New songs for July 28th 2021

 "Can You Handle My Love?" by Walk the Moon: In Walk the Moon's slow but steady progression from pop/rock to something that more closely resembles pure pop, one thing that has always remained consistent in their material is their ability to be insanely catchy! "Anna Sun" and "Shut Up and Dance" were both major earworms for WTM, and "Can You Handle My Love?" aims to continue in that direction! Though not as guitar-centric as either of the other two songs, "Can You Handle My Love?" seems like it's sure to be one of the central feel-good hit songs of summer 2021! It's a fun, get-up-and-dance song! The line "I've got a crush on you, and it's not just physical" will probably endear many who have already become attracted to Nicholas Petricca to develop an even deeper celebrity crush on him!

"Phoenix" by Big Red Machine (featuring Fleet Foxes and Anais Mitchell): Imagine The National, Bon Iver, and Fleet Foxes combining to record a single song. Well, that's exactly what's happening here! (Big Red Machine are comprised of members of The National and Bon Iver) This is pretty much any indie-folk fan's dream come true! Their song "Phoenix" is also a very dreamy sounding song. Far from being fiery like the song's titular mythological bird, "Phoenix" is instead a cool and soothing song! It was inspired at least in part by The Band's concert film, The Last Waltz, and the song's bittersweet flavor does seem to take significant influence from that film. The word "phoenix" is not mentioned anywhere in the song, but the line "you were making my heart change shape" is a recurring one that can be compared to the metamorphic nature of the phoenix.

"Run Run Run" by Kurt Vile: Who better to cover Lou Reed than the equally sardonic and apathetic Kurt Vile?! That's exactly what Kurt does here with the Velvets' song, "Run Run Run" on an album that was recently released in tribute to The Velvet Underground's debut album. "Run Run Run" was one of the more straightforwardly hard-rocking songs on The Velvet Underground and Nico, along with "I'm Waiting for the Man," both of which had a "chugging" rhythm in the key of D major, and both of which were seedy songs about scoring drugs from dealers. Though not the unforgettable combo of beautiful and scary songs like "Heroin" and "Venus in Furs" were, "Run Run Run" was not a bad song on the album, though it is probably one of my least favorites from the album simply because it didn't stand out in the way that most of the other songs did. Still, Kurt Vile does Lou Reed's grimy, unapologetically brash tale of urban poetry justice here. 

"Stay High" by Childish Gambino: Here is yet another cover song! Although this one is a cover of a song that came out just two years ago that was originally done by Brittany Howard from Alabama Shakes. Donald Glover, known in the music biz as "Childish Gambino," was someone I was first introduced to via the quirky NBC sitcom, Community. In it, Glover played Troy, the easygoing and slightly goofy best friend of pop culture nerd, Abed, and became one of my favorite characters on the show. Little did I know at the time, though, that acting was not Glover's only talent. He is also a stellar singer and performer who combines hip-hop, soul, rock, jazz, and a myriad of other genres into his own unique style, perhaps best known currently for his scathing yet compelling political indictment, "This Is America." His cover of Brittany Howard's "Stay High," which itself was a genre buster that mixed folk, soul, and rock, puts a bit more of a hip-hop and techno influence on Howard's composition, but otherwise matches the original perfectly! The key, the mellowness of the song, and even Glover's vocals all manage to emulate the original "Stay High" quite well, yet he still manages to make the song all his own here! 

New songs for July 21st, 2021

here they are:


"Ain't Lookin'" by Wild Feathers: After a brief detour into indie-folk and power pop with their last album, Wild Feathers have returned to their country-rock roots with "Ain't Lookin'." Well...kind of. In addition to the country and roots-rock influences, "Ain't Lookin'" appears to be influenced by blues-rock as well! Fans of other blues-country hybrids such as Sturgill Simpson and Chris Stapleton might enjoy this song. The imagery the song has of traveling out on the road also seems fitting for a blues/country-rock song.


"Amoeba" by Clairo: If the chord progression of this song sounds like a modern-day lounge-pop version of Todd Rundgren's "I Saw the Light," which itself was largely influenced by Carole King, that's probably intentional on Clairo's part here. Carole, along with other early 1970's female singer/songwriter icons such as Joni Mitchell and Karen Carpenter, all inspired Clairo's latest song, "Amoeba." Even Blossom Dearie, the woman who lent her voice to such Schoolhouse Rock classics from that same era, as "Figure Eight" and "Unpack Your Adjectives," apparently inspired Clairo's latest tune as well. Its buoyant sound combined with its jazz-pop chord progressions make for a breath of fresh air compared to the monotony of most of what comprises "alternative" music today. For someone who is only 22 years old, Clairo sure has a vast appreciation for the songwriting chanteuses of the early 1970's! Taking on a truly "indie" aesthetic, Clairo weds these delightful, wistful melodies to lyrics about an abusive relationship. She sure knows how to make lemons out of lemonade, doesn't she?!

"Galacticana" by Strand of Oaks: The intriguingly named "Galacticana" continues in the soothing folk-rock direction that Indiana group, Strand of Oaks, started really honing in on their 2019 ballad, "Ruby." I don't know what "Galacticana" even means, and since it's mentioned nowhere in the song's lyrics, it's not very likely I will know, but going by the song's nostalgic, bittersweet lyrics, perhaps it refers to...wait, I STILL don't know what it refers to! Anyway, in "Galacticana," Strand of Oaks' lead singer Timothy Showalter recounts experiences of his childhood (and perhaps his teenhood as well) that he shares with his listeners to offer an escape from the world today. When he says "I believe that ecstasy happens when we all get together" in the beginning of the song, I don't think he's referring to the drug ecstasy, but to actual ecstasy - that which happens when people share a moment together to create a more understanding bond with one another.

