here they are:
"Change" by Mavis Staples: Perhaps the most active "old school" R & B musician of the 2010's, Mavis has practically reinvented herself through the course of the 2010's while still keeping her old sound intact. Her latest, and perhaps last, song of the 2010's, "Change", has her close the decade the same way she started it, with a straight up blues-rock number! She kicked off the 2010's with a cover of Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Wrote A Song For Everyone". "Change", however, is an original Mavis number, urging people to improve their actions and their lives through a simple but catchy blues riff in E major. Here's hoping people will listen to the song's message and do what it says!
"Different Kind of Love" by Adia Victoria: Our only other song of the week also happens to be from a black female blues-rock musician. Unlike Mavis, though, Adia Victoria has only been in the music scene for a few years. Adia's breakthrough song, "Different Kind of Love", seamlessly mixes blues, pop, and rock into a single vernacular, in a similar manner to Elle King's "Ex's And Oh's" from a few years earlier. Adia playfully teases the listener throughout with her persistent "Who do you love?" The answer, of course, is Adia herself, but the answer is only hinted at and never revealed. Adia not only breaks down the walls between rock and soul on "Different Kind of Love", she also does so with a secret weapon known as temptation!
Wednesday, March 27, 2019
Wednesday, March 20, 2019
New songs for March 20th, 2019
here they are:
"I Was Wrong" by Bailen: Bailen isn't really doing anything new or different with their debut song, "I Was Wrong", but it's still a pleasant one to hear for those who enjoy contemporary folk-pop with electronic beats. The guy/girl harmony combinations are a nice touch for this song, and the girl has a solo singing part during the chorus. Not a whole lot of profound lyrics here to be found either, but not bad either. The most surprising part of this song is the brief electric guitar solo in the middle of it.
"Mettavolution" by Rodrigo y Gabriela: The best Hispanic instrumental flamenco-rock duo are back! They have had only one other release I've reviewed from them this decade, with 2014's "The Soundmaker". If it weren't for that song, it would have been a full decade that Rodrigo y Gabriela would have been on musical hiatus from adult alt radio stations. No other group combines flamenco and rock the way they do, and with their latest release, "Mettavolution", they keep their talent going! One way to distinguish R & G's songs from one another is to tell what key they're in. "Mettavolution" is in the key of F sharp minor, which hasn't been used for any other R & G song that's gotten significant adult alt radio airplay. The echoic distortion in the middle of the song also sets it apart.
"Missed Connection" by The Head and The Heart: The Head and The Heart were a wonderful group when they started out, but their third album went in more of a pop direction than I wanted them to. "Missed Connection" continues in that direction. The gooey yet catchy alt-pop sound is apparent right from the "la-la-la-la"s of the opening. This is probably the closest to mainstream pop that The Head and The Heart have gotten so far. The one entertaining thing about this song is how the pre-chorus sounds a bit like the irresistibly cheesy '80s pop song, "Rock Me Amadeus". Why they based "Missed Connection" on that song is anyone's guess, as it strays pretty far from the band's folk-rock roots, but perhaps that was intentional on their part.
"When Am I Gonna Lose You?" by Local Natives: While The Head and The Heart might be dumbing down their sound, Local Natives are actually improving theirs! Local Natives typically have hypnotic indie-pop and indie-folk songs, so they're already an alluring band to me. However, there seems to be something even more special about "When Am I Gonna Lose You?" Perhaps it's the way the pianos in the song flow so seamlessly into the vocal harmonies of the band. Perhaps it's just the bittersweet flavor the song gives off. Whatever it is, though, it's got me hooked! The lyrics are equally as poetic as the song itself, with such lines as, "I remember the trees summoned down by an archangel choir", and, "The ocean was all we could see and I knew that I wanted you." Pure beauty!
"I Was Wrong" by Bailen: Bailen isn't really doing anything new or different with their debut song, "I Was Wrong", but it's still a pleasant one to hear for those who enjoy contemporary folk-pop with electronic beats. The guy/girl harmony combinations are a nice touch for this song, and the girl has a solo singing part during the chorus. Not a whole lot of profound lyrics here to be found either, but not bad either. The most surprising part of this song is the brief electric guitar solo in the middle of it.
"Mettavolution" by Rodrigo y Gabriela: The best Hispanic instrumental flamenco-rock duo are back! They have had only one other release I've reviewed from them this decade, with 2014's "The Soundmaker". If it weren't for that song, it would have been a full decade that Rodrigo y Gabriela would have been on musical hiatus from adult alt radio stations. No other group combines flamenco and rock the way they do, and with their latest release, "Mettavolution", they keep their talent going! One way to distinguish R & G's songs from one another is to tell what key they're in. "Mettavolution" is in the key of F sharp minor, which hasn't been used for any other R & G song that's gotten significant adult alt radio airplay. The echoic distortion in the middle of the song also sets it apart.
