New songs for September 28th, 2022

 Here they are:


"Evergreen" by Mt. Joy: Probably Mt. Joy's hardest-rocking song to date, "Evergreen" is surprisingly upbeat and electric-guitar driven for the mostly psychedelic folk-rock-y Mt. Joy. "Evergreen" is also very upbeat and doesn't dip into weird beat-changing territory the way that, say, "Lemon Tree" did. Another thing that makes "Evergreen" stand out in Mt. Joy's catalog is how funny it is! You probably didn't think the band behind bittersweet songs like "Silver Lining" could be so hilarious, but their humor is proved here in lines like "This is the part where your wedding ring gets pulled across your eye." Ouch! Definitely subversive humor there, but funny nonetheless! 

"Fairweather Friend" by GA-20: Continuing our streak of rock-oriented songs for this week is "Fairweather Friend" by GA-20, with a sound whose roots go back to the blues! The song's syncopated shuffle recalls groups like The Black Keys, but GA-20 seems to be a bit more authentically blues-y than they are. Even their name is a nod to a classic electric guitar model from the 1950's. One particularly interesting thing to note about the instrumentation of this song is that its melody comes from two guitars. There is no bassist to be heard on this track! The combination of the thickness of the guitars and the song's prominent drumbeat could easily fool listeners into thinking there is a bassist. 

"Night Moves" by Lissie: Not to be confused with Bob Seger's bittersweet mid-'70s country-rock tune of the same name about becoming a teenager, Lissie's "Night Moves" has a bittersweetness of its own for entirely different reasons. It is a stark song that, fitting to its title, has a rather nocturnal sound that is as mysterious as it is mellow. Her "Night Moves" takes place in her post-teen years and is about being betrayed by love, as opposed to Seger's ode to curiosity about the mysteries of sex and romance. Another interesting parallel between the two songs is how they both illustrate a folk-rock sound, although Lissie's is less influenced by roots-y country and more by the melancholy, isolated, yearning sounds of musicians like Stevie Nicks, and probably by Joni Mitchell as well. It's probably mere coincidence that Lissie has a song title identical to one of Bob Seger's most popular songs, but both the coincidences and contrasts between the two songs are rather striking!

"Should've Been Me" by Mitski: In the ever eclectic catalog of indie-pop musician, Mitski, we find her once again channeling pop music of the 1980's, but it's a rather specific song she's set on emulating this time. Perhaps you could say she has a "Maneating" appetite for '80s musical nostalgia here! Both the riffs and beat for "Should've Been Me" are practically identical to Hall and Oates' "Maneater," although she slips in a middle section between the verses that have enough usage of major 7th chords to distinguish itself from that song. Beneath the upbeat vibes of the song are troublesome lyrics about how Mitski wanted to be more available to her partner in a relationship that had shaky, questionable communication. The song's title basically serves as an apology for how she "should've been" the one to satisfy her partner's needs, but in a relationship both as rocky and as shady as the one she's describing, how are you supposed to know what's going to happen?! This song has a great way of masking feelings of regret with a catchy, nostalgic beat and melody, which in turn serves as a great and clever way for people to listen to you!

"Supernatural" by Barns Courtney: Barns Courtney is great at churning out catchy rock/indie-pop anthems, particularly his blues-by-way-of-pop debut single, "Fire." With each new song and album, Barns reinvents himself, but the way "Supernatural" sounds is something that I don't think any of his fans would've anticipated! "Supernatural" sounds a bit like what Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" might have been like if she felt scorned enough to create a fiery, back-with-a-vengeance rock song over a pop/soul template. "Supernatural" has surprisingly blazing electric guitar riffs during the chorus that shake the listener by the neck and demand they listen to what he has to say! So just what does Barns have to say in his latest tune?! From what I can gather from its lyrical content so far, "Supernatural" seems like Barns' way of getting back at a former lover who wronged him. In the chorus, he claims he is unstoppable and "supernatural," perhaps to signify how he won't get out of his ex's life no matter how much they want him out of it. Way to haunt your ex, Barns! "Supernatural" is a swinging song that's somewhat scary, yet still soulful, sweet, and satisfying!

