here they are:
"Bros" by Wolf Alice: The name "Alice" is in the band's name and their lead singer happens to be female, yet the title of their first big song is the decidedly male-sounding "Bros". Icy yet melodic sounding songs done by women are nothing new (last year around this time, Banks' "Begging For Thread" was a good example of this), but given how the aforementioned combination doesn't come around that often, it's always good to hear songs like this one when they come out. Take the main riff of Silversun Pickups' "Lazy Eye" (which itself is basically a slight variation on the riff of Smashing Pumpkins' "1979"), add in shimmering guitar riffs and distortion vaguely similar to The Cure, and detached vocals a la Shirley Manson in Garbage's "Stupid Girl", and you've basically got "Bros" in a nutshell. Nowhere is the term "bros" (or even "brothers") mentioned in the song. More than likely, it gets its title from how the song is an ode to childhood memories and having friends you were attached to like siblings (hence, "bros").
"Mess Around" by Cage the Elephant: "Mess around" is one thing this song doesn't do! It gets straight to the point, and how! This song stands as a stark contrast to the breezy "Sgt. Pepper"-esque psychedelia of the songs from CTE's previous album, "Melophobia", and gets back to the garage rock-y roots the band had back when they debuted in 2009. The combination of garage rock and surf music influences in this song may remind some of The Black Keys. The simple lyrics, catchy hook, and short length of "Mess Around" are all essential to the garage rock vibe the song has to offer. The next time you feel like dancin' in front of the mirror when no one else is around, put this song on. You won't be sorry!
"The Song" by Trey Anastasio: What's the name of that song?! Just "The Song", you say?! Interesting name! With Trey Anastasio, whether he's by himself or performing with his band, Phish, you never know if you're gonna get a roots-y folk-rock ballad or a guitar noodlin' jam session. "The Song" is the former of the two categories, albeit with a brief, decent guitar solo towards the end. Along with the obvious Grateful Dead influence that dominates Trey's work musically, the lyrics to "The Song" are rather philosophical and Dead-like as well, with the ending of the chorus stating, "in the end, all that's left is the song". Groovy, man, groovy! I can dig it!
"Way Down We Go" by Kaleo: Kaleo's first big song, "All the Pretty Girls", sounded an awful lot like Vance Joy. "Way Down We Go", which looks like it'll be Kaleo's second big song, sounds a lot like Hozier, from the minor key pseudo-gospel instrumentation to the deep soulful vocals. I guess this means Kaleo are out to imitate every major indie-pop act of the 2010's! The electric guitar solo in the middle of "Way Down We Go" definitely differentiates it from Hozier's material, though. The lamenting lyrics, "we get what we deserve", also sound rather Hozier-esque. Good song, but hopefully Kaleo's third big song will sound more original than their other material has.
Wednesday, November 4, 2015
Wednesday, October 28, 2015
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.
"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.
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
New songs for October 21st 2015
here they are:
"Guesthouse" by The David Wax Museum: The David Wax Museum is one of the only bands I've ever known to combine folk, rock, and world music, and perhaps THE only band to combine all those that originated in the 2010's. In late 2012, they took adult alt radio by storm with the exotic sounding but relentlessly chipper "Harder Before It Gets Easier". Their latest song, "Guesthouse", also combines rock, folk, and world music, though it seems like they've been influenced by circus music here as well. The swirly, psychedelic organ of the song sounds kind of like the sort of organ you'd be likely to hear on a merry-go-round. The "guest" part of the title comes from how David Wax has apparently felt like a "guest" within the Mexican music community he has both studied about and performed with.
"Smooth Sailin'" by Leon Bridges: Leon's passionate, soul infused ballad, "Coming Home", arrived in February of this year, and it couldn't have arrived at a better time! The more energetic vibe of Leon's latest tune, "Smooth Sailin'", seems more fit for summer than fall, but fans of '60s soul music will probably enjoy the Otis Redding-ish sound of "Smooth Sailin'" just as much as the Sam Cooke-ish sound of "Coming Home". Smooth sailin', fast toe-tappin'!
"The Life You Chose" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell probably surprised many a listener of adult alt radio in spring of this year with the adult alt radio mega-hit, "24 Frames". Isbell has made music for quite a while now, but none of his songs have gotten as much attention as "24 Frames". The secret formula for that song's success is actually similar to what makes "The Life You Chose" an interesting song to listen to. Both songs are bittersweet country/folk-rock tunes concerning the struggle between the way life is for Jason and the way life used to be for him. "The Life You Chose" is a mostly major key song, though, unlike "24 Frames", which alternates between major and minor key. "The Life You Chose" is probably also more wistful than melancholy, but listeners are still likely to experience heartache when listening to the song.
