here they are:
"Care" by Beabadoobee: First off, let's get one thing straight. If you're having trouble pronouncing the stage name of this musician, just pretend you're scatting. It's literally "Bee-yah-bah-doo-bee". Anyway, if you're getting Alanis Morissette or Garbage type of vibes from Beabadoobee's breakthrough summer hit, "Care", Beatrice Kristi Laus (a.k.a. Beabadoobee) claims that this was intentional. It was supposed to sound like the ending song of a '90s coming-of-age movie. As for the lyrics of the song, those are definitely more millennial than they are reflective of the '90s. The song basically came about as a result of being in lockdown, and how Laus wants people to understand that getting through it has been difficult. "Care" is also directed at how ignorant society can be in general towards people with specific mental and/or psychological problems. However, she does not want people to feel sorry for her. As someone with such problems myself, I feel like I can identify with her. I don't want people feeling "sorry" that I have Asperger syndrome. I just want people to know what it's like! I think this song can speak for many people out there who feel misunderstood, including a lot of my closest friends!
"Five More Minutes" by The War and Treaty: The three and a half minutes of The War and Treaty's "Five More Minutes" are soulful, as one might expect from the Nashville husband-and-wife duo. The soulful flavor of this song differs a little bit from "Are You Ready to Love Me?", the only other song I've heard so far from The War and Treaty. Where that song was kind of a country/soul combo, "Five More Minutes" seems like pure Memphis soul (even though it was recorded in Nashville)! Elements of musicians like Otis Redding and Booker T. Washington can be heard in "Five More Minutes". The song is a short but passionate plea for romance that rejuvenates and cleanses the spirit in a way that only good ol' Southern soul music can do!
"Patience" by Chris Cornell: As one of the leaders of the grunge movement, it should come as no surprise that the late Chris Cornell was a Guns 'N' Roses fan. This song is a cover of one of the few acoustic rock songs in G 'N' R's career, released posthumously, as Chris Cornell has not been around since summer of 2017. "Patience" is probably one of the few truly sincere songs in the G 'N' R catalog, although "Sweet Child O' Mine", a love song written about Erin Everly (whose dad was Don from '50s country-rock group, The Everly Brothers), comes close. "Patience" is not a love song, though. It is simply a song that tries to offer hope in times of darkness. As Chris Cornell is but a rock and roll ghost as of now (and he's performing a cover of a song over 30 years old), there is no way that "Patience" could possibly be about the pandemic we're currently going through, but it is one of many songs that can give us hope during this time! This song could not have been released at a better time!
"Scarlet" by The Rolling Stones (featuring Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page): It seems as though The Rolling Stones have decided to start this decade off in a similar way to how they started the last one - by releasing a song from one of their classic albums that was previously unavailable on said album! In 2010, they unveiled "Plundered My Soul", an outtake from "Exile on Main Street". Ten years later, they have released "Scarlet", a previously unreleased track from their 1973 album, "Goat's Head Soup". With help from Led Zeppelin's ace guitarist, Jimmy Page, The Stones have unleashed yet another boozy, bluesy rocker about a girl who "wears her heart on (Mick Jagger)'s sleeve." Seems like one of the many notorious Stones songs that aren't exactly favorable towards women as far as the lyrics are concerned, but darn it all if any aspiring electric guitarist doesn't wanna rock out to this tune! "Scarlet" is a crackling, fiery tune, just as its title suggests that it is!
Wednesday, July 29, 2020
Wednesday, July 22, 2020
New songs for July 22nd, 2020
here they are:
"Feel You" by My Morning Jacket: The most anticipated new song of the week is also one of the longest! Clocking it at six and a half minutes total, My Morning Jacket's "Feel You" is a song that combines MMJ's soft and sensitive side with their more freewheeling jam band aspects. "All I want to do is feel you", Jim James sings passionately during the chorus of the song. Does he mean in the literal sense or in a more metaphorical one? Who knows?! What we do know is that "Feel You" is essentially Jim James' way of putting verbal and auditory meditation into song. He does it so well! Though I can do without the last two and half minutes of excess instrumentation. Other than that, perfection at its finest!
