here they are:
"Before I Found You" by Van William: Before I found this song by Van William, he was merely the guy who had a song where the Swedish folk-rock group First Aid Kit provided guest vocals on one verse. Now that I've found "Before I Found You", though, I can see why so many adult alt radio stations have latched onto it! It combines acoustic instrumentation with catchy rock/pop beats. It has a heck of a catchy chorus, too. "I never knew who I was before I found you", Van declares during the chorus of the song, and then adds, "Don't let me sleep tonight". New love is full of exciting moments, isn't it?!
"Blackout" by Frank Turner: Frank Turner might just be one of the most eclectic musicians of the 2010's. From folk-rock to folk-punk to Bruce Springsteen-esque roots rock, he seems to have done it all! "Blackout" adds a new dimension to Frank's music. A sort of post-punk-cum-pop sound akin to groups like Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys is what drives Frank's latest song, "Blackout". The song centers around "the darkness" and how Frank is afraid of it, like he presumes the listener to be. What darkness is he talking about? We may never know the answer to that one. What we do know, however, is that this song is yet another reason to admire Frank Turner, just as I did when I first heard his music 5 years ago!
"Don't Give In" by Snow Patrol: Gary Lightbody's voice sounds a bit strained during the first verse of this song, but it does become more recognizable to Snow Patrol fans as it progresses. Choosing to perform their latest song in the not so commonly used key of D sharp minor (or E flat minor, depending on where you go in the musical scale), "Don't Give In" is a unique song for the part Irish and part Scottish indie-pop quintet. Perhaps the urgency here in Gary's voice is due to his addressing the problems with depression he has faced since he was young. Like many Snow Patrol songs, there is a sense of vulnerability in "Don't Give In". For a band who has not released a new album in 7 years, this is a pretty strong comeback!
"Fool Me Once" by Lukas Nelson: I've only heard a handful of Lukas Nelson songs, but this is probably the one where he sounds the closest to his legendary dad, Willie, in terms of both his vocals and his musical style. The song may be about someone's cheatin' heart, in true country-rock fashion, but it has a rather upbeat, happy-go-lucky sound in the spirit of groups like The Allman Brothers Band or Little Feat. Funny that Lukas chose to release this song as a single so close to April Fool's Day, isn't it? Considering its title, I mean...
"If Your Prayers Don't Get to Heaven" by Brian Fallon (lead singer of Gaslight Anthem): The Gaslight Anthem are like what you'd get if you mixed Bruce Springsteen with The Clash. Both Springsteen and The Clash had a hidden fondness for Motown and early soul music that occasionally surfaced in their music, so it only figures that The Gaslight Anthem's lead singer, Brian Fallon, would make a soul inflected tune of his own. That tune is "If Your Prayers Don't Get to Heaven". Given the bleak and desperate tone of most Gaslight Anthem songs, you might think the title to this song is a sarcastic one, but from what I can tell from the lyrics, it isn't. It just seems to be a song of reassurance to whoever Brian's current lover is. If your prayers don't get to heaven, the power of good music will!
Showing posts with label Frank Turner. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Frank Turner. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Wednesday, July 22, 2015
"Star Wars" Episode IX: Return of the Tweed-eye (and 4 other good ones)!!
In honor of Wilco's new album, "Star Wars", I have decided to make the title of this week's blog a reference to the "Star Wars" movies!! Here are this week's songs:
"Phone In A Pool" by Ben Folds (featuring yMusic): Ben Folds is one quirky dude! I mean, who ELSE would come up with a song title as random as "Phone In A Pool"? As it turns out, the title is not as random as it seems. It actually comes from how Ben was sick of answering his cell phone all the time. This resulted in how he did, in fact, throw his phone in a pool, out of the anger that rooted from having to answer it so often, even when he just got off stage. The song itself is charmingly odd, like most of Ben's material. New York ensemble yMusic provides a bit of light classical influence to the song to add to Ben's signature piano sound.
