New songs for September 28th, 2022

 Here they are:


"Evergreen" by Mt. Joy: Probably Mt. Joy's hardest-rocking song to date, "Evergreen" is surprisingly upbeat and electric-guitar driven for the mostly psychedelic folk-rock-y Mt. Joy. "Evergreen" is also very upbeat and doesn't dip into weird beat-changing territory the way that, say, "Lemon Tree" did. Another thing that makes "Evergreen" stand out in Mt. Joy's catalog is how funny it is! You probably didn't think the band behind bittersweet songs like "Silver Lining" could be so hilarious, but their humor is proved here in lines like "This is the part where your wedding ring gets pulled across your eye." Ouch! Definitely subversive humor there, but funny nonetheless! 

"Fairweather Friend" by GA-20: Continuing our streak of rock-oriented songs for this week is "Fairweather Friend" by GA-20, with a sound whose roots go back to the blues! The song's syncopated shuffle recalls groups like The Black Keys, but GA-20 seems to be a bit more authentically blues-y than they are. Even their name is a nod to a classic electric guitar model from the 1950's. One particularly interesting thing to note about the instrumentation of this song is that its melody comes from two guitars. There is no bassist to be heard on this track! The combination of the thickness of the guitars and the song's prominent drumbeat could easily fool listeners into thinking there is a bassist. 

"Night Moves" by Lissie: Not to be confused with Bob Seger's bittersweet mid-'70s country-rock tune of the same name about becoming a teenager, Lissie's "Night Moves" has a bittersweetness of its own for entirely different reasons. It is a stark song that, fitting to its title, has a rather nocturnal sound that is as mysterious as it is mellow. Her "Night Moves" takes place in her post-teen years and is about being betrayed by love, as opposed to Seger's ode to curiosity about the mysteries of sex and romance. Another interesting parallel between the two songs is how they both illustrate a folk-rock sound, although Lissie's is less influenced by roots-y country and more by the melancholy, isolated, yearning sounds of musicians like Stevie Nicks, and probably by Joni Mitchell as well. It's probably mere coincidence that Lissie has a song title identical to one of Bob Seger's most popular songs, but both the coincidences and contrasts between the two songs are rather striking!

"Should've Been Me" by Mitski: In the ever eclectic catalog of indie-pop musician, Mitski, we find her once again channeling pop music of the 1980's, but it's a rather specific song she's set on emulating this time. Perhaps you could say she has a "Maneating" appetite for '80s musical nostalgia here! Both the riffs and beat for "Should've Been Me" are practically identical to Hall and Oates' "Maneater," although she slips in a middle section between the verses that have enough usage of major 7th chords to distinguish itself from that song. Beneath the upbeat vibes of the song are troublesome lyrics about how Mitski wanted to be more available to her partner in a relationship that had shaky, questionable communication. The song's title basically serves as an apology for how she "should've been" the one to satisfy her partner's needs, but in a relationship both as rocky and as shady as the one she's describing, how are you supposed to know what's going to happen?! This song has a great way of masking feelings of regret with a catchy, nostalgic beat and melody, which in turn serves as a great and clever way for people to listen to you!

"Supernatural" by Barns Courtney: Barns Courtney is great at churning out catchy rock/indie-pop anthems, particularly his blues-by-way-of-pop debut single, "Fire." With each new song and album, Barns reinvents himself, but the way "Supernatural" sounds is something that I don't think any of his fans would've anticipated! "Supernatural" sounds a bit like what Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" might have been like if she felt scorned enough to create a fiery, back-with-a-vengeance rock song over a pop/soul template. "Supernatural" has surprisingly blazing electric guitar riffs during the chorus that shake the listener by the neck and demand they listen to what he has to say! So just what does Barns have to say in his latest tune?! From what I can gather from its lyrical content so far, "Supernatural" seems like Barns' way of getting back at a former lover who wronged him. In the chorus, he claims he is unstoppable and "supernatural," perhaps to signify how he won't get out of his ex's life no matter how much they want him out of it. Way to haunt your ex, Barns! "Supernatural" is a swinging song that's somewhat scary, yet still soulful, sweet, and satisfying!

"The Perfect Pair" by beabadoobee: Unlike the recent alt-pop/rock-oriented experiments beabadoobee has ventured into with her last few singles, "The Perfect Pair" is a back-to-basics folk-pop song that seems like it could work equally well on acoustic guitar and ukulele. The first four chords almost sound like a folks-y, elevator music version of "Stairway to Heaven," but not in a bad way. With such a sweet, mellow sound, you would think this would be one of beabadoobee's few positive songs lyrically, right? Wrong! Beabadoobee's bitterness can still be detected in "The Perfect Pair" as she repeatedly directs her partner to "break her heart in two" due to the hopelessness of her latest relationship. Is every song for this week a breakup song?! I guess so! Well, not every week can have nice lyrical content, can it?! 

