here they are:
"Bad Dreams" by Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johannson: Folk-rocker Pete Yorn and actress turned singer extraordinaire Scarlett Johansson have duetted before, but it's been almost a decade since they last did so. I never thought I'd hear the two of them after their 2008 song, "Relator", but now here they are together again. This time, the two opt for a cover of a song by indie-pop group, The Echo Friendly, and for some reason, the song has been retitled from "Worried" to "Bad Dreams". (It's not the first time this has been done. When Southern rock group Molly Hatchet covered The Allman Brothers' "Dreams", they retitled it as "Dreams I'll Never See", even though the two songs were actually the same one). Further immersing himself in the works of the indie pop groups he probably inspired, Pete Yorn adds a dark but catchy indie pop flavor to "Bad Dreams" that seems to stray a bit from the folk-rock he did when his career first started out. "We will always have bad dreams", Yorn and Johannson sing together in harmony during the chorus. I think The Echo Friendly's bad dreams have become a reality since someone took their song and changed its title!
"Fine Line" by Parker Millsap: Parker Millsap first arrived onto the adult alt airwaves two years ago, with a fun, charming acoustic rock song called "Pining" that easily brought to mind early Elvis Presley tunes. With "Fine Line", Parker continues churning out retro rock, but this time he goes one decade forward and amps it up a bit, bringing to mind the blues-ier side of groups like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, a bit like The White Stripes had done as their career started to progress. "Honey I don't bite", Parker yowls during the chorus, "I'm just a little bloodthirsty". No, Parker hasn't been reading too many "Twilight" books (thankfully), he's just using a strange yet appealing metaphor to describe a typical day in the life of a rock and roll musician!
"Guilty Party" by The National: The National made two of their most rockin' tunes yet on their latest album, with the fast paced, frantic, "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness", as well as the U2-esque, "Day I Die". Their third single from "Sleep Well Beast", "Guilty Party", dials things back a bit. "Guilty Party" depends more on keyboard than it does guitar, and it's noticeably softer than the other two songs as well. It's as though Matt Berninger partied too hard at first, and that this song was the aftermath. "Guilty Party", as its title implies, sounds sorrowful and somber. The National are known for being one of the more pessimistic groups in the indie scene, but this might be their saddest one yet.
"In Chains" by The War on Drugs: The National aren't the only band coming up on their third single from their latest album. The War on Drugs are as well, and this time around, Kurt Vile and his Pennsylvanian indie rock ensemble once again walk the line between Springsteen-esque arena rock and Roxy Music influenced prog-rock and sophisti-pop. The three singles from The WOD's latest album could be seen as a trilogy of sorts, each spiraling further downward into despair than the other. There was the hopeful "Holding On", the bitter sting of "Pain", and now it seems to be culminating in the realization of being "In Chains" as a result of all the negative emotions Kurt Vile is going through in this song. Out of the darkness comes light, though, as Kurt has been able to take all his frustration and turn it into aching, bittersweet beauty in his 7 and a half minute magnum opus, "In Chains".
"Just A Fool" by Jim James: Opening with a fuzzed out, Jack White-ish guitar solo, My Morning Jacket's Jim James' latest song, "Just A Fool", deals with the realization of just how foolish Jim feels as a member of contemporary American society, a theme that recurs throughout his latest album. Jim claims he's "just a fool gettin' by" in this song, but the struggle to "get by" is not one he shrugs off too easily, feeling cheated and used by the media and its spread of fast but often false information. Jim, you're no fool at all! Everyone else is!
"Life to Fix" by The Record Company: The most anticipated song of the week on adult alt radio is also the blues-iest and most upbeat! The Record Company are like the Black Crowes of the 2010's, out of step with current musical trends, but embracing blues-rock with such unabashed passion that people can't help but love them anyway! Their latest song, "Life to Fix", has a blues-y Southern rock groove that wouldn't sound out of place in an Allman Brothers or early ZZ Top song, except The Record Company aren't from the South. In fact, this blazin' rock trio are actually from my neck of the woods, Los Angeles! Maybe you don't have to be from a certain area of The States to appreciate what real rock and roll is all about! Oh, and dig those funky bass riffs in the opening, too!
"Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way" by U2: U2 might not have had a consistently good ALBUM since 2004, but they have been able to provide some powerful songs since then, and their latest song, "Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way", just happens to be one of them. The message of the song is simple, but still very universal. It's the old "love conquers all" adage, essentially, put to song. Leave it to Bono and the boys to continue the spread of peace and love through difficult times!
Showing posts with label U2. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U2. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
Wednesday, September 13, 2017
New songs for September 13th, 2017
here they are:
"Never Been Wrong" by Waxahatchee: Never been wrong?! That's quite a bold claim to make! But one thing I think I've never been wrong about is that I know a good song when I hear one, and this song just happens to be one of them. The raw, noise-pop sound of this song is as bold as its title. Lead singer Katie Crutchfield has both the perishing vocals and no-frills guitar sound of The Pixies' Kim Deal in "Never Been Wrong". I get the feeling that fans of other bands fronted by fierce females (Sleater-Kinney, for instance) will like this song as well.
"Up All Night" by Beck: ANOTHER new Beck song?! No! It's too soon!! It hasn't even been a month that "Dear Life" has been on the airwaves, and there has already been a lot of alt and adult alt radio stations that have picked up his second single of the year, "Up All Night". The dance floor meets the orchestra in this unique song! True to its name, "Up All Night" will have you staying up all night to dance! The lyrics of the song seem to be pretty dance-centric as well, and Beck sneaks in a punny line towards the end ("Hands up in the air, livin' out a prayer". Bon Jovi reference, anyone?!)
"You're the Best Thing About Me" by U2: Bono and the boys have been at it for almost 40 years now!! The new millennium has seen both hits and misses for the famous Irish rock quartet, and this one could be described as being a little of both. The chorus of the song is so anthemic and happy that it could pass for being guitar-centric bubblegum pop, but the way the chords of The Edge's guitar hook you in at the beginning are pretty hard to resist!! This song is also quite an easy one to get stuck in your head! This song might not be the best thing about U2, but U2 themselves are still one of the best things about rock and roll!
"Never Been Wrong" by Waxahatchee: Never been wrong?! That's quite a bold claim to make! But one thing I think I've never been wrong about is that I know a good song when I hear one, and this song just happens to be one of them. The raw, noise-pop sound of this song is as bold as its title. Lead singer Katie Crutchfield has both the perishing vocals and no-frills guitar sound of The Pixies' Kim Deal in "Never Been Wrong". I get the feeling that fans of other bands fronted by fierce females (Sleater-Kinney, for instance) will like this song as well.
"Up All Night" by Beck: ANOTHER new Beck song?! No! It's too soon!! It hasn't even been a month that "Dear Life" has been on the airwaves, and there has already been a lot of alt and adult alt radio stations that have picked up his second single of the year, "Up All Night". The dance floor meets the orchestra in this unique song! True to its name, "Up All Night" will have you staying up all night to dance! The lyrics of the song seem to be pretty dance-centric as well, and Beck sneaks in a punny line towards the end ("Hands up in the air, livin' out a prayer". Bon Jovi reference, anyone?!)
