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Only God Was Above Us

29 Apr

For an indie band, Vampire Weekend have been phenomenally successful critically and commercially over their 15-year career. Their excellent debut album Vampire Weekend (2008) offered a mix of prep-school vibes (the band formed at Columbia University), Afro pop, and classical instruments – a sound that was worldly yet elitist. Without letting go of their core ethos, they went on to win not one but two Grammys, for their third album Modern Vampires of the City (2013) and fourth album Father of the Bride (2019), with the latter even being nominated for Album of the Year.  

Much of the success of the prior albums has derived from the chemistry between Ezra Koenig, the band’s telegenic, bright frontman, and Rostam Batmanglij, a multi-hyphenate multi-instrumentalist that provided a lot of the band’s eclectic influences. Although Batmanglij left the band after Modern Vampires to launch the electro-funk band Discovery, he was still around to assist with the production and creation of Father of the Bride. The band’s fifth album, Only God Was Above Us, is the first to be created and recorded by the remaining threesome – Koenig, bassist Chris Baio and drummer Chris Tomson – and it was unclear whether the direction of the new music would suffer from one-half of the band’s erstwhile magic spark being out of the picture. 

Happily, though, Only God Was Above Us is some of Vampire Weekend’s best work since their debut album – and indeed, strongly reminded the author of that album. “Classical” would fit perfectly on the 2008 record, interspersing the band’s trademark indie-pop sound with chamber music-esque riffs. Although the lyrics are characteristically a tad oblique, Koenig’s “How the cruel, with time, becomes classical” makes one think of the song as a commentary on the famous Churchill quote “History is written by the victors”. And that’s classic Vampire Weekend for you – deceptively high-brow without being too pretentious. “Connect” begins with a twinkling piano and an asymmetric drum beat that will be familiar to long-time listeners of “Mansard Roof”. “Ice Cream Piano”, the album opener, starts off with fuzzy guitars and slow-paced intonations from Koenig, but speeds up into a lively indie-pop track backed by violins and string bass. 

Beyond callbacks to their own earlier music, there’s plenty of new ideas on here. Most of the band members are on the cusp of their 40s, and the gentle “Capricorn” refers to these milestones with lines like “Too old for dyin’ young / too young to live alone”. “Gen-X Cops” takes a leaf out of fellow New Yorkers The Voidz with its frenetic opening riff, although the middle sections are all trademark Vampire Weekend. “Hope”, the album closer, is a meandering 8-minute track (to put into perspective, that’s about a sixth of the album’s entire runtime) about forgiveness, growing up, and just rising above it all. It’s very different and very good.

The other songs on here are all decent in their own way. There are some interesting bits with the slow beats and echoing piano on “The Surfer” – the only collaboration on this album with ex-member Batmanglij – and there’s a lovely, alluring lightness to “Pravda”. This writer didn’t care much for the final single “Mary Boone” or for “Prep-School Gangsters, but they could be songs that blossom with time and repeated listens.

Apart from Koenig and Batmanglij, another keystone of the band has been their collaboration with Ariel Rechtshaid, who came in for Modern Vampires (the first two albums being produced by Batmanglij himself) and has produced all their albums since then. The partnership has clearly worked, gaining the band not just the two Grammys but also a wider, more diverse audience beyond the collegiate set from the initial years. As a side note, Rechtshaid was dating Danielle Haim from the band Haim during the Father of the Bride era, which directly led to her presence throughout that album including on the duet between her and Koenig on “Hold You Now”.

As another side note, Vampire Weekend debuted most of the songs from their new album on April 8th in Austin, Texas, three days after the album was released. Not only did the concert fall on Koenig’s 40th birthday – an interesting coincidence given the references to middle-age on this album – it was timed to the North American total solar eclipse. This writer was, fortunately, at that concert and can ascertain that it was a truly magical, otherworldly experience: one that truly brought meaning to the phrase “only God was above us”.

All in all, Only God Was Above Us is some of Vampire Weekend’s most self-assured, unique work since their first album. Also, in an era where big-name artists refuse to self-edit and insist on dumping all their ideas on listeners (looking at you, Beyonce and Taylor Swift), Vampire Weekend’s tightness is commendable. Although there are a couple of so-so tracks on here, Only God Was Above Us is a strong, tight and cohesive album, with each of the ten songs fitting well across the 47-minute run time. 

Rating: 8/10

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Beyonce – Cowboy Carter

7 Apr

In 2022, Beyonce released her seventh studio album Renaissance, an ode to dance music as seen through a Black lens. The singer referred to the critically- and commercially-acclaimed album as her Act I – the first of a planned three-album thematic trilogy all through a similar lens.

