New songs for October 26th 2022

 here they are:

"Honey" by The Lone Bellow:  The Lone Bellow continue their previously unexpected turn to synth-pop/rock they had from earlier this year with "Gold" for their latest single, "Honey." I'm not exactly the biggest fan of their leap from folk-rock to synth-pop, but this song is at least tolerable for its occasional swaths of sweeping, echo-laden guitar, and for maintaining the signature harmonies The Lone Bellow have cultivated since 2013. Though lead singer Zach Williams addresses his subject as "honey," the truth is that his wife doesn't actually like being called that, so the title is partially tongue-in-cheek. However, the message of the song still manages to be sincere, centering around when Zach first fell in love with his wife and trying to recapture the glory days of his romance.

"I Ain't Quite Where I Think I Am" by Arctic Monkeys:  Arctic Monkeys impressed me quite a bit with their last adult alt radio hit, the Sinatra-esque "There'd Better Be a Mirrorball." Their latest song, "I Ain't Quite Where I Think I Am," takes Alex Turner and co to previously uncharted musical territory once again! "I Ain't Quite Where I Think I Am" goes in a "retro" direction like their previous single did, but this time, we get a song that fuses the lighter side of the psychedelic rock that dominated the late '60s with the wah-wah dominated funk sounds of the early '70s. Fitting to its spacey sound, "I Ain't Quite Where I Think I Am" seems to be about the aftermath of partying all night long and wondering why you are where you are and why you're doing what you're doing. 

"I'm in Love With You" by The 1975:  "I'm in Love With You" continues in the surprisingly folk-rock-y direction that The 1975 decided to pursue earlier this year with the poignant "Part of the Band." "I'm in Love With You" is bittersweet both musically and lyrically, centering around how you can be in love with someone and not even realize it until it's too late. The song doesn't contain the intricate orchestration that their previous single, "Part of the Band," did, but it still utilizes acoustic guitar in a way that songs from The 1975's other albums did not, with its main backing instrument being percussion. The lyrics seem like they could be relatable for many people, as the realization that you could be in love with someone and not even know it can both make and break a relationship. If I am to go by this song's aching yet still upbeat sound, I would say that "I'm in Love With You" is about a relationship that ended up being made rather than broken. 

Good Grief! "G" songs!

Here they are (as indicated by the title of this article, they both start with "G"):

"Gold" by The Lone Bellow: Even bands who have stuck to the folk-rock sound for longer than others, such as The Lone Bellow, are hopping aboard the electro-pop bandwagon now. Go figure, eh? The Lone Bellow's latest song, "Gold," sounds nothing like what their other material has so far. The title might be an allusion to drugs, also, since the song addresses the problem of opioid addiction. "Gold," then, might be opium itself? It's as good a guess as any! With five records now under their belt, I'm not sure why The Lone Bellow abandoned the folk-rock ship so suddenly, but I guess if it works for their fans, it works for me, too. It's just a little disappointing for me to see this shift away from guitar and towards the synthesizer for someone who has been a guitarist for 22 years now. 

"Grace" by Marcus Mumford (from Mumford and Sons): To reference the title of one of Mumford and Sons' earlier songs, M & S ended up being "Hopeless Wanderers" from their third album onwards in terms of finding a suitable sound. Thankfully, lead singer (and namesake), Marcus, seems to have found his way back to folk-rock, albeit with a more roots-y John Mellencamp-ish tinge, as opposed to the more Celtic-influenced folk sound he started with. The lyrics to the song don't seem too different from what Marcus attempted with his "Sons," revolving largely around the quest for redemption in the guise of a love song, but its sound offers something that simultaneously nostalgic and fresh for Mumford's longtime fans! 

New songs for March 24th, 2021

 here they are:


"All You Ever Wanted" by Rag 'N' Bone Man: Expecting another smooth alt-R & B song from Rag 'N' Bone Man like his mid-2010's mega-hit, "Human"? Think again! On "All You Ever Wanted", Rory "Rag 'N' Bone Man" Graham shows a bit more of a passionate rock and roller side! The ardent enthusiasm and echoic sound of earnest arena bands and performers like Kings of Leon, U2, and Bruce Springsteen have clearly influenced Rag 'N' Bone Man here! A refreshing change of pace, isn't it?! The lyrics seem a bit Springsteen-ian as well, especially during the part when Rory says, "It's a city of a thousand heartbeats/No room for another soul." Fusing rock and roll and poetry with such vivid, touching imagery used to be a thing during the genre's heyday. It's time that fusion was brought back to the mainstream!

"Click Click Domino" by Ida Mae (featuring Marcus King): Husband-and-wife duo, Ida Mae, debut onto this blog with an earthy, gritty brand of blues-rock! Equally gritty blues-rocker, Marcus King, is no stranger to this blog, though, and he is featured as the guest guitarist on Ida Mae's "Click Click Domino." I have yet to find out what the phrase "Click Click Domino" actually means. Could be onomatopoeic, for all I know! However, I do know what the song itself is about. Apparently, it came about as a response to all the "rumors on the internets," to paraphrase one of the best known "Bush-isms," that have been spread about today that make their way into news outlets, the political world, and seemingly everywhere we look. Ida Mae decided they are sick of all that, and make their feelings about it known in "Click Click Domino"!

