We sat down with Molly Trueman to find our more about the sound behind her new album 'Angels & Aliens'. Be sure to check out the song at the bottom and follow her journey!
“The Only Exception” by Paramore
I remember hearing this song for the first time when I was 15. Up to this point, I hadn’t really figured out my music taste. I listened to Taylor Swift and that was about it. But one fall day, “The Only Exception” came up on a random Apple Music playlist I was listening to (in an attempt to branch out from Taylor) while doing homework—I was instantly hooked. From the steady acoustic guitar strumming, to the I - v chord progression, to Hayley Williams’ incredible voice (one of my favorite voices ever), this song scratched an itch I didn’t know I had and opened up a whole new world of music for me.
“Apple Pie” by Lizzy McAlpine
I discovered Lizzy in early 2020, right before the pandemic hit. My mom is a guitar teacher and was teaching “Apple Pie” to one of her students, and she thought I would like it—she was so right. I was obsessed with the warmth and rawness of her voice, the guitar picking, the lyrics and production...it all felt so real. It’s one of those songs that feels like it should have existed forever. This song (as well as Lizzy’s entire discography) single-handedly inspired me to pick up songwriting again after years, which would end up being essential for me during lockdown.
“bloodstream” by Soccer Mommy
Yet another artist I discovered right around lockdown. Although I loved all of color theory, “bloodstream” was a stand out for me. I absolutely love the way the melody jumps around in unexpected ways. It’s exactly what you’re taught not to do in composition classes—they’re all about encouraging stepwise motion, which always pissed me off. I love leaps! And weird, counterintuitive melodies! I think this song reassured my urge to break every rule I learned in school, which opened up a whole new creative realm for me. Additionally, I was super inspired by the instrumentation in Soccer Mommy’s music in general: the electric power chords, the acoustic drone in the background, the weirdly tuned piano, the melodies in the guitar and piano lines. So. Good.
“The Suburbs” by Arcade Fire
Although this song has been around for well over a decade, I didn’t discover it until last year after hearing it in a coffee shop. I was drawn in my the descending chorus melody, as well as the overall eerie, minor feel of the song. My favorite part is the strings—you wouldn’t necessarily expect them in an alt-rock song, but they just make so much sense. The smooth lines contrast the steady rhythm of the piano and percussion so nicely, and really bring the eerie, ethereal atmosphere to a new level. “The Suburbs” was the immediate inspiration for my song “Lungs” on my new album, Angels & Aliens—it gave me a reason to experiment with strings (the best instrument family) in an alt-rock song.
“Common Language” by Madison Cunningham
Madison Cunningham is one of my more recent obsessions, and “Common Language” is one of those songs I wish I wrote. I love her unique chord progressions, her flowing melodies, her captivating voice and storytelling...I’ve never met her, but she gets me on an inexplicable level. Like me, she loves strings, funky chords, as well as blending folk and rock influences. Shockingly, I didn’t discover this song until after I’d written most of my album, though I can clearly hear it in my own writing style. It’s always so cool to discover an artist than can practically read your musical mind.
"I Won't Sleep Soundly" By Molly Trueman
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