This week I spin great tunes from Confushian. And, also from the Edinburgh scene, Norman Lamont. Radio Nowhere. Jon Worthy. And Luke Metzler. And a surprise song too. I'll dig into finger-picking guitar, extended chords, variety from vocal harmony, and song chord structure.

In Hits and Hooks Vignettes, we play some great tunes and lift the hood to see what makes them tick. HHV is a music podcast about how songs keep listeners engaged through hooks, structure, and subtle musical decisions.

Follow Hits and Hooks Vignettes, and join me, TuneMoose Matt Bates, for a weekly short walk through musicland! Hits and Hooks Vignettes is produced by Everyone's A Star Records, and hosted by TuneMoose Matt Bates.

Songs In This Episode:

Confushian - The Judas tree (Jamendo Licensing)

Jon Worthy - Who I Am (Jamendo Licensing)

Norman Lamont and the Heaven Sent - The Goodbye Song (Jamendo Licensing)

Radio Nowhere - December Girl (Jamendo Licensing)

Ivan Dolgunov - Violin Sonata No.2 in A minor, Bach (Jamendo Licensing)

Luke Metzler - Appetite (Jamendo Licensing)

Music Inserts:

Richard Wiegel - Wednesday Blues (Jamendo Licensing)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "The Piano" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Vocab 17" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "The Arrival" (Everyone's A Star Records)

Keywords:

music, song analysis, hooks, melody, harmony, rhythm, genre, songwriting, engagement, recording, mixing, production, instruments, performance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm going to dig into the Jazz genre and the music of Dazie Mae, from Paris. Hooks keep our attention as changes within a song. Genre attracts us because it's familiar. We've heard the style before. There are many elements that collectively define a genre. Let's look at a few, in Jazz.

In Hits and Hooks Vignettes, we play some great tunes and lift the hood to see what makes them tick. HHV is a music podcast about how songs keep listeners engaged through hooks, structure, and subtle musical decisions.

Follow Hits and Hooks Vignettes, and join me, TuneMoose Matt Bates, for a weekly short walk through musicland! Hits and Hooks Vignettes is produced by Everyone's A Star Records, and hosted by TuneMoose Matt Bates.

You can hear all of Dazie Mae's music at:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/6mDX3lCv3QKLda5IzbKLIh (Spotify)

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/dazie-mae/429129232 (Apple Music)

https://www.deezer.com/en/artist/326962 (Deezer)

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4i9KD4HrYDnth-JmYTUGOg (YouTube)

https://www.daziemae.com/ (Website)

Songs In This Episode:

Dazie Mae - At the Begining of Loves (Jamendo Licensing)

Dazie Mae - Time With My Lover (Jamendo Licensing)

Dazie Mae - Sofa (Jamendo Licensing)

Dazie Mae - When Dazie Mae Makes Love (Jamendo Licensing)

Music Inserts:

Musiczerouno - Moonlight Lisistra (Jamendo Licensing)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Blue November" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Land Of Homemade Wine" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "The Arrival" (Everyone's A Star Records)

Keywords:

music, song analysis, hooks, melody, harmony, rhythm, genre, songwriting, engagement, recording, mixing, production, instruments, performance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Unusual Sounds and Subdivision ||: HHV Ep 2-10

With songs by Lucid Lip, Saint Anyway, Jon Worthy, and Wild Fire

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This week I spin great tunes from Lucid Lip, Saint Anyway, Jon Worthy, and Wild Fire. And we'll dig into unusual sounds, and subdivision pacing. And a hook count to take us out.

In Hits and Hooks Vignettes, we play some great tunes and lift the hood to see what makes them tick. HHV is a music podcast about how songs keep listeners engaged through hooks, structure, and subtle musical decisions.

Follow Hits and Hooks Vignettes, and join me, TuneMoose Matt Bates, for a weekly short walk through musicland! Hits and Hooks Vignettes is produced by Everyone's A Star Records, and hosted by TuneMoose Matt Bates.

Songs In This Episode:

Deivid Rivera Mentiras Tristes (Jamendo Licensing)

LUCID LIP - Thinkin About You (Jamendo Licensing)

Soundstatues - Amnesia (Jamendo Licensing)

Saint Anyway - Burnin Down the House (Jamendo Licensing)

Jon Worthy - This Aint The Way (Jamendo Licensing)

Wild Fire - Looking Out For You (Jamendo Licensing)

Music Inserts:

Makis Hager - Sparkle of Love (Jamendo Licensing)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Everything 'Bout Love" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Solid Advice" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "The Arrival" (Everyone's A Star Records)

Keywords:

music, song analysis, hooks, melody, harmony, rhythm, genre, songwriting, engagement, recording, mixing, production, instruments, performance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I spin great tunes from Ed Napoli, Lea James, Kevin Johnston and Bill Steely. And we'll dig into beat, and some of the functions, that the guitar fulfils, in songs. For fun I'll do a hooks count too.

