here they are:
"I'd Rather Go Blind" by Grace Potter: Grace Potter has zigzagged through the years between folk, blues, rock, and pop. Perhaps she's always been a blues-woman at heart, though, and there's proof of this in her Muscle Shoals produced cover of Etta James' "I'd Rather Go Blind". Grace pours her heart and soul out on this cover, which would make both Etta James and Bonnie Raitt proud. Unlike Etta's version, Grace's take on this blues classic runs for a full 5 minutes, proving just how passionate she is about this song!
"Walls" by The Lumineers: Another cover for the only other song of the week, this time one of the late, great, Tom Petty. "Ho Hey" might be a far cry from, say, "Refugee", but "Walls" is one of the softer, more roots-y songs in Petty's catalog, so it's fitting for The Lumi's to pay tribute to Petty like this. Once again, even after 6 years in the music biz, The Lumi's STILL haven't compromised their folk-rock for techno-pop, making them tried and true survivors of the indie-folk scene. I need only for someone like Leon Bridges to cover Aretha Franklin now that she has passed on, and my life will be complete!
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
New songs for October 10th, 2018
here they are:
"Comeback Kid" by Sharon Van Etten: Sharon Van Etten might be coming back to adult alt radio for the first time since 2015, but meanwhile, I'm starting to notice that guitars might NOT be making a comeback anytime soon. The once folk-rock oriented Sharon Van Etten has now opted for the use of synthesizers in her latest song, "Comeback Kid". I must admit, as a longtime guitar player myself, I'm a little disappointed by this. What starts out sounding like a glimmer of the sweeping, orchestral intro to The Cranberries' "Linger" ends up sounding instead like one of the many dance-pop oriented songs dominating the "alternative" charts. The song is also a bit more repetitive than most SVE songs are, with the title of the song sung a total of 10 times without a whole lot of substance in the lyrics. I suppose this is a song I could grow used to, though.
"If You Really Love Nothing" by Interpol: This is a song that will break your heart...as well as your spleen! While this song is basically a breakup song, lead vocalist Paul Banks slips in lyrics like, "Whenever I find home, the next artery, splendid, I bled my whole life", making it a bit more of a bloody (anti) valentine song than most breakup songs are. Some might be wondering what Kristen Stewart is doing in the video for this song. Though she's become known for the notoriously over-the-top emotional "Twilight" movies, it seems like that's not what she wants to be known for. After all, she's a fan of The Replacements, an actress in a movie about rocker, Joan Jett, and characters in indie movie faves like "Adventureland" and "Into the Wild". Perhaps now it'll make a little more sense why she's in an Interpol video. The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLk8i2zw2jU
"Comeback Kid" by Sharon Van Etten: Sharon Van Etten might be coming back to adult alt radio for the first time since 2015, but meanwhile, I'm starting to notice that guitars might NOT be making a comeback anytime soon. The once folk-rock oriented Sharon Van Etten has now opted for the use of synthesizers in her latest song, "Comeback Kid". I must admit, as a longtime guitar player myself, I'm a little disappointed by this. What starts out sounding like a glimmer of the sweeping, orchestral intro to The Cranberries' "Linger" ends up sounding instead like one of the many dance-pop oriented songs dominating the "alternative" charts. The song is also a bit more repetitive than most SVE songs are, with the title of the song sung a total of 10 times without a whole lot of substance in the lyrics. I suppose this is a song I could grow used to, though.
"If You Really Love Nothing" by Interpol: This is a song that will break your heart...as well as your spleen! While this song is basically a breakup song, lead vocalist Paul Banks slips in lyrics like, "Whenever I find home, the next artery, splendid, I bled my whole life", making it a bit more of a bloody (anti) valentine song than most breakup songs are. Some might be wondering what Kristen Stewart is doing in the video for this song. Though she's become known for the notoriously over-the-top emotional "Twilight" movies, it seems like that's not what she wants to be known for. After all, she's a fan of The Replacements, an actress in a movie about rocker, Joan Jett, and characters in indie movie faves like "Adventureland" and "Into the Wild". Perhaps now it'll make a little more sense why she's in an Interpol video. The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLk8i2zw2jU
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
New songs for October 3rd 2018
here they are:
"Shame Shame Shame" by Lake Street Dive: The soul and rock combo of Rachael Price and co just keeps on coming with their latest hit, "Shame Shame Shame". From the title alone, you could probably guess that it's a bit darker than their first hit from their latest album, which was a song called "Good Kisser". You know that feeling when you're in a relationship with someone and you find out all the darkest secrets of the person you thought was your one and only?! Well, that's exactly the vibe this song tries to provide. Fool me even once?! "Shame Shame Shame" on you!!
