Nostalgia & Current Excitement

The topic of this week’s newsletter got inspired by the statement (lamentation?) of a Berlin-based music blogger’s newsletter. He argued that it is increasingly impossible for new bands to be discovered because the competition is so vast, and already established bands are overcrowding the market with their constant new releases and frequent touring.

This got me thinking…

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Long before there was glamglare, Oliver and I had our individual blogs where we were musing about music and the state of the world. We also wrote about our lives and experiences in New York in our NY Discovery blog, which we eventually laid to rest after 10+ years. In 2015, we fully went off with glamglare, featuring one brand new song by an exciting emerging artist from New York and all over the world each day. Every. Single. Day. Rain or shine.

From the start, we were looking for independent, up-and-coming artists. Over the years, we realized just how much underground we are, often writing about an unknown artist’s debut single (like today in your hands’ case) or attending an artist’s very first show (like Mothica’s back in 2015.)

Yet, we seem to struggle to bring our commitment across. How to make music enthusiasts, who love Björk, The Strokes, or Radiohead also listen to new music, something beyond the already established indie music from Grimes, Lana Del Ray, Billie Eilish, and the likes?

How can we make it easier for visitors to our site, for followers of our blog, to trust that they will find music they like?

We all are influenced by the music we have been exposed to when we were young. Someone who is growing up now can look back at a plethora of music from the 70s to the 90s and beyond, already “oldies” in their eyes and ears. In my time, this music was still fresh. Hence, I created a playlist with European (super) hits and sleeper jams from the 80s to get a handle on things.

I decided to focus on Europe (admittedly, it is a lot from the UK) and not to let come up with any perception of “the 80s sucked” or “they were all bubblegum and big hair,” that many people in the US have. Here, the 80s are dominated by Madonna’s pop and Michael Jackson's greatness, and Whitney Houston’s killer vocals and tragic ending. But no. The 80s were different in Europe, respectively, in Germany, where I was a teenager and a young adult back then. That was a time when U2 was still cool, the iPhone was not yet invented, and people didn’t go berserk over a free album pre-download on their iPods.

So it has a different meaning when I say I am heavily influenced by The Beatles, Yes, and Mike Oldfield, and once they became popular, U2, Tears for Fears, and Depeche Mode. When a (much) younger person than me says they, for example, love Tears for Fears, then the meaning is different, yet the music still has the same emotional impact.

Chances are when you like any of these successful and established bands I just mentioned, or you will find in the 80s playlist, you will also like (most) of the music and acts we feature on glamglare - even if you’ve never heard of any of these artists before. Give it a try. Thanks!

Song Pick of the Day

Listen to all our daily song picks on our playlists on Spotify and Apple Music.

Cillë – Lizzie

When the going gets tough, nostalgia to the rescue! “Lizzie,” the new glorious rock-banger by Cillë, throws us right back to a time when such music was played on the radio and when we were young and full of hopes and dreams. Cillë is the stage name of Cecilie Maria Nielsen, who first made a name for herself in her home country Denmark, as the main songwriter, lead singer, and bass player of the all-female rock band Taras. A move to New York City, changed that and finds Cecilie going solo, exploring the glam side of her songwriting chops. For her new single, she enlisted producer Matt Chiaravalle and has a show coming up (info & tickets).

We asked Cecilie about the inspiration for “Lizzie,” and she says:

The release of ‘Lizzie’ is a full circle moment. I wrote this song at age 19 when I saw a photo of a friend who had just gotten a huge Mötley Crüe tattoo on her arm. It was so badass—she was so badass! She told me, just recently, that this song reminds her of a different time of her life when everything was about rock ‘n roll, parties, and having fun—it awakens the same type of memories for me. This song is made up of everything that fascinated me as a teenager, and underneath all the things I have managed to build on top of her, that teenage girl is still there, eager to get heard. So, here we are.

We get the “full circle” sentiment and feel it strongly reflected in this empowering, uplifting, and irresistibly brilliant number! Listen to “Lizzie,” our Song Pick of the Day:

Connect with Cillë here.

Sylvie – Dull the Shimmer

“Dull the Shimmer,” is a swirling, multi-layered synth-pop song about the indifference in mental health care. London-based singer, songwriter, and producer Sylvie speaks from her own frustrating experience after being put on medication and having to deal with its side effects.

Sylvie explains how the song came together:

“‘Dull The Shimmer’ reflects on this sad truth, using harmonies and multiple vocal tracks to create an intense and slightly chaotic conversation with not only myself, but the girls in similar situations to me that I have spent a lot of time with.”

Listen to “Dull the Shimmer,” our Song Pick of the Day, on your favorite streaming service or below on YouTube:

Couvo – Purgatory

We are excited to premiere “Purgatory,” the new single by Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter Couvo and the last song to be released from his upcoming album, The Drinks Are Always Free in Purgatory. The gorgeous “Purgatory,” is a slow-building track full of longing and the burning desire for change. “Purgatory” makes for the perfect companion whenever you feel restless or discontented with the world, thanks to a passionate coziness that will brighten your day. We asked Couvo, née Josh Couvares, about “Purgatory,” and he says:

I started working on this song while I was away in Los Angeles. Which is funny, because it’s one of the most Brooklyn things I’ve ever written. I see it as the clearest distillation yet of all the years I’ve been living here: the dive bars, the wasted nights, the overall sense that we’re all living in some kind of purgatory. But there’s also this deep yearning in the song for something to change, and change fast. It was this dichotomy that sparked the rest of the songs I wrote for the album.

