here they are:
"Before I Found You" by Van William: Before I found this song by Van William, he was merely the guy who had a song where the Swedish folk-rock group First Aid Kit provided guest vocals on one verse. Now that I've found "Before I Found You", though, I can see why so many adult alt radio stations have latched onto it! It combines acoustic instrumentation with catchy rock/pop beats. It has a heck of a catchy chorus, too. "I never knew who I was before I found you", Van declares during the chorus of the song, and then adds, "Don't let me sleep tonight". New love is full of exciting moments, isn't it?!
"Blackout" by Frank Turner: Frank Turner might just be one of the most eclectic musicians of the 2010's. From folk-rock to folk-punk to Bruce Springsteen-esque roots rock, he seems to have done it all! "Blackout" adds a new dimension to Frank's music. A sort of post-punk-cum-pop sound akin to groups like Franz Ferdinand and Arctic Monkeys is what drives Frank's latest song, "Blackout". The song centers around "the darkness" and how Frank is afraid of it, like he presumes the listener to be. What darkness is he talking about? We may never know the answer to that one. What we do know, however, is that this song is yet another reason to admire Frank Turner, just as I did when I first heard his music 5 years ago!
"Don't Give In" by Snow Patrol: Gary Lightbody's voice sounds a bit strained during the first verse of this song, but it does become more recognizable to Snow Patrol fans as it progresses. Choosing to perform their latest song in the not so commonly used key of D sharp minor (or E flat minor, depending on where you go in the musical scale), "Don't Give In" is a unique song for the part Irish and part Scottish indie-pop quintet. Perhaps the urgency here in Gary's voice is due to his addressing the problems with depression he has faced since he was young. Like many Snow Patrol songs, there is a sense of vulnerability in "Don't Give In". For a band who has not released a new album in 7 years, this is a pretty strong comeback!
"Fool Me Once" by Lukas Nelson: I've only heard a handful of Lukas Nelson songs, but this is probably the one where he sounds the closest to his legendary dad, Willie, in terms of both his vocals and his musical style. The song may be about someone's cheatin' heart, in true country-rock fashion, but it has a rather upbeat, happy-go-lucky sound in the spirit of groups like The Allman Brothers Band or Little Feat. Funny that Lukas chose to release this song as a single so close to April Fool's Day, isn't it? Considering its title, I mean...
"If Your Prayers Don't Get to Heaven" by Brian Fallon (lead singer of Gaslight Anthem): The Gaslight Anthem are like what you'd get if you mixed Bruce Springsteen with The Clash. Both Springsteen and The Clash had a hidden fondness for Motown and early soul music that occasionally surfaced in their music, so it only figures that The Gaslight Anthem's lead singer, Brian Fallon, would make a soul inflected tune of his own. That tune is "If Your Prayers Don't Get to Heaven". Given the bleak and desperate tone of most Gaslight Anthem songs, you might think the title to this song is a sarcastic one, but from what I can tell from the lyrics, it isn't. It just seems to be a song of reassurance to whoever Brian's current lover is. If your prayers don't get to heaven, the power of good music will!
Showing posts with label Van William. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Van William. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Wednesday, September 6, 2017
New songs for September 6th 2017
here they are:
"Bones of Saints" by Robert Plant: In contrast to the folk-y "The May Queen" from just last week, "Bones of Saints" has a bit more of a sound that suggests what it might sound like if Led Zeppelin had stayed together into the new millennium. The foreboding "bones" part of the title suggests that it's more of a rock song, but fear not, it's not a spooky one. It's a fun little blues-y romp tinged with mythological motifs that were common in Plant's music during the Led Zeppelin days. It doesn't hit quite as hard as the typical Zeppelin tune, but for those who want Robert Plant to show off some of his rock and roll past, you got your wish!
"Day I Die" by The National: Joy Division styled electro-gloom fused with U2 styled guitars might not seem like a good match at first, but The National manage to make it work on their latest song, "Day I Die". Strained family relationships and drug/alcohol abuse make up the core of this song, which has Matt Berninger wondering, "The day I die, where will I be?" Judging by the lyrical content and the somewhat dismal musical landscape, he probably thinks he won't be in a good place when he dies. Fate is a fickle friend, isn't it?!
"No Witness" by LP: A departure from the folk-y vibes of "Into the Wild" and "Lost On You", LP's latest song, "No Witness", has more of a post-millennial alt-pop flavor to it, full of synths and handclap sounds. It comes off sounding like Queen's "We Will Rock You" as if it was covered by Lorde. Where "Lost On You" was more of a mournful pining on a love gone lost, "No Witness" is a song in which LP accepts her fate as the rejected lover, admitting, "No one can save me, love me or hate me". She seems to use the aforementioned line as a bit of a mantra before jumping into the chorus, as if she doesn't like what has happened to her, but has still chosen to accept it that it's just how things are.
