New songs for January 20th 2021

 here they are:

"Charming Mess" by The Black Crowes: "Charming Mess" IS a charming mess! It's a sloppily played blues-rock song that manages to charm those who latched onto The Black Crowes in the early '90s for their perfect imitation of '70s rock. This song, in particular, is hugely influenced by the sleazy, sloppy blues-y sound of Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs," to the point of sharing the D, C, G chord progression that song does during its intro. Although the melody of the song isn't that original, it does seem to be winning back a lot of the original Black Crowes fanbase of classic rock fanatics, so that counts for something, right?

"Free As We Wanna Be" by Dawes: With its sweet-sounding hippie-esque title and its sincere, Springsteen-ian sound, "Free As We Wanna Be" might seem at first like a sigh of relief. However, upon closer listen, it's actually anything but. Los Angelean indie-folk-rock faves, Dawes, are criticizing the internet during the verses of the song, with each verse becoming darker than the last. The first verse decries TV advertisers, while the second goes after people who pitch ads on websites, and finally, the third gets rather specific, attacking internet advertisers for exploiting their users. Free As We Wanna Be?! Ummm...yeah...think again. You never are, and you know it! 

"Sanctuary" by Hiss Golden Messenger: North Carolina country-rock group, Hiss Golden Messenger, give us what could be their saddest song yet with "Sanctuary." Frontman M.C. Taylor has had a lot on his mind for the past year or so, and he puts it all into HGM's latest tune. The song laments the state of distraught democracy the United States has gone through, which arguably apexed last year. He attempts for this song to shed a truthful light on the lies we have been fed through the media, following in the footsteps of his hero, John Prine (the fact he died last year, which Taylor is painfully aware of here, only adds to the grief of this song). This song arrived just in time, didn't it?! 

New songs for July 22nd, 2020

here they are:


"Feel You" by My Morning Jacket: The most anticipated new song of the week is also one of the longest! Clocking it at six and a half minutes total, My Morning Jacket's "Feel You" is a song that combines MMJ's soft and sensitive side with their more freewheeling jam band aspects. "All I want to do is feel you", Jim James sings passionately during the chorus of the song. Does he mean in the literal sense or in a more metaphorical one? Who knows?! What we do know is that "Feel You" is essentially Jim James' way of putting verbal and auditory meditation into song. He does it so well! Though I can do without the last two and half minutes of excess instrumentation. Other than that, perfection at its finest!


"For Sure" by Future Islands: Future Islands are like the 2010's (and 2020's) answer to what Roxy Music were in the 1970's and '80s, a band that takes synthesizer sounds and echo-y guitar riffs in the background and puts them to use in an ultra-chill atmosphere. "Seasons (Waiting On You)" did so beautifully and epically in 2014, and "Ran" did almost as well three years later using the same techniques. On "For Sure", Future Islands once again have an ultra-smooth, new wave-y, vaguely smooth jazz/rock-ish tune in the key of D sharp/E flat. The song seems to both reminisce on and question the value of relationships. The words "for sure" are never actually mentioned in the song's lyrics, so what exactly Samuel Herring means by it is left to our imaginations!


"Strange Girl" by Laura Marling: The title of this song could arguably describe Laura herself! She is indeed a "strange girl", enigmatic, sensitive, and keeping largely to herself about a number of love affairs gone wrong (among them, relationships with fellow indie-folk-rockers from groups like Noah & The Whale and Mumford & Sons). But who does "Strange Girl" actually refer to? As far as I can tell, it probably DOES refer to Laura herself. In this surprisingly upbeat folk-rock number, she refers to herself using a large amount of mostly negative adjectives during the chorus, such as "strange", "angry", and "lonely", while assuring herself that this "strange" girl is loved in spite of her flaws. I've never known a song to be both bittersweet and funny, but this song might just fit such a description!


"Victory" by The Avett Brothers: In spite of its uplifting title, "Victory" is probably one of the saddest songs The Avett Brothers ever recorded, albeit not without a sense of redemption and reassurance. "Of course, I was forced to retreat", Seth Avett sings during the chorus, following it up with, "From victory I accept defeat." He does not make specific what his victory is for or against, but more than likely, he's probably recalling his experiences with either drugs, romantic relationships, or perhaps both, and how they have left him high and dry as a result. Sometimes, the only thing you can do is surrender to your vices. Nowhere is that clearer in The Avett Brothers' catalog than in "Victory"!


"Who Do You Think You're Talking To?" by Dawes: After starting off as a roots-y folk-rock act about a decade ago, Dawes have taken an eclectic route in their music ever since, becoming something of a 2010's answer to the 2000's My Morning Jacket, without as overt an emphasis on drugs. That being said, did you ever think Dawes would take on power pop or new wave?! I didn't! Until now, that is. Dawes' latest song, "Who Do You Think You're Talking To?" comes off sounding a bit like one of the more upbeat tracks on Bruce Springsteen's "Born in the U.S.A." mixed with bits and pieces of songs from The Cars like "Shake It Up" and "You Might Think." The song itself is basically an argument between two people on the brink of a breaking relationship, as can be inferred from the title. The topic, though, bears little importance in comparison to the relentlessly upbeat and somewhat self-consciously cheesy (yet still fully charged and rockin') music of the song!

New songs for September 5th, 2018

here they are:


"Cumberland Gap" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell's 2017 album might just be his best one yet! First he gave us a taste of furious Southern rock with "Hope the High Road", then he gave us a bittersweet, reflective folk-rock song with "If We Were Vampires", and NOW we have a song that sounds like The Pixies by way of Bruce Springsteen, or maybe the other way around, with "Cumberland Gap". With a title like that, I'd have expected this song to be one of his more countrified musical numbers, but nothing could be further from the truth! "Cumberland Gap" seems to pick up where "Hope the High Road" left off, with more protest fueled lyrics, much like "...High Road" had. Jason's disappointed and angst ridden conclusion in the chorus is a righteous cry of, "Maybe the Cumberland Gap swallows you whole!" Sometimes, the real world is just too much to think about these days. That's one of the many reasons songs like this one can come in handy!


"Date Night" by Father John Misty: Only Father John Misty can take a song that sounds vaguely similar to Nirvana's "Rape Me" and make it sound sort of like a Harry Nilsson tune. If this sounds too weird for you, don't worry. You only have to suffer through 2 and a half minutes of this. For the rest of us, this song is pure blissed out bliss! FJM is such a weird dude that I'm not even sure what "Date Night" is supposed to mean in the context of this song. Heck, I'll be lucky if I can figure out what ANY of this song means! But that's FJM for ya. His charm is in his eccentricity!


