New songs for September 14th, 2022

 Here they are:


"Run Away to Mars" by Talk: I have not heard a new entry like this one in a long time! "Run Away to Mars," the debut song from Talk, is thoughtful, bittersweet, and contains both acoustic guitar flourishes and enough backing from the electric guitar to make it into a solid neo-folk-rock piece that can move mountains (and Mars)! The yearning tone of the song is palpable everywhere from the instrumentation to the lead singer's vocals, and its lyrics also tug at the heartstrings. The song is not about literally going to the planet Mars, but just trying to find somewhere to escape to when times get tough. Why aren't there more songs out there like this one these days?!

"Tongo Barra" by Vieux Farka Touré (featuring Khruangbin): Two eclectic musical acts, both of African origin (directly from Africa in Touré's case, in the country of Mali), coming together to create musical fusion! Does that sound cool or what? That's 'cause it is cool! Together, Touré and Khruangbin stir up a musical gumbo that has a hypnotic, otherworldly sound with foreign words chanted over it that manages to be catchy and danceable, not unlike Talking Heads' "I Zimbra," which this piece reminds me heavily of! "Tongo Barra" is a bit more blissed out than "I Zimbra," but both the setup and sound of the songs make them sound like musical cousins to one another! 

"Tonight" by Phoenix (featuring Ezra Koenig from Vampire Weekend): I've long considered indie-pop groups Vampire Weekend and Phoenix to be similar to one another, so it's not that surprising that they collaborated with one another. What's more surprising to me is that it took over a decade for either band to consider such a project happening! Both bands combine electro-pop, power pop, and a rhythmic influence slightly akin to reggae (especially in Vampire Weekend's case), so "Tonight" ends up being a song that could pass for either band. As such, it hearkens back to the more new wave influenced electro-pop sound that Phoenix broke through with in 2009 with Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix, known for the late '00s mega-hits "1901" and "Lisztomania." While I'm doubtful that "Tonight" will join the ranks of those two songs, I have no doubt at all that "Tonight" will be a fun song to hear for fans of both Phoenix and Vampire Weekend!

New songs for June 8th, 2022

 here they are:


"Alpha Zulu" by Phoenix: Phoenix sure have interesting titles for their songs! The title for this one is literally the letters "A" and "Z" in military code! The significance of this phrase in this catchy and surprisingly dark electro-pop/rock song is fitting with its apocalyptic theme, and it's also the first Phoenix song I've heard written in minor key instead of major. According to Phoenix's lead singer, Thomas Mars, the phrase "Alpha Zulu" in the context of the song is basically another way of saying, "Mayday! We're going down!" The song seems to be about how difficult modern times are for many people, and how we are desperate to cling to visions of a more idealistic realm in order to feel safe. It's the end of the world as we know it, but unlike R.E.M., Phoenix do not appear to "feel fine." This song is urgent, and for a good reason!

"Dance Around It" by Lucius (featuring Brandi Carlile Sheryl Crow): Lucius may be duetting with two roots-y folk-rockers on their latest song, but "Dance Around It," in case you hadn't already guessed from the title, is not a folk or roots-rock song! Apt to its title, "Dance Around It" has a very vibrant, dance-pop sound to it! It is a relentlessly happy song whose intention is to bring about happiness (and dancing) to its listeners. Lucius' main members, Holly Laessig and Jess Wolfe, say that the point of "Dance Around It" is to "dance through the darkness." In other words, to take the bad times many of us have gone through recently, and to counteract those with fun, feel-good music. Sounds good to me!

"Expectations" by Lo Moon: Known for their soothing, atmospheric indie-pop sound, "Expectations" is a song that will defy your (pun intended) expectations of Lo Moon! The song is much more upbeat than the typically slow songs Lo Moon usually come up with. Setting the time machine to about 35 years ago for both its "Take on Me"-esque sound and its bittersweet lyrics reflecting on teen years (as many John Hughes films were known for doing back then), "Expectations" is a song that will probably appeal to fans of Stranger Things and other '80s-centric memorabilia that are actually present-day phenomena. "It's getting kinda hard not to blame myself," lead singer Matt Lowell mournfully sings towards the end of the song, perhaps to acknowledge how the song is not nostalgic in a sweet way, but more in a cynical manner. 

"Make a Picture" by Andrew Bird: Do you like indie-folk/pop musicians who use orchestral string instruments prominently in their songs? Great! Do you like kitties?! Even better! Perhaps it's the "running on the streets like feral cats" in the first verse that caused Andrew to make the decision for his latest video for his song, "Make a Picture," or perhaps it's just the quirkiness of Andrew Bird. Whatever the reason, though, this is the cutest music video I've seen in a long time! Fitting to the song's title, "Make a Picture"'s video also deals with taking photographs...but seriously. How can I not love a music video with KITTIES in it?! Here is the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4XdqCjtveTw

"Talk" by beabadoobee: None of beabadoobee's songs really sound like they belong in the midst of the 21st century as much as they would towards the end of the 20th. Her latest song, "Talk," is no exception to the rule, evoking heavy influence from such '90s alt-rock heavyweights as Garbage and Smashing Pumpkins. The subject matter of the song would not be out of place in a '90s alt song either. It is about Beatrice "beabadoobee" Laus being in a relationship with someone whom she knows is bad for her, but she wants to be in it anyway, and the overall tone of the song seems to be somewhere between apathetic and angst-ridden.

