New songs for May 4th, 2022

 Here they are:


"Falling Apart (Right Now)" by Wilco: Wilco have gone through many musical phases in their career! Psychedelic, prog-rock, folk-rock, you name it! But it's important for Wilco's fans to remember they started off as a country-rock group, and with "Falling Apart (Right Now)," Wilco have gone back to their roots. Sort of. The song is really more rockabilly than anything else. There's a definite sense of country twang in the song, but it's done to a sort of boogie-woogie shuffle. Yet another adventure into uncharted territory in the eclectic Wilco catalog!

"Hard Working Man" by Marcus King: Hard ROCKING man is more like it!! For soul/blues-rocker, Marcus King, this is probably the hardest rocking song he's had in his catalog so far! The song echoes a lot of guitar riffs 1970's rock bands and musicians such as Bad Company, George Thorogood, and ZZ Top. Marcus' riffs and sound are usually a bit smoother than that, but there's nothin' wrong with spicing up your material with rawer sounds every once in a while!

"Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)" by Arcade Fire: Yet another song from this year that showcases the more sensitive, folk-rock side of Arcade Fire, "Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)" is a song that attempts to reach out to a world that continues to crumble at the seams despite our best efforts to prevent that from happening. The song takes its main title (and chorus) from our innate desire for unconditional love, much needed in times like this, and its parenthetical title, "Lookout Kid," from what Win Butler says during the verses; essentially an attempt to warn listeners, especially teens and young adults ("kids"), that the world is a far from perfect place and that they should look out for danger (and for one another). 

New songs for September 25th 2019

here they are:


"Everyone Hides" by Wilco: Did you think that Imogen Heap was the only indie musician who enjoyed playing "hide and seek"?! Well, think again! Wilco enjoy it just as much, and not in the romantic way that Imogen did in her song. The video for "Everyone Hides" is quite literally a fun, harmless game of hide and seek between the band members! It can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P2Gbbd6pVMg Jeff Tweedy and co are quite the clever punsters in this song and video! The title of the song itself, when used in combination with the video, could be taken as one, using the word "hide" in the sense of both concealing one's inner emotions in the song and literally finding a place to hide in the video. Visual puns that reference Wilco albums like "Being There" (depicted here as a movie starring Peter Sellers) and "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot" (the tower on the album cover is one place they hide) can be found throughout the video. Happy hunting!


"Missing Home" by Flora Cash: The third song so far to become a hit in the catalog of Swedish indie-folk duo, Flora Cash, "Missing Home" recalls many of the elements that made their first and biggest hit (so far), "You're Somebody Else", so successful on alt and adult alt radio stations. For one, acoustic guitar makes a return to Flora Cash's music (guitar was largely absent on "They Own This Town"). Flora Cash also turn back from the bitter vibes of "They Own This Town" and go back to bittersweet, which suits them better, on "Missing Home". The title alone indicates a sense of yearning, and the moody yet longing vibe of the song and its lovelorn lyrics confirm this. Midway through, the song uses the old adage that "home is where the heart is", but it doesn't feel corny or forced here. Instead, it feels like it plucks at the ol' heartstrings. Here's hoping this song will become one of the smash hits for the final season of both 2019 and the 2010's!


"The Game" by Milky Chance: Often written off as a "one-hit wonder" for the sensually funky alt-folk song, "Stolen Dance", Milky Chance have had a few more songs that their fanbase knows them for, most notably "Flashed Junk Mind" and "Cocoon". Joining the ranks of those songs is the German indie-folk trio's latest tune, "The Game". Once again mixing folk guitars with world music rhythms, "The Game", which has a reggae rhythm that recalls Magic!, another mid 2010's one-hit wonder for their song, "Rude". The lyrics are basically about a relationship gone wrong, where lead singer Clemens Rehbein claims that he doesn't care about what rumors have been spread about him and that he just wants to learn "the rules of the game". The game, of course, is the game of love. I hate to burst anyone's bubble here, but no, it is not about that silly meme that claims, "You just lost the game"!


"The Runner" by Foals: Foals are one of the few indie/alt bands left that can shift between typical indie-pop and the alt-rock music in days of yore that had more guitars. They boasted some mighty fine guitar playing skills on their 2015 hit, "Mountain At My Gates". On their latest song, "The Runner", their guitar skills are once again evident! Where their song "Exits" from earlier this year seemed to evoke feelings of despair and hopelessness, "The Runner" seems to be all about determination! Nothing can get in the way of Foals' success after such a tumultuous, unpredictable decade. Hopefully they'll soldier on into the next one unscathed!

