Jerry's Pick: "What I Do"

"What I Do"-Taylor Janzen

Hey! My ears found another one!

It’s a new release that takes me back to the Lilith Fair-era of the late-90s/early-00s when radio regularly broadcast the talents of Lisa Loeb, Sarah McLachlan, Paula Cole, Tracy Chapman, Tori Amos, Rilo Kiley and Jewel. (Remember what a radio was?)

She's 19-year old Taylor Janzen who -- like fellow Canadian Alanis Morissette -- specializes in composing confessions highlighting heartaches seemingly pulled directly from the pages of her private journal.

According to the author, the lyrics of “What I Do” are extremely personal and poignant, words she carefully layered underneath a guitar-driven, mid-tempo backbeat. It’s a familiar theme: The more one reaches out, the more the other pulls away.

“I know that you try your best, but there are things you just can't fix, and darling I am one of them…” 

Janzen explained to Apple Music, “I’ve struggled with mental health issues my whole life, and so when I got into my first serious relationship, I had to get used to the reality of those issues affecting the other person. This song is about not knowing what to do to change that.”

It was this revelation which made me wonder if those personal struggles became the reason the first four notes from her guitar perfectly mirror John Mandel’s 1970 composition, “Suicide Is Painless.” (Remember the theme from “M*A*S*H?”)

I seriously doubt it, but I found the correlation a somewhat curious coincidence.

Although “What I Do” has an ebb-and-flow feel that quickly glows-up in depth and dimension, this brief ballad (just under three-minutes) acoustically lands where it was launched but remains powerfully simple throughout.

“It started out as an acoustic folk song I wrote in my bedroom,” she says. “I’m so proud of what it’s morphed into, because I love exploring different sounds and energies in my music, while still keeping the core of my songwriting sacred. And this song is a perfect example of what that looks like for me.”

During the core of the track, Taylor delivers her vocals in a matter-of-fact manner which seems to match the emotional exhaustion found within her poetry. This all leads-up to an infectious chorus preceded by a momentary pause where she catches her breath before releasing a series of “OOHs” that come immediately after she does the “DOOs.” Each one more a bit more emotional than the last.

I hope you enjoy this latest find as much as I have. Her music video is posted below. And, I shall keep my ears peeled for more!

That’s just what I do.

Jerry's Pick: "So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings"

"So Hot You're Hurting My Feelings"-Caroline Polachek

Remember Chairlift? The alternative band out of Boulder, Colorado produced several songs that are still in recurrent rotation on my iTunes playlist including “Evident Utensil” and “Romeo.” But I’m pretty sure you are familiar with their ballad “Bruises,” a song that got a big boost up the charts in 2008 when it was used in an Apple iPod Nano television ad.

Well, Chairlift split-up two-years ago giving singer-songwriter Caroline Palochek a chance to release an album of material under her own name for the first time in her career (Pang, out last month). And boy, did this girl come through! My pick of the pack was the track with the curious song title.

Turns out, “So Hot You’re Hurting My Feelings” has nothing to do with lame pick-up lines. Instead, think sexual separation frustration served-up in a very cute, playful way. Or as Caroline tweeted, “It’s about a spicy long-distance crush.”

Polachek explained to MTV News, "'You're so hot it's hurting my feelings’ is something I'd actually told someone a week prior, and the phrase just kept playing on my mind. I had a session set up towards the very end of writing this record with a couple friends of mine, and the first melody that came was the melody that's now the beginning of the song. There's something kind of classical about it, but it also reminded me of ‘Video Killed the Radio Star’-era Eighties pop. Just something about the quality of the jumpiness of it. And then I thought, wait a minute, this is kind of the perfect vessel for that lyric.”

This breezy bop begins with stereo-panned angelic “ah”s immediately merged with a bold bass-line that takes you to the opening stanza which establishes her lusty longing.

“Not like I'm counting the days/But it's been twenty-five/You're out there killing the game/But damn, I miss you tonight…”

I sense a little bit Feist mixed with Haim and Imogene Heap over a Japanese House vibe. Polachek’s voice is beautifully bright and bubbly, but I'm also a fan of how she merges the analog and the digital with subtle auto-tuned, vocoded vocals on the refrain.

“I get a little lonely/Get a little more close to me/You're the only one who knows me, babe/So hot you're hurting my feelings…”

She then sums up those frustrations with her two-word acquiesce…

“Can’t deal.”

I also love the little extra touches that at first went by unnoticed. For instance, listen how Caroline interjects gasps and sighs with her vocal delivery -- each succeeding breath just a little deeper -- adding a feel of sexual fluster to her story line. And aside from the alternating coquettish “woo”s sprinkled through the production, there are also Caroline’s lascivious lyrics; “With all the X-rated dreamin'…” “Don't send me photos, you're making it worse…” and a middle-eight that just could be home to pop music’s very first dick-pic reference.

