Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 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...

 here they are: "Dance With a Stranger" by Lake Street Dive:  While Lake Street Dive's sound is normally influenced by '60s and '70s soul music, they sometimes reach for vibes evocative of other times. Their latest song, "Dance With a Stranger," seems more like '80s funk and R & B a la Chaka Khan, Prince, and perhaps even Michael Jackson. Shimmering synths layer the song's shiny atmosphere along with the funky bass bubbling underneath. The song's lyrics, however, would not have been out of place in a song from the '60s, with its themes of unity. The title of the song, as well as the song itself, are just about having the freedom to do what you want when you want! "Sanctuary" by Wild Feathers:  Now a little over a decade old, Tennessee country-rockers Wild Feathers are still releasing songs to this day! Their latest effort, "Sanctuary," continues in the country-rock direction they debuted with. While the music is no...

 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 ...