here they are:
"Almost (Sweet Music)" by Hozier: No need for the "almost" here. This is sweet music all the way through! The Irish soul musician, Hozier, lays it down smooth for us here like he usually does in a song about...well...songs! This song is all about how great music can be, with musical references throughout! Duke Ellington and Chet Baker are among the musicians mentioned in this song, and references to song titles by jazz and vocal greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and (one of my personal faves from childhood), The Mills Brothers are sprinkled throughout the lyrics. This is why music exists!
"Forgive Me Friend" by Smith and Thell: The 2010's "rock" scene has really been more of a combination of folk-pop and electronica. A few musicians, such as the recently deceased Avicii, managed to combine both forms into one. Enter Swedish guy-girl duo, Smith and Thell. They seem to be wanting to pick up where Avicii left off with their debut single, "Forgive Me Friend". The song comes off like a dance remix of Of Monsters and Men's "Little Talks". Nothing daring or different here, but it's still a pleasant song to listen to.
"Outta My Head" by Jocelyn and Chris Arndt: Like Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks before them, Jocelyn and Chris Arndt are a blues-rock duo whose young, light-skinned looks belie their true blues roots and sound. Its catchy riff in the key of B builds the foundation of the song as Jocelyn sings about how she can't get a certain someone "out of (her) head". Good luck trying to get this song out of your own head! It sticks to you like glue, and it has a bit more edge than Tedeschi and Trucks, but just as much grit!
"Sheep" by Mt. Joy: Mt. Joy's third adult alt radio hit has an interesting sound to it. It follows in the folk-rock pattern of their other two songs, especially with the beautiful, entrancing ripple effect of the intro. Afterwards, it slides into more of a retro soul flavor while still keeping a mellow folk-rock vibe. The lyrics to "Sheep" are as intriguing as its sound is. Mt. Joy seems to have a thing for combining laid back music with clever, somewhat biting lyrics. With "Silver Lining", we heard what Mt. Joy thinks of college life, and with "Jenny Jenkins", we heard about Mt. Joy's love-hate relationship with Los Angeles. So what, then, does "Sheep" have to offer us? Well, look no further than its title. The band are using "sheep" as a metaphor for conformists who are ignorant as to what's really going on politically in the U.S. of A. This could well be for Mt. Joy what "Born In the U.S.A." was for Bruce Springsteen. A song that sounds like a joyous anthem that's really anything but!
"This Life" by Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend are known for having reggae and world music influences in their music, and they occasionally flirt with baroque pop, as they did in "Unbelievers" and "Step". With "This Life", Vampire Weekend take their first official foray into folk-rock. The intro sounds a bit like Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl". Its subject matter, however, is much darker than "Brown Eyed Girl", and won't be likely to be played on adult contemporary or oldies stations anytime soon due its use of "Christ" as an exclamation (Though this might be similar to John Lennon's use of the same phrase on "The Ballad of John and Yoko"). That's only the tip of the iceberg as to the darkness this song has to offer, though. The song is about being cheated on. Ezra Koenig is also clever (and/or twisted) enough here to make grim, pessimistic phrases sound like cutesy rhymes. For instance, "I know hate is waiting at the gate", and, "I know death hasn't happened yet." Perhaps this isn't your cup of mud, but hey, as the song title implies, this is what life is! Like Forrest Gump has been known to say, it truly is like a box of chocolates...or in this case, a box of...I dunno...wasabi pellets!
"When I'm Gone" by Gary Clark Jr.: Gary Clark Jr. unleashed a torrent of righteous anger earlier this year with "This Land"! "When I'm Gone" is more mellowed out than that, but still retains the crackling blues-rock sound Gary has become known for. There's a bit of an old school soul vibe in this song as well with its use of rhythm guitar as a backing instrument. Nothing political or controversial about this song. "When I'm Gone" is just a song about what it's like to be apart from a loved one, and probably about being on the road as a musician as well. Perhaps after all that ranting and raving on "This Land", Gary felt the need to unwind for his second single of the year. Well deserved, I say!
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Wednesday, April 17, 2019
April 17th 2019 part 2 - brand new for the week
Here's part two for this week's blog - the songs that are fresh outta the oven for this week!
