four of 'em - Enjoy!
"Compliments" by Band of Horses: Though "Laredo" is still a hot item on the Adult Alt. charts, "Compliments", the second single off of BOH's "Infinite Arms" is rapidly getting attention on adult alt. stations as well. Longtime fans of BOH will probably take more of a liking to this song than "Laredo" since it goes more for a '60s pop/rock sound (a la The Beatles' "Getting Better" and Three Dog Night's "One", at least rhythmically) than "Laredo"'s John Fogerty/Neil Young-ish vibe. Lyrically, I can't tell whether it is supposed to be sincere or tongue-in-cheek, especially during the somewhat ambiguously worded lyrics in the chorus ("If there's a God up there/Someone looking over everyone, at least you've got someone to fall back on"). Apparently, many of BOH's most loyal fans seem to have taken both the lyrics and the song itself to be a vain attempt for the band to garner more radio airplay than they've previously had, though personally, I think "Laredo" already took care of that. I still wouldn't call BOH "sellouts", though. They still have good music, it's just going in a slightly different direction at the moment.
"Crossfire" by Brandon Flowers: Of all the "indie" bands out there, Brandon Flowers' band, The Killers (who aren't always viewed as "indie" due to their popularity among listeners of more "mainstream" modern rock stations), is probably the one that is most influenced by that crop of bands who tend to overlap the boundaries of musical time by being played on both classic rock and alternative rock stations (i.e. The Police, U2, The Pretenders, etc.) Flowers seems to have only gotten MORE intent on displaying these influences with each new record he makes. It's not as though this is a bad thing, necessarily (as I much prefer the U2-ish "Read My Mind" to the more Depeche Mode-ish sounds of "Somebody Told Me"), but in "Crossfire", it seems like he's trying a bit TOO hard to emulate the U2 sound. He also seems to employ the use of pseudo-philosophical lyrics whenever possible (like the chorus's "lay your body down"), in what seems like a desperate, almost fanboy-ish effort to please Bono and maybe Bruce Springsteen as well. In spite of how harsh this review might sound, though, I must admit that I LIKE this song! Flowers might not rank so high on originality in "Crossfire", but he gets an A for effort, catchiness, and accessibility.
"If You Let Me" by JP, Chrissie, and The Fairground Boys: During The Pretenders' reign of popularity, Chrissie Hynde was almost like a female Neil Young in her ways of alternating between heartfelt, bittersweet songs like "Kid", "Talk of the Town", and "2000 Miles" and tough, unapologetic rockers like "Tattooed Love Boys", "Mystery Achievement", and "Middle of the Road". These days, Chrissie seems to want to go more in between the two moods. In her latest effort, "If You Let Me", she pulls off a distinctly classic rock vibe a la The Rolling Stones and Tom Petty, just as she pulled off a decent Chuck Berry/Bo Diddley in her 2008 songs, "Boots of Chinese Plastic" and "Break Up the Concrete" with The Pretenders. While "If You Let Me" lacks the in-your-face vibe of her nearly punk-ish early days in The Pretenders, it is certainly no "Kid", "Talk of the Town", or "2000 Miles" either! It is clearly a rock and roll song, from beginning to end, complete with a catchy, memorable guitar riff. Welcome aboard the S.S. Classic Rock Renaissance of 2010, Chrissie!
"Stranger Here" by Cowboy Junkies: In spite of their name, Cowboy Junkies are not called "Cowboy Junkies" because of their love for country music. It was basically just a random name they came up with, supposedly (see also The Grateful Dead, R.E.M., and Indigo Girls, each of whom got their names by flipping through a dictionary). However, Cowboy Junkies are basically a country-rock band masquerading as an alt/indie band. Even on their debut album, they covered a Hank Williams tune, as well as a Patsy Cline song. Their latest song, "Stranger Here", is also pretty country-rock influenced, but with the past 5 or so years of adult alt. radio being dominated by indie groups, it seems as though the sound of this song is probably more commonplace than it would've been during their debut in 1988. Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley, in particular (and perhaps the whole band) would probably appreciate a song like this, since she knows from the blatantly country-rock sound of "Carpetbaggers" (which she did with Elvis Costello) what it's like to be an indie/alt act with country influences. Personally, I would have preferred Cowboy Junkies to release something more along the lines of their bittersweet, lushly orchestrated 2007 song "Brand New World", but "Stranger Here" is still a good song nonetheless.
Wednesday, June 23, 2010
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
new songs for June 16th, 2010
four of 'em. Enjoy!
"Do As I Say Not As I Do" by Ed Harcourt: In the indie rock world, Ed Harcourt is one of the most simultaneously soothing and intriguing musicians, so I was pretty psyched to find out he was releasing a new album! Perhaps a good way to describe Ed would be "Burt Bacharach music interpreted via Andrew Bird", the latter an indie musician himself who is also '60s pop inspired. Ed's benign yet clever delivery of pop/rock music continues in "Do As I Say Not As I Do", which isn't too much of a departure from such gems of his as "Watching the Sun Come Up" and "Born In the '70s", except for the fact that it has an electric guitar solo in between the chorus and verses, though Ed even manages to make that part sound charming. If you like your indie music to sound nostalgic but still somewhat relevant, this song's for you!
"Dragon's Song" by Blitzen Trapper: Ever since their debut (which was only about a year ago), Blitzen Trapper have become a pretty well-loved band in the indie universe. Adult alt. radio kinda-sorta caught on to "Black River Killer" from their debut (though it was only a mild hit on such stations), but I guess it's taken until their latest album to come up with a song that looks like it will be (slightly) more popular on such stations. Much like Ed Harcourt (see above), Blitzen Trapper are very much of what I like to call a "'60s Renaissance" band, meaning that they sound like they're from the decade even though they're not (an increasingly common theme in indie music). Blitzen Trapper tend to come off to me like what Donovan might have been like if he named his backing group, in that, though their roots lie in folk, they're not afraid to experiment with more "psychedelic" sounds (often within the same songs). "Dragon's Song" is no exception to the rule. It starts out sounding like an "acoustic" Bob Dylan song, yet once the drums kick in, pretty much every other instrument starts to as well, notably the synthesized keyboards in the main parts of the song, and the groovy electric guitar solo in the middle of it. "Dragon's Song" truly seems like it would be a trip back in time had I been around during the '60s. Even the title of the song sounds like it came from that decade!
"Saturday Sun" by Crowded House: Despite the fact that their biggest hit, "Don't Dream It's Over", was somewhat of a Tears for Fears soundalike (though smoother and more soulful), fans of most of Crowded House's other material tend to be drawn to them for their emulation of the "three B's" (The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Beach Boys). Their '91 album, "Woodface", has some fine examples of their influence by these bands (especially "It's Only Natural", and a lot of "Weather With You". For awhile, that seemed like that album was going to be the last of Crowded House, though in the mid-2000's they came back with an unexpected but instantly welcomed smash hit on adult alt. radio, "Don't Stop Now". As much as I love Crowded House, that song didn't exactly ring well with me, as it sounded like they were trying a bit TOO hard in that song to imitate contemporary "piano-pop", and not of the Ben Folds variety either - more like that of the blander radio-friendly sounds of The Fray and later Coldplay. Thankfully, Crowded House's latest, "Saturday Sun" is not like this. However, fans of Crowded House's '60s pop/rock-oriented style should take note that the band have once again shifted direction in their style for "Saturday Sun". With the exception of the guitar solo towards the end of the song, most of it sounds more like it was influenced by the gentle "trip-hop-lite" sounds that Massive Attack and Portishead originated and that Zero 7 and Frou Frou made more popular. Though songs like "It's Only Natural" have a special place in my heart for their irresistible, cute, sunny melodies, it's also refreshing to hear Crowded House successfully take on more contemporary sounds in "Saturday Sun".
"Shadow People" by Dr. Dog: This song is proof of how eclectic Dr. Dog truly are! Their last effort, "Stranger", released earlier this year, was an energetic, happy, fully orchestrated song, yet "Shadow People", in some ways, seems to be the opposite of that one. Instead of taking on vibrant sounds (until midway through the song, for some reason), it has a more folk-y, calming vibe, that instantly brings to mind one of Neil Young's acoustic songs. Unlike the quirky, brightly delivered lyrics of "Stranger", "Shadow People" seems like it goes for a more melancholy vibe, with its yearning lyrical vibe ("Where did all the shadow people go?"), even through the sunnier second half of the song. Intelligent AND introspective - what more could you ask for?!
"Do As I Say Not As I Do" by Ed Harcourt: In the indie rock world, Ed Harcourt is one of the most simultaneously soothing and intriguing musicians, so I was pretty psyched to find out he was releasing a new album! Perhaps a good way to describe Ed would be "Burt Bacharach music interpreted via Andrew Bird", the latter an indie musician himself who is also '60s pop inspired. Ed's benign yet clever delivery of pop/rock music continues in "Do As I Say Not As I Do", which isn't too much of a departure from such gems of his as "Watching the Sun Come Up" and "Born In the '70s", except for the fact that it has an electric guitar solo in between the chorus and verses, though Ed even manages to make that part sound charming. If you like your indie music to sound nostalgic but still somewhat relevant, this song's for you!
"Dragon's Song" by Blitzen Trapper: Ever since their debut (which was only about a year ago), Blitzen Trapper have become a pretty well-loved band in the indie universe. Adult alt. radio kinda-sorta caught on to "Black River Killer" from their debut (though it was only a mild hit on such stations), but I guess it's taken until their latest album to come up with a song that looks like it will be (slightly) more popular on such stations. Much like Ed Harcourt (see above), Blitzen Trapper are very much of what I like to call a "'60s Renaissance" band, meaning that they sound like they're from the decade even though they're not (an increasingly common theme in indie music). Blitzen Trapper tend to come off to me like what Donovan might have been like if he named his backing group, in that, though their roots lie in folk, they're not afraid to experiment with more "psychedelic" sounds (often within the same songs). "Dragon's Song" is no exception to the rule. It starts out sounding like an "acoustic" Bob Dylan song, yet once the drums kick in, pretty much every other instrument starts to as well, notably the synthesized keyboards in the main parts of the song, and the groovy electric guitar solo in the middle of it. "Dragon's Song" truly seems like it would be a trip back in time had I been around during the '60s. Even the title of the song sounds like it came from that decade!
"Saturday Sun" by Crowded House: Despite the fact that their biggest hit, "Don't Dream It's Over", was somewhat of a Tears for Fears soundalike (though smoother and more soulful), fans of most of Crowded House's other material tend to be drawn to them for their emulation of the "three B's" (The Beatles, The Byrds, and The Beach Boys). Their '91 album, "Woodface", has some fine examples of their influence by these bands (especially "It's Only Natural", and a lot of "Weather With You". For awhile, that seemed like that album was going to be the last of Crowded House, though in the mid-2000's they came back with an unexpected but instantly welcomed smash hit on adult alt. radio, "Don't Stop Now". As much as I love Crowded House, that song didn't exactly ring well with me, as it sounded like they were trying a bit TOO hard in that song to imitate contemporary "piano-pop", and not of the Ben Folds variety either - more like that of the blander radio-friendly sounds of The Fray and later Coldplay. Thankfully, Crowded House's latest, "Saturday Sun" is not like this. However, fans of Crowded House's '60s pop/rock-oriented style should take note that the band have once again shifted direction in their style for "Saturday Sun". With the exception of the guitar solo towards the end of the song, most of it sounds more like it was influenced by the gentle "trip-hop-lite" sounds that Massive Attack and Portishead originated and that Zero 7 and Frou Frou made more popular. Though songs like "It's Only Natural" have a special place in my heart for their irresistible, cute, sunny melodies, it's also refreshing to hear Crowded House successfully take on more contemporary sounds in "Saturday Sun".