All that to say, Beyonce has just released a new album called Cowboy Carter (which she, naturally, calls Act II: Cowboy Carter) and boy, is it an all-encompassing ode to country music. There’s country legends aplenty – if off the very top of your head you thought of Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, you’d be correct – and Beyonce runs through genres and sub-genres like no one’s business. The rollicking lead single, “Texas Hold Em”, which you’ve undoubtedly heard already through Spotify, radio, or wherever you get your music, topped country charts, making Beyonce the first Black woman (!) to do so.

If you find it impossible to not tap your feet to the real-life boogie and the real-life hoe-down on “Texas Hold Em”, rejoice – for the rest of the album packs a similar punch. The other single, “16 Carriages”, is a slower ballad that offers a perfect vehicle (no pun intended) for Beyonce’s gospel-tinged vocals – shining light on another important element of growing up in the South. And of course, there’s “Jolene” – her striking cover of the most iconic country song in the world, introduced by Dolly Parton herself on the short “Dolly P” interlude. Beyonce’s cover has proved to be a little controversial (although clearly blessed by Dolly), mostly for the way that she changes the lyrics to imply that she’d, well, fuck Jolene up if she actually came near her man.

Perhaps the most interesting choice on the album was to structure it as a playlist on the fictional country music radio station KNTRY Radio Texas. Willie Nelson himself “introduces” various tracks throughout the album through his “Smoke Hour” interludes, including once for his own tender duet with Beyonce called “Just for Fun”.

Of course, with the multitudes within Beyonce’s musical repertoire, this couldn’t just be a country album. “Blackbird” is a beautiful cover of the famous Beatles track, with Beyonce’s strong vocals supported by a gentle choir of up-and-coming Black artists. (It all fits so beautifully that Paul McCartney personally congratulated Beyonce on it, which is no surprise given he purportedly wrote the track about Black women during the Civil Rights movement.) “Protector”, which opens with a spoken snippet by her second daughter Rumi, is a lilting, hymn-like track about protecting your children; one side of a coin with “Daughter”, a speed-picked track about how she, Beyonce, is herself her father’s (potentially violent) daughter. That track ends with (why not?) Beyonce singing a chilling snippet of an Italian opera song. “Genres are a funny little concept, aren’t they?” says Black female country pioneer Linda Martell on “Spaghetti”, an on-the-nose comment considering that this tonal-shift track could fall right into Cardi B’s next album and you’d be none the wiser. 

If there’s anything that takes away from the Cowboy Carter experience, it’s that the album is a touch too long. With 27 tracks (of course including the interludes), it’s clear that Beyonce has a lot to say, but a little editing could have gone a long way with taking this album from great to instant-classic. There’s too much on here, to the point where could-be-notable features with Miley Cyrus, Post Malone, and so many others just get lost in the mix. 

It’s important to note throughout the entire album that Beyonce is country. Her roots are intermixed between the Southern strongholds of Houston and New Orleans, both of which she regularly mentions in her music. She’s literally performed at the Houston Rodeo multiple times, and spent her formative years listening to country music deep in Alabama. She’s not being pretentious or stealing culture by making a country album – this is who she really is. Perhaps that’s the reason that Cowboy Carter often feels like a more natural album for Beyonce than Renaissance was – which was good, undoubtedly, but often felt like her setting out trying to make a Club Album™. So, for all the petty haters who didn’t want Beyonce on country music stations: in the bless-your-heart words of Willie Nelson, “go to the good place your mind likes to wander off to / and if you don’t wanna go, go find yourself a jukebox”.

Rating: 9/10

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Monthly Playlist: May 2023

3 Jun

It’s been a while since we’ve done one of these. As you may know, Top Five Records is a small company with just a few writers, and life events derails our plans of getting new music to you. But never fear, we are making our way back to putting out info on all the best tracks out there. Starting with – our top five picks for the month of May!

“UNHEALTHY” by Anne-Marie feat. Shania Twain

British pop singer-songwriter Anne-Marie has had reasonable success on her side of the pond, with her 2018 debut album Speak Your Mind reaching as high as #3 on the UK Albums Chart. Buoyed by giant singles such as “FRIENDS” and “2002”, Anne-Marie is one of those singers whose tracks you’ve probably heard a bunch of times on an algorithm-driven playlist somewhere. “UNHEALTHY” is off of her upcoming new album, also called Unhealthy, and features Canadian country star Shania Twain. The country-pop song features Anne-Marie’s strong vocals in a beautiful duet with Shania’s iconic vocals, set against a jangly guitar and a driving beat. Another great pop song from Anne-Marie – definitely check it out!

