Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are:  "Habits" by Gary Clark Jr.:  Known for being the 21st-century answer to Jimi Hendrix for some people, Gary Clark Jr. rarely presents a vulnerable, sensitive side to his material, but with Gary's latest song, "Habits," we get to see a poignant side to the blues-rocker extraordinaire. It's a heartbreaker of a song that could be about many things. He never says just what the "habits" are in his song, but it's implied that they're something of a personal nature, perhaps either drug related or anxiety related. Either way, "Habits" hits hard, in the best of ways! "Kinky" by BBY:  Not sure how to pronounce this performer's name ("Baby"? "Bee-bee"? "Buh-bee"? "Bee-bee-why"?!), but man, their song sure is catchy! Driven by a flange-y guitar riff and a fast, danceable beat, "Kinky" has become a big hit on alt-rock radio, and adult alt radio is slowly but surely...

 here they are: "Girl From the Record Shop" by Frank Turner:  It's rare to get a song these days that's under 2 minutes, but that's exactly what Frank Turner's latest song, "Girl From the Record Shop," is! The song's high-energy punk-rock vibes fit with how short it is, as most Ramones songs could probably tell you. The song even sounds a bit like The Ramones' cover of The Rivieras' "California Sun," albeit with more organ. This song is packed with music references, ranging from Motown acts to Radiohead to Queen to The Descendents! Music nerds, rejoice!  "Run Your Mouth" by The Marias:  I first discovered The Marias, believe it or not, with a Christmas song they did called "We're the Lucky Ones." About a year after that came their big alt and adult alt radio hit, "Hush," which was a sort of dark, scathing song that was equal parts electronica and rock. Flash forward a few years to the present, a...

 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 ...