Bonnie McKee – Wasted Youth

“I’m a sucker for that sort of washed-out retro Americana.”

Tom: Well-known songwriter, less-known singer. We’ve talked about her once before and been impressed: this is her new one. And advance warning: while nothing there is technically NSFW, this is certainly a video that would make your boss (or your mother) ask some questions.

Tom: And I really like that song. But here’s the catch: I think that video made me like the song a lot more than I would have done otherwise. I’m a sucker for that sort of washed-out retro Americana…

Tim: With a weirdly atemporal stack of Red Bull cans, which stuck out a bit, but yeah.

Tom: …and yes, I’m often a sucker for almost-nudity in music videos, particularly when it’s filmed like that. So I listened again with the music in a background tab, and I’ll admit I wasn’t as convinced. Because this is basically a slower, female version of Live While We’re Young, isn’t it?

Tim: Message wise yes – the closing line of the chorus “get it while we’re young” makes that fairly clear.

Tom: And sadly, it’s not quite as good: that’s a decent chorus, but it’s a bit too repetitive and there’s not quite enough there to make it work.

Tim: That’s pretty much exactly my thought – decent enough chorus, but after hearing it that’s what I can remember, and I seem to remember hearing it a lot of times.

Tom: But there is almost-nudity, and apparently that’s almost as good.

Tim: Well, I’ll let you have that.

Bonnie McKee – California Winter

“Oh, that’s a fantastic song!”

Tim: Bonnie McKee, not been featured here before as a singer, though she has a very healthy record as a writer. Here’s a somewhat festive track for you, though, while we’re still technically in the Christmas period.

Tom: I’ll allow it, but I’m hoping for something else come tomorrow.

Tom: Oh, that’s a fantastic song! That’s my Christmas song of the year! Why did you wait until Boxing Day? I can’t listen to this for another 11 months now!

Tim: It’s a lovely video, and a lovely song as well, so I’ll do my very best not to let the fact that the timing goes a bit off towards the end, and instead just click my fingers in time and enjoy it, and its heartwarming message.

Tom: That’s what happens when you film at a different speed to playback: if you don’t nail it exactly…

Tim: I called it somewhat festive earlier, I’m not really sure whether it is or not – the video’s full of Christmas decorations, and Christmas Eve gets a mention in the lyrics, but instrumentally it seems very summery (even with the bells), which is an interesting disjoint. A very enjoyable disjoint, but it does mean I’d never really be sure when I’m meant to play it.

Tom: Wait, that means…

Tim: That means I can play it any time I want, I suppose, like right now. Let’s have another listen.

Tom: …you’re right. It’s just a winter song, not a Christmas song. I can play this again. And I fully intend to. This is just lovely.