May the 4th be with us, as I churn out a blog that contains more songs than there have been Star Wars sequels (11 songs, to be precise)! Let's begin, shall we?!
"Alphabetland" by X: Interesting that a band whose name consists of only one letter of the alphabet (and one of the rarest, at that) has put out a song about the entire alphabet...well, kind of. "Alphabetland" is just a catchy and quirky song title from the Los Angeles punk quartet, X, who have not released an album with all four original members in 35 years! As the members of the band rotated during the late '80s and early '90s, X went for more of a plaintive folk-rock influenced sound. With "Alphabetland", that sound is gone, and in its place is the original fiery yet melodic punk sound that X started with. "Alphabetland" could be best described as The White Stripes trying to cover "I Wanna Be Sedated" by The Ramones. It's a bit hard to tell upon first listen what the song is actually about, but fans of X will not be let down by this surprising new release in their catalog. A title like "Alphabetland" would not be out of place on Sesame Street...speaking of which, no one has ever told us how to get there. Perhaps Exene, John, DJ, and Billy could tell us how to get, how to get to Alphabetland?!
"Blank Slate" by Chicano Batman: Chicano Batman just keep getting funkier and funkier with each song they release. Their latest song, "Blank Slate", seems like a Talking Heads-ish dance track mixing techno beats and funk guitars. Lyrically, the song's excitement is conveyed in its lyrics about newfound desire for love. "I just wanna love you" seems to be the central line in the song. Chicano Batman, we already loved you!
"Don't Let Me Down" by Milky Chance (featuring Jack Johnson): Not to be confused with the Beatles song of the same name, "Don't Let Me Down"'s chill brand of funk-rock is nothing new for German indie-pop duo, Milky Chance. For Jack Johnson, however, it's a whole new world. Jack Johnson has been kind of like the millennial answer to the '70s Jimmy Buffett, combining acoustic guitar soft rock with blissed out tropical island vibes. Jack briefly flirted with electric guitar music in the early 2010's, but he's never gone guitar-LESS...until now, that is. Milky Chance's songs could also be described as having super blissful vibes, so in that sense, they fit well with Jack Johnson. Between this song and the last one I reviewed for this week, this year's early summer is shaping up to be a pretty chill one so far!
"Hold Me" by The Teskey Brothers: The Teskey Brothers mid-summer adult alt radio smash, "So Caught Up", had a strong Motown/'60s soul influence. "Hold Me" reaches even further back into the history of R & B music, sounding almost like a gospel song in comparison. There is no noticeable instrumentation until midway through the song. Until that point, "Hold Me" is defined mostly by handclaps, in a similar manner to a great number of gospel and early blues tunes. The title, "Hold Me", is not merely a desire to be in a relationship, but one of brotherhood, both in the literal and spiritual sense of the term. It's almost like this song is trying to be a 21st century update of "Lean On Me". Nice try, if that's the case...but it'll never hold up to that song!
"Hometown Heroes" by Moon Taxi: We've had quite a few blissed out summer songs on this week's blog so far. Moon Taxi are normally experts on this sort of song, but "Hometown Heroes" is a different flavor than most of their material. It is a bittersweet folk-rock song, in contrast to the blend of reggae, funk, and indie-pop that defines most of Moon Taxi's material. Sooo...why the change in sound?! Well, part of the reason for that is likely because of what the song is about. Moon Taxi wanted to give their fans hope during our current pandemic. A song that conjured up images of summertime and partying would not get their message across seriously, so instead they opted for a light indie-folk sound to thank all of the heroes who have helped out during this unexpected world crisis. As they say, not all heroes wear capes!
"I Contain Multitudes" by Bob Dylan: Unlike Moon Taxi, Bob Dylan (of course) is no stranger to bittersweetness. This is the mood that Dylan chose for his latest song, "I Contain Multitudes". Mr. Dylan most certainly DOES contain multitudes, being one of the most enigmatic musicians out there! It's amazing he's still alive today, and that in itself seems to be part of the musical rumination of "I Contain Multitudes". Dylan himself seems to be amazed he is still surviving with the stark mode of this song and its complex lyrics, during which he name drops many celebrities and characters, including Anne Frank, Indiana Jones, and The Rolling Stones, and referencing David Bowie without actually mentioning him. Dylan compares himself to many during the course of this song, but in the end, Bob Dylan is Bob Dylan. There can be no other!
