This past April, I wrote a feature article about Brooklyn-based artist Jonny Polonsky, along with a review of his marvelous album Kingdom of Sleep, which you can read here. An accomplished singer-songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist, he’s been actively involved in the music industry for over a quarter century, both as a solo artist and as a session musician and/or member of a number of bands, including Big Nose (with Audioslave/Rage Against the Machine drummer Brad Wilk and bassist Tim Commerford) and Puscifer. On November 13, Jonny returned with his eighth album Power and Greed and Money and Sex and Death, featuring eight songs touching on the good, the bad and the ugly of this thing called life. He wrote, arranged, recorded, produced and engineered the album at home during the pandemic lockdown in Spring and Summer 2020. Mixing was done by Mike Tholen and mastering by Dave Collins.
The album kicks off with “Electric Tears“, a foot-stomping psychedelic rocker that seems to touch on the vow “til death do us part”. With lyrics like “To the sound of thunder we’re torn asunder / O, Dulcinea! So sweet the vulture / The main offender, the plane descender / We fall together and live forever!“, I’m guessing the two lovers are about to perish in a plane crash, confirming their love for each other. On the timely and topical “In Between Worlds“, Jonny lobs a scathing attack on racism and bigotry, and those afraid or unable to accept that America continues to evolve, both socially and demographically: “I think your thinking is deranged / I see the sadness in your soul /Morbid, bent /And strange how you still fail to see that these changing times are not your enemy.” In the terrific video, he plays both a TV newsman reporting the news and a musician performing the song on a television show stage, accompanied by footage of street protests and a defeated-looking Trump. Musically, the song has an urgent, piano-driven melody, with gnarly guitars, organ and dark synths. The piano work is especially good here.
“Imitation Life” is a lively power pop gem, with a strong driving beat and wonderful jangly guitars that give the song a retro 60s sound. Jonny admonishes another to let go of phoniness and superficiality, and live her truth: “Sad eyes, you shouldn’t waste your time / Realize, this is no imitation life. You’re alive.” One of my favorite tracks on the album is “Summer Soldiers“, a melodic tune featuring lovely vocals by singer-songwriter and former member of the Go-Go’s Jane Wiedlin. The song’s uplifting lyrics seem to be telling us not to let others define us, nor keep us from living our full potential: “Don’t let ’em lay you down and roll you out / And when you’re alone and don’t know who to trust / Tempted to self destruct / Discarded and left to rust.” The song starts off with a brief snippet of Little Richard’s hysterical laughter, then settles into a pleasing mid-tempo beat, with enchanting spacy synths, shimmery keyboards and crisp percussion. I really like how Jonny and Jane’s vocals are in perfect harmony.
On the brooding “Under Your Spell“, Jonny uses sweeping industrial synths and beautiful distorted guitars to create a haunting cinematic soundscape that gives the song a bit of a David Bowie vibe. He has an unusual vocal style that’s both raspy and breathy, which he uses to great effect on this track. The lyrics speak to him having fallen for someone who seems to be emotionally unavailable, insecure and afraid of revealing their true self: “How’d you end up on the inside? How do you know me so well? With your eyes on fire and your coat made of eagle, now I’m under your spell.” Another standout track for me is “Completely Surrounded by Love“, with its gorgeous blend of twangy and jangly guitars that give the song a folk-rock feel. The song seems to be a thank you to someone who helped him overcome his personal demons through their love and devotion: “I was afraid, so afraid of my own mind / I believed in you / I couldn’t think for my own self / But I know I am completely surrounded by love.“
Jonny saves the best for last with the stunning and bittersweet “Where the Sunset Sets“. Starting with an achingly beautiful melody, he layers shimmery keyboards, chiming guitars and airy synths to create a breathtaking atmospheric soundscape. His vocals are deeply heartfelt as he sings to someone who seems to be slipping away, possibly from dementia or even on the verge of their death: “And everything that had binded me to you, just leaves you sad and confounded / What once had been a folie a deux, is just a memory you detest. Your name, it doesn’t matter / Your face, you will soon forget / Our eyes, beaming into one another / Leave a trace in anyone you’ve ever met .” The seven-minute-long song has an epic and cinematic quality, and is my favorite track on the album.
