New songs for February 16th, 2022

 here they are:


"Bad Dream" by Cannons: Electro-indie-pop group, Cannons, had one of the biggest hits of 2021 with the slinky, passionate "Fire for You." Currently climbing up the alt charts and scratching the surface of the adult alt charts is the song slated to be Cannons' second big hit, "Bad Dream." The song basically tells the tale of how lead singer Michelle Joy has been stood up by someone she has deep admiration for. That can indeed make someone feel like they're living in a bad dream! In contrast to the funky, echoic guitars in the background of "Fire for You," "Bad Dream" doesn't seem to feature any guitars at all, instead relying on synthesizer as its main instrument.

"Good Day" by Seratones: This marks the third time I've heard a song by Seratones, a Louisiana trio who combines vintage R & B sounds with fuzzed out, psychedelic guitar sounds. After the fiery "Gotta Get to Know Ya" and the righteous indignation of "Over You," "Good Day" might just be Seratones' first feel-good song! At least, the first feel-good song that has become a hit for them. According to lead singer, A.J. Haynes, Seratones intentionally chose a feel-good sound for both this song and its album as a form of protest, oddly enough, as Haynes feels that getting through tough times with joyful emotions is the type of protest she's "most interested in" for the time being. 

"Porta" by Sharon Van Etten: Through a stark electro-pop sound, Sharon Van Etten weaves a rather dark tale about how she feels about being stalked by someone, and how she wants to break free from it. The song serves as a message to her stalker, telling them to stay away from them, even culminating with the line, "stay out of my life." Fitting for a song with the subject matter it has, "Porta" is a very haunting song that doesn't get away from the listener very easily once they hear it for the first time. Who or what is "Porta"? I haven't the slightest idea! But this is a powerful song nonetheless!

"Too Late Now" by Wet Leg: While nowhere near as quirky or original-sounding as their breakthrough single, "Chaise Longue," Wet Leg's "Too Late Now" still retains the mix of indie-pop and electronica that that song had. "Too Late Now," as could be inferred from the title alone, is not exactly a cheery, upbeat song, though it does speed up midway through after a "sing-speak" interlude from lead singer Rhian Teasdale. Through the course of the song, Teasdale sings about her regret for a friendship she had when she was younger. The stress piles up as the song goes on, with Teasdale ultimately concluding that she "just need(s) a bubble bath to set (her) mind on a higher path." Clearly a cry for help disguised with somewhat cutesy words. 

"Virginia (Wind in the Night)" by The Head and The Heart: Among The Head and The Heart's already poignant catalog, their latest song, "Virginia (Wind in the Night)" sticks out as being one of the most poignant songs the band has recorded so far! Perhaps part of the reason the song tugs at the heartstrings as much as it does is because band member Jonathan Russell, who actually is from Virginia, is speaking of his own personal experiences in this song. Being a Virginia native, Russell feels a deep connection with the state and lets it pour out in this song. The song's parenthetical title, "Wind in the Night," was added in there so Russell could combine his personal experiences with something a bit more universal (hearing the wind in the night). In "Virginia (Wind in the Night)," we get the best of both worlds! In one sense, we get a feel for the strong ties Jonathan Russell feels to the place he was born in, and in another, we get imagery relating to nature that everyone can identify with, and very stark, haunting imagery, at that. 

"What, Me Worry?" by Portugal. The Man: When you saw the title to this song, was the first thing you thought of the goofy, buck-toothed Alfred E. Neuman of MAD Magazine fame?! If so, that was intentional! Portugal. The Man's "What, Me Worry?" comes from childhood memories that lead singer John Gourley had, including looking at MAD Magazine issues back then. Musically, the song combines the carefree, funky vibes of PTM's biggest hit, "Feel it Still," with the more guitar-oriented sounds the band went for prior to that song's existence. Much like the famed humor-based publication, the humor of "What, Me Worry?" is rather dark but still funny. The song talks about intense, scary situations, with the chorus almost taunting the verses with its titular question. Only one more thing I'd like to say about this song. Potrzebie! (MAD Magazine fans will get this reference). 

