here they are:
"Cumberland Gap" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell's 2017 album might just be his best one yet! First he gave us a taste of furious Southern rock with "Hope the High Road", then he gave us a bittersweet, reflective folk-rock song with "If We Were Vampires", and NOW we have a song that sounds like The Pixies by way of Bruce Springsteen, or maybe the other way around, with "Cumberland Gap". With a title like that, I'd have expected this song to be one of his more countrified musical numbers, but nothing could be further from the truth! "Cumberland Gap" seems to pick up where "Hope the High Road" left off, with more protest fueled lyrics, much like "...High Road" had. Jason's disappointed and angst ridden conclusion in the chorus is a righteous cry of, "Maybe the Cumberland Gap swallows you whole!" Sometimes, the real world is just too much to think about these days. That's one of the many reasons songs like this one can come in handy!
"Date Night" by Father John Misty: Only Father John Misty can take a song that sounds vaguely similar to Nirvana's "Rape Me" and make it sound sort of like a Harry Nilsson tune. If this sounds too weird for you, don't worry. You only have to suffer through 2 and a half minutes of this. For the rest of us, this song is pure blissed out bliss! FJM is such a weird dude that I'm not even sure what "Date Night" is supposed to mean in the context of this song. Heck, I'll be lucky if I can figure out what ANY of this song means! But that's FJM for ya. His charm is in his eccentricity!
"Feed the Fire" by Dawes: Dawes recently opened for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra. In "Feed the Fire" they SOUND like ELO. Well, sorta. Perhaps a band like Steely Dan might be a more appropriate comparison, (esp. for its "Do It Again"-esque sitar solo) but in any case, they sound like they're straddling the line between hippie and hipster like they usually do. What they mean here by "feed the fire" is that they're trying to satisfy themselves artistically. "Fire" is a word that takes on multiple meanings here. It can mean just the burning desire for something to happen, but here, it also means being destructive, like a fire, since living an "artistic" lifestyle can often lead to having detrimental impulses. The Dan-esque guitar in the song is important here, since it contributes vastly to the song's almost 6 minute length.
"Four Leaf Clover" by The Kooks: The Kooks are usually at their best when they do light, airy power pop songs like "She Moves In Her Own Way", "Shine On", and "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". After moving more towards a post-punk/funk hybrid in their more recent songs, Luke Pritchard and the boys have now returned to their power pop roots in "Four Leaf Clover". The song is really a sex, drugs, and rock & roll song disguised as something sweeter and happier, but Kooks fans needn't care about that, as long as they like the music of it!
"Waves of Galveston" by Iron & Wine: And last but not least for this week, Sam Beam is another who has returned to his musical roots with "Waves of Galveston". The song picks up, musically speaking, from where IAW's last song, "Call It Dreaming", left off. "Waves of Galveston" is an equally beautiful song that uses a similar technique of using just acoustic guitar and vocals, instead of adding background instruments as IAW have been prone to do in recent years. The song has a Joni Mitchell-ish flavor to it, and perhaps that's because of its DADF#AD tuning, which Joni has used for many of her songs as well. The song has actually had a longer life than this year, dating back to 2013, when Sam Beam was asked to write a song about Texas. This masterpiece is what he came up with, and now we finally get to hear the studio version of it!
Showing posts with label The Kooks. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Kooks. Show all posts
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
Wednesday, July 16, 2014
MY TWO HUNDREDTH POST!!!! :D :D :D
This deserves some sorta celebration!! Ummmmmm....I dunno what, though. Anyway, here are this week's songs:
"Bad Habit" by The Kooks: At first, Luke Pritchard's voice appears to be surrounded only by various forms of percussion, a la Adele's "Rumour Has It", on the latest Kooks song, "Bad Habit". This made me a bit skeptical as to how I would like "Bad Habit". However, about a minute into the song, the faux-retro garage rock sound of Hugh Harris' guitar shows up, and makes it sound more like a typical Kooks song. It's definitely a catchy song (although what Kooks song isn't, really?!) However, it just doesn't measure up to that '60s folk-rock style charm of songs like "She Moves In Her Own Way" and "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". It sure is great to hear Luke and the boys back in action, though, nonetheless!
"Don't Know What It Means" by Puss N Boots: Norah Jones (yes, THAT Norah Jones) has attempted to assert herself as the lead singer of bands before, such as The Little Willies, but that didn't quite do the trick for me. Norah's new group, Puss N Boots, however, has actually gotten me to like her music. Initially, I didn't even realize she was in the band, when in fact she is the lead vocalist and guitarist! Their sound is country-rock, but a rather enjoyable, catchy sort of country-rock (think what a less rowdy Old '97s might sound like). "Don't Know What It Means" is only a little over two and a half minutes long, and Norah repeats the title phrase quite a few times, but there is still something quite likable about it. It is also worth mentioning that Puss N Boots is a trio of women (unlike The Little Willies, in which Norah was the only female in the group).
"Hayloft" by Nickel Creek: We've heard Nickel Creek attempt to blend bluegrass and rock before, and they're quite good at it. What about mixing bluegrass and pop, though?! Well, the answer to that comes to us in the form of Nickel Creek's latest song, "Hayloft", which combines the plucked strings of bluegrass with the synthesized beats of a typical 21st century pop song. Don't mistake this for a sugar-sweet pop song, though, as Sara Watkins' repeated mantra of "my daddy's got a gun, so you better run", as well as the rather menacing tone of the song overall, give "Hayloft" a bit of an edge that previous Nickel Creek songs haven't had. Sure is a sharp turnaround from the bittersweet, yearning sounds of "Destination"!! Makes me wonder what the rest of Nickel Creek's latest album, "A Dotted Line", sounds like.
