New songs for November 24th, 2021

 here they are:



"Dream Never Dies" by Lo Moon: The atmospheric, ethereal electro-pop of Lo Moon first permeated the adult alt radio airwaves in 2017 with the songs "This Is It" and "Real Love." However, they have not had a significant adult alt radio hit since those two songs. Until now, that is. "Dream Never Dies" maintains the billowy, ethereal feel of Lo Moon's first two hits, but perhaps more importantly, the lyrical content of this song is also important. It appears to be about a death that one of the members experienced. As the lead singer mourns the death through song, he holds on to hope, the only thing him driving him forward, that the "dream never dies." In other words, he is hoping that the memory of the person he has lost will continue to remain with him throughout his life. A bittersweet song for an overall bittersweet year!

"Elizabeth Taylor" by Pete Yorn: A bit less folk-y than most of his songs, yet still maintaining the "indie" aesthetic, Pete Yorn's "Elizabeth Taylor" isn't actually about the Hollywood movie actress from days of yore, but rather about a breakup. Her name is used only once in the song as Yorn asks the subject of his song why she went "all Elizabeth Taylor" on him. Interesting metaphor...I guess! But it's the "I don't care" vibe of this song that really makes it worth listening to. Pete's songs don't usually have this much attitude, and even this song has one that's more subdued than outrageous, but it still makes this song easily distinguishable from his other material.

"Rose Pink Cadillac" by Dope Lemon: Both the attitude and sound of this song seems like a too-cool-for-school one. Laconic vocals, electronic beats, and funky guitar riffs coalesce into the epitome of techno-fied indie-pop here. That being said, one might be surprised to learn that "Dope Lemon" is actually the alter-ego of indie-folk singer, Angus Stone, who doesn't seem like he'd project as much confidence as he does here. As for the Cadillac he's singing about? Not an actual Cadillac, but a girl (again with these strange romantic metaphors). 

New songs for September 9th, 2020

 here they are:

"I'm Ready" by Black Pumas: On the strength of three hugely successful and hugely soulful songs on adult alt radio, Black Pumas are now ready for a fourth song to hit the adult alt airwaves. Their latest song, "I'm Ready", is actually a bonus track from their debut album (another of which is a lovely cover of the classic Tracy Chapman song, "Fast Car.") "I'm Ready" is a more upbeat song from Black Pumas' catalog, like most of their material so far has been. Lead singer Eric Burton talks a few times about being born in California in the song, though his band is based in Texas (another state he makes reference to later on in the song.) Like most Black Pumas songs, "I'm Ready" is essentially a love song, but the title of the song could mean other things, like how Eric is ready to make his music known to the world!

"Impossible Weight" by Deep Sea Diver (featuring Sharon Van Etten): You might not know Deep Sea Diver offhand, but if you're a fan of contemporary indie/alt music, chances are you've heard lead singer Jessica Dobson providing backing guitar for major acts of the genre like The Shins and Beck. It's taken us almost a decade to hear Jessica strike out with her own band to score an adult alt radio hit, but with "Impossible Weight", it looks like she's finally achieved her goal! The song, not surprisingly, bears resemblance to groups like The Shins, if St. Vincent somehow got involved with them. Providing additional support to Deep Sea Diver in "Impossible Weight" is indie-folk cult fave, Sharon Van Etten, who has scored a few adult alt radio hits of her own within nearly the last decade. For those are fond of hearing women in the indie scene rock out, "Impossible Weight" might just be the song for you!

"Lonely Heather" by The Nude Party: The revitalized, Stones-esque rock and roll flavor of this song is only one aspect that makes this song worth reviewing. The other is its stunning music video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FteAfB5Sw9A&ab_channel=TheNudeParty)!! It seems almost "BoJack Horseman" influenced, albeit with more actual humans than human-animal hybrids (a few wolf-people are featured at the beginning of the video, though.) There's something that just screams "adult animation" about this video, but not in a gross way, more in a subtle way, as BoJack has been known to have. The animator for this video, however, was never involved in that show. "Lonely Heather"s animator is a man named Parker Worthington, and not much else is known about him. The song itself is a mere two-and-a-half minutes of joyously fun rock music, capped off by the rebel yell (or should I say "rebel L") of "Luh-luh-luh-Lonely Heather" during the chorus!

