Spencer's fave songs of the week!!

New songs for February 8th, 2012

2012-02-08T09:48:00.000-08:00

Here they are:

"Brothers" by The War On Drugs: If Bob Dylan were the lead singer (and sole harmonica player) of Arcade Fire, it would probably sound like "Brothers" by The War On Drugs. The Dylan influence shouldn't come as too much of a surprise for those who know the solo work of The War On Drug's lead singer, Kurt Vile, who has a bit less of an electronic/ambient influence on his solo records. The depth of the lyrical content and the melancholy feel of "Brothers" is contrasted by how there are only 3 chords throughout the entire song. Kurt Vile and co manage to deliver a bittersweet, affecting, memorable song nonetheless, though, with "Brothers".

"Gotta Be Wrong Sometimes" by O.A.R.: O.A.R. are one of those "hit-or-miss" bands for me. This has been especially apparent ever since they switched their sound from jam band to alt-pop back in 2008. Sometimes O.A.R. still manage to deliver a relatively decent song, though, and "Gotta Be Wrong Sometimes" is one such song. "Gotta Be Wrong Sometimes" also adds a new musical facet to O.A.R.'s catalog - reggae. The throbbing bass sound and pulsating guitar riffs indicate this. Much like The Police and The Clash (among others), O.A.R. add a more rock 'n' roll element to "Gotta Be Wrong Sometimes" once the chorus comes around (and also during the bridge). The song also wraps up nicely with acoustic guitars being strummed.

"Love Interruption" by Jack White: So when's the White Stripes reunion gonna be?! Yeah, I know, Jack White announced the breakup of his one man/one woman rock band last year, but I think he's just pulling our leg. Jack released the moderately successful "Two Against One" with Danger Mouse around May of last year, and now he's got an entire solo ALBUM!! "Love Interruption" is also the most anticipated new song this week, zooming up both the adult alternative and "regular" alternative charts! Amazing how Jack started with rough, garage rock-ish songs like "Fell In Love With A Girl", and now he's progressed to Dylan-esque folk-rock with "Love Interruption". Acoustic guitar is one of the only instruments in "Love Interruption", actually, supported only by Jack's vocals, female backing vocals, and an organ (perhaps the best part of this song). Sadly, "Love Interruption" is only about two and a half minutes long. Why couldn't it have been longer?! Oh well, better that than nothing at all, I say!

"Midnight In Harlem" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: What's this?! Susan and Derek now have a FOURTH song hitting the adult alt airwaves?!? Never would've expected THAT!! Neither of them have gotten this much success before! Perhaps it's the diversity of musical influences they've chosen, from gospel, to hard rock, to straight up blues, that has gotten Tedeschi and Trucks this much attention. "Midnight In Harlem" seems to recall the melancholy country-rock of people like Bonnie Raitt (likely one of Susan Tedeschi's biggest influences). Certainly a change of pace from the relentless energy of the other three songs that have gotten attention from The Tedeschi-Trucks band, but "Midnight In Harlem" definitely gels, especially due to the honest, heartfelt emotion that Susan Tedeschi puts into the song! Derek Trucks also puts about as much emotion into his guitar playing as Tedeschi puts into the vocal parts of this song, making for a winning combination once again!

"Old Lady" by Sinead O'Connor: With The Cranberries having also released a new song just three months before this one, I think I can officially say that Irish alt-rock gals are taking over once again! "Old Lady" marks a couple high points for Sinead, I think. First of all, the lyrics to the song are probably some of the most pensive, most reflective I've ever heard from her, revolving around hope that her relationship will literally last a lifetime. Instrumentally, "Old Lady" delivers too. Sinead seemed to move away from alternative rock and more into pop and folk by the time her popularity started to fade away around the mid-'90s, but "Old Lady" picks up where songs like "The Emperor's New Clothes" and "Mandinka" left off. It doesn't have as much of a propulsive, rocking sound as either of those songs, but it does make it sound as though Sinead has gotten more attuned to newer alt-pop/rockers like Snow Patrol, (early) Coldplay, and Travis. Perhaps not what most Sinead fans were expecting, but it seems to be pretty well received so far nonetheless, and, might I add, quite deservedly so

"Rainy Day Girl" by The Villains: The Villains aren't very villainous, are they?! Quite the opposite, really. They have a very benign, accessible sound, and they don't really sound as spectacular or memorable as most of the songs/performers on this week's list, but the faux-U2 sound of this song has still managed to please me, perhaps because it just sounds natural to me, and not so over the top like most of the modern bands influenced by U2. The electric guitar solo in the middle (and end) of "Rainy Day Girl" came as a bit of a surprise to me since most of the song seems more mellow than that. Yeah, the lyrics are pretty generic, but there's still something about this song I like!

"Save Your Best Bits" by The Parlotones: The Parlotones seemed like they got their first taste of attention when they decided to be a supporting act for Coldplay one of their tours, but this sounds more like Cold War Kids than Coldplay. This song is also a far cry from the surging, urgent, energetic feel of The Parlotones' first big song, "Should We Fight Back?" "Save Your Best Bits" is a slower, more heartfelt song. The 'Tones still have some backbone on this song, though. "Save Your Best Bits" is backed by electric guitars that seem to have a "U2 goes indie" sort of sound. That being said, "Save Your Best Bits" really has only one major flaw. Why isn't it longer than three minutes?!? Oh well, it's still likable, and that's what matters the most here.

"You As You Were" by Shearwater: This song comes off like a "piano-rock" version of bands like Fleet Foxes and Grizzly Bear. The lead singer of Shearwater sounds like a cross between Morrissey from The Smiths and Pete Townshend from The Who on this song. So far, this is probably an odd description for "You As You Were", but it's actually one of the best songs on this list as far as I'm concerned! But why?! Well, perhaps because the passionate vocals of the lead singer match almost perfectly with the song's equally passionate piano playing. "You As You Were" seems like it's as much of a sad song as it is a "rush of energy" song. Not many have been able to pull both of those aspects off in such a powerful manner, but Shearwater does so on "You As You Were" with tremendous effort and commitment!

No Lennon, No Cry

2012-02-01T09:52:00.000-08:00

Interestingly, two of the entries for this week blend rock with reggae. I dunno what's up with that - maybe the ghost of Bob Marley has been haunting Bonnie Raitt and Ringo Starr!! Anyway, here they are:

"Cough Syrup" by Young the Giant: Every rock star has his/her sensitive side, and that includes recent ones like Young the Giant. "Cough Syrup" is an especially interesting ballad, musically it is almost like "Hey There Delilah" with electric guitars and drums instead of acoustic guitars. Unlike "Hey There Delilah", which is clearly a love song, "Cough Syrup" deals with tougher issues, like the bleakness that life sometimes offers and (from what I can tell), drug addiction. Never thought a band like Young the Giant, who don't exactly seem like the "softest" band in the world, could pull off such a bittersweet, affecting song like "Cough Syrup", but they do a good job at it! "Cough Syrup" also bears slight similarities to songs like Jimmy Eat World's "The Middle" and Kings of Leon's "Use Somebody", which makes me want to nickname Young the Giant, "Jimmy Eats Leon"!!

"Right Down the Line" by Bonnie Raitt: After 7 years out of the limelight, Bonnie is back!! One of my fave critically acclaimed rock musicians does it again, with...a cover of a song by '70s soft rocker Gerry Rafferty?!? Hmm, wasn't expecting that! Oh, yeah, and did I mention it is also a REGGAE version of that song?!? What the?!?! Seriously?!? A bit of a weird stunt for Bonnie to pull after three years short of a decade, but she does manage to make it work here!! The trademark bluesy guitar solos are present in this song, and Bonnie makes a song that was once a relatively benign song with somewhat lukewarm emotional quality sound steamy, even sexy in comparison! One more interesting aspect to note about Bonnie's cover of Gerry Rafferty (the latter of whom, sadly, passed away in January of last year) is that she changes the word "woman" in the original to "baby".

"Wings" by Ringo Starr: Not only is this the only other song in this edition of my music blog by a musician that has been active for a little over 40 years, but it is also the only other song in this entry that blends reggae and rock together ("roggae"?!) "Wings" was originally a song that Ringo did back in 1977, and it had a bit more of a rock 'n' roll sound than this version does. However, Ringo blends the reggae beat and rock instrumentation well enough here that it becomes an enjoyable version of the original "Wings" (which, by the way, is NOT about Paul McCartney's post-Beatles band, like I originally thought it would be). Hey, at least this is better (WAY better, I think) than what the other surviving Beatle released this year!

Eleven songs!!! (For the first time in over a year!!)

2012-01-25T09:17:00.000-08:00

How exciting!!! Who knew this many songs would come up during the first half of 2012?!? Well, I'm sure glad they did!! Anyway, here they are:

“California” by Delta Spirit: Well, at least I THOUGHT this was Delta Spirit. Sounds more like the latest Killers song, though. Is it really such a bad move for the typically Springsteen-goes-indie sound of Delta Spirit to suddenly veer towards a more new wave-y sound?! Well, yes and no. I personally think Delta Spirit should have stuck to their usual sound because it just suits them better! However, The Deltas were probably thinking ahead when they made this song in terms of wanting to gain a larger audience. The songs “Bushwick Blues” and “Golden State” from their last album, “History From Below” seemed to get Delta Spirit more of a taste of the limelight than anything from their debut album, “Ode to Sunshine”, so if they’re doing a flashy song with dueling synths and guitars like “California”, it’s probably because they enjoyed the surprise success of their last album and they want to move forward from there! I like “California”, but it’s also a disappointment in comparison to the other Delta Spirit songs I know.

“Caught Me Thinking” by Bahamas: Before “Caught Me Thinking”, all I knew from Bahamas was a cover of the lone Christmas song from folk-rock legends, The Band, “Christmas Must Be Tonight”. That being said, I was curious to know what Bahamas sounded like otherwise. Turns out their sound (at least for “Caught Me Thinking”) is very similar to their name, in that the smooth vibe of the song, combined with the echo-y distortion of its electric guitar, evoke a pleasantly “island-y” image, much like the actual island of Bahamas would. The mellow surf-rock feel of “Caught Me Thinking” provides perfect juxtaposition for its break-up-song lyrics, and it also seems as though the lead singer of Bahamas is trying to trick us with the title of the song, which is not mentioned, and instead, the words “GOT me thinking” are sung in the chorus. The title is not a mistake, though, it has been listed as “Caught Me Thinking”, and not “Got Me Thinking” everywhere I’ve seen it posted, which is in quite a few places by now.

“Downward Facing Dog” by moe.: This song is a long overdue release that has been on the adult alt radio airwaves since November, but sadly, I wasn’t able to find a decent copy of it until last week! It’s a good song, though. It also makes me curious to know if every underrated “jam band” besides Phish needs to go for a somewhat ‘70s hard-rock-ish sound in order to make their big breakthrough as musicians. Widespread Panic’s “North” sounded like Lynyrd Skynyrd, and it has been their biggest hit so far, and Umphrey’s McGee’s “Miami Virtue” had a Pink Floyd/Rush type sound and has been their only song CLOSE to a hit so far! “Downward Facing Dog” is the closest that the jam band formerly known as Five Guys Named Moe has gotten to a “classic rock” sound, specifically recalling the Southern blues-y rock sounds of bands such as ZZ Top and The Black Crowes. Moe. are usually a jazzier, more freeform band than how they come off as on “Downward Facing Dog”. Another aspect that makes this song interesting is that it slows down its tempo in the middle. “Downward Facing Dog” is a good song, I just wish that “jam bands” like moe. could be accepted more as jam bands than as “classic rock revival” bands.

“Easy Come, Easy Go” by Great Lake Swimmers: Great Lake Swimmers have been a fave among indie fans for quite awhile now. “Easy Come, Easy Go” marks the first time that The Swimmers have finally gotten noticed (slightly) beyond their core audience! It doesn’t seem too different than the typical indie song, though. That, however, is a GOOD thing for bands that were previously relative unknowns like Great Lake Swimmers, in that, instead of compromising their sound to reach a more “mainstream” audience, they have kept it just the way it is! The acoustic guitars, violins, and soothing vocals create a dreamy atmosphere surrounding “Easy Come, Easy Go”. A combination like that is already enough to win me over, but the fact that Great Lake Swimmers are staying loyal to their fanbase in terms of their sound earns “Easy Come, Easy Go” an extra bonus point!

“Eyeoneye” by Andrew Bird: Andrew Bird has always been somewhat of an oddity, even in the indie rock world! For starters, his song titles are…well…different, to say the least. His most popular song so far, “Fitz and The Dizzyspells” sounds more like the name of a band than the name of a song, andthetitletohislatestsonghasthewordsallsmooshedtogetherintoonewordaswell. He also uses unusual instrumentation, like violins (which take on a quality all their own in his songs), and pretty much every Andrew Bird song features him whistling. “Eyeoneye” is just one more touch of weirdness in the Andrew Bird catalog, in which he seems to be attempting his own version of punk rock (which comes out sounding a bit like a cross between The Velvet Underground and the ‘60s psychedelic rock group, Love). Not only are the guitars (slightly) amped up on “Eyeoneye”, but so is the angst of the lyrics (opening with a snide, sarcastic, “Go ahead and congratulate yourself”), and the way they are delivered. “Eyeoneye” might not sit quite comfortably with most Andrew Bird fans, but it’s fine with me. Andrew Bird is just one of those musicians who does what he does, and manages to sound good no matter what!

“Hurry Hurry” by Jessie Baylin: “Hurry Hurry” is one of those songs that sounds a lot older than it actually is! It comes off like somewhat of a “sequel” to old bossa nova songs like “The Girl From Ipanema”, and Jessie Baylin’s smooth, billowy, yearning vocals only add to the nostalgia factor of this song! I was expecting a folk-rock or singer/songwriter influenced sound to this song, but instead I got a cross between bossa nova and the female equivalent to “vocal” singers like Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett. This wasn’t a letdown for me, though, in fact, quite the opposite! Seems like the type of song that might be on during a romantic, candle-lit dinner. Didn’t think I was going to hear anything like that during the 21st century, but something in me tells me it’s a good thing I did!

“I Could Be A King” by The Dunwells: What if Mumford and Sons decided to cover The Sundays’ bittersweet alt-pop classic, “Here’s Where the Story Ends”? Well, it would probably end up sounding a lot like “I Could Be A King”, the first major song from neo-folk-rockers The Dunwells. It uses the same uniquely styled “G” chord that “Here’s Where the Story Ends” used, yet the bluegrass-y sound of the guitar and banjo, as well as the low yet reedy vocals of the lead singer both bring to mind bands like Mumford and Sons. “I Could Be A King” sounds like a song that is as yearning as it is playful, and the lyrics to the song, in which the singer fantasizes about being a king, a poet, and a superhero, among other things, seem to justify that it is both a quirky and poetic song. That being said, this song is an instant winner for me!

“Jealous Girl” by Ben Kweller: In “Jealous Girl”, Ben Kweller sticks to the music he does best, melodic, somewhat Beatlesque power pop with angst-ridden lyrics on the side. Though the title alone to this song indicates negativity, Ben is clever enough here to disguise it as a high-spirited, happy pop song. The backing “ooh-ooh” vocals, the bright piano sound, the song’s major key, and even Ben’s intentional stuttering on the letter “J” in the word “jealous” all help to make “Jealous Girl” seem like it came straight out of the British Invasion (even though Ben Kweller is actually American). This song seems like it would make the perfect song to listen to in the spring and/or summertime, so why Ben chose to release it during winter is beyond me. I’m so glad he did, though!

“Moonshine” by My Pet Dragon: The name of this band alone was enough to tell me this song was probably pretty cool!! I mean, it sounds like the name of some obscure children’s book (and it very well could have been – the indie group Tilly and The Wall named themselves after a children’s book by Leo Lionni). “Moonshine” is a pretty cool song, just like I thought it would be! Of course, that’s not just because the name of the band that did it is called “My Pet Dragon”. It’s also because of the melodic vocals of the lead singer and the shimmering, glistening sound of the guitar! The title of the song might sound like something pretty, but don’t be fooled. The “moonshine” in this song is actually the name of an alcoholic beverage. Still, that doesn’t prevent me from thinking about how truly awesome this song is!

“Strike the Motion” by Mike Doughty: Perhaps I shouldn’t be too surprised that this is a somewhat rockin’ song (albeit with acoustic guitars as the main instrument) by the typically folk-y Mike Doughty, since he started out in the alternative rock outfit, Soul Coughing, but this sounds like a fast paced and somewhat angst-y song for Mike! It still retains the typical Doughty-isms, like odd but clever wordplay (take, for instance, the assonance used in the ending lyrics, “ferocious commotion, you choked, you got lockjaw”), but even that sounds scathing coming from the normally composed Doughty (notice I utilized the same technique for assonance that he did for the words “normally”, “composed”, and “Doughty” used consecutively!!) Still, a little bit of snarky never hurt anyone, especially if it is from someone known for being tongue-in-cheek like Mike Doughty!

“We Take Care of Our Own” by Bruce Springsteen: Much like “The Rising”, inspired by the 9/11 attacks from about a decade earlier, “We Take Care of Our Own” is also an anthem of political frustration from The Boss, most likely about the “Occupy” movement. This, of course, is not a new subject for Springsteen. What is new, however (and quite tragic) is that his sax man, Clarence Clemons, died last year, so there are none of the trademark sax solos typically featured in Springsteen’s material on “We Take Care of Our Own”. Bruce’s best work, to me, was in the 1970’s. His combination of jazz, folk, soul, and rock, along with his often narrative, poetic lyrical stances, was quite fresh and exciting in terms of the music that came out during that time! After that, his music often leaned towards either arena rock (most of the Born In the U.S.A. album), or soft rock that lacked the intensity of his work in the ‘70s (an exception being the sublimely ethereal “Secret Garden”, perhaps one of his most poignant songs ever recorded). The only song of his so far that has even come close to what he did in the ‘70s is the joyously hard-rockin’ “Radio Nowhere” from 2007. Sure, “The Rising” was a great attempt at raising political awareness, and it was a powerful song, but it lacked the spark and showmanship of songs like “Born to Run” and “Rosalita”. I feel similarly about “We Take Care of Our Own”. It’s a good song with a dynamic message, but the rollicking, swept away feeling of his songs of olden days just isn’t there. Perhaps I should expect this since Bruce is pushing 60 by now, but it just doesn’t feel the same to me!

New songs for January 18th, 2012

2012-01-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

Here they are:

“Get Yourself Another Fool” by Paul McCartney: At first this song seemed like a rather disappointing departure from the wonderful Radiohead/Oasis-like Britpop influenced material Sir Paul went for in the mid to late 2000’s, with such gems of his as the somber “Jenny Wren”, the delightfully pop-y “Fine Line”, the bright pseudo-alt-pop of “Ever Present Past”, and the jubilant “Dance Tonight”, among others. “Get Yourself Another Fool” seemed like Paul’s attempt to be, say, Norah Jones, Jamie Cullum, or some other smooth jazz influenced contemporary pop musician. While “Get Yourself Another Fool” certainly has that sound to it, it relieved me to know that this wasn’t actually Paul’s song, but rather, a song from the legendary soul musician, Sam Cooke. With Paul’s take on “Get Yourself Another Fool”, the song has now been covered by two British rock musicians (the other being Elvis Costello). Jazz-pop doesn’t seem like it was ever something Sir Paul was interested in, but perhaps I’ll give him some slack since it’s his first time attempting to perform something of the genre. It’s been a little hard for me to warm up to this song, as I was expecting the alt-pop, Nigel Godrich produced sound of McCartney here, but perhaps in time I’ll grow to really like this one, who knows.

“Shake Your Hips” by Joan Osborne: Most people probably remember Joan Osborne as the somewhat Alanis Morissette-ish singer from the mid-‘90s who did that song about God being “one of us”. While I do like that song, Joan was really a much more diverse performer than that! She also dabbled in folk-rock (“St. Teresa”), blues (“Right Hand Man”), and soul (“Ladder”). She especially seemed to like soul music for quite some time (so much so, in fact, that she sang Martha and The Vandellas’ “Heat Wave” during a Motown tribute performance), and soul was pretty much what she stuck to doing throughout the 2000’s. Most of her attempts at soul didn’t come out very well, though (the aforementioned “Heat Wave” cover excepted). Now that the 2010’s have come around, though, Joan has decided to take on the blues-woman aspect she did in “Right Hand Man”. “Shake Your Hips” is actually even MORE true to the spirit of the blues than “Right Hand Man”, though, in that it’s literally a one-chord vamp (it is just A major throughout), like many blues songs tend to be, and it has a chuggin’ boogie beat that John Lee Hooker would be proud of if he were still alive today!

“Simple Song” by The Shins: The most heavily anticipated song of the week comes to us from none other than the band who first became popular through the “Garden State” soundtrack. Their lead singer, James Mercer, made his last album with The Shins in 2007. He embarked on a successful side project, Broken Bells, with Danger Mouse from Gnarls Barkley, three years after that, so he’s been a busy man for quite some time. “Simple Song”, however marks the first time The Shins have performed together in five years!! So how does the band sound after half a decade of absence from the music world?! Quite different, actually. The Byrds-y arpeggios and Beach Boys-style harmonies that once dominated The Shins’ catalog are not present on “Simple Song”, a song that combines the bass hook of Queen and David Bowie’s “Under Pressure” with crunchy (but still melodic) Matthew Sweet style power pop. The four minute length and five or so chords used in “Simple Song” might make it live up to its title, but this just isn’t what I was expecting from The Shins. It’s BETTER!! James Mercer and the boys are also playing Coachella this year, and “Simple Song” is probably one of the main reasons why!

“Underneath the Sycamore” by Death Cab for Cutie: Whenever Death Cab comes out with a new album, at least one song from it is mega-successful on both adult alt radio and “regular” alt-rock radio. Their latest album, “Codes and Keys”, is no exception to the rule. Two songs from the album (the uber-popular “You Are A Tourist”, as well as “Stay Young, Go Dancing”) have already made their way onto the airwaves, and as 2012 kicks into gear, Death Cab now have a THIRD song from “Codes And Keys” pushing for radio airplay! Since Ben Gibbard was married to the lovely Zooey Deschanel during the year “Codes And Keys” came out, just about every song from the album so far has been optimistic. “Underneath the Sycamore” is also optimistic, but its sound is somewhat U2-ish in comparison to the mostly folk-rock influenced catalog of Death Cab for Cutie. “You Are A Tourist” also had a U2-ish sound, so Ben Gibbard probably wanted to go for a larger audience on “Codes And Keys” (although “Stay Young, Go Dancing” adhered to the folk-rock sound of most of their material, so Death Cab haven’t TOTALLY switched their sound…yet). The title track to “Codes And Keys” would have made for a more satisfying choice for the third single off the album, but “Underneath the Sycamore” is still not a bad choice.

It all started with a big...BANG!! 10 songs for 2012!!

2012-01-11T22:58:00.001-08:00

Isn't this exciting?!? The new year has arrived and already we've got almost a dozen songs in store to review!!! Let's take a look at 'em shall we?!

"Calling Me Names" by Good Old War: Good Old War would probably be called just "Good Old" if it weren't for the fact that sounds grammatically incorrect!! The reason I say this is because that's just the kind of music Good Old War typically do! Their sound basically is what it'd be like if Simon and Garfunkel and The Lovin' Spoonful had a baby, only updated for the indie/alt generation of the 2000's and 2010's. There's really nothing "war" like about their sound. This is the fifth successful song GOW have had on adult alt radio stations. Unlike their previous four songs, this one really is more folk-ROCK than folk-pop, but mainly because of the (surprise) electric guitar solo in the middle of it (it doesn't sound too out of place, though, in fact, I think it goes right along with the song!) This song is so bubbly and heartwarming, it's honestly hard to believe that its joyful sound masks a tale of heartbreak. Overall, though, this is a very charming, well thought out song!

"Chains of Love" by Ryan Adams: Like Ryan's previous adult alt radio mega-hit, "Lucky Now", this is an acoustic Ryan Adams song. Its B major 7th chord (or rather, a capoed chord, from what it looks like in the video I'm watching of this song) already gets it off to a good start, though! It's funny to me that Ryan is not only cutting down his sound, but also the time it takes to do each song, in terms of the songs from his latest album! "Lucky Now" was a little under 3 minutes, and "Chains of Love" is barely under TWO!! (A feat that only songs like The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" and Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" have accomplished so far!!) Perhaps that's exactly the vibe Ryan is trying to evoke on "Chains of Love" - a somber '60s folk-rock vibe reminiscent of songs like "Pink Moon" and "Norwegian Wood". It initially took me awhile for me to accept that Ryan's latest album wasn't going to have a powerhouse Springsteen/U2 type sound, but now I'm having second thoughts about that, in a good way!!

"Gold On the Ceiling" by The Black Keys: On The Black Keys previous album "Brothers", the faster song ("Tighten Up") was released first, and the slower, blues-ier song ("Howlin' For You") was second. For the Keys' latest effort, "El Camino", they set up the same pattern, faster song ("Lonely Boy") first, and slower, blues-ier song (this one, "Gold On the Ceiling") after that one. The more I'm getting to know the music of The Black Keys, the more genius I think they are! They're obviously a band who wears their classic rock influences on their sleeve, be it the glam rock of David Bowie or T. Rex, or the British blues boogie-rock of The Animals or The Yardbirds, yet somehow they make this sound fresh, as though it had never existed before they came along! And pretty much every song I've heard off of "Brothers" and "El Camino" have successfully stuck in my head (and the heads of many others)!! It's no wonder they're one of the main attractions (if not THE main attraction) at Coachella this year!!

"Hide Your Colors" by The Jayhawks: Probably the closest an indie audience can get to rock groups who utilized both folk and country influences prominently (The Byrds, The Band, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby Stills and Nash, etc.) would be The Jayhawks. They have been well loved by adult alt audiences ever since the early '90s (back when "adult alternative" was a new radio format), but it took until almost two decades later to land a MEGA-hit on adult alt radio, with the Byrds-y "She Walks In So Many Ways". The Hawks' latest song, "Hide Your Colors" is from the same CD as "She Walks..." ("Mockingbird Time"), but it doesn't have the same hook, rhythm, and bounciness as that song does. "Hide Your Colors" is slower, has more string sections to back it up, and sounds more like a George Harrison song (esp. during the solo) than a Byrds song. The lyrics to the song are simultaneously sad and somewhat enigmatic (the chorus, for instance, "You shouldn't hide your colors"), so it is definitely not a brightly spirited love song in the vein of "She Walks In So Many Ways", but there's still plenty to like about it, as there always is with the Jayhawks' music.

"High On A Wire" by Black Box Revelation: Is it just me, or do newer bands with the word "Black" in their name have a thing for the blues?! There's The Black Keys (see "Gold On the Ceiling", two songs earlier than this one), and also the later work of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Well here's a third band to put the "blues" in "black" - Black Box Revelation!! Their first song to make a significant impact on adult alt radio, "High On A Wire", is a great song to kick off the new year with!! It has a somewhat slow beat, but not a sad one, more of a "cool" boogie-blues beat a la John Lee Hooker! A band like this probably could have hit the mainstream back when bands like The White Stripes and Jet first made a big impact on rock music, but if Black Box Revelation only reaches the indie/adult alt crowds with this song, that's no problem with me. Better that than nothing, I say!

"Hold On" by Alabama Shakes: What's country, soul, blues, and indie all over?! The Alabama Shakes, that's who!! If a contemporary "alt-country" band (Drive-By Truckers, maybe) recorded at the legendary soul music circuit of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, it would probably come out sounding like "Hold On" by Alabama Shakes, yet another band making their initial impact on adult alt radio in early 2012!! Though I'm usually quick to praise anything with an "indie" sound, Alabama Shakes seem like the sort of band that even people who AREN'T that drawn to indie rock would like! The vocals sound like Jack White from The White Stripes, the guitars have that spicy country-blues-rock sound you might hear in songs by The Allman Brothers, Little Feat, or The Black Crowes, and the drums wouldn't sound that out of place in an Otis Redding song! How's THAT for "different"?!

"How'd You Like That?" by The Kooks: What the?!? Have The Kooks added Elton John into their band?! Or maybe Ben Folds?! Nope, it's just that this is the first major song from The Kooks to feature both piano and guitar as prominent instruments! An ambitious project for the mostly guitar-oriented, Kinks influenced music of The Kooks, but Luke Pritchard and co are able to make it work here!! It's clear that The Kooks are trying to expand their musical pallet for their latest album. "Junk of the Heart (Happy)" mixed sunny, Beatlesque pop/rock with Burt Bacharach-ish major 7th chords, and "Is It Me?" sounded like something out of Phoenix or Vampire Weekend's catalog. That being said, The Kooks' combination of a sweeping piano sound with their signature guitar distortion results in a darn catchy tune like most of their material!! Too bad they're not playing Coachella this year. They seem like they'd be a great act to see live!

"Might Find It Cheap" by Blitzen Trapper: And here's ANOTHER indie band that has expanded their range of musical influences (and, sadly, was ALSO left out of Coachella!!) Blitzen Trapper typically have a folk-rock sound in their music. The closest they've gotten to electric guitar oriented music was the Donovan-esque "Dragon's Song". But wait!! Are those electric guitars that sound like they could've come from Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin at the beginning of "Might Find It Cheap"?!? Well, they're not actually Jimmy Page's guitar, of course, but those ARE electric guitars with a fuzzy distortion that's a FAR cry from the typical folk-rock sound of Blitzen Trapper!! And what's with those lyrics, "You might find it cheap, but you're never gonna find it free"?!? Could they possibly be using innuendo in this song with a rock star swagger a la Mick Jagger?!? Certainly is unusual for a band that usually does songs about mysterious adventures out in the woods ("Black River Killer"), psychedelic yet lilting fantasies ("Dragon's Song"), and lovesick lullabies (their latest song before this one, "Love the Way You Walk Away"). Heck, if these guys were more popular (and around in the '60s/'70s), this song would be surefire hit on classic rock stations!! Definitely a shocker for Blitzen Trapper, but still a good song!

"The Bad In Each Other" by Feist: Perhaps not QUITE a "new" entry, as this song has been a minor hit with the "indie" crowd since around late November/early December, but it's only started making its way to adult alt radio stations (aside from LA's KCSN, who have played this song ever since late November/early December). A wise decision on Feist's part (or maybe her manager's) to have "How Come You Never Go There?" released as the first big song off her latest CD, "Metals", as it is a very catchy, charming, and memorable song. "The Bad In Each Other" is definitely memorable, but not quite catchy or charming. It is a minor key song with dark lyrics to match! The unusual instrumentation (horns, tambourines) that gets added in with the more typical instruments (guitar, drums) used in the song proves it's a pure Feist song when it comes to its sound. This is probably the moodiest song in Feist's catalog so far, but it's not as though she hasn't done other songs in minor key before ("My Moon, My Man", anyone?!)

"Which Side Are You On?" by Ani DiFranco: Not everyone knows who Ani DiFranco is, but they oughta!! She's all kinds of awesome! A folk-rocker, singer/songwriter, lesbian rights activist, and political activist in general, Ani has been hard at work in the music biz since the early '90s, and she's been staying strong ever since! Her latest song, "Which Side Are You On?", has a rather deceiving start to it. It sounds like it's going to be a bluegrass song, but as the electric guitars come charging in after about 30 seconds in, Ani pounds out a powerhouse anthem that Woody Guthrie probably would've done had he been a folk-rocker as opposed to a folk musician. Ani's clearly frustrated with the current American political system in this song (and, later on in the song, feminism). She's had some raw emotion in her songs before, but none as raw (or rockin') as this one!! Almost 20 years into her musical career and stronger than ever!! Now THAT's something to admire. If her and Tom Morello (as his folk-rock alter ego "The Nightwatchman") ever did a concert together I'd SO pay to see that!! I think her and Morello are on the same page now, both musically and politically! Rock on, sista!!

The Top 20 Songs of 2011!!!

2011-12-23T11:16:00.001-08:00

Here it is folks, the moment you've all been waiting for!! Countin' em down from 20 to 1. (Yeah I know, it isn't Wednesday, but it IS towards the end of the year, so why not?!):

20. "MoneyGrabber" - Fitz and The Tantrums
19. "Free" - Graffiti 6
18. "Options" - Gomez
17. "She Walks In So Many Ways" - The Jayhawks
16. "Lost In My Mind" - The Head and The Heart
15. "Called Out In the Dark" - Snow Patrol
14. "The Afterlife" - Paul Simon
13. "Lonely Boy" - The Black Keys
12. "Longing to Belong" - Eddie Vedder
11. "Tree By the River" - Iron & Wine
10. "The Cave" - Mumford and Sons
9. "Roll Away Your Stone" - Mumford and Sons
8. "I Might" - Wilco
7. "How Come You Never Go There?" - Feist
6. "Pumped Up Kicks" - Foster the People
5. "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" - Red Hot Chili Peppers
4. "Give Me Something" - Scars on 45
3. "Down By the Water" - The Decemberists
2. "Lucky Now" - Ryan Adams

And...the number one song of 2011..isss.....

"YOU ARE A TOURIST" BY DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE!!! :D Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah, and Happy Holidays to everyone, and a Happy New Year, too!! It's been great reviewing songs and sharing how I feel about them with everyone.

7 new releases, 2 Christmas songs, and a partridge in a pear tree...

2011-12-14T10:19:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays everyone!! :) 'Tis the season to review new Christmas songs from She & Him and The Killers, not to mention 5 other non-Christmas related tracks. Here goes:

"I Didn't Mean It" by The Belle Brigade: Why is the sky blue? Who (or what) created the universe? Of all these age old questions that have never quite reached a universally agreed upon answer, the one I'd like to know the most right now is this - why do so many great songs and artists end up on the "Twilight" soundtracks?! While I don't think I'll have an answer for that in quite a long time, it just so happens that the latest song to get attention from indie rockers The Belle Brigade is on the "Breaking Dawn" soundtrack of the "Twilight" series. This doesn't mean The Belle Brigade have become "sellouts" (yet), but I can't help but notice how strikingly different this sounds to their other big song, "Losers", released earlier this year in the summer. Where "Losers" was a somber, regretful folk-rock song, "I Didn't Mean It" approaches more of a catchy, alt-pop type sound, almost as if Ben Folds were female and tried covering the Linda Ronstadt version of "You're No Good". Perhaps most interesting of all is how, out of the two songs I know so far from The Belle Brigade, the slower, sadder one ("Losers") is written in a major key, yet the pop-ier, faster one ("I Didn't Mean It") is written in a minor key!! That being said, there must be some really clever people involved in that band!

"Lights" by Ellie Goulding: Is anyone here sick of how much attention Lady Gaga has gotten ever since she debuted? (I know I am!) Looking for a fresher, less sexually excessive alternative to her that sounds kind of like an indie-pop version of Lady Gaga? Perhaps not, but now there is one!! The first major song to get attention from British pop starlet Ellie Goulding, "Lights", is like a hip dance-pop song for those who prefer Tori Amos to Madonna. Like Gaga, Ellie's a blond haired girl who knows how to dance. Unlike Gaga, Ellie seems like she dances more for fun than for promiscuity and/or (desperate) attention. "Lights" is a unique, catchy song, and probably one of the few that can appeal to both the hipsters and the just plain hip!

"Somebody That I Used to Know" by Gotye: In the 21st century, the world-music-meets-rock-music flame that Peter Gabriel and Sting became well known for using in the '80s has been kept alive by musicians like Robbie Robertson and Paul Simon (both of whom also used that sound frequently in the '80s). Have there been any new artists that have been successful in using that sound, though?! With the possible exception of Vampire Weekend, probably not (and even Vampire Weekend's songs were a bit too bouncy to fully emulate the more reflective Gabriel/Sting sound). After all these years, however, someone has come along to return the world-music-meets-rock-music-sound to the music world as if it were fresh and brand new again, and he goes by the stage name of Gotye (pronounced GO-tee-yay). The ambiance of Gotye's first major song, "Somebody That I Used to Know" (not to be confused with the Elliott Smith song of the same title), is icy and haunting, and seems to borrow heavily from Peter Gabriel's almost equally haunting "Games Without Frontiers", and his vocals are somewhat similar to Sting's, especially as the song draws closer towards the chorus. The "cold shoulder" vibe of the lyrics, combined with the already frigid atmosphere of the song itself makes "Somebody That I Used to Know" the perfect non-Christmas listen for the winter season!!

"That Old Black Hole" by Dr. Dog: So far, Dr. Dog have gotten attention with two songs on adult alt radio, with the jaunty, Beatlesque "Stranger", and the folk-rock-y, Neil Young-ish "Shadow People" (which also manages to sound like The Beatles during the second half). Dr. Dog's latest song, then, "That Old Black Hole", marks a musical departure from the typical neo-psychedelic, "retro" indie-pop of their music, as it sounds more like the type of song a band like Modest Mouse might have done. Speaking of "mouse", another way Dr. Dog have, perhaps, sought for a larger audience in "That Old Black Hole" is through its video, whose only consistent image is of a hamster on a wheel. Other images appear in the video, but they are a bit too brief and surreal for me to find truly memorable in comparison to the hamster. The video for "That Old Black Hole" can be viewed here!! (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmq7MSwUUAQ)

"The Christmas Waltz" by She & Him: 'Tis the season to be Zooey!! The most beautiful woman in indie-land (and her performing partner, fellow indie musician Matt "M." Ward) has released a heartwarming, sentimental version of the classic Christmas song that states the time it is performed in ("and this song of mine, in three-quarter time...") Zooey's vocals in this are absolutely irresistible!! Matt does a good job at this song too, though, bringing jazz chords to his acoustic guitar in the finest, most tender fashion since Sammy Davis Jr. The whole ALBUM ("A Very She & Him Christmas") that this is on is great, actually, but this song is a standout, for being the opening track, the track that's gotten the most attention so far on adult alt radio stations, and for having the most snuggly, cozy feel of all the songs on the CD!!

