New songs for the day before St. Patrick's Day

 here they are:


"Believe" by Caamp: The already mellow neo-folk-rock group, Caamp, are at their mellowest yet with their latest song, "Believe." The song is a song of reassurance. Although the subject of the song is addressed as "baby," it's really meant to be a song for any listener who feels down on their luck and needs some uplifting words to make their day. Sometimes that's just what we need!

"My Love" by Florence and The Machine: Flo and her magic Machine have been all about stretching the boundaries of what a musical genre can sound like during an era where music seemed to sound more and more the same with each passing year. With "My Love," FATM continue to mix different genres into one and still make it sound catchy. The first 30 seconds sounds like a choir rehearsing, and then we're hit with a pop beat and Flo's unmistakable vocals immediately after. The lyrics of the song are mournful, contrasting with the song's memorably upbeat sound, and there's a reason for this. Flo apparently wanted the song to be slow and sad, but when she tried it out as a dance-pop tune with Baroque influences, it worked perfectly!

"Warning Signs" by Band of Horses: I like all of BOH's material, but my faves of theirs are when they show off their more sentimental side (especially "No One's Gonna Love You," which introduced me to their material). Their latest song, "Warning Signs," is in that vein, but this is more than just a pretty song. It's also a sad one, inspired by lead singer Ben Birdwell's unfortunate temporary vocal chord loss during a tour that BOH had in Australia. He had been so overworked during that tour that he broke down crying, which ultimately resulted in him losing his voice during the tour. This is why the song opens with lyrics about seeing a registered nurse and trying to hold back tears. The song's already emotionally driven sound becomes even more so once you realize the story behind it!

"Wild Child" by The Black Keys: Blues-rock and garage rock are already a part of most Black Keys songs, but funk is not exactly a common element in their material. Until now, that is. Their latest song, "Wild Child," opens with a "chicken scratch" guitar sound common in funk music, and its rhythm suggests funk-rock more than it does blues or garage rock, too. The song even has a string section in the background that wouldn't sound out of place in an actual 1970's soul song. The Keys have still maintained their garage and blues-rock roots, though, with a sharp guitar solo that owes much to classic rock guitarists. 

New songs for October 20th 2021

 here they are:


"Beggin'" by Maneskin: Italian rock group, Maneskin (pronounced MAHN-skin), have now broken through to alt and adult alt radio with their first major hit, "Beggin'." However, "Beggin'" is not actually their song, but one that was originally done by 1960's pop sensations, The Four Seasons! Can you believe it?! A Frankie Valli song, be it one of his own or a cover, hasn't sounded this funky since the Grease theme song! The original "Beggin'" had more of an early 1960's pop sound as people were then accustomed to hearing from The Four Seasons. How Maneskin were able to resurrect a slightly obscure pop nugget, give it a funky sheen, and have it explode to popularity far more than the original did is anyone's guess, but I'm glad they did it!

"Crutch" by Band of Horses: After a five-year hiatus from the music biz, indie-pop/rock sensations Band of Horses are back with a fun, upbeat, catchy song called "Crutch." Lead singer Ben Birdwell claims he has a "crutch" on someone during the chorus of the song. In case you were wondering, yes, that IS meant to be misheard as "crush." Well, sort of. It's really more that whether one hears the title as "crutch" or "crush," it more or less means the same thing, since relationships can leave you feeling dependent on the other person, and thus a "crutch" for your emotions. Not often a love song is this clever or punny, is it?

"Taking Me Back" by Jack White: Doing what he does best, Jack White really amps up his guitars loud on his latest song, "Taking Me Back." Somehow, he makes his guitar sound both "robotic" and blues-y on the track, as only he can! Jack sounds pretty assertive and gutsy on this track, as if he is not merely suggesting, but demanding that the subject of the song take him back! It is not the mere presence of Jack and his guitar that is making this song popular, though. Fans of the unapologetically brash video game, Call of Duty, have probably brought this track (which, fittingly, is unapologetically brash as well) to the forefront since it is one of the songs included on the soundtrack for the latest installment of the game. I really couldn't care less about the game (or most video games, really), but I'm all for seeing Jack flex his electric guitar muscles and putting them to the test!

