New songs for January 6th, 2021

 Happy New Year, everyone! At least I HOPE it'll be a happy one...maybe I should just wish everyone a good New Year instead?! Haha. Anyway, here are the first five songs I've chosen to review in 2021. Enjoy!

"Find My Way" by Paul McCartney: Let's start this year off optimistically, shall we?! Does anything embody the spirit of optimism better than the sunny, melodic music of ex-Beatle, Paul McCartney? Well, I dunno, but I'd say it's hard to top! McCartney, who is now two years shy of 80, continues to make sweet and spirited music well into his later years with "Find My Way." The song is a message of hope with an upbeat sound that comes off, not surprisingly, like what a 21st century Beatles song might have sounded like if they stuck around that long.

"Plastic Beach" by Future Islands: Like "For Sure" from last year, "Plastic Beach" is yet another Future Islands song where the title doesn't appear in the song. The song's energetic yet minor key sound gives "Plastic Beach" an element of mystery that separates it from other Future Islands songs, and it's also the first song I've heard of theirs that isn't in B flat or F, opting instead for C sharp minor. These surprisingly dark elements all seem to fit the lyrics of the song, which is about regret. "I spent a lifetime in the mirror, picking apart what I couldn't change," Sam Herring sings in both the second and third verse of the song. Trying to avoid change when change is inevitable. Yeah...I've been there.

"Redemption" by Nathaniel Rateliff: How Nathaniel Rateliff went from spirited, feisty blue-eyed soul performer to moody country-rocker is anyone's guess, but the latter sound appeared on both of Nathaniel's singles from last year, "And It's Still Alright," and "Time Stands." With "Redemption," Nathaniel goes for the moody country-rock sound yet again (albeit with an electric guitar solo in the middle). As one might infer from the title of the song, "Redemption" is a bittersweet song about wanting to be free from a world that holds you back. This is what we all need from the surprising debacle that was last year! A very timely release, if I do say so myself!

"The Only Thing" by Travis (featuring Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles): After her career with '80s pop sensations, The Bangles, Susanna Hoffs went on to do a few albums of cover songs with '90s power pop master, Matthew Sweet. Fitting to Susanna's (and Matthew's) musical roots, a lot of those cover songs had a jangle-pop vibe similar to groups like The Byrds and Big Star. "The Only Thing" is not a cover song, and its moody, bittersweet flavor seems much closer to the melancholy folk-y Britpop of Travis than it does to the more high-energy vibe of The Bangles. Not a lot of people would probably peg Travis' Fran Healy as being a Bangles fan, but perhaps he was if he enlisted Susanna's help in this song for backing vocals. The song is mostly a typical "love gone lost" song, although the second verse contains memorably quirky lines like, "you are the record in the record shop nobody wants to buy," and a line after that that cleverly makes use of both "metaphor" and "meta for." 

"Trick to Happy" by Bahamas: Bahamas previous single, "Own Alone," was the happiest Bahamas song that I'd ever heard! "Trick to Happy"? Well...not as happy...but still mellow, in typical Bahamas fashion. "Trick to Happy" is not about BEING happy, but instead about asking if there's a "trick" to being happy. What does that even mean? Is Afie trying to imply that happiness doesn't just come naturally, and that you have to work for it to get it?! Bahamas have always been a fun and catchy band to listen to, but in "Trick to Happy," they show lyrical prowess as well! 

New songs for August 26th, 2020

 here they are:

"Be An Astronaut" by Declan McKenna: Be an astronaut?! Ummm...sure! Why not?! I always wanted to be one when I was little! Declan McKenna's third adult alt radio single to date actually differs significantly from his previous two in a few ways. Both the atmospheric piano-pop sound and outer space lyrical theme seems to have been inspired rock songs from the early '70s about similar topics, most notably David Bowie's "Life On Mars?" and Elton John's "Rocket Man". Piano-pop is not a sound Declan has covered before, but he seems to be doing a good job at it so far, throwing a bit of influence from Queen's Brian May during the surprise guitar solo in the middle of "Be An Astronaut." Being an astronaut seems to be the final fate of the song's character, as narrator Declan states that this character will "do that or die trying." British rock hasn't had this much grandeur or sci-fi exploration for quite a long time, so it is refreshing to hear a song like this one!

"Identical" by Phoenix: This song has been getting a lot of buzz lately around the alt and adult alt communities for a few reasons. First of all, it's Phoenix! Ever since they broke through to the mainstream with "1901" back in 2009, it seems like everything they've done since has been major news, and this is no exception! The other reason, though, is because Phoenix's latest song, "Identical", is part of the soundtrack to the Sofia Coppola directed Bill Murray dramedy film, "On the Rocks." The combo of Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray working on the same project would not sound out of place in a Wes Anderson film. Phoenix have tackled quirky '60s-ish pop before, like their cover of The Beach Boys' "Alone On Christmas Day", so a Wes Anderson style SONG could have worked here as well. However, Phoenix have opted for their usual electro-pop sound on "Identical". The lyrics of "Identical" seem to be a "word salad" of sorts, like most of Phoenix's material, so it might be worth noting that the key of this song is D major, as opposed to the usual F major and C major tunes Phoenix have done.