"Mind Eraser" by Nicole Atkins: The unexpected darkness of 2020 has certainly impacted Nicole Atkins! As the pandemic was just beginning to rage earlier this year, she gave us "Domino", a deceptively catchy song that was actually about the end of the world. Now, we have the even darker "Mind Eraser", a seductive, bass driven, funky song (with a surprisingly blues-y guitar solo midway through) that seems to be about questioning the very nature of reality! Nicole talks throughout the song about how "it seems (her) mind's erased", as well as how, if that's the case, she "never wants to leave again." Wow! Chilling lyrics! However, they are strangely befitting for the time being!

"The World" by Pete Yorn: A short but sweet folk-rock tune, Pete Yorn's "The World" is about...well...the world! More specifically, though, it's about how unpredictable Pete feels the world is. It seems to let him down. Having had nearly 20 years in the music biz, one might expect Pete to feel a little world weary right now, but this song almost feels like a reflection on just what a sad state the world is in right now. There are many songs in Pete Yorn's catalog that can be called "bittersweet", but this one probably tops 'em all so far in that regard!

"Time Is Wasting" by Josh Ritter: This upbeat folk-rock tune, which has a similar beat and sound to Paul Simon's "Graceland" (albeit without the rhythmic African influence the song was known for), was supposedly a song Josh Ritter originally wrote for a movie, although what movie that was is currently unknown. Upon actually releasing the song, Josh found it to be strangely fitting for our present coronavirus pandemic, and then decided to write other songs with a similar theme for his latest album. However, "Time Is Wasting" is the song that got the ball rolling for Josh in 2020. Underneath the song's happy sound, there is a rather disquieting sense of desperation in the lyrics. How will the other songs on Josh's new album pan out? Well, we'll just have to wait and see!

"Under the Table" by Fiona Apple: There hasn't been a Fiona Apple album as heavily anticipated as her latest one has been since...well...since her debut in 1996! Quite a bit of time has passed by between her debut album and our current year, but Fiona's sense of confessional, wounded angst has remained all these years! Songs like "Under the Table" are like the opposite of the cliche about fine wines. Instead of tasting sweeter over time, Fiona's songs seemed to have grown more sour with each passing year. On the subject of wine, apparently "Under the Table" was inspired by an actual dinner, not a metaphorical one like one might expect, that Fiona had where a lot of expensive wine was involved. It's not the food and drink that's important here, though. What is important in the subject of this song is how Fiona felt used by the guy who hosted the dinner. To put it in more polite-ish terms, this song is basically a "screw-you" to the guy who used her. Ah, the beauty of songs! They can mean so many things...and yes, that includes how songs can be a kiss-off to someone you really don't like! 

A very special day: 10th Blog-i-versary AND my mom's 64th birthday!!

Can you believe it?! I've been doing this blog for 10 years now!! And it's my mom's birthday!! So what are we gonna do to celebrate?! Review 9 brand new songs, that's what! The first three, coincidentally, begin with the letter B...as in "birthday" (and "blog-i-versary"). So here goes:


"Back to Me" by Grace Potter (featuring Lucius): This song combines the humble country-rock sound Grace Potter started with with the more slinky, sexy sound she cultivated later on. As soon as indie-pop/rockers, Lucius, drop in during the chorus, the song turns a bit more soulful. Grace really flaunts the temptation factor on this song! She fools the listener into thinking she's in love with someone, only for them to find out that Grace is actually trying to break up with that same person. If you're looking for love, don't look to this song for answers. But if you're looking for a sensual auditory experience with deceptive lyrics, you've come to the right place!


"Be Afraid" by Jason Isbell: A sense of urgency has probably come over you just reading the title of this song. If so, you'd be right to feel that way! That desperate feeling churns out right from the beginning of this song, which has a sort of "R.E.M. goes Southern rock" kind of sound. Isbell has fought against politics with his music for quite awhile now, and he shows no signs of letting up just yet with his latest song, "Be Afraid". The fear in this song seems to come from all sorts of topics, ranging from political to sexual, and even in fears surrounding the state of being a musician in and of itself! "Be afraid, be very afraid", Isbell urges his listeners, before adding in, "but do it anyway". It's time for us to face our fears. In spite of the title of this song, Jason Isbell is clearly anything BUT afraid here!


