New songs for February 9th, 2022

 Here they are:


"Anyone for You" by George Ezra: Indie-folk/pop-ster George Ezra is known for his upbeat songs. Not a single one of his songs has been a downer so far, but "Anyone for You" might just eclipse all of his previous songs in terms of how happy it sounds! It is also notable for being the first George Ezra song that focuses on keyboard more than guitar. Just in time for Valentine's Day, "Anyone for You" is a love song, pure and simple. Not much more to it than that, but this is one of those songs that doesn't really need to carry a lot of weight on it in order for it be appealing!

"Black Summer" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: RHCP have had hit songs since 1991 and have been releasing records for even longer. They haven't had a hit record since 2016, but Flea and the boys just don't seem to run out of steam! Many of the lines in the verses tend to be completely random ("Playtpus are few/The secret life of roo" Ummm...say WHAT?!), but the title of the song and its chorus seem to simultaneously represent both the depression of certain members of the band and the state of the world as it approaches temperature levels that make it harder for us to survive each year. 

"Kissing Lessons" Lucy Dacus: Another love song just in time for Valentine's Day! This is no typical love song, though. Through a slightly punk-pop sound tinted through an indie-pop lens, Lucy tells a story from her childhood years about trying to win over a boy in her class, when she turns out being charmed by a girl instead simply for wanting "lessons on kissing." Lucy has created an anthem for bisexuals with her latest song. "Kissing Lessons" doubles in being a lesson both on love and diversity! Too bad the song is less than 2 minutes long.

"Love Brand New" by Bob Moses: Bob Moses, first of all, is not one person. They are actually two people. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, Bob Moses' latest song, "Love Brand New," is a techno-pop song that was written during their 2019 tour at Coachella. The subject of the song, obviously, is love, but the "brand new" part of the title is relevant to the song as well. According to the duo whose name sounds like a single person, "Love Brand New" is about experiencing love as though going through it for the first time. 

"Love is Selfish" by Jack White: After the fiery "Taking Me Back," Jack calms things down significantly with his latest song, "Love is Selfish." As the title implies, "Love is Selfish" finds Jack in the position of not wanting to be in love due to how ironically self-centered people can be when they're in love. He tries to find a solution to his problem but ends up falling short. As a balance from all the positive love songs being released this week, this one is for all the brokenhearted, single people who might not feel joy on Valentine's Day. Oddly, this song is in a major key, despite how sad it is. 

New songs for June 16th, 2021

 here they are:


"Brando" by Lucy Dacus: As many of you have probably guessed, the "Brando" being referred to in the title of the song is none other than Marlon! This is a song from recent indie-folk/pop sensation, Lucy Dacus, that is littered with movie references! Movies ranging from "It's a Wonderful Life" to "Casablanca" to "A Streetcar Named Desire" are all referenced here. However, the song is not about Marlon Brando. Instead, it is about a lover, presumably now an ex, of Lucy's who makes constant movie references and "thinks he's Brando," when he doesn't even come close to that in reality. There's hints throughout the song that Lucy's former flame might just be a social outcast of sorts. He "knows he's uncool," prefers advanced vocabulary like "cerebral" to ordinary words like "pretty," and his constant cinematic references are not unlike what I encounter in my own social circle, which is full of outcasts. How long is it before someone writes a song about me and calls it "Stipe" (as in Michael from R.E.M.)?!

"Cloud 9" by Beach Bunny: A breezy mix of punk, surf, pop, and rock, not unlike what fellow indie group, Best Coast, was doing a decade before, Beach Bunny's "Cloud 9" is a unique and catchy little tune whose title matches its sunny mood. Lyrically, "Cloud 9" is a quirky yet somewhat slice-of-life point of view on what love is like. But neither the music nor the lyrics are the highlight of this piece. Instead, it's the charming, sweetly silly animated music video for the song, done by animator Margaret Bialis, best known currently for her work on children's entertainment outlet, Nick Jr. Though "Cloud 9" is not a children's song, kids can watch the video without their parents objecting to it, and they might even like it! The animation is somewhat reminiscent of cartoons like Bee and Puppycat, albeit without the anime influence that one has, if you mixed it with the purposely childlike illustrations of left-of-center author and blogger, Allie Brosh. A girl, her surprisingly cute pet snail, and the guy she has a crush on are in "Cloud 9"'s video...and that's pretty much all you need to know about it! Should hold equal appeal to Juno fans AND My Little Pony fans! The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3vTWUeS80Y

