New songs for February 23rd, 2022

 here they are:


"If I Don't Hear From You Tonight" by Courtney Barnett: If the sardonic, deadpan Courtney Barnett is going to give us a love song, you know it's not gonna be an ordinary love song. Such is the case here with her latest song, "If I Don't Hear From You Tonight." With lines like "stars in the sky are gonna die" and "all my fears collided," you can tell that negative emotion fuels this deceptively sunny jangle-pop influenced track, but these lines are really just a venomous veneer for Courtney's vulnerability in the song. She's fragile and emotional just like we all are, and on this song, she lets that all hang out!

"Like Exploding Stones" by Kurt Vile: No, this is not a cheeky answer to Bob Dylan's already infamously jagged "Like a Rolling Stone," despite how the title of this song might sound to some. Kurt Vile takes a far loftier and spacier path than Dylan for this 7-and-a-half minute psych-folk-rock epic. The title of the song is actually a creative way to describe either Kurt's mental state, his mind on drugs, or perhaps both. Combining a swirling, sprawling electric guitar, a mellow acoustic guitar, and a warbling synthesizer to tie them together, "Like Exploding Stones" is one of Kurt Vile's headier moments. Why it needs to be as long as it is is anyone's guess, but perhaps part of that has to do with wanting to evoke a "jam band" and/or prog-rock vibe into this trippy tune.

"Ride or Die" by Hippo Campus: After two loosely folk-influenced songs, we find ourselves ending this week's blog with a more modern-sounding electro-pop song. Hippo Campus have been a synth-reliant band for a while now, but with "Ride or Die," they appear to be attempting to sound more mainstream than their previous stuff was. The lyrics to this song also seem somewhat repetitive, and it doesn't really seem to have a lot of chords besides A or D. For a once quirky band, "Ride or Die" is somewhat of a disappointment, but perhaps it'll propel Hippo Campus to more widespread fame than they had previously. 

New songs for February 16th, 2022

 here they are:


"Bad Dream" by Cannons: Electro-indie-pop group, Cannons, had one of the biggest hits of 2021 with the slinky, passionate "Fire for You." Currently climbing up the alt charts and scratching the surface of the adult alt charts is the song slated to be Cannons' second big hit, "Bad Dream." The song basically tells the tale of how lead singer Michelle Joy has been stood up by someone she has deep admiration for. That can indeed make someone feel like they're living in a bad dream! In contrast to the funky, echoic guitars in the background of "Fire for You," "Bad Dream" doesn't seem to feature any guitars at all, instead relying on synthesizer as its main instrument.

"Good Day" by Seratones: This marks the third time I've heard a song by Seratones, a Louisiana trio who combines vintage R & B sounds with fuzzed out, psychedelic guitar sounds. After the fiery "Gotta Get to Know Ya" and the righteous indignation of "Over You," "Good Day" might just be Seratones' first feel-good song! At least, the first feel-good song that has become a hit for them. According to lead singer, A.J. Haynes, Seratones intentionally chose a feel-good sound for both this song and its album as a form of protest, oddly enough, as Haynes feels that getting through tough times with joyful emotions is the type of protest she's "most interested in" for the time being. 

"Porta" by Sharon Van Etten: Through a stark electro-pop sound, Sharon Van Etten weaves a rather dark tale about how she feels about being stalked by someone, and how she wants to break free from it. The song serves as a message to her stalker, telling them to stay away from them, even culminating with the line, "stay out of my life." Fitting for a song with the subject matter it has, "Porta" is a very haunting song that doesn't get away from the listener very easily once they hear it for the first time. Who or what is "Porta"? I haven't the slightest idea! But this is a powerful song nonetheless!

"Too Late Now" by Wet Leg: While nowhere near as quirky or original-sounding as their breakthrough single, "Chaise Longue," Wet Leg's "Too Late Now" still retains the mix of indie-pop and electronica that that song had. "Too Late Now," as could be inferred from the title alone, is not exactly a cheery, upbeat song, though it does speed up midway through after a "sing-speak" interlude from lead singer Rhian Teasdale. Through the course of the song, Teasdale sings about her regret for a friendship she had when she was younger. The stress piles up as the song goes on, with Teasdale ultimately concluding that she "just need(s) a bubble bath to set (her) mind on a higher path." Clearly a cry for help disguised with somewhat cutesy words. 