“From the Start” by Laufey

Laufey is a pop singer from Iceland blessed with a beautiful voice that transports listeners to elegant jazz clubs of yore. Indeed, the classically-trained singer lists female  singers such as Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald as the key influences to her sound. Her sound is perfectly exemplified in her new track “From the Start” which mixes in an element of bossa-nova with plinking piano notes into her jazzy vocals. The crisp and clean production makes this a repeat-listen kind of song – as seen through the more than 5 million streams that it’s already racked up on Spotify.

“Should I” by Sir Chloe

Sir Chloe is an indie rock band created by singer-songwriter and guitarist Dana Foote, along with her four band members Emma Welch, Teddy O’Mara, Palmer Foote and Austin Holmes. The band first caught our attention due to their presence on the upcoming Beck and Phoenix tour across the US this August and September; however, this hasn’t been their first brush with fame. Tracks like “Michelle” and “Animal” from their 2020 album Party Favors have hundreds of millions of streams online, and for good reason – Foote’s drawling vocals are confident and rambunctious in a restrained punk rock sort of vein, and her bandmates do well to support her. With “Should I” – off of their latest album I Am The Dog – the band amps up the energy to new levels, showing an edge that hasn’t been on their earlier tracks. You’ll instantly find yourself nodding along, especially to the noisy and well-structured chorus. And for fans of early-aughts teen movies – we can’t be the only ones who see a similarity between this track and the one that Lindsay Lohan’s garage rock band performs in Freaky Friday…

“The Narcissist” by Blur

Britpop legends Blur have made a couple of attempts to get back together in the intervening decades since their Parklife (1994) heyday. They released their first new album in 2015 – The Magic Whip – after a twelve-year drought, and embarked on a couple of reunion tours and shows since then. Of course, on the side, lead singer Damon Albarn is more than busy creating album upon album as Gorillaz, and the other members have done sundry solo albums and so on. Now, the iconic band is back with a new track, “The Narcissist”, off of their upcoming and recently-announced new album The Ballad of Darren.

“Infinity Repeating (2013 Demo)” by Daft Punk feat. Julian Casablancas & the Voidz

In 2013, French dance music duo Daft Punk released what would be their final record – the smash-hit Random Access Memories – to critical and commercial acclaim. The album went on to win just about every award possible in that year’s music awards circuit, and still holds up 10 years later. The album features an all-star guest list, from Pharrell Williams to Stevie Wonder, but perhaps the most mellifluous collaboration on the tracklist was the subtle “Instant Crush” featuring the Strokes’ Julian Casablancas. The song came at the perfect juncture of the two artists’ evolving sounds – Daft Punk softened their club / house sound, just as the Strokes were also mellowing out in their peak Comedown Machine-era – indeed, the two albums released within 60 days of each other. Turns out, that collaboration had one more fruit to offer. “Infinity Repeating” was a demo from those sessions ten years ago, and offers a snapshot in time of Daft Punk and Julian Casablancas in 2013. Julian’s vocals are soft and beautiful, and the instrumentals have just the right touch of melancholy and yearning to make you hit repeat just as the track finishes. “Infinity Repeating” is the rarest of gifts – a last-ever song that adequately closes out a beloved band’s discography. (Side note: Not sure what the Voidz were doing here but it’s all Julian’s show here.)

Top Five Most Anticipated Albums of 2023

1 Feb

Gorillaz – Cracker Island

Everyone’s favorite digital multi-media band has been teasing their new album Cracker Island since last year, with the release of the eponymous title track that quite caught our fancy. They followed that up with the wonderful “New Gold” featuring Tame Impala, and last month’s classic-Gorillaz, mellow track Baby Queen. As with all Gorillaz albums, Cracker Island is shrouded in a mysterious backstory – this one seeming to involve a cult headed by the band’s “bassist” Murdoc Niccals. Although we would have also been happy with Song Machine Vol. 2, we’re certainly joining in on the anticipation for the full-length Cracker Island, set to release on February 24th.

Jessie Ware – TBA

English singer Jessie Ware’s delectable disco outing What’s Your Pleasure was much-loved in 2020, and she followed it up with the pulsating “Free Yourself” in July of last year. Word on the street is that “Free Yourself” marks the beginning of a new era ahead of her fifth studio album – we can’t wait.

Cardi B – TBA

Yes, we put Cardi on the list last year too. But this time, we have definitive news – Cardi mentioned on the popular radio show The Breakfast Club last month that she pretty much has no choice but to release the album this year. 

Dua Lipa – TBA 

After the worldwide critical and commercial success of her Future Nostalgia album in March 2020 (what a time that was…), Dua apparently hasn’t taken much time off. Joe Kentish, head of A&R for Dua’s label Warner Records, mentioned way back in 2021 that she was “talking about album No.3 when we barely had No.2 done” – hopefully we’ll see the fruits of that soon.