"Heart Is A Drum" by Beck: Beck once covered the song "Pink Moon" by folk-rock cult hero, Nick Drake. Perhaps that rubbed off on him somehow, as Beck's latest song, "Heart Is A Drum", sounds a lot like a Nick Drake song. Its tuning even sounds similar to songs like Nick's "From the Morning", and the piano sounds awfully similar to a couple of Nick Drake's songs (most notably the songs from "Bryter Layter"). The electronic echo and drums in "Heart Is A Drum" make the song into more of a Beck song. With its continuously aching yet soothing melody, "Heart Is A Drum" is pure autumnal melancholia at its finest!
"Left Hand Free" by alt-J: Alt-J (who named themselves for how the ∆ symbol appears on computers) are pretty much as eclectic as their name would suggest they are! They've gone through quirky goofball rock with the Adam Sandler-esque "Fitzpleasure", as well as psychedelic pop with their "Where the Wild Things Are" homage, "Breezeblocks". Now it appears that alt-J are going for more of a blues-y garage rock based sound with their latest song, "Left Hand Free". If "Left Hand Free" sounds more simplistic than alt-J's previous work, there's a reason for that. Apparently, they were trying their hand (no pun intended) at creating a song that was more fit for American audiences (alt-J themselves are British) since their latest record was recorded on an American label, so they intentionally did a sloppy, haphazard sounding song. Perhaps they don't view American culture in the highest regard, but they were still able to come up with a good song in the process.
"Long Time Coming" by Saints of Valory: Saints of Valory are one of those bands who just seem to have a sound that's riding hot on the wave of what has become popular in alt-pop/rock of the 2010's. Their previous hit, "Neon Eyes" (from only one summer ago), was an excellent U2 homage, and SOV's follow-up song, "Long Time Coming", sounds a lot like Imagine Dragons, only with more emphasis on the electric guitar. While the sound of this song might not be terribly original, there is one thing that is, and that's the video, which boasts an electric neon glow (and talented dancers) throughout! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WR5GQNDQYY
"My Hurricane" by Jamie Scott (from Graffiti6): And the hit(makers) just keep on coming! "Free" and "Stare Into the Sun" might not be titles that are immediately recognizable (and a lot of people don't seem to know the name Graffiti6, either), but whistle a few bars (if you're good at it) to either song, and a lot of people will probably know what you're talking about! Now Jamie Scott, the lead singer of the wildly successful alt-pop/soul group, Graffiti6, has struck out on his own for the first time, with his song, "My Hurricane". "My Hurricane" doesn't seem like it'll fare as well on the charts as "Free" and "Stare Into the Sun", but the song does have a style all its own. Instead of being influenced by early '70s soul like his previous hits were, it seems to be influenced by more contemporary folk-pop (and legendary folk-rock like Bob Dylan - check out that harmonica solo at the beginning!) Another thing about "My Hurricane" that sticks out is its shifting from E major verses to C major choruses. I don't know too many songs that have verse to chorus changes quite like that!
"Navigate Below" by The Revivalists: "The Revivalists", indeed! What these guys are reviving is the sound of blues and jazz, wrapped up neatly in a pop/rock package! Though there have been a small number of musicians (i.e. Gary Clark Jr., Trombone Shorty, Alabama Shakes, etc.) who have attempted to keep the blues alive and well, there still have not been many, so a band like The Revivalists are a welcome addition to my blog, and hopefully, to your music collection. The hopeful lyrics ("we can work it out") and bright, shiny tone of "Navigate Below" set it apart from the mostly either world-weary or lovelorn blues/jazz-rock of the 2010's. Oh, did I mention they're from New Orleans?! No wonder they sound so good!
"White Lies" by Max Frost: As the title indicates, this song is basically about the lack of trust in a relationship that the lead singer (probably) experienced. Nothing new here. As for the sound of the song, it's been done, but it definitely has a way of creeping into your head! It mixes folk guitars with electronic beats (Avicii, anyone?!), but there's actually a very good reason for this. Apparently one of the first people Max Frost collaborated with was indie-folk-rocker Bob Schneider, and he first heard the music of contemporary R & B musicians like D'Angelo and Erykah Badu shortly afterward, which ultimately led to his combining of folk and hip-hop. Also, if this song sounds familiar, it might just be because you watched a commercial for Beats Electronics!
"Bad Habit" by The Kooks: At first, Luke Pritchard's voice appears to be surrounded only by various forms of percussion, a la Adele's "Rumour Has It", on the latest Kooks song, "Bad Habit". This made me a bit skeptical as to how I would like "Bad Habit". However, about a minute into the song, the faux-retro garage rock sound of Hugh Harris' guitar shows up, and makes it sound more like a typical Kooks song. It's definitely a catchy song (although what Kooks song isn't, really?!) However, it just doesn't measure up to that '60s folk-rock style charm of songs like "She Moves In Her Own Way" and "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". It sure is great to hear Luke and the boys back in action, though, nonetheless!
