Singles Roundup: Elvis Costello, Theresa Jeane, Rise Against, & A Light Divided

 Elvis Costello – Phonographic Memory/Hey Clockface

After the last fifteen years of Elvis Costello's career, I knew better than to expect much from the first tastes of his upcoming album. And in fact, I was wise to be so wary, as these tracks continue Elvis' explorations of sounds that don't have much song behind them. One of these is a song heavy on a rhythm, with lyrics that pale in comparison to anything he used to be known for, while the other is a spoken word bit that is a complete time suck. I don't want to say only Elvis' rock albums are good, but "Momofuku" is the only one in many a year I've been the least bit entertained by. This doesn't sound like it will change things.

Theresa Jeane – Take Me To The Stars

I really enjoyed the recent run of singles The Nearly Deads had put out, so when they hit pause and Theresa Jeane said a solo single was coming, it raised an eyebrow or two. Now that the song has arrived, those worries were mostly for naught. This song has the same ear for melody, just wrapped in a shinier, more pop-oriented veneer. I won't say I enjoy it as much as I did "Freakshow", but I did find myself enjoying it more than I thought I might. If this is her solo sound, it's a solid stand-in for the band.

Rise Against – Broken Dreams, Inc

I loved Rise Against's last album, "Wolves", which made a high showing on my year-end list when it came out. The first song they've released since then..... isn't doing much for me. Maybe it's because it was written for a comic book I don't read, and maybe it's just a culture clash where I don't get the inspiration they found in the source material, but this song doesn't have the bite, aggression, or hooks of anything off "Wolves". It sounds tame, and if anything, a bit recycled. It's an ominous sign that the first song in several years isn't making a stronger impact.

A Light Divided – Radio Silence

Another band whose last album I really liked is A Light Divided, and unlike Rise Against, their first new song in a couple of years hits the bulls-eye. The heavy and modern riffs have power behind them, and the hook is absolutely killer. The vocals sound a bit less aggressive than they did before, but that's ok, because there's still plenty of spunk and grit to them to sell me on them. This song is simply great, catchy, modern hard rock done the right way. Hopefully, it's an indicator that more will be coming, because I'm definitely down for that.