"Dried Up River" by The Lone Bellow: The laid-back, Americana influenced folk-rock sound of The Lone Bellow's "Dried Up River" makes it seem like something from early in the trio's career. As their career progressed, they seemed to add increasingly more detailed instrumentation into their music. "Dried Up River" just seems like the basic two guitars, bass, and drum (with keyboard in the background) formula that The Lone Bellow used for their first three adult alt radio hits back in 2013. Much as its title suggests, "Dried Up River" really isn't very..."deep" (if you'll pardon the pun). Nothing to really take away from it aside from its billowy, breezy, somewhat rural sound. The lyrics seem to suggest a disconnect of sorts, though it's never made clear whether the problems are romantic or if they're between two struggling friends.

"Questions" by Middle Kids: At the end of this list are Middle Kids, who have been interesting since the beginning of their career (see what I did there?!), providing us with one of the few songs in the history of this blog to begin with the letter Q. Lead singer Hannah Joy sings with anything but joy, laced with doubt and fear, about a relationship in which her partner is probably cheating on her in Middle Kids' latest song, "Questions." The "questions" she has are all about whether the cheating she has suspected has really occurred. The songs sounds sweet enough, though, that some listeners might never suspect that the song is about such a troubling subject, with its fun sounding handclaps and bright, spirited brass section. This being the end of my blog for the week, I hope you have no more questions about "Questions"! 

New songs for May 13th 2020

here they are:


"Good Times" by The Lone Bellow: A song called "Good Times" oughta be upbeat, and that's exactly what "Good Times" by The Lone Bellow is. An uplifting indie-folk-pop song, "Good Times" is a simple but meaningful song that recalls conversations the group members have had with both one another and with people outside the band. One thing that sets this song apart from other Lone Bellow songs is its prominent use of horns, as well as its electric guitar solo in the middle.


"Time (You And I)" by Khruangbin: Late last year might have been the first time many people heard about Khruangbin through their collaboration with neo-soul musician, Leon Bridges. Perhaps Leon's soulful vibes rubbed off on Khruangbin on their latest song, "Time (You And I)", which itself sounds like it could be a song off one of Leon Bridges' later albums. The song's mid-'70s funk influenced sound gives it a very upbeat, danceable sound. For a little over five and a half minutes, the song's lyrics repeat, and not just in English either. As the song progresses, they also get to French, Portuguese, and at least one East Asian language, perhaps to emphasize how its simple message of love is a universal one. The song's avant-funk sound brings to mind musicians like Prince and Funkadelic.


"Time Stands" by Nathaniel Rateliff: The third song this week with the word "time" in its title is a mellower track than the others. Without The Night Sweats backing him up, Nathaniel Rateliff seems to create more melancholy folk-rock songs, as opposed to the spirited brand of retro R & B that most fans of his were initially acquainted with. "Time Stands" continues in the folk-rock pattern for Nathaniel, and is the most bittersweet song I've heard from him yet. It is a yearning song that seems to wonder if things will be alright without ever answering that question. No one seems to know where time stands anymore, so "Time Stands" has arrived for us just in time (no pun intended).


"Upside Down" by Mondo Cozmo: Most of the songs from this week were actually songs released earlier in the year from albums that already had singles. "Upside Down" by Mondo Cozmo is not such a song. It was thought up last month and is one of a growing number of songs that has been written in response to our current pandemic. "Everything is upside down", Joshua Ostrander sings during the chorus. What he means, as you might have guessed, is that nothing seems to make sense anymore. Instead of lamenting this, though, Joshua decides to make the most of it, turning his thoughts of uncertainty into a party anthem that starts out with half-sung/half-spoken lyrics recalling songs like Beck's "Loser" and Cage the Elephant's "Ain't No Rest For the Wicked". I'm all for creativity, but I still wish things turn right side up sooner than later.

New songs for November 20th 2019

here they are:


"Count On Me" by The Lone Bellow: Ever since their debut back in 2013, The Lone Bellow have always been about mellow sounds and sweet harmonies, but their latest song, "Count On Me", has that even more than most Lone Bellow songs have! With a bittersweet, almost heartbreaking sound slightly reminiscent of Tom Waits' "Hold On", "Count On Me" is a song that attests to how powerful friendship can truly be! During the last minute or so of this almost two-and-half-minute song, "Count On Me" starts to rev up a little bit and becoming more heartwarming than heartbreaking, but the sentiment of the song remains the same!


"It Might Be Time" by Tame Impala: If Supertramp's "The Logical Song" were remade into a nightclub rave type of song, you'd probably get Tame Impala's "It Might Be Time". And just what is it, you might ask, that it might "be time" for? Well, according to the song, it might be time to face how we're all getting older by the minute. For a band who has been around only since 2013, that's a pretty heavy thought to have! But time catches up to all of us eventually. Might as well have some good music and enjoy the ride while it lasts, right?

New songs for January 31st, 2018

here they are:


“Best Days” by Lissie: Fitting that a song called “Best Days” sounds so happy and hopeful, isn’t it? Well, there’s a good reason for that. “Best Days” is Lissie’s song of hope, and it’s her way of letting her listeners know that the “good old days” are the ones we are living in right now. Lissie even sings in the middle of the song that she “wants more best days”. What a great attitude to have in times where nearly everyone seems to wish they could escape the present era!


