Swim Into The Sound's Staff Favorites of 2023

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I won’t beat around the bush too much, but before we get into our staff’s favorite records of 2023, I’d just like to take a moment to brag about them and what an awesome year we’ve had. 

Back in January, I put out a call for new writers and the response was greater than I ever could have hoped for. A couple dozen people reached out to me, and about half of them went on to become regular contributors over the course of 2023. Reviews, premieres, single write-ups, interviews and more all flowed from the minds of these incredible writers, all of whom are doing this purely for the love of the music. 

Aside from those more traditional bits of music writing, we also established a regular monthly column called Haters Delight, which took this blog in a more timely, goofy, and gripey (but still good-natured) direction that fell outside our usual perview. While I was a little nervous about wading into such negative waters at first, I soon discovered that pretty much everyone loves a communal bitch sesh.

These writers also helped widen the scope of this blog and the music we cover. Through expansive quarterly roundups (including the one you’re about to read), they honed raw passion into thoughtful write-ups, making the case for artists that I typically wouldn’t be able to speak eloquently on or even know to cover. Who would have guessed that bringing in a talented slew of people also meant a wealth of new passion and perspectives?

At the time of writing, we’ve published 69 articles this year (nice), amounting to a little over 100k words total. About half of those have been penned by our talented team of guest writers, and I think that goes to show just how much these people have helped make Swim Into The Sound feel like a real music blog, not just some dork typing about emo music into his Macbook. 

When we published our first-ever Staff Favorites roundup back in 2021, I talked about how lucky I felt to have this talented team of writers at my back, and now that feeling is amplified tenfold. I couldn’t be more proud of this team or their work; they make me want to be a better, more well-rounded music writer. Scroll down to read about their favorite albums of this year, then go follow them on social media, and support all of their projects. Each and every person in this article is talented beyond belief with taste to match, I have no doubt you’ll come away from this with a list of incredible new music to check out.

Without further adieu, here are Swim Into The Sound’s Staff Favorites of 2023. 

Nickolas Sackett | Greg Mendez – Greg Mendez 

Forged Artifacts / Devil Town Tapes 

When I was younger, my childhood home was often blanketed by the background hum of a random radio station or TV show. I didn't have a strong concept of actors or fiction yet, so there were times when I would fall into the conversations of Law & Order or Sex and the City and believe I was listening in on real people out there somewhere. The songs on Greg Mendez remind me of that (perceived) window I thought I was stealing looks through as a child– stolen glimpses into a world far away from my own, hushed confessions and painful stories told in a whisper from behind a lit cigarette in an alley. And yet, despite how bleak these stories can unravel, their mere existence reminds you that although all of this can be quite painful and terrible, there's still so much beauty to be found. 

Other Highlights:

  • Indigo de Souza - All of This Will End (review)

  • Field Medic - Lightisgonept2

  • André 3000 - New Blue Sun

  • Taylor Swift - 1989 (Taylor’s Version)

  • 100 Gecs - 10,000 Gecs

  • Olivia Rodrigo - Guts

  • billy woods & Kenny Segal - Maps

  • Chuquimamani-Condori - DJ E

  • Earl Sweatshirt & The Alchemist - VOIR DIRE

  • Jungle - Volcano

  • The Drums - Jonny

  • Hotline TNT - Cartwheel


Joe Wasserman | phoneswithchords, Ben Sooy – phoneswithBen

Start-Track

I’m not sure I believe in love at first sight. Frankly, I don’t give the notion much thought. I do, however, believe in AOTY at first listen. That moment for me this year was when I first heard “If Time,” the lead single off phoneswithBen, the collaborative album by phoneswithchords and Ben Sooy of Denver rock band A Place for Owls. There is not much more that I can say about this record than what I already have on my Substack. I’m in love with its sounds and melodies, the way it speaks to me about my anxieties and worries, and the way it makes me feel comforted and okay. Before listening to this album, I felt alone with age and time. When I listen to it, all I can think about is the warmth that surrounds me.