"By And By" by Caamp: Caamp's surprise summer smash, "Peach Fuzz", which was popular enough to make my Top 20 of 2019, was a pleasantly quirky song that was a rock song on the surface, but a bluegrass song underneath. "By And By" has more of a pure bluegrass sound than its predecessor, enough to be mistaken for a band like Trampled by Turtles. No electric guitars to be found here, just sweet, mellow, banjo driven bluegrass. The opening lyrics, "driving through West Virginia", even give it a "lonesome traveler on the highway" kind of feel. During the chorus of the song, Caamp's lead singer muses about his girlfriend and wonders if she's a "life force". Not exactly sure what that entails, but "By And By" is still an easy, breezy song to listen to.


"Dissolve" by Absofacto: Every once in awhile, we come across songs that immediately get associated with commercial products. Absofacto's "Dissolve" is one such case. It has actually been in existence for two years now, but it has received massive attention within the past two weeks for being used on advertisement for video sharing platform, Tik Tok. Apps like Tik Tok are a bit sketchy to me, but it's not that surprising that a song like "Dissolve" has been used to promote Tik Tok. The song is sleek and trendy, combining elements of hip-hop and electronica into a smooth yet fashionable flavor.


"Forever Nevermore" by Sea Wolf: Probably one of the few bands I've blogged about and met members of in person, Sea Wolf are an L.A. band who deftly mixes folk guitars with a post-punk atmosphere. Their latest song, "Forever Nevermore", seems to be about not knowing what to want in a relationship. The title, "Forever Nevermore", is a clever way of expressing this, juxtaposing the idealism of "forever" and the pessimism of "never". The opening lyrics, "Stepped out, cool dirt under feet/And the fog in the air and the crack of the snare bittersweet", give the song a hazy, wintry aura to set the mood for the rest of the song. An icy song on the outside, but with a warm heart underneath it all.


"Honeybee" by The Head and The Heart: The third song to become a single from The Head and The Heart's latest album, "Honeybee" is a song that continues on the more-pop-than-rock indie slant that The Head and The Heart have taken on roughly since the mid 2010's. However, what makes this song special is what band member Charity Rose Thielen, who sings harmony on this track, thinks of it. Her comment is the first one on the "visualizer" video for "Honeybee" on YouTube, and it states that the song is about taking those you trust the most for granted, and therefore holding back on telling them how you really feel until it's too late. The title of the song, "Honeybee", as you could probably imagine, is not much more than a cutesy nickname in the context of the song, but the song itself has a very delicate, fragile meaning that urges you to look beyond the surface of it.


"I Wanna Be the One" by Pete Yorn: Pete's 2019 adult alt radio hit, "Calm Down", hearkened back so much to the "old" Pete Yorn sound that I instantly fell in love with. His second single from his 2019 album, the song "I Wanna Be the One", doesn't quite have the same vibe. In some parts, it sounds like it wants to be atmospheric like a Smiths or Cure song, yet in other parts it sounds more like a folk-rock-y Pete Yorn song. The song is obviously a love song if its title is anything to go by. It's a sweet song, but it's missing that Pete Yorn magic that I crave every time I hear one of his songs.


"Need Your Love" by Tennis: Known for blending Brill Building "girl group" influenced sounds with post-psychedelic pop topped with the honey-sweet harmonic vocals of Alaina Moore, Tennis are an indie-pop band who pretty much always sound "retro". Their latest song, "Need Your Love", is no exception to this. What distinguishes "Need Your Love" from their other songs, however, is how the rhythm of the song becomes slower during the chorus than it is during the verses. Just when you get caught up in the catchy beat of the verses, the song slows down enough to make you feel less elevated than when you started listening to it, which begs the question: Do Tennis really "Need Our Love", or are they just playing with our hearts?!


"Shangri-La" by EOB (Ed O'Brien from Radiohead): Radiohead's Thom Yorke has gone solo a few times, and we got pretty much what we expected out of him: jaded yet pretty slices of music that melded post-punk with post-psychedelia. So what does Radiohead's guitarist, Ed O'Brien, have to offer us? The result is in his debut solo song, "Shangri-La", a song that manages to be even weirder than Thom Yorke's music, albeit in an intriguing manner. Where Thom highlights what make Radiohead such a great "alternative" band, Ed highlights the more prog-rock influenced side of the band that really shone during songs like "Paranoid Android". Pink Floyd, U2, Beck, and Nine Inch Nails are all accurate comparisons for this truly unique, hypnotic song!

