New songs for April 27th, 2022

 Here they are:


"I'm on Your Side" by Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats: After having had singles with both a powerhouse soul song ("Survivor") and a more bittersweet country-rock song ("Face Down in the Moment") recently, Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats decided to combine the two factors for their latest song, "I'm on Your Side." One can infer from the title alone that "I'm on Your Side" is a heartfelt song, and it certainly is, and this gives it sort of a bittersweet flavor. However, the song's steady beat and heavy use of horns should be pleasing to fans of Nathaniel's more upbeat, soulful side. 

"Just a Little While" by The 502s: Although nowhere near as memorable as groups like Mumford and Sons, The 502s are already drawing comparisons to the famed 2010's neo-folk act for a few reasons. For one, both sound like Irish folk-rock groups with a roots-y flavor, and both also have gratuitous yet still enjoyable use of horns. The difference? Mumford and Sons sounded Irish, but The 502s actually ARE Irish. Another notable difference is how upbeat and summery this song sounds in comparison to Mumford and Sons' more melancholy winterish chill and autumnal calm. 

"Love Me More" by Mitski: I've reviewed Mitski's material a few times on my blog, but no Mitski song so far has compared to the compelling sound and surprise success of her "The Only Heartbreaker" from last fall! Will her new song, "Love Me More," outdo the success of "The Only Heartbreaker"? Time will tell. It doesn't seem too likely at this point, although both songs are catchy synth-pop based numbers. Both songs are pleas for love, although "The Only Heartbreaker" seemed to indulge more in self-pity, whereas "Love Me More" is a song of hope...kind of. There is still an urgency to this song, but at least Mitski has now moved from self-blame to the desire for love.

"Sidelines" by Phoebe Bridgers: Probably the most vulnerable song on my list for this week, both in terms of its sound and in terms of its lyrics, Phoebe Bridgers really spills her heart out on her latest song, "Sidelines." In a change of pace for Phoebe, "Sidelines" is more rooted in synth than it is in guitar, but it manages to be quite a powerful song nonetheless (the string sections in the background help to draw the listener into a deeper sense of pathos than they were already in). She claims she's not afraid of anything in the song, but that statement is clearly meant to be a cover for how she actually feels about things like aging, dying, living on a fault line (literally, in this case - Phoebe lives in Southern California like I do). "Sidelines" is such a poignant song! It is the story of someone who has survived emotional trauma, is willing to come forward about it, but still not fully willing to face what she has gone through head on. I can relate!

New songs for November 10th, 2021

 here they are:


"Billy Goodbye" by Franz Ferdinand: There's hardly a Franz Ferdinand song in existence that doesn't sound energetic in some way, but "Billy Goodbye" has a special kind of energy! The kind of energy and sound you would typically find in a David Bowie song from the early 1970's! Franz have taken on the post-punk sound plenty of times, but this time they go more for proto-punk, or more specifically, the glam rock sound. The titular Billy, by the way, is really a hodgepodge of different people in the band's lives that they've had to end friendships with, although not necessarily in a bad way. Most of these people have just come and gone throughout their lives. "Billy Goodbye" is not about resenting past friendships, but rather about celebrating them for what they were. Friendship IS magic, after all!

"Heading West" by Neil Young: Legendary rocker Neil Young (whose birthday is coming up shortly), offers us yet another way to reminisce about the past with his latest song, "Heading West." The song, which evokes a distinctly early 1970's sound that only Young and Crazy Horse could come up with, is about Neil Young's memories of traveling across the countryside with his mom and how that influenced his life growing up. Beneath the crunchy, blazing guitars of this song lie peaceful memories, and the song never gets too out of control, using a quaint piano sound and mellow beat to cushion an otherwise edgy sounding tune.

"Record Player" by Daisy the Great (featuring AJR): This one's an interesting one, for sure! It doesn't sound that different from most post-millennial mainstream pop, yet there's something "quirky" about this one all the same! Though Daisy the Great take the lead vocals on this track, it was actually AJR's idea when they came across an earlier version of the song (then called "The Record Player Song") and decided to duet with DTG on it. The result is the auditory equivalent of eating a sour lollipop: sweet and delicious, yet also something that perks up your taste buds (or ear buds, in this case). And the video for the song is also worth checking out with its surreal, cartoony look! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyuIHyOBFsU)

"Silk Chiffon" by Muna (featuring Phoebe Bridgers): Two of the most interesting and sweet-voiced women of the indie-pop/folk/rock world come together to create a song that sounds more pop-y than most of the material either of them have done before in "Silk Chiffon." The song brightly mixes acoustic guitars with electronic beats with a sound that wouldn't be out of place in your local mall or grocery store. It's possible that the song's topic could be about a woman falling in love with another woman given both the lyrical content and the fact that Phoebe Bridgers is bisexual. You know you're living in more progressive times when a soft, fluffy pop song is willing to explore modes of sexuality that go beyond what people might expect otherwise from such a song.

