Max's Music Mondays with allie & Korby
Plus - Come to my LA show tomorrow!!! and another thrilling announcement :)
Welcome to Max’s Music Mondays. My ~music discovery newsletter~ where I get too excited about songs I love. I hope you love them too. Your subscriptions go such a long way. Free subscribers help these artists get the audience they deserve, paid subscriptions help keep this thing running and also PAY THE ARTISTS!!! 2/3 of every subscription goes right back to the artists I write about. Please consider supporting independent music and music journalism(?) here today <3
Special Announcement #1: 🚨LOS ANGELES THE SHOW IS TOMORROW PLEASE COME ENJOY THE BEST MUSIC YOU COULD EVER IMAGINE!!!!!🚨
Again, it’s the first show I’m presenting as Mendel and going to be an amazing night. If you’re in the LA area please please I’d love to see you there!!
Special Announcement #2: Okay WOW. I am so proud to announce pre-orders are live for the first physical release on Mendel!!
Friend of the newsletter, redbrd, and I have put together a small run of cassettes for his debut EP, Brigid’s Cradle. It’s a limited run, so please pre-order if you’re interested! Includes an exclusive instrumental and remix :) So much more to say on this soon, but for now check out the link below!!
It’s really such a joy to start feeling some of passions materialize in real ways. Taking shape and making more sense. A lot of these things - the shows, tapes, compilations - I’ve been working on them for a long time. Even if the process was quick & easy, there were months of thinking, of phone calls, of exploration that led there. Sometimes it has felt like I’m “not doing enough” or whatever, but that’s never been true and only been a test of my own patience and trust. So that it’s all happening now, feels both deeply thrilling and also comes with this strange relief. Proving to… idk myself? y’all? that these things and plans are real. True to my word, true to myself.
Anyways I appreciate your support immensely! And as a treat here’s two insanely good songs that I’m so excited to show you.
allie - Every Dog
From the very first listen I have been lost in this song. A beautiful summer-turns-to-fall indie song that I am so excited to be writing about today.
I’m not ashamed to say it, I’m an absolute fool for any song where the guitar and vocals run side by side like they do to open up this track. Not only are they beautiful partners for each other, but both are special on their own. allie’s voice is so smooth… are you kidding?? Such a lovely texture to it, that little bit of grit on the lower side of their range, unique shape as she pushes to the top of the melody here. I am a FAN. And the guitar also stands strong, such a balanced sound both in the strummed chords and the little picked riff that fills the space between lyrics. The moments with allie are supportive but as soon as she steps aside the guitar steps in, happy to take the spotlight for a moment.
I love the drums here too. They’re soft and I wanna say, bouncy, just keeping a lightness around the track as everything progresses. Ugh, honestly, there’s so much to love, it’s hard to know where to begin…
I love the way the melody jumps up at end of phrases - above your head floating up in the sky. I love the way we find unexpected space towards the end of the verse - what you wanted in- steeeead finding an extra measure to stretch across. I love the writing, specific yes, but also so tactile? From the trains on crooked tracks grinding, these t’s, c’s, g’s, giving the writing that much more life when sung. The little guitar slide right after, another sick flourish. Going the wrong way on the wrong one-way- streeeeet. Another bit of magic, adding the extra measure in again, pulling me in even deeper. Not to mention the satisfaction of the wrong way lyric, just feels so weird (good) to sing.
But from there we get the titular lyric. Haunting as allie sets it bare in front of us. There’s a guitar being strummed like three blocks away, barely heard here, but what you can hear sounds like a train in the distance - quietly chugging forward. Some synths start to rise, that old piano finding some space too. A brief build before allie comes back. All the new elements stick around, the song powering forward, though powering feels too harsh of a word for a song like this. And at 2:15 we take another step, the song sneaking up on us, growing bit by bit and now feeling big and expansive. Sea foam splitting on the rocks is such a cool lyric and gorgeous imagery. It all just feels nice!
The moment passes, back to just allie and guitar. In this intimate parting of the clouds, allie ends with a wish, a prayer, sending love and light to someone even though they might be far from them now. It’s really tender and generous and makes for a special end to a special song.
The song is nearly three and half minutes, but it flies by for me every time I listen. It’s dynamic and full of movement, it’s creative but still so familiar, it’s just great and I know you’ll agree.
NY readers - allie is playing alongside two other MMM-approved favs, D.A. Crimson and Torri Weidinger on the 27th
Follow allie on Instagram // on Spotify
Korby - Drown
Listen, play the first five seconds of this song right now. I know you hear it too. This is some unmistakable “Shit Max Likes”. The guitar tone, the gnarly little riff to connect a few chords, the skittering drums. The contrasting quickness of the percussion and slow swell of the guitar, it’s intoxicating. I eat this kind of thing up, so obviously I was excited to hear it from Korby.
I came across his music this summer when he dropped the piano-led My Garden, a really beautiful song that shows off his unique voice and unquestionable ability to put together a stunning and loving tune.