"Light of Love" by Florence and The Machine: Florence Welch and co are the next of many who have shared songs that are relevant to the outbreak of COVID-19. Although her latest song, "Light of Love", is not actually about that, she probably chose to release it now because of how people have been impacted the sudden societal separation that the coronavirus' impact has resulted in for us. "In every one of us shines the light of love", Florence sweetly sings over a sorrowful yet tuneful bed of string instruments. In a similar theme to one of FATM's biggest hits, "Shake It Out", "Light of Love" seems to be about the regret that can be experienced from partying too much on a previous night. Of course, Florence, like all of us, realizes there will be no party for quite awhile now, but the regret we've been feeling inside is no different. If a coronavirus victim's last song happens to be this one, it could serve a strong purpose as a bittersweet lullaby for them to sail away from the shackles of mortal life and into the realm of a sparkling orchestra of eternity!
"Private Lives" by Low Cut Connie: Wow...I must admit, the last three songs have really made me cry on the inside! So let's lighten the mood, shall we? Enter Philadelphia blues-rock outfit, Low Cut Connie, to chase away your sadness! Utilizing a Black Crowes-ish groove over a "Please, Mr. Postman" styled melody, "Private Lives" exposes the bizarre, screwed up side of human nature. Sex addicts, drug addicts, nudists...all are mentioned or referred to in this song, which emphasizes the message of how "deviant" behavior is just the way some of us live, and that we should just continue to live our lives normally instead of dwelling on our wrongdoings or being afraid that people will judge us for the "weird" or "bad" things we do.
"Real Long Time" by White Reaper: Like The Cars before them, White Reaper saddle hard rock guitar riffs and rope them into a synth-studded new wave atmosphere. White Reaper's breakthrough summer hit, "Might Be Right", set them on the right track with this unique sound. "Real Long Time" continues in this direction, amping up the classic rock influences even more so than they did on their previous single. 1970's rock groups ranging from Kiss, Cheap Trick, Queen, Sweet, and Thin Lizzy can all be heard as influences in White Reaper's "Real Long Time". It is an irresistibly cheesy yet anthemic rock and roll tune that stands in the corner between glam rock and punk rock. Songs like this one sound like they were made for "That '70s Show", a show centered around nostalgia that has now become nostalgia itself. Someday, White Reaper will end up that way too, but while they're still hot, give 'em a listen! You won't be sorry!
"The Good Life" by Devon Gilfillian: Like our previous entry, Devon Gilfillian's "The Good Life" seems like it traveled to us on a time machine built in the 1970's. This time, though, the focus is on early '70s R & B, as opposed to mid '70s rock. "The Good Life" seems like it could fit easily on a Marvin Gaye album from that era. In addition to its nostalgic sound, "The Good Life"'s subject matter could also be interpreted as nostalgic. The song opens with the lyrics, "I remember yesterday, troubles seemed so far away, making castles in the sand", setting the tone for the rest of the song, which is basically just Devon reminiscing about better times during his life. A deeper meaning of the song might be construed as a plea for all of us to get along with one another, echoing the theme of Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On?" in a lighter but still powerful shade of soul!
"You And Your Folks, Me And My Folks" by Brittany Howard: Our final entry of the week is not actually a Brittany Howard song. It was originally by the eclectic soul-rock fusion group, Funkadelic, and it also marks the second time I've blogged about a song originally by Funkadelic, the first being Mavis Staples' cover of "Can You Get to That?" from 2013. Howard manages to add a blues-y flavor to "You And Your Folks..." that the original version only had a subtle hint of. The song originally came out in 1971. Coincidentally, this was the same year Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On?" came out, and both songs aimed for a similar purpose of trying to instill a sense of unity amongst a divided world. With the massive amount of civil unrest we have experienced in the past few years, Brittany Howard's saucy, powerful take on the Funkadelic classic has arrived just in time!
Showing posts with label Chicano Batman. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Chicano Batman. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 6, 2020
Wednesday, March 4, 2020
New songs for March 4th, 2020
"Color My Life" by Chicano Batman: Chicano Batman are a band who are as quirky and fun as their name would suggest! They had a significant adult alt radio hit in early 2017 with the organ driven, '60s sounding, "Friendship (Is A Small Boat In A Storm)". They seemed to go as quickly as they came once that song lost its "new" status, but after an absence of three years, Chicano Batman are back again. Their newest song, "Color My Life", sounds more like '70s funk than '60s psychedelia, but it's still as fun and flavorful as ever! Even the opening line, "Are you a lucid dream?", is worth mentioning, as it doesn't seem like your typical lyrical opening. Chicano Batman have certainly succeeded in coloring my life here, and hopefully they'll do the same for you!
