here they are:
"Catfish Kate" by Pixies: The legendary alternative rock band returns just in time for the end of the decade! In comparison to the spiky sound of their last "comeback" song, "Classic Masher", "Catfish Kate" sounds almost like an R.E.M. song, similar to The Pixies' now classic, "Here Comes Your Man". Frank "Black Francis" Black takes the lead vocals on this song and weaves a tale about someone he once knew whose nickname was "Catfish Kate". What is this tale about?! I'm scratching my head trying to figure THAT one out, but most Pixies songs tend to be rather obscure in meaning upon first listen. It's only upon listening to a Pixies song enough times that one can decipher its true significance, but such is part of the appeal of a band that was famously one of Kurt Cobain's favorites.
"Knock Me Off My Feet" by Soak: As an Irish-American myself, I think there are many talented Irish musicians. U2, of course, but there are many more: The Cranberries, Sinead O'Connor, The Boomtown Rats, Van Morrison, Damien Rice, and so much more. One of the latest performers to join their ranks is Bridie Monds-Watson, better known as "Soak". Her song, "Knock Me Off My Feet", has a sound that's evocative of groups like The Cure, Echo and The Bunnymen, and Joy Division. Much like the bands she is emulating, Soak's "Knock Me Off My Feet" has rather dark subject matter. Here it concerns how harshly people can treat themselves, although it also suggests the opposite idea of how well people can treat themselves.
"Lebanon" by J.S. Ondara: Thanks to L.A.'s trailblazing radio station, KCSN, I have heard J.S. Ondara's latest offering, "Lebanon". The song has an interesting title for a musician who was born in an African country and raised in the United States, since Lebanon itself is a Middle Eastern country. The song is not about geographical location, though, but is instead about providing friendship and loyalty through thick and thin. Through a sweet folk-rock sound that brings to mind what Tracy Chapman might sound like with a catchier beat, Ondara tells a story of his desire for friendship through troubled times. "In the water, in the fire, I'll go wherever you go", Ondara sings during the song's chorus. Powerful stuff!
"Life In the City" by The Lumineers: It's not every day you get a song with a waltz rhythm and a folk-rock sound, but The Lumineers did it before with "Submarines", and they're doing it again with their latest song, "Life In the City". Though the song itself might sound somewhat uplifting, do not be fooled. "Life In the City" does not celebrate the urban lifestyle, but instead criticizes it. Wesley Schultz croons sorrowfully about how city life has left him feeling empty inside, even stating in the chorus that it will "never be pretty". Through troubled times, though, come great songs, and this is one of them!
"So Caught Up" by The Teskey Brothers: Australian quartet, The Teskey Brothers, offer us music that does not sound like it came from down under at all. For that matter, it doesn't sound current either. Instead, it sounds like a 1960's soul song that came from someone like Sam & Dave or Otis Redding. Lyrically, it's a love song without a very deep meaning to it, but the way the song is delivered is so energetic that the listener can't help but get hooked into it!
"The Chain" by The Highwomen: An all-woman, country-rock supergroup, composed of Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Natalie Hemby, and Amanda Shires, most of whom have had adult alt radio hits as solo musicians, take on a song from one of the most legendary women (and men) in rock and roll history! If you saw the title, "The Chain", and thought of a Fleetwood Mac song from the mid 1970's, you'd be correct! This is the song the quartet of women are taking on. How does it fare in comparison to the original? An A for effort on their part, but it almost sounds TOO similar to the Fleetwood Mac version. The song is in the key of E (major for the verses, minor for the chorus) like the original, and it also has the same rhythm and remarkably similar instrumentation, right down to the bass riff and guitar solo that marks the end of the song, nearly note for note! The only way to truly differentiate the two versions is by vocals (and by the "jam band" styled section towards the end of the song). Still, they picked a great song to cover!