Polachek confessed to PopCrush, “I will tell you a secret, which is that in the bridge, underneath the vocal solo -- which by the way is the first guitar solo I've ever done with my voice -- there is the lyric ‘Show me the banana,’ which you can interpret that one however you want.”

I’m positive Harry Belafonte, Gwen Stefani and Donovan can dig it.

Jerry's Pick: "Me Without You"

"Me Without You"-Mads Langer

Here’s your late-Summer guilty pop-pleasure of the week.

You know, one of those car-karaoke tunes that has you mimicking its percussion with both thumbs thumping on the steering wheel, intermittently reaching to tap your rear-view-cymbal while simultaneously singing out-loud like nobody's watching.

Well, Jukebox Hero... I found another auto-anthem for you!

Consider this spirited sonic score a “Shake It Off,” but without the Taylor Swift, and from a different hemisphere.

Although Mads Langer is considered a major rock star in his native Denmark, his name has yet to trigger a single sonic blip on even the far outer perimeter of Billboard’s rock ‘n’ roll radar.

After a decade-long string of Top-40 singles on his hometown Hitlisten popularity poll, the multi-instrumentalist singer-songwriter is finally trying his luck to see if his latest creation creates waves on this side of the Atlantic. And Mads’ Danish chart-topper “Me Without You” certainly appears to have a sound shot of worming its way into a few ears here in North America.

“Me Without You” is a charming ode to your better-half; that special someone who completes you but also has the ability to quickly shift your brain and body into out-of-synch mode simply with their absence. It's a theme that's made of Mads' mediocre metaphors...

▶ "ATM with no cash..."
▶ "Guilty, no proof..."
▶ "Treasure under padlocks..."

His lyrics are just as ironic as that Alanis Morissette single, meaning -- of course -- they’re not ironic at all, just a series of sad, unfortunate coincidences sung over a breezy and blithe background. But honestly, who cares?! As a package, this works!

Langer explained to Germany’s TheMellowMusic blogsite, “Music touches me most when it is a little melancholy, but always carries that spark of hope in itself. That's the point I always try to find in songwriting,”

To summarize, “Me Without You” is a light, bouncy, hook-filled three-minutes of fun.

And who says "No" to three-minutes of fun? Yeah... didn't think so. :v)

Jerry's Pick: "Are You Bored Yet?"

“Are You Bored Yet?”-Wallows

Think back to your teens. You’re alone with your special someone, not speaking. During this uneasy silence, anxious thoughts are racing through both of your heads all-the-while wondering what the other is thinking. You’re questioning the relationship… analyzing and replaying everything that was said or done in the past.

But you’re both just too afraid to speak.

The SoCal trio Wallows have successfully tapped into this all-too-familiar coming-of-age adolescent awkwardness by taking those unspoken insecurities and converting them into a poetic he-feels/she-feels dialogue of self-doubt and indecision.

"Will you tell the truth so I don't have to lie?"

"Are You Bored Yet?” has it all… wonderful lyrics, solid instrumentation and an infectious refrain. But it took a guest vocalist –  someone who could radiate hopeful naïveté – to create such a dynamic, yet playful vintage-sounding masterpiece.

The female role in this three-minute pop play is performed perfectly by DIY YouTube star Clairo who brought her charming and delicate voice to the mix.

Wallows guitarist and vocalist Dylan Minnette (who also plays the role of Clay Jensen in the Netflix drama "13 Reasons Why") explained to Flood Magazine, “I look at her part as the other person, the other side of the relationship in the second verse. That point of view is way more optimistic: ‘This can work out. We can get through this undefeated.’ But the narrator of the song is too far gone."

The conversation within “Are You Bored Yet?” is beautifully layered over a breezy, synth-laden instrumentation that evokes a Psychedelic Furs “Love My Way” vibe which is anything but boring.

Although this young LA group has been together for the better part of a decade, “Are You Bored Yet?” happens to be one of the tracks off their very first album, Nothing Happens, which was released last week.

Jerry's Pick: "Venice Bitch"

"Venice Bitch"-Lana Del Rey

Lana Del Rey's latest experiment is a trippy masterpiece the like pop radio hasn't heard for decades.  It's an almost ten-minute experience that is introspective, fragile and melancholy yet romantic, sexy and hopeful.

Yep, I said ten-minutes. Your average radio single typically runs just under four-minutes in length, many of which seem to drag... on... for... ever.

But not here.

During each spin of "Venice Bitch" I discover something new. It's so easy to get lost in its complex soft and hazy, dark and delicious ethereal ambiance. Lana lightheartedly explained to Zane Lowe of Beats-1 Radio, "I was like, 'well, end of summer... some people just wanna drive around for 10 minutes, get lost in some electric guitar'."

"Venice Bitch" has a vibe that takes me back to the progressive-rock and psychedelic folk-pop era of the late-60s/early-70s. If "Venice Bitch" was released 50-years ago it would probably get some spins on album-oriented FM radio alongside deep-cuts from Traffic and The Incredible String Band. I think it has a dreamy sound not unlike 1969's "The Moving Van" from guitarist Randy California and his band Spirit.