“Girlfriend” by Anderson East: Anderson is a unique musician in this day and age, alternating between gritty sax driven soul music, calmer roots-y country-rock (perhaps influenced by his girlfriend, country star Miranda Lambert), and sometimes even straight up pop. On “Girlfriend”, Anderson goes back to the gutsy soul music that I originally knew him for. Unlike what its title might suggest, “Girlfriend” is not a simple declaration of love here, but instead a love triangle. Anderson loudly and somewhat proudly proclaims during the chorus that he “thinks (he’s) in love” with the subject’s “girlfriend”. I wonder what Miranda is gonna think of THIS one!


“Listening In” by Dr. Dog: Ever the quirky, original sounding indie band, Dr. Dog have done it again with their latest song, “Listening In”. The lyrics are pretty simple, with only three verses with practically identical lyrics and a bridge, but the music itself provides nearly 5 minutes of trippy, neo-psychedelic goodness! It appears the song is even a bit prog-rock influenced, with the middle of the song suddenly changing rhythm before the third verse kicks in. The song also provides just the right amount of balance between keyboard and guitar, unlike most indie songs these days, which tend to focus on one more than the other.


“May You Be Well” – The Lone Bellow: After splashing onto adult alt radio during the summer of last year with the rollicking, energetic, “Time’s Always Leaving”, the second single from The Lone Bellow’s third album, “May You Be Well”, is a more reflective and somewhat reverent sounding piece of music. It is a very sentimental song, both musically and lyrically, and was written by lead singer Zach Williams to his oldest daughter as a declaration of love from father to child. Both of his daughters ended up liking the track, though, especially Betty, his youngest, who expressed how moved she was that her dad chose to dedicate a song to one of his kids. I guess that’s the thing about good music. It can be enjoyed from one generation to the next!


“Never Look Back” by Field Report: It hasn’t been a very easy road for Wisconsin folk-rock quartet, Field Report, but they seem to be able to squeeze out one adult alt radio hit per album. So far, this pattern has continued into their third album with their latest song, “Never Look Back”. One thing I have noticed about the songs that have gained attention from Field Report is how more instrumentation gets used on each song. “Never Look Back” contains more echoic instrumentation and a bit more acoustic/electric guitar harmony than their other two hit songs. Perhaps the most noticeable difference is the talk box used during the solo of the song, although it’s used in a rather subtle manner.


“On the Lips” by JD McPherson: What if The Black Keys covered songs like Modern English’s “I Melt With You”? Sounds kinda weird, doesn’t it?! Well, that’s pretty much the sound of JD McPherson’s latest song, “On the Lips”! No one ever thought that a guy whose first big song was a Little Richard sound-alike would be churning out THIS kinda music, but it does manage to work here. Well, kinda. Despite its rather futuristic sound, the song is actually about a moment from JD’s distant past. Specifically, it’s about his first kiss, and how much excitement he felt rushing through him when that special someone’s smooch “hit (him) on the lips”.


“Paradise” by George Ezra: No, this is not a cover of the popular Coldplay song of the same name, although George Ezra’s “Paradise” does have a bit more of a pop element than most of his folk-rock-y material has so far. This “Paradise” is definitely more upbeat and a little more rockin’ than the tune that Chris Martin and co put out a few years ago. It is also a declaration of love the whole way through. There are times when the lyrical fervor of this song runs hotter than others, such as the chorus, when George says, “If it feels like paradise running through your bloody veins, you know it’s love heading your way”. Love sure does make you do strange things sometimes, doesn’t it?!


“Roll On Slow” by Glen Hansard: The Irish folk-rocker whose first big hit was from the “Once” soundtrack amps it up on his latest song, “Roll On Slow”. There is something vaguely similar (though not near as impressive) to Bruce Springsteen songs like “She’s the One” and “Born to Run” on this song, and a bit of a soulful vibe as well during the chorus that could have easily come from fellow Irishmen, The Commitments (even though they were a movie-only band). The Springsteen-esque sound might have been intentional on “Roll On Slow”, since Glen has performed the song before with E Street Band drummer, Max Weinberg. The song definitely has an East Coast vibe to it, and was written while Glen was living in New York City. Behind the song’s determined, gutsy sound, however, lies a tale of sadness and woe. Apparently, the song was inspired by how Glen started drinking alcohol too heavily because his girlfriend was on vacation. The song’s urban vibe and fast beats help to compensate for the sad subject matter, though.

New songs for June 28th, 2017

here they are:


"Damaged One" by Big Head Todd and The Monsters: The "neo-Dead" jam bands of the early '90s seemed to either be complex like Phish and Widespread Panic, or they were more accessible to pop audiences the way that Spin Doctors or Blues Traveler were. Big Head Todd and The Monsters are unique among all these bands in that their brand of jam band music creates a balance between experimental jam band music and pop based jam band music, and they tend to have fans on both sides. Now soldiering on into their third decade as a band, Big Head Todd and The Monsters continue to rock with their latest song, "Damaged One". Lead singer, "Big Head" Todd Park Mohr, centers this song around how, presumably in a relationship of some sort, he was "already the damaged one". With the upbeat rock 'n' roll sound of this song, though, you'd never be able to tell!


"Don't Matter Now" by George Ezra: In late summer of 2014, George Ezra's peppy folk-rock tune, "Budapest", was the surprise alternative rock radio hit of the year! For a quiet sounding musician, his song sure made a lot of noise! 3 years later, in the early summer of 2017, George cranks out yet another song perfect for the summer season with "Don't Matter Now". The central message of the song seems to be, "Do what you can while you can, and try to have fun." The laid back theme of this song, combined with its happy brass section and even happier "doo-doo-doo"s punctuating the middle and end of the song, make this one a can't miss song for your next pool party or barbecue!


