New songs for August 14th, 2023

 here they are:


"Sympathy" by Declan McKenna: So far, every Declan song I've reviewed ("Brazil," "Beautiful Faces," and "Be an Astronaut") has started with the letter B. "Sympathy" officially breaks that pattern. The song also sounds noticeably more chill and retro than his other stuff. For one thing, there's a tuba (or perhaps a synth imitating a tuba) punctuating the song, along with an island-y sounding acoustic guitar, with happy claps underscoring the instruments. This is probably the most fun song Declan has had since he debuted in 2016 with "Brazil." The lyrics of the song seem like a "word salad" of sorts, but perhaps that's part of its charm. Overall, this is a fun, happy tune that seems very fitting for the middle of summer!

"Under You" by Foo Fighters: Our only other song of the week is another rumination on Taylor Hawkins' unexpected passing. FF released a song that was as rocking as it was poignant earlier this year with "Rescued," which has turned out to be one of the biggest alt and adult alt radio hits of 2023. "Under You" looks to be following in "Rescued"'s footsteps. While still a rock song like most FF tunes, "Under You" seems to be like the Dave Grohl equivalent of Gin Blossoms' "Hey Jealousy" in terms of how it sounds - sort of crunchy yet buoyant power pop. It's the lyrics to "Under You" that matter most, though. The song picks up where "Rescued" left off. Where that song discussed the utter shock of Taylor Hawkins' being deceased as suddenly as he was, "Under You" is more a bittersweet song, lyrically, about the memories that Dave shared with Taylor. Can't wait to see what else they have in store!