Earlier this month the date for new music releases was standardized worldwide to Fridays. Beforehand, in the United States, it was customary for new albums to be released on Tuesdays, and it’s probably going to take a while to get used to new music dropping at the end of the week. In order to fill the new music-shaped hole (does music have a shape? Never mind) in your hearts, we at The Young Folks have started a new featured call New(ish) Music Tuesdays, in which members of our staff write about the song they’re currently digging.
For the first installment, Ally, Brenna and I picked two songs apiece that hopefully you’ll love as much as we do.
Ryan Gibbs’ Picks
Pure Bathing Culture – “Pray for Rain”
Pure Bathing Culture–the project of former Vetiver members Sarah Versprille and Daniel Hindman–garnered a lot of comparisons to Beach House for their top-notch hazy dream pop debut Moonbeams a few years back. If the title track to their upcoming sophomore album Pray for Rain is any indication, they’re switching up their sound significantly. “Pray for Rain” still keeps much about what was great about their sound and adds some massive electropop hooks into the mix. This song is irresistible, and it will be interesting to see where they take this new sound on their album.
Hello Seahorse! – “Animal”
Mexico City’s Hello Seahorse! has come a long way from the indie pop stylings of their earlier recordings–in particular, singer Denise “Lo Blondo” Gutierrez has turned into one of the best singers in guitar music right now. Her voice dominates “Animal,” a stand-alone track released late last month. The song itself reminds me a lot of Metric, and fans of that group will find a lot to love here. It’s unfortunate that Spanish language rock music doesn’t seem to get much traction in America these days, so I hope this amazing song is the one that bucks the trend. A possible year-end best-of-list contender.
Allyson Johnson’s Picks
Turnover – “Humming”
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Produced by one of the most interesting current producers in the business, Will Yip, Turnover has seen a massive change both in their sound and audience from their first album to their newest. There are plenty of songs on their newest album, Peripheral Vision, that I’d love to highlight, but it’s the catchy, summer friendly “Humming” that comes to mind first. With one of the best choruses I’ve heard in a while, the song never gets old (coming from someone who’s had it essentially on repeat since first listen), filling that void of hazy, dream pop, with a strong hook. It’s the song you listen to in the middle of the summer on a long drive with the windows down.
Miguel – “Waves”
It’s a shame that Miguel’s newest album isn’t bigger, considering some of the current pop sensations that are little more than carbon copies of what’s come before. “Waves” is inventive, catchy, and radio-friendly, with a fun dance beat and strong vocals. The rhythmic, more stilted lyrical style is a wonderful counterpart to the more melodic chorus. It’s one of my underrated favorites of the summer.
Brenna Cashen’s Picks
The Front Bottoms – “Cough it Out”
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“Cough It Out” is the perfect song for your lethargic summer of chilling in basements and doing nothing. It is the latest releases from New Jersey rockers, The Front Bottoms. The single shows off a more mature sound for the duo, involving a fully developed melody and song structure. Brian Sella’s voice and witty lyrics describe a bad friendship or relationship we all know too well in the first half of the song.
“I don’t care if you’re not sorry, I forgive you and with or without your support, I will continue.”
About halfway through, the song transitions into a lazy summer anthem. Sella sings,
“If you know what I mean, wave your hands in the air like you just don’t care. I just don’t care.”
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“Cough It Out” sounds like three separate songs into one, but not in a bad way. You can listen to this song over and over again and it’ll never get old because it sounds different every time.
Jr. Jr. – “Gone”
It seems like every day a new Hollywood couple calls it quits. If you’re experiencing the same summertime blues, we’ve got your new, summer breakup anthem! “Gone” by Jr. Jr. (formerly known as Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr.) is the upbeat, first single off of his upcoming album Jr. Jr. (available September 25th).
Whether you are experiencing a breakup or not, this song is sure to brighten your day between the whistling, harmonies, and encouraging lyrics.
“I can’t be everything you want me to be. Finally, I can see the light through the leaves.”
You’ve heard our picks; now it’s your turn! What are your favorite songs from the past few weeks? Let us know in the comments!
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