New songs for July 14th 2021

 here they are:


"How High" by The Record Company: The Record Company have always had a "retro" rock sound that was heavily blues-based ever since they debuted in 2016. This time around, it seems like they're specifically trying to emulate the sound of other successful latter-day blues-rockers like The Black Keys. For those wondering, "high" is not a drug metaphor in the context of this song. It instead taken to mean something more literal here, about reaching for your aspirations and accomplishing them. I'd say that The Record Company have already met their goals, though!

"How Low" by Heartless B*st*rds: So what is the opposite of "How High"? The answer, of course, is "How Low"! That just happens to be the title of our next song here, coincidentally. Fittingly, the song is a bit more low-key than the high energy of "How High." In spite of their "tough" sounding name, Heartless B*st*rds are really a pretty harmless, folk-rock-y band, whose name is only indicative of their humor. (They named themselves after an answer a game show contestant gave for the name of Tom Petty's backing group). In addition to the song's title, "How Low" also seems like the lyrical opposite to "How High," given how the song is basically a lament about modern-day pop culture and how no one seems to care about one another anymore.

"Mine Forever" by Lord Huron: A song awash with equal flavors of psychedelia, folk-rock, prog-rock, and country-rock, "Mine Forever" is a new song that seems like it came from the days of old. The pleasant, curious vibes of the song are a bit offset by its seemingly creepy lyrics, though. It's hard to tell if Ben Schneider is being serious or sarcastic in the lyrics of this song, but if it is not supposed to be sarcastic, then it reads as a super-desperate plea for him to get his lover back into his life. "In my mind, you're mine forever" might seem like a sweet line, but the more Ben adds morbid lyrics into the song, the more you think his "without you, I'll die" sentiments are more like possession than they are true love. "Forever" is a long, long time to want to be with someone. Don't take your chances, here folks!

"New Invention" by I Don't Know How But They Found Me: Is "New Invention" really a new invention?! It has the same key (D minor) as their other hit, "Leave Me Alone," and the same 1980's synth-influenced dance-pop sound, too. The lyrics aren't anything new either, but one thing they are is very relatable to anyone who has had to deal with the trials and tribulations of relationships! The song is basically about a girl who is using the lead singer. She keeps finding ways to trap him, and he is just a "new invention." The title makes for a somewhat strange metaphor for someone who feels romantically abused, but it's definitely gonna be a song that you'll want for your next breakup playlist!

"Now is the Time" by Jade Bird: This song seems like a very sunny folk-rock tune in comparison to the more dour ones Jade Bird usually puts out. The combination of acoustic guitars and what might be 12-strings in the background in the key of G setting forth a jangly strum seems a lot like "Here's Where the Story Ends" by The Sundays, but happier. As is typical of Bird's material, some of the lyrics to "Now is the Time" are a bit angst-ridden, but the overall message is a positive one: if you want something, go get it! It's tricky to tell if this is a song dispensing good advice or if it's a clever kiss-off to an ex disguised as a song of inspiration (see also "Good Riddance [Time of Your Life]" by Green Day). Whatever the intent, though, Now is the Time to hear this song!

"Rae Street" by Courtney Barnett: I'm sure Courtney Barnett has had more than one person liken her to a modern-day Patti Smith, but on Courtney's latest song, "Rae Street," the Patti influence really shows! It doesn't sound too dissimilar to Patti's "Dancing Barefoot," especially in the beginning. The "urban poetry" vibe of the lyrics also seems like it could be a Patti homage, though I'm sure it's being written from Courtney's own point of view as well. The song seems to tell the tale of a sort of "day-in-the-life" scenario, sung with deadpan vocals as Courtney typically does. 

New songs for St. Patrick's Day 2021!

 Today's songs are the same amount of leaves you would count on a four-leaf clover (plus one!) Enjoy! Here they are:


"Be Sweet" by Japanese Breakfast: No, "Japanese Breakfast" is not the name of some obscure anime, and nor was it just a completely random name. The lead singer of the band IS Asian. However, she is from Korea, not Japan. She had chosen "Japanese" as the nationality for her band name since Japan is a better-known country to the Western world than Korea is. Their latest song, "Be Sweet," is exactly what its title suggests it is. It's a sweet song, with funky guitar riffs and a synthpop sound that sounds like it time traveled from "Back to the Future" into the actual future. More specifically, it is a very yearning song, in which lead singer, Michelle Zauner, states in a bubbly, irresistible singing voice that she "wants to believe" in the subject of the song after telling them to "be sweet." 