"Turn Up the Sunshine" by Diana Ross (featuring Tame Impala): The soul singer who reigned "Supreme" in the 1960's with two other women backing her up has returned for the first time in many, many years with indie-pop/rock sensations, Tame Impala, for a song from the Minions: The Rise of Gru soundtrack. Tame Impala provide the electro-pop backbeat of the song, but it's clear that this song is mainly Diana's from both her strong vocal presence and equally strong '70s funk inspired choice of music! The soundtrack of the latest movie featuring the quirky, gibberish-speaking...things...that look like Homer Simpson's head with one eye seems to take place in the 1970's, judging from the classic soul and classic rock hits being covered on the soundtrack, all by indie-pop artists from the 2010's. Seems like they're attempting to do for 1970's pop music what Schoolhouse Rock! Rocks did for its own music: taking music from the past and giving it a "modern rock" twist (the Schoolhouse Rock tribute album featured mainly '90s alt-rock artists since it was released in the middle of the decade). For "Turn Up the Sunshine," the people behind the Minions and Despicable Me movies took the extra liberty of bringing in an actual musician who was popular in the 1970's, and not just someone covering music from that era. "Turn Up the Sunshine" is also an entirely original tune, making it that much fresher. With Diana being only two years shy of 80, it's amazing that she's still able to sound as funky fresh as she was in her younger years!

New songs for August 26th, 2020

 here they are:

"Be An Astronaut" by Declan McKenna: Be an astronaut?! Ummm...sure! Why not?! I always wanted to be one when I was little! Declan McKenna's third adult alt radio single to date actually differs significantly from his previous two in a few ways. Both the atmospheric piano-pop sound and outer space lyrical theme seems to have been inspired rock songs from the early '70s about similar topics, most notably David Bowie's "Life On Mars?" and Elton John's "Rocket Man". Piano-pop is not a sound Declan has covered before, but he seems to be doing a good job at it so far, throwing a bit of influence from Queen's Brian May during the surprise guitar solo in the middle of "Be An Astronaut." Being an astronaut seems to be the final fate of the song's character, as narrator Declan states that this character will "do that or die trying." British rock hasn't had this much grandeur or sci-fi exploration for quite a long time, so it is refreshing to hear a song like this one!

"Identical" by Phoenix: This song has been getting a lot of buzz lately around the alt and adult alt communities for a few reasons. First of all, it's Phoenix! Ever since they broke through to the mainstream with "1901" back in 2009, it seems like everything they've done since has been major news, and this is no exception! The other reason, though, is because Phoenix's latest song, "Identical", is part of the soundtrack to the Sofia Coppola directed Bill Murray dramedy film, "On the Rocks." The combo of Sofia Coppola and Bill Murray working on the same project would not sound out of place in a Wes Anderson film. Phoenix have tackled quirky '60s-ish pop before, like their cover of The Beach Boys' "Alone On Christmas Day", so a Wes Anderson style SONG could have worked here as well. However, Phoenix have opted for their usual electro-pop sound on "Identical". The lyrics of "Identical" seem to be a "word salad" of sorts, like most of Phoenix's material, so it might be worth noting that the key of this song is D major, as opposed to the usual F major and C major tunes Phoenix have done.

"Own Alone" by Bahamas: For a group (or rather, a one-man band) named for an island, Bahamas typically have a chill, tropical vibe to their music. The guitar in "Own Alone" suggests this tropical sound, but its beat is far more zippy and almost ska-like in comparison to most of Bahamas' other material. The song chorus is interestingly contradictory (perhaps on purpose), with the lyrics, "I'm on my own, but I'm not alone." This lyric lends itself to many interpretations. My best guess would be that it means that the lead singer is facing something by himself, but he still has other people to back him up on whatever his quest is, which isn't made too clear in the context of the song. What really makes this song stand out, though, is the ace guitar playing, lasting about a minute long and more complex and freewheeling than Bahamas' other material!


"Video Game" by Sufjan Stevens: Though this song starts out with synth-y music that wouldn't be out of place in an actual video game, eclectic indie-folk star, Sufjan Stevens, is merely using the term "video game" as a metaphor here. Specifically, he is viewing collective contemporary society as a "gamer" that controls his every move. He is reflecting here on how we have become a society dependent upon the approval of others, when we should really just be our own people and do our own things. Sufjan, being a Christian, uses a few Christian metaphors in this song, even starting the song with the lyrics, "I don't wanna be your personal Jesus", using a phrase popularized by synth-rock group, Depeche Mode. He also uses phrases like "believer" and "redeemer", both referring here to himself and who he wants to be in his life. Perhaps that means God is a gamer?! Sounds like a Far Side comic strip in the making to me! 