"Missed Connection" by The Head and The Heart: The Head and The Heart were a wonderful group when they started out, but their third album went in more of a pop direction than I wanted them to. "Missed Connection" continues in that direction. The gooey yet catchy alt-pop sound is apparent right from the "la-la-la-la"s of the opening. This is probably the closest to mainstream pop that The Head and The Heart have gotten so far. The one entertaining thing about this song is how the pre-chorus sounds a bit like the irresistibly cheesy '80s pop song, "Rock Me Amadeus". Why they based "Missed Connection" on that song is anyone's guess, as it strays pretty far from the band's folk-rock roots, but perhaps that was intentional on their part.
"When Am I Gonna Lose You?" by Local Natives: While The Head and The Heart might be dumbing down their sound, Local Natives are actually improving theirs! Local Natives typically have hypnotic indie-pop and indie-folk songs, so they're already an alluring band to me. However, there seems to be something even more special about "When Am I Gonna Lose You?" Perhaps it's the way the pianos in the song flow so seamlessly into the vocal harmonies of the band. Perhaps it's just the bittersweet flavor the song gives off. Whatever it is, though, it's got me hooked! The lyrics are equally as poetic as the song itself, with such lines as, "I remember the trees summoned down by an archangel choir", and, "The ocean was all we could see and I knew that I wanted you." Pure beauty!
Wednesday, March 13, 2019
New songs for March 13th 2019
here they are:
"Lo/Hi" by The Black Keys: It's been 5 years since The Black Keys released something together! Can you believe it?! Has it been worth the wait? You bet it has! The psychedelic blues-rock boogie the band has become known for shines brightly on their latest song, "Lo/Hi". The song doesn't have much to go by lyrically, but what it lacks in spoken content it makes up for in terms of what people hear from it. The song's fuzzed out A major guitar riff recalls Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit In the Sky", but with words that are more free flowing than they are religious or spiritual.
"You Had Your Soul With You" by The National: Our only other song of the week comes from Ohio quintet, The National. Their latest song, "You Had Your Soul With You", starts out frantic, but quickly settles down...kind of. There is a lingering sense of paranoia throughout the song, though. The song could be considered to be vaguely creepy by some, but in a riveting way that doesn't let you go, and in a way that makes you strangely compelled to listen to the rest of it. The National have always been one of the darker indie rock groups, and it just seems to get more and more obvious every time they release a new song. One more thing about this song: if the female voice in the middle of the song sounds unfamiliar to you, it's Gail Ann Dorsey, a former bandmate of none other than David Bowie!
"Lo/Hi" by The Black Keys: It's been 5 years since The Black Keys released something together! Can you believe it?! Has it been worth the wait? You bet it has! The psychedelic blues-rock boogie the band has become known for shines brightly on their latest song, "Lo/Hi". The song doesn't have much to go by lyrically, but what it lacks in spoken content it makes up for in terms of what people hear from it. The song's fuzzed out A major guitar riff recalls Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit In the Sky", but with words that are more free flowing than they are religious or spiritual.
"You Had Your Soul With You" by The National: Our only other song of the week comes from Ohio quintet, The National. Their latest song, "You Had Your Soul With You", starts out frantic, but quickly settles down...kind of. There is a lingering sense of paranoia throughout the song, though. The song could be considered to be vaguely creepy by some, but in a riveting way that doesn't let you go, and in a way that makes you strangely compelled to listen to the rest of it. The National have always been one of the darker indie rock groups, and it just seems to get more and more obvious every time they release a new song. One more thing about this song: if the female voice in the middle of the song sounds unfamiliar to you, it's Gail Ann Dorsey, a former bandmate of none other than David Bowie!
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
New songs for February 27th 2019
here they are:
"Beloved" by Mumford and Sons: If you thought Mumford and Sons' Fall 2018 hit, "Guiding Light", harkened back to their original sound, then you're in for a real treat with "Beloved", which sounds even more like a "Babel" outtake than "Guiding Light" did! The song hovers closer to folk-rock than it does alt-pop, like the early M & S songs, and the poetic and nearly Shakespearean content of "Beloved"'s lyrics is a nice way to welcome fans back into the M & S circle. A few lyrics of the song are what some might call "ambiguously Christian" ("She says the Lord has a plan/but admits it's pretty hard to understand"), but it's not that different than most of the other Mumford and Sons lyrics that straddle the line between religious sincerity and the doubt that gives such songs "indie cred." The only real disappointing part is when they add more synthetic instrumentation in the middle, but on the whole, that does not ruin what is otherwise a fantastic song!