"Don't Know What It Means" by Puss N Boots: Norah Jones (yes, THAT Norah Jones) has attempted to assert herself as the lead singer of bands before, such as The Little Willies, but that didn't quite do the trick for me. Norah's new group, Puss N Boots, however, has actually gotten me to like her music. Initially, I didn't even realize she was in the band, when in fact she is the lead vocalist and guitarist! Their sound is country-rock, but a rather enjoyable, catchy sort of country-rock (think what a less rowdy Old '97s might sound like). "Don't Know What It Means" is only a little over two and a half minutes long, and Norah repeats the title phrase quite a few times, but there is still something quite likable about it. It is also worth mentioning that Puss N Boots is a trio of women (unlike The Little Willies, in which Norah was the only female in the group).
"Hayloft" by Nickel Creek: We've heard Nickel Creek attempt to blend bluegrass and rock before, and they're quite good at it. What about mixing bluegrass and pop, though?! Well, the answer to that comes to us in the form of Nickel Creek's latest song, "Hayloft", which combines the plucked strings of bluegrass with the synthesized beats of a typical 21st century pop song. Don't mistake this for a sugar-sweet pop song, though, as Sara Watkins' repeated mantra of "my daddy's got a gun, so you better run", as well as the rather menacing tone of the song overall, give "Hayloft" a bit of an edge that previous Nickel Creek songs haven't had. Sure is a sharp turnaround from the bittersweet, yearning sounds of "Destination"!! Makes me wonder what the rest of Nickel Creek's latest album, "A Dotted Line", sounds like.
"Heart Is A Drum" by Beck: Beck once covered the song "Pink Moon" by folk-rock cult hero, Nick Drake. Perhaps that rubbed off on him somehow, as Beck's latest song, "Heart Is A Drum", sounds a lot like a Nick Drake song. Its tuning even sounds similar to songs like Nick's "From the Morning", and the piano sounds awfully similar to a couple of Nick Drake's songs (most notably the songs from "Bryter Layter"). The electronic echo and drums in "Heart Is A Drum" make the song into more of a Beck song. With its continuously aching yet soothing melody, "Heart Is A Drum" is pure autumnal melancholia at its finest!
"Left Hand Free" by alt-J: Alt-J (who named themselves for how the ∆ symbol appears on computers) are pretty much as eclectic as their name would suggest they are! They've gone through quirky goofball rock with the Adam Sandler-esque "Fitzpleasure", as well as psychedelic pop with their "Where the Wild Things Are" homage, "Breezeblocks". Now it appears that alt-J are going for more of a blues-y garage rock based sound with their latest song, "Left Hand Free". If "Left Hand Free" sounds more simplistic than alt-J's previous work, there's a reason for that. Apparently, they were trying their hand (no pun intended) at creating a song that was more fit for American audiences (alt-J themselves are British) since their latest record was recorded on an American label, so they intentionally did a sloppy, haphazard sounding song. Perhaps they don't view American culture in the highest regard, but they were still able to come up with a good song in the process.
"Long Time Coming" by Saints of Valory: Saints of Valory are one of those bands who just seem to have a sound that's riding hot on the wave of what has become popular in alt-pop/rock of the 2010's. Their previous hit, "Neon Eyes" (from only one summer ago), was an excellent U2 homage, and SOV's follow-up song, "Long Time Coming", sounds a lot like Imagine Dragons, only with more emphasis on the electric guitar. While the sound of this song might not be terribly original, there is one thing that is, and that's the video, which boasts an electric neon glow (and talented dancers) throughout! Check it out here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1WR5GQNDQYY
"My Hurricane" by Jamie Scott (from Graffiti6): And the hit(makers) just keep on coming! "Free" and "Stare Into the Sun" might not be titles that are immediately recognizable (and a lot of people don't seem to know the name Graffiti6, either), but whistle a few bars (if you're good at it) to either song, and a lot of people will probably know what you're talking about! Now Jamie Scott, the lead singer of the wildly successful alt-pop/soul group, Graffiti6, has struck out on his own for the first time, with his song, "My Hurricane". "My Hurricane" doesn't seem like it'll fare as well on the charts as "Free" and "Stare Into the Sun", but the song does have a style all its own. Instead of being influenced by early '70s soul like his previous hits were, it seems to be influenced by more contemporary folk-pop (and legendary folk-rock like Bob Dylan - check out that harmonica solo at the beginning!) Another thing about "My Hurricane" that sticks out is its shifting from E major verses to C major choruses. I don't know too many songs that have verse to chorus changes quite like that!
"Navigate Below" by The Revivalists: "The Revivalists", indeed! What these guys are reviving is the sound of blues and jazz, wrapped up neatly in a pop/rock package! Though there have been a small number of musicians (i.e. Gary Clark Jr., Trombone Shorty, Alabama Shakes, etc.) who have attempted to keep the blues alive and well, there still have not been many, so a band like The Revivalists are a welcome addition to my blog, and hopefully, to your music collection. The hopeful lyrics ("we can work it out") and bright, shiny tone of "Navigate Below" set it apart from the mostly either world-weary or lovelorn blues/jazz-rock of the 2010's. Oh, did I mention they're from New Orleans?! No wonder they sound so good!
