New Music: Additional tracks from The Black Keys, Miley Cyrus, & Paul Weller

This week I’m highlighting additional tracks by a few artists I’ve already mentioned this year. They’re songs from great albums destined for my end of year lists. Before I chose these tunes, I didn’t realize how thematically connected they are.

All My Life – The Black Keys

In a previous post, I discussed the title track from the new album by The Black Keys, No Rain, No Flowers. There are a number of really good songs on the rest of the record that I’ve just begun to dive into during the last week. All My Life has a funky beat, tasty arrangement, and catchy hook. Added to this are some ultimately optimistic lyrics suggesting “Everybody's wondering what's wrong with me, can't get along with me. Oh, they been saying I'm just playing with a losing hand. Been doing the best I can all my life. Turn the page, you don’t ever want to dwell on darker days. You gotta make the change.” Yep, I get it and it’s great to get it with such a satisfyingly cool sound.

Walk of Fame – Miley Cyrus featuring Brittany Howard

This one has been floating around my playlists for several months now from the criminally under heard Something Beautiful album. It’s got a pounding beat, background vocals and guitar work from Brittany Howard, and lyrics about living forever thanks (or not) to fame. Yet there’s also something bittersweet about that fame as Cyrus mentions the need to “walk away” when “you start going insane.” There’s also something about that backing vocal that reminds me of Jimmy Somerville’s impassioned wailing on Bronski Beat’s early 80s song Why? They’re both letting loose some deep frustrating internal emotions with some great vocal prowess.

Nobody’s Fool – Paul Weller

The third track I’m highlighting from Weller’s covers album, Find El Dorado, was written by Ray Davies of The Kinks and focuses on someone who knows he needs to break out of his current place in life and achieve his dreams elsewhere. With skillful piano and violin playing, it’s a beautiful yet again bittersweet song. Like the two other tracks I’ve mentioned above, this one is about breaking free and moving on from people who “don’t even know I’m there.” The “I” may be the real self that not everyone sees. Take control and move on. Hmm…is it a coincidence I’ve chosen these songs, this week, with some pretty similar themes??

Do any of these tracks stand out to you? What are YOU into this week?

Link to my 2025 playlist is here!