New Good Song: "Take My Number," Melissa Etheridge 10.3.14

Here's a new good song: "Take My Number" by Melissa Etheridge. Yes it's new, even though it sounds as though it could be a bonus track from "Your Little Secret," her 1995 album. This is a completely applaud-able effort that, while not groundbreaking, represents a flavor that's missing from the today's musical spice racket. Just good mid-tempo Adult Pop/Rock fare. Enjoy.

New Good Song: "Jealous," Nick Jonas 10.3.14

Here's a new good song: "Jealous" by Nick Jonas. This video doesn't do the song any favors, but as a straightforward pop song, this well-written, -produced and -performed. Also, Nick exercises, so he's sexually desirable. Enjoy.

New Good Song: "Canyon Moon," Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness 10.3.14

Here's a new good song: "Canyon Moon" by Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness. Enjoy.

New Good Song: "Anaconda," Nicki Minaj 10.3.14

Here's a new good song: "Anaconda" by Nicki Minaj. A co-worker put it well when she said that although this song is unnecessary, and heavily samples and equally unnecessary song, it's a lot of fun. This was the right track for Nicki to unveil to keep the public's interest. Nice work. And nice fat ass, too.

New Good Song: "I Remember," Saint Saviour 10.3.14

Here's a new good song: "I Remember" by Saint Saviour. Quiet though this is, with its gentle acoustic guitar and whispery harmonies, it's just such a lovely piece of songwriting, it should be heard. Not everyone's cup of tea, I'm sure, but a gem for those willing to sail at this pace.

New Good Song: "Aftermath," Fever Fever f/ Stephanie Lauren 10.3.14

Here's a new good song: "Aftermath" by Fever Fever f/ Stephanie Lauren. This has characteristics of Switchfoot and Creed, with what appear to be spiritual themes given an emotive rock treatment. This song has an effective build and a chilling outro. Enjoy.

New Good Song: "Cool Kids," Echosmith 10.3.14

Here's a new good song: "Cool Kids" by Echosmith. I was at first turned off by the sentiment of this song, only because it's a little cliche. But then again, it's hard to find a song whose sentiment is original. Getting past that initial impression, I began to adore this song based on the music and production. What a fantastically constructed instrumental -- appetizing use of string effects, haunting male background vocal line, brilliant use of drums. It all works marvelously well.

New Good Song: "Heads Or Tails," The Runaway Club 9.13.14

Here's a new good song: "Heads Or Tails" by The Runaway Club. Earlier this year, The Runaway Club had a new good song called "Runaway," which was a somewhat nearsighted title given that it makes the song practically un-Googleable. But they do a nice job of non-ironic unabashedly '80s pop, and "Heads Or Tails" is a fine example, complete with extended sax solos. The nearly 1-minute-long sports intro is an OK feature the first time you sit through it, although when this is on your current playlist, you quickly grow tired of hearing it dozens of times.

New Good Song: "Classic," The Knocks f/ Powers 9.13.14

Here's a new good song: "Classic" by The Knocks f/ Powers, not to be confused with "Classic" by MKTO, which is a cute song if you are 9. This "Classic" is better. A nice dessert of a song, nothing revolutionary, but hard to deny the pleasant impact of the melody and production. Not every song needs to reinvent the wheel. The piano (and to some extent the female vocals) remind me of "Steal My Sunshine" by Len.

New Good Song: "Green Garden," Laura Mvula w/ Metropole Orkest 9.13.14

Here's a new good song: "Green Garden" by Laura Mvula w/ Metropole Orkest. "Green Garden" is a 2013 song from the album "Sing To The Moon," and this version is from a new re-recording of that album in collaboration with Metropole Orkest, a 52-piece Netherlands pop/jazz orchestra. This is not easy to find online right now; visit iTunes if the link below does not work for you.

New Good Song: "Remember The Love," Catherine Scholz f/ Gordon Hellegers 9.13.14

Here's a new good song: "Remember The Love" by Catherine Scholz f/ Gordon Hellegers. This appears to be a warmer, richer re-orchestration of Scholz's 2008 song "Just Not Like Her," with Hellegers playing what sounds like a harp but is, at it turns out, a kora, which is a 21-string West African instrument that's basically a miniature harp in the shape of a lute. The transformation from an acoustic coffeehouse tune to this world music production is refreshing. Scholz appears to be quite talented. She should consider a more sophisticated graphic treatment on her cover to match the sophisticated production of this track.