"For Sure" by Future Islands: Future Islands are like the 2010's (and 2020's) answer to what Roxy Music were in the 1970's and '80s, a band that takes synthesizer sounds and echo-y guitar riffs in the background and puts them to use in an ultra-chill atmosphere. "Seasons (Waiting On You)" did so beautifully and epically in 2014, and "Ran" did almost as well three years later using the same techniques. On "For Sure", Future Islands once again have an ultra-smooth, new wave-y, vaguely smooth jazz/rock-ish tune in the key of D sharp/E flat. The song seems to both reminisce on and question the value of relationships. The words "for sure" are never actually mentioned in the song's lyrics, so what exactly Samuel Herring means by it is left to our imaginations!
"Strange Girl" by Laura Marling: The title of this song could arguably describe Laura herself! She is indeed a "strange girl", enigmatic, sensitive, and keeping largely to herself about a number of love affairs gone wrong (among them, relationships with fellow indie-folk-rockers from groups like Noah & The Whale and Mumford & Sons). But who does "Strange Girl" actually refer to? As far as I can tell, it probably DOES refer to Laura herself. In this surprisingly upbeat folk-rock number, she refers to herself using a large amount of mostly negative adjectives during the chorus, such as "strange", "angry", and "lonely", while assuring herself that this "strange" girl is loved in spite of her flaws. I've never known a song to be both bittersweet and funny, but this song might just fit such a description!
"Victory" by The Avett Brothers: In spite of its uplifting title, "Victory" is probably one of the saddest songs The Avett Brothers ever recorded, albeit not without a sense of redemption and reassurance. "Of course, I was forced to retreat", Seth Avett sings during the chorus, following it up with, "From victory I accept defeat." He does not make specific what his victory is for or against, but more than likely, he's probably recalling his experiences with either drugs, romantic relationships, or perhaps both, and how they have left him high and dry as a result. Sometimes, the only thing you can do is surrender to your vices. Nowhere is that clearer in The Avett Brothers' catalog than in "Victory"!
"Who Do You Think You're Talking To?" by Dawes: After starting off as a roots-y folk-rock act about a decade ago, Dawes have taken an eclectic route in their music ever since, becoming something of a 2010's answer to the 2000's My Morning Jacket, without as overt an emphasis on drugs. That being said, did you ever think Dawes would take on power pop or new wave?! I didn't! Until now, that is. Dawes' latest song, "Who Do You Think You're Talking To?" comes off sounding a bit like one of the more upbeat tracks on Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." mixed with bits and pieces of songs from The Cars like "Shake It Up" and "You Might Think." The song itself is basically an argument between two people on the brink of a breaking relationship, as can be inferred from the title. The topic, though, bears little importance in comparison to the relentlessly upbeat and somewhat self-consciously cheesy (yet still fully charged and rockin') music of the song!
"Feel You" by My Morning Jacket: The most anticipated new song of the week is also one of the longest! Clocking it at six and a half minutes total, My Morning Jacket's "Feel You" is a song that combines MMJ's soft and sensitive side with their more freewheeling jam band aspects. "All I want to do is feel you", Jim James sings passionately during the chorus of the song. Does he mean in the literal sense or in a more metaphorical one? Who knows?! What we do know is that "Feel You" is essentially Jim James' way of putting verbal and auditory meditation into song. He does it so well! Though I can do without the last two and half minutes of excess instrumentation. Other than that, perfection at its finest!
"For Sure" by Future Islands: Future Islands are like the 2010's (and 2020's) answer to what Roxy Music were in the 1970's and '80s, a band that takes synthesizer sounds and echo-y guitar riffs in the background and puts them to use in an ultra-chill atmosphere. "Seasons (Waiting On You)" did so beautifully and epically in 2014, and "Ran" did almost as well three years later using the same techniques. On "For Sure", Future Islands once again have an ultra-smooth, new wave-y, vaguely smooth jazz/rock-ish tune in the key of D sharp/E flat. The song seems to both reminisce on and question the value of relationships. The words "for sure" are never actually mentioned in the song's lyrics, so what exactly Samuel Herring means by it is left to our imaginations!