"Follow You" by Imagine Dragons: You should know by now that if Imagine Dragons come out with a new song, it's going to explode into popularity at some point or another. The sweet, chill sound of their latest song, "Follow You," is probably no exception to this category. Dan Reynolds and co also seem to know that not everyone who knows them likes them, the aspect of which is highlighted in the intro to "Follow You"'s self-deprecating music video, in which a young adult male is excited that his girlfriend has gotten The Killers to perform on his birthday...except, oops! She actually got Imagine Dragons, HER favorite band, to perform on his birthday instead. "I don't wanna hear these guys," her boyfriend states unenthusiastically, before Imagine Dragons launch into their latest hit song. While the song may be a bit lackluster to those who want "alternative rock" to actually sound alternative and rockin' again, at least those who aren't fans of the band's music can enjoy their humor! The video can be viewed at the following link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3zimSRKqNw

"Open Up the Heavens" by Jade Bird: Probably the hardest-rockin' Jade Bird song so far, but certainly not her longest (ALL of her songs seem to clock in under three minutes). Many of the best-known and best loved women in rock, such as Stevie Nicks, Chrissie Hynde, and Patti Smith, seem to have inspired Jade in her latest song, "Open Up the Heavens," perhaps her first song not to have a hint of acoustic guitar at the forefront. Despite briefly resolving to major key and bright instrumentation during the chorus, "Open Up the Heavens" is a pretty angst-ridden song overall, typical of Jade's material. It's a bit more direct than most of her songs, though, confronting the subject of the song and asking them how it feels to be stood up by someone. The title of the song is only mentioned once, during the middle part of it, as a plea requesting the subject of the song to change their mind, while Jade is also fully aware that she will probably not get what she wants. 

"The Last Man on Earth" by Wolf Alice: The latest song from British alt-pop quartet, Wolf Alice, finds lead singer Ellie Roswell contemplating the selfish side of human nature, and why we feel this need to project our own experiences onto everything we see, feel, think, etc. Initially inspired by the Kurt Vonnegut quote, "Peculiar travel suggestions are dancing lessons from God," Roswell alludes to the quote in the first verse of "The Last Man on Earth," and uses it as a springboard for the rest of the song to suggest that not everything is a "lesson from God" or whatever else you might think sounds profound or meaningful. Over a bittersweet piano ballad, Ellie achingly croons a brokenhearted melody which is actually trying to warn us NOT to see ourselves in her song, or to try to identify everything with our own experiences. Sounds challenging, doesn't it?!

"You Saw Me Coming" by Tom Petty: Petty's posthumously released "Leave Virginia Alone" from last fall was only a taste of the outtakes from his 1994 album, "Wildflowers." Where "Leave Virginia Alone" could be described as a laid back rocker, "You Saw Me Coming" is a more poignant song. Ex-Heartbreaker Benmont Tench even thought it was the perfect song to close out Wildflowers, with its sense of wistful longing. The original release of Wildflowers did close with a similarly bittersweet song called "Wake Up Time," but it hasn't been until now, almost half a decade after Tom Petty's departure from Earth, that we've been able to hear his underrated '94 masterpiece of an album the way it was supposed to. Better late than never, Tom!

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 February 13th 2019

here they are:


"Bad Liar" by Imagine Dragons: What a song for the day before Valentine's Day! This is a song that reflects on those moments where you want to confess your love for someone (or lack thereof) but your instincts tell you to do the opposite. Sound-wise, this is one of the most pop sounding Imagine Dragons songs yet, but lyrically it goes pretty deep. The depth of the lyrics is especially relevant when Dan Reynolds claims in the first verse that he has "three fears: integrity, faith, and crocodile tears". In other words, he's afraid of the good things (integrity and faith) as much as he is of bad things (crocodile tears - a slang term for false sadness). A bit like the part in David Bowie's "Ashes to Ashes" where Bowie says, "I've never done good things. I've never done bad things." I guess there's really no comparison to an immortal like Bowie when discussing relative newbies like Imagine Dragons, but hey, at least they're trying!


"Feels Alright" by The Nude Party: There's probably a good reason these guys decided to call themselves "The Nude Party". After all, this is pretty much party music that might make you wanna run around naked due to all the wild, uninhibited freedom it gives off! Their debut song, "Feels Alright", is pretty much glam rock for the 21st century! With a sound that combines T. Rex's "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" and Mott the Hoople's "All the Way From Memphis", "Feels Alright" does just that. It feels alright. Well, no, MORE than alright! THIS is a song that will unleash your inner frat boy or sorority girl! Wham, bam, thank ya, mam!


"GotItBad" by St. Paul and The Broken Bones: Much like St. Paul and The Broken Bones' adult alt summer smash, "Apollo", "GotItBad" is yet another song that moves Paul "St. Paul" Janeway and the gang from '60s soul to '70s funk. There's even a bit of a disco element to "GotItBad" with its backing orchestra adding a sublime flavor to its funky bass and chunky keyboards. Lyrically, this song puts the "St." in "St. Paul". You probably wouldn't expect lyrics about preachers, God, and Jesus beneath the smokin' hot sound of "GotItBad", but that is what lurks beneath this fine tune. "GotItBad" is basically a Catholic confession turned into a funk soul session!


