New songs for October 6th, 2021

 here they are:


"Rushing Water" by Sting: Rock and roll birthday boy, Sting, who celebrated the big 7-O four days ago, has opted to go less New Age and more New Wave once again, just as he did in 2016. His latest song, "Rushing Water," has a very Andy Summers-ish guitar sound, even though Summers does not appear anywhere in the song. The beat of the song and the muted-palm guitar sound are somewhat reminiscent of "Every Breath You Take," albeit slightly less ominous. The former Police-man came up with the idea to "Rushing Water" during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, attempting to write a song that could help to patch up the many areas that have divided us as a society. Another interesting thing to note about this song is that some of the lyrics highlight Sting's roots in Catholicism, with biblical references woven within such as the Book of Numbers and the story of Jonah getting swallowed by a whale.

"Telepath" by Manchester Orchestra: If Manchester Orchestra's song "Bed Head" from earlier this year had a bit too much of a rock sound for a band previously known best for the indie-folk ballad, "The Gold," then perhaps "Telepath" will be more to your liking. The song is even more acoustic guitar driven than "The Gold" was, and twice as emotional to boot. The song seems to be about a relationship that the lead singer knows is destined to fail, yet he pines for it anyway. The chorus of the song manifests in three different ways. First, the singer asks the object of his affections if she wants him, then if she loves him, and finally, if she's with him? The answer, each time, is no. To admit defeat is not an easy thing to do, perhaps even more so in the context of a relationship, but Manchester Orchestra not only do so here, but they do so with dignity.

"Wasted Days" by John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen: Two legends in the classic rock subcategory of "Heartland rock," Mellencamp and Springsteen both started out as scrappy, determined rock stars who became more politically focused and folk-y as their careers went on. Both performers are now in their early 70's (with Mellencamp celebrating a birthday tomorrow), and their first notable collaboration, "Wasted Days," takes a bittersweet look at life from a seasoned, septuagenarian perspective. Their advanced age is actually what "Wasted Days" seems to be about, with both singers asking just how many moments are left in their musically fulfilled lives. With both Mellencamp and Springsteen having been rock stars since the 1970's, it's truly a miracle that they're still able to celebrate life today. To paraphrase another aging, folksy rock star, "May they stay forever young"!

"Write A List of Things to Look Forward To" by Courtney Barnett: I'm wondering if the title of this song is supposed to be a joke. It's only two and a half minutes long, and Courtney really doesn't lay out a "list" of things for us to look forward to, or any list at all, really. The entire song seems shrouded in irony, though this is hardly surprising for a performer as sardonic as Courtney. "Nobody knows why we keep trying," "a baby is born as a man lay dying," and "We did our best, but what does that even mean?" are just some of the pearls of not-quite-wisdom that she shares in this song. Almost seems like a song about someone who's just about to give up on life. Please don't go, Courtney! You have so many years ahead of you! Yeah I know...she's probably just venting here, but still...

New songs for February 24th 2021

 here they are:


"Bed Head" by Manchester Orchestra: "Bed Head" is a good reminder to fans of Manchester Orchestra of where their roots were from. People like me who first heard them from "The Gold" back in 2017 might have thought of them as a contemporary folk-rock group, but that is not all they do. Far from it. "Bed Head" is straight-up alt-rock for ya, at least from a 21st century perspective of the term. A minor-key melody, guitars that sound halfway between "lite" emo and the post-punk revival, and warbling yet passionate vocals: all key elements of today's alt-rock, and "Bed Head" has got it all! Fitting with the song's overall "alternative" musical theme are its lyrics, which seem to question the meaning of life while finding reasons to regret it at the same time. 

"Heat Waves" by Glass Animals: With the few songs I've heard so far by Glass Animals ("Gooey," "Your Love Deja Vu," and now this one), I'm convinced that Glass Animals might just be their own genre combo - lounge-tronica. They use a lot of synthesized instrumentation, but they present it in such a way that it sounds like perfect music to play in a lounge room. Their latest song, "Heat Waves," is no exception to the rule. The title is not the only lyric that uses summertime imagery either. Practically the whole song does, particularly the chorus, evoking such languid, sultry imagery as "Sometimes all I think about is you, late nights or in the middle of June." Summer may still be months away, but who says we can't enjoy summertime vibes in late winter?! 

"Not Dead Yet" by Lord Huron: Never has there been a Lord Huron song with such blatantly morbid imagery (although "The World Ender" came close)! Their music typically brings about calmer vibes, with the darkness of some of their lyrics being only an oblique setoff to their sound. But just take a close listen to some of the lyrics here! "You got holes on your clothes, booze on your breath, you're lookin' like hell, and you smell like death." Whoa! Huron's Ben Schneider must really hate somebody (possibly himself) in order to write lyrics like THAT! Yeah, we get it, Ben. You're most definitely NOT dead. We believe you. Instead, it seems more like you're out to MAKE someone dead!

"Strangers" by Black Pumas (featuring Lucius): This is a pretty interesting song and collaboration. First of all, this song is not actually a Black Pumas OR Lucius song. It was originally a song by The Kinks from the early 1970's, the type of folk-rock venture The Kinks sometimes went on that seem to be popular picks for Wes Anderson films. This isn't really a song I'd picture Black Pumas or Lucius to cover, the former being a duo intent on reviving '70s soul music, and the latter being an indie-folk/pop quartet that is half female and half male. Interesting to note that both groups have become popular on the adult alt format, but haven't ventured too far outside the format so far (Oddly, Black Pumas' "Colors" is JUST starting to get airplay on regular alt-rock radio two years after its initial release, but they haven't become a household name on alt radio yet). Surprisingly, they both do an excellent job covering this Kinks classic that extols the virtues of outsider-ness!

New songs for July 12th, 2017

here they are:


"Fire" by Beth Ditto: Although Beth Ditto has been a musician for a few years, she's been known more for being a promoter of positive body image than she has of her music. Until now, that is. Beth's breakthrough song, "Fire", sure lives up to its name! It is a blazing, passionate, funk and electronica influenced rock song. Lyrically, it's a song whose basic message is, "If you want my love, come get it!" Not much more explanation is needed for this scorching, sizzling summer song!


"The Gold" by Manchester Orchestra: Manchester Orchestra have actually been around for 10 years, yet it's only been within the past week or so that adult alt radio stations have begun to notice them. Their latest song, "The Gold", seems a bit like what an Arcade Fire interpretation of The Smiths' "Please, Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want" might be like. The blossoming, orchestral vibes of "The Gold" bring to mind bands like Arcade Fire, as well as the earlier works of bands like Coldplay. The lyrics of the song, such as, "Couldn't really love you anymore. You've become my ceiling" could pass for either band. If Manchester Orchestra were going for "the gold" here, as their song title would indicate, then clearly they've succeeded!