New songs for March 22nd, 2017

here they are:


"Baby I'm Broken" by The Record Company: Their debut album's only a year old, and already blues-rock outfit, The Record Company, are hot on the heels of a brand new album for this year! Perhaps this was a result of songs like the saucy "Off the Ground" and the sizzlin' "Rita Mae Young" becoming such big hits on adult alt radio stations. The Record Co's third big song, "Baby I'm Broken", seems poised to do the same as its predecessors, and for the same reasons as well. In a year when rock and roll had continued to diminish into a desert island, The Record Company satisfied the thirst of classic rock and blues-rock fans everywhere, and that is why they became such a big hit with their listeners! "Baby I'm Broken" is twice the rock and twice the roll, with a fuzz soaked blues-y sound and vamp that probably brings bands like The Black Keys to mind.


"Restart" by BNQT: Banquet?! No, I think that "Bee-En-Kyoo-Tee", the individual letters of the band's name, is how you pronounce this one, although supposedly, "Banquet" was the original name of the band. BNQT are actually an indie-rock supergroup featuring members of Band of Horses, Grandaddy, Travis, and Franz Ferdinand, the first two of whom collaborated on a Christmas song together a few years back (I suppose that's how they know each other). Anyway, their debut song, "Restart", has a rather T. Rex-ish glam rock groove that none of the other bands the members are in have really achieved aside from possibly Franz Ferdinand. The song's chorus states that, "We could all use a restart". I would say that the phrase "throwback" is more accurate in terms of describing this song than "restart" is, but there's nothing wrong with a good throwback once in a while!

New songs for October 26th, 2016

here they are:


"Astral Plane" by Valerie June: Do you notice something different about Valerie June's latest song?! It doesn't have the roots-y flavor she usually goes for in her songs, but there is a very good reason for this. That is because "Astral Plane" was a song that was originally written for the smooth-jazz influenced trip-hop group, Massive Attack. "Trip-hop", for those who aren't familiar with it, is basically like a smooth, ethereal, and jazzy form of alternative pop music with electronics as backing instruments. There are no electronic instruments backing Valerie's version of "Astral Plane", but it still manages to maintain the billowy, blissful beauty of what Massive Attack's music typically sounds like. Much like Van Morrison's similarly titled "Astral Weeks", "Astral Plane" is a magical musical trip to heaven written in A major that's guaranteed to soothe all your troubled nerves!


"Glitter And Gold" by Barns Courtney: Throughout both the spring AND summer of this year, Barns Courtney had an unexpected but oh-so-catchy hit song with the blazing, hot song, "Fire", on both the alt and adult alt charts. It was only a few weeks ago that the possibility of a second Barns Courtney hit was hinted at, but perhaps I should have figured this was coming with "Fire" being one of the most successful songs of 2016. His newest song is called "Glitter And Gold" and contains a similar mix of blues-y spirituals and rock and roll attitude. "Glitter And Gold" is already pretty catchy and the vocalized "ting ting" in the chorus of the song brings a bit of humor along for the ride as well. "Glitter And Gold" seems to be about the desire for fame, but I doubt Barns really has such a desire anymore now that he's GOTTEN it! With "Glitter And Gold", his 15 minutes of fame might have just expanded to 30!


"Here In Spirit" by Jim James: Jim James is like the bearded roots-y folk-rock version of David Bowie in some ways. He's not afraid to experiment with other sounds and he's able to sound sweet and heavenly just as much as he is brooding and scary. Jim's "Here In Spirit" attempts to have a more heavenly sound, albeit with an R & B sounding backbeat. Fitting to its title, "Here In Spirit" has a rather spiritual message of peace and love, apt to the neo-hippie image Jim James has attempted to cultivate. As a warning to those who get lulled into James' hypnotic musical trance, there is a "hiccup" in either the keyboards or the percussion at about 3 and a half minutes into the song. It should be a smooth ride otherwise, though.


