Fingertips

Stories have been gaining traction lately about the music industry’s newest incarnation of payola, which here in the ’20s involves online influencers getting paid to promote specific albums and artists.

“Salt” – Passenger Lounge Easy-going and effortlessly engaging, “Salt” is precisely the kind of song that fuels my ongoing desire to keep doing what I’ve been doing here since (yikes) 2003.

“Church Street” – Martyrs With (literally) no introduction, “Church Street” feels like a story joined in the middle.

“Beginnings” – Chloe Violette I am something of a sucker for songs with this kind of starkly articulated, tom-based drumbeat, reminiscent of something delightful by Paul Simon.

As my country gears up for a notable anniversary–we so like our round numbers, don’t we?

“Us and the Moon” – Tugboat Captain A sad and persistent keyboard figure provides the sturdy backbone for this subtly well-constructed tune.

“Chrysalide” – Cédric Dind-Lavoie Instrumentals don’t often sneak through the gateway here, largely because my ears seem to need a human voice in the mix.

“Whenever You Want Me Too” – The Greenberry Woods Power pop is one of rock’n’roll’s most elusive genres, as well as one of its most enduring: it was never quite born, never quite arrived, and has never quite gone away.

While I am not alone concretely speaking–I have a devoted long-term partner as well as supportive friends and family members, near and far–I often feel pretty isolated.

January has come and gone, as it does.