Going Steady: New Singles 9-16-22 – 9-22-23 Reviewed

Moonshooter – Ab-Soul – the TDE signee and Black Hippy Ab-Soul is still underrated and “Moonshooter” is an unblinking self portrait with the finest backing tracks (is it “It’s Impossible”?) you’ll hear all year heralds a major new album – B+

You Have What It Takes – a-ha – Mach One of a-ha hit me as rather flimsy, Mach 2 not so much and this beautiful synth and strings is a winner – B

Big Time – Angel Olsen, Sturgill Simpson – while Olsen can be a self-righteous drag, this is a fine slice of pure country – B

PSYCHO – Anne-Marie, Aitch – consider it art-EDM with two competing hooks and Aitch with a fine verse – B

AMANTES – Becky G, Daviles de Novelda – the golden age of modern Latin trap , reggaeton and pop was announced by Beyonce and J Balvin in 2017 and while 2022 has been the year of Bad Bunny it has also been a settling of who works and why. Becky G works (she just sold out MSG0 and this is a highly arranged pop trap Latino – B

balance is gone – Billy Nomates – aka Tor Maries has never released a bad track and this is another place where she moves from spoken word Sleaford Mods spoken word foil to mainstream popster – A-

Ovyule – Björk – I am second to none in my admiration of the Iceland’s greatest, nobody sounds anything like her, she is unique and lovely. Wait, one person sounds like Björk and that would be Björk and she sounds like Björk over and over again – B

Love In The Way – BLEU, Nicki Minaj – autotune beauty with a fine feature by Nicki – B

Talking to Yourself – Carly Rae Jepsen – her third single from the upcoming album is pretty good electronic pop – B

Ghetto Prophets (feat. Conway the Machine) – Cam’ron, A-Trak – the odd thing is that if this is part of the A-Trak-Cam’ron album, where is the house? – B

LA Leakers Freestyle – Central Cee – the Shepherd’s Bush native visits the West Coast but if you’re gonna visit him at the hotel, he will confiscate your celly till you leave – B

I Don’t Think That I Like Her – Charlie Puth – Puth is on fire with another a gorgeous piece of pop rock, this new album might be huge for him – B+

Je te vois enfin – Christine and the Queens – not bad hyper pop variant with an electrifying aural hook – B

All You Fonies – Dropkick Murphys – Are we really in the market for a Woody Guthrie lyric pro-Union song? Absolutely – A-

fmk (with blackbear) – GAYLE – still trying to follow up “abcdefu” with all her might – C

Blues (feat. Future) – G Herbo – the Chicago drill master with a fine Future feature – B+

IF YOU GO DOWN (I’M GOIN’ DOWN TOO) – Kelsea Ballerini – intoxicating, high kick, bluegrassy country-pop triumph – A-

Walk – Kodak Black – a great hook here on one of Kodak’s calm but strident tracks – B+

Spin – Kodak Black – Kodak nearing his best on an addictive, conceptual continuation that works as one song (“Walk”) morphed – A-

Sweet Tooth – Maya Hawke – you may know her as movie star scion, I know her from “Stranger Things” and her skillfulness on “Sweet Tooth” is far from dilettantism and much closer to catchy singer songwriter – B+

NAILS (feat. Missy Elliott) – Noga Erez – trust Missy to twig a major new hip hop operative Noga (and partner in crime Ori Rousso) follow up an early 22 cover of “Industry Baby” with her own super clever hip hop track, a wonderful piece of a nail metaphor self-reference, the hook is mega – SINGLE OF THE WEEK – A-

There’s No One Else Like Lynette – Push Puppets – first rate practitioners on the beyond catchy “There’s No One Else Like Lynette” written by the pop melodist par excellence Erich Specht – B+

Hate On Me – RichSkii, Lil Baby – ATL native joined by ATL superstar for some trap – B

I Remember When (Hold On) – Sam Daniels – electronic sad girl with an edge of Americana to the ready to sign to a major performer who can absolutely arrange a song – B+

Bubble It – Yemi Alade, Spice – God like genius Yemi Alade is joined by dancehall queen Spice for “Bubble It”, a catchy beats and fine dancehall vibes on a terrific track – B+

Bad To Me – Wizkid – Afrobeats – Prince Of The City Wizkid returns with “Bad To Me” which is hurt with an awful sample (that blaring car horn you hear at rap concerts) – B

No Future? Yeah Right (feat. Rou Reynolds) – You Me At Six – typical 22 rock though the anthemic qualities pick it up a little, the singing is dreadful – C

Get Your Money (feat. Theophilus London) – Young Franco – Australian DJ with a great hip hop meets dance featuring the estimatible London – B