Twos-Day! Two songs for Two thousand Twenty Two a day after Tues-day! (Happy New Year)

 Hey everyone! Happy New Year! (Or should I say, Happy TWO Year?!) I guess 2 is a lucky number this year! Two songs to start the year that is mostly twos with the exception of the zero in the middle of it. And it IS the day after Twos...I mean Tuesday. Ready 2 begin! How 'bout you?!

"B-Side" by Leon Bridges (featuring Khruangbin): Leon's effort from last year, "Motorbike," was not exactly the retro-soul I was used to from him. It sounded more like he was trying to emulate contemporary R & B with that song. With "B-Side," however, his second collaboration with Khruangbin since 2020's "Texas Sun," Leon gets his groove back! The song indulges in a 1970's funk influenced sound throughout as Leon tells the tale of a lover he feels he is missing in his life. The subject here doesn't seem to be as important as the music, though. To quote one of Leon's other songs, "If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)"!

"Cheer Up Baby" by Inhaler: Those Irish rockers! Being part Irish myself, I love whenever I hear about any Irish musician trying to make it big, and indie-rockers Inhaler are the latest of the pack. They sound a bit more like the British Kooks or the Scottish Franz Ferdinand than they do like U2 or The Cranberries, but it's still a catchy sound! "Cheer Up Baby" has actually been around since the members of Inhaler were teenagers, but the song has taken on a new meaning during the pandemic. Rather than the song's original intent of cheering up a girlfriend, people (including Inhaler themselves) have now interpreted the song's message as one of hope during difficult times. 

New songs for May 19th, 2021

 here they are:


"Down" by St. Vincent: After her success on adult alt radio stations with the Prince/Bowie-esque "Pay Your Way in Pain," Annie "St. Vincent" Clark continues with work influenced by the two aforementioned eclectic electro-funk-rock masters. "Down" also showcases a Prince/Bowie influence, albeit with one factor that distinguishes it from all other St. Vincent songs that have come out so far. "Down" makes distinctive use of the sitar, as well as the Vocoder (the voicebox thingy Peter Frampton is known for using, which has gained prominent use in funk-rock as well). With all these unique, flavorful elements combined, "Down" sounds anything BUT down, and puts St. Vincent in a place that is too outer space-y to be the past, but too retro to be the future! Far out!

"Motorbike" by Leon Bridges: And speaking of funk music, Leon Bridges is another contemporary musician who has explored the influence of funk in his own sweet way. He started with a record that was a throwback to soul masters like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, followed that up with a sophomore album exploring more sides of the R & B spectrum, including jazz, funk, and even folk-soul, and now, with a third album on the way, we get to hear Leon exploring...pop-reggae?! "Motorbike" seems to head in that direction, and it is also notable for being Leon's first guitar-less track (if there IS any guitar in it at all, it's barely audible). It's still soul music, as all of Leon's music has been so far, but something feels a little out of place about this one. For one thing, he has enlisted the help of fellow neo-soul musician, Anderson Paak, on this one, and I've never been particularly thrilled with Anderson's style the way I have with Leon's. 

"Worry With You" by Sleater-Kinney: It was only two years ago that the fiercely defiant alt-rock duo, Sleater-Kinney, last released an album. However, with the major changes that came afoot the year after, the sentiments expressed in some of their last songs, such as the passionate yet sexually desperate "Hurry on Home," already seem like the products of a bygone era! Their latest song, "Worry With You," could be thought of as a "sequel" of sorts to that song: still spiky, intense, and sexually driven, yet somewhat more subdued, both musically and lyrically, and with the acknowledgment that love life (and life in general) has become more difficult to manage within the space of just a few years. Here, they are not merely looking for someone to spend a naughty night in the nude with, but are instead seeking a more solid form of companionship with someone whom they can feel comfortable mulling over the future with while still trying to enjoy the sparse pleasures of the present. A slightly blues-y garage rock influence on this one, but as usual, this dynamic duo gives it their all! 

