New Good Song: Everybody's Heart's Breaking Now by Lavender Diamond

Here's a new good song -- "Everybody's Heart's Breaking Now" by Lavender Diamond

If you like the Carpenters but wished they had sounded more like Bonnie Tyler, then this song is for you. Talk about retro. Talk about beautiful!

Enjoy.

Revision: Shiny Toy Guns' Songs Aren't Good

Shiny Toy Guns

I have twice on this blog featured songs by a group called Shiny Toy Guns, and both times have had to do an about-face when I realized the songs weren't good after all. The first was called "Waiting Alone." When I first heard it, I loved the instrumental production. It was over-the-top, retro ('80s) and exciting. But upon repeated listens, I began to find the song annoying, and I didn't care for it at all.

Then they released "Fading Listening," which is much more subdued, and also retro ('70s). And I thought, OK, this one is good. But after a couple weeks on my high-rotation playlist, I was all, Meh.

This group obviously has some talent and good instincts around arrangement and production, but their songs (or these two, at least) just don't work. Why? Here's my theory. In both of these songs, the vocals alternate between the male and female singer, and think there is too much disparity between these parts. The lyrics are thing and have nothing to do with one another, so the songs overall haev no impact, make no sense, and leave you emotionally unmoved, if not confused. The melody lines also don't relate to one another. Also, the guy is a bad singer. They need to pick one idea per song, build it out to a satisfactory conclusion, and let the woman sing it. Then they might have something. Keep it simple.

New Good Song: Two Way Street by Kimbra

Here's a new good song -- "Two Way Street" by Kimbra

Kimbra is so talented it's ridiculous. She is responsible for some of 2012's very best song, and she writes them! First, she was on Gotye's "Somebody That I Used To Know," which is still the years' best new song. Then she had "Warrior," with Mark Foster and A-Trak, which is so far one of the year's 10 best songs, not to mention one of the most durable (i.e., it doesn't get old upon repeated listens, trust me). Now the follow-up to "Warrior" is "Two Way Street," which has become her highest-charting song in her native New Zealand (No. 6).

For the sake of disclosure, I need to admit I'm actually behind the times on Kimbra's output. She actually has an ever newer song than "Two Way Street," called "Come Into My Head," which has an amazing video (that definitely channels Regina Spektor) and is also a very clever song. But for the moment, I am enamored with "Two Way Street," which is just beautiful. That transition chord into the chorus is one of the best into-chorus transitions I've ever heard. It's at 00:53. As usual, I suggest good headphones.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Closer by Tegan and Sara

Here's a new good song -- "Closer" by Tegan and Sara

When I started this blog, one of the purposes (in my mind) was to discuss how I discovered these songs, but as the dust has settled, I basically find 98% of them in iTunes by scanning through all the new releases each Tuesday and giving each and every one a listen. "Closer" has actually not yet been released on iTunes, but is due for release this Tuesday. I actually discovered this song because a former co-worker sent me the link on Facebook. Thank you, BJ.

I like it when creative and talented non-poppy acts give pop a try. Tegan and Sara had a fantastic song several years ago with "Your Number." Their new song, "Closer," does sound like what two alternative twin lesbians would do if their management asked them to move in more radio-friendly direction (which is probably what happened).

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Try by P!nk

Here's a new good song -- "Try" by P!nk

This is another formulaic mid-tempo song by P!nk, in the spirit of "Who Knew" and "Please Don't Leave Me" and the unnecessarily profanely titled "Fuckin' Perfect." At some point it all begins to sound the same. And like Kelly Clarkson.

"Try," though, has very nice, understated verses, and I appreciate the attempt to layer metaphors to achieve some profound meaning in the chorus. "Try" is better than the aforementioned songs that resemble it.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Ready Or Not by Bridgit Mendler

Here's a new good song -- "Ready Or Not" by Bridgit Mendler

Bubblegum pop, which like it or not is certainly making a resurgence, is for kids. In my mind, the target age for this music is 12-16 and, with a sense of irony, maybe ages 17 to 22. But that certainly doesn't mean it can't be good. Lots of things targeted at kids are good, like Cinnamon Toast Crunch.

As a bias, I tend to be more open to bubblegum pop from female vocalists. I can't imagine liking a song by Justin Bieber, or One Direction, although having stated this I'm sure I will one day have to back-track, because good songs can come from unlikely sources. I don't know where my bias came from. My superficial psycho-babble explanation is that flirtation and fun seem innocent and genuine coming from a young girl, and cloying, creepy and corny coming from a young boy.

All this said, even when the deliverer of bubblegum pop is a female, I am still pretty critical. For me, bubblegum is hard to sell. It has to be sincere, well-produced and at least somewhat creative and interesting. When I heard the snippit of "Ready Or Not" by Bridgit Mendler several times over the past few weeks on iTunes, I dismissed it instantly as stupid and far too Disney to even be considered.

