And now, the moment you've all been waiting for!! Counting 'em down from 20 to 1. Here we go:
20. "Everybody's Coming to My House" - David Byrne
19. "Bad Bad News" - Leon Bridges
18. "Apollo" - St. Paul and The Broken Bones
17. "Shame" - Elle King
16. "All My Friends" - The Revivalists
15. "Girlfriend" - Anderson East
14. "Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)" - Dave Matthews Band
13. "Nina Cried Power" - Hozier/Mavis Staples
12. "Beyond" - Leon Bridges
11. "Guiding Light" - Mumford and Sons
10. "Hunger" - Florence and The Machine
9. "You're Somebody Else" - Flora Cash
8. "Gold Rush" - Death Cab for Cutie
7. "Severed" - The Decemberists
6. "Life to Fix" - The Record Company
5. "A Little Honey" - Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats
4. "Silver Lining" - Mt. Joy
3. "You Worry Me" - Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats
2. "Lottery" - Jade Bird
anddd...the number one song of 2018 is...
"SATURDAY SUN" BY VANCE JOY!!!
Happy Holidays and New Year, folks. See ya next year!
Monday, December 10, 2018
Wednesday, December 5, 2018
New songs for December 5th, 2018
Hi everyone. This will be the LAST blog of the YEAR, not counting my Top 20 of 2018, which will be announced on Monday. Here are this year's final songs:
"I Know What It's Like" by Jeff Tweedy (Wilco): Much like Jeff Tweedy's debut effort without Wilco, "Summer Noon", "I Know What It's Like" has the essential material of most Wilco songs without it being Wilco. A healthy does of Dylan/Harrison styled folk-rock and country-rock twang, and lyrics that are simplistic and deep at the same time. With a yearning sound and nature centered lyrics, "I Know What It's Like" could be the unofficial "sequel" to "Summer Noon". This song works just as well in winter, though, giving Wilco fans a warm, fuzzy feeling during an icy, cold season!
"Roses And Sacrifice" by The Avett Brothers: The use of the word "sacrifice" in the title of this song makes it sound like it will be long and depressing, but it's actually anything but. It's only 2 minutes and 53 seconds long, and the "sacrifice" part of the song's title actually refers to either Seth or Scott pouring out his aching heart into song to express how much he misses a certain girl in his life. In essence, this is basically an "I miss you so much" kind of song, but the lyrics make it seem worthy of (and probably inspired by) something that Bob Dylan himself might have done.
"Salvation" by The Strumbellas: A grand comeback from one of the biggest hitmakers of 2016 (mainly for "Spirits") that sounds like it took a cue or two from Imagine Dragons?! Yeah. This is probably gonna end up being one of the biggest hits of 2019! If that's so, then the 2010's will definitely go out with a bang, thanks in no small part to The Strumbellas! Without even a week's worth of existence on the airwaves, 10 adult alt stations, and counting, have already started airing this song. There's no telling whether the meaning of "salvation" in this song is religious or if it refers to the uninhibited freedom one feels around a good friend (or boyfriend/girlfriend), but it's a relentlessly happy song that will probably get us through the increasingly dark times we've been having during the second half of this decade. Worth listening to, I say!
"Superposition" by Young the Giant: If you knew Young the Giant for their 2011/2012 smash hit, "Cough Syrup", then this might not be something you'd expect out of YTG. Unlike the accessible, arena ready sound of "Cough Syrup", "Superposition" has a more "trippy" atmosphere to it. For one thing, it uses more exotic instrumentation. I can't even figure out what the one instrument is they're playing that sounds something like an electric sitar. "Superposition" feels like a modern day psychedelic pop song, and with its spacey, philosophical lyrics, it's not hard to see why! The term "superposition" itself is actually a term associated with quantum physics. Mind blown!
"You're the One" by Greta Van Fleet: It was a head scratcher as to why a song as hard rocking as "When the Curtain Falls" got so much airplay on adult alt radio stations, as that doesn't often happen. While Greta Van Fleet's latest song, "You're the One", still sounds a bit like Led Zeppelin, it reflects the softer, folk-rock side of the band's material, which is more fit for adult alt radio stations to be playing. A few YouTube commenters have even said that it's the first GVF song they've heard that sounds like it isn't ripping off of another artist! While it's a little obvious that "You're the One" cribs from Zeppelin songs like "Thank You", "Your Time Is Gonna Come", and pretty much every acoustic Zeppelin song in the key of D major, it still sounds refreshing in comparison to most of GVF's other material. Aside from the incredibly Plant-like vocals, this song sounds like it could have been a Black Crowes song, a first for Greta Van Fleet!
"I Know What It's Like" by Jeff Tweedy (Wilco): Much like Jeff Tweedy's debut effort without Wilco, "Summer Noon", "I Know What It's Like" has the essential material of most Wilco songs without it being Wilco. A healthy does of Dylan/Harrison styled folk-rock and country-rock twang, and lyrics that are simplistic and deep at the same time. With a yearning sound and nature centered lyrics, "I Know What It's Like" could be the unofficial "sequel" to "Summer Noon". This song works just as well in winter, though, giving Wilco fans a warm, fuzzy feeling during an icy, cold season!
"Roses And Sacrifice" by The Avett Brothers: The use of the word "sacrifice" in the title of this song makes it sound like it will be long and depressing, but it's actually anything but. It's only 2 minutes and 53 seconds long, and the "sacrifice" part of the song's title actually refers to either Seth or Scott pouring out his aching heart into song to express how much he misses a certain girl in his life. In essence, this is basically an "I miss you so much" kind of song, but the lyrics make it seem worthy of (and probably inspired by) something that Bob Dylan himself might have done.
"Salvation" by The Strumbellas: A grand comeback from one of the biggest hitmakers of 2016 (mainly for "Spirits") that sounds like it took a cue or two from Imagine Dragons?! Yeah. This is probably gonna end up being one of the biggest hits of 2019! If that's so, then the 2010's will definitely go out with a bang, thanks in no small part to The Strumbellas! Without even a week's worth of existence on the airwaves, 10 adult alt stations, and counting, have already started airing this song. There's no telling whether the meaning of "salvation" in this song is religious or if it refers to the uninhibited freedom one feels around a good friend (or boyfriend/girlfriend), but it's a relentlessly happy song that will probably get us through the increasingly dark times we've been having during the second half of this decade. Worth listening to, I say!
"Superposition" by Young the Giant: If you knew Young the Giant for their 2011/2012 smash hit, "Cough Syrup", then this might not be something you'd expect out of YTG. Unlike the accessible, arena ready sound of "Cough Syrup", "Superposition" has a more "trippy" atmosphere to it. For one thing, it uses more exotic instrumentation. I can't even figure out what the one instrument is they're playing that sounds something like an electric sitar. "Superposition" feels like a modern day psychedelic pop song, and with its spacey, philosophical lyrics, it's not hard to see why! The term "superposition" itself is actually a term associated with quantum physics. Mind blown!
"You're the One" by Greta Van Fleet: It was a head scratcher as to why a song as hard rocking as "When the Curtain Falls" got so much airplay on adult alt radio stations, as that doesn't often happen. While Greta Van Fleet's latest song, "You're the One", still sounds a bit like Led Zeppelin, it reflects the softer, folk-rock side of the band's material, which is more fit for adult alt radio stations to be playing. A few YouTube commenters have even said that it's the first GVF song they've heard that sounds like it isn't ripping off of another artist! While it's a little obvious that "You're the One" cribs from Zeppelin songs like "Thank You", "Your Time Is Gonna Come", and pretty much every acoustic Zeppelin song in the key of D major, it still sounds refreshing in comparison to most of GVF's other material. Aside from the incredibly Plant-like vocals, this song sounds like it could have been a Black Crowes song, a first for Greta Van Fleet!
Wednesday, November 28, 2018
New songs for November 28th, 2018
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!
"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 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!
Wednesday, October 10, 2018
New songs for October 10th, 2018
here they are:
"Comeback Kid" by Sharon Van Etten: Sharon Van Etten might be coming back to adult alt radio for the first time since 2015, but meanwhile, I'm starting to notice that guitars might NOT be making a comeback anytime soon. The once folk-rock oriented Sharon Van Etten has now opted for the use of synthesizers in her latest song, "Comeback Kid". I must admit, as a longtime guitar player myself, I'm a little disappointed by this. What starts out sounding like a glimmer of the sweeping, orchestral intro to The Cranberries' "Linger" ends up sounding instead like one of the many dance-pop oriented songs dominating the "alternative" charts. The song is also a bit more repetitive than most SVE songs are, with the title of the song sung a total of 10 times without a whole lot of substance in the lyrics. I suppose this is a song I could grow used to, though.
"If You Really Love Nothing" by Interpol: This is a song that will break your heart...as well as your spleen! While this song is basically a breakup song, lead vocalist Paul Banks slips in lyrics like, "Whenever I find home, the next artery, splendid, I bled my whole life", making it a bit more of a bloody (anti) valentine song than most breakup songs are. Some might be wondering what Kristen Stewart is doing in the video for this song. Though she's become known for the notoriously over-the-top emotional "Twilight" movies, it seems like that's not what she wants to be known for. After all, she's a fan of The Replacements, an actress in a movie about rocker, Joan Jett, and characters in indie movie faves like "Adventureland" and "Into the Wild". Perhaps now it'll make a little more sense why she's in an Interpol video. The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLk8i2zw2jU
"Comeback Kid" by Sharon Van Etten: Sharon Van Etten might be coming back to adult alt radio for the first time since 2015, but meanwhile, I'm starting to notice that guitars might NOT be making a comeback anytime soon. The once folk-rock oriented Sharon Van Etten has now opted for the use of synthesizers in her latest song, "Comeback Kid". I must admit, as a longtime guitar player myself, I'm a little disappointed by this. What starts out sounding like a glimmer of the sweeping, orchestral intro to The Cranberries' "Linger" ends up sounding instead like one of the many dance-pop oriented songs dominating the "alternative" charts. The song is also a bit more repetitive than most SVE songs are, with the title of the song sung a total of 10 times without a whole lot of substance in the lyrics. I suppose this is a song I could grow used to, though.
"If You Really Love Nothing" by Interpol: This is a song that will break your heart...as well as your spleen! While this song is basically a breakup song, lead vocalist Paul Banks slips in lyrics like, "Whenever I find home, the next artery, splendid, I bled my whole life", making it a bit more of a bloody (anti) valentine song than most breakup songs are. Some might be wondering what Kristen Stewart is doing in the video for this song. Though she's become known for the notoriously over-the-top emotional "Twilight" movies, it seems like that's not what she wants to be known for. After all, she's a fan of The Replacements, an actress in a movie about rocker, Joan Jett, and characters in indie movie faves like "Adventureland" and "Into the Wild". Perhaps now it'll make a little more sense why she's in an Interpol video. The video can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLk8i2zw2jU
Wednesday, October 3, 2018
New songs for October 3rd 2018
here they are:
"Shame Shame Shame" by Lake Street Dive: The soul and rock combo of Rachael Price and co just keeps on coming with their latest hit, "Shame Shame Shame". From the title alone, you could probably guess that it's a bit darker than their first hit from their latest album, which was a song called "Good Kisser". You know that feeling when you're in a relationship with someone and you find out all the darkest secrets of the person you thought was your one and only?! Well, that's exactly the vibe this song tries to provide. Fool me even once?! "Shame Shame Shame" on you!!
"Total Disaster" by Rhett Miller: You were expecting country rock?! Well, think again! The Old 97's frontman takes on more of a British rock flavor on his latest song, "Total Disaster", even though he himself is not British. In this self deprecating number, the titular "total disaster" is none other than Rhett Miller himself! It's not as though Old 97's haven't had a bit of bite to their music before. They're almost like punk rock in comparison to the Byrds-y Jayhawks and the rustic Son Volt. This song, however, takes the self aware sarcasm of the typical 97's tune and amps it up a bit, both musically and lyrically!
"Shame Shame Shame" by Lake Street Dive: The soul and rock combo of Rachael Price and co just keeps on coming with their latest hit, "Shame Shame Shame". From the title alone, you could probably guess that it's a bit darker than their first hit from their latest album, which was a song called "Good Kisser". You know that feeling when you're in a relationship with someone and you find out all the darkest secrets of the person you thought was your one and only?! Well, that's exactly the vibe this song tries to provide. Fool me even once?! "Shame Shame Shame" on you!!
"Total Disaster" by Rhett Miller: You were expecting country rock?! Well, think again! The Old 97's frontman takes on more of a British rock flavor on his latest song, "Total Disaster", even though he himself is not British. In this self deprecating number, the titular "total disaster" is none other than Rhett Miller himself! It's not as though Old 97's haven't had a bit of bite to their music before. They're almost like punk rock in comparison to the Byrds-y Jayhawks and the rustic Son Volt. This song, however, takes the self aware sarcasm of the typical 97's tune and amps it up a bit, both musically and lyrically!
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
New songs for September 26th 2018
here they are:
"Caesar Rock" by Paul McCartney: In spite of this song's somewhat trippy sound, it is not a "Magical Mystery Tour" or "Sgt. Pepper" outtake. "Caesar Rock" is Macca's own! The reverberation of the background instruments, the crispness of the acoustic guitars, the "Revolver"-esque in-and-out vibes of the accompanying electric guitars, and Sir Paul's commanding vocals make this song one worth the listen to. I can't help but wonder if the title of this song is a play on words. Paul sounds like he's saying, "She's a rock", during the chorus, even though it's actually, "Caesar rock". There has long been a rumor among the Beatles fandom that fellow Beatle John Lennon used the phrase "Norwegian wood" to sound like "knowing she would", so ya never know!
"Guiding Light" by Mumford and Sons: Mumford and Sons' last album received mixed reviews, largely because they were going for more of a "rock" sound than their previous albums. The single-only song, "There Will Be Time", marked a return to the Mumfords' acoustic roots, and could be said to be a forerunner to their latest song, "Guiding Light", which also focuses on their initial folk-rock sound. The trademark M & S banjo might not be present, but the earnestness and the softness that people associate the band with are both here on "Guiding Light". Unlike their 2015 song, "Believe, "Guiding Light" has received largely positive feedback on YouTube so far. Welcome back, boys! We missed ya!
"Caesar Rock" by Paul McCartney: In spite of this song's somewhat trippy sound, it is not a "Magical Mystery Tour" or "Sgt. Pepper" outtake. "Caesar Rock" is Macca's own! The reverberation of the background instruments, the crispness of the acoustic guitars, the "Revolver"-esque in-and-out vibes of the accompanying electric guitars, and Sir Paul's commanding vocals make this song one worth the listen to. I can't help but wonder if the title of this song is a play on words. Paul sounds like he's saying, "She's a rock", during the chorus, even though it's actually, "Caesar rock". There has long been a rumor among the Beatles fandom that fellow Beatle John Lennon used the phrase "Norwegian wood" to sound like "knowing she would", so ya never know!
"Guiding Light" by Mumford and Sons: Mumford and Sons' last album received mixed reviews, largely because they were going for more of a "rock" sound than their previous albums. The single-only song, "There Will Be Time", marked a return to the Mumfords' acoustic roots, and could be said to be a forerunner to their latest song, "Guiding Light", which also focuses on their initial folk-rock sound. The trademark M & S banjo might not be present, but the earnestness and the softness that people associate the band with are both here on "Guiding Light". Unlike their 2015 song, "Believe, "Guiding Light" has received largely positive feedback on YouTube so far. Welcome back, boys! We missed ya!
Wednesday, September 19, 2018
New songs for September 19th 2018
here they are:
"Make It Happen" by The Record Company: The uniquely catchy blues-rock of The Record Company has won the band scores of hits on adult alt radio, and with "Make It Happen", the hits just keep on comin'! Using stomping electric guitar riffs and blues-y slide guitar riffs, "Make It Happen" does exactly as its title says! The song is an exhilarating thrill ride for the ears from start to finish, and as its speed picks up towards the middle, it just becomes that much more of a thrill for the listener. In short, "Make It Happen" really does make it happen! Well worth listening to!
"Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino" by Arctic Monkeys: Arctic Monkeys hit it big in spring and early summer of this year with "Four Out of Five", which was frequently compared to David Bowie. The title track to their latest album, "Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino", continues in a Bowie-esque direction. The mysterious yet alluring sound of the song wouldn't be out of character for the Thin White Duke (although then again, what would?!) "Tranquility Base..." has a sort of eerie sci-fi vibe to it in terms of how it sounds. Lyrically, it plays out like a "Hotel California" for goth and post-punk fans, centering around a most likely metaphorical hotel of questionable service.
"Make It Happen" by The Record Company: The uniquely catchy blues-rock of The Record Company has won the band scores of hits on adult alt radio, and with "Make It Happen", the hits just keep on comin'! Using stomping electric guitar riffs and blues-y slide guitar riffs, "Make It Happen" does exactly as its title says! The song is an exhilarating thrill ride for the ears from start to finish, and as its speed picks up towards the middle, it just becomes that much more of a thrill for the listener. In short, "Make It Happen" really does make it happen! Well worth listening to!
"Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino" by Arctic Monkeys: Arctic Monkeys hit it big in spring and early summer of this year with "Four Out of Five", which was frequently compared to David Bowie. The title track to their latest album, "Tranquility Base Hotel and Casino", continues in a Bowie-esque direction. The mysterious yet alluring sound of the song wouldn't be out of character for the Thin White Duke (although then again, what would?!) "Tranquility Base..." has a sort of eerie sci-fi vibe to it in terms of how it sounds. Lyrically, it plays out like a "Hotel California" for goth and post-punk fans, centering around a most likely metaphorical hotel of questionable service.
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
New songs for September 12th, 2018
here they are:
"Bambi" by Hippo Campus: I'm not sure if Hippo Campus' lead singer meant something allegorical by the title of this song (which does not appear in its lyrics), or if he's just a really big Disney fan, but either way, "Bambi" is a quirky, synth driven indie-pop song. Nothing new under the sun for today's generation, but for Hippo Campus, it kind of is. Most of their other songs have guitar in 'em, and there's nary a lick or riff to be found in "Bambi". Despite its pleasantly goofy sound, "Bambi" has somewhat depressing lyrics that seem to revolve around the repressed, confused emotions of the lead singer.
"Cringe" by Matt Maeson: Newcomer Matt Maeson combines the best of both worlds with his brand of indie-pop. In other words, he uses a folk-pop base for his debut song, "Cringe", but adds in more of that electronic instrumentation that all the kids seem to be craving these days as the song progresses. The chorus has Matt pondering if he makes the subject of his song "cringe". Well, Matt, that depends on who you're talking to. People who think that "good music" ended during a previous decade probably will cringe over this song. Not me! Although the style of this song does seem to be getting increasingly more common on both pop AND rock radio by now, so I dunno...
"Nina Cried Power" by Hozier (featuring Mavis Staples): A rising star from the 2010's and a risen star from the '60s and '70s sounds like it'd be quite a powerhouse to listen to, doesn't it?! Well, you'd be right! In "Nina Cried Power", neo-soul meets old school soul, with interesting results from both parties. The song is probably Hozier's darkest sounding since his debut (and so far, best known) song, "Take Me to Church", and for Mavis Staples, it provides proof that you can be almost octogenarian and still stir peoples' souls of all ages! The "Nina" in question is legendary jazz musician, Nina Simone. She, along with Joni Mitchell, are mentioned in the song as examples of people who have "cried power" (in other words, started a revolution). Though many tend to dismiss Hozier as a one-hit wonder, he actually has 7 songs (this one being # 8 in his catalog) that are just as powerful, if not more so, than the one he's known for. His songs will always "cry power" for me! Ditto Mavis Staples, whose star has continued to rise throughout this decade!
"99" by Barns Courtney: 99. 99 WHAT?! Bottles of beer on the wall?! 'Fraid not. It actually isn't 99 of anything, but the year 1999. Prince already sang about the year, famously, but his standpoint was predicting 1999 as a future year. It has now been 19 years SINCE 1999, and Barns Courtney looks back on the year as actually being nostalgic in comparison to what people are currently facing financially. The song is about how Barns once thrived on money and thought he'd be a millionaire, but is now coming to the realization that this is just not so. Sooo...what's gonna happen 20 years from 2020?! I guess we'll never know 'till we get there!
"Teenage Superstar" by Scars on 45: If only Prince was alive today. If he was, he'd know that he's now no longer the only one singing about 1999. In addition to the Barns Courtney entry I talked about previously, this song is ALSO about 1999! Once again, unlike what Prince predicted, the year is being sung about nostalgically instead of apocalyptically. And once again, the song looks at the present as being dismal and disappointing in comparison. Danny Bemrose and Aimee Driver wax nostalgic throughout the song about their glory days when they wanted to BE rock stars. Ever since 2011, their dream has come true...well, sort of. Only a handful of people know who Scars on 45 are. They haven't become near as big as, say, Mumford and Sons, or The Black Keys. But ever since "Give Me Something" came out, the sweet, gentle folk-rock of Scars on 45 has captivated me enough to think of them as rock stars, because their songs have ended up meaning a lot to me over the years!
"Bambi" by Hippo Campus: I'm not sure if Hippo Campus' lead singer meant something allegorical by the title of this song (which does not appear in its lyrics), or if he's just a really big Disney fan, but either way, "Bambi" is a quirky, synth driven indie-pop song. Nothing new under the sun for today's generation, but for Hippo Campus, it kind of is. Most of their other songs have guitar in 'em, and there's nary a lick or riff to be found in "Bambi". Despite its pleasantly goofy sound, "Bambi" has somewhat depressing lyrics that seem to revolve around the repressed, confused emotions of the lead singer.
"Cringe" by Matt Maeson: Newcomer Matt Maeson combines the best of both worlds with his brand of indie-pop. In other words, he uses a folk-pop base for his debut song, "Cringe", but adds in more of that electronic instrumentation that all the kids seem to be craving these days as the song progresses. The chorus has Matt pondering if he makes the subject of his song "cringe". Well, Matt, that depends on who you're talking to. People who think that "good music" ended during a previous decade probably will cringe over this song. Not me! Although the style of this song does seem to be getting increasingly more common on both pop AND rock radio by now, so I dunno...
"Nina Cried Power" by Hozier (featuring Mavis Staples): A rising star from the 2010's and a risen star from the '60s and '70s sounds like it'd be quite a powerhouse to listen to, doesn't it?! Well, you'd be right! In "Nina Cried Power", neo-soul meets old school soul, with interesting results from both parties. The song is probably Hozier's darkest sounding since his debut (and so far, best known) song, "Take Me to Church", and for Mavis Staples, it provides proof that you can be almost octogenarian and still stir peoples' souls of all ages! The "Nina" in question is legendary jazz musician, Nina Simone. She, along with Joni Mitchell, are mentioned in the song as examples of people who have "cried power" (in other words, started a revolution). Though many tend to dismiss Hozier as a one-hit wonder, he actually has 7 songs (this one being # 8 in his catalog) that are just as powerful, if not more so, than the one he's known for. His songs will always "cry power" for me! Ditto Mavis Staples, whose star has continued to rise throughout this decade!
"99" by Barns Courtney: 99. 99 WHAT?! Bottles of beer on the wall?! 'Fraid not. It actually isn't 99 of anything, but the year 1999. Prince already sang about the year, famously, but his standpoint was predicting 1999 as a future year. It has now been 19 years SINCE 1999, and Barns Courtney looks back on the year as actually being nostalgic in comparison to what people are currently facing financially. The song is about how Barns once thrived on money and thought he'd be a millionaire, but is now coming to the realization that this is just not so. Sooo...what's gonna happen 20 years from 2020?! I guess we'll never know 'till we get there!
"Teenage Superstar" by Scars on 45: If only Prince was alive today. If he was, he'd know that he's now no longer the only one singing about 1999. In addition to the Barns Courtney entry I talked about previously, this song is ALSO about 1999! Once again, unlike what Prince predicted, the year is being sung about nostalgically instead of apocalyptically. And once again, the song looks at the present as being dismal and disappointing in comparison. Danny Bemrose and Aimee Driver wax nostalgic throughout the song about their glory days when they wanted to BE rock stars. Ever since 2011, their dream has come true...well, sort of. Only a handful of people know who Scars on 45 are. They haven't become near as big as, say, Mumford and Sons, or The Black Keys. But ever since "Give Me Something" came out, the sweet, gentle folk-rock of Scars on 45 has captivated me enough to think of them as rock stars, because their songs have ended up meaning a lot to me over the years!
Wednesday, September 5, 2018
New songs for September 5th, 2018
here they are:
"Cumberland Gap" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell's 2017 album might just be his best one yet! First he gave us a taste of furious Southern rock with "Hope the High Road", then he gave us a bittersweet, reflective folk-rock song with "If We Were Vampires", and NOW we have a song that sounds like The Pixies by way of Bruce Springsteen, or maybe the other way around, with "Cumberland Gap". With a title like that, I'd have expected this song to be one of his more countrified musical numbers, but nothing could be further from the truth! "Cumberland Gap" seems to pick up where "Hope the High Road" left off, with more protest fueled lyrics, much like "...High Road" had. Jason's disappointed and angst ridden conclusion in the chorus is a righteous cry of, "Maybe the Cumberland Gap swallows you whole!" Sometimes, the real world is just too much to think about these days. That's one of the many reasons songs like this one can come in handy!
"Date Night" by Father John Misty: Only Father John Misty can take a song that sounds vaguely similar to Nirvana's "Rape Me" and make it sound sort of like a Harry Nilsson tune. If this sounds too weird for you, don't worry. You only have to suffer through 2 and a half minutes of this. For the rest of us, this song is pure blissed out bliss! FJM is such a weird dude that I'm not even sure what "Date Night" is supposed to mean in the context of this song. Heck, I'll be lucky if I can figure out what ANY of this song means! But that's FJM for ya. His charm is in his eccentricity!
"Feed the Fire" by Dawes: Dawes recently opened for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra. In "Feed the Fire" they SOUND like ELO. Well, sorta. Perhaps a band like Steely Dan might be a more appropriate comparison, (esp. for its "Do It Again"-esque sitar solo) but in any case, they sound like they're straddling the line between hippie and hipster like they usually do. What they mean here by "feed the fire" is that they're trying to satisfy themselves artistically. "Fire" is a word that takes on multiple meanings here. It can mean just the burning desire for something to happen, but here, it also means being destructive, like a fire, since living an "artistic" lifestyle can often lead to having detrimental impulses. The Dan-esque guitar in the song is important here, since it contributes vastly to the song's almost 6 minute length.
"Four Leaf Clover" by The Kooks: The Kooks are usually at their best when they do light, airy power pop songs like "She Moves In Her Own Way", "Shine On", and "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". After moving more towards a post-punk/funk hybrid in their more recent songs, Luke Pritchard and the boys have now returned to their power pop roots in "Four Leaf Clover". The song is really a sex, drugs, and rock & roll song disguised as something sweeter and happier, but Kooks fans needn't care about that, as long as they like the music of it!
"Waves of Galveston" by Iron & Wine: And last but not least for this week, Sam Beam is another who has returned to his musical roots with "Waves of Galveston". The song picks up, musically speaking, from where IAW's last song, "Call It Dreaming", left off. "Waves of Galveston" is an equally beautiful song that uses a similar technique of using just acoustic guitar and vocals, instead of adding background instruments as IAW have been prone to do in recent years. The song has a Joni Mitchell-ish flavor to it, and perhaps that's because of its DADF#AD tuning, which Joni has used for many of her songs as well. The song has actually had a longer life than this year, dating back to 2013, when Sam Beam was asked to write a song about Texas. This masterpiece is what he came up with, and now we finally get to hear the studio version of it!
"Cumberland Gap" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell's 2017 album might just be his best one yet! First he gave us a taste of furious Southern rock with "Hope the High Road", then he gave us a bittersweet, reflective folk-rock song with "If We Were Vampires", and NOW we have a song that sounds like The Pixies by way of Bruce Springsteen, or maybe the other way around, with "Cumberland Gap". With a title like that, I'd have expected this song to be one of his more countrified musical numbers, but nothing could be further from the truth! "Cumberland Gap" seems to pick up where "Hope the High Road" left off, with more protest fueled lyrics, much like "...High Road" had. Jason's disappointed and angst ridden conclusion in the chorus is a righteous cry of, "Maybe the Cumberland Gap swallows you whole!" Sometimes, the real world is just too much to think about these days. That's one of the many reasons songs like this one can come in handy!
"Date Night" by Father John Misty: Only Father John Misty can take a song that sounds vaguely similar to Nirvana's "Rape Me" and make it sound sort of like a Harry Nilsson tune. If this sounds too weird for you, don't worry. You only have to suffer through 2 and a half minutes of this. For the rest of us, this song is pure blissed out bliss! FJM is such a weird dude that I'm not even sure what "Date Night" is supposed to mean in the context of this song. Heck, I'll be lucky if I can figure out what ANY of this song means! But that's FJM for ya. His charm is in his eccentricity!
"Feed the Fire" by Dawes: Dawes recently opened for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra. In "Feed the Fire" they SOUND like ELO. Well, sorta. Perhaps a band like Steely Dan might be a more appropriate comparison, (esp. for its "Do It Again"-esque sitar solo) but in any case, they sound like they're straddling the line between hippie and hipster like they usually do. What they mean here by "feed the fire" is that they're trying to satisfy themselves artistically. "Fire" is a word that takes on multiple meanings here. It can mean just the burning desire for something to happen, but here, it also means being destructive, like a fire, since living an "artistic" lifestyle can often lead to having detrimental impulses. The Dan-esque guitar in the song is important here, since it contributes vastly to the song's almost 6 minute length.
"Four Leaf Clover" by The Kooks: The Kooks are usually at their best when they do light, airy power pop songs like "She Moves In Her Own Way", "Shine On", and "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". After moving more towards a post-punk/funk hybrid in their more recent songs, Luke Pritchard and the boys have now returned to their power pop roots in "Four Leaf Clover". The song is really a sex, drugs, and rock & roll song disguised as something sweeter and happier, but Kooks fans needn't care about that, as long as they like the music of it!
"Waves of Galveston" by Iron & Wine: And last but not least for this week, Sam Beam is another who has returned to his musical roots with "Waves of Galveston". The song picks up, musically speaking, from where IAW's last song, "Call It Dreaming", left off. "Waves of Galveston" is an equally beautiful song that uses a similar technique of using just acoustic guitar and vocals, instead of adding background instruments as IAW have been prone to do in recent years. The song has a Joni Mitchell-ish flavor to it, and perhaps that's because of its DADF#AD tuning, which Joni has used for many of her songs as well. The song has actually had a longer life than this year, dating back to 2013, when Sam Beam was asked to write a song about Texas. This masterpiece is what he came up with, and now we finally get to hear the studio version of it!
Wednesday, August 29, 2018
New songs for August 29th, 2018
here they are:
"Again And Again" by Dave Matthews Band: After the wild adult alt radio success that DMB had with "Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)" earlier this year, Dave and his band return just in time for fall 2018 with "Again And Again". As opposed to the sprightly, shimmering rocker that "Samurai Cop" was, "Again And Again" is a slow burning jazz and funk influenced rock tune. Dave's intricately jazzy guitar work shines on this song, as it typically does on DMB songs where electric guitar functions as the central instrument. One thing worth noting about "Again And Again" is how it is a minor key song during the verses, but a major key song during the chorus. The song ends on a fadeout of the chorus, which means, fortunately, that it ends in a major key, which is how DMB fans seem to like their songs to end!
"Homesick" by The Marcus King Band: What are the odds that I blog about two songs in a row with a similar style?! Well, I'm not sure, but this time, it just happens to be the case! Contemporary bluesman Marcus King churns out his second adult alt radio hit with "Homesick", which combines jazz, blues, soul, and rock in a similar manner to The Dave Matthews Band. Marcus has a distinctively more Southern flavor than DMB, though, in "Homesick", which lasts for a total of 6 and a half minutes. The song is the type that fans of groups like The Allman Brothers or The Black Crowes might be drawn to, both of whom combine the Southern rock sound with "jam band" aesthetics, like Marcus King is doing here. Gritty guitars meet bright brass in "Homesick", keeping the old flames of both rock and soul burning passionately!