"Feed the Fire" by Dawes: Dawes recently opened for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra. In "Feed the Fire" they SOUND like ELO. Well, sorta. Perhaps a band like Steely Dan might be a more appropriate comparison, (esp. for its "Do It Again"-esque sitar solo) but in any case, they sound like they're straddling the line between hippie and hipster like they usually do. What they mean here by "feed the fire" is that they're trying to satisfy themselves artistically. "Fire" is a word that takes on multiple meanings here. It can mean just the burning desire for something to happen, but here, it also means being destructive, like a fire, since living an "artistic" lifestyle can often lead to having detrimental impulses. The Dan-esque guitar in the song is important here, since it contributes vastly to the song's almost 6 minute length.


"Four Leaf Clover" by The Kooks: The Kooks are usually at their best when they do light, airy power pop songs like "She Moves In Her Own Way", "Shine On", and "Junk of the Heart (Happy)". After moving more towards a post-punk/funk hybrid in their more recent songs, Luke Pritchard and the boys have now returned to their power pop roots in "Four Leaf Clover". The song is really a sex, drugs, and rock & roll song disguised as something sweeter and happier, but Kooks fans needn't care about that, as long as they like the music of it!


"Waves of Galveston" by Iron & Wine: And last but not least for this week, Sam Beam is another who has returned to his musical roots with "Waves of Galveston". The song picks up, musically speaking, from where IAW's last song, "Call It Dreaming", left off. "Waves of Galveston" is an equally beautiful song that uses a similar technique of using just acoustic guitar and vocals, instead of adding background instruments as IAW have been prone to do in recent years. The song has a Joni Mitchell-ish flavor to it, and perhaps that's because of its DADF#AD tuning, which Joni has used for many of her songs as well. The song has actually had a longer life than this year, dating back to 2013, when Sam Beam was asked to write a song about Texas. This masterpiece is what he came up with, and now we finally get to hear the studio version of it!

New songs for May 16th, 2018

here they are:


"Hunger" by Florence and The Machine: As if by coincidence, the most heavily anticipated song of the week (well, the past two weeks, really) is also the first! And what, might you ask, has given people so much hunger for "Hunger"?! There are probably a few reasons as to why this is. First off, it's Florence and The Machine! Florence Welch, the quirky but sassy British lass who leads the band, has proven she can do pretty much whatever she wants to and make it sound good, so that alone counts as a bonus factor! "Hunger" has the same sorta thing that made songs like "Dog Days Are Over" and "Shake It Out" such enduring songs in FATM's catalog, with its orchestral instrumentation wed to a pop music beat and haunting vocals. Even the opening lyrics, "At 17, I started to starve myself", are both mysterious and morose enough to hook the listener in before the song starts to really take flight. The chorus speaks the most truth of all, though, when Florence passionately pleads that "we all have a hunger". Florence, you have satisfied all our cravings!


"Living In the Future" by Dawes: With each album Taylor Goldsmith and co put out, there's a bit more of a rock and roll element to each of those albums. "Living In the Future" reaches towards the dynamic, arena rock side of the rock and roll spectrum, at least as far as it can go through the lens of a roots-y indie-folk-rock group. To top it all off, Dawes are even opening for 1970's rock group, Electric Light Orchestra, on their tour this summer. How's that for NOT living in the future?! But wait! Just because the sound of this song sounds like it's not that current, doesn't mean the lyrical content is stuck in the past as well! Indeed, this song (and its album, "Passwords") are actually about trying to cope with an increasingly fast paced modern world. The future is looking grim for some. Good thing we have music to save us!


"Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)" by Dave Matthews Band: It's been 6 years since Dave and his band last hit the adult alt radio airwaves. In DMB time, that's such a long time that I thought I'd either never hear from them again or that they wouldn't be as good. Thankfully, I was wrong on both accounts! Their latest song, "Samurai Cop (Oh Joy Begin)" kicks off the return of DMB with a U2-ish bang that U2 themselves seem to be straying further away from (Bono and the boys could sure take a lesson from Dave!) While the sound of "Samurai Cop" has a rather new and exciting sound that doesn't quite reflect on DMB's roots as a folk, jazz, and blues influenced rock group, the lyrical content of the song is a yearning to get back to our roots as a collective entity of lovers, thinkers, and dreamers. "Oh joy, begin", sings Dave during the chorus. My joy has begun, and hopefully, yours has too!


"The Middle" by Trampled by Turtles: Not to be confused with Jimmy Eat World's early '00s power pop anthem, "The Middle", bluegrass influenced rock group, Trampled by Turtles, decided to make their latest song, "The Middle", a rousing, upbeat number. The circumstances under which TBT met to record their newest album was anything but joyful, though, as their decision to record it came about after commiserating about the death of rock icon (and TBT favorite), Tom Petty. "The Middle" doesn't bear much resemblance to Petty's music, but the lyrics could ostensibly be about him, as the song is filled with sad, somber lyrics like, "There's a bitter pill on the other side", "If it does us any good, I cannot see it", and finally, "It makes me die just a little. A little every day." Petty has been sorely missed by many, but sometimes when an old door closes, a new one opens, and Trampled by Turtles might just have found the keys to that new door!


"This Party" by Houndmouth: Houndmouth used to be a country-rock quartet with three guys and one girl. The loss of the one girl, Katie Toupin, must have really thrown the band in a creative slump, as they sound vastly different (and not nearly as good) without her. Whatever traces of country and roots rock Houndmouth once had have been completely lost in their latest song, "This Party", which sounds far more like Walk the Moon or fun. than it does like Dawes or Blitzen Trapper, to whom Houndmouth were initially compared. "This Party" was made to be played at parties, as its title indicates. Given the song's central lyrics, "I don't wanna be at this party", perhaps Houndmouth themselves are a little miffed at the decision Katie has made to leave the group. It's tempting to say that this song might be a desperate grasp at alt-rock radio airplay, except they already HAD that with "Sedona", a song that reflected the band's country-rock roots much more accurately, back in 2015. The pop music vibes of this song, instead, seem to be saying, "Come back, Katie! We need you! Here's how much our music sucks without you in the band!" This is a good song (otherwise, there'd be no point in reviewing it on my website), but come on, guys. I know you can do better than this.

2017: New songs for the New Year!!

