Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "Classical" by Vampire Weekend:  The title to this song, of course, does not describe Vampire Weekend's music. That being said, though, "Classical" is  a song that illustrates the rich musical diversity that Vampire Weekend has to offer, perhaps more than any other song so far in their already vast catalog! The song manages to simultaneously sound like baroque pop, jazz, rock, synthpop, and soul, all stirred up into a tasty musical gumbo! The word "classical" in the title might just take on more than one meaning, also. There's the obvious element of classical music (even though that is not present in the song sound-wise), but "classical" here also refers to societal castes and how fragile they are. Lyrically, "Classical" seems to be about how, when different cultures clash with one another, they cause each other to collapse. A very heady topic for a very trying time in human history! "Daisy (Shine a Light)...

 here they are: "Midas" by Wunderhorse:  A rather abstract and minimalist song, "Midas" is an interesting song with an equally interesting title! Unlike Wunderhorse's previous single, the more musically complex "Purple," "Midas" uses only four chords throughout. The lyrics to "Midas" are rather cryptic as well, never mentioning who exactly "Midas" is, and its verses seem to be just loosely strung together narratives that aren't really about anything. If I can gather anything here about Wunderhorse, though, it's how they seem to admire the '90s rock/alt aesthetic. It was featured plenty on "Purple," and on "Midas," the chord progression featured wouldn't be out of place in a group like, say, Toad the Wet Sprocket, or Gin Blossoms. "Nowhere to Run" by Kings of Leon:  One of the slower KOL numbers, "Nowhere to Run" is a different vibe from the rollicking rock and roll of...

 Here they are! "In Front of Me Now" by Nada Surf:  The latest from Nada Surf, "In Front of Me Now," combines Cars-esque synths with the typical jangle-pop sound that Nada Surf have had on pretty much all of their post-millennial records. The title of the song seems to be a reflection on how enjoying the here and now is more important than focusing on nostalgia. Nada Surf are well aware of all of the hardships that people have faced for the past few years, and it seems to be part of what they are addressing in this song, and they recognize the tendency people have (perhaps now more than ever) in saying that the past was a "better" time. However, by concentrating our energy on what time has to offer for us currently, we might just be able to see past all the chaos and reach more for the beauty that surrounds us! At least that's what Nada Surf hope we will do. "Lunch" by Billie Eilish:  Singing sensation Billie Eilish has been popular roughly s...