New songs for February 24th 2021

 here they are:


"Bed Head" by Manchester Orchestra: "Bed Head" is a good reminder to fans of Manchester Orchestra of where their roots were from. People like me who first heard them from "The Gold" back in 2017 might have thought of them as a contemporary folk-rock group, but that is not all they do. Far from it. "Bed Head" is straight-up alt-rock for ya, at least from a 21st century perspective of the term. A minor-key melody, guitars that sound halfway between "lite" emo and the post-punk revival, and warbling yet passionate vocals: all key elements of today's alt-rock, and "Bed Head" has got it all! Fitting with the song's overall "alternative" musical theme are its lyrics, which seem to question the meaning of life while finding reasons to regret it at the same time. 

"Heat Waves" by Glass Animals: With the few songs I've heard so far by Glass Animals ("Gooey," "Your Love Deja Vu," and now this one), I'm convinced that Glass Animals might just be their own genre combo - lounge-tronica. They use a lot of synthesized instrumentation, but they present it in such a way that it sounds like perfect music to play in a lounge room. Their latest song, "Heat Waves," is no exception to the rule. The title is not the only lyric that uses summertime imagery either. Practically the whole song does, particularly the chorus, evoking such languid, sultry imagery as "Sometimes all I think about is you, late nights or in the middle of June." Summer may still be months away, but who says we can't enjoy summertime vibes in late winter?! 

"Not Dead Yet" by Lord Huron: Never has there been a Lord Huron song with such blatantly morbid imagery (although "The World Ender" came close)! Their music typically brings about calmer vibes, with the darkness of some of their lyrics being only an oblique setoff to their sound. But just take a close listen to some of the lyrics here! "You got holes on your clothes, booze on your breath, you're lookin' like hell, and you smell like death." Whoa! Huron's Ben Schneider must really hate somebody (possibly himself) in order to write lyrics like THAT! Yeah, we get it, Ben. You're most definitely NOT dead. We believe you. Instead, it seems more like you're out to MAKE someone dead!

"Strangers" by Black Pumas (featuring Lucius): This is a pretty interesting song and collaboration. First of all, this song is not actually a Black Pumas OR Lucius song. It was originally a song by The Kinks from the early 1970's, the type of folk-rock venture The Kinks sometimes went on that seem to be popular picks for Wes Anderson films. This isn't really a song I'd picture Black Pumas or Lucius to cover, the former being a duo intent on reviving '70s soul music, and the latter being an indie-folk/pop quartet that is half female and half male. Interesting to note that both groups have become popular on the adult alt format, but haven't ventured too far outside the format so far (Oddly, Black Pumas' "Colors" is JUST starting to get airplay on regular alt-rock radio two years after its initial release, but they haven't become a household name on alt radio yet). Surprisingly, they both do an excellent job covering this Kinks classic that extols the virtues of outsider-ness!

New songs for February 17th, 2021

 here they are:


"Close to You" by Dayglow: Dayglow's fall/winter smash hit, "Can I Call You Tonight?" soared up the alt and adult charts and went on to be one of the most memorable, catchy, and recognizable songs of the past few months! Their second hit, "Close to You," seems like it might have a similar impact on the alt and adult alt radio charts. However, there are a few things that make "Close to You" noticeably different than "Can I Call You Tonight?" First, there's the fact that, where "Can I Call You Tonight?" used cleanly distorted echo-y guitars in the background, "Close to You" seems to use no guitars at all and instead relies entirely upon synth as its lead instrument. Those who are more observant might also notice that "Close to You" uses a mostly minor key melody, in contrast with the happy, upbeat major key that "Can I Call You Tonight?" used. "Close to You" is still plenty upbeat, though, and as perfect for the dance floor as it is for your bedroom!

"Hypotheticals" by Lake Street Dive: Taking a step back from the "retro-soul" sound that Lake Street Dive have become known for, their latest song, "Hypotheticals," sounds a bit closer to contemporary R & B, as if someone like Pharrell Williams or Beyonce could have recorded it (albeit with noticeably more guitar in the background). Even the solo of the song is synth based, as opposed to being based around guitar or sax. The "hypothetical" being discussed in the song, by the way, is that of long distance relationships. Rachael Price contemplates the age-old question of whether she should stay or she should go in the song's lyrics. Sigh...I can relate. 