"You're the Best Thing About Me" by U2: Bono and the boys have been at it for almost 40 years now!! The new millennium has seen both hits and misses for the famous Irish rock quartet, and this one could be described as being a little of both. The chorus of the song is so anthemic and happy that it could pass for being guitar-centric bubblegum pop, but the way the chords of The Edge's guitar hook you in at the beginning are pretty hard to resist!! This song is also quite an easy one to get stuck in your head! This song might not be the best thing about U2, but U2 themselves are still one of the best things about rock and roll!
Wednesday, May 13, 2015
New songs for May 13th 2015
here they are:
"It Takes a Lot to Know a Man" by Damien Rice: It sure does!! Wow! Didn't think Damien had it in him to do a song that surpasses the length of "Stairway to Heaven" by about a minute and a half, but this is exactly what he does in "It Takes a Lot to Know a Man". Damien's songs are typically sad, but this one takes the melodrama of his music to a whole other level! The ending lyrics of the song are when it reaches its zenith. The phrase "What are you so afraid to lose?" becomes a mantra, and leads into what is perhaps the most intense mood I've ever heard in a Damien Rice song, as his voice and the background vocals argue with each other about their innermost insecurities.
"Most In the Summertime" by Rhett Miller (featuring Black Prairie): Just in time for the coming season, this is probably one of the most upbeat songs in both Rhett Miller's catalog and Black Prairie's. It is a mellow but catchy country-rock ditty in which the lyrics concern themselves with the simple pleasures of life. Well, perhaps other kinds of "pleasures" as well, as the chorus indicates that Rhett and Jenny (Black Prairie's lead singer) have their "clothes off, hangin' on the line". But hey, that's what summer's for, isn't it?!
"Scared" by Delta Rae: "Scared", eh?! Well, perhaps the reason why is because this song is different from Delta Rae's other material in two ways. First of all, one of the men in the group sings lead vocals, unlike Elizabeth Hopkins, who usually does so, and second of all, its sound resembles the "neo-soul" of groups like Fitz and The Tantrums more than it does the folk sound of their typical material. The "scare" factor here is really the uncertainty of whether a romance is going to work out, and the song's combination of minor key and catchy beat are enough to keep you on the edge of your seat!
"Song For Someone" by U2: After the anthemic rock vibes of "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" and "Every Breaking Wave", U2's third single from "Songs of Innocence", "Song For Someone", has a more laid-back and poignant feel to it. Whoever "someone" is, they must have been incredibly important to U2 for them to make such a moving song in which the lyrics tug at the heartstrings as much as the music does. The chorus of the song pretty much defines it with its opening words, "If there is a light, you can always see, and if there is a world, we can always be. If there is a dark within and without, and there is a light, don't let it go out". For those who are in touch with their sensitive side, I highly recommend this song!
"The Stars Over Your House" by Bob Schneider: Ever since Bob Schneider's adult alt radio breakthrough with "40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet)", a lot of his songs have had somewhat of a moody streak, albeit laden with sentimentality in most cases, with the exception of the surprisingly hard-rocking "Unpromised Land". "The Stars Over Your House" seems like a much needed feel-good song in his catalog that he had more in his early days than the later ones. The "oh-oo-woh"s and "yea-ee-yeah"s that punctuate the verses, along with the harmony of the backing vocals, and just the chipper feel of the song in general, are all aspects that make "The Stars Over Your House" the perfect equivalent of a pop chart hit for indie fans.
"True Affection" by Father John Misty: Or as I like to call it, Father John Misty...IN SPAAAACCCE!!! FJM hasn't really used synthesized instruments in his music until now, and boy, does he use them!! The beginning of the song doesn't sound that far off from what you might hear when someone is playing an arcade game! It kinda sounds like one of the trippier Radiohead songs, in particular, songs like "Lotus Flower" and "Staircase". The song basically has only one verse that's repeated twice (with the second verse having only a slight difference in lyrical content), and it doesn't veer from its A minor chord at all, which gives the song a bit of a "static" flavor. FJM, meet LSD!
"24 Frames" by Jason Isbell: Right from the beginning of the song, you can tell it's gonna be a sad one, since the opening lyrics are "This is how you make yourself vanish into nothing". Thankfully, it's not a bleak sadness, but a bittersweet one, and Jason Isbell does an excellent job of pouring his heart and soul into "24 Frames". Its sound is reminiscent of the songs from R.E.M.'s album, "Automatic for the People", and that sound is not just coincidence. It turns out that Jason's band, Drive-by Truckers, was based in Athens, Georgia, the same town R.E.M. hails from! As for the title of the song, it is taken from how many frames roll per second during a movie, which is how life itself is portrayed in "24 Frames". Jason has truly outdone himself this time!!
"Woman (Oh Mama)" by Joy Williams: One half of folk-rock duo, The Civil Wars, Joy Williams' debut solo song is basically like a Celtic version of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" in terms of how it sounds. As the title of the song implies, this is Joy's ode to the spirit of femininity. The one complaint I have about this song is that she seems to be expressing her thoughts as though she is stereotyping those who speak "broken" English, though I'm not sure if this is intentional. Each line of each verse starts with the word "woman" and is followed by a verb of some sort, which reminds me of how Cookie Monster speaks ("Me want cookie!"), or perhaps the Hulk ("Hulk smash!") Why she is choosing to speak this way, I have no idea, but I do appreciate the sentiment she has intended in the song, as well as the way it sounds.
"It Takes a Lot to Know a Man" by Damien Rice: It sure does!! Wow! Didn't think Damien had it in him to do a song that surpasses the length of "Stairway to Heaven" by about a minute and a half, but this is exactly what he does in "It Takes a Lot to Know a Man". Damien's songs are typically sad, but this one takes the melodrama of his music to a whole other level! The ending lyrics of the song are when it reaches its zenith. The phrase "What are you so afraid to lose?" becomes a mantra, and leads into what is perhaps the most intense mood I've ever heard in a Damien Rice song, as his voice and the background vocals argue with each other about their innermost insecurities.
"Most In the Summertime" by Rhett Miller (featuring Black Prairie): Just in time for the coming season, this is probably one of the most upbeat songs in both Rhett Miller's catalog and Black Prairie's. It is a mellow but catchy country-rock ditty in which the lyrics concern themselves with the simple pleasures of life. Well, perhaps other kinds of "pleasures" as well, as the chorus indicates that Rhett and Jenny (Black Prairie's lead singer) have their "clothes off, hangin' on the line". But hey, that's what summer's for, isn't it?!
"Scared" by Delta Rae: "Scared", eh?! Well, perhaps the reason why is because this song is different from Delta Rae's other material in two ways. First of all, one of the men in the group sings lead vocals, unlike Elizabeth Hopkins, who usually does so, and second of all, its sound resembles the "neo-soul" of groups like Fitz and The Tantrums more than it does the folk sound of their typical material. The "scare" factor here is really the uncertainty of whether a romance is going to work out, and the song's combination of minor key and catchy beat are enough to keep you on the edge of your seat!
