Wow. It's been nearly a month since I last posted an entry for this blog! Perhaps amidst all the racial issues AND health issues the world has been facing, the music world (at least the Adult Alt world) got sort of quiet for awhile. Things are slowly starting to pick up again in the music world, though, with four new entries for this week.
"Dark Days" by Local Natives (featuring Sylvan Esso): If you're a Local Natives fan and the title of this song sounds familiar to you, that's probably because this is actually a remake of a song that Local Natives have had since 2016. The melody, key, and instruments are exactly the same as the 2016 version, mixing "yacht rock" (think latter-day Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, etc.) with the techno-pop side of the indie scene. The main difference between the two versions is that fellow indie popsters, Sylvan Esso, are guest vocalists on the 2020 version. You might think that the title "Dark Days" is some sort of political reference, especially given how both versions of the song were released on an election year, but it's actually a song about growing up and coming of age in Southern California (my neck of the woods!) The blissed out vibes of this song definitely call for some California dreamin', on such a summer's day.
"Dreamsicle" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell's songs are typically either angry, politically fueled Southern rock songs, or else they're sentimental folk/country-rock tunes that often have a sad sound with a heavy message. Musically, "Dreamsicle" falls under the latter category, but the term "Dreamsicle" is actually not some kind of strange metaphor like you might expect from Isbell. Instead, "Dreamsicle" is exactly that - a popsicle! Fittingly, the song manages to serve as comfort food for troubled souls the world around, with lyrics that recount the simple yet unforgettable pleasures of youthful summer vacations that Jason had during his mid-teens.
"Hallucinogenics" by Matt Maeson: Indie-folk/pop musician, Matt Maeson, has had equal success on both the Alternative and Adult Alternative charts so far with "Cringe" and "Go Easy". His third single, "Hallucinogenics", seems to have been his most popular so far on the Alternative charts, probably due to its druggy sounding title, and perhaps also for its use of the F word in only the third line of the song. Seems to follow the Lana Del Rey blueprint of "sex, drugs, and not-quite-rock-and-roll", and the sound of "Hallucinogenics" is somewhat similar to LDR too, albeit a bit more upbeat and tongue-in-cheek. Underneath the song's sweet sound, "Hallucinogenics" is actually somewhat defiant (as much as an indie-pop song can be, anyway), with its vague sense of pride about drug use, as well as its subtle f-you to religion in the recurring line, "Go find yourself a man who's strong, tall, and Christian", indicating that Matt is not a man of God, but a man who plays by his own rules. The line, "I carried on like the wayward son", seems to show that Matt is indeed a rock and roll fan, but the sound of this song suggests otherwise.
"No Flag" by Elvis Costello: Last but not least, we now come to a rock song that is TRULY defiant, from a rocker who is truly defiant! Leave it to Elvis C to continue asking what's so funny about peace, love, and understanding almost 40 years after he first asked that question! "No Flag" starts off being somewhat trippy and mysterious before launching into a rhythmically orchestrated tirade of shattering electric guitars and unapologetically angry words. This is punk rock (or more accurately, psychedelic punk-jazz) from a man who truly knows how to do it! The song is more than likely about just how chaotic the world has gotten. Though Costello hails from Britain, he is certainly aware of American political affairs as well, venomously spewing the title of his song as a not-so-subtle symbol of anarchy. He also rants against religion ("no God for the d*mn that I don't give") and the state of the world as a whole ("I sense no future, but time seems to drag"). This is the sort of punk music that groups like Green Day yearn to be, but never quite get to, the way it was meant to be!
Showing posts with label Jason Isbell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jason Isbell. Show all posts
Wednesday, June 17, 2020
Wednesday, February 12, 2020
A very special day: 10th Blog-i-versary AND my mom's 64th birthday!!
Can you believe it?! I've been doing this blog for 10 years now!! And it's my mom's birthday!! So what are we gonna do to celebrate?! Review 9 brand new songs, that's what! The first three, coincidentally, begin with the letter B...as in "birthday" (and "blog-i-versary"). So here goes:
"Back to Me" by Grace Potter (featuring Lucius): This song combines the humble country-rock sound Grace Potter started with with the more slinky, sexy sound she cultivated later on. As soon as indie-pop/rockers, Lucius, drop in during the chorus, the song turns a bit more soulful. Grace really flaunts the temptation factor on this song! She fools the listener into thinking she's in love with someone, only for them to find out that Grace is actually trying to break up with that same person. If you're looking for love, don't look to this song for answers. But if you're looking for a sensual auditory experience with deceptive lyrics, you've come to the right place!
"Be Afraid" by Jason Isbell: A sense of urgency has probably come over you just reading the title of this song. If so, you'd be right to feel that way! That desperate feeling churns out right from the beginning of this song, which has a sort of "R.E.M. goes Southern rock" kind of sound. Isbell has fought against politics with his music for quite awhile now, and he shows no signs of letting up just yet with his latest song, "Be Afraid". The fear in this song seems to come from all sorts of topics, ranging from political to sexual, and even in fears surrounding the state of being a musician in and of itself! "Be afraid, be very afraid", Isbell urges his listeners, before adding in, "but do it anyway". It's time for us to face our fears. In spite of the title of this song, Jason Isbell is clearly anything BUT afraid here!
"By And By" by Caamp: Caamp's surprise summer smash, "Peach Fuzz", which was popular enough to make my Top 20 of 2019, was a pleasantly quirky song that was a rock song on the surface, but a bluegrass song underneath. "By And By" has more of a pure bluegrass sound than its predecessor, enough to be mistaken for a band like Trampled by Turtles. No electric guitars to be found here, just sweet, mellow, banjo driven bluegrass. The opening lyrics, "driving through West Virginia", even give it a "lonesome traveler on the highway" kind of feel. During the chorus of the song, Caamp's lead singer muses about his girlfriend and wonders if she's a "life force". Not exactly sure what that entails, but "By And By" is still an easy, breezy song to listen to.
"Dissolve" by Absofacto: Every once in awhile, we come across songs that immediately get associated with commercial products. Absofacto's "Dissolve" is one such case. It has actually been in existence for two years now, but it has received massive attention within the past two weeks for being used on advertisement for video sharing platform, Tik Tok. Apps like Tik Tok are a bit sketchy to me, but it's not that surprising that a song like "Dissolve" has been used to promote Tik Tok. The song is sleek and trendy, combining elements of hip-hop and electronica into a smooth yet fashionable flavor.
"Forever Nevermore" by Sea Wolf: Probably one of the few bands I've blogged about and met members of in person, Sea Wolf are an L.A. band who deftly mixes folk guitars with a post-punk atmosphere. Their latest song, "Forever Nevermore", seems to be about not knowing what to want in a relationship. The title, "Forever Nevermore", is a clever way of expressing this, juxtaposing the idealism of "forever" and the pessimism of "never". The opening lyrics, "Stepped out, cool dirt under feet/And the fog in the air and the crack of the snare bittersweet", give the song a hazy, wintry aura to set the mood for the rest of the song. An icy song on the outside, but with a warm heart underneath it all.
"Honeybee" by The Head and The Heart: The third song to become a single from The Head and The Heart's latest album, "Honeybee" is a song that continues on the more-pop-than-rock indie slant that The Head and The Heart have taken on roughly since the mid 2010's. However, what makes this song special is what band member Charity Rose Thielen, who sings harmony on this track, thinks of it. Her comment is the first one on the "visualizer" video for "Honeybee" on YouTube, and it states that the song is about taking those you trust the most for granted, and therefore holding back on telling them how you really feel until it's too late. The title of the song, "Honeybee", as you could probably imagine, is not much more than a cutesy nickname in the context of the song, but the song itself has a very delicate, fragile meaning that urges you to look beyond the surface of it.
