New songs for November 17th, 2021

 here they are:

"Chapstick" by Coin: Coin are a band worth every penny to listen to! Their style is one that hasn't really been attempted before, mixing fuzzy, blues-y garage rock riffs with more electronic rhythm instruments. The title of the song is probably one of the strangest sexual metaphors I've heard yet in a song so far, with lead singer Chase Lawrence saying to his objection of affections that he "wants to taste (their) chapstick." Both the lyrics and the music to this song are weird and cool at the same time!

"Face Down in the Moment" by Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats: Nathaniel is usually more soulful and peppy with The Night Sweats, as opposed to his sweeter and almost country influenced solo material, but there are exceptions to the rule, such as the bittersweet country-rock of The Night Sweats' "Wasting Time." "Face Down in the Moment" is another tune where Nathaniel sings with The Night Sweats that's a bit of a slower song. It is perhaps the most bittersweet song he has come up with yet as a performer in a band. It's a song that seems to want to show comfort and sympathy to its listeners. I do prefer The Night Sweats as a more energetic and soulful act, but this song is still worth listening to if you feel like no one understands what you've been going through.

"Love Dies Young" by Foo Fighters: Foo Fighters manage to combine two unlikely retro rock styles here with their latest song, "Love Dies Young." The beginning of the song clearly borrows from the chugging, charging guitars of Queen's debut single, "Keep Yourself Alive," while the second verse onward was apparently influenced more by the disco-pop of groups like ABBA. Well, if Blondie can manage to combine rock and disco, why not The Foos?! Apparently, the song started out as kind of a joke in terms of the rock/disco combo it ended up with, but it still manages to shine through in earnest as a solid anthem of both rock and dance-pop. 

"Once Twice Melody" by Beach House: Beach House's combination of electro-pop and light, dreamy psychedelia has always been endearing to me, and lead singer Victoria Legrand's soothing vocals only hooked me into their music more. Their latest song, "Once Twice Melody," attempts to dive a bit more into the avant-garde than they have done previously while not completely alienating their core audience. The song is slightly more bouncy than I'm used to with the largely airy, ambient music of Beach House, but it still manages to rank along with "Norway," "Zebra," and "Myth" as one of their best tracks (and the only one out of the four to have a title longer than one word!) The sighing instrumentation and Legrand's breathy vocals against pulsating synthesizers that aren't present on all of their material make "Once Twice Melody" the perfect chill-out song!

"Stand for Myself" by Yola: Yola's unique take on soul music has managed to win over adult alt radio programmers for the past two or so years, and with her latest song, "Stand for Myself," Yola takes herself in yet another new direction! Yola has sounded neither this blues-y nor this country before. Burning, churning acoustic guitars mark the intro of the song before the even more fiery electric guitars take charge from the chorus onward. The cutting lyrics of the song could fit in the context of both a political situation and in that of a relationship, and there's a good chance that Yola probably meant for the lyrics to be taken either way. There's no telling whether she wants to "stick it to the man" or to walk out on someone who did her wrong, but either way, Yola unleashes her fury here like never before and she really lets her victim have it!

"The Only Heartbreaker" by Mitski: This track, which seems to lift heavily from '80s pop tunes like "Take on Me," albeit with a slightly darker twist, is a pretty simple song lyrically. Buried beneath its repetitive lyrics, however, is the story of a woman scorned that seems more rooted in sadness than in fury. Mitski's fear is that she will be "the only heartbreaker" in her relationship. In other words, she will be the only one feeling as passionately about it as she is. That could leave anyone feeling cold, so it's no wonder the song seems so icy!

New songs for July 29th 2015

here they are:


"Different Colors" by Walk the Moon: With each new Walk the Moon song that comes out, the alt-pop quartet continues to prove that they are heavy hitters today, just as much as their namesake (The Police - specifically "Walking On the Moon") was in the late '70s/early '80s. "Anna Sun" and "Tightrope" were already pretty huge, but their Fall '14 smash hit, "Shut Up And Dance", outdid even THOSE songs!! So, does WTM's star continue to rise on "Different Colors"?! I would say, yes AND no. Yes, because it's catchy as heck, like pretty much all of their material is! No, on the other hand, because "Different Colors" isn't INSTANTLY catchy like their other three singles have been so far. A short description of this song's sound?! Think Foreigner's "Jukebox Hero" mixed with The Killers' "Shot At the Night".


