Tyson Motsenbocker – “I Miss the Old Days Too”: A simple piano ballad is often a good prescription for those days when you don’t feel like doing much of anything. In those moments, you might find yourself reflective. I wonder if Tyson was in that sort of mood when he wrote this song. You can find the Tooth and Nail Records artist on tour with Colony House in the near future; his new album Someday I’ll Make It All Up To You releases on Valentine’s Day. I wouldn’t recommend playing this song on any dates you have planned, though. 😉

ttypes / Biiko – “mixee”: I often like to imagine what a music video would look like when I hear a track for the first time. For “mixxe,” I picture the vocalist sitting in the backseat of a car, the camera on the outside looking in. The ambience is grey at first, with slow pans back and forth as they sing. Gradually, the effects get more and more warped and colorful until at last the song fades away.

Moonray – “Cotton Candy Disco Pie”: I’m trying to stay warm and awake on this pitiful Ohio January Saturday. Turns out “Cotton Candy Disco Pie” is the perfect whimsical treat to wake me up and relax me. Somewhere between synth and psychpop, Moonray take all of their Austin, TX weirdness and pour it into a midtempo, feel good track. I could see this eccentric couple on tour with the band Poolside.

Chey Rose – “Seventeen”: Though this song has been advertised as a power ballad, I have to say that this song is the one that woke me the up the most of any in this write up. The dynamics of the track kind of snuck up on me. The song borders on bombastic without boiling over into a full on club-banger – Chey Rose would prefer you dwell on the emotional aspects rather than get lost in the beat. Those itching for payoff will be satisfied in the last 20 or so seconds of the track.

Sweet Crude – “Déballez (Live with Lycée Français + Audubon Charter)”: Get your heart warmed today with this live music video of this jazzy synthpop/funk group engaging their community in a very uplifting way. I mean, how often do you get to see a bunch of kids sing and dance with a band performing with a keytar? I feel like Red in The Shawshank Redemption when he said “I have no idea to this day what those two Italian ladies were singing about. Truth is, I don’t want to know. Some things are best left unsaid,” only in this case the language of choice is French.

Tom West – “Stuck On Repeat”: I’m struck by how global even small indie labels are becoming. In this case, NYC’s AntiFragile Records (also home to Tuned Up favorites Motherfolk) signed Tom West, a traveling songwriter from Australia. His vocals are pained but steady. It’s the sort of raw honesty that is refreshing at the same time, and the final product is one that fits a desire to be calmed without masking struggle.

Alyssa Trahan – “Memories Not Dreams”: I love it when write ups lead us to discovery of even more artists. In the case of our recent Nashville Artists to Watch list, one such name that popped up afterward was Alyssa Trahan, who recently dropped a coffeehouse worthy single titled “Memories Not Dreams.” This pleasant song is relatable and down to earth, regardless of what dreams you are chasing. “When it’s my time to leave / I wanna die with memories, not dreams,” is a line that could be sobering, but instead serves as a gentle nudge to live your live without regret.

Find all of the above tracks and more in our “New and Nifty” playlist, linked below: