New songs for July 8th, 2020

here they are:


"Can't Do Much" by Waxahatchee: Waxahatchee had one of the most unexpectedly catchy adult alt radio hits of the year with "Lilacs" this spring. The song's buoyant, sunny country-rock sound was a breath of fresh air for both Waxahatchee fans and adult alt/indie-folk fans in general. Their next adult alt radio hit, "Can't Do Much", follows in a similar pattern to "Lilacs". "Can't Do Much" is yet another country-rock tune, a bit unusual for the normally edgier material of Waxahatchee, but it's probably given them more fans than ever as a result (including me). "Can't Do Much" is essentially a love song with slightly odd lyrics. The chorus of the song starts out average enough, as love songs go, with "I want you all the time", but Katie Crutchfield immediately follows that line with "sanity nullified." So Katie wants an insane love, eh?! Well, she'd better watch out!


"I Remember Everything" by John Prine: There seems to have been a pattern of rock and pop musicians being aware of their own death and putting that painful awareness into song in the past few years. David Bowie and Leonard Cohen both had such songs with "Lazarus" and "You Want It Darker", respectively, and a year later, Gregg Allman had one with "My Only True Friend". The clever, tongue-in-cheek folk-rocker, John Prine, departed the Earth a few months ago, and "I Remember Everything" seems to be his way of waving a bittersweet goodbye to all his fans. The song has the darkness of the Bowie and Cohen songs, but it also has the forlorn sense of country-rock pathos the Gregg Allman song had. Evoking rustic, nature-like images, John Prine looks back on the last year of his life with a view that is both endearing and sad. Prine was one of a kind and he will truly be missed!


"Mariana Trench" by Bright Eyes: If "Persona Non Grata", Bright Eyes' song from earlier this year, seemed like too much of a weary dirge for you, then perhaps "Mariana Trench" might be more up your alley. In typical Bright Eyes fashion, most of "Mariana Trench" seems pretty cynical in terms of both its lyrical content and musical atmosphere, but it tries to inject at least a bit more pep into its sound than "Persona Non Grata" did. Perhaps it helps that none other than Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers plays bass on this track. The thumping of the bass is pretty noticeable here, but on this song, it bobs with an ebb and flow, as opposed to the "slapping" technique Flea is known for. The lyrics of "Mariana Trench" create vivid imagery within the mind, especially during the chorus when Conor Oberst mentions Mount Everest and the 405 Freeway, in addition to the titular location.


"Turn Off the TV" by Old 97's: This rowdy, Tom Petty-esque song from Rhett Miller's country-rock/roots-rock ensemble, Old 97's, is full of references! Fitting to its title, their newest song, "Turn Off the TV", only mentions one show ("Kids in the Hall", in the first verse). The very next line mentions alternative rock icons like The Pixies and T. Rex. The intent central to the song, though, is just Rhett Miller wanting to get with a girl he admires. You already have sex and rock & roll mentioned in this song, and aptly, one of the other references in this song is to Jim Beam alcohol. There you have it: sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll! Contrary to its title, this song really doesn't have that much to do with TV, does it?


"Where to Start" by Bully: Just the name "bully" probably makes you think of either a punk band or a heavy metal group. Of the two, Bully's "Where to Start" evokes the former of the two genres. The song is a righteously ticked off punk tune, and one done by a lady, not a fellow, who bears a strange resemblance to cartoon voice actress, Tara Strong. Right from the beginning of this tune, you can feel the anger of lead singer, Alicia Bognanno, as she sings, "I don't know where to start with you!" The song seems to be about falling in love with someone you don't really want to fall in love with. Sigh...I can relate!


"Worry" by Songhoy Blues: Hailing from the African nation of Mali, Songhoy Blues deliver upbeat, spicy blues-rock in their debut song, "Worry". The song is not about worrying, though. In fact, the urgent plea in the chorus is "DON'T worry". With the song's blazing guitar riffs, you can't help but clap your hands and tap your feet along to this song as you start to lose your worries just by listening to this song! The aim of this song is to get people to find hope in times of darkness. Mission accomplished, I say!


"You're Not Alone" by Semisonic: Semisonic, Dan Wilson's half post-grunge and half power pop trio, have only one hit to speak of for most people, and that is "Closing Time", a song that came out over 20 years ago! That Semisonic took roughly around that long to reunite (or that they even DID reunite) is probably quite a surprise to most fans of the band, but they did it! Their latest song, "You're Not Alone", is rife with '90s rock influence, fitting to the era they were most popular in. Fans of groups like Better than Ezra, Third Eye Blind, and Marvelous 3 will probably like this song a lot! Lead singer Dan Wilson actually made a name for himself as a pop music songwriter for successful musicians such as Adele and Taylor Swift during his time apart from Semisonic, so I was a little skeptical as to how good this song might be, but it's really good! As an avid fan of '90s rock, I must say I'm mighty pleased by this song! As can be inferred from the title, Dan Wilson and co wanted their fans to feel comforted during these recent times of crisis. This is how "You're Not Alone" came about. I'm just glad that it did!

New songs for April 8th 2020

here they are:


"Lifeguard" by Nahko and Medicine for the People: Nahko and Medicine for the People are quite an eclectic ensemble who last impacted adult alt radio back in 2016 with the surprisingly catchy "San Quentin". "Lifeguard" isn't as catchy, but its buoyant sense of calm is a breath of fresh air for these troubled times! "Lifeguard" was written many years before our present crisis, though. It's actually been around nearly as long as this blog has! However, it was just a few months ago that Nahko and Medicine for the People decided to record it. Nahko wrote it after he almost drowned in the ocean. "Lifeguard" is, in a word, a three-and-a-half minute prayer for safety. We all need one of those right now!


"Persona Non Grata" by Bright Eyes: Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst is one of many alt/indie artists who could be likened to a modern-day Leonard Cohen. The Cohen comparison really shows on Bright Eyes' latest tune, "Persona Non Grata", which sounds rhythmically and sonically similar to the late Canadian singer/songwriter's "Famous Blue Raincoat". The cryptic lyrics with their darkly religious imagery also seem to be taken straight out of the Cohen handbook. And what exactly IS a "persona non grata", you may ask? It simply means "unwelcome person". Oberst must think that's what we've all become now: personae non grata, and knowing him, he probably includes himself in that category. Welcome to the 2020's, folks...

New songs for January 30th, 2019

here they are:


"Dylan Thomas" by Better Oblivion Community Center (Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers): Conor and Phoebe have known each other for quite some time now, so it was only a matter of time before they did something together. And what is the result of this inevitable collaboration? Well, it's a slightly noisy folk-rock song, where sound is concerned, which is not a surprising choice in sound for the Bright Eyes frontman. As for the lyrics, the chorus mentions that Conor and Phoebe want to "die like Dylan Thomas", famous for his "Do not go gentle into that good night" quote. Conor has had a recurring theme of morbid lyrics in his songs before, so it's not surprising to know about how Dylan Thomas serves as the central lyrical inspiration in this song.


"F**k the Rain" by Ryan Adams: Hmmm...could somebody please help me pronounce those two unusual letters in the first word of this song?! I've never seen them before! Oh wait...NOW I know what they are! OK, kidding aside, this song actually IS pretty good, in spite of the fact that its fronting word is one that I don't favor in my own vocabulary. You would expect a song like this to be angry from its title, and Ryan has done a few angry tunes before, but this one actually isn't. It's more a sad, plaintive song that would probably be good to listen to ON a rainy day. John Mayer, the folk-pop musician who has long had the desire to be a bluesman, plays a half blues and half country solo towards the end of this song that wouldn't be out of place in a Grateful Dead tune (fitting, since Mayer has toured with them before).


"Harmony Hall" by Vampire Weekend: After 6 years on hiatus, Vampire Weekend have returned and are doing what they do best! Ezra Koenig's quintet have often emulated the tropical world beat sounds of musicians like Paul Simon, Sting, and Peter Gabriel. "Harmony Hall" seems to take on a lot of the Paul Simon aspects, especially at the beginning with its crisp, river-like acoustic guitar. A sprightly piano takes over the guitar for much of the rest of the song, as Koenig ponders over existential crises with lyrics like, "I don't want to live like this, but I don't want to die." Plights like this define the song's lyrical content, but the title "Harmony Hall" still suits it well for the evenly matched vocals and instrumentation this song has to offer.


"Moderation" by Florence and The Machine: Imagine the opening notes of The Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" played three times instead of five, and played on piano instead of bass. That pretty much defines the beginning of "Moderation", which quickly turns into a more enjoyably arts-y Florence tune about 30 seconds afterwards. Lyrically, this is an interesting song, as it is unclear who Flo is speaking to. She seems to be addressing a lover at first, but during the chorus, she addresses a "little girl", which might be Flo herself. Whether she's talking to someone else or herself, she nonetheless claims that the subject of the song "wants (her) to love (them) in moderation". Much like other songs of hers, such as "Shake It Out", "Moderation" seems to be about an inner battle that Florence is having with her own self, trying to decide whether she is truly worthy of love, as well as if love itself is truly worth feeling. Well, as they say, everything in "Moderation", right?!


"Red Bull And Hennessy" by Jenny Lewis: So far, we've had a song with a title containing a word I don't use, and now here's a song containing a title of drinks I don't drink (I don't drink any alcohol, FYI.) I guess I'm what you'd call a rocker who lacks the rock and roll lifestyle, eh?! Oh, and as if by coincidence, it is none other than Ryan Adams (discussed in a previous entry for this week) playing the guitar on this track! Go figure, eh? The legendary Ringo Starr guests on drums here, too. Anyway, this song is pretty much sex, drugs, and...ummm...kind of rock and roll?! All three elements are essential on this vaguely Fleetwood Mac-ish track, which expresses lustful sexual desire, being "wired" and "high" on alcohol, and just the thrill Jenny seems to get from being wild and reckless with partners.

New songs for March 8th 2017

here they are:


"A Little Uncanny" by Conor Oberst: In the fashion of his idol, Bob Dylan, Conor Oberst from Bright Eyes attempts here to make a roots-y folk-rock tune that contains plenty of name dropping and cryptic but interesting lyrics. Ronald Reagan, Robin Williams, Sylvia Plath and Jane Fonda are all mentioned here in this song. It's hard to tell what the central message of it is, but my best guess is that it gets spelled out towards the end of the song when Conor says, "They say a party can kill you. Sometimes I wish it would." As for what that means, perhaps he's trying to indicate that self-medication can sometimes feel painful after a long time of doing it. Given how critical Mr. Dylan tends to be of many things, I'm not sure if he'd find this song flattering or overbearing, but "A Little Uncanny" does seem to be the most Dylan-inspired song yet from Conor Oberst, who has done many other songs in his style as well.


"Black Tears" by Imelda May (featuring Jeff Beck): The wild, sassy Irishwoman who gave us fun ravin' rockers like "Mayhem" and "Inside Out" back in 2011 tones it down a bit for her latest song, "Black Tears", featuring legendary rock guitarist, Jeff Beck. This is also a calmer song for Jeff than most of his material as well, though he still shows his guitar wizardry in a more subtle manner here. The song bears similarity to the early '60s instrumental song, "Sleep Walk", by Santo and Johnny, in terms of both its slow doo-wop styled rhythm and its loopy Hawaiian influenced guitar sound. Imelda pours her emotions out like never before in "Black Tears" with a passion akin to musicians like Etta James and Janis Joplin. Bittersweet with a bite, "Black Tears" is a great song to listen to if you've recently broken up with someone.


"Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man: Portugal. The Man may be big among "indie" fans, but they've always had a bit of an R & B streak hidden behind their neo-psychedelic pop facade. "Feel It Still" starts out with just bass and vocals, but gradually gets other instruments added in shortly afterward, most prominently a brass instrument that, when combined with the bass and drums, sounds like it would not be out of place in a "James Bond" or "Austin Powers" movie. PTM clearly want to reflect the era of both cinema and music from the mid '60s in "Feel It Still", going so far as to mention the year 1966 by name in a lyric that ends up being a play on words of the Chuck Berry song, "Route 66". The last verse of "Feel It Still" makes it apparent that "Feel It Still" is not just a song written for fun, but also for the cause of ending war, similar to statements they've made in songs of theirs like "So American" and "Modern Jesus".


"Fight For Love" by Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors: You probably already knew that you had to fight for your right to party, but did you know you also have to fight for your right to love? Well, country-rocker Drew Holcomb certainly seems to think so! In this roots-y John Mellecamp-esque number, Drew passionately pleads for peace among everyone. In contrast with the slightly rocking sound of this song, Drew sounds almost sad but urgent at the same time with the delivery of his lyrics. Love should be free, but sometimes you just gotta work for it instead!


"Green Light" by Lorde: The now 20-year-old "Royals" hitmaker, Ella Yelich O'Connor, better known by her stage name, "Lorde", has returned to grace the pop and rock airwaves a little wiser for the wear than she once was. She had a few bittersweet songs early on, like "Team", but most of her songs went for a catchy but somewhat mystical sound. "Green Light" has a slightly more melancholy sound, at least initially. The song plays out like a Tori Amos tune that starts to sound more like a Madonna song as it progresses and starts gaining more instruments than just the keyboard. The song is centered around what Lorde's life became like after her high school years. In interviews, she came off as down-to-earth and not nearly as obsessed with her own image as most pop stars tend to be. She even thought it was funny when "South Park" decided to make fun of her, so she has a pretty strong backbone! Or so it would seem. Having a popular television show skewer your image for comedy is nothing like trying to build a new image for your own self so that people don't see you as a "glamor queen" and instead see you as a serious artist. Hints of not feeling like "part of the crowd" were already evident with songs like "Tennis Court", which served as her scathing indictment of the high school drama she was then surrounded with, but "Green Light" brings it to a whole new level! This song will probably make a huge impression on people who are fans of more music than just pop and rock!


"Wild Fire" by Laura Marling: This song may be gentle, but its words are most certainly not! Laura Marling's latest song, "Wild Fire", seems to emulate her idol, Joni Mitchell, both lyrically and musically. From the song's opening question, "Are you trying to make a cold liar out of me?" to its penultimate lyrical statement of, "You can stop playing that sh*t out on me", it's clear that "Wild Fire" is, well, wild and fiery! Laura is no soft, gentle hippie chick. She means business here! Then again, Joni Mitchell was never comfortable being referred to as a "hippie chick" either. For every whimsical musing like "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Both Sides Now" Joni had, she also aimed caustic, stinging messages to her exes in songs like "Nathan LaFraneer" and "Raised On Robbery". Likewise, for every bittersweet song like "Sophia" that Laura has, she also has songs that are just plain old bitter, like "Wild Fire"!

New songs for July 29th 2015

here they are:


"Different Colors" by Walk the Moon: With each new Walk the Moon song that comes out, the alt-pop quartet continues to prove that they are heavy hitters today, just as much as their namesake (The Police - specifically "Walking On the Moon") was in the late '70s/early '80s. "Anna Sun" and "Tightrope" were already pretty huge, but their Fall '14 smash hit, "Shut Up And Dance", outdid even THOSE songs!! So, does WTM's star continue to rise on "Different Colors"?! I would say, yes AND no. Yes, because it's catchy as heck, like pretty much all of their material is! No, on the other hand, because "Different Colors" isn't INSTANTLY catchy like their other three singles have been so far. A short description of this song's sound?! Think Foreigner's "Jukebox Hero" mixed with The Killers' "Shot At the Night".


"I'm In Love With My Life" by Phases: "I'm In Love With My Life", indeed! And with a song as catchy as THIS, why shouldn't you be?! It has all the makings of a classic pop radio hit! Disco beats, INXS-ish guitar hooks, and the perfect blend of male and female vocal harmonies! What's more?! First off, not a single lyric in the song is negative, a rarity for this day and age! To add to that, Phases are also an indie-pop supergroup, consisting of members of groups like The Like, Phantom Planet, as well as one member who was in both Bright Eyes and Rilo Kiley. Have you ever known a song whose title fits its mood more than this one does?! I sure haven't!!


"Light And Candle" by JJ Grey and Mofro: The '60s R & B vibe is here, as is the case with most JJ Grey and Mofro songs, but this time the boys slow things down a bit for a sound that is smooth and sensual, yet still gritty. The sweet, sensitive sounding title of the song kinda gives away how the song comes across overall. This sorta song is perfect after a nice night out of fine dining, or a walk in the moonlight. You'd swear you were hearing a long, lost Otis Redding ballad of the most passionate quality!