New songs for August 12th, 2020

 here they are:

"Burn Too Bright" by Laura Veirs: It's been 7 years since we last heard from indie-folk-rocker, Laura Veirs (by herself, at least - she was also part of indie-folk supergroup, case, lang, and veirs, back in 2016), and it feels like it's been even longer ago than that. I was not expecting to hear new material from her any time soon, yet here it is. Underneath the quirky upbeat vibes of her latest song, "Burn Too Bright", there lies an undercurrent of darkness, perhaps because the song is essentially a eulogy to Richard Swift, one of Laura's record producers and a member of indie-pop sensations, The Shins, for 6 years. Swift died two years ago from alcohol complications when he was only a year past 40. I had no idea until today that Laura has been a mother for about a decade now, but she has, and that probably just makes matters worse for her in light of both losing a close friend two years ago and losing her marriage just one year later. Here's hoping Laura continues to burn brightly in this world, but not too bright!

"Club Zero" by The Go-Go's: As both a Southern California native and as someone whose father has connections to the L.A. punk scene, it makes me proud that 2020 has been a great year for members of that very scene. In spring of this year, Los Angelean punk rock poets, X, made a surprise splash onto the fringes of adult alt radio with the spiky yet catchy "Alphabetland." Now it's The Go-Go's turn at bat. Both X and The Go-Go's moved away from punk later on, branching out into folk-rock and pop/rock respectively, yet 2020 has found both groups returning to their punk roots. With The Go-Go's being the flashy, bubbly group they are, there's a bit of a pop influence to their latest song, "Club Zero", but it's also the band's hardest rocking song since "We Got the Beat", perhaps even a little harder edged than that one was! You might be wondering why the song is called what it's called. There is no actual location known as Club Zero (that I know of), but there was the Zero Zero Club in Hollywood that existed during The Go-Go's heyday, which is how the song derived its name. There might also be an undercurrent of nihilism to the title of the song, as well as a sense of rebellion of, to quote the group's Jane Wiedlin, "zero f**ks given", the unapologetically brash attitude of both this song and the era it was created in!

"Double Denim Hop" by Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard: Here's another rock and roll throwback, this time more evocative of the swingin' sounds of the early to mid-1970's. Groups like Sweet, Foghat, Steve Miller Band, and Thin Lizzy seemed to influence the retro sounds of this song with an equally retro title. The title of the song was just thought up on a whim when the lead singer happened to be wearing double denim (which all four members sport in the song's music video). He posted his trendy look on Instagram, referred to it as, "that double denim hop", and thus, a new rock song with an old rock sound was born! One more thing. The band's name IS "Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard". Is that anything like "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice Beetlejuice"?! WHOA, holy cow, there he is! How'd Beetlejuice get here?!

"Just Because I Can" by Lissie: It has now been a decade since indie-folk-rocker, Lissie, first graced adult alt radio with her debut record, and its Triple A radio hits, "In Sleep", and "When I'm Alone." Her latest track, "Just Because I Can", is meant to be a retrospective to the year she debuted on the music scene. A bittersweet indie-folk ballad, "Just Because I Can" illustrates the struggle Lissie went through and eventually achieved to gain both recognition and independence as a musician. 2010 seems a little soon to be nostalgic for, but Lissie has already developed a nostalgia for that year and the importance it played in helping her break through to a small yet very dedicated audience that seems to have grown bigger every year since. I love how moving this song is, and how much strength and dedication was put into it!

"What You Gonna Do?" by Bastille (featuring Blur's Graham Coxon): It may be Bastille's Dan Smith on lead vocals here, but "What You Gonna Do?" is clearly a Graham Coxon song as far as its instrumentation is concerned! The song contains far more guitar licks than pretty much any Bastille song I've heard so far! I must say, I'm pretty impressed by the punchy power pop vibes this song has. Its brief, two-and-a-half minute length also distinguishes it from other Bastille songs, which often run roughly between three-and-a-half to four minutes. Both the length and sound of "What You Gonna Do?" were intentionally meant to be different from most of Bastille's other material. Dan Smith has acknowledged just what a chaotic year this has been so far, and "What You Gonna Do?" was meant to be a quick moment of fun, goofy escapism from an otherwise troubled world. So what you gonna do? Rock out and dance my butt off, that's what! 

