New Good Song: "Down The Middle," Elizabeth Luthringer 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "Down The Middle" by Elizabeth Luthringer. A mellow throwback with a Sunday morning vibe, this soulful track stands out because of unexpected chord changes and melodic detours. Reminds me of Catherine Scholz, who had the 100th best new good song of 2014, "Remember The Love (Just Not Like Her),"  as well as "For The Lonely" by Nicole Zuraitis. All three are jazzy adult contemporary songs in 3/4 time by women with hard-to-remember names. Not everyone's cup of tea, I realize, but could be somebody's. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "One Ticket," Vel Crowe Johnson 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "One Ticket" by Vel Crowe Johnson. Now and then, one needs a rappy party anthem on one's playlist. The current state of hip-hop is, in my opinion, generally an embarrassing tragedy. When tunes like this come along that are more classically structured and fun, with a rock-inspired production, I'm enthused. This seems inspired by Eminem, who had the 14th best new good song of 2013, "Berzerk." "One Ticket" has a bit of that sniveling high-school sentimentality found in early releases by the Beastie Boys and pop-punk songs of the early 2000s. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "All Falls Down," Totem 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "All Falls Down" by Totem. As of this writing, this song has fewer than 100 views on YouTube, a crying shame. This tune combines a snappy '80s pop instrumental with soulful lyrics driving a very catchy melody. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Leave A Trace," Chvrches 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "Leave A Trace" by Chvrches. This group had the 25th best new good song of 2013, "Lies." All their tracks have a common thread of dream pop / '80s synth throwback, with drama and energy. Hard not to appreciate. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Heartbreak Reputation," Zimmer f/ Polina 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "Heartbreak Reputation" by Zimmer f/ Polina. Has a bit of a '90s club vibe, similar to what Kiesza put out last year with the well-received "Hideaway." Enjoy!

New Good Song: "What You Don't Do," Lianne La Havas 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "What You Don't Do" by Lianne La Havas. Sounds to me like a cross between Amy Winehouse and Leona Lewis, with a throwback pop/soul sound brought to modern times through crisp production. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "For You," Rae Morris 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "For You" by Rae Morris. The Gaelic-sounding chants in the opening lines, repeated in the chorus, are, to me, an irritating blot on an otherwise gorgeous track. If you can get past that, you will enjoy!

New Good Song: "Forget You In LA," Poema 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "Forget You In LA" by Poema. Definite echoes here of "LA Song" by Beth Hart, a good song from 1999. Both are about the mystique of moving to Los Angeles as a way of escaping one's troubled past. Can't say I relate, but they are both nicely done songs. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Adore," Jasmine Thompson 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "Adore" by Jasmine Thompson. There are (at least) two versions of this track available on iTunes -- this one, which has a pop production, and a more stripped down piano ballad, filed in the Singer/Songwriter genre. At first I preferred the latter, but my current playlist is a bit too slow, so I have come to prefer the version below just for the sake of variety. I was nothing short of shocked to learn that this artist is 14 years old, born in 2000. That's hard to process. Jasmine apparently has a large following on YouTube. I was not aware of any of this, but discovered and came to appreciate the song on its own merits. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Montana," James Taylor 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "Montana" by James Taylor. He has returned with an album of new material, "Before This World," which impressively went to No. 1 on the Billboard 200 Album Chart a couple weeks ago. "Montana" is a track off that record I happen to prefer, perhaps because I, like the protagonist, find myself often pining for a simpler, more rural life. I also happen to adore Montana. Since I was a boy, I dreamed of going there, and I finally made it happen a few years ago, when I stayed at a ranch for several days and had one of the best times of my life. My only criticism of this song is the oddly abrupt ending, but prior to that it's very nice. Enjoy.

New Good Song: "Rumble In The Park," Catey Shaw 7.25.15

Here's a new good song: "Rumble In The Park" by Catey Shaw. This one has really grown on me over the past few weeks and has turned into one of my favorite songs of the year so far, even though I find the cover art needlessly obscene. It's an upbeat tune about two women, Jenny and Dylann, who break up, and the subsequent feud between their groups of friends (gangs, really) who agree to meet up in a park and try to kill one another. It is, apparently, a follow-up to another song by Catey, "Night Go Slow," which tells the story of Jenny and Dylann falling in love. So kind of fun to follow the story line. Enjoy.