New songs for February 24th 2021

 here they are:


"Bed Head" by Manchester Orchestra: "Bed Head" is a good reminder to fans of Manchester Orchestra of where their roots were from. People like me who first heard them from "The Gold" back in 2017 might have thought of them as a contemporary folk-rock group, but that is not all they do. Far from it. "Bed Head" is straight-up alt-rock for ya, at least from a 21st century perspective of the term. A minor-key melody, guitars that sound halfway between "lite" emo and the post-punk revival, and warbling yet passionate vocals: all key elements of today's alt-rock, and "Bed Head" has got it all! Fitting with the song's overall "alternative" musical theme are its lyrics, which seem to question the meaning of life while finding reasons to regret it at the same time. 

"Heat Waves" by Glass Animals: With the few songs I've heard so far by Glass Animals ("Gooey," "Your Love Deja Vu," and now this one), I'm convinced that Glass Animals might just be their own genre combo - lounge-tronica. They use a lot of synthesized instrumentation, but they present it in such a way that it sounds like perfect music to play in a lounge room. Their latest song, "Heat Waves," is no exception to the rule. The title is not the only lyric that uses summertime imagery either. Practically the whole song does, particularly the chorus, evoking such languid, sultry imagery as "Sometimes all I think about is you, late nights or in the middle of June." Summer may still be months away, but who says we can't enjoy summertime vibes in late winter?! 

"Not Dead Yet" by Lord Huron: Never has there been a Lord Huron song with such blatantly morbid imagery (although "The World Ender" came close)! Their music typically brings about calmer vibes, with the darkness of some of their lyrics being only an oblique setoff to their sound. But just take a close listen to some of the lyrics here! "You got holes on your clothes, booze on your breath, you're lookin' like hell, and you smell like death." Whoa! Huron's Ben Schneider must really hate somebody (possibly himself) in order to write lyrics like THAT! Yeah, we get it, Ben. You're most definitely NOT dead. We believe you. Instead, it seems more like you're out to MAKE someone dead!

"Strangers" by Black Pumas (featuring Lucius): This is a pretty interesting song and collaboration. First of all, this song is not actually a Black Pumas OR Lucius song. It was originally a song by The Kinks from the early 1970's, the type of folk-rock venture The Kinks sometimes went on that seem to be popular picks for Wes Anderson films. This isn't really a song I'd picture Black Pumas or Lucius to cover, the former being a duo intent on reviving '70s soul music, and the latter being an indie-folk/pop quartet that is half female and half male. Interesting to note that both groups have become popular on the adult alt format, but haven't ventured too far outside the format so far (Oddly, Black Pumas' "Colors" is JUST starting to get airplay on regular alt-rock radio two years after its initial release, but they haven't become a household name on alt radio yet). Surprisingly, they both do an excellent job covering this Kinks classic that extols the virtues of outsider-ness!

New songs for September 9th, 2020

 here they are:

"I'm Ready" by Black Pumas: On the strength of three hugely successful and hugely soulful songs on adult alt radio, Black Pumas are now ready for a fourth song to hit the adult alt airwaves. Their latest song, "I'm Ready", is actually a bonus track from their debut album (another of which is a lovely cover of the classic Tracy Chapman song, "Fast Car.") "I'm Ready" is a more upbeat song from Black Pumas' catalog, like most of their material so far has been. Lead singer Eric Burton talks a few times about being born in California in the song, though his band is based in Texas (another state he makes reference to later on in the song.) Like most Black Pumas songs, "I'm Ready" is essentially a love song, but the title of the song could mean other things, like how Eric is ready to make his music known to the world!

"Impossible Weight" by Deep Sea Diver (featuring Sharon Van Etten): You might not know Deep Sea Diver offhand, but if you're a fan of contemporary indie/alt music, chances are you've heard lead singer Jessica Dobson providing backing guitar for major acts of the genre like The Shins and Beck. It's taken us almost a decade to hear Jessica strike out with her own band to score an adult alt radio hit, but with "Impossible Weight", it looks like she's finally achieved her goal! The song, not surprisingly, bears resemblance to groups like The Shins, if St. Vincent somehow got involved with them. Providing additional support to Deep Sea Diver in "Impossible Weight" is indie-folk cult fave, Sharon Van Etten, who has scored a few adult alt radio hits of her own within nearly the last decade. For those are fond of hearing women in the indie scene rock out, "Impossible Weight" might just be the song for you!

"Lonely Heather" by The Nude Party: The revitalized, Stones-esque rock and roll flavor of this song is only one aspect that makes this song worth reviewing. The other is its stunning music video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FteAfB5Sw9A&ab_channel=TheNudeParty)!! It seems almost "BoJack Horseman" influenced, albeit with more actual humans than human-animal hybrids (a few wolf-people are featured at the beginning of the video, though.) There's something that just screams "adult animation" about this video, but not in a gross way, more in a subtle way, as BoJack has been known to have. The animator for this video, however, was never involved in that show. "Lonely Heather"s animator is a man named Parker Worthington, and not much else is known about him. The song itself is a mere two-and-a-half minutes of joyously fun rock music, capped off by the rebel yell (or should I say "rebel L") of "Luh-luh-luh-Lonely Heather" during the chorus!

