New songs for November 10th 2025

 here they are:


"Afraid" by Flock of Dimes:  Having made quiet yet considerable success on adult alt radio with the aching, acoustic "Long After Midnight" in summer of this year, "Afraid" is autumnal electronica melancholia at its finest! The song relies less on guitars than "Long After Midnight" did, but it's just as compelling and just as vulnerable! Like many Flock of Dimes songs, "Afraid" wears its vulnerability on its sleeve! "I did not enter this world afraid," Jenn Wasner says during the song's opening lines, and from there, she distills herself down to her emotional essence, laying her feelings bare for the listener of the song. The song's opening line is also its last line, but Jenn adds "But I refuse to leave it that way" during this part of the song. Songs like this make me sad, but in the best possible way! 

"Anywhere" by Ratboys:  They're not rats, and their lead singer isn't a boy, but they sure are catchy!! Nicking the jangly G-major riff from Guster's "Amsterdam" (perhaps unintentionally?) and turning it into something that sounds more like Juliana Hatfield or Belly, "Anywhere" is an insanely catchy tune that blends jangle-pop, power pop, and pop-punk into a tasty little post-'90s blend of relentless energy (complete with guitar solo, too)! The song seems to be a plea from Julia Steiner to her partner to stay with her no matter what happens. How can any listener say no to THIS song, though?! Works perfect at any '90s-themed rock dance party!! No one will even be able to tell it's not from the decade!

"Fall Moon" by St. Paul and The Broken Bones:  What better time to release a song called "Fall Moon" than during the fall?! That's what blue-eyed soul group, St. Paul and The Broken Bones, did for fall of this year! Funky as ever yet also backed by a string section in some parts, this song will probably appeal to fans of groups like The Spinners, The O'Jays, and other '70s soul groups who were equal parts funky and silky. Not many lyrics in this song, but there doesn't need to be for Paul Janeway to convey how he feels about missing his partner. Like the immortal lyric in "Hey Jude," Paul takes a sad song and makes it better, and by better, I mean groovier! 

"Hey You" by Belair Lip Bombs:  Bringing us indie rock from Down Under, Belair Lip Bombs roar onto the adult alt airwaves with their debut song, "Hey You"! The song starts synth-y and robotic, but quickly adds post-punk-y indie guitars reminiscent of The Strokes, The Killers, and Kings of Leon in a single band...but there's a difference between those groups and this one. None of those groups had women - this one does! Maisie Everett is the lead singer of Belair Lip Bombs, and she rocks out just as much as her male companion bands do here! Maisie isn't afraid to say how she feels about her former lover in this song either, even dropping a few F-bombs here and there to justify her anger!

"To Space" by Kings of Leon:  And now, join us for another episode of..."BANDS....IN....SPACE!!" On this episode, Kings of Leon! Fitting for a song with a "space-y" title, "To Space" is triumphant and adventurous. The song even contains keyboards, unlike the usual KOL tune, perhaps to give it even more of a "space-y" feel than it already has! In some ways, this song almost seems like a father talking to a son (is Caleb Folowill a dad now?!) Lines like "this might pinch a little" and "you're a big boy now doing big boy things" seem to indicate this, but for all I know, Caleb might be giving a pep talk to himself! The second verse seems like it goes into more subtle political jabs with lines like "Follow the leader, blind in faith/His head is pointed the right way." You never know what the future's going to bring, so join us next time when I'm sure you'll read something better than..."BANDS...IN...SPACE!!"

"UFOs" by UFOs (aka Braxe + Falcon with the band Phoenix):  Well, whaddaya know!! We're already onto our next episode of "BANDS...IN...SPACE!!" (I couldn't resist) In this episode, we find UFOs singing about...themselves?! Well, not really. "UFOs" (the band, not the song) is actually the name of a side project featuring electro-indie-pop sensations, Phoenix, duetting with fellow indie-electro group, Braxe + Falcon. Already, the song's synth-y, spacious atmosphere and minor key make it a prime candidate for being featured in a sci-fi movie! The song seems to shroud itself in mystery, with Thomas Mars repeatedly claiming that although he "doesn't believe in miracles," he "DOES believe in UFOs." What is this supposed to mean?! Like UFOs themselves (the object, not the band or the song), it's a mystery!! Join us next time when we'll solve more mysteries that are probably more entertaining than..."BANDS...IN...SPACE!!"

"Who's Your Boyfriend?" by Royel Otis:  I did not think Royel Otis would be able to pull off one of the catchiest singles of the year, but they did just that around late spring/early summer of this year with "Moody," a blockbuster hit on both alt and adult alt radio stations! The song's "Loser"-esque sound combined with its carefree tongue-in-cheek vibes made it inescapable! Can Royel Otis pull off the same for fall '25/winter '26 with "Who's Your Boyfriend?" The song IS catchy, but in a different way than "Moody" was, so I dunno. This one carries bittersweet new wave/post-punk vibes akin to songs like "Just Like Heaven" by The Cure and "Love Will Tear Us Apart" by Joy Division. Even the title, "Who's Your Boyfriend?", sounds like the words of a jilted lover wanting to reconnect, fitting with the song's moody atmosphere. If the chorus is anything to go by ("'Cause you're sleeping with him, but it's me your thinking about"), I'd say my assessment is accurate!