Happy New Year everyone!! Yeah, I realize I'm 11 days late, but it took awhile for some new songs to come out this time around. Thankfully, here are 5 of them to help you kick this year into full blown musical action!


"Cold Cold Cold" by Cage the Elephant: After the stompin' garage rock of "Mess Around" and the calmer psychedelic folk-rock of "Trouble" comes a song that seems to strike a perfect balance between those two for Cage the Elephant, "Cold Cold Cold". This song is soft but still a little jazzy in a way that almost brings to mind what a psychedelic tinged bossa nova song might be like. A psychedelic blues-rock guitar solo comes in towards the end of the song, perhaps for CTE to maintain their image as a "rock band" or perhaps just to goof around and have some fun. Either way, "Cold Cold Cold" is a hot hot hot song as far as I'm concerned!


"Good With God" by Old 97's (featuring Brandi Carlile): 2016 was almost as terrible a year as 1971 was for the music world in terms of how many people we lost that year. Thankfully Rhett Miller and the rest of The Old 97's are still alive and kickin', yet it seems like Rhett can't help but feel in his latest song, "Good With God", like he might just be the next one to be swept up to Rock And Roll Heaven. In this "Ghost Riders In the Sky" styled number, he assures himself that he isn't afraid of possibility of this happening and that he's "good with God". And where does Brandi Carlile figure into all of this?! Well, as it turns out, she IS God in the context of this song. Considering how laid back (a bit TOO laid back for my taste) Brandi usually is, she does a pretty stunning and compelling performance as the (Wo)man Upstairs in this song!


"Name For You" by The Shins: Ob-la-di, ob-la-da, life goes on...into middle age, for The Shins' James Mercer. In "Name For You", a song that combines power pop with ska in a similar manner to how The Beatles' "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" did, James reflects on being a dad who is a year past 45 (can you believe it?!) One of his little girls is at least 8 if not older, as The Shins guest starred on "Yo Gabba Gabba" on 2008 back when she wasn't even old enough to attend preschool, which is another thing that makes the once young and fresh indie pop star feel like he's inching ever closer to being viewed as "oldies" like his influences such as The Beatles, The Byrds, The Beach Boys, and The Zombies are all viewed as and have been for awhile at this point. This may sound like the plot of some coming of age indie film written and produced by Zach Braff, but I can assure you that the events "Name For You" has been based on are 100 % real!


"Roll With the Punches" by Dawes: Mumford and Sons might have made folk-rock cool again, but Dawes have made folk-rock rock again! Dawes' organ driven rocker, "Roll With the Punches", is a gritty, roots-y song that sounds like it was pulled straight out of the Robbie Robertson/Levon Helm handbook (it bears a slight resemblance to The Band's "Chest Fever" to me). The song's shimmering Crosby Stills & Nash styled harmonies contrast slightly with the sizzling energy it has to offer. Not nearly as compelling as Dawes' song "When the Tequila Runs Out" from summer of last year, but still worth listening to if ya ask me.


"To Be Without You" by Ryan Adams: I can't believe my eyes! ANOTHER new Ryan Adams song?! But I just reviewed him last month! Oh well, on with the show, as they say. Those who thought Adams' "The Prisoner" would be full of high energy rock songs might be disappointed when they hear this one, but for others, "To Be Without You" might offer proof that Ryan Adams might finally be comfortable enough to include a rock song and a ballad on the same album! It seems that Ryan is copying his own material in "To Be Without You", which sounds a bit like his own "Everybody Knows", but it is a slightly longer and much more heartfelt song than that one was. The lyrics are exactly what you might think they would be on a song called "To Be Without You", sad and forlorn. Perhaps "Do You Still Love Me?" and "To Be Without You" were, respectively, question and answer songs for the same album.

New songs for August 24th 2016

here they are:


"City Lights" by The White Stripes: Meg and Jack haven't done anything together since 2007! Actually, "City Lights" is a previously unreleased song by the dynamic duo of modern garage rock that was first recorded in 2005 that never got an official album release until now. Fans of The White Stripes were probably anticipating a fuzzy blast of punk-blues, but "City Lights" is kind of the opposite of that. It is a bittersweet sounding folk-rock song with acoustic guitar at the forefront, light percussion in the background, and not much else (aside from Jack's vocals, of course). As for what the song is all about? A few fans have interpreted as a sad breakup letter that Jack wrote to Meg.


"Move" by Saint Motel: Sometimes it only takes one word to set things in motion, and in this case, that word is "move"! "Move" is exactly what you will want to do to Saint Motel's latest song, which deftly combines disco and alt-pop, much like their 2015 smash hit, "My Type", did. The disco element is a bit more emphasized in "Move", from its funky rhythm to its heavy use of brass, right down to how the "gotta get up" in the chorus sounds like a vocalized version of the sax riff in The Average White Band's "Pick Up the Pieces". Let's get down tonight!


"When the Tequila Runs Out" by Dawes: This is the second time that Dawes have had a song with the word "when" as the first word in the title of one of their songs, the first being "When My Time Comes". If you play the two songs back to back, though, you'd swear you were hearing two different bands! It seems as though, through their 7 years together so far, Dawes have really progressed as a band, going from the roots-y folk-rock of their debut to the pseudo-psychedelic pop sound of their latest song. "When the Tequila Runs Out", fittingly, has a rather boozy vibe, at least as far as its fuzz drenched guitars are concerned. The song is basically an ode to getting drunk, as the words that follow the title of the song are "we'll be drinking champagne". Drinking alcohol has never quite appealed to me, but it's still been a staple of rock songs for quite a long time.

new songs for September 16th, 2015

here they are:


"All Your Favorite Bands" by Dawes: If by "all your favorite bands", you mean Jackson Browne and The Beatles, then I guess you're right, as this song kinda sounds like a cross between the former's "Rock Me On the Water" and the latter's "Let It Be". Like "Let It Be", "All Your Favorite Bands" is a rather bittersweet song. The title of the song (and the album for which it is named) comes from the line "may all your favorite bands stay together". Well, seeing as Dawes have now been around for about 6 years without any known splitting apart of the members, perhaps they're one of their own favorite bands! The song is basically a sad but hopeful love song, with Taylor Goldsmith pleading, "I hope the world sees the same person that you always were to me" to his lover.


"Mountain At My Gates" by Foals: One of the more experimental bands in indie-rock, Foals might have just finally scored a slightly more mainstream hit with "Mountain At My Gates", which combines the adventurous sounds of Tame Impala and "Kid A" era Radiohead with the sound of more accessible bands like Imagine Dragons. The bright, spirited piano in the background of the song keeps it chugging along, and as its instruments gradually build into a crescendo, it seems to transition from indie-rock to arena rock within the blink of an eye! What a trippy mountain there must be at those gates, eh?!