"Everybody Here Hates You" by Courtney Barnett: For the Jeff Buckley fans here, yes, Courtney DID title this song as a cheeky response to Buckley's "Everybody Here Wants You". In contrast to the warm, sentimental vibes of Buckley's song, "Everybody Here Hates You" sounds more or less like you'd expect it to. It sounds grungy and jaded, albeit with a bit of bright, retro Beatlesque vibe as well. The lyrics are also negative (again, as you'd expect from a song with this title), centering around self-hate and how that can make other people hate you as well. Is Courtney upset about the prospect of this? Nah. Instead she revels in it, like a female human Oscar the Grouch. I guess some people just aren't happy unless they're unhappy!
"Got It In You" by Banners: I can't believe how people have come to know this song. It's from the medical drama series, "The Good Doctor", whose title character is supposed to have Asperger syndrome, THE SAME THING I DO!! Yes, folks, if you think I'm obsessive or quirky or otherwise strange (in a good way) when I write this blog, THIS is the reason why! The song comes on when the main character suffers from a breakdown. Ugh. Why can't there be shows about FUNNY people on the spectrum?! I would love for that to happen! But I digress. Is the song quirky or weird?! No, it isn't. Instead, it sounds like something you'd probably hear during the credits of a CBS or NBC drama, fittingly. Nevertheless, this song CAN be viewed as a way for Aspies (people with Asperger syndrome) to find encouragement when they lack it. If they know they "got it in them", it might help them to get through some of their weaker moments. What a coincidence this song came out during Autism Awareness Month, too. I wonder if they meant to do that. Not a bad song, but I'd prefer Radiohead or Beck to write something like this, not a more run-of-the-mill alt-pop band like Banners. And speaking of Beck...
"Saw Lightning" by Beck: That's right! Beck just happens to be our last entry of the week! This song could be called "Loser Part 2" with its use of slide guitar combined with hip-hop beats! It's impossible to beat out "Loser", but this song seems to be trying to do that! Catchy from beginning to end, and quirky from beginning to end. This is how Beck's fans seem to like him best, and that's exactly what he's doing here. After a soul baring previous entry, it's great to end this week's blog on such a good note!
"Everybody Here Hates You" by Courtney Barnett: For the Jeff Buckley fans here, yes, Courtney DID title this song as a cheeky response to Buckley's "Everybody Here Wants You". In contrast to the warm, sentimental vibes of Buckley's song, "Everybody Here Hates You" sounds more or less like you'd expect it to. It sounds grungy and jaded, albeit with a bit of bright, retro Beatlesque vibe as well. The lyrics are also negative (again, as you'd expect from a song with this title), centering around self-hate and how that can make other people hate you as well. Is Courtney upset about the prospect of this? Nah. Instead she revels in it, like a female human Oscar the Grouch. I guess some people just aren't happy unless they're unhappy!
"Got It In You" by Banners: I can't believe how people have come to know this song. It's from the medical drama series, "The Good Doctor", whose title character is supposed to have Asperger syndrome, THE SAME THING I DO!! Yes, folks, if you think I'm obsessive or quirky or otherwise strange (in a good way) when I write this blog, THIS is the reason why! The song comes on when the main character suffers from a breakdown. Ugh. Why can't there be shows about FUNNY people on the spectrum?! I would love for that to happen! But I digress. Is the song quirky or weird?! No, it isn't. Instead, it sounds like something you'd probably hear during the credits of a CBS or NBC drama, fittingly. Nevertheless, this song CAN be viewed as a way for Aspies (people with Asperger syndrome) to find encouragement when they lack it. If they know they "got it in them", it might help them to get through some of their weaker moments. What a coincidence this song came out during Autism Awareness Month, too. I wonder if they meant to do that. Not a bad song, but I'd prefer Radiohead or Beck to write something like this, not a more run-of-the-mill alt-pop band like Banners. And speaking of Beck...
"Saw Lightning" by Beck: That's right! Beck just happens to be our last entry of the week! This song could be called "Loser Part 2" with its use of slide guitar combined with hip-hop beats! It's impossible to beat out "Loser", but this song seems to be trying to do that! Catchy from beginning to end, and quirky from beginning to end. This is how Beck's fans seem to like him best, and that's exactly what he's doing here. After a soul baring previous entry, it's great to end this week's blog on such a good note!