"Move" by Milo Greene: Milo Greene haven't had a hit since 1957...oh...I mean Milo Greene haven't had a hit since 2012 with their SONG, which was CALLED "1957". Ahem. Now that I've cleared that up, a bit about Milo Greene, for those who don't know. First, they are a quartet, not one person. In case you're wondering why "Milo" sounds like a girl, that's why. Singer Marlana Sheetz takes the lead on their latest song, "Move". The group shares both male and female vocalists, like Fleetwood Mac, which Milo Greene sound like an electronic indie-pop version of on "Move". Imagine a quirky techno-pop remix of "Dreams" and you've got "Move" in a nutshell. Marlana sexily croons on the chorus that she's "the only one who makes" the object of her desire "move". Whether she's referring to dancing or to a more intimate act is left up to the listener's imagination, which will be left echoing with Marlana's sultry vocals after listening to this song!
"Again And Again" by Dave Matthews Band: After the wild adult alt radio success that DMB had with "Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)" earlier this year, Dave and his band return just in time for fall 2018 with "Again And Again". As opposed to the sprightly, shimmering rocker that "Samurai Cop" was, "Again And Again" is a slow burning jazz and funk influenced rock tune. Dave's intricately jazzy guitar work shines on this song, as it typically does on DMB songs where electric guitar functions as the central instrument. One thing worth noting about "Again And Again" is how it is a minor key song during the verses, but a major key song during the chorus. The song ends on a fadeout of the chorus, which means, fortunately, that it ends in a major key, which is how DMB fans seem to like their songs to end!
"Homesick" by The Marcus King Band: What are the odds that I blog about two songs in a row with a similar style?! Well, I'm not sure, but this time, it just happens to be the case! Contemporary bluesman Marcus King churns out his second adult alt radio hit with "Homesick", which combines jazz, blues, soul, and rock in a similar manner to The Dave Matthews Band. Marcus has a distinctively more Southern flavor than DMB, though, in "Homesick", which lasts for a total of 6 and a half minutes. The song is the type that fans of groups like The Allman Brothers or The Black Crowes might be drawn to, both of whom combine the Southern rock sound with "jam band" aesthetics, like Marcus King is doing here. Gritty guitars meet bright brass in "Homesick", keeping the old flames of both rock and soul burning passionately!
"Move" by Milo Greene: Milo Greene haven't had a hit since 1957...oh...I mean Milo Greene haven't had a hit since 2012 with their SONG, which was CALLED "1957". Ahem. Now that I've cleared that up, a bit about Milo Greene, for those who don't know. First, they are a quartet, not one person. In case you're wondering why "Milo" sounds like a girl, that's why. Singer Marlana Sheetz takes the lead on their latest song, "Move". The group shares both male and female vocalists, like Fleetwood Mac, which Milo Greene sound like an electronic indie-pop version of on "Move". Imagine a quirky techno-pop remix of "Dreams" and you've got "Move" in a nutshell. Marlana sexily croons on the chorus that she's "the only one who makes" the object of her desire "move". Whether she's referring to dancing or to a more intimate act is left up to the listener's imagination, which will be left echoing with Marlana's sultry vocals after listening to this song!
Wednesday, August 22, 2018
New songs for August 22nd, 2018
here they are:
"Loading Zones" by Kurt Vile: Yes, this is a song about the troubles of parking cars. Kurt Vile is truly a man of mystery sometimes. I mean, how can he take such mundane subject matter and turn it into such a cool song?! No one really knows the answer that question, but Kurt definitely has the magic touch when it comes to churning out songs that sound both roots-y enough to be Bob Dylan and quirky enough to be Frank Zappa (Come to think of it, that's kinda what Tom Waits did back in the day, isn't it?!) Trouble finding a spot for your vehicle? You now have a song that's right for you!
"Mansion Door" by Shakey Graves: Shakey Graves' debut album really only yielded one adult alt radio hit with the quaint but catchy country-rocker, "Dearly Departed". With their latest album, however, they now have two more hits on their hands. Earlier this year, we heard the energetic indie-pop tune, "Kids These Days", and now we have another song that takes the indie-pop sound in a more quirky direction with "Mansion Door", which sounds a bit like a cross between Wilco and Sufjan Stevens. Like Sufjan's music, "Mansion Door" is a bundle of contradictions: sweet but somewhat loud, ordinary lyrics mixed with more cryptic ones, etc. The sentimental recurring phrase, "my one and only lonely star", fits well with its yearning sound.
"Sky Full of Song" by Florence and The Machine: This song was originally poised to be the first single from FATM's latest album, but instead, that honor went to "Hunger", which has thus far become one of the most successful songs of 2018. Will "Sky Full of Song" do the same?! Well, to answer your question, it's Florence and The Machine, so I'm pretty sure it will! Florence's songs have a thing for being haunting and somewhat poetic. If you thought "Hunger" fit this description, "Sky Full of Song" seems to fit it even more! From the mysterious opening, defined by both thumping bass and lush orchestration, to its passionate vocals, and its profound lyrics ("I can't hide from the thunder in a sky full of song"), "Sky Full of Song" has the potential to be yet another gem in the Florence and The Machine catalog!
"When the Curtain Falls" by Greta Van Fleet: No, this is not a long lost Led Zeppelin song, in spite of how it might sound both instrumentally AND vocally. Greta Van Fleet have become known for pretty much CHANNELING Led Zeppelin in the few years they've been around so far, and they continue to prove this with "When the Curtain Falls". I'm a bit surprised that so many adult alt radio stations have now latched onto this song, given how they could have easily gone for the more folk-y "Flower Power" when they had the chance (but didn't), but the fact is, they have. In particular, "When the Curtain Falls" seems to draw heavily from one of Led Zeppelin's hardest rocking songs, "The Wanton Song", as both are in G major, and both just sneak up on you from behind when you first listen to them. In case you think GVF are a Zeppelin ripoff, you might wanna take note that they have, in fact, received the Robert Plant stamp of approval. Apparently, the Zeppelin frontman thinks they are one of the best new bands out there!
"Woman" by Cat Power and Lana Del Rey: Two women doing a song CALLED "Woman". What to think of that?! Well, given how the women in question are Cat Power and Lana Del Rey, count me in! Cat Power is no stranger to acoustic guitar, which dominates this song, but it's probably the first time that Lana Del Rey has dabbled in folk-rock, and I must say it suits her well! Lyrically, the song is a bit like Courtney Barnett's "Charity" from earlier this year, only more melancholy than angry. Both songs are about women who are mistreated and have suffered far too long from verbal abuse in their relationships. While I am not female, I would consider myself feminist, and I consider this song to be a gentle but still very convincing feminist anthem for the late 2010's.
"Loading Zones" by Kurt Vile: Yes, this is a song about the troubles of parking cars. Kurt Vile is truly a man of mystery sometimes. I mean, how can he take such mundane subject matter and turn it into such a cool song?! No one really knows the answer that question, but Kurt definitely has the magic touch when it comes to churning out songs that sound both roots-y enough to be Bob Dylan and quirky enough to be Frank Zappa (Come to think of it, that's kinda what Tom Waits did back in the day, isn't it?!) Trouble finding a spot for your vehicle? You now have a song that's right for you!
"Mansion Door" by Shakey Graves: Shakey Graves' debut album really only yielded one adult alt radio hit with the quaint but catchy country-rocker, "Dearly Departed". With their latest album, however, they now have two more hits on their hands. Earlier this year, we heard the energetic indie-pop tune, "Kids These Days", and now we have another song that takes the indie-pop sound in a more quirky direction with "Mansion Door", which sounds a bit like a cross between Wilco and Sufjan Stevens. Like Sufjan's music, "Mansion Door" is a bundle of contradictions: sweet but somewhat loud, ordinary lyrics mixed with more cryptic ones, etc. The sentimental recurring phrase, "my one and only lonely star", fits well with its yearning sound.
"Sky Full of Song" by Florence and The Machine: This song was originally poised to be the first single from FATM's latest album, but instead, that honor went to "Hunger", which has thus far become one of the most successful songs of 2018. Will "Sky Full of Song" do the same?! Well, to answer your question, it's Florence and The Machine, so I'm pretty sure it will! Florence's songs have a thing for being haunting and somewhat poetic. If you thought "Hunger" fit this description, "Sky Full of Song" seems to fit it even more! From the mysterious opening, defined by both thumping bass and lush orchestration, to its passionate vocals, and its profound lyrics ("I can't hide from the thunder in a sky full of song"), "Sky Full of Song" has the potential to be yet another gem in the Florence and The Machine catalog!
"When the Curtain Falls" by Greta Van Fleet: No, this is not a long lost Led Zeppelin song, in spite of how it might sound both instrumentally AND vocally. Greta Van Fleet have become known for pretty much CHANNELING Led Zeppelin in the few years they've been around so far, and they continue to prove this with "When the Curtain Falls". I'm a bit surprised that so many adult alt radio stations have now latched onto this song, given how they could have easily gone for the more folk-y "Flower Power" when they had the chance (but didn't), but the fact is, they have. In particular, "When the Curtain Falls" seems to draw heavily from one of Led Zeppelin's hardest rocking songs, "The Wanton Song", as both are in G major, and both just sneak up on you from behind when you first listen to them. In case you think GVF are a Zeppelin ripoff, you might wanna take note that they have, in fact, received the Robert Plant stamp of approval. Apparently, the Zeppelin frontman thinks they are one of the best new bands out there!
"Woman" by Cat Power and Lana Del Rey: Two women doing a song CALLED "Woman". What to think of that?! Well, given how the women in question are Cat Power and Lana Del Rey, count me in! Cat Power is no stranger to acoustic guitar, which dominates this song, but it's probably the first time that Lana Del Rey has dabbled in folk-rock, and I must say it suits her well! Lyrically, the song is a bit like Courtney Barnett's "Charity" from earlier this year, only more melancholy than angry. Both songs are about women who are mistreated and have suffered far too long from verbal abuse in their relationships. While I am not female, I would consider myself feminist, and I consider this song to be a gentle but still very convincing feminist anthem for the late 2010's.
Wednesday, August 15, 2018
New songs for August 15th, 2018
here they are:
"Jumbo" by Punch Brothers: Ever since Donald Trump got elected president, I had thoughts that harder edged rock groups would be doing protest songs against him, the way Green Day did with their "American Idiot" record in response to George W. Bush's presidency during the 2000's. Hard rock, however, has become a thing of the past (for the most part) during the 2010's, so instead we have softer rock groups like Punch Brothers doing songs about him - or rather, Donald Trump's SON, Donald Trump, Jr. Yes, that's what "Jumbo" is about. Though his name is never mentioned, many articles about the bluegrass-rock group's latest song have already come out, and they all point to Trump Jr. as the song's villain, nicknamed "Jumbo" in the song. Punch Brothers have had enough hits on adult alt radio to count on a single hand, but even with the few songs I know by them, I can still tell that this is the first time the group have gotten political on one of their albums. I never thought I'd see so many soft and middle-of-the-road rock groups (Arcade Fire would fit the latter category) doing songs against our current president. I thought it would be mostly hard rock (and possibly punk rock), like how it was during the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Bush presidency. The times, they are a changin'!
"Last Lion of Albion" by Neko Case: Our next song is a protest song as well, although not necessarily a political one. Neko Case's "Last Lion of Albion" is a protest song against none other than mankind itself, and the many (mostly unsuccessful) ways it tries to "tame" nature. With a melancholy, pessimistic sound that seems halfway between Alanis Morissette and Lissie, Neko Case weaves a chilling parable about how natural resources are exploited by human beings in ways they weren't meant to be used that ultimately become detrimental to how we live. More specifically, the song targets Britain, since the nation often uses lions to symbolize their power. "You'll feel extinction", warns Case, during the chorus, "when you see their face on your money." There is no need for guns and war when you can use the greatest weapon of all against those who won't listen to you - music!
"Natural" by Imagine Dragons: Thus far on this week's blog, we have seen two acts use quiet music to express loud feelings of distress. That's not the way Imagine Dragons like to do things. If Dan Reynolds and co want their desires and ideas to be known to others, they SHOUT it! This is exactly what they do on "Natural", particularly during the chorus, which sounds like the type of song that would be used when two rivaling sports teams are facing off against one another. In today's competitive world, you need things to build you up and make you stay strong and alert. That's pretty much what bands like Imagine Dragons are there for, especially on songs like this one!
"Shame" by Elle King: The blonde "Ex's And Oh's" bombshell is back with yet another song to motivate strong female empowerment with "Shame". The song doesn't have quite the rock-meets-jazz swing that "Ex's" did, but it still manages to be a catchy tune. Mixing the beat of Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" with the darkly seductive pop/rock techniques of musicians like Lorde, "Shame" is a song just screaming to be the next summer anthem of the year. Though she might not be as rockin' on this song as she was back in 2014, Elle still maintains her sense of lyrical talent by being as deliciously scathing as she has been on her other songs. After repeating the title of the song four times, she burns and traps a former lover of hers by saying, "Mama doesn't know who every night you go to." "King" is not Elle's real last name, but she sure has a lot of kingly (or rather, queenly) power on this song!
"Something Human" by Muse: After almost 15 years, I've finally gotten on the Muse bandwagon that many friends of mine have been on ever since they broke through to the mainstream in the mid 2000's. Their song "Starlight" was kinda cool, as it sounded like a slightly harder rocking Coldplay tune, but the rest of their stuff I dunno about. They always seemed like a cross between Queen and Depeche Mode to me, which was like peanut butter and hot dogs to me (In other words, both good, but not together). With "Something Human", this has all changed. The song has given Muse a dimension that's more...well...human! Instead of being all bombastic and arena rock-y, "Something Human" is a more calming song that combines acoustic guitar instrumentation with electronic beats and synthesizer in the background. The song is almost spiritual in a way, like a U2 song, with Muse searching for something more significant in life than how life appears to be, throughout the song.
"Jumbo" by Punch Brothers: Ever since Donald Trump got elected president, I had thoughts that harder edged rock groups would be doing protest songs against him, the way Green Day did with their "American Idiot" record in response to George W. Bush's presidency during the 2000's. Hard rock, however, has become a thing of the past (for the most part) during the 2010's, so instead we have softer rock groups like Punch Brothers doing songs about him - or rather, Donald Trump's SON, Donald Trump, Jr. Yes, that's what "Jumbo" is about. Though his name is never mentioned, many articles about the bluegrass-rock group's latest song have already come out, and they all point to Trump Jr. as the song's villain, nicknamed "Jumbo" in the song. Punch Brothers have had enough hits on adult alt radio to count on a single hand, but even with the few songs I know by them, I can still tell that this is the first time the group have gotten political on one of their albums. I never thought I'd see so many soft and middle-of-the-road rock groups (Arcade Fire would fit the latter category) doing songs against our current president. I thought it would be mostly hard rock (and possibly punk rock), like how it was during the Vietnam War, the Cold War, and the Bush presidency. The times, they are a changin'!
"Last Lion of Albion" by Neko Case: Our next song is a protest song as well, although not necessarily a political one. Neko Case's "Last Lion of Albion" is a protest song against none other than mankind itself, and the many (mostly unsuccessful) ways it tries to "tame" nature. With a melancholy, pessimistic sound that seems halfway between Alanis Morissette and Lissie, Neko Case weaves a chilling parable about how natural resources are exploited by human beings in ways they weren't meant to be used that ultimately become detrimental to how we live. More specifically, the song targets Britain, since the nation often uses lions to symbolize their power. "You'll feel extinction", warns Case, during the chorus, "when you see their face on your money." There is no need for guns and war when you can use the greatest weapon of all against those who won't listen to you - music!
"Natural" by Imagine Dragons: Thus far on this week's blog, we have seen two acts use quiet music to express loud feelings of distress. That's not the way Imagine Dragons like to do things. If Dan Reynolds and co want their desires and ideas to be known to others, they SHOUT it! This is exactly what they do on "Natural", particularly during the chorus, which sounds like the type of song that would be used when two rivaling sports teams are facing off against one another. In today's competitive world, you need things to build you up and make you stay strong and alert. That's pretty much what bands like Imagine Dragons are there for, especially on songs like this one!
