I was 15 years old and in the 10th grade when “Joyride” was released as a single. I absolutely loved all the singles from Roxette’s previous album, Look Sharp!, and I was quite interested in hearing more from the duo. The first time I heard “Joyride” on the radio, it did not disappoint. It’s a fun, catchy, upbeat song, and the lyrics definitely appealed to me as a teenager. The song also felt like a natural progression from the material that appeared on Look Sharp!.

Even though it’s been 35 years since “Joyride” was released, I still like this song just as much as I did when it first came out. One thing I can say about Roxette is that their songs really don’t sound terribly dated, and that it’s easy to enjoy them outside of their respective era.

Looking back, it’s really not surprising that “Joyride” became a number one hit on the Hot 100. Since their last single was “It Must Have Been Love,” which was a number one hit about a year earlier, there was a lot of anticipation for what Roxette would release next. And due to the anticipation and curiosity, pop radio programmers would have been more than willing to add “Joyride” into rotation. However, I think this song still would have been a big hit without the curiosity and anticipation, because it’s a strong enough track in its own right and it was a perfect fit for the direction American pop radio was moving in at the time.

After “Joyride” hit number one, Roxette would release the follow-up single, “Fading Like a Flower (Every Time You Leave).” This song would continue the duo’s winning streak when it peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100.

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I share new music that I’ve discovered during the week on AeschTunes’ social media channels (Bluesky, Mastodon, Tumblr, and YouTube), and each Sunday I post a “New Music Discoveries” post to the AeschTunes website that collects all of the songs that were shared on the socials each week.

This is what I discovered over the past week. Check the songs out and see what you think.

They Might Be Giants have released “Get Down” from their current album, The World Is to Dig.

This track has a funky, yet catchy musical arrangement. Lyrically, it’s like a warning message about an alien invasion.

STROBE WARNING: One section of the video has rapid edits that mimic flashing lights

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Recently, Tritonal released “Walk Away,” a collaboration with vocalist HARLEE.

This EDM track has a shimmering synth line and a euphoric groove that sounds inspired by 2010’s dance music. HARLEE’s vocals do a great job of capturing the lyrics’ themes of love, longing, and letting go.

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Kungs recently released “Get Away,” a collaboration with Boys Noize. The track samples Shannon’s 1985 song, “Do You Wanna Get Away.”

Musically, the song has a modern italodisco feel to it, and it makes the listener want to move along wit hit. I hope this track becomes a summer hit at dance radio.

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Kinga recently released “Just Play the Music,” a collaboration with StoneBridge.

Musically, this EDM track combines both 90’s and modern elements to create a sound that should get listeners dancing. The track’s simple lyrical message of playing music and having a good time is part of its charm.

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Recently, Crys Matthews released “Forged In Fire.”

This song seems to intersect pop and gospel with a hint of folk in there. The lyrics serve as a rallying cry for united strength and faith in chaotic times, while the arrangement has a callback gospel song feel. Crys’ vocals sell the message.

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Empire Child recently released “Negativity Be Gone.”

Musically, this is a soulful track with lyrics that give the listener strategies for dealing with negativity. She sings with her head voice throughout the song, but it works with this arrangement. The inclusion of the sax is also a nice touch.

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Recently, Evanescence released “Who Will You Follow” from their forthcoming album, Sanctuary.

Musically, this song brings together both the classic sound listeners remember from the Fallen era and modern elements to create a fantastic rock track. And Amy Lee’s vocal performance is fantastic.

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I remember hearing this song on the radio as a pre-teen in 1986 and loving it. The song sounded different from the other material being played on my local pop radio station at the time, but there was something about it that grabbed my interest and kept it. I think what sold me on it was the catchy musical arrangement and Neil’s rap-like vocal delivery. “West End Girls” led me to appreciate the follow-up singles that I heard on the radio (“Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)” and “Suburbia”). It was through these three singles from Please that I became a fan of Pet Shop Boys.