In Hits and Hooks Vignettes, we play some great tunes and lift the hood to see what makes them tick. HHV is a music podcast about how songs keep listeners engaged through hooks, structure, and subtle musical decisions.

Follow Hits and Hooks Vignettes, and join me, TuneMoose Matt Bates, for a weekly short walk through musicland! Hits and Hooks Vignettes is produced by Everyone's A Star Records, and hosted by TuneMoose Matt Bates.

Songs In This Episode:

Beldon Burch - Where Butterflies Meet (Jamendo Licensing)

(Permission from the artist, Jason Hogan))

The.madpix.project - Pretty Prison (Jamendo Licensing)

JekK - Hold you (Jamendo Licensing)

Ed Napoli - Monday (Jamendo Licensing)

Lea James - Interlude (Jamendo Licensing)

Kevin Johnston - Scat (Jamendo Licensing)

Bill Steely - This Time For Sure (Jamendo Licensing)

Music Inserts:

DepasRec - Beyond heaven (Jamendo Licensing)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "That Ragged Man" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "You Said You Didn't Love me" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "The Arrival" (Everyone's A Star Records)

Keywords:

music, song analysis, hooks, melody, harmony, rhythm, genre, songwriting, engagement, recording, mixing, production, instruments, performance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I spin great tunes from Art Yenta, Beldon Burch, Chrissy Blazier, Deivid Rivera, ilyab, and Living Camboya. I have an interview excerpt with Jason Hogan outlining his songwriting process. We'll dig into riffs, vocal shaping in the studio, using vocal texture variety, and chord voicings.

In Hits and Hooks Vignettes, we play some great tunes and lift the hood to see what makes them tick. HHV is a music podcast about how songs keep listeners engaged through hooks, structure, and subtle musical decisions.

Follow Hits and Hooks Vignettes, and join me, TuneMoose Matt Bates, for a weekly short walk through musicland! Hits and Hooks Vignettes is produced by Everyone's A Star Records, and hosted by TuneMoose Matt Bates.

Songs In This Episode:

Deivid Rivera - Deivid Rivera Mi ultima balada (Jamendo Licensing)

Mean To Me - Jason Hogan (Permission from the artist, Jason Hogan))

Art Yenta - Lonely (Jamendo Licensing)

Beldon Burch - Why (Jamendo Licensing)

Chrissy Blazier - Connection (Jamendo Licensing)

ilyab - ilyab - Insecure (Jamendo Licensing)

Living Camboya - Delante De Ti (Jamendo Licensing)

Music Inserts:

Ravello - Vocalise g (Jamendo Licensing)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Ba Ba Boop" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "First Snow Of Winter" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "The Arrival" (Everyone's A Star Records)

Keywords:

music, song analysis, hooks, melody, harmony, rhythm, genre, songwriting, engagement, recording, mixing, production, instruments, performance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we'll hear couple of songs from the Edinburgh indie scene, yes, Scotland. I'll spin two very different songs out of California. And Anthony Lazaro is back with another smooth vocal song from Italy. I dig into some instrumental basics: four on the floor kick drum, and walking bass. We'll dig in on frequency range separation and check out a downwards moving melodic leap.

In Hits and Hooks Vignettes, we play some great tunes and lift the hood to see what makes them tick. HHV is a music podcast about how songs keep listeners engaged through hooks, structure, and subtle musical decisions.

Follow Hits and Hooks Vignettes, and join me, TuneMoose Matt Bates, for a weekly short walk through musicland! Hits and Hooks Vignettes is produced by Everyone's A Star Records, and hosted by TuneMoose Matt Bates.

Songs In This Episode:

Jon Worthy - To Love (Jamendo Licensing)

Radio Nowhere - Heathrow (Jamendo Licensing)

Norman Lamont - Lump Sum (Jamendo Licensing)

Confushian - Have a drink (Jamendo Licensing)

Anthony Lazaro - Cold (Jamendo Licensing)

Michael Hahn - Have A Good Day (Jamendo Licensing)

Music Inserts:

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Help Me Now" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Freddo Molto Freddo" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "The Arrival" (Everyone's A Star Records)

Keywords:

music, song analysis, hooks, melody, harmony, rhythm, genre, songwriting, engagement, recording, mixing, production, instruments, performance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I chat with three of the members of Forget The Whale, a seven piece Indie band from Jersey City. Joining me are Dan Pieraccini (bass), AJ Zienowicz (drummer) and Pete Durning (guitarist). With the band as creative outlet, everyone's a songwriter! We talk about each of their approaches to that, and how they develop their arrangements.

Look out for their upcoming EP, "Stick With Me Kid", that comes out on May 8, 2026.

Check out Forget The Whale music on...

