here they are:
"Almost (Sweet Music)" by Hozier: No need for the "almost" here. This is sweet music all the way through! The Irish soul musician, Hozier, lays it down smooth for us here like he usually does in a song about...well...songs! This song is all about how great music can be, with musical references throughout! Duke Ellington and Chet Baker are among the musicians mentioned in this song, and references to song titles by jazz and vocal greats like Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, and (one of my personal faves from childhood), The Mills Brothers are sprinkled throughout the lyrics. This is why music exists!
"Forgive Me Friend" by Smith and Thell: The 2010's "rock" scene has really been more of a combination of folk-pop and electronica. A few musicians, such as the recently deceased Avicii, managed to combine both forms into one. Enter Swedish guy-girl duo, Smith and Thell. They seem to be wanting to pick up where Avicii left off with their debut single, "Forgive Me Friend". The song comes off like a dance remix of Of Monsters and Men's "Little Talks". Nothing daring or different here, but it's still a pleasant song to listen to.
"Outta My Head" by Jocelyn and Chris Arndt: Like Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks before them, Jocelyn and Chris Arndt are a blues-rock duo whose young, light-skinned looks belie their true blues roots and sound. Its catchy riff in the key of B builds the foundation of the song as Jocelyn sings about how she can't get a certain someone "out of (her) head". Good luck trying to get this song out of your own head! It sticks to you like glue, and it has a bit more edge than Tedeschi and Trucks, but just as much grit!
"Sheep" by Mt. Joy: Mt. Joy's third adult alt radio hit has an interesting sound to it. It follows in the folk-rock pattern of their other two songs, especially with the beautiful, entrancing ripple effect of the intro. Afterwards, it slides into more of a retro soul flavor while still keeping a mellow folk-rock vibe. The lyrics to "Sheep" are as intriguing as its sound is. Mt. Joy seems to have a thing for combining laid back music with clever, somewhat biting lyrics. With "Silver Lining", we heard what Mt. Joy thinks of college life, and with "Jenny Jenkins", we heard about Mt. Joy's love-hate relationship with Los Angeles. So what, then, does "Sheep" have to offer us? Well, look no further than its title. The band are using "sheep" as a metaphor for conformists who are ignorant as to what's really going on politically in the U.S. of A. This could well be for Mt. Joy what "Born In the U.S.A." was for Bruce Springsteen. A song that sounds like a joyous anthem that's really anything but!
"This Life" by Vampire Weekend: Vampire Weekend are known for having reggae and world music influences in their music, and they occasionally flirt with baroque pop, as they did in "Unbelievers" and "Step". With "This Life", Vampire Weekend take their first official foray into folk-rock. The intro sounds a bit like Van Morrison's "Brown Eyed Girl". Its subject matter, however, is much darker than "Brown Eyed Girl", and won't be likely to be played on adult contemporary or oldies stations anytime soon due its use of "Christ" as an exclamation (Though this might be similar to John Lennon's use of the same phrase on "The Ballad of John and Yoko"). That's only the tip of the iceberg as to the darkness this song has to offer, though. The song is about being cheated on. Ezra Koenig is also clever (and/or twisted) enough here to make grim, pessimistic phrases sound like cutesy rhymes. For instance, "I know hate is waiting at the gate", and, "I know death hasn't happened yet." Perhaps this isn't your cup of mud, but hey, as the song title implies, this is what life is! Like Forrest Gump has been known to say, it truly is like a box of chocolates...or in this case, a box of...I dunno...wasabi pellets!
"When I'm Gone" by Gary Clark Jr.: Gary Clark Jr. unleashed a torrent of righteous anger earlier this year with "This Land"! "When I'm Gone" is more mellowed out than that, but still retains the crackling blues-rock sound Gary has become known for. There's a bit of an old school soul vibe in this song as well with its use of rhythm guitar as a backing instrument. Nothing political or controversial about this song. "When I'm Gone" is just a song about what it's like to be apart from a loved one, and probably about being on the road as a musician as well. Perhaps after all that ranting and raving on "This Land", Gary felt the need to unwind for his second single of the year. Well deserved, I say!
Showing posts with label Gary Clark Jr.. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Gary Clark Jr.. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 24, 2019
Wednesday, January 16, 2019
New songs for January 16th 2019
What a whopper lineup of new songs we have today!! 8 fresh new ones! Here they are:
"Fast Talk" by Houses: Just when you thought indie pop covered everything it needed to cover, along come Houses, a band who might just be trendsetters for the 2020's. Jazz and vocal standards meet electronic music and folk music with just a dash of rock in Houses' debut song, "Fast Talk". The song is a nostalgic look back at the life that Dexter Tortoriello (who, himself, is Houses - a one man band) during his late adolescent years hanging out with his friends and trying to figure out who he was and what he wanted to do with his life. It's also about facing the likely prospect of how once you get older, the people you knew aren't who they used to be, and so you often face disconnection from them as a result. A track that calms you down AND makes you think?! Not often you come across one of those, is it?!
