I’ve been swimming in new music lately. What a time to be alive.
Sufjan Stevens – “So You Are Tired”
A+
My god…I never thought I’d see the day. Indie folk legend Sufjan Stevens has returned with what sounds like a true follow up to his 2015 album Carrie and Lowell. Technically speaking, A Beginner’s Mind was also fairly true to form for Stevens, even if it was a collaborative effort with Angelo De Augustine.
Regardless, “So You Are Tired” feels like a blend between the acoustic folk of Carrie and Lowell and the sweeping rock sounds of Illinois. The backing choral vocals, the poetic lyricism, it’s perfect. It’s beautiful. It’s Sufjan.
Flyte – “Speech Bubble”
A
Following their previous project, the weighty and personal This Is Really Going to Hurt, Flyte’s new direction is pleasant. The singles we’ve heard so far have been sweet and healing in comparison to their last album, which was enjoyably bitter. “Speech Bubble” is gentle and peaceful and soft.
Olivia Rodrigo – “bad idea, right?”
A-
Olivia Rodrigo’s second single from her sophomore album cycle is brimming with personality, which is where she most often shines in my opinion. My favorite songs on Sour weren’t the sappy, Swift – inspired piano ballads (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but the spunky and snappy tracks like “brutal” or “jealousy, jealousy”.
Kero Kero Bonito – “Legendary (2023 Pokemon World Championships Theme)”
B+
I don’t know who’s idea a Pokemon/Kero Kero Bonito collab was, but they should probably get a raise. Maybe it’s the same person who booked Carly Rae Jepsen for the Hello Kitty: Super Style theme, or The Killers on Yo Gabba Gabba (which is unironically one of my favorite Killers’ songs). Take this with a grain of salt, because it is a theme song for the Pokemon Trading Card game. So it has “gamer energy”, if you will. But it’s still well produced and I always enjoy some Kero Kero Bonito.
Slowdive –
“kisses”
A-
“the slab”
B+
A couple of cool little shoegaze songs from Slowdive, who are obviously veterans of the genre at this point.
San Cisco – “Under The Light”
B
Probably my favorite single from their current album cycle. The San Cisco gang just seem like cool people to be around. They are, by all accounts, very nice in real life. “Under The Light” doesn’t exactly break new ground for the genre, but I think it’s a fun tune.
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