here they are:
"Baby Outlaw" by Elle King: If you can picture what it'd be like for a musician like Lorde to cover "Ghost Riders In the Sky", then you've pretty much got Elle King's "Baby Outlaw" in a nutshell! Just the opening of the song gives off imagery of a showdown in an old Western movie. This song has a similar premise to Elle's song, "Good Girls", which was her contribution to the 2016 version of "Ghostbusters". "Baby Outlaw" and "Good Girls" both revolve around how Elle has never been a "good girl", and how, as a result of this, she's no one to mess with. You'd better watch out, 'cause this song is the "Bad" and the "Ugly" to King's "Good Girls"!! (Cue Ennio Morricone theme here).
"Back On the Chain Gang" by Morrissey: The original "Back On the Chain Gang" by The Pretenders came out about a year before Morrissey's best known hit with The Smiths, "How Soon Is Now?", both in the mid 1980's. So how does this mopey alt-rock king interpret one of the best loved songs of a tough but tender rock and roll queen, you may ask?! Well, as you might have guessed, not as good as the original, but it's still worth hearing, and it's a pretty good attempt at covering the song, too! Moz retains the jangle-pop feel and heartfelt emotion of the original quite well. I never would have thought this cover was going to happen (I would have pictured a band like R.E.M. covering it first), but somehow, I'm glad it has!
"For Me It's You" by Lo Moon: With just a pair of singles ("This Is It" and "Real Love") under their belt so far, I'm a little surprised that Lo Moon are back with a second album after only a year, but "For Me It's You", their first single off of their sophomore record, retains the atmospheric electro-pop vibe of their first two breakthrough songs. "For Me It's You" could be viewed as a parallel to "This Is It", with its mostly melancholic but sweet atmosphere set off by a sudden burst of electric guitar after the chorus, though it does not disrupt the flow of the song overall. With lead singer Matt Lowell's technique of placing whispery, romantic vocals against an ersatz smooth jazz ensemble that briefly turns into a wall of noise, it's not hard to see why Lo Moon have recently toured with bands who use similar techniques, such as The War on Drugs, Phoenix, and Glass Animals, not to mention the band Ride, a legendary group of the "shoegazing" subgenre who have been around since the late '80s that inspired the other bands mentioned here (including Lo Moon themselves).
"Hey! Yeah!" by Deer Tick: Deer Tick have been all over the rock and roll map, primarily dabbling in either folk-rock or Southern rock. "Hey, Yeah!" marks what I believe is the first time that Deer Tick have taken on power pop, albeit with a somewhat Southern flavor to it. Think Big Star meets The Allman Brothers - a combination that sounds like it could just be crazy enough to work, and DOES, in this song! Here's what's even crazier, though. The music video for "Hey! Yeah!" features the band members as DANCING MAYONNAISE JARS!! Who on Earth thought THAT idea up?! I'm pretty sure the band members were ingesting far more than just mayonnaise when they made the music video for this song!! The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mbdcr5_tcd8
"Movement" by Hozier: Hozier's "Nina Cried Power" seemed unbeatable almost throughout this fall! Like all songs, though, its star eventually faded out on the radio airwaves, so here to take place of the Irish soul-ster's thunderous anthem is a more subtle, quieter song called "Movement". No matter what Hozier does, it always seems to gel well with adult alt radio stations, and it's not hard to see why! Whether he's dramatic or romantic, quiet or loud, he always manages to give soul stirring performances in his songs! "Movement" is not revolutionary like his previous hit, but is instead more fluent and more intimate. Regardless of what kinds of songs he puts out, the "movement" of Hozier's music will last a long time!
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Wednesday, November 21, 2018
New songs for November 21st, 2018
here they are:
"Are You Ready to Love Me?" by The War and Treaty: The African-American husband and wife duo of Michael and Tanya Trotter, known together as The War and Treaty, are quite a powerful duo! Combining folk, gospel, and blues, their breakthrough single, "Are You Ready to Love Me?", sounds like a song from another time, albeit with a timeless quality one might find in musicians like Aretha Franklin. The chorus of the song recalls Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man", while the rest of it has a charming magic all its own. Though the message of the song may sound like a simple one, it actually revolves around just what a deep commitment it is to fall in love with someone. Michael was actually a war veteran before he met Tanya, unbeknownst to her, and he genuinely wanted to know if she was ready to fall in love with someone who had been through enough stress to affect him the rest of his life. Love isn't always easy, is it?!