But do radio programmers today have the moxie to give Lana's new single some serious airtime? Probably not. It already has three-strikes against it; its length, its intricacy, and its title. But here, Lana is all about the art, not the chart. As the once self-proclaimed "secret weirdo" sings at the start of "Venice Bitch," she is "Fresh out of fucks, forever."

Come to think about it, I don't think I've ever heard the word "bitch" sound so elegant.

The single's first two-minutes remind me of Lana's breakthrough 2011 debut "Video Games" but then artfully transitions into a seven-minute swirling aural hallucinatory trip accented with layered guitars, subtle synths, delicate orchestration and hushed vocals.

Lana's poetry seems to be painted in idyllic 20th century Americana with references to Hallmark, Robert Frost, a 1968 Tommy James hit and Norman Rockwell. (In fact, her parent album -- available next year -- will be christened Norman Fucking Rockwell.)

Lana's prose floats from the playful...

"You're beautiful and I'm insane/We're American-made..."

...and possessive...

"If you weren't mine, I'd be jealous of your love..."

...to dismissive...

"Wha-wha-wha-wha-whatever... everything, whatever..."

Again, there is so much to take in. Grab your headphones, open your ears and your mind, and let all of Lana Del Rey's beautiful, beautiful, beautiful "Venice Bitch" wash over you.

That's all for now. Signing off... bang bang, kiss kiss.

Jerry's Pick: "You Should See Me In a Crown"

"You Should See Me In a Crown"-Billie Eilish

Who doesn't love a dark-hearted psychotic-sounding musical goddess?

The first time I listened to "You Should See Me In a Crown" a couple of months ago I imagined the voice belonged to someone who has the talent of Lorde and the soul of Wednesday Addams. 

Billie Eilish is a 16-year old LA-native with a definite dark side. Previous singles have included "Bitches Broken Hearts," "Six Feet Under" and "Bellyache" featuring lyrics penned from the vantage-point of a serial killer. Google her image and you'll see pages of pics of a young, brooding face. She once told W Magazine, "Smiling makes me feel weak and not in control and not powerful, and small."

"Crown" is edgy and a bit intimidating. Close your eyes after clicking "play." There's a possessed Billie, staring you down, scraping two knives against each other while cautioning you with a whisper over a mildly menacing intro. 

"Bite my tongue, bide my time, wearing a warning sign..."

Billie's teenage angst is subtle yet powerful, and -- I must admit -- a bit creepy. Listen for the build-up leading to the chorus where you'll hear quickly ascending pseudo-strings followed by a split-second of silence. It's the same method used in horror films during those menacing scenes leading the audience to believe something horrible is about to happen.

Adding to the eeriness of "Crown" is the wobbly bass audible behind the chorus and the way Billie ends each rhyming line on a descending note lending a cold, uncaring feel to the track.

"Tell me which one is worse, living or dying first, sleeping inside a hearse... I don't dream"

Her lyrics are dark throughout, including the mood of the middle-eight. I have no idea what she's saying but her electronically oscillated voice (with the "ha-ha-ha") add to the insanity of this uniquely awesome creation.

Billie revealed that the song's title was inspired by an episode from the BBC television drama "Sherlock" where the program's antagonist -- Professor James Moriarty -- once declared, "In a world of locked rooms, the man with the key is king. And honey, you should see me in a crown."

Actually, I can. And give her a silver scepter while you're at it!

So, step aside because here comes alt-pop's new royalty, Billie Eilish, who will be slaying them "one, by one, by one..."

Jerry's Pick: "Soul Train"

"Soul Train"-Just Loud

A dozen years ago Justin Timberlake's musical mission statement was to bring sexy back. Now a Virginia-based musician thinks its time to do the same for funk. Leading the crusade: Just Loud.

Just Loud is not only a proclamation but the moniker of the man behind the exciting new single "Soul Train," an energetic throwback to Seventies soul and -- as you might have guessed -- one of America's longest running televised dance parties.

On his Facebook page, Just Loud explained, "The way how the generation is moving right now is way too cool, ain't got no funk. Where's the funk now? I'm asking you, 'Where's the funk?' So, with 'Soul Train' I hope we can just bring it back just a little bit. Enough with being cool. Let's bring the funk back!"

I'm not entirely sure "Soul Train" will resurrect the genre, but he's on the right track with the best example of synth-saturated soul featuring funk-filled falsetto since Prince blew us a "x x x x x, kiss" in 1985.

Along with a chugging bass-line and an energetic, infectious chorus, I also appreciated Just Loud's lyrical tip-of-the-hat to the architect of punk-funk, Rick James, and his 1978 single "Mary Jane." (I guess it could also be a nod to his all-girl R&B group the Mary Jane Girls.)

But that's not the coolest revelation of "Soul Train." Fab Five Freddie told me it's none-other than Debbie Harry reliving her Blondie "Rapture" moment with those "Harass your ass" vocal fills during the song's middle-eight.