"Shame" by Elle King: The blonde "Ex's And Oh's" bombshell is back with yet another song to motivate strong female empowerment with "Shame". The song doesn't have quite the rock-meets-jazz swing that "Ex's" did, but it still manages to be a catchy tune. Mixing the beat of Joe Jackson's "Is She Really Going Out With Him?" with the darkly seductive pop/rock techniques of musicians like Lorde, "Shame" is a song just screaming to be the next summer anthem of the year. Though she might not be as rockin' on this song as she was back in 2014, Elle still maintains her sense of lyrical talent by being as deliciously scathing as she has been on her other songs. After repeating the title of the song four times, she burns and traps a former lover of hers by saying, "Mama doesn't know who every night you go to." "King" is not Elle's real last name, but she sure has a lot of kingly (or rather, queenly) power on this song!
"Something Human" by Muse: After almost 15 years, I've finally gotten on the Muse bandwagon that many friends of mine have been on ever since they broke through to the mainstream in the mid 2000's. Their song "Starlight" was kinda cool, as it sounded like a slightly harder rocking Coldplay tune, but the rest of their stuff I dunno about. They always seemed like a cross between Queen and Depeche Mode to me, which was like peanut butter and hot dogs to me (In other words, both good, but not together). With "Something Human", this has all changed. The song has given Muse a dimension that's more...well...human! Instead of being all bombastic and arena rock-y, "Something Human" is a more calming song that combines acoustic guitar instrumentation with electronic beats and synthesizer in the background. The song is almost spiritual in a way, like a U2 song, with Muse searching for something more significant in life than how life appears to be, throughout the song.
Wednesday, August 8, 2018
New songs for August 8th, 2018
here they are:
"All My Friends" by The Revivalists: The Revivalists were an adult alt "niche band" for about two years until "Wish I Knew You" made surprise appearances on the more mainstream alternative charts and even on pop charts! Thanks to the success of that song, which combined folk-rock melancholia with an R & B groove, more people know who The Revivalists are now. It should come as no surprise, then, that their latest song, "All My Friends", is the most heavily anticipated song on the adult alt charts this week, and is making waves on more popular alternative rock stations as well. "All My Friends" presents The Revivalists in the way that their original fanbase knew them, as an R & B influenced contemporary rock group. Not a whole lot of bittersweetness in this song, other than the fact that it is written in a minor key. "All my friends take good care of me", sings David Shaw during the chorus. To make a song as fresh as this one is, I'm sure that what he sings there is the truth!
"Good As Gold" by Moon Taxi: Moon Taxi have had a knack for making songs that sound good enough for commercials for a while now. Their song, "All Day All Night", was featured in a McDonald's commercial a few years ago. I'm not sure if their latest song, "Good As Gold", has been featured in a commercial yet, but if it hasn't, it should! It seems as though Moon Taxi meant this song to be a sports anthem of sorts. It's a song about "reaching that moment", as their keyboardist, Wes Bailey, claimed during an interview. The moment, that is, when your team (be it sports or otherwise) reaches their ultimate victory! Apparently, Moon Taxi wrote this song as one of their favorite teams was competing for the Stanley Cup. All I can say is...go team!!
"Jenny Jenkins" by Mt. Joy: As someone who has been a proud Los Angeleno for most of his life, it makes me happy to hear that Mt. Joy's "Jenny Jenkins" is about their lead singer, Matt Quinn's, experience moving to L.A.! Quinn, on the other hand, was a native Philadelphian who moved to the City of Angels later on in his life, so his experiences with the city aren't exactly seen through rose colored glasses. Instead, he ended up landing in a city with what he believed to be "false promises", made worse once he realized that even L.A.'s famed palm trees didn't actually start their life off there. In spite of the disillusionment expressed in this song, "Jenny Jenkins" still manages to be somewhat sunny with its uptempo beat and major key. Though Matt dedicated this song to his girlfriend, her name may or may not be "Jenny". That part was a tribute to a song of the same name by The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia.
"New Birth In New England" by Phosphorescent: Where Phosphorescent's first (and until this point, only) major adult alt radio hit, "Song For Zula", was reminiscent of the bittersweetness and stark truth of Simon and Garfunkel's music, "New Birth In New England" sounds more like a solo Paul Simon song from his "Graceland" record. "New Birth In New England" has a sound that's as tropical sounding as it is jazzy, much like the "Graceland" songs. Since the success of "Song For Zula", lead singer Matthew Houck has become the father of two children, so it's no coincidence that "New Birth In New England" has lyrics that describe one's initial experiences with fatherhood. Another interesting parallel between Phosphorescent's last big hit and this one is how "Song For Zula" focused largely on death, yet "New Birth In New England", as its title implies, seems to be more about birth. It's the circle of life!
"Shotgun" by George Ezra: As if by coincidence, our next song also seems to be a Paul Simon soundalike, especially during its bass heavy chorus. "Shotgun"'s combo of folk, jazz, rock, and world music also gives off Paul Simon vibes. It's a very happy song, and no, the word "shotgun" here does not refer to a weapon, but instead to "riding shotgun". The bulk of George Ezra's music just seems to be about having fun, and this song is no exception! And, like "Jenny Jenkins", "Shotgun" is a song about a musician's experience in a land they weren't born in - Australia, in this case. In contrast to Matt Quinn's negative experiences in L.A., George's travels in Australia seem to have been positive ones, as reflected by the appropriately summery vibes of the song. You don't have to come from the land down under to appreciate what this song has to offer!
"Uh Huh" by Jade Bird: Hmmm...interesting song title, Jade! Did you want people to feel like they were giving a clever response when discussing the name of this song, as in the following exchange: Person 1: What's the name of this song?/Person 2: Uh Huh/Person 1: Were you even listening to what I said?/Person 2: Uh huh/Person 1: So what's the name of this song?/Person 2: Uh Huh/Person 1: You're still not listening, are you...?! And so on and so forth...There's nothing silly or "Who's On First?"-ish about "Uh Huh", though, a song that manages to be even shorter than Jade Bird's previous single, "Lottery", which was two and a half minutes. Both the frustrated, scathing lyrics and furiously strummed acoustic guitar are reminiscent of mid '60s Bob Dylan. With lyrics like, "She's got you on your knees just like a little boy/Everybody sees that you're just a little toy", and, "She's got you where it hurts, but you don't seem to see/That while she's out at work she's doing what you did to me." In a song that's only 19 seconds longer than The Beatles' short but sweet masterpiece, "Norwegian Wood", Jade packs enough venom in "Uh Huh" to compare with Dylan's "Positively 4th Street" and Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know". While it is not likely that "Uh Huh" will achieve the historic, iconic status both of those songs have, I still think it's one of the best angry breakup songs I've ever heard!
"All My Friends" by The Revivalists: The Revivalists were an adult alt "niche band" for about two years until "Wish I Knew You" made surprise appearances on the more mainstream alternative charts and even on pop charts! Thanks to the success of that song, which combined folk-rock melancholia with an R & B groove, more people know who The Revivalists are now. It should come as no surprise, then, that their latest song, "All My Friends", is the most heavily anticipated song on the adult alt charts this week, and is making waves on more popular alternative rock stations as well. "All My Friends" presents The Revivalists in the way that their original fanbase knew them, as an R & B influenced contemporary rock group. Not a whole lot of bittersweetness in this song, other than the fact that it is written in a minor key. "All my friends take good care of me", sings David Shaw during the chorus. To make a song as fresh as this one is, I'm sure that what he sings there is the truth!
"Good As Gold" by Moon Taxi: Moon Taxi have had a knack for making songs that sound good enough for commercials for a while now. Their song, "All Day All Night", was featured in a McDonald's commercial a few years ago. I'm not sure if their latest song, "Good As Gold", has been featured in a commercial yet, but if it hasn't, it should! It seems as though Moon Taxi meant this song to be a sports anthem of sorts. It's a song about "reaching that moment", as their keyboardist, Wes Bailey, claimed during an interview. The moment, that is, when your team (be it sports or otherwise) reaches their ultimate victory! Apparently, Moon Taxi wrote this song as one of their favorite teams was competing for the Stanley Cup. All I can say is...go team!!
"Jenny Jenkins" by Mt. Joy: As someone who has been a proud Los Angeleno for most of his life, it makes me happy to hear that Mt. Joy's "Jenny Jenkins" is about their lead singer, Matt Quinn's, experience moving to L.A.! Quinn, on the other hand, was a native Philadelphian who moved to the City of Angels later on in his life, so his experiences with the city aren't exactly seen through rose colored glasses. Instead, he ended up landing in a city with what he believed to be "false promises", made worse once he realized that even L.A.'s famed palm trees didn't actually start their life off there. In spite of the disillusionment expressed in this song, "Jenny Jenkins" still manages to be somewhat sunny with its uptempo beat and major key. Though Matt dedicated this song to his girlfriend, her name may or may not be "Jenny". That part was a tribute to a song of the same name by The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia.
"New Birth In New England" by Phosphorescent: Where Phosphorescent's first (and until this point, only) major adult alt radio hit, "Song For Zula", was reminiscent of the bittersweetness and stark truth of Simon and Garfunkel's music, "New Birth In New England" sounds more like a solo Paul Simon song from his "Graceland" record. "New Birth In New England" has a sound that's as tropical sounding as it is jazzy, much like the "Graceland" songs. Since the success of "Song For Zula", lead singer Matthew Houck has become the father of two children, so it's no coincidence that "New Birth In New England" has lyrics that describe one's initial experiences with fatherhood. Another interesting parallel between Phosphorescent's last big hit and this one is how "Song For Zula" focused largely on death, yet "New Birth In New England", as its title implies, seems to be more about birth. It's the circle of life!
"Shotgun" by George Ezra: As if by coincidence, our next song also seems to be a Paul Simon soundalike, especially during its bass heavy chorus. "Shotgun"'s combo of folk, jazz, rock, and world music also gives off Paul Simon vibes. It's a very happy song, and no, the word "shotgun" here does not refer to a weapon, but instead to "riding shotgun". The bulk of George Ezra's music just seems to be about having fun, and this song is no exception! And, like "Jenny Jenkins", "Shotgun" is a song about a musician's experience in a land they weren't born in - Australia, in this case. In contrast to Matt Quinn's negative experiences in L.A., George's travels in Australia seem to have been positive ones, as reflected by the appropriately summery vibes of the song. You don't have to come from the land down under to appreciate what this song has to offer!
"Uh Huh" by Jade Bird: Hmmm...interesting song title, Jade! Did you want people to feel like they were giving a clever response when discussing the name of this song, as in the following exchange: Person 1: What's the name of this song?/Person 2: Uh Huh/Person 1: Were you even listening to what I said?/Person 2: Uh huh/Person 1: So what's the name of this song?/Person 2: Uh Huh/Person 1: You're still not listening, are you...?! And so on and so forth...There's nothing silly or "Who's On First?"-ish about "Uh Huh", though, a song that manages to be even shorter than Jade Bird's previous single, "Lottery", which was two and a half minutes. Both the frustrated, scathing lyrics and furiously strummed acoustic guitar are reminiscent of mid '60s Bob Dylan. With lyrics like, "She's got you on your knees just like a little boy/Everybody sees that you're just a little toy", and, "She's got you where it hurts, but you don't seem to see/That while she's out at work she's doing what you did to me." In a song that's only 19 seconds longer than The Beatles' short but sweet masterpiece, "Norwegian Wood", Jade packs enough venom in "Uh Huh" to compare with Dylan's "Positively 4th Street" and Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know". While it is not likely that "Uh Huh" will achieve the historic, iconic status both of those songs have, I still think it's one of the best angry breakup songs I've ever heard!
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
new songs for August 1st 2018
Here they are:
“Empress” by Snow Patrol: You probably wouldn’t know this song is even called “Empress” if you heard it for the first time, since the word is not mentioned anywhere in the song, and it’s not exactly about royalty either. “Empress” continues in the direction of “Don’t Give In”, lyrically. It is another song where Gary Lightbody expresses a sense of grief about his own sense of depression and the struggle to survive. “Sound, pulse, and volume/Hands just reaching out for hands/This is almost overload” starts off the chorus of “Empress”, which conveys an urgency of sorts that ends up being too much for Lightbody to bear. The song has a bit more of a rock sound than “Don’t Give In” did, but lyrically it is just as poignant!
“Throwback” by Jim James: No, this is not a song about Throwback Thursday. Quite the opposite, really. In spite of its nostalgic sounding title, “Throwback” is actually about how much Jim James wants people to live in the present. It continues from where his last single, “Just A Fool”, left off. Jim continues to express how frustrated he is by the quick yet insidious spread of erroneous information in today’s media in “Throwback”. He expounds on that theme here by begging for people to use the media for justice and equal rights instead of merely for fun. Jim’s talking about a throwback, all right. The type of “throwback” that makes you want to throw something back in someone’s face!
“Unwanted Number” by Elvis Costello: Good news and bad news. The bad news is that Elvis Costello has now succumbed to cancer. The good news is that, in spite of that, he still knows how to make music as compelling and thrilling as ever! “Unwanted Number” is his first song with backing group, The Imposters, he has done in a decade! The song is a sublime, R & B styled number that combines the syncopation of The Supremes with the timeless beauty of Dionne Warwick. The lyrics of the song also hearken back to an earlier era, with the song’s theme about the difficulties of love, as opposed to some of the more politically charged songs Elvis Costello has done in recent years.
“Empress” by Snow Patrol: You probably wouldn’t know this song is even called “Empress” if you heard it for the first time, since the word is not mentioned anywhere in the song, and it’s not exactly about royalty either. “Empress” continues in the direction of “Don’t Give In”, lyrically. It is another song where Gary Lightbody expresses a sense of grief about his own sense of depression and the struggle to survive. “Sound, pulse, and volume/Hands just reaching out for hands/This is almost overload” starts off the chorus of “Empress”, which conveys an urgency of sorts that ends up being too much for Lightbody to bear. The song has a bit more of a rock sound than “Don’t Give In” did, but lyrically it is just as poignant!
“Throwback” by Jim James: No, this is not a song about Throwback Thursday. Quite the opposite, really. In spite of its nostalgic sounding title, “Throwback” is actually about how much Jim James wants people to live in the present. It continues from where his last single, “Just A Fool”, left off. Jim continues to express how frustrated he is by the quick yet insidious spread of erroneous information in today’s media in “Throwback”. He expounds on that theme here by begging for people to use the media for justice and equal rights instead of merely for fun. Jim’s talking about a throwback, all right. The type of “throwback” that makes you want to throw something back in someone’s face!
“Unwanted Number” by Elvis Costello: Good news and bad news. The bad news is that Elvis Costello has now succumbed to cancer. The good news is that, in spite of that, he still knows how to make music as compelling and thrilling as ever! “Unwanted Number” is his first song with backing group, The Imposters, he has done in a decade! The song is a sublime, R & B styled number that combines the syncopation of The Supremes with the timeless beauty of Dionne Warwick. The lyrics of the song also hearken back to an earlier era, with the song’s theme about the difficulties of love, as opposed to some of the more politically charged songs Elvis Costello has done in recent years.
Wednesday, July 25, 2018
New songs for July 25th 2018
here they are:
"It Might Get Dark" by White Denim: Take some of the best known one hit wonder songs in 1970's rock - say, "Stuck In the Middle With You", "Spirit In the Sky", and "Signs" - and combine them all into one. What you would get is this song. Considering White Denim have always sounded like a rock group from the early '70s, in spite of actually being from the mid 2010's, this is no surprise. In spite of what the title of this song might have you believe, "It Might Get Dark" is the lightest and happiest song White Denim have put out so far. The song will have you tapping your toes and bobbing your head throughout. No getting dark for this group, that's for sure!
"Straight Shot" by DeVotchKa: Denver, Colorado's indie-folk quartet, DeVotchKa, are probably best known for the opening song from the indie comedy smash, "Little Miss Sunshine". The group's mystical indie ethos seems to continue to run in their latest song, "Straight Shot", which contains lyrical phrases like "moonlit swim" and "sea of ghosts". Though DeVotchKa are an American band named for a Russian word that means "girl", there seems to be a lot of Spanish guitar influence on this particular song, which gives it a unique kind of swing.
