here they are:
"My Type" by Saint Motel: Indie-pop hasn't been this disco-fied since the days of Scissor Sisters (and that was about a decade ago)! The saxes that blare in the beginning of the song already let you know what a groovy ride you're gonna be in for! I feel like Saint Motel released this song one season too early, given what a summery vibe it has (although there's really nothing wrong with that). Beneath "My Type"'s funky fever, though, there are some very tongue-in-cheek lyrics. For instance, during the chorus, the lead singer declares that the subject of the song is "just his type" simply because she "has a pulse and (she's) breathing". "Love comes wearing disguises" and "double check for double meanings" are other clever lyrics that the song has to offer!
"Quarterback" by Kopecky (formerly The Kopecky Family Band): When was the last time you heard a song beginning with the letter "Q"?! Actually, it was rather recently, with Paul McCartney's "Queenie Eye" from just two years ago, but other than that, it's been quite awhile! The word "quarterback" itself is pretty unique for a song title, given how I haven't heard that word in any other song title yet. This song is probably the most fuzz-guitar heavy that the typically bubbly Kopecky have gotten so far. The subject matter is a bit darker than most of their material as well, with the words "lies that you told me" being the central words in the chorus. Rest assured, though, Kopecky fans will probably still enjoy this song, as it is a catchy song with a melodic sound.
Showing posts with label The Kopecky Family Band. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Kopecky Family Band. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 8, 2015
Wednesday, August 28, 2013
New songs for August 28th, 2013
here they are:
"Are You Listening?" by The Kopecky Family Band: Well, ARE you listening?! 'Cause if not, you're missing out on a good one! Though not nearly as catchy as their adult alt smash hit, "Heartbeat", "Are You Listening?" reveals a more folk-y, contemplative side to The KFB. Being that the record this song came from ("Kids Raising Kids") came out in late 2012, the exchange between male and female vocals (a la Of Monsters and Men, Civil Wars, etc.) is not surprising, as it seems to have become somewhat of a trend in indie-pop/contemporary folk-rock music. The billowy, buoyant sound of "Are You Listening?" almost seems to provide a contrast to the relentless happy energy of "Heartbeat", but the diversity in their sound choices is just one more thing that makes The KFB so likable!
"Come to My Party" by Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears: The greatest James Brown imitators of the 21st century continue to bring in the funk into what is slowly becoming the middle of the 2010's! No real deep message to this song, but there doesn't need to be, really. "Come to My Party" is a song whose title pretty much explains what it is. It's a song about just having a good time! Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears bring the party straight to your ears in just a little over two and a half minutes. So there's only two things you have to remember when listening to this song. Put on your dancin' shoes, and boogie!!
"Rollin' N' Tumblin'" by North Mississippi Allstars: North Mississippi Allstars are another band who are more focused on the roots of rock 'n' roll than on what it has become. Their latest song, "Rollin' N' Tumblin'", doesn't have very many words (though the words it does have seem to be references to various parts of rock history - "drinkin' muddy water" = Muddy Waters, "I ain't gonna be your dog" = The Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog", etc.) It does have a lot of instrumental parts, though, which seem to combine the dirty blues of The Black Keys and the neo-psychedelic freakouts of The White Stripes. "Rollin' N' Tumblin'" seems to basically be a song that makes rock 'n' roll come full circle, from its Robert Johnson style guitar licks to its memorably odd homage to neo-psychedelia towards the middle of it. Rock lives!! Too bad no one seems to notice.
"Sunnier Days" by Diego Garcia: Like most Diego Garcia songs, "Sunnier Days" has a breezy, tropical folk-rock sound. Unlike most of his songs, "Sunnier Days" is more upbeat. It is not an aching ballad like "You Were Never There", "All Eyes On You", or "Nothing to Hide". Instead, it's a "sunny" song, like its title suggests. At least it tries to be. The suspended chord changes during the pre-chorus of the song give "Sunnier Days" a more moody flavor that most Diego Garcia songs tend to have. Its rhythm makes the song sound more hopeful, though.
