We Speak Music
Nathan Bryce and Loaded Dice Release “Gone Since Texas”
Nathan Bryce and Loaded Dice have released “Gone Since Texas” and the setup alone grabbed me. An email between Bryce and Crockett. A dragonfly pin. A Texas show where someone was already leaving before they actually left. That’s the real story here, and the song doesn’t waste energy pretending it’s anything bigger or more dramatic than what it is. One person still in the moment while the other is already gone. That disconnect, that awful asymmetry of heartbreak, is what makes this track work.
Crockett wrote the lyrics on a flight, and you can feel that immediacy in every line. She nailed how it actually feels when you realize the ending started way before either person said it out loud. “I’m in misery, while she’s in Missouri” hits exactly right because it’s specific and plain and true. No flourish needed.
The music lets the story breathe. Bryce’s vocals have this restrained quality that matters more than anything showy would. The guitar work pulls from blues and Southern rock but never overstates the moment. It’s the kind of arrangement that trusts the song to land, and it does. Everything feels earned because nothing is forced.
After spending years on high-energy blues-driven material, Bryce and Loaded Dice have clearly found something deeper in their writing. They’re not abandoning what made their live shows work, but they’re bringing real emotional weight to it now. “Gone Since Texas” proves they can do both at once. It’s a song that matters because it came from somewhere true, and they didn’t mess it up by trying too hard.
Listen to it in full here.
Swiss artist Fanny Alexandra returns with “Black Pearl Summer”, a new single that finds her exploring a more open side of her alternative sound. Released via Now Listen, the track combines coastal imagery with a story about growing through grief, pressure and the experiences that can shape a person over time.
Alexandra notes that the song is relatively summery by her own standards. She has said that her music is usually darker and that she has never been particularly drawn to the typical idea of summer, preferring cold air, jackets and rugged coastlines. That gives the release a clear sense of personality from the outset.
The song centres on Alexandra’s reflections on being 19 and spending years focused on survival rather than fully living. Those experiences are presented through the image of a black pearl, which becomes a way of considering how something worthwhile can emerge from a challenging period.
What makes the track particularly effective is the balance between its subject matter and its musical approach. The production gives the song room to breathe, while Alexandra keeps the focus firmly on the story she is telling. It means the track can be enjoyed as a seasonal release while still offering more to discover in the lyrics.
There is also a clear sense of change in the way Alexandra approaches her younger self. The song is not about returning to that period or trying to erase it. Instead, it considers what can be learned from experiences that once felt overwhelming.
“Black Pearl Summer” therefore offers newcomers a useful introduction to Alexandra’s work. It shows an artist comfortable writing about serious subjects, while also demonstrating a lighter musical side that may not be as familiar to listeners who know her darker material.
It is an interesting glimpse of what Alexandra can do when she lets a little more light into the picture.
-
We Speak Music1 week agoADRIANNA Gets Two Very Different Lives From ‘Power Back’
-
We Speak Music1 week agoB BWOY BILLO AND MÖ THA TRUTH BRING EMOTION, BARS AND BROTHERHOOD TO GHANA’S RAP FUTURE
-
We Speak Business5 days agoFunl Raises $2.5 Million at a $10 Million Post-Money Valuation to Transform How Creators Bring Events to Life
-
We Speak Hip-Hop6 days agoGhost Da Lyrical returns with Taylor Made Ghost