"I Wanna Be the One" by Pete Yorn: Pete's 2019 adult alt radio hit, "Calm Down", hearkened back so much to the "old" Pete Yorn sound that I instantly fell in love with. His second single from his 2019 album, the song "I Wanna Be the One", doesn't quite have the same vibe. In some parts, it sounds like it wants to be atmospheric like a Smiths or Cure song, yet in other parts it sounds more like a folk-rock-y Pete Yorn song. The song is obviously a love song if its title is anything to go by. It's a sweet song, but it's missing that Pete Yorn magic that I crave every time I hear one of his songs.
"Need Your Love" by Tennis: Known for blending Brill Building "girl group" influenced sounds with post-psychedelic pop topped with the honey-sweet harmonic vocals of Alaina Moore, Tennis are an indie-pop band who pretty much always sound "retro". Their latest song, "Need Your Love", is no exception to this. What distinguishes "Need Your Love" from their other songs, however, is how the rhythm of the song becomes slower during the chorus than it is during the verses. Just when you get caught up in the catchy beat of the verses, the song slows down enough to make you feel less elevated than when you started listening to it, which begs the question: Do Tennis really "Need Our Love", or are they just playing with our hearts?!
"Shangri-La" by EOB (Ed O'Brien from Radiohead): Radiohead's Thom Yorke has gone solo a few times, and we got pretty much what we expected out of him: jaded yet pretty slices of music that melded post-punk with post-psychedelia. So what does Radiohead's guitarist, Ed O'Brien, have to offer us? The result is in his debut solo song, "Shangri-La", a song that manages to be even weirder than Thom Yorke's music, albeit in an intriguing manner. Where Thom highlights what make Radiohead such a great "alternative" band, Ed highlights the more prog-rock influenced side of the band that really shone during songs like "Paranoid Android". Pink Floyd, U2, Beck, and Nine Inch Nails are all accurate comparisons for this truly unique, hypnotic song!
"Back to Me" by Grace Potter (featuring Lucius): This song combines the humble country-rock sound Grace Potter started with with the more slinky, sexy sound she cultivated later on. As soon as indie-pop/rockers, Lucius, drop in during the chorus, the song turns a bit more soulful. Grace really flaunts the temptation factor on this song! She fools the listener into thinking she's in love with someone, only for them to find out that Grace is actually trying to break up with that same person. If you're looking for love, don't look to this song for answers. But if you're looking for a sensual auditory experience with deceptive lyrics, you've come to the right place!
"Be Afraid" by Jason Isbell: A sense of urgency has probably come over you just reading the title of this song. If so, you'd be right to feel that way! That desperate feeling churns out right from the beginning of this song, which has a sort of "R.E.M. goes Southern rock" kind of sound. Isbell has fought against politics with his music for quite awhile now, and he shows no signs of letting up just yet with his latest song, "Be Afraid". The fear in this song seems to come from all sorts of topics, ranging from political to sexual, and even in fears surrounding the state of being a musician in and of itself! "Be afraid, be very afraid", Isbell urges his listeners, before adding in, "but do it anyway". It's time for us to face our fears. In spite of the title of this song, Jason Isbell is clearly anything BUT afraid here!
"By And By" by Caamp: Caamp's surprise summer smash, "Peach Fuzz", which was popular enough to make my Top 20 of 2019, was a pleasantly quirky song that was a rock song on the surface, but a bluegrass song underneath. "By And By" has more of a pure bluegrass sound than its predecessor, enough to be mistaken for a band like Trampled by Turtles. No electric guitars to be found here, just sweet, mellow, banjo driven bluegrass. The opening lyrics, "driving through West Virginia", even give it a "lonesome traveler on the highway" kind of feel. During the chorus of the song, Caamp's lead singer muses about his girlfriend and wonders if she's a "life force". Not exactly sure what that entails, but "By And By" is still an easy, breezy song to listen to.
"Dissolve" by Absofacto: Every once in awhile, we come across songs that immediately get associated with commercial products. Absofacto's "Dissolve" is one such case. It has actually been in existence for two years now, but it has received massive attention within the past two weeks for being used on advertisement for video sharing platform, Tik Tok. Apps like Tik Tok are a bit sketchy to me, but it's not that surprising that a song like "Dissolve" has been used to promote Tik Tok. The song is sleek and trendy, combining elements of hip-hop and electronica into a smooth yet fashionable flavor.
"Forever Nevermore" by Sea Wolf: Probably one of the few bands I've blogged about and met members of in person, Sea Wolf are an L.A. band who deftly mixes folk guitars with a post-punk atmosphere. Their latest song, "Forever Nevermore", seems to be about not knowing what to want in a relationship. The title, "Forever Nevermore", is a clever way of expressing this, juxtaposing the idealism of "forever" and the pessimism of "never". The opening lyrics, "Stepped out, cool dirt under feet/And the fog in the air and the crack of the snare bittersweet", give the song a hazy, wintry aura to set the mood for the rest of the song. An icy song on the outside, but with a warm heart underneath it all.
"Honeybee" by The Head and The Heart: The third song to become a single from The Head and The Heart's latest album, "Honeybee" is a song that continues on the more-pop-than-rock indie slant that The Head and The Heart have taken on roughly since the mid 2010's. However, what makes this song special is what band member Charity Rose Thielen, who sings harmony on this track, thinks of it. Her comment is the first one on the "visualizer" video for "Honeybee" on YouTube, and it states that the song is about taking those you trust the most for granted, and therefore holding back on telling them how you really feel until it's too late. The title of the song, "Honeybee", as you could probably imagine, is not much more than a cutesy nickname in the context of the song, but the song itself has a very delicate, fragile meaning that urges you to look beyond the surface of it.
"I Wanna Be the One" by Pete Yorn: Pete's 2019 adult alt radio hit, "Calm Down", hearkened back so much to the "old" Pete Yorn sound that I instantly fell in love with. His second single from his 2019 album, the song "I Wanna Be the One", doesn't quite have the same vibe. In some parts, it sounds like it wants to be atmospheric like a Smiths or Cure song, yet in other parts it sounds more like a folk-rock-y Pete Yorn song. The song is obviously a love song if its title is anything to go by. It's a sweet song, but it's missing that Pete Yorn magic that I crave every time I hear one of his songs.
"Need Your Love" by Tennis: Known for blending Brill Building "girl group" influenced sounds with post-psychedelic pop topped with the honey-sweet harmonic vocals of Alaina Moore, Tennis are an indie-pop band who pretty much always sound "retro". Their latest song, "Need Your Love", is no exception to this. What distinguishes "Need Your Love" from their other songs, however, is how the rhythm of the song becomes slower during the chorus than it is during the verses. Just when you get caught up in the catchy beat of the verses, the song slows down enough to make you feel less elevated than when you started listening to it, which begs the question: Do Tennis really "Need Our Love", or are they just playing with our hearts?!
"Shangri-La" by EOB (Ed O'Brien from Radiohead): Radiohead's Thom Yorke has gone solo a few times, and we got pretty much what we expected out of him: jaded yet pretty slices of music that melded post-punk with post-psychedelia. So what does Radiohead's guitarist, Ed O'Brien, have to offer us? The result is in his debut solo song, "Shangri-La", a song that manages to be even weirder than Thom Yorke's music, albeit in an intriguing manner. Where Thom highlights what make Radiohead such a great "alternative" band, Ed highlights the more prog-rock influenced side of the band that really shone during songs like "Paranoid Android". Pink Floyd, U2, Beck, and Nine Inch Nails are all accurate comparisons for this truly unique, hypnotic song!
