The enchanting pull of toxic love. The hypnotizing allure of pushing a stone uphill toward an end goal. The temptation of greener pastures.

Life puts us in a variety of complicated situations and leads us through complex emotions. Today’s Songs You Should Hear illustrate the shades of grey we encounter as we navigate through life.

Artist: ARREIS
Song: Best Worst Love
Genre: Dark Pop
Why you should hear it: Meeting at the intersection of dark pop and Southern rock, the haunting, harmonica-infused single serves as the first offering from ARREIS’ forthcoming release, Vices.

The “vice” in question here? Heresy. “Best Worst Love” describes a relationship that is not deemed acceptable by traditional standards, but is as complex, nuanced, and addictive as they come.

Artist: The Dead Bolts
Song: The Throes
Genre: Alternative rock
Why you should hear it: A disarming, summery soundscape will lead you to believe that these Chicago natives are feeling cheery and upbeat. However, a deeper dive into the lyrical content of “The Throes” reveals a commentary on the mental health struggles creatives face when trying to balance life with the hustle — when art serves both as a muse and a vice.

The band states: “The chorus is from the perspective of things that might get stuck in your head when you start to doubt yourself, or after hearing from people around you that have tried to steer you in a ‘safer,’ more ‘stable’ career path, because they themselves are too afraid of failure. It’s a tale many artists have heard and experienced before, but it continues to be repeated. At the end of the day, your art is often what is going to be able to pull you out of the throes, and turn a corner for the better.”

Artist: The Late Arrivals Club
Song: Citybound
Genre: Rock/Americana
Why you should hear it: If you’ve ever felt the enchanting pull of the big city, you’ll relate to this one. Keyboardist/frontman Pete O’Grady wrote “Citybound” about a young man who leaves his small town in northern England for the bright lights and promise of London.

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What do you think we should hear? You’re always welcome to let us know! And, if you’re an artist (or represent an artist), you can fill out one of these forms to put your music on our radar!