New songs for January 15th, 2020

here they are:


"And It's Still Alright" by Nathaniel Rateliff: Nathaniel Rateliff, along with his backing group, The Night Sweats, have brought us numerous adult alt and alt radio hits with a distinctly soulful flavor, like "S.O.B." and "You Worry Me". This song, which also happens to be the first song released IN 2020 that I'm reviewing in 2020, marks Nathaniel's first significant appearance on his own without The Night Sweats. That song, "And It's Still Alright", plays out like a slightly countrified version of Van Morrison's "Into the Mystic". Not exactly what I would have expected from the normally fiery Nathaniel Rateliff, but perhaps part of the reason it sounds the way it does is because Nathaniel does not have his backing group with him this time. It's a pleasant and bittersweet song, though, so I do like it. Not Nathaniel's best, but it is a good one...and it's still alright.


"Black Madonna" by Cage the Elephant: The title of this song refers to the "Madonna and Child" painting when people depict the titular woman with dark skin instead of lighter skin, proving Cage the Elephant to be both more spiritual and more knowledgable than I previously thought they were. Beneath the surface, though, the song "Black Madonna" seems to be about someone who is not ready to have a relationship. Given the themes of rocky relationships in other recent CTE tunes, like "Ready to Let Go", I would say this is an accurate conclusion to arrive at. The song goes in line with the spaced-out new wave sound CTE have been going for on their latest album, and like the other three songs that have been released from it so far as singles, "Black Madonna" is in a minor key. The overall darkness of the song seems to be offset by its title, as well as the "hallelujah" in the chorus, both indicating reverential undertones in a song that otherwise seems bleak and despairing.


"Dirt In My Eyes" by Cold War Kids: Much like their 2019 summer smash, "Complainer", Cold War Kids' "Dirt In My Eyes" is also a funky, catchy song in the CWK catalog. Where "Complainer", in spite of its title, was uplifting, "Dirt In My Eyes" seems to BE a complaint, probably against a former lover. "You just keep on kickin' dirt in my eyes", Nathan Willett sings in a Michael Jackson-esque falsetto during the chorus, "and I just keep on actin', actin' surprised", he continues. Those sound like the words of a man who's been pushed around for far too long. However, instead of making the song moody, he makes it funky! Go figure, eh?!


"Feel the Way I Want" by Caroline Rose: What is there to say about Caroline Rose except that she knows how to make great danceable tunes out of alternative pop/rock music? In 2018, she released the fun, sassy, booty shakin' "Soul No. 5". Where "Soul No. 5" was largely rock oriented, Caroline's latest, "Feel the Way I Want", seems more rooted in the eccentric funk stylings of Prince, and it also sounds a bit like the works of Funkadelic's Bootsy Collins. If not for Caroline's distinct vocal stylings, this song could be mistaken for a Lizzo song! "Feel the Way I Want" is a largely celebratory anthem that lives up to its title. Let's start this decade/year right, folks. We've gotta feel the way we want to!


"Hand Over My Heart" by The Secret Sisters: The only other song I've heard so far from The Secret Sisters was the bittersweet, yearning folk-rock song, "He's Fine", from about four years ago. "Hand Over My Heart", in contrast, is more sweet than bittersweet and more indie-pop with folky undertones than it is folk-rock. According to lead singer, Laura Rogers, the reason "Hand Over My Heart" sounds the way it does is because The Secret Sisters wanted to go in a direction that was more musically and lyrically positive. Lovelorn ballads have long been their typical style, but in the dawning of this new era, they've chosen love and kindness over loss and heartache. The resulting song is a sweet, bubbly song that is sure to put a smile on any indie-folk fan!


"I Don't Wanna Lie" by Yola: One of many blues-y R & B revivalists of the 2010's, Yola debuted at the end of the decade. Come the early 2020's, she has finally gotten the recognition she's deserved on adult alt radio with the Dan Auerbach (Black Keys) produced song, "I Don't Wanna Lie"! The guitars in the intro sound pretty Auerbach-ian, but cue the piano, string section, and drums, and "I Don't Wanna Lie" becomes its own song, evoking the sultry magic of early 1970's soul music. The song is a bold and funky declaration of love and honesty in the tradition of many of Yola's soulful forebears. This song is pretty somethin'! I mean I don't wanna lie and say it's not!


