthemic pop sensibility with a robust pop punk edge, Driver sings about confronting one’s insecurities and using them to serve others facing similar struggles.

“Try Hard” also marks a significant life milestone for Driver, who faced mortality in the form of a lymphoma diagnosis at age 27. Lyrics like “what a nightmare to be perceived” — written before her diagnosis — took on an entirely new meaning, as she lost her hair to chemotherapy and became unrecognizable even to herself.

In the end, music ultimately helped her transform her fear and shame into art — while still allowing her the room to be vulnerable and accepting of her own humanity.

“I used to think that I would get to a point when I just didn’t care; like a switch would flip, and I’d just know who I was and be good. But now in remission, I still catch myself,” Driver said. “I fully beat cancer and am over here worried about if a random person thinks I’m cringe. I’ll always care, because it’s human to want to be liked, understood, and validated. Finally putting this song out feels like owning this part of myself I used to feel shame about, and that’s so freeing.”

Free yourself from your own fears of judgment when you play this one at max volume!

WATCH: Sloan Golden’s ‘Parking Lot’ Encapsulates the Feeling of a Panic Attack

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Photo credit: Kelsey Pecchia

We all need a place to go when the world feels heavy.

For LA-based indie pop artist Sloan Golden, that place has always been her car — it has been a place for hard conversations, as well as a refuge where she has collected her thoughts. She translates these real-world experiences into art in her new single and video, “Parking Lot.”

“My seventeen-year-old self, who sat alone in her car in the Best Buy parking lot having a meltdown, wouldn’t believe that all that pain she felt might’ve been worth something,” Golden said.

“Parking Lot” — co-written with Jensen McRae and produced by acclaimed indie rock musician, Runnner (Skullcrusher) — was crafted to represent “the sonic encapsulation of what an anxiety attack feels like.” Golden’s aim was to help listeners connect to the release via their own similar experiences.

“I intentionally never mentioned the title of the song within the lyrics, as I want listeners to be able to place themselves in their own ‘parking lots’ without me ever having to say it,” Golden said.

The video expands on this notion. Directed by Madi Boll, the cinematic offering begins with a disagreement — and Golden’s seemingly complete dissociation — outside of her own birthday party, as she retreats to her car to gather herself.

“A panic attack feels like everything inside of you is at hyper speed while the world outside is hazy and out of sync,” Boll said. “This got me thinking about a world where everyday objects move in sync with our mental highs and lows, and thus ‘Parking Lot’ came to life.”

UMC20: The Best of March 2024

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What a stacked month!

Between the 20 songs that comprise the UMC20 Best of March 2024, and the two latest, completely epic episodes of our Official Podcast, The Quinn Spinn, our end-of-month compilation contains nearly three-and-a-half hours of listening enjoyment!

Get it while it’s here. Next Wednesday, we’ll drop the first all-new UMC of April. Soak up the memories from the month that has been!

Track listing
Bootsy Collins ft. Snoop Dogg, Fantaazma, Wiz Khalifa, and Dave Stewart – The Influencers
Spence Brown – Scotch Thoughts
Miles Squiers – 24 Hours
Game Changer – Just Sayin’
Adam Paddock – Sweet Ohio Light
Izzy Rage – Wreck
TsukiMai – Selenophile
Cardiac Half – Gloom
YEARB4 – BABY I’M DYIN’
The Minimum Wage – Everyone Is
Pepperwood – Drowning
The Ghost Club – If I Fell (Don’t Wait Here For Me)
Crow and Gazelle – Take It Away
Max McNown – Dead Set
Dustin Kensrue – High Scalers
Kat & Zach – Winter Flower
Bronco Redahan – High on Lonesome
The Kentucky Gentlemen – Beg Your Parton
Mikayla Lewis – All is Well
Rome – Forever

UMC20: A Day Late, Worth the Wait (Mar. 13, 2024)

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Let’s just blame the lateness of this week’s UMC20 on the fever pitch preparation going into our NashLive! event on March 23, featuring Alexis Donn, The Healers, and ARREIS.

In fact, those are the artists who begin this week’s edition of UMC20. From there, we’ve got a healthy heap of Americana, followed by various styles of rock, from the straightforward to the experimental.

Track listing
Alexis Donn – Witch Wound
Foundation Mecca – Healer Instinct
Lord Goldie ft. Antjuan Johnson – Hold On
ARREIS – Five More Minutes
Rome – Forever
Max McNown – Dead Set
Dustin Kensrue – High Scalers
Pug Johnson – One Hand on My Whiskey
Caitlin Cannon – The Alchemist
Kat & Zach – Winter Flowers
Bronco Redahan – High on Lonesome
Amistat – seasons
Beharie – Desire
Max Blansjaar – Anna Madonna
YEARB4 – BABY I’M DYIN’
Sun Atoms – Tower of Song
Tell My Sons – Nothing Left to Say
The Fever Haze – I Love it Here
Johnny Manchild and the Poor Bastards – So Much Better
SMILEZ – Self Sabotage

UMC20: Charging in Like a Lion (Mar. 5, 2024)

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Hyperpop? We’ve got it. Soulful hip hop? Yep. Americana and rock? Check and check. We even lead off with a new, disco-inspired cut.

