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In April of 2025, Australian singer-songwriter Calum Hood announced that he would be releasing his debut studio album with EMI Music Australia. He began by releasing three singles separately. These singles were “Don’t Forget You Love Me”, “Call Me When You Know Better”, and “Sunsetter”. These singles teased the subject matter and aural palette of the album, garnering praise and fostering excitement for the album that was released on June 13th, 2025. Upon release, the album debuted at number 1 on the ARIA Albums Chart. Although Hood was the last of his bandmates from 5 Seconds of Summer to go solo, his album was more than worth the wait. TRACKLIST Don't Forget You Love Me Call Me When You Know Better Sweetdreams I Wanted To Stay Sunsetter All My Affection Endless Ways Streetwise Dark circles Three of Swords Calum Thomas Hood was born on January 25th, 1996 in Sydney, Australia. Throughout his childhood, he took an interest in sports. He was particularly good at soccer, and showed great promise as a player. However, his heart was set on music. In the year of 2011, Hood began posting youtube song covers with his school friends Micheal Clifford and Luke Hemmings. Eventually they were joined by Austin Irwin, and began the band 5 Seconds of Summer which has amassed millions of album and ticket sales as well as digital streams. Hood has had a history of songwriting, and announced his solo album “ORDER chaos ORDER” in April of 2025. Don't Forget You Love Me Hood’s album begins with the track “Don’t Forget You Love Me”, an upbeat song that contrasts with its dark subject matter. It begins with a guitar ostinato and a drum beat signals the entrance of the vocals. This moving track describes the feeling of being lost throughout heartbreak, emphasizing the grieving process that accompanies the loss of a relationship. The repetitive melody and instrumental during the verses create a feeling of a never-ending tunnel, suggesting the endless feeling of heartbreak. The chorus marks the first change in melody, and it sounds like a desperate echo of begging someone not to forget you, and the vocals become progressively more expressive and powerful to accompany this change. Call Me When You Know Better “Call Me When You Know Better” has an electronic feeling that reminds me of retro 8-bit video games. The chorus enters with guitars that combine an acoustic element with the electronic synths that provide a uniquely summery feel. This song is about feeling guilt around the end of the relationship. Unfortunately, sometimes love is not enough, and you cannot give someone what they need. You’re left with no choice but to let them go. Harmonies in the verses cook up an echoey effect on the vocals, leaving listeners with a sense of wistfulness. Sweetdreams “Sweetdreams” begins with echoey vocals atop a guitar melody and light drum beat. The vocals become clearer as they lead into the verse. This track is about past memories. Hood sings about finding comfort and respite in times past, complemented by echoey, far away vocals that create the feeling of a dreamlike trance. As the name suggests, every dream must come to an end. No matter how much one wishes to stay in the comfort of memories, everyone has to wake up at some point. This devastating reality is teased by the dark imagery of a car crash, hinting that the dreaminess is merely a coverup for a brutal reality.  I Wanted To Stay “I Wanted To Stay” juxtaposes the dreaminess of the previous track with a darker introduction. A heavy bass with intense vocalizations mark a stark shift in mood. A drum beat signals the introduction of the verse. This is another song about being forced to leave someone you love due to your inability to properly care for them. Mental health issues are like any other illness- they impact every facet of your existence, including interpersonal relationships. When your primary focus is keeping yourself above water, it gets difficult to honor your relationships. The overpowering instrumental in the suggests the imagery of drowning in your personal issues. The song ends with a powerful overlapping of the lyrics “I wanted you to stay, please don’t go” on top of “I love my baby, but I’m fading away, I wanted to stay”.  Sunsetter “Sunsetter” is another dreamy song. Reverbed vocals lay on top of a victorious major key track. This piece is powerful and moving. The lyrics paint the dream of forever with someone you think so highly of. The title of “Sunsetter” creates powerful imagery. Love can be powerful and all-consuming. When someone has your heart, it is like they have the entire world. In your mind, they control the cosmos. They set the sun, they hang the moon in the stars. That is what this song is about. You want to be with them for your entire life, which is emphasized by the repetition of “You and I forever” to end the song. All My Affection This track describes complete devotion in love. Love is scary. Love is dangerous. Sometimes, it can be really painful. In spite of all of this, we keep putting ourselves out there and opening our hearts. That is what this song is about. “All My Affection” illustrates the complete devotion