“West End Girls” also grabbed the American pop audience as well, as the song hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 10, 1986. Looking back, I think it’s quite amazing that this song was such a hit in the United States. Like I said earlier, it didn’t entirely sound like what was succeeding at American pop radio at the time, so the track really beat the odds by becoming a number one hit here.

In February 2021, “West End Girls” re-entered the charts after the duo received exposure earlier that year through an Allstate Super Bowl ad featuring “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)” and through the premiere of the series It’s A Sin (which shares its name with a song by Pet Shop Boys). “West End Girls” re-entered Billboard’s Dance/Electronic Digital Song Sales chart at number nine on February 7, 2021 and peaked at number six on that chart on March 12, 2021.

After “West End Girls,” the song “Love Comes Quickly” was released as single, but it only peaked at number 62 on the Billboard Hot 100. However, when “Opportunities (Let’s Make Lots of Money)” was released as the third single from Please, it peaked at number 10 on the Billboard Hot 100. Unfortunately, “Suburbia,” the final single from the album, only managed to peak at number 70 on the Billboard Hot 100. But that wouldn’t mark the end of Pet Shop Boys’ chart success in America, as they would return to the Top 10 with the lead-off single from their second album: “It’s A Sin.”

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However, I do have familiarity with majiko through listening to and reviewing her song, “Nande?” I enjoyed that song, so when I learned that she had released another track, I knew I needed to check it out.

Musically, “Ribbon” is a slow-to-midtempo J-pop track that leans a little more toward the rock side. The song has a catchy yet laid-back feel, and it’s got the right vibe for an anime theme song. I also felt that the bridge adds a nice touch to the arrangement. The vocal performance that majiko gives work well for what the music is going for.

I listened to “Ribbon” on Spotify, so I didn’t have easy access to an English translation of the lyrics. However, I did locate an English translation of the lyrics that’s been posted onto the internet. Reading through the translation, the lyrics seem to be from the point of view of a speaker who’s grateful to someone who’s come into their life and help them to become a better person.

I may not be watching the simulcast for The Food Diary of Miss Maid anime, but if I was, this is a song that I would look forward to hearing each week.

Fans of majiko and of The Food Diary of Miss Maid anime will likely have the greatest appreciation for “Ribbon,” but I think J-pop fans may find something to enjoy here as well. As for western music audiences, I believe the song has the potential to appeal to pop music and pop rock listeners who don’t mind hearing a song that’s being performed in a foreign language.

(reviewed by Lesley Aeschliman on May 9, 2026)

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On July 11, 2025, The Kinks released The Journey – Part 3, the third in a set of 2-disc retrospective releases of the band’s material. The release includes track notes by Ray Davies, Dave Davies, and Mick Avory talking about each song that appears on this compilation. However, unlike the previous two releases, only the first disc of this set includes material from the studio albums. The second disc has a live concert recording on it. Looking through the tracklist for the studio material, the songs included here span between 1977 and 1984.

Unlike The Journey – Part 1 and The Journey – Part 2, the tracklist for the first disc is not broken out by themes. Looking at this tracklist, it appears there’s no rhyme of reason to the order of the tracks, because they certainly aren’t in chronological order. While that was the case with the previous two releases in this series, they were at least grouped by a common theme. For this tracklist, it just feels like the tracks were thrown on here in a random order. All of the songs included on the first disc of this release were remastered in 2025. While most of the tracks are the album versions, single edits for “Catch Me Now I’m Falling” and “Better Things” were used for this release.

I have to be honest and say that the only song I knew on this release prior to listening to it was “Come Dancing.” Because of that, I’m discovering some more material by The Kinks for the first time as I’m reviewing this.