New songs for July 18th 2018

here they are:


"Keep A Little Soul" by Tom Petty: The last song Tom Petty had a hit with on adult alt radio stations before he departed to Rock and Roll Heaven was "Forgotten Man". Petty might be gone, but he certainly isn't forgotten, and his latest song to be released (actually an outtake from 1982), "Keep A Little Soul", shows just how much his fans have remembered him! The song certainly sounds like a vintage Petty tune, and would probably fit right into an album of his from the olden days, like "Damn the Torpedoes". "Keep A Little Soul" is an optimistic song, as its title implies. The message is simple. Just keep a little soul, as Petty says, and nothing else will matter. A short message, but a powerful one nonetheless!


"Nobody" by Mitski: There's something both nostalgic and futuristic about "Nobody", the debut song from Japanese-American musician, Mitski. It plays out like a Bjork song with Tori Amos-esque pianos. The lyrics to "Nobody" are just as intriguing as its music. "My God, I'm so lonely", Mitski pines during the song's opening verse, "So I open the window to hear sounds of people". In the lines that follow that one, she sings, "Venus, planet of love, was destroyed by global warming", echoing a popular speculation about the planet to the left of us, and then she wonders, "Did its people want too much?" From those lyrics alone, you can tell Mitski's music is far more than mere "ear candy", and is instead music that makes you both think and listen. The way the song meanders to somewhat unpredictable melodies throughout gives me hope for music of the future. I guess there's still a way to make "new" genres and sub-genres after all!


"Tidal Wave" by Portugal. The Man: After around 7 years under the radar, it seems as though Portugal. The Man just can't escape "Feel It Still" fever (the song even became my # 1 song of last year!!) The two other songs from the same album (this song and "Live In the Moment") are almost as catchy, though, so clearly PTM WANTED to appeal to the masses (as far as I can tell, anyway). "Tidal Wave" takes on a pop flavor with reggae rhythms and jazzy horns. It's no "Feel It Still", but it's a bit better than "Live In the Moment" due to its R & B influences (a popular factor in PTM's music). When PTM's lead singer sings about being "hit like a tidal wave" during the chorus, it seems quite apt for a song that will probably hit all its listeners like a tidal wave!


"Tonight Tonight" by Mondo Cozmo: Not to be confused for the Smashing Pumpkins song of the same name, "Tonight Tonight" combines the best of both worlds for Mondo Cozmo. That is to say, it takes the acoustic guitar sound that made "Shine" so memorable and mixes it with the more indie-pop flavored sound of their other songs. Come to think of it, "Automatic" and "Plastic Soul" didn't really have guitar at all in them from what I could tell, so the use of the instrument in "Tonight Tonight" is quite a welcome return to form. This might just be the catchiest song Mondo Cozmo have done so far, actually, as their other songs aren't quite this upbeat. It has echoes of other uber-catchy indie-pop tunes, like "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)" by Foster the People. Also, since Mondo Cozmo's lead singer says "tonight" four times during the chorus, it should be called "Tonight Tonight Tonight Tonight" to avoid confusion with both The Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight Tonight" and Genesis' "Tonight Tonight Tonight".

The Top 20 of 2017!!!

Here it is, folks! The moment you've all been waiting for! Let's count down the songs I played the most that came out this year from 20 to 1!! Here we go...