New songs for June 5th 2019

here they are:


"Calm Down" by Pete Yorn: Pete Yorn released an album in 2009 that yielded three adult alt radio hits with "Don't Wanna Cry", "Last Summer", and "Paradise Cove". I would not have anticipated that exactly one decade later he'd still be doin' stuff in the music biz. Yorn's career has gone on for almost 20 years now, and his latest song, "Calm Down" seems to combine the best of the moody, introspective folk-rock he went for in the 2000's with the more indie-pop direction he seemed to take in the 2010's. The keyboards in "Calm Down" give it a pop-y aspect, but the melancholy folk-rock guitars remind me of why I fell in love with Pete Yorn's music way back in 2001 when he debuted! I loved the bittersweet flavor of his breakthrough song, "Strange Condition", and it looks like with "Calm Down", Pete has finally found his way back to doing what he was so great at doing in the first place. Welcome back, Pete!


"Chevrolet Van" by The Nude Party: This song is not as glam-rock as their debut single, "Feels Alright", but it still sounds retro. This time, The Nude Party are going for a Bob Dylan sound, circa the mid '60s when Dylan "went electric". Much like Dylan, the lyrics to "Chevrolet Van" seem oblique yet somewhat caustic as well. Hard to believe this is the same band who did "Feels Alright", one of the hardest rocking songs of 2019 to hit the adult alt airwaves. "Chevrolet Van" is a much more mellow song, but still one that feels like it might still have some edge in terms of its lyrical content.


"Gotta Get to Know Ya" by Seratones: For those who like a bit of sass in their rock and soul songs, "Gotta Get to Know Ya" might just be for you! The song seems a bit like what The Black Keys might be like if their lead singer was a black female, as opposed to a white male. That singer's name is AJ Haynes, and boy, does she deliver in this track! You know AJ means business when she says, "I know what I'm doin', baby, so don't f**k with me!" Wowzer! I guess I won't mess around with her! But still, she makes some mighty fine music that will keep both rock and roll and R & B chugging on into the next decade!


"Help Me Stranger" by The Raconteurs: Earlier this year, The Raconteurs pulled off a rare feat of getting two hit singles to hit the adult alt airwaves within a single day! A little less than half a year later, The Rac's are back with "Help Me Stranger". The song's vibe is much like their previous songs, with a blues-rock sound that's both roots-y and punchy, and equally blues-y lyrics like, "Help me, stranger. Brother can you spare the time?" being repeated many times during the song. "These 16 strings we're strumming will back up every line" might just be the best line in the song for a few reasons. For one, does this mean that Jack White and Brendan Benson are each playing guitars with EIGHT strings instead of six?! If so, I wanna see those! Second off, note the alliteration of "sixteen", "strings", and "strumming". Last but not least, the line does exactly what the band members are doing at that very moment. The action of the lyrics describe guitar playing accompanying the lyrics, and...well...that's exactly what they're doing!


"Hurry On Home" by Sleater-Kinney: The piercing electric guitar attack of indie darlings, Sleater-Kinney, is normally a lot more vicious and gritty than it is on their latest song, "Hurry On Home". However, rest assured, the song still has an edge of its own that will probably please their longtime fanbase. Instead of taking from punk rock like The Sex Pistols and Patti Smith, "Hurry On Home" takes more from post-punk like Siouxsie and The Banshees and Joy Division. Joy Division particularly comes to mind here with "Hurry On Home"'s combination of techno beats and angry, brooding guitars that never spiral out of control yet still seem on edge. Lead singer Corin Tucker's voice quakes with urgency as she sings the words of the song's title, as though she's expecting someone to clean up her emotional mess. One also senses both jealousy and spite when she claims she's "unlovable" and "unf**kable" midway through the song. (That's the second time I've used a word that I don't normally use in real life on this blog this week. How weird! Well, for me, that is...)


"Live Wire" by Sheryl Crow (featuring Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples): I get the sense that Sheryl has tired from the folk-pop/rock image that songs like "Soak Up the Sun" and just about every other song she did during the first 10 years of the millennium gave her. Within the past three or so years she's tried to escape that by getting back to her blues-rock roots with Gary Clark Jr., as well as her "alternative" roots with St. Vincent. "Live Wire" is yet another attempt, and quite a successful one, at that, for Sheryl to get in touch with her blues-rock roots, enlisting the help of legendary blues-y women who inspired her like Bonnie Raitt and Mavis Staples. The song has a very Bonnie Raitt-ish vibe to it, and since she is one of the three people featured on the track, it's not hard to see why. In addition to a theme of femininity, a theme of motherhood might also be present on "Live Wire". Sheryl has been greatly inspired by Bonnie Raitt, and Bonnie has been greatly inspired by Mavis, thus uniting three generations of blues and country inspired rock together. Sheryl has been a mother for quite some time now, so this might just be her way of passing down the wonderful gift of music to her own children!


