The Early Bird: Top New Recorded Releases 3-17-23 – 3-23-23 Reviewed
I’ve been writing this column for years now but I’ve always felt that it was a little busier than it need to be, I used to write it as an essay but it isn’t one, traversing both albums and singles it should be closer to my singles column except an early look at the week that was…
Singles
Justice for All – Donald J. Trump, J6 Prison Choir – I wonder how many years the prisoners got off their time for singing on this nauseating get together – Trump is to sincerity what Biden is to dexterity and hearing his unctuous, fake speaking voice is terrifying. Quite possibly the single worse recording of all time – F
The Grants – Lana Del Rey – when did Lana become a bore, I preferred her as the suicidal nepo baby who overjumped EDM pop to write devastating songs of a natural disaster called life. Now, she writes long, boring, drudges like this – C
Where I Go (feat. H.E.R.) – NXworries – I first heard Anderson .Paak as part of this wonderful and soulful (and playful) duo and better than with Bruno Mars or solo, H.E.R. is unobtrusive but her backing vocals make the track – A-
All Of The Girls You Loved Before – Taylor Swift – this is an outtake from no one’s favorite TayTay, Lover, and it is slight but fine romance plodder. This is all leading up to tonight when Taylor opens the tour at “Swift City” Arizona and while in the past it was a piece of cake figuring out the tour before it began (the entire new album and a handful of her biggest hits, “The Era” tour promises songs from all periods of her career, which will hit twenty years in 2024… we can’t wait to find out! – B
Take the World Apart – Yusuf / Cat Stevens – I enjoyed two of Yusuf’s solo albums very much, but this isn’t quite that as it quietly swings like a lullaby with schizophrenia… not bad but not “Midday (Avoid The City After Dark)” – B
Albums
2000 – Manuel Torizo – The 22 year old reggaeton star has been doing it since he was 13 and you can hear it on this moody album of Latin pop, borderline bachata, ballads. Marshmello welcome here – B
Swarm – Ni’jah – from the Prime movie starring Childish Gambino about a beyonce type superstar, and he co-writes two and adds his voice to one of these, it sounds like future r&b and not rap even slightly – B
Return to Carnegie Hall (Live at Carnegie Hall, May 14, 2022) – Ryan Adams – yeah I was there and it was my favorite concert of 2022, over three hours and the gig was a standing masterpiece of redemption my review here), this taster is two classics, two new songs and let’s hope he releases the rest of it – A
Songs Of Surrender – U2 – in which Bono gives up to the inevitable and becomes a nostalgia act on this dreary fucked up album of all hits to go hand in hand with his memoirs. I mean, really, even MORE SINCERE?? – D+
10,000 Gecs – the hyper-pop duo are pop music’s saving grace and leading the way for a hybrid electronica with a soupcon of J-Punk and the same old same old anything they can think of lyrics: try the single “Hollywood Baby” and the self-explanatory “Doritos And Fritos) – A
