New songs for September 11th, 2023

 here they are:


"An Arrow in the Wall" by Death Cab for Cutie: You never expected a mostly somber, folk-y group like Death Cab to get funky, did you? Well, that's what they do on their latest song, "An Arrow in the Wall." In the 20 plus years that Ben Gibbard and co have been around, they've never attempted a song like this one, which is probably to Death Cab what "Emotional Rescue" is to The Rolling Stones (who, coincidentally, will be mentioned in the very next song for this week): a slow-burning, disco-y number that never quite reaches a climax but is still a slinky, seductive song. However, there is nothing whatsoever that could be considered seductive about the lyrics to "An Arrow in the Wall." It is, instead, a warning to Ben's fans about how our already dangerous world in the 21st century could get even worse if we don't do anything about it. Hopefully, DCFC's fans will take heed to Gibbard's message, even though the dance-y atmosphere of the song makes that part easy to ignore.

"Angry" by The Rolling Stones: Mick Jagger is now 80 years old, and legendary drummer Charlie Watts was the second Stone to roll away last year (after the short-lived Brian Jones during the band's heyday), but true to their name, The Stones STILL keep on rolling! It is not clear who (or what) the subject of this song is. It is likely an ex-lover, but the lyrics lend themselves to multiple interpretations. Perhaps Mick is wanting society at large not to be "angry with him." Lines like "It hasn't rained in a month and the river's run dry," "The wolf's at the door," and "I can't take anymore" could all be taken as frustration Mick has with current society, but the "we haven't made love" line in the first verse is more than likely aimed at someone he used to love. Sound-wise, the song is basically "Start Me Up" written one key lower than that song was, but with a sense of ire (fitting to the song's title) that's clearly more 21st century than 20th!

"Days Move Slow" by Bully: Bully's earlier effort from this year, "Lose You," was surprisingly heartfelt. In "Days Move Slow," Bully more or less lives up to that name, with a very "bullying" sound in their music slightly reminiscent of Courtney Love, albeit less potently angry. Unlike Courtney, Alicia Bognanno (who is "Bully" herself, not a band) is not aiming a venomous message at her ex or at life itself, but rather a heartbroken cry for help in response to the death of her dog, Mezzi. I take it that the "days move slow" for Alicia in this song because losing a pet can make life more difficult! I've lost pets before myself, so I know from experience it's not easy to deal with. I am somewhat surprised, though, that a song that seems as angry as this one is really just a song about trying to cope with loss. Well, they do say anger is a "Band-Aid emotion" for deeper feelings, and that seems to be just what this song is proving!

"Don't Wanna Love U" by Joe P: This song is the second song from the seemingly averagely-named Joe P to hit the adult alt radio airwaves. The first was the surprisingly successful "Off My Mind," a charmingly sardonic folk-rock number. "Don't Wanna Love U" amps up the rock influence, but the jaded, cynical Joe P attitude from "Off My Mind" also seems to shine through on "Don't Wanna Love U." As one might expect from a song with this title, "Don't Wanna Love U" is not a happy song lyrically, but this juxtaposes with its upbeat alt-pop/rock sound. Joe follows up the titular phrase of his latest song with "can't help but love you" (or "U"?), so I take it this is about being trapped in a relationship you don't want to be in?!

"Love You Anyway" by Devon Gilfillian: Is "acoustic soul" a thing now?! Black Pumas seem to be masters at this, Brittany Howard took a stab at it in her solo song, "Stay High," and now it's Devon Gilfillian's turn at bat with this intriguing subgenre. Thus far, a lot of Devon's songs have been fun and energetic. Even his bittersweet "The Good Life" at least had a palpable beat that could be recognized as being influenced by vintage soul music. "Love You Anyway" differs from Devon's previous works, centering around acoustic guitar and being a much slower and more forlorn song than what he usually does. So what has made Devon so sad in this song? For starters, it is important to note that the "you" in this song is not a lover, but society as a whole. We have been through so many frightening and uncomfortable events these past few years that Devon seems to want to reassure us that he "loves us anyway," because that's all he can do with 

"Your Side of Town" by The Killers: The Killers go back to their roots as a synth-pop band on their latest track, "Your Side of Town." Not a bad song, but I typically prefer when The Killers (or any band/performer, for that matter) has more guitar-driven music. Perhaps more than that, though, the times when The Killers do add layers of guitar to their sound are usually also the times when their songs seem more introspective and character driven. "Your Side of Town" lacks this, in my opinion. There's not really much to distinguish this song from other synth-y alt-pop songs of the 21st century, but I'll still take what I can get from The Killers.