"You're Somebody Else" by Flora Cash: Swedish indie-folk duo, Flora Cash, have a very bittersweet and touching sound in their debut song, "You're Somebody Else". The song has started making waves on both alt and adult alt radio, and it's not hard to see why. Not only does the song have the perfect combo of pop rhythm and folk guitar, but it also touches on a rather universal theme. It seems to be about deception, as can be deduced from the song's central line, "You looked like yourself, but you're somebody else and you're making me nervous." You think you know someone, and then they turn on you. Haven't we all been there?!
"It Might Get Dark" by White Denim: Take some of the best known one hit wonder songs in 1970's rock - say, "Stuck In the Middle With You", "Spirit In the Sky", and "Signs" - and combine them all into one. What you would get is this song. Considering White Denim have always sounded like a rock group from the early '70s, in spite of actually being from the mid 2010's, this is no surprise. In spite of what the title of this song might have you believe, "It Might Get Dark" is the lightest and happiest song White Denim have put out so far. The song will have you tapping your toes and bobbing your head throughout. No getting dark for this group, that's for sure!
"Straight Shot" by DeVotchKa: Denver, Colorado's indie-folk quartet, DeVotchKa, are probably best known for the opening song from the indie comedy smash, "Little Miss Sunshine". The group's mystical indie ethos seems to continue to run in their latest song, "Straight Shot", which contains lyrical phrases like "moonlit swim" and "sea of ghosts". Though DeVotchKa are an American band named for a Russian word that means "girl", there seems to be a lot of Spanish guitar influence on this particular song, which gives it a unique kind of swing.
"You're Somebody Else" by Flora Cash: Swedish indie-folk duo, Flora Cash, have a very bittersweet and touching sound in their debut song, "You're Somebody Else". The song has started making waves on both alt and adult alt radio, and it's not hard to see why. Not only does the song have the perfect combo of pop rhythm and folk guitar, but it also touches on a rather universal theme. It seems to be about deception, as can be deduced from the song's central line, "You looked like yourself, but you're somebody else and you're making me nervous." You think you know someone, and then they turn on you. Haven't we all been there?!
Wednesday, July 18, 2018
New songs for July 18th 2018
here they are:
"Keep A Little Soul" by Tom Petty: The last song Tom Petty had a hit with on adult alt radio stations before he departed to Rock and Roll Heaven was "Forgotten Man". Petty might be gone, but he certainly isn't forgotten, and his latest song to be released (actually an outtake from 1982), "Keep A Little Soul", shows just how much his fans have remembered him! The song certainly sounds like a vintage Petty tune, and would probably fit right into an album of his from the olden days, like "Damn the Torpedoes". "Keep A Little Soul" is an optimistic song, as its title implies. The message is simple. Just keep a little soul, as Petty says, and nothing else will matter. A short message, but a powerful one nonetheless!
"Nobody" by Mitski: There's something both nostalgic and futuristic about "Nobody", the debut song from Japanese-American musician, Mitski. It plays out like a Bjork song with Tori Amos-esque pianos. The lyrics to "Nobody" are just as intriguing as its music. "My God, I'm so lonely", Mitski pines during the song's opening verse, "So I open the window to hear sounds of people". In the lines that follow that one, she sings, "Venus, planet of love, was destroyed by global warming", echoing a popular speculation about the planet to the left of us, and then she wonders, "Did its people want too much?" From those lyrics alone, you can tell Mitski's music is far more than mere "ear candy", and is instead music that makes you both think and listen. The way the song meanders to somewhat unpredictable melodies throughout gives me hope for music of the future. I guess there's still a way to make "new" genres and sub-genres after all!
"Tidal Wave" by Portugal. The Man: After around 7 years under the radar, it seems as though Portugal. The Man just can't escape "Feel It Still" fever (the song even became my # 1 song of last year!!) The two other songs from the same album (this song and "Live In the Moment") are almost as catchy, though, so clearly PTM WANTED to appeal to the masses (as far as I can tell, anyway). "Tidal Wave" takes on a pop flavor with reggae rhythms and jazzy horns. It's no "Feel It Still", but it's a bit better than "Live In the Moment" due to its R & B influences (a popular factor in PTM's music). When PTM's lead singer sings about being "hit like a tidal wave" during the chorus, it seems quite apt for a song that will probably hit all its listeners like a tidal wave!
"Tonight Tonight" by Mondo Cozmo: Not to be confused for the Smashing Pumpkins song of the same name, "Tonight Tonight" combines the best of both worlds for Mondo Cozmo. That is to say, it takes the acoustic guitar sound that made "Shine" so memorable and mixes it with the more indie-pop flavored sound of their other songs. Come to think of it, "Automatic" and "Plastic Soul" didn't really have guitar at all in them from what I could tell, so the use of the instrument in "Tonight Tonight" is quite a welcome return to form. This might just be the catchiest song Mondo Cozmo have done so far, actually, as their other songs aren't quite this upbeat. It has echoes of other uber-catchy indie-pop tunes, like "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)" by Foster the People. Also, since Mondo Cozmo's lead singer says "tonight" four times during the chorus, it should be called "Tonight Tonight Tonight Tonight" to avoid confusion with both The Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight Tonight" and Genesis' "Tonight Tonight Tonight".
"Keep A Little Soul" by Tom Petty: The last song Tom Petty had a hit with on adult alt radio stations before he departed to Rock and Roll Heaven was "Forgotten Man". Petty might be gone, but he certainly isn't forgotten, and his latest song to be released (actually an outtake from 1982), "Keep A Little Soul", shows just how much his fans have remembered him! The song certainly sounds like a vintage Petty tune, and would probably fit right into an album of his from the olden days, like "Damn the Torpedoes". "Keep A Little Soul" is an optimistic song, as its title implies. The message is simple. Just keep a little soul, as Petty says, and nothing else will matter. A short message, but a powerful one nonetheless!
"Nobody" by Mitski: There's something both nostalgic and futuristic about "Nobody", the debut song from Japanese-American musician, Mitski. It plays out like a Bjork song with Tori Amos-esque pianos. The lyrics to "Nobody" are just as intriguing as its music. "My God, I'm so lonely", Mitski pines during the song's opening verse, "So I open the window to hear sounds of people". In the lines that follow that one, she sings, "Venus, planet of love, was destroyed by global warming", echoing a popular speculation about the planet to the left of us, and then she wonders, "Did its people want too much?" From those lyrics alone, you can tell Mitski's music is far more than mere "ear candy", and is instead music that makes you both think and listen. The way the song meanders to somewhat unpredictable melodies throughout gives me hope for music of the future. I guess there's still a way to make "new" genres and sub-genres after all!
"Tidal Wave" by Portugal. The Man: After around 7 years under the radar, it seems as though Portugal. The Man just can't escape "Feel It Still" fever (the song even became my # 1 song of last year!!) The two other songs from the same album (this song and "Live In the Moment") are almost as catchy, though, so clearly PTM WANTED to appeal to the masses (as far as I can tell, anyway). "Tidal Wave" takes on a pop flavor with reggae rhythms and jazzy horns. It's no "Feel It Still", but it's a bit better than "Live In the Moment" due to its R & B influences (a popular factor in PTM's music). When PTM's lead singer sings about being "hit like a tidal wave" during the chorus, it seems quite apt for a song that will probably hit all its listeners like a tidal wave!
"Tonight Tonight" by Mondo Cozmo: Not to be confused for the Smashing Pumpkins song of the same name, "Tonight Tonight" combines the best of both worlds for Mondo Cozmo. That is to say, it takes the acoustic guitar sound that made "Shine" so memorable and mixes it with the more indie-pop flavored sound of their other songs. Come to think of it, "Automatic" and "Plastic Soul" didn't really have guitar at all in them from what I could tell, so the use of the instrument in "Tonight Tonight" is quite a welcome return to form. This might just be the catchiest song Mondo Cozmo have done so far, actually, as their other songs aren't quite this upbeat. It has echoes of other uber-catchy indie-pop tunes, like "Don't Stop (Color on the Walls)" by Foster the People. Also, since Mondo Cozmo's lead singer says "tonight" four times during the chorus, it should be called "Tonight Tonight Tonight Tonight" to avoid confusion with both The Smashing Pumpkins' "Tonight Tonight" and Genesis' "Tonight Tonight Tonight".
Wednesday, July 11, 2018
new songs for July 11th 2018
here they are:
"Salvation" by Tash Sultana: I don't know much about Tash Sultana, but the chorus of her latest song, "Salvation", pretty much tells all about who she is and what her music is like. "I guess I'm just changing with the wind/Turning in a different direction again and again", Sultana smoothly croons over a chilled out electro-pop musical landscape. True to its what its title would suggest, "Salvation" offers just that. It's a very dreamy tune that invites listeners to take a much needed break from their long, hard days. The song has an interesting twist towards the end, as a guitar solo slinkily makes its way into the song, first with a smooth, jazzy sound, and eventually building up to a more distorted rock sound that fits in surprisingly with the rest of the song.
"Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" by Sheryl Crow and St. Vincent: Sheryl Crow was known in the '90s for her insouciant pop/rock, slightly reminiscent of the lighter side of classic rock, like The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Jackson Browne. Her first two albums were a breath of fresh air for people who wanted a break from the sullen, grungy sound of most '90s rock. She seemed to struggle to stay relevant to the rock scene ever since then, becoming more of an adult contemporary pop musician at the dawn of the new millennium. So who in the world would have thought she'd have a song that was an Arctic Monkeys soundalike?! I sure wouldn't have! Yet here she is, nearly two decades after her eponymous album from 1996, doing exactly that! "Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" sounds a little like Arctic Monkeys' "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" with a guitar that sounds like it came from a St. Vincent song (fitting, since she's a guest on this song). If you told me 20 years ago that Sheryl Crow was going to have an edgy electro-pop song that was worth hearing, I would have looked at you like you had bugs crawling out of your ears. The times sure are changing!
"Salvation" by Tash Sultana: I don't know much about Tash Sultana, but the chorus of her latest song, "Salvation", pretty much tells all about who she is and what her music is like. "I guess I'm just changing with the wind/Turning in a different direction again and again", Sultana smoothly croons over a chilled out electro-pop musical landscape. True to its what its title would suggest, "Salvation" offers just that. It's a very dreamy tune that invites listeners to take a much needed break from their long, hard days. The song has an interesting twist towards the end, as a guitar solo slinkily makes its way into the song, first with a smooth, jazzy sound, and eventually building up to a more distorted rock sound that fits in surprisingly with the rest of the song.
"Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" by Sheryl Crow and St. Vincent: Sheryl Crow was known in the '90s for her insouciant pop/rock, slightly reminiscent of the lighter side of classic rock, like The Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, and Jackson Browne. Her first two albums were a breath of fresh air for people who wanted a break from the sullen, grungy sound of most '90s rock. She seemed to struggle to stay relevant to the rock scene ever since then, becoming more of an adult contemporary pop musician at the dawn of the new millennium. So who in the world would have thought she'd have a song that was an Arctic Monkeys soundalike?! I sure wouldn't have! Yet here she is, nearly two decades after her eponymous album from 1996, doing exactly that! "Wouldn't Want to Be Like You" sounds a little like Arctic Monkeys' "Why'd You Only Call Me When You're High?" with a guitar that sounds like it came from a St. Vincent song (fitting, since she's a guest on this song). If you told me 20 years ago that Sheryl Crow was going to have an edgy electro-pop song that was worth hearing, I would have looked at you like you had bugs crawling out of your ears. The times sure are changing!
Wednesday, July 4, 2018
New songs for the 4th of July 2018!!
It's a Wednesday AND the 4th?! Let the celebration begin!!
"Apollo" by St. Paul and The Broken Bones: There seems to be a trend this year for contemporary musicians who emulated '60s R & B previously to go one decade forward for their next release. Leon Bridges has already done it this year, and now it's St. Paul and The Broken Bones' turn. It's a bit disappointing to hear the Alabama sextet go from an Otis Redding styled sound to a more disco influenced one, but "Apollo" is not a bad song. For one thing, it still contains the horns that SPATBB's other songs are known for having. However, the resulting song still sounds like what it'd be like if Wilson Pickett tried covering "Rock With You" by Michael Jackson. Something here just doesn't add up. At least it has a groovy rhythm, though.
"Humility" by Gorillaz: The Gorillaz and The Monkees have a few things in common. Aside from the obvious fact that both groups are named after primates (and how they're also perpussly myspelld rokgrüps), they're also both bands who...well...aren't really bands! The Monkees were originally marketed as a "TV band", and Gorillaz are a cartoon band. Yes, a cartoon band, similar in concept to The Archies and The Chipmunks, but far more edgy and modern than either one. Among their best known songs is the aptly named "Feel Good Inc.", the feel-good techno-pop summer jam of 2005. "Humility" is another feel-good summer jam for the band (or faux-band, rather), although it has a slower, more chilled out sound than "Feel Good Inc." The lyrics of "Humility", centering largely around isolation, are also darker in tone than "Feel Good Inc." They both SOUND like feel-good songs, though!
"Miracle Man" by M. Ward: M. Ward's musical style has always felt a little out of step with current trends, but that's part of his charm. His latest song, "Miracle Man", sounds a bit like Roy Orbison's "(Oh) Pretty Woman", especially in the beginning. Another thing "Miracle Man" shares in common with Ward's other material is its short length, barely measuring up to a mere 3 minutes. The song itself isn't exactly a miracle, but the way it was released kinda was. It arrived quietly, without any real hype surrounding it. How perfect, then, that we're hearing this one for the first time on the 4th of July, so it can start off life with a bang!
"1950" by King Princess: Both the title of the song and the name of the performer here are somewhat enigmatic. I mean, what's a "king princess"?! Is it a king or is it a princess...and does that mean there's a Queen Prince as well?! The title of the song also seems somewhat arbitrary. 1950 wasn't really known for being a particularly memorable year, after all. Turns out, there's an explanation for both, and they're both discussed in the song! The moniker "King Princess" comes from how the performer is a lesbian, and therefore a "princess" by gender, yet a "king" in terms of what people expect her behavior to be like. As for the year that gives the song its title?! Well, it actually represents the decade of the 1950's, when LGBTQ people were far more oppressed than they are today. The song is a protest against people who are not open minded about those whose sexual orientations aren't "traditional". So has society now gone back to "playing 1950", as King Princess says in her song?! Yes and no, to be honest. However, the point of the song is to challenge societal norms more than it is about asking whether we have truly made progress in our points of view about sexuality.
"Apollo" by St. Paul and The Broken Bones: There seems to be a trend this year for contemporary musicians who emulated '60s R & B previously to go one decade forward for their next release. Leon Bridges has already done it this year, and now it's St. Paul and The Broken Bones' turn. It's a bit disappointing to hear the Alabama sextet go from an Otis Redding styled sound to a more disco influenced one, but "Apollo" is not a bad song. For one thing, it still contains the horns that SPATBB's other songs are known for having. However, the resulting song still sounds like what it'd be like if Wilson Pickett tried covering "Rock With You" by Michael Jackson. Something here just doesn't add up. At least it has a groovy rhythm, though.
"Humility" by Gorillaz: The Gorillaz and The Monkees have a few things in common. Aside from the obvious fact that both groups are named after primates (and how they're also perpussly myspelld rokgrüps), they're also both bands who...well...aren't really bands! The Monkees were originally marketed as a "TV band", and Gorillaz are a cartoon band. Yes, a cartoon band, similar in concept to The Archies and The Chipmunks, but far more edgy and modern than either one. Among their best known songs is the aptly named "Feel Good Inc.", the feel-good techno-pop summer jam of 2005. "Humility" is another feel-good summer jam for the band (or faux-band, rather), although it has a slower, more chilled out sound than "Feel Good Inc." The lyrics of "Humility", centering largely around isolation, are also darker in tone than "Feel Good Inc." They both SOUND like feel-good songs, though!
