Hi everyone. This will be the LAST blog of the YEAR, not counting my Top 20 of 2018, which will be announced on Monday. Here are this year's final songs:
"I Know What It's Like" by Jeff Tweedy (Wilco): Much like Jeff Tweedy's debut effort without Wilco, "Summer Noon", "I Know What It's Like" has the essential material of most Wilco songs without it being Wilco. A healthy does of Dylan/Harrison styled folk-rock and country-rock twang, and lyrics that are simplistic and deep at the same time. With a yearning sound and nature centered lyrics, "I Know What It's Like" could be the unofficial "sequel" to "Summer Noon". This song works just as well in winter, though, giving Wilco fans a warm, fuzzy feeling during an icy, cold season!
"Roses And Sacrifice" by The Avett Brothers: The use of the word "sacrifice" in the title of this song makes it sound like it will be long and depressing, but it's actually anything but. It's only 2 minutes and 53 seconds long, and the "sacrifice" part of the song's title actually refers to either Seth or Scott pouring out his aching heart into song to express how much he misses a certain girl in his life. In essence, this is basically an "I miss you so much" kind of song, but the lyrics make it seem worthy of (and probably inspired by) something that Bob Dylan himself might have done.
"Salvation" by The Strumbellas: A grand comeback from one of the biggest hitmakers of 2016 (mainly for "Spirits") that sounds like it took a cue or two from Imagine Dragons?! Yeah. This is probably gonna end up being one of the biggest hits of 2019! If that's so, then the 2010's will definitely go out with a bang, thanks in no small part to The Strumbellas! Without even a week's worth of existence on the airwaves, 10 adult alt stations, and counting, have already started airing this song. There's no telling whether the meaning of "salvation" in this song is religious or if it refers to the uninhibited freedom one feels around a good friend (or boyfriend/girlfriend), but it's a relentlessly happy song that will probably get us through the increasingly dark times we've been having during the second half of this decade. Worth listening to, I say!
"Superposition" by Young the Giant: If you knew Young the Giant for their 2011/2012 smash hit, "Cough Syrup", then this might not be something you'd expect out of YTG. Unlike the accessible, arena ready sound of "Cough Syrup", "Superposition" has a more "trippy" atmosphere to it. For one thing, it uses more exotic instrumentation. I can't even figure out what the one instrument is they're playing that sounds something like an electric sitar. "Superposition" feels like a modern day psychedelic pop song, and with its spacey, philosophical lyrics, it's not hard to see why! The term "superposition" itself is actually a term associated with quantum physics. Mind blown!
"You're the One" by Greta Van Fleet: It was a head scratcher as to why a song as hard rocking as "When the Curtain Falls" got so much airplay on adult alt radio stations, as that doesn't often happen. While Greta Van Fleet's latest song, "You're the One", still sounds a bit like Led Zeppelin, it reflects the softer, folk-rock side of the band's material, which is more fit for adult alt radio stations to be playing. A few YouTube commenters have even said that it's the first GVF song they've heard that sounds like it isn't ripping off of another artist! While it's a little obvious that "You're the One" cribs from Zeppelin songs like "Thank You", "Your Time Is Gonna Come", and pretty much every acoustic Zeppelin song in the key of D major, it still sounds refreshing in comparison to most of GVF's other material. Aside from the incredibly Plant-like vocals, this song sounds like it could have been a Black Crowes song, a first for Greta Van Fleet!
Showing posts with label Jeff Tweedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jeff Tweedy. Show all posts
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Wednesday, October 1, 2014
New songs for October 1st, 2014
here they are:
"Come From the Heart" by Hard Working Americans: "Hard Working Americans" sure is an apt name for this roots-y rock supergroup! They're a little bit country ("Down to the Well"), and a little bit rock 'n' roll as well ("Stomp And Holler"). Hard Working Americans' third big song, "Come From the Heart", is a slow, heartfelt song, that sounds like a soul-inflected country song. The organ solo in the middle almost gives "Come From the Heart" a gospel-like feel. "It's got to come from your heart, or it's not going to work", Todd Snider smoothly croons, accompanied by Johnny Cash's daughter, Rosanne. This is the kind of song that definitely comes from the heart, and it works great.