"Boom" by X Ambassadors: "Boom" is a song that last for just 2 and a half minutes and whose title is just 4 letters, but that does not stop it from being an aptly explosive song! This might just be the first X Ambassadors song to rely more on bass than it does on guitar (though you can hear some funky guitar licks during the chorus). "Renegades", "Unsteady" and "Ahead of Myself" all focused on acoustic guitar, and "Low Life" was an unusually blues-y electric guitar song, which gives "Boom" distinction among the other songs in X Ambassadors' catalog. The lyrics are pretty simplistic ("my feet go boom boom boom/my heart beats boom boom boom", etc.), but that doesn't stop "Boom" from being a catchy song!
"Clap Your Hands" by Galactic: Blues and jazz influence are defining features of Galactic's music. They are still present on their latest song, "Clap Your Hands", but they seem to be heading in more of a pop music direction than their previous efforts have suggested here. Thankfully they haven't completely shifted gears. There is still plenty for old school R & B fans and fans of New Orleans jazz to get out of "Clap Your Hands". Fitting for the title of the song, "Clap Your Hands" does contain a lot of clapping, which is probably what gives it more of a pop flavor than most Galactic songs have, but the band are still as jammin' as ever in this one!
"For Real" by Tom Petty: Legends never die! Last summer, a posthumous Petty song was released called "Keep A Little Soul", which sounded like a rock song from the early '80s because that's essentially what it was: an outtake of a previously unreleased Tom Petty song from the '80s. "For Real" sounds like it was done a bit later, and has a bit less of a rock and roll factor than "Keep A Little Soul" did, but it has nevertheless been soaring up the adult alt radio charts within a little over a week. "For Real" is a song that seems to reflect on Tom Petty's life and career in a very poignant manner. The fact that it sounds like a more recent song might be because that's what it probably is. Petty died 2 years ago, and this is more than likely one of the last songs he ever recorded. There seems to be a painfully sad self awareness that Petty has about the last moments of his life in "For Real", which can be compared to other recent post-mortem rock songs like David Bowie's "Lazarus" and The Cranberries' "All Over Now".
"Jingle And Go" by Ryan Bingham: Ryan Bingham is known for his country/folk sounding songs, like "The Weary Kind", but the songs of his that make the biggest impression on me contain a bit more of a rock and roll sound, like the frantic "Heart of Rhythm" and the Tom Petty-esque "Radio". On "Jingle And Go", Ryan seems to take a cue or two from The Rolling Stones circa the late '60s/early '70s. Imagine Mick Jagger's famous rock group with more of a country-rock sound, and you've pretty much got "Jingle And Go" in a nutshell. Eclectic rock guitarist Charlie Sexton provides "Jingle And Go" with its freewheelin' rock and roll sound.
"Ruby" by Strand of Oaks: Strand of Oaks' lead singer, Timothy Showalter, claims that "Ruby" is the happiest song he's ever written! That's pretty something coming from someone who did angst filled songs like "Goshen '97" and "Radio Kids". "Ruby" does not contain any angst at all, and is the softest song so far in Strand of Oaks' catalog. Ruby is also not the name of a person, but a personification of Showalter's past. The song seems to be a yearning for nostalgia for the most part. Given how jaded Strand of Oaks' material usually sounds, the song provides a much needed breath of fresh air the band has probably needed for quite a while now!
"Beloved" by Mumford and Sons: If you thought Mumford and Sons' Fall 2018 hit, "Guiding Light", harkened back to their original sound, then you're in for a real treat with "Beloved", which sounds even more like a "Babel" outtake than "Guiding Light" did! The song hovers closer to folk-rock than it does alt-pop, like the early M & S songs, and the poetic and nearly Shakespearean content of "Beloved"'s lyrics is a nice way to welcome fans back into the M & S circle. A few lyrics of the song are what some might call "ambiguously Christian" ("She says the Lord has a plan/but admits it's pretty hard to understand"), but it's not that different than most of the other Mumford and Sons lyrics that straddle the line between religious sincerity and the doubt that gives such songs "indie cred." The only real disappointing part is when they add more synthetic instrumentation in the middle, but on the whole, that does not ruin what is otherwise a fantastic song!