"2all" by Catfish and The Bottlemen: Our last entry of the week is another song I first heard on L.A.'s KCSN, just like J.S. Ondara's "Lebanon", which I reviewed earlier in this week's blog. The harmonious vocals and heartfelt message of "2all" marks an interesting contrast to the usual gritty material of Catfish and The Bottlemen's material. I couldn't even believe it WAS Catfish and The Bottlemen when I first heard it. There's a reason this song sounds sweet and mellow in comparison to most of CATB's material, though. Van McCann apparently wanted to do a song dedicated to his audience and how supportive they were to his band and their music. What a great idea! Now that's what I call dedication!
Showing posts with label supergroup. Show all posts
Showing posts with label supergroup. Show all posts
Wednesday, August 21, 2019
Wednesday, November 12, 2014
New songs for November 12th, 2014
here they are:
"Beggin' For Thread" by Banks: This song is basically what it would be like if a Florence and The Machine song were used in some sort of crime drama. Catchy, somewhat quirky indie-pop, but with a rather murky, mysterious undertone. In spite of the plural noun moniker Banks has, she is but one girl, not multiple people. This is the type of the song that just begs to get under your skin at some point, with subtly scathing lyrics comparable to the typical Fiona Apple song. One more thing I should mention, Banks hails from L.A., my hometown!
"Kansas City" by New Basement Tapes: Not to be confused with the '50s song, "Kansas City", though before I actually heard this song, I thought it might have been, since none other than Bob Dylan is a part of the new folk-rock supergroup known as New Basement Tapes! Dylan is the only oldster in the band, though, the rest of which consists of some of his many heirs to the throne, such as Mumford and Sons' Marcus Mumford (who takes the lead on this particular track), My Morning Jacket's Jim James, and Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith. "Kansas City" itself isn't exactly Mumford-esque, though, and takes more after the roots-y folk-rock fuzz of My Morning Jacket and Dawes. All four of the guys in the band have a rather rustic sound to their music, so it makes sense that "Kansas City" is one of those "driving back home from the freeway" kind of songs.
"Stay With Me" by Ryan Adams: Ryan Adams has done what I never thought he would do for both of the songs I've heard so far from his latest album. He has gone totally '80s!! I'm more accustomed to hearing Ryan with a late '60s/early '70s folk-rock influenced sound, but it is nonetheless interesting to see who he has chosen to influence him on his latest album. On the summer adult alt smash, "Gimme Something Good", he emulated Tom Petty. For "Stay With Me", his sound is even closer to mainstream rock, with a sound that matches the kings of rock 'n' roll themselves, The Rolling Stones (though "Stay With Me" specifically recalls the way The Stones sounded in the '80s). Brace yourselves, people, someday soon your local classic rock station is gonna grab this song and play it by mistake!
"Beggin' For Thread" by Banks: This song is basically what it would be like if a Florence and The Machine song were used in some sort of crime drama. Catchy, somewhat quirky indie-pop, but with a rather murky, mysterious undertone. In spite of the plural noun moniker Banks has, she is but one girl, not multiple people. This is the type of the song that just begs to get under your skin at some point, with subtly scathing lyrics comparable to the typical Fiona Apple song. One more thing I should mention, Banks hails from L.A., my hometown!
"Kansas City" by New Basement Tapes: Not to be confused with the '50s song, "Kansas City", though before I actually heard this song, I thought it might have been, since none other than Bob Dylan is a part of the new folk-rock supergroup known as New Basement Tapes! Dylan is the only oldster in the band, though, the rest of which consists of some of his many heirs to the throne, such as Mumford and Sons' Marcus Mumford (who takes the lead on this particular track), My Morning Jacket's Jim James, and Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith. "Kansas City" itself isn't exactly Mumford-esque, though, and takes more after the roots-y folk-rock fuzz of My Morning Jacket and Dawes. All four of the guys in the band have a rather rustic sound to their music, so it makes sense that "Kansas City" is one of those "driving back home from the freeway" kind of songs.
