New songs for March 23rd 2026

 here they are:

"Mary Singletary" by Deer Tick:  If The Replacements did a song with satirical lyrics aimed at religious culture, it might sound a bit like Deer Tick's latest song, "Mary Singletary." The "Mary" in question is not a person, but a reference to the concept of "Hail Marys." Anyone who knows Deer Tick's music knows they're far from religious! Yet there are plenty of references to religion, perhaps specifically Catholicism, in "Mary Singletary." John McCauley sings of lust, drinking, and violence (albeit slapstick violence, even referencing Warner Brothers cartoons by name in the first verse) as he wrestles with his inner demons. I'm not sure if McCauley was raised Catholic, but if this song is anything to go by, I wouldn't be surprised if that were the case!

"Riptides" by Death Cab for Cutie:  Not to be confused with "Riptide" by Vance Joy, Death Cab's newest song in about four years has a bit more of a quirky, new wave-y vibe than we might be used to from them. It really takes on the minimalist aspects of new wave, too, riding largely on just a C major chord during the first minute, only to go into a sort of walk-down/walk-up riff midway through that's also in C but that  enhances the song a bit more. The post-punk-y sound of this song might have been intentional, also, since the song is about how dealing with personal losses and worldwide problems at the same time can be difficult to handle. Don't I know it!!


"Steady" by Bella Kay: The latest to jump onto the "bedroom pop" bandwagon, Bella Kay's "Steady" is a song is driven by both staccato electric guitars and lush acoustics with an overall bittersweet mood musically. The lyrics of the song suggest uncertainty, though. Her uncertainty points more to pessimism as she laments that her and her partner will "never go steady," and even that she "doesn't think that (they) should." There's also an undercurrent of fear in this song, with Bella expressing towards the end of the song that she "always wants to be more." In other words, she doesn't think she's good enough for the person she's trying to build a relationship with. Love is not perfect...but no one ever said it was. Bella takes these imperfections and brings them out into the open here! 


"Why Don't You?" by Squeeze:  Yep - the "Tempted" guys! I had no idea that these underrated British rock legends would pop up again decades after their biggest success, but here they are!! Their latest song, "Why Don't You?," sounds like a long lost Cars track but with Glenn Tillbrook's vocals instead of Ric Ocasek's! The song's combination of chunky rock guitars, herky-jerky rhythm, and blaring synth makes it seem much older than it actually is. The lyrics to the song are subversive, too, in classic Squeeze fashion. It appears to be about a romance between Glenn and a much younger woman, with the three words in the title serving as a call to seduction. Though the subject matter may be a bit questionable to some, the song itself is so catchy I just can't help but rock out to it!