"Strange Girl" by Laura Marling: The title of this song could arguably describe Laura herself! She is indeed a "strange girl", enigmatic, sensitive, and keeping largely to herself about a number of love affairs gone wrong (among them, relationships with fellow indie-folk-rockers from groups like Noah & The Whale and Mumford & Sons). But who does "Strange Girl" actually refer to? As far as I can tell, it probably DOES refer to Laura herself. In this surprisingly upbeat folk-rock number, she refers to herself using a large amount of mostly negative adjectives during the chorus, such as "strange", "angry", and "lonely", while assuring herself that this "strange" girl is loved in spite of her flaws. I've never known a song to be both bittersweet and funny, but this song might just fit such a description!
"Victory" by The Avett Brothers: In spite of its uplifting title, "Victory" is probably one of the saddest songs The Avett Brothers ever recorded, albeit not without a sense of redemption and reassurance. "Of course, I was forced to retreat", Seth Avett sings during the chorus, following it up with, "From victory I accept defeat." He does not make specific what his victory is for or against, but more than likely, he's probably recalling his experiences with either drugs, romantic relationships, or perhaps both, and how they have left him high and dry as a result. Sometimes, the only thing you can do is surrender to your vices. Nowhere is that clearer in The Avett Brothers' catalog than in "Victory"!
"Who Do You Think You're Talking To?" by Dawes: After starting off as a roots-y folk-rock act about a decade ago, Dawes have taken an eclectic route in their music ever since, becoming something of a 2010's answer to the 2000's My Morning Jacket, without as overt an emphasis on drugs. That being said, did you ever think Dawes would take on power pop or new wave?! I didn't! Until now, that is. Dawes' latest song, "Who Do You Think You're Talking To?" comes off sounding a bit like one of the more upbeat tracks on Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." mixed with bits and pieces of songs from The Cars like "Shake It Up" and "You Might Think." The song itself is basically an argument between two people on the brink of a breaking relationship, as can be inferred from the title. The topic, though, bears little importance in comparison to the relentlessly upbeat and somewhat self-consciously cheesy (yet still fully charged and rockin') music of the song!
Wednesday, July 8, 2020
New songs for July 8th, 2020
here they are:
"Can't Do Much" by Waxahatchee: Waxahatchee had one of the most unexpectedly catchy adult alt radio hits of the year with "Lilacs" this spring. The song's buoyant, sunny country-rock sound was a breath of fresh air for both Waxahatchee fans and adult alt/indie-folk fans in general. Their next adult alt radio hit, "Can't Do Much", follows in a similar pattern to "Lilacs". "Can't Do Much" is yet another country-rock tune, a bit unusual for the normally edgier material of Waxahatchee, but it's probably given them more fans than ever as a result (including me). "Can't Do Much" is essentially a love song with slightly odd lyrics. The chorus of the song starts out average enough, as love songs go, with "I want you all the time", but Katie Crutchfield immediately follows that line with "sanity nullified." So Katie wants an insane love, eh?! Well, she'd better watch out!
"I Remember Everything" by John Prine: There seems to have been a pattern of rock and pop musicians being aware of their own death and putting that painful awareness into song in the past few years. David Bowie and Leonard Cohen both had such songs with "Lazarus" and "You Want It Darker", respectively, and a year later, Gregg Allman had one with "My Only True Friend". The clever, tongue-in-cheek folk-rocker, John Prine, departed the Earth a few months ago, and "I Remember Everything" seems to be his way of waving a bittersweet goodbye to all his fans. The song has the darkness of the Bowie and Cohen songs, but it also has the forlorn sense of country-rock pathos the Gregg Allman song had. Evoking rustic, nature-like images, John Prine looks back on the last year of his life with a view that is both endearing and sad. Prine was one of a kind and he will truly be missed!