"Come For Me" by Sunflower Bean: With "Come For Me", indie-pop trio Sunflower Bean have made the unlikely leap from Fleetwood Mac comparisons to Prince comparisons. "Come For Me" reflects the Purple One's ability to seamlessly combine funk and rock with a power pop flavor. Perhaps the Prince influence here was intentional since, like Prince's music, "Come For Me" is a song that celebrates sexual freedom. "Do you really wanna come for me? Do you really wanna waste my time?" lead singer Julia Cummings pleads earnestly yet powerfully during the chorus. What she's asking, essentially, is if the listener of the song is willing to take her as she is. You go, girl!
"Everything You Need" by Doyle Bramhall II (featuring Eric Clapton): Our entries for this week are bookended by soulful songs! Blues-rock newbie Doyle Bramhall II and blues-rock legend Eric Clapton combine forces in this song to produce a funky, spirited, passionate slice of funk-rock with "Everything You Need". Unlike the previous two songs, there is no "deep" message hidden within this one. It's just an earnest plea for love. Nothin' wrong with that, though. Plus, Clapton is featured on this song, albeit not until the last few seconds of it.
"Are You Ready to Love Me?" by The War and Treaty: The African-American husband and wife duo of Michael and Tanya Trotter, known together as The War and Treaty, are quite a powerful duo! Combining folk, gospel, and blues, their breakthrough single, "Are You Ready to Love Me?", sounds like a song from another time, albeit with a timeless quality one might find in musicians like Aretha Franklin. The chorus of the song recalls Dusty Springfield's "Son of a Preacher Man", while the rest of it has a charming magic all its own. Though the message of the song may sound like a simple one, it actually revolves around just what a deep commitment it is to fall in love with someone. Michael was actually a war veteran before he met Tanya, unbeknownst to her, and he genuinely wanted to know if she was ready to fall in love with someone who had been through enough stress to affect him the rest of his life. Love isn't always easy, is it?!
"Come For Me" by Sunflower Bean: With "Come For Me", indie-pop trio Sunflower Bean have made the unlikely leap from Fleetwood Mac comparisons to Prince comparisons. "Come For Me" reflects the Purple One's ability to seamlessly combine funk and rock with a power pop flavor. Perhaps the Prince influence here was intentional since, like Prince's music, "Come For Me" is a song that celebrates sexual freedom. "Do you really wanna come for me? Do you really wanna waste my time?" lead singer Julia Cummings pleads earnestly yet powerfully during the chorus. What she's asking, essentially, is if the listener of the song is willing to take her as she is. You go, girl!
"Everything You Need" by Doyle Bramhall II (featuring Eric Clapton): Our entries for this week are bookended by soulful songs! Blues-rock newbie Doyle Bramhall II and blues-rock legend Eric Clapton combine forces in this song to produce a funky, spirited, passionate slice of funk-rock with "Everything You Need". Unlike the previous two songs, there is no "deep" message hidden within this one. It's just an earnest plea for love. Nothin' wrong with that, though. Plus, Clapton is featured on this song, albeit not until the last few seconds of it.
Wednesday, November 14, 2018
New songs for November 14th 2018
here they are:
"Change" by The Revivalists: "Change" is an apt title for this song, since it is a change from the boastful pop flourish of The Revivalists' previous hit, "All My Friends". Here, the New Orleans octet goes back to the blues-rock they were originally known for before they hit the big time. Not only is the song catchy, but it is clever as well, making more than one use of the word "change" in its lyrics. The chorus uses the word twice: "You've got some CHANGE inside your pocket, but it doesn't CHANGE a thing". This is The Revivalists the way they were meant to sound!
"Dark Dark Dark" by Gregory Alan Isakov: Gregory Alan Isakov has been around for a while now, but this marks the first time I've really heard his music. Mixing the intimate folk-rock of Damien Rice with the down home-y country-rock of The Avett Brothers, Gregory weaves an enchanting, wistful tale in "Dark Dark Dark". The song is an ode to the narrator's girlfriend, presumably named Maria (is the same Maria who showed up in countless Counting Crows songs?!), with reflective, nature laden imagery that wouldn't sound out of place in an Iron & Wine tune. The peaceful calm of songs like this make life worth living to me!