New songs for October 25th 2017

here they are:


"Holy Mountain" by Noel Gallagher's High Flying Birds: With constant comparisons to The Beatles, Noel Gallagher's first major band, Oasis, was never a band to stick to current trends. Perhaps the same could be said of Noel Gallagher's side project, The High Flying Birds. Evoking the sound of such glam rock classics as "Bang A Gong (Get It On)" and "Saturday Night's Alright For Fighting", "Holy Mountain" is a lively, hip-shakin' rock 'n' roll song which, like its glam rock ancestors, is basically about girls and rock 'n' roll. If you need to indulge your escapist fantasies into a song, then try this one!


"Ti Amo" by Phoenix: Half neo-psychedelia and half disco, Phoenix's "Ti Amo" (Spanish for "I love you") is a celebration of just how eclectic the French indie-pop quartet's musical taste is! Name dropping many musicians from punk rockers, The Buzzcocks, to classical master, Beethoven, and a mention of "unsophisticated soft rock" as well, "Ti Amo" seems like one of those songs in which the lyrics were just randomly cobbled together, but that is definitely one aspect of it that makes it so entertaining! English and Spanish are not the only languages used in the song either. There also a brief lyrical interlude in French, though this shouldn't be surprising considering where Phoenix come from.

New songs for May 3rd 2017

here they are:


"Canyon" by Joseph: This song has the same sort of wistful, bittersweet vibe as the first two big songs Joseph have released, "White Flag" and "S.O.S. (Overboard)". A major difference is that "Canyon" is not written in D major, but instead in G sharp minor, giving it a bit more of a melancholy sound than their previous two singles. Lyrically, it seems to be about trying to attempt a relationship with someone else who does not want one. I'm noticing a little theme in their songs. "White Flag" symbolizes surrender, and "S.O.S." signifies a call for help. There's probably a number of ways to interpret the title and lyrics of the song "Canyon", but I would venture to say that it is most likely a metaphor for viewing relationships as deep, endless, and hard to fathom, much like canyons are in real life.


"J-Boy" by Phoenix: J-Boy?! What's a J-Boy?! Is it someone who goes on "Sesame Street" to talk about the letter J and carry it around?! Is it a boy whose name begins with the letter J?! Because the song's title isn't mentioned in the lyrics, we may never know the answer to this one. What we do know, however, is that Phoenix, the French indie-pop quartet best known for irresistibly quirky and danceable songs like "1901" and "Lisztomania", have released a new song that shows a bit more cynicism within its lyrical content than they have usually been known to do. "J-Boy" presents itself as a love song, but with lines like "The truth is that we're all to blame. There are lies and moral consequences", "Stealing money from a homeless girl", and "Kamikaze in a hopeless world", it becomes apparent that Thomas Mars might just be weeping for the future of humanity and masking his opinions with a catchy dance-pop sound designed to distract the "casual listener" from its lyrical content.


"The Night We Met" by Lord Huron: This song is now two years old, so why is it just now getting attention? Apparently, this is because the song was just recently featured in the controversial Netflix drama series, "13 Reasons Why". I know pretty much nothing about this series because I'm an old fogey (not really) who is more nostalgic about the shows of the past than those of the present, but "The Night We Met" is the slowest and saddest song I've heard from Lord Huron's "Strange Trails" album. A great number of those songs followed a pattern of going between F sharp minor and A major throughout, as does this one. It is the slow, almost waltz-like pace of "The Night We Met" that sets it apart from the others. The song is probably meant to be a way of expressing nostalgia for a lover that the leader singer knew in his past, but adding it to the soundtrack of "13 Reasons Why" seems to give it a sadder tone given how dark I've heard the series can be.


"Witness" by Benjamin Booker and Mavis Staples: The seamless blending of soul and rock makes Benjamin Booker's latest song, "Witness", sound a bit like a Joe Cocker song, albeit with more of a gospel flavor (perhaps the gospel influence in this song is due to Mavis Staples' presence on it). Mavis has been quite the busy lady this year, having appeared earlier on a notably fiery protest song by Arcade Fire. As for Benjamin, he is relatively new to the music scene in comparison, having released only one other album so far, and that was three years ago. His debut album had a very raw, in-your-face blues-rock sound. "Witness" continues the blues-rock pattern, but with a more soft, melodic flavor to it. It is yet another protest song, probably against the current state of American political affairs, that Mavis Staples has contributed to in 2017. The central point of the song could be summarized in the last lines of the first verse, "When your brother's dying, mother's crying, TV's lying, all the reasons in the world don't mean sh*t to me now!" Ben and Mavis both continue to inject their venomous yet righteous anger throughout this song!

New songs for December 9th 2015

here they are:


"Alone On Christmas Day" by Phoenix (featuring Bill Murray): Yes, THAT Bill Murray. The one from films like "Scrooged" and "What About Bob?" The reason being is that this song is a part of his "A Very Murray Christmas" special, in which the veteran comedian hobnobs with recent stars like "SNL"'s Amy Poehler, Rilo Kiley's Jenny Lewis, pop sensation Miley Cyrus, and all four members of the French indie-pop band Phoenix. When it comes to Bill's interaction during the special with Phoenix, he asks the quartet to "play something that nobody knows", which they do! (Unless you happen to be a hardcore Beach Boys fan - even I didn't know that this was originally one of their songs until recently). "Alone On Christmas Day", as its title implies, is a rather melancholy song, which is rather unusual for the typically energetic, hyped up music that Phoenix has become known for. It's probably one of the most heartwarming things you'll ever hear from Bill Murray OR Phoenix, and it's endearingly odd enough that I'd venture to call it the 21st century equivalent to the Bing Crosby and David Bowie Christmas duet from '77!