"Walk the Wire" by Boy and Bear: Wait a minute, who let Ric Ocasek join Boy and Bear?! I don't even...well a lot of bands have been trying to change their sound lately, but I would NOT have expected the quaint and folk-y Boy and Bear to turn into an arena ready new wave revival band!! Therefore, "Walk the Wire" is quite a fitting name for this song! Boy and Bear will probably lose some fans along the way. However, fans of The Cars will probably be clamoring over to "Walk the Wire", which even features a brief Elliot Easton-esque guitar solo! Brandon Flowers and co, take note. THIS might be what you want your next album to sound like!


"Yellow Eyes" by Rayland Baxter: At last, a newcomer on this week's blog! Rayland Baxter's autumnal, pleasant folk-rock sound seems to have arrived just in time for the fall season! The sound of Rayland's debut song, "Yellow Eyes", recalls some of the older Ryan Adams and Wilco songs from before they started adding a crunchier electric guitar sound to their songs. The song's lyrics seem to be delivered in a rather soul-searching manner, but they're actually about a man who has a bad habit of leaving his girlfriends without a significant other. What a great title, too. I'm sure we've all heard songs about people with blue eyes, brown eyes, and maybe even green eyes, but not yellow eyes. Until now, that is.

New songs for April 15th, 2015

here they are:


"Dead Fox" by Courtney Barnett: Courtney's first two big songs seemed to be on opposite extremes from one another!! "Avant Gardener" was mellow, spaced out slacker rock at its finest, yet "Pedestrian At Best" is one of the rawest, meanest, and hardest rocking songs I've ever reviewed on this blog!! Her third big song, "Dead Fox", appears to be somewhere in between the two. It's more upbeat than "Avant Gardener" but not as earth shatteringly angry as "Pedestrian At Best". "Dead Fox" sounds a bit like a Pretenders song circa the early '80s, only with Courtney Barnett's deadpan vocals taking the place of the more deep, sublime vocals of Chrissie Hynde. "Dead", in the title of this song, appears to be a metaphor, as in "you are dead to me", given how the chorus of the song ("if you can't see me, I can't see you") is basically about choosing to ignore someone you'd rather not be dealing with.


"Gates of Dawn" by Heartless B*st*rds: This band doesn't exactly live up to its name (which is kind of a GOOD thing), but that's because they were actually named after a question on a game show that asked what the name of Tom Petty's backing group was (one of the choices was "Tom Petty and The Heartless B*st*rds"). That being said, it's probably no mere coincidence that a lot of Heartless B*st*rds' songs sound like '90s era Tom Petty songs, including their latest song, "Gates of Dawn". A bit of the more anthemic side of Tom Petty gets mixed into this song as well, which starts out acoustic, and steadily adds more and more electric guitar as it climaxes. Nonetheless, "Gates of Dawn" still manages to be a somewhat laid back song.


"The Wolf" by Mumford and Sons: Like "Believe" from two months ago, this is yet another Mumford and Sons song that takes electric guitar over acoustic. However, "The Wolf" doesn't seem to be striving for an "epic" adult contemporary sound along the lines of Coldplay, and instead opts for something that sounds more like Kings of Leon mixed with Spoon. It also maintains a fast, electric sound throughout, instead of meddling between the two the way "Believe" did. The song still contains the typical, soul-searching Mumford lyrics ("Hold gaze my love, you know I want to let it go", "Been wandering for days, how you felt me slip your mind"). Here's hoping this song receives more airplay than their last one (which received quite a bit of airplay, but I like this one better). Perhaps I should be careful what I wish for?!


"Things Happen" by Dawes: Between this song and the last one I reviewed, all I can say is that Kings of Leon must be either incredibly proud or incredibly weirded out that they have now spawned so many imitators! "Things Happen" still maintains the roots-y feel Dawes typically go for, but the guitar appears to sound fuzzier and more echo-y than it usually is on their material. The lyrics of "Things Happen" seem to present a "Where do we go from here?" frame of mind for the listeners. This being Dawes' fourth album, perhaps it was hard for them to come up with topics for a new song. The chorus of the song ends with the empty, mystifyingly worded conclusion that "things happen, that's all they ever do". Wait, things do things OTHER than just "happen"?!

New songs for November 12th, 2014

here they are:


"Beggin' For Thread" by Banks: This song is basically what it would be like if a Florence and The Machine song were used in some sort of crime drama. Catchy, somewhat quirky indie-pop, but with a rather murky, mysterious undertone. In spite of the plural noun moniker Banks has, she is but one girl, not multiple people. This is the type of the song that just begs to get under your skin at some point, with subtly scathing lyrics comparable to the typical Fiona Apple song. One more thing I should mention, Banks hails from L.A., my hometown!


"Kansas City" by New Basement Tapes: Not to be confused with the '50s song, "Kansas City", though before I actually heard this song, I thought it might have been, since none other than Bob Dylan is a part of the new folk-rock supergroup known as New Basement Tapes! Dylan is the only oldster in the band, though, the rest of which consists of some of his many heirs to the throne, such as Mumford and Sons' Marcus Mumford (who takes the lead on this particular track), My Morning Jacket's Jim James, and Dawes' Taylor Goldsmith. "Kansas City" itself isn't exactly Mumford-esque, though, and takes more after the roots-y folk-rock fuzz of My Morning Jacket and Dawes. All four of the guys in the band have a rather rustic sound to their music, so it makes sense that "Kansas City" is one of those "driving back home from the freeway" kind of songs.


"Stay With Me" by Ryan Adams: Ryan Adams has done what I never thought he would do for both of the songs I've heard so far from his latest album. He has gone totally '80s!! I'm more accustomed to hearing Ryan with a late '60s/early '70s folk-rock influenced sound, but it is nonetheless interesting to see who he has chosen to influence him on his latest album. On the summer adult alt smash, "Gimme Something Good", he emulated Tom Petty. For "Stay With Me", his sound is even closer to mainstream rock, with a sound that matches the kings of rock 'n' roll themselves, The Rolling Stones (though "Stay With Me" specifically recalls the way The Stones sounded in the '80s). Brace yourselves, people, someday soon your local classic rock station is gonna grab this song and play it by mistake!