Every week, we task ourselves with the responsibility of providing 20 fresh, interesting new tracks. Thanks to you, our job is never too difficult. These tasty jams — plus not one, but TWO episodes of our Official Podcast — should keep your ears, hearts, and minds satisfied all week long.

Track listing
Helena Hallberg – Surprisingly Disco
Titans of Siren – Daytrip
Game Changer – Just Sayin’
Spence Brown – Scotch Thoughts
Izzy Rage – Wreck
TsukiMai – Selenophile
Rose Starring – Violently Sad
Cardiac Half – Gloom
The Trampoline Delay – Excuses Excuses
Alisa Amador ft. Quinn Christopherson – I Need to Believe
Sam Gyllenhaal Band – Mary Does (Acoustic)
Sarah Gargano – Red Solo Cup
The Atomic Age – Heart
Sarah Free – Sober
Laney Jones – Stay at Home
Crow and Gazelle – Take It Away
Patrick Davis – Southern Roots
Brother Dege – Turn of the Screw
The Kentucky Gentlemen – Beg Your Parton
Mikayla Lewis – All is Well

LISTEN: Cardiac Half Makes a Comeback with ‘Gloom’

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The brothers of Cardiac Half have taken a long, uncertain road on their way to their first new, original release since 2021’s self-titled album.

The duo — comprised of real-life brothers Drew and Dylan Miller — have returned with “Gloom,” an atmospheric and contemplative electropop instrumental which serves as a sonic representation of the doubt brought forth by challenging times.

“It’s been nearly three years since Cardiac Half released a new song. Fighting for what’s important, fighting for sanity, and even fighting for the health and wellness of ourselves and our families,” Dylan Miller said. “This is why music was put on hold for a season.”

The track begins with an emotive piano dirge, as searing synth tones begin to bubble up from the surface. A electronic dance beat moves us along — ready or not — like the passage of time, inspiring the listener to collect their thoughts and uncover the best way forward amid life’s ambiguity.

“I was about to move across state lines for the birth of my son, relocating to find treatment for my unborn son’s rare medical condition,” Dylan Miller said. “Drew was dealing with the most mental health issues he had ever faced. There was no guarantee where the band and the dream of music was going, and this song was formed.”

“Gloom” was written and produced by Drew Miller, who then passed it along to mix engineer Ryan Wilson for some additional studio magic. Have a listen below!

UMC20: The Best of February 2024

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It makes sense that, in a year where February gives us an extra day, that we have a surplus of HEAT from which to choose as we compile the UMC Best of February playlist.

And so, even in a short month, it leaves us with some tough cuts to make. As you always do, independent artists of Earth, you brought your best to us this month. Here’s what we’ve got to show for it as a result!

Track listing
Kuf Knotz & Christine Elise – High Vibrationz
Jordyn Tareaz – Again
Malcolm DeWayne – Amethyst Nights
Lord Goldie – On da Line
Foundation Mecca ft. Ari Shavon – TKO
Spence Brown – 2024
Gangstagrass ft. Jerry Douglas – The Only Way Out is Through
Laura Mustard – Dirty Minds & Wild Hearts
The Steel Wheels – Sideways
Josh Fortenbery – Heirlooms
Ty Warner ft. Olivia Frances – This is Not Goodbye
Sarina Haggarty – Lipstick to Myself
Parker Barrow – Back to Birmingham
The Wandering Hearts – Letter to Myself
Aaron Lee Tasjan – The Drugs Did Me
Fuchsia – Backseat Blues
The Mad Sugars ft. Monte Mader – Dare Me
Olive Dares the Darkness – Not My Fault
Jasce – River
EMMI IIDA ft. Peachkit – Higher Self

LISTEN: On ‘Heart,’ The Atomic Age Cedes the Need for Control

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Moving forward in life can often mean learning to let go of all that we cannot control.

The Atomic Age offers an immersive soundtrack to that realization with his newest single, “Heart,” released on February 23.

“’Heart’ is a song about loosening my grip on my aspirations,” said The Atomic Age’s songsmith, JJ Schrick. “It’s so easy to white-knuckle goals like pursuing the things you love, but I’ve found that I’m most at peace when I’m not solely relying on my own abilities.”

“Heart” was constructed from the ground up, beginning with the drumbeat. The mellow rhythm guitar part was performed on a Bass VI, which combines with atmospheric elements to serve the track’s contemplative spirit.

If you’re looking for even more from The Atomic Age, you won’t have to wait long: “Heart” is the final single leading to an EP which is due out on March 20. For now, let this one resonate with you!

Celebrate Your Crazy with Yarin Glam’s ‘BURN IT DOWN’

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If they’re going to call you crazy, you might as well own it.

On her new single, “BURN IT DOWN,” Yarin Glam explores a sense of ownership of the parts of ourselves that are hardest to love. A ethereal alt-pop soundscape — coupled with Glam’s stirring R&B vocals — paint a liberating picture, inspired by the breakup story of her sister and her ex-boyfriend.

“She’s a person that owns herself 100 percent; she loves her crazy side and she’ll always say it,” Glam said. “‘BURN IT DOWN’ is a song where you can own your ‘crazy’ and celebrate it.”

Go ahead. Watch the world burn…

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