"Dangerous" by Big Data: Sometimes, an irresistible dance-rock tune comes about, and makes almost everyone a fan (or sometimes a hater, if it gets overplayed). Songs like Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" are surefire winners in this category, and it looks like a new song is about to join their ranks. That song is "Dangerous" by Big Data. With its thumping, funky guitar hook, "Dangerous" is dangerous...ly catchy!! This is the sort of song you'd be equally likely to hear in independent record stores and shopping malls, and it's what everyone's gonna be shakin' on the dance floor to this fall!!
"Easy Money" by Johnny Marr: Unlike Morrissey, Johnny Marr's melancholy, angst-ridden former bandmate from The Smiths, Johnny Marr seems to have more upbeat solo songs. I first started listening to Johnny's solo work in early 2013, with the garage rock influenced "Upstarts", and his latest song, "Easy Money", continues in a similar direction. "Easy Money" isn't straight up rock 'n' roll like "Upstarts" was, though, and instead has a more pulsating, new wave-y alt-pop sound reminiscent of groups like Foster the People and Phoenix. A similarity Johnny has to Morrissey is that they are both all about addressing social concerns to the media, but the way Johnny does so is a bit more on the sly side than the more obvious and melodramatic way that Morrissey does so. In the case of "Easy Money", the song is about exactly that - money - and it is also a satirical jab at how people think that money can "buy you happiness".
"I Don't Want to Change You" by Damien Rice: Damien Rice seems like the type who is introverted and fragile, so I had thought for a long time that his late 2006 album, "O", would have been his last. It appears as though I was wrong! After 8 years of musical hibernation, Damien has finally come out with a new song! "I Don't Want to Change You" is trademark Damien, all over! Melancholy acoustic guitar, delicate vocals, lovelorn lyrics, lush string arrangement in the background. Pretty much every Damien Rice song sounds like this, but it's why people like me love his work. Traits like this define who Damien is, and he still has 'em! Damien, I don't want to change you, either!
"I Want to Know" by Kongos: Kongos' uniquely catchy "Come With Me Now" was such a smash hit for this year, in multiple formats (including Top 40), that I just knew somehow they were bound to have another hit! For awhile, it looked like that song was going to be the rocking, menacing "I'm Only Joking", but perhaps that was too rough for adult alt audiences, so instead, the more reggae inflected "I Want to Know" has become the second song from Kongos to hit the adult alt airwaves. While nowhere near as catchy as "Come With Me Now", it still has its high points. It actually sounds similar to another reggae-rock fusion I reviewed earlier this year (Magic!'s "Rude"), but since the two bands came out around the same time, this is probably merely coincidence. "I Want to Know" also has a great, reverb soaked guitar solo, to really make the reggae-rock fusion of the song sound more solid.
"Low Key" by Tweedy: The title of this song is quite an apt description of how Jeff Tweedy from Wilco's music typically is. "Low Key", performed with his son, Spencer, is a mellow tune, in which the lyrics ("I've always been low key") match up with the mood of the song quite well. The song is also somewhat autobiographical, and Jeff even claimed in an interview that he thought the song was "meant for (him)". There are probably many times when you've sung a song to yourself, but not every day you've sung songs about yourself!
"Yellow Flicker Beat" by Lorde: Is Lorde a fan of the "Hunger Games" movies?! Between "Glory And Gore", and her newest song, "Yellow Flicker Beat", I would say that could very well be the case! (Or perhaps the people who make the movies are big fans of her music). The typical Lorde song seems to sound like a darker version of Madonna, and "Yellow Flicker Beat" is no exception. Perhaps the one thing that makes this song stand out from her other material is the lyrics, in which the 17-year-old New Zealand native describes a "yellow flicker beat sparking up (her) heart". Quite a vivid description there! Not sure exactly what that's supposed to be a description of, though.
"Come From the Heart" by Hard Working Americans: "Hard Working Americans" sure is an apt name for this roots-y rock supergroup! They're a little bit country ("Down to the Well"), and a little bit rock 'n' roll as well ("Stomp And Holler"). Hard Working Americans' third big song, "Come From the Heart", is a slow, heartfelt song, that sounds like a soul-inflected country song. The organ solo in the middle almost gives "Come From the Heart" a gospel-like feel. "It's got to come from your heart, or it's not going to work", Todd Snider smoothly croons, accompanied by Johnny Cash's daughter, Rosanne. This is the kind of song that definitely comes from the heart, and it works great.
