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..."