"Stay With Me" by Ryan Adams: Ryan Adams has done what I never thought he would do for both of the songs I've heard so far from his latest album. He has gone totally '80s!! I'm more accustomed to hearing Ryan with a late '60s/early '70s folk-rock influenced sound, but it is nonetheless interesting to see who he has chosen to influence him on his latest album. On the summer adult alt smash, "Gimme Something Good", he emulated Tom Petty. For "Stay With Me", his sound is even closer to mainstream rock, with a sound that matches the kings of rock 'n' roll themselves, The Rolling Stones (though "Stay With Me" specifically recalls the way The Stones sounded in the '80s). Brace yourselves, people, someday soon your local classic rock station is gonna grab this song and play it by mistake!
Wednesday, June 11, 2014
Songs from A to Z!
From Tom Petty's action-packed anthem "American Dream Plan B", to the zephyrean zen of Conor Oberst's "Zigzagging Towards the Light", we've got 'em all! Here they are:
"American Dream Plan B" by Tom Petty: Is there a better way to start out this week's blog than with a solid, rockin' tune like Tom Petty's "American Plan B"?! I don't think so! One of the greatest advantages Tom Petty has over fellow "heartland rockers", like Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, is that Petty typically seems to stick to rock 'n' roll music more than they do, instead of switching between rock and folk/country. Apparently, this time around, Petty wanted his entire album to have a no-frills rock sound, from start to finish. That being said, "American Dream Plan B" brings his newest album, "Hypnotic Eye" off to a great start!
"Out On the Street" by Spanish Gold: This marks the second time that a member of My Morning Jacket has joined a supergroup, the first of whom was lead singer, Jim James, with his side project, Monsters of Folk. This time, MMJ drummer Patrick Hallahan takes a swing at joining a supergroup, along with Dante Schwebel from Canadian indie-folk/rock group, City and Colour, and Adrian Quesada from Grupo Fantasma. Though two thirds of the group started out as folkies, their song "Out On the Street" doesn't fit that description, and is instead a rather soulful number that sounds remarkably like "Somebody's Watching Me" by '80s one-hit wonder and R & B musician, Rockwell. The coincidence in sound to that song is not accidental, as the members of Spanish Gold wanted their sound to recall the R & B and early hip-hop music of the 1980's, since all three of them grew up watching MTV during the first couple of years the channel was on the air.
"The Line" by Phish: And here we have yet another soulful, slinky, jazzy track, albeit in a more mellow, blissed out mood, typical of Phish. At least it SEEMS like a typical Phish song until you realize that the song is actually about a basketball player! Not exactly a common subject among post-hippie jam bands, but apparently the members of Phish were big fans of basketball player, Darius Washington, Jr., so they decided to dedicate a song to him. The song is written from the perspective of a basketball player whose destiny hangs in the balance (or "the line", hence the title of the song). I'm the last person you'd ever want to have join a basketball team, but I still appreciate this song.
"Zigzagging Towards the Light" by Conor Oberst: You've gotta love the title of this song!! It uses both an unusual letter and an unusual word beginning with the letter, and adding "towards the light" after the first word of the title makes it sound poetic! The song is a laid back, roots-y folk tune with a rock 'n' roll undercurrent, almost like a long, lost Traveling Wilburys song. The title is not the only poetic lyric in the song. It is full of cosmic sounding metaphors and descriptions, actually, like "my mind's a weathervane, it spins around just like a top", "it forms a figure eight, and goes on for eternity", and "I fly by interstate across a purple mountain range". So basically, "Zigzagging Towards the Light" is the tale of a dissatisfied youth product of bohemian pop culture trying to search for the meaning of life through dream-like descriptions of his surroundings. It's like Kerouac's "On the Road" set to music!
"American Dream Plan B" by Tom Petty: Is there a better way to start out this week's blog than with a solid, rockin' tune like Tom Petty's "American Plan B"?! I don't think so! One of the greatest advantages Tom Petty has over fellow "heartland rockers", like Bruce Springsteen and John Mellencamp, is that Petty typically seems to stick to rock 'n' roll music more than they do, instead of switching between rock and folk/country. Apparently, this time around, Petty wanted his entire album to have a no-frills rock sound, from start to finish. That being said, "American Dream Plan B" brings his newest album, "Hypnotic Eye" off to a great start!
