New songs for April 28th, 2025

 here they are:

"Coyote" by Mt. Joy:  Not to be confused for the mellow, ethereal Joni Mitchell song of the same name, Mt. Joy's "Coyote" is a more bass-heavy, blues-rock-y song than the folk-rock song it shares a name with! Mt. Joy are normally pretty folk-rock-y themselves, though they do occasionally slip into slight shades of psychedelia with tracks like "Sheep," "Evergreen," and "Lemon Tree." "Coyote" is probably the hardest-rocking Mt. Joy I've heard so far!! (Though "Evergreen" is a close second) Not sure who or what the titular animal represents in this song, but the song itself seems to be about the joy of attending rock festivals, or drug trips...or maybe both?! Never thought Mt. Joy would jump onto the rock and roll bandwagon this much, but I'm glad they have!

"Deadstick" by King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard:  ...and speaking of psychedelic garage rock, King Gizzard and The Lizard Wizard are known for being kings (no pun intended) in those categories!! The brass and guitar in this song, though, are equally heavy! Think a more soul/funk-heavy take on Heart's "Even it Up" (which was also sax heavy towards the middle and end), and you've got KGATLW's "Deadstick" in a nutshell! So what exactly IS a deadstick?! Apparently, it's a term for when airplanes lose power and need to make an emergency landing. The song uses a lot of plane metaphors (e.g. "There once was a pilot, high and free"). Why so much aviation terminology here?! I have no idea...but this song rocks!! 

"Dreams" by Jade Bird:  This is neither the Fleetwood Mac song nor The Cranberries song, but a Jade Bird original called "Dreams." Where Stevie Nicks and Dolores O'Riordan are typically considered legends among women in rock, Jade Bird has yet to reach that stage, but she's clearly influenced by powerful women in rock and folk music! Her "Dreams" is a sweeping ballad that is built around both piano and acoustic guitar. This contemplative song is not broken dreams like Stevie's song or wistful dreams like Dolores', but rather a song that questions "what dreams are made of." It is a song that questions Jade's life and experience, as though she has reached a point in her life where she doesn't know what to do with it. Perfect for those growing up in the muddled, uncertain 2020's!

"Heartbreak" by tUnE-YaRdS:  Too self-consciously odd to be called soul music and too sweet to be called alternative...what exactly IS this song?! Well, it sort of floats between the two, really. Lead singer Merrill Garbus seems to be harmonizing with her own self in tUnE-YaRdS' latest song, "Heartbreak." Heartbreak about what exactly?! It's never made entirely clear, but tUnE-YaRdS have never been typical, even among bands that are already atypical. Merill and her husband, Nate Brenner, have an unlikely guest on this song, too. None other than their 3-year-old son! I know what you must be thinking: "Hubba WHAAA?!" Yes, his vocals are featured on the song! Somebody better inform the Yo Gabba Gabba! producers about this one!

"Love" by OK Go:  Think music videos are a dying art?! Well, think again!! The guys behind the sensational mid-'00s power pop song and video, "Here it Goes Again," are back with more power pop and more crazy videos!! The one for their latest song, "Love," can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz9BRl7DVSM. It is both kaleidoscopic and robotic!! Truly a wonder to behold! And if you thought mid-'00s power pop tunes like "Stacy's Mom," "Beverly Hills," and OK Go's own "Here it Goes Again" were no longer a thing...well, think again!! OK Go replicate that sound and era perfectly in "Love"! Throwback city!! And the way they describe what love is on this song is also worth noting! One description is, "the only song there's ever been never ends." Cool description, but people like me who grew up with Lamb Chop's Play-Along might beg to differ...I mean doesn't that already describe "The Song That Doesn't End"?! 

"What Was That?" by Lorde:  We've saved the best for last!! By the middle of last week, New Zealand pop star, Lorde, was already getting buzz about her latest song, "What Was That?" Does the song live up to its hype?! Well, let's find out! It's a dark, dramatic synth-pop song. Not exactly my cup of tea, but this IS the singing sensation behind 2010's pop smash, "Royals," we're talking about here! Many of her songs since haven't measured up to that one, but a lot of them have been memorable. "What Was That?" tries to be rebellious with its mentions of both drugs and sexual activity, but does "sex, drugs, and synth 'n' roll" really gibe with people?! Maybe for some it does, but being a guitar player, it just doesn't seem quite the same to me. That being said, though, this song is good! I just don't think it deserves all the hype that it got.