New songs for June 15th, 2022

 here they are:

"Blood Runs Red" by Matt Maeson: A fast and somewhat dark folk-rock waltz that turns quickly to an Imagine Dragons-esque indie-alt/pop anthem ("Radioactive" and "Believer" are two songs that come to mind here), "Blood Runs Red" might just be Matt Maeson's answer to "Radioactive." Both songs seem to take place in a post-apocalyptic world. However, where Imagine Dragons seemed to accept their fate begrudgingly in "Radioactive," Matt Maeson seems to struggle with the negative changes of the world around him in "Blood Runs Red," even asking a higher power for guidance in the song's pre-chorus. To cope with the destruction of the world, Matt turns to alcohol and drugs to get him through it all. 


"Hear My Dear" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: If Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks did folk-rock music, it'd probably sound like their latest tune, "Hear My Dear." It's sort of a blues-y variant of Mazzy Star's "Fade Into You," almost identical to that song in terms of rhythm, and somewhat so in chord structure. The song is a love song, as is obvious from its title, but it seems more specifically to be a love song for the 2020's. That is to say, it's a song that seems to be saying "Let's keep our love lasting for as long as it can while we still can." Both a sweet and timely sentiment for us all.

"Spitting Off the Edge of the World" by Yeah Yeah Yeahs: Almost 20 years into their career, Yeah Yeah Yeahs have lived up to their name by making their audience say "Yeah yeah yeah!" to their ever-changing musical output. They started as a rough garage rock influenced group, but added to their sound quickly afterwards, starting with their breakthrough hit, "Maps," which was more of a sensitive alt-rock ballad than it was a brash garage rock song. Since then, they've touched upon folk-rock ("Turn Into"), and now they appear to be going in more of an icy techno-pop direction with their latest song, "Spitting Off the Edge of the World." The song is the first from the YYYs in nearly a decade, and the best part about it is that it has a strong, commanding presence, in true YYY's fashion. Lead singer Karen O has pursued solo efforts on occasion, perhaps most notably "Strange Love" for the soundtrack of the Tim Burton film, "Frankenweenie." While "Strange Love" was enjoyable for its cuteness, "Spitting Off the Edge of the World" is enjoyable because it has a frigid yet still domineering presence!

"Tek It" by Cafune: Both the band name and song title are unexplainable here! Nowhere is the phrase "Tek It" (take it?) used in the song, and nor do I have even an inkling of a clue who or what a "Cafune" even is! Mystery elements aside, "Tek It" is still a good song. A catchy techno-pop tune with alt/indie elements, "Tek It" is one of those songs that has become popular thanks to social media app, TikTok. The lines "I watch the moon/Let it run my mood/Can't stop thinking of you" comprised the tidbit most TikTok users seem to be familiar with. 

"These Are the Ways" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: After their smash alt and adult alt radio hit, "Black Summer" (which, ironically, took radio by storm in spring, not summer), RHCP rock the airwaves once again with their latest song, "These Are the Ways." The song shows a bit more chunky hard rock grit than their last song did, both in terms of Frusciante's guitar and Chad Smith's drums! Where "Black Summer" was a lament on the state of the world, "These Are the Ways" is a lament as well, but more of an angry one than a sad one. It takes on the subject of politics, and how corrupt America has become. At the same time, though, it also seems to have a begrudging stance of acceptance on that exact subject. 

New songs for June 17th 2020

Wow. It's been nearly a month since I last posted an entry for this blog! Perhaps amidst all the racial issues AND health issues the world has been facing, the music world (at least the Adult Alt world) got sort of quiet for awhile. Things are slowly starting to pick up again in the music world, though, with four new entries for this week.


"Dark Days" by Local Natives (featuring Sylvan Esso): If you're a Local Natives fan and the title of this song sounds familiar to you, that's probably because this is actually a remake of a song that Local Natives have had since 2016. The melody, key, and instruments are exactly the same as the 2016 version, mixing "yacht rock" (think latter-day Steely Dan, Fleetwood Mac, etc.) with the techno-pop side of the indie scene. The main difference between the two versions is that fellow indie popsters, Sylvan Esso, are guest vocalists on the 2020 version. You might think that the title "Dark Days" is some sort of political reference, especially given how both versions of the song were released on an election year, but it's actually a song about growing up and coming of age in Southern California (my neck of the woods!) The blissed out vibes of this song definitely call for some California dreamin', on such a summer's day.


"Dreamsicle" by Jason Isbell: Jason Isbell's songs are typically either angry, politically fueled Southern rock songs, or else they're sentimental folk/country-rock tunes that often have a sad sound with a heavy message. Musically, "Dreamsicle" falls under the latter category, but the term "Dreamsicle" is actually not some kind of strange metaphor like you might expect from Isbell. Instead, "Dreamsicle" is exactly that - a popsicle! Fittingly, the song manages to serve as comfort food for troubled souls the world around, with lyrics that recount the simple yet unforgettable pleasures of youthful summer vacations that Jason had during his mid-teens.