"Sound And Color" by Alabama Shakes: What?! ANOTHER Alabama Shakes song?!? But I just reviewed them the LAST time I did this blog! I guess their latest album is just THAT good! Like a lot of the songs from "Sound and Color" (the album, not the song), this song could be considered "funk from outer space", but its title track differs from the other four songs that have become singles from the album in that it doesn't feature that much guitar. Instead, it features more xylophone (at least I THINK that's what they're using - it's hard to tell), synthesizer, and string orchestras. It's a slow jam, but its sound is more the sophisticated jazzy neo-soul of Erykah Badu than it is the raw, earthy soul of Pickett, Redding, James Brown, etc. Its hypnotic, trance induced sound could also be compared to groups like TV on the Radio.

New songs for June 5th, 2013

here they are:


"College" by Rogue Wave: "College", eh?! Perfect song title for a guy who has just moved on to a four-year college (me!!) Anyway, this also happens to be a very good song, especially for those who are used to Rogue Wave being an indie-folk-rock group, as opposed to the more techno influenced sound they opted for back in 2010. So glad they are back to the sound they do best!! A jangly guitar sound, slightly reminiscent of R.E.M. circa the mid '80s, rings throughout the song, though the sound starts to gradually fade out towards the end of it. As a matter of fact, even lead singer Zach Rogue's vocals seem influenced by Michael Stipe on this track (once again, specifically reminiscent of mid '80s R.E.M. songs), as the vocals are both melodic and garbled, like those on Stipe's earlier works. It's easier to tell what Rogue is saying during the chorus, as he picks out the word "knowledge" for a somewhat cliche, but still memorable rhyme for the title of the song.


"Every Little Thing" by Eric Clapton: Not exactly the most rockin' song for Clapton, but still one worth checking out. "Every Little Thing" actually serves as a nice little combination of Clapton's folk/country influenced side during the verses, and his flirtations with reggae during the chorus. Yes, he DOES have a reggae side to his material, and not just his cover of Bob Marley's "I Shot the Sheriff", either. His cover of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door" also has a reggae sound, and he even did a duet with Bob Marley once called "Slogans". The chorus of "Every Little Thing" is probably its saving grace, actually, as it lifts up the song enough rhythmically to make it a more enjoyable song to hear. The weird part about this song is how a chorus of children come in out of nowhere towards the end of it. Huh?! "Rastaman Clapton" doesn't seem to flow as well for me as blues-y, rockin' Clapton, but "Every Little Thing" is not among his worst material either.


"6 A.M." by Fitz and The Tantrums: Like their last big song, "Out of My League", Fitz and The Tantrums once again have made the jump from the best Motown band that never was to the best Hall and Oates tribute band that never was. Ummm...that is, if Hall and Oates got an indie-pop makeover. The combination of new wave and soul music is actually even more apparent on "6 A.M." than it was on "Out of My League". The sax in the song provides the more soulful side of it, while the synth on the song not only gives it a new wave-y sound, but it also seems to be the main instrument in the song! "6 A.M." actually contains synth SOLOS, which I never thought I'd hear from a group like Fitz and The Tantrums. From what I've read, Fitz and The Tantrums apparently think that guitars are an overrated instrument, but I would rather hear guitar solos than synth solos, myself. Perhaps something to keep in mind for their next album?! Soul music with guitars can work, just ask the guys from Funkadelic!


"Soothe My Soul" by Depeche Mode: Hmmmm...this is weird!! I NEVER thought I'd be reviewing a Depeche Mode song on my blog, yet here I am, doing exactly that! The closest I would come to being a Depeche Mode fan would be the songs on their late '80s/early '90s smash album, "Violator", which contains songs like "Personal Jesus", "Policy of Truth", and "Enjoy the Silence", all of which used electric guitars, despite the fact that DM were primarily viewed as a "synthesizer band" at the time. While there are no guitars I can hear clearly enough in "Soothe My Soul", it DOES sound an awful lot like "Personal Jesus" in terms of the rhythm of the song. Perhaps the fact that "Soothe My Soul" has a familiar sounding rhythm is what I like best about it. Other than that, it just kinda sounds like your typical song from "Depressed Mode" (as one DJ for an alt-rock station decided to call them, heheh). Once again, I feel like this song COULD use a bit more guitar, but then again, that's probably because I play guitar, and have done so for over 10 years now.


"Trying to Be Cool" by Phoenix: I once read that one of Phoenix's fave bands is Electric Light Orchestra. It was a little hard for me to believe that until I heard "Trying to Be Cool", which has a very similar A minor chord progression (and rhythm) to ELO's "Evil Woman". Rest assured, though, Phoenix is still Phoenix, they haven't switched their Talking Heads-ish brand of danceable indie-pop to '70s prog-rock. "Trying to Be Cool" isn't as catchy as most of Phoenix's material, but it's definitely still catchy! Lyrically, "Trying to Be Cool" is a pretty weird song!! What exactly IS "mint julep testosterone", and "two dozen pink and white ranunculus" (also, what IS a "ranunculus" in the first place)?! Such is the appeal of Phoenix, though. Their lyrics don't need to make sense, as long as the tune of the song is good, and, as usual, it is!!