"Shadow People" by Dr. Dog: This song is proof of how eclectic Dr. Dog truly are! Their last effort, "Stranger", released earlier this year, was an energetic, happy, fully orchestrated song, yet "Shadow People", in some ways, seems to be the opposite of that one. Instead of taking on vibrant sounds (until midway through the song, for some reason), it has a more folk-y, calming vibe, that instantly brings to mind one of Neil Young's acoustic songs. Unlike the quirky, brightly delivered lyrics of "Stranger", "Shadow People" seems like it goes for a more melancholy vibe, with its yearning lyrical vibe ("Where did all the shadow people go?"), even through the sunnier second half of the song. Intelligent AND introspective - what more could you ask for?!
Wednesday, June 9, 2010
new songs for June 9th, 2010
Three of 'em. Enjoy!
"Change" by The Young Veins: When you think of the words "Panic at the Disco", do you think of bands like The Monkees and Tommy James & The Shondells?! Probably not. That's why "Change" by The Young Veins, which features two former Panic members, Ryan Ross and Jon Walker, is such a cool song!! Panic at the Disco seemed like the one "emo" band who just absolutely hated the label, as evidenced by the two Beatlesque songs on their "Pretty Odd" CD, "Nine In the Afternoon" and "Northern Downpour". Both of those songs had a pretty "retro" flavor to them, and "Change" continues in that direction, perhaps even more so! "Change" really lives up to its title - it's "change"-ing the way indie music is going, and, hopefully, will continue to go!
"Every Subway Car" by Barenaked Ladies: Do BNL have the sophomore curse, or what?! Their 2005 album, "Barenaked Ladies Are Me" had its first single, "Easy", as a bland folk-pop song this side of John Mayer, but its second single "Wind It Up", was a tongue-in-cheek, hard-rockin' (for BNL, at least), fun song with clever lyrics (i.e. "I was a baby when I learned to suck/But you have raised it to an art form"). Their latest CD, "All In Good Time", seems to have suffered from the same problem. The first single, "You Run Away", was a song that just didn't fit the BNL spirit. I didn't know whether to call it "sappy" or "depressing", as it was kinda both, and that just isn't the vibe I like from my BNL songs! Thankfully, "Every Subway Car" has sought to correct all this! Musically, it sounds kinda like a lighter, but still power pop influenced song from Fountains of Wayne (kinda like Fountains of Wayne's "Someone to Love", but with a slower beat). Lyrically, the cleverness makes a welcome return, especially in the beginning ("My backpack's faded black/But now it's all blue/It looks whack but it's compact/And it works like brand new"), and just like in their biggest hit, "One Week", the name-dropping also continues ("I'm on my own/I'm Sly Stallone"). Welcome back, BNL, we missed ya!
"If I Had My Way" by Robert Randolph (featuring Ben Harper): Occasionally, indie and contemporary folk-rock aren't enough to satisfy the adult alt. audience, and this is one such instance. This song is actually a cover (so I've heard) of an old 1930's blues song. I wouldn't be surprised if this was true, considering how it sounds a lot like a Robert Johnson Delta blues recording. For Ben Harper, this isn't too surprising, considering he's been all over the map musically, especially in the past year or so with The Relentless 7. For Robert Randolph, this seems like a first. His past works, particularly his most well-known song, "Thrill of It", were definitely blues influenced, but more in the Jimi Hendrix/Santana manner of mixing blues with rock and the occasional R & B. As much as I like the indie and folk-rock that seem to dominate adult alt. radio, it's refreshing to hear a song like this once in a while!
"Change" by The Young Veins: When you think of the words "Panic at the Disco", do you think of bands like The Monkees and Tommy James & The Shondells?! Probably not. That's why "Change" by The Young Veins, which features two former Panic members, Ryan Ross and Jon Walker, is such a cool song!! Panic at the Disco seemed like the one "emo" band who just absolutely hated the label, as evidenced by the two Beatlesque songs on their "Pretty Odd" CD, "Nine In the Afternoon" and "Northern Downpour". Both of those songs had a pretty "retro" flavor to them, and "Change" continues in that direction, perhaps even more so! "Change" really lives up to its title - it's "change"-ing the way indie music is going, and, hopefully, will continue to go!
"Every Subway Car" by Barenaked Ladies: Do BNL have the sophomore curse, or what?! Their 2005 album, "Barenaked Ladies Are Me" had its first single, "Easy", as a bland folk-pop song this side of John Mayer, but its second single "Wind It Up", was a tongue-in-cheek, hard-rockin' (for BNL, at least), fun song with clever lyrics (i.e. "I was a baby when I learned to suck/But you have raised it to an art form"). Their latest CD, "All In Good Time", seems to have suffered from the same problem. The first single, "You Run Away", was a song that just didn't fit the BNL spirit. I didn't know whether to call it "sappy" or "depressing", as it was kinda both, and that just isn't the vibe I like from my BNL songs! Thankfully, "Every Subway Car" has sought to correct all this! Musically, it sounds kinda like a lighter, but still power pop influenced song from Fountains of Wayne (kinda like Fountains of Wayne's "Someone to Love", but with a slower beat). Lyrically, the cleverness makes a welcome return, especially in the beginning ("My backpack's faded black/But now it's all blue/It looks whack but it's compact/And it works like brand new"), and just like in their biggest hit, "One Week", the name-dropping also continues ("I'm on my own/I'm Sly Stallone"). Welcome back, BNL, we missed ya!