"Random Name Generator" by Wilco: So here's the moment you've all been waiting for, folks! A long time ago (1995, to be precise) in a galaxy far, far away (actually Chicago, Illinois), a singer named Jeff Tweedy decided to form a band, and he called it Wilco, after a military term short for "will comply". They started off as a country-rock group, but soon ventured into more folk, psychedelic, and even punk influenced territory as their career progressed. Their ninth and latest album is called "Star Wars", though no one quite knows why (yet). The first single off that album, "Random Name Generator", is, well, random! Both the title and the lyrics are rather mysterious, perhaps as an ode to musical heroes of theirs, such as Bob Dylan, though the song itself sounds more like something from what a Lou Reed led Led Zeppelin might have sounded like.
"Spots of Time" by Warren Haynes (featuring Railroad Earth): As a temporary member of The Allman Brothers Band, Warren Haynes is quite an accomplished "jam band" guitarist! His studio songs often feel more like live recordings due to their enormous length. Another thing he has in common with The Allmans is how blues-y he sounds. Well, normally. Warren's latest song, "Spots of Time", sounds more like an amalgam of flamenco, bluegrass, and jazz. So how did this happen?! Perhaps it's because he chose to jam with Railroad Earth, who are known for being more bluegrass than blues. For you guitar solo hungry folks, though, fear not! There is still plenty of chunky guitar jams in this song! It's just that this time around, they're interspersed with fiddle solos, too.
"The Next Storm" by Frank Turner: Plenty of folks have opted for folk-rock in the 2010's, but in 2013, Frank Turner won over more than just the usual folk-rock crowd with songs like "Recovery" and "The Way I Tend to Be", both of which made it into my Top 20 of 2013 at the end of the year. Songs like these were invigorating, lively, and quite clever as well! Frank continues this pattern with his newest song, "The Next Storm", proving himself to be England's answer to Bruce Springsteen in the process of performing it! "I'm not gonna live my whole life indoors, I'm gonna step out, and face the next storm", Frank proudly and defiantly proclaims in the chorus of "The Next Storm". Adventure, ho!
"Trouble" by Keith Richards: Since quite a large number of adult alt stations have started spinning this song when it isn't even a week old yet, I was expecting this to be a softer Keith/Stones song. It is not! It's basically a Stones song with Keith taking the lead vocals instead of Mick. The song has plenty of juicy Chuck Berry style riffs, a fast, propulsive beat, and an overall rebellious (but fun) sound. The world's oldest looking Stone is still young at heart! The dry, sardonic delivery of the lyrics is also worth noting here, as a marked contrast to the louder, more direct vocal delivery of Mick Jagger.
"Phone In A Pool" by Ben Folds (featuring yMusic): Ben Folds is one quirky dude! I mean, who ELSE would come up with a song title as random as "Phone In A Pool"? As it turns out, the title is not as random as it seems. It actually comes from how Ben was sick of answering his cell phone all the time. This resulted in how he did, in fact, throw his phone in a pool, out of the anger that rooted from having to answer it so often, even when he just got off stage. The song itself is charmingly odd, like most of Ben's material. New York ensemble yMusic provides a bit of light classical influence to the song to add to Ben's signature piano sound.
"Random Name Generator" by Wilco: So here's the moment you've all been waiting for, folks! A long time ago (1995, to be precise) in a galaxy far, far away (actually Chicago, Illinois), a singer named Jeff Tweedy decided to form a band, and he called it Wilco, after a military term short for "will comply". They started off as a country-rock group, but soon ventured into more folk, psychedelic, and even punk influenced territory as their career progressed. Their ninth and latest album is called "Star Wars", though no one quite knows why (yet). The first single off that album, "Random Name Generator", is, well, random! Both the title and the lyrics are rather mysterious, perhaps as an ode to musical heroes of theirs, such as Bob Dylan, though the song itself sounds more like something from what a Lou Reed led Led Zeppelin might have sounded like.