"In A Drawer" by Band of Horses: It's been awhile since we last heard Band of Horses come up with a solid ballad, and "In A Drawer" is proof that BOH still have potential to be a calmer band at times. The song's odd title seems to be a reference to all the memories that Ben Bridwell keeps finding throughout the song (he finds them in a drawer). As such, the song has a rather bittersweet, nostalgic quality. "Casual Party" might have been a more likely song to hook BOH fans into listening to a new record by them due to its catchiness, but I would have preferred to have "In A Drawer" as the first single off their new album. And who, you might be wondering, is that scraggly, quavering voice singing beside Ben during the chorus? Well that just so happens to be none other than J. Mascis, the lead singer of the legendary proto-indie and pre-grunge group, Dinosaur Jr. Pretty cool, huh?!


"Shine" by Mondo Cozmo: Our last entry of the week comes from the only group of musicians making their debut onto the blog. The other four have had entries on my blog before, but not Mondo Cozmo. Their name alone sounds pretty intriguing, doesn't it?! Well, wait 'till you hear their music! Although folk-rock is precious to me in general, I must admit that I haven't been THIS impressed by a folk-rock song since Mumford and Sons debuted back in 2010! (Or when The Tallest Man on Earth broke through 2 years later). There's something very striking and poignant about Mondo Cozmo's "Shine". Perhaps it's the chord progression or the way it's being played. Perhaps it's the "everything will be alright if you let it go" refrain in the chorus that can lend itself to multiple interpretations. Maybe it could even be the echoic choir sound that comes through as the song builds up. Whatever it is, though, "Shine" does exactly what its title suggests it would do, and how!

Rudolph the Red Nosed Radiohead!! (and three other good ones)

I can't help myself. I'm a goofball sometimes. The video for Radiohead's "Burn the Witch" looks so much like those stop-motion Christmas specials from Rankin-Bass that I just had to reference that somewhere in the title of this week's blog! Anyway, on we go!!


"Burn the Witch" by Radiohead: What happens when you put Rankin Bass Christmas specials, persecution of women based on false accusation, a classical orchestra, and electronic beats into the same setting?! You probably were going to say either "a bad dream" or "an acid trip", but the answer is Radiohead, whom I guess kinda resemble those two things sometimes! The song that combines all these factors, "Burn the Witch", is calming and edgy all at once, like a lot of Radiohead's songs tend to be. Both the lyrics of "Burn the Witch" and its accompanying Rankin-Bass-goes-to-the-dark-side music video are Thom Yorke's way of expressing criticism towards many facets of contemporary society. For instance, the song's chorus of "Abandon all reason/Avoid all eye contact/Do not react/Shoot the messenger/Burn the witch" could be interpreted as a "madness mantra" against how foolishly people tend to react to political events (just about any events, really). The jarring yet brilliantly hilarious juxtaposition between innocent children's show imagery and people causing chaos amongst themselves also lends itself to many interpretations, one of which is the dissonance between the idea of "family values" and how grim some think the reality of such "values" can be as a result of impinging them upon society. After seeing the music video for "Burn the Witch" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yI2oS2hoL0k), you might never look at "Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer" the same way again!!


"Casual Party" by Band of Horses: Band of Horses have experimented with quite a few sounds on the rock spectrum during the 2010's. "Laredo" found BOH trying out a sound that mixed CCR with Gram Parsons, "Knock Knock" was BOH at their most rock 'n' roll sounding, and their latest tune, "Casual Party", is BOH at their most alt-pop-y. What do I mean by that?! Well, think along the lines of groups like Walk the Moon or Neon Trees, but with a slightly quirkier direction in sound and not as much synth reliance. It's a long way off from sensitive power pop ballads like "No One's Gonna Love You" and "The Funeral", but it still manages to work relatively well for the band. The vibe of "Casual Party" makes it sound like it belongs at a nightclub on the beach (or perhaps a beach turned into a nightclub) that exists solely in the listener's imagination. The keyword to "Casual Party" seems to be "party", as there appears to be more emphasis placed on the instruments and the energy they give off than on the lyrics of the song.