"Hallucinogenics" by Matt Maeson: Indie-folk/pop musician, Matt Maeson, has had equal success on both the Alternative and Adult Alternative charts so far with "Cringe" and "Go Easy". His third single, "Hallucinogenics", seems to have been his most popular so far on the Alternative charts, probably due to its druggy sounding title, and perhaps also for its use of the F word in only the third line of the song. Seems to follow the Lana Del Rey blueprint of "sex, drugs, and not-quite-rock-and-roll", and the sound of "Hallucinogenics" is somewhat similar to LDR too, albeit a bit more upbeat and tongue-in-cheek. Underneath the song's sweet sound, "Hallucinogenics" is actually somewhat defiant (as much as an indie-pop song can be, anyway), with its vague sense of pride about drug use, as well as its subtle f-you to religion in the recurring line, "Go find yourself a man who's strong, tall, and Christian", indicating that Matt is not a man of God, but a man who plays by his own rules. The line, "I carried on like the wayward son", seems to show that Matt is indeed a rock and roll fan, but the sound of this song suggests otherwise.


"No Flag" by Elvis Costello: Last but not least, we now come to a rock song that is TRULY defiant, from a rocker who is truly defiant! Leave it to Elvis C to continue asking what's so funny about peace, love, and understanding almost 40 years after he first asked that question! "No Flag" starts off being somewhat trippy and mysterious before launching into a rhythmically orchestrated tirade of shattering electric guitars and unapologetically angry words. This is punk rock (or more accurately, psychedelic punk-jazz) from a man who truly knows how to do it! The song is more than likely about just how chaotic the world has gotten. Though Costello hails from Britain, he is certainly aware of American political affairs as well, venomously spewing the title of his song as a not-so-subtle symbol of anarchy. He also rants against religion ("no God for the d*mn that I don't give") and the state of the world as a whole ("I sense no future, but time seems to drag"). This is the sort of punk music that groups like Green Day yearn to be, but never quite get to, the way it was meant to be!

First blog of the new year AND new decade, 2020!!

Happy New Year/Decade, folks!! I can't believe I've been doing this blog for (almost) 10 years now! It's been a wild ride, ain't it?! As the day draws closer to my actual blog-iversary (February 11th - 12th this year, since that's a Wednesday), I'll have something very special planned!! Though I don't know what that is yet. In the meantime, four brand new songs for a brand new year AND decade! Here goes:


"Dawn" by Fruition: What's been one of the most popular things to grace the internet during the past 15 years? Did you say "cute animals"?! Perfect! Because that's what the music video for Fruition's latest song, "Dawn", is all about! You can view the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OStNjwHRjh4. Much to the dismay of cat fans like myself, the video focuses more on dogs, but it's still a cute video that's well worth the watch. As for the song itself? Musically, it's almost as sweet as its video with its peppy folk-rock sound. Lyrically, it's a therapeutic song that tries to deal with negative emotions and thoughts. The title, "Dawn", represents a beacon of hope amidst all the darkness that is talked about during the rest of the song. What a fitting way to start out the first new blog of both the new year and the 2020's! Here's to the "Dawn" of a new era! May it bring us plenty of sweet music and cute animals!


"Go Easy" by Matt Maeson: And now, for more positive sentiments and comfort for this new year/decade. Matt Maeson was previously known for his lyrically quirky and musically smooth song, "Cringe", which made waves on both alt and adult charts in late 2018/early 2019. Matt returns for late 2019/early 2020 with "Go Easy", a fun and somewhat spiritually cleansing indie-folk-pop tune about trying to learn from your mistakes and improve on how your life is. "Please just go easy on me, baby", Matt sings during the chorus, in which he also claims that you "can't change" and "can't blame" him. Perhaps it's a bit of a stretch to compare the sentiments of a contemporary alt musician to someone like Mr. Rogers, but this song shares Rogers' famously warm point of view that we all have someone out there who loves us just the way we are!


"Happy Birthday, Baby" by Hiss Golden Messenger: They say it's your birthday?! It's my birthday, too! Well, at least it WAS 10 days ago. Coincidentally, many of the gifts I got that day were related to either cats (see entry # 1 for this week) or Mr. Rogers (see entry # 2 of this week). On the subject of Rogers and other old PBS children's shows, if there's any show I loved in childhood on PBS other than his, it would undoubtedly be Sesame Street, which taught about numbers, just as this song does during its chorus. Specifically, the song counts up to 5, starting with a clever allusion to Three Dog Night's "One (Is the Loneliest Number)" and working its way through the rest of the numbers up to 5. With 2, we hear how the subject of the song was "born in thunder", on 3, they were "lightning quick", and finally, with 4 and 5, we hear how the subject of the song is "a wonder" and how the singer wants to tell that person he loves them. Not sure if this is directed to a girlfriend or a child, but either way, it's a cute song with a pleasant sound, as pretty much all the entries have been so far this week/year/decade. I remember hearing the Three Dog Night song I mentioned earlier in this entry back when I was a kid, disappointed that there were no mentions of numbers higher than one except on the "two can be as bad as one" line. Thankfully, this song mentions all the numbers from 1 through 5 during its chorus. Where was this song when I was a kid?! I probably would have loved it!