"The Way I Tend to Be" by Frank Turner: A similar case to The Kopecky Family Band (see "Are You Listening?" - also listed in this week's blog), Frank Turner had a super catchy adult alt mega-hit ("Recovery"), which has a notable contrast to his second hit so far, the more subdued, reflective, "The Way I Tend to Be". So what IS the way Frank tends to be?! Eclectic, as far as I can see it. Although every Frank Turner song I've heard is centered around acoustic guitar, he always manages to use the instrument to convey different emotions like confidence, mixed with sarcasm ("Recovery") and more anthemic moods as well ("I Still Believe"). "The Way I Tend to Be" is more of a bittersweet song, as far as I can tell. "If you remember me, you can save me from the way I tend to be", Frank sings, over a melancholy strum of acoustic guitar. I dunno about you, but I think music itself is saving Frank from the way he tends to be!
"Are You Listening?" by The Kopecky Family Band: Well, ARE you listening?! 'Cause if not, you're missing out on a good one! Though not nearly as catchy as their adult alt smash hit, "Heartbeat", "Are You Listening?" reveals a more folk-y, contemplative side to The KFB. Being that the record this song came from ("Kids Raising Kids") came out in late 2012, the exchange between male and female vocals (a la Of Monsters and Men, Civil Wars, etc.) is not surprising, as it seems to have become somewhat of a trend in indie-pop/contemporary folk-rock music. The billowy, buoyant sound of "Are You Listening?" almost seems to provide a contrast to the relentless happy energy of "Heartbeat", but the diversity in their sound choices is just one more thing that makes The KFB so likable!
"Come to My Party" by Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears: The greatest James Brown imitators of the 21st century continue to bring in the funk into what is slowly becoming the middle of the 2010's! No real deep message to this song, but there doesn't need to be, really. "Come to My Party" is a song whose title pretty much explains what it is. It's a song about just having a good time! Black Joe Lewis and The Honeybears bring the party straight to your ears in just a little over two and a half minutes. So there's only two things you have to remember when listening to this song. Put on your dancin' shoes, and boogie!!
"Rollin' N' Tumblin'" by North Mississippi Allstars: North Mississippi Allstars are another band who are more focused on the roots of rock 'n' roll than on what it has become. Their latest song, "Rollin' N' Tumblin'", doesn't have very many words (though the words it does have seem to be references to various parts of rock history - "drinkin' muddy water" = Muddy Waters, "I ain't gonna be your dog" = The Stooges' "I Wanna Be Your Dog", etc.) It does have a lot of instrumental parts, though, which seem to combine the dirty blues of The Black Keys and the neo-psychedelic freakouts of The White Stripes. "Rollin' N' Tumblin'" seems to basically be a song that makes rock 'n' roll come full circle, from its Robert Johnson style guitar licks to its memorably odd homage to neo-psychedelia towards the middle of it. Rock lives!! Too bad no one seems to notice.
"Sunnier Days" by Diego Garcia: Like most Diego Garcia songs, "Sunnier Days" has a breezy, tropical folk-rock sound. Unlike most of his songs, "Sunnier Days" is more upbeat. It is not an aching ballad like "You Were Never There", "All Eyes On You", or "Nothing to Hide". Instead, it's a "sunny" song, like its title suggests. At least it tries to be. The suspended chord changes during the pre-chorus of the song give "Sunnier Days" a more moody flavor that most Diego Garcia songs tend to have. Its rhythm makes the song sound more hopeful, though.
"The Way I Tend to Be" by Frank Turner: A similar case to The Kopecky Family Band (see "Are You Listening?" - also listed in this week's blog), Frank Turner had a super catchy adult alt mega-hit ("Recovery"), which has a notable contrast to his second hit so far, the more subdued, reflective, "The Way I Tend to Be". So what IS the way Frank tends to be?! Eclectic, as far as I can see it. Although every Frank Turner song I've heard is centered around acoustic guitar, he always manages to use the instrument to convey different emotions like confidence, mixed with sarcasm ("Recovery") and more anthemic moods as well ("I Still Believe"). "The Way I Tend to Be" is more of a bittersweet song, as far as I can tell. "If you remember me, you can save me from the way I tend to be", Frank sings, over a melancholy strum of acoustic guitar. I dunno about you, but I think music itself is saving Frank from the way he tends to be!
