New songs for July 20th, 2022

 here they are:


"Brad Pitt" by Coin: Why name your latest track after one of the most well-known actors of all time? Because you're using him to represent the idea of eternal youth, that's why! The celebrity's name is not mentioned even once in the song, but in Coin's latest song, the deceptively catchy "Brad Pitt," the indie-pop trio challenge the idea of eternal youth being something worth celebrating. After all, everyone grows old someday. Coin don't really confront the problem head-on as much as they mock it, singing "keep me young forever" during the chorus in a manner that could be interpreted as being partially sarcastic.

"Here to Forever" by Death Cab for Cutie: Musically, Death Cab's latest song, "Here to Forever," picks up where their 2018 songs left off, giving off a lite-goth-rock sound of sorts. It's lyrically, however, where the song really has some weight. Even in the opening lines, Ben Gibbard has deep and rather dark thoughts about the impermanence of life, commenting how everyone he sees on 1950's movies is no longer alive. He spends the rest of the song trying to come to terms with how he, too, will go one day, while still having a sliver of hope that "forever" might be a possibility if there is an afterlife.

"Hurts (But it Goes Away)" by The Head and The Heart: The intro to this song is cool, using a bass in place of the expected piano and/or guitar, but those two instruments do make their way into this song around the 15-second mark. The Head and The Heart's latest song, "Hurts (But it Goes Away)," continues in the more mainstream pop/rock direction the band have taken roughly since the mid-2010's, adding slightly more artificial synth-y instrumentation in back of the central role the piano takes in the song. These days, it's hard to tell if a song like this is a plea for a lover to come back, or if it's about life itself and wanting reassurance from it. I would opt to say it's the latter, though, given both the time it's come out in and how it doesn't seem to be addressed to a specific person.

"It Ain't Over" by The Black Keys: Much like their song "Wild Child" from earlier this year, "It Ain't Over" is another song in The Black Keys catalog that attempts to mix funk and blues-rock into one thing. The song has a very '70s R & B sound and rhythm, but Dan Auerbach's trademark fuzz-guitar sound is still in here, especially during the chorus. A powerful and catchy tune, no doubt about it! The only weakness this song has is probably its guitar solo at the very end, which feels rather anticlimactic compared to the rest of it.

"Records" by Weezer: Seems like as Weezer have aged, they've lost the ability to rock that they once had. I personally have mixed feelings about this myself. I actually think they're really good at being a sweeter and more melodic group, but songs like this one tend to fall flat. Specifically, on "Records," Weezer use a synth-y pop sound for their verses and a chunky, almost "More Than a Feeling"-ish guitar riff during the chorus that rocks a bit less than Boston despite trying to boast otherwise. Not the best mix if you ask me, yet there's still something winsome and fun about this track. 

New songs for March 23rd, 2022

 here they are:

"A Little Bit of Love" by Weezer: Weezer have strayed a long way from their loud rock roots that combined Cars-esque power pop with the then-current trend of grunge. Weezer's latest song, "A Little Bit of Love," doesn't sound a thing like that! The song's title by itself indicates its optimism, and the actual song, with its sunny upbeat sound and chipper acoustic guitar strumming, is a sweet song that wouldn't sound out of place on a show like Yo Gabba Gabba (where they once made a guest appearance, coincidentally). I guess for some people, rock and roll IS "just a phase"! 

"Goodbye Mr. Blue" by Father John Misty: There's no predicting what you'll get from a Father John Misty song! He's tackled everything from folk-rock to electronica to standards to Baroque pop and everything in between! In the bittersweet "Goodbye Mr. Blue," though, Misty goes back to his folk-rock roots. With the words "goodbye" and "blue" in its title, you could probably imagine that this isn't going to be a happy, upbeat song. However, it still evokes strong feelings of nostalgia with its plaintive, soul-searching sound. And who, you may ask, is "Mr. Blue"? It's actually a cat that Father John Misty used to own! This song is a sweet, sentimental ode to FJM's furry feline friend. How sweet!

"The Lightning I, II" by Arcade Fire: Prog-rock might not have been a big thing since the 1970's, but Arcade Fire, along with Muse, are one of the few indie-pop/rock acts to carry its influence over to the new millennium! The first part of this two-part epic is one of the more bittersweet, folk-rock-y Arcade Fire songs. By the second half of the song, it gets slightly more upbeat, but still sweet-sounding and melodic as it was during the start. The lyrics of the song concern friendship and the feeling of always being able to depend on one another through hard times. The "lightning" that Win Butler and co are waiting for that gives the song(s) its title(s) might be a spark of inspiration. That spark has certainly struck the band here! In mid to late 2010's, Arcade Fire lost the more folk-y side of their sound, which they displayed eloquently in the late '00s and early 2010's. In "The Lightning," what was once lost has now been found!