"Song For Someone" by U2: After the anthemic rock vibes of "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" and "Every Breaking Wave", U2's third single from "Songs of Innocence", "Song For Someone", has a more laid-back and poignant feel to it. Whoever "someone" is, they must have been incredibly important to U2 for them to make such a moving song in which the lyrics tug at the heartstrings as much as the music does. The chorus of the song pretty much defines it with its opening words, "If there is a light, you can always see, and if there is a world, we can always be. If there is a dark within and without, and there is a light, don't let it go out". For those who are in touch with their sensitive side, I highly recommend this song!
"The Stars Over Your House" by Bob Schneider: Ever since Bob Schneider's adult alt radio breakthrough with "40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet)", a lot of his songs have had somewhat of a moody streak, albeit laden with sentimentality in most cases, with the exception of the surprisingly hard-rocking "Unpromised Land". "The Stars Over Your House" seems like a much needed feel-good song in his catalog that he had more in his early days than the later ones. The "oh-oo-woh"s and "yea-ee-yeah"s that punctuate the verses, along with the harmony of the backing vocals, and just the chipper feel of the song in general, are all aspects that make "The Stars Over Your House" the perfect equivalent of a pop chart hit for indie fans.
"True Affection" by Father John Misty: Or as I like to call it, Father John Misty...IN SPAAAACCCE!!! FJM hasn't really used synthesized instruments in his music until now, and boy, does he use them!! The beginning of the song doesn't sound that far off from what you might hear when someone is playing an arcade game! It kinda sounds like one of the trippier Radiohead songs, in particular, songs like "Lotus Flower" and "Staircase". The song basically has only one verse that's repeated twice (with the second verse having only a slight difference in lyrical content), and it doesn't veer from its A minor chord at all, which gives the song a bit of a "static" flavor. FJM, meet LSD!
"24 Frames" by Jason Isbell: Right from the beginning of the song, you can tell it's gonna be a sad one, since the opening lyrics are "This is how you make yourself vanish into nothing". Thankfully, it's not a bleak sadness, but a bittersweet one, and Jason Isbell does an excellent job of pouring his heart and soul into "24 Frames". Its sound is reminiscent of the songs from R.E.M.'s album, "Automatic for the People", and that sound is not just coincidence. It turns out that Jason's band, Drive-by Truckers, was based in Athens, Georgia, the same town R.E.M. hails from! As for the title of the song, it is taken from how many frames roll per second during a movie, which is how life itself is portrayed in "24 Frames". Jason has truly outdone himself this time!!
"Woman (Oh Mama)" by Joy Williams: One half of folk-rock duo, The Civil Wars, Joy Williams' debut solo song is basically like a Celtic version of Depeche Mode's "Personal Jesus" in terms of how it sounds. As the title of the song implies, this is Joy's ode to the spirit of femininity. The one complaint I have about this song is that she seems to be expressing her thoughts as though she is stereotyping those who speak "broken" English, though I'm not sure if this is intentional. Each line of each verse starts with the word "woman" and is followed by a verb of some sort, which reminds me of how Cookie Monster speaks ("Me want cookie!"), or perhaps the Hulk ("Hulk smash!") Why she is choosing to speak this way, I have no idea, but I do appreciate the sentiment she has intended in the song, as well as the way it sounds.
Friday, November 28, 2014
New music FRIDAY (for the day after Thanksgiving)
Would have done my usual Wednesday post, but I was busy then. So here are six songs for the days before December. Hope you enjoy 'em!
"All the Time" by Bahamas: The newest album from indie-pop musicians, Bahamas, has been out since July of this year. I would have thought that their funky, catchy, soulful song, "Stronger Than That" would have been a hit on adult alt stations across the country, but only a few picked it up. I guess sometimes featuring your songs on commercials really does help, as this is what has happened to Bahamas' latest tune, "All the Time", this month. It was featured on a phone commercial. Although not nearly as catchy as "Stronger Than That", "All the Time" certainly has its reasons for being appealing. Perhaps the combination of folky acoustic guitar, lively brass instruments, quirky keyboard sounds, and its 1970's style electric guitars in the song have won people over, as that is a pretty unique mixture of sounds. Almost like The Black Keys' "Little Black Submarines" if the song was a bit slower and had its electric and acoustic guitar sections working together instead of as separate parts.
"Earthquake Driver" by Counting Crows: Steely Dan's famous guitar riffing in "Reelin' In the Years" seems to have become a hipster favorite over the years, what with everyone from hipster prototypes like Nick Lowe (in "So It Goes") to more recent definers of hipster-dom like Stephen Malkmus ("Gardenia") having used it in their songs. Counting Crows might not be what you would call a "hipster" band, but they do take after indie rock legends like Big Star and R.E.M., so I suppose they kinda count. The Crows' latest song, "Earthquake Driver", has a similar rhythm to "Reelin' In the Years", but it also has the country-rock twang of groups like The Old 97's. Adam Duritz and co seem to be trying hard to create more of an "indie" image for themselves, lyrically, on their latest album, with their abstract, seemingly out of context choice of words like "I was born a little north of Disney Land, somewhere under Wonderland and Hollywood", and "I want to be an earthquake driver/I want to be an aquarium diver". Huh?!
"Every Breaking Wave" by U2: Has U2 now taken to ripping off their own material?! The beginning of this song sounds awfully similar to "With Or Without You"! Thankfully, it starts to sound more original by the time the chorus comes around. Where "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" was (fittingly) straight up rock and roll, "Every Breaking Wave" sounds more characteristic of what you might be likely to hear from a band like The Killers, Snow Patrol, or Coldplay. Lyrically, "Every Breaking Wave" does not have as much substance or meaning as "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)", but musically, it does sound more refreshing, and more characteristic of a classic U2 song.
"Inside Out" by Spoon: I am now convinced there is no such thing as a Spoon song that isn't catchy and clever! They never fail to please me in either aspect! Their latest song, "Inside Out", continues in that direction. Though nowhere near as catchy as their summer smash, "Do You?", "Inside Out" still manages to have a memorable rhythm and sound. The hypnotic ambiance of the synthesizer at the beginning just draws you in, before the other instruments start making their entrance and giving the song more form. The song retains its initial trance-y vibe throughout, but it's still something you can tap your toes to. "Time's gone inside out", Britt Daniels sings during the opening of the song. The fresh but mysterious sound of the song certainly fits with those lyrics!
"The River" by Son Little: And you thought Gary Clark Jr. was reviving blues-rock for the 2010's?! "The River", the debut song from blues-rocker Son Little (actually a stage name for Aaron Livingston from neo-soul/hip-hop group, The Roots), goes even further back in time!! It sounds like an old blues song with a slightly rock and roll-ish instrumentation that came out some time in the '60s, or perhaps even earlier! Little/Livingston's chorus of "walk me to the river, darling" seems like something that could have easily passed for a Robert Johnson lyric if he was still around today!