The first disc opens with the single edit of “Catch Me Now I’m Falling.” Lyrically, this is interesting, because it’s a criticism of America’s allies in the 1970’s, as well as depicting the fall of Captain America as a symbol of the dire circumstances of the United States at the time. It’s interesting to hear this song now, in light of what’s been going on in the world at the time I’m writing this review. There’s that phrase that goes something like, “History doesn’t repeat, but it does rhyme,” and that seems applicable for this song. It’s a little disheartening that a song from almost 50 years ago is this relevant. Even saying that, I do enjoy the song.

“(Wish I Could Fly Like) Superman” is a bit of an unusual track in The Kinks’ catalog, as it uses a disco beat. From what I’ve read, Arista Records found Clive Davis requested a “club-friendly record” from the band, and this was Ray Davies’ response to that request. The lyrics are about the character Superman, and apparently Ray Davies was inspired to write the lyrics after watching Superman: The Movie. Admittedly, this isn’t a sound I expect to hear from The Kinks, but I do like this catchy track.

This is followed by “A Rock ‘N’ Roll Fantasy.” From what I’ve read, this is a song that was inspired by the band’s tumultuous state at the time. Ray Davis has also been quoted as saying the song was inspired by both a Peter Frampton concert he attended and the passing of Elvis Presley. Lyrically, the song is about a big fan of The Kinks who loses himself in their music when he’s unhappy in order to live in “a rock ‘n’ roll fantasy.” There are also lyrics that directly relate to what The Kinks were going through at the time. This is one of the slower songs I’ve heard by The Kinks, but this tempo works for the song. A faster tempo would have weakened the track and the message it’s trying to convey. In my opinion, this is another good song that The Kinks released during this era.

Next is “Sleepwalker,” a song that’s from the point of view of a sleepwalker. This was the first single released from the album of the same name, and it’s the band’s return to more of a rock sound after spending some time focusing on concept albums and a theatrical sound. When I hear this, I can’t help but feel like there’s some similarities to what Steve Miller was releasing in the 1970’s. While I admit that “Sleepwalker” is catchy musically, there’s something about this arrangement and the lyrics that makes this song feel a little weaker, especially for an act like The Kinks. It’s not a bad song, but it’s just not up to the standards that I expect for a song by this act.

“Living on a Thin Line” is a song that Dave Davies has said was influenced by the band’s long and difficult career, along with his hatred of politicians. Looking at the lyrics to this one, it’s another case where thanks to what’s going on in the world when I’m writing this review, the lyrics are as relevant now as they were when the song was written a little over 40 years ago. Musically, there’s a bit of a brooding vibe to the track, which does a great job of emphasizing the message of the lyrics. Apparently, this song appeared three times in an episode of The Sopranos, and it was also used during the credits of the series finale of the HBO series Vice Principals. It’s a good track, and I can hear why it’s been used for multiple television series.

This is followed by “Come Dancing,” easily the best-known song on The Journey – Part 3. Ray Davies was inspired to write the song by his memories of his older sister, who died of a heart attack while dancing at a dance hall. I only came to learn this fact more recently, so it’s given me a different perspective and a greater appreciation of the song. Because of its upbeat musical arrangement, the song’s sad origins are effectively hidden. This is still easily one of my favorite songs by The Kinks.

Next is “Around The Dial,” which, as far as I can tell, wasn’t released as a single. If this is right, then this is the first album-only track to make an appearance on The Journey – Part 3. Musically, this has more of a “studio rock” sound when compared to the other material from this era of the band’s career that appears on this release. Lyrically, the song seems to be from the point of a view of a speaker whose favorite DJ is no longer on the station they expect to hear them on, and now they’re scouring the various radio stations they can receive to try to find them. It’s an interesting idea for a song, and it worked for the time period that it was recorded in. This is a catchy track, and it’s one that I enjoyed discovering on this release.

From what I’ve read, “Do It Again” was written by Ray Davies about anyone who has a busy schedule, and was inspired his strenuous touring schedule. Musically, this is a rock track, but you can also hear some synths in the arrangement. This has a sound you’d expect from The Kinks, except it’s got an 80’s sheen on it. I found this to be an enjoyable song with a sound that fit in with its contemporaries in the mid-1980’s.

