MMM with Cash O'Brien and Sahara Grim
This week's picks and favs from your road trip suggestions
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
Happy Monday!!
Sorry for missing you last week - spent a few days away seeing family, came back and had a Big Show this past weekend. Hope you didn’t miss me too much. Patience is a virtue anyways etc. etc.
Before my road trip I asked my kind friends and open-minded enemies to send through some albums to listen to on my road trip. A nice day’s drive up the state of california. And y’all delivered. The Road Trip is a famed music listening experience, I was excited to finally have nothing but time.
I was so grateful for everything everyone sent, dropping some of my favorites at the end of this week’s newsletter.
Mendel News
You know, as time goes, I’m thinking there’s gonna be more and more Mendel News and might spin off a little Mendel Newsletter soon. So don’t be scared ok?!!
Two weeks ago, I officially announced that Mendel has signed
! It’s been such a joy working together thus far, and I can’t wait for you to hear these new songs. Written a lot about Hudson over the years, it’s an honor to work with him!
Pre-save our first release together right here! Drop me a line if you want a sneak peek :)
Also, a couple nights ago, a couple hundred of us celebrated Maddie Jay’s album release with a sold out show at Scribble. The biggest Mendel show to date, a true joy. Thank you to everyone who came - including the new subscribers I met at the show!!
Both Maddie Jay and Emory have gotten a lot of love from this very newsletter. Felt so special to bring that love to life through this show. Sorry to be earnest and proud!! Now let’s get into some new songs.
Please follow the playlist if you haven’t already! The road to 1k is long but my determination is longer…? Idek. It’s where I put all these songs, and every follow helps the music that much more.
Cash O’Brien - Velvet/Velour
Last year, I got really obsessed with Cash O’Brien’s single, CHARCOAL. Cool production, a bold arrangement, crazy vocals. The little melody that opens “iiIIIiii know your faaaaace” found its way deep into my brain. O’Brien also a part of past MMM featured artist, Spit/Kiss. All of this to say - I’m a fan and I was SO stoked to see a new release.
A gorgeous sunrise, this wavering synth/string texture growing slowly from the horizon. Two guitar chords, and some beautiful exploration in between them. It’s a stellar start, the mood is set. The song breathing deeply before O’Brien steps to the mic.
Immediately it feels special. I hear a couple layers overlapping but slightly separated, filling the song from left and right. He’s got a great tone, so smooth across this first verse. a distance apart / used to know you so well. And suddenly I feel the loneliness in the band’s patience, in the room they leave between lyrics.
As the drums roll in, it’s all so tight. Love the added vocals here too. I can’t tell if it’s a different person or just O’Brien pitched up, but it feels like the second voice in this conversation. Both people realizing the tension and trying to think it through.
Cash and the guitar dance alongside each other through this melody. It’s really catchy and I think it’ll be the final kiss of death for you being obsessed with this song too. And to be clear dead = good here. Even without the drums it feels so powerful, so heavy. When the drums return it’s just all so big and gnarly, and it rocks.
The (sonic) clouds part, and we hear O’Brien again, like the weight has all lifted off his shoulders. It’s a tender moment, one we’ve all felt:
I spot you in violets / there’s something about their particular hue / I never considered / how the simplest of things could remind me of you.
It’s a clear-minded and generous reflection. In the wake of a relationship, trying to heal, and realizing that’s easier said than done. The So I hold my breath and I keep to myself, a reminder of how hard and confusing these experiences can be.
The production continues to grow through the verse. New sounds, new textures, the whole thing elevating as those reverbed strings return for the pre-chorus. Building and building as we enjoy the I find it difficult section again.
This time the repetitions of How’s this supposed to go? Hitting harder and harder. We launch into a little synth solo, the whole band rocking tf out, as we all try and find an answer to that question. Heck of a tune, so excited for more.
Follow Cash O’Brien on Instagram // on Spotify
Sahara Grim - The Fool
This one is such magic. I came across Sahara Grim’s music at some point last year when she played a gig with friend of the newsletter (and compilation 2 contributor), Salome Hajj. And I’m really glad I did, Grim’s songs are elegant, detailed, and full of heart. This one in particular, has all that and then some.
As I listen to this song, writing out the lyrics like I do for most of these write-ups, I’m caught by the early lyric Walking towards the edge of the world. That imagery stayed with me and now I can’t help but see the song as one long walk. A series of thoughts banging around and settling as you take the time to yourself. But we’ll get back to that later.
There’s a lot more to say first. An initial hum builds a base - drums, guitar, synth, and bass, appearing together, such a patient groove. Braving through some unique chords and exciting notes before settling down together. Able to do something surprising, but also with the control and restraint to let Grim’s vocals take the lead instead. The whispery quality of her voice pulling you in, bringing you with her as she heads underground.
A new acoustic guitar joins, quietly filling the space around the edges. The momentum building as we waltz towards the minute mark. Grim reflecting back on the party that’s over, the small talk that was shit, laughing after remembering life is so much more, shaking off the frustrations and dissapointments of that night.
Grim moves on, knowing she can, before dropping a perfect lyric. If I’m acting strange, well maybe I’m just feeling strange / is that ok?? I’m grinning from ear to ear. It’s brilliant. Sometimes it’s that simple. Her delivery here is so nice. Floating through these melodies, that little bit of grit on the low notes a beautiful touch.
See my true colors / every shade and hue (that’s right, we got a pair of ‘hue’ lyrics this week. fun when these songs are somehow in conversation with each other) leads us to the musical cliff, the band fading as Grim drops the titular lyric. Revealing that the fool was her partner. This time around at least. Foolish perhaps, for trying to change Grim in someway, make her be someone she isn’t. A cool chord change dips us down, Grim’s vocals there to catch us.
From here we see the production shine. That left→right guitar line at 2:53, mimicked by Grim’s ooo’s. The strange digital bloops bouncing around as the guitar and Grim repeat their dance. Tell me how we’re still the same lands with a punch, our narrator so over this conversation, so over these thoughts. The moment clouded by the bloops (sorry I really don’t know what else to call them), a representation of how those thoughts and conversations get messy every time.
The day, it always slips away and these synthy brass horns slip right in to buoy our spirits. The perfect sound for the moment. Grim’s Sun always sets too soon offers grounding repetition as the ‘brass’ section blooms. Back to our walk, it feels like this moment isn’t over. The thoughts unresolved. But the sun is setting, it’s getting a little too chilly, and we have to head home. Put a pin in it for now. Or maybe it’s a reflection on how often these relationshpis don’t go quite how we thought they would. The sun setting on them before we expect. Either way, it’s a beautiful song and such a ride to enjoy. If you dug this, please check out the whole LP, just dropped a couple weeks back :)
Follow Sahara Grim on Instagram // on Spotify
Some Favs From The Road Trip Suggestions
I got like 30hrs of recommendations, so this is still an endless ocean of songs to swim through. Thank you to everyone who recommended these songs and albums to me. Excited to dive back in on my return drive home. Special thanks to Janae, Duncan, Sophia, Rosie, Billy, Caleb, Wallker, and Nkosi for these recs in particular :)
Click through, I bet you’ll find something you’ll like.
We did it, we got to the end of the newsletter. Thanks for being here, see you next week.
Max
Max!!! Thank you so so so much for the highlight! It’s always such a joy to see how you hear these songs. So grateful to be in the community you’ve built here.