"Turn It Up" by Robert Plant: Our last tune of the week is yet another attempting to revive blues-rock. However, this IS Robert Plant of the mighty Led Zeppelin we're talking about here, and he has exposed people to his unique, distinctive brand of blues-rock since the late 1960's! He's no newcomer to the blues, though he has gotten more into folk and country in recent years. "Turn It Up" does exactly what its title implies. It takes the now folk-ified soul of Plant, and transforms it into more of a rock and roll sound. No, it doesn't crank it up to 11 like Zeppelin did, but it does give people craving a blues-y sound from Plant what they want, more or less. Best part of the song?! When Plant pleads, "I'm stuck inside the radio...let me out!!", followed by the stark, hollow sound of a drumbeat for about five seconds, before the song gets back into its basic groove.
"All the Time" by Bahamas: The newest album from indie-pop musicians, Bahamas, has been out since July of this year. I would have thought that their funky, catchy, soulful song, "Stronger Than That" would have been a hit on adult alt stations across the country, but only a few picked it up. I guess sometimes featuring your songs on commercials really does help, as this is what has happened to Bahamas' latest tune, "All the Time", this month. It was featured on a phone commercial. Although not nearly as catchy as "Stronger Than That", "All the Time" certainly has its reasons for being appealing. Perhaps the combination of folky acoustic guitar, lively brass instruments, quirky keyboard sounds, and its 1970's style electric guitars in the song have won people over, as that is a pretty unique mixture of sounds. Almost like The Black Keys' "Little Black Submarines" if the song was a bit slower and had its electric and acoustic guitar sections working together instead of as separate parts.
"Earthquake Driver" by Counting Crows: Steely Dan's famous guitar riffing in "Reelin' In the Years" seems to have become a hipster favorite over the years, what with everyone from hipster prototypes like Nick Lowe (in "So It Goes") to more recent definers of hipster-dom like Stephen Malkmus ("Gardenia") having used it in their songs. Counting Crows might not be what you would call a "hipster" band, but they do take after indie rock legends like Big Star and R.E.M., so I suppose they kinda count. The Crows' latest song, "Earthquake Driver", has a similar rhythm to "Reelin' In the Years", but it also has the country-rock twang of groups like The Old 97's. Adam Duritz and co seem to be trying hard to create more of an "indie" image for themselves, lyrically, on their latest album, with their abstract, seemingly out of context choice of words like "I was born a little north of Disney Land, somewhere under Wonderland and Hollywood", and "I want to be an earthquake driver/I want to be an aquarium diver". Huh?!
"Every Breaking Wave" by U2: Has U2 now taken to ripping off their own material?! The beginning of this song sounds awfully similar to "With Or Without You"! Thankfully, it starts to sound more original by the time the chorus comes around. Where "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" was (fittingly) straight up rock and roll, "Every Breaking Wave" sounds more characteristic of what you might be likely to hear from a band like The Killers, Snow Patrol, or Coldplay. Lyrically, "Every Breaking Wave" does not have as much substance or meaning as "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)", but musically, it does sound more refreshing, and more characteristic of a classic U2 song.
"Inside Out" by Spoon: I am now convinced there is no such thing as a Spoon song that isn't catchy and clever! They never fail to please me in either aspect! Their latest song, "Inside Out", continues in that direction. Though nowhere near as catchy as their summer smash, "Do You?", "Inside Out" still manages to have a memorable rhythm and sound. The hypnotic ambiance of the synthesizer at the beginning just draws you in, before the other instruments start making their entrance and giving the song more form. The song retains its initial trance-y vibe throughout, but it's still something you can tap your toes to. "Time's gone inside out", Britt Daniels sings during the opening of the song. The fresh but mysterious sound of the song certainly fits with those lyrics!
"The River" by Son Little: And you thought Gary Clark Jr. was reviving blues-rock for the 2010's?! "The River", the debut song from blues-rocker Son Little (actually a stage name for Aaron Livingston from neo-soul/hip-hop group, The Roots), goes even further back in time!! It sounds like an old blues song with a slightly rock and roll-ish instrumentation that came out some time in the '60s, or perhaps even earlier! Little/Livingston's chorus of "walk me to the river, darling" seems like something that could have easily passed for a Robert Johnson lyric if he was still around today!
"Turn It Up" by Robert Plant: Our last tune of the week is yet another attempting to revive blues-rock. However, this IS Robert Plant of the mighty Led Zeppelin we're talking about here, and he has exposed people to his unique, distinctive brand of blues-rock since the late 1960's! He's no newcomer to the blues, though he has gotten more into folk and country in recent years. "Turn It Up" does exactly what its title implies. It takes the now folk-ified soul of Plant, and transforms it into more of a rock and roll sound. No, it doesn't crank it up to 11 like Zeppelin did, but it does give people craving a blues-y sound from Plant what they want, more or less. Best part of the song?! When Plant pleads, "I'm stuck inside the radio...let me out!!", followed by the stark, hollow sound of a drumbeat for about five seconds, before the song gets back into its basic groove.
Wednesday, September 24, 2014
New songs for September 24th, 2014
here they are:
"Shut Up And Dance" by Walk the Moon: Is there any hit song by Walk the Moon that hasn't proven to be an absolute anthem so far?! The answer to that, of course, is "no", as "Anna Sun" and "Tightrope" have both proven to be some of the biggest hits and catchiest songs of the 2010's! WTM's third big song, "Shut Up And Dance", is sure to follow in the footsteps of their first two smash hits, as far as I'm concerned! There is no underlying, "deep" message behind "Shut Up And Dance", it's pretty much a song that celebrates how fun it is to just get up and dance to music! So, do as the song says, and "shut up and dance"!!
"Simple Machine" by Guster: Hard to believe Guster have now been around for a little over a decade and a half! Their material still sounds so fresh, from their breakthrough song, "Fa Fa", to their 2010 song, "Do You Love Me?" Guster's latest song, "Simple Machine", shows that they are still keeping up with the times! "Simple Machine" is a catchy, quirky indie-pop song, which has become standard for the 2010's, but Guster have been churning out songs like this ever since bands like Third Eye Blind were hot items on the pop charts and the term "indie-pop" was not yet in widespread usage. "Simple Machine" also combines the best of both worlds when it comes to its sound, in that it is equal parts folk-rock and new wave!
"The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" by U2: And last, but certainly not least, U2 brings us the most anticipated song of the week! It looks like their whole ALBUM ("Songs of Innocence") is going to be all the rage for the rest of this year, and well into 2015, but for now, let's focus on the first single of their new album, "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)". The Ramones aren't the most obvious influence in U2's music, but they were one of many CBGB's punk groups that inspired U2 to become musicians themselves. Joey was the first member of The Ramones to die, and, as if by coincidence, one of the last songs he heard before he died was U2's then new song, "In A Little While". Perhaps Bono and the boys knew about this, and are not only paying tribute to their fallen hero in this song, but are also keeping in mind how it was their song that got Joey Ramone through his last day on Earth. The sound of the song is a chugging, crunchy hard rock sound, but definitely more characteristic of U2 than of The Ramones.
