New songs for August 5th, 2020

Here they are: 

"Ferris Wheel" by Sylvan Esso: After having collaborated earlier this year with fellow indie groups like Real Estate and Local Natives, Sylvan Esso have now made the decision to strike out on their own in the middle of summer! And nothing says "summer" like a Ferris wheel, right? Well, back when we were allowed to go out more in public, that is. Anyway, "Ferris Wheel" is a happy, upbeat indie-pop tune dominated by synthesizers that attempts to evoke sweet memories of summers past. From the title of the song to mentions of "tilt-a-whirling", not to mention multiple mentions of hot, steamy weather, "Ferris Wheel" captures the essence of summer, albeit with the title of the song serving as a potential metaphor for the ups and downs of relationships. "August in the heat" is the perfect opening line for a song released in early August like this one was, by the way! 

"Is It True?" by Tame Impala: Another memory of summers past that won't likely happen for too many this year is probably having summer parties, for a lot of people. Tame Impala's latest song, "Is It True?", is a song that seems designed for parties! Imagine a bunch of people out by a pool or a beach forming a conga line. That's the basic feel of "Is It True?" The song itself, meanwhile, attempts to answer the question of whether Kevin Parker's partner truly loves him or not. The answer given is simply "we'll see", repeated enough times to comprise the third and final minute of the song. As the weather heats up, so does love! Tame Impala's latest tune plays out like a techno-pop soap opera that never truly gets resolved! 

"It Ain't Easy" by Delta Spirit: Delta Spirit have always sounded a little "retro", with one foot in the '70s and the other in the present day. The mellow, '70s inspired sound of Delta Spirit's "It Ain't Easy" is nothing new for them. However, it is the first Delta Spirit song I've heard where acoustic guitar is clearly audible, particularly during the intro. It's also a surprisingly bittersweet, minor key track for Delta Spirit, who are normally more sunny and major key (even when the subject matter is darker, like in "Bushwick Blues"). This song is yet another in a long line of songs for this year (and possibly the next) to be impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Delta Spirit were set to have their reunion tour this year after having made the decision to reunite two years prior, but of course, just as things were starting to look up for the band, their decision ended up getting postponed. "I found it hard to be myself without your help" seems to be a central line in this song, too. Sad the way things work out sometimes, isn't it?

New songs for June 17th 2020

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!

New songs for January 22nd, 2020

here they are:


"Circle the Drain" by Soccer Mommy: We're not sure if Sophie Allison plays soccer or if she's a mommy, but we do know that she has good musical influences. Innovative female alt-rockers from the '90s like Alanis Morissette, The Cranberries, and Liz Phair seem to have all influenced Sophie "Soccer Mommy" Allison to a certain degree, even though all three of the aforementioned acts were making music before Sophie was even born. Like Alanis, Liz, and Dolores, Sophie's go-to topic seems to be depression. Her breakthrough song, "Circle the Drain", makes it clear that she "feels low sometimes/even when everything is fine". "Chick rockers" might not be a new thing anymore, but at least Sophie is there to keep the torch of brutally honest female alt-rockers alive!


"He Loves Me" by Brittany Howard: In case you were wondering, "He" is none other than Jesus Christ himself! Howard announces in the powerful, soulful opening of this song that even though she doesn't go to church anymore, "he" still loves her. Perhaps some might view it as a blasphemous claim to make in a song where Howard mentions that even when she's "smoking blunts" or "drinking too much", that Jesus still loves her, but looking at the context of the song from another angle, she seems to be trying to say that Jesus was a nonjudgmental person, and that a truly Christian act is to love one another, no matter what the other might be doing or saying. At the end of the song, a statement is made that, "'somebodiness' does not come from your opinion of God". Since "somebodiness" is a made-up word, it might be hard to interpret what Brittany Howard is trying to say here, but my best guess would be that who we are as individuals is ultimately more important than who (or what) we worship. Amen, sista!


