On this edition of LITM Rock Picks, songs play with guitar-led melodies to flit from sarcastic indifference and deep heartache to settling realisation that helps with moving on and along. The list features artists like Hotel Mira, Chantal Acda, Cleo Handler and more!
1. Hotel Mira - America’s Favourite Pastime
‘America’s Favourite Pastime’ by Hotel Mira is an energetic guitar-led track that sounds a lot like a cautionary tale. The lyrics narrate the story of a lonely girl who wants to be everywhere at once, which by the end of the song feels like an allegory for repressed emotions and broken souls.
“...She’s gonna fall in love with anyone…” the narrator says, evoking an emotion that feels spread thin. This laid over a soundscape simply bursting with energy and pauses every so often to reveal a short, tender vulnerability before building to the song’s refrain. An introspective, thought-provoking track.
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2. The Gromble - Favourite Joke
‘Favourite Joke’ by The Gromble is a subdued, acoustic guitar track that settles into this tone that feels distant. Our narrator seems indifferent almost, stating with straightforward ease “...you asked me how I’ve been when you don’t give a shit…”. The song springs with this deep knowing and acceptance that this love is over. A fact that is met with incredulous laughter and indifference.
“...It’s time for my favourite joke…”. There’s this subdued sense of acceptance that mirrors the mood of these lines that’s settled in the soundscape. Our narrator has both feet out the door, free in what feels like the liberating end.
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3. Chantal Acda - Heads
‘Heads - Radio Edit’ by Chantal Acda uses darker guitar melodies that build through a solid spiral. The subdued darkness of the soundscape pulls us further into this spiral, while the lyrics seem to call out this sense of apathetic, blatant ignorance. “...We keep our heads facing down…”.
The mood moves in skewed grooves, taking an off-beat path that feels almost entrenched in gravitas. The melodies, with their soft flute accents, build towards a cathartic instrumental barrage. This is to help the swirling emotions on the track settle, now familiar with the swirling spiral of prevalent apathy on the track.
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4. Neil Sexton - Ordinary People
‘Ordinary People’ by Neil Sexton is a brighter acoustic guitar-led ballad that simultaneously feels like an ode to and celebration of universal resilience. Its solid melodies urge the listener to pick up their boots and move forward, settled in the knowing that every step away will bring a sense of strength. Which is present on the track with its solid melodies.
“...We’re just ordinary people doing ordinary things…” the narrator claims, celebrating this ordinariness, giving it weight and power. The song’s lyrics and melodies seem to pay an ode to resilience, especially in the face of heartache. “...It’s time to give up if everything remains the same…”.
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5. Cleo Handler - compare & contrast
Chloe Handler’s ‘compare & contrast’ finds its narrator on their road to recovery, moving on from heartache slowly but surely. A slow rhythm leads the charge, seemingly highlighting this mood, while the guitars on the track take on a subdued, almost lop-sided rhythm. There’s also this sense of dejection, almost as though the narrator is dissatisfied that they aren’t moving on fast enough, but is simultaneously settled in this slow-beating rhythm.
They hope that the pain won’t stick, even in those moments of sadness and deep loneliness where sadness remains. There’s also this tone of sympathy, as though the narrator feels the ex-lover who broke them. At peace.
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