"Out On the Street" by Spanish Gold: This marks the second time that a member of My Morning Jacket has joined a supergroup, the first of whom was lead singer, Jim James, with his side project, Monsters of Folk. This time, MMJ drummer Patrick Hallahan takes a swing at joining a supergroup, along with Dante Schwebel from Canadian indie-folk/rock group, City and Colour, and Adrian Quesada from Grupo Fantasma. Though two thirds of the group started out as folkies, their song "Out On the Street" doesn't fit that description, and is instead a rather soulful number that sounds remarkably like "Somebody's Watching Me" by '80s one-hit wonder and R & B musician, Rockwell. The coincidence in sound to that song is not accidental, as the members of Spanish Gold wanted their sound to recall the R & B and early hip-hop music of the 1980's, since all three of them grew up watching MTV during the first couple of years the channel was on the air.
"The Line" by Phish: And here we have yet another soulful, slinky, jazzy track, albeit in a more mellow, blissed out mood, typical of Phish. At least it SEEMS like a typical Phish song until you realize that the song is actually about a basketball player! Not exactly a common subject among post-hippie jam bands, but apparently the members of Phish were big fans of basketball player, Darius Washington, Jr., so they decided to dedicate a song to him. The song is written from the perspective of a basketball player whose destiny hangs in the balance (or "the line", hence the title of the song). I'm the last person you'd ever want to have join a basketball team, but I still appreciate this song.
"Zigzagging Towards the Light" by Conor Oberst: You've gotta love the title of this song!! It uses both an unusual letter and an unusual word beginning with the letter, and adding "towards the light" after the first word of the title makes it sound poetic! The song is a laid back, roots-y folk tune with a rock 'n' roll undercurrent, almost like a long, lost Traveling Wilburys song. The title is not the only poetic lyric in the song. It is full of cosmic sounding metaphors and descriptions, actually, like "my mind's a weathervane, it spins around just like a top", "it forms a figure eight, and goes on for eternity", and "I fly by interstate across a purple mountain range". So basically, "Zigzagging Towards the Light" is the tale of a dissatisfied youth product of bohemian pop culture trying to search for the meaning of life through dream-like descriptions of his surroundings. It's like Kerouac's "On the Road" set to music!
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
New songs for November 20th, 2013
here they are:
"Down to the Well" by Hard Working Americans: For once, the name of a band actually describes who it is! This eclectic folk-rock/country-rock supergroup, featuring Americana musician Todd Snider, Ryan Adams' backing guitarist Neil Casals, and Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools, is all American, and clearly all hard working since they managed to come up with a group this eclectic! So how do they sound all together?! Well, like a country-rock group, which isn't really that surprising, considering that both Todd Snider and Ryan Adams started out with a country influenced sound. While Widespread Panic tends to focus more on blues-rock than the other two, some of their songs ("Dirty Side Down", for instance) still have a country-rock sound to them. "Down to the Well" itself was originally a song by roots-y country musician Lucinda Williams. Don't let the "country music" description of this song prevent you from listening to it, though. There is absolutely nothing about this song that aims to appeal to a "pop-country" audience. Instead, it's honest and heartfelt, while still somewhat raw, the way a GOOD country (or country-rock) song should be!
