Modern Moxie

BEST BALLADS OF 2021

Posted on by JL

What is a ballad?

According to Dictionary.com it is:

1. Any light, simple song, especially one of sentimental
or romantic character, having two or more stanzas all
sung to the same melody.
2. A simple narrative poem of folk origin, composed
in short stanzas and adapted for singing.
3. Any poem written in a similar style.
4. A sentimental or romantic popular song.

Okay, I just wanted to check if I picked the right songs here.

Below you find TUTV’s Ballads Of 2021 Spotify playlist with
a total of 30 beauties that I picked from the past 12 months.

And here’s the TOP 10…

1. ‘Ode To The Mets’ by THE STROKES (NYC)

I played this song almost every single day this year.
So this is unquestionably the one that moved me the
most. From their newest LP The New Abnormal.

Just marvelous…

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2. Albuquerque by NICK CAVE & WARREN ELLIS (Australia)

From the two bad seeds’ goosebumps album Carnage.

We won’t get to anywhere, darling
Anytime this year
We won’t get to anywhere, darling
Unless I dream you there

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3. Samurai by ALAN VEGA (Brooklyn)

The late Suicide legend had a lost album out this year
called Mutator. One of those rare lost albums that are
actually really good. Samurai is one of the dark
highlights.

Haunting and mysterious…

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4. ‘Love Kills Slowly’ by ICEAGE (Danmark)

The passion-driven Danish outfit finally hit the bull’s eye
with their fifth longplayer Seek Shelter. A near-perfect
opus with this slow-burning torch…


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5. ‘My America’ by ONISM E (San Antonio, Texas)

Stand out track from these young Texans’ debut album Survivors.

The lyrics are crystal clear. America is not what Hollywood tells you. It has become
a dangerously divided country where racism and far-right rebirth stimulated by
charlatan Trump and his ruthless entourage are frighteningly realistic (again).

Alarming feelings expressed with heavy-heartedness…


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6. ‘Like I Used To’ by SHARON VAN ETTEN and ANGEL OLSEN

Finally, it happened. The two heavenly voices and
gorgeous Amazons teamed up for a tower of song…

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7. ‘Skin’ by BASEMENT REVOLVER (Hamilton, Ontario)

A brave and affecting pop pearl. An inspiring encouragement for
the countless girls/women and boys/men worldwide, struggling with
the looks of their body when it doesn’t correspond with society’s
everlasting sexist perception of how a body should look like, as
we all know.

Singer/songwriter Chrisy Hurn sounds as if she’s
related to The Sundays‘ grand voice Harriet Wheeler.

Magnificent…

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8. ‘Weeping Willow’ by MODERN MOXIE (South-Carolina)

This nostalgic gem has that melancholic and magical feel we, adults,
are familiar with. Looking back at good times gone. This wistful lullaby
brings tears to your eyes.

Wondrous…


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9. ‘Monterey’ by OCEANOGRAPHY (Oakland)

This is the solo project of Oakland-based singer-songwriter,
and multi-instrumentalist Brian Kelly.

“Monterey is a tribute to my big sister who I lost last year. I hope you
enjoy it and it provides some comfort for any loss you’ve experienced.”

Universal feelings of loss, mourning, and tristesse. Heartbreaking…

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10. ‘Carry Me On’ by THE BANKROBBER (Italy)

Feels like a nightly gloaming. Acoustic, soul-searching
and intimate tenderness for the twilight hours.

Bellissimo…

The full 30-song strong list..

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MODERN MOXIE Move With Heart-And-Soul-Touching Pearl ‘WEEPING WILLOW’

Posted on by JL

Daily electricity to load your batteries

11 December 2021


(Brilliant artwork)

Band: MODERN PIXIE
Who: Hailing from a small South Carolina town,
multi-instrumentalist Madison Lucas took up songwriting in
college, mostly confined to her dorm room closet. By 2011,
she found herself with enough songs to make an album. In
the years following, Lucas would form Modern Moxie alongside.


(photo by Lindsey Miler)

New single: WEEPING WILLOW

“A song about missing childhood and the deep connection to nature
that can be lost with youth. A yearning for time spent climbing trees
and being disconnected from the terror and turmoil of the outside
world.”

