Molly. Review: Paradise


Molly.

LPR Agency

@jocronin65

Editorial

I have been writing a lot about this pandemic, not to go with the current trend or to prove a point. But one thing I haven’t spoken a lot about is the word “appreciation”.

Appreciation is particularly hard to feel these days, there is a lot of hurt, anger, disappointment, and just overall negativity felt by a lot of people in the world these days. But I feel appreciation is something that needs to be more… appreciated.

I, for one, forget to appreciate my job as a mental health worker, sometimes the “thank you” and “that really helped” kind of just makes me feel good for about 1 minute and then just dissipates… It kind of feels like “awesome that worked, so what’s next?”

I never really stop and reflect how important my action was to that person.

Table of Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. Who is Molly.?
  3. Inspiration Behind Paradise
  4. What’s Next for Molly.?
  5. Thank You Notes
  6. Links
  7. Conclusion

Who is Molly.?

It’s not until I feel so down that I find the time to stop and meditate when I choose to appreciate myself, and something in me says that’s not how it should be… That’s where my appreciation for my job and the people I work for needs to come in.

Right now, everyone should be appreciative of being healthy enough to read this article. Paradise, which is also Molly’s latest song, will come… And hopefully it will look somewhat like it did pre-covid. But for now, appreciate who, what, and how much you have going for your life.

Who is Molly.?

Molly was inspired to make music when she was around 14 years old, with massive influence from KT Tunstall because she loves her writing style.

She also says that her fan base changes all the time, ranging from 16-35 years old. Her fans really engage well with her, “especially around my home town I always feel that my music is appreciated. I come from the small city of Lancaster, it has a great music scene which has really helped me get to where I am today,” she says.

Inspiration Behind Paradise

I wrote paradise during the lockdown and it’s all about the unexpected journey that we all have been on. This year has had its ups and downs, so I wrote the song about how maybe next year things will be better, maybe we’ll be living in Paradise. 

Molly. (9/7/2020)

Molly’s music reminds me a lot of a mix of Florence and the Machine and Sylvan Esso, a little of funk with a touch of dream pop. I really like the mix, because although the mix is common the songwriting in each song is on point with her influences.

I will admit, I’ve never heard of KT Tunstall but I have certainly heard of her most popular songs. I am a fan now, she’s a really talented musician I can tell after only listening to half of a song.

I really enjoyed all five of Molly’s singles and will gladly add them to our Indie Unedited Spotify playlist.

What’s Next for Molly.?

I personally have found the lockdown period quite inspiring I feel the world has been going through a lot of changes and that inspires me to write songs. I also feel I have had a lot more time to concentrate on being creative as I haven’t been gigging which has given me more time to get my creative juices flowing. 

Molly.

Molly’s plans for the future are to continue to release music and reach as many people who will listen to it. She has found enjoyment in releasing singles, so that is something that she will keep doing because it keeps her audience more engaged.

“I can’t wait to get back out on the road and perform, festivals are my favorite place and time to perform so hopefully next year will bring many festivals and good times,” she adds.

Make sure you follow all or some of the links below to stay up to date with Molly!

Thank You Notes

I want to thank Lydia Reed (LPR Agency) for introduce me to Molly. She’s a wonderful talent, and I am looking forward to following her journey in the music industry.

Molly.’s links:

LPR Agency’s links:

Unedited Music Blog’s links:

Conclusion

Have a great rest of the week, and happy Thanksgiving! Very grateful for all the people who read these articles, I hope you all have a really good day. Remember to respect each other, and if you need to go into public wear a mask.

YVR [unedited] Music Review


YVR

Gramophone PR

@jocronin65


Today marks 3 years, 1 month, and 1 day since my last relationship ended. I have worked very hard on myself during that time, but there’s no doubt that being single for this long is something I’m not used to.

It’s been lonely at times, but it’s also been a time of self-discovery. I also realized that I don’t always have to be with someone, but I realized that I don’t always have to be single too.