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
New songs for February 6th 2019
here they are:
"Exits" by Foals: The fusion of electronica and rock in Foals latest song, "Exits", is nothing new. However, its length of nearly 6 minutes IS something new! Why did they decide to go for such a long song this time around?! Perhaps they wanted the "epic" feel of the song to go along with their video for it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6YMCjpfH0c), which was inspired by "Game of Thrones". This the second GOT inspired music video we've had so far in 2019, the first of which was Beirut's "Landslide". However, unlike that video, there is nothing silly or "Monty Python"-esque about the video for "Exits". Both the song and the video are meant to serve as a reflection of just how backwards and scary society has become for humanity today. How apt, also, that the song is called "Exits", as it will be one of many songs that the 2010's itself will exit with! Not exactly the exit I was hoping for, though. Oh well. There's always next decade to set things right again, right?!
"Old Black Magic" by Josh Ritter: Josh Ritter is normally more mystical and folk-y than he is on his latest song, "Old Black Magic". This song sounds more like an angst-ridden country-rock song, and there's a good reason for that. This is because of country-rocker Jason Isbell's production of the song. Isbell had a politically angry song back in 2017 with "Hope the High Road", and the mood (though not necessarily the lyrics) of "Old Black Magic" is meant to evoke the disaster in the air that many Americans are continuing to experience day after day. Isbell's influence is especially apparent on "Old Black Magic"'s guitar solo, which sounds like a Lynyrd Skynyrd song if it was suddenly induced with paranoia. Yet another dark song to end the decade with! Keeping my fingers crossed that the coming years and coming decade won't be as fraught with turmoil as this one has turned out to be.
"Ready to Let Go" by Cage the Elephant: Our last song of the week is yet another dark entry, but not one of a political nature. "Ready to Let Go" does tackle another subject of a controversial nature, though, and that is the subject of divorce. The divorce happened for CTE's lead singer Matt Shultz within a matter of just 5 years. Since their separation happened in Pompeii, the song is filled with metaphors relating to volcanic activity, such as "At times I wonder, are we just a puff of smoke?" and "Underneath this bed of ashes". Explosion in both the literal AND metaphorical sense?! I can see why the song is called "Ready to Let Go", because if that happened to me, that's exactly what I'd wanna do!
"Exits" by Foals: The fusion of electronica and rock in Foals latest song, "Exits", is nothing new. However, its length of nearly 6 minutes IS something new! Why did they decide to go for such a long song this time around?! Perhaps they wanted the "epic" feel of the song to go along with their video for it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6YMCjpfH0c), which was inspired by "Game of Thrones". This the second GOT inspired music video we've had so far in 2019, the first of which was Beirut's "Landslide". However, unlike that video, there is nothing silly or "Monty Python"-esque about the video for "Exits". Both the song and the video are meant to serve as a reflection of just how backwards and scary society has become for humanity today. How apt, also, that the song is called "Exits", as it will be one of many songs that the 2010's itself will exit with! Not exactly the exit I was hoping for, though. Oh well. There's always next decade to set things right again, right?!
"Old Black Magic" by Josh Ritter: Josh Ritter is normally more mystical and folk-y than he is on his latest song, "Old Black Magic". This song sounds more like an angst-ridden country-rock song, and there's a good reason for that. This is because of country-rocker Jason Isbell's production of the song. Isbell had a politically angry song back in 2017 with "Hope the High Road", and the mood (though not necessarily the lyrics) of "Old Black Magic" is meant to evoke the disaster in the air that many Americans are continuing to experience day after day. Isbell's influence is especially apparent on "Old Black Magic"'s guitar solo, which sounds like a Lynyrd Skynyrd song if it was suddenly induced with paranoia. Yet another dark song to end the decade with! Keeping my fingers crossed that the coming years and coming decade won't be as fraught with turmoil as this one has turned out to be.
"Ready to Let Go" by Cage the Elephant: Our last song of the week is yet another dark entry, but not one of a political nature. "Ready to Let Go" does tackle another subject of a controversial nature, though, and that is the subject of divorce. The divorce happened for CTE's lead singer Matt Shultz within a matter of just 5 years. Since their separation happened in Pompeii, the song is filled with metaphors relating to volcanic activity, such as "At times I wonder, are we just a puff of smoke?" and "Underneath this bed of ashes". Explosion in both the literal AND metaphorical sense?! I can see why the song is called "Ready to Let Go", because if that happened to me, that's exactly what I'd wanna do!
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
New songs for September 5th, 2018
here they are:
"Cumberland Gap" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell's 2017 album might just be his best one yet! First he gave us a taste of furious Southern rock with "Hope the High Road", then he gave us a bittersweet, reflective folk-rock song with "If We Were Vampires", and NOW we have a song that sounds like The Pixies by way of Bruce Springsteen, or maybe the other way around, with "Cumberland Gap". With a title like that, I'd have expected this song to be one of his more countrified musical numbers, but nothing could be further from the truth! "Cumberland Gap" seems to pick up where "Hope the High Road" left off, with more protest fueled lyrics, much like "...High Road" had. Jason's disappointed and angst ridden conclusion in the chorus is a righteous cry of, "Maybe the Cumberland Gap swallows you whole!" Sometimes, the real world is just too much to think about these days. That's one of the many reasons songs like this one can come in handy!
"Date Night" by Father John Misty: Only Father John Misty can take a song that sounds vaguely similar to Nirvana's "Rape Me" and make it sound sort of like a Harry Nilsson tune. If this sounds too weird for you, don't worry. You only have to suffer through 2 and a half minutes of this. For the rest of us, this song is pure blissed out bliss! FJM is such a weird dude that I'm not even sure what "Date Night" is supposed to mean in the context of this song. Heck, I'll be lucky if I can figure out what ANY of this song means! But that's FJM for ya. His charm is in his eccentricity!
"Feed the Fire" by Dawes: Dawes recently opened for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra. In "Feed the Fire" they SOUND like ELO. Well, sorta. Perhaps a band like Steely Dan might be a more appropriate comparison, (esp. for its "Do It Again"-esque sitar solo) but in any case, they sound like they're straddling the line between hippie and hipster like they usually do. What they mean here by "feed the fire" is that they're trying to satisfy themselves artistically. "Fire" is a word that takes on multiple meanings here. It can mean just the burning desire for something to happen, but here, it also means being destructive, like a fire, since living an "artistic" lifestyle can often lead to having detrimental impulses. The Dan-esque guitar in the song is important here, since it contributes vastly to the song's almost 6 minute length.
"Four Leaf Clover" by The Kooks: The Kooks are usually at their best when they do light, airy power pop songs like "She Moves In Her Own Way", "Shine On", and "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". After moving more towards a post-punk/funk hybrid in their more recent songs, Luke Pritchard and the boys have now returned to their power pop roots in "Four Leaf Clover". The song is really a sex, drugs, and rock & roll song disguised as something sweeter and happier, but Kooks fans needn't care about that, as long as they like the music of it!
"Waves of Galveston" by Iron & Wine: And last but not least for this week, Sam Beam is another who has returned to his musical roots with "Waves of Galveston". The song picks up, musically speaking, from where IAW's last song, "Call It Dreaming", left off. "Waves of Galveston" is an equally beautiful song that uses a similar technique of using just acoustic guitar and vocals, instead of adding background instruments as IAW have been prone to do in recent years. The song has a Joni Mitchell-ish flavor to it, and perhaps that's because of its DADF#AD tuning, which Joni has used for many of her songs as well. The song has actually had a longer life than this year, dating back to 2013, when Sam Beam was asked to write a song about Texas. This masterpiece is what he came up with, and now we finally get to hear the studio version of it!