"Time's Always Leaving" by The Lone Bellow: This song still retains the roots-rock feel of most Lone Bellow songs, yet it also sounds more upbeat than most of their material does! The question is, why? The band have been through a lot of changes since they last released an album together. Zach and Brian are now dads, and Kanine is now a mom. Additionally, in a true country-rock move, they also moved from the tough rock 'n' roll streets of Brooklyn to country music haven, Nashville, within the three years it took for them to release this song. Even lyrically, "Time's Always Leaving" isn't exactly a happy song, what with its depiction of time as a "cruel mistress". Yet the trio sounds happier than they ever have before in this song. Go figure!


"Whole Wide World" by Cage the Elephant: "Stranger Than Fiction" fans, rejoice! The song that Will Ferrell's character, Harold Crick, sings in an attempt to seduce Ana Pascal (Maggie Gyllenhaal), is now being covered by alt-rock group, Cage the Elephant! At the time of "Stranger Than Fiction"'s initial release to theaters, "Whole Wide World" was a little known melodic garage rock styled song by Wreckless Eric, who was sort of like a lesser known Elvis Costello or Joe Jackson. Yet now, for millions of people (myself included), "Whole Wide World" can't be thought of WITHOUT that scene from "Stranger Than Fiction". I'm guessing CTE were fans of the movie as well. After all, how else do you think they even know this song?! Matt Shultz and co do the song justice, retaining the original key, rhythm, and instrumentation so well that it'd be incredibly hard to tell this apart from the original! Now I just gotta wait for The Kooks to cover The Jam's "That's Entertainment" (also featured in "Stranger Than Fiction") and my life will be complete!

New songs for August 12th, 2015

here they are:


"Empire" by Of Monsters and Men: "Crystals"? "Empire"?! Any Bronies noticing a pattern here?! Heheheh. Joking aside, though, "Empire" really is a good OMAM song, like most of their material. Much like their previous hit from this year, "Crystals", "Empire" doesn't stray too far from the standard OMAM pattern of gentle, pensive folk-rock combined with somewhat mystical, opaque lyrics. There are some things that set the two songs apart, though. First of all, "Empire" is in C minor (as opposed to the C major key "Crystals" was in), and it also features more male vocals than female vocals, the latter of which were used more on "Crystals". OMAM win once again with their nature oriented imagery ("river running wild", "feel the ocean as it breathes", "see the mountains where they meet", etc.)


"Fake Roses" by The Lone Bellow: As you might expect from a song that contains both "fake" and "roses" in its title, this is a rather melancholy song. It appears to be a song about being able to "see through" a relationship to know how bad it might have been. Quite a turnaround from a band whose last song was a rather confident number called "Take My Love"! Still, though, as the autumn season slowly approaches, "Fake Roses" is a very apt song for the somber season. What better way to shake off a negative relationship than to snuggle up inside surrounded by blankets, warmth, and a drink of hot chocolate? Songs like this certainly get me in the mood for that!


"Keep Going" by The Revivalists: "Keep Going" is exactly what the soulful, jazzy, and aptly named Revivalists are attempting to do here! With their solid, dynamic sound, they are out to convince the world that "Navigate Below" was not going to leave them branded as one hit wonders! The relentlessly happy "chugga-chugga" sound of "Keep Going" is enough to win over fans of the band (as well as fans of similar acts like Alabama Shakes, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, and Gary Clark, Jr.) Revivalists, keep going! Keep on doin' what you're doin'! You're good at it!


"Maggie I've Been Searching For Our Son" by Craig Finn: Classic roots-rock revivalist Craig Finn from The Hold Steady turns down the electric guitars on his latest song, which is a rather plaintive protest song. Finn still has the Springsteen-esque sound he usually has here, though it sounds more like something from The Boss's largely folk-rock-y "Greetings From Asbury Park" than it does the sweeping, epic anthems of "Born to Run". For a man whose band has become an adult alt radio staple within the past couple years, Finn has never focused on acoustic rock songs (surprisingly) until now. The angst and sarcasm typically present in Finn and The Hold Steady's material is replaced here by something of a more pensive, yearning quality. Surprisingly, it actually works here!


"Monkey Tree" by Mother Mother: After three plaintive folk-rock songs (and one soulful, blues-y number), it's refreshing to end this week's blog with a bouncier, quirkier pop song like "Monkey Tree". Even its title is kinda goofy! A song that opens with the lyrics, "I live in the jungle, I sleep in a monkey tree", is bound to make you smile! Well, it did for me, anyway. This song is also one that'll make you wanna dance! Come on and do the monkey, everybody!

New songs for February 18th, 2015

here they are:


"Coming Home" by Leon Bridges: The term "neo-soul" has been applied to many musicians, but there are only a few whom I really believe deserve the label. Newcomer to the scene, Leon Bridges, is one such person. His brand of soul music hearkens back to a time when Motown was a fledgling genre and record label, as it heavily evokes the music of soul legend, Sam Cooke. Leon's smooth crooning combined with the blues-y but breezy guitar he sings over is enough to make Cupid actually want to draw back his bow and let his arrow go!


