Going Steady, An Early Look: New Singles Reviewed 11-15-19 – 11-21-19
ROXANNE – Arizona Zervas – bedroom dance pop is a surprise hit, with another bad girl at the center – B
Bleachers – Emily Yacina – more bedroom pop, this time singer songwriter dream tuneful confessional – B
To Make Angels in Snow – Francis Lung – The Wu Lyf singer, solo, Christmas pop -a touch of over arranged – B-
Numbers on Paper – Frank Black -So far all the songs I’ve heard off the Moses Allison tribute album have been predictably iffy, including Black’s bore – C+
If You’re Going To The City – Iggy Pop – Iggy has been such a drag for so long (at least since the QOTSA album), I’ve all but completely lost interest in him. But this is the only Moses Allison cover I’ve heard so far that has melded one vision on top of the other and come out on top. Perfect for Iggy’s sing speak vocal, except the original isn’t – B+
Baby Little Tween – Okay Kaya – more dreamy pop but with a bopper 808 – B
Take It Down (feat. Offset) – Pardison Fontaine, Offset – A top rapper with flow and energy that we heard on Ye, this is one of the best rap singles in awhile – B+
Cántalo – Ricky Martin, Residente, Bad Bunny – A who’s who of Latin pop, adding trio hop beats to mainstream Latin with thrilling results – B+
3 Minute Manual – Smoke Dza, Curren$y – Dramatic gangsta story as self-portrait – B-
Inside Out – Demo – Spoon – Give Britt this, here we have a real demo, just voice and piano. A crap song, of course – C
Lenox Hill – Thyla – Excellent post-punk via Brighton, a real strong, well crafted lick monster with a side eye – B+
Death (feat. DaBaby) – Trippie Redd, DaBaby – Trippie has moved past soundcloud (except he still sucks on stage) and daBaby is heading for big time (did you catch his set at Rolling Loud? That was a game changer), and they sound great together – B+
Yo Love – From “Queen & Slim: The Soundtrack” – Vince Staples, 6LACK, Mereba – Mereba is ready for her close-up as she does a terrific job upfront, Vince is better than he has been all year, and 6Lack was great last week on “Honesty” and is great here (he was also great on Mereba’s “Heatwave” earlier this year) This is what we also hope for when some big stars get together for a song on a movie track – B+
Forest Green – Wolf Parade – Brooklyn lives, an off kilter strumming rocker – B
Fortune – Wye Oak – Dramatic, experimental, computer sussed rocker – C+
