Back from a week’s vacation to offer up another set of Five Songs You Must Hear to keep you ahead of your friends when it comes to music discovery.
1. Halsey, Amy Lee & Evanescence, Hand That Feeds
Single (Virgin)
Recommended If You Like: John Wick movies
When producers were putting together the soundtrack for a John Wick spinoff movie (it’s called From the World of John Wick: Ballerina), someone managed to sort out the schedules of Halsey and Amy Lee enough so that they could collaborate on a song. No, this is not a cover of the Nine Inch Nails songs; instead, it’s got that big Evanescence production.
2. One More Satellite, Paper Over the Cracks
One More Satellite (Symphonic)
RIYL: Stone Temple Pilots, obviously
Dean DeLeo has been the guitarist in Stone Temple Pilots for more than 30 years. Now he’s stepping out with a side project created with English singer and lyricist Peter Shoulder. This started as an instrumental record, but soon grew into something more as Pete found more and more things to sing about. In the end, he sings on 80% of the album. Meanwhile, Dean’s son, Rocco plays drums on a few songs while STP drummer also shows up for a track. Fun fact: This is what you have to go through when you form a new band and want to protect your name.
3. Sierra Pilot, Breathe
Single (Independent)
RIYL: Canadian artists on the verge of a major breakthrough
I’ve been tracking Kitchener-Waterloo’s Sierra Pilot for a few years now, and they’re destined for some kind of big break. This is the final recorded version of a song that survived many test drives with audiences on their American tour opening for Bad Wolves and Pop Evil. The reaction was so strong that the first thing they did when they got home was make this recording. A new EP is due this year.
4. Royel Otis, Moody
Single (OURNESS/Capitol Records)
RIYL: Whatever they’re doing in Australia
Royel Otis—no, that’s not a typo—is a pop duo featuring Royel Maddell and Otis Pavolic band from Sydney who have a knack for melody. There’s a certain 90s-era slacker sound to this one that should sound sweet this summer. The video oddly mesmerizing, too.
5. The Dare, LCA
What’s Wrong with New York?: Afters (Polydor/Republic)
RIYL: When the party gets too weird.
Not a band but a guy from NYC (real name: Harrison Patrick Smith) who is into an electro-industrial sound. The first version of this album appeared last September. It will be re-released in an expanded version on June 13. This song is for when “the party gets too seedy, too self-destructive, and too excessive. When people get so drunk they start playing Benny Benassi through speakers already blown. Tomorrow seems very far away.”
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