"Low" by Chet Faker: Obviously, "Chet Faker" is not the real name of this song's performer. It is actually Nick Murphy, a name he used temporarily after his first big hit, "Gold," from 2014. Nick reverted to using his given name afterwards...until now, that is. I have no idea what Nick's recordings were like under his given name, but under the Chet Faker alias, they all seem to have an element of electro-pop. His latest song, "Low," is no different. "Low" was actually released back in October of last year, when hope for the pandemic to be eradicated wasn't as big as it has gotten today, so a lot of the lyrics relate to that. This is why, in the context of the song, he is feeling "low," but he still encourages his listeners to find peace among the chaos. Nick, it looks like your wish is slowly but surely coming true!

"Sunblind" by Fleet Foxes: Fitting to its title, "Sunblind" sounds like a very sunny, summery song. However, if you listen closely, its lyrics tell a sadder story. Many names are mentioned within the song, and all those names are the names of dead musicians. All the names listed are probably too numerous to mention here, but among those mentioned, in order of appearance in the song, are folk-rocker John Prine, soul musician Bill Withers, tragic indie-folk poet Elliott Smith, soul musician Curtis Mayfield (could also be Ian Curtis from post-punk group, Joy Division), classic rock legend Jimi Hendrix, fellow classic rock legend David Bowie, tragically short-lived folk-rocker Nick Drake, soul musician Otis Redding, alterna-folk hero Jeff Buckley, power pop-ster Chris Bell from Big Star, soul legend Marvin Gaye, and even innovative rap-rocker Adam Yauch from The Beastie Boys. This entire REVIEW for the song has been those musicians! But I did not mention them here merely as a list. They are also being mentioned for their contributions to rock and pop music, and for being meaningful enough to Robin Peckold's life for him to sing about them in sweet, poignant tribute like no other song before or since! (Well, except maybe Don McLean's "American Pie" - that was a pretty moving tribute too!)

"Two" by Flock of Dimes: Perhaps some might think that A Flock of Seagulls sounds more significant than a Flock of Dimes. After all, the former conjures up majestic imagery of birds flying gracefully over the sea, where the latter evokes more mundane imagery of someone dropping ten-cent coins on the floor of the laundry room. But make no mistake! Flock of Dimes, as a band, are more majestic and poetic than their name suggests they might be! They are actually the side project of Jenn Wasner from indie-pop group, Wye Oak. Like most of the entries on this week's list, Flock of Dimes' "Two" is a synthpop song. It is an ethereal, bittersweet song in which Jenn Wasner hopes to form a "union" of sorts with the object of her affections. Her vocals alone always seem to quaver with yearning, and with "Two," it's no exception. 

New songs for February 10th 2021

 Here they are:


"Break My Baby" by Kaleo: There are two sides to Kaleo's music. There's the sweet folk/soul/rock combo that has made them popular among millennials, and then there's the more blues-y side that can sometimes get so intense that it slides into Led Zeppelin territory. "Break My Baby" falls into the latter category. No Zeppelin-esque stuff here, but it does manage to capture the blues-rock influence of bands like The Black Keys, albeit in somewhat softer form. Sort of a cross between The Black Keys and Hozier here, really. Lyrically, it's an interesting song as well. Underneath its surface as a possible breakup song, "Break My Baby" might also be about the music biz! When lead singer JJ Julius Son spouts lines like, "They'll take you in and spit you out. You're only worth how much you sell," his lyrics are pretty representative of his venom towards the industry! Perhaps the "baby" in the song is the very group of people who produced it!

"C'Est La Vie" by The Killers: Breaking from the "epic" sound of "Caution" and "My Own Soul's Warning," "C'Est La Vie," the latest single from The Killers, is noticeably different from most of their stuff. First of all, there isn't near as much guitar in the song (if any) as most of their material. Instead, "C'Est La Vie" is keyboard dominated. It also has a happy, quirky sound to it. It's not aiming to be a "crowd pleaser" the way most of their songs do. Even the lyrics are somewhat quirky, especially the line about frogs falling from the sky! 

"Faith Healer" by Julien Baker: My closest online friend actually recommended Julien to me awhile back. A few years later, and now I'm reviewing her music on my blog! How 'bout that? Anyway, onto the song, which is a very bittersweet and meaningful one. The titular "faith healer" Julien is hoping for is one who can help her fight her addiction to drugs. She talks candidly about how she misses the buzz drugs gave her, while at the same time acknowledging how harmful they have been in her life. Anyone struggling with anything, be it mental or physical, could benefit from hearing this song!