"Shut Up And Dance" by Walk the Moon: Is there any hit song by Walk the Moon that hasn't proven to be an absolute anthem so far?! The answer to that, of course, is "no", as "Anna Sun" and "Tightrope" have both proven to be some of the biggest hits and catchiest songs of the 2010's! WTM's third big song, "Shut Up And Dance", is sure to follow in the footsteps of their first two smash hits, as far as I'm concerned! There is no underlying, "deep" message behind "Shut Up And Dance", it's pretty much a song that celebrates how fun it is to just get up and dance to music! So, do as the song says, and "shut up and dance"!!
"Simple Machine" by Guster: Hard to believe Guster have now been around for a little over a decade and a half! Their material still sounds so fresh, from their breakthrough song, "Fa Fa", to their 2010 song, "Do You Love Me?" Guster's latest song, "Simple Machine", shows that they are still keeping up with the times! "Simple Machine" is a catchy, quirky indie-pop song, which has become standard for the 2010's, but Guster have been churning out songs like this ever since bands like Third Eye Blind were hot items on the pop charts and the term "indie-pop" was not yet in widespread usage. "Simple Machine" also combines the best of both worlds when it comes to its sound, in that it is equal parts folk-rock and new wave!
"The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)" by U2: And last, but certainly not least, U2 brings us the most anticipated song of the week! It looks like their whole ALBUM ("Songs of Innocence") is going to be all the rage for the rest of this year, and well into 2015, but for now, let's focus on the first single of their new album, "The Miracle (Of Joey Ramone)". The Ramones aren't the most obvious influence in U2's music, but they were one of many CBGB's punk groups that inspired U2 to become musicians themselves. Joey was the first member of The Ramones to die, and, as if by coincidence, one of the last songs he heard before he died was U2's then new song, "In A Little While". Perhaps Bono and the boys knew about this, and are not only paying tribute to their fallen hero in this song, but are also keeping in mind how it was their song that got Joey Ramone through his last day on Earth. The sound of the song is a chugging, crunchy hard rock sound, but definitely more characteristic of U2 than of The Ramones.
Wednesday, February 5, 2014
New songs for February 5th, 2014
here they are:
"Brighter" by Ozomatli: Until recently I overlooked this group. They've got it all, though! Latin, rock, jazz, soul, and reggae all wrapped up into one neat little package!! Their best known song so far is probably "Who Discovered America?", partly due to it being featured in the romantic comedy, "Never Been Kissed". "Brighter" is probably Ozomatli's most reggae inflected track so far. Its easy, flowing mix of reggae, pop, rock, and hip-hop influences recall some of the earlier Michael Franti songs. It also shares a lot of Franti's positive messages as well ("world is gonna look much brighter").
"Do I Look Worried?" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: Back when I first reviewed The Tedeschi-Trucks Band about three years ago, I had not expected them to be such heavy hitmakers on adult alt radio (arguably more than Tedeschi's solo work). Another thing I would not have expected from Susan and Derek would be a slow, doo-wop/early soul influenced song, yet that's exactly what "Do I Look Worried?" is. Derek Trucks' guitar playing, as always, is present on the song, but the rhythm is decidedly different from most of the TTB's material, coming in the form of a waltz, instead of a pop/rock rhythm. This little band has sure gone a long way!!
"Invisible" by U2: This song has a sound that starts out as slightly foreboding, before building up rather quickly to sound more like a pop/rock song, much like the similarly titled "Invisible Sun" by The Police (title stealers, anyone?! Haha, just kidding!) Apparently, Bono released this song as a way for listeners to contribute to a generation he hopes will be free of AIDS. The lyrics in the chorus of the song, about how "you don't see me, but I'm not invisible", are definitely intended to give people hope who are in need of it. The sound of the song walks the line between rock and roll and techno, while feeling much more like the former than the latter, much like a lot of the songs from their '91 album, "Achtung Baby", so I can't complain there! All in all, this is a very fresh, exuberant effort from a band who has stayed together for over three decades!!
"New York Morning" by Elbow: The ultra-mellow feel of this song definitely suggests "morning", but it doesn't quite feel like the loud, hustle bustle atmosphere typically associated with New York (perhaps partly because Elbow are a British band). "New York Morning" is actually a very sweet song, with a lovely story behind it. It is about a married couple named Dennis and Lois, who grew up during the New York punk scene, that the band members knew personally. The experience of these two living in New York is chronicled quite nicely in the music video for this song, which can be viewed here: http://www.stereogum.com/1645701/elbow-new-york-morning-video/video/
"Nothing Quite Like Home" by G. Love and Special Sauce: G. Love and co haven't rocked (or jazzed) out quite this hard since the '90s!! Love (born Garrett Dutton) tended to focus more on acoustic blues and folk for most of the 21st century. "Nothing Quite Like Home" sees Dutton plugged in once again for the first time in quite a while! The opening riff (which is used throughout the song) sounds a little like "Smoke On the Water" if it were sampled by Beck and performed by Ben Harper. As the song says, "There's nothing else quite like home". If by "home", G. Love means the music he was originally known for, then there really is nothing quite like it!
"Spinners" by The Hold Steady: In both sound and lyric, The Hold Steady are pretty much the indie rock version of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band (though they have a slightly rougher sound)! The Hold Steady's songs are typically slices of life in urban bohemia, with a somewhat angst ridden undercurrent, and "Spinners" is no exception. "Spinners" seems to place a bit more emphasis on how the enjoyment of music ties in to the lifestyle of the band members and their friends, how it both builds them up and tears them apart. As a boy who grew up around the urban bohemia of Los Angeles, I approve (though their hometown is Brooklyn, New York).
"Brighter" by Ozomatli: Until recently I overlooked this group. They've got it all, though! Latin, rock, jazz, soul, and reggae all wrapped up into one neat little package!! Their best known song so far is probably "Who Discovered America?", partly due to it being featured in the romantic comedy, "Never Been Kissed". "Brighter" is probably Ozomatli's most reggae inflected track so far. Its easy, flowing mix of reggae, pop, rock, and hip-hop influences recall some of the earlier Michael Franti songs. It also shares a lot of Franti's positive messages as well ("world is gonna look much brighter").
"Do I Look Worried?" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: Back when I first reviewed The Tedeschi-Trucks Band about three years ago, I had not expected them to be such heavy hitmakers on adult alt radio (arguably more than Tedeschi's solo work). Another thing I would not have expected from Susan and Derek would be a slow, doo-wop/early soul influenced song, yet that's exactly what "Do I Look Worried?" is. Derek Trucks' guitar playing, as always, is present on the song, but the rhythm is decidedly different from most of the TTB's material, coming in the form of a waltz, instead of a pop/rock rhythm. This little band has sure gone a long way!!