"Unbelievers" by Vampire Weekend: And I thought "Diane Young" was a "retro" sounding song from VW!! That song sounds positively modern compared to their "Unbelievers", though, which has a piano based sound reminiscent of some of The Beatles' more piano based songs. I'm used to Ezra Koenig and co imitating the sounds of The Police, Bob Marley, Peter Gabriel, and "Graceland" era Paul Simon, but this takes the band to an era about 10 years before music like that became known! As the title of the song indicates, "Unbelievers" deals with topics like religion and fate, yet it sounds like such a happy song, that it makes me want to get up and do a Snoopy dance!!

New songs for February 20th, 2013

here they are:


"A Tattered Line of String" - by The Postal Service: It sounds like an unusually mellow brand of techno with the vocals of Ben Gibbard from Death Cab for Cutie. Hmmmm....sounds like the same guys who sung the chill 2004 techno-rocker "Such Great Heights". Have they come out of hibernation after 9 years?! Yes!! They have!! And those are Ben Gibbard's vocals, The Postal Service was (and is) his side project. I personally think Ben is better as a folk-rocker than as a new wave revivalist, but ever since the beginning of this year, I began hearing about how The Postal Service were going to reform, and I noticed that many people were eagerly anticipating their sophomore album, and now it's finally arrived! Not a bad effort for Mr. Gibbard, but I think he should stick with either Death Cab or his solo material for next time.


"Entertainment" by Phoenix: And now, here is yet another band who launched the new wave sound into a new age! Their songs "1901" and "Lisztomania" were both instant hits, probably because the synth side and the rock side of new wave never sounded so good together since Talking Heads had their last string of hits together! The latest song from the catchy French indie pop group Phoenix, "Entertainment", is a bit less focused on the guitar than their previous songs were. The sound of the song screams out "geek-rock", as it seems like it would be the perfect theme song to a video game or anime series, perhaps because it uses a scale during the chorus that is common to Japanese music. A different kind of "entertainment" than the typical Phoenix fan might be used to, but "Entertainment" is entertaining nonetheless.


"Gotta Get Over" by Eric Clapton: Initially a part of powerhouse psychedelic blues-rock groups like The Yardbirds and Cream, there are those who criticize Clapton of "softening" or "polishing" his sound ever since the mid 1970's. The criticism is certainly valid in some ways, and indeed, he seemed to hit a low point in his career around the mid '90s, in which his sound was closer to folk and country than it was to blues, but ever since the release of his 2010 rocker, "Run Back to Your Side", Clapton has beefed up his sound so that it sounds closer to "After Midnight" than it does to a sub-par version of "Tears In Heaven". "Gotta Get Over" is another rockin', bluesy number from Eric Clapton. Not a whole lot of lyrics on "Gotta Get Over", but since the focus here is more on the electric guitar sound, the lyrical content doesn't matter as much for this song. Keep rockin' on, E.C.!!


"Just to Make Me Feel Good" by Adam Green and Binki Shapiro: The Moldy Peaches' lead singer (the one who sings the male vocals on "Anyone Else But You" from "Juno"), and the female multi-instrumentalist from indie-pop group Little Joy joining forces together could spell trouble for Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward (known together as "She & Him"). It doesn't look like Adam and Binki are going to be anywhere near as well known as Zooey and Matt, but they still make an endearing (if odd) indie-pop duo. Unlike She & Him, in which Zooey has pretty much all the vocal duties, Adam and Binki trade off vocal sections on their songs. Their first major song, "Just to Make Me Feel Good", has the breezy, feel-good sound of a 1960's pop song. There is definitely a major difference between the charming, bubbly female vocals of Binki Shapiro and the low, deadpan male vocals of Adam Green, but somehow, they manage to make it work here, and to great effect as well!


"Long Time Gone" by The Civil Wars and T-Bone Burnett: Old folk meets new folk! The Civil Wars have had a couple hits now among indie and neo-folk fans, and T-Bone Burnett is known more for his production (like on the "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" soundtrack) than his songs, but they both share a love for roots-y American folk music. Aside from The Wars' best known song, "Barton Hollow", "Long Time Gone" is probably the roots-iest, folk-iest song they've ever done! As always, Joy and John make their harmonies soar on "Long Time Gone", and T-Bone Burnett's accompaniment makes The Civil Wars sound like a band that came out of...well...the Civil War!


"Minute By Minute" by The James Hunter Six: Whoa! Did I just take a time machine to 1967 and end up in Stax Records Studios?! (The people known for producing Otis Redding's material and some of Wilson Pickett's) It sure seems like I did! It's R & B music, but definitely not what people would associate with contemporary R & B. This is the classic stuff, with raw, passionate vocals, steamy saxophones, and clean, slick organs. The most striking feature of Hunter's music? He's WHITE!! I'm not someone who considers ethnicity in music (or anything) to be a big deal, but Hunter has such close vocals to Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett, etc., that I thought he was more African-American than Caucasian. I guess Hunter embraces both vintage sound and racial diversity, so I say, way to go, man!!