"Elastic Days" by J. Mascis: And now, here comes some more charmingly esoteric folk-rock from the formerly noisy Dinosaur Jr. frontman, J. Mascis. Just a few weeks ago, I was reviewing Mascis' "See You At the Movies", and he's already come out with another new song for the year that adult alt radio stations are gravitating towards! How about that?! Anyway, although both this song and "See You At the Movies" are essentially folk-rock tunes, "Elastic Days" leans even more towards folk-rock than "See You At the Movies" did. "Elastic Days" has a softer backing electric guitar than "See You At the Movies" did. So what does J mean by "the sky is back to all elastic days?" Perhaps only J himself knows the answer to that one. However, the song is not meant for lyrical analyzation as much as it is meant for people to take a breather from an otherwise hectic day, so let's go with the flow here, as Mascis has probably intended for us to do!
"Last of Your Rock 'N' Roll Heroes" by Iron & Wine: There's not a whole lot of rock 'n' roll in this song. It's more just folk music with a catchy drumbeat. The song hearkens back to the simple but weighty lyricism of early R.E.M. tunes, with its title repeated many times throughout the song, and its short, simple verses coming off as oblique but still somewhat meaningful. Sam Beam's music may be rooted in folk, but he is still a rock and roll fan, and with rock heroes leaving the planet by the thousands these days (if not the millions), perhaps that's where he was coming from with the song's title and idea.
"When Bad Does Good" by Chris Cornell: And speaking of fallen rock and roll heroes, here's one who made his exit in the summer of last year. "When Bad Does Good" is a posthumous release in the Chris Cornell catalog. The sweet but powerful "Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart" seemed to be an apt swan song for Chris, but the beginning of "When Bad Does Good" almost sounds like an ascent into heaven, as though he KNEW how he was going to decide his own fate back when he came up with the idea for this song! Why he chose not to release this beautiful song during his lifetime is anyone's guess, but perhaps he wanted listeners to feel like he was calling to them from heaven when he did this song. Life and death are curious phenomena in the human lifespan, and Cornell captures them both here perfectly!
"Change" by The Revivalists: "Change" is an apt title for this song, since it is a change from the boastful pop flourish of The Revivalists' previous hit, "All My Friends". Here, the New Orleans octet goes back to the blues-rock they were originally known for before they hit the big time. Not only is the song catchy, but it is clever as well, making more than one use of the word "change" in its lyrics. The chorus uses the word twice: "You've got some CHANGE inside your pocket, but it doesn't CHANGE a thing". This is The Revivalists the way they were meant to sound!
"Dark Dark Dark" by Gregory Alan Isakov: Gregory Alan Isakov has been around for a while now, but this marks the first time I've really heard his music. Mixing the intimate folk-rock of Damien Rice with the down home-y country-rock of The Avett Brothers, Gregory weaves an enchanting, wistful tale in "Dark Dark Dark". The song is an ode to the narrator's girlfriend, presumably named Maria (is the same Maria who showed up in countless Counting Crows songs?!), with reflective, nature laden imagery that wouldn't sound out of place in an Iron & Wine tune. The peaceful calm of songs like this make life worth living to me!
"Elastic Days" by J. Mascis: And now, here comes some more charmingly esoteric folk-rock from the formerly noisy Dinosaur Jr. frontman, J. Mascis. Just a few weeks ago, I was reviewing Mascis' "See You At the Movies", and he's already come out with another new song for the year that adult alt radio stations are gravitating towards! How about that?! Anyway, although both this song and "See You At the Movies" are essentially folk-rock tunes, "Elastic Days" leans even more towards folk-rock than "See You At the Movies" did. "Elastic Days" has a softer backing electric guitar than "See You At the Movies" did. So what does J mean by "the sky is back to all elastic days?" Perhaps only J himself knows the answer to that one. However, the song is not meant for lyrical analyzation as much as it is meant for people to take a breather from an otherwise hectic day, so let's go with the flow here, as Mascis has probably intended for us to do!
