Music

Old Tom & The Lookouts Details How Mental Health is a Process, Not a Destination in New Album‘ Just for Beasts’

Indie-folk band Old Tom & The Lookouts delivers a harmonically decadent recount of lessons learned from mental health struggles in their cinematic acoustic album, Just For Beasts.

Independent folk band Old Tom & The Lookouts excitedly anticipate the release of their upcoming album, Just For Beasts, out November 4. This project is a poetic narrative of their journey with mental health told through a collection of 12 uniquely emotional tracks. With a folksy, easygoing sonic apparatus, band members Alex Calabrese and Cecilia Vacanti create a hauntingly beautiful project with Just For Beasts. Characterized by silky symphonic strings, twangy guitar, and all-encompassing background vocals, the acoustic soundscape achieved on this album is beyond epic. From the passionate chorus on “Hey Edna” to the brooding melancholy on the verses of “Dark Rooms,” Old Tom & The Lookouts pours every ounce of their soul into each track as they take listeners along this profound journey of discovery.

The band was inspired to create a piece of art that addressed many of the nuanced challenges – like depression and anxiety – many of us are all too familiar with. “This was all written with hopes of improving the dialogue surrounding mental illness,” says Calabrese. Old Tom & The Lookouts makes it a point to create a supportive space for those who are overcoming mental illness with their music. For Calabrese, there is power in the support of your peers; he says in regard to this project, “all I can hope to do is provide even a sliver of that support to someone else who is feeling that way.” Fans can experience this cinematic album on November 4 – available on all major streaming platforms.

The Boston-based Indie-Folk band is known for creating hopeful, evocative music about mental health. The lyrically driven project is shared through the lens of writer and singer, Alex Calabrese and violinist Cecilia Vacanti. With their combined efforts, the two provide a minimalist tone, accompanied by lush string arrangements, witty and brooding lyrics, soulful melodies, and striking harmonies. Paying homage to influences such as Frightened Rabbit, Phoebe Bridgers, and Tom Waits, yet capturing a new voice within the Indie-Folk genre, the band’s full record, Just for Beasts is a concept piece centered around finding community, a sense of self-worth, and finding a healthy and sustainable way to love and support yourself as well as others you care about. The record addresses many of the nuanced challenges presented to folks suffering from depression and anxiety. Some groups Old Tom & The Lookouts associate themselves with and speak in support of are To Write Love On Her Arms and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention (AFSP Boston).

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Boy Sim explores heartbreak and self-deception on “Cloud Nine”

Boy Sim’s new single, “Cloud Nine,” tackles the difficult task of pretending to be happy. The release is an energetic, emotional listen that turns post-breakup denial into an optimistic take on a man trying to convince himself everything is fine, even as his emotions haven’t caught up with the fact that a relationship has failed.

“Cloud Nine” is about being in that uncomfortable space where you know the relationship is wrong but you’re still emotionally attached to the person. Boy Sim takes off the rose-colored glasses, recalling the red flags he ignored and the truth he didn’t want to know, and he’s ready to move on, but his ex is still on his mind.

What’s cool is that it’s a hyper-pop, high-energy song, but it still feels open. Boy Sim’s heartache is an intoxicating up-tempo sound that speaks to the sometimes messy process of moving on. As the second single from Boy Sim’s upcoming record, “Cloud Nine” comes with a music video that matches the song’s high-octane energy.

The song is basically about the difference between being truly happy and pretending to be happy. The song implies that just telling yourself you’re okay doesn’t mean you’ve moved on. It’s another chance to discover a new pop artist unafraid to explore the messy emotions of relationships, denial, and personal growth.

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Album Review

Brynja Rán finds clarity in complicated relationships on “Unblurred” [album]

It can be hard to see when a relationship no longer meets your emotional needs, especially when affection, uncertainty, and repeated disappointment are hard to untangle. “Unblurred,” an album built on the bedrock of emotional unavailability, recurring conflict, and the slow dawning that a relationship might need to end, is where Brynja Rán unpacks that difficult process.

The ten songs follow the arc of attachment and frustration, weaving together the story of someone trying to figure out what they deserve. The focus track, “Unblurred Lines,” hits on the album’s central concept. This is when the veils begin to fall, and the person is more ready to see the partner’s behavior for what it is. The song is musically rich, with an acoustic and electric guitar soundscape, synthesizers, bass guitar, drums, and additional instrumentation.

The surrounding songs view the same emotional landscape from different angles. “Cowboy Wannabe” explores a partner masking insecurity with a detached personality, and “Deja Vu” captures the frustration of arguments that go round and round without changing anything. “Adore” is about ignoring red flags when you’re that into something, and “Cherry” is about the temporary comfort of being in a relationship that just isn’t right.

The album opens up by looking at borders and the need for real connection. “Make Me Feel” is about wanting to be loved, and “Until” is about how long you should stay in the twilight zone. “Still Stuck Waiting” captures the frustration of waiting for communication and commitment. “Don’t You Leave” begins with fear of abandonment and moves toward healing, while “What Else” ends the record with emotional exhaustion and a desire to move on.

Rather than treating every experience as a one-off event, the tracklist of “Unblurred” attempts to create a single image of relationship troubles. With this release, Brynja Rán explores unhealthy patterns, boundaries, and getting the clarity to choose a different path.

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