New songs for July 24th 2019

here they are:


"Love Is Everywhere (Beware)" by Wilco: So it's official. Now both the end of the 2000's AND the end of the 2010's have a Wilco song (and album to go along with it). Wilco's eclectic musical pallet, which is at once both sweet and sardonic, has made them one of the most appealing and enduring bands of the indie scene. A major difference between the end of the '00s and the end of the 2010's is how much political turmoil we have sadly had to face during the latter (perhaps even more so when it comes to how much indie and folk musicians have had to endure as a result). "Love Is Everywhere (Beware)" is a song of reassurance that Jeff Tweedy and co have offered us during these troubled times. Jeff is not a complete optimist, though, in spite of what he suggests in both the title and the sound of this song. If you're wondering just what to make of this song, perhaps the best thing to do is just to get swept up in its mellow vibes and focus more on the message of the song's title than that of the song itself.


"Stay High" by Brittany Howard: Well, sadly, "History Repeats" didn't do as well as I thought it would on adult alt radio, but Alabama Shakes' lead singer has decided to release a second single about three weeks later with "Stay High". The song is unusual for a Brittany Howard song in that it focuses on acoustic guitar more than it does on electric. Given Brittany's rock and roll reputation, the phrase "stay high" might refer to drugs on the surface, but the lyrics are actually quite sweet otherwise, much like the song itself. The song is hardly about drugs (from what I can tell), the sex aspects are replaced by pure love, and it's not really a rock and roll song either so much as it is folk-rock. The song is basically an expression of pure love, whichever way you choose to look at it.

New songs for December 5th, 2018

Hi everyone. This will be the LAST blog of the YEAR, not counting my Top 20 of 2018, which will be announced on Monday. Here are this year's final songs:


"I Know What It's Like" by Jeff Tweedy (Wilco): Much like Jeff Tweedy's debut effort without Wilco, "Summer Noon", "I Know What It's Like" has the essential material of most Wilco songs without it being Wilco. A healthy does of Dylan/Harrison styled folk-rock and country-rock twang, and lyrics that are simplistic and deep at the same time. With a yearning sound and nature centered lyrics, "I Know What It's Like" could be the unofficial "sequel" to "Summer Noon". This song works just as well in winter, though, giving Wilco fans a warm, fuzzy feeling during an icy, cold season!


"Roses And Sacrifice" by The Avett Brothers: The use of the word "sacrifice" in the title of this song makes it sound like it will be long and depressing, but it's actually anything but. It's only 2 minutes and 53 seconds long, and the "sacrifice" part of the song's title actually refers to either Seth or Scott pouring out his aching heart into song to express how much he misses a certain girl in his life. In essence, this is basically an "I miss you so much" kind of song, but the lyrics make it seem worthy of (and probably inspired by) something that Bob Dylan himself might have done.


"Salvation" by The Strumbellas: A grand comeback from one of the biggest hitmakers of 2016 (mainly for "Spirits") that sounds like it took a cue or two from Imagine Dragons?! Yeah. This is probably gonna end up being one of the biggest hits of 2019! If that's so, then the 2010's will definitely go out with a bang, thanks in no small part to The Strumbellas! Without even a week's worth of existence on the airwaves, 10 adult alt stations, and counting, have already started airing this song. There's no telling whether the meaning of "salvation" in this song is religious or if it refers to the uninhibited freedom one feels around a good friend (or boyfriend/girlfriend), but it's a relentlessly happy song that will probably get us through the increasingly dark times we've been having during the second half of this decade. Worth listening to, I say!


"Superposition" by Young the Giant: If you knew Young the Giant for their 2011/2012 smash hit, "Cough Syrup", then this might not be something you'd expect out of YTG. Unlike the accessible, arena ready sound of "Cough Syrup", "Superposition" has a more "trippy" atmosphere to it. For one thing, it uses more exotic instrumentation. I can't even figure out what the one instrument is they're playing that sounds something like an electric sitar. "Superposition" feels like a modern day psychedelic pop song, and with its spacey, philosophical lyrics, it's not hard to see why! The term "superposition" itself is actually a term associated with quantum physics. Mind blown!


"You're the One" by Greta Van Fleet: It was a head scratcher as to why a song as hard rocking as "When the Curtain Falls" got so much airplay on adult alt radio stations, as that doesn't often happen. While Greta Van Fleet's latest song, "You're the One", still sounds a bit like Led Zeppelin, it reflects the softer, folk-rock side of the band's material, which is more fit for adult alt radio stations to be playing. A few YouTube commenters have even said that it's the first GVF song they've heard that sounds like it isn't ripping off of another artist! While it's a little obvious that "You're the One" cribs from Zeppelin songs like "Thank You", "Your Time Is Gonna Come", and pretty much every acoustic Zeppelin song in the key of D major, it still sounds refreshing in comparison to most of GVF's other material. Aside from the incredibly Plant-like vocals, this song sounds like it could have been a Black Crowes song, a first for Greta Van Fleet!

Forever Young!