"Boom" by X Ambassadors: "Boom" is a song that last for just 2 and a half minutes and whose title is just 4 letters, but that does not stop it from being an aptly explosive song! This might just be the first X Ambassadors song to rely more on bass than it does on guitar (though you can hear some funky guitar licks during the chorus). "Renegades", "Unsteady" and "Ahead of Myself" all focused on acoustic guitar, and "Low Life" was an unusually blues-y electric guitar song, which gives "Boom" distinction among the other songs in X Ambassadors' catalog. The lyrics are pretty simplistic ("my feet go boom boom boom/my heart beats boom boom boom", etc.), but that doesn't stop "Boom" from being a catchy song!
"Clap Your Hands" by Galactic: Blues and jazz influence are defining features of Galactic's music. They are still present on their latest song, "Clap Your Hands", but they seem to be heading in more of a pop music direction than their previous efforts have suggested here. Thankfully they haven't completely shifted gears. There is still plenty for old school R & B fans and fans of New Orleans jazz to get out of "Clap Your Hands". Fitting for the title of the song, "Clap Your Hands" does contain a lot of clapping, which is probably what gives it more of a pop flavor than most Galactic songs have, but the band are still as jammin' as ever in this one!
"For Real" by Tom Petty: Legends never die! Last summer, a posthumous Petty song was released called "Keep A Little Soul", which sounded like a rock song from the early '80s because that's essentially what it was: an outtake of a previously unreleased Tom Petty song from the '80s. "For Real" sounds like it was done a bit later, and has a bit less of a rock and roll factor than "Keep A Little Soul" did, but it has nevertheless been soaring up the adult alt radio charts within a little over a week. "For Real" is a song that seems to reflect on Tom Petty's life and career in a very poignant manner. The fact that it sounds like a more recent song might be because that's what it probably is. Petty died 2 years ago, and this is more than likely one of the last songs he ever recorded. There seems to be a painfully sad self awareness that Petty has about the last moments of his life in "For Real", which can be compared to other recent post-mortem rock songs like David Bowie's "Lazarus" and The Cranberries' "All Over Now".
"Jingle And Go" by Ryan Bingham: Ryan Bingham is known for his country/folk sounding songs, like "The Weary Kind", but the songs of his that make the biggest impression on me contain a bit more of a rock and roll sound, like the frantic "Heart of Rhythm" and the Tom Petty-esque "Radio". On "Jingle And Go", Ryan seems to take a cue or two from The Rolling Stones circa the late '60s/early '70s. Imagine Mick Jagger's famous rock group with more of a country-rock sound, and you've pretty much got "Jingle And Go" in a nutshell. Eclectic rock guitarist Charlie Sexton provides "Jingle And Go" with its freewheelin' rock and roll sound.
"Ruby" by Strand of Oaks: Strand of Oaks' lead singer, Timothy Showalter, claims that "Ruby" is the happiest song he's ever written! That's pretty something coming from someone who did angst filled songs like "Goshen '97" and "Radio Kids". "Ruby" does not contain any angst at all, and is the softest song so far in Strand of Oaks' catalog. Ruby is also not the name of a person, but a personification of Showalter's past. The song seems to be a yearning for nostalgia for the most part. Given how jaded Strand of Oaks' material usually sounds, the song provides a much needed breath of fresh air the band has probably needed for quite a while now!
Wednesday, February 13, 2019
New songs for February 13th 2019
here they are:
"Bad Liar" by Imagine Dragons: What a song for the day before Valentine's Day! This is a song that reflects on those moments where you want to confess your love for someone (or lack thereof) but your instincts tell you to do the opposite. Sound-wise, this is one of the most pop sounding Imagine Dragons songs yet, but lyrically it goes pretty deep. The depth of the lyrics is especially relevant when Dan Reynolds claims in the first verse that he has "three fears: integrity, faith, and crocodile tears". In other words, he's afraid of the good things (integrity and faith) as much as he is of bad things (crocodile tears - a slang term for false sadness). A bit like the part in David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes" where Bowie says, "I've never done good things. I've never done bad things." I guess there's really no comparison to an immortal like Bowie when discussing relative newbies like Imagine Dragons, but hey, at least they're trying!
"Feels Alright" by The Nude Party: There's probably a good reason these guys decided to call themselves "The Nude Party". After all, this is pretty much party music that might make you wanna run around naked due to all the wild, uninhibited freedom it gives off! Their debut song, "Feels Alright", is pretty much glam rock for the 21st century! With a sound that combines T. Rex's "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" and Mott the Hoople's "All the Way From Memphis", "Feels Alright" does just that. It feels alright. Well, no, MORE than alright! THIS is a song that will unleash your inner frat boy or sorority girl! Wham, bam, thank ya, mam!