"Invisible" by U2: This song has a sound that starts out as slightly foreboding, before building up rather quickly to sound more like a pop/rock song, much like the similarly titled "Invisible Sun" by The Police (title stealers, anyone?! Haha, just kidding!) Apparently, Bono released this song as a way for listeners to contribute to a generation he hopes will be free of AIDS. The lyrics in the chorus of the song, about how "you don't see me, but I'm not invisible", are definitely intended to give people hope who are in need of it. The sound of the song walks the line between rock and roll and techno, while feeling much more like the former than the latter, much like a lot of the songs from their '91 album, "Achtung Baby", so I can't complain there! All in all, this is a very fresh, exuberant effort from a band who has stayed together for over three decades!!
"New York Morning" by Elbow: The ultra-mellow feel of this song definitely suggests "morning", but it doesn't quite feel like the loud, hustle bustle atmosphere typically associated with New York (perhaps partly because Elbow are a British band). "New York Morning" is actually a very sweet song, with a lovely story behind it. It is about a married couple named Dennis and Lois, who grew up during the New York punk scene, that the band members knew personally. The experience of these two living in New York is chronicled quite nicely in the music video for this song, which can be viewed here: http://www.stereogum.com/1645701/elbow-new-york-morning-video/video/
"Nothing Quite Like Home" by G. Love and Special Sauce: G. Love and co haven't rocked (or jazzed) out quite this hard since the '90s!! Love (born Garrett Dutton) tended to focus more on acoustic blues and folk for most of the 21st century. "Nothing Quite Like Home" sees Dutton plugged in once again for the first time in quite a while! The opening riff (which is used throughout the song) sounds a little like "Smoke On the Water" if it were sampled by Beck and performed by Ben Harper. As the song says, "There's nothing else quite like home". If by "home", G. Love means the music he was originally known for, then there really is nothing quite like it!
"Spinners" by The Hold Steady: In both sound and lyric, The Hold Steady are pretty much the indie rock version of Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band (though they have a slightly rougher sound)! The Hold Steady's songs are typically slices of life in urban bohemia, with a somewhat angst ridden undercurrent, and "Spinners" is no exception. "Spinners" seems to place a bit more emphasis on how the enjoyment of music ties in to the lifestyle of the band members and their friends, how it both builds them up and tears them apart. As a boy who grew up around the urban bohemia of Los Angeles, I approve (though their hometown is Brooklyn, New York).
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
New songs for December 4th, 2013
here they are:
"Do I Wanna Know?" by Arctic Monkeys: They've been around for nearly 10 years now, released five studio CD's, and opened for The Black Keys back when I saw them at Staples Center. So why haven't I reviewed anything by Arctic Monkeys yet?! Well, until "Do I Wanna Know?" came along, I just assumed that Arctic Monkeys was one of the more jagged, nervy bands from the mid '00s "new wave revival", like Bloc Party, Hot Hot Heat, Interpol, and an endless rabble of other bands I just never really cared for that much. This song has changed my opinion on Arctic Monkeys, though. It has a bit less of a frenzied beat than most of their songs do, and it's hard to resist that fuzz guitar in the song, too! (Perhaps touring with The Black Keys rubbed off on Arctic Monkeys a bit?!) The riff, built around a rather blues-y G minor chord, consists of only three main notes that are repeated throughout the song. It never gets any louder or softer at any point either, it just kinda stays the same. Normally, I like when a band or musician takes risks that wander off the beaten path of their usual musical style, but perhaps for Arctic Monkeys, less is more!
"Ordinary Love" by U2: The funny thing about legendary rock groups like U2 is that they just seem to lose their edge (no pun intended) after a while. "Ordinary Love" seems to use the same pattern that U2 have used since around the mid '00s - soft melodies, glossy sound production, and enough of an electric guitar based sound to make them "rock" even during their most sentimental moments. The guitar is probably what saves "Ordinary Love" from becoming a completely lackluster song. Well, that, and how Bono truly has an unstoppable, passionate spirit whenever he sings! While the intentions are good, and the song is catchy and harmless, there is still something about "Ordinary Love" that seems...well...ordinary! I still think it was worth talking about the song for the effort they put into it, though.
"Penitentiary" by Houndmouth: Imagine what The Band would be like with a more wry sense of humor in their music. That's pretty much what Houndmouth's "Penitentiary" is, even during its opening lines ("Hid a batch in Frisco, I couldn't score a job/So I did the next best thing and I learned how to rob"). The song's laid-back, roots-y vibe does a good job at masking its caustic lyrics, and gives the impression that Houndmouth are just a bunch of "good ol' Southern boys" (and one girl). But as soon as the chorus invites you to "come on down to the penitentiary", you know these folks have a trick or two up their sleeves, and you'll just be left begging to hear more of it afterwards!
"Do I Wanna Know?" by Arctic Monkeys: They've been around for nearly 10 years now, released five studio CD's, and opened for The Black Keys back when I saw them at Staples Center. So why haven't I reviewed anything by Arctic Monkeys yet?! Well, until "Do I Wanna Know?" came along, I just assumed that Arctic Monkeys was one of the more jagged, nervy bands from the mid '00s "new wave revival", like Bloc Party, Hot Hot Heat, Interpol, and an endless rabble of other bands I just never really cared for that much. This song has changed my opinion on Arctic Monkeys, though. It has a bit less of a frenzied beat than most of their songs do, and it's hard to resist that fuzz guitar in the song, too! (Perhaps touring with The Black Keys rubbed off on Arctic Monkeys a bit?!) The riff, built around a rather blues-y G minor chord, consists of only three main notes that are repeated throughout the song. It never gets any louder or softer at any point either, it just kinda stays the same. Normally, I like when a band or musician takes risks that wander off the beaten path of their usual musical style, but perhaps for Arctic Monkeys, less is more!
"Ordinary Love" by U2: The funny thing about legendary rock groups like U2 is that they just seem to lose their edge (no pun intended) after a while. "Ordinary Love" seems to use the same pattern that U2 have used since around the mid '00s - soft melodies, glossy sound production, and enough of an electric guitar based sound to make them "rock" even during their most sentimental moments. The guitar is probably what saves "Ordinary Love" from becoming a completely lackluster song. Well, that, and how Bono truly has an unstoppable, passionate spirit whenever he sings! While the intentions are good, and the song is catchy and harmless, there is still something about "Ordinary Love" that seems...well...ordinary! I still think it was worth talking about the song for the effort they put into it, though.
"Penitentiary" by Houndmouth: Imagine what The Band would be like with a more wry sense of humor in their music. That's pretty much what Houndmouth's "Penitentiary" is, even during its opening lines ("Hid a batch in Frisco, I couldn't score a job/So I did the next best thing and I learned how to rob"). The song's laid-back, roots-y vibe does a good job at masking its caustic lyrics, and gives the impression that Houndmouth are just a bunch of "good ol' Southern boys" (and one girl). But as soon as the chorus invites you to "come on down to the penitentiary", you know these folks have a trick or two up their sleeves, and you'll just be left begging to hear more of it afterwards!
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
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!!
"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!!
