3,2,1 – New Music Monday / 07-27-26

(3,2,1 New Music Monday Intro)

Welcome to Music That Matters with 3, 2, 1 New Music Monday.

This week, we’ve got Charli xcx turning the page on BRAT, The Strokes returning with their first album in six years, and Shania Twain bringing back country-pop royalty.

Plus, KATSEYE goes wild, Martin Garrix teams up with U2, and David Bowie’s Blackstar is back on vinyl.

(Countdown Video)

3 major album drops.

First up – After the lime-green world of BRAT, Charli xcx easily could have tried to do the same thing again, but in another color.

(“Rock Music” clip)

Instead, this album – Music, Fashion, Film – leans into something more rock-influenced.

It’s 11 songs in just over 30 minutes, and it very much sounds like Charli being very Charli

(“Wink Wink” clip)

Next, The Strokes are back with their 7th album, Reality Awaits.

Once again, they brought in Rick Rubin to produce.

(“Going Shopping” clip)

The Strokes are still sounding like they’re slightly annoyed you showed up.

And then we have Shania Twain with her new album: Little Miss Twain.

(“Little Miss Twain” clip)

The title track goes all the way back before she was Shania – back when she was young Eilleen Twain, singing in bars as a kid while her mother dreamed she might become the next Tanya Tucker.

And now, Tanya Tucker is actually on the song.

(more “Little Miss Twain” clip)

2 new singles.

Let’s go with KATSEYE and their song “Animal.”

(“Animal” clip)

The global girl group gets a little wild on this one, and the music video even brings in Demi Moore for some extra star power.

(More “Animal” clip)

Also new this week: Martin Garrix and U2 are together with “Fireflies.”

(“Fireflies” clip)

This is not their first connection – Martin Garrix previously worked with Bono and The Edge on “We Are the People” for Euro 2020.

(Record Scratch video)

And finally, 1 vinyl pick.

Released in 2016 on Bowie’s birthday, Blackstar became David Bowie’s final studio album just two days before his death.

So yes, this is more than just a reissue.

(“Blackstar” clip)

That’s your 3 albums, 2 singles, and 1 vinyl for the week.

This has been 3, 2, 1 New Music Monday

Until next time.

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut #1)

Released back in May of 1996, by July 26th,

this was one of the coolest –

and strangest – songs of the decade.

Space with “Female of the Species.”

(Music Cut #2)

This song did NOT sound like most late-’90s alternative rock.

While everyone else was wearing the flannel or trying to be Oasis,

Space sounds like a spy movie trying to flirt with you.

(Music Cut #3)

Which makes sense…

because this song eventually found its perfect home in the Austin Powers universe.

A special “Fembot Mix” played on the soundtrack for Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery.

(Music Cut #4)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“The female of the species is more deadly than the male
Oh, she wants to conquer the world completely.” – Space

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut #1 – “Promise”)

Released on this day but in 2000…

Eve 6 had already gotten
“Inside Out” stuck in everybody’s head.

Then came their next album: Horrorscope…

(Music Cut #2 – “Promise” Hook)

By 2000, Eve 6 were trying to prove they were more than the band with the heart in a blender.

And Horrorscope gave them a few different options:

“Promise,” “On the Roof Again,” and and one song

that would get tied to everybody’s memories.

(Music Cut #3)

That song was “Here’s to the Night.”

Somehow, Eve 6 went from sarcastic, wordy pop-rock…

to being the soundtrack for graduations, proms, and all those early-2000s end-of-the-night goodbyes.

(Music Cut #4)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“All my time is froze in motion
Can’t I stay an hour or two or more
Don’t let me let you go.” – Eve 6

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut #1)

Released earlier this month in 1996…

this song might have been called “Down”…

but the band was on its way up

311

(Music Cut #2)

“Down” sounds like it was created in a California

but these dudes were not born at the beach.

They came out of Omaha, Nebraska…

(Music Cut #3)

And the song was actually a thank-you

to the old-school fans who were there from the beginning.

Quick sidenote:

before it became a No. 1 hit…

the riff apparently got approved by their weed dealer.

So thank you…whoever you are.

(Music Cut #4)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“Have you ever made out in dark hallways
Displayed a kiss that made your day or say
Play a track from your record collection
It’s your mix, congratulations.” – 311

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut #1)

Back on June 23rd of 1996…

this was one of those songs
you knew before you knew who sang it.

The Nixons with “Sister.”

(Music Cut #2)

With a name like The Nixons, you might assume there was some big statement.

Nope.

They just liked that the name had an X in it. — which looked cool on shirts and stickers.

(Music Cut #3)

But the song “Sister” – much more personal.

Lead singer – Zac Maloy said the song was inspired by his own sister moving to the West Coast…

then it became something he never expected:

a song that other people connected to their own siblings.

(Music Cut #4)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“Here we are again saying goodbye
Still we’ll fall asleep underneath the same sky
You’re all I see, you’re all I knew you’d become.” – The Nixons

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut #1)

By July 22nd of 1990…

Bell Biv DeVoe gave us

some really important advice…

within their song: “Poison.”

(Music Cut #2)

Bell Biv DeVoe came out of New Edition…

but “Poison” was not trying to sound like a boy band in matching suits.

