Showing posts with label Guster. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Guster. Show all posts

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!













Wednesday, September 24, 2014

New songs for September 24th, 2014

here they are:


"Shut Up And Dance" by Walk the Moon: Is there any hit song by Walk the Moon that hasn't proven to be an absolute anthem so far?! The answer to that, of course, is "no", as "Anna Sun" and "Tightrope" have both proven to be some of the biggest hits and catchiest songs of the 2010's! WTM's third big song, "Shut Up And Dance", is sure to follow in the footsteps of their first two smash hits, as far as I'm concerned! There is no underlying, "deep" message behind "Shut Up And Dance", it's pretty much a song that celebrates how fun it is to just get up and dance to music! So, do as the song says, and "shut up and dance"!!


"Simple Machine" by Guster: Hard to believe Guster have now been around for a little over a decade and a half! Their material still sounds so fresh, from their breakthrough song, "Fa Fa", to their 2010 song, "Do You Love Me?" Guster's latest song, "Simple Machine", shows that they are still keeping up with the times! "Simple Machine" is a catchy, quirky indie-pop song, which has become standard for the 2010's, but Guster have been churning out songs like this ever since bands like Third Eye Blind were hot items on the pop charts and the term "indie-pop" was not yet in widespread usage. "Simple Machine" also combines the best of both worlds when it comes to its sound, in that it is equal parts folk-rock and new wave!


"The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" by U2: And last, but certainly not least, U2 brings us the most anticipated song of the week! It looks like their whole ALBUM ("Songs of Innocence") is going to be all the rage for the rest of this year, and well into 2015, but for now, let's focus on the first single of their new album, "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)". The Ramones aren't the most obvious influence in U2's music, but they were one of many CBGB's punk groups that inspired U2 to become musicians themselves. Joey was the first member of The Ramones to die, and, as if by coincidence, one of the last songs he heard before he died was U2's then new song, "In A Little While". Perhaps Bono and the boys knew about this, and are not only paying tribute to their fallen hero in this song, but are also keeping in mind how it was their song that got Joey Ramone through his last day on Earth. The sound of the song is a chugging, crunchy hard rock sound, but definitely more characteristic of U2 than of The Ramones.

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

new songs for Feb. 2nd, 2011

here they are:


"Architects And Engineers" by Guster: As if this song wasn't cool enough (which it is), the music video for this song seems to indicate that this song will become this year's "Tighten Up"!! Much like the (initial) video for that song (which eventually became my number one song of 2010), it features a singing puppet that has a name - Sing-Along-Paul. He looks somewhat like a cross between the later "Star Wars" movies' Jar-Jar Binks and the smart-mouthed goat puppet Rufus Leaking from the indie music showcase and quasi-children's show "Pancake Mountain". Musically, all the trademark folk-rock instrumentation and sunny Beach Boys-esque harmonies of the typical Guster song are present, but seriously, the music video for this song just takes the cake!! Someone needs to convince Guster to make a guest appearance on "Sesame Street" - between their quirky sense of humor and their charmingly child-like melodies, they'd be perfect for it!! You can find it on this link:

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svugXFeZQnA)

"Booty City" by Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears: 2009's best James Brown imitation is back!! Two songs made the adult alt airwaves from these funky retro-soul men back then, "Sugarfoot" and "I'm Broke", but I much preferred the former for its boogie vibe and James Brown-ish vocals and instrumentation. "I'm Broke" just wasn't as catchy, so I didn't know what to anticipate for "Booty City" (though the title alone seemed to indicate it'd be a pretty catchy song)! "Booty City" not only brings back the danceable, funky rhythm of "Sugarfoot", but it's also a bit more heavy on the guitar parts, which makes me happy! "Booty City" is a great song to get yer groove on if you ever feel like doing so!!

"Everybody Needs Love" by Drive-By Truckers: Just the name of this band automatically evokes images of a country influenced group, doesn't it? Well, more accurately, Drive-By Truckers are more of a country-rock group than just plain old country. They're a bit like The Black Crowes with their influences mixing hard rock with country and Southern rock, though "Everybody Needs Love", which is so far their breakthrough song, is a bit more like a "softer" Eagles song (think "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Lyin' Eyes", etc.). That is, until it gets to the guitar solo midway through (and towards the end, for a second time around) the song, where it takes on more of an Allman Brothers-ish quality, a la "Blue Sky", "Midnight Rider", and "Melissa". "Everybody Needs Love" is a real tearjerker, and it manages to capture the feel of your typical '70s Southern rock/country-rock ballad pretty well, so I would highly recommend it for the fans of the more countrified side of The Allmans, Skynyrd, The Eagles, etc.

"Flirted With You All My Life" by Cowboy Junkies: What a neat concept, an indie-folk band covering indie-folk artist Vic Chestnutt (who, unfortunately, passed away last year). Having not heard Vic's version, I get the idea it's probably a pretty good song given the bittersweet vibe Cowboy Junkies have given it (plus I have a couple indie music loving friends who really seem to like both Vic and Cowboy Junkies). Cowboy Junkies' version almost seems to come off like Rilo Kiley covering The Cure's "Just Like Heaven" (it has practically the same chord sequence - A, E, B minor, D, with an F sharp minor occasionally replacing the D in "Flirted With You All My Life"). "Flirted With You All My Life" seems like one of those "drinking coffee on a Sunday morning" type of songs if you know what I mean (despite the fact I don't actually drink coffee).

