New songs for May 26th 2021

 Here they are:


"Famous Son" by Belle Mt.: With a mix of a crisp, acoustic, folk-pop sound and staccato guitar riffs and pulsating synths forming a new wave influenced sound, Belle Mt's "Famous Son" doesn't really add anything new under the sun, but it's a pleasant song to kick back to nonetheless (we've been needing some of those lately). The real charm of this song, though, is probably more within its lyrics. The title of the song is not mentioned until towards the end, when the lead singer sums up the song's the theme, which is that his father warned him not to be "famous, son." Too bad! With this song being an up-and-comer on adult alt radio stations, Belle Mt. ARE getting famous to a degree.

"I Need Some of That" by Weezer: Weezer first hit the airwaves in the '90s, but in "I Need Some of That," they set the dials back one decade earlier. Recalling big '80s rock hits like Asia's "Heat of the Moment," and just about any early Bryan Adams or Cars song, "I Need Some of That" indulges unashamedly in nostalgia for a decade during which I was only a baby! The song itself is about nostalgia, not only in sound, but in lyric as well! Rivers Cuomo even opens the song with, "Summertime. I press rewind," and we are transported back to a past when Back to the Future ruled the movie theaters. As if the song didn't have enough of a hammy '80s classic rock sound, Rivers even mentions listening to Aerosmith as part of the lyrics. Party on, Weezer!

"Like I Used To" by Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen: Two of the most progressive female singer/songwriters of the 2010's come together for the first time with a song that is bound to please anyone who enjoys melancholy indie-folk music! Like our previous entry, "Like I Used To" has a jones for nostalgia, but not of the same type. This nostalgia does not take place in a specific decade, but just any time in someone's life when they might have felt like the past was a simpler time than the present. The title of the song already makes this apparent, but listening to both the words they use to accompany the title ("falling in love like I used to," "lighting one up like I used to," etc.) and the sultry yet sad way the lyrics are delivered really drives the point home. Judging from the things they miss doing in the context of the song, Sharon and Angel probably want to go back to when they were either teens or very young adults, pining away for when sex, drugs, and...folk 'n' roll...held a mysterious allure, as opposed to a harmful aftertaste.

"Missing Piece" by Vance Joy: Contemporary folk-rocker, Vance Joy, tends to be popular among both alternative and adult alt radio stations whenever he releases something, but the use of his latest song, "Missing Piece," on Grey's Anatomy seemed to contribute to his most recent wave of success within just a matter of days! Though I've never been a fan of medical dramas (or most dramas, for that matter), I must say that someone who works on the show must be pretty cool if they selected his music to be on the show! Onto the song itself, though, it's a very yearning one, as per usual for Vance, but in a way he hasn't really done so before. Instead of a "Woe is me. Where did my love go wrong?" song, we get a song about how he misses the one he loves. I suspect that part of this could have been in response to separation he might have experienced during the pandemic (if so, he released this song RIGHT in the nick of time). There's a hopeful side to this song as well, as Vance's "missing piece" is something he is positive will be FOUND once he rejoins his romantic partner. Thanks for getting us all through these hard times, Vance!

"Reverie" by Son Volt: '90s country-rock group, Son Volt, continued to soldier on into the new millennium with sparser and sparser appearances as the years went by. By the time the 2010's rolled around, they made only two memorable appearances, both of which had a bittersweet folk-rock sound in comparison to the more gritty stuff they originally became known for. With "Reverie," it seems as though Son Volt have found a comfortable middle ground. It has a more solid rock sound, veering slightly towards a light Southern rock variant, than most of their more recent material, but it retains the earthy, roots-y quality of their early stuff. This song also may serve as an answer as to why Son Volt retreated from the limelight in late 2016. The entire reign of terror of a certain person who shall not be named took place RIGHT at that time, climaxing in both physical and emotional separation as the current generation has never experienced before. With the recurring line, "We won't know where we stand 'till December," "Reverie" could be a way of summing up both last year AND this year. We didn't know where we would stand politically last year until about a month prior to December, and this year, it'll probably take until the end of it to find out where we are regarding if we can see each other again without fear of anyone we hang out with being contagious. A smart and timely song of both idealism and realism!