"Spotlight" by Leagues: A bit late in reviewing this song, I realize, since it's been out since late December, but it's only been within the last week that I've noticed an increase in the airplay of this song (perhaps because that's how recently it was featured in "Grey's Anatomy"). With its echoic guitar sound and catchy rhythm, I’m honestly surprised that “Spotlight” hasn’t been a hit in formats other than adult alternative yet! (Perhaps I’ve spoken too soon, though). Its chorus, consisting only of the phrases “I’m never gonna give you up” and “Spotlight, I’ve got a spotlight”, is short, but extremely effective in terms of getting stuck in one’s head. “Spotlight”’s pentatonic guitar solo in the middle of the song is like the cherry on top of this already delicious ice cream of a song!


“The Lightning Strike” by Snow Patrol: Snow Patrol seem to love updating their older material with new arrangements! It’s happened twice now, with the 2009 release of “An Olive Grove Facing the Sea” (originally from 2001) and the 2010 release of “Set the Fire to the Third Bar” (originally from 2006). Their third “re-release” song is “The Lightning Strike”, originally from 2008. The song adds yet another unique flavor of sound to the Irish indie pop group’s already eclectic catalog. The chord progression of the song seems more common to classical music than it is to rock and pop, and the instrumentation is incredibly orchestral for a Snow Patrol song. Another aspect that makes “The Lightning Strike” stand out among previous material from Gary Lightbody and co? It has THREE PARTS!! As far as rock music goes, I would expect a song with more than one part from, say, Rush, Pink Floyd, Yes, or Jethro Tull, but NOT Snow Patrol!! As adult alt radio stations don’t seem to typically play songs that are actually two (or more) songs in one, I think it’s safe to assume that only the first part of “The Lightning Strike” will be spun on such stations. The imagery of “perfect halos”, “silver forked skies”, and “peeling thunder” probably wouldn’t sound too out of place in a prog-rock album, actually. Who knew Snow Patrol were closet Pink Floyd fans?! I sure didn’t!!

ELEVEN SONGS!!

Eleven songs?!? THIS is gonna be GOOD!!! Here they are:

"Boy" by Ra Ra Riot: This song has done two fantastic things for me! First of all, it's keeping the uniquely quirky new wave influenced indie sound of bands like Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire, and Phoenix alive and well, but it also has an incredible music video. Why? 'Cuz it has KITTIES!! (I'm a cat lover, so please bear with me here). An orange tabby cat (and his orange tabby cat friends, or perhaps clones of his) appear on and off throughout the video, and during the chorus, their eyes glow in the dark to make one giant cat's eye! As if that wasn't neat enough, the instrumentation in "Boy" is also very well-crafted. Unlike the typical Vampire Weekend, Arcade Fire, or Phoenix song, this song does NOT start out with a guitar, but rather a new wave-y keyboard sound backed up by a loud, thumping bass. The guitar comes in during the chorus, as does some random orchestral instrumentation (Arcade Fire, anyone?) There's also a brief guitar solo in this song as well. All in all, "Boy" is a very entertaining, catchy, and well-thought out piece of music.


"Buttercups" by Fran Healy: Make no mistake, "Fran" is not a girl's name in this case. It is, instead, the name of British indie-folk-rock band Travis's first name. "Buttercups" could easily be mistaken for a Travis song, rather than just one by the lead singer of the band, for its full-band instrumentation, passionate vocals, and wistful tones. Travis' songs typically have quirky lyrics and one-word titles (the most well-known being "Sing" and "Side"), and "Buttercups" continues in that tradition, of being both one word long and having charmingly unusual lyrics (The best one being, "If I had a diamond ring, I'd wear it through my nose". I'd like to see Fran Healy try to do THAT sometime!!)


"Coquet Coquette" by of Montreal: "Coquet Coquette"?!? Is there an echo in here, is there an echo in here?!? No, there isn't, it's just the title of of Montreal's latest tune that seems to be influenced largely by the "retro rock" sounds of such bands as The White Stripes and Muse. For of Montreal, I'm not sure if this shift in sound is a good thing or a bad thing. It's not like this is the first time the oddly named indie band has gotten attention, as "Wraith Pinned to the Mist And Other Tales" was featured in an Outback Steakhouse commercial, and they even did a children's song about brushing teeth for the neo-"Sesame Street"-ish kid's show "Yo Gabba Gabba" that received a fair amount of attention as well. However, both of those seemed more like psychedelic pop tunes than attempts to receive airplay on major alt/modern rock stations. "Coquet Coquette" still features the psychedelic element that is present on most of of Montreal's material, but it seems to be filtered through '70s classic rock a la Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, etc. the way that many of The White Stripes and Muse's material seems to be. Nevertheless, "Coquet Coquette" is still worth listening to. Oh, and one more thing, "coquette" is a term that basically means "flirt" and mainly applies to women (I believe of Montreal made up the counterpart term, "coquet", to add more flavor to the song).


