First and foremost, we hope everyone’s doing well. Whether you’re stuck at home or stuck in bed, we’re still devoted to covering the singles that came out over the course of the week with the hope that they’ll cheer you up. So without further ado, from Car Seat Headrest to Hayley Williams, here are this week’s singles.
“Martin” by Car Seat Headrest
Charles Smith, Staff Writer
This song rocks. Which is news, considering Mr. Headrest has always wanted to be disco, ever since “Bodys” that is. And yet, he covers up that slickness with the peachfuzz of adolescence. The result sounds like “dance-emo” or “as if The Killers were good.” CSH’s previous single, “Can’t Cool Me Down,” could have been a Killers track; which only means one thing: it was too confident. “Martin” is just awkward enough — with a trumpet solo to remind you it wasn’t an accident and its awkwardness was meticulously crafted by none other than the Michael Cera of the music world. Still, the lyrics are vague. He says: “I will never forget the way you made me feel.” I miss his old verses: “Those are you got some nice shoulders.” That was true love. You’re supposed to act like a confused teenager, not be one.
“COVERED IN MONEY” by JPEGMAFIA
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Music Editor
JPEGMAFIA is up to something. Over the last three weeks, Peggy has turned to Youtube to release a series of videos and singles whose purpose seems to revolve around building a digital relationship between himself and his fans. “Covered in Money!,” the latest of these singles to be released, acts as a two-parter that plays off Peggy’s ability to deliver both biting, experimental, aggressive rap as well as soulful and delicate melodies. Part I of “Covered in Money!” delivers some of the most savage lines Peggy’s ever delivered in his career as a rap artist. Verses like “I brought you a hearse / Hope you fit in the back” and “Beat my d-ck when I look in the mirror (Facts)” cement the fact that Peggy’s one of the few rappers working today with no filter whatsoever, hearkening back to the days when rap resonated at its truest and most vile as a form of expression outside of the mainstream. And then, Part II hits. Suddenly, the venom-spewing Peggy finds himself in a state of tranquility, wistfully delivering the same message from a wildly different angle. Ever-elusive, JPEGMAFIA continues to prove he’s the most experimentally exciting rapper working in the limelight today, a claim that’s only fortified by the unconventional boldness of “Covered in Money!”
“One Good Day” by Control Top
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Music Editor
Despite still being frustrated, it seems Control Top’s mellowed down since the release of “Covert Contracts.” The shrieking of the past seems to have been replaced by assaulting, premeditated poetry. Rather than getting their point across through crescendoing noise, Control Top’s latest opts for acceleration to make themselves heard — like a car nearing your rear end to state it has no time for your slow and boring way of navigating the world. By the time “One Good Day” reaches its chorus, “Bang my head against a wall until it’s all over / You’re not the only with problems,” it reaches a level of effectiveness Control Top’s previous songs lacked. Perhaps the fiery nature of their debut has been subdued, but the fact that they’ve traded sheer verbalized rage for an artfully constructed litany of abuses speaks wonders of the evolution they’ve begun to undergo as a veritably contemporary punk band.
“Vanishing Twin” by Blake Mills
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Music Editor
Delicate strings, synths and singing come together in Mills’ masterfully arranged “Vanishing Twin.” Sonic ondulations carry the weight of graspable hope from the void Mills seems to be crooning from. As his whispery voice clashes with subtle strings, the soothing sound of a sax and the airy emptiness of the vacuum from which he sings, a beautiful portrait of love begins to form. The suddenness of a harp manages to deliver the same resounding effect a drum solo might have elsewhere, interrupting the underlying repetitiveness of Mills’s melody with a glimpse of newness that accentuates the piece with beauty only to vanish a mere seconds after its appearance. And so the song continues, delicately reinventing itself time and time again before crumbling to pieces in a beautifully orchestrated cascade of musical entanglement that leaves you wanting more despite declaring finality.
“As You Move Through The World” by MGMT
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Music Editor
It’s sad to think about the fact that MGMT will only be remembered for three songs for the rest of their existence: “Electric Feel,” “Time To Pretend” and “Kids.” They’re wonderfully arranged pop ballads that poke fun at the genre all the while celebrating its garish nature, but looking beyond the recognizable trio, it becomes absolutely apparent that MGMT’s sound is more akin to that of The Flaming Lips and Spacemen 3. “As You Move Through The World” reminds us of that fact. The track acts like a mushroom-mantra that unpredictably morphs in-and-out of focus, allowing each and every member of its arrangement to breathe fluidly amidst the madness. Part psychedelic romp, part midnight lullaby, “As You Move Through The World” is evidence of MGMT’s avant-garde genius blossoming before an audience that’s yet to reap its wonders.
“Dolerme” by ROSALÍA
Nicolas Pedrero-Setzer, Music Editor
ROSALÍA’s latest brings her back to the sultry flamenco of her earlier work. Lacking the production from El Guincho that’s made her latest singles so fiery, “Dolerme” plays out much more comfortably, abiding by the standard stylings of pop music to deliver a delightful radio sensation. At two minutes and twenty four seconds, “Dolerme” is a refreshing yet fleeting respite from the unpleasantness of the world’s current situation. Released alongside a message from ROSALÍA that reads: “Esta canción se llama ‘Dolerme’ y espero que os haga sentir un poco mejor” (This song is called “Dolerme” and I hope it makes y’all feel a bit better), “Dolerme” does just that, offering its listeners a soundscape to relax in as time goes by and things hopefully brighten up.
“Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris” by Hayley Williams
Destine Manson, Contributing Writer
In Hayley William’s garden of love and beauty we wilt, we bloom and we fall apart at the mercy of humanity and its flaws. Hayley ponders on whether we can truly reach our full potential if we’re constantly nourishing the seeds of those around us. “Roses/Lotus/Violet/Iris” longs for rebirth no matter the cost. With lyrics like “lotus […] hopes it won’t spark envy in your irises,” Hayley nods to the cultural representation of the flower as a sign of self-discovery that leaves the haters and naysayers in the dirt. A smooth violin and classic rock-bass guitar mingle together to produce this soft rock ballad that says forget wishing on petals for new love, self-love is the best fertilizer.
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