20. "The Night We Met" - Lord Huron
19. "In A Drawer" - Band of Horses
18. "Shine" - Mondo Cozmo
17. "Love Is Mystical" - Cold War Kids
16. "High Ticket Attractions" - The New Pornographers
15. "Lay It On Me" - Vance Joy
14. "Can I Sit Next to You?" - Spoon
13. "Two High" - Moon Taxi
12. "Baby I'm Broken" - The Record Company
11. "The Man" - The Killers
10. "The Gold" - Manchester Orchestra
9. "You're the Best Thing About Me" - U2
8. "Up All Night" - Beck
7. "Rhythm And Blues" - The Head and The Heart
6. "Shine On Me" - Dan Auerbach (Black Keys)
5. "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness" - The National
4. "Everything Now" - Arcade Fire
3. "Name For You" - The Shins
2. "Hot Thoughts" - Spoon

annnnddd...the Number 1 song of 2017 is....


"FEEL IT STILL" BY PORTUGAL. THE MAN!!!

Happy Holidays and New Years, folks, and see ya next year!! :)

New songs for October 18th 2017

here they are:


"End of the World With You" by Calexico: And here we have yet another indie-folk-rock group with a song that spews political commentary in 2017 (you could probably guess by the title). However, like most of Calexico's songs, "End of the World With You" is still a very mellow song. Interestingly, the "-exico" suffix that makes up Calexico's name doesn't seem to carry as much significance on this song as they did on their previous albums. The jaunty horn sections of mariachi bands are almost always present on Calexico's songs, but not on this one. A stray electric guitar seems to take its place. Lead singer Joey Burns sings about love and time "in the age of the extremes" in this song. It's tough to survive in this day and age. That's why music is here to save the day!


"Live In the Moment" by Portugal. The Man: Who would have guessed that Portugal. The Man would have one of THE biggest hits of the year with "Feel It Still"?! I sure wouldn't have! The song was big enough for Miley Cyrus to lip sync on Jimmy Fallon's show, though. Who can blame 'em?! The song was pretty catchy! "Live In the Moment" continues PTM's newfound knack for catchiness, which has never come on quite as strongly as it has this year. With an electro-pop sound and a beat that recalls Gary Glitter's "Rock And Roll Part 2", "Live In the Moment" will probably be another mega-hit for PTM. Of course, this will probably lead some people to believe that they're "selling out", but I see it as just another step of artistic growth for the band!


"Matter of Time" by Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings: It was only a matter of time before Sharon Jones exited the world in November of last year in her early 60's after a battle with pancreatic cancer. The energetic, feisty soul singer injected new life into the R & B genre in the mid 2000's and early 2010's that sounded far more like Aretha Franklin than it did like Beyonce. Thankfully, Sharon's record company decided to release another song of hers that was unreleased during her lifetime. "Matter of Time" is probably one of the bluesiest songs in her catalog, built almost entirely around E7 and A7 chords, and even a brief bluesy guitar solo in between some of the verses. "Matter of Time" is a song of hope, and it's a good song to listen to. The only thing I'm wondering is this. Why couldn't this song have been released right before she died?! I'm sure it would have helped a lot of people if that was the case!


"No Roots" by Alice Merton: Take the bass riff of The White Stripes' "Seven Nation Army" and make it into a pop song. What have you got?! You've got "No Roots" by Alice Merton, a song that's as daring as it is fun! Lyrically, the song is like Blind Faith's "Can't Find My Way Home" if it was a more optimistic and happy song. "No Roots" is basically about how Alice is the type of person who doesn't stay in the same place for too long of a time. She can't find her way home. However, instead of despairing, she seems to take this as an opportunity to explore who she is and how she fits into society.


"Pain" by The War on Drugs: "Pain" is probably the first word that comes to mind for people who grow weary of the prog-rock and jam band influenced meanderings that The War on Drugs often take in their songs! There's a beauty in this pain, though. In this 5 and a half minute swirl of hypnotic, smooth, neo-psychedelic pop, Kurt Vile spills deep thoughts and turns them into lyrical poetry. "He had a fear in his eyes that I could not understand", "Am I movin' back in time? Just standin' still?", and "Like a demon in a doorway waiting to be born", are just some of the weighty, existential lyrics in this song, in which light acoustic guitars and keyboards are offset by fuzz drenched screeching electric guitars during the instrumental parts.