In alphabetical order, here are five more albums that spoke to me this year:


Nick Webber | Vagabonds – The Pasture & The Willow

Self-Released

I’m very bad at picking favorites, but The Pasture & The Willow is the album that has snuck up on me the most this year, and I love a grower. The record begins with “Sungazer,” a mantra: “It won’t happen like you think.” There’s something ominous and mystical in the atmosphere, like a prophecy. As foretold, the song blooms from hushed slowcore to shoegazey/yelly post-hardcore in barely 3 minutes, an anthem for grief prolonged and an apt prologue for the fevered, contemplative vision to follow.

The album’s title evokes something literary and bucolic, and the lyrics are often painting impressionistically: pastoral scenes, trees that weep, just noticing the beauty of simple things. Interspersed are these earnest, personal vignettes of everyday life; “The Checkout Line” describes a breakdown at work, where the backroom becomes a sanctuary for the grieving grocery clerk. The infinite crashes into the ordinary.

There’s also joy in the fullest, most mysterious sense: the peaceful reassurance of waking up next to someone you love, the hope for a future out from under the thumb of the forces that conspire against your flourishing, perseverance in the pain and uncertainty. It won’t be like this forever; visions of settling down somewhere quiet in the country, longing for rest. “The peace comes to visit / But never to stay.”

The Pasture & The Willow is gentle in its heaviness, wrapped in some of my favorite guitar work of the year. I found myself reaching for it when I felt weary, anxious, or reflective. It’s the one thing that felt good to listen to when I was driving to the hospital last week (everything is fine now). It’s equal parts calm and cathartic; I’m still caught off guard at how massive the arrangements get. And at the center of it all is this preoccupation with connection. Can we cut through the curtains that separate us from each other (and me from myself) and climb on through?


Elizabeth Handgun | Water From Your Eyes – Everyone’s Crushed

Matador Records

Goofy yet profound, experimental and artistic yet grounded, Water From Your Eyes delivered one of the greatest albums of 2023 and possibly all time. The musicianship! The humor! The daring to go where few musicians have ventured before! It’s all there on Everyone’s Crushed. From the flurried and chaotic lead single, “Barley,” through “14,” which is mellow and shot through with longing, to the thumpy, punky closer, “Buy My Product,” the album delivers a bewildering yet beautiful tour through the minds of Rachel Brown and Nate Amos. The album also gets more interesting with each consecutive listening, rewarding close attention and an open mind. The whole project is strange and remarkable but with a little current of tender jokiness running throughout. I’m crushed!


Logan Archer Mounts | Lydia Loveless – Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again

Bloodshot records

To be fair, I must admit this is my second favorite album of 2023. I am rolling out my entire list of 100 albums on my Instagram (@sleeps.with.angels, shameless plug), and I don’t want to show off my top pick just yet. But I have a trend that seems to ring true every year: my top spot is occupied by what I think is objectively the year’s greatest musical experience, and the runner-up album is usually what I listened to the most. My bootleg third-party app streaming stats for my Amazon Music account may say otherwise, but Lydia Loveless’ sixth studio album was a cornerstone soundtrack to my year. The only two times I’ve seen the Ohio-based, alt-country singer-songwriter were in 2023, and they were at the exact same venue just eight months apart. In March, she appeared for a pop-up acoustic set at the Empty Bottle in Chicago, coincidentally enough, my second favorite venue in the city. The show mainly contained new, never-before-played material from her upcoming album that had yet to be announce. I was thrilled to hear these tracks in such an intimate setting and couldn’t wait for the final product to be unveiled. 

Nothing’s Gonna Stand… arrived in September, with Lydia returning to her Chicago label Bloodshot in conjunction with her own imprint Honey, You’re Gonna Be Late. It’s a concise, ten-song collection that showcases what Loveless does best: twangy guitar rock with unforgettable hooks and melodies. Besides the excellent singles “Sex and Money” and “Toothache,” the entire record is full of no-holds-barred honest pop, like the self-effacing “Poor Boy” or the wall-crumbling breakup anthem “French Restaurant.” The track “Ghost” features the album’s title in its chorus: “Now that I’m dead, nothing’s gonna stand in my way again.” You can bet I listened to that song over and over again as I was preparing to, and successfully did, quit my job. The spring of anticipation and the late summer of constant rotation led into the fall of presentation: I soon found myself at Loveless’ tour opener back at the Empty Bottle on Black Friday, this time with her full band and a record out in the world. I stood right up against the stage again as they burned through most of the tracklisting of Nothing’s Gonna Stand…, as well as fan favorites like “Head” and the return of the oft-requested “Wine Lips.” I got her to sign my concert scrapbook, including the setlists I was able to grab from the stage at each show, and thanked her for the brilliant record. So even though it didn’t take the coveted number one spot, on a personal level, I could not have gotten through this year without it. And for the first time all year, I truly feel like nothing’s gonna stand in my way again, thanks to Lydia Loveless.

