New songs for March 2nd 2022

 here they are:


"Becoming All Alone" by Regina Spektor: The quirky yet sensitive music of Regina Spektor was all over the adult alt airwaves during the mid to late 2000's, yet her power just didn't seem to stay as strong in the decade that followed. She was kind of like an unlikely but irresistible cross between Tori Amos and They Might Be Giants. "Becoming All Alone" is a bittersweet comeback song for Regina. The song might be a bit more electro-pop than the less flashy piano-pop that Regina's fans might be used to, but it really gels in this song, which gradually adds other instruments like percussion and brass as it goes on, winding down towards the end into a more typical piano-and-strings Regina song. As is to be expected with Regina, oddball lyrics (such as "I asked God, 'Please call my name,' and I said, 'Hey. Let's grab a beer") accompany a more somber musical sound. Her mid '10s song, "Bleeding Heart," was somewhat of a disappointment, but I think she's come back to her musical roots with "Becoming All Alone." Welcome back, old friend!

"Come Back" by Trombone Shorty: The sounds of '60s and '70s soul have always been part of the Trombone Shorty sound, but on "Come Back," he really flaunts that sound! As one might think with a title like "Come Back," Trombone Shorty's latest song is basically a lovesick plea. The lyrics aren't anything new to the music world, but the way Shorty delivers his music and the passion with which he delivers it inject fresh life into the rather stagnant musical climate of the 2020's. Fans of early '70s R & B will probably dig this song, and, true to his stage name, Trombone Shorty has heavy use of brass in this song, as he does in all his material. 

"Everything's Electric" by Liam Gallagher (Oasis): Two of the major players of '90s rock collide in the Oasis frontman's latest song, "Everything's Electric." In addition to Oasis finding new musical life, Foo Fighters also do in this song, in which FF's lead singer Dave Grohl is featured on the drums! The song overall sounds like some of the attempts at "new" music that vintage rockers like The Rolling Stones, U2, and Lenny Kravitz have attempted during the new millennium. In other words, it definitely sounds like a rock song, but it doesn't sound like it's trying to add anything in that hasn't been done before. How a notoriously friendly guy like Dave Grohl and a notoriously unfriendly guy like Liam managed to make it work here is anyone's guess, but the chemistry is noticeable here and it works somehow. 

"Highest Bidder" by Fantastic Negrito: Like our entry from two songs ago, this song is also a foray into '70s R & B in the modern era. Fantastic Negrito's "Highest Bidder" really captures the more minimalist side of the funk movement, with almost the entire song defined by just the E minor chord (and guitar solos being played over it sometimes). The song is not without a dose of dark humor either, taking on such topical issues as racism, capitalism, and other subjects of a political nature while both gleefully and sarcastically singing in the chorus that "Everything goes to the highest bidder." In other words, Fantastic Negrito is commenting on how the greedy people of the world are profiting while those on the lower yet more generous end of the economic totem pole are suffering. Fantastic Negrito clearly knows what he's talking about here and isn't afraid to put it in our faces! The song culminates with an E minor riff that's noticeably more distorted than the rest of the song, perhaps as a way of symbolizing the anger he feels throughout the song and just letting it all out for the last few seconds!

"Made Up Mind" by Bonnie Raitt: Not actually a Bonnie tune, but actually one from the bluegrass-influenced rock group, The Brothers Landreth, that came out in the mid-2010's. The original version wasn't very memorable, but Bonnie has a knack for making just about anything she does good, and her cover of "Made Up Mind" is no exception. She turns the mild country sound of the original into a slinky, blues-y vamp all her own here! The fact she is now two years past 70 and still churning out juicy blues-rock tunes just as she did at the start of her career is also truly a wonder to behold!

"Problems" by Neal Francis: Neal's first big adult alt radio hit, "Can't Stop the Rain," had a very blues-y, gritty sound to it that quickly caught on with its demographic! His followup song, "Problems," is not as blues-y, but still attempts to go with the whole "blue-eyed soul" feel that he had with his first big song. In fact, the song sounds an awful lot like something Hall and Oates, arguably the best-known blue-eyed soul group of the 1970's and early '80s, would have come up with, though it has noticeably more synth than the typical H & O song does. Perhaps it's the song's seamless, fluid mixture of meaty rock riffs, crooning vocals, and soulful rhythm that give me the H & O vibes here. Also distinguishing "Problems" from its predecessor, "Can't Stop the Rain," is the fact that "Problems" has a bridge that doesn't quite sound like the rest of the song does that almost feels like it doesn't need to be there, yet it still comes back strong in the end. 

