New songs for August 18th, 2025

 here they are:


"Humbling" by Michael Marcagi:  While mildly successful on adult alt radio with The Heavy Hours, Michael Marcagi really made a name for himself with his 2024 solo hit, "Scared to Start," which was so successful that it crossed over from the adult alt charts to the regular alt charts! While his followup single, "The Other Side," was only mildly successful, "Scared to Start" seemed like it helped Marcagi to really expand his emotional range, combining vulnerability and grit into a tasty, interesting blend! His latest song, "Humbling," is an interesting one! While still rooted in folk-rock like his other two solo efforts were, "Humbling" almost feels like a throwback to songs like "Home" (both the Edward Sharpe song and the Phillip Phillips one), "Riptide," and "Ho Hey," with its rippling banjo accompanying the wistful acoustic guitar sound it has overall. It also playfully weaves hopeful melodies with cynical lyrics (for instance, pawning off the phrase "the grass is greener on the other side" as "bullsh*t" instead of leaning into "complete sincerity" territory), and it tries to be "edgy" by incorporating an electric guitar solo, although even that aspect remains calm. The song never goes into chaotic territory, and that's just as it should be if you ask me.

"Madalena" by Goose:  Like Goose's previous single, "Your Direction," "Madalena" unashamedly embraces "yacht rock" while still weaving in jam band elements of their signature sound. The song's opening piano sound it like a crisply buoyant cross between Jackson Browne, Bruce Hornsby, and Marc Cohn. Guitar doesn't even come into the song until a minute and 33 seconds, and both acoustic and electric enter simultaneously at this point. The Jackson Browne vibes continue here (I could easily picture the late, great David Lindley playing guitar on these parts, perhaps jamming with Jerry Garcia as he did so!) The lyrics of the song, weaving road life with romance, wouldn't sound out of place in "Running on Empty" or "Truckin'," both of which celebrate the life of a touring rock star, carving out a sound that's rockin' yet still mellow. Goose are like a relic of a lost era, truly a treasure to behold with each song they release!