If that sounds good to you, you may enjoy some of my other favorites I’ve selected:

  • Sincere Engineer - Cheap Grills (Chicago folk-pop-punk international touring sensation returns with her best and catchiest release yet.)

  • The Mountain Goats - Jenny From Thebes (John Darnielle’s prolific catalog expands with this theatrical sequel to the 2002 classic All Hail West Texas. In some ways, it’s sort of the anti-album to its lo-fi companion, but I think that’s what makes it one of the band’s best among their last handful of titles.)

  • Dave Hause - Drive It Like It’s Stolen (The Loved Ones’ frontman burns through ten songs in 28 minutes, a more compact, but just as fulfilling, version of the heartland punk he’s perfected over the years.)


Ben Sooy | Gia Margaret – Romantic Piano

Jagjaguwar

Last night, I felt a panic attack approaching. Car trouble, money trouble, difficult day, underlying grief, and mental instability. I was trying to breathe deeply, get to sleep, and remember I’m okay. I’ve learned a few practices to help in a time like this. I can kneel down and put my face in the carpet, I can lay on my back and slow my breath, I can count all the things I’m grateful for, I can listen to music that helps center and calm me down. 

When asked about her very good (mostly instrumental) 2023 album Romantic Piano, Gia Margaret said, “I wanted to make music that was useful.” This is music that is of great use to me, personally. There are sounds from the natural world, piano songs filled with longing and peacefulness, touched by melancholy. The squeak of a piano bench, the sound of cicadas at night. It’s useful the same way walking outside and being surprised by a thunderstorm is useful; I forget about my troubles, wrapped up for a few moments in something bigger than myself. This album improves my quality of life and my mental and spiritual health in ways I can’t begin to articulate. I think it would be helpful to you too. 

Other 2023 favorites:

  • Nick Webber - All The Nothing I Know (A thoughtful and beautiful exploration of what it means to realize that you don't know anything about anything, but that's okay! Written and painstakingly self-recorded by universally beloved human Nick Webber.)

  • Josaleigh Pollett - In The Garden, By The Weeds (Josaleigh and her musical partner Jordan Watko created a masterpiece, one of my favorite records of the last ten years. Dark and lonely, hopeful, heartbreaking songs for when you feel insane and need a friend.)

  • Plain Speak - Calamity (Plain Speak writes and records the kind of songs I've always attempted to write and record. Earth-shatteringly good indie rock in the vein of your favorite Death Cab record.)

  • Broken Record - Nothing Moves Me (Denver emo band Broken Record was created in a lab to make the exact kind of music I like: emo made by people who obsessively listen to Jimmy Eat World, Sunny Day, and the Cure. I would die for Denver emo band Broken Record.)

  • Elliott Green - Everything I Lack (Crushingly good songs about addiction and heartbreak written by a very kind human being. If you like any of the boygenius crew, for the love of God, check out this record.)


Jason Sloan | Glia – Happens All the Time

Candlepin Records

Consider the wheel. Invented in Mesopotamia, or maybe Eastern Europe, or China, or perhaps in each location independently, the wheel was seismic upon impact, perfected almost as soon as it was conceived. Millennia of human ingenuity may have added component parts here or there, but the underlying technology has remained fundamentally unchanged. You’ve heard the one about wheels and reinvention. 

The beauty lies therein—a well-made wheel is still a hell of an instrument. And on Happens All the Time, Glia fashions one hell of a wheel. While they may not be inventing new textures out of whole cloth the way Kevin Shields did way back when, Glia polishes up the familiar into 41 minutes of blissful shoegaze; the shuffling drums and psychedelic guitar crunch of “Tumble” alone are worth the price of admission. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it; just make sure you make it really fucking good. 

