Wednesday 26 November 2014

BEST AND WORST NEW TRACKS OF THE WEEK 26/11/2014: Wu-Tang Clan, Faith No More, AC/DC and more...



It’s comeback week. Wu-Tang Clan, Faith No More, AC/DC and Gwen Stefani have all returned with new singles. As usual, I divide the good’uns and bad’uns. Is bad’un even a word? Too late, I’ve typed it out now, there’s no going back...

THE BEST


'Necklace' - Wu-Tang Clan



‘Brother, I think that necklace is causing you too much trouble’. I’ll admit that the sample gets repeated a few too many times, but otherwise the beat being laid down on these New Yorkers' latest single is phenomenal. There’s a mysterious, worn feel to it like it was discovered on a dusty cassette tape in an ancient vault somewhere. Needless to say the verses over the top are insane too. Bring on A Better Tomorrow. I’m belted up and ready.

'Drown' – Marika Hackman



British folk artist, Marika Hackman, plays with some interesting vocal harmonies on this brooding, melancholy track that has all the stillness of being underwater and the hopelessness of realising you’re drowning. There couldn’t be a more disturbingly fitting video.

'Motherfucker' - Faith No More



90s alt/experimental-rock band, Faith No More, are back after a decade and a half with this profanely titled but marvellously crafted new single. The triumphant instrumentation and Mike Patton’s layered vocals build up into a satisfying guitar solo. It rocks like a [insert track title here]!

'Rock or Bust' - AC/DC



They may be getting on a bit, but they’ve still got more energy than most young rockers today. This is a monster of a riff and I’m surprised by the freshness of Angus’s distortion tone. Yes, this is classic Back-in-Black-era acca dacca, but the production’s 2014.

THE WORST


'Spark the Fire' - Gwen Stefani





The No-Doubt-frontwoman-turned-solo-pop-icon has managed to stay looking and sounding young for twenty years, I’ll give her that. However, this new track is just plain dull, not helped by the monotonous production provided by Pharrell. Also, it really doesn’t sound like Gwen is singing ‘spark’. Is pyrophilia a thing?

Trae Tha Truth – Try Me ft. Young Thug


Young Thug is like the asshole you don’t invite to your party because he’s guaranteed to wreck your parents furniture, piss off your friends, kill your family pet and then pass out on your bed in a pool of vomit. This track was alright until Trae let Young Thug come in and fuck things up, slurring gibberish awkwardly over the beat like he’s choking on his tongue and barking ‘ratatatat’ a few times because he can’t think of anything better to spit. Trae's disappointment, although he tries hard to conceal it, is clear.