"If I Had My Way" by Robert Randolph (featuring Ben Harper): Occasionally, indie and contemporary folk-rock aren't enough to satisfy the adult alt. audience, and this is one such instance. This song is actually a cover (so I've heard) of an old 1930's blues song. I wouldn't be surprised if this was true, considering how it sounds a lot like a Robert Johnson Delta blues recording. For Ben Harper, this isn't too surprising, considering he's been all over the map musically, especially in the past year or so with The Relentless 7. For Robert Randolph, this seems like a first. His past works, particularly his most well-known song, "Thrill of It", were definitely blues influenced, but more in the Jimi Hendrix/Santana manner of mixing blues with rock and the occasional R & B. As much as I like the indie and folk-rock that seem to dominate adult alt. radio, it's refreshing to hear a song like this once in a while!
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
new songs for June 2nd, 2010
here they are:
"Fingertip" by Aqualung: If you only know Aqualung for their soothing Brit-pop-ish hit, "Brighter Than Sunshine", you might want to think twice before listening to this one! No, it's not "edgier" than that song (as Aqualung have always been a pretty benign band in my opinion), but it's definitely a lot quirkier! The opening "Doo-doo...doo-doo...doo-doo...doooo's" don't sound like Matt Hales (they are sung by a female from what I can tell). The rest of the song, which Matt does take the lead on, takes on a sort of vibe one might get if Coldplay had a catchier sound and were covering a Ben Folds song, and the lyrics seem to go for a technique that is equal parts surreal and cutesy. Songs like this remind me of what the "indie spirit" is all about - doing whatever you want and having fun with it!
"The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire: If Arcade Fire took on hip-hop, they could just be called the Beck of the early 21st century (but they haven't...yet). So far, though, they've taken on just about everything else, ranging from post-punk ("Neighborhood # 2), U2-ish alt-pop ballads ("Une Anee Sans Lumiere"), anthemic baroque-ish piano-based songs ("Wake Up"), and even Springsteen inspired material ("Keep the Car Running", which The Boss joined in with them on a live version of the song!) Arcade Fire's latest, "The Suburbs", takes on a jaunty honky-tonk sound (which emulates the rhythm of a song released earlier this year, "Heaven Can Wait" by Charlotte Gainsbourg). This could be viewed as a "stripped down" version of what most Arcade Fire songs sound like, since it lacks (or at least doesn't have as much of) the full-on orchestration of most of their other material. But I guess they wanted to go in a "different" direction this time, and who can blame 'em?! Seems like that's what they always do! Looking forward to whatever else they foray into later on!
"Fingertip" by Aqualung: If you only know Aqualung for their soothing Brit-pop-ish hit, "Brighter Than Sunshine", you might want to think twice before listening to this one! No, it's not "edgier" than that song (as Aqualung have always been a pretty benign band in my opinion), but it's definitely a lot quirkier! The opening "Doo-doo...doo-doo...doo-doo...doooo's" don't sound like Matt Hales (they are sung by a female from what I can tell). The rest of the song, which Matt does take the lead on, takes on a sort of vibe one might get if Coldplay had a catchier sound and were covering a Ben Folds song, and the lyrics seem to go for a technique that is equal parts surreal and cutesy. Songs like this remind me of what the "indie spirit" is all about - doing whatever you want and having fun with it!
"The Suburbs" by Arcade Fire: If Arcade Fire took on hip-hop, they could just be called the Beck of the early 21st century (but they haven't...yet). So far, though, they've taken on just about everything else, ranging from post-punk ("Neighborhood # 2), U2-ish alt-pop ballads ("Une Anee Sans Lumiere"), anthemic baroque-ish piano-based songs ("Wake Up"), and even Springsteen inspired material ("Keep the Car Running", which The Boss joined in with them on a live version of the song!) Arcade Fire's latest, "The Suburbs", takes on a jaunty honky-tonk sound (which emulates the rhythm of a song released earlier this year, "Heaven Can Wait" by Charlotte Gainsbourg). This could be viewed as a "stripped down" version of what most Arcade Fire songs sound like, since it lacks (or at least doesn't have as much of) the full-on orchestration of most of their other material. But I guess they wanted to go in a "different" direction this time, and who can blame 'em?! Seems like that's what they always do! Looking forward to whatever else they foray into later on!
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
New songs for May 26th, 2010
four of 'em - enjoy folks!
"Amongst the Waves" by Pearl Jam: This song seemed like it was long overdue for making its way onto the adult alt. airwaves, as Sirius XM's Spectrum has been playing this one since January. Other stations, however, seemed to have taken until now to catch up with this song. Of the three songs on Pearl Jam's latest CD, "Backspacer", this might just end up being the one I like best if it doesn't receive overkill airplay like the other two ("Just Breathe" and "The Fixer") did. However, it's more than just airplay that makes (or would make?) "Amongst the Waves" better than those songs. It serves as a perfect balance between "The Fixer"'s rough garage rock sound and "Just Breathe"'s gentle folk-rock sound, as a sound that seems to hearken back to classic Pearl Jam songs like "Black" and "Yellow Ledbetter", with its melancholy blues-rock inspired vibe. Here's to hoping "Amongst the Waves" will do well, but hopefully not TOO well on adult alt. stations!