"GotItBad" by St. Paul and The Broken Bones: Much like St. Paul and The Broken Bones' adult alt summer smash, "Apollo", "GotItBad" is yet another song that moves Paul "St. Paul" Janeway and the gang from '60s soul to '70s funk. There's even a bit of a disco element to "GotItBad" with its backing orchestra adding a sublime flavor to its funky bass and chunky keyboards. Lyrically, this song puts the "St." in "St. Paul". You probably wouldn't expect lyrics about preachers, God, and Jesus beneath the smokin' hot sound of "GotItBad", but that is what lurks beneath this fine tune. "GotItBad" is basically a Catholic confession turned into a funk soul session!
"I Get No Joy" by Jade Bird: I stand by the comparison I made during the time I reviewed Jade Bird's "Uh Huh", during which I said that she is pretty much the 21st century Alanis Morissette. Like Alanis, Jade takes folk-rock, filters it through an "alternative" lens, and adds angst-y lyrics to it, with an equally angst ridden delivery. Jade gets especially feisty and wordy during the chorus of the song, shouting the song's title with jaded (no pun intended) frustration, and speaking the rest of the words of the chorus faster than the speed of light! The song can also be viewed as a calmer parallel to Courtney Barnett's "Pedestrian At Best", as both songs make use of clever wordplay with near-rhyming words in succession during some of the verses to describe an alienating situation. Jade, your lack of joy gives us an excess of it!
"Sisyphus" by Andrew Bird: After attempting to get "edgy" on songs like "Eyeoneye" and "Capsized", Andrew Bird (no relation to Jade Bird) returns to his roots combining folk-rock with orchestral arrangements on "Sisyphus". The song takes its name from a character in Greek mythology who tried to outwit the Greek gods and cheat death. Of course, this didn't work in Sisyphus' favor, and this is exactly what Andrew Bird is trying to illustrate in this song. It is about becoming addicted to one's own pain, and the consequences it can lead to. Perhaps this is yet another song from 2019 that serves as a metaphor for the downfall of contemporary Western society.
"Song For Winners" by Nick Waterhouse: Nick's trademark merging of surf and rockabilly is still intact on his latest song, "Song For Winners". However, there is something noticeably different about it in comparison to his other material. It is not only done in a minor key, but its lyrics are somewhat melancholy as well. "Your strange innocence has ended", he says of his former lover, preceded by, "I hear no fearlessness, only fear". What kind of "winners" was this song intended for anyhow?! The song seems more like it's about losers than it is about winners!
"Bad Liar" by Imagine Dragons: What a song for the day before Valentine's Day! This is a song that reflects on those moments where you want to confess your love for someone (or lack thereof) but your instincts tell you to do the opposite. Sound-wise, this is one of the most pop sounding Imagine Dragons songs yet, but lyrically it goes pretty deep. The depth of the lyrics is especially relevant when Dan Reynolds claims in the first verse that he has "three fears: integrity, faith, and crocodile tears". In other words, he's afraid of the good things (integrity and faith) as much as he is of bad things (crocodile tears - a slang term for false sadness). A bit like the part in David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes" where Bowie says, "I've never done good things. I've never done bad things." I guess there's really no comparison to an immortal like Bowie when discussing relative newbies like Imagine Dragons, but hey, at least they're trying!
"Feels Alright" by The Nude Party: There's probably a good reason these guys decided to call themselves "The Nude Party". After all, this is pretty much party music that might make you wanna run around naked due to all the wild, uninhibited freedom it gives off! Their debut song, "Feels Alright", is pretty much glam rock for the 21st century! With a sound that combines T. Rex's "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" and Mott the Hoople's "All the Way From Memphis", "Feels Alright" does just that. It feels alright. Well, no, MORE than alright! THIS is a song that will unleash your inner frat boy or sorority girl! Wham, bam, thank ya, mam!
"GotItBad" by St. Paul and The Broken Bones: Much like St. Paul and The Broken Bones' adult alt summer smash, "Apollo", "GotItBad" is yet another song that moves Paul "St. Paul" Janeway and the gang from '60s soul to '70s funk. There's even a bit of a disco element to "GotItBad" with its backing orchestra adding a sublime flavor to its funky bass and chunky keyboards. Lyrically, this song puts the "St." in "St. Paul". You probably wouldn't expect lyrics about preachers, God, and Jesus beneath the smokin' hot sound of "GotItBad", but that is what lurks beneath this fine tune. "GotItBad" is basically a Catholic confession turned into a funk soul session!