"Dark Necessities" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: Hard to believe RHCP have been popular for 25 years, and around for just a little over 30, isn't it?! Well, it seems like Anthony, Flea, and the boys have taken to being an aging rock group rather well. Their latest song, "Dark Necessities" even sounds a little like The Who's "Eminence Front", albeit a notch or two softer. It's notable for being one of the first (if not THE first) RHCP song with a piano as one of its leading instruments. The band who once prided themselves on being relentlessly wild funk-rockers who frequently performed half-naked onstage are growing up, it seems, with this song. It's not as though they haven't had mature songs before. After all, their biggest hit, "Under the Bridge", is probably one of the saddest songs I have known, especially towards the end. "Dark Necessities" seems to really solidify the "mature" aspect of The Chili Peppers, though, like hardly any other songs I have known by them, as if they are responding to the induction they got into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame 4 years ago.


"Need You Tonight" by Bonnie Raitt: Bonnie sure has eclectic taste in cover songs, and she does them rather well, too! 2012 saw the release of her spiced-up reggae inflected version of soft rocker Gerry Rafferty's "Right Down the Line". Neither Rafferty nor Raitt have much of anything in common with Australian rock group, INXS, yet that is who Raitt is choosing to cover this time around! INXS seem to be unsung heroes when it comes to influencing the indie rock scene, influencing at least in part a number of popular indie groups like Phoenix, TV on the Radio, The 1975, and Walk the Moon, among others, yet rarely talked about as an influence on such groups. I thought one of them would have covered "Need You Tonight" before Bonnie did, but lo and behold, I was wrong!! "Need You Tonight" is a funk-rock classic that came out about a decade after funk had its day in the limelight, and many a rock historian knows that funk has its roots in the blues, which Bonnie Raitt is excellent at playing, so perhaps it should have come as such a huge shock to me that she chose to cover this one, but it did. Nonetheless, Raitt's spin on this song manages to pack in both more funk and more riffs than the original version did! If only Michael Hutchence could have heard this version, I think he would have loved it!

New songs for March 4th, 2015

here they are:


"Big Decisions" by My Morning Jacket: It was no "big decision" to decide to review the latest My Morning Jacket song this week!! Already during its first week of existence it has gotten airplay on 18 adult alt stations! Quite a major achievement if you ask me (though this may be happening just because of how much certain people love My Morning Jacket). MMJ's music tends to come in two flavors. There's the trippy neo-psychedelia present in songs like "Off the Record", "Holdin' On to Black Metal", and "I'm Amazed", and there's also the soulful folkie side of their music that shows up in songs like "Golden" and "Wonderful (The Way I Feel)". "Big Decisions" happens to fall into the former category. The song, as its title implies, is about wondering what do do with your life when you aren't quite ready to do so. Here's hoping that MMJ make more "big decisions" (and good ones) in the near future!!


"Falling From the Sky" by Calexico: Like most Calexico songs, "Falling From the Sky" is an indie-folk-rock song that is punctuated (and somewhat defined) by the mariachi-like horns that come in during the chorus. However, there are two things that make this song distinct from their other songs. First of all, it features guest background vocals from Band of Horses' Ben Birdwell, and second of all, it has a spacey Moog synthesizer sound that seems somewhat out of place!! Perhaps Calexico are a band who sound better when sticking to their "core" sound, which, for the most part, they do here (I just wanna know what's up with that blasted synthesizer in the track!) This song is kinda like a slightly mellower version of The Replacements' "Can't Hardly Wait", in terms of its sound.


"Sagres" by The Tallest Man on Earth: Every little thing The Tallest Man on Earth does truly is magic!! Or so I thought before I heard this song. Since "Sagres" features an electric guitar as a backing instrument, a lot of The TMOE's biggest fans seemed a bit disappointed, since he normally performs as a one man acoustic band. I must say that I am in slight agreement with the fans here, as it lacks the charm of "1904", "Little Brother", and my personal fave of his, "Wind and Walls", but I also don't think that "Sagres" is a complete departure from what The TMOE normally does. It is still, essentially, a folk-rock song, and it still retains that enchantingly lo-fi sound that most of his songs have. The chords tend to get a bit repetitive, though, and are pretty derivative of Bruce Springsteen's "My Hometown".