"He Don't Live Here No More" by Robbie Robertson: Is it just me, or has Robbie Robertson wanted to stray farther and farther away from The Band's roots-rock sound ever since he left them? His two '80s solo hits, "Showdown At Big Sky" and "Somewhere Down the Crazy River" both sounded more like Peter Gabriel and the material from Paul Simon's "Graceland" album than they did like The Band. Though the "world music rock" trend that Gabriel, Simon, Joni Mitchell, Sting, and occasionally David Byrne from Talking Heads made possible in the '80s has pretty much faded by now, Robbie Robertson keeps the "world music rock" torch flaming in his latest, "He Don't Live Here No More". Robbie adds even more world music influence in "He Don't Live Here No More" with its flamenco guitar solo in the middle. But don't assume Robbie's forgotten how to rock, the beat of the song is still rock 'n' roll underneath it all!

"On Main Street" by Los Lobos: It seems odd to me that the rather somber, autumnal "Burn It Down" from Los Lobos' latest album ("Tin Can Trust") got noticed in the summer, yet it's taken until winter for the more summery, somewhat '60s rock influenced "On Main Street" to receive airplay on stations besides LA's KCSN. Perhaps I shouldn't let the "seasonal moods" of the two songs get in the way, though, as "On Main Street" is an easygoing feel-good kinda song. The fuzzy electric guitar riffs on "On Main Street" also provide interesting contrast with the mostly acoustic (until the end) "Burn It Down". The summery vibe of "On Main Street" evokes images of laying down underneath the sun on the beach just relaxing the day away. Could Los Lobos' next song be a stormy, ice-cold, wintry one?! I guess we'll find out!

"Second Chance" by Peter Bjorn and John: What do you get if you take the fuzz guitars of '60s psych-pop band Love's "7 And 7 Is", cowbells to keep the rhythm, and add just a dash of the new wave-y indie rock of Phoenix?! You get Peter Bjorn and John's latest song, "Second Chance"!! This is a pretty cool song coming from a band whose only other hit (so far) was the more subdued, quiet (except for the drum intro) indie-pop tune from '06, "Young Folks". Somehow I get the impression that the three Swedish indie-popsters were listening to The Black Keys' latest album, "Brothers" when they made "Second Chance", as it has practically the same sort of "fuzz guitars" as many of the songs on that CD! "Young Folks" was a mostly keyboard oriented song, so I was pretty surprised to hear not only that "Second Chance" even had a guitar to begin with, but that the solos seemed to be taken straight out of one of Led Zeppelin's songs!! Way to go, Peter Bjorn and John! Between this song and the video for "Architects and Engineers", I can't decide which one is my fave song of the week!!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

new songs for July 28th, 2010

here they are:

"Do You Love Me?" by Guster: Not to be confused with the early '60s R & B song by The Contours of the same name, but still a great song! It's Guster, after all, and I was pretty jazzed to hear that they were releasing a new album after FOUR YEARS!! They still have that charmingly folk-rock-y sound they started with a little over a decade ago in "Do You Love Me?", which is built around a C major chord with the third fret played on the thinner E string (see also Foo Fighters' "Big Me" and The Beatles' "Getting Better"). Guster seem to have a reputation for sunny, summery melodies, but this song seems to take the cake more than their previous works for it! I am already in love with this song, and it seems adult alt. radio is too, with its rocketing up the Triple-A charts from down in the 100's all the way up to the 30's within ONE DAY!! Here's to wishing nothing but the best for Guster in 2010!

"High In the Morning" by Tom Petty: It only seems fitting for Petty, a huge fan of both Bob Dylan and blues-ier rock like The Rolling Stones, to have a song that combines the general vibes of both artists. Specifically, the Dylan that he evokes on "High In the Morning" is similar to that of "Highway 61 Revisited" with its bluesy instrumentation coming from both electric guitars and organs. With the smoky flavor of this song and the Led Zeppelin-y stomp of "I Should Have Known It", it's no wonder Tom Petty chose to call his latest album "Mojo" (as in "Got My Mojo Workin'", a classic Muddy Waters blues tune). Rock on, Petty!

"Let Go" by Everest: The comparisons I have found to Everest tend to be to roots-rock influenced indie rockers such as Blitzen Trapper and Wilco. With "Let Go" being the first song I've heard from Everest, I don't understand these comparisons, as its sound seems to be much closer to Modest Mouse, with a slightly more neo-psychedelic bent than MM typically have. The chord structure in this song reminds me a lot of Modest Mouse's "Float On", even though that song was built around C sharp major, and "Let Go" seems to veer between E major and G sharp minor. Though "Let Go" might not be the most original indie rock song of 2010, it's certainly worth listening to!