Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "Dance With a Stranger" by Lake Street Dive:  While Lake Street Dive's sound is normally influenced by '60s and '70s soul music, they sometimes reach for vibes evocative of other times. Their latest song, "Dance With a Stranger," seems more like '80s funk and R & B a la Chaka Khan, Prince, and perhaps even Michael Jackson. Shimmering synths layer the song's shiny atmosphere along with the funky bass bubbling underneath. The song's lyrics, however, would not have been out of place in a song from the '60s, with its themes of unity. The title of the song, as well as the song itself, are just about having the freedom to do what you want when you want! "Sanctuary" by Wild Feathers:  Now a little over a decade old, Tennessee country-rockers Wild Feathers are still releasing songs to this day! Their latest effort, "Sanctuary," continues in the country-rock direction they debuted with. While the music is no...

 here they are: "Just a Bird" by Blind Pilot:  It's been almost a decade since Blind Pilot last released something! Their latest song, "Just a Bird," is a bit more upbeat and a bit more roots-y/country flavored than most of their more subdued, dreamy folk-rock was in their previous songs. The song's upbeat sound is balanced well by its deep lyrics. "Just a Bird" is a soul-searching, truth-seeking song, though it's anyone's guess as to what the title phrase ("sometimes a bird is just a bird") means.  "Real Good Love" by Pete Yorn:  "Real Good Love" finds Pete Yorn drifting further away from folk-rock and more towards a pure folk sound. The song even seems to use alternate tuning in a similar manner to performers like Joni Mitchell and Nick Drake, though I haven't heard the song enough times yet to really tell if it uses that. "Real good love is so hard to find," Yorn smoothly whispers during the so...

 here they are: "Bells and Whistles" by Bright Eyes:  Hard to believe Bright Eyes have now been around for over 20 years, but it's true! The Wilco-esque sound of their latest song, the bluesy and boozy piano-dominated "Bells and Whistles," is not entirely out of character for them either, and it could easily be mistaken for a Bright Eyes song from a decade or two prior! Beneath the song's jaunty sound, Conor Oberst is actually trying to tell a tale about how things that seem trivial one moment can end up being a huge part of your life the next. I feel like I've been there before quite a few times myself, so I think I can relate to this song. The ending of the song is interesting, with the piano, guitar, and brass all in drunken yet coherent harmony with one another. "Big Time Nothing" by St. Vincent:  The surprisingly dark (even by St. Vincent standards) sounds of "Broken Man" from earlier this year were shocking yet appealing to me. ...

 Half a year has gone by! Can you believe it?! Here are three new songs for this brand new month! "Annihilation" by Wilco:  After a few albums of more countrified rock, Wilco go all psychedelic on us again with their latest song, "Annihilation"! The song's crunchy yet roots-y distortion brings to mind a lot of the songs Wilco put out in the '00s. As one might expect from a song with this title, the lyrics are rather apocalyptic, albeit with a romantic subtext. "This kind of annihilation is alright," Jeff Tweedy sings during the song's chorus. He seems to be referring to how, even though the world around him is starting to crash, he still has love to fall back on. Nothing says "love conquers all" like that, eh?! "Lost" by Soccer Mommy: There's usually at least an undercurrent of angst in most Soccer Mommy songs. "Lost" is not one of them. This song is just pure bittersweet sadness in both the lyrics and the musi...