An off-the-top list of old (new-to-me) songs that meant a lot this year:

  • Yard Act - “100% Endurance” (2021)

  • Silkworm - “Couldn’t You Wait” (1994)

  • Breakwater - “Five” (1995)

  • Hard Girls - “If They Never Find Out” (2012)

  • Gangsta Blac - “Down wit Clique” (1998)

  • Prefab Sprout - “Appetite” (1985)

  • Thurston Moore - “Benediction” (2011)

  • Red Red Meat - “Gauze” (1995)

  • Swervedriver - “Never Lose That Feeling/Never Learn” (1993)

  • Nicki Minaj x Cocteau Twins - “Heaven or Super Bass” (2021)


Connor Fitzpatrick | Lankum – False Lankum

Rough Trade Records

Irish music reigned supreme in 2023, well, for me at least, seeing great albums from John Francis Flynn’s contemporary twist on folk standards to Lisa O’Neill’s orchestral storytelling to Øxn’s experimental doom. But among all these towering achievements, one album stands out as a titanic classic. That album is Lankum’s False Lankum. 

The Dublin doom folk quartet’s fourth album feels like a masterpiece in the truest sense as it crystallizes the band's elements into a singular, haunting tome. Lankum infuses their Irish folk with drone music, creating an atmosphere that is as menacing as it is tranquil. The stories in these songs often feature characters who live hard and wretched lives, doomed for some sort of tragic death. “Go Dig My Grave” tells the tale of a woman who ends her own life after being spurned by the man she loves. Fun stuff, right? But it's the way the band brings these stories and characters to life that makes the album so enthralling. They're at their best when Radie Peat takes on the lead vocals backed by traditional instruments like uilleann pipes and bayans as she describes the lives of the meek who did not inherit the earth. False Lankum is a dense album that rewards those who return to it, and I intend on returning over and over so I can savor every minute of it.


Katie Wojciechowski | Bully – Lucky For You

Sub Pop Records

I am trying to wrangle this blurb into something that’s not jarringly tragic. And honestly, it might be a futile effort. After all, Lucky For You is about a dead dog, about breakups, about the end of the world as we know it. When you lose your dog, your marriage, or your career, there’s grief, of course, and also, there is rage. A sensation that resonates with hoarse yelps, the slamming of cymbals, chugging, distorted electric guitar chords. With Lucky For You, Alicia Bognanno of Bully has turned the shards of grief and anger into grunge-pop melodies that are as unflinching as their subject matter deserves: she lost her beloved dog Mezzi last year, after more than a decade together. These songs are the sound of her attempts to process life’s stock-in-trade heartbreaks—romantic wounds, crippling self-doubt, and the horrors of living in America—without her best friend by her side. 

There have been days this year when singing along to “Days Move Slow” in my car at the top of my lungs has felt like a conversation with a friend who understands: a friend who’s a step ahead of me, who’s cracked the code of alchemizing despair into melody. Even before I knew that “A Wonderful Life” was about a dead dog, I felt Bognanno’s warm, punchy words in my bones: “What a wonderful life / my heart’s breaking on the bathroom floor” quickly became the refrain, this last summer, for my own life falling apart in real-time. 

Bognanno’s vocals have a retro quality, evoking charismatic pop-rock voices from the early 2000s, like Michelle Branch or Sheryl Crow in her louder moments. But she’s not content to cash in on basic pop blueprints: like its 2020 predecessor SUGAREGG, Lucky For You leans into distortion, thick bass riffs, and, at times, full-on yelling, like in the Bikini Kill-esque final track “All This Noise.” The last two songs of the album zoom out on the sociopolitical factors that tally among Bognanno’s sorrows: the latter torching the American government in a blaze of rage, the former, “Ms. America,” a soft, piercing reflection on the improbability of the dream of motherhood in a rotten country like ours, where there’s endless funding for weapons manufacturing and none for healthcare or schools or even clean water. I listened, a hundred times over, when she sings, “All I wanted was a daughter / try my best to raise her right / but the whole world’s caught on fire / and I don’t wanna teach a kid to fight.” All that we’ve lost this year, so many of us. All that 2023 unceremoniously stomped against the curb. I’ve watched it all slip through my fingers, and I’ve carried my dog’s old collar in my backpack when I’ve bounced between temporary homes, and I’ve listened to Bully like a prayer, knowing that despite how it sometimes feels, I’m never really alone.