"This Is It" by Lo Moon: The chill yet mysterious aura of this song reminds me of something that new wave pioneers, Roxy Music, might have done on their "Avalon" album from 1982 (perhaps, more accurately, if it was crossed with the progressively atmospheric to anthemic vibe of Phil Collins' "In the Air Tonight" from only a year earlier than the Roxy Music album). This is the kind of song that leaves the listener in suspense. "This is it". WHAT is it?! The lead singer of Lo Moon never specifies this. Yet listeners of this song can't help but be drawn into it as well. The song starts off billowy and cloudy, only to wake up your ears as soon as the lead singer shouts the title of the song during its chorus.

New songs for March 8th 2017

here they are:


"A Little Uncanny" by Conor Oberst: In the fashion of his idol, Bob Dylan, Conor Oberst from Bright Eyes attempts here to make a roots-y folk-rock tune that contains plenty of name dropping and cryptic but interesting lyrics. Ronald Reagan, Robin Williams, Sylvia Plath and Jane Fonda are all mentioned here in this song. It's hard to tell what the central message of it is, but my best guess is that it gets spelled out towards the end of the song when Conor says, "They say a party can kill you. Sometimes I wish it would." As for what that means, perhaps he's trying to indicate that self-medication can sometimes feel painful after a long time of doing it. Given how critical Mr. Dylan tends to be of many things, I'm not sure if he'd find this song flattering or overbearing, but "A Little Uncanny" does seem to be the most Dylan-inspired song yet from Conor Oberst, who has done many other songs in his style as well.


"Black Tears" by Imelda May (featuring Jeff Beck): The wild, sassy Irishwoman who gave us fun ravin' rockers like "Mayhem" and "Inside Out" back in 2011 tones it down a bit for her latest song, "Black Tears", featuring legendary rock guitarist, Jeff Beck. This is also a calmer song for Jeff than most of his material as well, though he still shows his guitar wizardry in a more subtle manner here. The song bears similarity to the early '60s instrumental song, "Sleep Walk", by Santo and Johnny, in terms of both its slow doo-wop styled rhythm and its loopy Hawaiian influenced guitar sound. Imelda pours her emotions out like never before in "Black Tears" with a passion akin to musicians like Etta James and Janis Joplin. Bittersweet with a bite, "Black Tears" is a great song to listen to if you've recently broken up with someone.


"Feel It Still" by Portugal. The Man: Portugal. The Man may be big among "indie" fans, but they've always had a bit of an R & B streak hidden behind their neo-psychedelic pop facade. "Feel It Still" starts out with just bass and vocals, but gradually gets other instruments added in shortly afterward, most prominently a brass instrument that, when combined with the bass and drums, sounds like it would not be out of place in a "James Bond" or "Austin Powers" movie. PTM clearly want to reflect the era of both cinema and music from the mid '60s in "Feel It Still", going so far as to mention the year 1966 by name in a lyric that ends up being a play on words of the Chuck Berry song, "Route 66". The last verse of "Feel It Still" makes it apparent that "Feel It Still" is not just a song written for fun, but also for the cause of ending war, similar to statements they've made in songs of theirs like "So American" and "Modern Jesus".


"Fight For Love" by Drew Holcomb and The Neighbors: You probably already knew that you had to fight for your right to party, but did you know you also have to fight for your right to love? Well, country-rocker Drew Holcomb certainly seems to think so! In this roots-y John Mellecamp-esque number, Drew passionately pleads for peace among everyone. In contrast with the slightly rocking sound of this song, Drew sounds almost sad but urgent at the same time with the delivery of his lyrics. Love should be free, but sometimes you just gotta work for it instead!