"Guesthouse" by The David Wax Museum: The David Wax Museum is one of the only bands I've ever known to combine folk, rock, and world music, and perhaps THE only band to combine all those that originated in the 2010's. In late 2012, they took adult alt radio by storm with the exotic sounding but relentlessly chipper "Harder Before It Gets Easier". Their latest song, "Guesthouse", also combines rock, folk, and world music, though it seems like they've been influenced by circus music here as well. The swirly, psychedelic organ of the song sounds kind of like the sort of organ you'd be likely to hear on a merry-go-round. The "guest" part of the title comes from how David Wax has apparently felt like a "guest" within the Mexican music community he has both studied about and performed with.
"Smooth Sailin'" by Leon Bridges: Leon's passionate, soul infused ballad, "Coming Home", arrived in February of this year, and it couldn't have arrived at a better time! The more energetic vibe of Leon's latest tune, "Smooth Sailin'", seems more fit for summer than fall, but fans of '60s soul music will probably enjoy the Otis Redding-ish sound of "Smooth Sailin'" just as much as the Sam Cooke-ish sound of "Coming Home". Smooth sailin', fast toe-tappin'!
"The Life You Chose" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell probably surprised many a listener of adult alt radio in spring of this year with the adult alt radio mega-hit, "24 Frames". Isbell has made music for quite a while now, but none of his songs have gotten as much attention as "24 Frames". The secret formula for that song's success is actually similar to what makes "The Life You Chose" an interesting song to listen to. Both songs are bittersweet country/folk-rock tunes concerning the struggle between the way life is for Jason and the way life used to be for him. "The Life You Chose" is a mostly major key song, though, unlike "24 Frames", which alternates between major and minor key. "The Life You Chose" is probably also more wistful than melancholy, but listeners are still likely to experience heartache when listening to the song.
Wednesday, September 30, 2015
New songs for September 30th, 2015
here they are:
"First" by Cold War Kids: As per usual with Cold War Kids' material, the combination of graceful piano and more mysterious sounding electronic instruments are paired with rather bitter, angst-ridden lyrics. "First you get hurt, then you feel sorry" are the opening words to the chorus of CWK's latest song, "First". A rather sad way of looking at life and the events that go on in it, but an honest one nonetheless. Nathan Willett's distinctive, quavering vocals set "First" into gear as he tells yet another tale of woe in his ongoing musical saga.
"Why Would I Now?" by The Decemberists: Last fall's "What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World" may end up being the only Decemberists album to just have two hits on it ("Make You Better" and "The Wrong Year"), and that's mainly because The Decemberists have ALREADY released a new mini-album called "Florasongs", the first single of which is "Why Would I Now?" "Why Would I Now?" sounds a little like Tracy Chapman's "Talkin' Bout A Revolution" if it were backed by electric guitars and a string section. The song is a song of reassurance, with Colin Meloy addressing the subject of the song by telling them there's no reason not to trust his intentions.
"First" by Cold War Kids: As per usual with Cold War Kids' material, the combination of graceful piano and more mysterious sounding electronic instruments are paired with rather bitter, angst-ridden lyrics. "First you get hurt, then you feel sorry" are the opening words to the chorus of CWK's latest song, "First". A rather sad way of looking at life and the events that go on in it, but an honest one nonetheless. Nathan Willett's distinctive, quavering vocals set "First" into gear as he tells yet another tale of woe in his ongoing musical saga.
"Why Would I Now?" by The Decemberists: Last fall's "What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World" may end up being the only Decemberists album to just have two hits on it ("Make You Better" and "The Wrong Year"), and that's mainly because The Decemberists have ALREADY released a new mini-album called "Florasongs", the first single of which is "Why Would I Now?" "Why Would I Now?" sounds a little like Tracy Chapman's "Talkin' Bout A Revolution" if it were backed by electric guitars and a string section. The song is a song of reassurance, with Colin Meloy addressing the subject of the song by telling them there's no reason not to trust his intentions.
Wednesday, September 23, 2015
New songs for September 23rd, 2015
here they are:
"A Little Smile" by Joe Jackson: "A little smile" is just what you're gonna get if you're a fan of this eclectic, Elvis Costello-esque musician who is best known for the new wave era classic, "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" Unlike Elvis Costello, who has consistently released songs and albums throughout his career, Joe Jackson tends to be a bit more selective about when he'll release something new. The last I heard from him was the brilliant piano-pop piece, "Invisible Man", which came out in 2008. I don't know what Joe has been doing during the 7 years since that song was released, but whatever it was must have paid off, because "A Little Smile" was certainly worth the wait! The song comes off a little bit like what a Bruce Hornsby cover of a Ben Folds song might sound like, though I can't help but be won over by the wistfulness and charm of the song. Also, I LOVE the bridge parts of the song. They sound so preciously bittersweet!
