By Erin Caine
Senior Writer
It’s that time of year again: though summer feels like a long-passed phenomenon, somehow it’s still way too hot to dress in your favorite comfy sweater. (Still, it’s never the wrong time to start decorating your room for Halloween.) During this in-between segment of the year, media output slows down a bit, so shows and songs that drop before October tend to get overlooked. Here are a few recent and notable tracks—from rock-and-roll legends to Arab Australian pop sensations—that you might have missed:
1. “Bones of Saints,” Robert Plant. Though perhaps best known as the former frontman of Led Zeppelin, Plant’s solo career has been a prolific one since 1982. His 11th solo studio album comes out in October, but in the meantime, fans have been treated to the bluesy, road trip-perfect “Bones of Saints.” It’s an honest, guitar-driven track featuring an uncharacteristically toned-down vocal performance from Plant—all to the song’s benefit, since it enhances the overall mood of unsentimental honesty.
2. “Imperfection,” Evanescence. Amy Lee’s haunting, flawless vocals over a soaring orchestra, piano, and synths set just the right mood for Halloween. Departing from their comfort zone of hard rock, Lee and company’s upcoming “Synthesis” gorgeously remasters the band’s previous tracks with a full orchestra and electronica. “Imperfection,” however, is a brand new song from the band, and Lee’s powerful pipes hit the listener full-force, seeming just at home with the drama of the lofty strings and punchy rhythm.
3. “Up the Creek,” Tori Amos. A classically-trained virtuoso with an ear for intricate melodies, Amos delivers what fans expect and more with her new album, “Native Invader.” The stirring folk-inspired melody of the track is partly a product of Amos’s road trip through North Carolina’s Smoky Mountains. The textured synths, vocals, and variety of strings create an ambiance just as lush and mysterious as any mountainous landscape. Indeed, the only word to describe any of the songs from “Native” would be “otherworldly.”
4. “Selfish Love,” Jessie Ware. Ware crafts a track of silky-smooth vocals over what seems like the soundtrack to a Spanish soap opera, all of it wrapped up in a dreamy, glamorous atmosphere. The English singer-songwriter debuted with “Devotion” in 2012, recognized by “Pitchfork” as one of the 100 best albums of the decade. “Selfish Love,” from her upcoming third album, “Glasshouse,” is a sultry and intoxicatingly delicate song about a hopeless love. Ware’s crystalline voice blends seamlessly with the Latin-esque percussion and acoustic guitar.
5. “Bodies,” Wafia. Singer-songwriter Wafia uses an infectious rhythm, captivating vocals, and masterful taste for melody to powerfully send her message about the Syrian refugee crisis. While the track itself is vibrant and uplifting, the lyrics, reveal the singer’s deep, emotional stake in the issue. Other pop artists could stand to learn something from her and likewise use their musical platforms to talk about the topics that matter. Moreover, the song is sonically a cut above, sporting resonant and layered synths alongside mellow, elegant verses.