"White Lies" by Max Frost: As the title indicates, this song is basically about the lack of trust in a relationship that the lead singer (probably) experienced. Nothing new here. As for the sound of the song, it's been done, but it definitely has a way of creeping into your head! It mixes folk guitars with electronic beats (Avicii, anyone?!), but there's actually a very good reason for this. Apparently one of the first people Max Frost collaborated with was indie-folk-rocker Bob Schneider, and he first heard the music of contemporary R & B musicians like D'Angelo and Erykah Badu shortly afterward, which ultimately led to his combining of folk and hip-hop. Also, if this song sounds familiar, it might just be because you watched a commercial for Beats Electronics!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012
It all started with a big...BANG!! 10 songs for 2012!!
Isn't this exciting?!? The new year has arrived and already we've got almost a dozen songs in store to review!!! Let's take a look at 'em shall we?!
"Calling Me Names" by Good Old War: Good Old War would probably be called just "Good Old" if it weren't for the fact that sounds grammatically incorrect!! The reason I say this is because that's just the kind of music Good Old War typically do! Their sound basically is what it'd be like if Simon and Garfunkel and The Lovin' Spoonful had a baby, only updated for the indie/alt generation of the 2000's and 2010's. There's really nothing "war" like about their sound. This is the fifth successful song GOW have had on adult alt radio stations. Unlike their previous four songs, this one really is more folk-ROCK than folk-pop, but mainly because of the (surprise) electric guitar solo in the middle of it (it doesn't sound too out of place, though, in fact, I think it goes right along with the song!) This song is so bubbly and heartwarming, it's honestly hard to believe that its joyful sound masks a tale of heartbreak. Overall, though, this is a very charming, well thought out song!
"Chains of Love" by Ryan Adams: Like Ryan's previous adult alt radio mega-hit, "Lucky Now", this is an acoustic Ryan Adams song. Its B major 7th chord (or rather, a capoed chord, from what it looks like in the video I'm watching of this song) already gets it off to a good start, though! It's funny to me that Ryan is not only cutting down his sound, but also the time it takes to do each song, in terms of the songs from his latest album! "Lucky Now" was a little under 3 minutes, and "Chains of Love" is barely under TWO!! (A feat that only songs like The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" and Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" have accomplished so far!!) Perhaps that's exactly the vibe Ryan is trying to evoke on "Chains of Love" - a somber '60s folk-rock vibe reminiscent of songs like "Pink Moon" and "Norwegian Wood". It initially took me awhile for me to accept that Ryan's latest album wasn't going to have a powerhouse Springsteen/U2 type sound, but now I'm having second thoughts about that, in a good way!!
"Gold On the Ceiling" by The Black Keys: On The Black Keys previous album "Brothers", the faster song ("Tighten Up") was released first, and the slower, blues-ier song ("Howlin' For You") was second. For the Keys' latest effort, "El Camino", they set up the same pattern, faster song ("Lonely Boy") first, and slower, blues-ier song (this one, "Gold On the Ceiling") after that one. The more I'm getting to know the music of The Black Keys, the more genius I think they are! They're obviously a band who wears their classic rock influences on their sleeve, be it the glam rock of David Bowie or T. Rex, or the British blues boogie-rock of The Animals or The Yardbirds, yet somehow they make this sound fresh, as though it had never existed before they came along! And pretty much every song I've heard off of "Brothers" and "El Camino" have successfully stuck in my head (and the heads of many others)!! It's no wonder they're one of the main attractions (if not THE main attraction) at Coachella this year!!
"Hide Your Colors" by The Jayhawks: Probably the closest an indie audience can get to rock groups who utilized both folk and country influences prominently (The Byrds, The Band, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby Stills and Nash, etc.) would be The Jayhawks. They have been well loved by adult alt audiences ever since the early '90s (back when "adult alternative" was a new radio format), but it took until almost two decades later to land a MEGA-hit on adult alt radio, with the Byrds-y "She Walks In So Many Ways". The Hawks' latest song, "Hide Your Colors" is from the same CD as "She Walks..." ("Mockingbird Time"), but it doesn't have the same hook, rhythm, and bounciness as that song does. "Hide Your Colors" is slower, has more string sections to back it up, and sounds more like a George Harrison song (esp. during the solo) than a Byrds song. The lyrics to the song are simultaneously sad and somewhat enigmatic (the chorus, for instance, "You shouldn't hide your colors"), so it is definitely not a brightly spirited love song in the vein of "She Walks In So Many Ways", but there's still plenty to like about it, as there always is with the Jayhawks' music.
"High On A Wire" by Black Box Revelation: Is it just me, or do newer bands with the word "Black" in their name have a thing for the blues?! There's The Black Keys (see "Gold On the Ceiling", two songs earlier than this one), and also the later work of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Well here's a third band to put the "blues" in "black" - Black Box Revelation!! Their first song to make a significant impact on adult alt radio, "High On A Wire", is a great song to kick off the new year with!! It has a somewhat slow beat, but not a sad one, more of a "cool" boogie-blues beat a la John Lee Hooker! A band like this probably could have hit the mainstream back when bands like The White Stripes and Jet first made a big impact on rock music, but if Black Box Revelation only reaches the indie/adult alt crowds with this song, that's no problem with me. Better that than nothing, I say!
