New songs for May 18th, 2022

 here they are:



"All Comes Crashing" by Metric: Metric have long been a fixture in the indie-pop/rock community, but "All Comes Crashing" marks the first time that adult alt radio stations have paid attention to their music. The sudden interest such stations now have for Metric is a bit mystifying to me, as this song does not differ much from their normal stuff in terms of how it sounds. It is essentially dance-pop synthesizers playfully clashing with gritty post-punk guitars, which is typical for Metric. Perhaps, then, it is the lyrical content of "All Comes Crashing" that adult alt radio programmers are sympathizing with. The song is ostensibly a love song, but a closer listen to the lyrics reveal how it's actually about wanting to have someone to love (not necessarily in the romantic sense) and depend on during a crisis.

"Mistakes" by Sharon Van Etten: With "Mistakes," Sharon Van Etten continues to move further from her folk-rock roots and into more electro-pop territory. Unfortunately apt to the song's title, some longtime fans of hers might think "Mistakes" IS a mistake, but the heart of the song lies in its lyrics. Even the song's title and its chorus are a reflection of how Sharon's "mistakes" can turn out to be great things after all. 

"Settling" by Ripe: It was around the mid-1980's that Paul Simon indelibly wove African polyrhythms into pop/rock music, and many musicians have followed suit with this winning combination since such as Ben Harper, Dave Matthews, and Michael Franti. The latest to join this trend is Boston quintet, Ripe, whose song, "Settling," is an upbeat, fun pop/rock song with elements of jazz and world music. Fitting to its jubilant sound, "Settling" is a song all about trying to live the life you please and celebrating it for all it's worth. 

New songs for May 4th, 2022

 Here they are:


"Falling Apart (Right Now)" by Wilco: Wilco have gone through many musical phases in their career! Psychedelic, prog-rock, folk-rock, you name it! But it's important for Wilco's fans to remember they started off as a country-rock group, and with "Falling Apart (Right Now)," Wilco have gone back to their roots. Sort of. The song is really more rockabilly than anything else. There's a definite sense of country twang in the song, but it's done to a sort of boogie-woogie shuffle. Yet another adventure into uncharted territory in the eclectic Wilco catalog!

"Hard Working Man" by Marcus King: Hard ROCKING man is more like it!! For soul/blues-rocker, Marcus King, this is probably the hardest rocking song he's had in his catalog so far! The song echoes a lot of guitar riffs 1970's rock bands and musicians such as Bad Company, George Thorogood, and ZZ Top. Marcus' riffs and sound are usually a bit smoother than that, but there's nothin' wrong with spicing up your material with rawer sounds every once in a while!

"Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)" by Arcade Fire: Yet another song from this year that showcases the more sensitive, folk-rock side of Arcade Fire, "Unconditional I (Lookout Kid)" is a song that attempts to reach out to a world that continues to crumble at the seams despite our best efforts to prevent that from happening. The song takes its main title (and chorus) from our innate desire for unconditional love, much needed in times like this, and its parenthetical title, "Lookout Kid," from what Win Butler says during the verses; essentially an attempt to warn listeners, especially teens and young adults ("kids"), that the world is a far from perfect place and that they should look out for danger (and for one another).