of yourself to another. They have all of your love, no matter what happens. The low vocals and mellow guitar create a vulnerable sound, putting listeners in the moment with the subject matter. Endless Ways “Endless Ways” immediately begins with an upbeat and optimistic backing track. The fun thing about love is through getting to know someone, you get to know things about yourself. This song is about how people are a reflection. How you feel about them and how you treat them and react to them tells you things about yourself and the way your life develops. Love is most beautiful when you have the chance to grow with someone, which does require vulnerability and honesty. The exciting instrumental suggests a hint of throwing caution to the wind and diving headfirst with someone. Streetwise Sometimes love is temporary. Sometimes that is the most exciting part. “Streetwise” depicts the exciting sensation of a romance that burns hot and quick, emphasized by the quick instrumental. The guitar creates an optimistic emotion. However, the fast tempo is constantly being pulsed somewhere underneath it. This contradicts with the happy feelings in the guitar by concocting a warm yet unsettling feeling. Restlessness is prominent in a situation where you know you’re on borrowed time, and the instrumentation aurally creates the sensation of being enticed by someone’s hot and cold tendencies. Dark Circles “Dark Circles” has a primarily electronic instrumental, with a synth melody and vocalizations in the background. This track depicts the feeling of losing yourself after losing someone else. When you’re in love, you intertwine your lives and sometimes your identities. Losing that other half of yourself can create the sensation of a void that keeps you up at night as you process and try to find yourself again. The synths create a repetitive countermelody that suggest an underlying sadness.  Three Of Swords “Three Of Swords” has echoey and dreamy sounds in the guitar, drones, and reverb that create the sense of something faraway. This track depicts a love turning sour, the sweet memories becoming bitter. At the end of the relationship, you may romanticize the past. The soft moments feel even softer when dealing with the harsh reality. You’re left yearning, waiting for someone to come back, as suggested by the lyrics “Are you coming home?” These are the moments where you want to reach out, and want to know if someone is thinking about you too. That is the perfect time to listen to this song. The most beautiful of modern developments is the increasing number of storytelling methods. Calum Hood takes advantage of this progression and uses both lyrics and instrumentation to tell his story and connect with his listeners. “Sweetdreams” is the track most indicative of his narrative abilities and is thus my favorite off of this album. The dreamy soundscape that contradicts with the brutal reality of the subject matter captured my attention, and I absolutely fell in love with it. Hood has a skill for adding in complexities in his projects that entice audiences through both artistic ability and musical prowess. Written By Victoria Fitzgerald Instagram | Twitter | Facebook | Spotify | TikTok | YouTube *copyright not intended. Fair use act, section 107.

Need a new breakup anthem? POLLY’s newest single, “B.I.T.E Me” can easily be added to that playlist! POLLY pours her heart on this single, spilling the details about her ex who wasn’t really locked in. There is a deep conversation taking place with listeners, accompanied by a great instrumental. While being so tapped into the emotional side, she makes this a fun, bop out breakup song. The beat, the drops, and the vocals will have you turning up in your bedroom. If you need a healthy breakup song to get those angry feelings out, this is the one for you! Click here to listen to “B.I.T.E Me”! What is amazing about this song is how all of the layers perfectly mix together. The song opens up by having the drums expand, allowing more space to grow during the first verse until the bridge hits. The crash allows buildup for the drop before the chorus, which leads to a wobbly bass complimenting the diction within the vocals. Analog synth bells are sprinkled throughout, creating an effect that reminds me of looking at a comet shower. Her vocals throughout are phenomenal, with the phone filter notch EQ effect and harmonies being used throughout to push the emotional side. The call backs and even the spelling of bite creates a playful and fun aspect of the song. In the final repeating lines of the outro, there is a fast split-up arpeggiation for a closing suspense. POLLY is a pop artist based out of Melbourne, Australia. She is a fast-growing artist, with listeners in over 116 countries worldwide. With only three releases, her sound is captivating audiences by her musical prowess. With skills like piano, guitar, and dreamy vocals, her music is emotional and euphoric. She is unstoppable with her world-class team, including producer Liam Quinn (Ruel, Peach PRC), 19 Grammy award winner Brent Kolatalo, and mastering engineer Chris Gehringer (Dua Lipa, Selena Gomez, Tove Lo, Tones and I). Her sound is a combination of dreamy vocals, raw lyrics, and 80’s synths. If you liked “B.I.T.E Me”, be sure to follow down below with updates on the upcoming EP Daddy Issues ! Written By Nevaeh Scott FOLLOW POLLY: Instagram | Spotify  | TikTok  | Facebook

