February Music Wrap-Up
- Emma Zoe Polyak
- Feb 29, 2024
- 6 min read
I’m back with another monthly round of new songs I’m obsessed with, and let me tell you, it was hard to narrow it down to only five. Don’t worry though, my playlist has 13 songs that I loved this month – scroll to the bottom to see the playlist or check it out here. February brought new releases from artists that I recently discovered and old favorites alike, but without further ado, let’s get into it!
“The Brown Eyed Driver” by Flora Rose
Released February 2
February started off strong with the release of Flora Rose’s debut EP, Synthetic Flowers For A Romantic Comedy, which takes listeners on a journey of ups and downs. “The Brown Eyed Driver” is my favorite out of the five songs on the EP. It starts off with nostalgic instrumentals before giving way to Flora Rose’s enchanting vocals that build into the chorus. The outro of the song is another highlight that shows her love of indie rock with driving beats and guitars.
It’s easy to get swept up in the music, but when you pay attention to the lyrics, you realize that there is a more somber message to the song. In an Instagram post, Flora Rose wrote, “this song gives you a picture of late night, a quiet city, a car and a guy. When you really pay attention to the lyrics the song actually talks about an assault. The fear all women go through when coming home late at night. The fear you feel whenever you’re alone with someone you don’t know. And no one would believe her. She’s paranoid, she acted like she wanted it.”
Synthetic Flowers For A Romantic Comedy, is an artfully created EP that has a fictional storyline of an actress – in the case of “The Brown Eyed Driver,” the lyrics “he’s a liar and he does it best / when she’s flooded by the fame excess” alludes to the actress being the central figure of this song.
Whether you’re looking for songs that are reflective and full of introspection or for songs to play on while driving late at night, you can’t go wrong with the songs from Synthetic Flowers For A Romantic Comedy. And, if you’re looking for lyrics to the songs (all the best to sing along to), head over to YouTube, where Flora Rose uploaded lyric videos for each song, complete with aesthetic backgrounds that transport you to into her world.
“Under Your Wings” by Giant Rooks
Released February 2
“Under Your Wings” is one of my favorite songs from Giant Rook’s sophomore album, How Have You Been? It has all the elements that make me love Giant Rooks: a catchy chorus and an upbeat melody paired with lyrics that reveal a deeper meaning. In this case, “Under Your Wings” explores feelings of vulnerability, and finding solace in the presence of a person who provides comfort and strength. In addition, it’s catchy and will undoubtedly make you want to listen to it over and over again!
While I chose “Under Your Wings” for this list, the entire album is worth a listen, and couldn’t have had a better title. It is full of hope, new beginnings, and reminders to take care of yourself. This comes across in songs such as “Bedroom Exile,” a song that takes me back to the quarantine days of the pandemic, but which can applied to different feelings of isolation and the title track, “How Have You Been,” which closes out the album and which repeats, “I won’t ever let you go” as the instruments swell.
Composed of Frederik Rabe (vocals), Finn Schwieters (guitar), Luca Göttner (bass), Jonathan Wischniowski (piano), and Finn Thomas (drums), Giant Rooks is a German band. I started following them in 2019, after hearing their cover of “Tom’s Diner” with AnnenMayKantereit. They gained popularity in North America last summer when they opened for Louis Tomlinson, and are embarking on a solo tour this year. They started in January, and are still on their Europe + EU leg of the tour. They’ll be headed to North America in April, but you can check out all of their tour dates here.
“Nothing Like” by Mannequin Pussy
Released February 6
“Nothing Like” is Mannequin Pussy’s newest single from their upcoming album, I Got Heaven. The song has waves of intensity, and Marisa Dabice delivers dreamy yet piercing vocals over upbeat drums and guitar riffs. My favorite part of the song comes toward the end, where the vocals and guitar blend in a wave of intensity before dropping to only Dabice’s soft voice.
Dabice has stated, “‘Nothing Like’ is pure fantasy.” She explained that the song was “originally inspired by a stoned out night 6 years ago spent watching an episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in which Buffy is forced to kill her lover, Angel, before he destroys the world. The song existed in fragments until it finally met its final form last year. Young love is so often all consuming, dangerous, and heightened to mythological proportions – ‘Nothing Like’ sought to mix the balance of both the light feelings of new love and the absolute depths that obsession can bring you to.”
The song also gained attention with its music video, which was created using AI. The band responded to criticism about the usage of AI through a statement on social media, writing “‘AI Generated’ is a dismissive & reductive term to what the music video actually is. A real artist spent hours & hours & hours animating over an actual video of me running around & performing the song. Our creative team created a storyline & poured over the process.” You can read the full thread here.
Regardless of your thoughts on the music video, “Nothing Like” is an exciting glimpse at Mannequin Pussy’s new album, I Got Heaven, which is set to release on March 1. I’m also excited to see if it will make it into their setlist during their upcoming US tour, and in their recently announced Europe + UK tour. If you haven’t already, check out their tour dates here!
“Old Ways” by Lucy McWilliams
Released February 7
“Old Ways” is one of my favorite songs released this month. Lucy McWilliams has a knack for writing catchy, reflective songs and this one is no different. McWilliams is an up-and-coming Irish singer that I’ve been following for a while, and this release comes ahead of her new EP, Third Second Chance.
While some of McWilliams’ songs are slower and more ballad-y, this one delivers a kick. The song starts with soft vocals that reflect the opening verse, “Summertime in Dublin, you showed me where the sun lived / Made a world no one could see / The changing of the seasons, drowning in your reasons / Always someone else to blame.” However, the song quickly builds, and the percussion combined with McWilliams’ soothing voice reflects the comfort of old ways with the urgency and uncomfortableness that come with change.
McWilliams shared her thoughts behind the song, “Old Ways is about letting go of a version of yourself that you’ve grown out of. In the past I have found it easy to get comfortable with my current situation due to my surroundings and fear of change. This song is a message to break free, whether that be from your hometown, a relationship, or just the desire for more from life. It reminds me that change is important for growth and never to forget that,”
“Old Ways” follows recent singles “Follow Me” and “Plastic,” two other songs that I instantly related to and have had on repeat since. If you’re in Ireland or the UK, be sure to go and support Lucy McWilliams at one of her shows in March!
“Showtime” by Catfish and the Bottlemen
Released February 22
They’re back! I had to include “Showtime” in this month’s list, if only because the prospect of a new Catfish and the Bottlemen album makes me jump for joy.
“Showtime” has a fresh sound to it. Van McCann’s voice is unmistakable, but the song sounds different from the band’s previous tracks. Understandably so – it’s been a couple years since a new release and not all band members have returned. In fact, front man Van McMann is the only member who has been shown in promotional pictures. The opening lyrics seem to address the band’s break as well, “Back to the graft again / Just sold my voice for a long weekend / You bet it was worth it / There’s no other place I’d rather reset.”
This single has been much anticipated since the band announced that they would be headlining Reading and Leeds this year. Much to fan’s excitement, the band also announced summer concerts in Cardiff and Edinburgh. I can only hope that the band decide to play live a bit closer to me sometime in the near future!
While the single has brought up many questions – when can we expect a new album, any chance for a world tour, and who, exactly, is going to be playing in the band to name a few – one thing’s for sure: “Showtime” is a triumphant return for Catfish and the Bottlemen.
I’ve included all these songs and more in my monthly new music wrap-up playlist – you can listen to it below!
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