"Don't Believe" by The Psychedelic Furs: The most heavily anticipated song of this week is from a band who hasn't had a big hit since the mid 1980's! '80s movie director, John Hughes, made the Furs a household name with "Pretty In Pink", which was named after the Psychedelic Furs' sleek, Bowie-esque song from the early '80s of the same name. The spooky yet intriguing "Love My Way" and the beautifully haunting "The Ghost In You" are other Furs songs that defined the 1980's. So how do they sound over 30 years later?! Fantastic, actually! "Don't Believe" sounds like David Bowie trying to record a Nirvana song, with its angry yet melodic swirl of guitars, synths, and saxophones ready to pummel the listener the first time he/she hears it! Lead singer Richard Butler attacks religious and financial institutions throughout the song, getting us outside our comfort zones to question authority once and for all!
"Little Bit Sweet" by The Wood Brothers: The Wood Brothers normally give off the vibes of a roots-y jam band. "Little Bit Sweet" continues this sound, but adds an indie-folk slant that they haven't really attempted before (to my knowledge). The guitars here have a particular distortion that makes them sound kind of quaint and "lo-fi" without going into territory that's too avant-garde. There are no particularly distinguishing factors about this song that make it stand out, but it's a cute little ditty that's arrived just in time for the upcoming spring season.
"Don't Believe" by The Psychedelic Furs: The most heavily anticipated song of this week is from a band who hasn't had a big hit since the mid 1980's! '80s movie director, John Hughes, made the Furs a household name with "Pretty In Pink", which was named after the Psychedelic Furs' sleek, Bowie-esque song from the early '80s of the same name. The spooky yet intriguing "Love My Way" and the beautifully haunting "The Ghost In You" are other Furs songs that defined the 1980's. So how do they sound over 30 years later?! Fantastic, actually! "Don't Believe" sounds like David Bowie trying to record a Nirvana song, with its angry yet melodic swirl of guitars, synths, and saxophones ready to pummel the listener the first time he/she hears it! Lead singer Richard Butler attacks religious and financial institutions throughout the song, getting us outside our comfort zones to question authority once and for all!
"Little Bit Sweet" by The Wood Brothers: The Wood Brothers normally give off the vibes of a roots-y jam band. "Little Bit Sweet" continues this sound, but adds an indie-folk slant that they haven't really attempted before (to my knowledge). The guitars here have a particular distortion that makes them sound kind of quaint and "lo-fi" without going into territory that's too avant-garde. There are no particularly distinguishing factors about this song that make it stand out, but it's a cute little ditty that's arrived just in time for the upcoming spring season.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
New songs for January 25th 2017
here they are:
"All I'm Asking" by Band of Heathens: Band of Heathens have actually been around for awhile, but this is the first song I've heard of theirs so far. It is a roots-y rock number slightly reminiscent of acts like The Band. It starts out with a thumping, funky bass line, but as a honky-tonk sounding piano and various string instruments in the background start to come in, "All I'm Asking" starts to get a bit more of a shape as a song. The chord progression from A major to F sharp minor is a bit like The Small Faces' "Itchycoo Park". A song like this one wouldn't have been out of place in another decade, and it is only from the production of the record that you can tell that this is not actually an older song.
"Angela" by The Lumineers: First "Ophelia", then "Cleopatra", now "Angela"?! Is it just me, or does Wesley Schultz have more girls on his mind than just his bandmate, Neyla Pekarek?! Of the three titular girls, "Angela" seems to suffer less than the other two characters. Ophelia and Cleopatra both suffered in their respective songs, which I suppose makes sense since the names of both are synonymous with Shakespeare characters, but Angela is a more liberated character, one who feels "home at last", as the refrain in her song states. The epic saga of The Lumineers only continues from here!
"Friendship (Is A Small Boat In A Storm)" by Chicano Batman: You're not gonna hear bands with a name like "Chicano Batman" every day, are you?! Didn't think so! Well, as it turns out, you're not gonna hear their kind of music every day either! The weirdly named quartet (who are, in fact, Chicano, but sadly not alternate identities for Batman), have an eclectic blend of late '60s styled soul music, Latino rhythms, swirling psychedelic guitar riffs, and groovy organ riffs, all in one brightly colored package! To top off all the excitement you might be getting just from reading this, Chicano Batman happen to hail from my hometown, which is none other than Los Angeles!
"Hungry Ghost" by Hurray for the Riff Raff: It's not even the second month of the year and already I have a good song for this year's Halloween playlist! The mysterious, spooky (but fun) vibes of Hurray for the Riff Raff's "Hungry Ghost" go perfectly with its haunting title! The electro-rock instrumentation of "Hungry Ghost" is a bit closer to Bat for Lashes than it is for Hurray for the Riff Raff. Come to think of it, the lyrics the song has, largely concerning isolation and alienation, seem a bit inspired by Bat for Lashes as well. Happy Halloween, 10 months in advance!