"Mind Eraser" by Nicole Atkins: The unexpected darkness of 2020 has certainly impacted Nicole Atkins! As the pandemic was just beginning to rage earlier this year, she gave us "Domino", a deceptively catchy song that was actually about the end of the world. Now, we have the even darker "Mind Eraser", a seductive, bass driven, funky song (with a surprisingly blues-y guitar solo midway through) that seems to be about questioning the very nature of reality! Nicole talks throughout the song about how "it seems (her) mind's erased", as well as how, if that's the case, she "never wants to leave again." Wow! Chilling lyrics! However, they are strangely befitting for the time being!

"The World" by Pete Yorn: A short but sweet folk-rock tune, Pete Yorn's "The World" is about...well...the world! More specifically, though, it's about how unpredictable Pete feels the world is. It seems to let him down. Having had nearly 20 years in the music biz, one might expect Pete to feel a little world weary right now, but this song almost feels like a reflection on just what a sad state the world is in right now. There are many songs in Pete Yorn's catalog that can be called "bittersweet", but this one probably tops 'em all so far in that regard!

"Time Is Wasting" by Josh Ritter: This upbeat folk-rock tune, which has a similar beat and sound to Paul Simon's "Graceland" (albeit without the rhythmic African influence the song was known for), was supposedly a song Josh Ritter originally wrote for a movie, although what movie that was is currently unknown. Upon actually releasing the song, Josh found it to be strangely fitting for our present coronavirus pandemic, and then decided to write other songs with a similar theme for his latest album. However, "Time Is Wasting" is the song that got the ball rolling for Josh in 2020. Underneath the song's happy sound, there is a rather disquieting sense of desperation in the lyrics. How will the other songs on Josh's new album pan out? Well, we'll just have to wait and see!

"Under the Table" by Fiona Apple: There hasn't been a Fiona Apple album as heavily anticipated as her latest one has been since...well...since her debut in 1996! Quite a bit of time has passed by between her debut album and our current year, but Fiona's sense of confessional, wounded angst has remained all these years! Songs like "Under the Table" are like the opposite of the cliche about fine wines. Instead of tasting sweeter over time, Fiona's songs seemed to have grown more sour with each passing year. On the subject of wine, apparently "Under the Table" was inspired by an actual dinner, not a metaphorical one like one might expect, that Fiona had where a lot of expensive wine was involved. It's not the food and drink that's important here, though. What is important in the subject of this song is how Fiona felt used by the guy who hosted the dinner. To put it in more polite-ish terms, this song is basically a "screw-you" to the guy who used her. Ah, the beauty of songs! They can mean so many things...and yes, that includes how songs can be a kiss-off to someone you really don't like! 

New songs for March 25th, 2020

here they are:


"Fire" by Black Pumas: The sleek, sophisticated neo-soul music of Black Pumas continues burning up the adult alt charts with their third Triple A radio hit, "Fire". This song should strike a chord with people who were fans of Black Pumas ever since they debuted with "Black Moon Rising", as it continues in the vintage funk/soul direction of that song, as opposed to the folk-soul fusion of their fall '19 hit, "Colors". "Fire" is a song that builds a fire within you...in a good way, of course. The song is a bold declaration of love, with lead singer Eric Burton reassuring his lover that he'll be with her no matter what happens. This is the kind of love we all need these days!


"Salt And the Sea" by The Lumineers: Contrary to their normally sunny sound, The Lumineers are no strangers to dark subject matter. "Salt And the Sea" is the first Lumineers song I've heard so far, though, that sounds as dark as it actually is. The starkness of the song and the fact that it opens with and centers around a minor chord set the tone. As far as Lumineers songs go, "Salt And the Sea" could be likened to a Greek tragedy, with the lead character of the song seeming to plot revenge on his enemy. The ambulances blaring in the background towards the end of the song only add to the disquieting quiet this song has to offer.


"The Buzz" by The Pretenders: A few Pretenders songs from the last 10 years or so, such as "Holy Commotion" and "Boots of Chinese Plastic", have burned with righteous fury. In spite of its edgy title, "The Buzz" is not such a song. However, it does provide a nice fusion of folk-rock and power pop in a way that early Pretenders songs like "Kid" and "Stop Your Sobbing", the latter of which was originally a Kinks song, did. "The Buzz" is basically "Kid - redux", but it is nice to see that Chrissie can still rock it, even softly, after over 40 years of her band's existence. When I saw her without The Pretenders in concert last summer, I was afraid that she had lost her rock and roll spark. With "The Buzz", she's slowly coming back to her senses. Perhaps part of the reason this is a slower song is because the lyrics tell the tale of both a romance gone wrong and how love can be addictive like a drug. Had Chrissie been a newbie at relationships, this song probably would have sounded more raw, but having been through all the experiences she has been through by now, "The Buzz" sounds like a song that came from a defeated lover with a bruised and battered heart.

