New Good Song: "She Burns," Foy Vance 5.22.16

Here's a new good song: "She Burns" by Foy Vance. At first listen, this seems a bit too slow and sparse for my taste, but upon closer repeated listens, there's a lot of excellence here, and it's really grown on me. Great production effects, great lyrics and melody, very catchy and meaningful. The bass that comes in at 1:40 is especially unexpected and compelling. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "So Special," Muna 5.22.16

Here's a new good song: "So Special" by Muna. This group is creating fantastic music. Their song "Loudspeaker" is one of the best songs of 2016 so far (perhaps the very best), and this tune, "So Special," also is excellent. Just great music. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "What Am I Becoming?" Pop Etc 5.22.16

Here's a new good song: "What Am I Becoming?" by Pop Etc. This group has had some fantastic songs of the past couple years, including "Running In Circles," which was the eighteenth-best new good song of 2015, and "Yoyo," the thirteenth-best new good song of 2012. They're very into '80s new wave pop rock. Here's another good one. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Fireproof," Coleman Hell 5.22.16

Here's a new good song: "Fireproof" by Coleman Hell. Mr. Hell is proving to be one of the best acts to emerge in the past 18 months. He had the third, fortieth and ninety-second best songs of 2015, with "Thumbalina," "Take Me Up" and his breakout hit "2 Heads," respectively. He's a genuine genre-blender, plucking elements of dance, rock, pop, bluegrass and country. His newest song also is great. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Paris In Spring," Tara Kemp f/ D'Wayne Wiggins 4.30.16

Here's a new good song: "Paris In Spring" by Tara Kemp f/ D'Wayne Wiggins (of Tony! Toni! Toné!). It's such a joy to include Tara Kemp on this blog, as I've been hoping she would release something new for over 20 years. She's the voice behind two of the best pop songs of all time, 1991's "Hold You Tight" and "Piece Of My Heart." Kemp has been toying with her fans for years about putting out new music, and finally, here it is. And it's really catchy! This track is an acoustic duet, not at all what I was expecting from her, but it's got some great harmonies and gets stuck in your brain, in a good way. Very nice job, and there's great remix potential here, if she decides to go that route. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Haze," Amber Run 4.30.16

Here's a new good song: "Haze" by Amber Run. It's a capella and very Imogen Heap-ish. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Call It Love," Paige Monroe 4.30.16

Here's a new good song: "Call It Love" by Paige Monroe. It's a rock-pop song that reminds me of Katie Cole's "(We Started A) Fire," the 14th best new good song of 2014. Very catchy, nicely arranged and performed. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "It Just Happens," Roxette 4.30.16

Here's a new good song: "It Just Happens" by Roxette. This duo is best known for their string of chart-toppers in the late '80s and early '90s, but they went on to do some great stuff in the years that followed, including (and especially) 1999's "Wish I Could Fly," one of my favorite songs of all time. "It Just Happens" is stylistically similar to "Wish I Could Fly." Enjoy!

New Good Songs: "Loudspeaker," Muna 4.15.16

Here's a new good song: "Loudspeaker" by Muna. Every few months, at best, a song comes along that's so utterly amazing that after one listen you're all, "OMFG every few months, at best, a song comes along that's this utterly amazing." Then you listen to it on repeat for hours. That's this. It reminds me of the best new good song of 2014, "The Other Ones" by Deluka. It's sort of a pop-punk '80s throwback, like Indigo Girls meets Bananarama meets Paramore meets the Go-Gos? Enjoy!



Update -- a video!

New Good Song: "Youth," Troye Sivan 4.3.16

Here's a new good song: "Youth" by Troye Sivan. It's catchy and doing well. It is not to be confused with "Youth" by Ben Khan, which was the 33rd best new good song of 2014. This isn't that. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "It," Christine and the Queens 4.3.16

Here's a new good song: "It" by Christine and the Queens. This group was responsible for the 21st best new good song of 2015, "Saint Claude." Great stuff. This is about being transgender maybe? Not clear. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Close," Nick Jonas f/ Tove Lo 4.3.16

Here's a new good song: "Close" by Nick Jonas f/ Tove Lo. The video is certainly Sia-inspired. Catchy tune. And, yes, if you're patient you eventually get to see Nick's arms. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Five More Days," JP Cooper f/ Avelino 3.26.16

Here's a new good song: "Five More Days" by JP Cooper f. Avelino. Thematically, there are echoes here of Prince's  "Money Don't Matter 2 Night," and musically there are whispers of Arrested Development -- blues, hip-hop, soul, gospel and pop. It''s about running out of money each and every pay cycle, and counting down the days until the next paycheck comes so that you can, you know, eat. Very relatable, especially these days, unfortunately. Enjoy!
 

New Good Song: "No Time," Different Sleep f/ Jarell Perry 3.26.16

Here's a new good song: "No Time" by Different Sleep f/ Jarell Perry. It's a bit peculiar, with its unexpected audio samples, but it all works together in an innovative salad of dance, soul and techno. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Electric," Brett 3.26.16

Here's a new good song: "Electric" by Brett. Boy is this beautiful. It reminds me of the similarly titled "Electric Indigo" by Paper Kites, which was the fourth-best song of 2015. Cool, sweet, groovy throwback light rock with liberal use of reverb. Enjoy!
   

New Good Song: "Bourbon," Gallant 3.24.16

Here's a new good song: "Bourbon" by Christopher Gallant, who professionally goes only by his surname. Like the opposite of Cher. "Bourbon" is great atmospheric R&B, like The Weeknd but with more appealing vocals. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Where The Hell Are My Friends?" Lany 3.24.16

Here's a new good song: "Where The Hell Are My Friends?" by Lany, a synth-pop trio who may be the best thing to happen to America in the past five years. They had the third-best song of 2014, "ILYSB"; the 80th-best song of 2014, "Walk Away"; and the 13th-best song of 2015, "Someone Else." Just such great songwriting -- simple arrangements and effective vocals. Their new track, "Where The Hell Are My Friends?" kicks the tempo up a bit. It's very fresh. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "In God's House," Bat for Lashes 3.24.16

Here's a new good song: "In God's House" by Bat for Lashes, the stage name of Natasha Khan. Natasha does wonderful, synth-driven moody pop music. She had the seventh-best song of 2009, "Daniel"; the 40th-best song of 2012, "Laura"; and the 42nd-best song of 2013, "A Wall." Now she's back with "In God's House," a song about a woman who's left at the altar. It's a real downer, but very pretty. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "No," Meghan Trainor 3.21.16

Here's a new good song: "No" by Meghan Trainor. Before winning Best New Artist at the Grammys last month, Trainor was best known for releasing four annoying Top 20 hits in 2014-15, the first of which was "All About That Bass," a song that celebrates being out of shape. Now Meghan is back with "No," an attitudinal reject-that-man-in-the-club song that's pretty darn catchy. The production leans modern-R&B, rather than toward the retro-R&B she explored on her debut album ("Title"). It's a welcome change of direction. Enjoy!

New Good Song: "Mad At You," 3OH!3 3.9.16

Here's a new good song: "Mad At You" by 3OH!3. This duo is best know for their 2008 hit "Don't Trust Me," which wasn't a very good song and was somewhat offensive. "Mad At You" is also somewhat offensive but less so, and the chorus is really catchy. Both are super immature. Enjoy!