"Work Song" by Hozier: Perhaps it is somewhat cliche to use the word "different" to describe the sounds of certain musicians, but for Irish singer/songwriter, Andrew Hozier Byrne (best known by his middle name), there is no better word to describe his music! It doesn't sound like anything else on the radio! They're like hymnals that somehow manage to be solemn and catchy at the same time. Hozier's third big song, "Work Song", continues displaying the depth and talent that Hozier is capable of! Being caught between sexual and spiritual desire seems to be a favorite topic for Hozier, and it continues to resurface here, as he ruminates on being "laid down gently in the cold, dark earth" when he dies, yet contemplating the love he feels for his girlfriend at the same time.

New songs for July 18th, 2012

here they are:


"I Ain't the Same" by Alabama Shakes: Alabama Shakes came on strong earlier this year with their CCR-meets-Memphis-soul mega-hit, "Hold On". After all that surprise success, frontwoman Brittany Howard is on her feet again, but is still proclaiming that she "ain't the same", as the title of Alabama Shakes' latest song suggests. "I Ain't the Same" is a good reminder to people of where the "blues" part in "rhythm and blues" came from! This song has enough grit (and enough use of the electric guitar) to earn comparisons to people like Janis Joplin and Joe Cocker, both of whom were just as soulful as they were rockin'! Yet Brittany Howard's gutsy, raw, passionate vocal delivery is more along the lines of Mavis Staples, or perhaps even James Brown. After listening to this song, all I can say is that "I ain't the same" either!!


"Knock Knock" by Band of Horses: Knock knock! Who's there? Abanda! Abanda who? Abanda Horses, that's who! Joking aside, though, "Knock Knock" is a pretty good song, but it does have its flaws. First off, it's built pretty much entirely around a G major chord capoed at the first fret. Some people are masters at the "one chord vamp", but I don't think Band of Horses rank among them. Also, it seems like BOH are trying too hard to get a "hard rock" sound this time around. Though they do have that "quiet-to-loud" dynamic in some of their best songs ("Is There A Ghost", "The Funeral", etc.), they don't usually rock out all the way through in any of their songs. However, if BOH were intending on making songs that stick in peoples' heads this time around, they've succeeded this time around with "Knock Knock"! Catchy songs aren't exactly what BOH are known for, and nor is it really their strong suit, but still, it doesn't hurt to try (or hear) something new once in a while!


"Runaways" by The Killers: After two years of living the solo life, Brandon Flowers has reunited The Killers. Their latest song, "Runaways", is a fitting title for a song that has a sound that wants to "run away" into the past, specifically the 1980's. Being that The Police and (especially) U2 are some of The Killers' most prominent musical influences, this shouldn't be all that surprising. Much like the typical U2 song, "Runaways" has a dynamic, compelling enough sound to be a concert fave, but it also has an earnest, heartfelt enough sound to win over the more soulful side of The Killers' fanbase (myself, for instance, haha). All in all, though, "Runaways" is an impressive comeback for a band that hasn't been terribly active in about 4 years!

New songs (kind of) for December 1st, 2010

Here they are - enjoy!

"Dilly" by Band of Horses: "Dilly" - just the NAME of the songs sounds so...well...cute!! (Like that Disney song, "Lavender's Blue, Dilly Dilly"). Band of Horses return to their indie roots on this song, the third one I've heard off their latest CD, "Infinite Arms". And yes, "Dilly" does have a very cutesy sound, in an indie sort of way. It's bouncy, melodic, and just plain fun! Even the YouTube comments for this song seem to be more positive than the ones for the CCR-ish "Laredo", and the vaguely Three Dog Night-ish "Compliments". No late '60s/early '70s classic rock influence here, just good times and great music!