This was R&B with Timberlands on.

(Music Cut #3)

And that sound had real hip-hop fingerprints…

all over it.

Kool G Rap is sampled yelling “poison.”

One of the most quoted lines has a KRS-One connection.

And Hank Shocklee from Public Enemy’s Bomb Squad helped give the track its boom

(Music Cut #4)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“Never trust a big butt and a smile
That girl is poison.” – Bell Biv Devoe

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut #1 “100%” opener)

Back in 1992,

on July 21st,

Sonic Youth released

their seventh studio album:

diRty

(Music Cut #2 – “100%” cut of “1 00% of my love”)

The album was produced by Butch Vig,

right after he finished up

a little album called Nevermind

for some band named Nirvana.

(Music Cut #3 – “Come As You Are” cut)

But the connection runs deeper than that.

Sonic Youth helped open the major-label door

for bands like Nirvana.

Then, Nirvana’s explosion kicked that door wide open

for bands like Sonic Youth.

A nice little what-goes-around-comes-around story.

(Music Cut #4)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“But all I know is you got no money
But that’s got nothing to do with a good time.” – Sonic Youth

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut #1 – “Seether”)

Released in March of 1994,

by July 20th,

everyone was getting their first taste of “Seether” –

from the band named after the spoiled kid

from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

Veruca Salt.

(Music Cut #2 – more “Seether”)

Nina Gordon wrote the song,

but the mystery of the “seether”

took on a life of its own.

Who –

or what –

is the seether?

(Music Cut #3 – “Volcano Girls” cut)

Then, in Veruca Salt’s 1997 song

“Volcano Girls,”

they called back to “Seether”

and simply laid it out there:

“The seether’s Louise.”

As in, probably Louise Post, Nina Gordon’s bandmate.

(Music Cut #4 – more “Volcano Girls”)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“Can’t fight the seether
I can’t see her ’til I’m foaming at the mouth.” – Veruca Salt

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3,2,1 – New Music Monday / 07-20-26

(3,2,1 New Music Monday Intro)

Welcome to Music That Matters with 3, 2, 1 New Music Monday.

This week, we’ve got new soul from Leon Bridges, post-breakthrough pop from Gracie Abrams, and Steve Lacy bringing the funk.

Plus, Kelly Clarkson gets Prince-inspired, Beck goes back toward Sea Change, and Jodeci brings a ’90s R&B classic back to vinyl.

(Countdown Video)

3 major album drops.

Leon Bridges is back with a 4-pack of songs labeled: Happiness Anytime: Part 1 – it’s the first taste of his new album coming in its entirety this September. It’s called . . . you guessed it – Happiness Anytime

(“Light The Way” clip)

That’s “Light The Way” – and from what I’m hearing, it sounds like classic Leon Bridges with a little extra groove.

Next up – this girl’s dad is responsible for offing my Star Wars favorite

(:05 to :08 of Han Solo death scene)

JJ Abrams – you made me tear up in front of my son AND daughter.

JJ’s got a daughter, too – named Gracie

(“Hit the Wall” clip)

This is Gracie Abrams dealing with what happens after her career got huge. Daughter From Hell is her 3rd studio album and was produced by The National’s Aaron Dessner. So, the sad pop sound remains intact

(“Look at My Life” clip)

Steve Lacy is back with Oh Yeah?, his first album since the breakout success of “Bad Habit.”

(“Bad Habit” clip)

It’s guitar-filled funk that’s definitely alt-R&B. Plus, it includes the song “Is It Cool?,” a new duet with SZA.

(“Is It Cool?” clip)

2 new singles.

Kelly Clarkson has new music with the song – “I’d Be Lyin’” – which is being described as a Prince-inspired track with pop verses and a pop-rock chorus

(“I’d Be Lyin’”)

And then we have Beck who is making that shift back toward Sea Change and Morning Phase. I’m cool with that.

(“In the Night” clip)

That’s “In the Night” – the 2nd single off Beck’s upcoming new album – Ride Lonesome – which arrives this September.

(Record Scratch video)

And finally, 1 vinyl –

Jodeci’s Forever My Lady is back for its 35th anniversary — a 2LP reissue of the debut album that helped shape ’90s R&B

(“Forever My Lady” clip)

That’s your 3 albums, 2 singles, and 1 vinyl for the week.

This has been 3, 2, 1 New Music Monday

Until next time.

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MUSIC THAT MATTERS – “Lyric of the Day”

(Music Cut #1)

Around this time in July of 1990…

this summertime sound was hard to escape.

Poison and “Unskinny Bop.”

(Music Cut #2)

“Unskinny Bop” sounds like it should mean something.

A dance?

A pickup line?

A something.

(Music Cut #3)

Nope.

C.C. DeVille came up

with “Unskinny Bop”

as a temporary placeholder

while the band

was working the song.

This was before Bret Michaels

had finished the lyrics.

The phrase meant nothing… but it sounded right.

So “Unskinny Bop” lived on.

(Music Cut #4)

LYRIC OF THE DAY:
“What’s right?
What’s wrong?
What’s left?
What the hell is going on?” – Poison

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