"Friend Better" by Joe Jackson: Like fellow new wave elder statesman, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson has managed to stick around longer than most from his era. Where Elvis has continued to reinvent himself at every turn, Joe Jackson...well...only does that sometimes. Joe's latest song, "Friend Better", is a throwback sort of a tune that sounds like it could have been on Steely Dan's "Aja". Both its ersatz smooth jazz sound and its clever, scathing lyrics wouldn't be out of place in the Dan catalog. The central point of the song seems to be about how complicated love can be. In just four simple words, "Lover good, friend better", Joe conveys a situation many of us are familiar with that frustrates us nonetheless. Sometimes it's nice to know that you're not the only one who goes through the struggles that you do!
"Hard Case" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: For their fourth and final album of the 2010's, Susan and Derek have released a song that showcases what they do best. "Hard Case" is yet another example of the catchy blues-rock The Tedeschi-Trucks Band have been known for, with some roots-y country-rock and New Orleans jazz type influences thrown in there for good measure as well. During the chorus of the song, Tedeschi and Trucks sing to each other that they are a "hard case to refuse". If they're trying to say that they love each other in the chorus, that's an interesting way to do so, but it seems pretty clear to me that it's the sentiment they are trying to express in this high spirited, freewheeling, shuffle of a song!
"Landslide" by Beirut: No, this is not a cover of the Fleetwood Mac song of the same name, in case you were wondering. In spite of the lack of guitars on most of this track, Beirut's "Landslide" could still be said to be the closest that Beirut has come to prog-rock with its soaring, epic organs evoking imagery of grandeur that could fit easily into a Yes or Emerson, Lake, & Palmer song. Perhaps this was intentional on their part, as "Landslide"'s prog-rock sound is every bit as geeky as its video (in a good way, I promise). The accompanying video for the song brings together two nerdy favorites, "Monty Python" and "Game of Thrones", into a single territory. Expect mysterious, mythical beings to join the Ministry of Silly Walks after you watch this music video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCVB5zjwdzE
"Longshot" by Catfish and The Bottlemen: With garage rock ravers like "Kathleen" and the almost Foo Fighters-esque "Soundcheck", the Welsh quartet, Catfish and The Bottlemen, have graced us with some of the most rockin' tracks of the 2010's so far. So how do they plan to exit the decade?! Well, by rockin' out, but in more of an indie-pop fashion than their fans might be used to. Their latest song, "Longshot", seems to lack the fiery passion that their previous two adult alt radio hits had, but it still manages to sound like a rock anthem nonetheless. Another thing "Longshot" seems to lack that CATB's previous songs had is angst. This factor is replaced in the song with a never-give-up, can-do spirit to keep chugging along through tough times. As the state of the world becomes increasingly more chaotic, I guess that's all we can do sometimes!
"Overexcited" by Guster: Overexcited is exactly what adult alt stations have become for Guster's latest song! It's been hard for me to find a copy of this much anticipated song. I only just found one today! I honestly thought Guster would have called it quits with their 2014 song, "Simple Machine", since it didn't seem near as well received as most of their songs from before that, but instead, the now nearly three-decade old indie-pop quintet from Boston has kept on chuggin' along with their goofiest song yet! Guster have always been pretty quirky, but "Overexcited" turns the quirky factor up to 11! From its "Yo Gabba Gabba"-ish energetic kid friendly sound to its odd choice of instrumentation and silly lyrics ("We had a dog once, we all just called it 'Cat'"), "Overexcited" is a song that will have you feeling...well...overexcited!!
"Seventeen" by Sharon Van Etten: 17 is a coming of age number for many well known musicians in rock and pop. Be it Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen" or Janis Ian's "At Seventeen", they all seem to tell a poignant story of bittersweet realization. Sharon Van Etten's "Seventeen" follows in the footsteps of Stevie and Janis as Sharon weaves a tale about how life just hasn't been the same since she's grown up. She looks back wistfully on her mid teens while lamenting who she's become. In spite of the major key this song is in, it still manages to be just as sad. Perhaps she learned a thing or two from Janis Ian, whose "At Seventeen" was also a sad song in a major key.
"This Land" by Gary Clark Jr.: Last, but certainly not least, blues rocker Gary Clark Jr. delivers one of the most potent protest songs of the decade! Fusing reggae, jazz, rock, and blues into a furious gumbo, his song "This Land" is the sort of song that could be a Rage Against the Machine song if a few notches were turned up on the amp, though it still manages to be righteously loud enough with Gary performing it. As you might have guessed by the title of the song, "This Land" is a political song about how it feels to be an African American citizen in what is currently a racist nation. The song even name checks Donald Trump, and is the first Gary Clark Jr. song (to my knowledge) to use the phrase "p*ssed off", and rightfully so, might I add! Though I am not of the same racial background as Gary, I do feel his pain and sympathize with it. Just about anyone who thinks that judging someone simply because of their ethnic background is wrong would probably identify with this song too!
