New songs for August 24th, 2022

 Here they are:

"Blood on the Tracks" by Marcus King: With "Blood on the Tracks," blues-rocker Marcus King continues with his throwback 1970's-inspired sound. Taking musical cues from both Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Born on the Bayou" and the CCR-soundalike song, "Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)," "Blood on the Tracks" is a slinky, blues-y vamp with lyrics that as rooted in the blues as the music is. The song has a similar lyrical theme to many older blues tunes in that it concerns someone who is in the midst of making a difficult decision between the sensuous allure of music and the more purifying ways of spiritual life.

"Out of My Head" by First Aid Kit: "Out of My Head" is a phrase that some people might think apply to First Aid Kit themselves when they hear this song, as it appears that after about a decade of folk-rock, the Swedish songbird sisters of First Aid Kit have finally surrendered to synth-pop. Chances are, no one saw this coming (I certainly didn't). Apparently, they wanted a sound that was closer to musicians like Kate Bush and 1980's-era Stevie Nicks, both of whom have dabbled in the folk-rock sound as well at times. "Out of My Head" is about being trapped inside your mind and wanting to escape from it, and the throbbing urgency of the song's instrumentation certainly seems to indicate this, yet it still contains the yearning fervor present in most other First Aid Kit songs.

"Stay Out of It" by Michigander: This song features Michigander at their most U2-ish so far. The riffs on the chorus could have easily been influenced by a song like "Where the Streets Have No Name." The more bass-laden verses make for an interesting contrast with the more driven vibe of the chorus. Not a whole lot more to say about this song, but it's a good one.

"Tippa My Tongue" by Red Hot Chili Peppers: This song marks a return to form for RHCP. The mixture of funk and rock they started out with did get featured in a few of the songs they did from the '90s onward, but it wasn't near as common as what it was when they started out. "Tippa My Tongue" brings back the freewheeling and somewhat goofy funk-rock the Chili Peppers started out with, and even features a few "rapped" sections during the verses. 

New songs for April 7th, 2021

 here they are:


"Better" by Michigander: "Better" marks a few turning points for indie-pop/rock newcomers, Michigander. For one, at almost 5 minutes, it's Michigander's longest song to date to become an adult alt radio hit. For another, the instrumentation on "Better" has more of a swelling "arena alternative" sound a la The Killers, The War on Drugs, The National, etc. than the songs Michigander did beforehand. Perhaps most striking of all, though, is just how personal this song is! There is no doubt that the recent coronavirus pandemic has impacted musicians of all stripes, and "Better" is one of a growing number of songs to reflect on that subject. The title alone, "Better," is a statement of optimism from Michigander, albeit a cautious and bittersweet kind of optimism that acknowledges the pain we've all suffered as a result of drastic changes and sudden deaths. 

"Evergreen" by Bendigo Fletcher: Kentucky alt-country group, Bendigo Fletcher, have been around for a few years now, but they appear to have ditched the country and folk influences of their earlier material here in favor of a more crunchy yet still melodic psychedelic rock sound. Though their song's title is "Evergreen," a plant known for its willingness to adapt through hard times, the song itself reflects on just how hard it has been for the members to adapt to new ways of life. The song was written a little over 5 years ago, but the band members contend that because of how hard it's been to get used to our new decade-to-be's harsh and startling way of life that it's even more relevant now than it was then. The song is all about anxiety, and the grappling between hopes for the future and more grim yet realistic expectations of how life will probably turn out to be. 

"Heatwave" by Julien Baker: A rarity in this day and age, Julien Baker doesn't hide anything in her music! She tells it like it is! On her last adult alt radio hit, "Faith Healer," she candidly and poignantly discussed her struggles with drug addiction. "Heatwave" addresses the even more troubling subject of suicide, albeit not directly. Instead, hints are given within the lyrics, such as, "Nothing to lose 'till everything's really gone/It's worse than death, that life," as well as the recurring line, "On a long spiral down before I make it to the ground." She is not advocating suicide in this song, but nor is she saying that it's a bad choice for the individual who choose to do so. Instead, she has chosen to sympathize and empathize with people who have suicidal thoughts and offer herself as a shoulder to cry on.

"Spirit" by Judah and The Lion: Judah and The Lion have been a popular indie-pop act for quite some time now, yet it hasn't been until now that I've really delved into their material. Judah and The Lion, from what little I've heard of their material, seem to be to the later 2010's what Mumford and Sons were to the earlier part of the decade: an indie-folk/pop group known for their use of banjo. The song is yet another attempting to offer hope and strength during otherwise difficult times, though I find it to be a bit more gimmicky than some of the others on this list for its heavy use of promotion on Disney+'s reboot of "The Mighty Ducks," a show about a fictional sports team. Oh well, still a good song nonetheless, though I think it could do without the whole "emotional moment during a sports game" ploy. 