"Total Disaster" by Rhett Miller: You were expecting country rock?! Well, think again! The Old 97's frontman takes on more of a British rock flavor on his latest song, "Total Disaster", even though he himself is not British. In this self deprecating number, the titular "total disaster" is none other than Rhett Miller himself! It's not as though Old 97's haven't had a bit of bite to their music before. They're almost like punk rock in comparison to the Byrds-y Jayhawks and the rustic Son Volt. This song, however, takes the self aware sarcasm of the typical 97's tune and amps it up a bit, both musically and lyrically!
"Shame Shame Shame" by Lake Street Dive: The soul and rock combo of Rachael Price and co just keeps on coming with their latest hit, "Shame Shame Shame". From the title alone, you could probably guess that it's a bit darker than their first hit from their latest album, which was a song called "Good Kisser". You know that feeling when you're in a relationship with someone and you find out all the darkest secrets of the person you thought was your one and only?! Well, that's exactly the vibe this song tries to provide. Fool me even once?! "Shame Shame Shame" on you!!
"Total Disaster" by Rhett Miller: You were expecting country rock?! Well, think again! The Old 97's frontman takes on more of a British rock flavor on his latest song, "Total Disaster", even though he himself is not British. In this self deprecating number, the titular "total disaster" is none other than Rhett Miller himself! It's not as though Old 97's haven't had a bit of bite to their music before. They're almost like punk rock in comparison to the Byrds-y Jayhawks and the rustic Son Volt. This song, however, takes the self aware sarcasm of the typical 97's tune and amps it up a bit, both musically and lyrically!
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
New songs for September 26th 2018
here they are:
"Caesar Rock" by Paul McCartney: In spite of this song's somewhat trippy sound, it is not a "Magical Mystery Tour" or "Sgt. Pepper" outtake. "Caesar Rock" is Macca's own! The reverberation of the background instruments, the crispness of the acoustic guitars, the "Revolver"-esque in-and-out vibes of the accompanying electric guitars, and Sir Paul's commanding vocals make this song one worth the listen to. I can't help but wonder if the title of this song is a play on words. Paul sounds like he's saying, "She's a rock", during the chorus, even though it's actually, "Caesar rock". There has long been a rumor among the Beatles fandom that fellow Beatle John Lennon used the phrase "Norwegian wood" to sound like "knowing she would", so ya never know!
"Guiding Light" by Mumford and Sons: Mumford and Sons' last album received mixed reviews, largely because they were going for more of a "rock" sound than their previous albums. The single-only song, "There Will Be Time", marked a return to the Mumfords' acoustic roots, and could be said to be a forerunner to their latest song, "Guiding Light", which also focuses on their initial folk-rock sound. The trademark M & S banjo might not be present, but the earnestness and the softness that people associate the band with are both here on "Guiding Light". Unlike their 2015 song, "Believe, "Guiding Light" has received largely positive feedback on YouTube so far. Welcome back, boys! We missed ya!
"Caesar Rock" by Paul McCartney: In spite of this song's somewhat trippy sound, it is not a "Magical Mystery Tour" or "Sgt. Pepper" outtake. "Caesar Rock" is Macca's own! The reverberation of the background instruments, the crispness of the acoustic guitars, the "Revolver"-esque in-and-out vibes of the accompanying electric guitars, and Sir Paul's commanding vocals make this song one worth the listen to. I can't help but wonder if the title of this song is a play on words. Paul sounds like he's saying, "She's a rock", during the chorus, even though it's actually, "Caesar rock". There has long been a rumor among the Beatles fandom that fellow Beatle John Lennon used the phrase "Norwegian wood" to sound like "knowing she would", so ya never know!