"Bad Blood" by Ryan Adams: Ryan Adams covering Taylor Swift?! (An entire ALBUM of her material, at that.) For a man who hated his name being mistaken for '80s pop-rock musician Bryan Adams, this sure does come as a surprise!! Well, to quote a popular Taylor Swift song, "the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate" on Ryan Adams, but luckily he still has the support of people like me who allow him creative freedom, even if that means doing versions of songs by musicians whom I haven't become a fan of. Here, Ryan turns Swift's techno-pop-y Christina Aguilera-ish song "Bad Blood" into something that sounds like it would be more at home on Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks" album than it would on the current Top 40 charts. Ryan's goal here seems to be turning popular media into something more akin to pop art, almost like what Andy Warhol famously did to Campbell's soup cans many years ago, and he does a surprisingly good job at it, too! The lyrics of what I previously viewed as an ordinary song suddenly become more personal and emotional. This is truly an example of musical poetry at its finest!
"Lover Come Back" by City and Colour: Dallas "City and Colour" Green started off as a folk musician and then turned up his rock 'n' roll quotient on the two albums that followed his debut. In his latest song, "Lover Come Back", he comes full circle and makes those two worlds collide. It is a pleasantly folk-y song with rock 'n' roll instruments being used in the background. Perhaps collaborating with pop sensation Pink (a.k.a. "P!nk", whatever that's supposed to mean) in folk-rock duo You + Me made Dallas want to return to folk music. Whatever the case, "Lover Come Back" is a lovely, bittersweet song, and it's one that I've waited for him to do since back when he debuted in 2009! Some may think that Dallas is letting his sappy side come out here, but I think he's just being sentimental, and I also think there's absolutely nothing wrong with being sentimental.
"A Little Smile" by Joe Jackson: "A little smile" is just what you're gonna get if you're a fan of this eclectic, Elvis Costello-esque musician who is best known for the new wave era classic, "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" Unlike Elvis Costello, who has consistently released songs and albums throughout his career, Joe Jackson tends to be a bit more selective about when he'll release something new. The last I heard from him was the brilliant piano-pop piece, "Invisible Man", which came out in 2008. I don't know what Joe has been doing during the 7 years since that song was released, but whatever it was must have paid off, because "A Little Smile" was certainly worth the wait! The song comes off a little bit like what a Bruce Hornsby cover of a Ben Folds song might sound like, though I can't help but be won over by the wistfulness and charm of the song. Also, I LOVE the bridge parts of the song. They sound so preciously bittersweet!
"Bad Blood" by Ryan Adams: Ryan Adams covering Taylor Swift?! (An entire ALBUM of her material, at that.) For a man who hated his name being mistaken for '80s pop-rock musician Bryan Adams, this sure does come as a surprise!! Well, to quote a popular Taylor Swift song, "the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate" on Ryan Adams, but luckily he still has the support of people like me who allow him creative freedom, even if that means doing versions of songs by musicians whom I haven't become a fan of. Here, Ryan turns Swift's techno-pop-y Christina Aguilera-ish song "Bad Blood" into something that sounds like it would be more at home on Bob Dylan's "Blood on the Tracks" album than it would on the current Top 40 charts. Ryan's goal here seems to be turning popular media into something more akin to pop art, almost like what Andy Warhol famously did to Campbell's soup cans many years ago, and he does a surprisingly good job at it, too! The lyrics of what I previously viewed as an ordinary song suddenly become more personal and emotional. This is truly an example of musical poetry at its finest!
"Lover Come Back" by City and Colour: Dallas "City and Colour" Green started off as a folk musician and then turned up his rock 'n' roll quotient on the two albums that followed his debut. In his latest song, "Lover Come Back", he comes full circle and makes those two worlds collide. It is a pleasantly folk-y song with rock 'n' roll instruments being used in the background. Perhaps collaborating with pop sensation Pink (a.k.a. "P!nk", whatever that's supposed to mean) in folk-rock duo You + Me made Dallas want to return to folk music. Whatever the case, "Lover Come Back" is a lovely, bittersweet song, and it's one that I've waited for him to do since back when he debuted in 2009! Some may think that Dallas is letting his sappy side come out here, but I think he's just being sentimental, and I also think there's absolutely nothing wrong with being sentimental.