Just Loud described "Soul Train" as "a rebellious record." Adding, "I want everyone to get up, move, and have a good time!" Whatever you say, Mr. Loud. Well, it is a definite head-bopper and -- as advertised -- could play a role in getting your caboose on the dance floor... dancing like back in the day.

"Ai, yi-yi-yi!"

As you board the "Soul Train" on the Rock ('n' Roll) Island Line, I leave you with the words of Don Cornelius by wishing you all "love, peace and sooooul!"

Jerry's Pick: "I Wouldn't Want To Be Like You"

"Wouldn't Want To Be Like You"-Sheryl Crow

When I first eyed the title to this new Sheryl Crow single I immediately assumed it was a cover-version of that classic 1977 Alan Parson Project track of the same name.

It isn't.

But, I did notice one small similarity. Both "Wouldn't Want To Be Like You"s were written about those who somehow exist without a heart or a soul. Parsons drew inspiration from science fiction author Isaac Asimov and is about robots. Crow's subject matter is instead about something way more cold... the self-serving, ostentatiously opulent assholes currently at Wall Street and in the White House. (And some, I assume, are good people.)

Conceived in an era when our government throws out terms like "alternate facts" and "fake news," Sheryl's composition seems oh so relevant. She explained to Billboard, "Wouldn't Want To Be Like You" is "about the climate of truth not being important anymore."

In an administration where gaslighting is standard operating procedure and making shit up a daily occurrence, Crow's hook sounds like it could have originated as a rallying cry at a protest gathering for the resistance.

"You tell a lie, you tell a lie, you tell a lie, that don't make it true..."

"Wouldn't Want To Be Like You" begins with a Gorrilaz hip-hoppy styled drum beat and features Sheryl occasionally rap-singing utilizing an infectious staccato cadence.

"Money is the monkey giving you a back ache... Money is the grease in the palm of a handshake..."

This isn't the first time Crow has dabbled in politics. In fact, I was a big fan of her cleverly written meeting-in-the-middle themed single "Halfway There" from last year, obviously inspired by today's bitterly divided political climate.

For me, the highlight of "Wouldn't Want To Be Like You" is the distorted guitar contributions from Annie Clark. The St. Vincent guitarist can also be heard on harmony vocals. Apparently Clark -- currently enjoying the immense success of her critically acclaimed Masseduction -- is just one of the many guests that Sheryl has invited to join her in the studio, all part of a collection of songs tabled for release sometime next year. "My forthcoming album features collaborations with many of my heroes, people who have shaped the past, present and future of music. It’s a dream lineup really."

Coincidentally, today marks the 25th anniversary of Sheryl's breakthrough album Tuesday Night Music Club which was released on August 3, 1993 and featured those Crow classics "All I Wanna Do" and "Leaving Las Vegas," pop music I consider timeless. This time around we're talking timely.

Jerry's Pick: "Boomin' In Your Jeep"

"Boomin' In Your Jeep"-Crystal Fighters

Attempting to piece together the perfect set-list for the next time you and your besties hit the highway -- whether it be for a music festival or an afternoon at the beach -- can be a bit tricky. But, if it's done correctly, the getting-there part can be a party in itself.

"We did it, we did it!"

Over the last few weeks I've been jamming to Crystal Fighters' joyously carefree single "Boomin' In Your Jeep" and realized this infectious bop would fit comfortably in the front seat next to such road-tested vehicle-themed rockers as "Radar Love," "Ramblin' Man," "Highway To Hell," even the Beatles' "Drive My Car."

"Beep-beep, ah, beep-beep, yeah!"

That made me realize -- as a Crystal Fighters fan -- the trio took a much different route with this track (which sounds poppy and more mainstream) than their singles from the past. For instance, 2011's "At Home" has a flowing ethereal feel to it. By contrast, "Boomin'" eminates an infectious sun-soaked party vibe not unlike DNCE's "Cake By the Ocean."

According to Crystal Fighters YouTube page, that was by design. "The song is about that feeling of freedom you get on a road trip driving into the sunset when you turn the music up and all your troubles fade away! It’s also a love song, about that magical time when everything is so new and you just want to follow that feeling all the way to its core (and) see what’s there to discover."

"Take a hit and press play!"

I think one of the reasons I immediately took to this high-octane, fun-in-the-fast-lane uptempo tune was because it triggered a few musical deja vu moments. Subconciously I heard shades of Imagine Dragons, Foster the People and Elliphant but none more lucent than M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes"... save the sounds of gunshots and cash registers.

To sum it up, "Boomin' In Your Jeep" is now your new volume-up/windows-down behind-the-wheel I-don't-care-where-we-go-let's-just-go Summertime jam!

By-the-way, last week I wondered out-loud (via my Twitter account) whether we'd soon be hearing "Boomin'" behind a new Jeep television commercial. Might as well as it's already a catchy three-minute radio ad. But the Crystal Fighters were quick with a response of "Not gonna happen."

We'll see.