April 17th 2019 part 1: Songs I've missed out on
A two-part blog for this week since I feel like I've missed out on the opportunity to review quite a few new songs. Here's part 1 of 2:
"Big Bear Mountain" by Jr. Jr.: The sweet, breezy piano vibe of this song harkens back to when Jr. Jr. were known as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and debuted with the light, quirky folk-pop song, "Simple Girl". A lot of Jr. Jr.'s other material seems to take somewhat of a techno slant, but this one does not. It probably wouldn't sound out of place on a Beatles record, actually, and it even contains a Lennon-esque guitar midway through the song, as well as a brief solo reminiscent of George Harrison. Nice to see Jr. Jr. getting back to their roots, even if they no longer bear their namesake in their moniker.
"They Own This Town" by Flora Cash: It seems like it'd be a bit hard for Swedish indie-pop duo, Flora Cash, to outdo their 2018 hit, "You're Somebody Else". The bittersweetness and blunt honesty of "You're Somebody Else" permeated alt and adult alt airwaves throughout the second half of 2018! This time, instead of opting for light, melancholy acoustic guitar like they did the first time around, "They Own This Town" bases its sound around piano instead. However, it still retains the poignancy that their previous hit did. Although there are more pop beats that surround "They Own This Town" than there are guitars, the message and vibe of the song still get across the way they should.
"UFOF" by Big Thief: You-eff-oaf?! Oo-foaf?! It's actually each letter pronounced individually, "You-eff-oh-eff", which stands for "UFO Friend". The song sounds like a folk-rock song from outer space, fittingly, with its ethereal aura surrounding its sweet and tender melody. "UFOF" is basically an ode to a "lover" the singer imagines she met in outer space. There's nothing scary about this song, though. In fact I'd say it's rather precious!
"Big Bear Mountain" by Jr. Jr.: The sweet, breezy piano vibe of this song harkens back to when Jr. Jr. were known as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. and debuted with the light, quirky folk-pop song, "Simple Girl". A lot of Jr. Jr.'s other material seems to take somewhat of a techno slant, but this one does not. It probably wouldn't sound out of place on a Beatles record, actually, and it even contains a Lennon-esque guitar midway through the song, as well as a brief solo reminiscent of George Harrison. Nice to see Jr. Jr. getting back to their roots, even if they no longer bear their namesake in their moniker.
"They Own This Town" by Flora Cash: It seems like it'd be a bit hard for Swedish indie-pop duo, Flora Cash, to outdo their 2018 hit, "You're Somebody Else". The bittersweetness and blunt honesty of "You're Somebody Else" permeated alt and adult alt airwaves throughout the second half of 2018! This time, instead of opting for light, melancholy acoustic guitar like they did the first time around, "They Own This Town" bases its sound around piano instead. However, it still retains the poignancy that their previous hit did. Although there are more pop beats that surround "They Own This Town" than there are guitars, the message and vibe of the song still get across the way they should.
"UFOF" by Big Thief: You-eff-oaf?! Oo-foaf?! It's actually each letter pronounced individually, "You-eff-oh-eff", which stands for "UFO Friend". The song sounds like a folk-rock song from outer space, fittingly, with its ethereal aura surrounding its sweet and tender melody. "UFOF" is basically an ode to a "lover" the singer imagines she met in outer space. There's nothing scary about this song, though. In fact I'd say it's rather precious!
Wednesday, April 10, 2019
New songs for April 10th, 2019
Here they are:
"Gloria" by The Lumineers: Continuing in the tradition of doing song titles of girls' names ending with an "A" from their last album, it's only fitting that The Lumineers' latest song would be called something like "Gloria". As with the leading singles from their last two albums, "Gloria" has been storming both the alternative and adult alternative radio charts in less than a week of its release! Beneath the toe tapping, happy sound of "Gloria" are darker lyrics that sound like they're about someone who spent their time drinking too much. Lead singer Wesley Schultz asks the titular Gloria if she's "had enough" and tells her that there are "easier ways to die". A bit grimmer than the typical fare from The Lumineers, but after three albums, it's great to know they've still retained the musical charm they started out with!
"Night Running" by Cage the Elephant (featuring Beck): Matt Shultz (yes, ANOTHER person whose last name is pronounced "Shults", like Wesley from the previous entry) might be the main vocalist featured on "Night Running", but the music clearly seems like it was Beck's idea. Its techno-jazz-funk-rock-from-outer-space sound can be from none other! The eclectic musician makes his vocal appearances on the song during its chorus. The seemingly stream-of-consciousness lyrics also seem Beck inspired. Fitting to its title, "Night Running" seems like the perfect song to be playing at midnight during a party. Outta sight!!