"Virginia (Wind in the Night)" by The Head and The Heart: Among The Head and The Heart's already poignant catalog, their latest song, "Virginia (Wind in the Night)" sticks out as being one of the most poignant songs the band has recorded so far! Perhaps part of the reason the song tugs at the heartstrings as much as it does is because band member Jonathan Russell, who actually is from Virginia, is speaking of his own personal experiences in this song. Being a Virginia native, Russell feels a deep connection with the state and lets it pour out in this song. The song's parenthetical title, "Wind in the Night," was added in there so Russell could combine his personal experiences with something a bit more universal (hearing the wind in the night). In "Virginia (Wind in the Night)," we get the best of both worlds! In one sense, we get a feel for the strong ties Jonathan Russell feels to the place he was born in, and in another, we get imagery relating to nature that everyone can identify with, and very stark, haunting imagery, at that. 

"What, Me Worry?" by Portugal. The Man: When you saw the title to this song, was the first thing you thought of the goofy, buck-toothed Alfred E. Neuman of MAD Magazine fame?! If so, that was intentional! Portugal. The Man's "What, Me Worry?" comes from childhood memories that lead singer John Gourley had, including looking at MAD Magazine issues back then. Musically, the song combines the carefree, funky vibes of PTM's biggest hit, "Feel it Still," with the more guitar-oriented sounds the band went for prior to that song's existence. Much like the famed humor-based publication, the humor of "What, Me Worry?" is rather dark but still funny. The song talks about intense, scary situations, with the chorus almost taunting the verses with its titular question. Only one more thing I'd like to say about this song. Potrzebie! (MAD Magazine fans will get this reference). 

New songs for February 9th, 2022

 Here they are:


"Anyone for You" by George Ezra: Indie-folk/pop-ster George Ezra is known for his upbeat songs. Not a single one of his songs has been a downer so far, but "Anyone for You" might just eclipse all of his previous songs in terms of how happy it sounds! It is also notable for being the first George Ezra song that focuses on keyboard more than guitar. Just in time for Valentine's Day, "Anyone for You" is a love song, pure and simple. Not much more to it than that, but this is one of those songs that doesn't really need to carry a lot of weight on it in order for it be appealing!

"Black Summer" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: RHCP have had hit songs since 1991 and have been releasing records for even longer. They haven't had a hit record since 2016, but Flea and the boys just don't seem to run out of steam! Many of the lines in the verses tend to be completely random ("Playtpus are few/The secret life of roo" Ummm...say WHAT?!), but the title of the song and its chorus seem to simultaneously represent both the depression of certain members of the band and the state of the world as it approaches temperature levels that make it harder for us to survive each year. 

"Kissing Lessons" Lucy Dacus: Another love song just in time for Valentine's Day! This is no typical love song, though. Through a slightly punk-pop sound tinted through an indie-pop lens, Lucy tells a story from her childhood years about trying to win over a boy in her class, when she turns out being charmed by a girl instead simply for wanting "lessons on kissing." Lucy has created an anthem for bisexuals with her latest song. "Kissing Lessons" doubles in being a lesson both on love and diversity! Too bad the song is less than 2 minutes long.

"Love Brand New" by Bob Moses: Bob Moses, first of all, is not one person. They are actually two people. Now that I've gotten that out of the way, Bob Moses' latest song, "Love Brand New," is a techno-pop song that was written during their 2019 tour at Coachella. The subject of the song, obviously, is love, but the "brand new" part of the title is relevant to the song as well. According to the duo whose name sounds like a single person, "Love Brand New" is about experiencing love as though going through it for the first time. 

