New songs for August 31st, 2022

 here they are:


"Saturdays" by Broken Bells: Knowing that Broken Bells started out as a side project of James Mercer from The Shins, one should not be surprised to hear an overt Beatles influence in Broken Bells' latest song, "Saturday." Unlike the folk-y, jangly Rubber Soul-era Beatles material that The Shins typically seem to go for, "Saturdays" is more reminiscent of the swirly psychedelia of albums like Revolver  and Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Both the drone and shakiness of the guitar in the song recall songs like "Lucy in the Sky With Diamonds" and "Within You, Without You." Lines like "kept me gettin' high 'til you were mine" only accentuate the song's already trippy vibe, and the lyrics overall seem to be about the surreal nature of time. Far out, man!

"Weird Goodbyes" by The National (featuring Bon Iver): Two indie-folk/rock heavyweights who have been around roughly since the late 2000's and have only gotten more popular from there, The National and Bon Iver's latest collaboration, "Weird Goodbyes," isn't so much "weird" as it is poignant. Matt Berninger's deadpan yet forlorn vocals against bittersweet, piano-based music almost seem to channel Leonard Cohen here, albeit against a hip-hop influenced percussion section. The song is one of realization of how difficult modern times have been for society to handle, as if sensing a "goodbye" is imminent. That is to say, a goodbye from the world itself as we once knew it. 

New songs for October 9th 2019

here they are:


"Black Cadillac" by Mondo Cozmo: On this song, Joshua Keith Ostrander manages to give The Velvet Underground's "I'm Waiting For the Man" a U2 styled makeover. Oh, take that strange look out of your eyes! Haha. Bono and the boys were also influenced by Lou Reed and his quintet of alt-rock forefathers even though it might not seem that apparent at first, so the combination of these sounds might not be as outlandish as it sounds. Josh is not taking on the subject of drugs like Lou did, but he is taking on the equally hairy topic of politics in "Black Cadillac". The lyrics of the song are somewhat cryptic, except when Joshua spells out Brett Kavanaugh's last name midway through the song, attacking him for his insincerity during the Supreme Court hearings.


"Good Luck" by Broken Bells: Our next entry for the week also attacks politics, opening with the lyrics, "The face of evil's on the news tonight". As James Mercer continues to deliver his lyrics in his latest song, the trip-hop influenced "Good Luck", he questions whether the "good times" ever existed in the first place or if we're just looking at our past through rose colored glasses, so to speak. Mercer tends to lean towards the latter answer here. The darkness is all around us, sure, but Mercer acknowledges this is nothing new, ending the song by wishing his listeners "good luck" in coping with a world that doesn't seem to favor our species.


"Wars" by Of Monsters and Men: Given the chilling political atmosphere the lyrics of the previous two entries brought us, you might think that "Wars", from its title alone, would continue this theme. However, anyone tired of hearing about politics can take a breather for our last song of the week! The title of the song actually refers to a relationship gone wrong. In this song, OMAM's male vocalist takes the lead, as opposed to their female vocalist who took on "Alligator" from earlier this year. OMAM have also drifted even further away from their folk-rock sound than they did with "Alligator". That song at least contained a vague hint of electric guitar, whereas "Wars" seems to lack guitar altogether. I'm a little worried for the future of Of Monsters and Men in this aspect, as they had a rich, harmony-laden folk-rock sound for their first two albums that I fell in love with the moment I first heard it! Perhaps this is not entirely a bad thing, though.

2019: New songs for the New Year!!

It's the last year of the 2010's!! Can you believe it?! Here are 6 songs to get us started on the right track. All are left over from 2018, though I'm sure by next week there will be a few that are brand new for this year. Here goes:


“Funny Business” by Alice Merton: “I don’t play cards, I don’t do funny business”, alt-pop sass queen Alice Merton proclaims in her latest song, “Funny Business”. You’d better believe she means it! Alice’s songs tend to be full of both cleverness and insults set to a sound that’s half alternative and half pop music, not unlike what Lily Allen was doing midway through the 2000’s. So far, it appears as though the last year of the 2010’s is gonna go out with a bang! But let’s see what else is in store for the first month of the new year…


“Hey Larocco” by Rayland Baxter: The normally folk-y Rayland Baxter surprised us all with his psych-pop tinged “Casanova” in late spring/early summer of last year. “Hey Larocco” marks a return to Rayland’s folk-rock roots, to the point of which it could be considered a “sequel song” to his breakthrough single, “Yellow Eyes”. It’s even in the same key as that one is. Unlike the wistful romanticism of “Yellow Eyes”, “Hey Larocco” is about a predicament that Rayland finds himself in trying to apologize to his friend, whose name is Larocco (a name as unusual as his own, might I add).


“Now That You’re Gone” – The Raconteurs: It’s been about a decade since we last heard from Jack White’s side project, The Raconteurs. So Jack, Brendan, and the gang have decided to treat us to not one, but TWO new songs within a single month! The first of these is “Now That You’re Gone”, the crunchier and blues-ier of the two tracks. The song has all the makings of a trademark Jack White tune, such as squealing guitars, husky vocals, and chunky power chords. Adding to the blues-rock vibe of the song are its lovelorn lyrics, pontificating on the loss of a love life repeatedly in just two short verses.