"I Get No Joy" by Jade Bird: I stand by the comparison I made during the time I reviewed Jade Bird's "Uh Huh", during which I said that she is pretty much the 21st century Alanis Morissette. Like Alanis, Jade takes folk-rock, filters it through an "alternative" lens, and adds angst-y lyrics to it, with an equally angst ridden delivery. Jade gets especially feisty and wordy during the chorus of the song, shouting the song's title with jaded (no pun intended) frustration, and speaking the rest of the words of the chorus faster than the speed of light! The song can also be viewed as a calmer parallel to Courtney Barnett's "Pedestrian At Best", as both songs make use of clever wordplay with near-rhyming words in succession during some of the verses to describe an alienating situation. Jade, your lack of joy gives us an excess of it!
"Sisyphus" by Andrew Bird: After attempting to get "edgy" on songs like "Eyeoneye" and "Capsized", Andrew Bird (no relation to Jade Bird) returns to his roots combining folk-rock with orchestral arrangements on "Sisyphus". The song takes its name from a character in Greek mythology who tried to outwit the Greek gods and cheat death. Of course, this didn't work in Sisyphus' favor, and this is exactly what Andrew Bird is trying to illustrate in this song. It is about becoming addicted to one's own pain, and the consequences it can lead to. Perhaps this is yet another song from 2019 that serves as a metaphor for the downfall of contemporary Western society.
"Song For Winners" by Nick Waterhouse: Nick's trademark merging of surf and rockabilly is still intact on his latest song, "Song For Winners". However, there is something noticeably different about it in comparison to his other material. It is not only done in a minor key, but its lyrics are somewhat melancholy as well. "Your strange innocence has ended", he says of his former lover, preceded by, "I hear no fearlessness, only fear". What kind of "winners" was this song intended for anyhow?! The song seems more like it's about losers than it is about winners!
Wednesday, February 6, 2019
New songs for February 6th 2019
here they are:
"Exits" by Foals: The fusion of electronica and rock in Foals latest song, "Exits", is nothing new. However, its length of nearly 6 minutes IS something new! Why did they decide to go for such a long song this time around?! Perhaps they wanted the "epic" feel of the song to go along with their video for it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6YMCjpfH0c), which was inspired by "Game of Thrones". This the second GOT inspired music video we've had so far in 2019, the first of which was Beirut's "Landslide". However, unlike that video, there is nothing silly or "Monty Python"-esque about the video for "Exits". Both the song and the video are meant to serve as a reflection of just how backwards and scary society has become for humanity today. How apt, also, that the song is called "Exits", as it will be one of many songs that the 2010's itself will exit with! Not exactly the exit I was hoping for, though. Oh well. There's always next decade to set things right again, right?!
"Old Black Magic" by Josh Ritter: Josh Ritter is normally more mystical and folk-y than he is on his latest song, "Old Black Magic". This song sounds more like an angst-ridden country-rock song, and there's a good reason for that. This is because of country-rocker Jason Isbell's production of the song. Isbell had a politically angry song back in 2017 with "Hope the High Road", and the mood (though not necessarily the lyrics) of "Old Black Magic" is meant to evoke the disaster in the air that many Americans are continuing to experience day after day. Isbell's influence is especially apparent on "Old Black Magic"'s guitar solo, which sounds like a Lynyrd Skynyrd song if it was suddenly induced with paranoia. Yet another dark song to end the decade with! Keeping my fingers crossed that the coming years and coming decade won't be as fraught with turmoil as this one has turned out to be.
"Ready to Let Go" by Cage the Elephant: Our last song of the week is yet another dark entry, but not one of a political nature. "Ready to Let Go" does tackle another subject of a controversial nature, though, and that is the subject of divorce. The divorce happened for CTE's lead singer Matt Shultz within a matter of just 5 years. Since their separation happened in Pompeii, the song is filled with metaphors relating to volcanic activity, such as "At times I wonder, are we just a puff of smoke?" and "Underneath this bed of ashes". Explosion in both the literal AND metaphorical sense?! I can see why the song is called "Ready to Let Go", because if that happened to me, that's exactly what I'd wanna do!