"Green Light" by Lorde: The now 20-year-old "Royals" hitmaker, Ella Yelich O'Connor, better known by her stage name, "Lorde", has returned to grace the pop and rock airwaves a little wiser for the wear than she once was. She had a few bittersweet songs early on, like "Team", but most of her songs went for a catchy but somewhat mystical sound. "Green Light" has a slightly more melancholy sound, at least initially. The song plays out like a Tori Amos tune that starts to sound more like a Madonna song as it progresses and starts gaining more instruments than just the keyboard. The song is centered around what Lorde's life became like after her high school years. In interviews, she came off as down-to-earth and not nearly as obsessed with her own image as most pop stars tend to be. She even thought it was funny when "South Park" decided to make fun of her, so she has a pretty strong backbone! Or so it would seem. Having a popular television show skewer your image for comedy is nothing like trying to build a new image for your own self so that people don't see you as a "glamor queen" and instead see you as a serious artist. Hints of not feeling like "part of the crowd" were already evident with songs like "Tennis Court", which served as her scathing indictment of the high school drama she was then surrounded with, but "Green Light" brings it to a whole new level! This song will probably make a huge impression on people who are fans of more music than just pop and rock!


"Wild Fire" by Laura Marling: This song may be gentle, but its words are most certainly not! Laura Marling's latest song, "Wild Fire", seems to emulate her idol, Joni Mitchell, both lyrically and musically. From the song's opening question, "Are you trying to make a cold liar out of me?" to its penultimate lyrical statement of, "You can stop playing that sh*t out on me", it's clear that "Wild Fire" is, well, wild and fiery! Laura is no soft, gentle hippie chick. She means business here! Then again, Joni Mitchell was never comfortable being referred to as a "hippie chick" either. For every whimsical musing like "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Both Sides Now" Joni had, she also aimed caustic, stinging messages to her exes in songs like "Nathan LaFraneer" and "Raised On Robbery". Likewise, for every bittersweet song like "Sophia" that Laura has, she also has songs that are just plain old bitter, like "Wild Fire"!

New songs for May 8th, 2013

here they are:


“On the Road” by Houndmouth: Bearing the same title as beat poet Jack Kerouac’s most famous novel seems like it would entail quite a bit, except “On the Road”, the song, has nothing to do with “On the Road” (the novel). The song “On the Road” is about, well, being on the road. That is, it’s about traveling, and the blues-country-rock flavored sound of “On the Road” seems to fit perfectly with the theme of the song. Another possible theme of the song is anonymity (the chorus of the song states, “I’m goin’ down, and nobody’s gonna know me”). The main point of “On the Road”, though, is that it’s basically just a feel good, traveling down the highway kind of song, and there’s nothin’ wrong with that!



“Open” by Rhye: Not since the days of groups like Frou Frou and Zero 7 (which has now been about ten years ago, as hard as that might be to believe!), has there been such a sensual, authentic smooth jazz sound in indie-pop music! Imogen Heap and Sia have nothing, vocally, on Robin Hannibal’s Sade-goes-Danish approach to singing (don’t worry she’s not a scary person, despite how her last name might sound!) Another comparison that can be made between Rhye and groups like Frou Frou and Zero 7 is that all of those groups are duos, consisting of a female lead singer and a male “backup” member, but one thing that separates Rhye from such musical acts is that they are a multi-heritage group (Robin is Danish, and Mike Milosh is Canadian). If you’ve ever wondered what the non-mainstream adolescent crowd considers to be good “make-out music”, look no further than Rhye, and their song, “Open”. You’ll be amazed!!


“Purple, Yellow, Red, and Blue” by Portugal. The Man: Having a name like “Portugal. The Man” is weird enough, and now they have a song that sounds like the name of a children’s book?! Go figure!! Most of the songs that PTM did before “Purple, Yellow, Red, and Blue” had more of a soul inflected nature in their sound, but now, it seems as though one of the most oddly named bands in indie rock want to go for more of a quirky electronic sound that ends up sounding like a cross between The Postal Service and Gnarls Barkley. Not exactly a direction I would have predicted for Portugal. The Man, but then again, this IS a song from a CD that’s being produced by Brian “Danger Mouse” Burton, so that could explain the electronic influence. Also, what’s with the “I just wanna be evil” part of the latter half of the song?! It just sounds so random!! Then again, what’s NOT random about a song whose title consists only of four colors?!