"The Cowboys' Christmas Ball" by The Killers: Ever since 2006, Brandon Flowers and his fellow elves, umm, I mean, musicians, have released one Christmas song each December, perhaps the best of which was the one they put out during that year ("A Great Big Sled"). "The Cowboys' Christmas Ball" might not be the best Christmas song The Killers have released, but it's a breath of fresh, energetic air compared to the decent (but dreary) "Boots" they released last year. The uptempo beat and tinkly keyboards set the mood for a Christmas song that takes place in the Wild Wild West, with quirky lyrics, and Brandon Flowers singing as though he had a slight "Southern" drawl in his voice. A surprisingly friendly, bubbly song for The Killers, but it still manages to work!!

"The Same Thing" by Cass McCombs: Before I get on with my review for this song, "Cass" might sound like the name of a female performer, but is, in fact, a guy in this case. Its sound is suggestive of Pete Yorn, while the lyrics take on a more Dylan-esque quality ("Nothing in common, our blood thicker than broth/We're cut from different sides of the same cloth"). Both Dylan and Yorn are known for composing melancholy folk-rock songs, and "The Same Thing" also has that sort of sound. Vocally, McCombs seems to derive from Elliott Smith, who, again, has a melancholy folk-rock sort of sound. Cass McCombs seems to have that "lonely guy with a sad, sentimental acoustic guitar sound" pretty good! Perhaps not everyone's cup of tea, but it certainly is mine!

new songs for December 7th, 2011

2011-12-07T10:15:00.000-08:00

Here they are:

"Get Used to It" by Ben Lee: Ben Lee made his musical breakthrough back in the mid-'00s with the charmingly quirky, folk-pop-y "Catch My Disease". It didn't occur to me back then that his roots were not in folk-pop, but rather in power pop (i.e. Big Star, Elvis Costello, XTC, etc.) No song in Ben's catalog that I've heard so far illustrates his power pop influences better than his latest song, "Get Used to It". The sound of "Get Used to It" isn't the best part, though. It's how Ben takes a slow, slightly psychedelic detour midway through the song that makes "Get Used to It" really worth listening to for me! "Get Used to It", therefore, is the perfect title to a song that starts off catchy, gets a little weird (in a good way) midway through, and ends up as catchy as it was when it began. Now THAT's something to "get used to"!!

"Honolulu Blues" by Craig Finn: Craig is the lead singer of a roots-y, largely Springsteen influenced indie outfit called The Hold Steady, and, until now, has recorded pretty much all of his material with them. "Honolulu Blues" marks the first time Craig has struck out on his own, but he still retains the Springsteen-esque sound of The Hold Steady, and still has a (nameless) band backing him up! The opening chord sequence of the song seems like it's been used endlessly in rock/pop music (most recently, perhaps, in "Forget You [F**k You]" by Cee-Lo Green), but after that, "Honolulu Blues" becomes its own song. As indicated earlier, there's a definite Springsteen influence in this song, but it seems like this song goes back even further in rock 'n' roll history, as it also seems to heavily recall Chuck Berry (and perhaps The Rolling Stones as well) in its riffs! The angst-ridden but catchy poetic lyrics combined with the instrumentation also brings to mind even more rock 'n' roll greats, like Dylan during his "electric" period. Classic rock influences are present in nearly every song Craig has attempted, but none more so than "Honolulu Blues". Long live rock!!

"Serpents" by Sharon Van Etten: In a long line of "angry young women" in alt/indie rock, starting, perhaps, with Patti Smith, continuing with PJ Harvey and Liz Phair in the '90s, and carrying through to the '00s with acts like The Dresden Dolls and Company of Thieves, Sharon Van Etten is the latest to follow in their footsteps with her seductively dark song, "Serpents". "Quirky young women" (Feist, Regina Spektor, Joanna Newsom, Florence and The Machine, etc.) seems to have been the trend in the '00s/2010's, and, as great (and cute) as they are, sometimes it's good to have a little darkness to balance out the light! Sharon's voice might not have the same venom as Patti, Liz, and PJ, but the instrumentation here is pretty angst-ridden, as are the lyrics (which include, "You enjoy sucking on dreams, so I'll fall asleep with someone other than you"...Ouch!!). For those who like their gals with more of a gloomy, detached emotion in their music, I highly recommend "Serpents". Even the TITLE of the song indicates something not-so-friendly!

"Waiting For Something" by Nada Surf: The one regret I have about Nada Surf's music is that their most popular song, "Popular", sounded like a Weezer song (or, more accurately, a PARODY of a Weezer song), whereas all their other material is more beautiful and melodic than that, approaching the R.E.M./Radiohead category. Their latest, "Waiting For Something", continues in the beautiful but catchy alt-rock pattern of pretty much everything they released in the '00s (which was quite a bit, actually, and included songs like "Inside of Love", "Always Love", "See These Bones", and "Whose Authority"). "Waiting For Something" is a little different than the four songs I just mentioned, but in a VERY good way. Where those four songs were slower paced, "Waiting For Something" is a little faster. This is such a great song!! Great harmonies, great vocals, great instrumentation, tell-it-like-it-is lyrics (the chorus, for instance, "it always feels like I'm waiting for something"), what more could you ask for?! This is my fave release of the week and I highly recommend it!!

A long (start of) December...

2011-11-30T10:03:00.000-08:00

...and there's reason to believe, maybe this year's song list will be better than the last. Especially if there's NINE SONGS!!! That's the furthest I've gotten since I did eleven songs back in September of last year! Here they are:

"Common Burn" by Mazzy Star: I betcha a lot of you reading this can't believe your eyes, especially if you remember Mazzy Star's one big hit of the '90s, "Fade Into You". Well, Mazzy Star are back, and are getting attention again for the first time since 1993!! Their latest song, "Common Burn", retains the uber-relaxed mode of "Fade Into You", and its slow, dragging sound combined with the harmonicas in the background could easily bring to mind contemporaries of Mazzy, like Cowboy Junkies. Where "Fade Into You" was a love song, though, "Common Burn" is more a song of heartbreak and remorse, but in a very calming, almost therapeutic sort of way. If you need a song to identify with how you feel after coming home on a rainy day, "Common Burn" should satisfy your soul!!

"Fall Right Now" by Josh and The Empty Pockets: People like Mike Doughty (coming up two songs from now) and Ben Lee seem to suggest that there's a small but significant section of Barenaked Ladies influenced musicians that have popped up in the mid 2000's and are continuing to thrive today. Josh and The Empty Pockets seem to capture the typical BNL sound perfectly, though (and quite a few other acts from the '90s seemed to have influenced them as well, like Duncan Sheik and Eagle-Eye Cherry). Lyrically there really isn't anything too special about "Fall Right Now" (except maybe the ending lyrics - "and it hurts...ouch!"), but anyone looking for their '90s alt-folk-pop nostalgia fix will probably connect instantly with this song! And yes, I am one such person with an affinity for '90s alt-pop, it's the best!

"Half Moon" by Blind Pilot: Blind Pilot's buoyant, relentlessly happy "We Are the Tide", released right at the cusp of late August/early September of this year, seemed to put them in the same company as public radio darlings like Gomez and Good Old War. Their latest, "Half Moon", seems to lean more towards the sentimental but still earnest alt-folk-pop/rock of bands like Alpha Rev and Scars on 45 (both of whom have had surprisingly huge success on adult alt radio stations). So how does the more yearning sound of "Half Moon" suit Blind Pilot?! Well, I honestly think Blind Pilot are better suited to bouncy, optimistic songs like "We Are the Tide" than to slower songs like "Half Moon", but "Half Moon"'s sound seems like it would be perfect for the soundtrack to a show like, say, "Grey's Anatomy" (if it hasn't been featured on there already). And if "Half Moon" is gonna get Blind Pilot more attention than they've gotten so far, that's not necessarily a bad thing.

"Holiday (What Do You Want?)" by Mike Doughty and Rosanne Cash: Sooo...the ex-lead singer of the quirky Beck-ish alt-pop band Soul Coughing duetting with country-rock legend Johnny Cash's daughter...somehow...equals...a good opportunity for a Christmas song?!? WHAAA?!?! It's an odd pairing, for certain, but perhaps they wanted to go for something along the lines of the infamous incident in which David Bowie and Bing Crosby duetted on their own version of "The Little Drummer Boy". Christmas-y imagery (and Christmas-y musical chimes) are heard throughout the song, but, in true Mike Doughty fashion, the song takes a tongue-in-cheek turnaround during the chorus, in which Doughty and Cash ask each other, "Hey, do you wish it was a holiday?" Do you WISH it was a holiday?! I thought a "holiday" was what this song was about!!

"I Love You Too Much" by The Rolling Stones: So I guess The Stones' previous "Some Girls" "outtake" ("No Spare Parts") just had such a country-ish sound to it that no one seemed to gravitate towards it enough. Thankfully, The Stones (and/or whoever their manager is) have sought to correct this by releasing the much more uptempo, rockin' "I Love You Too Much" as their next single of 2011 (though "I Love You Too Much" and "No Spare Parts" were both ORIGINALLY part of "Some Girls" from back in '78)!! A wise decision on their part, too, since it has a similar sound to other "Some Girls" songs like "Shattered", "Beast of Burden", and "Miss You". Mick Jagger's trademark attitude (and catchiness) are present throughout "I Love You Too Much". To paraphrase Mick himself, "If he can't rock you", well, I dunno who can!!

"Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men: Acoustic guitars, richly layered harmonies, a catchy tune, a jovial rhythm section, the adding of random instruments (accordions, in this case) for good measure, and, to top it all off, the trade-off between male and female vocals throughout the song!! Put all those ingredients together, and you've got a neat little song called "Little Talks" by Of Monsters and Men, the latest indie-folk ensemble that will probably garner significant attention from those who have become fans of bands like Mumford and Sons and The Decemberists (one of those people being yours truly - me!!) Though "Little Talks" is written in a minor key, it still manages to be quite a fun song to listen to! Perhaps one of the most intriguing parts of "Little Talks", though, is the lyrical dissonance it sets off, as its lively instrumentation hides a tale of a dissatisfied relationship. Highly recommended!!

"Parted Ways" by Heartless B*st*rds: Unfortunately, only a sample of this song is available at the moment from what I can find. However, it's given me a good idea of what it sounds like. For some reason the name of this group sounds a bit more suited to a hard rock band than a roots-y indie band, but "Parted Ways"' sound suggests much more the latter than it does the former. What little I got out of the lyrics (for instance, "the hum of the wheels, they are carryin' me home") also seems apt for a band with a rather earthy, organic sound to it. Fans of Dawes, Deer Tick, Alberta Cross, and the like will probably really like this song!

"Seer" by Motopony: Motopony are as eclectic as their odd band moniker would suggest they are! In the summer of this year, their "King of Diamonds" got moderate attention on adult alt radio stations, and it had a sound that combined electronic sounds with a "chill" sorta vibe. "Seer", on the other hand, is a bit more like an electric guitar-oriented indie song with slight influence by funk and jazz. The vocals in each song are also radically different from what I can tell!! (Do Motopony have multiple lead singers?!) At first, it sounds like "Seer" steals the main hook from Simon and Garfunkel's "Mrs. Robinson", but as "Seer" progresses, it seems to turn into a different song entirely!

"Show Me the Place" by Leonard Cohen: That's right, I've saved the best song (and artist) for last!! By coincidence, really, since it begins with the letter "S", and there are no songs with titles beginning with "T" through "Z" in this week's entry. But still, there's no denying what a powerful presence Leonard Cohen is!! (His son, Adam, has also released a new CD, though sadly, that one isn't getting as much attention). Be it the yearning "Suzanne", the spooky "Everybody Knows", or the seductive "I'm Your Man", Cohen always pours his heart and soul out in every song he does!! With his latest song, "Show Me the Place", it shows that Cohen's spirit is still as alive as it ever was!! It is a melancholy song, done mostly on piano, with occasional accompaniment from violins in the background (and various female singers on backing vocals). "Show Me the Place" is one of those songs that just takes me to another place when I listen to it! I am absolutely awestruck by it, and I hope you are too!!

Who's afraid of the Big Bad Bono? (and three other songs)

2011-11-23T08:53:00.000-08:00

Thought this would be a clever silly title for my latest blog entry since U2's latest release is titled "Blow Your House Down". Anyway, here are this week's songs:

"Blow Your House Down" by U2: 1991 was an amazing year in music (if only I wasn't a toddler back then so I could appreciate how great the music was then)!! Nirvana's "Nevermind" and Pearl Jam's "Ten" were both released back then, as was U2's "Achtung Baby", of which "Blow Your House Down" is now a previously unreleased "outtake" of. And what an amazing song it is!! At seven and a half minutes, "Blow Your House Down" is certainly an epic among U2's already adventurous, innovative catalog of music! Its sound combines the best legendary, arena-rock worthy sound of The Rolling Stones with the experimental electro-funk-rock that David Bowie experimented with midway through his career. If Pearl Jam could make 5 and a half minute songs like "Jeremy" and "Alive" into the big hits they were back in '91, why couldn't U2 have been daring enough to release a 7 and a half minute song like "Blow Your House Down" back then?!? Oh well, better late than never, right?!

"Holy Moses" by Washington: With a name like "Washington", you wouldn't expect hypnotic but danceable alt-pop from an arty female performer, would you?! Surprise!! Whoever "Washington" is (perhaps the last name of the singer?), she must have been into more forms of expressive art than just music! The video for "Holy Moses" functions almost like an exotic performance art piece that's part circus act, part music video, and part musical! The lead singer's face makeup and somewhat seductive outfits seem to be drawing comparisons to Lady Gaga on YouTube, though I would say David Bowie might be a better comparison (at one point, the lead singer has red and blue face makeup, reminiscent of the cover of Bowie's "Aladdin Sane"). If you're looking for a catchy piece of music with flashy imagery, then I highly recommend "Holy Moses"!

"So American" by Portugal. The Man: Of the three songs Portugal. The Man have gotten attention on adult alt radio so far (including this one), I've started to notice they all have a similar mid-tempo-ish beat and they all have either a violin or a cello (hard to tell which, though probably the latter) in the background. Though "So American" uses the same structure as most Portugal. The Man songs, I still like it. The melody is fun and bouncy, and, though the lyrics of "So American" express political and religious dissatisfaction, Portugal. The Man do so here in their own original, quirky way, particularly in the opening lines ("If pain was a color to paint on you, your heart would be the color blue").

"Tumblebee" by Laura Veirs: With acts like Feist and Tilly and The Wall having both made appearances on "Sesame Street", it only seems fitting that the bouncy-sounding indie-folk-pop-ster Laura Veirs' latest release just happens to be a children's album!! "Tumblebee", then, might mark a first in adult alt radio - the first time a children's song is gaining airplay on stations that would normally play bands like R.E.M., Counting Crows, and Coldplay in heavy rotation!! Unfortunately, the whole song isn't available yet, but a 50-second sample is currently available, so I got a good impression of what the song was like. Though the lyrics might be simplistic (and somewhat "cutesy"), "Tumblebee"'s sound is pure indie, almost like a song off the "Juno" soundtrack. Now, if only people like Ben Folds, Belle and Sebastian, The Decemberists, and Mumford and Sons could all release songs on a Joe Raposo (songwriter of "Sesame Street" fame) tribute album, THAT would be amazing!! In the meantime, though, "Tumblebee" satisfies the kid in me just fine!!

Let's hear it for the gals!!

2011-11-16T10:16:00.001-08:00

I think this is the first time my blog entry of the week has focused entirely on female performers! And what great names they have, too, Imelda May and Lana Del Rey (hey, that rhymed!!) Anyway, enough chatter, and on with the show!!

"Inside Out" by Imelda May: In the summer of this year, the sexy, jazzy, black-haired Irishwoman known as Imelda May caused a lot of "Mayhem", and this time around she's up to more of her old tricks with the saucy, slinky, seductive, soulful (and somewhat subversive) song, "Inside Out"!! The instrumentation of this song (and Imelda's steamy, passionate vocals) make "Inside Out" catchy enough, as though Gwen Stefani joined the Brian Setzer Orchestra, but it's the lyrics to the song that just crack me up and are worth mentioning!! Throughout the song, Imelda not only says she loves the subject of her song "inside out", but also describes why, pointing out how she loves each part of her subject's body on the way. It starts out relatively innocent ("I love your eyes, blue as the skies/I love your lips to your fingertips"), but it gets weirder as the song goes on, ultimately resulting in lyrics like, "I love your nails, even your entrails", and "I love your wits and your wobbly bits" (Whoa!! TMI, Imelda!!) She even admits that the way she loves the person in question is "kinda creepy", but that, at the same time, the person she's addressing "loves it deeply", and that he "know(s) (he)'s gonna keep (her)". Catchy AND funny (and attractive)?!? I think we got a winner here!!!

"Video Games" by Lana Del Rey: A good song about a subject I've never been crazy about (though practically all my friends are). Or so it would seem. Though "Video Games" might be the title of this song, that's not exactly what it's about. In fact, the term "video games", in this song, is probably more of a metaphor, suggesting either masculinity and/or an example of an activity Lana Del Rey doesn't like but is willing to endure to keep her boyfriend company. Lana tends to deliver the lyrics of "Video Games" in a rather dry manner, but with sweet, benign vocals, and instrumentation similar to acts like Feist, Florence and The Machine, and Joanna Newsom.

New songs November 9th, 2011

2011-11-09T09:18:00.000-08:00

here they are:

“After the Gold Rush” by Thom Yorke: Radiohead’s enigmatic but passionate frontman performed his cover of the classic Neil Young song, “After the Gold Rush”, at Neil’s own Bridge School Benefit Concert, which are held annually to benefit children with disabilities who attend Bridge School (a school in Mountain View, California). I am a huge fan of both Radiohead and Neil Young, so I was very curious in knowing if their two musical worlds would meet or drift apart in Thom Yorke’s cover of “After the Gold Rush”. Though not as good as the Neil Young original, Yorke does “After the Gold Rush” justice by maintaining the melancholy but earnest feel of the original tune (and Yorke’s reedy tenor vocals match Young’s quite well, though perhaps unintentionally).

“Feeding Line” by Boy and Bear: This song does not really have any factors that distinguish it from other indie songs, but I like it anyway! I’m always a sucker for smooth harmonies, random whistling (which “Feeding Line” has towards the middle of it), and acoustic and electric guitars complementing each other in their sound. And, what can I say, I’ve become accustomed to the “lyrical dissonance” songs like this feature (lyrics like “Nevertheless when this pain in my chest seems to grow…” are juxtaposed against a catchy, vibrant melody in A major). Yeah, like I said, nothing particularly special about “Feeding Line”, but it’s still a fun song to listen to and sing along to.

“Games People Play” by Lissie: The folk-pop/rock musician known simply as “Lissie” onstage has made huge strides for herself this year! Up until last month, she was merely a two-hit wonder (for “In Sleep” and “When I’m Alone”), known among the indie circles but not much outside of that. In October of this year, though, she toured with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers in order to boost the ratings of Los Angeles adult alt outlet, KCSN, which plays both Lissie’s and Tom Petty’s music on a regular basis! As if THAT weren’t enough major star power for Lissie, her latest CD is an all covers album, encompassing everything from country songs to heavy metal songs within the process! The first song off her collection of covers is “Games People Play”. No, this is not a cover of the Alan Parsons song, for those wondering, it is actually a cover of a song by country musician Joe South. Lissie does a fine job at covering it, though, remaining faithful to the original song by performing it in A major like Joe did, and even adding in the sitar-sounding instruments that his version had!

“Look Around” by Red Hot Chili Peppers: And now, we come to yet another musical act that has gotten major attention for their latest album this year! “Look Around” marks the FOURTH song to get attention from The Chili Peppers’ “I’m With You” (quite a lot of songs to get noticed from an album that came out only 4 and a half months ago)! “Look Around” seems to bridge the gaps between the original funk-rock sound The Chilis had in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, and the more melodic rock sound they developed ever since then. Flea’s bass playing is spectacular (and wild) enough here to win back their initial fanbase, yet Anthony Kiedis’ vocals shine enough here (especially during the title-only chorus) that I can’t help but want to harmonize with him when he sings! 25 years and still going strong!! Few other rock and roll bands have achieved such a feat, so congrats to them!

“No Spare Parts” by The Rolling Stones: And speaking of long-standing rock bands, The Stones have GOT to be one of the LONGEST lasting of them all!! Mick Jagger and co started rolling in the mid-‘60s and haven’t given up ever since! Their latest, “No Spare Parts”, has a rather country-rock sound to it. Not the first thing that comes to mind when The Stones are mentioned, but they’re certainly no strangers to country-rock (though it took them until “Wild Horses” was released to do a song that wasn’t a mockery of the genre). Being that this song was an “outtake” from the largely sarcastic, misogynistic, angst-ridden “Some Girls” album, “No Spare Parts” is probably more mockery than it is a “serious” song. Mick’s rather detached, weary sounding vocals on “No Spare Parts” also seems to hint at the insincerity this song might have. Yeah, I know, it’s (kind of) “only rock and roll” of them to pull off a half-hearted song like “No Spare Parts”, but I like it!

“Should We Fight Back?” by The Parlotones: Before I actually sat down and listened to “Should We Fight Back?” I was a bit skeptical as to whether or not I would enjoy it since I only knew The Parlotones for being a band that Coldplay selected to play with them on their latest tour prior to this song’s release to adult alt radio stations. The Parlotones, however, do not have a contrived, overproduced, adult-contemporary-meets-alt-pop type sound like Coldplay’s later (and latest) album(s) do. Instead, they are more an “indie-dance-pop/rock” band in the vein of The Killers, Phoenix, and Foster the People, all three of whom seemed to have instance success, both commercially and among more independent minded audiences, upon their debuts! So far, The Parlotones haven’t made quite the same impact with “Should We Fight Back?” but the way the guitars, drums, and vocals blend together seamlessly on this song seems to indicate it will do pretty well! Listener, beware, though. Beneath the irresistibly catchy sound of “Should We Fight Back?” are lyrics of political dissatisfaction. That shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the song, though!!

“Tomorrow” by The Cranberries: And last, but certainly not least, how can you have a great November without some “Cranberries”?!? Dolores O’Riordan and her band of merry Irish alt-rockers haven’t had a successful record in 10 years (see also Ben Folds Five’s “House”, which I reviewed last week), but it’s definitely been worth the wait!! Unlike other major ‘90s rockers like Counting Crows and Goo Goo Dolls, The Cranberries haven’t veered an inch from the Smiths-meets-Sinead O’Connor type sound that made them famous! “Tomorrow” is a bittersweet but memorable slice of jangle-pop that recalls The Smiths’ “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” throughout, albeit with a more hopeful sounding message. So what if it doesn’t have the “sonic-boom” guitar sound of “Dreams” or the pseudo-hard-rock sound of “Zombie”?! “Tomorrow” is STILL a great song, and probably my fave song of the week!! Highly recommended!!!

new songs for November 2nd, 2011

2011-11-02T10:17:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"House" by Ben Folds Five: Does anyone notice anything about the songs Ben released in the 2000's? Well, in case you didn't, here's what I noticed. None of them are with his "Five" (actually only two other musicians), they are all Ben Folds solo records. "House", then, marks an achievement for Ben that he hasn't done in ten years!! So how does "House" compare to other Ben Folds Five songs?! Well, it's not as heartbreaking as "Brick" and not as snarky as "Army", but it's still worth listening to. "House" actually sounds more like the melancholy but melodic, alt-rock version of Elton John of Ben Folds' solo records than it does the quirky, sarcastic sound of Ben Folds Five. Perhaps it's the lyrical narrative of "House" that gives it its "edge", that seems to be telling the story of an agoraphobic who has "had the nightmares, seen the counselors", but still doesn't want "to go back up in that house again".

"Lonely Boy" by The Black Keys: This garage-rock influenced indie band had the surprise hit of last year, "Tighten Up", which spawned two "viral" music videos (only one of which was made by the band themselves) and a spot as the number one song of 2010 on my blog!! The almost as catchy (but not quite) "Howlin' For You" followed in its footsteps with heavy airplay, but no memorable music video. The Keys' latest song, "Lonely Boy", continues, both musically and video-wise, in the direction of "Tighten Up"!! Already at spot number 14 on the Adult Alt Top 40 (and number 10 on the "regular" Alt Top 40) after a little less than a week of being on those charts, "Lonely Boy" is fast becoming all the rage both online and on the radio!! Its sound centers around a goofy but catchy surf guitar riff that mixes T. Rex's "20th Century Boy" with Cake's "The Distance". The music video for "Lonely Boy" also focuses on how catchy its sound is, with a middle aged African-American man dancing like crazy (in a good way) to the song throughout!! The video can be viewed here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_426RiwST8) Enjoy!!

New songs for October 26th, 2011

2011-10-26T09:29:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"Monarchy of Roses" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: Like most of The Chili Peppers' material, the latest song from their most recent CD ("I'm With You") to get attention, "Monarchy of Roses" is quite catchy and danceable. The one factor that distinguishes "Monarchy of Roses" from the other tracks off of "I'm With You" is the fuzziness of the bass (and vocals) during the verses. The funk influence of RHCP's music (which shows up here in the chorus) shouldn't be that surprising considering it's long been an essential factor of their repertoire, but it tends to contrast here with the fuzzy, vaguely garage rock-ish sound used in most of this song. By the end of "Monarchy of Roses", a chord sequence pops up that doesn't seem to follow typical rock/pop chord progressions, perhaps to make it sound more creative, but the catchy, funky, (and fuzzy) parts of "Monarchy of Roses" are enough to make it memorable for me!

"Rewrite" by Paul Simon: Wow! I must say, Simon's latest CD, "So Beautiful Or So What" seems like it's ended up being his most successful one since, well, "Graceland" back in 1986! It has so far spawned not one, not two, or even three, but FOUR hit songs (including this one, and a Christmas song that got put on the CD after its initial release as a single during December 2010). "Rewrite" tends to deviate from the "Graceland" like sound of the other three songs that have gotten attention from "So Beautiful Or So What", but it still comes off as a pure, original Paul Simon song! It has a crisp, ripple-y feel to it and is done largely on acoustic guitar. Like the other songs from "So Beautiful Or So What", "Rewrite" also has clever lyrics! As its title suggests, "Rewrite" is about...well...a "rewrite", of a (perhaps metaphorical) book the character in the song has written. Can't exactly tell if "Rewrite" centers around a fictional person developed specifically for the song or Paul Simon himself, but either way, this song is brilliant!

"We All Go Back to Where We Belong" by R.E.M.: Surprise!!! Although the legendary Georgia alt-rock innovators recently announced they broke up, it turns out there was still a new song left over in their catalog! It also seems to be the most anticipated new song of this week! Both from a musical and lyrical standpoint, this seems to be the R.E.M. equivalent of some of the last Beatles songs recorded, like "Let It Be", "The Long And Winding Road", and "Across the Universe", as if this song was specifically written as a "goodbye song" from R.E.M. addressed to their fans. The Beatlesque guitar sound and Burt Bacharach influenced muted trumpets only seem to add to the already bittersweet vibes of "We All Go Back to Where We Belong". I barely know the lyrics to this song, but it already makes me feel sad (in a good way) just listening to it! "We All Go Back to Where We Belong" is such a fitting way to wrap up the almost 30 year long career of a band who started out introducing the "jangle-pop" sound of The Byrds to a whole new generation, and have continued to expand their musical horizons ever since!!

"Wonderful (The Way I Feel)" by My Morning Jacket: Thought that maybe the stomping yet somewhat improvisational sound of "Holdin' On to Black Metal" was an indicator that My Morning Jacket wanted their latest CD, "Circuital" to focus more on the "rock" side of the band. "Wonderful (The Way I Feel)" has proven that theory wrong, but in a VERY good way!! A finger-picked, acoustic guitar oriented ballad, "Wonderful (The Way I Feel)" sets the musical clocks all the way back to the '70s, reminding me of Crosby, Stills, and Nash's "Helplessly Hoping", Heart's "Dreamboat Annie", and Fleetwood Mac's "Landslide" among others. The title of this song pretty much describes the way I feel when listening to it, "wonderful"! Though the chorus indicates a feeling of joy, the rest of the song has more yearning lyrical emotional quality to it, as Jim James pines for a place where there "ain't no fear", "the spirit is near", and there "ain't no police", and there "ain't no disease". Songs like this already take me to such a place - my imagination, when I listen to this song!!

"You're Too Weird" by Fruit Bats: Back in 2009, Fruit Bats made their big breakthrough in the music world and garnered a little bit of attention with a bouncy folk-rock-ish song called "The Ruminant Band", which sounded a bit like what it might have been like if Roger Hodgson from Supertramp fronted The Kinks on one of their more melodic, chipper songs. The falsetto vocals of Fruit Bats' lead singer, Eric D. Johnson, continue to show up on their most recent song, "You're Too Weird" (though he doesn't sound quite so Roger Hodgson-ish this time around). "You're Too Weird", well, ISN'T "too weird" (well, ok, maybe a little, but not in a bad way). It is a bright, catchy song that sounds like the upbeat, melodic British sounding indie pop of The Kooks (despite the fact that Fruit Bats are actually from Chicago) mixed with the unusually high pitched vocals of disco inflected alt-poppers Scissor Sisters. "You're Too Weird"'s breezy, summery sound might not be that fit for the fall season (especially with Halloween lurking just around the corner), but songs like that are welcome any time in my collection!

New Songs for October 19th, 2011

2011-10-19T15:24:00.001-07:00

here they are:

"Down In the Valley" by The Head and The Heart: Although The Head and The Heart's previous hit, "Lost In My Mind" has been one of the hugest successes so far on adult alt radio of 2011, I had always thought that they would be relegated to "one hit wonder" status. It took about 9 months for The Head and The Heart to prove me wrong about their "one-hit-wonder" status, but it's been worth it! "Down In the Valley" is an amazing song, with vocals and acoustic guitar similar to Iron & Wine's Sam Beam, and a piano sound similar to The Avett Brothers. There's something charming about the folksy-ness and quaint sound of The Head and The Heart's material, and "Down In the Valley" seems to emphasize these qualities. The change in rhythm between the verses and chorus is worth noting about this song, as few songs I know in indie/contemporary alt music tend to have this (Mumford and Sons' "Roll Away Your Stone" and The Avett Brothers' "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" are exceptions). Who knows, if they're lucky enough, perhaps The Head and The Heart will perform at the 2012 Grammys, just like Mumford and The Avetts did in 2011. They sure seem to be headed (no pun intended) in that direction!

"Without A Map" by Sam Roberts: Perhaps this song isn't as rollicking or energetic as Sam's song from earlier this year, "The Last Crusade", but "Without A Map" has an equally good (if not better) flavor to it! Unlike the electric guitar dominated sound of "The Last Crusade", "Without A Map" seems to rely more on acoustic guitar (with a "clean" distorted electric during the solo). The best part, for me, about "Without A Map" is its bouncy rhythm and the singalong vibe of its lyrical scheme. Think The Beatles' "Good Day Sunshine" if you want a good idea of how the rhythm sounds. "Without A Map" itself isn't as sunny as "Good Day Sunshine", but it's still a pleasant, benign song to listen to.

New songs for October 12th, 2011

2011-10-12T08:19:00.001-07:00

here they are:

"All Eyes On You" by Diego Garcia: Before I get to reviewing this one, I'd like to apologize for overlooking Diego's previous "hit", "You Were Never There" from earlier this year. It's a very beautiful song and I'm sorry for not reviewing it when I should have. Well, that being said, hopefully my review for Diego's latest, "All Eyes On You" will compensating for my not reviewing his material earlier this year. "All Eyes On You" is a lovely song with beautiful string orchestration that manages to combine the seductiveness of the flamenco guitar with the sensitivity of the typical indie song. The sentimental, melancholy atmosphere of the song tends to make "All Eyes On You" the perfect sort of "sunset music" to me, as I can picture a romantic couple beneath the sunset watching it go down when I listen to this song!

"Come See About Me" by The Tedeschi Trucks Band: Not to be confused with The Supremes' song of the same name (though they are both written in D major), the third single from The Tedeschi-Trucks Band is a tasty rock-blues-'n'-soul romp! Its flavor, aptly enough, is between the brightly righteous soul music of the TT Band's "Bound For Glory", and the electric guitar fueled rock 'n' roll of their other big song, "Learn How to Love", as both the horns and guitar (and Tedeschi's husky, bluesy vocals) are prominently featured instruments in "Come See About Me". Perhaps the title is a sly wink at The Supremes' "Come See About Me", as Tedeschi DOES say "Come see about your baby" in the chorus in addition to the title of the song, which The Supremes also did in their "Come See About Me".

"Dawned On Me" by Wilco: It's been a busy (but exciting) year for Wilco, hasn't it?! There have been three successful songs from their latest CD, "The Whole Love", so far, including the adult alt radio mega hit, "I Might", and "Born Alone", the latter of which I just reviewed last week! Which brings me to their most recent song to get added to radio rotation, "Dawned On Me", which, melodically and vocally (at least in the verses), plays off somewhat like a "serious" version of The Rutles' "A Hard Day's Night" spoof, "I Must Be In Love". Just like The Rutles intentionally use opposites in the verses of "I Must Be In Love" ("I feel good, I feel bad, I feel happy, I feel sad"), Wilco uses the same technique in "Dawned On Me", with a similar rhythmic pattern, too ("I've been young, I've been old, I've been hurt, and consoled"). The chorus and instrumentation are more typical Wilco, though. Still, I'm pretty amazed (and amused) that I'm comparing a Wilco song to one from the self proclaimed "Pre-Fab Four"!!

"Free" by Graffiti 6: Alt-rock hasn't been as simultaneously bouncy and stylish since the days of David Bowie and INXS (of which this song has a somewhat similar sound to the latter band). The lyrics to "Free" tend to come off like the typical love song, nothing too special. The appeal to "Free" lies in its catchy, sleek instrumentation, its unforgettable rhythm, and the wide vocal range of Graffiti 6's lead singer. For a song with rather ordinary lyrics, "Free" is pretty remarkable, though. It's not only a song that doesn't easily leave your head, but its bell-like sounds and string instruments in the background also give it a very distinct flavor!

"Free My Mind" by Katie Herzig: Feels funny reviewing a Katie Herzig song, since I can remember back when she was an unknown "new" musician that got a song of hers played on the well-loved indie/folk public radio showcase, "Morning Becomes Eclectic", a couple years ago. I don't remember much about the song, except for that I liked it and that Katie's last name, "Herzig", sounded unique enough for me to remember it years later! So now, on with Katie's first big song, "Free My Mind". There are many things to like about this song, I think! First off, the instrumentation is rather unusual, even for an "indie" song, with its thumping bass at the beginning, that quickly gets joined by a swirly synthesizer, a somewhat synthesized, propulsive percussion section, and the "classical" sound of both flutes AND a string section backing up a song with an otherwise "contemporary" sound. Katie's cute but dry sounding vocals are also a notable feature of "Free My Mind", as are the lyrics (a sample of which would include, "Maybe this is what the world will see/A tiny little version of the tallest tree/An optical illusion of the human mind/Posing as a real life"). Welcome to the indie bandwagon, Katie. Enjoy the ride!!

"Shake It Out" by Florence and The Machine: For all you dancin' fools who think the title to this song sounds similar to booty shakin' classics like "Twist and Shout" and "Shake It Up", I'm going to issue a warning. "Shake It Out" is NOT supposed to be a "feel good" song. When Florence says to "Shake It Out" in this song, it's not instructions to dance, but rather a way of "shaking out" her inner demons, supposedly regarding a hangover (which also seems to be the theme of Florence and The Machine's biggest hit so far, "Dog Days Are Over"). Though the rhythm of "Shake It Out" IS somewhat danceable, it seems like it is more meant to be therapeutic than it is bouncy. Though I've never been (and likely never will be) one to engage in drinking alcohol, I can somehow still feel Florence's inner pain in this song, and for some reason, I love when songs have that effect on me!!

Tom Waits for no one (and he won't wait for me)

2011-10-05T15:19:00.001-07:00

Can you believe it?!? Tom Waits released a new set o' songs!! Reviewing the first big song off his latest album (plus two more songs) today!! Enjoy!

"Back In the Crowd" by Tom Waits: Truly one of the most eclectic musicians of all time, Tom Waits is like David Bowie's lesser known, more growl-y voiced, jazzier musical cousin for his ability to leap from melancholy lounge music ("The Heart of Saturday Night"), to some of the most earnest, non-commercial rock ballads ever ("Downtown Train"), to some of the spookiest re-workings of beloved Disney songs (check out his very warped version of "Snow White"'s "Heigh Ho" if you don't believe me), to lovelorn piano ballads ("Ol' 55" and "Grapefruit Moon"), to plaintive folk-rock ("Hold On"), and so on and so forth. So what is it this time, Mr. Waits?!? It appears as though Waits has gone for a unique style of breezy Hawaiian influenced music with his latest tune, "Back In the Crowd". His trademark raspy, "Cookie Monster" vocals are still there, but they are used here to express a feeling of yearning, as opposed to how menacingly he uses it on other tunes of his. Reviewing this song on a rainy day like today only makes this song seem more special to me! Truly a stunning song to add to the already riveting repertoire of Waits' material!!

"Born Alone" by Wilco: Jeff Tweedy and co continue to explore their inner Velvet Underground on "Born Alone", a song with equal parts skilled guitar playing and druggy, hazy musical atmosphere. Perhaps they are taking poetic cues as well as musical ones from Lou Reed (whose latest project is with heavy metal legends, Metallica, of all people), as the lyrics for "Born Alone" were supposedly based on bits and pieces of various Emily Dickinson poems. Both the music and lyrics (i.e. "born to die alone"), suggest a sense of urgency, almost as though the music starts at a high point, and descends progressively lower as the song goes on. What can I say, Wilco's music never ceases to amaze me!!