"Don't Wanna Fight" by Alabama Shakes: One of the most anticipated singles of the week, and also one of the funkiest!! Alabama Shakes are (currently) best known for their first big hit, "Hold On", which blended Janis Joplin-esque vocals with Creedence Clearwater-style guitar playing. In "Don't Wanna Fight", Brittany Howard takes her musical time machine a few years after the Woodstock era, and into the funk era of the mid 1970's. Howard loudly and proudly proclaims that she "don't wanna fight no more" throughout the song. Since I don't know the song well enough yet, I'm not exactly sure what it is that she's fighting for (or against), but this is a song that is clearly more about the rhythm than it is about the lyrics, as far as I'm concerned. Get your groove on!!


"Every Other Freckle" by alt-J: The nerdily named alt-J have actually been pretty cool ever since their debut, but it seems as though the songs from their sophomore record are the ones that adult alt radio has gravitated towards the most so far. The guitar heavy, Black Keys-esque "Left Hand Free" became one of summer 2014's biggest hits on adult alt stations. As spring approaches, "Every Other Freckle" is the song such radio stations seem to be picking up on. The song returns to the hip-to-be-quirky style that alt-J have become known for, which "Left Hand Free" seemed to lack. The lyrics in the song are also a bit enigmatic. For instance, I have no idea what they mean by "I want every other freckle". That's just fine, though, as this is just the way alt-J's fans seem to like them.


"False Hope" by Laura Marling: Laura Marling could easily be likened to a modern-day Joni Mitchell. If albums like "A Creature I Don't Know" and "Once I Was An Eagle" are her "Blue" and "Ladies of the Canyon", then perhaps her latest album, "Short Movie" is what "Court and Spark" was for Joni Mitchell. That is, a chance for Laura to experiment with electric guitars while still keeping up her folk-rock image. "False Hope" is the first Laura Marling song I have heard that uses electric guitar instead of acoustic. The chorus to "False Hope" is rather cutting for someone known for her quaint and quiet material ("why I know false hope", as if to say, "I've been down before, so leave me alone!") Again, the "Court and Spark" comparison could continue, since Joni had rather scathing lyrics on songs like "Raised On Robbery" ("first he had a '57 Biscayne, put it in the ditch, he drunk up all the rest, that son of a b**ch"). Laura is definitely trying to move in a darker direction with "False Hope", as far as I can tell, and a more musically distinct direction, too.


"Fool For Love" by Lord Huron: Lord Huron are probably one of the dreamiest sounding indie-folk bands of the 2010's. The first 45 seconds of their latest song, "Fool For Love", are pure bliss. Once the vocals kick in, it starts to sound more like a typical Lord Huron song, but it still maintains its blissful, ethereal sound. Many of their songs could obliquely be considered love songs, but "Fool For Love" is the first song they've done where the affection is clearly spelled out (as if you couldn't tell from the title). I notice that this song was released a couple days after Valentine's Day. I wonder if Lord Huron did that on purpose?!


"I Don't Want to Let You Down" by Sharon Van Etten: Sharon Van Etten's songs are known for being somewhat dismal and lonely sounding. That being said, could "I Don't Want to Let You Down" be an indicator that she has finally found happiness?! First of all, the song is in a major key, unlike most of her material, and it sounds more upbeat than the rest of her material, too. As if that wasn't enough of a not-so-indie move for the only indie-folk singer to share my mom's first name, she has also performed the song on Ellen DeGeneres' show, and rumor has it that this song was inspired by the feel-good '80s family flick, "Overboard" (one of my guilty pleasures!!) Rest assured, though, the song still feels mellow and folk-y enough to be considered legit in Sharon Van Etten's catalog, and her signature moaning vocals are still present on this track as well.


"Kathleen" by Catfish and The Bottlemen: Between their European sounding name and their similarity in sound to some of the harder rocking Oasis songs, one of the first things I wondered about Catfish and The Bottlemen when I first heard their song "Kathleen" was whether or not they were British. Well, it turned out I was close! They are a Welsh group. You don't hear the phrase "Welsh garage rock" or even "Welsh alternative rock" very often, so perhaps Catfish and The Bottlemen are trendsetters in this regard (only time will tell). The chorus of the song, in which lead singer Van McCann defiantly states, "I've gotta give it to you, you give me problems!" also seems typical of the garage rock genre. I wonder what other musical treasures Wales has to offer us!


"Leaf Off/The Cave" by Jose Gonzalez: In the 2010's, Jose Gonzalez has been active with his band, Junip, but he hasn't done anything solo since 2008. Though Junip was a good band, I much prefer the gentle, Nick Drake-esque brand of folk-rock that Jose had by himself. His latest solo song, "Leaf Off/The Cave" returns to the magic Jose did by himself during the mid to late 2000's. From its enchanting sound to its hopeful lyrics ("let the light lead you out"), "Leaf Off/The Cave" is bound to be a winner among Jose's biggest fans, and then some. Don't be fooled by the title. First of all, it has nothing to do with Mumford and Sons' "The Cave" as I thought it did before I actually heard it, and "Leaf Off/The Cave" is actually one song, not two, in spite of how the title makes it look. I regularly try to look for songs I can listen to to calm me down, but this is one of the most calming I have heard in quite awhile! Highly recommended!!