"High to Low" by Brent Cowles: There's not much depth to Brent Cowles' funky, bass-heavy, "High to Low", at least not on the surface. However, this is one of those songs where its simplicity IS its depth. Its message of "gettin' down" might seem like a simple declaration of getting people to dance, but it's also about being who you are and being OK with who you are. So go ahead get down with yo' bad self...as long as you can BE yourself while doing so!


"Paper Cup" by Real Estate (featuring Amelia Meath from Sylvan Esso): Songs like "Darling" and "Stained Glass" from Real Estate's 2017 album sounded like odes to '60s jangle-pop in the style of The Byrds. "Paper Cup" flashes forward one decade later, echoing the "yacht rock" phenomenon made popular by groups like Steely Dan, America, and Kenny Loggins. Along with its similarity in breeziness to the Dan, "Paper Cup" also shares Walter Becker and Donald Fagen's fondness for cynical, obtuse lyrics. The song appears to harbor a tinge of criticism towards people who feel like certain bands and styles are "over the hill". Lead singer Martin Courtney contemplates the future of his career on "Paper Cup" and the potential dangers that come with it - not the sex, drugs, and rock & roll type of dangers, but the more inevitable dangers of growing old and becoming irrelevant.


"Phase" by Pinegrove: Take the quirky, nasal vocals of Ben Folds, add the contemporary jangle-pop of Guster, and imagine that both somehow formed a not-so-heavy emo group, and you've got "Phase" by Pinegrove. The lead singer sounds frustrated with his angst-ridden lyrics and delivery, but it gets offset by pseudo-grunge guitars that never climax to a full rock sound and instead end up sounding like modern-day musical descendants of R.E.M. This is a song that wants to be taken seriously, but it's hard to take it completely seriously when you listen to it. "Phase" is a puzzle of a song to try to describe! But perhaps my feelings towards this song will change later on...after all, it's just a "phase"!

New songs for June 14th 2017

here they are:


"Blue Magic" by Son Little: Son Little's debut song, "The River", brought 1950's style blues into the 21st century! Now, Son Little has turned more towards early 1970's R & B for "Blue Magic". Plenty of funky riffs interspersed with soothing wind instrumentation to be found here. Like its title implies, there is something magical about this song. It's as though you're floating on air when you listen to it!


"Call It Dreaming" by Iron & Wine: After a few albums of experimenting with a full band sound, Sam Beam returns to his acoustic roots with his latest song, "Call It Dreaming". There isn't a lot of instrumentation in this one aside from acoustic guitar and very light percussion. It may be getting close to summer right now, but for Sam, every day is autumn in bittersweet songs like this one. In the chorus of the song, he states, "Where we drift and call it dreaming, we can weep and call it singing". Pure poetry!


"Die Young" by Sylvan Esso: A song that came out around the time I was born by James Taylor stated, "never die young". Sylvan Esso take the opposite approach of what James did on their latest tune. This is evident as early as Sylvan Esso's opening lyrics for the song, "I was gonna die young", suggesting the song might be about an attempted suicide. The rather dour, minor key tone of "Die Young" isn't exactly heartwarming either. The soft to loud synth taking the lead on this song makes it seem like the folks at Nintendo decided to compose a grunge song. Live fast if you must, but please, never die young!


"Perfect Places" by Lorde: The New Zealand pop starlet continues to contemplate whether or not she wants such a status in her second big 2017 song, "Perfect Places". She repeatedly pines in the song how "it's just another graceless night" every time she goes out to hook up with someone. "Every night I live and die, meet somebody, take 'em home" is also a central line in this world weary song. By the end of the song, she wonders just what "perfect places" are to begin with, since every hookup she has just ends up in misery. This song might sound like pop music to the casual listener, but the lyrics seem to be the closest thing to Joy Division that an adolescent has attempted so far!

