here they are:
"The Last Dance" by St. Paul and The Broken Bones: Neo-soul group, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, seem to keep moving further and further forward in time with each album they make! Their debut boasted Al Green-ish vintage soul with an early 1970's sound, they progressed into a more mid-1970's sound with their next two albums, and with a fourth album on the way, St. Paul and The Broken Bones seem to be heading into an early 1980's soul sound, evoking vibes of acts like Prince and Hall & Oates. There is a reason, by the way, that this song is called "The LAST Dance." It is yet another song reflective of a world facing imminent danger, hence it could be the last time that they (or anyone) is able to perform music, or do anything, really. Might as well go out with a bang, right?! That is exactly what St. Paul and The Broken Bones do here!
"The Tipping Point" by Tears for Fears: A fave band of people nostalgic for the 1980's, Tears for Fears are back for the first time in 17 years! Although the song uses familiar elements, like the beat of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World," TFF's latest song, "The Tipping Point," mostly sounds like something that would be indistinguishable from current indie-pop-tronica. TFF have never been a band to shy away from dark subject matter either, and they continue to delve into bleak territory with "The Tipping Point," as the title alone might indicate to some. It refers specifically here to singer Roland Orzabal's former wife, Caroline, who passed away a few years ago, and how Orzabal remained uncertain as to when she had officially crossed the "threshold" (or "tipping point") from life to that which lies beyond.
"Working for the Knife" by Mitski: Mitski is not like everyone else, even in a world where it's the thing to not be like "everyone else." Over a bleak synthesizer functioning as the lead instrument and a throbbing guitar riff in the center, Mitski's latest song is one that seems to show her disdain for the music industry, and possibly for industries in general. The "knife" in the song's title serves as a metaphor for anyone and anything, including ourselves, that expects more of us than we intend to give. What can I say? Life is exhausting sometimes! And Mitski makes that clear in both the music and the lyrics of her latest song.
"You've Got a Habit of Leaving" by David Bowie: Did you ever wonder what David Bowie would have sounded like as "David Jones"? Well, now's your chance to find out! "You've Got a Habit of Leaving" was first written and recorded about four years before David Bowie became "David Bowie." Although the instruments themselves sound relatively modern on this track, the structure of the chords, the harmonies, and the "ooh-ah-ooh"s that dominate the chorus sound decidedly more "retro" than what you might otherwise expect of David Bowie. If The Beatles had survived into the new millennium, they'd probably sound a lot like what David Bowie sounds like here! Bowie may be gone, but his music lives on!