New songs for May 26th 2021

 Here they are:


"Famous Son" by Belle Mt.: With a mix of a crisp, acoustic, folk-pop sound and staccato guitar riffs and pulsating synths forming a new wave influenced sound, Belle Mt's "Famous Son" doesn't really add anything new under the sun, but it's a pleasant song to kick back to nonetheless (we've been needing some of those lately). The real charm of this song, though, is probably more within its lyrics. The title of the song is not mentioned until towards the end, when the lead singer sums up the song's the theme, which is that his father warned him not to be "famous, son." Too bad! With this song being an up-and-comer on adult alt radio stations, Belle Mt. ARE getting famous to a degree.

"I Need Some of That" by Weezer: Weezer first hit the airwaves in the '90s, but in "I Need Some of That," they set the dials back one decade earlier. Recalling big '80s rock hits like Asia's "Heat of the Moment," and just about any early Bryan Adams or Cars song, "I Need Some of That" indulges unashamedly in nostalgia for a decade during which I was only a baby! The song itself is about nostalgia, not only in sound, but in lyric as well! Rivers Cuomo even opens the song with, "Summertime. I press rewind," and we are transported back to a past when Back to the Future ruled the movie theaters. As if the song didn't have enough of a hammy '80s classic rock sound, Rivers even mentions listening to Aerosmith as part of the lyrics. Party on, Weezer!

"Like I Used To" by Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen: Two of the most progressive female singer/songwriters of the 2010's come together for the first time with a song that is bound to please anyone who enjoys melancholy indie-folk music! Like our previous entry, "Like I Used To" has a jones for nostalgia, but not of the same type. This nostalgia does not take place in a specific decade, but just any time in someone's life when they might have felt like the past was a simpler time than the present. The title of the song already makes this apparent, but listening to both the words they use to accompany the title ("falling in love like I used to," "lighting one up like I used to," etc.) and the sultry yet sad way the lyrics are delivered really drives the point home. Judging from the things they miss doing in the context of the song, Sharon and Angel probably want to go back to when they were either teens or very young adults, pining away for when sex, drugs, and...folk 'n' roll...held a mysterious allure, as opposed to a harmful aftertaste.

"Missing Piece" by Vance Joy: Contemporary folk-rocker, Vance Joy, tends to be popular among both alternative and adult alt radio stations whenever he releases something, but the use of his latest song, "Missing Piece," on Grey's Anatomy seemed to contribute to his most recent wave of success within just a matter of days! Though I've never been a fan of medical dramas (or most dramas, for that matter), I must say that someone who works on the show must be pretty cool if they selected his music to be on the show! Onto the song itself, though, it's a very yearning one, as per usual for Vance, but in a way he hasn't really done so before. Instead of a "Woe is me. Where did my love go wrong?" song, we get a song about how he misses the one he loves. I suspect that part of this could have been in response to separation he might have experienced during the pandemic (if so, he released this song RIGHT in the nick of time). There's a hopeful side to this song as well, as Vance's "missing piece" is something he is positive will be FOUND once he rejoins his romantic partner. Thanks for getting us all through these hard times, Vance!

"Reverie" by Son Volt: '90s country-rock group, Son Volt, continued to soldier on into the new millennium with sparser and sparser appearances as the years went by. By the time the 2010's rolled around, they made only two memorable appearances, both of which had a bittersweet folk-rock sound in comparison to the more gritty stuff they originally became known for. With "Reverie," it seems as though Son Volt have found a comfortable middle ground. It has a more solid rock sound, veering slightly towards a light Southern rock variant, than most of their more recent material, but it retains the earthy, roots-y quality of their early stuff. This song also may serve as an answer as to why Son Volt retreated from the limelight in late 2016. The entire reign of terror of a certain person who shall not be named took place RIGHT at that time, climaxing in both physical and emotional separation as the current generation has never experienced before. With the recurring line, "We won't know where we stand 'till December," "Reverie" could be a way of summing up both last year AND this year. We didn't know where we would stand politically last year until about a month prior to December, and this year, it'll probably take until the end of it to find out where we are regarding if we can see each other again without fear of anyone we hang out with being contagious. A smart and timely song of both idealism and realism!

