"Blue Skies Back" By Palms Station is -simply put- gorgeous and instantly timeless. In an era where the focus seems to be either being futuristic or commercially competitive, being firmly rooted instead in the tried and true isn't just a legitimate act of originality, but a creative necessity to return to the wellspring of the analog, and I always have just that bit more of extra praise to give when it comes to that. It's not like Palms Station is leading a revolution of more traditional-sounding alt-rock, or as if they alone hold the gates against some sort of grim army of electronic beatmakers, nothing so crude or contentious, but in a sea of trap currents, electro-pop waves, and avant-garde R&B riptides, you can't help but feel thankful that there are artists with the vision and drive to break out of the waters with their humble instruments and 20th-century sensibilities. They are like fruitful islands in between the expanse, where you can relax under the Palm Tree of their sound before setting out to swim again.
Featuring non-binary LGBTQ Torii Wolf, "Blue Skies Back" has been nothing short of a joy to listen to in every regard. it's got the kind of melodic expertise that comes with wisened experience, with years of both listening to and making fantastic music. The song is thoughtfully genuine and evokes both uplifting fierceness and tender child-like longing for better days. "I want my blue skies back // Tell the men who sold the world to give 'em back" is such a simple and succinct way to put something so universally relatable, that I can already imagine hundreds of songwriters beating themselves up for not coming up with it themselves. In the veritable archipelago of contemporary rock-influenced "alternative" music, this relatively-new island is called Palms Station, and it is the creation of Hillel Tigay, who is perhaps best described as a fixture in the Jewish music "scene" in L.A. "How so?" you ask. Well, he was one half of the humorous "hebe-hop" duo 19.99 under the name "Dr. Dreidel" alongside Martini Ranch’s Andy Rosenthal aka "Ice Berg". Additionally, for about 15 years now, Hillel has been the head cantor and musical director at the notoriously hip and high-profile West L.A. synagogue IKAR, a post-denominational and progressive Jewish congregation that skews many of the conceptions one might have of such a place in favor of, well... a more progressive sort of spiritual community and temple. it's no surprise then that Tigay's music is immersed in the religious, so much so that Palms Station is considered his "secular" debut, however, this song isn't far off from his hymn-singing, and there's as much of his Jewish heritage in it as there is from his love of the Beatles and the Beach Boys. One might even say that this Project is the crossroads between his spiritual life worldly life, so much so that even Hillel himself is quite open about the intention of his music:
"I’m not selling any persuasion, just the feeling you get that people refer to as “a religious experience.” The ancients were keenly aware that song had a singular power to bring a higher purpose into their midst.”
Thankfully, this carefully crafted gem of a project is getting its final polishes and we're likely to get more and more songs as the year goes on. Times being what they are, I can't imagine a more opportune time to be releasing such uplifting music to the masses.
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