So hearing the production come ripping out of the gate like this was a bit of a surprise. A welcomed one, to be clear. His first verse comes in quick, finding suitable openings to lay down lyrics. The band still the centerpiece. I said things I shouldn’t have gets met with a gnarly ol’ synth, almost monstrous how it’s yelling back at Korby.
He’s able to do something so fun with the back half of this verse. Straddling this rapping/singing line, giving the rapped lyrics a bit more musicality as they dance by. It gives the moment a much more interesting shape and I love it.
The section spills into the chorus, Ship was sinking, you had me overthinking rings out as the guitar adds more color than we’ve heard yet. The bass too - the whole moment feels elevated and distinct from the verse even if they meld together seamlessly.
Verse two opens without drums, the vocals sitting dead center, clearer than they have been. And Korby too, clear with his words, wary of any tricks to come. With the drums on the sidelines it’s the first chance to breathe a bit, really fall into the slow sway of the guitar. But the second the snare starts to creep back in, hinting at a return to the urgency, my heart starts racing. And my anticipation is rewarded. Not only do the drums come back and damn they hit, but Korby takes on a new melody. It’s swirling, it’s elegant, it’s warm, and it plays against the drums’ energy so damn well. The band breaks to give space for his warning, and we all drop into the next chorus together again.
Running through it this time feels so good. The lyrics already feeling familiar, and the sum of it all makes me want to singalong. Has me picturing all of us singing along together. It’s a joy.
The sound is so lush and full of tiny beauties. As Somehow we both drown repeats over and over, little bits of the effects start to feel like filtered vocals? Idk it’s sweet. But before I crack the case the song transports us to a dreamy new place. Hazy and thick chords fill the track, synths dancing, guitar dancing, Korby singing in the other room, it’s a perfect almost-sunset feeling.
Been loving this one, can’t wait for whatever is to come from a clear talent.
Follow Korby on Instagram // on Spotify
Last Week on All The Other Days:
Everything is romantic featuring caroline polachek - Charli xcx
Obviously we knew there would be a remix album (and already there’s another non-album remix coming with the Kesha version of Spring Breakers, this release cycle will never end (good)), but I’m really blown away by it. My social media is like 75% Charli-related most days so I’ve seen sooooo much talk about the philosophy about the remixes and meaningfulness they offer. So beyond those important and beautiful things, we’re left with great music.
Charli and Caroline are such wonderful collaborators and I really love this one. Plenty of Polachek Polacheking, the riffs and runs are silly. But her writing here is so distinct and well done. It fits the brief and brings its own unique perspective. Catch a face in the windowpane / oh what’s up it’s me that’s mine is one of the most genius lyrics ever written?? Just makes me smile what can I say.
SHELL ( OF A MAN ) - Saya Gray
Maybe the best artist working right now?? Dropping their most “normal” song to date, Saya Gray is back with a big beautiful single. I say normal but it really isn’t. Of course. The whole thing has this square dance cowboy feel, but each element finds a way to do it in a unique way. The opening riff features a guitar soaked in some otherworldly effect, which really sets the tone. Gray’s voice is unbelievable. This first section showing off the top end of her range and as we hit the 0:45 mark, the sick harmonies too. Pace picks up as she speaks directly to us, and when we cross the 1:15 mark things get wacky (and so damn good). This call and response from the high heady notes and the full bodied nearing-screaming voice. LOVE!!! So much to enjoy with this one.
No Genius - Raissa & Rahim Redcar
Hit play, try not to dance. Actually never mind, don’t starve yourself of that pleasure. Raissa laying it down over this thick synth and groovy as hell percussion. Bringing in Rahim Redcar (fka christine and the queens) and giving the song a dose of his signature brilliance is so fun. The two sound great together, on the same page, moving hand in hand and making something joyous and cool in the process.
40% - The Army, The Navy
TATN sports two insane vocalists and it’s really thrilling to hear them in this context. Pushing past their acoustic roots and into this rock sound is so sick, and doesn’t take anything away from their voices. Stick around for the back third there’s a damn organ going tf off before a key change that’ll knock your socks off. Whew what a ride.
15% - Victoria Canal
Less % than TATN but just as much song!!! I am entranced by Canal’s voice. The gentle vibrato on the lower ends of this melody is haunting and I just have no choice but to say “DAMN THIS IS SO GOOD!!!”. A beautiful recollection of scenes in her memory - having a clear perspective in the moment then instantly becoming anxious she was reading it all wrong. Relatable as hell. The bridge goes hard (softly) and I’m speechless with the ways her voice bends and blossoms in the final moments. Can’t wait for this record.
Wet - Annie DiRusso
A good old fashioned rocker here. A collection of metaphors, each so creative and delightful. If you’re a pool, I’m a reckless kid running on the tile / confident that I won’t fall in, then slipping every time. If that’s not a Lyric I don’t know what the fuck is. Expressing the thought so clearly and in an entirely novel way. The Wet Wet Wet post chorus is big and bright and welcoming. The band almost breaks down but finds their legs and into another verse we slide. Unable to stop this person from re-entering their life, no matter what they try. The bridge scratches my little 00’s pop punk brain and ends the song with a sexy little whisper - this one has it all.
See you at the show tomorrow, your pal,
Max