"Saying Goodbye" by J.S. Ondara: Our last entry of the week is from a newcomer who was born in Kenya and raised in Minnesota who does achingly beautiful folk-rock music. His debut song, "Saying Goodbye", is probably the most poignant song on this week's blog. The chorus states that he's "just getting good at saying goodbye". I get the sense both from the title and from the mood of the song, as well as some of its lyrics, that this song is about a breakup. I do wonder what he's referring to at the end of the song when he says, "There goes my innocence", but he says it with such power and conviction that I just can't help but feel moved by it!
"Gloria" by The Lumineers: Continuing in the tradition of doing song titles of girls' names ending with an "A" from their last album, it's only fitting that The Lumineers' latest song would be called something like "Gloria". As with the leading singles from their last two albums, "Gloria" has been storming both the alternative and adult alternative radio charts in less than a week of its release! Beneath the toe tapping, happy sound of "Gloria" are darker lyrics that sound like they're about someone who spent their time drinking too much. Lead singer Wesley Schultz asks the titular Gloria if she's "had enough" and tells her that there are "easier ways to die". A bit grimmer than the typical fare from The Lumineers, but after three albums, it's great to know they've still retained the musical charm they started out with!
"Night Running" by Cage the Elephant (featuring Beck): Matt Shultz (yes, ANOTHER person whose last name is pronounced "Shults", like Wesley from the previous entry) might be the main vocalist featured on "Night Running", but the music clearly seems like it was Beck's idea. Its techno-jazz-funk-rock-from-outer-space sound can be from none other! The eclectic musician makes his vocal appearances on the song during its chorus. The seemingly stream-of-consciousness lyrics also seem Beck inspired. Fitting to its title, "Night Running" seems like the perfect song to be playing at midnight during a party. Outta sight!!
"Saying Goodbye" by J.S. Ondara: Our last entry of the week is from a newcomer who was born in Kenya and raised in Minnesota who does achingly beautiful folk-rock music. His debut song, "Saying Goodbye", is probably the most poignant song on this week's blog. The chorus states that he's "just getting good at saying goodbye". I get the sense both from the title and from the mood of the song, as well as some of its lyrics, that this song is about a breakup. I do wonder what he's referring to at the end of the song when he says, "There goes my innocence", but he says it with such power and conviction that I just can't help but feel moved by it!
Wednesday, April 3, 2019
New songs for April 3rd 2019
here they are:
"Father Mountain" by Calexico and Iron & Wine: Yes, there are indie-folk bands who actually know each other! Calexico and Iron & Wine have actually known each other for awhile, but this is their first adult alt radio hit together. The words, "Father Mountain", sound almost like hippie-speak, as if it were a metaphor for nature. However, the "father" here is a literal one, with the song taking its title from the recurring line, "my father built a mansion on the mountain". As one might expect, the song blends the ultra-mellow vibes of Iron & Wine with the quaint country-rock of Calexico. The song appears to be about Sam Beam (Iron & Wine) and a girlfriend of his who lived in his father's house, named "Teresa" in the song.
"Get Out And Get It" by Devon Gilfillian: There's a bit of a '60s soul and '70s funk sound on this song, the debut song from Philadelphia native, Devon Gilfillian. The organ that resonates throughout the song gives it even more of a "vintage" sound. Apparently, the organ in the song reflects Devon's African roots, taking its influence from Nigerian music from the 1970's, and giving the song its unique, catchy flavor. The title of the song is exactly what Devon wants his listeners to feel like when hearing it. In other words, he wants them to feel like they're gonna "get out and get" the fresh soul grooves of this song!
"Patience" by Tame Impala: "Patience" is what Tame Impala's fans have been experiencing since 2015! Finally, their patience has paid off. And what has it brought us?! A song that sounds like it's from 1979, mixing disco music and Supertramp...yet at the same time, there's also a distinctly modern vibe to the song as only Tame Impala can bring it! Tame Impala are a clever and quirky enough band that "Patience" might just BE about how long they've waited to record a new song, or how long their fans have waited for such a thing to happen. The opening lines of the song are even, "Has it really been that long?" Yes, it has been that long. It's been four years. It's been worth the wait, though!