"Love is Selfish" by Jack White: After the fiery "Taking Me Back," Jack calms things down significantly with his latest song, "Love is Selfish." As the title implies, "Love is Selfish" finds Jack in the position of not wanting to be in love due to how ironically self-centered people can be when they're in love. He tries to find a solution to his problem but ends up falling short. As a balance from all the positive love songs being released this week, this one is for all the brokenhearted, single people who might not feel joy on Valentine's Day. Oddly, this song is in a major key, despite how sad it is. 

Happy Ground-blog Day!

 It's Groundhog Day...again. But this time, I'm doing something I don't think I've done on previous Groundhog Days: a music blog! Here are today's songs of the week:


"Hold U" by Indigo de Souza: The late '80s brought us the innovative, cutting-edge folk-rock duo, Indigo Girls. The early 2020's have brought us an equally innovative and cutting-edge indie-pop girl NAMED Indigo. Indigo de Souza, that is. Indigo is a North Carolinian with Brazilian heritage whose style of music can't be easily defined. It combines elements of techno, R & B, new wave, and pop music to create a uniquely catchy sound. Her breakthrough song, "Hold U," is a simple love song lyrically, but its sound is truly a breath of fresh air on alt and adult alt radio stations.

"Paddle to the Stars" by The Dip: As far as the indie-folk/rock record label, Dualtone, is concerned, The Dip are probably the most jazz and soul influenced band on their roster. The Dip have cultivated such a sound for a few years now, but "Paddle the Stars" marks the first time that adult alt radio has truly taken notice of their music, which carves out a sound more reminiscent of Stax Records than it does Dualtone. The song's lyrics aren't out of the ordinary for a love song, but the song definitely seems like it would hold appeal to fans of vintage, sax-heavy soul musicians like Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett. 

"Pierced Arrows" by Hurray for the Riff Raff: Where our first two entries of the week focused on love (fitting for the month of February), "Pierced Arrows" by Hurray for the Riff Raff focuses on heartbreak, and possibly on other negative emotions like fear. The song even starts on a sour, questionable note, with the lyrics, "Trying to avoid running into my ex on Broadway." Yikes! HFTRR's Alynda Segarra must have had some bad experiences with love before, if we are to go by those lyrics. The title alone indicates something negative, but Alynda holds nothing back right from the start in this paranoid yet catchy synth-driven indie-pop song. The song might also be a "screw-you" to the world at large (the third to the last line of the song is "The whole f**king world is changing.") Alynda gets both more fearful and more fierce than she ever has before on "Pierced Arrows." 

"Seventeen Going Under" by Sam Fender: Sam Fender's bittersweet yet catchy and Springsteen-esque song, "Hypersonic Missiles," might have just been the perfect song for 2019, exactly one year before the coronavirus pandemic. The song focused on the end of the world, but in a very triumphant and poetic manner. Two years later, Sam gives us the equally Springsteen-esque "Seventeen Going Under," combining shimmering, soulful jangle-pop guitars with stellar sax riffs, much like The Boss did during his early years. Lyrically, the song is about being 17, the age Sam was exactly a decade ago, and how awkward it is to be such an age. It's also about both the hunger and the pressure many teenagers feel to "grow up" at that age. Sam was no exception to the rule. He made the realization at this age that although he was no longer a little boy, he didn't feel like a fully-grown man either, and he struggled to cope with the confusing reality of this situation. At age 27, Sam has now realized that "growing up" and growing old are two different things, unlike what his teenage self probably thought. I think a lot of people can relate to this one!

"Simulation Swarm" by Big Thief: One thing that might jump out at listeners about Big Thief's latest song, "Simulation Swarm," if they listen carefully enough, is the contradiction between how sweet and warm the song sounds and how weird the lyrics are. It's a bit hard to make sense of Adrianne Lenker's rather stream-of-consciousness narrative, which consists of vivid imagery that never quite comes to fruition as a coherent story. Midway through, the gentle vibe of "Simulation Swarm" becomes slightly more trippy with its fuzzed-out, psychedelic guitar solo, yet it never climaxes to a point of intense loudness, remaining in the same state of blissed out calm throughout. The song leaves on a quiet, almost whispery note upon fading out.