Max's Music Mondays with June McDoom and Feems
And new Barrie and new Chrissi and even a new cover on the playlist
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. If you do, you can follow along on spotify and please be sure to absolute smash that dang subscribe button! tysm :) paid subscriptions go towards directly supporting the artists you read about here!!
The playlist finally has a cover lol - a true lol - years and years later. But hey, better late than never. It’s a pic of me, so excited to show off this sunflower. And if that’s not a good metaphor for what I’m doing here, idk what is. I love to find things that are incredible and show them to anyone I can.
As the year comes to a close, we’ve got some really exciting news coming over here. But more on that soon.
Until then, I’ve been busy. I just flew back to NY, a trip I’m getting more used to. It’s funny how just a few times spent in a place and suddenly it begins to feel familiar. To open up in new ways to you, dots connecting, perspectives shifting. And when I say funny, mostly I mean exciting. To approach the somewhat familiar and lean into it, and become more familiar in unexpected ways. Last time I came back to NY for thanksgiving, it was a long walk while I talked to my therapist that taught me my partners’ neighborhood in an entirely new way. Main roads and side streets connecting where I hadn’t mapped in my head before. It happens with music too - my album of the year, (spoiler) Dragon New Warm Mountain I Believe In You, unfolded with secrets and deeper connection the more I listened.
I toyed around with (but never finished) a longer essay about the album, charting how I felt, what I loved back in November when the original singles dropped, revisiting last summer, and again this fall, each time the same album growing and changing. It’s exciting to be open to that evolution, scary too because by “open” I mean, music exists and life happens and sometimes the two push and pull at each other and we don’t really get to “opt in” to that… but regardless. It keeps me here and keeps me looking and listening, forming relationships to these songs now, curious about where they’ll go. Who knows. I’m just along for the ride.
This Week’s Songs
We’re nearing 700 followers on the playlist - I can barely believe it myself <3 if you’re feeling wild, it’d be amazing if you sent it to a friend :)
June McDoom - The City
A part of me just wants to enjoy this one. To ask you to hit play and just listen along with me. A whole write up that’s just timestamped reactions like “ooh woah” and “hahaha isn’t that sick”. The kind of feeling I get sometimes where something feels that special, and I don’t want to get in the way of that. But, you know as well as I, that I’m gonna try. At least call out a few of the most special moments in my eyes, my ears, my heart.
It opens gently, soft guitar, McDoom’s soft breath delivering this floating vocal. It’s truly spectacular folk. What more could you want. When that electric guitar conjures up some desert flair for us… my goodness. perfect. The guitar breaks the seal, letting the drums, the bass, the wet guitar out left, and the vintage wave synth know it’s ok to join. And suddenly by 0:40 the song feels entirely different, the band and its woven elements offering a killer groove, the whole arrangement fitting together so nicely.
Around 0:53 it’s back to the previous scene, this time some haunting vocals share some gorgeous ooo’s underneath.It all feels elegant and timeless and powerful. Old friends call me once a month now / They all live so far away. Come on!!! That shit hits always, and here, in this soft groove it shocks me and sends me reeling. My friends are far away too - and dang it, I miss them!!!! In a slick move, filters cover McDoom as they reimagine the bass’s scene-shifting melody to end the verse. A second to consider the beauty before the drums roll us right into another chorus. Light bells ring warm around the outside of this one too. You can feel it slowing down too right? I’m not just imagining it? A heavy kick wakes me up and lays us softly into the next moment. Again and entirely new song, unimaginable from those first moments but absolutely perfect for the piece. Shocking but it makes so much sense. Some keys, distant organs, light chimes, and McDoom. And McDoom!!! That titular lyric delivered with such grace, it’s truly nuts to me that someone just went ahead and made a song this good… this little transition so unforgettable to me already. The song trudges forward, McDoom walking so slowly through these old memories.
The section finds it self repeating “For you”, tying harmonies tight, letting that bass line work, and those eerie synths oscillate. All these different layers of McDoom sitting so well together, this lush texture creating a perfect moment of music. I could listen to this bit on loop for ever and ever. The song continues like this - playing with this tension between spooky and loving and hurt and warmth. Then 3:37 strikes, finding another new place to take the song. More ghostly than ever, and just as it starts to float away, that gorgeous little guitar starts vibrating through half notes that keep the song so grounded and psychedelic and real. This one packs a damn punch, so so happy to have it and have spent so much time soaking it all up this week.
Follow June McDoom on IG / Spotify
Feems - FAULT
This song rocks. Moving through this dreamy surreal intro moment, it hits hard from the very beginning. Those drums feel heavy and warm, an intoxicating guitar riff, the reversed audio sounding like it’s pulling chaos from the future, fixing things in front of our eyes, right as we arrive. Then there’s Feems, singing calm and smooth.