New songs for the day before the 4th of July

here they are:


"Most People" by Dawes: Taylor Goldsmith and his roots-y indie-folk-rock band, Dawes, recently performed their newest song, "Most People", live, with folk-rock legend, Bob Dylan. The sound of "Most People" is closer to Jakob Dylan than Bob, though. "Most People" adheres to the typical sort of folk-rock sound that Dawes have, but between this song and their previous adult alt smash hit, "From A Window Seat", I can tell that Dawes are shaping up their sound to be more dynamic and energetic than it was when they debuted at the end of the '00s. Some hints of Springsteen and Mellencamp type influence in this song, too. With their endless fascination for the roots-y, heartland side of classic rock, Dawes are well on their way to becoming the Black Crowes of 21st century rock music!


"New Constellation" by Toad the Wet Sprocket: And now, a new song from a group of guys who really ARE classic rock (or at least classic alt) by today's standards!! Toad the Wet Sprocket, a folk-pop/rock quartet from Santa Barbara who named themselves after a "Monty Python" skit, have not released a new album in 16 years!! Quite a long time gone for a band who made some of the biggest hits of the '90s! So how does their new song, "New Constellation", hold up in comparison to Toad standards like "All I Want" and "Walk On the Ocean"?! Well, I'm sorry to disappoint, but it doesn't hold a candle to those songs. However, "New Constellation"'s catchy, indie-pop influenced sound seems to indicate that Toad are not behind the times, and that they have a good ear for what sounds good now just as they did about a decade and a half ago. As for the lyrical direction of the song, lines like "write your name in a new constellation" might sound poetic, but it almost seems like Toad were struggling for lyrics to fit with this bouncy song. A three star effort from a four star band. Not bad, though, by any means.


"Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons: This song has already become a hit on...hmmmm...let's see...alternative rock stations, pop stations, and for some weird reason, even hard rock stations at this point, and it has been so roughly since fall of last year. So what took adult alt radio stations so long to catch up with this song, esp. since "It's Time" and "Demons" have already become hits on Triple A radio stations?! Perhaps one reason why is because "Radioactive" is considerably darker than most of the more ethereal alt-pop that Imagine Dragons have become known for. It is written in a minor key, unlike "Demons" and "It's Time", and it also has somewhat of a mood whiplash about 30 seconds into the song. "Radioactive" starts out with rather heavenly sounding instruments before going into a rather grim (by pop standards, at least) techno influenced sound for the verses. Interestingly, the chorus of the song brings back the shimmery guitars from the beginning of the song. "Radioactive" is also a rather defiant song for Imagine Dragons, as Dan Reynolds repeatedly chants "welcome to the new age" during the chorus, as though the words are supposed to signify some sort of "this is the way it is, so get used to it" kind of attitude.

Songs for the day before Valentine's Day

Well, ok, so not all of these are love songs, but I'll review 'em anyway! Here goes:


"Follow the Road" by The Dunwells: With the strength of their first big hit, "I Could Be A King", I initially thought that The Dunwells were like an American version of Mumford and Sons, but now that I'm getting to know the brothers Dunwell a little better, I can see that they are much more eclectic than that! No song proves their willingness to be different more than their latest song, "Follow the Road". It even starts out kinda cool, with its vaguely sitar-ish psych-folk sound. It quickly turns into a roots-rocker of the finest quality, with a wicked guitar solo to boot! As "bluegrass-rock" has quickly become the latest, hippest trend in rock music of the 2010's, The Dunwells really put the "rock" in "bluegrass-rock", at least for "Follow the Road", and how!!


"From A Window Seat" by Dawes: One of the two most anticipated new releases of the week (along with the latest from blue-eyed soul group Fitz and The Tantrums), "From A Window Seat" by Dawes shows Taylor Goldsmith and co's ever growing fascination for the roots-y side of classic rock (perhaps this was partly influenced by the members actually MEETING Jackson Browne, and then collaborating with him shortly afterwards). It's a bit more bouncy and upbeat than the typical Dawes song, and it seems to echo both the beat and style of guitar playing from songs like "Sultans of Swing" by Dire Straits. Lyrically, Dawes seem to be stretching their boundaries on "From A Window Seat". Instead of waxing poetic about "judg(ing) the whole world on the sparkle that you think it lacks", or talking about someone with that "special kind of sadness", far more surreal imagery concerning "dreams of captains and explorers eating boots" (whatever THAT means!!) comes up instead. Go figure!!


"Gone Gone Gone" by Phillip Phillips: With the word "Gone" mentioned three times and the name "Phillip" mentioned twice, saying the name of this song and artist out loud seems kinda funny, but the person who is (so far) "American Idol's" sole folk-rocker is no comedian. It's honestly unbelievable to me that Phillip would have another song besides "Home" getting attention, since "Home" was in so many places in the fall of 2012 that it seemed like one of those songs that just couldn't be topped. Though "Gone Gone Gone" hasn't had near the level of success "Home" has so far, Phillip Phillips seems to know what the basic formula is for having one of his songs becoming a hit. Positive message ("I'll love you long after you're gone")? Check! Acoustic guitar in the verses and bright shiny horns in the chorus? Check! A bouncy, irresistible earworm of a song? Well, "Gone Gone Gone" is different than that. It's a bit more poignant than it is happy, but there is still plenty of charm and warm, cozy vibes to be found in "Gone Gone Gone"!


"Good Love" by Jenny O: The echo-y acoustic guitars, funky beat, and honey-sweet vocals of Jenny O's breakthrough song, "Good Love", could liken her to being like an indie Fleetwood Mac (though plenty of people have taken that title already, most notably Jenny Lewis from Rilo Kiley). The fact that "Good Love" uses only two chords (E minor and A minor) makes it a bit more minimalistic than Fleetwood Mac, but it still sounds like a song that came straight out of the mid-'70s for some reason. Simple though it may be, "Good Love" still has that sort of organic, earthy honesty that provides a breath of fresh air in comparison to most songs of the 2010's. Not much more to say about this song, aside from how sometimes, the easiest approach to crafting a song can also the best approach.


"Inch of Rope" by Courrier: "Inch of Rope", the second major song from British sounding alt-pop group, Courrier, seems to pick up where The Airborne Toxic Event (also listed for this week's blog) left off. Where The Airborne Toxic Event seemed to want to take more of a generic alt-pop route to music, Courrier dabble in a more honest brand of what sounds like Brit-pop (though they are actually Texans) that has become scarce in a world full of piano-based Coldplay and Keane sound-alikes. A kind of contemplation is present in Courrier's music that actually makes me feel drawn to it, and about the only bands I really find comparable to them at the moment are groups like Scars on 45 and A Silent Film (both of whom are ACTUALLY British). Courrier are a rarity in this day and age, but perhaps sometimes, good things are better when they're a rarity.