"Miracle Man" by M. Ward: M. Ward's musical style has always felt a little out of step with current trends, but that's part of his charm. His latest song, "Miracle Man", sounds a bit like Roy Orbison's "(Oh) Pretty Woman", especially in the beginning. Another thing "Miracle Man" shares in common with Ward's other material is its short length, barely measuring up to a mere 3 minutes. The song itself isn't exactly a miracle, but the way it was released kinda was. It arrived quietly, without any real hype surrounding it. How perfect, then, that we're hearing this one for the first time on the 4th of July, so it can start off life with a bang!
"1950" by King Princess: Both the title of the song and the name of the performer here are somewhat enigmatic. I mean, what's a "king princess"?! Is it a king or is it a princess...and does that mean there's a Queen Prince as well?! The title of the song also seems somewhat arbitrary. 1950 wasn't really known for being a particularly memorable year, after all. Turns out, there's an explanation for both, and they're both discussed in the song! The moniker "King Princess" comes from how the performer is a lesbian, and therefore a "princess" by gender, yet a "king" in terms of what people expect her behavior to be like. As for the year that gives the song its title?! Well, it actually represents the decade of the 1950's, when LGBTQ people were far more oppressed than they are today. The song is a protest against people who are not open minded about those whose sexual orientations aren't "traditional". So has society now gone back to "playing 1950", as King Princess says in her song?! Yes and no, to be honest. However, the point of the song is to challenge societal norms more than it is about asking whether we have truly made progress in our points of view about sexuality.
Wednesday, June 27, 2018
New songs for June 27th 2018
here they are:
"Castles" by Lissie: "Castles" pretty much represents the essence of indie-folk songstress, Lissie. It is a quiet, reflective song that fuses brass instruments, acoustic guitar (with an electric guitar solo), and piano into a tasty treat for Lissie fans that feels as billowy as a warm summer breeze. It has lyrics that are both quirky and meaningful, and a sound that is both hip enough for Lorde fans and nostalgic enough for Carole King fans. When Joni Mitchell sang of "ice cream castles in the air" on "Both Sides Now", perhaps the castles described in this song were the ones she was talking about. Dreamy imagery that still somehow manages to stay down to earth. Lissie's sound seems to have matured as she's gotten older. Perhaps her lyrics have, too.
"Come On To Me" by Paul McCartney: The legendary Sir Paul just doesn't want to quit making music...and that's a good thing! A VERY good thing! His latest song, "Come On To Me", is a sunny but kickin' power pop song, in true Macca fashion. The song is both upbeat enough and quirky enough to be mistaken for a Beatles number (at least it would be if it weren't for the shimmering, contemporary production techniques used for this song). The song is a silly love song (pun intended) about his current wife, Nancy Shevell. As Sir Paul himself once asked, though, "What's wrong with silly love songs?" Well, in the case of "Come On To Me", absolutely nothing!
"Disappointing Diamonds Are the Rarest of Them All" by Father John Misty: With a total of eight words in the title of this song, Father John Misty would certainly win the award this week for "song with the longest title"!! It's kind of a random title too, but as FJM's fans probably know, that's just how he rolls. The song is both weird and edgy, as many of his songs are. Who ELSE would open a song with the lyrics, "Like a pervert on a crowded bus, the glare of love bears down on us"? There aren't too many songs I know that even USE the word "pervert" (perhaps that's a good thing, though). This baroque pop track is only two and a half minutes long. Songs of absurdly short or absurdly long lengths seems to be a FJM trademark as well. To paraphrase a line from Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets", Father John Misty is so weird and he's wonderful!
"Castles" by Lissie: "Castles" pretty much represents the essence of indie-folk songstress, Lissie. It is a quiet, reflective song that fuses brass instruments, acoustic guitar (with an electric guitar solo), and piano into a tasty treat for Lissie fans that feels as billowy as a warm summer breeze. It has lyrics that are both quirky and meaningful, and a sound that is both hip enough for Lorde fans and nostalgic enough for Carole King fans. When Joni Mitchell sang of "ice cream castles in the air" on "Both Sides Now", perhaps the castles described in this song were the ones she was talking about. Dreamy imagery that still somehow manages to stay down to earth. Lissie's sound seems to have matured as she's gotten older. Perhaps her lyrics have, too.
"Come On To Me" by Paul McCartney: The legendary Sir Paul just doesn't want to quit making music...and that's a good thing! A VERY good thing! His latest song, "Come On To Me", is a sunny but kickin' power pop song, in true Macca fashion. The song is both upbeat enough and quirky enough to be mistaken for a Beatles number (at least it would be if it weren't for the shimmering, contemporary production techniques used for this song). The song is a silly love song (pun intended) about his current wife, Nancy Shevell. As Sir Paul himself once asked, though, "What's wrong with silly love songs?" Well, in the case of "Come On To Me", absolutely nothing!
"Disappointing Diamonds Are the Rarest of Them All" by Father John Misty: With a total of eight words in the title of this song, Father John Misty would certainly win the award this week for "song with the longest title"!! It's kind of a random title too, but as FJM's fans probably know, that's just how he rolls. The song is both weird and edgy, as many of his songs are. Who ELSE would open a song with the lyrics, "Like a pervert on a crowded bus, the glare of love bears down on us"? There aren't too many songs I know that even USE the word "pervert" (perhaps that's a good thing, though). This baroque pop track is only two and a half minutes long. Songs of absurdly short or absurdly long lengths seems to be a FJM trademark as well. To paraphrase a line from Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets", Father John Misty is so weird and he's wonderful!
Wednesday, June 20, 2018
New songs for June 20th 2018
here they are:
"Forever" by Billy Raffoul: Poised to be Billy's second hit after last summer's "Driver", "Forever" showcases Billy Raffoul's robust vocals, much like "Driver" did. The instrumentation on "Forever" isn't quite as powerful as the quiet-to-loud dynamics of "Driver", instead opting for a quirkier brand of instrumentation that still fits loosely into the indie-pop format. The lyrics are a bit more formulaic than "Driver" as well, as "Forever" conveys the simple but effective message that him and his current love interest will "last forever". What I wanna know is if this song will last forever.
"Gold Rush" by Death Cab for Cutie: Death Cab for Cutie have returned to the music world after a three year hiatus. And what are my thoughts on the matter?! Well, mixed, to be honest. There are things both to like and not to like about their latest song, "Gold Rush". The song's piano based sound just seems to be further proof that "guitar music" just isn't in vogue anymore (as a guitarist, this makes me kinda sad). However, its sound is unique, providing both a later Beatles influence as well as a more contemporary one. And speaking of The Beatles, one of the best things about this song is that it uses a sample from Yoko Ono's 1971 song, "Mind Train". The lyrics of "Gold Rush" are also interesting, as they tell the story of the slow but steady gentrification of lead singer Ben Gibbard's hometown of Capitol Hill in Seattle, Washington.
"Forever" by Billy Raffoul: Poised to be Billy's second hit after last summer's "Driver", "Forever" showcases Billy Raffoul's robust vocals, much like "Driver" did. The instrumentation on "Forever" isn't quite as powerful as the quiet-to-loud dynamics of "Driver", instead opting for a quirkier brand of instrumentation that still fits loosely into the indie-pop format. The lyrics are a bit more formulaic than "Driver" as well, as "Forever" conveys the simple but effective message that him and his current love interest will "last forever". What I wanna know is if this song will last forever.
"Gold Rush" by Death Cab for Cutie: Death Cab for Cutie have returned to the music world after a three year hiatus. And what are my thoughts on the matter?! Well, mixed, to be honest. There are things both to like and not to like about their latest song, "Gold Rush". The song's piano based sound just seems to be further proof that "guitar music" just isn't in vogue anymore (as a guitarist, this makes me kinda sad). However, its sound is unique, providing both a later Beatles influence as well as a more contemporary one. And speaking of The Beatles, one of the best things about this song is that it uses a sample from Yoko Ono's 1971 song, "Mind Train". The lyrics of "Gold Rush" are also interesting, as they tell the story of the slow but steady gentrification of lead singer Ben Gibbard's hometown of Capitol Hill in Seattle, Washington.
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
New songs for June 13th, 2018
here they are:
"Back And Forth" by Wild Child: Indie-folk-pop ensemble, Wild Child, continues to experiment with vintage soul music on their latest song, "Back And Forth". Their breakthrough single from earlier this year, "Think It Over", demonstrated some soulful prowess as well. The use of brass instruments to brighten up "Back And Forth" is particularly intriguing. In spite of its bouncy sound, "Back And Forth" is actually about knowing when to walk away from a toxic relationship. Sure is a catchy tune, though!
"Black Moon Rising" by Black Pumas: Bringing back the smooth sounds of early '70s soul and funk music, The Black Pumas land their debut this week with a mighty bang! The lead singer's name is Eric Burton, which is just one letter away from The Animals' Eric Burdon. It's probably just coincidental, but it is interesting to consider how much the blues influenced both Burdon and Burton! As you might have guessed from the title of this song, it has some dark lyrics, but they're deliciously dark, in a way that can make someone feel smooth and sexy as much as they are righteous and empowered. Are you sure that's a moon rising?! 'Cause this song has me feelin' a fever inside as hot as the sun!
"For the Lonely Ones" by Lucero: Tennessee alt-country group, Lucero, have been around for 20 years now, but their song, "For the Lonely Ones", marks the first time that mainstream adult alt radio has taken notice of their music. It has a rough and rowdy alt-country sound like Drive-by Truckers or Old 97's, but with the unique addition of saxophones in the background, which neither the Truckers nor the 97's (to my knowledge) have had in their songs. The song has a lyrical similarity to songs like The Replacements' "Here Comes A Regular", although "For the Lonely Ones" is upbeat and ragged, as opposed to the more melancholy vibe of the 'Mats song. Both songs are essentially tunes for broken hearted drinking buddies to commiserate with one another. The spirited, Skynyrd-esque vibes of this song make that a little hard to tell, though!
"Never Ever" by Lord Huron: Bet you didn't expect a group as sweet and lilting as Lord Huron to cop a Joy Division-esque sound, did you?! Well, that's just what they do on "Never Ever", perhaps the first Lord Huron song to rely on chunkier electric guitar sounds and dark, droning keyboards, as opposed to the folk-rock-y, pastoral guitars that usually dominate their material. Lord Huron's strangely intriguing fascination with death, present throughout their previous album, "Strange Trails", continues to pop up on "Never Ever" as well, with the subject of the song seeming to be an ex lover who is no longer alive. The much gentler "Wait By the River" was also about this, so perhaps "Never Ever" serves as its angry, regretful "sequel song".
"Rolling On" by Israel Nash: Listening to this song for the first time makes me feel like the '60s never ended for Israel Nash. While there have been plenty of '60s throwbacks in the indie-folk realm, none have ever captured the vibes of being out in nature in such an ethereal state as Israel Nash has for his latest song, "Rolling On", and there's a very good reason for this. To make this song (and others for his latest album), Israel recorded out in Dripping Springs, Texas. This is why, if you listen real carefully, the sounds of water rushing and wind blowing, among other things, can be heard in this song. If anyone ever does an "indie rock yoga" session, this song should definitely be part of it!
"Back And Forth" by Wild Child: Indie-folk-pop ensemble, Wild Child, continues to experiment with vintage soul music on their latest song, "Back And Forth". Their breakthrough single from earlier this year, "Think It Over", demonstrated some soulful prowess as well. The use of brass instruments to brighten up "Back And Forth" is particularly intriguing. In spite of its bouncy sound, "Back And Forth" is actually about knowing when to walk away from a toxic relationship. Sure is a catchy tune, though!
"Black Moon Rising" by Black Pumas: Bringing back the smooth sounds of early '70s soul and funk music, The Black Pumas land their debut this week with a mighty bang! The lead singer's name is Eric Burton, which is just one letter away from The Animals' Eric Burdon. It's probably just coincidental, but it is interesting to consider how much the blues influenced both Burdon and Burton! As you might have guessed from the title of this song, it has some dark lyrics, but they're deliciously dark, in a way that can make someone feel smooth and sexy as much as they are righteous and empowered. Are you sure that's a moon rising?! 'Cause this song has me feelin' a fever inside as hot as the sun!
"For the Lonely Ones" by Lucero: Tennessee alt-country group, Lucero, have been around for 20 years now, but their song, "For the Lonely Ones", marks the first time that mainstream adult alt radio has taken notice of their music. It has a rough and rowdy alt-country sound like Drive-by Truckers or Old 97's, but with the unique addition of saxophones in the background, which neither the Truckers nor the 97's (to my knowledge) have had in their songs. The song has a lyrical similarity to songs like The Replacements' "Here Comes A Regular", although "For the Lonely Ones" is upbeat and ragged, as opposed to the more melancholy vibe of the 'Mats song. Both songs are essentially tunes for broken hearted drinking buddies to commiserate with one another. The spirited, Skynyrd-esque vibes of this song make that a little hard to tell, though!
"Never Ever" by Lord Huron: Bet you didn't expect a group as sweet and lilting as Lord Huron to cop a Joy Division-esque sound, did you?! Well, that's just what they do on "Never Ever", perhaps the first Lord Huron song to rely on chunkier electric guitar sounds and dark, droning keyboards, as opposed to the folk-rock-y, pastoral guitars that usually dominate their material. Lord Huron's strangely intriguing fascination with death, present throughout their previous album, "Strange Trails", continues to pop up on "Never Ever" as well, with the subject of the song seeming to be an ex lover who is no longer alive. The much gentler "Wait By the River" was also about this, so perhaps "Never Ever" serves as its angry, regretful "sequel song".
"Rolling On" by Israel Nash: Listening to this song for the first time makes me feel like the '60s never ended for Israel Nash. While there have been plenty of '60s throwbacks in the indie-folk realm, none have ever captured the vibes of being out in nature in such an ethereal state as Israel Nash has for his latest song, "Rolling On", and there's a very good reason for this. To make this song (and others for his latest album), Israel recorded out in Dripping Springs, Texas. This is why, if you listen real carefully, the sounds of water rushing and wind blowing, among other things, can be heard in this song. If anyone ever does an "indie rock yoga" session, this song should definitely be part of it!
Wednesday, June 6, 2018
New songs for June 6th 2018
here they are:
"Charity" by Courtney Barnett: Don't be fooled by the title. This is not a love ballad from Courtney Barnett (Has she ever done one before in the first place?!) Instead, it's a dour, sarcastic, downtrodden song from Courtney, as per usual. If The Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb" had an "answer" song, it might just be this one. Jagger sang about a woman who was "under his thumb". Courtney IS that woman - well, not Mick's, but certainly one who has felt mistreated in relationships. In "Charity", she sings about how it feels to be treated with disrespect in a relationship, albeit with a cynicism that is unique to Courtney in her songs. "You must be having so much fun. Everything's amazing", she begins during the chorus, and follows these statements with, "So subservient I make myself sick. Are you listening?" In other words, she feels like she's been treated like an object for too long and doesn't want to put up with it anymore. Charity, eh?! Doesn't sound very charitable to me!
"On My Knees" by Middle Kids: It's been a long time since rock and roll. Even the so called "indie kids" feel that way now. "On My Knees" is the closest that Australian indie-pop trio, Middle Kids, have gotten to a rock song so far, so perhaps that's why it's gotten more attention so far than their other tunes have. The sound seems a little rushed and haphazard and gives off vibes of what it'd be like if Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros tried making a garage rock song. The attempt at sounding more like a rock group than an indie-pop band was probably intentional in this song, as it is basically about how much the members felt they have suffered as a band, and their search to find a silver lining in their situation.
"Sucker's Prayer" by The Decemberists: If the synth laden blitzkrieg of "Severed" from earlier this year didn't sit well with you, then perhaps the calmer roots-y guitar sound of "Sucker's Prayer" might be more for you. Lyrically, it is a classic Decemberists tune which juxtaposes sweet melodies and harmonies with dark lyrics. It's a song about someone who wants to commit suicide, but that might not be apparent to those listening to the song for the first time who want to focus more on the way the song sounds than its lyrical content. It's not the first time Colin Meloy and his indie-folk-rock ensemble have pulled this off. "The Rake's Song", for instance, was a grisly murder ballad, but its catchy beat seemed to lead people away from assuming that's what the song was about. Well done, Decemberists. You still have it in ya!