"Whatever's On Your Mind" by Gomez: Gomez seem to have set up a pattern from which songs have gotten released during which time of the year for their last two albums. On 2009's "A New Tide", the bouncy, somewhat rockin' "Airstream Driver" got airplay first, followed by the more introspective "Little Pieces". For 2011, the bright, optimistic sounding "Options" came first (and was quite successful on adult alt radio stations), and after that, we appear to have stumbled upon the slower, more sentimental, piano-and-strings dominated title track of "Whatever's On Your Mind". The slower songs of Gomez' catalog, like "Whatever's On Your Mind" make for great songs to listen to during a rainy day (like today), or after a bad day, but personally, I think Gomez sound best when they stick to catchy, sunny music like "Options", "Airstream Driver", and "See the World" (of which only the latter song has the same vocalist as the one I'm reviewing now).

Lucky number seven strikes again!!!

2011-09-28T09:43:00.000-07:00

This is the third time within about a month long period that I've reviewed seven songs!! Must be my lucky month!

One more thing before I begin. An edit to last week's post, in which I referred to Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. as one guy - they are actually two people, not one. I apologize. The kids these days and their weird band names, and their gadgets and gizmos and...ok enough of that. On with the reviews!!

"Did I Let You Know?" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: So how have RHCP decided to follow up their smash hit of summer 2011, "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie"?! The answer to that is with "Did I Let You Know?", a song that delves into rather eclectic territory for The Chili Peppers, with its tropical island-y sound (and rad sax solos to boot!) The goofy but craftily delivered lyrics (i.e. "I want to lean on you/Get Jan and Dean on you", and "I like your cheeky/Oh so Mozambique-y") also seem to make it clear that RHCP probably intended the "island-y" sound they went for on this song, what with the references to surf music (Jan and Dean) and countries where the temperature is more likely to be warmer than colder (Mozambique). If The Chili Peppers had only decided to release their latest CD, "I'm With You" in late spring instead of mid-summer, "Did I Let You Know?" probably would have made the perfect summer hit!! Better late than never, though, I suppose.

"Don't Stop (Color On the Walls)" by Foster the People: Do Foster the People have a knack for making catchy songs, or what?!? Their late spring/early-to-mid summer smash, "Pumped Up Kicks", a song that brings to mind the lyrical dissonance of other happy, melodic songs with questionable lyrics like The Boomtown Rats' "I Don't Like Mondays", became one of the most successful songs of the year (in multiple genres, at that). Where "Pumped Up Kicks" went for a rather mysterious, keyboard dominated, new wave-y sound, FTP's latest tune, "Don't Stop (Color On the Walls)" centers more around the guitar (both acoustic and electric are used here), is bouncy all the way around, and evokes the swirly vibes of neo-psychedelia. For those concerned about lyrical content, "Don't Stop (Color On the Walls)" provides an interesting contrast to "Pumped Up Kicks" in that context as well. The lyrics almost seem childlike in "Don't Stop..." (for instance, in the second verse, "We're all just having fun/Sleigh boat ride, piggy back ride/I'm going to show them all how I can ride/1, 2, 3, close your eyes and count to four, I like to hide behind my bedroom door/Crayons on walls, I'll color on them all")

"Miami Virtue" by Umphrey's McGee: If you put The Grateful Dead and Pink Floyd's music and put them in a blender, you'd probably get a sound close to the half jam band/half progressive rock sound of Umphrey's McGee, a band with a considerable cult following, but who had never (until now) got airplay even on "underground" radio stations, probably because they were more about experimentation than melody and/or catchiness. Their latest, "Miami Virtue", definitely sounds more like Floyd than it does The Dead (with traces of Canadian prog-rock band Rush in there too, much to my surprise). Never would have expected so many flashy synthesizers dueling with '70s style electric guitar distortion in a song by Umphrey's McGee, but if that's what it takes to make people want to pay more attention to them, that's not necessarily a bad thing. "Miami Virtue" has enough memorable hooks to get stuck in one's head easily (something that probably can't be said about most of Umphrey's material). Just try to remember that if you hear this song mixed in with various indie, alt-pop, and contemporary folk songs that the station that played that has NOT switched over to a "classic rock" format without warning.

"Saw You First" by Givers: "Givers" seems like such a fitting name for a band with such a bright, optimistic sound (as though they're "giving" their music to share with all the world)! The irresistibly catchy "Up Up Up" was a great song to dance and sing along to in the summer of this year, and as fall approaches, their song "Saw You First" is also apt for the season it's come out in, with its more melancholy but still harmonious, chirpy sound. A bit more acoustic/electric mingling on "Saw You First" as well, which is another factor that makes it worth listening to in my opinion. In spite of the rather yearning emotions "Saw You First" tends to elicit, it's still a fun song to dance to! Please check this one out if you haven't already!!

"Surfer King" by A.A. Bondy: A.A. Bondy is one of those musicians who has been loved among indie fans for quite awhile now, but is only starting to gain attention on adult alt radio stations. If "Surfer King" ends up becoming the one song he's known for, it will probably end up representing his typical sound well (though I don't know for sure since this is the only song I really know by him so far). It is a gentle, sighing, breezy song that sounds a lot like the "softer" material of bands like My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses (it uses similar distortion to MMJ's "Thank You Too!" and BOH's "No One's Gonna Love You"). Even Bondy's vocals sound a bit like Jim James from My Morning Jacket in this song. "Surfer King" is an absolutely beautiful, poignant, poetic song that paints pictures of a purplish-pink sunset along the ocean waves in my head. I think this is my fave song of the week!! Highly recommended!!

"The Keeper" by Chris Cornell: In his glory days with the grunge band Soundgarden, the words "Chris Cornell" and "soothing" might not have been used in the same sentence very often. Chris started to explore more acoustic guitar once he went solo, however, and "The Keeper" is his most sentimental song to date, putting him in the same musical class as other rock 'n' roll giants gone folk such as Robert Plant and Eddie Vedder. Lyrically, "The Keeper" is a very sad song with a rather mysterious central message ("I may not be The Keeper of the flame/But I am The Keeper"). Perhaps this song might make some of Soundgarden's most loyal fanbase a bit upset, but it's nice to hear the quieter side of Cornell, away from the chaos and anger that surrounded songs like "Black Hole Sun" and "Fell On Black Days".

"Well Well" by Beth Hart and Joe Bonamassa: Beth Hart was a singer/songwriter from the early '00s, best known for the vaguely Alanis Morissette-ish "L.A. Song". Joe Bonamassa is one of the few contemporary country singers not to have a "commercial" flavor or approach to his music. So what do they sound like together?!? A jammin' country-blues-rock duo, that's what!! A bit more fiery and Allman Brothers-ish ("One Way Out", anyone?) than most of the material either of them have done, "Well Well" serves a high point for both Beth and Joe! Who knew Beth Hart had such a convincing, powerful inner Janis Joplin?! I sure didn't, but she's good at it. Joe's vocal contributions to the song aren't as distinctive but he still manages to do a decent job at it!

new songs for September 21st, 2011

2011-09-21T09:26:00.001-07:00

here they are:

"Holocene" by Bon Iver: Of all the songs I'm reviewing this week, this is by far the most serene, bittersweet, and just plain awe inspiring! Earlier, in June of this year, their latest album was released, and the song "Calgary" became the first song off of the album to get airplay on adult alt stations. Though I love Bon Iver dearly, "Calgary" seemed like their attempt at a pop song (albeit with Bon Iver's trademark icy yet ethereal emotional quality attached to it). The most recent song to get attention in Bon Iver's catalog, "Holocene", is a much better song, I think, due in large part to how stark, yet still hauntingly beautiful its instrumentation is. Justin Vernon's high pitched but breathy vocals also add a unique touch to to this song, and his echoing in the chorus of "I can see for miles and miles and miles and miles and miles" might even outdo Pete Townshend's similarly worded chorus to The Who's "I Can See For Miles" (though probably not many people will agree with me on this).

"Knots" by Lisa Hannigan: The artist formerly known as Damien Rice's backing vocalist first made a name for herself as a solo artist about two and a half years ago, with a charming, lighthearted folk-pop ditty called "I Don't Know". In Lisa's latest song, "Knots", the folky part is still there, but the pop part? Well, not so much here, as "Knots" delves into more thought provoking sounds and more complex chord structures (especially how she goes from a regularly used chord and immediately leaps into a more exotic one afterwards during the verses). The music video for this song REALLY makes it stand out, though! It is a synesthetic treat, in which Lisa makes various colors in a paint set come to life as musical instruments, resulting in a fun, artsy mess!! The video for "Knots" can be viewed here (http://www.twentyfourbit.com/post/10447707906/lisa-hannigan-knots-video-weve-seen-this-new)

"Same Mistake" by Clap Your Hands Say Yeah: With "Same Mistake", the cumbersomely named indie-pop group, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, brings catchy, buoyant, somewhat Beatlesque three-chord pop 'n' roll to the table. Though it's obvious from listening that "Same Mistake" is a recent song, I can't help but feel like CYHSY are using 12-string guitars (which were more popular in the '60s than in other decades) in it, even though I know they really aren't (and that the trick they are using to make this song sound so "retro" and 12-string-ish is using the third fret of the thin "E" string for each chord, as well as the groovy distortion this song has). Vocally, "Same Mistake" also seems to be a time twister, in that, although the vocals sound too "modern" to have come from, say, Ray Davies, Roger McGuinn, Brian Wilson, or Paul McCartney, the way the harmony of the vocals flow in this song does seem to be influenced by such performers. Though sunny, happy songs like this seem to be getting increasingly more common within the indie world, there's really nothing wrong with 'em, and "Same Mistake" is certainly NOT a mistake, as far as I'm concerned!

"Simple Girl" by Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.: Before I get to reviewing this song, let me inform you, you are NOT hallucinating, and I did NOT make a typo, his name really IS Dale Earnhardt "Jr. Jr.", with the word "junior" repeated twice! And now, back to the song. "Simple Girl" is a simple song. In a good way, though, since it's one of the many indie-pop songs that have come out in the last couple years with an irresistible, somewhat childlike ambiance to it. It is also simple in its length, at slightly less than two and a half minutes. And the vocals are (here comes that word again) SIMPLE, with the repeating, infectious, "ba-da-ba, ba-da-ba-da-ba-ba-ba"'s in the chorus. This song totally fits its title, but like I said earlier, in a good way! I can only assume that the lyrics are, well, simple (but hopefully also somewhat clever).

new songs for September 14th, 2011

2011-09-14T09:57:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"Live It Up" by Chris Isaak: For those who forgot Chris Isaak is more than just the seductive balladeer who did smooth songs like "Wicked Game", his latest song, "Live It Up" is a reminder that Chris also has a rockin' side that easily brings to mind the pioneers of rock 'n' roll like Elvis Presley and Jerry Lee Lewis! Frankly I'm quite surprised Chris's most recent song sounds the way it does, as he seemed to focus almost entirely on ballads throughout the 2000's ("Let Me Down Easy", "King Without A Castle", and "We Let Her Down" are three such examples). As someone who thought his sound got increasingly more generic with each attempt at a slower song he did in the 2000's, "Live It Up" is quite a refreshing song to hear!! '50s rock 'n' roll music was one of the first forms of popular music I was exposed to as a kid, so "Live It Up" is also very fun and nostalgic for me to hear! I hope Chris focuses more on his rock 'n' roll side as the 2010's progress!!

"Miss K" by Deer Tick: There have been plenty of bands that have attempted to emulate the "jam band" side of The Grateful Dead (Phish and Widespread Panic are two of the best known in this category), but not many are known for evoking The Dead's more country-folk-rock influenced side. "Miss K" by alt-country rockers Deer Tick might just be a first, then. Musically, it seems like what could have been the missing cut from The Dead's "American Beauty", with its slight resemblance to songs like "Friend of the Devil" and "Ripple" (though the beat of the song sounds more like "Bertha", which is from a different album and centers more around electric guitar than it does acoustic). Even the vocalist sounds a little like Jerry Garcia to me (though that comparison might be stretching it a bit for some people). So what are sleazy lyrics like "talk dirty, turn me on" doing in an otherwise beautiful song?! Oh well, "Miss K" is still very much worth listening to, I think!

"Second Song" by TV on the Radio: Really, they couldn't come up with a better title?! Don't get me wrong, TV on the Radio is great (well, their latest songs are anyway), but "Second Song"?! The words "second song" aren't found anywhere in the lyrics, and it is actually the FIRST song off their CD "Nine Types of Light". The only way in which the title is appropriate is that it IS the "second song" they've released as a SINGLE from "Nine Types of Light". Well, now that I've gotten that out of the way, on with the song itself. I can't help but be reminded of how "Alive And Kicking" by '80s new wave group Simple Minds might sound if it came out in the 21st century, as it uses practically the same chords and rhythm (though "Second Song" has a B flat that "Alive And Kicking" doesn't have). TVOTR also manages to set "Second Song" apart from "Alive And Kicking" with the saxophone solos that happen during various parts of the song. As for the lyrics? Well, let's just say that when Tunde Adebimpe sings parts of the song like, "Shaking hands move to tear my face away/And when the night comes I'm flaming like a pyro", it bears similarity to a song about a certain drug beginning with "H" that the grandaddy of all alt-rock bands, The Velvet Underground, sang about on their debut.

7 MORE songs?!?!? WHAAA....?!?!

2011-09-07T16:38:00.000-07:00

That's right!!! 7 MORE songs!! Perfect way to start the month of September! Here they are:

"Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" by The Nightwatchman (a.k.a. Tom Morello, ex-Rage Against the Machine member): Would you have expected the guitarist of '90s hard rock group Rage Against the Machine to have suddenly reinvented himself as a Dylan-esque folk singer?! Probably not many of you would have, but around the mid 2000's he did so, and he did a mighty fine job at it too! The latest from Morello, "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" seems like where ends would meet for him, musically. While acoustic guitar and harmonica both play a central role in "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine", the fast pace of the percussion makes it sound more like a rock song, and the chorus (just the song's title, really) is "sung-spoken" in an aggressive fashion more typical of a Rage song than a Dylan song. Hope to hear more of Morello channeling his inner Dylan sometime soon, he really does an excellent job at it!

"Bright Lights" by Gary Clark Jr.: Amazingly, there are three songs from blues musicians that are being reviewed this week, and this one is first in line! This song, Gary Clark Jr.'s ode to New York City (as he states in the opening line, "Woke up in New York City"), sounds more like it belongs in the 1970's than it does to the 21st century, with its flashy guitar solos and its propulsive boogie beat! Somehow, though, whoever produced this song made it sound polished enough that it sounds recent, in spite of the instrumental techniques used in this song. At 5 minutes and 13 seconds, the length of the song also seems more suited to classic rock than it does to modern/alt rock. Ultimately, though, it's songs like this one that make music all the more worth listening to in the 21st century, and it's also proof that rock 'n' roll is not "dead", despite what some people might think.

"Cruel" by St. Vincent: So how exactly does one classify a song like "Cruel"?! Electro-disco-classical-post-punk-hard-rock?!? Somehow, it kinda sounds like that. Aside from incorporating influences from multiple genres, "Cruel" also manages to evoke multiple emotions. The overall tone of the song is dark, yet the lead singer has very melodic (but sometimes desperate) vocals, and it's also a song that makes me want to dance AND play air guitar at the same time!! Yet I don't know if I'd feel entirely comfortable dancing to a song that's so ominous sounding, and also what is a rock 'n' roll guitar solo doing in a song that's supposed to be disco inflected...with post-punk creepiness?! There doesn't seem to be an easy way to define this song, but sometimes those are the best kinds of songs!!

"If I Had A Gun" by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: Oasis might not be as big as they once were in the '90s, but WOW, the members are definitely still active!! Around February of this year, the band Beady Eye (featuring Liam Gallagher from Oasis on lead vocals) came out and released a fun, jaunty Beatlesque tune called "The Roller". Now it's the other Oasis brother, Noel Gallagher's turn in the spotlight. "If I Had A Gun" provides an introspective, poignant contrast to the bouncy, pop-y aspects of "The Roller". In some ways "If I Had A Gun" almost sounds like a "sequel" to Oasis' biggest hit, "Wonderwall", as both songs are slow, sweet sounding, prolific, and even in the same key (F sharp minor, though "Wonderwall" was capoed). It's unfair, though, to dismiss "If I Had A Gun" as a "ripoff" of "Wonderwall", since it is a song that takes on beautiful, reflective qualities of its own!

"Love the Way You Walk Away" by Blitzen Trapper: Though I only know three songs (including this one) by Blitzen Trapper, I love pretty much everything they have released so far! Much like Fleet Foxes, Mumford and Sons, and The Decemberists (all of whom Blitzen Trapper have probably been compared to by now), Blitzen Trapper are a bittersweet sounding neo-folk-rock band that have made a name for themselves among indie rock fans (including me)! That being said, I was looking forward to hearing what their latest song, "Love the Way You Walk Away" was going to sound like. Its sound seems kind of country-folk influenced, in a very laid-back, "traveling back home on the highway" kind of way. Though I was expecting it to have more of a Donovan-esque "psych-folk" sound the way other Blitzen Trapper songs (especially "Dragon's Song") typically do, "Love the Way You Walk Away" does have a very earnest, heartfelt sort of sound. This one (and probably the Noel Gallagher song as well) are my fave releases of the week so far!!

"River's Gonna Rise" by Warren Haynes: Like his song released earlier this year, "Man In Motion", the part-time Allman Brothers and Gov't Mule guitarist lays down some mean blues licks once again on his latest effort, "River's Gonna Rise". Unlike the frenzied, enthusiastic guitar playing "Man In Motion" boasted, "River's Gonna Rise" is a bit of a calmer song. This does not mean Warren doesn't show off his chops on his axe, though, he most certainly does. However, the feel of this song is a bit more earthy like B.B. King, and not so much a "guitar hero" Eric Clapton type sound. Somehow, the title alone seemed to indicate to me that this would be a calmer song, as this song uses the word "river" in the title, and that's what rivers usually are.

"T-Bone Shuffle" by Johnny Winter: It's quite amazing to me that three of the songs I've reviewed this week are blues songs. "T-Bone Shuffle", however, is by far the blues-iest of the three!! No complex emotions or "deep" lyrics in this song, and no weird chords or odd song structure either, just your basic 12 bar blues. As much as the gentle, poignant, bittersweet songs I review have become close to my heart, sometimes it's fun to just play the blues! It's great to listen to, and fun to dance to. No song I've reviewed so far has come as close to reviving the spirit of the blues as "T-Bone Shuffle" has, with its feel-good, toe-tappin', guitar blastin' sound!!

new songs for August 31st, 2011

2011-08-31T16:39:00.001-07:00

7 songs!! Just in time for going back to school/work! Here they are:

"Behold the Hurricane" by The Horrible Crowes: The title of this song is scarily apt for having come out during hurricane season!! And no, this band has nothing to do with The Black Crowes (despite the intentional misspelling of the word "crows" for each band). It is, in fact, a side project of Brian Fallon, the lead vocalist from the Springsteen-meets-The-Clash-ish indie group The Gaslight Anthem. The Horrible Crowes' debut single, "Behold the Hurricane", does a good job of retaining the roots-y, working class punk sound The Gaslight Anthem typically have, though its heavy use of arpeggiation and how it centers almost entirely around an A major chord (capoed at the first fret) tend to differ from the rougher, barre chord based sound of The Gaslight Anthem. The song's chorus, "I age by years and the mention of your name", sounds anthemic enough both within the context of the song and just as words by themselves that it sounds like something The Boss himself could have written and/or performed!

"Even If I Don't" by Rachael Yamagata: Funny how I was JUST reviewing a song from Rachael's latest CD two weeks ago. I guess people just weren't ready for the unusually dark sounds of "Starlight", so now we have the more pop-y sounding (but still compassionate and earnest) "Even If I Don't", which sounds like a slightly more upbeat version of one of Tori Amos or Fiona Apple's songs, and is also reaching more radio stations than "Starlight" has. The lyrics sound like they were written out of heartbreak, as Rachael's songs typically do, and her smoky, world weary vocals deliver the lyrics convincingly. This is a good song, but I don't know why "Starlight" ended up being a dud. Perhaps because people prefer the tinkly, Regina Spektor-ish piano sounds of this song to the dark alt-rock guitars of "Starlight". What can I say, can't blame 'em, as the piano in "Even If I Don't" is one of the central features of the song!

"Lucky Now" by Ryan Adams: This is one of the new releases I was really excited about hearing! Ryan is like a modern day Neil Young, meandering between somber, folk-y ballads and energetic but passionate alt-rock numbers, so it's always an adventure for my ears to know where he's gonna go next! "Lucky Now" is of the former category, a slow, bittersweet, folk influenced song. Perhaps he just wanted a break from the excitement of having a backing band (The Cardinals), so this song is mostly just Ryan and his acoustic, with some electric and faint traces of percussion added towards the middle of the song. The melancholy but heartfelt emotions this song gives off are also a perfect way of starting off the autumn season (even though it won't actually be occurring until around 3 weeks from now). So "Lucky Now" isn't as thrilling as I would've hoped, but it is one of those songs that tugs at the ol' heartstrings, and there's nothing wrong with that!

"Santa Fe" by Beirut: Never thought this band would ever make it even remotely big on adult alt radio stations, as they always seemed to be one of those "obscure among the obscure" kind of bands (though they DID have "cult favorite" songs among their audience, like "Elephant Gun" and "Postcards From Italy"), but now my expectations of Beirut have changed! It is a bit surprising that what could become Beirut's biggest hit to date only has three chords, is more keyboard dominated than guitar dominated, and lifts its chords directly from the chorus of The Grateful Dead's only Top 40 hit, "Touch of Grey". Perhaps the sparse, quirky minimalism of "Santa Fe" is what makes it worth listening to, though, almost as though Beirut could be viewed as a modern day version of Talking Heads. For all the weirdness "Santa Fe" has to offer, though, it's also a very catchy song!

"She Walks the Night" by Matthew Sweet: Matthew Sweet is an artist that typically lives up to his (last) name. His songs (or, in some cases, just his melodies and harmonies) are usually just so...well...sweet!! Bands like The Beatles, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, and Big Star (or, "the four B's", as I like to call them) are obvious influences on nearly all of Matthew Sweet's music. Some of his rougher edged songs, like "Girlfriend" and "Sick of Myself" became alt-rock radio hits in the '90s, but he faded into the distance almost as quickly until somewhere around the late '00s when he released a series of two CD's consisting of cover songs he dueted on with The Bangles' Susanna Hoffs. Since Matthew Sweet hasn't released any original material (to my knowledge) since 1995, "She Walks the Night" is a well-deserved comeback for the '90s power pop icon! It has all the best elements of Sweet's mellower material, including richly layered harmonies, Byrds-y guitar distortion, and catchy, memorable hooks. Highly recommend this one!!

"We Are the Tide" by Blind Pilot: The rise of "bluegrass rock" has already made a big splash in the 2010's with Mumford and Sons, The Avett Brothers, and The Civil Wars. With Blind Pilot, the return of happy, pleasant, buoyant folk-pop will hopefully make a big impact, too! Bands like Good Old War and Gomez have already become known for this (though Gomez are a bit more eclectic than that), so I don't think my expectations for this are too far off! One of the neatest things about "We Are the Tide" isn't just its sound, but also the wide range of instruments used in the song! The acoustic guitar, as many of you reading have probably guessed, is at the center of the song, but the muted trumpets used in the chorus make "We Are the Tide" all the more lively and uplifting, and the barely audible (but still important) string section in the background also makes this song pure ear candy!

"What the Water Gave Me" by Florence and The Machine: In the alt/indie world, it seems like people just can't get enough of those feisty, foxy females!! Feist's latest release was heavily anticipated two weeks ago, and this time around, redheaded cutie Florence Welch is all the rage compared to the rest of the songs/artists reviewed this week! It's a bit surprising that after only about a year of being known, Florence and The Machine have ALREADY decided to release a sophomore CD!! But I guess they were just that popular! "What the Water Gave Me" is a slight departure from the bouncy, harp dominated indie-pop of most of the songs on Florence and The Machine's previous CD, but still very much a gem to listen to! It almost seems like the type of song that another quirky queen of fashion and music, Bjork, might have done, with its psychedelic but icy sound! At 5 minutes and 33 seconds, "What the Water Gave Me" could just be the most adventurous song Florence and The Machine have delved into so far! Looking forward to knowing what they'll come out with next!!

new songs for August 24th, 2011

2011-08-24T09:44:00.001-07:00

here they are:

"Called Out In the Dark" by Snow Patrol: Though typically thought of as the Irish equivalent of the mopey British alt-pop of bands like Coldplay, Snow Patrol are really so much more than that! Their latest song, "Called Out In the Dark", is definitely proof that Snow Patrol are not your average European "mope rock" band. The flashy, new wave-y keyboards used during most of the song seem to give the impression that Gary Lightbody and co might have been listening to bands like The Killers. Snow Patrol already seemed to take their listeners by surprise with their more crunchy, somewhat hard-rock influenced songs like "Hands Open" and "Take Back the City", but "Called Out In the Dark" adds a whole new dimension to the band that I don't think any of their fans (including me) would have ever expected - new wave!!

"Go Outside" by The Cults: Not to be confused with the similarly named '80s hard rock/proto-grunge band, The Cult. The Cults are pretty much the opposite of that, actually, with the cutesy, almost childlike, irresistibly charming sound of their first big song, "Go Outside", which has already gained attention through TV commercials! Even the lyrics of the chorus ("I-I-ee-yi really wanna go outside") sound like they could be part of a children's song, in terms of both the naivete of the lyrics and the sweet, innocent sound of the song itself. With all the various indie bands that have made guest appearances on the children's show "Yo Gabba Gabba", The Cults seem like they would make the PERFECT guests! (At least with the impression they have left me with this song). Highly recommend this one, as I'm a total sucker for indie songs with an innocent sound like this one!!

"In Our Own Time" by Lindsey Buckingham: Is it just me, or do I sense a Fleetwood Mac reunion coming soon?! Fleetwood Mac's leading lady Stevie Nicks released a new CD earlier this year, and now, in the second half of 2011, their guitarist Lindsey Buckingham has released HIS latest CD!! Where Stevie got off on her soothingly seductive charm for her latest batch of tunes, Lindsey's vehicle for attention is clearly his guitar!! "In Our Own Time" showcases some of the finest work on the instrument Lindsey has ever done, and almost comes off as the Eddie Van Halen of the acoustic guitar, what with his mastery at both speed and his ability to lift his fingers on and off the guitar (and back again) in such a stunningly quick manner!! Fleetwood Mac might have been a "soft rock" band, but that shouldn't prevent people from seeing what a genius at guitar playing Lindsey is!

new songs for August 17th, 2011

2011-08-17T10:29:00.001-07:00

here they are:

"Do to Me" by Trombone Shorty: From start to finish, "Do to Me" is such a darn catchy song!! The feel-good New Orleans jazz of Trombone Shorty's sax player, combined with the juicy riffs of British classic rock guitar legend Jeff Beck go together remarkably well! There are only four chords throughout the entire song (including the F chord used towards the end of the song), but the rhythm, sax solos, and guitar solos make it so that it pretty much doesn't matter how many times the chords in this song are repeated. I highly recommend this song to fans of feel-good...well...anything, be it rock 'n' roll, jazz, blues, or R & B (as this song manages to combine all four effortlessly!!)

"Don't Give Up On Me Now" by Ben Harper: Once again, Ben Harper embraces his inner classic rock fan on his latest song, "Don't Give Up On Me Now". Unlike the usual Hendrix/Zeppelin type influences that pop up on his material with The Relentless 7, "Don't Give Up On Me Now" emphasizes more of a "roots-rock" flavor that one might picture Neil Young, Tom Petty, or John Mellencamp to use. It's not as though Ben does not do a good job at emulating his influences in this song, though, since he not only pulls off the typical instrumentation/distortion of a Neil Young type song in "Don't Give Up On Me Now", but also throws in the earnestness and strength of the typical Young (or Petty/Mellencamp) tune. Looking forward to knowing just how far Ben will go to show off his inner rock star next time around!!

"How Come You Never Go There?" by Feist: Perhaps the most eagerly anticipated song of the week is this one, from Canadian indie songbird Feist, best known for the deceptively childlike "1, 2, 3, 4". It's been four years since Feist last released something, so I was very excited to find out what her latest song, "How Come You Never Go There?" would sound! One of the best things about Feist is that you never know HOW she's gonna sound with every song she releases! She's done pretty much everything, from folk-y jazz ("Mushaboom"), electro-doo-wop ("Secret Heart"), icy cold alternative disco ("One Evening"), folk-pop ("1, 2, 3, 4"), dark alternative piano-rock ("My Moon, My Man"), and folk-rock ("I Feel It All"). "How Come You Never Go There?" could be considered a combination of quite a few of the (sub)genres I've already mentioned! It sounds a bit like a Fiona Apple song, but with more jazz piano (and rock guitar). Feist is as eclectic as ever here, and I don't think I could be more ecstatic about it right now!!

"Starlight" by Rachael Yamagata: Though Rachael Yamagata's work might not be the sunniest and happiest sort of music (except maybe "Be Be Your Love"), she has (so far) never gotten as dark (or rockin') as she has with "Starlight"! Copping a similar guitar riff to the main bass riff of The Zombies' "Time of the Season", "Starlight" takes on a mood that seems simultaneously angst-y and seductive, so much so, that I could easily imagine it being advertised on a promo for some show on HBO (even though I don't actually watch that station). The moody shift between A minor in the verses and the F and C chords in the chorus might also draw some comparisons of "Starlight" to Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon", which uses the same chords during (relatively) the same times in the song. To distinguish "Starlight" from both The Zombies and Fleetwood Mac, Rachael adds in a B flat in between the verses and chorus that neither of the songs I mentioned use. That being said, "Starlight" might just be the song that will get more rock 'n' roll fans interested in Rachael's music. What can I say, I can't say that would be a bad thing, that's for sure!!

"Wonder Why" by Vetiver: Got around a little late to reviewing this one, I realize, but at least my reviewing this song for this week will make my latest blog post end on a good note! "Wonder Why" is such a great song!! The melodic, power-pop-y feel of this song brings to mind a lot of the great "B bands" (i.e. The Beach Boys, The Beatles, The Byrds, Big Star, etc.) of the '60s and '70s! It is so catchy, optimistic, and upbeat, that it's hard to believe Vetiver started out as a band that was more along the lines of the somber, decadent folk-rock of Nick Drake and Elliott Smith. To add to "Wonder Why"'s already nostalgic sound is an even MORE nostalgic music video, with talking houses singing along to the song!! (which can be viewed here - www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmpAXq7sq8s) So many great new releases/reviews for the week, but this one just might be my fave!! And on a final note, yes, I tagged "silly music videos with singing puppets" for this week's blog because of the video for this song, even though there's not actually puppets in the video (I figured singing houses done with what was probably computer animation was close enough!)

new songs for August 10th, 2011

2011-08-10T10:53:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"Calamity Song" by The Decemberists: From the epic indie-folk band's latest couple of songs they've released, I've come to the conclusion that at least one (if not all) of the members of The Decemberists are HUGE R.E.M. fans!! "Down By the Water" had almost identical chords to R.E.M.'s "The One I Love", and in "Calamity Song", traces of quite a few early R.E.M. songs ("Catapult", "Talk About the Passion", "Gardening At Night", and "7 Chinese Brothers", to name a couple), can be heard. Interestingly, R.E.M.'s own Peter Buck plays guitar on BOTH of the aforementioned Decemberists tracks! Since this is a new song in which the lyrics are sung at a rather fast pace, I don't know if I can analyze the lyrical aspects of the song well quite yet. But the song itself is fantastic! R.E.M. is my absolute fave band, and this is a great imitation!

"Hearts On Fire" by Scars on 45: One of the very first songs of 2011, "Give Me Something", was released by Scars on 45, and has since become one of THE most successful adult alt/indie pop songs of the year!! Now, in the second half of the year, Scars have come back a second time around with "Hearts On Fire", a remarkably similar song to "Give Me Something" with its melancholy, yearning sound, acoustic guitars in the forefront, and smooth vocals. The piano in this song (and the guest female vocalist during the second verse) help to distinguish this song from Scars biggest (and previously, their only) hit. Somehow, it seems to help when melodic, moody British alt-pop bands use guitar instead of piano (the latter of which is pretty much now defined by Coldplay and Keane). In "Hearts On Fire", Scars manage to pull off the use of both instruments, and STILL make their song sound sincere enough for an audience whose taste for British alt-pop bands runs closer to Travis than it does (later) Coldplay!

"Na Na Nothing" by Mike Doughty: Na na no, this is na na not Mike Doughty's debut children's song about how "nothing" starts with the letter "N", and na na nor does it indicate that Doughty has trouble saying the word "nothing" (both comments that Doughty himself would probably appreciate given his wry, off-the-wall sense of humor). Doughty, the former lead singer for quirky '90s alt-pop band Soul Coughing, has made a surprisingly successful solo career for himself on adult alt radio ever since the mid 2000's, and deservedly so, too! Most of his solo songs have a sound that somewhat suggests what it might be like if Beck (of "Loser" fame) fronted The Dave Matthews Band. An odd sounding combination, to be sure, but Doughty manages to make it work each time, and his latest, "Na Na Nothing", is na na no exception!! It's a na na negative song lyrically, about Doughty feeling cheated in a relationship, but musically, it's very na na nice!! Chances are I'll na na never find a song quite like this one!

brought to you by the letter "S"

2011-08-03T12:37:00.000-07:00

Only two songs for this week, and they both start with that somber, sweet, spectacular, stupendous letter, "S" (same letter as my first name!!) So here goes:

"Sophia" by Laura Marling: Laura Marling's been a prominent member of the indie-folk scene ever since 2006, but it's only been recently that she's gotten the attention she has probably deserved for quite a while now, perhaps because of her work with other London indie-folk acts that have now become major among indie fans across the globe, such as Mumford & Sons and Noah & The Whale. "Sophia", perhaps Laura's first major song so far, reminds me of Simon and Garfunkel for a couple reasons. First off, the main riff of the song has similar notes to the chorus of "Bridge Over Troubled Water", and also, "Sophia" tends to give off a vibe that suggests something somber but still soothing and gentle to the ears. Lyrically, though, "Sophia" is a very depressing song, especially with its recurring line, "I'm wounded by dust". For some reason, though, I often view "depressing" songs as "romantic" if their melodies come across as being mellow enough, and "Sophia" is no exception!

"Stay Young, Go Dancing" by Death Cab for Cutie: Now why wasn't THIS the first single off of Death Cab's latest release, "Codes and Keys"?!? It's so much better than their first single of 2011, "You Are A Tourist" (though that song seems, so far, like it's MUCH more likely to win the title of "song of the year" for 2011!) Where "Tourist" boasted U2-style guitar riffs and an earnest but energetic sound, "Stay Young, Go Dancing" tends to have the opposite effect. Its sound is more suggestive of the "tragic folkie" sound of artists like Nick Drake, Elliott Smith, and Jeff Buckley. Oddly enough, in spite of its bittersweet, yearning sound, "Stay Young, Go Dancing" is one of the most astounding love songs (WITHOUT any "downer" lyrics) that Death Cab has ever done!! When Ben Gibbard sings, "when she sings, I hear a symphony" in this song, I can't help but think that him and I are thinking of the same girl!! (Zooey Deschanel, to whom he is married now)

new songs for July 27th, 2011

2011-07-27T11:16:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"Different" by Ximena Sariñana: I don't even know how to pronounce this gal's first name (I'm guessing "shee-MAY-nah", but it's hard to know because of the initial "X"), and she's pretty new to the music scene (in English speaking countries, at least) but I'm already in love with her!! "Different" has two different music videos (one of which is a "lyric" video), and they're BOTH really good!! The "lyric" version revolves around a puppet that looks a little like a cross between Fozzie Bear and the typical "Sesame Street" monster, whose name is "Larry Puppe". He even has his own Facebook page, as seen in the video!! (http://www.facebook.com/people/Larry-Puppe/100002175551158) The second version features only humans (sorry, no puppets this time!) and revolves around Ximena at a pool party in which most of the girls there are wearing bikinis, but Ximena wears what appear to be mostly cocktail dresses made suitable for swimming, most likely because she is trying to express her individuality (like in the lyrics of the song), regardless of how "old-fashioned" everyone else thinks they look on her. The song itself could serve as an "outsider anthem", especially with lyrics like, "keep in mind I'm not here, I'm in a different world". Great song, great videos, and a cute girl!! Could it get any better?!? The "lyric" version can be viewed here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF6wBFh3BII), and the "music video" version can be viewed here (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YNB2Cw5y66o&feature=channel_video_title). Enjoy!!

"Honeypot" by Bob Schneider: With only two chords (D and G) used throughout the entire song, "Honeypot" manages to be pretty memorable nonetheless! Its mellow, soothing vibes and '90s style folk-rock guitar sound easily bring to mind the earlier material of bands like Counting Crows, and the repetitive but infectious "la-la, la-la"'s at the end of the song add to the catchiness of an otherwise gentle but somewhat substance-less song. This is a good song, but for me, there will be no finer Bob Schneider moment than his indie-pop masterpiece of '09, "40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet)". Kinda wish he'd release more material like that one, but in the meantime, songs like "Honeypot" aren't bad replacements.

"King of Diamonds" by Motopony: Just about everything in this song basically SCREAMS "quirky", and the band's name (which I'm guessing is pronounced "MOE-toe-poe-nee", though it could also be "MAH-toe-poe-nee) is just the tip of the iceberg here! The lyrics of the song seem to revolve around metaphors dealing with card games, its sound seems like a trip-hop/folk-rock combination that brings to mind many of the songs that Beck (the quirk-master himself) did, and even the video to the song is somewhat random, with its appearances from a Pee-Wee Herman lookalike and a man dressed in a Mickey Mouse costume wandering around the streets of Vegas. Dunno how any of this information relates to each other (other than how they are all aspects of this song), but I'm thinking that a lot of these aspects were purposely eccentric, which makes me like this song all the more!!