“Sad Angel” by Fleetwood Mac: If groups like The Goo Goo Dolls and Counting Crows did the songs on “Rumours” instead of Fleetwood Mac, it would probably sound like “Sad Angel”, the first collaborative effort from Stevie Nicks and Lindsey Buckingham in almost ten years!! It is essentially a folk-rock song, but a folk-rock song that really rocks, at least rhythmically! Lyrically, “Sad Angel” is also a winner, even its opening lyrics (“My eyes were consumed by the silence in the room/Your dreams would not wake from the words that we break”) indicate this. “Sad Angel” is no “Landslide”, but I imagine it could have enough of an impact to rein in a whole new generation of Fleetwood Mac fans!! This song really pulls at the heartstrings, so I highly recommend it to the more sensitive musicians out there!!


“Saint of Impossible Causes” by Joseph Arthur: Joseph Arthur, who has graced us with such unforgettable, bittersweet indie-folk songs like “In the Sun” and “Honey and the Moon”, sounds as though he took a time machine back to 1967 to India with Ravi Shankar and George Harrison for his latest song, “Saint of Impossible Causes”. Like most of George Harrison’s material, “Saint of Impossible Causes” features both acoustic guitar and sitar as central instruments (though it doesn’t feature any twangy slide guitar solos – sorry if I disappointed any George Harrison fans with that statement!) The song also echoes the spiritual themes that would often be found in the quiet Beatle’s material (although what else would you expect in a song with the word “saint” in the title?!) Joseph repeatedly states that he needs the “saints” of various professions and tasks to satisfy him in his quest for everlasting solitude, but he never explains who exactly these “saints” are. Such is the mystery of life, though, a mystery that is preserved with a cosmic sense of love and kindness in “Saint of Impossible Causes”.


“Things Will Change” by Treetop Flyers: “Chewin’ on a piece of grass, walkin’ down the roa-oh-oad. Say there, how long are you gonna…?” Oh whoops, wrong song!! This song could quite easily be likened to a version of America’s “Ventura Highway” for the indie rock generation, though! Even the vocals of Treetop Flyers’ lead singer sound like that of America’s Gerry Beckley. Although, with a band name like “Treetop Flyers”, the ‘70s soft rock influence should pretty much be expected (“Treetop Flyer” was the name of a song by Stephen Stills). So the next time you’re wondering what the “A Horse With No Name” guys are doing at events like Coachella, just know, you’re probably just hearing Treetop Flyers without even knowing it!

Who's afraid of the Big Bad Bono? (and three other songs)

Thought this would be a clever silly title for my latest blog entry since U2's latest release is titled "Blow Your House Down". Anyway, here are this week's songs:

"Blow Your House Down" by U2: 1991 was an amazing year in music (if only I wasn't a toddler back then so I could appreciate how great the music was then)!! Nirvana's "Nevermind" and Pearl Jam's "Ten" were both released back then, as was U2's "Achtung Baby", of which "Blow Your House Down" is now a previously unreleased "outtake" of. And what an amazing song it is!! At seven and a half minutes, "Blow Your House Down" is certainly an epic among U2's already adventurous, innovative catalog of music! Its sound combines the best legendary, arena-rock worthy sound of The Rolling Stones with the experimental electro-funk-rock that David Bowie experimented with midway through his career. If Pearl Jam could make 5 and a half minute songs like "Jeremy" and "Alive" into the big hits they were back in '91, why couldn't U2 have been daring enough to release a 7 and a half minute song like "Blow Your House Down" back then?!? Oh well, better late than never, right?!