Spotify:

https://open.spotify.com/artist/5jTaVspFTd3rY2xDUfaakR?si=1vtFLQb-RbeH9wETqB6p0Q&nd=1&dlsi=2c846d2deae84044

Apple Music:

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/forget-the-whale/1080511867

Follow Forget The Whale on...

Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/forgetthewhale

Instagram:

http://www.instagram.com/forgetthewhale

BBQ sauce that the jingle song was written for:

https://kinziefoods.com/

Songs played in the interview:

"I Know Where You've Been", Forget The Whale (Jamendo Licensing)

"Clocks", Forget The Whale (Jamendo Licensing)

" Carry Your Own Weight ", Forget The Whale (Jamendo Licensing)

[Forget The Whale songs are licensed for the published interview through Jamendo Licensing and the band has given us permission directly to use his music related images in associated thumbnails.]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I'm spinning a Latin groove song using lots of different vocal textures, and I've got some acoustic Blues. There's a Queen sounds-similar song. Some slow Jazz from Paris. And an intriguing song sung in Arabic and French. We'll look at stepwise harmonic motion and vocal gymnastics. I'll spin songs from Nick Falcon, Dazie Mae, Alfonso Lugo, Danzberg Music, and Elyes Landoulsi.

In Hits and Hooks Vignettes, we play some great tunes and lift the hood to see what makes them tick. HHV is a music podcast about how songs keep listeners engaged through hooks, structure, and subtle musical decisions.

Follow Hits and Hooks Vignettes, and join me, TuneMoose Matt Bates, for a weekly short walk through musicland! Hits and Hooks Vignettes is produced by Everyone's A Star Records, and hosted by TuneMoose Matt Bates.

Songs In This Episode:

Alfonso_Lugo_-_Alfonso_Lugo_(Feat._Jasmine_Crowe) (Jamendo Licensing)

Bralitz_-_Dinner_Plans

Danzberg-Music_-_Welcome_To_Euphoria

Dazie_Mae_-_Time_With_My_Lover

Elyes_Landoulsi_-_Eddhamir

Music Inserts:

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "India Lake" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Everythin' 'Bout Love" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "The Arival" (Everyone's A Star Records)

Keywords: 

music, song analysis, hooks, melody, harmony, rhythm, genre, songwriting, engagement, recording, mixing, production, instruments, performance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I chat with Nashville Indie artist Jon Worthy about three of his original songs, his recent South America tour, and the Nashville scene. He's a busy guy managing every aspect of his career. He tells us about his successes in music syncing business with over 400 songs picked up. Listen in for all the details.

You can hear Jon's music at...

https://jonworthy.bandcamp.com/ (Bandcamp)

https://music.apple.com/us/artist/jon-worthy/1004258932 (Apple Music)

https://open.spotify.com/artist/4Jo3IYxXbnkBX8irFxeGX2 (Spotify)

And follow him on...

https://jonworthythebends.com/ (Website)

https://www.instagram.com/jonworthymusic/ (Instagram)

https://www.tiktok.com/search?lang=en&q=jon%20worthy&t=1775867647630 (TikTok)

Songs played in the interview:

"To Love", Jon Worthy (Jamendo Licensing)

"Who I Am", Jon Worthy (Jamendo Licensing)

"Song YW", Jon Worthy (Jamendo Licensing)

[Jon's songs are licensed for the published interview through Jamendo Licensing and he has given us permission directly to use his music related images for the YouTube video version.]

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week I look at vocal texture variation using in-sync harmony, motifs, emotional vocal delivery, and rhythmic layering. And we hear full songs from The Devil Music Co., Wood Hitch, Grant Smith, and The Freak Fandango Orchestra.

In Hits and Hooks Vignettes, we play some great tunes and lift the hood to see what makes them tick. HHV is a music podcast about how songs keep listeners engaged through hooks, structure, and subtle musical decisions.

Follow Hits and Hooks Vignettes, and join me, TuneMoose Matt Bates, for a weekly short walk through musicland! Hits and Hooks Vignettes is produced by Everyone's A Star Records, and hosted by TuneMoose Matt Bates.

Songs In This Episode:

The Devil Music Co. - Swing Low (Jamendo Licensing)

Wood Hitch - Auld Lang Syne Don't Waste My Time (Jamendo Licensing)

The Freak Fandango Orchestra - Unnamed Song Of A Fake Unicorn (Jamendo Licensing)

Grant Smith - So Far Away (Jamendo Licensing)

Music Inserts:

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Help Me Now" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "Everythin' 'Bout Love" (Everyone's A Star Records)

TuneMoose Matt Bates, "The Arival" (Everyone's A Star Records)

Keywords:

music, song analysis, hooks, melody, harmony, rhythm, genre, songwriting, engagement, recording, mixing, production, instruments, performance

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.