"Charity" by Courtney Barnett: Don't be fooled by the title. This is not a love ballad from Courtney Barnett (Has she ever done one before in the first place?!) Instead, it's a dour, sarcastic, downtrodden song from Courtney, as per usual. If The Rolling Stones' "Under My Thumb" had an "answer" song, it might just be this one. Jagger sang about a woman who was "under his thumb". Courtney IS that woman - well, not Mick's, but certainly one who has felt mistreated in relationships. In "Charity", she sings about how it feels to be treated with disrespect in a relationship, albeit with a cynicism that is unique to Courtney in her songs. "You must be having so much fun. Everything's amazing", she begins during the chorus, and follows these statements with, "So subservient I make myself sick. Are you listening?" In other words, she feels like she's been treated like an object for too long and doesn't want to put up with it anymore. Charity, eh?! Doesn't sound very charitable to me!
"On My Knees" by Middle Kids: It's been a long time since rock and roll. Even the so called "indie kids" feel that way now. "On My Knees" is the closest that Australian indie-pop trio, Middle Kids, have gotten to a rock song so far, so perhaps that's why it's gotten more attention so far than their other tunes have. The sound seems a little rushed and haphazard and gives off vibes of what it'd be like if Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros tried making a garage rock song. The attempt at sounding more like a rock group than an indie-pop band was probably intentional in this song, as it is basically about how much the members felt they have suffered as a band, and their search to find a silver lining in their situation.
"Sucker's Prayer" by The Decemberists: If the synth laden blitzkrieg of "Severed" from earlier this year didn't sit well with you, then perhaps the calmer roots-y guitar sound of "Sucker's Prayer" might be more for you. Lyrically, it is a classic Decemberists tune which juxtaposes sweet melodies and harmonies with dark lyrics. It's a song about someone who wants to commit suicide, but that might not be apparent to those listening to the song for the first time who want to focus more on the way the song sounds than its lyrical content. It's not the first time Colin Meloy and his indie-folk-rock ensemble have pulled this off. "The Rake's Song", for instance, was a grisly murder ballad, but its catchy beat seemed to lead people away from assuming that's what the song was about. Well done, Decemberists. You still have it in ya!
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
New songs for May 30th 2018
here they are:
"Happy Man" by Jungle: This is not the first time Jungle have had a hit, but it is the first time that adult alt radio stations are starting to take notice of them. The British alt-dance septet create synthetic funk for the modern age with their latest song, "Happy Man". This track is an interesting one, with philosophical lyrics questioning whether "living the dream" is really worth it in the end. Also, although the song is called "Happy Man", the opening lyrics are, "I'm a troubled man". The narrator wants to FIND happiness, in spite of what the title indicates.
"No Expectations" by Bahamas: Accidental pregnancy was a common subject for rock and alternative songs of the 1990's. "The Freshmen" by The Verve Pipe, "Slide" by The Goo Goo Dolls, and "Brick" by Ben Folds Five all revolved around the subject. The topic hasn't been near as popular since then, but it seems like Bahamas are attempting to bring it back with "No Expectations". The narrator of this song seems to want to lure his lover back into his life, but she feels like she's made a mistake with him. Though it's not entirely clear whether this song is actually about unplanned pregnancy, there are hints to it in lyrics like, "A life that's worth livin' is just some mouth to feed", and "you carried a baby". Bahamas' lead singer follows up the latter with the phrase, "that baby was me", which is a bit of a weird lyric, but he then follows that up with, "I'm carrying a baby. One you'll never mean." The bite and sting of alternative rock from the '90s is nowhere near what this song sounds like, but there does appear to be similarity between the lyrics of such songs and this one.
"Soul No. 5" by Caroline Rose: Most of Caroline Rose's songs are country-rock, but not this one! "Soul No. 5" combines sassy attitude, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and catchy indie rock beats made fresh for the late 2010's! There is no "number 5" mentioned anywhere in the lyrics, and it's also the only song of hers with the word "soul" in the title so far, so the number tacked on to the end of the title doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Caroline's caustic yet kooky delivery of the song helps to compensate for its odd title, though. The innuendo within some of the lyrics (which, might I add, is not very subtle) is sung in such a spoiled yet silly manner that you can't help but sing along with it!
"Happy Man" by Jungle: This is not the first time Jungle have had a hit, but it is the first time that adult alt radio stations are starting to take notice of them. The British alt-dance septet create synthetic funk for the modern age with their latest song, "Happy Man". This track is an interesting one, with philosophical lyrics questioning whether "living the dream" is really worth it in the end. Also, although the song is called "Happy Man", the opening lyrics are, "I'm a troubled man". The narrator wants to FIND happiness, in spite of what the title indicates.
"No Expectations" by Bahamas: Accidental pregnancy was a common subject for rock and alternative songs of the 1990's. "The Freshmen" by The Verve Pipe, "Slide" by The Goo Goo Dolls, and "Brick" by Ben Folds Five all revolved around the subject. The topic hasn't been near as popular since then, but it seems like Bahamas are attempting to bring it back with "No Expectations". The narrator of this song seems to want to lure his lover back into his life, but she feels like she's made a mistake with him. Though it's not entirely clear whether this song is actually about unplanned pregnancy, there are hints to it in lyrics like, "A life that's worth livin' is just some mouth to feed", and "you carried a baby". Bahamas' lead singer follows up the latter with the phrase, "that baby was me", which is a bit of a weird lyric, but he then follows that up with, "I'm carrying a baby. One you'll never mean." The bite and sting of alternative rock from the '90s is nowhere near what this song sounds like, but there does appear to be similarity between the lyrics of such songs and this one.
"Soul No. 5" by Caroline Rose: Most of Caroline Rose's songs are country-rock, but not this one! "Soul No. 5" combines sassy attitude, tongue-in-cheek lyrics, and catchy indie rock beats made fresh for the late 2010's! There is no "number 5" mentioned anywhere in the lyrics, and it's also the only song of hers with the word "soul" in the title so far, so the number tacked on to the end of the title doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Caroline's caustic yet kooky delivery of the song helps to compensate for its odd title, though. The innuendo within some of the lyrics (which, might I add, is not very subtle) is sung in such a spoiled yet silly manner that you can't help but sing along with it!
Wednesday, May 23, 2018
New songs for May 23rd, 2018
here they are:
"Beyond" by Leon Bridges: The jazzy adult alt mega hit, "Bad Bad News", proved earlier this year that Leon Bridges is far more than just a throwback to '60s R & B. He can embrace contemporary soul music just as well. "Beyond" goes beyond that (no pun intended) and adds flourishes of acoustic guitar to a soulful ballad. Leon is no stranger to the acoustic guitar, as he had done so once before with "River", but "Beyond" takes it to a whole new level. It's one of the ultimate "love at first sight" songs. On "Beyond", Leon passionately sings about how his lover "might just be (his) everything and beyond". What a great way to declare love!
"Casanova" by Rayland Baxter: After the ultra smooth, romantic vibes of our last song, it's only fitting that our next entry for the week is called "Casanova". The vibes of this song, however, are far more quirky and whimsical than they are romantic. Rayland Baxter is an artist of unpredictable quality. His "Yellow Eyes" was a sentimental folk-rock tune, and his followup single, "Mr. Rodriguez", was psychedelic indie-pop. "Casanova" is also psychedelic indie-pop, but with a slightly more happy go lucky feel than "Mr. Rodriguez". "Casanova" doesn't talk about romance much at all, really, and is instead focused on addiction to sex and drugs with a very tongue-in-cheek lyrical delivery.
"Four Out of Five" by Arctic Monkeys: Actually, this is our THIRD out of five entries for this week. The title actually refers to star ratings for restaurants (i.e. four stars out of five). I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to give this song a four, but it at least deserves three for combining Bowie-esque vocals and instrumentation with a syncopated rhythm that wouldn't sound out of place in a Police song. The song's lyrics are rather sardonic, as one might expect with Arctic Monkeys, with lead singer Alex Turner taking on the guise of a narrator, who is a selfish person who just can't seem to get used to how no one seems to care for his glitzy, glamorous lifestyle. This song is one of a steadily growing number of songs from the late 2010's about the tension we have been facing in the modern era.
"Quarter Past Midnight" by Bastille: Bastille's second album was something of an experiment for the band. First we had the "Under Pressure"-ish grooves of "Good Grief", then the neo-glam-rock of "Blame", and finally, the surprisingly bittersweet acoustic rock ballad, "World Gone Mad". "Quarter Past Midnight" is a return to the more basic indie-pop of Bastille's debut record from 2013. Musically, there's nothing really special about this song, unless maybe you were yearning for the days of Bastille's first and biggest hits, like "Pompeii" and "Bad Blood". As the title of "Quarter Past Midnight" implies, the song is about how exciting it can be to stay up late at night in town with your friends. Though the song does sound a bit generic for a Bastille song, it certainly captures the adrenalized rush one might feel during a nocturnal spree!
"Sharon" by Matt Costa: Funny that the last song just happens to be my mom's name! It's not about her, though, of course. What it's actually about is Matt Costa's experiences going between Northern and Southern California translated into a clever but bittersweet narrative about a young woman named Sharon and her longing for a love she had in the past. Matt delivers all this in an oddly charming song that suggests what it might have been like if Tom Petty covered Elvis Costello's "Less Than Zero". Much like he did with his 2010 adult alt radio hit, "Witchcraft", Matt is once again proving that he can be more straight up rock than the folk-rock image he originally cultivated, but this time, it comes with a story that seems like the West Coast version of a typical Bruce Springsteen lyric.
"Beyond" by Leon Bridges: The jazzy adult alt mega hit, "Bad Bad News", proved earlier this year that Leon Bridges is far more than just a throwback to '60s R & B. He can embrace contemporary soul music just as well. "Beyond" goes beyond that (no pun intended) and adds flourishes of acoustic guitar to a soulful ballad. Leon is no stranger to the acoustic guitar, as he had done so once before with "River", but "Beyond" takes it to a whole new level. It's one of the ultimate "love at first sight" songs. On "Beyond", Leon passionately sings about how his lover "might just be (his) everything and beyond". What a great way to declare love!
"Casanova" by Rayland Baxter: After the ultra smooth, romantic vibes of our last song, it's only fitting that our next entry for the week is called "Casanova". The vibes of this song, however, are far more quirky and whimsical than they are romantic. Rayland Baxter is an artist of unpredictable quality. His "Yellow Eyes" was a sentimental folk-rock tune, and his followup single, "Mr. Rodriguez", was psychedelic indie-pop. "Casanova" is also psychedelic indie-pop, but with a slightly more happy go lucky feel than "Mr. Rodriguez". "Casanova" doesn't talk about romance much at all, really, and is instead focused on addiction to sex and drugs with a very tongue-in-cheek lyrical delivery.
"Four Out of Five" by Arctic Monkeys: Actually, this is our THIRD out of five entries for this week. The title actually refers to star ratings for restaurants (i.e. four stars out of five). I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to give this song a four, but it at least deserves three for combining Bowie-esque vocals and instrumentation with a syncopated rhythm that wouldn't sound out of place in a Police song. The song's lyrics are rather sardonic, as one might expect with Arctic Monkeys, with lead singer Alex Turner taking on the guise of a narrator, who is a selfish person who just can't seem to get used to how no one seems to care for his glitzy, glamorous lifestyle. This song is one of a steadily growing number of songs from the late 2010's about the tension we have been facing in the modern era.
"Quarter Past Midnight" by Bastille: Bastille's second album was something of an experiment for the band. First we had the "Under Pressure"-ish grooves of "Good Grief", then the neo-glam-rock of "Blame", and finally, the surprisingly bittersweet acoustic rock ballad, "World Gone Mad". "Quarter Past Midnight" is a return to the more basic indie-pop of Bastille's debut record from 2013. Musically, there's nothing really special about this song, unless maybe you were yearning for the days of Bastille's first and biggest hits, like "Pompeii" and "Bad Blood". As the title of "Quarter Past Midnight" implies, the song is about how exciting it can be to stay up late at night in town with your friends. Though the song does sound a bit generic for a Bastille song, it certainly captures the adrenalized rush one might feel during a nocturnal spree!
"Sharon" by Matt Costa: Funny that the last song just happens to be my mom's name! It's not about her, though, of course. What it's actually about is Matt Costa's experiences going between Northern and Southern California translated into a clever but bittersweet narrative about a young woman named Sharon and her longing for a love she had in the past. Matt delivers all this in an oddly charming song that suggests what it might have been like if Tom Petty covered Elvis Costello's "Less Than Zero". Much like he did with his 2010 adult alt radio hit, "Witchcraft", Matt is once again proving that he can be more straight up rock than the folk-rock image he originally cultivated, but this time, it comes with a story that seems like the West Coast version of a typical Bruce Springsteen lyric.
Wednesday, May 16, 2018
New songs for May 16th, 2018
here they are:
"Hunger" by Florence and The Machine: As if by coincidence, the most heavily anticipated song of the week (well, the past two weeks, really) is also the first! And what, might you ask, has given people so much hunger for "Hunger"?! There are probably a few reasons as to why this is. First off, it's Florence and The Machine! Florence Welch, the quirky but sassy British lass who leads the band, has proven she can do pretty much whatever she wants to and make it sound good, so that alone counts as a bonus factor! "Hunger" has the same sorta thing that made songs like "Dog Days Are Over" and "Shake It Out" such enduring songs in FATM's catalog, with its orchestral instrumentation wed to a pop music beat and haunting vocals. Even the opening lyrics, "At 17, I started to starve myself", are both mysterious and morose enough to hook the listener in before the song starts to really take flight. The chorus speaks the most truth of all, though, when Florence passionately pleads that "we all have a hunger". Florence, you have satisfied all our cravings!
"Living In the Future" by Dawes: With each album Taylor Goldsmith and co put out, there's a bit more of a rock and roll element to each of those albums. "Living In the Future" reaches towards the dynamic, arena rock side of the rock and roll spectrum, at least as far as it can go through the lens of a roots-y indie-folk-rock group. To top it all off, Dawes are even opening for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra, on their tour this summer. How's that for NOT living in the future?! But wait! Just because the sound of this song sounds like it's not that current, doesn't mean the lyrical content is stuck in the past as well! Indeed, this song (and its album, "Passwords") are actually about trying to cope with an increasingly fast paced modern world. The future is looking grim for some. Good thing we have music to save us!
"Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)" by Dave Matthews Band: It's been 6 years since Dave and his band last hit the adult alt radio airwaves. In DMB time, that's such a long time that I thought I'd either never hear from them again or that they wouldn't be as good. Thankfully, I was wrong on both accounts! Their latest song, "Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)" kicks off the return of DMB with a U2-ish bang that U2 themselves seem to be straying further away from (Bono and the boys could sure take a lesson from Dave!) While the sound of "Samurai Cop" has a rather new and exciting sound that doesn't quite reflect on DMB's roots as a folk, jazz, and blues influenced rock group, the lyrical content of the song is a yearning to get back to our roots as a collective entity of lovers, thinkers, and dreamers. "Oh joy, begin", sings Dave during the chorus. My joy has begun, and hopefully, yours has too!
"The Middle" by Trampled by Turtles: Not to be confused with Jimmy Eat World's early '00s power pop anthem, "The Middle", bluegrass influenced rock group, Trampled by Turtles, decided to make their latest song, "The Middle", a rousing, upbeat number. The circumstances under which TBT met to record their newest album was anything but joyful, though, as their decision to record it came about after commiserating about the death of rock icon (and TBT favorite), Tom Petty. "The Middle" doesn't bear much resemblance to Petty's music, but the lyrics could ostensibly be about him, as the song is filled with sad, somber lyrics like, "There's a bitter pill on the other side", "If it does us any good, I cannot see it", and finally, "It makes me die just a little. A little every day." Petty has been sorely missed by many, but sometimes when an old door closes, a new one opens, and Trampled by Turtles might just have found the keys to that new door!