"Renegade" by Dylan LeBlanc: Not to be confused with 1970's rock anthem, "Renegade", by Styx...although this does have a slightly more rock vibe than Dylan's breakthrough single, "Cautionary Tale". Well, only slightly. Dylan LeBlanc's "Renegade" is still essentially folk-rock, but with more electric backing instrumentation. A bit stronger language than "Cautionary Tale", too, at least during the second verse, which is a bit of a shocker to me in what appears to be pretty laid back song. "Renegade" seems to be Dylan's attempt at doing "urban lyrical poetry" a la Bruce Springsteen. A bit of a grittier song than one might expect from Dylan LeBlanc, but it also adds more dimension and depth to his work.
"Trampoline" by Shaed: Being the "Simpsons" fan that I am, the first thing I think of when I hear the word, "trampoline", is Homer Simpson enthusiastically shouting, "TRAMPOLINE! TRAM-BOP-O-LINE!" Of course, Shaed's "Trampoline" has nothing to do with Homer and his eccentric family, but it's still funny to think about. What it's actually about is...well, not anything, really, but a bunch of sweet, dreamy imagery meant to sync with the sound of chilled out electro-pop. The lyrics and music match up well here, inviting the listener to dive into a pool of hypnotic emotions and sound.
"Father Mountain" by Calexico and Iron & Wine: Yes, there are indie-folk bands who actually know each other! Calexico and Iron & Wine have actually known each other for awhile, but this is their first adult alt radio hit together. The words, "Father Mountain", sound almost like hippie-speak, as if it were a metaphor for nature. However, the "father" here is a literal one, with the song taking its title from the recurring line, "my father built a mansion on the mountain". As one might expect, the song blends the ultra-mellow vibes of Iron & Wine with the quaint country-rock of Calexico. The song appears to be about Sam Beam (Iron & Wine) and a girlfriend of his who lived in his father's house, named "Teresa" in the song.
"Get Out And Get It" by Devon Gilfillian: There's a bit of a '60s soul and '70s funk sound on this song, the debut song from Philadelphia native, Devon Gilfillian. The organ that resonates throughout the song gives it even more of a "vintage" sound. Apparently, the organ in the song reflects Devon's African roots, taking its influence from Nigerian music from the 1970's, and giving the song its unique, catchy flavor. The title of the song is exactly what Devon wants his listeners to feel like when hearing it. In other words, he wants them to feel like they're gonna "get out and get" the fresh soul grooves of this song!
"Patience" by Tame Impala: "Patience" is what Tame Impala's fans have been experiencing since 2015! Finally, their patience has paid off. And what has it brought us?! A song that sounds like it's from 1979, mixing disco music and Supertramp...yet at the same time, there's also a distinctly modern vibe to the song as only Tame Impala can bring it! Tame Impala are a clever and quirky enough band that "Patience" might just BE about how long they've waited to record a new song, or how long their fans have waited for such a thing to happen. The opening lines of the song are even, "Has it really been that long?" Yes, it has been that long. It's been four years. It's been worth the wait, though!
"Renegade" by Dylan LeBlanc: Not to be confused with 1970's rock anthem, "Renegade", by Styx...although this does have a slightly more rock vibe than Dylan's breakthrough single, "Cautionary Tale". Well, only slightly. Dylan LeBlanc's "Renegade" is still essentially folk-rock, but with more electric backing instrumentation. A bit stronger language than "Cautionary Tale", too, at least during the second verse, which is a bit of a shocker to me in what appears to be pretty laid back song. "Renegade" seems to be Dylan's attempt at doing "urban lyrical poetry" a la Bruce Springsteen. A bit of a grittier song than one might expect from Dylan LeBlanc, but it also adds more dimension and depth to his work.
"Trampoline" by Shaed: Being the "Simpsons" fan that I am, the first thing I think of when I hear the word, "trampoline", is Homer Simpson enthusiastically shouting, "TRAMPOLINE! TRAM-BOP-O-LINE!" Of course, Shaed's "Trampoline" has nothing to do with Homer and his eccentric family, but it's still funny to think about. What it's actually about is...well, not anything, really, but a bunch of sweet, dreamy imagery meant to sync with the sound of chilled out electro-pop. The lyrics and music match up well here, inviting the listener to dive into a pool of hypnotic emotions and sound.
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