New songs for June 24th 2024

 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)" by The Tano Jones Revelry:  Right from the get-go, the funky wah-wah pedal of the electric guitar and the breezy, gentle vibe of the acoustic guitar give off a retro sound that is sure to appeal to psychedelic rock fans! Even the phrases the song uses like "shine your light" and "talk about the love" make it sound like it came from another time. The song's mellow, feel-good sound is just what we need for the summer season!

"Happiness" by The Heavy Heavy:  Yet another breezy summer song that captures psychedelic and folk-rock, "Happiness" by The Heavy Heavy captures a side to the group that, like their typical material, is rootsy, but this one has more clearly borrowed elements from the lighter side of '60s rock than their previous material. The lush blend of male/female harmonies recall groups like The Mamas & The Papas and Fleetwood Mac (the two main members of the band even look like they could have been Lindsey Buckingham and Stevie Nicks in their younger days), while the song's pulsating, sunny organ sound wouldn't be out of place as a Sgt. Pepper outtake. "Happiness," indeed! The song's title matches its vibe! 

"Oh No!" by The Decemberists:  A folk-rock song, like most Decemberists songs are, but "Oh No!" also has a jazz-rock influence that most of their songs don't have. The song makes more use of brass instruments than other Decemberists tunes do. If the title of the song wasn't already an indication, "Oh No!" is not a song with pleasant lyrics. Most Decemberists songs deal with heavy subject matter already, although some of them manage to have happy melodies to offset their more prickly topics. "Oh No!" is a song with a minor key to fit its theme of a wedding gone horribly wrong. It's not entirely a song of despair, though, as the song's jazz/salsa-influenced sound gives it a saucy, fun edge. If this is The Decemberists' attempt at humor, it's pretty twisted...but that's just what I would have expected from them!

"Rainbow" by Cage the Elephant:  Another song fitting for both the summer season and, in this case, for Pride Month! CTE's "Rainbow" is a breezy song punctuated by sharp guitar riffs that are offset by the other calmer instruments in the song. The topic of "Rainbow" seems to be trying to get past negative labels in order to feel more free and be "floatin' like a rainbow." CTE songs normally tend to be somewhat abstract in subject matter, but this one seems pretty clear in its message, and it's a very uplifting song, too! 

"Somebody New" by Jana Mila:  One of a growing wave of indie-pop influenced female songwriters, Jana (YAH-nuh) Mila's "Somebody New" is a short but sweet sounding song whose pleasant sound is offset by its doubtful lyrics, describing how Jana thinks she's nearing the end of a relationship but is reluctant to admit so. A nice, breezy song to listen to, but not exactly anything new sound-wise or lyrically.

"We Were Never Alive" by Brigitte Calls Me Baby:  Perhaps the most '80s-centric song in Brigitte Calls Me Baby's catalog so far, "We Were Never Alive" is essentially goth-rock for the indie-pop generation. The song bears more than a passing resemblance to bands like The Cure and The Smiths. Although BCMB are an American band, they do an excellent job mimicking the mopey British accents of Robert Smith and Morrissey here. Even the lyrics of the song seem kind of Smiths-y, lamenting for a love that never was. You'd swear you were hearing a song from another time!

"Worthy" by Mavis Staples:  Now in her octogenarian years, soul legend Mavis Staples has an empowering anthem for anyone who feels they have been marginalized. "Worthy" is a bit more focused on bass (and brass) than it is on guitar, but it still has that trademark Mavis sound and attitude! A song like this seems like it arrived just in time with all the social divides the world has gone through lately. We are worthy, just like Mavis says we are! Let's act like it and own it!