Every Friday, the team at Atwood Magazine shares their current musical obsessions, whether it’s a song, album, or artist that has made an impression that week. This week’s roundup highlights tracks from hard life, Jay Som, Flyana Boss, John Muirhead, Lydia Luce, Hana Eid, Joanna Sternberg, James Keegan, Caswell, Little Dog Star, llevan, Madison Margot, BRNDA, Lauren Alex Hooper, DAMNAGE, Cactus Moon, The Avenues, Haytor, Gina Zo, SexyTadhg, Flores Blue, Bon Boy, Benny Morrell, and Sally Shapiro!
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:: onion – hard life ::
Mitch Mosk, Beacon, New York
Upon reflection, the fact that the much-loved British band easy life faced legal action from a ruthless multinational corporation, causing them to change their name six years into their journey before rebranding as “hard life,” hints at what to expect from their music. It indeed reflects this journey: onion, their debut album as hard life, is intensely personal and deeply introspective – emerging from quiet, sincere moments of self-reflection where we assess our identities, current situations, and how we arrived there. It's a contemplation I've no doubt Murray Matravers has pondered many times over the past few years, and perhaps, if we take the onion metaphor literally, it explains the layers in the self-exploration evident throughout these fourteen emotionally raw and honest tracks. Notably, the album takes its name from the onion studio in Shirokane, Tokyo, where much of it was composed.
“This is the album I always yearned to create,” Matravers revealed to Atwood Magazine earlier this year. “It's more raw and true than I’ve ever been. The production and sounds are pushing new boundaries for me – it feels thrilling! I'm completely immersed in this record – my friends are tired of hearing it.”
“I made it for myself,” he added. “The music is bolder than before, and I believe I’ve crafted something distinct; I haven’t found myself in this space for quite some time, so it feels wonderful to create solely to release emotions – it’s liberating.”
“It’s a hard life, I can’t hide, it’s been exhilarating,” he admits in the opening track “tears.” A cheeky, clever, heartfelt sentiment with a playful wink, balancing the traditional with the modern. And candidly: The path to hard life was as chaotic and troubled as one could expect, with a painful breakup influencing much of Matravers’ lyrics. “I spent a fortune on therapy; if you’re going to kill me, do it quietly,” he sings in “OGRE.” “The body keeps the score; don’t ask for help, and even if you dare to, it’s not available,” he contemplates in standout track “tele9raph hill,” lamenting, “Who knew love would lead to a hard life?” showcasing his brutal self-awareness.
“As a band, we’ve endured so much over the last couple of years – much of which I can’t disclose due to legal reasons,” Matravers recounted in that same conversation. “However, I believe we all emerged with a fresh outlook and a renewed appreciation for this project. We no longer take anything for granted.”
“Welcome to the new sonic era of hard life. If listeners find comfort in the lyrics, that’s great. If it serves as the background music for a house party or BBQ, that’s fine too.”
The transition from easy life to hard life was paved with struggle, yet this journey birthed an audacious and stunning album – and a softer, sincere follow-up to MAYBE IN ANOTHER LIFE… Honest, heartfelt, and deeply human, onion manages a lot in just thirty minutes – it’s a raw reset, a quiet victory, and an emotional release all at once. With Murray Matravers and hard life back in action and standing tall, there’s no stopping this band as they charge full speed into whatever the future has in store.
Whether onion marks a new chapter or acts as a final statement, it stands strong on its own as a daring and impressive body of work.
:: “Float” – Jay Som ft. Jim Adkins ::
David Diame, Kalamazoo, MI
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The Atwood team shares their current music selections: This week's highlights feature hard life, Jay Som, Flyana Boss, John Muirhead, Lydia Luce, Hana Eid, Joanna Sternberg, James Keegan, Caswell, Little Dog Star, llevan, Madison Margot, BRNDA, Lauren Alex Hooper, DAMNAGE, Cactus Moon, The Avenues, Haytor, Gina Zo, SexyTadhg, Flores Blue, Bon Boy, Benny Morrell, and Sally Shapiro!