New Good Song: "Run-Time," Imogen Heap 9.13.14

Here's a new good song: "Run-Time" by Imogen Heap. I was quite a fan of "You Know Where To Find Me" last year. That was a dramatic ballad. This is a much peppier up-tempo song, although the subject matter is not particularly peppy -- arguing for a clean breakup. Feels like there are hints of La Roux in here as well.

New Good Song: "Only Love Can Hurt Like This," Paloma Faith 9.13.14

Here's a new good song: "Only Love Can Hurt Like This" by Paloma Faith. At first I wasn't particularly taken with this song, given its rather unoriginal chord progression and slight Adele ripoff quality. But upon repeated listens it's become among my current favorites. The vocals and lyrics here work so well together; it feels soulful in a genuine way. And the melody beckons one to sing along in the car (until the dramatic leap to a higher octave, which few could follow along with).

New Good Song: "Shiver," Avec Sans 9.13.14

Here's a new good song: "Shiver" by Avec Sans. Retro pop sounds (and video) and an especially great bridge.

New Good Song: "Mother & Father," Broods 9.13.14

Here's a new good song: "Mother & Father" by Broods. Over a catch beat with a smooth bed of synths, this tune is a melancholy ode to dependence. Great verses here. So great that the song would be better if they were longer and the chorus were shorter. But here it is.

New Good Song: "Miracle," Kimbra 8.9.14

Here's a new good song: "Miracle" by Kimbra. This woman creates such great music: "Somebody That I Used To Know" with Gotye, "Warrior" with Mark Foster and A-Trak, "Two Way Street," "Come Into My Head," "Nobody But You," and now this. Always fresh and original, but familiar. Alternatively edgy, but accessible. Charming but not cheesy. Just great, nearly every time. (One exception: Didn't care for the lead single off "Golden Echo," "90s Music."

New Good Song: "Prove It To You," Kris Allen f/ Lenachka 8.9.14

Here's a new good song: "Prove It To You" by Kris Allen f/ Lenachka. This tune harkens back to simple hits like "When Can I See You" by Babyface and "Babylon" by David Gray. A very nice blend of harmonies makes this an easy listen that grows catchier with each repeated listen.

New Good Song: "Runaway," sElf 8.1.14

Here's a new good song: "Runaway" by sElf, an '80s-influenced head-bobber and toe-tapper.

New Good Song: "Ghosts," Big Wreck 8.1.14

Here's a new good song: "Ghosts" by Big Wreck.

This is a melodious rock song with a bit of '90s grit in its production. The album version is too long (6 minutes 10 seconds), but the edited mix in the clip below is only 4 minutes 35 seconds. This shorter take is not available on iTunes as of this writing.

New Good Song: "Don't Kill The Magic," Magic! 8.1.14

Here's a new good song: "Don't Kill The Magic" by Magic! (also stylized as MAGIC!). This group currently has the No. 1 song in the U.S. on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, "Rude." I discovered "Rude" in December 2013 when it was lingering on the lower part of the U.K. singles chart, and think it is one of 2014's best songs. "Don't Kill The Magic" is a follow-up, which at first I found pleasant and nicely written but not particularly special. But it has grown on me very much over the past two months.

As I have mentioned several times, I believe that the beginnings and endings of songs are essential to their goodness or badness, and in modern music the introductions and conclusions are often given short shrift. Especially endings, which are often disappointingly abrupt (example, "The Only Ones" by Deluka, featured in the previous post -- an absolutely excellent song with a very poorly thought-out, sudden ending). Great endings offer some element of surprise and closure, perhaps an interpolation of what came before, a twist on the lyrics, an un-foreshadowed major-to-minor key change, etc.

My favorite aspect of "Don't Kill The Magic" is the ending -- the final 22 seconds or so (from 3:09 to 3:31 in the clip below) where the song breaks down to its percussion and piano foundation and background-vocal hook and tenderly fades away. A great ending like this leaves you feeling more moved by a song, sorry to hear it end. I wish more acts