Discovery
One of my favorite things is to share some of my new music discoveries with people. I get so excited when I get to add new songs to my summer playlist.
When I was watching one of Emma Chamberlain’s YouTube videos the other day, I was drawn to a snippet of music she was playing in her car.
The Song
I was immediately drawn to Declan McKenna’s song called, “Why Do You Feel So Down.” When I listened to the full song, I knew it was going to be played constantly on repeat. I loved the techy keyboard intro that led into an electronic drumbeat. Declan’s sound is almost that of NeverShoutNever, but a little more pop and electronic indie rock.
The lyrics are also interesting because I was getting vibes of self-deprecation of the narrator while they are still trying to be a decent friend. Very relatable. Even though the singer is pretty young, he still has a pretty mature and features sensitive content sometimes.
The Studio Album
So I decided to check out the rest of the album the song was featured on, “What Do You Think About the Car?” This album was his first studio produced album by Columbia Records. It reached number 7 in the United States charts. However, most of his self-produced albums didn’t get much exposure until he won Glastonbury Festival’s Emerging Talent Competition in 2015 (age 15).
Sources: TokyoWeekender Wikipedia
His Song, “Brazil”
Another song that really caught my eye was track number 2: “Brazil.” The lyrics of this song caught my eye when Declan sings, “I’m gonna burn your house down to spread peace and love.” Because of this lyric, I decided to see what other people thought about the song.
I found that lots of people are praising the song for it’s catchiness and content. Jon Lyons from ThisNewBand.com talks about this song in his article, “Meet 16-Year-Old Declan McKenna And His Incredible Song “Brazil.“” In this article Lyons notes,
“”Brazil” is a catchy song no doubt. An ode to the corruption that has plagued FIFA and international soccer, “Brazil” is the oddest of pop singles, one that is undeniably an earworm but also a sharp critique on sports, money and power.”
My Verdict
I don’t only think that Declan McKenna has good music, I also think he is a really great artist for people to stand behind. His music is dance-worthy and catchy while still keeping a solid and equality focused standpoint with his lyrics. So definitely give him a listen if you haven’t heard of him already.
Until next time,
Vic Wilbur
