Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "A Perfect Storm" by Jose Gonzalez:  "A Perfect Storm" IS a perfect storm - a perfect storm of melancholia, intensity, and calm in a single song! And it doesn't take that many instruments to do it either! In typical Jose style, acoustic guitar is the dominant instrument in this song, but he uses it in such a powerful way that I can't help but be drawn in. Jose's storm, lyrically, is a force of nature in more ways than one! The song is an eerily self-aware meditation and lament on how we are to blame for being the victims of our own impending doom. Phrases like "race against time" and "gambling with our common fate" indicate how Jose realizes that the human race has put itself in imminent danger. At least we get a good song out of it! "Back in Love" Suki Waterhouse:  One of the most insanely catchy songs of summer 2024 was Suki Waterhouse's indie-pop anthem, "Supersad"! Though her next single, ...

 here they are: "Bells and Whistles" by Bright Eyes:  Hard to believe Bright Eyes have now been around for over 20 years, but it's true! The Wilco-esque sound of their latest song, the bluesy and boozy piano-dominated "Bells and Whistles," is not entirely out of character for them either, and it could easily be mistaken for a Bright Eyes song from a decade or two prior! Beneath the song's jaunty sound, Conor Oberst is actually trying to tell a tale about how things that seem trivial one moment can end up being a huge part of your life the next. I feel like I've been there before quite a few times myself, so I think I can relate to this song. The ending of the song is interesting, with the piano, guitar, and brass all in drunken yet coherent harmony with one another. "Big Time Nothing" by St. Vincent:  The surprisingly dark (even by St. Vincent standards) sounds of "Broken Man" from earlier this year were shocking yet appealing to me. ...