Three Track Week #31: From Hypnotic Alternative to Melodic Rock
- Raven
- 1 day ago
- 8 min read
Three songs that build momentum in completely different ways
This week’s Three Track Week 31 moves between hypnotic alternative, driving Southern rock and melodic emo. Samuel Virgo keeps things stripped back on “ICU”, NorthFork bring the energy with the hook-heavy “Last Call”, while Time Spent Driving build “The Red Dress” around warm guitars, strong vocals and a steadily growing arrangement.
This week's tracks are available in our playlist INDIENOXZINE | Selections, updated weekly on Spotify.
Samuel Virgo - “ICU”
“ICU” starts with an electric guitar riff and dry drums, before Samuel Virgo’s low vocals come in. He delivers the words almost like speech, but there’s a clear rhythm underneath them. What immediately caught my attention is the contrast between the voice and the guitar: the guitar sits high and sharp, while Virgo’s voice is deep and grounded.” starts with an electric guitar riff and dry drums, before Samuel Virgo’s low vocals come in. He delivers the words almost like speech, but there’s a clear rhythm underneath them. What immediately caught my attention is the contrast between the voice and the guitar: the guitar sits high and sharp, while Virgo’s voice is deep and grounded.
Sound / Mood
The track is remarkably stripped back, but it never feels empty. The guitar keeps circling around the same riff while the drums maintain a steady pulse, creating a sense that the song is constantly moving forward even though very little changes structurally. That’s probably what I found most interesting about “ICU”. It stays with its central idea without becoming boring. There’s a certain tension in the repetition, and the minimal arrangement gives every element enough space to be heard. Later, a synth enters and subtly expands the sound rather than completely changing its direction. The production also makes good use of space. Virgo’s voice sits centrally, with the drums holding the middle as well, while the synth moves to the right and the guitar leans more towards the left. It gives the track a wider image without making the arrangement feel crowded.
Why This Matters
“ICU” is a good example of how much can happen in a song that is built from relatively few elements. Virgo doesn’t need a huge arrangement or constant changes to keep the track moving. The tension comes from the relationship between the dry drums, high guitar, deep vocal and later the synth. That restraint also works with the subject of the song. Virgo describes “ICU” as being about the way narratives are shaped, truths become obscured and perception can be manipulated. The track never feels like it is trying to spell everything out. Instead, its repetitive structure leaves you with the feeling that something is circling underneath the surface.
Context
“ICU” is the latest single from Sheffield-born, London-based artist Samuel Virgo and the first glimpse of an upcoming EP due later this year. It was one of the final songs written for the project and was entirely written, produced and engineered by Virgo himself. Virgo previously released music under the name Svirgo19 before returning under his real name for a more personal creative chapter. His music draws on indie, alternative, hip-hop and post-punk, with influences including Fontaines D.C., Tyler, The Creator, The 1975, Twenty One Pilots, Steve Lacy, Blood Orange and Dean Blunt. His live performances have included headline shows at The Finsbury and Temple of Art and Music, as well as appearances at Colours Hoxton, Camden Assembly, Notting Hill Arts Club, The Alternative Escape Festival and BARE in Norway. His work has also received support from BBC Introducing Sheffield, COLORSxSTUDIO, Glide Magazine, DMY and Ones To Watch, while he contributed to the soundtrack of the BBC Three series "Boarders". “ICU” introduces the upcoming EP with a sound that is minimal without being static, leaving plenty of room for the guitar, rhythm and Virgo’s low, conversational delivery to pull the track forward.
🎧 Stream "ICU” on Apple Music · Follow Samuel Virgo on Instagram
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NorthFork - “Last Call”
“Last Call” starts with a guitar riff and drums that come in with immediate power. There’s no long build-up before the song gets moving. NorthFork’s vocals are just as striking. The voice feels like a signature of its own, instantly recognizable and delivered with a lot of strength. From there, the track keeps pushing forward without losing its sense of melody.
Sound / Mood
The guitars are at the centre of “Last Call”, but they never overwhelm the song. The production is clean, giving the different parts enough room while still keeping the overall sound loud and energetic. The electric guitar strumming becomes especially noticeable in the pre-chorus, helping build tension before the chorus arrives. And the chorus is probably the biggest hook here. The melody is immediately memorable and has that quality that makes you want to sing along after hearing it once or twice. Underneath it all, the guitars add plenty of detail without demanding attention for themselves. There’s some real playing happening in the background, but it always serves the song. The track feels driving and straight-forward, with a slight punk edge running through the Southern rock foundation. After the bridge, an electric guitar solo pushes the energy even further. Then the following chorus suddenly pulls back a little, giving the song a short moment to breathe before it launches into the final stretch again.
