Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "Dancing on the Wall" by Muna:  This song smacks of '80s pop influence, but there's something urgent and somewhat dark about this song that wouldn't get in your run-of-the-mill Madonna or synth-pop song (this song seems to be influenced by both). On the subject of '80s pop, "Dancing in the Wall" is not like "Dancing on the Ceiling" by Lionel Richie. "Dancing on the Wall" is not a song where the singer playfully dances somewhere where a person wouldn't ordinarily be seen dancing. In fact, "dancing," in this case, is a metaphor. It's really a song where Katie Gavin is being rejected by a lover and left "dancing on the wall" as a result (fending for herself without a leg to stand on).  "Donnie Takes the Bus" by Fantastic Cat:  A throwback to late '60s/early '70s roots-rock, "Donnie Takes the Bus" by Fantastic Cat is probably going to become a fave among people wh...

here they are: “Different Kind of Love” by Young the Giant: Young the Giant have always been one of the more heartfelt groups of the 2010’s indie-pop movement, and their sincerity has continued into the 2020’s with their latest song, “Different Kind of Love.” Gentle synths combine with soaring yet friendly electric guitars in this song. This song is full of yearning, especially during the chorus. Sameer Gadhia seems to be saying that he wants love to survive even in difficult conditions (e.g. “Living in a house that’s not your home/Living on a prayer you used to know.”) He reassures himself towards the end of the song that he’ll “be okay,” but I sense more vulnerability in that comment than the phrase suggests there is. “Hummingbird” – Colony House: This song’s organ, gentle acoustic strum, and overall psychedelic-influenced sound remind me a little of The Beatles (One YouTube commenter also compared this song to The Flaming Lips, which I also think is accurate). Much like the titula...

 here they are: "In the Middle of It" by Hiss Golden Messenger:  If you're in the mood for a "travel down the highway" song that's more sentimental country-rock than it is a hard-drivin' road rock song, then this song might be it! Nature imagery runs throughout the song:  rocks, roses, cornflower, the moon, mountains, you name it! After all the sweetness of nature imagery and freeway traveling, HGM's lead singer addresses someone named Maria and asks them "Ain't it sad?" and then says "That's how it ends." Sigh...I guess every good story has to come to an end sometime, but this song's wistful, nostalgic tone seems like it captures bittersweet sunshine in a jar! "Seven Degrees" by Friko:  Yes, their name is pronounced "freako," in case you were wondering. Friko aren't freaky, though. Instead, they're folky, like a lot of modern indie bands tend to be. Their breakthrough song, "Seven Degr...

 here they are: "Buzzkill" by Jobi Riccio:  Before I begin this review, I want to say that I had the pleasure of seeing Jobi perform this song and others of hers live at a place called Healing Force of the Universe! I barely knew about her back then, but she did an amazing performance, sounding somewhere halfway between Joni Mitchell and Linda Ronstadt, but for the indie-folk generation. Though most of Jobi's material is rooted in folk and country, "Buzzkill" has that biting indie/alt edge to it, which is probably part of why it's ended up being her breakthrough single! The lyrics are also very relatable, especially to young adults! Jobi goes through being different ages in the song (21, 23, 25) and noting how, no matter how old you get, life can still feel incomplete and dissatisfying. Jobi herself is the "buzzkill" in the song. Her wry, self-deprecating humor combined with bittersweet observations on life make this song a winner! "Dime"...

 It's Groundhog Day...again. And it's the day for me to review some new releases! Here goes: "Against the Dying of the Light" by Jose Gonzalez:  Ever since I heard Jose's quiet but powerful "Heartbeats" almost 20 years ago, I've always loved his material! He goes right in line with Joni Mitchell, Nick Drake, and Iron & Wine as a musician who relies primarily on alternate tunings and acoustic guitar. It's been nearly a decade since he last released something, but it was worth the wait! Jose's advice in this solemn song is almost Zen-like, with such lyrical gems as "accept who you have become," "embrace who we could be," "disconnect from every algorithm," and "kill the codes that feed the hate." Some of this advice is timeless, but other parts mentioning things like algorithms and codes seem more like lyrics for today's generation than they would have been for millennials and Gen Z-ers who were ou...

 here they are: "Count the Ways" by The Last Dinner Party:  The latest song from The Last Dinner Party combines a slinky guitar riff with Abigail Morris' sultry yet venomous vocals. Right from the opening lyrics, we get lines like, "Let the snake bite/Let her crawl under your skin/Let it eat you from within/It's alright," and shortly after that, "You break into my house/I'll break into your house/I'll do it/Do it." Those are very vindictive lyrics if you ask me! But the song also has a yearning undercurrent to it, centering around how much Abigail misses her lover. I dunno 'bout you, but I think I'm gonna count the ways this song lends itself to lyrical ambiguity! "Site Unseen" by Courtney Barnett (featuring Waxahatchee):  When it comes to sardonic yet sweet women of 2020's indie-folk-rock, Courtney Barnett and Waxahatchee are both giants, so it's interesting to hear them come together here! The song lacks the bite...