"Hold On" by Alabama Shakes: What's country, soul, blues, and indie all over?! The Alabama Shakes, that's who!! If a contemporary "alt-country" band (Drive-By Truckers, maybe) recorded at the legendary soul music circuit of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, it would probably come out sounding like "Hold On" by Alabama Shakes, yet another band making their initial impact on adult alt radio in early 2012!! Though I'm usually quick to praise anything with an "indie" sound, Alabama Shakes seem like the sort of band that even people who AREN'T that drawn to indie rock would like! The vocals sound like Jack White from The White Stripes, the guitars have that spicy country-blues-rock sound you might hear in songs by The Allman Brothers, Little Feat, or The Black Crowes, and the drums wouldn't sound that out of place in an Otis Redding song! How's THAT for "different"?!
"How'd You Like That?" by The Kooks: What the?!? Have The Kooks added Elton John into their band?! Or maybe Ben Folds?! Nope, it's just that this is the first major song from The Kooks to feature both piano and guitar as prominent instruments! An ambitious project for the mostly guitar-oriented, Kinks influenced music of The Kooks, but Luke Pritchard and co are able to make it work here!! It's clear that The Kooks are trying to expand their musical pallet for their latest album. "Junk of the Heart (Happy)" mixed sunny, Beatlesque pop/rock with Burt Bacharach-ish major 7th chords, and "Is It Me?" sounded like something out of Phoenix or Vampire Weekend's catalog. That being said, The Kooks' combination of a sweeping piano sound with their signature guitar distortion results in a darn catchy tune like most of their material!! Too bad they're not playing Coachella this year. They seem like they'd be a great act to see live!
"Might Find It Cheap" by Blitzen Trapper: And here's ANOTHER indie band that has expanded their range of musical influences (and, sadly, was ALSO left out of Coachella!!) Blitzen Trapper typically have a folk-rock sound in their music. The closest they've gotten to electric guitar oriented music was the Donovan-esque "Dragon's Song". But wait!! Are those electric guitars that sound like they could've come from Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin at the beginning of "Might Find It Cheap"?!? Well, they're not actually Jimmy Page's guitar, of course, but those ARE electric guitars with a fuzzy distortion that's a FAR cry from the typical folk-rock sound of Blitzen Trapper!! And what's with those lyrics, "You might find it cheap, but you're never gonna find it free"?!? Could they possibly be using innuendo in this song with a rock star swagger a la Mick Jagger?!? Certainly is unusual for a band that usually does songs about mysterious adventures out in the woods ("Black River Killer"), psychedelic yet lilting fantasies ("Dragon's Song"), and lovesick lullabies (their latest song before this one, "Love the Way You Walk Away"). Heck, if these guys were more popular (and around in the '60s/'70s), this song would be surefire hit on classic rock stations!! Definitely a shocker for Blitzen Trapper, but still a good song!
"The Bad In Each Other" by Feist: Perhaps not QUITE a "new" entry, as this song has been a minor hit with the "indie" crowd since around late November/early December, but it's only started making its way to adult alt radio stations (aside from LA's KCSN, who have played this song ever since late November/early December). A wise decision on Feist's part (or maybe her manager's) to have "How Come You Never Go There?" released as the first big song off her latest CD, "Metals", as it is a very catchy, charming, and memorable song. "The Bad In Each Other" is definitely memorable, but not quite catchy or charming. It is a minor key song with dark lyrics to match! The unusual instrumentation (horns, tambourines) that gets added in with the more typical instruments (guitar, drums) used in the song proves it's a pure Feist song when it comes to its sound. This is probably the moodiest song in Feist's catalog so far, but it's not as though she hasn't done other songs in minor key before ("My Moon, My Man", anyone?!)
"Which Side Are You On?" by Ani DiFranco: Not everyone knows who Ani DiFranco is, but they oughta!! She's all kinds of awesome! A folk-rocker, singer/songwriter, lesbian rights activist, and political activist in general, Ani has been hard at work in the music biz since the early '90s, and she's been staying strong ever since! Her latest song, "Which Side Are You On?", has a rather deceiving start to it. It sounds like it's going to be a bluegrass song, but as the electric guitars come charging in after about 30 seconds in, Ani pounds out a powerhouse anthem that Woody Guthrie probably would've done had he been a folk-rocker as opposed to a folk musician. Ani's clearly frustrated with the current American political system in this song (and, later on in the song, feminism). She's had some raw emotion in her songs before, but none as raw (or rockin') as this one!! Almost 20 years into her musical career and stronger than ever!! Now THAT's something to admire. If her and Tom Morello (as his folk-rock alter ego "The Nightwatchman") ever did a concert together I'd SO pay to see that!! I think her and Morello are on the same page now, both musically and politically! Rock on, sista!!
"Calling Me Names" by Good Old War: Good Old War would probably be called just "Good Old" if it weren't for the fact that sounds grammatically incorrect!! The reason I say this is because that's just the kind of music Good Old War typically do! Their sound basically is what it'd be like if Simon and Garfunkel and The Lovin' Spoonful had a baby, only updated for the indie/alt generation of the 2000's and 2010's. There's really nothing "war" like about their sound. This is the fifth successful song GOW have had on adult alt radio stations. Unlike their previous four songs, this one really is more folk-ROCK than folk-pop, but mainly because of the (surprise) electric guitar solo in the middle of it (it doesn't sound too out of place, though, in fact, I think it goes right along with the song!) This song is so bubbly and heartwarming, it's honestly hard to believe that its joyful sound masks a tale of heartbreak. Overall, though, this is a very charming, well thought out song!