"Mariana Trench" by Bright Eyes: If "Persona Non Grata", Bright Eyes' song from earlier this year, seemed like too much of a weary dirge for you, then perhaps "Mariana Trench" might be more up your alley. In typical Bright Eyes fashion, most of "Mariana Trench" seems pretty cynical in terms of both its lyrical content and musical atmosphere, but it tries to inject at least a bit more pep into its sound than "Persona Non Grata" did. Perhaps it helps that none other than Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers plays bass on this track. The thumping of the bass is pretty noticeable here, but on this song, it bobs with an ebb and flow, as opposed to the "slapping" technique Flea is known for. The lyrics of "Mariana Trench" create vivid imagery within the mind, especially during the chorus when Conor Oberst mentions Mount Everest and the 405 Freeway, in addition to the titular location.
"Turn Off the TV" by Old 97's: This rowdy, Tom Petty-esque song from Rhett Miller's country-rock/roots-rock ensemble, Old 97's, is full of references! Fitting to its title, their newest song, "Turn Off the TV", only mentions one show ("Kids in the Hall", in the first verse). The very next line mentions alternative rock icons like The Pixies and T. Rex. The intent central to the song, though, is just Rhett Miller wanting to get with a girl he admires. You already have sex and rock & roll mentioned in this song, and aptly, one of the other references in this song is to Jim Beam alcohol. There you have it: sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll! Contrary to its title, this song really doesn't have that much to do with TV, does it?
"Where to Start" by Bully: Just the name "bully" probably makes you think of either a punk band or a heavy metal group. Of the two, Bully's "Where to Start" evokes the former of the two genres. The song is a righteously ticked off punk tune, and one done by a lady, not a fellow, who bears a strange resemblance to cartoon voice actress, Tara Strong. Right from the beginning of this tune, you can feel the anger of lead singer, Alicia Bognanno, as she sings, "I don't know where to start with you!" The song seems to be about falling in love with someone you don't really want to fall in love with. Sigh...I can relate!
"Worry" by Songhoy Blues: Hailing from the African nation of Mali, Songhoy Blues deliver upbeat, spicy blues-rock in their debut song, "Worry". The song is not about worrying, though. In fact, the urgent plea in the chorus is "DON'T worry". With the song's blazing guitar riffs, you can't help but clap your hands and tap your feet along to this song as you start to lose your worries just by listening to this song! The aim of this song is to get people to find hope in times of darkness. Mission accomplished, I say!
"You're Not Alone" by Semisonic: Semisonic, Dan Wilson's half post-grunge and half power pop trio, have only one hit to speak of for most people, and that is "Closing Time", a song that came out over 20 years ago! That Semisonic took roughly around that long to reunite (or that they even DID reunite) is probably quite a surprise to most fans of the band, but they did it! Their latest song, "You're Not Alone", is rife with '90s rock influence, fitting to the era they were most popular in. Fans of groups like Better than Ezra, Third Eye Blind, and Marvelous 3 will probably like this song a lot! Lead singer Dan Wilson actually made a name for himself as a pop music songwriter for successful musicians such as Adele and Taylor Swift during his time apart from Semisonic, so I was a little skeptical as to how good this song might be, but it's really good! As an avid fan of '90s rock, I must say I'm mighty pleased by this song! As can be inferred from the title, Dan Wilson and co wanted their fans to feel comforted during these recent times of crisis. This is how "You're Not Alone" came about. I'm just glad that it did!
"Can't Do Much" by Waxahatchee: Waxahatchee had one of the most unexpectedly catchy adult alt radio hits of the year with "Lilacs" this spring. The song's buoyant, sunny country-rock sound was a breath of fresh air for both Waxahatchee fans and adult alt/indie-folk fans in general. Their next adult alt radio hit, "Can't Do Much", follows in a similar pattern to "Lilacs". "Can't Do Much" is yet another country-rock tune, a bit unusual for the normally edgier material of Waxahatchee, but it's probably given them more fans than ever as a result (including me). "Can't Do Much" is essentially a love song with slightly odd lyrics. The chorus of the song starts out average enough, as love songs go, with "I want you all the time", but Katie Crutchfield immediately follows that line with "sanity nullified." So Katie wants an insane love, eh?! Well, she'd better watch out!