"Call Back" by Truth & Salvage Co.: With both well-established bands like My Morning Jacket, The Hold Steady, and Wilco and newcomers like Alberta Cross and Dawes, it seems like classic rock revivalism is becoming increasingly more common in indie rock (if it can even be called that anymore...) Truth & Salvage Co. are the latest to jump onto this bandwagon with their song, "Call Back". The feel of this song is not only rootsy, but very earthy as well. Add to that its well-produced sound, and it comes off sounding like the typical Joe Walsh-less Eagles song (think "Take It Easy", "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Lyin' Eyes", etc.) Perhaps "alt-country" would be a better way of describing this song than "indie" since that's just how organic (for lack of a better term) this song comes across.
"Fixed" by Stars: Amazingly, this is probably the only song I'm reviewing for this week that DOESN'T have a classic rock-ish feel to it (unless of course you consider Depeche Mode and/or The Cranberries classic rock, which I don't). To give a background to what Stars generally sound like, they often sing chirpy songs with dark subject matter ("Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" is a good example of this). "Fixed" is a departure, both lyrically and musically, from the typical Stars song. Instead of sounding like a somewhat macabre Burt Bacharach type of song, "Fixed" takes on a sound that more suggests, like I pointed out earlier, a cross between Depeche Mode and The Cranberries (with a bit of a Killers sound mixed in there for good measure). Lyrically, the subject matter isn't exactly positive, but it seems to deal with more general subject matter (a crumbling relationship, from what I can tell) than their other songs. This isn't the Stars that I'm used to, but it's still a good song.
"North" by Widespread Panic: In the '90s, there were two major "cult" jam bands - Phish and Widespread Panic. The former could easily be likened to a modern-day Grateful Dead, while the latter typically take on a more Allman Brothers-ish sound. "North", however, seems to trade in the bluesy improv of the typical Widespread Panic song for a more radio-friendly Southern rock sound that is especially evident in many Lynyrd Skynyrd songs. The philosophical lyrics of "North" tend to provide an interesting contrast to its barn-burnin' Southern rock sound (much like how Skynyrd used their typical upbeat bar band sound to disguise the dark nature of "That Smell"). For people hoping for an epic worthy of a song like "That Smell", "Freebird", or "Sweet Home Alabama", you might be a little disappointed in "North" since it's only three and a half minutes long. It does, however, give off the general vibe of such songs (particuarly "Sweet Home Alabama").
"Amongst the Waves" by Pearl Jam: This song seemed like it was long overdue for making its way onto the adult alt. airwaves, as Sirius XM's Spectrum has been playing this one since January. Other stations, however, seemed to have taken until now to catch up with this song. Of the three songs on Pearl Jam's latest CD, "Backspacer", this might just end up being the one I like best if it doesn't receive overkill airplay like the other two ("Just Breathe" and "The Fixer") did. However, it's more than just airplay that makes (or would make?) "Amongst the Waves" better than those songs. It serves as a perfect balance between "The Fixer"'s rough garage rock sound and "Just Breathe"'s gentle folk-rock sound, as a sound that seems to hearken back to classic Pearl Jam songs like "Black" and "Yellow Ledbetter", with its melancholy blues-rock inspired vibe. Here's to hoping "Amongst the Waves" will do well, but hopefully not TOO well on adult alt. stations!
"Call Back" by Truth & Salvage Co.: With both well-established bands like My Morning Jacket, The Hold Steady, and Wilco and newcomers like Alberta Cross and Dawes, it seems like classic rock revivalism is becoming increasingly more common in indie rock (if it can even be called that anymore...) Truth & Salvage Co. are the latest to jump onto this bandwagon with their song, "Call Back". The feel of this song is not only rootsy, but very earthy as well. Add to that its well-produced sound, and it comes off sounding like the typical Joe Walsh-less Eagles song (think "Take It Easy", "Peaceful Easy Feeling", "Lyin' Eyes", etc.) Perhaps "alt-country" would be a better way of describing this song than "indie" since that's just how organic (for lack of a better term) this song comes across.
"Fixed" by Stars: Amazingly, this is probably the only song I'm reviewing for this week that DOESN'T have a classic rock-ish feel to it (unless of course you consider Depeche Mode and/or The Cranberries classic rock, which I don't). To give a background to what Stars generally sound like, they often sing chirpy songs with dark subject matter ("Your Ex-Lover Is Dead" is a good example of this). "Fixed" is a departure, both lyrically and musically, from the typical Stars song. Instead of sounding like a somewhat macabre Burt Bacharach type of song, "Fixed" takes on a sound that more suggests, like I pointed out earlier, a cross between Depeche Mode and The Cranberries (with a bit of a Killers sound mixed in there for good measure). Lyrically, the subject matter isn't exactly positive, but it seems to deal with more general subject matter (a crumbling relationship, from what I can tell) than their other songs. This isn't the Stars that I'm used to, but it's still a good song.
"North" by Widespread Panic: In the '90s, there were two major "cult" jam bands - Phish and Widespread Panic. The former could easily be likened to a modern-day Grateful Dead, while the latter typically take on a more Allman Brothers-ish sound. "North", however, seems to trade in the bluesy improv of the typical Widespread Panic song for a more radio-friendly Southern rock sound that is especially evident in many Lynyrd Skynyrd songs. The philosophical lyrics of "North" tend to provide an interesting contrast to its barn-burnin' Southern rock sound (much like how Skynyrd used their typical upbeat bar band sound to disguise the dark nature of "That Smell"). For people hoping for an epic worthy of a song like "That Smell", "Freebird", or "Sweet Home Alabama", you might be a little disappointed in "North" since it's only three and a half minutes long. It does, however, give off the general vibe of such songs (particuarly "Sweet Home Alabama").
