Post authorHappy September readers!
I want to thank those who have visited my blog so far! I had over 1,600 views in August, more than July, and I am thrilled. Sometimes, I feel guilty for having a music blog because I write content for only one genre. I don’t write about not multiple genres as I see with many other blogs. I could write about lifestyle and travel, but my real passion is music. I want to stick with music (and maybe other entertainment) for now. I will continue to work hard to provide new musical experiences for my viewers.
I write about past and forgotten releases on this blog. But, I also want to feature more about music that is new and upcoming. Especially from bands and artists that are indies or just starting. I am continuing that trend with a band from Scotland named Foggy City Orphan.
Foggy City Orphan has recently released their newest single called “Vitamins”. Have you heard of the Japanese band The Polysics? Or, The Killers or even The Strokes? The vocal style on some of these bands’ songs is somewhat like “Vitamins”. If you listen to the vocals during the verses on the song, you can hear that it is sung in a style of “talking-like-singing”. The lead vocalist styles his singing like if he is talking; each note is generally in the same pitch range — except for the endings when they are raised up — and the words are sung in a quick staccato fashion. How the verses are performed in this “talking-like-singing” style takes a lot of talent. The singer’s basics (breathing control, rhythm, and pitch) are still a must. But, the trick is trying to fit this seamlessly along with instrumentation. The singer does an amazing job with the “talking-like-singing” approach. it is full of energy and seems like a perfect fit with the bass, guitar, and drums.
When the chorus kicks in, this section reminds me of a U2 song from the 2000s. It is very light, slowed-down, and has a relaxed ambiance — compared to the fast pace tempo during the verses. The guitar is higher in pitch while the vocals are more calmed down, a bit lower in pitch. Meanwhile, this contrast between the slow-down pace of the chorus and the fast speed during the verses is flawless. Each section is equally played out, and neither part overpowers each other. Instead, the song is well-balanced.
“Vitamins” is is an alternative rock song that is well-balanced and greatly displays the band’s talent. It balances tempos between the different sections. Meanwhile, the vocalist’s use of the “talking-like-singing” method is done flawlessly. If you like (alternative) rock bands like The Polysics, The Killers, The Strokes, or U2, you should check this song out. And if you’re not, you should still take a listen to “Vitamins” and tell me what you think below!
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While you are at it, you should check out their song “Cheer Up”. It is a mix of The Police and U2, and I love it:
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About the Artist
Foggy City Orphan is an alternative rock band from Scotland. The members are Paul McLinden (vocals/guitar), John McLinden (guitar/vocals), Martin McLinden (bass/vocals), and Stephen Sweeney (drums/vocals). According to their Twitter profile, the band came together around 2015. Paul McLinden was part of the band The Gyres (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzzNmbuGzgw) from 1994 to 1999 as a teenager.