Wednesday, September 16, 2015
new songs for September 16th, 2015
here they are:
"All Your Favorite Bands" by Dawes: If by "all your favorite bands", you mean Jackson Browne and The Beatles, then I guess you're right, as this song kinda sounds like a cross between the former's "Rock Me On the Water" and the latter's "Let It Be". Like "Let It Be", "All Your Favorite Bands" is a rather bittersweet song. The title of the song (and the album for which it is named) comes from the line "may all your favorite bands stay together". Well, seeing as Dawes have now been around for about 6 years without any known splitting apart of the members, perhaps they're one of their own favorite bands! The song is basically a sad but hopeful love song, with Taylor Goldsmith pleading, "I hope the world sees the same person that you always were to me" to his lover.
"Mountain At My Gates" by Foals: One of the more experimental bands in indie-rock, Foals might have just finally scored a slightly more mainstream hit with "Mountain At My Gates", which combines the adventurous sounds of Tame Impala and "Kid A" era Radiohead with the sound of more accessible bands like Imagine Dragons. The bright, spirited piano in the background of the song keeps it chugging along, and as its instruments gradually build into a crescendo, it seems to transition from indie-rock to arena rock within the blink of an eye! What a trippy mountain there must be at those gates, eh?!
"Walk the Wire" by Boy and Bear: Wait a minute, who let Ric Ocasek join Boy and Bear?! I don't even...well a lot of bands have been trying to change their sound lately, but I would NOT have expected the quaint and folk-y Boy and Bear to turn into an arena ready new wave revival band!! Therefore, "Walk the Wire" is quite a fitting name for this song! Boy and Bear will probably lose some fans along the way. However, fans of The Cars will probably be clamoring over to "Walk the Wire", which even features a brief Elliot Easton-esque guitar solo! Brandon Flowers and co, take note. THIS might be what you want your next album to sound like!
"Yellow Eyes" by Rayland Baxter: At last, a newcomer on this week's blog! Rayland Baxter's autumnal, pleasant folk-rock sound seems to have arrived just in time for the fall season! The sound of Rayland's debut song, "Yellow Eyes", recalls some of the older Ryan Adams and Wilco songs from before they started adding a crunchier electric guitar sound to their songs. The song's lyrics seem to be delivered in a rather soul-searching manner, but they're actually about a man who has a bad habit of leaving his girlfriends without a significant other. What a great title, too. I'm sure we've all heard songs about people with blue eyes, brown eyes, and maybe even green eyes, but not yellow eyes. Until now, that is.
"All Your Favorite Bands" by Dawes: If by "all your favorite bands", you mean Jackson Browne and The Beatles, then I guess you're right, as this song kinda sounds like a cross between the former's "Rock Me On the Water" and the latter's "Let It Be". Like "Let It Be", "All Your Favorite Bands" is a rather bittersweet song. The title of the song (and the album for which it is named) comes from the line "may all your favorite bands stay together". Well, seeing as Dawes have now been around for about 6 years without any known splitting apart of the members, perhaps they're one of their own favorite bands! The song is basically a sad but hopeful love song, with Taylor Goldsmith pleading, "I hope the world sees the same person that you always were to me" to his lover.
"Mountain At My Gates" by Foals: One of the more experimental bands in indie-rock, Foals might have just finally scored a slightly more mainstream hit with "Mountain At My Gates", which combines the adventurous sounds of Tame Impala and "Kid A" era Radiohead with the sound of more accessible bands like Imagine Dragons. The bright, spirited piano in the background of the song keeps it chugging along, and as its instruments gradually build into a crescendo, it seems to transition from indie-rock to arena rock within the blink of an eye! What a trippy mountain there must be at those gates, eh?!
"Walk the Wire" by Boy and Bear: Wait a minute, who let Ric Ocasek join Boy and Bear?! I don't even...well a lot of bands have been trying to change their sound lately, but I would NOT have expected the quaint and folk-y Boy and Bear to turn into an arena ready new wave revival band!! Therefore, "Walk the Wire" is quite a fitting name for this song! Boy and Bear will probably lose some fans along the way. However, fans of The Cars will probably be clamoring over to "Walk the Wire", which even features a brief Elliot Easton-esque guitar solo! Brandon Flowers and co, take note. THIS might be what you want your next album to sound like!