"The Perfect Pair" by beabadoobee: Unlike the recent alt-pop/rock-oriented experiments beabadoobee has ventured into with her last few singles, "The Perfect Pair" is a back-to-basics folk-pop song that seems like it could work equally well on acoustic guitar and ukulele. The first four chords almost sound like a folks-y, elevator music version of "Stairway to Heaven," but not in a bad way. With such a sweet, mellow sound, you would think this would be one of beabadoobee's few positive songs lyrically, right? Wrong! Beabadoobee's bitterness can still be detected in "The Perfect Pair" as she repeatedly directs her partner to "break her heart in two" due to the hopelessness of her latest relationship. Is every song for this week a breakup song?! I guess so! Well, not every week can have nice lyrical content, can it?! 

New songs for May 22nd 2019

here they are:


"Breaking Down the Door" by Santana: The trademark Santana guitar is still featured on this song, but "Breaking Down the Door" is a song that digs more into Santana's Hispanic musical roots than it is a rock song. If not for Carlos' distinctive guitar sound, this song could be mistaken for something by a more roots-y group like Los Lobos. Perhaps not what you'd expect from Mexico's answer to Jimi Hendrix, but still quite a breath of fresh air in comparison to the glut of autotune pop and hip-hop dominating the airwaves today. It doesn't try to sound like a star studded pop song the way "Smooth" did either. Instead, it's just earthy, roots-y music with a slight tinge of that spicy salsa flavor.


"Doin' Time" by Lana Del Rey: Of all the bands that comprised the '90s ska revival movement, the biggest was probably Sublime, whose best known hits cheekily combined sunny melodies with dark subject matter. "Doin' Time" was one such song, copping a tropical summertime sound (and even sampling from George Gershwin's "Summertime") while singing about a promiscuous and somewhat violent woman that lead singer Bradley Nowell was involved with. Sublime have since become revered among stoners, alternative rock fans, and the rock and roll world in general. Lana Del Rey has yet to reach that level of respect, but she's trying. It's a bit strange hearing her cover a song that kind of wasn't meant to BE covered, what with its self-referential lyrics mentioning Bradley Nowell, Ras MG (the song's guest DJ), and Brad's dog, Louie, who figures into many of Sublime's songs (he's mentioned twice in "What I Got", arguably their greatest hit). However, Lana appears to be doing so because of how her and Bradley both share a view of California as being a much more seedy place than it appears to be on the outside. Listen, guys, I'm Californian myself! Do I agree with this opinion of California having a "seedy underbelly"? Yeah, I kinda do, actually, but more from what I've heard about it than what I've seen.


"Go" by The Black Keys: "Go" is exactly what The Black Keys do on their latest song! They go! And how!! The Keys give it their all here as one of America's last hopes for a rock and roll band for today's youth. With a chord progression and rhythm slightly similar to "What I Like About You", "Go" proves that Dan and Patrick have still got it after almost a decade in the limelight and over that amount of time in the music biz altogether!


"You And I" by Barns Courtney: Barns Courtney is a musician whose first hit was his best! His song, "Fire", scorched up the alt and adult alt charts like few other songs did in 2016. He's had other hits since, but few that compare to that song. "You And I" might just be his most lackluster effort yet. The execution of the song sounds like the folk-rock and dance-pop combination Imagine Dragons have been known for using, and it also uses the same three chords in succession as two of the 2010's biggest hits: Vance Joy's "Riptide" and Of Monsters & Men's "Little Talks". I like this song, but sadly it does seem to be proof of originality in music becoming rarer and rarer these days.

New songs for September 12th, 2018

here they are:



"Bambi" by Hippo Campus: I'm not sure if Hippo Campus' lead singer meant something allegorical by the title of this song (which does not appear in its lyrics), or if he's just a really big Disney fan, but either way, "Bambi" is a quirky, synth driven indie-pop song. Nothing new under the sun for today's generation, but for Hippo Campus, it kind of is. Most of their other songs have guitar in 'em, and there's nary a lick or riff to be found in "Bambi". Despite its pleasantly goofy sound, "Bambi" has somewhat depressing lyrics that seem to revolve around the repressed, confused emotions of the lead singer.