Rihanna – TBA

Rihanna gave birth less than a year ago, but she’s not letting that stop her. She’s back in the news over the past few months – first and foremost, as the Super Bowl half-time show performer in February. She also released a new song (“Lift Me Up”) after many years, on the Black Panther: Wakanda Forever soundtrack – narrowly missing out on a Golden Globe award for it too. Here’s hoping she can ride the momentum to the finish line for her 9th album.

Other notable mentions

  • Lana Del Rey is set to release her new album entitled Did You Know That There’s A Tunnel Under Ocean Blvd on March 24th. She released the album’s gauzy, dreamy title track last month – check it out.
  • Miley Cyrus announced the release of her 8th studio album Endless Summer Vacation, apparently an ode to the city of Los Angeles and its year-round balmy weather. The album is set to drop on March 10th, and new track “Flowers” has just been released as the first single.
  • Sam Smith’s new album Gloria released on January 27th, and he’s already scored the hit song “Unholy” (featuring German singer Kim Petras) ahead of the album drop.

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Monthly Playlist: Aug. 2022

6 Sep

Our playlist for August 2022 is an eclectic mix of artists you definitely know about and those that you probably should know about. Come along with us for a spin of the top five tracks last month – read on below!

“STEPMOM” by DACEY

DACEY is a Canadian duo consisting of the eponymous lead singer Dacey Andrada and instrumentalist Justin Tecson. The duo has had a few minor hits in the flavor of indie / R&B, including “Sidewalks” (2019) and the mellower “Broccoli’s Keeper” (2020), culminating in a short album including those two songs in 2021 called Satin’s Keeper. They’ve had a few tracks since then, but “STEPMOM” immediately stands out with its Hot Chip-esque opening beats and frantic pace. The tempo hardly slows down for the rest of the fun three-minute track, showcasing Dacey’s expressive vocals and the drum machine-like beats in particular.

“strawberry chainsaw” by JAWNY

Indie pop singer-songwriter JAWNY first gained prominence with 2019’s “Honeypie” – one of those inherently catchy pop songs that you’ve likely heard on one of countless Spotify-created playlists. He parlayed that track into a signing with Interscope Records and a major label debut (2020’s mixtape For Abby) which saw moderate success as well. Now he’s back with “strawberry chainsaw”, a jangly, feel-good pop track that immediately evokes summery nostalgia. Imagine this song on the soundtrack for the Gen Z coming-of-age teenage movie like Juno, and you’ll have a good idea of the vibes on these two-and-a-half minutes. 

“New Gold” by Gorillaz feat. Tame Impala and Bootie Brown

We already loved the first new Gorillaz track “Cracker Island” back when it came out in June. Last month, Gorillaz announced that the song was actually the starting point for an entire album (also called Cracker Island) which is expected to be released in Feb. 2023. As part of the announcement, the virtual band released “New Gold” featuring psychedelic rock act Tame Impala and longtime Gorillaz collaborator, American rapper Bootie Brown. “New Gold” is an old-school Gorillaz song with equal measures of deft beats, peppy rap verses, and an air of psychedelia – naturally helped along by the masterful Kevin Parker. We’ll see whether Cracker Island matches the brilliance of 2020’s Song Machine – but with a track like this, signs sure are positive.

“SEX APPEAL” by BLACKSTARKIDS

BLACKSTARKIDS are an alternative hip-hop trio from Kansas City consisting of TheBabeGabe, TyFaizon, and Deiondre. They gained some prominence with the more pop-rock track “FRANKIE MUNIZ” on their third mixtape Whatever, Man (2020), but the sounds on their new “SEX APPEAL” blow that previous song out of the water. The track starts off with a bouncy, fun intro that’s almost reminiscent of Black Eyed Peas, and the siren-based beats and jagged rap verses remind the listener of The Neptunes – in a great way. Take it from us: BLACKSTARKIDS are about to make it big.

“Sweet Tooth” by Maya Hawke

Actor Maya Hawke is not just your favorite member of the older kid crew on Stranger Things. She’s also a singer-songwriter with decent indie pop credentials to her name – and she showcases that beautifully on the lilting, gentle “Sweet Tooth”. Maya’s vocals may be radio-ready, but the lyrics on closer inspection are wackier than your typical pop song. They center around teeth, as the title suggests, but there are plastic teeth, cherries replacing the gap where her molar used to be, and all sorts of other stream-of-consciousness thoughts. The fact that all this weirdness seems endearing is a testament to the sweetness of her voice and jangly guitars. 

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Beyoncé – RENAISSANCE

22 Aug

Whenever Beyoncé releases new music, it’s an Event™ – especially as she has a penchant for dropping music out of the blue. RENAISSANCE, her seventh album, was actually released on July 29th with a heads’ up by way of an announcement on July 16th. Expectations were high, and the first single “BREAK MY SOUL” raised them even further.