"I Give You Power" by Arcade Fire (featuring Mavis Staples): With a sound that comes off as an unlikely cross between Talking Heads and Nine Inch Nails, Arcade Fire's latest song is, as you might have guessed, a protest song about the person who now occupies the position of being the 45th President of the United States of America. "I give you power", Win Butler sings, followed by, "and I can take it away", immediately afterwards. Soul mistress Mavis Staples joins Win on what could be described as her darkest song yet! Arcade Fire giveth, and Arcade Fire taketh away. No more Mr. Nice Indie Rocker! When the going gets tough, the tough get going!
"Push Off" by The Palms: "Palms", perhaps, refers to palm trees in this case, and not to the palms of our hands, but I guess we'll never know for sure. The reason I say palm trees is because the music of The Palms' debut song, "Push Off", is gentle like palm trees swaying in the breeze, at least in the musical sense it is. Lyrically, it's a bit more bitter. It's clearly about a relationship that the lead singer wants to brush aside and forget about, as evidenced by him calling his former lover a "push off" and then telling them to "push off" afterwards. What a calming song, though! This mostly acoustic guitar based rock song even has a soft piano solo in the middle of it to add to its already breezy flavor! If you've had a bad breakup but you still wanna play it cool, then this song is for you!
"Shakedown" by Valerie June: After the heavenly, ethereal "Astral Plane" from fall of last year, we now have the more gritty, blues-y "Shakedown" from Valerie June. Not as mean and funky as her debut song, "You Can't Be Told", but it still has a more electric guitar based sound than some of what Valerie's fans might be used to at this point. "Shakedown" is probably one of a growing number of songs that is reflective of how uncertain many people think the world has become today. With its rollicking, catchy, "Lust For Life"-like beat, though, some people might be more under the impression that "Shakedown" could just be your basic blues-y rock song about dancing and falling in love. Valerie June's lyrical themes have never been basic, though, so I'm willing to bet that there is some righteous anger behind "Shakedown".
"Strange Or Be Forgotten" by Temples: The leap from a '60s homage to an '80s homage seems to be becoming increasingly common in today's indie-pop groups. Temples debuted back in 2014 with "Shelter Song", which sounded to many like a long lost Byrds tune. The fluttering synths in Temples' second big tune, "Strange Or Be Forgotten", make it clear that their musical time machine can travel to multiple eras. "Strange Or Be Forgotten" is still somewhat an ode to psychedelia, but with more keyboards than guitars. This is the sort of song that would be likely to play during a scene in a movie when someone is tripping out on drugs at a dance club. So are Temples strange, or do you think they will be forgotten?! I would go with "strange"!
"The Lost Sky" by Jesca Hoop: Jesca Hoop (yes, that's how she spells her first name) is nominally a folk-rocker, but "The Lost Sky" truly has flourishes of folk music in comparison to the only other Jesca Hoop song I currently know, "Born To", which was essentially a blend of indie-pop and singer/songwriter with a sound that was more like a melodic electric guitar distortion than a pure acoustic sound. "The Lost Sky" is primarily an acoustic-guitar-and-vocals-only song and it seems to be the name of a fictitious location that Jesca uses as a metaphor for her means of escapism, presented in poetic lyrical fashion laden with vocals that are as bittersweet as the song itself. It is a place known only to the dreamers of the world, both the aspirational kind and the nocturnal kind.
"All I'm Asking" by Band of Heathens: Band of Heathens have actually been around for awhile, but this is the first song I've heard of theirs so far. It is a roots-y rock number slightly reminiscent of acts like The Band. It starts out with a thumping, funky bass line, but as a honky-tonk sounding piano and various string instruments in the background start to come in, "All I'm Asking" starts to get a bit more of a shape as a song. The chord progression from A major to F sharp minor is a bit like The Small Faces' "Itchycoo Park". A song like this one wouldn't have been out of place in another decade, and it is only from the production of the record that you can tell that this is not actually an older song.
"Angela" by The Lumineers: First "Ophelia", then "Cleopatra", now "Angela"?! Is it just me, or does Wesley Schultz have more girls on his mind than just his bandmate, Neyla Pekarek?! Of the three titular girls, "Angela" seems to suffer less than the other two characters. Ophelia and Cleopatra both suffered in their respective songs, which I suppose makes sense since the names of both are synonymous with Shakespeare characters, but Angela is a more liberated character, one who feels "home at last", as the refrain in her song states. The epic saga of The Lumineers only continues from here!