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 June 9th, 2021

 here they are:


"Making a Fire" by Foo Fighters: If "Shame Shame" and "Waiting on a War" felt too lightweight for you, then "Making a Fire" might be more up your alley! The song rocks pretty hard from the start, although not without enough melodic vocals to buoy it over and prevent it from becoming too edgy for adult alt radio stations to consider playing. True to its title, "Making a Fire" is a pretty explosive song about wanting to live life to the fullest no matter what obstacles might be in the way! Quite a far cry from the plaintive melancholia of their last single, "Waiting on a War," but after a particularly harsh winter and questionable spring, perhaps this song is just what we need to have a rockin' summer this year! 

"My Cleveland Heart" by Jackson Browne: 1970's rock fave, Jackson Browne, might be getting old, but his spirit still sounds as young as ever in his latest song, "My Cleveland Heart." Aside from the rootsy rock and roll guitar sound Jackson has on this song, another thing he has kept intact is his sense of humor. For instance, the word "heart" might sound like it's supposed to mean something sentimental, but it actually isn't, in this case. It refers to an actual human heart, or at least to a hospital in Cleveland that specializes in cardiology which is called (I kid you not) Cleveland Heart. Browne is aware of how his time is slipping away, so when him and a friend were driving by the place and he found out what it specialized in, he got the idea for his latest song, given the benefits that having an artificial heart from such a place could provide him! He is also very well aware of new talent on the horizon, which is why current indie-folk sensation, Phoebe Bridgers, appears in the video for the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_gWWzLph24) dressed as a nurse (for all you Phoebe fanboys - no, she is not a "sexy nurse" in this video), adding to the song's already tongue-in-cheek humor (or should I say "heart-in-cheek") by eating his "heart"! There's heartbreaking and there's...ummm...whatever this is! Jackson, when I said some of your songs were "heartbreakers," I didn't mean that literally, ya know!

"Wolves" by Garbage: Utilizing the same combo of goth-rock and grunge that made them so big in the '90s, Shirley Manson and co are at it again for the first time in almost a decade with "Wolves"! The lyrics to the song are just as venomous, if not more so, than the song itself! It's a song about inner conflict, about how chaotic the world has gotten lately, and about regrets Shirley has had about her past self. No wonder the song sounds so...well...angry! Probably more so than Garbage typically is already! In the parts between the verses and chorus of the song, chord changes are used that often sound too dissonant for most pop and rock stars to feel comfortable putting into their music. Even Shirley Manson herself has questioned the notion of whether she wants to put out another song like this one, but has also concluded that she is more adept at writing songs fit for the spooky underbelly of pop/rock music, and not more upbeat and happy material. The song could possibly serve as a reminder to some as to why Garbage were called "Garbage" in the first place. Apparently, someone heard them rehearsing in their garage and, as a response to how noisy they were, said their music sounded like...well...garbage! Hence the name of the group. This might just be the noisiest and darkest song yet in Garbage's catalog...but what would you expect from an already jaded band heading into what is shaping to be an even more doomed decade than the one they started out in?! 

New songs for April 28th, 2021

 here they are:


"Diamond Studded Shoes" by Yola: Yola's unique combination of country and R & B gains an even thicker musical gumbo with her latest song, "Diamond Studded Shoes." Coming off almost like a Grateful Dead-style combo of country, blues, jazz, and rock with meandering guitar licks during the solo, "Diamond Studded Shoes" is an upbeat song about downbeat subject matter. The titular phrase, "diamond studded shoes," is mentioned only once in the song during the second verse, referring to the much sought after financial value of such clothing, and how people in the big biz buying those sorts of shoes with their taxes is really just their way of keeping more ordinary folk divided. The theme of divisiveness continues throughout the song, addressing more specifically the issue of poverty and how negatively it affects Yola and others whose monetary rank is middle class or lower. Nothing brings controversial issues to the forefront like a catchy song, eh?!

"Easy Sleazy" by Mick Jagger and Dave Grohl: Essentially, the leading Stone and the leading Foo Fighter are churning out classic rock for a generation that has become increasingly disconnected from the idea of rock music. The news of two rock and roll giants collaborating on a song together might excite parents and grandparents of today, but what about the youth which the music industry has long been obsessed with catering to?! Is it really going to be effective for them?! While this question might remain unanswerable, Mick and Dave seem to at least trying to appeal to the youth here, delivering a gut busting rock and roll number that crams all the issues that defined 2020 into the space of roughly three and a half minutes. A world with no tours and no sports, protective face gear mysteriously becoming trendy, the once virtually unknown service of Zoom becoming an internet giant in less than a year, quarantine weight, vaccination, and global warming all get referenced in this song. Only time will tell if this song makes a truly lasting impact, though. 

New songs for January 27th 2021

 here they are:


"All My Favorite Songs" by Weezer: This is a rather unusual song for Weezer! It's one of the few songs where they don't have any guitar! However, according to Rivers Cuomo's lyrics, there is a reason for this. Supposedly, "all (his) favorite songs are slow and sad." So is the case with "All My Favorite Songs." The song itself is slow and sad. It is written in C sharp minor, is dominated by cello instead of guitar, and manages to make the quirky but edgy punk-pop of Weezer classics like "Buddy Holly" and "Undone (The Sweater Song)" sound like heavy metal in comparison! "All My Favorite Songs" seems to serve as an unofficial "sequel" song to Weezer's surprisingly bittersweet and ultra-soft 2008 song, "Heart Songs." In contrast to the complete sincerity of "Heart Songs," though, "All My Favorite Songs" is somewhat self-deprecating, with Rivers claiming during the chorus that he "doesn't know what's wrong with him"!

"Call Me A Fool" by Valerie June: A sweeping, haunting neo-soul tune, "Call Me A Fool" might be sung by a millennial musician, but it is none other than 1960's R & B legend, Carla Thomas, providing the opening spoken word part: "Only a fool tests the depths of the water with both feet." Valerie, in response, kicks off the song with the four titular words, "call me a fool," twice. Why is she a "fool," exactly? Well, it's because she's fallen for a person who has used her, but she likes them anyway, in a way that's more than just friendly. Somehow, I feel like this is the perfect kind of song for Valentine's Day of this year, which will be coming up shortly!

"Ghosts" by Bruce Springsteen: In fall of last year, Bruce made a grand return to adult alt radio with "Letter to You," a sweet, heartfelt song that recalled vintage Bruce songs from the 1970's. With "Ghosts," the vintage Bruce sound continues, albeit on a much grander scale! The spirited, lively tone of this epic, five-and-a-half-minute song sounds like it was made for the arenas! (There'd better BE arenas sometime this year!) Unlike what its title might suggest, "Ghosts" is not about a dead person or people, but rather a metaphor for how music makes Bruce feel! The comparison here is that, much like a ghost, Bruce is haunted (in a good way) by the sound of music. Bruce, someday, when you're a ghost yourself, I hope to feel the same way you do when you hear music! One more thing I might add. The ghost of Clarence, the Big Man himself, appears to permeate this song towards the end of it! It's probably his son, Jake, playing sax during that part! 

"Waiting on a War" by Foo Fighters: If you thought "Shame Shame" from fall of last year was too "soft" for a Foo Fighters song, then this song might disappoint you even more. However, for the people who enjoy the softer side of Dave and the boys, like me, "Waiting on a War" is an excellent, haunting track! The song is their folkiest since the days of the acoustic version of "Everlong" and the equally haunting, "Walking After You"...well, until the end of it, that is, although even that part still retains the sense of sweet melody and harmony the song starts with. Since the song did come out during autumn of the tumultuous and unpredictable year of 2020, the lyrics to "Waiting on a War" are heavily reflective of just how torn apart the U.S. (and arguably the rest of the world, to a degree) had become by that point. The title of the song comes about from how Dave Grohl wonders throughout the song whether there is more to life than just "waiting on a war." There's never any definitive proof of an answer to this, but he seems to lean towards the more hopeful side, as the song is attempting to spread a message of peace and love amongst a nation (and planet) of war-torn citizens!

New songs for November 11th, 2020

 here they are:

"Headstart" by Jade Bird: The sassy, catchy folk-rock of Jade bird rose onto the adult alt radio airwaves in 2018 and 2019 and quickly became a fave of radio programmers of such stations! Most of her hit songs didn't last past 3 minutes, and her latest song, "Headstart," is another very short song of hers, at only 2 minutes and 21 seconds. Bringing electric guitars a bit more to the forefront than her previous songs did, "Headstart" still has a folk-rock-y feel to it, and it concerns the subject of unrequited love. Angst-ridden songs about ex-lovers seem to be a theme with Jade, which has garnered her a few comparisons to Alanis Morissette, albeit in a more millennial, indie-folk-rock sorta way.