"Holiday" by Vampire Weekend: This song has been circulating on (some) adult alt stations since January of this year, yet it's taken many others until just about a week ago to add it on to their playlists. And why?!? Well, because there is a commercial using this song, simply because the word "Holiday" is in its title ('tis the season, folks!) It's silly, really, that it's being put into commercial use for this reason. Although I adore "Holiday"'s bouncy, Police-y rhythm and harmony, I really think people should take a listen to what this song is about before they add it to their Christmas playlists. IT'S ABOUT A PROTEST AGAINST WAR, PEOPLE!!! And it's not even about Christmas (or any holiday, for that matter), for goodness' sakes!! (sample lyrics, in the bridge, "A vegetarian since the invasion, she'd never seen the word 'bombs'/She'd never seen the word 'bombs' blown up to 96 point Futura/She'd never seen an AK/In a yellowy Day-Glo display/A T-shirt so lovely it turned all the history books gray"). At least songs like John Lennon's "Happy Xmas (War Is Over)" were ABOUT Christmas, while simultaneously getting across a political statement/commentary. This is going to go down in history next to Green Day's "Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)" and The Police's "Every Breath You Take" as being one of the most misinterpreted songs in rock history!

"We Used to Wait" by Arcade Fire: The hits just keep on comin' from Win Butler and co! Like the title track from AF's latest CD, "We Used to Wait" also makes fine use of the piano. Like the other two tracks ("Ready to Start" and "Modern Man") I've heard from "The Suburbs", however, "We Used to Wait" is also a track that evokes more feelings of intensity than it does jauntiness (which makes me think the title track from "The Suburbs" might have been a fluke as far as the rest of the CD is concerned!) The first three tracks I reviewed from "The Suburbs" all came in succession! The first in June, the second in July, and the third in August, so it's kind of odd that "We Used to Wait" didn't hit the adult alt airwaves until around mid to late November. Better late than never, though!

"You Can't Buy My Love" by Robert Plant: Is it just me, or does it make sense that a song called "You Can't Buy My Love" would sound a little like The Beatles' "Can't Buy Me Love"?! The happy, but still rocking mood of this song makes me prefer this much more than the previous single Led Zeppelin's mighty frontman had, a cover of Los Lobos' "Angel Dance". The excessive airplay "Angel Dance" got is probably what spoiled its appeal, so hopefully "You Can't Buy My Love" will have enough airplay to become a song I can memorize, but not one that loses its flavor like chewing gum. Hopefully Plant will churn out more material like this - it's what made his 2007 duet with country singer Alison Krauss, "Gone Gone Gone (Done Moved On)" so memorable!

new songs for June 23rd, 2010

four of 'em - Enjoy!

"Compliments" by Band of Horses: Though "Laredo" is still a hot item on the Adult Alt. charts, "Compliments", the second single off of BOH's "Infinite Arms" is rapidly getting attention on adult alt. stations as well. Longtime fans of BOH will probably take more of a liking to this song than "Laredo" since it goes more for a '60s pop/rock sound (a la The Beatles' "Getting Better" and Three Dog Night's "One", at least rhythmically) than "Laredo"'s John Fogerty/Neil Young-ish vibe. Lyrically, I can't tell whether it is supposed to be sincere or tongue-in-cheek, especially during the somewhat ambiguously worded lyrics in the chorus ("If there's a God up there/Someone looking over everyone, at least you've got someone to fall back on"). Apparently, many of BOH's most loyal fans seem to have taken both the lyrics and the song itself to be a vain attempt for the band to garner more radio airplay than they've previously had, though personally, I think "Laredo" already took care of that. I still wouldn't call BOH "sellouts", though. They still have good music, it's just going in a slightly different direction at the moment.