"I'm In Love With My Life" by Phases: "I'm In Love With My Life", indeed! And with a song as catchy as THIS, why shouldn't you be?! It has all the makings of a classic pop radio hit! Disco beats, INXS-ish guitar hooks, and the perfect blend of male and female vocal harmonies! What's more?! First off, not a single lyric in the song is negative, a rarity for this day and age! To add to that, Phases are also an indie-pop supergroup, consisting of members of groups like The Like, Phantom Planet, as well as one member who was in both Bright Eyes and Rilo Kiley. Have you ever known a song whose title fits its mood more than this one does?! I sure haven't!!


"Light And Candle" by JJ Grey and Mofro: The '60s R & B vibe is here, as is the case with most JJ Grey and Mofro songs, but this time the boys slow things down a bit for a sound that is smooth and sensual, yet still gritty. The sweet, sensitive sounding title of the song kinda gives away how the song comes across overall. This sorta song is perfect after a nice night out of fine dining, or a walk in the moonlight. You'd swear you were hearing a long, lost Otis Redding ballad of the most passionate quality!


"Meet Me In the Woods" by Lord Huron: February's "Fool For Love" was the surprise hit of the year for Lord Huron! The group have always been favorites of the indie-folk community, but "Fool For Love" reached a little beyond their usual crowd! Could that be what's in store for Lord Huron's next big song, "Meet Me In the Woods"? Well, probably not. Still, though, the captivating, haunting sound of "Meet Me In the Woods" is bound to be a treat for Lord Huron fans, as well as fans of similar acts like Fleet Foxes, Iron & Wine, and The Tallest Man on Earth. So far, "Meet Me In the Woods" is the only minor key Lord Huron song that I've heard, which is interesting, considering how "lo-fi" their overall sound is. Perhaps it is the minor key sound of the song that makes it sound so mysterious, like a group of people traveling through a forest in the middle of the night!


"Sparks" by Beach House: Ah, nothing like a nice, dreamy song from Beach House. 'Cept this one kinda isn't! At least not as much as their usual material is. "Sparks" is more influenced by neo-psychedelia (and post-punk, in the vein of bands like My Bloody Valentine and The Jesus & Mary Chain) than it is by ethereal, airy folk/classical/jazz/rock blend they usually have. The screeching, fuzz soaked electric guitars about 30 seconds into the song make it apparent that this is a different Beach House song than usual. Well, at least Victoria Legrand's vocals are still soothing. It also retains the one-word titles of their previous hits ("Norway", "Zebra", and "Myth").

New songs for March 21st, 2012

Here they are:

“Man On Fire” by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros: A deceptively cheerful, naïve sounding band, whose biggest hit so far has been the surprise 2010 indie/alt hit “Home”, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros were loved by indie fans from the time they debuted in late 2009. Their faux-‘60s Mamas and Papas-meets-Simon and Garfunkel type folk-pop/rock sound has only gained them more fans ever since then! Unlike “Home” and “40 Day Dream”, both of which were merely happy sounding songs with dark lyrical content, “Man On Fire” seems to evoke joyful emotions both in its child-like, clap-along sound, and in its simplistic choice of words (“Man on fire/Walking down the street/Got one guitar/two dancing feet”). Is this really reason for the initial fans of Ed and The Zeros to complain?! I think not!! It’s rare to find songs that bear even a slight resemblance to rock music that make one think of “Sesame Street” more than The Stones, so I say embrace the opportunity to hear songs like this one!