Power and Greed and Money and Sex and Death is a wonderful album that gets better with each listen. I like how Jonny keeps things sounding fresh and varied by using different music styles, tempos and sounds on each track, and as always, the production values and arrangements are first-rate.
Jonny will be releasing a deluxe 12-inch vinyl version of the album, pressed on transparent red vinyl, with a full color cover and lyric insert with photos, and including a 16.5″x23″ fold out poster and free digital download card. Purchase of this deluxe album includes unlimited streaming of Power and Greed and Money and Sex and Death via the free Bandcamp app, plus high-quality download in MP3, FLAC and more. Shipping is anticipated on or around February 1, 2021.
The song at #17 on my list of 100 Best Songs of the 2010s is “Come a Little Closer” by Cage the Elephant. The third song by the Nashville band on this list (“Trouble” ranks at #78 and “Social Cues” at #30), “Come a Little Closer” is my favorite song by them. Released in August 2013, the song is from their superb third album Melophobia, and was a huge hit on the Billboard Alternative and Adult Alternative charts, spending many weeks at #1 on both.
Though the word “melophobia” literally means “fear of music”, in an interview with American Songwriter, band front man Matt Schultz said “it wasn’t necessarily an actual fear of music, but a fear of making music to project premeditated images of self rather than being an honest communicator.” The band essentially wanted to go outside their comfort zone with the album. He was inspired to write “Come a Little Closer” one morning after watching the sunrise from his hotel room in Sao Paulo. As he looked out over the favelas, he wondered what each soul living within those crowded neighborhoods felt, whether it be heartache, love, loss or joy, and decided to write a song about the concept of looking at things more closely.
Musically, the song is a magnificent psychedelic trip, with endless melodic twists and turns that keep us on the edge of our seats, wondering what’s coming next. The instrumentals are fantastic, with a wonderful bass line and highlighted by an intriguing surf guitar that erupts into a wailing barrage in the choruses, with Shultz fervently urging us “Come a little closer, then you’ll see. Come on, come on, come on“. The wonderful psychedelic video, which was conceived and directed by Matt Schultz, shows the band on a sort of magical mystery tour, performing and traveling amidst a colorful and surreal animated world filled with monsters and wild animals.
The song at #18 on my list of 100 Best Songs of the 2010s is “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” by Two Feet. I was blown away the moment I first heard the dark and sultry song in early spring 2018, and quickly became a devoted fan of the New York City-based singer-songwriter and producer. Born Zachary William “Bill” Dess, he’s one of the finest blues guitarists making music today, in my opinion. His incredible guitar work, combined with his seductive yet vulnerable vocals, make for music that’s both affecting and appealing. His songs are slow burns, characterized by soulful, smoldering vocals, intense, bluesy riffs, cool jazz and hip-hop undertones, and booming synth bass grooves that cut straight to our cores. He also writes brutally honest and compelling lyrics that deeply resonate with his fans. As another writer so beautifully stated: “his songs are the soundtrack for staying up late into the night, aching to figure out how to remedy heartbreak, anxiety, and uncertainty.”
Two Feet records and performs his music with the assistance of his longtime keyboardist/drummer Geoffrey Hufford (aka Huff), who is adept at delivering the deep, floor-rattling synthesized bass that gives his music such incredible power and depth. He first gained notoriety in 2017 when the video for his first single “Go Fuck Yourself” went viral. “I Feel Like I’m Drowning” is about drowning in a toxic relationship, but could have also described his own mental state during the summer of 2018 as the pressures of fame and professional commitments took their toll on his emotional well-being. The song was later included on his debut album A 20 Something Fuck, and reached #1 on the Billboard Alternative chart.
