Showing posts with label The Cars. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Cars. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 9, 2011

new songs for March 9th, 2011

here they are:

"Sad Song" by The Cars: ANOTHER new Cars song?!? But "Blue Tip" has only been on the Adult Alt charts (and now the "mainstream rock" charts) for a week!! If "Blue Tip" was one of those "crash and burn" songs for Adult Alt radio, that's too bad because I kind of prefer it to "Sad Song". "Sad Song" is not a bad song though ("sad song", "bad song", I'm a poet and I didn't even know it!!) However, instead of taking a nod to the bands who have been influenced by The Cars, "Sad Song" has a more "retro" feel like the typical '70s/'80s rock song, as it seems to borrow elements of songs from both decades. The intro recalls T. Rex's "Bang A Gong (Get It On)", much like The Cars' 1979 song "Dangerous Type", and the verses sound a lot like '80s arena rocker Billy Squier's song "Everybody Wants You". Though there are no crazy guitar solos on "Sad Song" I feel like there SHOULD be one, as it sounds a lot like a song from one of The Cars' first two records. Conclusion?! "Sad Song" is NOT a "sad song"!! And I think that is a good thing!

"Who Have You Been Loving?" by Bobby Long: From the tradition of Dylan/Neil Young/Springsteen influenced indie singer/songwriters such as Ryan Adams, Conor Oberst, and Jesse Malin comes Bobby Long, a man whom, oddly enough, got his start of recognition as being a friend of "Twilight" movie actor Robert Pattinson. Being a friend of someone like that one might be tempted to assume that Bobby Long is an "emo" artist of some sort, but such people could not be more wrong!! "Who Have You Been Loving" reminds me of a lot of Neil Young's material, particularly his CSN & Y song "Almost Cut My Hair", and Neil Young solo tune "Like A Hurricane", in that it mixes gritty guitar riffs/sounds with raw, honest emotions and lyrics. Looking forward to hearing more of Long's material, actually, as I have heard one other song by him, "A Winter's Tale", that I actually think is even better!

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

new songs for March 2nd, 2011

here they are:

"Blue Tip" by The Cars: It's been said that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. Over their 25 year absence from the music world, the indie scene has been filled with bands imitating The Cars sound, such as Phoenix, Hockey, and The Killers. For legendary new wave pioneers The Cars, it seems as though they have turned the tables and have imitated their imitators for their latest tune, "Blue Tip". It is a catchy mix of electric guitars and synths jamming in perfect synchronicity with each other. Don't expect the chunky guitar riffs from "Just What I Needed", "My Best Friend's Girl", etc. on "Blue Tip", though, as it really is more of an indie song than a "classic rock revival" type song. Truly a fresh song in comparison to most bands/artists who have churned out newer material that still get heavy airplay on classic rock stations! I have only three words to say to Ric Ocasek and company, "welcome back, guys!"

"L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N." by Noah and The Whale: Perhaps the catchy, clever, quirky ten-syllable title of this song oughta be changed to "R.I.P.O.F.F. of Classic Rock", as it simultaneously recalls The Steve Miller Band's "The Joker", The Kinks' "Lola", and Tom Petty's "Don't Come Around Here No More"! Even the TITLE recalls one of John Mellencamp's most popular songs (the chorus of "Jack And Diane", in which Mellencamp sings, "Oh yeah, LIFE GOES ON, long after the thrill of livin' is gone"). For an indie band (much less one whose material is supposedly inspired by '60s folk-rock bands), Noah and The Whale are probably going to receive as much criticism as they will praise if this is their first big "hit" (which it looks like it will be, for better or worse). Though "L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N." pretty much steals from many of the songs I liked as a teen, there is still something I like about it, perhaps most of all its funny title. It's a catchy song, too, though.

"Long Time" by Cake: This song is unique for a Cake song. Typically, their songs are either in major key, or in E minor if they choose to perform one of their songs in a minor key. "Long Time", however, is an A minor song, which gives it more of a yearning feeling than most of the "goofball rock" Cake have done. Perhaps it's not the first time Cake have shown a more sentimental side (see also "Let Me Go"), but it has a fresher feel than most of their songs. Perhaps the somewhat synthesized "bah, bah-da-bah, bah-da-bah, bah-da-bah" backing vocals also add a fun flavor to this song. The riff in the song in which the trumpet and guitar play the same (or similar?) notes sounds a little like the one in The Fixx's "Saved By Zero", but that's the only complaint I have about this song so far. It's a darn good one, I think!