"Friendship (Is A Small Boat In A Storm)" by Chicano Batman: You're not gonna hear bands with a name like "Chicano Batman" every day, are you?! Didn't think so! Well, as it turns out, you're not gonna hear their kind of music every day either! The weirdly named quartet (who are, in fact, Chicano, but sadly not alternate identities for Batman), have an eclectic blend of late '60s styled soul music, Latino rhythms, swirling psychedelic guitar riffs, and groovy organ riffs, all in one brightly colored package! To top off all the excitement you might be getting just from reading this, Chicano Batman happen to hail from my hometown, which is none other than Los Angeles!
"Hungry Ghost" by Hurray for the Riff Raff: It's not even the second month of the year and already I have a good song for this year's Halloween playlist! The mysterious, spooky (but fun) vibes of Hurray for the Riff Raff's "Hungry Ghost" go perfectly with its haunting title! The electro-rock instrumentation of "Hungry Ghost" is a bit closer to Bat for Lashes than it is for Hurray for the Riff Raff. Come to think of it, the lyrics the song has, largely concerning isolation and alienation, seem a bit inspired by Bat for Lashes as well. Happy Halloween, 10 months in advance!
"I Give You Power" by Arcade Fire (featuring Mavis Staples): With a sound that comes off as an unlikely cross between Talking Heads and Nine Inch Nails, Arcade Fire's latest song is, as you might have guessed, a protest song about the person who now occupies the position of being the 45th President of the United States of America. "I give you power", Win Butler sings, followed by, "and I can take it away", immediately afterwards. Soul mistress Mavis Staples joins Win on what could be described as her darkest song yet! Arcade Fire giveth, and Arcade Fire taketh away. No more Mr. Nice Indie Rocker! When the going gets tough, the tough get going!
"Push Off" by The Palms: "Palms", perhaps, refers to palm trees in this case, and not to the palms of our hands, but I guess we'll never know for sure. The reason I say palm trees is because the music of The Palms' debut song, "Push Off", is gentle like palm trees swaying in the breeze, at least in the musical sense it is. Lyrically, it's a bit more bitter. It's clearly about a relationship that the lead singer wants to brush aside and forget about, as evidenced by him calling his former lover a "push off" and then telling them to "push off" afterwards. What a calming song, though! This mostly acoustic guitar based rock song even has a soft piano solo in the middle of it to add to its already breezy flavor! If you've had a bad breakup but you still wanna play it cool, then this song is for you!
"Shakedown" by Valerie June: After the heavenly, ethereal "Astral Plane" from fall of last year, we now have the more gritty, blues-y "Shakedown" from Valerie June. Not as mean and funky as her debut song, "You Can't Be Told", but it still has a more electric guitar based sound than some of what Valerie's fans might be used to at this point. "Shakedown" is probably one of a growing number of songs that is reflective of how uncertain many people think the world has become today. With its rollicking, catchy, "Lust For Life"-like beat, though, some people might be more under the impression that "Shakedown" could just be your basic blues-y rock song about dancing and falling in love. Valerie June's lyrical themes have never been basic, though, so I'm willing to bet that there is some righteous anger behind "Shakedown".
"Strange Or Be Forgotten" by Temples: The leap from a '60s homage to an '80s homage seems to be becoming increasingly common in today's indie-pop groups. Temples debuted back in 2014 with "Shelter Song", which sounded to many like a long lost Byrds tune. The fluttering synths in Temples' second big tune, "Strange Or Be Forgotten", make it clear that their musical time machine can travel to multiple eras. "Strange Or Be Forgotten" is still somewhat an ode to psychedelia, but with more keyboards than guitars. This is the sort of song that would be likely to play during a scene in a movie when someone is tripping out on drugs at a dance club. So are Temples strange, or do you think they will be forgotten?! I would go with "strange"!
"The Lost Sky" by Jesca Hoop: Jesca Hoop (yes, that's how she spells her first name) is nominally a folk-rocker, but "The Lost Sky" truly has flourishes of folk music in comparison to the only other Jesca Hoop song I currently know, "Born To", which was essentially a blend of indie-pop and singer/songwriter with a sound that was more like a melodic electric guitar distortion than a pure acoustic sound. "The Lost Sky" is primarily an acoustic-guitar-and-vocals-only song and it seems to be the name of a fictitious location that Jesca uses as a metaphor for her means of escapism, presented in poetic lyrical fashion laden with vocals that are as bittersweet as the song itself. It is a place known only to the dreamers of the world, both the aspirational kind and the nocturnal kind.
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