But, as is often the case with this genre, I kept going back to it to give it another listen. Finally I decided to give the entire song a listen from front to back, remembering that often the best part of these songs are the verses, and lo and behold, I discovered that this is actually a pitch-perfect pop song from start to finish, if you're willing to go along for the ride (i.e., forgive lyrics such as "You'll be my William, I'll be your Kate").

This is a great song. It follows the cookbook of pop songs perfectly, and the result is delicious. The chord progression, though simple, is infections and evocative, and the melody in the verses is very nice and shows off Bridgit's ability to navigate notes nicely. And what really hooked me is the pre-chrous, particularly the unexpected turn of the dancing bassline on the third line. If you listen to the clip above, I'm referring to 00:33-34.

Another reason I was reluctant to give this song a chance is that the chorus so flagrantly "borrows" from "Ready Or Not" by the Fugees. Then it occurred to me that the Fugees have probably never done an original thing in their lives, and likely stole their chorus from some other song. A quick search on Wikipedia proves this to be the case. The Fugees' "Ready Or Not" chorus was taken from the Delfonics' "Ready Or Not Here I Come," which, quite honestly, I had never heard of until now. So, there's nothing new under the sun. At least the Bridgit Mendler song just winks at the chorus slightly. That's forgivable. And it's ubiquitous in pop.

Bridgit Mendler's "Ready Or Not" is a very crisp pop song that is both contemporary and classic. I may be too old to like it, and I may not want people overhearing it on my headphones, but oh well. In 2012, we take what we can get.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: & It Was U by How To Dress Well

Here's a new good song -- "& It Was U" by How To Dress Well

This is a bizarre, stripped down, bare-bones R&B throwback song that very much sounds recorded and produced in someone's bathroom, but is brilliantly catchy and cool. It's a song for headphones. As the beat builds, you can't help but want to move along and get taken in by the retro feel of the vocals. Reminds me of Jon B., if anyone remembers who that is.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Your Body by Christina Aguilera

Here's a new good song -- "Your Body" by Christina Aguilera

Christina Aguilera is such a talented vocalist that the bar is very high for her output. The anticipation and expectations around her releases are further heightened by how infrequent her albums are, compared with her contemporaries. And even more attention is on her now that she's on "The Voice," which is apparently very popular.

Aguilera's better songs, in my opinion, have included "Genie In A Bottle," "Fighter," "Ain't No Other Man," "Hurt" and "Candyman." Less good have been "What A Girl Wants," "Can't Hold Us Down" and "Woohoo." Now she is back with "Your Body," a loud and energetic song about seduction that is not her best but is good and should inject some adrenaline back into her career. The surprising secret weapon here is the production, which seems particularly off-trend but intrigues the listener, particularly on repeated listens. In this sense, it's very much in a league with "Genie In A Bottle," somewhere in the gray area between gritty and glossy.

Also, isn't the cover art striking?

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Between The Raindrops by Lifehouse f/ Natasha Bedingfield

Here's a new good song -- "Between The Raindrops" by Lifehouse f/ Natasha Bedingfield

Lifehouse and Natasha Bedingfield have the distinction of being wildly hit-and-miss with their singles. I personally think "First Time" by Lifehouse is an underrated masterpiece, but I find much of their work too bland. Jason Wade being hot helps. Ms. Bedingfield manages to, in a single song, waffle between being remarkable and grating, e.g., "Pocketful Of Sunshine," which is three totally different songs spliced together into one. One is amazing, one is OK, and one is horrendous.

So when one sees that this band and this woman have teamed up, one clicks to listen with a combination of hope and skepticism. Their duet turns out to be quite a nice song, the type I hope will be popular, even though I acknowledge it doesn't immediately impress as being stupendous. But it's owed a few repeated listens.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Something That Lasts by Alexander Wolfe

Here's a new good song -- "Something That Lasts" by Alexander Wolfe

Slow and mopey are not usually qualities found in a good song, but sometimes a song can seem genuine and be pretty and well-delivered enough that slow and mopey are core parts of what makes a song good. Here, that is the case. This song will bore some but be touching to others. It's not something to put on one's workout playlist, for sure.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Wildest Dreams by Brandy

Here's a new good song -- "Wildest Dreams" by Brandy

Brandy had a new good song earlier this year with "Put It Down," and this is the follow-up. "Put It Down" was crazily adored by yours truly for about 10 days, after which time it started to get on my nerves, and it quickly moved off my playlist. My initial enthusiasm for "Wildest Dreams" is slightly lower, partly because I find the writing of the melody and lyrics in the second verse to be a bit lazy, but still this effort passes the bar, from a singer who doesn't have a particularly magnificent voice but does manage to get herself associated with some pretty good songs.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Backup Plan by Angie Stone

Here's a new good song -- "Backup Plan" by Angie Stone

"Backup Plan" is a retro, upbeat, tongue-in-check R&B song that could have been a Top 10 hit 15 yeasr ago but will certainly be completely ignored in 2012. It sounds like something you would have been excited to hear at the skating rink. It's not revolutionary, or even current, but it's very smooth, nicely executed, and makes you move a little.