"Lost In Yesterday" by Tame Impala: The icy, stark new wave sound of Tame Impala's latest song, combined with its rhythm, made me think of "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Tears for Fears. However, "Lost In Yesterday" differs greatly in its lyrics from the mostly pessimistic TFF song. As its title implies, "Lost In Yesterday" is about getting lost inside a memory. Lead singer Kevin Parker never makes it clear in the song whether this is a good thing or a bad thing. Perhaps his opinion can best be summed up in the verse where he says, "If they call you, embrace them. If they hold you, erase them". In other words, happy memories are great to get lost in, but if a memory holds you back from enjoying the present, get rid of it. Memories are an important part of my life and an important part of who I am overall. Thanks for speaking to my subconscious and empowering it, Kevin!


"Texas Sun" by Khruangbin (pronounced KRUNG-bin), featuring Leon Bridges: There is a good reason this song is about Texas. Post-psychedelic indie-rock group, Khruangbin, and soul revivalist, Leon Bridges, are both Texas natives. Of course, many other musicians are Texans as well, so why did these two choose one another? They seem like quite an unlikely pair! Somehow, though, it manages to work here. Trippy guitars and soulful vocals and rhythm join forces here without one offsetting the other. The result is something that is both strange and beautiful.

New songs for October 24th 2018

here they are:


"Gold" by Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds: This song is a bit more like an indie/soul hybrid than the blues-y neo-soul that Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds' fans might be used to, but it still has plenty of soul left inside of it! Lead singer Arleigh Kincheloe assures her fans during the chorus that her love is "gold, gold, gold". We believe it, Arleigh! The passion in your voice says it all! Something you fans of the band might not have known is that Arleigh had a son just last year. Nothing like releasing new life into the world to celebrate your musical joy, eh?!


"Hey Mama" by Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats: Nathaniel and his Night Sweats have been on fire this year! They have not one, but TWO, of the most played tracks on adult alt radio for 2018: the feisty "You Worry Me" and the sensual but gritty soul music of "A Little Honey". "Hey Mama" is not exactly a free spirited or soulful song, but there's a good reason for this. "Hey Mama" is not about a girl that Nathaniel is calling "Mama" simply because of his affections towards her, but about his actual mother. It's about the bond Nathaniel shares with her. The band released this song as a single, aptly, on Mother's Day, but it hasn't quite stormed adult alt radio until the past week or so. This song is a quiet but striking reminder that October isn't all about witches and goblins and ghosts. It's also part of the season of autumn, the most bittersweet season of the year!


"Hide" by Rainbow Kitten Surprise: So what do you do after your "Fever Pitch" has infectiously wound its way onto alt and adult alt stations everywhere?! Well...you "Hide"!! Unlike what the title of the song indicates, RKS aren't hiding anything from their fans! They bare all their emotions, in fact, with "Hide". Judging from both the drag queens in the video for the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aetcUc3ejPE), and from its ending lyrics, urging the subject of the song to "hide (their) love", it is probably about someone falling in love with someone who is transgender, but not wanting to admit it because of the way the singer's family feels about such people. Way to break off the barriers of judgment, RKS!! Here's hoping the world will be less judgmental thanks to you guys!!


"If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)" by Leon Bridges: Leon Bridges has jumped all over the soul music spectrum for his latest album, and, like Nathaniel Rateliff, has so far had TWO of his songs become some of the most played songs on adult alt radio in 2018 ("Bad Bad News" and "Beyond"). "Bad Bad News" sounded like a vintage jazz-rock track, and "Beyond" was a lovely, poignant slice of the rarely heard folk-soul subgenre. For "If It Feels Good (Then It Must Be)", he blurs the lines between funk and disco (with some sweet guitar licks in the middle, I might add) to get his point across. As for the point of this song? Well, look no further than its title! If it feels good, then it must be, right?! Right!


"Just to Say I Love You" by Michael Franti: After a dry spell of folk and world music blending during the late 2000's and early 2010's, Michael Franti got back into the reggae-rock groove he originally became known for with "Once A Day" in 2015. The reggae rock trend continues with "Just to Say I Love You", albeit with a sweeter flavor this time around. I can't help but feel like the miracle of birth is a theme in this week's blog! "Gold" seemed like a declaration of Arleigh Kincheloe's feelings as a new mother, and "Hey Mama" reflected Nathaniel Rateliff's feelings for his own mother. "Just to Say I Love You" is a song Michael Franti has dedicated to his wife, who, like Arleigh, is a new mother this year. Love and unity are common themes in Franti's music, but they have never been as profound as this!!