"Wake Me Up" by Foals: Are you wondering why indie-popsters Foals are sounding more disco-y than ever? Well, the answer is because they figure that ultra-catchy dance-pop is the antidote to the pandemic blues! The song was originally thought up while people were in fuller lockdown mode than they are today. Instead of relying on pessimism, they chose to rely on hope, and as a result, they have made what could just be their catchiest song since "My Number," which came out 8 years ago. So what are you waiting for? Get down on the dance floor and join us!

New songs for June 9th, 2021

 here they are:


"Making a Fire" by Foo Fighters: If "Shame Shame" and "Waiting on a War" felt too lightweight for you, then "Making a Fire" might be more up your alley! The song rocks pretty hard from the start, although not without enough melodic vocals to buoy it over and prevent it from becoming too edgy for adult alt radio stations to consider playing. True to its title, "Making a Fire" is a pretty explosive song about wanting to live life to the fullest no matter what obstacles might be in the way! Quite a far cry from the plaintive melancholia of their last single, "Waiting on a War," but after a particularly harsh winter and questionable spring, perhaps this song is just what we need to have a rockin' summer this year! 

"My Cleveland Heart" by Jackson Browne: 1970's rock fave, Jackson Browne, might be getting old, but his spirit still sounds as young as ever in his latest song, "My Cleveland Heart." Aside from the rootsy rock and roll guitar sound Jackson has on this song, another thing he has kept intact is his sense of humor. For instance, the word "heart" might sound like it's supposed to mean something sentimental, but it actually isn't, in this case. It refers to an actual human heart, or at least to a hospital in Cleveland that specializes in cardiology which is called (I kid you not) Cleveland Heart. Browne is aware of how his time is slipping away, so when him and a friend were driving by the place and he found out what it specialized in, he got the idea for his latest song, given the benefits that having an artificial heart from such a place could provide him! He is also very well aware of new talent on the horizon, which is why current indie-folk sensation, Phoebe Bridgers, appears in the video for the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8_gWWzLph24) dressed as a nurse (for all you Phoebe fanboys - no, she is not a "sexy nurse" in this video), adding to the song's already tongue-in-cheek humor (or should I say "heart-in-cheek") by eating his "heart"! There's heartbreaking and there's...ummm...whatever this is! Jackson, when I said some of your songs were "heartbreakers," I didn't mean that literally, ya know!

"Wolves" by Garbage: Utilizing the same combo of goth-rock and grunge that made them so big in the '90s, Shirley Manson and co are at it again for the first time in almost a decade with "Wolves"! The lyrics to the song are just as venomous, if not more so, than the song itself! It's a song about inner conflict, about how chaotic the world has gotten lately, and about regrets Shirley has had about her past self. No wonder the song sounds so...well...angry! Probably more so than Garbage typically is already! In the parts between the verses and chorus of the song, chord changes are used that often sound too dissonant for most pop and rock stars to feel comfortable putting into their music. Even Shirley Manson herself has questioned the notion of whether she wants to put out another song like this one, but has also concluded that she is more adept at writing songs fit for the spooky underbelly of pop/rock music, and not more upbeat and happy material. The song could possibly serve as a reminder to some as to why Garbage were called "Garbage" in the first place. Apparently, someone heard them rehearsing in their garage and, as a response to how noisy they were, said their music sounded like...well...garbage! Hence the name of the group. This might just be the noisiest and darkest song yet in Garbage's catalog...but what would you expect from an already jaded band heading into what is shaping to be an even more doomed decade than the one they started out in?! 