New songs for June 27th 2018

here they are:


"Castles" by Lissie: "Castles" pretty much represents the essence of indie-folk songstress, Lissie. It is a quiet, reflective song that fuses brass instruments, acoustic guitar (with an electric guitar solo), and piano into a tasty treat for Lissie fans that feels as billowy as a warm summer breeze. It has lyrics that are both quirky and meaningful, and a sound that is both hip enough for Lorde fans and nostalgic enough for Carole King fans. When Joni Mitchell sang of "ice cream castles in the air" on "Both Sides Now", perhaps the castles described in this song were the ones she was talking about. Dreamy imagery that still somehow manages to stay down to earth. Lissie's sound seems to have matured as she's gotten older. Perhaps her lyrics have, too.


"Come On To Me" by Paul McCartney: The legendary Sir Paul just doesn't want to quit making music...and that's a good thing! A VERY good thing! His latest song, "Come On To Me", is a sunny but kickin' power pop song, in true Macca fashion. The song is both upbeat enough and quirky enough to be mistaken for a Beatles number (at least it would be if it weren't for the shimmering, contemporary production techniques used for this song). The song is a silly love song (pun intended) about his current wife, Nancy Shevell. As Sir Paul himself once asked, though, "What's wrong with silly love songs?" Well, in the case of "Come On To Me", absolutely nothing!


"Disappointing Diamonds Are the Rarest of Them All" by Father John Misty: With a total of eight words in the title of this song, Father John Misty would certainly win the award this week for "song with the longest title"!! It's kind of a random title too, but as FJM's fans probably know, that's just how he rolls. The song is both weird and edgy, as many of his songs are. Who ELSE would open a song with the lyrics, "Like a pervert on a crowded bus, the glare of love bears down on us"? There aren't too many songs I know that even USE the word "pervert" (perhaps that's a good thing, though). This baroque pop track is only two and a half minutes long. Songs of absurdly short or absurdly long lengths seems to be a FJM trademark as well. To paraphrase a line from Elton John's "Bennie and the Jets", Father John Misty is so weird and he's wonderful!

New songs for January 31st, 2018

here they are:


“Best Days” by Lissie: Fitting that a song called “Best Days” sounds so happy and hopeful, isn’t it? Well, there’s a good reason for that. “Best Days” is Lissie’s song of hope, and it’s her way of letting her listeners know that the “good old days” are the ones we are living in right now. Lissie even sings in the middle of the song that she “wants more best days”. What a great attitude to have in times where nearly everyone seems to wish they could escape the present era!


“Girlfriend” by Anderson East: Anderson is a unique musician in this day and age, alternating between gritty sax driven soul music, calmer roots-y country-rock (perhaps influenced by his girlfriend, country star Miranda Lambert), and sometimes even straight up pop. On “Girlfriend”, Anderson goes back to the gutsy soul music that I originally knew him for. Unlike what its title might suggest, “Girlfriend” is not a simple declaration of love here, but instead a love triangle. Anderson loudly and somewhat proudly proclaims during the chorus that he “thinks (he’s) in love” with the subject’s “girlfriend”. I wonder what Miranda is gonna think of THIS one!


“Listening In” by Dr. Dog: Ever the quirky, original sounding indie band, Dr. Dog have done it again with their latest song, “Listening In”. The lyrics are pretty simple, with only three verses with practically identical lyrics and a bridge, but the music itself provides nearly 5 minutes of trippy, neo-psychedelic goodness! It appears the song is even a bit prog-rock influenced, with the middle of the song suddenly changing rhythm before the third verse kicks in. The song also provides just the right amount of balance between keyboard and guitar, unlike most indie songs these days, which tend to focus on one more than the other.


“May You Be Well” – The Lone Bellow: After splashing onto adult alt radio during the summer of last year with the rollicking, energetic, “Time’s Always Leaving”, the second single from The Lone Bellow’s third album, “May You Be Well”, is a more reflective and somewhat reverent sounding piece of music. It is a very sentimental song, both musically and lyrically, and was written by lead singer Zach Williams to his oldest daughter as a declaration of love from father to child. Both of his daughters ended up liking the track, though, especially Betty, his youngest, who expressed how moved she was that her dad chose to dedicate a song to one of his kids. I guess that’s the thing about good music. It can be enjoyed from one generation to the next!


“Never Look Back” by Field Report: It hasn’t been a very easy road for Wisconsin folk-rock quartet, Field Report, but they seem to be able to squeeze out one adult alt radio hit per album. So far, this pattern has continued into their third album with their latest song, “Never Look Back”. One thing I have noticed about the songs that have gained attention from Field Report is how more instrumentation gets used on each song. “Never Look Back” contains more echoic instrumentation and a bit more acoustic/electric guitar harmony than their other two hit songs. Perhaps the most noticeable difference is the talk box used during the solo of the song, although it’s used in a rather subtle manner.