"Spots of Time" by Warren Haynes (featuring Railroad Earth): As a temporary member of The Allman Brothers Band, Warren Haynes is quite an accomplished "jam band" guitarist! His studio songs often feel more like live recordings due to their enormous length. Another thing he has in common with The Allmans is how blues-y he sounds. Well, normally. Warren's latest song, "Spots of Time", sounds more like an amalgam of flamenco, bluegrass, and jazz. So how did this happen?! Perhaps it's because he chose to jam with Railroad Earth, who are known for being more bluegrass than blues. For you guitar solo hungry folks, though, fear not! There is still plenty of chunky guitar jams in this song! It's just that this time around, they're interspersed with fiddle solos, too.
"The Next Storm" by Frank Turner: Plenty of folks have opted for folk-rock in the 2010's, but in 2013, Frank Turner won over more than just the usual folk-rock crowd with songs like "Recovery" and "The Way I Tend to Be", both of which made it into my Top 20 of 2013 at the end of the year. Songs like these were invigorating, lively, and quite clever as well! Frank continues this pattern with his newest song, "The Next Storm", proving himself to be England's answer to Bruce Springsteen in the process of performing it! "I'm not gonna live my whole life indoors, I'm gonna step out, and face the next storm", Frank proudly and defiantly proclaims in the chorus of "The Next Storm". Adventure, ho!
"Trouble" by Keith Richards: Since quite a large number of adult alt stations have started spinning this song when it isn't even a week old yet, I was expecting this to be a softer Keith/Stones song. It is not! It's basically a Stones song with Keith taking the lead vocals instead of Mick. The song has plenty of juicy Chuck Berry style riffs, a fast, propulsive beat, and an overall rebellious (but fun) sound. The world's oldest looking Stone is still young at heart! The dry, sardonic delivery of the lyrics is also worth noting here, as a marked contrast to the louder, more direct vocal delivery of Mick Jagger.
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
New songs for August 28th, 2013
here they are:
"Are You Listening?" by The Kopecky Family Band: Well, ARE you listening?! 'Cause if not, you're missing out on a good one! Though not nearly as catchy as their adult alt smash hit, "Heartbeat", "Are You Listening?" reveals a more folk-y, contemplative side to The KFB. Being that the record this song came from ("Kids Raising Kids") came out in late 2012, the exchange between male and female vocals (a la Of Monsters and Men, Civil Wars, etc.) is not surprising, as it seems to have become somewhat of a trend in indie-pop/contemporary folk-rock music. The billowy, buoyant sound of "Are You Listening?" almost seems to provide a contrast to the relentless happy energy of "Heartbeat", but the diversity in their sound choices is just one more thing that makes The KFB so likable!
"Come to My Party" by Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears: The greatest James Brown imitators of the 21st century continue to bring in the funk into what is slowly becoming the middle of the 2010's! No real deep message to this song, but there doesn't need to be, really. "Come to My Party" is a song whose title pretty much explains what it is. It's a song about just having a good time! Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears bring the party straight to your ears in just a little over two and a half minutes. So there's only two things you have to remember when listening to this song. Put on your dancin' shoes, and boogie!!
"Rollin' N' Tumblin'" by North Mississippi Allstars: North Mississippi Allstars are another band who are more focused on the roots of rock 'n' roll than on what it has become. Their latest song, "Rollin' N' Tumblin'", doesn't have very many words (though the words it does have seem to be references to various parts of rock history - "drinkin' muddy water" = Muddy Waters, "I ain't gonna be your dog" = The Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog", etc.) It does have a lot of instrumental parts, though, which seem to combine the dirty blues of The Black Keys and the neo-psychedelic freakouts of The White Stripes. "Rollin' N' Tumblin'" seems to basically be a song that makes rock 'n' roll come full circle, from its Robert Johnson style guitar licks to its memorably odd homage to neo-psychedelia towards the middle of it. Rock lives!! Too bad no one seems to notice.
