Following the release of Josh Rose's new single Heatwave, we caught up with him to gain some insight into the influences that make up this energetic sound. If you like his choices, be sure to check out the track.
1. Florence & The Machine - King
Florence Welch outdid herself with this one. The sheer dynamic range of her vocals, as well as the accompaniment is something to behold. This song has a master’s degree in tension building, with a massive payoff at around 2:43. The lesson to be learned? You don’t need to give everything away within the first 1-2 minutes of your song. Save it. Let the listener drown in the tension you build. I was moved to tears the first time I heard this song. The pre-chorus lyric “I need my golden crown of sorrow, my bloody sword to swing
I need my empty halls to echo with grand self-mythology,” throws you right into Florence’s internal struggle. The self-awareness of the objective meaninglessness of one’s ego, but recognizing it is a fire that must be fueled as an artist. Powerful stuff man.
2. Tame Impala - Lost In Yesterday
Of all the amazing songs on Kevin Parker’s latest album The Slow Rush, Lost in Yesterday is the one I keep coming back to. Kevin always does an incredible job of exploring very real, human experiences in his art. The core message of the song can be summed up by his lyric “Eventually terrible memories turn into great ones.” To me, the song feels like a reminder to always live in the present moment. Even the moments that feel horrible at the time, will be looked back upon through rose colored glasses. We will always have the desire to go back, so you might as well start enjoying the present while it’s still here.
3. Electric Light Orchestra - Wishing
What it must have been like to go see ELO live back in the 1970’s.. It’s something I will always long for. Wishing is one of Jeff Lynne’s masterpieces, from front to back. Of all the track’s impressive qualities, what stands out the most to me are the vocals. The harmonies are entrancing, and perfectly placed. The bassline sucks you in like a Dyson vacuum. A truly electric wall of sound. The hook is out of this world, albeit a simple one. “I wish that everything was gold, I wish you were here to hold. I’m wishing.” If you can make it through that whole song without feeling something, you must be a reptile.
Billy Joel is one of my top 5 favorite artists of all time. His ability to use music as storytelling device is unmatched. This song is one of the best examples. He somehow managed to pack 3 different songs into one, and yet they all feel so well connected. I’ve always loved his piano playing, and vocal sound. He’s got this gritty inflection that always adds so much texture. Fun fact: I only own a harmonica so I can play Piano Man, and will probably never use it for anything else.
5. Coldplay - Coloratura
This song is a trip. First of all, I pray that I reach a point in my music career where I can put out a 10 minute song, and people will listen to the whole thing. There’s something incredibly magical about Coloratura. To me, it feels like Pink Floyd’s sound reincarnated via Chris Martin. “It’s the end of death, and doubt. And loneliness is out.” It feels like the song that would play as the world ends. Chris was able to pluck something truly special from beyond the veil for this one. I’ve always been a fan of Coldplay, and it makes me happy to see they are still experimenting this late in their career.