"Meet Me In the Woods" by Lord Huron: February's "Fool For Love" was the surprise hit of the year for Lord Huron! The group have always been favorites of the indie-folk community, but "Fool For Love" reached a little beyond their usual crowd! Could that be what's in store for Lord Huron's next big song, "Meet Me In the Woods"? Well, probably not. Still, though, the captivating, haunting sound of "Meet Me In the Woods" is bound to be a treat for Lord Huron fans, as well as fans of similar acts like Fleet Foxes, Iron & Wine, and The Tallest Man on Earth. So far, "Meet Me In the Woods" is the only minor key Lord Huron song that I've heard, which is interesting, considering how "lo-fi" their overall sound is. Perhaps it is the minor key sound of the song that makes it sound so mysterious, like a group of people traveling through a forest in the middle of the night!


"Sparks" by Beach House: Ah, nothing like a nice, dreamy song from Beach House. 'Cept this one kinda isn't! At least not as much as their usual material is. "Sparks" is more influenced by neo-psychedelia (and post-punk, in the vein of bands like My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus & Mary Chain) than it is by ethereal, airy folk/classical/jazz/rock blend they usually have. The screeching, fuzz soaked electric guitars about 30 seconds into the song make it apparent that this is a different Beach House song than usual. Well, at least Victoria Legrand's vocals are still soothing. It also retains the one-word titles of their previous hits ("Norway", "Zebra", and "Myth").

Songs from A to Z!

From Tom Petty's action-packed anthem "American Dream Plan B", to the zephyrean zen of Conor Oberst's "Zigzagging Towards the Light", we've got 'em all! Here they are:


"American Dream Plan B" by Tom Petty: Is there a better way to start out this week's blog than with a solid, rockin' tune like Tom Petty's "American Plan B"?! I don't think so! One of the greatest advantages Tom Petty has over fellow "heartland rockers", like Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, is that Petty typically seems to stick to rock 'n' roll music more than they do, instead of switching between rock and folk/country. Apparently, this time around, Petty wanted his entire album to have a no-frills rock sound, from start to finish. That being said, "American Dream Plan B" brings his newest album, "Hypnotic Eye" off to a great start!


"Out On the Street" by Spanish Gold: This marks the second time that a member of My Morning Jacket has joined a supergroup, the first of whom was lead singer, Jim James, with his side project, Monsters of Folk. This time, MMJ drummer Patrick Hallahan takes a swing at joining a supergroup, along with Dante Schwebel from Canadian indie-folk/rock group, City and Colour, and Adrian Quesada from Grupo Fantasma. Though two thirds of the group started out as folkies, their song "Out On the Street" doesn't fit that description, and is instead a rather soulful number that sounds remarkably like "Somebody's Watching Me" by '80s one-hit wonder and R & B musician, Rockwell. The coincidence in sound to that song is not accidental, as the members of Spanish Gold wanted their sound to recall the R & B and early hip-hop music of the 1980's, since all three of them grew up watching MTV during the first couple of years the channel was on the air.


"The Line" by Phish: And here we have yet another soulful, slinky, jazzy track, albeit in a more mellow, blissed out mood, typical of Phish. At least it SEEMS like a typical Phish song until you realize that the song is actually about a basketball player! Not exactly a common subject among post-hippie jam bands, but apparently the members of Phish were big fans of basketball player, Darius Washington, Jr., so they decided to dedicate a song to him. The song is written from the perspective of a basketball player whose destiny hangs in the balance (or "the line", hence the title of the song). I'm the last person you'd ever want to have join a basketball team, but I still appreciate this song.


"Zigzagging Towards the Light" by Conor Oberst: You've gotta love the title of this song!! It uses both an unusual letter and an unusual word beginning with the letter, and adding "towards the light" after the first word of the title makes it sound poetic! The song is a laid back, roots-y folk tune with a rock 'n' roll undercurrent, almost like a long, lost Traveling Wilburys song. The title is not the only poetic lyric in the song. It is full of cosmic sounding metaphors and descriptions, actually, like "my mind's a weathervane, it spins around just like a top", "it forms a figure eight, and goes on for eternity", and "I fly by interstate across a purple mountain range". So basically, "Zigzagging Towards the Light" is the tale of a dissatisfied youth product of bohemian pop culture trying to search for the meaning of life through dream-like descriptions of his surroundings. It's like Kerouac's "On the Road" set to music!