"Sunnier Days" by Diego Garcia: Like most Diego Garcia songs, "Sunnier Days" has a breezy, tropical folk-rock sound. Unlike most of his songs, "Sunnier Days" is more upbeat. It is not an aching ballad like "You Were Never There", "All Eyes On You", or "Nothing to Hide". Instead, it's a "sunny" song, like its title suggests. At least it tries to be. The suspended chord changes during the pre-chorus of the song give "Sunnier Days" a more moody flavor that most Diego Garcia songs tend to have. Its rhythm makes the song sound more hopeful, though.
"The Way I Tend to Be" by Frank Turner: A similar case to The Kopecky Family Band (see "Are You Listening?" - also listed in this week's blog), Frank Turner had a super catchy adult alt mega-hit ("Recovery"), which has a notable contrast to his second hit so far, the more subdued, reflective, "The Way I Tend to Be". So what IS the way Frank tends to be?! Eclectic, as far as I can see it. Although every Frank Turner song I've heard is centered around acoustic guitar, he always manages to use the instrument to convey different emotions like confidence, mixed with sarcasm ("Recovery") and more anthemic moods as well ("I Still Believe"). "The Way I Tend to Be" is more of a bittersweet song, as far as I can tell. "If you remember me, you can save me from the way I tend to be", Frank sings, over a melancholy strum of acoustic guitar. I dunno about you, but I think music itself is saving Frank from the way he tends to be!
"Are You Listening?" by The Kopecky Family Band: Well, ARE you listening?! 'Cause if not, you're missing out on a good one! Though not nearly as catchy as their adult alt smash hit, "Heartbeat", "Are You Listening?" reveals a more folk-y, contemplative side to The KFB. Being that the record this song came from ("Kids Raising Kids") came out in late 2012, the exchange between male and female vocals (a la Of Monsters and Men, Civil Wars, etc.) is not surprising, as it seems to have become somewhat of a trend in indie-pop/contemporary folk-rock music. The billowy, buoyant sound of "Are You Listening?" almost seems to provide a contrast to the relentless happy energy of "Heartbeat", but the diversity in their sound choices is just one more thing that makes The KFB so likable!
"Come to My Party" by Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears: The greatest James Brown imitators of the 21st century continue to bring in the funk into what is slowly becoming the middle of the 2010's! No real deep message to this song, but there doesn't need to be, really. "Come to My Party" is a song whose title pretty much explains what it is. It's a song about just having a good time! Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears bring the party straight to your ears in just a little over two and a half minutes. So there's only two things you have to remember when listening to this song. Put on your dancin' shoes, and boogie!!
"Rollin' N' Tumblin'" by North Mississippi Allstars: North Mississippi Allstars are another band who are more focused on the roots of rock 'n' roll than on what it has become. Their latest song, "Rollin' N' Tumblin'", doesn't have very many words (though the words it does have seem to be references to various parts of rock history - "drinkin' muddy water" = Muddy Waters, "I ain't gonna be your dog" = The Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog", etc.) It does have a lot of instrumental parts, though, which seem to combine the dirty blues of The Black Keys and the neo-psychedelic freakouts of The White Stripes. "Rollin' N' Tumblin'" seems to basically be a song that makes rock 'n' roll come full circle, from its Robert Johnson style guitar licks to its memorably odd homage to neo-psychedelia towards the middle of it. Rock lives!! Too bad no one seems to notice.
"Sunnier Days" by Diego Garcia: Like most Diego Garcia songs, "Sunnier Days" has a breezy, tropical folk-rock sound. Unlike most of his songs, "Sunnier Days" is more upbeat. It is not an aching ballad like "You Were Never There", "All Eyes On You", or "Nothing to Hide". Instead, it's a "sunny" song, like its title suggests. At least it tries to be. The suspended chord changes during the pre-chorus of the song give "Sunnier Days" a more moody flavor that most Diego Garcia songs tend to have. Its rhythm makes the song sound more hopeful, though.