"Losers" by The Belle Brigade: Of all the songs that have been released so far in 2011, I don't think there has been more of an "outsider anthem" (see also "Different" by Ximena Sariñana, reviewed earlier in this article) than this song!! Even the opening lyrics ("There will always be someone better than you, even if you're the best") suggest this! Musically, this song is a melancholy neo-folk-rock tune, but lyrically, it's a rant, especially in the chorus, during which lead singer Barbara Gruska sings about how she doesn't care about being a "winner" OR a "loser", and how she rejects many aspects of "popularity" (i.e. "being the life of parties", "going out on Fridays", etc.) "Nerds", "geeks", "dorks", and any other sort of "outsiders" should take refuge in the lyrics of this song, knowing (once again) they're not the only ones out there that have felt ostracized by the "normal" crowd!!

"Up Up Up" by Givers: Well, it's official. Now, Vampire Weekend aren't the only indie band to be influenced by Latin jazz and reggae wrapped up into a contagiously sunshiny package. Newcomers The Givers are doing the exact same thing with "Up Up Up". I wouldn't call it a "ripoff" of Vampire Weekend's material, though, as the vocalists in the song definitely sound different than Ezra Koenig does, and the guitars in the song have lighter distortion than the typical VW song. It's also quite apt that "Up Up Up" was released in the summer of this year, with its tropical sound, and cheery optimistic chorus. "Up Up Up" does exactly what its title suggests it's supposed to - it makes me feel "up up up" every time I listen to it!! I officially declare this song to be the "summer jam" of 2011!!

new songs for July 20th, 2011

2011-07-20T10:44:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"Junk of the Heart (Happy)" by The Kooks: I love how happy, free-spirited, and melodic The Kooks are!! That being said, when I heard they released a new song, I was pretty excited! The best part?! "Junk of the Heart (Happy)" sounds even BETTER than I expected it to sound!! In addition to the Beatles/Kinks-ish bouncy Britpop sound The Kooks typically have, there are also some Burt Bacharach-esque major 7th chords in this song that set it apart from The Kooks' other material. It's only fitting that lead singer Luke Pritchard's refrain in this song consists of the words "I wanna make you happy", because he does exactly that, and quite successfully, too!!

"Miracle Worker" by Super Heavy: What do Mick Jagger, Bob Marley's son Damian, neo-soul songstress Joss Stone, and The Eurythmics' Dave Stewart all have in common?! Well, aside from being rock 'n' roll royalty, they're also part of the aptly named supergroup, Super Heavy! Their first big song, "Miracle Worker" (which, in case any of you are wondering, is NOT about the biographical Helen Keller film of the same name), seems like it is clearly Damian's song, with its reggae beat and pulsating, syncopated guitars. Damian, Joss, and Mick all share vocals on the song, though (albeit, at different parts of it). With all that being said, this song ultimately comes out being a three-star song, despite the big names involved in it. Something just seems missing in this song! Perhaps it's that Damian just doesn't have the forceful, dynamic delivery his dad typically did, or that Mick doesn't seem to be maintaining the same amount of energy and fervor he typically had in The Stones. Well, nevertheless, "Miracle Worker" isn't a bad song, and the four people involved in its performance all seem like they tried giving it their best efforts.

"Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" by Fountains of Wayne: I still find it fascinating how Fountains of Wayne's best known song has become the Cars-esque "Stacy's Mom". It really isn't that representative of their typical sound, which is more like The Beatles or The Kinks (see also The Kooks' "Junk of the Heart", reviewed earlier in this article). "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" continues in the direction of The Fountains' typical sound, which I really like! Nothing particularly special about this one, musically, but what can I say, I'm a sucker for songs with a great melody and a catchy beat, and Fountains of Wayne seem to be experts at that! Perhaps another thing they're good at is just being quirky, as evidenced by the fact that the opening lyrics to this song are, "Staring at the sun with no pants on". Makes me wonder if the pants-less one they're referring to is Adam Schlesinger (the lead singer) himself or a girl he really likes.

"The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: Before I get into the song itself, let me just state that I LOVE the title to this song!! It sounds like the name of a comic book series of some sort! Well, now, on with the song! The title is really better than the song itself, which seems vaguely similar to one of those half-disco/half-rock type songs The Rolling Stones did in the late '70s/early '80s. It IS a catchy song, in typical Chili Peppers fashion, but I personally think they've done better material than this one. One advantage "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" has is its seemingly random, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. I can't quite figure out what this song is about, but it almost seems like that's the point of it!

"Walk" by Foo Fighters: Of the two songs released of The Foos' latest CD, "Wasting Light", "Walk" seems like the better song so far! "Rope" just seemed too full of anger and intensity for me to fully appreciate it. "Walk", however, leans more towards the melodic side of their catalog! It's still a rocker, but more in the even-keeled, steady manner of "Learn to Fly" and "Times Like These" than the frenzied, frantic one of "All My Life" and "I'll Stick Around". The echo-y, jangly guitars in the beginning of "Walk" already indicate a more positive theme in the song. And lyrically, "learning to walk again" sound like words that can lead in a more positive direction than the more desperate, disconnected delivery of "gimme some rope I'm coming loose" (from "Rope", released earlier this year). My one complaint about this song is that sometimes Dave Grohl sounds like he's a bit TOO enthusiastic, as though he's about to scream his head off (mostly in the middle of the song), but other than that, I think this one's a winner!

new songs for July 6th, 2011

2011-07-06T09:19:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"Can't Get You Out of My Head" by Dave Stewart: Of the two leading members of The Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, of course, has been the one to have more hits (both with and without the band) and is the more recognizable of the way she looks. Now it's the lesser known member, Dave Stewart's turn to take his stab at the spotlight. And what a fantastic job he does! Stewart's INXS-ish rock and roll sound and energy he puts into "Can't Get You Out of My Head" balances out the more reflective, somber Kate Bush/Sinead O'Connor type sound Lennox typically had in her solo hits. And here I thought the only real rock song Dave put out was "Would I Lie to You?" with The Eurythmics!! "Can't Get You Out of My Head" picks up where "Would I Lie to You?" left off, and it lives up to its title too. I mean what can I say, I can't get this song out of my head!!

"Hard Lesson" by The Burned: This song's been out for about three months now, but it seems like it hasn't gotten too much attention until recently. This song is basically a one chord (E minor) vamp built around a sleek, seductive, T. Rex-y guitar groove (with the exception of the rather grungy bridge in G major), and a slightly psychedelic organ sound in the chorus. Despite the fact that "Hard Lesson" is built around a single chord (well, two chords, really, as C7 is also used, albeit in a subtle manner), it manages to deliver a catchy, memorable hook nonetheless.

"I Might" by Wilco: Wilco has pretty much never failed to amaze me, and their latest, "I Might" is certainly no exception! For starting out as a country-rock group almost 15 years ago, they sure have come a long way!! Ever since their 2003 "breakthrough" album, "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot", they've gone from having a roots-y earthy rock sound to a more experimental one that somehow manages to combine the whimsy of The Beatles, the "anything goes" attitude of The Velvet Underground, and the carefully crafted guitar solos of some of the earlier Steely Dan songs! "I Might" doesn't have the Steely Dan-ish element some of Wilco's material has, but it does start off with a vaguely Velvets-ish guitar hook, and throws in some shiny, cheerful psychedelic organ sounds this side of "Sgt. Pepper" shortly afterwards! Every song Wilco does has a unique flavor to it, and "I Might" only continues in this direction! Way to go Wilco!!

"She Walks In So Many Ways" by The Jayhawks: It only makes sense that a band whose sound is basically a combination of The Byrds and (the mellower material of) The Eagles would also have the name of a bird (hawk) in their name! "She Walks In So Many Ways" really emphasizes the more Byrds-y element of their music, though, with its jangly, echo-y, folk-rock-y sound and well crafted harmonies. The Jayhawks' last major album (among adult alt/indie fans, at least) came out 8 years ago, and had such wonderful songs as the bittersweet "Save It For A Rainy Day", the country-rocker "Tailspin", and the melancholy "All the Right Reasons", which were all great songs. It made me wonder if the 'Hawks were ever going to come out with anything that great again, and if so, when. "She Walks In So Many Ways" would have fit perfectly with the three aforementioned songs. It's a pleasure to listen to, and its bright sunny melodies never fail to make me smile when I hear them!!

"The Way It Goes" by Gillian Welch: Yet another long-awaited "comeback" album (or, in this case, a "breakthrough" album as well) comes from the bittersweet bluegrass songstress Gillian Welch, whose rustic sounds probably make a lot of her more familiar listeners forget she's really an L.A. native (like me!) It was none other than my own father who introduced me to Gillian's music back in my late elementary school years, and a song she did called "Caleb Meyer" had a stark, haunting enough sound that I remember it to this very day! "The Way It Goes" doesn't quite have the same mystique that surrounded "Caleb Meyer", but it does have the basic elements that make Gillian's music so appealing to folks like me. It has rather bare, simple arrangement in its instrumentation, yet it's also captivating, confessional, and distinct enough to be memorable. Frankly I'm quite surprised Gillian hasn't gotten airplay on adult alt stations with any of her other material (with the exception of L.A.'s KCSN).

New songs for June 22nd, 2011

2011-06-22T10:16:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"Finally Begin" by Cold War Kids: This is a cool song, but I'm having a rather difficult time figuring out what (if anything) is so special about it. Many CWK songs seem to have some sort of distinguishing factor. For instance, "Louder Than Ever" was very dynamic (yet still melodic), and "Hang Me Up to Dry" had some catchy piano hooks. "Finally Begin" just seems to be more of the "U2-goes-indie" vibe that CWK have become known for. There really isn't much else to say about this song, but it is catchy, melodic, and was easy for me to get stuck in my head. Perhaps that's all a good CWK song needs, though!

"Fragile Bird" by The City and Colour: This song is a far cry from the only other City and Colour song I know, the largely acoustic, somewhat melancholy, but rhythmic "Sleeping Sickness". "Fragile Bird" shows a whole new side to the Canadian indie band, with its fuzzed out, "psychedelic" guitars, and pulsating rock 'n' roll beat! My fave part of this song so far is the chorus, which, strange as it may sound, suggests what it might have been like if The Velvet Underground covered The Police's "Wrapped Around Your Finger" (since both "Fragile Bird" and "Wrapped Around Your Finger" have a chorus consisting of a G chord followed by an F major 7 chord). The guitar solo here, short as it may be, is also pretty rad! Certainly not what I would have expected from The City and Colour, but a fantastic song nonetheless!!

"Mayhem" by Imelda May: Get ready for this description, folks - a female Brian Setzer!! WHAAA?!? That's right!! Imelda's pretty cute, too, with her black hair with yellowish "stripes" in between! "Mayhem" is such a catchy tune, and not one you'd normally get to hear in the 21st century! It's a rock 'n' roll song with jazz and swing influences that sounds as if it's being sung by a somewhat lower-voiced Gwen Stefani. It also makes me wanna dance more than almost any song I've heard within the past five years. I dunno about you, but I think right now, I'm gonna party like it's 1998 and put in some Squirrel Nut Zippers, Cherry Poppin' Daddies, and Big Bad Voodoo Daddy records, 'cause those are the type of swingin' hepcat bands that "Mayhem" reminds me of!!

"Never Lookin' Back" by Kenny Wayne Shepherd: With all the various alumni of The Allman Brothers (Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, and Gregg Allman himself earlier in the year) and contemporary bluesman Keb' Mo' all releasing new stuff in 2011, and now this song, a gritty, Stones-y blues-rocker, I'm thinkin' 2011 must be the "blues-rock comeback" year!! Shepherd seems to have already built a pretty large fanbase among "classic rock" fans (despite the fact he debuted in the mid-'90s), but THIS song takes the cake as far as classic rock influenced songs are concerned! I hear The Rolling Stones, The Black Crowes, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and ZZ Top ALL influencing the punchy, boogie feel of this song! "Never Lookin' Back", huh?! Sounds like you're LOOKIN' back, Kenny, but at least you're doing so in all the right directions!!

"Stand" by Lenny Kravitz: And speaking of contemporary musicians influenced by classic rock, who would embody that description more than Lenny Kravitz?!? The man has made a cliche of his own work within the past five or so years, with just about every song sounding like a faux-Stones/Zeppelin/Who type song! It was fun when he did this in the '90s, but after awhile his "classic rock revival" schtick started to get old. Thankfully, "Stand" is a much more refreshing song than that! Instead of taking on the more "commercial rock" approach The Rolling Stones started to go for in the late '70s/early '80s, "Stand" sounds more like Lenny's attempt at doing one of the "Sgt. Pepper" songs!! It's bright and optimistic, while still retaining a rock 'n' roll sound with its echo-y swirling guitars and sunshiny organs! It's about time Lenny broke free from his "commercial curse", and if he puts out any more material like "Stand", I'll be looking forward to it very much!!

New songs for June 15th, 2011

2011-06-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now)" by Portugal. The Man: Thought maybe this was from the same album as their Fall 2010 hit, "People Say", but apparently this is on an album that hasn't been released yet! Guess the soul-meets-alternative vibes of "People Say" were THAT popular!! In "Got It All...", Portugal. The Man continue with the same brand of feel-good indie music they started off with. The falsetto vocals in the chorus seem like a distinguishing, important feature of this song, as they are not only part of what makes this song so fun for me to listen to, but also what could set it apart from being mistaken for a Modest Mouse or Vampire Weekend song.

"Me And Lazarus" by Iron & Wine: The "neo-psychedelic" vibes of this song seem to pick up where the more mellow, folk-y vibes of their previous hit (and their biggest, so far), "Tree By the River" left off. It has factors that most IAW songs don't have. For instance, a sax solo in the middle of the song that seems to be inspired by some of the songs that '60s rock band Traffic often put into their music, as well as some electronic sounding instruments that sound like they'd be more at home on a video game than a song. The rubbery distortion of the electric guitar on this song does a great job of setting "Me And Lazarus" apart from other IAW songs (which, for the most part, lack electric guitars and rely more on acoustic guitars). If you long for the days of psych-rock masterpieces like The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" and Traffic's "Paper Sun", then please give "Me And Lazarus" a nice, solid listen!

"Perfume" by Old '97s: On this track, Rhett Miller and co take a breather from the fast, driving rock 'n' roll sound of their previous hit, "Every Night Is Friday Night (Without You)". "Perfume" sounds more like the typical '97s song, with its somewhat country-fied indie sound. The chord progression in this song seems to have become rather cliche now in rock music (the same type of progression gets used on The Beatles' "Let It Be" and Oasis' "Don't Look Back In Anger"), but the rhythm of the song is one that doesn't get used very often in the genre, and I also really like the subtle, tinkly piano sound sprinkled within the chorus of the song.

"So Beautiful Or So What" by Paul Simon: The lyrical content of this song seems rather abstract upon first listen, but such is the beauty of this song! It seems to be a bunch of "slice of life" stories rolled into a single song. As for the music? Well, I think that's what drives this song more than anything! It's very rhythmic, with its staccato beat pulsating through the drums and guitar throughout the song, so it's very easy to get stuck in your head. Having heard this song and his other big song of 2011, "The Afterlife", I'd say Paul Simon's latest album could very well qualify as being called a "sequel" to his 1986 magnum opus, "Graceland".

New songs for June 8th, 2011

2011-06-08T13:54:00.001-07:00

here they are:

"Jejune Stars" by Bright Eyes: I don't exactly know what "jejune stars" are supposed to be, but both the music and lyrics of this song are absolutely wonderful! The themes of karma and redemption appeal very much to my "inner Buddhist" and philosophical side, and the rather abstract lyrics of the chorus ("So I go umbrella under my arm, to the green of the radar"), just add to how creative this song truly is! You would think that with such spiritual lyrics that this would be one of the more calming, folk-y songs from Bright Eyes, but it isn't. Instead, its sound is rather new wave-y and Cars-y, which makes this song all the more worth listening to for me! With only two songs for this week, I would highly recommend this one!

"The Whole Enchilada" by Keb' Mo': The few songs of Keb' Mo' that I've heard were mostly acoustic guitar based contemporary blues songs. With his latest song, "The Whole Enchilada", Keb' adds in a '70s soul/funk influence along with his typical blues fare. As with most Keb' Mo' songs, the appeal of "The Whole Enchilada" is more in the guitar riffs (and, in this case, the rhythm) than it is in the lyrics. To answer Keb's question in the chorus ("Now that you got-a the whole enchilada, what'cha gonna do, what'cha gonna do?"), I'm gonna try to listen to this song enough times to learn both the lyrics and the licks of this song!

June BLOOM, 8 new songs for one new month!!

2011-06-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

After about a month's absence on here, don't you think it's time I reviewed some new songs?! Well, you're in luck!! Here they are:

"Back Down South" by Kings of Leon: I never would've expected the same guys who debuted back in 2003 with the rough garage-rocker "Molly's Chambers" to have such a melancholy country/folk influenced tune almost a decade later, but lo and behold, KOL have done so with their latest tune, the aptly titled "Back Down South". This song has a very wistful vibe to it, and would probably also make a great "road" song, but not in the energetic, boastful way the typical '70s hard rock song would, but more like the "coming back home" sort of way that a song like "Teach Your Children" or "Heart of Gold" might. If your favorite songs are bittersweet ones, then this might be the one to check out for this week!

"Calgary" by Bon Iver: First of all, for those wondering how "Bon Iver" is pronounced, it's not "Bahn EYE-vur", it's "BONE ee-VAIR", a pun on a French phrase that translates to "good winter". Now that I've gotten that part out of the way, here's a bit of background info on Bon Iver. Though they weren't that big on adult alt stations in 2009, they quickly made a name for themselves nevertheless among indie fans with Nick Drake/Elliott Smith influenced neo-folk-rock such as "Blood Bank", "For Emma", "Re: Stacks", and "Skinny Love". "Calgary" is a bit of a departure from the somber, acoustic sound of these songs. Well, the somber is still there, but the acoustic?! Well, not so much. Instead, more electronic instruments are used, which is a bit of a letdown for me, as the acoustic instrumentation of Bon Iver was part of their charm to me. "Calgary" isn't bad, though. Bon Iver still manage to pull off an uplifting, ethereal sort of sound in spite of the synthesizer dominating the music, in a way that reminds me a great deal of the song "Daniel" by another electro-indie act, Bat For Lashes.

"Can't Keep Johnny Down" by They Might Be Giants: Ahhh, what's not to love about TMBG?! They're two of the goofiest guys in rock history! Even during their debut in the mid-'80s, their unique brand of alternative rock managed to somehow be more suitable for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network than it was for MTV and VH1. "Can't Keep Johnny Down" takes a turn towards the "darker" side of TMBG, though, which is a bit of a disappointment for me. And why is that such a letdown?! Well, first of all, both their name (taken from a B-movie), and their song titles (including, but not limited to, "Put Your Hands Inside the Puppet Head", "Dr. Worm", and "Birdhouse In Your Soul"), are goofball gold, in the '00s they released a series of children's albums that held just as much appeal to children as they did to Gen X adults nostalgic for the days of "Sesame Street" and "Schoolhouse Rock", and even the material they intended more for an "adult" audience was "kid-friendly" enough that shows like "Tiny Toons" and "Where In the World Is Carmen San Diego?" incorporated the use of their music!! About the "darkest" song in their catalog I can even THINK of is "Don't Let's Start", and even THAT has weird lyrics (i.e. "Wake up and smell the cat food"), and a play on the word "don't" that makes fun of a similar play on the word "love" Nat King Cole was known for using (the one where Nat goes, "L is for the way you look at me...", etc.) There doesn't seem to be ANYTHING redeeming at first about "Can't Keep Johnny Down", though, a song that's primarily about a guy with a difficult life. However, upon closer examination of the lyrics to the song, it's really about a guy who, as the song's title suggests, "can't be kept down" by the troubles he faces in his life. I suppose that makes it more redeeming than it might seem upon initial listening, but I still think TMBG could've done better than this!

"Chapel Song" by We Are Augustines: Both the title of the song and the name of the band might suggest a "Christian rock" band, but it's far closer to bands like Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse, particularly the more melancholy, sentimental side of those bands. Lyrically, this song seems like it would have been perfect for "The Graduate", as they seem to hint at the disappointment the lead singer feels about the girl he loves getting married to another man (could be wrong on this, though, as I haven't yet heard the song that many times). The repetition of both the lyrics (i.e. "I shake, shake, shake like a leaf, and I'm lyin', lyin', lyin' through my teeth") and the progression of the four guitar hooks used throughout the song seem to make it a memorable one!

"Don't Gotta Work It Out" by Fitz and The Tantrums: How do you follow up the success and insanely catchy hooks of the blue-eyed soul smash hit, "MoneyGrabber"?!? Well, I would think that'd be pretty hard!! But Fitz and The Tantrums have managed to do so with their second single, "Don't Gotta Work It Out"! Though it's not as much of a get-up-and-dance song as "MoneyGrabber" was, it still manages to be catchy (and Motown-esque) enough to once again win over the hearts of both classic soul fans and alternative/indie fans. The minor key that "Don't Gotta Work It Out" was written in is also emphasized a bit more than that of "MoneyGrabber"'s minor key, with the exception of "Don't Gotta Work It Out"'s bridge, consisting of an organ playing in F major. Still, this is definitely a song worth checking out for the week!

"Learn How to Love" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: If this is supposed to be a follow-up to "Bound For Glory", I kinda feel like it's a bit too early (but perhaps that's because "Bound For Glory" hasn't played on enough stations yet, at least from what I've observed). Unlike the triumphant, chug-along blues-rock of "Bound For Glory", "Learn How to Love" seems to be a bit more of a juicy, gritty blues-rock number. This one definitely emphasizes the "rock" element of "blues-rock", evoking the sounds of many blues-influenced classic rock bands, from Led Zeppelin to ZZ Top to The Allman Brothers (of whom Derek Trucks occasionally plays guitar for), and then some! Who knows, perhaps the hard, solid rock 'n' roll influence of this song will guarantee "Learn How to Love" more success on adult alt radio than "Bound For Glory". We'll see!!

"Rider" by Okkervil River: I think I'm a bit late in my review for this one, but here goes. Though "Rider" has only received airplay on a handful of adult alt stations so far, it seems like its airplay is slowly but surely starting to increase, and it also has a unique sound that managed to capture me immediately upon hearing it! Its sound is the "orchestral indie" sound used frequently in Arcade Fire's music, and used additionally in other indie acts such as Sea Wolf, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, and Andrew Bird. The "orchestral" sound in "Rider" uses piano as the central instrument, and a dynamic and forceful, yet still catchy sort of rhythm. I especially like the end of this song, in which the instruments start to speed up, building up to a fantastic finish! I highly recommend this song!!

"Rise Above 1" by Reeve Carney and U2's Bono and The Edge: Apparently this song is supposed to be a part of the Broadway production of "Spider-Man"!! WHAAA?!? Well, as far as U2 songs go, this one is rather mediocre, I think. The fact that Reeve Carney contributed to this, though, I guess makes this worth listening to, and I kinda like this song despite how "average" it sounds. - EDIT - my bad - I confused my Carneys - it's PATRICK Carney (not REEVE Carney) who sings on this track - Reeve Carney is merely the guy that plays "Spider-Man" in the Broadway production of "Spider-Man", he has nothing to do with The Black Keys - what can I say, I get confused sometimes, and I apologize to those who might have thought I was spreading "false information" online - your fears should be calmed down by now

New songs for May 4th 2011

2011-05-04T10:26:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"Barton Hollow" by The Civil Wars: For those expecting a melancholy, sentimental tune from these guys, like "Poison and Wine" was, please don't! "Barton Hollow" is a bluegrass-y song like most of The Civil Wars' material, but it's also a very gritty, juicy sort of tune. Its drop D tuning seems to somehow suit it perfectly, as do the blues-y sounding lyrics (i.e. "I'm a dead man walking", and "Can't no preacher man save my soul?") Acoustic blues are alive and well thanks to The Civil Wars, and quite rightfully so!

"Grown Ocean" by Fleet Foxes: Not quite the straight up folk-rock of the exquisite, poignant title track to "Helplessness Blues", but like pretty much every Fleet Foxes track I've had the pleasure of hearing so far, it's still a great song! Think of what it would be like if Simon and Garfunkel attempted to do a song from "Pet Sounds". One of the absolute best things about Fleet Foxes' songs is that they always manage to get me in a nostalgic, reflective sort of mood! "Grown Ocean" is no exception to this, in fact upon hearing the song initially, I felt like I was in a really pleasant dream! I would LOVE for Robin Peckold and co to release more material like this, it would really make me happy!!

"Holdin' On to Black Metal" by My Morning Jacket: It appears as though this song is both the most popular AND the most bizarre of all the songs I'm reviewing this week!! For a band who started out doing Neil Young-esque folk-rock material like "Golden", MMJ have sure come a long way, diversifying their musical pallet into reggae-tinged rock ("Off the Record"), barn-burnin' Stones-y hard rock ("I'm Amazed"), '70s soul influenced music ("Thank You Too!"), and progressive rock (both parts of "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream"). "Holdin' On to Black Metal" puts MMJ right up there with best eclectic, quirky indie groups and musicians like The White Stripes, Wilco, and Beck! I wouldn't know how to describe what "genre" it's trying to go after, as it seems to be a combination of many (I have jokingly described it as "psychedelic-folk-gospel-punk-soul", and other silly sounding, but somewhat accurate descriptions). It starts with a vaguely "psychedelic" guitar, but then horns that sound like they'd be more at home in an Otis Redding song start to kick in, and a chorus of CHILDREN (of all things) echo the words "black metal" after lead singer Jim James sings it in the chorus! The "black metal" in question (mentioned in the title and chorus) is a musical genre (also known as "death metal"), and not ACTUAL dark metallic material, which only makes the song even MORE bizarre than it already is! This is by far the weirdest song I've heard so far from MMJ...and I couldn't be happier!!!

"Time Spent In Los Angeles" by Dawes: SoCal's roots-y indie rockers, perhaps best known for their late 2009/early 2010 adult alt radio hit, "When My Time Comes", are back for more! Nothing says "I love L.A." like both singing about it AND being praised by L.A.'s own '70s rock musician Jackson Browne! For a city that spawned 1000 "soft rock" musicians (among them Browne, as well as The Eagles), "Time Spent In Los Angeles" has an aptly laid back kind of mood, evoking something between the organ driven folk-rock approach of The Wallflowers and the "alt-country" vibe of groups like The Avett Brothers. Having grown up in L.A. myself, it's actually a rather frantic, fast-paced city from what I've come to know, but musically, this song does a great job of capturing the more mellow side of L.A.!

"Two Against One" by Danger Mouse (featuring Jack White from The White Stripes): The title of this song couldn't be more apt! Well the "two" part, anyway, as Danger Mouse and Jack White are both masters of creating eclectic musical catalogs for themselves! The "against one"...the media perhaps?! Well, who cares! This is still a great song! I especially dig how the acoustic guitar in the lead mingles with the syncopation of the electric guitar in the background, and how the minor key used throughout the song seems to build up to something suspenseful instead of something melancholy. Danger Mouse and Jack White have truly come up with a masterpiece here. Here's to hoping Jack and Meg will get back together soon and reconsider the "break-up" of their band!!

New songs for Apr. 27th, 2011

2011-04-27T11:23:00.000-07:00

Here they are:

"Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People: I've always been somewhat entertained by the idea of "lyrical dissonance" in music, and "Pumped Up Kicks" is one such example of a newer song that uses this technique. The lyrics are very grim, as they are (probably) about someone going on a shooting spree, yet the music suggests something upbeat and danceable (though still with minor chords), slightly similar to Peter, Bjorn, and John's song "Young Folks". The title is also a bit deceiving, as "Pumped Up Kicks" sounds like it should be about dancing (or perhaps one of many strange metaphors for sexual intercourse), but it isn't. Clearly, Foster the People are a clever band if they can manage to come up with material like this!

"Roll Away Your Stone" by Mumford and Sons: It appears as though London's favorite Irish-sounding indie-folk-rock quartet are back a THIRD time around on the adult alt charts!! I adore the intro of this song, with its rhythm matching that of a typical "Irish jig" (and, also, the rhythm of the "Spongebob Squarepants" theme song), but once the vocals kick in and the rhythm speeds up, I can't help but think that American audiences probably WANTED this to be the third major Mumford and Sons song, as it really just sounds like a combination of the rhythm of "Little Lion Man" and the chords of "The Cave". M & S are really a much more diverse band than that, with the lively, muted-trumpet-dominated sound of "Winter Winds", the melancholy, regretful "White Blank Page", and even a sound that evokes Springsteen's "Nebraska" in "After the Storm". That being said, though, "Roll Away Your Stone" is certainly not a bad song, it just makes me a little afraid that if it gets popular enough that some American audiences will begin complaining that Mumford and Sons' songs all "sound the same", which, if you listen to the examples of the (currently) lesser known M & S songs I listed, you will find that such is not the case!

"The Last Crusade" by Sam Roberts: Canadian rocker Sam Roberts is a very eclectic one from what I've heard in his material so far, which includes the upbeat roots-y indie pop/rock of "Them Kids", and piano-rocker "Detroit '67". So how does his latest song, "The Last Crusade", fare in comparison?! Well, I think it's even better than those songs are, personally!! It seems to come off as a grittier, edgier version of some of the more "jam band"-oriented songs from The Dave Matthews Band (think "What Would You Say?", "Too Much", etc.) It fuses jazz, blues, and rock effortlessly like the typical DMB song, yet the "alternative" vibe that Sam Roberts tends to give off in this song is purely his own! We need more musically diverse songs/bands/artists like this in today's musical climate, I think!

The Allman Brothers connection (plus one more song)

2011-04-13T11:32:00.000-07:00

Interesting that TWO of the songs I'm reviewing this time have alumni of The Allman Brothers featured on the tracks! Here they are (plus one more song):

"Bound For Glory" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: A husband and wife match made in blues-rock heaven! Susan Tedeschi is a blues based musician with a heavy influence of Stax Records brand R & B (think Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, etc.) in her music as well, and Derek Trucks is a blues-rock guitarist that occasionally plays in legendary blues-rock combo The Allman Brothers Band. So what do they sound like together?! A powerhouse, that's what! Especially with Derek Trucks mad guitar skills in the middle of what would probably be more of a '60s R & B/gospel pastiche without his contributions. "Bound For Glory" is quite an apt title for a song that builds up to glorious proportions as it continues to chug along!

"Man In Motion" by Warren Haynes: Yet another (occasional) member of The Allman Brothers Band (as well as more contemporary blues-rock musicians, Gov't Mule). The vibe this song gives off is definitely more of a '70s classic rock one than that of the previous song, and in particular, it reminds me of the blues-gone-somewhat-hard-rock feel of Eric Clapton's mid-'70s rock anthem, "Cocaine". Once again, amazingly talented guitar skills show up in this song! What can I say, sometimes you just gotta let out your blues on the 'lectric guitar and ROCK OUT!!

"Will Do" by TV on the Radio: Amazingly, this is the ONLY song I'm reviewing this week that HAS an "indie" feel to it!! Weird, huh?! Anyway, to give you a background on the cleverly named TV on the Radio, they have been around since roughly the mid 2000's, and their material is typically somewhere between the more "experimental" side of classic rock (i.e. David Bowie, Peter Gabriel, Talking Heads, etc.) and the more icy cold, claustrophobic, tensed up feel that bands of the post-punk era typically give off (i.e. Gang of Four, Public Image Ltd., Joy Division, etc.) "Will Do" is, quite possibly, the first TVOTR song that strips away the band's typical post-punk influence and instead goes for more of a '70s "soul ballad" vibe a la Marvin Gaye, though it still has the Gabriel/Bowie type sound dominating the tune. It is also one of the few (if not the only) song by TVOTR that I find has a memorable, catchy chorus ("Anytime will do...my love"), delivered by the smooth, soulful vocals of lead singer Tunde Adebimpe. Though this song is atypical of their style, it's also the first song of theirs so far that's won my affection!

new songs for Apr. 6th, 2011

2011-04-06T10:06:00.001-07:00

here they are:

"Changing" by The Airborne Toxic Event: It's funny that this song has been around since February of this year, yet it's taken adult alt stations until now to add this into their playlists. Well, better late than never. Or is it? "Changing" is not a bad song, but somehow something feels lacking in it in comparison to songs from their debut from three years ago like the Springsteen-esque "Wishing Well" and the U2-ish alt-rock epic "Sometime Around Midnight". "Changing" just seems more...well...ordinary. Even the chorus seems to suggest an ordinariness about it ("You always want to talk about changing, changing/Well guess what I am the same man, same man", a bad choice in rhyming, but the catchiness of the song, and perhaps the rest of it, compensates for this). "Changing" is an apt title for this song, but perhaps not for the better. At least it has a memorable hook, and for some reason I like it (perhaps because it's an Airborne Toxic Event song), so I would think that would count for something.

"In Every Direction" by Junip: Swedish indie-folk sensation Jose Gonzalez (yes, he IS Swedish, despite how his name sounds) continues to have success with a full band in this song. Like their previous "hit", "Always", "In Every Direction" is written in D minor. Despite its similarity to "Always", "In Every Direction" is distinguishable from that song because it is slower, and also Jose's backing band seems to have more importance in this song than they did in "Always", particularly the rather forceful, dynamic organ section. As an aside, I have no idea what this "magic feather" Jose keeps referring to in the song is, but it's probably the lyric in "In Every Direction" that stands out the most to me!

"Just Fine" by G. Love: After G. Love's previous success in the acoustic-blues-y, fiery "Fixin' to Die", my faith in his musical ability and talent have been somewhat renewed. "Just Fine" only continues to prove this, perhaps even more so, with its mellow but somewhat spicy sound, suggesting something between the "softer" material of The Red Hot Chili Peppers and the Blues Traveler song "Hook". I especially like how "Just Fine" mixes acoustic and electric guitar sounds, only to come out with a gritty, sublime sound as a result. Despite the optimistic sounding title, "Just Fine" does seem to have somewhat angst-ridden lyrics, with the chorus hinting more at a "life sucks, but I'm doing just fine" kind of attitude than a "everything is just fine, and I like it" sort of vibe. For G. Love, who seemed to take a musical dive in 2008 with songs like the lightweight "Peace, Love, and Happiness" and his even MORE mellow-minus-the-substance song "Beautiful", which he did with folk-pop musician Tristan Prettyman, the angst of "Just Fine", combined with its juicy flavor, is a GOOD thing!

"Options" by Gomez: Is it just me, or have the members of Gomez suddenly taken such a liking to Spoon's "The Underdog" that they wanted to make their own version of it?! This is basically what "Options" sounds like, especially in the beginning of it. It is a song written in G major with a bouncy beat suggestive of Billy Joel's "Only the Good Die Young" - which is EXACTLY what "The Underdog" was! Gomez start to shake things up a bit as "Options" draws closer to the chorus, adding in chords that are sharp/flat chords instead of "regular" ones. As the chorus closes, they add a unique chord that even I had trouble figuring out. Aside from being a "copycat" song of "The Underdog", "Options" does have some things going for it. Like I mentioned before, the change in chord structure during the chorus is one thing, but for another, it shows just how eclectic Gomez truly are. How many other bands can simultaneously pull off having influences like Oasis ("Nothing Is Wrong"), your typical bluegrass song ("How We Operate"), folk-pop ("See the World"), a combination of blues and indie ("Hamoa Beach"), The Flaming Lips ("Airstream Driver"), and a folk-pop/indie combination ("Little Pieces")?! Not many that I can name off the top of my head, that's for sure!!

"Sorry" by The Smithereens: The SMITHEREENS?!? The SAME guys who had hits in the late '80s with catchy rock 'n' roll tunes like "A Girl Like You", "Only A Memory", and "Behind the Wall of Sleep"?!? Yep, that's right!! The SAME guys!! This is pretty unbelievable to me considering that its been about 20 years since these guys last had a hit, let alone released a record!! Perhaps their big comeback moment was worth the wait, though, as "Sorry" actually sounds even BETTER than the three songs I mentioned! It's a "Satisfaction"-esque rocker, with the tuning just a half-step down from that song, and, for a band who was already "retro" enough in the '80s, The Smithereens have somehow managed to sound even MORE "retro" on "Sorry"! The one question I have is this. "Sorry" for WHAT exactly?! That we didn't get to hear this song sooner?!? That's the only thing I can think of they should be "sorry" for, this song ROCKS!!

"You Are A Tourist" by Death Cab for Cutie: Wow!! It's pretty clear from how fast this song has been climbing the adult alt (and "regular" alt) charts that both sides of the alt-rock "spectrum" just can't get enough Death Cab!! And rightly so, considering how guitarist Chris Walla makes his transition from quiet indie/contemporary folk-rock guitarist to an almost The Edge (of U2 fame) -ish earnest but passionate and skilled rock guitarist! I've always suspected U2 were an influence on Death Cab, but never as much as they have been on "You Are A Tourist"! If this song does NOT end up being one of my Top 20 of 2011 come December 23rd, I'll be pretty shocked!!

new songs for March 23rd, 2011

2011-03-23T08:36:00.000-07:00

here they are:

"Longing to Belong" by Eddie Vedder: This song suggests Pearl Jam's leading man longing to belong...to the "Into the Wild" soundtrack again. The same mix of acoustic guitar, ukulele, and bittersweet heart-melting emotional quality he used on such gems from the smash indie flick's soundtrack like "Rise" and "Guaranteed" are once again present on "Longing to Belong". It is less than three minutes long, though, unlike most (if not all) of the songs on the soundtrack, but somehow Eddie has managed to wrap all of his wistfully tearful thoughts into roughly two and a half minutes of pure bliss in this tune! As refreshing as it was to hear Eddie rock out with Pearl Jam on songs like "The Fixer" and "Amongst the Waves" two years ago, it's also nice to hear him at his more somber, precious moments as well.