"Cumberland Gap" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell's 2017 album might just be his best one yet! First he gave us a taste of furious Southern rock with "Hope the High Road", then he gave us a bittersweet, reflective folk-rock song with "If We Were Vampires", and NOW we have a song that sounds like The Pixies by way of Bruce Springsteen, or maybe the other way around, with "Cumberland Gap". With a title like that, I'd have expected this song to be one of his more countrified musical numbers, but nothing could be further from the truth! "Cumberland Gap" seems to pick up where "Hope the High Road" left off, with more protest fueled lyrics, much like "...High Road" had. Jason's disappointed and angst ridden conclusion in the chorus is a righteous cry of, "Maybe the Cumberland Gap swallows you whole!" Sometimes, the real world is just too much to think about these days. That's one of the many reasons songs like this one can come in handy!
"Date Night" by Father John Misty: Only Father John Misty can take a song that sounds vaguely similar to Nirvana's "Rape Me" and make it sound sort of like a Harry Nilsson tune. If this sounds too weird for you, don't worry. You only have to suffer through 2 and a half minutes of this. For the rest of us, this song is pure blissed out bliss! FJM is such a weird dude that I'm not even sure what "Date Night" is supposed to mean in the context of this song. Heck, I'll be lucky if I can figure out what ANY of this song means! But that's FJM for ya. His charm is in his eccentricity!
"Feed the Fire" by Dawes: Dawes recently opened for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra. In "Feed the Fire" they SOUND like ELO. Well, sorta. Perhaps a band like Steely Dan might be a more appropriate comparison, (esp. for its "Do It Again"-esque sitar solo) but in any case, they sound like they're straddling the line between hippie and hipster like they usually do. What they mean here by "feed the fire" is that they're trying to satisfy themselves artistically. "Fire" is a word that takes on multiple meanings here. It can mean just the burning desire for something to happen, but here, it also means being destructive, like a fire, since living an "artistic" lifestyle can often lead to having detrimental impulses. The Dan-esque guitar in the song is important here, since it contributes vastly to the song's almost 6 minute length.
"Four Leaf Clover" by The Kooks: The Kooks are usually at their best when they do light, airy power pop songs like "She Moves In Her Own Way", "Shine On", and "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". After moving more towards a post-punk/funk hybrid in their more recent songs, Luke Pritchard and the boys have now returned to their power pop roots in "Four Leaf Clover". The song is really a sex, drugs, and rock & roll song disguised as something sweeter and happier, but Kooks fans needn't care about that, as long as they like the music of it!
"Waves of Galveston" by Iron & Wine: And last but not least for this week, Sam Beam is another who has returned to his musical roots with "Waves of Galveston". The song picks up, musically speaking, from where IAW's last song, "Call It Dreaming", left off. "Waves of Galveston" is an equally beautiful song that uses a similar technique of using just acoustic guitar and vocals, instead of adding background instruments as IAW have been prone to do in recent years. The song has a Joni Mitchell-ish flavor to it, and perhaps that's because of its DADF#AD tuning, which Joni has used for many of her songs as well. The song has actually had a longer life than this year, dating back to 2013, when Sam Beam was asked to write a song about Texas. This masterpiece is what he came up with, and now we finally get to hear the studio version of it!
Wednesday, October 4, 2017
New songs for October 4th, 2017
here they are:
"Domino (Time Will Tell)" by Hiss Golden Messenger: Much like in Van Morrison's similarly titled "Domino", we never really find out who (or what) "Domino" is in the context of this song, but in both cases, they appear to be a person. Both songs also center around the joys of music. However, this "Domino" has more of a roots-y country-rock sound, as opposed to Van's soulful jazz-rock ditty. It appears to be more lyrically influenced by The Grateful Dead's "Truckin'" than it is by Morrison's "Domino" (which both came out in the year 1970, coincidentally) with its constant name dropping of famous cities and venues in the U.S. and its narrative of life on the road. Will this song hold up as well as The Dead and Van the Man have?! Well, as the parenthetical title of this song implies, "time will tell"!
"If We Were Vampires" by Jason Isbell: After Jason's scathing, rocking, "Hope the High Road" from earlier this year, he has come back a second time around with a much softer and more reflective song, albeit with a spookier title apt for the month Halloween happens to fall on. The song actually has little to do with vampires, and a lot to do with contemplating the meaning of life and whether it's worth living. The song only gets more poignant as it goes on, culminating with the lines, "Maybe we'll get 40 years together/But one day I'll be gone, or one day you'll be gone", quite possibly the deepest lyrics in a country-rock song since "Dust In the Wind".
"It's A Shame" by First Aid Kit: It was just about a month ago that First Aid Kit, a folk-rock duo of Swedish sisters, released a surprisingly catchy song called "Revolution" with newcomer, Van William. Now, First Aid Kit have once again struck out on their own. "It's A Shame" isn't quite as catchy as "Revolution", but it's still memorable, and First Aid Kit fans will likely be drawn to it, since it has the trademark harmonies and bittersweet yet buoyant folk-rock instrumentation the sisters have become known for. The "shame" that is talked about in the song is the shame that is felt when a relationship ends. The vintage sounding organ in the song gives it a slightly Dylan-esque flavor, and was apparently recorded in Jack White from The White Stripes' studio.
"One Foot" by Walk the Moon: There has always been something irresistibly cheesy about Walk the Moon's music. That's nothing new! What is new, however, is that their latest song, "One Foot", has a bit less guitar than their fans might be used to. Both their debut single, "Anna Sun", and the massively successful "Shut Up And Dance" have used guitar as a prominent instrument, sounding like an unabashedly pop-y version of U2 in doing so. "One Foot" just doesn't have that U2-ish sound. It is largely a synth driven song, except during the chorus when you can hear the guitarist a bit more clearly. One thing WTM haven't lost, though, is their knack for making radio ready pop music with a slightly "alternative" edge. They have turned the cliche phrase, "one foot in front of the other", into a group of words that can be shouted at a stadium! These guys could probably sing a section of the phonebook and still make a Top 40 hit out of it!
"Spent the Day In Bed" by Morrissey: And last, but certainly not least, the distinctly voiced, notoriously cynical lead singer of innovative '80s indie-pop band, The Smiths, has returned to make lyrical poetry out of complaints once again. Though Morrissey is a native Brit, he seems to pay attention to political affairs the world around, and is usually unhappy about them. This leads me to believe that "Spent the Day In Bed" is probably about the current state of American political affairs, particularly when Moz urges his listeners to "stop watching the news" during the chorus. Over a quirky, stilted keyboard sound that might not sound out of place in a Zombies tune, Morrissey broodingly croons about how agoraphobia might not be a bad choice with all the negativity going on in the world outside his house. Hopefully we'll be able to wake you up in 2020, Moz! In the meantime, sweet dreams...hopefully.
"Domino (Time Will Tell)" by Hiss Golden Messenger: Much like in Van Morrison's similarly titled "Domino", we never really find out who (or what) "Domino" is in the context of this song, but in both cases, they appear to be a person. Both songs also center around the joys of music. However, this "Domino" has more of a roots-y country-rock sound, as opposed to Van's soulful jazz-rock ditty. It appears to be more lyrically influenced by The Grateful Dead's "Truckin'" than it is by Morrison's "Domino" (which both came out in the year 1970, coincidentally) with its constant name dropping of famous cities and venues in the U.S. and its narrative of life on the road. Will this song hold up as well as The Dead and Van the Man have?! Well, as the parenthetical title of this song implies, "time will tell"!