"Stop Making It Hurt" by Bleachers: In spite of the happy, bouncy sound of this song, there is most definitely a palpable undercurrent of hurt behind" Stop Making This Hurt." The song came about when the seemingly irrepressible Jack Antonoff came to the realization during the coronavirus pandemic that he wouldn't be able to perform face to face in front of his fans like he used to for a long time! The song details the angst, chaos, and disappointment of family life during the pandemic. The kids are complaining, Mom wants to break loose from the Garden State, and Dad has gotten to the point of not even recognizing where he is anymore. Nothing is fine. But sometimes, that's what we need to hear in a song! We need to KNOW that we're not the only ones going through what we are. "Stop Making This Hurt" might just be the spoonful of sugar we need to make the tiresome medicine of our vaccines go down!

"Witchoo" by Durand Jones and The Indications: Like fellow neo-soul-ster, Leon Bridges, Durand Jones and The Indications started off imitating '60s soul music and have now dipped their feet into '70s funk! "Witchoo" captures that moment in time when the R in R & B was getting stronger than the B, as the focus of this song is primarily rhythmic, lacking the bluesy pulse that was present in early R & B. We've had so many songs here that want to leave the present moment, and for understandable reasons, but this song seems very in-the-moment, at least lyrically speaking. Though its sound is an obvious throwback to soul music of the mid-1970's, "Witchoo"'s lyrics are basically about traveling on the road and spending time with that special someone. The simple pleasures of life. So what are you waiting for?! Get down with yo' bad self and melt into the auditory dance party that is "Witchoo"!

New songs for January 27th 2021

 here they are:


"All My Favorite Songs" by Weezer: This is a rather unusual song for Weezer! It's one of the few songs where they don't have any guitar! However, according to Rivers Cuomo's lyrics, there is a reason for this. Supposedly, "all (his) favorite songs are slow and sad." So is the case with "All My Favorite Songs." The song itself is slow and sad. It is written in C sharp minor, is dominated by cello instead of guitar, and manages to make the quirky but edgy punk-pop of Weezer classics like "Buddy Holly" and "Undone (The Sweater Song)" sound like heavy metal in comparison! "All My Favorite Songs" seems to serve as an unofficial "sequel" song to Weezer's surprisingly bittersweet and ultra-soft 2008 song, "Heart Songs." In contrast to the complete sincerity of "Heart Songs," though, "All My Favorite Songs" is somewhat self-deprecating, with Rivers claiming during the chorus that he "doesn't know what's wrong with him"!

"Call Me A Fool" by Valerie June: A sweeping, haunting neo-soul tune, "Call Me A Fool" might be sung by a millennial musician, but it is none other than 1960's R & B legend, Carla Thomas, providing the opening spoken word part: "Only a fool tests the depths of the water with both feet." Valerie, in response, kicks off the song with the four titular words, "call me a fool," twice. Why is she a "fool," exactly? Well, it's because she's fallen for a person who has used her, but she likes them anyway, in a way that's more than just friendly. Somehow, I feel like this is the perfect kind of song for Valentine's Day of this year, which will be coming up shortly!

"Ghosts" by Bruce Springsteen: In fall of last year, Bruce made a grand return to adult alt radio with "Letter to You," a sweet, heartfelt song that recalled vintage Bruce songs from the 1970's. With "Ghosts," the vintage Bruce sound continues, albeit on a much grander scale! The spirited, lively tone of this epic, five-and-a-half-minute song sounds like it was made for the arenas! (There'd better BE arenas sometime this year!) Unlike what its title might suggest, "Ghosts" is not about a dead person or people, but rather a metaphor for how music makes Bruce feel! The comparison here is that, much like a ghost, Bruce is haunted (in a good way) by the sound of music. Bruce, someday, when you're a ghost yourself, I hope to feel the same way you do when you hear music! One more thing I might add. The ghost of Clarence, the Big Man himself, appears to permeate this song towards the end of it! It's probably his son, Jake, playing sax during that part! 

"Waiting on a War" by Foo Fighters: If you thought "Shame Shame" from fall of last year was too "soft" for a Foo Fighters song, then this song might disappoint you even more. However, for the people who enjoy the softer side of Dave and the boys, like me, "Waiting on a War" is an excellent, haunting track! The song is their folkiest since the days of the acoustic version of "Everlong" and the equally haunting, "Walking After You"...well, until the end of it, that is, although even that part still retains the sense of sweet melody and harmony the song starts with. Since the song did come out during autumn of the tumultuous and unpredictable year of 2020, the lyrics to "Waiting on a War" are heavily reflective of just how torn apart the U.S. (and arguably the rest of the world, to a degree) had become by that point. The title of the song comes about from how Dave Grohl wonders throughout the song whether there is more to life than just "waiting on a war." There's never any definitive proof of an answer to this, but he seems to lean towards the more hopeful side, as the song is attempting to spread a message of peace and love amongst a nation (and planet) of war-torn citizens!