My other favorites:

  • Black Belt Eagle Scout - The Land, The Water, The Sky

  • Paramore - This Is Why

  • Kara Jackson - Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love?

  • Hotline TNT - Cartwheel


Russ Finn | Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band – Dancing on the Edge

Sophomore Lounge

Leading his band State Champion, Ryan Davis crafted cinematic songs about bar bands and barflies, using impeccable vocabulary and wit like some sort of art-school-educated Hoosier John Prine. Since his last album with State Champion, 2018’s Send Flowers, Davis has spent a lot of time painting, drawing, and writing the seven songs found on my favorite album of 2023, Dancing on the Edge.

The atypical country-rock structures and long-winded rambling found on Dancing on the Edge feel like the natural continuation of State Champion, even if it’s rebranded as a solo album. Davis’ time spent making visual art perhaps informs the striking imagery and minute details within his songs. His ability to effortlessly put the listener in a “piss-stop town,” a “shipyard plumber’s band,” or a “junk drawer heart” is unmatched. Beautiful lines like “there’s a blackened space between the back of my head and the back of my face” are found so frequently on Dancing on the Edge, it would be impossible to summarize all of the best lyrical moments in a short blurb. Instead, I suggest you listen to the opus “Flashes of Orange” and give the lyrics serious attention. For the literary-minded singer/songwriter fans out there, Ryan Davis & The Roadhouse Band’s Dancing on the Edge is an essential album and one of the best of 2023.

For what it’s worth, my second favorite album of 2023 is My Back Was a Bridge for You to Cross by ANOHNI and the Johnsons. Below are some releases from friends, acquaintances, and obscure corners of the internet I feel deserve more attention:

  • Spirit Furnace - Spirit Furnace EP

  • Heavy Quitters - Heavy Quitters

  • Riley Parker - Discover EP

  • Bailey Allen Baker - Grab a Bucket

  • Perfect Angel at Heaven - EP

  • Chief Broom - Hidden in Plain Sight

  • Taxiway - This is Permanent

Quarantine Creative Check #2

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As the coronavirus shows no signs up letting up, we’re back again with another round of creative quarantine check-ins to find out how musicians are holding up and how you can best support them in these uncertain times. 

BREATHERRR

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
So I’ve had to split my isolation. Days off are spent inside, but my day job is at Costco, which is perhaps the most impacted grocery outlet at the moment. So I’ve had a bit of anxiety, but have also been very cautious in my interactions. I’ve also been trying to embrace the forced disconnect, with a lot of horror movies (Thanks SHUDDER!) and production work (as always).

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
At the moment, I am releasing one single a month, leading up to a full album release in the fall for my 3rd full length, FEAR FLORA. So luckily, I have been able to stay consistent with its release as it is all digital at the moment. When it is released in the fall on vinyl, hopefully we will be able to head out on tour. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
Creatively, I feel like we have a great opportunity to be inside and sit with our emotions, as tumultuous as they are right now. I feel like that is key to a lot of great art: uncertainty. So leaning into that I feel can be ultimately cathartic. I’ve definitely got some stuff cooking...

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
I have friends who are full-time musicians, part-time bartenders who have been impacted greatly. So yes, hit up our Bandcamps. Buy songs and merch, it helps more than you’d believe. 

At the end of the day, I’m here to provide a soundtrack for our daily emotions, and hopefully you can find catharsis in what I do. I have 3 new singles up, and a 4TH dropping on April 9. Visit my website, or any streaming platform (Spotify, etc) via Linktree. Also, follow me on Instagram @breatherrr to connect, learn about my new music, and laugh at some foolishness. Stay safe!

 

Joe Billy

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I could be doing a lot worse. I’ve been under some form of isolation since Saturday, while able to go do certain necessary tasks. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
I’ve unfortunately had to cancel many gigs including tour dates, rehearsals, and a birthday show. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
In terms of creativity, I’ve found myself to be able to force myself to do a few projects I’ve been putting off when my excuse was “I don’t have enough time” haha so incidentally I’ve had the opportunity to get my ass in gear for certain things. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
I’m not sure about the state of the post office right now, but everything for my merch and music can be found on my website and the easiest way to buy music would be through Bandcamp. 