There are times I’ve wanted to reach out to my ex-girlfriend, but I know that wouldn’t be healthy. She wasn’t healthy for me, and I wasn’t healthy for her… That’s just how it is. It’s for that reason that I refrain from reaching out.

“’How Have You Been’ looks back at the impact that our past loves had on us, how even after years of moving on we still carry pieces of them with us. Not in a romantic way, but in a curious, caring kind of way,” (YVR’s press release from Gramophone Media PR).


Prior to releasing their first EP (Night Days) in 2019, Courtney and Stephen Stahl worked with international acts as Jenae (Courtney Stahl) and Buddro (Stephen Stahl). Courtney wrote numerous songs for major acts like Red Velvet, EXO, and Amber Liu. Stephen produced with the likes of Chris Daughtry, Blasterjaxx, and Morgan Page.

The married couple that call themselves YVR have been making music for others with a resume that includes 4 million records sold and a combined ten #1 singles, but are now starting their own journey together as a duo.

What is your fan base like?

“They are fierce, fun and fabulous.”


Songwriting for me has become very personal over the years. Stephen and I have the best songwriting chemistry of anyone I’ve worked with.

Courtney Stahl to American Songwriter (4/20/2020)

Three things that make a 5 star song in my book are: great songwriting, catchy melodies, and an authentic sound.

Basically every YVR song achieves all of these things, which is no surprise seeing Courtney’s success with writing and Stephen’s success with producing. How Have You Been is a great song that adds on to the depth of their music collection.

To narrow down my five favorite songs, I’d have to say Heartless, Unique, Pay, Talking In Your Sleep, and How Have You Been are my top 5 songs.


When a relationship ends, you always hold a place in your heart for that person, regardless of who ended it. The lyrics in (How Have You Been?) reflect on how breaking someone’s heart can sometimes hurt worse than being heartbroken.

YVR (8/14/2020)

Right now, there are currently no releases that I know of that are planned to be released. Whatever direction they make, however, they say they want to be “completely authentic to ourselves in our music.”

If you want to stay up-to-date with future releases for YVR, make sure you follow and like the links below


I would like to thank Brittany Bowler (Gramophone Media PR) for connecting me with Courtney and Stephen Stahl. It took a while, but I am very happy to review YVR.


YVR Links:

Gramophone Media PR links:

Unedited Music Blog links:


Hope everyone has a great week, and remember to stay safe and wear a mask if you have to go out into public. Also, respect each other out there, it’s really not that hard.


How Have You Been? by YVR (2020)






Overall: 5/5


How Have You Been?: 5/5

Night Days: 5/5


Top Song: Heartless (2019)



Tafari Anthony: Living in a Dream

Tafari Anthony

LPR Agency

@jocronin65

Photo taken by Elliot J. Tilleczek

Editorial

I find that many musicians, no matter how successful they get, at some point in their career fall into the trap of comparing themselves to more successful musicians. It’s true that all artists should aim to improve their music, but when it comes to comparing themselves to others.

It can do more harm than good.

I was talking to my friend the other day after he posted about feeling really overwhelmed and depressed because of the unknowns of the future of his music career. As a blogger, I’ve almost fallen into both of these traps.

I have almost compared myself to the more successful music blogs, and I have dreaded the idea of the unknown future for the blog at times. But I know if I choose to think that way then I’d be too anxious to go on with this amazing hobby.

The competition would be way too much, and I would just see no point in posting anything… Just because I didn’t get any comments on any of my posts, but my competition always did.

I gave some advice to my friend that I’d recommend anyone in a similar position try out. I have a list on my computer that acts like a journal for me, and every time I get a positive comment about my content I take a small piece of that statement and add it on to the list.

Every time someone says that to me, I put a check mark next to it to add on to its credibility, and every time someone says something more specific than I add that piece onto my list too. The list can be however long and/or short, because it is my list after all.