"Crossfire" by Brandon Flowers: Of all the "indie" bands out there, Brandon Flowers' band, The Killers (who aren't always viewed as "indie" due to their popularity among listeners of more "mainstream" modern rock stations), is probably the one that is most influenced by that crop of bands who tend to overlap the boundaries of musical time by being played on both classic rock and alternative rock stations (i.e. The Police, U2, The Pretenders, etc.) Flowers seems to have only gotten MORE intent on displaying these influences with each new record he makes. It's not as though this is a bad thing, necessarily (as I much prefer the U2-ish "Read My Mind" to the more Depeche Mode-ish sounds of "Somebody Told Me"), but in "Crossfire", it seems like he's trying a bit TOO hard to emulate the U2 sound. He also seems to employ the use of pseudo-philosophical lyrics whenever possible (like the chorus's "lay your body down"), in what seems like a desperate, almost fanboy-ish effort to please Bono and maybe Bruce Springsteen as well. In spite of how harsh this review might sound, though, I must admit that I LIKE this song! Flowers might not rank so high on originality in "Crossfire", but he gets an A for effort, catchiness, and accessibility.

"If You Let Me" by JP, Chrissie, and The Fairground Boys: During The Pretenders' reign of popularity, Chrissie Hynde was almost like a female Neil Young in her ways of alternating between heartfelt, bittersweet songs like "Kid", "Talk of the Town", and "2000 Miles" and tough, unapologetic rockers like "Tattooed Love Boys", "Mystery Achievement", and "Middle of the Road". These days, Chrissie seems to want to go more in between the two moods. In her latest effort, "If You Let Me", she pulls off a distinctly classic rock vibe a la The Rolling Stones and Tom Petty, just as she pulled off a decent Chuck Berry/Bo Diddley in her 2008 songs, "Boots of Chinese Plastic" and "Break Up the Concrete" with The Pretenders. While "If You Let Me" lacks the in-your-face vibe of her nearly punk-ish early days in The Pretenders, it is certainly no "Kid", "Talk of the Town", or "2000 Miles" either! It is clearly a rock and roll song, from beginning to end, complete with a catchy, memorable guitar riff. Welcome aboard the S.S. Classic Rock Renaissance of 2010, Chrissie!

"Stranger Here" by Cowboy Junkies: In spite of their name, Cowboy Junkies are not called "Cowboy Junkies" because of their love for country music. It was basically just a random name they came up with, supposedly (see also The Grateful Dead, R.E.M., and Indigo Girls, each of whom got their names by flipping through a dictionary). However, Cowboy Junkies are basically a country-rock band masquerading as an alt/indie band. Even on their debut album, they covered a Hank Williams tune, as well as a Patsy Cline song. Their latest song, "Stranger Here", is also pretty country-rock influenced, but with the past 5 or so years of adult alt. radio being dominated by indie groups, it seems as though the sound of this song is probably more commonplace than it would've been during their debut in 1988. Jenny Lewis of Rilo Kiley, in particular (and perhaps the whole band) would probably appreciate a song like this, since she knows from the blatantly country-rock sound of "Carpetbaggers" (which she did with Elvis Costello) what it's like to be an indie/alt act with country influences. Personally, I would have preferred Cowboy Junkies to release something more along the lines of their bittersweet, lushly orchestrated 2007 song "Brand New World", but "Stranger Here" is still a good song nonetheless.

new songs for Apr. 21st, 2010

here they are!!

"Crash Years" by The New Pornographers - Unlike the previous single from The New Pornographers' most recent album ("Your Hands Together"), this song is a bit more typical of the New Pornographers style. It's melodic, somewhat folk-rock and '60s pop influenced, and is also clever enough to pick up on musical "trends" indie rock songs have had, such as whistling (Don't believe me? Listen to Peter Bjorn and John's "Young Folks", Andrew Bird's "Fitz And the Dizzyspells", Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros' "Home", and The Black Keys' "Tighten Up" - they ALL have whistling!!) As an added bonus, indie rock songbird Neko Case takes the lead vocals here, giving "Crash Years" an almost Fleetwood Mac-y vibe (much like fellow indie band Rilo Kiley, whose lead singer Jenny Lewis also qualifies, to me, as a modern day Stevie Nicks - musically, not vocally). Like Fleetwood Mac, The New Pornographers consists of both male and female lead vocalists, and the female ones in both bands seem more distinct - they give the bands some flavor. If you prefer hearing more consistently melodic music coming from the New Pornographers (like I do), then give this one a listen!