"Losing Battles" by Josh Ritter: Much like "Old Black Magic" from earlier this year, "Losing Battles" is yet another Josh Ritter song that moves away from his folk-rock roots and goes more into scorching Southern rock territory. The lyrics to this one evoke Southern rock and roots-rock here as well. In "Losing Battles", Josh mentions Colorado and Tennessee. A lot of "road trip" rock songs, such as The Grateful Dead's "Truckin'", use names of states and cities to give their songs a distinctly roots-y feel, and it looks like that's what Josh is going for here on "Losing Battles". I mean, don't lyrics like, "Drifted down to Tennessee/Lost my girl to a heart of silver" sound like they wouldn't be too out of place in a song by a group like The Allman Brothers or The Black Crowes?! Well I'd say they do!


"When We Drive" by Death Cab for Cutie: Death Cab's latest album seems to be a trip back in time across alternative rock history. Their previous single, "Northern Lights", evoked both The Smiths and R.E.M. Death Cab's latest song, "When We Drive", seems somewhat inspired, musically, by David Bowie's "Heroes", with its spacey, pulsating guitar and synth combo droning dreamily in D major. This seems like the perfect song to listen to when you just want to stare out into space at the stars with your loved one, imagining you and that special someone drifting into outer space and uniting in the cosmos!

New songs for April 25th 2018

here they are:


"Bad Dreams" by Pete Yorn and Scarlett Johannson: Folk-rocker Pete Yorn and actress turned singer extraordinaire Scarlett Johansson have duetted before, but it's been almost a decade since they last did so. I never thought I'd hear the two of them after their 2008 song, "Relator", but now here they are together again. This time, the two opt for a cover of a song by indie-pop group, The Echo Friendly, and for some reason, the song has been retitled from "Worried" to "Bad Dreams". (It's not the first time this has been done. When Southern rock group Molly Hatchet covered The Allman Brothers' "Dreams", they retitled it as "Dreams I'll Never See", even though the two songs were actually the same one). Further immersing himself in the works of the indie pop groups he probably inspired, Pete Yorn adds a dark but catchy indie pop flavor to "Bad Dreams" that seems to stray a bit from the folk-rock he did when his career first started out. "We will always have bad dreams", Yorn and Johannson sing together in harmony during the chorus. I think The Echo Friendly's bad dreams have become a reality since someone took their song and changed its title!


"Fine Line" by Parker Millsap: Parker Millsap first arrived onto the adult alt airwaves two years ago, with a fun, charming acoustic rock song called "Pining" that easily brought to mind early Elvis Presley tunes. With "Fine Line", Parker continues churning out retro rock, but this time he goes one decade forward and amps it up a bit, bringing to mind the blues-ier side of groups like The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin, a bit like The White Stripes had done as their career started to progress. "Honey I don't bite", Parker yowls during the chorus, "I'm just a little bloodthirsty". No, Parker hasn't been reading too many "Twilight" books (thankfully), he's just using a strange yet appealing metaphor to describe a typical day in the life of a rock and roll musician!


"Guilty Party" by The National: The National made two of their most rockin' tunes yet on their latest album, with the fast paced, frantic, "The System Only Dreams In Total Darkness", as well as the U2-esque, "Day I Die". Their third single from "Sleep Well Beast", "Guilty Party", dials things back a bit. "Guilty Party" depends more on keyboard than it does guitar, and it's noticeably softer than the other two songs as well. It's as though Matt Berninger partied too hard at first, and that this song was the aftermath. "Guilty Party", as its title implies, sounds sorrowful and somber. The National are known for being one of the more pessimistic groups in the indie scene, but this might be their saddest one yet.


"In Chains" by The War on Drugs: The National aren't the only band coming up on their third single from their latest album. The War on Drugs are as well, and this time around, Kurt Vile and his Pennsylvanian indie rock ensemble once again walk the line between Springsteen-esque arena rock and Roxy Music influenced prog-rock and sophisti-pop. The three singles from The WOD's latest album could be seen as a trilogy of sorts, each spiraling further downward into despair than the other. There was the hopeful "Holding On", the bitter sting of "Pain", and now it seems to be culminating in the realization of being "In Chains" as a result of all the negative emotions Kurt Vile is going through in this song. Out of the darkness comes light, though, as Kurt has been able to take all his frustration and turn it into aching, bittersweet beauty in his 7 and a half minute magnum opus, "In Chains".