"Cringe" by Matt Maeson: Newcomer Matt Maeson combines the best of both worlds with his brand of indie-pop. In other words, he uses a folk-pop base for his debut song, "Cringe", but adds in more of that electronic instrumentation that all the kids seem to be craving these days as the song progresses. The chorus has Matt pondering if he makes the subject of his song "cringe". Well, Matt, that depends on who you're talking to. People who think that "good music" ended during a previous decade probably will cringe over this song. Not me! Although the style of this song does seem to be getting increasingly more common on both pop AND rock radio by now, so I dunno...


"Nina Cried Power" by Hozier (featuring Mavis Staples): A rising star from the 2010's and a risen star from the '60s and '70s sounds like it'd be quite a powerhouse to listen to, doesn't it?! Well, you'd be right! In "Nina Cried Power", neo-soul meets old school soul, with interesting results from both parties. The song is probably Hozier's darkest sounding since his debut (and so far, best known) song, "Take Me to Church", and for Mavis Staples, it provides proof that you can be almost octogenarian and still stir peoples' souls of all ages! The "Nina" in question is legendary jazz musician, Nina Simone. She, along with Joni Mitchell, are mentioned in the song as examples of people who have "cried power" (in other words, started a revolution). Though many tend to dismiss Hozier as a one-hit wonder, he actually has 7 songs (this one being # 8 in his catalog) that are just as powerful, if not more so, than the one he's known for. His songs will always "cry power" for me! Ditto Mavis Staples, whose star has continued to rise throughout this decade!


"99" by Barns Courtney: 99. 99 WHAT?! Bottles of beer on the wall?! 'Fraid not. It actually isn't 99 of anything, but the year 1999. Prince already sang about the year, famously, but his standpoint was predicting 1999 as a future year. It has now been 19 years SINCE 1999, and Barns Courtney looks back on the year as actually being nostalgic in comparison to what people are currently facing financially. The song is about how Barns once thrived on money and thought he'd be a millionaire, but is now coming to the realization that this is just not so. Sooo...what's gonna happen 20 years from 2020?! I guess we'll never know 'till we get there!


"Teenage Superstar" by Scars on 45: If only Prince was alive today. If he was, he'd know that he's now no longer the only one singing about 1999. In addition to the Barns Courtney entry I talked about previously, this song is ALSO about 1999! Once again, unlike what Prince predicted, the year is being sung about nostalgically instead of apocalyptically. And once again, the song looks at the present as being dismal and disappointing in comparison. Danny Bemrose and Aimee Driver wax nostalgic throughout the song about their glory days when they wanted to BE rock stars. Ever since 2011, their dream has come true...well, sort of. Only a handful of people know who Scars on 45 are. They haven't become near as big as, say, Mumford and Sons, or The Black Keys. But ever since "Give Me Something" came out, the sweet, gentle folk-rock of Scars on 45 has captivated me enough to think of them as rock stars, because their songs have ended up meaning a lot to me over the years!

Holidays Rule Volume 2 songs!!

The sequel to 2012's indie holiday extravaganza, "Holidays Rule", has arrived! And I've got 6 songs to review from it, so here goes!


"Baby It's Cold Outside" by Barns Courtney: There's a certain roots-y, earthy, soulful quality to pretty much all the songs Barns Courtney has put out so far (especially his first and biggest hit, "Fire"). His rendition of the lyrically questionable but musically fun Christmas tune, "Baby It's Cold Outside", attempts to inject some soulfulness, but ends up sounding more like a 2010's alt-pop song with a hip-hop beat. It starts off sounding like an old jazz standard, but as soon as the percussion comes in, it becomes a whole different song. And yes, as with all versions of this oddly charming holiday song, there is a female vocalist in here as well, and her name is Lennon Stella, best known as one half of the country-pop internet sensations, Lennon and Maisy.


"I Want A Hippopotamus For Christmas" by Lake Street Dive: Undoubtedly one of the goofiest Christmas songs of all time, soul/blues-rock combo, Lake Street Dive, add a Latin twist to this song, making it stand out even more among holiday songs than it already did! This is the first time Lake Street Dive have sounded more like rhumba than R & B, but they do a good job at it! With a "shaka-laka" percussion section and sultry horn section, I can guarantee that a song about hoping for hippos on the holidays has never sounded more unique than this one! Make no mistake. Rachael Price does NOT want crocodiles or rhinoceroses, she only wants hippopotamuses. Nothing wrong with that, right?!