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
June BLOOM, 8 new songs for one new month!!
After about a month's absence on here, don't you think it's time I reviewed some new songs?! Well, you're in luck!! Here they are:
"Back Down South" by Kings of Leon: I never would've expected the same guys who debuted back in 2003 with the rough garage-rocker "Molly's Chambers" to have such a melancholy country/folk influenced tune almost a decade later, but lo and behold, KOL have done so with their latest tune, the aptly titled "Back Down South". This song has a very wistful vibe to it, and would probably also make a great "road" song, but not in the energetic, boastful way the typical '70s hard rock song would, but more like the "coming back home" sort of way that a song like "Teach Your Children" or "Heart of Gold" might. If your favorite songs are bittersweet ones, then this might be the one to check out for this week!
"Calgary" by Bon Iver: First of all, for those wondering how "Bon Iver" is pronounced, it's not "Bahn EYE-vur", it's "BONE ee-VAIR", a pun on a French phrase that translates to "good winter". Now that I've gotten that part out of the way, here's a bit of background info on Bon Iver. Though they weren't that big on adult alt stations in 2009, they quickly made a name for themselves nevertheless among indie fans with Nick Drake/Elliott Smith influenced neo-folk-rock such as "Blood Bank", "For Emma", "Re: Stacks", and "Skinny Love". "Calgary" is a bit of a departure from the somber, acoustic sound of these songs. Well, the somber is still there, but the acoustic?! Well, not so much. Instead, more electronic instruments are used, which is a bit of a letdown for me, as the acoustic instrumentation of Bon Iver was part of their charm to me. "Calgary" isn't bad, though. Bon Iver still manage to pull off an uplifting, ethereal sort of sound in spite of the synthesizer dominating the music, in a way that reminds me a great deal of the song "Daniel" by another electro-indie act, Bat For Lashes.
"Can't Keep Johnny Down" by They Might Be Giants: Ahhh, what's not to love about TMBG?! They're two of the goofiest guys in rock history! Even during their debut in the mid-'80s, their unique brand of alternative rock managed to somehow be more suitable for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network than it was for MTV and VH1. "Can't Keep Johnny Down" takes a turn towards the "darker" side of TMBG, though, which is a bit of a disappointment for me. And why is that such a letdown?! Well, first of all, both their name (taken from a B-movie), and their song titles (including, but not limited to, "Put Your Hands Inside the Puppet Head", "Dr. Worm", and "Birdhouse In Your Soul"), are goofball gold, in the '00s they released a series of children's albums that held just as much appeal to children as they did to Gen X adults nostalgic for the days of "Sesame Street" and "Schoolhouse Rock", and even the material they intended more for an "adult" audience was "kid-friendly" enough that shows like "Tiny Toons" and "Where In the World Is Carmen San Diego?" incorporated the use of their music!! About the "darkest" song in their catalog I can even THINK of is "Don't Let's Start", and even THAT has weird lyrics (i.e. "Wake up and smell the cat food"), and a play on the word "don't" that makes fun of a similar play on the word "love" Nat King Cole was known for using (the one where Nat goes, "L is for the way you look at me...", etc.) There doesn't seem to be ANYTHING redeeming at first about "Can't Keep Johnny Down", though, a song that's primarily about a guy with a difficult life. However, upon closer examination of the lyrics to the song, it's really about a guy who, as the song's title suggests, "can't be kept down" by the troubles he faces in his life. I suppose that makes it more redeeming than it might seem upon initial listening, but I still think TMBG could've done better than this!
"Chapel Song" by We Are Augustines: Both the title of the song and the name of the band might suggest a "Christian rock" band, but it's far closer to bands like Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse, particularly the more melancholy, sentimental side of those bands. Lyrically, this song seems like it would have been perfect for "The Graduate", as they seem to hint at the disappointment the lead singer feels about the girl he loves getting married to another man (could be wrong on this, though, as I haven't yet heard the song that many times). The repetition of both the lyrics (i.e. "I shake, shake, shake like a leaf, and I'm lyin', lyin', lyin' through my teeth") and the progression of the four guitar hooks used throughout the song seem to make it a memorable one!
"Don't Gotta Work It Out" by Fitz and The Tantrums: How do you follow up the success and insanely catchy hooks of the blue-eyed soul smash hit, "MoneyGrabber"?!? Well, I would think that'd be pretty hard!! But Fitz and The Tantrums have managed to do so with their second single, "Don't Gotta Work It Out"! Though it's not as much of a get-up-and-dance song as "MoneyGrabber" was, it still manages to be catchy (and Motown-esque) enough to once again win over the hearts of both classic soul fans and alternative/indie fans. The minor key that "Don't Gotta Work It Out" was written in is also emphasized a bit more than that of "MoneyGrabber"'s minor key, with the exception of "Don't Gotta Work It Out"'s bridge, consisting of an organ playing in F major. Still, this is definitely a song worth checking out for the week!
"Learn How to Love" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: If this is supposed to be a follow-up to "Bound For Glory", I kinda feel like it's a bit too early (but perhaps that's because "Bound For Glory" hasn't played on enough stations yet, at least from what I've observed). Unlike the triumphant, chug-along blues-rock of "Bound For Glory", "Learn How to Love" seems to be a bit more of a juicy, gritty blues-rock number. This one definitely emphasizes the "rock" element of "blues-rock", evoking the sounds of many blues-influenced classic rock bands, from Led Zeppelin to ZZ Top to The Allman Brothers (of whom Derek Trucks occasionally plays guitar for), and then some! Who knows, perhaps the hard, solid rock 'n' roll influence of this song will guarantee "Learn How to Love" more success on adult alt radio than "Bound For Glory". We'll see!!
"Rider" by Okkervil River: I think I'm a bit late in my review for this one, but here goes. Though "Rider" has only received airplay on a handful of adult alt stations so far, it seems like its airplay is slowly but surely starting to increase, and it also has a unique sound that managed to capture me immediately upon hearing it! Its sound is the "orchestral indie" sound used frequently in Arcade Fire's music, and used additionally in other indie acts such as Sea Wolf, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, and Andrew Bird. The "orchestral" sound in "Rider" uses piano as the central instrument, and a dynamic and forceful, yet still catchy sort of rhythm. I especially like the end of this song, in which the instruments start to speed up, building up to a fantastic finish! I highly recommend this song!!
"Rise Above 1" by Reeve Carney and U2's Bono and The Edge: Apparently this song is supposed to be a part of the Broadway production of "Spider-Man"!! WHAAA?!? Well, as far as U2 songs go, this one is rather mediocre, I think. The fact that Reeve Carney contributed to this, though, I guess makes this worth listening to, and I kinda like this song despite how "average" it sounds. - EDIT - my bad - I confused my Carneys - it's PATRICK Carney (not REEVE Carney) who sings on this track - Reeve Carney is merely the guy that plays "Spider-Man" in the Broadway production of "Spider-Man", he has nothing to do with The Black Keys - what can I say, I get confused sometimes, and I apologize to those who might have thought I was spreading "false information" online - your fears should be calmed down by now
"Back Down South" by Kings of Leon: I never would've expected the same guys who debuted back in 2003 with the rough garage-rocker "Molly's Chambers" to have such a melancholy country/folk influenced tune almost a decade later, but lo and behold, KOL have done so with their latest tune, the aptly titled "Back Down South". This song has a very wistful vibe to it, and would probably also make a great "road" song, but not in the energetic, boastful way the typical '70s hard rock song would, but more like the "coming back home" sort of way that a song like "Teach Your Children" or "Heart of Gold" might. If your favorite songs are bittersweet ones, then this might be the one to check out for this week!