"Shame Shame" by Foo Fighters: Dave Grohl has said of this song that its album was supposed to be like the Foo Fighters equivalent of David Bowie's "Let's Dance" album. I can kind of see why, as it lacks the crunchy hard rock guitar sound typically present in the Foos' material. In fact, there's barely any noticeable guitar hooks in it at all! Instead, the song is more dominated by drums and (surprise!) a string section, of all things! The song doesn't start at a medium tempo and climax into a full-blown rock song either. It just stays the same at a relatively tepid pace. Not a song for a more rabid Foo Fighters fan, but for those who are in favor of the band exploring more eclectic musical venues, it could be worth the listen. 

New songs for September 6th 2017

here they are:


"Bones of Saints" by Robert Plant: In contrast to the folk-y "The May Queen" from just last week, "Bones of Saints" has a bit more of a sound that suggests what it might sound like if Led Zeppelin had stayed together into the new millennium. The foreboding "bones" part of the title suggests that it's more of a rock song, but fear not, it's not a spooky one. It's a fun little blues-y romp tinged with mythological motifs that were common in Plant's music during the Led Zeppelin days. It doesn't hit quite as hard as the typical Zeppelin tune, but for those who want Robert Plant to show off some of his rock and roll past, you got your wish!


"Day I Die" by The National: Joy Division styled electro-gloom fused with U2 styled guitars might not seem like a good match at first, but The National manage to make it work on their latest song, "Day I Die". Strained family relationships and drug/alcohol abuse make up the core of this song, which has Matt Berninger wondering, "The day I die, where will I be?" Judging by the lyrical content and the somewhat dismal musical landscape, he probably thinks he won't be in a good place when he dies. Fate is a fickle friend, isn't it?!


"No Witness" by LP: A departure from the folk-y vibes of "Into the Wild" and "Lost On You", LP's latest song, "No Witness", has more of a post-millennial alt-pop flavor to it, full of synths and handclap sounds. It comes off sounding like Queen's "We Will Rock You" as if it was covered by Lorde. Where "Lost On You" was more of a mournful pining on a love gone lost, "No Witness" is a song in which LP accepts her fate as the rejected lover, admitting, "No one can save me, love me or hate me". She seems to use the aforementioned line as a bit of a mantra before jumping into the chorus, as if she doesn't like what has happened to her, but has still chosen to accept it that it's just how things are.


"Over Everything" by Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett: Move over, Cobain and Love! There's a new Kurt and Courtney in town! Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett, to be exact, both of whom are eclectic indie-folk-rockers of the 2010's. Their first song together, "Over Everything", epitomizes the "slacker" aesthetic of the indie scene. It is a very lazy, hazy song, with lyrics that don't exactly add up to a cohesive narrative (at least not that I can tell). However, it also has an equal amount of sensitivity in terms of how it sounds, both instrumentally and vocally. At 6 and a half minutes, the song also has a bit of a "jam band" vibe. I wonder if that was influenced by both Kurt and Courtney contributing to an all-indie tribute to The Grateful Dead that came out about a year ago.


"Revolution" by Van William (featuring First Aid Kit): No, this is not a Beatles cover song, for those who might be wondering. Far from it, in this case. Unlike the rollicking, roaring Lennon-McCartney tune of the same name, this "Revolution" is soft and folk-y and has nothing to do with politics whatsoever. This song is simply about a strained relationship that both members of the couple want to patch up. Nothing too remarkable about this song, but it is pleasant to listen to, and the horns that come in midway through the song make it sound a bit more unique than it would otherwise.


"The Sky Is A Neighborhood" by Foo Fighters: Last, but certainly not least, the mighty Foo Fighters are still roarin' and rockin' to this very day! Their latest song is essentially arena rock in the vein of The Who or Queen, but meant more for the current generation. What's particularly remarkable about this song, though, is the lyrics. Dave Grohl supposedly was reading Neil DeGrasse Tyson books when he came up with the lyrics to this song. Its talk of heaven, the stars, and the sky is not merely poetic metaphor in this song, but rather a literal musing on the cosmos. Rock never sounded so out of this world!

