here they are:
"Dear Life" by Beck: You never what to expect with Beck. Folk one minute, funk the next, and everything between as well! His latest song, "Dear Life" is yet another "something completely different" moment from the musician I often liken to being a '90s-and-onward version of David Bowie. "Dear Life" actually does have some Bowie-esque vibes to it, not to mention little swirls of The Beatles and Queen here and there as well. It starts with a catchy piano hook that sounds not unlike one that John, Paul, George, and Ringo might have done together, and a Beatlesque guitar creeps in midway through the song. The astounding alt-rocker has done it again!
"Miles" by Phillip Phillips: With three albums now under his belt, Phillip Phillips has proven himself to be so much more than your run-of-the-mill "American Idol" contestant. Instead of opting for the pop spotlight, as most of them have, the redundantly named folk-rocker has gone a bit more under the radar since the days of his first hit songs, but rest assured, Phillip is the type who values quality over quantity! His latest song, "Miles", would not be out of place as a song in the Snow Patrol or early Coldplay catalog. It is both heartfelt and anthemic, as most of his songs tend to be. "Miles" is also his first song since his legal battle against "Idol"s record company, and the lyrics of the song seem to reflect this. This is evident right from the song's opening lyrics, "Right now I need an escape from this gravity that holds me down. We gotta leave here today 'cause insanity is all around."
"The May Queen" by Robert Plant: The title of this song is probably taken from the line in Plant's "Stairway to Heaven" that goes, "If there's a bustle in your hedgerow, don't be alarmed now. It's just a spring clean for the May Queen." For over 40 years, Led Zeppelin fans have probably wondered who the "May Queen" is. Well, we're about to find out! Or then again, maybe not, since the title of "The May Queen" is not actually mentioned in its lyrics. Instead, the lyrics appear to simultaneously suggest both a love song and a spiritual, yogic chant of sorts. Perhaps that means that the titular queen is a goddess of some sort? She might just be the lady who's sure all that glitters is gold in the beginning of "Stairway". The world may never know!
