Spencer Griffin's New Music Mondays

 here they are: "In the Middle of It" by Hiss Golden Messenger:  If you're in the mood for a "travel down the highway" song that's more sentimental country-rock than it is a hard-drivin' road rock song, then this song might be it! Nature imagery runs throughout the song:  rocks, roses, cornflower, the moon, mountains, you name it! After all the sweetness of nature imagery and freeway traveling, HGM's lead singer addresses someone named Maria and asks them "Ain't it sad?" and then says "That's how it ends." Sigh...I guess every good story has to come to an end sometime, but this song's wistful, nostalgic tone seems like it captures bittersweet sunshine in a jar! "Seven Degrees" by Friko:  Yes, their name is pronounced "freako," in case you were wondering. Friko aren't freaky, though. Instead, they're folky, like a lot of modern indie bands tend to be. Their breakthrough song, "Seven Degr...

 here they are: "Daisy" by Marfa:  This song has been around for a few weeks now, but it seems like it's been gaining more traction lately, so I've decided to review it. This song is a wistful, slightly bittersweet track that sounds like what an indie-folk version of Chris Isaak's "Wicked Game" might have been like. "Daisy," in this case, is the name of a girl, not a flower, though the song's mellow vibes could certainly evoke floral imagery! The titular Daisy, apparently, is "a broad who flew the coop to Utah" who "could never last a summer without any withdrawal." Sexual withdrawal?! Those are some risque lyrics hiding beneath this sweet song! As the song moves on from these lines, it mostly just repeats the phrase "Yeah, she's gonna be alright." That line almost seems sarcastic when you put it up against the previous lines. "Dandelions" by Whitney:  No, not a person named Whitney, but a group o...

 here they are: "Clean Heart" by Perfume Genius:  After the surprisingly folk-rock-y "It's a Mirror," Perfume Genius are back to the trip-hop-y, breezy indie-pop they're known for with "Clean Heart." An interesting combination of instruments seem to combine here to make the song sound as affecting as it does! It almost seems like Nick Drake's "Northern Sky" if it relied more on keyboard than on guitar, and it's even in the same key as that song is (D sharp/E flat major). A lot of synthetic instruments here, as one might expect from Perfume Genius, but there's a very tinkly xylophone-ish sound oddly reminiscent of the Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood  intro that seems to run throughout the song and that kind of makes it what it is! Halfway through, as the song briefly gets stripped down to one instrument, there is a bit of guitar in it, but that part quickly gets clouded by the other instruments of the song. Michael Alden Hadreas...

 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: "Bored" by Waxahatchee:  The song may be called "Bored," but it sure isn't boring! The song plays out like a slightly more countrified Tom Petty, echoing the progressions of classic Petty songs like "Listen to Her Heart." The title of "Bored" pretty much indicates what the lyrics are like. It's basically a song about Katie Crutchfeld being tired of the relationship she has.  "Dance in the Desert" by Daniel Donato:  The title of this song sounds kind of hippie-ish, doesn't it?! Fittingly, this song sort of sounds like a happier, more upbeat version of a Grateful Dead song with its Jerry Garcia-esque twang mixing with a peppy, almost ska-like drumbeat. The song is actually a 3-and-a-half minute version of a song that's actually a sprawling nearly 20-minute epic when he performs it live. Trippy, man! "Docket" by Blondshell (featuring Bully):  Bully have done some awesome songs by themselves, but pe...

 EIGHT whoppin' new songs for a whoppin' new year!! Can you believe it?! Here they are!! "Beautiful People (Stay High)" by The Black Keys:  While The Black Keys are known for having a "retro" sound to pretty much all of their songs, they haven't yet nailed the sunny side of psychedelic pop quite like they have for their latest tune, "Beautiful People (Stay High)." If the words "beautiful" and "high" weren't clues already, this is a song that attempts to capture the spirit of the swingin' '60s! This is probably the happiest song I've heard from Dan and Patrick so far. For a year that is probably going to be a shaky one for many, The Black Keys have managed to kick off 2024 with positive energy like no other! Highly recommended! "Deja Vu" by Abraham Alexander (featuring Mavis Staples):  This is only the second song I've heard so far from neo-soul musician Abraham Alexander (the first being "T...

 here they are: "Every Chance I Get" by Dan Auerbach: Imagine, if you will, a cross between Canned Heat's "On the Road Again," The Doors' "Love Me Two Times," and Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit in the Sky." The Black Keys frontman has just released a song that is pretty much that. You'll swear you stepped into a time machine to the late 1960's after hearing this psychedelic blues-rock number! In case the song itself didn't sound "sinful" enough with its slinky, seductive vibe, the music video for the song (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8baM8oySjqw&t=115s) features a (presumably) female skeleton doing what appears to be a striptease for a bunch of (presumably) male skeletons. As skeletons are already stripped of their skin, I don't see how this is even possible, but apparently, it is! It's like watching a more risqué version of the "Skeleton Dance" cartoon that Disney did back in the day!  ...