This is followed by the single version of “Better Things.” From what I’ve read, Ray Davies wrote this song about his failing marriage. This is definitely a breakup song, but it’s written with a tone where the speaker wishes nothing but the best for their ex. It’s what a like to call a “positive breakup song.” Musically, it’s got The Kinks’ style, but there’s an 80’s sheen on it, which helped to modernize it for the time period that it was released in. In some respects, this was kind of a “back to basics” kind of track, but it works. This is another song that I’m glad that I discovered while listening to The Journey – Part 3.

Next is “Destroyer,” which features musical and lyrical callbacks to previous material by The Kinks, which includes the riff from “All Day and All of the Night” and the return of the character Lola. Sonically, this is a hard rock track that includes some new wave elements in its arrangement. While the callbacks are an interesting idea, I’m not sure they work as well as they could have. I’m not entirely sold on the idea that “Lola” needed a sequel, because I think the original song told a strong story in its own right.

Next is “Low Budget,” which is a song about a man giving up his “expensive tastes” in order to save money. From what I’ve read, the song is about the economic problems of that era, but it also refers to some of Ray Davies’ personal concerns. Once again, the lyrics of this song are just as relevant now due to current circumstances as they were when the song was released almost 50 years ago. Ray’s vocals have a rawness to them, which works well with the self-depreciating humor of the lyrics and the musical arrangement. I actually like this track, and it’s a memorable discovery on this release.

The final track on the first disc is “Misfits.” The lyrics are about the “losers” and “failures” who appear to be lost without a crowd yet going their own way. However, they’re written in a way where they embrace these misfits. This is a more stripped back arrangement, which gives it a more intimate feeling when compared with the other material that was included on the first disc of The Journey – Part 3. I like the sound of this song, as well as the message in the song’s lyrics. This is another song by The Kinks that I’m glad I discovered while listening to this release.

The second disc has a recording of a performance by The Kinks at The Royal Albert Hall in 1993. This was a concert from the tour to promote the band’s 24th and final studio album, Phobia, which was released in 1993. It’s interesting to note that Disc One on this set ends in 1984, thus ignoring any material that was released on the band’s final three albums. This live recording provides live versions of four songs from the Phobia album, but there’s still no representation of the material from either 1986’s Think Visual album or 1989’s UK Jive album on this release.

Looking through the setlist for this concert, the band obviously performed the most material from Phobia, since that was the album that was being promoted at the time. After that, there’s seven songs from the group’s 1960’s catalog, three songs from the band’s 1970’s catalog, a Dave Davies single from the late 1970’s, and one song from The Kinks’ 80’s catalog. The mid-1970’s and the vast majority of the band’s 80’s output was ignored for this setlist.

When I listened to the second disc, I was satisfied with the audio quality of this live recording. Since it was decided to include this as part of this release, I’m glad that the sound quality was good.

While there are a lot of good points for this release, I’m a bit disappointed by some of the decisions that were made regarding it. For a series that is titled The Journey and is billed as being “a Kinks anthology,” I feel like we never truly finish the journey, since there’s no material from the final three albums in the band’s catalog included among the studio recordings. If you didn’t know better, then you’d get the impression that the band’s final output came out in 1984.

Also, I know for a fact that at least one single that was released during the time period covered on Part 3 was skipped: “Don’t Forget to Dance.” Since I’m not overly familiar with the band’s material, I don’t know how many other singles between 1977 and 1984 might have been skipped. And considering the runtime of the first disc is 49 minutes and 18 seconds, there was plenty of room to include more material. I’m just baffled as to why the band completely excluded material from between 1986 and 1993 on the first disc, especially since there was room to include it on the first disc.

After all the effort and care that seemed to be put into The Journey – Part 1 and The Journey – Part 2, it feels like not as much effort was put into The Journey – Part 3. Because of this, The Journey – Part 3 is a bit of a letdown.