"Own Alone" by Bahamas: For a group (or rather, a one-man band) named for an island, Bahamas typically have a chill, tropical vibe to their music. The guitar in "Own Alone" suggests this tropical sound, but its beat is far more zippy and almost ska-like in comparison to most of Bahamas' other material. The song chorus is interestingly contradictory (perhaps on purpose), with the lyrics, "I'm on my own, but I'm not alone." This lyric lends itself to many interpretations. My best guess would be that it means that the lead singer is facing something by himself, but he still has other people to back him up on whatever his quest is, which isn't made too clear in the context of the song. What really makes this song stand out, though, is the ace guitar playing, lasting about a minute long and more complex and freewheeling than Bahamas' other material!


"Video Game" by Sufjan Stevens: Though this song starts out with synth-y music that wouldn't be out of place in an actual video game, eclectic indie-folk star, Sufjan Stevens, is merely using the term "video game" as a metaphor here. Specifically, he is viewing collective contemporary society as a "gamer" that controls his every move. He is reflecting here on how we have become a society dependent upon the approval of others, when we should really just be our own people and do our own things. Sufjan, being a Christian, uses a few Christian metaphors in this song, even starting the song with the lyrics, "I don't wanna be your personal Jesus", using a phrase popularized by synth-rock group, Depeche Mode. He also uses phrases like "believer" and "redeemer", both referring here to himself and who he wants to be in his life. Perhaps that means God is a gamer?! Sounds like a Far Side comic strip in the making to me! 

New songs for May 30th 2018

here they are:


"Happy Man" by Jungle: This is not the first time Jungle have had a hit, but it is the first time that adult alt radio stations are starting to take notice of them. The British alt-dance septet create synthetic funk for the modern age with their latest song, "Happy Man". This track is an interesting one, with philosophical lyrics questioning whether "living the dream" is really worth it in the end. Also, although the song is called "Happy Man", the opening lyrics are, "I'm a troubled man". The narrator wants to FIND happiness, in spite of what the title indicates.


"No Expectations" by Bahamas: Accidental pregnancy was a common subject for rock and alternative songs of the 1990's. "The Freshmen" by The Verve Pipe, "Slide" by The Goo Goo Dolls, and "Brick" by Ben Folds Five all revolved around the subject. The topic hasn't been near as popular since then, but it seems like Bahamas are attempting to bring it back with "No Expectations". The narrator of this song seems to want to lure his lover back into his life, but she feels like she's made a mistake with him. Though it's not entirely clear whether this song is actually about unplanned pregnancy, there are hints to it in lyrics like, "A life that's worth livin' is just some mouth to feed", and "you carried a baby". Bahamas' lead singer follows up the latter with the phrase, "that baby was me", which is a bit of a weird lyric, but he then follows that up with, "I'm carrying a baby. One you'll never mean." The bite and sting of alternative rock from the '90s is nowhere near what this song sounds like, but there does appear to be similarity between the lyrics of such songs and this one.


"Soul No. 5" by Caroline Rose: Most of Caroline Rose's songs are country-rock, but not this one! "Soul No. 5" combines sassy attitude, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and catchy indie rock beats made fresh for the late 2010's! There is no "number 5" mentioned anywhere in the lyrics, and it's also the only song of hers with the word "soul" in the title so far, so the number tacked on to the end of the title doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Caroline's caustic yet kooky delivery of the song helps to compensate for its odd title, though. The innuendo within some of the lyrics (which, might I add, is not very subtle) is sung in such a spoiled yet silly manner that you can't help but sing along with it!

First new songs of 2018

Actually these are pretty much all leftover from late 2017, but better late than never, right? Here goes:


"Creature Comfort" by Arcade Fire: First The Killers jumped onto the anti-sexual abuse bandwagon with "Run For Cover", and now Arcade Fire have issued a statement in defense of sexual abuse survivors with their latest song, "Creature Comfort". A key line in this song is, "Some boys get too much. Too much love, too much touch", and another is "some girls hate their bodies, stand in the mirror, and wait for feedback", taking the issue from both a male and female point of view. "All in all, I don't know if I want it" is another line in the song that is important to consider. AF have definitely taken on some serious issues in 2017, which started with the current state of politics in the surprisingly dark, "I Give You Power", and has extended into more personal issues with "Creature Comfort". When the going gets tough, the tough get going!


"Way With Words" by Bahamas: Could it be?! The Bahamas are no longer just a secret among indie fans?! Apparently, if Taylor Swift knows about 'em, they're no longer relegated to just a quirky, left-of-center audience! However, their music still sounds just as odd. Well, kind of. "Way With Words" sounds like The Police filtered through an indie-pop lens, with its swaying, reggae inspired groove. Perhaps it was because of Taylor Swift spreading the word about this song online that this song was streamed millions of times in just two weeks, but Bahamas still sounds just as chill and groovy as ever. They haven't changed their sound, as far as I can tell.