"Fast Talk" by Houses: Just when you thought indie pop covered everything it needed to cover, along come Houses, a band who might just be trendsetters for the 2020's. Jazz and vocal standards meet electronic music and folk music with just a dash of rock in Houses' debut song, "Fast Talk". The song is a nostalgic look back at the life that Dexter Tortoriello (who, himself, is Houses - a one man band) during his late adolescent years hanging out with his friends and trying to figure out who he was and what he wanted to do with his life. It's also about facing the likely prospect of how once you get older, the people you knew aren't who they used to be, and so you often face disconnection from them as a result. A track that calms you down AND makes you think?! Not often you come across one of those, is it?!
"Friend Better" by Joe Jackson: Like fellow new wave elder statesman, Elvis Costello, Joe Jackson has managed to stick around longer than most from his era. Where Elvis has continued to reinvent himself at every turn, Joe Jackson...well...only does that sometimes. Joe's latest song, "Friend Better", is a throwback sort of a tune that sounds like it could have been on Steely Dan's "Aja". Both its ersatz smooth jazz sound and its clever, scathing lyrics wouldn't be out of place in the Dan catalog. The central point of the song seems to be about how complicated love can be. In just four simple words, "Lover good, friend better", Joe conveys a situation many of us are familiar with that frustrates us nonetheless. Sometimes it's nice to know that you're not the only one who goes through the struggles that you do!
"Hard Case" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: For their fourth and final album of the 2010's, Susan and Derek have released a song that showcases what they do best. "Hard Case" is yet another example of the catchy blues-rock The Tedeschi-Trucks Band have been known for, with some roots-y country-rock and New Orleans jazz type influences thrown in there for good measure as well. During the chorus of the song, Tedeschi and Trucks sing to each other that they are a "hard case to refuse". If they're trying to say that they love each other in the chorus, that's an interesting way to do so, but it seems pretty clear to me that it's the sentiment they are trying to express in this high spirited, freewheeling, shuffle of a song!
"Landslide" by Beirut: No, this is not a cover of the Fleetwood Mac song of the same name, in case you were wondering. In spite of the lack of guitars on most of this track, Beirut's "Landslide" could still be said to be the closest that Beirut has come to prog-rock with its soaring, epic organs evoking imagery of grandeur that could fit easily into a Yes or Emerson, Lake, & Palmer song. Perhaps this was intentional on their part, as "Landslide"'s prog-rock sound is every bit as geeky as its video (in a good way, I promise). The accompanying video for the song brings together two nerdy favorites, "Monty Python" and "Game of Thrones", into a single territory. Expect mysterious, mythical beings to join the Ministry of Silly Walks after you watch this music video! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCVB5zjwdzE
"Longshot" by Catfish and The Bottlemen: With garage rock ravers like "Kathleen" and the almost Foo Fighters-esque "Soundcheck", the Welsh quartet, Catfish and The Bottlemen, have graced us with some of the most rockin' tracks of the 2010's so far. So how do they plan to exit the decade?! Well, by rockin' out, but in more of an indie-pop fashion than their fans might be used to. Their latest song, "Longshot", seems to lack the fiery passion that their previous two adult alt radio hits had, but it still manages to sound like a rock anthem nonetheless. Another thing "Longshot" seems to lack that CATB's previous songs had is angst. This factor is replaced in the song with a never-give-up, can-do spirit to keep chugging along through tough times. As the state of the world becomes increasingly more chaotic, I guess that's all we can do sometimes!
"Overexcited" by Guster: Overexcited is exactly what adult alt stations have become for Guster's latest song! It's been hard for me to find a copy of this much anticipated song. I only just found one today! I honestly thought Guster would have called it quits with their 2014 song, "Simple Machine", since it didn't seem near as well received as most of their songs from before that, but instead, the now nearly three-decade old indie-pop quintet from Boston has kept on chuggin' along with their goofiest song yet! Guster have always been pretty quirky, but "Overexcited" turns the quirky factor up to 11! From its "Yo Gabba Gabba"-ish energetic kid friendly sound to its odd choice of instrumentation and silly lyrics ("We had a dog once, we all just called it 'Cat'"), "Overexcited" is a song that will have you feeling...well...overexcited!!
"Seventeen" by Sharon Van Etten: 17 is a coming of age number for many well known musicians in rock and pop. Be it Stevie Nicks' "Edge of Seventeen" or Janis Ian's "At Seventeen", they all seem to tell a poignant story of bittersweet realization. Sharon Van Etten's "Seventeen" follows in the footsteps of Stevie and Janis as Sharon weaves a tale about how life just hasn't been the same since she's grown up. She looks back wistfully on her mid teens while lamenting who she's become. In spite of the major key this song is in, it still manages to be just as sad. Perhaps she learned a thing or two from Janis Ian, whose "At Seventeen" was also a sad song in a major key.