"I Learned the Hard Way" by Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings: Indie SOUL?! Though such a term hasn't been applied (at least to my knowledge) to any particular musician or band, it oughta!! Especially in the case of Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings whom, despite their Aretha Franklin-ish sound, have received massive praise from both indie fans and indie publications (and some pretty major ones, at that)! Neo-soul is a term that has existed for quite awhile, and probably first became a household name with artists like Macy Gray, and shortly afterwards, Joss Stone. The trend continued in the mid-to-late-2000's with Amy Winehouse, Duffy, and Adele. However, there's something that all five of those musicians have had that Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings haven't yet received - mainstream recognition. I hate to sound like a "music snob", but mainstream recognition for neo-soul musicians almost seems to be a kiss of death, making a once vibrant and unique sound seem more commonplace. Thankfully, Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings are in no such position! The best thing about songs like "I Learned the Hard Way" is that they sound like they really ARE from the '60s - if I hadn't known better I would've thought this was a previously unreleased Aretha Franklin (or some similar artist) track!


"Junebug" by Robert Francis: This song has been out since November 2009, so why has it not gotten recognition by adult alt. stations until now?! This really boggles my mind, especially considering that this truly is a GREAT song!! I've always been a huge Ryan Adams fan, as well as a big Cranberries fan, and this song seems like a combination of the two. "Junebug" OOZES emotional quality of the finest sense, in a wistfully romantic and bittersweet way that still somehow manages to rock (which might explain the comparisons it's gotten by others to U2 and Springsteen). It's one of those songs that makes me "cry on the inside" so to speak, because it's just THAT beautiful and haunting. I think this is the best song I've reviewed for this week, so please check it out if you haven't done so already!!


"Laredo" by Band of Horses: The great thing about Band of Horses is the emotional quality (once again) that just oozes from songs like "Is There A Ghost?", "The Funeral", and (especially) "No One's Gonna Love You". All three of those songs seem to meld Velvet Underground-ish experimentation with "Pet Sounds"-era Beach Boys harmonies. "Laredo" is, well, a little different. It almost sounds like they're trying to be the indie rock version of Creedence Clearwater Revival in this song, so it's definitely not as good as the other three Band of Horses songs I know of. However, though the music might have changed a bit, the harmonies are still the same. Those harmonies just always tug at the heartstrings for me! And plus, BOH could be going for something worse than a CCR vibe (since there are plenty of things that are much worse than Creedence Clearwater Revival, who are a good band, but just not one that I would picture Band of Horses going after stylistically - and no, the lead singer of BOH does NOT sound a THING like John Fogerty on this track - I was referring specifically to the musical style here). Perhaps the other thing worth note about "Laredo" is that it still manages to get in an arpeggiated folk-rock-y guitar pattern a la The Byrds' "My Back Pages", which, it seems, is a surefire way to make a song likable in the indie rock world.


"Plundered My Soul" by The Rolling Stones - Those who are "true fans" of The Stones know that despite the "bad boy" image they cultivated throughout the '60s and '70s that they do have a softer side, be it the bittersweet folk-rock of "Angie" and "Wild Horses", or the heartfelt smooth R & B of "Time Waits For No One" and "Fool to Cry". The Stones continue to show their softer side (well, kind of) on "Plundered My Soul". Musically, it combines country, blues, and R & B like only The Stones can, making it seem like the one track they decided to leave off of "Exile On Main Street". Lyrically, however, "Plundered My Soul" is more along the lines of the sarcastic, cheeky mock-country of "Dead Flowers" than it is the sincere, soulful pop of "Waiting On A Friend" (particularly in the chorus, when Mick says "I f**ed your women for money, but you plundered my soul" - not exactly what I'd call "sincere"). Whether you like the harder or softer side of The Stones more, this should appeal to you if you're a fan of theirs even a little bit.