"Jesus Christ" by The Decemberists: Unless you're a big fan of Big Star, who are probably the only "proto-alternative" band besides The Velvet Underground to gain a large cult following among alternative rock fans despite having zero chart success, you might not know the original version of this song, an unusually reverent song for a somewhat irreverent and quirky band. It only makes sense, then, that The Decemberists, who are quirky, irreverent, and have a huge cult following themselves, would cover Big Star's "Jesus Christ", the only Christmas song that Big Star ever did. Like Joni Mitchell's "River", "Jesus Christ" might not have been intended to be a Christmas song, but has been viewed as one anyway ever since its release. This version stays faithful (no pun intended) to the original until its solo, which uses guitars in place of the sax solo on the original. As a side note, "Jesus Christ" might have also been the only Big Star song to use a saxophone. Most of the others I've heard by them don't use that instrument.


"Pipes of Peace" by Muna: Yet another cover of a modern Christmas song, as opposed to a "traditional" one. Many people know (and are sometimes somewhat averse to) Paul McCartney's uber-happy "Wonderful Christmastime". They might not know that Sir Paul also released a quieter, more reflective Christmas song in 1983 called "Pipes of Peace". This is that song, performed by indie-pop group, Muna. Muna seem to have a thing for middle-of-the-road classic rock, as they have also covered Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen" and U2's "With Or Without You" in concert, which is interesting considering how Muna sound more influenced by electronica than they do rock. Muna maintain the quietness and reflectiveness of the original, molding a bittersweet holiday rock song into an equally bittersweet holiday indie song.


"The Christmas Song" by Judah and The Lion: Not since Mumford and Sons has there been an indie-pop band known for playing banjo. Judah and The Lion typically take it one step further than Mumford and Sons by using a pop music framework to showcase their mad banjo skills, as opposed to a more folky one. Here, Judah and The Lion use the same technique on "The Christmas Song", a song first made popular by Nat King Cole in 1945 and covered many times since. JATL's rendition of this Christmas classic is a fun one, to be sure, but the banjo solos might just be the best part of this whole song!


"What Are You Doing New Year's Eve" by Andrew McMahon: This song was already covered by The Head and The Heart on the original 2012 edition of "Holidays Rule". I think their version is much better. However, that doesn't mean I'm going to just ignore Andrew McMahon's version of a holiday song originally recorded by jazz musician Ella Fitzgerald in the mid 1940's. Andrew does a decent job, but his version comes off too...well...keyboard-y for my taste. The song is supposed to have piano, which this version does, but he layers it with a synth sound that doesn't exactly sound fitting for this song. Head and The Heart extend the length of this song and add in some guitar in the background. This version has no guitar and is relatively short in comparison. Stick with the original "Holidays Rule" rendition of this song (or the original Ella version) if you want a quality version of this post-Christmas tune. It's not a bad version, though, by any means.

New songs for June 21st, 2017

here they are:


"Fool's Errand" by Fleet Foxes: Look up the phrase "fool's errand" online or in a dictionary and your answer will be, "a task with no hope or success". The Fleet Foxes song, "Fool's Errand", is NOT a fool's errand! Like many of Fleet Foxes' songs, "Fool's Errand" contains plenty of effort and emotion. For those who were a little miffed by the prog-rock-ish direction that Fleet Foxes took earlier this year with "Third of May", "Fool's Errand" might be a little easier to stomach, since it's more of a straight folk-rock song with no out of place meanderings in the middle. The "fool's errand" mentioned in the song, thankfully, is not the song itself, but a failed relationship, which is common subject matter in Fleet Foxes' songs, along with mysterious but alluring allegorical themes. Perhaps if I listen to this song more, I'll catch a hidden allegorical meaning(s) within it, but my first impression of this song is that it's already a good one!


"Golden Dandelions" by Barns Courtney: Barns Courtney blazed the alt and adult charts last spring and summer with his steamy, blues-y mega-hit, "Fire". This summer, he's already back with a new song, "Golden Dandelions". The hollow but catchy drumbeats that made "Fire" (and its followup hit, "Glitter And Gold") such a big hit are also present on "Golden Dandelions". A big difference between "Golden Dandelions" and Barns Courtney's previous songs is that it seems to want to sound more like a bright, energetic pop song, but even with that, "Golden Dandelions" still manages to win me over because it just sounds so unique! Plus, who wouldn't think of lyrics like "lay me down in golden dandelions" as being so full of vivid, poetic imagery?!