“On the Lips” by JD McPherson: What if The Black Keys covered songs like Modern English’s “I Melt With You”? Sounds kinda weird, doesn’t it?! Well, that’s pretty much the sound of JD McPherson’s latest song, “On the Lips”! No one ever thought that a guy whose first big song was a Little Richard sound-alike would be churning out THIS kinda music, but it does manage to work here. Well, kinda. Despite its rather futuristic sound, the song is actually about a moment from JD’s distant past. Specifically, it’s about his first kiss, and how much excitement he felt rushing through him when that special someone’s smooch “hit (him) on the lips”.


“Paradise” by George Ezra: No, this is not a cover of the popular Coldplay song of the same name, although George Ezra’s “Paradise” does have a bit more of a pop element than most of his folk-rock-y material has so far. This “Paradise” is definitely more upbeat and a little more rockin’ than the tune that Chris Martin and co put out a few years ago. It is also a declaration of love the whole way through. There are times when the lyrical fervor of this song runs hotter than others, such as the chorus, when George says, “If it feels like paradise running through your bloody veins, you know it’s love heading your way”. Love sure does make you do strange things sometimes, doesn’t it?!


“Roll On Slow” by Glen Hansard: The Irish folk-rocker whose first big hit was from the “Once” soundtrack amps it up on his latest song, “Roll On Slow”. There is something vaguely similar (though not near as impressive) to Bruce Springsteen songs like “She’s the One” and “Born to Run” on this song, and a bit of a soulful vibe as well during the chorus that could have easily come from fellow Irishmen, The Commitments (even though they were a movie-only band). The Springsteen-esque sound might have been intentional on “Roll On Slow”, since Glen has performed the song before with E Street Band drummer, Max Weinberg. The song definitely has an East Coast vibe to it, and was written while Glen was living in New York City. Behind the song’s determined, gutsy sound, however, lies a tale of sadness and woe. Apparently, the song was inspired by how Glen started drinking alcohol too heavily because his girlfriend was on vacation. The song’s urban vibe and fast beats help to compensate for the sad subject matter, though.

New songs for January 20th 2016

here they are:


"(Baby) Hold On" by The James Hunter Six: Could it be?! Have The James Hunter Six, who probably fooled many people into thinking they were both black and from the mid 1960's (neither of which would be true, despite how their music sounds), gone even further back in time than they did three years ago?! Well, with the release of their latest song, "(Baby) Hold On", not to be confused with a similarly named song by Eddie Money, it appears that they have gone further back in time than the '60s! James has pulled a Nick Waterhouse on us, evoking a sultry jazz-rock sound that wouldn't seem out of place in a "James Bond" film! Both the guitars and the saxes absolutely wail on this song! Perhaps one of the biggest treats, though, is how this song (and its album) are being produced by Daptone Records, a record company that is most famous for producing songs by another '60s soul revival styled group, Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings. This oughta be good!


"Don't You Give Up On Me" by Lissie: This song marks a turning point in Lissie's career. The 33-year-old folk-rocker typically has songs filled with some combination of angst and urgency, especially the Alanis Morissette-esque "Shameless". "Don't You Give Up On Me" is the first Lissie song I have heard that strives more for vibes of positivity than urgency. No one seems to know what Lissie's life has been like outside of the studio, but with her lyrics almost always indicating frustration with her love life, she's probably been through a lot. Perhaps "Don't You Give Up On Me" is about trying to change direction and make a new start, as there doesn't seem to be even a hint of dissatisfaction with romance in the lyrics. I guess we'll find out, won't we?!


"Lost Weekend" by Pete Yorn: No, "Lost Weekend" is not a reference to that time in John Lennon's life when he spent more time with May Pang than he did with Yoko Ono, for those who may be wondering. Instead, the title is a reference to Yorn's life in and of itself. The New Jersey folk-rocker has now hit his early 40's (can you believe it?!), and "Lost Weekend" is basically about how you should hold on to the good things and good times while they last. With me being just two years shy of my 30's, I can certainly relate to this song! It really is amazing just how quickly life can pass you by!


"Love Me" by The 1975: As Joni Mitchell once said, "You don't know what you've got 'till it's gone". Those lyrics could very well apply to this song, which came out just 3 months before David Bowie's death and sounds an awful lot like the late British rocker's song, "Fame". The members of The 1975 probably weren't even thinking about the possibility of David Bowie's life being on the brink when they released "Love Me", yet with the song's main riff bearing an uncanny resemblance to "Fame", it makes for quite a powerful tribute song, even if they didn't plan it that way! Another thing is that "Fame" came out in the year 1975. Perhaps The 1975 are trying to sound like the YEAR 1975?! You just never can tell, can you?! Also, there's one more thing for Bowie fans (or fans of any good music, really) to like about this song. One of the lyrics openly mocks Kim Kardashian, referring to her (and her fashion) as "Karcrashian"!!