"Out of My League" by Fitz and The Tantrums: Fitz and The Tantrums first broke through in fall of 2010, with their soulful alt-pop/rock mega-hit, "MoneyGrabber", known for its Motown-esque "white soul" sound. For their latest song, the heavily anticipated "Out of My League", Fitz and co shake things up a bit by adding a bit of new wave influence, while still keeping a bit of R & B at the core of their sound. Perhaps the small but still somewhat significant trend of "new wave soul" in bands like Graffiti6 and Electric Guest was part of what made Fitz and The Tantrums want to add more of a new wave-y sound into their own music. Hall and Oates are one of Fitz and The Tantrums biggest heroes, though (they even recorded some music at Daryl Hall's house once!) and it seems like that's who FATT are trying to emulate the most on "Out of My League". Hall and Oates made a similar transition between the '70s and the '80s from being "blue-eyed soul" to being more new wave influenced, so that would make sense. Though "Out of My League" doesn't seem like it will have near the impact "MoneyGrabber" did, it's still well worth the listen!


"Roots and Vine" by Sons of Fathers: Both the name of this song and the name of this band bring to mind a sort of folks-y, 19th century America kinda vibe, don't they?! Well, that's not too far from the truth, in this case! At least in terms of the roots-y, accordion laden music, it isn't. The song itself seems to be more of a "drinking song", though, particularly during the chorus ("You're the roots and I'm the vine, together we can make the wine"). Like Courrier (reviewed earlier during this week's blog), Sons of Fathers are a Texan band. Unlike Courrier, Sons of Fathers actually SOUND Texan. Lead singer Paul Cauthen's Texan heritage are an obvious reason why "Roots and Vine" sounds the way it does. A less obvious influence on Cauthen's music, for those who are interested, is how he spent time on a chain gang when he was younger. Talk about your American history!


"Timeless" by The Airborne Toxic Event: There isn't really anything "timeless" about the way The Airborne Toxic Event's latest song sounds, as it doesn't stand a chance against "Sgt. Pepper", "Pet Sounds", and other songs/albums that truly ARE "timeless". However, there's still a good reason why the song has the title it does, and it's quite touching, really. It is because that is the way lead singer Mikel Jollett feels about his grandmother, who was recently deceased. Somehow, I feel like "Timeless" could have been a much more effectively melancholy song, but still, it deserves an A for effort, since it's the first song I know of by The Airborne Toxic Event that deals with death, and the death of someone terribly close, at that.

New songs for June 13th, 2012

here they are:


"Dragging You Around" by Greg Laswell: This is the third time Greg Laswell has done a duet with a female singer/songwriter. However, the previous two songs, "Take Everything" (with Ingrid Michaelson) and "Come Back Down" (with Sara Bareilles) were both sincere love songs. "Dragging You Around", which features Sia from the chill electro-pop group Zero 7 on backing vocals, is NOT a love song. Well not a sincere one, anyway. It's more tongue-in-cheek than that. Greg points out in the first verse of the song that his current relationship is a "grand waste of time", but, once the chorus comes around, he says that he's sticking around with his significant other because he LIKES "dragging (her) around" and "dragging (her) down". The contrast between how biting the lyrics are and how mellow the song itself is only prove to me what a clever musician Greg Laswell really is! Who knew such a moody sounding guy had such a sharp sense of humor?! I didn't, but I'm glad he does!


"If I Wanted Someone" by Dawes: From the Wallflowers-ish sound of "Time Spent In Los Angeles", the Jackson Browne-ish vibe of "A Little Bit of Everything", and now a Neil Young/Tom Petty soundalike with their latest song, "If I Wanted Someone", it's becoming increasingly clear to me that Dawes are like a 21st century Black Crowes! They're classic rock junkies in a modern rock world, particularly when it comes to the more roots-y side of classic rock (could a Bruce Springsteen soundalike from Dawes be far behind?!) The guitar solo in this song practically apes Neil Young, yet somehow, the artists in question that Dawes lift from like them! Jackson Browne has played with them, and apparently Benmont Tench from Tom Petty's Heartbreakers has, too. Mostly, "If I Wanted Someone" is more worth talking about for its music than its lyrics, but the chorus is notable for its somewhat humorous lyrics ("If I wanted someone to clean my life, I'd find myself a maid").


"Old Mythologies" by The Barr Brothers: Simon and Garfunkel have been a major influence on quite a bit of the indie music scene for the past 5 or so years, but, with the possible exception of Norwegian indie-folk duo Kings of Convenience, none of them sound more like S & G to me than The Barr Brothers. This is not a bad thing, though. "Old Mythologies" has a bittersweetly nostalgic vibe about it, with its rippling acoustic guitar sound and hushed vocals. Poetry of a somewhat abstract nature flows throughout the lyrics of "Old Mythologies", be it haunting ("when I'm one half child and the other ghost"), spiritual ("Solomon's song sang Sheba's grace and he kissed her soft and sulking face"), or just plain enigmatic ("100 Degrees Fahrenheit and he's cool as an ermine", which could be compared to "I wish I was a Kellogg's Cornflake" from Simon and Garfunkel's "Punky's Dilemma"). This is my fave song of the week and I highly recommend it!!


"The Way We Move" by Langhorne Slim: Langhorne Slim's only other "hit" so far, "Say Yes", was a bittersweet but hopeful sounding love song. Not exactly what you might expect from someone with a blues/country-ish moniker like "Langhorne Slim", is it?! Langhorne's latest song, "The Way We Move" has a more roots-y, country-rock type sound that is closer to what the sound of his (stage)name might evoke. The saxophones and old-time-y sounding piano almost make this a honky-tonk song, but there is something about "The Way We Move" that gives it a rock 'n' roll flavor as well, probably the beat of it. The title of the song can be taken in one of two ways, either in a poetic vein (in which "move" would mean something closer to "flow" or "come together"), or a literal one. Langhorne Slim opts for the latter here, though, as the jaunty rhythm of "The Way We Move" is central to its delivery.

