Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "Cold at Night" by The Mountain Goats:  A song that was released last month but that I'm just starting to get to know now...it only figures The Mountain Goats would release something on Halloween month, right?! I mean with titles like "Damn These Vampires," "Up the Wolves," and "Werewolf Gimmick," The Mountain Goats run the gamut when it comes to "spooky" titles and topics. "Cold at Night" fits right along with that. The song also has a bit more of a rock sound than fans of the Goats' normally folk-rock-y music might be used to, but it still lands roughly in that indie-folk-ish patch. I'm surprised there isn't "fandom rivalry" between The Mountain Goats and The Decemberists, given how both were mid-'00s indie-folk-rock groups who often sing about dark subject matter over sweet folk-rock-y melodies. "Cold at Night" totally lands in that Decemberists-ish spot with its tale ...

 here they are: "Afraid" by Flock of Dimes:  Having made quiet yet considerable success on adult alt radio with the aching, acoustic "Long After Midnight" in summer of this year, "Afraid" is autumnal electronica melancholia at its finest! The song relies less on guitars than "Long After Midnight" did, but it's just as compelling and just as vulnerable! Like many Flock of Dimes songs, "Afraid" wears its vulnerability on its sleeve! "I did not enter this world afraid," Jenn Wasner says during the song's opening lines, and from there, she distills herself down to her emotional essence, laying her feelings bare for the listener of the song. The song's opening line is also its last line, but Jenn adds "But I refuse to leave it that way" during this part of the song. Songs like this make me sad, but in the best possible way!  "Anywhere" by Ratboys:  They're not rats, and their lead singer isn'...

 here they are:   "Day One" by Bon Iver (featuring Dijon, and Flock of Dimes):  For a group who hadn't had success on adult alt radio in over a decade, Bon Iver's latest album has done pretty well, now yielding four singles (including this one) onto the format! Still more electro-pop than folk-rock like most of Bon Iver's latest single, but they chose some fitting guests to bridge the gaps on "Day One." Dijon for the pop-soul/electro side and Flock of Dimes for the more folk-y side. Though the song itself I have mixed feelings about, I think "Day One" has a very clever music video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jd2bebzkPS0) in which many musicians, including Annie "St. Vincent" Clark, Flock of Dimes' Jenn Wasner, and even Justin Vernon himself audition to be the "next Justin Vernon." It is set in an alternate future where Bon Iver have "retired." I'm not sure how much the video has to do with the song, bu...

 here they are: "Another Dimension" by Daniel Donato (featuring Elle King):  If you're a fan of the "trippy country music" style The Grateful Dead became known for, you'll like this song! Daniel Donato is already a bit of a "cosmic cowboy," so to speak, and although Elle is more known for sassy tunes like "Ex's and Oh's," she did start out doing more country-influenced tunes, so she's no stranger to the style either. It's easy to assume from the song's swirly sound that "Another Dimension" has a title that's a drug reference, but beneath the surface? Well, it's actually even darker than you might expect (but also more reassuring)! It seems to be about how chaotic the world has gotten lately, but that there's an alternate "dimension" you can escape to where you don't have to face the conflict. "Break the Jaw" by Madison Cunningham:  A folk-rock-y song from Madison, as per us...

here they are: "Another Second Chance" by Rocket:  Anyone nostalgic for rock and alt from the '90s (like I am) will probably love these guys! Garbage and Smashing Pumpkins are especially clear influences for the group, but one YouTube commenter also compared them to '90s rock giants like Soundgarden, Stone Temple Pilots, and Weezer, all of whom are fitting comparisons here. Lead singer Alithea Tuttle has such breathy yet detached vocals that it would probably be easy to mistake them for a '90s rock group both in terms of vocals and instrumentation. As was common for rock and alt songs of the '90s, there is a sense of vulnerability beneath the tough yet wounded sound of the song. The title refers to how Alithea wants another chance at a romance that seemed to elude her. Detachment, irony, disillusionment...if anyone is wondering where these emotions have gone in today's music, they're all right here!  "Fascination in the Dark" by Vance Joy:  I...

 here they are: "Honeydew (No Light)" by Josh Ritter:  I don't think I've ever heard such a dark song by the normally calm Josh Ritter! This song is still relatively calm, but it's also minor key and somewhat shaky and intense in its mood, enough so to fit into a noir or detective show/movie! Those are not  common elements in Ritter's material! The recurring line about "dark days" leading to "dark nights" makes it clear that something is wrong here. There are even crackling electric guitars bubbling up from underneath the surface during the song's solo! Not sure what prompted all this darkness from Josh Ritter, but it's interesting, to say the least!  "The Bridge" by Bahamas:  It might not be summer anymore, but for a band who shares their name with a tropical island, everlasting summer is to be expected, in the best of ways! The mellow side of summer vibes come out on Bahamas' latest song, "The Bridge." Defi...