If you already own The Journey – Part 1 and The Journey – Part 2 but haven’t gotten around to purchasing The Journey – Part 3, then I would only recommend picking up this release in order to have a complete set. If you haven’t purchased this series yet but are interested in it, just be aware that the three parts of The Journey releases aren’t quite as complete of a compilation as they could be because of Part 3.

(reviewed by Lesley Aeschliman on May 9, 2026)

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Musically, “Satisfy” is a midtempo piano house EDM track that has a catchy feel to its arrangement. It also has a light, breezy, and laid-back feel to it, which helps to give the song a summer vibe. Jazzy has a great voice, and her delivery has a soulful weightlessness to it that perfectly complements the sound that the musical arrangement is going for.

Lyrically, “Satisfy” seems to have a theme of romantic fulfillment. Jazzy’s vocal delivery does a fantastic job of selling the lyrics and the speaker’s emotions to the listener.

I think that “Satisfy” is a great dance track, and hopefully dance radio will pick up on this. With its sound, the song should easily become one of, it not the, biggest dance songs of Summer 2026. I could also hear this track getting significant rotation in the dance clubs during the summer months.

Fans of both Calvin Harris and Jazzy will likely have the greatest appreciation for “Satisfy,” but I think that fans of EDM who may or may not already be familiar with either of these artists may find something to enjoy here as well.

(reviewed by Lesley Aeschliman on May 8, 2026)

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In addition to “Incense And Peppermints,” I’m also familiar with “Blow Your Mind,” which was also released as a preview single for the album. I featured “Blow Your Mind” as a New Music Discover earlier this year. I enjoy both songs that I know by the band, so when I learned that another single had been released, I was eager to hear what else Strawberry Alarm Clock had to offer.

Musically, you can hear some hints of the 60’s sound in “The Sky Isn’t Falling,” but there’s a sheen in the arrangement and production in the arrangement that makes it clear that this a modern song from the mid-2020’s. The guitar solo that comes in around halfway through the track adds a nice sound to the track. This is such a catchy song, and it grabs the listener’s attention and doesn’t let go. The vocals sound great on this track, and they perfectly complement the vibe that the music is going for. I especially like the vocals being done in unison in the intro.

Lyrically, the song doesn’t rely on the typical verse-chorus-verse structure, which I think works well for this song. I also love all the space and sky imagery that’s being used for what we find out in the end is essentially a love song. While it’s hinted at earlier in the song, it clearly becomes a love song when the line “I want to be with you” appears right near the end.

While this group may be known for 60’s psychedelic rock, they’ve released a great modern indie/power pop track. In some respects, the song of “The Sky Isn’t Falling” kind of makes me think of some of the indie rock material that was being released in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s that I enjoy. After hearing both “Blow Your Mind” and “The Sky Isn’t Falling,” I’m very intrigued to hear what Strawberry Alarm Clock’s forthcoming album has to offer.

(reviewed by Lesley Aeschliman on May 8, 2026)

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Musically, “Raindrops” is a pop rock track that also has a soulful feel in its chorus. In some respects, it kind of makes me think there’s hints of 70’s pop rock in the arrangement, but it’s been wrapped up in a modern sheen. It has such a catchy vibe to it, and Rick’s vocal performance is top notch here, as he makes it clear that while the music may be catchy, the lyrics are actually a passionate plea to someone.

In an article at Classic Pop Magazine, Rick says, “’Raindrops’ is about letting the person you love the most down. They’ve seen your worst and you want to know is this the end, you can feel the raindrops falling and know the pain you’ve caused but you’re asking for one more chance.” You can certainly hear the intensity that Rick puts into his vocal delivery to get the theme of the lyrics across to the listener. And with this performance, you can hear the speaker’s sincerity, which helps to sell the song to listeners.