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
new songs for May 12th, 2010
three of 'em this time. Enjoy!
"Anchor" by Alejandro Escovedo: Alejandro Escovedo is one of those alt-country artists (think Old '97s, early Wilco, etc.) who proudly wears his classic rock influences on his sleeve. His previous single from 2008, "Always A Friend", even had a live version with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band backing him up on it! The follow-up single from his 2008 album, "Sister Lost Soul" was a bit weaker, emotionally, to me, so I didn't know what to expect for Alejandro's latest effort, "Anchor". Thankfully, he has once again cranked up his amp on this one, a la Neil Young! Perhaps Alejandro is one of those musicians whose "electric" songs are actually better. Keep up the good work!
"Bushwick Blues" by Delta Spirit: Yet another band who hasn't made a record since 2008 (it's like 2008 all over again this year!!) Delta Spirit were one of those bands who were indie even AMONG indie audiences. They did manage to score a hit on adult alt. stations that year with the sunny, catchy, '70s pop-rock-styled "Trashcan" (and a modest one with the slightly more indie-leaning "People C'mon"), but they still haven't gotten as much recognition in the indie rock world as much as, say, Spoon, Death Cab for Cutie, Wilco, or even slightly lesser-known bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, for that matter. "Bushwick Blues" has a bit less of a "retro" feel than either of the other two songs I know by Delta Spirit, so hopefully this will make them more well-known to indie audiences. It comes off sounding like a cross between Spoon and The Strokes, and it ends up with a musical flavor that's more unique than either of them!
"I Should Have Known It" by Tom Petty: Is this the year for classic rock comebacks or what?! The Stones and Hendrix have already landed songs on adult alt. (and mainstream rock) radio this year (as has Johnny Cash, though I'm not sure if everyone would count him as "classic rock" - he kinda predates it in my opinion). Petty has managed to, surprisingly, make what could be the most hardest rocking of all these songs with "I Should Have Known It", with its nearly Led Zeppelin-y stomp (not to mention the faster pace and epic guitar soloing at the end of it!) Petty hasn't rocked out this hard since "Runnin' Down A Dream" in '89, and "I Should Have Known It" has more of a juicy, spicy feel than that song. Petty has long been a staple of adult alt. stations, but although this song is no "Free Fallin'" or "I Won't Back Down", they haven't shyed away from this one. With the inclusion of this song and the Stones and Hendrix songs, I'm thinking 2010 will go down in adult alt. radio history as the year such stations got more "edgy"!!
"Anchor" by Alejandro Escovedo: Alejandro Escovedo is one of those alt-country artists (think Old '97s, early Wilco, etc.) who proudly wears his classic rock influences on his sleeve. His previous single from 2008, "Always A Friend", even had a live version with Bruce Springsteen's E Street Band backing him up on it! The follow-up single from his 2008 album, "Sister Lost Soul" was a bit weaker, emotionally, to me, so I didn't know what to expect for Alejandro's latest effort, "Anchor". Thankfully, he has once again cranked up his amp on this one, a la Neil Young! Perhaps Alejandro is one of those musicians whose "electric" songs are actually better. Keep up the good work!
"Bushwick Blues" by Delta Spirit: Yet another band who hasn't made a record since 2008 (it's like 2008 all over again this year!!) Delta Spirit were one of those bands who were indie even AMONG indie audiences. They did manage to score a hit on adult alt. stations that year with the sunny, catchy, '70s pop-rock-styled "Trashcan" (and a modest one with the slightly more indie-leaning "People C'mon"), but they still haven't gotten as much recognition in the indie rock world as much as, say, Spoon, Death Cab for Cutie, Wilco, or even slightly lesser-known bands like Neutral Milk Hotel, for that matter. "Bushwick Blues" has a bit less of a "retro" feel than either of the other two songs I know by Delta Spirit, so hopefully this will make them more well-known to indie audiences. It comes off sounding like a cross between Spoon and The Strokes, and it ends up with a musical flavor that's more unique than either of them!
"I Should Have Known It" by Tom Petty: Is this the year for classic rock comebacks or what?! The Stones and Hendrix have already landed songs on adult alt. (and mainstream rock) radio this year (as has Johnny Cash, though I'm not sure if everyone would count him as "classic rock" - he kinda predates it in my opinion). Petty has managed to, surprisingly, make what could be the most hardest rocking of all these songs with "I Should Have Known It", with its nearly Led Zeppelin-y stomp (not to mention the faster pace and epic guitar soloing at the end of it!) Petty hasn't rocked out this hard since "Runnin' Down A Dream" in '89, and "I Should Have Known It" has more of a juicy, spicy feel than that song. Petty has long been a staple of adult alt. stations, but although this song is no "Free Fallin'" or "I Won't Back Down", they haven't shyed away from this one. With the inclusion of this song and the Stones and Hendrix songs, I'm thinking 2010 will go down in adult alt. radio history as the year such stations got more "edgy"!!
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
from A to Z
decided to title my latest entry as such since my first song begins with an "A", and my last song, a "Z". Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of these have only gotten airplay on a couple stations. Shame, since they're all great songs.
