New songs for August 11th 2025

 here they are:


"Cut and Rewind" by Say She She:  Multiple cultural backgrounds, multiple genres, and entirely women, Say She She debut on this blog with a song that blends disco, new wave, post-punk, and indie into a single sound! That song, "Cut and Rewind," seems to be a song that celebrates the joy of making music with a tone that's somewhat biting and subversive yet still fun, funky, and fresh! So when you listen to this song, please...be kind...Rewind!! (And Cut)

"One Thing" by Lola Young:  Lola's smash hit, "Messy," came out towards the end of 2024 and seemed to dominate the first half of 2025, and it's not hard to see why! Multi-genre success (adult alt, alt, and even mainstream pop eventually), and her effortless combination of vulnerable lyrics and catchy tune landed "Messy" as one of the biggest hits of the year! Can "One Thing" measure up? Judging by Lola's continued success on the alt, adult alt, and pop charts with the song, I would say so! "One Thing" leans a bit more into electro-pop territory than "Messy" did, but it's still super catchy! It's not hard to figure out what "one thing" she wants if you listen closely to the lyrics! From the opening lyrics ("I wanna take you on a little ride") to more specifically detailed ones that show up shortly after ("I wanna f**k you so rough," "You look so cute with no clothes on," etc.) it's clear that whatever Lola wants, Lola will get, and in this case, it starts with an S and ends with an X...no, it's not syntax! Get your mind out of the gutter...I mean grammar!

"Ordinary Creature" by Of Monsters and Men:  Even after nearly 15 years, they're still best-known for their initial hit, the folk-rock-y "Little Talks," even though more recent albums have made it clear that OMAM want to break away from that image. Their latest song, "Ordinary Creature," is no exception to this break in style. It continues in the electro-pop direction they've pursued since roughly their third album. There is acoustic guitar woven within, but its keyboards that tend to dominate this song, which manages to be as catchy and rushing as it is vulnerable. The song's title, "Ordinary Creature," also brings up the vulnerability aspect, and that's pretty much what the song centers around lyrically. It's about the longing people have for someone to bring them comfort.

"Poison in My Well" by Maggie Rogers and Grace Potter:  Maggie and Grace - both chameleonic forces of nature in the adult alt format! Maggie can weave electro-pop and folk into a single song (and sometimes have songs that are so rooted in electro-pop, like "Want Want," that they become hits with the alt AND adult alt audiences), and Grace can go from country ("Ah, Mary") to gritty hard rock ("Paris") to pop ("Never Go Back," "Alive Tonight") without any sounding out of place for her. So what do these two powerhouses sound like together?! They sound vulnerable and bittersweet! "Poison in My Well" sounds like a chill folk-pop song with lush acoustic guitars, textured electric guitars, soaring harmonies, and light yet memorable drumming. For such a sweet-sounding piece, the lyrics are surprisingly critical! It sounds like both women are blaming a single person (or perhaps multiple people in the same verses?) for bringing them discomfort. Yet they wash away the hurt in such a hushed, whispery way!

"Taxes" by Geese:  We've had the band Goose on this blog about three times now. Now, let's meet their plural...Geese! While Goose are known for being like The Grateful Dead with more "lite rock" influence, Geese are more influenced by post-punk and avant-garde (although both bands have a prog-rock influence). The raw yet captivating bongo drums during the first half of Geese's "Taxes" does make Geese sound more like Goose! The second half of the song does have a bit more of that post-punk element, but in a very light and free sort of way! It doesn't feel claustrophobic or tense like post-punk is known for. Geese also have very minimal lyrics for "Taxes." It's a protest song against paying taxes, as its title implies, but it feels more like the unexpected lovechild of Graceland and OK Computer!