New songs for January 28th, 2015

here they are:


"Beryl" by Mark Knopfler: Though Mark has two inescapable rock 'n' roll hits ("Sultans of Swing" and "Money For Nothing") that will follow him wherever he goes, it seems as though Mark's true passion is for folk and country music. Many of his solo albums have an Americana feel to them, and he has duetted with folkies like James Taylor and country musicians like Emmylou Harris on his solo albums as well. His latest song, "Beryl", seems to have shades of both his solo career material and his Dire Straits material. It features a strummed acoustic guitar and a twangy electric guitar, playing together in harmony. One question remains, though. Who IS "Beryl" (the subject of the song)? It turns out that Beryl is Beryl Bainbridge, a British author whose award for writing was a posthumous one, as she never received any awards during her lifetime. The song basically centers around the tragedy of how Bainbridge was appreciated more after she died than she was during her life. A bit like Don McLean's "Vincent", then, in terms of the narration, though not nearly as sad.


"Congregation" by Foo Fighters: The Foos are surprisingly eclectic for a band who evolved out of the grunge scene! They don't just bathe themselves in angst, and can sometimes be quite sunny! "Congregation" is one example of a sunnier song from Dave and the boys (though it turns into a bit of a raver towards the middle). It also seems to be one of those songs that just celebrates the joys of music, as Dave sings about a "jukebox generation" during the chorus. The song seems to have an oddly biblical narrative, too, with lyrics like "I met the seventh son", "Step in the light", and "Where is your blind faith? No false hope".


"Radio" by Ryan Bingham: Our last song of the week is a gritty, Tom Petty-esque rocker. Like the last song I posted about, "Radio" is a song purely about the joys of music, nothing more, and nothing less. Ryan's raw vocals creakily sing about how "radio makes (him) wanna just lose (his) head" during the chorus, placing a drawled out emphasis on the word "lose". I say this song will make you wanna lose your head! In a good way, though, I promise!

New songs for October 29th, 2014

here they are:


"I Wish You Would" by JD McPherson: JD McPherson's self-consciously "retro" blend of Little Richard, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis Presley made a huge splash in 2012 with "North Side Gal" and "Fire Bug" (and again in Christmas of that year with "Twinkle Little Christmas Lights"). "I Wish You Would" is more of the same, which is definitely not a bad thing, as I have grown quite accustomed to JD's sound, but it has two differences from his previous work that are both worth noting. First of all, "I Wish You Would" is actually a cover of an ACTUAL "oldie but goodie" from blues musician Billy Boy Arnold. It is also only 1 and a half minutes long. "I Wish It Would" be longer!!


"September Fields" by Frazey Ford: Equal parts country, folk, rock, and soul, but entirely soothing both vocally and instrumentally, Frazey Ford's debut solo song, "September Fields", sounds like a missing link between Dolly Parton and Bonnie Raitt. Frazey used to be a member of indie-folk group, The Be Good Tanyas, who are perhaps best known for their bittersweet holiday song, "Rudy" (about Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer). Her humble, down-to-earth qualities, from what I hear, come across both in her music and her personality. I think somebody needs to introduce me to her!!


"Something From Nothing" by Foo Fighters: And you thought The Foos' "The Pretender" was their attempt to emulate "Stairway to Heaven"?! I would say that "Something From Nothing" falls under that category as well!! It has an acoustic intro, slowly builds into more of a rocker, and then goes to full-blown hard rock by the end. Sound familiar?! Those chunky riffs in the middle of the song also seem to be heavily influenced by Zeppelin. I would say that this song is more like "nothing from something". Dave, Jimmy Page called. He wants his guitar back!!

New blog for the New Year Part 1 - Leftover from December 2012

Whew!! Had a lot of catching up to do within the past couple weeks, so much so that I missed some good ones from December that I'm just now starting to pay attention to. So here they are:


"Cut Me Some Slack" by Paul McCartney, Pat Smear (Foo Fighters), and the remaining members of Nirvana: Paul McCartney and WHO?!? I like Paul McCartney, and I like Nirvana, but putting them together is like having jalapeno flavored ice cream!! Or so I thought before I actually heard the song. Although Macca is mostly known for softer material, he can crank out a solid hard rocker every once in a while (just look at The Beatles' "Helter Skelter", which McCartney sang the lead vocals on!!) Sir Paul lets out a primal scream of angst throughout "Cut Me Some Slack". Sure, Paul's no Kurt Cobain, but he must have been channeling Kurt's spirit (or maybe John Lennon's) when he did this song. After listening to "Cut Me Some Slack", all I can say is, "I've got blisters on me fingers!!"