Since rediscovering Rick Astley and his music nearly three years ago, I’ve truly enjoyed all the material that I’ve heard from him. I’m glad that he’s continuing his music career and releasing new material, and I’m look forward to hearing what else he might have up his sleeve in the future.

Fans of Rick Astley will likely have the greatest appreciation for “Raindrops,” but I think that listeners who enjoy pop rock material may find something to enjoy here as well. Also, listeners who may remember Rick from the late 1980’s and early 1990’s may like this and rediscover this man and his talent.

(reviewed by Lesley Aeschliman on May 8, 2026)

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My parents listened to The Mamas & The Papas when I was growing up, and “Monday, Monday” is one of the songs that I remember hearing as a child. It’s a song that I’ve enjoyed throughout my life, thanks to its musical arrangement and to the group’s vocal harmonies. It may not be a terribly deep song lyrically, but I don’t think it needs to be. As a listener, I think the vocal performance does a great job of expressing the speaker’s emotions that would be associated with these lyrics.

From what I’ve read, it seems that the only person in the group who really liked this song was its writer, John Phillips. It appears the only reason that The Mamas & The Papas recorded and released the song was due to producer Lou Adler stepping in and insisting.

Even though most of the band members didn’t seem to care for it, “Monday, Monday” resonated with 60’s pop music listeners. It hit number one on the Billboard Hot 100 on May 7, 1966 and spent three weeks at the top of the chart. In 1967, The Mamas & The Papas won a Grammy for the song, in the Best Contemporary (R&R) Group Performance Vocal or Instrumental category. In 2008, “Monday, Monday” was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame.

Unfortunately for The Mamas & The Papas, “Monday, Monday” would be the only number one hit of their career. After this, they managed to have four of Top 5 hits with “I Saw Her Again,” “Words Of Love,” “Dedicated to the One I Love,” and “Creeque Alley,” as well as Top 20 hits with “Twelve Thirty” and “Dream a Little Dream of Me” and Top 30 hits with “Look Through My Window” and Glad to be Unhappy.” The group’s last appearance on the Billboard Hot 100 was in 1972 with “Step Out,” which peaked at number 81.

As of this writing, of the four members who were in The Mamas & The Papas when “Monday, Monday” was released, the only surviving member is Michelle Phillips. Cass Elliot passed away in 1974, John Phillips passed away in 2001, and Denny Doherty passed away in 2007.

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However, I do have familiarity with Hikaru Utada through listening to and reviewing other material they have released in the past. I’ve enjoyed what I’ve head, so when I learned that they had released an anime theme song, I knew I needed to check it out.

Musically, “PAPPAPARADISE” is an upbeat, catchy, and fun-sounding J-pop track. It’s not surprising that it has this kind of sound, since Chibi Maruko-chan is an anime that’s aimed at children. I love the prominent piano and horns that appear at times during the arrangement, because I think these elements add a nice texture to the track and add to the song’s catchiness factor. The musical bridge that appears about halfway through the song is also a nice touch. The sudden sonic shift near the end caught me off-guard, but it doesn’t ruin the flow of the song. Hikaru’s vocal performance sounds great and it perfectly complements this musical arrangement.

I listened to “PAPPAPARADISE” on Spotify, so I didn’t have easy access to an English translation of the lyrics. As of this writing, it appears that an English translation of the lyrics hasn’t been posted onto the internet. However, I found that I didn’t need to understand what exactly was being sung in order to enjoy the song.

I may not be watching the simulcast for the Chibi Maruko-chan anime, but if I was, this is a song that I would look forward to hearing each week.

Fans of Hikaru Utada and of the Chibi Maruko-chan anime will likely have the greatest appreciation for “PAPPAPARADISE,” but I think that J-pop fans may find something to enjoy here as well. As for western music audiences, I believe the song could appeal to pop music listeners who don’t mind hearing a song that’s being performed in a foreign language.

(reviewed by Lesley Aeschliman on May 6, 2026)

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