“Shelter” by Broken Bells: It’s been four years since The Shins’ James Mercer and record producer Brian Burton (better known as “Danger Mouse”) last released an album. “Shelter” has many of the things you might expect from a Broken Bells song. Indie-pop melodies combine with techno instrumentation (with the occasional guitar playing in the background). The song revolves around the uncertainty of falling in love. A far cry, lyrically, from the more optimistic sounding “The High Road”, but a good one nonetheless.


“Sunday Driver” by The Raconteurs: And now we come to The Raconteurs OTHER song for the decade’s final year. “Sunday Driver” is a bit slower paced and roots-y than “Now That You’re Gone”, but it is not without its fair share of excitement. This one also has some blues-y lyrics, but more in the vein of the “travelin’ down the road” variety than of the “my love has done me wrong” sort. Not sure whose decision it was to make The Racs have two songs on the adult alt charts simultaneously (things like that don’t usually happen), but I have a feeling it’s gonna pay off big time for ‘em!


“Traveling On” by The Decemberists: For those who were disappointed by “Severed” from last year around this month, “Traveling On” might just be your antidote! “Traveling On” contains no synths or post-punk influenced sounds, and is instead a return to the familiar for Decemberists fans: a bittersweet folk-rock song, like most of the material they’ve become known for. There’s also a somewhat roots-y vibe to “Traveling On” with its weary traveler centered lyrics. You could easily picture a “long and lonesome highway” in your head as you listen to this one!

New songs for May 21st, 2014

here they are:


"Control" by Broken Bells: Broken Bells' latest album is called "After the Disco". So what IS after the disco? New wave?! From the sound of their latest song, "Control", I would certainly think so! Opening with fuzzy guitars and a flange soaked bass (and a soulful sax solo to boot), "Control" is the best song David Bowie never wrote. As usual, though, James Mercer adds a Shins-y touch of light pop-rock bounce and lovely, sweet harmony to the song. Perhaps this could be said to be a "sequel song" to their previous hit from "After the Disco", "Holding On For Life". In that song, they were talking about clinging to things, but in this one, they talk about losing control. Will their next song have a theme of trying to get things back to normal?! We'll see. Only time will tell.


"Don't Just Sit There" by Lucius: With the relentless, danceable energy of Lucius' previous song, "Turn It Around", I was expecting "Don't Just Sit There" to be just as catchy if not more so. It's not. However, it is the perfect song to listen to after a bad day with its more melancholy folk-rock-y flavor. "Don't Just Sit There" is a rather somber, brokenhearted song about the aftermath of a breakup. The song has a bit of an R.E.M.-ish jangle-pop sound, as well as gently strummed acoustic guitars in the background. Lucius - do they want to make us tap our feet or cry our eyes out?! I guess we'll never know for sure until we hear other songs of theirs!


"I Don't Know You Anymore" by Bob Mould: As an ex-punk rocker, Bob Mould doesn't always make an immediate connection with the more mellowed out adult alt crowd. One of the few times he did was with the beautiful, R.E.M.-ish "See A Little Light" back in 1988. "I Don't Know You Anymore" isn't exactly Bob's mellowest, but I guess with the rise of bands who have a brand of "Springsteen-ian punk" (Hold Steady, Gaslight Anthem) who have become popular with the adult alt audiences, a song like "I Don't Know You Anymore" is probably more palatable to those whose taste in music is more soft and melodic than it would have been 10 or 20 years ago. "I Don't Know You Anymore" does indeed boast a sound similar to groups like The Hold Steady and The Gaslight Anthem. The song rocks relentlessly, but it also has a sense of pathos underneath it all that not every rock song does.


"Saturday Night" by G. Love and Special Sauce: G. Love's "Nothing Quite Like Home" came out in winter of this year, and that song brought back the signature blend of rock, blues, jazz, and hip-hop that G. Love had originally become known for. His second single of the year, "Saturday Night", doesn't rock out quite as hard as "Nothing Quite Like Home", but it is still worth listening to. G. Love might be a Pennsylvania native, but the spicy gumbo he cooks up with the drums and harmonica of "Saturday Night" make it seem like it comes from down south in Louisiana instead! "Saturday Night" is a bit more folk-rock-y than his previous hit of 2014, but it still has just the right sort of flavor for the typical G. Love fan to indulge him/herself in. The song is basically the auditory equivalent of eating a jar of salsa marked "mild".


"Weight of Love" by The Black Keys: Dan Auerbach and Patrick Carney seem to enjoy the comparisons to classic rock musicians they have gotten with their last two albums. As any fan of Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, or The Rolling Stones knows, "rock" doesn't always have to be hard, and some of the best known rock songs are quite ambitious in terms of their length and/or structure. The Black Keys' "Weight of Love" is BOTH!! It is a softer song (at least it starts as one), that clocks in at almost seven minutes!! It seems to take the form of a Floyd-esque "stoner jam" during its first two minutes, which are entirely instrumental. Turn on, tune in, and drop out with The Black Keys. Wow, I never thought I'd say THOSE words together in one sentence!!