Stone is a pretty non-comformist, slightly arrogant R&B purist whose main objective seems to be to keep it real, yo. She also looks amazing for her age, I might add. To look at this airbrushed (or animated?) MP3 art, you'd think she was 36, but the woman is 50. Her best song remains "Wish I Didn't Miss You," but "Backup Plan" is perfectly pleasant.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Thorns by Jessie Baylin

Here's a new good song -- "Thorns" by Jessie Baylin

In what sounds a bit like an homage to Mazzy Starr, Jessie Baylin has created with "Thorns" a song that grows on you quite a bit upon repeated listens. It actually came on my radar two weeks ago, and I added it to my "Now" playlist. Normally, I give new songs I kinda like a few days or a week "trial period" in that playlist before rendering a decision. And there are times when songs move off and back on this list. That's a strange quality of songs -- some can seem good right away and then turn out to be bad; others vice versa.

"Thorns" has been a somewhat ignored part of my playlist until recently, when I really began to appreciate the chilly production and clever lyrics, with well-delivered vocals. This is a song not at all of this time, and it will not be to everyone's taste. But if you at all care for it, I would encourage downloading it and giving it repeated listens, because it ages nicely.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Thrift Shop by Macklemore and Ryan Lewis f/ Wanz

Here's a new good song -- "Thrift Shop" by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis f/ Wanz

Hip-hop is not featured much on this blog, because most of what's new in this genre isn't good. Historically, though, hip-hop could be good. Must of today's output in this genre is offensive to all senses.

Rap as a vocal style is inherently silly, so (in my opinion), rap works best when a song has some sense of humor and is clever. This is why Ludacris, Snoop Dogg, Missy Elliott and Eminem have some good songs, when they choose to have a sense of humor. Examples include "My Chick Bad" by Ludacris, "Drop It Like It's Hot" by Snoop Dogg, "Work It" by Missy Elliott and "Superman" by Eminem. But when rappers take themselves too seriously, goodness is hard to achieve.

Here we have "Thrift Shop," which, surprisingly for a hip-hop song, is not a euphemism for oral sex. It is, in fact, a song about buying secondhand clothes and other "come ups" (a phrase that's new to me, but which apparently means things of value) at a thrift shop. It's delivered with a nice light touch, over a pretty catchy and whimsical instrumental track, and the whole thing works together with a nice hooky chorus, delivered with humor.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Red Balloon by Azure Ray

Here's a new good song -- "Red Balloon" by Azure Ray

This is a trippy, very beautiful little number that reminds me of Dido and Imogen Heap. It starts off obtusely and builds into a melody that's actually quite accessible and almost poppy, with gorgeous harmonies and a dreamy production.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It by Stars

Here's a new good song -- "Hold On When You Get Love And Let Go When You Give It" by Stars

It is as if New Order did a duet with Kate Bush and enlisted God to write it.

Enjoy it!

New Good Songs: Fading Listening by Shiny Toy Guns

Here's a new good song -- "Fading Listening" by Shiny Toy Guns

Several weeks ago, I thought Shiny Toy Guns had an amazing new song, called "Waiting Alone." But upon repeated listens, I determined it was actually annoying and awful. So I'm almost scared to recommend "Fading Listening." I have given it about a week's worth of repeated listening and still like it, so here's hoping.

I think the issue with this group is the guy. He's sort of irritating. The woman is better. She should sing more, and he less. Another issue is the lyrics, which seem pointless.

"Fading Listening" has a few of those same problems, but tones down the bombastic over-the-top production and gets into a quirky retro groove that's a little more comfortable to listen to. It's good.

Enjoy!

New Good Song: Magpie by Beth Orton

Here's a new good song -- "Magpie" by Beth Orton

Also, here's a new good source for music: SoundCloud.com. Maybe it's not new, but it's good. I enjoy the interactivity. Users can make comments at particular moments in the timeline of the song. Good stuff.

"Magpie" is a quirky little number that begins sounding like a folksy Joni Mitchell type of song, but when the drums come in at about 1:30, the song transforms into a sort of stomping, determined march, like KT Tunstall, or even Melissa Etheridge. There's a beautiful melody here, sung in an emotive and raw way, with great arrangement and climax. It won't be everyone's taste, but it's quite good.

Enjoy!