New songs for April 22nd, 2020

here they are:


"Hollywood" by Car Seat Headrest: Make no mistake. This is not a song glamorizing the famed city of movie stars. It is actually a song attacking Hollywood and the very concept of people taking advantage of aspiring actors and actresses just to make big bucks. You can tell this song is lyrically on the more sour side right from the very beginning, during which point the lead singer lists things he's "sick of", which include violence, money, drinking, drugs, and yes, even that thing that begins with the letter F that rhymes with "ducking". In other words, he's sick of the way people use their vices as a means to manipulate others. Musically, this song sounds like a very early Beck song (his not-so-well-known grunge spoof, "Fume", comes to mind here, specifically). It also comes with a trippy music video that looks like a sort of chalky graffiti come to life! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ka9l8X8W03Y) As the world descends further and further into madness, it only figures we'd get a lyrical assault like this one, doesn't it?! Well, at least its trippy yet catchy sound makes up for its lyrical cynicism. I also wanted to give a shoutout to a friend of mine I met earlier this year for enlightening me to this band. I think I'll have to give them more of a listen now!


"Kyoto" by Phoebe Bridgers: So far, we have two song titles that are also city names (though that pattern will be broken with our third and final song of the week). Both songs seem to reflect stereotypes of the cities as well. "Hollywood" was loud and cynical, a bit like how some people picture Hollywood executives to be, and "Kyoto" sounds like the way some people, especially the nerds of the world, view Japan: a place that is both exciting and soothing. That is how Phoebe Bridgers' "Kyoto" sounds, happy and billowy. The song is told from the point of view of a naive explorer going to Japan for the first time. Underneath the wild eyed idealism, though, there is a bit of darkness, as she also addresses the feeling of what it might be like to live someone else's life, also known as "impostor syndrome". There is both city imagery and nature imagery in the video for the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tw0zYd0eIlk). The nature-y images are simultaneously psychedelic and innocent. Combine that with Phoebe looking ever so cute in her skeleton suit, and you've basically got what anime would probably be like if it happened in real life! The Miyazaki kind, not the giant fighting robot kind!


"Shameika" by Fiona Apple: And now we come to the song that breaks the pattern of city names as song titles, although it still fits the one-word-only category the other songs had. Alt-pop piano chanteuse, Fiona Apple, gives us the most anticipated song of the week with "Shameika" (pronounced "Shuh-MEE-kuh"). "Shameika" drifts away from the sweet piano pop she gave us during most of the 21st century and back into the more frenzied flurry of piano based alt-rock she started with in the '90s. It might surprise you, then, to know that this song is actually about one of Fiona's childhood memories, although not necessarily a pleasant one. Shameika is the name of a childhood friend of Fiona's who really did tell her, as the chorus states, that Fiona "had potential" during a time she was an unfortunate target for school bullies. At least she WAS a friend until another girl at her school convinced her not to hang around with her. Sadly, I've been through times like that too. Thank goodness they're over now!

In celebration of Women's Day

Three days after International Women's Day, we have three songs that are all done BY women! So here goes:


"Garden Song" by Phoebe Bridgers: Phoebe Bridgers' vocals are naturally soothing. They still are in her latest tune, the Nico-esque "Garden Song", but here she trips things up a bit in a few different ways. First, it seems like the song skips a bit throughout, although this is intentional. Phoebe's breathy vocals and calming music contrast with the skipping of the rhythm here. The weirdest part, though, is the video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1u8rIx65QgA). Phoebe warns those with epilepsy not to watch it. I did not watch the whole thing since this is a potential problem with me, but I saw parts of it and couldn't help but notice that in some of the video, it looks like she's being snuggled by what look like cheap, store bought versions of "Sesame Street"s Mr. Snuffleupagus! Ummmm....WHAT?! As Snuffy himself has been known to say, "Ohhhh...dear!!"


"Stay With Me" by Margaret Glaspy: Margaret Glaspy debuted during the rather tumultuous year of 2016, and her cynical, world weary views and raspy vocals fit right in with the attitude of the time! Four years later, things haven't gotten much better, so we could use Margaret's cynicalness once again. Though her pessimistic attitude and sarcastic lyrics remain in her latest song, "Stay With Me", her sound is a little different this time. The grunge-meets-blues-rock electric guitars of her 2016 songs have been replaced here by synths and acoustic guitars, which tend to offset her caustic, timely lyrics, like, "Who's the clown and who's the savior?" This lyrical refrain could refer to a strained relationship, but it's possible that it could also refer to the condition of how things have been in the United States, where people just can't seem to tell if their "leader" truly is one anymore.