"Pedestrian At Best" by Courtney Barnett: Wait, which "Courtney" IS this?! Courtney Barnett or Courtney Love?! It kinda sounds like the vocals of the former mixed with the music and mood of the latter!! From Barnett's "Avant Gardener", I expected all of her songs to sound kinda deadpan, but "Pedestrian At Best" is anything but! It has an almost punk rock sound, with its defiant guitar playing, one-chord verses, and two-chord chorus, which is somewhat derivative of the early Kings of Leon tune, "Molly's Chambers". Barnett's sing-speaking and ranting vaguely recall Mike Muir's paranoid, enraged vocal style in Suicidal Tendencies' "Institutionalized"! I haven't seen anyone go from mellow to angry this quickly since Marianne Faithfull (likely one of Courtney Barnett's influences)!!


"Take My Love" by The Lone Bellow: So far, "Take My Love" is the closest that folk-rockers, The Lone Bellow, have gotten to electric guitar oriented music, but the Bellow have still kept their mellow on this one. It seems like sounding like Bruce Springsteen has become a rite of passage for many indie-folk/indie-pop bands lately (Killers, Hold Steady, Gaslight Anthem, War on Drugs, and Arcade Fire all rank among them). This is probably the first Springsteen-esque song that The Lone Bellow have attempted. It not only sounds like one of The Boss's songs, but it also seems to echo the passion and honest lyrical content that he usually had.


"What Kind of Man" by Florence and The Machine: Flo and her magic Machine are truly one of the most eclectic bands to have emerged in the 2010's. Their blend of folk, rock, soul, gospel, and new wave has been unmatched so far! Their eclecticism seems to come full circle in "What Kind of Man", which starts as a whispery, dark hymnal, but quickly turns into the sort of new wave-y dance-rock song you might expect from INXS, or perhaps even Prince. Guitar isn't usually a central instrument in Florence and The Machine's music, but it takes on a very important role in "What Kind of Man" from the first minute on. "What kind of man loves like this?" Flo implores throughout the chorus. The more important question is, "What kind of man (or woman) doesn't love this music?!"

New songs for October 15th, 2014

here they are:


"Dancehall Domine" by The New Pornographers: Who knew that The New Pornographers would be responsible for one of the biggest adult alt radio hits of the summer ("Brill Bruisers")?! Usually, a band as quirky as they are is lucky to get ONE song off their latest album to make waves on the radio, but The New Pornographers actually pulled it off this summer, so much so, that they've decided to release a SECOND single to adult alt radio stations for the fall! That song is "Dancehall Domine". Like most of their material, "Dancehall Domine" is a song that is as enjoyably weird as it is catchy. As you might expect from the title, the song is basically the NP's ode to dancing and having a good time. The song also contains such oddly juxtaposed couplets such as, "Just like every idea/Wants to be like no other". The New Pornographers are like Barenaked Ladies. They both have risque names, but they also both have a fun, upbeat sound!


"Dearly Departed" by Shakey Graves: Just the name of the band "Shakey Graves" probably fills your mind with Halloween-y imagery apt for the month of October. Combine that with lyrics like, "You and I both know that the house is haunted, and you and I both know that the ghost is me", and you've got the perfect ingredients for a song that'll scare the pants off of you! Or so you would think. "Dearly Departed" is actually an upbeat country-rock stomper, whose sounds don't even come close to being "spooky". It is a song more fit for playing out on the barn porch on a hot afternoon than it is for feeling frightened on a dark, cold night.


"Louder Than Words" by Pink Floyd: PINK FLOYD?!? (pretends to spit milk through nose) WHAA-AATTT?!?! There are two reasons I never thought I'd be reviewing a Floyd song. First of all, it's been about 20 years since they last released an album, so I assumed that they had broken up for good, what with David Gilmour and Roger Waters having both released solo records in the '00s. And second of all, most of their material isn't exactly the folk-rock-y, roots-y, melodic stuff I usually review if I'm blogging about a new song from a classic rock band. But lo and behold, Pink Floyd's "Louder Than Words" was all over adult alt radio in less than a week!! One thing people tend to forget (or at least overlook) about Pink Floyd's material is that they had more "soft" songs than just "Wish You Were Here". "Goodbye Blue Sky", most of "Mother", and "Fearless" are also great acoustic Floyd songs. That being said, "Louder Than Words" isn't entirely acoustic, but it does lean towards the more sensitive side of the band's catalog. The song centers around how "this thing that we do" (presumably either playing music or existing as a band) is "louder than words", which I'm guessing refers to the phenomenon of relaying musical messages from one person to the next. The length of the song stretches for a while, like most of their songs, in this case, totaling to around 6 minutes.


"She's the One" by Ray LaMontagne: And speaking of classic rock, contemporary folkie Ray LaMontagne is using a lot of influences from such bands on his latest album. The exuberant, summery splash of "Supernova", one of the biggest adult alt radio hits of 2014, recalled groups like The Eagles and Fleetwood Mac. "She's the One" goes for a bit of a harder-edged sound, deriving its sound from the propulsive, defiant riff of The Allman Brothers Band's "Whipping Post". As you could probably guess from the title of "She's the One", though, it has none of the angst and turmoil that The Allmans had lyrically on "Whipping Post". Still, this song serves as a nice way of introducing rock fans to a previously folk oriented musician!


"Then Came the Morning" by The Lone Bellow: A year ago, The Lone Bellow joined the ranks of Mumford and Sons, The Lumineers, and The Civil Wars as being a successful folk-rock group with a string of catchy songs (though they weren't quite as big as those three groups were). "Then Came the Morning" is a bit less like Mumford, and a bit more like Morrison. Van Morrison, that is. The song seamlessly mixes folk, rock, and soul, much like Van the Man did. Surprisingly, the Irish folk-rock hitmaker was not the first person that The Lone Bellow's lead singer, Zach Williams, had in mind when he wrote "Then Came the Morning". Instead, the person Zach had in mind was none other than Elvis. Yes, Elvis Presley, not Costello! Specifically, he thought of what Elvis sounded like during his final years as a Las Vegas performer. Long live the King!