"Poor Boy a Long Way From Home" by The Black Keys: The Black Keys' latest album seems to have offered us their blues-iest sound yet! The scorching, fiery, slow-burning blues-rock of "Crawling Kingsnake" was a great way to kick off the year, and now, midway through it, we have the fast, shuffling blues-rock of "Poor Boy a Long Way From Home." A blues-y rhythm and riff present in songs ranging from John Lee Hooker's "Boom Boom" to Muddy Waters' "Baby Please Don't Go" to ZZ Top's "La Grange" and George Thorogood's "One Bourbon, One Scotch, One Beer" can be heard here. Like "Crawling Kingsnake," "Poor Boy a Long Way From Home" is a cover of a blues tune, this time one from blues musician R.L. Burnside from 1978, though it sounds like it came from a much earlier era. 

"Wrecked" by Imagine Dragons: From the title, you might gather that this is one of Imagine Dragons' more angst-ridden songs. It's really more of a melancholy one that still manages to have a pleasant, pop-y sound like most of their material. In contrast to their spring '21 hit, "Follow You," "Wrecked" is in minor key and is not a love song so much as it is a breakup song, or perhaps just a song about emotional disorder in general. Not a breakup song of the "good riddance" variety either, but more of an "I can't live without you" sort of tune. Dan Reynolds conveys anguish throughout the song, but especially in the middle where he says, "These days, I'm becoming everything that I hate/Wishing you were around now, but it's too late/My mind is a place that I can't escape your ghost." Sometimes, the relationships we might have thought we had given up long ago continue to haunt us. This is a perfect song for those sorts of situations!

New songs for July 14th 2021

 here they are:


"How High" by The Record Company: The Record Company have always had a "retro" rock sound that was heavily blues-based ever since they debuted in 2016. This time around, it seems like they're specifically trying to emulate the sound of other successful latter-day blues-rockers like The Black Keys. For those wondering, "high" is not a drug metaphor in the context of this song. It instead taken to mean something more literal here, about reaching for your aspirations and accomplishing them. I'd say that The Record Company have already met their goals, though!

"How Low" by Heartless B*st*rds: So what is the opposite of "How High"? The answer, of course, is "How Low"! That just happens to be the title of our next song here, coincidentally. Fittingly, the song is a bit more low-key than the high energy of "How High." In spite of their "tough" sounding name, Heartless B*st*rds are really a pretty harmless, folk-rock-y band, whose name is only indicative of their humor. (They named themselves after an answer a game show contestant gave for the name of Tom Petty's backing group). In addition to the song's title, "How Low" also seems like the lyrical opposite to "How High," given how the song is basically a lament about modern-day pop culture and how no one seems to care about one another anymore.

"Mine Forever" by Lord Huron: A song awash with equal flavors of psychedelia, folk-rock, prog-rock, and country-rock, "Mine Forever" is a new song that seems like it came from the days of old. The pleasant, curious vibes of the song are a bit offset by its seemingly creepy lyrics, though. It's hard to tell if Ben Schneider is being serious or sarcastic in the lyrics of this song, but if it is not supposed to be sarcastic, then it reads as a super-desperate plea for him to get his lover back into his life. "In my mind, you're mine forever" might seem like a sweet line, but the more Ben adds morbid lyrics into the song, the more you think his "without you, I'll die" sentiments are more like possession than they are true love. "Forever" is a long, long time to want to be with someone. Don't take your chances, here folks!

"New Invention" by I Don't Know How But They Found Me: Is "New Invention" really a new invention?! It has the same key (D minor) as their other hit, "Leave Me Alone," and the same 1980's synth-influenced dance-pop sound, too. The lyrics aren't anything new either, but one thing they are is very relatable to anyone who has had to deal with the trials and tribulations of relationships! The song is basically about a girl who is using the lead singer. She keeps finding ways to trap him, and he is just a "new invention." The title makes for a somewhat strange metaphor for someone who feels romantically abused, but it's definitely gonna be a song that you'll want for your next breakup playlist!

"Now is the Time" by Jade Bird: This song seems like a very sunny folk-rock tune in comparison to the more dour ones Jade Bird usually puts out. The combination of acoustic guitars and what might be 12-strings in the background in the key of G setting forth a jangly strum seems a lot like "Here's Where the Story Ends" by The Sundays, but happier. As is typical of Bird's material, some of the lyrics to "Now is the Time" are a bit angst-ridden, but the overall message is a positive one: if you want something, go get it! It's tricky to tell if this is a song dispensing good advice or if it's a clever kiss-off to an ex disguised as a song of inspiration (see also "Good Riddance [Time of Your Life]" by Green Day). Whatever the intent, though, Now is the Time to hear this song!

"Rae Street" by Courtney Barnett: I'm sure Courtney Barnett has had more than one person liken her to a modern-day Patti Smith, but on Courtney's latest song, "Rae Street," the Patti influence really shows! It doesn't sound too dissimilar to Patti's "Dancing Barefoot," especially in the beginning. The "urban poetry" vibe of the lyrics also seems like it could be a Patti homage, though I'm sure it's being written from Courtney's own point of view as well. The song seems to tell the tale of a sort of "day-in-the-life" scenario, sung with deadpan vocals as Courtney typically does.