Wednesday, November 14, 2012
13 Songs On A Dead Man's Chest (A.K.A. Flood of Songs After the Drought)
THIRTEEN!? Most I've ever had so far!! So, without further ado, let's begin!!
"Carry On" by fun.: "If you're lost and alone, and sinking like a stone, carry o-o-o-o-on!!" So begins the chorus of the latest song from the somewhat aptly named band, fun. This is probably their most sensitive, most melodic song yet, and for that reason, I can't help but like it! Though the song itself is kinda dark in terms of its lyrics, it still has quite an uplifting, almost inspirational chorus, reminding its listeners to stay strong through the good times and the bad. Nate Ruess and co sure have come a long way since the far more pop-y "We Are Young", and I hope they will continue to strengthen their sound and their lyrics in the future!
"Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns" by A.C. Newman: The New Pornographers were always a quirky band, in spite of how their name might sound (it was actually taken from something someone said about how music is the "new pornography"). That being said, it only makes sense that their lead singer would come up with a song where even the TITLE sounded quirky! I mean, how many songs do you know of have titles that even sound CLOSE to "Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns" (try saying THAT five times fast!)?! I sure don't! (Then again, this IS the same guy who came up with even weirder song titles like "Sing Me Spanish Techno"). The song itself is quirky, power pop-y fun at its best! A happy song with bubbly harmonies and a weird title?! Only A.C. and The New Pornographers!!
"Good Times" by Matt Costa: Matt Costa doesn't seem to get enough credit for how eclectic (and clever) he truly is! He seemed to have been pegged as a singer/songwriter type based on how his debut song, "Cold December" sounded, but he has expanded his repertoire ever since to include Donovan-esque psychedelic pop ("Witchcraft") and "Pet Sounds"-ish orchestral beauties ("Drive"). His latest song, "Good Times", takes on a sound that illustrates a combination of folk-rock guitars and triumphant trumpets, a bit like Feist's "1234", as well as practically any song from Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros. Don't be fooled by how happy "Good Times" sounds, though, as even its chorus sings about how "Good times are comin' to an end". The dichotomy "Good Times" has between its fluffy sound and cynical lyrics only make me love the song more, though!
"Harder Before It Gets Easier" by The David Wax Museum: With the surprise success of records from people like Paul Simon and Robbie Robertson last year, it only makes sense that there would be someone this year that would carry on the rock-music-meets-world-music torch. It's not an older musician, though, or even a well-known one, at that. This year's ethnic rock experience comes from The David Wax Museum, a band that is, perhaps, unlike any other from 2012! Instead of relying on folk-rock or power pop, like most 2010's bands seem to do, The David Wax Museum create a lush musical soundscape based on African rhythms and mariachi instrumentation. To top it all off, at the center of the DWM's breakthrough song, "Harder Before It Gets Easier", is its chorus, which reminds people that sometimes you need to experience tougher times in your life in order to get to what you really want!
"Heartbeat" by The Kopecky Family Band: Of the many bands I'm reviewing this week, none of them seem to put the "pop" in "indie pop" quite like The Kopecky Family Band! Their debut song, "Heartbeat", has it all! Irresistibly bubblegum-y harmonies, handclaps at the beginning, a catchy, memorable chorus, purposely ridiculous lyrics (e.g. "you make my heartbeat beat a beat"), you name it! "Heartbeat" is the perfect song to dance around in your room to when no one's watching!
"How Do You Ruin Me?" by Black Prairie: And now we move from a goofy, lighthearted band to a more somber one. Even this song's title, "How Do You Ruin Me?" sounds melancholy, and the song itself is, too. With its sighing string section, G minor key, and world-weary vocals, "How Do You Ruin Me?" is one of those songs you'd want to put on during a rainy day to elicit emotions of both sadness and sympathy. It is a tale of unrequited love that expresses the pain and sorrow we probably all feel inside when going through such a phase. Call it a case of schadenfreude if you will, but what is "ruining" the singer brings me a sense of pleasure, but the pleasure derives from knowing that I'm not the only one who has felt cheated or let down in a relationship.
