here they are:
"Beautiful Faces" by Declan McKenna: Declan McKenna's surprisingly catchy debut song, "Brazil", from 2016, got a lot of attention from alt and adult alt radio stations when it was first released. It seemed as though all Declan had to do was make a Britpop influenced earworm with slight hints of techno-pop influence, and he had himself a winner of a song! "Beautiful Faces" uses the same formula, and once again, it really seems to work in his favor! Looking through the YouTube comments section of the song's video, "Beautiful Faces" doesn't seem to have a single bad comment! "Beautiful Faces" is a bit heavier on the techno-pop influence than "Brazil" was, but other than that, Declan uses the same basic musical ingredients for this song as he did for that one...and once again, I must say, it really works in his favor!
"Who's Gonna Love Me Now?" by Cold War Kids: This song marks the first time, to my knowledge, that Cold War Kids have tried out a more blues-y rock and roll style, although not without their trademark piano as a base for it. I guess Nathan Willett got tired after awhile of being "Mr. Sensitive" because this song shows a more gutsy, raw side to the CWK catalog that they haven't really tried before. CWK are not normally a band I'd call "spicy", but in this song, they are! Wanna know what the best part is? It actually works! And it just might win them a whole new audience in the 2020's!
"Wreckless Abandon" by The Dirty Knobs: Rock and roll experienced a major loss in 2017 with the sad, unexpected passing of Tom Petty. Thankfully, he's not the only Heartbreaker who recorded a song. Heartbreakers member Benmont Tench, for instance, had a minor adult alt radio hit in 2014 with "Blonde Girl, Blue Dress". Now, it's Heartbreaker Mike Campbell's turn up at bat. His side project, The Dirty Knobs, have the roots-iest, bluesiest, and longest song in today's blog with "Wreckless Abandon"! The song's purposely misspelled title fits perfectly with what it has to offer! There is plenty of (w)reckless abandon in this song, mixing Keith Richards styled guitar licks with the Heartland rock sound of Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers. Wreck on...I mean rock on!!