"If We Were Vampires" by Jason Isbell: After Jason's scathing, rocking, "Hope the High Road" from earlier this year, he has come back a second time around with a much softer and more reflective song, albeit with a spookier title apt for the month Halloween happens to fall on. The song actually has little to do with vampires, and a lot to do with contemplating the meaning of life and whether it's worth living. The song only gets more poignant as it goes on, culminating with the lines, "Maybe we'll get 40 years together/But one day I'll be gone, or one day you'll be gone", quite possibly the deepest lyrics in a country-rock song since "Dust In the Wind".
"It's A Shame" by First Aid Kit: It was just about a month ago that First Aid Kit, a folk-rock duo of Swedish sisters, released a surprisingly catchy song called "Revolution" with newcomer, Van William. Now, First Aid Kit have once again struck out on their own. "It's A Shame" isn't quite as catchy as "Revolution", but it's still memorable, and First Aid Kit fans will likely be drawn to it, since it has the trademark harmonies and bittersweet yet buoyant folk-rock instrumentation the sisters have become known for. The "shame" that is talked about in the song is the shame that is felt when a relationship ends. The vintage sounding organ in the song gives it a slightly Dylan-esque flavor, and was apparently recorded in Jack White from The White Stripes' studio.
"One Foot" by Walk the Moon: There has always been something irresistibly cheesy about Walk the Moon's music. That's nothing new! What is new, however, is that their latest song, "One Foot", has a bit less guitar than their fans might be used to. Both their debut single, "Anna Sun", and the massively successful "Shut Up And Dance" have used guitar as a prominent instrument, sounding like an unabashedly pop-y version of U2 in doing so. "One Foot" just doesn't have that U2-ish sound. It is largely a synth driven song, except during the chorus when you can hear the guitarist a bit more clearly. One thing WTM haven't lost, though, is their knack for making radio ready pop music with a slightly "alternative" edge. They have turned the cliche phrase, "one foot in front of the other", into a group of words that can be shouted at a stadium! These guys could probably sing a section of the phonebook and still make a Top 40 hit out of it!
"Spent the Day In Bed" by Morrissey: And last, but certainly not least, the distinctly voiced, notoriously cynical lead singer of innovative '80s indie-pop band, The Smiths, has returned to make lyrical poetry out of complaints once again. Though Morrissey is a native Brit, he seems to pay attention to political affairs the world around, and is usually unhappy about them. This leads me to believe that "Spent the Day In Bed" is probably about the current state of American political affairs, particularly when Moz urges his listeners to "stop watching the news" during the chorus. Over a quirky, stilted keyboard sound that might not sound out of place in a Zombies tune, Morrissey broodingly croons about how agoraphobia might not be a bad choice with all the negativity going on in the world outside his house. Hopefully we'll be able to wake you up in 2020, Moz! In the meantime, sweet dreams...hopefully.
Wednesday, March 29, 2017
New songs for March 29th 2017
here they are:
"Big Boys" by Chuck Berry: Long live the King!! No, we are not talking about Elvis Presley here, we are talking about rock and roll's other King who lived to see 90 until a few weeks ago. If you guessed Chuck Berry, then you're absolutely right! A few weeks after his recent departure into Rock and Roll Heaven, a new song of his, "Big Boys", was released. For fans of the rock 'n' roll pioneer, "Big Boys" is guaranteed to please, as it features the trademark rhythms and guitar licks featured in most of Chuck's material. The song appears to be an ode to being young and having fun, fitting for a man whose music was full of relentless energy no matter when he performed it. Here's to a true rock legend! Without him, other recently deceased performers like Prince and David Bowie just wouldn't have been the same!
"Here Come the Girls" by Trombone Shorty: And speaking of musicians from the 1950's, this next song is actually a cover of a song by early R & B one-hit-wonder Ernie K Doe (best known for "Mother In Law"). How Trombone Shorty knew this song is anyone's guess, but its saucy, jazzy, soulful vibe is right up Trombone Shorty's alley! Shorty does Ernie K justice with his cover version of "Here Come the Girls", which retains the charm and sass of the original. Aside from their musical talent and style, another thing that Ernie K Doe and Trombone Shorty share in common is that they were both born and raised in New Orleans! Hardly surprising, as both versions of this song pack a punch as powerful as Cajun spice, but still worth your musical knowledge, as far as I'm concerned!
"Hope the High Road" by Jason Isbell: If this song is more rock than you're used to than that of the typical Jason Isbell solo song, that's partly because he is using his backing group, The 400 Unit, on it. Part of the reason that Isbell is opting for a rock sound here is because of the political outrage he is currently feeling, along with many other rock, folk, and alternative musicians. The chorus of "Hope the High Road" makes this clear when he says things like, "I know you're tired and you ain't sleeping well", and, "Uninspired and likely mad as hell." Yes, these lines are pointed towards the current leader of the United States. Isbell also hails from Alabama, so if you thought that most Southerners were Republicans, this song (and its musician) will challenge you to think again about things like that!
"Big Boys" by Chuck Berry: Long live the King!! No, we are not talking about Elvis Presley here, we are talking about rock and roll's other King who lived to see 90 until a few weeks ago. If you guessed Chuck Berry, then you're absolutely right! A few weeks after his recent departure into Rock and Roll Heaven, a new song of his, "Big Boys", was released. For fans of the rock 'n' roll pioneer, "Big Boys" is guaranteed to please, as it features the trademark rhythms and guitar licks featured in most of Chuck's material. The song appears to be an ode to being young and having fun, fitting for a man whose music was full of relentless energy no matter when he performed it. Here's to a true rock legend! Without him, other recently deceased performers like Prince and David Bowie just wouldn't have been the same!
"Here Come the Girls" by Trombone Shorty: And speaking of musicians from the 1950's, this next song is actually a cover of a song by early R & B one-hit-wonder Ernie K Doe (best known for "Mother In Law"). How Trombone Shorty knew this song is anyone's guess, but its saucy, jazzy, soulful vibe is right up Trombone Shorty's alley! Shorty does Ernie K justice with his cover version of "Here Come the Girls", which retains the charm and sass of the original. Aside from their musical talent and style, another thing that Ernie K Doe and Trombone Shorty share in common is that they were both born and raised in New Orleans! Hardly surprising, as both versions of this song pack a punch as powerful as Cajun spice, but still worth your musical knowledge, as far as I'm concerned!
"Hope the High Road" by Jason Isbell: If this song is more rock than you're used to than that of the typical Jason Isbell solo song, that's partly because he is using his backing group, The 400 Unit, on it. Part of the reason that Isbell is opting for a rock sound here is because of the political outrage he is currently feeling, along with many other rock, folk, and alternative musicians. The chorus of "Hope the High Road" makes this clear when he says things like, "I know you're tired and you ain't sleeping well", and, "Uninspired and likely mad as hell." Yes, these lines are pointed towards the current leader of the United States. Isbell also hails from Alabama, so if you thought that most Southerners were Republicans, this song (and its musician) will challenge you to think again about things like that!