You keep dreaming and dark scheming Yeah, you do You’re a poison and I know that is the truth All my friends think you’re vicious And they say you’re suspicious You keep dreaming and dark scheming Yeah, you do
I feel like I’m drowning (I’m drowning) You’re holding me down and (holding me down) You’re killing me slow (so slow, oh no) I feel like I’m drowning (I’m drowning)
You’re so plastic and that’s tragic Just for you I don’t know what the hell you gonna do When your looks start depleting And your friends all start leaving You’re so plastic and that’s tragic Just for you
I feel like I’m drowning (I’m drowning) You’re holding me down and (holding me down) You’re killing me slow (so slow, oh no) I feel like I’m drowning (I’m drowning)
(My life’s okay) Yeah, just when you’re not around me (My life’s okay) Just when you’re not around me (My life’s okay) Just when you’re not around me (My life’s okay)
I feel like I’m drowning (I’m drowning) You’re holding me down and (holding me down) You’re killing me slow (so slow, oh no) I feel like I’m drowning (I’m drowning)
The erotic black and white video for the song was directed by fellow musician Absofacto and produced by Alexander Norton.
I had the pleasure of seeing Two Feet perform in Los Angeles in November 2018 (you can read my review of that concert here).
My favorite duo twenty øne piløts are back with “Ride“, their fourth song on my list of 100 Best Songs of the 2010s (“Chlorine” ranks at #87, “Jumpsuit” at #67 and “Heathens” at #61). It’s also the first of three songs from their spectacular fourth album Blurryface that will dominate the remainder of this list. Released in May 2015, Blurryface is one of the greatest albums of the decade in my opinion, and ranks among my all-time favorites. I had the CD in my car stereo, and played it every time I went anywhere for months on end, turning multiple friends onto it as well. It’s of such high caliber that literally every track could be a hit song and, in fact, in 2018 it became the first album in the digital era to have every track receive a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America. It spent 279 weeks on the Billboard 200 Album chart – nearly five and a half years.
“Ride” was the fourth album cut to be released as a single. It’s a wildly upbeat alternative hip hop song with strong reggae elements, and features their signature lively mix of instruments, including piano, organ, guitar and bass. Josh Dun’s power drums are fantastic, and I love Tyler Joseph’s extraordinary vocals that go from earnest to rapping to falsetto to impassioned wails. He’s a really talented rapper, with an ability to deliver lyrics in a hard, staccato-style of fast-paced rapping that only a handful of artists like Eminem are good at.
The lyrics speak to uncertainties and anxieties over the meaning of life, with references to thinking about death, which Tyler Joseph raps about at high speed: “‘I’d die for you,’ that’s easy to say / We have a list of people that we would take a bullet for them, a bullet for you, a bullet for everybody in this room / But I don’t seem to see many bullets comin’ through / See many bullets comin’ through / Metaphorically, I’m the man / But literally, I don’t know what I’d do / ‘I’d live for you,’ an’ that’s hard to do / Even harder to say when you know it’s not true.” At the end, he concludes “I’ve been thinking too much, help me.”
My fellow blogger William, who has a terrific blog a1000mistakes, recently did a series of posts about songs beginning with the word “All” (of which there are literally a ton), and it reminded me of one of my favorite songs “All Around the World“, by soulful British singer-songwriter Lisa Stansfield. The gorgeous song was released in the UK in October 1989 as the second single from her marvelous first solo album Affection, both of which were breakthrough hits for her. It was subsequently released in the U.S. in January 1990. The song was a massive worldwide hit, topping the charts in the UK, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Greece, Netherlands, Norway and Spain. In the U.S., it reached #3 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the R&B and Dance Club charts. Stansfield received two Grammy award nominations for the song and album.
