here they are:
"Be An Astronaut" by Declan McKenna: Be an astronaut?! Ummm...sure! Why not?! I always wanted to be one when I was little! Declan McKenna's third adult alt radio single to date actually differs significantly from his previous two in a few ways. Both the atmospheric piano-pop sound and outer space lyrical theme seems to have been inspired rock songs from the early '70s about similar topics, most notably David Bowie's "Life On Mars?" and Elton John's "Rocket Man". Piano-pop is not a sound Declan has covered before, but he seems to be doing a good job at it so far, throwing a bit of influence from Queen's Brian May during the surprise guitar solo in the middle of "Be An Astronaut." Being an astronaut seems to be the final fate of the song's character, as narrator Declan states that this character will "do that or die trying." British rock hasn't had this much grandeur or sci-fi exploration for quite a long time, so it is refreshing to hear a song like this one!
"Identical" by Phoenix: This song has been getting a lot of buzz lately around the alt and adult alt communities for a few reasons. First of all, it's Phoenix! Ever since they broke through to the mainstream with "1901" back in 2009, it seems like everything they've done since has been major news, and this is no exception! The other reason, though, is because Phoenix's latest song, "Identical", is part of the soundtrack to the Sofia Coppola directed Bill Murray dramedy film, "On the Rocks." The combo of Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray working on the same project would not sound out of place in a Wes Anderson film. Phoenix have tackled quirky '60s-ish pop before, like their cover of The Beach Boys' "Alone On Christmas Day", so a Wes Anderson style SONG could have worked here as well. However, Phoenix have opted for their usual electro-pop sound on "Identical". The lyrics of "Identical" seem to be a "word salad" of sorts, like most of Phoenix's material, so it might be worth noting that the key of this song is D major, as opposed to the usual F major and C major tunes Phoenix have done.
"Own Alone" by Bahamas: For a group (or rather, a one-man band) named for an island, Bahamas typically have a chill, tropical vibe to their music. The guitar in "Own Alone" suggests this tropical sound, but its beat is far more zippy and almost ska-like in comparison to most of Bahamas' other material. The song chorus is interestingly contradictory (perhaps on purpose), with the lyrics, "I'm on my own, but I'm not alone." This lyric lends itself to many interpretations. My best guess would be that it means that the lead singer is facing something by himself, but he still has other people to back him up on whatever his quest is, which isn't made too clear in the context of the song. What really makes this song stand out, though, is the ace guitar playing, lasting about a minute long and more complex and freewheeling than Bahamas' other material!
"Video Game" by Sufjan Stevens: Though this song starts out with synth-y music that wouldn't be out of place in an actual video game, eclectic indie-folk star, Sufjan Stevens, is merely using the term "video game" as a metaphor here. Specifically, he is viewing collective contemporary society as a "gamer" that controls his every move. He is reflecting here on how we have become a society dependent upon the approval of others, when we should really just be our own people and do our own things. Sufjan, being a Christian, uses a few Christian metaphors in this song, even starting the song with the lyrics, "I don't wanna be your personal Jesus", using a phrase popularized by synth-rock group, Depeche Mode. He also uses phrases like "believer" and "redeemer", both referring here to himself and who he wants to be in his life. Perhaps that means God is a gamer?! Sounds like a Far Side comic strip in the making to me!