"Hang Loose" by Alabama Shakes: A catchy Creedence Clearwater Revival style guitar riff, Memphis soul saxophones, and raw, passionate vocals that would make Janis Joplin proud can only mean one thing. Alabama Shakes are back again!! For their third major song, "Hang Loose", they do exactly as the title says. That is to say, Brittany Howard and co just take things easy in "Hang Loose", a song that is as mellow as it is danceable and soulful. My only complaint about this song is that it's only two and a half minutes long. I wish it were longer!!


"Joy to You Baby" by Josh Ritter: The song's title might indicate "joy", but the song itself is more of a melancholy one, though I've come to expect this from Josh Ritter. It's what makes his music likable, after all. Ritter's clever lyrical imagery, however, is what makes his latest song, "Joy to You Baby", so memorable. For instance, he sings about how, when he goes to parties, he drinks "cups of who cares", and how ghosts in the graveyard float between "what is" and "what if". Of course, the song wouldn't be complete without his capoed acoustic guitar either, as that is central to both the mood and the melody of the song. "Joy to You Baby" is as lovely as it is witty, a rare, but certainly enjoyable feat in music these days!


"New Alphabet" by Eels: New alphabet?! OK!! Z Y X, W V, U T S, R Q P!! Oh wait, it's not THAT kind of "new alphabet"?! Oh. What Mark Everett (better known simply as "E") means by "new alphabet" is (probably) that he wants a new way to express himself "When the words just sound like noise", and "when the world stops making sense". Like most of The Eels' material, "New Alphabet" sounds like the kind of song Beck might do, both vocally, lyrically, and instrumentally (but keep in mind that Eels have been around since 1996, a mere three years after Beck's debut in the music scene, so it's not exactly a "rip-off"). Most of the songs Eels have done within the past couple years have a soft, almost billowy sound to them. "New Alphabet" has a bit more "meat" on it, so to speak, but it's still as melodic as ever, and it has a neat little plucked string section between the verses and chorus.


"Nowhere, Massachusetts" by Black Prairie: When it comes to country-rock, the music is usually a bit more upbeat than its plain ol' country counterpart, but Black Prairie are different than that (what else would you expect from a band whose first known song was called "How Do You Ruin Me?") Country-rock probably hasn't been this sad (and especially with such authentic sadness) since the late '60s, when The Flying Burrito Brothers did their tearjerker of a song, "Hot Burrito # 1". "Nowhere, Massachusetts" is even sadder than that, at least in terms of its lonesome, homesick sound. The acoustic guitar and vocals at the beginning are already bittersweet enough, and it only gets more so from there, especially with the sighing violin in the song. This was the very last "new" song I heard in 2012, so I guess it's only fitting that it sounds like a "goodbye song".


"The John Wayne" by Little Green Cars: THE John Wayne?! Not sure why there's an article preceding the title, because it makes it sound like the latest dance craze (as in, "Come on everybody, let's do The John Wayne!") However, "The John Wayne" is FAR from a dance craze. It is, instead, a bittersweet sounding song about how it's "easy to fall in love", and the dangers that come with doing so. The title of the song comes from how the lead singer feels "shot down" (as though he's in a John Wayne movie) by the one he has fallen in love with. More melancholia?! Sounds like more music for me to become enamored with!!


"Two Fingers" by Jake Bugg: Aside from his last name, one of the most memorable things about Jake Bugg is that he's only 18 years old!! He sounds like he's in his late 20's or early 30's, but he isn't, and he's also British (take THAT, One Direction!!) It's also pretty easy to get the impression that Jake probably enjoys his parents' music more than that of his own generation, since he sounds like a cross between The Beatles and Bob Dylan. "Two Fingers" is also a very deep and somewhat depressing song, lyrically. No one I know of has written a song like this in their teens since Jackson Browne did with "These Days" when he was only a year younger than Jake!

new songs for July 20th, 2011

here they are:

"Junk of the Heart (Happy)" by The Kooks: I love how happy, free-spirited, and melodic The Kooks are!! That being said, when I heard they released a new song, I was pretty excited! The best part?! "Junk of the Heart (Happy)" sounds even BETTER than I expected it to sound!! In addition to the Beatles/Kinks-ish bouncy Britpop sound The Kooks typically have, there are also some Burt Bacharach-esque major 7th chords in this song that set it apart from The Kooks' other material. It's only fitting that lead singer Luke Pritchard's refrain in this song consists of the words "I wanna make you happy", because he does exactly that, and quite successfully, too!!