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
New songs for October 21st 2015
here they are:
"Guesthouse" by The David Wax Museum: The David Wax Museum is one of the only bands I've ever known to combine folk, rock, and world music, and perhaps THE only band to combine all those that originated in the 2010's. In late 2012, they took adult alt radio by storm with the exotic sounding but relentlessly chipper "Harder Before It Gets Easier". Their latest song, "Guesthouse", also combines rock, folk, and world music, though it seems like they've been influenced by circus music here as well. The swirly, psychedelic organ of the song sounds kind of like the sort of organ you'd be likely to hear on a merry-go-round. The "guest" part of the title comes from how David Wax has apparently felt like a "guest" within the Mexican music community he has both studied about and performed with.
"Smooth Sailin'" by Leon Bridges: Leon's passionate, soul infused ballad, "Coming Home", arrived in February of this year, and it couldn't have arrived at a better time! The more energetic vibe of Leon's latest tune, "Smooth Sailin'", seems more fit for summer than fall, but fans of '60s soul music will probably enjoy the Otis Redding-ish sound of "Smooth Sailin'" just as much as the Sam Cooke-ish sound of "Coming Home". Smooth sailin', fast toe-tappin'!
"The Life You Chose" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell probably surprised many a listener of adult alt radio in spring of this year with the adult alt radio mega-hit, "24 Frames". Isbell has made music for quite a while now, but none of his songs have gotten as much attention as "24 Frames". The secret formula for that song's success is actually similar to what makes "The Life You Chose" an interesting song to listen to. Both songs are bittersweet country/folk-rock tunes concerning the struggle between the way life is for Jason and the way life used to be for him. "The Life You Chose" is a mostly major key song, though, unlike "24 Frames", which alternates between major and minor key. "The Life You Chose" is probably also more wistful than melancholy, but listeners are still likely to experience heartache when listening to the song.
"Guesthouse" by The David Wax Museum: The David Wax Museum is one of the only bands I've ever known to combine folk, rock, and world music, and perhaps THE only band to combine all those that originated in the 2010's. In late 2012, they took adult alt radio by storm with the exotic sounding but relentlessly chipper "Harder Before It Gets Easier". Their latest song, "Guesthouse", also combines rock, folk, and world music, though it seems like they've been influenced by circus music here as well. The swirly, psychedelic organ of the song sounds kind of like the sort of organ you'd be likely to hear on a merry-go-round. The "guest" part of the title comes from how David Wax has apparently felt like a "guest" within the Mexican music community he has both studied about and performed with.
"Smooth Sailin'" by Leon Bridges: Leon's passionate, soul infused ballad, "Coming Home", arrived in February of this year, and it couldn't have arrived at a better time! The more energetic vibe of Leon's latest tune, "Smooth Sailin'", seems more fit for summer than fall, but fans of '60s soul music will probably enjoy the Otis Redding-ish sound of "Smooth Sailin'" just as much as the Sam Cooke-ish sound of "Coming Home". Smooth sailin', fast toe-tappin'!
"The Life You Chose" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell probably surprised many a listener of adult alt radio in spring of this year with the adult alt radio mega-hit, "24 Frames". Isbell has made music for quite a while now, but none of his songs have gotten as much attention as "24 Frames". The secret formula for that song's success is actually similar to what makes "The Life You Chose" an interesting song to listen to. Both songs are bittersweet country/folk-rock tunes concerning the struggle between the way life is for Jason and the way life used to be for him. "The Life You Chose" is a mostly major key song, though, unlike "24 Frames", which alternates between major and minor key. "The Life You Chose" is probably also more wistful than melancholy, but listeners are still likely to experience heartache when listening to the song.
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
New songs for May 13th 2015
here they are:
"It Takes a Lot to Know a Man" by Damien Rice: It sure does!! Wow! Didn't think Damien had it in him to do a song that surpasses the length of "Stairway to Heaven" by about a minute and a half, but this is exactly what he does in "It Takes a Lot to Know a Man". Damien's songs are typically sad, but this one takes the melodrama of his music to a whole other level! The ending lyrics of the song are when it reaches its zenith. The phrase "What are you so afraid to lose?" becomes a mantra, and leads into what is perhaps the most intense mood I've ever heard in a Damien Rice song, as his voice and the background vocals argue with each other about their innermost insecurities.
"Most In the Summertime" by Rhett Miller (featuring Black Prairie): Just in time for the coming season, this is probably one of the most upbeat songs in both Rhett Miller's catalog and Black Prairie's. It is a mellow but catchy country-rock ditty in which the lyrics concern themselves with the simple pleasures of life. Well, perhaps other kinds of "pleasures" as well, as the chorus indicates that Rhett and Jenny (Black Prairie's lead singer) have their "clothes off, hangin' on the line". But hey, that's what summer's for, isn't it?!
"Scared" by Delta Rae: "Scared", eh?! Well, perhaps the reason why is because this song is different from Delta Rae's other material in two ways. First of all, one of the men in the group sings lead vocals, unlike Elizabeth Hopkins, who usually does so, and second of all, its sound resembles the "neo-soul" of groups like Fitz and The Tantrums more than it does the folk sound of their typical material. The "scare" factor here is really the uncertainty of whether a romance is going to work out, and the song's combination of minor key and catchy beat are enough to keep you on the edge of your seat!
"Song For Someone" by U2: After the anthemic rock vibes of "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" and "Every Breaking Wave", U2's third single from "Songs of Innocence", "Song For Someone", has a more laid-back and poignant feel to it. Whoever "someone" is, they must have been incredibly important to U2 for them to make such a moving song in which the lyrics tug at the heartstrings as much as the music does. The chorus of the song pretty much defines it with its opening words, "If there is a light, you can always see, and if there is a world, we can always be. If there is a dark within and without, and there is a light, don't let it go out". For those who are in touch with their sensitive side, I highly recommend this song!
"The Stars Over Your House" by Bob Schneider: Ever since Bob Schneider's adult alt radio breakthrough with "40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet)", a lot of his songs have had somewhat of a moody streak, albeit laden with sentimentality in most cases, with the exception of the surprisingly hard-rocking "Unpromised Land". "The Stars Over Your House" seems like a much needed feel-good song in his catalog that he had more in his early days than the later ones. The "oh-oo-woh"s and "yea-ee-yeah"s that punctuate the verses, along with the harmony of the backing vocals, and just the chipper feel of the song in general, are all aspects that make "The Stars Over Your House" the perfect equivalent of a pop chart hit for indie fans.
"True Affection" by Father John Misty: Or as I like to call it, Father John Misty...IN SPAAAACCCE!!! FJM hasn't really used synthesized instruments in his music until now, and boy, does he use them!! The beginning of the song doesn't sound that far off from what you might hear when someone is playing an arcade game! It kinda sounds like one of the trippier Radiohead songs, in particular, songs like "Lotus Flower" and "Staircase". The song basically has only one verse that's repeated twice (with the second verse having only a slight difference in lyrical content), and it doesn't veer from its A minor chord at all, which gives the song a bit of a "static" flavor. FJM, meet LSD!
"24 Frames" by Jason Isbell: Right from the beginning of the song, you can tell it's gonna be a sad one, since the opening lyrics are "This is how you make yourself vanish into nothing". Thankfully, it's not a bleak sadness, but a bittersweet one, and Jason Isbell does an excellent job of pouring his heart and soul into "24 Frames". Its sound is reminiscent of the songs from R.E.M.'s album, "Automatic for the People", and that sound is not just coincidence. It turns out that Jason's band, Drive-by Truckers, was based in Athens, Georgia, the same town R.E.M. hails from! As for the title of the song, it is taken from how many frames roll per second during a movie, which is how life itself is portrayed in "24 Frames". Jason has truly outdone himself this time!!