Stansfield co-wrote the song with Ian Devaney and Andy Morris, former bandmates from her previous band Blue Zone. In a 2019 interview with The Guardian, she recalled “I came into the studio, and Ian was messing around at the piano. He had a melody, and I just started singing: ‘Been around the world and I, I, I…’ Everyone laughed but Ian said, ‘Wait, it’s really good, that.’ It just came into my head – it was nonsense, but had a really good feel to it. “I, I, I” became the main hook. We’d no idea how massive it would become.”
The song is both sexy and heartbreaking, with lush, swirling strings and a soulful melody creating a sensual backdrop for Stansfield’s sultry, emotion-packed vocals that cut to the core. She’s an incredible singer, and her vocals are utterly convincing in conveying the torment and pain expressed in the lyrics. She brings goosebumps as she alternately coos, purrs, and cries out over the guilt of hurting her former lover, and now that he’s gone, of her desperate search to find him and hopefully win back his love.
I don’t know where my baby is But I’ll find him, somewhere, somehow I’ve got to let him know how much I care I’ll never give up looking for my baby
Been around the world and I, I, I I can’t find my baby I don’t know when, I don’t know why Why he’s gone away And I don’t know where he can be, my baby But I’m gonna find him
We had a quarrel and I let myself go I said so many things, things he didn’t know And I was oh oh so bad And I don’t think he’s comin’ back, mm mm
He gave the reason, the reasons he should go And he said thing he hadn’t said before And he was oh oh so mad And I don’t think he’s comin’ back, comin’ back
I did too much lyin’ Wasted too much time Now I’m here and cryin’, I, I, I
Been around the world and I, I, I I can’t find my baby I don’t know when, I don’t know why Why he’s gone away And I don’t know where he can be, my baby But I’m gonna find him
So open hearted, he never did me wrong I was the one, the weakest one of all And now I’m oh oh so sad I don’t think he’s comin’ back, comin’ back
I did too much lyin’ Wasted too much time Now I’m here and cryin’, I, I, I
Been around the world and I, I, I I can’t find my baby I don’t know when, I don’t know why Why he’s gone away And I don’t know where he can be, my baby But I’m gonna find him
The song at #20 on my list of 100 Best Songs of the 2010s is “We Are Young” by New York-based band fun., featuring Janelle Monáe. The second song by fun. on this list (their follow-up single “Some Nights” ranks at #81), “We Are Young” is a life-affirming, fist-pumping anthem celebrating the hope and promise of young adulthood, as well as touching on regret for past mistakes. Released in September 2011, the track initially gained attention from only online media, though it did receive its first commercial radio airplay on Tampa Bay alternative radio station 97X upon its debut. But it was soon covered by the hit television show Glee, then licensed for use in a Chevrolet Sonic commercial that aired during Super Bowl XLVI, which propelled it, and fun. to mainstream success. The song became a huge hit around the world, reaching #1 in more than 10 countries, including Canada, Australia, the UK and the U.S.. It became a crossover hit, spending many weeks at the top of the Billboard Hot 100, Adult Top 40 and Alternative charts.
The band teamed up with producer, songwriter & instrumentalist Jeff Bhasker (who’s produced albums and songs for Kanye West, Alicia Keys, P!nk, Jay-Z and Beyonce, among others) for their album Some Nights, of which “We Are Young” was the lead single. Together they used a rich palette of orchestral instrumentals and keyboard synths, and layered them over a thumping drumbeat that starts off like a military march, then slows to a pounding, bass-driven hip hop groove, highlighted by a repetitive banging piano riff. Lead singer Nate Ruess’ vocals are lovely, with an almost tender vulnerability as he sings the poignant opening lyrics:
Give me a second I I need to get my story straight My friends are in the bathroom getting higher than the Empire State My lover she’s waiting for me just across the bar My seat’s been taken by some sunglasses asking ’bout a scar, and I know I gave it to you months ago I know you’re trying to forget But between the drinks and subtle things The holes in my apologies, you know I’m trying hard to take it back So if by the time the bar closes And you feel like falling down I’ll carry you home
Tonight We are young So let’s set the world on fire We can burn brighter than the sun
He told Rolling Stone that the lyrics were inspired by “my worst drinking night of all time.” He said he was kicked out of a taxi for vomiting all over it, and all he could do was stand on the street corner with his head against the wall. Singer-songwriter Janelle Monáe, a personal friend of Bhasker, provided guest vocals for the chorus, but some felt her considerable talents were wasted by giving her such a small presence on the song. That said, “We Are Young” is a great track overall.