"Chains of Love" by Ryan Adams: Like Ryan's previous adult alt radio mega-hit, "Lucky Now", this is an acoustic Ryan Adams song. Its B major 7th chord (or rather, a capoed chord, from what it looks like in the video I'm watching of this song) already gets it off to a good start, though! It's funny to me that Ryan is not only cutting down his sound, but also the time it takes to do each song, in terms of the songs from his latest album! "Lucky Now" was a little under 3 minutes, and "Chains of Love" is barely under TWO!! (A feat that only songs like The Beatles' "Norwegian Wood" and Nick Drake's "Pink Moon" have accomplished so far!!) Perhaps that's exactly the vibe Ryan is trying to evoke on "Chains of Love" - a somber '60s folk-rock vibe reminiscent of songs like "Pink Moon" and "Norwegian Wood". It initially took me awhile for me to accept that Ryan's latest album wasn't going to have a powerhouse Springsteen/U2 type sound, but now I'm having second thoughts about that, in a good way!!
"Gold On the Ceiling" by The Black Keys: On The Black Keys previous album "Brothers", the faster song ("Tighten Up") was released first, and the slower, blues-ier song ("Howlin' For You") was second. For the Keys' latest effort, "El Camino", they set up the same pattern, faster song ("Lonely Boy") first, and slower, blues-ier song (this one, "Gold On the Ceiling") after that one. The more I'm getting to know the music of The Black Keys, the more genius I think they are! They're obviously a band who wears their classic rock influences on their sleeve, be it the glam rock of David Bowie or T. Rex, or the British blues boogie-rock of The Animals or The Yardbirds, yet somehow they make this sound fresh, as though it had never existed before they came along! And pretty much every song I've heard off of "Brothers" and "El Camino" have successfully stuck in my head (and the heads of many others)!! It's no wonder they're one of the main attractions (if not THE main attraction) at Coachella this year!!
"Hide Your Colors" by The Jayhawks: Probably the closest an indie audience can get to rock groups who utilized both folk and country influences prominently (The Byrds, The Band, Buffalo Springfield, Crosby Stills and Nash, etc.) would be The Jayhawks. They have been well loved by adult alt audiences ever since the early '90s (back when "adult alternative" was a new radio format), but it took until almost two decades later to land a MEGA-hit on adult alt radio, with the Byrds-y "She Walks In So Many Ways". The Hawks' latest song, "Hide Your Colors" is from the same CD as "She Walks..." ("Mockingbird Time"), but it doesn't have the same hook, rhythm, and bounciness as that song does. "Hide Your Colors" is slower, has more string sections to back it up, and sounds more like a George Harrison song (esp. during the solo) than a Byrds song. The lyrics to the song are simultaneously sad and somewhat enigmatic (the chorus, for instance, "You shouldn't hide your colors"), so it is definitely not a brightly spirited love song in the vein of "She Walks In So Many Ways", but there's still plenty to like about it, as there always is with the Jayhawks' music.
"High On A Wire" by Black Box Revelation: Is it just me, or do newer bands with the word "Black" in their name have a thing for the blues?! There's The Black Keys (see "Gold On the Ceiling", two songs earlier than this one), and also the later work of Black Rebel Motorcycle Club. Well here's a third band to put the "blues" in "black" - Black Box Revelation!! Their first song to make a significant impact on adult alt radio, "High On A Wire", is a great song to kick off the new year with!! It has a somewhat slow beat, but not a sad one, more of a "cool" boogie-blues beat a la John Lee Hooker! A band like this probably could have hit the mainstream back when bands like The White Stripes and Jet first made a big impact on rock music, but if Black Box Revelation only reaches the indie/adult alt crowds with this song, that's no problem with me. Better that than nothing, I say!
"Hold On" by Alabama Shakes: What's country, soul, blues, and indie all over?! The Alabama Shakes, that's who!! If a contemporary "alt-country" band (Drive-By Truckers, maybe) recorded at the legendary soul music circuit of Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, it would probably come out sounding like "Hold On" by Alabama Shakes, yet another band making their initial impact on adult alt radio in early 2012!! Though I'm usually quick to praise anything with an "indie" sound, Alabama Shakes seem like the sort of band that even people who AREN'T that drawn to indie rock would like! The vocals sound like Jack White from The White Stripes, the guitars have that spicy country-blues-rock sound you might hear in songs by The Allman Brothers, Little Feat, or The Black Crowes, and the drums wouldn't sound that out of place in an Otis Redding song! How's THAT for "different"?!
"How'd You Like That?" by The Kooks: What the?!? Have The Kooks added Elton John into their band?! Or maybe Ben Folds?! Nope, it's just that this is the first major song from The Kooks to feature both piano and guitar as prominent instruments! An ambitious project for the mostly guitar-oriented, Kinks influenced music of The Kooks, but Luke Pritchard and co are able to make it work here!! It's clear that The Kooks are trying to expand their musical pallet for their latest album. "Junk of the Heart (Happy)" mixed sunny, Beatlesque pop/rock with Burt Bacharach-ish major 7th chords, and "Is It Me?" sounded like something out of Phoenix or Vampire Weekend's catalog. That being said, The Kooks' combination of a sweeping piano sound with their signature guitar distortion results in a darn catchy tune like most of their material!! Too bad they're not playing Coachella this year. They seem like they'd be a great act to see live!