"Yellow Eyes" by Rayland Baxter: At last, a newcomer on this week's blog! Rayland Baxter's autumnal, pleasant folk-rock sound seems to have arrived just in time for the fall season! The sound of Rayland's debut song, "Yellow Eyes", recalls some of the older Ryan Adams and Wilco songs from before they started adding a crunchier electric guitar sound to their songs. The song's lyrics seem to be delivered in a rather soul-searching manner, but they're actually about a man who has a bad habit of leaving his girlfriends without a significant other. What a great title, too. I'm sure we've all heard songs about people with blue eyes, brown eyes, and maybe even green eyes, but not yellow eyes. Until now, that is.
Wednesday, September 9, 2015
New songs for September 9th, 2015
here they are:
"All Across This Land" by Blitzen Trapper: This song, as well as quite a few of the songs from Blitzen Trapper's previous album, "VII", are all songs that could dethrone Drive-by Truckers' status as being the indie-rock answer to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Who knew?! Back when all I knew of Blitzen Trapper was the more folk-rock-y "Black River Killer", I sure wouldn't have! "All Across This Land" does have plenty of chunky, meaty Skynyrd-esque riffs, though. In fact here, they sound like a cross between that and Led Zeppelin. The "road song" vibe of "All Across This Land" also makes it seem a bit like a Lynyrd Skynyrd song. Don't go shouting "Freebird!" at a Blitzen Trapper concert, though, they'll probably hate you for it!
"Made to Break Your Heart" by Los Lobos: They've blended folk, rock, country, and world music ever since the 1980's! With a group like Los Lobos, you never know what you're gonna get! Their latest song, "Made to Break Your Heart", is a breezy, summery song. Well, up until that hazy guitar solo in the middle of the song, that is. Like the last song I mentioned in this week's review, "Made to Break Your Heart" could also be considered a "road song", albeit in a different manner. Instead of being a fast, rockin' road song, "Made to Break Your Heart" is more like the sort of song you'd listen to with a light breeze, the top down, and the windows rolled up at dusk. The song has similar chords and rhythm to Dire Straits' "Water of Love", while its riffs are more Santana than they are Mark Knopfler.
"Make You Mine" by Family of the Year: FOTY have done it again! Their fall 2012 folk-rock smash hit, "Hero", won the hearts of millions back when it came out. The more upbeat, alt-pop-y "Make You Mine" is in the process of making just as many waves, and the reason for that is...Turner Classic Movies?! Well, apparently, a lot of the YouTube comments I've seen for this are about how the song was used in a TCM promo. Who'da thunk?! I sure wouldn't have! Whatever works, though! Probably would have used it to advertise an NBC or CBS sitcom, myself, as it seems to be bubbly and cheery enough to work in such a situation.
"All Across This Land" by Blitzen Trapper: This song, as well as quite a few of the songs from Blitzen Trapper's previous album, "VII", are all songs that could dethrone Drive-by Truckers' status as being the indie-rock answer to Lynyrd Skynyrd. Who knew?! Back when all I knew of Blitzen Trapper was the more folk-rock-y "Black River Killer", I sure wouldn't have! "All Across This Land" does have plenty of chunky, meaty Skynyrd-esque riffs, though. In fact here, they sound like a cross between that and Led Zeppelin. The "road song" vibe of "All Across This Land" also makes it seem a bit like a Lynyrd Skynyrd song. Don't go shouting "Freebird!" at a Blitzen Trapper concert, though, they'll probably hate you for it!
"Made to Break Your Heart" by Los Lobos: They've blended folk, rock, country, and world music ever since the 1980's! With a group like Los Lobos, you never know what you're gonna get! Their latest song, "Made to Break Your Heart", is a breezy, summery song. Well, up until that hazy guitar solo in the middle of the song, that is. Like the last song I mentioned in this week's review, "Made to Break Your Heart" could also be considered a "road song", albeit in a different manner. Instead of being a fast, rockin' road song, "Made to Break Your Heart" is more like the sort of song you'd listen to with a light breeze, the top down, and the windows rolled up at dusk. The song has similar chords and rhythm to Dire Straits' "Water of Love", while its riffs are more Santana than they are Mark Knopfler.
"Make You Mine" by Family of the Year: FOTY have done it again! Their fall 2012 folk-rock smash hit, "Hero", won the hearts of millions back when it came out. The more upbeat, alt-pop-y "Make You Mine" is in the process of making just as many waves, and the reason for that is...Turner Classic Movies?! Well, apparently, a lot of the YouTube comments I've seen for this are about how the song was used in a TCM promo. Who'da thunk?! I sure wouldn't have! Whatever works, though! Probably would have used it to advertise an NBC or CBS sitcom, myself, as it seems to be bubbly and cheery enough to work in such a situation.
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