"Off the Ground" by The Record Company: The Record Company?! WHICH Record Company?! WB?! Elektra?! Capitol Records?! Nope, just a band whose name happens to be "The Record Company". Whichever company/-ies the band's name is a reference to must be a lowdown and funky one, judging from the sound of their debut single, "Off the Ground"!! Whoo! Following in the footsteps of such 2010's blues-rock sensations as The Black Keys, Alabama Shakes, and Gary Clark Jr., The Record Company seem to have a knack for layin' down the blues in a sizzling, dirty style! The guitar has a burnin', smoky sound, but that bass has such a swingin', seductive hook as well! Should have pretty immediate appeal to fans of The Rolling Stones, Cream, Jimi Hendrix, and Led Zeppelin. Rock and roll is alive!!


"Wipeout Turn" by Big Head Todd and The Monsters: And speaking of classic rock, '90s rock sensations Big Head Todd and The Monsters seem to be getting back to their Dire Straits/Los Lobos-esque roots with their latest song, "Wipeout Turn". The band were best known for their "alternative" folk-rock ballads like "Bittersweet" and "Resignation Superman", which often garnered them comparisons to groups like The Wallflowers and Counting Crows during their heyday. Big Head Todd and The Monsters have some blues-y chops that often go sorely unnoticed, though. Todd "Big Head Todd" Park Mohr, the band's namesake, may not be anyone's idea of the next Hendrix or Clapton, but he can still rock it. "Wipeout Turn" actually has one of Big Head Todd and The Monsters' best guitar solos I've heard in quite some time, actually, with its one and a half minutes of just the right amount of precision and speed bringing the song to a quick, scorchin' end!

New songs for September 11th, 2013

here they are:


"Further Away (Romance Police)" by Lissie: With "Further Away (Romance Police)", Lissie continues to make her mark as the 2010's answer to Alanis Morissette (with less nasal vocals). She rocks with reckless abandon on this song (though not as much as she did on "Shameless" from earlier this year). "Further Away" starts out as being this sort of dark but catchy pop song, and by the time the chorus kicks in, it starts sounding like the lovechild of the songs from Fleetwood Mac's "Rumours" and the songs from Alanis Morissette's "Jagged Little Pill". The song centers around a love affair gone awry that only starts sounding more desperate as it goes on, with its peak in the middle of the song, when Lissie cynically wonders if "anyone loves anyone anymore".


"Gang of Rhythm" by Walk Off the Earth: Whether they're covering Gotye or harmonizing on their own tunes, Walk Off the Earth seem like a group of people who like to have fun with what they do, and so far, no song in their career illustrates that better than their latest song, "Gang of Rhythm". The song is simply about playing music and having a good time, which WOTE urge their audience to do with lyrics like, "Come on now everybody, come on now everyone!" In the second verse, WOTE claim that they "bring in the harmonies like CSNY" (Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young), which makes me wonder how the folk-rock legends feel about being mentioned in a song by a group of newbie folk-rockers. After all, they sound more like The Mamas and The Papas than CSN & Y to me, for both their equal part guy/girl harmonies, and their upbeat, pop-y sound.


"Reflektor" by Arcade Fire: Arcade Fire have tried their hand at prog-rock many times, but as far as I know, this is the first time a radio single by AF has attempted to incorporate a "Floyd-ian" slip, if you will. "Reflektor" clocks in at over 7 and a half minutes, and its sprawling length and meandering melody make it seem more like an album track than a hit, but perhaps its Bowie-esque rhythm and instrumentation were enough to make the members of Arcade Fire want to release it as the first single from their new album. "Reflektor" is also the kind of song that seems like it could be performed in outer space, and AF have had more than their fair share of songs like that so far, but none as much as this song. I feel like "Reflektor" will be the song that either expands Arcade Fire's fanbase, or the song that turns their fanbase away from them (or perhaps both).


"Shine On" by Blitzen Trapper: How is it that Blitzen Trapper have the ability to sound like both a Southern rock group AND a progressive rock group within the same song?! Honestly, I have no idea, but they manage to make both (unlikely) ends meet in their most recent tune, "Shine On". It seems as though Blitzen Trapper want to challenge those who think of them as a "folk-rock" group, although two of their finest songs ("Black River Killer" and "Love the Way You Walk Away") fall under this category. Unless Lynyrd Skynyrd and Pink Floyd are your idea of "folk-rock" (which they're probably not), "Shine On" is definitely a song that deviates significantly from the material Blitzen Trapper have become known for. With its blazing electric guitars, anthemic chorus, and backing vocalists who sound like they might have been the same ones for "Sweet Home Alabama", I can't help but feel like this song belongs on a classic rock station somewhere.