New songs for March 26th, 2014

here they are:


"Fever" by The Black Keys: With the popularity of each song they've had a hit with in the 2010's, it's no wonder The Black Keys' latest song, "Fever", is the most anticipated new song of the week!! However, it's a bit, well, different than most of their material. There is a bit more focus on the synthesizer in this song, yet it still keeps up with the sound of the Keys' trademark blues-rock sound, almost as if Devo was trying to cover a Led Zeppelin song! That being said, there really isn't that much "fever" in "Fever", but it's still worth checking out!


"Hundreds of Ways" by Conor Oberst: Anyone ever notice how Conor Oberst's solo material has more of an upbeat, country-rock feel than his material with Bright Eyes?! Well, I have, and his latest solo song, "Hundreds of Ways", is no exception. In fact, I would say that it's the Bright Eyes frontman's most optimistic sounding song to date! The bright, brassy sound in the chorus is atypical for Conor, but it adds more pep to the already peppy vibe of this song. Conor is still as contrary as ever, though, insisting repeatedly that there are "hundreds of ways to get through the day", while also hoping that he's "forgotten when (he) dies".


"Milwaukee" by The Both: Aimee Mann and Ted Leo. She's a little bit folk-pop. He's a little bit rock 'n' roll. So what do crafty pop chanteuse, Aimee Mann, and indie-punk-rocker Ted Leo, as a duo known as "The Both", sound like together?! Well, indie rock, basically, but with an emphasis on the "rock" part (the song definitely seems like more of a Ted Leo song than an Aimee Mann one). The guitar distortion suggests indie rock legends, Pavement, yet the melody is more characteristic of classic rock, particularly the beat and key of Steely Dan's "Reelin' In the Years" mixed with the melody of Tommy Tutone's "867-5309/Jenny". Though Aimee Mann's role in "Milwaukee" is a bit understated, it's definitely there. Her voice is present during the first verse of the song, as well as the chorus, but in the latter, it mainly serves as a way to harmonize with Ted's vocals. The song is about when the two of them first toured together and encountered a statue of Henry Winkler's iconic TV character, "The Fonz", while walking around in the titular Wisconsin town.


"Morning Song" by The Avett Brothers: With a sound that seems halfway between James Taylor and Gillian Welch, "Morning Song" is one of The Avett Brothers' finest moments of melancholia, both lyrically and instrumentally. Its sound hearkens back to The Avetts' earlier material, with its stark instrumentation, consisting of many string instruments (acoustic guitar, banjo, and cello), but no percussion or bass. Scott Avett's yearning, keening vocals, lamenting about how it "hurts so bad", "nothing's really helping", and how he'll "have to sing that melody alone" really makes this one a major tearjerker! As if its lonesome sound wasn't enough to make you cry. Excuse me while I go grab my nearest handkerchief!!


"Raging Fire" by Phillip Phillips: Just the title of Phillip Phillips' latest song, "Raging Fire", makes it sound intense! It is a folk-pop/rock song, like most of his material, but there is something in "Raging Fire" that DOES make it more intense than his other songs, and that is a combination of the unbridled passion he puts into this song, and the equally passionate string orchestra he uses for its chorus! The "raging fire" in the title refers to an emotional "fire" of sorts, like a "burning" desire within the soul. Perhaps the coolest part about this song is the ending, which is a "cliffhanger", in that it leaves the song hanging on the second to the last part of the D major chord in its chorus, instead of resolving to the G major chord that dominates the song.


"Wait For Me" by Kings of Leon: In the late 2000's, Kings of Leon unintentionally became modern day arena rock giants, and they have used that sound to their advantage ever since. Nowhere does the power of their arena rock styled sound shine more brightly than on "Wait For Me", though, a song that sounds a little like John Mellencamp attempting to perform a Police song. The rather foreboding opening notes give way to a bittersweet ballad, in which KOL reassure the subject of the song that "it's all better now", in spite of the romantic troubles they might be going through. These guys sure have come a long way from being the garage rock group who sang "Molly's Chambers"!!

New songs for June 8th, 2011

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!

New songs for Jan. 19th, 2011

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.