Jerry's Pick: "Apocalypse"

"Apocalypse"-Cigarettes After Sex

If musicians were able to record their audio in black and white, I think it would sound something like this. Slow, smokey vocals lazily delivered over an echo-drenched background, an ethereal ambiance that we could dub "pop-noir."

I've been listening to this song for quite a while now and despite my occasional distance, it continued to haunt me -- calling me back -- until I decided to take action and firmly acknowledge its existance. So, here I am.

Although the Cigarettes After Sex track "Apocalypse" has been around for a few months, it was its recent addition to a handful of alternative rock station's playlists that brought this sensual, dark, brooding and very unique track to my attention.

"Apocalypse" is warm, delicate, hypnotic, sultry, meloncholic intoxication... part Mazzy Star, part Leonard Cohen.

It's a song that resonates in such a profound and poetic way about coming to terms with a past relationship. Although your heart is still broken, you've moved on, while also realizing you cannot totally let go. It evolks a good sadness that I can’t quite explain. I guess you could say there are still occasional tears, but they fall over a smile.

Songwriter Greg Gonzalez of Cigarettes After Sex explained to Christina Cacouris of Noisey his lyrics are personal. "I just dig in to whatever vivid memory I have and then extract a song from it." He went deeper; "It’s about your own feelings, just taking a good memory and crystalizing it, saying, ‘Things might have ended badly, but in this photograph, they were great'."

And then there are those five words...

"Your lips. My lips. Apocalypse."

I love the duality of that line. Is it a referrence to relationship heaven or hell? I guess it all depends on where your heart is at the moment you hear it.

Regardless, "Apocalypse" is a very powerful piece of mood-shaping music. Just remember to listen with the volume up high and the lights down low.

With apologies to Lori Lieberman, this is what I call a "Killing me softly with his song" song.

Jerry's Pick: "Mystery of Love"

"Mystery of Love"-Sufjan Stevens

It’s truly unbelievable the effect that music can have on a person. I say this because my new favorite song just ripped my fucking heart out.

"Oh, oh whoa whoa is me..."

When I write about a particular tune I'm currently enamored with, I try to separate it from anything else it may be tied to, like a music video. But in this case, that was almost impossible.

The song is "Mystery of Love" which was written and recorded by Sufjan (pronounced SOOF-yahn) Stevens for the Academy Award nominated film "Call Me By Your Name," a coming-of-age story of a roller-coaster romance between Elio and Oliver set in 1980's Italy. This intimate recording -- paired with an emotional backdrop of innocence and a youthful summer love -- has the power to move through you in waves from deliriously happy to intensely sad and yet unapologetically hopeful. So much feels in just four-minutes.

In an interview with Olivia Dennis of Lindsay magazine, CMBYN director Luca Guadagnino revealed why he invited Stevens onto the project: "I wanted to have a narration that was not the banal usual literary narration," he said. "I wanted it to be more about something that really came from the soul. I wanted his epiphany in the movie and I had the privilege that he said 'yes'."

"Mystery of Love" (up for a "Best Song" Oscar next month) was recorded splendidly simple... a banjo, a guitar, a piano mixed with subtle strings and delicate vocals that are almost whispers, make this ballad all the more personal and agonizingly beautiful. Steven's lyrics -- which are full of symbolism -- are hopeful ("The first time that you touched me") yet hopeless ("The last time that you touched me.") But overall, the message ("Blessed by the mystery of love") seems to hint that going all-in with your heart is worth the pain that all too often supervenes.

No matter your gender or sexual orientation, I'm positive those with hearts that have been there will find Sufjan's intimation nostalgically familiar.

"Oh, will wonders ever cease?"

Yes, I'll admit it... "Mystery of Love" breaks my heart in all the right ways.

Jerry's Pick: "Suburban Wonderland"

"Suburban Wonderland"-The Heirs

If it's possible to get high by just listening to a song, I think found that song.

The aural substance in question is "Suburban Wonderland" and comes from a relatively new LA quintet known as The Heirs. After a couple of spins you'll find its ethereal aesthetic will eventually find its way into your limbic system slowly inducing you into a dreamlike state.

Okay, maybe that's a bit of an exaggeration, but "Suburban Wonderland" does radiate a hypnagogic vibe that flows effortlessly from the needle-on-a-spinning-piece-of-vinyl beginning through its easy but steady guitar/synth groove to a gentle reverbical but somnolent ending.

According to siblings Savannah and Brandon Hudson of The Heirs, "Suburban Wonderland" was a demo they were sitting on for nearly two-years before someone from their label enthusiastically encouraged the band to record and release it as a single. Good call. Brandon explained to Satori Radio, "It's a song we had written basically about just growing up in suburbia and trying to find your way out but essentially finding beauty in the madness that is normality."

"Are you looking for drugs?/Just for a little thrill?/Are you looking for love?/My body can be your pill..."

"We just wanted to make it about youth culture," adding, "We just wanted a song that kind of summed that up and felt like a good first debut track."