New songs for September 14th 2016

here they are:


"Holy Commotion" by The Pretenders: Yes, THOSE Pretenders! The legendary rock group led by the sometimes sassy and sometimes sentimental Chrissie Hynde. Chrissie attempted a side project in 2010 and released a solo album two years ago, but she hasn't been on the scene with The Pretenders in 8 years! Just about everything she's done within those 8 years has echoes of her rock and roll past. "Holy Commotion" is kinda rock, but with a different twist than one might expect from The Pretenders. The Black Keys' Dan Auerbach has decided to produce their latest album, resulting in a fuzzy neo-psychedelic sound that also has synthesizers masquerading as skittering steel drums. I currently have mixed feelings about this song, but it's not a bad one, and I think in time it'll probably grow on me like many of the songs I've reviewed have.


"Packed Powder" by Blind Pilot: After hearing the buoyant but glossy "Umpqua Rushing" from earlier this summer, "Packed Powder" is a more straight-up folk-rock tune that seems to encapsulate the simplistic yet alluring sound that Blind Pilot are typically known for. It also provides a more subtle, autumnal song for the upcoming season as the happy, blissful "Umpqua Rushing" did for the summer. "Packed Powder" also has a fittingly introspective lyrical theme about trying to find yourself and knowing your strengths. The electric guitar solo and horn solo towards the end don't seem too out of place for this song, actually, even though it is primarily an acoustic rock tune.


"Radio" by Sylvan Esso: Lyrically, this is basically Elvis Costello's "Radio Radio" minus the repetition of the titular word, with its mentions of being a "slave to the radio" and its claims that the subject of the song is "sucking American d**k". Musically, though, "Radio" is neither punk nor power pop. Instead, it's more of a glammed out techno-pop song. Both the fast beat of this song and its scathing (albeit still quirky) lyrics are quite a surprise coming from the indie-pop duo who was previously best known for the quaint, slow pseudo-baroque-pop summer singalong known as "Coffee".


"Sure And Certain" by Jimmy Eat World: Though Jimmy Eat World's biggest hit, "The Middle", came out in 2001, the song quickly became a favorite of the last remaining fans of the post-grunge genre. Unlike most of the post-grunge influenced bands of the early '00s, Jimmy Eat World was not "nu-metal". Instead, they were an emo group, albeit with more of a subtle sense of humor than most groups who carried such a label. "Sure And Certain" might as well have come out DURING the post-grunge era. It wouldn't sound out of place on a rock radio station that was popular in 1996, '97, or '98. If it weren't for Jim Adkins' distinctive vocals, "Sure And Certain" could easily be in the hands of a band like Semisonic, Third Eye Blind, or Everclear. Familiar '90s rock hits like Dishwalla's "Counting Blue Cars" and Tonic's "If You Could Only See" are both pretty similar to "Sure And Certain" as well. So grab some flannel, put on your Doc Martens, and let's rock!


"Surrender Under Protest" by Drive-by Truckers: "Southern rock" is usually remembered specifically as a musical phenomenon of the 1970's. The three biggest names within the genre, after all, are typically The Allman Brothers Band, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and ZZ Top. The only other time it was really kept alive was in the early '90s by The Black Crowes. This basically makes Drive-by Truckers seem like a 21st century answer to The Black Crowes to me. There haven't been a whole lot of other groups from the past 16 years who have really kept the Southern rock sound so fresh and alive. Their latest song, "Surrender Under Protest", in spite of its overall Southern sound, does not evoke the music of a Southerner, but rather, a Canadian. Both the vocals and the instrumentation of "Surrender Under Protest" sound like Neil Young. In spite of DBT's Southern nationality, they are not right-wingers, but left-wingers, and "Surrender Under Protest" reflects their left-wing politics like no other song they've done so far. The song contains anti-slavery and anti-Second Amendment sentiments that would probably bode better with Neil Young fans than it would with Lynyrd Skynyrd fans.


"Waste A Moment" by Kings of Leon: In true rock fashion, Kings of Leon make a dynamic musical declaration using only two chords with their latest song, "Waste A Moment". Caleb Followill's urgent message of "take your time, don't waste a moment" during the chorus pretty much states what the point of the song is. KOL do not waste a single moment making a buzzingly catchy song like they usually do here. This is one of those songs that is just ripe and ready for radio airplay from the moment it is released, so it'll probably wind up being one of the biggest hits of Fall 2016!