"Pretty Green" by White Denim: If Daft Punk were re-envisioned as a neo-psychedelic rock and roll band instead of an electronica duo, they would probably end up being White Denim. It is clear from the video of White Denim's debut song, "Pretty Green", that at least half of the band members prefer hiding behind masks to showing their actual faces, much like Daft Punk did (though this could also be influenced by the "eyeball masks" of '70s avant-garde group, The Residents). The video only gets weirder as the song goes on, as the members of White Denim take a vivid voyage through a land of...ummm...lips with no body or face attached. The second half of this bizarre journey involves entering into a realm of splattering paint (didn't "Sesame Street" already do this years ago with their new wave styled song about "Wet Paint"?!) Perhaps I should have expected the song to involve kaleidoscopic, colorful imagery. After all, the band's name is WHITE Denim, and the song is called "Pretty GREEN"!! If you are willing to let your mind blow out of your butt (or is that the other way around?!), then check out the music video for this song, which can be viewed here (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMCoiehkH8U)
"Thirsty Man" by Blitzen Trapper: Between this song and "Shine On" (the one they put out in early fall of this year), I could swear that if time machines were real, that Blitzen Trapper took one to the 1970's somewhere in the Southern United States. "Thirsty Man" is more of a return to the folk-rock-y roots that Blitzen Trapper were originally known for, yet it sounds more like an acoustic Allman Brothers song ("Midnight Rider", "Melissa", etc.) than it does like Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, and the like. When lead singer, Eric Earley, sings about being a "thirsty man" walking through the desert, his vocal delivery tends to give off a "been through it all" attitude that can often be found in the music of bands like The Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The Doors-y organs and fuzzed-out "psychedelic" guitar solo are about the only things keeping "Thirsty Man" from completely sounding like a Southern rock song.
"This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" by The Lumineers (originally by Talking Heads): So the first song we hear covered from The Lumineers ISN'T by Simon and Garfunkel, or Crosby Stills & Nash?! That's a shocker! What's even MORE of a shocker is that they chose to cover a song by quirky new wave legends, Talking Heads, whose sound seems a bit too jittery and electronic in comparison to the laid-back, acoustic sound of The Lumineers. If a band like, say, MGMT covered it, that wouldn't be too surprising (and they have done so, too). But The Lumi's?! I love them, but I would NEVER have expected them to choose a song from David Byrne and co. According to their cellist (and only girl member) Neyla Pekarek, the reason they chose to release a cover version of "This Must Be the Place" is because The Lumineers usually ended their live shows with the song, since its lyrics center around going home ("Home is where I want to be, but I guess I'm already there...") So how does their version measure up to the unstoppable, oddball energy of the original?! It's a decent cover, but it pales in comparison to their originals, like "Ho Hey" and "Stubborn Love". As a folk-rock song, "This Must Be the Place" just doesn't feel like it should! I'll give it an A for effort, though.
"Down to the Well" by Hard Working Americans: For once, the name of a band actually describes who it is! This eclectic folk-rock/country-rock supergroup, featuring Americana musician Todd Snider, Ryan Adams' backing guitarist Neil Casals, and Widespread Panic bassist Dave Schools, is all American, and clearly all hard working since they managed to come up with a group this eclectic! So how do they sound all together?! Well, like a country-rock group, which isn't really that surprising, considering that both Todd Snider and Ryan Adams started out with a country influenced sound. While Widespread Panic tends to focus more on blues-rock than the other two, some of their songs ("Dirty Side Down", for instance) still have a country-rock sound to them. "Down to the Well" itself was originally a song by roots-y country musician Lucinda Williams. Don't let the "country music" description of this song prevent you from listening to it, though. There is absolutely nothing about this song that aims to appeal to a "pop-country" audience. Instead, it's honest and heartfelt, while still somewhat raw, the way a GOOD country (or country-rock) song should be!