"I've Got This Friend" by The Civil Wars: It's been over a year since John Paul Williams and Joy White first became successful as folk-pop duo, The Civil Wars, yet there is still one song from their debut album that has JUST begun to receive airplay on adult alt radio stations, and that song is "I've Got This Friend". "I've Got This Friend" provides quite a contrast from the blues-y stomp of "Barton Hollow" and the bittersweet "Poison And Wine". There is nothing very bitter, or even bittersweet, about "I've Got This Friend", in fact it's kind of a cute song, if I dare say so! John and Joy take turns telling each other about these "friends" that they have during the song, though, upon listening to the lyrics, it becomes apparent that John and Joy are actually telling each other about...well...each other! However, they are doing so in a way that suggest a precious, almost naive sense of romance. Can I have another "d'awwww"?!
"Mojo Fix" by Martin Harley: A "review-come-lately" here, as this song has been around since late August of this year, but it doesn't seem like it's gotten decent airplay until around the past couple of weeks, so I thought maybe now would be a good time to review it instead. On with the song, though, doesn't even the title of the song "Mojo Fix" sound kinda blues-y?! Well, that's because it is, and a mighty fine blues song at that! With its chugging hook, raw vocals, and saucy slide guitar licks, "Mojo Fix" is enough to satisfy anyone's mojo!!
"Nancy From Now On" by Father John Misty: You probably wouldn't expect such a downhearted song from a guy with a quirky moniker, who put out esoteric songs like "I'm Writing A Novel", but keep in mind that "Father John Misty" is actually the alias of the ex-drummer of melancholy folk-rock kings, Fleet Foxes, and "Nancy From Now On" will probably make a little more sense. Even the opening lyrics, "Pour me another drink, and punch me in the face" are enough to depress a lot of Misty's listeners. "Nancy" is also not the name of a girl in this song, but rather, a derogatory name that Misty uses to refer to himself, perhaps suggesting that he is "weak" in some way. The chord changes and piano arrangement in this song remind me of people like Rufus Wainwright. Perhaps Rufus and Father John are pals?! Wouldn't surprise me. Also, I detect a huge Harry Nilsson influence in this song, so to describe Misty as the lovechild of Nilsson and Rufus Wainwright would be a great way of summing him up!
"River" by Civil Twilight: As I read the comments for this song on YouTube, many people seem to think that this sounds like a Radiohead song, and it does (it lifts pretty heavily from "Jigsaw Falling Into Place", in particular). Though "River" will never hold a candle to Radiohead, it's still a good song in its own right! It is probably Civil Twilight's best song, actually, given how it centers mostly around acoustic guitar instead of keyboards, the latter of which is a more typical instrument for Civil Twilight. The lead singer of Civil Twilight tends to nail Thom Yorke's vocal intonations, and the swooning backing vocals wouldn't sound too out of place in a Radiohead song either. However, this is Civil Twilight, not Radiohead. Still, it wouldn't hurt Civil Twilight to continue going in a neo-folk-rock direction!
"So Beautiful" by The Dunwells: Along with the Martin Harley song, "Mojo Fix", this song is another "review-come-lately" for me, I guess partly because this song pales in comparison quite significantly to The Dunwells' Mumford-esque song, "I Could Be A King", from earlier this year. However, I decided to give "So Beautiful" another chance, and I'm glad I did, because, although it isn't nearly as good as "I Could Be A King", it is still a good song, and it stuck in my head after the second time I heard it, so I knew it was a good one. It still has a somewhat Mumford-and-Sons-ish sound, but it sounds more like M & S being backed by the '70s soft rock group, America (the solos in the song sound like they were performed in a similar distortion to America's "Sister Golden Hair"). Still worth listening to, though.
"Time to Run" by Lord Huron: And last, but certainly not least, is the hypnotically folk-rock-y "Time to Run", from Lord Huron, a band who are slowly but surely getting more attention than I thought they would! This song is like a dream to me, and I don't mean that in a corny, metaphorical way. I mean that it's literally like a dream! It starts off with an orchestra of echoing wind chime type percussion that goes on for about a minute, before settling into its mellow, entrancing groove that takes hold of the rest of the song, as though one is falling asleep, and then settling into his/her dream for the rest of the night. This song is one dream I don't want to wake up from!!