"Just A Fool" by Jim James: Opening with a fuzzed out, Jack White-ish guitar solo, My Morning Jacket's Jim James' latest song, "Just A Fool", deals with the realization of just how foolish Jim feels as a member of contemporary American society, a theme that recurs throughout his latest album. Jim claims he's "just a fool gettin' by" in this song, but the struggle to "get by" is not one he shrugs off too easily, feeling cheated and used by the media and its spread of fast but often false information. Jim, you're no fool at all! Everyone else is!


"Life to Fix" by The Record Company: The most anticipated song of the week on adult alt radio is also the blues-iest and most upbeat! The Record Company are like the Black Crowes of the 2010's, out of step with current musical trends, but embracing blues-rock with such unabashed passion that people can't help but love them anyway! Their latest song, "Life to Fix", has a blues-y Southern rock groove that wouldn't sound out of place in an Allman Brothers or early ZZ Top song, except The Record Company aren't from the South. In fact, this blazin' rock trio are actually from my neck of the woods, Los Angeles! Maybe you don't have to be from a certain area of The States to appreciate what real rock and roll is all about! Oh, and dig those funky bass riffs in the opening, too!


"Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way" by U2: U2 might not have had a consistently good ALBUM since 2004, but they have been able to provide some powerful songs since then, and their latest song, "Love Is Bigger Than Anything In Its Way", just happens to be one of them. The message of the song is simple, but still very universal. It's the old "love conquers all" adage, essentially, put to song. Leave it to Bono and the boys to continue the spread of peace and love through difficult times!

New songs for July 20th 2016

here they are:


"I'm Not the One" by Pete Yorn: The three main chords of this song, F, G, and A minor, make this song very similar to what an indie-pop version of Fleetwood Mac's "Dreams" might be like, though the chorus is different in this song in that it resolves in C major. "I'm Not the One" does indulge itself in the same sort of melancholia that "Dreams" did, but instead of being a revenge song disguised as something bittersweet, "I'm Not the One" really is bittersweet. No blaming or finger pointing in this song, just a simple way of saying "I'm sorry, but you're not what I'm looking for" in 3 and a half minutes. Simple premise, but still an effective song.


"Numb" by OJR: The sound of this song is strange, but kinda cool. It takes the sound of the typical "unplugged" Nirvana song and makes it sound like roots-y country-rock. How that's possible is anyone's guess, but it actually manages to flow pretty well here. The lyrical mood of the typical Nirvana song seems to prevail on "Numb" as well, telling the story of a man who just feels tired of his life and how much people are pushing him around. And what does "OJR" stand for, you ask? The singer's initials, Oliver John Rodgers, that's what!


"San Quentin" by Nahko and Medicine for the People: Nahko and Medicine for the People?! Now THERE's a cool name if I ever heard one!! The song itself is just as cool! "San Quentin" is a song in which jazz, Latin, blues, world music, and rock fuse into a single genre! And that's not all, folks. On NAMFTP's YouTube page for "San Quentin" is a description for what the song is about. Apparently it is about a trip Nahko made to the titular city to meet the man who killed his father. Pretty daring move, there, but if you can get a song as catchy and meaningful as this one out of it, I guess anything's possible!


"The Changing Man/While It Still Beats" by Ray LaMontagne: By far the strangest and most adventurous track of the week, "The Changing Man/While It Still Beats" is one part psychedelic rock, one part prog-rock, and in all, is a song that just doesn't seem to know which direction it's going in! I'd expect something like this from Tame Impala, but not Ray LaMontagne! The former folk-rocker has now gone OFF his rocker in this song! There hasn't been a song quite like this so far in 2016, and I doubt there will be for a long time!

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 June 12th, 2013

here they are:


"Born Again" by Robert Randolph: Funk, jazz, blues, and rock is the kind of musical gumbo you can expect from Robert Randolph and The Family Band!! It's been about 7 years since Robert last released a CD with The Family Band, though, so I was curious to know if his musical blend still held up well. Not only does his latest song, "Born Again", retain an eclectic musical sound, but it's also incredibly fun to dance to! It has a catchy rhythm. When Randolph says in the chorus of the song that he feels "born again", I think he's referring to more than just the religious sense of the term (if that). I think he's also feeling "born again" musically, as anyone should when listening to a song like this!!