"Northern Lights" by Death Cab for Cutie: This song is like a mix of R.E.M. and The Smiths, while not being near as good as either one. Because of its influences, though, as well as its use of guitar, I feel like I might like it better than I did "Gold Rush". Another similarity "Northern Lights" shares to both R.E.M. and The Smiths is how it has a small amount of verses while still managing to seem deep in its meaning. The song itself might be a "word salad" of sorts, but its chorus still manages to be captivating, even if it only contains the words, "Northern lights filled our skies/Empty nights synchronized".

New songs for May 23rd, 2018

here they are:


"Beyond" by Leon Bridges: The jazzy adult alt mega hit, "Bad Bad News", proved earlier this year that Leon Bridges is far more than just a throwback to '60s R & B. He can embrace contemporary soul music just as well. "Beyond" goes beyond that (no pun intended) and adds flourishes of acoustic guitar to a soulful ballad. Leon is no stranger to the acoustic guitar, as he had done so once before with "River", but "Beyond" takes it to a whole new level. It's one of the ultimate "love at first sight" songs. On "Beyond", Leon passionately sings about how his lover "might just be (his) everything and beyond". What a great way to declare love!


"Casanova" by Rayland Baxter: After the ultra smooth, romantic vibes of our last song, it's only fitting that our next entry for the week is called "Casanova". The vibes of this song, however, are far more quirky and whimsical than they are romantic. Rayland Baxter is an artist of unpredictable quality. His "Yellow Eyes" was a sentimental folk-rock tune, and his followup single, "Mr. Rodriguez", was psychedelic indie-pop. "Casanova" is also psychedelic indie-pop, but with a slightly more happy go lucky feel than "Mr. Rodriguez". "Casanova" doesn't talk about romance much at all, really, and is instead focused on addiction to sex and drugs with a very tongue-in-cheek lyrical delivery.


"Four Out of Five" by Arctic Monkeys: Actually, this is our THIRD out of five entries for this week. The title actually refers to star ratings for restaurants (i.e. four stars out of five). I'm not sure if I'd go so far as to give this song a four, but it at least deserves three for combining Bowie-esque vocals and instrumentation with a syncopated rhythm that wouldn't sound out of place in a Police song. The song's lyrics are rather sardonic, as one might expect with Arctic Monkeys, with lead singer Alex Turner taking on the guise of a narrator, who is a selfish person who just can't seem to get used to how no one seems to care for his glitzy, glamorous lifestyle. This song is one of a steadily growing number of songs from the late 2010's about the tension we have been facing in the modern era.


"Quarter Past Midnight" by Bastille: Bastille's second album was something of an experiment for the band. First we had the "Under Pressure"-ish grooves of "Good Grief", then the neo-glam-rock of "Blame", and finally, the surprisingly bittersweet acoustic rock ballad, "World Gone Mad". "Quarter Past Midnight" is a return to the more basic indie-pop of Bastille's debut record from 2013. Musically, there's nothing really special about this song, unless maybe you were yearning for the days of Bastille's first and biggest hits, like "Pompeii" and "Bad Blood". As the title of "Quarter Past Midnight" implies, the song is about how exciting it can be to stay up late at night in town with your friends. Though the song does sound a bit generic for a Bastille song, it certainly captures the adrenalized rush one might feel during a nocturnal spree!


"Sharon" by Matt Costa: Funny that the last song just happens to be my mom's name! It's not about her, though, of course. What it's actually about is Matt Costa's experiences going between Northern and Southern California translated into a clever but bittersweet narrative about a young woman named Sharon and her longing for a love she had in the past. Matt delivers all this in an oddly charming song that suggests what it might have been like if Tom Petty covered Elvis Costello's "Less Than Zero". Much like he did with his 2010 adult alt radio hit, "Witchcraft", Matt is once again proving that he can be more straight up rock than the folk-rock image he originally cultivated, but this time, it comes with a story that seems like the West Coast version of a typical Bruce Springsteen lyric.