"Miracle Worker" by Super Heavy: What do Mick Jagger, Bob Marley's son Damian, neo-soul songstress Joss Stone, and The Eurythmics' Dave Stewart all have in common?! Well, aside from being rock 'n' roll royalty, they're also part of the aptly named supergroup, Super Heavy! Their first big song, "Miracle Worker" (which, in case any of you are wondering, is NOT about the biographical Helen Keller film of the same name), seems like it is clearly Damian's song, with its reggae beat and pulsating, syncopated guitars. Damian, Joss, and Mick all share vocals on the song, though (albeit, at different parts of it). With all that being said, this song ultimately comes out being a three-star song, despite the big names involved in it. Something just seems missing in this song! Perhaps it's that Damian just doesn't have the forceful, dynamic delivery his dad typically did, or that Mick doesn't seem to be maintaining the same amount of energy and fervor he typically had in The Stones. Well, nevertheless, "Miracle Worker" isn't a bad song, and the four people involved in its performance all seem like they tried giving it their best efforts.

"Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" by Fountains of Wayne: I still find it fascinating how Fountains of Wayne's best known song has become the Cars-esque "Stacy's Mom". It really isn't that representative of their typical sound, which is more like The Beatles or The Kinks (see also The Kooks' "Junk of the Heart", reviewed earlier in this article). "Someone's Gonna Break Your Heart" continues in the direction of The Fountains' typical sound, which I really like! Nothing particularly special about this one, musically, but what can I say, I'm a sucker for songs with a great melody and a catchy beat, and Fountains of Wayne seem to be experts at that! Perhaps another thing they're good at is just being quirky, as evidenced by the fact that the opening lyrics to this song are, "Staring at the sun with no pants on". Makes me wonder if the pants-less one they're referring to is Adam Schlesinger (the lead singer) himself or a girl he really likes.

"The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: Before I get into the song itself, let me just state that I LOVE the title to this song!! It sounds like the name of a comic book series of some sort! Well, now, on with the song! The title is really better than the song itself, which seems vaguely similar to one of those half-disco/half-rock type songs The Rolling Stones did in the late '70s/early '80s. It IS a catchy song, in typical Chili Peppers fashion, but I personally think they've done better material than this one. One advantage "The Adventures of Rain Dance Maggie" has is its seemingly random, stream-of-consciousness lyrics. I can't quite figure out what this song is about, but it almost seems like that's the point of it!

"Walk" by Foo Fighters: Of the two songs released of The Foos' latest CD, "Wasting Light", "Walk" seems like the better song so far! "Rope" just seemed too full of anger and intensity for me to fully appreciate it. "Walk", however, leans more towards the melodic side of their catalog! It's still a rocker, but more in the even-keeled, steady manner of "Learn to Fly" and "Times Like These" than the frenzied, frantic one of "All My Life" and "I'll Stick Around". The echo-y, jangly guitars in the beginning of "Walk" already indicate a more positive theme in the song. And lyrically, "learning to walk again" sound like words that can lead in a more positive direction than the more desperate, disconnected delivery of "gimme some rope I'm coming loose" (from "Rope", released earlier this year). My one complaint about this song is that sometimes Dave Grohl sounds like he's a bit TOO enthusiastic, as though he's about to scream his head off (mostly in the middle of the song), but other than that, I think this one's a winner!

new songs for March 23rd, 2011

here they are:

"Longing to Belong" by Eddie Vedder: This song suggests Pearl Jam's leading man longing to belong...to the "Into the Wild" soundtrack again. The same mix of acoustic guitar, ukulele, and bittersweet heart-melting emotional quality he used on such gems from the smash indie flick's soundtrack like "Rise" and "Guaranteed" are once again present on "Longing to Belong". It is less than three minutes long, though, unlike most (if not all) of the songs on the soundtrack, but somehow Eddie has managed to wrap all of his wistfully tearful thoughts into roughly two and a half minutes of pure bliss in this tune! As refreshing as it was to hear Eddie rock out with Pearl Jam on songs like "The Fixer" and "Amongst the Waves" two years ago, it's also nice to hear him at his more somber, precious moments as well.