"Last of Your Rock 'N' Roll Heroes" by Iron & Wine: There's not a whole lot of rock 'n' roll in this song. It's more just folk music with a catchy drumbeat. The song hearkens back to the simple but weighty lyricism of early R.E.M. tunes, with its title repeated many times throughout the song, and its short, simple verses coming off as oblique but still somewhat meaningful. Sam Beam's music may be rooted in folk, but he is still a rock and roll fan, and with rock heroes leaving the planet by the thousands these days (if not the millions), perhaps that's where he was coming from with the song's title and idea.
"When Bad Does Good" by Chris Cornell: And speaking of fallen rock and roll heroes, here's one who made his exit in the summer of last year. "When Bad Does Good" is a posthumous release in the Chris Cornell catalog. The sweet but powerful "Nearly Forgot My Broken Heart" seemed to be an apt swan song for Chris, but the beginning of "When Bad Does Good" almost sounds like an ascent into heaven, as though he KNEW how he was going to decide his own fate back when he came up with the idea for this song! Why he chose not to release this beautiful song during his lifetime is anyone's guess, but perhaps he wanted listeners to feel like he was calling to them from heaven when he did this song. Life and death are curious phenomena in the human lifespan, and Cornell captures them both here perfectly!
Wednesday, November 7, 2018
New songs for November 7th 2018
here they are:
"Power Over Me" by Dermot Kennedy: In spring of this year, Irish folk-rocker Dermot Kennedy graced the adult alt charts with a powerful, heartfelt song called "Glory". His second hit, "Power Over Me", isn't quite as poignant or strong, but it still carries a heavy amount of emotion, much like "Glory" did. The lyrics to "Power Over Me" are similar to "Glory" as well, but where "Glory" was probably a love song, "Power Over Me" could be about an entity, perhaps God, whom Dermot feels has "power over him", as he expresses in his song. The rippling, rapid waltz pace of the song hooks listeners in as they listen to the power within the lyrics of the song.
"Sunshine Rock" by Bob Mould: Punk rock legends, Husker Du, have been Husker Done ever since the unfortunate passing of Grant Hart last year. Thankfully, Husker lead singer Bob Mould is still alive and still rockin'! Bob has surprised us a few times this decade, most notably in 2014 with the angst-ridden rocker, "I Don't Know You Anymore". "Sunshine Rock", true to its name, really rocks! Bob has tried his hand at folk-rock in tunes like "See A Little Light". "Sunshine Rock" isn't one of 'em. It is also a sunshiny song, unlike the usual output Mould has been known for doing. This is the sort of thing bands like Green Day have probably wanted to sound like, but never quite achieved. Thankfully, Mould is doing both punk and power pop a huge favor with "Sunshine Rock", and is doing both subgenres the right way!
"This Too Shall Last" by Anderson East: Until this point, I've always preferred Anderson East's faster, grittier material to his slower stuff. A lot of the slower Anderson songs seem like milquetoast attempts at country-rock. Not this one. "This Too Shall Last" sounds like the sort of passionate soulful ballad Otis Redding might have been fond of. "This Too Shall Last" has both plenty of grit AND plenty of pathos, a rare combination, but a good one! The song seems to be a ballad of reassurance, something I'm sure a lot of us are in need of right now, whether in love or just in life in general. Also, be sure to stick around at the end of the song for a sweet blues-y guitar solo!
"What's the Deal With David?" by Oh Pep!: The title of this song sounds more like a "Seinfeld" setup (if they had a character named David) than it does like a song title, but it is indeed a song, not a standup routine. The song is a unique combination of indie, folk, and pop. For anyone who wished that First Aid Kit would sound more like a new wave band (which is probably none of you, but I digress), "What's the Deal With David?" might just be the song for you! But just who IS David?! Well, "Who's David?" are actually the first two words of this song! Therefore, the listener is likely to find out. He seems like a guy who isn't exactly favored by the lead singer(s) of Oh Pep!, but how are we to know for sure 'till we actually listen to it a few times?! If you're wondering about what the deal is with David, or WHO David is, give this song a listen. You won't be sorry...I think?!
"Power Over Me" by Dermot Kennedy: In spring of this year, Irish folk-rocker Dermot Kennedy graced the adult alt charts with a powerful, heartfelt song called "Glory". His second hit, "Power Over Me", isn't quite as poignant or strong, but it still carries a heavy amount of emotion, much like "Glory" did. The lyrics to "Power Over Me" are similar to "Glory" as well, but where "Glory" was probably a love song, "Power Over Me" could be about an entity, perhaps God, whom Dermot feels has "power over him", as he expresses in his song. The rippling, rapid waltz pace of the song hooks listeners in as they listen to the power within the lyrics of the song.
