New songs for January 26th, 2022

 here they are:


"How Dare You Want More" by Bleachers: Combining Springsteen-ian guitars with horns that sound more fit for a ska player than they do for Clarence Clemons, Bleachers' "How Dare You Want More" seems at least in part to be inspired by lead singer Jack Antonoff's dream-come-true of actually getting to duet with his hero and fellow New Jerseyan, Bruce Springsteen, about two years ago. Even some of the lyrics here seem a bit Springsteen-ian (such as "lonely wants to stay forever"). The title begs the question, "How Dare You Want More"? More what, exactly? Through the verses of the song, we find out that Jack could be referring to more than one thing in the title of the song. A lot of the verses seem to refer to hardships Jack has been through, and he is telling the subjects of his song that he does not want to be put through more grief than he has already been through. The beauty of anguish, however, is that it results in great songs. This one such example!

"Where We Are" by The Lumineers: Stylistically speaking, "Where We Are" is nothing new for The Lumineers, but the chord progression, which sneaks in a capoed, blues-y B7 once or twice, does make it a memorable song for them. Like our previous entry for this week, "Where We Are" centers around the many hardships the band has had to suffer through together. The song, fittingly, is in both major and minor key during the chorus, perhaps signifying that although the band faces an uncertain future, there is still a light at the end of the tunnel that brings them hope.


"Wild" by Spoon: The blues-rock fury of Spoon's previous single, "The Hardest Cut," was an unexpected yet welcome smash hit on adult alt radio stations late last year and early this one. "Wild" goes more for the experimental yet catchy funk-rock the band are known for. In other words, "Wild" is NOT actually wild. It is fun, though! The lyrics of the song seem to be world-weary, tired of being demanded to do everything for everyone all the time. In the chorus, Britt Daniels sings, "But the world, still so wild, called to me," from which the song gets its title, serving as a "comeback" point in the song to show how reason ("the world") pulls him away from the madness of the crowd. 

New songs for January 19th 2022

 here they are:


"Brother the Cloud" by Eddie Vedder: Simultaneously a hard rocker and alt-folk-y emotional tearjerker, the Pearl Jam frontman's latest song, "Brother the Cloud," is a poignant and cathartic song in which the word "brother" is not used merely as a metaphor for someone he was close to. "Brother the Cloud" is about Eddie's actual brother (well, half-brother), Chris Mueller, who died 6 years ago in a climbing accident. Similarly, the word "cloud" in this song was also well-chosen, referring not merely to heaven or something of the like, but rather to how Eddie's half-brother reached the end of his life while literally rising up towards the clouds. Vedder is a special kind of poet among rock stars who chooses his words both carefully and cleverly!

"Next to Normal" by Lucius: A psychedelic disco fusion that sounds more like St. Vincent than it does Lucius, "Next to Normal" is ostensibly a love song, but not a typical one. In it, the lead singer describes how she feels "next to normal" with her lover, but the titular phrase is not just some cutesy throwaway term used merely for the sake of romance. Elsewhere in the song, she discusses how her paranoia gets the best of her sometimes and how she has lost friends and tends to laugh at inappropriate moments. This sounds strangely familiar somehow! Maybe because in my own life I've experienced similar things. It is not fun to live life this way, but with a loved one at your side (romantic or platonic), members of the neurodiverse community such as myself can manage to feel "next to normal" for the understanding they are given by the other person. Isn't that what everyone wants?!

"Pa Pa Power" by Cat Power: From time to time, indie-folk musician Chan Marshall, better known as Cat Power, releases cover songs (one of her best was a cover of Frank Sinatra's "New York, New York" that she did back in 2008). A little over a decade has gone by since she released that cover, and she has embarked once again on a collection of cover songs, although this one is a much more obscure one that was originally done by Dead Man's Bones, a band that features actor Ryan Gosling on lead vocals. Having not heard the original version of "Pa Pa Power," I can't make a comparison between Cat Power's version and the original version, but CP gives the song a haunting, minor-key mystique, perhaps fitting for its minimalistic yet morbid lyrics. 

"Slide Tackle" by Japanese Breakfast: 2021 was a year of unexpected surprise for electro-indie-pop group, Japanese Breakfast. Their song "Be Sweet," a slinky, seductive slice of synth-pop, became one of the most played adult alt radio singles of the year (and the one that I played the most, apparently), and they have since gotten Grammy nominations, performance spots at Coachella, and a guest appearance on James Corden's late night talk show. So how do you follow up THAT level of success, you may ask?! Japanese Breakfast's latest single, "Slide Tackle," doesn't quite have the power or quirkiness of "Be Sweet," but it has a fun, unique sound all its own. Unlike "Be Sweet"s minor key, "Slide Tackle" is in a major key, and it also has a sleek sax solo to boot that kind of defines the song. 