"This Land" by Gary Clark Jr.: Last, but certainly not least, blues rocker Gary Clark Jr. delivers one of the most potent protest songs of the decade! Fusing reggae, jazz, rock, and blues into a furious gumbo, his song "This Land" is the sort of song that could be a Rage Against the Machine song if a few notches were turned up on the amp, though it still manages to be righteously loud enough with Gary performing it. As you might have guessed by the title of the song, "This Land" is a political song about how it feels to be an African American citizen in what is currently a racist nation. The song even name checks Donald Trump, and is the first Gary Clark Jr. song (to my knowledge) to use the phrase "p*ssed off", and rightfully so, might I add! Though I am not of the same racial background as Gary, I do feel his pain and sympathize with it. Just about anyone who thinks that judging someone simply because of their ethnic background is wrong would probably identify with this song too!
Wednesday, August 5, 2015
New songs for August 5th, 2015
here they are:
"Getting Ready to Get Down" by Josh Ritter: Could it be?! An upbeat song from the normally calm Josh Ritter?! Yes, it is!! The title alone kinda proves it. It's not typical of Josh Ritter to use a phrase like "get down" in one of his songs, but here, he does. It sounds more like Barenaked Ladies attempting to emulate Josh Ritter's vocal style than it does an actual Josh Ritter song, but it actually works here! Josh reveals his sense of humor in this song, too, with lines like "Jesus hates your high school dances", and many other lines that attempt to satirize the concept of religion.
"Gimme All Your Love" by Alabama Shakes: For their third single off of their latest album, Brittany Howard and co return to the '60s soul/rock combo that they initially became known for. "Gimme All Your Love" sounds an awful lot like Janis Joplin's "Cry Baby", with its tender, soulful verses, and blasts of rock 'n' roll guitar sound in the chorus, expressing a deep sense of passion either way. At least for the first two and a half minutes it sounds that way. After that, though, it goes for more of a sound that mixes the early funk of James Brown with the emotionally charged blues-rock of The Allman Brothers. The last 10 seconds or so of the song return briefly to the slower start of the song before closing with a loud, solid guitar sound. Brittany gives more than just all her love here, she gives her soul!!
"The Healing" by Gary Clark, Jr.: In addition to Alabama Shakes, Gary Clark Jr. is yet another blues-rock revivalist who emerged in the 2010's and gained an unexpectedly large audience, so perhaps it's fitting that their newest songs were introduced side by side for this week's blog! What better way to celebrate the joy of music than by singing about music?! Gary does so in his latest song, "The Healing", in which he proclaims that "music is (his) healing". Amen, brother! I can totally relate!
"Getting Ready to Get Down" by Josh Ritter: Could it be?! An upbeat song from the normally calm Josh Ritter?! Yes, it is!! The title alone kinda proves it. It's not typical of Josh Ritter to use a phrase like "get down" in one of his songs, but here, he does. It sounds more like Barenaked Ladies attempting to emulate Josh Ritter's vocal style than it does an actual Josh Ritter song, but it actually works here! Josh reveals his sense of humor in this song, too, with lines like "Jesus hates your high school dances", and many other lines that attempt to satirize the concept of religion.
"Gimme All Your Love" by Alabama Shakes: For their third single off of their latest album, Brittany Howard and co return to the '60s soul/rock combo that they initially became known for. "Gimme All Your Love" sounds an awful lot like Janis Joplin's "Cry Baby", with its tender, soulful verses, and blasts of rock 'n' roll guitar sound in the chorus, expressing a deep sense of passion either way. At least for the first two and a half minutes it sounds that way. After that, though, it goes for more of a sound that mixes the early funk of James Brown with the emotionally charged blues-rock of The Allman Brothers. The last 10 seconds or so of the song return briefly to the slower start of the song before closing with a loud, solid guitar sound. Brittany gives more than just all her love here, she gives her soul!!
"The Healing" by Gary Clark, Jr.: In addition to Alabama Shakes, Gary Clark Jr. is yet another blues-rock revivalist who emerged in the 2010's and gained an unexpectedly large audience, so perhaps it's fitting that their newest songs were introduced side by side for this week's blog! What better way to celebrate the joy of music than by singing about music?! Gary does so in his latest song, "The Healing", in which he proclaims that "music is (his) healing". Amen, brother! I can totally relate!
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
New songs for September 19th, 2012
here they are:
"Ain't Messin' Around" by Gary Clark Jr.: Does Gary Clark Jr. have his own schedule or something?! His juicy, blues-rock song "Bright Lights" came out LAST September, and now he's releasing a song in September AGAIN?!? Was this on purpose?! Well, perhaps not, but what is on purpose is Mr. Clark Jr.'s solid delivery of jazz, blues, and rock wrapped up into one tasty slice of music! Coachella's best (and so far, only) bluesman boasts a riff in E major similar to INXS's "New Sensation", only with cleaner distortion and more saxophone backing it up in "Ain't Messin' Around". Bottom line is, when Gary says he "Ain't Messin' Around", you'd better believe him!!
"Change" by Churchill: Somehow, the name of this band doesn't exactly paint an accurate picture of who they really are. I would think that "Churchill" would be a folks-y band with a male lead singer. It's not! It's actually a slick alt-pop group with a female lead singer! Nothing particularly special about this song, as far as I can see, except for how bouncy and danceable it is. Churchill's lead singer is also pretty good at what she does. However, I could easily see "Change" being written off by some as a "Gwen Stefani lite" song. Not bad, but there have definitely been better songs for 2012, as far as I'm concerned.