"Might Find It Cheap" by Blitzen Trapper: And here's ANOTHER indie band that has expanded their range of musical influences (and, sadly, was ALSO left out of Coachella!!) Blitzen Trapper typically have a folk-rock sound in their music. The closest they've gotten to electric guitar oriented music was the Donovan-esque "Dragon's Song". But wait!! Are those electric guitars that sound like they could've come from Jimmy Page from Led Zeppelin at the beginning of "Might Find It Cheap"?!? Well, they're not actually Jimmy Page's guitar, of course, but those ARE electric guitars with a fuzzy distortion that's a FAR cry from the typical folk-rock sound of Blitzen Trapper!! And what's with those lyrics, "You might find it cheap, but you're never gonna find it free"?!? Could they possibly be using innuendo in this song with a rock star swagger a la Mick Jagger?!? Certainly is unusual for a band that usually does songs about mysterious adventures out in the woods ("Black River Killer"), psychedelic yet lilting fantasies ("Dragon's Song"), and lovesick lullabies (their latest song before this one, "Love the Way You Walk Away"). Heck, if these guys were more popular (and around in the '60s/'70s), this song would be surefire hit on classic rock stations!! Definitely a shocker for Blitzen Trapper, but still a good song!
"The Bad In Each Other" by Feist: Perhaps not QUITE a "new" entry, as this song has been a minor hit with the "indie" crowd since around late November/early December, but it's only started making its way to adult alt radio stations (aside from LA's KCSN, who have played this song ever since late November/early December). A wise decision on Feist's part (or maybe her manager's) to have "How Come You Never Go There?" released as the first big song off her latest CD, "Metals", as it is a very catchy, charming, and memorable song. "The Bad In Each Other" is definitely memorable, but not quite catchy or charming. It is a minor key song with dark lyrics to match! The unusual instrumentation (horns, tambourines) that gets added in with the more typical instruments (guitar, drums) used in the song proves it's a pure Feist song when it comes to its sound. This is probably the moodiest song in Feist's catalog so far, but it's not as though she hasn't done other songs in minor key before ("My Moon, My Man", anyone?!)
"Which Side Are You On?" by Ani DiFranco: Not everyone knows who Ani DiFranco is, but they oughta!! She's all kinds of awesome! A folk-rocker, singer/songwriter, lesbian rights activist, and political activist in general, Ani has been hard at work in the music biz since the early '90s, and she's been staying strong ever since! Her latest song, "Which Side Are You On?", has a rather deceiving start to it. It sounds like it's going to be a bluegrass song, but as the electric guitars come charging in after about 30 seconds in, Ani pounds out a powerhouse anthem that Woody Guthrie probably would've done had he been a folk-rocker as opposed to a folk musician. Ani's clearly frustrated with the current American political system in this song (and, later on in the song, feminism). She's had some raw emotion in her songs before, but none as raw (or rockin') as this one!! Almost 20 years into her musical career and stronger than ever!! Now THAT's something to admire. If her and Tom Morello (as his folk-rock alter ego "The Nightwatchman") ever did a concert together I'd SO pay to see that!! I think her and Morello are on the same page now, both musically and politically! Rock on, sista!!
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
new songs for July 20th, 2011
here they are:
"Junk of the Heart (Happy)" by The Kooks: I love how happy, free-spirited, and melodic The Kooks are!! That being said, when I heard they released a new song, I was pretty excited! The best part?! "Junk of the Heart (Happy)" sounds even BETTER than I expected it to sound!! In addition to the Beatles/Kinks-ish bouncy Britpop sound The Kooks typically have, there are also some Burt Bacharach-esque major 7th chords in this song that set it apart from The Kooks' other material. It's only fitting that lead singer Luke Pritchard's refrain in this song consists of the words "I wanna make you happy", because he does exactly that, and quite successfully, too!!
"Miracle Worker" by Super Heavy: What do Mick Jagger, Bob Marley's son Damian, neo-soul songstress Joss Stone, and The Eurythmics' Dave Stewart all have in common?! Well, aside from being rock 'n' roll royalty, they're also part of the aptly named supergroup, Super Heavy! Their first big song, "Miracle Worker" (which, in case any of you are wondering, is NOT about the biographical Helen Keller film of the same name), seems like it is clearly Damian's song, with its reggae beat and pulsating, syncopated guitars. Damian, Joss, and Mick all share vocals on the song, though (albeit, at different parts of it). With all that being said, this song ultimately comes out being a three-star song, despite the big names involved in it. Something just seems missing in this song! Perhaps it's that Damian just doesn't have the forceful, dynamic delivery his dad typically did, or that Mick doesn't seem to be maintaining the same amount of energy and fervor he typically had in The Stones. Well, nevertheless, "Miracle Worker" isn't a bad song, and the four people involved in its performance all seem like they tried giving it their best efforts.
"Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" by Fountains of Wayne: I still find it fascinating how Fountains of Wayne's best known song has become the Cars-esque "Stacy's Mom". It really isn't that representative of their typical sound, which is more like The Beatles or The Kinks (see also The Kooks' "Junk of the Heart", reviewed earlier in this article). "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" continues in the direction of The Fountains' typical sound, which I really like! Nothing particularly special about this one, musically, but what can I say, I'm a sucker for songs with a great melody and a catchy beat, and Fountains of Wayne seem to be experts at that! Perhaps another thing they're good at is just being quirky, as evidenced by the fact that the opening lyrics to this song are, "Staring at the sun with no pants on". Makes me wonder if the pants-less one they're referring to is Adam Schlesinger (the lead singer) himself or a girl he really likes.