"This Party" by Houndmouth: Houndmouth used to be a country-rock quartet with three guys and one girl. The loss of the one girl, Katie Toupin, must have really thrown the band in a creative slump, as they sound vastly different (and not nearly as good) without her. Whatever traces of country and roots rock Houndmouth once had have been completely lost in their latest song, "This Party", which sounds far more like Walk the Moon or fun. than it does like Dawes or Blitzen Trapper, to whom Houndmouth were initially compared. "This Party" was made to be played at parties, as its title indicates. Given the song's central lyrics, "I don't wanna be at this party", perhaps Houndmouth themselves are a little miffed at the decision Katie has made to leave the group. It's tempting to say that this song might be a desperate grasp at alt-rock radio airplay, except they already HAD that with "Sedona", a song that reflected the band's country-rock roots much more accurately, back in 2015. The pop music vibes of this song, instead, seem to be saying, "Come back, Katie! We need you! Here's how much our music sucks without you in the band!" This is a good song (otherwise, there'd be no point in reviewing it on my website), but come on, guys. I know you can do better than this.
"Hunger" by Florence and The Machine: As if by coincidence, the most heavily anticipated song of the week (well, the past two weeks, really) is also the first! And what, might you ask, has given people so much hunger for "Hunger"?! There are probably a few reasons as to why this is. First off, it's Florence and The Machine! Florence Welch, the quirky but sassy British lass who leads the band, has proven she can do pretty much whatever she wants to and make it sound good, so that alone counts as a bonus factor! "Hunger" has the same sorta thing that made songs like "Dog Days Are Over" and "Shake It Out" such enduring songs in FATM's catalog, with its orchestral instrumentation wed to a pop music beat and haunting vocals. Even the opening lyrics, "At 17, I started to starve myself", are both mysterious and morose enough to hook the listener in before the song starts to really take flight. The chorus speaks the most truth of all, though, when Florence passionately pleads that "we all have a hunger". Florence, you have satisfied all our cravings!
"Living In the Future" by Dawes: With each album Taylor Goldsmith and co put out, there's a bit more of a rock and roll element to each of those albums. "Living In the Future" reaches towards the dynamic, arena rock side of the rock and roll spectrum, at least as far as it can go through the lens of a roots-y indie-folk-rock group. To top it all off, Dawes are even opening for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra, on their tour this summer. How's that for NOT living in the future?! But wait! Just because the sound of this song sounds like it's not that current, doesn't mean the lyrical content is stuck in the past as well! Indeed, this song (and its album, "Passwords") are actually about trying to cope with an increasingly fast paced modern world. The future is looking grim for some. Good thing we have music to save us!
"Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)" by Dave Matthews Band: It's been 6 years since Dave and his band last hit the adult alt radio airwaves. In DMB time, that's such a long time that I thought I'd either never hear from them again or that they wouldn't be as good. Thankfully, I was wrong on both accounts! Their latest song, "Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)" kicks off the return of DMB with a U2-ish bang that U2 themselves seem to be straying further away from (Bono and the boys could sure take a lesson from Dave!) While the sound of "Samurai Cop" has a rather new and exciting sound that doesn't quite reflect on DMB's roots as a folk, jazz, and blues influenced rock group, the lyrical content of the song is a yearning to get back to our roots as a collective entity of lovers, thinkers, and dreamers. "Oh joy, begin", sings Dave during the chorus. My joy has begun, and hopefully, yours has too!
"The Middle" by Trampled by Turtles: Not to be confused with Jimmy Eat World's early '00s power pop anthem, "The Middle", bluegrass influenced rock group, Trampled by Turtles, decided to make their latest song, "The Middle", a rousing, upbeat number. The circumstances under which TBT met to record their newest album was anything but joyful, though, as their decision to record it came about after commiserating about the death of rock icon (and TBT favorite), Tom Petty. "The Middle" doesn't bear much resemblance to Petty's music, but the lyrics could ostensibly be about him, as the song is filled with sad, somber lyrics like, "There's a bitter pill on the other side", "If it does us any good, I cannot see it", and finally, "It makes me die just a little. A little every day." Petty has been sorely missed by many, but sometimes when an old door closes, a new one opens, and Trampled by Turtles might just have found the keys to that new door!
"This Party" by Houndmouth: Houndmouth used to be a country-rock quartet with three guys and one girl. The loss of the one girl, Katie Toupin, must have really thrown the band in a creative slump, as they sound vastly different (and not nearly as good) without her. Whatever traces of country and roots rock Houndmouth once had have been completely lost in their latest song, "This Party", which sounds far more like Walk the Moon or fun. than it does like Dawes or Blitzen Trapper, to whom Houndmouth were initially compared. "This Party" was made to be played at parties, as its title indicates. Given the song's central lyrics, "I don't wanna be at this party", perhaps Houndmouth themselves are a little miffed at the decision Katie has made to leave the group. It's tempting to say that this song might be a desperate grasp at alt-rock radio airplay, except they already HAD that with "Sedona", a song that reflected the band's country-rock roots much more accurately, back in 2015. The pop music vibes of this song, instead, seem to be saying, "Come back, Katie! We need you! Here's how much our music sucks without you in the band!" This is a good song (otherwise, there'd be no point in reviewing it on my website), but come on, guys. I know you can do better than this.
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
New songs for May 2nd 2018
here they are:
"Broken" by lovelytheband: Four chord indie-techno-pop is becoming common nowadays, and lovelytheband (is that to be said all in one breath?) is proof of this. Not a whole lot of changes or twists and turns in their song, "Broken", which borrows a bit from MGMT's "Kids" and makes it a bit more swallowable for soft rock stations to handle. The lyrics are worth noting, though, for their bittersweet quality. "I like that you're broken, broken like me, maybe that makes me a fool", lead singer Mitchy Collins says during the chorus, and follows it up with, "I like that you're lonely, lonely like me, I could be lonely with you". Essentially, the song's message is that two flawed people can make good partners for one another. I would be in favor of that sentiment.
"Childhood Goodbye" by Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear: It only seems fitting that a mother and son duo would do a song about childhood, doesn't it? That's exactly what happens on "Childhood Goodbye" by Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear. A key lyric in this poignant song comes in the beginning when Madisen sings, "Held my own, skin and bone, ain't much left to give". This line, which seems to be a woeful yet realistic reflection on what it's like to grow up, sets the tone for the whole song. The fact his mom is backing him up throughout the song only makes it that much more bittersweet but oh so precious to listen to!
"Broken" by lovelytheband: Four chord indie-techno-pop is becoming common nowadays, and lovelytheband (is that to be said all in one breath?) is proof of this. Not a whole lot of changes or twists and turns in their song, "Broken", which borrows a bit from MGMT's "Kids" and makes it a bit more swallowable for soft rock stations to handle. The lyrics are worth noting, though, for their bittersweet quality. "I like that you're broken, broken like me, maybe that makes me a fool", lead singer Mitchy Collins says during the chorus, and follows it up with, "I like that you're lonely, lonely like me, I could be lonely with you". Essentially, the song's message is that two flawed people can make good partners for one another. I would be in favor of that sentiment.
"Childhood Goodbye" by Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear: It only seems fitting that a mother and son duo would do a song about childhood, doesn't it? That's exactly what happens on "Childhood Goodbye" by Madisen Ward and The Mama Bear. A key lyric in this poignant song comes in the beginning when Madisen sings, "Held my own, skin and bone, ain't much left to give". This line, which seems to be a woeful yet realistic reflection on what it's like to grow up, sets the tone for the whole song. The fact his mom is backing him up throughout the song only makes it that much more bittersweet but oh so precious to listen to!
Wednesday, April 25, 2018
New songs for April 25th 2018
here they are:
"Bad Dreams" by Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johannson: Folk-rocker Pete Yorn and actress turned singer extraordinaire Scarlett Johansson have duetted before, but it's been almost a decade since they last did so. I never thought I'd hear the two of them after their 2008 song, "Relator", but now here they are together again. This time, the two opt for a cover of a song by indie-pop group, The Echo Friendly, and for some reason, the song has been retitled from "Worried" to "Bad Dreams". (It's not the first time this has been done. When Southern rock group Molly Hatchet covered The Allman Brothers' "Dreams", they retitled it as "Dreams I'll Never See", even though the two songs were actually the same one). Further immersing himself in the works of the indie pop groups he probably inspired, Pete Yorn adds a dark but catchy indie pop flavor to "Bad Dreams" that seems to stray a bit from the folk-rock he did when his career first started out. "We will always have bad dreams", Yorn and Johannson sing together in harmony during the chorus. I think The Echo Friendly's bad dreams have become a reality since someone took their song and changed its title!
"Fine Line" by Parker Millsap: Parker Millsap first arrived onto the adult alt airwaves two years ago, with a fun, charming acoustic rock song called "Pining" that easily brought to mind early Elvis Presley tunes. With "Fine Line", Parker continues churning out retro rock, but this time he goes one decade forward and amps it up a bit, bringing to mind the blues-ier side of groups like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, a bit like The White Stripes had done as their career started to progress. "Honey I don't bite", Parker yowls during the chorus, "I'm just a little bloodthirsty". No, Parker hasn't been reading too many "Twilight" books (thankfully), he's just using a strange yet appealing metaphor to describe a typical day in the life of a rock and roll musician!
"Guilty Party" by The National: The National made two of their most rockin' tunes yet on their latest album, with the fast paced, frantic, "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness", as well as the U2-esque, "Day I Die". Their third single from "Sleep Well Beast", "Guilty Party", dials things back a bit. "Guilty Party" depends more on keyboard than it does guitar, and it's noticeably softer than the other two songs as well. It's as though Matt Berninger partied too hard at first, and that this song was the aftermath. "Guilty Party", as its title implies, sounds sorrowful and somber. The National are known for being one of the more pessimistic groups in the indie scene, but this might be their saddest one yet.
"In Chains" by The War on Drugs: The National aren't the only band coming up on their third single from their latest album. The War on Drugs are as well, and this time around, Kurt Vile and his Pennsylvanian indie rock ensemble once again walk the line between Springsteen-esque arena rock and Roxy Music influenced prog-rock and sophisti-pop. The three singles from The WOD's latest album could be seen as a trilogy of sorts, each spiraling further downward into despair than the other. There was the hopeful "Holding On", the bitter sting of "Pain", and now it seems to be culminating in the realization of being "In Chains" as a result of all the negative emotions Kurt Vile is going through in this song. Out of the darkness comes light, though, as Kurt has been able to take all his frustration and turn it into aching, bittersweet beauty in his 7 and a half minute magnum opus, "In Chains".
"Just A Fool" by Jim James: Opening with a fuzzed out, Jack White-ish guitar solo, My Morning Jacket's Jim James' latest song, "Just A Fool", deals with the realization of just how foolish Jim feels as a member of contemporary American society, a theme that recurs throughout his latest album. Jim claims he's "just a fool gettin' by" in this song, but the struggle to "get by" is not one he shrugs off too easily, feeling cheated and used by the media and its spread of fast but often false information. Jim, you're no fool at all! Everyone else is!
"Life to Fix" by The Record Company: The most anticipated song of the week on adult alt radio is also the blues-iest and most upbeat! The Record Company are like the Black Crowes of the 2010's, out of step with current musical trends, but embracing blues-rock with such unabashed passion that people can't help but love them anyway! Their latest song, "Life to Fix", has a blues-y Southern rock groove that wouldn't sound out of place in an Allman Brothers or early ZZ Top song, except The Record Company aren't from the South. In fact, this blazin' rock trio are actually from my neck of the woods, Los Angeles! Maybe you don't have to be from a certain area of The States to appreciate what real rock and roll is all about! Oh, and dig those funky bass riffs in the opening, too!
"Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way" by U2: U2 might not have had a consistently good ALBUM since 2004, but they have been able to provide some powerful songs since then, and their latest song, "Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way", just happens to be one of them. The message of the song is simple, but still very universal. It's the old "love conquers all" adage, essentially, put to song. Leave it to Bono and the boys to continue the spread of peace and love through difficult times!
"Bad Dreams" by Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johannson: Folk-rocker Pete Yorn and actress turned singer extraordinaire Scarlett Johansson have duetted before, but it's been almost a decade since they last did so. I never thought I'd hear the two of them after their 2008 song, "Relator", but now here they are together again. This time, the two opt for a cover of a song by indie-pop group, The Echo Friendly, and for some reason, the song has been retitled from "Worried" to "Bad Dreams". (It's not the first time this has been done. When Southern rock group Molly Hatchet covered The Allman Brothers' "Dreams", they retitled it as "Dreams I'll Never See", even though the two songs were actually the same one). Further immersing himself in the works of the indie pop groups he probably inspired, Pete Yorn adds a dark but catchy indie pop flavor to "Bad Dreams" that seems to stray a bit from the folk-rock he did when his career first started out. "We will always have bad dreams", Yorn and Johannson sing together in harmony during the chorus. I think The Echo Friendly's bad dreams have become a reality since someone took their song and changed its title!
"Fine Line" by Parker Millsap: Parker Millsap first arrived onto the adult alt airwaves two years ago, with a fun, charming acoustic rock song called "Pining" that easily brought to mind early Elvis Presley tunes. With "Fine Line", Parker continues churning out retro rock, but this time he goes one decade forward and amps it up a bit, bringing to mind the blues-ier side of groups like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, a bit like The White Stripes had done as their career started to progress. "Honey I don't bite", Parker yowls during the chorus, "I'm just a little bloodthirsty". No, Parker hasn't been reading too many "Twilight" books (thankfully), he's just using a strange yet appealing metaphor to describe a typical day in the life of a rock and roll musician!
"Guilty Party" by The National: The National made two of their most rockin' tunes yet on their latest album, with the fast paced, frantic, "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness", as well as the U2-esque, "Day I Die". Their third single from "Sleep Well Beast", "Guilty Party", dials things back a bit. "Guilty Party" depends more on keyboard than it does guitar, and it's noticeably softer than the other two songs as well. It's as though Matt Berninger partied too hard at first, and that this song was the aftermath. "Guilty Party", as its title implies, sounds sorrowful and somber. The National are known for being one of the more pessimistic groups in the indie scene, but this might be their saddest one yet.
"In Chains" by The War on Drugs: The National aren't the only band coming up on their third single from their latest album. The War on Drugs are as well, and this time around, Kurt Vile and his Pennsylvanian indie rock ensemble once again walk the line between Springsteen-esque arena rock and Roxy Music influenced prog-rock and sophisti-pop. The three singles from The WOD's latest album could be seen as a trilogy of sorts, each spiraling further downward into despair than the other. There was the hopeful "Holding On", the bitter sting of "Pain", and now it seems to be culminating in the realization of being "In Chains" as a result of all the negative emotions Kurt Vile is going through in this song. Out of the darkness comes light, though, as Kurt has been able to take all his frustration and turn it into aching, bittersweet beauty in his 7 and a half minute magnum opus, "In Chains".
"Just A Fool" by Jim James: Opening with a fuzzed out, Jack White-ish guitar solo, My Morning Jacket's Jim James' latest song, "Just A Fool", deals with the realization of just how foolish Jim feels as a member of contemporary American society, a theme that recurs throughout his latest album. Jim claims he's "just a fool gettin' by" in this song, but the struggle to "get by" is not one he shrugs off too easily, feeling cheated and used by the media and its spread of fast but often false information. Jim, you're no fool at all! Everyone else is!
"Life to Fix" by The Record Company: The most anticipated song of the week on adult alt radio is also the blues-iest and most upbeat! The Record Company are like the Black Crowes of the 2010's, out of step with current musical trends, but embracing blues-rock with such unabashed passion that people can't help but love them anyway! Their latest song, "Life to Fix", has a blues-y Southern rock groove that wouldn't sound out of place in an Allman Brothers or early ZZ Top song, except The Record Company aren't from the South. In fact, this blazin' rock trio are actually from my neck of the woods, Los Angeles! Maybe you don't have to be from a certain area of The States to appreciate what real rock and roll is all about! Oh, and dig those funky bass riffs in the opening, too!
"Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way" by U2: U2 might not have had a consistently good ALBUM since 2004, but they have been able to provide some powerful songs since then, and their latest song, "Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way", just happens to be one of them. The message of the song is simple, but still very universal. It's the old "love conquers all" adage, essentially, put to song. Leave it to Bono and the boys to continue the spread of peace and love through difficult times!
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