"Stop Making It Hurt" by Bleachers: In spite of the happy, bouncy sound of this song, there is most definitely a palpable undercurrent of hurt behind" Stop Making This Hurt." The song came about when the seemingly irrepressible Jack Antonoff came to the realization during the coronavirus pandemic that he wouldn't be able to perform face to face in front of his fans like he used to for a long time! The song details the angst, chaos, and disappointment of family life during the pandemic. The kids are complaining, Mom wants to break loose from the Garden State, and Dad has gotten to the point of not even recognizing where he is anymore. Nothing is fine. But sometimes, that's what we need to hear in a song! We need to KNOW that we're not the only ones going through what we are. "Stop Making This Hurt" might just be the spoonful of sugar we need to make the tiresome medicine of our vaccines go down!

"Witchoo" by Durand Jones and The Indications: Like fellow neo-soul-ster, Leon Bridges, Durand Jones and The Indications started off imitating '60s soul music and have now dipped their feet into '70s funk! "Witchoo" captures that moment in time when the R in R & B was getting stronger than the B, as the focus of this song is primarily rhythmic, lacking the bluesy pulse that was present in early R & B. We've had so many songs here that want to leave the present moment, and for understandable reasons, but this song seems very in-the-moment, at least lyrically speaking. Though its sound is an obvious throwback to soul music of the mid-1970's, "Witchoo"'s lyrics are basically about traveling on the road and spending time with that special someone. The simple pleasures of life. So what are you waiting for?! Get down with yo' bad self and melt into the auditory dance party that is "Witchoo"!

New songs for May 19th, 2021

 here they are:


"Down" by St. Vincent: After her success on adult alt radio stations with the Prince/Bowie-esque "Pay Your Way in Pain," Annie "St. Vincent" Clark continues with work influenced by the two aforementioned eclectic electro-funk-rock masters. "Down" also showcases a Prince/Bowie influence, albeit with one factor that distinguishes it from all other St. Vincent songs that have come out so far. "Down" makes distinctive use of the sitar, as well as the Vocoder (the voicebox thingy Peter Frampton is known for using, which has gained prominent use in funk-rock as well). With all these unique, flavorful elements combined, "Down" sounds anything BUT down, and puts St. Vincent in a place that is too outer space-y to be the past, but too retro to be the future! Far out!

"Motorbike" by Leon Bridges: And speaking of funk music, Leon Bridges is another contemporary musician who has explored the influence of funk in his own sweet way. He started with a record that was a throwback to soul masters like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, followed that up with a sophomore album exploring more sides of the R & B spectrum, including jazz, funk, and even folk-soul, and now, with a third album on the way, we get to hear Leon exploring...pop-reggae?! "Motorbike" seems to head in that direction, and it is also notable for being Leon's first guitar-less track (if there IS any guitar in it at all, it's barely audible). It's still soul music, as all of Leon's music has been so far, but something feels a little out of place about this one. For one thing, he has enlisted the help of fellow neo-soul musician, Anderson Paak, on this one, and I've never been particularly thrilled with Anderson's style the way I have with Leon's. 

"Worry With You" by Sleater-Kinney: It was only two years ago that the fiercely defiant alt-rock duo, Sleater-Kinney, last released an album. However, with the major changes that came afoot the year after, the sentiments expressed in some of their last songs, such as the passionate yet sexually desperate "Hurry on Home," already seem like the products of a bygone era! Their latest song, "Worry With You," could be thought of as a "sequel" of sorts to that song: still spiky, intense, and sexually driven, yet somewhat more subdued, both musically and lyrically, and with the acknowledgment that love life (and life in general) has become more difficult to manage within the space of just a few years. Here, they are not merely looking for someone to spend a naughty night in the nude with, but are instead seeking a more solid form of companionship with someone whom they can feel comfortable mulling over the future with while still trying to enjoy the sparse pleasures of the present. A slightly blues-y garage rock influence on this one, but as usual, this dynamic duo gives it their all! 