"World Gone Mad" by Bastille: Bastille's latest songs, such as "Good Grief", have noticeably more guitar than the songs on their debut. "World Gone Mad" is yet another first for the band, as it not only contains a guitar, but an acoustic guitar! The guitar quickly becomes obscured by a string section within the first minute, but that's not necessarily a bad thing here, since it makes for what is quite possibly the most poignant song in Bastille's catalog so far, which is mostly danceable alterna-pop, like "Pompeii". As you can probably tell from the title alone, "World Gone Mad" is a dark song, but it is more sad than it is scary or mean.

New music FRIDAY (for the day after Thanksgiving)

Would have done my usual Wednesday post, but I was busy then. So here are six songs for the days before December. Hope you enjoy 'em!


"All the Time" by Bahamas: The newest album from indie-pop musicians, Bahamas, has been out since July of this year. I would have thought that their funky, catchy, soulful song, "Stronger Than That" would have been a hit on adult alt stations across the country, but only a few picked it up. I guess sometimes featuring your songs on commercials really does help, as this is what has happened to Bahamas' latest tune, "All the Time", this month. It was featured on a phone commercial. Although not nearly as catchy as "Stronger Than That", "All the Time" certainly has its reasons for being appealing. Perhaps the combination of folky acoustic guitar, lively brass instruments, quirky keyboard sounds, and its 1970's style electric guitars in the song have won people over, as that is a pretty unique mixture of sounds. Almost like The Black Keys' "Little Black Submarines" if the song was a bit slower and had its electric and acoustic guitar sections working together instead of as separate parts.


"Earthquake Driver" by Counting Crows: Steely Dan's famous guitar riffing in "Reelin' In the Years" seems to have become a hipster favorite over the years, what with everyone from hipster prototypes like Nick Lowe (in "So It Goes") to more recent definers of hipster-dom like Stephen Malkmus ("Gardenia") having used it in their songs. Counting Crows might not be what you would call a "hipster" band, but they do take after indie rock legends like Big Star and R.E.M., so I suppose they kinda count. The Crows' latest song, "Earthquake Driver", has a similar rhythm to "Reelin' In the Years", but it also has the country-rock twang of groups like The Old 97's. Adam Duritz and co seem to be trying hard to create more of an "indie" image for themselves, lyrically, on their latest album, with their abstract, seemingly out of context choice of words like "I was born a little north of Disney Land, somewhere under Wonderland and Hollywood", and "I want to be an earthquake driver/I want to be an aquarium diver". Huh?!


"Every Breaking Wave" by U2: Has U2 now taken to ripping off their own material?! The beginning of this song sounds awfully similar to "With Or Without You"! Thankfully, it starts to sound more original by the time the chorus comes around. Where "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" was (fittingly) straight up rock and roll, "Every Breaking Wave" sounds more characteristic of what you might be likely to hear from a band like The Killers, Snow Patrol, or Coldplay. Lyrically, "Every Breaking Wave" does not have as much substance or meaning as "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)", but musically, it does sound more refreshing, and more characteristic of a classic U2 song.


"Inside Out" by Spoon: I am now convinced there is no such thing as a Spoon song that isn't catchy and clever! They never fail to please me in either aspect! Their latest song, "Inside Out", continues in that direction. Though nowhere near as catchy as their summer smash, "Do You?", "Inside Out" still manages to have a memorable rhythm and sound. The hypnotic ambiance of the synthesizer at the beginning just draws you in, before the other instruments start making their entrance and giving the song more form. The song retains its initial trance-y vibe throughout, but it's still something you can tap your toes to. "Time's gone inside out", Britt Daniels sings during the opening of the song. The fresh but mysterious sound of the song certainly fits with those lyrics!


"The River" by Son Little: And you thought Gary Clark Jr. was reviving blues-rock for the 2010's?! "The River", the debut song from blues-rocker Son Little (actually a stage name for Aaron Livingston from neo-soul/hip-hop group, The Roots), goes even further back in time!! It sounds like an old blues song with a slightly rock and roll-ish instrumentation that came out some time in the '60s, or perhaps even earlier! Little/Livingston's chorus of "walk me to the river, darling" seems like something that could have easily passed for a Robert Johnson lyric if he was still around today!


"Turn It Up" by Robert Plant: Our last tune of the week is yet another attempting to revive blues-rock. However, this IS Robert Plant of the mighty Led Zeppelin we're talking about here, and he has exposed people to his unique, distinctive brand of blues-rock since the late 1960's! He's no newcomer to the blues, though he has gotten more into folk and country in recent years. "Turn It Up" does exactly what its title implies. It takes the now folk-ified soul of Plant, and transforms it into more of a rock and roll sound. No, it doesn't crank it up to 11 like Zeppelin did, but it does give people craving a blues-y sound from Plant what they want, more or less. Best part of the song?! When Plant pleads, "I'm stuck inside the radio...let me out!!", followed by the stark, hollow sound of a drumbeat for about five seconds, before the song gets back into its basic groove.

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

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!