"I Get No Joy" by Jade Bird: I stand by the comparison I made during the time I reviewed Jade Bird's "Uh Huh", during which I said that she is pretty much the 21st century Alanis Morissette. Like Alanis, Jade takes folk-rock, filters it through an "alternative" lens, and adds angst-y lyrics to it, with an equally angst ridden delivery. Jade gets especially feisty and wordy during the chorus of the song, shouting the song's title with jaded (no pun intended) frustration, and speaking the rest of the words of the chorus faster than the speed of light! The song can also be viewed as a calmer parallel to Courtney Barnett's "Pedestrian At Best", as both songs make use of clever wordplay with near-rhyming words in succession during some of the verses to describe an alienating situation. Jade, your lack of joy gives us an excess of it!


"Sisyphus" by Andrew Bird: After attempting to get "edgy" on songs like "Eyeoneye" and "Capsized", Andrew Bird (no relation to Jade Bird) returns to his roots combining folk-rock with orchestral arrangements on "Sisyphus". The song takes its name from a character in Greek mythology who tried to outwit the Greek gods and cheat death. Of course, this didn't work in Sisyphus' favor, and this is exactly what Andrew Bird is trying to illustrate in this song. It is about becoming addicted to one's own pain, and the consequences it can lead to. Perhaps this is yet another song from 2019 that serves as a metaphor for the downfall of contemporary Western society.


"Song For Winners" by Nick Waterhouse: Nick's trademark merging of surf and rockabilly is still intact on his latest song, "Song For Winners". However, there is something noticeably different about it in comparison to his other material. It is not only done in a minor key, but its lyrics are somewhat melancholy as well. "Your strange innocence has ended", he says of his former lover, preceded by, "I hear no fearlessness, only fear". What kind of "winners" was this song intended for anyhow?! The song seems more like it's about losers than it is about winners!

New songs for August 8th, 2018

here they are:


"All My Friends" by The Revivalists: The Revivalists were an adult alt "niche band" for about two years until "Wish I Knew You" made surprise appearances on the more mainstream alternative charts and even on pop charts! Thanks to the success of that song, which combined folk-rock melancholia with an R & B groove, more people know who The Revivalists are now. It should come as no surprise, then, that their latest song, "All My Friends", is the most heavily anticipated song on the adult alt charts this week, and is making waves on more popular alternative rock stations as well. "All My Friends" presents The Revivalists in the way that their original fanbase knew them, as an R & B influenced contemporary rock group. Not a whole lot of bittersweetness in this song, other than the fact that it is written in a minor key. "All my friends take good care of me", sings David Shaw during the chorus. To make a song as fresh as this one is, I'm sure that what he sings there is the truth!


"Good As Gold" by Moon Taxi: Moon Taxi have had a knack for making songs that sound good enough for commercials for a while now. Their song, "All Day All Night", was featured in a McDonald's commercial a few years ago. I'm not sure if their latest song, "Good As Gold", has been featured in a commercial yet, but if it hasn't, it should! It seems as though Moon Taxi meant this song to be a sports anthem of sorts. It's a song about "reaching that moment", as their keyboardist, Wes Bailey, claimed during an interview. The moment, that is, when your team (be it sports or otherwise) reaches their ultimate victory! Apparently, Moon Taxi wrote this song as one of their favorite teams was competing for the Stanley Cup. All I can say is...go team!!


"Jenny Jenkins" by Mt. Joy: As someone who has been a proud Los Angeleno for most of his life, it makes me happy to hear that Mt. Joy's "Jenny Jenkins" is about their lead singer, Matt Quinn's, experience moving to L.A.! Quinn, on the other hand, was a native Philadelphian who moved to the City of Angels later on in his life, so his experiences with the city aren't exactly seen through rose colored glasses. Instead, he ended up landing in a city with what he believed to be "false promises", made worse once he realized that even L.A.'s famed palm trees didn't actually start their life off there. In spite of the disillusionment expressed in this song, "Jenny Jenkins" still manages to be somewhat sunny with its uptempo beat and major key. Though Matt dedicated this song to his girlfriend, her name may or may not be "Jenny". That part was a tribute to a song of the same name by The Grateful Dead's Jerry Garcia.


