here they are:
"Lifeguard" by Nahko and Medicine for the People: Nahko and Medicine for the People are quite an eclectic ensemble who last impacted adult alt radio back in 2016 with the surprisingly catchy "San Quentin". "Lifeguard" isn't as catchy, but its buoyant sense of calm is a breath of fresh air for these troubled times! "Lifeguard" was written many years before our present crisis, though. It's actually been around nearly as long as this blog has! However, it was just a few months ago that Nahko and Medicine for the People decided to record it. Nahko wrote it after he almost drowned in the ocean. "Lifeguard" is, in a word, a three-and-a-half minute prayer for safety. We all need one of those right now!
"Persona Non Grata" by Bright Eyes: Bright Eyes' Conor Oberst is one of many alt/indie artists who could be likened to a modern-day Leonard Cohen. The Cohen comparison really shows on Bright Eyes' latest tune, "Persona Non Grata", which sounds rhythmically and sonically similar to the late Canadian singer/songwriter's "Famous Blue Raincoat". The cryptic lyrics with their darkly religious imagery also seem to be taken straight out of the Cohen handbook. And what exactly IS a "persona non grata", you may ask? It simply means "unwelcome person". Oberst must think that's what we've all become now: personae non grata, and knowing him, he probably includes himself in that category. Welcome to the 2020's, folks...