"Exits" by Foals: The fusion of electronica and rock in Foals latest song, "Exits", is nothing new. However, its length of nearly 6 minutes IS something new! Why did they decide to go for such a long song this time around?! Perhaps they wanted the "epic" feel of the song to go along with their video for it (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V6YMCjpfH0c), which was inspired by "Game of Thrones". This the second GOT inspired music video we've had so far in 2019, the first of which was Beirut's "Landslide". However, unlike that video, there is nothing silly or "Monty Python"-esque about the video for "Exits". Both the song and the video are meant to serve as a reflection of just how backwards and scary society has become for humanity today. How apt, also, that the song is called "Exits", as it will be one of many songs that the 2010's itself will exit with! Not exactly the exit I was hoping for, though. Oh well. There's always next decade to set things right again, right?!
"Old Black Magic" by Josh Ritter: Josh Ritter is normally more mystical and folk-y than he is on his latest song, "Old Black Magic". This song sounds more like an angst-ridden country-rock song, and there's a good reason for that. This is because of country-rocker Jason Isbell's production of the song. Isbell had a politically angry song back in 2017 with "Hope the High Road", and the mood (though not necessarily the lyrics) of "Old Black Magic" is meant to evoke the disaster in the air that many Americans are continuing to experience day after day. Isbell's influence is especially apparent on "Old Black Magic"'s guitar solo, which sounds like a Lynyrd Skynyrd song if it was suddenly induced with paranoia. Yet another dark song to end the decade with! Keeping my fingers crossed that the coming years and coming decade won't be as fraught with turmoil as this one has turned out to be.
"Ready to Let Go" by Cage the Elephant: Our last song of the week is yet another dark entry, but not one of a political nature. "Ready to Let Go" does tackle another subject of a controversial nature, though, and that is the subject of divorce. The divorce happened for CTE's lead singer Matt Shultz within a matter of just 5 years. Since their separation happened in Pompeii, the song is filled with metaphors relating to volcanic activity, such as "At times I wonder, are we just a puff of smoke?" and "Underneath this bed of ashes". Explosion in both the literal AND metaphorical sense?! I can see why the song is called "Ready to Let Go", because if that happened to me, that's exactly what I'd wanna do!
Wednesday, January 30, 2019
New songs for January 30th, 2019
here they are:
"Dylan Thomas" by Better Oblivion Community Center (Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers): Conor and Phoebe have known each other for quite some time now, so it was only a matter of time before they did something together. And what is the result of this inevitable collaboration? Well, it's a slightly noisy folk-rock song, where sound is concerned, which is not a surprising choice in sound for the Bright Eyes frontman. As for the lyrics, the chorus mentions that Conor and Phoebe want to "die like Dylan Thomas", famous for his "Do not go gentle into that good night" quote. Conor has had a recurring theme of morbid lyrics in his songs before, so it's not surprising to know about how Dylan Thomas serves as the central lyrical inspiration in this song.
"F**k the Rain" by Ryan Adams: Hmmm...could somebody please help me pronounce those two unusual letters in the first word of this song?! I've never seen them before! Oh wait...NOW I know what they are! OK, kidding aside, this song actually IS pretty good, in spite of the fact that its fronting word is one that I don't favor in my own vocabulary. You would expect a song like this to be angry from its title, and Ryan has done a few angry tunes before, but this one actually isn't. It's more a sad, plaintive song that would probably be good to listen to ON a rainy day. John Mayer, the folk-pop musician who has long had the desire to be a bluesman, plays a half blues and half country solo towards the end of this song that wouldn't be out of place in a Grateful Dead tune (fitting, since Mayer has toured with them before).
"Harmony Hall" by Vampire Weekend: After 6 years on hiatus, Vampire Weekend have returned and are doing what they do best! Ezra Koenig's quintet have often emulated the tropical world beat sounds of musicians like Paul Simon, Sting, and Peter Gabriel. "Harmony Hall" seems to take on a lot of the Paul Simon aspects, especially at the beginning with its crisp, river-like acoustic guitar. A sprightly piano takes over the guitar for much of the rest of the song, as Koenig ponders over existential crises with lyrics like, "I don't want to live like this, but I don't want to die." Plights like this define the song's lyrical content, but the title "Harmony Hall" still suits it well for the evenly matched vocals and instrumentation this song has to offer.
"Moderation" by Florence and The Machine: Imagine the opening notes of The Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" played three times instead of five, and played on piano instead of bass. That pretty much defines the beginning of "Moderation", which quickly turns into a more enjoyably arts-y Florence tune about 30 seconds afterwards. Lyrically, this is an interesting song, as it is unclear who Flo is speaking to. She seems to be addressing a lover at first, but during the chorus, she addresses a "little girl", which might be Flo herself. Whether she's talking to someone else or herself, she nonetheless claims that the subject of the song "wants (her) to love (them) in moderation". Much like other songs of hers, such as "Shake It Out", "Moderation" seems to be about an inner battle that Florence is having with her own self, trying to decide whether she is truly worthy of love, as well as if love itself is truly worth feeling. Well, as they say, everything in "Moderation", right?!