"Hold Yourself" by tUnE-YaRdS: Even among "indie" bands, tUnE-YaRdS hAvE AlWaYs bEen on the wEirdEr sIDe of the inDie rOcK spEcTRum! (SeE wHat I dId tHeRe?!) The surreal video of their latest song, "Hold Yourself," employs techniques like cutout animation and features a muscular lookalike of Benson from "Regular Show." Ummm...WHAT?! As for the song, it starts out as sort of a synth-pop ballad, but halfway through, it quickly devolves into what appears to be a badly orchestrated trumpet section. Once again...WHAT?! About the only way this song might make even remote sense is in the lyrical department. It seems to be about how, just because one has parents, doesn't mean they're always mature people who know what they're doing. I get the feeling tUnE-YaRdS don't quite know what they're doing either! (Here is the song's bizarre music video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hcG6UgTHiU

"Pendulum" by Jealous of the Birds: 22-year-old Northern Irish musician, Naomi Hamilton, is Jealous of the Birds. I'm not saying she's actually jealous of any particular group of birds, or any anything, for that matter. "Jealous of the Birds" is simply what she has chosen to call herself on stage. Why?! Ummm...darned if I know! Anyway, it was none other than my dad who recommended this musician to me merely a few days ago, and I can see why! "Pendulum," the song currently poised to be her breakthrough hit, is a sweetly hypnotic song that bears similarity to other innovative female musicians of the past 10-ish years, such as St. Vincent, and Florence Welch of Florence and The Machine. The title comes from how Naomi views relationships as a constant back-and-forth, as though swinging on a pendulum. I hear ya, Naomi. With Valentine's Day just around the corner, I feel like I've been swinging from a pendulum all week!

"Say" by Moon Taxi: After the bittersweet folk-rock of Moon Taxi's previous single, "Hometown Heroes," "Say" continues more in the anthemic indie/alt-pop direction Moon Taxi have become known for. Sound-wise, it's almost like Queen's "We Will Rock You" with keyboards and drum machines instead of guitars and hand claps. The message of the song is simple but powerful: "If you wanna say something, say it!" Not much more to say (no pun intended) about this song, but sometimes songs can say (no pun intended, I swear!) so much even though they seem to be conveying so little!

"The Divine Chord" by The Avalanches (featuring Johnny Marr from The Smiths, and MGMT): I don't know The Avalanches very well yet, but I do know Johnny Marr and I do know MGMT. Of the three acts featured here, this seems to be mostly in MGMT's ballpark. The combo of keyboard and a faint hint of guitar swirling into a pleasantly psychedelic flavor has become MGMT's trademark sound, though they didn't start out that way. The recurring line, "the stars are rearranging, my love," seems very fitting for a song as billowy and fluffy as this one is. There's also an aura of mystery in this song, though, since what "the divine chord" is is never mentioned in the song (and nor is the phrase itself). 

New songs for January 27th 2021

 here they are:


"All My Favorite Songs" by Weezer: This is a rather unusual song for Weezer! It's one of the few songs where they don't have any guitar! However, according to Rivers Cuomo's lyrics, there is a reason for this. Supposedly, "all (his) favorite songs are slow and sad." So is the case with "All My Favorite Songs." The song itself is slow and sad. It is written in C sharp minor, is dominated by cello instead of guitar, and manages to make the quirky but edgy punk-pop of Weezer classics like "Buddy Holly" and "Undone (The Sweater Song)" sound like heavy metal in comparison! "All My Favorite Songs" seems to serve as an unofficial "sequel" song to Weezer's surprisingly bittersweet and ultra-soft 2008 song, "Heart Songs." In contrast to the complete sincerity of "Heart Songs," though, "All My Favorite Songs" is somewhat self-deprecating, with Rivers claiming during the chorus that he "doesn't know what's wrong with him"!

"Call Me A Fool" by Valerie June: A sweeping, haunting neo-soul tune, "Call Me A Fool" might be sung by a millennial musician, but it is none other than 1960's R & B legend, Carla Thomas, providing the opening spoken word part: "Only a fool tests the depths of the water with both feet." Valerie, in response, kicks off the song with the four titular words, "call me a fool," twice. Why is she a "fool," exactly? Well, it's because she's fallen for a person who has used her, but she likes them anyway, in a way that's more than just friendly. Somehow, I feel like this is the perfect kind of song for Valentine's Day of this year, which will be coming up shortly!

"Ghosts" by Bruce Springsteen: In fall of last year, Bruce made a grand return to adult alt radio with "Letter to You," a sweet, heartfelt song that recalled vintage Bruce songs from the 1970's. With "Ghosts," the vintage Bruce sound continues, albeit on a much grander scale! The spirited, lively tone of this epic, five-and-a-half-minute song sounds like it was made for the arenas! (There'd better BE arenas sometime this year!) Unlike what its title might suggest, "Ghosts" is not about a dead person or people, but rather a metaphor for how music makes Bruce feel! The comparison here is that, much like a ghost, Bruce is haunted (in a good way) by the sound of music. Bruce, someday, when you're a ghost yourself, I hope to feel the same way you do when you hear music! One more thing I might add. The ghost of Clarence, the Big Man himself, appears to permeate this song towards the end of it! It's probably his son, Jake, playing sax during that part! 

"Waiting on a War" by Foo Fighters: If you thought "Shame Shame" from fall of last year was too "soft" for a Foo Fighters song, then this song might disappoint you even more. However, for the people who enjoy the softer side of Dave and the boys, like me, "Waiting on a War" is an excellent, haunting track! The song is their folkiest since the days of the acoustic version of "Everlong" and the equally haunting, "Walking After You"...well, until the end of it, that is, although even that part still retains the sense of sweet melody and harmony the song starts with. Since the song did come out during autumn of the tumultuous and unpredictable year of 2020, the lyrics to "Waiting on a War" are heavily reflective of just how torn apart the U.S. (and arguably the rest of the world, to a degree) had become by that point. The title of the song comes about from how Dave Grohl wonders throughout the song whether there is more to life than just "waiting on a war." There's never any definitive proof of an answer to this, but he seems to lean towards the more hopeful side, as the song is attempting to spread a message of peace and love amongst a nation (and planet) of war-torn citizens!

New songs for January 20th 2021

 here they are:

"Charming Mess" by The Black Crowes: "Charming Mess" IS a charming mess! It's a sloppily played blues-rock song that manages to charm those who latched onto The Black Crowes in the early '90s for their perfect imitation of '70s rock. This song, in particular, is hugely influenced by the sleazy, sloppy blues-y sound of Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs," to the point of sharing the D, C, G chord progression that song does during its intro. Although the melody of the song isn't that original, it does seem to be winning back a lot of the original Black Crowes fanbase of classic rock fanatics, so that counts for something, right?

"Free As We Wanna Be" by Dawes: With its sweet-sounding hippie-esque title and its sincere, Springsteen-ian sound, "Free As We Wanna Be" might seem at first like a sigh of relief. However, upon closer listen, it's actually anything but. Los Angelean indie-folk-rock faves, Dawes, are criticizing the internet during the verses of the song, with each verse becoming darker than the last. The first verse decries TV advertisers, while the second goes after people who pitch ads on websites, and finally, the third gets rather specific, attacking internet advertisers for exploiting their users. Free As We Wanna Be?! Ummm...yeah...think again. You never are, and you know it! 

"Sanctuary" by Hiss Golden Messenger: North Carolina country-rock group, Hiss Golden Messenger, give us what could be their saddest song yet with "Sanctuary." Frontman M.C. Taylor has had a lot on his mind for the past year or so, and he puts it all into HGM's latest tune. The song laments the state of distraught democracy the United States has gone through, which arguably apexed last year. He attempts for this song to shed a truthful light on the lies we have been fed through the media, following in the footsteps of his hero, John Prine (the fact he died last year, which Taylor is painfully aware of here, only adds to the grief of this song). This song arrived just in time, didn't it?! 

New songs for January 13th 2021

 here they are:


"Freedom" by Illiterate Light and Devon Gilfillian: The neo-psychedelic pop sounds of Illiterate Light and the smooth neo-soul sounds of Devon Gilfillian were two of the best things to grace adult alt radio in 2020! A year later, not only are they both still going strong, but they've decided to join forces with one another! Who knew, eh?! Their first effort together, "Freedom," doesn't quite sound like Illiterate Light OR Devon Gilfillian, yet somehow they manage to make it work here! The song has a funky indie-dance-pop flavor fit for any millennials who might not have heard their music previously. The highlight of the song, perhaps, is Devon's vocal solo in the middle of the song. His sweet yet powerful R & B suited vocals really sell the point of the song right where it seems most comfortable, smack dab in the center of it all!