New songs for March 21st, 2018

here they are:


"Bad Bad News" by Leon Bridges: "Bad bad news" is probably what some of Leon Bridges' fans think of this song! After all, it doesn't have the warm, nostalgic Sam Cooke-ish vibes that the stuff from his debut album did. However, Leon's new direction is still an interesting one. Going about a decade forward in his musical time machine, "Bad Bad News" is more derivative of the music of people like Gil Scott Heron, who provided a "missing link" between jazz and hip-hop during the '70s, back when "hip-hop" wasn't exactly the buzzword it is today. Like a lot of today's contemporary rock and alt acts, Leon seems to be eschewing the guitar of his previous work in favor of a more keyboard based sound, but instead of giving it an '80s synthesizer flavor, he puts his own twist on it by making it sound jazzy!


"Can't Deny Me" by Pearl Jam: In yet another controversial political era, rock and roll fans were probably wondering what, if anything, would end up being the next "American Idiot". Well, Pearl Jam might just have the answer to that question! In their charged new song, "Can't Deny Me", Eddie and the boys point their fingers towards a business tycoon who later starred in a reality show and then somehow became president. "You may be rich, but you can't deny me", Eddie Vedder snarls at his opponent during the chorus. The anti-Robin Hood mentality of the man currently running the U.S.A. is what Pearl Jam appear to be protesting here. In an era where rock and roll has become an endangered species, Pearl Jam remain one of the last known survivors!


"Today Is the Day" by Eels: A happy song with angry lyrics?! I wouldn't expect anything else from Mark Everett (better known simply as "E"), whose music seems to be based around irony. To more naive listeners, this song might seem like it's about having a great day, but make no mistake! Right from the start, E declares this day to be the day when he throws everything out the door, and then wonders why he's even alive. The "Get out of the f**king road!" spoken by E in the middle of the song would probably have me shaking my head and cringing if it weren't for E's effortlessly sardonic delivery. The Eels are truly unique. They're like Barenaked Ladies for "South Park" fans!

Blast from the past!! (And one more song)

Blondie and Red Hot Chili Peppers are two thirds of the new entries for the week?! Did I just take a trip in a time machine?! Nope, and even the third entry on this list sounds like it's from an older musician even though it isn't! Old is the new new, and here we go with this week's entries!


"Goodbye Angels" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: Not as reflective and soulful as "Dark Necessities" and not as much of a happy-go-lucky funk-rocker as "Go Robot", "Goodbye Angels", the third single from Red Hot Chili Peppers' latest album, is a song defined by its use of double-octave chords that gradually builds up into a faster song with fuller chords by the time the last 30 seconds or so kick in. Knowing the Peppers, "Angels" is probably a reference to their hometown (and mine), Los Angeles. The reference has occurred in a few of their songs, perhaps most famously "Under the Bridge", in which L.A. is referred to as the "City of Angels". The lyrics suggest it's about a girl(s), but the use of such imagery could be metaphorical for all I know. What is apparent is that the "goodbye" part of the song is a painful one, as the word "suicide" is mentioned a few times in the song. Whether this is the suicide of an actual person or the "suicide" (societal decay, perhaps?) of Los Angeles itself is unclear, but it's a bittersweet song nonetheless. I could do without the crazy buildup at the end, though.


"Long Time" by Blondie: Blondie?! Yes, THAT Blondie, the punk-cum-new-wave band from New York that pretty much screamed "girl power" in the late '70s and early '80s is back on the bandwagon!! Don't expect a powerful, gutsy rocker in the vein of "One Way Or Another", though. Debbie has mellowed out this time around, although this makes sense given how she is now 71 years old. No longer interested in melding the attitude of The Ramones with the harmonies of The Ronettes, she now turns to current electro-rock groups like TV on the Radio and Future Islands as her main musical inspirations for her latest song. Given how she has collaborated with both groups recently, this is hardly surprising, though perhaps slightly disappointing for those who might have wanted her to never be too old to rock and roll. Her voice, once young enough to sound like she was forever in her early 20's, now sounds a bit more motherly, but in a cool kinda way that only Debbie can truly pull off!


"River" by Leon Bridges": Not an old musician, but definitely an old soul, Leon Bridges has earned rightful comparisons to musicians like Sam Cooke and Otis Redding since his debut back in spring 2015, but in Leon's latest song, "River", he pulls off a feat that neither Sam nor Otis did. The song is a rare but sublime hybrid of folk music and soul music that is usually only able to be pulled off successfully by people like Tracy Chapman. During a lyrical journey that equates romantic love with spiritual love, a la Al Green, Leon passionately pleads the words "Take me to your river. I wanna know." What he wants to "know" is love, and it appears to be both that of a woman and that of God. Whichever one you prefer, though, "River" is a song with a smooth, quiet flow as steady as its title would suggest it has.