"Over Everything" by Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett: Move over, Cobain and Love! There's a new Kurt and Courtney in town! Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett, to be exact, both of whom are eclectic indie-folk-rockers of the 2010's. Their first song together, "Over Everything", epitomizes the "slacker" aesthetic of the indie scene. It is a very lazy, hazy song, with lyrics that don't exactly add up to a cohesive narrative (at least not that I can tell). However, it also has an equal amount of sensitivity in terms of how it sounds, both instrumentally and vocally. At 6 and a half minutes, the song also has a bit of a "jam band" vibe. I wonder if that was influenced by both Kurt and Courtney contributing to an all-indie tribute to The Grateful Dead that came out about a year ago.
"Revolution" by Van William (featuring First Aid Kit): No, this is not a Beatles cover song, for those who might be wondering. Far from it, in this case. Unlike the rollicking, roaring Lennon-McCartney tune of the same name, this "Revolution" is soft and folk-y and has nothing to do with politics whatsoever. This song is simply about a strained relationship that both members of the couple want to patch up. Nothing too remarkable about this song, but it is pleasant to listen to, and the horns that come in midway through the song make it sound a bit more unique than it would otherwise.
"The Sky Is A Neighborhood" by Foo Fighters: Last, but certainly not least, the mighty Foo Fighters are still roarin' and rockin' to this very day! Their latest song is essentially arena rock in the vein of The Who or Queen, but meant more for the current generation. What's particularly remarkable about this song, though, is the lyrics. Dave Grohl supposedly was reading Neil DeGrasse Tyson books when he came up with the lyrics to this song. Its talk of heaven, the stars, and the sky is not merely poetic metaphor in this song, but rather a literal musing on the cosmos. Rock never sounded so out of this world!
"Bones of Saints" by Robert Plant: In contrast to the folk-y "The May Queen" from just last week, "Bones of Saints" has a bit more of a sound that suggests what it might sound like if Led Zeppelin had stayed together into the new millennium. The foreboding "bones" part of the title suggests that it's more of a rock song, but fear not, it's not a spooky one. It's a fun little blues-y romp tinged with mythological motifs that were common in Plant's music during the Led Zeppelin days. It doesn't hit quite as hard as the typical Zeppelin tune, but for those who want Robert Plant to show off some of his rock and roll past, you got your wish!
"Day I Die" by The National: Joy Division styled electro-gloom fused with U2 styled guitars might not seem like a good match at first, but The National manage to make it work on their latest song, "Day I Die". Strained family relationships and drug/alcohol abuse make up the core of this song, which has Matt Berninger wondering, "The day I die, where will I be?" Judging by the lyrical content and the somewhat dismal musical landscape, he probably thinks he won't be in a good place when he dies. Fate is a fickle friend, isn't it?!
"No Witness" by LP: A departure from the folk-y vibes of "Into the Wild" and "Lost On You", LP's latest song, "No Witness", has more of a post-millennial alt-pop flavor to it, full of synths and handclap sounds. It comes off sounding like Queen's "We Will Rock You" as if it was covered by Lorde. Where "Lost On You" was more of a mournful pining on a love gone lost, "No Witness" is a song in which LP accepts her fate as the rejected lover, admitting, "No one can save me, love me or hate me". She seems to use the aforementioned line as a bit of a mantra before jumping into the chorus, as if she doesn't like what has happened to her, but has still chosen to accept it that it's just how things are.
"Over Everything" by Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett: Move over, Cobain and Love! There's a new Kurt and Courtney in town! Kurt Vile and Courtney Barnett, to be exact, both of whom are eclectic indie-folk-rockers of the 2010's. Their first song together, "Over Everything", epitomizes the "slacker" aesthetic of the indie scene. It is a very lazy, hazy song, with lyrics that don't exactly add up to a cohesive narrative (at least not that I can tell). However, it also has an equal amount of sensitivity in terms of how it sounds, both instrumentally and vocally. At 6 and a half minutes, the song also has a bit of a "jam band" vibe. I wonder if that was influenced by both Kurt and Courtney contributing to an all-indie tribute to The Grateful Dead that came out about a year ago.
"Revolution" by Van William (featuring First Aid Kit): No, this is not a Beatles cover song, for those who might be wondering. Far from it, in this case. Unlike the rollicking, roaring Lennon-McCartney tune of the same name, this "Revolution" is soft and folk-y and has nothing to do with politics whatsoever. This song is simply about a strained relationship that both members of the couple want to patch up. Nothing too remarkable about this song, but it is pleasant to listen to, and the horns that come in midway through the song make it sound a bit more unique than it would otherwise.
"The Sky Is A Neighborhood" by Foo Fighters: Last, but certainly not least, the mighty Foo Fighters are still roarin' and rockin' to this very day! Their latest song is essentially arena rock in the vein of The Who or Queen, but meant more for the current generation. What's particularly remarkable about this song, though, is the lyrics. Dave Grohl supposedly was reading Neil DeGrasse Tyson books when he came up with the lyrics to this song. Its talk of heaven, the stars, and the sky is not merely poetic metaphor in this song, but rather a literal musing on the cosmos. Rock never sounded so out of this world!
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