New songs for October 5th 2026

 here they are:



"Bloodstream" by Alyssa Grace:  Armed with a spacious acoustic guitar and a powerful voice, Alyssa Grace makes a striking debut with "Bloodstream." The song's seemingly simple sound contrasts with its commanding presence and dark yet relatable lyrics. The subject of the song being in Alyssa's "bloodstream" refers to how she finds it hard to let go of her previous relationship. Obviously, different people feel different ways about their own past relationships, but "Bloodstream" is still a very relatable song since some things are hard to let go of!

"California Sober" by Iron & Wine:  A gorgeous song, as per usual from IAW, "California Sober" doesn't seem to feature the exotic alternate tuning that "In Your Ocean" from earlier this year did, but it is probably capoed, and it seems to feature an arrangement of notes that's complex even by IAW standards. Sam Beam's lyrics are abstract and poetic here. I'm not sure what he means by "deadbeat dads" and "December brides," or who the "you" in the song is he's directing these lines at, but there seems to be a cryptic sense of darkness as I delve deeper into the song's lyrical content. For instance, refrains like "Doesn't care where your money's from/Doesn't care where it goes" and "When its being the bump at night/Gathering all of your suicides/When it's feeling alone." I don't know who (or what) Sam is singing about in "California Sober," but there seems to be a mysterious yet alluring undercurrent of darkness through it all! Perfect for Halloween, right?!

"Live it Down" by Tyler Ballgame:  Much like how David Bowie renamed himself "Bowie" to avoid confusion with Davy Jones from The Monkees, Tyler Ballgame likely did the same to avoid confusion with actor and director Tyler Perry (which is Tyler Ballgame's real name, believe it or not). But the quirky last name of "Ballgame" suits him well as the optimist-against-all-odds of "I Believe in Love" and the self-aware weirdo folk-rocker of "Matter of Taste." His third adult alt radio single, "Live it Down," is a fun, upbeat, rollicking indie-folk song, but it almost seems like it's a diss track disguised as a happy love song. "What are you going to write about now?" and "How are you ever gonna live it down?" are the recurring questions Tyler asks in this tune, which bears more than a passing resemblance in some parts to Fleetwood Mac's "Second Hand News" (which itself is a happy folk-rock song that's really a diss track - coincidence?!) We could all learn a lesson from songs like this one. If you want to get back at someone...pretend to be happy about it. They'll never know!

"Maybe the Best is Now" by Judah and The Lion:  Judah and The Lion were seen as something of a cross between Imagine Dragons and Mumford & Sons when they debuted. JATL's latest song, "Maybe the Best is Now," starts with arena-quality synths that lean more towards the Imagine Dragons side, with nary a hint of banjo like their early material had. Banjo does make an appearance on the song after the first minute, but it's not near as clearly heard as it has been on some of their other tracks. The title alone of this song is one that seems optimistic. For the most part, it is, but parts of the song seem tinged with doubt ("Can't go back and change the time/Got no button to press rewind/All sales final, no refund line.") Lead singer Judah Akers seems to be making a realization within the song that although there are things from the past he regrets doing and/or saying, he can't undo them, so maybe the present is the time he should devote his time and energy to. Incidentally, banjo does weave itself intermittently into the song more prominently, especially during the bridge at the end, but it's not necessarily a central instrument here.

"Parade of Loons" by Tom Petty:  Just in time for his October birthday (and sadly, his October passing), "Parade of Loons," a posthumous release from Tom Petty which was originally recorded circa 1977, is a scorchin' blues-rock tune that talks about...well...a bunch of weirdos! Both eccentrics and people up to no good. Petty describes a lot of odd characters in this song, but the self-effacing chorus might be the best part where he claims that himself and the subject of the song are the ones leading the titular parade!

"Proxy" by St. Paul and The Broken Bones:  St. Paul and The Broken Bones have always done soulful, funky stuff that doesn't seem to care what current music sounds like, but they've never done a jazzier or more swingin' tune than "Proxy," which could have been a hit for the "swing revival" scene of the late '90s if you ask me! Even the scene the song is describing is that of a late night drinkin' party, but not one that leads to disaster or heartbreak. This one just focuses on the fun of the moment while it happens! Paul Janeway does seem to have a bit of self-awareness in this song, though, especially during the chorus when he asks for a taxi "before" he "needs a proxy," adding "stop me" afterwards. But still, this wild party is much more "live fast" than "die young"! Might I add also that the guitars and sax are both wailin' in this tune!! 

"Secret Language" by Ryan Beatty:  Wedding a bittersweet, aching acoustic guitar sound in D major to percussion that seems a bit more artificial, Ryan Beatty's "Secret Language" seems like the kind of song that could appeal to singer/songwriter fans just as much as it could to pop fans. The song's vulnerable, openly honest lyrics lean more in the singer/songwriter direction than the pop one, though. The "secret language" Ryan describes in the song is a metaphor for trying to reach a lover whose feelings don't seem to reciprocate his own. In addition to the lyrics, the horns, electric guitar, and harmonica added into the song around its second verse give it a dusty, lovelorn Americana vibe. 

"Silencio" by U2:  The title made me think, "Another clumsy attempt at Spanish like Bono tried on 'Vertigo'? Really?!" The song itself?! Rocks with reckless abandon!! Even at almost half a century into their career, U2 still have fire in their bellies! They don't hold back anything on this loosely garage rock influenced song that still has The Edge's trademark ring to distinguish it as a U2 track. There are actually a few Spanish phrases used in the song in addition to the title, such as "tranquilo" (quiet) and "amigo" (which, of course, means "friend"). A lot of spiritual, quasi-religious lyrics in this song that reference both Mary and Jesus, juxtaposed with phrases like "the devil's rock and roll" and one of the rare times that Bono swears (did he really have to say, "Shut your f**king mouth"?! Ugh! Seems useless in the context of this song). Make of this song what you will. It is fun to see such a fiery U2 track that still sounds like it's recognizably Bono and the boys!

"Taxi" by Michigander:  One of the most fun things about Michigander is that a lot of their songs do not sound the same! "Taxi" definitely took me by surprise in a few ways!! It sounds kind of like "Blister in the Sun" by Violent Femmes if a group like U2 were to cover it. It takes the melody of "Blister..." but jazzes it up that makes it sound like a fun, upbeat electric rock song instead of a weirdly catchy, stark, acoustic song. At only around 2 minutes long, "Taxi" is a wild ride of a song!! It seems to compare the inevitability of aging with riding on a vehicle. "Everybody's getting older except you" is the song's recurring line. There's an air of mystery in that line, but it's a fun one!

"The Swimming Song" by The Head and The Heart:  The Head and The Heart have always made great contemporary folk-rock music. It was only a matter of time before they covered a folk-rock classic, and they finally have with their version of Loudon Wainwright III's "The Swimming Song," arguably his best-known song. The elder Wainwright singer seems to have a lot of songs with self-deprecating, quirky humor scored with arrangements and instruments that are gentler than his lyrics seem to be. I'm pretty sure this irony is not lost on The Head and The Heart! Their cover also sounds remarkably like the original! The only way you can really tell it's them is by their vocals (and maybe their piano). 

"Two Dollar Pistol" by Brennan Wedl:  Brennan Wedl might be almost 30 in real life, but she has a gritty outlaw country soul of someone much older than her, like Lucinda Williams. The "two dollar pistol" she's singing about, also, is not a real pistol, but a person! She's comparing said person to how sharp and cutting she feels they are. Phrases like "vampire eyes" and "saber tooth tiger" dominate this song's mood. She may play an acoustic guitar, but she's still a spitfire waiting to tell someone off!