New songs for October 16th, 2013

here they are:


"Green Eyes And A Heart of Gold" by The Lone Bellow: Folk-rock trio The Lone Bellow continue to impress me which each new song they release! Between this song and "Bleeding Out", they seem to have a knack for making depressing subject matter sound both happy and sincere. This song might be about trying to endure bad situations, though, ("All the money's gone and the house is cold, but it's alright"). The melody of the song is sweet and thoughtful, but also quite catchy (a lot of their material so far seems to be this way). It's a wonder they haven't reached mainstream success yet! All I can think of is that perhaps they were a year too late on the neo-folk-rock bandwagon.


"Head On" by Man Man: It's a person! It's a human! No, it's MAN Man!! This repetitively named band, whose song "Head On" is not to be confused for the Jesus and Mary Chain (and later, Pixies) song of the same name, are quite an eclectic band, even among other bands of a genre already known for being eclectic! Their sound suggests something of a cross between the clever techno-pop of Moby and the orchestral indie sound of Andrew Bird. Perhaps the best part of this song is its uplifting message, "Hold on to your heart", and the melodic way in which it is sung!


"Home Again" by Elton John: Sir Elton's collaboration with fellow 1970's musician, Leon Russell, proved that Elton still had something to say in the 21st century! "Home Again" proves he can do just as good standing on his own after all these years as he does with other musicians! This one really tugs at the ol' heartstrings like a lot of his best known songs tend to do. This one follows in the footsteps of "Candle In the Wind", "Rocket Man", "Tiny Dancer", etc., with its bittersweet tone, soul searching lyrics, and its rich instrumental arrangements. Elton truly has gone back "home again" with this one, hasn't he?!


"Nothing More" by The Alternate Routes: Wow, is this song ever a tearjerker!! Although, it is a tearjerker that elicits tears of joy, and not sadness. Both the song and the video (which can be seen here, www.youtube.com/watch?v=9tXzlVjU1xs), are about lead singer Tim Warren's sister, Katie, when she was a little girl. The video is very cute, and it is basically a collection of home videos featuring Katie just running around and having fun. The song expresses the theme of how close Tim and Katie are as brother and sister. I have just one word to say after viewing the video for this song and listening to it. "Awwwww"!!


"Queenie Eye" by Paul McCartney: Sir Paul's latest song, "Queenie Eye", recalls his best work from The Beatles and then some! It has a rollicking, piano based sound, similar to songs like "Lady Madonna", and the second half of "You Never Give Me Your Money". I don't really know what "Queenie Eye" is supposed to be in the context of the song, but it sure is catchy! I suppose that the title of the song is essentially just filler words, as the imagery of the song seems to be a "word salad" of sorts (like "I Am the Walrus"), though the song itself could be taken as an allegory for how fickle fame can be.


"The Wire" by Haim: An indie-pop trio of teenage sisters from my hometown (L.A.) doesn't exactly sound like the sort of band who would cover a song for a Fleetwood Mac tribute album, but I first got to know them with a cover of the Fleetwood Mac song, "Hold Me". Haim (pronounced like "hime") were a bit more of an electro-pop sort of group back when they covered "Hold Me", but I guess doing one of Fleetwood Mac's songs inspired them to SOUND more like Fleetwood Mac (albeit with an indie pop sheen to it). "The Wire" is a sunny slice of California pop music that would probably put a smile on Christine McVie's face if she ever heard it! Not bad for a "breakthrough" song!

New songs for May 15th, 2013

here they are:


“Awkward” by San Cisco: If you’re used to indie rock, there’s absolutely nothing “awkward” about this song (except maybe the pace of the way the lyrics are sung for every second line of the song, haha). “Awkward” by San Cisco combines the best of…well…a couple worlds, really. The reedy, “British Aussie” vocals of Luke Pritchard from The Kooks, the uber-catchy vibes of the typical Vampire Weekend song, the missing link between garage rock and new wave that The Strokes are known for, and the exchange between male lead vocals and female lead vocals made popular by groups like The xx are all apparent influences on “Awkward”. The lyrics of the song seem like they would have fit in perfectly with a “hipster romance” film like “Juno”, seeing how they are seemingly affectionate (but not really) lyrics sung in a dry manner. “Awkward”?! Like I said, it’s only “awkward” if you’re not into the whole indie rock thing. Otherwise, enjoy!!


"Bleeding Out" by The Lone Bellow: Those who heard The Lone Bellow's "You Never Need Nobody" probably got the impression that they were a trio of "lonesome country sweethearts". Their second big song, "Bleeding Out", still has a somewhat roots-y sound, but it's not lonesome, and not exactly sweet, either. "Bleeding Out" makes The Lone Bellow sound more like a full blown band than just a trio, what with its use of both electric and acoustic guitars, a discernible, waltz-y rhythm section, and even a brass section after each chorus! The emotional quality of The Lone Bellow's music really does "bleed out" on "Bleeding Out". Talk about wearing your heart on your sleeve!


