Artists featured this week include Guerilla Toss, Syd, ESKA, Spin Class, Loud George, Jacqui, Drake and Jojo Siwa…
THE BEST:
‘Life’s A
Zoo’ – Guerilla Toss ft. Stephen Malkmus & Ben Katzman
This song is
batshit insane even by Guerilla Toss standards. It starts off with semi-skronky
guitars, video game synths and cheerleader chants of ‘Life’s a Zoo (you’re
so uncool!)’ – the usual cartoonish art rock we’ve come to know and love
from the band - but then we’re transported through a wormhole 50 seconds in. And
then it’s a series of crazy twists and turns including a intense disco-punk
section and a flamboyant guitar solo from Ben Katzman. Of all the singles we’ve
heard off the band’s upcoming album You’re Weird Now, this might be the weirdest so far. I’m still trying to process
it, but I think it may be my favourite Guerilla Toss single to date.
‘Die For
This’ – Syd
‘Die For
This’ is Syd’s first song in three years. The ex-Odd-Future member and founder
of The Internet (the band, not the World Wide Web) has long had a knack for writing
silky and smooth R&B jams, and this new single shows she’s still got it. At
points, her delivery reminds me of SZA. Except without the explicit/toxic
lyrics you usually get in a SZA track.
‘Down
Here’ – ESKA
Echoing
Prince-like vocals and tumultuous drums make up this excitingly chaotic and
layered track from London singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist ESKA. It’s
the opening song off her new album The Ordinary Life of a Magic Woman - a
record that was released two months ago, but that I’ve just got around to
listening to – and I can honestly say that all of the tracks on the album are
insanely fun and just as musically impressive. Themed around motherhood and artistry,
it’s an album about the chaos of juggling both roles.
‘Bagel
Bagel Bagel’ – Spin Class
‘Bagel Bagel
Bagel’ contrasts raw punky riffs and intricate proggy breakdowns while topping
it with some energetic Chris-Cornell-like vocals. Singer/lyricist Louis Slater provides
this explanation of the song’s title in the press release: ‘Do you ever feel
like a bagel? A soft, round but delicious outside with a hole in the middle
where all the bits should be? Now times that by three and you get Bagel Bagel
Bagel’. Honestly, I am none the wiser as to what the song it about, but I’m
enjoying the hell out of it nonetheless. The track was produced by Josh Gallup of
Krooked Tongue (who I’ve previously featured on the blog) and comes off their
new EP titled Dinner at Derek’s (out today).
‘Blue’ –
Loud George
Loud George lives
up to his name with this loud song. It deceives you at first with its
grungy but relatively softly-sung first verse. But then the chorus comes
hurtling in like a freight train with its screeched vocals, angry drums and jagged
guitars. Something worth noting: Loud George is in fact three people and not
just one person called George playing all the instruments at the same time. In
fact, none of the members of this trio are called George. Who is this
mysterious George??
‘Fries bb’
– Jacqui
‘Fries bb’ is
a late-night burger shop love song about ordering food when you’re not hungry
just so you can hang out with your crush. I’m diggin the groovy neo-soul beat
and glitchy playful vocals that singer/songwriter/producer Jacquie
self-describes as ‘aggressive (in a cute way)’.
THE WORST:
‘What Did
I Miss?’ – Drake
Is dredging
up last year’s hip hop beef a good idea? No. But Drake is doing it anyway. ‘What
Did I Miss?’ is less of a diss track and more of a whine track – rather than
attacking Kendrick, it indirectly attacks everyone who sided with Kendrick
during the rap battle. It’s poorly mixed and repetitive and has me a little
worried as to what direction he may take on Iceman.
‘Bette
Davis Eyes’ – Jojo Siwa
This Kim
Carnes cover seems totally unnecessary and the raspiness in her voice is totally
OTT (one Instagram user called it ‘an anti-smoking campaign’). And yet it somehow
manages to be less embarrassing than last year’s ‘Karma’.
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