here they are:
"Bad Decisions" by The Strokes: This week's most anticipated new track comes to us from a band who have been around for about two decades now! Can you believe it?! Even during their debut, though, The Strokes always felt like a "throwback" band. Their debut single, "Last Nite", for instance, sounded like it came from a mid-1970's New York punk rock band, like Television, or maybe The New York Dolls. "Bad Decisions" goes forward one decade in the flashback machine to a time when goofy haircuts ruled the world and MTV was a brand new thing. The '80s influence is all over "Bad Decisions". Even the opening of the song sounds like "I Melt With You" by Modern English, and the chorus is clearly modeled after Billy Idol's "Dancing With Myself". Was it a "bad decision" to record this song, though?! Absolutely not!
"Here They Come" by Hamilton Leithauser: In his heart of hearts, The Walkmen's Hamilton Leithauser, much like myself, is a folkie. His latest solo effort, "Here They Come", feels like a stark, haunting acoustic rock song in the vein of masterfully dark singer/songwriters like Leonard Cohen and Johnny Cash, the latter of whom celebrates his birthday today. "Here They Come" has both figurative darkness and literal darkness, with its imagery of subway tunnels, shadows, and closed eyes all mentioned in Leithauser's deliciously spooky narration!
"Lilacs" by Waxahatchee: So far, this song stands as the only other song I know with the word "lilac" in its title aside from "Lilac Wine", originally by powerful jazz mistress Nina Simone and covered masterfully by Jeff Buckley. Unlike the late Mr. Buckley, Waxahatchee's "Lilacs" is not a song with stark instrumentation and a haunting sound. In fact, it's surprisingly happy for a Waxahatchee song! The title comes from the part where Katie Crutchfield sings, "and the lilacs drank the water", and in varying cadences by the time the end of the song comes. Some rather poetic imagery for a rather folks-y song seemingly inspired by some of the breezier, countrified Bob Dylan songs of the mid 1960's, such as "Girl From the North Country". I was expecting a roaring torrent of anger, as exemplified by Waxahatchee's minor adult alt radio hit, "Never Been Wrong". Somehow, I'm glad I got this breath of fresh spring country air instead.
"So Much Love" by Nada Surf: It's a little unfair for people to remember Nada Surf solely for the quirky, mid '90s faux-grunge song, "Popular". After that song's success, Nada Surf found plenty of success on adult alt radio stations with one song after another giving off a folk-rock-y hippie vibe that "Popular" did not possess. "So Much Love" might just be the most hippy-dippy song in Nada Surf's catalog so far. Between its idealistic title, super positive message, and billowy West Coast inspired indie-folk-rock (even though they're actually an East Coast band), "So Much Love" is enough to fill even the most jaded of hipsters with so much love, as its title implies. All we need is love, right?!
"Strangers" by Mt. Joy: After three guitar oriented songs that came out during the late 2010's, Mt. Joy has gone in a slightly different direction with the more piano based "Strangers" for the early 2020's. There is still guitar in this song, but it's not quite apparent until about a minute into the song. Piano guides this song so much that its solo sounds like it could have come from Bruce Hornsby (who is more popular than you might think among the hipster/indie community - Bon Iver, for instance, are huge fans of his). The song itself might be a reflection on the sudden unexpected attention that Mt. Joy got from songs like "Sheep", "Jenny Jenkins", and especially "Silver Lining", the last of which became one of the most enduring adult alt radio hits (and mainstream alt radio hits, to a lesser extent) of 2018. "I guess I'll have to fall in love with strangers/Go ride through New York City like I'm famous", sings Matt Quinn during the chorus. In spite of the song's bouncy, buoyant sound, Matt seems less than pleased with the prospect of his newfound success, with the words of the chorus dripping with sarcasm upon closer listen.
"Wherever You Are" by Kodaline: Reading the description of this song from Kodaline's official YouTube account summarizes its bittersweet mood and sound. It echoes the sentiments of Stephen Stills' "Love the One You're With", albeit with a sound that's more plaintive than it is happy. In other words, Kodaline's "Wherever You Are" is about thinking of your loved one even when he/she isn't near you. I'm sure the members must have been overcome with awe reading the comments section of the song, where many people have already commented about the song getting them through difficult times in their lives, such as the death of a loved one. It's great when a song conveys a universal, touching message like this one, isn't it?! I'd like to think so.
"Your Love (Deja Vu)" by Glass Animals: Glass Animals debut single, "Gooey", from the mid-2010's, was probably one of the dreamiest songs of the decade. "Your Love (Deja Vu)" isn't exactly dreamy, though. In fact, I'd say it's more dance-y. "Your Love..." has a very slinky, sensuous rhythm. The lyrics don't seem to mean very much in this song, but it sure makes you wanna move your body back and forth, doesn't it?!