 

A Boy Named John

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I’m hanging in there! We’re trying to stay positive during this time. I’m on day 5 of isolation. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
We had a whole rollout plan for our upcoming EP ready to go that was projected to be released in June. However, now we’re reconsidering that date due to the pandemic. On the bright side, we’re going to use this time to dive deeper into creating an exciting release strategy that we think our fans will love. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
We’re an extremely tight-knit band of close friends. Our creativity feeds off of each other’s presence. With social distancing, we’re feeling disconnected from each other and our weekly routines have been thrown off. We were on a roll with our EP release plans and now that everything has come to a halt, it’s going to be hard to pick up where we left off. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Please stream our music, watch our YouTube videos, and buy merch on our website! Also, follow us on our social media. We’re trying to use this time to connect with you! ☺️

 

Chase Your Words

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I’ll be honest, I already suffer from depression and anxiety as it is, and times like these have my anxiety going in all directions. I’m only on day 4 of isolation, but the days feel slow.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
We don’t have any tour plans yet, but it’s definitely a downer seeing our friends in other touring bands having theirs cancelled or needing to reschedule. Our mental health varies with each of us as individuals. Our group message chat is a little fearful of the pandemic and the symptoms that (could) come about, but we’re all looking out for each other one way or another.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
As a band we’ve been wanting to start writing the album. We work extremely well when we’re together, but with everyone in isolation/quarantine, we’re feeling strong limitations. Luckily enough we’re all able to write music as individuals with working computers to record our ideas and demos, so it’s safe to say the dropbox account is piling up. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Honestly, we’re doing okay for now since we’re not really touring currently. That being said, we did release an EP late last year called Sayonara which you can stream/buy almost anywhere online. If you want to support us, we also have merch that we heavily discounted.

Please don’t forget to support the artists directly affected by this pandemic by buying their merch, music, and keep a lookout for their rescheduled tour dates if you want to directly support them.

 

Vagabonds

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
I think I’m on about 8 days, but it feels like it’s been way longer than that. I just left my house for the first time in days to take a walk for an hour or so. I was getting too buried in projects and to-do lists, so I needed to get out. Now I’m doing all right.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
To be honest, I feel like I’m not getting as much accomplished as I should be. Maybe I am doing enough, but it’s hard to gauge with the days blurring together. Like many of my peers who choose music as their source of relief and expression, I do have preexisting struggles with anxiety and depression. They’re mostly manageable these days, but the general panic hasn’t been especially to kind to me. It hasn’t spiraled to a terrible degree or anything, but I’d be lying if I said it hasn’t affected me at all. 

I will say the one thing that has been making me feel the best is listening to Earth Crisis, Snapcase, and even some early Cro Mags and writing riffs that rip off those bands. It’s fun to work on something that has no pressure placed on it to succeed. It gets me in the free space again mentally. 

I also am in the midst of self-releasing an album. It’s hard to cut through the noise, even as everyone is glued to a screen. I’m still trying to promote the record, though, because it has a lot of value to me. I think it has an underlying feeling of peace that could provide some sort of escape for listeners. Even though it feels like sending it out into a void sometimes, it’s important to keep sharing. 

I’ve had some really exciting tour dates cancelled too. It’s a bummer, but it’s not the end of the world. There will always be another gig.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
I think that being too close to a project can stunt creativity. I definitely feel that right now when I try to hash out more Vagabonds songs. I also don’t feel like I have many real parameters at the moment, which sometimes help reel me in creatively. I’m still having a swell enough time writing, though. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Honestly, just listening on streaming services is great. I put out one of my favorite songs I’ve ever written yesterday, and I just want people to hear it. If anyone wants to help support fiscally, I really appreciate that. I have an online store where people can preorder the album that’s being released next month. Bandcamp essentially works as a digital tip jar too. Anything helps. At the end of the day, though, I just want people to let the music I make find a place in their life. That’s the ultimate goal. Letting that goal become a reality is the greatest support.

 

Bloom de Wilde

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?It’s about a week tomorrow. Being an introvert arty farty music nerd it’s not that hard for me, but I have two young children and I imagine they will remember this strange time for the rest of their lives. So we’ve been trying to make it quite fun and magical - playing with complete abandonment, painting our faces, building dens, dressing up and playing lots of music. There are moments that I do find it difficult and I found playing the drums (I’m not a great drummer but it’s just so enjoyable) is very helpful with that! Instant meditation. I’m also trying to finish my new video but realized it’s ok to slow down a bit, take away the pressure, and just be. 