This list is a way to show myself in a concrete way what kind of impact I am making. That list has grown so much, that it’s not that hard to see how much of an impact I’ve made on individual peoples lives in so many ways.

It reminds me every day to be grateful for that impact that I am making, and that helps me grow and continue to write for Unedited.

Living in a Dream by Tafari Anthony was written in January 2018. At that time he took sometime to step away from releasing music and focus on writing and exploring new sounds.

Tafari says, “I was in a very reflective space at the time and thinking a lot about how much I was obsessing about other’s successes compared to mine. To the point where I really was feeling like I was working so hard and no matter what good would come my way it wasn’t good enough”.

Musicians at some point in their careers usually struggle to see the point in moving on with their work. Sometimes they get past these moments, but unfortunately sometimes they don’t. That’s what makes them human. But for the ones that decide to keep on going, they always find their own ways to progress.

Table of Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. Who is Tafari Anthony?
  3. Inspiration Behind Tafari Anthony’s Music
  4. What’s Next for Tafari Anthony?
  5. Thank You Notes
  6. Links
  7. Conclusion

Who is Tafari Anthony?

Tafari grew up in a creative family, and both of his parents were involved with music. It all came so naturally for him. “It was also a way for me to process my feelings growing up, and it’s an outlet I’m so grateful to have to this day,” he says.

Today Tafari has grown into a successful musician with an eclectic fan base, which reflects the vast styles of music that he is inspired by. He says that his music is quite different than what most people would listen to, “and it seems to me most of my fan base is the same. We don’t quite fit into one thing, we’re curious and like to discover and learn”.

Inspiration Behind Tafari Anthony’s Music

What I love about music too is that the meaning of a song changes based on current circumstances. With what we are going through right now with the Black Lives Matter movement the (Live in a Dream) lyrics are all of a sudden hitting me quite different.

Tafari Anthony (8/11/2020)

There are a lot of emotions that so many of Tafari’s music touches, but I find him to be an overall confident musician. I always admire musicians who are confident about their music, because it’s a special quality that can push anyone a long way.

I would have to say Maybe When We Get Older and Know Better to be two really good tracks of his from 2016, and Living in a Dream as well from his recent releases.

Like I mentioned before, he is proud to have a vast variety of songs. And coincidentally, there are some tracks that I don’t prefer. Interestingly enough, most of the songs I don’t prefer are explicit songs… Still don’t know why that is, but I guess it is what it is.

Either way, the songs that I do enjoy listening to are quite unique in their own ways.

I really love Country music. I’m sure that’ll come as a surprise to a lot! But yeah, just the super tight intimate harmonies, the storytelling and emoting… it just gets me. Especially when you look at new Country as well, I feel like it borrows a lot of influence from R&B which just makes it that much more special.

Tafari

What’s Next for Tafari Anthony?

“I want to always be free. Free to explore different sounds and not feel tied down to just doing one thing. I feel like that can really stifle creativity,” says Tafari. This is a feeling he doesn’t want to lose with his music, and he is not planning to loss sight of this any time soon.

Right now, he is currently working on a few singles, and his fans might probably see an EP before 2021. “I’ve been collaborating with a few other artists this year as well which has been really nice. Can’t wait to share all that I’ve been working on,” he says.

Keep a close eye on most or all the links provided below, because that’s the best way to find out when Tafari releases these new tracks!

Thank You Notes

I would like to thank Tafari Anthony for waiting for this article, and I would also like to thank Lydia Reed (LPR Agency) for connecting me with Tafari all the way back in early-May.

Tafari Anthony links:

LPR Agency links:

Unedited Music Blog links:

Conclusion

Have a wonderful rest of the week, and remember to respect other people and stay safe. If you feel sick then stay home, and if you go into public please remember to wear a mask.


Live in a Dream by Tafari Anthony (2020)