"Guiding Light" by Mumford and Sons: Mumford and Sons' last album received mixed reviews, largely because they were going for more of a "rock" sound than their previous albums. The single-only song, "There Will Be Time", marked a return to the Mumfords' acoustic roots, and could be said to be a forerunner to their latest song, "Guiding Light", which also focuses on their initial folk-rock sound. The trademark M & S banjo might not be present, but the earnestness and the softness that people associate the band with are both here on "Guiding Light". Unlike their 2015 song, "Believe, "Guiding Light" has received largely positive feedback on YouTube so far. Welcome back, boys! We missed ya!
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
New songs for September 19th 2018
here they are:
"Make It Happen" by The Record Company: The uniquely catchy blues-rock of The Record Company has won the band scores of hits on adult alt radio, and with "Make It Happen", the hits just keep on comin'! Using stomping electric guitar riffs and blues-y slide guitar riffs, "Make It Happen" does exactly as its title says! The song is an exhilarating thrill ride for the ears from start to finish, and as its speed picks up towards the middle, it just becomes that much more of a thrill for the listener. In short, "Make It Happen" really does make it happen! Well worth listening to!
"Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino" by Arctic Monkeys: Arctic Monkeys hit it big in spring and early summer of this year with "Four Out of Five", which was frequently compared to David Bowie. The title track to their latest album, "Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino", continues in a Bowie-esque direction. The mysterious yet alluring sound of the song wouldn't be out of character for the Thin White Duke (although then again, what would?!) "Tranquility Base..." has a sort of eerie sci-fi vibe to it in terms of how it sounds. Lyrically, it plays out like a "Hotel California" for goth and post-punk fans, centering around a most likely metaphorical hotel of questionable service.
"Make It Happen" by The Record Company: The uniquely catchy blues-rock of The Record Company has won the band scores of hits on adult alt radio, and with "Make It Happen", the hits just keep on comin'! Using stomping electric guitar riffs and blues-y slide guitar riffs, "Make It Happen" does exactly as its title says! The song is an exhilarating thrill ride for the ears from start to finish, and as its speed picks up towards the middle, it just becomes that much more of a thrill for the listener. In short, "Make It Happen" really does make it happen! Well worth listening to!
"Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino" by Arctic Monkeys: Arctic Monkeys hit it big in spring and early summer of this year with "Four Out of Five", which was frequently compared to David Bowie. The title track to their latest album, "Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino", continues in a Bowie-esque direction. The mysterious yet alluring sound of the song wouldn't be out of character for the Thin White Duke (although then again, what would?!) "Tranquility Base..." has a sort of eerie sci-fi vibe to it in terms of how it sounds. Lyrically, it plays out like a "Hotel California" for goth and post-punk fans, centering around a most likely metaphorical hotel of questionable service.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
New songs for September 12th, 2018
here they are:
"Bambi" by Hippo Campus: I'm not sure if Hippo Campus' lead singer meant something allegorical by the title of this song (which does not appear in its lyrics), or if he's just a really big Disney fan, but either way, "Bambi" is a quirky, synth driven indie-pop song. Nothing new under the sun for today's generation, but for Hippo Campus, it kind of is. Most of their other songs have guitar in 'em, and there's nary a lick or riff to be found in "Bambi". Despite its pleasantly goofy sound, "Bambi" has somewhat depressing lyrics that seem to revolve around the repressed, confused emotions of the lead singer.
"Cringe" by Matt Maeson: Newcomer Matt Maeson combines the best of both worlds with his brand of indie-pop. In other words, he uses a folk-pop base for his debut song, "Cringe", but adds in more of that electronic instrumentation that all the kids seem to be craving these days as the song progresses. The chorus has Matt pondering if he makes the subject of his song "cringe". Well, Matt, that depends on who you're talking to. People who think that "good music" ended during a previous decade probably will cringe over this song. Not me! Although the style of this song does seem to be getting increasingly more common on both pop AND rock radio by now, so I dunno...