New songs for May 12th 2021

 here they are:


"Echoing" by Kings of Leon: Once again opting for the key of C major, like they did in their previous single from this year, "The Bandit," Kings of Leon storm the alt and adult alt radio charts again just in time for summer with "Echoing." "Echoing" has an almost U2-ish vibe to it, with its fittingly echoing chamber of guitars ringing loud and clear throughout while never quite climaxing to a hard rock sound. The song revels in and revolves around the thrill of adventure!

"We Are Between" by Modest Mouse: It's been 7 years since we last heard from Modest Mouse (and it was also 7 years since THEN that we had last heard a full Modest Mouse album). While Mouse seem to have embraced a Talking Heads-ish sound from about 2004 onwards, "We Are Between" hearkens back to MM's pre-fame years, during which time the band made more sweet, wistful, Shins-ish indie-pop songs like "Gravity Rides Everything." The central subject of "We Are Between" is the titular pronoun: "we." Isaac Brock is addressing our own species in the song, and the many observations he has made about us. "We are made up of rocks and salt." "We are the mirrors of our own faults." It's true. Humans are faulty creatures who, like all living things, are an improbable yet amazing combination of elements that fused together to create entities that survive on eating, breathing, and growing. In "We Are Between," Modest Mouse mull over life in a way that is anything but modest in a way that speaks to all of us!

New songs for May 5th 2021

 here they are:


"Elevator Boots" by Counting Crows: Not since the early to mid '90s have I known a Counting Crows song to get this much positive reception! They may not have the presence on mainstream rock and alt-rock radio that they once did, but thanks to YouTube, we do know that these Gen X folk-rockers still have an avid, loyal fanbase! And adult alt radio, thankfully, still loves Counting Crows just as they did over 25 years ago. "Elevator Boots" is a magical song with quirky lyrics, which Counting Crows are pretty much experts at. The song starts off slow and acoustic, but kicks into gear with roots-y Springsteen/Petty-esque electric guitars being added into the mix shortly after. "Elevator Boots" is a rock song about rock music, specifically about what it's like to be a band who does concerts a lot, a lost dream that will hopefully return to reality one day!

"Perennial Bloom" by Lukas Nelson: Our only other song of the week just happens to be a wistful, roots-y country-rock tune as well! Where our previous song was about being on the road, though, Lukas Nelson's "Perennial Bloom" is about being away from the road! The title of the song, for starters, refers to how Lukas and his family were able to stand by one another through the coronavirus pandemic, and that their love for one another continued to stay strong and "bloom" as time went by. A bittersweet yet relevant song here. 

New songs for April 28th, 2021

 here they are:


"Diamond Studded Shoes" by Yola: Yola's unique combination of country and R & B gains an even thicker musical gumbo with her latest song, "Diamond Studded Shoes." Coming off almost like a Grateful Dead-style combo of country, blues, jazz, and rock with meandering guitar licks during the solo, "Diamond Studded Shoes" is an upbeat song about downbeat subject matter. The titular phrase, "diamond studded shoes," is mentioned only once in the song during the second verse, referring to the much sought after financial value of such clothing, and how people in the big biz buying those sorts of shoes with their taxes is really just their way of keeping more ordinary folk divided. The theme of divisiveness continues throughout the song, addressing more specifically the issue of poverty and how negatively it affects Yola and others whose monetary rank is middle class or lower. Nothing brings controversial issues to the forefront like a catchy song, eh?!

"Easy Sleazy" by Mick Jagger and Dave Grohl: Essentially, the leading Stone and the leading Foo Fighter are churning out classic rock for a generation that has become increasingly disconnected from the idea of rock music. The news of two rock and roll giants collaborating on a song together might excite parents and grandparents of today, but what about the youth which the music industry has long been obsessed with catering to?! Is it really going to be effective for them?! While this question might remain unanswerable, Mick and Dave seem to at least trying to appeal to the youth here, delivering a gut busting rock and roll number that crams all the issues that defined 2020 into the space of roughly three and a half minutes. A world with no tours and no sports, protective face gear mysteriously becoming trendy, the once virtually unknown service of Zoom becoming an internet giant in less than a year, quarantine weight, vaccination, and global warming all get referenced in this song. Only time will tell if this song makes a truly lasting impact, though. 