So how good is RENAISSANCE? Does it best Lemonade, her acclaimed sixth album from 2016? Probably not. But there are more than enough highlights on this album – not to mention an exciting new turn for Queen Bey – that makes this one well worth the listen.

By and large, RENAISSANCE celebrates the disco and house sounds of the 1970s, especially from Black America. We’ve already written about “BREAK MY SOUL”, a raucous Afropop-tinged disco track seemingly soundtracking the Great Resignation. “ALIEN SUPERSTAR” is another early stand-out with club-ready beats against Beyoncé’s sweetly-sung vocals. “CUFF IT” offers a funky disco sound with the unmistakable Chic touch – and no wonder, because Nile Rogers himself was involved on the track. “VIRGO’S GROOVE” is another disco-funk classic: a seamless, six-minute ode to the desire that Beyoncé still feels for her husband. 

When we looked back at these standout tracks, what jumped out was that all except “BREAK MY SOUL” come courtesy of a production & songwriting duo Nova Wav, consisting of Brittany “Chi” Coney and Denisia “Blu” Andrews. Chi and Blu first worked with Beyoncé on her Grammy-winning “BLACK PARADE” track in 2020. On RENAISSANCE, they have contributed to eight of the best tracks from this album. “MOVE” featuring Grace Jones and Tems is sparse and dramatic with an opening section reminiscent of “Tokyo Drift”, while “PURE / HONEY” is an irresistible track that brings to mind early-90s dance-pop hit “I’m Too Sexy”. “SUMMER RENAISSANCE” is a classic disco / house song that samples none other than Donna Summer’s iconic disco hit “I Feel Love”. It’s not a stretch to say that Nova Wav is the actual powerhouse behind the marketing & vocal genius of the Beyoncé brand on this album.

The other thing that really strikes you about RENAISSANCE is the sheer perfection of the song transitions. They are beautifully done in a way that makes the entire album feel like one cohesive whole, with different sections corresponding to different moods and tracks. In particular, the entire stretch from “CUFF IT” to “ENERGY” (featuring Jamaican rapper Beam) to “BREAK MY SOUL” is a kaleidoscopic ten-minute ride with no discernible stitch whatsoever.

Apart from the core tenets of disco and house, Beyoncé does a good job of highlighting other sub-genres – for example, the dancehall vibes on the aforementioned “ENERGY” and on “HEATED”. Gospel and trap intersect on the Megan thee Stallion-like “CHURCH GIRL” with its insistent drumline and a lot of quotable lyrics, while “PLASTIC OFF THE SOFA” is the closest thing to sweet pop on this album that’s otherwise aggressively sensual.

While there are definite weak points on RENAISSANCE (for example, the tryhard “THIQUE” and the forgettable “ALL UP IN YOUR MIND”), it’s clear that Beyoncé has spent considerable time, energy, and skills in creating the distinctive throwback sounds on this album. The production values are sharp and her vocals are as on point as ever. RENAISSANCE doesn’t have the emotional range of Lemonade (and to be honest, people like Jessie Ware have already made better disco albums in recent years), but Beyoncé’s seventh album is certainly worth a listen. 

Rating: 7/10

Best tracks: “BREAK MY SOUL”, “VIRGO’S GROOVE”, “CUFF IT”

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Monthly Playlist: Jul. 2022

8 Aug

We are back with our best tracks from the month that was. Read on to hear some great tracks from Billie Eilish, Beyonce and more. And let us know your thoughts in the comments!

“TV” by Billie Eilish

After her sophomore album in 2021, Billie Eilish is back with her first pair of new tracks from a short EP entitled Guitar Songs. “TV”, one of these two tracks, is a haunting ode to Billie’s disappointment and depression about the current state of political reality, particularly in the US. She doesn’t want to much beyond watching TV (which no doubt exacerbates the problem), and bemoans how the American people around her are focusing on the Depp-Heard trial and other trivial things rather than on fundamental rights being revoked. The depressive, guitar-driven “TV” continues the tonal shift transition away from the electro-pop of her debut album and further into the more introspective journey that she’s been on since Happier than Ever.

“Free Yourself” by Jessie Ware

Modern-day British disco queen Jessie Ware is back with another banger after 2020’s excellent What’s Your Pleasure? “Free Yourself” – the lead single from her upcoming fifth album – is a funky, synth-driven modern disco track, complete with dramatic violin-note accentuations. Jessie’s vocals are as powerful as ever, ranging from soul on the chorus bits to sweet and sultry on the verses. Catchy as ever from the London-based singer-songwriter.