"Nina Cried Power" by Hozier (featuring Mavis Staples): A rising star from the 2010's and a risen star from the '60s and '70s sounds like it'd be quite a powerhouse to listen to, doesn't it?! Well, you'd be right! In "Nina Cried Power", neo-soul meets old school soul, with interesting results from both parties. The song is probably Hozier's darkest sounding since his debut (and so far, best known) song, "Take Me to Church", and for Mavis Staples, it provides proof that you can be almost octogenarian and still stir peoples' souls of all ages! The "Nina" in question is legendary jazz musician, Nina Simone. She, along with Joni Mitchell, are mentioned in the song as examples of people who have "cried power" (in other words, started a revolution). Though many tend to dismiss Hozier as a one-hit wonder, he actually has 7 songs (this one being # 8 in his catalog) that are just as powerful, if not more so, than the one he's known for. His songs will always "cry power" for me! Ditto Mavis Staples, whose star has continued to rise throughout this decade!
"99" by Barns Courtney: 99. 99 WHAT?! Bottles of beer on the wall?! 'Fraid not. It actually isn't 99 of anything, but the year 1999. Prince already sang about the year, famously, but his standpoint was predicting 1999 as a future year. It has now been 19 years SINCE 1999, and Barns Courtney looks back on the year as actually being nostalgic in comparison to what people are currently facing financially. The song is about how Barns once thrived on money and thought he'd be a millionaire, but is now coming to the realization that this is just not so. Sooo...what's gonna happen 20 years from 2020?! I guess we'll never know 'till we get there!
"Teenage Superstar" by Scars on 45: If only Prince was alive today. If he was, he'd know that he's now no longer the only one singing about 1999. In addition to the Barns Courtney entry I talked about previously, this song is ALSO about 1999! Once again, unlike what Prince predicted, the year is being sung about nostalgically instead of apocalyptically. And once again, the song looks at the present as being dismal and disappointing in comparison. Danny Bemrose and Aimee Driver wax nostalgic throughout the song about their glory days when they wanted to BE rock stars. Ever since 2011, their dream has come true...well, sort of. Only a handful of people know who Scars on 45 are. They haven't become near as big as, say, Mumford and Sons, or The Black Keys. But ever since "Give Me Something" came out, the sweet, gentle folk-rock of Scars on 45 has captivated me enough to think of them as rock stars, because their songs have ended up meaning a lot to me over the years!
"Bambi" by Hippo Campus: I'm not sure if Hippo Campus' lead singer meant something allegorical by the title of this song (which does not appear in its lyrics), or if he's just a really big Disney fan, but either way, "Bambi" is a quirky, synth driven indie-pop song. Nothing new under the sun for today's generation, but for Hippo Campus, it kind of is. Most of their other songs have guitar in 'em, and there's nary a lick or riff to be found in "Bambi". Despite its pleasantly goofy sound, "Bambi" has somewhat depressing lyrics that seem to revolve around the repressed, confused emotions of the lead singer.
"Cringe" by Matt Maeson: Newcomer Matt Maeson combines the best of both worlds with his brand of indie-pop. In other words, he uses a folk-pop base for his debut song, "Cringe", but adds in more of that electronic instrumentation that all the kids seem to be craving these days as the song progresses. The chorus has Matt pondering if he makes the subject of his song "cringe". Well, Matt, that depends on who you're talking to. People who think that "good music" ended during a previous decade probably will cringe over this song. Not me! Although the style of this song does seem to be getting increasingly more common on both pop AND rock radio by now, so I dunno...
"Nina Cried Power" by Hozier (featuring Mavis Staples): A rising star from the 2010's and a risen star from the '60s and '70s sounds like it'd be quite a powerhouse to listen to, doesn't it?! Well, you'd be right! In "Nina Cried Power", neo-soul meets old school soul, with interesting results from both parties. The song is probably Hozier's darkest sounding since his debut (and so far, best known) song, "Take Me to Church", and for Mavis Staples, it provides proof that you can be almost octogenarian and still stir peoples' souls of all ages! The "Nina" in question is legendary jazz musician, Nina Simone. She, along with Joni Mitchell, are mentioned in the song as examples of people who have "cried power" (in other words, started a revolution). Though many tend to dismiss Hozier as a one-hit wonder, he actually has 7 songs (this one being # 8 in his catalog) that are just as powerful, if not more so, than the one he's known for. His songs will always "cry power" for me! Ditto Mavis Staples, whose star has continued to rise throughout this decade!