"Woman (Oh Mama)" by Joy Williams: One half of folk-rock duo, The Civil Wars, Joy Williams' debut solo song is basically like a Celtic version of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" in terms of how it sounds. As the title of the song implies, this is Joy's ode to the spirit of femininity. The one complaint I have about this song is that she seems to be expressing her thoughts as though she is stereotyping those who speak "broken" English, though I'm not sure if this is intentional. Each line of each verse starts with the word "woman" and is followed by a verb of some sort, which reminds me of how Cookie Monster speaks ("Me want cookie!"), or perhaps the Hulk ("Hulk smash!") Why she is choosing to speak this way, I have no idea, but I do appreciate the sentiment she has intended in the song, as well as the way it sounds.
"It Takes a Lot to Know a Man" by Damien Rice: It sure does!! Wow! Didn't think Damien had it in him to do a song that surpasses the length of "Stairway to Heaven" by about a minute and a half, but this is exactly what he does in "It Takes a Lot to Know a Man". Damien's songs are typically sad, but this one takes the melodrama of his music to a whole other level! The ending lyrics of the song are when it reaches its zenith. The phrase "What are you so afraid to lose?" becomes a mantra, and leads into what is perhaps the most intense mood I've ever heard in a Damien Rice song, as his voice and the background vocals argue with each other about their innermost insecurities.
"Most In the Summertime" by Rhett Miller (featuring Black Prairie): Just in time for the coming season, this is probably one of the most upbeat songs in both Rhett Miller's catalog and Black Prairie's. It is a mellow but catchy country-rock ditty in which the lyrics concern themselves with the simple pleasures of life. Well, perhaps other kinds of "pleasures" as well, as the chorus indicates that Rhett and Jenny (Black Prairie's lead singer) have their "clothes off, hangin' on the line". But hey, that's what summer's for, isn't it?!
"Scared" by Delta Rae: "Scared", eh?! Well, perhaps the reason why is because this song is different from Delta Rae's other material in two ways. First of all, one of the men in the group sings lead vocals, unlike Elizabeth Hopkins, who usually does so, and second of all, its sound resembles the "neo-soul" of groups like Fitz and The Tantrums more than it does the folk sound of their typical material. The "scare" factor here is really the uncertainty of whether a romance is going to work out, and the song's combination of minor key and catchy beat are enough to keep you on the edge of your seat!
"Song For Someone" by U2: After the anthemic rock vibes of "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" and "Every Breaking Wave", U2's third single from "Songs of Innocence", "Song For Someone", has a more laid-back and poignant feel to it. Whoever "someone" is, they must have been incredibly important to U2 for them to make such a moving song in which the lyrics tug at the heartstrings as much as the music does. The chorus of the song pretty much defines it with its opening words, "If there is a light, you can always see, and if there is a world, we can always be. If there is a dark within and without, and there is a light, don't let it go out". For those who are in touch with their sensitive side, I highly recommend this song!
"The Stars Over Your House" by Bob Schneider: Ever since Bob Schneider's adult alt radio breakthrough with "40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet)", a lot of his songs have had somewhat of a moody streak, albeit laden with sentimentality in most cases, with the exception of the surprisingly hard-rocking "Unpromised Land". "The Stars Over Your House" seems like a much needed feel-good song in his catalog that he had more in his early days than the later ones. The "oh-oo-woh"s and "yea-ee-yeah"s that punctuate the verses, along with the harmony of the backing vocals, and just the chipper feel of the song in general, are all aspects that make "The Stars Over Your House" the perfect equivalent of a pop chart hit for indie fans.
"True Affection" by Father John Misty: Or as I like to call it, Father John Misty...IN SPAAAACCCE!!! FJM hasn't really used synthesized instruments in his music until now, and boy, does he use them!! The beginning of the song doesn't sound that far off from what you might hear when someone is playing an arcade game! It kinda sounds like one of the trippier Radiohead songs, in particular, songs like "Lotus Flower" and "Staircase". The song basically has only one verse that's repeated twice (with the second verse having only a slight difference in lyrical content), and it doesn't veer from its A minor chord at all, which gives the song a bit of a "static" flavor. FJM, meet LSD!
"24 Frames" by Jason Isbell: Right from the beginning of the song, you can tell it's gonna be a sad one, since the opening lyrics are "This is how you make yourself vanish into nothing". Thankfully, it's not a bleak sadness, but a bittersweet one, and Jason Isbell does an excellent job of pouring his heart and soul into "24 Frames". Its sound is reminiscent of the songs from R.E.M.'s album, "Automatic for the People", and that sound is not just coincidence. It turns out that Jason's band, Drive-by Truckers, was based in Athens, Georgia, the same town R.E.M. hails from! As for the title of the song, it is taken from how many frames roll per second during a movie, which is how life itself is portrayed in "24 Frames". Jason has truly outdone himself this time!!
"Woman (Oh Mama)" by Joy Williams: One half of folk-rock duo, The Civil Wars, Joy Williams' debut solo song is basically like a Celtic version of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" in terms of how it sounds. As the title of the song implies, this is Joy's ode to the spirit of femininity. The one complaint I have about this song is that she seems to be expressing her thoughts as though she is stereotyping those who speak "broken" English, though I'm not sure if this is intentional. Each line of each verse starts with the word "woman" and is followed by a verb of some sort, which reminds me of how Cookie Monster speaks ("Me want cookie!"), or perhaps the Hulk ("Hulk smash!") Why she is choosing to speak this way, I have no idea, but I do appreciate the sentiment she has intended in the song, as well as the way it sounds.
Wednesday, June 12, 2013
New songs for June 12th, 2013
here they are:
"Born Again" by Robert Randolph: Funk, jazz, blues, and rock is the kind of musical gumbo you can expect from Robert Randolph and The Family Band!! It's been about 7 years since Robert last released a CD with The Family Band, though, so I was curious to know if his musical blend still held up well. Not only does his latest song, "Born Again", retain an eclectic musical sound, but it's also incredibly fun to dance to! It has a catchy rhythm. When Randolph says in the chorus of the song that he feels "born again", I think he's referring to more than just the religious sense of the term (if that). I think he's also feeling "born again" musically, as anyone should when listening to a song like this!!
"Don't Want Lies" by The Rides: The name of this band made me think it was another up and coming indie group, but the voice of Stephen Stills (yes, THAT Stephen Stills) on "Don't Want Lies" is unmistakable!! Blues-rock aficionado Kenny Wayne Shepherd is also a part of this group, a supergroup as it turns out (I guess it's the second one Stills has had since Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young!!) Like the typical CSN & Y song, "Don't Want Lies" uses both electric and acoustic guitars. The acoustic guitars, with their crisp sound, would not have sounded too out of place on a mid-'70s CSN album, and the blues-y electric noodling is brimming with the signature sound of Kenny Wayne Shepherd. And here I thought Neil Young was the only musically active member left of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Guess I was wrong!! "Don't Want Lies" is a mellow song, but it also has a dynamic enough sound to possibly become a future concert favorite!
"Man" by Neko Case: Neko Case's music has been referred to as "indie rock" and "country rock", but the "rock" element has never been that apparent in her music. Until now, that is! "Man" is quite a "man"-ly song, if you know what I mean!! Perhaps it could be said that both the lyrics and the music of "Man" are an attempt at redefining gender roles. Rock 'n' roll has had its fair share of women before, but usually, phrases like "I'm a man" aren't present in the music of female rockers. That very phrase is the most repeated one (and perhaps, the most defining one) in Neko Case's "Man". This song is not the typical Neko Case song, by any means!! She even throws in a couple choice swears towards the end of the song, which I don't remember her doing in any of her other songs. "Man" rocks hard and pushes boundaries!! Who knew?! I sure didn't!!