A first verse that is so beautiful and heart breaking, Feems taking responsibility even when she doesn’t want to. But she knows she has to, or this whole thing is going up in flames. And judging by the cover art, they’re some nasty flames!! The resignation in that “But I’m done”, shining a little light, offering some context, I’m feeling like maybe this isn’t just about driving but about the whole dang relationship... Feems has been carrying it, been making it work, and she’s over it. Arpeggiated melodies underneath start to roll as her vocal’s get doubled with that deep, deep octave almost rumbling down there. And then it unleashes. And you just are not ready for this explosiveness. This pre-chorus moment swaying us back and forth, ditching the drums for the first time in the song, everything feels lighter and breezier. So when that feedback starts to fly forward, rising from nowhere, partnered with those massive toms banging from side to side, it’s a fucking shock!! I’m loving it, I’m really loving it. It releases into a big and banging chorus, this is some arena-sized pop. Guitar and synth hitting those triplets over crisp and simple drums. The vocals stay contained, their emotion still so palpable, Feems just so over it. That fuzzy guitar whining back in response. It’s just a beautiful moment - full of so many perfect little details. The triplet-to-snare like an on-off switch the energy bobbing up and down. The sneaky tom fill coming back at 1:13, cutting through all the other instruments. The aggressive vocal layer letting some of that anger push through around 1:20, let that angry side out, too tired to play it cool. Wow. A whirlwind of a chorus.
The second verse sparkles in it’s own way. The percussion driving on, some subtle picked guitar underneath, the bass really stepping into the spotlight unafraid to go adventuring into new places. Lyrically, it’s just as devastating, unfortunately… You used to promise me forever / and I believed you every single time. Feems cutting hard with each line. Some new synths color the pre-chorus, each moment continuing to evolve and rebuild. And when the chorus hits, it hits. Blasting off again before this stunning bridge.
This soft strummed guitar, keys trickling around the edges, it’s dark and mysterious and sad but also magical. The different vocals start to spread and pull apart from one another, thoughts rehashed over and over, things starting to fall apart. More anger pours out as it reaches its climax, launching right back one last big and bold time into the chorus. It ends quick, and disappears, all of our friends screaming, it sounds like our headphones got pulled out or something. Gone too soon, because this one is so good my god. Hell of a debut from Feems, can’t wait to see what’s next.
Follow Feems on IG / Spotify
Here’s what else I’ve been listening to.
Yeah, I’ve got another playlist…^^
Barrie - Doesn’t Really Matter
WTF!!!! Barrie is sick with it. This one is a little masterpiece. Heavy hitting lyrics, a swift transition from weird bare instrumentation in the verse to a catchy-as-all-hell chorus. I have had this stuck in my head since listen number one, immediately flying to the top of MMATOD. Barrie continues to get better and better and better and I am enjoying every single bit of it. 1:23 - 1:36 is so damn good I freak out every time. I love this one big time and if the research is right, this could be an earllllly fav for my most played of ‘23 LOL.
Little Simz - Gorilla
UNDEFEATED. New Simz dropped to shake the whole shit up. Little Simz is sooooo good and this song has had me by the throat since first play. The beat is so damn infectious, simple and rich and beautiful. I love anyone playing with conventional form, but especially when they do it with such artistry and beauty. It’s just bar after bar after bar, erupting with that brass band. It’s majestic. The string section gets hired for the second verse and the thing just doesn’t stop. It’s boastful and fun and casual and every line has me hooked. This section sums it up for me:
Don't ask my opinion on shit 'cause to make you feel good about yourself is exhaustin'
I got bangers out in the world soarin'
And I got bangers in the vault I've been hoardin'
Yeah, true, I got tennis in the mornin'
Before I start swingin', that man's gonna need a warnin'
Parker Tate - June
SWOON for this one. Parker Tate - one half of Mulherin - putting out this sultry swirling number, it’s hot and intimate and just a great song. At under two-mins, it packs a punch, Parker showing off some skill - lyrics, melodies, harmonies, sick production - this thing really has it all. Including an ending that leaves me wanting so much more.
Chrissi - Stickwitu
CHRISSI SLIDING IN WITH COVER OF THE YEAR?????? Just enjoy this one.
Again… some big announcements coming soon - and maybe you’ve seen some clues around here today!??! Can’t wait for what’s to come.
Talk soon, happy hanukkah,
Max
wow, I'm totally enchanted with Chrissi and her 'Stickwitu' ✨