"Indecision" by Steven Page: The former Barenaked Ladies member proves he still has the flair for catchy melodies and clever lyrics, even as a SOLO artist! Some feat for a man from a band that's been around for nearly 20 years!! Instrumentally, Page tweaks up his typical sound a bit (think "The Big Bang Theory" theme mixed with a Sergio Mendes tune!) Who would have thought he'd use Latin jazz-style instrumentation in the verses of "Indecision" and STILL sound good?! As in the usual BNL lyrical fashion, there are some witty, tongue-in-cheek lyrics to be found in this song as well (like in the chorus, in which Page sings, "Then again, my addiction to indecision keeps me here"). "Addiction to indecision" sounds like it could function simultaneously as an oxymoron AND a tongue-twister. Some of my own poetry and music has a tendency to sprinkle in some wordplay like this does. What can I say, great minds think alike!


"Lasso" by Phoenix: If I had to describe Phoenix's music in one word, I'd choose the word "catchy". "1901" and "Lisztomania" have already been stuck in my head numerous times, and probably in the minds of many others as well since they both became massive hits! Though "Lasso" hasn't quite received the amount of attention that the aforementioned two songs have, I think it has the potential to do so sometime soon. It uses the basic Phoenix formula of danceable, stick-in-your-head song, easy to memorize chorus ("Where would you go, where would you go, would you go with a lasso?/Could you run into, could you run into, could you run into me?"), and quirky lyrics (see the chorus that I typed earlier in this sentence). "Lasso" also seems to be more straight-up rock music than the techno/rock hybrids that "1901" and "Lisztomania" ended up being. It has a sound that's probably comparable to bands like The Killers and the "edgier" side of Snow Patrol. Think of those two bands, backed by a consistently organized rhythm section, and add just a small dash of The Police's "Message In A Bottle", and you should have a pretty good idea of what "Lasso" sounds like!


"Paris (Ooh La La)" by Grace Potter and The Nocturnals: Grace Potter normally has a sound that might remind one of the organic, earthy country sounds of Lucinda Williams. This year, however, Grace and The Nocturnals proved they could rock out with the best of 'em, earlier this year with their cover of Jefferson Airplane's "White Rabbit", and now with the Lenny Kravitz-esque "Paris"! Perhaps Grace is trying TOO hard to let out her inner rock star with the lyrics of this song (i.e. "You got me up on your swing/So when you gonna shake that thing?", a BIG departure from the down-home-y, humble flavor of "Ah Mary", her debut single). However, "Paris" is a darn catchy song with guitar riffs that would make Jimi Hendrix proud! (Or at least entertained). And if Grace wants to be more of a Janis than a Lucinda, well then, she's found just the right sound to please my ears!!


"Radioactive" by Kings of Leon: Ever since their 2008 breakthrough record, "Only By the Night", all sides of the rock 'n' roll spectrum just couldn't seem to get enough of Kings of Leon. With their latest release, it's seems like KOL fever has only continued to rise, as it has received IMMEDIATE attention on the adult. alt charts, the "regular" alt charts, and the mainstream rock (combination of classic rock and "harder" modern rock) charts simultaneously!! So how does "Radioactive" measure up to the contagious melodies and hooks of "Sex On Fire", "Use Somebody", and "Notion"?! It could easily join the ranks of those songs for sure! (It already HAS on many rock stations of all kinds!!) However, a major difference between those songs and "Radioactive" is a shift in influence from '70s rock to '80s rock. "Radioactive" sounds like a mix of U2 and some of the more "spacey" David Bowie songs (i.e. "Ashes to Ashes"). Perhaps it doesn't matter what era of music KOL want to emulate, as long as their music is able to stick in the heads of millions of fans!!


"Spectacular Girl" by Eels: Despite their slimy name, Eels have a rather mellow sound for the most part, much like many of the songs Beck did in the 2000's. Sometimes it almost seems as though E (Eels' frontman, born Mark Oliver Everett) and Beck have composed songs cut from the same cloth (in fact "Spectacular Girl" reminds me a great deal of Beck's '08 hit, "Orphans"). Both "Orphans" and "Spectacular Girl" use electronic instruments in a soothing fashion, and add in more typically calming instruments, such as flutes, as the songs progress. Although "Spectacular Girl" is basically a Beck soundalike, it's still a great song to me, with its breezy, chillout vibe that I often crave in the songs I listen to to make me feel happy and satisfied inside!


"Witchcraft" by Matt Costa: Most people who are familiar with Matt Costa's music probably know him best for taking an indie rock approach to the "ultra-mellow" sounds of musicians like Jack Johnson and Dave Matthews. However, Matt decided to trade in that mellow acoustic sound for some Donovan-esque psychedelia and turn up his amp on "Witchcraft"! Though Costa is not British, his voice (and a little bit of his music) sounds much like The Zombies' Colin Bluntstone, who is British, on this track. If Costa continues in this psychedelically influenced trend, he'll likely be remembered as a 21st century version of Donovan for going from folk-rock to psychedelia. Even the theme of this song tends to evoke Donovan somewhat ("Season of the Witch", anyone?!) Lyrically, it takes on the familiar '60s rock theme of singing about a girl who messes around with a guys emotions (so much so, in this song, that Matt Costa proclaims in the chorus that the girl in question "must be using witchcraft"). This song is an absolute must for any fans of The Zombies, Donovan, Jefferson Airplane, etc!