The music video, directed by Marc Klasfeld, was filmed at David Sukonick Concert Hall in Los Angeles, and touches on youthful angst, young love and raging hormones. The band is shown performing on a stage in a bar, which erupts into a slow motion bar fight.
The song at #21 on my list of 100 Best Songs of the 2010s is the utterly delightful and bawdy “Ex’s & Oh’s” by American singer-songwriter Elle King. Born Tanner Elle Schneider (and the daughter of actor and comedian Rob Schneider and former model London King), the wildly-talented spitfire blew us away in 2014 with her wickedly-funny breakout single “Ex’s & Oh’s”. Released as the first single from her debut album Love Stuff, the song was a huge hit, peaking at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100, and #1 on the Hot Rock, Alternative and Adult Top 40 charts, as well as in Mexico, Iceland and the Czech Republic. It was nominated for Grammys in the categories of Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance.
The song is a ballsy, foot-stompin’ mix of blues and alternative rock, with generous amounts of Country swagger thrown in. The hard-driving beat is infectious as hell, and when paired with a pummeling bassline, lively banjo and those distorted guitar riffs, the result is positively electrifying. With her sexy dominatrix-style persona and raspy ‘don’t fuck with me’ vocals, King plays the alpha figure here, turning the tables on men by objectifying them as sexual playthings to be used and discarded: “One, two, three, they gonna run back to me / ‘Cause I’m the best baby that they never gotta keep / One, two, three, they gonna run back to me / They always wanna come, but they never wanna leave.”
The fantastic video, directed by Michael Maxxis, is one of the best and funniest I’ve ever seen, and perfectly brings the lyrics to life in a way that most other videos fail to do. King is the only female, surrounded by hordes of adoring, scantily clad beefcake, all romping about in the Mojave Desert. I love it!
Soft Shelter is a talented young singer-songwriter, guitarist and music producer based in Southern California, who writes songs that explore such themes as memory, nostalgia, time, relationships, and climate change. His pleasing style of indie dream pop is laced with alt-rock, psychedelic and electronic elements, and delivered mostly with guitar, programmed synths and his soft, breathy vocals. He writes, arranges, produces and mixes all his own music in his home studio.
The prolific artist has released a tremendous amount of music over the past year, starting with his first single “Ashes” in November 2019, which he followed with two EPs and several singles, two of which – his EP Judgment Day and his single “Just a Ride” I reviewed earlier this year. (You can read those reviews by clicking on the links under “Related” at the end of this post.). Now the busy man is back with a new four-song EP No Exits, which dropped on December 4th. He recorded the EP in his home studio with assistance by Noah Kastenbaum on songwriting and guitar, as well as backing vocal harmonies on “Those Days” and “No Exits.” Drums on “Butterflies” and “No Exits” were played by Grant Whitson. The EP was mastered by Matt Pereira (aka KOMAK), and the artwork was designed by Nikki Castro.
Opening track “Time (Pressure)” has an edgier rock vibe than Soft Shelter’s more typical sound, highlighted by Noah Kastenbaum’s terrific fuzz-coated electric guitar. I really like Soft Shelter’s languid melody and swirling synths that nicely complement Noah’s bluesy guitar licks. The lyrics speak to the relentless passage of time, and the pressures it places on our psyche and the way we live our lives, sometimes missing out on savoring the good stuff in our rush to the next big thing: “Hey wait – it’s gettin’ late. Don’t go – we’ll miss the show. Can’t sit and waste the time standin’ in that stupid line.”