New songs for November 2nd, 2015

here they are:


"Katchi" by Nick Waterhouse and Leon Bridges: What happens when a critically acclaimed surf-rock revivalist gets together with a critically acclaimed revivalist of '60s soul music?! You get one heck of a jazzy song, that's what! The "retro" flavor of "Katchi" is further enforced by its vocalized "doo-wop-a-doo-wop, dooby dooby doo-wop" opening. With its rhythmically choppy chords and blazin' hot sax, "Katchi" is pure retro-rockin' bliss! Just one question. What IS "Katchi"?! Nick Waterhouse says that his girl "gives him Katchi all night long" during the chorus but never explains what "Katchi" is. I guess I'll just leave that up to my imagination!!


"Rhythm and Blues" by The Head and The Heart: Since the more-successful-than-usual airplay The Head and The Heart had from their pop-iest song yet, "All We Ever Knew", I was curious nonetheless to find out what other songs on their newest album sounded like. "Library Magic" and "Colors" would not have been bad choices for the second single, but instead its "Rhythm and Blues", which is anything BUT a rhythm and blues song. As a matter of fact, it sounds almost as pop-y as "All We Ever Knew" did, except during its out-of-nowhere electric guitar solo. The song contains the lyrics "stepped on my blue suede shoes, you made Elvis go crazy", except it doesn't sound a THING like Elvis (Costello or Presley). The group's heart may be in the right place, but their head isn't. Oh well, one out of two ain't bad, right?


"S.O.S. (Overboard)" by Joseph: The all-girl indie-folk trio Joseph send an S.O.S. to the world in their second single (and apparently it goes overboard). Much like "Message In A Bottle" from decades before, "S.O.S." is a song that uses nautical metaphors to describe isolation from a loved one. While nowhere near as catchy (or literary) as The Police, Joseph's "S.O.S." is a fun song in its own right. The seaworthy metaphors in Joseph's song show up mostly in the chorus, with lyrics like "screaming underwater" and "alone and overboard".

New songs for April 20th 2016

here they are:


"Ain't No Man" by The Avett Brothers: People who know The Avett Brothers for primarily being a country-rock group may be in for quite a surprise when they hear this one! "Ain't No Man" is more funky than it is country. Not an acoustic guitar or banjo to be found anywhere in this song. Instead, this song is dominated by sleek, smooth bass riffs. In addition to being The Avetts' funkiest song so far, "Ain't No Man" is also their happiest sounding song!


"Better Man" by Leon Bridges: The only other song for this week is also a funky one, but neo-soul sensation Leon Bridges knows funk like the back of his hand! "Coming Home" and "Smooth Sailin'" have both become adult alt megahits and they both have a sound that hearkens back to the days of '60s soul music. "Better Man" follows in the footsteps of those two songs in terms of its sound. The central message of this song is a simple but powerful plea, in which Leon states that he "doesn't want much" and "just wants to be a better man". Leon, there's no need for you do any better. You're already plenty good sounding to me!

New songs for October 21st 2015

here they are:


"Guesthouse" by The David Wax Museum: The David Wax Museum is one of the only bands I've ever known to combine folk, rock, and world music, and perhaps THE only band to combine all those that originated in the 2010's. In late 2012, they took adult alt radio by storm with the exotic sounding but relentlessly chipper "Harder Before It Gets Easier". Their latest song, "Guesthouse", also combines rock, folk, and world music, though it seems like they've been influenced by circus music here as well. The swirly, psychedelic organ of the song sounds kind of like the sort of organ you'd be likely to hear on a merry-go-round. The "guest" part of the title comes from how David Wax has apparently felt like a "guest" within the Mexican music community he has both studied about and performed with.


"Smooth Sailin'" by Leon Bridges: Leon's passionate, soul infused ballad, "Coming Home", arrived in February of this year, and it couldn't have arrived at a better time! The more energetic vibe of Leon's latest tune, "Smooth Sailin'", seems more fit for summer than fall, but fans of '60s soul music will probably enjoy the Otis Redding-ish sound of "Smooth Sailin'" just as much as the Sam Cooke-ish sound of "Coming Home". Smooth sailin', fast toe-tappin'!