“Bitch I’m Nice” by Doechii

July presented a double-whammy from the up-and-coming Florida rapper Doechii (real name Jaylah Hickmon) whose rap style runs somewhere between Nicki’s loudmouthed arrogance, Little Simz’s beat-heavy flow and Doja Cat’s ability to turn a melody anywhere. “Bitch I’m Nice” starts strong and doesn’t let down anywhere on its short one-and-a-half runtime. Doechii’s monotone chorus is vaguely menacing, especially when paired against the oscillating synth staccatos in the background. Then in the same month, there was also “Persuasive”, a track featuring none other than SZA. That track showcased her sweeter R&B style vibe interspersed with the rap chops displayed on “Bitch I’m Nice”. Overall, July 2022 proved that Doechii is one to keep an eye on for sure.

“2 Be Loved” by Lizzo

In July 2022, Lizzo released her fourth studio album Special to moderate fanfare. The lion’s share of attention from the album has of course been on the mega-hit “About Damn Time” (we challenge you to turn on a popular radio station without the song coming up within the hour), but second and final single “2 Be Loved” is another notable track from the new album. “2 Be Loved” is a fun, synth-pop track that belies a darker undertone – lyrically, it’s about Lizzo’s journey of self-love that runs through embarrassment, low self-worth, shyness and more. Interesting track and probably the second highlight from the largely mediocre Special.

“Hold the Girl” by Rina Sawayama

“Hold the Girl” is the third single from Rina Sawayama’s sophomore album, entitled Hold the Girl, set to release in September 2022. The track is trademark-Rina – a mix of 90s and 00s music trends paired with Rina’s powerful vocals. This song in particular pays homage to early 00s pop with recognizable elements like dramatic violin-and-piano interludes and a dance-pop break-down in the chorus. Rina sounds more confident in her own skin on this track, and even more skilled at melding her own style with the early aughts vibes that she seeks to emulate. Good signs for the upcoming album! 

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Harry Styles – Harry’s House

1 Aug

Of all the solo careers coming out of One Direction, there’s no doubt that Harry Styles is just a notch above. He didn’t necessarily start out that way: his eponymous debut album showed promise with its 60s-tinged classic pop sounds, but ultimately proved to be fairly mediocre. Things got better with his second album Fine Line (2019) which featured earworm-of-the-decade “Watermelon Sugar” and bagged Styles his first Grammy (for the same track). 

In the years since that album and third album Harry’s House (2022), a lot has happened in Styles’ personal life. Most notably: actress and now award-winning director Olivia Wilde famously left her partner and father of her two children for Harry Styles. Olivia’s presence features subtly throughout the album’s lyrics – appropriately so, since Harry’s House is apparently meant to be about a day in his brain. 

“Late Night Talking”, the album’s second single, is a bright R&B track with a ridiculously catchy chorus that features the title words. With the references to breaking cameras and following his lady to Hollywood, we guess that the late night talks in question were with Ms. Wilde. If “Late Night Talking” bases itself on oblique references, “Cinema” gives it to us straight as the most direct ode to Olivia. The track lays bare the equation between them – she, the worldly cool older woman and he, the eager-to-please and madly in love. “I just think you’re cool, I dig your cinema / Do you think I’m cool, too? Or am I too into you?” he simpers. Also notable: his voice may be sweet may be sweet but the lyrics on this track definitely veer into some spicy territory with his thoughts about her.  

There are other tracks on this album that are great outside of referencing his new lady love, though. Opening track “Music for a Sushi Restaurant” immediately grabs your attention with the heavy bass lines and Styles’ charming falsetto. The bright and brassy chorus makes for an altogether irresistible track – one can even call it a “song of the summer”. Of course, it would have to share that title with Styles’ other big hit from the album – first single “As It Was”. It’s not “Watermelon Sugar” in terms of sheer virality but it’s as great of an addition to his discography. The instrumentals are bright but muted, and his vocals have a melancholy edge to them – if the whole album is about a day in the life in his brain, this is about a not-so-good day where he’s sitting at home, alone, on the floor, and possibly with drugs, to numb his loneliness. 

“Daydreaming” is another sunny and bright track with horns, a thick bass and almost a disco feel in its exuberance, while “Satellite” is a decent track with some interesting drums and a space analogy to the distance between two individuals – kind of in the same spiritual tone as Ariana Grande’s “NASA”. Finally, “Matilda” is a sweet track ostensibly written for the title character of Roald Dahl’s classic novel (or at least someone like her). The quality of his vocals shines in its warmth and understanding on the chorus: “You can let it go, you can throw a party full of everyone you know / And not invite your family ’cause they never showed you love, you don’t have to be sorry for leavin’ and growin’ up”.

