Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "Eternal Love" by AVTT/PTTN (The Avett Brothers and Mike Patton):  Did you ever think that a member of a rock group as heavy as Faith No More would get together with a group as roots-y and bluegrass-y as The Avett Brothers?! Well, now they have!! The song is mostly in the Avetts' direction of bittersweet bluegrass-rock, but the surprise synth solo in the middle is likely Patton's idea. The Avetts have done plenty of reflective songs, but it's a fresh new road for Mike Patton. The coolest part?! It works wonderfully for him! Well, for both of them, really. Such a reassuring song for these increasingly dark times! "Loser" by Tame Impala:  Not to be confused with the Beck song of the same name, Tame Impala's "Loser" is an interesting tune. It takes Tame Impala in a new direction with a fresh funk-rock sound! The song's sound is somewhat reminiscent of "Fame" by David Bowie. Beneath the song's funky heartbeat l...

 here they are: "Guess I'm Fallin' in Love" by Spoon:  A new single from Spoon AFTER they put one out last week?! I guess some bands like dueling singles!! Anyway, "Guess I'm Fallin' in Love" functions as the more melodic, new wave-y, psych-pop counterpart to the more blues-garage-y "Chateau Blues," so perhaps that's why Adult Alt radio has gravitated more towards this one (though the two songs seem to almost be neck and neck at this point). The song still has plenty of indie/alt irony to win over fans of more mainstream alt stations, though. Even the title of the song is headed by the word "guess," indicating uncertainty as to whether Britt Daniels even wants to fall in love in the first place. It's like he's trying to fight off affection at the same time he's trying to accept it.  "I'm Not Ready for the Change" by Nation of Language:  NOL's previous single, "Inept Apollo," was synth-la...

 here they are: “Chateau Blues” – Spoon One of the punchiest Spoon tracks to date, “Chateau Blues” wears its title with a smirk. Although it says “blues,” it’s more like the blues filtered through garage rock and post-punk swagger. On first listen, it almost feels like Britt Daniel is coaxing an agoraphobic friend out of their shell. Musically, it’s a sly cocktail: the chugging propulsion of The Velvet Underground’s “I’m Waiting for the Man” and the chord progression of Led Zeppelin’s “Misty Mountain Hop” (shifted just a fret higher), all wrapped in the raw crunch of The White Stripes. It’s easy to forget Spoon hail from Texas when they carry themselves with such New York cool! “The Power” – Curtis Harding If Harding’s last single, “There She Goes,” felt a bit too slow or future-leaning, “The Power” lands firmly in the present. Funky, gritty, and strutting with a groove straight out of the early ’70s, it instantly calls to mind another soulful Curtis (Mayfield). Lyrically, Hardi...

 here they are: "Another Life" by Alabama Shakes:  Wait, has it really been one decade  since Alabama Shakes released a record together?! Yes, it has!! Lead singer Brittany Howard has released two solo albums in the time since then, but their Sound & Color  record (which spanned a whopping FIVE singles for adult alt radio) has now been around long enough to be considered a Triple A classic! Time flies! And time is also part of the theme of their latest song, "Another Life"! The band's smooth yet psychedelic soul flavor shines through in this song, which is essentially about the concept of, "What if you could (or couldn't) do what you did? How would you fix it (or add to it, etc.)?" It's like the song version of Everything, Everywhere, All at Once , and much like how that movie went through a series of unpredictable yet thrilling twists and turns, so does this song! It doesn't stay on a pattern of "fixed" chords. Instead, it ma...

 here they are: "Everybody Scream" by Florence and The Machine:  Your attention, please! For the first time ever on this music blog, the following review will be presented to you in...Scream-O-Vision! That means we prompt you when to scream! Ready? Let's try it! OK... Freakazoid references aside, this song IS a good one! If "Scream-O-Vision" actually worked for this song, it would probably happen every time Florence said the word "scream," or perhaps on any line here where she "sung-spoke," which she does during the chorus. Unusually dark for a FATM tune, "Everybody Scream" seems like it came out about a month too early, but for someone like Florence, I suppose it's not too early for Halloween! The song is a slow-building tune with a steady beat in B minor. The lyrics seem like they're celebrating Halloween while at the same time lamenting the loss of a former lover. Perhaps the most Halloween-y line, aside from the title, c...

 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 hop...