"Lost In My Mind" by The Head and The Heart: This one is a very pleasant, wistful indie-folk tune, sounding like a cross between the autumnal folk-rock of Good Old War and the more rootsy variety from that of bands like The Avett Brothers. A real heart melter, just like the one I mentioned above (though so far, I like this one better). "Lost In My Mind" is a very apt title for a song that evokes nostalgic images of taking a road trip during the fall season with orange-gold leaves falling from the trees and an orange-y sunset sky in the background. The combination of being written in a major key, yet still retaining a somber mood, somehow makes this song a surefire winner for me!

"Rope" by Foo Fighters: I was gonna hold off on reviewing this one, it's been circulating on adult alt stations for awhile now, despite its resemblance to "harder" acts, mostly '70s classic rock/progressive rock like Queen, Rush, Yes, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and The Who. I was pretty shocked, though, when I found out Music Choice Adult Alternative, which I often have considered to be one of the most accurate representations of the (sub)genre, started playing this!! Therefore, I'm gonna give this one a go. "Rope" starts off benign enough with its unique chords played on echo-y distortion, but once the drums start kicking in, the song becomes faster and harder, and starts spouting off guitar riffs vaguely similar to songs like Yes' "Roundabout" and Rush's "The Spirit of Radio". The chorus is also a bit shaky, with Dave Grohl's somewhat frantic, desperate delivery of "Gimme some rope I'm fallin' dooowwwwnnnnn!!!!" A good song, but a bit rough for stations that are more known for playing more melodic, balanced acts like U2, R.E.M., and Counting Crows. Oh well, I guess different doesn't hurt once in a while!!

"Uberlin" by R.E.M.: For the legendary alt-rock band's third major song from "Collapse Into Now", they've calmed down a bit, but still retained their cleverness. The title alone, "Uberlin", is actually a pun, combining the phrase "Uber" (meaning "very") and the German capital, Berlin. Perhaps what makes this song so appealing, though, is not necessarily the song itself as much as a video for the song I recently discovered in which the lyrics are written out as though they are on a map, moving from place to place as they are written out. Since the lyrics of the song largely center around traveling, it's quite fitting as a "music video" (if indeed it is one).

"Velcro" by Bell X1: Until their big breakthrough with the Talking Heads soundalike song, "The Great Defector", Bell X1 were primarily an Irish folk-rock act. Ever since then, it seems as though they've tried to tweak their sound into sounding more like Modest Mouse than Damien Rice. "The Great Defector" was, in my opinion, one of the best songs of 2009, because it was just so...different!! And Bell X1's lead singer did an excellent David Byrne imitation (whether he intended it or not)!! So how does "Velcro" compare?! It's got the same new wave-y sound as "The Great Defector", but somehow it just isn't the same! Perhaps the saving grace for "Velcro" is in its quirky lyrics, from the chorus ("I'll be your velcro"), to random bits in the verses (for instance, "Watching a 6-year-old on YouTube playing drums to 'Billie Jean'", somebody tell me what THAT's supposed to mean!!) Heck, even the TITLE is quirky (how many other songs do you know called "Velcro", or that even USE that word for that matter?!)

"Werewolves" by The Damnwells: No, this is not a cover of the late, great Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London", and it doesn't sound like the song either. It's a song simply called "Werewolves". This song is another one of those somber, autumnal, somewhat wistful/nostalgic sounding songs (see also the first two songs I reviewed in this week's blog). I seem to fall instant prey to these kinds of songs. I have only heard one other song by The Damnwells, the uber-melodic, somewhat Fleetwood Mac-ish "Golden Days", which was another song I just loved instantly! "Golden Days" had better harmony techniques than "Werewolves" does, though. But that by no means disqualifies "Werewolves" from becoming another instant classic for me, though. The Damnwells are melodic indie/neo-folk-rock geniuses, 'nuff said!

"You've Got the Love" by Florence and The Machine: The seven words Sting became famous for singing almost 30 years ago ("every little thing she does is magic") would most certainly describe the cute, redheaded Florence Welch from Florence and The Machine! "Dog Days Are Over" became the surprise smash hit of the summer/fall of 2010, and it looks like "You've Got the Love" is going to end up being the song following in its footsteps. Once again, Florence has used her eclectic musical palette to combine indie/alternative rock, pop, and soul to create an irresistibly catchy, danceable number on "You've Got the Love", which actually wasn't her song originally, but she seems to have made it her own! The video is also pretty awesome, with our ginger haired leading lady singing on a plastic moon in a silky golden outfit! Lookin' forward to knowing what she'll churn out next!!

New songs for March 16th, 2011

2011-03-16T14:38:00.001-07:00

here they are:

"Colors" by April Smith and The Great Picture Show: After having heard this song and April's previous hit, "Terrible Things", it's becoming increasingly clear to me that April Smith and The Great Picture Show have a knack for catchy, somewhat bubbly indie-pop tunes! Adding to the already peppy, colorful (no pun intended) flavor of this song is what I think is the best part of the song in the middle, a KAZOO solo!! I can't say I know too many songs, even among indie bands/musicians, that even USE that instrument!! Though "Colors" and "Terrible Things" both have that "deceptively cute" vibe about them, there are some definite differences between the two songs. Where "Terrible Things" was suggestive, slinky, and sexy, "Colors" is more bubbly, blissful, and buoyant! Looking forward to whatever irresistibly catchy indie-pop tune April rolls out next!

"Rock 'N' Roll Is Free" by Ben Harper: Rock 'n' roll...well, it's many different things to many different people. To Lenny Kravitz, it's "Dead" (or so he sang back in '95, come on, Lenny, we know you don't REALLY feel that way about rock 'n' roll!), to Electric Light Orchestra, it's "King", and to AC/DC, it (ain't) "Noise Pollution". Now, Ben Harper has come to state what he feels rock 'n' roll is - "free"! Though Ben has really only delved into rock music for the past two years of his nearly decade long career, he's done remarkably well at it, and even has a backup group, The Relentless 7, whenever he decides to perform rock songs/albums. I thought The Relentless 7 would just be an album-long project for Ben Harper, but he has since extended it into 2011, and rocks just as hard and convincingly as he did with them two years ago! "Rock 'N' Roll Is Free" has a steady enough rhythm and melodic enough vocals to be considered "mellow", yet it also has enough grit in both the guitar's sound and riffs to be considered "hard". It's hard to believe Ben has revealed his true musical genius just within the past two or three years, but I'm SO glad he is, and I hope he continues to do so!!

new songs for March 9th, 2011

2011-03-09T14:50:00.000-08:00

here they are:

"Sad Song" by The Cars: ANOTHER new Cars song?!? But "Blue Tip" has only been on the Adult Alt charts (and now the "mainstream rock" charts) for a week!! If "Blue Tip" was one of those "crash and burn" songs for Adult Alt radio, that's too bad because I kind of prefer it to "Sad Song". "Sad Song" is not a bad song though ("sad song", "bad song", I'm a poet and I didn't even know it!!) However, instead of taking a nod to the bands who have been influenced by The Cars, "Sad Song" has a more "retro" feel like the typical '70s/'80s rock song, as it seems to borrow elements of songs from both decades. The intro recalls T. Rex's "Bang A Gong (Get It On)", much like The Cars' 1979 song "Dangerous Type", and the verses sound a lot like '80s arena rocker Billy Squier's song "Everybody Wants You". Though there are no crazy guitar solos on "Sad Song" I feel like there SHOULD be one, as it sounds a lot like a song from one of The Cars' first two records. Conclusion?! "Sad Song" is NOT a "sad song"!! And I think that is a good thing!

"Who Have You Been Loving?" by Bobby Long: From the tradition of Dylan/Neil Young/Springsteen influenced indie singer/songwriters such as Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, and Jesse Malin comes Bobby Long, a man whom, oddly enough, got his start of recognition as being a friend of "Twilight" movie actor Robert Pattinson. Being a friend of someone like that one might be tempted to assume that Bobby Long is an "emo" artist of some sort, but such people could not be more wrong!! "Who Have You Been Loving" reminds me of a lot of Neil Young's material, particularly his CSN & Y song "Almost Cut My Hair", and Neil Young solo tune "Like A Hurricane", in that it mixes gritty guitar riffs/sounds with raw, honest emotions and lyrics. Looking forward to hearing more of Long's material, actually, as I have heard one other song by him, "A Winter's Tale", that I actually think is even better!

new songs for March 2nd, 2011

2011-03-02T09:31:00.000-08:00

here they are:

"Blue Tip" by The Cars: It's been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Over their 25 year absence from the music world, the indie scene has been filled with bands imitating The Cars sound, such as Phoenix, Hockey, and The Killers. For legendary new wave pioneers The Cars, it seems as though they have turned the tables and have imitated their imitators for their latest tune, "Blue Tip". It is a catchy mix of electric guitars and synths jamming in perfect synchronicity with each other. Don't expect the chunky guitar riffs from "Just What I Needed", "My Best Friend's Girl", etc. on "Blue Tip", though, as it really is more of an indie song than a "classic rock revival" type song. Truly a fresh song in comparison to most bands/artists who have churned out newer material that still get heavy airplay on classic rock stations! I have only three words to say to Ric Ocasek and company, "welcome back, guys!"

"L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N." by Noah and The Whale: Perhaps the catchy, clever, quirky ten-syllable title of this song oughta be changed to "R.I.P.O.F.F. of Classic Rock", as it simultaneously recalls The Steve Miller Band's "The Joker", The Kinks' "Lola", and Tom Petty's "Don't Come Around Here No More"! Even the TITLE recalls one of John Mellencamp's most popular songs (the chorus of "Jack And Diane", in which Mellencamp sings, "Oh yeah, LIFE GOES ON, long after the thrill of livin' is gone"). For an indie band (much less one whose material is supposedly inspired by '60s folk-rock bands), Noah and The Whale are probably going to receive as much criticism as they will praise if this is their first big "hit" (which it looks like it will be, for better or worse). Though "L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N." pretty much steals from many of the songs I liked as a teen, there is still something I like about it, perhaps most of all its funny title. It's a catchy song, too, though.

"Long Time" by Cake: This song is unique for a Cake song. Typically, their songs are either in major key, or in E minor if they choose to perform one of their songs in a minor key. "Long Time", however, is an A minor song, which gives it more of a yearning feeling than most of the "goofball rock" Cake have done. Perhaps it's not the first time Cake have shown a more sentimental side (see also "Let Me Go"), but it has a fresher feel than most of their songs. Perhaps the somewhat synthesized "bah, bah-da-bah, bah-da-bah, bah-da-bah" backing vocals also add a fun flavor to this song. The riff in the song in which the trumpet and guitar play the same (or similar?) notes sounds a little like the one in The Fixx's "Saved By Zero", but that's the only complaint I have about this song so far. It's a darn good one, I think!

Talkin' bout (our) generation(s)?!

2011-02-23T08:55:00.000-08:00

Funny thing, the two songs I'm reviewing span the "classic rock" (Stevie Nicks) and "modern/alternative rock" (Radiohead) generations, hence the title of this entry! Anyway, here they are:

"Lotus Flower" by Radiohead: It's amazing how "viral videos" will make a song that's barely a week old gain so much popularity. Such is the case with Radiohead's latest tune, "Lotus Flower", the video of which consists entirely of Thom Yorke doing a weird (but cool) dance, filmed in black and white. Anyway, on with the song. For those expecting the folk-rock-y guitars mingling with techno-y beats like they did on Radiohead's songs from about four years back ("Jigsaw Falling Into Place" and "House of Cards"), you'll probably be a bit let down, as this song has a bit more of an electro-rock focus to it. However, it does a fine job emulating "trip-hop" music (Bjork, for instance). With its Bjork-esque sound and strangely alluring video, Bjork oughta see/hear "Lotus Flower" if she hasn't already!

"Secret Love" by Stevie Nicks: Again, those expecting a folk-rock-y Stevie Nicks song a la Fleetwood Mac might be a bit disappointed. "Secret Love" is actually BETTER than I expected it to sound, though. The vibe to this song suggests Peter Gabriel and "Joshua Tree"-era U2, perhaps because Dave Stewart from The Eurythmics produced it. Though this song lacks both the aggression of "Edge of Seventeen" and the heart-melting qualities of "Landslide", "Secret Love" isn't bad, especially if Stevie is intending on expanding her audience to the Imogen Heap/Jem/Beth Orton type crowd (which it sounds like she is with this song). A job well done, I say!

new songs for Feb. 16th, 2011

2011-02-16T13:33:00.000-08:00

Here they are:

"100 Other Lovers" by DeVotchKa: DeVotchKa are an indie group perhaps best known for doing the opening song in the smash indie flick (and one of my personal fave movies of all time), "Little Miss Sunshine". The song was called "How It Ends", and it was a very poignant piece of work dominated by plaintive, melancholy vocals, gentle keyboards, and sighing violins. Five years later, DeVotchKa have still got it in them, but it lacks the emotional power of "How It Ends", perhaps mainly because, well, "100 Other Lovers" is more of a happy, bouncy tune without any emphasized minor chords. This is not to criticize "100 Other Lovers, as it is still a fine tune, and the orchestration is remarkably similar to "How It Ends", with its keyboards, violins, and vocals. However, in "100 Other Lovers", the keyboards have more of a tinkly sound, the violins sound more excited and energetic, and the vocals sound calmer. Overall, though, this song has a very relaxing, looking-out-the-window-on-a-Sunday-morning sort of vibe, so I still like it.

"Our Hearts Are Wrong" by Jessica Lea Mayfield: People who are familiar with Aimee Mann's charmingly quirky, folk-pop-y, solo career material will probably like what is becoming newcomer Jessica Lea Mayfield's first "hit", "Our Hearts Are Wrong". Despite the pessimistic sounding title of this song, it is actually a rather upbeat sort of tune with rather unique instrumentation, complete with a "We Will Rock You" type beat (only a bit more of a "softened" version if you know what I mean). "Our Hearts Are Wrong" centers largely around the percussion and acoustic guitar, though there are occasionally other instruments the song uses that set it apart from that of your average indie-pop/folk-pop female musician. There are occasional bursts of a somewhat "indie-fied" Creedence Clearwater Revival-ish electric guitar sound in some of the parts in between the song, and the sunshiny, bright and cheerful sound of the organ towards the middle might just be the best part of the entire song!

"The Afterlife" by Paul Simon: One of the most amazing things about songs from Paul Simon's solo career is that many of them, especially those he did in the '70s and '80s, incorporate a musical gumbo of many different styles. Sure, he might have started out with folk-pop numbers like "Kodachrome" and "Me And Julio Down By the Schoolyard", but not long afterward he expanded his musical terrain into reggae ("Mother And Child Reunion"), Latin jazz ("Late In the Evening"), and African influenced material (the entire "Graceland" album, as well as "The Rhythm of the Saints, the album that followed immediately after). Simon actually released a couple records in the '00s, but most of them lacked (or tried too hard to emulate) the World music vibes he went for in most of his solo career material. Thankfully, Simon's latest, "The Afterlife", has sought to correct all that! The World music influence has returned in "The Afterlife", and there's even the advantage of the lyrical cleverness Simon uses in the lyrics for those who are under the impression he is still merely trying hard to emulate his "Graceland"/"Rhythm of the Saints" period in his career. As one might expect in a song titled "The Afterlife", many of the lyrics deal with religion and philosophy. I especially admire the rhyme scheme in some of the lyrics ("I was finding it odd there was no sign of God", "Buddha and Moses and all of the noses", etc.), and I think that is what really makes this song worth listening to in my opinion!

It's my first Blog-i-versary!!! (kind of)

2011-02-09T13:43:00.000-08:00

I first started this blog on February 11th of last year (but that's not a Wednesday), so today I'm celebrating my first blog-i-versary!!! With 8 cool new tracks to review, too! So here they are:

"Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes: I love how nostalgic and simply beautiful Fleet Foxes' music sounds. "White Winter Hymnal" has a very dreamy sound, and "Mykonos" has remarkably similar chord structure to The Mamas and Papas' "California Dreamin'", another personal fave of mine. That being said, I was pretty excited to hear Fleet Foxes released a new track this year!! "Helplessness Blues", once again, evokes the same dreamy, nostalgic qualities that most of their songs tend to. It almost sounds like it uses the same tuning as Joni Mitchell's "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", and the mood of the song even seems somewhat Joni-like (and Dylanesque). Fleet Foxes have once again managed to win my heart over, and I hope they continue to do so!!

"Let the Light In" by Bob Schneider: Bob Schneider has been around for longer on the music scene than most people probably think he has been (since around 2003). It wasn't until 2009, though, that he started getting attention with songs like the marvelous, enchanting indie-pop/adult alt fave "40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)" and the more subdued, somewhat Dave Matthews-ish "The Bringdown". I guess adult alt radio liked Schneider enough that they've decided to give him another chance. "Let the Light In", amazingly, lives up to its title. It's not bittersweet like "40 Dogs" or melancholy like "The Bringdown", but instead is a rather happy song, with sunny synths and exciting xylophones to set the mood! I wasn't sure whether to expect indie-pop or folk-pop with "Let the Light In", as Schneider has been known to do both, but this song meets somewhere in between, and I think I like that!

"Me Me Me" by Middle Brother: Imagine what it would be like if alumni from three somewhat roots-y indie rock groups (Delta Spirit, Deer Tick, and Dawes) formed into one supergroup and somehow landed a guest spot on "Happy Days". What would that be like?!? Well, wonder no more, for Middle Brother is a supergroup comprised of members of all three of the bands I just mentioned, and their first big hit (among the indie/adult alt crowds), "Me Me Me", sounds more like a song you'd expect to hear from Elvis Presley or Jerry Lee Lewis (albeit with a "fuzz" guitar solo in the middle) than you would from three bands who typically bear more similarity to acts like Bright Eyes, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket. It's a darn catchy tune that I would definitely like to hear more of for at least the late winter/Spring season!! Between the rockin' boogie vibe of this song and the Joni Mitchell-esque folk-rock of "Helplessness Blues" I can't decide which is my fave pick of the week!!

"Poison And Wine" by The Civil Wars: A bit of a late review here, but please bear with me. This song could easily be called "Falling Slowly - redux". It's a melancholy folk-rock tune that features a duet between a guy and a girl (though unlike Glen and Marketa, of "Falling Slowly" fame, I don't think The Civil Wars are Irish). "Poison and Wine" definitely seems like it was intended to be a tearjerker, yet I only get that emotion from the song about halfway. I guess "Falling Slowly" had such an authentically emotional grip on me that I didn't expect any song or band to try and copy it, yet lo and behold, The Civil Wars' "Poison and Wine" shows up about four years later! Perhaps I shouldn't care too much if one song is copying (intentionally or not) another, as I do typically love songs like "Poison and Wine"!

"The Roller" by Beady Eye: Hmmmm....who's "Beady Eye"?!? This sounds more like an Oasis tune. That's because, technically, this IS an Oasis tune. Beady Eye is the side project of one of the Gallagher brothers (though I forget which one at the moment), and "The Roller" really doesn't sound too different at all from the typical Oasis song. Oasis are one of my fave bands, though, so no problem here! The jaunty, toe-tapping feel of "The Roller" also helps to give it a little bit of flavor and distinction from most Oasis tunes (besides "Lyla" which had practically the same rhythm).

"Too Dramatic" by Ra Ra Riot: Ra Ra Riot's follow-up to "Boy" sounds like...well..."Boy". But it's still worth reviewing because it's a tune that's been catchy enough to get stuck in my head! And plus you gotta love a band who combines the reggae-tinged new wave sound of The Police with the "orchestral rock" vibes of groups like Arcade Fire! Perhaps one advantage "Too Dramatic" has over "Boy" is that the guitar seems to be used throughout the song (though "Boy" had a much more distinct guitar solo), and, since I play guitar, this does make a difference for me.

"When I'm Alone" by Lissie: Between this song and Lissie's previous hit, "In Sleep", I'm pretty convinced that Lissie is on her way to becoming the indie world's answer to Alanis Morissette! Both songs manage to combine a pop-y melody with minor key chords and world-weary, frustrated lyrics. "When I'm Alone" is a bit more of an intense tune than "In Sleep", though, I think, not only because of its more frenzied rhythm, but also because of the rushed way she delivers the lyrics in the verses, almost as though out of desperation. "When I'm Alone" uses a rhythmic technique that isn't really that common in pop/rock music these days, and the way Lissie manages to keep steady vocal patterns in the chorus over its frenetic instrumentation makes it all the more worth listening to!

"World Gone Crazy" by The Doobie Brothers: Back in the summer of last year, an updated version of The Doobies' 1972 song "Nobody" started (surprisingly) hitting the adult alt airwaves and (even MORE surprisingly) hit the Top 20 of the adult alt charts somewhere around mid-fall of last year. What made "Nobody" such a cool song was that it sounded like a vintage Doobie Brothers tune (the kind you'd be likely to hear on a classic rock station, not the Michael McDonald era Doobies). "World Gone Crazy" doesn't quite have the same vibe. It sounds a bit more like an updated version of an Eagles song (only more sax heavy). It does have two saving graces, though. First off, it's a catchy tune (I can't say that about too many of the Michael McDonald songs, save for possibly "Takin' It to the Streets"), but the best part is that the lead vocalist was the one who sang on all the pre-McDonald tracks (I forget his name, but I like him MUCH better than McDonald).

new songs for Feb. 2nd, 2011

2011-02-02T13:26:00.000-08:00

here they are:

"Architects And Engineers" by Guster: As if this song wasn't cool enough (which it is), the music video for this song seems to indicate that this song will become this year's "Tighten Up"!! Much like the (initial) video for that song (which eventually became my number one song of 2010), it features a singing puppet that has a name - Sing-Along-Paul. He looks somewhat like a cross between the later "Star Wars" movies' Jar-Jar Binks and the smart-mouthed goat puppet Rufus Leaking from the indie music showcase and quasi-children's show "Pancake Mountain". Musically, all the trademark folk-rock instrumentation and sunny Beach Boys-esque harmonies of the typical Guster song are present, but seriously, the music video for this song just takes the cake!! Someone needs to convince Guster to make a guest appearance on "Sesame Street" - between their quirky sense of humor and their charmingly child-like melodies, they'd be perfect for it!! You can find it on this link:

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svugXFeZQnA)

"Booty City" by Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears: 2009's best James Brown imitation is back!! Two songs made the adult alt airwaves from these funky retro-soul men back then, "Sugarfoot" and "I'm Broke", but I much preferred the former for its boogie vibe and James Brown-ish vocals and instrumentation. "I'm Broke" just wasn't as catchy, so I didn't know what to anticipate for "Booty City" (though the title alone seemed to indicate it'd be a pretty catchy song)! "Booty City" not only brings back the danceable, funky rhythm of "Sugarfoot", but it's also a bit more heavy on the guitar parts, which makes me happy! "Booty City" is a great song to get yer groove on if you ever feel like doing so!!

"Everybody Needs Love" by Drive-By Truckers: Just the name of this band automatically evokes images of a country influenced group, doesn't it? Well, more accurately, Drive-By Truckers are more of a country-rock group than just plain old country. They're a bit like The Black Crowes with their influences mixing hard rock with country and Southern rock, though "Everybody Needs Love", which is so far their breakthrough song, is a bit more like a "softer" Eagles song (think "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Lyin' Eyes", etc.). That is, until it gets to the guitar solo midway through (and towards the end, for a second time around) the song, where it takes on more of an Allman Brothers-ish quality, a la "Blue Sky", "Midnight Rider", and "Melissa". "Everybody Needs Love" is a real tearjerker, and it manages to capture the feel of your typical '70s Southern rock/country-rock ballad pretty well, so I would highly recommend it for the fans of the more countrified side of The Allmans, Skynyrd, The Eagles, etc.

"Flirted With You All My Life" by Cowboy Junkies: What a neat concept, an indie-folk band covering indie-folk artist Vic Chestnutt (who, unfortunately, passed away last year). Having not heard Vic's version, I get the idea it's probably a pretty good song given the bittersweet vibe Cowboy Junkies have given it (plus I have a couple indie music loving friends who really seem to like both Vic and Cowboy Junkies). Cowboy Junkies' version almost seems to come off like Rilo Kiley covering The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" (it has practically the same chord sequence - A, E, B minor, D, with an F sharp minor occasionally replacing the D in "Flirted With You All My Life"). "Flirted With You All My Life" seems like one of those "drinking coffee on a Sunday morning" type of songs if you know what I mean (despite the fact I don't actually drink coffee).

"He Don't Live Here No More" by Robbie Robertson: Is it just me, or has Robbie Robertson wanted to stray farther and farther away from The Band's roots-rock sound ever since he left them? His two '80s solo hits, "Showdown At Big Sky" and "Somewhere Down the Crazy River" both sounded more like Peter Gabriel and the material from Paul Simon's "Graceland" album than they did like The Band. Though the "world music rock" trend that Gabriel, Simon, Joni Mitchell, Sting, and occasionally David Byrne from Talking Heads made possible in the '80s has pretty much faded by now, Robbie Robertson keeps the "world music rock" torch flaming in his latest, "He Don't Live Here No More". Robbie adds even more world music influence in "He Don't Live Here No More" with its flamenco guitar solo in the middle. But don't assume Robbie's forgotten how to rock, the beat of the song is still rock 'n' roll underneath it all!

"On Main Street" by Los Lobos: It seems odd to me that the rather somber, autumnal "Burn It Down" from Los Lobos' latest album ("Tin Can Trust") got noticed in the summer, yet it's taken until winter for the more summery, somewhat '60s rock influenced "On Main Street" to receive airplay on stations besides LA's KCSN. Perhaps I shouldn't let the "seasonal moods" of the two songs get in the way, though, as "On Main Street" is an easygoing feel-good kinda song. The fuzzy electric guitar riffs on "On Main Street" also provide interesting contrast with the mostly acoustic (until the end) "Burn It Down". The summery vibe of "On Main Street" evokes images of laying down underneath the sun on the beach just relaxing the day away. Could Los Lobos' next song be a stormy, ice-cold, wintry one?! I guess we'll find out!

"Second Chance" by Peter Bjorn and John: What do you get if you take the fuzz guitars of '60s psych-pop band Love's "7 And 7 Is", cowbells to keep the rhythm, and add just a dash of the new wave-y indie rock of Phoenix?! You get Peter Bjorn and John's latest song, "Second Chance"!! This is a pretty cool song coming from a band whose only other hit (so far) was the more subdued, quiet (except for the drum intro) indie-pop tune from '06, "Young Folks". Somehow I get the impression that the three Swedish indie-popsters were listening to The Black Keys' latest album, "Brothers" when they made "Second Chance", as it has practically the same sort of "fuzz guitars" as many of the songs on that CD! "Young Folks" was a mostly keyboard oriented song, so I was pretty surprised to hear not only that "Second Chance" even had a guitar to begin with, but that the solos seemed to be taken straight out of one of Led Zeppelin's songs!! Way to go, Peter Bjorn and John! Between this song and the video for "Architects and Engineers", I can't decide which one is my fave song of the week!!

New songs for Jan. 26th, 2011

2011-01-26T17:02:00.000-08:00

here they are:

"Cry Cry Cry" by Nicole Atkins: Not too many people know Nicole Atkins, but it's high time they did, I think! She created a minor buzz on adult alt stations back in '08 with the somewhat Regina Spektor/Kate Nash sounding "Maybe Tonight", a danceable upbeat indie pop tune with wistful, benign feminine charm. I always suspected she'd be a "one hit wonder" on such stations, but apparently I was wrong! "Cry Cry Cry" is also making a buzz on the adult alt airwaves! It continues in the same path as "Maybe Tonight", but with a bit less of an emphasis on the danceable-ness. Think what it would sound like if Regina Spektor attempted to cover a Bonnie Raitt song, and you'll probably get a pretty good idea of what "Cry Cry Cry" sounds like!

"Pyro" by Kings of Leon: Like "Radioactive" before it, "Pyro" is also becoming a fast climber on the adult alt charts!! Unlike "Radioactive"'s rivetingly raving rocker type feel, "Pyro" is more of a plaintive, poetic piece of pop-rock. Though KOL have had slower songs before ("Revelry", for instance), none of their slower material was as popular as their faster, catchier tunes, so "Pyro" marks a first in KOL history! The beat of the song sounds remarkably similar to another poetic, introspective pop/rock song ("Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears), and even lyrically, "Pyro" is an achingly yearning ballad (for instance, in the chorus, "I won't ever be your cornerstone"). One more interesting thing to note, neither "Pyro" nor "Radioactive" used their titles anywhere within their lyrics - I guess KOL want to try to trick us as to what the titles of their latest songs are!!

New songs for Jan. 19th, 2011

2011-01-19T16:46:00.000-08:00

here they are:

"Ain't Good Enough For You" by Bruce Springsteen: If you're a fan of both the music from "Grease" AND Springsteen (I count myself among those fans), then this is the song for you! The youthful, energetic vibe of this song really recaptures not only the swingin' beat of many '50s rock songs, but also even lyrically in some parts (like the call-and-response "whoa-oh-ho-hoh"s and "little darlin'"s in the chorus!!) The masking of sexual frustration over a toe-tappin' rhythm make it seem all the more like a '50s rock song, as many songs in "Grease" were kinda like this (come to think of it, the whole MOVIE was, really). Here's to yet another sign of The Boss gettin' back to his roots!

"Give Me Something" by Scars On 45: There were a couple songs like this one last year, and two of them just happened to make my Top 20 of the year ("New Morning" by Alpha Rev and "Take Everything" by Greg Laswell). There's something about "romantic" sounding Britpop (i.e. Oasis, Travis, Snow Patrol, etc.) type material that I seem to like! Perhaps it's just so sincere and heartfelt that it just tugs at the ol' heartstrings. It doesn't always work, though (Alpha Rev's "Phoenix Burn", for instance, I found a bit dull for my tastes). So what makes "Give Me Something" work for me?! Perhaps the guitars sound a bit like a cross between Travis and Death Cab for Cutie in this song, both of whom I like, and it also sounds like Scars on 45's lead singer is more focused on delivering a positive message than focusing on trying to make a "hit".

"Mine Smell Like Honey" by R.E.M.: What, ANOTHER new R.E.M. song?!? But there was just one last month!! I'm a bit surprised this one's a hard-rockin' song, too, like their effort from last month, "Discoverer". Perhaps their album "Collapse Into Now" will be their new "Monster" (the one that featured "Bang And Blame" and "What's the Frequency Kenneth?") The brand of "hard rock" (or, more aptly, power pop) that R.E.M. use for this song is a bit more of a fast-paced Matthew Sweet/"edgier" Gin Blossoms type sound than it is the more straight-ahead classic rock influence of "Discoverer", though. R.E.M. seem to want to steer away from their more "sensitive" side with their latest two songs, and "Mine Smell Like Honey" makes that especially clear with its garbled lyrics (which Michael Stipe probably made sound that way on purpose!) Well, one thing is clear, though, R.E.M. are back and ready to rock out!!

"Pill" by Edie Brickell: Most people remember Edie for being a one-hit wonder for her vibrant, unique, almost Rickie Lee Jones-ish late '80s tune, "What I Am". Adult alt radio has focused on her work a little bit more, though. Some of such stations might also play her more depressing, somewhat Fleetwood Mac-ish "Circle", and in '05 a more pleasant sounding folk-pop-y song called "Rush Around" became a minor hit, too (I didn't like "Rush Around" that much, though). I've gotta say, though, I was pleasantly surprised when I heard "Pill", which evokes such indie songstresses as Neko Case and Beth Orton (almost reminds of some of Rickie Lee Jones' newer material). Perhaps wanting to fulfill more of an "indie" image, Brickell seems to almost deliver the chorus ("They've got a pill for that") in a somewhat deadpan, sarcastic sort of manner.

"Shell Games" by Bright Eyes: Conor Oberst and co continue to have their talent shine in this tune!! For awhile, they seemed to take a more Petty/Springsteen based "roots-rock" approach, but for their longtime "indie" fans, Bright Eyes are back!! "Shell Games" starts out with a melancholy piano, and then turns into a full-on indie tune with the pianos, synthesizers, and electric guitars dueling with each other! No this doesn't mean they've reached "arena rock" proportions, but they've added a bit more of an Arcade Fire/later Wilco/Phoenix type sound to their music this time. So THIS is probably why they're headlining Coachella's second day with Mumford and Sons and Arcade Fire. They're in that kind of company once again!

"That's Some Dream" by Good Old War: One of the shortest songs I've reviewed in awhile (about 2 and a half minutes), but still worth listening to. GOW manage to squeeze in all the neo-folk-rock bliss they can within such a short amount of time, so much so that the entire SONG feels like "some dream". It's also interesting to note that the title is only mentioned at the very end of the song (perhaps to evoke the feel that this song goes by faster than expected, like a dream). I made a comparison of Good Old War to Simon and Garfunkel the last time I reviewed them ("My Own Sinking Ship" - July '10), and it seems even MORE apt on this one, with the "lie-lie-lie, la-la-lie"s in the chorus, perhaps borrowed straight from "The Boxer".

"This Is Why We Fight" by The Decemberists: For the original generation of folk-rockers not satisfied with the more emotionally centered topics of the "neo-folk-rock" boom of indie musicians, it might help to know that Colin Meloy and his unusually large band are not afraid to address political issues like Woody and Arlo Guthrie's songs, "Eve of Destruction, Neil Young's songs, and the early Bob Dylan tunes did. The title alone seems to indicate grim, war-related subject matter, and indeed it does. This is not the first time The Decemberists have addressed political topics, though, as "16 Military Wives" was a critical attack on news programs and the American political system in general, and The Decemberists even made a guest appearance on "The Colbert Report" at one time! The bluegrass-meets-folk-rock type sound of this song might bring to mind acts like Mumford and Sons and The Avett Brothers, though The Decemberists might evoke the latter a bit more on this song with its harmonica solos.

First blog of the new year!!!

2011-01-12T08:50:00.000-08:00

And it's eclectic as ever!! Neo-folk-rockers Iron & Wine, a classic rock comeback from Gregg Allman of The Allman Brothers Band, and blues-rock/neo-soul group JJ Grey and Mofro. Here goes!!

"Hide And Seek" by JJ Grey and Mofro: JJ Grey and Mofro are one of those self-consciously "retro" acts, but the last two tracks I heard from them ("Orange Blossoms" and "The Sweetest Thing") seemed to evoke mid '60s soul with a touch of blues guitar. "Hide And Seek" progresses forward another decade to the '70s with its funk influences. Perhaps the highlight of this song is the keyboard (?) solo in the middle, this side of "Superfreak"! All in all, this is a sleek, funky track to start out the new year!

"Just Another Rider" by Gregg Allman: For those expecting another "Whipping Post", you'll probably be let down. However, this isn't the mellow-ish country-rock Gregg Allman of "Melissa" and "Blue Sky" fame, either. Instead this is more of a jazzy, soul-inflected tune with blues/rock guitar solos in between. This song would probably be perfect to those who like blues with a jazzy flavor (or vice versa), with its minor chord chorus, and its blues-y sounding lyrics ("just another rider on the train to nowhere"). Never would have expected one of The Allman Brothers to come out with one of the first good tracks of the new year, but I guess that means 2011 will have some good stuff up ahead!

"Tree By the River" by Iron & Wine: When I heard earlier on that IAW were going to be "going electric", I expected to hear influences a la Neil Young's "Down By the River". Thankfully, Sam Beam and co have kept the mellow in their music, despite the absence of (fronting) acoustic guitars in "Tree By the River". "Tree" evokes the more calming side of the "psychedelic" era (think early Moody Blues, "Pet Sounds" era Beach Boys, etc.) This being IAW, as well as a fine piece of "neo-folk-rock", "Tree By the River" is probably my fave release so far of the new year!

and now...the moment you've all been waiting for!!!!!

2010-12-23T10:05:00.000-08:00

I know it's not Wednesday, but today, I present to you....(drum roll please) THE TOP 20 SONGS OF 2010!!! Here they are in order from 20 to 1:

20. "New Morning" - Alpha Rev
19. "In the Sun" - She & Him
18. "Anchor" - Alejandro Escovedo
17. "Father's Son" - Fistful of Mercy
16. "Sick of You" - Cake
15. "I Should Have Known It" - Tom Petty
14. "Just Breathe" - Pearl Jam
13. "Dog Days Are Over" - Florence and The Machine
12. "Take Everything" - Greg Laswell
11. "Crossfire" - Brandon Flowers
10. "Do You Love Me?" - Guster
9. "Dead American Writers" Tired Pony
8. "Song Away" - Hockey
7. "Little Lion Man" - Mumford and Sons
6. "Home" - Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros
5. "Angel Dance" - Robert Plant
4. "Radioactive" - Kings of Leon
3. "The High Road" - Broken Bells
2. "Laredo" - Band of Horses

And the number one song of the year...is....(one more drum roll, please)...

1. "TIGHTEN UP" BY THE BLACK KEYS!!!!!

Enjoy!! See you all next year. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and Happy New Year, too :)

new songs for Dec. 22nd, 2010

2010-12-22T10:04:00.000-08:00

here they are:

"Discoverer" by R.E.M.: It seems as though when R.E.M. have caught peoples' attention the most within the past couple years is when they just rock out! "Supernatural Superserious" was a surprisingly hard-rockin' song for the Georgian alt-rock group, and it was the first one that got noticed of theirs back in '08. It seems as though the same case can be made with "Discoverer", another rockin' tune that bears similarity to their '87 song "Finest Worksong". "Discoverer" has a bit of a steadier beat than the rather loose one of "Supernatural Superserious", but it's still very much of an attention grabber. As a big R.E.M. fan myself, I'm proud to say, welcome back, guys!!