“Myth” by Beach House: Continuing their tradition of one-word song titles (“Norway”, “Zebra”), the hypnotically dreamy indie duo known as Beach House are back with another song, “Myth”, that will put you to sleep in a charmingly trippy way just like how most of their songs tend to. “Myth” seems to go for a bit more of a studio-based sound than “Norway” and “Zebra” did, but Beach House still retain their trademark “psychedelic lullaby” type sound, as lead singer Victoria Legrand urgently sings, “Help me today” in its chorus, in a way that is pleading, yet irresistible, like the voice of a siren from Greek mythology in human form! I can’t help but feel like I’m floating on the most delicate, billowy clouds every time I hear “Myth”. It is a magical song that is not “magical” in the cheesy way. “Myth” is a pure, unadulterated stardust fantasy of a song!

from A to Z

decided to title my latest entry as such since my first song begins with an "A", and my last song, a "Z". Unfortunately, it seems like a lot of these have only gotten airplay on a couple stations. Shame, since they're all great songs.

"American Slang" by Gaslight Anthem: For a band who was initially labeled "punk", they sure don't sound like it in this song. In fact, they have more of a classic rock vibe, a la Springsteen and Neil Young. This seems to be a trend (albeit a small one) in indie rock lately, as The Hold Steady, Band of Horses, and My Morning Jacket seemed to have all taken on this aesthetic at least once in their careers. "American Slang" also boasts an epic, catchy riff that's instantly memorable upon first hearing it. This song is proof that indie rock doesn't have to be all about weird, random instrumentation. Sometimes it's good to just go back to the basics!

"American Troglodyte" by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim: Unlike the first single off their latest effort ("A Perfect Hand", featuring Steve Earle), this song manages to capture the offbeat-but-catchy vibe of Byrne's unlikely 2008 smash with Brian Eno, "Strange Overtones". The beat (and instruments) aren't the only cool thing about this song, though. The lyrics are also pretty interesting. Beneath its insanely danceable hooks, the ex-Talking Heads frontman sings about disappointed he is with current American culture. Lyrical dissonance doesn't always work, but somehow, in this song, it just seems right!

"Big Jet Plane" by Angus and Julia Stone: I'm mainly including this one since I loved their previous song, "The Beast", so much, that as soon as I heard they had a new record/single out, I just had to hear it! And it's pretty good, though it's got more of an uneasy (yet still melodic) feel to it than the wistful, bittersweet qualities that "The Beast" had. The guitar hook almost makes this sound like one of Radiohead's later efforts (like "I Might Be Wrong", or Thom Yorke's solo song, "Black Swan"), yet the violin (and Julia Stone's vocals) make "Big Jet Plane" distinguishable from such songs. When listening to this song, I don't know whether to call it angst-ridden or sad, since at times it sounds like both, but perhaps that's what makes this song so unique!

"Bloodbuzz Ohio" by The National: Even within the already eclectic world of indie rock, The National are one of those bands who manage to take that eclectic-ness a step further than most indie rock bands (except for possibly Wilco and Beck). They have been influenced by country-rock, contemporary British rock, and power pop ("power pop" would be bands, largely between the '70s and '90s, that sound a lot like The Beatles and The Kinks, often with Beach Boys-esque harmonies), and "Bloodbuzz Ohio" seems to reveal a new facet to their already diverse musical pallet - that of the gothic rock of Joy Division and Nick Cave. Vocally, The National's lead singer even sounds like Joy Division's lead singer, Ian Curtis, on this song. "Bloodbuzz Ohio", in fact, reminds me a great deal of Joy Division's "Love Will Tear Us Apart" for a couple reasons. Both songs are in A major, despite their gloomy sound. They also tend to both have an atmospheric quality with their "walls of sound" (use of multiple instruments that sound orchestral, in a rock and roll kind of way), and they both manage to compensate for their depressing nature with their fast drumbeats (at least to me they do). And, yes, they both have downbeat (and somewhat creepy) lyrics. Yet the non-synthesized keyboards and the almost continual transition in "Bloodbuzz Ohio" from A major to F sharp minor manage to make it distinct from "Love Will Tear Us Apart". Nevertheless, if bands that sound like a cross between Joy Division and Wilco are your thing, then "Bloodbuzz Ohio" is a surefire winner for you!