"Calgary" by Bon Iver: First of all, for those wondering how "Bon Iver" is pronounced, it's not "Bahn EYE-vur", it's "BONE ee-VAIR", a pun on a French phrase that translates to "good winter". Now that I've gotten that part out of the way, here's a bit of background info on Bon Iver. Though they weren't that big on adult alt stations in 2009, they quickly made a name for themselves nevertheless among indie fans with Nick Drake/Elliott Smith influenced neo-folk-rock such as "Blood Bank", "For Emma", "Re: Stacks", and "Skinny Love". "Calgary" is a bit of a departure from the somber, acoustic sound of these songs. Well, the somber is still there, but the acoustic?! Well, not so much. Instead, more electronic instruments are used, which is a bit of a letdown for me, as the acoustic instrumentation of Bon Iver was part of their charm to me. "Calgary" isn't bad, though. Bon Iver still manage to pull off an uplifting, ethereal sort of sound in spite of the synthesizer dominating the music, in a way that reminds me a great deal of the song "Daniel" by another electro-indie act, Bat For Lashes.
"Can't Keep Johnny Down" by They Might Be Giants: Ahhh, what's not to love about TMBG?! They're two of the goofiest guys in rock history! Even during their debut in the mid-'80s, their unique brand of alternative rock managed to somehow be more suitable for Nickelodeon and Cartoon Network than it was for MTV and VH1. "Can't Keep Johnny Down" takes a turn towards the "darker" side of TMBG, though, which is a bit of a disappointment for me. And why is that such a letdown?! Well, first of all, both their name (taken from a B-movie), and their song titles (including, but not limited to, "Put Your Hands Inside the Puppet Head", "Dr. Worm", and "Birdhouse In Your Soul"), are goofball gold, in the '00s they released a series of children's albums that held just as much appeal to children as they did to Gen X adults nostalgic for the days of "Sesame Street" and "Schoolhouse Rock", and even the material they intended more for an "adult" audience was "kid-friendly" enough that shows like "Tiny Toons" and "Where In the World Is Carmen San Diego?" incorporated the use of their music!! About the "darkest" song in their catalog I can even THINK of is "Don't Let's Start", and even THAT has weird lyrics (i.e. "Wake up and smell the cat food"), and a play on the word "don't" that makes fun of a similar play on the word "love" Nat King Cole was known for using (the one where Nat goes, "L is for the way you look at me...", etc.) There doesn't seem to be ANYTHING redeeming at first about "Can't Keep Johnny Down", though, a song that's primarily about a guy with a difficult life. However, upon closer examination of the lyrics to the song, it's really about a guy who, as the song's title suggests, "can't be kept down" by the troubles he faces in his life. I suppose that makes it more redeeming than it might seem upon initial listening, but I still think TMBG could've done better than this!
"Chapel Song" by We Are Augustines: Both the title of the song and the name of the band might suggest a "Christian rock" band, but it's far closer to bands like Arcade Fire and Modest Mouse, particularly the more melancholy, sentimental side of those bands. Lyrically, this song seems like it would have been perfect for "The Graduate", as they seem to hint at the disappointment the lead singer feels about the girl he loves getting married to another man (could be wrong on this, though, as I haven't yet heard the song that many times). The repetition of both the lyrics (i.e. "I shake, shake, shake like a leaf, and I'm lyin', lyin', lyin' through my teeth") and the progression of the four guitar hooks used throughout the song seem to make it a memorable one!
"Don't Gotta Work It Out" by Fitz and The Tantrums: How do you follow up the success and insanely catchy hooks of the blue-eyed soul smash hit, "MoneyGrabber"?!? Well, I would think that'd be pretty hard!! But Fitz and The Tantrums have managed to do so with their second single, "Don't Gotta Work It Out"! Though it's not as much of a get-up-and-dance song as "MoneyGrabber" was, it still manages to be catchy (and Motown-esque) enough to once again win over the hearts of both classic soul fans and alternative/indie fans. The minor key that "Don't Gotta Work It Out" was written in is also emphasized a bit more than that of "MoneyGrabber"'s minor key, with the exception of "Don't Gotta Work It Out"'s bridge, consisting of an organ playing in F major. Still, this is definitely a song worth checking out for the week!
"Learn How to Love" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: If this is supposed to be a follow-up to "Bound For Glory", I kinda feel like it's a bit too early (but perhaps that's because "Bound For Glory" hasn't played on enough stations yet, at least from what I've observed). Unlike the triumphant, chug-along blues-rock of "Bound For Glory", "Learn How to Love" seems to be a bit more of a juicy, gritty blues-rock number. This one definitely emphasizes the "rock" element of "blues-rock", evoking the sounds of many blues-influenced classic rock bands, from Led Zeppelin to ZZ Top to The Allman Brothers (of whom Derek Trucks occasionally plays guitar for), and then some! Who knows, perhaps the hard, solid rock 'n' roll influence of this song will guarantee "Learn How to Love" more success on adult alt radio than "Bound For Glory". We'll see!!
"Rider" by Okkervil River: I think I'm a bit late in my review for this one, but here goes. Though "Rider" has only received airplay on a handful of adult alt stations so far, it seems like its airplay is slowly but surely starting to increase, and it also has a unique sound that managed to capture me immediately upon hearing it! Its sound is the "orchestral indie" sound used frequently in Arcade Fire's music, and used additionally in other indie acts such as Sea Wolf, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros, and Andrew Bird. The "orchestral" sound in "Rider" uses piano as the central instrument, and a dynamic and forceful, yet still catchy sort of rhythm. I especially like the end of this song, in which the instruments start to speed up, building up to a fantastic finish! I highly recommend this song!!
"Rise Above 1" by Reeve Carney and U2's Bono and The Edge: Apparently this song is supposed to be a part of the Broadway production of "Spider-Man"!! WHAAA?!? Well, as far as U2 songs go, this one is rather mediocre, I think. The fact that Reeve Carney contributed to this, though, I guess makes this worth listening to, and I kinda like this song despite how "average" it sounds. - EDIT - my bad - I confused my Carneys - it's PATRICK Carney (not REEVE Carney) who sings on this track - Reeve Carney is merely the guy that plays "Spider-Man" in the Broadway production of "Spider-Man", he has nothing to do with The Black Keys - what can I say, I get confused sometimes, and I apologize to those who might have thought I was spreading "false information" online - your fears should be calmed down by now
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