"American Slang" by Gaslight Anthem: For a band who was initially labeled "punk", they sure don't sound like it in this song. In fact, they have more of a classic rock vibe, a la Springsteen and Neil Young. This seems to be a trend (albeit a small one) in indie rock lately, as The Hold Steady, Band of Horses, and My Morning Jacket seemed to have all taken on this aesthetic at least once in their careers. "American Slang" also boasts an epic, catchy riff that's instantly memorable upon first hearing it. This song is proof that indie rock doesn't have to be all about weird, random instrumentation. Sometimes it's good to just go back to the basics!
"American Troglodyte" by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim: Unlike the first single off their latest effort ("A Perfect Hand", featuring Steve Earle), this song manages to capture the offbeat-but-catchy vibe of Byrne's unlikely 2008 smash with Brian Eno, "Strange Overtones". The beat (and instruments) aren't the only cool thing about this song, though. The lyrics are also pretty interesting. Beneath its insanely danceable hooks, the ex-Talking Heads frontman sings about disappointed he is with current American culture. Lyrical dissonance doesn't always work, but somehow, in this song, it just seems right!
"Big Jet Plane" by Angus and Julia Stone: I'm mainly including this one since I loved their previous song, "The Beast", so much, that as soon as I heard they had a new record/single out, I just had to hear it! And it's pretty good, though it's got more of an uneasy (yet still melodic) feel to it than the wistful, bittersweet qualities that "The Beast" had. The guitar hook almost makes this sound like one of Radiohead's later efforts (like "I Might Be Wrong", or Thom Yorke's solo song, "Black Swan"), yet the violin (and Julia Stone's vocals) make "Big Jet Plane" distinguishable from such songs. When listening to this song, I don't know whether to call it angst-ridden or sad, since at times it sounds like both, but perhaps that's what makes this song so unique!
"Bloodbuzz Ohio" by The National: Even within the already eclectic world of indie rock, The National are one of those bands who manage to take that eclectic-ness a step further than most indie rock bands (except for possibly Wilco and Beck). They have been influenced by country-rock, contemporary British rock, and power pop ("power pop" would be bands, largely between the '70s and '90s, that sound a lot like The Beatles and The Kinks, often with Beach Boys-esque harmonies), and "Bloodbuzz Ohio" seems to reveal a new facet to their already diverse musical pallet - that of the gothic rock of Joy Division and Nick Cave. Vocally, The National's lead singer even sounds like Joy Division's lead singer, Ian Curtis, on this song. "Bloodbuzz Ohio", in fact, reminds me a great deal of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" for a couple reasons. Both songs are in A major, despite their gloomy sound. They also tend to both have an atmospheric quality with their "walls of sound" (use of multiple instruments that sound orchestral, in a rock and roll kind of way), and they both manage to compensate for their depressing nature with their fast drumbeats (at least to me they do). And, yes, they both have downbeat (and somewhat creepy) lyrics. Yet the non-synthesized keyboards and the almost continual transition in "Bloodbuzz Ohio" from A major to F sharp minor manage to make it distinct from "Love Will Tear Us Apart". Nevertheless, if bands that sound like a cross between Joy Division and Wilco are your thing, then "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is a surefire winner for you!
"Love Me Chase Me" by Carney: Don't be fooled by this song's slow, churning intro. This song's a real kicker from the chorus on up! It almost sounds like a modern-day update on one of the songs from The Beatles' "White Album". Its sound is like pop music that somehow manages to sound somewhat blues-y in its riffs, almost like one of The Raconteurs' songs. The lyrics are a bit simplistic from what I can tell ("if you love me, chase me"), but the riffs are both chunky and pop-y. Who knew the best guitar soloing on this week's list would come from a pop-rock band?! Not me. But I sure am glad someone out there is trying to preserve the sound of good ol' British rock and roll!! ("British" by sound, that is, as I'm not sure if Carney are actually British or not)
"Numbers Don't Lie" by The Mynabirds: I love the "retro" sound of this one! (Though practically all the songs on here have a "retro" sound, so I'll specify in the next few sentences 'bout that). This one has almost a "girl group" sound (a la Phil Spector) to it instrumentally that sounds like Chan Marshall (better known as "Cat Power" to you indie fans!) is taking the lead on vocally. Beneath the chirpiness that the vibe of this song gives off, "Numbers Don't Lie" is actually a very bitter, angst-ridden song lyrically. The chorus pretty much states it all ("Baby if you want to be right, I will let you be right, I will let you be right/You know that the numbers don't lie, you know the numbers don't lie, two wrongs will not make it right"). This technique of blending a happy melody with confrontational/controversial subject matter is nothing new, though (The Shirelles, anyone? "Will you STILL love me tomorrow?" The lyric there is both demanding AND sexual) The Mynabirds are just here to remind us in "Numbers Don't Lie" how to mask a tale of a relationship gone wrong with a harmonious, uplifting melody!
"Zebra" by Beach House: Not since "Zoot Suit Riot" back in '98 has there been a song that begins with the letter "Z" that I've really liked! (and "Zebra" is WAY better, to me). This has got to be one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard! And it doesn't take a minor key melody to do that in this song. "Zebra" is written in G sharp major, but still manages to make me cry on the inside. The word "zebra" isn't mentioned anywhere in the song (though the chorus mentions a "black and white horse", which I think is close enough). It's interesting that color seems to be a theme throughout the song (examples include the opening lyrics "You know you're gold", and "Your love is stag in the white sand"), yet none of these are colors of the rainbow. Perhaps this is symbolic of how beauty can be found in unlikely, seemingly "dull" places. The simplistic but elegant nature of this song is to die for! I highly recommend this one!!
