Well, here we go again.
Yes, it’s our annual round up of our favourite Alternative songs, but we find ourselves back in a lockdown with dozens of cancelled gigs pondering the meaning of life.
This is all getting a bit exhausting.
As if this whole pandemic and associated BS wasn’t enough, this year our corner of the globe has been hit by devastating heat domes and forest fires in the summer to catastrophic flooding this fall. Word on the street is there are a few blizzards on the way.
Of course there is.
In our perpetual search for silver linings we can at least say it’s nice to have a Christmas break for once. Usually, December’s are filled with work with a “you gotta make hay when the sun shines” ethos. This holiday season has forced us to slow down once again and smell the roses. The frozen, dead, snow-covered roses. lol
Next year has got to be better, am I right? AM I RIGHT?
What would a piece about Alternative music be without a little angst, knowhatimsayin?
Enough of the belly aching already, let’s get into some of the good stuff from the world of Alternative music over the past 52 weeks.
- Blow Up by The Beaches
I like this chunky little uptempo number. I like it a lot.
2. Heat Waves by Glass Animals
While technically a 2020 track, this track was a slow burner and came into its own in 2021. Mashes up nicely with Pony by Ginuwine, as well, in case you were wondering.
3. You Can Get It by Arkells
If you’re not from Canada, you may not have heard of the Arkells, but they are a fantastic group with a bevy of solid tracks. On this one the Hamilton outfit teams up with K.Flay and a slick piano riff for some good old fashioned alt pop goodness.
4. Typhoons by Royal Blood
It’s nice to see this ferocious duo spread their wings a bit even if it’s in a more pop direction. The solid rhythmic drive and lightly sweetened vocals make this a little bit more accessible to dance floor types.
5. What You Say by Cold War Kids
The funky electric piano that gets this bad boy off the ground is what drew me to this number. Admittedly, I’ve never dug that deep into this band’s catalog, but this is enough of a reason to change that.
6. Bottle Rocket by Briston Maroney
This is a vibe. Had this one on repeat for a few days early in the year. Distinct vocals, clever lyrics and a great arrangement makes for great things, musically. It will grow on you if you let it. It just takes a little t-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-i-m-e (it’s a bottle rocket).
JT James is a DJ, producer and writer based out of Vancouver, Canada. A veteran of the DJ and recording worlds. he has produced several projects in the genres of hip hop and electronic music under various aliases such as James Divine, Track Nicholson and Wulvun. When he’s not on the decks, in the studio or staring into a blank word document you can catch him at the beach, hiking through the forest or telling people how much yoga can change their life.
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