here they are:
"Billy Goodbye" by Franz Ferdinand: There's hardly a Franz Ferdinand song in existence that doesn't sound energetic in some way, but "Billy Goodbye" has a special kind of energy! The kind of energy and sound you would typically find in a David Bowie song from the early 1970's! Franz have taken on the post-punk sound plenty of times, but this time they go more for proto-punk, or more specifically, the glam rock sound. The titular Billy, by the way, is really a hodgepodge of different people in the band's lives that they've had to end friendships with, although not necessarily in a bad way. Most of these people have just come and gone throughout their lives. "Billy Goodbye" is not about resenting past friendships, but rather about celebrating them for what they were. Friendship IS magic, after all!
"Heading West" by Neil Young: Legendary rocker Neil Young (whose birthday is coming up shortly), offers us yet another way to reminisce about the past with his latest song, "Heading West." The song, which evokes a distinctly early 1970's sound that only Young and Crazy Horse could come up with, is about Neil Young's memories of traveling across the countryside with his mom and how that influenced his life growing up. Beneath the crunchy, blazing guitars of this song lie peaceful memories, and the song never gets too out of control, using a quaint piano sound and mellow beat to cushion an otherwise edgy sounding tune.
"Record Player" by Daisy the Great (featuring AJR): This one's an interesting one, for sure! It doesn't sound that different from most post-millennial mainstream pop, yet there's something "quirky" about this one all the same! Though Daisy the Great take the lead vocals on this track, it was actually AJR's idea when they came across an earlier version of the song (then called "The Record Player Song") and decided to duet with DTG on it. The result is the auditory equivalent of eating a sour lollipop: sweet and delicious, yet also something that perks up your taste buds (or ear buds, in this case). And the video for the song is also worth checking out with its surreal, cartoony look! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyuIHyOBFsU)
"Silk Chiffon" by Muna (featuring Phoebe Bridgers): Two of the most interesting and sweet-voiced women of the indie-pop/folk/rock world come together to create a song that sounds more pop-y than most of the material either of them have done before in "Silk Chiffon." The song brightly mixes acoustic guitars with electronic beats with a sound that wouldn't be out of place in your local mall or grocery store. It's possible that the song's topic could be about a woman falling in love with another woman given both the lyrical content and the fact that Phoebe Bridgers is bisexual. You know you're living in more progressive times when a soft, fluffy pop song is willing to explore modes of sexuality that go beyond what people might expect otherwise from such a song.
"Wake Me Up" by Foals: Are you wondering why indie-popsters Foals are sounding more disco-y than ever? Well, the answer is because they figure that ultra-catchy dance-pop is the antidote to the pandemic blues! The song was originally thought up while people were in fuller lockdown mode than they are today. Instead of relying on pessimism, they chose to rely on hope, and as a result, they have made what could just be their catchiest song since "My Number," which came out 8 years ago. So what are you waiting for? Get down on the dance floor and join us!
