Hatchet reporter Kasey Packer shares her latest musical obsessions.
“Who’s Feeling Young Now?”
Punch Brothers
Punch Brothers, who most of us first heard about when the group received two Grammy nominations in 2011, continues to redefine the elements of an American bluegrass band.
The New York City-based band has created a niche genre of music that continuously blurs the lines between jazz, funk, rock and folk. The group’s title track, “Who’s Feeling Young Now?” off the album released last month is a fantastic display of the band’s unique style.
The group seems to commit itself to traditional bluegrass instruments – banjo, guitar, mandolin and bass – but puts a unique spin on the music with heavy acoustic and amped sounds. “Who’s Feeling Young Now?” is quickly becoming known as a great bluegrass song for people who don’t typically like bluegrass music.
The song is fresh and breaks the mold of the more traditional bluegrass genre. You’ll feel like you’ve been hit by a cool breeze, and you may even crave more. If this is the case, don’t miss Punch Brothers’ concert coming to the 9:30 Club next month.
“Kingdom Come”
The Civil Wars
Society has kept a watchful eye on American folk-indie duo Joy Williams and John Paul White since last March when they released their newest album, “Barton Hallow.”
The album was an instant hit among the American hipster-coffee-shop crowd, but The Civil Wars’ fame spread globally, collecting a large following abroad as well. This Grammy-winning duo doesn’t miss a beat – no pun intended – with the release of their newest single, “Kingdom Come,” featured on the much anticipated “The Hunger Games” film’s soundtrack.
The track’s harmonic synchronization The Civil Wars is known for has a soothing effect as if to say, “It’s going to be okay.” And even if the idea of teenagers competing against each other until the death isn’t your idea of a good movie, this song is still bound to give you chills. So if you want to listen to the track, hiding the soundtrack cover from any potential onlookers, by all means be my guest. I promise it will be worth your time.
“Somebody That I Used to Know”
Gotye feat. Kimbra
Let’s get something out of the way first – “Somebody That I Used to Know” is not your typical pop song. Yes, the lyrics describe a relationship gone sour; yes, it is a duet between a male and female vocalist; and yes, multiple other bands have already covered it, but I promise it’s far from typical.
The track is the perfect combination of old and new – new instruments, new experimentation, yet you can’t help but feel nostalgic listening to the intimate recording. The lyrics harp on the rawness of relationships, how swiftly love can enter and leave your life, and the strange sensation of a breakup’s aftermath. Gotye has rapidly caught the attention of music fans worldwide as the single has soared to the top of charts everywhere. There is no doubt that this track is here to stay.