"New Birth In New England" by Phosphorescent: Where Phosphorescent's first (and until this point, only) major adult alt radio hit, "Song For Zula", was reminiscent of the bittersweetness and stark truth of Simon and Garfunkel's music, "New Birth In New England" sounds more like a solo Paul Simon song from his "Graceland" record. "New Birth In New England" has a sound that's as tropical sounding as it is jazzy, much like the "Graceland" songs. Since the success of "Song For Zula", lead singer Matthew Houck has become the father of two children, so it's no coincidence that "New Birth In New England" has lyrics that describe one's initial experiences with fatherhood. Another interesting parallel between Phosphorescent's last big hit and this one is how "Song For Zula" focused largely on death, yet "New Birth In New England", as its title implies, seems to be more about birth. It's the circle of life!


"Shotgun" by George Ezra: As if by coincidence, our next song also seems to be a Paul Simon soundalike, especially during its bass heavy chorus. "Shotgun"'s combo of folk, jazz, rock, and world music also gives off Paul Simon vibes. It's a very happy song, and no, the word "shotgun" here does not refer to a weapon, but instead to "riding shotgun". The bulk of George Ezra's music just seems to be about having fun, and this song is no exception! And, like "Jenny Jenkins", "Shotgun" is a song about a musician's experience in a land they weren't born in - Australia, in this case. In contrast to Matt Quinn's negative experiences in L.A., George's travels in Australia seem to have been positive ones, as reflected by the appropriately summery vibes of the song. You don't have to come from the land down under to appreciate what this song has to offer!


"Uh Huh" by Jade Bird: Hmmm...interesting song title, Jade! Did you want people to feel like they were giving a clever response when discussing the name of this song, as in the following exchange: Person 1: What's the name of this song?/Person 2: Uh Huh/Person 1: Were you even listening to what I said?/Person 2: Uh huh/Person 1: So what's the name of this song?/Person 2: Uh Huh/Person 1: You're still not listening, are you...?! And so on and so forth...There's nothing silly or "Who's On First?"-ish about "Uh Huh", though, a song that manages to be even shorter than Jade Bird's previous single, "Lottery", which was two and a half minutes. Both the frustrated, scathing lyrics and furiously strummed acoustic guitar are reminiscent of mid '60s Bob Dylan. With lyrics like, "She's got you on your knees just like a little boy/Everybody sees that you're just a little toy", and, "She's got you where it hurts, but you don't seem to see/That while she's out at work she's doing what you did to me." In a song that's only 19 seconds longer than The Beatles' short but sweet masterpiece, "Norwegian Wood", Jade packs enough venom in "Uh Huh" to compare with Dylan's "Positively 4th Street" and Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know". While it is not likely that "Uh Huh" will achieve the historic, iconic status both of those songs have, I still think it's one of the best angry breakup songs I've ever heard!

New songs for January 24th, 2018

here they are:


“Bluebirds Over the Mountain” by Robert Plant and Chrissie Hynde: When two rock legends collide, what is the result?! Well, as it turns out, it appears to be a fusion of psychedelic rock and bluegrass music. While that might sound like a strange combination, the Led Zeppelin frontman and Pretenders frontwoman manage to make it work here! “Bluebirds Over the Mountain” comes off like a slightly trippier version of the songs Plant did with country musician Alison Krauss back in 2007. Like much of Plant’s later material, there’s something mysterious and enchanting about “Bluebirds Over the Mountain”, particularly its folksy chorus of “Bluebirds over the mountain, seagulls over the sea. Bluebirds over the mountain, bring my baby to me”.

“Lottery” by Jade Bird: I feel kind of old reviewing this song, since Jade is, in fact, 10 years younger than I am! Speaking of which, age is actually a defining factor in the lyrics of her breakthrough song, “Lottery”, a rather playful and cheeky folk-rock number written in A major. The song even opens with the lyrics, “I was 19 and you were 23”, and the second verse contains lines like, “I’ll tell you about a guy I’ve been with. You ask how old he is and I laugh ‘26’. Nah, but he’s 30. How messed up is that?” When it comes down to it, though, age is just a number, and that seems to be the central point of “Lottery”. The theme of numbers also ties into the chorus when Jade says that the subject of her song used to tell her that “love is a lottery” and that he’s “got his numbers” and is “betting” on her. Finding a good song is a matter of luck. I think I’ve won the lottery with this one!

“Severed” by The Decemberists: The most heavily anticipated song of the week on the adult alt charts (and probably the regular alt charts, soon enough), “Severed” is not what you’d expect from Colin Meloy and his folk-rock entourage, primarily because the song is NOT folk-rock. The Decemberists have done slight detours from the genre before, like “O, Valencia!” and “The Perfect Crime # 2”, but at least both of those songs were guitar focused, so those both went over well with their core audience. “Severed” is not. It uses a rather dark synthesizer sound to dominate its atmosphere combined with an angular, jagged guitar in the background, slightly reminiscent of songs by groups like Joy Division. The Decemberists are known for having cynical and sometimes disturbing lyrical content in spite of their normally pleasant instrumental sound. “Severed” puts these factors at the forefront by being a brooding song both lyrically and musically!