"The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: Before I get into the song itself, let me just state that I LOVE the title to this song!! It sounds like the name of a comic book series of some sort! Well, now, on with the song! The title is really better than the song itself, which seems vaguely similar to one of those half-disco/half-rock type songs The Rolling Stones did in the late '70s/early '80s. It IS a catchy song, in typical Chili Peppers fashion, but I personally think they've done better material than this one. One advantage "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" has is its seemingly random, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. I can't quite figure out what this song is about, but it almost seems like that's the point of it!
"Walk" by Foo Fighters: Of the two songs released of The Foos' latest CD, "Wasting Light", "Walk" seems like the better song so far! "Rope" just seemed too full of anger and intensity for me to fully appreciate it. "Walk", however, leans more towards the melodic side of their catalog! It's still a rocker, but more in the even-keeled, steady manner of "Learn to Fly" and "Times Like These" than the frenzied, frantic one of "All My Life" and "I'll Stick Around". The echo-y, jangly guitars in the beginning of "Walk" already indicate a more positive theme in the song. And lyrically, "learning to walk again" sound like words that can lead in a more positive direction than the more desperate, disconnected delivery of "gimme some rope I'm coming loose" (from "Rope", released earlier this year). My one complaint about this song is that sometimes Dave Grohl sounds like he's a bit TOO enthusiastic, as though he's about to scream his head off (mostly in the middle of the song), but other than that, I think this one's a winner!
"Junk of the Heart (Happy)" by The Kooks: I love how happy, free-spirited, and melodic The Kooks are!! That being said, when I heard they released a new song, I was pretty excited! The best part?! "Junk of the Heart (Happy)" sounds even BETTER than I expected it to sound!! In addition to the Beatles/Kinks-ish bouncy Britpop sound The Kooks typically have, there are also some Burt Bacharach-esque major 7th chords in this song that set it apart from The Kooks' other material. It's only fitting that lead singer Luke Pritchard's refrain in this song consists of the words "I wanna make you happy", because he does exactly that, and quite successfully, too!!
"Miracle Worker" by Super Heavy: What do Mick Jagger, Bob Marley's son Damian, neo-soul songstress Joss Stone, and The Eurythmics' Dave Stewart all have in common?! Well, aside from being rock 'n' roll royalty, they're also part of the aptly named supergroup, Super Heavy! Their first big song, "Miracle Worker" (which, in case any of you are wondering, is NOT about the biographical Helen Keller film of the same name), seems like it is clearly Damian's song, with its reggae beat and pulsating, syncopated guitars. Damian, Joss, and Mick all share vocals on the song, though (albeit, at different parts of it). With all that being said, this song ultimately comes out being a three-star song, despite the big names involved in it. Something just seems missing in this song! Perhaps it's that Damian just doesn't have the forceful, dynamic delivery his dad typically did, or that Mick doesn't seem to be maintaining the same amount of energy and fervor he typically had in The Stones. Well, nevertheless, "Miracle Worker" isn't a bad song, and the four people involved in its performance all seem like they tried giving it their best efforts.
"Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" by Fountains of Wayne: I still find it fascinating how Fountains of Wayne's best known song has become the Cars-esque "Stacy's Mom". It really isn't that representative of their typical sound, which is more like The Beatles or The Kinks (see also The Kooks' "Junk of the Heart", reviewed earlier in this article). "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" continues in the direction of The Fountains' typical sound, which I really like! Nothing particularly special about this one, musically, but what can I say, I'm a sucker for songs with a great melody and a catchy beat, and Fountains of Wayne seem to be experts at that! Perhaps another thing they're good at is just being quirky, as evidenced by the fact that the opening lyrics to this song are, "Staring at the sun with no pants on". Makes me wonder if the pants-less one they're referring to is Adam Schlesinger (the lead singer) himself or a girl he really likes.
"The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: Before I get into the song itself, let me just state that I LOVE the title to this song!! It sounds like the name of a comic book series of some sort! Well, now, on with the song! The title is really better than the song itself, which seems vaguely similar to one of those half-disco/half-rock type songs The Rolling Stones did in the late '70s/early '80s. It IS a catchy song, in typical Chili Peppers fashion, but I personally think they've done better material than this one. One advantage "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" has is its seemingly random, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. I can't quite figure out what this song is about, but it almost seems like that's the point of it!
"Walk" by Foo Fighters: Of the two songs released of The Foos' latest CD, "Wasting Light", "Walk" seems like the better song so far! "Rope" just seemed too full of anger and intensity for me to fully appreciate it. "Walk", however, leans more towards the melodic side of their catalog! It's still a rocker, but more in the even-keeled, steady manner of "Learn to Fly" and "Times Like These" than the frenzied, frantic one of "All My Life" and "I'll Stick Around". The echo-y, jangly guitars in the beginning of "Walk" already indicate a more positive theme in the song. And lyrically, "learning to walk again" sound like words that can lead in a more positive direction than the more desperate, disconnected delivery of "gimme some rope I'm coming loose" (from "Rope", released earlier this year). My one complaint about this song is that sometimes Dave Grohl sounds like he's a bit TOO enthusiastic, as though he's about to scream his head off (mostly in the middle of the song), but other than that, I think this one's a winner!
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