Angelina’s Corner: Roundup
Words by Angelina Singer
This is a beautifully-orchestrated country song that will bring you back to your roots. I absolutely loved the smooth vocal performance and the subtle build-up into each section of the song. All of the lyrics are poetic and meaningful (“It’s gonna be a long night in my head again”). If you’re a fan of Sam Fender or Noah Kahan, this one is going to be on repeat for you after you hear it once.
Coria
Better Than a Heartbreak by Charlotte Chipembere
If you’ve been craving a return to early Taylor Swift music, this song is just the thing you’ve been looking for. With bright, clean vocals, and a youthful freshness presenting viscerally poetic lyrics, this song hits all the right chords. With acoustic guitar leading the production mixed with rising vocal harmonies, there’s so much to grab onto if you're looking for something wholesome to take you back to your teenage years and early dating drama (minus the emotional breakdown). Just don’t forget to put on your flowy dress and bedazzled cowboy boots while you listen.
I really liked the vibe of this female-fronted rock band that reminded me a lot of bands like Paramore or more recently, The Beaches. It’s gritty, fun, and punctuated with bright vocals and edgy guitar riffs. “Say what you’re gonna say / I’ll do it anyway” is a small snippet of the attitude and gusto that listeners will be treated to when they listen to this tune. If you’ve been looking for something to round out your frustration playlist, this song is a great way to get some extra energy out.
This song is more of a moody, broody commentary on being misunderstood and hiding your true feelings. On a deeper scale, it’s also got the mental health component of feeling obligated to only show your true feelings to people you trust — which doesn’t always facilitate the quickest healing. There’s some slick lead guitar, relaxed drums, and delectably-whiny vocals that beautifully depict the bodily feeling of the struggle. Listen to this one when you’re having a bad day and just need to know someone understands.
This one is probably the most meta of this week’s roundup, as it’s written about the journey that music can take you on. Sonically, it feels like sunshine — and the bright vocals really sell that message home. I liked the inventive genre and almost-reggae rhythm changes in the pre-choruses into the choruses. Syncopated guitar elevates the experience, with light vocal harmonies leading the way. It’s ideal for a road trip playlist, or any time you just need a break from your daily life.
I liked the hard-hitting classic rock vibe in this one, and I thought the metaphor of comparing a love interest gone quiet with an actual apparition was clever and a bit cheeky. On a larger scale, it’s a great reminder not to let other people’s imperfections get to you when you’re treading water through the dating pool. The tremolo lead guitar added an extra haunting quality in the bridge that you’ll just have to hear to experience. Basically every lyric is a ghost-related pun that really packs a punch within the deeper meaning of the piece (“as you feel your lips go numb / you know you ought to run”). Enjoy this every time you think about texting your ex — because that rarely leads anywhere healthy.
Immediately, I thought these vocals reminded me so much of Florence and the Machine, and also the way the resonance of the production is so haunting without necessarily being too dark. Gorgeous vocal melodies fill the choruses, blending with light acoustic guitar that’s both ethereal and ghostly at the same time. I even think there was some pedal-steel guitar in there, which isn’t something you hear very often. This song is perfect for some light reflection, or anytime you want to travel somewhere new (whether real or imaginary).