“Diamonds” by The Boxer Rebellion: If it sounds like a broken hearted indie rock song, that’s because it is. The Boxer Rebellion’s latest tune, “Diamonds”, is so called because the lead singer feels like he is “No good next to Diamonds”, in terms of his love life. Wow, that must be a drag!! Thankfully, the textured, echoing, atmospheric feel of “Diamonds” makes Nathan Nicholson’s complaints worth listening to. This song gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “diamond in the rough”!!


"Hit Or Miss" by Tom Jones: "It's not unusual to be loved by anyone", as one of Jones' most famous songs states. It is unusual, however, for Tom to take a folk-rock approach to his music! He does exactly that with "Hit Or Miss", which, in spite of its not-so-Tom-Jones-ish sound, manages to be a winner nonetheless! The song is both honest and charming, with its theme centering around how refreshing it is to just be yourself. So, is this a hit, or a miss?! Hit!! And a pretty big one, at that!


"Shameless" by Lissie: Lissie?! More like "Lizzie", as in '90s indie-pop goddess, Liz Phair! After all, that's what Lissie's latest tune, "Shameless", sounds like to me, in terms of both its gutsy alt-pop, and its defiant lyrics!! So what happened here?! Did Lissie think that the bittersweet sound of songs like "In Sleep" and "When I'm Alone" didn't carry enough musical weight?! Calm down!! You don't have to get all "You Oughta Know" on us just because you haven't become a household name yet! On a more serious note, though, "Shameless" IS a good song! However, it's probably also going to end up being a song that drives away a good portion of what Lissie's fanbase has become so far.

New songs for January 30th, 2013

here they are:


"Little Numbers" by Boy: Their name might be "Boy", but they're actually two women! As for the title of their latest song, "Little Numbers", it is quite a fitting title for a song whose music video features children clapping and dancing along to the beat of the song, and the members of the band being silly and playing on a giant chalk keyboard with each other. "Little" and "numbers" are both words that bring my childhood to mind, and perhaps many childhoods (esp. the word "little"). The song's clap-along beat and sugary (but not TOO sugary) harmonies are yet another peppy aspect of it. The song itself is about a relationship, but it has no "downer" lyrics, from what I can tell. In case you are curious to know what the music video for "Little Numbers" was like, here is a link to it. Enjoy! www.youtube.com/watch?v=zsyjS_vJfkw


"San Francisco" by The Mowgli's: With a band name that brings to mind that kid in "The Jungle Book" who hung out with a talking bear and roamed about in red underwear, it's no surprise to me that The Mowgli's have such an upbeat, friendly sound! Like the previous song I reviewed for this week, "San Francisco" has a cute video to go with it, featuring paper cut-outs of a boy and a girl that probably wouldn't have been too out of place on an old episode of "Sesame Street". With its irresistible rhythm, insanely catchy melodies, and "doot-doo-doo doo"'s punctuating each verse of the song, "San Francisco" is the perfect song to make the kid in you come out and dance!! The music video can be viewed with the following link: www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZThM8lhg0eU


"Tightrope" by Walk the Moon: For a band who named themselves after The Police's "Walking On the Moon", Walk the Moon definitely seem to follow in their mentors' footsteps in terms of their energetic, new wave-based pop/rock sound! I don't think Sting and the boys ever created a music video like the one for "Tightrope", though! Yes, here is yet ANOTHER song for this week with a creative music video! It's what you'd probably get if you crossed the gaudy, exotic costumes from "Cats" with the quirky puppetry from "Sesame Street", and put them both out in the woods at dusk! Without the music video, "Tightrope" is a funky, danceable song as well, but the video makes the song worth listening to, in my opinion. The link can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gPedH9B8AAE


"We the Common" by Thao with The Stay Down Get Down: If Bjork had a more folks-y, bluegrass flavor, she'd probably sound like Thao, one half of the indie-pop duo Thao and Mirah. Lyrically, "We the Common" sounds like a protest song, but I don't think I've ever heard a protest song sound this both this folk-y AND this funky, which makes "We the Common" quite a memorable song for my ears! "We the Common" can be summed up in the following three terms: Bjork-ish vocals, banjo, funky beats. An unlikely combination, but I say, the more unlikely, the better!


"Wild Country" by Wake Owl: This song (and the one that comes after it) for this week are probably the only two songs listed in this entry without a sense of relentless energy to them. Songs for quiet time can be quite peaceful, though, and "Wild Country" by Wake Owl can certainly be defined by words like "peaceful". "Melancholy" is a word that can describe both the mood and the lyrics of "Wild Country", with its lonesome vocals, sighing violins, and lovelorn, sorrowful words like, "Never gonna chase something, it's a total waste running". "Wild Country" is anything BUT "wild". It's a song that's as precious as it is fragile, and one that I hold dear to my heart!


"You Never Need Nobody" by The Lone Bellow: Having never heard of The Lone Bellow before, I decided to look them up on a music website, which compared them to bands like Mumford & Sons, The Lumineers, and The Civil Wars. I knew from this that I'd probably fall in love with their music, and I did! (Though Wake Owl are better, in my opinion). Still, "You Never Need Nobody" has a quaint, down home-y vibe to it that's hard to resist. It sounds like the kind of song you might play near a campfire right before you go to bed, or maybe one that you'd play outside on a porch of a log cabin. In any case, though, "You Never Need Nobody" is a charming song with a wistful melody, and is another great addition to the ever expanding folk-rock catalog of the 2010's!