"St. Croix" by Family of the Year: Steven Tyler from Aerosmith's comparison of Family of the Year to "The Mamas and The Papas on acid" seemed somewhat appropriate for Family of the Year's first big song, "Hero", which could be said to be FOTY's "California Dreamin'", since both songs are bittersweet, acoustic guitar based compositions about the yearning for something better to come along. FOTY's second big song, "St. Croix" is no "Monday Monday", though. Far from it! "St. Croix" is actually a very optimistic sounding song, both musically and lyrically. I mean, how much more friendly sounding can you get than "You bring the ocean, I'll bring the motion, together we'll make a love potion"?! Such lyrics make FOTY sound like hippies who stuck around long after the 1960's, which, as far as I'm concerned, they are. This is certainly not a bad thing, though, and it's probably the perfect song to listen to at a beach party! Too bad it came out towards the end of summer instead of the beginning.


"The Perfect Life" by Moby and Wayne Coyne: The bald headed animal rights activist, Moby, and Flaming Lips frontman, Wayne Coyne, are, undoubtedly, two of the most eccentric musicians of '90s alt-rock, so it only seems fitting that they would perform something together (I'm surprised it took them this long to think of doing a musical collaboration, personally!) What's even more bizarre than two musical bizarr-o's doing a song together, though, is the music video they made of the song!! The two musicians walk down the streets of Los Angeles in Mariachi outfits, and encounter some guy who looks like the Burger King, roller skating ghosts, and a choir of goth musicians along the way. "The Perfect Life"?! Sounds perfect to me!! The video can be viewed at http://www.rollingstone.com/music/videos/moby-leads-wayne-coyne-to-the-perfect-life-premiere-20130903

New songs for May 15th, 2013

here they are:


“Awkward” by San Cisco: If you’re used to indie rock, there’s absolutely nothing “awkward” about this song (except maybe the pace of the way the lyrics are sung for every second line of the song, haha). “Awkward” by San Cisco combines the best of…well…a couple worlds, really. The reedy, “British Aussie” vocals of Luke Pritchard from The Kooks, the uber-catchy vibes of the typical Vampire Weekend song, the missing link between garage rock and new wave that The Strokes are known for, and the exchange between male lead vocals and female lead vocals made popular by groups like The xx are all apparent influences on “Awkward”. The lyrics of the song seem like they would have fit in perfectly with a “hipster romance” film like “Juno”, seeing how they are seemingly affectionate (but not really) lyrics sung in a dry manner. “Awkward”?! Like I said, it’s only “awkward” if you’re not into the whole indie rock thing. Otherwise, enjoy!!


"Bleeding Out" by The Lone Bellow: Those who heard The Lone Bellow's "You Never Need Nobody" probably got the impression that they were a trio of "lonesome country sweethearts". Their second big song, "Bleeding Out", still has a somewhat roots-y sound, but it's not lonesome, and not exactly sweet, either. "Bleeding Out" makes The Lone Bellow sound more like a full blown band than just a trio, what with its use of both electric and acoustic guitars, a discernible, waltz-y rhythm section, and even a brass section after each chorus! The emotional quality of The Lone Bellow's music really does "bleed out" on "Bleeding Out". Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve!


“Diamonds” by The Boxer Rebellion: If it sounds like a broken hearted indie rock song, that’s because it is. The Boxer Rebellion’s latest tune, “Diamonds”, is so called because the lead singer feels like he is “No good next to Diamonds”, in terms of his love life. Wow, that must be a drag!! Thankfully, the textured, echoing, atmospheric feel of “Diamonds” makes Nathan Nicholson’s complaints worth listening to. This song gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “diamond in the rough”!!


"Hit Or Miss" by Tom Jones: "It's not unusual to be loved by anyone", as one of Jones' most famous songs states. It is unusual, however, for Tom to take a folk-rock approach to his music! He does exactly that with "Hit Or Miss", which, in spite of its not-so-Tom-Jones-ish sound, manages to be a winner nonetheless! The song is both honest and charming, with its theme centering around how refreshing it is to just be yourself. So, is this a hit, or a miss?! Hit!! And a pretty big one, at that!


"Shameless" by Lissie: Lissie?! More like "Lizzie", as in '90s indie-pop goddess, Liz Phair! After all, that's what Lissie's latest tune, "Shameless", sounds like to me, in terms of both its gutsy alt-pop, and its defiant lyrics!! So what happened here?! Did Lissie think that the bittersweet sound of songs like "In Sleep" and "When I'm Alone" didn't carry enough musical weight?! Calm down!! You don't have to get all "You Oughta Know" on us just because you haven't become a household name yet! On a more serious note, though, "Shameless" IS a good song! However, it's probably also going to end up being a song that drives away a good portion of what Lissie's fanbase has become so far.