On the contemplative “Butterflies“, he starts the track with a quote by French actress Anna Karina in the 1962 French film Vivre sa vie (My Life to Live), in which she leaves her husband and infant son hoping to become an actress, but ends up becoming a prostitute. She says “I forget that I’m responsible but I am. No, it’s like what I was saying: wanting to escape is a joke. After all, everything is beautiful, you just have to take interest in things and find them beautiful.” As such, “Butterflies” at first touches on the intense feelings of desire for someone: “She gave me butterflies every time and didn’t have to try. She made me lose my mind every time and didn’t have to try“, but then hits us with a cold reality that those feelings might fade: “How long ‘til you’re bored w/ this metamorphosis? How long ‘til you’re bored w/ this faded elegance?” Soft Shelter uses gentle piano chords and lush synths to create a dreamy backdrop for his soft, wistful vocals.
“Those Days” is a lovely, introspective track that Soft Shelter states was “written after an intensely nostalgic experience.” His delicate mix of shimmery synths, piano, horns and xylophone are supplemented with Noah’s subtle electric guitar notes and backing vocals that give the song a gentle anthemic quality. Soft Shelter’s breathy vocals are especially enchanting as he softly croons “Back home after many years. Is it time to face my fears? And before these memories nostalgia takes its toll on me. And what’s past was never meant to last.”
On the title track “No Exits”, he uses a double entendre to reflect on both the anxieties over climate-change and to serve as a metaphor for challenges faced in a long-term relationship: “Oh lord, tell us how we’ve strayed. Would we wanna go back anyway? The hourglass has melted away. The sun’s burning us and we can’t stay.” Musically, the song starts off with strummed acoustic and electric guitars accompanied by gentle bass, keyboard synths and soft percussion that give a mellow folk-rock vibe. Gradually, the instrumentals and vocals build to a harder rock crescendo as the song ends in a flourish of distortion.
No Exits is a great little EP that nicely showcases Soft Shelter’s growth as a songwriter, musician and producer. I like that he’s exploring his rock side a bit more, while continuing to write compelling lyrics that draw from both personal and timely, as well as classic themes.
The song at #22 on my list of 100 Best Songs of the 2010s is the rousing “Lonely Boy” by Nashville-based duo The Black Keys. I love their bluesy garage rock sound, and “Lonely Boy” is one of two songs by them on this list (“Fever” ranks at #57), as well as my favorite of their many great songs. It’s also one of their biggest hits, reaching #1 on the Billboard Rock, Alternative and Adult Alternative charts, as well as in Canada, though it peaked at only #64 on the stupid Billboard Hot 100. It won Grammys for Best Rock Song and Best Rock Performance of 2012.
“Lonely Boy” is from their seventh studio album El Camino, and was co-written and produced by Danger Mouse. Dan Auerbach’s grimy, bluesy riffs are fantastic, chugging along to Patrick Carney’s aggressive thumping drumbeats as he laments about his love that keeps him waiting, making him a ‘lonely boy’.
The quirky but charming video features actor, musician and part-time security guard Derrick T. Tuggle dancing, lip-syncing and acting out the lyrics to the song in front of the Pepper Tree Motel in North Hollywood, one of the many communities that make up the city of Los Angeles. The video, shot in a single take, went viral upon its release on YouTube. The original video produced for the song had a script and a cast of more than 40 people, but the guys were not pleased with the results. Auerbach recalled, “A couple of weeks after we shot it they sent us the edit and it was awful. We sent it back… they sent us another edit and it was terrible. That’s when we said ‘what about that one guy, the extra who had that one dance scene’ and that’s the video – the most expensive single shot ever recorded.”
ECLECTIC MUSIC LOVER 