The song was written during a traumatic period when Madison‘s brother,
Jeffrey, was admitted to the hospital after a MS flare-up, resulting from an
experimental treatment he underwent.

Turn Up The Volume: Traditionally, late in the year, not much new music is
released, except for an abundance of cheesy Xmas tunes. Modern Moxie think
differently and just dropped one of the most impassioned and sweet pearls
I heard all year. Singer-songwriter Madison Lucas ‘ vox instantly touched my
heart and soul. Her riveting voice fits perfectly well between heavenly singers
Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen. Yes, that gripping good.

Weeping Willow has that nostalgic, sepia-colored, and magical feel we, adults,
are familiar with. Looking back at good times gone. This wistful lullaby brings
tears to your eyes. A genuine, wondrous Xmas humdinger.

Do you remember?
We used to play outside
in the middle of the night
Do you remember?
that time we blew up on the news
blame it on the booze

Buy/stream ‘Weeping Willow’ here…


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MODERN MOXIE: Facebook

THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN – 7 New Firecrackers Week 46

Posted on by JL

Every week Turn Up The Volume picks 7 new
firecrackers that burned his ears the past 7 days

1. ‘Let’s See Each Other’ by A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS (New York)

New York’s electro darkwave bulldozer has its 6th album See Through You
ready for release on 4th February 2022. It’s a return to their fiercely independent,
DIY roots on their own label Dedstrange.

Lead single Let’s See Each Other is an intimate and disarming love song from
a forgotten future. Syncopated memories and deconstructed fantasies of lovers
lost in an ity that doesn’t know their names.

Press play, watch and listen…

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2. ‘Sonic’ by DAYFLOWER (UK)

This indie dream-pop band from Leicester, England, combines nursery rhyme melodies, reverb-drenched guitars, and electronic textures. They released their debut full-length Honeyspun two years ago and now return with this astonishing wall-of-shoegaze stroke. Imagine My Bloody Valentine, Slowdive, and Swervedriver having a decibels contest.

Sonic is a hazy, multi-layered and perplexing
discharge leaving you behind with your mouth open
and totally puzzled.

Here’s why…


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3. ‘Do Ya Feel The Love’ by STEREOPHONICS (Wales, UK)

On 4 March 2022, the vivid Welsh veterans will make their
loyal fans smile with new full-length Oochya!, their 12th LP.

This track is a feverish rocker with an immediate impact on your
body’s activity. Add Kelly Jones‘ characteristically fervid vocals and
energetic guitars and you have a solid gold Stereophonics winner.

Make your move here, folks…

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‘4. Be Sarcastic‘ by SHYBITS (Berlin)

This fervent German trio fuzz and buzz with panache and determination. Jingle jangle electricity with that early B-52′s swagger. If this steaming stunner doesn’t make you jump out of your lazy couch you better fire your shrink and change your meds at once while we all go crazy to this head-spinning twister. Top!

Feel the heat here…

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5. ‘Capture Love’ by MELTED WINGS (Toronto)

Melted Wings is the multigenre project of Toronto musician Michael Wynn (founding member of bands Trains of Winter and Vicky von Vicky.)

His new longplayer lands next year. Ahead of it comes first taster Capture Love which explores the melancholy of feeling down and the occasional small lights of brightness
that can help you get out of the funk of these depressing times.

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Expect an electro head-in-the-clouds groove with an 80s New Romantics vibe.
Heartening, beatific, and hopeful…

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6. ‘Tenement Time’ by JOHNNY MARR (Manchester UK)

The Former The Smiths guitar hero has another solo LP canned,
actually, a double one called Fever Dreams Pts 1-4 that lands
next year, in February.

New single Tenement Time is an excitatory tune, with
instantly appealing hooks and upbeat chorus.

Turn it up, Johnny…

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7. ‘Big Wave’ by MODERN MOXIE (South Carolina, US)

Vivid guitar pop band centered around multi-instrumentalist
Madison Lucas who took up songwriting in college.

Two years ago entrancing debut album Claw Your Way Out saw the day
of light and now Modern Moxie have a 5-track EP, called Gutter Honey,
ready to unleash on 9 December.

First taster Big Wave sticks from the kick-off, jumps forth and back
and energizes all the way driven by Lucas‘ avid vocals. Touchdown!

Let’s roll…

See/hear you next week, music junkies…