New songs November 9th, 2011

here they are:


“After the Gold Rush” by Thom Yorke: Radiohead’s enigmatic but passionate frontman performed his cover of the classic Neil Young song, “After the Gold Rush”, at Neil’s own Bridge School Benefit Concert, which are held annually to benefit children with disabilities who attend Bridge School (a school in Mountain View, California). I am a huge fan of both Radiohead and Neil Young, so I was very curious in knowing if their two musical worlds would meet or drift apart in Thom Yorke’s cover of “After the Gold Rush”. Though not as good as the Neil Young original, Yorke does “After the Gold Rush” justice by maintaining the melancholy but earnest feel of the original tune (and Yorke’s reedy tenor vocals match Young’s quite well, though perhaps unintentionally).

“Feeding Line” by Boy and Bear: This song does not really have any factors that distinguish it from other indie songs, but I like it anyway! I’m always a sucker for smooth harmonies, random whistling (which “Feeding Line” has towards the middle of it), and acoustic and electric guitars complementing each other in their sound. And, what can I say, I’ve become accustomed to the “lyrical dissonance” songs like this feature (lyrics like “Nevertheless when this pain in my chest seems to grow…” are juxtaposed against a catchy, vibrant melody in A major). Yeah, like I said, nothing particularly special about “Feeding Line”, but it’s still a fun song to listen to and sing along to.

“Games People Play” by Lissie: The folk-pop/rock musician known simply as “Lissie” onstage has made huge strides for herself this year! Up until last month, she was merely a two-hit wonder (for “In Sleep” and “When I’m Alone”), known among the indie circles but not much outside of that. In October of this year, though, she toured with Tom Petty and The Heartbreakers in order to boost the ratings of Los Angeles adult alt outlet, KCSN, which plays both Lissie’s and Tom Petty’s music on a regular basis! As if THAT weren’t enough major star power for Lissie, her latest CD is an all covers album, encompassing everything from country songs to heavy metal songs within the process! The first song off her collection of covers is “Games People Play”. No, this is not a cover of the Alan Parsons song, for those wondering, it is actually a cover of a song by country musician Joe South. Lissie does a fine job at covering it, though, remaining faithful to the original song by performing it in A major like Joe did, and even adding in the sitar-sounding instruments that his version had!

“Look Around” by Red Hot Chili Peppers: And now, we come to yet another musical act that has gotten major attention for their latest album this year! “Look Around” marks the FOURTH song to get attention from The Chili Peppers’ “I’m With You” (quite a lot of songs to get noticed from an album that came out only 4 and a half months ago)! “Look Around” seems to bridge the gaps between the original funk-rock sound The Chilis had in the late ‘80s/early ‘90s, and the more melodic rock sound they developed ever since then. Flea’s bass playing is spectacular (and wild) enough here to win back their initial fanbase, yet Anthony Kiedis’ vocals shine enough here (especially during the title-only chorus) that I can’t help but want to harmonize with him when he sings! 25 years and still going strong!! Few other rock and roll bands have achieved such a feat, so congrats to them!

“No Spare Parts” by The Rolling Stones: And speaking of long-standing rock bands, The Stones have GOT to be one of the LONGEST lasting of them all!! Mick Jagger and co started rolling in the mid-‘60s and haven’t given up ever since! Their latest, “No Spare Parts”, has a rather country-rock sound to it. Not the first thing that comes to mind when The Stones are mentioned, but they’re certainly no strangers to country-rock (though it took them until “Wild Horses” was released to do a song that wasn’t a mockery of the genre). Being that this song was an “outtake” from the largely sarcastic, misogynistic, angst-ridden “Some Girls” album, “No Spare Parts” is probably more mockery than it is a “serious” song. Mick’s rather detached, weary sounding vocals on “No Spare Parts” also seems to hint at the insincerity this song might have. Yeah, I know, it’s (kind of) “only rock and roll” of them to pull off a half-hearted song like “No Spare Parts”, but I like it!