"The Man" by The Killers: The Killers release their first album in 4 years and we get...ummm...something that sounds like a cross between Daft Punk's "Da Funk" and The Who's "Eminence Front"?! Huh?!? How'd THIS happen?! Well, as weird as this description might sound, Brandon Flowers and co actually manage to make this song work in a way that only they can! So who is "the man", you might be wondering?! The answer is Brandon Flowers himself! However, no one is really sure if he's saying this because he has such a big ego (which I don't think he does, really) or because he's making fun of himself. The Killers' debut album from 2004 was actually filled with disco-meets-rock songs, so "The Man" actually sounds like an old Killers song instead of a new one! For those expecting the grandiose Springsteen/U2 type sound that The Killers had after their debut, you may be disappointed. For everyone else, Brandon Flowers really IS "the man"!

New songs for October 26th, 2016

here they are:


"Astral Plane" by Valerie June: Do you notice something different about Valerie June's latest song?! It doesn't have the roots-y flavor she usually goes for in her songs, but there is a very good reason for this. That is because "Astral Plane" was a song that was originally written for the smooth-jazz influenced trip-hop group, Massive Attack. "Trip-hop", for those who aren't familiar with it, is basically like a smooth, ethereal, and jazzy form of alternative pop music with electronics as backing instruments. There are no electronic instruments backing Valerie's version of "Astral Plane", but it still manages to maintain the billowy, blissful beauty of what Massive Attack's music typically sounds like. Much like Van Morrison's similarly titled "Astral Weeks", "Astral Plane" is a magical musical trip to heaven written in A major that's guaranteed to soothe all your troubled nerves!


"Glitter And Gold" by Barns Courtney: Throughout both the spring AND summer of this year, Barns Courtney had an unexpected but oh-so-catchy hit song with the blazing, hot song, "Fire", on both the alt and adult alt charts. It was only a few weeks ago that the possibility of a second Barns Courtney hit was hinted at, but perhaps I should have figured this was coming with "Fire" being one of the most successful songs of 2016. His newest song is called "Glitter And Gold" and contains a similar mix of blues-y spirituals and rock and roll attitude. "Glitter And Gold" is already pretty catchy and the vocalized "ting ting" in the chorus of the song brings a bit of humor along for the ride as well. "Glitter And Gold" seems to be about the desire for fame, but I doubt Barns really has such a desire anymore now that he's GOTTEN it! With "Glitter And Gold", his 15 minutes of fame might have just expanded to 30!


"Here In Spirit" by Jim James: Jim James is like the bearded roots-y folk-rock version of David Bowie in some ways. He's not afraid to experiment with other sounds and he's able to sound sweet and heavenly just as much as he is brooding and scary. Jim's "Here In Spirit" attempts to have a more heavenly sound, albeit with an R & B sounding backbeat. Fitting to its title, "Here In Spirit" has a rather spiritual message of peace and love, apt to the neo-hippie image Jim James has attempted to cultivate. As a warning to those who get lulled into James' hypnotic musical trance, there is a "hiccup" in either the keyboards or the percussion at about 3 and a half minutes into the song. It should be a smooth ride otherwise, though.


"In A Drawer" by Band of Horses: It's been awhile since we last heard Band of Horses come up with a solid ballad, and "In A Drawer" is proof that BOH still have potential to be a calmer band at times. The song's odd title seems to be a reference to all the memories that Ben Bridwell keeps finding throughout the song (he finds them in a drawer). As such, the song has a rather bittersweet, nostalgic quality. "Casual Party" might have been a more likely song to hook BOH fans into listening to a new record by them due to its catchiness, but I would have preferred to have "In A Drawer" as the first single off their new album. And who, you might be wondering, is that scraggly, quavering voice singing beside Ben during the chorus? Well that just so happens to be none other than J. Mascis, the lead singer of the legendary proto-indie and pre-grunge group, Dinosaur Jr. Pretty cool, huh?!


