here they are:
"Crawling Kingsnake" by The Black Keys: If anyone still knows how to rock and roll in an EDM, hip-hop, and dubstep dominated world, it's The Black Keys! "Crawling Kingsnake" goes back to the roots of rock, predating even the genre's initial pioneers like Elvis Presley and Chuck Berry, unearthing a cover of a song made popular by blues musician John Lee Hooker, and written by fellow blues musician Big Joe Williams. Much like an actual snake, "Crawling Kingsnake" crawls slowly, wraps itself around you, and releases a seductive "venom," intoxicating its listeners in an arousing swirl of oozing guitar riffs backed by tight drumbeats!
"Hot and Heavy" by Lucy Dacus: I previously knew Lucy Dacus only for an ultra-cool indie-pop/rock version of Bruce Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" that seemed to outdo the Boss himself. Therefore, "Hot and Heavy" is my first taste of how Lucy Dacus fares with her own material. Lucy has a similar vibe to other women who have recently become rising stars in the indie-pop/rock world, such as Phoebe Bridgers and Julien Baker, and she has a similarly poignant and confessional vibe to these musicians as well. "Hot and Heavy," specifically, is about Lucy trying to grapple with the notion of how her past "selves" (what she was like in various stages of her life, such as childhood and teen years) are nothing like who she is today and probably wouldn't like who she became. It's a common issue for many of us, including myself. Would rock-and-roll me from my teens be ok with the more eclectic and mellow musician I became in young adulthood? Who knows?! Would my past self who was initially embarrassed and frustrated about being neurodivergent be ok with the neurodiversity embracing, open-minded person I've become today? It's all up in the air, but it can be quite fascinating to imagine what that might be like!
"Spanish Doors" by Liz Phair: And speaking of past selves, on the latest song from indie-rock queen, Liz Phair, Liz was apparently inspired by the musicians and bands she listened to during her early college years, including but not limited to alt-rock innovators like The Velvet Underground, Talking Heads, and R.E.M. The song itself, "Spanish Doors," is about having your foundations shaken out from under you. Initially, the song was written about one of Liz's friends who was going through a divorce at the time it was written, but she soon found that the lyrics also applied to her own life, particularly in how the song centers around witnessing your own life break into shambles while those around you are enjoying theirs. This seems like it could be a theme that many people could relate to. That, of course, is part of the beauty of music!
