MMM with Eliza Niemi & Zacchae'us Paul
If you like music you're gonna love these songs... holy moly some true pros here.
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
It’s Monday and guess what? I have some songs for you. I know, it’s a bit of a shock, but it’s going to be ok. Anyways they’re really good, I can’t wait for you to hear them.
Another fun week in MMM-Land, thanks to everyone who shared/supported last week’s post and hello to all the new subscribers who joined! So so glad to have more folks here every week.
A busy one over here today, lots of exciting stuff coming soon - but in the meantime, let’s just dive in.
Mendel News
Hudson Freeman’s next single, Slouching, with Jesse in Grey, drops on March 27th!! AH!!! So stoked about this. Please give it a pre-save if you haven’t already. PLEASE!
LA Readers, Friends, and Enemies! I’m back with another Two by Two show at Scribble next month. I’m really proud of these shows and hope you’ll join me for another one on April 22nd.
RIDICULOUS collection of artists here, can’t tell you how many times I’ve watched this clip of Gayathri covering Cleo Sol… I better see you there.
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.
Eliza Niemi - DM BF
Ok this is thrilling. Every time I sit down to write, I rarely know what song I’ll write about. I have a shortlist I’m always working off of, and I have plenty of reliable ways to find something new beyond that too. But it just has to feel right when I hit play and get to typing. You’ll never see the graveyard of half finished write ups… (but I’ll send you the songs if you want them). Anyways, this is not one of those, obviously. Because you’re reading it. But this is special in it’s own way. The music gods shining on me today. As I found myself in a bit of a rut trying to find the perfect compliment to Zacchae’us Paul down below, I opened IG as I do, and boom there’s one of my favorite artists, hemlock, posting about this record. One listen and I knew it was exactly what I was looking for.
The bouncing bass, the little whistle to fill, bells ringing out. It feels like an underwater/nighttime level of a video game. And then all the sudden, drums, flutes, strings, flip this song on its head. An entirely new feel in just a matter of seconds. Stunning. Thrilling. Niemi is gentle with these vocals, near whisper over beautiful chords. Those low notes are so rich… god I am hooked.
I’m obsessed with the writing. Each lyric a poem in itself, efficient and full. There’s a clear and specific image rendered with just a few words. So admirable and so enjoyable to listen to. Especially in this structure - each lyric giving space to the band to sing back in response. Sometimes it’s as simple as the whistle, other times the flute dances in the opening. Each time exciting, each time noteworthy.
To add the [BLEEP] in there… that is literally genius. I can’t get over it. It seems to inspire Niemi, quickly reaching up for a new melody. These new heights a place to land my favorite lyric yet - I smell the beauty in the garbage, amen. Moving and thoughtful. As the verse ends, we see that idea in more detail, a charming encapsulation of strangest parts of love.
The drums fall away and Niemi stretches a new question out for miles. The band so dreamy as a backdrop. It’s a light and breezy new section, building effortlessly out of the verses, falling so easily back into another.
This time around, the whistle is pushing a bit more, new bells ringing out from the left. Amidst such stunning writing it, again, is fun to find Niemi’s sense of humor woven through. I see my love at the trees’ end / do I need an eye test. It’s just so good. The final line in this verse reminds me of the new Japanese Breakfast song, Picture Window, where Zauner sings, Do you not conceive of my death at every minute. An interesting parallel thought to find, and one I’ve never really considered in a partner before. Hmm…
But anyways, no time for that now, the band is going off!!! Almost exactly half way through, the drums disappear, our guitarist picking through a nice, almost mysterious, progression. It’s a totally different feel yet again, Niemi continuing to surprise.
Here we return to the central question. But now, with each repetition we dial down deeper, a second lyric of context to push the emotions even further. A sincere and touching moment of reflection for both sides of the question. The percussion smiling through at the end and we keep moving.
We return to a more familiar sound, the band picking right back up. The guitar with a tasteful solo, the flute popping out for a brief moment of magic too. The drums also showcased here to close, a couple outstanding bits, the whole thing carrying on until the end. It’s a special one.
Ugh, I can’t wait to spend more and more time with this record now.
Follow Eliza Niemi on Instagram // on Spotify
Zacchae’us Paul - DIRTY RED
Oh man oh man oh man I have been LOVING this song. And the record. This just recently appeared in my life and it’s a terrific collection of songs, genres, and features. Paul seemingly able to do it all. A lot of tracks to name here… It was hard to choose. I love BANANA LAFFY TAFFY, somehow a timeless jazz song, with a gorgeous sax solo, that gets thrusted into 2025, made to feel old and new at the same time. There’s WHAT’S HAPPENIN’ with Cisco Swank and P.U.D.G.E, beautiful chord progressions, really great verses with crazy production. It’s wide-ranging and all makes perfect sense together. My favorite kind of music to find.
But for now, let’s just focus on the closing track. Just Paul on his own (listed on the track at least, it’s clear he’s got one hell of a band alongside him). As a bit of a conversation opens the song, the band swirls underneath. Amazing drums touching every edge of the track, the bass pulling on the groove, the excitement builds immediately. Paul there to catch us at its peak, smooth vocals over this organ/angelic background vocal blend, it’s really working for me.
‘What up Red?’ chanted, beckoning the band back. The arrangements quick cycle here is somehow soothing and overwhelming? Like I can’t quite catch my breath, I feel the song building in my chest, but also I just feel good and easy? Not sure how they’ve managed this feeling but I’m entranced.
The moment finds a gentle end, Make sure to be patient repeated a couple times, and you can feel something new on the horizon. A natural moment to change just need to be a little patient. The drums rolls out through that final second, and WOAH.
A choir SHINES through in this entirely unexpected way. Not only are the chords exceptional (we’re hearing someone who really knows what they’re doing) but rhythms of each lyric hit so perfectly with each new line. Climaxing with such a golden moment, like a gust of vocals, big as could be, so powerful there at 1:39. While it’d be easy to do, getting swept up in the vocals, don’t miss out on how wild the bass is in this section too. An absolute adventure of a bass line, it’s incredible to listen to. You get a tiny taste as the moment ends, but go back and listen again it’s so fun.
We break for some more conversation, the band building back up with the bass while some keys take the stairs to get back up to us here at the next section. Paul again sounds so smooth and so in control. Sharing these stories with ease over this lush groove that just won’t stop.
The moment repeats, and I’m just savoring every second. Ending on that gentle “please”, just a great song, and one hell of a final track.
I also found this live version from last Fall, special to have such a collection of talented artists. Looks so fun, and I admire Paul’s control of the band - easy nods lead us to massive moments and back again. I saw that the drums were based on a break played back through cassette - and it just feels like everything here was done with both curiosity and intention. I’ll be listening to this record for some time to come.
Follow Zacchae’us Paul on Instagram // on Spotify
All The Other Days!!
Gonna get the full March Recap next week - but just have to mention the new Japanese Breakfast album is so so special and I have been SCREAMING along to the new Jensen McRae song… holy holy holy. Got more to say about both and so many other songs in here^^^ hope you find something you love.
Cheers,
Max