“Should We Fight Back?” by The Parlotones: Before I actually sat down and listened to “Should We Fight Back?” I was a bit skeptical as to whether or not I would enjoy it since I only knew The Parlotones for being a band that Coldplay selected to play with them on their latest tour prior to this song’s release to adult alt radio stations. The Parlotones, however, do not have a contrived, overproduced, adult-contemporary-meets-alt-pop type sound like Coldplay’s later (and latest) album(s) do. Instead, they are more an “indie-dance-pop/rock” band in the vein of The Killers, Phoenix, and Foster the People, all three of whom seemed to have instance success, both commercially and among more independent minded audiences, upon their debuts! So far, The Parlotones haven’t made quite the same impact with “Should We Fight Back?” but the way the guitars, drums, and vocals blend together seamlessly on this song seems to indicate it will do pretty well! Listener, beware, though. Beneath the irresistibly catchy sound of “Should We Fight Back?” are lyrics of political dissatisfaction. That shouldn’t stop you from enjoying the song, though!!

“Tomorrow” by The Cranberries: And last, but certainly not least, how can you have a great November without some “Cranberries”?!? Dolores O’Riordan and her band of merry Irish alt-rockers haven’t had a successful record in 10 years (see also Ben Folds Five’s “House”, which I reviewed last week), but it’s definitely been worth the wait!! Unlike other major ‘90s rockers like Counting Crows and Goo Goo Dolls, The Cranberries haven’t veered an inch from the Smiths-meets-Sinead O’Connor type sound that made them famous! “Tomorrow” is a bittersweet but memorable slice of jangle-pop that recalls The Smiths’ “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable Now” throughout, albeit with a more hopeful sounding message. So what if it doesn’t have the “sonic-boom” guitar sound of “Dreams” or the pseudo-hard-rock sound of “Zombie”?! “Tomorrow” is STILL a great song, and probably my fave song of the week!! Highly recommended!!!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New songs for Aug. 25th, 2010

here they are!

"In Sleep" by Lissie: Having a name like "Lissie" is enough to make one think that there's something unique and kinda cool about her. And there is! Her first breakthrough song, "In Sleep", she almost effortlessly combines country, folk, straight-ahead rock, and slight traces of neo-psychedelia into one song! Altogether, it sounds like an indie rock Fleetwood Mac (the guitar solo at the end reminds me a little of "Go Your Own Way", only it's about a minute and a half longer!) Lissie's cynically smoky vocals make me think that fans of Jenny Lewis (also on this week's blog), Neko Case, and other Stevie Nicks-influenced indie females would really like this song (and artist)!

"Modern Man" by Arcade Fire: As if having Eric Clapton on this week's list and countless other classic rock musicians making their big "comebacks" in 2010 wasn't enough, Arcade Fire's latest pretty much steals the main chord structure of A major and F sharp minor of John Mellencamp's "Hand to Hold On To". Arcade Fire must be making their classic rock influences want to shine out more in their latest material (as I also compared "Ready to Start" to Golden Earring's "Radar Love" as if covered by The Cure). Though "Modern Man" has enough "alternative" instrumentation to avoid being completely mistaken for Mellencamp, I can't help but notice a similarity between the two songs! Another interesting thing is that it seems like Arcade Fire are releasing singles on a MONTHLY basis off their latest album (June - "The Suburbs, July - "Ready to Start", and August - "Modern Man"). One can only wonder what Win Butler and co. have waiting for us in store in September and if it, too, is classic rock influenced!

"Run Back to Your Side" by Eric Clapton: There's an old joke that goes like, "What do Eric Clapton and coffee have in common? They both suck without the 'Cream'". While I don't entirely agree with that statement, I can certainly see why one would think such a thing - ever since Clapton's solo career took flight, he seems to have gotten "softer". In the '00s, he was a bit unpredictable. While it seemed like he wanted his blues-y side back then more than any other decade, he went about it rather strangely. "Revolution" (not to be confused with the Beatles song of the same name) was his take on reggae, he let his inner soul man shine with a cover of Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground", and his "Ride the River" with fellow blues-rocker J.J. Cale, seemed more like blues-folk than blues-rock. Thankfully, Clapton's inner blues man has finally been set free once again on "Run Back to Your Side". While it lacks the heavy intensity of Cream, it is certainly more rock-and-roll friendly than most of what he has put out in the past 20 or so years, so much so that if it weren't for Clapton's unmistakable vocals, this might be mistaken for a long lost Allman Brothers track!

"Scissor Runner" by Jenny and Johnny: I love this song already!! For one thing, Jenny Lewis from Rilo Kiley is in it! (along with fellow indie musician Jonathan Rice, a.k.a. "Johnny" in this side project/band) For another, I love the neo-psychedelic, melodic, folk-rock-y feel of this song! It almost hearkens back to the days of early R.E.M., Yo La Tengo, and the "mellower" side of bands like The Velvet Underground and Pavement. It's really bouncy and just plain fun, too! Favorite line in the song so far? "She ain't a princess/But she's an artist/Painting a portrait/All over my heart". Now THERE's the kind of girl I'd like to meet someday!