Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "Kisses" by Slowdive: Shoegaze was never a subgenre of alt-rock that caught on the way that, say, punk rock, new wave, or grunge did. It started as an "alternative" genre and remained that way since it combined the seemingly contradictory elements of squalid noise and ethereal beauty together. Although well-known groups like The Smashing Pumpkins and Radiohead were influenced by it, shoegaze has still remained underground, which is why it was a pleasant surprise for me to hear that Slowdive, one of the leaders of the shoegaze movement, have released their first album in almost three decades! Slowdive are also a group I don't know near as well as other shoegazing legends like The Jesus and Mary Chain or Cocteau Twins. With "Kisses" being the first song I've really heard by Slowdive, I must say that I'm impressed. It retains the echo-y swirl that shoegazing was initially known for and has a flavor that's both sweet and psyched...

Yesterday was Juneteenth, so I decided to do my blog today instead of yesterday. Here are this week's songs: "Body" by Briston Maroney: Indie-folk-rocker Briston Maroney has added a bit more of a techno-pop influence to his music and blended it with acoustic guitar music in order to make his latest song, "Body," appeal to a wider audience than his previous material. The song, essentially, is a rumination on how life doesn't last forever, so we should make the most of it while we still can. Amidst slightly psychedelic flourishes midway through, "Body" is a breezy song overall that can really make you think about life! "Devotion" by Arlo Parks: Arlo Parks' take on neo-soul has been an interesting one. "Softly" involved a trip-hop influence, and her latest song, "Devotion," does as well, but "Softly" wasn't a very guitar-heavy song. "Devotion" actually is one, believe it or not. The guitars sta...