Describing this new era as a "movie about the 50s released in the 80s", "All The Best" is a single Natalie Livingston projects her astounding vocals. This pop-ballad anthem develops themes of conflicted feelings, heartbreak, and dreaming about what could have been. Natalie's voice is very emotional and raw, projecting the complexities the song emmits. Lines about saying goodbye but still caring show how hard it can be to move on. The 80s-inspired sound gives the song a nostalgic and dreamy vibe. Natalie’s ability to mix vintage style with real feelings makes the song stand out. The production enhances Natalie's modern voice while still creating that vintage vibe. Synths and soft piano give the track an 80s-style sound, while still feeling fresh and current. The subtle guitar riffs and layered harmonies build throughout the song without overwhelming the vocals. There’s a smooth rise and fall in the instrumentation that mirrors the emotional ups and downs of the lyrics.  Effects are used in a careful way that supports the storytelling. The production helps turn the song into something that sounds both timeless and personal. Based in New York City, Natalie Livingston is a multidisciplinary artist with her bubblegum pop sound and melancholic disco beats. Drawing inspiration from artists in her youth, such as Lady Gaga, Adele, and Brandi Carlile, Natalie has achieved success with her recent singles and is gaining traction rapidly with her authentic and quirky aesthetic. Expect more singles this summer because Natalie plans on culminating her pop hits into an EP in the fall. Written By Adalyn Reichenberger FOLLOW NATALIE: Instagram | Spotify  | TikTok  | YouTube

“Love me knots” ties th0rn into a ball of frustration with the petal-picking “love me, love me not” dynamic. Th0rn’s new track explores the push and pull of inconsistency in the depths of a relationship between them and someone who is flaky in their intentions. They sing “ say you love me/ in the morning/ 20 minutes/ I’m so boring ” which showcases the hot and cold nature of this love. They describe this person as “ you’re so burnt out/ half-hearted ” which might also reflect their resentment towards them in the end. The two participants deliver a dichotomy with their actions in the song like “ remembered ” and “ forgot ”, further demonstrating their division. Th0rn comes to the conclusion in the chorus: “ you loved me in the summer/ but now you love me not ”, as the final, gut-punching lyrics in the timely track.  The track starts like a retro video game, and morphs into a medley of sensational sound. A vignette of twangy guitar and swimming vocals comes into full focus after this intro. Angelic vocals hum to sweeten a bitter subject, and contribute to a diverse soundscape. The listener is able to hear a scratch when the guitar changes chords, which works to create a rusticity that compliments the indie-pop characteristics of this track. Th0rn’s moody vocals match the message of the track, and are accentuated by an instrumental outro after the last lyrics. Layering deep lead vocals with the background slightly higher in pitch adds a complexity that listeners can appreciate. The song ends abruptly, following the toxicity mentioned in the song.  Th0rn’s sound is where sad-girl pop meets indie music, plus a signature note of something indescribable. They are an artist from Chicago, who specializes in wrapping gut-punches in silk. They’re attracting attention with a build up of singles that nail storytelling and production. Their new release “love me knots” was produced by WOOF, with an astounding 1 minute and 45 seconds of effective storytelling. They released their first single, “angel dust” in 2023, and their most recent single “love me knots” this month. I can’t wait to see what th0rn does next, and how their soundscape will evolve to portray their vibe and message. Go check out th0rn on their socials linked below for updates on their music, events, and more! Written By Hanna Hathaway FOLLOW TH0RN: Instagram   | Spotify *Sponsored Post - Discovered on Musosoup. A contribution was made to help create this article. #SustainableCurator

cellardoor.mp3 and just martin released their brand new on June 13, 2025, titled “Cold Rain October.” This song is about losing someone you care so deeply for when they don’t see it or care back. Relationships are so hard to navigate sometimes, there is always tension or regret. While this can be really frustrating, staying with them despite all these feelings may not be the answer sometimes. You can care so deeply for someone and still know they aren’t for you. You can go out and distract yourself any chance you get but the thought of “what if” always comes back.     “Cold Rain October” opens up with gentle vocals that immediately grab your attention. Paired with these breathtaking vocals are the lyrics that are extremely relatable. With lyrics like “your ego is thinking for you” and “Cold Rain October I’m numb” it’s so hard to not feel any sort of emotion while listening. While this whole track is amazing, I found myself in awe of the soft but mighty instrumentals throughout. The wistful guitar being strung and steady drums being played made this whole track so melancholic. I simply could not stop replaying it and almost immediately added it to my everyday listening playlist.   cellardoor.mp3 and just martin are singer/songwriters from Vienna, Austria. While “Cold Rain October” is their debut single, the music industry is no stranger to them. These gifted artists have already made quite the name for themselves under the name Murdsdrum as they have been producing music since 2019. They have worked with many artists like Dardan, Capital Bra and Lacazette to name a few. While working with many great artists under the name Murdsdrum they made it to the top 100 German charts a couple of times. The two have been friends for many years with one common interest to make sure their songs are honest and powerful for all their listeners. If you haven’t already, listen to “Cold Rain October” and be sure to follow their social medias down below. Written By Julissa Garcia FOLLOW cellardoor.mp3: Instagram   | Spotify   FOLLOW just martin: Instagram | Spotify *Sponsored Post - Discovered on Musosoup. A contribution was made to help create this article. #SustainableCurator

Loving just a single person is the most precious thing there is to life. It is quite possibly the most surreal feeling in the world. There are never thoughts of regret and there is never miscommunication from either side. It’s almost as if it’s a fairytale but then again, all fairy tales end unexpectedly and without any reason. Trisha Jha released her latest track on June 15, 2025, titled “Empty Poetry.” A song that reminds us that not all love and relationships are destined to happen. There will always be a hundred promises made with the same amount of broken promises and lies. Leaving you in the end to wonder what was real and what was said to make you feel safe in that very moment.     “Empty Poetry” has the sounds and lyrics to make you immediately fall in love. I have no words to describe just how raw this track was. Not to mention how outstanding her vocals were, she sounded like an absolute angel with so much emotion backing her up at every possible second. The soft piano keys being played throughout were my favorite as they made this song so familiar and relatable. There was never a second where this track wasn’t powerful whether it was her voice or the lyrics. Especially with lyrics like “don’t make promises that you can’t keep” and “I truly loved you.” I simply could not get enough of this song as the mood was so poignant.   The young and talented Trisha Jha is a singer/songwriter and producer from the USA. While she is just 15 years old, she has already made quite the name for herself in the music industry. As she has released three amazing tracks just this month with the first being her debut single titled “Burden” on June 8, 2025. Her music falls under that of the alternative indie pop genre as she tells remarkable stories from her life experiences. “Empty Poetry” is such a heartfelt song with many emotions and feelings that anyone can relate to. I highly recommend giving this track a listen as you will not be disappointed and maybe even find your next favorite artist. Also be sure to follow her social media’s down below and follow along on her musical journey. Written By Julissa Garcia FOLLOW Trisha Jha: Instagram   | Spotify   *Sponsored Post - Discovered on Musosoup. A contribution was made to help create this article. #SustainableCurator

“Back & Forth” by Lex Bucha details the fluctuation of romance in a self-reflective track cushioned by a pop beat. He asks " do you think I’m good/ to be around? ” in a bout of insecurity that keeps him from sleeping. With questions in his mind and more things “ coming out of the woodworks ”, anxiety takes over Bucha’s body. Described as a “ brick wall ”, he sings about loss of control, a lump in his throat, and not knowing where to begin when going “ back and forth ”. He acknowledges he’s made “ many mistakes ” and hurt “ many people ”, believing he’s only fixable by an army. He notes that the subject of the song “ passed down ” their trauma and messed him up “ bad ”, leading to the hot and cold dynamic that drives the song.  Bucha’s harmonized vocals start the song, and dissipate into separate background vocals. The upbeat drum turns somber lyrics into a high energy pop song that’s still endearing. Offbeat clapping sound effects add a duplicity to the song and invites other unique sound effects to accompany the chorus. They also bring a brightness that alleviates the melancholy tendencies of the track. Bucha’s vocals are haunted by indecision and anxiety, delivered by a serenity that provides closure. Slowing down during the last bridge, paired with busy cuts and effects, recaptures attention at the end of the song to carry the last section of the chorus. Bucha ends with a mashup of sound selected from the bridge and chorus followed by sounds of static and water, tying the track together by ending with similar sounds as the beginning.  