Beyond these tracks, though, the album has its fair share of weaker tracks – not duds, especially, but low on the notability scale. A lot of these tracks seem to be about a failed romance that, in retrospect, judging by the relative quality of these tracks, hasn’t provided the best inspiration for him. “Daylight” is a largely forgettable track about a withholding girlfriend while “Grapejuice”, “Little Freak” and “Keep Driving” are mild, vague tracks about the missed love interest, albeit with some interesting visual cues (red wine; ginger ale; tracksuits hiding a yoga-toned body). Album closer “Love of My Life” caps off this series of tracks with a final ode to this lost love; distance seemed to have been the death knell (“It’s unfortunate / Just coordinates”) so at least we have the full story there.

All in all, Harry’s House opens invitingly enough with some bright, brassy hits, but things get milder and less interesting the deeper you go in. To stick with his chosen house-as-mind analogy, perhaps there’s some finetuning and self-work that’s still pending on Styles’ end – and hopefully the next album will be even better.

Rating: 7/10

Best tracks: “Music for a Sushi Restaurant”, “As It Was”, “Late Night Talking”

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Monthly Playlist: Jun. 2022

11 Jul

Hello, and welcome to the Monthly Playlist for June 2022! We are halfway through the year and have had some big album releases already. Kendrick Lamar dropped his much-awaited new album, as did Bad Bunny. There were big albums from Radiohead-side project The Smile, superstar The Weeknd and hyped newcomers Wet Leg. For now, read on for our top picks for the sixth month of the year – and look for a mid-year list soon!

“BRAND NEW BITCH” by COBRAH

COBRAH is a Swedish musician specializing in the genre of hyperpop. If that makes you think of Charli XCX (side note: check out our album review of Charli’s latest!), you’re spot-on – COBRAH’s music falls in the same vein of pulsing, club-ready bangers that blur the line between pop and EDM. “BRAND NEW BITCH” is a party track about COBRAH’s ability to switch between fashionable looks – whether it’s Mugler or Versace – but always looking new, shiny, polished and (use your imagination) slimy. Of course the lyrics don’t really matter because ultimately this song is about the beat and how COBRAH’s vocal-fry pronouncements add a layer of freneticism that perfectly suits the post-COVID club scene. 

“<maybe> it’s my fault” by WILLOW

We’ll be honest – we haven’t been giving WILLOW her musical due. The singer-songwriter (and daughter of a famous and dare we say infamous couple) has been steadily coming into her own, especially over the past year or so. She had a feature from resurgent pop-princess Avril Lavigne on last year’s Lately I Feel Everything, and also put together a great track (“psychofreak”) with Camila Cabello earlier this year. With “<maybe> it’s my fault”, WILLOW has expertly combined a few of those elements, and the result is a pop-punk track about the confusion and angst of early-adulthood relationships. “It’s all in my mind, it’s all in my mind, I try to rewind and all of the while / I’m hurtin’ inside, it’s your fault, Maybe it’s my fault,” she sings, in between surprisingly heavy guitar riffs. Definitely a track that will put WILLOW on your radar if she isn’t there already.

“BREAK MY SOUL” by Beyonce

From the first 10 seconds of “BREAK MY SOUL”, you can instantly tell that this isn’t your father’s (or mother’s) Beyonce track. Afropop house music segues smoothly into Queen Bey intoning the title phrase a few times – apparently with the intention of soundtracking the Great Resignation. “Now, I just fell in love and I just quit my job / I’m gonna find new drive, Damn, they work me so damn hard,” she says and honestly – same. It’s a surprising, new sound for Beyonce, and one that makes us excited for the July 29th release of her new album Renaissance.

“Cracker Island” by Gorillaz feat. Thundercat

After a fantastic album in 2020, Gorillaz are back with another track, just in time for the summer / fall leg of their worldwide tour (and hopefully the release of Song Machine Vol. 2). “Cracker Island” features the jazzy bassist Thundercat on a track seemingly about a cult that sets up shop on their own island (?). In true Gorillaz fashion, the famously multimedia band announced “Cracker Island” in a press release where they have also encouraged fans to join “The Last Cult” – whatever that may be. Mysterious lyrics aside, the song itself is pitch-perfect Gorillaz, with catchy synths, Damon Albarn’s filtered vocals, and beautifully crisp production – with the added bonus of Thundercat’s irresistibly funky bass. Here’s hoping for a lot more soon from everyone’s favorite virtual band.

“Betty (Get Money)” by Yung Gravy

Who knew that the old Internet meme-slash-80s-hit “Never Gonna Give You Up” would work so well as a rap track sample? Not us, but apparently Yung Gravy did. “Betty (Get Money)” is a ridiculously catchy track that starts off with the chorus and unmistakable synth-violins of Rick Astley’s iconic hit, and it only gets better from there. Yung Gravy shines throughout the whole fun track with cool verses and clever flipped lines (try it yourself: sing “Never take a L no more, never take a damn thing slow / All I know is chase this dough And get money” to the original chorus). We hadn’t heard of Yung Gravy until this track, but he’s certainly on our radar now!