The words "youth" and "child" appear in the only two songs I have for this week. Therefore I thought "Forever Young" would be a clever title for this week's blog. Anyway, on with the show!


"Fountain of Youth" by Local Natives: Whenever a new political age is ushered in, new songs are ushered in to go along with that. The '60s saw many such songs, and even the era of Bush the younger got an entire Green Day album in protest of it in response. Not a whole lot of songs have been written yet about Hillary Clinton, Donald Trump, or Bernie Sanders, but Local Natives address the first of these three in their latest song, "Fountain of Youth", referring to her as "Mrs. President", perhaps in a tongue-in-cheek manner. The song's chorus of "We can do whatever we want. We can say whatever we need" seems like an accurate representation of the disillusionment a lot of young people (and quite a few older ones, too) feel about the current political climate. The new revolution has just begun. There is more of it to come, I'm sure of it!


"If I Ever Was A Child" by Wilco: At long, long last, Wilco return to their roots as a folk/country-rock group after quite a few albums with a feedback drenched psychedelic rock influenced sound. The lyrics and mood of this song are both bittersweet, something Wilco haven't really touched upon in their music since their 2009 song, "You and I", which was a duet with Feist. "If I Ever Was A Child", as its title seems to imply, is a sweet, nostalgic sounding song that also has an air of sadness to it. The song's chorus expresses that Jeff Tweedy was "never alone long enough to know if (he) ever was a child." Perhaps Tweedy is pining for simpler times on this song, and the entire album, at that, which is largely composed of folk-rock and country-rock tunes that lack the distortion present on so many other recent Wilco songs.

New songs for October 28th, 2015

here they are:


"Gibraltar" by Beirut: Beirut Folds Five?! Kinda sounds like that's the route that Beirut are taking with their latest song, "Gibraltar", albeit with added influence from both lounge music and African drumming as well. Beirut's musical selection is as enigmatic as the origin of their name (which I still have yet to find out, amazingly). It's nice to hear Beirut depart from the synthesizer sound they went for on their other two adult alt radio hits ("Santa Fe" and "No No No") and put in an unplugged keyboard sound in its place in "Gibraltar". On the downside, though, "Gibraltar" is also missing the trademark muted horns that Beirut have used on both radio faves and fan faves among their material. No matter, though, as Beirut continue to amaze me with each new musical adventure they attempt!


"Han Solo" by Bob Schneider: Between this song title and the title of Bob's song "Captain Kirk", I'm kinda convinced that Bob Schneider has a nerdy side that he doesn't often reveal in his other songs and performances. Apparently the title of the song is used as a term of affection for either a close friend or girlfriend that he wants to ensure protection for. This song ranks among the more reflective, slightly bittersweet songs in Bob's catalog and has a somewhat Snow Patrol-ish sound like "40 Dogs (Like Romeo And Juliet)" and "Swimming In the Sea" did. Though I have no problem with the happier sounding Bob Schneider tunes (like "Let the Light In" and "The Stars Over Your House"), I kinda think Bob is at his best when he does more wistful sounding songs like "Han Solo".


"Never Come Back Again" by Austin Plaine: The title of this song might sound like the name of an angry breakup tune, but it's actually anything but. "Never Come Back Again" by folk/alt-country newcomer, Austin Plaine, is actually a song about having adventure out in nature that's so exciting that you want to "feel what it's like to never come back again". The song is one of those songs that fits perfectly with the end of a long trip home on the freeway at sunset, and such imagery fits perfectly with the haunting yet blissful "let's get lost" lyrics of the song. One listen to this song, and you really will want to "never come back again"!


"Record High, Record Low" by Givers: Givers were an energetic indie-pop sextet who debuted in summer 2011 and made all of 2011 (and some of early 2012) feel like summer all year long with relentlessly happy songs like "Up Up Up", "Saw You First", and "Ceiling of Plankton". Givers' summery vibe continues to glow and radiate with their latest song, "Record High, Record Low", which differs from their other three hit songs in that it gives backing vocalist Tiffany Lamson a time to shine in the limelight by taking on the lead vocals of the song instead of the background (I guess there's a good reason they're called "Givers" after all!) The title's deliberate use of opposites next to each other has been thought by some to be an allusion to the famous Charles Dickens quote, "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times". I'm pretty sure Dickens didn't want his audience to feel like they were at a dance party on the beach, though, which Givers clearly do here!


"Talk to Me" by Kopecky: The main riff of Fleetwood Mac's "Rhiannon" filtered through a Blondie-ish musical lens doesn't seem like it would gel together too well, but that's pretty much what Kopecky does here with their latest song, "Talk to Me". Fleetwood Mac seems to have influenced Kopecky here lyrically as well as musically, as the song seems to be about a relationship on the brink like many of the songs on "Rumours" were. Between this song and the surprisingly rockin' "Quarterback" from spring of this year, I feel as if Kopecky want to up their rock 'n' roll quotient on their latest album. Perhaps another single or two from that album will answer my question either later this year or sometime next year.