Lex Bucha is an Irish pop-singer and songwriter based in Dublin that’s inspired by artists like Bjork, The 1975, and Hurts. His work has been played on BBC Introducing, TodayFM, and Spin, and he has over 50K streams on Spotify. He opens up about personal experiences in new single “Back & Forth”, released on June 19th of this year. He released the single “Powerless” in 2024 and plans to release his debut EP “Painless Mode” this July. “Painless Mode” takes inspiration from Troye Sivan and HONNE, who sound similar to The 1975. This new EP also explores personal experiences in depth. To stay updated on Lex Bucha, follow his socials linked below! Written By Hanna Hathaway FOLLOW LEX BUCHA: Instagram   | Spotify  | TikTok  | YouTube   *Sponsored Post - Discovered on Musosoup. A contribution was made to help create this article. #SustainableCurator

In her debut single, Margaux Regan hits the ground running with the release of “Nothing’s gonna hurt you”. Inspired by the title of the popular Cigarettes After Sex song and the storyline behind Zach Bryan’s “Tourniquet”, Regan set out to create a track that acted as “a lullaby for someone going through hard times”. She blends a slight country twang into her singer-songwriter vibe, and her lyrics are realistic and genuine. After battling depression herself for over a year, and finally rediscovering a love for life, she puts her own emotions and thoughts into her lyrics. Her own personal experiences brought into her music helps to create an authentic balance between melancholic themes and hopeful endings. Her soundscape is simplistic, with a slightly southern sounding finger picked guitar being the only instrumentation at first. Her lyrics are directed at someone going through a tough time, and the level of understanding she demonstrates is only that of someone who has experienced it first hand. The first verse details the lack of support in a familial sense, and the second details surface level friendships. She validates their feelings, saying how she understands the pain and that it is difficult to get by. In the chorus, she sings, “But nothings gonna hurt you darling / I know the prettiest things often sting / So shut your eyes and let go of the sorrow / Cuz I’m telling you there’ll be a better tomorrow”. Margaux Regan first picked up a guitar when she was 10 years old, in an attempt to write a song about a boy she had a crush on. Her music has obviously grown since then, but she still chooses real life experiences and feelings to center her art around. She credits her early inspirations from her Irish mother, who loved Irish artists like U2, the Cranberries, and Sinéad O'Connor. Their storytelling and styles are woven through her music today, along with current day classics like Taylor Swift and Zach Bryan. Make sure to follow the social medias below to stay tuned for more real and raw music from Margaux Regan. Written By Tessa Maddaloni FOLLOW Margaux Regan: Instagram | Spotify  | TikTok  | YouTube

A teasing, hot summer song, "Dumb Stuff" by Zoe Twist relishes in being unattainable because what's sexier than what you can't have? Twist leans into a confident sensuality that's lyrically flirtatious and snappy. The singer has all the fun making jokes at the expense of her wannabe fling. She teases, " If it were goin' your way, you'd take me back to your place...And yeah, the wine cellar's big, but that's the only big thing. Pinch you, you must be dreamin'" The song's innuendos and dreamy sound create a staple summer song that conjures up whimsical images of dancing all night, night swimming, and kissing strangers. Twist taps into what's just out of reach in someone's fantasy, creating her resonant single "Dumb Stuff." Airy Lofi-style synths and Twist's effervescent vocal tone guide the sensual, sultry style of "Dumb Stuff." Twist notes that inspiration for her style comes from artists like Sabrina Carpenter, who writes sexy banter and fun pop. Twist makes the song entirely her own, turning to heavy synth-based alternative/indie pop instrumentals. This single is bold and fresh melding the singer's smooth sound together with punchy, confident lyrics. Owning her sexuality as a woman is a vital pillar of Twist's gritty and daring songwriting. Twist isn't waiting to speak. Her music takes control, compelling listeners to embrace themselves in the same way. Zoe Twist hails from Vancouver, Canada. Going on to attend school at Berklee College of Music, Twist has known that she wanted to pursue music seriously. Her debut EP "Dumb Stuff" dropped on June 13th blending unapologetically sensual lyrics with sultry melodies. Evoking colorful, confident, liberated emotions, Twist's music will have you dancing in the bathroom mirror, skinnydipping after dark, and asking out your crush this summer. She has amassed almost 13,000 monthly listeners on Spotify only first releasing music in 2024 and will continue to grow. Witty and maybe a little wicked, Twist's discography will set your summer on fire. Written By Azalea Withrow FOLLOW ZOE TWIST: Instagram | Spotify  | TikTok  | Facebook  | YouTube

