We hear great music everywhere these days. We hear it on TV, in movies, at the grocery store, restaurant and bar. And we have an app that will help us keep it all straight until we can check out the band, artist or up-and-comer later.
It’s Shazam, and I think most of us use it pretty regularly.
In a new fun feature I’m adding to the site, I’m posting a handful of songs that I’ve Shazam’d in the past month that I really like. They’re not necessarily new songs. They’re new to me.
“Kids” by OneRepublic
Headed by Tulsa native Ryan Tedder, OneRepublic has done a fantastic job reinventing themselves over the years. While this track sounds a ton like 2013 song “Elevate” by St. Lucia, it is nevertheless fantastic. Love the hook, the vibe and the production. Heard it at The Container Store. God bless Shazam.
BTW, if you don’t believe me on the similarities to St. Lucia’s “Elevate,” here you go. Side note: advantage, St. Lucia. Both are fantastic though.
“Future Me Hates Me” by The Beths
One part punk, one part Pixies, ergo one part Breeders and a good chunk of pop: liked this tune a lot. Vocals remind me of Courtney Barnett, too. Shazam’d it from SiriusXMU.
“Barrie” by Tal Uno
Suddenly, I was transported back to 1986 as I listened to and eventually Shazam’d this tune from SiriusXMU. Barrie is a dream-pop group from Brooklyn, and their keyboard player is named Spurge. I don’t know about that, but he nailed the vibe of this song when he said, “It has an 80’s prom feel to it.” Damn, did they nail it.
http://www.thefader.com/2018/05/22/barrie-tal-uno-interview
“Simple Romance” by Coin
Formed and based in the great city of Nashville, Tennessee, they bring a bit of Jamirquai mixed with a super early 80s new wave vibe to the tune “Simple Romance.” I have no idea where I heard this one. It’s in my Shazam though!
“Different For Girls” by Dierks Bentley ft. Elle King
Lest you think this list is all-pop, think again. There is a lot of great country music being made right now if folks will search it out. In this tune, country music’s Bentley teams up with pop, blues up-and-comer Elle King for a country track that’s as much pop as it is anything. Side note, and this will blow your mind: Elle is Rob Schneider’s daughter.
Mind. Blown.
She’s fantastic. Shazam’d this one in Kristi’s car. There’s a little turnaround in the chorus that caught my ear immediately.
Another side note, as a fan of really early 80s music, I saw this title and immediately thought of Joe Jackson.
“These Days” by Wallows
A super smart-sounding pop song from this L.A. indie pop trio from earlier in 2018. Reminded me quite a bit of something we would have heard from the U.K. either in the early 2010s or as far back as the early 80s. Shazam’d it somewhere, but don’t get me to lying. I forgot.
“Anywhere” by Passenger
Despite the mismatch between Michael David Rosenberg’s beard and his voice (as another YouTuber said) … I dig it. No idea where I Shazam’d it.
“Name For You” by The Shins
Sounds like The Police in the beginning and then ventures on to The Knack. Shazam’d this from SiriusXMU.
“Settle Down” by The 1975
Their sound is more 80s than 70s, and they remind me a ton of Tears For Fears without the huge hit yet. Shazam’d from SiriusXM’s Alternative Nation channel.
“Throwback Kid” by U-Nam
When I tell you that U-Nam is a Frenchman who plays smooth jazz, it won’t jibe with what you hear. “Throwback Kid” is funky, fun and something you’d expect from George Benson or Norman Brown. Absolutely one of my favorite contemporary jazz tunes of the past several years. This inspires me to get back into the studio pronto.