"The Steps" by Haim: Sisters Este, Danielle, and Alana Haim, known all together by their last name, had one of the most deceptively catchy tunes of last summer with "Summer Girl", which sounded sweet on the surface but was actually inspired by the cancer diagnosis that Danielle Haim's boyfriend received a few years prior. The fact that the trio showed off their bathing suits in a way that was both silly and sexy in the song's video only further distanced itself from what the song was really about. In "The Steps", Haim make their subject matter clearer. Though the song features sunny, Lindsey Buckingham inspired guitar playing on the surface, there is now an obvious undercurrent of angst in the lead vocals of the song. "The Steps" centers its lyrics around domestic strife within relationships and its video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J2O_xa8cems) also depicts the difficulties they experience in their day-to-day lives. As in the "Summer Girl" video, all three members of Haim are in states of undress on the video for "The Steps", but it is not necessarily meant to be sexy here, and it certainly isn't meant to be silly. Instead, it's meant to tell what it's like for them to wake up in the morning, only to deal with frustration even from the moment the day begins. Relationships can be such a chore sometimes! Both the video and the song for "The Steps" exemplify how this can be so!

New songs for January 30th, 2019

here they are:


"Dylan Thomas" by Better Oblivion Community Center (Conor Oberst and Phoebe Bridgers): Conor and Phoebe have known each other for quite some time now, so it was only a matter of time before they did something together. And what is the result of this inevitable collaboration? Well, it's a slightly noisy folk-rock song, where sound is concerned, which is not a surprising choice in sound for the Bright Eyes frontman. As for the lyrics, the chorus mentions that Conor and Phoebe want to "die like Dylan Thomas", famous for his "Do not go gentle into that good night" quote. Conor has had a recurring theme of morbid lyrics in his songs before, so it's not surprising to know about how Dylan Thomas serves as the central lyrical inspiration in this song.


"F**k the Rain" by Ryan Adams: Hmmm...could somebody please help me pronounce those two unusual letters in the first word of this song?! I've never seen them before! Oh wait...NOW I know what they are! OK, kidding aside, this song actually IS pretty good, in spite of the fact that its fronting word is one that I don't favor in my own vocabulary. You would expect a song like this to be angry from its title, and Ryan has done a few angry tunes before, but this one actually isn't. It's more a sad, plaintive song that would probably be good to listen to ON a rainy day. John Mayer, the folk-pop musician who has long had the desire to be a bluesman, plays a half blues and half country solo towards the end of this song that wouldn't be out of place in a Grateful Dead tune (fitting, since Mayer has toured with them before).


"Harmony Hall" by Vampire Weekend: After 6 years on hiatus, Vampire Weekend have returned and are doing what they do best! Ezra Koenig's quintet have often emulated the tropical world beat sounds of musicians like Paul Simon, Sting, and Peter Gabriel. "Harmony Hall" seems to take on a lot of the Paul Simon aspects, especially at the beginning with its crisp, river-like acoustic guitar. A sprightly piano takes over the guitar for much of the rest of the song, as Koenig ponders over existential crises with lyrics like, "I don't want to live like this, but I don't want to die." Plights like this define the song's lyrical content, but the title "Harmony Hall" still suits it well for the evenly matched vocals and instrumentation this song has to offer.


"Moderation" by Florence and The Machine: Imagine the opening notes of The Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" played three times instead of five, and played on piano instead of bass. That pretty much defines the beginning of "Moderation", which quickly turns into a more enjoyably arts-y Florence tune about 30 seconds afterwards. Lyrically, this is an interesting song, as it is unclear who Flo is speaking to. She seems to be addressing a lover at first, but during the chorus, she addresses a "little girl", which might be Flo herself. Whether she's talking to someone else or herself, she nonetheless claims that the subject of the song "wants (her) to love (them) in moderation". Much like other songs of hers, such as "Shake It Out", "Moderation" seems to be about an inner battle that Florence is having with her own self, trying to decide whether she is truly worthy of love, as well as if love itself is truly worth feeling. Well, as they say, everything in "Moderation", right?!


"Red Bull And Hennessy" by Jenny Lewis: So far, we've had a song with a title containing a word I don't use, and now here's a song containing a title of drinks I don't drink (I don't drink any alcohol, FYI.) I guess I'm what you'd call a rocker who lacks the rock and roll lifestyle, eh?! Oh, and as if by coincidence, it is none other than Ryan Adams (discussed in a previous entry for this week) playing the guitar on this track! Go figure, eh? The legendary Ringo Starr guests on drums here, too. Anyway, this song is pretty much sex, drugs, and...ummm...kind of rock and roll?! All three elements are essential on this vaguely Fleetwood Mac-ish track, which expresses lustful sexual desire, being "wired" and "high" on alcohol, and just the thrill Jenny seems to get from being wild and reckless with partners.