"The Way I Tend to Be" by Frank Turner: A similar case to The Kopecky Family Band (see "Are You Listening?" - also listed in this week's blog), Frank Turner had a super catchy adult alt mega-hit ("Recovery"), which has a notable contrast to his second hit so far, the more subdued, reflective, "The Way I Tend to Be". So what IS the way Frank tends to be?! Eclectic, as far as I can see it. Although every Frank Turner song I've heard is centered around acoustic guitar, he always manages to use the instrument to convey different emotions like confidence, mixed with sarcasm ("Recovery") and more anthemic moods as well ("I Still Believe"). "The Way I Tend to Be" is more of a bittersweet song, as far as I can tell. "If you remember me, you can save me from the way I tend to be", Frank sings, over a melancholy strum of acoustic guitar. I dunno about you, but I think music itself is saving Frank from the way he tends to be!
Wednesday, March 20, 2013
New songs for the first day of spring!
Happy First of Spring everyone!! Here are two songs that will hopefully get you in the mood for the season:
"Diane Young" by Vampire Weekend: It's Elvis! It's The Police! It's The Black Keys! No, it's Vampire Weekend!! And they've got a brand new song that kinda sounds like a combination of the three musicians I just mentioned. The "Elvis" in question is Presley, for those wondering, not Costello (though knowing VW, they were probably influenced by him here as well). "Diane Young" is a unique, catchy song that somehow manages to sound as "retro" as it does current! One minute you're hearing rockabilly beats and surf guitars, and by the next, you're hearing more of a fuzzed out garage rock sound backed by a beat box. The name "Diane Young" in the song is actually a play on words of the phrase "dyin' young". What a clever bunch Ezra Koenig and company turned out to be!
"Recovery" by Frank Turner: Frank Turner's somewhat ordinary name belies his extraordinary talent! This ex-punk-rocker turned folk-rocker's latest song, "Recovery", has sped up both the adult alt charts and regular alt charts within a week, and it's not hard to see why once you listen to it! The lyrics are delivered in a dry but catchy manner, and include memorably offbeat lines like "And like every boring blues song I get swallowed by the pain, so I fumble for your figure in the darkness just to make it go away". Its sound is like a cross between Ben Folds and Oasis, but there's still enough of a "current" sound in the song to balance out its '90s alt-pop influences. To top it all off, the chorus of the song is one of the most irresistible choruses I have heard in a long time! No complaints about this song, except, why couldn't this guy have chosen a cooler stage name than "Frank Turner"?! Oh well, still a great song nonetheless!!
"Diane Young" by Vampire Weekend: It's Elvis! It's The Police! It's The Black Keys! No, it's Vampire Weekend!! And they've got a brand new song that kinda sounds like a combination of the three musicians I just mentioned. The "Elvis" in question is Presley, for those wondering, not Costello (though knowing VW, they were probably influenced by him here as well). "Diane Young" is a unique, catchy song that somehow manages to sound as "retro" as it does current! One minute you're hearing rockabilly beats and surf guitars, and by the next, you're hearing more of a fuzzed out garage rock sound backed by a beat box. The name "Diane Young" in the song is actually a play on words of the phrase "dyin' young". What a clever bunch Ezra Koenig and company turned out to be!
"Recovery" by Frank Turner: Frank Turner's somewhat ordinary name belies his extraordinary talent! This ex-punk-rocker turned folk-rocker's latest song, "Recovery", has sped up both the adult alt charts and regular alt charts within a week, and it's not hard to see why once you listen to it! The lyrics are delivered in a dry but catchy manner, and include memorably offbeat lines like "And like every boring blues song I get swallowed by the pain, so I fumble for your figure in the darkness just to make it go away". Its sound is like a cross between Ben Folds and Oasis, but there's still enough of a "current" sound in the song to balance out its '90s alt-pop influences. To top it all off, the chorus of the song is one of the most irresistible choruses I have heard in a long time! No complaints about this song, except, why couldn't this guy have chosen a cooler stage name than "Frank Turner"?! Oh well, still a great song nonetheless!!
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