"Know That I Know" by Lake Street Dive: This slinky R & B styled track is notable for all the neat little pop culture references it packs in!! Where to begin? Ferris Bueller's Day Off, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Ross, The Ramones, and Star Trek are ALL mentioned within the first two verses of the song! Why, you may ask? It's because lead singer Rachael Price thinks these would all be great references to include in a love song! The song has a "you're my (x) and I'm your (y)" lyrical pattern where all those references seep their way in to this sultry, sensational song! Also, I've gotta say, pretty much all those references are pretty cool (though I've never been big on Star Trek...sorry). Rachael, if you ever wanna date another pop culture savvy musician...I'll be waiting for ya!

"Solar Power" by Lorde: Here is a first for pop sensation, Lorde. A Lorde song with guitar! GASP!! Acoustic guitar, specifically...but that's still a shocker (albeit a good one) for the material of an artist who relies mainly on synthetic instrumentation. The song is also a lyrical first for Lorde. Instead of delving into heavier subject matter as she had been known to do on previous material, in this song, New Zealand's most famous millennial adolescent sings a song that sounds like it came from...an adolescent! It's not a song attempting to diss the media or pop culture, but instead, it's one that just embraces a carefree lifestyle on the beach in the summertime! I don't think Lorde is trying to fool us here. I think she might just be growing up backward somehow! And if she's ok with that, then so am I!

New songs for April 21st, 2021

here they are:

"Crawling Kingsnake" by The Black Keys: If anyone still knows how to rock and roll in an EDM, hip-hop, and dubstep dominated world, it's The Black Keys! "Crawling Kingsnake" goes back to the roots of rock, predating even the genre's initial pioneers like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, unearthing a cover of a song made popular by blues musician John Lee Hooker, and written by fellow blues musician Big Joe Williams. Much like an actual snake, "Crawling Kingsnake" crawls slowly, wraps itself around you, and releases a seductive "venom," intoxicating its listeners in an arousing swirl of oozing guitar riffs backed by tight drumbeats!

"Hot and Heavy" by Lucy Dacus: I previously knew Lucy Dacus only for an ultra-cool indie-pop/rock version of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" that seemed to outdo the Boss himself. Therefore, "Hot and Heavy" is my first taste of how Lucy Dacus fares with her own material. Lucy has a similar vibe to other women who have recently become rising stars in the indie-pop/rock world, such as Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, and she has a similarly poignant and confessional vibe to these musicians as well. "Hot and Heavy," specifically, is about Lucy trying to grapple with the notion of how her past "selves" (what she was like in various stages of her life, such as childhood and teen years) are nothing like who she is today and probably wouldn't like who she became. It's a common issue for many of us, including myself. Would rock-and-roll me from my teens be ok with the more eclectic and mellow musician I became in young adulthood? Who knows?! Would my past self who was initially embarrassed and frustrated about being neurodivergent be ok with the neurodiversity embracing, open-minded person I've become today? It's all up in the air, but it can be quite fascinating to imagine what that might be like!

"Spanish Doors" by Liz Phair: And speaking of past selves, on the latest song from indie-rock queen, Liz Phair, Liz was apparently inspired by the musicians and bands she listened to during her early college years, including but not limited to alt-rock innovators like The Velvet Underground, Talking Heads, and R.E.M. The song itself, "Spanish Doors," is about having your foundations shaken out from under you. Initially, the song was written about one of Liz's friends who was going through a divorce at the time it was written, but she soon found that the lyrics also applied to her own life, particularly in how the song centers around witnessing your own life break into shambles while those around you are enjoying theirs. This seems like it could be a theme that many people could relate to. That, of course, is part of the beauty of music!