"99" by Barns Courtney: 99. 99 WHAT?! Bottles of beer on the wall?! 'Fraid not. It actually isn't 99 of anything, but the year 1999. Prince already sang about the year, famously, but his standpoint was predicting 1999 as a future year. It has now been 19 years SINCE 1999, and Barns Courtney looks back on the year as actually being nostalgic in comparison to what people are currently facing financially. The song is about how Barns once thrived on money and thought he'd be a millionaire, but is now coming to the realization that this is just not so. Sooo...what's gonna happen 20 years from 2020?! I guess we'll never know 'till we get there!
"Teenage Superstar" by Scars on 45: If only Prince was alive today. If he was, he'd know that he's now no longer the only one singing about 1999. In addition to the Barns Courtney entry I talked about previously, this song is ALSO about 1999! Once again, unlike what Prince predicted, the year is being sung about nostalgically instead of apocalyptically. And once again, the song looks at the present as being dismal and disappointing in comparison. Danny Bemrose and Aimee Driver wax nostalgic throughout the song about their glory days when they wanted to BE rock stars. Ever since 2011, their dream has come true...well, sort of. Only a handful of people know who Scars on 45 are. They haven't become near as big as, say, Mumford and Sons, or The Black Keys. But ever since "Give Me Something" came out, the sweet, gentle folk-rock of Scars on 45 has captivated me enough to think of them as rock stars, because their songs have ended up meaning a lot to me over the years!
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
New songs for September 5th, 2018
here they are:
"Cumberland Gap" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell's 2017 album might just be his best one yet! First he gave us a taste of furious Southern rock with "Hope the High Road", then he gave us a bittersweet, reflective folk-rock song with "If We Were Vampires", and NOW we have a song that sounds like The Pixies by way of Bruce Springsteen, or maybe the other way around, with "Cumberland Gap". With a title like that, I'd have expected this song to be one of his more countrified musical numbers, but nothing could be further from the truth! "Cumberland Gap" seems to pick up where "Hope the High Road" left off, with more protest fueled lyrics, much like "...High Road" had. Jason's disappointed and angst ridden conclusion in the chorus is a righteous cry of, "Maybe the Cumberland Gap swallows you whole!" Sometimes, the real world is just too much to think about these days. That's one of the many reasons songs like this one can come in handy!
"Date Night" by Father John Misty: Only Father John Misty can take a song that sounds vaguely similar to Nirvana's "Rape Me" and make it sound sort of like a Harry Nilsson tune. If this sounds too weird for you, don't worry. You only have to suffer through 2 and a half minutes of this. For the rest of us, this song is pure blissed out bliss! FJM is such a weird dude that I'm not even sure what "Date Night" is supposed to mean in the context of this song. Heck, I'll be lucky if I can figure out what ANY of this song means! But that's FJM for ya. His charm is in his eccentricity!
"Feed the Fire" by Dawes: Dawes recently opened for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra. In "Feed the Fire" they SOUND like ELO. Well, sorta. Perhaps a band like Steely Dan might be a more appropriate comparison, (esp. for its "Do It Again"-esque sitar solo) but in any case, they sound like they're straddling the line between hippie and hipster like they usually do. What they mean here by "feed the fire" is that they're trying to satisfy themselves artistically. "Fire" is a word that takes on multiple meanings here. It can mean just the burning desire for something to happen, but here, it also means being destructive, like a fire, since living an "artistic" lifestyle can often lead to having detrimental impulses. The Dan-esque guitar in the song is important here, since it contributes vastly to the song's almost 6 minute length.
"Four Leaf Clover" by The Kooks: The Kooks are usually at their best when they do light, airy power pop songs like "She Moves In Her Own Way", "Shine On", and "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". After moving more towards a post-punk/funk hybrid in their more recent songs, Luke Pritchard and the boys have now returned to their power pop roots in "Four Leaf Clover". The song is really a sex, drugs, and rock & roll song disguised as something sweeter and happier, but Kooks fans needn't care about that, as long as they like the music of it!