For me, "Suburban Wonderland" was The xx meets Polarheart -- a couple of inspiring and inventive alternative bands that live far on the left side of mainstream pop. Although "Wonderland" has been out since July there have only been a small group of enlightened programmers smart enough to have already added The Heirs' creation to their on-air rotations. And with Sony Music finally beginning a promotional push to radio, hopefully the number of stations will grow exponentially lending to greater and much deserved exposure. That's where you come in. Go ahead, give it a shot! No prescription required.

Warning: Listening to "Suburban Wonderland" may cause drowsiness and quite possibly mild euphoria, and while under its influence it is recommended that you do not operate heavy machinery. Actually, forget about moderation and liberally enjoy this track on repeat with the volume up and headsets or ear-buds firmly in place while seated in a relaxed position with eyes firmly closed and ears wide open.

You are now ready, and I'll take you there.

Welcome to your Wonderland!

Jerry's Pick: "Timebomb"

"Timebomb"-Post Precious

"Love, you're fucked."

When it comes to writing about a post-problematic relationship, the collaborative duo know as Post Precious immediately gets to the point.

"I mean it, I've grieved enough."

Sure, "Timebomb" is a love song, but not in the Barry White sense. Vocalist Alexandra Leigh Winston sings of finally breaking free of someone she really cared about, an unfaithful lover who drained her heart to the point she wonders if she'll ever be able to trust again.

Turns out, this composition was sorta personal, partly influenced by bittersweet relationships that were still fresh in the minds of both Winston and Post Precious partner Max Hershenow.

Hershenow  explained to Billboard, "We were inspired by a sort of collage of individual experiences, but I had recently come out of a particularly dark and heartbroken period of my life and I remember feeling this immense sense of catharsis at being able to put some of that experience into lyrics. To me, putting that sadness and frustration over a euphoric, driving dance beat is almost a reminder of my recovery -- I'm finally over him, or at least I'll keep dancing till I forget."

And dance you can, if you so wish.

What makes this three-minute "Timebomb" tick is its melancholy message delicately layered underneath an upbeat instrumentation featuring an oscillating synth reminiscent of a Visage or Berlin type of groove from the MTV era. The song's fuse sizzles for the first 50-seconds and then -- following a descending staircase of lonelies -- the song explodes.

"Now I can see, this wasn’t enough/I was just wasting my nights on this sinking timebomb..."

I first became familiar with Hershenow through his indie-pop band MS MR, specifically the single "Criminal" from 2015. Apparently it was because of issues with his record label Columbia that spurred Max to take a time-out with MS MR, a move which led to his pairing-up with Winston in LA and the formation of Post Precious.

Columbia's loss, our gain.

So, your mission -- if you decide to accept it -- is to audition this Post Precious track, then save it... (to your iTunes playlist).

But click now, as this "Timebomb" post will self-destruct in five seconds. Good luck, Jim.

("...five... four... three... two...")

Jerry's Pick: "Something For Your M.I.N.D."

"Something For Your M.I.N.D."-Superorganism

To borrow a line from Monty: "And now for something completely different." Let's just say no one will mistaken this tune for the latest Taylor Swift release.

There's so much going on with Superorganism's "Something For Your M.I.N.D." you'll put this two-and-a-half minute track on repeat in an attempt to decipher all of its aural components until you've become the latest victim of pop-hypnosis. And how many songs do you know-of that feature the sound of someone biting into an apple?

There's really a lot going on in this production, from a steady yet plodding synth and a stop-and-start rhythm to a myriad of audio samples topped with lyrics that are kinda cute yet curious. On my first listen I immediately thought this had to be a new Moldy Peaches production (remember "Anyone Else But You" from the Juno soundtrack?) as it had that exact same dispassionate delivery.

"I know you think I'm a psychopath/A Democrat lurking in the dark/This sucks, I'm the K-mart soda-jerk/Cirque du trash, I kept the stash/Of cocoa candy straight from Japan/Hologram Anne, she was never as near..."

Ohh-kaaay.

Superorganism came together last year when Brits Harry and Emily struck up a Facebook friendship with an Asian teen in Maine named Orono solely based on a mutual love of creating music. After discovering she could sing, the pair asked the 17-year old if she'd like to help them out with a project they were working on. Orono told DazedDigital.com, "So the next day they sent me (the demo) and were like, ‘Do you wanna write some lyrics?’ I was in bed, so I wrote the lyrics, recorded it on GarageBand on my shitty MacBook in like 30 minutes, then sent it back to them."

Harry picks up the story: "With the time difference, we were -- in the kitchen having some drinks, and within an hour of it getting sent through to Orono, we get this back from her. We were like, ‘Holy shit, can you believe how good this is?’ It’s one of those things where you get the right kind of combination of people and it all falls into place."

They had a feeling they had something uniquely special after they posted their experiment on SoundCloud and Spotify where it quickly accumulated tons of on-line clicks.

Harry explained its appreciation; "I think it has a real sense of playfulness. A lot of pop culture for quite a long time has been quite inward looking – kinda morose." In essence, you can file this one under "Fun!"

