“The Humbling River,” - Puscifer: One of the coolest songs I’ve heard this week, by experimental rock outfit, Puscifer. Featuring lead singer Maynard James Keenan (from bands such as Toll and A Perfect Circle), musician and vocalist Carina Round, and musician and producer Mat Mitchell. I love the acoustic, stripped-back sound of the track, with that foreboding, but simple guitar riff, melancholy orchestral strings, and basic drum rhythm in the back. I definitely need to get into more of their stuff.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=siWusSBld7k
“Prima Donna,” - Moonpop: One of the more underground artists on this list, Moonpop is actually a psychedelic rock/shoegaze band from Anchorage, Alaska. I came across them on Instagram and I instantly became a fan of this song, when I heard it. The synthesizers and dreamy guitars add a lot of personality to the track, and the bass riff is infectious. That guitar solo in the instrumental break is easily one of the coolest solos I’ve heard this year, and motivates me to continue practicing my guitar.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vc4MjSqgfdI
“Ascension,” - Gorillaz featuring Vince Staples: Whether it’s the glimmering synthesizers in the chorus, or Vince’s dark and impactful verses, there’s a lot to like about this song. I still can’t believe that Gorillaz and Vince Staples collaborated. I like this timeline, as well as the production of this track.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hBA0PUQCvIA
“007 (Shanty Town),” - Desmond Dekker & The Aces: I’ve been of reggae and ska music since I first discovered Long Beach’s local band, Sublime. Desmond Dekker & The Aces were a Jamaican band, and this song was a hit for them. The song tackles poverty and protests against the country’s government trying to build an industrial complex on land near the beach. It’s a song that really resonated with me, as the city of Long Beach has, for years, been trying to build luxury hotels/housing on the Los Cerritos Wetlands. I always love driving by the wetlands because it reminds me that we share the land with other creatures.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=alGOb2X9_ZY
“Creature,” - Tijuana Panthers: A surf rock banger that I actually know how to play on guitar, this song is just so infectious and I love that it’s revived the genre. Tijuana Panthers are a surf rock and indie rock band from Long Beach, and I love the whole monster-movie aesthetic of the track. I highly recommend the music video, as well as listening to this song on repeat. The reverb-drenched guitars feel like a call-back to The Beach Boys and Dick Dale. I’ll review the album this is from, Max Baker, next year for sure, as it reaches its 10th anniversary.