"Shine" by Mondo Cozmo: Our last entry of the week comes from the only group of musicians making their debut onto the blog. The other four have had entries on my blog before, but not Mondo Cozmo. Their name alone sounds pretty intriguing, doesn't it?! Well, wait 'till you hear their music! Although folk-rock is precious to me in general, I must admit that I haven't been THIS impressed by a folk-rock song since Mumford and Sons debuted back in 2010! (Or when The Tallest Man on Earth broke through 2 years later). There's something very striking and poignant about Mondo Cozmo's "Shine". Perhaps it's the chord progression or the way it's being played. Perhaps it's the "everything will be alright if you let it go" refrain in the chorus that can lend itself to multiple interpretations. Maybe it could even be the echoic choir sound that comes through as the song builds up. Whatever it is, though, "Shine" does exactly what its title suggests it would do, and how!

New songs for March 9th, 2016

here they are:


"Brace For Impact (Live A Little)" by Sturgill Simpson: Every once in a while, a band (or musician, in this case) will come around and really put the "rock" into "country-rock". Bands like Drive-by Truckers are good examples of this, and bands like Lynyrd Skynyrd were the ones who originally made it "cool" for country music to have a place within hard rock territory. Sturgill Simpson's "Brace For Impact (Live A Little)" fits the description as well, coming off as sort of a "Skynyrd lite" type of musician in this song. Like both Skynyrd and The Truckers, Sturgill is capable of pulling off rather long songs as well, with "Brace For Impact" clocking in at almost 6 minutes! Pretty impressive length for a breakthrough song! The song also has a bit of a jam band type sound that wouldn't be out of place in a song by the Southern states' other fave rockers, The Allman Brothers Band.


"Fire" by Barns Courtney: The steamy, fervid sound of "Fire" makes the song live up to its title! The handclaps that make up the first verse of the song sizzle and slither before climaxing into an even more fiery folk-rock chorus. "Barns Courtney" may sound like the name of a band, but it's actually just the name of one person. He hails from Britain, like his fellow tour mate, Ed Sheeran. However, "Fire" has a crackling, exciting intensity that Sheeran's songs tend to lack. So, "Gimme that fire!" as Barns sings during the chorus!


"Ha Ha Ha Ha (Yeah)" by White Denim: It's not every day you get a song title that consists entirely of interjections (or the same one repeated four times). Did White Denim simply run out of song titles when they came up with the name of this one?! No! "Ha ha ha ha yeah" are actually the main words of the chorus to this early '70s R & B influenced throwback song, and what a song it is! Its raucous party beat, thumping bass, and blasting horns will probably make you think you've just discovered a previously unreleased Sly and The Family Stone song! Let's get down and boogie!


"Soundcheck" by Catfish and The Bottlemen: Catfish and The Bottlemen's "Kathleen" was probably one of the most enjoyably rockin' songs of 2015, with its garage rock influenced sound. The garage rock influence continues on Catfish and The Bottlemen's latest song, "Soundcheck", which seems to boast an even harder rock sound than its predecessor! You'd swear you were hearing a British Foo Fighters here. "Soundcheck" rocks throughout, but it has that sort of "bubbling from under the surface" buildup during the verses that climaxes into a rather explosive, dynamic chorus. The fact that this song has been having a slow but steady climb up both the adult alt charts and the alt charts should be proof that rock 'n' roll hasn't been dead. It's just been sleeping. I guess it takes a band like Catfish and The Bottlemen to wake rock 'n' roll from its recent slumber!


"Wasted Love" by City and Colour: So I guess City and Colour haven't completely returned to being folk-rock balladeers. Their last hit from fall 2015, the adult alt radio smash, "Lover Come Back", was a sensitive ballad with a largely acoustic based sound. "Wasted Love" isn't exactly like that. It has that neo-psychedelic fuzz-guitar sound that C & C have used on songs like "Fragile Bird" and "Thirst". What's interesting about "Wasted Love" is that it is probably the most rhythmically influenced song that C & C have had so far. While the lead guitarist shows off the shaky, fuzzy tone of his guitar, the backing guitarist plays chords in a similarly rhythmic fashion to R & B and reggae songs, which is not exactly a common feature of City and Colour's music. "Wasted Love" is clearly not a waste of time to listen to!