"Disappear" by Patterson Hood: Supposedly, Patterson's band, Drive-By Truckers, used to have a "jam band" element to their music. However, his two best known songs so far, this one and the Truckers' "Everybody Needs Love", are both more like moody brands of country-rock than jam band music. "Disappear" delves even further into the country-rock subgenre. Where "Everybody Needs Love" at least had a guitar solo, "Disappear" does not. However, given what a bittersweet song "Disappear" is, both lyrically and musically, I don't think it needs one. The violins in the background already provide enough instrumentation for "Disappear" to tug at the heartstrings. A line in the middle of the song, ("Simply disappear, and vanish into thin air, sometimes it's better to just not be there") defines "Disappear" pretty well. It is a song about escaping the pressures of everyday socialization. Though we are social creatures, I think we all feel like escaping from that every once in a while, and Patterson Hood echoes this sentiment quite well!
"Home" by Phillip Phillips: Typically, when "American Idol" goes in a rock direction, it's usually hard rock, as Bo Bice, Chris Daughtry, and James Durbin would all be willing to tell you. It isn't usually folk-rock. Thankfully, Phillip Phillips has proved to be an exception to this. Though I'm not an "Idol" viewer by any means, I must say that I am impressed by Mr. Phillips. "Home" is a song that is influenced by people like The Dave Matthews Band, though it has a more Mumford-esque sound than that as far as I'm concerned. It really does not sound like a typical "Idol" song at all!! There is no big band or production sound backing it up. Just Phillip, his acoustic guitar, backing vocalists, and a light percussion section (and later, a keyboard section). Who knows, perhaps Phillip will start a trend of indie/folk influenced musicians on "American Idol", which would make it a much more watchable show for me! But if not, he'll be remembered as the one participant who made one of the most mainstream shows in American pop culture seem more indie, if only for a moment!
"Little Lizzie Mae" by The Chris Robinson Brotherhood: For the ex-Black Crowes member's second big song with his side project, Chris has decided to kick out the jams once again! But this time, he seems to be drawing from an unlikely source - Van Morrison! The main riff of "Little Lizzie Mae" sounds almost exactly like Morrison's "Blue Money". Sure, there's plenty of Allman Brothers style noodling in "Little Lizzie Mae", but it feels more like jazz-rock than jam rock. Lyrically, "Little Lizzie Mae" sounds like it's about a girl who's (probably) playing Chris Robinson for a fool. That being said, I can't help but feel like Robinson is playing his listeners for fools! Van Morrison isn't exactly the kind of influence I would expect for a "jam band" song, so one might not expect to have a guitar solo between each verse (perhaps a sax solo instead?!) Nonetheless, though, "Little Lizzie Mae" is very much of a "feel good" song in terms of its sound, and you can't go wrong with that!!
"The Ballad of John and Yoko" by Widespread Panic: And speaking of jam bands, here is a (now) legendary jam band covering...a legendary Beatles song?!? Whaaat?!?! Widespread Panic do a decent job at covering the infamous Lennon tune, though. Not as good as the original, but WP put their own unique spin on it! Interestingly, acoustic guitar (and a neat li'l honky tonk style piano) are the main instruments on this version! The electric guitar takes a backseat here. The way I see it, if Jimi Hendrix can take on TWO Bob Dylan tunes, then Widespread Panic can take on (at least) one from The Beatles!!
"Wind and Walls" by The Tallest Man on Earth: Like "1904", the TMOE's hit from earlier this year, "Wind and Walls" is only two things, acoustic guitar and vocals. For such a simple setup, though, The Tallest Man on Earth manages to sound beautiful nonetheless. The lyrics are somewhat enigmatic (for instance, "Singing songs of rivers tied to accidents within/Telling people lies of lions, treasures, and kings"), but that is part of the charm of The Tallest Man on Earth, and how, no matter what he sings, he still manages to make his songs sound soft and sweet (bittersweet, in this case). Highly recommended!
"Ain't Messin' Around" by Gary Clark Jr.: Does Gary Clark Jr. have his own schedule or something?! His juicy, blues-rock song "Bright Lights" came out LAST September, and now he's releasing a song in September AGAIN?!? Was this on purpose?! Well, perhaps not, but what is on purpose is Mr. Clark Jr.'s solid delivery of jazz, blues, and rock wrapped up into one tasty slice of music! Coachella's best (and so far, only) bluesman boasts a riff in E major similar to INXS's "New Sensation", only with cleaner distortion and more saxophone backing it up in "Ain't Messin' Around". Bottom line is, when Gary says he "Ain't Messin' Around", you'd better believe him!!
