Yeah I don’t know. Hope everyone had a good week or something.
Remi Wolf –
“Toro”
A+
“Alone in Miami”
A
“Toro” rules. A groovy, sexy, track with a super slick bassline. Seems like Remi Wolf is leaning a little more in a funk direction on her upcoming album, which I am thrilled for. “Alone in Miami” has a very interesting and unique chord progression. It’s not as catchy as “Toro” but I do really enjoy this one. Both tracks are well produced and well written. Remi stays winning.
Kendrick Lamar –
“Not Like Us”
A+
“meet the grahams”
A+
There’s a lot of debate about what’s true and what’s not in the Kendrick/Drake beef. One lie that I know Kendrick told was that he doesn’t have a hating bone in his body. He despises Drake. And I’ve been taking great pleasure in the absolute takedown of “Champagne Papi”. These two most recent releases are some of the greatest diss tracks we may ever hear as a society. “meet the grahams” is one of the most haunting songs I’ve ever heard. And then to follow it with “Not Like Us”, which not only works as a diss track but also as a danceable, catchy club song? This is a master at work.
Drake –
F
Not even gonna rate the tracks. The man lost bad. He’s a clown. Beef or not, I hope that if he is everything Kendrick claims he is, he gets what’s coming to him.
Ice Spice – “Gimmie A Light”
C+
While I find the beat to be pretty uninspired, I can appreciate that Ice Spice sounds awake on this one. That said, she’s not beating those “one flow” allegations. She finds a rhythm on this track and then doesn’t deviate from it. It’s a short track, only two minutes. And yet it feels grading and repetitive.
beabadoobee – “Take A Bite”
B-
This has all the right pieces, but somehow doesn’t quite come together for me. The song is well produced, but I feel the melody itself doesn’t really do much for me. As the lead single from her upcoming album, beabadoobee could have done a lot better. By no means do I think this is a bad song. Just a completely underwhelming one. For my money, she has yet to top her 2021 Our Extended Play EP.
Dayglow – “Every Little Thing I Say I Do”
B-
Undeniably catchy, but not exactly breaking new ground for Dayglow. He’s clearly comfortable in this little indie pop sub genre and I guess that’s ok. Much like many of the artists in the Goblin Music Friday this week, Dayglow seems to have a knack for releasing the same track many times over. He seems like a nice guy I guess. Keep it up, if you want.
Wallows – “A Warning”
C
“A Warning” is right. This track is a warning for listeners. If you’re driving, listen at your own risk. Wallows might put you to sleep at the wheel. I say this out of love, as someone who once loved Wallows: this band has no sound or identity on these recent singles. I don’t know what they should do. I just know that this one feels extremely lackluster.
Dev Lemons – “Why Did I Laugh Anyway”
B+
Another weirdo, creative single from that little freak Dev Lemons. For those who don’t know, she also has a YouTube channel called Dev Limes that you should check out. She’s extremely talented and this track is no exception. Like many of her songs, it’s a left-field, unexpected, unique tune. Her music has just gotten better and better.
Twenty One Pilots – “Backslide”
B-
TOP occupy a strange space in my mind. They feel like a band that should have stayed in 2015. Yet with each new release, they remind me that they exist for good reason. It’s not quite a guilty pleasure band, but it’s not far from it either.
Regardless, “Backslide” feels like a throwback single. It’s another teaser for the band’s upcoming album. It’s perhaps my least favorite of the three. It combines some of the best elements of the duo’s particular strengths, but also feels very dated and – for lack of a better term – cringe.
Still Woozy – “Again”
B
I’m not sure how much longer Still Woozy’s brand of easy going, home grown indie pop will remain interesting, but it must be working for someone because “Again” is more of the same. There’s a joke in there somewhere about the title but I’m too tired to find it and it also wouldn’t be funny.
He’s good at what he does. And his releases are always worth a listen. I think of Still Woozy the same way I think of Goth Babe. They just release the same song over and over again. It’s usually good for a few days before it grows a little stale and you rediscover it months later. I still return to many of the tracks off of his debut album, though. And speaking of the album, it’s good to see Still Woozy’s traditional style of cover art return – which are usually created by his wife. The debut album cover is atrocious.
Cigarettes After Sex – “Dark Vacay”
B
Speaking of artists that release the same song over and over again – here’s a new one from Cigarettes After Sex. I don’t have a ton to say about it. It sounds like you’d expect a CAS song to sound. If you’re in the mood for a dreamy, laid back musical experience, this is for you.
LAUNDRY DAY – “Why is everyone a DJ?”
C+
I discovered a song called “My Life” last year. It was a collaboration between LAUNDRY DAY and Matilda Marigolds. It’s a cute, sweet little indie duet. I listened to that song frequently. I eventually went to find more music from the band, and was pleasantly surprised by their pseudo concept album set in a prep school, Younger Than I Was Before. Their output is impressive, with five studio albums under their belt in the last five years. And more power to them.
But sadly, this new track does nothing for me. It’s too busy. I don’t love the production either. The balance of sounds feels all out of sorts.
Another Michael – “Seafood”
B
I remember hearing this live in a little bar in Pittsburgh last February and thinking it was charming and cute. In that little intimate live setting, it made perfect sense. Maybe it was the lukewarm beer in my hand or the comfortable energy of the crowd, but Another Michael’s “Seafood” made me feel like we were all childhood best friends for a moment in time.
While the studio version doesn’t capture that same energy, it remains a tender, quirky little track that’s worth a listen.
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