"Don't Want Lies" by The Rides: The name of this band made me think it was another up and coming indie group, but the voice of Stephen Stills (yes, THAT Stephen Stills) on "Don't Want Lies" is unmistakable!! Blues-rock aficionado Kenny Wayne Shepherd is also a part of this group, a supergroup as it turns out (I guess it's the second one Stills has had since Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young!!) Like the typical CSN & Y song, "Don't Want Lies" uses both electric and acoustic guitars. The acoustic guitars, with their crisp sound, would not have sounded too out of place on a mid-'70s CSN album, and the blues-y electric noodling is brimming with the signature sound of Kenny Wayne Shepherd. And here I thought Neil Young was the only musically active member left of Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young. Guess I was wrong!! "Don't Want Lies" is a mellow song, but it also has a dynamic enough sound to possibly become a future concert favorite!


"Man" by Neko Case: Neko Case's music has been referred to as "indie rock" and "country rock", but the "rock" element has never been that apparent in her music. Until now, that is! "Man" is quite a "man"-ly song, if you know what I mean!! Perhaps it could be said that both the lyrics and the music of "Man" are an attempt at redefining gender roles. Rock 'n' roll has had its fair share of women before, but usually, phrases like "I'm a man" aren't present in the music of female rockers. That very phrase is the most repeated one (and perhaps, the most defining one) in Neko Case's "Man". This song is not the typical Neko Case song, by any means!! She even throws in a couple choice swears towards the end of the song, which I don't remember her doing in any of her other songs. "Man" rocks hard and pushes boundaries!! Who knew?! I sure didn't!!


"Part of Me" by The Tedeschi-Trucks Band: Yet another talented rock 'n' roll woman from the past decade or so is the blues-y, soulful, Susan Tedeschi! "Part of Me" places more emphasis on soul than on blues or rock, though. Tedeschi's signature slide guitar sound is still present on the song, but most of it just sounds like Sam & Dave's "Soul Man" with the gender roles reversed. Tedeschi and Trucks typically have upbeat music to begin with, but "Part of Me" is probably the most upbeat song they've had together so far! I don't think it's too much of a stretch to describe this song as the first feel-good jam of summer 2013!!


"Royals" by Lorde: This "Lorde" is a lady!! And a very young one, at that (she's 16 years old, believe it or not!!) Unlike the other songs I've chosen to review for this week, there is more emphasis on vocals and rhythm than there are on instruments for "Royals". Nevertheless, there is something quite alluring about "Royals". Perhaps it's the smooth, slinky vocals of Ella Yelich O'Connor (whom, by herself, is "Lorde" - it's her stage name, not the name of a band), or the way the chorus just burns its way into your subconscious when you're trying to concentrate on something else during the day!! At first listen, "Royals" probably just seems like your everyday pop song, but it seems to have this vibe that is both icy and smooth underneath. If you want your Top 40 music to have a bit more sizzle to it, then I highly recommend "Royals"!


"Stockholm" by Jason Isbell: Perhaps both the mellowest and most bittersweet of the songs I have set to review for this week, "Stockholm" marks the second time I've heard a solo release from alt-country group, Drive-By Truckers (the first being Patterson Hood's "Disappear" from last year). Between this song and the Patterson Hood song, I can tell that the Truckers have some talented, accomplished poets in their group! Examples of some of the (mostly) metaphorical, poignant lyrics of Jason's "Stockholm" include lines like, "Ships on the harbor and birds on the bluff don't move an inch when their anchor goes up, and the difference with me is I'm falling in love, Stockholm, let me go home". I love how this song utilizes the themes of loneliness and homesickness in such a playful manner. Highly recommended!!


"Wanna Feel It" by The Olms: Last, but certainly not least, is a song that comes from what you would get if you combined an indie musician (Pete Yorn) with an indie AUTHOR (J.D. King)!! Clearly Pete Yorn is taking the lead in this song by a band whose name refers to an obscure species of amphibian (an olm), with his vocals dominating the song, and his brand of bittersweet, moody folk-rock giving the song its direction. One thing that's not so Pete Yorn-ish about "Wanna Feel It" is its use of Moog synthesizer, creating a psychedelic, hypnotic swirl in the song (J.D.'s idea, perhaps?!) In any case, "Wanna Feel It" makes me...well...wanna feel it!! That is, it makes me wanna feel good!