"Waves of Galveston" by Iron & Wine: And last but not least for this week, Sam Beam is another who has returned to his musical roots with "Waves of Galveston". The song picks up, musically speaking, from where IAW's last song, "Call It Dreaming", left off. "Waves of Galveston" is an equally beautiful song that uses a similar technique of using just acoustic guitar and vocals, instead of adding background instruments as IAW have been prone to do in recent years. The song has a Joni Mitchell-ish flavor to it, and perhaps that's because of its DADF#AD tuning, which Joni has used for many of her songs as well. The song has actually had a longer life than this year, dating back to 2013, when Sam Beam was asked to write a song about Texas. This masterpiece is what he came up with, and now we finally get to hear the studio version of it!
"Cumberland Gap" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell's 2017 album might just be his best one yet! First he gave us a taste of furious Southern rock with "Hope the High Road", then he gave us a bittersweet, reflective folk-rock song with "If We Were Vampires", and NOW we have a song that sounds like The Pixies by way of Bruce Springsteen, or maybe the other way around, with "Cumberland Gap". With a title like that, I'd have expected this song to be one of his more countrified musical numbers, but nothing could be further from the truth! "Cumberland Gap" seems to pick up where "Hope the High Road" left off, with more protest fueled lyrics, much like "...High Road" had. Jason's disappointed and angst ridden conclusion in the chorus is a righteous cry of, "Maybe the Cumberland Gap swallows you whole!" Sometimes, the real world is just too much to think about these days. That's one of the many reasons songs like this one can come in handy!
"Date Night" by Father John Misty: Only Father John Misty can take a song that sounds vaguely similar to Nirvana's "Rape Me" and make it sound sort of like a Harry Nilsson tune. If this sounds too weird for you, don't worry. You only have to suffer through 2 and a half minutes of this. For the rest of us, this song is pure blissed out bliss! FJM is such a weird dude that I'm not even sure what "Date Night" is supposed to mean in the context of this song. Heck, I'll be lucky if I can figure out what ANY of this song means! But that's FJM for ya. His charm is in his eccentricity!
"Feed the Fire" by Dawes: Dawes recently opened for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra. In "Feed the Fire" they SOUND like ELO. Well, sorta. Perhaps a band like Steely Dan might be a more appropriate comparison, (esp. for its "Do It Again"-esque sitar solo) but in any case, they sound like they're straddling the line between hippie and hipster like they usually do. What they mean here by "feed the fire" is that they're trying to satisfy themselves artistically. "Fire" is a word that takes on multiple meanings here. It can mean just the burning desire for something to happen, but here, it also means being destructive, like a fire, since living an "artistic" lifestyle can often lead to having detrimental impulses. The Dan-esque guitar in the song is important here, since it contributes vastly to the song's almost 6 minute length.
"Four Leaf Clover" by The Kooks: The Kooks are usually at their best when they do light, airy power pop songs like "She Moves In Her Own Way", "Shine On", and "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". After moving more towards a post-punk/funk hybrid in their more recent songs, Luke Pritchard and the boys have now returned to their power pop roots in "Four Leaf Clover". The song is really a sex, drugs, and rock & roll song disguised as something sweeter and happier, but Kooks fans needn't care about that, as long as they like the music of it!
"Waves of Galveston" by Iron & Wine: And last but not least for this week, Sam Beam is another who has returned to his musical roots with "Waves of Galveston". The song picks up, musically speaking, from where IAW's last song, "Call It Dreaming", left off. "Waves of Galveston" is an equally beautiful song that uses a similar technique of using just acoustic guitar and vocals, instead of adding background instruments as IAW have been prone to do in recent years. The song has a Joni Mitchell-ish flavor to it, and perhaps that's because of its DADF#AD tuning, which Joni has used for many of her songs as well. The song has actually had a longer life than this year, dating back to 2013, when Sam Beam was asked to write a song about Texas. This masterpiece is what he came up with, and now we finally get to hear the studio version of it!
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