"The Joke Explained" by Wilco: Wilco have attempted to emulate Bob Dylan's musical style many times, but "The Joke Explained" is probably their finest moment so far in terms of emulating Dylan's lyrical style. The lyrics of the song are rather mysterious and oblique, but it almost seems as though they're meant to be that way. Lyrics like "I sweat tears but don't ever cry" and "I laugh at a joke explained" seem like they were taken straight from the Dylan handbook! Musically, "The Joke Explained" kinda sounds like something from Bob's catalog as well, but with equal parts Lou Reed and Neil Young thrown in for good measure.


"The World Ender" by Lord Huron: Think Lord Huron are just some dreamy sounding indie-folk band?! Well "The World Ender" will probably get you to rethink your stance on their music, if that's the case! The sound of the song is somewhat ethereal, like most of LH's material, but it's also the closest the band have gotten to rock 'n' roll so far, with its sound and delivery somewhat reminiscent of both Elvis and Johnny Cash. The lyrical imagery of "The World Ender" isn't exactly dreamy either (although what would you expect with a title like "The World Ender"?!) Lead vocalist Ben Schneider claims in the chorus that he's "the world ender" and that he's "back from the dead". How apt for Halloween! Speaking of which, a LOT of the titles on LH's latest album seem to have Halloween related themes, like "Love Like Ghosts", "Dead Man's Hand", and "Cursed". Looks like I'll have quite a bit of LH music on my Halloween playlist this year!! Muahahahaahhaahahaha!!


"Unsteady" by X Ambassadors: X Ambassadors are responsible for one of this summer's greatest earworms!! Even saying "Hey hey hey, livin' like we're renegades" without singing it will probably cause the song to weasel its way into your head somehow. This gives X Ambassadors' second big song, "Unsteady", a marked contrast to "Renegades". Not that "Unsteady" isn't catchy, but it is a much more sensitive and heartfelt song in comparison to the more carefree vibe of "Renegades". There seems to be a little bit of millennially styled soft rock cheese in "Unsteady" (The Fray, anyone?), but that doesn't detract completely from the message X Ambassadors are trying to convey on "Unsteady", which is an apt adjective to describe Sam Harris' quavering, achy vocals on this song! Perhaps if the production on this song weren't so polished up I'd like this song better, but it certainly isn't a bad one.

"Star Wars" Episode IX: Return of the Tweed-eye (and 4 other good ones)!!

In honor of Wilco's new album, "Star Wars", I have decided to make the title of this week's blog a reference to the "Star Wars" movies!! Here are this week's songs:


"Phone In A Pool" by Ben Folds (featuring yMusic): Ben Folds is one quirky dude! I mean, who ELSE would come up with a song title as random as "Phone In A Pool"? As it turns out, the title is not as random as it seems. It actually comes from how Ben was sick of answering his cell phone all the time. This resulted in how he did, in fact, throw his phone in a pool, out of the anger that rooted from having to answer it so often, even when he just got off stage. The song itself is charmingly odd, like most of Ben's material. New York ensemble yMusic provides a bit of light classical influence to the song to add to Ben's signature piano sound.


"Random Name Generator" by Wilco: So here's the moment you've all been waiting for, folks! A long time ago (1995, to be precise) in a galaxy far, far away (actually Chicago, Illinois), a singer named Jeff Tweedy decided to form a band, and he called it Wilco, after a military term short for "will comply". They started off as a country-rock group, but soon ventured into more folk, psychedelic, and even punk influenced territory as their career progressed. Their ninth and latest album is called "Star Wars", though no one quite knows why (yet). The first single off that album, "Random Name Generator", is, well, random! Both the title and the lyrics are rather mysterious, perhaps as an ode to musical heroes of theirs, such as Bob Dylan, though the song itself sounds more like something from what a Lou Reed led Led Zeppelin might have sounded like.


"Spots of Time" by Warren Haynes (featuring Railroad Earth): As a temporary member of The Allman Brothers Band, Warren Haynes is quite an accomplished "jam band" guitarist! His studio songs often feel more like live recordings due to their enormous length. Another thing he has in common with The Allmans is how blues-y he sounds. Well, normally. Warren's latest song, "Spots of Time", sounds more like an amalgam of flamenco, bluegrass, and jazz. So how did this happen?! Perhaps it's because he chose to jam with Railroad Earth, who are known for being more bluegrass than blues. For you guitar solo hungry folks, though, fear not! There is still plenty of chunky guitar jams in this song! It's just that this time around, they're interspersed with fiddle solos, too.


