Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "Back of a Truck" by Rostam:  A founding member of indie-pop/rock sensations, Vampire Weekend, Rostam has also had a few good tracks of his own! This is one of them. It has an interesting "electro-folk" sound. Acoustic guitars and synths mingle with one another in this song, and they sound mostly in tune with one another (although part of the intro to the second verse makes it sound like the synths are deliberately out of tune compared to the guitars). "Back of a Truck" sounds like the title of a country song, and part of this song does have that "lonesome twang" that country songs tend to have, but it also sounds like something that's more likely to play at a club than it is at a barn or rodeo. To top it all off, Rostam reveals his inner Dylan fan in this song, twice! "Like a Rolling Stone" is mentioned by name, and "Don't Think Twice, It's Alright" is alluded to towards the end.  "Freaking Ou...

 here they are: "Barbed Wire" by Cardinals:  With their previous single, "Masquerade," having a somewhat Radiohead-esque sound, "Barbed Wire" has an even more interesting tune to it! It has a mid '00s indie rock swagger akin to Franz Ferdinand, Kaiser Chiefs, or Arctic Monkeys, but beset by an accordion sound. Somehow, they turn the accordion into a rock and roll instrument on "Barbed Wire," a song that takes dark subject matter like imprisonment and drugs and makes it into a daring tale of adventure! "Paradise Road" by Clover County:  If you thought this said "Clover Country" instead of "Clover County," you wouldn't be that far from the truth! Clover County, whose previous works were closer to indie-folk, leans more towards a country sound for their latest tune, "Paradise Road." No place called "Paradise Road," real or fictional, is mentioned in the tune, but it could be inferred from the...

 here they are: "All I Ever Am" by The Cure:  The Cure are one of the most celebrated and influential alt-rock bands of all time, so naturally, when news hit in fall of last year that they'd be releasing a new album, avid fans of the band were all abuzz! While the first single, "Alone," seemed too long and spacious to make a lasting impact on adult alt radio, the second single, "A Fragile Thing," had far more appeal! Now up a third time at bat, The Cure's "All I Ever Am" is yet another song of theirs that hearkens back to their gloomy yet lovely vintage '80s sound. The song starts with an orchestral-sounding synth, but as soon as the drums start pounding in, so does the bass, masquerading as a fuzz guitar here. "All I Ever Am" is a bit of a long song at around 5 and a half minutes, but it's also a catchy one, so I think it'll fare well on adult alt radio. "Cry Baby" by Sunny War (featuring Valerie June):  B...

 here they are: "I'm Still" by Bahamas:  Bahamas live up to their island-y sounding name in this chill, beach-y track. A combo of Jimmy Buffett/Jack Johnson-esque "tropical" folk-rock guitar and a breezy wash of electric make this one of the ultimates in mellow rock for this year. Somehow, this song winds up being 5 and a half minutes, but it sure doesn't feel like it is. It's basically the musical equivalent of being in a spa and getting your back massaged. The lyrics tend to contradict the song's vibe, though, about feeling uncertain about life but trying to find reassurance nonetheless.  "Impressively Average" by Brigitte Calls Me Baby: Brigitte Calls Me Baby?! Are people running out of band names?! It's a cool name, but it's also one that says to me, "all the good names were taken"! Anyway, their debut single, "Impressively Average" is more impressive than it is average. It's hard to call a band with a Ki...

 It's the last day of the year, and we have 8 brand new songs! Here they are: "Bug Like an Angel" by Mitski: Perhaps the first Mitski song to dip into folk-rock territory, "Bug Like an Angel" continues to add new dimension and depth to Mitski's already eclectic catalog! "Bug Like an Angel" is a rather cryptic metaphor, but the "angel" part seems to refer to death by either drinking or overindulgence. The song is fittingly melancholy for one that has such a depressing theme, but ultimately more bittersweet than bitter. It manages to carry itself in a major key rather than a minor one, but it's still quite powerful! There is also religious imagery woven into the song, particularly at the end when Mitski says, "I try to remember the wrath of the devil was also given to him by God." Again, it's hard to make out exactly what Mitski means here, but my best guess is that the presumably now dead person being addressed in the son...