"Keep Your Name Outta My Mouth" by The Black Keys: Why am I reviewing a Black Keys song that has been out for 10 years, you may ask?! Well, it's because up until recently, no one even knew it existed! "Keep Your Name Outta My Mouth" is actually an outtake from The Black Keys' breakthrough record, "Brothers," which features such great soon-to-become-classics (if they aren't already) as "Tighten Up" and "Howlin' For You." "Keep Your Name..." doesn't seem like it has quite the staying power those songs did, but it still has the signature Black Keys sound that melds blues-rock with rhythm & blues. The song oozes blues influence from head to toe, and not just musically either. The lyrics of the song have a sort of "my woman done me wrong" feel that seemed present throughout the album. Here's to hopefully another 10 years of The Black Keys!

"The Bandit" by Kings of Leon: Where in the world are Kings of Leon?! Out to catch the bandit, that's where! For a guy who has recently become nostalgic for the classic, geography-based PBS game show, "Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego?" KOL's latest song has a lot of interesting (and probably unintentional) parallels! "Must catch the bandit"? Well, that was the object of the show, wasn't it?! It features such other lyrics fitting for a geography centered chase like, "200 miles to clear, chasing a sound I hear." The music is as exciting as its lyrics, with that blend of Springsteen-ian sincerity and blues-y grittiness that KOL have cultivated since 2008. I'm not sure what "bandit" KOL are actually trying to capture, but what an adventurous thrill this song gives me! Hope it does the same for you!

New songs for January 6th, 2021

 Happy New Year, everyone! At least I HOPE it'll be a happy one...maybe I should just wish everyone a good New Year instead?! Haha. Anyway, here are the first five songs I've chosen to review in 2021. Enjoy!

"Find My Way" by Paul McCartney: Let's start this year off optimistically, shall we?! Does anything embody the spirit of optimism better than the sunny, melodic music of ex-Beatle, Paul McCartney? Well, I dunno, but I'd say it's hard to top! McCartney, who is now two years shy of 80, continues to make sweet and spirited music well into his later years with "Find My Way." The song is a message of hope with an upbeat sound that comes off, not surprisingly, like what a 21st century Beatles song might have sounded like if they stuck around that long.

"Plastic Beach" by Future Islands: Like "For Sure" from last year, "Plastic Beach" is yet another Future Islands song where the title doesn't appear in the song. The song's energetic yet minor key sound gives "Plastic Beach" an element of mystery that separates it from other Future Islands songs, and it's also the first song I've heard of theirs that isn't in B flat or F, opting instead for C sharp minor. These surprisingly dark elements all seem to fit the lyrics of the song, which is about regret. "I spent a lifetime in the mirror, picking apart what I couldn't change," Sam Herring sings in both the second and third verse of the song. Trying to avoid change when change is inevitable. Yeah...I've been there.

"Redemption" by Nathaniel Rateliff: How Nathaniel Rateliff went from spirited, feisty blue-eyed soul performer to moody country-rocker is anyone's guess, but the latter sound appeared on both of Nathaniel's singles from last year, "And It's Still Alright," and "Time Stands." With "Redemption," Nathaniel goes for the moody country-rock sound yet again (albeit with an electric guitar solo in the middle). As one might infer from the title of the song, "Redemption" is a bittersweet song about wanting to be free from a world that holds you back. This is what we all need from the surprising debacle that was last year! A very timely release, if I do say so myself!

"The Only Thing" by Travis (featuring Susanna Hoffs from The Bangles): After her career with '80s pop sensations, The Bangles, Susanna Hoffs went on to do a few albums of cover songs with '90s power pop master, Matthew Sweet. Fitting to Susanna's (and Matthew's) musical roots, a lot of those cover songs had a jangle-pop vibe similar to groups like The Byrds and Big Star. "The Only Thing" is not a cover song, and its moody, bittersweet flavor seems much closer to the melancholy folk-y Britpop of Travis than it does to the more high-energy vibe of The Bangles. Not a lot of people would probably peg Travis' Fran Healy as being a Bangles fan, but perhaps he was if he enlisted Susanna's help in this song for backing vocals. The song is mostly a typical "love gone lost" song, although the second verse contains memorably quirky lines like, "you are the record in the record shop nobody wants to buy," and a line after that that cleverly makes use of both "metaphor" and "meta for." 

"Trick to Happy" by Bahamas: Bahamas previous single, "Own Alone," was the happiest Bahamas song that I'd ever heard! "Trick to Happy"? Well...not as happy...but still mellow, in typical Bahamas fashion. "Trick to Happy" is not about BEING happy, but instead about asking if there's a "trick" to being happy. What does that even mean? Is Afie trying to imply that happiness doesn't just come naturally, and that you have to work for it to get it?! Bahamas have always been a fun and catchy band to listen to, but in "Trick to Happy," they show lyrical prowess as well!