Max's Music Mondays with Ruby Francis & E L E Y
TREAT YOUR DANG EARS, IT'S MONDAY AFTER ALL
A little later than usual??? What’s going on? Well, daylight savings got me all messed up. But what would be even more messed up is if you weren’t following the spotify playlist or subscribed to this here subby!!!
Alright let’s just get the necessary stuff out of the way up top. Happy belated pi day, happy belated daylight savings, happy belated Grammys! The big three, the true trio of American celebrations.
Should I write something about the Grammys? Yeah probably! That would be relevant. But I wrote this part before the Grammys which puts us in a bit of a bind. Sorry!!
Anyways *I take off my non-serious person shirt and put on my serious person shirt* this week on On Being they shared a replay of an interview with Ocean Vuong. If you ever heard Vuong speak before you know that literally every word that leaves his mouth could change your life, otherworldly wisdom is effortless to him. One of those moments hit me when Vuong unleashed such a simple gem (around 11:45):
My grandmother and my mother and my aunt would tell stories to, you know, recalibrate their past, to make sense of their past.
The choice to use recalibration there felt intentional and big. For me it is exactly that, a need to ~make sense of it all~. A very personal, internal accounting of my past, understanding the building blocks that got us to today. But it also feels like this necessary contextualizing for an audience. Saying here’s what you see today, but actually, I think you’d appreciate it even more if you knew where it all came from. Is it an insecurity in the present? A fear that because this story, whatever it is, hasn’t concluded yet, hasn’t reached its pinnacle yet, that this audience simply couldn’t find the same meaning/appreciation/value in where it’s at today? Craving a chance to point and say, hey it might not look like much, but it really is. I think about returning to some semblance of normality in the near future (literally every finger is crossed, simply banging on wood) and wonder how we can avoid this pressure. We’ve all been through so much, lives have changed, lifestyles have changed, jobs have changed, families have changed, priorities have changed, everything. Yet so much of it has happened in private. Will we (I) feel the need to tell stories about why any of these things are true for us (me)? Or will we trust someone else with the present moment. Not require a story and not ask for theirs, just appreciate the moment for what it is and be grateful it can happen. It sounds good, and I know it won’t be that easy. But if voicing it here helps hold me accountable to it in some way, then, an intro well spent.
MONDAY UPDATE: Serious person shirt Max was going for it, huh!? It’s the Vuong effect, just nothing you can do but succumb to the beauty and thoughts it creates. Anyways, all the performances last night were so fun, it looked like everyone was genuinely happy to be there. It was just a sweet evening :)
In Case You Missed It
Some perfect Perfume Genius remixes
New Jorja Smith, a perfect voice always, this one is a treat
spill tab going the fuck off with their new single, these instrumental explosions that I could only describe as ‘bonkers’
Logic1000 returns with a walking-through-the-city-as-it-rains remix for Caribou
Our MMM friend kmoe is back! Slotting in #2 on Spotify’s hyperpop playlist, feels nostalgic and futuristic at the same time. A weird and loving banger.
Skullcrusher with another stunner. From her IG post -
that summer I thought a lot about what it means to really put myself out there and share something personal. I felt so vulnerable and overwhelmed by the fact that these songs I had written in private were exposed and likely being misinterpreted or disliked. I think the song really tries to communicate these anxieties in a cathartic way while also leaning more into the beauty of relinquishing part of myself.
Another MMM friend, Wilby, returns with another winning tune. A heartwarming indie gem with just enough darkness and edge.
Stuck Right Here - Ruby Francis
No matter where you are mentally/physically, the second this song begins you can’t help but succumb to the beauty. We’re talking flowers blooming for the first time beauty, we’re talking sunset drives on the coast beauty, we’re talking pulling that banana bread out of the oven beauty. Close your eyes and drift away. Two rough kicks wake us from the dream, Francis’ easy vocals pushing them below a filter, keeping everything smooth for now. “We can take a walk it’s still light outside / the clocks move forward for summertime” please believe me when I tell you I picked this song before hearing this lyric… sometimes it’s just fate!! What timing!! Ya love it. Well, I love it, idk if it really does anything for you (esp. my UK pals who might not know that this did happen last weekend). We can feel the bass and guitar slowly stepping out on stage, making their presence known but hiding around the edges. Now, this is where we need to have a quick word with Ruby Francis. When this song started, I thought we all agreed this was just going to be a very sweet and very beautiful and very smooth song. But this?? Is a lot more than I signed up for. I love every second of it, every last drum sample, every moment of silence, every bit of energy it takes for me to do that scrunched up face you make when something smells bad/sounds good (the latter in this case). It’s a moment so unexpected but so well played. Amidst it all, Francis doesn’t falter. Reaching up for the gentlest notes, in such contrast with banging drums. So elegant, so intimate. You can hear the eye contact. The drummer loosens up a bit and the mix fills with layers of vocals having some fun, finding their pocket - almost some boy band energy here too. The second verse settles us down, building back up from the simplest layers. A little “chune” peeks through, the accent charming as ever. As the pace picks up, feels like the story does too, starting to get a little hot and heavy. That moment at 2:16 or so, when the clouds part and Francis delivers that tender “stuck right” in space, come on... The chorus rules again, those R&B chords of stacked vocals really do create a ~vibe~ and it’s one I love. If you liked 2:16 you’re going to love this bridge at 3min. That breathy riffy lead on display. And that’s it. JK WE STILL GOT A MINUTE TO ROCK. A funky synth lead adds to the surprise/bonus minute. Running alongside the highest vocals, all of it coming together so beautifully. Turns out the song had a lot more to offer and mhm I’m grateful for every last drop.
what’s the catch? - E L E Y
Some dreamy guitars picking away, and the birds really are chirping. It’s a delightful start to your morning vibe. I could live in this forever. The bass and drum join, and even though it’s heavier than before, E L E Y’s voice makes the transition feel natural and not morning-vibe-ruining. The voice in this verse… so beautiful. What tone, loving, almost can hear the smile on his face. And there’s no surprise when you hear the lyrics too, so much optimism and excitement about a potential love just when all hope seemed lost. Cue the anthemic drum fill (if you’re new around here, plainly, this will always win me over) and we’re off to the races. This chorus big, and full-hearted pop music, it feels like such a contrast from the easy going verse. The production is funky and full of such intricate and delightful sounds. Plus… that harmony stacked over “Girl whats the catch?” another thing that is extremely my shit. It’s a really amazing moment, one that seems to blend influences really well, feels like something new - especially sitting alongside that verse. The filter creeps back in muting the band so those vocals can shine a bit more clearly. Those harmonies as we near the chorus are really special. They sing “no stress” and I feel no stress - the magic of music in action. So peaceful and calming. There’s something charming about the chorus that stands out this time - last time I was too busy gawking at every perfect little detail (see above) - the lyrics suggesting it all seems too good to be true. And maybe that’s what drives the passion and energy shift. Whatever the reason it works and works well. Not much more to say, this is a really well made song. Every bit executed so well. The bridge/outro returns us to that dream state we stumbled into and all feels right. The three minutes breezes by, and whether the warm breeze of the verse or the crisp chorus. This is E L E Y’s second single, the first a much more band-driven R&B smash, which is also rather beautiful and I would highly recommend. But they’re clearly a great writer and great performer, with the ability to succeed amidst very different sounds. Which just makes me excited for whatever’s to come next.
Also it’s March Madness, and the ides of March? National potato chip day too? Been a busy few days! And it’s going to be a busy few days here too wink wink. Another artist feature on the way!
Cheers,
Max