"The Next Storm" by Frank Turner: Plenty of folks have opted for folk-rock in the 2010's, but in 2013, Frank Turner won over more than just the usual folk-rock crowd with songs like "Recovery" and "The Way I Tend to Be", both of which made it into my Top 20 of 2013 at the end of the year. Songs like these were invigorating, lively, and quite clever as well! Frank continues this pattern with his newest song, "The Next Storm", proving himself to be England's answer to Bruce Springsteen in the process of performing it! "I'm not gonna live my whole life indoors, I'm gonna step out, and face the next storm", Frank proudly and defiantly proclaims in the chorus of "The Next Storm". Adventure, ho!


"Trouble" by Keith Richards: Since quite a large number of adult alt stations have started spinning this song when it isn't even a week old yet, I was expecting this to be a softer Keith/Stones song. It is not! It's basically a Stones song with Keith taking the lead vocals instead of Mick. The song has plenty of juicy Chuck Berry style riffs, a fast, propulsive beat, and an overall rebellious (but fun) sound. The world's oldest looking Stone is still young at heart! The dry, sardonic delivery of the lyrics is also worth noting here, as a marked contrast to the louder, more direct vocal delivery of Mick Jagger.

New songs for October 1st, 2014

here they are:


"Come From the Heart" by Hard Working Americans: "Hard Working Americans" sure is an apt name for this roots-y rock supergroup! They're a little bit country ("Down to the Well"), and a little bit rock 'n' roll as well ("Stomp And Holler"). Hard Working Americans' third big song, "Come From the Heart", is a slow, heartfelt song, that sounds like a soul-inflected country song. The organ solo in the middle almost gives "Come From the Heart" a gospel-like feel. "It's got to come from your heart, or it's not going to work", Todd Snider smoothly croons, accompanied by Johnny Cash's daughter, Rosanne. This is the kind of song that definitely comes from the heart, and it works great.


"Dangerous" by Big Data: Sometimes, an irresistible dance-rock tune comes about, and makes almost everyone a fan (or sometimes a hater, if it gets overplayed). Songs like Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy" and Daft Punk's "Get Lucky" are surefire winners in this category, and it looks like a new song is about to join their ranks. That song is "Dangerous" by Big Data. With its thumping, funky guitar hook, "Dangerous" is dangerous...ly catchy!! This is the sort of song you'd be equally likely to hear in independent record stores and shopping malls, and it's what everyone's gonna be shakin' on the dance floor to this fall!!


"Easy Money" by Johnny Marr: Unlike Morrissey, Johnny Marr's melancholy, angst-ridden former bandmate from The Smiths, Johnny Marr seems to have more upbeat solo songs. I first started listening to Johnny's solo work in early 2013, with the garage rock influenced "Upstarts", and his latest song, "Easy Money", continues in a similar direction. "Easy Money" isn't straight up rock 'n' roll like "Upstarts" was, though, and instead has a more pulsating, new wave-y alt-pop sound reminiscent of groups like Foster the People and Phoenix. A similarity Johnny has to Morrissey is that they are both all about addressing social concerns to the media, but the way Johnny does so is a bit more on the sly side than the more obvious and melodramatic way that Morrissey does so. In the case of "Easy Money", the song is about exactly that - money - and it is also a satirical jab at how people think that money can "buy you happiness".



"I Don't Want to Change You" by Damien Rice: Damien Rice seems like the type who is introverted and fragile, so I had thought for a long time that his late 2006 album, "O", would have been his last. It appears as though I was wrong! After 8 years of musical hibernation, Damien has finally come out with a new song! "I Don't Want to Change You" is trademark Damien, all over! Melancholy acoustic guitar, delicate vocals, lovelorn lyrics, lush string arrangement in the background. Pretty much every Damien Rice song sounds like this, but it's why people like me love his work. Traits like this define who Damien is, and he still has 'em! Damien, I don't want to change you, either!


"I Want to Know" by Kongos: Kongos' uniquely catchy "Come With Me Now" was such a smash hit for this year, in multiple formats (including Top 40), that I just knew somehow they were bound to have another hit! For awhile, it looked like that song was going to be the rocking, menacing "I'm Only Joking", but perhaps that was too rough for adult alt audiences, so instead, the more reggae inflected "I Want to Know" has become the second song from Kongos to hit the adult alt airwaves. While nowhere near as catchy as "Come With Me Now", it still has its high points. It actually sounds similar to another reggae-rock fusion I reviewed earlier this year (Magic!'s "Rude"), but since the two bands came out around the same time, this is probably merely coincidence. "I Want to Know" also has a great, reverb soaked guitar solo, to really make the reggae-rock fusion of the song sound more solid.


"Low Key" by Tweedy: The title of this song is quite an apt description of how Jeff Tweedy from Wilco's music typically is. "Low Key", performed with his son, Spencer, is a mellow tune, in which the lyrics ("I've always been low key") match up with the mood of the song quite well. The song is also somewhat autobiographical, and Jeff even claimed in an interview that he thought the song was "meant for (him)". There are probably many times when you've sung a song to yourself, but not every day you've sung songs about yourself!


