Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 It's a day after Monday, but since Monday was a holiday, I'm doing the new music today. Here it is: "Let the Sun Come In" by The Pretenders: Chrissie Hynde is now one year past being a septuagenarian, and she's STILL rockin' it! The Pretenders' latest song, "Let the Sun Come In," is not a crunchy hard rocker in the vein of something like "Middle of the Road" or "Tattooed Love Boys," but it does hearken back to some of the first mid-tempo half-rocker/half-ballad songs they had such as "Kid" and "Talk of the Town." Close your eyes and you probably won't notice too much a difference between this song and what they did a little over 40 years ago. The song's theme of liberation is also something that stands the test of time. The Pretenders aren't really singing here about issues relevant to the 21st century in this song, but they don't have to. Their output is timeless, and it really shows here!...

 here they are: "It's Fine" by Bethany Cosentino (from Best Coast): The country-rock style might be a new thing for the mostly surf, punk, and power pop influenced Bethany Cosentino from Best Coast, and her striking out on her own might be too, but her trademark attitude, thankfully, remains the same on "It's Fine," her latest song. The title of the song, first of all, seems to be dripping with sarcasm. It seems to serve as a facade for how she really feels about life, and if the opening lines are anything to go by, she's clearly frustrated, not  fine! The song's mellow, countrified vibe is a good counterpoint to how she's really feeling, though, using a technique that people like Ryan Adams, Jenny Lewis, and Conor Oberst have all now used for decades. If you're breaking up with someone and writing about it in song, perhaps one of the best ways is to be subtle about it, and although Bethany is currently a novice at this, she'll probably h...

 here they are: "Forgiving Ties" by Deer Tick: More cowbell, anyone?! This "Running on Empty"-esque Heartland rock influenced tune has plenty of it! The chorus takes an interesting turn pulling a George Harrison-esque twang and a series of somewhat randomly-placed diminished chords to distinguish itself both from the verses and from modern songs in general. "I'm not looking for forgiving ties/I'm just looking for a way to survive," lead singer John McCauley earnestly pleads during the song's chorus. What exactly does he mean by this? Although both the song and its accompanying video don't take themselves too seriously, the lyrics of the song are somewhat serious. What McCauley says when he claims he's "looking for a way to survive" is to shake off the trauma in your life and just try to take care of yourself and those who love you. "Lose You" by Bully (featuring Soccer Mommy): Forget what The Spice Girls said about ...

 Here they are: "Are You Gonna Run?" by Low Cut Connie: What little I've known so far from Low Cut Connie has been jazzy, soulful, and energetic. "Are You Gonna Run?" slows things down a little bit. There are blues-y guitar hooks in the song, but they don't take center stage. Instead, the piano and vocals take the front seat, and there's a reason for this. LCC's lead singer, Adam Weiner, was heavily affected by the death of Ronnie Spector, lead singer for the early 1960's girl group, The Ronettes. The Ronettes' front woman was highly innovative not just for pop and R & B, but even for alternative rock (The Jesus and Mary Chain's "Just Like Honey," for instance, imitates the opening percussion riff for The Ronettes' "Be My Baby"), so it's no wonder Adam was compelled to write a song in her honor. The song's sweet yet sensual vibe would have fit perfectly for The Ronettes! "Looking for Love" by ...