"Lost In My Mind" by The Head and The Heart: This one is a very pleasant, wistful indie-folk tune, sounding like a cross between the autumnal folk-rock of Good Old War and the more rootsy variety from that of bands like The Avett Brothers. A real heart melter, just like the one I mentioned above (though so far, I like this one better). "Lost In My Mind" is a very apt title for a song that evokes nostalgic images of taking a road trip during the fall season with orange-gold leaves falling from the trees and an orange-y sunset sky in the background. The combination of being written in a major key, yet still retaining a somber mood, somehow makes this song a surefire winner for me!

"Rope" by Foo Fighters: I was gonna hold off on reviewing this one, it's been circulating on adult alt stations for awhile now, despite its resemblance to "harder" acts, mostly '70s classic rock/progressive rock like Queen, Rush, Yes, Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, and The Who. I was pretty shocked, though, when I found out Music Choice Adult Alternative, which I often have considered to be one of the most accurate representations of the (sub)genre, started playing this!! Therefore, I'm gonna give this one a go. "Rope" starts off benign enough with its unique chords played on echo-y distortion, but once the drums start kicking in, the song becomes faster and harder, and starts spouting off guitar riffs vaguely similar to songs like Yes' "Roundabout" and Rush's "The Spirit of Radio". The chorus is also a bit shaky, with Dave Grohl's somewhat frantic, desperate delivery of "Gimme some rope I'm fallin' dooowwwwnnnnn!!!!" A good song, but a bit rough for stations that are more known for playing more melodic, balanced acts like U2, R.E.M., and Counting Crows. Oh well, I guess different doesn't hurt once in a while!!

"Uberlin" by R.E.M.: For the legendary alt-rock band's third major song from "Collapse Into Now", they've calmed down a bit, but still retained their cleverness. The title alone, "Uberlin", is actually a pun, combining the phrase "Uber" (meaning "very") and the German capital, Berlin. Perhaps what makes this song so appealing, though, is not necessarily the song itself as much as a video for the song I recently discovered in which the lyrics are written out as though they are on a map, moving from place to place as they are written out. Since the lyrics of the song largely center around traveling, it's quite fitting as a "music video" (if indeed it is one).

"Velcro" by Bell X1: Until their big breakthrough with the Talking Heads soundalike song, "The Great Defector", Bell X1 were primarily an Irish folk-rock act. Ever since then, it seems as though they've tried to tweak their sound into sounding more like Modest Mouse than Damien Rice. "The Great Defector" was, in my opinion, one of the best songs of 2009, because it was just so...different!! And Bell X1's lead singer did an excellent David Byrne imitation (whether he intended it or not)!! So how does "Velcro" compare?! It's got the same new wave-y sound as "The Great Defector", but somehow it just isn't the same! Perhaps the saving grace for "Velcro" is in its quirky lyrics, from the chorus ("I'll be your velcro"), to random bits in the verses (for instance, "Watching a 6-year-old on YouTube playing drums to 'Billie Jean'", somebody tell me what THAT's supposed to mean!!) Heck, even the TITLE is quirky (how many other songs do you know called "Velcro", or that even USE that word for that matter?!)

"Werewolves" by The Damnwells: No, this is not a cover of the late, great Warren Zevon's "Werewolves of London", and it doesn't sound like the song either. It's a song simply called "Werewolves". This song is another one of those somber, autumnal, somewhat wistful/nostalgic sounding songs (see also the first two songs I reviewed in this week's blog). I seem to fall instant prey to these kinds of songs. I have only heard one other song by The Damnwells, the uber-melodic, somewhat Fleetwood Mac-ish "Golden Days", which was another song I just loved instantly! "Golden Days" had better harmony techniques than "Werewolves" does, though. But that by no means disqualifies "Werewolves" from becoming another instant classic for me, though. The Damnwells are melodic indie/neo-folk-rock geniuses, 'nuff said!

"You've Got the Love" by Florence and The Machine: The seven words Sting became famous for singing almost 30 years ago ("every little thing she does is magic") would most certainly describe the cute, redheaded Florence Welch from Florence and The Machine! "Dog Days Are Over" became the surprise smash hit of the summer/fall of 2010, and it looks like "You've Got the Love" is going to end up being the song following in its footsteps. Once again, Florence has used her eclectic musical palette to combine indie/alternative rock, pop, and soul to create an irresistibly catchy, danceable number on "You've Got the Love", which actually wasn't her song originally, but she seems to have made it her own! The video is also pretty awesome, with our ginger haired leading lady singing on a plastic moon in a silky golden outfit! Lookin' forward to knowing what she'll churn out next!!