1. Send In The Clowns – Bryan Ferry – It is one thing to sing “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” as though it was “Send In The Clowns” and another thing entirely to sing “Send In The Clowns” as though it is “Your Painted Face”, the former is the mainstreaming of Dylan, the latter the devaluing of Sondheim. Amazingly enough it doesn’t suck… but that doesn’t add up to an endorsement – B
2. Things we Said Today – Bob Dylan – The irony isn’t lost on anyone, least of all the aging His Zimness… his first Beatle cover by Macca not Lennon, and his arrangement morphs Paulie’s sweetness into Dylan’s deepest ruminations. It clarifies depth the song always had any way – A
3. tuesday (feat Drake) – I Love Makonnen – Sure it owes a lot to his boss, Drake, but the backing track sounds a lot like Bryan Ferry in the 80s, and the song is a strong one, a melodic triumph with an addictive hook – A-
4. Ready To Run – One Direction – Pretty harmonies, it sounds like Marcus Mumford at first Ed Sheeran later, very very powerful chorus – B
5. Lipstick – Ariel Pink – Pitchfork love him? Why? Because they’re idiots – C
6. Try Jesus – Fred Hammond – A Stevie wonder wannabe and no, he isn’t in the league bt he isn’t bad at all – B
7. American Beauty – Girlpool – Enjoy em now before Stereogum get their hands on em – B
8. Platinum Girls – Diarrhea Planet – Great pop punk, terrific song, change your name guys – A-
9. Original Beast – Grace Jones – back to Africa – B+
10. All My Love – Major Lazer, Ariana Grande – Typical EDM pop, but she has great lungs. Really interested to see if she has figured out how to sell it live – B