"American Slang" by Gaslight Anthem: For a band who was initially labeled "punk", they sure don't sound like it in this song. In fact, they have more of a classic rock vibe, a la Springsteen and Neil Young. This seems to be a trend (albeit a small one) in indie rock lately, as The Hold Steady, Band of Horses, and My Morning Jacket seemed to have all taken on this aesthetic at least once in their careers. "American Slang" also boasts an epic, catchy riff that's instantly memorable upon first hearing it. This song is proof that indie rock doesn't have to be all about weird, random instrumentation. Sometimes it's good to just go back to the basics!
"American Troglodyte" by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim: Unlike the first single off their latest effort ("A Perfect Hand", featuring Steve Earle), this song manages to capture the offbeat-but-catchy vibe of Byrne's unlikely 2008 smash with Brian Eno, "Strange Overtones". The beat (and instruments) aren't the only cool thing about this song, though. The lyrics are also pretty interesting. Beneath its insanely danceable hooks, the ex-Talking Heads frontman sings about disappointed he is with current American culture. Lyrical dissonance doesn't always work, but somehow, in this song, it just seems right!
"Big Jet Plane" by Angus and Julia Stone: I'm mainly including this one since I loved their previous song, "The Beast", so much, that as soon as I heard they had a new record/single out, I just had to hear it! And it's pretty good, though it's got more of an uneasy (yet still melodic) feel to it than the wistful, bittersweet qualities that "The Beast" had. The guitar hook almost makes this sound like one of Radiohead's later efforts (like "I Might Be Wrong", or Thom Yorke's solo song, "Black Swan"), yet the violin (and Julia Stone's vocals) make "Big Jet Plane" distinguishable from such songs. When listening to this song, I don't know whether to call it angst-ridden or sad, since at times it sounds like both, but perhaps that's what makes this song so unique!
"Bloodbuzz Ohio" by The National: Even within the already eclectic world of indie rock, The National are one of those bands who manage to take that eclectic-ness a step further than most indie rock bands (except for possibly Wilco and Beck). They have been influenced by country-rock, contemporary British rock, and power pop ("power pop" would be bands, largely between the '70s and '90s, that sound a lot like The Beatles and The Kinks, often with Beach Boys-esque harmonies), and "Bloodbuzz Ohio" seems to reveal a new facet to their already diverse musical pallet - that of the gothic rock of Joy Division and Nick Cave. Vocally, The National's lead singer even sounds like Joy Division's lead singer, Ian Curtis, on this song. "Bloodbuzz Ohio", in fact, reminds me a great deal of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" for a couple reasons. Both songs are in A major, despite their gloomy sound. They also tend to both have an atmospheric quality with their "walls of sound" (use of multiple instruments that sound orchestral, in a rock and roll kind of way), and they both manage to compensate for their depressing nature with their fast drumbeats (at least to me they do). And, yes, they both have downbeat (and somewhat creepy) lyrics. Yet the non-synthesized keyboards and the almost continual transition in "Bloodbuzz Ohio" from A major to F sharp minor manage to make it distinct from "Love Will Tear Us Apart". Nevertheless, if bands that sound like a cross between Joy Division and Wilco are your thing, then "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is a surefire winner for you!
"Love Me Chase Me" by Carney: Don't be fooled by this song's slow, churning intro. This song's a real kicker from the chorus on up! It almost sounds like a modern-day update on one of the songs from The Beatles' "White Album". Its sound is like pop music that somehow manages to sound somewhat blues-y in its riffs, almost like one of The Raconteurs' songs. The lyrics are a bit simplistic from what I can tell ("if you love me, chase me"), but the riffs are both chunky and pop-y. Who knew the best guitar soloing on this week's list would come from a pop-rock band?! Not me. But I sure am glad someone out there is trying to preserve the sound of good ol' British rock and roll!! ("British" by sound, that is, as I'm not sure if Carney are actually British or not)
"Numbers Don't Lie" by The Mynabirds: I love the "retro" sound of this one! (Though practically all the songs on here have a "retro" sound, so I'll specify in the next few sentences 'bout that). This one has almost a "girl group" sound (a la Phil Spector) to it instrumentally that sounds like Chan Marshall (better known as "Cat Power" to you indie fans!) is taking the lead on vocally. Beneath the chirpiness that the vibe of this song gives off, "Numbers Don't Lie" is actually a very bitter, angst-ridden song lyrically. The chorus pretty much states it all ("Baby if you want to be right, I will let you be right, I will let you be right/You know that the numbers don't lie, you know the numbers don't lie, two wrongs will not make it right"). This technique of blending a happy melody with confrontational/controversial subject matter is nothing new, though (The Shirelles, anyone? "Will you STILL love me tomorrow?" The lyric there is both demanding AND sexual) The Mynabirds are just here to remind us in "Numbers Don't Lie" how to mask a tale of a relationship gone wrong with a harmonious, uplifting melody!
"Zebra" by Beach House: Not since "Zoot Suit Riot" back in '98 has there been a song that begins with the letter "Z" that I've really liked! (and "Zebra" is WAY better, to me). This has got to be one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard! And it doesn't take a minor key melody to do that in this song. "Zebra" is written in G sharp major, but still manages to make me cry on the inside. The word "zebra" isn't mentioned anywhere in the song (though the chorus mentions a "black and white horse", which I think is close enough). It's interesting that color seems to be a theme throughout the song (examples include the opening lyrics "You know you're gold", and "Your love is stag in the white sand"), yet none of these are colors of the rainbow. Perhaps this is symbolic of how beauty can be found in unlikely, seemingly "dull" places. The simplistic but elegant nature of this song is to die for! I highly recommend this one!!
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