Three up tempo rock jams to energize your weekend festivities

The Burning Lights – “Caffeine and graffiti”
-So this is probably an unlikely track for a late-30s guy to feature. I mean I haven’t been able to relate to these lyrics for a good 20 years. That said, there’s a version of me from a time in my life that can embrace *most* of what this song is all about. I dig the energy, the excited style, and the power chords. I always dig power chords. But even if you can’t relate to the exact lyrical message, there’s a posture of “adventure” in the main concept of the song that certainly everyone feels. The way the song transitions from the hedonistic opening to the bridge section about leaving. The heart of the song (if I understand it) is that these adventurous things never really pan out and eventually we all want to move on from that toward something more substantive.

Jacob Fitzgerald – “Muse”
-I really appreciate the sentiment of this song. The bluesy rock guitar work definitely connects right from the start, but the lyrics… whew. If you’ve ever had someone in your life that is your “muse” you can relate to the song. It’s not always romantic, honestly. A muse can be someone who just inspires you and “makes you feel alive.” It’s a wild experience if you’ve had it in your life. Fitzgerald captures the sentiment in the track, complete with screaming guitar solos and enthusiastic vocals. If you’re a fan of blues rock, you’ll dig this one a great deal.

COVES – “Smile again”
-The guitars… the synths… the energetic beat… (checks year)… yep, it’s still 2022, but it sure feels like the late 80s. I don’t say that as a knock at all, either. There’s a glowing energy to the production of this song that makes it feel inspiring. If you’ve ever had someone who made you feel like you would never “hit the ground” again… that you could just fly away… then this song will connect for you for sure. I appreciate the pop rock vibrancy of this track. For fans of classic acts like Phil Collins, COVES go harder on this track than we deserve. If I knew Hank Green, I would recommend this song for his “songs that go hard” playlist.