"Pretty Green" by White Denim: If Daft Punk were re-envisioned as a neo-psychedelic rock and roll band instead of an electronica duo, they would probably end up being White Denim. It is clear from the video of White Denim's debut song, "Pretty Green", that at least half of the band members prefer hiding behind masks to showing their actual faces, much like Daft Punk did (though this could also be influenced by the "eyeball masks" of '70s avant-garde group, The Residents). The video only gets weirder as the song goes on, as the members of White Denim take a vivid voyage through a land of...ummm...lips with no body or face attached. The second half of this bizarre journey involves entering into a realm of splattering paint (didn't "Sesame Street" already do this years ago with their new wave styled song about "Wet Paint"?!) Perhaps I should have expected the song to involve kaleidoscopic, colorful imagery. After all, the band's name is WHITE Denim, and the song is called "Pretty GREEN"!! If you are willing to let your mind blow out of your butt (or is that the other way around?!), then check out the music video for this song, which can be viewed here (www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMCoiehkH8U)
"Thirsty Man" by Blitzen Trapper: Between this song and "Shine On" (the one they put out in early fall of this year), I could swear that if time machines were real, that Blitzen Trapper took one to the 1970's somewhere in the Southern United States. "Thirsty Man" is more of a return to the folk-rock-y roots that Blitzen Trapper were originally known for, yet it sounds more like an acoustic Allman Brothers song ("Midnight Rider", "Melissa", etc.) than it does like Fleet Foxes, Bon Iver, and the like. When lead singer, Eric Earley, sings about being a "thirsty man" walking through the desert, his vocal delivery tends to give off a "been through it all" attitude that can often be found in the music of bands like The Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The Doors-y organs and fuzzed-out "psychedelic" guitar solo are about the only things keeping "Thirsty Man" from completely sounding like a Southern rock song.
"This Must Be the Place (Naive Melody)" by The Lumineers (originally by Talking Heads): So the first song we hear covered from The Lumineers ISN'T by Simon and Garfunkel, or Crosby Stills & Nash?! That's a shocker! What's even MORE of a shocker is that they chose to cover a song by quirky new wave legends, Talking Heads, whose sound seems a bit too jittery and electronic in comparison to the laid-back, acoustic sound of The Lumineers. If a band like, say, MGMT covered it, that wouldn't be too surprising (and they have done so, too). But The Lumi's?! I love them, but I would NEVER have expected them to choose a song from David Byrne and co. According to their cellist (and only girl member) Neyla Pekarek, the reason they chose to release a cover version of "This Must Be the Place" is because The Lumineers usually ended their live shows with the song, since its lyrics center around going home ("Home is where I want to be, but I guess I'm already there...") So how does their version measure up to the unstoppable, oddball energy of the original?! It's a decent cover, but it pales in comparison to their originals, like "Ho Hey" and "Stubborn Love". As a folk-rock song, "This Must Be the Place" just doesn't feel like it should! I'll give it an A for effort, though.
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
new songs for Sept. 1st, 2010
four of 'em this time - enjoy!!
"Dead American Writers" by Tired Pony: What do you get when you mix Snow Patrol, R.E.M., and Belle and Sebastian in a blender (with Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody in the lead)? You get indie rock supergroup Tired Pony!! This is a group that combines alumni of the three aforementioned bands, and kinda sounds like all three of them as well! Their first single, "Dead American Writers" takes the typical "twangy" guitar sound of fellow rock supergroup Traveling Wilburys and combines it with bittersweet minor key indie/alt instrumentation. All in all, this song is like an indie rock fruit salad - it combines the best flavors of bands with many different approaches to music with delightful results!
"If It Wasn't For Bad" by Elton John and Leon Russell: Never thought Sir Elton would make a grand comeback to rock 'n' roll after the mid-'70s, but after many years, he has! Well, kind of. It still has the trademark piano sound Elton has become known for, but with Leon Russell on board, Elton's latest track gets jazzed up a bit (and even has a brief guitar solo!) With their combined musical efforts, "If It Wasn't For Bad" ends up sounding more like Van Morrison, Joe Cocker, The Band, and Jackson Browne than it does Billy Joel or James Taylor like one might expect at first. Anyone who liked the more upbeat performances on "The Last Waltz" would probably dig this song! I know I did.