"Yellow Flicker Beat" by Lorde: Is Lorde a fan of the "Hunger Games" movies?! Between "Glory And Gore", and her newest song, "Yellow Flicker Beat", I would say that could very well be the case! (Or perhaps the people who make the movies are big fans of her music). The typical Lorde song seems to sound like a darker version of Madonna, and "Yellow Flicker Beat" is no exception. Perhaps the one thing that makes this song stand out from her other material is the lyrics, in which the 17-year-old New Zealand native describes a "yellow flicker beat sparking up (her) heart". Quite a vivid description there! Not sure exactly what that's supposed to be a description of, though.

New songs for July 9th, 2014

here they are:


"Crazy For You" by Scars on 45: Named for a quote from Emmylou Harris' father, but sounding more like a guitar-centric version of Coldplay, Scars on 45 managed to win me over three times in a row with songs from their debut a couple years ago. Normally I'm not thrilled with a lot of the faux-Coldplay bands, but there's something about Scars on 45 that continually draws me to their music! The chorus of their latest song, "Crazy For You", tends to pour a bit more musical syrup than the verses do, with its slowed down, piano-centric sound, as well as its gooey guy/girl harmonies, but I can deal with the faster, more guitar oriented verses pretty well. Besides, the fast verse/slow chorus focus of this song makes it distinguished from Scars' other material.


"Do You?" by Spoon: Perhaps Spoon thought their fans weren't QUITE ready for the Stones-y, soulful "Rent I Pay" (though the comments I've read about the song would indicate otherwise), so they've already released a new single, "Do You?", that sounds a bit more...well...Spoon-y. And what is "Spoon-y", you ask?! Basically it's fun, bouncy, quirky music that combines piano-pop with folk-rock. "Do You?" adds a soft jazz element to their music, with its use of major 7th chords to comprise the majority of the song. The fact that this song was released in summer is quite apt, considering how its lyrics center around activities like getting popsicles, and asking "someone (to) do something 'bout this heat". The sound of the song doesn't sound quite right for summer, though. It has more of a breezy, autumnal flavor to me.


"Summer Noon" by Tweedy (Jeff Tweedy from Wilco): Now THIS song feels like summer! The title alone says so! However, it's not a summer party song, but more of a "lazy, hazy days of summer" sorta song. This being a song by Jeff Tweedy from Wilco, I wouldn't exactly expect this to be a party song. Another thing Tweedy is known for is having a "retro" flavor to a lot of his songs, though it seems hard to top how retro "Summer Noon" sounds. It doesn't seem to sound a year older than 1969, even though it was (obviously) released years later. "Summer Noon" is meant to evoke exactly what its title would indicate it's supposed to - a summer noon, of course! A restful, peaceful summer noon!

New songs for October 12th, 2011

here they are:

"All Eyes On You" by Diego Garcia: Before I get to reviewing this one, I'd like to apologize for overlooking Diego's previous "hit", "You Were Never There" from earlier this year. It's a very beautiful song and I'm sorry for not reviewing it when I should have. Well, that being said, hopefully my review for Diego's latest, "All Eyes On You" will compensating for my not reviewing his material earlier this year. "All Eyes On You" is a lovely song with beautiful string orchestration that manages to combine the seductiveness of the flamenco guitar with the sensitivity of the typical indie song. The sentimental, melancholy atmosphere of the song tends to make "All Eyes On You" the perfect sort of "sunset music" to me, as I can picture a romantic couple beneath the sunset watching it go down when I listen to this song!

"Come See About Me" by The Tedeschi Trucks Band: Not to be confused with The Supremes' song of the same name (though they are both written in D major), the third single from The Tedeschi-Trucks Band is a tasty rock-blues-'n'-soul romp! Its flavor, aptly enough, is between the brightly righteous soul music of the TT Band's "Bound For Glory", and the electric guitar fueled rock 'n' roll of their other big song, "Learn How to Love", as both the horns and guitar (and Tedeschi's husky, bluesy vocals) are prominently featured instruments in "Come See About Me". Perhaps the title is a sly wink at The Supremes' "Come See About Me", as Tedeschi DOES say "Come see about your baby" in the chorus in addition to the title of the song, which The Supremes also did in their "Come See About Me".