'Twas the day after Valentine's

...and all through this blog, are four new songs, to make you happy as a...ummm...dog?! Anyway, here they are:

"A Little Bit of Everything" by Dawes: If by "everything" you mean "songs that sound like Jackson Browne", then yes, this song IS a little bit of "everything". But seriously, this is a good song (and coincidentally, the members of Dawes just happen to be friends with Jackson Browne). Unlike the previously guitar-oriented songs of Dawes, "A Little Bit of Everything" is mostly a "piano-rock" song, with the exception of the electric guitar solo in the middle (which, once again, sounds like something out of a Jackson Browne song). As their first major song to focus more on piano than guitar, "A Little Bit of Everything" comes off sounding more melancholy than the typical Dawes song. That being said, those attending Coachella this year who happen to be fans of Dawes might be in for a surprise when/if they hear this song from them, but hopefully it will end up being a pleasant surprise!

"Low Fuel Drug Run" by 7Horse: One of the few songs I've ever known to really put the "rock" in "country-rock", "Low Fuel Drug Run" is basically a one chord vamp (built almost entirely around a D chord capoed at the 5th fret), which is more common in blues than country OR rock. It is a fast, fun, and quite catchy tune! The harmonica in "Low Fuel Drug Run" adds a nice touch to it. The vocals in the beginning of the song are higher and easy to understand, but the lead singer quickly switches to lower vocals during the chorus and throughout the second verse, and the speed at which the lyrics are being sung becomes faster, the latter of which bears slight resemblance to Bob Dylan's "Subterranean Homesick Blues". Though drugs (the title of the song) are referenced and alcohol is mentioned (the refrain of the song is "six bottles of whiskey and a bottle of wine"), "Low Fuel Drug Run" still manages to be a lively, high-spirited blues-y romp!

"Meant" by Elizaveta: The dramatic, almost neo-classical intro to "Meant" gives way to a piano arpeggio similar to many of the best-known songs in pop/rock history, from The Righteous Brothers' "Unchained Melody" to The Beatles' "Oh! Darling" and Queen's "Somebody to Love". Unlike those three songs, "Meant" is written in a minor key, which is fitting for a song about a breakup. The orchestral backing instruments add to the intensity of this song, giving it a very powerful, convincing sound. Of course, breakup songs are nothing new, but classical and opera influenced arrangements to such songs?! I don't recall that happening before, so therefore, I think "Meant" puts a whole new spin on breakup songs. It also makes me think Elizaveta's musical influences reach from many different genres, so I look forward to hearing what she will come up with next!

"Movement And Location" by Punch Brothers: Not since the days of The Velvet Underground has a string instrument other than guitar been used so intensely that it sounds like an instrument from a typical rock band!! In "Movement And Location"'s case, TWO instruments - violin and mandolin! Though there are no electric guitars present on "Movement And Location", it seems to take cues from progressive rock songs in that it is structured more like a suite than a pop song (thankfully it's only 4 minutes and 6 seconds for those who feel bored/irritated by the incredible length of most progressive rock songs). "Bluegrass-rock" has become pretty common by now, especially in alt/indie rock music, but not typically with the sort of of craftsmanship and in-your-face vibe that shows up in "Movement And Location"!

New songs for May 4th 2011

here they are:

"Barton Hollow" by The Civil Wars: For those expecting a melancholy, sentimental tune from these guys, like "Poison and Wine" was, please don't! "Barton Hollow" is a bluegrass-y song like most of The Civil Wars' material, but it's also a very gritty, juicy sort of tune. Its drop D tuning seems to somehow suit it perfectly, as do the blues-y sounding lyrics (i.e. "I'm a dead man walking", and "Can't no preacher man save my soul?") Acoustic blues are alive and well thanks to The Civil Wars, and quite rightfully so!

"Grown Ocean" by Fleet Foxes: Not quite the straight up folk-rock of the exquisite, poignant title track to "Helplessness Blues", but like pretty much every Fleet Foxes track I've had the pleasure of hearing so far, it's still a great song! Think of what it would be like if Simon and Garfunkel attempted to do a song from "Pet Sounds". One of the absolute best things about Fleet Foxes' songs is that they always manage to get me in a nostalgic, reflective sort of mood! "Grown Ocean" is no exception to this, in fact upon hearing the song initially, I felt like I was in a really pleasant dream! I would LOVE for Robin Peckold and co to release more material like this, it would really make me happy!!

"Holdin' On to Black Metal" by My Morning Jacket: It appears as though this song is both the most popular AND the most bizarre of all the songs I'm reviewing this week!! For a band who started out doing Neil Young-esque folk-rock material like "Golden", MMJ have sure come a long way, diversifying their musical pallet into reggae-tinged rock ("Off the Record"), barn-burnin' Stones-y hard rock ("I'm Amazed"), '70s soul influenced music ("Thank You Too!"), and progressive rock (both parts of "Touch Me I'm Going to Scream"). "Holdin' On to Black Metal" puts MMJ right up there with best eclectic, quirky indie groups and musicians like The White Stripes, Wilco, and Beck! I wouldn't know how to describe what "genre" it's trying to go after, as it seems to be a combination of many (I have jokingly described it as "psychedelic-folk-gospel-punk-soul", and other silly sounding, but somewhat accurate descriptions). It starts with a vaguely "psychedelic" guitar, but then horns that sound like they'd be more at home in an Otis Redding song start to kick in, and a chorus of CHILDREN (of all things) echo the words "black metal" after lead singer Jim James sings it in the chorus! The "black metal" in question (mentioned in the title and chorus) is a musical genre (also known as "death metal"), and not ACTUAL dark metallic material, which only makes the song even MORE bizarre than it already is! This is by far the weirdest song I've heard so far from MMJ...and I couldn't be happier!!!

"Time Spent In Los Angeles" by Dawes: SoCal's roots-y indie rockers, perhaps best known for their late 2009/early 2010 adult alt radio hit, "When My Time Comes", are back for more! Nothing says "I love L.A." like both singing about it AND being praised by L.A.'s own '70s rock musician Jackson Browne! For a city that spawned 1000 "soft rock" musicians (among them Browne, as well as The Eagles), "Time Spent In Los Angeles" has an aptly laid back kind of mood, evoking something between the organ driven folk-rock approach of The Wallflowers and the "alt-country" vibe of groups like The Avett Brothers. Having grown up in L.A. myself, it's actually a rather frantic, fast-paced city from what I've come to know, but musically, this song does a great job of capturing the more mellow side of L.A.!