Why This Matters
“Last Call” takes a very familiar situation and turns it into something bigger than a song about leaving a bar. The idea of that final moment before the lights come on becomes a metaphor for making a decision while there is still time to act. What makes it work musically is that NorthFork don't overcomplicate the idea. The song is direct, melodic and built around a chorus that is easy to grab onto. It has the kind of energy that makes sense in a crowded room, where people can pick up the hook quickly and sing it back.
Context
“Last Call” is the latest single from NorthFork, a four-piece Southern rock band from Tuolumne, California. The band draws on classic guitar-driven rock alongside modern alternative and post-grunge influences, with Lynyrd Skynyrd, 3 Doors Down and Soundgarden among the artists cited as influences. The song was inspired by the band's years of performing in dive bars and small-town venues. As NorthFork describe it, the final hour of the night can become unpredictable: decisions get harder, situations get stranger and there is often only a short window left to figure out what happens next. “Last Call” was written and performed by NorthFork, produced by Jake Parshall and engineered by Taylor Tidmore. The band consists of Cianan Brennan on lead guitar and vocals, Jaden Brocchini on guitar and vocals, Adam Coelho on drums and Grant Deal on bass and backup vocals. The group has been featured by outlets including antiMusic, The Alternative Root and Kill The Music, while continuing to build its reputation through high-energy live performances and songs rooted in everyday experiences.
Time Spent Driving - “The Red Dress”
“The Red Dress” starts with strummed guitars and smooth drums, creating a very light feeling from the first seconds. Then the vocals come in with a strong presence and a beautiful melody. There’s something immediately warm about the song, but it doesn’t stay in one place for long. As the pre-chorus arrives, electric guitars enter and the track begins to grow, giving the song more weight without losing the softness of its opening.
Sound / Mood
The contrast between the lighter guitar parts and the fuller electric guitars is what gives “The Red Dress” much of its movement. The song keeps developing rather than simply repeating the same arrangement. After the bigger sections, the instrumentation pulls back again to the picked and strummed guitars, which gives the track some breathing room. The vocals remain strong throughout the pre-chorus and chorus, carrying the melody without needing to push the performance too far. There’s a really nice guitar texture underneath them and the production keeps everything clear without making the song sound overly polished. After the chorus, an electric guitar solo adds another layer before the song moves into a much more reduced bridge. A light guitar texture and kick drum are almost all that remain for a moment. It creates a small pause in the song before the final section brings the energy back. The result is simply a really good rock song. There’s enough movement and detail to keep listening, but the arrangement never feels overloaded. The ending is especially satisfying because the song has gradually built towards it rather than trying to create a dramatic moment out of nowhere.
Why This Matters
There’s something appealing about the patience in “The Red Dress”. The song doesn't need to hit its biggest moment immediately. It starts gently, introduces new elements when they are needed, pulls back again and then builds towards its ending. That makes the emotional side of the song feel natural rather than forced. The story behind it is quite dark - the idea of imagining your own death while walking home with someone you love - but the music doesn't simply mirror that darkness. Instead, it carries a sense of warmth and reflection, with the changing guitar layers giving the song room to breathe. The fact that the song was originally written almost two decades ago makes its finished form even more interesting. It doesn't sound like a preserved piece of an older record. It feels like something that was revisited, reshaped and allowed to become a new song.
Context
“The Red Dress” is the focus track from "Lost Leaves", the fourth full-length album by Santa Cruz emo and indie-rock veterans Time Spent Driving, released via Thirty Something Records. The song features guest vocals from Chris Wicky of Swiss indie-rock band Favez, reconnecting the two artists after Time Spent Driving toured with Favez in Germany and the U.S. The song originally began around 2008 but was never finished. Frontman Jon Cattivera returned to it while writing "Lost Leaves", rewriting most of the original material and keeping only the parts that still worked. Its emotional premise came from a night in Seattle when Cattivera and his wife were unable to get into a sold-out show by Chad Price and Rocky Votolato. Walking back afterwards, he imagined a scenario in which he had been shot and reflected on how terrible it would be to lose someone after everything they had experienced together. “The Red Dress” sits alongside previously released tracks including “Weak Arm”, “December” and “She’s the One” on "Lost Leaves". The album was produced by Olav Tabatabai and Jon Cattivera and recorded at Compound Recordings in Santa Cruz, with additional recording at Cattivera’s home studio. Formed in 1998, Time Spent Driving have spent more than 25 years moving between emo, indie rock and melodic alternative music. "Lost Leaves" marks another chapter for a band that has managed to keep the emotional directness of its early work while continuing to reshape its sound.
🎧 Stream "The Red Dress” on Apple Music · Follow Time Spent Driving on Instagram
Three different takes on guitar-driven music, each with its own way of building momentum. From Samuel Virgo’s hypnotic minimalism to NorthFork’s straight-ahead rock energy and Time Spent Driving’s melodic rise and release, these tracks show how much can be done with a strong riff, a memorable melody and a good sense of timing.
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