"The Life You Chose" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell probably surprised many a listener of adult alt radio in spring of this year with the adult alt radio mega-hit, "24 Frames". Isbell has made music for quite a while now, but none of his songs have gotten as much attention as "24 Frames". The secret formula for that song's success is actually similar to what makes "The Life You Chose" an interesting song to listen to. Both songs are bittersweet country/folk-rock tunes concerning the struggle between the way life is for Jason and the way life used to be for him. "The Life You Chose" is a mostly major key song, though, unlike "24 Frames", which alternates between major and minor key. "The Life You Chose" is probably also more wistful than melancholy, but listeners are still likely to experience heartache when listening to the song.

New songs for February 18th, 2015

here they are:


"Coming Home" by Leon Bridges: The term "neo-soul" has been applied to many musicians, but there are only a few whom I really believe deserve the label. Newcomer to the scene, Leon Bridges, is one such person. His brand of soul music hearkens back to a time when Motown was a fledgling genre and record label, as it heavily evokes the music of soul legend, Sam Cooke. Leon's smooth crooning combined with the blues-y but breezy guitar he sings over is enough to make Cupid actually want to draw back his bow and let his arrow go!


"Don't Wanna Fight" by Alabama Shakes: One of the most anticipated singles of the week, and also one of the funkiest!! Alabama Shakes are (currently) best known for their first big hit, "Hold On", which blended Janis Joplin-esque vocals with Creedence Clearwater-style guitar playing. In "Don't Wanna Fight", Brittany Howard takes her musical time machine a few years after the Woodstock era, and into the funk era of the mid 1970's. Howard loudly and proudly proclaims that she "don't wanna fight no more" throughout the song. Since I don't know the song well enough yet, I'm not exactly sure what it is that she's fighting for (or against), but this is a song that is clearly more about the rhythm than it is about the lyrics, as far as I'm concerned. Get your groove on!!


"Every Other Freckle" by alt-J: The nerdily named alt-J have actually been pretty cool ever since their debut, but it seems as though the songs from their sophomore record are the ones that adult alt radio has gravitated towards the most so far. The guitar heavy, Black Keys-esque "Left Hand Free" became one of summer 2014's biggest hits on adult alt stations. As spring approaches, "Every Other Freckle" is the song such radio stations seem to be picking up on. The song returns to the hip-to-be-quirky style that alt-J have become known for, which "Left Hand Free" seemed to lack. The lyrics in the song are also a bit enigmatic. For instance, I have no idea what they mean by "I want every other freckle". That's just fine, though, as this is just the way alt-J's fans seem to like them.


"False Hope" by Laura Marling: Laura Marling could easily be likened to a modern-day Joni Mitchell. If albums like "A Creature I Don't Know" and "Once I Was An Eagle" are her "Blue" and "Ladies of the Canyon", then perhaps her latest album, "Short Movie" is what "Court and Spark" was for Joni Mitchell. That is, a chance for Laura to experiment with electric guitars while still keeping up her folk-rock image. "False Hope" is the first Laura Marling song I have heard that uses electric guitar instead of acoustic. The chorus to "False Hope" is rather cutting for someone known for her quaint and quiet material ("why I know false hope", as if to say, "I've been down before, so leave me alone!") Again, the "Court and Spark" comparison could continue, since Joni had rather scathing lyrics on songs like "Raised On Robbery" ("first he had a '57 Biscayne, put it in the ditch, he drunk up all the rest, that son of a b**ch"). Laura is definitely trying to move in a darker direction with "False Hope", as far as I can tell, and a more musically distinct direction, too.


"Fool For Love" by Lord Huron: Lord Huron are probably one of the dreamiest sounding indie-folk bands of the 2010's. The first 45 seconds of their latest song, "Fool For Love", are pure bliss. Once the vocals kick in, it starts to sound more like a typical Lord Huron song, but it still maintains its blissful, ethereal sound. Many of their songs could obliquely be considered love songs, but "Fool For Love" is the first song they've done where the affection is clearly spelled out (as if you couldn't tell from the title). I notice that this song was released a couple days after Valentine's Day. I wonder if Lord Huron did that on purpose?!