"Shine A Little Light" by The Black Keys: As usual, The Keys have had quite an album where their latest one is concerned! I've heard five songs off of it so far, this being the fifth, and their impressive streak of being the last great rock and roll band continues to be proven here! Their latest song, "Shine A Little Light", is a bit like The Rolling Stones' "Gimme Shelter" with a slower beat and slightly less intense sound. With its rather apocalyptic lyrics, "Shine A Little Light" could have easily fit in the Stones' catalog during their heyday, although Dan Auerbach offers a beacon of hope with the title of the song in a tune that otherwise seems lyrically bleak. The song itself, thankfully, is not a downer, although then again, I have not known a single Black Keys song to be one!

New songs for September 12th, 2018

here they are:



"Bambi" by Hippo Campus: I'm not sure if Hippo Campus' lead singer meant something allegorical by the title of this song (which does not appear in its lyrics), or if he's just a really big Disney fan, but either way, "Bambi" is a quirky, synth driven indie-pop song. Nothing new under the sun for today's generation, but for Hippo Campus, it kind of is. Most of their other songs have guitar in 'em, and there's nary a lick or riff to be found in "Bambi". Despite its pleasantly goofy sound, "Bambi" has somewhat depressing lyrics that seem to revolve around the repressed, confused emotions of the lead singer.


"Cringe" by Matt Maeson: Newcomer Matt Maeson combines the best of both worlds with his brand of indie-pop. In other words, he uses a folk-pop base for his debut song, "Cringe", but adds in more of that electronic instrumentation that all the kids seem to be craving these days as the song progresses. The chorus has Matt pondering if he makes the subject of his song "cringe". Well, Matt, that depends on who you're talking to. People who think that "good music" ended during a previous decade probably will cringe over this song. Not me! Although the style of this song does seem to be getting increasingly more common on both pop AND rock radio by now, so I dunno...


"Nina Cried Power" by Hozier (featuring Mavis Staples): A rising star from the 2010's and a risen star from the '60s and '70s sounds like it'd be quite a powerhouse to listen to, doesn't it?! Well, you'd be right! In "Nina Cried Power", neo-soul meets old school soul, with interesting results from both parties. The song is probably Hozier's darkest sounding since his debut (and so far, best known) song, "Take Me to Church", and for Mavis Staples, it provides proof that you can be almost octogenarian and still stir peoples' souls of all ages! The "Nina" in question is legendary jazz musician, Nina Simone. She, along with Joni Mitchell, are mentioned in the song as examples of people who have "cried power" (in other words, started a revolution). Though many tend to dismiss Hozier as a one-hit wonder, he actually has 7 songs (this one being # 8 in his catalog) that are just as powerful, if not more so, than the one he's known for. His songs will always "cry power" for me! Ditto Mavis Staples, whose star has continued to rise throughout this decade!


"99" by Barns Courtney: 99. 99 WHAT?! Bottles of beer on the wall?! 'Fraid not. It actually isn't 99 of anything, but the year 1999. Prince already sang about the year, famously, but his standpoint was predicting 1999 as a future year. It has now been 19 years SINCE 1999, and Barns Courtney looks back on the year as actually being nostalgic in comparison to what people are currently facing financially. The song is about how Barns once thrived on money and thought he'd be a millionaire, but is now coming to the realization that this is just not so. Sooo...what's gonna happen 20 years from 2020?! I guess we'll never know 'till we get there!


"Teenage Superstar" by Scars on 45: If only Prince was alive today. If he was, he'd know that he's now no longer the only one singing about 1999. In addition to the Barns Courtney entry I talked about previously, this song is ALSO about 1999! Once again, unlike what Prince predicted, the year is being sung about nostalgically instead of apocalyptically. And once again, the song looks at the present as being dismal and disappointing in comparison. Danny Bemrose and Aimee Driver wax nostalgic throughout the song about their glory days when they wanted to BE rock stars. Ever since 2011, their dream has come true...well, sort of. Only a handful of people know who Scars on 45 are. They haven't become near as big as, say, Mumford and Sons, or The Black Keys. But ever since "Give Me Something" came out, the sweet, gentle folk-rock of Scars on 45 has captivated me enough to think of them as rock stars, because their songs have ended up meaning a lot to me over the years!