"Dangerous" by Big Data: Sometimes, an irresistible dance-rock tune comes about, and makes almost everyone a fan (or sometimes a hater, if it gets overplayed). Songs like Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" are surefire winners in this category, and it looks like a new song is about to join their ranks. That song is "Dangerous" by Big Data. With its thumping, funky guitar hook, "Dangerous" is dangerous...ly catchy!! This is the sort of song you'd be equally likely to hear in independent record stores and shopping malls, and it's what everyone's gonna be shakin' on the dance floor to this fall!!
"Easy Money" by Johnny Marr: Unlike Morrissey, Johnny Marr's melancholy, angst-ridden former bandmate from The Smiths, Johnny Marr seems to have more upbeat solo songs. I first started listening to Johnny's solo work in early 2013, with the garage rock influenced "Upstarts", and his latest song, "Easy Money", continues in a similar direction. "Easy Money" isn't straight up rock 'n' roll like "Upstarts" was, though, and instead has a more pulsating, new wave-y alt-pop sound reminiscent of groups like Foster the People and Phoenix. A similarity Johnny has to Morrissey is that they are both all about addressing social concerns to the media, but the way Johnny does so is a bit more on the sly side than the more obvious and melodramatic way that Morrissey does so. In the case of "Easy Money", the song is about exactly that - money - and it is also a satirical jab at how people think that money can "buy you happiness".
"I Don't Want to Change You" by Damien Rice: Damien Rice seems like the type who is introverted and fragile, so I had thought for a long time that his late 2006 album, "O", would have been his last. It appears as though I was wrong! After 8 years of musical hibernation, Damien has finally come out with a new song! "I Don't Want to Change You" is trademark Damien, all over! Melancholy acoustic guitar, delicate vocals, lovelorn lyrics, lush string arrangement in the background. Pretty much every Damien Rice song sounds like this, but it's why people like me love his work. Traits like this define who Damien is, and he still has 'em! Damien, I don't want to change you, either!
"I Want to Know" by Kongos: Kongos' uniquely catchy "Come With Me Now" was such a smash hit for this year, in multiple formats (including Top 40), that I just knew somehow they were bound to have another hit! For awhile, it looked like that song was going to be the rocking, menacing "I'm Only Joking", but perhaps that was too rough for adult alt audiences, so instead, the more reggae inflected "I Want to Know" has become the second song from Kongos to hit the adult alt airwaves. While nowhere near as catchy as "Come With Me Now", it still has its high points. It actually sounds similar to another reggae-rock fusion I reviewed earlier this year (Magic!'s "Rude"), but since the two bands came out around the same time, this is probably merely coincidence. "I Want to Know" also has a great, reverb soaked guitar solo, to really make the reggae-rock fusion of the song sound more solid.
"Low Key" by Tweedy: The title of this song is quite an apt description of how Jeff Tweedy from Wilco's music typically is. "Low Key", performed with his son, Spencer, is a mellow tune, in which the lyrics ("I've always been low key") match up with the mood of the song quite well. The song is also somewhat autobiographical, and Jeff even claimed in an interview that he thought the song was "meant for (him)". There are probably many times when you've sung a song to yourself, but not every day you've sung songs about yourself!
"Yellow Flicker Beat" by Lorde: Is Lorde a fan of the "Hunger Games" movies?! Between "Glory And Gore", and her newest song, "Yellow Flicker Beat", I would say that could very well be the case! (Or perhaps the people who make the movies are big fans of her music). The typical Lorde song seems to sound like a darker version of Madonna, and "Yellow Flicker Beat" is no exception. Perhaps the one thing that makes this song stand out from her other material is the lyrics, in which the 17-year-old New Zealand native describes a "yellow flicker beat sparking up (her) heart". Quite a vivid description there! Not sure exactly what that's supposed to be a description of, though.
