Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "Carolina Rain" by Rhiannon Giddens:  One of the few musicians I know who can swing easily between soul and bluegrass, Carolina Chocolate Drops' lead singer, Rhiannon Giddens, hasn't had an adult alt radio hit since 2015's soul/blues-influenced "Black is the Color." After a little over a decade, she has returned with a song that owes more to the bluegrass-influenced stuff she started with in Carolina Chocolate Drops. Even the title of the song seems kind of quaint and country-ish. "Carolina Rain" is a wistful song dominated by banjo and fiddle with very light percussion buoying it in between. Rhiannon's sweet, soothing vocals weave a story about both nostalgia and travel. A lot of nature-like imagery in this song, too, especially during the chorus, which mentions whippoorwills, fireflies, and sorghum cane. Makes you feel like you're in the Deep South just listening to it, doesn't it?! "Good Times//End Times...

 here they are: "American Dream" by Alabama Shakes:  Releasing a song called "American Dream" at a time when that sort of dream seems divided was intentional on the part of Brittany Howard and co this time. This swirling soul-rock slow jam expresses how disillusioned Brittany has become with both politics and how they affect other areas of life ranging from gun reform to abortion to the environment. She repeatedly refers to this dream as "the impossible dream," but not "impossible" in the sense of "sounds farfetched, but we can get there." More in the sense of how it really has become impossible now! "I can't keep dreaming," she says towards the end, reluctantly wanting to reconcile her dashed hopes with the harsher realities of American life at present. This one hurts, but in such a powerful, relatable way! "Any Old Fool" by Thee Sacred Souls:  TSS do what they do best on this song, and that is how they sound li...

 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: "Fly" by Chicano Batman:  Want somethin' funkaayyy?! Then Chicano Batman might just have the song you're lookin' for! Even the beginning of their latest song, "Fly," sounds like something out of an early Prince tune! Though Chicano Batman are typically influenced by rhythmic music to begin with, they haven't tackled funk yet (at least not to my knowledge), so this is a refreshing new direction for them to go in! The lyrics of this song also seem to be rather Prince-esque, dripping with lurid innuendo from start to finish meant to seduce the listeners. Chicano Batman, you got us right where you want us! "Her Way Out" by Big Head Todd and The Monsters:  The latest song from '90s jam band, Big Head Todd and The Monsters, "Her Way Out" seems like a Tom Petty song in both its rootsy-ness and the one-two punch of the power chords that punctuate each line. Big Head Todd and The Monsters apparently meant this to sound ...

 here they are: "Crumble" by The National (featuring Rosanne Cash):  "Crumble" marks the second time on The National's latest album where they've collaborated with a female musician. Previously, they collaborated with pop star Taylor Swift on "The Alcott." For "Crumble," they went more classic country with the Man in Black's daughter, Rosanne. As a result, the song sounds more country than The National typically does while retaining the typical indie sound The National usually go for. The song is a downbeat track, like many National songs are, but there's something oddly nostalgic about this one that most National songs do not have. An interesting collaboration, to be sure! "Get Back" by Margaret Glaspy: Not to be confused with the Beatles track of the same name, Margaret Glaspy's latest song, "Get Back," lacks the blues-y muscle that most of her other songs do, but her distinctively raspy yet melodic vocal...