"Louder Than Ever" by Cold War Kids: Cold War Kids have been around for almost 5 years by now, and have received their fair share of attention through the "edgier" alt-rock stations with songs like "Hang Me Up to Dry" and "Something Is Not Right With Me". So my question is, how come it's taken until now for adult alt radio to catch up with Cold War Kids, a band who has a rather indie-fied take on U2's sound?! "Louder Than Ever" really doesn't sound that much different from CWK's other material. It still has the same U2-ish sound as their other material. Personally I would have thought "Hang Me Up to Dry", with its piano dominated sound, would have made it to the adult alt airwaves successfully, but it didn't. Well, enough griping and wondering. "Louder Than Ever" is still an awesome tune with a great melody and fresh guitar sounds!

New songs for Dec. 8th, 2010

2010-12-08T16:29:00.000-08:00

Here they are!

"Boots" by The Killers: Is it just me, or does it seem a tad weird to call a Christmas song "Boots"?!? It's such an enigmatic title!! (Though there have been other Christmas tunes with odd titles - Joni Mitchell's "River", The Pretenders' "2000 Miles", and The Pogues "Fairytale of New York" among them). I like this song, but I do have a couple complaints about it. First of all, come on Brandon, you could have picked a better title!! The Killers already have THREE Christmas songs in their catalog with more obvious associations with the holidays in the titles - "A Great Big Sled", "Joseph Better You Than Me" (as in the Biblical Joseph), and "Don't Shoot Me Santa". "A Great Big Sled" is probably my personal fave in The Killers' Xmas catalog. But getting back to the review, my second complaint is that Brandon Flowers really seems to have softened his music more than usual as of 2010. All of his most recent songs (including "Boots", with The Killers), seem to be on a level that sounds like a cross between Coldplay and U2, better than the former, but worse than the latter! The release Flowers put out the earliest this year, "Crossfire" at least had some nice electric guitar riffing, but "Only the Young" and "Boots"?! These songs seem to rely more on keyboards. I dunno, something about that just puts me off. But the lyrics are nostalgic (with the mention of things like "snowball fights" and "the smell of cinnamon" in the chorus), and thankfully, I COULD hear some acoustic guitar strumming towards the end of the song, which I liked.

"Fixin' to Die" by G. Love, and featuring The Avett Brothers: Not to be confused for the Country Joe and The Fish song of a similar name ("I Feel Like I'm Fixing to Die Rag"). It seems as though the artist formerly known as Garrett Dutton and The Avetts are both trying to add a little down-'n'-dirty country-blues into their catalog. This song marks an especially welcome return for G. Love, who seemed to stray from his eccentric take on blues he had in the '90s and go more into being a Jack Johnson clone in the '00s. As for The Avetts, it took me awhile to get used to them. I'm still not fond of the "sleepers" (slower, more polished piano-pop style tunes) in their catalog, like "I And Love And You" and "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise"), but songs like the melancholy, vaguely Robbie Robertson-esque (his '60s/'70s era material) songs "January Wedding" and "Yard Sale" were both great songs that I warmed up to circa the summer of this year. Speaking of which, their more punchy tune, "Kick Drum Heart" is also being reviewed in this week's blog! "Fixin' to Die" is a really gritty, catchy, gutsy, bluesy tune for both Dutton (G. Love) and The Avetts, though! Highly recommended!

"Hey Ahab" by Elton John and Leon Russell: Much like "If It Wasn't For Bad" (see my late August/early September reviews on this site), it seems as though despite the fact that Elton is taking most of the vocal parts here, that Leon Russell is clearly the man when it comes to the instrumentation of the songs on his latest album with Elton John! Elton's melodic piano-pop sound isn't quite evident on "Hey Ahab" (and "If It Wasn't..."), but Leon plays a mean boogie-style piano a la The Band and Van Morrison on both of 'em. "Ahab" is a bit more of an adventurous and energetic track. Its length is almost five and a half minutes, it features R & B/gospel style female singers in the background, and its very fully orchestrated. Way to go, guys!

"Kick Drum Heart" by The Avett Brothers: I already made my opinion about these guys clear when I reviewed "Fixin' to Die" in this week's blog. "Kick Drum Heart" is a surprisingly punchy tune for the normally mellow neo-folk act. It's still mellow, but it's more energetic than most of their material. It's also one of their more piano driven tunes (like nearly everything they've done so far that's hit the airwaves). Perhaps it was the dreary (in my opinion) keyboards of "I And Love And You" and "Head Full of Doubt/Road Full of Promise" that put me off about those songs, but the keyboards in "Kick Drum" are quite lively and stomp-y. Not bad for a country-rock influenced band!

"Terrible Love" by The National: A good word to describe this song?! "Fuzzy"!! Yes, "fuzzy". It sounds funny, but of course I'm not talking "fuzzy" as in "Fuzzy Wuzzy Was A Bear", more as in "that song's got a fuzzy sound". In other words, somewhat muddy distortion on the recording (and guitar). For a band I've just come to know this year, I must say, The National is pretty cool!! Whether it's the pseudo-goth-rock vibe of "Bloodbuzz Ohio" (and "Anyone's Ghost"), the orchestral '60s-ish pop-rock of "Lemonworld" (my fave of theirs so far), or "Terrible Love", it's all good!! "Terrible Love" almost reminds me of a Beck song with its purposely old-sounding distortion and dark, yet still entertaining sound. Even the lyrics sound a bit Beck-ish ("It's a terrible love and I'm walking with spiders" - what is THAT supposed to mean?!) Beck would be proud!!

New songs (kind of) for December 1st, 2010

2010-12-01T14:11:00.000-08:00

Here they are - enjoy!

"Dilly" by Band of Horses: "Dilly" - just the NAME of the songs sounds so...well...cute!! (Like that Disney song, "Lavender's Blue, Dilly Dilly"). Band of Horses return to their indie roots on this song, the third one I've heard off their latest CD, "Infinite Arms". And yes, "Dilly" does have a very cutesy sound, in an indie sort of way. It's bouncy, melodic, and just plain fun! Even the YouTube comments for this song seem to be more positive than the ones for the CCR-ish "Laredo", and the vaguely Three Dog Night-ish "Compliments". No late '60s/early '70s classic rock influence here, just good times and great music!

"Holiday" by Vampire Weekend: This song has been circulating on (some) adult alt stations since January of this year, yet it's taken many others until just about a week ago to add it on to their playlists. And why?!? Well, because there is a commercial using this song, simply because the word "Holiday" is in its title ('tis the season, folks!) It's silly, really, that it's being put into commercial use for this reason. Although I adore "Holiday"'s bouncy, Police-y rhythm and harmony, I really think people should take a listen to what this song is about before they add it to their Christmas playlists. IT'S ABOUT A PROTEST AGAINST WAR, PEOPLE!!! And it's not even about Christmas (or any holiday, for that matter), for goodness' sakes!! (sample lyrics, in the bridge, "A vegetarian since the invasion, she'd never seen the word 'bombs'/She'd never seen the word 'bombs' blown up to 96 point Futura/She'd never seen an AK/In a yellowy Day-Glo display/A T-shirt so lovely it turned all the history books gray"). At least songs like John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" were ABOUT Christmas, while simultaneously getting across a political statement/commentary. This is going to go down in history next to Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" and The Police's "Every Breath You Take" as being one of the most misinterpreted songs in rock history!

"We Used to Wait" by Arcade Fire: The hits just keep on comin' from Win Butler and co! Like the title track from AF's latest CD, "We Used to Wait" also makes fine use of the piano. Like the other two tracks ("Ready to Start" and "Modern Man") I've heard from "The Suburbs", however, "We Used to Wait" is also a track that evokes more feelings of intensity than it does jauntiness (which makes me think the title track from "The Suburbs" might have been a fluke as far as the rest of the CD is concerned!) The first three tracks I reviewed from "The Suburbs" all came in succession! The first in June, the second in July, and the third in August, so it's kind of odd that "We Used to Wait" didn't hit the adult alt airwaves until around mid to late November. Better late than never, though!

"You Can't Buy My Love" by Robert Plant: Is it just me, or does it make sense that a song called "You Can't Buy My Love" would sound a little like The Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love"?! The happy, but still rocking mood of this song makes me prefer this much more than the previous single Led Zeppelin's mighty frontman had, a cover of Los Lobos' "Angel Dance". The excessive airplay "Angel Dance" got is probably what spoiled its appeal, so hopefully "You Can't Buy My Love" will have enough airplay to become a song I can memorize, but not one that loses its flavor like chewing gum. Hopefully Plant will churn out more material like this - it's what made his 2007 duet with country singer Alison Krauss, "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" so memorable!

The Novemberists...ummm...I mean The Decemberists release a newbie (plus 6 other goodies!!)

2010-11-10T13:38:00.000-08:00

here they are!

"Bitter Pill" by Mt. Desolation: Mt. Desolation is Tim Rice Oxley's side project for his more well-known band, the British contemporary soft rock group Keane, so, not surprisingly, "Bitter Pill" sounds a lot like a Keane song. It's funny, then, that I actually like this song despite the fact that I'm not a fan of Keane's music (except for possibly "Is It Any Wonder?") I guess the main thing about "Bitter Pill" that I LIKE is that it doesn't sound like Tim's trying too hard to emulate the more crowd-pleasing side of Coldplay's music that he often seems to emulate with Keane. Instead, it comes off sounding more like a lightweight yet genuine contemporary British alt-rock/indie tune, with the bouncy, charming qualities of Aqualung (the band, not the song), the honest, heartfelt qualities of Snow Patrol, and the lilting, wistful melodies of Travis (whose lead singer Fran Healy is going to be reviewed later during this blog!) While "Bitter Pill" definitely doesn't have the more lasting qualities of established "piano-rockers" like Elton John, Tori Amos, and Ben Folds, it definitely has a more unique sound quality than most "Britpop" piano-rock tunes.

"Down By the Water" by The Decemberists: Hmmmm...interesting...The DECEMBERists decided to release their latest tune in NOVEMBER!! This is just too funny!! (Their last release was in late February of last year, which wouldn't have been as funny). Also, this is not a cover of the sublimely dark PJ Harvey tune of the same name for those wondering. Joking aside, though, "Down By the Water" represents yet another eclectic facet of The Decemberists' career that I don't think they've taken on yet. So far, the adventurous indie rock group have taken on folk-rock of both buoyant ("16 Military Wives") and somber ("The Hazards of Love 1") qualities, R.E.M./Smiths influenced indie-pop tunes that have so far become their biggest hits ("O Valencia!" and "The Perfect Crime # 2"), minor key post-punk influenced tunes ("The Rake's Song"), and even various concept albums/songs worthy of Pink Floyd/Jethro Tull comparisons! So how does "Down By the Water" compare to their already diverse library of songs?! Well, it seems with this song, The Decemberists have explored yet another side of their inner classic rocker(s), as "Down By the Water" shares instrumentation somewhat similar to Bruce Springsteen's "The River" and chord progression similar to Tom Petty's "Flirting With Time". I'm just a little disappointed by this, as I was expecting more of either an adventurous and/or hypnotically melodic tune from The Decemberists, as opposed to the heartland/roots rock revival they have set up in "Down By the Water", but The Decemberists, so far, have a certain charm to all the songs I've heard of theirs that has never failed to please me. This song is no exception to the rule!!

"Golden State" by Delta Spirit: This song, the second single off Delta Spirit's 2010 release, "History From Below", should probably come as a breath of fresh air to those who found the first hit off the album, "Bushwick Blues", to be too punk-y and/or depressing. "Golden State" is neither of these things, and marks a return to the fun, bouncy, roots-y indie-pop/rock of their 2008 song, "Trashcan". It even has the exact same rhythm as "Trashcan", though perhaps that's just what Delta Spirit typically sound like when they're at their happiest. While "Bushwick Blues" certainly distinguished itself from other Delta Spirit songs (and probably became their most successful song to date, aside from possibly "Trashcan"), "Golden State" is the kind of song that doesn't NEED distinguishing, "different" qualities in order to make it stand out. It's fine the way it is!

"Howlin' For You" by The Black Keys: If The White Stripes, The Raconteurs, Kings of Leon, and/or Muse (or Wolfmother?) covered Gary Glitter's glam rock classic "Rock And Roll Part 2" (you know, the one with the guitar riff that goes "da-NANANA-NA-NA-nuh..HEY-EYYY!!...da-na-na-nahh...), it would probably sound a lot like "Howlin' For You". Actually, it also takes quite a bit of its vocal rhythmic patterns from The Yardbirds' "I'm A Man", in addition. The Black Keys are a band who wear their classic rock influences on their sleeve (especially T. Rex) and proudly so, but "Howlin' For You" actually sounds like a COMBINATION of classic rock songs that would sound as much at home on an alt-rock station as it would a classic rock station! It has catchy enough qualities to it that the very moment after one first hears it, it takes control of your ears in a very similar manner to "Rock And Roll Part 2", and should, someday, get played at sporting events like that song often does! Ordinarily I wouldn't say that about an indie song/band, but this one has potential! And sorry folks, unlike "Tighten Up" (and its mid-summer follow-up song, "Next Girl"), this song does NOT feature a video with Frank the Funk-a-saurus Rex (that I am aware of).

"Money Grabber" by Fitz and The Tantrums: I'm not aware of the show "Criminal Minds", but apparently this song became the surprise hit of early November 2010 because of that show (and also thanks to a T-Mobile commercial, apparently). Anyway, the name "Fitz and The Tantrums" sounds like the name of an indie band, right? Heheh...WRONG!! Well...kind of. It's really an "indie soul" group, in the manner of Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings, Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears, and the later work of Jamie Lidell. For a good description of this song, imagine what it would've been like if The Temptations, The Four Tops, etc. covered Electric Light Orchestra's "Evil Woman". In other words, this song is probably what some would be tempted to call "retreaux" (a portmanteau of the words "retro" and "faux"). I'd say it's just plain "retrO", though, it's a catchy, feel-good song that captures the feel of a typical Motown tune without being too pretentious.

"Raise Your Right Hand" by Hill Country Revue: If you've heard Hill Country Revue's song "You Can Make It", which came out a year before this one, you probably wouldn't expect the same guys who did a mellow but kind of catchy country-blues influenced number like "You Can Make It" to follow it up with a Skynyrd/ZZ Top/Joe Walsh-ish powerhouse classic rock revival number like "Raise Your Right Hand"! I was pretty surprised by how hard-rocking (well, for Hill Country Revue, anyway) this song really is!! It even has about a minute long guitar solo that was probably influenced by the three classic rock acts I previously mentioned in this review! A band with a name like "Hill Country Revue" probably wouldn't be one you could expect to sell out arenas, but if they keep on churning out material like "Raise Your Right Hand", you can bet that'll happen one of these days!!

"Sing Me to Sleep" by Fran Healy (of Travis) and Neko Case: Perhaps this duet is trying to one-up the one Greg Laswell did with Ingrid Michaelson earlier this year. If so, it's doing a good job at it! For starters, I like Fran better than Greg, and Neko MUCH better than Ingrid. Where Greg and Ingrid's "Take Everything" was merely light, buoyant folk-pop, "Sing Me to Sleep" tugs a bit more at the ol' heartstrings. The chemistry between Fran and Neko's vocals is cute, romantic, and almost dreamy (for both of them!) If high school proms start playing indie tunes, this would make for a mighty fine slow dance song!

5 newbies and 2 oldies-come-lately

2010-10-20T13:02:00.000-07:00

Well, here goes:

"40 Day Dream" by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros: One of the two "oldies-come-lately", as listed in the title of this week's review. This song seems to have been circulating on adult alt. stations since the summer of this year, but has only seen a big increase within the last week. Ed and The Zeros' song "Home" has been around since February of this year (a week before I made this blog!), and seems to have become a fave among both adult alt and "regular" alt audiences (surprisingly), probably for its nostalgic, Mamas-and-Papas-ish vibe and lush, melodic, harmonizing vocals. Their second big hit, "40 Day Dream", retains the nostalgic vibe of "Home", but uses more keyboards (the old-timey kind, not electronic), and has a slower rhythm. It seems a bit incongruous that the chorus of this song seems to lift from the exact same chords of the chorus of Journey's "Lovin', Touchin', Squeezin'", as Journey seem to be built on being "crowd pleasers", where Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros seem more about recreating the quirky but catchy folk-rock sound of The Mamas and The Papas and The Lovin' Spoonful. Comparisons aside, though, "40 Day Dream" is still nostalgic and catchy enough to win my heart over!

"I Want the World to Stop" by Belle and Sebastian: When hearing the term "critic's darlings", Belle and Sebastian are typically the FIRST band that come to mind! The fact alone that they were named after a British children's TV show should be a hint as to what Belle and Sebastian's music typically sounds like to those who are unfamiliar with them - very warm-and-fuzzy, childlike, nostalgic, etc. B & S also manage to put a little "zing" into their music sometimes, by making their music energetic, as opposed to just wistful, as they had done with their 2006 song, the somewhat Todd Rundgren-esque "Funny Little Frog". "I Want the World to Stop" continues in "Frog"'s footsteps, only the energy level is sped up a bit, and it has more of a mid-'70s disco feel than early '70s Todd Rundgren. The trademark muted trumpet solos that nearly every B & S song seem to have continues in "I Want the World to Stop", though, so that helps it to retain the typical B & S spirit that it might have lacked if not for that.

"Only the Young" by Brandon Flowers: If the synthesized intro in the otherwise guitar-oriented "Read My Mind" from Flowers' band The Killers were extended, it would probably sound like "Only the Young". If Flowers' previous solo effort, "Crossfire", was his attempt at a Springsteen/U2 song, then "Only the Young" seems more like an attempt to emulate Sting's mid-to-late '80s solo works. I know what some of you might be thinking, but this isn't necessarily a BAD thing! It does yield more disappointing results than "Crossfire" did (which I initially gave a somewhat harsh review to, but it grew on me the more it played). "Only the Young" at least makes an effort to TRY to sound good, though, and maybe it will grow on me eventually, too.

"Save My Love" by Bruce Springsteen: Hmmmm...this sounds like a VINTAGE Springsteen tune. That's because it IS!! It's an outtake from The Boss's 1978 masterpiece, "Darkness On the Edge of Town". It sounds like it belongs on there, too, for it's not the Van Morrison-esque jazz-rock of Bruce's first two albums, and nor is it the Phil Spector-meets-Bob Dylan epic rock of "Born to Run" (the album AND the song), but rather the tinkly but still rollicking piano-rock that is purely The Boss's own! This is a great track! My only question is, why did Springsteen stop releasing songs of this quality once "Born In the U.S.A." came around?!?

"Telephone" by Black Angels: As The Black Keys, Carney, and (to a certain extent) of Montreal's latest tunes have proven, 2010 has proven to be a year of renewed interest in '60s garage rock!! Even the name of the band, "Black Angels", was taken from a Velvet Underground tune, the violent violin-rocker "Black Angel's Death Song". The irresistibly cheesy organs of this song, and even the little-over-2-minute length of it make it seem like it could have been used by the same guys who did the "BBC" song in the credits of one of the "Austin Powers" movies! Its simplistic, repetitive rhythm, chord structure, and frustrated-by-love lyrics all convey the same vibe "Louie Louie" and "96 Tears" did many years ago! A must for fans of '60s rock!!

"Terrible Things" by April Smith and The Great Picture Show: Beginning with Lily Allen and Kate Nash, and continuing to this day in bands like Florence and The Machine, there seems to have been a trend in the late '00s/early 2010's for eclectic but sassy female alt-rock/indie musicians. The latest to jump on the bandwagon are the super-eclectic, ultra-catchy, melodic soul-inflected indie-pop of April Smith and The Great Picture Show. The eclectic qualities of this song are definitely worth discussing, as "Terrible Things" combines, reggae (in the beginning), jazz, soul, and even some subtle elements of punk into one big auditory party!! April Smith's Gwen Stefani-esque vocals tend to add to the sexiness and slinkiness that "Terrible Things" already has going for it! Within the sudden slew of songs that have come out in October 2010, this one might just be my fave so far!

"The Cave" by Mumford and Sons: Just like the first song reviewed this song, this last one is also an "oldie-come-lately". It's been receiving airplay on adult alt. stations since summer of this year, yet it's only been within the past 2 or so weeks that stations besides Sirius XM's Spectrum have started adding it in regular rotation. Even among bands already classified as "indie", Mumford and Sons have a special quality to each of their songs, which typically feature an old Celtic folk sound, a dobro (think a cross between a mandolin and a banjo), and almost Crosby-Stills-and-Nash-ish vocal harmonies. I've known about these guys since Sirius XM first featured "White Blank Page" back in January of this year, and since their now smash hit, "Little Lion Man", had made an epic journey across many adult alt and "regular" alt stations. The Celtic folk/dobro/harmony factor is present in pretty much every Mumford and Sons song, yet what sets apart "The Cave" from the rest of their material is the muted trumpet solo at the end of the song! It's my favorite part of the whole thing!! Though each of their songs seems to take on a similar rhythmic pattern, the chord structures are not usually the same, so "The Cave" is also memorable for that factor as well. If you haven't heard these guys, PLEASE do!! I initially thought they were an Irish group (only to find out from various sources that they're actually from England), but their influences almost CERTAINLY seem to be rooted in Irish folk - another reason I like them SO much - I'm Irish, too, in my heritage.

brought to you by the letter "F"

2010-10-13T13:39:00.000-07:00

Interesting that both of the songs I'm reviewing this week just happen to begin with the same letter of the alphabet! So here goes:

"Faith" by Alejandro Escovedo: The best Springsteen/Mellencamp musical descendant of the '00s seems like 2010 might just be his lucky year! Seems like every song he's churned out so far from his latest CD, "Street Songs of Love" has that heartland rock vibe that he first broke through with back in '08 with his song, "Always A Friend". "Faith" almost seems like somewhat a copy of John Mellencamp's '91 song, "Get A Leg Up", in which the then disillusioned folkie made a brief return to the country-blues tinged rock and roll he started out with. Sure, the message of "Faith" seems pretty simple ("You gotta have faith in the one you love"), but the song is still pretty cool by my standards.

"F**k You (a.k.a. 'Forget You')" by Cee-Lo Green: GASP!! Already in the "scariest" month of the year we have what could be (for some) the "scariest" song TITLE of the year! Don't let the swear in the Gnarls Barkley frontman's title get to you, though, for it's quite a catchy (and melodic) tune! In fact, it almost seems to hearken back to the days of the smooth, sensual '70s soul of people like Al Green and Stevie Wonder (only a bit more uptempo). Lyrically, the "f**k you" in the title and chorus is more of a friendly tease than it is a threat, especially in the free-spirited attitude Cee-Lo delivers the song in. As a final note, for those who more faint of heart, the song is also available, alternately, as "Forget You".

New songs for Sept. 29th, 2010

2010-09-29T13:28:00.001-07:00

here they are!

"My Time" by Minus the Bear: What can I say? Some indie bands are good at simultaneously pulling off a cool song with a cool music video to go with it!! "My Time" by Minus the Bear is one such song! The psychedelic rainbow imagery of the video tends to synch up well with the Gnarls Barkley-meets-MGMT feel of the music. "My Time" has enough of a groovy electro-pop feel in its music to land it a spot on a car commercial (it's probably already been on one, though it's hard for me to say since I don't watch much TV these days). The music video will probably become a "viral video" on YouTube if it hasn't already. To sum it all up, "My Time" is gonna go somewhere, I can just feel it!

"National Ransom" by Elvis Costello: The "other Elvis" seemed like he almost had some sort of musical bipolarity in the '00s, switching off between awesomely spiteful indie rock numbers ("No Hiding Place", "Monkey to Man") and more low-key material with equally clever lyrics (most notably "Complicated Shadows"). So what's he up to this time?! He's decided to turn his amp up once again, folks!! Though one could probably tell quite easily from the production of the song that it's not one of his late '70s songs with The Attractions, it seemed like he tried to evoke that vibe with "National Ransom", with its electric guitars going face to face with the same organs he was famous for using on songs like "Radio Radio" and "Pump It Up". As one of the many "classic rock comebacks" of 2010, Elvis continues to stand out among them!

"Precious Stone" by Pete Yorn: Yorn's uniquely grunge-y brand of indie rock gets grungier than ever in this tune! The beginning of it almost sounds like a Pearl Jam song, as does the solo (which Pete Yorn typically doesn't have in his music!) "Precious Stone" might as well BE a Pearl Jam song in all but the vocals, which are uniquely Pete Yorn. But seriously, Yorn has even managed to capture the FEEL of a typical Pearl Jam number in "Precious Stone", with its lovesick, but somewhat sullen, achingly bittersweet vibe. To me, though, Yorn and Vedder are both masters in their own right, so "Precious Stone" is still a winner for me!

"Sick of You" by Cake: And speaking of Pearl Jam...bet you never thought Cake, who made two of the most enduring songs on alt-rock radio of the '90s ("The Distance" and "Never There") would come back after 2001. But...SURPRISE!!! They did! The same fun-loving, self-consciously goofy spirit Cake had in "The Distance", "Never There", and "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" can be found once again in "Sick of You". The organs, the pseudo-surf-turned-alt-rock guitar riffs, their trademark brass section, and of course, John McCrea's wry, detached sing-speak vocals and sarcastically quirky lyrics - it's all there!! Unfortunately, the "sing-speak" vocals don't come in until the later half of the song, but other than that, no complaints! This one's clearly a winner!!

new songs for Sept. 22nd, 2010

2010-09-22T13:26:00.001-07:00

here they are!

"Every Night Is Friday Night (Without You)" by Old '97s: "Alt-country" just seems to get a bit lackluster after awhile, as Wilco have demonstrated time and again with the more "experimental" side of their catalog. This time, the second best loved alt-country band, Old '97s, gets their Dramarama and Pixies on in this tune! Borrowing a beat from Dramarama's "Anything Anything" and chords from The Pixies' "Here Comes Your Man", fans of '80s "college rock" will probably take an immediate liking to this song! Rhett Miller and co. truly have a well-crafted, fun song on their hands with this one! As many of the best Lou Reed and T. Rex songs can demonstrate (this song sounds a little similar to both, in my opinion), any homage to "classic alternative" doesn't have to be unsteady "experimental" noise-fests a la Sonic Youth (even SY THEMSELVES had somewhat catchy tunes on occasion like "Kool Thing" and "Bull In the Heather") to get the crunchy, angst-y feel across to its listeners. This song is just 3 or so minutes of pure bliss and I love it!

"Father's Son" by Fistful of Mercy: Are "indie supergroups" a trend all of a sudden? It would appear so, with Monsters of Folk (Bright Eyes, My Morning Jacket, M. Ward), and Tired Pony (R.E.M., Belle and Sebastian, Snow Patrol). Let's now welcome the latest addition, Fistful of Mercy, onto the bandwagon, which features contemporary music connoisseur Ben Harper, indie-folk-rocker Joseph Arthur, and George Harrison's son Dhani. I don't know who out of the three of them leads this group, but in "Father's Son", it would most likely be Ben Harper, for its bluesy-folk sound that seems to be somewhat common in Harper's catalog. This mostly acoustic song is a fun, "clap-along" number that would be neat to sing around a campfire while toasting marshmallows and (as Buzz Lightyear of "Toy Story" fame once said) "delicious hot 'shmoes'"! I would also suspect that at least one (if not all) of the members of Fistful of Mercy have been listening to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club, as this song easily reminds me of all the songs of theirs that have gotten attention on adult alt. radio stations ("Ain't No Easy Way", "Shuffle Your Feet", "Beat the Devil's Tattoo").

"Walk With Me" by Neil Young: Funny I mentioned Lou Reed and Sonic Youth earlier in this week's post, as this song kinda sounds like BOTH of them (particularly Lou Reed)!
Though this song is getting airplay on what appears to be the "softer" side of contemporary rock stations, don't let that fool you! This is one hard-rockin' song! (and it doesn't need drums or bass to back it up, either!) This plays out like an outtake from The Velvet Underground's second album (the one with "White Light/White Heat", among others), and specifically an awful lot like The Velvets' "I Heard Her Call My Name", a song with ear-splitting feedback which Lou Reed starts as a conventional rock song, and then pretty much destroys the tune of afterwards. Though Neil Young's "Walk With Me" doesn't go THAT extreme, it comes close. It, too, starts out as a "conventional" rock song, but about 2 minutes into it, things start to get a little weird! The final moments of the song just seem to be electric guitar feedback that doesn't know whether to be beautiful or noisy. What would you expect, however, with Young's latest album being titled "Le Noise"?!

ELEVEN SONGS!!

2010-09-15T13:31:00.000-07:00

Eleven songs?!? THIS is gonna be GOOD!!! Here they are:

"Boy" by Ra Ra Riot: This song has done two fantastic things for me! First of all, it's keeping the uniquely quirky new wave influenced indie sound of bands like Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire, and Phoenix alive and well, but it also has an incredible music video. Why? 'Cuz it has KITTIES!! (I'm a cat lover, so please bear with me here). An orange tabby cat (and his orange tabby cat friends, or perhaps clones of his) appear on and off throughout the video, and during the chorus, their eyes glow in the dark to make one giant cat's eye! As if that wasn't neat enough, the instrumentation in "Boy" is also very well-crafted. Unlike the typical Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire, or Phoenix song, this song does NOT start out with a guitar, but rather a new wave-y keyboard sound backed up by a loud, thumping bass. The guitar comes in during the chorus, as does some random orchestral instrumentation (Arcade Fire, anyone?) There's also a brief guitar solo in this song as well. All in all, "Boy" is a very entertaining, catchy, and well-thought out piece of music.

"Buttercups" by Fran Healy: Make no mistake, "Fran" is not a girl's name in this case. It is, instead, the name of British indie-folk-rock band Travis's first name. "Buttercups" could easily be mistaken for a Travis song, rather than just one by the lead singer of the band, for its full-band instrumentation, passionate vocals, and wistful tones. Travis' songs typically have quirky lyrics and one-word titles (the most well-known being "Sing" and "Side"), and "Buttercups" continues in that tradition, of being both one word long and having charmingly unusual lyrics (The best one being, "If I had a diamond ring, I'd wear it through my nose". I'd like to see Fran Healy try to do THAT sometime!!)

"Coquet Coquette" by of Montreal: "Coquet Coquette"?!? Is there an echo in here, is there an echo in here?!? No, there isn't, it's just the title of of Montreal's latest tune that seems to be influenced largely by the "retro rock" sounds of such bands as The White Stripes and Muse. For of Montreal, I'm not sure if this shift in sound is a good thing or a bad thing. It's not like this is the first time the oddly named indie band has gotten attention, as "Wraith Pinned to the Mist And Other Tales" was featured in an Outback Steakhouse commercial, and they even did a children's song about brushing teeth for the neo-"Sesame Street"-ish kid's show "Yo Gabba Gabba" that received a fair amount of attention as well. However, both of those seemed more like psychedelic pop tunes than attempts to receive airplay on major alt/modern rock stations. "Coquet Coquette" still features the psychedelic element that is present on most of of Montreal's material, but it seems to be filtered through '70s classic rock a la Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, etc. the way that many of The White Stripes and Muse's material seems to be. Nevertheless, "Coquet Coquette" is still worth listening to. Oh, and one more thing, "coquette" is a term that basically means "flirt" and mainly applies to women (I believe of Montreal made up the counterpart term, "coquet", to add more flavor to the song).

"Indecision" by Steven Page: The former Barenaked Ladies member proves he still has the flair for catchy melodies and clever lyrics, even as a SOLO artist! Some feat for a man from a band that's been around for nearly 20 years!! Instrumentally, Page tweaks up his typical sound a bit (think "The Big Bang Theory" theme mixed with a Sergio Mendes tune!) Who would have thought he'd use Latin jazz-style instrumentation in the verses of "Indecision" and STILL sound good?! As in the usual BNL lyrical fashion, there are some witty, tongue-in-cheek lyrics to be found in this song as well (like in the chorus, in which Page sings, "Then again, my addiction to indecision keeps me here"). "Addiction to indecision" sounds like it could function simultaneously as an oxymoron AND a tongue-twister. Some of my own poetry and music has a tendency to sprinkle in some wordplay like this does. What can I say, great minds think alike!

"Lasso" by Phoenix: If I had to describe Phoenix's music in one word, I'd choose the word "catchy". "1901" and "Lisztomania" have already been stuck in my head numerous times, and probably in the minds of many others as well since they both became massive hits! Though "Lasso" hasn't quite received the amount of attention that the aforementioned two songs have, I think it has the potential to do so sometime soon. It uses the basic Phoenix formula of danceable, stick-in-your-head song, easy to memorize chorus ("Where would you go, where would you go, would you go with a lasso?/Could you run into, could you run into, could you run into me?"), and quirky lyrics (see the chorus that I typed earlier in this sentence). "Lasso" also seems to be more straight-up rock music than the techno/rock hybrids that "1901" and "Lisztomania" ended up being. It has a sound that's probably comparable to bands like The Killers and the "edgier" side of Snow Patrol. Think of those two bands, backed by a consistently organized rhythm section, and add just a small dash of The Police's "Message In A Bottle", and you should have a pretty good idea of what "Lasso" sounds like!

"Paris (Ooh La La)" by Grace Potter and The Nocturnals: Grace Potter normally has a sound that might remind one of the organic, earthy country sounds of Lucinda Williams. This year, however, Grace and The Nocturnals proved they could rock out with the best of 'em, earlier this year with their cover of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit", and now with the Lenny Kravitz-esque "Paris"! Perhaps Grace is trying TOO hard to let out her inner rock star with the lyrics of this song (i.e. "You got me up on your swing/So when you gonna shake that thing?", a BIG departure from the down-home-y, humble flavor of "Ah Mary", her debut single). However, "Paris" is a darn catchy song with guitar riffs that would make Jimi Hendrix proud! (Or at least entertained). And if Grace wants to be more of a Janis than a Lucinda, well then, she's found just the right sound to please my ears!!

"Radioactive" by Kings of Leon: Ever since their 2008 breakthrough record, "Only By the Night", all sides of the rock 'n' roll spectrum just couldn't seem to get enough of Kings of Leon. With their latest release, it's seems like KOL fever has only continued to rise, as it has received IMMEDIATE attention on the adult. alt charts, the "regular" alt charts, and the mainstream rock (combination of classic rock and "harder" modern rock) charts simultaneously!! So how does "Radioactive" measure up to the contagious melodies and hooks of "Sex On Fire", "Use Somebody", and "Notion"?! It could easily join the ranks of those songs for sure! (It already HAS on many rock stations of all kinds!!) However, a major difference between those songs and "Radioactive" is a shift in influence from '70s rock to '80s rock. "Radioactive" sounds like a mix of U2 and some of the more "spacey" David Bowie songs (i.e. "Ashes to Ashes"). Perhaps it doesn't matter what era of music KOL want to emulate, as long as their music is able to stick in the heads of millions of fans!!

"Spectacular Girl" by Eels: Despite their slimy name, Eels have a rather mellow sound for the most part, much like many of the songs Beck did in the 2000's. Sometimes it almost seems as though E (Eels' frontman, born Mark Oliver Everett) and Beck have composed songs cut from the same cloth (in fact "Spectacular Girl" reminds me a great deal of Beck's '08 hit, "Orphans"). Both "Orphans" and "Spectacular Girl" use electronic instruments in a soothing fashion, and add in more typically calming instruments, such as flutes, as the songs progress. Although "Spectacular Girl" is basically a Beck soundalike, it's still a great song to me, with its breezy, chillout vibe that I often crave in the songs I listen to to make me feel happy and satisfied inside!

"Witchcraft" by Matt Costa: Most people who are familiar with Matt Costa's music probably know him best for taking an indie rock approach to the "ultra-mellow" sounds of musicians like Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews. However, Matt decided to trade in that mellow acoustic sound for some Donovan-esque psychedelia and turn up his amp on "Witchcraft"! Though Costa is not British, his voice (and a little bit of his music) sounds much like The Zombies' Colin Bluntstone, who is British, on this track. If Costa continues in this psychedelically influenced trend, he'll likely be remembered as a 21st century version of Donovan for going from folk-rock to psychedelia. Even the theme of this song tends to evoke Donovan somewhat ("Season of the Witch", anyone?!) Lyrically, it takes on the familiar '60s rock theme of singing about a girl who messes around with a guys emotions (so much so, in this song, that Matt Costa proclaims in the chorus that the girl in question "must be using witchcraft"). This song is an absolute must for any fans of The Zombies, Donovan, Jefferson Airplane, etc!

"Wrote A Song For Everyone" by Mavis Staples: The former '70s soul woman returns after many years with a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover! Staples seems to cover the CCR tune pretty accurately, to the point of which it SOUNDS like something CCR (or similar acts, like The Band) might have done, complete with a guitar solo! Her version actually seems more rock 'n' roll oriented, at times, than CCR's original version. It's neat to hear an early '70s musical icon covering yet another early '70s musical icon! I would love to know John Fogerty's reaction to Mavis Staples' version!

"You Can Dance" by Bryan Ferry: Before I begin, is it just me, or is it a bit odd that both of the leading musicians in Roxy Music were named "Brian"?! (the other being Brian Eno) The two of them are both fairly well-known both in Roxy Music and as solo performers in the music world, though Ferry went in more of a pop-oriented direction, and Eno in a more "experimental" one. Ferry continues doing the same "sophisticated" pop music he did with his biggest hit of the '80s, "Slave to Love" (in fact "Slave to Love" and "You Can Dance" actually sound quite similar). "Slave to Love" was probably a more compelling, seductive sort of song, but Ferry's attempts to repeat this on "You Can Dance" aren't bad. However, I would still recommend his older material much more than "You Can Dance".

new songs for Sept. 1st, 2010

2010-09-01T13:15:00.001-07:00

four of 'em this time - enjoy!!