"Dawned On Me" by Wilco: It's been a busy (but exciting) year for Wilco, hasn't it?! There have been three successful songs from their latest CD, "The Whole Love", so far, including the adult alt radio mega hit, "I Might", and "Born Alone", the latter of which I just reviewed last week! Which brings me to their most recent song to get added to radio rotation, "Dawned On Me", which, melodically and vocally (at least in the verses), plays off somewhat like a "serious" version of The Rutles' "A Hard Day's Night" spoof, "I Must Be In Love". Just like The Rutles intentionally use opposites in the verses of "I Must Be In Love" ("I feel good, I feel bad, I feel happy, I feel sad"), Wilco uses the same technique in "Dawned On Me", with a similar rhythmic pattern, too ("I've been young, I've been old, I've been hurt, and consoled"). The chorus and instrumentation are more typical Wilco, though. Still, I'm pretty amazed (and amused) that I'm comparing a Wilco song to one from the self proclaimed "Pre-Fab Four"!!

"Free" by Graffiti 6: Alt-rock hasn't been as simultaneously bouncy and stylish since the days of David Bowie and INXS (of which this song has a somewhat similar sound to the latter band). The lyrics to "Free" tend to come off like the typical love song, nothing too special. The appeal to "Free" lies in its catchy, sleek instrumentation, its unforgettable rhythm, and the wide vocal range of Graffiti 6's lead singer. For a song with rather ordinary lyrics, "Free" is pretty remarkable, though. It's not only a song that doesn't easily leave your head, but its bell-like sounds and string instruments in the background also give it a very distinct flavor!

"Free My Mind" by Katie Herzig: Feels funny reviewing a Katie Herzig song, since I can remember back when she was an unknown "new" musician that got a song of hers played on the well-loved indie/folk public radio showcase, "Morning Becomes Eclectic", a couple years ago. I don't remember much about the song, except for that I liked it and that Katie's last name, "Herzig", sounded unique enough for me to remember it years later! So now, on with Katie's first big song, "Free My Mind". There are many things to like about this song, I think! First off, the instrumentation is rather unusual, even for an "indie" song, with its thumping bass at the beginning, that quickly gets joined by a swirly synthesizer, a somewhat synthesized, propulsive percussion section, and the "classical" sound of both flutes AND a string section backing up a song with an otherwise "contemporary" sound. Katie's cute but dry sounding vocals are also a notable feature of "Free My Mind", as are the lyrics (a sample of which would include, "Maybe this is what the world will see/A tiny little version of the tallest tree/An optical illusion of the human mind/Posing as a real life"). Welcome to the indie bandwagon, Katie. Enjoy the ride!!

"Shake It Out" by Florence and The Machine: For all you dancin' fools who think the title to this song sounds similar to booty shakin' classics like "Twist and Shout" and "Shake It Up", I'm going to issue a warning. "Shake It Out" is NOT supposed to be a "feel good" song. When Florence says to "Shake It Out" in this song, it's not instructions to dance, but rather a way of "shaking out" her inner demons, supposedly regarding a hangover (which also seems to be the theme of Florence and The Machine's biggest hit so far, "Dog Days Are Over"). Though the rhythm of "Shake It Out" IS somewhat danceable, it seems like it is more meant to be therapeutic than it is bouncy. Though I've never been (and likely never will be) one to engage in drinking alcohol, I can somehow still feel Florence's inner pain in this song, and for some reason, I love when songs have that effect on me!!

Tom Waits for no one (and he won't wait for me)

Can you believe it?!? Tom Waits released a new set o' songs!! Reviewing the first big song off his latest album (plus two more songs) today!! Enjoy!


"Back In the Crowd" by Tom Waits: Truly one of the most eclectic musicians of all time, Tom Waits is like David Bowie's lesser known, more growl-y voiced, jazzier musical cousin for his ability to leap from melancholy lounge music ("The Heart of Saturday Night"), to some of the most earnest, non-commercial rock ballads ever ("Downtown Train"), to some of the spookiest re-workings of beloved Disney songs (check out his very warped version of "Snow White"'s "Heigh Ho" if you don't believe me), to lovelorn piano ballads ("Ol' 55" and "Grapefruit Moon"), to plaintive folk-rock ("Hold On"), and so on and so forth. So what is it this time, Mr. Waits?!? It appears as though Waits has gone for a unique style of breezy Hawaiian influenced music with his latest tune, "Back In the Crowd". His trademark raspy, "Cookie Monster" vocals are still there, but they are used here to express a feeling of yearning, as opposed to how menacingly he uses it on other tunes of his. Reviewing this song on a rainy day like today only makes this song seem more special to me! Truly a stunning song to add to the already riveting repertoire of Waits' material!!

"Born Alone" by Wilco: Jeff Tweedy and co continue to explore their inner Velvet Underground on "Born Alone", a song with equal parts skilled guitar playing and druggy, hazy musical atmosphere. Perhaps they are taking poetic cues as well as musical ones from Lou Reed (whose latest project is with heavy metal legends, Metallica, of all people), as the lyrics for "Born Alone" were supposedly based on bits and pieces of various Emily Dickinson poems. Both the music and lyrics (i.e. "born to die alone"), suggest a sense of urgency, almost as though the music starts at a high point, and descends progressively lower as the song goes on. What can I say, Wilco's music never ceases to amaze me!!