"Carry On" by fun.: "If you're lost and alone, and sinking like a stone, carry o-o-o-o-on!!" So begins the chorus of the latest song from the somewhat aptly named band, fun. This is probably their most sensitive, most melodic song yet, and for that reason, I can't help but like it! Though the song itself is kinda dark in terms of its lyrics, it still has quite an uplifting, almost inspirational chorus, reminding its listeners to stay strong through the good times and the bad. Nate Ruess and co sure have come a long way since the far more pop-y "We Are Young", and I hope they will continue to strengthen their sound and their lyrics in the future!
"Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns" by A.C. Newman: The New Pornographers were always a quirky band, in spite of how their name might sound (it was actually taken from something someone said about how music is the "new pornography"). That being said, it only makes sense that their lead singer would come up with a song where even the TITLE sounded quirky! I mean, how many songs do you know of have titles that even sound CLOSE to "Encyclopedia of Classic Takedowns" (try saying THAT five times fast!)?! I sure don't! (Then again, this IS the same guy who came up with even weirder song titles like "Sing Me Spanish Techno"). The song itself is quirky, power pop-y fun at its best! A happy song with bubbly harmonies and a weird title?! Only A.C. and The New Pornographers!!
"Good Times" by Matt Costa: Matt Costa doesn't seem to get enough credit for how eclectic (and clever) he truly is! He seemed to have been pegged as a singer/songwriter type based on how his debut song, "Cold December" sounded, but he has expanded his repertoire ever since to include Donovan-esque psychedelic pop ("Witchcraft") and "Pet Sounds"-ish orchestral beauties ("Drive"). His latest song, "Good Times", takes on a sound that illustrates a combination of folk-rock guitars and triumphant trumpets, a bit like Feist's "1234", as well as practically any song from Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros. Don't be fooled by how happy "Good Times" sounds, though, as even its chorus sings about how "Good times are comin' to an end". The dichotomy "Good Times" has between its fluffy sound and cynical lyrics only make me love the song more, though!
"Harder Before It Gets Easier" by The David Wax Museum: With the surprise success of records from people like Paul Simon and Robbie Robertson last year, it only makes sense that there would be someone this year that would carry on the rock-music-meets-world-music torch. It's not an older musician, though, or even a well-known one, at that. This year's ethnic rock experience comes from The David Wax Museum, a band that is, perhaps, unlike any other from 2012! Instead of relying on folk-rock or power pop, like most 2010's bands seem to do, The David Wax Museum create a lush musical soundscape based on African rhythms and mariachi instrumentation. To top it all off, at the center of the DWM's breakthrough song, "Harder Before It Gets Easier", is its chorus, which reminds people that sometimes you need to experience tougher times in your life in order to get to what you really want!
"Heartbeat" by The Kopecky Family Band: Of the many bands I'm reviewing this week, none of them seem to put the "pop" in "indie pop" quite like The Kopecky Family Band! Their debut song, "Heartbeat", has it all! Irresistibly bubblegum-y harmonies, handclaps at the beginning, a catchy, memorable chorus, purposely ridiculous lyrics (e.g. "you make my heartbeat beat a beat"), you name it! "Heartbeat" is the perfect song to dance around in your room to when no one's watching!
"How Do You Ruin Me?" by Black Prairie: And now we move from a goofy, lighthearted band to a more somber one. Even this song's title, "How Do You Ruin Me?" sounds melancholy, and the song itself is, too. With its sighing string section, G minor key, and world-weary vocals, "How Do You Ruin Me?" is one of those songs you'd want to put on during a rainy day to elicit emotions of both sadness and sympathy. It is a tale of unrequited love that expresses the pain and sorrow we probably all feel inside when going through such a phase. Call it a case of schadenfreude if you will, but what is "ruining" the singer brings me a sense of pleasure, but the pleasure derives from knowing that I'm not the only one who has felt cheated or let down in a relationship.