"Red Bull And Hennessy" by Jenny Lewis: So far, we've had a song with a title containing a word I don't use, and now here's a song containing a title of drinks I don't drink (I don't drink any alcohol, FYI.) I guess I'm what you'd call a rocker who lacks the rock and roll lifestyle, eh?! Oh, and as if by coincidence, it is none other than Ryan Adams (discussed in a previous entry for this week) playing the guitar on this track! Go figure, eh? The legendary Ringo Starr guests on drums here, too. Anyway, this song is pretty much sex, drugs, and...ummm...kind of rock and roll?! All three elements are essential on this vaguely Fleetwood Mac-ish track, which expresses lustful sexual desire, being "wired" and "high" on alcohol, and just the thrill Jenny seems to get from being wild and reckless with partners.
"Dylan Thomas" by Better Oblivion Community Center (Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers): Conor and Phoebe have known each other for quite some time now, so it was only a matter of time before they did something together. And what is the result of this inevitable collaboration? Well, it's a slightly noisy folk-rock song, where sound is concerned, which is not a surprising choice in sound for the Bright Eyes frontman. As for the lyrics, the chorus mentions that Conor and Phoebe want to "die like Dylan Thomas", famous for his "Do not go gentle into that good night" quote. Conor has had a recurring theme of morbid lyrics in his songs before, so it's not surprising to know about how Dylan Thomas serves as the central lyrical inspiration in this song.
"F**k the Rain" by Ryan Adams: Hmmm...could somebody please help me pronounce those two unusual letters in the first word of this song?! I've never seen them before! Oh wait...NOW I know what they are! OK, kidding aside, this song actually IS pretty good, in spite of the fact that its fronting word is one that I don't favor in my own vocabulary. You would expect a song like this to be angry from its title, and Ryan has done a few angry tunes before, but this one actually isn't. It's more a sad, plaintive song that would probably be good to listen to ON a rainy day. John Mayer, the folk-pop musician who has long had the desire to be a bluesman, plays a half blues and half country solo towards the end of this song that wouldn't be out of place in a Grateful Dead tune (fitting, since Mayer has toured with them before).
"Harmony Hall" by Vampire Weekend: After 6 years on hiatus, Vampire Weekend have returned and are doing what they do best! Ezra Koenig's quintet have often emulated the tropical world beat sounds of musicians like Paul Simon, Sting, and Peter Gabriel. "Harmony Hall" seems to take on a lot of the Paul Simon aspects, especially at the beginning with its crisp, river-like acoustic guitar. A sprightly piano takes over the guitar for much of the rest of the song, as Koenig ponders over existential crises with lyrics like, "I don't want to live like this, but I don't want to die." Plights like this define the song's lyrical content, but the title "Harmony Hall" still suits it well for the evenly matched vocals and instrumentation this song has to offer.
"Moderation" by Florence and The Machine: Imagine the opening notes of The Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" played three times instead of five, and played on piano instead of bass. That pretty much defines the beginning of "Moderation", which quickly turns into a more enjoyably arts-y Florence tune about 30 seconds afterwards. Lyrically, this is an interesting song, as it is unclear who Flo is speaking to. She seems to be addressing a lover at first, but during the chorus, she addresses a "little girl", which might be Flo herself. Whether she's talking to someone else or herself, she nonetheless claims that the subject of the song "wants (her) to love (them) in moderation". Much like other songs of hers, such as "Shake It Out", "Moderation" seems to be about an inner battle that Florence is having with her own self, trying to decide whether she is truly worthy of love, as well as if love itself is truly worth feeling. Well, as they say, everything in "Moderation", right?!
"Red Bull And Hennessy" by Jenny Lewis: So far, we've had a song with a title containing a word I don't use, and now here's a song containing a title of drinks I don't drink (I don't drink any alcohol, FYI.) I guess I'm what you'd call a rocker who lacks the rock and roll lifestyle, eh?! Oh, and as if by coincidence, it is none other than Ryan Adams (discussed in a previous entry for this week) playing the guitar on this track! Go figure, eh? The legendary Ringo Starr guests on drums here, too. Anyway, this song is pretty much sex, drugs, and...ummm...kind of rock and roll?! All three elements are essential on this vaguely Fleetwood Mac-ish track, which expresses lustful sexual desire, being "wired" and "high" on alcohol, and just the thrill Jenny seems to get from being wild and reckless with partners.
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