We’re so grateful it’s finally the weekend. We’re also grateful for new releases from Meet Me @ The Altar, Mickey Guyton, and Yola.
"BRIGHTER DAYS (ARE BEFORE US)" - MEET ME @ THE ALTAR
“Brighter Days (Are Before Us)” is the latest track from pop-punk band Meet Me @ The Altar. It’s the second single off of their upcoming EP, Model Citizen out August 13th. It’s an uplifting track that reminds us that things will get better if we keep holding on.
The music video has the band on an airplane to symbolize the ups and downs of life. The flowers could be a reference to MM@TA’s single, “Garden”. The majority of the music video was shot using a fish lense, possibly depicting tunnel vision. In life, we’re quick to focus on the negative that’s happening. This stops us from seeing the whole picture. MM@TA is encouraging us to break from this tunnel vision and to see that brighter days are truly before us.
"REMEMBER HER NAME" - MICKEY GUYTON
Mickey Guyton returns with a mid-tempo Country track titled “Remember Her Name”, the title track to her upcoming debut album. It’s an empowering anthem about finding strength during difficult times. In a press release, Guyton states: “‘Remember Her Name’ is a song for anyone who has ever felt less than, forgotten, or up against impossible obstacles. “I hope this song is a reminder of the importance of self-worth and the power of persistence and perseverance.”
Additionally, the song and album title were inspired by Breonna Taylor: “When I was thinking about Breonna Taylor, and seeing inaction regarding her murder, I thought, ’I need to bring justice to her life.’ I was writing these types of [thoughtful] songs long before America’s racial reckoning. The frustration that I’ve felt as an African-American has been a part of my process for a while. So the song, and album, are dedicated to [Breonna Taylor] and giving her the justice that she deserves.”
STAND FOR MYSELF - YOLA
Yola’s highly anticipated sophomore album is here at last. Stand For Myself is a mix of Americana, Folk, Country, Motown and Pop influences. On this album, Yola does a fantastic job of highlighting misogynoir that Black women face in their every day life. In fact, Yola states that she hopes Stand For Myself can start a conversation about the injustices Black women face: “Even if it doesn’t heal the world from its colorist and misogynist ways, the fact that it brings it into conversation becomes another tool. Then my record is doing the insidious work of programming your brain to go, ‘Oh, I’m seeing a lot of Black women in all of these contexts that I don’t normally see them in. Why don’t I normally see them in these contexts?’ A whole type of person that’s being omitted is weird.”
“Barely Alive” is an introspective opener that depicts the plight of the Black woman: “I been here and I know how it is / I been living it alone for all these years/ Isolated, we hold in our tears/ And we try to get by/ And we strive, but we’re barely alive”. The song originated from Yola and Nashville-based singer/songwriter Joy Oladokun sharing their experiences being dark-skinned Black woman in the music industry.
An album highlight has to be “Dancing Away In Tears”. It has disco influences that’ll instantly grab your attention. It was as if Yola traveled back to the 70s to record this track. It’s orchestrated flawlessly. You’ll be wishing a former lover goodbye on the dancefloor by the end of this track.
“Diamond Studded Shoes” is fiery song urging us to come together and to connect over our shared humanity, rather than focus on our divisions, fractures, and differences. This song also forces us to realize that our false divides were created to distract us from focusing on society’s biggest dilemmas.
Another album highlight is “Starlight”. She released this soulful retro track as a single earlier this month. Yola explains that the song (and music video) is about “looking for positive physical, sexual and human connections at every level of your journey towards love. The world seems to attach a negative trope of cold heartlessness to the concept of any sexual connection that isn’t marriage, this song looks through a lens of warmth specifically when it comes to sex positivity.”
Stand For Myself closes with a show-stopping title track. It’s an anthemic rock n roll masterpiece. The song steadily builds in intensity. You can hear the passion in her vocals as she sings the outro: “I’m alive, alive, I’m alive/ I used to be nothing like you/ I used to feel nothing like you/ Now I’m alive, alive, I’m alive” Yola has survived and is stronger than ever. It’s empowering to witness.