"Love Me Chase Me" by Carney: Don't be fooled by this song's slow, churning intro. This song's a real kicker from the chorus on up! It almost sounds like a modern-day update on one of the songs from The Beatles' "White Album". Its sound is like pop music that somehow manages to sound somewhat blues-y in its riffs, almost like one of The Raconteurs' songs. The lyrics are a bit simplistic from what I can tell ("if you love me, chase me"), but the riffs are both chunky and pop-y. Who knew the best guitar soloing on this week's list would come from a pop-rock band?! Not me. But I sure am glad someone out there is trying to preserve the sound of good ol' British rock and roll!! ("British" by sound, that is, as I'm not sure if Carney are actually British or not)

"Numbers Don't Lie" by The Mynabirds: I love the "retro" sound of this one! (Though practically all the songs on here have a "retro" sound, so I'll specify in the next few sentences 'bout that). This one has almost a "girl group" sound (a la Phil Spector) to it instrumentally that sounds like Chan Marshall (better known as "Cat Power" to you indie fans!) is taking the lead on vocally. Beneath the chirpiness that the vibe of this song gives off, "Numbers Don't Lie" is actually a very bitter, angst-ridden song lyrically. The chorus pretty much states it all ("Baby if you want to be right, I will let you be right, I will let you be right/You know that the numbers don't lie, you know the numbers don't lie, two wrongs will not make it right"). This technique of blending a happy melody with confrontational/controversial subject matter is nothing new, though (The Shirelles, anyone? "Will you STILL love me tomorrow?" The lyric there is both demanding AND sexual) The Mynabirds are just here to remind us in "Numbers Don't Lie" how to mask a tale of a relationship gone wrong with a harmonious, uplifting melody!

"Zebra" by Beach House: Not since "Zoot Suit Riot" back in '98 has there been a song that begins with the letter "Z" that I've really liked! (and "Zebra" is WAY better, to me). This has got to be one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard! And it doesn't take a minor key melody to do that in this song. "Zebra" is written in G sharp major, but still manages to make me cry on the inside. The word "zebra" isn't mentioned anywhere in the song (though the chorus mentions a "black and white horse", which I think is close enough). It's interesting that color seems to be a theme throughout the song (examples include the opening lyrics "You know you're gold", and "Your love is stag in the white sand"), yet none of these are colors of the rainbow. Perhaps this is symbolic of how beauty can be found in unlikely, seemingly "dull" places. The simplistic but elegant nature of this song is to die for! I highly recommend this one!!

New songs for Mar. 17, 2010

Here they are. Enjoy, folks:

"A Perfect Hand" by David Byrne and Fatboy Slim (with Steve Earle on the vocals):

David Byrne and Fatboy Slim I could see doing something together, but Steve Earle?! Doesn't seem to be in quite the same caliber, but he makes it work in this song! Unlike Byrne's unlikely 2008 smash with Brian Eno, "Strange Overtones", this one moves away from the Modest Mouse-y territory and goes more toward a gentle, even-keeled sound that sounds suitable enough for Steve Earle. Byrne is not heard anywhere in the vocals, it's just Steve Earle, but like I said, he makes it work here! Typically, the only Steve Earle I'd really go for is his late '80s hit, "Copperhead Road", but this one's good too, though perhaps that's mainly due to the fact that David Byrne is (instrumentally?) featured on this track. Well, it's unique to say the least!


"Norway" by Beach House:

Don't be fooled by the name "Beach House", this isn't happy, upbeat music. It's more like dreamy, trance-y music with that arpeggiated folk-rock guitar sound that seems to have become commonplace in indie rock these days. The lyrics are disjointed enough to be as trippy as the song itself is (and furthermore, the title - mentioned in the one-word chorus - seems even less relevant to the song than the rest of it, lyrically). But the simultaneous trippiness and dreamlike quality this song provides make it a winner for me!


"Stranger" by Dr. Dog:

Unlike the previous song mentioned here, this song IS happy and upbeat! It almost sounds like a song from the '60s with its uptempo beat and brass instruments mingling with its somewhat psychedelic guitar sounds. Lyrically it's a bit hard to tell whether or not this song is sincere, particularly in the chorus ("I do believe/That there's no more tricks up my sleeve/The good old days have past/And the good times after that/And slowly I become undone/A stranger with a strange act"). Perhaps they're not meant to be sincere or insincere, but just quirky. If that's so, this is another surefire winner for me from the indie rock world!