Getting back into the swing of things…
Meat Puppets – Backwater
Genre: 90s psychedelica
Feeling: Was this on a Guitar Hero? Rock Band? If not they missed it.
The Meat Puppets formed in the 80s, emerging from the peyote laden deserts of Arizona with a devotion to all things rock, psych, and beyond. They have a timeless sound, and I was surprised to learn they’ve been rocking for so long and didn’t ride the Tame Impala indie-psychedelic wave of the early 2010s. “Backwater” is their most popular single, but it is a much more of an open door to their extensive catalogue than a one-hit wonder. It’s a song that makes you stop, look over at whoever’s phone is linked to the bluetooth speaker, and say, “yeah, this is it” as you rock you head to the buh-dub-buh-duh riffs. I’ll be playin this one all summer long.
Lyric sample:
“And when I wake up in the morning
To feel the daybreak on my face
There’s a blood that’s flowin’
Through the ceiling, with a knife
To open up the sky’s veins“
M83 – Wait
Genre: the progressive melancholic
Feeling: an android’s lullaby
M83’s Hurry Up, We’re Dreaming dominated the early 2010s indie realm, and quickly found mainstream success with the hit single “Midnight City.” While not prone to radio play, “Wait” is the next biggest song on the album. The song is centered on Bon Iver-esque guitar chords, while synth, layered vocals, and violins swirl around to create a steadily growing storm of sound. At the 3:30 mark, the drums kick in, and there’s no turning back. Drum fill follows drum fill as M83’s signature cries echo in the distance. And then it’s all over. “Wait” could have been a 12 minute song, but I think it’s relatively short duration of just over 5 minutes gives it endless replay value as a progressive track that can fit into whatever emotional mold you need.
Lyric sample:
“Noo Tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmeee”
Foxygen – Work
Genre: trip-indie rock
Feeling: Mick Jagger, Peter Gabriel, and A-Trak approved
“Work” is the lead track on Foxygen’s fourth full-length album, released this spring. Foxygen is the brainchild of Jagger successor and multi-instrumentalist Jonathan Rado, whose unique vocals allows the band to retain a core, instantly recognizable sound while exploring innovative and experimental paths. “Work” falls somewhere between rock song and dance number, with simple, repetitive synths, subtle scratches, and copper pipe clangs edging it closer to the dance side.
Lyric Sample:
“So I call up Rado and we’re cranking ’em out
And we even get paid just to do it
Yeah, so thank you very much
Well, I’ll be leaving right now, ha
I gotta get to work on the chorus of this song right now“
Mutual Benefit – Advanced Falconry
Genre: indie-folk
Feeling: can you get any more indie-folk than a band called “Mutual Benefit” writing a song called “Advanced Falconry”?
You know, I’m beginning to think this Benefit guy doesn’t know as much about falconry as he claims.
Lyric Sample:
“But I won’t forget,
The way she flies“