"Holy Moses" by Washington: With a name like "Washington", you wouldn't expect hypnotic but danceable alt-pop from an arty female performer, would you?! Surprise!! Whoever "Washington" is (perhaps the last name of the singer?), she must have been into more forms of expressive art than just music! The video for "Holy Moses" functions almost like an exotic performance art piece that's part circus act, part music video, and part musical! The lead singer's face makeup and somewhat seductive outfits seem to be drawing comparisons to Lady Gaga on YouTube, though I would say David Bowie might be a better comparison (at one point, the lead singer has red and blue face makeup, reminiscent of the cover of Bowie's "Aladdin Sane"). If you're looking for a catchy piece of music with flashy imagery, then I highly recommend "Holy Moses"!

"So American" by Portugal. The Man: Of the three songs Portugal. The Man have gotten attention on adult alt radio so far (including this one), I've started to notice they all have a similar mid-tempo-ish beat and they all have either a violin or a cello (hard to tell which, though probably the latter) in the background. Though "So American" uses the same structure as most Portugal. The Man songs, I still like it. The melody is fun and bouncy, and, though the lyrics of "So American" express political and religious dissatisfaction, Portugal. The Man do so here in their own original, quirky way, particularly in the opening lines ("If pain was a color to paint on you, your heart would be the color blue").

"Tumblebee" by Laura Veirs: With acts like Feist and Tilly and The Wall having both made appearances on "Sesame Street", it only seems fitting that the bouncy-sounding indie-folk-pop-ster Laura Veirs' latest release just happens to be a children's album!! "Tumblebee", then, might mark a first in adult alt radio - the first time a children's song is gaining airplay on stations that would normally play bands like R.E.M., Counting Crows, and Coldplay in heavy rotation!! Unfortunately, the whole song isn't available yet, but a 50-second sample is currently available, so I got a good impression of what the song was like. Though the lyrics might be simplistic (and somewhat "cutesy"), "Tumblebee"'s sound is pure indie, almost like a song off the "Juno" soundtrack. Now, if only people like Ben Folds, Belle and Sebastian, The Decemberists, and Mumford and Sons could all release songs on a Joe Raposo (songwriter of "Sesame Street" fame) tribute album, THAT would be amazing!! In the meantime, though, "Tumblebee" satisfies the kid in me just fine!!

New songs for June 15th, 2011

here they are:

"Got It All (This Can't Be Living Now)" by Portugal. The Man: Thought maybe this was from the same album as their Fall 2010 hit, "People Say", but apparently this is on an album that hasn't been released yet! Guess the soul-meets-alternative vibes of "People Say" were THAT popular!! In "Got It All...", Portugal. The Man continue with the same brand of feel-good indie music they started off with. The falsetto vocals in the chorus seem like a distinguishing, important feature of this song, as they are not only part of what makes this song so fun for me to listen to, but also what could set it apart from being mistaken for a Modest Mouse or Vampire Weekend song.

"Me And Lazarus" by Iron & Wine: The "neo-psychedelic" vibes of this song seem to pick up where the more mellow, folk-y vibes of their previous hit (and their biggest, so far), "Tree By the River" left off. It has factors that most IAW songs don't have. For instance, a sax solo in the middle of the song that seems to be inspired by some of the songs that '60s rock band Traffic often put into their music, as well as some electronic sounding instruments that sound like they'd be more at home on a video game than a song. The rubbery distortion of the electric guitar on this song does a great job of setting "Me And Lazarus" apart from other IAW songs (which, for the most part, lack electric guitars and rely more on acoustic guitars). If you long for the days of psych-rock masterpieces like The Beatles' "Tomorrow Never Knows" and Traffic's "Paper Sun", then please give "Me And Lazarus" a nice, solid listen!