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
My EP is due for release at the end of April, but lots of gigs were cancelled, and even my EP launch party and a small tour through Holland were called off. So I am thinking about alternatives, doing little online concerts from my sitting room, organizing an online release party, and also working on some ridiculous ideas to make people laugh a little. I quite like the idea of a challenge; restrictions often make for the best creative solutions. 

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
The paradox here is that in quarantine I have less time alone than usual as the kids are not going to kindergarten right now. So even though this week has been all about playing and enjoying time with them, I do also want to finish that video - it’s really nearly there! And my EP will be coming out very soon, so that’s another little puzzle to ponder about - everything needs to be done a bit differently. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
There’s my stuff on Bandcamp of course, and my EP will come out the end of April, so stay tuned :) it’s a collection of colourful uplifting life-affirming songs channeled straight from the Universe, and all made with love; so extra good for the soul in these challenging times. 

You can watch my videos here

Also, it’s especially important to feel connected these days, so if people leave comments or want to interact, I am very grateful and delighted to receive and respond to your comments and messages 🙈🙏🏾💌🌸☁️✨ You can do that on Instagram, Facebook, Soundcloud, Twitter, or Bandcamp.  Stay well and safe everyone! Xx Bloom

 

MEATBOT

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
Hey, thanks! This is Will, the guitarist/singer. I've been mostly at home since Sunday, although my wife and I run a record and bookstore so I've been doing shipping/delivery for that this week since the physical store is closed.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
We're still releasing our new CD at the end of this month but no gigs scheduled and clearly won't be for a while.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
The challenge is being creative when dealing with dark thoughts about how bad this could get.

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
We have put up some pre-orders and CD/t-shirt bundles on our Bandcamp page all the prices are reduced and US shipping is free.

 

Taciturn

First off, how are you holding up so far? How many days of isolation are you currently on?
Natasha - This is day 6. It’s not so bad in the sense that it’s like an extended meditation. There’s a lot of work to do behind-the-scenes that we’re finally being able to hone in on. 

Nyle - I’m about a week and half in and honestly my day to day isn’t much different. Before the quarantine, I mostly went out to run errands or play music.

I know we’re only a week or so into this, but how has this quarantine/social distancing impacted your plans? (creative process, mental health, tours, album rollouts, etc.)
Natasha - There are things that are going to be delayed -- like the recording of our second album, but the creative process hasn’t really stopped. We’re sending each other demos in Google Drive, polishing the ideas we’d been working hard on in the past few months. We’re mulling over the nitty-gritties of an album that we were formerly trying to finish in a very competitive timeline. All of that has come to a halt. Mentally it’s tough. I want nothing more than to play a show right now. But our shows in April are cancelled. But there are positives -- people are online more. We held an awesome online flash sale this week, and donated the money to the Abortion Fund of Arizona.

Nyle - Natasha and I are definitely mentally dependent on playing shows and extrovertly being creative. The quarantine has pumped the brakes hard on that. Luckily, we’ve found a way to continue to creatively collaborate, but I prefer doing things in person.

What’s been the most challenging part of being creative right now?
Nyle - Before Natasha was in the band, I’d write Taciturn songs on my own in Logic, which included me meticulously writing all the instrumentals in a computer chair. It felt like engineering or working on a long math problem, which I enjoyed. When I had the luxury of playing together with a live drummer and bassist, the songwriting process became much more orchestral - in the sense that I’d direct changes in each instrument until we created a Taciturn song. When Natasha became our bassist, things evolved even more as she shared the director/conductor role with me. Because of the quarantine, we’ve regressed to me making music on Logic and sharing demos with Natasha. I of course enjoy doing this, but there are some major downsides. I particularly miss the energy of playing together that would inevitably enter the songwriting process. There’s a reason we write songs in the same room and I really can’t wait until we can get back in the studio. 

I’ve seen lots of bands putting merch up online, encouraging people to donate, and more, what’s the best way for people to support you?
Natasha - Stream us on Bandcamp, Spotify, wherever you listen to music. We’ve also got a bunch of new merch on our Bandcamp that we’d love to send you.