That sounds intriguing, and we really dig the warm early 70s rock vibe of “Purgatory,” and wonder what the album might be like. Couvo offers:

The album is about living in that kind of purgatory. But it’s also about how we manage to find our own salvation.

To find out more and to dig deeper into the album, come out to Brooklyn’s Sultan Room and celebrate with Couvo when he performs there tomorrow. Get your tickets here. Listen to “Purgatory,” our Song Pick of the Day and exclusive premiere:

Connect with Couvo here.

Ruth Radelet – Stranger

Cities can do this: even if you live right in the middle, you can still feel disconnected and estranged. In her melancholic new song Stranger, Ruth Radelet reflects about the peculiar connection to her hometown. She reveals:

“Stranger” is about a specific kind of loneliness that I have only felt in Los Angeles. Although the song is very much about longing, it’s more about a place than a person,” she elaborates. “The lyric ‘I could never hold you in my hands’ is about the feeling of always being on the outside looking in, of the city never fully opening its doors to me.”

Director James Manson adds the perfect visuals to her sentiment: we see Ruth driving and walking through a city that feels unreal like in a movie, even though these are the very images of L.A. we all know well. Watch here:

Ruth Radelet also announced her debut EP, “The Other Side,” for October 7.

Princess Chelsea – Forever Is A Charm

Probably no other art form than music allows for less time to either like or dismiss the creative output. “Forever Is A Charm,” the new single by New Zealand producer, singer, and songwriter Princess Chelsea doesn’t dilly dally around but enthralls from the very first note. Chelsea is a fantastic singer who knows how to enchant and how to create a song that lingers long after it has ended. The gorgeous song comes with an equally compelling video that takes things a bit slower and relies on the attractiveness of its star.

The music video is filmed in Auckland’s historic Civic Theatre, where Princess Chelsea, née Chelsea Nikkel, wanders around and muses during the chorus: “When you’re with me, I feel like I could die / Die / Die / Die!” The repetition of the words brings the point home that this is not a love song but one that deplores “boring fake people.” Cool tidbit: Chelsea recorded the song in only one take

The video is directed and produced by photographer, filmmaker, and drummer Stuart Page and, like the song itself, took me immediately under its spell. More of this, please! “Forever Is A Charm” marks the sixth track on Princess Chelsea’s upcoming album Everything is Going to be Alright, due October 7, 2022. Was it not for “Forever Is A Charm” already, we’d love the album for its title alone.

Listen to “Forever Is A Charm,” our Song Pick of the Day:

Connect with Princess Chelsea here.

Palmo X – No Worries

Xenia Nema is a singer, songwriter, and producer from Ukraine who records under the name Palmo X. The new song is a nostalgic look at the past to inspire hope for the future, despite the current realities in her home country. The elegant, smooth production and the chorus soothe anxieties, and it means even more, when it comes from somebody who lives through the worst of uncertainties.

Xenia says about the song:

“The song and music video is inspired by traveling the south of Ukraine, seeking the cure from adulthood anxiety of an undefined future. Now south Ukraine is partly occupied & destroyed by russians, and the music video just gives me hope and nostalgia at the same time. Soon, I wish we all will live in some stable and safe times, on our land. Ordinary human wishes in the dark times.”

Watch the video for “No Worries” below or listen to our Song Pick of the Day on Bandcamp:

Goldpark – Summer In My Head

ndie-rock trio Goldpark delight with the lush and super catchy “Summer In My Head,” the final cut from their upcoming EP Goldpark Two, out due October 21, 2022.  “Summer In My Head” feels like dancing at a rooftop party ca. 2004, with Phoenix and The Strokes on deck. Goldpark has been touring and performing live since their first EP dropped, and they found their sound and identity as a band.

The Nashville-based musicians Wes Hunter (vocals), Andrew Smith (guitar), and Kyle Neblett (drums) say about their new album:

This EP is special for so many reasons. We had the right songs, the right producer (Jeremy Lutito), and the right spirit. This body of work is the best representation of who we are and where we are going. We hope this EP makes people smile.

If “Summer In My Head” is any indication, then the EP will certainly make us smile – and happy too! Listen to “Summer In My Head,” our Song Pick of the Day:

Connect with Goldpark here.

Albums of the Week

Wyldest - Feed the Flowers Nightmares

Shady Cove - Shady Cove

Covers to Remember: She’s Excited – Smells Like Teen Spirit

New York singer and producer She’s Excited showed some nerve when she took on the song that single-handedly saved rock music in the early 90s and turned it into a hard-hitting electronic production. And it works! Don’t believe it? Listen yourself here:

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