"I Remember Everything" by John Prine: There seems to have been a pattern of rock and pop musicians being aware of their own death and putting that painful awareness into song in the past few years. David Bowie and Leonard Cohen both had such songs with "Lazarus" and "You Want It Darker", respectively, and a year later, Gregg Allman had one with "My Only True Friend". The clever, tongue-in-cheek folk-rocker, John Prine, departed the Earth a few months ago, and "I Remember Everything" seems to be his way of waving a bittersweet goodbye to all his fans. The song has the darkness of the Bowie and Cohen songs, but it also has the forlorn sense of country-rock pathos the Gregg Allman song had. Evoking rustic, nature-like images, John Prine looks back on the last year of his life with a view that is both endearing and sad. Prine was one of a kind and he will truly be missed!
"Mariana Trench" by Bright Eyes: If "Persona Non Grata", Bright Eyes' song from earlier this year, seemed like too much of a weary dirge for you, then perhaps "Mariana Trench" might be more up your alley. In typical Bright Eyes fashion, most of "Mariana Trench" seems pretty cynical in terms of both its lyrical content and musical atmosphere, but it tries to inject at least a bit more pep into its sound than "Persona Non Grata" did. Perhaps it helps that none other than Flea from Red Hot Chili Peppers plays bass on this track. The thumping of the bass is pretty noticeable here, but on this song, it bobs with an ebb and flow, as opposed to the "slapping" technique Flea is known for. The lyrics of "Mariana Trench" create vivid imagery within the mind, especially during the chorus when Conor Oberst mentions Mount Everest and the 405 Freeway, in addition to the titular location.
"Turn Off the TV" by Old 97's: This rowdy, Tom Petty-esque song from Rhett Miller's country-rock/roots-rock ensemble, Old 97's, is full of references! Fitting to its title, their newest song, "Turn Off the TV", only mentions one show ("Kids in the Hall", in the first verse). The very next line mentions alternative rock icons like The Pixies and T. Rex. The intent central to the song, though, is just Rhett Miller wanting to get with a girl he admires. You already have sex and rock & roll mentioned in this song, and aptly, one of the other references in this song is to Jim Beam alcohol. There you have it: sex, drugs, and rock 'n' roll! Contrary to its title, this song really doesn't have that much to do with TV, does it?
"Where to Start" by Bully: Just the name "bully" probably makes you think of either a punk band or a heavy metal group. Of the two, Bully's "Where to Start" evokes the former of the two genres. The song is a righteously ticked off punk tune, and one done by a lady, not a fellow, who bears a strange resemblance to cartoon voice actress, Tara Strong. Right from the beginning of this tune, you can feel the anger of lead singer, Alicia Bognanno, as she sings, "I don't know where to start with you!" The song seems to be about falling in love with someone you don't really want to fall in love with. Sigh...I can relate!
"Worry" by Songhoy Blues: Hailing from the African nation of Mali, Songhoy Blues deliver upbeat, spicy blues-rock in their debut song, "Worry". The song is not about worrying, though. In fact, the urgent plea in the chorus is "DON'T worry". With the song's blazing guitar riffs, you can't help but clap your hands and tap your feet along to this song as you start to lose your worries just by listening to this song! The aim of this song is to get people to find hope in times of darkness. Mission accomplished, I say!
"You're Not Alone" by Semisonic: Semisonic, Dan Wilson's half post-grunge and half power pop trio, have only one hit to speak of for most people, and that is "Closing Time", a song that came out over 20 years ago! That Semisonic took roughly around that long to reunite (or that they even DID reunite) is probably quite a surprise to most fans of the band, but they did it! Their latest song, "You're Not Alone", is rife with '90s rock influence, fitting to the era they were most popular in. Fans of groups like Better than Ezra, Third Eye Blind, and Marvelous 3 will probably like this song a lot! Lead singer Dan Wilson actually made a name for himself as a pop music songwriter for successful musicians such as Adele and Taylor Swift during his time apart from Semisonic, so I was a little skeptical as to how good this song might be, but it's really good! As an avid fan of '90s rock, I must say I'm mighty pleased by this song! As can be inferred from the title, Dan Wilson and co wanted their fans to feel comforted during these recent times of crisis. This is how "You're Not Alone" came about. I'm just glad that it did!
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