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Eric Schroeder Releases Album

If you’ve ever heard the music of Eric Schroeder before, you already know that melodic sting is often the backbone of his heady rock sound, but in his latest release Turned on the Stereo, which was released this year everywhere quality indie-rock is sold and streamed, it plays as great a role as the lead vocal does. The guitar is the star in the title track of this LP, much as it guides the grooves of singles “Parting (No. 2)” and “Stayed the Same,” and whether you’re a six-string buff or not, it’s an element that will engage anyone who catches a glimpse of this album’s most powerful moments.

There’s a lot more to Turned on the Stereo than just gilded guitar tones; after all, when listening to songs like “Mother Said,” “The Kind of Wound That Never Heals,” “Plan For Me” and the juggernaut “Never Go Away,” everything from the percussion to the vocal harmony itself is presenting us with a different layer of emotion. There’s scarcely a juncture in this record where Schroeder doesn’t sound deeply invested in the narrative he’s trying to get across, which is something I could only wish to see among his mainstream competitors nowadays.

At the center of every song on this LP is the magnetizing melodicism of the leading man, which despite flexing some legit muscle in past releases bearing the Eric Schroeder name sounds much more relaxed and on-point in tracks like “Do Done Now,” “Claire’s Song” and “Easier Way to Go” than it ever did before. There’s no hesitation on the part of our leading man here; if anything, I’m not sure that he’s come across quite as confident in his performance as he does in a couple of this record’s most climactic fever pitches.

https://open.spotify.com/album/7h8hV4kn18WMWcov4723YN?si=CgrNzFBvRs6D-BaqroToKQ&nd=1&dlsi=b22a7ce812e34a6e

As far as the production quality is concerned, Turned on the Stereo is a superbly tight album that doesn’t leave us guessing how richly textured and full a song like the title track or “Never Go Away” might sound in a live capacity, which is undeniably a tough feat to pull off. It’s perhaps not as evenly mixed as The Crucifixion of Eric Schroeder was, but I don’t know that he was looking to go super-polished in this instance; there’s a certain authenticity that comes with filtering fresh material through a raw, unconventional sound, and that could be why this LP stings as hard as it does.

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Though I just started exploring Eric Schroeder’s complete discography a little closer this April, I’ve come to appreciate his approach to songwriting all the more thanks to Turned on the Stereo, which I deem the most mature offering he has released thus far. Schroeder isn’t working with major label assets by any means here, but he’s nevertheless turning in something that feels wholly compelling and different from what his contemporaries are producing in this first half of 2024, and that alone makes it a worthwhile listen for anyone who demands organic quality in rock anymore. Top to bottom, this is a terrific listen for those who love indie riffs and smoldering lyrical emissions.

Sebastian Cole

 

Artist Spotlight

Bash Co. examines emotional imprisonment and love on “Dungeon”

Bash Co.

Love is often seen as freedom, connection, and emotional release, and in the single “Dungeon,” Bash Co. takes a more complex look at reality, exploring what happens when an emotion becomes a prison. The song has been described as a darker take on “Velvet” and is part of an artistic duality between opposing emotional states. “Dungeon” explores being trapped by feelings that should otherwise bring freedom.

The song tells a story of emotional entrapment, fractured communication, and a broken inner state. Bash Co. examines how difficult it can be to shake attachment and emotional intensity. This picture fits with the song’s theme of pain and imprisonment.

The recording process also unexpectedly influenced the final direction. “Dungeon” was written on an acoustic octave guitar, inspired by a series of technical setbacks that helped Bash Co. hone in on the mood he was seeking. Those struggles could’ve thrown him off his game, but instead he used the experience to get closer to the suffocating character that the song’s lyrical concept demanded.

This is especially relevant to the release’s identity. The emotional side is also offered as a philosophical exploration, not as personal history. “Dungeon” would suit “Velvet” much better, and the two pieces explore the dichotomy between emotional freedom and constraint, providing a wider context for Bash Co.’s creative direction. The two releases are divided by a study of how the same emotional terrain can lead to very different experiences.

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Album Review

Girlhood find clarity in complicated connections with “This Will Make Sense In The End” (album)

Girlhood

Relationships are an emotional contradiction, and Girlhood’s fourth album, “This Will Make Sense In The End,” navigates the contradictions of love, attraction, disappointment, and personal growth. Singer-songwriter Natalie Holmes has delivered a pop album that explores that line between wanting to connect and knowing when to protect yourself.

The album’s ten tracks provide a thoughtful exploration of relationships with food, often as a metaphor for emotional hunger, control, intimacy, and the desire to feel whole. It’s an album that’s about exploring uncomfortable relationship dynamics while keeping personal discovery in sight. It starts with “It Could Be Worse,” and it’s about the exhaustion and bitterness of an unbalanced relationship. It’s about the slow realization that wanting more isn’t unreasonable.

Girlhood

The lead single “Lemon Aid” is an intriguing balance of external playfulness and internal frustration, and it is all the brighter for the emotional pressure. “Picnic” takes a generally happy setting and uses it to explore the negotiations and power dynamics that can lurk just beneath the surface of a relationship. Attraction is also explored on the album, and the difficult area of physical desire as opposed to a real emotional connection.

“Cracked” is about the intoxicating allure of a toxic situationship and owning your confidence and sensuality. “Island to Island” also explores the confusion that can happen when physical chemistry feels like the start of something deeper. “Straight at the Bar” is about wanting to be accepted for who you are, not for who someone else wants you to be. “Silver Lining” touches on both mental and physical health, while “Born Hungry” pays tribute to life’s opportunities and the need to let go of toxic attachments.

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Girlhood

The final song, “Wouldn’t Change a Thing,” is reflective, taking the record into a space of self-love, acceptance, and appreciation for one’s past. “This Will Make Sense In The End” is defined by the tension between desire and control. Girlhood is about finding perfect love and learning not to lose yourself in the search.

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