Incidentally, (via a dozen minutes of dogged Googling) I discovered the song's often repeated title -- "Something For Your Mind" -- is actually a 1990  a capella C'hantal vocal sample borrowed from a Speedy J remix titled "The Realm."

So, if your "M.I. M.I. M.I.N.D." is ready for "Something..."

Jerry's Pick: "It Ain't Right"

"It Ain't Right"-Current Swell

Now, here's a track with more hooks than a Northern Wisconsin bait shop.

Today's song d'jour is "It Ain't Right" (part of the album When to Talk and When to Listen) from the British Columbia-based alt-indie band Current Swell... four musicians who have been rocking Canada now for a little over a decade. 

Everything from those jangly guitar chords to driving backbeat should quickly pull you inside this little garage rocker, including the lyrics... many of which I consider chorus-quality, including that catchy pre-hook, hook.

"I thought you were different, I thought you were cool..."

In an interview with Exclaim journalist Sarah Murphy, Current Swell guitarist Dave Lang pointed out that the music came first, lyrics second. "I remember (guitarist) Scott (Stanton) had these four chords and he had a real cool kind of, like, '60s swing thing going on, and we couldn't quite make it a song but we love the chords."

By the time the group reconvened for their next recording session, they had the words. Lang remembered, "We just sort of got on a roll talking about this guy who kind of does his girlfriend wrong."

"It Ain't Right" uses a third-person narrative to tell the story of some Type-A asshole who abandons his pregnant girlfriend in order to pursue someone else. I figure that makes this toe-tapping tragedy relatable simply because just about everyone knows someone out there who is a complete dick, right?

"The heart of a stone, the mask of a liar..."

And -- through a couple of well written lines -- we discover that not only do her friends know, but she knows he knows they know too.

"She took you out, but were you surprised... that her friends loved to talk but they never look you in the eyes."

The moral of this up-tempo tale; "What goes around, comes around."

I guess you could say Current Swell just scored another one for Karma.

Jerry's Pick: "High Enough"

"High Enough"-K. Flay

I've been under the influence of a certain pop-rock track for a couple of months now and I have to confess, I think this euphonious stimulant's got me hooked. The musical catalyst in question goes under the street name: "High Enough..." the supplier: San Francisco's K. Flay (aka: Kristine Flaherty).

"High Enough" is kinda like if Lykke Li became a member of the Arctic Monkeys... you know, that wonderfully unique impish voice in front of a stable yet grungy back-beat.

But what really pulled me into this alt-indie obsession was K's clever lyrical wordplay, more importantly the song's rolling, steady meter and rapid-fire cadence. 

"The world is a curse it’ll kill if you let it/I know they got pills that can help you forget it/They bottle it, call it med-i-cine but I don’t need drugs..."

Thematically, the brief strung-out vacillating guitar solo just before the middle-eight was a nice touch as well.

Using medication as a metaphor in music ain't at all new, but I'll put "High Enough" as one of the best lyrical examples of the addiction/affection equation since Bryan Ferry's Roxy Music declared "Love Is the Drug" in 1975.

Flay explained to radio.com, "There are so many songs out there about getting fucked up. I think a part of me was asking the question, 'What if I’m already high enough? What if I don’t need anything but what I’ve got?' There are many moments in my life -- whether it’s because of a person or a place -- that I don’t want to feel altered or high or buzzed. I just want to feel exactly what I’m feeling."

You can get "High Enough" off of K. Flay's just-released album Every Where Is Some Where.

Go ahead. Take a hit... before it becomes a hit.

Jerry's Pick: "Seventeen"

"Seventeen"-Sjowgren"

Jeannie Schumacher.

As of late, the iTunes selection stuck in that Steffen song-loop has been "Seventeen," an ultra-indy alternative track from a group of ambitious former San Francisco high school friends (Maija Sjogren, Don Steele and Sam Ahrendt) who dubbed themselves Sjowgren (pronounced "SHOW-grin").

"Seventeen" starts out unassuming with a couple of piano chords then slowly builds, first with a pulsing bassline followed by the introduction of the band's namesake. Her laidback, lazy lead and backing call-and-response vocals complete with handclaps and studio echo all seem to have been borrowed from the "Girl Groups" section of Phil Spector's Wall of Sound playbook.

Then, when you get to the track's rising "oooOOOH!," they hit the ground running! This is where I got hooked:

"If you want a second to breathe, I'll give you all of my love, I'll give you all that you need, ah. Don't worry. I'm not in a hurry. Not going nowhere, I'm not going nowhere..."

Part of the charm of "Seventeen" is that it sounds just a little bit unpolished, and there's a reason for that. The song began as "Three friends, making music for fun." According to their 2015 post, "About a year ago, we spent a weekend recording. Then a couple months back, on a whim, we posted those recordings to SoundCloud and it turns out... people like them."

Then, last Fall, Madison Avenue mad-men placed the Sjowgren track behind an AutoTrader television ad which supersized the song's clicks into the millions. And now, backed with record company support, "Seventeen" is finally starting to get the proper push it deserves.