"Dead American Writers" by Tired Pony: What do you get when you mix Snow Patrol, R.E.M., and Belle and Sebastian in a blender (with Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody in the lead)? You get indie rock supergroup Tired Pony!! This is a group that combines alumni of the three aforementioned bands, and kinda sounds like all three of them as well! Their first single, "Dead American Writers" takes the typical "twangy" guitar sound of fellow rock supergroup Traveling Wilburys and combines it with bittersweet minor key indie/alt instrumentation. All in all, this song is like an indie rock fruit salad - it combines the best flavors of bands with many different approaches to music with delightful results!

"If It Wasn't For Bad" by Elton John and Leon Russell: Never thought Sir Elton would make a grand comeback to rock 'n' roll after the mid-'70s, but after many years, he has! Well, kind of. It still has the trademark piano sound Elton has become known for, but with Leon Russell on board, Elton's latest track gets jazzed up a bit (and even has a brief guitar solo!) With their combined musical efforts, "If It Wasn't For Bad" ends up sounding more like Van Morrison, Joe Cocker, The Band, and Jackson Browne than it does Billy Joel or James Taylor like one might expect at first. Anyone who liked the more upbeat performances on "The Last Waltz" would probably dig this song! I know I did.

"People Say" by Portugal. The Man: OK, first of all, to clear up any confusion you might have, the name of this band IS, in fact, "Portugal. The Man" (complete with the period and the capital "T" in "The"). With a name as quirky as this, I figured that Portugal. The Man, were an indie group, and I was right. However, they are not a folk-rock-y indie like most of the acts that get classified under such a label. In fact, hardcore punk bands like Suicidal Tendencies and Fugazi are some of their biggest influences! However, "People Say" is NOT a hardcore punk song. Instead, it's almost like R & B-inflected indie, with chords that seem to echo The Beatles' "Let It Be" (think of a more laid-back version of Gnarls Barkley). If I had to sum up "People Say" in just a couple words, I'd say that it adds a more unique, almost gospel-influence flavor to the ever expanding world of indie rock!

"The Sweetest Thing" by JJ Grey and Mofro: Much like their '08 adult alt. radio hit, "Orange Blossoms", "The Sweetest Thing" once again showcases the unique brand of R & B, jazz, and blues influence JJ Grey and Mofro have (probably) made trademark in their music. For adult alt. radio stations themselves, "The Sweetest Thing" is like a breath of fresh air! It has a vigorous, youthful toe-tapping energy that the mostly wistful and melancholy lineup of such stations seem to lack (for the most part, at least). Sometimes us R.E.M. and Snow Patrol fans need something to get up and boogie down to to shake off our blues! Songs like "The Sweetest Thing" give us a perfect opportunity to do so!

New songs for Aug. 25th, 2010

2010-08-25T16:26:00.000-07:00

here they are!

"In Sleep" by Lissie: Having a name like "Lissie" is enough to make one think that there's something unique and kinda cool about her. And there is! Her first breakthrough song, "In Sleep", she almost effortlessly combines country, folk, straight-ahead rock, and slight traces of neo-psychedelia into one song! Altogether, it sounds like an indie rock Fleetwood Mac (the guitar solo at the end reminds me a little of "Go Your Own Way", only it's about a minute and a half longer!) Lissie's cynically smoky vocals make me think that fans of Jenny Lewis (also on this week's blog), Neko Case, and other Stevie Nicks-influenced indie females would really like this song (and artist)!

"Modern Man" by Arcade Fire: As if having Eric Clapton on this week's list and countless other classic rock musicians making their big "comebacks" in 2010 wasn't enough, Arcade Fire's latest pretty much steals the main chord structure of A major and F sharp minor of John Mellencamp's "Hand to Hold On To". Arcade Fire must be making their classic rock influences want to shine out more in their latest material (as I also compared "Ready to Start" to Golden Earring's "Radar Love" as if covered by The Cure). Though "Modern Man" has enough "alternative" instrumentation to avoid being completely mistaken for Mellencamp, I can't help but notice a similarity between the two songs! Another interesting thing is that it seems like Arcade Fire are releasing singles on a MONTHLY basis off their latest album (June - "The Suburbs, July - "Ready to Start", and August - "Modern Man"). One can only wonder what Win Butler and co. have waiting for us in store in September and if it, too, is classic rock influenced!

"Run Back to Your Side" by Eric Clapton: There's an old joke that goes like, "What do Eric Clapton and coffee have in common? They both suck without the 'Cream'". While I don't entirely agree with that statement, I can certainly see why one would think such a thing - ever since Clapton's solo career took flight, he seems to have gotten "softer". In the '00s, he was a bit unpredictable. While it seemed like he wanted his blues-y side back then more than any other decade, he went about it rather strangely. "Revolution" (not to be confused with the Beatles song of the same name) was his take on reggae, he let his inner soul man shine with a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground", and his "Ride the River" with fellow blues-rocker J.J. Cale, seemed more like blues-folk than blues-rock. Thankfully, Clapton's inner blues man has finally been set free once again on "Run Back to Your Side". While it lacks the heavy intensity of Cream, it is certainly more rock-and-roll friendly than most of what he has put out in the past 20 or so years, so much so that if it weren't for Clapton's unmistakable vocals, this might be mistaken for a long lost Allman Brothers track!

"Scissor Runner" by Jenny and Johnny: I love this song already!! For one thing, Jenny Lewis from Rilo Kiley is in it! (along with fellow indie musician Jonathan Rice, a.k.a. "Johnny" in this side project/band) For another, I love the neo-psychedelic, melodic, folk-rock-y feel of this song! It almost hearkens back to the days of early R.E.M., Yo La Tengo, and the "mellower" side of bands like The Velvet Underground and Pavement. It's really bouncy and just plain fun, too! Favorite line in the song so far? "She ain't a princess/But she's an artist/Painting a portrait/All over my heart". Now THERE's the kind of girl I'd like to meet someday!

rhyme time!!

2010-08-18T10:54:00.000-07:00

This week's songs? "From Above" and "Rhythm of Love" - kinda funny how the titles rhyme (hence the title of this week's post) - so here goes!!

"From Above" by Ben Folds: Ben might have been a one-hit wonder on the Top 40 charts with "Brick" back in the mid-'90s, but on adult alt. stations, he's been played plenty of times since! Perhaps it's that irresistibly snarky combination of Elton John style melody with Elvis Costello style cynicism that makes him so likable on such stations. "From Above" is MUCH more Elvis Costello than it is Elton John, though. It sounds like a very upbeat new wave song, with a rhythm that's been used in many rock songs through the ages, from The Doors "Touch Me" to Jet's "Are You Gonna Be My Girl?" The lyrics are more Costello-esque as well, telling the story of a love affair gone wrong, with Ben giving his opinion on the situation during the chorus ("It's so easy from above/You can't really see it all" - basically Ben's commentary about how relationships aren't as easy as they seem). Leave it to Ben Folds to continue to expand his horizons, both musically and lyrically!

"Rhythm of Love" by Plain White T's: This is probably going to end up being the "guilty pleasure" song of the summer for me! This song is so catchy and almost kid-friendly in a way, that it's no wonder The T's turned their biggest hit, the bittersweet "Hey There Delilah" into a "Sesame Street" song about the letter "T". Pretty much all of their hit songs after that one ("1, 2, 3, 4" among them, not to be confused with the Feist song of the same name) seem like they wouldn't be too out of place on the "For the Kids" compilations, which feature contemporary folk-pop/rock and alt/indie musicians doing children's songs, quite a few of which happen to be from "Sesame Street". "Rhythm of Love" kind of sounds a little like Jason Mraz, whom I typically can't stand, but somehow the T's have managed to make me smile with their latest little ditty! Perhaps it's because they're one of the few bands in the alt-rock universe that come off so...ummm...cute, for lack of a better term. Whether bittersweet like "Delilah", or catchy like "Rhythm of Love", their songs are still "cute" to me. And perhaps that's not such a bad thing!

new songs for Aug. 11th, 2010

2010-08-11T10:48:00.000-07:00

here they are!

"Always" by Junip: Nick Drake and Damien Rice fans rejoice! Singer-songwriter extraordinaire José Gonzalez has a new band!! José has always had a knack for turning electro-pop tunes into heartbreaking folk-rock songs, such as The Knife's "Heartbeats", Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart", and Massive Attack's "Teardrop" (and in return, bands like Zero 7 have covered some of his own tunes, like "Crosses"). "Always" sounds like an attempt to mix José's signature neo-folk-rock sound with the electronic(a) acts he frequently seems to cover, with its mixture of acoustic guitars and its synthesizers backing it up. It's also the first José tune I've known to have a rhythm section (though perhaps I should have expected that, after all it is his BAND, not José by himself). Despite the newly added instruments, "Always" still manages to be as charmingly soothing as the typical José Gonzalez song!

"Dog Days Are Over" by Florence and The Machine: A bit of a late entry, considering this has been out since early 2010, but some major adult alt. stations, such as Sirius XM's the Spectrum and WRNR, have JUST started playing this, so I thought I'd review it now. Having just listened to this song, I get the impression that female indie-popsters like Cat Power and Feist might be accurate comparisons. "Dog Days" actually seems like the perfect candidate for some of the increasing amount of car commercials that feature indie songs (Phoenix's "1901" and Airborne Toxic Event's "Wishing Well", to name a few), because of its bright, bouncy melody and clap-along chorus. The mandolin-like instrument that seems to function as the central instrument of the song only adds to the cutesy-ness of it. With all that being said, Florence and The Machine have officially won my heart over with this song!

I like that old time rock and roll...

2010-08-04T09:20:00.001-07:00

No, Bob Seger did not release a new record this week, and nor am I in the mood to imitate the infamous dance scene from "Risky Business". I titled my latest entry "I like that old time rock and roll" because all three of the acts I'm reviewing this week are classic rock bands. So here goes!

"Angel Dance" by Robert Plant: It's funny that this song is a Los Lobos cover, and that Los Lobos just happen to be next in line for my reviews this week! Anyway, this song seems to be a joyous celebration of the Led Zeppelin frontman's inner folkie, which he seemed to bring out in his music quite frequently in the 2000's more than any other decade. Of course, Zeppelin have experimented with folk-rock ever since their debut, though it probably became more evident to fans of the band about a year later when they released their third album (which included "Gallows Pole", "That's the Way", and "Tangerine"). Unlike the bittersweet melancholia of "That's the Way" and "Tangerine", "Angel Dance" is a more upbeat, high-spirited romp (it's no wonder he called his backing group "Band of Joy" this time!!) Perhaps "Angel Dance" is not as memorable as the typical Zeppelin song, but it's still worth checking out!

"Burn It Down" by Los Lobos: With the "fiery" title of this song, I was expecting to hear the rockier, Santana-ish side of Los Lobos this time (as in "Mas Y Mas" and "The Road to Gila Bend"), but "Burn It Down" is, instead, a laid-back, mellow, folk-rock-y song. Perhaps the title doesn't always have to fit the song, though, as "Burn It Down" is a pretty decent song that seems like it would be most ideal to listen to sometime in the fall (more specifically, November) watching the leaves fall down from the trees. Perhaps the "autumnal" nature of this song threw me for a loop, too, as it has both a fire-related title AND it was released in August, typically the hottest time of the year for me!

"Nobody" by The Doobie Brothers: Much like the R.E.M. song I reviewed a couple weeks back, this song is also an oldie but a goodie that saw its release date later than expected...well, kind of. It was actually included on The Doobies' debut back in 1971, but no one really knew who they were back then. Many fans of The Doobies are familiar with the classic rock/adult contemporary standard "Black Water", and "Nobody" is kinda like that, only a bit faster. Both songs have that laid-back folk-rock-y feel to them, though in my opinion, "Nobody" is a bit better for its unique but catchy sound. It's pretty surprising to me that this song didn't get airplay during its initial release, but I guess the world wasn't ready for The Doobies back in '71, though it only took a year later until The Doobies and other classic rock/adult contemporary faves with a distinctly mellow California sound (i.e. The Eagles, Jackson Browne, etc.) made their "official" debut.

new songs for July 28th, 2010

2010-07-28T10:11:00.001-07:00

here they are:

"Do You Love Me?" by Guster: Not to be confused with the early '60s R & B song by The Contours of the same name, but still a great song! It's Guster, after all, and I was pretty jazzed to hear that they were releasing a new album after FOUR YEARS!! They still have that charmingly folk-rock-y sound they started with a little over a decade ago in "Do You Love Me?", which is built around a C major chord with the third fret played on the thinner E string (see also Foo Fighters' "Big Me" and The Beatles' "Getting Better"). Guster seem to have a reputation for sunny, summery melodies, but this song seems to take the cake more than their previous works for it! I am already in love with this song, and it seems adult alt. radio is too, with its rocketing up the Triple-A charts from down in the 100's all the way up to the 30's within ONE DAY!! Here's to wishing nothing but the best for Guster in 2010!

"High In the Morning" by Tom Petty: It only seems fitting for Petty, a huge fan of both Bob Dylan and blues-ier rock like The Rolling Stones, to have a song that combines the general vibes of both artists. Specifically, the Dylan that he evokes on "High In the Morning" is similar to that of "Highway 61 Revisited" with its bluesy instrumentation coming from both electric guitars and organs. With the smoky flavor of this song and the Led Zeppelin-y stomp of "I Should Have Known It", it's no wonder Tom Petty chose to call his latest album "Mojo" (as in "Got My Mojo Workin'", a classic Muddy Waters blues tune). Rock on, Petty!

"Let Go" by Everest: The comparisons I have found to Everest tend to be to roots-rock influenced indie rockers such as Blitzen Trapper and Wilco. With "Let Go" being the first song I've heard from Everest, I don't understand these comparisons, as its sound seems to be much closer to Modest Mouse, with a slightly more neo-psychedelic bent than MM typically have. The chord structure in this song reminds me a lot of Modest Mouse's "Float On", even though that song was built around C sharp major, and "Let Go" seems to veer between E major and G sharp minor. Though "Let Go" might not be the most original indie rock song of 2010, it's certainly worth listening to!

I'm ba-ack!! With ANOTHER EIGHT new entries!!

2010-07-14T09:59:00.000-07:00

not bad for returning after a two-week hiatus, eh? Here they are!

"Dirty Side Down" by Widespread Panic: Unlike the Lynyrd Skynyrd-ish "North", the title track from Widespread Panic's latest album shows a more earthy, roots-y feel to it. It almost has a Grateful Dead-ish sound to it, albeit the more folk-y side of their material. Frankly, I'm surprised adult alt. radio stations DIDN'T pick up on this one first since it has such a folk-rock-y, almost hippie-ish vibe to it, but I guess the band wanted "North" to be released as a "hit" first, since it has a more catchy, radio-friendly sound. Fans of The Grateful Dead and The Black Crowes (also reviewed this week) should enjoy this song very much!

"London Calling" by Bruce Springsteen: Before I review this one, let me just point out that it's pretty amazing how much classic rock material has been dominating adult alt. radio lately! This week there's five (Springsteen, The Black Crowes, John Mellencamp, R.E.M., and the classic rock-ish Widespread Panic). Anyway, on with the review. For most of the 2000's, The Boss put out material that I personally thought he could've done better with. A lot of seemed like contemporary folk-rock-ish material a la Dave Matthews Band, Train, Counting Crows, etc. Not that there's anything wrong with those bands (except for everything Train released AFTER their debut), but it just doesn't seem to fit Springsteen's free-spirited brand of rock and roll he's become known for. Thankfully, the hard-rockin' "Radio Nowhere" was released in Fall 2007 and revitalized his youthful energy. The Boss's cover of The Clash's classic hit from 1979 attempts to recapture that same youthful energy he had about 3 years ago with "Radio Nowhere", complete with a guitar solo that seems to rival the original! However, the original version of "London Calling" is just untouchable in my opinion. The Clash already made that one into a solid gold rocker! Though Springsteen's attempt at the song is certainly not bad, I much prefer the original!

"My Morning Song" by The Black Crowes: Unfortunately, the version of this song that's hitting adult alt. radio stations, from the Crowes' all-acoustic album, "Croweology", is something that I haven't found anywhwere yet. However, I can still review the original version in the meantime. Though it's an old song (1992), I still want to review it since I haven't heard it before. From what I can tell, it has very much of a Led Zeppelin-y sound, filtered via Southern rock. It borrows quite heavily from Zeppelin's "Traveling Riverside Blues" (which itself borrows from Zeppelin's own "The Lemon Song", both musically and lyrically). The Crowes were unlike any band from the '90s in that they were SO influenced by classic rock, that most "alternative" rock stations wouldn't touch their music (despite the fact that similar sounding bands, such as Spin Doctors, received heavy airplay on such stations at the time they debuted). Likewise, "Hard to Handle" and "She Talks to Angels" are some of the few songs of the '90s that classic rock stations WILL touch. With "My Morning Song"'s pure rock-and-roll flavor, it will be quite interesting to hear what the newly released acoustic version will sound like - I'll keep you guys posted and re-review this song once I finally hear that version!

"My Own Sinking Ship" by Good Old War: If I had to name any indie band as "snuggly", "cute", or "warm and fuzzy", it'd be Good Old War, despite their name! Every song of theirs just makes me want to reach out and hug somebody, and this is no exception, despite the subject matter (probably about a crumbling relationship, from what I can tell). Much of GOW's material seems like an update on that of Simon and Garfunkel's, though "My Own Sinking Ship" also adds in a vaguely harmonica-ish instrument that S & G (I don't think) ever had in their songs. If you like your indie music folk-rock-y and precious, this one's for you!

"No Better Than This" by John Mellencamp: Like Springsteen (see "London Calling", also reviewed for this week), Mellencamp was another classic rocker who had his ups and downs for the material he made in the 2000's. Towards the end of the decade, Mellencamp found his inner-rock-star amidst the disillusioned folkie he seemed to be for most of the decade with a song called "My Sweet Love". The song had a feel to it that resembled '50s rockers like Buddy Holly and Bo Diddley (the same schtick fellow classic rocker Chrissie Hynde of The Pretenders seemed to be using right around the same time!) "No Better Than This" almost sounds like a "sequel" to "My Sweet Love". It seems to use the same beat and even same guitar distortion to "My Sweet Love". Of course he's not the only rocker to rip off his own material (a famous case of this is John Fogerty, whose "The Old Man Down the Road" sounded almost exactly like his Creedence Clearwater hit, "Run Through the Jungle"). As far as clones of rock songs done by the exact same artist go, this one's pretty cool!

"Ready to Start" by Arcade Fire: Compared to their release earlier this year, "The Suburbs", I was a bit disappointed with this one, so I wanted to hold off on reviewing this one when I first heard about it, but by now it's hit enough adult alt. stations that I felt like I should give it another try. Where "The Suburbs" was bright, jaunty folk-rock at its finest, "Ready to Start" sounds a bit more depressing (though still upbeat), almost like The Cure trying to cover '70s rockers Golden Earring's "Radar Love". "Ready to Start" takes the beat of the latter and mixes it with the world weary, heavy burden-ish vibe of the former. A bit of an uneven mix if you ask me, but I suppose that the catchiness of the song has been what's won over adult alt. radio stations. I MUCH prefer "The Suburbs", but as far as Arcade Fire songs go, this one's not bad. I guess it just reminds me a little too much of the post-punk-ish material they did on their debut, as opposed to the more orchestral, but fun flavor they went for on "Neon Bible".

"The Ghost Inside" by Broken Bells: It's interesting to see the order in which the songs from Broken Bells' album have been chosen to make their mark on adult alt. radio stations. The first song, "The High Road", which has been around almost since the beginning of 2010, was the perfect mix for a band whose alumni are members of indie-folk-rockers The Shins and electro-pop-rockers Gnarls Barkley, as it was equal parts indie-folk-rock and electronic pop music. The second song, "Vaporize", was clearly a James Mercer (Shins) song as far as I could tell with its jaunty, Beatlesque vibe. Now, the third single off Broken Bells' album, "The Ghost Inside", is making its way onto the adult alt. airwaves. This one sounds more like a song Cee-Lo (Gnarls Barkley) probably wrote/composed. The sing-song-y melody of the other two songs is still present, yet "The Ghost Inside" is MUCH more of an electro-pop song than a contemporary folk-rock song. At times, it almost seems like a new-wave-y update of Foreigner's '80s sax-driven rocker, "Urgent" (though only by the notes that are being used in the song, as there is no sax in "The Ghost Inside"). I don't think that "The Ghost Inside" is as good as the other two songs off Broken Bells' album, but who knows, over time I'll probably grow to like it, just like I have with most of the songs I've blogged about.

"Throw Those Trolls Away" by R.E.M.: This is actually an old R.E.M. song (and kinda sounds like one) from the band's 1985 album, "Fables of the Reconstruction", which featured such classic R.E.M. songs as "Can't Get There From Here" and "Driver 8". However, they decided to wait until this year to release it. My question is, why?!? It has that great vintage R.E.M. sound that meets at the intersection of The Byrds, The Beatles, and The Velvet Underground. Perhaps what makes "Throw Those Trolls Away" unique, besides its retro sound in a new decade, is that it seems like it reflects one of the few times that R.E.M. are comfortable just goofing around (there's even a part in the middle where Michael Stipe says, "Turn the guitar up, will ya?") Amidst the typical folk-rock and light psychedelic influences R.E.M. had in the '80s, there's also a bit of Chuck Berry influence in "Trolls" in the way that the A and D chords are being played around with. Pre-fame R.E.M. material is often the best from the band in my opinion, and thankfully we've got yet another example of this now!

new songs for June 23rd, 2010

2010-06-23T19:01:00.001-07:00

four of 'em - Enjoy!

"Compliments" by Band of Horses: Though "Laredo" is still a hot item on the Adult Alt. charts, "Compliments", the second single off of BOH's "Infinite Arms" is rapidly getting attention on adult alt. stations as well. Longtime fans of BOH will probably take more of a liking to this song than "Laredo" since it goes more for a '60s pop/rock sound (a la The Beatles' "Getting Better" and Three Dog Night's "One", at least rhythmically) than "Laredo"'s John Fogerty/Neil Young-ish vibe. Lyrically, I can't tell whether it is supposed to be sincere or tongue-in-cheek, especially during the somewhat ambiguously worded lyrics in the chorus ("If there's a God up there/Someone looking over everyone, at least you've got someone to fall back on"). Apparently, many of BOH's most loyal fans seem to have taken both the lyrics and the song itself to be a vain attempt for the band to garner more radio airplay than they've previously had, though personally, I think "Laredo" already took care of that. I still wouldn't call BOH "sellouts", though. They still have good music, it's just going in a slightly different direction at the moment.

"Crossfire" by Brandon Flowers: Of all the "indie" bands out there, Brandon Flowers' band, The Killers (who aren't always viewed as "indie" due to their popularity among listeners of more "mainstream" modern rock stations), is probably the one that is most influenced by that crop of bands who tend to overlap the boundaries of musical time by being played on both classic rock and alternative rock stations (i.e. The Police, U2, The Pretenders, etc.) Flowers seems to have only gotten MORE intent on displaying these influences with each new record he makes. It's not as though this is a bad thing, necessarily (as I much prefer the U2-ish "Read My Mind" to the more Depeche Mode-ish sounds of "Somebody Told Me"), but in "Crossfire", it seems like he's trying a bit TOO hard to emulate the U2 sound. He also seems to employ the use of pseudo-philosophical lyrics whenever possible (like the chorus's "lay your body down"), in what seems like a desperate, almost fanboy-ish effort to please Bono and maybe Bruce Springsteen as well. In spite of how harsh this review might sound, though, I must admit that I LIKE this song! Flowers might not rank so high on originality in "Crossfire", but he gets an A for effort, catchiness, and accessibility.

"If You Let Me" by JP, Chrissie, and The Fairground Boys: During The Pretenders' reign of popularity, Chrissie Hynde was almost like a female Neil Young in her ways of alternating between heartfelt, bittersweet songs like "Kid", "Talk of the Town", and "2000 Miles" and tough, unapologetic rockers like "Tattooed Love Boys", "Mystery Achievement", and "Middle of the Road". These days, Chrissie seems to want to go more in between the two moods. In her latest effort, "If You Let Me", she pulls off a distinctly classic rock vibe a la The Rolling Stones and Tom Petty, just as she pulled off a decent Chuck Berry/Bo Diddley in her 2008 songs, "Boots of Chinese Plastic" and "Break Up the Concrete" with The Pretenders. While "If You Let Me" lacks the in-your-face vibe of her nearly punk-ish early days in The Pretenders, it is certainly no "Kid", "Talk of the Town", or "2000 Miles" either! It is clearly a rock and roll song, from beginning to end, complete with a catchy, memorable guitar riff. Welcome aboard the S.S. Classic Rock Renaissance of 2010, Chrissie!

"Stranger Here" by Cowboy Junkies: In spite of their name, Cowboy Junkies are not called "Cowboy Junkies" because of their love for country music. It was basically just a random name they came up with, supposedly (see also The Grateful Dead, R.E.M., and Indigo Girls, each of whom got their names by flipping through a dictionary). However, Cowboy Junkies are basically a country-rock band masquerading as an alt/indie band. Even on their debut album, they covered a Hank Williams tune, as well as a Patsy Cline song. Their latest song, "Stranger Here", is also pretty country-rock influenced, but with the past 5 or so years of adult alt. radio being dominated by indie groups, it seems as though the sound of this song is probably more commonplace than it would've been during their debut in 1988. Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley, in particular (and perhaps the whole band) would probably appreciate a song like this, since she knows from the blatantly country-rock sound of "Carpetbaggers" (which she did with Elvis Costello) what it's like to be an indie/alt act with country influences. Personally, I would have preferred Cowboy Junkies to release something more along the lines of their bittersweet, lushly orchestrated 2007 song "Brand New World", but "Stranger Here" is still a good song nonetheless.

new songs for June 16th, 2010

2010-06-16T09:16:00.000-07:00

four of 'em. Enjoy!

"Do As I Say Not As I Do" by Ed Harcourt: In the indie rock world, Ed Harcourt is one of the most simultaneously soothing and intriguing musicians, so I was pretty psyched to find out he was releasing a new album! Perhaps a good way to describe Ed would be "Burt Bacharach music interpreted via Andrew Bird", the latter an indie musician himself who is also '60s pop inspired. Ed's benign yet clever delivery of pop/rock music continues in "Do As I Say Not As I Do", which isn't too much of a departure from such gems of his as "Watching the Sun Come Up" and "Born In the '70s", except for the fact that it has an electric guitar solo in between the chorus and verses, though Ed even manages to make that part sound charming. If you like your indie music to sound nostalgic but still somewhat relevant, this song's for you!

"Dragon's Song" by Blitzen Trapper: Ever since their debut (which was only about a year ago), Blitzen Trapper have become a pretty well-loved band in the indie universe. Adult alt. radio kinda-sorta caught on to "Black River Killer" from their debut (though it was only a mild hit on such stations), but I guess it's taken until their latest album to come up with a song that looks like it will be (slightly) more popular on such stations. Much like Ed Harcourt (see above), Blitzen Trapper are very much of what I like to call a "'60s Renaissance" band, meaning that they sound like they're from the decade even though they're not (an increasingly common theme in indie music). Blitzen Trapper tend to come off to me like what Donovan might have been like if he named his backing group, in that, though their roots lie in folk, they're not afraid to experiment with more "psychedelic" sounds (often within the same songs). "Dragon's Song" is no exception to the rule. It starts out sounding like an "acoustic" Bob Dylan song, yet once the drums kick in, pretty much every other instrument starts to as well, notably the synthesized keyboards in the main parts of the song, and the groovy electric guitar solo in the middle of it. "Dragon's Song" truly seems like it would be a trip back in time had I been around during the '60s. Even the title of the song sounds like it came from that decade!

"Saturday Sun" by Crowded House: Despite the fact that their biggest hit, "Don't Dream It's Over", was somewhat of a Tears for Fears soundalike (though smoother and more soulful), fans of most of Crowded House's other material tend to be drawn to them for their emulation of the "three B's" (The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Beach Boys). Their '91 album, "Woodface", has some fine examples of their influence by these bands (especially "It's Only Natural", and a lot of "Weather With You". For awhile, that seemed like that album was going to be the last of Crowded House, though in the mid-2000's they came back with an unexpected but instantly welcomed smash hit on adult alt. radio, "Don't Stop Now". As much as I love Crowded House, that song didn't exactly ring well with me, as it sounded like they were trying a bit TOO hard in that song to imitate contemporary "piano-pop", and not of the Ben Folds variety either - more like that of the blander radio-friendly sounds of The Fray and later Coldplay. Thankfully, Crowded House's latest, "Saturday Sun" is not like this. However, fans of Crowded House's '60s pop/rock-oriented style should take note that the band have once again shifted direction in their style for "Saturday Sun". With the exception of the guitar solo towards the end of the song, most of it sounds more like it was influenced by the gentle "trip-hop-lite" sounds that Massive Attack and Portishead originated and that Zero 7 and Frou Frou made more popular. Though songs like "It's Only Natural" have a special place in my heart for their irresistible, cute, sunny melodies, it's also refreshing to hear Crowded House successfully take on more contemporary sounds in "Saturday Sun".

"Shadow People" by Dr. Dog: This song is proof of how eclectic Dr. Dog truly are! Their last effort, "Stranger", released earlier this year, was an energetic, happy, fully orchestrated song, yet "Shadow People", in some ways, seems to be the opposite of that one. Instead of taking on vibrant sounds (until midway through the song, for some reason), it has a more folk-y, calming vibe, that instantly brings to mind one of Neil Young's acoustic songs. Unlike the quirky, brightly delivered lyrics of "Stranger", "Shadow People" seems like it goes for a more melancholy vibe, with its yearning lyrical vibe ("Where did all the shadow people go?"), even through the sunnier second half of the song. Intelligent AND introspective - what more could you ask for?!

new songs for June 9th, 2010

2010-06-09T09:47:00.000-07:00

Three of 'em. Enjoy!

"Change" by The Young Veins: When you think of the words "Panic at the Disco", do you think of bands like The Monkees and Tommy James & The Shondells?! Probably not. That's why "Change" by The Young Veins, which features two former Panic members, Ryan Ross and Jon Walker, is such a cool song!! Panic at the Disco seemed like the one "emo" band who just absolutely hated the label, as evidenced by the two Beatlesque songs on their "Pretty Odd" CD, "Nine In the Afternoon" and "Northern Downpour". Both of those songs had a pretty "retro" flavor to them, and "Change" continues in that direction, perhaps even more so! "Change" really lives up to its title - it's "change"-ing the way indie music is going, and, hopefully, will continue to go!

"Every Subway Car" by Barenaked Ladies: Do BNL have the sophomore curse, or what?! Their 2005 album, "Barenaked Ladies Are Me" had its first single, "Easy", as a bland folk-pop song this side of John Mayer, but its second single "Wind It Up", was a tongue-in-cheek, hard-rockin' (for BNL, at least), fun song with clever lyrics (i.e. "I was a baby when I learned to suck/But you have raised it to an art form"). Their latest CD, "All In Good Time", seems to have suffered from the same problem. The first single, "You Run Away", was a song that just didn't fit the BNL spirit. I didn't know whether to call it "sappy" or "depressing", as it was kinda both, and that just isn't the vibe I like from my BNL songs! Thankfully, "Every Subway Car" has sought to correct all this! Musically, it sounds kinda like a lighter, but still power pop influenced song from Fountains of Wayne (kinda like Fountains of Wayne's "Someone to Love", but with a slower beat). Lyrically, the cleverness makes a welcome return, especially in the beginning ("My backpack's faded black/But now it's all blue/It looks whack but it's compact/And it works like brand new"), and just like in their biggest hit, "One Week", the name-dropping also continues ("I'm on my own/I'm Sly Stallone"). Welcome back, BNL, we missed ya!

"If I Had My Way" by Robert Randolph (featuring Ben Harper): Occasionally, indie and contemporary folk-rock aren't enough to satisfy the adult alt. audience, and this is one such instance. This song is actually a cover (so I've heard) of an old 1930's blues song. I wouldn't be surprised if this was true, considering how it sounds a lot like a Robert Johnson Delta blues recording. For Ben Harper, this isn't too surprising, considering he's been all over the map musically, especially in the past year or so with The Relentless 7. For Robert Randolph, this seems like a first. His past works, particularly his most well-known song, "Thrill of It", were definitely blues influenced, but more in the Jimi Hendrix/Santana manner of mixing blues with rock and the occasional R & B. As much as I like the indie and folk-rock that seem to dominate adult alt. radio, it's refreshing to hear a song like this once in a while!

new songs for June 2nd, 2010

2010-06-02T12:08:00.001-07:00

here they are:

"Fingertip" by Aqualung: If you only know Aqualung for their soothing Brit-pop-ish hit, "Brighter Than Sunshine", you might want to think twice before listening to this one! No, it's not "edgier" than that song (as Aqualung have always been a pretty benign band in my opinion), but it's definitely a lot quirkier! The opening "Doo-doo...doo-doo...doo-doo...doooo's" don't sound like Matt Hales (they are sung by a female from what I can tell). The rest of the song, which Matt does take the lead on, takes on a sort of vibe one might get if Coldplay had a catchier sound and were covering a Ben Folds song, and the lyrics seem to go for a technique that is equal parts surreal and cutesy. Songs like this remind me of what the "indie spirit" is all about - doing whatever you want and having fun with it!

"The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire: If Arcade Fire took on hip-hop, they could just be called the Beck of the early 21st century (but they haven't...yet). So far, though, they've taken on just about everything else, ranging from post-punk ("Neighborhood # 2), U2-ish alt-pop ballads ("Une Anee Sans Lumiere"), anthemic baroque-ish piano-based songs ("Wake Up"), and even Springsteen inspired material ("Keep the Car Running", which The Boss joined in with them on a live version of the song!) Arcade Fire's latest, "The Suburbs", takes on a jaunty honky-tonk sound (which emulates the rhythm of a song released earlier this year, "Heaven Can Wait" by Charlotte Gainsbourg). This could be viewed as a "stripped down" version of what most Arcade Fire songs sound like, since it lacks (or at least doesn't have as much of) the full-on orchestration of most of their other material. But I guess they wanted to go in a "different" direction this time, and who can blame 'em?! Seems like that's what they always do! Looking forward to whatever else they foray into later on!

New songs for May 26th, 2010

2010-05-26T10:36:00.001-07:00

four of 'em - enjoy folks!

"Amongst the Waves" by Pearl Jam: This song seemed like it was long overdue for making its way onto the adult alt. airwaves, as Sirius XM's Spectrum has been playing this one since January. Other stations, however, seemed to have taken until now to catch up with this song. Of the three songs on Pearl Jam's latest CD, "Backspacer", this might just end up being the one I like best if it doesn't receive overkill airplay like the other two ("Just Breathe" and "The Fixer") did. However, it's more than just airplay that makes (or would make?) "Amongst the Waves" better than those songs. It serves as a perfect balance between "The Fixer"'s rough garage rock sound and "Just Breathe"'s gentle folk-rock sound, as a sound that seems to hearken back to classic Pearl Jam songs like "Black" and "Yellow Ledbetter", with its melancholy blues-rock inspired vibe. Here's to hoping "Amongst the Waves" will do well, but hopefully not TOO well on adult alt. stations!

"Call Back" by Truth & Salvage Co.: With both well-established bands like My Morning Jacket, The Hold Steady, and Wilco and newcomers like Alberta Cross and Dawes, it seems like classic rock revivalism is becoming increasingly more common in indie rock (if it can even be called that anymore...) Truth & Salvage Co. are the latest to jump onto this bandwagon with their song, "Call Back". The feel of this song is not only rootsy, but very earthy as well. Add to that its well-produced sound, and it comes off sounding like the typical Joe Walsh-less Eagles song (think "Take It Easy", "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Lyin' Eyes", etc.) Perhaps "alt-country" would be a better way of describing this song than "indie" since that's just how organic (for lack of a better term) this song comes across.

"Fixed" by Stars: Amazingly, this is probably the only song I'm reviewing for this week that DOESN'T have a classic rock-ish feel to it (unless of course you consider Depeche Mode and/or The Cranberries classic rock, which I don't). To give a background to what Stars generally sound like, they often sing chirpy songs with dark subject matter ("Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" is a good example of this). "Fixed" is a departure, both lyrically and musically, from the typical Stars song. Instead of sounding like a somewhat macabre Burt Bacharach type of song, "Fixed" takes on a sound that more suggests, like I pointed out earlier, a cross between Depeche Mode and The Cranberries (with a bit of a Killers sound mixed in there for good measure). Lyrically, the subject matter isn't exactly positive, but it seems to deal with more general subject matter (a crumbling relationship, from what I can tell) than their other songs. This isn't the Stars that I'm used to, but it's still a good song.

"North" by Widespread Panic: In the '90s, there were two major "cult" jam bands - Phish and Widespread Panic. The former could easily be likened to a modern-day Grateful Dead, while the latter typically take on a more Allman Brothers-ish sound. "North", however, seems to trade in the bluesy improv of the typical Widespread Panic song for a more radio-friendly Southern rock sound that is especially evident in many Lynyrd Skynyrd songs. The philosophical lyrics of "North" tend to provide an interesting contrast to its barn-burnin' Southern rock sound (much like how Skynyrd used their typical upbeat bar band sound to disguise the dark nature of "That Smell"). For people hoping for an epic worthy of a song like "That Smell", "Freebird", or "Sweet Home Alabama", you might be a little disappointed in "North" since it's only three and a half minutes long. It does, however, give off the general vibe of such songs (particuarly "Sweet Home Alabama").

new songs for May 12th, 2010

2010-05-12T09:16:00.000-07:00

three of 'em this time. Enjoy!

"Anchor" by Alejandro Escovedo: Alejandro Escovedo is one of those alt-country artists (think Old '97s, early Wilco, etc.) who proudly wears his classic rock influences on his sleeve. His previous single from 2008, "Always A Friend", even had a live version with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band backing him up on it! The follow-up single from his 2008 album, "Sister Lost Soul" was a bit weaker, emotionally, to me, so I didn't know what to expect for Alejandro's latest effort, "Anchor". Thankfully, he has once again cranked up his amp on this one, a la Neil Young! Perhaps Alejandro is one of those musicians whose "electric" songs are actually better. Keep up the good work!

