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Break from Blog Hiatus Part 1 - November 20th, 2024 songs left over from two weeks ago

 Hi everyone! I'm so sorry if I left anyone behind these past three weeks! I was going through a lot and I just didn't feel up to doing new music blogs during that time. Luckily, I took the time to heal myself emotionally, and I feel better now! That being said, I missed out on a lot of new music during those weeks, but I'm finally ready to catch up. So here goes: "Afterlife" by Sharon Van Etten:  One of the more synth-heavy Sharon Van Etten songs, "Afterlife" has a rather strange but alluring appeal. Ordinarly, SVE has a sound closer to folk-rock and indie, but in the past few years, she's gotten a bit more of a techno influence. Sharon's ethereal, cathartic nature remains in this song, though. In a time of uncertainty in the world at large, her sentiments on "Afterlife" speak volumes! The entire song centers around uncertainty, and specifically spiritual and supernatural uncertainty. Sharon's eerie yet buoyant vibes, both instrume
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New songs for October 21st, 2024

 here they are: "Arrow" by The Head and The Heart:  Although the sound of this song suggests the more synthetic (yet still authentically bittersweet) sound that The Head and The Heart went for on their later albums, the lyrics of their latest song, "Arrow," are sweet and sincere enough to win me back into their fanbase (not that I ever left it, but I digress...) For a group who have been around almost 15 years (believe it or not), there were bound to be bumps along the way for The Head and The Heart, but somehow, they've managed to muddle through, and that's what "Arrow" seems to be about. That is to say, it's about the band trying to find a clear sense of direction in an ever more confusing world of music and media. When Josiah Johnson sings he is "(his) own arrow," he means that he thinks he'll be the one to guide himself in a better direction in life. "Crying in the Night" by Andrew Bird and Madison Cunningham:  Andre
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New songs for October 14th, 2024

 here they are: "A Fragile Thing" by The Cure:  Was The Cure's last single, "Alone," too long for ya? Fear not, then, because they have a shorter song for ya! The second single from The Cure's latest album in over 15 years, "A Fragile Thing" is a moody song, in typical Cure fashion, but it bases its sound with piano as its core instrument instead of relying on an orchestral wall of sound the way "Alone" seemed to. The guitar slowly seeps in, crescendoing to a solo towards the middle, but nothing too loud (I mean when have The Cure ever been too loud?! It's not their style!) The lyrics are more typical of an actual Cure song than "Alone" was. Instead of wallowing in despair and isolation, "A Fragile Thing" is a love song, which most Cure songs are, but more a love song in the way it depicts love as enduring than it is in the traditional way. "Aren't We One?" by My Morning Jacket:  Another song that sta
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New songs for October 7th, 2024

 here they are: "Hide Anymore" by Wilder Woods:  The mostly old school R & B-oriented Wilder Woods have taken a turn towards embracing newer styles on their latest song, "Hide Anymore." Although Bear Rineheart's soulful vocals are still present, the rest of the song feels more like a contemporary pop tune, and even those sound more paranoid than they usually do on Wilder Woods' typically more fun material. It appears to be about a relationship where Bear feels betrayed by someone not telling the truth to him. I don't think anyone would feel OK after going through that, though! "The Lighthouse" by Stevie Nicks:  It's been a little over a decade since we last heard from Stevie Nicks! Having lost a longtime bandmate recently, though, she was probably in mourning during the last year or so, and the sadness shows in her latest song, "The Lighthouse." Although many of her best-known songs of regret were aimed at Lindsey Buckingham,
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New songs for September 30th, 2024

 here they are: "Alone" by The Cure:  One of the best-known and best-loved goth rock bands of all time have released their first single in nearly 15 years! And how does it hold up?! Its lonesome, spacey atmosphere does make "Alone" sound like a classic Cure song circa 1989. Much like "Pictures of You," there are no words in the first few minutes of "Alone," setting up the song's melancholy mood before the lyrics even start! Speaking of which, the lyrics are also classic Cure. Robert Smith drearily yet dreamily about how isolated he feels from the world. The lyrics are a hallmark of what The Cure were best known for in their heyday. If you need a song of hopelessness and despair that also feels like a warm hug in the cold snow, "Alone" is your song! "Audacious" by Franz Ferdinand:  "The Strokes go ska" is probably a good description for Franz Ferdinand's latest song, "Audacious"! The fuzz guitars of
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New songs for September 23rd 2024

 here they are: "Billboard Heart" by Deep Sea Diver:  The first (and so far, only) Deep Sea Diver song I knew about before this one was "Impossible Weight," which was largely a Sharon Van Etten song in addition to being a Deep Sea Diver one. "Billboard Heart" marks the first time I've heard Deep Sea Diver by themselves. Lead singer Jessica Dobson does have a similar voice and musical style to Sharon Van Etten, albeit more electronica-influenced in "Billboard Heart," while still maintaining an overall indie-pop/rock aesthetic. I'm not sure what Dobson means by the title, "Billboard Heart," (apparently her significant other has one, according to the song), but the rest of the song indicates that it has yearning lyrics, much like its yearning sound, centering around wanting things you can't have and the desire to be free. "Birds of a Feather" by Billie Eilish:  Though less guitar-centric than Billie's previous eff
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New songs for September 16th 2024

 here they are: "Call Me (Whatever You Like)" by Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats:  Why wasn't this  the first single from Nathaniel Rateliff and The Night Sweats' newest album?! I mean "Heartless" wasn't a bad choice, but my fave Nathaniel songs are the ones where he lets out his inner soul man, and his latest song, "Call Me (Whatever You Like)," ranks among them! The song starts with a gritty, country-rock acoustic guitar strum before launching into a tune that imitates vintage soul music, complete with a kickin' horn section! This is definitely not the forlorn song "Heartless" was. There even a few choice swear words in this song to serve as a way for Nathaniel to tell us just how ticked off he feels! There's even an electric guitar solo in this song, a rarity for NRATNS!! If the title alone wasn't enough of an indicator that Nathaniel means business in this song, I dunno what is!  "Driver" by Soccer Mo
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