"You Will Never Work in Television Again" by The Smile: "The Smile" is probably the last thing you'd expect a Radiohead side project to be named, but that is what Radiohead's lead singer Thom Yorke and guitarist Johnny Greenwood are calling their new band! It's also a rather deceptive name for the kind of music they have chosen to do, which is somewhat aggressive both lyrically and musically (although not to an uncomfortable or unlistenable extent), and a bit avant-garde and minimalistic even by Radiohead standards! The title of this song, on the other hand, does seem to encapsulate the song's snide spirit, which probably serve as a way for Thom Yorke to vehemently rail against the entertainment industry. 

New songs for January 12th, 2022

 here they are:


"Funny Girl" by Father John Misty: Well, it's the '20s, isn't it?! The new '20s, that is. Yet this song, especially its intro, would not have sounded too out of place in the old '20s (or '30s or '40s). A piece of orchestral easy listening that I could easily picture Frank Sinatra or Tony Bennett doing, "Funny Girl" is yet another daring venture in the already eclectic catalog of Father John Misty. The lyrics, however, are pure Misty. No time during the first half of the 20th century would you have heard about the "Cathy" comics, or about David Letterman, both of which get referenced in this song. Unlike the unrelenting sincerity of Frank or Tony, Father John Misty injects a hidden dose of sarcasm into "Funny Girl." It is not merely a song about someone he falls in love with, but rather a song that parodies such songs in a rather subtle manner, spitting snide, subtle commentary about contemporary society while pretending to serenade a special someone. Unless your lover is a hipster, you might wanna stick with something like "My Funny Valentine" this Valentine's Day. Nonetheless, this song is a welcome gem for being the first new song I've heard so far for the new year!

"Hell to Pay" by Davy Knowles: The guitarist for blues-rock group, Back Door Slam, Davy Knowles strikes out on his own this year with "Hell to Pay," a song that sounds anything but hellish. In fact, it actually sounds rather slinky, seductive, and soulful! Though the song's minor key does hint at the song's negative point of view and subject matter, Davy turns his heartbreak into heated, passionate music in "Hell to Pay." The song's R & B flavor turns slightly more to the "B" side (blues) towards the end, but even its blues-y guitar solo is one that's more tepid than torrid.

"In the Wake of Your Leave" by Gang of Youths: Gang of Youths had a surprisingly big adult alt radio hit last year with "The Angel of 8th Avenue," a song that mixed the urban poetry and rootsy folk-rock of Bruce Springsteen with the cold, detached synth-rock dynamics of New Order. GOY's followup single, "In the Wake of Your Leave," doesn't have quite as compelling or unique a sound as that one did, but is still a deep and inspired song lyrically. The "your" in question refers to the lead singer's recently deceased father, whose death he had a difficult time coping with. "In the Wake of Your Leave" serves as an outlet for GOY's lead singer to release his grief and stress into song. 

"Paint This Town" by Old Crow Medicine Show: Old Crow Medicine Show have thus far had only one adult alt radio hit with "Wagon Wheel," which came out over 15 years ago and became slightly better known about two years after its initial release when Hootie and The Blowfish's Darius Rucker took the song's rustic, roots-y bluegrass sound and turned it into country-pop. Who knew OCMS would return to adult alt radio over a decade and a half after that song was released?! I sure didn't! Their newest song, "Paint This Town," has slightly more rock influence than "Wagon Wheel" while still managing to retain OCMS's trademark country/folk/bluegrass inspired sound. The song sounds a little like some of the songs John Mellencamp was churning out in the mid to late '80s after his success at Farm Aid. The lyrics to "Paint This Town," telling of touring life out on the open road, seem to be more derivative of latter-day Bruce Springsteen than they do John Mellencamp, but either way, "Paint This Town" is sure to be a fave among roots-rock and "Heartland rock" enthusiasts!

Twos-Day! Two songs for Two thousand Twenty Two a day after Tues-day! (Happy New Year)

 Hey everyone! Happy New Year! (Or should I say, Happy TWO Year?!) I guess 2 is a lucky number this year! Two songs to start the year that is mostly twos with the exception of the zero in the middle of it. And it IS the day after Twos...I mean Tuesday. Ready 2 begin! How 'bout you?!

"B-Side" by Leon Bridges (featuring Khruangbin): Leon's effort from last year, "Motorbike," was not exactly the retro-soul I was used to from him. It sounded more like he was trying to emulate contemporary R & B with that song. With "B-Side," however, his second collaboration with Khruangbin since 2020's "Texas Sun," Leon gets his groove back! The song indulges in a 1970's funk influenced sound throughout as Leon tells the tale of a lover he feels he is missing in his life. The subject here doesn't seem to be as important as the music, though. To quote one of Leon's other songs, "If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)"!

"Cheer Up Baby" by Inhaler: Those Irish rockers! Being part Irish myself, I love whenever I hear about any Irish musician trying to make it big, and indie-rockers Inhaler are the latest of the pack. They sound a bit more like the British Kooks or the Scottish Franz Ferdinand than they do like U2 or The Cranberries, but it's still a catchy sound! "Cheer Up Baby" has actually been around since the members of Inhaler were teenagers, but the song has taken on a new meaning during the pandemic. Rather than the song's original intent of cheering up a girlfriend, people (including Inhaler themselves) have now interpreted the song's message as one of hope during difficult times.