Kyle's Pick
Taylor Swift - ME! (ft. Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco)
She’s back. If you’ve met me for even five seconds, you know how much I love Taylor Swift. So today is kind of a huge day. With the release of her new single and music video, ME!, Taylor has traded in the serpentine drenched-in-black world of Reputation for pools of pastels and glitter. And Brendon Urie? The Panic! At The Disco leading man joins Swift in a saccharine, pop-punch to the face that’s almost annoyingly catchy from the very first listen. The song is about embracing your individuality and celebrating it – feeling confident in who you are, despite your traits that might be less than desirable at times. It’s genuinely and unapologetically fun and doesn’t take itself seriously for even a second. Swift has proven that she’s capable of heart-wrenching, lyrically dense music. She’s also proven that she’s happy and eager to be playful and to allow a pop song to be a pop song. Not everything needs to be a manifesto on life. And she knows that. It’s a feel good earworm with trumpets, a catchy chorus, and her signature talking bridges that we’ve come to know from her lead singles.
The issue with Swift, at times, is that we know she’s capable of more. In the past, she was writing songs to show off her lyrical prowess and artistry. It feels here like she’s writing songs for the sole purpose of making catchy pop music. It’s a slippery slope but a familiar one at this point, if you’re a fan of Taylor. Her lead singles are often the weakest songs on the album, designed more for weekend dancing and radio play -- different than her more introspective album cuts. Personally, I would have saved this song for a second single. Leading with a feature feels strange to me and Urie is all over this song. Their voices are wonderful together and I appreciated the collaboration. But she should’ve saved this for a later time.
For those who think this just sounds like a soundtrack song for Trolls 2 or The Smurfs soundtracks, listen, I hear you. Wait for the album. I promise you, she’s got a ton of music coming that’s going to be so much more. Until then, enjoy this for what it is. If you like pop music, what’s not to like about this? In fact, I know it’s stuck in your head right now. Embrace it.
Josh's Pick
Shovels & Rope
An American folk duo I discovered while listening to NPR's Music Tiny Desk Concert. A wife and husband duo that puts out some kick-ass folk music or as much ass-kicking folk music can get. The wife Cary Ann Hearst has a pleasantly raspy voice that is unforgettable. Check out there single Birmingham from their debut album or my favorite, Gasoline. If you enjoy it, they are currently on tour right. If you go, let me know how they are live as I haven't been able to catch a show.
Casey's Pick
Dermot Kennedy
I saw Dermot Kennedy two years ago in in Williamsburg, Brooklyn before anyone knew who he was. I saw him again last year and people were starting to catch on. Now he’s playing Coachella and is one of Spotify’s top performing artists. His voice is his weapon, one that could become iconic when he crosses over to the mainstream. It’s hard to choose just one of his songs because you can get lost listening to his small sample size that’s currently available, but if you don’t know who he is and want an introduction, I’d start with After Rain (the ending of the song is the best), then travel over to discover Glory and finally, end with his awesome cover of Kanye West’s Heartless. After that, you’ll still want more.
Christian's Pick
Mansions - Doom Loop
This isn't a new album by any means but I just started getting into it recently.
Mansions is a band that is just pure nostalgia for me. I discovered them in college after seeing them open for a band in Providence.
Their first two albums, New Best Friends and Dig up the Dead are really great emo records.
Doom Loop seems like the most complete of all of their albums. It's great from back to front. The guitars seemed to be recorded in layers and new instruments can be discovered on each listen. I've had it on repeat for weeks now and I can't recommend it enough.
Comentarios