Funk-tober!!

I noticed all three entries this week were a blend of funk and rock, hence the silly name I gave this week's blog entry. Here are the songs:


"Colors" by Black Pumas: Neo-soul group, Black Pumas, made the adult alt charts not once, but twice, both times with the funky yet haunting, "Black Moon Rising". Their second song (and third entry?) on the adult alt charts is "Colors", one of the few songs I know that could be called "acoustic funk". The song starts out with a vaguely acoustic strum, only for a soulful rhythm to be gradually added into the song as it progresses. What the song is about could be up for debate. Some of the lyrics hint at the colors of nature, but during the chorus when he talks about "all my favorite colors, my sisters and my brothers", it could be symbolic of the idea of racial harmony, an idea that is desperately needed in today's increasingly divided world.


"Hey Rose" by Son Little: Son Little's slinky, catchy mix of blues and funk continues in his latest song, "Hey Rose". The song is unique in Little's catalog for its use of handclaps. The earthy yet gutsy vibes he got across in his debut single, "The River", back in 2014, are shown prominently on "Hey Rose". The song seems to be about wanting to fall in love with someone by inviting them to a concert, as evidenced by the "big brass band" that Son Little keeps telling the titular Rose about, despite there being no brass instruments on the song itself.


"Over You" by Seratones: The combo of funk and rock music seems to be pretty trendy this week since it makes up the entirety of this week's blog! Our last entry for the week comes from Seratones, the sassy soul sensations from Shreveport who brought us "Gotta Get to Know Ya" in spring of this year. "Over You" is considerably less loud than "Gotta..." but it's just as jagged and unapologetic in its lyrics. "We made love like pianos falling down the stairs", AJ Haynes viciously sings during one part of the song. If that's not proof she's "over" the subject of her song, I dunno what is!

New songs for June 13th, 2018

here they are:


"Back And Forth" by Wild Child: Indie-folk-pop ensemble, Wild Child, continues to experiment with vintage soul music on their latest song, "Back And Forth". Their breakthrough single from earlier this year, "Think It Over", demonstrated some soulful prowess as well. The use of brass instruments to brighten up "Back And Forth" is particularly intriguing. In spite of its bouncy sound, "Back And Forth" is actually about knowing when to walk away from a toxic relationship. Sure is a catchy tune, though!


"Black Moon Rising" by Black Pumas: Bringing back the smooth sounds of early '70s soul and funk music, The Black Pumas land their debut this week with a mighty bang! The lead singer's name is Eric Burton, which is just one letter away from The Animals' Eric Burdon. It's probably just coincidental, but it is interesting to consider how much the blues influenced both Burdon and Burton! As you might have guessed from the title of this song, it has some dark lyrics, but they're deliciously dark, in a way that can make someone feel smooth and sexy as much as they are righteous and empowered. Are you sure that's a moon rising?! 'Cause this song has me feelin' a fever inside as hot as the sun!


"For the Lonely Ones" by Lucero: Tennessee alt-country group, Lucero, have been around for 20 years now, but their song, "For the Lonely Ones", marks the first time that mainstream adult alt radio has taken notice of their music. It has a rough and rowdy alt-country sound like Drive-by Truckers or Old 97's, but with the unique addition of saxophones in the background, which neither the Truckers nor the 97's (to my knowledge) have had in their songs. The song has a lyrical similarity to songs like The Replacements' "Here Comes A Regular", although "For the Lonely Ones" is upbeat and ragged, as opposed to the more melancholy vibe of the 'Mats song. Both songs are essentially tunes for broken hearted drinking buddies to commiserate with one another. The spirited, Skynyrd-esque vibes of this song make that a little hard to tell, though!


"Never Ever" by Lord Huron: Bet you didn't expect a group as sweet and lilting as Lord Huron to cop a Joy Division-esque sound, did you?! Well, that's just what they do on "Never Ever", perhaps the first Lord Huron song to rely on chunkier electric guitar sounds and dark, droning keyboards, as opposed to the folk-rock-y, pastoral guitars that usually dominate their material. Lord Huron's strangely intriguing fascination with death, present throughout their previous album, "Strange Trails", continues to pop up on "Never Ever" as well, with the subject of the song seeming to be an ex lover who is no longer alive. The much gentler "Wait By the River" was also about this, so perhaps "Never Ever" serves as its angry, regretful "sequel song".


"Rolling On" by Israel Nash: Listening to this song for the first time makes me feel like the '60s never ended for Israel Nash. While there have been plenty of '60s throwbacks in the indie-folk realm, none have ever captured the vibes of being out in nature in such an ethereal state as Israel Nash has for his latest song, "Rolling On", and there's a very good reason for this. To make this song (and others for his latest album), Israel recorded out in Dripping Springs, Texas. This is why, if you listen real carefully, the sounds of water rushing and wind blowing, among other things, can be heard in this song. If anyone ever does an "indie rock yoga" session, this song should definitely be part of it!