"Change" by Churchill: Somehow, the name of this band doesn't exactly paint an accurate picture of who they really are. I would think that "Churchill" would be a folks-y band with a male lead singer. It's not! It's actually a slick alt-pop group with a female lead singer! Nothing particularly special about this song, as far as I can see, except for how bouncy and danceable it is. Churchill's lead singer is also pretty good at what she does. However, I could easily see "Change" being written off by some as a "Gwen Stefani lite" song. Not bad, but there have definitely been better songs for 2012, as far as I'm concerned.
"Disappear" by Patterson Hood: Supposedly, Patterson's band, Drive-By Truckers, used to have a "jam band" element to their music. However, his two best known songs so far, this one and the Truckers' "Everybody Needs Love", are both more like moody brands of country-rock than jam band music. "Disappear" delves even further into the country-rock subgenre. Where "Everybody Needs Love" at least had a guitar solo, "Disappear" does not. However, given what a bittersweet song "Disappear" is, both lyrically and musically, I don't think it needs one. The violins in the background already provide enough instrumentation for "Disappear" to tug at the heartstrings. A line in the middle of the song, ("Simply disappear, and vanish into thin air, sometimes it's better to just not be there") defines "Disappear" pretty well. It is a song about escaping the pressures of everyday socialization. Though we are social creatures, I think we all feel like escaping from that every once in a while, and Patterson Hood echoes this sentiment quite well!
"Home" by Phillip Phillips: Typically, when "American Idol" goes in a rock direction, it's usually hard rock, as Bo Bice, Chris Daughtry, and James Durbin would all be willing to tell you. It isn't usually folk-rock. Thankfully, Phillip Phillips has proved to be an exception to this. Though I'm not an "Idol" viewer by any means, I must say that I am impressed by Mr. Phillips. "Home" is a song that is influenced by people like The Dave Matthews Band, though it has a more Mumford-esque sound than that as far as I'm concerned. It really does not sound like a typical "Idol" song at all!! There is no big band or production sound backing it up. Just Phillip, his acoustic guitar, backing vocalists, and a light percussion section (and later, a keyboard section). Who knows, perhaps Phillip will start a trend of indie/folk influenced musicians on "American Idol", which would make it a much more watchable show for me! But if not, he'll be remembered as the one participant who made one of the most mainstream shows in American pop culture seem more indie, if only for a moment!
"Little Lizzie Mae" by The Chris Robinson Brotherhood: For the ex-Black Crowes member's second big song with his side project, Chris has decided to kick out the jams once again! But this time, he seems to be drawing from an unlikely source - Van Morrison! The main riff of "Little Lizzie Mae" sounds almost exactly like Morrison's "Blue Money". Sure, there's plenty of Allman Brothers style noodling in "Little Lizzie Mae", but it feels more like jazz-rock than jam rock. Lyrically, "Little Lizzie Mae" sounds like it's about a girl who's (probably) playing Chris Robinson for a fool. That being said, I can't help but feel like Robinson is playing his listeners for fools! Van Morrison isn't exactly the kind of influence I would expect for a "jam band" song, so one might not expect to have a guitar solo between each verse (perhaps a sax solo instead?!) Nonetheless, though, "Little Lizzie Mae" is very much of a "feel good" song in terms of its sound, and you can't go wrong with that!!
"The Ballad of John and Yoko" by Widespread Panic: And speaking of jam bands, here is a (now) legendary jam band covering...a legendary Beatles song?!? Whaaat?!?! Widespread Panic do a decent job at covering the infamous Lennon tune, though. Not as good as the original, but WP put their own unique spin on it! Interestingly, acoustic guitar (and a neat li'l honky tonk style piano) are the main instruments on this version! The electric guitar takes a backseat here. The way I see it, if Jimi Hendrix can take on TWO Bob Dylan tunes, then Widespread Panic can take on (at least) one from The Beatles!!
"Wind and Walls" by The Tallest Man on Earth: Like "1904", the TMOE's hit from earlier this year, "Wind and Walls" is only two things, acoustic guitar and vocals. For such a simple setup, though, The Tallest Man on Earth manages to sound beautiful nonetheless. The lyrics are somewhat enigmatic (for instance, "Singing songs of rivers tied to accidents within/Telling people lies of lions, treasures, and kings"), but that is part of the charm of The Tallest Man on Earth, and how, no matter what he sings, he still manages to make his songs sound soft and sweet (bittersweet, in this case). Highly recommended!
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
7 MORE songs?!?!? WHAAA....?!?!
That's right!!! 7 MORE songs!! Perfect way to start the month of September! Here they are:
"Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" by The Nightwatchman (a.k.a. Tom Morello, ex-Rage Against the Machine member): Would you have expected the guitarist of '90s hard rock group Rage Against the Machine to have suddenly reinvented himself as a Dylan-esque folk singer?! Probably not many of you would have, but around the mid 2000's he did so, and he did a mighty fine job at it too! The latest from Morello, "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" seems like where ends would meet for him, musically. While acoustic guitar and harmonica both play a central role in "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine", the fast pace of the percussion makes it sound more like a rock song, and the chorus (just the song's title, really) is "sung-spoken" in an aggressive fashion more typical of a Rage song than a Dylan song. Hope to hear more of Morello channeling his inner Dylan sometime soon, he really does an excellent job at it!
