Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "Cold at Night" by The Mountain Goats:  A song that was released last month but that I'm just starting to get to know now...it only figures The Mountain Goats would release something on Halloween month, right?! I mean with titles like "Damn These Vampires," "Up the Wolves," and "Werewolf Gimmick," The Mountain Goats run the gamut when it comes to "spooky" titles and topics. "Cold at Night" fits right along with that. The song also has a bit more of a rock sound than fans of the Goats' normally folk-rock-y music might be used to, but it still lands roughly in that indie-folk-ish patch. I'm surprised there isn't "fandom rivalry" between The Mountain Goats and The Decemberists, given how both were mid-'00s indie-folk-rock groups who often sing about dark subject matter over sweet folk-rock-y melodies. "Cold at Night" totally lands in that Decemberists-ish spot with its tale ...

 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...