“Sugar in His Tea” is the newest single from Ocean Tisdall, a song about missing your ex and telling their new partner about them. Tisdall was in what seemed like a perfectly healthy and loving relationship, until suddenly his significant other became what appeared to be a completely different person, which lead to a break up. His ex got into another relationship soon after, leaving Tisdall to wonder if their relationship even meant anything, and he also still misses him. Using this song, he tells his ex’s new partner what he is like, noting certain things about his personality, in order for him to accept that they most likely aren’t going to get back together. Not only are the lyrics amazing, but Tisdall also shows off his amazing vocals throughout the single amidst wonderfully crafted production and instrumentation. The overall sound of “Sugar in His Tea” gradually becomes more powerful and full as the song progresses. It begins with a piano, which is the sole instrument throughout a large part of the song. Then, acoustic guitar chords and drums appear, shortly before a cacophony of electric guitar chords play, matching alongside the other instruments. The tempo of “Sugar in His Tea” remains the same while still defining the different sections and elements of the song, making it very distinct and original. Ocean Tisdall is a music artist from Manor Kilbride in Ireland. He became a part of the band United Vibe after he joined The X Factor UK, where he worked with Robbie Williams . The band released singles throughout 2019. In 2022, Tisdall began releasing solo music, debuting with his February 2022 single “White Lies”. In November of 2022, he released his debut EP Boys Don’t Cry , with “White Lies” being one of the tracks. His song “Crying Room” has a nearly half a million streams on Spotify. He uploaded a cover of “London Is Lonely” by Holly Humberstone to his YouTube channel. Ocean Tisdall is an incredible and very talented artist! Written By Ashley Adams FOLLOW OCEAN TISDALL: Instagram | Spotify  | TikTok  | Facebook  | YouTube

Photo: Counting Crows Website Setlist Spaceman In Tulsa Hard Candy Boxcars Mr. Jones Colorblind Omaha Come Around With Love, From A-Z Miami Virginia Through The Rain Michaelangelo Friend Of The Devil Round Here Rain King The 1/ A Long December Encore Under The Aurora Hanginaround Holiday In Spain To experience life is to experience art. They coexist together and most of the time reflect one another to some degree. To experience the band that was the soundtrack of your childhood, though, was an experience that I wish for everyone. As a kid who grew up in that wild transition from the late 90's to early 2000's, it felt like pop-culture was at an all time high. Between the fashion, television shows, and more importantly the music, it felt easy for me to pick something to latch onto and allow it to become a part of my identity. Counting Crows was one of those bands where their songs will forever unlock childhood memories since their music was not only influencing the charts around this time but also influencing my love for rock music.  A band from humble beginnings, Counting Crows consists of band members Adam Duritz (vocalist), David Bryson (rhythm guitarist), Jim Bogios (drummer), Charlie Gillingham (keyboardist), David Immerglück (multi-instrumentalist), Millard Powers (bassist) and Dan Vickrey (lead guitarist.) In 1991, the band began playing shows around the San Francisco Bay Area in and around Berkeley where their followers really started taking shape. Just two years later, in 1993, their album August and Everything After  was released launching them into the industry with songs like "Mr. Jones" and "Round Here" quickly becoming radio station staples.  Counting Crows during the song "Colorblind" Gaslight Anthem, the openers for Counting Crows got the crowd warmed up performing an hour long set and were actually introduced by frontman Adam Duritz. Occasionally you can see Duritz poking his head from around the speakers, smiling at everyone having a great time. When Counting Crows comes on stage, they jump right into it with one of their new singles "Spaceman In Tulsa." This song started the concert off on a high note - giving the audience a taste of their new music before jumping into their song "Hard Candy." This song comes from their fourth studio album when the band had really found their sound and seemed really comfortable. Duritz's storytelling capabilities shine through so many of his songs, especially the ones performed at this concert but the way he approached "Hardcandy" song made it feel brand new. The same could be said about the song "Colorblind." Growing up, this song was always too emotionally mature for me but listening and watching it as an adult was very different. In a nutshell, it was poetic, performative and gentle. At the end of the song, Duritz sings, "I am fine"  which felt personal and more vulnerable than I was expecting. Two highlights of the nights came from the band behind the sound of Counting Crows. Where Adam Duritz is incredibly unique in his power to express fresh emotions in a song that is 26 years old, the band behind him are some of the most incredible musicians. The first person to highlight is Charlie. Charlie plays keys in the band but also the accordion which single