While singing along in my motorized kareoke machine I realized the song's title -- noticeably absent from its lyrics -- was most likely used as a metaphor for the euphoric passion and innocence of young-love.

"We're puzzle pieces, we fit all adding up." 

 Remember your first high-school relationship?

Jerry's Pick: "Small Bill$"

"Small Bill$"-Regina Spektor  

Regina is back!

Boo, you whore! Not that Regina!

It's the return of my favorite Soviet-born, classically-trained, pop pianist -- Regina Spektor -- whose new album (Remember Us To Life) is her first in an American presidential term.

I first fell in love with this blue-eyed, redheaded, Brooklyn-raised expatriate through her quirky but cute compositions "On the Radio" and "Don't Leave Me (Ne Me Quitte Pas)."

But aside from said quirky cuteness, she also has an amazing knack of painting colorful images with that special Spector style of poetry... kinda-sorta like fairy tales for grown-ups that seem to lean a little more toward the Grimm than the Hans Christian.

While Regina's personality always comes across as bubbly and bright, I have a theory on how she manages to tap into her inner sinister.

She told Noisey's Kim Taylor Bennett, "I kind of always had that tragedies-looming-around outlook. Just having come from generations of Stalin and World War II... everybody had all these horrible stories that I grew up listening to: People getting taken out and shot or buried in the roads alive -- I sort of didn't grow up (with) Coke-a-Cola, Mickey Mouse..."

Regina -- who just became a mom for the first time -- explained, "I'm at the most happiest time in my life and I'm writing some of the darkest and kind of most sad -- music."

For "Small Bill$," Spektor conveys her fable of a man with major money problems who is being chased and swallowed by debt. The dramatic strings and booming backbeat may match its metaphorical theme, but what makes this track charming is Regina's playful voice and catchy cadence highlighted by a whimsical chorus layered with lots of "la-las."

Now that I really think about it, "Small Bill$" is so Soviet kitsch that it's more Soviet kitsch than Soviet Kitsch was Soviet kitsch.

Yep, being in the red never sounded so much fun!

Jerry's Pick: "Never Gonna See Me Cry"

"Never Gonna See Me Cry"-Good Old War

Now here's one smooth, gliding power-pop concoction that should have you singing along with its delightfully hooky chorus before this three-minute clip comes to a cold close with a "ha-ha-ha!"

The band is Philadelphia's Good Old War -- a group moniker Frankensteined from members Keith GOODwin, Tim ArnOLD and Daniel SchWARtz's surnames -- who have come up with their most radio-friendly track to date.

"Never Gonna See Me Cry" is fun and clean and genuine and full of lyrical metaphors.  And aside from being skillfully scored, what really stands-out is the song's smartly crafted harmonies.  You'll "Ahh" at their "Oohs."

This very good Good Old War song has been around since last year, but because the band's label is just now getting behind and promoting the trio's "new" single, I just had to give "Never Gonna See Me Cry" five :v) :v) :v) :v) :v)... and zero frowns.

I don't think the alt-indy guys have released an official music video* for "Never Gonna See Me Cry," yet... but you can stream the audio by clicking on the image below.  And, to give you an idea of how vocally talented these dudes are, be sure to audition their library acoustic version, too!  They're both right here!

(*They have! It's below.)

Jerry's Pick: "Wide Open"

"Wide Open"-Chemical Brothers

I found myself alone, on a passenger car linked-up far behind the locomotive where the steady, evenly spaced clicks of the steel wheels against the tracks below the floor put me into a six-minute semi-hypnotic-like trance.

Well, sort of.

At least those were a few of the first images that drifted around in my head while zoning-out to the latest Chemical Brothers creation "Wide Open."  But I must admit, this ultra-alternative track is not for everyone.

Twenty-years after becoming electronica pioneers, the duo released the album Born In The Echoes (rumored to be their last) which features "Wide Open," a simple four-chord recording supporting the song's mechanical yet floating, dreamy aura.  They told Rolling Stone, "We wanted to make a record that would fit alongside the other records we've made, and we both felt that there was another good Chemical Brothers album in us."

For vocals, the "Brothers" (Tom Rowlands and Ed Simons) wisely recruited Beck whose laid-back delivery didn't dominate, but instead softly complimented the duo's synth-laden backing track.  Beck's lines seem to be deep but empathetic, most likely to fans like me with more than a few decades under their belts.  "Slow me down, it's getting away from me.  It's getting away from me.  Getting away... from... me."

Aside from being the kings of EDM, the Chemical Brothers are also well known for their imaginative promotional music videos, most notably the visually trippy 1999 clip "Let Forever Be." 

Most likely inspired by last year's sci-fi film "Ex Machina," the recently released mini-music movie for "Wide Open" is just as fascinating and beautifully compliments the duo's Kraftwerkian creation giving the song yet another dimension.  Trust me... check it out below.  It's pretty cool.