"People Say" by Portugal. The Man: OK, first of all, to clear up any confusion you might have, the name of this band IS, in fact, "Portugal. The Man" (complete with the period and the capital "T" in "The"). With a name as quirky as this, I figured that Portugal. The Man, were an indie group, and I was right. However, they are not a folk-rock-y indie like most of the acts that get classified under such a label. In fact, hardcore punk bands like Suicidal Tendencies and Fugazi are some of their biggest influences! However, "People Say" is NOT a hardcore punk song. Instead, it's almost like R & B-inflected indie, with chords that seem to echo The Beatles' "Let It Be" (think of a more laid-back version of Gnarls Barkley). If I had to sum up "People Say" in just a couple words, I'd say that it adds a more unique, almost gospel-influence flavor to the ever expanding world of indie rock!
"The Sweetest Thing" by JJ Grey and Mofro: Much like their '08 adult alt. radio hit, "Orange Blossoms", "The Sweetest Thing" once again showcases the unique brand of R & B, jazz, and blues influence JJ Grey and Mofro have (probably) made trademark in their music. For adult alt. radio stations themselves, "The Sweetest Thing" is like a breath of fresh air! It has a vigorous, youthful toe-tapping energy that the mostly wistful and melancholy lineup of such stations seem to lack (for the most part, at least). Sometimes us R.E.M. and Snow Patrol fans need something to get up and boogie down to to shake off our blues! Songs like "The Sweetest Thing" give us a perfect opportunity to do so!
"Dead American Writers" by Tired Pony: What do you get when you mix Snow Patrol, R.E.M., and Belle and Sebastian in a blender (with Snow Patrol's Gary Lightbody in the lead)? You get indie rock supergroup Tired Pony!! This is a group that combines alumni of the three aforementioned bands, and kinda sounds like all three of them as well! Their first single, "Dead American Writers" takes the typical "twangy" guitar sound of fellow rock supergroup Traveling Wilburys and combines it with bittersweet minor key indie/alt instrumentation. All in all, this song is like an indie rock fruit salad - it combines the best flavors of bands with many different approaches to music with delightful results!
"If It Wasn't For Bad" by Elton John and Leon Russell: Never thought Sir Elton would make a grand comeback to rock 'n' roll after the mid-'70s, but after many years, he has! Well, kind of. It still has the trademark piano sound Elton has become known for, but with Leon Russell on board, Elton's latest track gets jazzed up a bit (and even has a brief guitar solo!) With their combined musical efforts, "If It Wasn't For Bad" ends up sounding more like Van Morrison, Joe Cocker, The Band, and Jackson Browne than it does Billy Joel or James Taylor like one might expect at first. Anyone who liked the more upbeat performances on "The Last Waltz" would probably dig this song! I know I did.
"People Say" by Portugal. The Man: OK, first of all, to clear up any confusion you might have, the name of this band IS, in fact, "Portugal. The Man" (complete with the period and the capital "T" in "The"). With a name as quirky as this, I figured that Portugal. The Man, were an indie group, and I was right. However, they are not a folk-rock-y indie like most of the acts that get classified under such a label. In fact, hardcore punk bands like Suicidal Tendencies and Fugazi are some of their biggest influences! However, "People Say" is NOT a hardcore punk song. Instead, it's almost like R & B-inflected indie, with chords that seem to echo The Beatles' "Let It Be" (think of a more laid-back version of Gnarls Barkley). If I had to sum up "People Say" in just a couple words, I'd say that it adds a more unique, almost gospel-influence flavor to the ever expanding world of indie rock!
"The Sweetest Thing" by JJ Grey and Mofro: Much like their '08 adult alt. radio hit, "Orange Blossoms", "The Sweetest Thing" once again showcases the unique brand of R & B, jazz, and blues influence JJ Grey and Mofro have (probably) made trademark in their music. For adult alt. radio stations themselves, "The Sweetest Thing" is like a breath of fresh air! It has a vigorous, youthful toe-tapping energy that the mostly wistful and melancholy lineup of such stations seem to lack (for the most part, at least). Sometimes us R.E.M. and Snow Patrol fans need something to get up and boogie down to to shake off our blues! Songs like "The Sweetest Thing" give us a perfect opportunity to do so!
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