Singles Roundup: Jorn, Michael Monroe, MSG, & Leauxx

Once again, it's time to see what some snack-sized pieced of music have to tell us about the larger narrative.

Jorn - Over The Horizon Radar

It feels like Jorn has been away for quite a while, which is a bit of a rarity these days, when everyone is in three bands that are constantly releasing music. The break is welcome, and I certainly am excited to hear his voice again, but the time has not been well spent. Jorn's solo albums have been fairly bland for quite a while, and this song is no different. It has the right sound, but the melodies don't connect with me. What's weirdest is Jorn himself, as his voice sounds like it has aged considerably since last we heard him. That is the story of the album, as I can tell you the 'issue' carries through it. How disappointing, yet inevitable.

Michael Monroe - Can't Stop Falling Apart

What I love most about the last two records Michael Monroe has put out is the sense of fun. Rock doesn't give me that feeling often, but his band is one of the few that feels like they're having a good time. This song fits that bill, with the gang vocals (something I usually don't like) truly coming across like a band shouting in joy as they play. The hints of acoustic guitar and piano give the track depth, and it all adds up to a rollicking little number that evokes the 70s without ever sounding dated. Looking backward and forward at the same time is hard, yet this band has been able to do it. From the sound of things, they're about to do it again.

MSG - A King Has Gone

The first time someone wrote a song where the lyrics were all references to someone else, it was creative. The next time, it was still cool. Now that it has happened countless times, it is derivative, and it also feels pretty lazy. Why write new words, when we can just take words someone else wrote? That's what this song is, as it makes countless references to the works of Ronnie James Dio. It's an odd thing to do the song now, after all this time, and with neither Schenker nor Kiske having ties to Dio. Maybe it really is heartfelt, but it's a bland song that doesn't come across the way they want it to. The album press calls it a career highlight, but if it is, that pen is out of ink.

Leauxx - Hungry

A new year brings a new approach. Leauxx leaves behind the grittier rock of her previous singles, instead using electronic elements to build the atmosphere of this song. That does two things. First, it gives her voice more room in the mix, so she doesn't have to belt the whole song. There is a dynamic to her voice, where the desperation of the lyric is better able to come through because of the approach. Second, it gives the song a sense of subtlety. By being quieter, not only is her voice not pushing as much, but neither is the melody. It's a song of atmosphere instead of power, of feeling instead of hooks. It's an interesting experiment, but I'm missing some of the gravity her powerhouse voice gave her previous songs.