"Two Against One" by Danger Mouse (featuring Jack White from The White Stripes): The title of this song couldn't be more apt! Well the "two" part, anyway, as Danger Mouse and Jack White are both masters of creating eclectic musical catalogs for themselves! The "against one"...the media perhaps?! Well, who cares! This is still a great song! I especially dig how the acoustic guitar in the lead mingles with the syncopation of the electric guitar in the background, and how the minor key used throughout the song seems to build up to something suspenseful instead of something melancholy. Danger Mouse and Jack White have truly come up with a masterpiece here. Here's to hoping Jack and Meg will get back together soon and reconsider the "break-up" of their band!!

It's my first Blog-i-versary!!! (kind of)

I first started this blog on February 11th of last year (but that's not a Wednesday), so today I'm celebrating my first blog-i-versary!!! With 8 cool new tracks to review, too! So here they are:

"Helplessness Blues" by Fleet Foxes: I love how nostalgic and simply beautiful Fleet Foxes' music sounds. "White Winter Hymnal" has a very dreamy sound, and "Mykonos" has remarkably similar chord structure to The Mamas and Papas' "California Dreamin'", another personal fave of mine. That being said, I was pretty excited to hear Fleet Foxes released a new track this year!! "Helplessness Blues", once again, evokes the same dreamy, nostalgic qualities that most of their songs tend to. It almost sounds like it uses the same tuning as Joni Mitchell's "You Turn Me On I'm A Radio", and the mood of the song even seems somewhat Joni-like (and Dylanesque). Fleet Foxes have once again managed to win my heart over, and I hope they continue to do so!!

"Let the Light In" by Bob Schneider: Bob Schneider has been around for longer on the music scene than most people probably think he has been (since around 2003). It wasn't until 2009, though, that he started getting attention with songs like the marvelous, enchanting indie-pop/adult alt fave "40 Dogs (Like Romeo and Juliet)" and the more subdued, somewhat Dave Matthews-ish "The Bringdown". I guess adult alt radio liked Schneider enough that they've decided to give him another chance. "Let the Light In", amazingly, lives up to its title. It's not bittersweet like "40 Dogs" or melancholy like "The Bringdown", but instead is a rather happy song, with sunny synths and exciting xylophones to set the mood! I wasn't sure whether to expect indie-pop or folk-pop with "Let the Light In", as Schneider has been known to do both, but this song meets somewhere in between, and I think I like that!

"Me Me Me" by Middle Brother: Imagine what it would be like if alumni from three somewhat roots-y indie rock groups (Delta Spirit, Deer Tick, and Dawes) formed into one supergroup and somehow landed a guest spot on "Happy Days". What would that be like?!? Well, wonder no more, for Middle Brother is a supergroup comprised of members of all three of the bands I just mentioned, and their first big hit (among the indie/adult alt crowds), "Me Me Me", sounds more like a song you'd expect to hear from Elvis Presley or Jerry Lee Lewis (albeit with a "fuzz" guitar solo in the middle) than you would from three bands who typically bear more similarity to acts like Bright Eyes, Wilco, and My Morning Jacket. It's a darn catchy tune that I would definitely like to hear more of for at least the late winter/Spring season!! Between the rockin' boogie vibe of this song and the Joni Mitchell-esque folk-rock of "Helplessness Blues" I can't decide which is my fave pick of the week!!

"Poison And Wine" by The Civil Wars: A bit of a late review here, but please bear with me. This song could easily be called "Falling Slowly - redux". It's a melancholy folk-rock tune that features a duet between a guy and a girl (though unlike Glen and Marketa, of "Falling Slowly" fame, I don't think The Civil Wars are Irish). "Poison and Wine" definitely seems like it was intended to be a tearjerker, yet I only get that emotion from the song about halfway. I guess "Falling Slowly" had such an authentically emotional grip on me that I didn't expect any song or band to try and copy it, yet lo and behold, The Civil Wars' "Poison and Wine" shows up about four years later! Perhaps I shouldn't care too much if one song is copying (intentionally or not) another, as I do typically love songs like "Poison and Wine"!

"The Roller" by Beady Eye: Hmmmm....who's "Beady Eye"?!? This sounds more like an Oasis tune. That's because, technically, this IS an Oasis tune. Beady Eye is the side project of one of the Gallagher brothers (though I forget which one at the moment), and "The Roller" really doesn't sound too different at all from the typical Oasis song. Oasis are one of my fave bands, though, so no problem here! The jaunty, toe-tapping feel of "The Roller" also helps to give it a little bit of flavor and distinction from most Oasis tunes (besides "Lyla" which had practically the same rhythm).

"Too Dramatic" by Ra Ra Riot: Ra Ra Riot's follow-up to "Boy" sounds like...well..."Boy". But it's still worth reviewing because it's a tune that's been catchy enough to get stuck in my head! And plus you gotta love a band who combines the reggae-tinged new wave sound of The Police with the "orchestral rock" vibes of groups like Arcade Fire! Perhaps one advantage "Too Dramatic" has over "Boy" is that the guitar seems to be used throughout the song (though "Boy" had a much more distinct guitar solo), and, since I play guitar, this does make a difference for me.

"When I'm Alone" by Lissie: Between this song and Lissie's previous hit, "In Sleep", I'm pretty convinced that Lissie is on her way to becoming the indie world's answer to Alanis Morissette! Both songs manage to combine a pop-y melody with minor key chords and world-weary, frustrated lyrics. "When I'm Alone" is a bit more of an intense tune than "In Sleep", though, I think, not only because of its more frenzied rhythm, but also because of the rushed way she delivers the lyrics in the verses, almost as though out of desperation. "When I'm Alone" uses a rhythmic technique that isn't really that common in pop/rock music these days, and the way Lissie manages to keep steady vocal patterns in the chorus over its frenetic instrumentation makes it all the more worth listening to!

"World Gone Crazy" by The Doobie Brothers: Back in the summer of last year, an updated version of The Doobies' 1972 song "Nobody" started (surprisingly) hitting the adult alt airwaves and (even MORE surprisingly) hit the Top 20 of the adult alt charts somewhere around mid-fall of last year. What made "Nobody" such a cool song was that it sounded like a vintage Doobie Brothers tune (the kind you'd be likely to hear on a classic rock station, not the Michael McDonald era Doobies). "World Gone Crazy" doesn't quite have the same vibe. It sounds a bit more like an updated version of an Eagles song (only more sax heavy). It does have two saving graces, though. First off, it's a catchy tune (I can't say that about too many of the Michael McDonald songs, save for possibly "Takin' It to the Streets"), but the best part is that the lead vocalist was the one who sang on all the pre-McDonald tracks (I forget his name, but I like him MUCH better than McDonald).