"Part of Me" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: Yet another talented rock 'n' roll woman from the past decade or so is the blues-y, soulful, Susan Tedeschi! "Part of Me" places more emphasis on soul than on blues or rock, though. Tedeschi's signature slide guitar sound is still present on the song, but most of it just sounds like Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" with the gender roles reversed. Tedeschi and Trucks typically have upbeat music to begin with, but "Part of Me" is probably the most upbeat song they've had together so far! I don't think it's too much of a stretch to describe this song as the first feel-good jam of summer 2013!!
"Royals" by Lorde: This "Lorde" is a lady!! And a very young one, at that (she's 16 years old, believe it or not!!) Unlike the other songs I've chosen to review for this week, there is more emphasis on vocals and rhythm than there are on instruments for "Royals". Nevertheless, there is something quite alluring about "Royals". Perhaps it's the smooth, slinky vocals of Ella Yelich O'Connor (whom, by herself, is "Lorde" - it's her stage name, not the name of a band), or the way the chorus just burns its way into your subconscious when you're trying to concentrate on something else during the day!! At first listen, "Royals" probably just seems like your everyday pop song, but it seems to have this vibe that is both icy and smooth underneath. If you want your Top 40 music to have a bit more sizzle to it, then I highly recommend "Royals"!
"Stockholm" by Jason Isbell: Perhaps both the mellowest and most bittersweet of the songs I have set to review for this week, "Stockholm" marks the second time I've heard a solo release from alt-country group, Drive-By Truckers (the first being Patterson Hood's "Disappear" from last year). Between this song and the Patterson Hood song, I can tell that the Truckers have some talented, accomplished poets in their group! Examples of some of the (mostly) metaphorical, poignant lyrics of Jason's "Stockholm" include lines like, "Ships on the harbor and birds on the bluff don't move an inch when their anchor goes up, and the difference with me is I'm falling in love, Stockholm, let me go home". I love how this song utilizes the themes of loneliness and homesickness in such a playful manner. Highly recommended!!
"Wanna Feel It" by The Olms: Last, but certainly not least, is a song that comes from what you would get if you combined an indie musician (Pete Yorn) with an indie AUTHOR (J.D. King)!! Clearly Pete Yorn is taking the lead in this song by a band whose name refers to an obscure species of amphibian (an olm), with his vocals dominating the song, and his brand of bittersweet, moody folk-rock giving the song its direction. One thing that's not so Pete Yorn-ish about "Wanna Feel It" is its use of Moog synthesizer, creating a psychedelic, hypnotic swirl in the song (J.D.'s idea, perhaps?!) In any case, "Wanna Feel It" makes me...well...wanna feel it!! That is, it makes me wanna feel good!
"Born Again" by Robert Randolph: Funk, jazz, blues, and rock is the kind of musical gumbo you can expect from Robert Randolph and The Family Band!! It's been about 7 years since Robert last released a CD with The Family Band, though, so I was curious to know if his musical blend still held up well. Not only does his latest song, "Born Again", retain an eclectic musical sound, but it's also incredibly fun to dance to! It has a catchy rhythm. When Randolph says in the chorus of the song that he feels "born again", I think he's referring to more than just the religious sense of the term (if that). I think he's also feeling "born again" musically, as anyone should when listening to a song like this!!
"Don't Want Lies" by The Rides: The name of this band made me think it was another up and coming indie group, but the voice of Stephen Stills (yes, THAT Stephen Stills) on "Don't Want Lies" is unmistakable!! Blues-rock aficionado Kenny Wayne Shepherd is also a part of this group, a supergroup as it turns out (I guess it's the second one Stills has had since Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young!!) Like the typical CSN & Y song, "Don't Want Lies" uses both electric and acoustic guitars. The acoustic guitars, with their crisp sound, would not have sounded too out of place on a mid-'70s CSN album, and the blues-y electric noodling is brimming with the signature sound of Kenny Wayne Shepherd. And here I thought Neil Young was the only musically active member left of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Guess I was wrong!! "Don't Want Lies" is a mellow song, but it also has a dynamic enough sound to possibly become a future concert favorite!
"Man" by Neko Case: Neko Case's music has been referred to as "indie rock" and "country rock", but the "rock" element has never been that apparent in her music. Until now, that is! "Man" is quite a "man"-ly song, if you know what I mean!! Perhaps it could be said that both the lyrics and the music of "Man" are an attempt at redefining gender roles. Rock 'n' roll has had its fair share of women before, but usually, phrases like "I'm a man" aren't present in the music of female rockers. That very phrase is the most repeated one (and perhaps, the most defining one) in Neko Case's "Man". This song is not the typical Neko Case song, by any means!! She even throws in a couple choice swears towards the end of the song, which I don't remember her doing in any of her other songs. "Man" rocks hard and pushes boundaries!! Who knew?! I sure didn't!!
"Part of Me" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: Yet another talented rock 'n' roll woman from the past decade or so is the blues-y, soulful, Susan Tedeschi! "Part of Me" places more emphasis on soul than on blues or rock, though. Tedeschi's signature slide guitar sound is still present on the song, but most of it just sounds like Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" with the gender roles reversed. Tedeschi and Trucks typically have upbeat music to begin with, but "Part of Me" is probably the most upbeat song they've had together so far! I don't think it's too much of a stretch to describe this song as the first feel-good jam of summer 2013!!
"Royals" by Lorde: This "Lorde" is a lady!! And a very young one, at that (she's 16 years old, believe it or not!!) Unlike the other songs I've chosen to review for this week, there is more emphasis on vocals and rhythm than there are on instruments for "Royals". Nevertheless, there is something quite alluring about "Royals". Perhaps it's the smooth, slinky vocals of Ella Yelich O'Connor (whom, by herself, is "Lorde" - it's her stage name, not the name of a band), or the way the chorus just burns its way into your subconscious when you're trying to concentrate on something else during the day!! At first listen, "Royals" probably just seems like your everyday pop song, but it seems to have this vibe that is both icy and smooth underneath. If you want your Top 40 music to have a bit more sizzle to it, then I highly recommend "Royals"!
"Stockholm" by Jason Isbell: Perhaps both the mellowest and most bittersweet of the songs I have set to review for this week, "Stockholm" marks the second time I've heard a solo release from alt-country group, Drive-By Truckers (the first being Patterson Hood's "Disappear" from last year). Between this song and the Patterson Hood song, I can tell that the Truckers have some talented, accomplished poets in their group! Examples of some of the (mostly) metaphorical, poignant lyrics of Jason's "Stockholm" include lines like, "Ships on the harbor and birds on the bluff don't move an inch when their anchor goes up, and the difference with me is I'm falling in love, Stockholm, let me go home". I love how this song utilizes the themes of loneliness and homesickness in such a playful manner. Highly recommended!!
"Wanna Feel It" by The Olms: Last, but certainly not least, is a song that comes from what you would get if you combined an indie musician (Pete Yorn) with an indie AUTHOR (J.D. King)!! Clearly Pete Yorn is taking the lead in this song by a band whose name refers to an obscure species of amphibian (an olm), with his vocals dominating the song, and his brand of bittersweet, moody folk-rock giving the song its direction. One thing that's not so Pete Yorn-ish about "Wanna Feel It" is its use of Moog synthesizer, creating a psychedelic, hypnotic swirl in the song (J.D.'s idea, perhaps?!) In any case, "Wanna Feel It" makes me...well...wanna feel it!! That is, it makes me wanna feel good!
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