"I've Got This Friend" by The Civil Wars: It's been over a year since John Paul Williams and Joy White first became successful as folk-pop duo, The Civil Wars, yet there is still one song from their debut album that has JUST begun to receive airplay on adult alt radio stations, and that song is "I've Got This Friend". "I've Got This Friend" provides quite a contrast from the blues-y stomp of "Barton Hollow" and the bittersweet "Poison And Wine". There is nothing very bitter, or even bittersweet, about "I've Got This Friend", in fact it's kind of a cute song, if I dare say so! John and Joy take turns telling each other about these "friends" that they have during the song, though, upon listening to the lyrics, it becomes apparent that John and Joy are actually telling each other about...well...each other! However, they are doing so in a way that suggest a precious, almost naive sense of romance. Can I have another "d'awwww"?!
"Mojo Fix" by Martin Harley: A "review-come-lately" here, as this song has been around since late August of this year, but it doesn't seem like it's gotten decent airplay until around the past couple of weeks, so I thought maybe now would be a good time to review it instead. On with the song, though, doesn't even the title of the song "Mojo Fix" sound kinda blues-y?! Well, that's because it is, and a mighty fine blues song at that! With its chugging hook, raw vocals, and saucy slide guitar licks, "Mojo Fix" is enough to satisfy anyone's mojo!!
"Nancy From Now On" by Father John Misty: You probably wouldn't expect such a downhearted song from a guy with a quirky moniker, who put out esoteric songs like "I'm Writing A Novel", but keep in mind that "Father John Misty" is actually the alias of the ex-drummer of melancholy folk-rock kings, Fleet Foxes, and "Nancy From Now On" will probably make a little more sense. Even the opening lyrics, "Pour me another drink, and punch me in the face" are enough to depress a lot of Misty's listeners. "Nancy" is also not the name of a girl in this song, but rather, a derogatory name that Misty uses to refer to himself, perhaps suggesting that he is "weak" in some way. The chord changes and piano arrangement in this song remind me of people like Rufus Wainwright. Perhaps Rufus and Father John are pals?! Wouldn't surprise me. Also, I detect a huge Harry Nilsson influence in this song, so to describe Misty as the lovechild of Nilsson and Rufus Wainwright would be a great way of summing him up!
"River" by Civil Twilight: As I read the comments for this song on YouTube, many people seem to think that this sounds like a Radiohead song, and it does (it lifts pretty heavily from "Jigsaw Falling Into Place", in particular). Though "River" will never hold a candle to Radiohead, it's still a good song in its own right! It is probably Civil Twilight's best song, actually, given how it centers mostly around acoustic guitar instead of keyboards, the latter of which is a more typical instrument for Civil Twilight. The lead singer of Civil Twilight tends to nail Thom Yorke's vocal intonations, and the swooning backing vocals wouldn't sound too out of place in a Radiohead song either. However, this is Civil Twilight, not Radiohead. Still, it wouldn't hurt Civil Twilight to continue going in a neo-folk-rock direction!
"So Beautiful" by The Dunwells: Along with the Martin Harley song, "Mojo Fix", this song is another "review-come-lately" for me, I guess partly because this song pales in comparison quite significantly to The Dunwells' Mumford-esque song, "I Could Be A King", from earlier this year. However, I decided to give "So Beautiful" another chance, and I'm glad I did, because, although it isn't nearly as good as "I Could Be A King", it is still a good song, and it stuck in my head after the second time I heard it, so I knew it was a good one. It still has a somewhat Mumford-and-Sons-ish sound, but it sounds more like M & S being backed by the '70s soft rock group, America (the solos in the song sound like they were performed in a similar distortion to America's "Sister Golden Hair"). Still worth listening to, though.
"Time to Run" by Lord Huron: And last, but certainly not least, is the hypnotically folk-rock-y "Time to Run", from Lord Huron, a band who are slowly but surely getting more attention than I thought they would! This song is like a dream to me, and I don't mean that in a corny, metaphorical way. I mean that it's literally like a dream! It starts off with an orchestra of echoing wind chime type percussion that goes on for about a minute, before settling into its mellow, entrancing groove that takes hold of the rest of the song, as though one is falling asleep, and then settling into his/her dream for the rest of the night. This song is one dream I don't want to wake up from!!
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