handedly give Counting Crows their unique sound of an "old-timey Americana" sound. Charlie's solo in the beginning of "Omaha" switched the concert from a rock/pop concert to a folk one. Not many rock bands can hold the space for that but in this case, Charlie's talents feels like garnish on an already well-oiled machine. The other highlight is the band's ability to switch from high energy fun music, to acoustic and sensitive on the flip of a dime. At one moment, during the song "When I Dream Of Michaelangelo," their drummer Jim pulled out a book that was mic'd up and played that. Whether it was a moment that sparked from forgetting an instrument or not, the band made it work and showed their incredible musicianship. Being able to adapt and think outside the box is what makes Counting Crows so amazing. The band has never been shy when it comes to covering songs, in fact, they played two amazing covers during the show. The first one, "Friend Of The Devil, " originally performed by The Grateful Dead is such a well known cover of theirs that the crowd that had been sitting most of the night got up and started singing along. The other cover shows the band's nod to the musicians that we're seeing in the news all the time - "The 1" by Taylor Swift. I think it's always nice when musicians who have been in the industry for quite some time are able to acknowledge the talent that is rising before our eyes. Duritz at this point in the show takes a moment to be alone at his piano to cover this song before ending their setlist with "A Long December." The song he covered by Taylor Swift felt like it was made for him as it has the same existential love behind the lyrics which just further proves how well Adam knows his music. Counting Crows during the song "Friend Of The Devil" (Grateful Dead Cover) I always love when bands have some sort of through-line throughout their discography. I noticed that Counting Crows has one common phrase that comes up from the beginning of their career to this most recent album and it's the idea of believing. In "Mr. Jones," (help me believe in anything,) "Sundays," ( I don't believe in Sunday's and I don't believe in anything at all,) "A Long December," (There's reason to believe,) and now in "Under The Aurora," Duritz hits us with "Maybe I could believe in one thing" which feels like he's coming around to the idea of believing. It feels that with every show, every song and every break the band takes, maybe they're one step closer to figuring out this answer. For me, I believe that to experience life is to experience great art. I believe that Counting Crows are the pinnacle of what it means to create exceptional art. If you have the chance to see them, then it'll be the experience of a lifetime. Written By Breanna M. FOLLOW COUNTING CROWS: Instagram | Spotify  | TikTok  | Facebook  | YouTube | Website

Inude’s “Split” begins with hesitant vocals as they drift through lyrics like “ I came to know, and I came to… ” with abrupt pauses. This adds to the character of the track by creating space between ordinary music and Inude’s sound. They explore loss through gutting lyricism, singing “ maybe I can hold you more than I want to/ but everything keeps falling out of my arms, ” and “ I’m broken now/ and one side keeps running to you.” Both verses imaginatively communicate the agony of loss through figurative language. This leaves Inude feeling lost, noting “ there’s no road to follow ,” and asking “ when did it go wrong? ”.The way Inude constructs lyrics in conjunction with their singular sound entrances listeners and challenges stagnacy.  The instrumentals parallel the unpredictable breaks in sound with psychedelic sound effects that mature the track into a solid soundscape. Heartbeat synth maintains a pulse and eventually mutates into a hyper-pop beat that carries composed vocals. Fidgeting sound patterns promote a thrilling uncertainty that captivates listeners. Inude’s vocals guide these patterns through a busy, yet mellow track. The song fluctuates between haste and serenity to deliver the duality of splitting. The ending brings more activity with a build up to a fade out that works well with the track. The sound effects are complex, which makes Inude’s “Split” unique. They close with an exhilarating batch of stretched sounds and quick drumming to leave an impression.  Inude is a southern Italian trio that came together in 2014 and has a distinct style. The group is composed of Francesco, Giacomo, and Flavio, who have combined their expertise and artistry to create something cohesive. Inude has performed at the Montreux Jazz Festival , Locus Festival , and Home Festival. Their first EP “Love is in the Eyes of Animals”, was released in 2016, and their debut album “Clara Tesla” in 2019. They are planning to release music in 2025 that will be featured in next year’s album. Their most popular song “Hudea” has over 750K streams on Spotify alone, followed by “Balloon”. To learn more about Inude, visit their socials linked below. Written By Hanna Hathaway FOLLOW INUDE: Instagram   | Spotify  | YouTube   *Sponsored Post - Discovered on Musosoup. A contribution was made to help create this article. #SustainableCurator