"Bright Lights" by Gary Clark Jr.: Amazingly, there are three songs from blues musicians that are being reviewed this week, and this one is first in line! This song, Gary Clark Jr.'s ode to New York City (as he states in the opening line, "Woke up in New York City"), sounds more like it belongs in the 1970's than it does to the 21st century, with its flashy guitar solos and its propulsive boogie beat! Somehow, though, whoever produced this song made it sound polished enough that it sounds recent, in spite of the instrumental techniques used in this song. At 5 minutes and 13 seconds, the length of the song also seems more suited to classic rock than it does to modern/alt rock. Ultimately, though, it's songs like this one that make music all the more worth listening to in the 21st century, and it's also proof that rock 'n' roll is not "dead", despite what some people might think.
"Cruel" by St. Vincent: So how exactly does one classify a song like "Cruel"?! Electro-disco-classical-post-punk-hard-rock?!? Somehow, it kinda sounds like that. Aside from incorporating influences from multiple genres, "Cruel" also manages to evoke multiple emotions. The overall tone of the song is dark, yet the lead singer has very melodic (but sometimes desperate) vocals, and it's also a song that makes me want to dance AND play air guitar at the same time!! Yet I don't know if I'd feel entirely comfortable dancing to a song that's so ominous sounding, and also what is a rock 'n' roll guitar solo doing in a song that's supposed to be disco inflected...with post-punk creepiness?! There doesn't seem to be an easy way to define this song, but sometimes those are the best kinds of songs!!
"If I Had A Gun" by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: Oasis might not be as big as they once were in the '90s, but WOW, the members are definitely still active!! Around February of this year, the band Beady Eye (featuring Liam Gallagher from Oasis on lead vocals) came out and released a fun, jaunty Beatlesque tune called "The Roller". Now it's the other Oasis brother, Noel Gallagher's turn in the spotlight. "If I Had A Gun" provides an introspective, poignant contrast to the bouncy, pop-y aspects of "The Roller". In some ways "If I Had A Gun" almost sounds like a "sequel" to Oasis' biggest hit, "Wonderwall", as both songs are slow, sweet sounding, prolific, and even in the same key (F sharp minor, though "Wonderwall" was capoed). It's unfair, though, to dismiss "If I Had A Gun" as a "ripoff" of "Wonderwall", since it is a song that takes on beautiful, reflective qualities of its own!
"Love the Way You Walk Away" by Blitzen Trapper: Though I only know three songs (including this one) by Blitzen Trapper, I love pretty much everything they have released so far! Much like Fleet Foxes, Mumford and Sons, and The Decemberists (all of whom Blitzen Trapper have probably been compared to by now), Blitzen Trapper are a bittersweet sounding neo-folk-rock band that have made a name for themselves among indie rock fans (including me)! That being said, I was looking forward to hearing what their latest song, "Love the Way You Walk Away" was going to sound like. Its sound seems kind of country-folk influenced, in a very laid-back, "traveling back home on the highway" kind of way. Though I was expecting it to have more of a Donovan-esque "psych-folk" sound the way other Blitzen Trapper songs (especially "Dragon's Song") typically do, "Love the Way You Walk Away" does have a very earnest, heartfelt sort of sound. This one (and probably the Noel Gallagher song as well) are my fave releases of the week so far!!
"River's Gonna Rise" by Warren Haynes: Like his song released earlier this year, "Man In Motion", the part-time Allman Brothers and Gov't Mule guitarist lays down some mean blues licks once again on his latest effort, "River's Gonna Rise". Unlike the frenzied, enthusiastic guitar playing "Man In Motion" boasted, "River's Gonna Rise" is a bit of a calmer song. This does not mean Warren doesn't show off his chops on his axe, though, he most certainly does. However, the feel of this song is a bit more earthy like B.B. King, and not so much a "guitar hero" Eric Clapton type sound. Somehow, the title alone seemed to indicate to me that this would be a calmer song, as this song uses the word "river" in the title, and that's what rivers usually are.
"T-Bone Shuffle" by Johnny Winter: It's quite amazing to me that three of the songs I've reviewed this week are blues songs. "T-Bone Shuffle", however, is by far the blues-iest of the three!! No complex emotions or "deep" lyrics in this song, and no weird chords or odd song structure either, just your basic 12 bar blues. As much as the gentle, poignant, bittersweet songs I review have become close to my heart, sometimes it's fun to just play the blues! It's great to listen to, and fun to dance to. No song I've reviewed so far has come as close to reviving the spirit of the blues as "T-Bone Shuffle" has, with its feel-good, toe-tappin', guitar blastin' sound!!
"Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" by The Nightwatchman (a.k.a. Tom Morello, ex-Rage Against the Machine member): Would you have expected the guitarist of '90s hard rock group Rage Against the Machine to have suddenly reinvented himself as a Dylan-esque folk singer?! Probably not many of you would have, but around the mid 2000's he did so, and he did a mighty fine job at it too! The latest from Morello, "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine" seems like where ends would meet for him, musically. While acoustic guitar and harmonica both play a central role in "Black Spartacus Heart Attack Machine", the fast pace of the percussion makes it sound more like a rock song, and the chorus (just the song's title, really) is "sung-spoken" in an aggressive fashion more typical of a Rage song than a Dylan song. Hope to hear more of Morello channeling his inner Dylan sometime soon, he really does an excellent job at it!
"Bright Lights" by Gary Clark Jr.: Amazingly, there are three songs from blues musicians that are being reviewed this week, and this one is first in line! This song, Gary Clark Jr.'s ode to New York City (as he states in the opening line, "Woke up in New York City"), sounds more like it belongs in the 1970's than it does to the 21st century, with its flashy guitar solos and its propulsive boogie beat! Somehow, though, whoever produced this song made it sound polished enough that it sounds recent, in spite of the instrumental techniques used in this song. At 5 minutes and 13 seconds, the length of the song also seems more suited to classic rock than it does to modern/alt rock. Ultimately, though, it's songs like this one that make music all the more worth listening to in the 21st century, and it's also proof that rock 'n' roll is not "dead", despite what some people might think.
"Cruel" by St. Vincent: So how exactly does one classify a song like "Cruel"?! Electro-disco-classical-post-punk-hard-rock?!? Somehow, it kinda sounds like that. Aside from incorporating influences from multiple genres, "Cruel" also manages to evoke multiple emotions. The overall tone of the song is dark, yet the lead singer has very melodic (but sometimes desperate) vocals, and it's also a song that makes me want to dance AND play air guitar at the same time!! Yet I don't know if I'd feel entirely comfortable dancing to a song that's so ominous sounding, and also what is a rock 'n' roll guitar solo doing in a song that's supposed to be disco inflected...with post-punk creepiness?! There doesn't seem to be an easy way to define this song, but sometimes those are the best kinds of songs!!
"If I Had A Gun" by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: Oasis might not be as big as they once were in the '90s, but WOW, the members are definitely still active!! Around February of this year, the band Beady Eye (featuring Liam Gallagher from Oasis on lead vocals) came out and released a fun, jaunty Beatlesque tune called "The Roller". Now it's the other Oasis brother, Noel Gallagher's turn in the spotlight. "If I Had A Gun" provides an introspective, poignant contrast to the bouncy, pop-y aspects of "The Roller". In some ways "If I Had A Gun" almost sounds like a "sequel" to Oasis' biggest hit, "Wonderwall", as both songs are slow, sweet sounding, prolific, and even in the same key (F sharp minor, though "Wonderwall" was capoed). It's unfair, though, to dismiss "If I Had A Gun" as a "ripoff" of "Wonderwall", since it is a song that takes on beautiful, reflective qualities of its own!
"Love the Way You Walk Away" by Blitzen Trapper: Though I only know three songs (including this one) by Blitzen Trapper, I love pretty much everything they have released so far! Much like Fleet Foxes, Mumford and Sons, and The Decemberists (all of whom Blitzen Trapper have probably been compared to by now), Blitzen Trapper are a bittersweet sounding neo-folk-rock band that have made a name for themselves among indie rock fans (including me)! That being said, I was looking forward to hearing what their latest song, "Love the Way You Walk Away" was going to sound like. Its sound seems kind of country-folk influenced, in a very laid-back, "traveling back home on the highway" kind of way. Though I was expecting it to have more of a Donovan-esque "psych-folk" sound the way other Blitzen Trapper songs (especially "Dragon's Song") typically do, "Love the Way You Walk Away" does have a very earnest, heartfelt sort of sound. This one (and probably the Noel Gallagher song as well) are my fave releases of the week so far!!
"River's Gonna Rise" by Warren Haynes: Like his song released earlier this year, "Man In Motion", the part-time Allman Brothers and Gov't Mule guitarist lays down some mean blues licks once again on his latest effort, "River's Gonna Rise". Unlike the frenzied, enthusiastic guitar playing "Man In Motion" boasted, "River's Gonna Rise" is a bit of a calmer song. This does not mean Warren doesn't show off his chops on his axe, though, he most certainly does. However, the feel of this song is a bit more earthy like B.B. King, and not so much a "guitar hero" Eric Clapton type sound. Somehow, the title alone seemed to indicate to me that this would be a calmer song, as this song uses the word "river" in the title, and that's what rivers usually are.
"T-Bone Shuffle" by Johnny Winter: It's quite amazing to me that three of the songs I've reviewed this week are blues songs. "T-Bone Shuffle", however, is by far the blues-iest of the three!! No complex emotions or "deep" lyrics in this song, and no weird chords or odd song structure either, just your basic 12 bar blues. As much as the gentle, poignant, bittersweet songs I review have become close to my heart, sometimes it's fun to just play the blues! It's great to listen to, and fun to dance to. No song I've reviewed so far has come as close to reviving the spirit of the blues as "T-Bone Shuffle" has, with its feel-good, toe-tappin', guitar blastin' sound!!
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