"Perfume" by Old '97s: On this track, Rhett Miller and co take a breather from the fast, driving rock 'n' roll sound of their previous hit, "Every Night Is Friday Night (Without You)". "Perfume" sounds more like the typical '97s song, with its somewhat country-fied indie sound. The chord progression in this song seems to have become rather cliche now in rock music (the same type of progression gets used on The Beatles' "Let It Be" and Oasis' "Don't Look Back In Anger"), but the rhythm of the song is one that doesn't get used very often in the genre, and I also really like the subtle, tinkly piano sound sprinkled within the chorus of the song.

"So Beautiful Or So What" by Paul Simon: The lyrical content of this song seems rather abstract upon first listen, but such is the beauty of this song! It seems to be a bunch of "slice of life" stories rolled into a single song. As for the music? Well, I think that's what drives this song more than anything! It's very rhythmic, with its staccato beat pulsating through the drums and guitar throughout the song, so it's very easy to get stuck in your head. Having heard this song and his other big song of 2011, "The Afterlife", I'd say Paul Simon's latest album could very well qualify as being called a "sequel" to his 1986 magnum opus, "Graceland".

new songs for Sept. 1st, 2010

four of 'em this time - enjoy!!

"Dead American Writers" by Tired Pony: What do you get when you mix Snow Patrol, R.E.M., and Belle and Sebastian in a blender (with Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody in the lead)? You get indie rock supergroup Tired Pony!! This is a group that combines alumni of the three aforementioned bands, and kinda sounds like all three of them as well! Their first single, "Dead American Writers" takes the typical "twangy" guitar sound of fellow rock supergroup Traveling Wilburys and combines it with bittersweet minor key indie/alt instrumentation. All in all, this song is like an indie rock fruit salad - it combines the best flavors of bands with many different approaches to music with delightful results!

"If It Wasn't For Bad" by Elton John and Leon Russell: Never thought Sir Elton would make a grand comeback to rock 'n' roll after the mid-'70s, but after many years, he has! Well, kind of. It still has the trademark piano sound Elton has become known for, but with Leon Russell on board, Elton's latest track gets jazzed up a bit (and even has a brief guitar solo!) With their combined musical efforts, "If It Wasn't For Bad" ends up sounding more like Van Morrison, Joe Cocker, The Band, and Jackson Browne than it does Billy Joel or James Taylor like one might expect at first. Anyone who liked the more upbeat performances on "The Last Waltz" would probably dig this song! I know I did.

"People Say" by Portugal. The Man: OK, first of all, to clear up any confusion you might have, the name of this band IS, in fact, "Portugal. The Man" (complete with the period and the capital "T" in "The"). With a name as quirky as this, I figured that Portugal. The Man, were an indie group, and I was right. However, they are not a folk-rock-y indie like most of the acts that get classified under such a label. In fact, hardcore punk bands like Suicidal Tendencies and Fugazi are some of their biggest influences! However, "People Say" is NOT a hardcore punk song. Instead, it's almost like R & B-inflected indie, with chords that seem to echo The Beatles' "Let It Be" (think of a more laid-back version of Gnarls Barkley). If I had to sum up "People Say" in just a couple words, I'd say that it adds a more unique, almost gospel-influence flavor to the ever expanding world of indie rock!

"The Sweetest Thing" by JJ Grey and Mofro: Much like their '08 adult alt. radio hit, "Orange Blossoms", "The Sweetest Thing" once again showcases the unique brand of R & B, jazz, and blues influence JJ Grey and Mofro have (probably) made trademark in their music. For adult alt. radio stations themselves, "The Sweetest Thing" is like a breath of fresh air! It has a vigorous, youthful toe-tapping energy that the mostly wistful and melancholy lineup of such stations seem to lack (for the most part, at least). Sometimes us R.E.M. and Snow Patrol fans need something to get up and boogie down to to shake off our blues! Songs like "The Sweetest Thing" give us a perfect opportunity to do so!