Monthly Archives: May 2021

Listen to the raucous and politically-charged @BobSeger cover “2+2=?” by Spokane, WA’s @iamHEwas

HEwas, “2+2=?”

It reminds me of that Mel Gibson movie, “Forever Young”, in which he is a pilot who is cryogenically frozen in 1939 and wakes up in 1992. The latest Cosmic Wire release by new Spokane, Washington performer HEwas is a cover of Bob Seger’s “2+2=?”, originally released on Seger’s Ramblin’ Gamblin Man album in 1968.  Despite today’s technology, it’s like the song has taken an intentional step forward in time as recorded by HEwas. Written as a protest song against sending young people off to the Vietnam War, it’s politically charged message is still extremely relevant today.  The sound is unkempt raw rock ‘n roll, a nice tip of the hat to Seger’s original, the kind that you’d hear and dance to in a dive bar.  Knowing that it’s all about the song and message, HEwas’ vocal blends seamlessly into the mix.  Produced by BLAZAR, about whose own song “Enough” I recently wrote, “2+2=?” is an interesting and appropriate tonic for college and alternative rock stations.

Germany’s @_ANIQO is back with a sparse-sounding, hopeful release “Wonderland”

ANIQO, “Wonderland”

Her songs can be mysterious and brooding, or bright and hopeful, as we get to know the many facets of Berlin-based singer/songwriter/filmmaker ANIQO (aka Anita Goβ), this time through the new single “Wonderland”.  Following in a similar vein to a previous release, “LoveLife”, “Wonderland” is about love holding us together through everything, even at the darkest times.  Its sparse arrangement, only featuring piano, harmonica and vocal, is taut and compelling, and as usual ANIQO can weave us through a lengthy song without it ever seeming so long.  It was preceded over a year ago by a video release, above, which shows ANIQO’s ongoing artistry in that field.  I’ve written about the music of ANIQO for over four years now, and those songs will eventually lead to her debut album called Birth, which is now slated for this year.