"Whatever's On Your Mind" by Gomez: Gomez seem to have set up a pattern from which songs have gotten released during which time of the year for their last two albums. On 2009's "A New Tide", the bouncy, somewhat rockin' "Airstream Driver" got airplay first, followed by the more introspective "Little Pieces". For 2011, the bright, optimistic sounding "Options" came first (and was quite successful on adult alt radio stations), and after that, we appear to have stumbled upon the slower, more sentimental, piano-and-strings dominated title track of "Whatever's On Your Mind". The slower songs of Gomez' catalog, like "Whatever's On Your Mind" make for great songs to listen to during a rainy day (like today), or after a bad day, but personally, I think Gomez sound best when they stick to catchy, sunny music like "Options", "Airstream Driver", and "See the World" (of which only the latter song has the same vocalist as the one I'm reviewing now).

new songs for July 6th, 2011

here they are:

"Can't Get You Out of My Head" by Dave Stewart: Of the two leading members of The Eurythmics, Annie Lennox, of course, has been the one to have more hits (both with and without the band) and is the more recognizable of the way she looks. Now it's the lesser known member, Dave Stewart's turn to take his stab at the spotlight. And what a fantastic job he does! Stewart's INXS-ish rock and roll sound and energy he puts into "Can't Get You Out of My Head" balances out the more reflective, somber Kate Bush/Sinead O'Connor type sound Lennox typically had in her solo hits. And here I thought the only real rock song Dave put out was "Would I Lie to You?" with The Eurythmics!! "Can't Get You Out of My Head" picks up where "Would I Lie to You?" left off, and it lives up to its title too. I mean what can I say, I can't get this song out of my head!!

"Hard Lesson" by The Burned: This song's been out for about three months now, but it seems like it hasn't gotten too much attention until recently. This song is basically a one chord (E minor) vamp built around a sleek, seductive, T. Rex-y guitar groove (with the exception of the rather grungy bridge in G major), and a slightly psychedelic organ sound in the chorus. Despite the fact that "Hard Lesson" is built around a single chord (well, two chords, really, as C7 is also used, albeit in a subtle manner), it manages to deliver a catchy, memorable hook nonetheless.

"I Might" by Wilco: Wilco has pretty much never failed to amaze me, and their latest, "I Might" is certainly no exception! For starting out as a country-rock group almost 15 years ago, they sure have come a long way!! Ever since their 2003 "breakthrough" album, "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot", they've gone from having a roots-y earthy rock sound to a more experimental one that somehow manages to combine the whimsy of The Beatles, the "anything goes" attitude of The Velvet Underground, and the carefully crafted guitar solos of some of the earlier Steely Dan songs! "I Might" doesn't have the Steely Dan-ish element some of Wilco's material has, but it does start off with a vaguely Velvets-ish guitar hook, and throws in some shiny, cheerful psychedelic organ sounds this side of "Sgt. Pepper" shortly afterwards! Every song Wilco does has a unique flavor to it, and "I Might" only continues in this direction! Way to go Wilco!!

"She Walks In So Many Ways" by The Jayhawks: It only makes sense that a band whose sound is basically a combination of The Byrds and (the mellower material of) The Eagles would also have the name of a bird (hawk) in their name! "She Walks In So Many Ways" really emphasizes the more Byrds-y element of their music, though, with its jangly, echo-y, folk-rock-y sound and well crafted harmonies. The Jayhawks' last major album (among adult alt/indie fans, at least) came out 8 years ago, and had such wonderful songs as the bittersweet "Save It For A Rainy Day", the country-rocker "Tailspin", and the melancholy "All the Right Reasons", which were all great songs. It made me wonder if the 'Hawks were ever going to come out with anything that great again, and if so, when. "She Walks In So Many Ways" would have fit perfectly with the three aforementioned songs. It's a pleasure to listen to, and its bright sunny melodies never fail to make me smile when I hear them!!

"The Way It Goes" by Gillian Welch: Yet another long-awaited "comeback" album (or, in this case, a "breakthrough" album as well) comes from the bittersweet bluegrass songstress Gillian Welch, whose rustic sounds probably make a lot of her more familiar listeners forget she's really an L.A. native (like me!) It was none other than my own father who introduced me to Gillian's music back in my late elementary school years, and a song she did called "Caleb Meyer" had a stark, haunting enough sound that I remember it to this very day! "The Way It Goes" doesn't quite have the same mystique that surrounded "Caleb Meyer", but it does have the basic elements that make Gillian's music so appealing to folks like me. It has rather bare, simple arrangement in its instrumentation, yet it's also captivating, confessional, and distinct enough to be memorable. Frankly I'm quite surprised Gillian hasn't gotten airplay on adult alt stations with any of her other material (with the exception of L.A.'s KCSN).