"West Coast" by Lana Del Rey: For a pop star, Lana Del Rey is quite bittersweet in pretty much all of her songs! I can't really think of a happy Lana Del Rey song, actually. This is a good thing for me, though, since it proves that you don't have to sound happy or energetic to be popular. "West Coast" continues to go in the poignant direction of Lana's other material. There are some things that are noticeably different about "West Coast", though. For one, the song seems to be almost like a Moody Blues song for the indie-pop generation, alternating between faster verses and a slower chorus. It is also one of the few songs of hers in which the electric guitar plays a central part. The guitar also stays throughout the song, rather than wandering off into the background like it did in "Blue Jeans". The guitar we get on "West Coast" is drenched in reverb, but a rather sad sort of reverb, serving more as an echo of painful emotions than merely as a "psychedelic" sound effect used in the song.


"Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" by Arctic Monkeys: And now we have yet another song that uses a reverb guitar sound. This one is a more bouncy, energetic kind of reverb, though (is there such a thing as a sad Arctic Monkeys song?!) Much as the title of this song would indicate, "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" has a rather mischievous sound, as though someone is creeping up and down a stairway in the middle of the night. Midnight (or rather, after midnight) is when the song takes place, actually, so they probably used this sound on the song on purpose. The lyrics basically give out the message of "don't bother me, I'm trying to sleep, and you're on drugs", but the song itself tells an entirely different story!

New songs for November 6th, 2013

here they are:


"Holding On For Life" by Broken Bells: For the first time since the start of the 2010's, The Shins' James Mercer and Gnarls Barkley's Brian "Danger Mouse" Burton are back together again for a new album called "After the Disco"! An appropriate title, considering the disco influence that Danger Mouse brings into their latest song, "Holding On For Life". The folk-y acoustic strums in the background of the song make it very much of a James Mercer tune as well. Songs like this one are proof that sometimes, two heads are better than one! As Danger Mouse pumps disco/techno beats into "Holding On For Life", James adds in enigmatically soul searching lyrics, lush, mellow harmonies, and folk-rock influence, and together, the elements of the song melt into a nice, tasty, out of this world stew!


"She Lit A Fire" by Lord Huron: Lord Huron first hit the adult alt airwaves last November with their dreamily psychedelic song, "Time to Run". Now, exactly one November later, the dreaminess of Lord Huron has come around a second time with "She Lit A Fire". Between this song and "Time to Run", I'm starting to notice a lyrical theme in Lord Huron's music. They seem to write love songs, but they do so using really abstract lyrics and evocative imagery. The chorus of the song states that the girl of the lead singer's affections "lit a fire, and now she's in (his) every thought", so the love theme here is pretty obvious, but what makes the song so special to me is the ultra-mellow, acoustic guitar based sound the song uses, as well as the imagery of deserts, mountains, seas, and (of course) fire. This is the song all the hippies merely wish they had written!


"Swimming In the Sea" by Bob Schneider: And now, more indie-pop love poetry featuring lyrics that evoke nature (specifically fish and the sea, this time around)!! This is certainly not a bad thing, though. After all, Bob Schneider is one of those people who has a way of making love songs sound dreamy in a good way, rather than a cheesy one. It seems like he was quite influenced by Snow Patrol when he did "Swimming In the Sea", at least musically. The lyrics here seem to concern love at first sight, rather than a more general love theme, but the sentiments of falling in love certainly abound in this song!


"This Lonely Morning" by Best Coast: The Los Angelean duo of the fun but sassy Bethany Cosentino and her bandmate Bobb Bruno are doing what they do best on their latest tune, "This Lonely Morning". That is to say, they are making fun, summery music that mixes the sunny pop of early Beach Boys music with the sneaky indie-pop snark of Rilo Kiley. "This Lonely Morning" is anything BUT lonely!! Well, musically, at least. The lyrics are a bit darker than the song itself, as Bethany is "running from (her)self this time", and stating (negatively) how her "feelings never change". Perhaps this is the reason they released the song in fall instead of summer?! Because otherwise, it totally sounds like a summer song, like pretty much all of their material tends to!


"Workin' Woman Blues" by Valerie June: Valerie June first sizzled her way onto the adult alt airwaves in the summer of this year, with her Black Keys-esque (and Dan Auerbach produced) blues-rocker, "You Can't Be Told". Despite the use of the word "blues" in the title of Valerie's "Workin' Woman Blues", its sound more suggests a blend of folk, soul, and jazz that people like Joan Armatrading were known for using in the mid 1970's. It's the lyrics of the song that bring the "blues" part into the title. Valerie is clearly worn out from all the demands people put on women of being mothers, wives, etc. in the song, and addresses the issue of poverty in it as well. Definitely worth listening to, especially for those who identify with oppression, whether the roots of it are sexual or political (or both).

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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