"Sunshine Rock" by Bob Mould: Punk rock legends, Husker Du, have been Husker Done ever since the unfortunate passing of Grant Hart last year. Thankfully, Husker lead singer Bob Mould is still alive and still rockin'! Bob has surprised us a few times this decade, most notably in 2014 with the angst-ridden rocker, "I Don't Know You Anymore". "Sunshine Rock", true to its name, really rocks! Bob has tried his hand at folk-rock in tunes like "See A Little Light". "Sunshine Rock" isn't one of 'em. It is also a sunshiny song, unlike the usual output Mould has been known for doing. This is the sort of thing bands like Green Day have probably wanted to sound like, but never quite achieved. Thankfully, Mould is doing both punk and power pop a huge favor with "Sunshine Rock", and is doing both subgenres the right way!
"This Too Shall Last" by Anderson East: Until this point, I've always preferred Anderson East's faster, grittier material to his slower stuff. A lot of the slower Anderson songs seem like milquetoast attempts at country-rock. Not this one. "This Too Shall Last" sounds like the sort of passionate soulful ballad Otis Redding might have been fond of. "This Too Shall Last" has both plenty of grit AND plenty of pathos, a rare combination, but a good one! The song seems to be a ballad of reassurance, something I'm sure a lot of us are in need of right now, whether in love or just in life in general. Also, be sure to stick around at the end of the song for a sweet blues-y guitar solo!
"What's the Deal With David?" by Oh Pep!: The title of this song sounds more like a "Seinfeld" setup (if they had a character named David) than it does like a song title, but it is indeed a song, not a standup routine. The song is a unique combination of indie, folk, and pop. For anyone who wished that First Aid Kit would sound more like a new wave band (which is probably none of you, but I digress), "What's the Deal With David?" might just be the song for you! But just who IS David?! Well, "Who's David?" are actually the first two words of this song! Therefore, the listener is likely to find out. He seems like a guy who isn't exactly favored by the lead singer(s) of Oh Pep!, but how are we to know for sure 'till we actually listen to it a few times?! If you're wondering about what the deal is with David, or WHO David is, give this song a listen. You won't be sorry...I think?!
Thursday, November 1, 2018
New songs for the day after Halloween, 2018
...because I couldn't do a blog ON Halloween...could I?! Yeah, I could have, but I chose not to. So here, one day later than usual, are your latest new batch of tunes:
"Head Held High" by Kodaline: Let's see...folk-rock with a pop twist sung by a guy with an Irish sounding accent. New Mumford and Sons?! Nope! This is a new song by the similar but vastly more underrated band, Kodaline. Unlike the Mumfords, Kodaline actually do come from Ireland, as opposed to simply sounding like they do. This song is actually pretty sunny compared to most of what Kodaline does, which is already pretty high spirited. Though the message of the song and the incessant "la la la"s that dominate it might seem a little on the syrupy side to some, it still makes for a nice li'l sing-along, dont'cha think?!
"See You At the Movies" by J. Mascis: Our only other song of the week comes from ex-Dinosaur Jr. frontman, J. Mascis. On his latest song, "See You At the Movies", he tries to replicate the formula that made "Every Morning" a hit on adult alt stations back in the summer of 2014. Acoustic guitar? Check. G major key? Check. Weary vocals? Check. Piercing but somewhat restrained electric guitar solos? Check. It's pretty sedate in comparison to the wildness and unpredictability that J became known for in Dinosaur Jr., but still worth a listen nonetheless. Also, the song's saving grace might be in its chorus, during which J states, "See you at the movies, the movies in my head". This is enough to make me wonder what kind of movies he plays in his head! I bet they're mighty interesting ones.
"Head Held High" by Kodaline: Let's see...folk-rock with a pop twist sung by a guy with an Irish sounding accent. New Mumford and Sons?! Nope! This is a new song by the similar but vastly more underrated band, Kodaline. Unlike the Mumfords, Kodaline actually do come from Ireland, as opposed to simply sounding like they do. This song is actually pretty sunny compared to most of what Kodaline does, which is already pretty high spirited. Though the message of the song and the incessant "la la la"s that dominate it might seem a little on the syrupy side to some, it still makes for a nice li'l sing-along, dont'cha think?!
