New songs for March 3rd 2025

 here they are:


"After the Setting Sun" by The Head and The Heart:  "After the Setting Sun" finds The Head and The Heart drifting away from alt/indie-pop and going back to their folk-rock roots. A lot of sweet acoustic guitar instrumentation in this one, and about two minutes of the song have little or no percussion, and even after that, the percussion is light. The yearning sound of this song is also winsome to me and makes me like it more than their previous single, "Arrow" (though that one was good too). "After the Setting Sun"'s pensive sound is not without reason. The lyrics of the song ponder what happens after all is said and done. What if we really are "all we've got," as the song asks?! Then music will live on long after we do!


"Backseat Banton" by Bartees Strange:  Bartees Strange's songs are often reflective and moody, which makes "Backseat Banton" stand out among them! The song is surprisingly happy for a song in his catalog! The chord progression and rhythm of the song make it seem like a power pop version of Annie Lennox's "Walking on Broken Glass," though it's a bit more upbeat than that song was. It's never mentioned who or what "Banton" is in the song, but the phrase "backseat" is mentioned in the lyrics, referring to how Bartees is more of an observer than a doer, yet he desires to have more control over the situations in his life.


"It's Amazing to Be Young" by Fontaines D.C.:  A fun song, supercharged and full of energy as is befitting to its title, "It's Amazing to Be Young" by Fontaines D.C. is sparse on lyrical content (at least in varying lyrical content) but rife with positivity! The idea that it's amazing to be young is repeated many times in the song, often contrasting with the phrase "It's the cast that brings you down" preceding it. I'm not exactly sure what they mean by "the cast," but it's probably a reference to the difficulties people face in life. So shake off the cast and enjoy your youth! (Which, contrary to popular belief, can last long after your youthful appearance starts to fade.)


"Mud" by Waxahatchee:  A song with a peculiar title that's only two minutes long, "Mud" is a country-rock song that seems to be about frustration within a relationship. Fellow alt-country musician MJ Lenderman backs Waxahatchee's Katie Crutchfield in this song as he has for a few of her tunes, so perhaps it's about tension between the two of them?! It is never made quite clear, but it doesn't need to be, as this is more meant to be a song anyone can relate to who is going through struggles in their relationship. Katie's imagery of mud, one's name being written in blood, garbage, and "a feather in your storm" all seem to relate to the angst, anxiety, and regret she feels deep inside. 








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