new songs for November 15th 2017

here they are:


"I Just Wasn't Made For These Times" by Jim James: The Beach Boys' "Pet Sounds" is widely considered to be one of the greatest rock albums of all time (despite getting virtually no airplay on today's "rock" stations). There's a good reason it is, though. The album, along with The Beatles' "Rubber Soul", which it was inspired by, were some of the first albums to showcase rock as an emotionally diverse art form. With the news spreading that My Morning Jacket's Jim James was going to be covering one of my favorite songs from that album, "I Just Wasn't Made For These Times", my first thoughts were, "You can't top a classic!" As much as I love Jim and MMJ, it's a hard feat to pull off trying to cover the sweet but troubled genius work of Brian Wilson. However, I'll still give Jim credit where credit is due. He doesn't drastically change the song in any way, and he tries his best to stay faithful to the bittersweet, sympathetic tone of the original. He alters the melody of the chorus a bit, and he also adds in some brass instruments where they aren't needed, but other than that it's a pretty decent cover!


"Losing All Sense" by Grizzly Bear: As if by coincidence, our next song is inspired by "Pet Sounds" as well! However, it is not a cover of a song from the album. The ultra eclectic, artsy indie quartet, Grizzly Bear, have always tried experimenting with different sounds on each of their albums. Their latest song, "Losing All Sense", sounds similar to "Two Weeks", the song that first made Grizzly Bear popular among indie fans, and it also contains a brief "slow" section like their song "Sleeping Ute" did. Its happy, piano and orchestra based sound seems like it might be derived from Beach Boys songs like "I Know There's An Answer". "Losing All Sense"'s spacey, psychedelic lyrics (for instance, "Like a rogue wave, you wash right over me") seem like they'd fit right in with some of the best '60s rock songs.


"Motion Sickness" by Phoebe Bridgers: You might not have heard of Phoebe Bridgers yet, but other musicians you might like have heard of her. Her debut record was released under Ryan Adams record label, and she has toured with Conor Oberst from Bright Eyes. Fans of Adams and Oberst would probably be fans of Phoebe Bridgers as well, as she evokes a similar sense of pathos and sensitivity to such musicians. The "motion sickness" she mentions, as she states in the song, is an emotional one. The song is basically Phoebe's sad but sweet sounding attempt to try to right all the wrongs in her life. Between the hushed but weary vocals and the sighing of the instruments in the song, it's pretty easy to tell what's going on here!


"Plastic Soul" by Mondo Cozmo: Mondo Cozmo are a rarity in this decade. On their first album alone they've gone through folk-rock with "Shine" and Beck-ish attempts at blending hip-hop with alternative pop with "Automatic". Their third hit, "Plastic Soul", does not sound like either one of those songs. Instead, it has a piano based '60s R & B sound that samples from an actual '60s R & B song, "Piece of My Heart" by Aretha Franklin's older sister, Erma (yes, this was the same "Piece of My Heart" that Janis Joplin later made famous - Erma did it first). "Plastic Soul" is very soulful, but it sure ain't plastic! This is the real deal, folks!


"Run For Cover" by The Killers: With all the people who have been accused of sexual abuse lately, I'm sure glad The Killers aren't one of 'em! Why am I bringing this up in my review for this song? Because "Run For Cover" is actually a song that speaks out against those who have been sexually abused. In this song, the beat of which is reminiscent of INXS's "Don't Change", Brandon Flowers points a finger at all the carnally depraved men out there, perhaps one in particular, given such lines as, "Are your excuses any better than your senator's?", "It's even harder when the dirtbag's famous", and even a brief mention of "fake news". I don't think it's too hard to figure out who this might be about, but it's ultimately up to your imagination to figure that one out!


"Whatever It Takes" by Imagine Dragons: Imagine Dragons aren't what you'd call a "hard rock" band by any means, but some songs of theirs are still softer and more melodic than others. "Whatever It Takes" just happens to be one of the softer songs in Imagine Dragons' catalog. Starting with a pristine piano that gets taken over by artificial percussion, "Whatever It Takes" has a similar sound to Imagine Dragons' other songs, except for in terms of how it is sung (or rather, delivered). Lead singer, Dan Reynolds, does the closest thing he's ever done to a rap during the verses of the song, speaking a bit too fast for anyone to understand him upon the first few listens of this song. The way Dan rhymes in this song could even be compared to people like Eminem (although Dan is far more wholesome in terms of his lyrical content).