New songs for Sept. 29th, 2010

here they are!

"My Time" by Minus the Bear: What can I say? Some indie bands are good at simultaneously pulling off a cool song with a cool music video to go with it!! "My Time" by Minus the Bear is one such song! The psychedelic rainbow imagery of the video tends to synch up well with the Gnarls Barkley-meets-MGMT feel of the music. "My Time" has enough of a groovy electro-pop feel in its music to land it a spot on a car commercial (it's probably already been on one, though it's hard for me to say since I don't watch much TV these days). The music video will probably become a "viral video" on YouTube if it hasn't already. To sum it all up, "My Time" is gonna go somewhere, I can just feel it!

"National Ransom" by Elvis Costello: The "other Elvis" seemed like he almost had some sort of musical bipolarity in the '00s, switching off between awesomely spiteful indie rock numbers ("No Hiding Place", "Monkey to Man") and more low-key material with equally clever lyrics (most notably "Complicated Shadows"). So what's he up to this time?! He's decided to turn his amp up once again, folks!! Though one could probably tell quite easily from the production of the song that it's not one of his late '70s songs with The Attractions, it seemed like he tried to evoke that vibe with "National Ransom", with its electric guitars going face to face with the same organs he was famous for using on songs like "Radio Radio" and "Pump It Up". As one of the many "classic rock comebacks" of 2010, Elvis continues to stand out among them!

"Precious Stone" by Pete Yorn: Yorn's uniquely grunge-y brand of indie rock gets grungier than ever in this tune! The beginning of it almost sounds like a Pearl Jam song, as does the solo (which Pete Yorn typically doesn't have in his music!) "Precious Stone" might as well BE a Pearl Jam song in all but the vocals, which are uniquely Pete Yorn. But seriously, Yorn has even managed to capture the FEEL of a typical Pearl Jam number in "Precious Stone", with its lovesick, but somewhat sullen, achingly bittersweet vibe. To me, though, Yorn and Vedder are both masters in their own right, so "Precious Stone" is still a winner for me!

"Sick of You" by Cake: And speaking of Pearl Jam...bet you never thought Cake, who made two of the most enduring songs on alt-rock radio of the '90s ("The Distance" and "Never There") would come back after 2001. But...SURPRISE!!! They did! The same fun-loving, self-consciously goofy spirit Cake had in "The Distance", "Never There", and "Short Skirt/Long Jacket" can be found once again in "Sick of You". The organs, the pseudo-surf-turned-alt-rock guitar riffs, their trademark brass section, and of course, John McCrea's wry, detached sing-speak vocals and sarcastically quirky lyrics - it's all there!! Unfortunately, the "sing-speak" vocals don't come in until the later half of the song, but other than that, no complaints! This one's clearly a winner!!

again, just two songs - but they're good ones

This time around, from Pete Yorn and Greg Laswell. Enjoy!


"Paradise Cove" by Pete Yorn: This song captures all that I love about most of Pete Yorn's material! It features lovely harmony, folk-rock influenced instrumentation, and a wistful, somewhat bittersweet melody. Funny how in the chorus, Yorn keeps repeating, "I got what I wanted and it wasn't enough". This IS enough for me! Love this song! Though I can't help but feel like musically it's basically a cross between Death Cab for Cutie's "Soul Meets Body" and Guster's "Satellite". But I love both of those songs, too, so this is worth checking out!


"Take Everything" by Greg Laswell: This one is off of Laswell's "Covers" CD (which features a cover of the song "The Killing Moon" by Echo and The Bunnymen, among others). So I was surprised to learn that this was a song that was originally done by '90s one hit wonders Mazzy Star (best known for "Fade Into You"). After listening to Laswell's version, I decided to take a listen to the original since I had never heard it before. I must say, I like the original a lot better! However, Laswell's stab at this song isn't bad. It retains (or at least tries to) the melancholy vibe of the original in a way that bands like Snow Patrol or Radiohead might do (and I love both of those bands!) But, surprisingly, the original is only melancholy for the first half. It uses an electric guitar to pick up the slack towards the middle and carries on through the end (it made the original sound a little like "What's Up?" by fellow '90s one hit wonders, 4 Non Blondes). However, Laswell's version is entirely acoustic (and about a minute shorter, too). So if you wanna check out Mazzy Star's version of this song, please do so! But it's worth checking out this version, too (though I highly recommend hearing the original first).