New songs for the day after Groundhog Day

Stuck in a continuous time loop? Not to worry. We have 6 songs that'll get you through it!


"Gardenia" by Iggy Pop: David Bowie and Lou Reed may not be around anymore to grace us with their presence, but at least ONE punk rock forefather is keeping things alive for us, and that man is Iggy Pop! If you're expecting something with manic reckless abandon like "I Wanna Be Your Dog" or "Lust For Life", you'll be sorely disappointed. "Gardenia", instead, is one of the few calmer songs in Iggy's catalog, in fact it kinda sounds more like David Bowie than Iggy Pop, both musically and vocally. I wonder if the "Gardenia" mentioned in the song is Bowie himself?! Could be! One gets the hint that Iggy wants to continue to impress today's "alternative" crowd, just as he did in days of old, as this song seems to be slightly influenced by groups like The Walkmen and Modest Mouse.


"No Love Like Yours" by Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros: Musically, Edward Sharpe and The Magnetic Zeros still sound a little like a modern day Mamas and Papas, but vocally, that seems to be lost in this song. That's because the female harmonies supplied by ex-Magnetic Zero Jade are no longer there. Female vocals are present on "No Love Like Yours", but they're not as distinctive as Jade's voice. Nonetheless, ESATMZ fans will probably still be wowed by "No Love Like Yours", as it does have the typical upbeat, post-hippie-folk-rock sound that the group usually have. The tinkly pianos in this song tend to make it distinct from other Magnetic Zeros songs, despite the fact that they've used pianos before. It is also one of their shortest songs, at only 2 minutes and 57 seconds.


"Run Or Hide" by Run River North: Here is yet another indie-pop song in which piano is a defining feature. However, it sounds far too modern to be mistaken for a song from the 1960's, which is funny for a band whose first major song, "Monsters Calling Home", sounded a bit like Mumford & Sons or Of Monsters & Men. "Run Or Hide" definitely has a more modern sound than one might expect from Run River North. Perhaps that's why it's gotten more attention than their other songs have. The shout-y vocals, slightly reminiscent of songs like Imagine Dragons' "Radioactive", might also be a bit jarring for people who originally got to know Run River North through "Monsters Calling Home". However, Run River North seemed to have gained a new fanbase in the process of this song, and they seem to like it, too, especially judging by how much Run River North seem to like interacting with their fans through their YouTube page. Nerds, rejoice! Apparently Run River North are fans of "Pokemon" and "Firefly" according to one YouTube comment they made!


"Spirits" by The Strumbellas: How many people thought that their name was actually "Strumbrellas" instead of "Strumbellas"?! Well, I did. Apparently there's only one "R" in their name, not two. Anyway, The Strumbellas' debut song, "Spirits", is an interesting song. It is an indie-folk-rock song backed by an upbeat drum section and (once again) piano. The paranoid lyrics of the song, "I've got guns in my head and they won't go. Spirits in my head and they won't go" are offset by how happy the song itself sounds. The song seems to be a pretty big hit so far. The secret to their success? Probably just making the song sound as fun and catchy as it does!


"Thank God For Girls" by Weezer: WEEZER?! Some of you probably spit milk through your nose if you know me well enough, as I'm really not a big fan of Weezer ordinarily. However, there are some times where I make an exception to the rule, and this is one such case. Here is yet ANOTHER song where piano takes a central role. (Billy Joel, are you listening?! Take note!) Weezer have made an interesting transformation from self-loathing nerds in the '90s, people questioning their social identity in the '00s, and nerds who are more proud of their nerdiness in the 2010's. This song is pretty quirky, really. I mean who ELSE would use the word "cannoli" in a song even once?! They use that word repeatedly here! I'm not sure that half of this song is even ABOUT girls. "Thank God for girls" just seem to be four words they use here to drill into peoples' eardrums for days upon end.


"Wolves Without Teeth" by Of Monsters and Men: Yet another OMAM song with strange and mystical metaphors for the ups and downs of relationships. I'm sure that's why a lot of their fans (including me) like their music, though. Even their name has an aura of mystique that's just as alluring as the songs they perform. "Wolves Without Teeth" is a light folk-rock affair like a lot of OMAM's songs tend to be, but the distortion of the backing electric guitar here seems to be a bit more noticeable here than it is on their other songs (one YouTube commenter even referred to this song as "Of Mumford and Bastille" - a pretty apt and somewhat funny description, if I do say so myself!)