New songs for January 12th, 2022

 here they are:


"Funny Girl" by Father John Misty: Well, it's the '20s, isn't it?! The new '20s, that is. Yet this song, especially its intro, would not have sounded too out of place in the old '20s (or '30s or '40s). A piece of orchestral easy listening that I could easily picture Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett doing, "Funny Girl" is yet another daring venture in the already eclectic catalog of Father John Misty. The lyrics, however, are pure Misty. No time during the first half of the 20th century would you have heard about the "Cathy" comics, or about David Letterman, both of which get referenced in this song. Unlike the unrelenting sincerity of Frank or Tony, Father John Misty injects a hidden dose of sarcasm into "Funny Girl." It is not merely a song about someone he falls in love with, but rather a song that parodies such songs in a rather subtle manner, spitting snide, subtle commentary about contemporary society while pretending to serenade a special someone. Unless your lover is a hipster, you might wanna stick with something like "My Funny Valentine" this Valentine's Day. Nonetheless, this song is a welcome gem for being the first new song I've heard so far for the new year!

"Hell to Pay" by Davy Knowles: The guitarist for blues-rock group, Back Door Slam, Davy Knowles strikes out on his own this year with "Hell to Pay," a song that sounds anything but hellish. In fact, it actually sounds rather slinky, seductive, and soulful! Though the song's minor key does hint at the song's negative point of view and subject matter, Davy turns his heartbreak into heated, passionate music in "Hell to Pay." The song's R & B flavor turns slightly more to the "B" side (blues) towards the end, but even its blues-y guitar solo is one that's more tepid than torrid.

"In the Wake of Your Leave" by Gang of Youths: Gang of Youths had a surprisingly big adult alt radio hit last year with "The Angel of 8th Avenue," a song that mixed the urban poetry and rootsy folk-rock of Bruce Springsteen with the cold, detached synth-rock dynamics of New Order. GOY's followup single, "In the Wake of Your Leave," doesn't have quite as compelling or unique a sound as that one did, but is still a deep and inspired song lyrically. The "your" in question refers to the lead singer's recently deceased father, whose death he had a difficult time coping with. "In the Wake of Your Leave" serves as an outlet for GOY's lead singer to release his grief and stress into song. 

"Paint This Town" by Old Crow Medicine Show: Old Crow Medicine Show have thus far had only one adult alt radio hit with "Wagon Wheel," which came out over 15 years ago and became slightly better known about two years after its initial release when Hootie and The Blowfish's Darius Rucker took the song's rustic, roots-y bluegrass sound and turned it into country-pop. Who knew OCMS would return to adult alt radio over a decade and a half after that song was released?! I sure didn't! Their newest song, "Paint This Town," has slightly more rock influence than "Wagon Wheel" while still managing to retain OCMS's trademark country/folk/bluegrass inspired sound. The song sounds a little like some of the songs John Mellencamp was churning out in the mid to late '80s after his success at Farm Aid. The lyrics to "Paint This Town," telling of touring life out on the open road, seem to be more derivative of latter-day Bruce Springsteen than they do John Mellencamp, but either way, "Paint This Town" is sure to be a fave among roots-rock and "Heartland rock" enthusiasts!

New songs for June 23rd, 2021

 here they are: 


"Colorado" by Milky Chance: German alt-pop duo, Milky Chance, are like the 21st century indie equivalent to Jimmy Buffett in some ways. Where Buffett was big on booze, Milky Chance prefer pot, but both bring tropical, breezy, summertime vibes to their respective drugs of choice. References to weed can be spotted in more than one Milky Chance song, perhaps most notably the "stoned in paradise" line from their first and biggest hit, "Stolen Dance." This time around, Milky Chance are "getting high like Colorado." What does that mean exactly?! Well, obviously, it means getting into a drug-induced state that (supposedly) mellows you out while impairing your sense of judgment...but why Colorado?! More than likely, they chose to sing about the state since it was one of the first states to legalize recreational use of marijuana. Sex, drugs, and not-quite-rock-and-roll strikes again, folks!

"Dustland" by The Killers (featuring Bruce Springsteen): Two years before I even did this blog on a regular basis is when the following song originally came out. However, this version is a new spin on what is now an old song, featuring a guest appearance from one of Brandon Flowers' biggest idols, Bruce Springsteen! Going a half-step lower than the original track, but maintaining its sense of urban melodrama a la Bruce, "Dustland" might not be everyone's taste, but it must have been a dream-come-true for Brandon Flowers! Bruce makes various appearances both on lead vocals and backing vocals during the song. It makes sense, then, that the original "A Dustland Fairytale," as it was known when it initially came out, was written during Brandon's "Bruce phase," which was most prominent on the Killers' second and third albums. Lines like "saw Cinderella in a party dress/she was looking for her nightgown," "straight to the Valley of the Great Divide," and "in the cadence of a young man's eyes" are just some of the many Springsteen-ian lines from the song. Other than Bruce's vocal appearances and the choice to play the song a half-step down from the original, there's really no difference between "Dustland" and "A Dustland Fairytale," but for anyone who enjoys bittersweet, earnest roots-rock with a slight U2-ish tinge to it, "Dustland" is still worth checking out!

"Hush" by The Marias: There is actually only ONE person named Maria (and only one woman out of the four members of group) in The Marias. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, "Hush," the breakthrough song for electro-pop quartet, The Marias, is an icy yet catchy song that basically serves as a "screw-you" to Maria's ex. Appropriately, the word "hush" is spoken in a hushed tone, but make no mistake. She's not saying that word to soothe anyone. Instead, it's basically a code word for, "Forget you!" Amidst grinding, slightly disquieting mechanical yet mellifluous instrumentation, Maria Zardoya seductively whisper-sings a tale of love gone wrong, attempting to lure the listener in right as she's about to tell them off!


"The Angel of 8th Avenue" by Gang of Youths: Fitting to their name, Gang of Youths are a very youthful group! At least, that's the vibe I get from listening to their latest song, "The Angel of 8th Avenue." The song sounds a bit like New Order's "Age of Consent" if it had more acoustic guitars as backing instruments, though its topic is nowhere near as controversial. Quite the opposite of New Order's icy cold, starkness, actually, and is instead about the simpler yet warmer theme of falling in love and moving to another city. GOY's lead singer David Le'aupepe also has a lot more energy and passion in his voice than the more monotone, deadpan vocals of New Order's Bernard Sumner. 

"What You Say" by Cold War Kids: Musically, this song is nothing new for Cold War Kids. It's an upbeat indie-pop song that relies mostly on electronic instrumentation with electric guitar as its main backing instrument. What makes this song stand out from other CWK songs is its message. The song is about the desire some of us have to be accepted just as we are. CWK have covered a lot of topics in their material, but I don't recall that being one of their subjects. Anyway, everyone wants someone who loves them, flaws and all, and this is the perfect song for that, as far as songs from 2021 are concerned so far!