"I Don't Want to Let You Down" by Sharon Van Etten: Sharon Van Etten's songs are known for being somewhat dismal and lonely sounding. That being said, could "I Don't Want to Let You Down" be an indicator that she has finally found happiness?! First of all, the song is in a major key, unlike most of her material, and it sounds more upbeat than the rest of her material, too. As if that wasn't enough of a not-so-indie move for the only indie-folk singer to share my mom's first name, she has also performed the song on Ellen DeGeneres' show, and rumor has it that this song was inspired by the feel-good '80s family flick, "Overboard" (one of my guilty pleasures!!) Rest assured, though, the song still feels mellow and folk-y enough to be considered legit in Sharon Van Etten's catalog, and her signature moaning vocals are still present on this track as well.


"Kathleen" by Catfish and The Bottlemen: Between their European sounding name and their similarity in sound to some of the harder rocking Oasis songs, one of the first things I wondered about Catfish and The Bottlemen when I first heard their song "Kathleen" was whether or not they were British. Well, it turned out I was close! They are a Welsh group. You don't hear the phrase "Welsh garage rock" or even "Welsh alternative rock" very often, so perhaps Catfish and The Bottlemen are trendsetters in this regard (only time will tell). The chorus of the song, in which lead singer Van McCann defiantly states, "I've gotta give it to you, you give me problems!" also seems typical of the garage rock genre. I wonder what other musical treasures Wales has to offer us!


"Leaf Off/The Cave" by Jose Gonzalez: In the 2010's, Jose Gonzalez has been active with his band, Junip, but he hasn't done anything solo since 2008. Though Junip was a good band, I much prefer the gentle, Nick Drake-esque brand of folk-rock that Jose had by himself. His latest solo song, "Leaf Off/The Cave" returns to the magic Jose did by himself during the mid to late 2000's. From its enchanting sound to its hopeful lyrics ("let the light lead you out"), "Leaf Off/The Cave" is bound to be a winner among Jose's biggest fans, and then some. Don't be fooled by the title. First of all, it has nothing to do with Mumford and Sons' "The Cave" as I thought it did before I actually heard it, and "Leaf Off/The Cave" is actually one song, not two, in spite of how the title makes it look. I regularly try to look for songs I can listen to to calm me down, but this is one of the most calming I have heard in quite awhile! Highly recommended!!


"Pedestrian At Best" by Courtney Barnett: Wait, which "Courtney" IS this?! Courtney Barnett or Courtney Love?! It kinda sounds like the vocals of the former mixed with the music and mood of the latter!! From Barnett's "Avant Gardener", I expected all of her songs to sound kinda deadpan, but "Pedestrian At Best" is anything but! It has an almost punk rock sound, with its defiant guitar playing, one-chord verses, and two-chord chorus, which is somewhat derivative of the early Kings of Leon tune, "Molly's Chambers". Barnett's sing-speaking and ranting vaguely recall Mike Muir's paranoid, enraged vocal style in Suicidal Tendencies' "Institutionalized"! I haven't seen anyone go from mellow to angry this quickly since Marianne Faithfull (likely one of Courtney Barnett's influences)!!


"Take My Love" by The Lone Bellow: So far, "Take My Love" is the closest that folk-rockers, The Lone Bellow, have gotten to electric guitar oriented music, but the Bellow have still kept their mellow on this one. It seems like sounding like Bruce Springsteen has become a rite of passage for many indie-folk/indie-pop bands lately (Killers, Hold Steady, Gaslight Anthem, War on Drugs, and Arcade Fire all rank among them). This is probably the first Springsteen-esque song that The Lone Bellow have attempted. It not only sounds like one of The Boss's songs, but it also seems to echo the passion and honest lyrical content that he usually had.


"What Kind of Man" by Florence and The Machine: Flo and her magic Machine are truly one of the most eclectic bands to have emerged in the 2010's. Their blend of folk, rock, soul, gospel, and new wave has been unmatched so far! Their eclecticism seems to come full circle in "What Kind of Man", which starts as a whispery, dark hymnal, but quickly turns into the sort of new wave-y dance-rock song you might expect from INXS, or perhaps even Prince. Guitar isn't usually a central instrument in Florence and The Machine's music, but it takes on a very important role in "What Kind of Man" from the first minute on. "What kind of man loves like this?" Flo implores throughout the chorus. The more important question is, "What kind of man (or woman) doesn't love this music?!"