New songs for February 19th, 2024

 here they are:


"Big Love" by Camera Obscura:  It's not that far to make the leap from folk-rock to country-rock since both rely on acoustic guitar as the central instrument, but Camera Obscura's "Big Love" isn't just a switch in sound. It's also a tribute to country legend, Waylon Jennings. So yeah, there's a reason there's a steel pedal guitar driving this song forward. Not exactly what I'd expect from a band who wrote a song about '80s alt-rock singer/songwriter, Lloyd Cole, but it does add new dimension to what little I know of their material!

"Capricorn" by Vampire Weekend:  Vampire Weekend's latest song (whose title is synonymous with my birth sign) is a significant departure from the herky-jerky reggae-rock fusion they're typically known for. It might just be the first folk-rock song in their catalog! "Capricorn" centers around acoustic guitar, piano, and string orchestra. As an added bonus, "Capricorn" is not some strange, metaphorical song title, but an actual song about Capricorns! Given that Ezra Koenig himself is an Aries, this seems like a rather random subject to write about, but he does so well. The song depicts the struggle that people like me face being born either too close to the end of the year or too far at the beginning. How does Ezra know we get "tired of trying"? The world may never know! 

"Dark Matter" by Pearl Jam:  If the title alone wasn't an indicator, this is one of the angrier Pearl Jam numbers! Given the fact that this year is an election year, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the "dark matter" in question in the title of the song is political. Eddie Vedder shouts irately during the chorus that "everyone else is paying for someone else's mistake." I'll spare you all the grief of figuring out who he is talking about, but I'm sure a lot of you can already guess. In a 21st-century Pearl Jam song, it's really rare to hear a guitar solo that's as ticked off as the one in this song. Pearl Jam are not going down without a fight!

"Everything Almost" by Madi Diaz:  Whew! I think we need to take a breather after that last song!! Thankfully, Madi Diaz, whom I found out about last year at a birthday party, is here to provide some much needed relief for us. Fans of musicians like Lissie, Jade Bird, and Phoebe Bridgers will probably enjoy Madi's material, which takes folk-rock and country-rock and gives it a slightly jaded "indie" edge while still being pleasant and melodic to listen to. As the "almost" part of the title implies, this song is about having uncertainty in a relationship. 

"Friend of a Friend" by The Smile:  While The Smile's previous single, "Wall of Eyes," unfortunately failed to make an impact on adult alt radio, Thom Yorke's side project has now released another pleasant yet psychedelic song that will hopefully be better received by audiences. "Friend of a Friend" sounds somewhat like one of the "tripper" songs John Lennon did with The Beatles (think "A Day in the Life"). The song is primarily set to a soothing piano sound that wouldn't sound out of place in a John Lennon solo tune, though it does get a little woozy and off its main rhythm during the chorus. As for the lyrics of the song, it's hard to make out what they're supposed to be about.

"F**k My Life Up Again" by Marcus King:  The title of this song might sound like an angry rocker, but it's actually a bittersweet song with strong '70s soul vibes. Underneath the song's smooth, silky vibes, though, there's angst bubbling underneath in the lyrics. Marcus wrote this awkwardly-titled song about an ex partner he had a codependent relationship with. The lyrics could just as easily be applied to drug or alcohol addiction in that Marcus wants the person in question to "f**k up his life again." In other words, he wants someone (and/or something) to make his life more difficult simply because he experiences familiarity within the chaos.

"Mood Ring" by Dehd:  This is only the second song I've heard from Dehd after "Bad Love." Where "Bad Love" changed its rhythm midway through, there are no rhythmic surprises in "Mood Ring." Dehd's atmospheric, ambient indie-pop sound is still present on "Mood Ring." Through the course of the song, lead singer Emily Kempf describes a "tough and rumble man with a little bit of danger." As it turns out, the person in question is a motorcyclist that Emily falls in love with in the song.

"Tiny Moves" by Bleachers:  To end this week's list, here's a song that's perfect for all those celebrating Valentine's Day! "Tiny Moves" is a song about lead singer Jack Antonoff's current girlfriend, Margaret Qualley, with a music video both starring Margaret Qualley and directed by her! (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmpyfDF_pes) The whole video is just Margaret dancing, and the whole song, really, is about that very subject. It's hard not to notice just how much in love Jack feels with Margaret in the song, and he even appears in the end of the video. Aww, how sweet!