"See You At the Movies" by J. Mascis: Our only other song of the week comes from ex-Dinosaur Jr. frontman, J. Mascis. On his latest song, "See You At the Movies", he tries to replicate the formula that made "Every Morning" a hit on adult alt stations back in the summer of 2014. Acoustic guitar? Check. G major key? Check. Weary vocals? Check. Piercing but somewhat restrained electric guitar solos? Check. It's pretty sedate in comparison to the wildness and unpredictability that J became known for in Dinosaur Jr., but still worth a listen nonetheless. Also, the song's saving grace might be in its chorus, during which J states, "See you at the movies, the movies in my head". This is enough to make me wonder what kind of movies he plays in his head! I bet they're mighty interesting ones.
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
New songs for October 24th 2018
here they are:
"Gold" by Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds: This song is a bit more like an indie/soul hybrid than the blues-y neo-soul that Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds' fans might be used to, but it still has plenty of soul left inside of it! Lead singer Arleigh Kincheloe assures her fans during the chorus that her love is "gold, gold, gold". We believe it, Arleigh! The passion in your voice says it all! Something you fans of the band might not have known is that Arleigh had a son just last year. Nothing like releasing new life into the world to celebrate your musical joy, eh?!
"Hey Mama" by Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats: Nathaniel and his Night Sweats have been on fire this year! They have not one, but TWO, of the most played tracks on adult alt radio for 2018: the feisty "You Worry Me" and the sensual but gritty soul music of "A Little Honey". "Hey Mama" is not exactly a free spirited or soulful song, but there's a good reason for this. "Hey Mama" is not about a girl that Nathaniel is calling "Mama" simply because of his affections towards her, but about his actual mother. It's about the bond Nathaniel shares with her. The band released this song as a single, aptly, on Mother's Day, but it hasn't quite stormed adult alt radio until the past week or so. This song is a quiet but striking reminder that October isn't all about witches and goblins and ghosts. It's also part of the season of autumn, the most bittersweet season of the year!
"Hide" by Rainbow Kitten Surprise: So what do you do after your "Fever Pitch" has infectiously wound its way onto alt and adult alt stations everywhere?! Well...you "Hide"!! Unlike what the title of the song indicates, RKS aren't hiding anything from their fans! They bare all their emotions, in fact, with "Hide". Judging from both the drag queens in the video for the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aetcUc3ejPE), and from its ending lyrics, urging the subject of the song to "hide (their) love", it is probably about someone falling in love with someone who is transgender, but not wanting to admit it because of the way the singer's family feels about such people. Way to break off the barriers of judgment, RKS!! Here's hoping the world will be less judgmental thanks to you guys!!
"If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)" by Leon Bridges: Leon Bridges has jumped all over the soul music spectrum for his latest album, and, like Nathaniel Rateliff, has so far had TWO of his songs become some of the most played songs on adult alt radio in 2018 ("Bad Bad News" and "Beyond"). "Bad Bad News" sounded like a vintage jazz-rock track, and "Beyond" was a lovely, poignant slice of the rarely heard folk-soul subgenre. For "If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)", he blurs the lines between funk and disco (with some sweet guitar licks in the middle, I might add) to get his point across. As for the point of this song? Well, look no further than its title! If it feels good, then it must be, right?! Right!
"Just to Say I Love You" by Michael Franti: After a dry spell of folk and world music blending during the late 2000's and early 2010's, Michael Franti got back into the reggae-rock groove he originally became known for with "Once A Day" in 2015. The reggae rock trend continues with "Just to Say I Love You", albeit with a sweeter flavor this time around. I can't help but feel like the miracle of birth is a theme in this week's blog! "Gold" seemed like a declaration of Arleigh Kincheloe's feelings as a new mother, and "Hey Mama" reflected Nathaniel Rateliff's feelings for his own mother. "Just to Say I Love You" is a song Michael Franti has dedicated to his wife, who, like Arleigh, is a new mother this year. Love and unity are common themes in Franti's music, but they have never been as profound as this!!
