New songs for June 1st, 2022

 here they are:


"Rock Bottom" by Kevin Morby: Want some three-chord rock and roll to satisfy your soul?! Then Kevin Morby's "Rock Bottom" might just be the song you've been looking for! The song literally has only three chords, dominated mostly by B major with quick use of A and E during the chorus. Despite its upbeat sound, "Rock Bottom" is actually a lament for indie-punk performer James Lee Lindsey Jr. (whose stage name would now be considered anti-disability but wasn't thought to be so at the time). Lindsey died when he was only 30 years old. Oddly, JLL Jr.'s stage moniker was not meant as an insult, but rather as a way to get back at those who had wronged him when he was younger. The intro line to "Rock Bottom," "They're all gonna laugh at you," is both a reference to horror film, Carrie, and to how that movie revolved around someone who had once been teased but had since gotten revenge against her wrongdoers. The title, "Rock Bottom," is probably a reference to how quickly JLL Jr. rose to stardom and flickered out as quickly as he shot to fame.

"Roman Holiday" by Fontaines D.C.: The breezy, post-psychedelic sound of Fontaines D.C.'s breakthrough song, "Roman Holiday," is probably intentional, given how the lyrics revolve around getting stoned. In a larger sense, though, the lyrics to the song are actually about how Fontaines D.C., who are Irish, felt about being able to tour in Britain, and how the two places really weren't that different to the lead singer. Some Irish rock groups tend to sound more British when they sing, and I suppose this is the case for Fontaines D.C.!

"Supermodel" by Maneskin: Italian alt-pop sensations, Maneskin, first hit the scene last fall with "Beggin'," which was actually a cover of a Four Seasons song. This time around, Maneskin provide us with one of our first sizzlin' summer hits, and one that happens to be an original, too! Like "Beggin'," "Supermodel" is a funky, super catchy pop/rock song! Lyrically, the song is a "good girl gone bad" tale of a woman who used to be religious but turned to a life of drugs and hard partying after discovering how thrilling it was to live that sort of life. The song also touches upon how vain supermodels tend to be. Almost seems satirical in a way! 

New songs for October 20th 2021

 here they are:


"Beggin'" by Maneskin: Italian rock group, Maneskin (pronounced MAHN-skin), have now broken through to alt and adult alt radio with their first major hit, "Beggin'." However, "Beggin'" is not actually their song, but one that was originally done by 1960's pop sensations, The Four Seasons! Can you believe it?! A Frankie Valli song, be it one of his own or a cover, hasn't sounded this funky since the Grease theme song! The original "Beggin'" had more of an early 1960's pop sound as people were then accustomed to hearing from The Four Seasons. How Maneskin were able to resurrect a slightly obscure pop nugget, give it a funky sheen, and have it explode to popularity far more than the original did is anyone's guess, but I'm glad they did it!

"Crutch" by Band of Horses: After a five-year hiatus from the music biz, indie-pop/rock sensations Band of Horses are back with a fun, upbeat, catchy song called "Crutch." Lead singer Ben Birdwell claims he has a "crutch" on someone during the chorus of the song. In case you were wondering, yes, that IS meant to be misheard as "crush." Well, sort of. It's really more that whether one hears the title as "crutch" or "crush," it more or less means the same thing, since relationships can leave you feeling dependent on the other person, and thus a "crutch" for your emotions. Not often a love song is this clever or punny, is it?

"Taking Me Back" by Jack White: Doing what he does best, Jack White really amps up his guitars loud on his latest song, "Taking Me Back." Somehow, he makes his guitar sound both "robotic" and blues-y on the track, as only he can! Jack sounds pretty assertive and gutsy on this track, as if he is not merely suggesting, but demanding that the subject of the song take him back! It is not the mere presence of Jack and his guitar that is making this song popular, though. Fans of the unapologetically brash video game, Call of Duty, have probably brought this track (which, fittingly, is unapologetically brash as well) to the forefront since it is one of the songs included on the soundtrack for the latest installment of the game. I really couldn't care less about the game (or most video games, really), but I'm all for seeing Jack flex his electric guitar muscles and putting them to the test!