New songs for October 7th, 2020

 here they are:


"Leave Virginia Alone" by Tom Petty: Rock legend Tom Petty left us three years ago, sadly, and his latest, "Leave Virginia Alone", was actually a song that was supposed to be on his 1994 album, "Wildflowers." Petty felt that the song sounded too similar to another he was already doing at the time, giving it away to Rod Stewart in the process of making this decision. Now, almost 25 years later, we finally get to hear "Leave Virginia Alone" the way it was meant to be heard. Not surprisingly, the song sounds very Petty-esque, and it probably wouldn't sound out of place as a Traveling Wilburys song either. "Virginia," in this case, is the name of a woman, and not the name of the state. The titular Virginia appears to be a sex, drugs, and rock & roll fiend on the fringes of society. Why does Petty want people to leave her alone? According to the lyrics, it's because "she's not like you and me." In other words, she's basically a societal rebel that doesn't want people to mess with her.

"Let Down" by Michigander: Michigander, who are, in fact, from Michigan, debuted late last year with the indie-folk-rock tune, "Misery," which was really anything but miserable. Similarly, "Let Down" is anything but a let down. The song has a bit more of a rock oriented sound that separates it from the band's previous single. It has a very mid-2000's indie-pop feel to it, as if The Killers were covering Arcade Fire's "Rebellion (Lies)." It combines the flashy, electric guitar dynamics of the former with the charging, B-flat piano of the latter. Perhaps the reason that "Let Down" sounds uplifting as opposed to melancholic is because lead singer, Jason Singer (yes, that's his actual name), says that song reflects on his tendencies to have big aspirations (only to have them torn down afterwards). He seems to be trying to offer his audience hope amidst a dismal time, like many singers and performers have done lately.


"Officer of Love" by Caamp: Ohio indie-folk quartet, Caamp, have had two hits on the adult alt charts so far with the energetic bluegrass influenced rocker, "Peach Fuzz" and the more purely bluegrass sound of "By And By." Their third Triple A single, "Officer of Love", appears to combine the two sounds, not unlike what groups like Buffalo Springfield and The Flying Burrito Brothers were doing decades ago. The song is basically a love song, but with somewhat quirky lyrics. The chorus of the song claims that its subject is an "officer of love" and that the lead singer will "obey her every word." Not every day that you hear references to law enforcement in a love song, is it?! The quaint charm of this song's sound combined with its outlandish lyrics seems to make it work somehow. 

Songs for the day before Halloween 2019!!

here they are:


“Blind Leading the Blind” by Mumford and Sons: Midway through the 2010’s, Mumford and Sons decided they were tired of people pigeonholing them into the folk-rock category, so they got more of a “rock” sound with songs like “The Wolf”. Just as it seemed like M & S were finally starting to settle on a more acoustic based sound again towards the end of the decade, the quartet surprise us yet again by releasing what sounds like a U2 song with a banjo in the chorus! That’s right, in “Blind Leading the Blind”, Mumford and Sons’ two worlds collide! It seems to have done the trick for much of their fanbase, who favor their decision to meld all their previous sounds into one. In keeping with the theme of many songs from the mid to late 2010’s, “Blind Leading the Blind” laments the current generation, even opening with the words, “My generation’s stuck in the mirror”, immediately followed by “forget about ‘poor’ ‘cause I don’t like the word”. We are indeed a selfish, deceptive, and all-around desperate bunch of people these days, aren’t we?


“Misery” by Michigander: “Michigander”, in case you were wondering, simply means “person from Michigan”, just like “Californian” means “person from California”, and yes, they actually do hail from Michigan. It’s not just a clever name. Their debut song, “Misery”, gives me vibes that are similar to Snow Patrol or early Coldplay, with just a hint of latter-day Cage the Elephant tossed in for good measure. It is a short song without a lot of lyrical depth that talks about a breakup, as can be inferred from the title. A pleasant song nonetheless, though.


“Surefire” by Wilderado: Perhaps the best way to describe this song’s sound is “psychedelic country-rock”. It has a spaced out yet calm vibe similar to Kurt Vile (and his band, The War on Drugs). Fitting with its strung out, blissful, hippie vibe, Wilderado’s “Surefire” has a lot of nature related lyrics. “Surefire”, in this case, is not just a phrase used to describe something that is bound to happen, but a reference to the actual fire of the sun as it sets. The moon, the stars, bears, and forests are all mentioned in the first verse. Groovy, man!


“Van Horn” by Saint Motel: What exactly IS a Van Horn?! Is it like a Van Halen, but with horns in it?! No, it’s actually a town in Texas, which might explain the song’s “spicy twang” sound in the beginning. From there, it turns into the typical indie-dance-pop style of Saint Motel, but that is certainly not a bad thing. Saint Motel have been winners among the alt and adult alt crowds with “My Type” and “Move”, both of which were super catchy! “Van Horn” continues in this direction, creating yet another earworm in the Saint Motel catalog. The song actually has a clearer narrative than their other two hits, centering around the lead singer hesitating over whether to get to know the object of his affections better. As for me, I wanna get to know this song better!