"Northern Lights" by Death Cab for Cutie: This song is like a mix of R.E.M. and The Smiths, while not being near as good as either one. Because of its influences, though, as well as its use of guitar, I feel like I might like it better than I did "Gold Rush". Another similarity "Northern Lights" shares to both R.E.M. and The Smiths is how it has a small amount of verses while still managing to seem deep in its meaning. The song itself might be a "word salad" of sorts, but its chorus still manages to be captivating, even if it only contains the words, "Northern lights filled our skies/Empty nights synchronized".
"Gold" by Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds: This song is a bit more like an indie/soul hybrid than the blues-y neo-soul that Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds' fans might be used to, but it still has plenty of soul left inside of it! Lead singer Arleigh Kincheloe assures her fans during the chorus that her love is "gold, gold, gold". We believe it, Arleigh! The passion in your voice says it all! Something you fans of the band might not have known is that Arleigh had a son just last year. Nothing like releasing new life into the world to celebrate your musical joy, eh?!
"Hey Mama" by Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats: Nathaniel and his Night Sweats have been on fire this year! They have not one, but TWO, of the most played tracks on adult alt radio for 2018: the feisty "You Worry Me" and the sensual but gritty soul music of "A Little Honey". "Hey Mama" is not exactly a free spirited or soulful song, but there's a good reason for this. "Hey Mama" is not about a girl that Nathaniel is calling "Mama" simply because of his affections towards her, but about his actual mother. It's about the bond Nathaniel shares with her. The band released this song as a single, aptly, on Mother's Day, but it hasn't quite stormed adult alt radio until the past week or so. This song is a quiet but striking reminder that October isn't all about witches and goblins and ghosts. It's also part of the season of autumn, the most bittersweet season of the year!
"Hide" by Rainbow Kitten Surprise: So what do you do after your "Fever Pitch" has infectiously wound its way onto alt and adult alt stations everywhere?! Well...you "Hide"!! Unlike what the title of the song indicates, RKS aren't hiding anything from their fans! They bare all their emotions, in fact, with "Hide". Judging from both the drag queens in the video for the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aetcUc3ejPE), and from its ending lyrics, urging the subject of the song to "hide (their) love", it is probably about someone falling in love with someone who is transgender, but not wanting to admit it because of the way the singer's family feels about such people. Way to break off the barriers of judgment, RKS!! Here's hoping the world will be less judgmental thanks to you guys!!
"If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)" by Leon Bridges: Leon Bridges has jumped all over the soul music spectrum for his latest album, and, like Nathaniel Rateliff, has so far had TWO of his songs become some of the most played songs on adult alt radio in 2018 ("Bad Bad News" and "Beyond"). "Bad Bad News" sounded like a vintage jazz-rock track, and "Beyond" was a lovely, poignant slice of the rarely heard folk-soul subgenre. For "If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)", he blurs the lines between funk and disco (with some sweet guitar licks in the middle, I might add) to get his point across. As for the point of this song? Well, look no further than its title! If it feels good, then it must be, right?! Right!
"Just to Say I Love You" by Michael Franti: After a dry spell of folk and world music blending during the late 2000's and early 2010's, Michael Franti got back into the reggae-rock groove he originally became known for with "Once A Day" in 2015. The reggae rock trend continues with "Just to Say I Love You", albeit with a sweeter flavor this time around. I can't help but feel like the miracle of birth is a theme in this week's blog! "Gold" seemed like a declaration of Arleigh Kincheloe's feelings as a new mother, and "Hey Mama" reflected Nathaniel Rateliff's feelings for his own mother. "Just to Say I Love You" is a song Michael Franti has dedicated to his wife, who, like Arleigh, is a new mother this year. Love and unity are common themes in Franti's music, but they have never been as profound as this!!
"Northern Lights" by Death Cab for Cutie: This song is like a mix of R.E.M. and The Smiths, while not being near as good as either one. Because of its influences, though, as well as its use of guitar, I feel like I might like it better than I did "Gold Rush". Another similarity "Northern Lights" shares to both R.E.M. and The Smiths is how it has a small amount of verses while still managing to seem deep in its meaning. The song itself might be a "word salad" of sorts, but its chorus still manages to be captivating, even if it only contains the words, "Northern lights filled our skies/Empty nights synchronized".
Wednesday, October 17, 2018
New songs for October 17th, 2018
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!
"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!
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