Wednesday, July 9, 2014
New songs for July 9th, 2014
here they are:
"Crazy For You" by Scars on 45: Named for a quote from Emmylou Harris' father, but sounding more like a guitar-centric version of Coldplay, Scars on 45 managed to win me over three times in a row with songs from their debut a couple years ago. Normally I'm not thrilled with a lot of the faux-Coldplay bands, but there's something about Scars on 45 that continually draws me to their music! The chorus of their latest song, "Crazy For You", tends to pour a bit more musical syrup than the verses do, with its slowed down, piano-centric sound, as well as its gooey guy/girl harmonies, but I can deal with the faster, more guitar oriented verses pretty well. Besides, the fast verse/slow chorus focus of this song makes it distinguished from Scars' other material.
"Do You?" by Spoon: Perhaps Spoon thought their fans weren't QUITE ready for the Stones-y, soulful "Rent I Pay" (though the comments I've read about the song would indicate otherwise), so they've already released a new single, "Do You?", that sounds a bit more...well...Spoon-y. And what is "Spoon-y", you ask?! Basically it's fun, bouncy, quirky music that combines piano-pop with folk-rock. "Do You?" adds a soft jazz element to their music, with its use of major 7th chords to comprise the majority of the song. The fact that this song was released in summer is quite apt, considering how its lyrics center around activities like getting popsicles, and asking "someone (to) do something 'bout this heat". The sound of the song doesn't sound quite right for summer, though. It has more of a breezy, autumnal flavor to me.
"Summer Noon" by Tweedy (Jeff Tweedy from Wilco): Now THIS song feels like summer! The title alone says so! However, it's not a summer party song, but more of a "lazy, hazy days of summer" sorta song. This being a song by Jeff Tweedy from Wilco, I wouldn't exactly expect this to be a party song. Another thing Tweedy is known for is having a "retro" flavor to a lot of his songs, though it seems hard to top how retro "Summer Noon" sounds. It doesn't seem to sound a year older than 1969, even though it was (obviously) released years later. "Summer Noon" is meant to evoke exactly what its title would indicate it's supposed to - a summer noon, of course! A restful, peaceful summer noon!
"Crazy For You" by Scars on 45: Named for a quote from Emmylou Harris' father, but sounding more like a guitar-centric version of Coldplay, Scars on 45 managed to win me over three times in a row with songs from their debut a couple years ago. Normally I'm not thrilled with a lot of the faux-Coldplay bands, but there's something about Scars on 45 that continually draws me to their music! The chorus of their latest song, "Crazy For You", tends to pour a bit more musical syrup than the verses do, with its slowed down, piano-centric sound, as well as its gooey guy/girl harmonies, but I can deal with the faster, more guitar oriented verses pretty well. Besides, the fast verse/slow chorus focus of this song makes it distinguished from Scars' other material.
"Do You?" by Spoon: Perhaps Spoon thought their fans weren't QUITE ready for the Stones-y, soulful "Rent I Pay" (though the comments I've read about the song would indicate otherwise), so they've already released a new single, "Do You?", that sounds a bit more...well...Spoon-y. And what is "Spoon-y", you ask?! Basically it's fun, bouncy, quirky music that combines piano-pop with folk-rock. "Do You?" adds a soft jazz element to their music, with its use of major 7th chords to comprise the majority of the song. The fact that this song was released in summer is quite apt, considering how its lyrics center around activities like getting popsicles, and asking "someone (to) do something 'bout this heat". The sound of the song doesn't sound quite right for summer, though. It has more of a breezy, autumnal flavor to me.
"Summer Noon" by Tweedy (Jeff Tweedy from Wilco): Now THIS song feels like summer! The title alone says so! However, it's not a summer party song, but more of a "lazy, hazy days of summer" sorta song. This being a song by Jeff Tweedy from Wilco, I wouldn't exactly expect this to be a party song. Another thing Tweedy is known for is having a "retro" flavor to a lot of his songs, though it seems hard to top how retro "Summer Noon" sounds. It doesn't seem to sound a year older than 1969, even though it was (obviously) released years later. "Summer Noon" is meant to evoke exactly what its title would indicate it's supposed to - a summer noon, of course! A restful, peaceful summer noon!
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