"Wrote A Song For Everyone" by Mavis Staples: The former '70s soul woman returns after many years with a Creedence Clearwater Revival cover! Staples seems to cover the CCR tune pretty accurately, to the point of which it SOUNDS like something CCR (or similar acts, like The Band) might have done, complete with a guitar solo! Her version actually seems more rock 'n' roll oriented, at times, than CCR's original version. It's neat to hear an early '70s musical icon covering yet another early '70s musical icon! I would love to know John Fogerty's reaction to Mavis Staples' version!


"You Can Dance" by Bryan Ferry: Before I begin, is it just me, or is it a bit odd that both of the leading musicians in Roxy Music were named "Brian"?! (the other being Brian Eno) The two of them are both fairly well-known both in Roxy Music and as solo performers in the music world, though Ferry went in more of a pop-oriented direction, and Eno in a more "experimental" one. Ferry continues doing the same "sophisticated" pop music he did with his biggest hit of the '80s, "Slave to Love" (in fact "Slave to Love" and "You Can Dance" actually sound quite similar). "Slave to Love" was probably a more compelling, seductive sort of song, but Ferry's attempts to repeat this on "You Can Dance" aren't bad. However, I would still recommend his older material much more than "You Can Dance".

New songs for Feb. 17th

Got 5 new ones just waitin' to be reviewed!! And here they are:

"Ain't No Grave" by Johnny Cash: Yes, it's another Johnny Cash cover song released after his death. This one's a little different than the others that have been released since "Hurt", in that it's a traditional folk song, rather than an alternative rock song, that is being covered. It really makes me wonder just how many songs Cash recorded in the double zeroes. Oh well, it's still a good song.


"Beat the Devil's Tattoo" by Black Rebel Motorcycle Club: It's interesting how ever since BRMC broke through with "Shuffle Your Feet" and "Ain't No Easy Way" back in 2004, all their songs since have sounded like an attempt to mix The White Stripes with acoustic blues. Supposedly, that's not the way they sounded before those songs came out (though I don't know this for sure). But "Beat the Devil's Tattoo" continues in the tradition of mixing The White Stripes with acoustic blues. I like the primal rhythm in this song 'cause it kinda reminds me of "Wild Thing" by The Troggs. Perhaps BRMC have been listening to The Raconteurs, since "Beat the Devil's Tattoo" starts out (vaguely) acoustic, and then picks up with an electric guitar backing it up in the middle - much like The Raconteurs' "Old Enough" and "Top Yourself"


"In the Sun" by She And Him: You know I love my Zooey Deschanel!! And she's back (with M. Ward) with a new song. I have only heard one other song from this dynamic duo, "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" and this one sounds significantly different. In "...Stay Here", Zooey went for an old-fashioned sound that almost sounded like it belonged in another decade - like a very happy, piano-based country-rock sound. Zooey gets her indie on, so to speak, in "In the Sun" (not to be confused with the poignant Joseph Arthur song of the same name). It's still bright, happy, and toe-tapping, like "...Stay Here", but it uses more instruments and production techniques that make it sound more like sunshiny indie-pop a la "Silver Lining" by Rilo Kiley. That being said, "In the Sun" is probably the one I like less out of the two songs I've heard from She And Him, but it's still worth checking out!


"Lisztomania" by Phoenix: If you've heard Phoenix's other big song, the mega-hit, "1901", you probably know one thing about Phoenix - they love making rhythmic music! "Lisztomania" picks up where "1901" left off. Instead of having techno inspired beats and a chunky guitar sound like "1901" did, "Lisztomania" has a more happy, toe-tapping sound, a looser guitar sound, and a tinkly piano sound added in for good measure. Interestingly, both songs are in the key of C major, though "Lisztomania" is consistent about this, whereas "1901" had A minor verses with a C major chorus. It's interesting to compare the two songs, since they are the only two so far I've heard by Phoenix, but the diversity of influence between the two songs proves what a talented band Phoenix are! So I highly recommend checking "Lisztomania" out, if you haven't already!


"Valleys of Neptune" by Jimi Hendrix: Interesting that both the song I began with AND ended with this time are "undiscovered" releases by dead rock stars! I almost held off on this one (it actually debuted last week), because it's just so darn weird having a Hendrix song on so many adult alt. stations. Guess there's a ringer every year, though (last year's was Depeche Mode's "Wrong", which also came out around February). Not that I have anything against Hendrix (after all, classic rock was my main musical love before I discovered adult alt. music), but most of his material seems a bit too heavy to be included on most adult alt. stations. What's even more perplexing is that "Valleys of Neptune" is no "Wind Cries Mary" or "Castles Made of Sand" - it sounds a bit more like a "faster" Hendrix track, like "Crosstown Traffic". Perhaps the stations that are playing this want to move beyond their standard fare of Red Hot Chili Peppers and Pearl Jam to show that they also have equal respect for those who influenced them. Could a new Led Zeppelin or Who track be far behind?!?