The Pop Stop: Bleachers, Brandi Carlile, & More Deliver This Week’s Hidden Gems

Readers of That Grape Juice know how passionate we are about music – whether that be past or present.

However, unlike our other segments – Retro Rewind, TGJ Replay, and From The Vault – The Pop Stop is the most in-depth look at Pop songs that may have flown under the radar over the last week that you should know, rather they be from music’s biggest stars or those on the rise.

This week, we want to highlight cuts from Bleachers, Brandi Carlile, Taylor Janzen, and Yola.

Join us inside…

Bleachers – 91

At their very core, there has always been a sense of potent urgency across Bleachers discography. However, it has never been more present or refined as on their newest album ‘Take The Sadness Out Of Saturday Night.’ Case in point, ’91,’ which is a gorgeous staccato string ballad about indifference. Always present, but never there frontman Jack Antonoff paints an honest portrayal of the subject matter as he is forced to confront the contradicting emotions. Ironically, out of this indifference one of their best songs was born. A clear standout across an already impressive project, ’91’ is Antonoff at his absolute peak.

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Brandi Carlile – Right On Time

Lauded singer-songwriter Brandi Carlile is back with her latest song ‘Right On Time.’ Appearing on her forthcoming album, ‘In These Silent Days,’ ‘Right On Time’ is a delicate ballad with echoes of piano, soft strings, and gentle drums. The production creates the perfect juxtaposition to the subject matter, which sees the singer reflect on conflict and past regrets. Once again, Carlile is able to prove the power of being vulnerable and delivers one of the year’s best songs right on time.

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Taylor Janzen – Push It Down

For Taylor Janzen, music has always been an escape, a release of sorts, a place to put it all out there. Her latest song – ‘Push It Down’ – is no different. While there are hints of Taylor Swift across the track, especially in the lyrics, make no mistake, this is a lane all her own, one she has carved out, a lane of reflective freedom. The lo-fi production is complete with warm guitars, pounding drums, and haunting backing vocals. While she may be sifting through her impulses, never has she sounded so sure of herself. Wounded, but beautiful, Janzen has created yet another confection of pop-perfection.

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Yola – Dancing Away In Tears

If there was one word to describe Yola’s masterful sophomore album, ‘Stand For Myself,’ it would be triumphant. A prime example is the album’s second track ‘Dancing Away In Tears.’ This soulful ballad features a grooving bassline, twinkling overtones, and confident horns. While the song focuses on a breakup, the production adds a layer of hopefulness to the track, creating a beautiful contrast between the sounds and the lyrics. More importantly, it portrays the layers of humanity, how one can dance, yet have tears in their eyes. While perfection may be one of the most difficult objectives to achieve in this lifetime, Yola may have just done so with ‘Dancing Away In Tears.’

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Do you agree with our picks?