"Bushwick Blues" by Delta Spirit: Yet another band who hasn't made a record since 2008 (it's like 2008 all over again this year!!) Delta Spirit were one of those bands who were indie even AMONG indie audiences. They did manage to score a hit on adult alt. stations that year with the sunny, catchy, '70s pop-rock-styled "Trashcan" (and a modest one with the slightly more indie-leaning "People C'mon"), but they still haven't gotten as much recognition in the indie rock world as much as, say, Spoon, Death Cab for Cutie, Wilco, or even slightly lesser-known bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, for that matter. "Bushwick Blues" has a bit less of a "retro" feel than either of the other two songs I know by Delta Spirit, so hopefully this will make them more well-known to indie audiences. It comes off sounding like a cross between Spoon and The Strokes, and it ends up with a musical flavor that's more unique than either of them!

"I Should Have Known It" by Tom Petty: Is this the year for classic rock comebacks or what?! The Stones and Hendrix have already landed songs on adult alt. (and mainstream rock) radio this year (as has Johnny Cash, though I'm not sure if everyone would count him as "classic rock" - he kinda predates it in my opinion). Petty has managed to, surprisingly, make what could be the most hardest rocking of all these songs with "I Should Have Known It", with its nearly Led Zeppelin-y stomp (not to mention the faster pace and epic guitar soloing at the end of it!) Petty hasn't rocked out this hard since "Runnin' Down A Dream" in '89, and "I Should Have Known It" has more of a juicy, spicy feel than that song. Petty has long been a staple of adult alt. stations, but although this song is no "Free Fallin'" or "I Won't Back Down", they haven't shyed away from this one. With the inclusion of this song and the Stones and Hendrix songs, I'm thinking 2010 will go down in adult alt. radio history as the year such stations got more "edgy"!!

from A to Z

2010-05-05T08:34:00.000-07:00

decided to title my latest entry as such since my first song begins with an "A", and my last song, a "Z". Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of these have only gotten airplay on a couple stations. Shame, since they're all great songs.

"American Slang" by Gaslight Anthem: For a band who was initially labeled "punk", they sure don't sound like it in this song. In fact, they have more of a classic rock vibe, a la Springsteen and Neil Young. This seems to be a trend (albeit a small one) in indie rock lately, as The Hold Steady, Band of Horses, and My Morning Jacket seemed to have all taken on this aesthetic at least once in their careers. "American Slang" also boasts an epic, catchy riff that's instantly memorable upon first hearing it. This song is proof that indie rock doesn't have to be all about weird, random instrumentation. Sometimes it's good to just go back to the basics!

"American Troglodyte" by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim: Unlike the first single off their latest effort ("A Perfect Hand", featuring Steve Earle), this song manages to capture the offbeat-but-catchy vibe of Byrne's unlikely 2008 smash with Brian Eno, "Strange Overtones". The beat (and instruments) aren't the only cool thing about this song, though. The lyrics are also pretty interesting. Beneath its insanely danceable hooks, the ex-Talking Heads frontman sings about disappointed he is with current American culture. Lyrical dissonance doesn't always work, but somehow, in this song, it just seems right!

"Big Jet Plane" by Angus and Julia Stone: I'm mainly including this one since I loved their previous song, "The Beast", so much, that as soon as I heard they had a new record/single out, I just had to hear it! And it's pretty good, though it's got more of an uneasy (yet still melodic) feel to it than the wistful, bittersweet qualities that "The Beast" had. The guitar hook almost makes this sound like one of Radiohead's later efforts (like "I Might Be Wrong", or Thom Yorke's solo song, "Black Swan"), yet the violin (and Julia Stone's vocals) make "Big Jet Plane" distinguishable from such songs. When listening to this song, I don't know whether to call it angst-ridden or sad, since at times it sounds like both, but perhaps that's what makes this song so unique!

"Bloodbuzz Ohio" by The National: Even within the already eclectic world of indie rock, The National are one of those bands who manage to take that eclectic-ness a step further than most indie rock bands (except for possibly Wilco and Beck). They have been influenced by country-rock, contemporary British rock, and power pop ("power pop" would be bands, largely between the '70s and '90s, that sound a lot like The Beatles and The Kinks, often with Beach Boys-esque harmonies), and "Bloodbuzz Ohio" seems to reveal a new facet to their already diverse musical pallet - that of the gothic rock of Joy Division and Nick Cave. Vocally, The National's lead singer even sounds like Joy Division's lead singer, Ian Curtis, on this song. "Bloodbuzz Ohio", in fact, reminds me a great deal of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" for a couple reasons. Both songs are in A major, despite their gloomy sound. They also tend to both have an atmospheric quality with their "walls of sound" (use of multiple instruments that sound orchestral, in a rock and roll kind of way), and they both manage to compensate for their depressing nature with their fast drumbeats (at least to me they do). And, yes, they both have downbeat (and somewhat creepy) lyrics. Yet the non-synthesized keyboards and the almost continual transition in "Bloodbuzz Ohio" from A major to F sharp minor manage to make it distinct from "Love Will Tear Us Apart". Nevertheless, if bands that sound like a cross between Joy Division and Wilco are your thing, then "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is a surefire winner for you!

"Love Me Chase Me" by Carney: Don't be fooled by this song's slow, churning intro. This song's a real kicker from the chorus on up! It almost sounds like a modern-day update on one of the songs from The Beatles' "White Album". Its sound is like pop music that somehow manages to sound somewhat blues-y in its riffs, almost like one of The Raconteurs' songs. The lyrics are a bit simplistic from what I can tell ("if you love me, chase me"), but the riffs are both chunky and pop-y. Who knew the best guitar soloing on this week's list would come from a pop-rock band?! Not me. But I sure am glad someone out there is trying to preserve the sound of good ol' British rock and roll!! ("British" by sound, that is, as I'm not sure if Carney are actually British or not)

"Numbers Don't Lie" by The Mynabirds: I love the "retro" sound of this one! (Though practically all the songs on here have a "retro" sound, so I'll specify in the next few sentences 'bout that). This one has almost a "girl group" sound (a la Phil Spector) to it instrumentally that sounds like Chan Marshall (better known as "Cat Power" to you indie fans!) is taking the lead on vocally. Beneath the chirpiness that the vibe of this song gives off, "Numbers Don't Lie" is actually a very bitter, angst-ridden song lyrically. The chorus pretty much states it all ("Baby if you want to be right, I will let you be right, I will let you be right/You know that the numbers don't lie, you know the numbers don't lie, two wrongs will not make it right"). This technique of blending a happy melody with confrontational/controversial subject matter is nothing new, though (The Shirelles, anyone? "Will you STILL love me tomorrow?" The lyric there is both demanding AND sexual) The Mynabirds are just here to remind us in "Numbers Don't Lie" how to mask a tale of a relationship gone wrong with a harmonious, uplifting melody!

"Zebra" by Beach House: Not since "Zoot Suit Riot" back in '98 has there been a song that begins with the letter "Z" that I've really liked! (and "Zebra" is WAY better, to me). This has got to be one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard! And it doesn't take a minor key melody to do that in this song. "Zebra" is written in G sharp major, but still manages to make me cry on the inside. The word "zebra" isn't mentioned anywhere in the song (though the chorus mentions a "black and white horse", which I think is close enough). It's interesting that color seems to be a theme throughout the song (examples include the opening lyrics "You know you're gold", and "Your love is stag in the white sand"), yet none of these are colors of the rainbow. Perhaps this is symbolic of how beauty can be found in unlikely, seemingly "dull" places. The simplistic but elegant nature of this song is to die for! I highly recommend this one!!

new songs for Apr. 21st, 2010

2010-04-21T10:28:00.000-07:00

here they are!!

"Crash Years" by The New Pornographers - Unlike the previous single from The New Pornographers' most recent album ("Your Hands Together"), this song is a bit more typical of the New Pornographers style. It's melodic, somewhat folk-rock and '60s pop influenced, and is also clever enough to pick up on musical "trends" indie rock songs have had, such as whistling (Don't believe me? Listen to Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks", Andrew Bird's "Fitz And the Dizzyspells", Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros' "Home", and The Black Keys' "Tighten Up" - they ALL have whistling!!) As an added bonus, indie rock songbird Neko Case takes the lead vocals here, giving "Crash Years" an almost Fleetwood Mac-y vibe (much like fellow indie band Rilo Kiley, whose lead singer Jenny Lewis also qualifies, to me, as a modern day Stevie Nicks - musically, not vocally). Like Fleetwood Mac, The New Pornographers consists of both male and female lead vocalists, and the female ones in both bands seem more distinct - they give the bands some flavor. If you prefer hearing more consistently melodic music coming from the New Pornographers (like I do), then give this one a listen!

"I Learned the Hard Way" by Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings: Indie SOUL?! Though such a term hasn't been applied (at least to my knowledge) to any particular musician or band, it oughta!! Especially in the case of Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings whom, despite their Aretha Franklin-ish sound, have received massive praise from both indie fans and indie publications (and some pretty major ones, at that)! Neo-soul is a term that has existed for quite awhile, and probably first became a household name with artists like Macy Gray, and shortly afterwards, Joss Stone. The trend continued in the mid-to-late-2000's with Amy Winehouse, Duffy, and Adele. However, there's something that all five of those musicians have had that Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings haven't yet received - mainstream recognition. I hate to sound like a "music snob", but mainstream recognition for neo-soul musicians almost seems to be a kiss of death, making a once vibrant and unique sound seem more commonplace. Thankfully, Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings are in no such position! The best thing about songs like "I Learned the Hard Way" is that they sound like they really ARE from the '60s - if I hadn't known better I would've thought this was a previously unreleased Aretha Franklin (or some similar artist) track!

"Junebug" by Robert Francis: This song has been out since November 2009, so why has it not gotten recognition by adult alt. stations until now?! This really boggles my mind, especially considering that this truly is a GREAT song!! I've always been a huge Ryan Adams fan, as well as a big Cranberries fan, and this song seems like a combination of the two. "Junebug" OOZES emotional quality of the finest sense, in a wistfully romantic and bittersweet way that still somehow manages to rock (which might explain the comparisons it's gotten by others to U2 and Springsteen). It's one of those songs that makes me "cry on the inside" so to speak, because it's just THAT beautiful and haunting. I think this is the best song I've reviewed for this week, so please check it out if you haven't done so already!!

"Laredo" by Band of Horses: The great thing about Band of Horses is the emotional quality (once again) that just oozes from songs like "Is There A Ghost?", "The Funeral", and (especially) "No One's Gonna Love You". All three of those songs seem to meld Velvet Underground-ish experimentation with "Pet Sounds"-era Beach Boys harmonies. "Laredo" is, well, a little different. It almost sounds like they're trying to be the indie rock version of Creedence Clearwater Revival in this song, so it's definitely not as good as the other three Band of Horses songs I know of. However, though the music might have changed a bit, the harmonies are still the same. Those harmonies just always tug at the heartstrings for me! And plus, BOH could be going for something worse than a CCR vibe (since there are plenty of things that are much worse than Creedence Clearwater Revival, who are a good band, but just not one that I would picture Band of Horses going after stylistically - and no, the lead singer of BOH does NOT sound a THING like John Fogerty on this track - I was referring specifically to the musical style here). Perhaps the other thing worth note about "Laredo" is that it still manages to get in an arpeggiated folk-rock-y guitar pattern a la The Byrds' "My Back Pages", which, it seems, is a surefire way to make a song likable in the indie rock world.

"Plundered My Soul" by The Rolling Stones - Those who are "true fans" of The Stones know that despite the "bad boy" image they cultivated throughout the '60s and '70s that they do have a softer side, be it the bittersweet folk-rock of "Angie" and "Wild Horses", or the heartfelt smooth R & B of "Time Waits For No One" and "Fool to Cry". The Stones continue to show their softer side (well, kind of) on "Plundered My Soul". Musically, it combines country, blues, and R & B like only The Stones can, making it seem like the one track they decided to leave off of "Exile On Main Street". Lyrically, however, "Plundered My Soul" is more along the lines of the sarcastic, cheeky mock-country of "Dead Flowers" than it is the sincere, soulful pop of "Waiting On A Friend" (particularly in the chorus, when Mick says "I f**ed your women for money, but you plundered my soul" - not exactly what I'd call "sincere"). Whether you like the harder or softer side of The Stones more, this should appeal to you if you're a fan of theirs even a little bit.

New songs for Apr. 14th, 2010

2010-04-14T08:39:00.001-07:00

Here they are!!

"Burning the Bowery" by Jesse Malin: Seems like "going electric" has become somewhat a trend among indie-folk-rock artists, particularly those inspired by the one who started it all (a.k.a. Bob Dylan). My Morning Jacket and Ryan Adams have already done so, and Jesse Malin and his band, The St. Marks Social, are the latest to jump on to this bandwagon. It sounds a little like My Morning Jacket's "I'm Amazed", which seemed like their big "going electric" breakthrough, and probably the hardest-rocking MMJ song that I know of. "Burning the Bowery", similarly, has ended up being the hardest-rocking Jesse Malin song I've known of (though perhaps that shouldn't be as surprising to me considering that Jesse got his start in the cleverly named punk band "D Generation"). This might not be the same Jesse Malin as the one in folk-rock-y songs like "Mona Lisa" and "Don't Let 'Em Take You Down", but it's a fun song to rock out to (and jam to) so check it out!

"Change of Time" by Josh Ritter: Unlike Jesse Malin, Josh Ritter has remained loyal to his acoustic roots, and perhaps even more so on this song than most of his other material. The first half of the song is entirely acoustic, and wistfully so, in the manner of the typical Nick Drake song (only slightly more optimistic). Despite the fact that an electric guitar gets added into the mix of instruments during the second half of the song, it still manages to sound like a pleasant, winsome song. Lyrically, "Change of Time" is also interesting, particularly in that in each of the song's three verses, Josh "has a dream" that he describes in great detail that ends up sounding adventurous, as though the listener is listening to a story more than he/she is listening to a song. This is the type of song I oughta write someday - a song that's compelling enough for listeners to get lost in both the music and the lyrics that tells a story!

"Spinning" by Malea McGuiness: Nobody seems to know who Malea McGuiness is so far (even me!!) After listening to "Spinning", however, I feel like people oughta know who Malea McGuiness is. She seems to be filling what has long been a void in adult alt. music (and alt. music in general). Malea takes after that class of female musicians who both rock out and have vocals and lyrics that are expressive enough to deliver poetry through their songs, ranging from Patti Smith, Liz Phair, Alanis Morissette, Chrissie Hynde, and everywhere in between (though Malea seems to add more "traditional" elements such as '70s-style organs in her music). Although musicians like Feist, Regina Spektor, and Joanna Newsom are excellent, charming, clever musicians, their music (for the most part, at least) is rather benign and gentle in comparison to people like Smith, Phair, Morissette, and Hynde. Malea McGuiness seems like she might just be next on the bandwagon of artists who seemed to have gone either missing, underrated, or changed in format (in the case of Phair and Morissette in particular) in the 2000's. Girl rockers might just finally be makin' a comeback - let's hear it for them!!

EXTRA BONUS FUN TIME!!! I almost forgot - since I reviewed The Black Keys' "Tighten Up" last week (or, rather, 2 weeks ago) and talked about its hilarious music video, I thought y'all might want a link to the video...so here it is!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNXwicxlsvI

Enjoy!! Oh and please feel free to comment on it! :)

I'm ba-ack!! With EIGHT new entries!!!!

2010-03-31T10:28:00.000-07:00

You heard right, folks - EIGHT new entries!!! Quite a bit to make up for my absence last week. So here goes!!

"Horchata" by Vampire Weekend: Honestly, this one should have been reviewed about a month ago when adult alt. stations started to spin this one, but it took me awhile to realize just how awesome this song (and band) is! I love the tropical vibe that songs like this (and VW's 2008 hit, "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa") give off! Sounds almost like Ray Davies from the Kinks fronting Paul Simon's backing band from the '70s and '80s. I have no idea what "Horchata" is (from the lyrical context, an alcoholic beverage - "In the summer drinking Horchata"). Bottom line, this song makes me smile and makes me want to jump into a pool and cool off from the heat of the sun. A song this fun really should have been reviewed by me the moment it started getting attention, but at least I've reviewed it now!

"Hurricane J" by The Hold Steady: I've only heard one other song by this band (2008's Springsteen-meets-Wallflowers-ish "Sequestered In Memphis"), but MAN, this song ROCKS!! The Hold Steady seem to have abandoned their bar band schtick they had in "Sequestered", and gone more for a crowd-heavy, somewhat "Americanized" U2 type of sound. The Hold Steady could sell out arenas with this one, it's THAT good!! "Hurricane J" has just the right sound for an encore number in a rock concert (and if it gets popular enough, "Guitar Hero" and "Rock Band" oughta feature this song!!) It's official, folks - rock 'n' roll is here to stay with this song!! Long live rock!!

"Run" by Vampire Weekend: This song almost sounds like a sequel to VW's 2008 song, "Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa". Both songs have a uniquely swaying reggae-influenced rhythm, and are also both in the key of D major. The main difference between the two songs (besides the lyrics)? "Run" features a mariachi band! Pretty cool if you ask me! "Run" also seems to bear more of a rhythmical resemblance to Paul Simon's "Late In the Evening" (VW seem to be pretty huge Paul Simon fans!) The band Vampire Weekend remind me of the most is probably The Police, in that they both combine reggae rhythms/guitar riffs with eclectic instrumentation. If you're a Police and/or Paul Simon fan, chances are you'll enjoy this one!

"Shake Me Like A Monkey" by The Dave Matthews Band: Songs like this one and "Why I Am" (from the same album, "Big Whiskey And the Groogrux King") make me think that DMB were aware of their reputation of being a "softer" rock band, so they decided to amp things up a bit on both of those songs. "Shake Me Like A Monkey" seems to almost dive into Red Hot Chili Peppers-ish territory. It's not as heavy as the typical RHCP song, but it does maintain the funkiness, groovy staccato guitar/bass riffs, and wild 'n' crazy fun of the typical RHCP song. There are even lyrical tongue twisters in the middle of the verses (my personal fave: "I like my coffee with toast and jelly, but I'd rather be licked from my back to my belly") to go with the manic energy of this song. All that being said, this is a fun song to both rock out to and get up and groove to!

"The Rain" by The Swell Season: Another song from the actor and actress of the beloved indie flick "Once". Having heard three songs off their latest album, "Strict Joy", it seems like Glen and Marketa wanted to go more for the more "mixed instruments" sound of '60s folk-rock than the more stark, acoustic sounds of Cat Stevens and Nick Drake that they went for on the "Once" songs. One thing they've managed to maintain from those songs that they've brought into their latest material is a sentimental, wistful quality. I love how this song starts out entirely acoustic, and in a minor key at that. Perhaps Glen and Marketa weren't aware that the chord sequence in this song is similar to "The Beast" by fellow indie-folk-rock duo Angus and Julia Stone, but it's still a nice song to listen to, especially on a rainy day (which, of course, is apt to the title).

"Tighten Up" by The Black Keys: I love the "happy psychedelic" sound on this one. It's the kind of sound that I think would be likely to be featured on a car commercial (or perhaps even another James Bond spoof, a la "Austin Powers"). What takes the cake for this song, however, is the video. It's hilarious!! Jim Henson would be proud, since the entire video is a PUPPET DINOSAUR singing along to the song!! Sounds like the kind of thing that would be quirky enough to be featured in a '70s or '80s episode of "Sesame Street" (who were also quite psychedelia influenced back in those days). Somebody call the folks who did "Avenue Q" and tell 'em to watch the video for The Black Keys' "Tighten Up"!! It's a hoot!

"Vaporize" by Broken Bells: Not that "The High Road" (the previous hit from this band) was bad, 'cuz it wasn't, but this song just sounds more fitting for a band whose lead singer is James Mercer from The Shins. It sounds kinda like The Beatles (a huge influence on The Shins). Much like The Black Keys' "Tighten Up" (see above), "Vaporize" also takes a foray into '60s psychedelia. It takes a Beatlesque approach instrumentally by adding in "unexpected" instruments such as organs and muted trumpets. "Sgt. Pepper" fans, rejoice! Speaking of which, "Vaporize" seems like it'd feel right at home on that album.

"Your Hands (Together)" by The New Pornographers: If any of you have heard of the classical composer Haydn's "Surprise Symphony", this song is like the rock and roll reincarnate version. It starts out melodic and happy like the typical New Pornographers song, but right in the middle of each line is a crunchy, loud "DA-NA-NA-NA-NA!!" guitar sound that sounds more like it'd fit in a Black Sabbath song than a New Pornographers song. If you're ever feeling like you just don't want to get up in the morning, put this song on. It's BOUND to make you wake up and smell the coffee!!

New songs for Mar. 17, 2010

2010-03-17T09:57:00.000-07:00

Here they are. Enjoy, folks:

"A Perfect Hand" by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim (with Steve Earle on the vocals):

David Byrne and Fatboy Slim I could see doing something together, but Steve Earle?! Doesn't seem to be in quite the same caliber, but he makes it work in this song! Unlike Byrne's unlikely 2008 smash with Brian Eno, "Strange Overtones", this one moves away from the Modest Mouse-y territory and goes more toward a gentle, even-keeled sound that sounds suitable enough for Steve Earle. Byrne is not heard anywhere in the vocals, it's just Steve Earle, but like I said, he makes it work here! Typically, the only Steve Earle I'd really go for is his late '80s hit, "Copperhead Road", but this one's good too, though perhaps that's mainly due to the fact that David Byrne is (instrumentally?) featured on this track. Well, it's unique to say the least!

"Norway" by Beach House:

Don't be fooled by the name "Beach House", this isn't happy, upbeat music. It's more like dreamy, trance-y music with that arpeggiated folk-rock guitar sound that seems to have become commonplace in indie rock these days. The lyrics are disjointed enough to be as trippy as the song itself is (and furthermore, the title - mentioned in the one-word chorus - seems even less relevant to the song than the rest of it, lyrically). But the simultaneous trippiness and dreamlike quality this song provides make it a winner for me!

"Stranger" by Dr. Dog:

Unlike the previous song mentioned here, this song IS happy and upbeat! It almost sounds like a song from the '60s with its uptempo beat and brass instruments mingling with its somewhat psychedelic guitar sounds. Lyrically it's a bit hard to tell whether or not this song is sincere, particularly in the chorus ("I do believe/That there's no more tricks up my sleeve/The good old days have past/And the good times after that/And slowly I become undone/A stranger with a strange act"). Perhaps they're not meant to be sincere or insincere, but just quirky. If that's so, this is another surefire winner for me from the indie rock world!

5 newbies!!

2010-03-10T09:28:00.000-08:00

This week was a great week for new releases!! Here they are!

"Good Morning (The Future)" by Rogue Wave:

Gone are the days of the Rogue Wave with the hauntingly beautiful folk-rock tunes (like "Lake Michigan" and "Chicago X12"). However, this does not mean I dislike "Good Morning". In fact it kinda seems like Rogue Wave have taken a queue from Phoenix in terms of the way this song sounds, in that it combines techno-influenced guitar hooks with lush harmonies and melodies. Much like how "Lake Michigan" was an environmental lament, "Good Morning (The Future)" seems to be a lament on how screwed up life has become for some of us, like the main hook of the song says ("the future...isn't what it used to be").

"Sweet Disposition" by The Temper Trap:

Someone listen to this song and tell me they DON'T hear U2's "Where the Streets Have No Name" in it!! The main hook is practically the same except it's played on a lower fret. "Sweet Disposition" and The Airborne Toxic Event's "Sometime Around Midnight" could go head to head in a musical battle for which song sounds the most like "Where the Streets Have No Name", and "Sweet Disposition" would win, hands down!! But wait! This does not mean I dislike "Sweet Disposition". For one of the many alt and indie bands to follow in U2's footsteps, The Temper Trap are actually pretty sincere and heartfelt compared to some bands (*cough cough, Coldplay, cough cough*). "Sweet Disposition" is able to do something to me that most Coldplay songs (from their sophomore album on) can't do to me - it's one of those songs that takes me into a different world when I hear it. And that is what good music is all about!

"Swim Until You Can't See Land" by Frightened Rabbit:

This is probably my fave out of all five of the songs I'm reviewing for this week! When I first heard this song a couple days ago, I instantly fell in love with it! I barely know the lyrics (currently), but sometimes all it takes is an honest, heartfelt melody and harmony for me to find that central quality in a song I always look for. The guitar riffs are echoic of both The Byrds and Nick Drake, and I love how melancholy, but still innocent, both of them sound. Frightened Rabbit have preserved that '60s folk-rock sound pretty well for "Swim Until You Can't See Land", which makes it a surefire winner for me!! From what little I know of the lyrics (the chorus), "Swim Until You Can't See Land" seems like it's about perseverance, which only adds to how much I love this song. Please check this one out if you don't check out any of the others, it's an instant classic!

"The Mystery Zone" by Spoon:

With a name like "Spoon" it's gotta be quirky! And this song is just that. The guitar echoes with each riff that is played (including the brief but worthy guitar solo of the song), and the drums consistently hit on the "3" of the "1, 2, 3, 4" time signature each time. And what exactly IS this "Mystery Zone" they keep mentioning?! My best guess is that it's exactly what it sounds like, a state of confusion (as mentioned, or at least hinted at, in the lyrics, "How come it feels so familiar when you've never been there?") Existential lyrics with a danceable beat? Sounds like a rip-roarin' good time to me!!

"You Must Be Out of Your Mind" by The Magnetic Fields:

This one hasn't gained as much airplay as the other four, but I thought I'd review it anyway since at least three adult alt. stations I know of have added it to their playlist (and also 'cuz it's such a good song!) I had actually known of The Magnetic Fields for quite a long time, and they seem like one of the few bands in the indie crop whose unique brand of folk-rock is more folk than it is rock. "You Must Be Out of Your Mind" continues in that tradition, and it adds in stringed instruments (like the violin), perhaps to make it sound even more like it belongs in another decade. Pretty much every Magnetic Fields song seems to sound more suited to the '60s or early '70s than it does to the 2000's or 2010's. "You Must Be Out of Your Mind" also carries on the lyrical tradition of satire meets sincerity that The Magnetic Fields other songs have had (like "All My Little Words", for instance). Unlike "All My Little Words", however, "You Must Be Out of Your Mind" seems a bit MORE focused on the satirical element. It has a bittersweet melody coupled with a sarcastic chorus ("You think you can leave the past behind/You must be out of your mind"). But musical quirks like these are the reason I love bands like Magnetic Fields, so I strongly suggest that all you irony-lovers out there give this one a good listen!

again, just two songs - but they're good ones

2010-03-03T09:09:00.001-08:00

This time around, from Pete Yorn and Greg Laswell. Enjoy!

"Paradise Cove" by Pete Yorn: This song captures all that I love about most of Pete Yorn's material! It features lovely harmony, folk-rock influenced instrumentation, and a wistful, somewhat bittersweet melody. Funny how in the chorus, Yorn keeps repeating, "I got what I wanted and it wasn't enough". This IS enough for me! Love this song! Though I can't help but feel like musically it's basically a cross between Death Cab for Cutie's "Soul Meets Body" and Guster's "Satellite". But I love both of those songs, too, so this is worth checking out!

"Take Everything" by Greg Laswell: This one is off of Laswell's "Covers" CD (which features a cover of the song "The Killing Moon" by Echo and The Bunnymen, among others). So I was surprised to learn that this was a song that was originally done by '90s one hit wonders Mazzy Star (best known for "Fade Into You"). After listening to Laswell's version, I decided to take a listen to the original since I had never heard it before. I must say, I like the original a lot better! However, Laswell's stab at this song isn't bad. It retains (or at least tries to) the melancholy vibe of the original in a way that bands like Snow Patrol or Radiohead might do (and I love both of those bands!) But, surprisingly, the original is only melancholy for the first half. It uses an electric guitar to pick up the slack towards the middle and carries on through the end (it made the original sound a little like "What's Up?" by fellow '90s one hit wonders, 4 Non Blondes). However, Laswell's version is entirely acoustic (and about a minute shorter, too). So if you wanna check out Mazzy Star's version of this song, please do so! But it's worth checking out this version, too (though I highly recommend hearing the original first).

Sorry folks - only two for this week

2010-02-24T09:42:00.000-08:00

Well, I figured two was better than nothin'. So here goes:

"New Morning" by Alpha Rev: Nothing like a bittersweet, melancholy indie-pop/rock song to get me in the right kinda mood. And Alpha Rev delivers this well with their latest, "New Morning". This seems to evoke a sound similar to Radiohead (circa "The Bends"), Jeff Buckley, and Coldplay (back when they debuted in 2000 with "Parachutes"). It is a very earnest, winsome song, in such a way that although I don't know the lyrics well enough yet, it has already won me over!

"The Bringdown" by Bob Schneider: Not quite a "new" song, since it's been gaining airplay on the radio for a good two or so weeks now, but since I haven't reviewed it yet, I figured that now would be a good time to do so. It's a good song, but it pales deeply in comparison to Schneider's previous adult alt. radio hit, "40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet)". Where "40 Dogs" was earnest, catchy, and lyrically clever, "The Bringdown" seems to live up to its title - it's more watered down. Like I said, it's not a bad song, but I'm pretty sure Schneider could do better than this.

New songs for Feb. 17th

2010-02-17T10:05:00.000-08:00

Got 5 new ones just waitin' to be reviewed!! And here they are:

"Ain't No Grave" by Johnny Cash: Yes, it's another Johnny Cash cover song released after his death. This one's a little different than the others that have been released since "Hurt", in that it's a traditional folk song, rather than an alternative rock song, that is being covered. It really makes me wonder just how many songs Cash recorded in the double zeroes. Oh well, it's still a good song.

"Beat the Devil's Tattoo" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: It's interesting how ever since BRMC broke through with "Shuffle Your Feet" and "Ain't No Easy Way" back in 2004, all their songs since have sounded like an attempt to mix The White Stripes with acoustic blues. Supposedly, that's not the way they sounded before those songs came out (though I don't know this for sure). But "Beat the Devil's Tattoo" continues in the tradition of mixing The White Stripes with acoustic blues. I like the primal rhythm in this song 'cause it kinda reminds me of "Wild Thing" by The Troggs. Perhaps BRMC have been listening to The Raconteurs, since "Beat the Devil's Tattoo" starts out (vaguely) acoustic, and then picks up with an electric guitar backing it up in the middle - much like The Raconteurs' "Old Enough" and "Top Yourself"

"In the Sun" by She And Him: You know I love my Zooey Deschanel!! And she's back (with M. Ward) with a new song. I have only heard one other song from this dynamic duo, "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" and this one sounds significantly different. In "...Stay Here", Zooey went for an old-fashioned sound that almost sounded like it belonged in another decade - like a very happy, piano-based country-rock sound. Zooey gets her indie on, so to speak, in "In the Sun" (not to be confused with the poignant Joseph Arthur song of the same name). It's still bright, happy, and toe-tapping, like "...Stay Here", but it uses more instruments and production techniques that make it sound more like sunshiny indie-pop a la "Silver Lining" by Rilo Kiley. That being said, "In the Sun" is probably the one I like less out of the two songs I've heard from She And Him, but it's still worth checking out!

"Lisztomania" by Phoenix: If you've heard Phoenix's other big song, the mega-hit, "1901", you probably know one thing about Phoenix - they love making rhythmic music! "Lisztomania" picks up where "1901" left off. Instead of having techno inspired beats and a chunky guitar sound like "1901" did, "Lisztomania" has a more happy, toe-tapping sound, a looser guitar sound, and a tinkly piano sound added in for good measure. Interestingly, both songs are in the key of C major, though "Lisztomania" is consistent about this, whereas "1901" had A minor verses with a C major chorus. It's interesting to compare the two songs, since they are the only two so far I've heard by Phoenix, but the diversity of influence between the two songs proves what a talented band Phoenix are! So I highly recommend checking "Lisztomania" out, if you haven't already!

"Valleys of Neptune" by Jimi Hendrix: Interesting that both the song I began with AND ended with this time are "undiscovered" releases by dead rock stars! I almost held off on this one (it actually debuted last week), because it's just so darn weird having a Hendrix song on so many adult alt. stations. Guess there's a ringer every year, though (last year's was Depeche Mode's "Wrong", which also came out around February). Not that I have anything against Hendrix (after all, classic rock was my main musical love before I discovered adult alt. music), but most of his material seems a bit too heavy to be included on most adult alt. stations. What's even more perplexing is that "Valleys of Neptune" is no "Wind Cries Mary" or "Castles Made of Sand" - it sounds a bit more like a "faster" Hendrix track, like "Crosstown Traffic". Perhaps the stations that are playing this want to move beyond their standard fare of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam to show that they also have equal respect for those who influenced them. Could a new Led Zeppelin or Who track be far behind?!?

New songs - Wednesday Feb. 10th, 2010 (sorry it's a day late folks...)

2010-02-11T19:35:00.000-08:00

Hiya!! I decided it would be a better idea if I just reviewed the songs I liked - I'd be guaranteed to find at least one per week (at least I hope so). Anyway, since the chances of me finding a couple new faves per week seems more likely to happen than to find songs suitable for my reviewing on the Adult Alt. Top 20 at least once per week, I thought I'd change my focus a bit. Not to worry, though, I'll still be sticking to reviewing the same type o' songs. So here goes!! Also, before I begin, I realize that about half these songs came out the week before last, but I thought I'd give my opinion on 'em anyway:

"Dear God (Sincerely M.O.F.)" by Monsters of Folk - The alumni of My Morning Jacket and Bright Eyes have done it again! Unlike the Traveling Wilburys-ish first single, "Say Please", this one seems to have a bit more of a trip-hop influence (with some nice, lush string arrangement added in!) Lyrically, it seems like a more positive, less confrontational version of the similarly titled "Dear God" by XTC. Only instead of questioning and denouncing a belief in God, like XTC did, this song seems more fit for those who think God exists, but who just don't understand why He allows people to suffer. Kudos to the stations who have chosen this as the second Monsters of Folk single - it's a nice choice!!

"Lay There And Hate Me" by Ben Harper - Ben continues to show his diversity with this sultry funk-'n'-blues track. His backup band for his latest record, The Relentless 7, is pretty aptly named considering that that's how they seem to be in pursuing both musical talent and musical diversity - relentless!! In "White Lies For Dark Times", they've gone through Led Zeppelin-esque hard rock ("Shimmer And Shine"), tender folk-rock-y ballads ("Fly One Time"), and now, Ben Harper's funky side comes out on this song. Just like on the other two songs that became "hits" off of "White Lies For Dark Times", Ben pours all his heart and soul out into the lyrics when he sings them! Looking forward to knowing if anything else off the album will be up for grabs sometime later this year.

"Set the Fire to the Third Bar" by Snow Patrol (w/Martha Wainwright on backing vocals)-
This is actually NOT a new song (it came out back in 2006), but I guess now that Snow Patrol put out a "best of" collection and included this song as one of the songs, adult alt. stations are finally starting to pick up on how poignant this song is. Personally, I would have preferred "An Olive Grove Facing the Sea" (truly one of THE most beautiful songs I've ever heard - and that's not just counting Snow Patrol songs) to be the next single off the album, but this song's pretty cool, too. In addition to the sincerity of (lead singer) Gary Lightbody's vocals and lyrics, it also has very moving chords (perhaps because they are all major 7ths - those are the melodic 7 chords, not the "bluesy" ones), and Martha Wainwright's vocals sound beautiful and harmonize excellently with Gary Lightbody's. If only ALL of Snow Patrol's "softer" songs could be like this...

"Song Away" by Hockey: What kind of a name for a band is HOCKEY?!? Oh well, no matter - "Song Away" is still a cool song. Musically, it seems very derivative of The Killers (and a bit of the mid-2000's power pop band, Rooney), but the lead singer of Hockey's vocals seem more uneven and Dylanesque than the more straight, melodic vocals of Brandon Flowers from The Killers. Hockey's lead vocalist even "sing-speaks" the parts right before the chorus as though he WAS Bob Dylan - perhaps its even a lyrical satire on Dylan, since he keeps saying "This is (fill in random word here) music" throughout those parts of the song (my fave line - "This ain't no Roxy Music" - not that I have anything against Roxy Music, in fact I love what I've heard of theirs, but I like the line because of the potential pun involving the word "music"). All that being said, this is a pretty quirky song - so check it out!!

"Summer Is the Champion" by Laura Veirs: I was pretty excited when I heard Laura Veirs was gonna release a new album for 2010 since I loved her 2005 song, "Galaxies". It was really unique, even among the already (mostly) unique indie rock/pop categorization, because it had weird lyrics and a spaced-out (but endearing) sound. Laura continues to show what a quirky little girl (bonus points for those who get the reference) she is on her latest album, "July Flame", which I have already heard two songs off of, and this is one of them. It's kinda like Feist's "1234" meets Van Morrison's "Moondance", done with a Burt Bacharach-ish instrumental arrangement. A very charming mix of influences if you ask me. It's just too bad that so far only one station I know of (Sirius XM's The Spectrum) has bothered to play this. Oh well. Maybe soon more stations will play this one.

"Wide-Eyed, Legless" by Laura Veirs: Another example of Ms. Veirs' cutesy but cryptic brand of folk-rock. This one is a bit more melancholy than the above, but in a very sweet, precious sort of manner. The creepy, death-related lyrics create somewhat a lyrical dissonance in comparison with the bouncy (but minor key) melody and rhythm of the song. I guess sometimes the musical mood of a song can compensate for the lyrical mood of a song, and this is one of those times. I know I didn't give this one as lengthy a review as the one above, but it's pretty cool, so check it out!