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Monthly Playlist – Apr. 2022

15 May

After a short break, we are back with our Monthly Playlist series! This month, we saw the releases of much-anticipated albums from Wet Leg, Fontaines DC and more – not to mention news of perhaps the year’s most anticipated release, Kendrick Lamar’s new album. Read on to find out our picks from the month of April 2022, and let us know if you agree or disagree!

“Down” by Hot Chip

English synthpop band Hot Chip have been around for quite a while now – almost two decades, in fact – and they’ve got quite a few notable albums under their belts. Their second and third albums were particularly successful, with sophomore album The Warning (2006) fetching a Mercury Prize nom and third album Made in the Dark (2008) spawning the massive hit “Ready for the Floor”. Now, a few so-so albums later, the band is back with new single “Down” as the lead single for their eighth album Freakout/Release, set to come out in August 2022. “Down” is a jagged, off-kilter party romp that’s up there with the band’s best works. It’s just a fun dance music with a strong bassline, infectious breakdowns, and an insanely catchy phrase (“Girl, know how to break it on down!”) running through the background – definitely check this one out. 

“About Damn Time” by Lizzo

(Note: This song was actually released in March 2022, but since we missed a Monthly Playlist in that month, we just had to include it in this one. Trust us, you’ll see why when you listen to the track!)

Speaking of irresistible dance music, there are few active artists today who can keep churning out the hits quite like Lizzo. In the latter part of 2021, she released the catchy “Rumors” with fellow artist du jour Cardi B – a track we liked so much that we put it on our year-end list. At the time, she mentioned that “Rumors” marked the start of a new era for her, possibly ahead of her planned 2022 album. Now she’s added another milestone to that new era with “About Damn Time” – a song seemingly about Lizzo re-discovering her confidence after a rocky few months. The world’s foremost flutist / funk-pop star describes how she’s finally in a mood to celebrate and get back out there. “Oh, I’ve been so down and under pressure, I’m way too fine to be this stressed, yeah / Oh, I’m not the girl I was or used to be, Uh, bitch, I might be better,” she says in her classic confidence, all set to a riff that would make Nile Rogers proud. The best thing is that this track also serves as a post-COVID anthem for those that are ready to get back out there after a couple of difficult years; when she says “Is everybody back up in the buildin’? It’s been a minute, tell me how you’re healin’”, we felt that.

“Barely on My Mind” by The Regrettes

The Regrettes are a punk rock band with a couple of albums to their names. But they seem to have taken a bit of a left turn with the dance-pop track “Barely on My Mind”. There are almost Phoenix-like turns of melody on the track, mixed with the magnetism of lead singer Lydia Night’s vocals. The track is part of their third album Future Joy, which was released in April 2022. We’ll surely be checking out the rest of the album with an introduction like this!

“Autopilot” by Dev Lemons

If you’re a TikTok regular, you are probably familiar with the work of Dev Lemons – not as a musician, but as the creator of the popular @songpsych page which boasts almost a million followers and 26 million (!) likes. On the page, Dev Lemons (real name Devon Schmalz) breaks down popular songs into the byte-sized format that suits the preferences of her Gen Z audience. However, not content with just being a music critic of sorts, Dev Lemons has now taken her insights into what makes songs popular (e.g., this video about the new Lizzo song that we also loved above) and has begun releasing original music too. Vaguely reminiscent of acts like Lily Allen, “Autopilot” amps up the synths on the chorus for a fun, catchy romp. Definitely check out Dev Lemons’ music – and of course her @songpsych channel if you’re on TikTok!

“Oh Algoritmo” by Jorge Drexler feat. Noga Erez

Jorge Drexler, the artist behind our final pick “Oh Algoritmo”, is one of the most interesting people you’ve never heard about. First and foremost, he’s a medical doctor – an otorhinolaryngologist (ENT) to be exact. Secondly, as if excellence in one specific skillset wasn’t enough, the Uruguayan won an Academy Award in 2004 for composing “Al Otro Lado del Rio” from the Motorcycle Diaries. This is not counting the numerous Latin Grammy Awards he’s racked up, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. Suffice it to say, you owe it to yourself to at least give a listen to “Oh Algoritmo”, in which Drexler has paired up with Israeli singer-songwriter Noga Erez. The song immediately draws you in with a funky bassline and Drexler’s vocals set against a lively background of shakes, bops and beeps. By the time Erez’s confident English-language vocals come in, we’d bet that you’re hooked on to the angular, groovy vibes on this track. 

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