New songs for April 21st, 2021

here they are:

"Crawling Kingsnake" by The Black Keys: If anyone still knows how to rock and roll in an EDM, hip-hop, and dubstep dominated world, it's The Black Keys! "Crawling Kingsnake" goes back to the roots of rock, predating even the genre's initial pioneers like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, unearthing a cover of a song made popular by blues musician John Lee Hooker, and written by fellow blues musician Big Joe Williams. Much like an actual snake, "Crawling Kingsnake" crawls slowly, wraps itself around you, and releases a seductive "venom," intoxicating its listeners in an arousing swirl of oozing guitar riffs backed by tight drumbeats!

"Hot and Heavy" by Lucy Dacus: I previously knew Lucy Dacus only for an ultra-cool indie-pop/rock version of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" that seemed to outdo the Boss himself. Therefore, "Hot and Heavy" is my first taste of how Lucy Dacus fares with her own material. Lucy has a similar vibe to other women who have recently become rising stars in the indie-pop/rock world, such as Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, and she has a similarly poignant and confessional vibe to these musicians as well. "Hot and Heavy," specifically, is about Lucy trying to grapple with the notion of how her past "selves" (what she was like in various stages of her life, such as childhood and teen years) are nothing like who she is today and probably wouldn't like who she became. It's a common issue for many of us, including myself. Would rock-and-roll me from my teens be ok with the more eclectic and mellow musician I became in young adulthood? Who knows?! Would my past self who was initially embarrassed and frustrated about being neurodivergent be ok with the neurodiversity embracing, open-minded person I've become today? It's all up in the air, but it can be quite fascinating to imagine what that might be like!

"Spanish Doors" by Liz Phair: And speaking of past selves, on the latest song from indie-rock queen, Liz Phair, Liz was apparently inspired by the musicians and bands she listened to during her early college years, including but not limited to alt-rock innovators like The Velvet Underground, Talking Heads, and R.E.M. The song itself, "Spanish Doors," is about having your foundations shaken out from under you. Initially, the song was written about one of Liz's friends who was going through a divorce at the time it was written, but she soon found that the lyrics also applied to her own life, particularly in how the song centers around witnessing your own life break into shambles while those around you are enjoying theirs. This seems like it could be a theme that many people could relate to. That, of course, is part of the beauty of music! 

New songs for April 14th, 2021

 here they are:

"Last Day on Earth" by beabadoobee: As you can probably guess from the song's title, "Last Day on Earth" is about our recent situation facing lockdowns and a "new normal," a phrase that I have still struggled with fully accepting even after a year. March 2020 felt like the "last day on earth" for Beatrice "beabadoobee" Kristi Laus, and in this song, she expresses what that feels like, in a song that attempts musically to emulate the "lighter" elements of female-led '90s alt-rock groups like Garbage and No Doubt. I guess we can all be thankful that "Last Day on Earth" is not the last SONG on Earth! At the bottom of our hearts, let's still hold on to hope!

"Vertigo" by Alice Merton: We haven't heard too many songs from Alice Merton so far, but we've heard enough to know that her typical style is an "alterna-dance-pop" of sorts that dominated the 2010's and which, so far, has carried into the 2020's as well. Not to be confused with U2's rock anthem, "Vertigo," Alice Merton's "Vertigo" has a more intense mood than the U2 song of the same name, though it's still pretty catchy in its own way. The lyrics of the song seem like a disaster movie waiting to happen! The floor is shaking, faces "seem deadly," and there is nothing but darkness all around! Unlike our previous entry, however, "Vertigo" is NOT about recent events. It is instead a more personal song, revealed towards the end to be about jealousy, but Alice keeps us on our toes beforehand, making us wonder just what it is that's making her feel so dizzy and so threatened!